Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 311 of 1503)

      Favre stays out of the way long enough so AP and the defense can help Vikings win

      September 26, 2010 /
      MINNEAPOLIS - SEPTEMBER 19: Quarterback Brett Favre of the Minnesota Vikings watches from the sidelines during the first half 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)

      Despite Brett Favre’s best efforts to give the game away, the Vikings earned their first victory of the 2010 season by beating the Lions 24-10 on Sunday.

      Adrian Peterson saved another lackluster effort by the passing game by rushing for 160 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries (7.0 YPC). His longest run came on an 80-yard touchdown scamper with three minutes remaining in the third quarter to give the Vikes a 24-10 lead. Thanks to Minnesota’s inability to score, the Lions still had a couple of chances to tie the game in the fourth but Shaun Hill couldn’t make enough plays.

      Favre completed 23-of-34 pass attempts for 201 yards and one touchdown, but he also threw two interceptions and lost a fumble. Fortunately for him, Lions’ rookie Ndamukong Suh negated the play by going up high to Favre’s head when bringing him down. Still, he has now thrown six interceptions in three games and could have thrown another if the pick wasn’t overturned on a penalty. Outside of a decent throw to Percy Harvin for a touchdown in the first half (one in which nobody was within three feet of Harvin, yet he still had to dive to make the catch), he continues to be out of sync with his receivers.

      Make no mistake – the Vikings aren’t a very good football team. They may have won, but they committed 12 penalties for 100 yards and turned the ball over three times. Their sloppiness was nullified because they were playing the Lions, but either way this wasn’t a very impressive performance.

      As of right now, the Vikes are a very distant third behind the Packers and Bears in the NFC North. Their defense continues to play well, but if opponents find ways to stop AP then Minnesota is screwed because Lord Favre isn’t going to beat them like he did last year. He looks every bit of his age right now.

      External Sports, NFL

      Nothing surprising about Cowboys’ dismantling of Texans

      September 26, 2010 /
      NEW ORLEANS - DECEMBER 19: Linebacker DeMarcus Ware #94 of the Dallas Cowboys sits in the bench during their game against the New Orleans Saints at the Louisiana Superdome on December 19, 2009 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)

      If you hate the Cowboys, these past two weeks have been glorious.

      Food has tasted better. Little gumdrop midgets have been seen frolicking in dewy meadows. Even naked Twister with your wife has actually been somewhat enjoyable.

      Yep, life has been good. “I told you they’re not as good as the media makes them out to be,” could be heard muttered from New York to Philadelphia to Washington over the past two weeks.

      But alas, all that ended Sunday when the ‘Boys somehow lucked into a 27-13 win. Well, it may not have been luck but it sure feels like it. Dallas may have outgained Houston in virtually every statistical category and scored more points, but pay no attention to that – they were fortunate to win.

      If you’re a Cowboy fan and you’re seething – relax. I’m being sarcastic. The truth of the matter is that people should have seen this win coming from a mile away. The Texans were coming off two emotional victories and were now facing a desperate Dallas team in search of its first win. They were also down their starting left tackle Duane Brown, who was suspended four games earlier this week for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. The Cowboys entered Sunday with only two sacks, yet they recorded four today in Brown’s absence, two by DeMarcus Ware (who probably couldn’t sleep Saturday night thinking about playing against a shorthanded Houston O-line).

      The point is that the Texans were due for a letdown and the Cowboys were due to get back on track. Cowboy haters have relished the past two weeks, but the fact remains that Dallas is a pretty good football team. They’re still an underachieving bunch, but this game was set up perfectly for them to win and they did.

      As for the Texans, this is a painful reminder that if they want to reach the playoffs then they have to play at a top level each and every week. They’ll learn from this.

      External Sports, NFL

      Rockies once again accused of using juiced balls at Coors Field

      September 26, 2010 /

      According to a report by AOL Fanhouse.com, MLB will now oversee the use of humidor balls at Coors Field following a compliant by the Giants, who have accused the Rockies of using “non-humidor” balls in the teams’ three-game series this weekend.

      Tim Lincecum, who made a start two days again in Colorado, could be seen curising on the field when tossing a ball back to the umpire during the sixth inning. He went on to pitch eight innings while giving up just one run in a 2-1 Giants’ victory.

      The Rockies are 51-26 at home this year compared to just 31-46 on the road, but that of course doesn’t mean that they’re cheating. Most baseball teams play better at home than they do on the road, although this isn’t the first time the Rockies have been accused of using juiced balls either.

      Would anyone be surprised if someone with the Rockies slipped some “non-humidor” balls to the opposing pitcher in a tight pennant race? I wouldn’t – especially with Lincecum on the hill. And if the Rockies were cheating, it makes Lincecum’s outing the other night even more impressive.

      I doubt we’ll see MLB do anything about this issue. The Rockies will probably go on to miss the playoffs, this story will die down and then it’ll resurface next year when another team accusing them of juicing their balls. (Juicing their balls? On a Sunday morning? I mean really, that’s just not right…)

      External Sports, MLB, Video

      2010 NFL Week 3 Predictions

      September 26, 2010 /
      DENVER - SEPTEMBER 19: Tightend Demaryius Thomas of the Denver Broncos makes a reception as cornerback Kelly Jennings of the Seattle Seahawks tries to make the tackle at INVESCO Field at Mile High on September 19, 2010 in Denver, Colorado. The Broncos defeated the Seahawks 31-14. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

      After picking all the games in Week 1, last week was the first time I limited my predictions to only four games. And after a 2-1-1 Sunday – I’m hot! On fire, really…

      The Packers and Bengals were winners in Week 2, while the Raiders (thanks to a backdoor cover by the Rams) were losers and the Redskins (thanks to being jerk-faces and blowing a lead against the Texans) were a push.

      Here are my top 4 predictions for Week 3 in the NFL:

      Steelers at Buccaneers +1.5, Sunday, 1:00PM ET
      This game looks a little too good to be true. The Steelers’ defense has been lights out early in the season and despite their 2-0 record, the Bucs still have plenty of issues offensively. So take the Steelers and lay the measly 1.5 points right? Well first of all, don’t tell me what to do. Second of all, something smells funny to me. For the third week in a row the Steelers will try to run the ball 60 times out of the 60 offensive plays they run and lean on the defense to create turnovers so they can eek out another field goal-riddled victory. The problem is that Tampa is playing with a ton of confidence right now and are catching Pittsburgh at the right time. For starters, Charlie Batch will once again start under center, limiting the Steelers’ effectiveness on offense. This is also the second time in as many weeks that Pittsburgh has to play on the road and also has a huge divisional game coming up next week against Baltimore – which oh-by-the-way is a week before Big Ben returns from his suspension. This is a classic look-ahead game for the Steelers, who get caught with their pants down. (Uh, okay that was probably in poor taste given the Roethlisbathroom situation. My apologizes.)
      THE PICK: BUCCANEERS +1.5

      Cowboys +2.5 at Texans, Sunday, 1:00PM ET
      This is another game people are probably licking their chops at: a 2-0 Texans team playing at home against a pitiful 0-2 Cowboys team? And I only have to lay 2.5 points? Sign me up. The problem is that the Texans are another team (kind of like the Steelers, but even more so) that is due for a letdown. They’re coming off two emotional wins (one over their biggest bully and the second in come-from-behind fashion) and now come home to face a Cowboys team that is reeling. And the problem with reeling teams is that you’re probably going to get their best effort because they’re desperate for a win. There’s no doubt the Cowboys should be focused and with Houston missing left tackle Duane Brown (suspension), it could come this weekend. I don’t expect the Texans to score over 30 points again like they did the last two weeks and DeMarcus Ware could have a huge day pressuring Matt Schaub with Brown out. I like Dallas to get the straight up win.
      THE PICK: COWBOYS +2.5

      Continue reading »

      External Sports, NFL

      Dwight Freeney thinks Peter King should do more research

      September 24, 2010 /
      MIAMI GARDENS, FL - FEBRUARY 07: Dwight Freeney #93 of the Indianapolis Colts warms up on the field prior to the start of Super Bowl XLIV between the against the New Orleans Saints on February 7, 2010 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images)

      Dwight Freeney is a little hacked off at SI.com’s Peter King, who released a “five most fearsome pass rushers for 2010 and beyond” and left Freeney’s name off the list.

      From the Indianapolis Star:

      “When you put Brian Orakpo — and nothing against the guy, he is 24 — but mention him over me, that hurts your credibility as an analyst,” Freeney said. “I know who Peter King is. But to mention (Orakpo) over me? For him not to mention me in the top five, that is an insult.”

      The list included the context, “They’ll chase and drop quarterbacks for the next half decade.” DeMarcus Ware of Dallas was No. 1, Minnesota’s Jared Allen second and Houston’s Mario Williams third.

      Perhaps Freeney got edged out because he’s 30. But it still didn’t sit well with him.

      “So I guess it’s over?” he said, shaking his head.

      Freeney is curious to know who NFL foes would prefer to face, him or Orakpo? “Would you rather see him or would you rather see me?”

      “What he needs to do is ask the people around the league in a poll, all of the offensive coordinators and all of the offensive tackles. Ask them: ‘Give me the top five pass rushers.’ If I’m not mentioned in the top five by almost all of those guys, then I’m wrong.”

      “Tell (King) to do more research and ask around before he publishes that,” Freeney said. “He should be better than that.”

      Ah, is there anything more clichéd then telling a sports writer to do more research? If I had a nickel…

      In fairness to King, most defensive ends suffer a decline by the time they reach 31 and older. So if King’s piece was centered on the next wave of pass-rushers, he has reason to omit Freeney based on trends and history when it comes to the defensive end position.

      That said, if offensive linemen (and quarterbacks for that matter) do think Freeney is in the top 5, then the Colts’ DE has every right to complain about King “not doing his research.” After all, the opinions of offensive linemen and quarterbacks should be the only ones that matter here unless King was doing an opinion piece entitled, “the next generation of pass rushers.”

      In this case, the devil is in the details (of a sports title).

      External Sports

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