Jim Mone/Associated PressA Super Bowl between the Packers’ Aaron Rodgers, above, and the Patriots’ Tom Brady would most likely be a shootout.Judy Battista, the N.F.L. reporter for The New York Times, answers questions from readers.
Q.
The two teams with the best records (Green Bay and New England) feature high-powered passing attacks, while their defenses rank near the bottom in yards given up by the pass. How common is that, and is it possible
they continue to win games at the same pace considering the struggles on defense? Is a Super Bowl with an over/under set at 100 out of the question if they meet up? –AC, Fox Point, Wis.
A.
A shootout between the Packers and the Patriots? Television executives are salivating at the possibility. Clearly both teams would prefer to have better pass defenses (the drop-off of the Packers’ defense
is the eye-opener, but the Patriots have struggled to hold leads for a few years now). Keep in mind that their statistics are slightly skewed by the fact that opponents frequently have to throw a lot late
in games while playing catch-up. They can continue to win games as long as their quarterbacks don’t mess up. If either has an off day — for example, Brady against Buffalo —
his team has a problem (the Patriots lost that game after holding a 21-0 lead). This is the kind of thing that did in the Colts for years: spectacular offense, suspect defense, and when they encountered
teams that gave Manning trouble, they could not save themselves. Certainly, the Packers and the Patriots would like to have their defensive problems fixed by the time January rolls around.
Q.
So which Carson Palmer are the Raiders likely to see over the course of the season? The impressive ’08 version or the post-injury(ies) model we’ve seen since? As a Raiders fan, I was mixed (but
hopeful) about the trade and its cost. His rustiness against K.C. doesn’t bother me as much as the whispers of a permanent loss of velocity. Any insight? — MikeLew, Seattle
A.
That is the big question. We should pretty much ignore last Sunday because Palmer was in no type of football condition to be out there. His passes did lack velocity, and that bears watching. Is that a permanent
condition, or something that will improve as he shakes off the rust? Nobody knows. His velocity has been in decline ever since he had his elbow issues, so it’s hard for me to imagine that he reverts
completely to the preinjury Palmer of early in his career. The best the Raiders can hope for is that he looks like what he was at the end of last season, when he looked pretty good — still not great
zip on his passes, though — even as the Bengals’ season fell apart and Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco were out of the picture. If that’s what they get, the Raiders will be very happy.
Q.
Hey, Judy: Is there a free place online where I can read the official N.F.L. rule book? Keep up the excellent work. — Dai Rosenblum, Slippery Rock, Pa.
A.
From Jack Barker in Ann Arbor, Mich.: “@Dai Rosenblum — That question is too easy for Judy. So here: //www.nfl.com/rulebook”
There you go – a little light reading for you, Dai. Thanks, Jack, for saving me the effort.
Chris Trotman/Getty ImagesThe Jets’ Mark Sanchez, comebacks a specialty.Q.
Hi, Judy. Every time I watch a Jets game, it’s a comeback; has Mark Sanchez got some kind of record for most comebacks as a third-year quarterback? I moved to Colorado, and all I hear is Elway’s
comebacks. Thanks. — Tom Gilmartin, Fort Garland, Colo.
A.
According to Pro Football Reference.com, Mark Sanchez has seven fourth-quarter comebacks (regular season) in three
seasons, and nine game-winning drives in all (the Cleveland win last year was in OT, and in the Pittsburgh win, they were tied going into the fourth quarter). That is a lot. And I bet Rex Ryan would much
prefer if the offense didn’t start so slowly that fourth-quarter comebacks were necessary.
Q.
Is there some way the N.F.L. could introduce big bulky telephone boxes into the game, so that a La Russa type experience could take place in football too? — Technic Ally, Toronto
A.
Please, the N.F.L. already has to deal with the occasional lengthy replay challenge. Let’s not make it more excruciating than it has to be.
Q.
How exceptional is this year’s quarterback class? It certainly seems exceptional so far, but what has allowed Newton, Dalton, Tebow, Ponder and even Gabbert to find (at least some) success in their first
year while so many past first-year quarterbacks have foundered or tanked? How exceptional do you think this group will end up being? — Jonathan P., Fort Lee, N.J.
A.
First, Tim Tebow is not a rookie. This is his second season, and I’m not sure we should call him exceptional yet. Cam Newton is clearly exceptional, and his ability to make an impact quickly in the N.F.L.
is a surprise. On the whole, this was not a highly regarded class coming out — not like next year’s class, when we could have a half-dozen quarterbacks go in the first round, including Andrew
Luck at No. 1. But the reason we are seeing quarterbacks acclimating more quickly is that so many of them operate spread or no-huddle offenses in college. It’s not like the old days, when guys played
in the wishbone in college and then had to start learning a pro-style offense. These guys come in ready to go. The same goes for pass-protecting offensive linemen.
Q.
Hey, Judy. The Packers’ running game continues to underwhelm, but they keep winning due to their precision passing game. Even if Aaron Rodgers stays sharp — and healthy — I can’t
help but wonder how they can maintain their winning formula during the deep freeze of January in Green Bay. Am I wrong to think that they either develop a consistent running game before then, or hope to
lose home-field advantage to a warm-weather team like Atlanta or San Francisco? — Mr. C, Chicago
A.
I understand your big-picture thinking, but some perspective: the Packers were 24th in rushing yards last year and they are 23rd now. So, hey, they’re improving! I like their chances
— no matter where they are playing, or what the conditions are — as long as Rodgers is standing upright. He’s playing in a different stratosphere from everybody else right now.
Q.
Judy, what’s up with Donovan McNabb? Any gas left in the tank? Seems like a good QB is going wasted in Wash/Minny. — Phil, N.Y.
A.
I don’t know that he has anything left. He has now been pushed aside by the Eagles, the Redskins and the Vikings in consecutive seasons — that’s pretty bad considering that Andy Reid won
with him for a long time, Mike Shanahan staked his reputation on handling quarterbacks and Leslie Frazier really stuck his neck out with the organization to get McNabb. Maybe he’ll be a backup somewhere
if he wants to do that, but I have a hard time believing that he’ll open next season as a starter anywhere.
Q.
What do you think of the Colts’ utter collapse without Manning this year? I can’t believe that the whole team is that bad and that a Manning-led version wouldn’t be a serious contender.
Does it mean that pros give up a whole season? Can this group of Colts ever undo what has happened when Manning comes back? — Paul, Green Bay, Wis.
A.
I’m writing about that this week, in fact. We knew they would struggle without Peyton Manning, but that doesn’t explain the collapse of the defense, for example. Certainly, the Colts were built
to capitalize on what Manning does — it is a pass-heavy attack and the defense is built small and fast to play with a lead. And losing him on the eve of the season gave the team almost no time
to adjust the roster to switch styles. I agree, they would probably be in first place or battling for it if Manning were playing — they lost five games that were reasonably close, and you have to
think that Manning would have put them over the top in most of them. I don’t think they have given up, though. If they bounce back and are competitive this week against the Titans — even if
they don’t win — then I think we chalk up the blowout against the Saints to an aberration: they lost to a team that matches up very poorly for the Colts, and a team that has a defense that
throws the kitchen sink against offenses. This kind of season puts everything under a microscope, but if we assume that Manning returns and that the Colts shore up the offensive line and the secondary, yes,
this team can undo what has happened. Manning makes that much of a difference.
Layne Murdoch/Getty ImagesAre the Cowboys now a running team behind DeMarco Murray, or are they still Tony Romo’s team?Q.
The N.F.C. East: Will the Eagles continue to disappoint? Can the Cowboys turn things around? Will the Redskins continue to plumb the divisional depths? Can the Giants persevere and improve? In this division
so filled with talent and expectations, how do you see the second half of the season shaping up? — Damian, New York
A.
Can I answer this after this weekend’s games? My instinct is to say that the Eagles looked a lot better in their victory before the bye and that they simply can’t be as bad as they were early on.
The Cowboys are — well, who knows what they are? Are they a great running team? Are they Tony Romo’s team? Think of how good the Cowboys would be looking now if not for those late losses. The
Redskins are in serious injury trouble and are floundering at quarterback. The Giants look the most steady, particularly because they are getting back a lot of players from injury after the bye. But they
have a brutal schedule in the second half of the season — at the Patriots next week, for starters — so if they are to win the division, they’ll certainly be battle tested when they get
to the playoffs.
Q.
Where do you think a T.O. signing would make the most sense, and what are the odds of it happening? I have to admit I’m surprised that no teams have seemed to show any interest, especially on the heels
of a three-touchdown effort by another reclamation project this past weekend. — Satan, Chicago
A.
Plaxico Burress isn’t going to turn 38 in December, and he isn’t coming off an A.C.L. injury. I don’t know if signing Terrell Owens makes sense anywhere. There are certainly some teams
in need of receiving help, but this is an old player whose workout indicated that he was not in playing shape, and one who – by the way – was a bad locker room guy. If you have a young
team, or a young quarterback, do you want to inject that? Don’t take the fact that no teams attended the workout to mean that there was absolutely no interest in him, though. If a team is really interested,
it will bring him in and work him out itself. That workout was to get something on tape and to generate some buzz.
Q.
Hi, Judy. I think I may be the only Giants fan who does not find their second-half schedule all that intimidating. Games against the Patriots, Saints and Packers will be tough to win. But the rest of the schedule
has the 49ers, Cowboys (twice), Jets, Redskins (home) and Eagles (home). All of those teams are formidable but beatable. What do you expect from the Giants as they enter the second half of their season?
— Matt Barbarasch, New York
A.
Love your confidence, Matt. I think the schedule is very tough. The Patriots’ and Saints’ games are on the road in very difficult places for visitors to win. And Aaron Rodgers is having a historic
season. I like that the Giants have gotten healthy. I don’t like that the Eagles, Jets and Cowboys may have pulled themselves together by the time the Giants get to them. Or maybe not. The Niners
looked formidable last week, but you don’t know how they will be long-term. The Giants could easily win six of these games (based on the idea that they go 1-2 against the Patriots, Saints and Packers).
That’s 10 wins. Good enough for the playoffs. But if they waver, they are going to look back on that Seattle game as even more of a disaster than it was as it happened.
