Glorious

38-3 is a nice way to start the season. As much as I enjoyed the game, it's important to temper my enthusiasm - they could still very well lose the next two weeks (at Dal, Pit.) Some observations from the game:

• Marc Bulger is done as an NFL quarterback. Finished. He was spinning away from contact even on the balls he completed. Every throw was rushed and usually off his back foot. The Rams will draft a QB early in April, and Bulger will be a backup somewhere within two years.
  
• How does Jim Haslett have a job? The Rams didn't look prepared to play at all, especially in the secondary. I don't think I've ever seen so many DBs out of position.
  
• Darren Howard had a big third down sack when the outcome was still in doubt. If he plays well for a whole season, this pass defense could be dominating.
  
• In spite of having a huge lead for most of the game, Andy Reid called 40 passes and 28 runs (excluding the 3 kneel-downs at the end.) It's hard to criticize the playcalling when your team wins by 35, but this guy just won't ever run.
  
• McNabb wasn't sacked once. Yes, the line played great, but more importantly, he got the ball out quickly. He'll need to do the same the next two weeks.
  
• The Rams' best player, Steven Jackson, was held to 40 yards and a 2.9 average.
  
• Was Torry Holt injured? He seemed to be on the sidelines a lot, and disinterested when he was in the game. I wonder if he'd play better on a good team, like say, the Eagles. Lito Sheppard, Jason Avant, and Carolina's first-round pick...could the Rams really afford to say no to that?
  
• Asante Samuel played a great game, getting his hands on several balls, but the Eagles as a team continued to drop potential interceptions.
  

Congrats to Al Golden, Temple coach, who went for a fourth-and-one from his own 34 late in a tie game against Connecticut. Although Temple didn't make it, the defense held and UConn missed a FG. He defended his decision after the game, saying "I'm trying to turn around 30 years of crap." Good call, Al, and stick with it. Especially when you aren't the best team on the field, aggressive fourth-down decisions can swing a game in your favor.

And oh boy, am I crossing my fingers on Tom Brady's injury. I'd love to see him out for the year, not because I have anything against Brady, but I would truly enjoy seeing Belichick and Pioli exposed as the less-than-geniuses they are. Snagging a Hall of Fame QB with a sixth-round pick doesn't make you brilliant, just lucky. And Brady has been covering up some really bad drafts of late with his record-setting play. The Pats aren't even a mediocre team without Brady.