GAME BALLS:
Buffalo vs. Atlanta: Atlanta WR Roddy White. This guy has to be the most underrated wide out in the NFL. Eight grabs for 139 yards and two scores. His touchdown on the first Atlanta offensive play was impressive. His 5-yard touchdown in the 4th quarter shows he can be a possession receiver, not only a big play guy.
San Diego vs. Tennessee: San Diego QB Phillip Rivers. He was 21 of 27 for 264 yards and two touchdowns, connecting with nine different receivers and completing seven passes of more than 20 yards before basically taking the 4th quarter off. The Chargers are now 18-0 in December with Rivers as their starter.
Jacksonville vs. New England: New England WR Wes Welker. With all due respect to Randy Moss’ three touchdowns, without Welker’s 13 for 138, Moss would not have been in a position to get the easy ones after Welker did all the heavy lifting.
Wild Card: Indianapolis coach Jim Caldwell. A lot of people are banging on him for resting his players in lieu of a perfect season. If they win the Super Bowl, everyone that is hammering him better eat there words. I know it has not worked in the past but nothing sets you up for a big run in the playoffs than a healthy roster.
PENALTY FLAGS:
Buffalo vs. Atlanta: The Bills. Did they forget to get on the plane? I thought they would at least make a game out of it. They looked like they wanted to be anywhere but the Georgia Dome on Sunday.
San Diego vs. Tennessee: Tennessee offense. In a game where you are fighting for a playoff spot, you can’t give the game away early, but they did by committing two turnovers, which led to 14 Chargers points. They also had eight penalties for 61 yards during the first half.
Jacksonville vs. New England: Jacksonville QB David Garrard. Threw two picks and had less than 10 yards a completion. They needed to rely on the passing game after getting down early but less that 200 yards in the air won’t cut it.
NFL Power Poll
1. Indianapolis- Resting their starters led to the loss…they would have won otherwise.
2. San Diego- This team is scary. Don’t be shocked if they end up in the Super Bowl.
3. Philadelphia- They are playing the best football in the NFC. Donovan McNabb has got the Iggles on a roll.
4. New Orleans- A loss to a playoff bound Cowboys is ok, one to a crappy Bu
5. Dallas- Tony Romo is proving he can win in December.
Projections:
AFC Championship:
Indianapolis 31 San Diego 27
NFC Championship:
Philadelphia 24 New Orleans 23
Super Bowl:
Indianapolis 28 Philadelphia 23
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Football Report Dec. 15
GAME BALLS:
Buffalo vs. Kansas City: Buffalo pass defense. KC’s last three drives ended with 2008 golden boy Matt Cassel getting intercepted by Paul Posluszny, Jarius Byrd and George Wilson in succession to secure a 16-10 victory. The last two picks occurred when it looked like KC might have a change to win the game.
Cincinnati vs. Minnesota: Adrian Peterson. A week after being shut down by Arizona, Peterson remembered that he is still the best rusher in the league with 96 yards and two scores.
San Diego vs. Dallas: Vincent Jackson. Jackson made a mint in the Dallas secondary with seven catches for 120 yards including one down to the one yard line that set up a field goal then another late in the fourth to set up Antonio Gates game-winning score.
Wild Card: Eagles WR DeSean Jackson. Jackson finished with 178 yards receiving, including a 60-yard touchdown catch. He also returned a punt 72 yards for a score. Jackson tied Crazy Legs Hirsch (1951) and Devin Hester (2007) for the most TDs of at least 50 yards in one season with eight.
PENALTY FLAGS:
Buffalo vs. Kansas City: Ryan Fitzpatrick. 12 of 20 for 86 yards with two premier WR’s is just not going to cut. Sigh, can we please see Brian Brohm play now?
Cincinnati vs. Minnesota: Carson Palmer. What? Does he think he is Ryan Fitzpatrick? Palmer could muster only 94 yards through the air as one of the best offensive’s in the NFL was completely shut down.
San Diego vs. Dallas: Dallas offense. The ‘boys converted on only one of eight third down tries. They also couldn't punch the ball into the end zone on a critical fourth-and-goal in the second quarter.
Wild Card: Carolina defense. They gloated post-game about shutting down Pats WR Randy Moss. Somehow they must have forgotten they got their behinds kicked by the other 10 Patriots on offense.
NFL Power Poll
1. Indianapolis- They have now won an NFL record 22 straight regular season games.
1. New Orleans- It is scary how they win blow outs and now have learned how to win the close ones.
3. San Diego- Have won eight in a row after a shaky start. May be the only team in the AFC that can go toe-to-toe with Indy.
4. Minnesota- Beating a very good Cincy team may be their most impressive win this season.
5. Philadelphia- Seem to be gelling at the right time.
Buffalo vs. Kansas City: Buffalo pass defense. KC’s last three drives ended with 2008 golden boy Matt Cassel getting intercepted by Paul Posluszny, Jarius Byrd and George Wilson in succession to secure a 16-10 victory. The last two picks occurred when it looked like KC might have a change to win the game.
Cincinnati vs. Minnesota: Adrian Peterson. A week after being shut down by Arizona, Peterson remembered that he is still the best rusher in the league with 96 yards and two scores.
San Diego vs. Dallas: Vincent Jackson. Jackson made a mint in the Dallas secondary with seven catches for 120 yards including one down to the one yard line that set up a field goal then another late in the fourth to set up Antonio Gates game-winning score.
Wild Card: Eagles WR DeSean Jackson. Jackson finished with 178 yards receiving, including a 60-yard touchdown catch. He also returned a punt 72 yards for a score. Jackson tied Crazy Legs Hirsch (1951) and Devin Hester (2007) for the most TDs of at least 50 yards in one season with eight.
PENALTY FLAGS:
Buffalo vs. Kansas City: Ryan Fitzpatrick. 12 of 20 for 86 yards with two premier WR’s is just not going to cut. Sigh, can we please see Brian Brohm play now?
Cincinnati vs. Minnesota: Carson Palmer. What? Does he think he is Ryan Fitzpatrick? Palmer could muster only 94 yards through the air as one of the best offensive’s in the NFL was completely shut down.
San Diego vs. Dallas: Dallas offense. The ‘boys converted on only one of eight third down tries. They also couldn't punch the ball into the end zone on a critical fourth-and-goal in the second quarter.
Wild Card: Carolina defense. They gloated post-game about shutting down Pats WR Randy Moss. Somehow they must have forgotten they got their behinds kicked by the other 10 Patriots on offense.
NFL Power Poll
1. Indianapolis- They have now won an NFL record 22 straight regular season games.
1. New Orleans- It is scary how they win blow outs and now have learned how to win the close ones.
3. San Diego- Have won eight in a row after a shaky start. May be the only team in the AFC that can go toe-to-toe with Indy.
4. Minnesota- Beating a very good Cincy team may be their most impressive win this season.
5. Philadelphia- Seem to be gelling at the right time.
Football Report Dec. 8
GAME BALLS:
Buffalo vs. New York Jets: Darrelle Revis. I really didn’t want to hand out a game ball to anyone in this game but Revis had the game-clinching interception and held Terrell Owens in check for the first time since he got cozy with Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Tennessee vs. Indianapolis: Joseph Addai. Addai ran for 79 yards and put Indy up 14-0 early. He also added three catches for 17 yards and had five carries in the fourth quarter that helped the Colts run down the clock.
Minnesota vs. Arizona: Arizona run defense. The Cards held Minnesota to 62 yards on the ground. Adrian Peterson, the NFL's third-leading rusher coming into the game, had just to 19 yards on 13 carries. Arizona is playing some great football.
Wild Card: Robert Meachem. The Saints WR not only scored the tying touchdown in the final minute of regulation, but he also made the game's biggest play at the end of the first half. Kareem Moore picked off Drew Brees but on the return, Meachem ran Moore down, stripped him and returned the fumble for a touchdown to tie the game going into halftime.
PENALTY FLAGS:
Buffalo vs. New York Jets: Ryan Fitzpatrick. Wow. He came down from the cloud he was on really quick. He looked awful vs. a banged up New York defense. It may be time to take Brian Brohm out for a test drive.
Tennessee vs. Indianapolis: Tennessee. The whole team gets this one. How do you have more first downs, more yards, punt only twice and still find a way to get your teeth kicked in?
Minnesota vs. Arizona: Brett Favre. Tossed two second half interceptions when his team needed him to carry them on his shoulders. If he is going to get the credit for the big wins, he needs to take his lumps when he fails in a crucial game.
Wild Card: Shaun Suisham. The Redskins kicker shanked a 23-yard field goal with 1:56 to play in regulation that would have iced the game for Washington and in the process would have ruined New Orleans perfect season and may have saved his coach’s job. Ouch!
NFL Power Poll
1. Indianapolis- They easily put away the Titans, the hottest team over the last month of the season.
2. New Orleans- They struggled against the Redskins but as all good teams do, found a way to win.
3. San Diego- Hottest team in the NFL, winning seven in a row.
4. Arizona- Are finally starting to look like the team that went to the Super Bowl last season.
5. Cincinnati- Clinched a winning record for only the second time in almost 20 years.
My Heisman Trophy Ballot
I am not a Heisman voter but if I was, here is how my ballot would look:
5. Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State.
4. Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama.
3. Colt McCoy, QB, Texas.
2. C.J. Spiller, RB Clemson.
And the winner….
Toby Gerhart, RB, Stanford.
Analysis: Gerhart was the heart and soul of his team. They don’t win without his bruising, hard-nosed style of running. He single-handedly won games for the Cardinal. He was led the nation in rushing yards with 1,736 and had a whopping 26 touchdowns. More importantly, during the last month of the season, he was at his very best. Gerhart averaged 29 carries and 185.5 yards per game in his last four games. Ingram, McCoy and Spiller each had a letdown game down the stretch.
Buffalo vs. New York Jets: Darrelle Revis. I really didn’t want to hand out a game ball to anyone in this game but Revis had the game-clinching interception and held Terrell Owens in check for the first time since he got cozy with Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Tennessee vs. Indianapolis: Joseph Addai. Addai ran for 79 yards and put Indy up 14-0 early. He also added three catches for 17 yards and had five carries in the fourth quarter that helped the Colts run down the clock.
Minnesota vs. Arizona: Arizona run defense. The Cards held Minnesota to 62 yards on the ground. Adrian Peterson, the NFL's third-leading rusher coming into the game, had just to 19 yards on 13 carries. Arizona is playing some great football.
Wild Card: Robert Meachem. The Saints WR not only scored the tying touchdown in the final minute of regulation, but he also made the game's biggest play at the end of the first half. Kareem Moore picked off Drew Brees but on the return, Meachem ran Moore down, stripped him and returned the fumble for a touchdown to tie the game going into halftime.
PENALTY FLAGS:
Buffalo vs. New York Jets: Ryan Fitzpatrick. Wow. He came down from the cloud he was on really quick. He looked awful vs. a banged up New York defense. It may be time to take Brian Brohm out for a test drive.
Tennessee vs. Indianapolis: Tennessee. The whole team gets this one. How do you have more first downs, more yards, punt only twice and still find a way to get your teeth kicked in?
Minnesota vs. Arizona: Brett Favre. Tossed two second half interceptions when his team needed him to carry them on his shoulders. If he is going to get the credit for the big wins, he needs to take his lumps when he fails in a crucial game.
Wild Card: Shaun Suisham. The Redskins kicker shanked a 23-yard field goal with 1:56 to play in regulation that would have iced the game for Washington and in the process would have ruined New Orleans perfect season and may have saved his coach’s job. Ouch!
NFL Power Poll
1. Indianapolis- They easily put away the Titans, the hottest team over the last month of the season.
2. New Orleans- They struggled against the Redskins but as all good teams do, found a way to win.
3. San Diego- Hottest team in the NFL, winning seven in a row.
4. Arizona- Are finally starting to look like the team that went to the Super Bowl last season.
5. Cincinnati- Clinched a winning record for only the second time in almost 20 years.
My Heisman Trophy Ballot
I am not a Heisman voter but if I was, here is how my ballot would look:
5. Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State.
4. Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama.
3. Colt McCoy, QB, Texas.
2. C.J. Spiller, RB Clemson.
And the winner….
Toby Gerhart, RB, Stanford.
Analysis: Gerhart was the heart and soul of his team. They don’t win without his bruising, hard-nosed style of running. He single-handedly won games for the Cardinal. He was led the nation in rushing yards with 1,736 and had a whopping 26 touchdowns. More importantly, during the last month of the season, he was at his very best. Gerhart averaged 29 carries and 185.5 yards per game in his last four games. Ingram, McCoy and Spiller each had a letdown game down the stretch.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Game Balls & Penalty Flags
Week 3 of UB's college season is in the books as is week 2 in the NFL.
UB GAME BALLS
* WR Naaman Roosevelt- He went to UB wanting to be a QB and finally got to throw a TD pass as he connected on a beautiful play call of a double reverse pass to TE Jesse Rack.
* TE Jesse Rack- Career highs 5 receptions for 76 yards and two scores.
NFL GAME BALLS
* QB Trent Edwards, Buffalo- Finally went deep and it paid off. A 32 yard score to Lee Evans and a 43 yarder to T.O.
* New York Jets Defense- Held the once mighty New England offense without a touchdown today for the first time since 2006.
* LB Ray Lewis, Baltimore- Lewis stuffed San Diego's Darren Sproles on fourth-and-2 with the Chargers driving for the winning score. Big road win for Baltimore.
* RB Chris Johnson, Tennessee- Scored three times and finished the game with 284 yards from scrimmage. His 91-yard touchdown tied a Titans franchise record set by Sid Blanks in 1964.
PENALTY FLAGS- For the lapses in judgment by today's NFL players.
* QB Kerry Collins, Tennessee- Trailing by 3, Collins fumbled, giving the ball back to the Texans with 1:32 remaining thus allowing Houston to run out the clock.
* QB Tom Brady & the Pats offense- Brady said talk is cheap earlier this week when they were called out by NY's Kerry Rhodes. Apparently, talk is not so cheap Tom, Rhodes and company had you figured out.
* Green Bay Packers- You really followed up an impressive win over Chicago last week with a loss to the Bungles? The Packers recovered their onside kick with 45 seconds remaining in the game. Five plays later they were at the Bengals' 10-yard line with a first down. But time had expired by the time Green Bay got to the line of scrimmage.
UB GAME BALLS
* WR Naaman Roosevelt- He went to UB wanting to be a QB and finally got to throw a TD pass as he connected on a beautiful play call of a double reverse pass to TE Jesse Rack.
* TE Jesse Rack- Career highs 5 receptions for 76 yards and two scores.
NFL GAME BALLS
* QB Trent Edwards, Buffalo- Finally went deep and it paid off. A 32 yard score to Lee Evans and a 43 yarder to T.O.
* New York Jets Defense- Held the once mighty New England offense without a touchdown today for the first time since 2006.
* LB Ray Lewis, Baltimore- Lewis stuffed San Diego's Darren Sproles on fourth-and-2 with the Chargers driving for the winning score. Big road win for Baltimore.
* RB Chris Johnson, Tennessee- Scored three times and finished the game with 284 yards from scrimmage. His 91-yard touchdown tied a Titans franchise record set by Sid Blanks in 1964.
PENALTY FLAGS- For the lapses in judgment by today's NFL players.
* QB Kerry Collins, Tennessee- Trailing by 3, Collins fumbled, giving the ball back to the Texans with 1:32 remaining thus allowing Houston to run out the clock.
* QB Tom Brady & the Pats offense- Brady said talk is cheap earlier this week when they were called out by NY's Kerry Rhodes. Apparently, talk is not so cheap Tom, Rhodes and company had you figured out.
* Green Bay Packers- You really followed up an impressive win over Chicago last week with a loss to the Bungles? The Packers recovered their onside kick with 45 seconds remaining in the game. Five plays later they were at the Bengals' 10-yard line with a first down. But time had expired by the time Green Bay got to the line of scrimmage.
Sunday, September 06, 2009
UB-UTEP Game Balls
UB had to make this one a nail-biter, but the Bulls pulled out a 23-17 win last night in El Paso to open the 2009 college football season. Each week, I will hand out game balls to outstanding performers from UB.
* QB Zach Maynard- He said after the game he was very anxious and jittery at the hotel leading up to the game. He did not show it at all. Maynard was solid in his debut as a starter going 12 of 19 for 159 yards and a touchdown. The 42-yard strike to Naaman Roosevelt was impressive that he sucked the defense in and let the ball go right as he was about to take a hit. That play turned out to be the game winner.
* DB Domonic Cook- Took the free kick after the safety 62 yards to the UTEP 25 setting up UB's second touchdown.He also had four tackles and a team high two pass break-ups.
* Offensive line- The stats will show that they gave up one sack but that was only because Maynard slipped and fell scrambling. Overall, they did a great job in pass protection and were solid on the run helping UB to 150 yards rushing.
Up next...Pitt at UB Stadium, noon on Saturday.
* QB Zach Maynard- He said after the game he was very anxious and jittery at the hotel leading up to the game. He did not show it at all. Maynard was solid in his debut as a starter going 12 of 19 for 159 yards and a touchdown. The 42-yard strike to Naaman Roosevelt was impressive that he sucked the defense in and let the ball go right as he was about to take a hit. That play turned out to be the game winner.
* DB Domonic Cook- Took the free kick after the safety 62 yards to the UTEP 25 setting up UB's second touchdown.He also had four tackles and a team high two pass break-ups.
* Offensive line- The stats will show that they gave up one sack but that was only because Maynard slipped and fell scrambling. Overall, they did a great job in pass protection and were solid on the run helping UB to 150 yards rushing.
Up next...Pitt at UB Stadium, noon on Saturday.
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