Leyden's Log - Week Seven

A flurry of rare matchups highlight the Week Seven schedule that’s highlighted by the undefeated Vikings looking to knock off the defending Super Bowl champs.

Inside This Edition

- Super Bowl IX rematch
- A Red-Hot Bears rookie
- London Invasion for Pats/Bucs
- The forgotten three-peat



QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Midnight Madness tipped off the college hoops season last week, and I asked when you were most mad at midnight. The answers trickled in and as history continues to prove, slow and steady wins the race for the Tom LOGbardi Trophy. Only two answers were worthy of points. This ain’t no charity case.

Larry Blackburn from Jacksonville, FL stayed true to his politically-incorrect life course and wrote, “I spent all of that money on dinner, drinks, a movie, dancing and SHE SAID NO!!!!!” No action, but a couple of Log points. Sometimes life is fair, Larry.

Matt Boyer from Oakland Township, MI is dialed into the Log on Twitter: “Last week I was mad when I realized the clock struck 12am and Balloon Boy’s 15 minutes of fame still had not expired.” That a boy, Matty! Three points.


THIS WEEK’S QUESTION

You have the chance to put any NFL personality in a Halloween costume - Who are you dressing up and why?

Send responses to tleyden@wxyz.com, leave a comment on Facebook or send a response via Twitter to @tomleyden


FOUR TOPS The best four games of the week

For the fourth time in seven weeks, Minnesota cracks the Four Tops – it’s been that sort of season. Adrian Peterson and the undefeated Vikings travel to Pittsburgh to face the world champs and it looks like the bad weather will clear out in time for kickoff. In this Super Bowl IX rematch, Fran Tarkenton eludes Dwight White, Franco Harris is stuffed by Alan Page, but will it be enough for the Vikes to claim revenge. These two teams have only played four times since 1992 – another rare matchup in a 2009 season that’s seen many.

Saints at Dolphins also fall in the ‘unique’ category and it’s a matchup that’s catching my fancy. Can Chad Henne build on the impressive Monday Night win over the Jets? Can he protect the ball against a Saints team that ranks first in turnover differential? The New Orleans offense doesn’t lose the pigskin, racks up yards (430 a game) and points (38 a game) and struts to the confidence of Drew Brees under center. This reeks of a shootout – you better not settle for field goals.

For pure entertainment purposes, I’m throwing San Francisco and Houston in the mix. Mike Singletary and the 49ers have stewed on the embarrassing loss to Atlanta for a couple of weeks and travel to Reliant Stadium for the first time with a little something to prove. The Texans, fresh off an 11-point road win over Cincinnati, are trying to snap the ‘win one, lose one’ pattern that’s plagued them so far in 2009. The overriding reason this game makes the Four Tops? Houston’s played six times and four have been close, competitive games. I see it happening again.

I’m testing fate by putting two teams that start with a “C” in the Four Tops, but let’s throw caution to the wind and hope Chicago and Cincinnati play an “A” game. It’s the “Cedric Benson Bowl,” as the boy who was blown out of the Windy City has 531 yards rushing for Cincy and seems intent on stuffing it back in the Bears faces. Chicago, meanwhile, needs to keep pace with Minnesota in the North and get that fourth win of the year. Johnny Knox has scored in four consecutive games. Who was the last Bears rookie to accomplish the same feat? Sweetness in ’75.


HOW’D I DO Grading last week’s Four Tops

Vikes/Ravens – Two scores in the last three minutes. Last second field goal to win misses. A

Saints/Giants – I refuse to give this an A because the Giants got manhandled, but there was a lot of impressive offense from New Orleans. B

Falcons/Bears – Still in question as the game came to its conclusion, but generally boring. B

Broncos/Chargers – Uniforms looked sweet, kick returns were solid. B

Season Totals – 14 A’s, 4 B’s, 4 C’s, 1 D, 1 F


OVERTIME Other games to watch

Green Bay/Cleveland – Rematch of the 1965 NFL Championship Game, the final one played before the Super Bowls began. The Packers were the last team to three-peat as World Champions and this ’65 title is often lost in the shuffle because it was pre-Super Bowl. Not here.

Jets/Raiders – Heidi alert

Patriots/Bucs – How bad will the turf at Wembley Stadium be this year?

Falcons/Cowboys – How the heck did Atlanta get to be this good?

BC/Notre Dame – The Eagles look to make it seven straight against the Irish, though truthfully this is the year I think the streak ends.


TASTY

Bolts/Chefs, Cards/G-Men, Kakes – a Philly tradition.

NASTY

Colts/Rams, Bills/Panthers, Eagles/Skins, Boys – don’t mean a thing.


HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Heather Lowry Long, Cathy Ford, John Nuss, Megan Heinemann, Mike Valenti, Mike Burke, Merrily Gechter, Bill Kahan, Lisa McClellan, Therese Potter, Dave Baumann, Kathleen Garbarino and the legendary Pele, who turns 69 today.