My theory is that the league does not want a three-peat. At all.

The officiating in last week's win could be chalked up as Week 1 sloppiness. So what is the excuse this week?

I don't know, but I do know that the Patriots had far too many penalties of their own in the 27-17 loss to Carolina (Number 4 on my all-time Teams I Can't Stand List).

12 penalties for 85 yards lost. Too many first and 15s, first and 20s, second and 20s to measure. The Patriots may have gone to Carolina for a football game, but they sure didn't give themselves a chance to win.

"Do you think we're going to win any more games playing like this?" Bill Belichick said in his particularly short post-game press conference. "We can't play like this. We have to play better. We have to coach better."

The quarterback comparison is lopsided, and Panther QB Jake Delhomme's numbers were pitiful, 11 for 26 for 154 yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT, compared to Brady's 23 for 44 for 270 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT. Brady also lost a fumble.

But it was Steve Smith on Carolina who led the charge with 3 touchdowns, one of them questionably looking like a fumble at the goal line. The ball doesn't even break the plain while he has possession. Belichick never challenged the play, citing not enough evidence. A Panther did recover it n the endzone immediately after the ball jarred loose. 

All-in-all, it was bad game. Let's not have a repeat next week in Pittsburgh, shall we?

Weekend Break Down

TITANS (1-1) 25, Ravens (0-2) 10 - FINAL: I think it is going to be a very long season for Brian Billick's Ravens.

BEARS (1-1) 38, Lions (1-1) 6 - FINAL: So much for the reassurance of the Lions. Ick!

EAGLES (1-1) 42, 49ers (1-1) 3 - FINAL: OK, Mike Nolan. Honeymoons is OH-VAH!

BUCCANEERS (2-0) 19, Bills (1-1) 3 - FINAL: Man, Gruden is 2-0! Wow!

BENGALS (2-0) 37, Vikings (0-2) 8 - FINAL: Man, Mike Tice is 0-2! Wow! Wow! And Marvin Lewis is 2-0!

Steelers (2-0) 27, TEXANS (0-2) 7 - FINAL: Houston, we have a problem. And I think this might be it for Dom Capers this season. The Texans still need an offensive line. David Carr: 8 sacks on the day.

COLTS (2-0) 10, Jaguars (1-1) 3 - FINAL: Check out this baseball score. Man! Manning No. has his worst game in four years, and the Colts still win.

PANTHERS (1-1) 27, Patriots (1-1) 17 - FINAL: Ugh!! Penalties!! Bad play calls! Ugh!

Rams (1-1) 17, CARDINALS (0-2) 12 - FINAL: No surprise to see Kurt Warner coming up short against Mike Martz.

SEAHAWKS (1-1) 21, Falcons (1-1) 18 - FINAL: So much for the Falcons mowing over everyone this season.

JETS (1-1) 17, Dolphins (1-1) 7 - FINAL: Hey, Nick Saban. The Honeymoon is OH-VAH!

BRONCOS (1-1) 20, Chargers (0-2) 17 - FINAL: Diego is bumming. This is a real bad start for Martyball.

Browns (1-1) 26, PACKERS (0-2) 24 - FINAL: Romeo Crennel, you have just won your first game as a head coach - in Lambeau no less! What are you going to do next?

Chiefs (2-0) 23, RAIDERS (0-2) 17 - FINAL: Raiders come up short again, and the Chiefs start off hot again.

NJ Giants at New Orleans in the Meadowlands Tonight 7:30 PM ABC until 9PM, then to ESPN

Washington at Dallas Tonight 9 PM ABC

Oddities of Next Week's Matchups

New England (1-1) at Pittsburgh (2-0) 4:15 PM. Rematch of the 2004 AFC Championship game, same site.

Tampa Bay (2-0) at Green Bay (0-2) 1 PM. Classic Battle of the Bays.

Arizona (0-2) at Seattle (1-1) 4:05 PM. NFC Westerner.

Kansas City (2-0) at Denver (1-1) 9 PM. AFC Westerner.

Open date: Baltimore, Detroit, Houston, Washington

League Notes

BREAKING NEWS: The Texans fired offensive coordinator Chris Palmer on Monday after an embarassing two weeks of offense including David Carr being sacked 8 times...Carolina DT Kris Jenkins tore his right ACL in Week 1, and will spend his second season sidelined with an injury. Jenkins missed 12 games in 2004 for a shoulder injury...Packer WR Javon Walker is also out for the season with a torn ACL in his right knee...The Colts and Tony Dungy agreed to a three-year extension...Ravens QB Kyle Boller is out this week after hyper extending his right big toe in Week 1 against the Colts, and Anthony Wright will start for the Ravens against the Titans...The Redskins will start Mark Brunnell at QB over Patrick Ramsey in Week 2 after Ramsey was ineffective and spained his neck. Head coach Joe Gibbs says the switch has nothing to do with the injury...The Saints will play four home games at LSU and three more in San Antonio...The Monday Analysis sends condolences to Roger Clemens and his family on the passing of his mother...Jets running back Curtis Martin injured his right knee, and will undergo an MRI to check for damage...Michael Vick injured his hamstring against the Seahawks...

Signs of the Apocalypse

I received a video of Wolf Blitzer of CNN describing some of the horrors of New Orleans and the evacuees trying to seek refuge. His comments were that the evacuees were "so poor and so black."

Now, isn't Blitzer supposed to be an upper tier journalist, makes very few on-air mistakes, and is well respected. Because that comment is really, really, really bad.

A natural disaster victim's skin color means very little to drastic weather patterns. Mother Nature tends to overlook these things. I mean, Wolf, we can learn a lot from Mother Nature.

Top Ten List of the Week

1. Happy Birthday to my Dad who turned the big 6-OH on Friday!

2. Tom Brady is right. If the Patriots don't play cleaner, they will not beat anyone.

3. While I basking the glow of Manning No. 2's melt down (40 passer rating, 0 TDs, 1 INT), I can't help but be daunted the Colts still won.

4. Congrats to Romeo Crennel for a sweet first win as a head coach. Nice work, Browns.

5. A lot of folks are planning to stay with the New Orleans-Giants game when it switches over to ESPN at 9 PM. Not me. I think the Saints will sink. And while I think Parcells will walk all over Joe Gibbs, I'll still watch it to see Bledsoe throw three touchdowns and Julius Jones run his butt off.

6. If the Texans expected to be competitive as a franchise, they would have lined up offensive lineman three years ago. Instead, Houston is content on killing David Carr. My guess is that they are not that interested in being a playoff team,. Note to David Carr: Request a trade to Arizona - now, while you still have a chance and the Cards need a quarterback.

7. Nick Saban and Mike Nolan got the harsh realities of the NFL this week with huge losses after huge wins. Don't get too excited off a Week 1 when Week 2 is just six days away.

8. I have a challenge for the New England Defense: I'd really like to see just how bad you can rattle Roethlisberger next week. And I mean rattle.

9. Firing the offensive coordinator is a good start, Houston. But you need more.

10. Charlie Weis: 2-1 as a head coach.

ejh