Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 551 of 1503)

      Will Mark Sanchez become a factor this Sunday?

      January 21, 2010 /

      Know what the best thing about the Jets is? No, it’s not the fact that they’ve taken on the role of Cinderella (a brash, cocky Cinderella for that matter) for this year’s playoffs, although that has certainly made them fun to watch. It’s always easy to root for an underdog, especially when that underdog is led by a walking sound bite in Rex Ryan.

      Actually, the best thing about the Jets is that they know exactly who they are and they don’t hide from it. They’re a team that relies on running the ball and playing good defense, much like the Ravens did in 2000, the Buccaneers did in 2002, the Steelers did in 2005, the Bears did in 2006 and the Giants did in 2007. The formula works.

      That said, is this the weekend that rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez will have to take on more responsibility in order to take the Jets to the Super Bowl? Because at some point, an opponent will be able to take away New York’s running game and force Sanchez to beat them through the air. And that opponent may be the Colts, who happen to be the Jets’ counterpart in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game.

      Peyton Manning has had a fair amount of success against Rex Ryan-led defenses over the past couple years and if the Colts can build a lead, they may force the Jets to abandon the run in order to win. Granted, this might not happen until the second half or even in the fourth quarter, but the key is that it may happen.

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      Edwards’ development has been vital for Vikings

      January 21, 2010 /

      NFL scouts say that it usually takes a defensive end three years to make an impact for their team. In the case of Ray Edwards, it took four years but the Vikings don’t mind.

      After racking up 13 sacks in his first three seasons in the NFL, Edwards now has 11.5 sacks through 17 games this year. He gained national attention last Sunday by sacking Tony Romo three times in Minnesota’s 34-3 win over Dallas, while also compiling five tackles and two tackles for loss.

      His performance ignited a Minnesota fan base that has seen the former 2006 fourth round pick mature into legitimate pass-rushing threat opposite Jared Allen on the Vikings’ defensive line. His development this season has been especially noteworthy, because at one point this summer it appeared that nickel specialist Brian Robison would push Edwards for more playing time.

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      Report: Raiders haven’t talked to any coaching candidates

      January 21, 2010 /

      Profootballtalk.com is reporting that the Raiders haven’t spoken with any candidates to replace Tom Cable as their next head coach.

      In response to a San Francisco Chronicle report that the Oakland Raiders have interviewed Jim Fassel and Marc Trestman to potentially replace Tom Cable as head coach and another report (from the original false rumor monger) that the team spoke to Jim Harbaugh about the job, a team official tells Steve Corkran of the Oakland Tribune that no candidates have been interviewed.

      “The reports that we’ve interviewed prospective head coaches are totally untrue, totally false,” Raiders senior executive John Herrera said.

      Fassel has denied that he has heard from the team, and the agent for Marc Trestman has said that Trestman has not been contacted, either.

      A league source has confirmed this information (since, frankly, it’s not always prudent to accept at face value the self-serving stuff disseminated by any team), and we’re also told that there has been no effort to interview Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride or Packers assistant head coach/inside linebackers coach Winston Moss. To interview either of these men, the Raiders would be required to submit a written request for permission to conduct the interview, and the request for permission contains a space requiring the team seeking permission to specify the job for which the candidate would be interviewed.

      The San Francisco Chronicle wasn’t the only media outlet to report that the Raiders had been talking to candidates, as ESPN.com reported on Wednesday that the team had spoken with Stanford’s Jim Harbaugh about possibly replacing Cable.

      Profootballtalk.com has been stretchy at best with its reporting. Sometimes they’re dead on, sometimes they’re so far off that it makes you wonder if they make rumors up for traffic hits, so take this information with a grain of salt.


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      Falcons’ Gonzalez to play in 2010

      January 20, 2010 /

      The Falcons’ official website confirmed on Wednesday that Tony Gonzalez will be back in 2010, which is obviously good news for Atlanta. Gonzo caught 83 passes for 867 yards and six touchdowns in the Falcons’ run-heavy offense this season, proving that the 34-year-old can still play at an elite level.

      Atlanta traded a second round pick in this year’s draft to acquire Gonzalez from Kansas City last offseason. He’s under contract for the next two seasons but I imagine that the veteran is taking things year by year now. The Falcons would love for him to finish out the remainder of his contract in Atlanta, but who knows what his decision will be after next season.

      Due to injuries to Michael Turner and Matt Ryan, the Falcons’ offense wasn’t as explosive as many thought it would be entering the season. Turner also got off to a slow start, forcing offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey to rely more on the passing game instead of beating teams with a balanced approach. That was fine until Ryan started to struggle, then inconsistency became a huge problem for Atlanta. The offense also had to deal with injuries to the receiving corps, as Roddy White was hobbled all season (although he never missed a game) and promising youngster Harry Douglas suffered a knee injury in training camp and never played a snap.

      Now that Gonzalez is committed to 2010 and assuming Ryan, Turner, White and Douglas can return to full health, things once again look promising for the Falcons’ offense. Now GM Thomas Dimitroff must concentrate on adding more talent to a young defensive squad so Atlanta can challenge for a playoff spot again next season.


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      Will the Vikings be able to win on the road?

      January 20, 2010 /

      Four of the last five times the Vikings have had to pack their bags and play on the road, they’ve lost. That doesn’t bode well for them considering that their most important game of the season will also be played on the road.

      Everyone wants to talk about Brett Favre’s magical Super Bowl run, but he and the rest of his team haven’t gotten things done on the road this season. They’re 4-4 away from the Metrodome, but three of those four wins came against the Lions, Browns and Rams in the first five weeks of the season. Those aren’t exactly powerhouse teams they played. Their other road win game against Green Bay in Week 8 when Favre threw for 244 yards and four touchdowns to help Minnesota rack up 38 points.

      Speaking of Favre, you have to go back all the way to 1997 to reference the last time he won a road playoff game. He led the Packers to a 23-10 win over the 49ers that year, but he’s gone 0-3 on the road with nine interceptions in the postseason since then.

      Granted, football is a team game and Favre wasn’t the only reason his teams have failed on the road in the postseason. Plus, previous outcomes have nothing to do with future results so if the Vikings do lose on Sunday, it won’t be because Favre hasn’t won on the road in the postseason since ’97.

      That said, it’s worth noting that Minnesota’s Super Bowl hopes are resting on the fact that they must beat a solid New Orleans team in a hostile environment on Sunday. Toss in the fact that Favre has struggled on the road in the postseason and that the Vikings are 0-3 in their last three games away from the Metrodome and you realize what kind of situation Minnesota is walking into this weekend.


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