New York Giants Blogs

Following a dreadful loss to the lowly Washington Redskins to fall to 7-7 with only two games left, everyone had counted out the New York Giants.  That is, everyone except the Giants themselves, who kept their quiet confidence as they rolled off two victories to end the season and squeak into the fourth seed in the NFC. Then they mustered up two dominant performances as their defense shut out the Atlanta Falcons and stymied the 15-1 Green Bay Packers and Aaron Rodgers. Now they find themselves in a familiar setting: in the biggest game of the year against the New England Patriots, whom I covered yesterday. Now the Giants are up in the rotation!

Continue reading "Breaking Down the Bowl: New York Giants"

November 6, 2011. With just 1:36 left to play, QB Eli Manning drove the New York Giants offense 80 yards in just 1:21 for a 24-20 come from behind win over the Patriots in New England.

Fast forward 13 weeks and these two teams will meet again, this time with the stakes much higher. This is the second time these two teams will play for the Lombardi Trophy, just four years after the Giants pulled off arguably the greatest upset in Super Bowl history by defeating the 18-0 Patriots, 17-14.

Continue reading "A Lot Has Changed Since the Regular Season Game"

How many of you had to get an oxygen tank at some point today? These playoffs are been thrilling down to the wire in almost every game, and Conference Championship Sunday lived up to expectations. Both games went down to the wire and left us with two worthy Super Bowl contestants. Let’s break them down in The Final Drive!

Continue reading "The Final Drive: 2012 Conference ..."

With the AFC spot in the Super Bowl currently being decided, the possible NFC participants are anxiously awaiting their turn in the national spotlight. And by national spotlight, of course I mean The Opening Drive!

Continue reading "The Opening Drive: 2012 NFC Championship"

Saturday’s NFL action started with a barn-burner and ended with a merciless slaughter. Sunday’s slate is going to have a hard time following it up, but that won’t stop me from writing another edition of The Opening Drive!

Continue reading "The Opening Drive: 2012 Divisional Sunday"

Are you exhausted yet? There was TOO MUCH DRAMA! (That’s a lie. There’s never too much.) Both nights of Wildcard weekend ended in tremendous excitement, wrapping up with a dramatic overtime ending that didn’t even warrant explanation of the new rules. I’m still appalled. Let’s just get The Final Drive started.

Continue reading "The Final Drive: 2012 Wildcard Weekend"

If Saturday’s games were any indication, then Sunday’s remaining Wildcard action should be entertaining as hell. Who’s got time for lengthy introductions though? Let’s break down this action!

Continue reading "The Opening Drive: 2012 Wildcard Sunday"

The 2011 NFL regular season ended with a bang with some great finishes and superb drama on Sunday. Records were set by a back-up QB, a team captain was benched for “quitting” and a fat-handed QB lost missed out on the post-season. The Final Drive must begin!

Continue reading "The Final Drive: Week 17, 2011-12"

It was a Christmas Eve of meaningful NFL action as all the remaining playoff spots were nearly filled and draft orders are beginning to finalize. Miss any of the action? No need to worry, because the Final Drive starts right now!

Continue reading "The Final Drive: Week 16, 2011"

Christmas Eve or not, there’s no way I’d let a schedule of great NFL action slip past my nets! The playoff positioning is settling in, but there’s some unresolved business in the NFC East with two pivotal games on Saturday. There’s plenty to talk about in week 16, so let’s get right to it!

Continue reading "The Opening Drive: Week 16, 2011"

I’m not sure what else you could have wanted from week 15 in the NFL. Two impressive streaks ended, the “Trap of the Week” proved to be true once again and one win never mattered as much as it did for Indianapolis. (And Candlestick Park was sans light… for a few second before auxiliary lighting come on. Not as much drama.) Many a-loser won on this day. Oddsmakers be damned! Get ready for The Final Drive!

Continue reading "The Final Drive: Week 15, 2011"

Week 15??? Really? Time goes by so fast! With the playoff races tight and Tebow versus Brady on the schedule, week 15 has everything you want. Let’s set-up for The Opening Drive!

Continue reading "The Opening Drive: Week 15, 2011"

Going Forward

I think there is a general consensus in the football world that the Dallas Cowboys are in a heap of trouble.  For two consecutive weeks the 'Boys have had an opportunity to distance themselves away from the NFC East pack after taking the division lead during a four game win streak.  But for the last two weeks the Cowboys have gotten out coached and out hustled by the Arizona Cardinals, and then they let the New York Giants ring the door bell, break into their house, and steal their division.  To make matters worse, of the Cowboys 6 losses they had ample opportunity to win every game except the "Imma piss on you like R. Kelly"  Eagles game (I'll have to tell you about that one day).  But as a famous former Cowboys coach once said, "You are who you are," and these are the Cowboys.  They always have the talent compete and with Tony Romo at quarterback, but sometimes they find the most perplexing ways to lose games

Continue reading "Going Forward: The Playoffs Begin ..."

Heart attacks were felt across the nation on Sunday (especially by me), leading to plenty of hospitalizations. While you’re incapacitated, why not get the full scoop on week 14’s heart-stopping action?

Continue reading "The Final Drive: Week 14, 2011"

Week 13 in the NFL saw a variety of last second comebacks, including more “Jebus and Teebs” magic and a scare for the undefeated champs. Need to know more? Welcome to The Final Drive.

Continue reading "The Final Drive: Week 13, 2011"

Another Monday night means another edition of The Final Drive! I’m going to skip right past the Thanksgiving Day games as we all saw what happened. (Right?) Lots going on in week 12, including another QB injury in Houston and more magic from Jebus and Teebs.

Continue reading "The Final Drive: Week 12, 2011"

There are plenty of close games to discuss from the week 11 slate, some with interesting consequences for the division races involved. The Final Drive. It’s on.

Continue reading "The Final Drive: Week 11, 2011"

After the (eventually) thrilling start on Thursday night, week 11 continues with a number of exciting games to keep your eye on this weekend, including several divisional match-ups with playoff implications. What else do you need? Time to start The Opening Drive!

Continue reading "The Opening Drive: Week 11, 2011"

With no teams on a bye this week, we saw a whopping fourteen games on Sunday, with first place on the line in several divisions. So I can’t waste any time in starting The Final Drive!

Continue reading "The Final Drive: Week 10, 2011"

Week ten in this still-evolving NFL season gives us several division contests that will give the winner a hold on first place and several games pitting garbage on garbage. Let’s run through what to expect from the weekend’s slew of games!

Continue reading "The Opening Drive: Week 10, 2011"

After a bunch of snoozers early Sunday, the late games went down to the wire and featured some fantastic finishes. Week nine did not disappoint, and neither will The Final Drive!

(5-3) New York Jets 27

Continue reading "The Final Drive: Week 9, 2011"

I took a while to think about it. After careful internal debate, I reached the conclusion that I did not want DT Albert Haynesworth on the team:

“…the day Haynesworth is no longer on the Patriots can’t come soon enough for me.”

Continue reading "Revisting "Taking a Pass on Haynesworth""

1. Offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien is schizophrenic. A week after running the ball just a dozen times and utilizing the tackle-eligible just three times, the Patriots rolled out the heavy lineup 18 times. Three times Nate Solder and Ryan Wendell we called in to run block. The latter personnel group gained six total yards on three carries.

Continue reading "Pick Six: Week Nine"

Week nine in the NFL season is chock-full of significant division match-ups that could go a long way in deciding seeding come playoff time. Let’s waste no time with introductory witticisms, The Opening Drive starts now!

Continue reading "The Opening Drive: Week 9, 2011"

It was a solid return to action for running back Kevin Faulk. Just activated off the physically unable to perform list, Faulk was his same old versatile self after recovering from ACL surgery last year.

Continue reading "Hours Before Kickoff: Week 9"

Week six in this still-young NFL season will feature some key division match-ups as well as a contest between two of the best in the NFC… in Detroit? That’s right, Detroit. Here are the games you need to watch for amidst Sunday’s schedule.

Continue reading "The Opening Drive: Week 6, 2011"

Week five in the NFL featured a slew of comebacks, close victories and one very emotional win. The Eagles keep falling to Earth while Cam Newton keeps falling short and the Packers keep on winning. Let’s get to the best of week five in this week’s Final Drive!

Continue reading "The Final Drive: Week 5, 2011"

Week three was as crazy as possible, with two surprising 3-0 teams, another injury for Michael Vick and “facial reconstruction” for Mark Sanchez. Let’s get right into The Final Drive!

Continue reading "The Final Drive: Week 3, 2011"

Now THAT was a crazy week one in the NFL! We saw upsets a’plenty, including the Steelers getting slapped around in Baltimore, the Bills putting up a 40-burger and Tom Brady going postal. The Final Drive gets started right now.

Continue reading "The Final Drive: Week 1, 2011"

The NFC East. Always a source of hype and drama, the division went topsy-turvy once again in 2010 as Michael Vick had an MVP-caliber season and the Cowboys fell off the face of the planet. Can the Eagles build off their impressive free agent class and make a Super Bowl run? Will Rex Grossman… not suck terribly in Washington? Are the Giants flying under the radar? I love this division. Let’s break it down.

Continue reading "Joe's 2011 NFL Season Preview: The NFC East"

After both defenses traded three-and-outs early, the Giants finally found their way on the scoreboard in a 41-6 win over the Bears in preseason action Monday night. For you Bear fans that aren’t throwing your computers away in despair, here’s what I took away from this (meaningless) loss.

Continue reading "What I learned from the Bears' preseason ..."

There was almost TOO much drama and surprises to cover from week 13 of the NFL season. One primetime match-up lived up to the billing while the other was over in the first quarter. A Hall of Fame QB continues a horrendous streak while another gets knocked out of the game after one throw. It's time for the Final Drive!

Continue reading "Joe's 2010 Final Drive: Week 13"

We saw drama in Tennessee, a slaughter in Minnesota and a near-comeback in New England. Oh NFL week eleven, how I heart you. It's Final Drive time mutha-trucka!

(2-8) Buffalo Bills 49

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 11"

The drama didn't stop in week nine in the NFL. One coach lost his job on Sunday, while another may have earned another week on the job. Here's the best and worst of week nine!

(6-2) Atlanta Falcons 27

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 9"

Week seven in the NFL has passed us by. Controversial endings and interceptions galore riddled the weekend's action. Here are my highlights (and low-lights) of week seven!

(5-2) Atlanta Falcons 39

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 7"

Maybe it started as an inside joke. A title to mock San Diego Chargers GM A.J. Smith that takes the name of a successful trilogy and puts an insulting twist on it. Maybe it was said among the owners and GMs and it was overheard by a player. But like many inside jokes, they don’t stay inside for long.

Continue reading "Hours Before Kickoff: Week 7"

The last unbeaten team in the NFL falls from the ranks, another top QB goes down with a concussion and a former division favorite drops a heart-breaker at home. Here are the top stories from week five in the NFL!

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 5"

True to form, the Chicago Bears came out after a great win with an equally horrific loss to the New York Giants Sunday night. Concerns abound for Lovie Smith's team, who never got in sync on offense and lost Jay Cutler to a concussion at the end of the first half. There are plenty of areas to pick on, but here's what I noticed from Sunday night's debacle.

Continue reading "Bears lose Cutler in 17-3 loss to Giants"

Fresh off the insanity of beating Green Bay Monday night at Soldier Field, the Chicago Bears head to New York on Sunday night to take on Eli Manning and the struggling Giants. Can the Bears make it to 4-0 or will the Giants rebound at home? Get your Gameday Preview on here!

Continue reading "Joe's Gameday Preview: Bears at Giants"

I woke up Tuesday morning and the Bears are still 3-0.  The Bears played well enough to beat a good team.  Most likely the Packers will regroup and find themselves in the playoff hunt before long.  I thilnk Steve Young of ESPN said it wisely when he thought the Bears "were a year behind the Packers."  It doesn't mean the Bears are not good, just the Packers are really good and they had a bad night.

Continue reading "Bears Win! It Wasn't A Dream"

Week three is in the books, and there was plenty of drama to go around. Teams that we thought were playof bound still haven't gotten it together and some teams are surprisingly still unbeaten. Here are the scores and stories that caught my eye from Sunday's action.

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 3"

The Running Back Depth Alert has gone from green to orange. Kevin Faulk’s ACL tear immediately creating an urgent need for another capable running back. Signing former New York Jets WR/RB Danny Woodhead is for more than just espionage now.

Continue reading "Back of the Future"

Week two is in the books and that means it's time for a Final Drive! What teams surprisingly fell to 0-2 and which ones made the 2-0 leap! Let's get it on!

(2-0) Pittsburgh Steelers 19

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 2"

Week one of the NFL season is behind us, and for New York Giants fans there were a lot of positives.  The Giants defeated the Carolina Panthers in their first ever game at the New Meadowlands Stadium, 31-18.  Wide receiver Hakeem Nicks caught three touchdowns from quarterback Eli Manning.  Aside from a few drops and tipped balls that led to interceptions, the Giants passing game looked impressive.  They struggled mightily to run the ball in the first half, going to the break with -2 yards on the ground.  The Giants were able to run more in the second half, and running backs Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs both enjoyed 20+ yard runs.  Bradshaw scored the final Giants touchdown on the ground, one that essentially put the game away. 

Continue reading "Giants 2010 Season - week one review"

Week one of the NFL is in the books, with plenty of upsets and last-minute finales. Here are the games that grabbed my attention over the first NFL weekend. Overreactions begin!

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 1"

What happens in preseason games doesn’t matter.

That’s garbage. Try telling that to a head coach after a piss-poor performance by his team as his hair goes gray during the post game press conference.

Continue reading "A Running Concern"

Billed for years as the most competitive division in the league, the NFC East looks on its way back to fulfilling that claim this season with four legitimate playoff contenders. I throw my predictions into the crazy mix!

Continue reading "Joe's NFL 2010 Season Preview: NFC East"

Because I’ve been immersed in my mock draft and inspired to write a few articles, I haven’t posted for a while. During this time, a lot of news regarding the Patriots crossed the news wire. I should had said a little something about every bit of news, but I was distracted.

Continue reading "Steps Behind"

Legendary St. Louis Rams and Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner retired last week after 12 improbable seasons in the NFL.

Warner, a two-time AP NFL MVP and five-time Pro Bowl selection, walked away from the gridiron, and $11.5 million, while he was still playing at an elite level.

Continue reading "Nobody played the QB position better ..."

The Cowboys have a huge match-up this week against the #2 seed Minnesota Vikings.  But, I don’t think that will keep any Cowboys fan from relishing in what has transpired over the last month.  Over these last 4 weeks the Cowboys have exercised all of their “demons” and now simply have to go into the Metrodome and take on the 12-4 Minnesota Vikings led by Brett Favre to advance to the NFC championsip.  Piece of cake, right?  Well before we stuff ourselves, let’s digest the last month of the season and see what the Cowboys were able to stomach (pun intended). 

Continue reading "Exercising the Demons"

The Dallas Cowboys have pulled off their first playoff win in years.  Tony Romo is now 1-2 in the playoffs, and Wade Phillips finally has won one himself.  Phillips and Romo had been known as "choke artists" in the past years, Romo fumbling a kicker hold against the Seattle Seahawks and throwing an interception late against the New York Giants.

Continue reading "First Playoff Win in 14 Years For 'Boys"

Happy Holidays everyone! After watching the San Diego Chargers take hold of the number two seed in the AFC by knocking off the Titans Christmas evening, I'm ready for a great Sunday in the NFL. Even though the NFC playoff picture is pretty clear, the AFC is still wide open. Let's get to the Opening Drive of week 16! 

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: Week 16"

After another dramatic Colts win, the still-undefeated Saints try their luck against the Cowboys on Saturday night while the second seed in the AFC is on the line on Sunday. Let's start the Opening Drive of week 15 in the NFL!

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: Week 15"

New England Patriots players and coaches expressed their support for embattled wide receiver Randy Moss this week after he played like a pathetic moose-knuckle in their 20-10 victory over the Carolina Panthers last Sunday in Foxboro.

Continue reading "Randy Moss Is a Moose-Knuckle Who ..."

It was a crazy week 14 in the NFL, book-ended by division upsets on Thursday and Monday night. While the playoff picture is coming into focus, we still have loads of drama in the NFC East and two undefeated teams with their eyes set on the Lombardi Trophy. The Final Drive starts now!

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 14"

The Dallas Cowboys have entered their December swoon, and yet I'm not worried.  The defense couldn't contain the pass.  The offense couldn't punch it in from the one yard line.  And off we go to New Orleans, a team that will pass all over you, that will stuff you at the line.

Continue reading "Big Test Coming for Big D"

If the Dallas Cowboys do not defeat the San Diego Chargers on Sunday, then they will not make the playoffs.  At least that’s what ESPN’s Michael Smith implies as he analyzes the Cowboys December schedule.

Continue reading "Must Win Game?"

A game like Sunday begins to make you wonder, “Are the Cowboys truly incapable of finishing out a season?”  Despite getting a career performance from their quarterback

Continue reading "Here We Go Again (Part 2)"

To this point of the season the Cowboys have taken care of business, for the most part.  The Cowboys could very easily be 9-1 had they just maintained their composure against the likes of the New York Giants and Denver Broncos.  But instead of dwelling on what could have been, the ‘Boys did a good job of moving on as they went on to win 6 of their next 7 games and claim 1st place in the NFC east.  Unfortunately, none of that matters now.  The Cowboys are 8-3 with the Philadelphia Eagles in a close trail at 7-4, and the Giants still kicking at 6-5.  And being that the final five games of this season are in the dreaded month of December, the phrase “anything can happen” is an understatement. 

Continue reading "Going Forward: Can the Dallas Cowboys ..."

Continue reading "Big Daddy Enjoys Bountiful Pirate Raids"

Observations from Sunday:

- Jason Garrett tried to prove a point and the Cowboys almost lost the game because of it. 

Garrett came under fire for only running the ball 11 times all of last week, so he decided to double that total in the first half on Sunday.  That approach was somewhat understandable as the Cowboys got a pretty good push against a Haynesworth-less front four, but they should have mixed it up much more.  The Cowboys play best when they are spreading the ball around to all of their playmakers.  The wide-receivers didn’t even catch a ball until the 4th quarter, and Roy Williams didn’t register a single stat.  Which brings me to my next point?

Continue reading "We gots to do better!"

Any true Cowboys fan had to see this Sunday’s disappointing loss coming from a mile away.  It was like double reverse psychology.  Everyone starts talking about how the game is a trap game at the beginning of the week, yet most everyone picked the Cowboys to win.  So naturally the Cowboys fell to the Packers and Tony Romo’s streak of

Continue reading "Letdown at Lambeau"

The last two undefeated teams carried on their winning ways, the last winless team won, the Giants gave one away by kicking a field goal and the Broncos could not hang with the Super Bowl Champs. Let’s wrap up week nine with the Final Drive!

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 9"

OLB Clay Matthews. DE Larry English. CB Alphonso Smith. Just a few of the names projected as players the New England Patriots would draft with the 23rd overall pick. Instead the Pats traded out of the first round, stockpiled more picks, and used all four second round picks.

Continue reading "Rookies vs. Rookies"

A slew of division match-ups are highlighted in this week’s NFL schedule. First place is up for grabs in the NFC East and one team hopes to avoid falling further behind the Colts in the AFC South. What games should you be watching? Find out in the Opening Drive of week nine!

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: Week 9"

The Giants once again dominated the time of possession against the Eagles, holding the ball for over 35 minutes, and they again had a "healthy" balance of run and pass plays.  They actually ran the ball 32 times in this game, 8 more times than the Eagles.  They also lost the game 40-17, and were outperformed in every phase of the game.  The one thing the Giants did more effectively than Philly was to actually run down the game clock, effectively taking care of that for the Eagles by taking way too long in their drives, and running an absurd number of draw and running plays while trailing by 24 points.  

Continue reading "Thoughts following a terrible loss ..."

     Big Daddy has a new appreciation for Frank Sinatra's famous New York, New York hit after the Saints completed their domination of the New York triangle. First they sent Buffalo to a watery grave over Niagara Falls, then put the Jets into an uncontrollable tall spin, and finally turned those scary Giants into frozen peas. Are you smiling, Big Daddy can't stop laughing out loud. In this week’ s edition of

Continue reading "Big Daddy Celebrates Owning The Big Apple:"

Wow, it was blowout city this weekend. 11 of the 13 NFL games in week 7 were decided by ten points or more. That’s just ridiculous. Maybe it was good I was moving furniture on Sunday… wait, no it still wasn’t. To the Final Drive of week 7! 

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 7"

Um… I struggled to find six games with real significant drama. Bob Sanders will return to the Colts, but it’s against the lowly Rams! The Packers face the bumbling Browns, New England faces winless Tampa Bay in London, and Buffalo takes on Carolina. *shudder* Here’s the best of week seven in my Opening Drive! 

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: Week 7"

In a crazy week six in the NFL, we saw both New York teams fall, one squad completely give up, and three teams continue their undefeated ways. The Final Drive of week six starts right now! 

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 6"

With a busier schedule than normal, the Opening Drive was relegated to Sunday morning! Here’s my quick takes on some of the weekend’s NFL match-ups. 

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: Week 6"

     Big Daddy felt more dazed and confused than Guantanamo Bay detainees suffering through a week without Saints football. LSU failed to fill the enormous void, thanks to awful play-calling and a pathetic performance by quarterback Jordan Jefferson. As LSU tailgating reached an apogee, the Tiger faithful hoped for another memorable night in Death Valley. Unfortunately, Jefferson’s reaction time was slower than that of George W. Bush when aides told him the nation was under attack. Thank the sweet Lord Jesus for Drew Brees. In this week’s edition of

Continue reading "Big Daddy Survives The Bye Week"

Any Cowboys fan who watched Sunday’s game had to be ready to throw themselves out of a 3rd story window when they saw that the Cowboys were getting beaten by the Chiefs nearly the entire game.  I, myself, wasn’t able to watch the game but I constantly monitored the score which may be even more maddening.  

Continue reading "250 Miles between Austin & Kansas City"

After the last few years I’m beginning to wonder how many times I’ve thought to myself, “The Cowboys should have won that game.”  So many big games come to mind:

Continue reading "History Repeating: The Lost Inches"

Good morning fantasy friends!

Today is Saturday September 26, 2009 so you have a little more than 24 hours to get your fantasy act together or you may end up with that crucial week 3 L.  

Continue reading "Welcome to Fantasy Land!"

Well, I have neglected this blog all year, but I had some free time today, so I figured I'd add a new post.  The first two weeks of the NFL season have been pretty good, with the stupid Hail Mary from the Broncos to win week 1 (gosh I hate watching the highlights of that play) to the great game between Dallas and the NYG last week in the Texas palace.  But the thing that has me the most excited is the Bengals' defense.  They played hard all preseason, did really well agaianst Denver, minus that stupid Hail Mary, and recorded 6 sacks on Aaron Rodgers last week.  This defense finished 15th last year and I feel they are well on their way to being a top 10 unit.  With Odom healthy, it's easy to see why Cincy shelled out so much money for him last offseason.  He has 7 sacks on the season (which leads the NFL) and works really well on third downs with Geathers on one end, Michael Johnson on the other, and Odom inside.  This combo causes a lot of problems for the offenses and I feel that it will again this week against Pittsburgh.

Continue reading "Steelers are going down this Sunday"

A lot of thoughts went through my head as Lawrence Tynes lined up for the game-winning 37 yard field-goal last night.  I though about how the Cowboys had turned the ball over four times to the Giants zero, yet they still led with 4 seconds on the clock.  I thought about the sheer buffoonery, gluttony, and excess that is Cowboys Stadium.  I thought about that 1.5 million pound screen being suspended over the football field and how it should be the scariest thing ever considering the tragedy that occurred earlier in the summer at a  Cowboys facility.  But none of these was the dominant thought in my mind as certain defeat loomed over America’s team. With 4 seconds left and the Giants on the verge of ruining the opening of the greatest venue in sports history I realized why I felt uneasy the entire game.  I realized then, why I had a sneaky suspicion that fate was not on the Cowboys’ side.  The ‘Boys were doomed from the coin toss.  George W. Bush was given the esteemed honor of tossing the first coin in Cowboy’s Stadium regular season history.  Jerry Jones let George W. Bush christen what was supposed to be one of the greatest triumphs in Dallas history.  I’m not a superstitious man, but every thing George Bush touches turns into a grammatically incorrect mess.  But it is neither analytical or politically correct (no pun intended) to blame George Bush for a Cowboys loss.  That would be like blaming Bill Parcells North Korea’s development of

Continue reading "Doomed from the coin toss?"

Monday Morning Moneyball: Week 2- Big Apple Stars Are Born!

Welcome to Monday Morning Moneyball! Week 2 provided us with two New York tales of triumph that not only bucked old trends, but also may have unveiled the dawn of a new quarterback era in green and wide receiver tandem in blue. We start with the J-E-T-S, JETS JETS JETS! All week, media outlets all over the country have been replaying Rex Ryan’s message to the Jets season ticket holders. 70 seconds of fanfare and propaganda from Ryan begged for support over and beyond the norm from the Jets faithful, and his message was reiterated by Kerry Rhodes and several other Jets players, and the message was simple: We can beat the Patriots. That they did, 16-9, showing off their Baltimore style dominant defense that Ryan has brought over from the Raven dynasty. While I’ll delve into New England’s deficiencies in my Money Bites below, praise needs to be given to Mark Sanchez for his 2nd consecutive strong performance. While his numbers weren’t gaudy (14 of 22, 163 yards with 1 TD, 0 Int), his 101.1 passer rating is indicative of his efficient performance. Sanchez did everything Ryan and the Jets could ask of him in his rookie season. He stayed away from risky unnecessary throws, threw for a 65% completion percentage in the second half and executed on big plays down the stretch, including the go-ahead touchdown strike to Dustin Keller. Watch out young QB society, Tom Brady, and everyone else in the AFC, if Sanchez keeps up this act, the Jets will be a team to be reckoned with come January.

Continue reading "Monday Morning Moneyball: Week 2- ..."

Welcome back fellow degenerates, here are my Week 2 NFL predictions:

 New England over New York

New Orleans over Philadelphia

St. Louis over Washington

Jacksonville over Arizona

Continue reading "Week 2 NFL Predictions sure to go right."

It is the time of the year where we bid adieu to our Sunday trips to the local outlet malls and Bed, Bath and Beyond. Where, as men, we stop our tofu and salad diets in the name of our loved ones who are repulsed by our manly guts, and turn the grill up to happiness. No more flavored waters, playing cards with the in-laws or going to the zoo with your kids- no, my fellow men, it is Football season. It is the dawning of imported German sausage links, cheap-hardcore domestic manly beers (ok, maybe Light beers, let's be honest, we are a little fat), and the most destructive hard hitting American game filling our heads with fantasy stats, eye-popping hits, and hope for a glorious triumph.

Continue reading "Fall Springs Eternal- It is once ..."

Now that the preseason is over, let the countdown to the real games begin.

The Dallas Cowboys open their 2009 NFL season on the road Sunday, 12 noon, in Tampa, Florida.
The Cowboys’ organization improved the team’s chances of finishing the season stronger by the decisions they made during the off season.

Continue reading "Dallas Cowboys "Reel" 09 Season Begins Sunday"

Do you smell that? It smells like football! No more preseason, no more scrubs fighting for jobs. It's time for the return of the Opening Drive!

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: Week 1"

The United Football League (UFL) is scheduled to begin their inaugural season on October 8, 2009. 

The upstart league will have four teams competing in seven cities and games will be played on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings. 

Continue reading "The United Football League (UFL) ..."

Can all the naysayers please sit down?

After a sub-par performance in his first preseason game as a Bear, Jay Cutler had to listen to a week of Chicago fans moan and groan about the offense’s slow progress. That certainly won’t be the case this week.

Continue reading "Cutler and Bears Dominate Giants"

Ain’t it the worst to get a new toy you can’t play with? Batteries not included can ruin the best surprises.

The Patriots took a chance with WR Brandon Tate when they drafted him in the third round. He suffered an ACL and MCL tear that cut short his senior season at North Carolina and hurt his draft status.

Continue reading "Waiting on Tate"

Hall of Fame New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor told KLAC radio station in Los Angeles last week that he no longer follows NFL action because he prefers to watch pornography instead.

"I don't really mess with football anymore," said Taylor, 50, a ten-time Pro Bowl selection who was named to the NFL's 75th Anniversary All-Time Team. "That's an era of my life that has passed. A lot of guys will sit there and live football. Every Sunday they're glued to the television watching football. I don't watch football. I'd rather watch two people f@ck."

Continue reading "Lawrence Taylor No Longer Watches ..."

I can’t remember a busier or more significant Chicago Bears offseason. After the miraculous acquisition of Jay Cutler (which I still can’t believe happened), and then the signing of Orlando Pace, Jerry Angelo could have sat out the rest of free agency and skipped the draft and Bears fans would have been content. Not one to rest on his new QB’s laurels, Angelo refuses to let up.

Continue reading "Bears ink draft class early; Are ..."

The state of Maine has produced 71 men who have gone on to play major league baseball. One of the most interesting and colorful was none other than a farm boy from Heartland, George Gore. Mr.. Gore played 1,310 major league games between 1879 and 1892. For all of the men with at least 4,000 at bats,Gore is one of only 3  in the history of professional baseball to score more runs than games played (1327).

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This is just not the Celtics' year. Last night's game 7 looked like a game 4 in a 3-0 series. The Celtics came out without their energy, all out of sync. Clearly, they missed KG. Ray Allen, who we needed to step up, finally did, but he was the only one who showed up to play. Meanwhile, Orlando 21-13 from three point land, was just too much to handle and every shot they took led to me biting my nails off and praying for a comeback that never came. This game was a tough one for Boston to handle; we were losing all game and never made the run that they usually can.

Continue reading "The Celtics Lose Game 7 and Boston ..."

New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress shot himself in the leg 4 months ago, apparently in more ways than one.  With charges pending, the possibility of spending 3 years in jail was a little too much for the Giants.  Its hard to let your superbowl hero and number one receiver go, but the Giants just had enough.

Continue reading "Giants release Plaxico, Redskins ..."

As football fans across the globe cast their longing eyes in the direction of the April draft, I decided that now might be a good time to reflect on draft classes of the last 10 years. Too often in this business, we rush ahead to the next big event without taking pause to evaluate the past and learn from it. In a way, this study will still be a celebration of the coming 2009 draft as I believe it will shed some light on certain overlooked trends that no one ever stops to consider. I will begin with a class by class showdown of sorts at the quarterback position over the last 10 drafts.  This is part III in the series:

Continue reading "NFL Quarterback Draft Class Showdown: 2004 vs 2003"

           Each week, I will look into my (never wrong, just misinformed) crystal ball and give my predictions for that weekend’s games.  I will prognosticate on all the playoff games each week.  Keep in mind, that this is for entertainment purposes only, and that I do not endorse any sort of legal or illegal gambling.  That being said…let’s see what’s in my crystal ball!

Continue reading "Predictions Super Bowl XLIII"

New York Daily News reporter, Ralph Vacchiano, wrote today that Amani Toomer seems to think he will not be back with the New York Giants next season.

Speaking to the media for the first time since the end of the season, Toomer spoke about how the New York Giants continually phased him out of the offense, even after Plaxico Burress' suspension. Toomer, who is 34, felt the Giants wanted to see what they had in Steve Smith, Dominik Hixon, Mario Manningham, and Sinorice Moss. Seeing how the passing game struggled after Plaxico Burress was out, I have to agree with Toomer being frustrated. Obviously Hixon was too inconsistent to be relied upon as the #1 wide receiver, and Steve Smith was not a deep threat. Sure Toomer doesn't have the speed he once had, but he still has reliable hands and can be counted on to convert on third down.

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With the economy still on a steady decline it doesn’t seem to be hurting the NFL during its favorite time of the year… Playoff time. Now with Super Bowl XLIII just around the corner it seems like you still have to make a Hail-Mary pass to the loan office if you want to score a first hand view of any of these games. 

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I've posted lists of this length and magnitude elsewhere in the past. Before I get to the rankings, I like to explain my general rationale and some of the specifics of the decision-making process. Here are some essential rules, so you can better understand my thinking:

Continue reading "The NFL's Top 100 Players"

Obviously, going from an abysmal 1-15 to 11-6 and AFC East Champions was quite the storybook turnaround. But, it wasn't enough, and the team still has a long way to go before it can compete with the AFC powerhouses like the Steelers and the Ravens. 

Continue reading "Dolphins 2009-10 needs — what do you think?"

This year’s NFL action hasn’t failed to deliver intriguing storylines, and the Divisional round continued that trend. This round’s upsets have produced a fresh and exciting conference championship Sunday. Let’s find out how we got here with a look at last weekend’s action in the Final Drive.

Continue reading "Joey A's Final Drive: Divisional Round"

Continue reading "GIANTS , EAGLES : " Best two out of three ""

In what can only be described as ingenious regular-season scheduling on the NFL’s part, each of this weekend’s divisional contests are rematches from the regular season. That fact only serves to heighten the drama as we head into what is, in my opinion, the best weekend in all of football. After Wild Card Weekend gets rid of some of the riff-raff or gives surprise teams a chance to continue their run at the Super Bowl, the Divisional round ups the ante by adding the cream of the crop back into the mix after their bye weeks. This weekend’s slate of action looks to be an excellent one. I get you ready right here, right now. 

Continue reading "Joey A's Opening Drive: Divisional Round"

           Each week, I will look into my (never wrong, just misinformed) crystal ball and give my predictions for that weekend’s games.  I will prognosticate on all the playoff games each week.  Keep in mind, that this is for entertainment purposes only, and that I do not endorse any sort of legal or illegal gambling.  That being said…let’s see what’s in my crystal ball!

Continue reading "Predictions Divisional Round"