Tuesday Morning Overreactions: Let's Get It Started

Before we begin, It's time for an End.

As we all know on Thursday, these football games finally start counting. But before we can truly begin the season, it's time to recognize the end of a career. Jerry Rice, the greatest WR in the history of the game, has decided to call it quits. Rice who spent most of his time with the Niners before playing with the Raiders, and then the Seahawks last year, was trying to play a 21st season, by joining the Denver Broncos.

Unfortunately time, and age caught up with Rice, as he was informed he'd make the team but only as athe 4th WR. Rice then decided it would be time to retire. Jerry Rice retires as holder of 38 NFL records, including most catches, most receiving yards, and most reciving TD's. He is also a former Superbowl MVP.

Rice was a class act for many of his years in the NFL. By the way, if you ever wanted to go to a Hall of Fame induction ceremony, the one five years from now is looking pretty good. So far it's looking like Emmitt Smith,, Jerry Rice, and Tim Brown will all be trying on their yellow jackets.

Now it means something

Okay I'll admit. Back at the beginning of August, when the first preseason game was kicking off, I was all excited. Finally football was here. But man can only take so much, and before long the preseason grind overcame me, and I couldn't wait for the preseason to end so that the real stuff can begin.

Well Thursday, it begins. The NFL will begin it's season with it's annual show. There will be celebrations aplenty, and music, and anything else that goes along with a big show. If we're lucky they might actually get to the game between the Patriots and Raiders as well.

However, once all that is out of the way, we'll have 21 weeks of the greatest sport to delve into.

No place like home

Teams cherish home field advantage. They like playing in front of a large crowd, of loyal fans. The New Orleans Saints will face an unusual season. They will play a home-away-from-home season. Due to the destruction of Hurricane Katrina, the Superdome has been damaged and isn't in much of a shape to host any football games.

The city itself, also isn't in the shape to host football games. So for the Saints and their players they will face a season without ever getting the comforts of playing in their home stadium.

For example their home opener this season, will be played in New Jersey, which is actually home to their opponents that week, the New York Giants.

As for the rest of the season, the NFL hasn't said yet what they are doing, and despite public support for the the team will to travel up the road 80 miles to Baton Rouge, and play their games in the same stadium the LSU tigers play in, the NFL is leaning towards having the Saints play their season in the Alamodome, in Alamo City.

For a team that was mediocre to begin with, and nearly had a revolt at the end of last year, before putting together a 4 game winning streak, this season will have an unusual extra strain on the team. Head coach Jim Haslett is going to have a difficult coaching job this year to keep his team together.

I'll bet though, that a lot of fans in opposing stadiums will probably treat the Saints better than they would most opponents. At least for the first few weeks.

The Over/Under

The first new feature of this year's overreactions is The Over/Under. Throughout the season I will list here the 5 most overratted storylines, people, events, in the NFL, as well as the 5 most underrated storylines, people or events in the NFL.

Overrated: New England Patriots player turnover. Doesn't anyone else remember Troy Brown being a DB last year.

Underrated: Belichick pulling double duty. Being a head coach has a lot of things to go with it. Calling the plays, and being the offensive coordinator, can only pull away from some of those duties. How Belichick adjusts to both hats, will have a major effect on the season.

Overrated: Randy Moss is a Raider. Yes he'll help the running game and other WR's on the Raiders, simply by drawing the defenses attention. It's not likely to help the raiders much, because they still have a very old defense. There is still a lot of contention on that team, which Moss will definitely not help. Most importantly the QB throwing to him is Kerry Collins.

Underrated: Turnover in Minnesota. Many people wrote the Vikings off for the season as soon as the trade was made. Granted they didn't get a lot for the troubled WR, but just getting rid of him was worth it. The Vikings have made a lot of changes in Minnesota this year, in addittion to getting rid of Moss, they signed former Pro Bowler Jamie Sharper, and brought in some other help for their defense. All that said, the biggest change for the Vikings this year, was at the very top. Red McCombs finally sold the Vikings, and the new owners look like they actually care. It's amazing how much of an effect that can have.

Overrated: Terrell Owens' performance in Superbowl XXXIX. All offseason long we've heard about how heroic T.O. was to play in the Superbowl a mere 6 weeks after breaking his ankle. I think Jack Youngblood, who broke his leg in a 1979 playoff game and managed to play the second half of that game, as well as the next two weeks including the Superbowl, said it best. "He's been out of the game for what, five weeks? He's been convalescing. After four weeks, an amputation should be healed. Shouldn't it?''"

Honestly though T.O., despite his guady numbers was not that effective during the Superbowl. He couldn't make cuts due to his weekend ankles, and would run basically two routes. He'd run the fly route, where he only had to run straight, but was unable to outrun anybody due to his lack of speed, or the out route, where he'd catch the ball then run out of bounds. The Patriots were so worried about his impact on the game, that they left him single covered for the majority of the game.

Underrated: Brian Westbrook's effect on the Iggles. The true non-Donovan McNabb playmaker that means the most to the Iggles, is RB Brian Westbrook. Westbrook is a multiple threat, either running the ball, or coming out of the backfield to catch. As Westbrook goes, so will go the Iggles in 2005.

Overrated: Mike Vick. Great speed, great athlete, lousy QB.

Underrated: Joey Harrington. For all the talk of him not living up to his 1st round status, Harrington has improved each and every year he's played.

Overrated: The Hoopla during Thursday's pregame. Who really wants to deal with all the hype, and music, and all the other stuff that's going to happen prior to Thursday's game.

Underrated: The opening kickoff. Moreso the feeling one gets as all the anticipation is finally release at the same moment the kicker's foot hits that ball.

Game of the Week

Now's the chance for all of you at home to match wits with the Sideshow (honestly not that hard). Each week I'll pick one game as the game of the week, and give you a winner. Feel free to join in and post your prediction in the comments and see who comes out ahead at the end of the year.

This week I'm choosing the Detroit Lions to upset the Green Bay Packers, as the Lions start their quest to prove they are no longer the kittens of the NFL.

Sideshow's Top 14
Here is how I break down the top 14 teams in the league heading into 2005

1 New England Patriots - 2004 Record: 14-2 Next Week: vs. Oakland Comments: The Defending Champions.

2 Indianapolis Colts - 2004 Record: 13-3 Next Week: @ Baltimore Comments: Defense is a question mark, but offense is enough to put them ahead of the second tier below N.E. Won't make top tier without a win on Nov. 7 @ N.E.

3 Philadelphia Eagles - 2004 Record: 13-3 Next Week: @ Atlanta Comments:NFC Champion has had a tumultous offseason.

4 Carolina Panthers - 2004 Record: 7-9 Next Week: vs. New OrleansComments: Finally Healthy after injury prone 2004. Panthers will be a threat in the NFC.

5 Pittsburgh Steelers - 2004 Record: 15-1 Next Week: vs. TennesseeComments: Roethlisberger has more to prove in year 2 than he did in year 1.

6 Minnesota Vikings - 2004 Record: 8-8 Next Week: vs. Tampa Bay Comments: Culpepper doesn't have to worry about the Randy Ratio this year.

7 San Diego Chargers - 2004 Record: 12-4 Next Week: vs. Dallas Comments: Both team and QB Drew Brees, need to prove they aren't a one year wonder.

8 Atlanta Falcons - 2004 Record: 11-5 Next Week: vs. Philadelphia Comments: Mike Vick will win some games with his legs. But until he learns to be a QB, Atlanta will always be a pretender.

9 New York Jets - 2004 Record: 10-6 Next Week: @ Kansas City Comments: Needs to open up the offense if they want to be a real threat to New England in AFC East.

10 St. Louis Rams - 2004 Record: 8-8 Next Week: @ San Francisco Comments: Addittions of Kevin Curtis, and Stephen Jackson makes Offense capable of being Greatest Show on Turf again, but will defense give up too much to opponents?

11 Jacksonville Jaguars - 2004 Record: 9-7 Next Week: vs. Seattle Comments: An opened up offense, could allow Leftwich to make jump to stardom, and therefore make team a threat to Colts.

12 Cincinnati Bengals - 2004 Record: 8-8 Next Week: @ Cleveland Comments: Even a mediocre defense will allow this team to finally win more than it loses.

13 Baltimore Ravens - 2004 Record: 9-7 Next Week: vs. Indianapolis Comments: Even a mediocre passing game will allow this team to be back in playoffs. Was toughest Regular Season opponent for 2004 Colts Offense.

14 Seattle Seahawks - 2004 Record: 9-7 Next Week: @ Jacksonville Comments: In 2004 won the division but lost the war. 0-3 vs. rival Rams.

The Cellar Watch

The Race for the second annual Sideshow Toilet Bowl begins. Last year's winner the San Francisco 49ers start the season in the hunt to repeat.

30 San Francisco 49ers - 2004 Record: 2-14 Next Week: vs. St. Louis Comments: Won't be good in 2005, but will be better, and will be setup for the future.

31 Cleveland Browns - 2004 Record: 4-12 Next Week: vs. Cincinnati Comments: Everything done in 2005 is only geared towards a brighter future.

32 Chicago Bears - 2004 Record: 5-11 Next Week: @ Washington Comments: Made the biggest blunder of the offseason by not getting any backup in case QB Rex Grossman got injured.