Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta Falcons - Note to Jake; watch Matty. Watch him. You might learn something. Actually, Jake isn't that bad and Carolina might steal this one.
Minnesota Vikings @ Detroit Lions - For the sake of this game, please, please let Brett throw the ball.
Cincinnati Bengals @ Green Bay Packers - What crazy way will the Bengals find to lose this one?
Arizona Cardinals @ Jacksonville Jaguars - Arizona were desperate on the East coast last year. The Jags are desperate for a passing game.
Oakland Raiders @ Kansas City Chiefs - The Matt Cassel Era is ready to burst out of KC. I see posters, mugs, action figures, lunch boxes...
New England Patriots @ New York Jets - So Kerry Rhodes 'called out' the Pats. Is that even news? While the league may have gone soft on the field, it certainly has gone soft off it. The player interviews are so manicured that not even a hard-hitting safety can get me, or his opponents Sunday, fired up. Where's the crazy eyes? Where's the random head bucking? Where's a freaking swear word? Get Rex Ryan on the phone...
New Orleans Saints @ Philadelphia Eagles - If McNabb ain't playing, I ain't buying.
Houston Texans @ Tennessee Titans - Should be close. Should be good. Won't be on tv.
St. Louis Rams @ Washington Redskins - The Rams haven't won since Steven Jackson ran all over a Brad Johnson-lead Cowboys team back in week 7 of 2008 and have averaged 12.4 points a game in that span. Even the Skins can manage 13 points.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Buffalo Bills - Won't be close. Won't be good. Will be on tv.
Seattle Seahawks @ San Francisco 49ers - Early NFC West supremacy on the line in the division nobody really cares about.
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Chicago Bears - Note to Jay; If you thought that Packers defence was good...
Cleveland Browns @ Denver Broncos - Last week Cincy, this week the Browns, next week the Raiders. Could Kyle and Josh go 3-0?
Baltimore Ravens @ San Diego Chargers - 'Air Flacco' comes to town in one of the week's most enticing ties. Will LT ever be fit again? Injuries have limited him the last couple of years and, now fit and on my fantasy team, he suffers an ankle injury and will miss the game.
And in the pansy powder blue corner, weighing in at a buck 81 dripping wet, the franchise, Darrrrrrrrrrren Sprolesssssssssss!
New York Giants @ Dallas Cowboys - Jamie Dukes asked the question 'do you trust Tony Romo?' Answer; no. Glad we got that one sorted. 50 years from now, they won't be calling it the house that Romo built. Or Jerry for that matter.
Indianapolis Colts @ Miami Dolphins - I can't wait to get to know Jim Caldwell...
Season so far; 14-2
Friday, 18 September 2009
Thursday, 17 September 2009
Mayweather v Marquez
The body of boxing is stacked between 135 and 147lbs; already this year we have seen 'Sugar' Shane Moseley reclaim his spot atop the welterweight division by dismantling Antonio Margarito, Juan Manuel Marquez overpower Juan Diaz to confirm his dominance at Lightweight, Amir Khan rejuvenate his young career with victories over Marco Antonio Barrera and Andreas Kotelnick, Miguel Cotto outlast Joshua Clottey, and pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao destroy Ricky Hatton inside two rounds.
Pacquiao and Cotto will meet in a heavily anticipated bout in November, a contest confirmed after Floyd Mayweather injured his ribs in training and had to postpone his own compelling match-up with Marquez, originally scheduled for July 18th. The pair will finally meet this weekend at a catchweight of 144lbs.
Mayweather has been absent from the sport for nearly two years, his last fight ending in victory over -at the time - fellow undefeated multi-weight champion, Ricky Hatton. He retreated to develop his promotional company, citing a lack of competition and big fights on the horizon but the landscape is much altered; rivals De la Hoya and Baldomir have retired, Gatti is dead and Hatton is close to irrelevancy. Manny Pacquiao, who was fighting at 130lbs the last time Mayweather fought, has bounded to the peak of the pugilistic mountain, winning and winning well.
Mayweather, the former undisputed pound-for-pound champion, would desperately love that title returned to him, indeed it's a fight with Pacquiao that would seem to be driving his restoration. 'Money' Mayweather is flashy, brazen and driven by dollar signs but it's his public perception and legacy that motivate his competitive instinct - while he is happy to declare himself the best ever, he's less happy that he has to continue to remind us of the fact. A victory over either Pacquiao or Cotto - ideally Pacquiao - would cement his spot as the dominant fighter of his era and limit the critics.
But first, there's Marquez.
The Mexican has won his last two fights at 135lbs -against quality operators - and has developed into one of the better technicians in the game. His only defeats this decade have come against Chris John at Featherweight in 2006 and to Manny Pacquiao at Super Featherweight last year, both on points and both in controversial fashion. Marquez also drew with Pac-man back in 2004 and, in many people's minds, should have won both fights. A win for 36-year old, currently ranked no. 2 in The Ring magazine pound-for-pound rankings, would likely catapult him into another superfight in the spring, possibly in a continuation of his rivalry with the Phillipino.
Pacquiao, seemingly linked to this fight at every turn, has proven his ability to move up the weight divisions, defeating larger, stronger opponents whilst retaining his speed and mobility. That will be the challenge for Marquez. Despite fighting most of his 16-year career at Featherweight, he has looked commanding at both Super Featherweight (130lbs) and Lightweight (135lbs) but will be fighting a man who has long since outgrown such weight classes. Mayweather has beaten the best at 140 and 147lbs, outclassing the majority of his adversaries, and beat De la Hoya at 154lbs.
Marquez will have to overcome the size, reach and experience of Mayweather and, presuming there is no ring rust for the perma-fit 'Pretty Boy,' cannot match the speed and power of his assailant. Where Marquez can challenge is with his heart, his endurance and his perseverance. His biggest advantage may simply be that Mayweather hasn't been hit in almost two years.
For both men, this is a pivotal moment in their career; Marquez may seem to have nothing to lose but, if defeated, will probably never have the opportunity to either fight for the pound-for-pound title or battle nemesis Pacquiao again. The returning Mayweather may not be back in the ring for too long - three, possibly four fights - and needs to win on Saturday night to remain unbeaten and to remain in pole position for a fight with Pacquiao (or Cotto, and what a fight that should be).
Floyd has long felt unloved and under appreciated. He has capably played the 'bad guy' in the build up to recent fights but has been nothing but respectful for his opponent on this occasion, praising the tenacity and desire of Marquez
And there can be no disputing that. He has been floored, battered and survived, generally improving as his fights have endured. However, for all his indomitability and fight, it's Mayweather that has the motivation, not to mention the talent, to win. His legacy demands it.
Pacquiao and Cotto will meet in a heavily anticipated bout in November, a contest confirmed after Floyd Mayweather injured his ribs in training and had to postpone his own compelling match-up with Marquez, originally scheduled for July 18th. The pair will finally meet this weekend at a catchweight of 144lbs.
Mayweather has been absent from the sport for nearly two years, his last fight ending in victory over -at the time - fellow undefeated multi-weight champion, Ricky Hatton. He retreated to develop his promotional company, citing a lack of competition and big fights on the horizon but the landscape is much altered; rivals De la Hoya and Baldomir have retired, Gatti is dead and Hatton is close to irrelevancy. Manny Pacquiao, who was fighting at 130lbs the last time Mayweather fought, has bounded to the peak of the pugilistic mountain, winning and winning well.
Mayweather, the former undisputed pound-for-pound champion, would desperately love that title returned to him, indeed it's a fight with Pacquiao that would seem to be driving his restoration. 'Money' Mayweather is flashy, brazen and driven by dollar signs but it's his public perception and legacy that motivate his competitive instinct - while he is happy to declare himself the best ever, he's less happy that he has to continue to remind us of the fact. A victory over either Pacquiao or Cotto - ideally Pacquiao - would cement his spot as the dominant fighter of his era and limit the critics.
But first, there's Marquez.
The Mexican has won his last two fights at 135lbs -against quality operators - and has developed into one of the better technicians in the game. His only defeats this decade have come against Chris John at Featherweight in 2006 and to Manny Pacquiao at Super Featherweight last year, both on points and both in controversial fashion. Marquez also drew with Pac-man back in 2004 and, in many people's minds, should have won both fights. A win for 36-year old, currently ranked no. 2 in The Ring magazine pound-for-pound rankings, would likely catapult him into another superfight in the spring, possibly in a continuation of his rivalry with the Phillipino.
Pacquiao, seemingly linked to this fight at every turn, has proven his ability to move up the weight divisions, defeating larger, stronger opponents whilst retaining his speed and mobility. That will be the challenge for Marquez. Despite fighting most of his 16-year career at Featherweight, he has looked commanding at both Super Featherweight (130lbs) and Lightweight (135lbs) but will be fighting a man who has long since outgrown such weight classes. Mayweather has beaten the best at 140 and 147lbs, outclassing the majority of his adversaries, and beat De la Hoya at 154lbs.
Marquez will have to overcome the size, reach and experience of Mayweather and, presuming there is no ring rust for the perma-fit 'Pretty Boy,' cannot match the speed and power of his assailant. Where Marquez can challenge is with his heart, his endurance and his perseverance. His biggest advantage may simply be that Mayweather hasn't been hit in almost two years.
For both men, this is a pivotal moment in their career; Marquez may seem to have nothing to lose but, if defeated, will probably never have the opportunity to either fight for the pound-for-pound title or battle nemesis Pacquiao again. The returning Mayweather may not be back in the ring for too long - three, possibly four fights - and needs to win on Saturday night to remain unbeaten and to remain in pole position for a fight with Pacquiao (or Cotto, and what a fight that should be).
Floyd has long felt unloved and under appreciated. He has capably played the 'bad guy' in the build up to recent fights but has been nothing but respectful for his opponent on this occasion, praising the tenacity and desire of Marquez
And there can be no disputing that. He has been floored, battered and survived, generally improving as his fights have endured. However, for all his indomitability and fight, it's Mayweather that has the motivation, not to mention the talent, to win. His legacy demands it.
Champions League Gameday 1: Thoughts and Notes
What did we learn from the opening salvo’s in the champions league?
It is far more valuable to be a team from 'Pot 1' of the draw than a league champion. Teams from Pot 1 won 7 and drew 1 (Barcelona's draw with Inter in Milan, no shame there) of their opening fixtures while 1st place teams from last season won only 4, drew 5 and lost 9. Of course, now with the final qualifying stages split into a 'champions' and 'non-champions' path, more league winners should qualify ahead of placed teams from Europe's stronger nations. Teams from Pot 4 won 1, drew 1 and lost 6 with the only victory coming from German league champions, Wolfsburg.
Including his hat-trick Tuesday night, Grafite now has 41 goals in 54 games for Wolfsburg.
Over the last two seasons, teams that went on to qualify for the knockout stages won 16, drew 7 and lost 8 of their opening fixtures with all 16 teams from Pot 1 getting through. 11 teams from Pot 2, 3 teams from Pot 3 and 2 teams from Pot 4 have also made it through. The likely gatecrashers? The afforementioned Wolfsburg have a chance along with Standard Liege from Pot 4 while Stuttgart, Atletico Madrid, Bordeaux, Marseille and Olympiacos will fancy their chances out of Pot 3.
Maccabi Haifa, Debreceni and APOEL Nicosia have played 6 games to get this far and the Cypriots were rewarded with a point in Madrid. Ranked 190th in the UEFA Rankings, here are a bunch of teams ranked higher than APOEL; Cherno More Varna (179th), Aberdeen (134th), NEC Nijmegen (110th) and…Millwall (107th). In fact Millwall rank above 4 teams in the group stages.
Of the 54 European Cup Finals in history, 23 of them have involved Milan or Real Madrid, both featuring in Group C
Of the 17 Champions League Finals, 9 of them have involved Milan or Real Madrid.
Milan and Real Madrid have never met in a European Cup Final.
10 of the top 11 All-time Champions League scorers are still active, 9 are participating in this years competition and 2 (Pippo Inzaghi of Milan and Raul and Real Madrid) were on target this week.
Arsenal have kept 1 clean sheet in all competitions this season and have conceded 11 goals in 7 games. The pairing of Gallas and Vermaelen introduced themselves in imperious form but the defensive spine has shortcomings.
Cristiano Ronaldo had 10 shots (that’s more than 13 entire teams had), including successful 2 strikes from free-kicks, and now has 20 shots in less than 2 ½ games.
Would you rather have Zlatan Ibrahamovic or Samuel Etoo right now? Me too.
18 of 37 goals in midweek were scored after 70 minutes.
Luis Fabiano should be in the conversation with the likes of Torres, Drogba, Etoo and Ibrahimovic as the best striker in the competition.
Mathieu Flamini, born and bred in Marseille, should be suspended for his atrocious two-footed challenge on Mbia. If you haven’t seen it, it was very, very ugly.
Brazil have the best two right backs in the world currently; It's a loss that Maicon and Daniel Alves probably can't play in the same team.
And finally...the Besiktas fan's performance made a sluggish, routine game all that much more enjoyable. United were fortunate that the Turk's could not match the organisation and flair of their supporters.
It is far more valuable to be a team from 'Pot 1' of the draw than a league champion. Teams from Pot 1 won 7 and drew 1 (Barcelona's draw with Inter in Milan, no shame there) of their opening fixtures while 1st place teams from last season won only 4, drew 5 and lost 9. Of course, now with the final qualifying stages split into a 'champions' and 'non-champions' path, more league winners should qualify ahead of placed teams from Europe's stronger nations. Teams from Pot 4 won 1, drew 1 and lost 6 with the only victory coming from German league champions, Wolfsburg.
Including his hat-trick Tuesday night, Grafite now has 41 goals in 54 games for Wolfsburg.
Over the last two seasons, teams that went on to qualify for the knockout stages won 16, drew 7 and lost 8 of their opening fixtures with all 16 teams from Pot 1 getting through. 11 teams from Pot 2, 3 teams from Pot 3 and 2 teams from Pot 4 have also made it through. The likely gatecrashers? The afforementioned Wolfsburg have a chance along with Standard Liege from Pot 4 while Stuttgart, Atletico Madrid, Bordeaux, Marseille and Olympiacos will fancy their chances out of Pot 3.
Maccabi Haifa, Debreceni and APOEL Nicosia have played 6 games to get this far and the Cypriots were rewarded with a point in Madrid. Ranked 190th in the UEFA Rankings, here are a bunch of teams ranked higher than APOEL; Cherno More Varna (179th), Aberdeen (134th), NEC Nijmegen (110th) and…Millwall (107th). In fact Millwall rank above 4 teams in the group stages.
Of the 54 European Cup Finals in history, 23 of them have involved Milan or Real Madrid, both featuring in Group C
Of the 17 Champions League Finals, 9 of them have involved Milan or Real Madrid.
Milan and Real Madrid have never met in a European Cup Final.
10 of the top 11 All-time Champions League scorers are still active, 9 are participating in this years competition and 2 (Pippo Inzaghi of Milan and Raul and Real Madrid) were on target this week.
Arsenal have kept 1 clean sheet in all competitions this season and have conceded 11 goals in 7 games. The pairing of Gallas and Vermaelen introduced themselves in imperious form but the defensive spine has shortcomings.
Cristiano Ronaldo had 10 shots (that’s more than 13 entire teams had), including successful 2 strikes from free-kicks, and now has 20 shots in less than 2 ½ games.
Would you rather have Zlatan Ibrahamovic or Samuel Etoo right now? Me too.
18 of 37 goals in midweek were scored after 70 minutes.
Luis Fabiano should be in the conversation with the likes of Torres, Drogba, Etoo and Ibrahimovic as the best striker in the competition.
Mathieu Flamini, born and bred in Marseille, should be suspended for his atrocious two-footed challenge on Mbia. If you haven’t seen it, it was very, very ugly.
Brazil have the best two right backs in the world currently; It's a loss that Maicon and Daniel Alves probably can't play in the same team.
And finally...the Besiktas fan's performance made a sluggish, routine game all that much more enjoyable. United were fortunate that the Turk's could not match the organisation and flair of their supporters.
Wednesday, 16 September 2009
Premiership Power Rankings
That's just what I need. A bunch of the premier protagonists playing each other and forcing me to fiddle with my rankings! Well, in the spirit of Emmanuel Adebayor, let's stamp some authority on proceedings.
1. Chelsea (played 5, points 15, No change) - Hard to argue with their place atop the league table and these rankings. They face Tottenham and Liverpool in two of their next three.
2. Man Utd (p 5, pts 12, NC) - United played by far their best football of the season in defeating the previously unbeaten Spurs at the Lane. You get the feeling this could be Wayne Rooney's year.
3. Man City (p 4, pts 12, Up 3) - They are for real. Victory over Arsenal will be a real boost to the confidence but United loom on the horizon and Adebayor, Robinho and Tevez could all be unavailable.
4. Liverpool (p 5, pts 9, Up 1) - So they beat Burnley 4-0. Big whoop. What's happened to Ryan Babel and Albert Riera?
5. Tottenham (p 5, pts 12, Dn 1) - Jermain Defoe scored but his team were over matched against the Reds. At least Arsenal lost.
6. Arsenal (p 4, pts 6, Dn 3) - The optimism of the opening weeks has been quickly eroded but their schedule softens over the next month. Only 4 teams have conceded more goals and the early season form of William Gallas and Thomas Vermaelen faded in their loss to City.
7. Aston Villa (p 4, pts 9, NC) - An important early-season derby victory has the Villains heading up the table but stifled in the power rankings. Why? Curtis Davies will miss serious time with injury and last year's starlets Ashley Young and Stilian Petrov have yet to overly impress. James Milner has been very good though.
8. Sunderland (p 5, pts 9, Up 2) - They eased past Hull and face newly promoted pair Burnley and Wolves over the next two weekends; can Darren Bent score 20 league goals this year? can Lorik Cana go 20 minutes without picking up a card?
9. Stoke (p 5, pts 7, NC) - They pushed Chelsea close but there was an air of inevitability to their defeat. Needed: A goalscorer part I.
10. Fulham (p 4, pts 6, Up 2) - Is that the same Damien Duff who sauntered around for Newcastle last season? Really? Andy Johnson's swift return is a boon for an ailing attack.
11. West Ham (p 4, pts 4, NC) - They lost. They played nice football. They do that.
12. Blackburn (p 4, pts 4, Up 5) - Comfortably beat Wolves and will hope that the result drives their season forward. First there was Ivan Campo, then Fernando Hierro, now Michel Salgado. Does Big Sam sell the north-east like Florida to former Real Madrid stars?
13. Everton (p 4, pts 3, Dn 5) - Losing Phil Neville might have worse long-term effects than losing to Fulham but, right now, this team needs a result.
14. Burnley (p 5, pts 6, Dn 1) - Scored 2 goals, won 2 games. Bottom 3 within a month?
15. Wigan (p 5, pts 6, Up 3) - Beating West Ham was vital, not only due to their poor recent form but also because they face Arsenal and Chelsea in their forthcoming fixtures.
16. Hull (p 5, pts 4, Dn 2) - Hull have found the net in every game so far but have also let 12 in. A half-time sit down could be in order...
17. Birmingham City (p 5, pts 4, Dn 2) - Winnable games lie ahead for Alex McLeish's side; Hull (a), Bolton (h) and Burnley (a) Needed: A goalscorer part II.
18. Wolves (p 5, pts 4, Dn 2) - Solid in the opening weeks but lacking some guile and ruthlessness upfront. You know what's coming. Needed: A goalscorer part III.
19. Bolton (p 4, pts 3, NC) - Gary Cahill's header gave them their first points but little suggests they will be in for anything other than a relegation scrap once again. Johan Elmander cost almost £10million. That's almost £2million a goal right now. Even Afonso Alves scored more.
20. Portsmouth (p 5, pts 0, NC) - Bottom. No points. No chance? Let's not write them off quite yet but I've already started their online obituary.
1. Chelsea (played 5, points 15, No change) - Hard to argue with their place atop the league table and these rankings. They face Tottenham and Liverpool in two of their next three.
2. Man Utd (p 5, pts 12, NC) - United played by far their best football of the season in defeating the previously unbeaten Spurs at the Lane. You get the feeling this could be Wayne Rooney's year.
3. Man City (p 4, pts 12, Up 3) - They are for real. Victory over Arsenal will be a real boost to the confidence but United loom on the horizon and Adebayor, Robinho and Tevez could all be unavailable.
4. Liverpool (p 5, pts 9, Up 1) - So they beat Burnley 4-0. Big whoop. What's happened to Ryan Babel and Albert Riera?
5. Tottenham (p 5, pts 12, Dn 1) - Jermain Defoe scored but his team were over matched against the Reds. At least Arsenal lost.
6. Arsenal (p 4, pts 6, Dn 3) - The optimism of the opening weeks has been quickly eroded but their schedule softens over the next month. Only 4 teams have conceded more goals and the early season form of William Gallas and Thomas Vermaelen faded in their loss to City.
7. Aston Villa (p 4, pts 9, NC) - An important early-season derby victory has the Villains heading up the table but stifled in the power rankings. Why? Curtis Davies will miss serious time with injury and last year's starlets Ashley Young and Stilian Petrov have yet to overly impress. James Milner has been very good though.
8. Sunderland (p 5, pts 9, Up 2) - They eased past Hull and face newly promoted pair Burnley and Wolves over the next two weekends; can Darren Bent score 20 league goals this year? can Lorik Cana go 20 minutes without picking up a card?
9. Stoke (p 5, pts 7, NC) - They pushed Chelsea close but there was an air of inevitability to their defeat. Needed: A goalscorer part I.
10. Fulham (p 4, pts 6, Up 2) - Is that the same Damien Duff who sauntered around for Newcastle last season? Really? Andy Johnson's swift return is a boon for an ailing attack.
11. West Ham (p 4, pts 4, NC) - They lost. They played nice football. They do that.
12. Blackburn (p 4, pts 4, Up 5) - Comfortably beat Wolves and will hope that the result drives their season forward. First there was Ivan Campo, then Fernando Hierro, now Michel Salgado. Does Big Sam sell the north-east like Florida to former Real Madrid stars?
13. Everton (p 4, pts 3, Dn 5) - Losing Phil Neville might have worse long-term effects than losing to Fulham but, right now, this team needs a result.
14. Burnley (p 5, pts 6, Dn 1) - Scored 2 goals, won 2 games. Bottom 3 within a month?
15. Wigan (p 5, pts 6, Up 3) - Beating West Ham was vital, not only due to their poor recent form but also because they face Arsenal and Chelsea in their forthcoming fixtures.
16. Hull (p 5, pts 4, Dn 2) - Hull have found the net in every game so far but have also let 12 in. A half-time sit down could be in order...
17. Birmingham City (p 5, pts 4, Dn 2) - Winnable games lie ahead for Alex McLeish's side; Hull (a), Bolton (h) and Burnley (a) Needed: A goalscorer part II.
18. Wolves (p 5, pts 4, Dn 2) - Solid in the opening weeks but lacking some guile and ruthlessness upfront. You know what's coming. Needed: A goalscorer part III.
19. Bolton (p 4, pts 3, NC) - Gary Cahill's header gave them their first points but little suggests they will be in for anything other than a relegation scrap once again. Johan Elmander cost almost £10million. That's almost £2million a goal right now. Even Afonso Alves scored more.
20. Portsmouth (p 5, pts 0, NC) - Bottom. No points. No chance? Let's not write them off quite yet but I've already started their online obituary.
NFL Week 1: Thoughts and Notes
Drew Brees is on pace for 96 TD’s. If he played the Lions every week he might actually get there.
If Peyton Manning was 10 years older, we might be talking about Peyton and Reggie rather than Peyton and Marvin. Wayne had 162 yards on 10 catches while being constantly double teamed in the absence of injured team mate Anthony Gonzalez. Try to name the Colts no. 3 and soon to be no. 2 receiver. Nope? Pierre Garcon. I would have also accepted Austin Collie or ‘who cares? They’ve got Dallas Clark.’
Matt Schaub was healthy. Andre Johnson was healthy. Steve Slaton was healthy. And still the Texans only managed 183 offensive yards. What the hell does Rex Ryan say to those defensive players?
The Bills are still the Bills. Their defeat to the Pats was eerily reminiscent of their 25-24 loss at the hands of the Cowboys two years ago, also on Monday Night Football, also up two scores with only minutes to go, also lost in fan base-destroying circumstances.
Adrian Peterson is on pace for 2880 yards and 48 TD’s. If he played the Browns every week he might actually get there.
Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco, both rookies who played from the first snap of last season, both had strong opening days; Ryan (22-36, 229 yds, 2 TD’s) began slowly but punished the ’Fins turnovers to lead the Falcons to a 19-7 win. Flacco (26-43, 307 yds, 3 TD’s, 1 INT) dissected Kansas City and was allowed more freedom within the offense than at any point last year, finally putting the upstart Chiefs away 38-24. Neither of these young Quarterbacks are near the finish article and both have much to improve on after these performances but the pair are true leaders of their respective offenses and appear to be heading for stardom.
The men following in their footsteps, Mark Sanchez and Matthew Stafford, had differing days; Sanchez threw for 272 yards, a TD and an INT and generally looked calm and controlled in a victory. Stafford went 16/37 for 205 yards and 3 INT’s but was not helped by an anaemic running game and a defence that seemed intent on watching Drew Brees rather than pressuring him (0 sacks while New Orleans were 9-13 on 3rd down).
The Patriots were far from perfect; suspect on the O-line, indifferent on defence and it’s hard to imagine they wanted to expose Tom Brady to 53 passes but they got the ‘W.’
Maybe the Rams, bereft of receivers, could play O.J Atogwe (14 INT’s since 2007) at the position.
Brett Favre had only 4 passing 1st downs and 110 yards passing.
If Richard Seymour plays like he did versus the Chargers every week, the Raiders could, and I never thought I’d be writing this, have one of the better front sevens in the NFL.
Tony Romo has a league leading 140.6 Passer Rating after week 1. No T.O? no problem apparently; Patrick Crayton and Roy Williams combined for 221 yards receiving. The ‘Boys defence was less impressive.
Cadillac Williams almost had a 100-yard game after almost not having a career after consecutive devastating knee injuries.
Note to Jamarcus Russell; you were a no.1 pick, this is your third year, it’s time to produce. Russell went just 12-30 with 1 TD and 2 picks.
Even without Plax, might the Giants have made the Superbowl if Osi Umenyiora was healthy for the playoffs last year? Despite a strong defensive display, New York continued their red-zone struggles from the back end of last year, going 0 for 3. Who’s going to step up for this offense, especially with high impact rookie Hakeem Nicks sidelined?
Wasn’t hard to see the Cardinal’s hangover coming was it? Arizona still can’t run the ball and committed far too many penalties. Their top-2 receivers against the 49ers? Fitz and Boldin? No. Hightower (12 catches for 121 yards) and Urban (5 catches for 74 yards)? Yes.
Patrick Willis, in what should be a decent D this year, could be the early leader for Defensive Player of the Year.
James Laurinaitis, in what might not be such a good D this year, could be the early leader for Rookie Defensive Player of the Year.
Mike Bell, starting only his 4th game in 4 years in the league, ran for 143 yards on 28 carries. He had 45 yards on 19 carries over the last 2 years combined.
33-year old Tony Gonzalez is still the best receiving Tight End in the NFL. He polished his hall of fame resume by becoming only the 21st man to collect over 11,000 receiving yards.
Big games for this week; Pats @ Jets, Saints @ Eagles, Seahawks @ 49ers, Steelers @ Bears, Giants @ Cowboys and, my personal fave, Ravens @ Chargers.
Ryan Succop is no longer Mr. Irrelevant; the 256th and final pick of the 2009 draft kicked a field goal from 53 yards and was successful on all three extra points for the Chiefs.
The injury to Donovan McNabb, a fractured rib suffered running in a 3-yard TD, is the worst possible happening for the Eagles and maybe the most intriguing for the neutral. Jeff Garcia returned on Monday and will join Kevin Kolb and the soon-to-return Michael Vick in the wings.
In his last two starts, against the Cardinals in last year’s playoffs and against the Eagles on Sunday, Jake Delhomme is 24-51 for 278 yards with 1 Touchdown and…wait for it…9 interceptions and 2 fumbles. The only noteworthy news for the Panthers QB between those two performances? A new 5 year, $42.5million contract.
Percy Harvin meet Brett Favre. Brett Favre meet….oh god Brett no! He’s on your team! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24BRveFlcKg
The game between the Eagles and Panthers yielded 48 points (33-10) and just 165 yards passing. The Eagles D, in the absence of Jim Johnson, was electric.
In light of the nightmarish offseason that Broncos fans have been subjected to, not to mention their new Head Coach, perhaps it was fitting that their team pulled off an improbable victory in sublimely ridiculous circumstances. As an encore, former QB Jay Cutler threw 4 picks later in the day.
Dear Brandon, the way to prove you deserve a new deal does involve catching the second most passes between WR’s over the last two years, always involves a hold-out and some toothy-grinned ‘no comments,’ can just about involve getting suspended in the preseason for being an immature non-participator but definitely, definitely does not involve catching 4 balls for 27 yards against the Bengals and not catching a bunch of other passes.
Game of the week - Pittsburgh 13 - 10 Tennessee. I’ve already watched this game 3 times. In fact, let’s finish this quickly so I can watch it again.
Stat of the week - The Niners, the 'smash them in the mouth' Niners, had 21 total rushing yards on 25 carries, 0.8 yards a carry, and still controlled the time of possession and won the game.
Winner of the week - The Jets. The Sanchez and Ryan era’s get off with a win and look good doing it.
Loser of the week - The Bills. The last five minutes of that game could define their season.
Play of the week - Has to be Brandon Stokely’s late game winner for Josh McDaniels and new QB Kyle Orton. Marvin Lewis and the Bengals fans must be used to those kinds of things happening to them by now.
Player of the week - Could easily be Adrian Peterson or Drew Brees, maybe Tony Romo or Reggie Wayne, but the best performance of week 1 came in Foxboro. And no, it wasn’t Tom Brady. Trent Edwards produced a spellbinding performance in the Bills’ no huddle offense, going 15-25 for 205 yards and 2 TD’s whilst under pressure from the Pats defence and T.O’s mouth. Tough loss on a coming-of-age style performance for the third-year QB.
If Peyton Manning was 10 years older, we might be talking about Peyton and Reggie rather than Peyton and Marvin. Wayne had 162 yards on 10 catches while being constantly double teamed in the absence of injured team mate Anthony Gonzalez. Try to name the Colts no. 3 and soon to be no. 2 receiver. Nope? Pierre Garcon. I would have also accepted Austin Collie or ‘who cares? They’ve got Dallas Clark.’
Matt Schaub was healthy. Andre Johnson was healthy. Steve Slaton was healthy. And still the Texans only managed 183 offensive yards. What the hell does Rex Ryan say to those defensive players?
The Bills are still the Bills. Their defeat to the Pats was eerily reminiscent of their 25-24 loss at the hands of the Cowboys two years ago, also on Monday Night Football, also up two scores with only minutes to go, also lost in fan base-destroying circumstances.
Adrian Peterson is on pace for 2880 yards and 48 TD’s. If he played the Browns every week he might actually get there.
Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco, both rookies who played from the first snap of last season, both had strong opening days; Ryan (22-36, 229 yds, 2 TD’s) began slowly but punished the ’Fins turnovers to lead the Falcons to a 19-7 win. Flacco (26-43, 307 yds, 3 TD’s, 1 INT) dissected Kansas City and was allowed more freedom within the offense than at any point last year, finally putting the upstart Chiefs away 38-24. Neither of these young Quarterbacks are near the finish article and both have much to improve on after these performances but the pair are true leaders of their respective offenses and appear to be heading for stardom.
The men following in their footsteps, Mark Sanchez and Matthew Stafford, had differing days; Sanchez threw for 272 yards, a TD and an INT and generally looked calm and controlled in a victory. Stafford went 16/37 for 205 yards and 3 INT’s but was not helped by an anaemic running game and a defence that seemed intent on watching Drew Brees rather than pressuring him (0 sacks while New Orleans were 9-13 on 3rd down).
The Patriots were far from perfect; suspect on the O-line, indifferent on defence and it’s hard to imagine they wanted to expose Tom Brady to 53 passes but they got the ‘W.’
Maybe the Rams, bereft of receivers, could play O.J Atogwe (14 INT’s since 2007) at the position.
Brett Favre had only 4 passing 1st downs and 110 yards passing.
If Richard Seymour plays like he did versus the Chargers every week, the Raiders could, and I never thought I’d be writing this, have one of the better front sevens in the NFL.
Tony Romo has a league leading 140.6 Passer Rating after week 1. No T.O? no problem apparently; Patrick Crayton and Roy Williams combined for 221 yards receiving. The ‘Boys defence was less impressive.
Cadillac Williams almost had a 100-yard game after almost not having a career after consecutive devastating knee injuries.
Note to Jamarcus Russell; you were a no.1 pick, this is your third year, it’s time to produce. Russell went just 12-30 with 1 TD and 2 picks.
Even without Plax, might the Giants have made the Superbowl if Osi Umenyiora was healthy for the playoffs last year? Despite a strong defensive display, New York continued their red-zone struggles from the back end of last year, going 0 for 3. Who’s going to step up for this offense, especially with high impact rookie Hakeem Nicks sidelined?
Wasn’t hard to see the Cardinal’s hangover coming was it? Arizona still can’t run the ball and committed far too many penalties. Their top-2 receivers against the 49ers? Fitz and Boldin? No. Hightower (12 catches for 121 yards) and Urban (5 catches for 74 yards)? Yes.
Patrick Willis, in what should be a decent D this year, could be the early leader for Defensive Player of the Year.
James Laurinaitis, in what might not be such a good D this year, could be the early leader for Rookie Defensive Player of the Year.
Mike Bell, starting only his 4th game in 4 years in the league, ran for 143 yards on 28 carries. He had 45 yards on 19 carries over the last 2 years combined.
33-year old Tony Gonzalez is still the best receiving Tight End in the NFL. He polished his hall of fame resume by becoming only the 21st man to collect over 11,000 receiving yards.
Big games for this week; Pats @ Jets, Saints @ Eagles, Seahawks @ 49ers, Steelers @ Bears, Giants @ Cowboys and, my personal fave, Ravens @ Chargers.
Ryan Succop is no longer Mr. Irrelevant; the 256th and final pick of the 2009 draft kicked a field goal from 53 yards and was successful on all three extra points for the Chiefs.
The injury to Donovan McNabb, a fractured rib suffered running in a 3-yard TD, is the worst possible happening for the Eagles and maybe the most intriguing for the neutral. Jeff Garcia returned on Monday and will join Kevin Kolb and the soon-to-return Michael Vick in the wings.
In his last two starts, against the Cardinals in last year’s playoffs and against the Eagles on Sunday, Jake Delhomme is 24-51 for 278 yards with 1 Touchdown and…wait for it…9 interceptions and 2 fumbles. The only noteworthy news for the Panthers QB between those two performances? A new 5 year, $42.5million contract.
Percy Harvin meet Brett Favre. Brett Favre meet….oh god Brett no! He’s on your team! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24BRveFlcKg
The game between the Eagles and Panthers yielded 48 points (33-10) and just 165 yards passing. The Eagles D, in the absence of Jim Johnson, was electric.
In light of the nightmarish offseason that Broncos fans have been subjected to, not to mention their new Head Coach, perhaps it was fitting that their team pulled off an improbable victory in sublimely ridiculous circumstances. As an encore, former QB Jay Cutler threw 4 picks later in the day.
Dear Brandon, the way to prove you deserve a new deal does involve catching the second most passes between WR’s over the last two years, always involves a hold-out and some toothy-grinned ‘no comments,’ can just about involve getting suspended in the preseason for being an immature non-participator but definitely, definitely does not involve catching 4 balls for 27 yards against the Bengals and not catching a bunch of other passes.
Game of the week - Pittsburgh 13 - 10 Tennessee. I’ve already watched this game 3 times. In fact, let’s finish this quickly so I can watch it again.
Stat of the week - The Niners, the 'smash them in the mouth' Niners, had 21 total rushing yards on 25 carries, 0.8 yards a carry, and still controlled the time of possession and won the game.
Winner of the week - The Jets. The Sanchez and Ryan era’s get off with a win and look good doing it.
Loser of the week - The Bills. The last five minutes of that game could define their season.
Play of the week - Has to be Brandon Stokely’s late game winner for Josh McDaniels and new QB Kyle Orton. Marvin Lewis and the Bengals fans must be used to those kinds of things happening to them by now.
Player of the week - Could easily be Adrian Peterson or Drew Brees, maybe Tony Romo or Reggie Wayne, but the best performance of week 1 came in Foxboro. And no, it wasn’t Tom Brady. Trent Edwards produced a spellbinding performance in the Bills’ no huddle offense, going 15-25 for 205 yards and 2 TD’s whilst under pressure from the Pats defence and T.O’s mouth. Tough loss on a coming-of-age style performance for the third-year QB.
Monday, 14 September 2009
One and done for the Bears?
Defeat to the Packers on Sunday Night Football. Face, arm and torch bearer of the franchise Jay Cutler threw 4 interceptions. Axis of the defence Brian Urlacher is out for the year after having surgery on a dislocated wrist. Defensive partner Pisa Tinoisamoa will miss several weeks with a strained posterior cruciate ligament. Long snappers have even been calling plays. Is it all over after week 1 of the new NFL season for the Chicago Bears?
The Bears were a trendy pick just a few, short days ago. The strong-armed Cutler joining up with prolific sophomore Matt Forte and a defence that, when healthy, has been amongst the leagues best, particularly against the run. How things change.
Chicago will also have to overcome their division rivals from Minnesota and Green Bay, both of whom now sit at 1-0 and are considered playoff calibre. Urlacher's injury in particular will hurt considering his range and role in the Cover-2 defence and the quality of the likes of Adrian Peterson and Ryan Grant in the running game and Jennings, Driver, Berrian and Harvin in the passing game. On the Lions showing in their opener versus the Saints, they won't factor in the final reckoning but they should improve as the season develops.
The Bears immediate schedule doesn't give them too many breaks despite a meeting with Detroit on the horizon; they host the Superbowl champion Steelers this Sunday before trips to Seattle and Atlanta in the next four weeks. At the end of the year, they face the Cardinals, @49ers, Eagles, @ Ravens, Packers and Vikings twice (plus the Rams and @Lions). If they are to be successful, they may have to run the table within their division in addition to being traditionally stubborn at Soldier Field down the stretch.
Hunter Hillenmeyer will likely fill Urlacher's large boots for the foreseeable future. He knows the offense and, while not having the speed, strength or authority of his fallen comrade, can provide solid play over the coming weeks. The likes of Zach Thomas and Derrick Brooks, both free agents, have been mentioned as potential recruits while Nick Roach, a replacement for Tinoisamoa, might be another option once the strong-side backer is back in the lineup.
But this may not be about Urlacher. Or Tinoisamoa. Or the strength of schedule.
One man has propelled this team to the jaws of potential and edge of sports writer's lips. Jay Cutler. The former Denver QB was (but for Favre and Vick's resurrections) the saga of the summer and has breathed new life into a franchise that, but for a run to a Superbowl in 2006, has not had too much to be excited about; they have won 10+ games in only 3 of the last 18 years and have won just 3 playoff games during that period. Pre-Cutler, the list of Bears starting QB's this decade reads Griese, Orton, Grossman, Krenzel, Quinn, Hutchinson, Stewart, Burris, Chandler and Miller. Combined Pro Bowls at the position with the Bears? 0.
Cutler appeared out of sync with his young receiving corps on Sunday night; Earl Bennett, Devin Hester, Johnny Knox, Desmond Clark and Greg Olsen all had difficulties on some of their routes and were partly responsible for the 4 picks thrown by their new offensive leader. Even with the turnovers and Cutler's less than impressive 43.2 passer rating, the Bears still gained 352 total yards (266 through the air), outgained the Packers by 126 yards and only lost on a 50-yard bomb with minutes remaining. Lovie Smith can surely take solace in the fact that Cutler seemed to improve as the game progressed and that the wideouts will certainly learn from their errors. As should their Quarterback.
If the defence can't limit opponents to less than 300 yards a game and 15-20 points then Jay Cutler will be shouldered with the responsibility of winning games for this franchise, a charge that he faced in Denver with their porous 'D' and, what you have to imagine, he was traded for. The Bears failed to exert their rushing game in the season opener and RB Matt Forte (25 rushes for 55 yards, 2.2 average) had no receptions either, having caught 63 balls for 477 yards a year ago.
Cutler, who worked with a ravaged running game with the Broncos last term, had a talented, deep and reliable group of receivers to sling to previously. While his current team mates may not be quite in the echelon of Marshall, Royal and Stokely, there were portentous signs against the Packers; the speed of Knox (2 catches for 82 yards, including a 68-yard TD when he burned Charles Woodson), the route running of favoured target and former Vanderbilt comrade Earl Bennett (7 catches for 66 yards, 14 targets) and the moments of authentic no. 1 receiver play from Devin Hester (4 catches for 90 yards and a TD). They're young, they're green and they will make mistakes but as long as Cutler, who has not always proven to be careful with the football (41 INT's in 38 career games), can control his temperament and what he asks of them, this offense could yet come to the team's rescue.
No team (well, maybe the Lions) should be written off after the first week of the year. The Bears do face the adversity of injury and the pressure of an early divisional defeat but, in a defence that stifled a powerful and sudden Green Bay attack and an offense that overcame a number of mistakes to almost steal victory in Lambeau field, there are positive signs to take forward. They'll need them. The Steelers await.
The Bears were a trendy pick just a few, short days ago. The strong-armed Cutler joining up with prolific sophomore Matt Forte and a defence that, when healthy, has been amongst the leagues best, particularly against the run. How things change.
Chicago will also have to overcome their division rivals from Minnesota and Green Bay, both of whom now sit at 1-0 and are considered playoff calibre. Urlacher's injury in particular will hurt considering his range and role in the Cover-2 defence and the quality of the likes of Adrian Peterson and Ryan Grant in the running game and Jennings, Driver, Berrian and Harvin in the passing game. On the Lions showing in their opener versus the Saints, they won't factor in the final reckoning but they should improve as the season develops.
The Bears immediate schedule doesn't give them too many breaks despite a meeting with Detroit on the horizon; they host the Superbowl champion Steelers this Sunday before trips to Seattle and Atlanta in the next four weeks. At the end of the year, they face the Cardinals, @49ers, Eagles, @ Ravens, Packers and Vikings twice (plus the Rams and @Lions). If they are to be successful, they may have to run the table within their division in addition to being traditionally stubborn at Soldier Field down the stretch.
Hunter Hillenmeyer will likely fill Urlacher's large boots for the foreseeable future. He knows the offense and, while not having the speed, strength or authority of his fallen comrade, can provide solid play over the coming weeks. The likes of Zach Thomas and Derrick Brooks, both free agents, have been mentioned as potential recruits while Nick Roach, a replacement for Tinoisamoa, might be another option once the strong-side backer is back in the lineup.
But this may not be about Urlacher. Or Tinoisamoa. Or the strength of schedule.
One man has propelled this team to the jaws of potential and edge of sports writer's lips. Jay Cutler. The former Denver QB was (but for Favre and Vick's resurrections) the saga of the summer and has breathed new life into a franchise that, but for a run to a Superbowl in 2006, has not had too much to be excited about; they have won 10+ games in only 3 of the last 18 years and have won just 3 playoff games during that period. Pre-Cutler, the list of Bears starting QB's this decade reads Griese, Orton, Grossman, Krenzel, Quinn, Hutchinson, Stewart, Burris, Chandler and Miller. Combined Pro Bowls at the position with the Bears? 0.
Cutler appeared out of sync with his young receiving corps on Sunday night; Earl Bennett, Devin Hester, Johnny Knox, Desmond Clark and Greg Olsen all had difficulties on some of their routes and were partly responsible for the 4 picks thrown by their new offensive leader. Even with the turnovers and Cutler's less than impressive 43.2 passer rating, the Bears still gained 352 total yards (266 through the air), outgained the Packers by 126 yards and only lost on a 50-yard bomb with minutes remaining. Lovie Smith can surely take solace in the fact that Cutler seemed to improve as the game progressed and that the wideouts will certainly learn from their errors. As should their Quarterback.
If the defence can't limit opponents to less than 300 yards a game and 15-20 points then Jay Cutler will be shouldered with the responsibility of winning games for this franchise, a charge that he faced in Denver with their porous 'D' and, what you have to imagine, he was traded for. The Bears failed to exert their rushing game in the season opener and RB Matt Forte (25 rushes for 55 yards, 2.2 average) had no receptions either, having caught 63 balls for 477 yards a year ago.
Cutler, who worked with a ravaged running game with the Broncos last term, had a talented, deep and reliable group of receivers to sling to previously. While his current team mates may not be quite in the echelon of Marshall, Royal and Stokely, there were portentous signs against the Packers; the speed of Knox (2 catches for 82 yards, including a 68-yard TD when he burned Charles Woodson), the route running of favoured target and former Vanderbilt comrade Earl Bennett (7 catches for 66 yards, 14 targets) and the moments of authentic no. 1 receiver play from Devin Hester (4 catches for 90 yards and a TD). They're young, they're green and they will make mistakes but as long as Cutler, who has not always proven to be careful with the football (41 INT's in 38 career games), can control his temperament and what he asks of them, this offense could yet come to the team's rescue.
No team (well, maybe the Lions) should be written off after the first week of the year. The Bears do face the adversity of injury and the pressure of an early divisional defeat but, in a defence that stifled a powerful and sudden Green Bay attack and an offense that overcame a number of mistakes to almost steal victory in Lambeau field, there are positive signs to take forward. They'll need them. The Steelers await.
UEFA-ilings
Another classic moment of amateurism from Europe's governing body as Arsenal forward Eduardo's two-game ban has been rescinded. Whether or not he dived - and not to complicate matters but he probably was guilty of 'simulation' at least to the extent as to exaggerate the amount of contact - the reaction by UEFA to suspend the Croatian and then to accept an appeal, annulling the ban, displays the weak will and over-reactionary nature of the group.
The decision to ban Eduardo came 6 days after the event, seemingly enough time to counsel the referee, his assistants, the fourth official and the match video from every possible angle. When the announcement came, and in doing so brandished the Arsenal player a cheat, it should have and indeed appeared to be final. Again, rights and wrongs if the judgement aside, when UEFA dropped the hammer, the matter seemed over.
Not so.
13 days later and UEFA revoke their own authority under pressure from Arsene Wenger and Arsenal, a powerful player on the European stage, and allow the striker to perform in just 2 days against Belgian champions Standard Liege. Why should this surprise anybody? The original action arose after pressure and coercion from the Scottish FA, desperate for some quasi-justice for Celtic being outplayed and defeated by the London club.
It begs the simple question, what's changed UEFA's mind?
The video? The same. The referee's report? Unchanged. The circumstances, the media response, the attitude of one of Europe's central clubs? Ah, now it all becomes clear.
It will get swept under the carpet. It won't really matter. It will be soon forgotten and the next zeitgeist will become blog fodder in cyberspace but if anybody needed ammunition against UEFA and their juvenile and hollow responses to football's day-to-day, here it is. Unsettling. Really unsettling. Isn't this meant to be Sepp Blatter territory?
The decision to ban Eduardo came 6 days after the event, seemingly enough time to counsel the referee, his assistants, the fourth official and the match video from every possible angle. When the announcement came, and in doing so brandished the Arsenal player a cheat, it should have and indeed appeared to be final. Again, rights and wrongs if the judgement aside, when UEFA dropped the hammer, the matter seemed over.
Not so.
13 days later and UEFA revoke their own authority under pressure from Arsene Wenger and Arsenal, a powerful player on the European stage, and allow the striker to perform in just 2 days against Belgian champions Standard Liege. Why should this surprise anybody? The original action arose after pressure and coercion from the Scottish FA, desperate for some quasi-justice for Celtic being outplayed and defeated by the London club.
It begs the simple question, what's changed UEFA's mind?
The video? The same. The referee's report? Unchanged. The circumstances, the media response, the attitude of one of Europe's central clubs? Ah, now it all becomes clear.
It will get swept under the carpet. It won't really matter. It will be soon forgotten and the next zeitgeist will become blog fodder in cyberspace but if anybody needed ammunition against UEFA and their juvenile and hollow responses to football's day-to-day, here it is. Unsettling. Really unsettling. Isn't this meant to be Sepp Blatter territory?
Pete Sampras wears Roger Federer pyjamas (copyright SL)
If you failed to catch Roger Federer's semi-final victory over the gallant and magnanimous Novka Djokovic, then you missed this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRo72MUUZnE
That should be illegal. Or improbable. Or at least there should be a minutes silence every other Thursday until next September. Either way, wow.
Djokovic played very well, struck the ball excellently and did not crumble mentally against the awesome power and timing of the Swiss master. The final scoreline, a loss in three sets, does little to represent his valour and performance. But this is Fed.
Federer v Del Potro tomorrow night in a potential cracker.
That should be illegal. Or improbable. Or at least there should be a minutes silence every other Thursday until next September. Either way, wow.
Djokovic played very well, struck the ball excellently and did not crumble mentally against the awesome power and timing of the Swiss master. The final scoreline, a loss in three sets, does little to represent his valour and performance. But this is Fed.
Federer v Del Potro tomorrow night in a potential cracker.
Sunday, 13 September 2009
2008 NFL Statistics
One or two or sixty-five arresting and intriguing facts from last years NFL season, just in time for them to be completely resigned to history as the new year begins.
The Bears paid a large price to acquire Jay Cutler from Denver over the off-season in an attempt to improve their offense. No surprises then that they were outgained by 1410 yards in the air and 1599 yards overall during 2008. What is a shock, considering the perception of Denver's high powered offense and the weapons within it's 2008 make up, is that Chicago actually scored more points.
The Cincinnati Bengals were bereft of quality QB play due to injury and only failed to settle on a RB when Cedric Benson became the starter late in the season. Despite this, there is simply no excuse for their pitiful 12.75 points per game and just 4 yards per play. Their QB's combined for a dismal 48.8% Pass Completion.
It might not be too difficult to pick 4 of the top 6 offensive teams in terms of total yards from 2008; New Orleans, Denver, Houston and Arizona all had explosive passing attacks and were poor defensively, the hallmarks of high gainers. The other 2? New England with no Tom Brady and everyone and their mother at tailback and Atlanta, rookie QB and all.
A sign of quite how good Kurt Warner was last year; Drew Brees nearly broke the all-time passing mark with 5,069 yards but Arizona had more completions in less attempts than New Orleans (and nearly double of Oakland).
Proof that Carolina fell back in love with the run game (and didn't want to expose Jake Delhomme unduly); they trailed the entire league in passing attempts.St. Louis, Cincinnati and Cleveland just had 11 passing TD's each. The Skins and therefore Jason Campbell, only had 6 picks and at just 1.2% of Passes Attempted, less than any other team.
How on earth did the Pats have the 5th most rushing attacks? Did anyone tell Laurence Maroney? And the most rushing 1st downs! what was I watching all year? Basically, don't want to give anything away here, but for all you Defensive Coordinators out there, watch out for draw plays on 3rd down.
Carolina had 30, yes 30, rushing Touchdowns (and had the least fumbles, 12, despite the 6th most attempts). Cleveland and Cincinnati had 6. Yes. 6. As much as the Saints love, 28th in rushing yards, were 5th in Touchdowns.
The Giants had the highest average yard per carry (I was surprised it was just 5.0, it seemed far more during the season) and Carolina (4.8 ypc) slip in at 4th. The two teams that are sandwiched in between are, incredibly, Denver with their 7 RB's on IR and Kansas freaking City! Neither team ran the ball too often (28th and 29th respectively) but perhaps a few times more would have been smart.
It should be no revelation to anybody that the Colts drafted a RB in the 1st round of the draft; they averaged only 3.4 ypc and struggled in the run game all year.
I can guarantee they won't lead the league in this stat next year under Mike Singletary; San Fran lost 35 turnovers, just ahead of Dallas (33) and Houston (32). The Vikings, who acquired the profligate Sage Rosenfels from turnover-happy Houston and signed free agent gun-slinger-avec-wild-abandon Brett Favre (his Jets led the league in passing interceptions with 23, 4.3% of Pass Attempts, and he joins a fumble happy, 31 last year, group of Running Backs), had 31. Great.
The Giants and Dolphins only gave the ball away 13 times. In fact, if ever there were a signal of playoff intention or a reason to worship Bill Parcells slightly more, 9 of the top 10 teams in terms of Turnovers made the playoffs. The one exception? the Redskins who could be an interesting outside bet this year. Don’t quote me on that. Only about 1 in 5 teams that lost the Turnover battle won in the NFL last year.
The masters of pass protection (aided by some smart, experienced QB's); Denver (12), Tennessee (12), New Orleans (13) and Indianapolis (14) allowed the fewest sacks. That's all about 1 in 40 Pass Attempts or less. The 49ers allowed 55 sacks at a rate of almost 1 in 10 Pass Attempts. The Steelers, Patriots and Vikings were not much better, all averaging about 1 in 12 Pass Attempts.
Breaking News! The Raiders aren't all bad! They returned the most kicks/punts for TD's (5) and and the second highest Punt Return Average. Jonny Lee Higgins shared the league lead with Reggie Bush with 3 Return TD’s.
Breaking News! The Lions aren't all bad! They scored all 8 of their field goals from over 50 yards. Too bad they only had 14 other shots at three points, a league low total of 22 attempts.
The Packers will be debuting a new 3-4 defence under Dom Capers in 2009 but one aspect they shouldn't have to worry about on D is their nose for the end-zone. The Pack led the NFL with 6 Interceptions Returned for scores and added another from a Fumble Recovery. The Ravens (who also added a joint leading 3 Safeties), Jets, Colts and Eagles were close behind.
I'm not sure how many ways there are to measure the futility of the Rams, Browns and Bengals so I'll leave it at this; each of them managed just 20 Total TD's. New Orleans had 57.
Defence wins Championships eh? It certainly gives you a chance. All 12 Playoff teams were in the top-15 in terms of Points Allowed, the Chargers (8-8) at the rear and the Bills, Skins and Bucs crashing the party. The Steelers, Titans, Ravens, Eagles and Giants were the top-5. Weren't they the favourites in the post-season before the Cardinals decided to prompt hell to freeze over?
The Lions allowed the most Yards (6470), Points (517), 1st Downs (350), the highest Yards per Play (6.4) and the highest opponent QB Rating (110.9). Of course.
The Steelers let opponents gain just 3.9 Yards per Play.
The Chargers (411), Bears (383), Jets (368), Seahawks (366) gave up the most passing completions and the four also gave up the most Yards. The Raiders (266), Ravens (276), Bucs (276) and Rams (278) gave up the least completions but it was the defiant Steelers that gave up the fewest Yards. Just 2551 (5.4 Yards per Play, 156.9 Yards per Game), 366 better than their closest rivals, the Ravens (5.9 Yards per Play).
The Ravens limited opposing QB’s to just a 52.3% pass completion rate (and 60.6 QB Rating). The Lions and Colts - at 68.4% - allowed the highest.
The Colts D’s mentality has always been to bend but don’t break and this was evident in the last season. They let opposing QB’s complete 68.4% of passes (a league high) but only 6.7 yards per attempt and just 6 scores (a league low and just 1.2% of all passes attempted). Tony Dungy, the mastermind of so much about that franchise, will be sorely missed. Arizona allowed 36 Passing TD’s (that‘s 7% of all Passes Attempted), 9 more than anyone else.
The Rams allowed 57 Punt Returns. The Pats just 11, and yet 2 of those for touchdowns.
Wondered why Defensive Ends are so highly valued? The Cowboys, lead by Demarcus Ware, sacked the opposing QB 59 times to lead the league. All the top 6 teams in this category made the playoffs. The Chiefs managed just a paltry 10 and none of the bottom 8 teams made the playoffs.
The Lions (4, just 0.9% of all Passes Thrown), Broncos (6), Cowboys (8), Seahawks (9) had the fewest interceptions. The Ravens had the most takeaways with 26, followed by the Browns (23, a league best at 5.2% of Passes Thrown), Bears (22), Packers (22) and Bucs (22).
The Raiders (542), Browns (541), Lions (536), Chiefs (509) and Rams (501) were victims to the most rushing plays. The 5 teams also allowed the most yards. The Vikes, Ravens, Steelers, Eagles and bears were the best teams across the board in defending the Run while the Falcons and Colts were the only 2 playoff teams to rank over the league average in Yards and TD’s conceded.
The Lions opponents ran in 31 scores against them. The Ravens opponents only reached the end-zone on 4 occasions on running plays (and just 58 1st Downs). The Steelers, Eagles, Bucs and Pats were the only other teams that held opponents to under 10 Rushing TD’s.
The Lions adversaries gained 5.1 Yards per Carry, the worst in the NFL, the Chiefs and Broncos predictably followed. In 4th, the Falcons at 4.9 Yards per Carry. The Vikings and Steelers were the most stingy at just 3.3 Yards per Carry. The Bears (3.4), Jets (3.7), 49ers (3.8), Redskins (3.8) and Bengals (3.9) had the lowest ypc amongst non-playoff teams.
Aaron Rodgers and Matt Cassel were the only 2 players to be in the top-10 of times sacked and QB Rating.
Jake Delhomme, derided for his performance in the Playoff loss to the Cardinals, led the league in yards per pass completion, effectively stretching the field better than anybody. I’m sure Smash and Dash version 2.0 as well as a Mr Smith had a part to play. Second on the list? Rookie Matt Ryan. Very Un-rookie like stat that one.
Ryan Grant (1203) was 9th in rushing yards. Never figured that one myself.
Wonder what the odds were on Le’Ron McClain (82) and Lendale White (80), combined weight of about 13,000lbs (approx.), having the 2 longest rushes of the season?
Need a reason to believe that DeAngelo Williams is for real? 1515 Yards, 18 TD’s (plus 2 more receiving) and a whopping 5.5 Yards per Carry.
Eddie Royal had 91 Receptions as a Rookie WR. Can’t imagine he’s in line for quite as many without Jay Cutler.
Calvin Johnson, on an all-time worst Lions team, shared a league best 12 Receiving TD’s with Larry Fitzgerald. Lance Moore had 10, Kevin Walter had 8.
Devery Henderson = fast. 24.8 yards per catch! Bernard Berrian (20.1), Vincent Jackson (18.6), Steve Smith (18.2) and Calvin Johnson (17.1) may have expected to be in the top 6, but at no.2 in the list is…answers on a postcard please…Justin Gage with 19.1 Yards per Catch. Ok, so Kerry Collins can throw the long ball and a lot of teams cheat up against the Titans run game but Justin Gage? Again, didn’t see it coming.
Adrian Peterson (1901) was only 5th on the list of all-purpose yards. The top 4;
Leon Washington (2337), Darren Sproles (2297), Jerious Norwood (2138) and Steve Breaston (1918). A few new contracts there I think.
The curse of 370? Michael Turner has been downgraded in fantasy-land for the upcoming season due to his 376 carries last year but he trailed Adrian Peterson in total touches (385).
Devin Hester may no longer be the best returner in the league, or on his own team. Danieal Manning of the Bears lead the NFL in Yards per Kick Return (29.7).
Garrett Hartley of New Orleans was the only player to score every Field Goal he attempted; the 23 year old went 13 of 13.
The Rams had plenty of opportunity to practice Punts last year and it seemed to pay dividends for Donnie Jones; he lead the league with a 50.0 Yard per Punt Average.
Jay Cutler was only sacked 1.75% of drop backs. Kerry Collins was second at just 1.89%, with Brees (2.01%), Manning (2.46%) and Matty Ice (3.77%) behind.
The Most Yards in a Game in 2008 - Houston Texans (549) v Green Bay Packers.
The Least Yards in a Game in 2008 - Oakland Raiders (77) v Atlanta Falcons.
Most Points in a Game in 2008 - New York Jets (56) - Arizona Cardinals (35)
Drew Brees has completed 883 passes in the last 2 years. 2nd on the list? Brett Favre with 669.
In the last 2 seasons; Drew Brees has thrown 35 INT’s, Ben Roethlisberger has been sacked 93 times, Clinton Portis Portis has rushed 667 times, Adrian Peterson has rushed for 3101 yards, LaDanian Tomlinso has run in 26 TD’s, Wes Welker has 223 receptions, Larry Fitzgerald has 2840 yards receiving, Randy Moss has 24 receiving TD’s, Stephen Gostkowski has kicked 285 points, Jerious Norwood has 4345 total yards, Kurt Warner, Tony Romo and Big Ben have had 23 fumbles, Ed Reed has 16 INT’s, DeMarcus Ware has 34 sacks and New England have a league best 37 wins, despite failing to make the playoffs last year.
And finally...only 3 of last year's 12 playoff teams lost in week 1. None of them lost in week 9. Spooky.
Adebayorful...Adebayrilliant
What a day for Emmanuel Adebayor. 'Freed' from his cage at Arsenal by the nouveau wealthy Manchester City, the forward managed a clearance off the line, the run of the season so far, a blatant stamp on a former teammate's face, a goal and a subsequesnt celebration that rendered the preceeding strike almost an afterthought as he desperately sprinted 90-yards towards the Arsenal support and slid, arms spread provocatively, towards them, as if he were their saviour. As much as he was booed last season - a likely cause to his frustration and reaction - he has not heard the loudest, most passionate dissent directed towards him.
A goal a game with no lack of alacrity or drama, Adebayor has much still to do to repay the team's financial faith in him. As a spectacle, a topic, a storybook villain, he has already surpassed the attention his fee has brought him.
A goal a game with no lack of alacrity or drama, Adebayor has much still to do to repay the team's financial faith in him. As a spectacle, a topic, a storybook villain, he has already surpassed the attention his fee has brought him.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)