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At the end of this rainbow (also known as week 4) the Chiefs or Vikings will finally have one in the win column

By Kyle Soppe

Detroit Lions (+1.5) @ Dallas Cowboys – Lions 27-24

New Orleans Saints (-7) @ Jacksonville  – Saints 31-10

San Fransisco 49ers @ Philadelphia Eagles (-7.5) – Eagles 27-17

Tennessee Titans (+1) @ Cleveland – Titans 20-17

Buffalo Bills @ Cincinnati Bengals (+3) – Bills 21-20

Washington Redskins @ Saint Louis Rams (E) – Rams 24-21

Minnesota Vikings @ Kansas City Chiefs (+1.5) – Chiefs 20-14

Pittsburgh Steelers (+4) @ Houston Texans – Steelers 27-17

Carolina Panthers (+6.5) @ Chicago Bears – Bears 24-21

Atlanta Falcons (-4.5) @ Seattle Seahawks – Falcons 31-20

New York Giants @ Arizona Cardinals (+1) – Cardinals 27-24 (OT)

Denver Broncos (+13) @ Green Bay Packers – Packers 30-20

New England Patriots (-4.5) @ Oakland Raiders – Patriots 38-31

Miami Dolphins (+9) @ San Diego Chargers – Chargers 31-24

New York Jets @ Baltimore Ravens (-3) – Ravens 24-17

Indianapolis Colts (+10) @ Tampa Bay Bucs – Bucs 24-15

Ok ok. I realize I picked both SAINT LOUIS and the CARDINALS to win. Call me a baseball optimist at heart. I struggled last week, and my record against the spread is basically a coin flip at 25-23. When it comes to picking the winners outright, I have been remarkably consistent, and my season mark is a respectable 30-18. My prediction for my predictions … 11-5 both against the spread and outright. Hopefully this is a bounce back week for the Soppe Score. Where am I off base? Do I have any games correct? Listen to the podcast for the breakdown of each game, and feel free to add your 2 cents on my picks.

The NFL season is coming at you. The season opens Thursday night where last season ended, with the Packers walking off the field with a W

By Kyle Soppe

The last two Super Bowl champions meet up in a stand-alone Thursday night game to open the 2011-2012 NFL season. Both teams have high expectations this year and the winner of this game gains the early leg up in the race for NFC home field advantage.

Green Bay Packers Led by Aaron Rodgers (an A-Rod that actually performs well under pressure) the Pack passed their way to supremacy last year. The offense not only stayed intact from last year’s magical playoff run, but they actually improved by getting healthy. Jermichael Finley will help an already explosive passing game as he adds a big athletic target that defenses will have a hard time matching up with. Joining Finley, the Cheeseheads have talented wide receivers with well defined roles. Greg Jennings is the team’s top target as Donald Driver settles into the “experienced but still productive” role. The duo, along with Finley, will require a lot of attention from opposing defenses, opening room for Jordy Nelson and James Jones. Nelson is a possession receiver that will gain the hard yards across the middle, while Jones stretches the field vertically. The Packers rely on the pass, but the running game will also see improvements. Ryan Grant is healthy after surgery on his ankle, and is ready to share the backfield with playoff hero (and UB product) James Starks. They won’t lead the league in carries, but their ability to keep defenses honest will open up the passing game.

New Orleans Saints Sean Payton and Mike McCarthy must have attended the same school of coaching, as he has a football team that is built in the same fashion. He uses a top 5 quarterback in Drew Brees to exploit defenses at will. He, too, has numerous receivers, however the Saints set is predicated more on breakaway speed than anything. Marques Colston is the team’s number 1 receiver who can both move the chains and come down with a Brees bomb. Lance Moore and Robert Meachem highlight a group of burners who spread the field. While the Packers have a slight advantage at WR, the Saints have the best RB in this game in Alabama rookie Mark Ingram. With Pierre Thomas banged up (off season ankle surgery has left his status for this one up in the air) and Christopher Ivory unproven, Ingram is ready to contribute right away. It’s a pass first offense, with the potential to gain balance as Ingram grows and matures.

Final Word: Aaron Rodgers threw multiple touchdown passes 8 times last year, and the Packers won all of those contests. Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco, good quarterbacks but not on the level of Rodgers, picked apart the Saints aggressive defense for multiple TD’s last year, as they beat the high flying Saints.

Soppe Score: Defending champs open with a win in front of a packed house, 31-24. A healthy offense is huge for the Packers, but I believe Clay Matthews and company make a big play down the stretch, and seal the victory.

Courtesy of nfl.com

By TLarner

Monday’s Results

New Orleans squeaked out a victory in a close battle with the San Francisco 49ers. With little over a minute left in the game, Saints’ kicker Garrett Hartley connected on a 37-yard field goal to give New Orleans a 25-22 lead. Drew Brees threw two touchdown passes. Pierre Thomas ran for 46 yards, and added 57 receiving yards. 49ers’ QB Alex Smith threw for 275 yards, one score, and two picks. Frank Gore ran for 112 yards and a touchdown while adding 56 yards receiving and another score. Pro Bowl linebacker Patrick Willis had a game high eight tackles and a sack for San Fran. The Saints enter Week 3 undefeated, while the 49ers dropped to 0-2. Also on Monday night, the 49ers retired Jerry Rice’s No. 80 at halftime.

News & Notes

Denver Broncos wide receiver Kenny McKinley was found dead at his home on Monday. Investigators believe he took his own life. Reports say that McKinley was depressed after suffering a season ending knee injury. Our thoughts and prayers go out to McKinley’s family and the Broncos organization.

Jets’ receiver Braylon Edwards was charged with a DWI earlier this week. His blood-alcohol level was twice the legal limit when he was stopped. Left tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson and defensive end Vernon Gholston were also with Edwards. If found guilty, the drunk driving charge would violate the probation Edwards is currently facing after getting in a fight in Cleveland last year, and he could face jail time. Due to the collective bargaining agreement, New York cannot deactivate Edwards for this Sunday’s game in Miami without facing violations. Coach Rex Ryan has said Edwards will play, but not start. Expect a heavy punishment from NFL Commissioner Rodger Goodell soon.

Kevin Kolb was named the starter for Week 3 on Monday by Philadelphia Head Coach Andy Reid. A few days later, he changed his mind. Michael Vick has been named the Eagles’ starting quarterback. Vick has resurrected his career in the past two weeks while Kolb recovered from a concussion. He threw for 459 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for another 140 yards. Reports say teams have contacted the Eagles about acquiring Kolb.

The Oakland Raiders are letting Jason Campbell watch the game from the bench this week. Backup Bruce Gradkowski will start Sunday against Arizona. Last season, Gradkowski started 4 games in place of JaMarcus Russell, and threw for over 1,000 yards, six touchdown, and finished with a 80.6 passer rating before suffering a season ending injury.

The Ravens and their top draft pick Sergio Kindle have agreed to a one-year deal. Kindle, a second round pick, fractured his skull after falling down two flights of stairs only days before training camp began. Kindle won’t play this year, and will be placed on injured reserve.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Tanard Jackson was suspended until the 2011 season after violating the substance-abuse policy. The four year pro from Syracuse was also suspended the first four games last season for violating the same policy. Jackson was a key piece of the improved Buccaneer defense that has helped the team to a surprising 2-0 start. In 12 starts in 2009, he recorded five interceptions and returned two for touchdowns. Rookie Cody Grimm, son of Hall of Famer Russ Grimm, will replace Jackson.

Injury Report

Arizona Cardinals running back Beanie Wells will play this weekend after missing the first two weeks with a bruised knee. Wells has participated in practice all week and reportedly feels much better than in previous weeks. Wells led the Cardinals in rushing yards last season as a rookie.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Jake Delhomme will miss his second consecutive game due to a high ankle sprain suffered in Week 1. Delhomme has yet to be cleared to practice, and is still wearing a walking boot. Seneca Wallace will make another start this week.

Percy Harvin returned to practice Thursday after suffering from another migraine headache earlier in the week. Harvin said it had been nearly six weeks since his last migraine, which plagued him throughout the preseason. Harvin is also recovering from a strained hip. To help out a depleted receiving group, the Minnesota Vikings signed former Eagle Hank Baskett.

Courtesy of nfl.com

Saints’ star Reggie Bush will miss at least six weeks with a broken leg. Bush suffered the injury in the Monday night win over San Francisco. Ladell Betts was signed this week to strengthen the New Orleans’ backfield in Bush’s absence.

San Diego Chargers’ running back Ryan Mathews will most likely sit out this Sunday. Mathews sprained his right ankle last week against Jacksonville, and has missed significant practice time this week. Mike Tolbert is expected to start. Last week, Tolbert ran for 82 yards and two touchdowns in relief of Mathews.

The Steelers will start quarterback Charlie Batch this weekend due to injuries to their other two quarterbacks. Bryon Leftwich is recovering from a knee injury he suffered during the final preseason game, and may be ready to return within the next week. Dennis Dixon underwent knee surgery on Wednesday. Dixon has a torn meniscus and could miss the rest of the season.

Game of the Week: Green Bay at Chicago

 The Week 3 Game of the Week is a battle between two undefeated teams on Monday Night Football. NFC North rivals Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears will fight to for the number one spot in the division. The Packers, led by Aaron Rodgers, have been dominating just as expected. However, the Bears are one of the surprise teams three weeks into the season.

Courtesy of nfl.com

Green Bay was a preseason favorite to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. Last week, they dominated the Buffalo Bills in a 34-7 win. Strong defense has been a big reason for the team’s success in the past few years. So far in 2010, the Packers defense ranks third in the league in yards allowed per game (253.0) and first in sacks (10). Outside linebacker Clay Matthews leads the league with six sacks. The offense was dealt a significant blow when starting running back Ryan Grant was placed on injured reserve with an injured right ankle. Grant, who had surgery on Tuesday, had rushed for at least 1,200 yards in each of the past two seasons. Brandon Jackson has stepped in for Grant, while John Kuhn has also earned some time in the backfield.

Chicago’s 2-0 start has shocked many. After finishing last season 7-9, the Bears are off to their best start since 2006 when they went to the Super Bowl. Offensive coordinator Mike Martz has worked wonders with an offense that was little more than horrible in 2009. Quarterback Jay Cutler, who led the NFL in interceptions last season, has completed 68.8% of his passes for 649 yards and five touchdowns in the first two weeks of 2010. His 121.2 passer rating is currently the best in the league. Pro Bowl linebacker Brian Urlacher, who suffered a season ending wrist injury in Week 1 in 2009, appears to be back to full strength. His defense has allowed a mere 28 yards per game on the ground. Defensive end Julius Peppers, Chicago’s big offseason acquisition, recorded his first sack as a Bear in Week 1 against Detroit.

Key Matchup: Aaron Rodgers vs. Jay Cutler

This game is all about the two starting quarterbacks. Neither team has done a great job on the ground, so this game will most likely be decided through the air. Aaron Rodgers has proved he was the right man to replace Brett Favre in Green Bay. In the past two seasons, he has thrown for over 8,400 yards and 58 touchdowns. He is off to another good start in 2010 with 443 yards and four touchdowns. He also has a rushing touchdown. While Chicago is 27th in passing yards allowed, they have only allowed one touchdown compared to three picks.

Jay Cutler struggled mightily in 2009. He led the NFL with 26 interceptions after two good years in Denver. In his second year in Chicago, he looks like a whole new man. His completion percentage is up eight percent, and he has only one interception so far. His 649 yards ranks third in the league. Cutler has spread the ball around well, too. All seven players who have been targeted have at least five catches. Cutler has a tough challenge ahead of him this week. The Green Bay defense has allowed on 116.5 passing yards per game. Opposing quarterbacks average a 67.9 passer rating.

Prediction

As anticipated, Green Bay has started off the 2010 season on the right foot. The Bears have done a great job exceeding expectations so far. However, their luck runs out this Monday night. The Packers have done a great job getting after the oppositions quarterback. Chicago has questions at left tackle with Chris Williams nursing a hamstring injury. If Clay Mathews can get to Cutler, it will be a long day for the Bears. Aaron Rodgers should have another good game as usual. I don’t expect a high scoring affair as both teams have been playing good defense this year, but Green Bay will leave Chicago 3-0.

Best of the Rest (Home team in italics)

New York Giants over Tennessee

Cincinnati over Carolina

Tampa Bay over Pittsburgh

New England over Buffalo

Baltimore over Cleveland

San Francisco over Kansas City

Houston over Dallas

Minnesota over Detroit

New Orleans over Atlanta

Washington over St. Louis

Philadelphia over Jacksonville

Indianapolis over  Denver

Arizona over Oakland

San Diego over Seattle

New York Jets over Miami

Last week’s results: 10-6

Have any NFL Splinters? Share them here.

Courtesy of philadelphiaeagles.com

By TLarner

The season keeps on rolling as Week 2 is almost in the books. We saw many stars shine, and many more fade on Sunday. Tonight’s game is sure to keep us on the edge of our couches and recliners.

Quarterback Controversy in Philly

Kevin Kolb was out this weekend while recovering from last week’s concussion. Michael Vick looked great in relief of Kolb last week, and started his first game since 2006 yesterday. And it looked like he hadn’t missed a step. Detroit also had to use their reserves as backup QB Shaun Hill got the start for the injured Matthew Stafford. Vick began an offensive showdown with the Lions by connecting with receiver DeSean Jackson for a 45-yard score. Lions’ rookie running back Jahvid Best answered with a rushing touchdown in the first quarter. Best got the best of the Eagles’ defense by then taking a 75-yard screen pass to the house, making the score 17-7 Detroit. Then, the Eagles took charge with four unanswered touchdowns. Vick showed his elusiveness throughout the game that made him a threat in Atlanta. He was able to shake multiple pass rushes, and found Jeremy Maclin for a score before the half. Eagles’ running back LeSean McCoy had three rushing touchdowns, including a 46-yarder in the fourth quarter. Detroit made it interesting in the end, as Best, who is one letter away from being a “Beast”, found the end zone again. Hill later hit Calvin Johnson for a touchdown, narrowing the deficit to three as the Lions trailed 35-32. Detroit then recovered an onside kick with less than two minutes remaining. Fortunately for Head Coach Andy Reid, the Philadelphia defense shutdown Hill on fourth down to end the threat. Vick finished with 284 yards and the two touchdown passes. Now all the buzz around Philadelphia is who should Coach Reid start next week, Kolb, the future of the franchise, or Vick, who has been on fire in the past two games?

How ’bout Them Cowboys?

The Dallas Cowboys fell to an 0-2 start after their loss to Chicago on Sunday. Quarterback Tony Romo had another disappointing game as the Bears won 27-20. Romo finished with 2 interceptions, while Jay Cutler is looking hot in his second game, going 21-29 with three touchdowns. Also note that neither team was able to effectively run the ball. Chicago’s defense made an early statement when corner Charles Tillman jarred the ball loose from receiver Miles Austin, and D.J. Moore was able to pluck the ball out of the air before it hit the ground. However, Dallas answered with a 62 yard punt return by rookie first round pick Dez Bryant to take a 7-3 lead. After Cutler threw a touchdown to Greg Olsen, Dallas took 14-10 lead when another rookie, Chris Gronkowski, caught a one-yard TD pass from Romo. Devin Hester made a beautiful one-handed grab in the corner of the end zone, and the Bears went up 20-14. Cutler, who ran Mike Martz’s offense to perfection, then found Matt Forte for another touchdown. With a 27-17 lead, the Chicago defense strips Dallas receiver Roy Williams to end a must score drive.

Jets’ Offense Ready for Takeoff

The New York Jets recovered from a one point loss to Baltimore by easily handling their division rival New England. While Mark Sanchez looked rather awful last week, he shined against the Patriots. Sanchez threw for 220 yards and three touchdowns. Braylon Edwards, Dustin Keller, and Jerricho Cotchery each caught a touchdown. Ladainian Tomlinson lead the ground game with 76 yards and Shonn Green added 52 yards. Tom Brady looked good early, hitting Randy Moss and Wes Welker for touchdowns in the first half. Following Moss’s one-handed touchdown catch, Jets’ corner Darrelle Revis left the game with a hamstring injury, and is expected to miss a week or two. In the second half, Brady was picked off by Antonio Cromartie and Brodney Pool. In the fourth quarter, Jason Taylor sacked Brady, forcing a fumble, which was scooped up by linebacker David Harris, sealing the Patriots’ fate. While Sanchez was sharp in Week 2, the New England defense is considerably weaker than that of the Ravens. I’m looking forward to see if he can continue this level of play against a stronger opponent.

Game of the Week Results

Courtesy of colts.com

My Week 2 Game of the Week ended just the way I had expected. There was no looking back for Indianapolis as they defeated the New York Giants 38-14. Did anyone really expect the Colts to fall to 0-2 to start the 2010 season? Not with Peyton Manning calling the shots. Even as adults, little brother Eli is still getting beaten up by his older brother.

In my Key Match-up, I stated the team who ran the ball better would win the game. In their Week 1 meeting with Houston, not only did the Texans gash the Colts’ defense on the ground, Indy couldn’t run the ball. Last night, Joseph Addai and Donald Brown sparked the ground game with a combined 161 yards and a touchdown on 36 carries. Compare those numbers to the loss against Houston, when Addai had only 44 yards on 10 carries. Peyton was his typical self, completing 20 of his 26 passes for 255 yards and three touchdowns. He spread the ball around as Austin Collie, Dallas Clark, and Reggie Wayne all caught a touchdown pass.

Eli was smothered by the pass rush of Indianapolis. Star defensive ends Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis each had two sacks. Each also forced Eli to fumble the ball on a sack. Defensive tackle Fili Moala recovered Freeney’s forced fumble in the end zone for a touchdown. Eli was able to find Mario Manningham in the third quarter and Hakeem Nicks with less than 10 seconds left in the game for touchdowns. Ahmad Bradshaw ran for 89 yards, but Brandon Jacobs only had eight yards on four carries. In his frustration, he threw his helmet, which ended up about 10 rows in the stands. Peyton is now 2-0 against Eli and both teams end Week 2 at 1-1.

Remaining Scores from Sunday

• Buffalo-7
• Green Bay-34

• Miami-14
• Minnesota-10

• Kansas City-16
• Cleveland-14

• Arizona-7
• Atlanta-41

• Tampa Bay-20
• Carolina-7

• Baltimore-10
• Cincinnati-15

• Pittsburgh-19
• Tennessee-11

• Seattle-14
• Denver-31

• St. Louis-14
• Oakland-16

• Houston-30
• Washington-27

• Jacksonville-13
• San Diego-38

Courtesy of neworleanssaints.com

Monday Night Football

Tonight, the New Orleans Saints travel west to face the San Francisco 49ers. The Saints were able to sneak past the Vikings last week in the first game of the 2010 season. The 49ers were preseason favorites to win the NFC West, but were manhandled by the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1. San Fran Coach Mike Singletary has been vocal about his belief that his 49ers can take down the Super Bowl Champions.

Drew Brees and his offense was quiet against Minnesota. If the 49ers’ defense plays like they did last week, expect Brees, Reggie Bush, and Marques Colstonto light up the scoreboard. However, linebacker Patrick Willis of San Francisco is arguably the best defender in the NFL, and he won’t give up without a fight. Running back Frank Gore is looking to get the ground game running on all cylinders.

I expect a rather easy victory for the Saints. Offensively, they have too many weapons for the 49ers’ defense to cover. Bush, Colston, Devery Henderson, Robert Meachem, and Jeremy Shockey are all big time threats for Brees to connect with. Pierre Thomas was effective on the ground last week, too. The Saints’ defense, which specializes as causing turnovers, will give opposing quarterback Alex Smith headaches. “Who Dat?”

Have NFL Splinters? Share them here.

By TLarner

Are you ready for some football? After a thrilling Saturday of college ball, the 2010 NFL regular season begins September 12th with a full slate of hard-hitting action.

Ragin’ Cajun

We all got a taste of the grid iron on Thursday with the Saints topping Brett’s Vikings at the Superdome 14-9. Favre went 15-27 for 171 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. I said the Vikings would need a big game from Adrian Peterson if they wanted to win, and while Peterson had a game high 87 yards rushing, he was held out of the end zone. Without his top wide out Sidney Rice, tight end Visanthe Shiancoe stepped up as Favre’s number one target with four grabs for 76 yards and a touchdown. Favre’s pick came on a poor throw while being tackled by Saints’ safety Roman Harper. New Orleans’ defense looks to have improved from last season, as they held Minnesota to only 253 total yards. Jonathan Vilma came away with the interception, and Sedrick Ellis recorded his first sack of the year. Drew Brees threw for 237 yards and a score to Devery Henderson in the first quarter to take an early lead. Pierre Thomas finished with 71 yards and a rushing touchdown after seeing very few carries in the first half. Marques Colston had five catches for 62 yards, and Reggie Bush added 47 total yards. Kicker Garrett Hartley missed two field goals that could have padded the Saints’ lead.

Notes from around the league

Cincinnati defensive end Antwan Odom will play Sunday against the Patriots. Odom tested positive for a banned substance, but says the substance is in a prescription medication. No suspension is expected to be handed down.

After getting in an accident early Thursday morning, Tom Brady will have plenty of extra cash for a fleet of new cars. The New England quarterback just signed a four-year, $72 million extension, making him the highest paid player in the NFL. He was also elected a team captain.

49ers tight end Vernon Davis also signed a contract extension. The Pro Bowler agreed to a five-year deal worth $37 million.

Seattle Seahawk’s sixth overall pick Russell Okung will miss at least the first week with a high ankle sprain he suffered during the preseason.

Offensive lineman Kevin Mawae announced his retirement Friday. The 16-year veteran was unable to find a team to play for after his contract with the Titans ended this offseason. Mawae helped pave the way for Chris Johnson to rush for 2,006 yards in 2009. He also blocked for former Jets star running back Curtis Marin while in New York. Mawae was elected to eight Pro Bowls. He is also the President of the NFL Players Association. He turns 40 in January.

Game of the Week: Dallas at Washington

My Game of the Week for the start of the regular season is the Dallas Cowboys at the Washington Redskins. First off, it’s a game between NFC East division rivals. Washington Head Coach Mike Shanahan makes his return to the NFL. Redskin’s quarterback Donovan McNabb makes his first start since being traded to Washington from division opponent Philadelphia. Dallas wants to make an early statement, proving they are the favorites to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. Receiver Miles Austin, who has just given a six-year, $54 million contract extension, looks to build off his breakout season in 2009.

Key Matchup: Andre Carter & Brian Orakpo vs. Alex Barron & Doug Free

Dallas has suffered from some injuries along their offensive line. Left guard Kyle Kosier and right tackle Marc Colombo will both be out on Sunday. Alex Barron will replace Colombo, and Montrae Holland will fill in for Kosier. Barron was signed from St. Louis, and was expected to compete with Free for the starting left tackle job, but quickly proved to be a disappointment at training camp. I’m interested in seeing how Barron and Free can handle the pass rush of Washington’s two outside linebackers, Carter and Orakpo. As the Redskins switch to a 3-4, I expect this duo will cause more havoc for opposing QB’s. Each had 11 sacks last season, Carter as an end and Orakpo at linebacker. Tony Romo may find himself using his feet to escape the pressure, which he has proven he can do.

Best of the Rest

Looking at the rest of this weekend’s games, here is a list of my predictions (team in italics is home):

• Tampa Bay over Cleveland
• Miami over Buffalo
• Cincinnati over New England
• Colts over Houston
• Jacksonville over Denver
• Atlanta over the Steelers
• Titans over Oakland
• NY Giants over Carolina
• Chicago over Detroit
• Arizona over St. Louis
• Philadelphia over Green Bay
• 49ers over Seattle

Monday’s games:

• NY Jets over Baltimore
• San Diego over the Chiefs

Got any NFL Splinters? Share them here.

Courtesy of neworleanssaints.com

By TLarner

Here’s a look at the home of the Super Bowl Champion Saints, the NFC South.

“Play Like A Champion Today”

Atlanta Falcons

Strength- The Falcons have an offense with plenty of playmakers. Former Boston College star Matt Ryan enters his third year as Atlanta’s starting quarterback. After being named the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2008, Ryan avoided the “sophomore slump” by throwing for nearly 3,000 yards and 22 touchdowns in only 14 starts. Ryan’s longest pass came in Week 5 against San Francisco when Roddy White broke a tackle on a short curl route, and went 90 yards for a score. White has established himself as one of the best receivers in the NFL. Since 2007, he has caught 256 balls for 3,737 yards and 24 touchdowns. Running back Michael “The Burner” Turner looks to rebound after an injury-plagued 2009. Turner was held to 11 games, and ran for 871 yards and 10 touchdowns. The final piece to an all-star puzzle is tight end Tony Gonzalez. The future Hall of Famer is playing in his 14th season (2nd with Atlanta). While with Kansas City, Gonzalez had over 10,000 receiving yards and 76 TD’s. In search of a Super Bowl ring, he was traded to the Falcons in 2009.

Weakness- Atlanta’s passing defense was terrible in 2009. Ranked 28th overall, they gave up 241.9 yards per game. Opposing quarterbacks had an average 89.5 passer rating. The Falcons were also tied for 26th with only 28 sacks. Corner Brent Grimes led the team with six interceptions. He started eight games at corner, and was fifth on the team with 66 tackles. Chris Owens came on late into his rookie year, and started the final six games. Chevis Jackson is another young corner who looks to improve in 2010. Jackson played in the nickel role his rookie year, taking a pick back 95 yards for a score in 2008. However, he failed to produce in ’09. Brian Williams was signed as a free agent from Jacksonville last season, but tore an ACL in Week 6. His veteran leadership is valuable to this young group of athletes. Atlanta’s free agent splash this year was corner Dunta Robinson, formerly of the Texans. Robinson recorded 393 tackles and 13 interceptions in his six seasons in Houston. Add to the mix rookie Dominique Franks, and Atlanta hopes the defense can solidify and lead them back to the playoffs.

Biggest Question- Who will be Atlanta’s kicker in the 2010 season? I see no questions with any offensive or defensive playmakers, and the Falcons have had trouble in recent memory with the kicking game. Jason Elam struggled mightily in 2009. He had a 62% success rate, and missed many short range kicks and field goals that would have changed the course of a few games. In the middle of the season, Atlanta held a kicking tryout after releasing Elam. Currently, the traveled veteran Matt Bryant is the only kicker on the roster, but the team has its concerns. Bryant went 7 of 10 last season after Elam left. This preseason, Bryant has missed kicks of 47 and 50 yards, and an extra point. Extra points should be automatic for NFL kickers. The Falcons cut Steve Hauschka in August, but may be looking for someone after teams make cuts for the final 53 man roster. We’ve seen too many teams rise and fall on the foot of a field goal kicker (2002, ’03, and ’04 Super Bowls were all won by New England by three points).

Carolina Panthers

Strength- Last season, there was no greater duo of running backs than that of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. The Panthers were third in the league with 2,498 total rushing yards. Williams was taken in the first round of the 2006 draft, and Stewart in the first round of the 2008 draft. Both have lived up to their hype. Williams ran for 1,117 yards and seven touchdowns with a 5.1 yard per carry average in 2009. Stewart followed up with 1,133 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also averaged 5.1 yards per carry. In 2008, the pair combined for 2,351 yards and 28 touchdowns. Don’t expect any less from the Panthers this season. Star linemen Jordan Gross, Ryan Kalil, and Jeff Otah will lead the way.  Carolina is going need a heavy dose of the ground game to protect Matt Moore, who takes over as the starting QB. Moore started seven games last season and has shown many signs of brilliance. Yes, Jimmy Clausen was drafted out of Notre Dame this year, but do not anticipate seeing him on the field this year. He’ll be on the bench, learning the offense, and watching Williams and Stewart tear up defenses.

Weakness- This offseason, the Panthers lost Pro Bowl defensive end Julius Peppers. He was publicly frustrated with the Panthers organization, and signed with Chicago this year. Without Peppers, Carolina does not have much of a pass rush. Everette Brown was taken in the second round of the draft last season. As a rookie, he made 22 tackles with two and a half sacks. Charles Johnson enters his fourth year with the team. Last season, he recorded 25 tackles and four sacks. Tyler Brayton is the veteran end in Carolina. Brayton spent five years in Oakland before joining the Panthers in 2008. He recorded five sacks, starting 15 games opposite Peppers. While these defenders have potential, they will miss having Peppers at the other end. Now, opposing offenses will not have to use a double team to stop one guy, and can focus on both ends equally. The Panthers are also very young at the tackle position. Starters from last year Damione Lewis and Hollis Thomas are no longer with the team.

Biggest Question- Is Matt Moore the right man for the quarterback position? Moore has made eight starts in his three years. In rookie season, he started the final three games, and won two. Last season, Moore started the final five games, and was very impressive. He went 4-1, beating Tampa Bay, Minnesota, the Giants, and New Orleans. He threw for 990 yards and eight touchdowns, and only one pick. He takes over his first season as the full time starter in 2010. If he can play as well as he did last season, Carolina may be a formidable opponent, and could improve from being a .500 team to making a wildcard bid. As previously mentioned, this team has a run-first offense, as do many teams with young quarterbacks. However, there are some people who want to see rookie Jimmy Clausen on the field. Clausen figures to be the most NFL ready QB in this year’s draft. In Notre Dame, Charlie Weis ran a pro-style offense, very similar to the Panthers. I believe he is better off with the headset on the sideline for at least the first year. Many quarterbacks with high expectations have been thrusted into a starting role too early, and have failed miserably. It will be interesting to see who is taking the snaps for Carolina at the end of the season.

New Orleans Saints

Strength- What would the NFL look like if the Miami Dolphins signed Drew Brees instead of Dante Culpepper in 2006? The Saints would not have won the Super Bowl, I can guarantee that. Brees has exceeded many expectations in his career, and last season was no different. Many said he was too short. San Diego let him go because of the multiple shoulder surgeries he had. They felt his arm wouldn’t be strong enough. In the past two seasons alone, Brees has thrown for over 9,500 yards and 68 touchdowns. In the 2009 regular season, he had 34 touchdown passes, a 70.6% completion rate, and a 109.6 passer rating, all first in the league. Don’t forget the Super Bowl ring. Against Indianapolis, he went 32 of 39 (82%) for 288 yards and 2 scores. He is arguably the second most valuable quarterback to his team (I would argue Peyton Manning is #1). He has turned Marques Colston, who was three picks away from being Mr. Irrelevant, into a top level receiver. Brees is also considered one of the best fantasy players for this year. If you need a QB, take this guy.

Weakness- The Saints’ offense was strong enough to overcome their poor defense last season. Surprisingly, the Super Bowl winning defense gave up 357.8 yards per game, ranked 25th overall. On the ground, they gave up 122.2 yards per game, 21st in the league. They were tied for fourth worst with the Buffalo Bills with 19 rushing touchdowns surrendered. This could be a problem in a division full of good running backs. In Week 8 against Atlanta, Michael Turner ran for 151 yards and a touchdown. DeAngelo Williams rushed for 149 yards and two scores in Week 9 against the Panthers. The Buccaneers’ Cadillac Williams had 129 yards and a touchdown in a Week 16 victory over the Saints. In the final game, Carolina’s other star running back, Jonathan Stewart, rushed for 125 yards and a touchdown. While the New Orleans defense gave up a lot of yards through the air, they were third in the league with 26 interceptions. Safety Darren Sharper led the way with nine of those picks. Sharper has recently been placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list, meaning he’ll have to miss the first six games this year. If the Saints are going to repeat as winners of the Lombardi Trophy, their defense will need to improve.

Biggest Question- How many weeks can the Saints go undefeated this year? New Orleans is a huge favorite to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl this season. Last season, the Saints went 13-3, with those 13 wins coming in a bid for an undefeated regular season as they began 13-0. With Drew Brees leading the high powered offense, many penciled in the Saints next to New England, who went 16-0 in 2007. As many teams do, the Saints rested their starters at the end, giving up a shot at history. This did almost hurt them, as the Vikings were one Favre interception away from going to the Super Bowl. In 2010, I expect the offense to continue to play efficiently, and Greg Williams will tighten up that defense. The big question in Louisiana is whether or not the Saints can be the first team to repeat as World Champions since New England did in 2003 and ’04.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Strength- Let’s face it, Tampa Bay was downright terrible last season. They are in the infamous rebuilding stage. While these players are not immediate Pro Bowlers, they are the future of the franchise. Second year quarterback Josh Freeman hopes his struggles are behind him. Freeman started the second half of last season as a rookie. He threw for 1,855 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 18 interceptions. Of course, there always is a significant learning curve as a rookie QB, and Freeman should be more comfortable in the pocket. Kellen Winslow will be a big target for the young Freeman. The tight end had over 1,100 yards receiving and five touchdowns grabs in 2007 with the Cleveland Browns. After battling back from staph infection, he managed to gain 884 yards and five TD’s in his first season with Tampa Bay in 2009. A big play tight end is always a novice quarterback’s best friend.  On defense, middle linebacker Barrett Ruud led the team in tackles for the third straight season. Rookie tackle Gerald McCoy has drawn many comparisons to Warren Sapp. He’ll be an anchor in the front seven for years to come. Safety Tanard Jackson should continue to improve. He returned two of his five picks for touchdowns in 2009.

Weakness- The biggest obstacle in Tampa Bay is overcoming inexperience. As a rebuilding franchise, they will endure many hardships while these young players develop. Freeman threw 18 picks last season. That’s a number that must come down. He doesn’t have a strong group of receivers to throw too. Rookie Mike Williams has earned a job as a starting receiver, along with Maurice Stovall. Stovall only had 24 catches for 366 yards last season. Another rookie receiver, Arrelious Benn, will start the season as a backup. Defensively, the Bucs finished 2009 ranked 27th overall in total defense. They allowed 365.6 yards per game. Their run defense finished dead last. Two more rookies, tackles McCoy and Brian Price, are making people nervous about the defense in the future. Their ability to stop the run is very important in the NFC South. Tampa Bay has many more playmakers who have only a couple years experience or less in the NFL.

Biggest Question- Can Cadillac Williams return to his old self? Williams was the 2005 Offensive Rookie of the Year. He started his career hot, becoming the first running back in the NFL to run for over 100 yards in his first three career games. He finished that year with 1,178 yards and six touchdowns. Since then, the Cadillac has had some engine problems. He played in only 10 games between 2007-’08, making five starts as he suffered injuries to both knees. He may be back, healthy and ready to rumble. In 2009, he started 15 games and ran for 823 yards and four touchdowns. He also recorded career highs with 217 receiving yards and three touchdown catches. If he can break the 1,000 yard barrier this season, he may finally prove he’s rejuvenated his career. If he has another lackluster year, the Cadillac may be headed off up the highway.

Division Prediction- Tampa Bay should improve some from the three wins they had in 2009, but honestly, six wins may be a good year for them. They will probably beat New Orleans once, in Week 17 when Brees is on the bench, resting for the playoffs. Carolina will be another middle of the road team. Their ground game is great, but they lack any weapons for Matt Moore (or Jimmy Clausen) to throw too, and defensively they may have some struggles. Atlanta will be in the run for a wildcard spot. Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, and Roddy White make a dangerous trio on offense. And seeing that White is my top fantasy receiver, let’s hope he and Ryan break some records. The Saints are going to be on top of the South again. How far will they make it? We’ll have to wait and see.

By Paul Gotham

Two weeks of hype behind us. The pre-game activities concluded just in time: “America The Beautiful” performed as was “The Star Spangled Banner.” The fly-over occurred. Walter Payton award given. Coin toss convention took place. Then, before anyone forgot why we congregated, the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts took the field.

Now for a look at the Super Bowl through the lens of rock ‘n’ roll.

Running to stand still

Indianapolis leading 10-0 at the end of the first created some surprise. That the Colts  held the Saints scoreless seemed somewhat out of the ordinary.

The fact that Indy’s longest play from scrimmage was a run. Now that was a surprise. The Colts finished the regular season ranked dead last in rushing yards per game with at 80.9. In comparison, the Jets led the NFL with 172.2 yards per game.

Nonetheless, Joseph Addai busted through line for 26 yards. Three plays later Peyton Manning connected with Pierre Garcon for a 19-yard strike and the double-digit lead.

Fans thought of Super Bowls past (think San Fran 55 Denver 10 or Washington 42 Denver 10 or Giants 39 Denver 20 – Wow! I’m not really trying to pick on the Broncos or anything. It’s just that those are the games that come to mind. What the heck, I’ll throw in Chicago 46 New England 10. You get the picture). Few realized at the time that Indy was getting what New Orleans was giving, and the Saints would only give the Colts seven points in the remaining 45 minutes.

By the end of the quarter, Indy passed the ball 13 times and rushed it on six occasions. Three of the rushing plays resulted in 10 yards or more (16,11,26).  Three passes gained 10 or more yards (18,14,11). The Saints were dictating how the Colts would get their yards.

As an omen of things to come, Indy’s first drive stalled at the New Orleans 20.

On a side note – either the Saints made a trade no one knew about, or Marques Colston let his inner Braylen Edwards out. That was quite a case of the dropsies.

By the end of the quarter, the Colts were ahead but by unfamiliar means, and the Saints were only beginning to take away their opponent’s options.

“Sweet the sin. Bitter the taste in my mouth. I see seven towers, but I only see one way out.”

Clampdown

In the playoffs, Indy has owned the last two minutes of the first half. Against the Baltimore Ravens, Manning and the Colts got the ball with 1:26 remaining in the half. They promptly drove 64 yards for a touchdown. The divisional playoff game went from close to out of reach quicker than a Brett Favre retirement.

Oh yeah, and Baltimore’s defense was ranked…let me see…third this year.

Mark Sanchez and the Jets appeared to “pulling out of here to win.” They had a 17-6 lead when Manning went under center with 2:11 to go before the break. Fifty eight seconds and four plays later and Rex Ryan was sweating like a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.

Almost forgot…and the Jets had the number one defense this year.

So on third and one with :51 seconds remaining, what does Sean Payton do? Considering the last couple of games, no one would have blamed Payton had he left well enough alone.

Instead he called a timeout. I know the ball was at the Indy ten, and they had 90 yards to go, but calling a timeout? There is a chair in Vegas waiting for Payton.

Indy chose to run. Was anyone else a tad confused at this point? Maybe, the Colts were starting to show signs of confusion.

New Orleans took over, drove 26 yards, and Garrett Hartley split the uprights.

10-6. Not exactly the offensive display many expected.

Oh yeah, Pierre Garcon did his best to keep the spirit of Braylen Edwards alive in the second quarter. Here’s a thought – the only way Chad John…errr…Ochocinco is going to the Super Bowl is as a news network.  And the only way Braylen Edwards will get mentioned is if someone else drops a pass.

“Let the fury have the hour, anger can be power. D’you know that you can use it.”

Roll of the dice

After the way New Orleans closed out the half, should anyone really have been surprised they opened the second with The Onside Kick. Did Sean Payton change the face of football forever? Will we be seeing more onside kicks in the future?

Giving Peyton Manning a short field calls one’s sanity into question. Just ask Bill BeliCHICK. Giving Peyton Manning a short field to start the second half? Wait, giving Peyton Manning a short field, to start the second half when trailing by four points?

On second thought, casino owners might want to pay Payton to stay away from their joints…at least until he loses his mojo.

Wonder if BeliCHICK has already called Payton. Speaking of BeliCHICK, with yesterday’s win that makes…let me see…three Bill Parcells assistants who have gone on to win the Super Bowl.

After the onside kick and subsequent touchdown, it did not matter that Indy took the lead back. The Saints cracked the armor.

Won’t get fooled again

Peyton Manning led seven, count them – 1…2…3…4…5…6…7, fourth quarter comebacks this year. But none of those come-from-behind wins came against the Saint defense that slowly tightened the vise.  That vise came into effect whenever the Colts needed to operate in Saint territory.

The Colts ran 17 offensive plays in the fourth quarter. The Saints ran 12. Manning connected for one touchdown  in the quarter…to Tracy Porter. New Orleans outscored Indy 15-0.

“I’ll tip my hat to the new constitution. Take a bow for a new revolution.”

Midnight Special

It was well before the hour of twelve, but the Saint special teams kept them in the game early.

Courtney Roby made two important plays on the punt coverage – one a tackle for no gain and then downing the ball inside the Colt five.

Hartley kicked three field goals outside the 40 – a first in Super Bowl history. Don’t overlook that Hartley accomplished that outside on grass. He spent his season kicking on turf.

I’m Gumby Dammit!

There is no other way to describe the way Lance Moore contorted his body to get that two-point conversion.

Pinball Wizard

Did anyone keep track of how many yards Pierre Thomas gained AFTER contact. He did a great job of  “feeling all them bumpers and always playing it clean.”

Hall of fame

In three playoff games, Drew Brees threw eight touchdowns and ZERO interceptions. He outdid Kurt Warner, Brett Favre, and Peyton Manning. Those three each have an eventual date in Canton.

Wild Billy’s Circus Story

Thoughts on everything else surrounding the game events.

Is it just me or does Tim Tebow’s mom look like Adrienne Barbeau?

Is Bud Light trying to contribute to the ‘vanillazation’ of our society. I realize I am alienating some friends who drink that amber colored water. But really? How do you describe the taste of a Bud Light? I know there are not many out there that enjoy Genesee Beer and/ or Cream Ale. I know. It’s an acquired taste. I realize that. BUT AT LEAST GENNY HAS TASTE!

Stevie Wonder getting in the punch, and Tracy Morgan’s subsequent response was my commercial highlight of the night.

I will trade all the Victoria’s Secret commercials ever, so I do not have to see another underwear commercial. It is as if some female rights groups got together and decided they are going to turn the tables on males everywhere. Fine. I’ll make the trade. Just don’t make me watch another one of those ads.

Props to either Brett Favre or his agent. The self-effacing humor works.

Got any NFL/ Super Bowl splinters? Share them here.

Another Rant from the Couch

by Bill Ribas

With the big game finally behind us, what can we say? You could talk about the game, how Indy gave it up, how those pesky Saints persevered and won, but what about the rest of the dog and pony show? Let’s start with the pre game hype and go from there.

The game is more than a game, at least in media terms, and it’s become this big, bloated, assault on the senses that must be endured. For example, you can’t just get a six pack and relax and flip it on right? In the old days you could (and we did), but now you have to orchestrate your snacks, decide who to invite or where to go, purchase an all inclusive package at a local watering hole, or shelter yourself away from all the madness and wait until Monday.

In the week or so prior to the game, there were two commercials that were drawing a lot of buzz. One was for the gay dating site ManCrunch.com, where the hands of two men meet, and then they go into a liplock. Not my cup of tea, but not offensive to me either, but CBS apparently had other ideas. On the flip side of that was Tim Tebow’s commercial, and the buzz was all about the pro-life angle it was going to take. When the commercial did air, it was substantially less than the buzz about it. The one thing everyone seemed to miss was that although the hype was pro-life, and the underlying current being abortion is a no-no, there was a very slim chance that Tebow would have ever been aborted. He was born the Philippines, a predominantly Catholic country, and abortion there is illegal. So it’s a pretty disingenuous ad – stating that something could have happened which was outlawed, well, you can figure it out.

I must state at this point that I’ve been dealing with a nagging cold that won’t go away for the past week or so, and I think that helped me immensely when it came to watching the game and everything around it. For starters, I don’t quite understand why “God Bless America” and the “Star Spangled Banner” both have to be sung; yet it’s not something I am losing sleep over (it does drive me nuts during baseball games though). And when Queen Latifah decided to jazz up the ending, well, I say you go girl, let it rip. However, though Carrie Underwood was dressed all in white to sing the National Anthem, she faltered on one note in the middle, and fell flat on the last note, just before the jets blew overhead. Maybe you didn’t notice it, but I listened several times, and she did. Ouch. I suppose it was a portent of things to come.

And then they introduced the future Hall of Fame Inductees. Woo Hoo! But it would have been nice to list who they played for or what they did, instead of simply putting “2010 Football Hall of Fame Inductee” under each person’s face as they panned. I mean, no disrespect, I know who Emmitt Smith is, and he played for Dallas, but my knowledge of the game doesn’t go that deep, and a few of the guys, well, I felt bad for them. Here’s the big show, and they get a generic tag line. Smith was fortunate enough to launch the coin for the toss, and he hooked it so hard to the right I felt like he took lessons from me at the driving range.

But the biggest ballyhoo surrounding the game is the commercials, and usually there are some gems, but this year was an exception. They all stunk, period. Oh sure, I got a chuckle here and there, but the majority were so misguided and failed to deliver a message. You can check this site for the bulk of them, but I wouldn’t bother. Like Google’s ad promoting itself as a search engine. Uhm, yeah, we all kind of know what it is and what it does. Or those Go Daddy commercials, which have nothing to do with their business (web hosting), and aren’t even enticing at all. Sure Danica Patrick is hot, but she was dressed in the Johnny Cash line of clothing, and that was it. You have to head off to the website to see more, but my guess is most people can find women without clothes on the internet, and they’re not looking for storage space for their blog.

But the real one two punch to the groin came at halftime, where a bunch of hoarse-throated jocks gave their views on the game, followed by Grandpa Simpson singing snippets of Who songs. Nothing like having an announcer losing his voice trying to describe something that you’ve already seen, and there’s certainly nothing like 5 of them. Oh the pain. And by the way, Jim Brown, you need to lose some weight. I mean, I have a 42″ tee vee, and he took up more than half of the screen, and this is in HD. And then there was the Who. Yes, I know they are rock icons, and I like their stuff, but when was the last time they charted? And sure, they sounded fine, despite one mistake by Pete, but who chooses the halftime entertainment? Because I can’t wait 15 years for Bryan Adams to take the stage.

As much as this rant is all over the road, at least the game itself was exciting. But nowadays, that doesn’t really matter because the Super Bowl isn’t about the game being played on the field. Oh, you can argue that it is, but I’d say it’s more about everything but. The week or two media onslaught before, the odds, the players, who’s hurt, who isn’t. The commercials, and who is paying how much for 30 seconds? To a crowd of bloated drunks who won’t remember? Nice return on investment. Over the hill rock bands? Sure, get them onstage for 13 minutes or so. Or wait, did they do that “I’m going to Disney” thing last night? As sports championship games go, the Super Bowl is pretty low on my list. Baseball, basketball, hockey, to name a few, have a series of games before a series of games before a series of games determines who wins. And that seems a good way to do it. But the NFL continues to force feed us all like a french goose, ramming everything possible down our throats on one day. To me, the day after the Super Bowl always feels somewhat ugly, like New Year’s Day, after you indulged too much for no reason. This year was no different.

Garcon (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

By Paul Gotham

Redemption Song

Twenty-nine days ago, Jim Caldwell, Peyton Manning and the rest of the Indianapolis Colts endured a flock of boo birds amongst their fans at Lucas Oil Stadium. With home field advantage through the playoffs safely in hand, the Colts opted to rest their starters for the second half of their game against the New York Jets. Thus the Colts forfeited the opportunity of reaching a perfect season and allowed the Jets to avoid elimination.

Luck seemed an adversary when the Colts would have to face those same Jets for the AFC Championship. The difference now was Gang Green no longer was facing elimination but walking arm in arm with momentum.

Irony looked like the tone of the day as the Jets held the Colts scoreless in the first quarter. The Colts’ troubles deepened when a drive stalled in the red zone and had to settle for a field goal. New York added to Indy’s miseries with a quick strike and a 7-3 lead.

New York would strike twice more -  a touchdown and a field goal. On the sideline, there were signs of frustration from Manning. ‘Ground and pound’  closed in on the American vernacular.

When the dust of the second stanza settled,  a 17-13 score in favor of the Jets stared the Colts in the face. Usually no deficit is too much for Manning and the Colts. Except that this deficit was to a team that had not surrendered more than fifteen points since the end of November.

Redemption Song

That was when the Colts went “forward in this generation” and earned their redemption.

The Colt offense scored 17 in the second half while the Colt defense kept the Jets out of the end zone.

With Reggie Wayne nearly suffocated in a Darrelle Revis blanket, Manning turned to Pierre Garcon, Dallas Clark and Austin Collie to pick apart the top defense in the league. Garcon grabbed a four yard pass from Manning to put the Colts ahead to stay seven minutes into the third. Garcon’s touchdown begs the question: has a D3 player ever caught a touchdown pass in an NFL Conference Championship game? During his college years, Garcon roamed the gridiron at Mount Union College.

Garcon made 11 catches on the day for 151 yards.

Clark caught a 15-yard touchdown in the fourth. Collie made seven grabs for 123 yards. Then the Colts became a ball-control team – something they scoffed at earlier this year.  Earlier this year, the Colts scored 27 points with 14:53 worth of possession. On Championship Sunday, Manning orchestrated two second-half drives that lasted longer than five minutes a piece. The second of which came midway through the fourth quarter – a 12-play, 71-yard drive that took 5:33 and all but ended the Jets’ chances.

Manning finished 26-39 for 377 yards and three touchdowns.

“But my hand was made strong, by the hand of the almighty. We go forward in this generation, triumphantly.”

Livin’ in the future

Mark Sanchez is no longer a rookie, and the New York Jets are none worse for the wear. Getting to the AFC Championship with a rookie quarterback is a testament to the balanced attack of the Jets.  If not already, AFC East opponents should take notice. Rex Ryan has created a serious contender not just some one-year wonder.

“Don’t worry darlin’, now baby don’t you fret. We’re livin’ in the future, and none of this has happened yet.”

My City of Ruins

My City Of Ruins

“With these hands, with these hands…Come on rise up! Come on rise up!”

Much has been made (as it should be) of the misfortune and ensuing struggle faced by the residents of New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.  To no small degree, the New Orleans Saints have played a role in boosting the morale of Gulf Coast denizens. Forced into a vagabond existence five years ago, the Saints’ triumphant return is near completion.

Garrett Hartley split the uprights in overtime to end an effort by the Saints that will be characterized more as opportunistic than precise.

Drew Brees completed 17 passes to eight different receivers for 197 yards.  Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush managed just 69 yards on 21 carries. But the only stat that matters is the final score: New Orleans 31 Minnesota 28.

Brees hooked up with Thomas in the first, Devery Henderson in the third and finally Reggie Bush in the fourth. Thomas also scored on a nine-yard run.

The Saint defense, like that port-a-potty at the family picnic, were johnny on the spot all day causing six Minnesota fumbles (three lost) and two interceptions.

“Now the sweet bells of mercy drift through the evening trees. Young men on the corner like scattered leaves. The boarded up windows, the empty streets while my brother’s down on his knees.”

The bitterest pill

The Bitterest Pill

Brad Childress and his Minnesota Vikings have the entire off-season to figure out how one team can dominate another by so much and come away with a loss.  Minnesota nearly doubled New Orleans in total yards, 475-257. The Vikes outrushed the Saints (165-68) and outpassed the Saints (310-189). Yet, in the end, all that matters is 31-28.

Many will focus on the interception thrown by Brett Favre. Fair enough, it was an ill-advised pass. But don’t forget what else happened. It’s kind of like Bill Buckner’s error. Yeah, it happened. But how about the fact that Calvin Schiraldi had a two-run lead with two outs and no one on when he got confused and thought he was tossing batting practice. That’s sort of like the Vikings getting flagged for 12 men in the huddle…AFTER a timeout! Maybe a pass would not have been needed if the Vikings had that five yards back. Favre could have run to the sideline. True. But Bob Stanley did not need to bounce the ball five feet in front of the plate allowing the winning run to move into scoring position. And that Minnesota defensive back, who shall remain nameless, could have secured the ball that tipped off the hands of  Marques Colston.

So Favre threw an interception on the last pass of his career…again. Bill Buckner let one go through the wickets. That’s all right, Favre will get his bust in Canton. Billy Buckner? This weekend he’ll be signing autographs at a card show or playing in some celebrity softball game. Somehow, life is not fair. Billy never made us endure any soap operas. I’m retired. I’m not retired. I’m retired. I’m not retired…

“The dying spark, you left your mark on me…for the bitterest pill is mine to swallow.”

I strenuously object!

McCarver trumps Aikman

Anyone else catch the exchange between Joe Buck and Troy Aikman? New Orleans got flagged for roughing the passer. On the first replay, Aikman commented that he didn’t like the call. Buck disagreed. You read that right. Buck disagreed. How many times has Tim McCarver put his foot in his mouth only to have pipsqueak smooth it over by mentioning that jello mouth caught Bob Gibson or something? Then Fox shows the replay again (remember, this is the NFL where a 60:00 game consists of about 15:00 of play, 25:00 of replays and 20:00 of watching guys stand in the hudlle or on the sideline). Aikman proceeds to explain himself at length. When he finished, Buck dismissed it: “I disagree.”  I half expected him to pull a Demi Moore and “strenuously” disagree.

Joe? You do realize you are sitting next to hall-of-famer right? Not to mention a hall-of-fame quarterback. Okay, he’s had a couple of concussions, but the guy still has his wits about him. You might want to defer to his judgment in the future.

Jaworski spot on

When Ron Jaworski makes a prediction, people should listen in the future. On the Sunday Morning Countdown, Jaws predicted that the Jets would go long on their third possession to Braylen Edwards. After the Colts made it three to nothing, the Jets took the kickoff for their third possession. First play, Sanchez dropped back and hit Edwards for an 80-yard touchdown. Now, THAT’S a prediction! Jaworski described how he had analyzed Jet tapes for a while and picked up on the tendency.

Got any NFL splinters? Share them here.

AP Photo/Dave Martin

By Paul Gotham

Born on a bayou

Rumors of the Saints’ demise proved untrue. So too did the rumors that New Orleans lacks a defense.

Reggie Bush brought the wood. Drew Brees reminded Saints fans of what he is capable. Jeremy Shockey returned to the lineup, and the Saints’ defense made like some “old hound dog barkin.’ Chasin’ down a hoodoo there.”

Bush pounded out 217 all-purpose yards and became the first player since Charlie Taylor, in 1947, to rush for a touchdown and to return a punt for touchdown in the same post-season game. Bush led the Saints on to the field carrying a baseball bat with the inscription: “Bring the wood” – the Saints rally cry.

Brees threw for three touchdowns for the first time since a 26-23 win over Atlanta on December 13th.  He hooked up with Shockey mid-way through the first quarter and the Saints never looked back from there. The Purdue grad later connected with Devery Henderson and Marques Colston.

Those expecting this game to resemble a shootout were surprised when the Saint defense clipped the Cardinals’ wings. Arizona managed just 14 points on 359 total yards. One week after scoring 51, the Cardinals offense met a stronger force in the Saints D. Arizona’s defense surrendered 90 points in two playoff games.

Arizona added to their own misfortune with two turnovers.

New Orleans moves on for a chance to bring Cajun country its first Super Bowl appearance.

“Wish I was back on the bayou rollin’ with some Cajun Queen. Wish I were a freight train, oh just a chooglin’ on down to New Orleans.”

Call me lightning

Like New Orleans, the Colts shook off any signs of rust. Indy’s offense did just enough. Their defense did more than enough, and the offense might have made the defensive play of the game.

For 25+ minutes the Colts and Ravens stood deadlocked at three. Indy’s offense, which showed a quick strike ability all season, resorted to an old-fashioned 14-play drive that took eight minutes. The result: a ten-yard touchdown pass from Peyton Manning to Austin Collie.

Then, just when the Ravens thought they would go into halftime within striking distance, Manning and the Colts struck like lightning.

Indy grabbed a 17-3 lead at half with an eight-play, 64 -yard drive in 83 seconds culminating with a Manning to Reggie Wayne touchdown.

Baltimore looked poised for a comeback when Ed Reed picked off a Manning pass and returned the ball deep into Colts territory. It was at this point, the Colts offense made the defense play of the game. Looking more like a defensive back than a wide receiver, Pierre Garcon chopped the ball from Reed, and Indy recovered on its own 24 yard line. Reed intercepted another Manning pass on the same drive. That pick was nullified by a penalty.

Indy added an insurance field goal early in the fourth.

One week after scoring 33 points in a rout of New England, the Ravens offense managed little against the Indy defense. Ray Rice ran for 83 yards on the opening play of the New England game. Indy held the Ravens to 87 yards rushing for the game.  After their first drive of 15 plays, Baltimore longest drive consisted of just six plays as Indy frustrated the Ravens all day.

“You can’t catch me I’m as fast as can be. Call me lightning I’m as fast as can be.”

Purple haze

Dallas entered play Sunday with the league’s second-rated offense. The Cowpokes left the game thinking “lately things just don’t seem the same.”

Brett Favre threw for four touchdowns, and the Minnesota defense drowned Tony Romo in a sea or purple.

Favre connected with Sidney Rice three times as Minnesota pounded Dallas, 34-3.

The 21st century Viking defense reminded fans of the ‘Purple People Eaters’ as they sacked Romo six times, forced two fumbles, and picked off one Romo pass.

Gerald Sensabaugh might have provided the best representation of the ‘Pokes ineptitude. With a 45-yard pass from Favre hanging in the air, and the entire state of Texas yelling – “SEE THE BALL,” Sensabaugh stared at Rice, and pigskin floated over his shoulder for a catch and touchdown.

“Purple haze all in my eyes. Don’t know if it’s day or night. You’ve got me blowin’, blowin’ my mind. Is it tomorrow? Or just the end of time?”

Reason to believe

Sexy Rexy Ryan and his Gang Green crashed yet another party. With all the higher seeds holding serve,  the New York Jets earned a spot in the AFC Championship. Despite being on the road for the second week in a row the Jets found a “reason to believe.”

This despite the fact that the Jets won their final two regular season games against teams sitting out most of their starters. All that behind them, the Jets held the San Diego Chargers to half their season average of points in a 17-14 victory.

The Jets stopped the Chargers short of the goal line three times, and Nate Kaeding missed three field goals.

Mark Sanchez completed 12 of 23 passes including a two-yard touchdown pass to Dustin Keller, and Shonn Greene proved lightning can strike twice with a 53-yard tocuhdown run.

Greene had a 39-yard touchdown run against Cincinnati the week before.

“At the end of every hard earned day, people find some reason to believe.”

Your own worst enemy has come to town

Next weekend sets up the possibility of the cruelest of ironies.

In week 15, Indy pulled its starters and gave up the possibility of perfection. The New York Jets were the direct beneficiary. Without that win, the Jets would NOT have qualified for the playoffs. How will the Colts handle the dream they have given birth to?

Brett Favre led the Packers to a victory in Super Bowl XXXI. The site of that game? The New Orleans Super Dome. Next week’s game between the Vikes and Saints returns Favre to a place where he is comfortable.

“There’s a face you know. Staring back from the shop window. The condition you’re in. Now you just can’t get out of this skin.”

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