Month: December 2006 (Page 6 of 14)

– The G-Men got off the snide in Carolina with an impressive 27-13 win over the Panthers. Eli Manning gave hope to New York fans again with a three-touchdown passing performance. Tiki Barber got back to running the football instead of running his mouth and the Giants still own the fifth spot if the postseason started today. The real story was Chris Weinke. I hammered him earlier this week and he gave me reason too with a three-interception second half. However, Weinke also threw for a franchise-record 423 yards. And check this out, his leading receiver was not Steve Smith or Keyshawn Johnson, but Drew Carter. You gotta love that Weinke to Carter connection in Carolina. The media darlings have now lost three and a row.

– t never looks pretty for them, but the Eagles still have a great shot at the playoffs after a 21-19 win over the Redskins. Philadelphia still has a long way to go to reach the postseason (road games against the Giants and Cowboys are next), but Jeff Garcia is flat out getting the job done. Garcia has throw eight touchdown passes since taking over for the injured Donovan McNabb and better yet, has yet to throw an interception. The defense still looks suspect at times, but the unit came up with a bunch of big plays against a struggling Jason Campbell.

– With a 17-6 victory in Tampa Bay, the Falcons swept the Bucs for the first time since the new divisions were introduced in 2002. It came at a severe price, however, as both Warrick Dunn and Jerious Norwood left the game in the third quarter with injuries. Atlanta has major flaws and without Dunn or Norwood, the Falcons playoff hopes may sink quickly. As for Tampa, what a great scene at the end of the game for Bucs fans. All the home crowd wanted was a last second touchdown to make the drive home less daunting. Instead, Joey Galloway was stopped short at the two yard line after it looked like he had a clear path to the end zone and Tim Rattay gets stuffed on a quarterback sneak as time expires. What a season in Tampa.

– The Dolphins always play the Patriots tough, especially at home. But 21-0? Ouch Tom Brady. If Sammy Morris can rush for 123 yards, what is a back like LaDainian Tomlinson going to do if New England has to go into San Diego to face the Chargers in the playoffs? This just doesn’t have that same magical look for the Patriots, even though New England loves that us-against-the-world feeling as the postseason draws near. One hit on the Dolphins: why hasn’t anybody introduced Joey Harrington to Chris Chambers? Wasted talent!

– The Jets head into their late game with the Bills knowing that the Patriots were stomped 21-0 by Miami. So what does New York do, of course, but get smacked in the mouth 31-13. I’ve given Eric Mangini plenty of due this season for the way he always seems to have his team ready to play. But you have a chance to get your squad closer to a division leader and you get stomped at home by a division rival? Tisk-tisk. Willis McGahee scored on a 57 yard touchdown run on the Bills first possession and never looked back. He finished with 125 yards and a score.

– I’ve got just one major complaint about the Seahawks’ 27-21 loss to the Cardinals in Arizona. Why the hell did Deion Branch run his fourth down rout with the game on the line one yard short? Are you kidding me? Do you know how much it cost Seattle to get you from New England? Run a full rout, I’m sure if Matt Hasselback got it to you at 14 yards, he can certainly get it to you at 15.

– It’s overtime in the Titans-Texans game and Vince Young takes the snap from center and dashes to the edge of Houston’s defense. The next thing Texans fans know Young runs past defenders for a 39 yard touchdown run. Final score, 26-20 Tennessee, as Houston fans throw up thinking about how Young could have been theirs. I seem to remember a few years ago when an exciting young quarterback named Michael Vick dashed 40-plus yards for a winning touchdown in overtime in Minnesota. Before we all know it, people everywhere will be saying he should be a running back or he can’t be a true pocket passer. Others will hold out hope that he’s the next generation of quarterback. Sound fair fetched? It didn’t seem that long ago that Vick was just fun to watch. Now everybody has an opinion on his style of play. So please people, let’s just enjoy for a second how Young has led the Titans to four straight comeback wins and how he only has Tennessee fans excited, huh?

– Green Bay’s 30-19 win over the 49ers was the type of game that everybody loves watching Brett Favre again. I can hear John Madden to Al Michaels right now: “He (Favre) looks like he’s having fun again doesn’t he Al?” Favre threw for 293 yards and two touchdowns. People don’t talk enough about Donald Driver. He’s not a spotlight lover like Terrell Owens or Chad Johnson, but he always comes to play. Driver finished with nine catches for 160 yards and a touchdown. Other than Frank Gore’s terrific 130 rushing yards, San Francisco played flat and like a team that’s still missing some talent on defense in order to be competitive week to week.

– Everybody that had Cincinnati dead after dropping a few games at midseason needs to dust the Bengals off again. Cincy crushed Oakland 27-10, as Carson Palmer threw for two scores and Rudi Johnson rushed for two more. The real news is how well the defense is playing of late. After serving as a punching bag for most of the season, the Bengal defense has only given up 17 points in the last three games. Everybody knows the offense is phenomenal, but if the defense can continue its great play, Cincy has to be considered a strong Super Bowl contender again.

– Minnesota beat Detroit 30-20. Somehow, someway, Brad Johnson still has a shot at the postseason. This was another Lions-type loss with ex-Lion Artose Pinner going off for 125 yards and three touchdowns in place of Chester Taylor. How Matt Millen still has a job amazes me.