NFL Full Moon Madness with Pittsburgh, New Orleans, Peyton Hillis and More

There was a full moon over the weekend. I guess that’s my best explanation as to how two players on many fantasy benches outscored entire fantasy teams.

And the full moon can explain how on earth Oakland, who combined to put up only 52 points it its first three games, put up 59 points in the first three quarters on Sunday.

Or maybe San Diego can use that excuse as to why two of its players failed to recognize a live ball on the field, resulting in a turnover.

Regardless, there was some strange going-ons this weekend in the football world.

Darren McFadden, who said he was only 70/30 on playing on Sunday, went out on the field and scored FOUR touchdowns for 196 yards. Kenny Britt, who reportedly got into a bar fight Thursday night, was going to miss playing time as a punishment. No one was sure how much, but given that Kerry Collins didn’t target him at all last week and was announced as the Titans starting quarterback, many owners (myself painfully included) left Britt on the bench (or worse, again, myself, even more painfully included, dropped him before Sunday’s game).

And then aforementioned owners (and sadly, including me) cried as he scored touchdown after touchdown after touchdown, adding up to 225 yards and what certainly would have garnered me a pair of wins.

You couldn’t see the full moon from the New Orleans Superdome (and the game was in the afternoon), but when you watched the game, you had to wonder if the Browns were using some pre-Halloween trickery to win. Peyton Hillis showed up in the box score for yes, rushing and yes, a touchdown, but also a 118.8 passing rating, thanks to his 13-yard pass back to Colt McCoy (who had a passing rating of 68.2, which is also higher than Brees’ 65.8).

Unfortunately Joshua Cribbs’ pass was lateral, not forward, so he doesn’t show up in the box score, but it certainly was reminiscent of Dallas last week (and certainly more effective).

Even more odd? Hillis was the leading rusher by one yard (69 yards). He beat out Reggie Hodges for that title. Before you go heading to the waiver wire to grab a new RB…hold off. Hodges is the punter. So look at the box score in amazement as the New Orleans total rushing yards (58 yards) is below both Hillis and…Cleveland’s punter.

Congratulations, though, to Drew Brees and wife Brittany, who welcomed a second son into the world on Tuesday. Their mistake? Naming him Bowen. Brees threw two pick-sixes on Sunday…to a guy named Bowens. Coincidence?

There may be six other teams closer to the “Luck of the Irish” in South Bend, Ind., but Pittsburgh has done something to have a little luck sent their way.

Was Ben Roethlisberger’s rushing touchdown a touchdown? No, it was a fumble; that wasn’t the issue (unless you were the ref that called it a touchdown, thus screwing up the proceeding play). Rather, who recovered the fumble?

Since no ref was watching the play as it unfolded, it went to video evidence. Even though it certainly appeared Miami had the ball, the refs ruled the video evidence not conclusive, therefore, by the rules, the ball goes back to Pittsburgh.

Who had the ball? There are approximately a dozen players on the field that said they had the ball. I will tell you something I know for sure: I did not have the ball. I had some nachos, I had some Bud Light, I did not have the football.

The Pittsburgh fumble wasn’t the only controversial call on Sunday.

Green Bay got away with a touchdown from Andrew Quarless that should not have been a touchdown. I’m not sure Ray Lewis’ fumble recovery for Baltimore that cost Buffalo a chance to tie the game should have even been a fumble.

And while reviews (correctly) overturned two Percy Harvin touchdowns, the jury is still out on Shiancoe’s touchdown. Did it look like he had control of the ball before it hit the ground? No. But if you ask Vikings coach Brad Childress, 50 drunk fans in a bar could have made that call. My advice to him? Next time…ask them.

Coaches are only allowed two challenges for their team during a game. They must have a time out left if they are going to throw the challenge flag. If a team is successful with both of their challenges, they can get a third challenge. No more.

My question is this: If the officiating is so questionable that three challenges are thrown, doesn’t that signal a problem with the referee?  Green Bay threw two challenges in the second quarter, won both, and likely would have challenged the second called-back Harvin touchdown (it was under two minutes, so it went to booth review instead).

Someone on the Bears should have informed Jay Cutler before the game that DeAngelo Hall does not play for his team. Throwing him the ball will not help the Bears win. Johnny Knox, however, is on Cutler’s team, and if he had actually thrown the ball to him on multiple occasions, he wouldn’t have lost four interceptions to Hall.

The NFL has a game overseas each year with hopes that American football will catch on in Europe. This plan, although annoying, does make sense. And I know the schedules are set in advance, but how on earth is sending over a wildly optimistic, David Carr led San Francisco team to another continent?

Oh, I know, by also sending over a Denver team that just got beat AT HOME, 59-14. That’ll be a game to win over international fans.

Oh yeah. Congratulations to Carolina for getting your first win against a team that just barely squeaked out a victory last week. Maybe next year you’ll get to go to London to play, too.