Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 221 of 1503)

      T.G.I. Friday’s NFL Weekend Preview – Week 15

      December 17, 2010 /

      “This series is brought to you by T.G.I. Friday’s, where every Sunday means Food, Fun & Football! Hut, hut, hut!”

      The Scores Report has teamed up with T.G.I Friday’s to promote the action in Week 15 of the NFL. Here’s a look at Sunday’s top games.

      The Top-5 Games of Week 15:

      Eagles (9-4) @ Giants (9-4), 1:00PM ET
      It’s gut-check time for Eli Manning. The Giants’ defense is playing extremely well of late and their running game is picking up major steam. But Manning has been terribly inconsistent this year and has reverted back to some old habits (i.e. throwing off his back foot, releasing the ball late, etc.). The Giants are averaging –0.2 turnovers per game this year and that’s a trend that will have to halt over these next three weeks if they don’t want to miss the playoffs. On the other side, the Eagles must figure out how to better protect Michael Vick because he’s taking too many hits. The Giants’ front four will be relentless on Sunday, just as they were in Philadelphia a couple of weeks ago. The winner of this game holds its own destiny in the race for the NFC East crown.

      Jaguars (8-5) @ Colts (7-6), 1:00PM ET
      One would have thought the records for these two teams would be reversed when they met in Week 15. And actually, nobody expected the Jaguars to have eight wins at this point and the Colts to have six losses but here we are. The Jags are in control of their own destiny in the AFC South. If they can beat Indy on Sunday, they’ll win the division and then they can use these next two weeks to try and gain better playoff positioning in the AFC. If they lose, then the division will be flipped on its head and then it becomes a foot race over the next two weeks. In terms of a game plan, you couldn’t find two teams more on the opposite side of the spectrum. The Colts want Peyton Manning to take advantage of Jacksonville’s vulnerable secondary, while the Jags will run Maurice Jones-Drew at the soft interior of Indy’s defensive line. But if the Colts jump out early, will they force the Jags to throw?

      Saints (10-3) @ Ravens (9-4), 1:00PM ET
      Both of these teams are expected to make the playoffs but that doesn’t make this game any less meaningful. The Saints are still one game behind the Falcons in the NFC South and the Ravens are one game behind the Steelers in the AFC North. Baltimore would love to prove that Houston’s fourth quarter rally on Monday night was a product of a complacent offense and a tired defense, but you know Drew Brees and Sean Payton will attack the Ravens’ secondary early and often. Baltimore needs to get Ray Rice and its running game going in order to leave Brees and the Saints’ explosive offense on the sidelines. Even though Joe Flacco has posted good numbers this season, the Ravens don’t want to turn this game into a track meet because they’ll lose. We should find out a lot about these two teams on Sunday.

      Jets (9-4) @ Steelers (10-3), 4:15 PM ET
      Nobody expects Matt Flynn to beat the Patriots on Sunday night so there’s not much sense talking about that game. Plus, the Jets-Steelers matchup offers more storylines anyway. Can Mark Sanchez reclaim the confidence that he’s lost over the past couple of weeks? How will Troy Polamalu’s injury affect a Pittsburgh defense that has played lights out recently? Can the Jets’ defense drum up enough of a pass rush to take advantage of a thin Steelers’ O-line? Can Ben Roethlisberger continue to play well despite having broken bones in his foot? One would expect the Steelers to roll this weekend but more than likely, this is going to be the best defensive matchup on the Week 15 schedule.

      Chiefs (8-5) @ Rams (6-7), 1:00PM ET
      The Chiefs are still in first place in the AFC West but with the Chargers winning on Thursday night, their margin for error is now razor thin. The Rams were helped by the 49ers losing and could be helped even more with a win and a Seahawks’ (vs. Falcons) loss. But Sam Bradford and Co. need the win first. Matt Cassel is expected to play after missing last week due to an appendectomy and he couldn’t come back a moment sooner. Kansas City was shut out last weekend at San Diego and will need their offense to find its balance again. Jamaal Charles is an emerging star but he needs Cassel and the passing game to help take the pressure off his shoulders. The Rams have been tough at the Edward Jones Dome this year, winning four of their six games at home. They’ll look to take advantage of a Chiefs team that is just 2-5 on the road this season.

      Continue reading »

      External Sports, NFL

      Edgar Renteria feels disrespected by the Giants? Please.

      December 17, 2010 /

      Edgar Renteria apparently needs a reality check.

      With his contract set to expire at the end of the year, Renteria turned in an outstanding postseason both offensively and defensively. He won the 2010 World Series MVP trophy and helped the Giants win their first-ever championship in the city of San Francisco.

      Now he feels disrespected.

      The Giants offered him a one-year contract worth $1 million, which he believes is a slap in the face.

      “That offer from the Giants was a lack of respect. A total disrespect,” Renteria told ESPNdeportes.com Thursday from Colombia.

      “To play for a million dollars, I’d rather stay with my private business and share more time with my family,” he said. “Thank God I’m well off financially and my money is well invested.”

      Although his comments above are incredibly smug (One million dollars? Ha! I wouldn’t get out of bed for a million dollars!), Renteria is a class act. He’s a consummate pro, he gives to charity and he’s great teammate according to those who have played with him.

      But is he serious? He has one good postseason and now he wants the Giants to pony up? One million may look like a slap in the face after he helped them win a World Series but let’s keep in mind that the Giants already gave him a two-year, $18.5 million contract in 2008 and he did absolutely nothing until the 2010 postseason. He couldn’t hit, the team was constantly forced to move guys around because he was never healthy and his range at shortstop was a joke. (Hit one to Edgar’s left and consider it a base hit.)

      In 460 at bats in 2009, Renteria hit .250 with five home runs and 48 RBI. In 2010, he played in only 72 games because he was hurt all the time and finished with just three home runs, 22 RBI and 26 runs scored.

      Now he feels disrespected? Come on. Look at those numbers above and keep in mind that he was the third-highest paid player on the Giants’ roster over the past two years behind Barry Zito and Aaron Rowand. He stole money from them for two years before finally putting on a show in the postseason and while the Giants should be grateful for that, they shouldn’t bend over and take it up the rear end from a 35-year-old shortstop who’s on his last legs.

      He’s fortunate he got hot when he did or else he wouldn’t have the right to feel disrespected (not that he does now).

      External Sports, MLB

      Did Cliff Lee take a shot at Rangers/Mariners fans?

      December 16, 2010 /
      Texas Rangers' ace Cliff Lee talks to the media as the Rangers prepare to take on the New York Yankees in the ALCS at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, Texas on October 14, 2010. Game one of the best of seven series will be on October 15, 2010 in Arlington. UPI/Ian Halperin Photo via Newscom

      During his introductory press conference with the Phillies on Wednesday, Cliff Lee was asked about Philly fans and he couldn’t stop gushing about the energy they bring to the ballpark every night. (That’s because they get sauced up before the walk into the stadium but that’s neither here nor there.)

      One interesting comment he made during the presser was about how Phillie fans “don’t need a teleprompter to tell them to get up and cheer.” You can read the full quote (excerpted from the Philadelphia Inquirer) below.

      “They get excited. They’re passionate fans. They understand what’s going on. They don’t need a teleprompter to tell them to get up and cheer, to do that. No, it’s exciting. It’s an historic town. I didn’t realize until I got here how interesting the city is. My family really liked it. I mean, that played a big part in it.

      Granted, Lee might have just meant fans in general and wasn’t talking about anyone specifically when he made the comment. He seems like a humble, good-natured guy and it’s not his style to take pot shots at anyone. (After all, fans at Yankee Stadium harassed his wife and never once has he said anything bad about the Yankees organization, even though he may have been justified.)

      Still, I’m a little ticked off if I’m a Ranger or Mariner fan. No teleprompter was necessary when the Giants were lighting him up in the World Series and Seattle only won about 12 games last year so it’s not like they had anything to cheer about. So if he were taking a small dig at those two fan bases, he’d be out of line.

      But again, I’m sure Lee didn’t mean any harm by it. He enjoyed his time in Texas and has nothing to gain by pissing off fans that embraced him last year.

      External Sports, MLB

      Bears to protest playing at TCF Bank Stadium?

      December 16, 2010 /
      MINNEAPOLIS, MN - DECEMBER 15: Workers shovel snow from the stands as TCF Bank Stadium prepares for a potential monday night football game between the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears on December 15, 2010 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Preparations are due to the collapsed roof at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. (Photo by Hannah Foslien /Getty Images)

      According to AOL Fanhouse, the Bears and Vikings have no desire to create the 1967 “Ice Bowl” when the two teams square off on Monday Night Football and Chicago players may actually protest playing at TCF Bank Stadium.

      Vikings players have expressed concern about the safety of playing at TCF Bank Stadium Monday night. The Bears may take it one step further.

      According to reports, the Bears might file a protest about playing the game at the University of Minnesota’s football field because of safety concerns. The league is planning on the game being played at that venue, although that may change if the venue can’t be properly prepped in time.

      Meanwhile, players are worrying about the frozen turf, which lacks heating coils under the surface like other cold-weather venues.

      Bears safety Chris Harris commented on his Twitter page, saying, “Players have concerns of traction n the impact of falling on surface that could be as hard as asphalt. What if ur head hits it.”

      I can hear the comments now coming from fans about how the players should toughen up and embrace the elements. How the great ones used to have to play on horrible field conditions every week and how there were no heating coils at Lambeau Field in ’67.

      But while I agree the players have become too pampered, I won’t be the one on Monday night trying to play on a sheet of ice so I’m not going to bemoan them for not wanting to do it either. It would be nice to see the Vikings return to their outdoor roots for one game, but if the field isn’t safe then the field isn’t safe. (Whatever “safe” can be classified as.)

      Move the game to another location and call it a day.

      External Sports, NFL

      New CBA deal to be wrapped up by the Super Bowl? Seems unlikely.

      December 16, 2010 /

      Call me pessimistic but Roger Goodell’s belief that a new labor agreement could be in place by the Super Bowl seems overly optimistic. Especially when he says things like, “if we all commit to [working on the deal] and work hard at it.”

      Nothing has changed over the past couple of months when it comes to settling differences between the owners and players. The owners still want the players to take a pay cut and add games to the regular season, but the NFLPA is in favor of neither. The players want to know why the owners aren’t making any money while the popularity of the league continues to grow, which is certainty understandable.

      While appearing on Wednesday’s edition of The Herd with Colin Cowherd, NFLPA president Kevin Mawae echoed those feelings.

      “Every week and every year we hear that the ratings are up, more tickets are sold this year than ever before, more advertising is being sold now than ever before, all that does is generate revenue and we have to listen to the owners tell us that we’re not making money. That’s a hard thing to understand when you won’t show us where you’re losing money because you’re afraid to show us your books.”

      While fans would love to see Goodell’s projection that a new deal could be wrapped up by the Super Bowl, even he is being realistic about the situation.

      “It takes productive dialogue, which means we’ve got to get to that place where we’re making significant progress in getting an agreement,” he said. “It’s not just about meetings and dialogues. It’s about getting real, significant progress on the key issues.”

      I’ve held the belief that the NFLPA and owners won’t leave millions of dollars on the table by not getting a new deal worked out. While I still believe that, it would also be naïve to think that greed doesn’t exists. Both sides want to make as much money as possible and a 2011 lockout is still a real possibility.

      So instead of talking about it, let’s hope both sides will actually get something done after the holidays so we can have football next fall.

      External Sports, NFL

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