Category: General Sports (Page 93 of 112)

College Game of the Week: Georgia vs. (#9) Florida

October 25, 2006 / Anthony Stalter

In honor of the 2006 College Football Season, Bullz-Eye.com will preview an up-and-coming game of the week, each week, for the entire length of the NCAA season.

Each week a game will be highlighted and broken down by each teams strengths and weaknesses vs. its opponent. Plus, no preview would be complete without a forecasted score – you’ll find a prediction on the game at Bullz-Eye.com as well.

“The World’s Biggest Outdoor Cocktail Party” pits a struggling Georgia program against a Florida team that is trying to rebound after its loss to Auburn. Throw out the records and pop the cork on this one – it’s rivalry time.

On tap this week: Georgia vs. (#9) Florida at Jacksonville.

College Football, General Sports

Weekend Wrap: Late action in the NFL

October 22, 2006 / Anthony Stalter

Here was your best late game in the NFL:

Colts 36, Redskins 22
Much like week six, the early games provided the most excitement, while the late games fizzled. This contest was close at halftime, but once Indy put 20 points on the scoreboard in the third quarter, the game went down hill quickly for Washington.

QB Peyton Manning continued his barrage on the rest of the league by throwing for 342 yards and four touchdowns. RB Joseph Addai made the most out of 11 carries – rushing for 85 yards (a nice 7.7 average per carry).

Most impressed with: Can you say enough great things about the Colts wide receivers? Every single week, the duo of Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne continue to play at such a high level. The duo caught a combined 14 catches for 195 yards and three touchdowns. That punt return by Antwaan Randle El for a touchdown in the second quarter was sweet too. The guy went untouched for 87 yards – pure speed.

Least impressed with: The Skins offense wasn’t the problem today (like most Sundays). But while it’s easy to look bad against Manning and co., where has Washington’s stout defense gone? Indy put up 452 total yards and rang up 342 threw the air.

Quick Shots:
The only way to describe the Broncos defense this season is suffocating. Denver allowed just 165 total yards in a 17-7 win over Cleveland and stuffed the Browns for only 34 yards rushing. The offense still looks a bit anemic, but RB Tatum Bell was able to rush for 115 yards (one touchdown) and WR Javon Walker had a nice day while hauling in nine catches for 107 yards. Denver would be undefeated right now if it weren’t for a terrible Jake Plummer performance in the opening game against St. Louis…Bad news in Seattle as QB Matt Hasselback was forced to leave the game after getting rolled up in the second half. Hasselback left the game with a sprain knee and his status is uncertain for next week. You have to give a lot of credit to the Vikings for going into a tough environment in Seattle and coming away with a huge 31-13 win. What a day by RB Chester Taylor. Taylor popped off a 95-yard touchdown run to basically seal the deal for Minnesota and finished the contest with 169 yards on the ground. QB Brad Johnson had a decent game too, as “Elbow Pads” threw for 171 yards and a nice 40-yard toss to Marcus Robinson in the second quarter…So, let me get this straight Denny Green. You throw your offensive coordinator under the bus and fire him one day after the collapse to Chicago last Monday night. Then you come out against a winless Oakland team and only put up nine points against the Raiders? Who’s fault is it now – the new o-coordinator? Congratulations are in order for Da Raiders in notching a 22-9 win and their first victory of the year. WR Randy Moss hauled in seven passes for 129 yards and a touchdown in the victory. Hmm, must have been a game he wanted to play in…

Don’t forget to check out my NFL Random Thoughts blog on Monday.

Fantasy Football, General Sports, NFL

NFL Power Rankings: Week 6

October 17, 2006 / Anthony Stalter

Well, after six weeks of NFL action, I’m totally confused – is anybody else?

Here is a look at the class and trash with nothing in between:

1. Chicago Bears (6-0)
Previous Rank: 1
The only good thing I’ll say about how bad the Bears were getting hammered Monday night in Arizona is this – they were getting physically beat on both sides of the ball. Chicago wasn’t out coached; it wasn’t a scheme thing or a lack of talent. They were just getting beat and on more Sunday’s than not, the Bears won’t find themselves in that situation too often. To score 24 points and win when your offensive doesn’t score one touchdown and turns the ball over six times is flat out amazing.

2. San Diego Chargers (4-1)
Previous Rank: Unranked
Last week I struggled in trying to determine who the second best team in the NFL was. Not this week – it’s clear to me that the Chargers are the class of the AFC after watching them dismantle the 49ers. They have the best running back in the league, an emerging young quarterback and an absolutely nasty defense.

3. New England Patriots (4-1)
Previous Rank: 2
The Patriots shouldn’t impress anyone right now, but that’s exactly when New England is most dangerous. They don’t have the talent on defense to be as good as they are – yet all they do is win.

4. Denver Broncos (4-1)
Previous Rank: 3
Something doesn’t sit right with me about this team. But when you have a defense that has only given up one touchdown in five games, you deserve to be ranked in the top five.

4. Indianapolis Colts (5-0)
Previous Rank: 5
It’s time for the Colts to start showing that they can stop the run on defense. This week might not serve as much of a challenge as Washington comes to town. But next week the Colts travel to Denver – then we’ll see how good the Peyton Manning’s are.

5. Seattle Seahawks (4-1)
Previous Rank: Unranked
What impresses me about the Seahawks win in St. Louis is not the fact that they won without Shawn Alexander. What impresses me is that Seattle is starting to win on the road – something it has struggled with for a few seasons now. While the defense is stingy against the run, the secondary has major problems, so the Seahawks won’t be here for long if that unit can’t improve.

28. Arizona Cardinals (1-5)
Previous Rank: Unranked
Matt Leinart makes this team better and the defense has been excellent at least in the turnover category. However, whether it’s a missed field goal, unbelievable conservative play calling or turnovers late in the ballgame – much like the Lions, this team will always find a way to try and lose the game in the end.

29. Detroit Lions (1-5)
Previous Rank: 28
I don’t know how they did it, but the Lions finally hung on to a victory against a decent Buffalo team. I guess letting Kevin Jones get involved in the offense is a pretty good idea, huh Mike Martz?

30. Houston Texans (1-4)
Previous Rank: 28
The Texans are starting to lose ugly again. After a few games of so-so ball, the defense is reminding everybody how bad they really are and David Carr is starting to see reality charging hard in the rearview mirror.

31. Miami Dolphins (1-4)
Previous Rank: 30
What amazes me about Daunte Culpepper is that earlier last week he told the media that he supported Nick Saban’s decision to start Joey Harrington. If I were a Miami fan, I don’t know how happy I would be to hear that.

32. Oakland Raiders (0-5)
Previous Rank: 32
The Raiders are going to shock somebody – I guarantee it. The defense has a whole is pretty fast – they just don’t have much talent.

General Sports, NFL

Random thoughts from Week 6 in the NFL:

October 16, 2006 / Anthony Stalter

Here are the random thoughts of Week 6 in the NFL:

– Joe Horn must read The Scores Report, because after I wrote last week that he just isn’t that good anymore – he slapped me in the face John L. Smith style in catching six passes for 110 yards and two touchdowns against the Eagles.

– Anybody that says Michael Vick keeps regressing as a passer is absolutely right. But while you’re divvying out blame for his passing inaccuracies, you better throw some blame at his lack of pass protection and the wide receivers inability to catch the ball too.

– This is your captain speaking: the Panthers bandwagon is clear for takeoff again.

– Anybody hear Chris Rose (Best Damn Sports Show) doing in game highlights yesterday on FOX? When Steve McNair left with a concussion during the Ravens-Panthers game, he made a sarcastic remark on how Kyle Boller basically sucks. Then he spent the rest of the afternoon doing in game highlights on Boller’s three touchdown passes. Ass…

– Torry Holt’s concentration is amazing and while I’m on the subject: Marc Bulger to Holt might be as pretty as Peyton Manning to Marvin Harrison.

– I laughed when I saw Giants CB Sam Madison wave his finger at the Atlanta fans for a good three minutes after a pass break up yesterday. I laughed because Madison has been used and abused like a grease rag for most of the season by opposing offenses – yet he acts like a hero after one pass break up. He also got blown up on a block by 5’8” Warrick Dunn that sprung Michael Vick for TD in the first half have the Giants-Falcons game.

– After two sharp outings by Bucs rookie QB Bruce Gradkowski, Chris Simms’ stomach (and soon his wallet) must hurt as much as his ruptured spleen does.

– Somebody please fill out a missing persons report on Bengals RB Rudi Johnson.

– The best receiver in the league right now is in Detroit. Roy Williams has been phenomenal for the Lions this season.

– New Orleans rookie head coach Sean Payton is thinking the game as well as any Super Bowl-winning coach in the NFL right now. Instead of trying for a touchdown from the Eagles nine-yard line yesterday with the score tied 24 all, Payton tells QB Drew Brees to take three kneels to run out the clock. Instead of giving any kind of a comeback chance to Donovan McNabb, Payton ran out the clock – but not before kicker John Carney nailed a 31-yard field goal as time expired to send the Saints to a 5-1 record heading into the BYE week.

– Let me throw out Travis Henry’s rushing totals the past two games: 51 carries, 301 yards, 6.0 yards a crack and one touchdown.

– Here’s one more from stat boy: Ben Roethlisberger’s TD to INT ratio before the Pittsburgh game against Kansas City was 0:7. After the Chiefs game: 2:7. Okay, so it wasn’t that big of a stat, but obviously the guy is starting to get back on track.

– Did anybody else think that Al Davis looked like Skeletor from He-Man on Sunday night?

– Speaking of “Just win baby” I hear Davis watches more game film than anyone in the NFL. He must have to have a garbage bin readily available while watching Raiders games incase he throws up at some point.

General Sports

Weekend Wrap: NFL Sunday Night Game

October 15, 2006 / Anthony Stalter

Boy, Denver is a really fun team too watch, huh? On Monday night the Broncos beat the Ravens 13-3 in front of a national audience and then come back six days later and beat a winless Oakland squad 13-3.

Does anybody get the feeling that the Broncos aren’t all that they’re cracked up to be? Excellent defense (they’ve only given up one touchdown so far this year), but I get the feeling that the offense is going to fold against better opponents once teams start to find a little wiggle room against the D. Nevertheless, wins are wins and Denver needs victories to keep up with San Diego in the AFC West.

I’m going to stay tuned on whether or not this team is Super Bowl-worthy, however.

Most impressed with: Even though it was the Raiders, the Broncos defense looks fantastic after five games. They fly to the football, can stop the run and Champ Bailey has my vote for the best overall cornerback in the league. He made a tremendous play on Monday Night in the end zone to stop a potential Baltimore scoring drive. And then made an outstanding diving interception on the sidelines against the Raiders while keeping two fit inbounds to halt yet another scoring drive. He also plays the run extremely well and can cover any wide out in the league man to man.

Least impressed with: Denver’s inability to blow this game wide open in the second half. Like Al Michael’s said: “You never get the feeling that the Broncos are on the verge of losing tonight, but yet here we are and the Raiders are still only two scores down and threatening.” Couldn’t have said it better myself on how the game played itself out. That’s what leads me to believe that Denver isn’t still a top tier team quite yet, but better than average, nonetheless.