Tag: Mark Sanchez (Page 10 of 28)

      I’m Just Saying: The Vikings have a home game in which the NFL is handing out free tickets so Lions fans can attend.

      December 13, 2010 /
      DETROIT - DECEMBER 12: People enter Ford Field prior to the start of the game between the Green Bay Packers and the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on December 12, 2010 in Detroit, Michigan. Ford Field will host the NFL football game between the New York Giants and the Minnesota Vikings on Monday December 13 after a blizzard dumped more than 20 inches of snow in parts of the Midwest causing the inflatable roof to collapse under the weight of snow at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Mall of America Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. . (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)

      This is the second installment of my new column: “I’m Just Saying.” Peter King has a column (Monday Morning Quarterback), so it only makes sense that a well-respected sports blogger like myself has a column as well.

      What? I’m not well-respected? Who the hell is Anthony Stalter? Peter King is more established?

      What-ev.

      – So let me get this straight, the NFL moved the Giants-Vikings game to a NFC North city and is handing out free tickets? If I’m the Vikings, I’m pissed. Nice home game for Minnesota – think any Lion fans will get sauced up and attend the game for free just to root against the Vikings?

      – Of course, if the roof of the Metrodome weren’t made of paper mache, the Vikings wouldn’t have to worry about playing at Ford Field.

      – Does anyone else find it ironic that Sal Alosi’s job as the Jets’ head strength and conditioning coach is to help players get in shape and avoid injuries and he goes out and trips a Dolphins player…who gets injured? You stay classy, Sal Alosi.

      – I’m willing to bet that if the Patriots played all of their games in a blizzard, they would be 19-0 and will have beaten their opponents by a combined score of 855-17.

      – The Titans’ backdoor cover against the Colts on Thursday night was one of the worst backdoor covers in the history of backdoor covers. First of all, Indy was up 21-0 in the first half. So what should have been a blowout actually turned into a decent game because their defense is made of Charmin extra soft tissue paper. After they allowed Tennessee to crawl back in the second half, Peyton Manning had not one, but two chances to waste the clock and move the ball and he did neither. Then, with the Colts up by 10 in the final minutes of the game (they were favored by 3), Jeff Fisher trots out Rob Bironas for a field goal attempt but calls him back instead. He decides to put his offense back onto the field and Kerry Collins marches the Titans up the field for a touchdown on the final play of the game (a 4th down no less) and covers the spread. If Fisher were actually trying to win the game, he would have kicked the field goal and tried an onsides kick (he needed 10 points, after all). But because he was trying to screw bettors (which is the only logical explanation here), he decided to go for the touchdown and run the clock down to zero in the process. Final score: Colts 30, Titans 28. Thanks, Jeff.

      Continue reading »

      External Sports, NFL

      Mark Sanchez, idiotic tripping-coach highlight Jets’ loss to Dolphins

      December 12, 2010 /
      EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - DECEMBER 12: Mark Sanchez of the New York Jets looks to hand the ball off against the Miami Dolphins at New Meadowlands Stadium on December 12, 2010 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

      Here are a six-pack of observations on whatever the Dolphins and Jets are calling that thing they did at the New Meadowlands on Sunday. I hesitate to call it a game.

      1. Mark Sanchez is awful again.
      Leave it to Mark Sanchez to prove doubters wrong for most of the season, only to revert back to his 2009 form for the stretch run. He completed just 17-of-44 passes for 216 yards with no touchdowns and one interception in an ugly 10-6 loss. This of course follows his 17-of-33 performance on Monday night against the Patriots. His 38.6 QB rating against the Dolphins was a season-worst and coach Rex Ryan even revealed in his postgame press conference that he nearly benched the second-year quarterback. Sanchez hasn’t completed 60 percent of his passes in over a month and also has five turnovers compared to no touchdowns in his last two games. He has shown zero confidence the past two games and he’s back to diving in and out of the pocket as soon as he senses pressure. In his defense, Santonio Holmes did drop a touchdown pass (with no defenders around him) early in the game, although that’s still no excuse for Sanchez to play as poorly as he did. The problem for Ryan is that Mark Brunell and Kellen Clemens aren’t any better, so the Jets will have to ride the Sanchez train out and hope he can find whatever magic he had earlier in the season.

      2. Jets’ strength coach Sal Alosi should be ashamed of himself.
      In what can only be described as a classless move, TV replays showed Jets’ head strength and conditioning coach Sal Alosi stick his knee out to intentionally trip Dolphins’ gunner Nolan Carroll as he was streaking down the field to cover a punt in the third quarter. Caroll fell to the turf with an apparent knee injury and Miami trainers tended to him after he limped off the field under his own power. Alosi was fortunate that Carroll wasn’t seriously hurt. He could have ended the rookie’s season and for what? To be a jackass on the sidelines? What good could have possibly come out of purposely tripping an opponent? The Jets should review the situation and take immediate action. And if they don’t fire the moron, he at least should issue an apology to Carroll and the entire Dolphins team. What a stupid, stupid decision and how embarrassing for the Alosi and the Jets. This is the last thing Ryan needs to deal with after two straight losses.

      Continue reading »

      External Sports, NFL

      T.G.I. Friday’s NFL Weekend Preview – Week 13

      December 3, 2010 /

      “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 13 of the NFL. Here’s a look at Sunday’s top games.

      The Top-5 Games of Week 13:

      1. Jets (9-2) @ Patriots (9-2), 8:30PM ET, Monday
      Besides Panthers-Seahawks on a Sunday evening, does it get any better than Jets-Patriots on Monday Night Football? Rex Ryan vs. Bill Belichick. Tom Brady vs. Darrelle Revis. Mark Sanchez vs. Mark Sanchez. It’s outstanding football! The winner of this game will own sole possession of first place in the AFC East and if the Jets win, they’ll essentially have a two-game lead over New England by virtue of a tiebreaker (they would have won both games in the series this year). If last year is any indication, the Patriots could roll on Monday night. They lost to the Jets earlier in the season (Week 2 in fact, the same week they lost to gang green this year) and then stomped them 31-14 in Foxboro later in the year. Can Ryan figure out a way to beat Belichick on his home turf?

      2. Steelers (8-3) @ Ravens (8-3), 8:20PM ET, Sunday
      The two primetime games are outstanding this week. Just like in the Jets-Pats matchup, the winner of this game will have sole possession of first place in the division. And just like the Jets, if the Ravens win they’ll have a two-game lead over the Steelers because they would have beaten Pittsburgh twice this season. Of course, that win came during Ben Roethlisberger’s suspension and even though he suffered an ankle injury last Sunday in a win over the Bills, Baltimore has had issues with Big Ben in the past. Roethlisberger has missed four games against the Ravens due to injury or suspension since entering the league, and the Steelers have lost all four games. But when he starts, they’re 7-2 against Baltimore. Can the Ravens get the best of Big Ben this year?

      3. Falcons (9-2) @ Bucs (7-4), 4:15PM ET, Sunday
      The Bucs have earned respect around the league for hanging with teams like the Falcons and Ravens over the past month. But if they truly consider themselves a playoff contender, then they need to do more than just gain teams’ respect. They’re lacking that signature win this year – one in which they beat a playoff contender (or at least beat a team with a winning record). Their seven wins have come against the Bengals, Rams, Cardinals, Panthers and 49ers. Not exactly a murderous row of opponents. But they have an opportunity this Sunday to beat a team that has struggled against them in the past. The Falcons own the top record in the NFC but Tampa Bay has always proven to be a difficult place for them to win, which dates back to the Michael Vick era. Win, and the Bucs will keep their playoff hopes very much alive. Lose, and maybe reality will start to set in for this team that they’re still a year away from competing for the postseason.

      4. Redskins (5-6) @ Giants (7-4), 1:00PM ET, Sunday
      The pressure is on the Giants after the Eagles beat the Texans on Thursday night. If New York loses this weekend, then it’ll be a full game behind Philadelphia in the NFC East and the Eagles already own the tiebreaker between the two teams (although they do play again in three weeks). This is a game that the Giants should win, but they’ve had issues with Donovan McNabb-led teams in the past. When McNabb was with the Eagles, he beat the Giants 11 out of 18 times, including once in the playoffs. That doesn’t mean his success will carry over now that he’s with the Redskins, but the Giants are well aware of what he’s done to them in the past. New York has been a careless team for most of the season and now would be a great time to start protecting the football more. They’re averaging –0.6 turnovers per game, which ranks them 26th in the league. If Tom Coughlin’s team can’t figure out a way to stop turning the ball over, then they may cough up an opportunity to go to the playoffs.

      5. Cowboys (3-8) @ Colts (6-5), 4:15PM ET, Sunday
      Everyone wants to know what’s wrong with Peyton Manning. Is his poor play of late a direct result of the injuries that the Colts have or are his skills as a passer declining? He still owns a 90.8 QB rating this season, but he’s thrown seven interceptions the past two games. Granted, those numbers are a little misleading. In the Colts’ loss to the Chargers last Sunday night, Eric Weddle should have been flagged for pass interference on one interception and another pick came at the tail end of the game when Manning was just trying to make a play by heaving one to the end zone. Still, even if you subtract those two interceptions he would still have five INTs in two games. That’s a very Brett Favre-like ratio. On the other side, the Cowboys are playing remarkably better under Jason Garrett than Wade Phillips. This isn’t the same team that was blown out by the Packers on Sunday Night Football a couple weeks back, even though Tony Romo is still nursing a shoulder injury. This is a game Manning and the Colts need to win so they can avoid dropping to 6-6 on the year. (Can you imagine the Colts at .500 this late in the season? Yeesh.)

      Continue reading »

      External Sports, NFL

      Mark Sanchez great under pressure vs. Texans

      November 22, 2010 /
      EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - NOVEMBER 21: Mark Sanchez of the New York Jets throws against the Houston Texans during their game on November 21, 2010 at the New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

      At the start of the year, the one thing most said would keep the New York Jets from reaching the Super bowl was the play of quarterback Mark Sanchez.

      But it’s Sanchez’s play (which, albeit, is highly erratic at times) of late that now has people believing in Gang Green.

      In the Jets’ thrilling 30-27 come-from-behind win over the Texans on Sunday, Sanchez did some incredibly things under pressure. According to ESPN Stats & Information, when the Texans sent five or more pass-rushers at the Jets’ QB, Sanchez completed 12-of-18 passes for 189 yards and three touchdowns. He also didn’t throw any interceptions under that amount of pressure, compiled a 141.0 passer rating and scrambled twice for 22 yards.

      When the Texans sent six pass-rushers, Sanchez completed five-of-seven passes and three touchdowns, which is incredible.

      “This is a different guy,” Jets coach Rex Ryan said. “He’s got great experience, 25 games as an NFL starter. He grew so much in the offseason. I always mention it. His teammates know that he’s the first guy in and the last guy to leave. He does it every single day. He’s prepared. He prepares like a pro. Now he’s reaping the benefits. Our whole football team and our fan base is reaping the benefits.

      “We knew when we drafted him that we drafted the right guy. He’s going to be the right guy for the next 10 years here.”

      Now, this doesn’t mean that Sanchez has “figured it out” or that he “gets it.” But considering this was the same quarterback that often pooped his drawers last year (or in Week 1 against the Ravens) at the first sign of pressure, those stats are impressive.

      More importantly than any stat is the fact that Sanchez and the Jets are 8-2 and hold a tiebreaker over the Patriots in the AFC East. Not all of their wins have been pretty and they’ve had some nearly devastating collapses in each of their last two games. But they’re finding ways to win.

      External Sports, NFL

      Will the Lions ever stop torturing their fans?

      November 7, 2010 /

      Following yet another heartbreaking loss on yet another heartbreaking Sunday, my buddy Drew (a longtime Lions fan) said to me on the phone, “It’s almost like someone back in the day made a deal with the devil in order for the Lions go to the playoffs or something and now the rest of us have to live in misery for the rest of our lives.”

      Well said…and, ouch.

      The Lions had their third victory in their grasp on Sunday against the Jets. They led 20-10 with just over three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and even after the Jets scored to make it 20-17 with 2:46 on the clock, Detroit was still in control.

      Of course, they had no kicker and Drew Stanton as their quarterback so I use the term “in control” loosely.

      In more misery for Lion fans, Matthew Stafford re-injured his right shoulder in the fourth quarter and was replaced by Stanton. Earlier in the game, the Lions had rookie first round pick Ndamukong Suh (a defensive tackle, mind you) kicking extra points because Jason Hanson injured his knee. He later returned to kick an extra point later in the game, but who knows what Hanson’s availability would have been if the Lions needed to attempt a long field goal in overtime.

      So there the Lions were, ready to collapse and once again shank their fan base. Stanton and the offense failed to pick up a first down and run out the clock, so the Jets took over and immediately drove down the field to kick the game-tying field goal. In overtime, Mark Sanchez hit Santonio Holmes on a 52-yard pass play to set up a Nick Folk 30-yard field game just 2:18 into the extra period.

      The come-from-behind victory was crucial for the Jets, who rebounded after they were embarrassed by the Packers lat week in New York. It wasn’t a pretty win, but it was key on a day in which the Patriots also lost.

      But for the Lions and their fans, the loss was yet another painful reminder of how doomed their franchise is. Jim Schwartz’s team has been in virtually every game this year but only have two wins to show for their efforts. Nobody expected Detroit to be good this season, but the way the Lions have toyed with their fans this year has been rough. At least when they were getting blown out in years past, fans didn’t have to watch the entire game in order to know what the final result would be.

      External Sports, NFL

      « Older posts Newer posts »

      © 2026 The Scores Report – The National Sports Blog

      Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑