Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 308 of 1503)

      2010 NFL Week 4 Power Rankings

      September 28, 2010 /
      NEW ORLEANS - SEPTEMBER 26: Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons celebrates after throwing a touchdown pass against the New Orleans Saints at the Louisiana Superdome on September 26, 2010 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Falcons defeated the Saints 27-24. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

      There were a lot of movers and shakers in the power rankings this week and we could have a lot of moving parts next weekend too with a couple of big-time match ups (none bigger than the Steelers and Ravens this Sunday in Pittsburgh).

      Let’s get nasty…

      Check out Week 3’s Power Rankings

      1. Indianapolis Colts
      Previous Week: 2
      The Colts didn’t dominate the Broncos by any stretch of the imagination on Sunday, but that was no less an impressive victory. They were coming off a quasi-must win on Sunday night and had to travel cross-country to play in a tough environment. Good win.

      2. Green Bay Packers
      Previous Week: 1
      I don’t know whether to rip the Packers for that horrendous display last night or remark how impressive it was that they still had a chance to win a game after committing 18 penalties. Either way, that was some ugly football.

      3. Pittsburgh Steelers
      Previous Week: 10
      I have to admit, I thought the Steelers would get caught looking ahead to their game with the Ravens this weekend when they took on the Bucs. Obviously I’m not that bright.

      4. Baltimore Ravens
      Previous Week: 4
      I’m starting to think I have this team rated too high, but then again the Ravens haven’t played a complete game yet. Their offense struggled the first two weeks and their defense took a step back last Sunday against the Browns. I think when this team puts it all together it could dominate, but we haven’t seen it yet.

      5. Atlanta Falcons
      Previous Week: 13
      Yes, there loss to the Steelers in overtime was ugly. But there aren’t many offenses that look good against Pittsburgh’s defense. Matt Ryan stepped up in a huge way on Sunday in the win over the Saints. It may have been his finest performance to date.

      6. New Orleans Saints
      Previous Week: 3
      Tough loss for the Saints, who were a Garrett Hartley chip shot away from 3-0. At least fans can take comfort in the fact that Drew Brees and Sean Payton won’t rest until they iron out their issues.

      7. New York Jets
      Previous Week: 10
      I’m not the biggest Mark Sanchez fan, but there’s no doubt he’s been impressive the past two weeks. He’s found a solid weapon in tight end Dustin Keller.

      8. Philadelphia Eagles
      Previous Week: 9
      I’m still waiting for Michael Vick to take a game off (he’s been prone to in the past), but I have nothing but positive things to say about his game to this point. He’s been spectacular.

      9. Houston Texans
      Previous Rank: 5
      The Texans learned a valuable lesson this week in that playoff hopefuls can’t take weeks off. They just didn’t show up against the Cowboys.

      10. Chicago Bears
      Previous Week: 15
      The Bears are the greatest team alive – period. Bear Down, Chicago Bears.

      Continue reading »

      External Sports, NFL

      Marshawn Lynch back on the trade market?

      September 28, 2010 /
      Buffalo Bills running back Marshawn Lynch charges into a hole on a carry in the first quarter against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts on September 26, 2010. UPI/Matthew Healey Photo via Newscom

      Apparently a 0-3 start has turned Bills GM Buddy Nix into Brian Cashman.

      ESPN Milwaukee’s Jason Wilde is reporting that the Bills have put the word out that Marshawn Lynch is available for trade. This comes a day after Trent Edwards was released, so it appears that Nix is starting to get more aggressive in his decision-making.

      Too bad he wasn’t this aggressive six months ago when he could have actually helped the Bills build a more competitive team. I don’t understand why he would wait until now to try and get something in return for Lynch. He likely had the opportunity to trade him around draft time and he never did. Now he’s stuck with three starting-caliber running backs (Lynch, Fred Jackson, C.J. Spiller) on his roster and is trying to trade one if them when teams know he has three starting-caliber running backs on his roster.

      It just doesn’t make any sense. If the intention was to eventually deal Lynch (and don’t kid yourself – as soon as the Bills drafted Spiller, the intention was to deal Lynch), then Nix should have gotten something before the draft when teams were more motivated to buy. Don’t wait until the season kicks off and teams have had the chance to fall in love with some of their own players that they had throughout training camp and preseason.

      Nix will be fortunate to get a fifth round pick in return for Lynch if he winds up trading him now. If he had traded him back in April like he should have, then maybe he would have gotten a third or fourth rounder in return.

      Just more bad timing from a bad organization.

      External Sports, NFL

      Packers avoid costly mistakes, somehow still lose to the Bears

      September 27, 2010 /
      Chicago Bears wide receiver Devin Hester (23) reacts after an incomplete pass during the first quarter of their NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers in Chicago, September 27, 2010. REUTERS/John Gress (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL)

      Two turnovers, 18 penalties (for 152 yards), horrendous special teams play and poor ball security late in the game were just some of the things the Packers accomplished in their 20-17 loss to the Bears on Monday night.

      If I didn’t know better, I would have thought Green Bay wanted to lose tonight.

      It was undisciplined football at its best and yet, the Pack still had an opportunity to win the game in the end as long as they continued to move the ball down field (as they had done for most of the night) and not turn it over. But with just over three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and the scored tied 17-17, Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs knocked the ball out of receiver James Jones’ grasp after a short reception. Then, by the grace of George Halas himself, somehow the ball tight roped down the sideline and Chicago cornerback Tim Jennings was able to recover it at the Green Bay 38.

      Thanks to a holding penalty, the Bears were backed up to their own 44-yard line, but soon thereafter Jay Cutler made an outstanding throw to Greg Olsen, who made an even better catch for a 21-yard gain down to the Green Bay 35. Two plays later, Morgan Burnett was called for molesting Earl Bennett on a pass interference penalty and the ball was moved inside the 10-yard line. Four plays later Robbie Gould kicked the 19-yard game-winner to propel Chicago to victory.

      You may not witness an uglier loss by a Super Bowl contender all season. And not all the ugliness was due to the players either, as the Green Bay coaching staff shares in the misery too.

      Why didn’t the Packers instruct punter Tim Masthay to kick the ball away from Devin Hester? He sent a bullet at him late in the second quarter and Hester almost broke it for a touchdown. Then, with his team only up a field goal early in the fourth quarter, the genius once again tempts fate by kicking it straight to Hester, who promptly returns it 62-yards for the go-ahead score.

      Continue reading »

      External Sports, NFL

      Raiders legend George Blanda passes away

      September 27, 2010 /

      Sad news out of the football world today as former Raiders’ quarterback legend George Blanda passed away at the age of 83.

      From the San Francisco Chronicle:

      American professional football player kicker George Blanda #16 of the Oakland Raiders watches the game after he kicked the extra point against the Kansas City Chiefs that made him the first player in American football to score 2,000 points, Oakland, California, December 22, 1975. He was the only player to have done this until 2000. He also holds a record for the longest pro career at 26 years. (Photo by Archive Photos/Getty Images)

      Blanda’s most memorable season in Oakland was 1970, when in a five-game stretch, he won four games and tied another with his arm and/or foot, a feat that led to him being named AFC Player of the Year.

      “Al Davis always liked my attitude, and my time with the Raiders was special, because it looked like my career was over” the always-blunt Blanda said. “Instead, I played another nine years, which by itself was more than twice the average playing career.”

      When he retired after the 1975 season, he had scored 2,002 points, a record that stood until kicker Gary Anderson broke it in the 2000 season. He also set marks for most career field-goal attempts (637), and most PATs made and attempted (943 of 959).

      His 340-game career was the longest in league history, and his 26 years of service were five seasons longer than any other player.

      I didn’t have the pleasure of watching Blanda play, but every NFL fan knows the name and has watched the black and white highlights of the 1962 AFL Championship Game.

      RIP, George.

      External Sports, NFL

      Mark Sanchez makes strides for second week in a row

      September 27, 2010 /
      EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - SEPTEMBER 19: Mark Sanchez of the New York Jets huddles with his team before a game against the New England Patriots at the New Meadowlands Stadium on September 19, 2010 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

      Sometimes Mark Sanchez does things that make you want to claw your face off with a cheese grader. He’ll lock onto one receiver, he’ll telegraph a pass to a defender, or sometimes he’ll just lob a pass to Kendall Langford, who was so stunned by the throw that all he could do was drop it.

      But the Mark Sanchez that has lined up under center for the Jets the last two weeks makes you realize what the front office saw in him when they took him with the fifth overall pick in the 2009 draft.

      Outside of the brain-fart to Langford late in the fourth quarter, Sanchez was outstanding last night. He completed 15 of his 28 pass attempts for 256 yards and three touchdowns in the Jets’ 31-23 win over the Dolphins and more importantly, he didn’t turn the ball over for the third consecutive week. He only completed 54% of his passes, but his average yard-per-completion was 9.1 and he actually threw the ball vertically, which was something that had been absent from his game in a Week 1 loss to the Ravens.

      Sanchez also seems to be developing a great relationship with tight end Dustin Keller, who caught six passes last night for 98 yards and two touchdowns. The tight end can often be a quarterback’s best friend and considering Keller is more of a receiver in a tight end’s body, it helps that Sanchez can use him to work the seams of a defense.

      This is the second week in a row that Sanchez has been impressive and to do it against a solid Miami defense last night will go a long way for his confidence. Things could always start unraveling again, but for now Sanchez is finally starting to come into his own.

      External Sports, NFL

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