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This week the "Water Cooler" will take the form of answering reader mail. I apologize for not replying earlier, but hey, patience is a virtue, right? OK, OK, I'm just making excuses for not knowing how to access my email.

Sunday, October 14th                                                                                                                                                            From Ted Weisner in Tampa: "With all of the talk about Jon Gruden and Tampa Bay management not getting along, will a winning season save his job?" That's a good question. Personally, I thought that there were no two hotter seats than the ones Jon Gruden and Jack Del Rio were sitting in at the beginning of the season. There is a difference, though. In Jacksonville, they simply want to win. They could care less that Del Rio doesn't get along with the fans and media. On the other hand, the higher-ups at One Buc Place have grown weary of Gruden and his antics. There's sentiment that the coach is too egotistical to control and that he hasn't done a good job rebuilding the team.

From Mike N. in Providence, R.I.: "After today's dominating performance by the Pats, are you convinced that they'll win the title?" Ummmmmmmm, Mike, have you been reading this website. Once again, I think New England is the best team I've seen in a long time. Another example of their poise and professionalism: when the Cowboys came back and took the lead at 24-21, Dallas was reacting as though they had turned the tide and had the upper hand. All you had to see was the shot of Brady on the sideline appearing as though someone had to wake him up. No matter what happens, they simply don't panic.

Monday, October 15th                                                                                                                                                           From Khan in Denver: "What is wrong with Shawn Alexander? He doesn't seem to care anymore." When Shawn Alexander came into the league, I remember thinking that he would be a good back, but he didn't seem to have that drive that you look for in a premier running back. It was also confusing to some people that he was so "soft" for such a big guy. That's simply not his running style. Even at Alabama, he didn't pound the ball between the tackles the way a 5'11", 228 pound usually would. I just don't think football is that important to him, and it's something Seattle should have taken into account when they offered him his mega-deal.

Tuesday, October 16th                                                                                                                                                          From Shane in Kansas City: "Is there any good reason Trent Green should come back this time? Here's a bright, well spoken, good looking guy who will have any broadcasting job he wants when he retires. Does he have a death wish?" Shane, I wish I had a good answer for you. I've always liked Trent. I thought he was a stand-up guy who easily could have complained about the lack of offensive weapons he had in Kansas City (primarily in reference to the wide receiver position). I'd like to see him walk away before anything serious happens to him. Steve Young and Troy Aikman had no problem leaving because they had championships and a Hall of Fame career on their resumes. Unfortunately, Trent has neither and won't achieve either in Miami.

Wednesday, October 17th                                                                                                                                                     From Rich in New York City: "You keep saying that you like Chad Pennington's 'guts' but the Jets need to replace him. Well, which one is it?" I love the way Pennington plays the game. He's the "David Eckstein of football." But, no matter how many people like him, if Eckstein only hit .200 for a year, he would have to be yanked from the lineup. In Pennington's case, he's just not getting the job done anymore. Even with good downfield wide receivers, Laverneues Coles and Jerricho Cotchery, teams realize that they don't have to defend the deep ball. They're just sitting in the box waiting for the horizontal passing game. It's time for Kellen Clemens.

Thursday, October 18th                                                                                                                                                         From Keith Hanson in Dallas: "So far, the top three quarterbacks from last years draft - Vince Young, Matt Leinart, and Jay Cutler - have played pretty poorly this year. Is it another example of the dreaded "Sophomore Slump'?" I've always maintained that there is no such thing as a sophomore slump in football. Coaches in the NFL are extremely quick to catch on to tendencies. Of course, young quarterbacks have them, and it takes a while to break them of their bad habits. In early December of last year, a buddy of mine from the sports radio field asked me what we should learn from Vince Young's rookie season and success. I told him we would have to wait and see what he would do against against a well-coached defense. Fortunately for me, the Titans played New England in the last game. Of course, Young responded with the worst performance of his young career, because Belichick was able to solve the "VY dilemma" that faced most defenses. I simply called my friend back and said "we've learned that he's got a long way to go."