NFC North 4-0?

Yes, the NFC North went 4-0 yesterday, with Green Bay and Minnesota springing road upsets at division leading Atlanta and New York (Giants) while Detroit and Chicago won over cellar-dwelling Arizona and San Francisco. It was really windy in Chicago, but the 49er passing game was atrocious. QB Cody Pickett was 1 for 13 for 28 yards with an interception. One completion in 60 minutes of football? The 49ers best offensive play was a punt, as Chicago return man Bobby Wade fumbled 3 punts and the 49ers recovered them all, including one at the Bears’ 3. Two plays netted two yards, then 2 penalties (12-man huddle, false start) put the 49ers into an impossible 3rd and 11 situation. Incomplete pass was the obvious 3rd-down outcome for the 49ers.

The Bears have won 5 straight to put a stranglehold on the NFC North but now will face 4 real NFL teams in the next 5 weeks (CAR, @TB, GB, @PIT, ATL). It’s important to let the teams that will defeat themselves do just that (i.e. MIN, BAL, DET, NO, SF). Now the Bears face the more difficult task of winning games on their own (Hint: Leave the orange jerseys in the closet!)

Steve Spurrier now has victories over Tennessee and Florida in his first season at South Carolina. Things are getting interesting in the SEC East. Alabama wasn’t able to muster enough offense against LSU, the Tigers to be really upset since the only blemish on their record is a 30-27 come from ahead loss to a below average Tennessee team.

Philadelphia Eagles 2005: RIP. They were game for 56 minutes building a 20-7 lead; then gave up a 42 TD second drive. On their ensuing possession QB Donovan McNabb was intercepted by S Roy Williams who returned it for a touchdown. McNabb appeared to aggravate his hernia injury (between the INT return and an earlier 4th quarter scramble) and sat out the final drive that only reached the Dallas 43 yard line. The Eagles ran the ball very successfully with both Brian Westbrook and Lamar Gordon but couldn’t hold the lead. They have now lost 3 straight to fall into the NFC East cellar and are 0-3 in the division.