Great, great football weekend. The games were few, but the quality was excellent. Look at me talking like I’m from Harvard, lol. Anyway, here are my quick cuts and jukes from this weekends games.
College
East vs. West Shrine Game
It’s like the the ugly step child to the Senior Bowl. Everyone that wasn’t invited to the Senior bowl plays in this game. A lot of second tier players to be honest. Well, second tier in terms of the recruiters minds. Some studs could come out of this years game. Freddie Barnes, Dennis Pitta, Bradon Carter, Alterraun Verner, and Max Hall should all be drafted in this years class. (If you are a true fan of football you should know these names, if not, Google em! We’ve got bigger NFL fish to fry).
NFL
Great games! Let me start off with that. I wish I bet money on the games, because I was right on both lines, Colts -8.5 and Vikings +3.5 and Vikings vs. Saints over 54. The only one I missed on was Colts vs. Jets being under 40. I learned my betting lesson a long time ago, so I’ll stick to the air betting glory.
My boy Ed from Edthesportsfan.com drops some knowledge on us today about the Super Bowl. Enjoy! This won’t be a lengthy article, we know what time it is on Sunday. Super Bowl or bust. Jets vs. Colts, Vikings vs. Saints. One game to go to the Super Bowl in Miami, Florida.
My heart is telling me one thing, my mind tells me another. I can guarantee I will not be betting on football this weekend. No sir. Rule of thumb on betting, choosing women, and career decisions: Don’t let your emotions get in the way of you being great. Just trust me on this one. Here are the picks.
How are you all doing today? It’s MLK Jr. day, thank him for your day off work. I’m not off, but it’s all good, I’m not tripping. Either way, here are my quick cuts and jukes from the 20th weekend of football.
College
It’s all over and I’m saddened. Welp, I guess it’s time to start talking about the draft which I have no problem doing at all. Look out for my opinion on those who stayed vs. those who entered the draft early later on this week.
NFL
The Ravens D is good, but right now, the Jets defense is better.
Peyton Manning and the Colts only put up 20 points which is low for them. The Ravens were just up and down all season long. A huge win in New England last weekend for the Ravens and a bust in Indianapolis this week. No doubt that Flacco had a sophomore slump and their receiving corps lack a true deep threat. It was a pretty easy strategy to beat the Ravens, all the Colts did was pack the box with eight people and make Joe Flacco beat them, which he could not.
It’s alarming if you are a Colts fan, because it wasn’t as good of a win at home as it should have been. I don’t know, maybe it was the rust from not really playing for three weeks. Maybe they knew they would win and wanted to keep some tricks up their sleeves for the conference championship, either way it wasn’t a big momentum building win for the Colts who looked very lethargic on offense. The defense looked great, but it was against the Baltimore Ravens offense, so that’s not saying much because they are so inconsistent.
Who knew what difference Tracy Porter and Jabari Greer would make.
They are certainly not household names when it comes cornerback names in the NFL, but they helped stop the Cardinals passing attack on Saturday. The Cards played right into the Saints’ hands as well. The Cards are not a rushing team, my unborn babies know this. All the Saints did was play great zone defense, kept everything in front of them and zone blitz Kurt Warner frequently.
Someone please help me, I don’t understand how the Cardinals can have the passing attack that they have as far as protection from the offensive line, but not have the same vitality from the O-line when it comes to the rushing attack. I just don’t get it. I mean the NFL is no longer a running league. They use the pass to setup the run, so this should be gravy for the Cards.
The Saints look bound for a Super Bowl championship with the way they are playing. The defense is great, as long as no one is running the ball against them. The offense looks something like the 2005 USC Trojans and the 2008 Florida Gators with a hint of the 2002 Miami Hurricanes. Reggie Bush is running like Chris Johnson and it’s scary. Bush is not as fast as Every Coach’s Dream, but sharper cuts and more moves make him just as dangerous as Johnson. In a perfect world, Dree Brees and Peyton Manning meet up in the Super Bowl and Brees wins the game and Super Bowl MVP(let’s be honest, Peyton never gets injured and is just two years older than Brees, I think Peyton’s career is going to last longer) because it’s unlikely Brees will win an MVP while Peyton is still playing. Either way, I sure would like to meet the team that can stop the Saints.
How bout them Cowboys
How bout that offensive line, Tony Romo, and Jason Garrett. Let’s start with Garrett, whose play calling is flat out abysmal. I don’t know why he always tries to get into shootouts with teams. It’s as if he tries so hard with every fiber of his body to get into shootouts with teams when he should pound the ball. Garrett wants to get into shootouts with Brett Favre, who has a cannon for an arm, an AK-47 for an offense with two magazines of bullets that aren’t even enough to satisfy all his targets. There are weapons in Minneapolis man, don’t you realize this? The game was 17-3 for quite sometime and they Boys would move the ball and then they’d turn it over, or run an outside run and get a seven yard loss. They were actually pounding the ball just fine against the Williams brothers but never truly stuck with the run.
I will say this, if Bill Parcells coaches this team, they might have one a Super Bowl by now or on their way to it this season. Let’s face it, Parcells wouldn’t let a game go by without Marion Barber, Felix Jones, and Tashard Choice not touching the ball 30 times every single game. I get it, it may not be the prettiest football to play, but it works. Look at the Jets. Replace Tony Romo with Mark Sanchez and the Jets are bloodcurdling good. Didn’t mean to jump on Wade Phillips, but he left me no choice. Man up Wade and tell J-Garrett to pound the ball.
The offensive line played, well very bad. Not sure if Minnesota is that much better than them, but the looked like it yesterday. You have to give credit to the Minnesota fans who made it awfully hard for the Cowboys line.
I want to know why Roy Williams is mad he didn’t get more than just one pass thrown his way. When you consistently drop the ball and your quarterback doesn’t trust you when things are going well, what makes you think he’s going to trust you when things are going bad.
The score doesn’t show it, but the defense did about all they could do, most of the times they were in Vikings territory, and I believe the Vikings only scored once on a drive that started outside their own territory.
Enough about the Boys, Brett Favre is really good. Really good, He’s thrown 37 touchdowns to 7 picks. This is river boat gambler Brett Favre playing like the cagey veteran that he is. Sidney Rice and Ray Edwards both have stepped up big. Their linebackers Ben Lieber and Chad Greenway played well also. The key to victory next weekend is their run game and teams are bottling AD up or he’s just not running well, not sure which one it is, but the Saints run defense is their achilles heel and the Vikes strong suit going into their season was their run game.
J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets,
My homeboy who is an avid Jets fan was complaining about the Jets getting their first 1st down in 2nd quarter yesterday. I said calm down Kemo Sabe, your defense will keep you close. Notice I said close, because in the back of my mind, I figured the Jets would put up a valiant effort, but the Chargers D would make a play and surely Darrelle Revis is just one man and the Chargers have more than one weapon in Vincent Jackson on the outside. Ladanian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles would spark the running game, and Philip Rivers would make the key throws late in the game to prevail. Umm, two words, wrong! and #fail.
The Jets defense made all the plays. All the plays. Mark Sanchez was the one who stepped up and made the offensive plays to win, not Philip Rivers, whose costly pick allowed the Jets to take the lead in the 4th quarter. It was Shonn Greene of the Jets running 58 yards for a big play, and being oh so disrespectful by doing LT’s touchdown celebration in San Diego. Ultimately, it was the Jets who won the game. Shocker, to me and several other million people outside of New York? Yes. To the Jets, nope, not one bit.
Revis played another near perfect game only giving up a swing route in zone coverage for a four yard loss, and he came up with an interception. So much for going at him like Rivers said, they only threw his way four times. The Jets meet Colts in Indy again, this time with all of Indy’s starters. Although, it should be noted that the Jets had the Colts on the ropes when their starters were still in the game.
Other Thoughts
RIP Gaines Adams
Dead of cardiac arrest at 26. He had an abnormal heart condition that went virtually undetected. From what I understand the only way for it to even be detected was from an episode where he passes out or suffers cardiac arrest like this. Hopefully with advancements in technology these aliments can be detected in players before it turns tragic like this. My heart goes out to his family, fans, his Clemson Tiger family, his Tampa Buccaneer family, and his Chicago Bear family.
MLK
Thank Dr. King for your day off of work. Also thank him for the advancement in race relations in this country. We’ve made tremendous strides, but we still have a long ways to go(anyone that doesn’t think we have a long way to go look at the number of African-American coaches out of the 120 FBS college football teams, and then you can just stop reading my website for the rest of your life or until I feel like there is no more progress to be made and a hearing be held on whether or not you can regain your membership as a 6Magazineer). Also thank MLK for the Rooney rule and for the Rooney family for having the balls to see that things were not equal and stepping up to the plate to make them right. One day we’ll make things right in college football too.
I feel like I’m forgetting something, and it’s something I shouldn’t be forgetting. Ah, no worries, I’ll just post about it later on this week when I remember. I will remember, because I have the memory of an elephant, just not right now.
Here are my quick cuts and jukes from the weekend…..
College
Fresno State should have won their New Mexico Bowl game versus Wyoming. In the first OT, they had the ball on their 1-yard line and in four attempts Ryan Matthews, the nation’s leading rusher, they couldn’t convert. The Bulldogs were also unable to stop Wyoming in the final possession of regulation when they converted three 4th down conversions to set up the game tying field goal. I love Coach Hill and Ryan Matthews, but damn fellas!
Rutgers had Central Florida out matched all game long. Coach Greg Schiano’s now taken his Scarlet Knights to five straight bowl games winning four of them. I see you over there trying to start a dynasty Coach Schiano!I told yall Rutgers Freshman QB, Tom Savage, was cold!
Damn, I hate to see Damion Fletcher go out like that in his last game of his great career with a loss. On the other hand, I like this Middle Tennessee State QB, Dwight Dasher, who balled out of control last night. A quick side note, we say Colt McCoy is the perfect name for a Texas quarterback, but Dwight Dasher has to be the perfect name for a running quarteback, imagine this kid running the option for Nebraska back in the ’80s, man! Either way Dasher has his way with the Golden Eagles in the R + L New Orleans Carrier Bowl who had 366 all purpose yards and 4 touchdowns. Middle Tennessee State 42 Southern Mississippi 32.
NFL
The Colts and Jaguars game was a good one. The Jags let is slip bottom line. Hey Indy, I see chinks in your armor, the same chinks I saw against the Patriots.
Umm…”Who Dat”? No really who dat that was playing Saturday, because it sure wasn’t the New Orleans Saints I’ve seen all year. I mean yeah, you were down against the Dolphins and Redskins, but you guys put up points in those games. Jammal Brown was sorely missed as DeMarcus Ware had his way with the Saints, and that sloppy Saints run defense caught up to them as the Boys put up 145 rushing yards on the Saints.
Yeah, Randy Moss had a bounce back game, but the Patriots just don’t look the same man.
What is it with these extra sorry teams playing the most exciting games. The Browns were involved in both of them. This time they went wire to wire with the Chiefs winning, 41-34 in Kansas City. Josh Cribbs dominated the game with two kick off return touchdowns over 100 yards in the same quarter. Let me take that back, those were only two scores, Jerome Harrison, the backup running back set a team record rushing for 286 yards on 34 carries and 3 touchdowns. He broke the record of 238 yards formerly held by the great Jim Brown. Jamaal Charles got off for the Chiefs though with 154 yards on 25 carries and a touchdown.
Jets vs. Falcons….boring. Final score Falcons 10 Jets 7. No it wasn’t a defensive slug out. I appreciate those, nope, this was purely inept offense on both sides.
Texans won…barely over the Rams, 16-13. Andre Johnson is a beast, and I hope he gets outta Houston soon and gets a chance to play for a championship.
Vince Young threw 3 tds for the first time in his career. Chris Johnson ran for pedestrian 104 yards. Umm VY is now 25-12 as a starter. Numbers don’t lie, they just don’t, their like Pinocchio. Oh yah, Texans beat the Dolphins 27-24.
Arizona won….they won ugly. Cards 31 Lions 24.
Denver started out 6-0. They’ve only won 2 of their last 8 games and now stand at 8-6 losing to the Raiders who played 3 QBs yesterday.
The Bengals had an emotional game in San Diego yesterday. I’m proud of OchoCinco for not wearing #15. I wouldn’t have minded if he did, but I know the media would have made a field day out of it. Chad even stated that he wasn’t going to do so because he didn’t want to cause a distraction. Good move Chad, don’t give the media any ammo. But the lost 27-24 to the Chargers. RIP Chris Henry.
Oh my goodness Jay Cutler. Are you serious? 25 picks thrown for the year with only 19 touchdowns for the year. He threw 3 picks yesterday so it’s pretty obvious they didn’t win, actually the lost pretty bad, 31-7 to the Ravens.
Do I have to talk about Tampa Bay beating Seattle 24-7?
San Francisco should have won this game, but they have Mike Singletary coaching. It’s time for him to go. Eagles win 27-13.
Packers vs. Steelers, now that was some good offensive football. 37-36 Steelers, breaking their six game skid. So much for the vaunted running attacks of these historic franchises, both teams only ran the ball 31 times combined. They threw the ball 94 times for 886 yards and 6 touchdowns. Big Ben threw for 503 yards and 3 tds. Damn!
Minnesota Vikings are no longer allowed to play on Sunday night football. Not like they actually played either of the two times they’ve been there anyway. If Steve Smith is like the Olympics. He comes around every four years once he gets a consistent quarterback. It’s not his fault though, imagined if he played for the Colts. Oh well they got the win in their scrimmage against the Vikes 26-7.
Here’s the run down on this lovely Tuesday morning of what went down over the weekend….
College
Navy drove Army for the eighth time in a row. Maybe we should call it the Navy Army game until Army wins a game. Let’s make sure we show love for our troops. They lay their lives on the line so that we can play this game and live in a free country.
I would report on the all the FCS and Division II and III playoffs, but I must walk before I can crawl and to act like I have any knowledge on the teams or players would be extremely fraudulent of me.
NFL
Umm, Pittsburgh is tripping. Point blank. I’m trying to figure out what went wrong with the rest of the world. Brady Quinn went 6 for 17 and the Steelers still lost to the Cleveland Browns.
Oh, Falcons, close but no cigar. Drew Brees did it again. Take that back, Jonathan Vilma did it. Great tackle at the end of the game by Vilma. Chris Redman played well in relief of Matt Ryan. That’s two weekends in a row the Saints have come close to losing that undefeated badge their wearing with such pride.
One day the Detroit Lions jokes are going to get old like all the Tiger jokes. Not anytime soon though. 48-3 loss to the Ravens.
You got Charles Woodson stock, I’m buying, I don’t care how much either. He’s Defensive Player of the Year hands down. I don’t wanna hear any Jared Allen or Darren Sharper talk either. I got some Jay Cutler stock and I’m giving that shit away for free. Hell, my garbage man won’t even pick it up. Maybe a vulture will come out the sky and take it off my hands. It’s stock, so if it becomes a commodity again I’ll buy more, but for now, it’s bad for business. Oh yah, the Packers are 9-4, and I don’t think anyone wants to play them in the playoffs.
Peyton Manning threw three picks. Brandon Marshall set an NFL record with 21 catches, surpassing the mark of 20 catches set by Terrell Owens set on December 17, 2000. And the Colts still won, yes, I said WTH because it was a Sunday but I totally understand your WTF.
I’m sticking to my guns when I say Miami is going to make the playoffs. First step, chip at the Jaguar’s lead on the 6th and final AFC spot with a 14-10 win. Bill Parcells is cold!
Do I have to talk about the Buffalo and Kansas City game? Cassell threw 4 picks. Looks like Cassell might be joining Larry Brown and Alvin Harper in the all-time free agent bust signings.
The Vikings are 11-2. Understandable, Brett Favre, Adrian Peterson, Jared Allen, Antione Winfield etc. But AD has only rushed for 100 yards 4x this year. Weird.
Seattle went to the Super Bowl four years ago. The Patriots have stayed consistent. Both teams have the same quarterback, what gives? Please tell me someone. Either way, the Hawks got drove by the Texans 34-7 in case you cared.
Best comment in regards to Randy Moss’ quitting in the game against Panthers this past weekend came from Coach Belichick. Panther’s defensive backs, Chris Gamble and Chris Harris, said Randy Moss quit last weekend and they knew he would. In response, Belichick was quoted as saying, that Randy never quits, plays hard all the time. He also noted that teams prepare for Randy by double and triple teaming him week in and week out. “Only people that don’t think so are these two guys, who still lost the game. Panthers haven’t won that many games.”
Look at this commercial and insert Belichick for Urban Meyer and replace those BCS rings with 3 Super Bowl rings…BITCH!!! lol.
Excuse me while i breathe on my finger nails and buff em out with my shirt. Jets, cornerback, excuse me Pro Bowl cornerback, Darrelle Revis recorded his third straight game with an interception. That is now four picks in three games for Revis. He was out October cover story. Damn, I know how to pick ‘em. Uhhh, Jets 26 Bucs 3. I told the Bucs they pulled the cord on Josh Johnson a little too early, because Josh Freeman isn’t fairing any better.
Chris Johnson for MVP. He has 1,626 yards. His average is 125 yards/gm. If he sticks to his average he’ll get be one yard over two stacks. I don’t want to talk about Dickerson’s record until Week 17, let’s not jinx the man now.
Washington 34 Oakland 13. What? You expected more?
Dallas loses to the Chargers….in December. What? You expected more?
Apparently the Giants and Eagles thought they were mourning for the death of the Arena Football League and decided to score alot of points in their honor forgoing their smash mouth traditionally defensive minded NFC East brand of football. Both teams combined for 83 points and five touchdowns over 60 yards. Eagles got the win 45-38.
Don’t ever bet money on the Cardinals. Last week they destroy the spread and the Vikings. This weekend they allow the spread to be destroyed by the 49ers. I think I found my next star defensive back to feature on a cover story before the “conglomerates” catch on Dashon Goldson. Oh my, let the 49ers get on tv and they wanna act a fool.
Hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving! Here are my quick cuts and jukes from the holiday weekend…..
College
Yes, Colt McCoy did ball out against Texas A&M. Was that his “Heisman” game? No, it wasn’t. His tackle after his interception in the OU game was his “Heisman” moment if he wins the Heisman Trophy. I hope he doesn’t, I think Toby Gerhart or CJ Spiller is more deserving of the award.
Why can’t Texas A&M play every game like they did against Texas? It makes no sense, and don’t give me that rivalry game excuse bullshit. Rivalry games are based on pride, but isn’t every game? No excuses.
Auburn gave Bama everything they had. The better team won in the end, it also got exposed just in time for Florida to take notes going into this weekends SEC championship game. Also it helps that Florida virtually had a bye week this past weekend and Bama had to fight for their lives. Hope those bruises heal up quick for the Tide.
If Tony Pike doesn’t get hurt this season he wins the Heisman. 6TDs on Senior day. Anyone catch that one handed grab in the back of the end zone by Mardy Gilyard? Sick! On the other hand, I’ve never seen anyone fall harder than Juice Williams. What happened? No really, what happened with Juice over the past two seasons?
Nevada and Colin Kaepernick gave Boise St. all they could, but Boise St. is just the better team overall.
Backyard Brawl was a great game. Both Pitt and WVU played great, but as with all the rivalry games this weekend, the underdog prevailed. Noel Devine and Dion Lewis put on a freaking show!
Tim Tebow’s final home game. I didn’t tear up like the rest of the world, but I could feel the emotional moment. He never lost against FSU. Those new Nike Pro Combat uniforms were nice too (pics below).
I hope FSU doesn’t push out Bobby Bowden. The man has changed college football and has earned the right to leave on his own terms. Florida State! He helped make you who you are, you push him out and might very well face the curse of the Bowdeno. 62 years of losing ain’t cool.
I can’t wait to see TCU and Bama in the consolation championship game. Hope Bama learned their lesson from last year, those Mountain West conference teams come to play!
Rivalry weekend casualty #4, Georgia Bulldogs 30 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 24. I”m lost on these teams playing their hearts out for rivalry games. I mean, you should play like that every weekend!
unranked OU Sooners defeates #12 ranked OSU Cowboys. How? “rivalry weekend” (crock of shit? i wholeheartedly agree). It must also be known they shut out the Cowboys 27-0. BOOMER SOONER BABY!
Rivalry weekend was full fledged in the Carolinas. South Carolina upset Clemson and NC State upset UNC. Damn rivalry weekend. I don’t believe in it, but they make for good ass games especially during the holiday weekend.
The Holy War was just that. BYU’s, Max Hall, didn’t play a great game but when you toss the game winning touchdown in OT, nothing else really matters but the win. BYU 26 Utah 23.
The Battle for Los Angeles was normal. USC putting a beat down on UCLA. The funny and hypocritical thing was Pete Carroll calling a deep ball to Damien Williams after UCLA called a timeout when USC was trying to go into the victory formation. Pete was upset when Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh was running up the score on him, but he was doing the same thing to UCLA.
Oh Jevan Snead, Oh Jevan Snead. You made me look like an idiot. And to think I picked you for my dark horse Heisman candidate. Last year everyone wondered what would have happened if Snead stayed at Texas. Well buddy your making Mack Brown look like a genius for sticking with Colt. Ole Miss loses to Mississippi State in another rivalry game upset this weekend 41-27.
Bayou Bucket….Houston 73 to Rice’s 14 points. Ouch, Rice musta said something about somebody’s mama.
Best game of the college weekend was Notre Dame and Stanford. These two teams went back and forth. Michael Floyd who? It’s all about Golden Tate baby, that kid is a monster. Toby Gerhart needs to be in NYC for the Heisman. Oh well, at least Charlie Weis‘ last game was a thriller.
Here was the last installment of the Nike Pro Combat uniforms this weekend
Florida – “Finish the Mission”
Miami – “The U Knows”
LSU – “Cochon De Lait”
Texas – “Texas Fight/It Only Takes Eleven”
NFL
NFL Thanksgiving Day football….errr boring.
Charles Woodson, not Darren Sharper is the defensive player of the year. Hands down.
Of course the Cowboys looked good against the Raiders.
Darius Heyward-Bey caught his first touchdown pass of the year. I am not sure if we should be calling him out or calling out the Raiders quarterback play on Bey’s disappointing rookie season.
What has happened to the Giants….gahh lee.
Mattey Ice was ice cold at the end of the game yesterday to Roddy White to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Only in the NFL can a bottom cellar dweller of a team defeat a playoff team, i.e. Dolphins vs. Bills this weekend.
The Carolina Panthers want a quarterback for Christmas. Hell, I want one for them.
The Texans got on top of the Colts 17-0 yesterday. Why did the let off the gas. The started playing not to lose in the 2nd quarter, WTF! Well, you know what happens when you pussy foot with Peyton Manning, he wins, every single time leading his team to 28 unanswered points to win, 35-27. Colts are 10-0 and don’t look they are letting up anytime soon.
Brett Favre has 24 TDs and 3 Ints. Men lie, women lie, numbers don’t.
Colin Cowherd isn’t buying any Vince Young stock, but I am. Matter of fact, I never sold any of my original stock, but I am buying some more. I”ve bought a little more each week and after that 99 yard drive, I’m stocking up for the winter so it can keep me warm.
Not sure what Hines Ward is talking about. Sure Ben Roethlisberger practiced all week long, because his injury heals overtime not overnight. So a smart team/coach/player will prepare for the best, which is for the doctors to deem Benny Roe good enough to play before the game. The doc didn’t do that so the Steelers rolled with Dennis Dixon. Hines might be tough, but if he keeps on being tough and plays with concussions he’ll be soft like the rest of the former NFL vegetable players. Hines Ward pulled a true T.O. He needs to go to his quarterback and apologize, point blank.
This much is clear when we talk about the 2009 NFL season. There are the “have’s” and the “have-not’s”. The pundits will tell us that there are some truly exceptional teams and there are some really crappy teams. Things have changed so much from what we thought we knew at the beginning of the season, to what we thought at the quarter pole, to what has defined at the end of the first half speaks volumes to the parity in the NFL. With that being said, here the studs who are making some of these teams play phenomenally. Oh, and I definitely expect some of you to disagree. Here we go…
MVP of the 1st Half: Brett Favre, Minnesota Vikings
Obviously the easier choices here are Drew Brees and Peyton Manning, as their teams are both 8-0. However, nothing about their offense is any different that its been in prior years. Minnesota on the other hand, had been EXTREMELY handicapped in recent years as they relied on the likes of Brooks Bollinger, Gus Frerotte, and the Tavaris Jackson experience. #4 has made this team a Super Bowl contender and has energized an offense that now all of a sudden has a ton of playmakers, plus the ability to change the world with a single throw. Look at Percy Harvin, Bernard Berrian, and Sidney Rice…is there a better trio of WR’s in the league right now better than those three? Purple Jesus is still in the backfield, and the fact remains that this offensive line is very solid. The 40-year old graybeard can sit back in his Wranglers’ and pick apart defenses like he’s shooting cans on a fenceline. Easy pickin’.
Offensive Player of the 1st Half: Cedric Benson, Cincinnati Bengals
Clearly if I went by the pure numbers then you’d again go with Brees or Manning, or even by who’s leading the league in rushing I could’ve selected Chris Johnson of the Titans, however…there’s no way in hell you could’ve told me that in 2009 that CEDRIC BENSON would be 2nd in the NFL in rushing yards and on pace to finish with almost 1700 yards rushing??!? Never, couldn’t happen. He wins this by a landslide, its not even close.
Defensive Player of the 1st Half: Darren Sharper, New Orleans Saints
For someone who was released by the Minnesota Vikings, for someone who’s been an all-time great in our generation of football, to see that the Saints safety already has 7 interceptions through 8 games and has helped turn a mediocre defensive 11 into an elite 11 is truly astounding. D-Sharp is doing it all, as he has returned three interceptions for touchdowns this year and has assumed a leadership role for his team. My buddy Tyrell, who is an avid Saints fan, would always get nervous when teams would throw deep on the Saints. They were liable to give up a big play nearly every time. Sharper has eliminated that fear, and is leading the Saints to glory in 2009.
Rookie of the 1st Half: Percy Harvin, Minnesota Vikings
By far the easiest choice I’ve made in a long time. Easier than choosing Alpha, easier than choosing my prom date back in high school, easier than choosing my favorite ice cream, (butter pecan) Percy Harvin has done EVERYTHING the Vikings have asked him to and excelled. Catching the ball, running the ball, returning the ball…Percy’s done it all. He is the essential X-Factor in football, and anytime he gets his hands on the ball he is feared that he’ll take it to the house.
Coach of the 1st Half: Josh McDaniels, Denver Broncos
Simply put, I cannot believe what’s going on in Denver. There was more turmoil in the Mile High City than could ever be imagined and they hadn’t even played a game yet. He traded away their supposed franchise QB, had multiple quarrels with their superstar wide receiver, and made some questionable free agent acquisitions in the off-season. They were picked to be in the CELLAR behind the RAIDERS & CHIEFS! What???? Now they are 6-2 and sitting pretty atop the AFC West where the Chargers were predicted to stand all along. Yes they just hit a 2-game skid, but there’s no shame in losing to the Ravens and Steelers. McDaniels is a smart & young coach and he’ll figure it out. Denver’s making us all look real bad.
Team of the 1st Half: Indianapolis Colts
No Marvin Harrison, no Anthony Gonzalez, no Bob Sanders, and a severely depleted offensive line have all been major speed bumps to the Colts. However, losing the Gandhi of pro football in Tony Dungy might be an even bigger blow to this team. Yet, Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, and Dwight Freeney have manned up and put on a masterful performance through the first 8 games of this season. #18 is simply a maestro on the football field. I don’t even think Jim Caldwell is actually coaching anyone out there, he’s just a figurehead. #18 does it all. The defense has been high-energy all year and there are a ton of new faces that are continually making plays for this team. Plus, with the AFC as loaded as it is now, their 8-0 record looks all the more elite with every passing week.
THOUGHTS ON THE 1ST HALF AWARDS? WHO WOULD YOU PICK? LET US KNOW YOUR PICKS!
My case is proven. If Miami played Virginia Tech on a dry field the Canes would only have one loss on their record this season. Did anyone see the Tar Heels defense? Why haven’t they been playing like this all year.
West Virginia is due to win one of their big games. Cincy or Pitt which one will it be?
As skeptical as I’ve been of B.J. Daniels, this Frosh is the real deal and is officially 6Magazine approved!
The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party was a great party for the 2000s. It’s was freaking party for Florida fans to watch Georgia get beat 8 times out of 10. Hopefully the 20-teens will serve better for the Dawgs.
I find it odd that OSU didn’t get any calls at home. I also feel sorry for Zac Robinson dropped balls left and right and no Dez Bryant. Texas defense is good and OSU probably wouldn’t have pulled out the victory anyway. Earl Thomas gets my vote for the Thorpe award. The kid is like Ed Reed all over again.
Indiana got jobbed. As will Iowa when the BCS results come out in a couple of weeks and they are undefeated on the outside looking in. Tell them to thank the Big Ten commissioner who voted against the playoff or plus one system.
Celebrate now Oregon. USC is in a rebuilding year. We all know that. LaMichael James or Dion Lewis, who is your favorite Frosh RB?
TCU is #6 in the country, but no one goes to their home games. Maybe if this was Maine, Vermont, Indiana, states where football is not king, but in Texas?
Boise St. is smooth sailing into a BCS game and if they keep it up a championship game next year. Preseason polls suck because they pigeon hole teams before they ever set foot on the field. If we are going to keep this stupid BCS let’s not vote on who’s the best team until week 7 and start the BCS calculations until Week 9. Capice?
Cincy. Word to the wise BearCats. (why do we call it “word to the wise” if they are so wise then why do they need our advice?) Texas will stumble this year. Learn from their mistake they committed last year.
LSU is getting by on a mediocre season and schedule. Funny how when the SEC seems to have an off year the rest of the country does as well.
Utah is one Terrance Cain interception away from being in Oregon’s shoes right now. Don’t sleep on the Utes this bowl season. Ask ‘08 Alabama.
Do I really have to talk about Ohio State beating New Mexio State 45-0?
If Houston had a lick of defense they’d be undefeated. Like it or not Case Keenum needs to be in NYC for the Heisman presentation. If Colt Brennan can go from the WAC Case can go from C-USA.
With a win over Duke and another conference loss for GA Tech, The U could be in the ACC championship game.
OU has the best cornerback tandem in the nation. Brandon Banks is the best wide receiver you’ve never heard about.
I was diggin’ the black Tennesse unis and the Georgia change up as well.
Golden Tate is making me forget about Michael Floyd.
Jevan Snead has solidified me as an idiot. (I picked him as a 1st team All-American)
When I heard UCONN lost, I felt bad for them. They’ve gone 0-2 since losing starting CB, Jasper Howard, to a stab wound two weeks ago. But when I heard the player that scored the winnig touchdown for Rutgers was Howard’s best friend, Tim Brown who also doubles as a WR for Rutgers, I didn’t feel so bad.
I don’t know what you heard, but FSU vs. NC State was the game of the week. The highlights below won’t show it, but Russell Wilson balled his ass off. Passing 20/30 for 349 yards and 5 tds. It’ll be interesting to see how the careers of Wilson, Terrelle Pryor, and Robert Griffin all turn out.
Ron Zook finally won a game. Rich Rodriguez’s Michigan Wolverines continued their losing streak. Ron Zook beat Michigan! Rich Rodriguez lost to Ron Zook and the Fighting Illini.
NFL
The Raven’s defense finally played like the Ravens defense. Kyle Orton mistook his Broncos uniform for a Bear’s uniform.
T.O., T.O., T.O., I feel for you man. I really do. Now you know how Randy Moss felt in Oakland. They say Trent Edwards is coming back.
Ted Ginn Jr. keep up the good work. Lobby to return some punts. Take more kicks back, play your role as the slot receiver, and you might work your way back into the starting lineup. You’ve been playing ball all your life, don’t make it hard than what it needs to be.
Giants? What’s going on? 40 points?
I am being completely honest. JaMarcus Russell is playing better.
Vince Young starts. Vince Young wins. I love it when people say he can’t win with his style but he won Offensive Rookie of the Year honors and led his team to the playoffs and that same team bailed on him yet he continues to win when they need him.
I can’t decide who is more fickle. Kurt Warner or Brett Favre. At least Favre’s fickleness isn’t on the football field. Warner’s right arm has schizophrenia.
Last but not least. Mr. Favre. You beat Green Bay twice. I mean since you didn’t come back for revenge there’s no need to make a big hoopla about it. On the next one buddy.
Neither Florida nor Georgia has forgotten the controversies from their last two meetings that have further flamed the rivalry.
The top-ranked Gators, though, have more important things to focus on as they prepare to take on the Bulldogs in Jacksonville, Fla. on Saturday.
In what has been a one-sided rivalry in recent years with Florida (7-0, 5-0 SEC) winning 16 of the last 19 matchups, the last two meetings have been memorable for reasons other than the result of the games.
In 2007, urged on by coach Mark Richt, the entire Georgia team stormed the field to celebrate its opening touchdown en route to a rare Bulldogs victory. Last year, in what many viewed as retaliation, Florida coach Urban Meyer called two timeouts in the final 44 seconds of the Gators’ 49-10 pounding of the Bulldogs.
Meyer denied calling the timeouts was about revenge, but Georgia players have a different take. A photo of Meyer with his hands raised in a T hangs all over the team’s training facility, providing a bitter reminder of what happened.
“Of course, that’s going to be a very big motivating factor for us,” Georgia safety Bryan Evans said. “Every time we see his hands in the timeout position, it reminds us of what happened last year.”
While Georgia players are using last season’s tense finish as extra motivation for the latest installment of the rivalry, Florida needs little incentive as it chases a second straight national championship.
The Gators, who also hold the top spot in the BCS poll, are coming off a 29-19 win at Mississippi State last Saturday. Mississippi State tied the game in the third quarter, but Florida ran off 16 straight points, capped by an interception returned for a touchdown. Replays show it may have been fumbled before crossing the goal line, but an officials review upheld the score.
The Gators weren’t interested this week in debating that call, however, as they have bigger concerns given the recent inconsistency of Tim Tebow, who was 12 for 22 for 127 yards Saturday and failed to throw a touchdown for the second time this season. He threw a season-high two interceptions, giving him four for the season.
After throwing six touchdowns and one interception in the first four games, Tebow has passed for two scores and three picks in the last three contests.
“I don’t think it’s getting to me,” Tebow said. “Do I put pressure on me? Yeah. I put a lot more pressure than y’all could possibly put on me, so I don’t think that’s getting to me. I think just wanting to excel, wanting everything to be right.”
Not all of Tebow’s problems are solely in his control, however. He’s been sacked 15 times this season, equaling his total from 14 games last season.
“Tim’s not trying to be a hero,” Meyer said. “But we might be asking him to do too much.”
Tebow has six rushing touchdowns this season and 49 for his career, one shy of breaking former Georgia standout Herschel Walker’s SEC record.
While Tebow breaking Walker’s record may be inevitable, Georgia (4-3, 3-2) will try its best to prevent him from doing it this weekend.
The Bulldogs are hoping that an upset of the Gators could push them back into the SEC East race. They rebounded from back-to-back losses against LSU and Tennessee with a 34-10 victory at Vanderbilt on Oct. 17 and are coming off a bye.
Georgia had one of its best games of the season the last time out. Joe Cox threw for 226 yards and two touchdowns while the team rushed for a season-high 173 yards. The Bulldogs are last in the SEC in rushing yards per game at 108.0.
“(The running game) didn’t do a lot at first but if you keep driving the ball, it opens up play-action and then you’ll start getting big runs and that’s how you put teams away,” said Cox, who is third in the conference with 1,581 passing yards this season. “It wasn’t our best day running the ball, but it was effective when we needed it to be.”
The much-maligned defense also came up big. Ranked 100th nationally in scoring defense entering the game, Georgia came up with three sacks and had an interception that set up a touchdown.
This is the fourth time the Bulldogs are playing the nation’s No. 1 team. Two of the previous three were against Florida — in 1985 and 1996.
“The hatred is already there with the fans, the coaches, everyone,” Georgia linebacker Rennie Curran said of the rivalry. “There’s no other way to put it: We just don’t like each other.”
Texas-Oklahoma St. Preview
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Texas star Colt McCoy is the reigning Big 12 offensive player of the week and the nation’s second-most accurate passer. Oklahoma State knows all too well about how difficult it is to defend against the Heisman Trophy candidate.
The lone remaining teams with perfect Big 12 records meet with first place in the South Division on the line when McCoy and the third-ranked Longhorns try to extend their 11-game winning streak over the 13th-ranked Cowboys on Saturday night in Stillwater.
Texas (7-0, 4-0) hasn’t lost to Oklahoma State (6-1, 3-0) since a 42-16 defeat Oct. 4, 1997, and leads the all-time series 21-2. The 1997 game was the last time the Longhorns entered this matchup as an unranked team while the Cowboys have been ranked just three times during the 11-game slide.
The Cowboys believe this is their best chance to end that run of futility, having won five straight since a 45-35 loss to Houston on Sept. 12.
“I haven’t beat them since I’ve been here, same for the guys in there,” senior quarterback Zac Robinson said. “It’s a little extra motivation obviously with what’s on the line and both teams playing well right now. Having them at our place will be a lot of fun.”
Oklahoma State will have to do a better job of slowing down McCoy, whose 71.7 completion percentage is second in the country to Arizona’s Nick Foles (72.3). McCoy has been even better against the Cowboys, completing 79.4 percent for 1,019 yards to go 3-0.
In his lone visit to Boone-Pickens Stadium on Nov. 3, 2007, McCoy was 20 of 28 for 282 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. He helped engineer a comeback from a 21-point deficit entering the fourth quarter in a 38-35 victory.
“You can’t really see how good they really are on film because they are going to play like a different team when we are there,” McCoy said about the Cowboys’ defense. “Their intensity is going to rise. We are playing at their place at night, and it’s a conference game, so you can’t really see that side of it when you watch film.”
McCoy passed for 391 yards — his highest total in a Big 12 game — and two touchdowns while the Longhorns used two big defensive stands in the fourth quarter for a 28-24 win over the Cowboys last season in Austin.
Last week, McCoy threw for 269 yards and three scores while completing 26 of 31 passes in a 41-7 rout at Missouri, earning conference offensive player of the week honors and extending his school-record streak of consecutive games with a TD pass to 24.
The Longhorns also are trying to move up in the BCS standings as they currently trail Florida and Alabama.
“You can feel pressure or you can go in and say, ‘We are Texas,’” coach Mack Brown said. “We’ve earned the right to be good here so let’s go ahead and act like you’re good and walk into the stadium like you’re going to win the game.”
Although Texas lost three defensive starters in the first three rounds of the NFL draft in April, its current defense is ranked second in the nation. Three of the last four Texas opponents have managed fewer than 175 yards of offense, and the last five have averaged 0.8 yards per carry.
“They’re very athletic. They can run and they are physical,” Cowboys coach Mike Gundy said of the Longhorns’ defense. “They’ve been that way for a number of years and I think they’re very well-coached.
Robinson has thrown for 629 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in two career matchups with the Longhorns. He was sacked five times in last season’s loss.
The quarterback is 218 yards away from breaking Gundy’s school record for career passing yards (7,997). Robinson was 23 of 27 for 250 yards and a season-high three touchdowns in last Saturday’s 34-7 win at Baylor.
“He’s playing with more confidence. He’s managed the game very well,” Gundy said. “In my opinion, being a good quarterback is being able to manage the game in understanding what your strengths are and where their weaknesses are and try to attack those areas using what your strengths are as an offense. I think he’s done a pretty good job of that over the last few weeks.”
Cowboys running back Kendall Hunter, an all-Big 12 selection as the league’s leading rusher a season ago, has missed the last five games with a sprained ankle and is expected to have a limited role if he plays Saturday. Hunter ran for 161 yards on 18 carries at Texas last year.
Keith Toston has replaced Hunter the last five games, averaging 97.0 yards on the ground.
Oklahoma State learned Tuesday that the NCAA has upheld the suspension of All-American wide receiver Dez Bryant for the remainder of the 2009 season. The university announced on Oct. 7 Bryant was declared ineligible for lying about his relationship with former NFL star Deion Sanders.
Bryant, a junior, will be eligible to play in 2010. He caught 87 passes for 1,480 yards and 19 touchdowns last season while also scoring twice on punt returns. This season, Bryant led the team with 17 catches for 323 yards and four touchdowns through OSU’s first three games.
Southern Cal-Oregon Preview
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While the Pac-10 champion won’t be crowned in Saturday’s top-10 matchup at Oregon, Southern California’s conference title hopes would all but end with a loss.
The fourth-ranked Trojans look to stay in the hunt for an eighth consecutive league title and shore up some defensive breakdowns when they visit the 10th-ranked Ducks and their prolific offense.
In less than two months, Oregon (6-1, 4-0) has made a season that could have become defined by an embarrassing loss at Boise State — and LeGarrette Blount’s infamous punch — into one with a chance to win its first Pac-10 title since 2001.
Riding a six-game winning streak, the Ducks, off to their best conference start since opening the 2000 season with seven straight league wins, stand alone atop the Pac-10.
Their lead is hardly safe.
USC (6-1, 3-1) and Arizona are tied for second, and either team could take the conference crown by winning out.
“Our conference is as tough right now, as I’m seeing it, as I’ve ever seen,” USC coach Pete Carroll said. “The team that makes it through it on top is going to be really good.”
The Trojans have owned at least a share of the Pac-10 title each season since Oregon last won it, but they’ll likely be out of the running should they lose this weekend.
To avoid that fate, USC’s defense will likely need to improve upon its performance from last Saturday’s 42-36 win over Oregon State.
The Trojans allowed the Beavers to roll up 482 yards of total offense, the most yielded by USC since giving up 556 yards to Texas in a 41-38 Rose Bowl loss following the 2005 season.
It was also the second straight shaky defensive effort for USC, which gave up 367 total yards in a 34-27 defeat at then-No. 25 Notre Dame on Oct. 17. The Trojans allowed an average of 8.6 points and 238.6 yards in their first five games.
Despite the disconcerting trend, defensive tackle Armond Armstead isn’t worried.
“It wasn’t like they were constantly moving down the field and scoring on us,” Armstead said. “The mistakes that were made can definitely be corrected. We know we have a good defense here, and we just need to play 60 minutes.”
Proving it for 60 minutes against a high-powered Oregon offense led by a healthy quarterback Jeremiah Masoli should be quite a challenge.
Masoli missed the Ducks’ 24-10 win over UCLA on Oct. 10 with a knee injury, and the offense never got in sync. He returned to the lineup last Saturday and didn’t seem to miss a beat, passing for 157 yards and a touchdown and running for 54 yards and two scores in a 43-19 victory over Washington.
The versatile quarterback is the key to Oregon’s offense, with the team averaging 45.7 points and 484.7 yards in the last three games he has played.
Masoli isn’t the only playmaker the Trojans need to contain.
LaMichael James, Oregon’s workhorse since Blount’s suspension, has rushed for 657 yards and six touchdowns in his last five games. The redshirt freshman running back totaled 154 yards and a pair of touchdowns against the Huskies, and has had at least one run of at least 26 yards in each of his last six games.
“He’s got great vision and toughness,” Oregon coach Chip Kelly said. “He’s a hard player to knock down because of his size. He’s pretty solid and I think he’s just gotten better each week and it will be exciting to see him match up with this team that USC has on defense.”
While Masoli and James lead the offense, the Ducks’ defense has been just as impressive.
Oregon limited Washington to three points through three quarters last week, and has held three of its last four opponents to 211 yards or fewer.
The Ducks’ 19 takeaways are tied for the Pac-10 lead — posing a tough challenge for mistake-prone Trojans quarterback Matt Barkley.
The freshman has thrown at least one interception in each of his last three games, including two last week. Barkley has thrown for 1,540 yards with seven TDs and five interceptions in six games this season.
USC may need its steady ground attack featuring Joe McKnight and Allen Bradford to take the pressure off Barkley.
McKnight was limited last week because of sore hands and finished with 65 rushing yards on 11 carries, but Bradford ran for a career-high 147 yards and two scores.
“This is a great task for us and we are going to have to put together a terrific plan on both sides of the ball and on special teams to matchup,” Carroll said.
The Trojans defeated Oregon 44-10 last season but lost 24-17 loss to the then-No. 5 Ducks in their last trip to Autzen Stadium in 2007. That was USC’s only defeat in the last five meetings.
NFL
Dolphins-Jets Preview
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The New York Jets’ three-game losing streak is over thanks to last week’s blowout victory, but it would mean a lot more if they can get some revenge against the archrival Miami Dolphins on Sunday at Giants Stadium.
It’s the same venue where the Dolphins secured the AFC East title with a 24-17 victory over the Jets to close the 2008 regular season. New York didn’t fare better in the rematch Oct. 12, losing 31-27.
However, it’s the Dolphins (2-4) who are at the bottom of the division while New York (4-3) is on first-place New England’s heels after a much-needed victory last Sunday.
That 38-0 win in Oakland let the Jets not only snap their skid but regain some confidence. Their defense forced four turnovers and blanked an opponent for the first time in nearly six years despite playing its first game without nose tackle Kris Jenkins, who was lost for the season to a torn ACL the previous week against Buffalo.
“It makes it so easy on the offense when your defense is playing like that,” rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez said. “Hats off to them, they had a heck of a game to shut that team out. I don’t care who we’re playing, that’s a big-time accomplishment for our team.”
Sanchez, who had thrown five interceptions in a 16-13 overtime loss to the Bills, was just 9 of 15 for 143 yards and a touchdown last Sunday while embattled receiver Braylon Edwards was held to one catch for 14 yards. Edwards was charged with misdemeanor assault this week stemming from an altercation in Cleveland before he was traded to the Jets.
But the passing game had the pressure relieved as the Jets rolled up more than 300 yards on the ground for the second straight week — the first team to do that since Buffalo in 1975. New York achieved the feat even though running back Leon Washington suffered a season-ending broken leg early in the game.
While starter Thomas Jones had 26 carries for 121 yards and a touchdown, perhaps the more impressive performance came from rookie Shonn Greene, who racked up 144 yards and two TDs on 19 carries in his first extended action.
“I just look forward to more opportunities,” Greene said. “I’m not going to fill Leon’s shoes, but I’m going to do the best I can.”
New York has the league’s best rushing offense, averaging 184.9 yards per game, but the Dolphins hold second place in that category (170.3).
Miami had 151 rushing yards in its Week 5 win over the Jets, with Ronnie Brown’s two-yard touchdown out of the wildcat formation providing the winning score with six seconds to play.
“I used to see all those gimmicks when I was coaching back in college,” Jets coach Rex Ryan said of the tactic, blaming his own team’s defense. “I’ve been a part of some bad performances before on defense, just not this bad.”
Even though Miami’s wildcat struggled against New Orleans on Sunday, totaling 30 yards in 14 plays, the Dolphins still had a chance to knock off the unbeaten Saints. Miami was up 21 in the first half and 10 early in the fourth quarter only to allow the final 22 points in a 46-34 loss.
After throwing three touchdowns and no interceptions in his first two NFL starts, Chad Henne had two picks returned for scores, including the decisive blow with two minutes to play.
Wide receiver Ted Ginn also struggled, dropping three passes and tipping one of the interceptions.
“We have to have good timing with the wideouts, have to run good routes, and I have to put the ball where it needs to be,” Henne said. “There were some miscues there with me and the wide receivers.”
Henne played much better against the Jets three weeks ago, going 20 for 26 for 241 yards and two touchdowns — one a 53-yarder to Ginn, the No. 9 overall draft pick in 2007.
“We made (Henne) look like Dan Marino,” Jets linebacker Calvin Pace said. “They did what they want, and they did it at will.”
The Dolphins are trying to avoid a fifth loss, which would equal their total from the entire 2008 regular season. Coach Tony Sparano said his team isn’t thinking about its already dimming hopes of returning to the playoffs.
“When you put yourself in the hole that we put ourselves into, we can’t have those thoughts,” Sparano said. “We just have to think about our next week, and I think right now we have to worry about the Jets and winning a ballgame on the road, and another division game.”
The Dolphins are 2-0 in AFC East games, but they’ll have to move on without starting cornerback Will Allen, who tore his ACL against New Orleans and will miss the rest of the season.
Giants-Eagles Preview
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Although the cities of New York and Philadelphia will no doubt be focusing on the World Series matchup of the Yankees and Phillies this weekend, it will be difficult for fans not to turn their attention to the meeting between the Giants and Eagles.
Making the game between the NFC East rivals all the more enticing is the fact that the Eagles ruined the Giants’ hopes of repeating as Super Bowl champions last season.
A busy Sunday of sports in Philadelphia starts at Lincoln Financial Field, where the Eagles look to hand the suddenly vulnerable Giants a third straight loss and gain at least a share of first place in the division.
Before the Yankees and Phillies play Game 4 of the World Series at Citizens Bank Park, one of the NFL’s fiercest rivalries will continue across the street.
“We love it, we love it,” Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb said. “Everyone can tune into our game first and go to the bathroom and refresh your popcorn and drinks and then go out and watch the excellent baseball game.”
The Giants (5-2) lead Philadelphia (4-2) and Dallas in the division, with the Eagles set to host the Cowboys next weekend.
“It is a divisional game; we have a half-a-game lead on the Philadelphia Eagles,” coach Tom Coughlin said. “The game is in Philadelphia. I don’t know that it gets any more exciting.”
New York will likely have the bitter end to last season on its mind. The Giants went 12-4 to earn the No. 1 seed in the NFC but fell 23-11 to the Eagles in a divisional playoff game — one of two home losses to Philadelphia that season.
“We have a big game vs. Philly at Philly, it’s a huge game,” Giants quarterback Eli Manning said. “We know it’s going to be a tough battle, but we have to go out there, play well and eliminate the mistakes.”
Manning, 4-0 as a starter in the regular season at Philadelphia, knows he has to cut down on his miscues after the last two games. He had 10 touchdowns and two interceptions during the Giants’ 5-0 start but threw for two scores and four interceptions in the losses.
Manning was 19 of 37 for 243 yards with one touchdown and three INTs in last Sunday’s 24-17 home loss to Arizona. He was sacked three times, matching his total in that category over the first six games.
McNabb, meanwhile, proved to be very difficult to bring down for the Giants last season. New York sacked him 15 times in two wins during its Super Bowl season two years ago, but didn’t register any last season in three games with Osi Umenyiora missing the year due to knee surgery.
Umenyiora set a Giants record with six sacks of McNabb in a 16-3 win Oct. 5, 2007, as he took advantage of then-rookie left tackle Winston Justice. Now the Eagles’ right tackle, Justice will go up against Umenyiora or Pro Bowl defensive end Justin Tuck — the cornerstones of New York’s top-ranked defense.
“We all know what type of player Osi is — he is an All-Pro guy; one that people focus in on,” McNabb said. “So I don’t think it is a change.
“The defense that they had — you always start off by saying Michael Strahan and Osi. Now you say Osi and Tuck. So there are two guys that you truly focus in on no matter if they are on the right side or left side. You just always know where they are.”
The Eagles bounced back from a 13-9 loss at lowly Oakland two weeks ago with a 27-17 road win over Washington on Monday night. DeSean Jackson scored on a 67-yard run and a 57-yard reception in the first half as Philadelphia built a 20-point lead and cruised.
The bad news for Philadelphia was the loss of running back Brian Westbrook in the first quarter with a concussion. His status for this week is uncertain.
“We’ll see what kind of improvement he makes,” coach Andy Reid said Wednesday. “He is doing the tests that the guys do throughout the week here. We’ll see how he does by the time we get to game time.”
New York receiver Steve Smith is second in the league with 45 catches and third with 594 yards through the air, but has failed to reach the end zone in his last three games. Rookie receiver Hakeem Nicks, though, had 194 yards in the last two games and scored a TD in each of the last four contests.
Manning believes the Giants should be able to correct their problems.
“We are 5-2, we’re not in a bad spot,” he said. “We are going to get back to playing better football.”
Vikings-Packers Preview
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For 16 seasons, Brett Favre was the face of the Green Bay Packers.
He enjoyed legendary status in Title Town, becoming the NFL’s all-time leading passer while winning three MVP awards and a Super Bowl. He was often cheered loudly at Lambeau Field, but this time he’ll be playing for the rival Minnesota Vikings, and likely won’t receive the same warm reception.
A mix of both cheers and boos is what Favre should expect as he takes the field for the first time as a visitor in Green Bay on Sunday as he tries to help the Vikings bounce back from their first loss and take a commanding lead in the NFC North.
A second-round pick by Atlanta in 1991, Favre was traded to Green Bay in 1992. He made his Packers debut later that year and eventually led the club to seven division titles, 11 playoff appearances and 13 winning seasons while starting 255 straight games. He set NFL records with 61,655 passing yards and 442 touchdowns and will one day be enshrined in the Hall of Fame.
Favre contemplated retirement for most of this decade, finally doing so shortly after Green Bay’s 23-20 overtime loss to the New York Giants in the NFC championship game on Jan. 20, 2008.
A few months after Favre’s tearful goodbye news conference in March of that year, the Packers traded him to the New York Jets when he tried to come back, only to learn Green Bay was committed to Aaron Rodgers. Favre started strong in New York, but the team lost four of its final five games to finish 9-7 and miss the playoffs, leading to his second retirement.
The Jets released Favre after the draft and he spent the summer working out before signing with Minnesota (6-1) in August.
Joining perhaps the Packers’ most bitter rival has not gone over well in Green Bay and despite just one losing season in his tenure with the club, Favre could receive an unruly greeting from the faithful who once adored him.
“I don’t think it’ll be as bad,” Favre said, “but I don’t know that.
“If you’re a true fan, you’re a true fan. The people that have jumped ship or whatever completely, what can I do? … There was always Brett Favre haters out there, and that will never change.”
Favre is downplaying any anxiety about returning to Lambeau, and insists he’s more concerned about the division race.
Favre is excelling with the first-place Vikings — passing for 1,681 yards, 12 touchdowns and just three interceptions — yet another reason Packers fans are a little irked.
The 40-year-old led Minnesota to six straight wins, including a 30-23 home victory over Green Bay (4-2) on Oct. 5. He was unable to extend that streak as the Vikings fell 27-17 at Pittsburgh last Sunday.
Minnesota outgained the Steelers 386-259 and held the ball for nearly 37 minutes yet still lost thanks to 11 penalties, two turnovers in the red zone that went for touchdowns and an inability to put the ball in the end zone from 1 yard out in the third quarter.
“We left a lot of plays out there. We had many opportunities to win,” cornerback Karl Paymah said. “We’ve just got to learn from it and just keep pushing.”
Favre was forced to attempt 50 passes as the Vikings struggled to get the ground game going with Adrian Peterson rushing for 69 yards on 18 carries.
Minnesota will have to be much sharper against a Packers defense that is starting to come together under new coordinator Dom Capers and his 3-4 scheme.
Favre completed 24 of 31 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns against Green Bay in Week 4, but the Packers have yielded just 288 total yards and three points in winning two games since.
After defeating Detroit 26-0 on Oct. 18, Green Bay — which ranks third in total defense (284.8 yards per game) and fifth in scoring defense (16.0 points per game) — outgained Cleveland 460-139 in a 31-3 win last Sunday.
Although those victories have come against teams with a combined 2-11 record, they’ve helped boost the Packers’ confidence.
“It’s good to have two big wins,” linebacker Aaron Kampman said. “We haven’t done that back to back. Dominant performances on the defensive side of the ball. Obviously it’s going to help us going into a very large game, large stage again at Lambeau Field.”
While fans at Lambeau might have mixed feelings for Favre, they are all rallying behind Rodgers.
He threw for 246 yards and a season-high three touchdowns against the Browns, is second in the league with a 110.8 rating and has passed for 1,702 yards with 11 TDs and only two picks.
“He deserves everything that he accomplishes,” Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy said. “He’s just doing a really good job of running the offense and I can’t say enough about that.”
Rodgers finally had some time in the pocket last week as the offensive line didn’t allow a sack after giving up a league-worst 25 through the first five games.
He likely won’t have the same protection this week, though.
The Vikings lead the league with 24 sacks and sacked Rodgers eight times with Jared Allen accumulating 4 1/2, a forced fumble and a safety in the first meeting.
“We’re playing a much better opponent this week,” cornerback Charles Woodson said. “We can’t rest on the last two weeks.”
The Packers, 2-1 at home this season, have won three straight and 12 of 15 over the Vikings in Green Bay.
