Super Bowl XLVI Analysis and Prediction

February 1, 2012 by 2 Comments

Super Bowl XLVI Logo

Super Bowl XLVI

Super Bowl XLVI has so many storylines.

I plan to go over the storylines that I think are important, and predict the winner of Super Bowl XLVI.

Giants Vs Patriots (-2.5)

The spread alone I think is interesting.

How are the Patriots favored?

Rob Gronkowski has a high ankle sprain (the same injury that kept Osi Umenyiora out for a month). The Giants defense is obviously better than the Patriots defense and Eli Manning is playing at an unbelivable level.

Tom Brady is coming off of his worst playoff performance of his career against the Ravens. The Giants beat the best “TEAM” in the playoffs (49ers).

Still no respect for the Giants..

New York Giants LogoGiants Gameplan:

It is no secret that the Giants are going to need to hit Tom Brady to beat the Patriots.

The Giants gameplan should be simple:

1.) NO Turnovers

2.) Hit/Sack Tom Brady

3.) Efficient Offensive Play (control clock, long drives, touchdowns)

If the Giants  successfully do all three, they will be Super Bowl Champs.

Patriots Gameplan:New England Patriots Logo

Unlike the Giants, I feel the Patriots have a much more complicated gameplan:

1.) Protect Tom Brady

2.) Establish a consistent running game

3.) Gronkowski MUST be a factor, especially early in the game

4.) Force Eli into making a mistake, Takeaways are a MUST HAVE for the Patriots.

With both gameplans displayed, it will be interesting to see which team can dictate the pace and impose their will in this game.

Legacy:

The Super Bowl is where a player’s legacy can be carved into stone for better or for worse. Lets see how the outcome of this game can impact their legacy.

 

Eli Manning:

With a victory in the Super Bowl, Eli Manning will become the greatest Giants quarterback in team history. Eli will also have done two things his brother has not, beat Tom Brady twice in the playoffs and win two Super Bowls (both against Brady).

That is very impressive. Brady and Belichick could be the best quarterback/coach duo in NFL History and to have both of your championships come against them would be epic.

Finally, the “Who is the better Manning?” conversation will definitely heat up. Peyton is the best regular season quarterback ever, yet Eli might have two rings and Eli’s record in the playoffs is far better than Peytons’.

If Eli wins this game (especially in the fashion he has been winning so far) than I honestly would take Eli over Peyton. Championships are the measure of elite quarterbacks, it is unfair, but true.

Tom Coughlin:

Tom CoughlinHe has been under fire all year and now has a chance to cement his legacy as one of the best coaches in Giants history.

How unreal is that?

Coughlin was supposed to be fired about 3-5 times in his coaching career with the Giants, yet he finds a way to make it to the Super Bowl.

If the Giants do win, he is 2nd in my book in all-time Giant coaches (Parcells 1st).

Also, with a win, I see Coughlin retiring.

For a man who has been under fire throughout his coaching career, I believe he deserves to go out on top and shut everybody up about his coaching ability.

What better way than to beat Brady and Belichick for the 2nd time in the Super Bowl?

Tom Brady:Tom Brady Patriots

Brady has a shot at redemption against the Giants.

If he does succeed in his attempt, Brady will undoubtedly be the best quarterback in NFL History. Also Brady is 34 years old, who says he can not win a 5th?

4 Superbowl rings and the all-time leader in postseason wins with 17?

Checkmate…

In this era of free agency, it is remarkable to win three super bowls, but 4 would be astonishing in my opinion.

Rob Gronkowski:

Playing injured demands respect.Rob Gronkowski

Playing injured and still being a force to be reckoned in the Super Bowl is another level of respect.

Gronkowski has been unstoppable all year. If he can add a super bowl ring to his resume for this season, it will go down as the best season a tight end could have in NFL History.

Gronkowski has a chance to become a legend and he is only in his 2nd season.

You are never too young to become a legend, and Gronkowski has that opportunity.

Bill Belichick:

Like Brady, If Belichick can win, I think he is the best coach in NFL History.

6 Super bowl titles (4 as a head coach) would be a huge achievement and I don’t think he would need to do any more to be recognized as the best ever.

Nobody prepares like Belichick. His attention to detail is superb and his in-game management is as close to perfect as you can get.

He already is a legend in my opinion, but a win here cements it as common knowledge (same for Brady).

My Prediction:

31-28 Giants Win

In the end I see the Giants coming out on top.

I feel that the Patriots are too dependant on Tom Brady and I do not see the Patriots being able to force turnovers against Eli.

The Giants have the perfect formula to beat the Patriots. They have an outstanding front four that will get after the pass-happy Patriots. Also the Patriots run-game I believe is not consistent enough to keep the defense honest.

Gronkowski needs to be full-strength, but with him limited, I see Brady struggling to find open receivers and the pass rush will be too much for Brady to handle.

Eli Manning Super Bowl

Another Championship for Eli

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Giants Edge Niners in OT 20-17

January 23, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Eli Mannings Vs 49ers

Eli Poised in the Pocket

Eli Manning has a chance to become the greatest  quarterback in Giants’ team history.

The NFC Championship did not come easy for the Giants, but they fought their way through and now have punched their ticket to Indy.

Eli Manning led the way for the G-Men.

32/58, 316 yards, and 2 touchdowns. Eli set a Giant record with pass attempts and completions.

The other hero for the Giants was wide receiver Kyle Williams. No, you won’t find a Kyle Williams on the Giants team, but he helped the Giants more than his own team, the 49ers.

Kyle Williams muffed one punt and fumbled another which completely screwed the Niners. I hate blaming it all on one guy, but it doesn’t get much closer than this.

The muff came when the Niners were up 14-10, and this miscue kept the Giants in the game and gave them momentum.

This was a CRUCIAL mistake by Williams. Every punt returner is taught to treat the ball as posion if you can’t field it cleanly. You can’t cough the ball up deep in your own territory when your defense has been relentless.

If you thought that mistake was bad, the second one was even worse. In OVERTIME, Williams decided that ball security is not something to be worried about and then got stripped by rookie linebacker Jacquian Williams.

That was a fatal turnover and led to the Giants victory over the Niners.

I give so much credit to Eli. Despite the lack of a consistent running game to support him, he still found a way to win. The defense also stepped up and matched the intensity of the 49ers defense.

Jason-Pierre Paul

JPP Getting it Done

There was one thing that impressed me from the perspective of the Giants’ defense:  San Francisco’s offense was 1-13(8%) on 3rd down.

That is GREAT team defense.

The 49ers are the type of offense that needs to get first downs to wear down the opposing teams defense. They have to grind it out, and they could not do that Sunday evening because they had basically no success on third down.

Instead they had two big offensive plays, both involving tight end Vernon Davis. Davis had 3 catches for 112 yards and two touchdowns.

Besides those two big plays, the 49ers offense really did not do much.

There is one more Giants player that deserves mention: Victor Cruz.

Cruz was a nightmare for the 49ers, as he racked up 10 catches for 142 yards. Cruz just kept making big plays and prolonging drives for the Giants.

And you know what else?

Tom Coughlin is one of the best coaches in the NFL.

All Coughlin does is win in the playoffs.

 To think Giant fans wanted him out the week before Christmas!

It’s sad how unappreciated Coughlin really is. He is steady, honest, and firm with his players. How he goes unnoticed is beyond my comprehension.

If he can win his 2nd Super Bowl  (both wins over Tom Brady and Bill Belichek) he has to be considered one of the best coaches in Giant history. 

Kyle Williams, 49ers

IDIOT PLAYER?

In the end, the Niners will have an offseason to think about how a couple of poor special teams plays cost them a trip to the Super Bowl.

To think, some people claim special teams play isnt important…..

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Peyton Manning is Retiring? According to Who?

January 18, 2012 by 1 Comment

Peyton Manning retiring

Is Peyton Manning retiring?

After all of the talk about where he will end up in 2012, Peyton Manning is going to retire?

Who exactly said that Peyton Manning will retire?

American Actor Rob Lowe.

He recently tweeted: “Hearing my fave, #18 Peyton Manning will not return to #NFL. Wow. #Colts.”

How would Rob Lowe have this information before any RELEVANT NFL SOURCES?

The only guess is that he got this information straight from Peyton manning, or he is completely making it up. Rob Lowe has been seen on the sidelines of multiple Indianapolis Colts games because he was invited by Peyton Manning himself. They are supposedly good friends and keep in touch often. Colts owner Jim Irsay also seems to be in contact with Rob Lowe occasionally on Twitter.

Rob Lowe

American actor Rob Lowe said that Peyton Manning will retire

According to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, Archie Manning said this is false. Mortensen’s twitter reads: “Archie Manning laughed when he heard @RobLowe said Peyton will retire, “Noooo…he ain’t retiring. I think he would’ve told me.”

So let’s forget what the source is for this breaking news and who is saying what, and let’s think logically.

Does Peyton Manning retiring actually make sense?

For a Colt fan, it  doesn’t make sense at all. Peyton Manning is the savior of Indianapolis (since Reggie Miller retired) and he wouldn’t just get up and leave his loyal fans like that.

Although, for Peyton Manning, retiring might make a lot of sense. Neck injuries are very serious, especially after having multiple surgeries on it. Even more serious is nerve damage, which Manning has in his neck. I’m sure the word “Paralyzed” has crossed Peyton Manning’s mind a lot these past couple of years.

I know, Peyton Manning rarely gets sacked or hit hard because he gives himself up, but one nice hit can do it. This risk is no longer worth it for Manning considering his own life, and now his twin children.

On March 31st of last year, Peyton Manning and wife Ashley welcomed their son Marshall Williams, and daughter Mosley Thomson into the world. Now that he is a father, I am sure retiring has crossed his mind a lot. Peyton Manning wants to raise his children and also wants his children to have a strong father figure. Taking these stupid risks of potential life threatening injuries can easily leave his children without this. I’m sure one of Peyton’s dreams is to train his son to become an amazing football player (and I can’t wait to see it).

Peyton Manning and his wife

Peyton Manning and Wife Ashley Manning are parents of twins

If I had to guess, I would say the Manning family is in good shape financially and their children are set for life. At this point, it’s not about money, it is simply about how much this guy loves the game and his team.

I’m sure everyone sees how much Peyton Manning loves football, but every good thing has to come to an end at some point.

In my opinion, I don’t see him leaving the NFL at all. He has the perfect personality and talent to become a Head Coach, Offensive Coordinator or even NFL Analyst.

Now it is Eli’s time to come out from behind Peyton and show the world that he is an Elite Quarterback. If Peyton Manning retires or not, he will be remembered as one of the best quarterbacks to ever play.

So for Rob Lowe, whether he heard this news in WAYNE’S WORLD or took Austin Powers Time Machine to the future, we won’t know the truth until the words come out of Peyton Manning’s mouth.

 

 

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NFC Championship Breakdown: Giants At 49ers

January 16, 2012 by Leave a Comment

What a great matchup we have this week for the NFC Championship.

Lets break this game down by position:

Eli Manning Leading The Way

Quarterback: Advantage Giants.

Eli Manning is not only a better passer than Alex Smith, but he is also much more clutch. Although Alex Smith had a breakout game against the Saints, Eli still gets the nod.

Also, Eli has the experience that is  needed for pressure packed games like this. Eli is no stranger to tough situations on the road and with the exception of Tom Brady, Eli Manning is the most successful and experienced quarterback left in the playoffs.

Running Backs: Advantage 49ers.

The combination of Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter seemingly gives the Niners the advantage over the Giants in the run game. Jacobs and Bradshaw are good backs, but Gore is an elite caliber running back and Kendall Hunter is an excellent change of pace for him.

Both of the Niners’ backs will need to have an excellent game in order for the Niners to have any chance to pull off a victory and punch their ticket to Indianapolis.

Offensive Line: Advantage 49ers.

The Giants offensive line is excellent but their run blocking has been sub par the whole year. However, in the passing game the Giants have kept Eli upright and given him enough time to find his receivers downfield.

On the other hand, the 49ers offensive line is not only massive, but they impose their will on defenses. Joe Staley is one of the best Left Tackles in the league that no one has heard about.

Right Tackle Anthony Davis has also been great for the Niners all year-long. One of the key matchups in this game will be Staley/Davis against JPP and Tuck: I believe the winner of this matchup will tip the game in their team’s favor.

Wide Receivers: Advantage Giants

This was easy because the Giants receiving core is so much better than the 49ers.

Giants fans hope they see a lot of this.

Giants fans hope they see a lot of this.

With play-makers Victor Cruz, Hakeem Nicks, and Mario Manningham on the outside look for Eli to get it to his weapons early and often.

I am very interested to see how the Niners deal with this three-headed monster. The Niners contained the Saints offense until the final 5 minutes of the 4th quarter. Simlilarly, they can not allow Eli to torch them late and they must stop him on 3rd downs.

Tight Ends: Advantage 49ers

Beckum and Ballard have been good surprises for Eli and the Giants passing attack. Both players will need to have an impact on this game whether it be through the passing game or picking up the 49ers blitz.

But make no mistake about it, the 49ers have the clear advantage here. Vernon Davis is a beast and force to be reckoned with.

Also one of the major strengths for the 49ers is one of the Giants major weaknesses.

Expect A Big Week From Vernon Davis

If for some ridiculous reason Vernon Davis is being covered by Michael Boley or Chase Blackburn, look for Alex Smith to exploit that matchup EVERY TIME.

Kenny Phillips will probably draw Vernon Davis on man coverage, this is a critical matchup that both teams need to win so it will be very interesting to see how the Perry Fewell decides to cover Davis.

Defensive Line: Advantage Giants

Not by much, but the Giants get the advantage in my opinion because of their pass rush ability. The key for the Giants is stopping the run; you can not allow Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter to dictate the pace of the game.

The key is if the Giants D-Line can stop the run on 1st and 2nd down and set up 3rd and longs for the 49ers offense.

Than the Giants will have a huge advantage and can use their speed on the d-line to their advantage against a stronger but slower 49ers offensive line.

Do not underestimate the 49ers defensive line, though. They consistently pressured and knocked down Drew Brees and thus held the great passing attack of the Saints more or less in check.

Linebackers: Advantage 49ers

Giants fans DON'T want to see this.

Giants fans DON'T want to see this.

The 49ers have two of the best inside linebackers in the NFL with Patrick Willis and Navarro Bowman. In addition they have defensive rookie of the

year Aldon Smith and Aaron Brooks coming from the outside. All four of their linebackers are individually and collectively better than the Giants linebacker core.

I believe the Giants could have one of the worst linebacker cores in the NFL. Everyone wants to make comparisons to the ’07 Super Bowl team but the one player that the Giants do not have is Middle Linebacker Antonio Pierce.

Pierce was the leader and signal caller for the Giants defense in that Super Bowl run. His skill and attitude are missed and the Giants have never had a linebacker of decent caliber since.

Defensive Backs: Advantage 49ers

The 49ers led the league in takeaways this season and forced 5 turnovers against one the best offenses in the Saints.

Despite the secondary’s great play in Green Bay, I still feel that the Giants rely on their pass rush way too much and with the great running game the 49ers posses, the secondary could be exposed with one on one matchups.

The Giants knew Green Bay was not a good run team and very one-dimensional. This matchup will be the Giants’ biggest test in terms of balance between run and pass.

Special Teams: Advantage 49ers

Ted Ginn is a potential game changer from the kick and punt return positions. The Giants do not possess a specialist on kick and punt returns which can hurt the Niners in this aspect.

David Akers has been money all year. He broke the team points record set by JERRY RICE and set the record for most field goals made in NFL history. If you break a record held by Jerry Rice you instantly have the advantage in my opinion.

Andy Lee has also been a major weapon for the 49ers from the Punter position. He has consistently switched field position for the Niners defense all year.

Getting a short field for the Giants is CRUCIAL to their victory, but if Andy Lee is on his game the Giants will have to go the distance of the field against the best takeaway team in the league.

In the end, for some ridiculous reason I’m picking the Giants to win 24-21. After I’m done throwing up, check out my AFC Championship Breakdown coming soon!

Winner Gets A Chance

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Giants Crush #1 Seed Packers 37-20

January 16, 2012 by 3 Comments

Eli Celebrates Another Road Victory Against Green Bay In The Playoffs

I know people want to say “Deja Vu, we did it again!” but this was not Deja Vu, this was a beat down.

The Giants just pummeled the Packers today in Lambeau, it was one of the more dominant performances this postseason in my opinion.

The Packers had all of the opportunities to win the game but they let it slip through their hands (pun intended).

4 Turnovers and 8 dropped passes sealed the Packers fate and a 15-1 season gone to waste. Now I give the Giants credit, they deserved to win even though the officials thought otherwise (yes that was a fumble and that roughing the passer penalty was pathetic).

Despite that, the Giants overcame those terrible calls and played outstanding football. They also turned Aaron Rodgers dream season into a nightmare.

Rodgers was constantly harassed all day by the Giants pass rush, but even on plays where Rodgers had time, the coverage was great.

The Packers could just not catch the ball today and they looked like a team that was slow, sloppy and out of sync.

On the other hand, Eli Manning was great throwing for 330 yards and 3 touchdowns. Eli is backing up his own talk of being an elite quarterback by leading his team on the road in a hostile environment and completely dominating.

Eli was better than Rodgers today.

NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.

Also, lets not forget about Hakeem Nicks who completely dominated the Packers secondary.

Nicks racked up 7 catches, 165 yards and 2 touchdowns. One touchdown included a ridiculous 37 yard hail mary to end the first half and completely shifted momentum and the game to the Giants.

Nicks' 37 Yard Hail Mary Touchdown Catch

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Wild-Card Recap: Divisional Preview

January 10, 2012 by 3 Comments

Wild Card weekend has come and gone but will not be forgotten anytime soon.

There were many good match ups this past weekend and they did not disappoint.

Big Ol' Brandon Jacbos

Giants Pound Falcons 24-2 – This game was a combination of bad play from Atlanta and flawless execution from the Giants. Eli Manning led the way with 277 yards passing and 3 touchdowns. Besides an intentional grounding penalty in the end zone, Eli played flawless. Another important note for this win was the re-emergence of the Giants running game.

Jacobs and Bradshaw combined for 172 yards on the ground. If the Giants can sustain a run game, look for this team to make a Super Bowl run.

Last but not least, the Defense showed up to play. Atlanta has one of the best rushing attacks in the NFL and the Giants completely shut down the pass and run. The Defense was also stout in 3rd/4th and short plays. Atlanta went for twice on 4th and inches and were denied both times, tipping momentum and the game in their favor.

As for Atlanta, another year without a playoff win. Matt Ryan was ineffective and the defense was soft. This marks the 3rd straight year the Falcons have been one and done in the playoffs under the Mike Smith/Matt Ryan era.

Matty “Ice” has not lived up to his nickname in the playoffs and questions will only get tougher to answer the longer Ryan does not win in the playoffs.

Saints Muzzle Roar, Defeat Lions 45-28 – After falling behind early, the Saints showed their championship pedigree and experience and completely outplayed the Lions. Drew Brees was outstanding throwing for 466 yards and three touchdowns. The Saints displayed their offensive greatness by setting playoff records for total yards(626) and first downs (34).

The Saints offense has just been amazing this season and just looks unstoppable. This team is just unbeatable at home going undefeated so far this season (including playoffs).

Make no mistake about it, the Saints completely outmatched Detroit.

However, the Lions are coming. The Lions just happen to have run into the worst possible match up for their team.  Stafford is the real deal, Calvin Johnson is a beast, and the defense will get better with time. 4 seasons ago this was an 0-16 team, since than this team has made significant progress and have only gotten better.

Trust me, the Lions will be good for a long time and the future looks bright.

Houston Outplays Cincy, Defeats Bengals 31-10 - Congratulations to Houston for their first playoff win in team history. The Texans won their first division title and playoff game and played like a team that has been there before. What made this so impressive is the journey this team has taken this season and winning the style in which they won this playoff game.

If you told me the Texans would lose Matt Schuab, Mario Williams for the season and not have Andre Johnson consistently this season , I would have thought you were crazy.

Arian Foster torched the Bengals defense with 24 carries for 153 yards and a pair of touchdowns.  Clearly Arian Foster is the MVP for this team. Ben Tate’s emergence gives the Texans an excellent two-headed monster in the backfield.

Another impressive point, the Texans defense was dominant with forcing turnovers and holding the Bengals to only 10 points.

These are not the same old Texans, with no defense and just a prolific passing game, this team runs the ball extremely well and has a dominant defense.

And to think, the Texans had one of the worst pass defenses in NFL HISTORY.

Wade Phillips is the best off season acquisition of the year.

The Bengals had an impressive year going 9-7 and making it to the playoffs.

Nothing was expected of this team pre-season.

However, they have found their quarterback of the future in Andy Dalton and their go-to guy in A.J Green. With two first round picks in this upcoming draft, look for the Bengals to improve and become a force in the AFC North.

Tebow Throws For 316 Yards

Mile High Victory, Broncos Defeat Steelers 29-23 – The first postseason playoff game in history under the new overtime rules did not come into effect.

Why?

Tim Tebow on the first play from scrimmage in overtime, threw an 80 yard touchdown pass to Demaryious Thomas to seal Pittsburghs fate.

This was by far the most exciting game of the weekend.

Besides Ike Taylor getting completely owned by Thomas to end the game, The Steelers just looked old and confused. Poor tackling and man coverage along with an unhealthy Big Ben  and Pouncey also led to the Steelers demise.

Tebow threw for 316 yards (John 3:16 reference) and 3 touchdowns against the #1 RANKED DEFENSE.

I’m sorry Tebow Hater Nation, but now I am a believer.

The Defense stepped up also. They shut the door on Big Ben twice in the final minutes when the game was tied, so i give the Broncos defense an enormous amount of credit in this win.

Big Ben was sacked 5 times and threw an INT. This is not the Big Ben we are used to seeing in the playoffs.

Of course the Steelers would forget how to tackle and have important players out (Ryan Clark, Pouncey) against the Broncos.

Tim Tebow has GOD on his side

Despite my sarcasm, it is remarkable how Tebow has turned around this 1-4 team under Kyle Orton into one of the most talked about and inspiring teams of the year.

Matchup Ratings for Divisional Games:

1.) Saints At 49ers, 5 Stars - Great offense meets great defense. Old school versus new school football, this will be a great game in my opinion.

Can the Saints stop the run?

Can the 49ers contain Drew Brees?

Which philosophy will dictate the game and eventually win?

So many questions and such an intriguing match up, I “can’t wait” (Bart Scott reference)  for this match up, it should be a great one.

2.) Giants At Green Bay, 5 stars – Both teams have suspect defenses and great quarterback play.

Which quarterback will have the better game?

Both Eli and Aaron have had historic seasons and in my opinion, which ever quarterback has the better game will win it in the end.

This match up gave us one of the great games of the regular season with the Packers staying perfect and edging the Giants 38-35 (the same score they lost to the Patriots to when they went on to win the Super Bowl).

So will history repeat itself for the Giants? or will Aaron Rodgers continue his dominance this season and lead the Pack to the NFC Championship game.

We’ll wait and see..

3.) Broncos At Patriots, 4 1/2 Stars - Literally 30 minutes after the Broncos win, the Patriots released an AP report stating that Josh McDanniels will be on the sideline for the Patriots as an offensive consultant.

Classic Belichek, congrats on your playoff win Denver, now i will hire your former head coach from last season that drafted both Tim Tebow and Damaryious Thomas.

Perfectly done, Mr. Belichek

It just seems that Patriots always have an edge and in this match up they are clearly the team with the edge.

Despite Tebow’s dramatics, Tom Brady is too good and rarely loses at home in the playoffs.

The biggest factor in this game will be if the Broncos can control the clock and keep Brady off the field.

Something that is very possible, the Patriots have one of the worst defense in the league. However, with the signing of McDaniels, the Patriots have gained an inside advantage on the Broncos most important offensive weapons, Tebow and Thomas.

The Road To The Superbowl

4.) Texans At Baltimore, 4 Stars – I love defensive struggles so this might be a high ranking depending on the style of football you enjoy.

The Ravens seem to have a clear advantage across the board on paper.

The Ravens are more experienced, have home field advantage, and are healthy.

I feel that the Texans have been a great story, but their end could be near.

Both defenses are stacked and are the clear strengths of both teams. Also both teams present excellent running back play (Rice from Baltimore, Foster from Houston).

Which quarterback makes the mistake to cost their team the game?

The pressure is all on Baltimore, with Pittsburgh out, this could be their best chance to finally obtain a Super Bowl birth.

On the other hand, Houston is playing with house money, they do not have their quarterback and best defensive player. However, they have played inspired football and i could see this backfiring on Baltimore with the pressures of finally being home in the playoffs.

Can Flacco perform at home and not lose it for his team? or Will Arian Foster carry Houston to an upset?

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Will Dan Marino’s Passing Record Be Broken In 2011?

December 19, 2011 by 9 Comments

There are 2 quarterbacks with a realistic shot of breaking the passing record set in 1984 by the Dolphins Dan Marino (5,084). There are 2 games left in the season. Lets take a look at each QB and which one has the greater chance of breaking the record

Dan Marino

 

1. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints. Yards To Go: 304

4,780 yards this season. He needs an average of 239.0 yards per game(YPG) to tie the record. Brees is currently averaging 336.0 YPG. With 3 games left in the season Brees is leading an offense which ranks 1st in total offense and 1st in passing offense.

In week 16 the Saints are home one Monday Night Football against their divisional rival, the Atlanta Falcons. Atlanta will be more of a challenge for Brees, they rank 14th in the NFL against the pass, unlike the dreadful Vikings. I still don’t see the Falcons holding Brees under 239 yards when the Falcons are right behind them in the battle for the NFC South.

The Saints wrap the season up with a divisional game against the Panthers at home. The Panthers rank 20th in the NFL against the pass. If Brees maintained the 239 the past few weeks, he will break Dan Marinos single season passing record.

Drew Brees is too good of a passer not to break this record. He has all the tools he needs to do it. With the best statistical offense in the NFL and the match-ups that he has it seems inevitable that he’ll break the record before the season is over.

2. Tom Brady, New England Patriots. Yards To Go: 491

4,593 yards this season. Needs an average of 270.7 passing yards per game. Currently averaging 328.7 YPG.

With these stats Brady is a prime candidate to break Marino’s record.

Brady and Rob Gronkowski are on pace to connect for 20+ TDs this year. The most ever for a tight end in NFL history. Brady has been on fire this season. Not too many defenses can stop him!

This Sunday, the MIGHTY Miami Dolphins (25th against the pass) come into New England for an intense divisional chess match! NOT. The Dolphins are in pathetic shape and have just fired their head coach, Tony Sparano, for the lack of competition shown from the Dolphins this year. (Sparano is one of 3 NFL coaches fired so far this year). You can expect Brady to surpass 270.7 yards this game.

Brady ends the season at home against a lousy 5-8 Buffalo Bills team (16th against the pass). I don’t see the Bills stopping Brady. The game will probably hold some importance to the Patriots so Brady will most likely be playing despite the Patriots playoff spot.

If both Brady & Brees continue to play at the level they are playing at, they will both break Dan Marino’s record.

But this is the NFL and anything can happen…lets enjoy the ride.

2 Honorable Mentions:

     1. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers. Yards To Go: 724

        I really don’t see Rodgers breaking the passing record this year. With the Packers at 13-0, it would be dumb not to sit your franchise quarterback when you have the first round bye and homefield advantage locked up for the playoffs. To make matters worse, WR Grege Jennings, who is a main target for Rodgers, is out for probably the remainder of the regular season.

     2. Eli Manning, New York Giants. Yards To Go: 713

The Giants have a tough schedule to end the season (Redskins, Jets, Cowboys). I’m not a big Giants fan but I know Eli Manning is a pretty good passer. I’ve learned to never count him out of anything because even though he isn’t a top 5 QB, he is a baller. Lets see what he can do.

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One GIANT Letdown

December 18, 2011 by 1 Comment

The Giants completely dropped the ball against the Redskins (no pun intended). With an embarrassing loss at home to the Redskins, the Giants find themselves scrambling for answers.. AGAIN.

However, the great thing is that the Giants have a chance at redemption against the Jets. As a Jet fan, I hope this will not happen. Yet, the Giants have been great in big games, but so have the Jets. This has the making of an EPIC in-city clash between two teams trying to make the playoffs, I simply cannot wait for this Jets-Giants game.

The Giants MUST get over this loss as soon as possible, a 23-10 loss to a team that is in LAST place in your division is unacceptable. In addition, the Redskins have swept the Giants this year in the division, that too is unacceptable.

I find it so hard to believe a quarterback of Eli’s caliber got completely shut down, even though his receivers made some HORRIBLE drops. Also, Jacobs and Bradshaw were basically no shows for this game, which makes the loss even worse (I refuse to count that garbage TD at the end of the game). The Offense just did not show up today and that is very disappointing considering the importance of each game heading down the stretch.

From a Defensive perspective, Jason Pierre Paul played very well with 14 tackles and a Sack. Also, the defense forced two interceptions. Overall the Defense did not play too bad, They kept Grossman under 200 yards passing, and Roy Helu was also held under 75 yards rushing.

The story of this game was the Redskins Defense. The Redskins defense ranks top 10 in the NFL, under coordinator Jim Haslett, they imposed their will and made Eli very uncomfortable. Yet the Giants had chances throughout the game to make plays, but they simply just did not. Nicks dropping a sure touchdown catch sure didn’t hurt the Redskins either. Simply put, the Giants gave this game away.

I give credit to the Redskins for showing up to play, but the Giants should have won this game. What a pressure packed game it will be this week against the Jets. With the Jets needing a win,  Make no mistake about it, the Giants and the Jets  both NEED this game.  How fitting it would be for the Jets or Giants to shut the door on their in-state rival’s playoff hopes.

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Eli Manning: The MVP That We’ll Never See

December 13, 2011 by 5 Comments

Being a New York Giant fan can be brutal.

To be honest, I had minimum expectations for the boys in the blue this year. Currently, our defense is 29th in opposing passing yards (263.7) and 22nd in opposing rushing yards (127.9) per game.

Yet somehow we are winning the NFC East. From watching the games each week, I have noticed that there are only two players who you know will show up each week; Jason Pierre- Paul and Eli Manning. Both of them are studs. JPP is the Manning of our defense; each week you can count on him to make a play when one needs to be made. For example, 2 sacks, a FF, and a blocked FG to prevent the G-Men from entering overtime against Dallas.

However, this article is not aimed at JPP. The real hero here is Eli Manning. If it were not for Eli, I don’t think I could manage to get myself out of bed on Sundays to watch the Giants. He gives us hope, but even better, he has consistently put the Giants in situations to win. Credit is given only when it is due and you better believe that it is definitely due for Eli.

Ironically, people laughed at Manning earlier this year when he put himself in the same category as players like Tom Brady. People cited his 25 interceptions last year (which any fan knows take away ten of those because the NYG receivers had a serious case of dick fingers) and the fact that the Giants have only made the playoffs once since they defeated New England.

Regardless, any football fan knows it takes the combination of a solid offense and defense to get in the playoffs and make a legitimate run. Now I don’t want to jump to conclusions but the NYG may be the exception to that rule, especially if you look at Eli’s play over the course of this year. Currently, Eli has 25 TD’s to 12 INT’s, 4,105 yards, and a 95.5 overall QB rating. With solid numbers such as those its no question why the NYG’s are rated 4th in passing behind New Orleans, New England, and Green Bay. With that said, you must also take into account that the Giant’s are ranked dead last (32) in rushing at 3.3 yards per carry. Is it a coincidence Eli is having his best statistical season when the G-Men have absolutely no running game to rely on?

However, lets not forget Eli Manning’s unbelievable fourth quarter play. This year alone, he has led the Giants to five 4th quarter comebacks and is tied with Johnny Unitas and his older brother with 14 fourth quarter touchdowns in a season; yet Eli still has three games left. Interestingly, Eli Manning is ranked fourth in fourth quarter or OT game winning drives since 2004 with 20; behind Peyton Manning (26), Ben Roethlisberger (25) and Drew Brees (23).Oh wait, did I mention he is in front of Tom Brady (18) ?

This year, Eli Manning  has a 117 QB Rating in the fourth quarter which is ahead of Aaron Rodgers (112.6). It  just goes to show you how well Eli Manning is playing, especially when the game is on the line . He is what Tyson Chandler was to the Mavericks, the X- Factor.

Not convinced of Eli’s legitimacy as an elite quarterback in this league? Let’s take a look and see how our good old friends Kevin Boss and Steve Smith are doing. Last season, Kevin Boss had 531 receiving yards and 5 TD. This year, he has an epic 288 receiving yards and 2 TD’s.

Steve Smith, when he was healthy, broke the record for most receptions by a Giant (107) and pulled in 1,220 yards and 7 TD in 2009. In  2010, although he was hurt, played in 9 games and had 529 yards and 3 TD’s. This season, although he was put on IR for a bruise on his knee that he mad microsurgery on, he also played in 9 games but only had 124 yards and 1 TD (which came against the Giants; makes me cringe ever time I think about it).

Now lets compare them with how Hakeem Nicks, Victor Cruz, and Jake Ballard are doing. Currently, Cruz (1,150 yards and 7 TD) &  Nicks (1,023 yards and 6 TD) are both top ten in the league in receiving yards; 3 and 9 respectively. Meanwhile, Jake Ballard has 589 yards and 4 TD’s.

Did I mention that Victor Cruz and Jake Ballard were both un-drafted free agents as well? There is no question, Eli Manning makes his players better.

Eli Manning is critical for the NYG’s success. Our defense is atrocious, yet we sit at 7-6 ahead of the Dallas Cowboys following a nightmare schedule (if you didn’t notice the Giants just recently faced SF, NO, & GB).

Yet the reason we are at 7-6 and not 2-11, is Eli Manning. It is shocking that he still does not get the respect or coverage that he deserves. Yet that’s in part due to the incredible QB play by Drew Brees, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers who are on the verge of breaking Dan Marino’s single season passing yard record (5,084).

Oh wait, isn’t Eli also on track following his 400 yard game against the Dallas Cowboy‘s last Sunday?

There are no definite things in life except death and taxes. Yet on the  New York Football Giants you can definitely expect Chris Canty to be blocked 100 yards up the field and you can definitely expect Aaron Ross to suck, however, you can definitely count on Eli Manning to make a play when it is needed and to put the Giant’s in a position to win the game.

Yet for some reason he has not been able to shake the “baby face” criticism nor will he be noticed in a sea of other unbelievable Quarterbacks. Therefore, Eli Manning will always be the MVP we’ll never see.

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Weekly Giants Report

December 13, 2011 by 2 Comments

JPP is a stud

In their most important game of the season, the New York giants were able pull off a thrilling comeback to beat the Dallas Cowboys 37-34.

Down by 12 with just under 6 minutes left in the game, the Giants, powered by Eli Manning, were able to score 15 unanswered points and regain control of the NFC East. Once again Eli Manning proved that he is indeed “Elite”, throwing for 400 yards, 2 TD’s, and 1 INT and leading the Giants on two consecutive  touchdown drives in the fourth quarter to cap an improbable win for the G-Men. Jason Pierre Paul aka JPP made big plays all night, sacking Tony Romo twice, forcing a fumble, and blocking a Dan Bailey field goal that would have sent the game into overtime.  JPP is quickly becoming one of the most feared and versatile defensive players in the league in just his second season and should be a big time player in this league for many years to come.

If not for Aaron Rodgers, Eli would be in the running for MVP

If not for Aaron Rodgers, Eli would be in the running for MVP

Despite the big victory in Dallas on Sunday night, the Giants still have a lot of work to do if they plan on making the playoffs. The giants defense has been dreadful the past three weeks allowing opposing quarterbacks to throw for a combined 1,080 yards, 12 TD’s, and just 1INT. Two weeks ago Aaron Rodgers drove down the field :58 seconds and put the the Packers in position to kick the game winning field goal, and if not for JPP tony Romo would have done the same thing, but this time with :46 Seconds. If the Giants plan on making the playoffs this year they need to fix the problems they are having on defense.  The pass rush has not been there consistently in the second half of the season, the linebackers are struggling to stop the run, and the secondary can’t cover anyone. You can count on Aaron Ross being burned at least twice a game, and Prince Amukamara‘s youth and lack of playing time have been evident these past three games. The Giants play the Redskins, the Jets and than they close the season with a crucial game against the Cowboys. The G-men must fix the problems on defense and continue to get MVP like performances from Eli Manning if they have hopes of getting into the playoffs and making a deep run.

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NFL Week 14 in Review

December 12, 2011 by 7 Comments

With the Monday Night Football match up between Seattle (5-7) and St. Louis (2-10) I’m thinking it’s okay to look at Week 14 in Review and look forward to Week 15.

Aaron Rodgers is Perfection

1.) Packers Stay Perfect, Demolish Raiders 46-16 – Aaron Rodgers, you are ridiculous, even when the Raiders get away with 12 men on the field, he still hits Jordy Nelson for a Touchdown down the sideline. This is the best team I have seen in my lifetime and could the best team in NFL History period.

The Green Bay Defense forces 5 Turnovers (4 INT, 1 Forced Fumble returned for a touchdown). However, the one negative I saw from Green Bay was watching Wide Receiver Greg Jennings getting carted off the field. Regardless of the thumbs up he gave to the fans as he was being carted off, it is still a concern, and Head Coach McCarthy is classifying the injury as a sprain. Yet, who else in the NFL can withstand losing their #1 Wide Receiver and not miss a beat? It’s the Green Bay Packers.

Urlacher gets Tebowed

 2.) Tebow Mania continues, Broncos edge Bears in OT 13-10 - Oh my Lord…  (As Tebow would say) but this game was unreal. Tebow shuts up naysayers once again as the Broncos improve to 8-5 and 7-1 with Tebow as the starter. Marion Barber played like a complete idiot. First, Barber, runs out of bounds to stop the clock in regulation which gave the Broncos a chance to tie and force the game to OT.

Then, Barber fumbles the ball away in OT (after making a GREAT catch to put the Bears in position to win).  I mean how DUMB can you be Marion?  You might have just cost your team a wild card spot for the playoffs.  Broncos looking up, while the Bears watch their promising start to the season disappear along with their playoff hopes.

Jacobs Celebrates in The Star

3.) GIANT Comeback – How big was this win for Big Blue? With both wild card teams winning (Detroit and Atlanta improve to 8-5) and controlling their destiny in the balance, Giants come up BIG and steal one at Dallas.

Giants were down 34-22 with 5 Minutes left, Eli makes an incredible comeback (Leads NFL with 7 this season) which included a 400 yard and 2 Touchdown performance. However, the Giants run game behind Brandon Jacobs 101 yard 2 touchdown performance set the stage for Eli’s comeback.

When the Giants can run the ball like they did last night, watch out. Jacobs is a bruising back that can dictate the pace of the game. Throughout the game Jacobs had 1-2 runs each drive when he just DESTROYED a Cowboy defender or two; that is imposing your will.

From the Cowboys point of view, you lose the division lead, a home game to your rival, and one of your most important players in running back Demarco Murray for the season. We will see what the cowboys are made of in these final 3 games; will they fade like they have in the past? Or will they rally around Romo and turn it around? We will see.

Yates Gaining Belief Every Game.

4.) Texans Clinch Division in Impressive Fashion Beat Bengals 20-19 – The Texans just keep winning, they comeback from 16-3 down on the road and mount a furious comeback in the final seconds to steal one in Cincy. No Mario Williams, No Matt Schuab, No Andre Johnson, no problem.

You have to respect what this team is doing, with their best players out; the Texans have not missed a beat. Rookie quarterback T.J Yates leads the Texans 80 yards, and capped the drive with a 6 yard Touchdown pass with 2 seconds left in the game. Yates throws for 300 yards along with 2 touchdowns and a INT.

I am impressed with this team, they are rallying around Yates and it shows to their character as a team, maybe if the other team in Texas had as much heart and toughness as the Texans, they would have taken care of the Giants last night. Wade Phillips is LAUGHING right now and so am I. The challenge for this team will be maintaining the level of play they are at and if Yates can manage his way to a Super Bowl?

Jets have to get back to "Ground and Pound"

5.) Jets Destroy Chiefs 37-10, Get help, End day 6th Seed in Playoffs.  – Say what you want, the Jets have quietly taken care of business these past 3 weeks and find themselves in position to take the final spot in the playoffs. After getting help from the Packers, Texans, and Saints, the Jets are now in the driver’s seat for the final playoff spot.

Now the only stat I’ll take from this game is Shonn Greene’s performance. 24 Carries, 129 yards, and one touchdown. If the Jets can consistently start running the ball like they have the past three weeks, this team will be a force in the playoffs (again). I don’t know what it is with this team, but they turn it on in December and play clutch, I LOVE that.

The defense looked great (I know it was the Chiefs) but it was important that they did not play down to the Chiefs level and took care of business early. The Jets have a tough two game stretch against Philly and the Giants, these two games will tell me where the Jets stand.

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