Josh Childress is wide-receiver crazy, the Pats special teams look special, and the Saints don’t look very impressive.  Here we go.

MIKE KAYE

Last week’s columns, part 1 and part 2 can be found here and here.

1. Let’s get the elephant or former Patriot out of the room, and start with the Randy Moss trade? When I heard this trade, my buddy Josh called me to let me know and I just hung up the phone and in turn, winced in annoyance to the point that my friend in car thought someone had died and he needed to console me on the spot. For the record dignity died last night, Josh Childress’s dignity to be more specific. This is the second time in as many years that Childress has tried to take a future Hall of Famer past his prime and put him in a major role to save his job.

I have a problem with the fact that they made this deal when Sidney Rice is supposedly coming back after next week. There could have been a set back in Rice’s recovery but I think the trade of Greg Camerillo and signing Hank Baskett were enough. Wide Receiver is not even one of the top three most important positions on offense so I’m not really sure why Childress feels the need to constantly address it.

The Patriots made value in this trade, Moss was getting annoying even to non-Pats fans and he was detrimental to the growth of young (and fantastic) Brandon Tate and Julian Edelman. A third round pick is definitely Moss’s value at this point in his career and it assures that the Patriots will own the draft next year with two 1st, two 2nd, and two 3rd round picks. As much as I dislike the Cut-Off Sweater Man, he is a brilliant negotiator and knows what he is doing for the most part. Danny Woodhead!!!

2. Not to get all Pat happy (because I loath them), but their special teams unit last Monday was fantastic and proves that the third phase of the game is just as important as the offense and defense. I have preached for years that special teams is extremely vital to the game and the Chiefs, Patriots, and Bears prove why it truly is. We have had kick returns in every week this year, and teams have given up significant field position this season leading to scores for rivals and put winning the game in jeopardy.

Guys like Jacksonville’s Sean Considine, Buffalo’s Roscoe Parrish, Philadelphia’s Dmitri Patterson, and Legedu Naanee, among others, make their living on special teams. The unsung heroes off the grid iron make sure Eli Manning isn’t starting on the five or making sure Cleveland’s awful defense has to start defending on their own 40 yard line. Special teams control momentum and positioning so before you enjoy the Superstars of the NFL, notice the guys that get the players in the position on the field where they can be productive.

3. Is two weeks of mediocre play enough to get over the New Orleans Saints? I’ve been over them since Week One because I think they are good but they haven’t gotten better. Former FSUer (Mike Kaye Original) Patrick Robinson is not working out as a 1st round corner and the team seems to have a dry period during every game.

They are 3-1 but Carolina had them beat and Atlanta beat them, so it shows why the NFC South changes every year. The Saints should be the team to beat as they are the Superbowl champs but they are so underwhelming its hard to give them credit.

4. I am not suddenly sold on teams like the Giants and the Jaguars. They are both still mediocre teams and while their wins were phenomenal, they simply won due to the carelessness and underestimations of the other teams. The Giants win was simple: concuss Jay Cutler with a record nine sacks in the first half and thus take over the game but after that valiant effort by the defense the game was still 3-0 at the midway point.

Eli overthrew numerous time, the running game for the most part looked shabby (outside of a handful of Ahmad Bradshaw runs), and their turnovers in momentum changing situations did nothing for the team. However the Bears could not take advantage as they yanked Cutler for his injury and put Deer-in-headlights Todd Collins out there. The Jaguars won simply because of taking advantage of stupid Colts turnovers and the horrible coaching of Jim Caldwell. He called a timeout with the lead and little time left and really relied too much of Reggie Wayne. The Jags won that game but the Colts lost it.

Quick Hits:
- San Francisco needs players that are willing to work for their paycheck. To give up a game that you have a two touchdown lead on midway through is in-excusable when you are already 0-3. Alex Smith is not their QB of the future and this four week stretch shows it. I wouldn’t be surprised if they beat my Eagles this weekend but I think the Niners are in a bad way. Vernon Davis seems to have lost all the confidence he gained last year and Michael Crabtree has more complaints about being a diva then he does yardage. Mike Singletary is a great coach and Hall of Famer but he is too old get on the field with guys like Patrick Willis although I’m sure he has thought about it.

- Marshawn Lynch was traded to the Seahawks on Tuesday to much surprise. Not that it was a surprise he was traded but that he was traded for so little. The former stand-out from Cal was a 1st round pick and is only 24 years old. The Hawks gave up a 4th and possible 5th or 6th two drafts from now. The Bills were supposedly wanting a lot for him but I think the Packers and Eagles offered just as much for him and if not they are crazy so why turn them down? I think Pete Carroll comes off as a child that is collecting toys and it is getting annoying by how he is making deals. Justin Forsett will have to share the backfield with his former college teammate, Lynch but look for them to compete for the starting job starting now.

- Donovan McNabb won his redemption game and got a standing ovation from the Philly crowd and every ESPN analyst was surprised.

- Haven’t heard anything from Rex Ryan lately, have you? I told you so. They need to let the play do the talking and have. Stop being ridiculous and focus on the game and you will succeed.

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