Tag: NFL (Page 21 of 34)

      Bernard Berrian chats with The Scores Report

      October 8, 2009 /

      Thanks to Brett Favre and their 4-0 start, the Minnesota Vikings are one of the most talked about teams in the NFL right now. One of the players off to a solid start is receiver Bernard Berrian, who has 16 receptions for 177 yards and one touchdown on the year. Bernard was gracious enough to chat with us about the Vikings’ big win over the Packers on Monday night, a game in which he hauled in six passes for 75 yards and a 31-yard touchdown. Among some of the topics we asked Bernard were what it’s like being in the same huddle with a legend, whether there was any truth to the rumor that there was a divide in the Vikings’ locker room following the signing of Favre, and who is the toughest cornerback he’s ever faced.

      The Scores Report: Hey Bernard, how are you man?

      Bernard Barrian: I’m fine, how you doing?

      TSR: Good. Congratulations on the win Monday night.

      BB: Thanks, appreciate it.

      TSR: I felt that your touchdown in the third quarter gave you guys the momentum the rest of the way.

      BB: Oh yeah I think it definitely did, or put us in position at least.

      TSR: No knock on any of the other quarterbacks you’ve played with throughout your career, but you’re playing with a legend now. What’s it like being in the same huddle with Brett Favre?

      BB: It’s fun really. He brings a lot of fun to the game. When you see highlights, you see emotion pouring out through different players on the field.

      TSR: Who put the rocking chair in front of his locker after the win?

      BB: I still haven’t found out who did that – I have no idea. But it was hilarious when I saw it sitting there. (Laughs)

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      Interviews, NFL

      Tomlinson hurts ankle in Chargers’ win over Raiders

      September 15, 2009 /

      Running back LaDainian Tomlinson rolled his ankle in the first quarter of the Chargers’ 24-20 win over the Raiders on Monday night. He returned to the sidelines, but watched as teammate Darren Sproles scored the eventual game-winning touchdown with 18 seconds remaining.

      Many thought before the year started that LT would be a candidate to rebound this season, although “rebound” is a relative word seeing as how he still rushed for 1,110 yards and 11 touchdowns in ‘08.

      But regardless of his ankle injury, it now it appears that he and Sproles are going to get equal amount of time in the offense. It’s apparent that age has caught up with LT and that Sproles is more of a weapon in the passing game. I assume that San Diego will still split the amount of touches that both backs receive, which means that LT’s 300-carry seasons are over.

      As for the game, the Raiders played inspired football and actually looked better than the Bolts for much of the contest. If Richard Seymour is upset about being traded to Oakland, he didn’t show it last night because he lived in San Diego’s backfield.

      JaMarcus Russell still has major issues with his accuracy. It’s not that he’s susceptible to throwing a ton of interceptions (although he did throw two last night), it’s just that he misfires badly and usually winds up throwing passes 10 feet over his receivers’ heads. Still, he showed flashes of promise and should have had two touchdown passes to his credit last night instead of just one, but receiver Louis Murphy dropped a pass in the end zone towards halftime. (Although it wasn’t a clean drop; officials called it a touchdown and then overturned the ruling when they saw Murphy didn’t hang onto the ball all the way down to the ground.)

      NFL

      Steelers need to develop a running game

      September 11, 2009 /

      Entering the 2008 NFL season, the Steelers offensive line was supposed to be the one thing that would hold Pittsburgh back from being a Super Bowl contender.

      But towards the end of the year the line gelled and while it still had issues run-blocking, the five starters became a cohesive unit and that became one of the big reasons the Steelers won their second title in four years.

      Coming into this season, the offensive line wasn’t viewed as a strength, but it certainly wasn’t a weakness after the unit came together last year. Also, with former first round pick Rashard Mendenhall coming back, he would help keep Willie Parker fresh and the pair would form a nice 1-2 punch in Pittsburgh’s backfield.

      But after watching the Steelers struggle once again to run the football in their 13-10 overtime win over the Titans on Thursday night, it appears that Pittsburgh still has issues moving the ball on the ground.

      The Steelers’ running game ranked 23rd last year and Pittsburgh did nothing on Thursday night to quiet the concern that it will be more efficient in that area this season. Tennessee’s run defense is good (even without Albert Haynesworth commanding double-teams from his DT position), but Pittsburgh managed just 36 yards on the ground for a paltry 1.6 YPC-average. That’s brutal – I don’t care if they were playing against a concrete wall on every play.

      The Steelers running game was non-existent and even when they would break off a decent run, one of the linemen would get a penalty to kill the play. And when the Steelers needed to pick up a huge third down inside Tennessee’s 10-yard line late in the fourth quarter, Mewelde Moore found zero running room and was shut down for no gain.

      The Steelers wound up winning the Super Bowl last year without a running game, but that was an aberration. Teams usually have to run the ball to have success and while Pittsburgh’s passing game looked great at times again on Thursday night, one would think that their lack of a running game will eventually cost them.

      The Steelers used to run the ball at will – now they rely on the pass to get them out of jams. How long can they keep winning that way, great defense or not?

      Quick-Hitters:

      – Even great veterans make mistakes from time to time. Hines Ward knows better – he never saw Michael Griffin and he’s lucky his fumble didn’t wind up costing the Steelers a win. (Although his hit on the Tennessee DB in overtime was nasty.)

      – The Steelers’ defense did a great job of not giving in during the second half without safety Troy Polamalu, who hurt his knee in the second quarter and didn’t return. Hopefully Polamalu’s injury isn’t serious – fans deserve to see that guy play every week. (How amazing was his one-handed interception in the first quarter?)

      NFL

      Five Things to Watch: Titans at Steelers

      September 10, 2009 /

      The highly anticipated first game of the NFL season is tonight at 7:30 p.m. as the defending Super Bowl champion Steelers host the Titans at Heinz Field. Here are five things to watch as the 2009 NFL season kicks off with this opening matchup.

      1. The Steeler offensive line.
      Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger admitted that Pittsburgh became a Super Bowl contender last year when the offensive line gelled late in the season. What was supposed to be an Achilles heel for the Steelers actually turned out to be the thing that lifted them to a Super Bowl title. Now Pittsburgh has one of the more cohesive offensive lines in the league and while no one player stands out, the entire unit works well together and it’ll be interesting to see if they pick up tonight where they left off last February in Tampa.

      2. How will the Titans fare without Albert Haynesworth?
      Haynesworth was the key cog in Tennessee’s defense the past couple years while commanding double teams and freeing up those around him to make plays. In steps Tony Brown, a player coming off a great ’09 season and one that must fill the massive shoes left by Haynesworth. Brown is more than capable as an interior pass-rusher, but he probably won’t command double-teams like Haynesworth did. How will his linemates Jevon Kearse, Kyle Vanden Bosch and Jason Jones fare now that they might not see one-on-one matchups like they did when Haynesworth was playing next to them?

      3. Do the Titans still lack offensive playmakers?
      Running back Chris Johnson burst on the scene last year as a rookie, averaging 4.9 yards a carry and totaling 10 touchdowns (9 on the ground, 1 through the air). But it was clear in Tennessee’s loss to Baltimore in the AFC Divisional Round that the Titans lacked offensive playmakers. So they signed former Steeler Nate Washington and drafted Kenny Britt in the first round to give their receiving corps a boost. Will it be enough? We won’t find out about Washington tonight as he continues to battle an injured hamstring, but Britt practiced with the starting offense all week and will get an opportunity to play. Although he lacks elite speed, Britt was a monster after the catch while playing at Rutgers and could give quarterback Kerry Collins a nice weapon tonight in the passing game.

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      NFL

      2009 NFL Preview: #1 New England Patriots

      September 10, 2009 /

      Check out all of our 2009 NFL team previews.

      Offseason Additions: Derrick Burgess (DE/OLB); Leigh Bodden (CB); Chris Baker (TE); Joey Galloway (WR); Fred Taylor (RB); Paris Lenon (LB); Tully Banta-Cain (LB).

      Offseason Losses: Richard Seymour (DE); Matt Cassel (QB); Rodney Harrison (S); Heath Evans (FB); Jabar Gaffney (WR); LaMont Jordan (RB); Deltha O’Neal (CB); Lewis Sanders (CB).

      Player to Watch: Tom Brady, QB.
      After missing virtually all of last year following a season-ending knee injury in Week 1 of the season, Brady is completely healthy again and ready to pick up where he left off in 2007 when he led the Patriots to an undefeated regular season. In preseason, Brady looked like the same quarterback that gives coordinators and defensive backs nightmares, routinely hooking up with receiver Randy Moss and showing no ill effects of the injury. By all accounts, it seems like nothing has changed and considering Brady will be protected by the best offensive line in football, New England is once again a Super Bowl favorite.

      Team Strength: Thanks to Brady, receivers Moss and Wes Welker, and the best pass-protecting offensive line in football, the Pats’ passing game will once again be lethal. Will it be as explosive as it was in 2007 now that Brady is playing on a repaired knee and former offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is now in Denver? It’s definitely a possibility. Brady is completely healthy and even though Moss is another year older, he still commands double teams and that allows Welker to get underneath coverages and burn defenses once he gets into open space. Plus, losing McDaniels isn’t as crippling as one would think because Bill Belichick does such a great job of grooming his assistants that when one moves on, another one takes his place without missing a beat. New England might not average 37 points a game like it did in ’07, but Brady and company will be feared again.

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