Turnovers Key in Arizona, Pittsburgh Wins: Recap of Conference Championship Weekend

The Super Bowl matchup is now set, the Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers will battle it out in Tampa Bay in less than two weeks. Arizona head coach Ken Whisenhunt will have the honor in facing his old team with the Vince Lombardi Trophy on the line (Whisenhunt was offensive coordinator in Pittsburgh before taking the Cards' head coaching job two years ago).

How these two teams did it yesterday? Simple, they minimized mistakes and were able to force some turnovers on the other side of the ball. Arizona's veteran QB Kurt Warner will be headed to his third career Super Bowl (1-1) while Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger his second (1-0).

Philadelphia Eagles 25, Arizona Cardinals 32

This game was an offensive explosion, which surprised, once again, countless amounts of NFL fans and "experts" (I don't like using that word, but that's what they are called). Most NFL followers, including me, had doubted whether or not Warner and all-pro WR Larry Fitzgerald would have the connection they had made the previous two weeks. But, Fitzgerald caught nine passes for 152 yards and three TD's (all in the first half) throughout the game as Asante Samuel and Brian Dawkins struggled to stop the Arizona passing attack which went for 267 yards (ARI: 369 total yards).

Philadelphia did more of the same when they had the ball. Despite being down 24-6 at the half, Donovan McNabb got his team together and made a late surge, scoring 19 unanswered points in the third and fourth quarter, taking the lead for the first time after a 62-yard bomb to rookie WR DeSean Jackson. Philly led 25-24 with 10:45 to play after a David Akers failed extra point and a failed 2-point conversion (after the 62-yard pass). McNabb threw for 375 yards and three TD's (Philly gained 454 yards on offense) but his first half INT was a costly mistake.

Arizona was poised to win the game, and on their very next possession, Kurt Warner put together a 14-play, 72 yard drive which took 7:52 away from McNabb and got him out of his groove. The drive was capped with an 8-yard pass from Warner to '08 fantasy stud, Tim Hightower; a TD machine this season. The successful two-point conversion for Arizona made it a seven-point game, 32-25, and the bandwagon jumpers went crazy!

Philadelphia's offense got two more chances to even the score before time ran out, but were unsuccessful. McNabb got a solid start to the drive with a couple of short to medium passes to Jackson, TE Brent Celek and RB Brian Westbrook, but four straight incomplete passes on first and 10 gave the ball back to Arizona with under two minutes remaining. A quick three-and-out on defense put the Eagles in position for a ver deep pass of, lets see, 91 yards. With :09 to play, McNabb's short pass play with a couple laterals failed and Arizona went on to win the game as the time expired.

In just his second season as the head coach, Ken Whisenhunt has taken the Arizona Cardinals to their first-ever Super Bowl. Had it been one year earlier, they would've been playing in their very own stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Either way, Arizona will cherish this moment for a lifetime.

Baltimore Ravens 14, Pittsburgh Steelers 23

Ah, the other BIG game this past weekend. Perhaps the matchup that has received all the attention (east coast bias, huh?). Pittsburgh was favored by six points, but that didn't bother Baltimore any. Number one defense versus the number two defense, that's what this game was all about and the victory could've gone either way.

Pittsburgh got the ball first and was able to drive down the field thanks to a big play from reliable veteran WR Hines Ward, which put the Steelers in field goal range. Jeff Reed's 34-yard field goal capped a 7-play, 55 yard drive and gave Pittsburgh the early 3-0 lead. The key in the very long first quarter was the defense for Pittsburgh. Baltimore's rookie QB Joe Flacco had just two passing yards and Baltimore had just 17 total yards and zero first downs in quarter number one. The Ravens four first quarter possessions; punt, INT, punt, turnover on downs. Pittsburgh; FG, punt,

FG, fumble. BAL 0, PIT 6.

It really wasn't until the end of the first half when Baltimore's offense started producing. A three-play, 66-yard drive, in which just 1:02 elapsed from the game clock was capped by a 65-yard pass from QB Ben Roethlisberger to WR Santonio Holmes. The TD extended Pittsburgh's lead to 13-0 with about 14 minutes to play in the opening half. With just under three to play, Baltimore cut the lead in half with a three-yard TD run for Willis McGahee. Matt Stover's extra point made it a 13-7 ball game.

Poor clock management at the end of the half on Roethlisberger and coach Mike Tomlin's part sent the two teams into the locker room with a close six-point game. With Hines Ward out with a knee injury and Big Ben shaken up after being hit several times after passes, Baltimore stole the momentum just before the half. Fortunately for Baltimore, Pittsburgh failed to put more points up after what should've been an easy, wide open TD catch for 6 foot 4 rookie WR Limas Sweed. Sweed dropped the pass and Pittsburgh failed to get any points from it. Another fine example; what looked to be an easy TD pass to Holmes was ruled incomplete and Pittsburgh settled for a FG. One more thing; Pittsburgh got a gift-call on what was apparently a roughing the punter called on Baltimore. Punter Mitch Berger was awarded the Academy award for his acting and Pittsburgh was given the ball back deep inside Baltimore territory. What does Pittsburgh do? Nothing, not even three points.

Baltimore fails to capitalize on the momentum early in the second half, punting on their first three possessions. Pittsburgh manages three points off another Jeff Reed field goal, this one from 46 yards out. On their other two third quarter possessions Pittsburgh punted, as well. BAL 7, PIT 16 at the end of three.

Early in the fourth, however, Baltimore pulls within two on Willis McGahee's second TD of the day (this one from 1-yard out). After the TD, Flacco just seemed to fold under pressure. Pittsburgh's defense continued to bring the heat and Flacco just collapsed in the pocket. The Ravens' last three possessions looked like this; INT, fumble, INT. In the final six or seven minutes of regulation, Flacco and the offense had seven plays, gaining just 43 yards.

The game was virtually over when Flacco's second--of three total--interception was run back for a 40-yard TD by all-pro SS Troy Polamalu, who was all over the field all game long, like usual.

Despite the spectacular play by the home team, not all was good in the final minutes of play in Pittsburgh. A very big collision between Pittsburgh's Ryan Clark and Baltimore's Willis McGahee sent Clark to the sidelines with wooziness and McGahee off on a stretcher with extreme neck pain (as it was later categorized). McGahee was released from the hospital earlier today, however, after spending the night in a Pittsburgh hospital. He seems to be ok.

Finally, Flacco was picked off once more to end his horrendous night in Pittsburgh. The Steelers held on to advanace to their 7th Super Bowl appearance in the 43-year SB history. Only Dallas (8) has more appearances than Pittsburgh as the Steelers look to capture their NFL-record 6th title against Arizona on February 1st, 2009 in Tampa Bay, Florida.

I can't wait.

The Official NFL Conference Championship Preview (2008-09)

This is it. Four teams will play til the death this Sunday. Four teams will give it all they've got and leave it all out on the field. The winner? Well, all the winner will get to do is travel to Tampa Bay and play for the Vince Lombardi Trophy in two weeks, a chance at NFL history. Both the NFC teams, Philadelphia and Arizona are looking for their first-ever Super Bowl championship. Baltimore is looking for their second title since returning to Baltimore in 1996 while the Pittsburgh Steelers are seeking their record-breaking 6th Super Bowl win.

Three of the four QB's in this weekend's games have played in a Super Bowl, two of those three have a ring in their possession (Kurt Warner with STL in '99, Ben Roethlisberger with PIT in '05).

The Phildadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals will kickoff at 3 PM ET in Glendale, Arizona. The Eagles must stop the duo of Warner and Pro Bowl wideout Larry Fitzgerald after the two went for 166 yards and a TD against the Carolina Panthers last week. Eagles safety, Brian Dawkins, is nearing the end of his career and has yet to win a ring. Dawkins, the heart and soul of Philly's D for years, is Donovan McNabb's and the rest of the Eagles' motivation. Arizona's motivation in this game? How about losing season after losing season. They have rarely even managed to make the playoffs and they finally realized they are just one game away from the Super Bowl in Tampa. What more can you ask for??

As for the Ravens/Steelers game in Pittsburgh (scheduled to kickoff at 6:30 PM ET), many believe the third time's the charm for Baltimore's stingy defense. Pittsburgh has come out on top in both of the two team's previous meetings this season, and that was a Steelers team suffering injury after injury. But, after watching the Steelers 35-24 route of the San Diego Chargers on Sunday, the Steelers look to be as healthy as ever. This game will be better than the Super Bowl itself. The cold, snowy weather will make due for a very physical, run-based game. Both defenses are on the top of their game and are looking to knock off their division-rival. The winner of this game has a very good chance in the Super Bowl. I present you the third of four Playoff Previews (4-4 in eight playoff games, ew that's not good):

• What I, myself think.

• What Madden 09 (for XBOX 360) says.

and, of course...

• What 'Whatifsports.com' says (FYI: WIS just recently released the 2008 rosters).

NFC Conference Championship

Philadelphia Eagles @ Arizona Cardinals

Sunday, January 18th, 2009 at 3 PM ET

ME: PHI 24, ARI 17

Donovan McNabb has played tremendously this playoff season and even when Philadelphia's run game has struggled, Philly has been able to win games anyway because of solid defensive play. Asante Samuel and Brian Dawkins have had great games in the defensive secondary and if they can double-team Larry Fitzgerald it will be a much easier win for Philadelphia than expected. Give Brian Westbrook the ball early and often to take pressure off McNabb and continue giving him the ball if/when Philly gets a comfortable lead. Yes, Arizona winning this game will be a great head-liner, but I'm doubting them once again. Prove me wrong, Arizona!

Madden '09: PHI 16, ARI 23

Kurt Warner led his team to victory with a little help from the best WR in the league, Larry Fitzgerald of course. Warner went 23 of 32 for 238 yards and 2 TD's against Brian Dawkins and Asante Samuel. Guess they should've double-teamed him, huh? Fitzgerald caught both TD's for 24 and 32 yards in the second and third quarters. The rest of the scoring came off the once Pro Bowl kicker Neil Rackers who booted three FG's from beyond 43 yards. Donovan McNabb passed for just 195 yards and a TD, Brian Westbrook caught a TD and ran for another. A safety on Kurt Warner in the third capped Philly's scoring as Arizona rolled on to their first-ever Super Bowl appearance. Can you believe it!?!?

WIS: PHI 27, ARI 13

Well, it appears as though WIS knew exactly what Philly had to do to stop Warner and Fitz...double-team them, of course! I've mentioned that in this article several times now and yes, it works occasionally. Arizona couldn't stop Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook. McNabb threw for 321 yards while Westbrook ran for 128 and a TD. Brian Dawkins made 8 tackles and record 1.5 sacks with a forced fumble on Warner. Now, that's how you win ballgames!

Overall: PHI (2-1)

AFC Conference Championship

Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Sunday, January 18th, 2009 at 6:30 PM ET

ME: It's a toss-up! (but really, Pittsburgh wins 17-14)

Literally, I'm not sure I can pick a winner. Pittsburgh is favored by 6 points, but it will be much closer than that. People are continuing to say that Baltimore has more motivation and "third time's the charm" but that's just bull. Pittsburgh is just as motivated as Baltimore is. The two teams have the hottest defenses in the league right now and both QB's have very similar abilities and are about one inch and 10 pounds size difference. Ben Roethlisberger will be playing in his third career AFC Championship game and this defense seems to have a little more playoff experience on their side but that's about it. Like I said earlier, though, Pittsburgh seems to be healthy for the first time in what, 12 or 13 weeks at least. Baltimore's defense did struggle to stop Tennessee's run in the first half of last game, Pittsburgh will need to mimic what Tennessee's Chris Johnson did while actually on the field. I picked a generic score of about 17-14 and flipped a coin. Baltimore won two out of three times. But, I'm going against those odds and saying Pittsburgh wins. Call me bias all you want, I'm not a professional, I do what I want!

Madden '09: BAL 17, PIT 20

Ed Reed picked off Ben Roethlisberger once and sacks him twice, but James Harrison and James Farrior lead Pittsburgh's defense with 2 sacks each (PIT sacked Joe Flacco 6 total times), and Troy Polamalu picked him off twice. Ray Lewis led Baltimore's hard-hitting defense with 13 tackles and a sack as Roethlisberger completed 18 of his 29 passes for 202 yards. Hines Ward was clutch as he caught seven passes for 89 yards and the game-winning 24-yard TD catch with less than a minute to play. Jeff Reed's two 40+ yard FG's were huge, too. Baltimore got off to a 14-0 start and led 14-3 at the half. But, just like most other games this season, Roethlisberger led a second-half comeback. Pittsburgh outscored Baltimore 17-3 in the third and fourth quarters on their way to another Super Bowl appearance.

WIS: BAL 7, PIT 6

Talk about a defensive slugfest! In the end, Baltimore late big-play makes the difference. Rookie QB Joe Flacco throws a 79-yard bomb to TE Todd Heap with just under four minutes remaining. Heap has made a couple big plays in the past couple of games and he had 94 of Flacco's 174 passing yards in the one-point win. Ray Lewis' 10 tackles and Ed Reed and Justin Bannan's interceptions of Ben Roethlisberger make the difference in the game as Roethlisberger goes 11 of 22 for 99 yards and 2 INT's. The game may not have been as close if veteran kicker Matt Stover hadn't missed the 45-yard field goal attempt in the third quarter for Baltimore.

Overall: PIT (2-1)

Super Bowl Match-up:

Philadelphia v.s. Pittsburgh

Battle of PA!

The Official NFL Divisional Weekend Preview (2008-09)

Looking to bounce back after going 2-2 in the wild card round last week, I will be a little more cautious in picking my three definite winners and, of course, one upset; which is probably very surprising to most NFL fans out there. But, what can I say? I enjoy living on the edge. It's not like I have any money riding on the outcome of these games. Once again, I will present to you:

* What I, myself think.

* What Madden 09 (for XBOX 360) says.

and, of course...

* What 'Whatifsports.com' says (FYI: WIS just recently released the 2008 rosters).

Baltimore Ravens @ Tennessee Titans

Saturday, January 10th, 2009 at 4:30 PM ET

ME: BAL 21, TEN 24

Like most playoff games nowadays, this game will be close and will come down to the team that makes the least mistakes. With DE's Albert Haynesworth and Kyle Vanden Bosch back in the lineup, Tennessee will get plenty of pressure on rookie QB Joe Flacco, sacking him many times and forcing multiple turnovers. With their elite RB's--Lendale White and rookie Chris Johnson--in the backfield, Tennessee will have no trouble controlling the clock. I actually believe if QB Kerry Collins can limit mistakes on offense and maybe score two or three times, they should be able to control the tempo and dominate both sides of the ball. Collins keeps the ball away from Ed Reed and Chris Johnson rolls for 120+ as Tennessee advances.

Madden '09: BAL 19, TEN 13

Turns out Baltimore's defense is very good, though I'm sure you already figured that out for yourself. The Ray Lewis-led squad dominated Kerry Collins and Tennessee in this Madden matchup by sacking him four times (two of which went to Lewis, himself), plus a Terrell Suggs INT. The bright moment for Tennessee was Chris Johnson's 56-yard run early in the third quarter, which gave Tennessee the 13-12 lead. But, the rookie Flacco managed a late scoring drive which was capped by a three-yard TD which he ran in himself. The Matt Stover extra point gave Baltimore the 19-13 lead with just over a minute to play. Ray Lewis sealed the win with a late sack of Kerry Collins as time expired. Could Baltimore match their 2000 Super Bowl season? Their defense just may be good enough.

WIS: BAL 6, TEN 12

Kerry Collins was't near as affective as he should've been (7 for 18, 44 passing yards), but he was able to get the job done, nonetheless. As I expected, defense is what won the game. Tennessee shut Flacco down, sacking him three times and limiting him to just 115 yards through the air. Chris Johnson led the team in rushing yards, with 75, as Tennessee picked up 155 on 35 carries. Four Rob Bironas FG's and three Matt Stover FG's were the only points of the game. So, I guess in a way, it was the special teams that made the difference. Anyway, Tennessee moves on, according to WIS.com.
Overall: TEN (2-1)
Arizona Cardinals @ Carolina Panthers

Saturday, January 10th, 2009 at 8:15 PM ET

ME: ARI 35, CAR 31

Ah, yes. The big, head-scratching prediction. I have been praising the Panthers' running game and calling Jake Delhomme the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year all season long, but I'm going to have to pick against the mighty Panthers this week. I like the matchup of Kurt Warner and Pro Bowl WR's Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin v.s. Carolina's 16th ranked pass defense. Arizona limited Atlanta's sixth ranked offense to 250 total yards and the game's second-leading rusher, Michael Turner, to just 42 yards (forced a Turner fumble, too). Not to mention the three turnovers they forced, including two Matt Ryan INT's. Arizona has as much of a chance at stopping the Panthers elite running game as anyone.

Madden '09: ARI 17, CAR 33

So, it appears as though John Madden and his crew don't agree with my upset pick, at all. He has Carolina playing mistake-free, T.O.P. domination. In this game, the killer duo of DeAngelo Williams and rookie Jonathan Stewart combining for 165 yards and 2 TD's (one each). Jake Delhomme went 18 of 26 for 261 yards and a late second quarter TD pass to All-Pro WR Steve Smith, which gave Carolina a 17-0 advantage. A late scoring spree for Kurt Warner and his Cards wasn't enough as the second seeded Panthers advanced to the NFC Conference Championship game.

WIS: ARI 38, CAR 24

Wow, this result really surprised me. Not only did Arizona beat Carolina by two TD's, but Kurt Warner threw for 269 yards and three TD's while Arizona stopped the DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart-led Carolina run game to 116 yards on 34 carries. Larry Fitzgerald was Arizona's leading receiver with 5 catches for 93 yards and two of Warner's three passing TD's. Arizona's defense also sacked Delhomme (14 for 22 for 182 yards) twice and picked him off once more, which happened to be returned 61 yards for a TD by former Steelers LB Clark Haggans in the second quarter.
Overall: ARI (2-1)

Philadelphia Eagles @ New York Giants

Sunday, January 11th, 2009 at 1 PM ET

ME: PHI 17, NYG 31

I'm not buying into the whole "Eagles are untouchable" talk I keep hearing. Yes, they may have beaten the Giants earlier in the season, but I guess you haven't learned your lesson yet: don't doubt Eli Manning in the playoffs. He WILL prove you wrong, he's done it before. ESPN's poll showed that about 54% of people out there believed Philly would win. Philly's D gave up 83 rushing yards and two TD's to Adrian Peterson last week. What do you think the trio of Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward and Ahmad Bradshaw are going to do to this defense? If Philly can't get Brian Westbrook going early, it could be a long day for this Philly offense going up against the NFL's fifth best defense, led by DE Justin Tuck.

Madden '09: PHI 18, NYG 17

Philadelphia advanced with the slimest of margins thanks to 247 passing yards and a late TD pass to the rookie DeSean Jackson--who broke out for five catches, 102 yards and the TD catch. But, the Eagles pulled off the miraculous 14-point comeback thanks to four kicks booted through the uprights by veteran David Akers. Eli Manning and the G-Men took the 14-0 lead after a McNabb fumble was returned for a TD and Ahmad Bradshaw ran the ball in from two yards out. Akers hit three of his four FG's in the second half as McNabb's Eagles outscored New York 12-0 in the fourth quarter and 15-3 in the second half. Philly can thank Manning's two second-half INT's, which were both intercepted by Philly's Quintin Mikell. Brandon Jacobs' 133 rushing yards ended up making little impact on the outcome.

WIS: PHI 23, NYG 21

Donovan McNabb and the Eagles' D proved me wrong as Philly pulled off a two-point upset. Eli Manning was nothing compared to the red-hot Eagle defense. In fact, Manning went just 14 for 25 for 172 yards (0 TD, 0 INT). It was New York's running game that kept the Giants' hopes alive with 214 yards on 28 carries, scoring all three of the team's TD's (2 Ward, 1 Jacobs). Head coach Andy Reid did, in fact, get the running game going early and often for Philadelphia as Brian Westbrook scored his lone TD from 20-yards out just five minutes into the game. Westbrook finished with 129 yards on the ground and 46 through the air en route to a 23-21 win.

Overall: PHI (2-1)
San Diego Chargers @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Sunday, January 11th, 2009 at 4:45 PM ET

ME: SD 10, PIT 24

All bias aside, Pittsburgh will win this football game. The only thing I'm real worried about, at this point, is how Ben Roethlisberger will react after sustaining a concussion against the Cleveland Browns two weeks ago. The guy is a warrior and has been hit plenty before. If he can just manage the game--he really doesn't have to do anything special--Pittsburgh will be fine. Mike Tomlin will most likely get the run game going early and often. If Willie Parker can be affective on the ground, it's smooth sailing from there. On defense, they will need to stop the little man, Darren Sproles, since the 'Bolts will most likely be without Ladainian Tomlinson for a majority of the game, anyway. Score some points on the ground, limit mistakes and force a few turnovers is what Pittsburgh must--and will--do against the Chargers' on Sunday.

Madden '09: SD 17, PIT 24

Ben Roethlisberger played a real solid game, completing 18 of his 25 passes for 198 yards and two TD's. But, the talk of the night was Willie Parker and his 132 rushing yards and two TD runs. Pittsburgh lost two fumbles on offense, but Pittsburgh's two INT's and five sacks of Philip Rivers (three recorded by James Harrison) made up for the offensive turnovers. Tomlinson and Sproles combined for just 73 rushing yards as Pittsburgh held the ball for 36 of the possible 60 minutes.

WIS: SD 10, PIT 20

Again, Ben Roethlisberger had a solid game, going 15 for 22, 249 yards and a fourth quarter TD pass to Hines Ward. Darren Sproles and Ladainian Tomlinson combined for 101 of the Chargers' 122 yards on the ground, but a couple James Harrison sacks and a Troy Polamalu INT proved costly for Philip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers offense. Pittsburgh played usual Steeler defense and dominated the time of possession with their 338 total yards and zero turnovers on offense. Pittsburgh advances to play Tennessee in the Conference Championship, according to me and WIS.

Overall: PIT (3-0)

Pats Tag Cassel: Good or Bad?

Three Super Bowl rings. Two Super Bowl MVP's. Four Pro Bowls.

That's just a few of the accomplishments that make up New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady's long resume in the National Football League. But, Brady's 2008 campaign was destroyed right off the bat after suffering a serious knee injury week one of the season, against the Kansas City Chiefs. Both the ACL and MCL in his knee were torn after Kansas City defensive back Bernard Pollard rolled on top of it during the first quarter. The injury forced New England to place him on the injured reserve, abruptly ending his season.Former University of Southern California quarterback, Matt Cassel, stepped in right away and led the team to the week one victory, 17-10. With little NFL experience, not much was expected of Cassel--who hadn't started a game since high school before Brady went down. Many TV analysts and fans considered New England's season spoiled.

In three and a half quarters of play, Cassel went 13 of 18 for 152 yards and a touchdown pass against the Chiefs. Not bad. The following week, against division-rival New York Jets, Cassel threw for 165 yards in a 19-10 victory.

In the end, Cassel--the unlikely hero--threw for 3,693 yards, 21 TD's and just 11 interceptions for the 11-5 Patriots. Yes, the team failed to make the playoffs, but that doesn't take away from the successful season the 26-year old Matt Cassel had under center. Cassel started off a bit on the rough side of things, but towards the end of the regular season, Cassel was as cool as "Joe Cool'' himself while in the pocket.

His success brought up an interesting topic this Sunday. The Patriots' organization decided to use their "franchise tag" on Cassel, keeping him in town for at least one more season. For those that don't know, the franchise tag is a designation that each NFL team are allowed to place on one player--usually of high importance to the team--that is scheduled to be a free agent that year. This strategic manuever allows teams to keep a highly-talented player for one extra year. For that season, that player's salary is guaranteed for that season.

The announcement made by New England's front office can only mean two things: A. Tom Brady's rehabilitation isn't going very smoothly or B. New England wishes to keep Cassel as their starter for next season.

Say it's crazy, but I wouldn't be surprised if Brady started the 2009 season off on the bench. Cassel is five years younger than the all-pro Brady, and knee injuries are one of the worst injuries to sustain in a game like football. Brady doesn't want to return too early and aggravate the knee, which has already been operated on several times.

The smart thing for head coach Bill Belichick to do here is sit Brady to begin the season, no matter how well Brady says his knee is. I suspect that's the reasoning behind the franchise tagging of Matt Cassel and fully agree in this move, considering the situation.

I mean, what's the worst that can happen? Ok, so Cassel has a rough start to the '09 season. Big deal. Brady has overcome many obstacles in his nine-year career. Cassel has displayed the leadership skills, and overall talent this season, I'm sure he can manage. Besides, football is a team game. It will take more than a few quarterbacking mistakes to fall in an early hole.

Keep Cassel another year for stability, Brady gets back to his normal winning routine and the Patriots could get a lot in return for a quarterback of Cassel's caliber. But, it's never a bad thing to have two capable quarterbacks on your roster.

Playoff Brackets Nearly Set: Week 17 Wrap-up

What a way to end a topsy-turvy season! Five-plus blowouts--including three shut-out performances--as we wrap up another fine NFL regular season. In the end, seasoned veterans, such as Brett Favre and "choke artist" Tony Romo, will be watching the playoffs unfold from their armchairs at home. Just like the rest of us!

Replacing the two gun-slingers (I guess Romo would like to be referred to as a gun-slinger?), are two rookie signal-callers, Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan. Flacco of the Ravens, and Ryan of the Falcons are battling for both the Rookie of the Year award and the right to represent their respective conferences in the Super Bowl this season.

If you had asked an entire panel of so-called "experts" before the start of the season, I'm 99% sure that neither the two young'un's (that's how Dictionary.com said it was spelled, FYI), nor their teams would be mentioned under the category of playoff potential. Baltimore won just five games one year ago as Atlanta went on to win just four. Both teams turned a new page over the off-season, hiring a new head coach and drafting themselves a franchise QB. Both team owners hit jackpot, as you can see. Two wild card teams battling for League supremacy.

As an NFL fan and observer, all you can do it sit and wait anxiously for the two to take the field next weekend to come. Again, as an NFL fan and observer, I will certainly be watching these two warriors battle it out, and possibly even witness the two make a few big plays and lead their teams to round two the following weekend.

Flacco, accompanied by Baltimore's stingy defense, ranked #2 in the NFL, will go head-to-head with possible MVP candidate, Chad Pennington in Miami. Yes, you heard me correctly. Dolphins QB Chad Pennington, the scum of New York just a few years back, has come up in a few MVP debates. I mean, really, why not? There really hasn't been a clear front-runner this year, unlike last year when New England Patriots QB Tom Brady won--almost unanimously! Pennington deserves a majority of the credit for turning around the 11-5 Dolphins. Remember, they won just one game last year, and that was in overtime against the 5-11 Ravens. But, I'm gonna throw this out there to counteract that last argument, Tony Sparano is my vote for NFL Coach of the Year (even though I don't even get a vote).As far as the Ravens/Dolphins wild card matchup in Miami goes, this could be get out of hand. I'm going with the upset, which really isn't an upset in my eyes. The three v.s. six seed matchup is misleading. Both teams have an 11-5 record, but Baltimore has the hot hand, winning 9 of their last 11 games, including a 27-13 victory over, yes, the Dolphins. Over half of Baltimore's wins haven't really been that close, and believe it or not, Baltimore's offense has played fantastic the past few weeks. Their defense is, well, great. Hard-nosed, in-your-face defense explains the Ravens D, completely. Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers! That's what helped them defeat the Jacksonville Jaguars to reach the point they're at now. That, and the fact that Jags' QB David Garrad was on his back a majority of the time.

Regardless of the outcome of the Denver Broncos/San Diego Chargers game (DEN 6, SD 24 at the half), the Indianapolis Colts (#5 seed in AFC bracket) will come out winners. Peyton Manning, like Pennington, is well alive in the hunt for the NFL's MVP award, and plays his best ball late in the year. Never rule Manning out of anything, he knows what he is doing and gets the job done day-in, day-out.

According to my calculations...and predictions, it will be Baltimore at Tennessee and Indianapolis at Pittsburgh in the second round of the AFC playoffs. I will give you my round two predictions when we get that far. Too early to tell you who is playing better ball (sorry).

Not much to say about the NFC. The Chicago Bears let me down:( I had them beating Houston--and the 12-4 New York Giants beating Minnesota)--and winning the NFC North title. Rookie RB Matt Forte is still another one of my favorites to win Rookie of the Year. Man, it's sooo hard to choose just one this year. Minnesota pulls off a shocking upset, 20-19, after a Ryan Longwell game-winning 50-yard FG in their dome. Thanks to his 103 yards on the ground, Adrian Peterson won the NFL rushing title with 1,760 yards in 16 games.

Like the Baltimore Ravens, the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys just had to win their final game and they clinch the final spot in the NFC playoffs. The problem? Dallas and Philly were playing eachother. That simple fact, plus the fact that these two teams were fierce rivals, made this game a great, evenly-matched game. Or so we thought..The game, to my surprise, quickly got ugly for Romo's 'Boys. I can hear the people in Dallas now:

"Romo is a waste of space, time, money" ((etc, etc, etc.))

But, I don't think it's fair, personally. Yes, he has found several different ways to lose playoff games--even with 13 Pro Bowlers last year--but he is still rather young and is still in the middle of his prime. Give him a little breathing room, Dallas. Not so much pressure. That could end up going a long way. It took both Manning's a few years to get into the groove of things.

Anyways, let's go on to the other side of this matchup. Donovan McNabb and Andy Reid did it, Philly. Despite the long skid earlier in the season and talks of Reid's firing, the Eagles have reached the playoffs and even have a shot in the wild card game against the third-seeded Minnesota Vikings (10-6). Great win for Philly, especially since they were able to shut-down division rival Dallas, 44-6.

I doubted Minnesota against the Giants this week and I will not let that happen again this week. Ever since Tarvaris Jackson's return to the lineup, the Vikes have been a whole different team. They have won five of their last six games (only loss was v.s. Falcons, 24-17), and have the number one rusher in the League in their backfield. Minnesota's D will shut down the Philly run game and AP will run over Philly's D for 150+ yards. Minnesota defeats Philly to move onto round two.

In the other first round NFC wild card matchup, the struggling Kurt Warner--who was once in the thick of the MVP talks--and his Arizona Cardinals will have to tackle a huge task. Out-throwing, and out-running the red-hot Atlanta Falcons. Led by, of course, Matt Ryan (like I said earlier), the Falcons have had the most success they've had in several years (well, since Michael Vick, anyway) under new head coach Mike Smith.

To me, this is no contest. The lower-seeded Falcons will run away with this one and Ryan may only have to throw the ball 20 or 25 times. Former San Diego Chargers RB Michael Turner has had a phenomenal season, as he picked up 208 yards on the ground against the New Orleans Saints earlier today. Round two matchups: Falcons @ Giants, Vikings @ Panthers.

Still awaiting tonight's results. But, like I said, I don't think the late-game will affect my wild card round predictions...at all. Enjoy the rest of your time off, everyone.

Happy New Year!

BBB15's NFL Ramblings (Week 17)

I haven't done much of this kind of stuff all season long, but it's never too late to try it, right? No one is more excited about tomorrow's slate of games than I (just so you know). Unfortunately, I will miss the early games due to work:( But, I will be sure to catch the 4:15 PM (E.T.) and the 8:15 PM (E.T.). Here it goes...

AFC East Showdown

The Dolphins/Jets matchup, though it may not sound so appealing to the casual NFL fan, is the "game of the week" without a doubt. Yes, there are obviously some other great games (e.g. NYG/MIN, DAL/PHI, DEN/SD) but the 'Fins, Jets shoot-out is for the AFC East supremacy. Former New York QB, Chad Pennington, will be on the other side of the field under center for Miami (10-5) while the definite Hall of Fame QB Brett Favre, who has played rather inconsistently this season, will be quarterbacking the Jets (9-6). By the time the fourth quarter rolls around, New York will be out of playoff contention due to a win from both Miami and the New England Patriots, who will defeat the Buffalo Bills, 35-10.

Playoffs or Bust

Since, as we should all be well-aware of by now, there will not be an AFC wild card team from the West, the Sunday night matchup between the 8-7 Denver Broncos and 7-8 San Diego Chargers will decide the division winner. Big headed, trash-talking QB's Jay Cutler and Philip Rivers will have to leave it all out on the field tomorrow night in San Diego if they want a chance in the playoffs. Who wins? In the end, Cutler's buckin' Broncos and the rather weak defense will prevail, holding the pesky 'Bolts out of the playoffs. Maybe then Philip Rivers will finally close his damn mouth!

Wild Card, Anyone?!

There's a good chance we could have not one, but two rookie QB's in the playoffs this season. Former Boston College, current Atlanta Falcons QB Matt Ryan has already punched his ticket to the NFC playoffs (first wild card) and with a win over Jacksonville tomorrow, Baltimore Ravens QB Joe Flacco, the former Blue Hen, could very well punch his own ticket. Tony Romo's circus will need to sneak past the Philadelphia Eagles and their rowdy fans before they can call themselves a playoff contender. After tomorrow, Baltimore and New England will be presented with the two AFC wild card spots while the Falcons and Cowboys represent the NFC wild card teams.

A Mess Out West

I am referring to both West divisions, by the way. The struggling 8-7 Arizona Cardinals clinched their division weeks ago, but are dangerously close to finishing the season 8-8 after a very strong start to the season. The rest of the NFC west are a combined 12-33...ick!! The AFC West is more of the same. Only difference, there are two below-par teams fighting for their playoff right. Like I said above(^^), the 8-7 Broncos and 7-8 'Bolts are fighting for the division crown tomorrow night at 8:15 PM ET.

North Champ?

The Pittsburgh Steelers clinched the AFC North a few weeks back, but the NFC North has yet to be completed. Chicago's overtime win over the Green Bay Packers last week kept them alive for the division crown, and with a win over the Houston Texans (and a Minnesota loss v.s. the NYG), Chicago can clinch the North with a 10-6 record. Even if they Vikings win, the Bears still have a shot at a wild card spot. But, that will not happen. BOLD prediction: Chicago wins, Minnesota loses. Bears clinch division, Vikings narrowly miss playoffs. Who's excited for the 0-15 Detroit Lions/Green Bay Packers game at the frozen tundra?!?! I know I am, as well as the '76 Bucs. Can Rod Marinelli make history? Of course he can, they've been losing like this all season. What makes you think all this will change against the young, gun-slinging Aaron Rodgers?!?! Detroit becomes the first team to ever go 0-16.

Don't forget your brown bags, Detroit fans!

College Bowl Wrap-up (12-27-08)

Two of the day's three big bowl games have played out with thrilling results. West Virginia University's senior QB, Pat White, became the first-ever to win four bowl games as the starting QB after lifting his Mountaineers to an exciting 31-30 victory over the North Carolina Tar Heels in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. White threw for 332 yards and 3 TD's, ending his college career on a high note. The Moutaineers finished the season with a 9-4 record while dropping the 'Heels to an overall record of 8-5.

Sophomore RB Noel Devine added 61 yards on the ground and an 18-yard first quarter TD run. West Virginia--and College Football, as well--will indeed miss Pat White, dearly, but will get the chance of watching the elusive Devine for at least one more season.

Like the Moutaineers, the Florida State Seminoles finished their 2008 campaign on a high-note. Florida State, 9-4, defeated the struggling Wisconsin Badgers (7-6) 42-13, earlier today as well. Badger RB, senior P.J. Hill, ran for 140 yards, but Wisconsin's three lost fumbles came back to haunt them as FSU rolled on to a 28-0 run in the third and fourth quarter.

Florida State's sophomore QB Christian Ponder's 2 TD passes and mistake-free play made up for Wisconsin's 201 yards on the ground, giving FSU the Florida Citrus Bowl game trophy and the thrill of victory.

Looking for more Bowl action?? May want to check out the Emerald Bowl (Miami FL. v.s. California) on ESPN. Currently, the Golden Bears from California are ahead of the 'Canes, 17-14, with the fourth quarter begining. California's two TD's are credited to sophomore RB Jahvid Best. Best has accumulated 167 yards and two TD's on the ground through the first 3 QTR's of play.

Still want more football?? There's always week 17 NFL action tomorrow from 1 PM ET until around 11 PM ET tomorrow.

What Have We Learned this NFL Season??

There's nothing like December football!!

If you were looking for something exciting to do this Christmas, sitting on the couch watching the NFL playoff race unfold before your eyes is as good as it gets. As of Monday December 22nd, seven of the possible 12 playoff slots have been clinched. This means that next Sunday a total of five playoff teams will be revealed. Taking a look at the upcoming slate of games, this could be settled at the last possible minute. While we await tonight's Carolina-New York Giants matchup--which will decide the NFC's top seed--and tomorrow night's NFC North showdown, let's take a look back at all the things we have learned this season.

Consistency, Consistency, consistency!

The NFL is very unpredictable. Anything can happen on any given Sunday. That's why it's extremely important to come out ready to play every single week. Inconsistency isn't going to cut it in this game, just ask Brett Favre. Instead of coming out and sticking it to the weak Seattle Seahawks defense, Favre's New York Jets struggle to put up points and now their playoff spot is in jeopardy. Pressure is on Favre up in New York. If something bad should happen to New York against the 10-5 Miami Dolphins next week, all the blame will fall on the gunslinging veteran.

Other examples? The Dallas Cowboys, who put their fate in the hands of teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Minnesota Vikings after the loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday. Ed Reed and Co. flat-out outplayed Tony Romo, who was unable to hit his targets on a majority of his pass attempts.

Football is a young man's game

Rookies have dominated the NFL this season, and there really doesn't seem to be a wrong answer when it comes to the Rookie of the Year. Whether it be Matt Ryan in Atlanta, Chris Johnson in Tennessee, Joe Flacco in Baltimore, Matt Forte in Chicago (etc, etc, etc). The NFL is filled with early bloomers this season. Falcons QB Matt Ryan seems to be the front-runner for the ROY as of yesterday's 24-17 win over Minnesota. Ryan seems to have all the skills and leadership of a veteran QB, such as Favre and the Manning brothers. Just one year after Atlanta went 4-12, the rookie has led the team to a 10-5 record and a wild card spot in the NFC playoffs, which was clinched after Sunday's win.

Flacco, Baltimore's QB, is having a noteworthy rookie campaign as well, leading the Ravens to a 10-5 record and just one win shy of a possible wild card spot. In the windy city of Chicago, former Tulane RB Matt Forte has totally turned Da Bears running game around with his 1,115 yards and 7 rushing TD's through Chicago's first 14 games. How can we forget the League's fastest player, Chris Johnson from East Carolina?! Johnson, RB for the AFC's best team (Titans, 13-2), ran through and around the Steelers defense--ranked number one in the NFL--for 69 yards and a fourth down TD run which went for 21 yards.

Not everyone can win

That should be the motto of the Detroit "winless" Lions, who suffered their 15th loss of the season on Sunday, 42-7 against the Reggie Bush-less New Orleans Saints. There really, truly isn't much else I can say about this one. With GM Matt Millen gone (fired earlier this season), maybe the Lions will finally draft some decents players in the 2009 NFL Draft. Detroit will wrap up their devastating 2008 season next Sunday against the division rival Green Bay Packers at 1 PM ET, at the Frozen Tundra of Green Bay, Wisconsin. If feel for ya, Detroit!

New England doesn't need Tom Brady

Matt Cassel has done the unexpected. He has won 10 games under center for the New England Patriots after All-Pro QB Tom Brady was injured and lost for the season back during their week one matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs. A majority of NFL fans (including NE fans) and analysts believed the Pats' season was done. Not so fast, my friends. Just like Brady did to start his career, former USC back-up QB Matt Cassel has done a fine job filling in, and has even made a huge impact on fantasy teams around the country. Cassel, earlier in the season, threw for 400+ yards in back-to-back games. His 345 yards Sunday against the NFC West champion Arizona Cardinals has kept his team alive and well in the AFC East division race. Some are now saying Tom Brady has been overrated this whole time. Maybe it IS the system.

Defense wins championships

The AFC's top two teams, Tennessee and Pittsburgh, have made it this far because of their stout defenses. Pittsburgh's record of 11-4 (good enough for the 2nd seed in the playoffs) is basically because of the solid play of their defense. Tennessee was able to knock off Pittsburgh because their defense got to Ben Roethlisberger countless times, forcing him to fumble FOUR times (lost twice) and throw two interceptions, one of which was returned 83 yards for a TD, sealing the 31-14 win. Baltimore has gotten to where they are now because of their nasty defense and in the West, Denver and San Diego have struggled because of poor play on the defensive side of the ball...and inconsistency on offense, but that's a whole other story. Point is, the Super Bowl will come down to whose defense plays better. Mark my words!

More to come from in the next few days. Better get comfortable, there's just too much to talk about these days.

Steelers, Titans to Play for Home-Field Advantage

He has done it, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has taken his team to the playoffs for the second straight season after clinching the AFC North division and a first round bye with a controversial win over Pittsburgh's fiercest rival. The Baltimore Ravens are, of course, that fierce rival I just mentioned. Despite being down nearly all four quarters of the game, the 11-3 Steelers defeated the 9-5 Ravens, 13-9 this past Sunday in Baltimore. I will be one of the first to admit the refs blew the call on the lone touchdown of the game (with under a minute remaining). Wide receiver Santonio Holmes' feet were in the end zone, but the ball was not, which is the most important thing. The ball must break the plane and it didn't. But, nonetheless, the Steelers picked up their 11th win and yet another playoff appearance. Tomlin clinched his second playoff berth in his second season as an NFL head coach. Quite an accomplishment, if you ask me.

Both offenses in Pitt/Bal's matchup played horrificly, turning the ball over several times. Rookie Qb Joe Flacco looked cool under the pressure of the number one defense in the NFL, for a while anyway. It didn't take long for the front seven to rattle Flacco up, and he was picked off twice in the game, the second INT clinched the win for Pittsburgh in the 40-degree weather.

You can cry and complain all you want if your Baltimore, but that isn't going to change the outcome. The best thing for Baltimore is to move on and prepare for their Saturday night matchup with the playoff-hungry Dallas Cowboys. This game will make or break the season for both teams involved. We will get to see what Flacco is made of when he goes up against the NFL's sack leader, DeMarcus Ware, who is 3 1/2 sacks shy of Michael Strahan's single-season sack record of 22 1/2.

As for Pittsburgh, Coach Tomlin and his crew will be put to the test once again on Sunday, December 21st when the top-ranked defense will face off with the run-oriented offense of the Tennessee Titans. Head coach Jeff Fisher has made it his priority to play smash-mouth football--running the ball down the opponents throat and packing a mighty punch on defense. Tennessee's backfield consists of powerful running back, LenDale White and the elusive rookie Chris Johnson, who was selected to this year's AFC Pro Bowl roster. According to White, the explosive duo is the original smash and dash. In other words, White claims he came up with Carolina Panthers' RB's DeAngelo Williams and rookie Jonathan Stewarts nicknames of "Smash" and "Dash," and they stole the idea from him. Either way, the duo of the vet and the rookie will give Pittsburgh a run for their money, especially if Pittsburgh can't get their running game going early and often.

The winner of the heavily-anticipated game will likely determine the number one seed in the AFC playoffs. Meaning they are playing for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, and will most likely play all their starters despite already being in the playoffs.

Yes, it is week 16 starting tomorrow night when the wild card hopeful Indianapolis Colts, 10-4, play their fifth out of the team's six divisional games, against the disappointed Jacksonville Jaguars (5-9). Peyton Manning is almost certain to have another big fantasy day on his way to leading the Colts to their 11th win and a playoff berth.

A Colts win would mean the Ravens, Dolphins, Jets and Pats (depending on week 16 outcomes) are all competing for the last playoff spot. Two of the four teams, all of which are having solid seasons, would be left out of the picture come January (since one of the three named AFC East teams would finish the season with the division title). Who will it be? Well, we have yet to find out if Matt Cassel is capable of leading the Pats to a snowy December win in Foxboro, and the Dolphins and Jets are both on hot streaks (MIA: won 7 of last 8, NYJ: won 7 of last 10), so I'm gonna say the AFC East division will come down to the Dolphins and Jets.

But, Baltimore has also been playing great on both sides of the ball and have won seven of their last nine games. My bold prediction is Indy wins fifth seed with win over Jacksonville, Baltimore wins sixth seed with an 11-5 record and Miami wins out to clinch the East with an 11-5 record.

NFC South Game of the Year (and a recap of Sunday's games)

I cannot emphasize enough how important tonight's Monday night mtachup is when it comes to the playoff race. Even the casual NFL fan will tell you tonight's game will be a great one. If you are not intrigued by a Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-3) and Carolina Panthers (9-3) showdown, then you should not be calling yourself a fan of the NFL.

Carolina may have gotten knocked out by Tampa, 27-3, back in their week six matchup, but they have gone 5-1 since then and DeAngelo Williams is having a career year. The great duo of Williams and rookie RB Jonathan Stewart, out of Oregon, has helped Carolina the whole way, but my vote for comeback player of the year (Jake Delhomme) has backed them up well.

On the other side of the field, veteran QB Jeff Garcia has done a fine job keeping the 12th ranked offense together in close games. In fact, four of the Bucs nine wins have been by a touchdown or less, which includes two overtime wins over Chicago (27-24) and Kansas City (30-27). Might I add that all three of their losses have been by four or less points; 20-24 @ NO, 13-16 @ DEN, 9-13 @ Dallas. As you can see, all three of their losses have come on the road (6-0 at home). But, the game tonight happens to be in Carolina, meaning they are on the road (3-3 on road). That last piece of information obviously points towards Carolina, and adds a little pressure to Jon Gruden's Bucs.

The key in this game will be Carolina's seventh ranked rushing attack game against Tampa's fifth ranked run defense. Both teams will be favoring the run (Carolina is 19th run offense while Tampa's rushing attack is 11th). So expect only around 20 pass attempts for both starting QB's, Delhomme and Garcia.

My pick? Tampa is the obvious favorite; won last meeting and has the third ranked defense in the NFL. But I believe John Fox's Carolina Panthers, led by fantasy stud DeAngelo Williams will upset the Bucs and go on to win two of the last three regular season games to clinch the NFC South. Why not? I picked the Panthers to win the division before the seasons started, why give up on them now?

One thing I know for sure, at this point, is that we are witnessing something great. The NFC South has been having one of their best seasons in a pretty long time. Housing the favorite to win the Rookie of the Year award (Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons QB) and home of TWO nine-win teams through 13 weeks. Just last season Tampa Bay won the division easily with nine wins and Atlanta (currently standing at 8-5) was battling for the top pick in the '08 draft (4-12). Their four-win season forced head coach Rick Pettrino to just resign overnight...before the season was even finished.

Prediction: Carolina def. Tampa Bay 35-28. Williams rushes for 130+ yards and 3 TD's.

Flacco or Ryan?: The Great ROY Debate!

What do Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan have in common? Many things actually.

Both of these 23 year old rookie QB's have turned their respective NFL teams around in just 12 games this season. Both these guys are rather large, Ryan stands at 6 foot 4 inches, Flacco at 6 foot 6 inches. Both of these guys look like veteran QB's, similar to Brett Favre of the Jets and Kurt Warner of the Cardinals (only difference is neither are quite to the level of HOF status, just yet).

What's even scarier is that the two rookie signal-callers have nearly identical numbers. Both Flacco's Baltimore Ravens and Ryan's Atlanta Falcons currently stand at 8-4 and are in the heart of the wild card race. Go right ahead and take a gander at the numbers

Joe Flacco, BAL, QB- 12 games, 202 for 331 (61%), 2,276 passing yards, 12 TD passes, 9 INT's, 23 sacks, 82.3 QB Rating

Matt Ryan, ATL, QB- 12 games, 203 for 333 (61%), 2,625 passing yards, 13 TD passes, 6 INT's, 13 sacks, 91.2 QB Rating

As you can see, the numbers are pretty similar. But, Ryan gets the edge. Ryan has attempted two more passes than Flacco, yet he has nearly 350 more passing yards than his opponent, Flacco. The QB rating is a great way to measure a QB's production, and Ryan's, thanks to his 13 TD passes and just 13 sacks, is nearly 10 points highers than Flacco's (QB rating). Both Baltimore and Atlanta have pretty balanced attacks when it comes to offense. But, Flacco has more support behind him thanks to Baltimore's stingy defense.

Led by veteran LB Ray Lewis and all-pro safety Ed Reed, Baltimore reps the second best total defense in the NFL right now, allowing just 253.3 yards per game. Against the run, Baltimore is one of only four teams yet to allow over 1,000 rushing yards on the season (along with Pittsburgh, New York (Jets) and Minnesota). While they are second in the League in passing yards allowed per game, 175.1.

The Falcons defense, on the other hand, cannot say the same thing. But, the the overall 22nd best defense in the League of 32 teams have yet to drag Matt Ryan and the offense, ranked sixth best in the league, down.

As far as offensive support goes, both teams have solid running games. The fumble resistant Willis McGahee heads Baltimore's third ranked rushing team, while former LT backup, Michael Turner, has helped Atlanta's second ranked run game with over 1,200 yards on the ground. Ryan has gotten plenty, and I mean plenty, of production from Pro Bowl bound wide receiver Roddy White, this season. Though White, 69 receptions for 1,085 yards and six TD's this season, may be the only noteworthy wideout on Atlanta's depth chart. Michael Jenkins, Atlanta's #2 WR, has hauled in just 34 passes for 520 yards and three TD's for the third place Falcons. Luckily, for Flacco, Baltimore has more consistency lining up wide for him.

The always reliable veteran Derrick Mason has 800+ receiving yards (projected for 1,081 in '08), and the playmaker Mark Clayton have been great targets for Flacco. A healthy Todd Heap would really help this passing attack out, a lot. But, many have forgotten about the rookie RB Ray Rice, who has done an outstanding job running routes (31 receptions for 264 yards, 8.5 YPC) for Flacco.

Rookie of the Year pick??

It has to be Ryan at this point in the season. People thought Atlanta had no chance at all this season. Yes, I know that many people, outside of Baltimore, thought the same thing about Baltimore. But there was certainly a lot more confidence coming from Baltimore's fans, and as of this weekend, Baltimore has performed up to all the hype. But Ryan's numbers are better with less support than what Flacco has gotten in Baltimore.

Other Potential ROY winners:

Matt Forte, RB, CHI- 1,012 yards, 6 TD (4.1 YPC)

Chris Johnson, RB, TEN- 958 yards, 7 TD (4.7 YPC)

My vote for ROY is going to Matt Ryan, Quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons (even though I really don't even have a say in the voting!). Oh well...

AFC Playoff Picture (Week 11 Edition):

The American Football Conference has looked much different this year than in previous seasons. Why is this? The decline of the starting QB, the incline of backup QB's? Who knows. All I know is many of the four separate divisions in the AFC have looked a bit topsy-turvy through 11 weeks. Which six teams will reach the playoffs and which teams will be sitting at home watching it on the tube...That's the real question here. Read on to find out:

AFC North:

Pittsburgh Steelers 7-3

Baltimore Ravens 6-4

Cleveland Browns 3-6 (plays @ BUF tonight)

Cincinnati Bengals 1-8-1

The Steelers have come away in some close wins this season, thankfully, and that's what matters most. It wasn't pretty in last night's 11-10 win over the Chargers, but Ben Roethlisberger was mistake free (0 INT, 0 fumbles), and he remarkably threw for 308 yards. If head coach Mike Tomlin can get the offense going, the Steelers will cruise to another division title and possibly a first-round bye.

The Baltimore Ravens and rookie QB Joe Flacco have shown promise at times, but failure to finish games has been killing these Ravens. At this point, all John Harbaugh should be looking for from Flacco is mistake-free football. Keep the pressure off Flacco and this team has a shot at a wild card spot. Will they do it? No, Baltimore's remaining schedule is just too tough. Wait 'til next year, Flacco!

At this point, it's quite obvious the Browns and Bengals are out of the playoff picture. The only hope Cincy has shown was during yesterday's tie with the Philadelphia Eagles, 13-13. And, Browns coach Romeo Crennel has already replaced his starting QB, Derek Anderson, with the inexperienced Brady Quinn. That's a sign of desperation, and replacing Anderson was certainly not the answer to their struggles.

This division comes down to the Steelers and Ravens, and Pittsburgh is the team that knows what it takes to reach the playoffs.Division winner: Steelers

AFC East:

New York Jets 7-3

Miami Dolphins 6-4

New England Patriots 6-4

Buffalo Bills 5-4 (plays CLE tonight)

With a win over Cleveland tonight, the Bills could tie Miami and New England for second place in the division. This division could be the toughest to call at this point. Even with New York's 7-3 record, there really isn't a "powerhouse" favorite like there was last year. But I haven't given up on the Patriots just yet. In fact, Matt Cassel has shown he has what it takes to win games under Bill Belichick, and I personally am still leaning towards New England for the division title. This could be a real dangerous team if coach Bill can get the running game going, which will ultimately take the pressure off Cassel's shoulders.

I will just go back to that saying, "New England are the favorites until someone knocks them off." Tom Brady isn't the only reason this team went 16-0 last year. It's a team effort.

Well, Brett Favre is Brett Favre, of course. But, the Jets' defense doesn't equal the Pats' D, and the coaching is much better in Foxboro. Let's face the facts, New England is the better team, despite the 34-31 OT loss on Thursday. Patriots win division, Jets earn a wild card spot. Sorry Buffalo, but your great start was a fluke. Wait 'til next year!

Division winner: Patriots

AFC South:

Tennessee Titans 10-0

Indianapolis Colts 6-4

Jacksonville Jaguars 4-6

Houston Texans 3-7

I do not expect Jeff Fisher's success to dwindle to nothing at the end of the regular season. Come playoff time, the Titans will still be the number one team in the AFC, boasting a 14-2 record and an AFC South title. The duo of Chris Johnson and LenDale White has just been too much for opposing defenses, and the Steelers are the only tough defense remaining on their regular season radar.

Peyton Manning had another slow/tough start to the season, but he has the tendency to carry his team. It's not gonna be pretty, but Indy will get the fifth seed in the playoffs.

I am very disappointed in these 4-6 Jaguars. They were favorites coming into the season and they have disappointed pretty much everyone. But, I guess they aren't the only team to do that this year. This seems to be a pretty disappointing season, so far (yes, I'm looking at you Cleveland, New England, Dallas, Minnesota etc, etc, etc).

Houston remains the scum of the AFC South. Actually, the AFC for that matter. Wait 'til next year Houston!

Division winner: Titans

AFC West:

Denver Broncos 6-4

San Diego Chargers 4-6

Oakland Raiders 2-8

Kansas City Chiefs 1-8

This is what's holding the AFC back. An entire "suckish" division. This is ugly. What is up out west? Both west divisions have some of the worst teams in the entire NFL. What an embarrassment!

First of all, the 6-4 Broncos are extremely inconsistent. Second of all, Jay Cutler needs a little help in the backfield (and offensive line, as well). Injuries have decimated the Broncos on both sides of the ball. Third of all, the defense is horrific. The injury to All-Pro CB Champ Bailey hasn't helped that matter too much. The upside to the season? Young WR, Eddie Royal, looks promising, and has been a must in fantasy leagues around the Nation. Other than that, this is an embarrassment.

After the Broncos, the rest of the three teams have a combined record of 7-22. Whatever happened to all those Chargers fans in the beginning of the season? You know, all those AF's commenting on Galligan's NFL Preview...They were badmouthing him for picking Denver to win the division and look where LT and the Bolts are. I can't believe they are only two games back with a horrifying 4-6 record.

Don't even get me started on the Raiders and Chiefs! Wait 'til next year...Uh, can I just say the entire AFC WEST?!?!?

Division winner: Broncos (But, in order for this to happen, the Broncos D must actually play football).

My Night at Fedex Field: Leftwich Steps in with MVP Performance

I am soooo sorry that I haven't posted a story in, lets see, a long time. I, to tell you the truth, kinda forgot about BNB for a while. But, I'm back, and every article I post on AGM will go on here as well. Enjoy!

Steelers 23, Redskins 6

Another Monday night, another Pittsburgh win.

Luckily for me, my night at Fedex Field in Landover, MD was a very good one. Of course it started out a little bumpy, falling behind early, 6-0 after head coach Mike Tomlin's surprise onside kick attempt on the opening kickoff failed. So, Jason Campbell and his Skins started out with great field position, but only managed a field goal. After Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers offense was held to a three and out on their first possession, the Skins got the ball back. Quickly, they pulled ahead with another Shaun Suisham field goal, this one from 43 yards out.

Well, I surely wasn't used to this. Pittsburgh is usually able to get a quick lead and then pound the ball in the second half. Although that wasn't the case this Monday night. Roethlisberger attempted 17 first-half passes, only completing five of them. But kicker Jeff Reed hit a 35-yard field goal halfway through the second quarter, making it a 6-3 game.

I have failed to mention that Willie Parker finally returned to the lineup, but was ineffective early on. The best part of the whole game had to be the thousands and thousands of Steelers fans in DC waving their terrible towels proudly. The Steelers fans sitting right in front of me, wearing a Jerom Bettis jersey, predicted six Pittsburgh sacks. We witnessed FOUR in the first half as the Black and Gold. The Andre Frazier blocked punt with just over two minutes to go in the half set up a 1-yard run by Roethlisberger. The touchdown gave the Steelers the 10-6 lead. I must say, us Steelers fans were going crazy by then. In other words, it was LOUD. Unfortunately, the fans around me (including me), were unaware of the injury to Big Ben because we couldn't even hear the guy over the loudspeaker, but Roethlisberger ran into the locker room before the rest of the team thanks to an aggravation of his previously hurt shoulder.

We didn't realize he was out of the game until Byron Leftwich, the former Jacksonville Jaguars QB, ran out onto the field. It looked like they were keeping Dennis Dixon warm for most of the second half, too. When I saw him run out onto the field, of course I became a little worried. But that feeling didn't last for very long. Leftwich drove the Steelers down the field on their first second-half possession. The 8-play, 72 yard scoring drive was capped off with a 1-yard TD run by Willie Parker. Leftwich really got the "home" crowd going after his 50-yard pass completion to wide receiver Nate Washington. Leftwich finished the drive 2 for 3 for 57 yards, Reed missed the extra point, but it didn't really end up making a difference. 16-6 PIT.

It was all downhill for the Skins at this point. Campbell was sacked by Pittsburgh's blitz-happy defense three more times in the second half, and ended up throwing his first two interceptions of the season against them. Washington's next two drives were worthless, only gaining one first down between the two, and their last drive of the third quarter ended with a Deshea Townsend interception, which was challenged but the play stood as called on the field. Interception! First one of the season for Campbell.

On the Steelers ensuing drive Leftwich was sacked for -8 yards on the first play, and faced a 3rd and 15 after a three yard run for Parker. What does Leftwich do? Well, all he does is throw a 16-yard strike to Santonio Holmes (who, btw, just returned to the lineup after a one-game suspension) for a first down. Leftwich went 5 for 6 for 72 yards and a touchdown on yet another Steelers scoring drive, which was capped with his second Touchdown pass as a Pittsburgh Steeler. The 6-5, 250 pound Leftwich, 28, finished the game 7 for 10 for 129 yards and a TD.

His surprising performance totally eclipsed Big Ben's embarrassing first-half performance in which he accumulated a 15.1 QB Rating and a interception. Ben's status for Sunday's home game against the 4-4 Indianapolis Colts is uncertain, but I have a feeling we could be seeing a lot of Leftwich, which may not be a bad thing. Byron looked very calm in the pocket despite the Redskins defenders collapsing the pocket around him. The Skins defense, in fact, is number 4 in the League right now.

But, the story of the night was surely the number one rated defense, that is the Pittsburgh Steelers! This defense sacked Campbell for a total of 7 times and picked off two of his passes, like I said before. I don't think Campbell will be able to vote today, I don't think he will even be able to move a bone in his body after last night.

6-2!

Pittsburgh is now 4-0 on Monday night under the young Mike Tomlin.

Steelers Take Control of AFC North With Win over Baltimore

Yes, yes, the Pittsburgh Steelers improved to 3-1 to take the AFC North lead. But, not all was good in Pittsburgh last night. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger looked pretty good on his first drive of the game, right after his defense forced Joe Flacco and the Baltimore Ravens to a three and out. Big Ben led the Steelers 45 yards down the field on 11 plays, and Jeff Reed split the uprights from 49 yards out. But, the rest of the first half looked pretty ugly for the offense. Their second drive ended in an interception caught by defensive lineman Haloti Ngata. In the final 15:29 seconds of the first half the Steeler offense went -3 yards, and all three of their drives ended with Mitch Berger punts.

I guess it's a good thing Joe Flacco, and the Baltimore offense had trouble getting anything started on offense, too.

The Raven offense started off ugly as Flacco fumbled the ball on the first snap of the game. He did manage to recover the ball, but went -6 yards on their first two drives of the game. A Matt Stover field goal with just over 5 minutes to play in the opening quarter tied the game at 3 a piece. It looked like the game may be 3-3 at the end of regulation. But, Flacco and FB Le'Ron McClain, who had to step it up after RB Willis McGahee left the game with an injury, led the Ravens down the field early in the second quarter for a Stover 20-yard field goal. Then, late in the same quarter Baltimore scored again. This time, Flacco threw his only TD pass of the evening with a 4-yard lob to TE Daniel Wilcox, and the Stover extra point put the Ravens ahead 13-3.

Roethlisberger failed to score with seconds left in the half, and went into the locker room down ten points to the then 2-0, Division rivals.

With star RB, Willie Parker inactive for the game, rookie RB Rashard Mendenhall stepped in to make his first career start. Mendenhall ran for 30 yards on 9 carries, and just one catch for six yards before leaving the game with a fractured shoulder. Both Mendenhall, and starting right guard for Pittsburgh, Kendall Simmons, will be placed on the injured reserve, ending their season. Simmons suffered a torn achilles, which may take some time to heal. Former Minnesota Vikings RB Mewelde Moore, who has been doing some kick returning for the Steelers this season, may have to make his first start at RB with Pittsburgh next week if Parker still can't go.

This, of course, is very bad news. Another blow to the already poor offensive line, which gave up three sacks in the OT win. I have yet to mention the injury to the third-string RB Carey Davis. Davis suffered an ankle injury shortly after replacing the rookie Mendenhall, and even if he is able to play next week, he obviously won't be 100 percent.

The good news?? Well, even after running for just 2.5 yards a carry (28 attempts for 69 yards throughout the entire game), and picking up just three first-half first downs (11 total), the Steelers came out winners.

Yes, that's right. Roethlisberger started half number two a little shaky, just like the entire first half. But on their third drive of the half, managed to finally get into the end zone on a connection between Roethlisberger and play-maker Santonio Holmes. The play was fueled by an earlier mistake committed by Jarret Johnson who was flagged 15 yards for yet another unsportsmanlike conduct. The mistake kept the Steelers alive, and Big Ben stayed calm as he threw the 38-yard bomb. Flacco made his first critical mistake two plays later on a fumble deep inside their own territory. Second-year LB Lamarr Woodley scooped the ball up and walked 7 yards for a second touchdown. Reed's extra point gave Pittsburgh the 17-13 lead, and the momentum had suddenly shifted.

Pittsburgh's tight defense shut the Ravens out in the third quarter. But even after another Reed field goal (19-yarder) put the Steelers ahead 7, they weren't able to put the game away just yet. "Joe Cool" ran back onto the field looking to plead his case as the Ravens' franchise QB, and I'm pretty sure coach John Harbaugh heard him loud and clear. The University of Delaware alumnist conducted a five minute, 76-yard scoring drive in just 9 plays. His wonderful performance was capped by a two-yard run for McClain. 20-20.

Neither teams were able to score in the last four minutes of regulation, and the game headed to overtime, where Baltimore won the toss and, of course, elected to receive the kick first. Pittsburgh's D came up big again, and quickly forced a Baltimore punt, and Roethlisberger led the Steelers down the field to set up a potential game-winning field goal attempt by the seven-year veteran. Reed, of course, kicked it through the uprights, just barely though. Steelers win 23-20 in a hard fought, smashmouth football game. Just like I suspected.

Top performers:

BAL Derrick Mason- 8 rec, 137 yards, 0 TD

PIT Santonio Holmes- 3 rec, 60 yards, 1 TD

BAL Ray Lewis- 13 tackles (7 solo)

PIT James Harrison- 11 tackles (6 solo), 2.5 sacks

Let's all just hope Andre Frazier can walk again, and soon. Frazier suffered a spine injury on the opening kickoff. Hopefully he and "Fast Willie" will be back on that field soon.

NFL Preseason Week 2 Wrap-up

The Derek Anderson-led Cleveland Browns, and the defending champion New York Giants capped off the second week of NFL preseason football action last night. The Giants led the game, 30-17, at the half, and pretty much dominated the Browns offense. Anderson left the game early after going 4 for 10 for 20 passing yards, a 56-yard field goal kicked by veteran Phil Dawson being the only score in the first quarter. Anderson left shortly after fumbling an attempt at an exchange with running back Jamal Lewis. New York’s James Butler returned the fumble 95 yards for a 30-3 lead just 33 seconds into the second quarter of play. Eli Manning’s 2 TD passes led New York to the halftime lead. But, Brady Quinn and the Browns came out in the third quarter on fire. Quinn threw a TD pass to Syndric Steptoe early in the third quarter, and Cleveland scored 10 fourth quarter points. But, New York held on to the 37-34 win, picking up win #1 of the preseason.

Game Scores/Recaps:

Thursday August 14 th, 2008

Pittsburgh 21, Buffalo 24

Both starting quarterbacks (Ben Roethlisberger, and Trent Edwards) made little mistakes, both going 9 for 11 with 100+ passing yards, while Byron Leftwich made his first appearance in Pittsburgh black and gold. Buffalo’s Edwards has made a strong campaign for the starting job so far, and Dick Jauron would be a fool to start Losman over Edwards come week 1.

Carolina 13, Philadelphia 24

Jake Delhomme made his anticipated return from Tommy John surgery, completing 9 of 14 passes in the process. But, Kevin Kolb, and Tony Hunt stole the show. Kolb jump-started a Philadelphia scoring-spurt late in the fourth quarter with 33-yard toss to Greg Lewis for their first score of the evening with 6:41 to play. Just 30 seconds later Philly added a 40-yard field goal to that, cutting their deficit to just three points. Four short minutes later, Hunt ran for a 51-yard TD to take the lead for good. Philly added injury to insult with a Justin Roland 74-yard interception returned for a TD after Carolina’s Matt Moore attempted a last-minute scoring drive.

Friday August 15 th, 2008

Oakland 16, Tennessee 17

Oakland ran for 224 yards, 77 of those yards belonged to 27-year old Adimchinobi Echemandu, and rookie running back Darren McFadden ran for 44 yards on six carries in his second NFL game. But, Tennessee’s third-string QB, 26-year old Ingle Martin, lead a late scoring drive. The scoring drive was capped by a game-winning 33-yard field goal hit by John Vaughn as time expired. Tennessee came out on top, despite Vince Young’s early struggles, finishing 4 for 13, with 37 yards passing.

Saturday August 16 th, 2008

Washington 13, New York Jets 10

The much-anticipated Brett Favre debut finally happened on Saturday night in New York. Favre’s first TD pass as a Jet came with five minutes to play in quarter number one. Favre threw a short 4-yarder to rookie TE Dustin Keller, who finished with 2 catches for 26 yards, and 1 TD. But, Washington’s rookie QB Colt Brennan led a last-minute scoring drive which ended with a 33-yard TD toss to Jason Goode. Washington held off the eager Jets 13-10.

Indianapolis 16, Atlanta 9

The Colts, still Manning-less, held off the Falcons without any offensive TD’s. But, three field goals, and a Kelvin Hayden interception returned for a touchdown was enough to hold off the young Atlanta Falcons. Atlanta’s rookie QB, Matt Ryan, completed 8 of his 16 passes, and one interception (three total INT’s thrown by ATL). Jason Elam’s three field goals was the only way Atlanta was able to score. Although Atlanta’s biggest offseason acquisition, Michael Turner, ran for 113 yards on just 4 carries. That is an average of 28.5 YPC. Pretty impressive second game, huh?

Miami 19, Jacksonville 14

Chad Pennington’s debut was a solid one, going 5 for 6 for 55 yards. Rookie QB Chad Henne attempted 26 passes for 133 yards in the three quarters of play. Ricky Williams provided Miami’s only TD, running the ball in from 4 yards out in the first quarter. Dan Carpenter’s fourth field goal in the third quarter gave Miami a 19-0 lead. But, Jacksonville never gave up, and Todd Bouman led the Jags to two TD’s in the final 6 minutes. Though Bouman’s comeback failed, and Miami held on to the 19-14 win.

Minnesota 23, Baltimore 15

Tarvaris Jackson left the game early with a sprained MCL, but Gus Frerotte, and Brooks Bollinger picked up where he left off, throwing for 132 yards, and a TD. Baltimore’s rookie RB Ray Rice, and second-year QB Troy Smith tore up the turf, running for a combined 112 yards, and a TD (6-yard run by Rice in 1 st QTR). As a team, Baltimore ran for 7.9 yards per carry, but turned the ball over twice, with 6 penalties. Minnesota took the 8-point victory in the end, but suffered a huge blow when T-Jack went down.

Arizona 27, Kansas City 17

Arizona QB Matt Leinart led the team with 62 passing yards, and one TD pass, leading Arizona to the 10-point victory. But, Kansas City saw some positive out of 24-year old QB Tyler Thigpen. Thigpen attempted a majority of the Chiefs’ passes for 174 yards, including a last-second TD pass to Sergiori Joachim from 14 yards out. Arizona came out on top with no turnovers and just 3 penalties all game.

San Diego 6, St. Louis 7

St. Louis’ RB Travis Minor scored the game’s only TD, when he ran for a three-yard score late in the third quarter. Nate Kaeding’s two first quarter field goals proved not enough. Marc Bulger threw for 2 interceptions, and completed just 7 of his 14 pass attempts, but the Rams’ offense dominated anyway. They outgained San Diego 309-203, and accumulated nearly twice as many first downs (21-11).

Houston 31, New Orleans 27

Both teams went interceptions-less, and thrived through the air. Steve Slaton ran for his first career NFL TD early in the fourth quarter. The TD put Houston on top for good. Both starting quarterbacks had great games stat-wise. Matt Schaub completed 14 of 16, and Drew Brees 12 of 17. Both teams defenses struggled to stop the opposing offense from scoring.

Dallas 13, Denver 23

Jay Cutler had a fantastic game for the second consecutive week. This time, Cutler completed 16 of his 20 passes for 178 yards, and a TD pass to his favorite receiver, Brandon Marshall, in the second quarter. Denver controlled the ball for 33 of the 60 minutes of play, and had no turnovers with just 6 penalties. On the other side of the ball, Denver’s defense allowed just 70 yards on the ground to the Cowboys as rookie RB Felix Jones saw just 3 carries for 17 yards. Third-string Dallas QB Richard Bartel threw the game’s only interception to Denver’s rookie CB Jack Williams from Kent State. Kicker Matt Prater, taking over for Jason Elam, was the difference, kicking three field goals through the uprights in the third and fourth quarter of play.

Green Bay 6, San Francisco 34

Aaron Rodgers’ second game as the new Green Bay QB didn’t go as well as expected. Rodgers completed 9 of 16 for 58 yards, and failed to conduct a drive resulting in a TD in his quarter of play. San Fran’s QB J.T. O’Sullivan gained some ground in the Niners’ QB race by going 8 for 17 for 154 yards, a TD, and an INT in San Francisco’s big 34-6 victory on Saturday. The 49er defense sacked Green Bay’s quarterbacks six times, and recovered three of their fumbles…Things aren’t looking too good in Green Bay right now. Rodgers better step up his game when September rolls around.

Chicago 26, Seattle 29 (OT)

The final game on Saturday was decided in overtime as Seattle’s young kicker, Brandon Coutu booted a 36-yarder through the uprights for an instant win. The field goal was his fifth of the game, an impressive night for Coutu, as he outkicked Chicago’s Pro Bowl kicker, Robbie Gould. Former Cleveland Brown QB, Charlie Frye, was the only Seattle QB to take snaps in the entire game, and he ended up throwing 3 interceptions. Luckily, rookie RB Justin Forsett had a big game (15 carries for 136 yards, 1 TD, 9.1 YPC), and Coutu’s leg helped save Frye in the end.
Sunday August 17 th, 2008

Detroit 27, Cincinnati 10

Not only did the Detroit Lions humiliate Cincinnati on their home turf in just the second preseason game of the year ’08, but they also lost All-Pro wideout Chad Johnson for the remainder of the preseason. Johnson landed awkwardly on his shoulder after going for a Carson Palmer throw in the first quarter. Johnson may not be 100 percent come opening weekend, which is a big blow to this high-powered offense. They were already playing without Pro-Bowl WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Cincinnati’s Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Jeff Rowe attempted to make up for the early Palmer mistakes, but failed as Jon Kitna, and Drew Stanton each threw for a TD pass in Detroit’s win.

New England 10, Tampa Bay 27

New England was without Tom Brady, who was back in Massachusetts nursing his latest injury, and it showed. New England turned the ball over 3 times throughout the 60 minute game, and the Bucs were even able to score a TD on defense. New England QB’s—Kevin O’Connell and Matt Cassel—combined to go 12 for 25 for 118 yards passing, and 1 INT. Tampa outgained the Pats 295-174, and won the game by 17 points.

Monday August 18 th, 2008

Cleveland 34, New York Giants 37

Brady Quinn, and Ken Dorsey both had solid games for Cleveland after Derek Anderson went down with what was later identified as a mild concussion. But, Eli Manning threw for 2 early TD’s, and helped New York build an early 30-3 lead. Quinn, and Dorsey led the Browns with an impossible comeback, scoring two consecutive TD’s just before halftime, and outscoring New York 17-7 in the second half. But, the Browns dug themselves too big a hole early on, and weren’t able to complete the comeback. But, Cleveland should be happy with their QB production from Quinn, and Dorsey, who combined to go 16 for 23, 267 passing yards, 2 TD, 0 INT.

In the News:

Chad Johnson suffered a sprained shoulder in Cincy’s 27-10 loss to Detroit on Sunday. Johnson will sit out the remainder of the preseason.

Troy Polamalu is expected to practice with Pittsburgh this week.

Indy’s Dwight Freeney, and Bob Sanders are expected to be cleared to practice later this week.

Tom Brady says foot injury is on same leg as his earlier ankle injury, but the two are not related. Brady is unsure whether he’ll play Friday v.s. the Eagles or not.

Tarvaris Jackson left Minnesota’s game early with a strained MCL. He is not expected to miss the season opener, though.

Shortly after Chicago’s game against the Seahawks, Kyle Orton was named the starter for Chicago’s opener against Indianapolis.

With Johnson hurt, the Bengals brought back troubled wide receiver Chris Henry. The Bengals cut Henry earlier this offseason due to his off-the-field troubles.

Peyton Manning attended his first practice with Indianapolis today, Tuesday the 19 th of August.