tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56366459683498389222023-11-15T10:19:55.905-08:00The Morton Mash-UpAn objective view of the entire NFL from a fan of the Chicago Bears.Matthew Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07821591050735570674noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636645968349838922.post-5760438712041810082011-03-01T16:37:00.001-08:002011-03-01T18:45:25.165-08:00The Conundrum of Carson PalmerOnly a few years back, Carson Palmer was sitting pretty in Cincinnati. He had his team on the brink of playing in the Super Bowl, which would have been their first since the Boomer Esiason era. The Bengals were playing for an AFC title against their division rival (and eventual champion that year) Pittsburgh Steelers, and Palmer was looking to blow the game open with a 66-yard bomb to then-rookie wide receiver Chris Henry.<br /><br />But then he was hit low (albeit untentionally, according to the official NFL ruling) by Steelers defensive lineman Kimo von Oelhoffen, sustaining tears to multiple knee ligaments and provoking a rule change forbidding intentional contact with quarterbacks below the knees.<br /><br />Even after he recovered from said injury, he came back with a vengeance in 2006 to throw for 28 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, becoming the first Bengals signal-caller to make two consecutive Pro Bowls since the aforementioned Esiason in 1988-1989. He capped off a great comeback year with Pro Bowl MVP honors. One may have thought he was poised for stardom, about to take his place amongst the league’s elite passers.<br /><br />Since then Palmer has taken a tumble; 2005-2006 was the last season that he recorded a season total 2:1 ratio of touchdowns to interceptions. While his play has been reasonably productive, the Bengals have only made the playoffs once since then: a one-and-done appearance in which Palmer completed 18 of 36 passes for a paltry 146 yards, one touchdown and one interception (posting a passer rating of 58.3). Some days, I thought Carson and his backup (younger brother Jordan Palmer) could have switched jerseys and no one would notice.<br /><br />Apologies, that’s not really fair to at least one of the Palmer brothers. Jordan is more mobile than Carson.<br /><br />Their ultimate capitulation occurred this past season, in which the Cincinnati club posted a 4-12 record and earned the fourth overall pick in the draft. In context, only the 2-14 Carolina Panthers held a worse record, but Denver and Buffalo also went 4-12 and pick ahead of the Bengals. Now Carson wants out, and is threatening to retire if the Bengals don’t trade him to another team.<br /><br />The reasons for Palmer’s struggles throughout this period are varied, ranging from tragic to just plain puzzling. The unfortunate passing of Chris Henry, who was in the midst of a potential breakout season after a troubled early career, sent shockwaves through the Bengals offense. The addition of the 36 year-old Terrell Owens to accompany an already eccentric and aging Chad ‘Ochocinco’ Johnson at wide receiver produced more highlights on their “TO & Ocho” television show than on the football field. A wildly inconsistent defensive unit (over the course of games and entire seasons) didn’t help matters even when the Bengals were winning, let alone when their offense began to lose productivity. It must also be noted that while the AFC North division is home to the equally lowly Cleveland Browns, it also holds the Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens, two perennial playoff contenders featuring top-ranking defensive units. None of these spell a recipe for success.<br /><br />It seems little surprise, then, that Carson Palmer wants out of Cincinnati. Maybe he’s tired of having a different offensive line every year (or, perhaps worse, the same wideouts). He could also just not like getting clobbered by Pittsburgh and Baltimore year-in and year-out. Whatever the reason, he has threatened the organization with retirement, admitting that he has at least been frugal in his investments by saving 80 million dollars. There’s also the lingering possibility that he may retire and attempt to sign with another team in an imitation of Brett Favre. Whatever the case may be, the Minnesota Vikings, Buffalo Bills, and a host of other teams would be likely to jump at the chance to sign Palmer, who can probably make a decent sales pitch if he just blames all of his problems on the Bengals.Matthew Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07821591050735570674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636645968349838922.post-64307383970077110732011-01-19T09:00:00.000-08:002011-01-19T10:18:50.421-08:00What's Up With All These Rematches?On Sunday, the Chicago Bears will host the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field to battle for the National Football Conference Championship. This will be the third time this season that the two division rivals--both of the NFC North--will clash.<br /><br />On the other side, the New York Jets travel to Pittsburgh to decide who will play the winner of the Bears-Packers contest in the Super Bowl. No problems there, right? Except that both the Jets and the Steelers played a divisional opponent (the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens, respectively) in order to reach their current position. <br /><br />So why are there all these rematches? Why are teams from the same divisions ousting other divisional champions in order to play each other for a third time? Are these divisions just that much better? Maybe.<br /><br />In the AFC North, both the Ravens and Steelers posted 12-4 records in the 2010-2011 regular season; as one may guess, this did not bode too well for the other two teams that share their division. The Cleveland Browns went 5-11 while the Cincinnati Bengals were a lowly 2-14. Despite the weaknesses of the declined Carson Palmer and washed-up duo of Terrell Owens and Chad “Ochocinco” in Cincinnati, the fact that Browns were actually able to post five wins in a division boasting the Steelers and the Ravens is a testament to their actual ability. Cleveland was one of only two teams (along with the Jets) to beat Tom Brady and the number-one seeded Patriots, underlying the core of potential they possess in quarterback Colt McCoy and running back Peyton Hillis. <br /><br />The NFC North possesses a similar situation as its AFC counterpart: two dominant teams in the Packers and the Bears who have almost continually asserted their authority over the other two teams this season. That said, it is difficult to deny the potential ability of the Minnesota Vikings, who were approximately seven Brett Favre injuries away from perhaps having a decent run at the playoffs themselves. It’s not just the Vikings, though; on talent alone, the NFC North is perhaps one of the most loaded divisions in the NFL. Even the Detroit Lions, historically the laughingstock of the league even before their winless 2008-2009 season, possess the likes of quarterback Matthew Stafford, defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, and one of the league’s most dynamic players in Calvin Johnson. When your division rivals count Devin Hester, Adrian Peterson, and Greg Jennings on their rosters, that title counts for a great deal.<br /><br />Potential obviously does not make the playoffs, but the ability for division leaders to play week in and week out against challenging division opponents hones their skills for the playoffs. This helps them against teams from weaker divisions, such as Seattle (the fact that they won their division with a 7-9 record tells you everything you need to know about the strength of their opposition) and Indianapolis, who were a multitude of injuries away from likely coasting to another AFC South title but instead had to fight through a tough stretch to clinch their playoff berth.<br /><br />But a big question remains as to whether it is beneficial or detrimental from an entertainment perspective for two teams from the same division to play each other a third time. Sure, intra-division rivalries stew up a high level of anticipation from the fans of the participating teams, but from a neutral perspective such a contest excludes a great deal of potential markets by limiting the league’s representation to only a select few divisions.Matthew Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07821591050735570674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636645968349838922.post-48459239721752325482010-10-24T13:14:00.000-07:002010-10-24T17:08:28.131-07:00Shootouts Mark Week SevenIt's said that offenses are usually slower to develop than defenses. Rythym is critical, and with the NFL's constant player turnover it usually takes weeks for the proper chemistry to develop between offensive linemen, quarterbacks and their recievers.<br /><br />It seems that time has come.<br /><br />Of the first nine games played today, five of them had at least one team score 30 points. Kansas City led all teams so far with 42 points (a farcry from the woeful team that graced Arrowhead Stadium last season), with Atlanta and Tennessee coming up just short with 39 and 37, respectively. Titans wideout Kenny Britt had three touchdowns after playing in only three quarters against Philly, almost doubling his season stats with 225 receiving yards on seven grabs and setting an inauspcious record for the most points ever scored by an individual player against the Philidelphia Eagles. <br /><br />Not all offenses played well, though, and the points came from the offensive side of the ball. The lowly Cleveland Browns took advantage of four Drew Brees interceptions (two returned for touchdowns by veteran linebacker David Bowens) to upset the defending champion Saints. The Chicago Bears turned the ball over six times in a loss to Washington, allowing Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall to tie the NFL record (with eight other players) for the most interceptions by a single player in one game.<br /><br />Lastly, the Bills seems to have finally found a quarterback in that other guy from Harvard, Ryan Fitzpatrick. In seven games this season, Fitzpatrick has a quarterback rating of just under 100, having thrown for 969 yards, eleven scores, and only four interceptions. Keep in mind that this is the Buffalo Bills offense, so thriving in it to probably only just short of miraculous.Matthew Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07821591050735570674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636645968349838922.post-90990314083845284742010-10-06T17:24:00.000-07:002010-10-06T18:33:38.725-07:00Bears Illusion Fools Cutler, Not Giants, On Monday NightI am proud to say that as a football fan, I have managed to spread the appreciation of the game to my parents. So when my mother told me about a conversation she had with one of her coworkers about the most recent Chicago Bears fiasco, I was compelled to listen in.<br /><br />This particular dialogue concerned the Bears offense, which her colleague described as being a holgram that was actually non-existent. In a time where it would not have suprised me to hear quarterback Jay Cutler say "Help me, offensive line, you're my only hope", it appeared that he and not the New York Giants was the one fooled by the Bears' lack of offensive presence. <br /><br />Despite being sacked nine times by a Giants team that was missing its leading pass rusher in Mathias Kiwanuka, Cutler held onto the ball incessantly and stubbornly refused to check down to his backs when the game was on the line. Particularly strange given that Matt Forte is the Bears' leading reciever. <br /><br />The refusal of both Cutler and Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz to make halftime adjustments, as well as head coach Lovie Smith's stoicism throughout the affair, seems to indicate who has the power in Chicago. Everyone's been taking about the cohesiveness between Cutler and Martz, but Lovie Smith may have been made the unwitting victim in a situation featuring two men that can best be described as absolutely convinced of the superiority of their own methods. Lovie has never been known as a strong leader; he is often presented by the media as a soft-spoken player's coach--well-liked by his guys but not renowned for his ability to rally and motivate a team in crunch time.<br /><br />It's painfully clear that Martz and Cutler have yet to work out all of the problems with their offense; they have consistently had trouble establishing the running game with a patchwork offensive line that is still missing left tackle Chris Williams; regrettably, it seems doubtful that they would be much better even with Williams in the lineup. What the Bears need now is consistency, and they may find a measure of respite against Carolina, who have looked poor even after substituting Matt Moore for rookie Notre Dame product Jimmy Clausen. If the Bears can go several games without being forced to shuffle their lineup, they may find some solidarity in their offense to accompany a defence that was forced to play alone throughout the game at the Meadowlands.<br /><br />Hopefully things will improve on Sunday.Matthew Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07821591050735570674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636645968349838922.post-32406750068084539462010-09-21T07:54:00.000-07:002010-09-21T08:09:47.882-07:00Week 2 Sobered by Death of Broncos WR Kenny McKinleyAs much as I would like to talk about how the Bears managed to trump the Dallas Cowboys this week (I still had to get it in edgewise), the most important story this week is that of Denver Broncos wide receiver Kenny McKinley, a second-year pro who was found dead in his Englewood, Colorado home from a self-inflicted gunshot wound according to espn.com. This has obviously come as a shock to all around the league, especially after McKinley's positive interviews this season concerning his hopes for a burgeoning role in the Denver offense. McKinley was placed on Injured Reserve, but hopes were still high that he could eventually become a regular contributor to the Broncos.<br /><br />McKinley died yesterday on September 20. He was 23 years old. <br /><br />Rest in peace, Kenny McKinley, 1987-2010.Matthew Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07821591050735570674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636645968349838922.post-5940897139448145902010-09-13T15:59:00.000-07:002010-09-13T17:00:01.534-07:00Quarterbacks Get Clocked In Week 1, Defense DominatesI would have doubts about the sanity of anyone who didn't cringe watching the hit that Bears defensive end Julius Peppers laid on Detroit quarterback Matt Stafford on Sunday. Peppers came around Stafford's blind side and delivered a crushing blow that separated the former first overall pick's shoulder, ruling him out for four to six weeks. Even without Stafford, the Lions were still only one bullshit rule away from defeating Chicago (I'm not complaining, but I can still admit that it was legitimately stupid).<br /><br />But Stafford wasn't the only quarterback to get knocked out of the game for less-than disastrous results for his team. Eagles starter Kevin Kolb left Philly's game against the Green Bay Packers with a concussion after one dismal half, probably meeting a merciful end at the hands of Packers linebacker Clay Matthews. His replacement, three-time Pro Bowler Michael Vick, looked sharp, completing 16 of 24 passes and rushing for over 100 yards. This may be a blessing in disguise for Andy Reid's team; since Kolb is ruled out for presumably at least next week, Philly can start him and keep starting him when Kolb comes back. So long as he keeps winning.Matthew Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07821591050735570674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636645968349838922.post-38447983657849786092010-09-05T17:41:00.000-07:002010-09-09T09:58:06.176-07:00QB Chaos Ensues in Arizona, New EnglandThe Cardinals have (finally) cut ties with former Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart. Now we can all release that breath we were holding, or we could shrug our shoulders and ask why we should care about Mr. Leinart. His release honestly shouldn't come as a surprise; the former first-round pick has only played in 29 games since being drafted in 2006, twelve of which came in the 2006-'07 season before current Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt was hired. Throughout that time, he has been bested in his quest for Arizona's starting spot by a resurgent Hall of Famer in Kurt Warner and now a one-season wonder in former Browns signal-caller Derek Anderson. In hindsight, losing a quarterback battle to Warner is understandable, but losing out to Mr. Anderson (despite his select merits) is less so. Especially for a quarterback who won the Heisman Trophy at a program known for producing successful NFL players. But when you assume a job is yours and don't work for it, as Mr. Leinart did, you can never expect to remain employed for long. With the current NFL emphasizing work ethic and character, those few who believe themselves entitled to a position are quickly being winnowed out, as seen with former Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell and now Leinart. The USC man, however, has been significantly more fortunate than his LSU counterpart; while Leinart was signed by the Houston Texans to back up Matt Schaub a day after his release from Arizona, Mr. Russell has been arrested on charges of possession of codiene syrup (also known as "purple drink") and is still without a job.<br /><br />Meanwhile, Tom Brady has caused heads to shake with a comical haircut that has been relentlessly compared to teenage pop singer Justin Bieber (who, according to <a href="http://thebiglead.com"></a>, even personally voiced his appreciation for the new do). The Patriots star got into a car accident early this morning (maybe his overly long locks interfered with his vision), but was fortunately unharmed and attended practice later in the day. Fully taking Bieber's comments into account, I think New England's head coach Bill Belichick should force Brady to cut away his tresses. Long hair may work for Drew Brees of New Orleans, but this car accident should be enough of a red flag to prove that it does not do the same for Brady. I don't really have any grudge against long hair, but honestly, an endorsement from Justin Bieber is not positive press. If he doesn't cut it, perhaps an incident reminiscent of Troy Polamalu getting dragged down by his own mane (now insured for one million dollars) will convince Mr. Brady to return to his usual cleaner cut self.Matthew Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07821591050735570674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636645968349838922.post-23857398080146649272010-08-08T09:44:00.000-07:002010-08-08T11:19:32.990-07:00Hall of Fame Overshadowed by Training Camp FluAfter a pretty miserable Major League Baseball Hall of Fame class, I was interested to see who the NFL would bring into the Hall this year. Thankfully, they did not disappoint, with a 2010 draft class sporting multiple NFL record holders (perhaps the greatest wide receiver and running back of all all time in Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith, respectively) and one of the great innovators of the game in former Lions defensive back and Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Dick Lebeau. In case you didn't watch, rounding off the class were Floyd Little (nicknamed "The Franchise" and the first of Denver's many 1000 yard rushers), Rickey Jackson (who anchored one of the best albeit least winningest linebacker corps of all time in New Orleans before winning a Super Bowl with the 49'ers), John Randle (an undersized defensive end who record 137.5 sacks in his career, mostly with the Minnesota Vikings), and Russ Grimm (a member of the famous Hogs offensive line known for paving the way for multiple championship squads during Joe Gibbs' first stint as head coach). I wish I could say more, but most of these guys played before I was even born, so that somewhat feeble testament will have to stand for their much grander achievements.<br /><br />In the meantime, the typical off-season affliction has settled in to the NFL. We are tuning out the antics of the Bengal's latest celebrity couple in T.O. and Chad "Johnson", which could possibly even contest the Miami Heat's triumvirate of Chris Bosh, LeBron James, and Dwayne Wade as the year's biggest meeting of the egos. While there is little doubt that all players in either case are determined to win, the price of failure will be exponential for both of them. The NFL faithful (and the Bengals in particular) will simply havee to hope that Terrell Owens realizes he is actually on his last legs as a player. Unless he stays on in Cincy, I find it extremely difficult to believe anyone would take a flyer on T.O. with all the mileage and baggage that he's carrying. <br /><br />The 'Skins $100 million dollar man Albert Haynesworth also passed his fitness test (finally) after skipping/failing it multiple times due to a nagging swelling in his knee. This strangely comes after Haynesworth skipped all of the optional and mandatory OTA's due to his unhappiness with being forced to conform to head coach Mike Shanahan's 3-4 defensive scheme. Despite the fact that it would be indicative of his change of direction speed and the ability of his knee to resist stress, I personally find it difficult to discern what possible benefit the Redskins could get from making Haynesworth run a 300 yard wind sprint. Practically, when is he ever going to run for than 20 yards on any one play. I think this is Shanahan's way of exerting his influence over the biggest (and I mean that both literally and figuratively) headache that he has inherited from Washington owner Dan Snyder.<br /><br />Of course, the most commonly recognized symptom of Offseason influenza is Favre-watching. The 40 year-old quarterback recently announced that there is persistent pain in his ankle despite surgery following the completion of last season. In what has already been established as one of the league's most popular running gags, news spread last week that Favre allegedly texted teammate Visanthe Shiancoe that he had decided to retire. He, of course, denied sending any such message, citing that if his ankle was the only obstacle between him and playing for another season. In my opinion, Brett Favre has earned more right than anyone to waffle during the off-season, but we're honestly growing tired of this charade. So I have a suggestion for Brett: stay on the team until you decide to not return for good. No one will care how long it takes, really, as long as you don't keep the media in a frenzy every time someone suspects you're calling it quits.Matthew Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07821591050735570674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636645968349838922.post-48478689080874773642010-06-20T09:35:00.000-07:002010-06-20T12:17:51.963-07:00World Cup Fever Spreads Across the Globe, Strangles EuropeThere is a pandemic going through the world. For most, it is a euphoric sensation, but for some it is an affliction. But for some, WOrld Cup fever is a scourge. A second plague has swept through the continent of western Europe, the symptoms of which include a lack of creativity, uninspired athletic performance, and spasms of choking.<br /><br />The World Cup has been upon us for almost ten days now, and reactions to the goings-on in South Africa have been mixed to say the least. South America has greatly impressed with solid performances from Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay; to date, a South American team has yet to lose in this competition. After two slow starts, the United States rallied to draw both of their first group games against England and group leader Slovenia, and were only robbed of a victory in the second game by the as of yet unseen decision of Malian referee Koman Coulibaly to disallow the USA's third goal. So that he will be unable to committ another Great Goal Robbey, Mr. Coulibaly will likely no longer be the center referee in a match in this tournament thanks in part to his phantom call. <br /><br />Asia has generally shown what was expected of them: organized and disciplined teams that sometimes lack the offensive spark to accompany their defensive solidarity, but can sometimes pull off dramatic winners from the likes of Japan's Keisuke Honda, who scored brilliantly in their opening match against Cameroon with a cool finish across goal. Africa, hosting its first ever World Cup, have at times shone (the tournament's opening goal scored by South Africa's Siphiwe Tshabalala) while also sinking (the aforementioned Cameroon squad were officially made the first team eliminated following their losses to Japan and Denmark).<br /><br />But western Europe is in the stranglehold of their own expectations. Defending champions Italy are always known as slow starters, but their renowned defense is failing them. They have already given up two goals in two games against Paraguay and New Zealand, and were lucky to escape both contests with draws. New Zealand, a team that everyone expected the Italians to roll over and one that really only made the World Cup by the grace of Australia's charity (since the Socceroos flocked to the Asia qualifying group seeking better competition), managed to score first to take their only lead in their World Cup history. It was only erased by a soft penalty call in favor of Italy's Daniele de Rossi, which was then converted by Vincenzo Iaquinta. That gift of a goal kept Italy's hopes alive, unfortunately for anyone watching the tournament who is <strong><em>not</em></strong> a fan of the Azzuri (I, for one, am looking forward to a Round of 16 that does not include the cagey Italian style known as <em>calciopolli</em>).<br /><br />The much-hyped England squad has fallen flat on their faces with two less-than-convincing performances. They are a group of individuals wearing the same jersey; I think they have yet to prove to anyone that they are a real team. Assembling of superstars has historically only worked for Brazil, and despite all their efforts the English have not enjoyed anything close to that success. Yes, their players are great for their clubs, but that's because their teams make a habit of building around them. When Mssrs. Rooney, Gerrard, and Lampard are not the focal point of their team's attack but rather one of many parts, they are nowhere near as effective. It is understandable that they would not perform as well for England as they would at club level. But that still doesn't excuse the inept way in which they stumbled through the first two games. Let's face it, the only reason Emile Heskey is even on this team is because England boss Fabio Capello likes his contribution on <strong><em>defense</em></strong>. Yes, defense. His goalscoring record for England is abysmal (seven goals, and his aerial abilities and assets as a target man are not ideal. The striking partnership of Mr. Heskey and Wayne Rooney has done nothing, and the only thing stopping the English from starting 6'7" forward Peter Crouch is their own refusal to admit that they have become that one-dimensional. Trust me, England, you have. Forsake whatever little dignity you have left and start the Grouch with Rooney. It will improve your chances against Slovenia. <br /><br />Spain have yet to play their second game (tomorrow against Honduras) and their group (which also include Switzerland and Chile) would have appeared to be one of the easiest they could ask for. But after a shocking loss to the Swiss, the reigning champions of Europe have yet to display any killer intent in front of goal. While they have had chances aplenty, they failed to score in their opener. It's not to late to give up on Spain just yet, but anything less than back-to-back wins against Honduras and Chile will likely be a disappointment even if they do manage to advance. Spain have too much depth to not win out of their group.<br /><br />Despite a strong start in which they crushed the Aussies 4-0, Germany's momentum did not carry over as they fell 1-0 to Serbia. Klose was sent off in the 35th minute for a pair of harshly given yellow cards, and the seemingly ferocious German side were left toothless, unable to recover from a lone goal that would likely have been scored even if Klose had been on the field.<br /><br />If anyone thought those coutries were having problems, France tops the list. After two group games, the entire team is a disaster. After cussing and criticizing coach Raymond Domenech, forward Nicolas Anelka was sent home. Then, in a more recent incident, a fight between defender Patrice Evra and fitness coach Robert Duverne(which can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTjEQrge98g&feature=youtu.be) led to the resignation of French team director Jean-Louis Valentin and the boycotting of practice by the French team, who sent a letter explaining their actions and protesting the treatment of Mr. Anelka. Even though Anelka has a history of being a locker room cancer and acted unprofessionally in criticizing Domenech, it is clear where the loyalties of the French players lie. If anyone is keeping track, it's not with their coach. This team is a shadow what their talent would suggest, and Zinedine Zidane isn't around to save them this time.<br /><br />As for the United States, it is easy to blame the referee for ruining the Slovenia game. I will never ever believe that there was anything illegitimate about that goal or the play leading up to it, except for perhaps the mauling administered to every American player except goalscorer Maurice Edu. But the fact remains that the team is at fault for putting themselves in a hole to begin with. Right now, the USA is a second-half soccer team. That's not a good thing. They will have to put together a whole game before they can prove their readiness for the knockout stages. <br /><br /><strong>Sources:</strong><br /><br />http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5isPNP4bqOGXuKi6aaOat9InZGzSAD9GF38PO0Matthew Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07821591050735570674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636645968349838922.post-10418846167671652772010-04-22T11:53:00.000-07:002010-04-22T12:35:26.833-07:00Big Trade For Big Ben?Tonight will be the the first ever primetime NFL draft. Unlike previous years, tonight's show will only feature the first round. And with no first overall pick (held by the St. Louis Rams) yet to be determined, the anticipation is as high as ever. <br /><br />The 'Skins have essentially eliminated the speculation that they would take a quarterback by mercifully ending Donovan McNabb's up-and-down decade in Philly, a city he will curiously revisit next year in a watered down rendition of Brett Favre's return to Green Bay as a Viking. That has cast Jimmy Clausen's draft position into serious doubt since Sam Bradford still holds the #1 spot in the eyes of most analysts. But given the interest shown by the Rams and Raiders in troubled Steelers passer Ben Roethlisberger (who just got handed a six game suspension by commissioner Roger Goodell for repeated violations of the league's misconduct policy), I have more than once entertained the idea of a blockbuster trade: the #1 overall pick and perhaps some extra picks for Mr. Roethlisberger. <br /><br />Given the huge investment in guaranteed funds awarded to whoever has the increasingly dubious distinction of being the first overall pick, it may even be beneficial to the Rams to sign a proven veteran in Roethlisberger who is already tied to a longer deal. Sure, they might not get to play him or even have him in practice for several weeks, by St. Louis is in full-scale rebuilding mode. Getting a 2-time Super Bowl winner in Roethlisberger is more certain to me than committing their future to, say, Sam Bradford. <br /><br />In return, Pittsburgh could draft Bradford, or they could trade down and possibly get Jimmy Clausen later in the draft. It is difficult for me to imagine anyone in the top five picks choosing a quarterback, since they all have high-priced signal-callers already. So I could see the Steelers maneuvering down to the sixth or seventh overall selection so that either Seattle or Cleveland could nab Bradford with the first pick. Then Pittburgh could go with Jimmy Clausen (the last famous Notre Dame quarterback to play for them was Super Bowl MVP Terry Bradshaw, after all) and still have the bargaining power of their later first round pick. There are few better places for a young quarterback than Pittsburgh, who have a dominant defense and usually a dependable running attack. <br /><br />As for Roethlisberger, I am of the opinion that a six game suspension for his misconduct was harsh, although in keeping with the history of Commissioner Goodell. I understand that it is important for Mr. Goodell to be consistent in his punishments in order to show that no player is above the misconduct policy and I wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment, but given that no charges were levied against Mr. Roethlisberger I believe that a one or two game suspension would have been sufficient. His former teammate Santonio Holmes (who was traded from the Steel City to the New York Jets for a paltry fifth-round draft pick) was only suspended four games by the league for repeated substance abuse violations. Suspending a player who has not been found guilty of any crime goes beyond the sensibilities of just punishment, especially in a 16 game NFL season where the first six games can make or break a team's season.Matthew Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07821591050735570674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636645968349838922.post-11209938796959682392010-04-02T04:27:00.000-07:002010-04-02T05:01:31.812-07:00Philly's Quarterback QuandryOne of the most dramatic stories of this young off-season has been the rumors surrounding Eagles signal-caller Donovan McNabb. News has circulated the NFL community that Philly is allegedly willing to deal the 10-year quarterback (selected with the second overall pick in the 1999 Draft), with the most likely potential suitors being the Oakland Raiders, Buffalo Bills and St. Louis Rams.<br /><br />It is beyond this blogger's imagination as to why Mr. McNabb would even want to stay in Philidelphia, given the decade of mistreatment and disrespect shown to him by the organization and, to a much greater degree, the notoriously fickle Philidelphia fanbase. McNabb was famously booed by Philly fans when he was drafted (what a vote of confidence), and despite taking the Eagles to a Super Bowl and numerous NFC Championship games, the man still gets abused by the Philly faithful (a misnomer if there ever was one) who clamor for his release annually to the point that I expect some noise to come from Philly every off-season. It has become almost as routine as Brett Favre's flip-flopping on retirement, but much less amusing given that the Philly fans are hardly McNabb fans at all. Until he wins, at least. Even then, their loyalty isn't won for long; after they lose a couple games, the entire city goes back to sulking about a new quarterback. <br /><br />Mr. McNabb's stats throughout his career are even more impressive considering that his only quality target in the passing game until the drafting of DeSean Jackson (only two years ago) was Terrell Owens, who was only there for a year before the relationship between him and McNabb disintegrated. Even now, I would be willing to bet that there are still some people in Philly who wish that T.O. had stayed with the Eagles and not McNabb.<br /><br />As for his value in a trade, I would feel that despite McNabb's quality as a franchise quarterback, his injury concerns and age leave questions concerning his longevity. As such, he should merit a second or third round pick in this year's draft. I would suggest that Buffalo, who have struggled to find a playmaking quarterback for years, line up with the 41st overall selection. Who knows, maybe Andy Reid could nab Tim Tebow at that spot. Then Philly could have another quarterback to poke fun at for a decade.Matthew Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07821591050735570674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636645968349838922.post-72248879948406206982010-03-04T05:37:00.000-08:002010-03-04T05:38:21.253-08:00Bears Should Look to Make A Splash In Free Agency; Draft Prospects Are LimitedThe Chicago Bears of recent years have not been known as a team to dole out hard currency to high-priced free agents; most of their present impact players have been acquired through the NFL Draft or—in the case of quarterback Jay Cutler—trades for draft picks. Previous free agent ventures by the current regime, including safeties Mike Brown and Adam Archuleta, have not panned out; Hall of Fame left tackle Orlando Pace—Chicago’s most recent free agent acquisition from last offseason—was released last week after only one year with the club, moving third year tackle Chris Williams back to the left side and opening another potential gap in an already inconsistent offensive line that has struggled to find bookend tackles.<br /> <br />The Bears have also released defensive end Mark Anderson, who after a successful rookie season failed to live up to expectations for three unproductive years in the Midway. Coupled with the untimely and tragic death of defensive end Gaines Adams (for whom the Bears gave up a second round pick to Tampa) and numerous injuries across the defense, the Bears’ depth on that side of the ball is being strained to its limit. <br /> <br />According to they typical modus operandi of the Chicago front office, these problems would be resolved through draft picks. For the most part, the Bears have picked well in the early rounds, especially on defense (Brian Urlacher, Tommie Harris, and Lance Briggs anyone?) and have played their cards well when drafting with lower picks as well (cornerback Charles Tillman and wideout Johnny Knox, just to name a few). Unfortunately, the first pick Chicago has in this year’s Draft is the 75th overall selection in the third round. Given the high talent level of this year’s class, it is hardly inconceivable to believe the Bears cannot get a solid player out of these picks, but they are missing out on a premier star in their first round pick (11th overall, traded to Denver as part of the Cutler deal).<br /> As such, it is imperative that the Bears scrap their typical frugal ways and try to land a big pickup in the free agent market. Early events indicate they are on the right track; personnel officials from Chicago met with representatives of Carolina’s star pass rusher Julius Peppers at the Combine. Peppers is expected to fetch a high price as a free agent, and would likely be a great fit for the Bears by adding a fearsome pass rush to a defensive front that already includes seasoned veteran Adewale Ogunleye. But given that Peppers’ other suitors include the likes of the Patriots and Eagles, the Bears will likely have to offer up a lot of money to even lure Mr. Peppers away from Carolina. If their trend of thriftiness continues, this early meeting may be as far as any negotiations go.<br /> <br />If Peppers does not sign, the market instantly becomes smaller. It seems that by all accounts linebackers Karlos Dansby (of the Arizona Cardinals) and Gary Brackett (from the Indianapolis Colts) will be retained by their respective teams. And because Brian Urlacher is also expected to return fully healthy after sitting out a season after having surgery on a dislocated wrist, the chances of the Bears signing a middle linebacker seem slim to none. <br /> <br />A veteran running back to compete with and spell Matt Forte could also be highly beneficial to the Bears offense. There are certainly plenty of them to pick from, whether it be Thomas Jones (whose previous stint in Chicago culminated in a Super Bowl appearance), LaDainian Tomlinson (or his Chargers teammate Darren Sproles), or Chester Taylor from the NFC North rival Minnesota Vikings. All of these could offer a complement to Forte, particularly in a time that is being defined partially by a two-runner backfield. Since Mr. Forte already has the ability to catch out of the backfield, a more pure runner would add a new dimension to the Bears offense, a power running element Chicago hasn’t seen since the departure of Mr. Jones. Kevin Faulk and Brian Westbrook are also potential targets, but are more similar than complementary to Forte.<br /><br />Since my hopes of a Brandon Marshall trade have effectively been dashed by the franchise tag placed upon him, the Bears could end up looking for a veteran receiver. Torry Holt and Terrell Owens could be intriguing prospects in this regard; both are reaching the age where most receivers start to slow down, but anemic offenses in Buffalo and Jacksonville were more to blame for their lack of production last year than any individual declines. If nothing else, they would be a steadying presence in the receiving corps until Johnny Knox or another younger guy is ready to assume the mantle of Jay Cutler’s #1 target. <br /><br />The Bears could also use help at safety, where they have lacked a true impact player for years. Darren Sharper, who helped turn the New Orleans Saints into a champion last season and finished the year leading the NFL with nine interceptions (three of which were returned for touchdowns), could bring another veteran leader to the Bears in the backfield as well as his natural ball skills. Mr. Sharper is also familiar with the NFC North, having played previously for the Minnesota Vikings before going to New Orleans.<br /><br />Stocking up on older players may not seem to be the most appealing option given the recent misfortunes of free agent laden clubs like the Washington Redskins, but the Bears have few other options at this point and the uncertainty over a new collective bargaining agreement has loomed large amidst rumors of an uncapped year. If they want to be competitive, the Bears simply need more talent, and one or two free agents could be the missing pieces to help revive the Monsters of the Midway.Matthew Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07821591050735570674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636645968349838922.post-65491588774348981932010-02-27T16:24:00.000-08:002010-02-27T17:25:03.391-08:00Black And Blue & Passing TooThe arrival of Mike Martz is more than a move to revive one of last year's most disappointing offenses in Chicago (not that too much was expected of a talented but still young quarterback, a group of fledgling receivers, and a sophomore running back supported by a mediocre offensive line). It was an an omen. A harbinger of the end of the run-first mentality of the NFC North that has led to its nickname: the "Black and Blue Division". <br /><br />Following last season, it seems apparent that the Bears are no longer going to resist one of the league's new trends. Despite head coach Lovie Smith's insistence that they would stick to the running game, Chicago quarterback Jay Cutler threw the ball 555 times last season. Admittedly, that's not as many as Mr. Cutler threw last year in Denver (616), but 90 more than Bronco and former Bear Kyle Orton threw in his final year in the Midway. For the sake of comparisons (and to show a reason for Cutler's seemingly frantic number of pass attempts in 2008), Mr. Orton attempted 541 passes for Denver last season.<br /><br />The Bears had little success running the ball last year due to a sophomore slump by Matt Forte, who came off one of the best rookie years in the history of the Chicago Bears and the NFL in which he personally accounted for one third of his teams all-purpose yardage from the line of scrimmage. An ailing defense further aggravated the situation and forced Cutler to throw in situations that he had no business throwing in. This, combined with inexperienced receivers and inconsistent line play, led to Mr. Cutler being sacked 35 times and throwing 26 interceptions last year (he led the NFL in the latter category). Not a good recipe for success, despite the flourishing of passing offenses in the last few years.<br /><br />The Bears are hardly the only member of the NFC North to have scrapped the running game in some form or another. Green Bay hasn't had a dominant runner in years, since before Mike Holmgren instituted the West Coast offense and established the Brett Favre era. It wasn't until the breakthrough of Ryan Grant that the 2007 Packers even had a bona fide rushing threat. And even with Grant's emergence, they have still relied on Favre (and now his replacement Aaron Rodgers, who has somehow engineered one the league's best offenses despite a terrible offensive line) to put up points and win games.<br /><br />The Vikings are the latest beneficiaries of Mr. Favre's prowess; Brad Childress' system in Minnesota is essentially the same offense that Favre ran in Green Bay. And even though Minnesota has one dominant back in Adrian Peterson and another quality rusher in Chester Taylor, #4 still attempted 531 passes (only four less than he threw for the running back-less 2007 Packers). In the end, it was Favre's arm that won games for Green Bay, not Peterson or Taylor's legs. The only reason they got away with it is because every defense in the league is still afraid of the the threat of Adrian Peterson.<br /><br />But perhaps the lamest team in the division has been the Detroit Lions, whose only excuse for their high passing numbers has been their otherwise awful performance. Mike Martz may be renowned as a passing fanatic, but Marshall Faulk is remembered as much for his rushing ability as he is for his ability to catch the football. When Martz's teams have been good, he has allowed a greater degree of rushing into the gameplan. But in the two years that Jon Kitna was in Detroit, he averaged 579 passes a season. Things haven't improved with Kitna's departure; in the ten games new Lions signal-caller Matthew Stafford played last year, he threw 377 passes. Had he played all sixteen games and continued throwing at that rate, he would have had just over 600 passes on the season.<br /><br />As sad as it sounds, the NFC North is bucking a trend; while many teams have developed their passing games into precise and lethal machines, poor play has made the Black and Blue division flounder, caught transitioning too late to the new era of pass-first professional football.<br /><br /><em>All stats are courtesy of www.nfl.com.</em>Matthew Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07821591050735570674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636645968349838922.post-3961349990893945212010-02-11T14:20:00.000-08:002010-02-11T15:28:22.788-08:00Super Bowl, Super UpsetSo the Saints won the Super Bowl; I can get that out of the way early. The celebration is probably still going on right now, four days later. Congratulations to New Orleans, which now has its first Lombardi Trophy and departs from the sad fraternity of clubs who have yet to win a championship. The four teams still in that Hall of Shame are Cleveland and Detroit (the league's perennial whipping boys) as well as Jacksonville and Houston, two of the newest expansion teams around. It has only been recently that those two teams could even make a run at the division, and it has been tough sledding given the regular season dominance of the Indianapolis Colts.<br /><br />It is rather fitting that the Saints won when many of the pundits and fans (myself included) picked them to do down in defeat. But as much as they would like to reflect on this magical year, the new season (and a new decade of football) starts now. New Orleans will have to be wary; the target is on their back now, and given that they are not used to such victories the threat of a Super Bowl hangover will loom large. And despite the fact that the 'hangover effect' tends to harm the losers of the Super Bowl more than the winners (such as the Chicago Bears in 2007 and this year's off-and-on Arizona Cardinals), I think the Colts are the one team in the league best equipped to deal with a loss. They have already said they are going to use this year's loss as motivation, and I believe they will take the league by storm next year.<br /><br /><strong>Play of the Game:</strong> Tracy Porter's interception, which was returned for a touchdown and came just as the Colts were marching downfield what what could have been an equalizing score. Instead, it basically put the game out of reach for Indy.<br /><br /><strong>Player of the Game:</strong> Drew Brees. A real shocker, I know. But the fact remains that he tied Tom Brady's record for the most completions in a Super Bowl game (with 32) and led the Saints to their first-ever Super Bowl. It would be an insult to name anyone else.Matthew Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07821591050735570674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636645968349838922.post-11994473022676285232010-02-06T08:20:00.000-08:002010-02-06T08:22:46.684-08:00Martz Arrives in the MidwayThe Chicago Bears have decided to shake things up by hiring offensive guru Mike Martz—who engineered one of the greatest offenses in NFL history—as their new offensive coordinator last week. Comments on the Bears website have been mixed to say the least, with some claiming that Martz’s hire will compound the Bears’ current offensive woes. Given the team’s desperate need for receiving talent, they may be right. <br />I prayed during last year’s offseason that the Bears would not only trade for Jay Cutler but also give a second round pick to the Denver Broncos for receiver Brandon Marshall who, despite the promise Johnny Knox and Devin Aromashadu have shown this season, would be an instant upgrade over the other Bears wideouts based on talent alone (without even mentioning his previous experience with Cutler). Unfortunately, that trade didn’t go through, and now everything is peachy in Denver between Marshall and Josh McDaniels.<br /><br />I honestly hope that Martz can help the Bears get better, but it’s hard to see this as anything more that a contradiction of philosophies. As if Bears fans needed more proof that Lovie Smith is throwing in the towel for the running game despite his insistent calls for sticking with the run, Chicago hires a coach infamous for his offensive philosophy which, in a nutshell, resembles “pass first, pass later, then pass some more”. Admittedly, Martz’s system performed superbly in St. Louis (where they have been 18-51 since his departure from the head coaching position), where it was hailed as the “Greatest Show on Turf”. But the current Chicago Bears do not compare favorably to a Rams squad that featured a franchise tackle in Orlando Pace (who is on the Bears roster but a shadow of his former self), two fantastic receivers in Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt, and a Hall of Fame tailback in Marshall Faulk, proving that the system is not a panacea for the Bears. Significant funds must be invested in the offense before the real results can be shown. <br /><br />In the meantime, I fear the Bears may end up looking like the Detroit Lions of 2006-07, who were among the league leaders in passing yardage but had little to show for their productivity. I have no doubt that Cutler is a superior player to Jon Kitna, but he has already led the league in interceptions once. May Bears fans pray that he doesn’t do it again.Matthew Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07821591050735570674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636645968349838922.post-34298647383868101772010-02-02T11:11:00.000-08:002010-02-02T11:43:08.572-08:00Super Bowl Will Come Down to the Wire: Who Will Win & WhyLast week, I was frightened that the New York Jets would topple Peyton Manning's Indianapolis Colts and shatter my hopes for Mr. Manning's second Super Bowl appearance. Gang Green went into the halftime break leading Indy 17-13 after two huge plays by Mark Sanchez propelled them to quick scores. But Manning asserted himself once again as the master of second-half adjustments, stealing the breath from the Jets just as the second half started. Rex Ryan's defense, which looked promising in the first half after having put Peyton on his back several times in the first two quarters, was powerless to stop the Colts pass attack. High class cover man Darrelle Revis, who covered receiver Reggie Wayne for most of the contest, could do nothing to help his teammates, who proceeded to get picked apart by the illustrious and meticulous Mr. Manning. <br /><br />Once the Colts had gained the lead, the game was as good as won. No one is better than Peyton at extending drives by getting just enough inches to move the chains and running the clock down to only a few seconds before getting off the play he wants. Not only that, but Indy's defense, which prides itself on fast players that excel at rushing the passer and swarming to the ball, is meant to play with the lead.<br /><br />It is because of Peyton's second-half magic and the speed of the Colts defense that Indy will claim their second Lombardi Trophy of the decade on Sunday. Colts defensive end Robert Mathis has said that fellow pass rusher Dwight Freeney plans to play despite a Grade 3 sprain in his right ankle; even at less than 100%, Mr. Freeney is such a force on the defensive line that his mere presence will draw the Saints game plan away from Mr. Mathis, who can thrive against a single blocker and will surely get to New Orleans signal-caller Drew Brees early and often. All the Colts defense has to do is buy enough time for Manning to get into rythym, for while he sometimes starts slowly he always finds his receivers in the second half. <br /><br />As good as New Orleans is (and they are fantastic, having convincingly beaten a stalwart team in Brett Favre's Minnesota Vikings), they are playing in their first Super Bowl ever. It cannot be stressed enough how much pressure is being put on this team right now, despite the fact that they may well be the worse of the two teams competing in Miami. There is nothing left to help the Saints anymore. They are not at home (and are thus bereft of the full support of the "Who Dat" nation), they are playing outside (a stark contrast to the Superdome that they call home), and they are playing against the most consistent and playoff-hardened team of the decade. Their march stops on Sunday. Colts win, 30-24.Matthew Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07821591050735570674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636645968349838922.post-20707074782416095742010-01-22T18:24:00.000-08:002010-01-22T18:56:49.869-08:00Super Bowl Picks: NFC ChampionSunday will feature one of the best pairs of football games in a long time: a group of battle-tested veterans against this year's Cinderella story, a tremendously balanced and dominant club against an offensive juggernaut carrying the hopes of a city and a franchise on its shoulders.<br /><br /><strong>NFC: Minnesota Vikings @ New Orleans Saints</strong><br /><br />Both of these teams are in relatively new territory. The Vikings have struggled for the better part of the decade after being knocked out of contention in 1998, when they were heavy favorites to win the Super Bowl. Despite lacking all of the top-shelf offensive talent they had that year (namely two shoe-in Hall of Fame receivers in Cris Carter and Randy Moss), Brett Favre has managed to make Sidney Rice and Visanthe Shiancoe into Pro Bowl players. The superb defensive line, anchored by pass rusher Jared Allen and run stuffers Pat and Kevin Williams (not to mention Ray Edwards, who had three sacks last week against Dallas before leaving the game with an injured knee), has been performing admirably in shutting down opposing offenses, giving help to a depleted by respondent secondary that is only featuring star corner Antoine Winfield as the nickel back. Minnesota seems to have just the right blend of firepower and defensive stoutness to win it all.<br /><br />But for all the pressure on the Men in Purple, they are not in the same territory as their opponents. The New Orleans Saints, who have been one of the lone bright spots for the past four years in a city one devastated by Hurricane Katrina, managed to make the NFC Championship once before in 2006, when they had to travel to a frozen Soldier field and face a powerful Bears defensive unit. But now the Saints are in a position they have never been in before: they have home field advantage in an NFC Championship game, and their team has all the talent needed to win it all. Everyone knows about Drew Brees and his plethora of receivers, who have been struggling to win games singlehandedly over the first years of coach Sean Payton's tenure. This year, however, with the additions of defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and safety Darren Sharper (who signed with New Orleans as a free agent from Minnesota), the Saints defense has made play after play despite letting up occasional big scores.<br /><br />The recipe for a Super Bowl victory is there for both clubs, but only one can advance. This may well be one of the best matchups of the year, as both the Vikings and the Saints have tremendous balance. But Brett Favre's magic won't be enough to save Minnesota, and neither will their defense, which has yet to face a challenge as seemingly insurmountable as the Saints offense. That being said, New Orleans has to remember that this defense is not the Arizona Cardinals, so the chances of Reggie Bush (or any Saints back, for that matter) finding open gaps will be significantly reduced. In what I think will be the better of the two games on Sunday, I pick the Saints to win, 28-14.Matthew Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07821591050735570674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636645968349838922.post-53843732830554250262010-01-17T09:08:00.001-08:002010-01-19T10:06:01.642-08:00Show Some Love for Gang GreenFor almost a half century, the crowning moment in the history of the New York Jets has been one game: Joe Namath's infamously guaranteed victory against the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III. Seemingly ever since, they Jets have been the most maligned team in the league, constantly in the shadow of their rival New York Giants, who have one three championships in the last 25 years. Sometimes, they were bad enough that some may have considered their nickname (Gang Green) to be more likenable to an infectious disease, a plague that needed to be purged from the NFL scene.<br /><br />Sure, the Jets and Giants may not play each other very often (they're not even in the same conference), but they are definitely rivals in every other sense of the word. In what other region are there two NFL teams to root for in such close proximity, both competing for the adoration of a city as well as for Super Bowl rings? The closest you get in San Francisco/Oakland, but even those two teams are separated by a bay. The fans of the winning team get to gloat and show their colors at work or at school, their club having earned them bragging rights for the rest of the year.<br /><br />At least, that's how it should be. But the cascading spiral of mediocrity that has been the New York Jets over the past 41 years hasn't shown consistency in keeping and fostering their talent, leading to occasional winning seasons puncturing a culture of high expectations and an inability to reach the playoffs. Even when the Jets did secure a playoff berth, they have not been to a Super Bowl since the days of 'Broadway Joe' Namath.<br /><br />Since Namath's departure, the Jets have not had a true franchise quarterback. Boomer Esiason couldn't win in green despite going to two Super Bowls in Cincinnati. Vinny Testaverde, in two seperate stints with the team, led the Jets to an AFC Championship game in his first year but only played significantly in two of the seasons he was signed to the team. The Jets then signed Chad Pennington, whose nagging injuries and inability to throw deep proved to be his demise in the swirling winds of the Meadowlands. Then head coach Eric Mangini then decided to take a flyer on Brett Favre, who came out of retirement to have a Pro Bowl year despite throwing as many interceptions as touchdowns.<br /><br />But the new administration had other plans. Following Favre's second retirement, the Jets hired Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan as their new head coach, and drafted USC quarterback Mark Sanchez with the fifth overall pick. Along with a proven defensive scheme, Ryan has brought with him a swagger that the Jets have lacked since receiver Keyshaun Johnson played for the club.<br /><br />Gang Green certainly has a lot going for them head into their game against the San Diego Chargers. They boast the #1 total defense in the entire league over the regular season despite losing starting nose guard Kris Jenkins to a knee injury, most prominently featuring defensive end Shaun Ellis, linebacker David Harris and shutdown corner Darrelle Revis. They also have an offensive line with three Pro Bowlers in left tackle D'Brickishaw Ferguson, left guard Alan Faneca, and center Nick Mangold, comprising one of the highest paid lines in the league. Veteran runner Thomas Jones, who eclipsed the 1,300-yard mark this year, is accompanied by rookie third-rounder and former Iowa Hawkeye Shonn Greene. Perhaps more importantly, the Jets have some momentum coming off a strong win against the Bengals on Wild Card Weekend. The mettle of their team will be tested against San Diego, who will almost certainly pack the box and force Mark Sanchez to throw. But that's what Cincinnati did last week, and New York persevered.<br /><br />So raise your heads and break out the green jerseys, Jets fans. Your team is back.Matthew Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07821591050735570674noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636645968349838922.post-26187839589309127552009-12-27T15:00:00.001-08:002009-12-31T04:51:06.313-08:00Saying Goodbye to the 2000's In StyleAs the end of the decade draws near, so too does the end of a decade of football that will surely go down in NFL lore as one of the greatest in history. The New England Patriots carved out what was probably the first dynasty in the era of free agency, the Steelers reached the record mark of six Super Bowl victories to eclipse the records set by the San Francisco 49'ers and Dallas Cowboys. In a decade of miracle comebacks and amazing victories, I am counting down the most significant trends and events (to me) that have taken place over the past decade.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:180%;">You Know When You Were An NFL Fan In the 2000's When</span></strong><br /><br /><strong>7.</strong> <strong>Two records for consecutive wins were set:</strong> The Indianapolis Colts have only last month set a new record for the longest consecutive regular season winning streak, which spanned over two years and 21 games. Indy broke that record against the Jacksonville Jaguars to stay undefeated this season, expanding on a 12 game winning streak started last year. But this week against the Jets they ended their quest for what only one team has managed in this decade: a perfect regular season. The 2007 Patriots made history as the first team to have an undefeated regular season in the history of the 16-game season (the '72 Dolphins undefeated record was still during the time of a 14-game season). In that season, Tom Brady also broke a record held by Peyton Manning, but I'll get to that later.<br /><br /><strong>6. You witnessed the rise of the prima donna receiver:</strong> While prima donna receivers have always existed in the league and many arose in the 1990s (see Michael Irvin and Terrell Owens), the increased level of passing has given momentum to a new age of flashy, entertaining wideouts. The aforementioned T.O., the player formerly known as Chad Johnson, and Randy Moss have made their mark on this decade with controversy almost constantly in their wake, whether in their remarks (Owens and Johnson being the most notable repeat offenders) and their antics on or off the field (from Moss "mooning" Lambeau Field and T.O.'s popcorn stunt to Johnson's faux Hall of Fame jacket and customized cleats). The careers of these three receivers have ranged at varying points between good (T.O. before his mouth gets him in trouble and Randy Moss with the Vikings or the Patriots), bad (T.O. in Buffalo, Johnson when he has no Carson Palmer), and ugly (Moss's terrible time in Oakland and the accusations of taking plays off both there and elsewhere). The good news for these three is that they usually walk the walk as well as talk the talk.<br /><br /><strong>5. Your punter is from Australia:</strong> Having a punter from down under is not quite a fad just yet, but their style of kicking (which consists of a drop punt that almost hits the nose of the ball) has been brought to national attention due to its undeniable effectiveness. The coffin corner punters of old have been all but wiped out (with Jeff Feagles of the New York Giants being the last such punter of renown) and the Aussies have provided the next breakthrough in punting. While the number of Australians actually in the NFL remains small at only three--Ben Graham of the Arizona Cardinals, Sav Rocca of the Philadelphia Eagles and Mat McBriar of the Dallas Cowboys--their kicking style has permeated throughout the NFL thanks to the efforts of Darren Bennett, a former San Diego Charger credited as the first Australian NFL punter and the first to use the drop kick. From Bennett, many American punters have also picked up the style, and many of them are counted among the best in the league: Mike Scifres of San Diego, Shane Lechler of Oakland, and Hunter Smith (who won a Super Bowl with Indianapolis) in Washington. This may well be on the same magnitude of change as the introduction of soccer-style placekicking, which changed the game in the 1970s and has now become an NFL regularity.<br /><br /><strong>4. The Madden Curse brought misfortune to your favorite player:</strong> Ever since Garrison Hearst became the first player to appear on the cover of the <em>Madden</em> football simulation game in 1999, cover athletes for the game have been plagued by poor play or injuries. Thus the so-called "Madden curse" has become a cultural phenomenon over the past decade. In 2005, after Michael Vick's photo graced the cover of Madden, he suffered a fracture in his leg that caused him to miss the first eleven games of the season. Next year's cover athlete Donovan McNabb suffered a sports hernia and missed a large chuck of the season. Shaun Alexander, MVP of the 2006 season and the <em>Madden 2007</em> featured athlete, suffered a rash of injuries the year after that essentially ended his career. Vince Young made the cover after winning Rookie of the Year honors, but was benched early in the next season for Kerry Collins. Brett Favre, found on the cover of the 2009 edition of the game, had a rough second half of the 2008-09 season after it was revealed that he had torn the biceps in his throwing arm. Even though he didn't miss a game, he ended the season with 23 interceptions (equaling his season total for touchdowns) and no playoff berth. The most recent installment of <em>Madden</em> featured two athletes--Cardinals wideout Larry Fitzgerald and Steelers safety Tryo Polamalu; while Polamalu has been injured for almost all this season, Fitzgerald has struggled to maintain his productivity with inconsistent play from Arizona's quarterback, whether it's been Kurt Warner or Matt Leinart. Thus the curse continues to pervade the league, and I feel for whatever poor soul is on it next year.<br /><br /><br /><strong>3.</strong> <strong>Your team kicked it to Devin Hester:</strong> Despite his removal from his customary role as a return man, Hester is still one of the most feared returners in the league. I don't think any Bears fan will forget his first two seasons in the league, in which he returned a combined twelve kickoffs and punts for scores (not even including the opening kickoff of the Super Bowl his rookie season). Keep in mind that the Bears drafted Hester in the second round specifically for his return ability, and he paid dividends instantly. His contribution was no clearer than during the infamous Monday Night game against the Arizona Cardinals, in which he returned a kickoff for a touchdown to spur the Bears to a 24-21 victory in which their offense scored no points. Let that sink in. Zero points from the epically up-and-down Rex Grossman. Imagine that. As if the game wasn't already a classic, it inspired on of the game's greatest sound-bytes in then Cards head coach Dennis Green's "They are who we thought they were," rant.<br /><br /><br />But while Hester may be the best punt returner in the league, he has some serious competition for the title of best kickoff returner. Cleveland Browns return man Joshua Cribbs recently set the record for the most career kickoff returns for touchdowns with eight, and continues to thrive while Hester has essentially been replaced on the Chicago special team by fellow standout Danieal Manning. But since there was a period where almost no one in the league kicked to Hester (except for Broncos punter Todd Sauerbrun, who paid for the same mistake twice), he gets the nod from me over Mr. Cribbs as the best overall returner. Congratulations to Cribbs, however, who is now in my opinion the best kickoff returner of the decade.<br /><br /><br /><strong>2. Brett Favre started every regular season game:</strong> Since Peyton Manning has also started every regular season game this decade, it would be unfair to not mention him here, but the spotlight deserves to go to Brett Favre, whose streak of consecutive starts remains unbroken in the realm of 285 consecutive games (in a very non-scientific equation, assuming Favre plays half of an hour long game, he has played a total of 5.8 days playing pro football). That's 140 hours of game play, not even counting the rest of the three-plus hour broadcast. That's nuts. After 20 years of pro football, Farve looks more like 60 than 40, and his persisting ability to play at such a high level is miraculous. With surgery to repair the torn bicep in his throwing arm that he suffered last year, Favre has continued his streak with great aplomb and led Minnesota to victory in their division. The Vikings may have lost three of their last four games, but Favre is still having one of his best seasons ever.<br /><br /><strong>1.</strong> <strong>The record that could never be broken was broken...twice:</strong> When Dan Marino set the record for passing touchdowns and yardage in 1982, it was hailed as a record that would never be broken (to put it in perspective, Marino's 48 touchdowns that season equated to 3 a game on average which as any NFL fan should know are miraculous numbers). That was until two lock-in Hall of Fame quarterbacks--Peyton Manning and Tom Brady--came into the league. In 2003, Manning's Colts terrorized opposing defenses with a meticulous and seemingly unstoppable passing game; not only did Manning break Marino's touchdown record, he also snapped Steve Young's record for the highest season-long quarterback rating, which almong with his co-MVP status (shared with the late Steve McNair) proves his tremendous consistency through that season. Their season was ended by the Super Bowl bound Patriots in the AFC Championship game, and seems to have been a changing of the guard. While Manning, who had made his name on gaudy stats and big game meltdowns, won a championship in 2006, the blue-collar mentality was lost to Brady's Patriots, who became reliant on their quarterback's arm. Mr. Brady, who had been praised as the star quarterback with no weapons, had an offensive explosion in 2007 when the Pats decided to resuccitate Randy Moss from his Oakland doldrums. Moss repaid their faith with 23 receiving scores, almost half of Brady's record-breaking 50 touchdown passes. Once again, however, the season for the MVP ended in disappointment as New England fell to the New York Giants in the Super Bowl. Their performances also helped to define the explosion of the NFL passing game that has occured through the past few seasons.Matthew Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07821591050735570674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636645968349838922.post-59323672946691144132009-12-19T18:14:00.001-08:002009-12-19T19:56:55.064-08:00MVP Race Down to the WireIn what will surely be remembered in NFL lore as the era of offensive explosion for quarterbacks, the last few years have signalled the NFL's encouragement of the passing game. This year, the ridiculous amount of passing has come to a head with three juggernauts of the modern game competing for MVP. In case you've been living under a rock for the past fourteen weeks, here's the lowdown on the race for Most Valuable Player (in order of their worthiness in my eyes):<br /><br /><strong>1. Peyton Manning (QB, Indianapolis):</strong> No single player means more and does more for their team as an individual than Peyton Manning, whose religious studying habits, thorough football intelligence, and laser-accurate arm have guided them to their current undefeated status. Despite injuries to receiver Anthony Gonzalez, Peyton has made stars out of rookies Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie, who have 100 catches between them for 1332 yards and 11 scores through Week 15. Combined with the always potent tandem of Reggie Wayne and tight end Dallas Clark, Manning's high-octane offense has dominated despite being at the bottom of the league in rushing yards. The hallmark of a great player is the ability to execute even when every opponent knows what's coming, and everyone who plays the Colts knows that Peyton is going to get the ball. Most importantly of all, he is still undefeated.<br /><br /><strong>2. Brett Favre (QB, Minnesota):</strong> I don't think anyone expected the Vikings to be as dominant as they have been this year, thanks in large part to the stunning play of Brett Favre. The former Green Bay Gunslinger has reformed himself into the Minnesota Miracle Man by taking care of the football and allowing Minnesota's plethora of talent to be unleashed. Sidney Rice and Visanthe Shiancoe have been turned into Pro Bowl players, and Favre's surprising health even at age 40 has defied all odds. And for all the talk of how he has revamped his style of play, Brett has still shown his ability to make the long, game-winning throws. His stats (27 scores and only 6 picks) are incredible, especially at the ripe old age of fourty. His only knocks are his record (they have 2 losses) and the exceptional talent of the Vikings offense; while he may be the biggest piece (with Adrian Peterson as a close second), Favre is still a cog in the Minnesota team.<br /><br /><strong>3. Drew Brees (QB, New Orleans):</strong> It's hard to imagine that the man who was leading the league in touchdown passes coming into Week 15 being third on an MVP list, but I honestly think this is where Brees belongs. Sure, his team is undefeated, but the Saints' starting lineup is much less compromised than the Colts' and Brees lacks Brett Favre's argument for age (not only that, but Brees was already established in the Saints offense while Favre came out of his second retired stint just after the end of training camp). But give Mr. Brees some credit; he is a superb playmaker who has willed his team to many improbable and superb victories. But that being said, he's not my pick for MVP.<br /><br />These three front-runners aside, other quarterbacks who have not even entered the MVP conversation are also playing extremely well. After a rocky start to the season with a terrible offenseive line, Favre's replacement Aaron Rodgers has finally begun to click with his line and is beginning to live up to the hype they established in the preseason. Philip Rivers may well by leading the hottest team in the NFL in the San Diego Chargers, who beat Dallas last week and continue to play inspired offense despite starting their third-string nose guard. All of these deserve whatever props come their way, and possibly more; in any other year, those two (or sensational tailback Chris Johnson, who needs only 125 more rushing yards in each of his next three games to reach the benchmark of 2000) could be the talk of the league.Matthew Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07821591050735570674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636645968349838922.post-84561383101972241782009-12-08T15:17:00.000-08:002009-12-08T16:05:52.821-08:00Saints and Colts Stay Unbeaten...But It Won't LastWhile the New England Patriots have lost two straight games for the first time in years and the Minnesota Vikings suffered their second loss of the season to Arizona, things are still looking peachy for Indy and New Orleans. Both are sitting on 12-0 records, both have MVP-caliber quarterbacks in Peyton Manning (who has already won 3) and Drew Brees (who was only a couple of completions shy of Dan Marino's passing yardage record last year) respectively, and both have defenses that come up big when it counts despite giving up pretty large chunks of points (the Saints are ranked 16th in points allowed this season, and while the Colts come in at 2nd in that category they have a tendency to fall behind early despite having the league's 4th ranked offensive attack).<br /><br />The defenses aren't the only ones that are at their best in the clutch. Manning and the Colts have made fourth-quarter comebacks look easy this season (before last week's contest against the upstart Tennessee Titans they had had five straight come-from-behind victories). Not wanting to be left out, the Saints defeated Washington last week in a wild 33-30 overtime win. I was gunning for the 'Skins to win that game, but as luck would have it their tragic comedy of errors continued against the one team I hoped they would not make a mistake against (I could barely resist throwing something at my television when I saw Kareem Moore fumble the football after intercepting a pass and allow Saints receiver Robert Meachem, who was also the player who stripped Moore in the first place, to carry it 42 yards for a score).<br /><br />These two teams have proved me wrong so far, but I said it weeks ago and I'll say it again: The Colts and Saints will <strong>NOT</strong> go undefeated. Sure, the Saints schedule is looking easier and easier from here on out, with the Cowboys as their only credible opponent remaining (I refuse to include the Atlanta Falcons while Matt Ryan is injured). Even so going undefeated is the most difficult to do in the NFL because the quest to perfection paints a large bullseye on the backs on those teams. The toughest part of the season for an undefeated team is at the end, when the talk of being perfect is at full volume. If you'll remember, the undefeated 2007 Patriots had some of their closest games in the final half of the season, against teams that they were expected to crush (including a Ravens group that went 5-11 that year). After pulling out wins against Baltimore and another nailbiter against Philly, the Pats closed out the regular season with a 38-35 victory against the New York Giants. While it cemented their perfect regular season, it was also a sign of things to come, and the once-dominant playoff Patriots were sunk 17-14 by those same Giants in the biggest game of the year. The one loss on their 18-1 mark that year came in the only game that really mattered: the Super Bowl.<br /><br />While the Pats may have gone undefeated, I am still convinced that this year's contenders won't be so lucky. While the Saints may have avoided a loss by the skin of their teeth last week, the fact remains that the 'Skins have played some terrible football this season (their 3-9 record is evidence enough of that), and to put up such an inspired performance without their best player (Clinton Portis) is an omen of what awaits New Orleans down the stretch. Look for whoever beats them to not have many wins.<br /><br />As for Indy, they have enough problems as it is without the talk of being perfect. They are dead last in the league in rushing with a dismal 87.7 yards per game, and without the arm of Peyton Manning this team could easily have a .500 record right now. With Bob Sanders sidelined for the season, the defense is far from impenetrable. It just helps when none of the teams in their division have a competent attack across the board. They host Denver next week, so look for the Broncos and their revitalized offense to give the Colts some trouble. After that, they have to go away to Jacksonville (who will more than likely solely be playing the role of spoilers) and then come back to Lucas Oil Stadium to play the Jets on Thursday Night Football. But the place (not necessarily the team) that I think may give the Colts the most problems is Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo, where temperatures are absolutely frigid in January.<br /><br />The last thing we need is another team going undefeated, let alone two. As much as I love Peyton Manning, I will be praying that he plays great but the Colts lose, and then I'll just have to root for whoever plays the Saints.Matthew Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07821591050735570674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636645968349838922.post-68242360922952323372009-11-08T11:11:00.000-08:002009-11-08T13:50:18.461-08:00Cardinals @ Bears Second Half & Recap: Late Bears Surge Shot Down By ArizonaThe Cardinals scored enough points in the first half for an entire game, but weren't done. Worse news for the Bears: while Hunter Hillenmeyer returned to the game, cornerback Charles Tillman (who was victimized by Larry Fitzgerald in the first half of play) left the game with a shoulder injury late in the second quarter. Meanwhile the Chicago offense (who played reasonably well in the first half despite only calling four run plays) started the game off with a quick first down before sputtering. Swarmed by three Cardinals defenders, Cutler was sacked by Chike Okeafor for a loss of 11 yards, forcing the third Bears punt of the day.<br /><br /><br /><br />Arizona didn't show any signs of a letdown at first as Fitzgerald made a miraculous diving catch off ato keep a drive alive. The Bears would rejoice, however, as they finally forced a Cardinals field goal (excluding the one in the closing seconds of the first half) after Arizona had gone eight for eight on third down through the first half and beginning of the second.<br /><br /><br /><br />After burning their first time out of the half, the Bears sustained two straight false start penalties (on guard Josh Beekman and center Olin Kreutz), before Cutler gunned a pass to Earl Bennett for 29 yards and a first down. Four plays later, the Bears signal-caller was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct after an incomplete pass on fourth and four, which resulted in 15 yards for Arizona after the turnover (the first of the day for either team).<br /><br /><br /><br />Three punts (by both teams) later, the Bears showed some life again as Cutler completed three straight passes (two to Hester, who appeared to be having his way with defensive back Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie) and then, after a single incomplete pass, two more before he found Greg Olsen on a 3-yard toss. Cutler hit four different receivers on the drive, including Matt Forte, who had a 28-yard gain after taking a short pass from Cutler.<br /><br /><br /><br />Arizona put in backup quarterback and former Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart, whose first pass was ruled incomplete but negated due to a pass interference penalty on linebacker Nick Roach. After two runs by Beanie Wells to bring up third-and-short, the Cards committed their first turnover of the day when Leinart threw an interception to Bears cornerback Zack Bowman, who returned it 39 yards to the 33 yard line before being pushed out of bounds. With renewed vigor, Cutler promptly score another touchdown in three plays, finding Greg Olsen for a 20-yard score (the third of the day for both players).<br /><br />Things kept looking up for Chicago as Hillenmeyer forced a Kurt Warner fumble, but offensive tackle Mike Gandy recovered it in a fortunate turn for Arizona. The glimmer of hope soon faded for the Windy City as the Cards punted and Cutler threw a pick to Matt Ware on the next drive, giving Warner a short field and, after four plays, his fifth TD of the day (a 4-yard pass to Steve Breaston).<br /><br />Despite one more drive by Chicago, there was no epic comeback today. Chicago's home unbeaten streak has ended, and the score at the final whistle is 41-21.<br /><br /><strong>Bears Verdict - Defense Reeling, Offense Struggles to Keep Up With Cards:</strong> Even as devastated as they are by injuries, there is no excuse to be made for the Bears defensive unit's poor play today. It seems to be a case of Murphy's law with them as the injuries mount, and Tommie Harris is almost definitely going to face further suspension by the league for punching Deuce Lutui. The Bears gave up seven yards per rush in the first quarter and 182 yards in all to the league's last-ranked rushing attack. Warner threw for 5 scores and no interceptions.<br /><br />When a team is that deleted on defense, the offense needs to step up their game, but the Bears aren't yet polished enough to do that. The offensive line has played poorly, allowing 17 sacks of Jay Cutler; while they cannot take all the blame for this, they have not been consistent by any stretch of the imagination. The one interception aside, Cutler had a great game by the standards of most quarterbacks, completing 29 passes for 369 yards and three touchdowns.<br /><br />How's this for inexperience on offense? Three of the Bears receivers (including Hester and Rashied Davis) came into the NFL as defensive backs, and their two top receivers (other than Hester), Earl Bennett and Johnny Knox, are a second year player and a rookie, respectively. Their best player today was tight end Greg Olsen, who caught 3 touchdowns. The gimmick plays are not working for the Bears, and the running game needs to get much better in order for them to have any hope of salvaging this season.<br /><br /><strong>Cardinals Verdict - Boldin Sits Out, But Balance Prevails:</strong> The Cards didn't need Anquan Boldin to beat up on the Bears defense. Larry Fitzgerald caught 9 balls for 123 yards, and the 182 team rushing yards marked a season high. As mentioned before, Warner didn't turn the ball over (although he came perilously close when he fumbled the ball after being sackedby Hunter Hillenmeyer), making the Cards 5-0 when he doesn't turn the ball over. That being said, some problems still remain. Another fourth quarter collapse was just barely averted when Mike Gandy recovered Warner's fumble, which was the ending point in the game that essentially deflated the Bears. Like the Bears, however, Arizona needs to work on their consistency, expecially at home (where they are winless halfway through the season).Matthew Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07821591050735570674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636645968349838922.post-46721609889907126002009-11-08T10:14:00.000-08:002009-11-08T11:30:49.777-08:00Cardinals @ Bears Halftime ReportIn what was an unseasonably warm day at Soldier Field in Chicago (the gametime temperature was at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit), the opening action of the Bears-Cardinals game looked like more of what the Bears have seen this season. Bears defensive tackle Tommie Harris was ejected from the game early with a completely unnecessary punch to the helmet of the prone Deuce Lutui. Linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer was injured two plays later and taken off the field, replaced by Nick Roach. The Cards capitalized on the 15-yard penalty on Harris (even though they had already been moving the ball effectively) with a short dump pass to Larry Fitzgerald byKurt Warner. Fitzgerald escaped the coverage by Charles Tillman and walked into the endzone for the opening score.<br /><br />After a disappointing performance against lowly Cleveland last week, Jay Cutler and the Chicago offense came out fast. A 42-yard catch by Hester brought the Bears into Arizona territory, and a deep bomb to tight end Greg Olsen on 3rd and 9 on a deep post pattern finished a short drive for the Bears. While he appeared to be well-covered by safety Adrian Wilson, Olsen adjusted to the throw and opened up a yard of space across the field to catch Cutler's pass. Surprisingly, Chicago did not call one run play on their opening drive.<br /><br />On Arizona's next possession, a diving catch by Fitzgerald looked suspect but was not challenged by Lovie Smith Two consecutive red zone runs with Hightower and Chris "Beanie" Wells softened up an already weakened Bears defence, and the 13th TD pass of season for Warner to Ben Patrick allowed Arizona to retake the lead. A Bears punt gave the ball back to Arizona, who gave the ball to Wells to break off their longest run of the season, an up-the-gut run that Wells took to the outside for a 26 yard gain. The Cardinals were clicking on all cylinders, and Kurt Warner's 11th straight completion found Larry Fitzgerald (again being covered alone by Tillman) for another touchdown.<br /><br />The Cards surprised the usually solid Bears special team with a pop-up kick, but Chicago caught a break as referee Ed Hochuli ruled that possession did not belong to Arizona as it first appeared but in fact went to Jay Cutler and the Chicago offense. After a single first down, Cutler ran right into Darnell Docket and was sacked for a nine yard loss, which ended up forcing another punt by Brad Maynard. Once again, the Arizona offense was held to third down multiple times, but managed to convert two 3rd-and-5's as they moved the ball quickly and decisively. A 15-yard reception by Cardinals tight end Anthony Becht (his first of the season) marked Warner's fourth touchdown pass of the day.<br /><br />Attempting to will his team back into the game, Cutler made more impressive throws. A laser between two defenders to second-year wideout Earl Bennet picked up a key first down, and was followed by a screen to running back Matt Forte. Set back by an offensive pass interference penalty on Greg Olsen, the Bears could only make up 10 yards out of the 20 that they needed. The Robbie Gould field goal was then blocked, and returned 59 yards by Antrell Rolle after falling short, allowing Arizona to tack on a last second field goal of their own to complete a dominant first half. The halftime score: 31-7 Arizona.Matthew Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07821591050735570674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636645968349838922.post-89372113528223590972009-11-01T14:42:00.000-08:002009-11-01T16:39:34.457-08:00Vikings @ Packers Second Half & RecapStarting off with a 14-point lead (the result of a 17-3 halftime deficit which marked the lowest amount of first half points by a Packers team for a decade), Brett Favre and the Vikings recieved to kick-off to start the second half. The Minnesota momentum was halted by a hard hit on Bernard Berrian by Packers safety Atari Bigby, but Favre zinged a 30-yard pass over the middle to Harvin, who took advantage of a collision between two Packers to sprint into the endzone for a 51-yard score and extend the Vikings' lead to 21.<br /><br />Aaron Rodgers responded with a long drive down the field, but after he was stopped by Pat Williams on a design quarterback draw, he was consitently stuffed by the Vikings defensive line, and Mason Crosby ended up being called on for another field goal, a chip shot from 26 yards which indicates just how close Green Bay came to scoring.<br /><br />They would get the ball back on the next kickoff as Crosby hit a squib kick that was fumbled by reserve defensive end Brian Robison, who was probably touching a game ball for the first time in his NFL career. Nevertheless, Green Bay took advatage of his mistake and scored with a short field on a 16-yard toss to tight end and three-way player Spencer Havner.<br /><br />Brian Robison got back into the game to replace an injured Ray Edwards, and could not get any pressure on Rodgers as the Packers marched downfield. Havner scored again on a 5-yard reception to cap off another drive by an inspired Packer offense, bringing the Vikings' leading down to only 4 points.<br /><br />That didn't last long, as Harvin's long return was swiftly turned into six points by Favre, who dumped the ball off on a checkdown to fullback Jeff Dugan. In what was shaping up to be another frantic fourth quarter, Rodgers answered with a toss to Greg Jennings, who managed to catch the ball despite being the target of two Vikings penalties (defensive holding and pass interference).<br /><br />Chris Kluwe's punt was downed inside the 20, but Green Bay's pass offense once again proved prolific enough to match. A bad snap resulted in a fantastic catch by Donald Driver (who was hurt on the play) that was extended by a questionable roughing-the-passer penalty on Ray Edwards. Without Driver, the Pack could not advance any further, and the resulting Crosby kick was wide right.<br /><br />Favre made his former team pay with his fourth touchdown pass of the day, a quick pass to Bernard Berrian who sat in the hole between two defenders before being thrown into the endzone. The pass set another record for Brett Favre, but I'll get to that. In the end, th final score was 38-24 in favor of the Minnesota Vikings, as Favre continued his winning ways in Lambeau.<br /><br /><strong>Packers Verdict - Favre Proves To Be Greatest Enemy:</strong> The man who is regarded by many as Green Bay's most iconic player since the Lombardi era is now also their nemesis. Favre is 2-0 against his former team, having thrown for seven touchdowns and no interceptions. There is little to criticize about Green Bay's play tonight; they fought hard against a powerful Vikings team and fell short, at one time being only four points down. They still need to improve their run game and pass protection, but it's difficult to do that without their starting left tackle. Chad Clifton was active today but did not play, and hopefully he will be available for their next contest.<br /><br /><strong>Vikings Verdict - Favre's Career Day Masks Defensive Deficiencies:</strong> I'm frankly tired of saying this, but the Vikings defense needs to play with more consistency quarter-to-quarter. They give up lots of fourth quarter points, and while those nail-biting fourth quarter heroics are good for adding to the legend of #4 they are not the greatest recipe for winning games. Favre's excellence is covering for the weaknesses in the Vikings team. For all the sacks produced by their dominant defensive front, their pass defense is rather weak in the clutch, as evinced by the close margins of their last few games (particularly when it came back to bite them against Pittsburgh). Unless they improve, the defense will end up being Minnesota's undoing when they reach the playoffs and play in elements that may not be quite as conducive to Favre's air-it-out style of play.<br /><br />Meanwhile, Favre set yet another record today. He passed for four touchdowns for the twenty-first time in his career, breaking the record held by Dan Marino. In the last game against the Packers, he became the first player in NFL history to defeat all 32 teams in the NFL. How's that for Hall of Fame credentials?Matthew Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07821591050735570674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636645968349838922.post-85672725547491071792009-11-01T13:24:00.000-08:002009-11-01T14:35:51.370-08:00Vikings @ Packers Halfime ReportAs tired as I am of covering Vikings games, the content of this blog is undeniably affected by what games are broadcast on primetime television, and the excessive drama and attention surrounding Brett Favre (particularly this week, with his homecoming to Green Bay) make for good ratings on the tube (the broadcast even included a "Favre-cam" to stay on the grizzled quarterback for the entire game). Brett has such a taste for drama that when he retires (or perhaps I should say "if" he retires), he should seriously consider appearing on a soap opera.<br /><br />After the high standards set by the late-game thriller at the Metrodome, Favre's return to Lambeau Field started slowly, with no points coming through the first possessions for either team. A miscue by Vikings center John Sullivan caused a Minnesota fumble that was recovered by the Packers, but Aaron Rodgers could not capitalize on a short field and Green Bay took a Mason Crosby field goal. Rodgers had been criticized by head coach Mike McCarthy for holding onto the ball too long in the last game against Minnesota, and the trend continued today. While they have yet to adequately replace Chad Clifton on the offensive line (and have given up the most sacks in the league as a result), Rodgers still has to be able to distribute better for Green Bay to be successful.<br /><br />Percy Harvin, who already returned two kickoffs for scores this season, nearly had another one as he brought the next kick 77 yards down to the 15, but it took a headbutt penalty on Johnny Jolly and four Adrian Peterson runs for the Packers to punch the ball into the endzone.<br /><br />After a Packers punt, Favre passed methodically down the field and found Visanthe Shiancoe on a shallow crossing route for his first touchdown pass of the day. Shiancoe, along with receivers Sidney Rice and Harvin, have developed into solid targets for Favre to accompany running back Adrian Peterson.<br /><br />A sack on Rodgers by Jared Allen forced the Packers to punt yet again, giving them great field position. But after Peterson broke off a long run to get the Vikings into the red zone, the Packers managed to stand Minnesota up and stuff another 4th-down conversion.<br /><br />The half ended on a tired note, with the Packers totally unable to move the ball and the Vikings in no hurry to do so. The key stat at the two-minute warning was the yardage for both teams: 100 for Minnesota, 7 for Green Bay.Matthew Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07821591050735570674noreply@blogger.com0