As sports fans, we are prone to bursts of emotional rampage.

We are allowed to let a big loss ruin our entire weekend and have our significant others understand. We are allowed to bet on a football game and then cheer against our bet because our fantasy stud is on the other team—the one win-win situation in life.

Most importantly, we are allowed to find something negative even in the brightest of moments, because it’s our job as fans.

That is why I just couldn’t muster any excitement over the Vikings’ 27-10 stomping of the Lions; something just didn’t sit right. I spent the rest of the day writing down what bothered me about the game. I had it DVR’d so I could re-watch it to find any mistakes I missed. I felt like Ron Jaworski for a solid two hours.

When all was said and done, when all the mistakes were calculated, there was only one conclusive answer:

Brad Childress is going to cost us the Super Bowl.

After he brought us Brett Favre, the Vikings Collective forgot that we had the worst head coach in the league this side of whomever the Raiders hire. We forgot that we had the Mike Dunleavy of the NFL. The guy who didn’t know how to use his stars. The guy with no sense of desperation or timing.

The guy who didn’t think of letting Adrian Peterson return kickoffs until the 2008 playoff game against the Eagles was nearly over.

The guy who had Chester Taylor in the game in the fourth quarter loss to the Steelers even though Peterson was on fire.

The guy who is STILL starting Bernard Berrian even though Percy Harvin and Sidney Rice would give us one of the top five best receiving corps in the league.

We forgot because we had Favre.

We forgot because this defensive line is better than the Purple People Eaters.

We forgot because this offense is better than the ‘98 offense that held the record for most points in a season.

We forgot because we were winning.

But Childress has a way of reminding you just how poor he is. Let me give you some examples from Sunday’s win:

1. After a 60-yard drive featuring a steady dose of big runs from Peterson, Childress decides that a Shotgun Wide Receiver Reverse to Harvin would be the best course of action against the 1-7 Lions who couldn’t stop the run. The result? A fumble and giving away a great gadget play for the future.

2. After two terrible drops from Berrian, he wasn’t pulled for Harvin. The faster, stronger, more physical, more reliable Harvin. The same Harvin who has returned two kicks for touchdowns but doesn’t return punts.

3. The final one is the most important and the one that will end up losing us the Super Bowl. On fourth and inches, down in the red zone, he doesn’t hand the ball to the league’s best running back and let him run to the left side of the line fitted with All-Pro Steve Hutchinson. Instead, Childress calls a fullback dive to the right side stuffed by the 900-pound Grady Jackson.

Childress doesn’t know how to use his stars.

Childress managed to turn something positive into something negative, which happens to be the theme for this week’s Good/Bad/Ugly.

The Good: Bill Belichick Going for It on 4th-and-2

This has been the topic of debate today, and I feel that it needs to be touched on. The Patriots will win the AFC this year because of calls like this.

Because Bill Belichick knows you don’t play to lose.

We have spent the past eight weeks watching Peyton Manning beat players all by himself. The Dolphins controlled the clock and pressured Manning; you know, the things people say you need to do to beat the Colts. Well, guess what: He outscored them in 15 minutes.

In the fourth quarter alone, Manning managed to go 79 yards twice in under two minutes. If Belichick punted it away and Manning had done what he has all season and scored quickly, we would now be discussing the greatness of Peyton Manning.

Lost behind that sentiment would be a Patriots loss. Belichick doesn’t play to lose.

If Belichick makes that 4th-and-2 and runs out the clock, we continue to label him a genius, and none of this discussion exists. As sports fans we are supposed to be subjective and give our opinions. But sometimes, pretentious hindsight needs to dissipate and make room for objectivity.

Runner-Up: Chris Johnson and his MVP Campaign

While Bud Adams’ middle fingers pointed upward after Sunday’s win over the Buffalo Bills (their third in a row after an 0-6 start, symbolically vindicating his decision to reinstate Vince Young into the starting quarterback position), the real reason for Tennessee’s titanic resurgence was giving an interview to ESPN.

Check Chris Johnson’s stat line since the Week Seven bye:

Week 8 @ Jacksonville: 24 carries, 228 yards, two receptions, 11 yards, two touchdowns.

Week 9 @ San Francisco: 25 carries, 135 yards, three receptions, 25 yards, two touchdowns

Week 10 @ Buffalo: 26 carries, 132 yards, nine receptions, 100 yards, two touchdowns.

It’s not just fantasy owners who are taking notice anymore; Shannon Sharpe called him the league’s best running back. Others are hailing him as the next Barry Sanders.

Who can blame them?

With five plays from the line of scrimmage going over 50 yards, Chris Johnson is the league’s most explosive player. He also might be its most consistent.

The Bad: Maurice Jones-Drew’s Goal-Line Kneeldown

Not even a sincere apology from MJD could fix this mistake.

How dare you, Jack Del Rio? How dare you ruin so many fantasy teams on purpose?

Brian Westbrook’s 2008 kneeldown was spontaneous.

Del Rio’s was planned, orthodox, and malicious—like the Madden guy who breaks a long run in the fourth quarter and dives on the ground right at the one.

For the rest of this season I will not mention the Jaguars. They are on my fantasy blacklist.

The Ugly: The New England Patriots Defense

Listen, I know it’s Peyton Manning. I know he has spent the 2009 NFL season cementing himself as the best player of the decade. I know he’s got a laser, rocket cannon arm.

But allowing two 79-yard drives in under two minutes IN THE FOURTH QUARTER ALONE is utterly ridiculous and the reason your coach doesn’t trust you.

It’s the reason 4th-and-2 looks better than a punt—even when you’re on your own 30.

Arizona Cardinals

Who says you need to win at home to be a successful football team? The Cardinals don’t and are now 4-0 playing on the road after their 20-point pounding of the Bears on Sunday. Kurt Warner made up for his five-interception week eight performance with a five-touchdown week nine showing.

Bengals Defense

For many the Cincinnati Bengals have been the surprise team of the NFL for the first half of the season. Going into a week nine showdown with their AFC North rival, the Bengals were 5-2 and looking for a season sweep of Baltimore. They would need a strong performance from their defense facing off with an explosive Raven offense.

The Bengals were stout as can be defensively, allowing only seven points on the day and solidifying themselves as a contender, not a pretender, in the AFC playoff race.

The Bad

Green Bay Packers

Did anyone else see a letdown game coming? After losing to Brett Favre and Minnesota in week eight the Packers had what seemed to be a sure win on the schedule versus Tampa Bay in week nine.

Buccaneer rookie QB Josh Freeman had other ideas for the reeling Packers. The previously winless Bucs torched Green Bay for 38 points, handing Green Bay their fourth loss of the season.

San Francisco 49ers

After a promising start to the 2009-10 campaign, it seems like the 49ers have taken significant steps back, looking more like the ‘08-09 version. After two consecutive tough road losses, San Francisco came home only to get barnstormed by the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, allowing 34 points to the previously one-win AFC South squad.

If the past month of play means anything, it seems like northern California football fans are in for another gloomy fall and winter.

The Ugly

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Uniforms

Really!? We thought you learned after so many years. Keep them in the closet next time for the sake of us all.

The Good

Brett Favre

Football fans from coast to coast marked November 1 on their football watching calenders the day that Favre signed with the Vikings. The future hall of famer did not disappoint on a typical chilly Sunday fall afternoon in Wisconsin throwing for 244 yards to go along with four TDs, leading Minnesota to the victory in the NFC North showdown.

Chris Johnson

The second year speedster from East Carolina was electric with the ball in leading the Titans to their first win of the season. His 228 yards on the ground was a career and Tennessee Titan franchise high. Johnson had touchdown runs of 52 and 89 yards making the Jaguar defense look silly for four quarters in Nashville on Sunday.

The Bad

Derek Anderson

Cleveland quarterbacks Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn combined to complete a total of seven passes in Cleveland’s miserable loss to Chicago in the Windy City on Sunday.

Anderson ended the first half of play with two completions and was replaced late in the fourth quarter by Brady Quinn. Anderson’s final line: 6-for-17 with 76 yards and two interceptions.

Yet, if you were dumb enough to start him on your fantasy team you did benefit from his rushing TD, Cleveland’s lone score of the day.

Arizona Cardinals

Arizona’s week seven win vs. the Giants at the Meadowlands apparently was no sign of change for an inconsistent Cardinals squad.

What is supposed to be one of the NFL’s top run D’s was anything but that on Sunday. They got pushed around by the Panthers and allowing 270 yards on the ground.

Not helping the cause were the five interceptions thrown by Kurt Warner. The defending NFC champs are now 1-3 on their home field and 3-0 on the road. Luckily for them next week they play in front of Chicago fans rather than their own.

The Ugly

James Butler, St. Louis Rams Defensive Back

Rams against Lions is ugly in itself. The bone head play by Ram safety James Butler in the second quarter of the first win of the season for St. Louis put the icing on the cake.

After intercepting Lions QB Matt Stafford at the Rams one-yard line, Butler decided to make something out of nothing by attempting to return his interception for more yards, only to get tackled in his own end zone for a safety costing his team two points and giving the ball right back to Detroit.

Just another day in the life of a St. Louis Ram.

Jets-Dolphins Rivalry

New York safety Kerry Rhodes and Miami linebacker Joey Porter had some choice words for each other during pregame warm ups, which led to a physical altercation before their rivalry game kicked off on Sunday in East Rutherford.

Players were eventually separated and Miami won the game, sweeping the season series from their rivals for the first time in six years.

Rookie golden child Mark Sanchez looked strong in his NFL debut, completing 18 passes for 272 yards and a touchdown. Although Sanchez shined, he wasnt the star of the day.

That award would go to the Jets defense, who held the Texans’ No. 3 offense to 183 yards.

The Texans did not even pass midfield during the first three quarters of the game and held last season’s electrifying combo of Steve Slaton and Andre Johnson silent.

Slaton was held to only 17 yards rushing on nine attempts while Johnson caught only four passes for 35 yards.

Slaton’s 17-yard total was the second lowest of his brief two-year career.

“You work for six months leading up to this first game,” Slaton said after the game, according to the Associated Press. “You have all offseason to prepare for this game and then to come out and play like that is upsetting.”

The Texan offense wasnt the only thing that struggled against the new-look Jets as the defense allowed 462 yards.

The Jets under Ryan look like a whole different team than in years past.

The defense, led by Ryan’s former middle linebacker in Baltimore, Bart Scott, swarmed the Texans on every play.

New York will have its hands full with the Patriots this Sunday.

Ryan and some players have already publicly talked a big game against the Patriots. The Jets even sent out a voicemail to all season ticket holders with Ryan saying he needs the fans’ support this weekend.

It will be an intense atmosphere in New York Sunday; if the Jets are able to defeat the rival Patriots, they will be a team to beat this season.

Update:

As of September 10, the Raiders have imposed 5 day deadline for Richard Seymour to report or face suspension.

Today, the Raiders made another questionable decision, trading for five-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Richard Seymour.

Seymour, who turns 30 next month, has been one of the best defensive lineman in all of football in his arrival in the NFL in 2001, but he has not been to a Pro Bowl since 2006.

Last season Seymour tied a career high in sacks with eight and only missed one game due to injury—unlike his 2008 season where he only played in eight games and registered 1.5 sacks.

The Raiders bolster a rush defense that has statistically been the worst in football since their 2002 Super Bowl run, and the worst this preseason at 192 yards per game. But the improvement comes at a very steep cost.

The 2011 first-round draft pick could be very costly for the Raiders if their recent struggles continue. If the Raiders don’t resign Seymour, then they have given up a first-round pick for a rent-a-player in a year they don’t look to be a contender.

The Seymour trade is another in the list of questionable decisions made by Oakland this offseason. The Raiders drafted Darrius Heyward-Bay in the top 10, although he was a late-first-round projection. The Raiders turned around and gave him a super signing bonus out of the rookie slotting, which has caused a fuss in other draft pick signings.

The Raiders have also released quarterback Jeff Garcia only a few months after signing him to backup JaMarcus Russell. The Raiders have no proven veteran quarterback behind the shaky Russell.

It seems the Raiders will never sniff the playoffs again until Al Davis gives up the team or passes on.

Davis has been a tyrant of an owner for years. Recently, the Raiders coaching staff has been a revolving door. No Raider head coach has lasted more than a few years on the job, making it hard for the Raiders to have consistency.

Maybe one of the biggest blunders in recent NFL history was the Raiders’ trading for Randy Moss. After two dreadful seasons in Oakland, the Raiders shipped Moss to the Patriots for a fourth-round draft pick. Moss has, once again, become a top receiver in the NFL, and set an NFL record with 22 touchdown receptions in a season.

The Patriots’ trading of Seymour has once again solidified them as one of the best-run organizations in all of sports, not just the NFL. The Patriots are able to rebuild and retool year-in and year-out without missing a beat.

Overall, the trade of Seymour gives the Raiders defensive line a superstar who will command double teams and be able to take over a game but at a very costly price.

If the Raiders are able to re-sign Seymour, the trade will not hurt the Raiders long-term. But if Seymour walks away after this season, the Raiders gave up a potentially top-10 draft pick for a one-year rent-a-player.

Favre’s signing might come as a surprise to some, but for many experts, it was expected. Brett Favre has notoriously been known for his hatred of training camp, plus Favre would only come back when he is ready, regardless of deadlines.

Favre’s signing gives the Vikings some new hope with their quarterback position, as the newly acquired Sage Rosenfels and Tarvaris Jackson have not pleased anyone in Minnesota, including Childress.

“This is the weekend Brett decided he wanted to come back. And I’m not sure either side ever closed the door,” Bus Cook, Favre’s agent, told ESPN.

During the first preseason game Rosenfels drove the Vikings on two scoring drives, finishing 10-for-13 for 91 yards, while Jackson struggled against the Indianapolis Colts’ second-string defense.

Minnesota will now have a 10-time Pro Bowler at the helm, something they have missed since in 2004 with Daunte Culpepper.

The Vikings appear to be the frontrunner in an NFC North where three teams—the Vikings, Bears, and Lions—will be sporting new starting quarterbacks this season.

The Bears went out and traded for Pro Bowler Jay Cutler, while the Lions drafted Georgia’s Matthew Stafford and signed Culpepper midseason; the Vikings, of course, signed Brett Favre.

Minnesota’s eighth-ranked yards per game offense will be even more dangerous with Favre in control. Teams will no longer be able to stack the box to attempt to stop the league’s No. 2 rush offense and Adrian Peterson, thus opening up running lanes for the NFL’s most dangerous back.

In addition to Peterson, the stats of wide receivers Bernard Berrian, Sidney Rice, and Bobby Wade will improve from the league’s 21st-ranked pass offense. Favre’s knowledge of the playbook and the NFC North will help expand the Vikings offense.

First-round draft pick Percy Harvin will add a new dimension to the Vikings offense that has been missing in years past.

Favre is bringing along some baggage with him to Minnesota after his very scrutinized public divorce with Green Bay and late-season collapse with the Jets, costing coach Eric Mangini his job and the Jets a spot in the playoffs.

Dr. James Andrews discovered a slight tear in Favre’s rotator cuff and performed offseason surgery to repair a torn biceps tendon but says the injury shouldn’t be a factor this season.

It is safe to say the Vikings will be a much-improved team with Favre as their starting quarterback compared to the inconsistent Jackson and Rosenfels.

If Favre is injury-free this season and able to play within his element, without having to do too much, the Vikings will be a tough team to beat and will be playing in January.

CBS has confirmed that the much talked about Michael Vick saga has come to an end.

Minutes ago, the Philadelphia Eagles signed the mercurial superstar to a two-year deal; one that lasts just as long as starting quarterback Donovan Mcnabb’s.

While most projected Vick to go to a team utilizing the now famous “Wildcat” offense, teams like the Patriots or the Raiders, he was instead signed by a team running the very precise West Coast offense, one that requires precision and accuracy.

Both things Vick has never been known for.

With a draft including LeSean McCoy and Jeremy Maclin, the signing of Peters on the offensive line and now Michael Vick, the big question now is:

Are the Eagles the team to beat in the NFC?

Steve McNair, 36, was found dead in his Nashville apartment on a Saturday afternoon; his death has been classified as a homicide.

“Air McNair” was known for his toughness and an uncanny approach to the quarterback position. McNair was described as a warrior among teammates because he frequently played hurt, week in and week out.

The multidimensional McNair was a winner from the start. He led Mount Olive High School to a Mississippi state championship and was even drafted by the Seattle Mariners to play professional baseball.

Ultimately, McNair turned down the baseball offer to attended Alcorn State University to play quarterback rather than play defensive back at LSU or Southern Miss. At Alcorn State, he became one of the most successful Division 1-AA (now known as Football Championship Subdivision) players to ever step foot on the gridiron.

During McNair’s senior season in 1994, he received the Walter Payton award as the top player in NCAA Division 1-AA. In addition, McNair was an All-American and Heisman Trophy Finalist after producing nearly 6,000 yards in the air and on the ground while compiling a whopping total of 53 touchdowns.

In his four-year career, McNair amassed 14,496 career-passing yards and 16,823 yards of total offense; both are still Division 1-AA records.

As a revolutionist during his days at Alcorn State University, McNair caught the attention of the Houston Oilers and then-new head coach Jeff Fisher, who ended up drafting him with the third overall pick in the 1995 NFL Draft.

McNair continued his ruggedness and tough style of play with the Oilers, providing a one-two punch with 1996 first round pick and Heisman winner running back Eddie George.

The Tennessee Titans were born in 1999 with Air McNair as the face of the franchise. McNair, with the help of backup Neil O’Donnell, led the Titans to a 13-3 record and a trip to Super Bowl XXXIV.

The Titans played one of the most memorable Super Bowls to date against the St. Louis Rams as McNair orchestrated a 73-yard final drive that came up one-yard short on the last play of the game, as Rams linebacker Mike Jones stopped receiver Kevin Dyson at the goal-line with time expired.

The Titans under McNair’s control were a perennial top force in the NFL. The Titans posted a 43-21 regular season record from 2000 to 2003.

During the 2003 season, McNair was named co-MVP with division rival Peyton Manning despite not practicing the final two months of the season due to injuries. McNair, who was always known for being an admirable player on and off the field, had nothing but great things to say about himself and rival Manning.

“My words cant express how I feel being co-MVP with another great quarterback like Peyton,” he said at the time. “It’s very emotional right for me that people look at me as being one of the top quarterbacks of the NFL, one of the top players, and co-MVP.”

McNair’s post-MVP Titan career was injury-ridden and did not feature the storybook ending he had hoped for, but his luck changed on June 7, 2006, when he was traded to the Baltimore Ravens.

McNair showed flashes of his old form during the 2006 campaign, throwing for over 3,000 yards and 16 touchdowns and leading the way to a 13-3 record and the AFC North Division title. Despite the regular season success, the Ravens lost to the Colts in the playoffs.

In April of 2008, McNair retired with three Pro-Bowls, 31,304 passing yards, and 174 touchdowns on his resume.

Fans will remember McNair as a player who defied odds and was undoubtedly one of the toughest players to ever put on a helmet, from his days at Mount Olive High School to his retirement. McNair proved he could play quarterback, spurning guaranteed money in pro baseball and a Division I scholarship to play defensive back at two bigtime colleges.

McNair was one of the few players from I-AA to get Heisman recognition and the first black small-college quarterback to get national exposure since Doug Williams in 1978.

By all accounts, McNair was a one-of-a-kind person, teammate, and friend. The community will remember him as always very giving and generous. His teammates will remember him for his passion and willingness to leave it on all the field. His friends will remember him as someone who significantly impacted their lives forever and will be greatly missed.

Not so much a fall as it was a short stumble.

Calvin Pace was suspended for four games due to breaking the league’s substance abuse policy.

A response to the suspension was quickly released(as they always are)by the Jets:

“This is a situation that resulted from an over-the-counter dietary supplement that contained a substance that I did not know violated the league’s policy. I am responsible for what I put into my body, and I should have paid closer attention to the league’s guidelines.

“I regret that this has happened and apologize to my teammates, the entire Jets organization, as well as the fans. Hopefully, this does not distract from our ultimate goal of winning the Super Bowl.”

Dietary supplements?

Again?

Didn’t he learn his lesson from last year’s debacle between Pat and Kevin Williams, the interior defensive tackles for the Vikings when they nearly missed a playoff game due to diuretics?

With how much money these individuals make and how important their bodies are to their career, you would think they could stop “accidentally” taking illegal substances.

Pace was brought in by the Jets in 2008, signing a six-year, $42 million deal that includes $22 million in guaranteed money.

He was worth nearly every penny in his freshman campaign with the J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets.

(I can’t help myself. That is hands down the greatest chant in sports.)

He was second on the team in sacks with seven, he lead the team in tackles for a loss with 12, forced five fumbles, and recovered four.

Rex Ryan came to the Jets with lips watering.

Long known for his work with the top notch line backing corps of the Ravens, Ray Lewis and Bart Scott to name a few, Rex Ryan couldn’t wait to transform Pace into one of the league’s premier outside rushers.

Now he is impatiently searching for ways to transform this defense into one of the league’s best without him.

The early replacement candidate for Pace is last year’s highly touted rookie, Vernon Gholston.

Ryan has already experienced transforming a college defensive end into a star outside linebacker during his work with Terrell Suggs.

While Gholston lacks Suggs’ tremendous pass rushing skill and nose for the ball, he has similar tools to Ryan’s former pupil.

It’s a shame none of those tools came out of the shed last year.

For the most part, only two other options have arisen from the Jets’ mini camp:

Willie McGinest and Pace’s depth chart back-up Marques Murrell.

Let’s just say Jets fans are not too enthused.

As we’ve seen over the past years, the NFL isn’t too high on letting 1st round picks go to waste; so it is safe to assume Gholston will be getting the nod coming into the season.

Either way, Rex Ryan will be earning his lucrative contract this year.

He just might have to work harder than he intended.

The New York media isn’t keen on three-year plans.

Again, the Denver Broncos are in the news for one of their best players wanting out of the Mile-High city, as Pro Bowl Wide Receiver Brandon Marshall asked for a trade.

The Broncos have already traded away a Pro Bowl quarterback for the mediocre Kyle Orton, and draft picks thus new head coach Josh McDaniels can’t afford to give into another player’s demands.

Brandon Marshall, despite his off-field troubles, has been one of the most productive wide receivers in the NFL over the last two seasons: posting 206 receptions for 2590 yards and 13 touchdowns. Although the Broncos have solid weapons in Eddie Royal, Jabar Gaffney, and Brandon Stokley, Marshall is irreplaceable.

This offseason, receivers such as Braylon Edwards and Anquan Boldin had been shopped around to no avail. The Browns and Cardinals failed to field any substantial offers for their big time wide receivers, so what makes Brandon Marshall and his agent believe the Broncos will get enough in return for them to trade their oft-troubled best player?

Marshall is looking for a big contract extension but Denver isn’t his ideal situation. He has lost his Pro Bowl quarterback and is playing in a new system. Statistically, his stock may be at its highest point; Marshall and his agent know this. The Broncos gave into Cutler’s demands so Marshall will make his attempt to get his way.

Marshall needs the Broncos just as much as McDaniels needs Marshall. McDaniels needs Marshall to be his big go-to receiver, as Randy Moss was in New England and Marshall needs the Broncos offense to perform at a high level, so he can receive his fat paycheck.

There lies a problem if Marshall does not receive a contract extension this season. If the Collective Bargaining Agreement is not renegotiated, the NFL will have an uncapped year in 2010—meaning players would have to have six years of service in order to be eligible for free agency.

Brandon Marshall is well aware of the current CBA situation and does not want to be stuck in Josh McDaniels rebuilding stage without an extension: thus his request for a trade.

The Broncos, who have been stuck in a whirlwind of controversy this offseason, need to handle the situation accordingly.  They cannot give into another players demand for a trade when things aren’t going their way. This could create a domino effect when players such as phenomenon left tackle Ryan Clady or emerging Eddie Royal are unhappy and want new contracts.

Look for Marshall to suit up for the Broncos this season with a chip on his shoulder in efforts to get his payday or his one-way ticket out of Denver.