Weekly NFL News and Notes Column...

News and Notes from Around the NFL

The Lions continue to win, but they are playing with house money. I still think they are a .500 team, but they are capitalizing on others’ mistakes and staying healthy. It sure is fun to watch.

I hope that Lions’ fans aren’t so worked into a frenzy that they explode and implode when the Lions do lose.

The Colts are a wise and good franchise. If they go back to Kerry Collins instead of riding the train of Curtis Painter I will have to doubt that. One scout told me today, “If they go back to Collins, you have to at least wonder if they are trying to make some of that suck for luck stuff.” Not how I would have worded it, but funny.

Felix Jones forgot what down it was when he ran out of bounds to end the game against the Lions on Sunday. No excuse. Has to be suspended.

Now in week five, the Philadelphia dream team? I think not.

Josh Freeman, the Bucs QB, is going to be a bona fide star. If I had to pick one young QB to start a franchise with, it would be him. That sentiment is growing among the NFL power brokers.

Dez Bryant has a lot of intangibles to be the best WR in the game of football and perhaps ever. One scout said this to me, “If he had Jerry Rice heart he would be the best player ever in the game of football with no one credible arguing it. He doesn’t and that is why he will break the Cowboys heart for several years.”

Joe Namath is an old man who has a legacy of greatness on the field. He has had his issues, but when he speaks he deserves to be heard. He has earned that.

People around the NFL are having a good laugh at Mercedes Ben. They are sponsoring the Louisiana Super Dome. In one of the poorest places decimated by a hurricane it doesn’t make sense, but good for the Saints.

Do the Jets need a new QB to get to and win a Super Bowl? That isn’t for me to say, but I can tell you that around the NFL it is the sentiment.

Amazing how everyone wants to blame Donovan McNabb for the Vikings struggles. How long before the coaches hide their incompetence by benching him so they can then blame a rookie QB?

There is a market for the Broncos to trade Tim Tebow. The problem? If he goes somewhere and does well, do they look bad? The answer is of course. If you are sure you don’t want him, he has value so make the trade. Estimates go as high as 15-20 thousand season tickets would be sold if he were dealt to Jacksonville.