In their latest ‘toon, Bang! Cartoons tackles the ever-growing issue the NFL has with trying to protect its quarterbacks, namely the Patriots’ Tom Brady.
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Here’s what’s on tap on TV the next few days:
NFL
Mon, 8:30 PM: Jets @ Dolphins – ESPN
CFB
Thurs, 7:30 P M: #8 Cincinnati @ #21 South Florida – ESPN
MLB
Mon, 6:07 PM: Phillies @ Rockies – TBS (Philly leads, 2-1)
Tues, 8:07 PM: Rockies @ Phillies – TBS
NHL
Mon, 8 PM: Flames @ Blackhawks – Versus
Tues, 7 PM: Red Wings @ Sabres – Versus
Wed, 8:30 PM: Oilers @ Blackhawks – TSN
For all intents and purposes, last week was an utter disaster for Jets rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez. He threw for only 138 yards, was intercepted three times and had a fumble recovered for a touchdown in the Jets’ 24-10 loss to the Saints in New Orleans.
Simply put, the kid looked like a rookie.
One of Sanchez’s many issues last week was that he tried to do too much when plays broke down. Instead of chucking the ball out of bounds when he was in trouble, he forced passes into coverage and paid for it. Credit the Saints for generating a consistent pass rush throughout the game, but Sanchez needs to learn how to get rid of the ball and live to fight for another play.
But the growing pains he suffered last week weren’t anything that Peyton Manning, Tom Brady or Ben Roethlisberger didn’t go through early on in their development. In fact, Manning threw so many picks his rookie year that fans used to hold up signs mocking him to remember that his team wore blue jerseys and white helmets.
It’s what Sanchez does tonight against the Dolphins that I’m most interested in, because he was bound to suffer a let down eventually. He wasn’t going to walk through an entire season playing as well as he did the first couple games and not be exposed for the inexperienced player he is. In fact, it’s better that he got his first ass-kicking of his career early in the year rather than later on at a crucial moment in the season. He can learn from the beating he took last week in New Orleans.
Pundits like to marvel at how calm and cool Sanchez has looked so far leading the Jets’ offense. Well, let’s see how he reacts after suffering his first loss. Let’s see if he can learn from what happened last weekend and turn it into a positive for he and his team. He was eventually going to be exposed and he was, but now let’s see how he responds.
I think he’ll respond favorably. He has a great defense at his disposal, a solid running game, an excellent offensive line and now a No. 1 receiver in Braylon Edwards (when he’s not dropping passes that is). Sanchez doesn’t need to do too much; he needs to let the game come to him and rebound from his first defeat as a pro. That said, it’ll be interesting to see how he does playing in his first prime time game of his career.
We’ve partnered with On Goal Analysis to bring our readers innovative, insightful hockey commentary throughout the season. Enjoy.
Submitted by Mike Pryor
A Note Caused By Atlanta
A 9 October blog by Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal Constitution caught my eye. Within, he indicated Thrashers’ coach John Anderson statement that, while the team had been outshot in its first two games, they are being more ‘…shot selective….’ This selectivity had actually produced 10 goals on 50 shots, or a scoring rate of 20%.
It made me wonder what are all teams’ scoring percentages in terms of goals divided by SOG, and how would that project over 82 games. Based on games ending on Saturday, 10 October, I came up with this:
While the numbers are interesting, there are some anomalies to point out what with it being early in the season and all. First is that the average number of projected goals over 82 games this season (‘Proj Gs’) is about 6.2% higher than last year. That sounds great! Were it not for the eight teams projected with 300+, and five teams with totals in the 100’s, I would think we are going to gleefully be witnessing more red lights. The truth is we are more likely to see those numbers even out amongst the clubs as the season wears on (last year, there were NO teams with 300 goals and only one in the 100’s) and any increase in scoring being more in the 1-2% range if it actually occurs.
Despite this being the early part of the season are a few other noteworthy facts. ATL’s 10 goals / 50 SOGs = 20% scoring percentage calculation is no longer valid after Saturday night. The highest percentage team on that chart is CGY at 15.5% or one goal in every 6 – 7 SOG. ATL is right behind with a 15.39% rate, but is now under that 20% that started me thinking. Still, it kinda sucks to play the Flames and face 35 shots, eh?
On the other side of the coin, however, you have BUF with a paultry 3.45% scoring percentage. Could it be the youngsters they have playing? Sabres’ line combinations? Something is amiss, here.
But when the average number of SOG per team and per game was 30.27 after Saturday night, that means CGY outscores BUF 5 – 1. Shoot – it means EVERYONE outscores BUF. Just not in regulation, right? I love irony. I also know this scoring rate bares watching throughout the season.
First Coast News is reporting that Jaguars’ defender Quentin Groves has been accused by a motorist of being involved in a hit-and-run car crash, which took place on Friday.
The father of one of the drivers, Robyn Jackett, says Groves hit his son’s car and another car and then fled the scene.
According to an crash report, it happened Friday, which was when the Jaguars were flying to Seattle, near the entrance to the airport at Pecan Park and Yankee Clipper Drive.
Jackett says his son was approaching the intersection when a Cadillac Escalade changing lanes clipped another car and sent it spinning.
The Escalade then changed lanes again and stopped abruptly and Jackett’s car ended up wedged under the Escalade.
According to Jackett, Groves then stepped out of his car, said he was a Jaguars player and had a plane to catch and drove off.Both Jackett and the other driver involved told First Coast News another driver that witnessed the crash then followed Groves down the road and blocked him from driving away until airport police arrived.
But the report shows Groves was only given a warning for improper lane change.
I don’t want to draw conclusions from one article, but this sounds like another athlete who doesn’t think the law applies to him. But let’s see what other details emerge.
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