Seriously Oprah? How the fuck do you not know that Drew Brees has a huge birthmark on the side of face? Either way Oprah, ymm.com would like to thank you for being stupid enough to try to wipe Drew Brees’ birthmark off his face. It is moments like this that make it all worth it for me.
With all of the press and notoriety that has come with Drew Brees winning this years Super Bowl MVP award, I felt the need to dig a little deeper and get the answer to the one burning question on everyone’s mind. Just what in the hell is on Drew Brees’s face? Although the answer was elusive at first, I was able to uncover a section of a NY Times article published on Brees in January of 2005. Apparently people have been wondering about this thing for a long time.
“He was too short (he is listed at 6 feet), too weak, and besides, he always looked like he had mud on his face. Anyone taking a closer look would have noticed that the blemish on his right cheek was a birthmark, but it was so often confused for a patch of dirt that girls dancing with Brees would sometimes lick their fingers and try to wipe it off.”
“The hairy birthmark has become a symbol of Brees’s imperfections, which are noticeable but somehow charming. When Brees was 3, his parents considered having the birthmark removed, but doctors said that there was no harm in keeping it and suggested that the boy had been kissed by an angel. When he was in college and made the Playboy all-American team, the magazine airbrushed the birthmark from a photo that it ran. Looking back, it was like airbrushing Cindy Crawford’s mole. A teammate wore Brees’s jersey to a Halloween party and applied a black mark to his cheek. The costume quickly became part of the fall wardrobe in West Lafayette, Ind. The stands would be filled with followers who smeared mud or mascara or some other substance on their faces.”
Well there you have it. For all of us hoping it was some type if scar from a bear fight on Bourbon Street or where his Siamese twin was removed from, I am sorry to break the news to you. Congrats to you Drew on your Superbowl victory, and if I ever see you I will try my best not to point and say moley…moley…moley…
New Orleans Saints vs. Indianapolis Colts
Super Bowl XLIV Venue: Sun Life Stadium
Sunday, February 7th 6:25 pm
Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints (15-3) will take on Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts (16-2) in Super Bowl XLIV in Miami this Sunday. It’s only fitting that the teams with the best regular season records in their respective conferences made it to the big dance. For Peyton Manning, it will be a matchup against his hometown team, once led at QB by his father Archie Manning, as the Colts try for their second Super Bowl title in four years. For the Saints, it’s been a long time coming as it will mark their first Super Bowl appearance in their team’s 43 year history. This game has the potential to be one of the highest scoring Super Bowls we’ve ever seen, as both teams offenses operate like well-oiled machines, led by two of the best quarterbacks in the game.
Manning threw for 377 yards and 3 touchdowns against the NFL’s top-ranked defense in the AFC championship game, leading the Colts to a 30-17 win over the Jets. However, the Colts defensive leader, Dwight Freeney, suffered a torn ligament in his ankle in the second half of that game when he tripped over the foot of Jets QB Mark Sanchez. The injury could keep him out for the Super Bowl and even if he’s able to play, it will undoubtedly limit his effectiveness in the game. Raheem Brock is expected to see an increased role and will need to step up in order to fill Freeney’s shoes. The Colts defense takes a big blow with the injury to Freeney, but they’re still a fast group of players who should match up relatively well with the Saints offensive weapons.
Brees also threw for 3 touchdowns in the Saints 31-28 victory over Minnesota to capture the NFC title. He finished with 197 yards passing with no turnovers, while managing to get sacked just once against the NFL’s best pass rushing defense. As he has done all year long, Brees spread the ball out to an array of receivers, eight in all and three different receivers on his touchdown throws. The Saints defense intercepted Brett Favre twice in the game and forced 4 fumbles, recovering 3 of them. They’re a team that makes their opponents pay for turning the ball over and this game was no different. Their defense will need to be just as opportunistic against Manning and the Colts in the Super Bowl if they have any chance of winning.
BOTTOM LINE:
The Saints absolutely MUST get pressure on Peyton Manning if they’re to have any chance of being crowned as Super Bowl champs. Seeing as Manning has only been sacked 10 times all season, I don’t see the Saints having much success, if any, getting to him and disrupting the rhythm of the Colts potent offense. The Saints forced 39 turnovers during the regular season and 7 this postseason. They will find it much harder this week to create turnovers up against one of the smartest players to ever play the quarterback position in the history of the league. The Colts won’t run the ball much, but they rarely if ever abandon the run completely as it helps to keep the opposing defense honest. Joseph Addai does have a nose for the end zone and he could find it once or twice in this game. Of the two teams, the Saints have the better ground game, led by a resurgent Reggie Bush and their 2009 rushing leader, Pierre Thomas (793 yards). In an effort to help out their defense, the Saints may focus on running the ball more than usual to control the clock and keeping Manning off the field. But that won’t be enough, so the Saints must not get away from what got them here. Brees needs to get the ball downfield to his talented group of receivers (Marques Colston, Robert Meachem and Devery Henderson) and execute the screens and misdirection plays to his backs (Bush and Thomas). While the Saints certainly have an edge over Indy when they’re on offense, the Colts defense is fast and physical and more than capable of matching up with the Saints talented group on offense. As good as these two offenses are, defense will ultimately decide the winner of this game and the Colts have the better defense.
The Colts also hold a significant edge when it comes to experience. It’s their 2nd Super Bowl appearance in 4 years and they’ve made it to the playoffs every year dating back to 2002. You can’t underestimate the edge that experience gives a team, especially when that team is led by Peyton Manning. Drew Brees along with many of his teammates such as Pierre Thomas, Reggie Bush, Marques Colston and Jonathan Vilma have never experienced a Super Bowl. While emotions will run high for these players to start the game, that intensity will fade as the game goes on and Manning will look to take advantage of that. I like both these teams a lot, but with a high-powered offense, edge in experience and a more talented group on defense, I like the Colts to win Super Bowl XLIV.
PREDICTION:
Colts 34 Saints 20 (MVP: P.Manning)
**YMM Staff Predictions**
-KRM: Colts 33 Saints 27 (MVP: P.Manning)
-Dubbs: Saints 38 Colts 35 (MVP: R.Bush)
-Shamus O’Cabbage: Colts 34 Saints 24 (MVP: K.Kardashian/Reggie Bush)
-Bobby O: Saints 38 Colts 31 (MVP: D.Brees)
Two of the league's best QB's will battle it out for the NFC title.
Minnesota Vikings @ New Orleans Saints
Sunday, January 24th 6:40 pm EST
Louisiana Superdome (Metairie, LA)
The Saints (14-3) return to the NFC Championship for the first time since they lost to the Bears 3 years ago, while the Vikings (13-4) will make their first appearance since 2000 when they lost to the Giants, 41-0. Both quarterbacks have their offenses clicking on all cylinders and this game has all the makings of a classic battle. Drew Brees, who led the NFL in 2009 with 34 touchdown passes, threw for 247 yards and 3 scores in last Saturday’s 45-14 win over Arizona. There was also a Reggie Bush sighting, as the 4th year back had one of his best games as a pro. Bush managed to gain 84 yards on 5 carries, including a brilliant 46 yard TD run late in the 1st quarter. He also caught 4 passes for 24 yards and returned a punt for a touchdown early in the 2nd half. In addition to Bush, Drew Brees has plenty of other weapons at his disposal including WR’s Marques Colston and Robert Meachem, as well as TE Jeremy Shockey. But as unstoppable as the Saints can be on offense, they will have their work cut out for them up against the NFL’s best pass rush.
The Vikings defense, led by Pro Bowl DE Jared Allen, produced a league best 48 sacks this season while allowing an average of 218.4 passing yards per game. They also possess a stout run defense that ranked 2nd in the NFL, allowing just 87.1 yards per game on the ground. On the other side of the ball, the Vikes are led by no other than 40 year old future Hall of Fame quarterback, Brett Favre. Favre was at his best in last Sunday’s 34-3 rout of Dallas. He threw for 234 yards and 4 touchdowns, including 3 scores to his favorite target and emerging star, Sidney Rice. Rice’s 3 touchdown grabs tied an NFL post season record and he finished the game with 6 receptions for 141 yards in total. The Vikings also have one of the best running backs in football on their team in Adrian Peterson, who led the NFL this past year with 18 rushing touchdowns. AP managed just 63 yards on 26 carries against a strong Cowboys defense last week, but he should be a lot better against the Saints. The Saints will try to contain the Vikes offensive stars with a defense that ranked just 25th in the NFL during the regular season. They did manage to force 26 interceptions, however, so Brett Favre will need to careful with his throws downfield, especially when throwing in the direction of ex-teammate Darren Sharper (9 INT’s).
Bottom Line:
If the Vikings defense can get pressure on Drew Brees, which is a lot easier said than done, it will go a long way towards them winning the game. I expect Adrian Peterson to have a very productive game on the ground, which will not only wear down a suspect Saints defense, but also keep the Saints offense off the field. Brett Favre will need to avoid the big turnover, which is something he’s pretty much been able to do all year long. Look for Drew Brees to finish with at least 300 yards passing, as the Saints will struggle to run the ball all game long. With two potent offenses matched up in this one, I think it will come down to which defense plays better and which team can control the clock. While the Saints are definitely capable of winning those battles, I have to give the edge to the Vikings in this one.
Prediction: Vikings 31 Saints 26
Eight teams remain on the Road to Super Bowl XLIV in Miami.
Arizona Cardinals @ New Orleans Saints
Saturday- January 16th 4:30 PM
The Louisiana Superdome
The Cardinals wound up on the winning side of the highest scoring playoff game in NFL history when they knocked off the Packers last Sunday by a score of 51-45. What’s scary is that this weekend’s game vs. the Saints could wind up being just as high scoring, as both teams post two of the highest scoring offenses in the NFL. The Saints struggled down the stretch of the regular season on both sides of the ball, but the porous defense exhibited by the Cardinals in their wild card game has got to have Drew Brees and the Saints offense salivating at their mouths. If Pierre Thomas and the running game can get going, the Saints could run away with this one. But you can’t count out the Cardinals, who are led by one of the most productive post season QB’s ever in Kurt Warner. The Cardinals will also have WR Anquan Boldin back for this game, giving Warner yet another weapon at his disposal in the passing game to go along with Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Breaston. This game will likely come down to which defense can make the bigger plays and slow down the opposing team’s offense. It’s a tough one to call, but I’ve got a feeling the Cardinals are going to get the job done.
Prediction: Cardinals 34 Saints 30
Baltimore Ravens @ Indianapolis Colts
Saturday- January 16th 8:15 PM
Lucas Oil Stadium
The Colts haven’t played a meaningful football game since locking up the #1 seed in the AFC by defeating Jacksonville back in week 15. There has been a lot of controversy surrounding head coach Jim Caldwell’s decision to rest his starters down the stretch instead of going for an undefeated season, and history has shown that the Colts haven’t done well in the past under similar circumstances. I can see Peyton Manning and the Colts offense struggling to find a rhythm early on, but the defense should be well rested and prepared for the Ravens offense. The Ravens boast a very physical defense and will try to do everything in their power to get to Manning and force him to rush his throws. They will also look to run the ball with Ray Rice all game long to burn the clock and keep the Colts offense off the field. If they can do these things with success, they will have a good chance of knocking off the Colts. But I’ve got Indianapolis winning it all, so rest or no rest, I think they play like the team we’ve seen for most of the 2009 season in this one.
Prediction: Colts 27 Ravens 17
Dallas Cowboys @ Minnesota Vikings
Sunday- January 17th 1:00 PM
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
This game pits two of the most balanced teams in football against each other and has the potential to be the best game of the weekend. Dallas is rolling, having won 4 straight games, including two straight weeks of domination against a very good Philadelphia Eagles team. The Vikings sputtered somewhat down the stretch, but ended the season on a high note with a lopsided victory over the New York Giants. The bye week will surely help the Vikings, especially Brett Favre and Adrian Peterson who will be well rested for this matchup. As good as the Cowboys defense has played in recent weeks, it’s not going to be an easy task for them to slow down one of the best and most balanced offensive attacks in the league. Dallas will also struggle to run the ball against a stout Vikings run defense, so Tony Romo will once again need to be on top of his game if the Cowboys have any chance of winning. The Vikings secondary could struggle to cover Miles Austin and Jason Witten in the passing game, but ultimately I expect them to get the job done and move onto the NFC Championship game.
Prediction: Vikings 28 Cowboys 24
New York Jets @ San Diego Chargers
Sunday- January 17th 4:40 PM
Qualcomm Stadium
When a team can play defense and run the ball as the Jets have done all year long, they have the ability to beat anyone they’re up against. With that said, the Chargers have arguably been the best team in the NFL this season and it will be a tough task for the Jets to beat them in Qualcomm Stadium, where the Chargers have only lost 2 games this season. Phillip Rivers will not shy away from throwing at Darrelle Revis. He will take his shots downfield to Vincent Jackson throughout the game, which will open up the middle for TE Antonio Gates to find room in the Jets secondary. I’m not sure that the Jets will have an answer for Gates, but they will need to limit his touches if they’re to have any chance of winning this game. The Jets linebackers will also need to be on their heels and watch out for screen passes to LaDainian Tomlinson and the quicker and more dangerous, Darren Sproles. For the Jets offense, it will be nothing new. They’ll look to run the ball as much as possible against a defense that has struggled against the run for much of the season. If they can have success in the running game and QB Mark Sanchez can get into the flow early and limit his turnovers, the Jets will remain in this game throughout. For the critics out there who still believe that the Jets “backed into the playoffs,” this game will prove them wrong. I expect a hard fought battle between a great QB on one side, and a great defense on the other. This game will be decided in the final minutes of the 4th quarter. If the Jets can stick to their game plan and maybe catch a few breaks, they are capable of knocking off the Chargers and advancing to the AFC Championship. But the realist in me has got to give the edge to San Diego in this one.
Prediction: Chargers 23 Jets 20
**YMM Staff’s Super Bowl XLIV Predictions:
-Jsunfella: Colts vs. Vikings
-KRM: Colts vs. Saints
-Dubbs: Chargers vs. Vikings
-Bobby O: Chargers vs. Packers
-Magnum Stache: Chargers vs. Packers
Chris Johnson RB- Tennessee Titans (Standard Fantasy Pts in Week 14: 35)
As most expected, Johnson tore through a porous Rams defense on Sunday on his way to 117 yards and 2 TD’s on the ground. It marks the 8th straight game that Johnson has eclipsed the 100 yard rushing mark. Johnson also added 3 catches for 69 yards, including a 66 yard touchdown reception. While he may be a long shot to break Eric Dickerson’s single season rushing record, Johnson has undoubtedly been the best RB in football this season, fantasy or otherwise.
Brandon Marshall WR- Denver Broncos (Standard Fantasy Pts in Week 14: 32)
Marshall set a new NFL record on Sunday as he caught 21 passes for 200 yards and 2 touchdowns. The 21 receptions surpassed the previous record of 20 receptions by Terrell Owens back in 2000. The Broncos were rallying from behind all game and Denver QB Kyle Orton knew he had to get the ball to his big play receiver if they were to come back. In the end, the Broncos came up short, but that doesn’t take anything away from the brilliance that Marshall exhibited on Sunday.
Andre Johnson WR- Houston Texans (Standard Fantasy Pts in Week 14: 31)
Johnson finished the game vs. the Seahawks on Sunday with 11 receptions for 193 yards and 2 touchdowns. He scored on a 64 yard bomb from Matt Schaub on the first play of the game and later scored from 17 yards out in the second quarter. It was only the 5th 100 yard receiving game for Johnson this year, but the 7th year wideout out of Miami has still been one of the best receivers in the game. On the season, Johnson has 81 receptions for 1237 yards and 8 TD’s.
Eli Manning QB- New York Giants (Standard Fantasy Pts in Week 14: 30)
Eli Manning passed for a career high of 391 yards in Sunday’s tough loss to the division rival Philadelphia Eagles. Manning completed 27 or 38 passes on the day with 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. Eli has performed significantly better at home this season than on the road. He’s thrown 14 TD’s to just 6 interceptions at home, while on the road he’s thrown for 9 TD’s and 5 interceptions. Not a huge split by any means, but with the Giants needing a win in Washington next Monday night to keep their playoff hopes afloat, it will be important for Eli to play better on the road.
Drew Brees QB- New Orleans Saints (Standard Fantasy Pts in Week 14: 29)
Drew Brees was his typical self on Sunday, completing 31 of 40 passes for 3 touchdowns and 396 yards. The game marked the 7th time this season that Brees has thrown for at least 3 touchdowns in a game. He now has 3,832 yards and 32 TD’s on the season to go with only 10 interceptions. The debate of Brees vs. Peyton Manning for MVP is officially on and I’m almost glad I don’t have a vote because how can you possibly choose between the two?!
Drew Brees QB- New Orleans Saints (Standard Fantasy Pts in Week 12: 44)
Brees was nothing short of masterful in Monday night’s win over the New England Patriots. It seemed as though he could do whatever he wanted on the field and nobody, especially the Patriots defense, could stop him. Brees completed 18 of 23 passes for 371 yards and 5 touchdowns. His five touchdowns went to five different receivers, which is just another example of how the Saints offense is clicking on all cylinders and continues to rank first in all of football.
Brett Favre QB- Minnesota Vikings (Standard Fantasy Pts in Week 12: 33)
We all know how much Brett Favre has accomplished in his career, between MVP seasons and Super Bowl championships. But you’d be hard pressed to argue against the idea that 2009 has been the best season of Favre’s career. His miraculous season continued on Sunday against the Bears, as Favre threw for a season-high 392 yards on 32 of 48 passing and 3 touchdowns. Favre is currently sporting a QB rating of 112.1 and has thrown 24 touchdowns to just 3 interceptions on the year.
Justin Forsett RB- Seattle Seahawks (Standard Fantasy Pts in Week 12: 25)
Starting in place of the injured Julius Jones, Forsett did not disappoint and in fact had the best game of his short career on Sunday vs. the Rams. Forsett ran 22 times gaining 130 yards and scoring 2 touchdowns. It’s no surprise that Forsett found plenty of running room against a pathetic Rams defense, but nonetheless the kid was impressive.
Chris Johnson RB- Tennessee Titans (Standard Fantasy Pts in Week 12: 24)
If you’ve read these recaps throughout the season, you know by now how much I love what this guy does at the running back position. Johnson continued to run wild this past Sunday vs. the Cardinals, gaining 154 yards on 18 carries. He scored on an 85 yard scamper in the 3rd quarter and has now rushed for at least 120 yards in 6 straight games. The 2,000 yard watch continues as well, as Johnson is now just 604 yards away from the mark with 5 games to go.
Antonio Gates TE- San Diego Chargers (Standard Fantasy Pts in Week 12: 23)
Gates had a solid game in Sunday’s win over the Chiefs, gaining 118 yards through the air on 7 receptions. He also scored twice, including a 19 yarder in the first quarter and a 15 yarder later in the 2nd quarter. Gates has had a lack of touchdowns this season which has been a cause of frustration for many of his fantasy owners. Hopefully, he can give them more of what they’ve been expecting from him down the stretch.
Thomas Jones was the lone bright spot for the Jets on Sunday.
Tom Brady- QB New England Patriots (Standard Fantasy Pts in Week 6: 51)
Brady finally performed like the player we know he is after several inconsistent performances to begin the season. He completed 29 of 34 passes for 380 yards and 6 TD’s in just a little over a half of play. Brady also set an NFL record with 5 touchdown passes in the 2nd quarter alone.
Drew Brees- QB New Orleans Saints (Standard Fantasy Pts in Week 6: 38)
After 2 straight games without one, Brees got back to throwing touchdowns in the Saints’ week 6 win against the Giants. Brees completed 23 of 30 passes for 369 yards and 0 interceptions. The Giants had the strongest pass defense that the Saints had been up against all season, but that didn’t slow Brees, who during one stretch connected on 15 straight pass attempts.
Matt Schaub- QB Houston Texans (Standard Fantasy Pts in Week 6: 37)
Schaub is having a fantastic season, and has seemingly made this list nearly every week this season. Sunday was no exception, as Schaub threw 4 touchdowns in a game for the 2nd time this season. Schaub finished the game 28 of 40 for 392 yards. He should remain active in all lineups for the Texans’ week 7 match up vs. San Francisco.
Maurice Jones-Drew- RB Jacksonville Jaguars (Std Fantasy Pts in Week 6: 33)
Mo Jo lashed out at his coaches after last week’s embarrassing 41-0 blowout at the hands of the Seahawks, calling for them to run the ball more. Well, he got his wish on Sunday, gaining 133 yards on 33 carries with 3 rushing touchdowns. As usual, Mo Jo was involved in the passing game as well, catching 5 balls for 45 yards.
Ray Rice- RB Baltimore Ravens (Standard Fantasy Pts in Week 6: 30)
Rice continued his breakout season in Sunday’s loss to the Vikings. He had 10 carries for 77 yards on the ground and 2 rushing touchdowns, but it was in the passing game that he did the most of his damage, collecting 10 passes for 117 yards. Rice became the first running back to score a touchdown of any kind vs. a tough Vikings defense and now has 766 total yards from scrimmage on the year.
Randy Moss- WR New England Patriots (Std Fantasy Pts in Week 6: 30)
Wes Welker- WR New England Patriots (Std Fantasy Pts in Week 6: 27)
With the production Brady had on Sunday, you had to figure some Patriots’ wideouts would have their share of success as well, and who better than their best two receivers. Randy Moss scored 3 times, totaling 8 catches and 129 yards on the day. It was the 33rd time in his brilliant career that Moss scored multiple TD’s in a single game. Wes Welker was also effective, catching 10 passes for 150 yards and 2 scores. After being slowed by injury for much of the beginning of the season, it appears Welker is finally getting back in rhythm with Brady and the offense. As a whole, I think it’s safe to say that the Patriots are back to playing the type of football we all knew they were capable of when the season began.
***Breakout Performer***
Thomas Jones- RB New York Jets (Standard Fantasy Pts in Week 6: 28)
Jones rushed for a team-record 210 yards on 22 carries in a week 6 loss to Buffalo, breaking the previous team-record of 203 yards set by Curtis Martin on December 3, 2000. Jones scored on a long 71 yard touchdown scamper in the 2nd quarter, which was the lone touchdown the Jets had in an otherwise embarrassing performance. The career performance by Thomas Jones came despite the fact that he split carries with Leon Washington (15 carries, 99 yards), making his production all the more impressive.
It must be nice to be an overrated football player
The New York Giants (5-0) will be facing the New Orleans Saints (4-0) in a battle for NFC supremacy. New Orleans comes into this game after a big win against the previously undefeated New York Jets in Week 4 and are fully rested after the bye week. The Giants are clicking on all cylinders after last week’s domination of the Raiders. This will be THE game of the week and possibly the season. Let’s see how it breaks down:
MATCHUP BREAKDOWN:
The Saints and Giants are both undefeated and both have more or less dominated every opponent that they faced this year. The Saints are the new greatest show on turf and have weapons at every key offensive position. Unlike in years past, the Saints are not just a passing team anymore. The running game is 2nd in the league in yards per game. The Giants are doing what they are suppose to do so far this season, beating up on inferior teams. The Giants have not been tested since Week 2 against the Cowboys, but with Tom Coughlin and his staff the Giants will not be lackadaisical coming into this game. This should be fun!
GIANTS RUNNING GAME vs. SAINTS D
The one thing that has been missing from the Saints over the past couple of years is a defense that can stop somebody. Well that has changed as defensive coordinator Gregg Williams installed a new 4-3 defense that revolves around a whole lot of run blitzing and forcing turnovers. The Saints D is currently ranked 7th in the league against the run at 83.3 yards per game. The Giants counter the Saints with Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. Bradshaw has been absolutely unstoppable this season averaging about 7 yards per carry and is looking more and more consistent on a game to game basis. Jacobs on the other hand has struggled this year. His yards per carry have gone down by almost 2 yards from a gaudy 5 yards per carry last year to 3.2 this year. Also Jacobs is starting to let the talk of his downfall by the media get to him. I don’t see this as a bad thing, I expect Jacobs to make this game a statement game and return to his dominating self.
Edge: Giants Running Game
GIANTS PASSING GAME vs. SAINTS D
Eli and the passing game will have their hands full with the Saints D this week. The Saints rank 11th in the league in passing yards allowed at 212 per, but don’t let that number fool you. The Saints secondary is scary good this year. With 10 picks this year they are number one in the league. The key to this game for Eli is turnovers. Eli has been great this year at limiting the turnovers so if he can keep that up the Giants will have a good chance this week. Steve Smith is becoming one of the better wide outs in the game and seems to always be at the right place at the right time. Eli’s security blanket should have another stellar game.
Edge: Giants Passing Game
SAINTS RUNNING GAME vs. GIANTS D
The Saints come into this game with the 2nd best rushing attack in football. The Saints have a 3 headed monster of Pierre Thomas, Reggie Bush, and Mike Bell that is very similar to the Giants Earth, Wind, and Fire of last year. Pierre is the starter and has a nice combination of size and speed that defenses have trouble with. Reggie Bush is a great pass catcher out of the backfield and is their 3rd down back and Mike Bell is their bruiser back who will be active for this game after suffering a sprained knee in Week 3. The Giants defense has been very good against the run since the Cowboys game, but they have faced some pretty bad running attacks over the last 3 games. The last time the Giants faced a running attack like the Saints they gave up over 200 yards on the ground. This will definitely be a test for the Giants D.
Edge: Saints Running Game
SAINTS PASSING GAME vs. GIANTS D
Drew Brees is arguably the best quarterback in the game. The Giants D will have their hands full this week. Brees has slowed down over the last couple of games, but I don’t see this being the case this week. The Giants are still banged up in the secondary and Brees knows how to exploit that. The Saints have the 11th ranked passing attack in football, but that is mostly due to the bye week and 2 average showings against the Jets and Bills. Don’t be fooled this passing attack could be the best in the league and they will show that this week in the Superdome.
Edge: Saints Passing Game
SPECIAL TEAMS:
I don’t see the special teams for either team making much of an impact on this game as both offenses are playing at a very high level. John Carney comes back to kick against his old team the Giants, but all in all Jeff Feagles is Christ reincarnated!
Edge: Jesus Christ
INTANGIBLES/COACHING:
Sean Payton’s offense versus Bill Sheridan’s defense will be the match up to watch all day as both will try to confuse each other into mistakes. Sean Payton has made a good name for himself since his days as the Giants offensive coordinator with an offense that has been at the top or near the top of the league since his arrival to the Saints. Tom Coughlin knows how to prepare his team week in and week out against their opponent better then 99% of the coaches in the NFL. This should be a great match up between two of the best coaches in the league, but I have to give the nod to the man that has done it longer and with more success.
Edge: Giants
BOTTOM LINE:
The Giants versus the Saints will be the game to watch this week. Both teams are playing great football so far this season on both sides of the ball. I believe that this game will be more about offense then defense as the game will be up and down all. This does play well for the Saints, but the Giants defense will make a stop late in the game that will determine the winner. I got a feeling that this will not be the last time the Giants see the Saints this year, the next time could very well be in January in the NFC Championship game.
Final Score: Giants 34 Saints 31
The Jets will need to limit Drew Brees and the high powered Saints' offense at the Superdome on Sunday in order to improve to 4-0.
New York Jets (3-0) @ New Orleans Saints (3-0)
Sunday- 4:05 pm
Superdome- New Orleans, LA
It’s a the battle of the undefeated in the “Big Easy” on Sunday, as the New York Jets take on the New Orleans Saints. The Saints enter the game as the top ranked offense in the NFL, averaging 438 yards per game to go along with a 40 points per game average. The Jets come into town sporting a defense ranked 3rd in the NFL in yards allowed per game (256.0) and 2nd in the NFL in points per game allowed (11.0). Something will have to give in what should be an extremely entertaining and competitive game between two of the NFL’s early season’s best:
MATCH UP BREAKDOWN:
JETS RUNNING GAME vs. SAINTS D:
The Jets will need to establish their running game on Sunday, mainly to eat up the clock and keep Drew Brees and the vaunted Saints offense off the field. The Jets mustered a season-low 86 yards on 28 carries (3.1 avg) in last week’s win vs. the Titans, but they’ll need to have much more success this weekend in order to win the game. The Saints rank 5th in the NFL in rushing defense, but since they’ve yet to trail in a game for even a single second this season, it’s safe to say the teams they’ve played have been straying from their running game while playing from behind. The Jets have by far the best offensive line that the Saints have seen yet this season, so expect solid production from Thomas Jones and Leon Washington, especially if it’s a close game throughout. We should also see a healthy dose of the “Seminole Formation” (the Jets’ version of the “Wildcat”), as Brian Schottenheimer tries to keep the Saints defense on their heels.
EDGE: JETS RUNNING GAME
JETS PASSING GAME vs. SAINTS D
The Jets haven’t exactly opened up the playbook for Mark Sanchez, but the rookie has done everything asked of him to get the Jets to their first 3-0 start since 2004. He has responded tremendously in crucial game situations and Sunday will be his biggest test yet as he tries to keep up with the Quarterback on the opposite sidelines. The Saints are tied for the NFL lead with 7 interceptions, but 6 of those picks came in blowouts against QB’s making their first career NFL starts (Mark Stafford- 3 INT’s in week 1 and Kevin Kolb- 3 INT’s in week 2). Overall, the Saints are ranked 22nd in passing defense, allowing 245 yards per game. The Jets will look to utilize Sanchez’s masterful play-action fakes to freeze FS Darren Sharper and CB Jabari Greer and allow Jerricho Cotchery and the Jets’ receivers to get free in the secondary. If the Jets get down early, Sanchez will have to step up and take his shots downfield to get the Jets back in the game.
EDGE: EVEN
SAINTS RUNNING GAME vs. JETS D
A lot of praise is given to the Saints passing game, and for good reason, but what people often overlook is the fact that they’re a very solid running team as well. The Saints currently rank 2nd in the NFL in rushing offense, with an average of over 170 yards per game. Last week vs. the Bills, RB Pierre Thomas ran for 126 yards and 2 TD’s in the second half alone to lead the Saints to victory. But Thomas will have a much tougher time finding lanes to run through against a Jets team ranked 9th overall in rushing defense. The Jets have to be careful not to let up any big plays on the ground while focusing in on stopping the Saints’ passing attack. Reggie Bush is a weapon out of the backfield, one the Jets will need to contain on the outside and prevent from getting into open space. This match up is too close to call and will likely be dictated by whichever side is able to gain momentum early on.
EDGE: EVEN
SAINTS PASSING GAME vs. JETS D
Drew Brees has carved up NFL defenses this year to the tune of 841 yards (280 ypg) with 9 TD’s and 2 INT’s. He is one of the game’s best signal callers and the true leader of the NFL’s new and improved “Greatest Show on Turf.” WR Marques Colston, coming off an injury riddled 2008 that limited him to just 11 games, has returned healthy this year and has quickly regained the chemistry with Brees that led to his breakout season in 2007. He will be shadowed all game long by Jets star CB Darrelle Revis, forcing Brees to have to spread the ball out to his other options, including TE Jeremy Shockey. “Gang Green’s” defense, which will be without CB’s Lito Sheppard and Donald Strickland for the second straight week, will mix up coverages all day long to try to contain Shockey over the middle. The Jets will need to get to Brees like they did Brady two weeks ago, but his quick release will make it hard for Bart Scott and the boys to get much pressure on him. Rex Ryan was a defensive mastermind late in the game vs. the Titans, drawing up an array of blitz schemes and coverages that led to 13 straight incompletions by Kerry Collins to end the game. If the Jets can get a lead in this game, Ryan will look to attack Brees with a similar repertoire.
EDGE: SAINTS PASSING GAME
SPECIAL TEAMS:
Whenever you play in a dome, an advantage in the kicking game is hard to gain as both kickers get to play in a climate-controlled, wind free arena. Both teams have accurate kickers, in Jay Feely for the Jets (19 consecutive successful FG’s) and John Carney for the Saints, so the only advantage to be gained is which kicker gets more opportunities. Leon Washington and Jim Leonhard have been very good in the return game this year for the Jets, often providing the team with great field position. Reggie Bush can be electric on punt returns, but the Jets coverage unit has been impressive this season, coming off a game in which they recorded two fumble recoveries.
EDGE: JETS SPECIAL TEAMS
INTANGIBLES/COACHING:
This game will be a classic chess match between the great defensive mind of Rex Ryan and the great offensive mind of Sean Peyton. Peyton will look to exploit match ups however he can, while Ryan will look to stay aggressive on defense and disguise coverages in an effort to bait Brees into making mistakes. The Saints have a huge home field advantage playing at the Superdome in front of their 70,000 fans. On a side note, Saints LB Jonathan Vilma will play against his former team for the first time since being traded back in February of 2008.
EDGE: SAINTS
BOTTOM LINE:
This will undoubtedly be one of this week’s most entertaining games. Anyone expecting a blowout in this one is way off base as both teams are well coached and disciplined enough to not allow a let down in this most crucial match up. The Jets can’t allow the Saints to get up early and in turn force Sanchez to have to beat them through the air, which is their formula for success. It’s going to be a close game, but in the end the Saints will be a bit too much for the Jets to handle:
Saints 27 Jets 23
WWTDD – The No Fun League slapped Sheldon Brown with a $10,000 fine for wearing this sweet Friday the 13th mask instead of a boring football helmet onto the field last Sunday. So much for individuality.
I understand why Roger Goodell has been cracking down on the NFL, I really do. These guys are so out of control that something had to be done. But in this case I think Goodell let his shoot first ask questions later attitude cloud his judgment. I mean do we ever hear peep from Sheldon Brown? Is Sheldon Brown killing hookers, and shooting up clubs? The guy wore a Jason mask, which I guess is against league policy but I thought it was pretty cool. Give the guy a fucking break.
Anyway, Drew Brees figured that the best way to attack the vicious beast was to throw footballs at it, and it worked. He didn’t stop until the Saints had 48 points, 26 more than the Eagles, and there wasn’t anything that Jason, Freddy, Leatherface or Pinhead could do about it.
