Greg Blache Gets Slick But Looks Nuts

Redskins defensive coordinator Greg Blache put himself on a self imposed ban from the media a few weeks ago. He has given no reason, and no one really seems to care either way.

He broke his vow recently to come to the defense of owner Dan Snyder after Redskins Hall Of Famer John Riggins said that Snyder was a "really bad man". Blache gave a short statement contradicting Riggins, and said that Snyder was a good man who cared about people.

Is he speaking of the same Dan Snyder who recently banned all Redskins fans from bringing in signs to the game because most were critical of his ownership? The same fans who have had a waiting list on season tickets over 40 years now that stretches as long as 25 years until one can hope for a shot at season tickets. Fans who are considered to be the most knowledgeable and loyal in the entire league.

Perhaps Blache is speaking of the caring Snyder that threatened to put a muzzle on Redskins legendary Hall Of Famer Sonny Jurgensen from his spot on the Redskins Network because Jurgensen was being critical of the play of the team. This makes Snyder's claims of growing up a fan of the team and admirer of the teams rich tradition and legacy appear more preposterous.

It is really quite easy to see the ulterior motives of Greg Blache. His faux kudos are an obvious attempt to throw his hat in the ring for the head coaching job that will be available when current coach Jim Zorn is fired at seasons end. At the least, it is an attempt to hang onto his job after Snyder hires a replacement for Zorn and possibly Vinny Cerrato.

In these harsh economic times, no one can really blame him for trying to hang onto his job. Yet it seems Blache is as detached from Redskins Nation and team tradition as Snyder is. Trying to brown nose and snowball is not going to have many fans cheering him on to be the next head coach, let alone stay on with the staff. Not that this matters to him nor Snyder anyways.

Now on with my picks for week nine :

Last week I went 10-3, which makes me 70-30 overall.

Washington Redskins @ Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons are desperate after losing to their divisional rival New Orleans Saints last week. They realize they need to keep pace with the ultra hot Saints now, and they will take out their frustrations on a struggling Redskins team that lacks leadership at the top.

The Redskins fans can find two things to be happy about this week. One is that Jim Zorn couldn't get outcoached and lose on a bye week, and the other is that the game is in Atlanta. This way they can take their anti-Snyder and Cerrato signs into a stadium without being thrown out like they would be in D.C.

Falcons 24   Redskins 10

Arizona Cardinals @ Chicago Bears

The battle of the enigmas might best term this meeting. Both teams are inconsistent, unpredictable, talented, and underachieving.

Arizona will be missing star wide receiver Anquan Boldin, and they will need to throw the ball a lot versus a Bears team trying to find their identity on defense Any positive rushing yards they get from Beanie Wells or Tim Hightower will be a bonus

The Bears passing game is still struggling under Jay Cutler. He has been hit or miss all year, and now might be without the services of Devin Hester because of an ankle injury. This is a game Chicago could run Matt Forte to victory, but their offensive line has played poorly so far. Arizona needs this game to prove last season was not a fluke, and they will have favorable weather on their side.

Cardinals 34   Bears 28

Baltimore Ravens @ Cincinnati Bengals

Game Of The Week

Te Bengals just earned a hard fought 17-14 victory over the Ravens a month ago. They did it with a balanced offensive attack, led by running back Cedric Benson's 120 rushing yard, as well as a stingy defense that shut Baltimore down to 270 total yards on offense. The Bengals still needed a 20 yard touchdown pass with 22 seconds left, on a 80 yard drive filled with penalties on the Ravens, to win the game.

Both teams believe in their defenses, as well as a balanced offensive attack. The key to this game is if the Ravens defensive line can dominate the overachieving offensive line of the Bengals. This game has a taste of old school football in it, and it may come down to the last minute once again.

Ravens 23   Bengals 21

Houston Texans @ Indianapolis Colts

The Texans had just appeared to hit their stride when they lost Pro Bowl tight end Owen Daniels last week. The undefeated Colts have also just lost two starters on their defense, including their best cornerback.

This is a game where Texans quarterback Matt Schaub may target star receiver Andre Johnson often, especially with the teams running game having been as inconsistent as it has all year. The Colts have Peyton Manning at quarterback, so they always have a chance.

If the Colts cannot establish a running game against a young Texans defense, then Houston can concentrate on Manning's passing alone. If Houston cannot run the ball with any effectiveness, the Colts can pin their ears back and get after Schaub.

Texans 38   Colts 27

Kansas City Chiefs @ Jacksonville Jaguars

This is a battle of two struggling teams attempting to rebuild on the fly. The Jaguars have a more talented roster, starring running back Maurice Jones-Drew. Expect to see a heavy dose of him both running and catching the ball.

Jaguars 31   Chiefs 21

Miami Dolphins @ New England Patriots

The Dolphins are coming off an exciting victory over the New York Jets, and hope to carry this momentum into the Patriots home field. The Patriots are coming off a bye week after entertaining Old England a few weeks ago. Though Miami is tough on defense, their depleted secondary will get tested often by a veteran New England squad.

Patriots 27   Dolphins 16

Green Bay Packers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Green Bay is coming off a loss in a game they needed to win to keep pace in their division. The Packers will need to keep quarterback Aaron Rodgers upright all game, because the signal caller is hobbled with a foot injury. Tampa Bay is another of many struggling teams in the NFL trying to rebuild as the season moves along.

Packers 30   Buccaneers 17

Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints

The Saints come marching in to a red hot beat created by their own drums. They are clicking in all areas of the game, and even show the talent to overcome injury thus far. The Panthers are a team that needs to run the ball well to win, because their passing attack is amongst the weakest in the league.

Saints 38   Panthers 20

Detroit Lions @ Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks defense has been very inconsistent this year.They have pitched two shutouts, yet are prone to giving up pints to. Detroit is hoping for the Seattle defense that coughed up 38 points last week.

Seahawks 28  Lions 13

San Diego Chargers @ New York Giants

The Chargers are walking the razors edge right now. They are witnessing the Denver Broncos trying to pull away with the divisional crown, as well as trying to deal with their own struggles. The Giants are coming off two losses where they relied on their quarterback throwing arm too much, instead of having him do what he does best : hand the ball off to running backs. The injuries on defense also appear to have finally caught up to them.

This will be an interesting battle of two squads full of proud and head strong veterans.

Chargers 34   Giants 27

Tennessee Titans @ San Francisco 49ers

The Titans showed the league last week a glimpse of the team that won 13 games in 2008. They controlled the clock, and wore down their opponents. The 49ers took an undefeated Colts team to the edge last week before losing. . This game may not be as run heavy as you'd expect.

49ers 21  Titans 20

Dallas Cowboys @ Philadelphia Eagles

The Cowboys are coming off a week where they needed to establish their identity, which they did with a sound win over Seattle. The shadow of Mike Shanahan faded some with the win, but the Cowboys must continue being impressive if Wade Phillips and Jason Garrett want to be members of the team next year. The Eagles are expecting the return of running back Brian Westbrook to provide a spark for an already explosive offense. Their problems have been in the trenches, and whomever wins this battle should win the game.

Cowboys 27  Eagles 24

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Denver Broncos

The Broncos came out of their bye week undefeated, only to be soundly spanked by the Baltimore Ravens. The Steelers are now coming off their bye week after four straight victories. Pittsburgh is still looking for a consistent running game, and the Denver pass rush will be primed to get after Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The Broncos gave up 26 total points in their first four weeks of this season, and their defense is one of the surprising stories of the season. This should be a low scoring game.

Steelers 23   Broncos 13





NFL Power Rankings


1. New Orleans Saints

2. Indianapolis Colts

3. Minnesota Vikings

4. New England Patriots

5. Denver Broncos

6. Cincinnati Bengals

7. Pittsburgh Steelers

8. Baltimore Ravens

9. Philadelphia Eagles

10. Atlanta Falcons

11. New York Giants

12. Houston Texans

13. Dallas Cowboys

14. Green Bay Packers

15. San Diego Chargers

16. Miami Dolphins

17. Chicago Bears

18. New York Jets

19. San Francisco 49ers

20. Arizona Cardinals

21. Seattle Seahawks

22. Jacksonville Jaguars

23. Buffalo Bills

24. Oakland Raiders

25. Carolina Panthers

26. Tennessee Titans

27. Detroit Lions

28. Kansas City Chiefs

29. Washington Redskins

30. Saint Louis Rams

31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

32. Cleveland Browns