Andy Barch Interview: Week 5
Note: This interview was conducted early (very early) Sunday morning.

Zach: Why are the Chargers struggling?

Andy: As I said earlier, Phillip Rivers is GARBAGE. I took some heat for that, and I"m sticking by what I said. He's been garbage this year, he can't prove that he can throw the ball consistently to anybody but LT and Gates. I put the struggles on Rivers, and Norv Turner. He's come in, and he's allowed the inmates to run the asylum. GM A.J. Smith should be fired for allowing this to happen.

Zach: Will the Bears be able to recover once they get healthy?

Andy: Not a chance; their offense is AWFUL. Who knows if they will ever get healthy. IF they lose on Sunday, they'll be 4 games behind the Packers and they won't be able to make up that kind of ground. Their offensive line is good but it has underachieved. Their passing game is a joke and their defense has been on the field way too much. Hence the injuries, and I see that continuing.

Zach: Should Marvin Lewis be getting heat for his team's struggles?

Andy: Yes, because they are losing, and he was expected to bring some defensive expertise to this team. Their defense is A JOKE. He has changed the way people have viewed the Bengals, and they are no longer the laughing stock of the league, but at some point, he has to be accountable to for what happens on the field, and this team can't stop ANYONE. One thing to keep in mind...as bad as they've played, they're only two games out of first with two games to play vs. the first place team in their division, I think they're going to be fine. Their bye week comes at a GREAT time.

Zach: Finally, the Browns ... any hope?

Andy: None, as I mentioned at www.threedrunk.blogspot.com there is no hope whatsoever, even if they do play Brady Quinn, there is NO HOPE. Unless Quinn can gain 70 lbs and play d-line, they have no shot because they can't stop the run. The reason they didn't allow a ton of yards on the ground this past weekend vs the Ravens is because they got ahead early and Brian Billick panicked. That won't happen often with this team, they are just not good at stopping the run and that spells absolute hell when you're trying to win games. This offense is not consistent enough and this defense just can't stop teams from killing the clock.

The Colts last year were the exception, not the rule. Not to mention they have an offense that can overcome that. These guys HAVE TO be better on defense, otherwise, they'll never be looked at as anything more than the laughing stock of the AFC. Their offense is just not consistent enough, if they do what they've done the last few weeks, I'll change my answer, but right now, I just don't see it.