Category Archives: Monday Morning Hangover
Monday Morning Hangover: NFL Week 3
Week 3 Storylines from around the NFL:
Falcons Take Flight
As Garrett Harley lined up fr the potential game winning field goal in overtime, the Falcons were thinking of what could have been. When Hartley shanked the kick giving Atlanta possession back, they sprung back into action. Matt Bryant did what Hartley couldn’t and nailed a 4 yard field goal giving the Falcons the upset win. The win might have been fluky, but I think we witnessed a changing of the guard on Sunday. To beat the Saints in the home building in no easy feat, once the Falcons haven’t accomplished since 2002.
In defeating the Saints, the Falcons ensured that the Saints will have to beat them in their house to win the NFC South. I picked the Falcons to win the division in the preseason and I’m sticking to it. Matt Ryan grew up on Sunday, acquiring the signature win of his young NFL career.
Vick Strikes Again
Enough has already been said about Michael Vick, so I won’t add much. I mean, what else can you say about him that hasn’t already been said. He has yet to do it against a legit defense (you can’t count the Packers, they were playing prevent), but the numbers don’t lie. I was skeptical at first, but now I’m all in on Vick. If he keeps this up, we could be talking Vick and MVP in the same sentence pretty soon.
Cowboys, Vikings Save Face
Both the Cowboys and Vikings avoided what seemed like would be nuclear disasters by winning for the first time this season in Week 3. For Minnesota, the bye couldn’t come at a better time. The win was encouraging, but plenty of work still needs to be done. Brett Favre still looks like his mind is on his farm Mississippi and does not look in sync with his receivers. They are riding Adrian Peterson and at this pace he might break the all time record for touches in a season.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys played one heck of a football game on Sunday. They came out knowing their back were against the wall and played like it. This performance reminded me of the game last year when they knocked off the undefeated Saints in New Orleans. Tony Romo was magnificent and Roy Williams even made an appearance in this game. In an uninspiring NFC East, at 1-2 the Cowboys are in fine position.
Quick Takes
Are the Chiefs this good or are the 49ers this bad? … Carolina looks like they will be picking first in April’s draft. … The Steelers defense looks downright dominant. … Meanwhile, the Patriots defense looks like a J.V. defense. … What can Brown(s) do for you? For Joe Flacco, it was the big rebound game that he needed. … The Giants shot themselves in the foot multiple times in their 29-10 loss (where they wearing sweatpants?) Tom Coughlin seat just got a lot warmer. … Leon Washington is back. I’m guessing the Jets wished they had him back. … Peyton Manning is off to a promising start on his campaign for what would be his 5th MVP. … That’s back-to-back embarrassing losses for the Redskins. How do you loose by two touchdowns to the Rams? They had lost 10 games in a row and 27 out of their last 28 and played without their best player – Steven Jackson – for over half the game. … I’m shcocked the Bengals continue to win despite the play of Carson Palmer. His yards per attempt the past two week have been 4.8 and 5.3. … Tim Tebow was deactivated for Sunday’s game. So much for a rookie impact.
Fantasy Stud of the Week:
Austin Collie- 12 catches, 171 yards, 2 TDs
And most people thought his Week 1 performance (11 for 163) was going to be his best outing of the season. He was probably on a few fantasy benches this week – including mine, but I still won – but he won’t be for much longer.
Fantasy Dud of the Week:
Miles Austin- 2 catches, 20 yards
This was an incredible matchup for Austin on paper. He was on fire, catching 10 balls in each of his first two games and was going up against the worst passing defense in the league. Then, he goes out and put up that line. To make matters even worse, Roy Williams of all people decided to play and had the game Austin should have had (5 for 117, 2 TDs).
Game Balls:
Adrian Peterson
Purple Jesus was at his best on Sunday, when then Vikings needed him most. With #4 still in preseason mode, Peterson carried the offense on his back in route to the Vikings first win of the season.
DeMarcus Ware
Ware proved Sunday why he is one of the most feared pass rushers in the game. He abused Texans tackle Rashard Butler, notching 3 sacks and three additional hits on Matt Schaub.
Lame Ducks:
David Garrard- That game must have been hard for Jaguars fans to watch. They watched the player the Jaguars could have and should have signed (Vick) light them up, while their own quarterback completed 43 percent of his passes and threw for 105 yards. The worst part is, they have absolutely no one else to put it. He’s it.
Giants Offense- The good part: they compiled 471 total yards. Now, the bad part: they turned the ball over twice inside the 6-yard line, missed two field goals, and got a safety because of a chop block in the end zone.
Quote of the Week:
“It’s good!”
– New Orleans Saints public address announcer Jerry Romig on Garrett Hartley’s overtime field goal attempt.
Too bad it wasn’t good. And now Garrett Hartley may never hear those words again in a Saints uniform as word has it the Saints are auditioning kickers. Quite the shift from January, when Hartley was a hero in New Orleans after his kick sent the Saints to the Super Bowl.
Stat of the Week:
Not all 3-0 teams are created equal:
Both the Steelers and the Chiefs are 3-0. The Chiefs opponents combined 1-8, Steelers opponents combined 6-3 (all three losses to the Steelers).
Video of the Week:
Sebastian Janikowski missed a chip shot field goal as time expired. For having one of the best legs in the NFL, Janikowski misses more that you would like.
Come back next week on Monday for the latest edition of Monday Morning Hangover. I told you I would cut down this week. I almost made it under 1,000 words. Well, there’s always next week.
Monday Morning Hangover: NFL Week 2
Week 2 is always a funny week. All of those overreactions after Week 1 seem so old, like they were from last season instead of last week. The Jets were all hype. The Bengals 2009 were a fluke. The Chargers have lost their grip on the AFC West. The Colts are destined to fall from grace. What were we thinking picking the 49ers to win the NFC West? I could go on.
All of those statements were floated out there last week, but only a week later and they sound archaic. The Jets look like a contender again. The Bengals defense will keep them in the AFC North race. The Chargers look like their old dominant self’s. The Colts are well, the Colts. Although the 49ers lost, they played well in defeat and did we forget they play in the NFC West? 7-9 might win that division this year.
And the best part is we’ll be saying the same things next week after Week 3.
Jets Double Up on Pats
Is this the same team that was hard to watch against the Ravens. Was it all some crazy scheme by Rex Ryan to get everyone off the bandwagon, then back on again? No one knows, but what we do know is that the Jets are no joke. On Sunday, the Jets battled back and took it to their division rivals.
Mark Sanchez, who had the weight of every Jets fan on his shoulders, played the game of his life completing 70 percent of his passes and throwing 3 touchdowns. Meanwhile, Tom Brady shat the bed in the second half after what looked like a promising start. Brady was off target, struggling to find Randy Moss and Wes Welker.
The best news for the Jets was they did it all without Darrelle Revis in the second half. Antonio Cromartie suddenly remembered how to cover and blanketed Randy Moss. He’ll have to keep up that play next week as he lines up against Brandon Marshall with Revis sideline for a couple of weeks.
Brett Falters as Vikings Fall to 0-2
I’m sure this isn’t what Brett Favre had in mind when he came out of retirement (can we even call it that with him) for his 20th NFL season. Brett showed his age on Sunday throwing 3 interceptions and losing a fumble in the end zone.
Brett has no faith in his receivers and trading for Vincent Jackson isn’t going to change that. He won’t be comfortable in the system until about halfway through the season and by that time the Vikings could be hanging on for dear life. Normally, I wouldn’t be that worried about an 0-2 team. Teams will have two games losing streak, it just so happens it’s at the beginning of the seaoson for some. But one thing in particular has me pushing the panic button, the schedule. Take a look at their upcoming schedule: Lions, Bye, Jets, Cowboys, Packers and Patriots.
Ouch. This team could easily be 2-5 by Week 8 chasing the Packers, who look like Super Bowl contenders and the 2-0 Chicago Bears. The final act of Brett Favre’s career could be an ugly one to watch. That is, unless he gets the itch again and decides to come back for one more run.
Quick Takes
The Battle of Texas next week between the Cowboys and Texans will be for much more than just bragging rights. The Cowboys will be playing for their season and Wade Phillips for his job. … Also, where has Felix Jones been? He was suppose to breakout this season as the lead back. … Carolina has pulled the plug on the Matt Moore era already. Who would have ever though that the Panthers would be wishing for Jake Delhomme. … The Chiefs may be 2-0, but they’re going to need Matt Cassel to play a lot better if they want to keep it up. … Does any team miss one player more than the Cardinals miss Kurt Warner? … Mike Nolan is doing a phenomenal job with the Dolphins defense, just as he did last with the Broncos. … Is the Mike Martz-Jay Cutler marriage going to be on honeymoon all year or will it end with a messy breakup? … I don’t know what more surprising: The Buccaneers being 2-0 or the fact that the majority of football fans can’t name more than 3 players on the Buccaneers? … Can Michael Vick do it against a defense that isn’t the worse in the league against the pass before we anoint him, again? … The AFC North race is going to be tight. The Steelers, Ravens and Bengals all have great defenses that will be tough to score on. … Can we give Troy Polamalu the Defensive Player of the Year Award now or do we actually have to wait until the season is over (apologies to Clay Matthews)? … Darren McFadden is finally starting to look like the player the Raiders drafted him to be and I love it. I snagged him in the second to last round of my fantasy draft and he’s now starting for my team, a 2-0 team I might add. … The student got another win against the teacher as Gary Kubiak took down Mike Shanahan. In doing so, Kubiak took a trick out of his former bosses pocket by calling a timeout just as the kicker is about the attempt a field goal. Redksins kicker Graham Gano originally made the kick, but had to redo it because of the timeout and as a result missed. Advantage Kubiak. … I though L.T. was suppose to be done. Who kidnapped the L.T. we all have been watching the past few years and replaced him with this spry, elusive back? … Gambling advice: Never take Jacksonville on the road in the West Coast. … I guess no one ever told the Colts that they were suppose to roll over. … Bad week for Reggie Bush. First he “voluntarily” gave back him Heisman and now he suffered a potentially serious leg injury.
Game Balls
Mark Sanchez
While it was only Week 2, this was a critical game for Mark Sanchez. No player had more pressure on their shoulders than Sanchez did heading into Week 2. He came through, delivering big time when the Jets needed him too. He looked like a completely different player than he did last week against the Ravens. He was great at alluding pressure and finding space to throw and hit his targets. The young had his finest performance of his career, outdueling Tom Brady.
Matt Schaub
He put up some gaudy stats (497 yards, 3 TDs) despite getting sacked 5 times. He led a resilient 17 point comeback, including a Hail Mary throw to Andre Johnson to tie that game that he didn’t even see as he got pummeled into the ground just as he released the ball.
Clay Matthews
Back-to-back game balls for Matthews in the seasons first two weeks. He had 3 sacks again this week, bringing his season total to 6. He is emerging into one of the best defenders in the NFL. The only question is, will he be back for a third week?
Fantasy Stud of the Week
Jahvid Best- 17 attempts, 78 yards rushing, 2 Rush TDs; 9 receptions, 154 yards receiving, 1 TD
Isn’t this the kind of impact C.J. Spiller was suppose to be having. Anyway, the rookie out of Cal looks electric on the field. He’s one of those give him the ball and good things happen type of players. So far, Best is giving Lions fans flashbacks of another great Lions back. Now watch he suffers a terrible injury because God hates Detroit.
Fantasy Dud of the Week
Michael Turner- 9 carries, 75 yards
Not because of his stats. He actually played good in his limited action. But because of the missed opportunity. If Turner didn’t get hurt (he has been a lot recently) then he could have had the day Jason Snelling went on to have (186 total yards, 3 TDs), or even better.
Lame Ducks
Vince Young- He looked so good last week, why did he have to implode? He was at the cusp of breaking the “I’m not a bust, I can play quarterback in this league label” and now we have to question him again. Maybe his mind was focused on getting that Heisman Trophy.
Bills Offense- The Bills managed just 184 yards of total offense in their 38-14 loss to the Packers. They had zero net yards in the first quarter and didn’t get a first down until the final play of the first quarter. Sounds like it’s time for a quarterback change. Wait, Chan Gaiely is listening to me.
Quote of the Week 1:
“We couldn’t do anything in the second half,” he said. “We had a hard time gaining yards there. We didn’t do anything on third down and couldn’t gain anything on first or second down. We couldn’t run it. We couldn’t throw it, we just sucked.”
-New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady following the team’s 28-14 loss.
Yeah, that pretty much sums it up.
Quote of the Week 2:
“It was a winnable game, I feel,” he said. “We basically gave that away. No disrespect to that team. They’re a good team. We gave that game away. We don’t need to give anything away.”
-Minnesota Vikings tight end Visanthe Schiancoe commenting on the team’s 0-2 start.
No you don’t and they can’t afford to play any games like that. They are already two games behind both the Packers and Bears.
Quote of the Week 3:
”The second one, he was pretty much just scared to get hit.” ”He short-handed it like he was just about to get hit.”
-Chicago Bears defensive back D.J. Moore on Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten.
Watch your mouth young man. Wait until you prove yourself, and then talk all you want.
Stat of the Week 1:
The Cowboys have $166.5 million committed toward salary for the 2010 season and are so far 0-2. The Chiefs and Buccaneers combined $165.3 million committed toward salary and they are a combined 4-0 so far.
Stat of the Week 2:
The Jets had 6 first downs in their Week 1 train wreck against the Ravens They had 23 on Sunday in their win over the Patriots.
Stat of the Week 3:
Brett Favre has thrown 4 interceptions this season. That’s 57% of his interception total for all of last season (7) and were just 1/8 of the way through the season.
Stat of the Week 4:
Matt Schaub and Donovan McNabb combined to throw for 923 yards on Sunday. That is second most all-time, only 3 yards behind a 1986 clash between Dan Marino’s Dolphins and Ken O’Brien’s Jets.
Stat of the Week 5:
Five teams have made the playoffs after an 0-3 start. So there is some hope for the Vikings and Cowboys even if they lose next week.
Video of the Week 1:
I don’t think Rolando McClain got the message that this isn’t the WWE.
Video of the Week 2:
That’s embarrassing, but Vontae Davis stepped up later combining with Karlos Dansby to stop Adrian Peterson at the goal line to seal the victory.
Come back next week on Monday for the latest edition of Monday Morning Hangover. I know I promised it wouldn’t be as long this week. Well, I had my fingers crossed. But I promise, for real, next week’s column won’t feel like you just ran a marathon.
Monday Morning Hangover: NFL Week 1
(Editors Note: This column will normally appear on Mondays throughout the season.)
Ah football is in the air. The first Sunday of the season is always one of the best of the year. All the offseason talking and speculating can finally end, as the games will be decided on the gridiron. The first Sunday of the year is always like Christmas morning to me. I raced inside to my T.V. as soon as I woke up and furiously grabbed the remote and put on the FOX pregame (my personal favorite) like a kid unwrapping his presents. I sat there mesmerized, salivating at the fact that the season was about to kick off. The pregame show dragged on for what seemed like forever and then it was finally time for the games to begin. As the ball was kicked off the tee, everything was right again in the world.
You certainly could tell it was the first Sunday of the season. (
(Note: The one thing that I do hate about the Week 1 is all the snap judgments that are made. Just look at last year. The Seahawks won their opener 28-0, the Steelers looked every bit like Super Bowl contenders, and the Patriots and Chargers needed last minute comback to defeat the Bills and Raiders respectively. So let’s not go overboard here. Sure, you can take some knowledge out of week one, but remember it’s only one game. )
The Texans beat the Colts (what?), the Seahawks dropped 31 points (say what?), and the Rams and Lions nearly won (you can’t be serious now). Oh, I’m very serious. The 2010 NFL season has arrived. All there is left to do is sit back, relax, and enjoy five months of this glorious game all on huge HD televises with NFL Sunday Ticket.
Texans Take Down Goliath
Maybe the Colts are really Goliath, but they are in the minds of the Texans. Since the franchise started playing football 8 years ago the team was 1-15 against the Colts. They held leads in the fourth quarter of both meetings last year, yet managed to lose them both. There’s also the infamous Sage Rosenfels “helicopter hurdle” game back in 2008, in which the Texans blew a 17 point lead in the fourth quarter.
Thogu this time, the story ended differently. The Texans once again had a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter, but there was one major difference this time around. The Texans had running back Arian Foster to help kill the clock. Yes, Arian Foster. The guy who killed you in fantasy football this week because the guy that knows nothing about football but just reads Matthew Berry saw that he was on his “love list” and picked him up (or drafted him). Foster racked up 191 of his 231 yards in the second half as the Texans preserved their lead and finally got the monkey off their back.
Don’t worry about Indianapolis though. They’ll be back. Remember 2008. They were embarrassed on national television by the Chicago Bears and started the season 3-4 … before ripping off 9 straight wins to finish 12-4.
Wait, did I just talk about a Colts and not once mention Peyton Manning? That’s got to be a media record or something.
The Catch That Wasn’t
The Lions were trialing the Bears with 31 seconds left down 19-14 on the Bears 25 yard-line. Shaun Hill, filling in for a injured Matthew Stafford (I’ve definitely said that before and it’s only your second year. I hope for Detroit’s sake this kid can manage to stay healthy), threw a pass deep into the end zone intended for Calvin Johnson. Johnson leaped, outmuscled a Chicago defender and reeled in the game winning score. At least that’s what everyone though. While Johnson was off celebrating the referees were having a discussion and correctly, I repeat correctly ruled that Johnson did not complete the catch.
First off, good for the officials for getting the call right. Lately, the media has been overflowing with stories about referees and umpires getting the calls wrong and the subsequent outrage. Finally, the refs get a call right and there is still outrage. I don’t get it. Don’t blame the refs; blame the NFL if you think it’s a stupid rule.
Though, I do for Detroit fans. It would have been their first road win since October of 2007! Brett Favre was still with the Packers back then. On the bright side, I did win my fantasy matchup because of that call (won by 5) though I was also robbed of a potential TD. I’m talking to you, Alex Barron.
Quick Takes
Speaking of Alex Barron, I’m actually not mad at him. Not because it didn’t cost me a win, but because the coaching staff was to blame on that last play. Barron had already had two holding penalties called on him in the second half and was obviously struggling. So why would you then leave him one-on-one against the Redskins best pass rush? You could have given him some inside help or have a back help out on him. … Wes Welker isn’t human. I’m convinced. What other NFL player tears his ACL and then comes back and plays at a high level 8 months later? As a Jets fan, I wan to hate the guy, but I can’t. I respect the man too much. … Can we all relax on all this Michael Vick is back talk. He didn’t even play a full game and the Packers were playing with a 17-point lead for most of the time he was in the game. Let Kevin Kolb get his fair share and if he falls flat on his face then bring in Vick. … Good for Mike Williams of Seattle. It’s been a long road for Williams, but it appears like he is here to stay. I always like Williams and though he got screwed when he was ruled ineligible for the draft and then couldn’t go back to college. … Tim Tebow played his first game in his hometown, but didn’t do much. He rushed 2 times for 2 yards. … After being criticized by Bill Parcells, Chad Henne didn’t deliver a performance that will silence his critics. A few more of those and the other Chad (Pennington) could be taking the snaps. …The Titans picked up right where they left off last season absolutely dismantling the Raiders. … I think the Panthers forget to cover Hakeem Nick in the red zone. … See what a difference a healthy Troy Polamalu does for the Steelers defense … I don’t think the Rams want to see Sam Bradford throwing the ball 55 times again for a long time. … Where are all those bandwagon Jets fans now? (I haven’t lost faith) … What will it take for Todd Haley to give Jamaal Charles the ball more?
Game Balls
Offense: Arian Foster- 33 carries, 237 yards, 3 TDs.
Defense: Clay Matthews- 7 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 pass deflection
Lame Ducks
The 49ers: Way to completely lay an egg in the season opener. The preseason consensus NFC West favorite looked like they were playing for the #1 pick.
Quote of the Week:
“The NFL is really taking this seriously!! … What a joke!! That hit Bradley took was bad & he had a major concussion! Every hit he took after that could have been a death blow & any neurologist would say the same. That is a [expletive] outrage that he was allowed back in the game! … If the NFL is serious about fixing this they should fine the Eagles big time for not following the guidelines of dealing with a concussion & that clearly was a bad one. If I can sit on my couch & see it, those doctors don’t deserve to be on the sidelines!”
– Texts Sunday night from former NFL lineman Kyle Turley to Yahoo! Sports writer Michael Silver, reacting to the Eagles’ decision to allow Kevin Kolb and Stewart Bradley to reenter the game after suffering concussions.
Stat of the Week 1 :
Dating Back to the 2008 season, the Steelers are 20-5 when Troy Polamalu plays and 5-6 when he does not play. (via TMQB)
Stat of the Week 2:
Tom Brady signed a four-year contract extension last week that included a whopping $48.5 in guaranteed money. That still fell short of the $50 million #1 pick Sam Bradford banked.
Video of the Week 1:
Best of luck to Leonard Weaver in his recovery. That one hurt watching.
Video of the Week 2:
I wonder how she tasted?
Come back next week on Monday for the latest edition of Monday Morning Hangover. I promise it won’t be this long again.
NFL Week 15 Recap
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Like watching the second-to-last episode in a thrill-packed drama series, or the 2nd movie in a trilogy, week 15 of an NFL season can be a frustrating one for fans. You know they’ll be little guaranteed, few final results, and in the back of your mind it’s hard to be completely focused knowing the last image for the week is guaranteed to be a cliff-hanging “To be continued…”
Rarely do the Monday-morning conclusions of week 15 stand firm at seasons end. Teams once thought dead find themselves in the playoffs, while others with seemingly insurmountable leads find ways to get an early vacation.
Despite its inconclusiveness, week 15 of this NFL season turned out to be the most dramatic yet. Seven games were decided by a scoring drive in the final two minutes or in overtime. Eleven of the fifteen games played were decided by a total of 46 points. While some questions were answered…. five of the eight divisions have now crowned champs… the game-by-game intensity this Sunday was unmatched by any weekend this season.
In San Diego the Bengals and Chargers both had chances to clinch their respective divisions with a victory. It was hard not to root for the Bengals, playing their first game after the tragic death of wide receiver Chris Henry.
No Cincinnati player appeared more affected by Henry’s passing than close friend Chad Ochocinco. After catching a 49-yard touchdown pass in the 2nd quarter, the usually well-rehearsed Ochocinco appeared unsure of what to do next. After a moment of hesitation, Ochocinco dropped to one knee, pointed to the sky, and simply looked upward. It was a touching moment from a player usually recognized for chuckle-worthy antics and disproportionate fines.
The emotional effort was not enough to secure a victory, however, as a 52-yard last-second kick by Nate Kaeding put San Diego on top, 27-24. Hope is not lost for the Bengals, who still hold a one-game lead over Baltimore in the AFC North.
NFL Week 14 Recap
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Week 14 is almost done and now were only three weeks away from the playoffs. It should be a great to watch as many of the playoff races will come down to the final Sunday. Now to my recap of Week 14 in the NFL:
Pursuit of Perfection
Another week down and another week closer for the Saints and Colts in their pursuit of perfection. The Saints went down to the wire again, winning by three over a Falcons team without Matt Ryan and Michael Turner. In doing so the Saints clinched a first round bye and can wrap out home filed advantage with one more win. Meanwhile, the Colts jumped out and early on the Broncos and held on late to preserve the victory. The win clinched home home field advantage throughout the playoffs.
Now get prepared for to hear the should they sit their starters or not debate, which will be debated at nausea by analysts and expects in the upcoming weeks. They’ll go back and forth bashing Caldwell for resting his starters and praising Payton, but both coaches are making the right decisions with their respective teams.
Jim Caldwell has said he will follow suit set forth by Tony Dungy and rest his starters, but early word is it won’t occur until Week 16 against the Jets. This strategy hasn’t worked out for the Colts in the past, but I have no problem with it. Their defense has been ravaged by injuries all year and they can’t afford another one especially to someone like Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis.
Sean Payton has stated his team is going for 16-0 and won’t rest his starters. I like the move by Payton especially with a team like the Saints. This team doesn’t have much playoff experience and isn’t as battle tested as the Colts. They need every game to prepare for the playoffs.
Playoff Races Heating Up
With only three weeks remaining in the regular season we still don’t know who will be playing come January and who will be on their couches watching. In the NFC the Saints and Vikings are all but assured of locking up the first two spots. The Cardinals should take the NFC West and the Packers will likely take one of the wild card spots. That leaves the three NFC East teams fighting for the last two spots. After last night’s victory the Eagles now lead the division by a game over the Cowboys and two over the Giants. The Eagles should make it one way or another barring a collapse and then it all comes down the the ‘Boys and Giants. Despite being up one game the Cowboys are at a disadvantage as the Giants hold the tiebreaker and the Cowboys have games against the Saints and Eagles still left. As much as I’d like to pick the Cowboys as I believe they’re a better team than the Giants, I have to give the Giants the last playoff spot which will end Wade Phillips tenure in Big D.
The AFC has the Colts and the number one seed with the Chargers and Bengals two and three, depending on how their game turns out this week. Then it gets interesting. The Pats hold a one game lead over the Dolphins and Jets, but have the easiest remaining schedule and should win the division. The wild card is anyone’s guess as there are realistically five teams fighting for two spots. Denver is in sole possession of the five seed and if it can win two out of its next three they should be fine. The other spot is currently occupied by Jacksonville, who are tied with the Dolphins, Ravens, and Jets with the Steelers, Texans, and Titans still breathing. My best guess is that the Ravens run the table and finish 10-6 to claim that spot.
Quick Takes
NFL Week 13 Recap
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What a week of football. The best we’ve had all season. No doubt about it.
Following the conclusion of tonight’s game we will officially be 3/4 of the way through the season. The playoff picture is starting to crystallize, but don’t get too carried away yet. If we look at the standing after the halfway point we’d see the Steelers, Broncos, and Patriots near the top and now only one of those team may make it. We’d also see the Packers sitting at 4-4 coming off a loss to the previously win less Tampa Bay and now they haven’t lost since and are in line to make the playoffs. It should be a thrilling stretch run to say the least and I didn’t even mention we have two teams making a run at perfection.
Now to my recap of Week 13 in the NFL:
Super Bowl Hangover
After Sunday’s loss to Oakland its fair to say the Steelers won be unleashing hell in December. Now on the heels of the their fourth straight loss the Steelers may be watching the playoffs at home this season.
They now sit at 6-6 and are in a logjam in the AFC Wild Card picture. They are one game behind sixth place Jacksonville, behind Baltimore, and tied with the Dolphins, Jets. In all likelihood the Steelers will need to win out if they want to make the playoffs.
They start out with a gimme this week against the Browns on Thursday Night. After that they’ll have to step up their game. The Packers and Ravens come into town and then they finish the season at Miami, in what could be a win and your in scenario.
The return of Troy Polamalu would certainly increase their chances. Without Polamalu the Steelers defense isn’t the same. They have no play makers other than him and their weaknesses are exposed.
They also have to worry about their red zone woes. On their first three tips there on Sunday they resulted in: interception, field goal, and failed fourth down conversion. Perhaps it’s just a down year for the Steelers. After their last Super Bowl they finished 8-8 the next year and with that schedule coming up it looks like they might fall to the same fate. When Bruce Gradkowski is ripping apart your secondary it doesn’t bode well for your future chances.
End of an Era?
Another loss in Sunday for the Patriots and now paranoia is tangible. Every New England fan will tell you this isn’t the same team that won three Super Bowls back in the day. They know it’s not their year and that this is a quasi-rebuilding year for them.
With their third loss in the last four games the Pats now only have a one game lead over both the Dolphins and the Jets. The mystique that they once had is now all but gone. The connection between Randy Moss and Tom Brady seems a little off. Since the passing game isn’t as great as it once was the running game is now being exposed. The Patriots have got away for years with a bunch of decent, no name running backs, but now the true lack of a 20 carry a game guy is hurting the Pats.
However, the main concern with this team is their defense, mainly their secondary. They simply can’t stop anyone through the air. Mixing journeyman and young players seems to finally caught up with the Pats. The combination of Leigh Bodden, Darius Butler, and Jonathan Whitile is getting embarrassed by opposing offenses. Davone Bess did his best Wes Welker impression against them on Sunday, coming up with key catch after key catch.
Perhaps Belichick saw this coming when he shipped Richard Seymour right before the season started. Knowing they couldn’t win it all, he wanted to get something for him while he could and build for the future. For now the Pats will still likely make the playoffs and they always can make a run, but they won’t go anywhere playing the way they are now.
NFL Week 12 Recap
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Another week of football in the books. Well almost, we still have the Saints-Pats tonight, which should be a dandy.
Were inching closer to the playoffs as were starting to see who are the contenders and pretenders.
Now onto my recap of Week 12 in the NFL:
Concussions Taking a Toll
Concussions have always been a cause for concern in the NFL. It has been one of, if not the most, controversial and debated injuries. They have cut short many player’s careers such as Troy Aikman, Steve Young, and many, many more and recent studies have shown it has caused major damage for players in their post-playing careers. But it isn’t until recently that were seeing a change in the way they’re handled.
A few weeks ago news broke that there would be independent neurologists on the sidelines and they, not the team, will decide if the player can go back into a game. Also Jay Glazer reported yesterday that Roger Goodell is on the verge of reworking the stipulations of if a dinged up player can return to a game making them much stricter.
Yesterday we saw the first real ramifications from all this talk. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger didn’t play on Sunday Night despite practicing all week. He was only suffering from concussion like symptoms yet he was held out of the game. Remind you that the Steelers were playing the division rival Ravens and were on a two game losing streak. Their loss sent them to third place in the division and on the outside looking in on the playoffs. Is there any chance Roehtlisberger would have sat out this game even last year? I doubt it. A similar situation took place in Arizona with Kurt Warner. Warner was cautiously not brought back into the game last week and was fully expected to suit up this week, but after waking up with a sore neck on Sunday, they held him out.
In addition to Roethlisberger and Warner, Clinton Portis and Brian Westbrook are also dealing with concussions right now with their teams handling them differently. The Eagles let Westbrook come back early from one a few weeks ago only to suffer another concussion and now may be out the remainder of the season, possibly his career. Portis suffered a concussion earlier this month and hasn’t played in the past three games and won’t play this week, and maybe even the remainder of the season.
While some fans and fantasy owners may not like this new caution when dealing with concussions it is long overdue. We tend to forget these are humans beings just like us and they have families and a life after football. When you look at what has happened to players such as Ted Johnson, Harry Carson, and Wayne Chrebet, football seems unimportant.
Comebacks a Plenty
NFL Week 10 Recap
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A wild Week 10 in the NFL capped off by a thrilling and controversial ending in the Pats-Colts game.
Were inching closer to the playoffs as teams are falling out and stepping up.
Now onto my recap of Week 10 in the NFL:
Pats Gamble, Colts Capitalize
The game of the year lived up to it’s billing as we were treated to a trilling finish in Indianapolis as the Colts rallied from 13 down in the final minutes to win in the final seconds. With the victory the Colts are now in the drivers seat for home field advantage, while the Pats are still two games up in the AFC East. Now much has been made about Belichick’s decision to go for it on fourth and two on his own 28 with two minutes left. It’s easy to second guess now that it backfired, but I actually liked the decision.
Giving Peyton Manning the ball with 2 minutes and a timeout is like giving him an eternity. There was no doubt in my mind he would have drove them down for a score and I’m sure the same thing was going through Belichick’s mind. If the Pats convert and I still think Faulk got the first down, I don’t think I’ve ever seen the refs make a spot like that, Belichick is a genius. Everyone would be saying just another great call by Belichick. This call reminded me of the time a few years back when Belichick took a safety against the Broncos. When he did it everyone was criticizing him, but it worked out in the end and he was praised for the call. Now different circumstances but similar in the sense that they were both unconventional. This is type of coach Bill Belichick is. The same guy that we come to love and praise for years. He’s got the stones to do something this bold and he’ll take the heat for it failing. But I still feel if he could go back he’d make the same call.
New King in the AFC North
Lost in the shuffle behind the Pats-Colts game was the Bengals taking down the Steelers in Pittsburgh. Without Cedric Benson for most of the game the Bengals were able to win a tough, grind it out game that we have come to expect the Steelers win over the years. The Bengals out Steelered the Steelers. I have to give credit to the Bengals defensive that was pressuring Roethlisberger all day and shut down Rashard Mendenhall. The Bengals are no effectively two games up on the Steelers and could be looking at a first round bye. Tell someone that before the season started and they wouldn’t though you were crazy. That’s the beauty of the NFL.
NFL Week 9 Recap
Another week in the books in the NFL season. We are now officially half way through the regular season. Every team has played eight games, except for the Giants and Texans who have played nine. I’ll have my mid-season awards up later this week, but in the meantime here are my thoughts on week 9 in the NFL:
Undefeateds Hold On
How can you not love those creamsicle throwbacks?
Once again both the Colts and Saints were tested, but overcame obstacles and won.
The Colts got rather lucky in this game escaping because of a missed field by Kris Brown as time expired. Peyton came out firing and threw 40 passes in the first half with Dallas Clark as the main beneficiary, catching 14 passes. Matt Schaub was not able to take advantage of the depleted Colt’s secondary and tossed two picks. Last week’s star, Ryan Moats, was a big disappointment for the Texans. After receiving 16 carries he only delivered 34 yards and fumbled on the one-yard line into the end zone.
The Saints on the other hand remained perfect after not playing their best game for three weeks in a row. The Saints got down early, but Carolina could not put them away settling for two short field goals. The Panther did however expose a possible Achilles Heel for the Saints. DeAngelo Williams ripped them up, as did Michael Turner last week. That could prove to be a lingering problem for the Saints.
Giant Loss
The Giants lose once again, this time blowing a six-point lead with less than two minutes remaining. The loss puts the Giants at 5-4 heading into their bye, on a four game losing streak. The bye week will let get healthy but they need to get to what they do best; running the football and rushing the passer. Brandon Jacobs simply isn’t getting enough touches and the trio of Osi, Tuck, and Kiwi need to start playing better.
One of the storylines of this game was the Eli-Rivers trade during the 2004 NFL Draft. It must have been sweet for Phillip Rivers, who has gotten more than his share of flack, to get some revenge on the team traded him five years ago. The end provided some poetic justice as the three players the chargers received in the Manning trade all played a vital role in the final minutes. Rivers threw the game tying touchdown pass. Nate Kaeding kicked the extra point to give the Chargers the lead. Finally the game ended on a Shawne Merriman sack, his second of the day.
Bengals Maul Ravens
After looking rejuvenated last week in a dominating rout of the Broncos the Ravens came crashing back to Earth this week. The loss puts them two games behind the Bengals and in reality three games because of the tiebreaker. With one of the toughest remaining schedules it looks like the Ravens will be golfing in January. After this win it’s now time to put the Bengals were they belong, among the AFC’s elite. They play Pittsburgh next week and if the Steelers lose tonight a win next week would put the Bengals in the driver’s seat in the AFC North.
Cowboys Ridin’ High
The highly anticipated NFC East showdown came down to the wire but the Cowboys came out on top. A hue win for the ‘Boys who vindicated their late season loss to the Eagles last year. They are now in sole possession of first place and all of the naysayers of Tony Romo and Wade Phillips have suddenly disappeared. It still all comes down to December for the Cowboys. While this win is great they still need to prove they can win late in the season and in the playoffs.
Game Balls
Josh Freeman
It’s not often a quarterback completes 14 for 31 and winds up in the Game Ball section but Freeman was a different case. In the throwback creamsicle uniforms (which were awesome by the way) his first start he passed for three touchdowns, leading a fourth quarter comeback and gave the Bucs their first win 11 games.
Kurt Warner
Redemption for Warner this week, who landed in the Lame Duck Section last week. His five td passes tied a career high as the Cards picked up a huge win on the road.
Chris Johnson
Johnson ran for 135 yards and two scores leading the Titans to their second win a row. He is a threat to score every time he touches the ball and had a 80 yard td called back.
Lame Ducks
Aaron Rodgers
Rodgers did account for three touchdowns but killed the Packers with his three interceptions. He was also sacked six times, bringing his league leading total to 37. While the Packers o-line isn’t great by any stretch, Rodgers has to take some blame for holding on to the ball too long.
Kris Brown
The usually reliable kicker missed a 42 yarder as time expired as the Texans failed to force overtime. A crushing loss for the Texans, who now face an uphill battle to make the playoffs.
Stat of the Week:
The Buccaneers, who hadn’t scored more than 21 points in a game this season, tallied 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter.
Stat of the Week 2:
The defensive touchdown the Saints scored on Sunday marked their eighth defensive score of the season. The Cleveland Brown on the other hand, have only scored five offensive touchdowns this entire season.
Quote of the Week:
Redskin’s cornerback, DeAngelo Hall, talking about Falcons coach Mike Smith after a late hit by LaRon Landry on Matt Ryan that resulted in a melee on the sideline:
“After that, coach Smith came over to me, talking (expletive) to me, saying they were going to kick my (butt). I stay in Atlanta during the offseason, so if Mike Smith wants to see me, he can definitely find me.”
He went on to say:
“I’m going to get on the horn with commissioner Goodell and we’re going to figure out a way how to nip this in the bud. It’s different with me coming in trying to break stuff up and as a strength coach, if you coming at me and you’re trying to get licks, that ain’t how you do things.”
Quote of the Week 2:
NFL Week 8 MMQB
The moment we’ve all been waiting for finally came on Sunday. Brett Favre returned to Lambeau Field, the place he called home for 16 years, as a visitor and was meet with a chorus of boos from the beginning to end. But in the end Favre got the last laugh as the Vikings won and are in total control of the NFL North. Now onto my thought on the week of football:
4 For Favre
Brett was back and better than ever on Sunday tossing four touchdowns in the 38-26 win. The game looked like it would be a blowout until the Packers conjured up a late comeback that was ultimately put down by Favre and the Vikings. The Vikings now sit at 7-1, a comfortable three and a half games over the Packers who now face an uphill battle to make the playoffs. The Pack won’t win if they can’t keep Aaron Rodgers off his back. He hit the ground six times on Sunday adding to the NFL leading total.
Raven Rebound
With their season on the line the Ravens stepped up in a big way. Their vaunted defense which had been nowhere to be seen this season showed up and held the previously unbeaten Broncos to just seven points. They set the tone by sacking Kyle Orton and the first play and didn’t let up the entire game. For the Broncos, they were going to lose eventually and there’s no shame in losing in Baltimore. It doesn’t get much easier for them though as they have Pittsburgh on Monday Night Football next week.
NFC East Shuffle
The division has taken a sudden turn of events this past few weeks. The once promising Giants now sit in third place after dropping their straight game, this week an embarrassing loss to the Eagles. Their secondary is getting burned repeatably and their pass rush hasn’t been the same. Meanwhile those Eagles, after dismantling the Giants, are tied at the top of the division with the red hot Cowboys.
The Eagles offense is scary with more weapons than Donovan McNabb has ever had. DeSean Jackson can score anytime he touches the ball and rookie Jeremy Maclin has emerged as a reliable target on the other side. Remember that they dropped 40 points on the giants without Brian Westbrook!
The Cowboys have turned their season around the past few week thanks largely to the play of Miles Austin. The receiver has ignited the offense and Tony Romo, who finally has a go to receiver. The Cowboys and Eagles square off next Sunday Night for first place in NFC East.
Vince Shines
It took seven games but the Titans finally have their first win of the 2009 season. Behind the play of Vince young and Chris Johnson the Titans took it to the Jags 30-13. Vince was solid completing 15 of 18 passes for a touchdown and added 30 yards on the ground. He gave the Titans another weapon and extended the play with his legs. While his solid play is good for the Titans it may not bode well for Jeff Fischer, who resisted playing Young only to give in to owner Bud Adam’s demands this week.
Game Balls
1. Ryan Moats
Moats came to the field on Sunday not expecting more than a handful of carries, but when Steve Slaton fumbled for the seventh time this season he was thrust into action and responded. He finished the day with 126 yards on 23 carries and three touchdowns as the Texans overcame an early deficit to defeat the Bills. He has at least earned a share of the carries going forward.
2. Reggie Wayne
The rest of the Colts team may not have been on their top form but Reggie Wayne certainly was. He tied a career high with 12 catches for 147 yards and a score despite not practicing the entire week! His touchdown catch from Jo Addai in the fourth quarter put the Colts ahead for good as the Colts narrowley avoided defeat.
3. Steve Spagnuolo
The rookie head coach gets his first career win and snaps the Rams 17 game losing streak. Good for Spags, who can be a great coach in this league. It was the Lions but the Rams will take anything they can get.
Lame Ducks
1. Derek Anderson
Anderson put up yet again another stinker. Anderson had a 10.5 qb rating bringing down his season rating to 36.2. Eric Mangini finally benched him for Brady Quinn in the fourth quarter but heading into the bye Mangini wouldn’t commit to a man.
2. Kurt Warner
In the Cardinals-Panthers game once would have figured if one quarterback where to turned the ball over six times it would be Jake Delhomme but that wasn’t the case on Sunday. The culprit was Warner, who threw five picks and lost one fumble, in the loss while his counterpart Delhomme was turnover free.
Stat of the Week: A Brett Favre related stat:
His four touchdown performance on Sunday marked the 21st time he’s passed for at least four touchdowns in a game tying him with Dan Marino for the most all time.
