Dave’s Football Blog

The Carolina Panthers have the week off, and I have decided that after two weeks of horrors against the Falcons and Raiders, I need another week off from liveblogging the Steelers.

According to one poll, 68% of Steelers fans want to bench Big Ben until his brain fully recovers from that last concussion. Apparently, Pittsburgh has elevated Charlie Batch to the role of stunt double now. Besides, the last time I took a week off from liveblogging the Steelers, they beat the shit out of the Chiefs. Maybe they can pull it together long enough to pull off a miracle against Denver, right?

The Broncos and Steelers kick off at 4:00 PM on Sunday on CBS. Someone is sure to remind you that it’s a rematch of the last year’s AFC Championship, and Jake Plummer wants payback. That means someone could get run over by a Honda Element…

Here are some other games that might interest you this weekend. All times Eastern, because I’m one of those evil East Coast Bias(tm) people:

1.) Indianapolis at New England (SUN, 8:15 PM, NBC): ESPN’s Michael Smith asserts that Peyton Manning and Tom Brady may end up being the best QBs of all time — which is funny, since this game is not on ESPN, and therefore the Worldwide Leader is probably chastising Smith for not waxing poetic about the heroic qualities of Seneca Wallace and Andrew Walter. Maybe Smith just wanted to rile up football fans in Denver and San Francisco for no good reason. By the way, I favor the Colts in this one, because it’s not January yet…

2.) Cincinnati at Baltimore (SUN, 1:00 PM, CBS): Ray Lewis says he thinks Chad Johnson is a funny, funny guy. Meanwhile, four guys with shivs will be hanging out in the lobby of Chad’s hotel after the game. Don’t snitch, Bengals fans…

3.) New Orleans at Tampa Bay (SUN, 1:00 PM, FOX): Does anyone else smell an upset special here? The Saints are 5-2, but they’re banged up badly, and while the Bucs may be 2-5, they don’t play terribly at home. This is a game they could steal.

4.) Dallas at Washington (SUN, 1:00 PM, FOX): Tony Romo’s ongoing quest for a new girlfriend continues in D.C. this weekend. If he plays well again, he might end up with a country singer. It worked for Troy Aikman and Peyton Manning, right?

5.) Winnipeg at Toronto (SUN, 1:00 PM, ALTITUDE): It’s CFL playoff time, so this could be your last chance to see Ricky Williams this year. And not just any Ricky, either. Mean Ricky! Grrrrrrrr!

6.) Australia at Ireland (MON, 10:00 PM, SETANTA): The second International Rules Football test match, which just fascinates the football etymologist in me, actually takes place Sunday in Croke Park in Dublin, but the replay airs Monday night on satellite network Setanta Sports, which you can get through DirecTV or find at an English or Irish pub near you. I highly recommend opening your mind a little and giving this game a look. These guys are all playing for honor and country, and despite the controversy that always seems to surround this series, it should be a lot more fun to watch than that Oakland at Seattle game Monday night, which could be over by the time this replay starts.

If you’re looking for me this weekend, I’ll be here. Because that’s where the women are. Enjoy your weekend, folks.