By Kyle Soppe

Say what you will about me, but if I am the Colts, I am announcing Peyton Manning as my 2012 starting QB. In addition to sticking by Manning, I am dealing the number one overall pick (essentially the rights to Andrew Luck) to the highest bidder.

Let’s assume that Manning, whose past would indicate nothing but an honest person, is telling the truth when he says he could have played in the Colts final two games this season. I realize that my suggestion would include paying a large bonus for a 35 year old QB coming off of three neck surgeries, but he is an elite talent with plenty left in the tank. Would he have gone through numerous procedures if he didn’t think he could still contribute at a high level?

Peyton Manning is an experienced quarterback with a super bowl ring and hall of fame credentials, not something that is easy to come by. If Indy can sign a veteran backup (maybe David Garrard), they should let Manning play out his career with the team that drafted him. Success after the age of 35 isn’t a rare as you might think.

Dan Marino went 31-25 after he turned 35. He averaged over 3,000 yards per season and tallied 68 TD’s in those four seasons.

But Marino wasn’t banged up like Manning. He aged more gracefully. Point well taken. Let’s look at a few “tough guys” after turning 35 years of age.

Steve Young wasn’t all that young when he had his best season, statistically, of his storied career. In 1998, at the age of 37, Young threw for 4,170 yards and fired 36 TD’s. In fact, #8 torched defenses for 72 TD’s after his 35th birthday (ask the defenses in the late 90′s if he was too old to produce). The legs may have been tired, but the winning spirit didn’t die, as Young won 34 of his final 45 games.

But Young could run around, it’s not the same thing. Manning is a one dimensional QB who hasn’t ever been a threat to run. The simple threat of Young taking off exposed defenses, and Manning won’t have that luxury.

OK, then we can take a look at Brett Favre. He posted three 10 win seasons after turning 35, not to mention he gunned at least 28 TD passes in each of those seasons. He led the Vikings to a 12-4 record, and was one pass away from a serious super bowl run. Take into account that the Packers only won six games, and the impact of Favre was a great one.

For every argument, there is an exceptional QB who bucked the trend. Assuming that Manning is finished is a mistake, as he is the elite talent that may have the ability to overcome all odds and continue to produce. Manning’s absence crippled the Colts this year, but this is not a two win football team. By bringing back Manning, the Colts can sell free agent Reggie Wayne on a “win now” mentality. If they decline Manning’s bonus, it seems unlikely that the aging Wayne will want to stick around to see Andrew Luck progress. Also, by stock piling high draft picks from trading the 2012 top pick, the Colts are also building for future success.

Lastly, while Andrew Luck has been super impressive and has done nothing to lower his stock, he is still an unknown commodity. I don’t care how “NFL ready” a player looks, I just care about if the player is actually ready for he NFL. I don’t think Luck will be a bust, but the perception of him as the greatest thing since sliced bread will land the Colts tremendous value come the April draft.

Worst case scenario would be a Manning injury, which would effectively end his career. However, if this were the case, would it not be possible that the Colts have the 2013 top overall selection? If that is the case, Matt Barkley (USC) would be there for the taking, along with all of the picks acquired from this trade.

Best case scenario would be a return to respectability, and possibly the playoffs. If Manning can offer up three more solid seasons, Indy will have the opportunity to rebuild around a competitive football team.

Thoughts? How should the new Colts brass handle this unique situation?

Stafford's got sugar, spice, and everything you need to become the next best QB

By Kyle Soppe

If you’re looking for statistical inconsistencies and other odd trends, this is the place for you. Let’s take a look at what we’ve seen so far, and what it means for the rest of the season.

We will start where the season ends, with the Super Bowl. Five of the last seven champions have had their bye week before week seven.  The Packers of 2010 reversed that trend last year, but it seems it is the teams who get their rest early in the season who have super success. This is bad news for the Patriots, Packers, Saints, and Steelers this year if you buy into this trend.

Another Super Bowl trend; the two teams to play in last year’s big game gave up the fewest and second fewest points against. Who would have thought that through seven weeks, we would have a stat that currently points to a 49ers and Ravens Super Bowl?

We are constantly told how the NFL is progressing to a passing league, but don’t overlook the little guys doing the kicking duties. No kicker has averaged 10 points per game since Jeff Wilkins in 2003, but if the season ended today, we would have two. The Cowboys Dan Bailey (10.8) and the Saints John Kasay (10.4) are kickers in powerful offenses that could very easily keep this pace for another 10 weeks.

The old adage, “you run the ball to set up the pass”, no longer rings true. Of the teams ranking in the top 10 in rushing attempts per game, only half have a winning record. On the flip side, of the bottom 12 teams in rushes per game (12 because it was a three way tie at 10), half have a winning record. If you have a good QB, it seems that running the ball, or even attempting it, is no longer correlated in the success of your team.

We’ve got a winless team that seems to be a step below the rest (the Dolphins were at least competitive before getting Tebowed) in the Colts. When it comes to winless teams, the 2008 Detroit Lions are golden standard. In parenthesis, the Lions stats are provided for comparison’s sake. This year’s Peyton Manning-less Colts surrender 32.1 points per game (32.3) while only scoring 15.9 points per game (16.8). The juggernaut in Indianapolis averages 280 yards every week (268.2) and only gets 15 first downs per game (14.6). The numbers don’t lie; this Colts team is on the fast track to futility.

As bad as the Colts have been, the Packers have been good. They have won 13 straight (including postseason), but they need to come on strong if they want to be considered as dominant as the 2007 Patriots. The Packers have a point differential of +13.07 during their run, while the Pats were winning weekly by 19.7 points.

The best receiver over the last 16 games; Andre Johnson? Larry Fitzgerald? Roddy White? Nope. And if you’re thinking Calvin Johnson, you’re close, but still not right. Big Ben’s favorite target in Mike Wallace has been the most productive over the last “season.” Through seven games this year and the final nine of 2010, Wallace has pulled in 79 balls for 1,590 yards and 11 scores. Over that span, he has been remarkably consistent, recording 10 games of at least 100 yards. Megatron, who is off to a record start this year and came on late last year, has 80 catches for 1,261 yards and 14 TD’s. The numbers are comparable, but Wallace is looked at as elite or in the same class as Johnson. Wallace has Johnson topped in 100 yard games over that span (10-6) and plays on a run first team.

Onto the Johnson’s passing partner, who seems to be ready to fill the gap we will feel if the Peyton Manning days as we know them are done. Matthew Stafford has played in 20 games thus far, and we all know he produces when healthy. Play along with me, and chalk his first 10 appearances as time to get his feet wet. Since then, he has completed 60% of his passes for 2,447 yards and a sparkling 22:5 touchdown to interception ratio. His score to turnover mark for starts 11-20 bests today’s elite QB’s. Tom Brady (17:9), Peyton Manning (20:12), and Aaron Rodgers (22:11) all failed to produce in that fashion this early in their careers. Sure, injuries have plagued Stafford, but a healthy Stafford could be the next annual pro bowl selection with limitless potential.

By Breanna Jacobs

Michael Vick has, once again, proved that prison was a small bump on his road to success. Well, maybe it was more than a small bump, but ever since Andy Reid gave Vick a chance to quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, he has been flying high. Vick won the starting job over Kevin Kolb last year, he led the Eagles to the play-offs, and, this week, Vick, who is in his third year with the Eagles, signed a six-year contract extension worth $100 million.

Vick is no novice when it comes to upholding the expectations behind a contract this large; in 2004, he signed a 10-year, $130 million deal with his former team, the Atlanta Falcons. The first time around, however, Vick was not able to live up to the pressure. Shortly after he signed the contract, he found himself in prison for his infamous dogfighting scandal.

This time around, Vick said in a press conference earlier today, he is going to handle it the right way.

“”I’ve learned … don’t take anything for granted. I did that at one point when I had the big contract in Atlanta, and I think that will definitely help me now in understanding what’s most important and how to move forward in my life,” Vick said.

With this new contract, Vick becomes the third highest paid player in the National Football League, behind only Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.

“It’s a lot of money, however you look at it. Obviously, it’s going to create a lot of demands,” Vick said.

Vick is ready to continue not only his personal success, but his team’s success, this season.

“Nothing’s going to come easy in life, and I’ve learned a lot of lessons, some the hard way,” Vick said. “I think just the things that I’ve been through have helped mold me into the person I am and what (is in) my future and that’s continuing to do things the right way.”

Courtesy of nfl.com

By TLarner

We’ve just witnessed the first blockbuster trade of 2010. What impact will that have on the season? Will we have anymore undefeated teams after this week?

Monday’s Results

In case you missed it, the Patriots blew the Dolphins out of the water on Monday. Coach Belichick relied not only on Tom Brady and his offense, but the defense finally showed up, and the special teams unit made many huge plays. Miami entered halftime with a 7-6 lead. Pats receiver Brandon Tate returned the kickoff 103 yards to start the third quarter. Safety Patrick Chung blocked the Dolphins’ punt on the ensuing drive which set up a touchdown run by the “Law Firm”, BenJarvus Green-Ellis. Ricky Williams caught a pass to bring Miami within six. Danny Woodhead extended the New England lead to 27-14 with a touchdown catch from Brady. In the fourth quarter, Chung made yet another outstanding special teams play with a blocked field goal returned for a score by Kyle Arrington. Chung finished with a pick six as Chad Henne threw his third interception of the night.

Former Dolphin and current Patriots’ linebacker Rob Ninkovich recorded his first two career interceptions earlier against Henne. Green-Ellis and Woodhead had 76 and 36 rushing yards respectively. Randy Moss finished with no catches, while Wes Welker caught eight passes for 70 yards. Henne threw for over 300 yards for a second consecutive game for Miami. Ronnie Brown and Williams combined for 83 yards rushing. Brandon Marshall had five catches for 50 yards, and Davone Bess led all receivers with 96 yards and a touchdown. With the victory, Brady becomes the fastest QB to reach 100 wins.

News & Notes

The Buffalo Bills traded running back Marshawn Lynch to the Seattle Seahawks for two draft picks earlier this week. Rumors had been flying around about the Bills receiving offers from teams like Green Bay and Philadelphia. Lynch reunites with another former Cal Bear, running back Justin Forsett, in Seattle’s backfield.

Comcast SportsNet New England has reported that the Chargers and Patriots have had talks about swapping hold outs Vincent Jackson and Logan Mankins. There has been no confirmation from either side.

The Denver Broncos have cut off contract negotiations with Pro Bowl cornerback Champ Bailey. Bailey’s agent Jack Reale was surprised when he got a call saying negotiations would be put off until the end of the season. Bailey, who stated he wants to remain in Denver, is in the last year of his seven-year contract.

Courtesy of nfl.com

Future Hall of Famer Randy Moss is back in Minnesota. New England sent the seemingly disgruntled receiver back to the Vikings where he played the first seven years of his career. Moss will be catching passes from another guaranteed Hall of Fame star, quarterback Brett Favre. Moss should add the deep threat that the Minnesota passing attack lost when Sidney Rice went down with hip surgery. In four games so far this season, Moss has nine catches for 139 yards and three touchdowns.

After Tennessee defensive coordinator Chuck Cecil was fined $40,000 for an obscene gesture during Sunday’s loss to Denver, corner Cortland Finnegan was hit with a $5,000 fine for allegedly punching Broncos’ offensive lineman Chris Kuper. Denver quarterback Kyle Orton has been very vocal on his view of the Titans being “cheap”. The Titans were penalized 10 times for 111 yards against the Broncos.

The San Francisco 49ers released safety Michael Lewis on Monday. Lewis had requested his release last week, and did not travel to Atlanta with the team for last week’s game. Rookie Taylor Mays will get the starts for the rest of the season.

Injury Report

The Cleveland Browns have yet to pick a starting quarterback for this week. Jake Delhomme is recovering from an ankle injury that has sidelined him for the past three weeks. Coach Eric Mangini told reporters he needs another day to monitor Delhomme’s progress. Seneca Wallace has thrown for 554 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions in Delhomme’s absence. Running back Peyton Hillis is expected to play after injuring his thigh in practice.

Green Bay inside linebacker Nick Barnett will miss the remainder of the season with a wrist injury. The injury will require surgery on Barnett’s right wrist. He was only eight tackles away from breaking the all-time franchise record.

Houston receiver Andre Johnson is expected to play against the New York Giants. He did not play against Oakland last week while recovering from an ankle injury.

Josh McDaniels has ruled out Denver running back Knowshown Moreno and fullback Spencer Larson. Moreno has sat out the last two weeks with a hamstring injury.

Kevin Kolb will resume his role as the Eagles’ starting quarterback while Michael Vick nurses a rib injury. Corner Asante Samuel and receiver Riley Cooper will sit out with concussions. Running back LeSean McCoy is expected to play despite a broken rib.

New York Jets defensive tackle Kris Jenkins underwent surgery on his torn ACL in his left knee last week. This is the third knee injury Jenkins has suffered. He tore the same ACL last season and tore the ACL in his right knee when he was with the Panthers. Jenkins isn’t calling it quits just yet. He plans on returning again next season.

Oakland Raiders running back Darren McFadden will most likely miss Sunday’s contest against division rival San Diego. He missed his second practice with a sore hamstring. McFadden his tied for third in the league with Adrian Peterson with 392 yards on the ground.

Courtesy of nfl.com

Game of the Week: Kansas City at Indianapolis

The only undefeated team left in the NFL will be looking for their first 4-0 start since 2003. And the other team is trying to keep its head above water and avoid falling to 2-3. What’s wrong with this picture? The Chiefs are the undefeated team! Yes, Kansas City is 3-0 coming off their bye week. Peyton Manning and his Colts are third in the AFC South after losing to Houston in Week 1 and Jacksonville in Week 4.

The Chiefs have played fundamental football with a good running game and great defense. Jamaal Charles leads the team with 238 yards and a touchdown. He is averaging seven yards per carry. Thomas Jones has provided a perfect compliment for Charles. After rushing for a career high 1,402 yards last season with the Jets, Thomas is off to another good start with 217 yards and a touchdown. The team is 3^rd in the league with 160.7 rushing yards per game. Matt Cassel has thrown for 494 yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions. The offensive line has only allowed two sacks. Third round pick Tony Moeaki leads the team in all receiving categories with 12 catches for 123 yards and two touchdowns. Another rookie, Dexter McCluster, has provided a special teams spark with a 94 yard punt return touchdown. Defensively, Kansas City is second in points allowed per game (12.7) and fifth in rushing yards allowed per game (75). Tamba Hali leads the team with 3.5 sacks, and Brandon Flowers has two interceptions, one going all the way for a score.

The Indianapolis Colts have struggled so far this season, with a disappointing .500 record. Manning has done all he can to help. The Colts are second in points scored (29.2), third in yards per game (411) and second in passing yards per game (335.5). Manning has completed nearly 70% of his passes. He was thrown 11 touchdowns and only one interception. Reggie Wayne and Austin Collie are ranked first and third respectively in receiving yards in the NFL. Collie has a team high five touchdown catches. However, the ground game has been absolutely terrible. Joseph Addai and Donald Brown have combined for 309 yards. The team averages 3.2 yards per carry. The Colts have also been exploited on defense. In Week 1, Houston running back Arian Foster ran for 231 yards and three touchdowns. In Week 3, Broncos’ quarterback Kyle Orton threw for 476 yards. They also gave up 121 total yards and two touchdowns to the Jaguars and running back Maurice Jones-Drew. Safety Bob Sanders may not return this season, and his backup Melvin Bullitt was placed on injured reserve, leaving a void in the defense. If Indianapolis plans on winning their division again, their rushing attack and defense must improve.

Key Matchup: Jamaal Charles & Thomas Jones vs. Indy’s Front Seven

The duo of Charles and Thomas are off to a great start, and the Indianapolis defense has given up big chunks of yards on the ground. The best chance the Chiefs have at winning this game is to copy the game plan the Houston Texans used in Week 1. Texans’ QB Matt Schaub only completed nine passes for 107 yards, not the usual Schaub who threw for nearly 300 yards a game last season. Arian Foster carved up the porous Indy defense by gaining 231 yards on 33 carries and three scores. Out of 23 first downs, the Texans converted 15 on the ground.

While Matt Cassel has done a good job managing the offense, I don’t think he is ready to win a big game like this with his arm. Yes, he did throw for 250 yards and three touchdowns against San Francisco, but the 49ers are playing horribly this season. The infamous pass rush of Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney has seven sacks so far this season, and while Cassel has only been sacked twice, the line hasn’t faced these two.

Prediction

America loves routing for the underdog. Kansas City has surprised all of us this year, and the Colts have disappointed us. I would like to pick the Chiefs, but they haven’t faced a team with as much talent as the Colts. Manning has a chance to tear apart the Kansas City secondary if Addai and Brown continue to struggle on the ground. If Charles and Jones have a big game, and the defense can find a way to shutdown Manning, the Chiefs may prove their 3-0 record isn’t a fluke. However, I’m giving this one to Indianapolis.

Best of the Rest (Home team in italics):

Buffalo over Jacksonville

Houston over New York Giants

Cincinnati over Tampa Bay

Green Bay over Washington

St. Louis over Detroit

Chicago over Carolina

Atlanta over Cleveland

Baltimore over Denver

New Orleans over Arizona

Dallas over Tennessee

San Diego over Oakland

Philadelphia over San Francisco

New York over Minnesota

Last week’s results: 8-6

Have 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.

Courtesy of kcchiefs.com

By TLarner

The first week of the 2010 NFL season is in the books. There were many exciting performances, as well as upsets, disappointments, and controversy. As we continue the rollercoaster ride to the Super Bowl, lets prepare ourselves for Week 2.

New & Notes

Bear’s defensive end Julius Peppers was fined $5,000 for a hit on Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford. Peppers was penalized for hitting Stafford in the helmet.

San Diego receiver Vincent Jackson has an opportunity to have his six game suspension reduced to four games. Jackson is still holding out from the Chargers, but if he is traded to a new team by next Wednesday, the three game suspension for being on the roster exempt list can be lowered. He is also facing a three game suspesion for violating the substance-abuse policy. Jackson pleaded guilty to a DUI in February.

Green Bay center Scott Wells will be wearing a microphone this Sunday during the game against Buffalo. This is so television networks can hear the sounds on the field. The umpire used to wear a microphone, but since his position has been changed to the offensive backfield, many thought they wouldn’t be able to pick up as much sound. Wells fears that this will allow other teams to pick up quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ play calls.

Injury Report

Browns’ quarterback Jake Delhomme missed practice again on Thursday. He has been wearing a walking boot since injuring his right ankle against Tampa Bay. Delhomme may be a game time decision, with Seneca Wallace taking all the snaps in practice this week.

Our new favorite defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth has been limited in practice all week with an ankle injury. In a related story, Coach Shanahan has been suffering from more headaches.

Courtesy of philadelphiaeagles.com

Kevin Kolb and linebacker Stewart Bradley both failed to pass their concussion tests on Wednesday. Michael Vick has been named the starter for this weekend’s game against Detroit.

Green Bay running back Ryan Grant will miss the rest of the season with an injured ankle. Brandon Jackson and John Kuhn will replace Grant. The team also signed Dimitri Nance off of Atlanta’s practice squad.

New York Jets’ defensive tackle Kris Jenkins was placed on injured reserve. Jenkins tore his ACL in his left knee during the loss to Baltimore. He missed most of last season with the same injury. Linebacker Calvin Pace is also out with a broken foot.

Percy Harvin’s status is uncertain for this week’s contest against Miami. The Vikings’ receiver was placed on the injury report, citing a hip injury as the problem. Harvin also missed significant time in the preseason due to migraine headaches.

Indianapolis Colt safety Bob Sanders may miss the remainder of the season. What else is new? Sanders had surgery on a torn biceps muscle this week. He had the same operation his other arm last year. Sanders has played in 48 games in his seven years with the Colts, and has missed 49. He signed a five-year, $37.5 million contract after being named the 2007 Defensive Player of the Year, but has been more of a liability since signing the deal.

Game of the Week: New York at Indianapolis

My Week 2 Game of the Week is the “Manning Bowl”. The New York Giants travel to Indianapolis for this Sunday’s late game. Older brother Peyton defeated Eli in their first meeting in September of 2006. In the Colts’ 26-21 victory, Peyton threw for 276 yards, a touchdown, and a pick. Eli had 247 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception in a losing effort.

Courtesy of colts.com

Indianapolis is coming off a stunning loss to the Texans in Week 1. Houston ran all over the Colts defense. Arian Foster exploded out of the gates with 231 yards and three touchdowns. Peyton had an amazing game, but was unable to lead his team to another victory as we have seen him do plenty of times before. He completed 40 passes for over 430 yards and three scores.

In Eli’s first game of 2010, he was able to lead the Giants to a 31-18 win over Carolina. He threw for 263 yards and three touchdowns, all to Hakeem Nicks. However, the box score also says he threw three interceptions. Yes, the Panthers caught three of Eli’s passes, but all were off of dropped passes by his receivers.

Key Matchup: Joseph Addai vs. Ahmad Bradshaw

Last week, well, all of last year, the Colts’ rushing offense was far from great. While Peyton has won many games with his arm alone, a more balanced offensive attack may have been what Indy needed to beat Houston. Joseph Addai ran for only 44 yards on 10 carries against Houston. And for the Colts’ defense, stopping the run should be a big priority this week during practice. They gave up 257 yards on the ground, with the majority gained by Foster.

The Giants named Ahmad Bradshaw the starter over Brandon Jacobs this offseason. Bradshaw had 20 carries for 76 yards and a touchdown against Carolina. I expect the Giants will start the game with a heavy dose of Bradshaw to expose the Colts’ weakness. If the Colts are again unable to halt the opposing running backs, Eli may be able to tie the series.

Prediction

The Indianapolis Colts are in danger of falling to a dismal 0-2 to start 2010. On the other hand, the Giants have a chance to take a two game lead over Dallas and Philadelphia in the NFC East. New York has a ground game that can once again give the Colts’ defense nightmares. However, I believe Indianapolis will have done enough work in practice to solve their problems with the rushing defense. Peyton may not complete 40 passes this week, but we’ll see enough of his arm to once again beat his little brother. Both teams will end Week 2 with a 1-1 record.

Best of the Rest

Here are my predictions for the rest of Week 2 (Home team in italics):

Green Bay over Buffalo

Minnesota over Miami

Kansas City over Cleveland

Dallas over Chicago

Atlanta over Arizona

Carolina over Tampa Bay

Philadelphia over Detroit

Cincinnati over Baltimore

Tennessee over Pittsburgh

Seattle over Denver

Oakland over St. Louis

Houston over Washington

New England over New York Jets

San Diego over Jacksonville

New Orleans over San Francisco

Last week’s results: 8-8

Have any NFL Splinters? Share them here.

Courtesy of houstontexans.com

By TLarner

The first Sunday of the NFL regular season is in the books. Check out some highlights, as well as scores and Monday Night Football predictions.

Houston, We Don’t Have a Problem

Yesterday’s game between the Colts at the Texans was one of my Sunday surprises. Indianapolis had defeated Houston in 15 of their 16 meetings before yesterday.

Carried by the legs of Arian Foster, the Texans were able to overcome Peyton Manning’s career day. Foster lived up to his preseason hype with a record breaking performance. He had a franchise record 231 rushing yards on 33 carries, and all of his three touchdowns came in the second half. The Texans gained a total of 355 yards on offense, with 257 coming on the ground. Of their 23 first downs, 15 of them were earned on rushing plays. This is a different team than we are used to seeing. Last season, quarterback Matt Schaub threw for a league high 4,770 yards. In the Houston home opener, he had only nine completions for 107 yards, one touchdown, and an interception. On the other side of the ball, defensive end Mario Williams recorded his first sack of the year. While they only sacked Manning twice, the Texans’ defense was able to apply plenty of pressure on him.

Manning had a great game statistically. He went 40-57 for 433 yards and three touchdowns. His 57 attempts was a career high. Austin Collie, Dallas Clark, and Reggie Wayne each had a touchdown grab. Collie had a career high 11 catches for 163 yards, but he also had a critical fumble. After making a big catch inside the 15 yard line, he took a bigger hit from safety Bernard Pollard, turning the ball over one a drive where the Colts could have cut the deficit to 20-17. Instead, Houston went up 27-10 on the following drive. Joseph Addai had only 44 rushing yards. While the Colts survived last year with a less than spectacular rushing offense, they will need to have a more balanced offense next week, even though Manning has won his share of games almost by himself.

Courtesy of atlantafalcons.com

Taking Care of Business & Working Overtime

The Atlanta Falcons and the Pittsburgh Steelers gave us the first overtime game in the 2010 season. This game was definitely a defensive struggle, as neither offense was able to find any rhythm. Falcons kicker Matt Bryant matched Jeff Reed of the Steelers during regulation as each made three field goals.

Michael Turner ran for only 42 yards on 19 carries (only a 2.2 average). Matt Ryan threw for 252 yards, and an interception. Luckily, receiver Roddy White had a good game. As one of my fantasy receivers, White had 13 catches for 111 yards. Tony Gonzalez became the first tight end to reach 1,000 career receptions.

The Steelers found a way to win without Ben Roethlisberger, who started his four game suspension. Dennis Dixon got the game start, and was able to manage the game. Veteran receiver Hines Ward made a few nice catches to help his young QB. The unanimous Player of the Game was running back Rashard Mendenhall. He finished with 120 rushing yards, including a 50-yard game winning touchdown in the first few minutes of overtime. Pro Bowl safety Troy Polamalu added a pick. Linebacker James Harrison had a fumble return for a touchdown, but it was ruled an incomplete pass as Ryan’s arm was coming forward. While it may not be pretty, Pittsburgh picks up a big win while awaiting Big Ben’s return.

After Further Review…

Normally, I wouldn’t take time to review a game between the Bears and the Lions. However, we can’t overlook the controversy that decided the game. Jahvid Best gave the Lions a 14-3 lead with a pair of touchdown runs. Bears’ running back Matt Forte answered by taking a screen pass 89 yards, outrunning all of the Lions defenders to the end zone with just over a minute left in the half.

Courtesy of nfl.com

On the Lions’ following drive, quarterback Matt Stafford was sacked by Julius Peppers, fumbling the ball, and dislocating his shoulder, and will miss at least a month. Another Chicago star defender Lance Briggs forced a fumble on a sack in the fourth quarter. Backup QB Shaun Hill lost the ball on his own one-yard line. The Lions defense showed up on the next four plays, keeping the Bears out of the end zone. Chicago turned the ball over after a failed fourth down attempt trailing 14-13. Inside the two minute warning, Forte caught another touchdown as the Bears take a 19-14 lead.

This sets the scene for the questionable call. Hill drove the offense to Chicago’s 25-yard line. With less than 30 seconds remaining, Hill throws a jump ball to Calvin Johnson, who out jumps corner Zachary Bowman for what appears to be the game winning reception. He clearly has possession of the ball in his right hand as his left hand, both feet, both knees, and his rear end hit the ground. Johnson then allows the ball to hit the ground in an attempt to break his fall, and loses the ball. According to NFL rules, the receiver must maintain control of the ball through the air and as he falls to the ground. Whereas Johnson thought he had a catch after his feet and other body parts hit the ground, he didn’t control the ball throughout the entire motion of the catch. I personally agree with the call. Whether he knows the rules or not, Johnson must know if the ball hits the ground, it is an incomplete pass, and should have taken the fall and used both hands to hold the ball. Take a look for yourselves here. What do you think, catch or incomplete?

Courtesy of nfl.com

Disappointment in Dallas

My Game of the Week ended in a favorable fashion. Again, it was a low scoring affair, as the Redskins won 13-7. Donovan McNabb earned his first win in a red and yellow uniform, rather than his old green and white. He completed less than 50% of his passes for

only 171 yards, not the box score he was hoping for. He did show his mobility that made him a dual threat in his youth, taking off for a 17 scramble on his first drive. Washington’s only touchdown came on a fumble return by corner DeAngelo Hall. With time winding down in the half, Tony Romo flipped the ball to Tashard Choice, who was stripped by Hall, giving the ‘Skins a 10-0 lead going into the half.

The highlight of Dallas’ night was the lone touchdown throw by Romo. Inside the five-yard line, Romo found star receiver Miles Austin in the back of the end zone in the third quarter to come within three of the Redskins. Austin had 10 catches for 146 yards. After that, neither offense found any success. Dallas had a chance to win the game as Romo found Roy Williams in the end zone with no time left, but the score was called back when tackle Alex Barron was flagged for holding.

What does this game tell us about both teams? Is Dallas heading down another road of failure? They have plenty of talent around them, but can never seem to get the job done. As for Washington, can McNabb and the Redskins make a run for the NFC East title? Or was this just a lucky win due to a poor performance by Dallas?

Remaining Scores from Sunday

• Cleveland- 14
• Tampa Bay- 17

• Miami- 15
• Buffalo- 10

• Cincinnati- 24
• New England- 38

• Denver- 17
• Jacksonville- 24

• Oakland- 13
• Tennessee- 38

• Carolina- 18
• NY Giants- 31

• Arizona- 17
• St. Louis- 13

• Green Bay- 27
• Philadelphia- 20

• San Francisco- 6
• Seattle- 31

Monday Night Doubleheader

Baltimore visits the New York Jets in the New Meadowlands Stadium. Darrelle Revis makes his return after signing his big contract. Anquan Boldin will make his first start with the Ravens. This game will be a battle between two extremely strong defenses. I predict a low scoring affair. Rex Ryan’s hardnosed defense will get to Joe Flacco and the Baltimore offense. Give the Jets their first win to open the new field.

The later game tonight will send San Diego to Kansas City. These AFC West rivals will feature some big names at running back. The Chargers will be without Ladainian Tomlinson, who will play in the first game with New York. Rookie Ryan Mathews from Fresno State will replace the future Hall of Fame back. Without Vincent Jackson, who is still holding out, the Chargers should aim to run the ball. The Chiefs have two 1,000-yard rushers in the backfield. Jamaal Charles had 1,120 yards and seven touchdowns in 2009. Former Jet Thomas Jones had career highs in yards and touchdowns last year. However, the Chargers should take this game as they aim for another AFC West title.

Have NFL Splinters? Share them here.

Courtesy of colts.com

By TLarner

Preseason games are officially underway. Here we go, taking apart the AFC South.

“Where else would you rather be than right here, right now!”

Houston Texans

Strength- Last year, Houston had one of the best fantasy duos at QB and wide receiver. The number one passing offense in the NFL was led by Matt Schaub. He led the league in passing yards with 4,770 yards and completions with 396. His 67.9% completion rate was fourth best, and his 29 touchdowns was fifth overall. Those numbers were all career bests for Schaub, who started all 16 regular season games for the Texans for the first time in his three years with the team. The number one QB had the number one receiver on the other end of his passes. Andre Johnson had the most receiving yards in the league with 1,569, his second straight year with over 1,500 yards. Johnson also had a league best 22 catches of 20 or more yards. Nine of his 101 catches were for touchdowns, a career high. Another important piece in Houston’s passing attack is tight end Owen Daniels. Daniels is coming off an torn ACL, which limited him to only eight games in 2009. In those games, he caught 40 passes for 519 yards and five touchdowns. Currently on the Physically Unable to Perform list, Daniels believes he will be ready for the regular season.

Weakness- While the Texans should have no problem throwing the ball, they may have trouble stopping the pass. Houston lost their best corner to Atlanta as a free agent. Dunta Robinson signed a six year contract with the Falcons, worth almost $60 million. Robinson had 13 interceptions in six seasons with the Texans, including a career high six in 2004 as a rookie (drafted 10th overall). Houston will now have to rely on corners Brice McCain, Fred Bennett, Glover Quin, and Jacques Reeves. Those four defenders had a total of two picks in 2009. Kareem Jackson was drafted out of Alabama in the first round to address the team’s biggest need. At safety, Bernard Pollard looks to build off a strong 2009. He had 102 tackles, one and a half sacks, four interceptions, and a forced fumble. 2009 Defensive Rookie of the Year Brian Cushing also recorded four picks at linebacker.

Biggest Question- Which running back will step up in 2010 and lead the team on the ground? Houston had the third worst rushing attack in 2009 with 1,475 yards. I didn’t list running backs as Houston’s weakness because their backs have potential to succeed. Steve Slaton ran for 1,282 yards and nine touchdowns as a rookie in 2008. However, in 2009, he had only 437 yards (only 3.3 yards per carry compared to 4.7 in ’08), three TD’s, and seven fumbles. Arian Foster started the final game of 2009. In a win over New England, Foster had 20 carries for 119 yards and two scores. Second round pick Ben Tate out of Auburn hopes to provide a spark for the ground game. He had 3,321 yards and 24 touchdowns in his career at Auburn.

Indianapolis Colts

Strength- Right behind Houston’s passing offense was that of the Colts, and of course, Peyton Manning. I like to refer to Manning by his initials, M.V.P. Manning has won the Most Valuable Player award a record four times since being drafted first overall in 1998 (2003, ’04, ’08, ’09). When the Colts won the Super Bowl in 2006, he was named Super Bowl M.V.P. He has placed himself in many conversations about who is the best quarterback in NFL history. In 2009, Manning was second to Matt Schaub with 4,500 passing yards and tied for second place with Brett Favre with 34 touchdowns. In 571 pass attempts, he was only sacked 10 times. For the 12th straight year, Manning started all 16 regular season games. During his tenure with the Colts, he has a 64.8% completion rate, 50,128 passing yards, 366 touchdowns, and a 95.2 rating. His 131 career wins ranks fourth all-time. Just having Manning at quarterback makes the Colts a possible Super Bowl contender.

Weakness- The Colts were dead last in rushing yards in 2009. They ran for a mere 1,294 yards, less than half that of the New York Jets, who led the NFL on the ground last season. Joseph Addai ran for 828 yards with a 3.8 yard per carry average, and 10 touchdowns. Addai ran for over 1,000 yards in his first two seasons until he had only 544 yards in 2008. Donald Brown also contributed 281 yards and three scores, but still had only a 3.6 yard average. Some of the blame can go on the offensive line. Colts’ President Bill Polian pointed a finger at the line after losing to the Saints in the Super Bowl. Although the pass protection was solid, the run blocking needed improvement. In the offseason, guard Ryan Lilja was released. Lilja started all 16 games at left guard in 2009. Tackle Charlie Johnson hasn’t practiced since spraining his foot last week. Tony Ugoh has been filling in for Johnson, whose return timetable is unknown. Pro Bowl center Jeff Saturday will be out four to six weeks after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. Saturday is a big loss for Indy. He calls out all of the line’s protection schemes in Manning’s complicated play calling system. Ryan Diem has the right tackle spot locked down, but the guard positions are still up for battle. Kyle DeVan, Jamey Richard, Jaimie Thomas, and rookies Jacques McClendon and James Williams are all candidates for the open spots.

Biggest Question- Is the window for another Super Bowl ring closing on Manning and the Colts? Peyton is now 34. He may be the next Brett Favre, playing into his late 30′s and early 40′s. Indy is very lucky Manning can carry the team on his back when they’re struggling. He survived his first coaching change with ease. He has been fortunate enough that the Colts have been able to replace aging stars with fresh talent (Edgerrin James and Marvin Harrison). Star receiver Reggie Wayne Pro Bowl tight end Dallas Clark are both 31. Jeff Saturday, now 35, has already felt the effects over a decade of wear and tear on the body. Sack artist Dwight Freeney hasn’t played a full regular season since 2006. Injuries slowed him down in the post season, too. Even though the Colts are again an AFC favorite, this team isn’t the same as the 2006 team.

Tennessee Titans

Strength- Most teams choose to have a two or three running back rotation. One exception is the Titans. The second best rushing game in the league was led by Chris Johnson. Johnson eclipsed the 2,000 yard mark with 2,006 total rushing yards (the last 2,000 yard runner was Jamal Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens in 2003 with 2,066 yards). That is 590 yards more than Steven Jackson of the Rams in second place. Johnson had 22 carries of at least 20 yards, and seven carries of more than 40 yards, including a 91 yard touchdown. He had 14 scores on 358 attempts. Johnson ran through, over, and around defenses. He rushed for over 100 yards in 12 games. His biggest game came in a Week 8 victory over divisional opponent Jacksonville. In the 30-13 win, Johnson had 228 yards (new franchise record) and 2 touchdowns, one of 52 yards, and another where he ran over safety Brian Russell on an 89 yard draw. Johnson is the real deal out of the backfield. He also ran for 1,228 yards and nine scores his rookie year in 2008. Let’s see how he can improve this year.

Weakness- Tennessee had the fifth worst overall defense in 2009. They gave up 365.6 yards per game. The 25.1 points per game they surrendered was also fifth worst in the league. Although the Titans were eighth in the league in interceptions, their passing defense was only better than Detroit’s. They gave up 258.7 yards per game through the air (31st overall), and 31 touchdowns (tied 30th with Giants). Opposing quarterbacks had an average 91.2 rating when they played the Titans. Cortland Finnegan led the team with 5 picks. Linebacker Keith Bulluck, corner Roderick Hood, and safeties Chris Hope and Vincent Fuller all had three interceptions. Fuller took two back for touchdowns. To improve the pass rush, defensive end Derrick Morgan was taken in the first round of the Draft. He should replace Kyle Vanden Bosch, who signed with Detroit in the offseason. A big void will need to be filled after the aforementioned Bulluck left to play with the New York Giants. Since 2001, Bulluck recorded over 1,000 tackles, 18 sacks, 19 interceptions, and 14 forced fumbles with the Titans. Other notable defenders added include defensive end Raheem Brock and linebacker Will Witherspoon.

Biggest Question- Which Vince Young will we see this year? Young was the 2006 Offensive Rookie of the Year. He started 13 games, and threw for 2,199 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also used his feet to run for 552 yards and 7 more scores. In 2007, Young improved his accuracy from a 51.5 % completion rate to 62.3%. He did only throw nine touchdowns, and 17 interceptions. When Kerry Collins emerged as the starter in 2008, Young started one game and threw for one score. When the Titans fell to 0-6 to start 2009, Coach Jeff Fisher gave Young another chance. He went 8-2 in the final 10 games. He amassed 1,879 passing yards and 10 touchdowns, and 281 yards and two scores on the ground. Tennessee fans hope emerging wide receiver Kenny Britt will give Young a solid target, as well as third round pick Damian Williams, and tight ends Bo Saife and Jared Cook, Jr. A more mature Young may be able to reduce the interceptions and improve his accuracy.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Strength- The Jaguars were not to far behind the Titans on the team rushing list. Jacksonville finished 2009 ranked 10th in yards gained on the ground. Running back Maurice Jones-Drew was fourth in the league in rushing yards with 1,391. His 15 touchdowns was second only to Adrian Peterson. Since former Jaguar great Fred Taylor was let go, Jones-Drew has taken over as the full-time workhorse in Jacksonville’s backfield. Ironically, Jones-Drew’s best game came in the Week 8 loss to Tennessee when Chris Johnson ran for 228 yards. The Jaguar running back ran for 177 yards on eight carries (that’s 22.1 yards per carry) and two touchdowns. His first score was an 80 yard toss play which tied Taylor for the longest run in Jacksonville history. In the second half, he took a simple dive up the middle, spun out of a tackle, and was off the races for a 79 yard touchdown. He is also reliable catching out of the backfield. Jones-Drew was second on the team in 2009 with 53 receptions. Maurice Jones-Drew is a factor back that can change a game with just one carry.

Weakness- Jacksonville’s defense will have to improve if the team plans on returning to the playoffs. They were 22nd overall in yards allowed, 27th against the pass and 19th against the run. In the past couple years, the Jaguars have tried to improve the pass rush through the draft (2008 eighth overall pick Derrick Harvey & second round pick Quentin Groves) but has found no success. They were last in the league this year with 14 sacks. There were 14 individual players who had 10 or more sacks themselves in 2009. Harvey had a meager two sacks. Defensive tackle John Henderson led the team with three sacks, but choose to sign with Oakland in the offseason. Groves was also traded to Oakland for a fifth round pick. Defensive tackle Tyson Alualu was taken tenth overall out of California in this year’s draft. Alualu had seven sacks in his senior year. Another tackle, D’Anthony Smith was taken in the third round. The Jaguars choose two ends in the fifth round, Austen Lane and Larry Hart. Their big offseason acquisition was Aaron Kampman, former Green Bay Packer. In his eight seasons with the Packers, Kampman recorded 54 quarterback sacks. Coach Jack Del Rio hopes a revamped line will take some pressure off his secondary.

Biggest Question- Can Jacksonville make themselves relevant again in the NFL? In 2009, seven out of Jacksonville’s eight home games were blacked out because the Jags couldn’t sell out their stadium. There has been very little buzz in the media coming out their Florida training camp. Did you know corner Rashean Mathis is unhappy with his remaining contract, just like Darrelle Revis in New York? Mathis, who has 28 interceptions in his eight seasons with the Jaguars, has reported to camp. What about Mike Thomas? He only set the franchise rookie receiving record last season with 48 receptions. The Jaguars haven’t made the playoffs since 2007, and could desperately use a strong 2010 to prove they can still compete at a high level.

Division Prediction- I must say this was the easiest pick out of the three divisions I have previewed so far. It’s the other three teams that I am having trouble placing in order. Of course, Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts will win the AFC South. Can either Houston, Tennessee, or Jacksonville can take a wildcard spot in the playoffs. I’m really looking forward to see if the Texans can finally jump that hurdle to earn their first playoff appearance. The Colts, I believe, will once again have what it takes to make another deep playoff run. Maybe another game in February?

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.

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.

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