Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 276 of 1503)

      Kenny Britt has a decent day vs. Eagles

      October 24, 2010 /
      NASHVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 3: Kenny Britt #18 of the Tennessee Titans runs with the ball in warmups against the Green Bay Packers during a preseason NFL game at LP Field on September 3, 2009 in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans beat the Packers 27-13. (Photo by Joe Murphy/Getty Images)

      If Kenny Britt plays as well every week as he did on Sunday against the Eagles, then maybe Jeff Fisher won’t mind if the young lad got into more bar fights.

      Just two days after he was accused of striking a man in a brawl, Britt hauled in seven catches for 225 yards and three touchdowns in the Titans’ 37-19 win over the Eagles. He abused Ellis Hobbs and the rest of Philly’s secondary, which had looked so good last week against the Falcons.

      Britt clearly has the talent to be a star in this league, but he needs to stay out of Fisher’s doghouse so that he can stay on the field and receive opportunities. He wasn’t charged or arrested in the fight on Friday morning, but that doesn’t mean he’ll face further punishment (he was benched at the start of the game on Sunday). Maybe his effort today will motivate him to stay out of trouble and focus his attention to football and football only.

      As for the rest of the Titans, this was an impressive win coming off a dominating effort over the Jaguars on Monday night. If they can pick up a win next Sunday at San Diego, then they can head into their bye week with a 6-2 record. That wouldn’t be a bad start.

      External Sports, NFL

      Jay Cutler makes DeAngelo Hall look like a cross between Deion Sanders and Darrell Green

      October 24, 2010 /
      CHICAGO - OCTOBER 24: Jay Cutler of the Chicago Bears hits the ground after being sacked by Rocky McIntosh of the Washington Redskins at Soldier Field on October 24, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

      One would have thought that after Jay Cutler threw his second interception to DeAngelo Hall that he would stop looking the corner’s way. But apparently that’s not how Cutler rolls.

      Hall tied a NFL single-game record with four interceptions in the Redskins’ ugly 17-14 win over the Bears on Sunday. Cutler completed 26-of-40 passes for 281 yards and a touchdown, but his four picks and fumble at the goal line in the third quarter killed Chicago’s hopes for victory. One of Hall’s interceptions went for a 92-yard touchdown late in the third quarter.

      This game was like a bad highlight reel of all the Bears’ problems stuck on repeat. They continue to struggle in the red zone, Cutler continues to be careless with the ball and this team can’t score on the goal line. It’s amazing. It’s almost like they have some sort of complex when they get on the one-yard line. They tense up, freak out and find a way to blow it.

      And how about this little nugget of information: the Bears still haven’t scored in the third quarter this year. Not once. Not one point. How is that even possible? How can a team head into the locker room at halftime, make adjustments and not manage a measly field goal at least? That’s a shocking stat.

      The Bears’ defense can only do so much. They started to get gashed on the ground late in the game, but they had been on the field all day and still held Washington to just 17 points. Cutler can’t continue to put his team in bad position every week and there’s no excuse for throwing four interceptions to the same defender.

      Chicago has now lost to the Seahawks and Redskins at home in back-to-back weeks. The NFC North can be had, but these are games they have to win if they want to challenge for a playoff spot.

      External Sports, NFL

      The Browns slay another Super Bowl champ, shock hapless Saints

      October 24, 2010 /
      NEW ORLEANS - OCTOBER 24: Peyton Hillis of the Cleveland Browns scores a touchdown against the New Orleans Saints at the Louisiana Superdome on October 24, 2010 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

      Here’s a fun fact for your Sunday afternoon: With their win over the Saints on Sunday, the Browns have now beaten the defending Super Bowl champion the last three years (Giants, Steelers, Saints). It’s a small consolation prize for Cleveland fans that have to put up with this team every year, but it’s a consolation prize nonetheless.

      In their 30-17 victory, the Browns never trailed despite only racking up 85 passing yards. The Saints shot themselves in the foot early and often while turning the ball over four times and committing seven penalties. Drew Brees threw four interceptions and was sacked three times as the Saints were just 2-of-4 inside the red zone.

      It’s hard to pinpoint what’s wrong with this team. A week ago they avoided mistakes and destroyed the Bucs in Tampa and one would have thought that maybe they’d start to roll. But on Sunday, their play was eerily similar to their effort a few weeks ago when the Cardinals shocked them in Arizona. The Browns are better than people think, but they’re not 30-17 better than the defending Super Bowl champions on the road. I know they’re dealing with a ton of injuries, but there’s no excuse for the Saints to get blown out by Cleveland on their home turf.

      Call it a Super Bowl hangover, an issue with injuries or a lack of discipline. It’s clear that this isn’t the same Saints team that won it all last year. I’d even venture to say that they’re pretty average and unless they get healthy fast, the losses might keep coming.

      External Sports, NFL

      Refs hose Dolphins in loss to Steelers

      October 24, 2010 /
      Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) is sacked in first half action by Miami Dolphins Cameron Wake at Sun Life Stadium in Miami on October 24, 2010. UPI/Michael Bush Photo via Newscom

      The end of the Steelers-Dolphins game on Sunday is a perfect example of why referees need to allow plays to come to their completion before they move on to the next play, a challenge, or what have you.

      With the Steelers down 22-20 with less than two minutes remaining, Ben Roethlisberger fumbled the ball while diving head first into the end zone. The refs ruled the play a touchdown, then they reviewed it, determined that it was a fumble, but because none of them bothered to figure out which team recovered the ball in the end zone (it appeared that two Miami players hopped on it but the refs never made a ruling either way), they put the ball back on the 1-yard line. On fourth down, Jeff Reed converted a chip shot field goal and the Steelers went on to win, 23-22.

      Football games don’t come down to one play. The Dolphins had their opportunities throughout the day, but they continuously settled for field goals and gave the Steelers a chance to win in the end. But there’s no doubt that the refs hosed Miami. Had they bothered to do their jobs, they would have determined that the Dolphins recovered the ball in the end zone and then after they reviewed the play, they would have correctly made a ruling of a touchback. And the worse part is that all they had to do was determine which team recovered the ball. Their ruling of a touchdown was fine (wrong, but fine), but they didn’t allow the play to run through its completion and there’s no excuse for that.

      Instead, they screwed the pooch and they handed the Steelers a gift win. Granted, we don’t know what would have happened in that final minute and change. Maybe the Dolphins would have turned the ball over and the Steelers would have won anyway. Who’s to say?

      But the fact that they weren’t given that opportunity is on the refs and I wouldn’t be surprised if the NFL reviewed the situation and offered Tony Sparano an apology.

      Not that an apology replaces a loss in the standings.

      Update: Big Ben says he was holding onto the ball at the bottom of the pile. Even if that’s the case, the refs should have determined who had the ball and made the correct ruling.

      External Sports, NFL

      Giants’ band of misfits and miscasts beat Phillies to advance to World Series

      October 24, 2010 /
      San Francisco Giants players, including Pablo Sandoval, Cody Ross, Brian Wilson, Andres Torres and Aubrey Huff (L-R) celebrate their victory against the Philadelphia Phillies to win the National League pennant in Game 6 of their Major League Baseball NLCS playoff series in Philadelphia, October 23, 2010. REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

      After failing to land Adam LaRoche in the offseason, the San Francisco Giants “settled” on Aubrey Huff, who nobody showed much interest in.

      After a successful stint with the Giants in 2009, Juan Uribe didn’t garner much interest from other teams this offseason on the open market, so he re-signed with San Fran for one year on the cheap.

      In fear that the Padres would pick him up, the Giants claimed Cody Ross off waivers from the Marlins, who wanted to save a measly $1 million so they basically gave him away for free.

      It was Huff’s single in the third inning that put the Giants on the board after the Phillies had taken a 2-0 lead in Game 6 of the NCLS Saturday night. It was Uribe’s home run in the eighth that broke a 2-2 tie, and it was Ross’s MVP play throughout the entire series that helped the G-Men knock off the defending National League champions to earn a date with the Rangers in the 2010 World Series.

      Of course, there were others that helped San Fran get to this point. After he was dumped midseason by the Rays and couldn’t find work, the Giants took a flier on Pat Burrell, who essentially took a hometown discount because nobody else showed any interest in the veteran. The club’s best hitter is rookie catcher Buster Posey, who started the year in Triple-A because the Giants were concerned that he couldn’t handle their outstanding pitching staff. Andres Torres is a 32-year-old lifelong journeyman who came out of nowhere to seize the leadoff spot in their lineup when Aaron Rowand was hurt and ineffective earlier in the year.

      Manager Bruce Bochy calls this team the “Dirty Dozen” because it’s essentially a bunch of miscasts and misfits that came together to do something pretty amazing. The Giants’ pitching staff rivals that of anyone in the league (just ask the Phillies and Braves), but none of this would have been possible if guys like Huff, Burrell, Torres, Posey and Ross didn’t gel. Did the Giants catch some breaks along the way? Absolutely, but that doesn’t mean that they’re any less deserving. The resiliency that this team has shown throughout the year is impressive and just when you think they’re done, they find a way in the end.

      They’ve tortured their fans throughout the year with too many one-run games to count. But alas, torture has never felt so good.

      External Sports, MLB

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