Tag: Brett Favre (Page 8 of 64)

Sidney Rice to make his 2010 debut on Sunday?

CHARLOTTE, NC - DECEMBER 20: Sidney Rice #18 of the Minnesota Vikings against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on December 20, 2009 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

The Vikings apparently have their answer.

Just hours after numbnut Brad Childress reveled that the Vikings threatened receiver Sidney Rice with injured reserve if he didn’t play this week, NFL Network’s Steve Wyche reports that Rice is “almost certain” to lace ‘em up against the Packers on Sunday.

Rice had been stalling about whether or not he would play because he becomes a free agent at the end of the year and doesn’t want to risk further injury. He’s missed the past 10 weeks after undergoing hip surgery in the offseason and if he winds up suffering another injury, it could wind up costing him millions on the open market next year.

But the Vikings need him to play now, which is where the aforementioned threat came in. They’ve been saving a spot on their 53-man roster and they’ve grown impatient wondering whether or not he’ll play. The ball has been in Rice’s court for the past two weeks and per reports, he’s looked healthy in practice.

What this means for the Vikings is simple: Brett Favre now has his deep threat back. But that doesn’t mean Rice will be effective right out of the gates. Don’t forget that he hasn’t played since Minnesota lost to New Orleans in the NFC Championship Game last year. He’s been able to practice, but obviously that’s not the same as playing in a real game. The defenders that he’ll be seeing on Sunday already have nine games under their belts and he still has to get up to game speed. It’s great for the Vikings that he’ll play, but it’s a little unrealistic to think that he’ll be the player he was last year when he hasn’t seen game action in nearly 10 months.

2010 NFL Week 11 Picks

CHICAGO - NOVEMBER 14: Brett Favre  of the Minnesota Vikings talks to his offensive teammates in the huddle during a game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on November 14, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. The Bears defeated the Vikings 27-13. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

My college picks continue to be complete and utter garbage, but I’ve held my own in the NFL this season.

After going 3-1 in Week 8 and 3-1 again in Week 9, I followed those performances up with another 3-1 week last Sunday. The 4-0 week continues to be my Everest, but who knows, maybe Week 11 is it. Maybe this is the Sunday I taste glory.

Or maybe this is the week my college picks infect my NFL picks and I go 0-4. Should be fun either way.

Browns (3-6) @ Jaguars (5-4), 1:00PM ET
The Browns have become a fan favorite of late and why not? They beat the Saints and Patriots and if it weren’t for a Chansi Stuckey fumble in overtime last week, they probably go on to beat the Jets too. In terms of being a competitive team, the Browns are “for real.” There’s no question. But they’re due to lay an egg and I think it’ll be this week in Jacksonville. The Jaguars certainly aren’t a great team by any stretch of the imagination and they needed a fluke Hail Mary touchdown last week after they collapsed in the second half against Houston. But this is a matchup that favors the Jaguars because neither team is very explosive. They can hang with teams that can’t turn games into a track meet. I think the Jags will limit Peyton Hillis and get the best of the Browns this week.
THE PICK: JAGUARS –1

Lions (2-7) @ Cowboys (2-7), 1:00PM ET
I think it would be a mistake to hop on the Cowboys’ bandwagon again after one win. I agree that it was a big win over a formidable opponent in the Giants, but the ‘Boys aren’t above overlooking a team like the Lions – even when they’re sitting at 2-7. The Lions have struggled all year but they’ve covered every week outside of a loss to the Vikings in Week 3. For those that have been burned several times by the Cowboys, you know laying seven points is too much with this team. Detroit will keep it somewhat close and cover (either with a legit cover or of the backdoor variety that they’ve become accustomed to doing).
THE PICK: LIONS +7

Packers (6-3) @ Vikings (3-6), 1:00PM ET
I have no problem saying that I hope the Packers send Brett Favre home with a nice parting gift in the form of a blowout defeat. But this game reeks of Lord Favre magic. The Vikings have looked hapless for most of the year and Favre’s play has been downright pathetic at times. But this might be his last chance to stick it to the Packers and you know he’s going to make the most of the opportunity, especially with the game being played on his turf. That said, Minnesota needs to figure out where its pass rush went or else Aaron Rodgers will shred the Vikings’ suspect secondary. The Vikes don’t want a shootout – they want to control the clock and take their chances in the vertical passing game when opportunities present themselves. As much as it pains me to say it: Minnesota plus the points.
THE PICK: VIKINGS +3

Ravens (6-3) @ Panthers (1-8), 1:00PM ET
The best picks are usually the ones where you want to throw up as soon as you make them. And picking the Panthers this week already has me reaching for the trashcan and my stomach rumbling. There’s absolutely no reason to take Carolina this Sunday. They’re down their top three running backs, they’re starting a quarterback in Brian St. Pierre that has only attempted five passes in his career and their defense sucks (to put it mildly). Baltimore should roll, which is why I’m taking the Panthers in a no-way-they-should-cover situation.
THE PICK: PANTHERS +10.5

Season Record: 19-16-1

T.G.I. Friday’s NFL Weekend Preview – Week 11

“This series is brought to you by T.G.I. Friday’s, where every Sunday means Food, Fun & Football! Hut, hut, hut!”

The Scores Report has teamed up with T.G.I Friday’s to promote the action in Week 11 of the NFL. Here’s a look at Sunday’s top games.

The Top-5 Games of Week 11:

1. Giants (6-3) @ Eagles (6-3), 8:20PM ET
It’s time to find out whether or not Michael Vick is for real or if his video game-like stats are the by-product of the defenses he’s faced. Of the four teams that he’s started and finished against (the Lions, Jaguars, Colts and Redskins), none of the four has a defense ranked in the top 15. That doesn’t mean Vick hasn’t been as good as advertised (on the contrary – he’s been phenomenal), but he’ll get his first true test this Sunday against an angry, aggressive Giants’ defense that was embarrassed by the Cowboys on their home turf last Sunday. This has all the makings of a true NFC East showdown and with it being shown on primetime, one that shouldn’t disappoint.

2. Colts (6-3) @ Patriots (7-2), 4:15PM ET
One of the best rivalries of the past decade gets renewed this Sunday in Foxboro. The Colts are incredibly banged up and are coming off a rare victory in which Peyton Manning didn’t throw a single touchdown pass. The Patriots, on the other hand, blew out the Steelers in Pittsburgh and are looking to make a statement that they’re the team to beat now in the AFC. Last year, the Patriots led by 13 with 2:30 remaining but the Colts came back to win 35-34 amidst Bill Belichick’s decision to go for it on 4th and 2 from his own 28-yard line. The call backfired and for roughly 97 days following that play, the media discussed whether or not it was a good decision. How will this year’s chapter of Manning vs. Brady end?

3. Packers (6-3) @ Vikings (3-6), 1:00PM ET
This game has lost some luster this season thanks to the Vikings’ poor play, which includes Brett Favre’s penchant for turnovers. The only thing interesting about Minnesota these days is watching the circus act that is Brad Childress and his decision-making. That said, this could be Brett’s last chance to stick it to his former team and you know Lord Favre will make the most of the opportunity. With the Bears’ win over the Dolphins’ practice squad on Thursday night, the Packers need a win in order to keep pace with Chicago in the NFC North. Battling an assortment of injuries, Green Bay has managed to win three in a row and is fresh coming off its bye. Can the Pack get one more and hand their former quarterback another loss? Or will it be Favre’s last moment to shine?

4. Raiders (5-4) @ Steelers (6-3), 1:00PM ET
Who would have thought that this would be a top-5 game of any week, nevertheless Week 11? Even though they’re tied for first in the AFC West, the Raiders still have a lot to prove. For starters, only one of their five wins this year came on the road and only two of their wins (Chiefs and Seahawks) came against winning teams. That said, they’re finding ways to win and in the NFL, that’s the only thing that matters. They’re also 3-0 against the AFC West this year, which includes wins over the Chargers and Chiefs – two teams they’ll be competing with down the stretch. For the Steelers, they were soundly beaten by the Patriots last week and now have to play a team that has given them all kinds of trouble over the years. Oakland marched into Pittsburgh last year and beat the Steelers, so you know the Raiders won’t have any fears playing at Heinz Field. This game will be interesting to watch unfold. Even if the Raiders lose, as long as they can hang with the Steelers they’ll have confidence heading down the stretch.

5. Seahawks (5-4) @ Saints (6-3), 4:05PM ET
There were a couple of games that could have been used for this spot, most notably the Falcons-Rams contest in St. Louis. But this is a matchup between a) two teams with winning records and b) two teams that are still in a state of flux. The Saints are getting healthy again, which should make NFC teams queasy, while the Seahawks own sole possession of the NFC West but nobody quite knows what to make of Pete Carroll’s squad yet. This game may not tell us a whole lot because New Orleans could roll. But if Seattle hangs tough or – gasp! – actually beats the Saints, then the NFC playoff picture will get more muddled than it already is.

Continue reading »

Brett Favre plays poorly, so of course there’s injury news to report

Whenever Brett Favre loses there always seems to be injury news that surfaces either directly following the game or a day after.

ESPN.com is reporting that Favre will contact Dr. James Andrews about the pain he’s having in his right shoulder. The fear, apparently, is that the pain stems from a 2008 surgery that Favre had to repair his biceps tendon. As usual, his playing status for this week is up in the air.

I’m not one to call for someone’s retirement. If Lord Favre wants to play until he’s 97 then he holds the right to do so. And if a team still thinks he can play at a starter’s level, then by all means – lace ‘em up, Brett.

But every week there’s a new injury to go along with his poor play on the field. I’m sure there was a report in some dark corner of the internet, but I don’t recall him suffering from anything last week when he rallied the Vikings from two touchdowns down late in the fourth quarter to beat the Cardinals in overtime. But sure enough, a day after he throws three picks in a lousy effort against the Bears, he’s getting an MRI on some part of his anatomy.

With all that has transpired this season (Jenn Sterger, injuries, losing), it might be a good time for Favre to start his retirement tour. I’ve enjoyed watching him play throughout the years, but he’s turned into one big punch line after another. Maybe it’s time to call it a day.

Of course, now that I write that, you know he’s going to throw for 300 yards and three touchdowns against the Packers this Sunday in Minnesota. Then the Brett Favre media cycle from hell will start again.

“He can still play this game! It’s amazing what he can do at his age! Look at him – he sure has fun out there, doesn’t he?”

2010 NFL Week 10 Power Rankings

PHILADELPHIA - NOVEMBER 07: Michael Vick  of the Philadelphia Eagles throws a pass against the Indianapolis Colts on November 7, 2010 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

This has become a practice in futility.

But let’s get nasty anyway.

Check out Week 9’s Power Rankings

1. New York Giants
Previous Week: 3
Why? Why not? They’re the hottest team in the NFL right now, their quarterback has already proven he can win a Super Bowl, they’re ranked in the top 10 in all major statistical categories outside of turnover margin and Perry Fewell (the best hire of any team this offseason) has the defense playing near the top of its game. I’m not entirely convinced that this is the best team in the league but I like the G-Men a scoch better than I do the Steelers.

2. Pittsburgh Steelers
Previous Week: 2
Had the Steelers put their foot on the Bengals’ neck on Monday night, I would have been more inclined to rank them No. 1. But after they allowed a bad (and they are bad, I don’t care what anyone says) Cincinnati team to get within 10 yards of the potential game-winning score after being up 27-7 early in the fourth, I think I’ll leave the Steelers where they are.

3. Indianapolis Colts
Previous Week: 1
Make no mistake: the Eagles dominated the Colts on Sunday. Peyton Manning made it close at the end but Indy’s defense had its hands full with Michael Vick the entire game. The only reason the Colts scored late in the fourth was because of a ticky-tack hands-to-the-head call on Manning that kept their scoring drive alive. By the letter of the law, it was the right call. But the ref could have easily let the play go.

4. Baltimore Ravens
Previous Week: 6
That was a pretty impressive win on Sunday against a Miami team that was undefeated on the road. The Ravens’ defense looks like it’s starting to figure things out again and it was great to see that Ray Rice was a bigger part of the game plan. What a great matchup we have between the Ravens and Falcons on Thursday night.

5. New York Jets
Previous Week: 5
That was a great come-from-behind win for Rex Ryan’s squad last Sunday in Detroit but this team has looked awfully shaky the past two weeks. A victory this weekend against a surging Browns team would go a long way to settle some doubts.

6. Green Bay Packers
Previous Week: 7
I think the Packers just scored again.

7. Philadelphia Eagles
Previous Week: 8
Michael Vick looks great. He’s poised, confident and is reading defenses better than at any point in his career. He’s the real deal again and this is the best we’ve ever seen him play.

8. Atlanta Falcons
Previous Week: 9
Even though the final score says otherwise, the Falcons were in control of that game last Sunday against the Bucs. That said, they need to figure out a way to limit the big plays or else they’re going to be in trouble in the second half of the season. They have a huge test coming up Thursday night against Baltimore. Beat the Ravens and then we can start talking about this team being elite.

9. New England Patriots
Previous Week: 4
I have to drop them down regardless, but that loss to Cleveland wasn’t completely shocking. The Patriots play the Steelers and Colts over the next two weeks so it appears as though they got caught looking ahead. But give the Browns credit – they put together a great game plan and they executed.

10. New Orleans Saints
Previous Week: 10
What a joke of a second half schedule this team has. After their bye, the Saints host the Seahawks, are at the Cowboys, at the Bengals, and host the Rams. Granted, they end the season at Baltimore and at Atlanta before hosting Tampa Bay in Week 17, but by that time they could be 10-3.

Continue reading »

« Older posts Newer posts »