Rodgers: [commanding voice] “Hand me The Elder Scrolls, minion!”

Trainer: “Oh, you mean the playbook?”

Rodgers: [whiny voice] “Shut up!”

God, sports yakkers just love themselves their statistical anomalies, don’t they? Sixty year+ writers getting all wet in their pants about forty year-olds is where we are.

Flotsam and Jetsam:

-Obvious News is Obvious: Brian Branch’s one game suspension is upheld because believe it or not, there is a rational higher court that still exists in the US. For now. Branch has been fined about a dozen times for about $130,000 and he’s been in the league three years. He’s run the gamut of offenses-taunting, helmet to helmet hits, horse collar tackles, middle finger salutes, fighting-he’s done it all.

-Best Backfield?: Word is that Chuba Hubbard is ready to play again. Here’s the best kind of problem to have-the fill-in (Dowdle of course) went on a absolute tear during the starter’s absence and the ‘conundrum’ as ESPN puts it, is “Oh my, what to do?” Non-dummies know that this is a split backfield now that is far more potent than it was before. Another thing new to the Panthers? They might be buyers at the trade deadline-a wr to pair with the Tet Offensive would be a good idea.

WTH?: I was astounded to find out that Fields (that guy with the net -10 passing yards last week) has yet to throw an INT so far this year.

To The Game!

Steelers/Bengals:

-Good news for everyone on Pitt-it would appear that Hendrickson is out.

-Vanilla Joe was only sacked one time last week which seems curious to me but Green Bay is turning out to be a difficult team to figure out.

-You’re starting Chase anyway but it may be good to know that the Steelers are 22nd in DVOA vs #1 wr’s.

-His counterpart (D.K.) is on a heater with 9 grabs, 221 yards and a pair of TD’s over the last two weeks. Overall he’s scored a six spot in four straight games.

-29% of Rodgers passes have been behind the line of scrimmage to date. Are you a good game manager? Yes you are!

-Thing is, Cincy gives up the most yards after catch (7.2) no matter where it’s done on the field so that lazy screen to the rb will get Pitt almost 3/4’s of the way to a first down when thrown on first down.

-I’m guessing that Flacco doesn’t look to Iosivas very much this evening-he had three drops last week.

Do your thing.