Tag: Donovan McNabb (Page 26 of 27)

      NFL Week 4 Primer

      September 26, 2008 /

      Jason CampbellSunday’s Best: Redskins (2-1) at Cowboys (3-0) 4:15 PM ET FOX
      How stacked is the NFC East? Even Washington, the team expected to be the worst in the division, has looked strong since losing their opener to the Giants. In their sound win over the Packers last Sunday night, the Cowboys proved that they’re the class of the NFC. Dallas has a ton of offensive weapons, but the Skins could keep things close now that QB Jason Campbell is starting to look more comfortable in Jim Zorn’s West Coast Offense. Plus with RB Clinton Portis running well and the Cowboys’ run defense missing S Roy Williams, maybe this is a good time for Washington to face their NFC East foe.

      Upset Watch: Eagles (2-1) at Bears (1-2) 8:15 PM ET NBC
      Philadelphia is coming off an impressive win over the Steelers while Chicago once again gave up a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter while dropping its home opener to Tampa Bay. But the Eagles are banged up right now, with QB Donovan McNabb, RB Brian Westbrook and TE L.J. Smith all missing significant practice time this week. By all accounts, the Bears should be 3-0 right now, but blew wins at Carolina and home against Tampa Bay. Da Bears are tough to beat at home and the defense should bounce back after Brian Griese tuned them up in the fourth quarter and overtime last week. But can the offense generate enough points? Philly’s defense harassed Steelers’ QB Ben Roethlisberger last week and will no doubt attempt to do the same this week against Kyle Orton. As of Friday, Devin Hester is still listed as questionable on the Bears’ injury report, but he could give Chicago a huge boost in the playmaking department if he could return.

      Jon GrudenIntriguing Matchup: Packers (2-1) at Bucs (2-1), 1:00 PM ET FOX
      Aaron Rodgers suffered his first defeat as a starter last week against Dallas, so it’ll be interesting to see how he and the Packers respond. Things don’t get any easier this weekend in Tampa, where the Bucs have won two straight and the offense is clicking with Brian Griese under center. Without the threat of a running game last week, Green Bay wasn’t as effective offensively as it had been in wins over Minnesota and Detroit, respectively. Can RB Ryan Grant bounce back against a tough defensive front seven of the Bucs? And how will the Packers fare without starting CB Al Harris (spleen)? Even though Green Bay is 2-1, it has issues that Jon Gruden and Tampa could expose.

      Other Notable Games:
      Vikings (1-2) at Titans (3-0), 1:00 PM ET FOX
      After notching their first win of the season last week against Carolina, are the Vikings back? Adrian Peterson didn’t run wild last week, but the Minnesota defense stepped up and created scoring opportunities. They might need to do so again this week given the Vikes’ offense could struggle against a tough Titans’ D.

      49ers (2-1) at Saints (1-2), 1:00 PM ET FOX
      The 49ers would go long way in proving they’re for real if they can beat a banged up Saints team in New Orleans this Sunday. With how well the rest of the division is playing so far, the Saints can’t afford to fall to far behind in the NFC South.

      Falcons (2-1) at Panthers (2-1), 1:00 PM FOX
      The Panthers are eager to bounce back following their loss to Minnesota last Sunday, while the Falcons want to prove that their record isn’t just a byproduct of beating two bad teams (Detroit, Kansas City). The Panthers have the better overall talent, but Atlanta (especially DE John Abraham) has had some success playing in Carolina over the years.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      NFL News & Notes: Browns lose Eric Steinbach for 3-5 weeks

      September 25, 2008 /

      – The news just keeps getting worse for the Cleveland Browns. Not only have the Brownies started 0-3 this season, but they also lost one of the main pieces of their offensive line, as guard Eric Steinbach will reportedly miss the next 3-5 weeks with a separated shoulder. (Rotoworld.com)

      Brian Westbrook– RB Brian Westbrook (ankle), QB Donovan McNabb (chest) and TE L.J. Smith (back) continue to miss practice this week for the Eagles. Westbrook and Smith probably won’t play this Sunday night in Chicago, but McNabb still seems likely to start. (PhiladelphiaEagles.com)

      – After missing Wednesday with a groin injury, Rams’ RB Steven Jackson returned to practice on Thursday and is expected to play this week when St. Louis hosts Buffalo. (Belleville News-Democrat)

      – Detroit Lions’ interim GM Martin Mayhew recently said that the team has no plans for putting WR Roy Williams on the trade block. Also, Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com expects that Jon Kitna will remain the starter at quarterback after the Lions’ Week 4 bye.

      – Brett Favre (ankle) is expected to start this weekend against the Cardinals. (Newark Star-Ledger)

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Eagles sack Ben Roethlisberger, drop Steelers 15-6

      September 21, 2008 /

      The Eagles bounced back from their Monday night defeat in Dallas by shutting down Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers 15-6 in Philadelphia on Sunday.

      Ben RoethlisbergerIt was over when …
      Steelers backup QB Byron Leftwich threw an incomplete pass on fourth-and-10 with 35 seconds remaining to end their slim chances of pulling off an improbable comeback. The Eagles took over on downs and kneeled down to run out the clock.

      Game ball
      This contest featured a dominant performance by the Eagles’ front-seven on defense, but not to be overlooked was the sensational effort from Philadelphia punter Sav Rocca. Rocca punted the ball three times in the fourth quarter and all were pivotal in the victory. In the Eagles’ first possession of the quarter, they were forced to punt from their own 11-yard line. The Steelers expected to get the ball back in good field position, but Rocca boomed a 64-yarder that Santonio Holmes was only able to return for 5 yards because of its hang time. On his next effort, Rocca blasted another 54-yarder that went out of bounds and pinned the Steelers at their own 6-yard line. Finally, Rocca used his touch to kick a 37-yarder that bounced out at the Steelers’ 7-yard line. Without those punts, the Eagles may not have gotten the win.

      Key stat
      The Eagles recorded nine sacks and a safety during the game and had at least twice that many knock-downs. Even more amazing, is that the stat is somewhat deceiving because Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger barely escaped four other times and was credited with 6 rushing yards on those plays. If Roethlisberger was less elusive, the Eagles very easily could have tallied 15 sacks or more.

      Noteworthy
      Eagles RB Brian Westbrook left in the second quarter with an ankle injury and did not return. … Roethlisberger left late in the fourth quarter with a hand injury and did not return. … The Steelers did not have a play of 20-yards or more until Heath Miller’s 21-yard grab with less than two minutes left. … In one eight-play stretch of the second quarter, the Steelers gave up five sacks, committed a false start penalty and threw an interception. … Pittsburgh did not get into the red zone until its final drive. … Donovan McNabb set a new Eagles franchise record with his 176th career touchdown pass..

      I think Eagles’ defensive coordinator Jim Johnson took out his frustrations from Monday night on the Steelers today because he was absolutely relentless in blitzing his defenders (even more than he usually is). And had RB Brian Westbrook not suffer an injury early in the game, it’s likely the Eagles would have won by more than nine points.

      It was clear Big Ben’s shoulder dramatically affected his play today. Several times throughout the game he set up to throw long and checked down to his running back instead. And while he normally has issues holding on to the ball too long in the pocket, it was a major problem today. It’ll be interesting to see whether or not the Steelers choose to rest Roethlisberger over the next couple weeks with tough defenses in Baltimore and Jacksonville coming up.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

      Top 10 Active NFL Passing TD Leaders

      September 20, 2008 /

      When you think of passing touchdowns, you think guys like Peyton Manning and Brett Favre and Tom Brady, right? Who else do you think of? Hmm, you have to knock your head a bit, don’t you? Well, we’ve come to the rescue with a list of the active Top 10 in that category…..

      1. Brett Favre, New York Jets (445)—Well sure, if you start every game since 1992, you’re going to put up numbers like this. But it’s not all longevity—because Number 4 has had 30 or more TD passes in eight different seasons. And by now, we forgive him for that yes-no-yes-no-yes-no-yes act of this past summer.

      2. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts (308)—If he stays healthy, there’s no reason to believe that Manning won’t eventually pass Favre. Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne don’t hurt his game, but Manning could complete passes to you and me if he had to.

      3. Tom Brady, New England Patriots (197)—Brady is out for 2008 after breaking Manning’s NFL single-season record in 2007 with 50 TD passes. But it wasn’t like Brady was a slouch before that—his only season with less than 23 TD passes was 2001, the year he took over for Drew Bledsoe.

      4. Donovan McNabb, Philadelphia Eagles (175)—McNabb never seems to be 100% healthy, but regardless, he still manages to have huge games frequently. Well, at least when Osi Umenyiora isn’t knocking him down six times in a game.

      5. Kerry Collins, Tennessee Titans (175)—Collins might have his best chance ever of winning a Super Bowl ring this season, as he has taken over for the mentally and physically injured Vince Young. We won’t even count that debacle with the Giants against Baltimore in 2001.

      6. Kurt Warner, Arizona Cardinals (156)—When you look at the big picture, it’s a wonder that robo-Warner doesn’t have twice as many TD passes. But injuries and backup status with various teams has contributed to that fact. Now, at 37, he’s the starter again in Arizona and flinging balls all over the field.

      7. Jon Kitna, Detroit Lions (151)—Forget about the fact that Kitna plays for the hapless Lions. He had 23 TDs with Seattle in 1999 and 26 with the Bengals in 2003. He’s no pretender.

      8. Jeff Garcia, Tampa Bay Bucs (150)—No matter what kind of numbers he puts up or what kind of leadership he displays on the field, Jeff Garcia seems to earn zero respect.

      9. Matt Hasselbeck, Seattle Seahawks (143)—Is Matt Hasselbeck really only 33? He’s dealt with injury, but he’s shown that he’s a better QB when he has a decent running game to complement the passing attack.

      10. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints (138)—In any season in which Brees started all or almost every game, he’s never had less than 24 touchdown passes. The guy is a solid QB—but more than that, he’s a very smart and talented football player.

      Source: Pro Football Reference

      Bullz-Eye Sports Channel, Fantasy Football, NFL

      Week 3 NFL Primer

      September 19, 2008 /

      Aaron RodgersSunday’s Best: Cowboys (2-0) at Packers (2-0) 8:15 PM ET NBC
      General NFL fans and fantasy football owners alike are pumped for this Sunday Night Football matchup. The home team generally has the upper hand, with the host going 14-2 in the last 27 years of this underrated rivalry. Before becoming a starter this season, Packers’ QB Aaron Rodgers only saw significant playing time one other time in his career – last year in a regular season loss to the Cowboys after Brett Favre was injured following two interceptions. Rodgers did well, too, completing 18 of 26 passes and tossing one touchdown. The Dallas defense will be well prepared for Rodgers this time, although the Cowboys are coming off a short week after beating the Eagles on Monday night.

      Upset Watch: Saints (1-1) at Broncos (2-0) 4:05 PM ET FOX
      If there’s one thing the NFL has taught fans over the years is to expect the unexpected. After two weeks, the Broncos look like world-beaters and after losing last week in Washington, the Saints appear to be vulnerable. But Denver’s defense didn’t play well in the second half last week and even without WR Marques Colston, New Orleans has more than enough offensive weapons to make things interesting this weekend in Denver. The Broncos are coming off an emotionally draining win last Sunday against San Diego, not to mention an emotionally draining week having to answer questions about Ed Hochuli’s blown call. Could the pissed off Saints be catching Denver at the right time?

      Ben RoethlisbergerIntriguing Matchup: Steelers (2-0) at Eagles (1-1), 4:15 PM ET CBS
      If it weren’t for the mega matchup in Green Bay on Sunday night, the Steelers-Eagles game Sunday evening would be the best of the Week 3 schedule. Pittsburgh has looked very good in its two victories, but questions remain about the health status of QB Ben Roethlisberger, who is dealing with a bad shoulder (although head coach Mike Tomlin says Big Ben’s shoulder isn’t separated). Philadelphia will be coming off a short week after playing on Monday night, but the Eagles are always tough to beat at home. Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook will also look to bounce back after fumbling away an opportunity to beat the Cowboys. This should be a physical game between two very good teams.

      Other Notable Games:
      Jaguars at Colts, 4:15 PM ET CBS
      Jacksonville’s offensive line is incredibly beat up, which hasn’t bode well for the usually-explosive Jag running game. But Indy lost its best run-defender in Bob Sanders for 4-6 weeks and the Vikes’ Adrian Peterson ran wild on them last Sunday. Could the Jaguars really start the season 0-3? Could the Colts really start 1-2? Neither team looks like the potential Super Bowl contenders everyone thought they would be entering the season.

      Panthers at Vikings, 1 PM ET FOX
      The Vikings are looking for their first win of the season while the Panthers are looking to gain even more of an edge in the NFC South. Can Carolina keep Adrian Peterson in check? Will Steve Smith take advantage of a weak Minnesota secondary in his first action of the season after serving a two game suspension?

      Cardinals at Redskins, 1 PM ET FOX
      Usually this game would be a bore-fest, but Arizona is 2-0 and Washington might have gotten on track after beating the Saints last Sunday. The Cardinals could open up a decent size lead in the NFC West with a victory.

      Fantasy Football, NFL

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