Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 216 of 1503)

      Trent Dilfer: The Falcons can be beaten at home [video]

      December 21, 2010 /

      While he certainly didn’t sound believable as the words came tumbling out of his mouth, ESPN’s Trent Dilfer said the Falcons can be beaten at home. He also went as far as to predict that the Saints will not only beat them in Atlanta next Monday night, but they’ll also beat them in the playoffs, beat them in 2011 if there isn’t a strike and beat them for the next 10 years to come.

      Oh, and Dilfer also took a dump on the Falcons rug by comparing them to the 2003 Chiefs, who went 13-3 only to lose their first playoff game.

      Give it a watch:

      It seems like Dilfer was just trying to stir the pot but he wouldn’t have to look very hard to find people who agree with him. Nobody is talking about the Falcons whether it’s because of their defense, other teams (i.e. the Patriots and Eagles) stealing their spotlight or whatever. And there are probably plenty of people who feel that the Saints will walk into the Georgia Dome next Monday and burn the place down.

      But while I have my own reservations about the Falcons, there’s no denying that this is a solid football team. They don’t beat themselves with turnovers or penalties, they can run the ball, they have a quarterback who makes smart decisions in the clutch and their defense, while still a bit of a mystery, is fast and aggressive. (They also have a small but highly athletic cornerback in Brent Grimes that is ready to burst onto the national scene.)

      Can they be beaten at home? Sure they can. But nobody outside of the ’08 Broncos has when Matt Ryan starts. So until that happens, the Dilfer’s of the world will just have to take solace in their projections.

      External Sports, NFL, Video

      McNabb speaks out about benching, says he felt “disrespected”

      December 21, 2010 /
      ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 19: Quarterback Donovan McNabb of the Washington Redskins on the sidelines against play against the Dallas Cowboys at Cowboys Stadium on December 19, 2010 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

      Donovan McNabb has remained a class act throughout his NFL career despite facing many difficult challenges in both Philadelphia and Washington, including being benched for Rex Grossman.

      But if anyone thought he would bit his tongue after tumbling face-first down the Redskins’ depth chart, then you sir or madam, were sadly mistaken.

      From ESPN.com:

      “Everything was handled awkwardly,” McNabb said Tuesday on his weekly radio show on ESPN980, “somewhat to a disrespect to me and to the team.”

      Making his first public comments since his demotion last week, McNabb said he strongly disagreed with the decision, but he has a bigger problem with the way he says the organization leaked the news to the media before informing him.

      “Because of the timing and because of all the leaks and everything that was put out there, and no putting out the fire, so to speak,” McNabb said, “I’m hearing everything through the media.”

      “I was pulled back by it. All of a sudden you get this news a couple of days before the game, you do feel somewhat disrespected,” McNabb said. “You could have told me earlier or at least prepared me for it. … The term I did use was professional. You would like to hear it early, and if you hear it late, it kind of throws off the preparation for a lot of guys.”

      McNabb went on to say that he loves the fans in Washington and that he thinks, “we can do some good things here.” But it’s hard to envision a scenario where he comes back to D.C. next year. If the Shanahans thought McNabb could run their offense at any point in the future, they would have left him in as the starter. After all, if you’re a head coach or an offensive coordinator and you’ve established that someone is “your guy,” then you stick with him through thick and thin. Look at the Jets and Mark Sanchez. They know he’s their future and no matter how much he struggles, they’re committed to his development.

      But it’s clear that the Redskins are not committed to McNabb fully grasping the offense or else they wouldn’t have benched him for Turnover McGee. Therefore, he probably has two weeks left in Washington unless Dan Snyder fires Shanahan and sticks with McNabb. Anything could happen (especially when Dan Snyder is involved), although it’s highly doubtful.

      External Sports, NFL

      Bengals not expected to bring back Terrell Owens

      December 21, 2010 /
      CINCINNATI, OH - DECEMBER 05: Terrell Owens of the Cincinnati Bengals runs with the ball during the NFL game against the New Orleans Saints at Paul Brown Stadium on December 5, 2010 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Saints won 34-30. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

      Terrell Owens can probably thank his mouth for why he’ll be searching for work once again next offseason.

      ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the Bengals are not expected to re-sign T.O., who suffered a season-ending knee injury last week against the Browns. But it’s not the knee that will cost him a new contract, or his production for that matter. (He proved this season that he still has plenty left in the tank.)

      The Bengals couldn’t have appreciated the way Owens blamed the coaching staff two weeks ago for the team’s offensive struggles.

      “I think there is underachieving you know from the top down,” Owens said. “You start off with the owner, you start off with the coaches and obviously we as players. We are a product of what the coaches are doing, are coaching us throughout the course of the week. Of course we have to go out there and play the game but in order for us to do what we’re allowed to do at the best of our ability the coaches have to put the players in the best position.”

      Of course, I still maintain that he didn’t blast his coaching staff. That’s the way the story is being perceived but just as I wrote a couple of weeks ago, this is T.O. Lite in comparison to what normally comes out of his mouth.

      Still, the Bengals might be looking for a new identity next year and they’ll make Owens a thing of their past. They have decisions to make regarding Carson Palmer and Cedric Benson’s future and can’t be bothered with an aging receiver who will speak his mind when the team is losing. They need to head in a new direction next season and not bringing back T.O. is a step in that direction.

      External Sports, NFL

      2010 NFL Week 16 Power Rankings

      December 21, 2010 /
      EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - DECEMBER 19: Michael Vick of the Philadelphia Eagles rushes against the New York Giants at New Meadowlands Stadium on December 19, 2010 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

      I don’t know if these are easier to do at this time of year or harder. Or both! Ha! You silly Adrian Peterson…

      1. New England Patriots
      Previous Week: 1
      Bill Belichick has to be concerned with how his young team has a tendency to play down to its competition. It did it against the Browns earlier in the year and then on Sunday night when it thought it had an easy win against the Matt Flynn-led Packers. Get caught playing down to your competition in the playoffs and you’ll find yourself home the following week.

      2. Atlanta Falcons
      Previous Week: 2
      What the Falcons have done over the past two months has been nothing short of impressive. They’ve won eight in a row, including their last three on the road. Now all they have to do is win one of their last two games to clinch home field advantage throughout the playoffs. That should happen, as one of their final opponents is the lowly Panthers. But you know the Falcons would love to make a statement against the Saints next Monday night that yes, they are legit Super Bowl contenders.

      3. Baltimore Ravens
      Previous Week: 5
      The Ravens’ defense appears to be regressing down the stretch but their offense is now firing on all cylinders. What a game by Ray Rice. If they can get him going in the postseason – look out.

      4. Philadelphia Eagles
      Previous Week: 6
      The Eagles should have lost last week but that doesn’t matter because they didn’t. In fact, they pulled off the comeback of the year and made it look easy, too. There has to be some concern for the Eagles that the Giants’ defense completely shut down Michael Vick for three and a half quarters, but that’s the type of win that can carry a team into the Super Bowl because they won’t fret when they get behind.

      5. New Orleans Saints
      Previous Week: 4
      Gregg Williams has a problem on his hands. His run defense is leaking oil and teams are attacking the Saints over-the-top when they try to bring their safeties down to help. Sean Payton’s offense can rack up 30 points a game but what’s the difference if Williams’ defense gives up 33?

      6. Pittsburgh Steelers
      Previous Week: 3
      It may be unjust to rank the Steelers ahead of the Jets after New York just beat them on their home turf, but I’m of the mindset that Troy Polamalu means everything to Pittsburgh. With him, they’re at their absolute best and he can affect all facets of the game. Without him, their defense is simply above average because of the secondary and all of the glaring issues on offense (i.e. no running game, inconsistent offensive line play, etc.) are somehow exposed. It’s hard to explain, although the bottom line is this: If the Steelers don’t have a healthy Polamalu for the postseason they won’t make it out of the first two rounds.

      7. San Diego Chargers
      Previous Week: 8
      Do I think the Chargers are better than the Chiefs despite what the records indicate? Yes, I do. Do I think the Chargers will catch the Chiefs by the end of the year and win the AFC West? Ehh…

      8. Chicago Bears
      Previous Week: 9
      I love how everyone made a huge deal about the conditions in Minnesota on Monday night and then the Bears go out there and hang 40 points on the board. The weather didn’t seem to affect Jay Cutler and Devin Hester.

      9. Indianapolis Colts
      Previous Week: 13
      Come on, you didn’t really think the Colts would lose to the Jaguars at home last Sunday did you? Peyton’s not done, which has to be terrifying for other AFC playoff contenders.

      10. New York Jets
      Previous Week: 11
      There’s an argument to be made that they should be higher but this is a team that lost to the crap Dolphins two weeks ago at home. I think they’re fine where they’re at.

      Continue reading »

      External Sports, NFL

      Brett Favre leaves door open for return

      December 21, 2010 /
      MINNEAPOLIS, MN - DECEMBER 20: Quarterback Brett Favre of the Minnesota Vikings warms up before the Vikings game against the Chicago Bears at TCF Bank Stadium on December 20, 2010 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

      After he was concussed in the Vikings’ embarrassing 40-14 loss to the Bears on Monday night, Brett Favre told reporters after the game that he was “definitely done” and that “I’m not coming back – you can print it.”

      Nah, just kidding. He left the door wide open for his return.

      Rotoworld.com writes that when he was asked by a reporter post-game if he would play again, Lord Favre responded: “Based on my decision making I probably shouldn’t tell you one way or the other right now.”

      Good call, Brett.

      Favre started against the Bears but couldn’t finish after he was sacked in the second quarter and hit his head on the frozen patch of ice that was the TCF Bank Stadium playing surface. He didn’t return.

      If it’s a mild concussion he could probably sit out this Sunday against the Eagles and then play at Detroit in Week 17. Then again, he may want to just ride out the next two weeks on the sidelines because the Eagles blitz every down and Lions’ rookie Ndamukong Suh is literally trying to murder quarterbacks. No sense for Brett to go out in a body bag if this is it for him.

      Then again, this probably isn’t his swansong, is it? He’s going to mull over retirement for the next few months only to come back as an Oakland Raider or something. You think he’s gone? He’s not gone. He’s never gone!

      Just win baby.

      External Sports, NFL

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