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The Andrew Preview: NFL Week Seventeen

Posted on December 31, 2010 by Andrew Bloom

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The Bears versus the Packers are one of the Three Big Match Ups for the second time this season.

1. The NFL fined Brett Favre $50,000 for failing to cooperate with league officials in their investigation of the messages and photographs sent to former Jets employee Jenn Sterger. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said that the league “could not conclude” that that Favre had violated the league’s personal conduct policy despite a series of interviews and forensic analysis of the graphic photos. However, league officials said that Favre was “not candid in several respects during the investigation resulting in a longer review and additional negative public attention for Favre, Sterger and the NFL,” which was the reason for the fine. As for Favre’s on-the-field presence, it’s unlikely that Favre will play in the Vikings’ finale as he had not passed the first stage of the standard post-concussion testing.

2. Michael Vick suffered a leg injury in the Eagles’ Tuesday Night game against the Vikings, and it will likely cause him to miss Philadelphia’s regular season finale against Dallas. He missed practice today, and with the Eagles playing on a short week and the third seed locked up, Vick would almost certainly sit, injury or not. Reports are that Vick hurt his quad on the first play of the game against Minnesota. The injury puts backup Kevin Kolb into the driver’s seat, who would be making his fifth start this season. In other Vick-related news, Fox News analyst Tucker Carlson said that Vick should have been executed himself for killing dogs, though Vick has not responded to the comments.

3. The league fined the New York Jets $100,000 for the conduct of assistant coach Sal Alosi who tripped Dolphins return man Nolan Carroll earlier this season. Alosi, who is the strength and conditioning coach of the Jets, reportedly instructed players to stand shoulder-to-shoulder on the sideline so as to impede opposing players on punts. The Jets suspended Alosi indefinitely without pay for these actions. League officials described the action as “a competitive violation as well as a dangerous tactic.” Jets coach Rex Ryan denied any knowledge of Alosi’s tactics.

The Playoff Picture

If the playoffs were held today…

AFC

1. New England Patriots (13-2)#
2. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-4)+
3. Kansas City Chiefs (10-5)*
4. Indianapolis Colts (9-6)
5. Baltimore Ravens (11-4)+
6. New York Jets at (10-5)+

With the Jacksonville Jaguars still alive at 8-7.

Again, the AFC playoff picture remained exactly the same from last week. With one week to go, this is what we know:

– New England will be the first seed.
– Pittsburgh would be the second seed with either a Steelers win or a Ravens lose, which could make Baltimore the fifth seed. If the Steelers lose and the Ravens win, the reverse is true.
– Kansas City will be the third seed.
– Indianapolis would be the fourth seed if the Colts win or the Jags lose. Jacksonville would be the fourth seed if the Colts lose and the Jags win.
– The New York Jets will be the sixth seed.

NFC

1. Atlanta Falcons (12-3)+
2. Chicago Bears (11-4)*^
3. Philadelphia Eagles (10-5)*
4. St. Louis Rams (7-8)
5. New Orleans Saints (11-4)+
6. Green Bay Packers (9-6)

With the Giants knocking on the door at 9-6, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers still technically alive at a longshot 9-6, and the Seattle Seahawks clinging to a baffling opportunity to win the NFC West at 6-9.

Again, there’s remarkable stability in the NFC playoff picture as well, with the only change being that right now the Pack is in while the Giants fell back onto the bubble. The possibilities for the NFC are a bit trickier, but this is what we know:

– The first seed will almost certainly be the Falcons. Atlanta clinches the first seed with a win, or with a Saints loss and a Bears loss. New Orleans would be the first seed if the Saints win and the Falcons lose. Chicago would be the first seed if the Bears win and both the Falcons and Saints lose. All these contingencies are pretty moot because all Atlanta has to do to lock up the number one seed is beat the league’s worst team, the Carolina Panthers, but stranger things have happened.
– The second seed will almost certainly be Chicago. Chicago clinches the second seed with either a Bears loss or Falcons win or a Saints win. Atlanta would be the second seed with a Falcons loss, a Saints loss, and a Bears win.
– The Eagles will be the third seed.
– The fourth seed will go to the winner of the Rams/Seahawks game.
– The fifth seed will almost certainly be New Orleans. New Orleans clinches with fifth seed with a Saints loss or a Falcons win. However, Atlanta would fall to the fifth seed if the Falcons lose and the Saints win.
– The sixth seed is three way race that’s surprisingly straightforward. Green Bay would be the fifth seed with either or a Packers win or losses from both the Giants and the Buccaneers. New York would be the sixth seed with a Giants win and a Packers loss. Tampa Bay would be the sixth seed with a Bucs win and a Packers loss plus a Giants loss.

+ = Clinched Playoff Berth
* = Clinched Division
^ = Clinched First Round Bye
# = Clinched Overall Number One Seed

Head of the Pack

Your statistical leaders in:

Passing

1. Peyton Manning (Indianapolis) – 4436 yards
2. Drew Brees (New Orleans) – 4424 yards
3. Phillip Rivers (San Diego) –4397 yards

With Brees leapfrogging Rivers.

Rushing

1. Arian Foster (Houston) – 1436 yards
2. Jamal Charles (Kansas City) – 1380 yards
3. Chris Johnson (Tennessee) – 1325 yards

With Jones-Drew falling out of the top three.

Receiving

1. Brandon Lloyd (Denver) – 1375 yards
2. Roddy White (Atlanta) – 1327 yards
3. Reggie Wayne (Indianapolis) – 1297 yards

With Lloyd pulling into first.

Sacks

1. Cameron Wake (Miami) – 14.0
T-2. Clay Matthews (Green Bay) – 13.0
T-2. DeMarcus Ware (Dallas) – 13.0
T-2. John Abraham (Atlanta) – 13.0
T-2. Jason Babin (Tennessee) – 13.0

With Ware, Babin, and Abraham pulling even with Matthews to create a four-way tie for second.

Three Big Match Ups

1. Tampa Bay at New Orleans, 1 P.M. EST on FOX – Tampa Bay has made one of the best turnarounds from the prior to season to this one. Still, even with that great comeback, the Bucs will need some help to make the playoffs. Tampa Bay won a mere three games in 2009, but with a young coach and a young quarterback coming to the fore in 2010, they managed to win nine games and improve dramatically from last year when they were the last team in the NFL to secure a victory. With only one game to go, the Bucs still have a shot, however long, to make the playoffs. That shot, however, requires a win over the red hot New Orleans Saints. The Saints pulled off what may have been their biggest victory of the season last week against the division rival and NFC-leading Atlanta Falcons. The victory showed a lot of toughness and experience from the Saints with the win coming on the road with a great deal on the line. After starting the season 4-3, the Saints have won seven of their last eight games to clinch a playoff berth and hold onto an outside shot of becoming the top seed in the NFC. With Drew Brees looking in top form, and the Bucs still fighting for a playoff spot, expect a hard fought game.

2. Chicago at Green Bay, 4:15 P.M. EST on FOX – Last week’s game against the Giants was, for all intents and purposes, a playoff game for the Packers. Suffice it to say, they advanced. Their 45-17 drubbing of the G-Men means that the Packers control their own destiny going into the last week of the season. It’s win and you’re in for Green Bay. However, that victory must come against a Chicago team that, at worst, will be the second seed in the NFC. On the other hand, that might just work in Green Bay’s favor. If either Atlanta or New Orleans wins earlier in the day, the Bears postseason position will be set in stone, and the Pack might end up facing a team whose playoff tickets have already been punched. On the other hand, with a bye assured, Lovie Smith may want to make sure his team isn’t too rusty before having to get back up to full speed in the playoffs. He might also want to see that his team puts up solid fight against Green Bay, not only to build momentum into the postseason, but to be fair to the Giants and Buccaneers. Or, deep down, he and the rest of the Bears may just want to send the division rival Packers packing in their own house,, as an exclamation point at the end of the regular season. With lots of good reasons for the Bears to get up for this game, and the biggest reason for the Packers to play their hearts out, expect a great match up.

3. St. Louis at Seattle, 8:20 P.M. EST on NBC – It pains me to have to designate a game between a 7-8 team and a 6-9 team a big game, but with a playoff spot on the line, here we are. What nice things can I say about these teams? Sam Bradford has managed to take 2009’s worst team in the NFL and lead them to a greatly improved record, putting them on the brink of a playoff berth. No matter how you slice it, that’s a solid year with a rookie QB under center. Still, the Rams have only beaten one team with a winning record this year. The good news is that the team they beat was the Seahawks, and Seattle doesn’t even have a winning record anymore. For Seattle’s part, Pete Caroll managed to take a team that went 5-11 last year and lead them to a…6-9 record thus far. Well, it’s an improvement. And hey, whatever the reason, the ‘Hawks have a chance to host an NFL playoff game. That has to count for something. Much of this game will be on the shoulders of Seattle backup QB Charlie Whitehurst, who will be making only his second career start. Whitehurst will be filling in for the injured Matt Hasselbeck in what is essentially a playoff game with the NFC West on the line. Unsurprisingly, neither team looks great coming into this game. The Seahawks have lost five of their last six. The Rams have only lost two of their last three, but they did manage to close the book on the 49ers playoff hopes. Say what you will about these two teams, but one of them will be headed to the playoffs. Expect them both to play with an intensity, if not a talent, equal to those stakes.

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The Andrew Preview: NFL Week Sixteen

Posted on December 23, 2010 by Andrew Bloom

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The Falcons and the Saints will go head-to-head on Sunday in a match up of two of the league's best.

1. Rex Ryan might be giving the term “football” new meaning this week. Deadspin uncovered four videos of a woman who appears to be Ryan’s wife, Michelle, showing off her clod-hoppers in a series of foot-fetish videos. The videos were uploaded to youtube by a user named “ihaveprettyfeet” who shares several biographical details in common with Michelle. In one video, the camera man who sounds strikingly like Ryan converses with the woman about her feet. The fine folks at Deadspin guess that this video was made a few years ago while Ryan was an assistant coach in Baltimore. When asked about the videos, Ryan said it was a “personal matter” and refused to comment. The NFL agreed, saying it would not be investigating. So did Jets management, with New York GM Mike Tannenbaum and owner Woody Johnson indicating that Ryan has their “full support.” You can be sure our crack news team will be keeping their toes in the water on this one.

2. Indianapolis receiver Austin Collie is out for the season after suffering a concussion in the Colts’ game against the Jaguars last week. It was his second concussion of the year, and enough for Indy to put him on IR, ending his season. Collie has been banged up all year, missing five games completely and missing significant parts of three others after he was knocked out of the game. Despite this, Collie managed to lead the Colts in touchdown receptions with eight, and the loss will deprive Manning of one of his favorite targets over the past two years. Coach Jim Caldwell said, “From a medical standpoint, we are concerned more so about his health than anything else.” Collie’s injury comes in the wake of a number of other significant personnel losses suffered by the Colts, including  Dallas Clark, Anthony Gonzales, Joseph Addai, and Bob Sanders.

3. Some quarterback quick-hits for you in our third news item of the week. The Broncos indicated that Tim Tebow will be starting the team’s remaining games against Houston and San Diego. Kyle Orton, the team’s starting quarterback for the majority of the year, expressed his displeasure, saying, “I don’t know if I’ll be here next year. We’ll just have to wait and see what shakes out with the organization.” The 49ers are remaining quiet as to which Smith will be starting for them this week – Troy or Alex. An NFL Network report indicated that Troy would start. Alex has gone 1-8 this year, while Troy has won three of five games in relief. Mark Sanchez has been limited in practice due to a sore shoulder, but said he expects to play in the Jets’ game against Chicago this week. Brett Favre might still play despite his concussion last week against the Bears, but the Vikings, and Joe Webb, are preparing as though he will miss the game. Finally, Aaron Rodgers returned to practice with the Packers this week, and he is expected to start against the Giants on Sunday despite having suffered his second concussion this year.

The Playoff Picture

If the playoffs were held today…

AFC

1. New England Patriots (12-2)+
2. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-4)+
3. Kansas City Chiefs (9-5)
4. Indianapolis Colts (8-6)
5. Baltimore Ravens (10-4)
6. New York Jets at (10-4)

With the San Diego Chargers and the Jacksonville Jaguars knocking on the door at 8-6.

Despite the lack of teams clinching by this point relative to prior seasons, the AFC playoff picture has remained remarkably stable, with only the Colts’ do-si-do with the Jags changing the order from last week. With two weeks to go, the only big questions are: Can the Steelers hold off the Ravens? Can the Chiefs hold off the Chargers? And who will come out on top in the fight between Indy and Jacksonville for the AFC South?

NFC

1. Atlanta Falcons (12-2)+
2. Chicago Bears (10-4)*
3. Philadelphia Eagles (10-4)
4. St. Louis Rams (6-8)
5. New Orleans Saints (10-4)
6. New York Giants (9-5)

With the Green Bay Packers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers knocking on the door at 8-6, and the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers still holding onto a chance to win the NFC West at 6-8 and 5-9 respectively.

Again, the NFC playoff picture has been pretty solid consistent despite a lack of mathematical certainty, and it looks to stay that way over the last two weeks of the season. The big questions are: Can the Eagles hold onto their lead in the East over the Giants? Will one of the Bays, be it Green or Tampa, be able to sneak into a Wildcard spot? And what miserable team will back its way into winning the NFC West?

+ = Clinched Playoff Berth
* = Clinched Division

Head of the Pack

Your statistical leaders in:

Passing

1. Peyton Manning (Indianapolis) – 4257 yards
2. Phillip Rivers (San Diego) –4141 yards
3. Drew Brees (New Orleans) – 4122 yards

With Manning jumping to number one.

Rushing

1. Arian Foster (Houston) – 1345 yards
2. Maurice Jones-Drew – 1324 yards
3. Jamal Charles (Kansas City) – 1303 yards

With no changes for the second week in a row.

Receiving

1. Roddy White (Atlanta) – 1284 yards
2. Brandon Lloyd (Denver) – 1264 yards
3. Reggie Wayne (Indianapolis) – 1247 yards

With Lloyd and Wayne switching places from last week.

Sacks

1. Cameron Wake (Miami) – 14.0
2. Clay Matthews (Green Bay) – 13.0
T-3. John Abraham (Atlanta) – 12.0
T-3. Jason Babin (Tennessee) – 12.0
T-3. DeMarcus Ware (Dallas) – 12.0

With Shaun Phillips and Tamba Hali falling out of the top three.

Three Big Match Ups

1. NY Jets at Chicago, 1 P.M. EST on CBS – What makes this game intriguing is that the Jets have a lot more to play for than Chicago. With last week’s win, the Bears clinched the NFC North. If Chicago can win out, or if they can get a little help from the Eagles, they can also secure a first round bye. But thanks to the woeful NFC West, even if the Bears don’t win another game this season, the worst that happens is a home playoff game against the sixth seed. The heavy lifting is pretty much over for Jay Cutler & Co. until the postseason. What makes this interesting is the fact that this is a group who haven’t been to the playoffs, let alone clinched a berth before the end of the season, in four years. Whether Mike Martz can get his crew fired up and ready to play or whether his team will come out flat with so much locked up will say a lot about these Bears. The Jets, on the other hand, are still fighting for their playoff lives after having previously held the best record in the league. How the mighty have fallen. New York still controls their own destiny, and if they can win this game, they’re in the playoffs. Even if they lose, they still have their chances with the underachieving Bills on the schedule for their regular season finale, but the AFC Wildcard race is coming to a head and the Jets need to build momentum as they head toward the playoffs. Last week’s win against the likely second-seeded Steelers should help give the Jets their swagger back, but Rex Ryan’s group still needs to firmly erase the memories of their beat down in New England and their close loss to Miami. What kind of game Chicago plays and what kind of team New York puts on the field will give us a good view of what to expect from both sides in the postseason.

2. NY Giants at Green Bay, 4:15 P.M. EST on FOX – This is essentially a playoff game between the presumptive second place finishers in the NFC East and the NFC North. The stakes are the highest for Green Bay. The Packers control their own destiny, and if they can win out, they will go to the playoff thanks to the head-to-head tiebreaker with New York and the strength of victory tiebreaker with Tampa Bay. If, however, the Pack loses this game, they’re officially eliminated from playoff contention and a promising season will go down the drain. With Aaron Rodgers returning after his second concussion of the year, it’s do or die in Green Bay. The Giants are suffering a bit themselves. After giving up a 31-10 lead over Philadelphia Eagles last week, a disastrous fourth quarter and a special teams bungle to end all bungles for New York all but dashed their hopes for winning the NFC East. A win for the Giants would give them a playoff berth thanks to a strength of victory tiebreaker over the Bucs, but the big question going into this game is – how much of a hangover will the G-men be nursing as they walk into Lambeau? This game could lock down a major part of the rough and tumble wildcard race in the NFC. The Packers need the win to get to the big dance, but the Giants need the win to prove to themselves that the Philly game was a fluke and that they won’t fade in the heat. Expect a playoff atmosphere and a great game.

3. New Orleans at Atlanta, Monday, 8:30 P.M. EST on ESPN – It’s rare for two teams this good to be playing in the same division. The Falcons look nigh unstoppable, having not lost a game since the middle of October and stringing together eight wins in a row in the mean time. A victory would be huge for Atlanta, giving them not only the NFC South, but home field advantage throughout the playoffs.  The Falcons are flying high, and nothing would cap their regular season better than defeating their division rivals to ensure that the road to the Superbowl goes through Atlanta in front of the home crowd. The defending Superbowl champion Saints, however, are no slouches themselves. While New Orleans, at two games back, would need a great deal of help to unseat the Falcons at the top of the NFC South, they would be at least tied for first in six of the seven other divisions in the league. New Orleans is still smarting from last week’s loss to Baltimore, but they have won six of their last seven games, and a win here would clinch them a playoff berth. These are two of the best teams not just in the NFC South, or the NFC, but the league. Expect them both to shine in front of a national audience on Monday Night.

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The Andrew Preview: NFL Week Eleven

Posted on November 19, 2010 by Andrew Bloom

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The Colts and the Patriots square off in the latest round of what has become the rivalry of the decade.

1. In what seems to be the season for drunk driving, yet another NFL Player is facing a DUI charge. Tampa Bay rookie wide receiver Michael Williams is being charged with driving under the influence after police in Florida observed his black escalade weaving in and out of traffic. Williams’ blood alcohol level was 0.065, which is below the legal limit in Florida of 0.08. Nevertheless, sheriff’s deputies in Hillsborough County said that Williams’ eyes were glassy and that he smelled like alcohol when they pulled him over at two-thirty in the morning. Williams also submitted to a urine test, though the results will not come back for four-to-six weeks. Williams currently leads all rookies in receiving yards, and it’s presently unclear whether this charge will affect his playing status.

2.  Cleveland Browns’ linebacker Marcus Bernard blamed stress as the cause of his fainting spell in the Browns’ locker room last Thursday. Bernard passed out in front of his locker prior to practice and was briefly hospitalized. Bernard made a full recovery, saying that “I’ve got a lot going on personally. I’ve just got to take care of my body better with the things that are going on.”  After numerous tests by doctors ruling out heart problems or other major medical conditions, Bernard was cleared to play in Cleveland’s overtime loss to the New York Jets. Bernard was missing from the locker room after the loss, though this time he left for the hospital to witness the birth of his son. Bernard said the stress of the impending birth contributed to his anxiety, but said, “that’s life.”

3. Mum’s the word from Indianapolis Colts’ receiver Austin Collie after the controversial hit he received in Indy’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Collie was quoted as saying, “I understand everyone’s concern, but I prefer not to discuss the specifics of the play in Philadelphia. I hope that can be respected.” After receiving a pass in the middle of the field, Collie turned around and was immediately sandwiched between two Eagles tacklers. Kurt Coleman delivered an inadvertent helmet-to-helmet hit that sent Collie out of the game on a stretcher. Collie is just now returning to practice, and has declined to discuss the incident, saying that he just wants to work to get back onto the field.

2008 Detroit Lions Memorial Winless Teams

Nobody

It took ten weeks, but the lowly Buffalo Bills managed their first win over fellow perennial cellar dwellers, the Detroit Lions. The Bills managed to stave off a fourth quarter comeback from the Lions to get their first victory of the season, beating Detroit by a score of 14-12. For those of you keeping score at home, last season’s final winless team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, got their first win in Week Nine, one week earlier than the Bills. Here’s to the ’08 Lions popping the champagne.

Head of the Pack

Your statistical leaders in:

Passing

1. Phillip Rivers (San Diego) –2944 yards.
2. Kyle Orton (Denver) –2806 yards.
3. Peyton Manning (Indianapolis) – 2663 yards

With Drew Brees falling out of the top three.

Rushing

1. Arian Foster (Houston) – 920 yards
2. Adrian Peterson (Minnesota) – 908 yards
3. Chris Johnson (Tennessee) –838 yards

With Ahmad Bradshaw falling out of the top three.
Receiving

1. Brandon Lloyd (Denver) – 968 yards
2. Roddy White (Atlanta) – 934 yards
3. Terrell Owens (Cincinnati) – 834 yards

With no one falling out of the top three.

Sacks

1. Clay Matthews (Green Bay) – 11.0
2. Cameron Wake (Miami) – 10.0
3. Osi Umenyiora (NY Giants) – 9.0

With Umenyiora breaking last week’s four-way tie for third place.

Three Big Match Ups

1. Oakland at Pittsburgh, 1 P.M. EST on CBS – If you had told me last year that it would happen, I wouldn’t have believed it. We’re nearly two thirds of the way through the season, and the Oakland Raiders are in first place in their division. Between an impressive running game featuring Darren McFadden and a punishing defense, the Raiders have climbed atop the AFC West and look to be as competitive as they have been since the halcyon days of Rich Gannon. Oakland has won three straight, four of their last five, and this streak included routs of Denver and Seattle plus a victory over Kansas City that gave the Raiders the tiebreaker edge in the division. Now, Oakland will go up against what may the best team they’ve faced all season. That said the Pittsburgh Steelers did not look like one of the best teams in the NFL last week. They were whooped by the New England Patriots, 39-26, in a game that was not even as close as the score indicated. The Steelers looked beat as they labored to keep up with the Pats in a game that was supposed to be a showcase of the best of the AFC. Though the Steelers are still at a very respectable 6-3, tied for first in the division with the Baltimore Ravens, the team has struggled a bit over the last month, with losses to both the Patriots and the Saints, and a close win over the Dolphins that required a little help from the replay booth. Both squads will look to stake out some territory in the AFC and gain some breathing room in tight divisional races. With Oakland seeming to have found its footing right when Pittsburgh seems to be stumbling, could this game be a story of two teams moving in opposite directions?

2. Indianapolis at New England, 4:15 P.M. EST on CBS – Despite not playing in the same division, we inevitably see the Colts take on the Pats, year after year, and the game rarely disappoints. Still, both teams will have to pull out all the stops to outshine “The Call” from last season that resulted in the narrowest of comeback victories for Indianapolis. The Patriots will be out for revenge, and they look like world-beaters after their decisive victory over the Steelers. At 7-2, New England is tied for the best record in the NFL, and they have won six of their last seven games. However, the solid victories over other great teams like Pittsburgh and Baltimore only make their Week Nine trouncing by the Cleveland Browns all the more puzzling. Which Patriots team will show up in Foxboro – the one that made the Steelers look like the Bills, or the one that made the Browns look like the Jets, who hold a tiebreaker win over the Patriots. That tiebreaker win is just enough to keep New England out of first place in the AFC East. The Colts, for their part, are in a tough divisional fight of their own. Their win over division rival Houston and Tennessee’s loss to Miami did make things a little easier for Indianapolis, but both the Titans and the Jaguars are only a game out of first, and the Texans still have the talent to make a run for the division crown as well. What’s more, this is a Colts team missing many of its most talented players. The team has seen injuries to big time contributors like Austin Collie, Dallas Clark, Bob Sanders, Joseph Addai, and Anthony Gonzales, among many more less-heralded players. Indy has made the best of it though, winning four of the last five games despite missing a few stars from their usual cast. Expect both teams to bring their best into what has become one of the biggest rivalries in NFL history.

3. NY Giants at Philadelphia, 8:20 P.M. EST on NBC – A look at the Giants and the Eagles, both taking on division rivals in Week Ten, is a study in contrasts. The Giants, having decimated the Seahawks to the tune of 41-7 in Seattle, came back to the Meadowlands and promptly laid an egg at home. The Giants soundly lost to the woeful Dallas Cowboys, at team that appeared to have all but quit in recent weeks and hadn’t managed a win since Week Three . The New York O-line looked old, the defense looked porous, and the G-men put in one of their worst performances of the season. The Eagles, meanwhile, put on a clinic, setting a record for first-half points as they destroyed the Washington Redskins on Monday Night. When all was said and done, Philly won by a score of 59-28 against a much tougher Washington team that seemed wholly unprepared for the Eagles’ offensive assault. Michael Vick scored six touchdowns, further fueling the talk that this man who was in jail just two years ago may very well become the league’s next MVP. The Eagles looked like one of the best teams in the NFC, while the Giants looked like one of the worst. Despite this, both teams are tied atop the NFC East at the moment, and this game will not only decide which team can claim sole possession of first place, but may establish the pecking order for the rest of the season. With a win, the Eagles could cement their position as the best team in the division, if not the conference. On the other hand, a big victory over Philly would allow New York to show that Week Ten was just a hiccup, and the Giants are still the top team in the division. Both teams will pull out all the stops in this big divisional rivalry game.

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The Andrew Preview: NFL Week Ten

Posted on November 13, 2010 by Andrew Bloom

Your Top Stories

The Steelers take on the Patriots in a match up of two of the best teams in the AFC.

1. In a move where the only surprise was the timing,  Jerry Jones fired Dallas Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips, and named Offensive Coordinator Jason Garrett as interim head coach of the team.  The news came Monday after the Cowboys were embarrassed in a 45-7 loss to the Green Bay Packers in the nationally televised Sunday Night game. The loss dropped Dallas’ record to a pitiful 1-7. This is the first time that Jerry Jones has made a coaching change mid-season, but the Cowboys owner, who bought the team in 1989, said that he had been in “denial” about how bad the squad had become. Phillips’ final record as the Cowboys’ head coach is 34-22, with a 1-2 record in the post season. He released a statement thanking the fans and the organization for all of their support. When asked for comment, new coach Jason Garrett said, “Wade is no longer the coach. I am the coach and what we’re going to do going forward (is) get ready to . . . give ourselves a chance to beat the Giants on Sunday.”

2. Broncos Linebacker and leading tackler D.J. Williams has been charged with driving under the influence. Williams was stopped on Friday at 2:40 A.M. for driving without headlights on, when he was arrested for DUI and ordered to appear in court on December 13th. This is the second time Willaims has faced such a charge. In September of 2005, Williams plead guilty to drunk driving, receiving a sentence of twenty-four hours community service. Williams will likely face a suspension from NFL Commssioner Roger Goodell. By comparison, Goodell handed down a four-game suspension to Chargers Wide Receiver Vincent Jackson for his DUI arrests. When reached for comment, Denver coach Josh McDaniels said, “We’re certainly disappointed and don’t condone that behavior from any of our players or anybody within our organization.”

3. It’s high school all over again, as the NFL is cracking down on the dress code. Noted NFL showman and provocateur Chad Ochocinco received a twenty-thousand dollar fine from the league for violating its uniform policy. Ochocinco had on gold cleats when the Bengals took the field against the Steelers in Week Nine, in violation of the league’s on-field dress code. This is his second fine of the season, after having lost twenty-five thousand dollars for violating the league’s social media policy by tweeting before a game. Jets linebacker Bart Scott was also fined twenty-thousand dollars for violating the uniform policy, though his offense was far less ostentatious. Scott was cited for not having his chin strap on at all times, in a violation more directed toward ensuring safety than maintaining professionalism.

2008 Detroit Lions Memorial Winless Teams

Buffalo Bills

For the third time in as many weeks, the Bills have ended the game three points away from their first victory, but have found themselves unable to seal the deal. Buffalo fell to Chicago, 22-19, for their eighth loss of the season. The Bills have one of their best chances to get that first win of the year this week when they take on the two-win Detroit Lions at home.

Head of the Pack

Your statistical leaders in:

Passing

1. Phillip Rivers (San Diego) –2944 yards.
2. Drew Brees (New Orleans) – 2587 yards
3. Kyle Orton (Denver) –2510 yards

With no one falling out of the top three.

Rushing

1. Arian Foster (Houston) – 864 yards
2. Adrian Peterson (Minnesota) – 857 yards
3. Ahmad Bradshaw (NY Giants) –765 yards

With Chris Johnson falling out of the top three.

Receiving

1. Roddy White (Atlanta) – 934 yards
2. Brandon Lloyd (Denver) – 878 yards
3. Terrell Owens (Cincinnati) – 770 yards

With Reggie Wayne falling out of the top three.

Sacks

1. Clay Matthews (Green Bay) – 11.0
2. Cameron Wake (Miami) – 9.0
T-3. Tamba Hall (Kansas City) – 8.0
T-3. Osi Umenyiora (NY Giants) – 8.0
T-3. John Abraham (Atlanta) – 8.0
T-3. DeMarcus Ware (Dallas) – 8.0

With no one falling out of the increasingly inaccurately named top three thanks to a four-way tie for third place.

Three Big Match Ups

1. Tennessee at Miami, 1 P.M. EST on CBS – For the second time in a about a month, there’s intrigue and interest in what impact Randy Moss will make with his new team. The Titans are also facing the question of whether Vince Young or Kerry Collins will be starting, and moreover, who will be taking the bulk of the snaps in the game regardless of who starts it? The Titans report that Young is a game time decision this week, as fans are excited about the prospect of a “three-headed monster” with Young behind center, Chris Johnson running the ball, and Moss going downfield. Tennessee has won three of its last four games, but lost to the resurgent Chargers going into their bye week. Every win matters in the AFC South where the Titans are tied with the Colts for first place in the division at 5-3, but with the Texans and the Jaguars each only a game out of first place. For their part, the Dolphins have been hot and cold this season, never stringing together more than two wins in a row, but never losing more than two games in a row either. To add to the peculiarity, each of Miami’s four wins has come on the road, meaning that nine weeks into the season, the Fins will be looking for their first home win despite being a competitive team. Still, with Chad Pennington expected to start for the first time since early 2009 (and so excited at the prospect that he’s rapping) expect Miami to come out roaring and attempt to not only get their first victory in front of the home crowd, but to gain ground in the highly competitive AFC East.

2. New England at Pittsburgh, 8:20 P.M. EST on NBC – This game has my vote for being the likely AFC Championship preview. The Patriots have been nigh unstoppable this season. They’ve played their share of close games, but have continue to manage to eke out the win, even over other league leaders like Baltimore. The offense has looked stellar despite numerous changes at receiver, and when they entered week nine with the best record in football, many thought that no one could stop the New England juggernaut. Then along came….The Cleveland Browns? That’s right, the 2-5 Browns did not just beat the Patriots, they routed them to the tune of 34-14. Expect the Pats to come out with a chip on their shoulders, eager to prove that least week was an aberration against the class of the AFC. The Steelers are in much the same boat, having won three of their last four games after the return of Ben Roethlisberger and standing tall at the top of the AFC North. Pittsburgh is looking good, but is still in search of a win over a major player in the playoff race since Big Ben has come back behind center. The Steelers are still smarting from a loss to the defending Superbowl Champion New Orleans Saints on Halloween night, and will look to show they can still hang with the best with a victory over the Patriots.

3. Philadelphia at Washington, Monday 8:30 P.M. EST on ESPN – Donovan McNabb doesn’t know the two-minute drill. He’s out of shape. He didn’t give the Redskins as good a chance to win as…Rex Grossman. These are the reasons that Mike Shanahan has given for his controversial benching of McNabb in the last two minutes of Washington’s loss to Detroit. What’s more, the Redskins’ bye week has given our nation’s capital plenty of time to mull over these ever-changing justifications, given us even more intrigue when McNabb takes on his old team for a second time. As usual, the NFC East race is increasingly competitive, and to both stay in the thick of things and put this unpleasantness behind them, 4-4 Redskins badly need this win. The same goes for the Eagles, as the return of Michael Vick coming out of the bye helped give Philly a tight, but signature victory over the Indianapolis Colts in Week Nine. Despite their injury issues, the Eagles have won three of their last four, and are only one game behind the New York Giants in the division. Vick currently holds the league’s highest passer rating at 105.3 and in the last year of his contract, he’s looking to show not just the Redskins or the Eagles, but the entire league, that he still has what it takes to lead a team in the NFL. Expect a great game between two division rivals who both really need this victory to keep up in the chase for the postseason.

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The Andrew Preview: NFL Week Eight

Posted on October 27, 2010 by Andrew Bloom

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The last two Superbowl Champions collide in a big matchup on Sunday. Night.

1. It’s been a tough week to be a quarterback. San Francisco QB Alex Smith suffered a separated shoulder in the Niners’ game against the Panthers this past Sunday. He’s expected to be out 2-3 weeks. In his place, the 49ers’ coach Mike Singletary is giving Troy Smith, the former Heisman Trophy winner, his first NFL start in three years. Also, Dallas quarterback Tony Romo suffered a broken collarbone in the Cowboys’ loss to the New York Giants Giant on Monday night. While Romo will not require surgery, he is expected to be out for 6-8 weeks. He will be replaced by former Lions QB Jon Kitna, who has not seen the field in the regular season for more than two years.

2. Lots of news coming out of the Vikings organization. First and foremost, Brett Favre may or may not play in Minnesota’s game against New England this Sunday, despite the fact that he suffered two fractures in his left ankle. At a news conference Favre said, “I would love to play, for no other reason but I’m in this, committed to this team.” Favre has started 291 consecutive regular season games. Still, he commented that “I’m very proud of the streak, but it probably should have ended a long time ago.” It remains to be seen whether Brett will be behind center on Sunday. In other Vikes news, coach Brad Childress was fined for his comments that Minnesota’s narrow loss to Green Bay was “the worst officiated game [he’s] seen.” The NFL fined Childress $35,000 for this statement. In particular, Childress criticized the call on an endzone catch by tight end Visanthe Schiancoe which was initially ruled a touchdown but overturned on review. Childress later said that “50 drunks in a bar” could have made the correct call.

3. The NCAA quickly shot down rumors that it intended to pursue an attempt to coordinate with the NFL to punish rookies who accepted extra benefits in college. The NCAA quickly said that such a proposal is “not currently under consideration.” Certain college coaches presented this proposal as a means to turn the tide against the rash of benefit violations in the NCAA, advocating suspensions and fines for violators in the NFL. The NFLPA immediately objected to the proposal, rejecting the idea of “any penalty being imposed upon a player in the NFL for conduct relating to the receipt of benefits in violation of NCAA rules while the player was in college.”

2008 Detroit Lions Memorial Winless Teams

Buffalo Bills

And then there was one. The Carolina Panthers pulled off their first win in a tight game against the similarly situated San Francisco 49ers to make it off the winless list. The Bills tried valiantly, taking the Baltimore Ravens down to the wire, but at the end of the day they still found themselves as the sole remaining team without a victory. This week they’ll try their luck against the AFC West-leading Kansas City Chiefs.

Head of the Pack

Your statistical leaders in:

Passing

1. Phillip Rivers (San Diego) –2344 yards.
2. Kyle Orton (Denver) –2140 yards.
3. Drew Brees (New Orleans) – 2029 yards

Rushing

1. Ahmad Bradshaw (NY Giants) –708 yards.
2. Adrian Peterson (Minnesota) – 684 yards
3. Chris Johnson (Tennessee) – 662 yards.

Receiving

1. Roddy White (Atlanta) – 747 yards
2. Brandon Lloyd (Denver) – 709 yards
3. Reggie Wayne (Indianapolis) – 602 yards

Sacks

1. Clay Matthews (Green Bay) – 9.0
2. Osi Umenyiora (NY Giants) – 8.0
3. DeMarcus Ware (Dallas) – 8.0

Three Big Match Ups

1. Green Bay at NY Jets, 1 P.M. EST on FOX – The NFC North is up for grabs this year, with the Packers in the thick of the race. With their victory over the archrival Vikings, the Pack catapulted themselves to a share of first place in the division. Still, they face what may be their biggest challenge of the season. The Jets will be only the second team the Packers have played this year who will enter the game with a winning record. Still, Green Bay is no stranger to playing in close matchups, with six of their seven games this season decided by four points or less. For their part, the Jets have done nothing but win since their one-point loss to the Ravens in the first week of the season. Coming off a bye and sitting at 5-1, the Jets are still only sharing the lead in the AFC East, as they fend off the Patriots. Both teams are fighting to keep up in tight division races, and it should mean a good show.

2. Pittsburgh at New Orleans, 8:20 P.M. EST on NBC – It took a controversial decision from a referee and a very close shave, but the Steelers survived their match up with Dolphins to improve to 5-1. On third down in that game, Ben Roethlisberger ran for the endzone. He lost control of the ball, but the ref on the field ruled that he had crossed the goal line prior to losing possession. Upon an official review, it was ruled that Big Ben indeed fumbled before he reached the goal line, but that it was unclear who recovered the ball in the ensuing scrum, and as such, by rule, the Steelers retained possession for a 4th down play. They kicked the field goal to win the game, amid thunderous boos from the Miami faithful. Nevertheless, the Steelers won the game and sit in first place in the AFC North. New Orleans, on the other hand, has not been so lucky. After starting 3-1, the Saints have gone 1-2 down the stretch, including a shocking thirteen-point loss to the Cleveland Browns this past week. Drew Brees is still throwing with 69.7 completion rate, but the Saints may still be fighting a Superbowl hangover. New Orleans will be desperate to boost themselves out of third place in the NFC South behind Atlanta and Tampa Bay. Expect both teams to be at their best in this matchup of the last two Superbowl Champions.

3. Houston at Indianapolis, Monday 8:30 P.M. EST on ESPN – These are not your father’s…er…big brother’s Texans. Off to their best start in years, Matt Schaub and the rest of this Houston team have had impressive wins over the rejuvenated Reskins, the red hot Chiefs, and yes, even the Colts. With a team that ranks first in Red Zone offense and after a bye week to rest and recover, the Texans will shoot for their first season sweep of the Colts ever. On their side, Indy has put up some big victories of their own, including big wins over those same Redskins and Chiefs, plus a sound trouncing of the NY Giants. Still, the Colts’ receiving corps has been severely hampered by injuries, with Austin Collie suffering an injured right thumb that will keep him out of the lineup a few more weeks, and Peyton Manning’s favorite target, Dallas Clark, out for the season. This game will go a long way in deciding an increasingly tight division race, so expect both teams to come out hungry for a victory.

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The Andrew Preview: NFL Week Seven

Posted on October 21, 2010 by Andrew Bloom

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Favre will come home to Lambeau for the second time in the shadow of allegations of lewd behavior.

1. The hits just keep on coming. Week Six in the NFL included a number of devastating hits throughout the league that has led to the wringing of hands, the gnashing of teeth, and may actually lead to some action from the NFL. The front office imposed fines on three players: James Harrison of the Steelers, Brandon Meriweather of the Patriots, and Dunta Robinson of the Falcons. Harrison, upset at his $75,000 fine and threatening to retire, was excused from the Pittsburgh practice today and told to cool off. Meriweather, on the other hand, facing a $50,000 fine of his own, apologized for his hit and promised to “play within the rules” in the future. Robinson also received a $50,000 fine. The NFL warned these players and the rest of the league that continued vicious hits, particularly on unprotected receivers and those of the helmet-to-helmet variety, would result in suspensions. On Sunday night, former Patriot and renowned hard-hitter Rodney Harrison suggested that only such suspensions would curb the these sorts of tough tackles on the field.

2. Brett Favre met with the NFL this week to discuss the allegations that he made sexual advances and sent explicit pictures to former Jets employee Jenn Sterger. Favre has refused to comment on the allegations, adding only that it is a “league issue” and stating that he is focused on the upcoming game against the Packers. Sterger is reportedly refusing to cooperate with the NFL’s investigation into the story, first reported by Deadspin.com. She is currently an employee for the Versus network, and her manager indicates that she has had no discussions with Favre regarding any sort of settlement. Favre  met with the NFL’s vice president for security Milt Ahelrich on Tuesday, though no decision on the league’s part has been made thus far.

3. Indianapolis Colts punter Pat McAfee received a one-game suspension from the team after his arrest for public intoxication this week. McAfee was swimming in a local canal in the Broad Ripple neighborhood when he was confronted by police. McAfee reportedly had a blood alcohol level of .15 and when asked how much alcohol he had consumed that night, responded “a lot cause I am drunk.” McAfee is the fourth Colts player to be arrested on alcohol-related charges this year. The Colts have a bye this week, but McAfee will miss Indy’s Monday Night game in Week Eight against the Houston Texans.

Undefeated Teams

None

Two weeks ago, the Kansas City Chiefs lost to the Indianapolis Colts. With that there were no more undefeated teams left in the NFL. This was the first season that the NFL did not have a 4-0 team since 1970. This is particularly surprising as at least one NFL team has started 10-0 over the last five seasons. The ’72 Dolphins are popping the champagne early this year. Come back next week when we will start the “Head of the Pack” feature.

2008 Detroit Lions Memorial Winless Teams

Buffalo Bills
Carolina Panthers

The Lions left this list in Week Six with a resounding 44-6 win over the St. Louis Rams. The following week, the 49ers managed to scrounge up their first win, beating the Oakland Raiders 17-9. This leaves the Panthers and the Bills as the leading contenders for futility this season. The Panthers may have their best shot at a win this week as they take on those very same 49ers who could not manage a victory until one week ago. Meanwhile the Bills will likely have to keep waiting as they take on Baltimore and have a tough schedule ahead of them.

Three Big Match Ups

1. Philadelphia at Tennessee, 1 P.M. EST on FOX – Who will be playing quarterback for Philadelphia seems to be a weekly mystery this season, but thus far, it hasn’t mattered all that much. Both Michael Vick and Kevin Kolb have been impressive down the stretch for Philadelphia and their stellar play has led the Eagles to a 4-2 record, good enough for a share of first place in the NFC East. Kolb and the rest of a talented Philly squad got a big victory over the 4-1 Falcons in a game many thought would be a much closer and more competitive contest. Despite Vick’s continued recovery, Kolb is widely expected to start against the Titans. Tennessee, meanwhile, has quietly racked up a 4-2 record of its own, with a 30-3 rout of division rival Jacksonville last Monday Night. Chris Johnson has been as fearsome as ever, racking up more than one hundred yards against the Jags. Both Titans QB’s, however, have been fighting injuries. Vince Young did not practice today due to a sprained knee and ankle, nor did his backup Kerry Collins due to a hurt middle finger on his throwing hand. It’s currently unknown who will start against Philadelphia, but both quarterbacks have shown themselves to be able of leading the Titans to victory. Expect a good game between these two teams with multiple options at quarterback.

2. Pittsburgh at Miami, 1 P.M. EST on CBS – Big Ben is back in Pittsburgh, and tossed for three touchdowns in a significant victory over the division rival Browns. The competition for Roethlisberger gets stiffer this week, however, as the Steelers travel to Miami. It’s unknown at this time what the impact of the recent controversy will have on the Pittsburgh defense, and on James Harrison in particular, but at 4-1, the Steelers are sitting pretty atop the AFC North with the return of their franchise quarterback. The Dolphins are coming off a big win of their own, unseating the Green Bay Packers in overtime to pull back into contention in the supercompetitive AFC East. Chad Henne and Brandon Marshall have been connecting with regularity and giving Miami a much more explosive pass attack. With Parcells stepping back, the Fins seems to be stepping up. This should be a good matchup between two hungry teams.

3. Minnesota at Green Bay, 8:20 P.M. EST on NBC – Welcome to Brett Favre’s Homecoming take two. Favre and the Vikes were able to win both games against the Packers last year, but this is a different year with different results. Both teams have underperformed relative to expectations and badly need a win. The Vikings beat the Cowboys in the desperation bowl last week. With parity as king in the NFL this year, a win could put them a mere half-game behind the division-leading Bears. Still, who knows what type of distraction the ongoing investigation into Favre will be, and it remains to be seen what impact recent addition Randy Moss will make as he transitions to his new team. For their part, the Packers have lost two games in a row, both in overtime, and find themselves at .500. Green Bay started the season by winning three of their first four games, but this two game skid has raised some red flags in Wisconsin.  Many questions are being asked about Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy. Nothing would help silence the critics more than a big victory over the division rival Vikings and former ally Favre. Expect both teams to lay it all out on the line this week in a division where one win can mean the difference between being at the top of the head and at the bottom of the pile.

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The Andrew Preview: NFL Week Five

Posted on October 6, 2010 by Andrew Bloom

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The Patriots traded Moss to the Vikings for a third round draft pick.

1. The New England Patriots have traded receiver Randy Moss to the Minnesota Vikings, the for a third round pick. Minnesota drafted Moss out of college nearly twelve years ago. The outspoken reciever had expressed his dissatisfaction with the lack of a new contract with the Pats, saying, “When you have done so much and put so much work in, it kind of feels like I am not wanted.” In Monday night’s game against the Dolphins, Moss had zero catches, a first for him as a Patriot, despite New England scoring forty-one points. Rumor has it that Moss had been angling for a trade since Week One. Favre had apparently sought out Moss as a target for some time. Many source described the Packers’ failure to acquire the receiver for two years in a row, despite Brett’s overwhelming insistence, as a very sore spot between the veteran QB and the Green Bay organization. The addition of Moss will give the Vikings the deep thread receiver they have been lacking since Sidney Rice underwent hip surgery. The Vikings had sought to make a deal with disgruntled Chargers receiver Vincent Jackson, but negotiations fell through. Reportedly, the Vikings and Moss have not yet discussed a new contract. Minnesota and New England are scheduled to play each other in a mere three weeks time.

2. In other trade news, the Buffalo Bills sent RB Marshawn Lynch to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for two undisclosed draft picks. This will leave the running game in Buffalo to backup Fred Jackson and first round draft pick C.J. Spiller. For its part, Seattle hopes the addition of Lynch will add a spark to its running game, which has been sorely lacking through the first quarter of the season. In order to make room for Lynch, the Seahawks cut Julius Jones, who had been their leading rusher the past two years. Jones had restructured his contract to take a pay cut this season, but still had only been given the ball a dozen times and gained minimal yardage. He was inactive this past Sunday against the Rams. Lynch will join Seattle’s other running back, Justin Forsett. The two were teammates and friends at Cal, with Lynch having even been a groomsman at Forsett’s wedding earlier this year.

3. The Miami Dolphins fired Special Teams coordinator John Bonamego this week after the team’s miserable failure to perform against the Patriots on Monday Night. The special teams play was particularly weak, including two blocked kicks, both of which led to touchdowns on the ensuing Patriot drives and a 103-yard kickoff return. The Dolphins also had a punt blocked against the Jets the week prior. Special Teams assistant Darren Rizzi will replace Bonamego as coordinator. Head coach Tony Sparano called the move a “hard decision” adding, “Nobody works harder than him at what he does.” The Dolphin currently rank last in the NFL in both punting and kickoff coverage.

Undefeated Teams

Kansas City Chiefs

Last season it took us until Week Fifteen until we had only one undefeated team left. This season, it only took us until Week Four. The 1972 Dolphins may be popping the champagne early this year as the Chiefs, with thirteen more games left to play and a 3-0 record, are the last undefeated team in the NFL. The Bears lost to the Giants and the Steelers lost to the Ravens, whittling us down to only one team in the NFL without a loss.

2008 Detroit Lions Memorial Winless Teams

Buffalo Bills
Carolina Panthers
Detroit Lions
San Francisco 49ers

Only one team made it out of the cellar this week as the Browns upset the Bengals to earn their first win. The Bills, Lions, and 49ers are all playing teams at .500 this week, and will hope to avoid to 2008 Lions’ fate.

Three Big Match Ups

1. Kansas City and Indianapolis, 1 P.M. EST on CBS – Who in the world would have guessed that the last undefeated in the league would be the Kansas City Chiefs? Matt Cassel’s group has scored wins in close games against the division rivals Chargers, as well as the Browns, and then pulled off a big, three-touchdown victory over the 49ers. As the sole remaining team without a loss, and bye week to rest up, expect Kansas City to come out looking to prove their mettle this week. They’ll play the team that went the longest without a loss last season. The Colts have gone a meager 2-2 in the first four weeks of the season, and have only shown flashes of the dominating team that made it to the Superbowl last year. After back-to-back resounding wins over New York and Denver, Indy lost a heartbreaker in final seconds in Jacksonville, giving them their second loss in the division. Still, the Colts are in the thick of the AFC South race, only one game back from Texans, and joining the glut of NFL teams at .500. Expect them to come out firing and remind the Chiefs why Indianapolis spent so much of last season undefeated.

2. Denver at Baltimore, 1 P.M. EST on CBS – The Broncos have been playing tight, but solid games these past few weeks. Kyle Orton appears to have come into his own this season, making last year’s Cutler-Orton trade seem a bit more even that initially thought. With a close win in a hard-fought game against Tennessee, the ponies have a tough pair of games ahead, with the Jets waiting in the wings after Denver finishes with Baltimore. Still, the Broncos showed a lot of toughness last week and will assuredly give the Ravens a run for their money. Baltimore, on the other hand, has looked stellar through the first four weeks of the season. Each of its games has been close, with the margin of victory never being greater than a touchdown. Still, with two division wins already, the Ravens are sitting pretty in the AFC North. Last week, they handed the vaunted Steelers their first loss in an exciting 17-14 showdown. The renewed Baltimore D will look to stop the Denver offense in its tracks and extend the Ravens’ dominance by another week.

3. NY Jets at Minnesota, Monday, 8:30 P.M. EST on ESPN – This one just got a little more interesting. The Jets keep making this list because they continue to play quality games against quality opponents. For all of Rex Ryan’s bluster, the Jets have so far managed to back it up, winning three of their first four games of the season and sweeping the rest of their division thus far. Despite an initial shakiness, Mark Sanchez is playing like a franchise quarterback, and he’ll have a new target this week with the return of Santonio Holmes. However, he won’t be the only one with a new star to throw to, as Randy Moss will suit up in the purple and gold for the first time since he was traded to Oakland in 2005. Moss will be playing in his second consecutive Monday night game. The Vikings looked to be in freefall, starting 0-2 until they got their first win of the season against the Lions. Now, with the addition of Moss and a bye week to rest and prepare, Minnesota looks like a much tougher game, especially at home. Expect Brett Favre to utilize his new weapon early and often in a match up that just became much more intriguing.

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The Andrew Preview: NFL Week Four

Posted on September 29, 2010 by Andrew Bloom

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The Patriots take on the Dolphins this week after a number of very good AFC East match ups this season.

1. The NFL is investigating a confrontation between Green Bay Packers safety Nick Collins and a fan that occurred during Monday night’s game between the Packers and the Bears. A Milwaukee news station aired footage of Collins arguing with a fan as he leaves a field, followed by Collins throwing his mouthpiece into the crowd. Collins claims that the fan spit on him and used a racial slur. Still, the Packers safety apologized and said that he simply “los[t] his cool.” Green Bay Coach Mike McCarthy indicated that he believed Collins’ account of the incident and that he “support[s] Nick one-hundred percent.” Collins was involved in two plays late in the game that helped put the Bears in position to win the game and may have contributed to his frustration. First, a late game interception by Collins was wiped out by a pass interference call, and Collins’ tackle of Bears running back Matt Forte resulted in another penalty for unnecessary roughness putting. The NFL is engaged in an ongoing review of the incident.

2. With the first three weeks in the books, there is still some quarterback shuffling going around. In the final week that the Steelers will be playing without Ben Roethlisberger, coach Mike Tomlin named Charlie Batch the starter for this Sunday’s match up against the Ravens. Batch entered the season as the fourth string quarterback for Pittsburgh, but following Big Ben’s suspension and injuries to Dennis Dixon and Byron Leftwich, Batch had his chance to show his stuff this Sunday. He certainly took advantage of it, throwing for three touchdowns in the Steelers’ trouncing of Tampa Bay. Also, the Buffalo Bills cut former “quarterback of the future” Trent Edwards in favor of backup Ryan Fitzpatrick. Firtzpatrick threw for more yards in Week Three than Edwards had managed in the first two weeks of the season combined. The Jaguars, facing quarterback issues of their own, picked up Edwards  off of waivers. Edwards is expected to compete with Jacksonville QB David Garrard who has been underwhelming so far this season.

3. The agent of veteran kicker John Carney confirmed that his client would be returning to the New Orleans Saints. Carney, at 46, is expected to sign a one-year deal with the defending Superbowl Champs. The Saints entered the market for a kicker this week after incumbent Garrett Hartley missed a twenty-nine yard gimme in overtime that would have won the game for New Orleans. Instead, Hartley’s shank allowed the Falcons to march down into field goal range themselves and get the victory. Carney was a kicking consultant for the Saints last year, after being on their active roster for the majority of 2009. The twenty-two year veteran kicked his first NFL field goal in 1988.

Undefeated Teams

Chicago Bears
Kansas City Chiefs
Pittsburgh Steelers

A whopping five teams suffered their first losses this week, whittling us down to a mere three undefeated teams. The Packers lost to the Bears; the Texans lost to the Cowboys; the Dolphins lost to the Jets; the Saints lost to the Falcons, and the Bucs lost to the Steelers. Parity is king in the NFL this year. Just for reference, this time last season there were still seven undefeated teams.

2008 Detroit Lions Memorial Winless Teams

Buffalo Bills
Cleveland Browns
Carolina Panthers
Detroit Lions
San Francisco 49ers

Three teams managed to get their first win this week. The Cowboys beat the Texans; the Vikings beat the Lions, and the Rams beat the Redskins. This leaves us with five winless teams, and again, for frame of reference there were seven winless teams this time last season.

Three Big Match Ups

1. Baltimore at Pittsburgh, 1 P.M. EST on CBS – One of the big questions entering the 2010-2011 season was how the Steelers would fare without Ben Roethlisberger. Well, if the first three weeks of the season are any indication, Big Ben should get suspended every year. Though it’s included a bout of quarterbacking by committee, the admirable play from the Steeler backups and a strong defense have led Pittsburgh to an undefeated record entering the last week of Roethlisberger’s suspension. With tight wins against Atlanta and Tennessee, and a thrashing of the formerly undefeated Bucs this past week, the Steelers have shown that they can win without their star quarterback. However, they’ll face their first division foe this week, and the Ravens are no pushovers. Baltimore grinded out a tough win against the Jets, lost a close one to the Bengals, and beat their division rival Browns by a touchdown. Though Ravens RB Ray Rice is questionable for Sunday’s game with a bruised knee, expect a revitalized Ravens offense to balance their typically stout defense and give the Steelers a run for their money.

2. Washington at Philadelphia, 4:15 P.M. EST on FOX – With three teams each having only one win apiece, the NFC East aint what it used to be. Still, the Philadelphia Eagles have looked to be the class of the division in the early goings. Despite a tough loss to a talented Packer team in Week One, the Eagles have won two in a row and look unstoppable. Andy Reid was vindicated in his decision to name Michael Vick as his starter after the former Falcons quarterback helped deliver a beatdown of the woeful Jaguars to the tune 291 yards, 3 touchdowns, and a 25-point margin of victory. Philly will look to establish their dominance in the NFC East by beating their division rivals. Still, the Shanahan Redskins are not the woeful Washington warriors of old. The Skins already have one win the division over the Cowboys, and it took an impressive comeback from the Texans in overtime to beat them in Weak Two. Moreover, you can expect Washington quarterback Donovan McNabb to be very motivated to show his old team what they’re missing after having traded him in the offseason. With the animated fans in Philadelphia, it should be an entertainingly contentious homecoming for the former Eagle, and accordingly, a great game.

3. New England at Miami, Monday, 8:30 P.M. EST on ESPN – The AFC East has put on some pretty good games these first three weeks of the season, with even the winless Bills doing their part. The Jets and the Pats put on quite a show in Week Two, and Miami and New York followed it up with another nail-biter in Week Three. Let’s hope the third leg of this round robin is just as exciting as the Fins take on the Patriots at home. The Dolphins went on the road and pulled off a pair of close victories over Buffalo and Minnesota to start the season. Unfortunately, they lost their home opener to the Jets in Week Three in a heartbreaker. However, this loss gives them all the more reason to go after another all-important division victory against the Pats. New England, for its part, also has a victory over Buffalo, a loss to the Jets, and a win over one of last season’s playoff teams on its 2010 resume. These teams appear pretty evenly matched, and it should make for a quality match up in the Monday night spotlight game. Expect Brady and Moss to be ready to put on a show while Chad Henne, Ronnie Brown, and the wildcat offense will aim to do the same.

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The Andrew Preview: NFL Week Three

Posted on September 22, 2010 by Andrew Bloom

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1. Denver Broncos wide receiver Kenny McKinley committed suicide on Monday. One of McKinley’s friends discovered the body on Monday afternoon after running an errand with McKinley’s son. Authorities indicated that McKinley died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Denver coach Josh McDaniels expressed great sadness at McKinley’s passing, adding that no one within the Broncos organization was aware of McKinley’s depression. Denver will observe a moment of silence before their game on Sunday in honor of McKinley. He was 23.

The Bears and the Packers are both undefeated and will square off on Monday Night.

2. Braylon Edwards, wide receiver for the New York Jets, was arrested today for driving while intoxicated. New York police stopped Edwards due to the fact that his SUV’s windows were too tinted to see through, and they detected a strong scent of alcohol coming from the car. Police administered a breath test, and found that Edwards had a blood alcohol content of .16, twice the legal limit. This crime may be a violation of Edwards probation that stemmed from a misdemeanor aggravated assault charge in Cleveland after he punched a friend of LeBron James. Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum said that Edwards will be active for Sunday’s game against the Dolphins, though he indicated that whether or not he plays will be up to Jets coach Rex Ryan.

3. A pair of quarterback controversies captured the imagination of the league this week. First and foremost, Eagles coach Andy Reid announced that Michael Vick would start in place of Kevin Kolb. Kolb was named the starter coming out of preseason, but a concussion suffered in the Eagles’ first game of the season gave Vick an opportunity to take the field, and he shined in relief. As recently as yesterday, Reid had indicated that Kolb would return to the starting job as soon as he fully recovered from his concussion, but today he did an about-face, saying that “[w]hen someone is playing at the level Michael Vick is playing, you have to give him an opportunity.” Additionally, Jimmy Clausen will make his first NFL start this Sunday in place of the flagging Matt Moore. The former Nortre Dame quarterback will start for the Carolina Panthers in the hopes of digging them out of an 0-2 hole.

Undefeated Teams

Chicago Bears
Green Bay Packers
Houston Texans
Kansas City Chiefs
Miami Dolphins
New Orleans Saints
Pittsburgh Steelers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers

For those of you keeping track, that’s eight undefeated teams still standing after the first two weeks of the season. In 2009 there were nine at this point in the season and in 2008 there were ten.

2008 Detroit Lions Memorial Winless Teams

Buffalo Bills
Cleveland Browns
Carolina Panthers
Dallas Cowboys
Detroit Lions
Minnesota Vikings
San Francisco 49ers
St. Louis Rams

Just to keep things even, we also have eight winless teams after the first two weeks of the season. It was also even in 2009 when there were nine winless teams in week three.

Three Big Match Ups

1. Atlanta at New Orleans, 1 P.M. EST on FOX – The defending Superbowl champs have pulled out two hard fought wins in the first two weeks of the season. With the game tied and a minute and a half left in the game, Drew Brees led the Saints down the field and gave Garrett Hartley the opportunity to kick the game-winning field goal. Both the 49ers and the Vikings gave New Orleans a big fight, but each time, the champs responded and got the win. This week, the Saints will face their first division opponent, without running back Reggie Bush, and attempt to establish themselves in the NFC South this season. The Falcons, meanwhile, have played a pair of impressive games of their own. Despite a close, heartbreaking loss to the Steelers in week one, the Falcons absolutely thrashed the Arizona Cardinals by a score of 41-7. Matt Ryan threw for 225 yards, three touchdowns, and completed 66% of his passes. Now, Ryan and the rampaging Atlanta offense will take aim at the Saints and attempt to unseat their division rivals to prove themselves the class of the NFC South.

2. NY Jets at Miami, 8:20 P.M. EST on NBC – The New York Jets narrowly avoided going winless through the first two weeks of the season by coming from behind to beat the New England Patriots in one of the most exciting games of the weekend. While Mark Sanchez looked sluggish and disoriented last weekend, he came alive in week two, playing efficient football and making the tough throws when necessary. Though there’s no way to know how much the issue with Braylon Edwards will serve as a distraction, the Jets appear to have found their legs (and that includes L.T.) and will seek to notch another win in the AFC East. The Dolphins, meanwhile, have quietly amassed a 2-0 record to start the season, with a solid win over the Buffalo Bills and a close, grind-it-out win against the Vikings. The Miami defense managed to hold Adrian Peterson out of the endzone when Minnesota was on the one-yard line with the game was on the line. The Fins are currently on top and the AFC East, and a win over the division rival Jets would cement their position there.

3. Green Bay at Chicago, Monday, 8:30 P.M. EST on ESPN – This matchup can boast not only a division rivalry, but a pair of undefeated teams squaring off in the national spotlight. The Packers were early favorites to contend in the NFC and have lived up to the billing. Aaron Rodgers has firmly stepped into the big shoes left by Brett Favre and led the Pack to a strong win over the Eagles and a thirty-four point shellacking of the Bills. Green Bay appears to be firing on all cylinders and will look to make it three wins in a row to start the season. The Bears, meanwhile, have had a narrower margin of victory, but their record is exactly the same as Green Bay’s and the cherry on top would be beating the Packers to claim sole possession of first place in the NFC North. With a controversial win over Detroit and a big victory on the road against Dallas, Chicago is a force to be reckoned with and will look to show their mettle against a division rival.

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The Andrew Preview: NFL Week Two

Posted on September 18, 2010 by Andrew Bloom

Better late than never. Again, my apologies for the delays and the brevity, it’s been a hectic week.

Your Top Stories

1. Sainz of the times in the Jets locker room. A foreign language correspondent complained of sexual harassment by members of the Jets while in the New York locker room. Clinton Portis was widely condemned for his comments defending the Jets’ behavior. Additionally, Roger Goodell criticized the Jets and their staff for allowing this and has instituted mandatory sensitivity training on the subject.

Peyton and Eli Manning will square off for the first time since 2006.

2. Quarterback injuries strike again. Michael Vick will make his first start since 2006 due to the injury to Kevin Kolb. Also, Seneca Wallace will start in Cleveland due to the Injury to Jake Delhomme. Finally, Matt Stafford is out for Detroit ushering in the exciting Shaun Hill era. Last year saw a rash of quarterback injuries; with three starting QB’s out in just the first week, will the 2010-2011 season follow suit?

3. The looming lockout. A group of four teams, consisting of Indianapolis, Dallas, New Orleans, and Philadelphia, voted to decertify the union this week. Decertification would strip the union of its collective bargaining rights, which would allow individual players to sue the NFL in the event of a lockout. The move has been widely characterized as a means for the players to gain leverage in negotiations.

Undefeated Teams

Half of the league.

2008 Detroit Lions Memorial Winless Teams

The other half of the league.

Three Big Match Ups

1. Pittsburgh at Tennessee, 1 P.M. EST on CBS – This is one of the very few matchups this week between two teams who walked away with a win in week one. Pittsburgh managed to succeed despite the absence of Ben Roethlisberger and young quarterback Dennis Dixon will attempt to carry that momentum against one of the early favorites to lead the pack in the AFC. The Titans, meanwhile, are riding the amazing running skills of RB Chris Johnson who has openly declared his intention to continue at a record setting pace this year. It’s a bit too early to tell, but this may be one of the matchups that gives us a view of what to expect in the playoffs on the AFC’s side of the bracket.

2. New England at NY Jets, 4:15 P.M, EST on CBS – Wes Welker came back in force in week one, scoring two touchdowns and looking in fine form after his injury. The Patriots may be back on a roll and are looking to get a win to bolster their AFC East credentials. The Jets, meanwhile, struggled against Baltimore in their first game of the season, and will look to right the ship and justify their Superbowl hopes. Of particular interest is the matchup between Randy Moss who has expressed dissatisfaction with his contract and standing in New England, and Darelle Revis who is shaking off the rust from an extended holdout and having to overcome a tight hamstring.

3. NY Giants at Indianapolis 8:30 P.M. EST on NBC – Oh yes, it’s the Manning bowl. The Giants came away with a dominant win over the Panthers in Week one, with Hakeem Nicks emerging as a true deep threat and favored target for Eli. The Colts, meanwhile, lost to division rival Houston, the first time that they’ve fallen to the Texans in a meaningful game. The G-Men will look to continue their winning ways while the Colts will attempt to show that last week was an aberration and they can return their dominating success of last season. Of course, Peyton vs. Eli will be a major focus of the broadcast, so expect numerous shots of Archie in the stands looking stoic.

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