Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 1170 of 1503)

      Donovan McNabb outstanding in Eagles’ opening victory

      September 7, 2008 /

      Many pundits consider the Philadelphia Eagles a Super Bowl contender this season. Of course in the same breath, those same pundits will also note how McNabb has to stay healthy for the Eagles to make a title run.

      In his first game of the season, McNabb threw for 361 yards on 21 of 33 passing and three touchdowns as the Eagles thrashed the St. Louis Rams 38-3. Not that the Rams’ defense is anything to brag about (although they did improve in the offseason), but McNabb was outstanding. Brian Westbrook also added 91 rushing yards on 19 carries and two touchdowns (one on the ground, one through the air). The Philly defense was also excellent, limiting the Rams to only 166 total yards. (In comparison, the Eagles offense gained a whopping 522 total yards.)

      The Rams just couldn’t get anything started offensively. It’s going to take time for St. Louis to grasp Al Saunders’ offense, which has a ton of terminology to learn. Still, it has to be incredibly disappointing for the Rams to only score three points and get thrashed after such a disastrous 2007 season.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Joe Flacco wins NFL debut as Ravens top Bengals

      September 7, 2008 /

      Joe FlaccoRookie Joe Flacco outplayed Carson Palmer as the Baltimore Ravens topped AFC North rival Cincinnati 17-10. Flacco completed 15 of 29 passes for 129 yards while Palmer was just 10 of 25 for 99 yards and an interception.

      • Rookie quarterback Joe Flacco was forced into the starting lineup due to injuries but rushed for the winning score and helped the Ravens outgain the Bengals 358-154 in total offense.
      • Carson Palmer was held to 99 passing yards, only the third time in his career he has been held under 100 yards. He also didn’t have a TD pass for the 12th time in his career, three of those times coming at the hands of the Ravens.
      • Baltimore improved to 12-4 at home against the AFC North since 2003.

      Nice start for the 2008 rookie quarterback class as both Flacco and Matt Ryan earned victories in their debuts. Flacco was particularly impressive, even though the Ravens didn’t ask him to do too much. He was steady and didn’t make any mistakes, which is exactly what Baltimore needs from their rookie at the start of his career.

      The Bengals only touchdown came from a 65-yard fumble recovery by Jonathan Joseph in the fourth quarter. Baltimore’s defense is still one of the best in the league, but it’s a little shocking that Cincy’s only touchdown came from its defense. Bengals’ running back Chris Perry rushed for only 37 yards on 18 carries, which is significant seeing as how longtime starter Rudi Johnson was recently cut to give Perry an opportunity to start.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Matt Ryan, Michael Turner era in Atlanta starts off with a bang

      September 7, 2008 /

      Rookie quarterback Matt Ryan won his first start in the NFL as the Atlanta Falcons crushed the Detroit Lions 34-21. Ryan was 9 of 13 passing for 161 yards and a touchdown, but the real story was Michael Turner, who rushed for a whopping 220 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries. Turner set the Falcons’ franchise record for rushing in a single game.

      Ryan connected with Michael Jenkins on a 62-yard touchdown pass on just the third play of the game and then the Falcons turned the game over to Turner. Atlanta finished with 318 total rushing yards as they completely manhandled Detroit’s front seven, which might be the worst in the league.

      Many pundits still liked the Lions coming into the season because they returned a lot of the same personnel that made them an explosive offense in 2007. But Detroit is void of overall talent on defense and might struggle all year.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Favre wins in Jets’ debut

      September 7, 2008 /

      Brett Favre won his Jets’ debut as Chad Pennington lost his first game as a Dolphin. The Jets edged out Miami 20-14 as Favre went 15 of 22 passing and two touchdowns. Pennington also had a nice day, completing 26 of 43 passes for two touchdowns and one interception.

      – Brett Favre won his 161st game, extending his NFL record.
      – The Jets have now won five straight and 17 of their past 21 meetings with the Dolphins.
      – Ricky Williams was held to 24 yards rushing as the Dolphins lost for the 19th time in the last 20 games.

      I thought Williams would have a better day against a Jets’ run defense that struggled last year, especially with how he ran this preseason.

      Did Packer fans everywhere shed a tear when Favre hooked up with Jerricho Cotchery on a 56-yard pass in the first quarter? It’s not like Favre every did that in Green Bay ever…

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      NFL Week 1 Game of the Week: Cowboys at Browns

      September 7, 2008 /

      Game Time: 4:15 PM ET on FOX
      Spread: Cowboys –5.5

      Tony RomoGame Preview:
      Dallas enters the season as the perennial favorite to represent the NFC in the 2009 Super Bowl. QB Tony Romo, RB Marion Barber III, WR Terrell Owens and TE Jason Witten form one of the more explosive offenses in the league. Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett proved last year that he’s an outstanding play caller and the Cowboys shouldn’t have issues putting points on the board on a weekly basis. The defense is also stacked and head coach Wade Phillips is one of the better 3-4 schemers in league.

      Cleveland has high expectations after winning 10 games last season, but QB Derek Anderson has to prove that he wasn’t a one-year fluke and the offseason additions have to gel quickly on defense. Anderson certainly has enough playmakers around him to succeed, from TE Kellen Winslow Jr. to WR Braylon Edwards and RB Jamal Lewis. Shaun Rogers and Corey Williams were acquired in the offseason to help boost the defensive pass rush and hopefully take the pressure off a talented, but inexperienced secondary.

      Sean JonesOutlook:
      The Browns must get pressure on Romo like the Giants did in last year’s NFC Divisional Playoffs or else Garrett will keep Cleveland’s defense off balance all game. Stopping Barber and the Dallas’ run game will also be vital, but perhaps more important for the Browns is that they need to win the turnover and field position battles. They should be able to score points (even against a tough Dallas defense), but they don’t stand a chance if they can’t force a turnover or two without turning the ball over themselves. Lewis and returner Joshua Cribbs will be game-time decisions and if they can’t go, Cleveland’s defense will have to step up even more because the offense might struggle to stay balanced. Expect the Browns to double up Owens and take their chances with Patrick Crayton in one-on-one coverage. Keeping Witten from running down the seams will also be imperative, so safety Sean Jones might have a busy afternoon.

      Prediction: Cowboys 30, Browns 21. The Cowboys have depth concerns, but they still have so many weapons that are healthy. Cleveland wasn’t particularly sharp in preseason either, although that rarely is a telltale sign on how a team will do in the regular season.

      NFL

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