Day 3. Words.

Day 2. Handwriting. #febphotoaday

Day 1. My View Today. #febphotoaday

February Photo a Day Challenge

Found this sweet photo challenge on Instagram yesterday.

The goal is to take a new photograph every day in February. Each day will have a different them. 

My house church in Nashville thought this was a pretty cool idea, so each day for the next four weeks we will be uploading new pictures to share with you. 

Hope you enjoy our shots and you're more than welcome to join us!

Here is the list for the February Photo a Day Challenge:

1. Your view today
2. handwriting
3. words
4. a stranger
5. 10am
6. dinner
7. button
8. sun
9. front door
10. self portrait
11. makes you happy
12. inside your closet
13. blue
14. heart
15. phone
16. something new
17. time
18. drink
19. something you hate to do
20. handwriting
21. a fave photo of you
22. where you work
23. your shoes
24. inside your bathroom cabinet
25. green
26. night
27. something you ate
28. money
29. something you are listening to

The Bad Quarterback League: First Trimester

When we last left our godawful gunslingers, all seemed right in the world. Donovan McNabb was a struggling to keep his QB Rating in the positives while Ben Roethlieberger was routinely connecting with safety Ed Reed for big plays downfield. Mark Sanchez even managed to not embarrass himself. 

Funny how things can change.

Over the last few weeks we've witnessed Tom Brady collapse under the pressure of mighty Buffalo, we've seen Cam Newton set a pace to break every rookie passing record in the history of the NFL, and hell, we've even watched Tavaris Jackson blossom into just a pretty bad quarterback. A gimpy Ben Roethlisberger also just threw for 5 touchdowns against the Tennessee Titans on a weekend where Kevin Kolb pissed his pants. It's been an interesting first trimester to say the least.

Yes, as one would expect, an interesting first trimester has produced some interesting results. With Week 6 looming on the horizon, let's take a quick peek at the Power Rankings:

Power Rankings:

1. Hennes of the Mouth (Carpenter) 4-1

2. Sex on a Stick (Morgan) 3-2

3. Big Ben and the Grossmen (Hall) 3-2

4. Matt's Besieged Cassel (Stephens) 2-3

5. White Boi Pains (Frisbee) 2-3

6. Colex Kaepersmith and the Free Tattoos (McCool) 2-3
7. The Ginger Snaps (Cassilly) 2-3
8. Cam Newton Just Stole My Cell Phone (Lever) 1-4

Tie Breaker: Total Points

1. Morgan: 242

2. Stephens: 202

3. Frisbee: 197
4. Carpenter: 193

5. Hall: 172

6. McCool: 155

7. Lever: 144

8. Cassilly: 51

Moving into the Week 6 Showdowns, we'll see the following superpowers face off:

Hennes of the Mouth vs. Big Ben and the Grossmen

Colex Kaepersmith and the Free Tattoos vs Cam Newton Just Stole My Cell Phone

Matt's Besieged Cassel vs The Ginger Snaps

White Boi Pains vs. Sex on a Stick

Here's to a healthy second trimester. 

All hail Tebow.

The Bad Quarterback League: Week 1

When we last left our fellowship of the Bad Quarterback League, wages were set, a draft was foregone, and our players were ready to cheer against the league's finest. I have to say, watching football from the perspective of the Bad Quarterback league was really a treat. Never, ever, have I enjoyed watching Tavaris Jackson play football, but this Sunday, as he led his team to defeat against San Francisco, the room was filled with cheers. Emotions sailed every time Donovan McNabb sailed the ball over an open receiver, every time Eli Manning hit the dirt, and especially every time Big Ben dialed up a downfield shot to Ed Reed. Some would argue that what we're doing here is "uncouth or against God", but to those people, I have just one thing to say. When's the last time you found yourself cheering for Luke McCown?

I rest my case. Here's the recap of Week 1's Worst Quarterbacks.
_________________________________________________________________________________


Carpenter (MIA & MIN) vs. Morgan (PHI & GB)

In our first matchup, Carpenter fielded his top unit against Morgan's worst. Chad Henne defied the odds on Monday night, putting up a dazzling -10 on the BQL radar much to the surprise of Patriots and Dolphins fans alike. Most viewers were probably expecting a booing repeat of training camp, but you have to admit, his performance was uplifting for the fans at Sun Life. Luckily for Carpenter, his champion, Donovan McNabb, truly shined. McNabb's 39 yards and interception were the epitome of clutch, despite his short touchdown toss to Michael Jenkins. My team, on the other hand, waved the white flag, getting two of those "required starts" out of the way on a week where no one knew what would happen. Vick managed to find me positive points, but Aaron Rodgers was just too good to keep my squad in the positive. Looking forward, it was very nice to hear Denver fans cheering for Tebow on Monday Night Football.

Winner: Carpenter +35


Loser: Morgan -3


Top Perfomer: Donovan McNabb (45)



Stephens (NYG & NO) vs. McCool (SF & OAK)

McCool caught a bit of a surprise, much like many of Alex Smith's receivers. We all have to admit, Smith didn't look completely horrific, gunslinging in the shadow of Tavaris Jackson, who put on the real (bad) show. Smith still managed an adequate BQL start, and Jason Campbell really stepped up in a rainy Denver game to give McCool success in Week 1. Stephens found a nice surprise as well in a week where he was throwing out some "required starts." Eli Manning, who many believed would carve up Washington, even managed to throw a touchdown to an opposing defensive lineman on his way to a 27 point outing. On the flip side, Drew Brees put on a passing clinic against the Green Bay defense. The Saint's -17 point performance sealed the deal for McCool's Week 1 slide. It's worth noting that the Seahawks rode the bench this week, and Tavaris will most likely get the nod going into Week 2.

Winner: McCool +38


Loser: Stephens +10


Top Performer: Eli Manning (27)


Hall (PIT & IND) vs. Frisbee (JAX & BUF)

Hall made a bodacious move right out of the gate, starting what was imagined to be his worst (best in real life) lineup of Indi and Pittsburgh. He was richly rewarded for his gamble. Ben Roethlisberger led all scorers this week after completing as many passes to Ed Reed as he did teammates Emanuel Sanders, Antonio Brown, and Mewelde Moore. With three interceptions and two lost fumbles, Big Ben  was a one man wrecking crew. Add in a darling triple fumble performance by Kerry Collins, and you have the largest margin of victory on our Week 1 scoreboard. Frisbee decided to retort with Luke McCown and Ryan Fitzpatrick. Jacksonville's passing performance would have McCowned most opponents, but Buffalo's Ryan Fitzpatrick ravaged Kansas City en route to a disappointing -3. McCown faces off against Rex Ryan's blitz happy Jets in Week 2, so the stage is set for Frisbee to bounce back.

                                                           David Crary - Associated Press

Winner: Hall +67

Loser: Frisbee +20

Top Performer: Ben Roethlisberger (49)

Cassilly & Pierce (CIN & HOU) vs. Lever (CAR & TEN)

The dynamic duo of Cassilly & Pierce opened by throwing a curveball, choosing to start Houston and Cincinnati. The trio of Schaub, Dalton, and Gradkowski put up solid, but not overwhelming numbers as our ladies posted a solid +18. I think's it's safe to say we can blame Dalton's performance on a Brown's defense that decided to leave receivers wide open. Expect big things in the future. Lever started Cam Newton and Matt Hasselbeck, which many thought would be a lock for huge numbers on opening weekend. Instead, Hasselbeck managed to finagle an 80 yard score to Kenny Britt and Cam Newton set a Week 1 rookie record with his 422 passing yards and 3 touchdowns. The tandem combined for the lowest score of the weekend. The girls start the season with a big win, and the Cleveland Browns have yet to make their first start.

                                                                               Associated Press

Winner(s): Cassilly & Pierce +18

Loser: Lever -5

Top Performer: Matt Schaub (10)

_________________________________________________________________________________

That's all for an exciting opening weekend!

Moving into Week 2, we'll see the following matchups:

Lever vs. Carpenter
Stephens vs. Morgan
Hall vs. McCool
Frisbee vs. Cassilly & Pierce

Join us next Tuesday for the recap of our second week of Bad Quarterback action!

Inspired by Grantland

Powder Blue Bias

Two weeks ago I, an enthusiastic Titans fan, found myself face to face with an avid Colts fan. I began to speak, but before I got a word out, she promptly told me not to talk smack for the Titans, as I had no room to boast. Apparently my years of pride and prejudice had proceeded me. Realizing that she was most likely right, I took a moment to call a mental huddle to dial up a high percentage play. My thoughts lined up, looked the adversary in the eyes, and snapped the ball.

I bet that the Tennessee Titans would finish the season with a better record than the Indianapolis Colts.

Loser takes the winner out an exquisitely formal dinner at the restaurant of the winner's choice.

Staring down the barrel of 3rd & 7, I dialed up the fake punt.

Why would I make such a bodacious move? Pride? Madness? Faith?

Funny how often the three seem to correlate for sports fans.

After taking your choice between hubris, madness, and sureness, you find me in likely position to eat my words, or more relevantly, an upscale dinner for two. 

Then, tragedy struck. Rumor grew of a shadow in the East, whispers of a nameless fear, and Peyton Manning's injury perceived. Minutes turned to hours. Hours turned to days. Kerry Collins came out of retirement. My mindset began to change. Could Peyton's neck surgery mark the changing of the guard?

The sands were shifting all around the AFC South. Arian Foster's hamstring continued to suffer from "antiawesomeness" down in Houston. The Jaguars waived the white flag and cut veteran starting quarterback, David Garrard. And, much to my delight, Chris Johnson agreed to a new contract with the Titans, becoming the highest paid running back in NFL history.

Could my madness pay off?

I think so. Here's why, team by team:

Houston Texans

The up-and-coming Texans find themselves as the darlings of the AFC South. And why not?  With the dynamic pass catching tandem of Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson, the NFL's rushing leader in Arian Foster, a healthy Owen Daniels with a new contract, and a talented offensive line, they should be poised for a playoff run, right?

Wrong.

Thanks to something I will label as the "Kubiak Effect", I see this "loaded" team getting pulled right back into the sub .500 rut where they've made a living under the tenure of head coach Gary
Kubiak. What can I say, the man just has a will to lose. Anyone else remember when this team finished last season on a 2-8 run? I bet Texans fans sure do.

Mastermind Wade Philip, has taken the helm of the NFL's worst pass defense and implemented a drastically new 3-4 scheme. Houston has also taken their best defender, defensive end Mario Williams, and converted him into an outside linebacker. The guy's an incredibly talented pass rusher, but I can't wait until he's asked to drop back and cover the likes of Dallas Clark, Marcedes Lewis, and Jared Cook.

Houston's offense will put up plenty of points, but I have my doubts that one month of working in the 3-4 will be enough to mesh. On paper, this team looks undeniably dangerous, but if history repeats itself, I see have trouble seeing Kubiak's Texans on top of the divisional race.

Prediction: 2nd in Division (8-8)

Indianapolis Colts

You don't need me to tell you things are looking back in Indi. Everything this team does revolves around the greatness of Peyton Manning, who is now out indefinitely. The up tempo, quick striking offense relies on the quarterback to read the defense and put the pieces into place to methodically move the chains. Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, and Austin Collie are all talented route runners, but without Peyton's precision, they're much less frightening for opposing defenses. Speaking of defenses, you won't find a unit on the Colts that depends more on Manning's offensive ingenuity than Larry Coyer's defense. This 4-3 plays small and fast, with two of the league's finest pass rushers playing as bookends for the undersized defensive line. They thrive on passing situations, which are frequent when Manning is putting up big points on the other side of the ball. Without their offensive general, the Colts will likely be playing in close games, or from behind, which means a lot more rushing attempts heading toward one of the league's more insecure run defenses. For the first time in a decade, the Colts may very well find themselves at the bottom of the totem pole. 

Prediction: 4th in Division (5-11)

Jacksonville Jaguars

Speaking of the Jaguars, it's nice to see that Del Rio has already surrendered the 2011 season. With Garrard off the roster, Jacksonville will see Luke McCown under center for Week 1. Oh man.

You have to believe that once Blaine Gabbert is ready to take the starting gig, he'll get his shot and the Jags will begin working on a new dynasty. I think Gabbert's going to be a fine quarterback down the road, but as far as this year goes, the combo of McCown and Gabbert aren't going to scare too many opponents. Jacksonville will likely face eight man fronts week in and week out, which could lead to big numbers for tight end Marcedes Lewis, but certainly doesn't bode well for Maurice Jones Drew, the team's true offensive bright spot. 

I think we'll see notable improvements in Jacksonville's defense this year, especially in the secondary, but the pass rush will be in trouble if star defensive end Aaron Kampman's knee troubles escalate. We'll learn more when they face off against Chris Johnson and Kenny Britt at home in Week 1.

Prediction: 3rd in Division (6-10)

Tennessee Titans

Here comes the powder blue bias. I've stated my case for a division ready to be claimed by the Titans, who bring talent back on both sides of the ball. Tennessee was playing good football last season until the torrent of drama came cascading into LP Field, washing away long time friend Jeff Fisher, former first round pick Vince Young, and a majority of the coaching staff. Simply put, the season ended in flames (except for the final showdown against Houston. Thanks, Gary).

In the aftermath, Tennessee hired Hall of Famer Mike Munchak to serve as head coach, along with selecting quarterback Jake Locker in the first round of the NFL Draft, officially marking a new beginning for the franchise. However, with the lockout in full force, Titans fans didn't have high hopes for the 2011 season. 

Then, something beautiful happened. The lockout came to an end. The franchise reached out to sign free agents, including veteran quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, defensive tank Shaun Smith, and west coast safety Jordan Babineaux. Chris Johnson signed his contract, and Kenny Britt didn't receive a suspension for his offseason shenanigans. Coach Munchak established himself as someone coaches, players, and fans could believe in. Surprisingly, Titans fans saw life begin to bloom from the settling dust.

As the preseason began, fans could tell that the players were buying into the new philosophies of the coaching staff. New defensive coordinator Jerry Gray's arsenal looked bigger, more formidable, and confident. Hell, they were even tackling. On the offensive side, Hasselbeck quickly established a rhythm with the historically not-so-sure handed Nate Washington and all 6'5" 250lbs of break out candidate, Jared Cook. The veteran still has it, and with one of the league's best offensive lines led by Roos, an interesting receiver corps helmed by Britt, and one of the game's most dangerous weapons in running back Chris Johnson, this offense is going to score some points.

I recently read an encouraging article by the Sports Guy, Bill Simmons, where he also predicted the Titans to rise up and take the division. The Titans may seem iffy coming out of the lockout with a new head coach and new quarterback, but as Simmons notes, could things possibly be any less stable than they were last season? Not a chance. The Tennessee Titans rise from the ashes this season and give the Texans all they want in a race to the playoffs.

Prediction: 1st in Division (10-6)

In summary, I stand in hurbis, madness, and sureness declaring that my powder blue bias will pay off. And if worse comes to worse, and Indi finds a way to once again claim the AFC South, a ritzy date is still a ritzy date. Even if it is with a Colts fan.

Go Titans.