Super Bowl XLIV Preview

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)

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Jsunfella, February 5th 2010 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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NFL Playoffs: AFC Championship Preview

New York Jets @ Indianapolis Colts

Sunday, January 24th 3:00 pm EST

Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis, IN)

Here we go Jets fans.  Our first AFC Championship appearance since 1998 and I don’t think the story could’ve been written any better.  The Jets (11-7) will face off with the perennial powerhouse, Indianapolis Colts (15-2), at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday for a chance to play in Super Bowl XLIV.  The two teams met back in week 16 in a controversial game in which the Jets ended the Colts run at an undefeated season.  With home field advantage already secured, Colts head coach Jim Caldwell pulled Peyton Manning and the other starters early in the second half with the Colts leading 15-10.  The Jets took full advantage, scoring 19 unanswered points to win the game 29-15 and end the Colts regular-season win streak at 23 games.  While he never publicly questioned his coach, you could just tell by his body language on the sidelines that Peyton Manning wasn’t particularly happy with the decision and he’ll be motivated on Sunday to avenge the loss.  On the other side, the Jets have had to listen to various critics talk about how the Colts handed them a victory and how they wouldn’t be in the playoffs if they hadn’t.  Led by stellar defensive play and a ball control offense, the Jets have played motivated football since and have already proven that they belong and that their appearance in the AFC Championship is no fluke.

The Colts made it to the AFC Championship by knocking off the Ravens 20-3 in their divisional match up last Saturday.  Manning went 30 of 44 for 246 yards and 2 touchdowns in the game, completing 12 passes for 73 yards to his top targets, WR Reggie Wayne and TE Dallas Clark.  But it wasn’t just the offense that impressed, as the Colts defense held the Ravens to just 276 yards of total offense.  The Jets earned their right to play for the AFC title by defeating the Bengals 24-14 in the opening round and moving past the Chargers last Sunday by a score of 17-14.  Mark Sanchez has been able to limit his turnovers down the stretch (1 INT in his last 4 games) and manage the offense well.  He understands the game plan behind the Jets “run first” philosophy, which only helps to alleviate the pressure off the young rookie.  Fellow rookie, Shonn Greene, has seen an increased role with Thomas Jones slowed by a knee injury, having rushed for 420 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Jets last 4 games.  The Colts ranked just 24th against the run during the regular season, but they managed to hold Ray Rice and a potent Ravens rushing attack to just 87 yards last week.  The rest given to the Colts starters down the stretch, in addition to coming off a first round bye, really showed on the defensive side of the ball in that game.  The Jets, on the other hand, have basically been playing for their lives for the last 4 weeks and have had to scrap their way to get to this game.  The defense is a bit banged up, but they’ve been playing lights out and will need to be at their best if they have any chance of beating Indy.  Darrelle Revis will be locked up with Reggie Wayne for most of the game, but look for Rex Ryan to disguise the coverages in an attempt to confuse Peyton Manning and the Colts receivers.

Bottom Line:

The Jets defense should have no problem making the Colts offense one dimensional.  The Colts have eclipsed the 100 yard rushing mark only once in their last 11 games, including a pathetic 25 yards on 16 carries vs the Ravens last week.  This will allow Rex Ryan to use an extra defender to help cover TE Dallas Clark instead of committing a safety to run support.  The Jets will also blitz and blitz often.  In the first two rounds, the Jets blitzed Carson Palmer and Phillip Rivers 60% of the time.  They may want to decrease that number somewhat on Sunday, as Peyton Manning has completed an astounding 68% of his passes against the blitz this season.  Manning is too cerebral and the fact that he’s seen this Jets defense before is more of an advantage for him than any other player on the field.  This is why Rex Ryan must disguise his coverages and schemes all game long and keep Manning guessing.  RB’s Shonn Greene and Thomas Jones will need to come up big in this game to control the clock and limit the opportunities for Sanchez to make mistakes, while also keeping the Colts offense off the field.  The Colts defense is very fast and physical and they’re a big reason why they’ve made it to the AFC Championship game.  DE’s Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney are one of the best pass rushing tandems in the league.  If the Colts can slow the Jets rushing attack and force Sanchez into third and long situations, Mathis and Freeney will make it a long day for the Jets offense.  But if the Jets can move the ball on the ground as they’ve been able to do against good defenses all year, and the defense can limit the scoring opportunities for the Colts, they will be in position to win this game.  Despite my Super Bowl prediction of Vikings vs Colts, I’m going with the underdog J-E-T-S in this one.  Rex Ryan has them believing they can win this game and I believe too!

Prediction:  Jets  17  Colts 16

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Jsunfella, January 22nd 2010 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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NFL Playoffs: Divisional Round Preview

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

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Jsunfella, January 15th 2010 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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What’s worse Lebron tea bagging Iverson during warmups or Dallas Clark tossing Manning’s salad on the sideline?

I don’t care how good of friends you are with someone, tea bagging them, putting your cock on their face, or whatever this was is not cool man.  not cool.  Maybe John Amici would let that shit fly but I bet you A.I is planning a drive by on Lebron as we speak for this.  But as bad as it is to tea bag a gangster of A.I’s caliber this may be even worse:

500x_colts_01

This I do not even have words for……..

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KRM, December 18th 2009 | Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Funny Videos, NFL, Random Stache', Scandalous, Sports, TV

Top Fantasy Performers of Week 14

marsha

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?!

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Jsunfella, December 15th 2009 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
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Fantasy Football Recap: Top Performers of Week 11

stafquinn

Matthew Stafford  QB- Detroit Lions  (Standard Fantasy Pts in Week 11:  42)

Surprisingly, the Lions and Browns were involved in the best game of the weekend and arguably one of the better NFL games played in 2009.  In that game, Lions rookie QB Matthew Stafford had his coming out party, throwing for 422 yards on 26 of 43 passing with 5 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.  The 2009 #1 overall pick finally showed the potential he has, despite the fact it was against a weak Browns secondary.  Unfortunately, Stafford suffered a separated shoulder on the second to last play of the game and is considered doubtful for the Lions Thanksgiving day match up with the Packers.

Brady Quinn  QB- Cleveland Browns  (Standard Fantasy Pts in Week 11:  36)

Stafford wasn’t the only QB to have his coming out party in the Lions/Browns game on Sunday.  Brady Quinn had the best game of his brief 3 year career, as he completed 21 of 33 passes for 304 yards and 4 touchdown passes.  Quinn led his Browns to a franchise record 24 points in the first quarter, only to lose on a Matthew Stafford touchdown pass on the last play of the game.  Despite the fact that these numbers came against one of the NFL’s worst defenses, this performance has to be an encouraging sign for Browns management and Browns fans alike.

Brett Favre  QB- Minnesota Vikings  (Standard Fantasy Pts in Week 11:  32)

Favre only needed to play 3 quarters to lead his team to an easy victory over the Seahawks on Sunday.  He completed an astounding 22 of 25 passes for 213 yards and 4 touchdowns.  Favre now has 21 touchdowns on the year, which is just 1 short of his entire 2008 total when he was with the Jets.  If it wasn’t for the season Peyton Manning is having, Favre would be my clear cut choice for MVP this year.  You can’t overemphasize the impact he has had in Minnesota, as the Vikings look like a team that can go all the way.  Favre deserves all the credit in the world for making them into that kind of team.

Ricky Williams  RB- Miami Dolphins  (Standard Fantasy Pts in Week 11:  30)

In his first game since the season-ending injury to fellow RB Ronnie Brown, Williams was nothing short of superb.  He carried 22 times for 119 yards and 2 touchdowns and caught 2 passes for 19 yards and another touchdown through the air.  It was actually the first time in his career that Ricky had rushing and receiving touchdowns in the same game, which is quite surprising for the former 2003 rushing champion.  I think it’s safe to say that Miami’s rushing attack is in good hands with Ricky running the show on his own.

Terrell Owens  WR- Buffalo Bills  (Standard Fantasy Pts in Week 11:  25)

Owens had his first 100 yard receiving game as a member of the Buffalo Bills in Sunday’s loss vs. Jacksonville.  He caught a total of 9 passes for 197 yards, including a long 98 yard touchdown from QB Ryan Fitzpatrick early in the 2nd half.  Prior to Sunday’s game, Owens had not topped 85 yards in any game this season and his touchdown marked only his 2nd of the season.  As bad as Owens has been, I think it’s safe to say that he’s got a better rapport with Fitzpatrick then he does with Trent Edwards.

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Jsunfella, November 24th 2009 | Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
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FANTASY FOOTBALL RECAP: TOP PERFORMERS OF WEEK 10

Chris Johnson has been stomping the competition all season long.

Chris Johnson has been stomping the competition all season long.

Chris Johnson RB- Tennessee Titans (Standard Fantasy Pts in Week 10: 35)

Much like his performance back in week 2 against the Texans, Chris Johnson delivered monster numbers in both the running and passing game for fantasy owners. He rushed for 132 yards on 26 carries with 2 scores, while catching 9 passes for 100 yards through the air. It’s his ability to produce as a receiver that arguably moves him ahead of Adrian Peterson as the top pick in fantasy drafts in 2010. Johnson is now on pace to finish the season with 1,938 rushing yards.

Peyton Manning QB- Indianapolis Colts (Standard Fantasy Pts in Week 10: 33)

It was nothing new for Peyton Manning in week 10 as he threw for over 300 yards for the 8th time in 9 games this season. In all, he completed 28 of 44 passes for 327 yards and 4 touchdowns as the Colts inched passed the Patriots to remain undefeated. Manning connected with WR Reggie Wayne (20 fantasy pts) 10 times for 126 yards and 2 touchdowns, including the game winner in the waning moments of the game. The Colts will travel to Baltimore in week 11 to face the Ravens.

Tom Brady QB- New England Patriots (Standard Fantasy Pts in Week 10: 31)

Brady completed 29 of 42 passes for 375 yards and 3 touchdowns in a devastating loss to the Colts on Sunday night.  He took full advantage of a banged up Colts secondary and took his shots downfield all game long.  After a somewhat slow start to 2009, Brady has now thrown for over 300 yards in 4 straight games, with 13 touchdowns and just 4 interceptions during that span.

Randy Moss WR- New England Patriots (Standard Fantasy Pts in Week 10: 29)

Moss was unstoppable against the Colts.  He reeled in 9 passes from Brady for 179 yards and 2 touchdowns.  He caught a 63 yard bomb from Brady for his first score and 5 yard dump-off for his second score.  Moss now has 58 receptions for 891 yards and 7 touchdowns on the season and he appears to only be getting started.  It should be another Pro Bowl season for the future Hall of Famer.

Brandon Marshall WR- Denver Broncos (Standard Fantasy Pts in Week 10: 25)

Marshall blasted out the gate in week 10, catching two long touchdown passes from Kyle Orton in the first quarter alone.  In fact, on his first two catches of the game, Marshall scored from 40 yards out and from 75 yards out.  Unfortunately for the Broncos, it wasn’t enough as they fell to the lowly Redskins 27-17 in Washington D.C. on Sunday.  Marshall finished with 5 receptions for 134 yards, but lost his starting quarterback to an ankle injury in the 2nd half.  Orton’s status is in doubt for the Broncos crucial week 11 match up vs. San Diego, thus hindering the fantasy value of Marshall.

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Jsunfella, November 17th 2009 | Tags: , , , , , ,
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Not so genius move….

belichik

If anyone out there can explain what Bill Belichik was thinking last night going for it on 4th and 2 in their own territory while leading the Colts by 6 with just minutes to go in the game, I would love to hear your spin on it.  While Belichick obviously would rather not give the ball pack to Peyton Manning with 2 minutes to go in the game with a chance to lead  the Colts offense to a game winning drive, you just HAVE to punt there and trust in your defense.  I can maybe, maybe see him making this call if the Patriots were in danger of losing the game on a Colts field goal, but with a 6 point lead, there is no logical explanation for going for it in that situation. I’m sure Boston fans everywhere are reminded of Grady Little’s decision in the 2003 ALCS vs the Yankees to leave Pedro Martinez in the game despite his lack of “stuff,” and we all know how that turned out.  While Belichik’s decision shouldn’t have as much of an immediate or direct effect on where the Patriots go this year, it’s one that I will never understand.

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Jsunfella, November 16th 2009 | Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Random Stache'

Jeff Fisher Proclaims his love for the Colts

 

Titans coach Jeff Fisher might be Colts QB Peyton Manning’s No. 1 fan. OK, maybe Fisher’s admiration for Manning doesn’t go that far.

Still, even though Manning torched the Titans for 309 yards and three touchdowns in the Colts’ 31-9 rout of winless Tennessee in Week 5, that didn’t stop Fisher from donning a blue-and-white No. 18 jersey when he introduced former Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy to speak at the Rally for Rocketown at Lipscomb University in Nashville.

“I just wanted to feel like a winner,” Fisher said jokingly as he revealed the jersey underneath his button-down shirt and jacket.

After starting 0-6 Titans head coach Jeff Fisher should be more worried about his job than his comedy routine while introducing Tony Dungy at a charity fundrasier last night.  The 2009 Titans are barely a shell of the 13-3 team from last season and it’s no wonder Fisher is angling for a laugh with the joke of a team he has been fielding each week.  Although there is speculation that Fisher is on thin ice with team ownership, all rumors were put to rest shortly after Bud Adams was the beneficiary of reach-around courtesy of Fisher.

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Bone-Air, October 21st 2009 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
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Dubbs’ Week 4 NFL Picks

20090831_zaf_se4_028.jpg

Last Week’s Record: 9-7

Overall Record: 26-22

To recap last week’s blunders: The Niners block a field goal attempt and return it for a touchdown and blow the spread, the Steelers give up a touchdown in the last 30 seconds and lose the game, the Jags suddenly become an offensive juggernaut and win a shootout against the Texans, and Jake Delhomme still sucks.  That leaves us only 4 games over the .500 mark, and makes my picks through the first 3 weeks no better than flipping a coin.  At least I can look forward to watching the GOAT, the golden boy, the Wrangler wangler Brett Favre take it to the Pack this week.

Detroit Lions @ Chicago Bears(-10.5)- Granted, their first win in over a year came against the hapless Redskins, but Detroit still showed some promise last week.  Kevin Smith ran the ball well against a decent defense, and Matt Stafford had his first professional game without a turnover.  The Bears defense struggled to stop the run last week, and allowed Julius Jones (yes, that Julius Jones) to rush for almost a hundred yards.  I’ll take the points in this NFC North matchup.  Dubbs’ Pick: The Lions

Cincinnati Bengals(-5.5) @ Cleveland Browns- The Bengals are for real this year.  They’ve beaten 2 solid teams, and if it weren’t for a last second fluke play against the Broncos in week 1 they would be 3-0.  The Browns are coached by recent Douchebag Hall of Fame inductee Eric Mangini, and are therefore more concerned about parking lot assignments than preparing for this week’s game.  Dubbs’ Pick: The Bengals

Seattle Seahawks @ Indianapolis Colts(-8.5)- I never should have doubted you, Peyton Manning.  You reminded me last week why you are the reigning NFL MVP by throwing for 4 touchdowns with one arm tied behind your back.  The Seahawks will have some success running the ball this week, but it won’t matter when the Colts put up 21 points before the half.  Dubbs’ Pick: The Colts

New York Giants(-9.5) @ Kansas City Chiefs- I ate the cat poop.  Again.  I won’t fall for that shit anymore.  Dubbs’ Pick: The Giants

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Washington Redskins(-7.5)- I wonder if they can just cancel both teams’ seasons now so I won’t be forced to watch this garbage.  The Bucs are starting John Doe at quarterback this week, so I guess that’s noteworthy.  Outside of that, I don’t really have anything else to say about these sorry excuses for NFL franchises.  I’ll take the points, since it’s unlikely either of these teams will be able to muster any on their own.  Dubbs’ Pick: The Bucs

Tennessee Titans(-2.5) @ Jacksonville Jaguars- I refuse to believe that a team with one of the most explosive players in the league could possibly go 0-4 to start the season.  Chris Johnson will be the deciding factor in this game, and I expect the Titans to finally get their first victory in 2009 against an unimpressive defense.  Dubbs’ Pick: The Titans

Oakland Raiders @ Houston Texans(-9.5)- The Jets ran all over the Texans in week 1.  The Titans ran all over the Texans in week 2.  The Jags ran all over the Texans in week 3.  Notice a trend?  As long as the Raiders don’t do anything stupid (like allow Jamarcus Russell to do anything but hand the ball off), they should be able to beat the spread by playing ball control offense and solid defense.  Dubbs’ Pick:The Raiders

Baltimore Ravens @ New England Patriots(-2.5)- Fred Taylor restored balance to the Patriots offense last week, and not a game too soon.  Fancy boy still looked out of sorts in the pocket, and could be seen on the sidelines bitching at his receivers in between possessions.  It’s amazing how TO can throw a fit on the sidelines and get torn apart by analysts, while Brady can put on a similar display and get a total pass.  A douchebag is a douchebag.  But I digress.  The Patriots had difficulty against Rex Ryan’s defense in week 2, and while he is no longer the coordinator in Baltimore they still use the same scheme.  I’m excited to see the Pats take a beating this weekend.  Dubbs’ Pick: The Ravens

New York Jet @ New Orlean Saints(-6.5)- Pierre Thomas returned to the lineup last week, and rushed for 126 yards… in the second half.  The Saints offense is so efficient that I’m not sure any defense can stop them.  Rex Ryan will be sending blitz packages all day to try to get Drew Brees out of rhythm.  Good luck.  As a Jets fan, I’ll gladly pay $100 if they pull the upset and start the season 4-0.  Dubbs’ Pick: The Saints

Buffalo Bills(-1.5) @ Miami Dolphins- After losing Chad Pennington to a season ending shoulder injury, the Phins will rely on second year backup Chad Henne to lead the offense.  On the other side, habitual offender Marshawn Lynch returns from suspension (assuming that he doesn’t get stoned and run down another pedestrian prior to Sunday’s game) and gives the Bills high school offense another weapon.  I never thought this day would come.  Dubbs’ Pick: The Bills

Dallas Cowboys(-3.5) @ Denver Broncos- The Broncos get their first test of the season this week when Dallas comes to town.  Denver’s defense has been impressive, and it will be interesting to see how it matches up against the Cowboys dominant running game.  If Barber plays as he is expected to, I don’t think the Broncos will have a chance in this one.  Dubbs’ Pick: The Cowboys

St Louis Rams @ San Francisco 49ers(-10.5)- If it weren’t for Brett Favre’s last second miracle, the Niners would be 3-0 right now.  Mike Singletary has turned this franchise around, and has them focusing on the fundamentals: running the ball and defense.  The Rams were able to score 17 points against the Pack last week, but that was mostly due to a Green Bay defense that ranks 23rd in the league against the rush.  This week they face a strong defensive squad with Kyle Boller playing quarterback.  Game over.  Dubbs’ Pick:The 49ers

San Diego Chargers @ Pittsburgh Steelers(-6.5)- The Chargers have found no success running the football since LT went down, and rank second to last in the NFL in rush yards per game.  Philip Rivers has single handedly carried this team to 2 victories so far this season, but he’ll have a much harder time finding receivers downfield this week against Dick Lebeau’s blitzing schemes.  I like the Steelers to bounce back at home after a tough loss to the Bengals.  Dubbs’ Pick:The Steelers

Green Bay Packers @ Minnesota Vikings(-3.5)- The main event.  As a Brett Favre fan, I’ve been waiting for this matchup since the season started.  There is no chance that the Packers win this game.  Adrian Peterson will have a field day against one of the worst run defenses in the league, and Brett is going to be motivated to stick it to his old team.  I can’t wait.  Dubbs’ Pick: The Vikings

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Dubbs, October 3rd 2009 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Fantasy Football Recap: Top Performers of Week 3

Jaguars Texans Football

Maurice Jones-Drew RB- Jacksonville Jaguars (Standard Fantasy Pts in Week 3:  31)

Mo Jo finally lived up to his billing for 2009, showing why many owners selected him among the top 5 overall picks on draft day.  He had 23 carries for 119 yards and 3 TD’s in a 31-24 win vs. the Texans.  He also had 4 catches for 28 yards in the game.  Mo Jo scored the go-ahead touchdown on an 8 yard scamper early in the 4th quarter, solidifying Jacksonville’s first victory of the season.

Peyton Manning QB- Indianapolis Colts (Standard Fantasy Pts in Week 3:  37)

Manning continued his excellent play this season, throwing for over 300 yards for the third straight game.  He completely outplayed his counterpart, Kurt Warner, in a 31-10 shellacking of the Arizona Cardinals.  Manning finished 24-35 (68.6%) for 379 yards with 4 TD’s and 1 INT.  The TD passes were spread out to 4 different receivers, showing that Manning’s got the Colts offense working on all cylinders right now.

Santana Moss WR- Washington Redskins (Standard Fantasy Pts in Week 3:  23)

Coming into the game vs. the Lions, Moss had compiled a putrid 5 receptions for 41 yards with 0 TD’s and a fumble lost in the Redskins’ first two games of the season.  But he was a different player on Sunday, catching 10 passes for 178 yards, including a long 57 yard touchdown in the 3rd quarter.  Moss was chosen as the Fantasy Guru’s Start of the Week at the WR position for week 3 and he did not disappoint.  Unfortunately, the Redskins lost the game and will go down in history as the team the Lions defeated to end their 19 game winless streak.

Kevin Kolb QB- Philadelphia Eagles (Standard Fantasy Pts in Week 3:  31)

For the 2nd straight week, the Eagles backup QB put up big fantasy numbers while playing in place of starter Donovan McNabb.  Coming off a 391 yard performance in a week 2 loss vs. New Orleans, Kolb threw for 327 yards and 2 TD’s with 0 INT’s in a win vs. the Chiefs, becoming the first player in NFL history to throw for 300 yards in his first 2 starts.  Surely he is just keeping his Center’s ass warm until McNabb can return, but the kid is showing everyone that he is more than a capable of playing the QB position in this league.

DeSean Jackson WR- Philadelphia Eagles (Standard Fantasy Pts in Week 3:  20)

Jackson was listed on the Eagles’ injury report as questionable with a groin injury coming into Sunday, but showed no signs of the injury in a 34-14 rout of the Kansas City Chiefs.  Jackson had 6 catches for 149 yards, including a quick slant turned 64 yard TD early in the 2nd quarter.  At times this season, the 2nd year WR has looked “unguardable,” using his speed to get beyond the secondary for big passing plays downfield.  Jackson currently ranks 1st in the NFL in yards per reception (21.6).

Breakout Player of the Week:

Pierre Thomas RB- New Orleans Saints (Standard Fantasy Pts in Week 3:  24)

Thomas was primed to be the Saints’ best fantasy worthy RB this season, but an early knee injury limited him for the first 2 games.  It was the flu, rather than an injury, that kept Thomas on the sidelines for the entire first half on Sunday vs. the Bills, but in the second half, we finally got a taste of what Thomas can do.  He single-handedly put the Bills away in this game, scoring on a 34 yard run with a little over 5 minutes left, and adding a 19 yarder just before the 2 minute warning.  Thomas finished with 126 yards on just 14 carries.  He might have a tough time repeating this success in week 4 vs. the Jets, but the schedule really lightens up after that, so expect Thomas to quickly rise to fantasy stardom in the weeks to come.

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Jsunfella, September 29th 2009 | Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Fantasy Football, Sports



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