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A Look Back at Week 2 in the NFL

Posted on September 20, 2011 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment

Two weeks of NFL football are now in the books and seven teams remain undefeated — New England, Buffalo, the Jets and Houston in the AFC and Detroit, Washington and Green Bay in the NFC.

Tom Brady 226x300 A Look Back at Week 2 in the NFL

Tom Brady Just Keeps Winning

Meanwhile, some of the Divisions look crazy after two weeks. Talk about parity (or mediocrity). In the AFC North, all four teams are 1-1. In the AFC East, the Pats, Bills and Jets are 2-0 while the Dolphions are 0-2. In the NFC East, the Washington Redskins are 2-0 while Philadelphia, Dallas and the New York Giants are all 1-1. And in the NFC South, the Saints, Bucs and Falcons are 1-1 while the Panthers, who have put up 854 passing yards in the first two games are 0-2.

Go figure.

It’s a huge week coming up in Week 3. Undefeated New England is at undefeated Buffalo; the Giants are at Philly, but it’s unlikely Michael Vick will be ready for the Eagles; undefeated Houston plays at New Orleans; two rivals, Atlanta and Tampa, go head-to-head at the Pirate Ship; in a pair of NFC North matchups, Green Bay is at Chicago while Detroit plays at Minnesota (the River City Sports Blog will be live at the Metrodome on Sunday); and on Monday night, undefeated Washington is at 1-1 Dallas.

Let’s take a look back at Week 2, just to set us up for Week 3. Dr. Football and I will have our picks posted on Thursday night.

SUNDAY AFTERNOON

Tampa Bay 24 Minnesota 20

Despite the fact Adrian Peterson rushed for 120 yards and two touchdowns, the Buccaneers scored in the final minute to win it. For the second straight week the Vikings blew it in the second half. Last week, Minnesota lead 17-7 at the half and lost 24-17, this week they led 17-0 at the half and lost 24-17.

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Matthew Stafford

Detroit 48 Kansas City 3

Detroit quarterback Matt Stafford was 23-for-39 for 294 yards and four touchdowns, but it was the Detroit defense that simply shut down the Chiefs.

Buffalo 38 Oakland 35

Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick threw a six-yard TD pass to David Nelson with 14 seconds left to play to win it. The Bills scored TDs on all five of their second-half possessions to overcome a 21-3 halftime deficit. Fitzpatrick finished 28-for-46 for 264 yards and three TDs.

Green Bay 30 Carolina 23

Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw for 308 yards and two touchdowns while Carolina’s rookie quarterback Cam Newton threw for 432 yards and two touchdowns and lost. Newton became the sixth NFL quarterback in history to have two straight 400-yard passing games and the third to lose both.

Cleveland 27 Indianapolis 19

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Cleveland's Peyton Hillis

The Browns Peyton Hillis ran for 94 yards and two touchdowns while QB Colt McCoy threw for a touchdown as Cleveland improved to 1-1 and the Peyton Manning-less Colts fell to 0-2.

New York Jets 32 Jacksonville 3

Jets QB Mark Sanchez threw for two touchdowns while cornerback Antonio Rodgers-Cromartie had two of the Jets four interceptions. The Jags didn’t get inside the Jets 20.

New Orleans 30 Chicago 13

Saints quarterback Drew Brees was sensational going 26-for-37 for 270 yards and three touchdowns while the Saints defence beat up on poor Jay Cutler. Despite the loss, Brandon’s Israel Idonije had a tremendous game. He had three tackles, three assisted tackles and a sack.

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Pittsburgh's Mike Wallace

Pittsburgh 24 Seattle 0

Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger threw for 298 yards and a touchdown. Receiver Mike Wallace caught eight passes for 126 yards and that single TD. The Steelers were much sharper this week. After turning over the ball seven times a week earlier against the Baltimore Ravens, the Steelers did not make a major mistake and were quite efficient against a Seahawks defence that was better than its offence. The Seahawks were terrible on offence and didn’t take an offensive snap on the Steelers’ side of the field until midway through the fourth quarter. Seattle was shut out  for the first time since their last visit to Pittsburgh in 2007. As all Vikings fans know, QB Tarvaris Jackson just isn’t the answer for Seattle.

Tennessee 26 Baltimore 13

A bit of a shocker as Tennessee quarterback Matt Hasselbeck went 30-for-42 for 358 yards and a touchdown. The Ravens held Titans runningback Chris Johnson to 53 yards on 24 carries, but Hasselbeck beat the vaunted Ravens defense through the air.

Dallas 27 San Francisco 24 (OT)

Receiver Jesse Holley caught a 77-yard pass from Tony Romo to set up the winning field goal. It was the third pass Holley had ever caught in the NFL. Dallas outscored the Niners 13-3 down the stretch. Romo broke a rib on the third play of the game and still came back to win it for the Cowboys.

Washington 22 Arizona 21

Graham Gano kicked a 34-yard field goal with 1:45 remaining to win it for Washington. The Redskins are now 2-0. Washington rallied from an eight-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Cardinals for the eighth straight time.

Denver 24 Cincinnati 22

Denver RB Willis McGahee rushed for 101 yards and a and touchdown while QB Kyle Orton threw for 195 yards and two touchdowns. Tim Tebow played briefly for the Broncos, not as a quarterback, but as a “blocking” wide receiver. The Broncos have now lost nine players to injury — six starters.

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Houston QB Matt Schaub

Houston 23 Miami 13

Houston QB Matt Schaub went 21-for-29 for 230 yards and two touchdowns while Ben Tate carried for 103 yards. Tate became only the 11th player in NFL history to rush for at least 100 yards in each of his first two NFL games. He joins a list that includes, Alan (The Horse) Ameche, Earl Campbell, Ottis Anderson, Billy Sims, Marshall Faulk, Edgerrin James and Carnell (Cadillac) Williams. Meanwhile, Andre Johnson caught seven passes for 93 yards and a touchdown as the Texans improved to 2-0 and took sole possession of first place in the AFC South. Meanwhile, he Dolphins gave up a pair of turnovers, had a 22-yard field-goal attempt blocked and missed a 34-yarder to fall to 0-2 for the fifth time in the past six years.

New England 35 San Diego 21

Another great home opener for the Patriots who are now 61-12 (.836) since Gillette Stadium opened in 2002. Quarterback Tom Brady completed 31-of-40 passes for 423 yards and three touchdowns, two to tight end Rob Gronkowski. The Pats are now 2-0 this season and have 15 of their last 17 home openers. the Patriots have now won 10 consecutive regular-season games dating back to last season, the longest active streak in the NFL.

SUNDAY NIGHT

Atlanta 35 Philadelphia 31

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Tony Gonzalez (88) and Matt Ryan (2) of the Falcons.

This is how things went for Michael Vick in his return to Atlanta: Great first quarter, so-so-second quarter, a pretty decent third quarter and a concussion. Vick didn’t finish the game, but he left with a 31-21 lead. However, with Mike Kafka at quarterback, Philly did nothing, Atlanta outscored Philadelphia 14-0 in the fourth quarter and came back to win 35-31. Meanwhile, with seven catches on Sunday night, Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez moved past wideout Terrell Owens (1,078 career receptions) for fifth on the all-time receiving list.

MONDAY NIGHT

New York Giants 28 St. Louis 16

On Monday night football, the Giants took advantage of four huge mistakes by St. Louis to score four touchdowns and beat the visiting Rams. Eli Manning threw two touchdown passes and linebacker Michael Boley returned a fumble 65 yards for a touchdown. It was a tough loss for the Rams who moved up[ and down the field at will, but couldn’t convert in the Red Zone. Sam Bradford threw one TD pass while Josh Brown kicked three short field goals.

The Coach went 12-4 (23-9) straight up last week and 10-6 (19-13)  against the spread. As we prepare to enter Week 3, it would appear most teams are playing according to form and that’s rare, early in the season. 

 

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Week 2: Can The Coach Hold the Lead?

Posted on September 16, 2011 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment
brees saints 222x300 Week 2: Can The Coach Hold the Lead?

Drew Brees will light it up this week.

I hate to brag. I’m just not the type. But for almost two years I’ve been embarrassed by the man who calls himself Dr. Football. Every week, for nearly two complete NFL seasons, the guy has either been an outright genius or simply a blind squirrel that found a lot more acorns than he deserved to find.

But not last week. Nosireee, not last week. Last week, Dr. Football went 8-8 straight up and 7-9 against the spread.

That’s right naysayers. The Good Doctor is no longer in the lead. That’s because the The Old Coach went 11-5 straight up and 9-7 against the line. Ta!Da! Victory.

Sure it might only last a week. Heck, I’ve won the occasional week over the last couple of seasons, I’ve just never been ahead. But now, for at least seven days, I’ve been able to say I am in the lead. No, 1. The Coach is three wins ahead of a man who has a doctorate in professional football from a distinguished insitution of higher learning.

It just doesn’t get any better than that.

So here we go, Week 2. It’s the Doc against the Coach in a little ol’ game of head-to-head cranium combat. After last week’s victory, I’m ready to take on the Doc once again. I see he’s already ruin as far away as possible from his dear Vikings, fallen in love with my Lions and given up completely on the Cleveland Browns.

It’s going to be a great week. Doctor Football writes the synopsis:

Chicago Bears (1-0) at New Orleans Saints (0-1)
Line: Saints by 6.5.
The Bears beat up the Falcons at home for their Week 1 win, and they’ll want to come out and play the same physical game in the Dome against New Orleans. It won’t be easy as the heart of their team, Brian Urlacher, might not be as sharp as he was last week. He missed some practice time this week after the death of his mother. At home, the Saints pass game will run the Bears ragged. The Saints will make the necessary defensive changes to avoid being exploited like the Packers did in the season opener. I smell a shoot out…first team to 40 wins.

Dr. Football: Saints to win but not cover.

The Coach: Saints to win and cover

Kansas City Chiefs (0-1) at Detroit Lions (1-0)
Line: Lions by 8.

Detroit has the confidence now that they have a win in the books — on the road against the Bucs nonetheless.  Last week the Chiefs couldn’t get their run game going against the Bills, and it won’t be easy this week against the Lions solid defensive line. Look for Stafford and the Lions to pick on the Chiefs secondary without Eric Berry in the lineup.

Dr. Football: Lions to win and cover.

The Coach: Lions to win and cover.

Jacksonville Jaguars (1-0) at New York Jets (1-0)
Line: Jets by 9.

The Jets and Rex Ryan sent a nice thank you card to Tony Romo for that  awful pass in helping them get a big come from behind win at home over the Cowboys last Sunday. The Jaguars played a solid game in topping the Titans, as Luke McCown pulled off their game plan to perfection. This week they will need a huge game from Maurice Jones-Drew to get a win in on the road, but look for the Jets defense to build on last week’s momentum  and force mistakes as the Jets win their second home game in a row.

Dr. Football: Jets to win and cover.

The Coach: Jets to win and cover

Oakland Raiders (1-0) at Buffalo Bills (1-0)
Line: Bills by 3.

Oakland held Denver to only 38 rushing yards last week. By comparison, the Raiders ran the ball for 190 yards. Last week, the Bills allowed 108 rushing yards to the Chiefs, one of the most successful running teams last season. The Bills have to do a much better job at stopping the run, especially with Darren McFadden coming to town. (I completely disagree. Signed, The Coach).

Dr. Football: Raiders to win.

The Coach: Bills to win and cover. 

Arizona Cardinals (1-0) at Washington Redskins (1-0)
Line: Redskins by 3.5. 

Last week Arizona survived a great debut from Cam Newton, but got big plays down the stretch to get the win. Kevin Kolb was solid in his debut for the Cardinals, and this week he will go against a Redskins defense that contained Eli Manning to get the win over the Giants. Rex Grossman will need to be careful against the Cards secondary, and if they want to go 2-0, they need to be smart and run the ball well. Look for this one to be close.

Dr. Football: Redskins to win but not cover.

The Coach: Redskins to win and cover

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Chris Johnson

Baltimore Ravens (1-0) at Tennessee Titans (0-1)
Line: Ravens by 5.5.

The only worry I have in this one is the Ravens ability to stop Chris Johnson. The Ravens allowed only 66 yards to the Steelers last week, but it was on only 16 attempts, translating to a not-horrible 4.1 yards per carry. I don’t mean to take away from the Ravens impressive Week 1 victory over the AFC champs, but they certainly got lucky with three interceptions off of Big Ben, one that was returned for a touchdown and four recovered fumbles. Still, this week the Ravens are the better team. Unless, of course, Chris Johnson can find away to escape that frightening Ravens D.

Dr. Football: Ravens to win and cover.

The Coach: Ravens to win and cover 

Seattle Seahawks (0-1) at Pittsburgh Steelers (0-1)
Line: Steelers by 14.

Do you think that the Steelers were pissed off after watching film of the game against the Ravens? The Steelers committed seven turnovers and were just awful, and I’d hate to be Tarvaris Jackson and the ‘Hawks when they take the field at Heinz Field this Sunday. Seattle was in their game against the Niners until Ted Ginn ran back a kickoff and punt to put the game away, but this one will be a much tougher test on the road. Look for the Steelers to play a much more mistake-free game, and force a couple of mistakes from the terrible Seahawks.

Dr. Football: Steelers to win and cover.

The Coach: Steelers to win and cover.

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Cam Newton

Green Bay Packers (1-0) at Carolina Panthers (0-1)
Line: Packers by 9.5. 

Forgetting for a moment that Cam Newton played like his Number 1 draft pick status last week against a terrible defense, the Panthers suffered a big loss on defense as linebacker Jon Beason tore his Achilles tendon and will be out for the year. That’s a tough break for a defense that now has to contend with one of the highest calibre offenses in the NFL. If you’re the defending Super Bowl champs looking to get to Indianapolis, you go out on the road and you clobber bad teams. I’m thinking Newton’s performance last week was the exception, not the norm. Meanwhile, the Packers are still the best team in the NFC until somebody beats them. We both like Newton and his story, but the factors simply have too many weapons and too solid a defensive unit to lose to the Panthers.

Dr. Football: Packers to win and cover.

The Coach: Packers to win and cover.

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Adrian Peterson

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-1) at Minnesota Vikings (0-1)
Line: Vikings by 3.

Last week the Vikings took a big step closer to having Christian Ponder make his debut sooner than expected as Donovan McNabb was horrible in San Diego. Where was the McNabb that showed such poise in the preseason? The Bucs won’t be much nicer either to McNabb, and the Vikes needs to run Adrian Peterson 20-25 times. The Bucs will have to be more physical on offense, as they looked lost against the Lions. Look for the Bucs to make more plays in the passing game, and for the run game to have a better week as well (Doc and I disagree on this one. Vikes coach Leslie Frazier will fix last week’s offensive problems and Minnesota will win at home).

Dr. Football: Buccaneers to win.

The Coach: Vikings to win and cover. 

Cleveland Browns (0-1) at Indianapolis Colts (0-1)
Line: Browns by 2.5.

Huh? The Colts are ranked as underdogs in their own building? The Colts, without Peyton Manning, stunk  in Houston last week, and now will come home against a Browns team that lost at home late to the Bengals. The Colts will need to better protect Kerry Collins, and run the ball more as Cleveland showed against the Bengals they still can’t stop the run. Colt McCoy won’t have a ton of time to throw, and the Browns need to run Peyton Hillis more than they did a week ago. Look for the Colts to rebound (Again, The Coach disagrees).

Dr. Football: Colts to win.

The Coach: Browns to win and cover.

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Tony Romo

Dallas Cowboys (0-1) at San Francisco 49ers (1-0)
Line: Cowboys by 3.

Why was anyone shocked to see Tony Romo throw a pick with the game on the line in New York? That’s been his career bio, and you could smell that fourth quarter let down all the way to Dallas. Now they head west to San Francisco, and have to play a 49ers team that has a little swagger after a big home win over the Seahawks. The 49ers did it with special teams (Ted Ginn), but also will need to get more from Alex Smith and Frank Gore to beat the Cowboys. Dallas needs to pressure Smith, and if they can get a big game from Romo and Dez Bryant, they won’t need a big fourth quarter to beat the Niners (Coach sez: “Romo will get some pressure, panic and go fetal, as he always does.”).

Dr. Football: Cowboys to win and cover.

The Coach: 49ers to win

Houston Texans (1-0) at Miami Dolphins (0-1)
Line: Texans by 3.

The Texans see the writing on the wall, and they know that the AFC South without Peyton Manning can be theirs. They can’t lay an egg in Miami, and with Matt Schaub and the return of Arian Foster, they won’t. In fact, they’ll score more than enough points to win. I don’t think the Dolphins can get that kind of a performance out of Chad Henne two weeks in a row.

Dr. Football: Texans to win and cover.

The Coach: Texans to win and cover

San Diego Chargers (1-0) at New England Patriots (1-0)
Line: Patriots by 7.

While one may think that there is no way Tom Brady and company can be as good against the Chargers as they were in Miami last week, they will still be able to put up points against a Chargers team that had to rally in the second half to beat the Vikings. San Diego got a lot from Mike Tolbert on the ground, and they will need that again to win in New England. The Chargers always crank it up a notch against the best in the AFC, and the Pats are certainly out to prove that they are.

Dr. Football: Patriots to win and cover.

The Coach: Patriots to win and cover.

Cincinnati Bengals (1-0) at Denver Broncos (0-1)
Line: Broncos by 3.5.

The Bengals shocked the world last week as most experts picked them to get hammered by the Browns. The Broncos are licking their wounds after an awful Monday night game. Can Kyle Orton and the Broncos get their run-game get on track? Orton is just happy he won’t have to hear “Tebow” being chanted all game. The Bengals defense did a nice job against Petyon Hillis and the Browns, and if they can force Orton to beat them, it could play into the Bengals hands. I think the Broncos will have a brutal year even with John Elway making the big decisions (Coach sez: “If the Broncos don’t win this week, they’ll have to look seriously at Tim Tebow.”).

Dr. Football: Bengals to win.

The Coach: Broncos to win and cover. 

SUNDAY NIGHT

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Michael Vick Returns to Atlanta.

Philadelphia Eagles (1-0) at Atlanta Falcons (0-1)
Line: Eagles by 1.5.

You have to think that Atlanta is the solid pick in this one based on the Falcons success at home. Then again, this is pretty much the same Atlanta team that got clobbered 31-17 to essentially the same Eagles team in Week 6 last season in Philadelphia. The Eagles won that game with Kevin Kolb at quarterback, so while the Falcons will trot out the same team this week, they will face a new-look Philly team with Michael Vick on offense and newcomers Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Nnamdi Asomugha on defense.

Dr. Football: Eagles to win and cover.

The Coach: Eagles to win and cover.

MONDAY NIGHT

St. Louis Rams (0-1) at New York Giants (0-1)
Line: Giants by 6.

The Rams need Steven Jackson, but without him the focus will be on Sam Bradford, and it won’t be easy for them to get it done on MNF. The Giants were surprised by the Redskins, and they made way too many mistakes to win. Tom Coughlin will right the ship, and under the prime-time lights, the Giants defense will stuff Bradford and the Rams run game.

Dr. Football: Giants to win and cover

The Coach: Giants to win and cover

The Doc went 8-8 last week and was 7-9 vs. the spread. The Coach went 11-5 straight up and 9-7 against the spread. And we think this is the first time since 2009 that The Coach has had the lead.

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All You Need To Know About Week 1 in the NFL

Posted on September 13, 2011 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment
tom brady 648 207x300 All You Need To Know About Week 1 in the NFL

Tom Brady, Awesome Again.

Before Dr. Football and I take on Week 2 in the NFL — our picks will be posted by Friday — we need to take stock of Week 1.

This week, as always, we learned 10 things:

1. The Baltimore Ravens and Chicago Bears made statements: “You guys can be madly in love with the Steelers and Packers if you wish, but we aren’t going to roll over and die.”

2. Tom Brady is still remarkable. His 99-yard TD pass to Wes Welker was jaw-dropping. The game itself was jaw-dropping. Brady and Miami’s Chad Henne combined to become the first duo of quarterbacks in NFL history to pass for 500 yards and 400 yards in a single game.

3. Despite what ESPN did by ripping Tim Tebow in order to help enable new Broncos GM John Elway to go with Kyle Orton, how long will it take before the Broncos finally go with the guy who wins as opposed to the guy who looks good losing?

4. The Detroit Lions might be legitimate.

5. Michael Vick could have a monster year. Matt Schaub and Phillip Rivers will be very good.

6. Three teams passed for more than 400 yards — and lost.

7. So much for all the whining about the new kickoff rule. Here’s the headline: “Three kickoff return touchdowns in Week 1 tied for the most in an opening weekend in NFL history (1970, 1998).” Looks like a good rule.

8. Like offence? There was a grand total of 7,842 net passing yards in Week 1. The most in a single week in NFL history. There were 14, 300-yard passers in Week 1, the most in a single week in NFL history.  The previous best was 13 in Week 10 of last year. And there were five games in which both quarterbacks threw for at least 300 yards, the most in any week in NFL history. Four 400-yard passers was the most in a single week in NFL history.

9. Carolina rookie quarterback Cam Newton had 422 passing yards, the most ever by a player making his NFL debut.

10. San Francisco’s Ted Ginn  Jr. became the 12th player in NFL history to return a kickoff (102 yards) and a punt (55 yards) for a touchdown in the same game.  Ginn accomplished the feat in just 59 seconds — the fastest in history.

Baltimore 35 Pittsburgh 7

The Ravens Joe Flacco threw three touchdown passes while runningback Ray Rice rushed for 107 yards and two TDs.

Chicago 30 Atlanta 12

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Brian Urlacher, Chicago Bears

Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher had an interception and returned a fumble recovery for a touchdown. If the Bears defence continues to rock, it will take pressure off Jay Cutler – who passed for 312 yards in the opener – and his offence. That will make the Bears a much better all-around football team. By the way, RB Matt Forte was brilliant once again and a strong running game will always work in a team’s favor.

Houston 34 Indianapolis 7

The Texans backup runningback Ben Tate rushed for 116 yards and a touchdown as Indy played without Peyton Manning. And without Peyton Manning, they were downright horrendous.

Cincinnati 27 Cleveland 17

The Browns fell asleep on defense late in the game and blew a 17-13 lead late. Cincinnati’s Cedric Benson carried 25 times for 121 yards and a touchdown.

Jacksonville 16 Tennessee 14

The Jags’ Maurice Jones-Drew rushed for 98 yards and a touchdown.

Buffalo 41 Kansas City 7

Kansas City was 11-5 last year and won the AFC West but Buffalo sauntered into K.C. and scored 40 points in a season opener for the first time since 1992. Fred Jackson carried for 112 yards for the Bills.

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Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia 31 St. Louis 13

The Eagles Michael Vick was terrific. He threw two touchdown passes and ran for 98 yards. He now has 4,728 rushing yards, second most in the history of the game, behind only Randall Cunningham (another Philly QB) who had 4,928. Vick should break that record by Week 4.

Detroit 27 Tampa Bay 20

The Lions Matthew Stafford threw for 305 yards and three touchdowns. The Lions defense was very good, as expected. But the important thing for Detroit was that they beat a decent team on the road.

Arizona 28 Carolina 21

Arizona’s Kevin Kolb threw for 309 yards and two touchdowns while Carolina rookie Cam Newton threw for 422 yards and two TDs and ran for another touchdown. This one was all about Newton, even in defeat. The guy is going to be great if the Carolina coaches don’t screw with his game.

San Diego 24 Minnesota 17

The Chargers scored the final 17 points and the only 17 points of the second half as San Diego came back from a 17-7 halftime deficit.

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The Niners Ted Ginn headed to the end zone.

San Francisco 33 Seattle 17

Ted Ginn Jr. returned a kickoff 102 yards for a touchdown, then returned a punt 55 yards for a touchdown, all in a minute’s span in the fourth quarter to give the Niners the win.

Washington 28 NY Giants 14

The Redskins Rex Grossman threw for 305 yards and two touchdowns.

SUNDAY NIGHT

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Mark Sanchez, New York Jets

NY Jets 27 Dallas 24

The Jets were down 14 points in the fourth quarter and came back to win AT Dallas. Nick Folk kicked a 50-yard field goal to win in with 27 seconds left. The Jets Mark Sanchez was 26-for-44 for 335 yards and two touchdowns.

MONDAY NIGHT

New England 38 Miami 24

Wow! What a night for Tom Brady. He was 32-for-48 for a franchise-record 517 yards and four touchdowns. Wes Welker had eight catches for 160 yards and two touchdowns. Miami’s Chad Henne completed 30-of-49 passes for 416 yards and two TDs (see above).

Oakland 23 Denver 20

The highlight of the game came from Oakland kicker Sebastien Janikowski who booted an NFL record-tying 63-yard field goal. Only Tom Dempsey and Jason Elam have matched that distance. By the way, when is Denver going to realize that QB Kyle Orton can’t win.

This week our three biggest games are: Chicago at New Orleans, as the Bears take on a 2010 playoff team for the second straight week; San Diego at New England in a battle of high-powered offenses; and Philadelphia at Atlanta as Mike Vick goes back to his original NFL home.

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A Visit With Blitznak the Magnificent

Posted on August 19, 2011 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment
brett favre 818 296x300 A Visit With Blitznak the Magnificent

Brett Favre: Not coming back.

Will Donovan McNabb be good enough to keep the Minnesota Vikings out of last place? Will the Philadelphia Eagles’ spending spree lead to a Super Bowl crown? Will Brett Favre suddenly show up in an NFL uniform this year?

We will answer these and other questions as we take a long, jaundiced look into the National Football League’s Crystal Ball. Of course, while looking into the future is always a risky bit of business, we’ve decided to seek out the best crystal ball gazer there is.

Blitznak the Magnificent, the man with the big ball… ahh, umm, the big crystal ball, has the answers to all of your queries, both fantasy and otherwise. He’s always right – at least, he believes he’s always right – and we were able to track him down at his cabin on Lake Winnipegosich deep in the northern Minnesota bush (OK, so he’s about eight miles northwest of Duluth near the Chippewa Casino on Hwy. 2) to interview the all-seeing NFL Oracle.

We posed the following 10 questions:

River City Sports Blog: So, Mr. Blitznak, the All-Knowing, will Donovan McNabb make a difference to the Minnesota Vikings.

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Bryant McKinnie: Playing DT on Roller Skates.

Blitznak, the Magnificent: Short answer? No. Long answer? If he gets any time to throw, he could be terrific. Trouble is, that offensive line in Minnesota couldn’t block the Vikings Cheerleaders. On the upside, Leslie Frazier cut left tackle Bryant McKinnie who played last season like he was on roller-skates. That fat tub of goo was done last year and when he showed up to training camp weighing in at about 450, you knew it was over. The O-line will be better, but probably not enough better to make Donovan McNabb the Donovan McNabb of 2005.

RCSB: Did the Eagles do the right thing, spending all that money on free agents and will it make them good enough to win the Super Bowl?

B the M: Make no mistake, young Grasshopper, you never do the wrong thing when you spend money to try to get good players in order to win games. At least, ownership is trying. Now it’s up to Andy Reid to make that team a winner and it might take some time. But the Eagles are good and they will do well this season. And DO NOT take pre-season seriously. Always remember, the year the Detroit Lions went 0-16, they were 4-0 in pre-season. Just because the Eagles stunk in Week 2 of the pre-season against Pittsburgh means nothing. To quote Allen Iverson, “its just practice. Did you hear me? It’s practice.”

RCSB: Who will be the best quarterback in the NFL this season?

A Visit With Blitznak the Magnificent

The great Aaron Rodgers

B the M: Well, it sure isn’t gonna be Eli Manning despite what he thinks of himself. Sometimes I think Eli is just Peyton’s dumber little brother. What’s that? He is? Really? Anyway, it won’t be either Manning.

If you’re in a fantasy draft and you have Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Mark Sanchez, Philip Rivers, Tom Brady or Michael Vick, you’ll be just fine. Detroit’s Matthew Stafford, if he can stay healthy, is the big sleeper. Matt Schaub in Houston could have a very interesting season, as well.

Stay away, stay as far as humanly possible away, from Kyle Orton, Chad Henne, Alex Smith, Matt Hasselbeck, Tarvaris Jackson and Andy Dalton.

RCSB: Is there a receiver we might not spend any time thinking about who could light it up this season?

B the M: Yep.

RCSB: Ah, well, who might that be?

jimmy graham 300x212 A Visit With Blitznak the Magnificent

Look out! Here comes Jimmy Graham.

B the M: If you wanted to ask me about a specific player, why didn’t you just freakin’ ask me? My selection for ‘big improvement from 2010 to 2011’ is Jimmy Graham, tight end for the New Orleans Saints. At 6-foot-6, 260-pounds, he’s a load. He’s also a gigantic target for the already incredible Drew Brees. While everyone is double-teaming Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, Lance Moore and Robert Meacham, great big Jimmy Graham will be lurking around all by himself. Last year, as a rookie, Graham – a third-round pick out of Miami, by the way — had 29 catches for 341 yards and four touchdowns. This year, you watch: 65 catches, 800 yards, 12 touchdowns. I love me some Jimmy Graham.

RCSB: The “Reverend” Tony Dungy says Ndamukong Suh, “has to dial it back.” Do you think he should?

B the M: Hell, no. Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition. As long as Suh has enough dough to pay the fines, he should continue to kick the living crap of quarterbacks – legally or otherwise. He’s a freakin’ defensive tackle. He fights to the death on every play just to get to the quarterback and then the NFL says, “Oh, Mr. Suh, when you reach the quarterback (Who should be wearing a ballet tutu) you must back off.” That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. Here’s the motto of the NFL, “Do unto others BEFORE they do unto you.” If Suh changes his game, he won’t be the same player. He should just take $100,000 of his own money and put it in a trust fund for the fines he’ll have to pay, and go ahead and make $20 million a year when he becomes the best defensive lineman in NFL history.

RCSB: Which young player(s) will have the most impressive breakout seasons in 2011?

B the M: After Jimmy Graham, watch out for Ryan Mathews in San Diego. He and Mike Tolbert will share the load again, but after he closed the season with that 120-yard, three-TD game against Denver last December, he’ll take most of the reps this year. Last year, LeSean McCoy in Philly carried 207 times for 1,080 yards and seven touchdowns. Mike Vick will make those numbers larger in 2011. And if Matt Stafford stays healthy, he’ll light it up in Detroit. In fact, he could make the Lions offense as good as the Lions defense and that could mean a challenge to the Packers in the NFC North.

RCSB: Who is the best runningback in the NFL?

B the M: I love Chris Johnson and I think DeAngelo Williams is the most-under-rated back in all of football, but the answer is Adrian Peterson. He’s consistent and productive and absolutely your first pick on fantasy draft day. Even with that horse-pucky offensive line in Minnesota, he puts up big numbers. He is, without fear of legitimate argument, the best in the game.

RCSB: Can the Cincinnati Bengals win with a rookie quarterback?

B the M: You’re talking about that Andy Dalton kid aren’t you? Too bad. I hope he survives the season. The answer is no. In fact, Cincinnati will not only go 2-14 – if they’re lucky – but that team won’t be able to score in a women’s prison with a handful of pardons. Mike Brown is a donkey who should have traded Carson Palmer for a few draft picks and some real football players. Trouble is, Brown’s ego is more important than the welfare of his team. He could be one of the most incompetent dickwads in football history.

RCSB: Do you have a favorite player?

Danny Woodhead 1 300x244 A Visit With Blitznak the Magnificent

Danny Woodhead. He plays like his name.

B the M: Well, I shouldn’t, because I know all and when you know all, you know that your favorite player will one day Tweet a picture of his junk to a high school girl in Ottumwa, Iowa, and then all of your dreams will be shot to hell. But there is a player I like more than most. Danny Woodhead in New England is a riot to watch. He’s four-feet freakin’ tall, built like a porcupine and just as hard to tackle. He rushed for 611 yards last year playing second violin to Benjarvus Green-Ellis (the best name in the NFL next to Ndamukong Suh) and this year he’ll get a chance at running back and in probably some kind of H-Back set that Belichick will dream up on his walk from the locker room to the practice field. I love Danny Woodhead. I think his name is indicative of the way he plays.

RCSB: Can the Packers repeat?

B the M: Yes they can. But will they? That’s a more difficult question, Chubby. It’s extremely difficult to go back-to-back these days. When you have Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, A.J. Hawk at linebacker and Clay Matthews anywhere within 15 miles of a football field, you have a chance to win. The Packers are very good and in January, we’ll find out if they are better than the Eagles. And by the way, I live in Minnesota. It pains me to think that the Packers might win two Super Bowls in a row.

RCSB: Can anybody beat the Patriots and Eagles this year?

B the M: Sure. But will they lose very often? Not unless Bill Belichick and Andy Reid, both on the verge of pure unadulterated insanity, go completely bonkers. New England has everything plus Tom Brady. The Eagles have everything else. If it’s not a Patriots-Eagles Super Bowl, then the Jets and Saints or Packers will have played over their heads. That’s 10 questions. Now go away. Thelma wants to play the slots. Coming, dear.

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More Moves, More Winners and Losers.

Posted on July 29, 2011 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment
Vince Young e1309451809140 300x197 More Moves, More Winners and Losers.

Vince Young

The National Football League’s training camps will open this weekend, but in the meantime the big moves just keep on coming:

1) Quarterback Vince Young, released by the Tennessee Titans yesterday, has been signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as Michael Vick’s backup. WINNER: The Eagles have had a great free-agent week. Young might be odd, but he can play and in the right circumstance, he can be a big help.

2) Chad Ochocinco is on his way from the Cincinnati Bengals to the New England Patriots. The Bengals will receive a pair of draft picks in return. Ochocinco will be great in New England. WINNER: The Pats. They always win with reclamation projects. Ochocinco will be outstanding in New England and QB Tom Brady has already formally welcomed his new target.

3) With Donovan McNabb now in Minnesota, punter Chris Kluwe announced this morning on K-FAN in the Twin Cities that he will wear No. 4 this season while McNabb gets No. 5. Didn’t some other old quarterback wear No. 4 last year? Can’t remember. WINNER: The Vikings. If McNabb is happy, the Vikings will be happy. And who gives a rat’s ass about the punter anyway?

drc More Moves, More Winners and Losers.

dominique rodgers-cromartie

4) The deal was done quicker than we thought. The Philadelphia Eagles traded quarterback Kevin Kolb to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. A great trade for the Eagles. WINNER: The Eagles. Again. Rodgers-Cromartie is a dominant corner who will make the Eagles defensive immediately better. Kevin Kolb isn’t as good as the NFL’s fawning media experts made him out to be and he also lost his job to Vick. He wasn’t going to play in Philly. In fact, the Eagles are a lot better off with Vince Young.

5) The Carolina Panthers, who already signed linebacker Charles Johnson and runningback DeAngelo Williams made a deal yesterday to acquire tight end Greg Olsen from the Chicago Bears, signed linebacker Joe Beason tyo a five-year, $50 million extension and are now just hours away from signing rookie quarterback Cam Newton. WINNER: The Panthers. Because on Friday, they were last in the NFC South. Today, they could be third and with a quarterback, they could challenge.

Minnesota Vikings training camp opens on Tuesday. We will be there live next weekend.

*   *   *

LATE FRIDAY ADDITIONS

1) Minnesota free agent defensive end, Ray Edwards, has signed a free agent deal with the Atlanta Falcons. WINNER: Falcons, for obvious reasons.

2) After his release from Dallas wideout Roy Williams has found a home in Mike Martz’s offence in Chicago. WINNER: Chicago. Martz will find a way to use this guy to help make Jay Cutler a better quarterback.

3) Safety and kick returner, Danieal Manning has agreed to a four-year $20 million with the Houston Texans. WINNER: Houston. Manning gives the Texans a double-barrelled shot of speed.

4) Cornerback Eric Wright tweeted on Friday that he’s going to the Detroit Lions. WINNER: The Lions only because it’s another experienced body on a team that Ndamukong Suh says is going 16-0 this season.

5) Big name players who were cut on Friday: Jets — QB Mark Brunell; Steelers — T Flozell Adams; Jaguars — G Vince Manuwai; Falcons — DL Jamaal Anderson, WR Michael Jenkins, RB Jerious Norwood; 49ers — K Joe Nedney.

*   *   *

A QUICK WORD ABOUT THE BOMBERS…

Winnipeg now has a football team capable of winning the Grey Cup. As the ghosts have long said, “Offense draws crowds, defense wins championships.”

Thursday night, backup quarterback Alex Brink came off the bench in the fourth quarter, after an injury to starter Buck Pierce, and made a great run to set up a game winning touchdown pass to Terrence Edwards as the Blue Bombers beat the B.C. Lions 25-20 in front of more than 29,000 at Canad Inns Stadium last night. The Bombers trailed 13-6 at halftime and Pierce, who left the game with what’s being called a calf strain, got the home side going early in the second half with an 82-yard touchdown pass to Clarence Denmark on the first play of the third quarter.

On an emotional night honouring assistant coach Richard Harris who died of a heart attack on Tuesday, the Bombers defense was outstanding once again as Winnipeg improved to 4-1 on the season and matched their win total from all of last year. The Lions fell to 0-5.  The Bombers D is now No. 1 in every major statistical category in the CFL.

This D makes me think of Tyrone Jones, James West, Greg Battle, Paul Randolph, Rod Hill and Michael Gray. It’s good enough to win it all, no matter who plays quarterback.

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More NFL Moves Make Winners of Minnesota, Miami and the Pats.

Posted on July 28, 2011 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment
r DONOVAN MCNABB TRADED large570 300x125 More NFL Moves Make Winners of Minnesota, Miami and the Pats.

Donovan McNabb

Isn’t this fun? The National Football League is back at work and it is blowing up.

As we told you yesterday, the Minnesota Vikings acquired Donovan McNabb from the Washington Redskins, as long as McNabb rewrites his contract. McNabb is slated to be paid $12.5 million this season and the Vikings won’t pay that. McNabb wants to go to Minnesota badly enough that he’ll re-work the deal. WINNER: The Vikings. They needed a veteran to mentor Christian Ponder and also give them some stability at the most important position on the field. Outstanding move.

The Carolina Panthers will pay runningback DeAngelo Williams $43 million over five years to stay in Charlotte. He’ll get $21 million guaranteed. WINNER: Carolina gets one of the most dynamic backs in the league back in the fold.

It appears the Miami Dolphins will make a deal with Denver to sign quarterback Kyle Orton. WINNER: Denver. Addition by deletion.

The Washington Redskins have completed a trade with the Denver Broncos, acquiring wide receiver Jabar Gaffney for defensive end Jeremy Jarmon. WINNER: Both teams got what they needed.

The San Diego Chargers made Eric Weddle the highest paid safety in history, giving him a five-year $40 million deal – that includes a $13 million signing bonus and $19 million guaranteed. WINNER: Eric Weddle.

The Philadelphia Eagles will deal quarterback Kevin Kolb to the Arizona Cardinals in a trade slated to go through tomorrow. WINNER: The Eagles rid themselves of a guy who won’t play and the Cardinals will try with another new quarterback.

Sidney Rice picture 236x300 More NFL Moves Make Winners of Minnesota, Miami and the Pats.

Sidney Rice

The Seattle Seahawks acquired Minnesota Vikings free-agent wide receiver Sidney Rice, a five-year deal worth $44 million. WINNER: Seattle. The guy runs great patterns and makes up for a lack of speed with great hands.

The Washington Redskins have traded defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth to the New England Patriots for a fifth-round draft pick. WINNER: New England. Nobody is better at reclamation projects than Bill Belichick and with Hayesworth and Vince Willfork in the middle, the Patriots could be formidable.

And the New Orleans Saints worked out terms of a trade that will send RB Reggie Bush to the Miami Dolphins, contingent on him agreeing to a new contract. WINNER: Miami. Reggie can still play – and make big plays.

Be back later with more…

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The NFL is Back. Now It’s Fun.

Posted on July 27, 2011 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment

LAS VEGAS — Here in the desert, you could hear the reaction. From the Sports and Race Book at the Wynn to the Sports Book at the Mirage, punters (a) breathed a sigh of relief and (b) grabbed the brand new futures sheets as the National Football League went back to work.

It has been extremely interesting here in Vegas as the big bettors try to figure out which player is going what team and which team will improve dramatically over 2010. In fact, there is an excitement about the NFL right now that I don’t believe the NFL thought would exist after a 4 1/2-month lockout. People are so into this free-agent frenzy that when the following happened over the last few days, there were actually cheers in the Mirage Book.

1) The Carolina Panthers signed linebacker Charles Johnson to a six-year $72 million deal.

2) The Baltimore Ravens signed offensive lineman Marshal Yanda to a five-year, $32 million contract. Yes, somebody actually cheered when he heard an offensive lineman had signed. That’s excited.

3) Wide receiver Santana Moss signed a three-year $15 million deal with the Washington Redskins.

4) The New York Jets signed WR Santonio Holmes to a five-year $48 million deal with $24 million guaranteed.

5) The Washington Redskins signed defensive lineman Barry Cofield away from the New York Giants. It’s a six-year $36 million deal with $12.5 million guaranteed.

Meanwhile, the Minnesota Vikings agreed to a trade that would give them veteran quarterback Donovan McNabb as long as McNabb reworks a contract that is set to pay him $12.5 million this season. The Vikings won’t pay that, but McNabb wants to be moved to Minnesota badly enough that he’ll take a new deal.

At the same time, the Vikings are now in a bidding war with the Seattle Seahawks to sign wide receiver Sidney Rice. The Seahawks have signed former Vikings quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, which means Matt Hasselbeck is out (he eventually signed with Tennessee)  and there was more talk yesterday about Brett Favre coming out of retirement to play in Philadelphia. Favre, apparently, laughed.

Regardless, the fun is upon us and teams are getting better as we speak. Right now, the Vikings, Jets and Redskins can all call themeslves winners.

We’ll be back later with more.

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Things That Make Me Smile

Posted on July 16, 2011 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment

James Reimer came up to the Shaw TV booth on Friday night during our telecast of the Goldeyes and Sioux Falls.

The Toronto Maple Leafs netminder is one of those terrific young men you just cheer for. Even if you hate the damn Leafs, you can’t help but want the best for a happy, respectful, intelligent Christian young man like Reimer.

He’s one of the people, places and things that made me smile this week. In fact, without getting too gushy, it’s really been a great week here in Winnipeg and a week that reminded me that life in the summer in this town is pretty darn nice.

Here’s a list of the things that made me smile this week. Visit me on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001559147071) and tell me the things that made you smile:

1) The Winnipeg Goldeyes were outstanding this week. It all started with a complete-game, two-hour-and-24-minute, eight-hit grinder by Ace Walker and finished with a complete-game, two-hour-and 39 minute, six-hit grinder by Ace Walker.

The Goldeyes won 7-2 in Fargo this past Sunday as Walker was terrific, and then they went into St. Paul and emerged as the No. 1 team in the American Association’s North Division. They won a doubleheader, 5-4 and 3-2 on Monday, won 6-1 on Tuesday and 10-4 on Wednesday to take a three-game lead in the race for first.

After losing 17-7 in their return to Winnipeg on Thursday, the Goldeyes rode Walker’s right arm — and the bats of Jon Weber and Brian Myrow — to an 18-1 shlellacking of a good hitting team from Sioux Falls. The Fish almost scored as many runs on Friday as the Bombers scored points on Thursday.

Sunday afternoon, Chris Salamida (7-1, 2.71 ERA) will face former Goldeyes starter Ben Moore (8-2, 2.40 ERA) of Sioux Falls in what should be one of the best pitching match-ups of the year. I’m smiling just thinking about it.

2) The Winnipeg Blue Bombers defense. They’re fast, aggressive, angry, swarming and opportunistic. The best in the CFL. This group reminds me of the late 80s-early 90s Bomber defenses with James West, Tyrone Jones, Paul Randolph, Mike Gray, Rod Hill, and the great Greg Battle.

Too bad the offense has to come out on the field, I could watch that defense all night.

3) Anthony Calvillo makes me smile. It’s amazing, but the guy had cancer last fall. He might be a better quarterback now than he was before the cancer was removed.

Friday night, he completed 29-of-43 passes for 307 yards and two touchdowns as he became the career leader in touchdown passes in the CFL with 395.

Meanwhile, he led the Alouettes to a 40-17 drubbing of the Toronto Argonauts as Montreal improved to 3-0. We’re three games into the 2011 season and a guy who has come back from cancer surgery is already on pace to be the CFL’s player of the year.

4) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 2 in IMAX 3D at Silver City Polo Park made me happy.

5) The end of the NFL lockout.

The news just gets better every day for NFL fans. My insiders tell me that an agreement between the owners and players is done and will be ratified this week. Free agency will start the Week of the 25th and training camps should open in early August. The Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, is preparing for its Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 7 as if there is no glitch in the schedule. The NFL itself has confirmed that no games — pre-season or otherwise have been cancelled.

I can’t wait. In the meantime, the more I learn about the deal, the wider my smile.

 

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The Regular Season is Over. And a 7-9 Team is in the Playoffs

Posted on January 3, 2011 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment

With the exception of the unfortunate fact that the 7-9 Seattle Seahawks, a team that is NOT significantly better than the Detroit Lions, is in the National Football League playoffs, it was a pretty good year for the NFL.

Tom Brady was sensational, Arian Foster was a horse, Troy Polamalu, Ed Reed and Ray Lewis remained the best defensive players in the NFL, our pal Israel Idonije had a great year in Chicago, the Lions got better, Kansas City stepped up, Oakland improved, Tim Tebow showed why he should be No. 1 in Denver, Peyton Manning willed the Colts back to the playoffs, Brett Favre retired, Sam Bradford arrived and the poor Minnesota Vikings finished the year with an interim coach, a collapsed stadium and a vantage point from the basement of the NFC North.

On Sunday evening, the NFL’s playoff schedule has been set. In the opening round, New England and Pittsburgh have the byes in the AFC while Atlanta and Chicago have the byes in the NFC. New England and Atlanta have home field throughout the playoffs. This Saturday, New Orleans plays at Seattle at 3:30 while the Jets play at Indianapolis at 7, both games are on NBC. On Sunday, Baltimore is at Kansas City at 12 Noon on CBS and Green Bay is at Philadelphia at 3:30 on FOX.

Let’s enjoy it because if the folks who run the league and the Players Association don’t get their collective act in gear, we might have nothing but the CFL, the UFL and BCS next season.

OK, Sport Select and Fantasy Players, here are your NFL scores and highlights for Week 17…

Sunday night…

Seattle 16 St. Louis 6

Just a horrible football game. Seattle wins the NFC West with a 7-9 record, the first sub.500 division champ in league history and they’ll get to play host to New Orleans on Saturday.

Sunday afternoon….

Detroit 20 Minnesota 13

The Lions won their final four games and finished ahead of the Vikings in the standings. It’s the first time since 1990 that the Vikes have finished last in the NFC North. And Brett Favre, who was inactive yesterday with a concussion, HAS retired. Detroit’s Shaun Hill threw for 258 yards and a touchdown. Minnesota’s only touchdown came on an interception return by Jared Allen. It looks like Leslie Frazier will keep his job as the Vikings head coach.

Green Bay 10 Chicago 3

Aaron Rodgers one-yard pass to tight end Donald Lee gave the 10-6 Packers all they needed in the fourth quarter to win the game and lock up a playoff berth.

NY Giants 17 Washington 14

The 10-6 Giants got the win but they didn’t get the help they needed to make the playoffs. The Packers win eliminated New York.

Indianapolis 23 Tennessee 20

Peyton Manning threw two touchdowns passes and Adam Vinatieri kicked the winning field goal with no time left on the clock as the 10-6 Colts made the playoffs again.

NY Jets 38 Buffalo 7

Veteran Mark Brunell threw two TD passes for the 11-5 Jets as Mark Sanchez rested for the playoffs after the first series of downs.

Tampa Bay 23 New Orleans 13

Tampa finished 10-6 and missed the playoffs. Bucs QB Josh Freeman threw for 255 yards and two TDs. The Saints finished 11-5 and will head off to the post-season.

New England 38 Miami 7

The Pats’ Tom Brady went 10-fort-16 for 199 yards and two touchdowns. His new favorite target, Rob Gronkowski caught six passes for 102 yards and a TD. The 14-2 Patriots won their final eight games. Dolphins coach Tony Sparano could lose his job this week.

Pittsburgh 41 Cleveland 9

The Steelers Ben Roethlisberger went 15-for-22 for 280 yards and two touchdowns as 12-4 Pittsburgh clinched the AFC North title. Expect the Cleveland coaching staff to be fired en masse today. (Note: Eric Mangini was fired Monday morning before 9 a.m.)

Baltimore 13 Cincinnati 7

The Ravens offence did nothing, but Ed Reed had two interceptions and Ray Lewis recovered two fumbles. Baltimore will enter the playoffs on a four-game winning streak.

Atlanta 31 Carolina 10

Matt Ryan threw for 236 yards and two touchdowns as the Falcons finished 13-3 and earned the No. 1 seed in the NFC.

Dallas 14 Philadelphia 13

Jason Garrett will be go from interim to semi-permanent head coach of the Cowboys (all coaches are semi-permanent). Stephen McGee threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Jason Whitten with 55 seconds left to give Dallas the victory. Michael Vick did not play for the Eagles, but will start this coming Sunday against Green Bay.

Oakland 31 Kansas City 10

The Chiefs Matt Cassel was awful – 11-for-33 for 115 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions. Oakland’s Michael Bush carried 25 times for 137 yards and a touchdown. The 8-8 Raiders went 6-0 within the AFC West Division and missed the playoffs. The Cjiefs won it at 10-6.

San Francisco 38 Arizona 7

It was likely Alex Smith’s final game for the 49ers and he was pretty good. He threw for 276 yards and two TDs.

San Diego 33 Denver 28

Chargers rookie Ryan Matthews ran for 120 yards and three touchdowns. For Denver, QB Tim Tebow threw two touchdowns passes and ran for another.

Houston 34 Jacksonville 17

The Texans’ Arian Foster rushed for 180 yards and two touchdowns and won the NFL rushing title.

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Dan Fouts Wears a Baltimore Ravens Cheeerleader’s Skirt

Posted on December 26, 2010 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment

This is why I watch almost all NFL football on TV with the mute button on: Dan Fouts defends the dirty-ass Baltimore Ravens on every play and criticizes the Cleveland Browns on every play. He’s not a commentator, he’s an effing Ravens cheerleader.

I thought Darryl Johnston was the worst color commentator in the NFL. I’m calling an audible. It’s Dan Fouts.

Why do CBS and Fox torture me with such putrid crap?

Click. MUTE. Ahh, that’s better.

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