Brandon “Peterbilt” Jacobs says no to Braylon Edwards!

It seems that Brandon Jacobs always has something to say to the media. Since his rookie season, he has never shy’d away from the spotlight saying controversial comments about NFL players, teams, referees and of course the media. His most recent comments, however, were pertaining to the recent commotion about the possibility of the GMEN trading for Browns WR Braylon Edwards. Brandon yesterday, flat out said on EPSN Radio 1050 that, “I just don’t want him. There are great players in the league that I don’t want. I just think the chemistry between the teammates that I have now is great. We don’t need to add a new veteran to the whole group.” He also was happy that the Giants stayed out of the Boldin saga as well. Personally if I was the Giants management I would give that monster whatever he wants in hopes that he wouldn’t run me over, considering the fact that Brandon is built like a semi-truck! Also, considering what the Giants would need to give up financially to secure either WR, it seems to be best to stay away, because they would no doubt lose a top veteran like Peirce in the coming years due to the salary cap issues! Go Big Blue Wrecking crew!

What will the Giants do? All of the WR’s are vertically challenged!

The New York Giants do not have a lack of speed and big play potential when you look at their Wide Receiving core, regardless of what some morons think and write. With the speed and explosiveness of Mario Manningham and Sinorice Moss, and Ron Hixon you would have to be crazy to think that. The Giants may have some of the fastest receivers in the NFL, in truth. The only big problem for this team is the glaring shortness of these Wideouts! Without Plaxico the tallest of Eli’s targets is Hixon at a generous 6′1. And that is the one thing they had been missing all last season and still now. They need a tall athletic target to go get jump balls in crowded spaces, which was Plaxico’s specialty. Before Burress they always had the WR skilled TE, named Shockey! What the Giants need is a WR who is over 6′1 who can make some big catches in some big spots. If he can get up and catch the ball in certain situations the Giants will only need to secure a role playing wideout, in the draft. Now, there are 3 options for this team, as far as I see it.

1. They could just attempt to draft a WR with their number 1 pick and pick up a free agent who has the ability to start and garnish some respect on the field. (My choice)

2. They could trade up picks in the draft to secure Crabtree or Maclin, which is what all of New York is hoping for. Personally I am not convinced, that would be the right move, but hey I’ve been wrong before.

3. They could also decide to just go for broke and trade a good helping of players and picks over several years for Boldin or Braylon Edwards. The Giants need receivers and without a doubt Jerry Reese has his eye on these two. So much so that someone had released the story specualting Reeses’s interest to the media about Edwards, who plays a very similar game to Plaxico and seems to have less of the character flaws.

As far as I see it the GMen are in great shape if they can keep their young talent, therefore I am believe they should keep Steve Smith, Sinorce Moss, and Mario Manningham and just sign a Veteran WR who can make plays in traffic during jump ball situations. There are several great fits for this role playing type (TALL) WR out in free agency right now:

Torry Holt:

Torry Holt, is a getting a litter bit older and has had some extensive knee surgeries and problems, yet if the Giants can sign him for a short deal they can bring up their draft pick wideout the proper way  letting him mature under the tutelage of a true leader, which is what Tory Holt is. The Young Giants recievers could use the Veteran leadership this signing would bring, considering they have lost Amani Toomer.

Matt Jones:

Matt Jones is 6′6 and is a super jumper and a great athlete, yet his off field issues make him a cheap buy in free agency. The Giants are notorious for taking a chance, and over the past couple of years Matt Jones has had very sub par seasons. Make no doubt about it this guy is a risk, but it could pay off if you sign low and he plays high, and I don’t mean on cocaine!

Reggie Williams:

This 6′4 physical monster can put any DB out of a position when he gets rolling. He also has had some issues over the past couple of years, and had seemed to play his way out of the 1 spot in Jacksonville. The Jaguars have however counted on Reggie for big plays and countless jump balls and his stats show it. In 2007, Reggie put up 10 TDs in only 6 starts, while only catching 35 passes for the season. He has brake away speed and he is very young and looking for a fresh start. He has low value because he just didn’t mesh well with the Jacksonville coaches and management!

Drew Carter:

Is a wide out known for his jumping ability, he was supposed to be the replacement for Johnson in Carolina, but it just didn’t work out. He has made some great plays over his career and still is relatively young. Yet the game may have passed this guy over. He is my least favorite possible free agent as I see it now.

Miles Austin:

Miles Austin has had some pretty strong showings over his short career. He had played along side TO and Roy Williams in Dallas. Miles Austin, last year would sometimes seem to out play both Owens and Williams. At 6′3 this player has the potential to be a big catch WR, who could really help replace the loss of Toomer and Burress. He has done great things in Dallas and it’s funny to think they just cut him. His knee issues must be pretty severe for Dallas to have dropped him, but if he checks out good with the doctors, I am all for this guy!

Joe Jurevicius:

I want to cry when I think about how many times this big guy has saved me from losing money. No matter what I will always bet on this guy. Joey is coming into his final seasons as a pro and I can’t think of any other wide receiver who has made as many HUGE catches as this guy without producing any real gawky stats. My friends and I have a saying, “Joey Jurevicius, the man-child from Penn State will always give you 1 big play every game for the rest of his life. Even though he might only record one catch, in the end it is going to matter”. I think the Giants would be nuts not to want him, Joey brings an positive and inspirational aura and an attitude wherever he goes. Jurevicius is a motivational figure that the Gmen may need in that Offensive huddle this season. I know he isn’t fast anymore, but he has height and great hands, and a history with the New York Giants, which could make him an easier sign!

No matter what, I cant wait to see big blue fix the issues with this WR core. I think Jerry Reese has some an up his sleeve, so lets see what cards he decides to play on draft day!

Plaxico Burress update: It seems as if he will play in 2010

Today, the Plaxico Burress case was adjured until the later date of June 15th. Many people were skeptical weither this would happen or not, but it may be a sign that his high priced legal team may be close to a plea deal that will allow him to play in the upcoming NFL season. Regardless it seems as if Plaxico will have to do some sort of jail time, but the question is when. As I recall Jamal Lewis spent his off-seasons in jail, a couple of years back due to drug trafficking charges, and maybe it’s possible we could see something similar for the Giants superstar Wide-out. There is no question that Plaxico does not want to spend any time in jail. Yet, it seems more and more evident that it will be tough for Plax to stay out of the big house. New York city guns laws are a bit overboard and are seemingly unconstitutional, so this will be a very interesting case, without a doubt, if it ever makes it to trial. The Sportsroids.com team will be supporting Plaxico on June 15th at New York city Criminal Court by picketing the trial! So if you wish to support the Giants Superbowl champion wide out, from the moronic liberal city government that wishes to jail him mostly due to his celebrity, please show up! Plaxico, hurt no one except himself and he is now being denied basic liberties that Thomas Jefferson, one of our founding fathers, fervently believed in. Jefferson stated his strong convictions in the right to bear arms consitently. One example of this fact is on Page 334 of his famous Thomas Jefferson Papers when he wrote, “No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms. The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government”. Realize that no citizen in New York City can apply for a conceal permit, and to get a carry lisence is a very tough process, in hopes that people won’t try to get one. Sounds a bit unfair doens’t it? Regardless, I feel that the the cities gun laws are ridiculous, for this reason. Banning weapons and making them harder to aquire legally only strengthens those who don’t follow the rules, much like the steriods ban in sports. Those who cheat are winning, in the system. These laws only serve to help criminals stay finaiced and in power over the law abiding populous of New York City.

New York Giants are interested in Braylon Edwards

It really simple everyone, if you loose a 6′6 player like Plaxico Burress you better believe that you would be  looking for some sort of tall,fast long ball threat to replace him. The Giants are without a doubt interested in investigating so don’t believe the Media Hype! Also, don’t be surprised if you see the Giants make a trade on Draft day if Plaxico gets incarcerated on March 31st. I could see the Gmen trading a squadron of WR’s in order to make this deal happen. That includes Steve smith, regardless of the Giants saying otherwise. Mario Manningham is most definitely a chip in that deal and considering his study habits the Giants would be making off well. Don’t believe the media or the Giants representatives when researching this story, they want this whole thing very hush,hush until Plaxico’s future is completely out in the open and judged. Eric Mangini is defensive minded coach, so again, don’t be surprised if they make a trade that includes one of the Giant’s Defensive Linemen.

Also, I hope everyone knows that it is illegal for any Team representative to talk about a player who is currently under a contract with another team. So realize that Jerry Reese has to deny all allegations the media brings forth to him. Make no mistake the Giants will try to get Braylon but the only real question is how much are they willing to move to get him?

Where Will Jay Cutler Go from Here?

Yesterday it was reported that the Pro Bowl Quarterback of the Denver Broncos, Jay Cutler, had officially requested a trade. Today, we the people, began contemplating where he might end up if his request is honored. I’m sure there are many fans out there whose team could use a guy in Jay Cutler who played like the potential franchise-type quarterback that many analysts foresaw. The scoop is that new head coach Josh McDaniels, who was offensive coordinator for the Patriots, wanted to trade Cutler for Matt Cassel since he was familiar with his system already. This has since angered the young Cutler and he now wants to go… but where?!

To start off an easy process of elimination, every team in the AFC is out since teams don’t usually like to send star players away to in-conference franchises. And although Cassel was finally traded to another AFC team, like his former Patriots, in the Chiefs, that was more of an “I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine” deal.

This was the widespread thought when that deal went down, because Scott Pioli, the former general manager of the Patriots moved onto Kansas City to try and resurrect that ball club.

So the AFC is out!

In the NFC East, Dallas has Tony Romo, NY has Eli Manning, and Philadelphia has Donovan McNabb. So far, Jason Campbell of the Washington Redskins still has a lot to prove, while Cutler seems way more promising than him thus far when both their careers are compared.

In the NFC North, the Packers have Aaron Rodgers, and the Vikings made moves to throw their young QB Tarvaris Jackson into a competition with newly acquired Sage Rosenfels from Houston. I don’t think that the Lions could attract an odor, so the Bears are definitely a hot spot. They’ve had no success with Rex Grossman, and minimal with Kyle Orton.

In the NFC South, the Saints boast Drew Brees, and the Falcons have a young star in rookie of the year Matt Ryan. The Panthers would have looked to have some great trade bait with the disgruntled Julius Peppers, but now it looks like he may be a Patriot soon. However, with Jake Delhomme being their current signal caller you still can’t count them out. Then there’s the Buccaneers who got rid of veteran Jeff Garcia.

After that, in the NFC West, the Seahawks have Matt Hasselbeck who is not past his better days yet, and Kurt Warner is obviously safe as the Cardinals QB. Cross those two teams out and you have the 49ers with the disappointing results of Alex Smith’s progress, and the St. Louis Rams, who should have started thinking about dropping Marc Bulger quite some time ago.

So there you have it. The top candidates to have Jay Cutler for President!

Free “O”

Here we go again. The ink is not even dry yet on Manny Ramirez’s contract and this morning we learned that our favorite media darling, Terrell Owens, has been released by the Cowboys. I guess we are not really too shocked by this but I can tell you for sure Tony Romo is the saddest cowboy on the plain. But who cares about him? All I want to know is: Where is T.O. going now?

There are 31 other teams out there that surely would love to have his numbers injected into their offense but only a handful would find it worth it. As well an even smaller group have enough to lure him in. Further still even less would take the risk.

So who are they? Well, first you would have to weed out the pretenders. T.O. is not going anywhere a rebuilding is in progress. Certainly he is not going anywhere there is no QB with a resume. That leaves teams with coaches that have job security as well as stability. But Philly is out and Parcells disciples Coughlin and Sparano surely would not have him.

I do not think that Atlanta or Baltimore would risk the progress of their young starting QB’s by bringing Owens in to help. The Vikings could certainly use his services. However, they do not throw the ball in an offense built around Adrian Peterson nor do they have a QB to get Owens the ball.

The Jets? HAHA

How about the Redskins, Saints or Chargers? Hey why not right. The Redskins and Dan Snyder have proven they will spend money on anything. Owens would love the chance to remain in the division and now stick it to Philly and Dallas. Given the way he regularly torches the Giants that would mean six games worth of great potential from Owens. The Saints have the high powered offensive attack that would suit Owens wants as well as his need to be with a big time QB in Drew Brees. But is there room for him and his ego among all those other big names? Shockey Bush Colston etc. San Diego might be the best fit. He becomes the number one option for Phillip Rivers who is probably salivating as we speak. It would take pressure off Antonio Gates and his big toe. As well this would open up a running lane or two for Ladainian Tomlinson and allow him to be L.T. again.

Allow me to just throw this out there: X Y Z – Owens Welker Moss. Get your pop-corn ready!

Karlos Dansby could become a Giant?

I was shocked when I heard some people in a local bar talking about Karlos Dansby possibly becoming a Giant. First of all, I would like to state that I believe Dansby to be a hell of talent. He would be a great player for any NFL team, but my one question is how could they pay him and still keep the defense in tact? Antonio Peirce, who is the undisputed leader of the Big Blue defense is looking for more money, money which he knows he deserves. I would love to sure up the LB core, but at what cost? Antonio Peirce may be the reason for the recent successes the Gmen have had against the run, considering their effectiveness directly correlates when Antonio came from the Redskins. We know Dansby wants a big market, and we can only assume he wants a”Big Market Paycheck”. It is for this reason, I implore all New York Giants fans to be careful what they wish for, It would be nothing short of a tragedy to see Pierce (The Defense’s QB) walk since Reese might not be able to procure his needed funds, after the signing of such a LB as Dansby.

Wrong Again

Will the New York Jets ever get it right? That remains to be seen. For now I will let you chew on this. The only two defensive coordinators to win a Superbowl in their first head coaching job with new organizations are Tom Landry and Bill Cowher. Landry went to the Dallas Cowboys in 1960 after spending the previous six seasons as the defensive coordinator for the New York Giants. Bill Cowher took over for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1992 after having spent the previous three seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs as their D.C. Landry spent 29 seasons in Big D having won and lost two Superbowls. Cowher spent 15 seasons in the Steel City yielding one Superbowl victory and one loss. It took Landry 11 years to win a Superbowl and it took Cowher his entire coaching career to accomplish the same. Mike Tomlin could very well add his name to this very short and elite list. Making him the quickest to do so in that small class. 

Many of you are going to point out that everyone is an assistant at some point and that they cant all win Superbowls. Surely names like Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick will surface as well. Of course I am sure you will not forget Lovie Smith and John Fox. How much longer are you willing to wait Jets fans?

Don Shula + David Shula = 2 Superbowls

Bum Phillips + Wade Phillips = 0 Superbowls

Jim Mora + Jim Mora Jr = PLAYOFFS!?!? 0 Superbowls

Dick Nolan + Mike Nolan = FIRED 0 no Superbowls

Buddy Ryan + Rex Ryan = ? Superbowls

Woody Johnson: THIEF!

ls

I find myself so thoroughly disgusted by Woody Johnson owner of the New York Jets that I cannot possibly root for them any longer. I can handle the losing. Losing does not bother me. Players who pout, cry, whine, shoot themselves or masturbate do not bother me either. Brainless first time coaches who make mistakes and cow tow to Hall of Fame legends do not bother me. Washed up has-beens who think they still have something left but clearly do not, actually excite me. Trading for has-beens that never were, who only rush for one touchdown in 2007 then suddenly think they are Emmitt Smith because they can run through open holes my 86 year old senile Italian grandmother could wheel her chair through does not bother me. In fact I can buy-in to all of the previously mentioned. Especially if the intention, in collection of these misfits, is in earnest: winning!

It is no longer about winning. In fact for Woody Johnson it has never been about winning it just took me until now to figure it out.

Hey Jets fans, WAKE UP!

Sharing a stadium? Come on, does Donald Trump have lunch with Bill Gates and share a salad? All those high priced big name signings were a poor attempt to fool you into thinking PSL’s are justified. Well, you cannot fool me Woody. And you cannot fool our readers. You are a bum. You blew it every single year in the draft since you bought the team and your attempt to correct your mistakes by importing talent from elsewhere to build a “Superbowl caliber” team is a disgrace. What is more, jersey boy, you had more than one chance to bring the Jets back to NY. Yet, you continue to hide behind the shadow cast by the New York Giants in hopes that their success will yield you profit without consequence while hiding your inability to truly build a winner.

Acceptable teams for Jets fans to root for from now on. Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, New York Giants

AP Snubs another Defensive MVP

Well Peyton has won another league MVP this year and I say he disserved it, but so did a lot of other players.   My question is how come defensive players can’t get league MVP, I feel James Harrison should have gotten the league MVP this year.   Their wasn’t one employer over Harrison that had more of an impact on his team this year.  If defense win championships then defensive players should be considered for MVP awards.  

 

It seems much like the Hesiman the “best players” in the league can only be offensive players, how come?  When the Colts won the Super bowl what was the difference maker in their season and ushering them to the playoffs?  Bob Sanders.  When the Giants won the super bowl what catapulted them to the mid-season turn around? Osi Umenyora.  I find it quiet ridicules that the voters feel that defensive players don’t have as much of an impact on the game as offensive players.  James Harrison was hands down the best NFL Player this year;  his impact on a team that really only won because of their great defensive can’t be ignored.  If you look back into the past often a great defensive player is the catalyst to leading a team to victory.

 

It seems that people just have a hard time excepting the fact that the MVP may be a defensive player because the stats are hard to measure at times.  Offensive players have very tangible stats that relate directly to them.  Defensive players stats don’t always reflect on them personally for example, a team may allow 2.5 yards a rush with a player in the game and allow 4.5 when they are not.  The latter is a team stat not an individual stat even though it still shows the impact that that player has on his team.   Despite that this year James Harrison had very tangible stats leading the league in forced fumbles, top 5 in sacks and leader of one of the best defensive statistically in NFL history.  The guy never hand a bad game and was never the reason that his team lost this year.  When the colts lost games often Peyton made mistakes of course when the won it was only because of him as well, but still I fell defensive players need to be considered.   The second and third place vote getters were Michael Turner and Chad Pennington, James Harrison played better than either of these two.  What is going to take for a defensive player to get the league MVP award?  That is why the Mad’Nuff league MVP goes to James Harrison.

 

How do you fell about this topic please stat your opinion on MVP voting.

Atlanta Falcons to Gain the Two Seed in the NFC?

One thing pissing me off big time after week 16 is the following… why is no one mentioning that the Falcons have a chance to lock up the number two seed in the NFL? If The Falcons accomplish the highly un-venerable task of defeating the waste-filled Saint Louis Rams in Atlanta this weekend, and the Carolina Panthers are defeated in New Orleans next week, the Atlanta Falcons end up winning the NFC South. We already know that the Giants have locked up the top seed by beating Carolina in OT Sunday night, but the Cardinals at best can finish 9-7 in the NFC West, and the Bears or Vikings can only finish at 10-6 to win the NFC North. What does this mean? Either the Falcons or Panthers are guaranteed the two seed.

But why is no one talking about it? Because every dumb analyst has it in their mind that the Falcons wonderful turn-around in the post Michael Vick mortem was simply in clinching their Wild Card berth. But hello! They can even get a bye! That would be totally huge!

Not only do they overcome last year’s fiasco and make the playoffs with a rookie QB, but they now have a chance to put themselves in a highly viable position of reaching a Super Bowl with one home win and one road win, as long as the Giants win their first game. I mean, geez, they could end up hosting the NFC Championship if the Giants lose their first game!

Someone please talk about it. I’ve watched PTI, Sports Center, and heard every FOX, CBS, and NBC analyst and commentator and not one of them has thought about this. It pisses me off and I almost hope to god that the Falcons get the two seed to see if they all have dumb looks on their faces.

Carolina… pleeeeease lose. I already know the Falcons have the Rams game in their back pocket, so I’m not worried about you. Later.

Mark’s Picks of the Week! NFL Game Picks for Week 16 (no point spread)

♣My Picks for Week 16:♣

THU, DEC 18
Indianapolis at Jacksonville

My Pick: Indianapolis.

Indy Has just been to much of a good team over the past 5 years for me to pick against them in December

SAT, DEC 20

Baltimore at Dallas

My pick: Baltimore

Dallas has over achieved, and they played a sorry Giants defense last week. Romo will have at least 2 Interceptions which maybe all Baltimore needs as they apply pressure with their smash mouth running game. I predict at least two passes for Joe Flacco that will be over 35+ yards since Dallas will have to keep 8 in the box.

SUN, DEC 21

Cincinnati at Cleveland

My Pick: Cincinatti

Cleveland has already lost this game with who they have starting at QB. Cincinnati has played to well of late, and Cedric Benson looks like he has find a home! Benson is a possible start if your season has not expired and you need a RB!

San Francisco at St. Louis

My Pick: San Fransico 49ers.

I don’t think they 49ers have to really do anything to win this game. St Louis usually will just get in their own way and work to lose a ball game. I know Singletary has his team under control and he won’t make the mistakes that will allow this sorry excuse for a club beat him. There are no individuals on Mike’s team but thats a lesson that will eventually turn this squad into a Championship contender. Also S. Hill has been playing very well, so don’t be surprised if he throws 2-4 TD passes!

New Orleans at Detroit

My Pick: Detroit

I believe that every dog has it’s day in the sun, and when you look at Detroit you just got to believe some day it will happen. I don’t believe that the Saints should lose this game, but lets just say I believe that the “angels are on the field this week” and give the Loins a early Christmas present. Calvin has a huge game, and Stewart scores!

Pittsburgh at Tennessee

My Pick: Tennessee

This is by far the toughest call of the week. Pittsburgh has a historic defense, yet they struggle to put up any points on offense. As of late Big Ben has look like Tiny Tim with his merger attempts at producing offense. Also the Steelers cannot run the football, yet due to the injury of Hanyesworth you never can tell how this defense will manage without the star DT. I am going to give the advantage to the home team in this one because of the fact that they have fast RB’s and Big RB’s and maybe with the right mix they will be able to tire out the Pittsburgh D and score atleast 1 TD. Either way its going to be a great game!

Miami at Kansas City

My Pick: Miami

KC has been playing better of late, but they still are KC. With the way Joey Porter has been leading this Miami Defense you should expect several sacks and rushed pass attempts which will inevitably end in Miami being victorious!

Arizona at New England

My Pick: New England

My reason is simple. After we look at this game your going say, “I think they wanted it more” (joke)

(But True)
San Diego at Tampa Bay

My Pick: Tampa Bay

Seriously, Did you see Antonio Bryant the last two weeks? This guy has looked so good, he should get a endorsement deal with Elmers for that One Hand grab. Also, I am feeling the reemergence of the superstar Caddy this week, and I doubt San Diego can stop it. This San Diego team is over-rated straight up and they just aren’t going to be tough enough to play against Tampa Bay in their own house. Expect to see light showers and lots of cannon fire on Sunday!
Houston at Oakland

My Pick: Houston

All Hail Steve Slaton, the boy legend that came from WVU and into our NFL Highlight films. This guy is the Total Package. This could potentially be a good game but I doubt the Oakland QB who hasn’t earned the respect of me saying his name, will be able to handle Mario “Mad Dog” Williams up in his grill. Andre Johnson is a top flight kind of guy and should have a pretty good game, yet he will be matched up with Nnamdi Asomugha, who may have the he size and speed to present him a challenge. I am pretty sure on this one though, Houston comes up on top and some Oakland Raiders fans will go out and stab someone!

Buffalo at Denver

Denver:

Buffalo seems to have packed it in. But we will see. Denver may have some issues with protecting Cutler due to Marcus Shroud, but if they play the outside and edges they should slice through this Defense. They have such speed at the RB position it will look ridiculous. The bills always have a chance when Marshawn Plays so we will see. This is the kind of guy that can will and try so hard it motivates his team to win.

NY Jets at Seattle

My Pick Jets

Brett Farve will get it done. Seattle is a joke and he would love nothing more than to say good bye to his old coach by slapping another L on his resume!

Atlanta at Minnesota

My Pick: Atlanta

They are just the better team, and Tavaris Jackson is not the answer.
Philadelphia at Washington

My Pick: Philadelphia

Donovan McNabb has been playing very well recently and with a healthy Westbrook the Redskins could be in for some real trouble. Since it is a divisional game it could still be a close game, but don’t be surprised if this one turns ugly early!
Carolina at NY Giants

MON, DEC 22
Green Bay at Chicago

NFL Playoff Outlook

With just two weeks of play left in the regular season of the 2008-2009 year, a few teams have locked up a spot in the playoffs while others are still fighting to make it. What is about to unfold in this article is, what are in my mind, the teams that will make it.

We already know the Steelers and Titans have locked up spots and first round byes in the AFC. In the NFC the Giants have clinched their division while the Cardinals have as well. First I will go over the locks to get in.

In the AFC the only sure-fire lock I have is the Indianapolis Colts. If they beat Jacksonville this Thursday in Florida, they’re in. With the way the Jags have disappointed, I do not even see them using the rivalry bug as added motivation to beat Indianapolis.

In the NFC, surprisingly, the Carolina Panthers have not clinched even with an 11-3 record, which is a testament to the competitiveness of the NFC. However, one more win or one more loss from another team or two would put them in. The Cowboys have been hot lately. I don’t care about Romo’s performance in Pittsburgh. The game was still close, and it has been their only slip up since his return from injury. They face the Ravens at home, and Eagles in Philadelphia. The Eagle game should be tough and they easily can lose, but to me, I think all of the air got sucked out of the Raven team with their last minute loss to Pittsburgh last weekend.

The Vikings should clinch their division as the Bears face the Packers on Monday Night at home, but then travel to Houston the last week. Houston is on pace to finish up 9-7 and Andre Johnson should be able to shred their weak pass defense.

After that I don’t think Tampa will get in as they have slipped up and their weaknesses are beginning to be exposed. The Falcons and Eagles to me will be the ones to fighting for the 6th seed in the NFL as they have both been consistent as of late.

Back in the AFC, I’ll take the Patriots to win their division. They are at home against the Cardinals who have clinched, and then at a bum Buffalo team. That would put them at 11-5. The reason I see this happening is because the as-of-late inconsistent Jets should lose in Seattle this weekend, and the Dolphins will beat the Kansas City Chiefs. But when they play each other in New York, I’ll take a last-ditch effort by Favre to even their records at 10-6, giving one of them the 6th seed.

The only seed I am unsure of is the 4th seed in the AFC as the Broncos are 8-6 and Chargers 6-8. If the Chargers beat Tampa Bay in Tampa this weekend, which is not an oversight, and the Broncos lose at home to the Bills, which is still a bit of a stretch even if the Broncos aren’t so consistent, then they will be playing in San Diego for the division in week 17. If that happens, I’ll take the Chargers.

So that’s how I believe the “tournament” brackets will be set up come January.

The New York Giants are thinking about signing veteran WR, Joe Horn

Joe Horn, one of the better Wide Receivers in football in the past 10 years, was cut earlier this year by the Atlanta Falcons. Joe has produced at the top level, putting up 603 receptions for 8,744 yards, averaging 14.5 yards per catch with 58 TD’s, during his career. Joe Horn was a great WR, but does he have anything left? The Giants seem to think so. They have worked out the aging receiver and may sign him to a short term deal.

Giants fans have some fond memories of Joe Horn considering he pulled out a cellphone after scoring a late TD against the Giants 5 seasons ago!

The Giants are having issues dealing with the loss of Brandon Jacobs and Plaxico Burress which has created problems for their red zone offense. If they wish to repeat their success of last year, they will definitely need to iron out all the problems they are having on the offensive side of the ball.

Third Quarter NFL Contenders

The NFL has hit its third quarter mark, and after twelve of the most up-and-down weeks of football in recent history, it is still a bit of a stretch to call anybody a true lock for the Super Bowl save for the New York Giants. However, there are still a few teams that are definitely pulling away from most others as viable Super Bowl contenders.

 

The first team, resoundingly, is the Giants. This is the best team in the league as far as everyone being on the same page. They have shown great depth to overcome almost all injuries, and even self-imposed gunshot wounds. Their one loss to the Browns in Cleveland where they went down by a score of 14 to 35 was a true head-scratcher. However, that game can definitely hold an asterisk for being an aberration since the Brownies have been terrible for the most part. The Giants have gone from a team with potential who plays on emotion, to a team that just flat out knows how to win. They are a well-oiled machine and are unphased by whatever distractions, whatever home field advantages their opponents have, and whichever fallen soldier opponents might be playing for.

 

The second team that comes to mind in my view is the Pittsburgh Steelers. Their loss to the Eagles was just one of those days where nothing goes good offensively. They had a slump against the two Manning led teams but seem to have their act together as they have won convincingly for the most part ever since.

 

A team like the Jets had their slumps early on against teams like Oakland where they lost 16-13, and only scored ten points at home against the Patriots, then rip off a five game winning streak, blow out the previously undefeated Titans in Tennessee, and suffer another inexcusable slump to the no-defense Broncos at home losing 34-17. That is not the stuff of a contender, but rather a team with potential but a little too inconsistent to have faith in.

 

My next team is the Baltimore Ravens. Say what you want about their rookie quarterback. They are playing lights out and beating opponents they are supposed to beat the way the good teams are supposed to… big. They have had their share of slumps, namely a 30-10 loss to the Giants, and a 31-3 loss to the Colts. However, they already took Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania to OT and lost 20-23, but that was in just the fourth week of young Joe Flacco’s already budding career. If the Ravens get into the playoffs and meet up with the Colts or Giants again, it should be a lot closer as typically, second meetings between two teams in the same season are rarely ever a duplicate of the first meeting. Oh, and don’t count them out to win the AFC North as they still get Pittsburgh one last time for sure at home in two weeks and trail the Steelers by just one game.

 

After the Ravens, the Colts should not be overlooked. They keep finding ways to win, and a handful of those wins were handed to them. However, that kind of luck coupled with their post season experience can be a bad omen for their opponents come playoff time if they get in. And yes, I am counting luck as a factor. They have shown the kind of luck that is too good to be true, i.e. Titans, Steelers, and Browns games.

 

After that, I would say the Cowboys are the sleeper. They slumped big time early on. They did not have their act together as they seemed to display the heir of a team who already saw themselves in the Super Bowl. Now with their backs against the wall, they are looking like that kind of team again.

 

As for other squads like the Panthers and Bucs, their efforts are certainly admirable, but their quarterbacks, Jake Delhomme and Jeff Garcia respectively, are just too inconsistent. The Arizona Cardinals are like the Saints… great passing attack and not much more. The only difference is their division stinks. The one team that could be close to a contender is the Atlanta Falcons. They are moving milestones ahead in their rebuilding process at 8-4, and are perhaps one or two more productive seasons, and a good losing post season experience away from becoming a perennial contender.

 

Other than that, all of the other teams are just a little too consistent for my blood.

49ers head coach, Mike Singletary could change the NFL for the better!

I was watching football Sunday, and I began to realize something. Today we have big baby, players who only care about money and “loving me some me”. The true team concept may be fading away, in some professional sports. I remember when I would idolized all the players from the past who could play hurt and persevere through any type of pain, injuries and Media criticisms and still maintain their dignity. I mean does any one remember when Ronnie Lott had his finger amputated just so he could play in a playoff game? Could you see any pro Football player doing that now a days? If you dumb let me help you with that answer, NO!

How come today’s players have fallen so far from that “old school winning mentality” of whatever it takes? I mean it really can’t help that these players are getting 10 million dollar deals before they step foot on the field as rookies, or the fact that players are so babied when it comes to the medical care they receive. All I can think about right now is what I would say to Kellen Winslow Jr, after the grief he caused me this week. Seriously this cry baby is costing me points and I would tell him, “Seriously Kellen, you got a staph infection OK. If you want to blame it on your top Tier medical staff on your NFL football team, go right ahead. I mean hanging out with R. Kelly definitely had nothing to do with this right? Seriously, Kellen lets cry about it some more, oh I am here to listen. You know what F*** it, Kellen How are you going to play on my fantasy squad it is always about you? I want Players who want to win, I need team players. Kellen, You’re embarrassing yourself, and you could seriously help this team win more if you just showered up.” Seriously Kellen go into the rap industry and show that your a straight soldier or strap it up like you father did, and play and act like a man.

Also, whatever happened to “I can play” “I am going to play”. I mean Plax can’t practice but he sure can play in a game if he feels like it, right? I mean come on I think big blue should buy him like 3 or 4 cell phones because maybe he really can’t hear the one in his pants, since he is like 4 feet above it. Either way, Plax should be put on some sort of house arrest, because he obviously is way too arrogant to just show up to practice if he can and in the event that he can’t practice he makes habits of not showing to his medical appointments. I am starting to think Plax was the kid who always called in sick when he had a test in school or something. To be honest, thought, I am sick of watching Plaxico Burress, Hines Ward, Chad Johnson,  constantly taking practices off. At this rate, I wouldn’t be surprised if in the future NFL practices would be viewed as purely optional.

Regardless, I saw something that really grabbed me and made me feel a lot better though. There was a inkling of hope! The NFL has a new angel. This angel is the 49ers’s new head coach and NFL Legend, Mike Singletary. He made a great post game speech that everyone should watch. His attitude pays tribute to an era of football , which could only be described as great. Therefore, his speech hit home with me. I want to Salute Mike Singletary, who is a man I believe in. This team has the right man in the job not because he has all the football answers. Nope not at all. he is not the right man because he has an elite knowledge of defensive formations and schemes. He is the right guy for the 49ers job, however, because he doesn’t accept stupid “Me” “I” personality types. Regardless of what the media or the owners will say. He does not and will not accept losing. He wants to change the attitude of a losing team, and I believe with this speech he started his process of doing so.

He called out a “superstar” in Vernon Davis, who is also known as “Click Clack Davis” for his bs commercials. He is also likes to be called the “Cyborg”. He let Vernon know that he is not above the team. This is comical, because this player has his head so far up his a** and he didn’t even know till today. Vernon I am renaming you V.D. . Your like the 49ers infected draft pick, because your attitude about you is killing your team. Either way, I respect Coach Singletary calling Vernon out and making the speech he did. He might be the only hope to infusion some good ol bone crunching sweat and tears back into the NFL, in hopes to bring it back to the way things were, tough and gritty. You know back when whining wasn’t acceptable in Football!

New York Giants Need to Utilize Big Weapons

It is 12:20 am on October 14th, and I have just watched the worst Red-zone performance of all time. The one thing about the New York Giants that just doesn’t seem to be good this year is their red zone stragety. I understand that Plaxico is not in the good graces of the organization, but when you take him out of the game in the red zone in the third quarter it just makes no sense. 6′5 Plaxico Burress who has already proved to be one of the Gaints best red zone targets in the 2008 season, was taken out and Eli Manning threw a pass to Toomer instead, which resulted a costly pick 6. I realize that you can’t throw only to one player, However Plax deserves a target in every red zone trip, without fail. This is a man whose jumping abilities and size are unparalleled in the League. The Giants need to get off their high horses and get Plax the ball in the Red-Zone, or risk doing what they did today, just look terrible. I can’t help to wonder if this problems in play calling could be in response to Plaxico’s recent suspension. Regardless, If you pay a player you better use him as far as I am concerned. Also, trying to intercept a Pass high in the corner of the endzone is nearly impossible, especially if the defender is shorter than the WR by about 6 to 7 inches.

TE Tony Gonzalez Might Be Traded To The New York Giants

There have been some pliminary reports that TE Tony Gonzalez is looking for a trade to a seroius contender. The teams that he has voiced an interest in included the New York Giants, a team that was at the top of his list. It is very possible that this trade could happen. He could get moved for as little as 3rd or a 5th round pick. Tony Gonzalez is a great player, however to come in right before the Oct 14 trade deadline and learn a entire Offense would be tough. He is at an advanced age but this move could definatly help the Gaints defend thier superbowl title this year. We think this could happen, and you heard it here first.

Jason Campbell Season Opener in Review By Alex V

I’m gonna start things off with Jason Campbell. He’s honestly got a lot of the physical tools that can make for a great quarterback; mobility, a pretty strong arm (as shown when he overthrows it deep), and he’s also six feet and five inches tall.

However, he hasn’t got the smarts. What is up with the five yard passes when you need six on third down while a defender is ready and waiting to make the tackle after the catch. He threw a yard short on almost every third down in the game when the Redskins called a pass. Surprisingly, the one time his “short-comings” actually worked came on third down and eleven with 20 seconds to go in the first half; The Skins were on the Giants 14 yard line and needed to get down to the eleven so they could move the chains, and lo-and-behold, what does Mr. Campbell do? He throws the ball to Santana Moss at the ten!… who then actually manages to break for 13 yards into the end zone. I mean, you gotta figure that one of his short third down passes would have resulted in a first down eventually. Too bad they all couldn’t. After that touchdown, the Redskins continued with more nowhere marches down the field. The Giants pounded the ball down their throats and Brandon Jacobs received 21 handoffs for 116 yards, and Derrick Ward performed more than admirably with 9 caries for 39 yards. Each runner had 5.5 and 4.3 yards per carry respectively.

Now don’t overlook the Redskins’ running game last night. Clinton Portis managed 84 yards on 23 carries. Most good backs should be closer to, if not over, a 100 at that point, but the Redskins sporty new west-coast offense was of no help what so-ever save for just after the Rock Cartwright 50+ yard kick return before the end of the first half. But when your aerial attack is not helping you, 84 hard-earned yards is somewhat admirable. Eli Manning on the other hand looked good. I don’t care about his one interception. Not because the Redskins would inevitably go three-and-out as a result, but mainly because he just looked sharp. (You see, I have always viewed Eli Manning as such; I call him something I made up about a year ago… an “Interception Quarterback.” He’ll get his fare share of picks while maybe lingering atop the league in that category, and he might just be barely hovering above or just below a 60% completion percentage, but he’ll be getting the job done on third down, and most of the time when the game matters.). He hooked up with Plaxico on big gains, and used Steve Smith on third downs, perhaps showing that Smith might become a possession man on thirds down.

Bottom line, people want to talk up Jason Campbell for his attributes, and also because I personally believe that for whatever reason, a lot of NFL fans seem to sympathize with him since he’s got the “He’s a good kid” look. But let me tell you something, so does Alex Smith and Joey Harrington, and so did guys like Tim Couch and Akili Smith. Cute faces… ugly games.

Anyways, the Giants may want to work on turning more of those field goal drives into touchdowns, and the Redskins may want to start getting Campbell to look just a yard or two further down the field, and try to get Chris Cooley involved, who finished the game with one catch for seven sorry yards. Bottom line, the G-Men did what they were supposed to do. They didn’t blow out the Redskins, but their efforts ultimately culminated into a dominant performance, and a resoundingly convincing win.

-Alex V

Early Predictions – “Don’t Worry Be Happy”

The Giants win the Superbowl and the 2008 Opening day game (wo who). Great, and on Sunday the rest of the league goes out to play, meaning at days end half the league will be undefeated and the other half will be left at 000 percent. But to me, the first 3 games of the NFL season are dicey at best. I bet any coach or player will tell you the same. The teams just aren’t firing on all 8 cylinders in these three games which is why it is so hard to see just who are the elites early in season. Take for example the Detroit Lions. That year they started off 3-1 and they didn’t even make the playoffs. So what am I saying you ask? Whats my point?

I just saying don’t get to excited if your team wins this week and be sure not to call of work Monday if your team loses, remember there are 15 games left to play and you won’t see your real team till week 4 anyways.

-Madison Mad’nuff

Early Predictions – “Don’t Worry Be Happy”

The Giants win the Superbowl and the 2008 Opening day game (wo who). Great, and on Sunday the rest of the league goes out to play, meaning at days end half the league will be undefeated and the other half will be left at 000 percent. But to me, the first 3 games of the NFL season are dicey at best. I bet any coach or player will tell you the same. The teams just aren’t firing on all 8 cylinders in these three games which is why it is so hard to see just who are the elites early in season. Take for example the Detroit Lions. That year they started off 3-1 and they didn’t even make the playoffs. So what am I saying you ask? Whats my point?

I just saying don’t get to excited if your team wins this week and be sure not to call of work Monday if your team loses, remember there are 15 games left to play and you won’t see your real team till week 4 anyways.

-Madison Mad’nuff

NFL recap: Giants Beat Redskins in Season Opener

The 2009 NFL season opened today, with The Washington Redskins at the New York Giants. There were many things that happened at the game. Micheal Strahan came out of a Novelty Lombardi trophy and made a speech before kickoff. Then many fans at half time boo’d team owner Steve Tisch during “The Cancer Awareness Event half-time show” due to the his new policy on Personal Seating Licenses at the new Giant Stadium. It was pretty sad to say the least. While this man is making a speech about his fathers fight with cancer most of the fans were just booing. No one cared about the man’s personal pain over the loss of his father. Nope, not at all. The crowd instead vocalized the fact that they are angry and pissed off about PSL’s. Well, we all know NYC can be a tough town. Regardless, The New York Giants topped the Redskins 16-7. Plaxico Burress had another standout performance, picking up where he left off last post season, racking up 133 yards on 10 receptions. Other notable performances were Brandon Jacobs and Justin Tuck. Jacobs ran for 116 yards on 21 carries. Justin Tuck recorded a Sack on the first play from scrimmage.

It was a great game for the Defending Superbowl Champion New York Giants. The only issue they seemed to have was Red zone production. It is still very early in the season, so we will have to wait and see what they can do in the red zone in the next game on Sept 14th, in St Louis.

-Mark M

Justin Tuck and The so-called “Giant hole” in Big Blue’s Defense

When you rush the passer with speed and you’re over 275 pounds, you know your an elite NFL DE. Justin Tuck is one of the few who can say, “I can do it all on the DL” in the NY Giants defensive unit.

He has the size and strength of a DT and the speed of an elite DE. Micheal Strahan, has stated that “Justin Tuck” has more talent than he ever did. This year everyone has been down on the Giants because they have lost Strahan and Osi to retirement and injury, respectively. But lets really take a look at that Defensive unit. The core Antonio Peirce is there. He is like the glue that holds this big blue ship together. The Giants have elite pass rushers in Justin Tuck, Mathias Kiwanuka, and possibly Gerris Wilkinson.

Yes I said it, Gerris Wilkinson. He has great overall athletic ability so if they utilize him correctly he can bring a lot of pressure from the edges.

Regardless of pass rush, they have a very sturdy Secondary. The Corners are Webster (whom pretty much locked down T.O. Donald Driver Joey Galloway last postseason), Sam Madison (possible H.O.F.), Aaron Ross(Standout Rookie) and Terrell Thomas (2nd Round Pick) as well as Kevin Dockery. Aaron Ross and Corey Webster can track down the ball very well in man or zone coverage. The Giants also have solid Safeties, in Sammy “Good” Knight, James Butler and 1st round pick Kenny Phillips. This secondary can play, I assure you. Big Blue’s safeties don’t only have the ability to cover but these players are likely to take anyone, who comes over the middle of the field, head clean off. This unit can either pulverize you or run with you. This secondary has a swagger, atheletic ability, and great experience.. They could prove to be one of the better secondaries (Top 10) in the NFL this year.

-Mark M

Justin Tuck and The so-called “Giant hole” in Big Blue’s Defense

When you rush the passer with speed and you’re over 275 pounds, you know your an elite NFL DE. Justin Tuck is one of the few who can say, “I can do it all on the DL” in the NY Giants defensive unit.

He has the size and strength of a DT and the speed of an elite DE. Micheal Strahan, has stated that “Justin Tuck” has more talent than he ever did. This year everyone has been down on the Giants because they have lost Strahan and Osi to retirement and injury, respectively. But lets really take a look at that Defensive unit. The core Antonio Peirce is there. He is like the glue that holds this big blue ship together. The Giants have elite pass rushers in Justin Tuck, Mathias Kiwanuka, and possibly Gerris Wilkinson.

Yes I said it, Gerris Wilkinson. He has great overall athletic ability so if they utilize him correctly he can bring a lot of pressure from the edges.

Regardless of pass rush, they have a very sturdy Secondary. The Corners are Webster (whom pretty much locked down T.O. Donald Driver Joey Galloway last postseason), Sam Madison (possible H.O.F.), Aaron Ross(Standout Rookie) and Terrell Thomas (2nd Round Pick) as well as Kevin Dockery. Aaron Ross and Corey Webster can track down the ball very well in man or zone coverage. The Giants also have solid Safeties, in Sammy “Good” Knight, James Butler and 1st round pick Kenny Phillips. This secondary can play, I assure you. Big Blue’s safeties don’t only have the ability to cover but these players are likely to take anyone, who comes over the middle of the field, head clean off. This unit can either pulverize you or run with you. This secondary has a swagger, atheletic ability, and great experience.. They could prove to be one of the better secondaries (Top 10) in the NFL this year.

-Mark M

Common NFL Defensive Formations

The 3-4 Formation is a common defensive Formation run by many teams. The “3-4″ stands for 3 Down lineman and 4 Defensive Linebackers. Please Note: The Middle Defensive Lineman is referred to as the Nose Tackle instead of the DT (Defensive Tackle) because he lines up on the nose of the offensive center. Nose Tackles are often the largest players on the defense. Chris Jenkins and Casey Hampton are great examples of what a Nose Tackle should be. Several NFL teams which are known for running this package are The Pittsburgh Steelers, The New York Jets, Baltimore Ravens in addition to many others.

This is a very commonly used formation and is the basis for most teams in the NFL’s defensive play books. Teams which have thrived running this defense are The Giants, The Falcons and The Eagles to name a few.

The word “Over” shows us that there has been a shift in the alignment of the Defensive Linebacking core. As your can see in “Over” we see that the OLB shifts to the strong side of the field. How to determine what is the strong side of the field will be discussed in a separate post.

“Under” is the polar opposite of the “Over” formation shift call. Look the linebackers have lined up shifting to the other side of the field. This side is the weak side, however, this will also be augmented with an additional post. Please note: The shifted lineback in both of these formation shifts (”Over”&”Under”) line up closer to the line than they would normally. This will aid in stopping the outside run, holding containment of the running backs (Not letting them get outside), as well as free them up for a Pass rush for a sack(tackling the Quarterback behind the line of scrimmage)

This is a Defensive set that is used primarily in passing situations (E.G. 3rd and 10). We see that one of the Linebackers from the 4-3 defense has been substituted for a member of the defensive secondary(Safeties & Cornerbacks). This new member of the Defense is referred as the Nickelback and that is where this Formation gets its name. Nickel Formation = Nickelback on the field. It’s just that simple. Almost every team in the professional level has this defensive play set.

The Dime, is a very aggressive defense against the pass. It is usually not run in possible rushing situations due to its instability against the run. As you can see only one linebacker remains on the field while the rest of them have been substituted out for additional Cornerbacks. This formation is a long passing situation defense and is utilized by most NFL teams. The better a team’s secondary is the more likely the dime formation will be effective.