Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 294 of 1503)

      The Chiefs’ offense will continue to hold back an otherwise decent team

      October 10, 2010 /
      Indianapolis Colts linebacker Gary Brackett (L), Colts defensive back Kelvin Hayden (26) and Colts linebacker Phillip Wheeler break up a pass intended for Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe (82) in the end zone during the first quarter of their NFL football game in Indianapolis October 10, 2010. REUTERS/Brent Smith (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL)

      This was supposed to be the day that we figured out whether or not the Chiefs are for real. Their 3-0 record spoke for itself, but with wins over the Chargers (who have struggled on the road), Browns (who have struggled closing out games) and 49ers (who have just flat out struggled), nobody could say for sure whether or not Kansas City’s record was a farce.

      And if you ask me now, I’d say I still don’t know.

      Teams usually don’t frustrate Peyton Manning the way the Chiefs did today and lose. Peyton completed 26-of-44 passes for 244 yards in the Colts’ 19-9 victory, but he was also picked off once and spent most of the afternoon being tormented by Tamba Hali. Romeo Crennel (who has always had success against Manning) put together an impressive game plan and held Peyton to only 5.5 yards per pass.

      But the Chiefs’ defense couldn’t overcome the stink that is Matt Cassel and the rest of KC’s offense, which includes receivers Dwayne Bowe and Chris Chambers, as well as offensive coordinator Charlie Weis.

      Cassel, who has struggled every week thus far, completed just 16-of-29 passes for 156 yards. The running game, which rushed for 84 yards in the first half, could only generate 30 yards in the second as Thomas Jones could only muster 19 yards on eight carries.

      The Chiefs’ defense is good enough to keep this team in contention every week. But unless they get a remarkably better effort out of Cassel and the rest of the offense, what transpired today at the RCA Dome will probably be the norm.

      External Sports, NFL

      The Twins were finished before they got to Yankee Stadium on Saturday

      October 10, 2010 /
      Minnesota Twins' Nick Punto (L) and Jim Thome look out from their dugout late in Game 3 against the New York Yankees in their MLB American League Divison Series baseball playoffs in New York October 9, 2010. REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

      I witnessed one of the stranger sights on Thursday night after Game 2 of the ALDS between the Yankees and Twins.

      There some of the Twins were immediately after the game, hanging out at the top step of the dugout watching the Yankees congratulate themselves after their Game 2 win. It was the same scene you see when a team is officially eliminated from a playoff series, yet Minnesota hadn’t been eliminated yet. It was almost like they knew the series was already over and there was no point heading to New York for Game 3.

      Well, now the series is officially over, as the Yankees beat the Twins 6-1 on Saturday night. Phil Hughes pitched seven scoreless frames while allowing just four hits and striking out six batters. Kerry Wood crapped on the party by giving up a run in the eighth, but at that point the game was pretty much in the bag for New York.

      Getting back to the Twins, maybe I’m overacting a little but it seemed to me that they believed the series was over on Thursday. That’s probably not right to say that about all of their players, but after the club’s effort last night, it’s hard to argue that they weren’t out of it mentally.

      Of course, it’s not like Yankee Stadium is an easy place to play and I don’t want to take anything away from Hughes’ gem. If the Twins’ heads weren’t in it, give the Yankees credit for taking advantage of the situation and not wasting any time putting Minnesota out of its misery. Now they can rest up (which is huge for an older team) and wait to see who emerges from the other ALDS series.

      External Sports, MLB

      Hey, there’s the Rays’ offense!

      October 10, 2010 /
      Tampa Bay Rays' Carlos Pena hits a two-run home run in the ninth inning, scoring team-mate Sean Rodriguez during play against the Texas Rangers in Game 3 of their American League Division Series MLB baseball game in Arlington, Texas October 9, 2010. REUTERS/Mike Stone (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

      It took two games and the threat of elimination but the Rays’ offense has finally showed up to the ALDS.

      Behind Carl Crawford’s 2-for-5 day, the Rays beat the Rangers 6-3 on Saturday to cut Texas’ lead in the series down to 2-1. Crawford also hit a long ball and made a great sliding catch to rob Josh Hamilton of an eighth inning hit.

      Perhaps the biggest surprise from the game was that Carlos Pena actually found the stadium and showed up. He went 2-for-3 with three RBI, two runs scored and also walked twice. His single to right in the eighth inning tied the game at 2-2 and then his homer in the ninth gave Tampa a 6-2 cushion heading into the last half inning.

      Matt Garza contributed to the win, although he wasn’t nearly as sharp as he could been. He gave up two runs on five hits over six innings while striking out four and giving up a home run to Ian Kinsler. For the longest time, it appeared as though Kinsler’s dinger would hold up and the Rangers would proceed with the sweep.

      Texas will have another chance today at 1:07PM ET to finish off the Rays for good. Tommy Hunter will oppose Wade Davis, who finished the season with a 12-10 record and a 4.07 ERA for the Rays.

      External Sports, MLB

      2010 NFL Week 5 Picks

      October 10, 2010 /
      MINNEAPOLIS - SEPTEMBER 19: Quarterback Brett Favre of the Minnesota Vikings warms up prior to the start of the game against the Miami Dolphins on September 19, 2010 at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

      The Bills cost me my first perfect weekend in the NFL with their embarrassing display of football against the Jets last Sunday. But I won’t let them ruin my otherwise stellar 3-1 week.

      Let’s keep the good times rolling – ah, WOO-HOO!

      Packers at. Redskins, 1:00PM ET
      The injuries are starting to pile up for Green Bay, who finds itself a 2.5-point favorite in Washington this Sunday. The Redskins were fortunate Michael Vick went down last week and they were able to grind out a win on the road, but that’s not to say that this is a bad football team. They played tough at home against the Cowboys and Texans to start the season and I think they get an outright win this Sunday. Brian Orakpo records at least one sack and spends most of the afternoon tormenting Aaron Rodgers.
      THE PICK: REDSKINS +2.5

      Vikings at. Jets, 8:30PM ET
      This one scares me a little because there’s no doubt Johnny Public is sucking the teet of the Vikings after they acquired Randy Moss on Wednesday. The line opened at 4.5 and is already down to 3.5 and I fear it could be a field goal game by kickoff on Monday night. That said, I love Minnesota here, but I worry about where Brett Favre’s head is at for this one. Will it be on the Jets or will it be…actually, I’ve decided not to finish that sentence.
      THE PICK: VIKINGS +3.5

      Broncos at. Ravens, 1:00PM ET
      The Broncos are far from a great football team and I struggle to even say that they’re good. But they continue to be an underrated play. The Ravens are coming off two straight divisional games and are now laying a touchdown at home against a non-divisional opponent. It’s only natural that Baltimore suffers a letdown this Sunday coming off its huge win over Pittsburgh last week and Denver could take advantage. The Broncos proved last week against the Titans that they can win on the road. I like the dog here.
      THE PICK: BRONCOS +7

      Jaguars at. Bills, 1:00PM ET
      To show that I’m not afraid of the Bills, I’m going right back to the well again this week. This is a trap game of epic proportions. The Jaguars are coming off a dramatic upset of the Colts last Sunday, while the Bills forgot what time their game with the Jets started and were absolutely waxed. So why, oh why, would I take Buffalo and actually lay a point? Because Jacksonville is about to suffer the mother of all letdowns – that’s why. Why has the line gone from Bills +1 to Bills –1? Who the hell is betting on the Bills after last week? Don’t be fooled by the line – take the Bills and lay the point.
      THE PICK: BILLS -1

      Season Record: 6-5-1

      External Sports, NFL

      Plenty of blame to go around for Giants’ collapse in Game 2 of NLDS

      October 9, 2010 /
      San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Brian Wilson (38) reacts to making an out in the 9th inning against the Atlanta Braves during Game 2 of their MLB National League Division Series baseball playoff game in San Francisco, California October 8, 2010. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

      There’s no shortage of blame for the Giants’ collapse Friday night in Game 2 of the NLDS.

      Had Pat Burrell not turned Derrek Lee’s sixth inning single into a double by kicking the ball in left field, maybe the Braves don’t score on the next play to cut the Giants’ 4-0 lead to 4-1.

      Had Sergio Romo not allowed the only two batters he faced in the eighth to reach base, maybe Brian Wilson allow three runs to tie the game at 4-4.

      Had Pablo Sandoval honed his craft at third base during the regular season, he wouldn’t have helped Wilson give up those three runs by making a throwing error in that fatal eighth inning.

      Had Andres Torres played fundamental baseball and lifted a sac fly into the outfield instead of striking out with runners at first and third with one out in the seventh, the Giants would have finished with five runs instead of four.

      And had sensational rookie Buster Posey not grounded into a double play in the bottom of the 10th with bases loaded and only one out, the Giants would be up two-games-to-none in their best of seven series with the Braves.

      But alas, things didn’t go the Giants’ way last night and they only have themselves to blame for their 5-4 collapse. Like so many times throughout his career, they wasted another fine performance by Matt Cain and once again like so many times throughout the past couple of years, their offense couldn’t step up when the club needed it to.

      Give credit to the Braves, who never gave up despite trailing 4-0 after only two innings. Starter Tommy Hanson settled in after giving up a 3-run dinger to Burrell in the first and the bullpen was absolutely outstanding the entire night. Kyle Farnsworth stepped up enormously in extra innings when Billy Wagner went down, and got the double play in the bottom of the 10th that allowed Rick Ankiel to hit the game-winning homer in the 11th (which was an absolute moon shot into McCovey Cove).

      Now the series shifts to Atlanta for two games, where the Braves finished with a NL-best 56-25 home record. They’ve also seized all the momentum and can close out the series at home on Monday if they can scoop up two more wins.

      We’ll see what the Giants are made of over these next three days, because they’ve definitely put their backs against it.

      External Sports, MLB

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