It looks like the Erik Bedard sweepstakes are finally drawing to a close. The Baltimore Orioles are reportedly close to trading the 28-year old left-hander to the Seattle Mariners in a deal that would send top outfielding prospect Adam Jones to the Orioles. According to Luis Sojo, manager of the Lara Cardinals, a minor-league affiliate of the Mariners, Jones flew to Baltimore to take a physical today. Other prospects would also be heading Baltimore's way, possibly including two highly-touted minor-league arms in Chris Tillman and Tony Butler.
Bedard went 13-5 and posted a 3.16 ERA in 182 innings for the Orioles last season. He also struck out 221. He has a career record of 40-34 and an ERA of 3.83. Bedard has spent all four of his full MLB seasons in Baltimore.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Sunday, January 27, 2008
My NBA All-Star teams
Eastern Conference
Starters
C- Dwight Howard, Magic- This one is a no-brainer. The 22-year old Howard is having a monster season, averaging 22 points and just under 15 rebounds per game. His presence has helped Orlando get out to a 27-18 start. Although Howard still needs to improve his back-to-the-basket game and has a lot of work to do on his jump shot, his size and strength alone has allowed him to develop into one of the league's most dominant players. Could he be the next version Shaquille O'Neal? Actual winner: Howard.
PF- Kevin Garnett, Celtics- Another easy choice here. Garnett has not only been the league's best player this season, but he is also on the NBA's best team. It's about time the now 13-year veteran gets the respect he deserves after playing all of those years in frigid Minnesota. He has made both Paul Pierce and Ray Allen better players, as well as rookie Glen Davis and young center Kendrick Perkins. Boston has been flourishing with their newest "Big Three." Actual winner: Garnett.
SF- LeBron James, Cavaliers- Cleveland struggled early in the year but has turned it on as of late, mostly due in part to the play of James. The King has put together six 30+ point games in the month of January, not to mention four double-doubles and several near triple-doubles on top of that. In the weak East, James should have no problem leading the Cavaliers to the playoffs for the third consecutive year. Actual winner: James.
SG- Paul Pierce, Celtics- Pierce will not be starting in the real All-Star game, but he certainly should be. He is leading his superhuman Celtics in scoring, averaging just over 20 a night. He is also averaging just under six boards and six dimes an outing. Pierce's leadership has also been a huge factor of Boston's first-half dominance, as he has clearly had an influence on young players like Tony Allen and Rajon Rondo. Actual winner: Dwyane Wade, Heat.
PG- Chauncey Billups, Pistons- For some reason, Billups always flies under the radar. He will not be starting in New Orleans, but his efforts have helped Detroit out to the East's second-best record thus far. He has clearly been his team's MVP and is a sleeper candidate for league MVP, as well. Mr. Big Shot is tallying 18 points and seven assists a night while shooting 90.8% from the charity stripe. Actual winner: Jason Kidd, Nets.
Reserves
C- Chris Bosh, Raptors- Yeah, I know he's a power forward, but I can't leave him off of the All-Star roster. After a slow start, Bosh has exploded in January, scoring no less than 21 in any of this month's games. He has poured in over 30 five times in that span, including a 40-point performance against the Knicks on Jan. 11. His rebounding numbers have also shot up, and he is now just under 10 boards a contest.
F- Caron Butler, Wizards- He is having an unbelievable year and has been putting up MVP-caliber numbers all season long. Butler has posted two triple-doubles, is playing magnificent defense, and has kept the Wizards afloat in Gilbert Arenas' absence. He is really developing into one of the league's best players and is approaching superstar status. Imagine how dangerous Washington would be if Arenas was healthy?
F- Antawn Jamison, Wizards- Much like Butler, Jamison has really come into his own this season. That's not to say that he wasn't a good player prior to this year, but he has really erupted in 2007-08. Jamison is averaging 21.3 points and 10.4 rebounds per game and had a stretch where he tallied eight consecutive double-doubles. He and Butler have formed one of the league's most formidable duos.
G- Dwyane Wade, Heat- Yes, Miami is terrible and just snapped a 15-game losing streak, but that has hardly been Wade's fault. Despite being banged up for a good part of the year, the 26-year old is still averaging over 25 a game and has scored 40+ three times. He hasn't been his old, dominant self, but Wade is still one of the best players in the NBA. If only he had some help.
G- Jason Kidd, Nets- He may not be a Net for long, but Kidd is the only reason why New Jersey even has a slightly respectable record this season. The aging point guard is averaging near a triple-double and has been a big reason why Richard Jefferson is having the best season of his career. The only stat with Kidd that concerns me is his field-goal percentage (36.7), but his gaudy assist and rebounding numbers more than make up for that.
Extra- Josh Smith, Hawks- If Smith doesn't go to New Orleans, it will be a crime. The 6'9" forward is averaging 18.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 3.4 blocks, yes, blocks, per game. He is a top candidate for Defensive Player of the Year and has had an enormous impact on Atlanta's decent start. He is very similar to Phoenix's Shawn Marion, only I think he is a bit better. Smith is going to be an MVP-type player down the road.
Extra- Zach Randolph, Knicks- Don't discount the season Randolph is having just because the Knicks have become the laughing-stock of the league. The first-year New Yorker is averaging 17.1 points and 10.4 boards per game and has developed into one of the conference's best big men. I was stuck picking between Randolph and Charlotte's Gerald Wallace for this spot, but because of the effort Z-Bo is putting forth despite terrible teams in New York, I gave it to him.
Western Conference
Starters
C- Chris Kaman, Clippers- Everyone is overlooking the remarkable season Kaman is having. Do you know he is recording 17.2 points and just under 14 rebounds per game? He has really stepped up in Elton Brand's absence and has now made Brand a tradeable asset for a Clippers' team that looks like it could need a shake-up. I never thought Kaman had it in him to post numbers like this, but he clearly does. Actual winner: Yao Ming, Rockets.
PF- Al Jefferson, Timberwolves- I have a feeling he is going to follow a Garnett-like path and never get noticed in Minnesota. The 22-year old has been simply phenomenal this season, averaging 21.1 points and 12.1 boards per game. Jefferson has almost single-handedly between the Suns twice this year, first tallying 32 points and 20 boards in a win on Dec. 8 and then putting up 39 and 15 in a 10-point win over Phoenix last week. Oh, and he dropped 40 and 19 on the Nets on Sunday. Actual winner: Tim Duncan, Spurs.
SF- Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets- Anthony has been omnipotent all year, averaging 25.5 points and seven rebounds a game. More impressive is the fact that he has posted 11 double-doubles and, along with Allen Iverson, has the Nuggets in first place in the Northwest Division. He has matured and developed into much more of a team player this season, and that might be enough to get Denver out of the first round of the playoffs for the first time in Anthony's career. Actual winner: Anthony.
SG- Kobe Bryant, Lakers- Why have the Lakers been playing so well this year? Because Bryant isn't averaging 30 points per game, that's why. Instead, Bryant is getting a lot of help from his teammates, and because of that he hasn't been forced into a situation where he feels like he has to do everything. Kobe is still posting 27.7 points a night and is coming off a 40-point outing, though. Actual winner: Bryant.
PG- Allen Iverson, Nuggets- He has been the MVP of the Western Conference through the first half of the season. Iverson is having what probably is the best year of his career, scoring at will while still feeding his teammates at the same time. Take the game he had in a win against Dallas back on Dec. 6, for example. Iverson scored 35 points but also dished out 12 assists while totaling six steals. Somehow, he is the game's most underrated player. Actual winner: Iverson.
Reserves
C- Amare Stoudemire, Suns- While his defense is still a big question mark, one cannot refute Stoudemire's dominance on the offensive end of the court. The 25-year old is averaging 22.7 points per game while shooting an eye-popping 59% from the floor. The reports of Phoenix shopping him because of his attitude are ridiculous. Unless they can get an unbelievable package, trading a young big man with this kind of talent would be preposterous.
F- Carlos Boozer, Jazz- Utah has appeared to have righted the ship after a terrible start, and that is thanks to the way Boozer has been playing. Although his scoring outputs have been inconsistent, Boozer has still compiled six consecutive double-doubles while making his teammates better.The Jazz will make the playoffs. If they don't I will be shocked.
F- Tim Duncan, Spurs- He has definitely taken a step back in terms of scoring the past few seasons, but that's because Tony Parker and Emanuel Ginobili do a big part of that now. Either way, Duncan's presence is still a huge factor, and he still leaves his fingerprints on games no matter what. The veteran is averaging 19.3 points and 11.1 rebounds a night while leading San Antonio to a 28-14 record thus far.
G- Chris Paul, Hornets- Paul is having an unreal season, averaging 20.6 points and 10.5 assists per game. Not only that, but the third-year point guard out of Wake Forest had led the Hornets to the West's best record thus far. He has only had less than 10 assists once in January, and only twice has he not posted a double-double. The scary part about all of it is he is only going to get better.
G- Baron Davis, Warriors- He has really re-shaped his career since arriving in Golden State. After leading the Warriors to a historic first-round upset of the Mavericks in the playoffs last year, Davis has been the driving force in the team's 27-12 record since its 0-6 start. The return of Stephen Jackson also helped, but you can't deny the impact Davis has had on this team since coming over from New Orleans.
Extra- Steve Nash, Suns- Nash is once again putting up MVP-caliber numbers, averaging 17.6 points and 11.9 dimes a night. Another amazing stat is the fact that he is shooting 48.2% from three-point range. That is ridiculous. Nash has only had 10 games all year where he didn't post at least 10 assists. The only question remains is whether or not Phoenix's defense is strong enough to finally get them over the hump in the postseason.
Extra- Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks- He isn't posting the gaudy scoring numbers that he usually does, averaging only 22.3 points per game (yeah, only), but he has helped make guys like Josh Howard and Devin Harris better players. Nowitzki's Mavericks may very well be the best team in the West, but if they collapse in April once again, some serious questions will be raised about Dirk's validity as a superstar.
Starters
C- Dwight Howard, Magic- This one is a no-brainer. The 22-year old Howard is having a monster season, averaging 22 points and just under 15 rebounds per game. His presence has helped Orlando get out to a 27-18 start. Although Howard still needs to improve his back-to-the-basket game and has a lot of work to do on his jump shot, his size and strength alone has allowed him to develop into one of the league's most dominant players. Could he be the next version Shaquille O'Neal? Actual winner: Howard.
PF- Kevin Garnett, Celtics- Another easy choice here. Garnett has not only been the league's best player this season, but he is also on the NBA's best team. It's about time the now 13-year veteran gets the respect he deserves after playing all of those years in frigid Minnesota. He has made both Paul Pierce and Ray Allen better players, as well as rookie Glen Davis and young center Kendrick Perkins. Boston has been flourishing with their newest "Big Three." Actual winner: Garnett.
SF- LeBron James, Cavaliers- Cleveland struggled early in the year but has turned it on as of late, mostly due in part to the play of James. The King has put together six 30+ point games in the month of January, not to mention four double-doubles and several near triple-doubles on top of that. In the weak East, James should have no problem leading the Cavaliers to the playoffs for the third consecutive year. Actual winner: James.
SG- Paul Pierce, Celtics- Pierce will not be starting in the real All-Star game, but he certainly should be. He is leading his superhuman Celtics in scoring, averaging just over 20 a night. He is also averaging just under six boards and six dimes an outing. Pierce's leadership has also been a huge factor of Boston's first-half dominance, as he has clearly had an influence on young players like Tony Allen and Rajon Rondo. Actual winner: Dwyane Wade, Heat.
PG- Chauncey Billups, Pistons- For some reason, Billups always flies under the radar. He will not be starting in New Orleans, but his efforts have helped Detroit out to the East's second-best record thus far. He has clearly been his team's MVP and is a sleeper candidate for league MVP, as well. Mr. Big Shot is tallying 18 points and seven assists a night while shooting 90.8% from the charity stripe. Actual winner: Jason Kidd, Nets.
Reserves
C- Chris Bosh, Raptors- Yeah, I know he's a power forward, but I can't leave him off of the All-Star roster. After a slow start, Bosh has exploded in January, scoring no less than 21 in any of this month's games. He has poured in over 30 five times in that span, including a 40-point performance against the Knicks on Jan. 11. His rebounding numbers have also shot up, and he is now just under 10 boards a contest.
F- Caron Butler, Wizards- He is having an unbelievable year and has been putting up MVP-caliber numbers all season long. Butler has posted two triple-doubles, is playing magnificent defense, and has kept the Wizards afloat in Gilbert Arenas' absence. He is really developing into one of the league's best players and is approaching superstar status. Imagine how dangerous Washington would be if Arenas was healthy?
F- Antawn Jamison, Wizards- Much like Butler, Jamison has really come into his own this season. That's not to say that he wasn't a good player prior to this year, but he has really erupted in 2007-08. Jamison is averaging 21.3 points and 10.4 rebounds per game and had a stretch where he tallied eight consecutive double-doubles. He and Butler have formed one of the league's most formidable duos.
G- Dwyane Wade, Heat- Yes, Miami is terrible and just snapped a 15-game losing streak, but that has hardly been Wade's fault. Despite being banged up for a good part of the year, the 26-year old is still averaging over 25 a game and has scored 40+ three times. He hasn't been his old, dominant self, but Wade is still one of the best players in the NBA. If only he had some help.
G- Jason Kidd, Nets- He may not be a Net for long, but Kidd is the only reason why New Jersey even has a slightly respectable record this season. The aging point guard is averaging near a triple-double and has been a big reason why Richard Jefferson is having the best season of his career. The only stat with Kidd that concerns me is his field-goal percentage (36.7), but his gaudy assist and rebounding numbers more than make up for that.
Extra- Josh Smith, Hawks- If Smith doesn't go to New Orleans, it will be a crime. The 6'9" forward is averaging 18.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 3.4 blocks, yes, blocks, per game. He is a top candidate for Defensive Player of the Year and has had an enormous impact on Atlanta's decent start. He is very similar to Phoenix's Shawn Marion, only I think he is a bit better. Smith is going to be an MVP-type player down the road.
Extra- Zach Randolph, Knicks- Don't discount the season Randolph is having just because the Knicks have become the laughing-stock of the league. The first-year New Yorker is averaging 17.1 points and 10.4 boards per game and has developed into one of the conference's best big men. I was stuck picking between Randolph and Charlotte's Gerald Wallace for this spot, but because of the effort Z-Bo is putting forth despite terrible teams in New York, I gave it to him.
Western Conference
Starters
C- Chris Kaman, Clippers- Everyone is overlooking the remarkable season Kaman is having. Do you know he is recording 17.2 points and just under 14 rebounds per game? He has really stepped up in Elton Brand's absence and has now made Brand a tradeable asset for a Clippers' team that looks like it could need a shake-up. I never thought Kaman had it in him to post numbers like this, but he clearly does. Actual winner: Yao Ming, Rockets.
PF- Al Jefferson, Timberwolves- I have a feeling he is going to follow a Garnett-like path and never get noticed in Minnesota. The 22-year old has been simply phenomenal this season, averaging 21.1 points and 12.1 boards per game. Jefferson has almost single-handedly between the Suns twice this year, first tallying 32 points and 20 boards in a win on Dec. 8 and then putting up 39 and 15 in a 10-point win over Phoenix last week. Oh, and he dropped 40 and 19 on the Nets on Sunday. Actual winner: Tim Duncan, Spurs.
SF- Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets- Anthony has been omnipotent all year, averaging 25.5 points and seven rebounds a game. More impressive is the fact that he has posted 11 double-doubles and, along with Allen Iverson, has the Nuggets in first place in the Northwest Division. He has matured and developed into much more of a team player this season, and that might be enough to get Denver out of the first round of the playoffs for the first time in Anthony's career. Actual winner: Anthony.
SG- Kobe Bryant, Lakers- Why have the Lakers been playing so well this year? Because Bryant isn't averaging 30 points per game, that's why. Instead, Bryant is getting a lot of help from his teammates, and because of that he hasn't been forced into a situation where he feels like he has to do everything. Kobe is still posting 27.7 points a night and is coming off a 40-point outing, though. Actual winner: Bryant.
PG- Allen Iverson, Nuggets- He has been the MVP of the Western Conference through the first half of the season. Iverson is having what probably is the best year of his career, scoring at will while still feeding his teammates at the same time. Take the game he had in a win against Dallas back on Dec. 6, for example. Iverson scored 35 points but also dished out 12 assists while totaling six steals. Somehow, he is the game's most underrated player. Actual winner: Iverson.
Reserves
C- Amare Stoudemire, Suns- While his defense is still a big question mark, one cannot refute Stoudemire's dominance on the offensive end of the court. The 25-year old is averaging 22.7 points per game while shooting an eye-popping 59% from the floor. The reports of Phoenix shopping him because of his attitude are ridiculous. Unless they can get an unbelievable package, trading a young big man with this kind of talent would be preposterous.
F- Carlos Boozer, Jazz- Utah has appeared to have righted the ship after a terrible start, and that is thanks to the way Boozer has been playing. Although his scoring outputs have been inconsistent, Boozer has still compiled six consecutive double-doubles while making his teammates better.The Jazz will make the playoffs. If they don't I will be shocked.
F- Tim Duncan, Spurs- He has definitely taken a step back in terms of scoring the past few seasons, but that's because Tony Parker and Emanuel Ginobili do a big part of that now. Either way, Duncan's presence is still a huge factor, and he still leaves his fingerprints on games no matter what. The veteran is averaging 19.3 points and 11.1 rebounds a night while leading San Antonio to a 28-14 record thus far.
G- Chris Paul, Hornets- Paul is having an unreal season, averaging 20.6 points and 10.5 assists per game. Not only that, but the third-year point guard out of Wake Forest had led the Hornets to the West's best record thus far. He has only had less than 10 assists once in January, and only twice has he not posted a double-double. The scary part about all of it is he is only going to get better.
G- Baron Davis, Warriors- He has really re-shaped his career since arriving in Golden State. After leading the Warriors to a historic first-round upset of the Mavericks in the playoffs last year, Davis has been the driving force in the team's 27-12 record since its 0-6 start. The return of Stephen Jackson also helped, but you can't deny the impact Davis has had on this team since coming over from New Orleans.
Extra- Steve Nash, Suns- Nash is once again putting up MVP-caliber numbers, averaging 17.6 points and 11.9 dimes a night. Another amazing stat is the fact that he is shooting 48.2% from three-point range. That is ridiculous. Nash has only had 10 games all year where he didn't post at least 10 assists. The only question remains is whether or not Phoenix's defense is strong enough to finally get them over the hump in the postseason.
Extra- Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks- He isn't posting the gaudy scoring numbers that he usually does, averaging only 22.3 points per game (yeah, only), but he has helped make guys like Josh Howard and Devin Harris better players. Nowitzki's Mavericks may very well be the best team in the West, but if they collapse in April once again, some serious questions will be raised about Dirk's validity as a superstar.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
NFL Playoff awards
Most Valuable Player: Eli Manning, QB, Giants. This is an obvious choice. The younger Manning has elevated his game to another level this postseason, not once turning the ball over and compiling a quarterback rating of 99.4. He has not only managed all three of New York's playoff games, but he has also won them with his arm and newfound leadership. He has finally turned the corner on his bumpy career. Honorable mention: Amani Toomer, WR, Giants.
Best Offensive Player: Vincent Jackson, WR, Chargers. Jackson somewhat disappointed during the regular season and did not have the breakout year that many anticipated, but he stepped up his game in a big way in the playoffs, totaling 300 yards on 18 catches for a 16.7 yards per catch average. He went for 114 yards in San Diego's first-round matchup against Tennessee and finished with 93 in each of the next two games. Honorable mention: Laurence Maroney, HB, Patriots.
Best Defensive Player: Corey Webster, CB, Giants. Who in the world would have thought the much-maligned Webster would have earned a spot here? Well, he has. He has picked off two passes in the playoffs, one against Tampa Bay and one that set Lawrence Tynes up for the game-winning field goal in overtime against the Packers in the NFC Championship Game. The 25-year old also shut down Dallas' Terrell Owens in the Divisional Round. Honorable mention: Michael Strahan, DE, Giants.
Biggest X-Factor: Ahmad Bradshaw, HB, Giants. He has been instrumental in the Giants' playoff run, rushing for over 60 yards in two of the team's three postseason contests and essentially taking over late in the second half against Green Bay. Bradshaw is going to be a special back in this league. Honorable mention: Darren Sproles, HB, Chargers.
Best Game: Giants vs. Packers, NFC Championship. What a game this was. It went back-and-forth for all 60 minutes, and while New York actually dominated for nearly the entire time, the Packers were able to keep it close all the way through. Honorable mention: Jaguars vs. Steelers, Wild Card Round.
Playoff Goat: Tony Romo, QB, Cowboys. For the second consecutive year, Romo came up very small in the postseason. If he wasn't making bonehead decisions like throwing the ball out-of-bounds with no receiver in the area to take an intentional grounding penalty, he was making errant passes and tossing the ball into extremely tight coverage to get picked off by R.W. McQuarters that sent the Giants to the NFC Title Game. Honorable mention: LaDainian Tomlinson, HB, Chargers.
Best Offensive Player: Vincent Jackson, WR, Chargers. Jackson somewhat disappointed during the regular season and did not have the breakout year that many anticipated, but he stepped up his game in a big way in the playoffs, totaling 300 yards on 18 catches for a 16.7 yards per catch average. He went for 114 yards in San Diego's first-round matchup against Tennessee and finished with 93 in each of the next two games. Honorable mention: Laurence Maroney, HB, Patriots.
Best Defensive Player: Corey Webster, CB, Giants. Who in the world would have thought the much-maligned Webster would have earned a spot here? Well, he has. He has picked off two passes in the playoffs, one against Tampa Bay and one that set Lawrence Tynes up for the game-winning field goal in overtime against the Packers in the NFC Championship Game. The 25-year old also shut down Dallas' Terrell Owens in the Divisional Round. Honorable mention: Michael Strahan, DE, Giants.
Biggest X-Factor: Ahmad Bradshaw, HB, Giants. He has been instrumental in the Giants' playoff run, rushing for over 60 yards in two of the team's three postseason contests and essentially taking over late in the second half against Green Bay. Bradshaw is going to be a special back in this league. Honorable mention: Darren Sproles, HB, Chargers.
Best Game: Giants vs. Packers, NFC Championship. What a game this was. It went back-and-forth for all 60 minutes, and while New York actually dominated for nearly the entire time, the Packers were able to keep it close all the way through. Honorable mention: Jaguars vs. Steelers, Wild Card Round.
Playoff Goat: Tony Romo, QB, Cowboys. For the second consecutive year, Romo came up very small in the postseason. If he wasn't making bonehead decisions like throwing the ball out-of-bounds with no receiver in the area to take an intentional grounding penalty, he was making errant passes and tossing the ball into extremely tight coverage to get picked off by R.W. McQuarters that sent the Giants to the NFC Title Game. Honorable mention: LaDainian Tomlinson, HB, Chargers.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Giants +13? Bet the house on that one
Four weeks ago, the New York Giants gave the New England Patriots the fight of their lives in the season finale. The Giants were already locked into the number five seed in the NFC while the Patriots were trying to make history by going undefeated. New York led by as much as 12, but savvy New England battled its way back in the fourth quarter for a 38-35 victory in the Meadowlands and a 16-0 season. It seems like that was just yesterday. Well, two weeks from now, these two teams will do it again.
The Giants and Patriots both won their respective conference championship games on Sunday, New York doing so in Green Bay against the Packers and New England accomplishing the feat at home against the San Diego Chargers. Nearly everyone expected the Patriots to rip through the AFC and into Glendale, Arizona for the Super Bowl, but the same cannot be said for the Giants, a team that had to win three straight on the road to reach the promised land. They did that, and have now won 10 straight away from home overall.
New England is an early 13-point favorite for its Super matchup with New York on Feb. 3rd, despite the fact that Bill Belichick's squad looked less than stellar in a 21-12 win over the Chargers in the AFC Title Game. Tom Brady threw three interceptions, one in the end zone. However, he did come up big when his team needed him most late in the game, throwing a fourth quarter touchdown pass to Wes Welker that essentially sealed the deal for the Patriots. Laurence Maroney ran for 122 yards for the second consecutive week, and in his past five games, the second-year halfback has rushed for 550 yards, good for 110 a game.
Fortunately for New York, its run defense has been outstanding all season and throughout the playoffs. It held Ryan Grant, who ran wild for 201 yards and three scores last week against Seattle, to 29 yards on 13 carries. It also held Dallas' Marion Barber to only 28 yards on the ground in the second half in the Divisional Round despite allowing him to rack up 101 in the first two quarters. Three games ago, the Giants' defense contained Tampa Bay's Earnest Graham, holding him to only 63 yards on 18 carries, a 3.5 yards per carry average.
New York is ready for almost anything New England has to throw at them. It obviously helps that Big Blue just saw the history-making Pats less than a month ago, and if it wasn't for an illegal contact penalty on Corey Webster on a third-down stop by the Giants early in the game that led to a New England touchdown, New York may very well have come away with the win. It prevented the big play for 49 minutes, which was when Brady launched a 65-yard touchdown bomb to Randy Moss to give the Patriots a three-point lead. The Giants also kept Maroney in check, allowing him only 46 yards on the ground. He did, however, reach the end zone twice.
Eli Manning may not need to have another performance like he did when he faced New England on Dec. 29th for New York to have a chance at winning this football game, but he does have to minimize his mistakes more than ever. The much-maligned quarterback has done that thus far in the postseason, as he is yet to turn the ball over. He has done an excellent job managing games for the Giants while compiling a 99.4 passer rating in the playoffs to boot.
New York has to give the Patriots a heavy dose of the new-found dynamic duo of Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. The two young backs totaled 130 yards between them in the Giants' NFC Championship victory over Green Bay. Bradshaw was absent in the Giants' loss to New England last month because of a leg contusion. Now, he will get his chance to give the Patriots their first look at what looks to be a future star halfback in this league. New England has shown some vulnerability in stopping the run at times this season, and that is something New York has to jump on in this game.
The Giants also have to realize that taking Moss away from the Patriots is not going to hand them a victory. The superstar receiver has been held to only one catch in each of New England's playoff games, yet Brady has still found Welker, Donte' Stallworth, tight end Ben Watson, etc. to put points on the board. This Patriots' team has an unlimited supply of weapons, as evidenced by backup halfback Kevin Faulk's 82 yards receiving on eight catches Sunday. Jabar Gaffney and Welker caught the two touchdowns from Brady. Moss, Stallworth, and Watson were all but non-existent, and Brady maneuvered a way to pull it out.
New York's defensive line was able to push around New England's offensive line in their first meeting, as Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora, and Justin Tuck seemed to always be around Brady as he was making his throws, whether they were hitting him or simply getting in his face. Even the Giants' linebackers found paths to the Pats' all-pro quarterback, and that is something New England will have to prevent in two weeks. The only way the Giants can win this game is if they can get pressure on Brady. It's easier said than done, but the Patriots will have to do all they can to protect their quarterback.
Another huge factor in this game is the special teams. Domenik Hixon has been dominant as a kick returner for New York since being inserted into that role late in the year, as demonstrated by his kickoff return for a touchdown in the game against New England. Hixon was also an unsung hero for the Giants on Sunday against the Packers, consistently giving Manning and the offense a short field to work with. The Patriots' have a pretty good return man themselves in Ellis Hobbs, and kicker Stephen Gostkowski looks Adam Vinatieri-like out there in the postseason. Although Lawrence Tynes kicked the game-winner from 47 yards out against Green Bay for New York, one still cannot be 100% confident in him if it does in fact come down to a field goal. Tynes missed two attempts, including a 36-yarder that would have won the game at the end of regulation, before sending the G-Men to their first Super Bowl since 2001.
All things considered, the Giants are the best-equipped team in the NFL to beat New England. If they can apply constant pressure to Brady and force him into bad throws, then they have a very good shot at winning this football game. If they give him time, then he will surely be able to pick apart a still suspect New York secondary. It has played much better lately, with Webster finally coming into his own and Gibril Wilson regularly making plays both at the line of scrimmage and downfield, but it is still vulnerable. The middle of the field can also be a spot of weakness for the Giants' defense, so expect Brady to look for Watson there for a good portion of the game.
Give the Patriots an inch, and they will take a yard. It takes an almost absolute perfect effort to beat this team, but if anyone can do it, New York can. Bet your money on the Giants for this matchup. Although they may not come away with the win, I am almost certain they will not lose by two touchdowns.
The Giants and Patriots both won their respective conference championship games on Sunday, New York doing so in Green Bay against the Packers and New England accomplishing the feat at home against the San Diego Chargers. Nearly everyone expected the Patriots to rip through the AFC and into Glendale, Arizona for the Super Bowl, but the same cannot be said for the Giants, a team that had to win three straight on the road to reach the promised land. They did that, and have now won 10 straight away from home overall.
New England is an early 13-point favorite for its Super matchup with New York on Feb. 3rd, despite the fact that Bill Belichick's squad looked less than stellar in a 21-12 win over the Chargers in the AFC Title Game. Tom Brady threw three interceptions, one in the end zone. However, he did come up big when his team needed him most late in the game, throwing a fourth quarter touchdown pass to Wes Welker that essentially sealed the deal for the Patriots. Laurence Maroney ran for 122 yards for the second consecutive week, and in his past five games, the second-year halfback has rushed for 550 yards, good for 110 a game.
Fortunately for New York, its run defense has been outstanding all season and throughout the playoffs. It held Ryan Grant, who ran wild for 201 yards and three scores last week against Seattle, to 29 yards on 13 carries. It also held Dallas' Marion Barber to only 28 yards on the ground in the second half in the Divisional Round despite allowing him to rack up 101 in the first two quarters. Three games ago, the Giants' defense contained Tampa Bay's Earnest Graham, holding him to only 63 yards on 18 carries, a 3.5 yards per carry average.
New York is ready for almost anything New England has to throw at them. It obviously helps that Big Blue just saw the history-making Pats less than a month ago, and if it wasn't for an illegal contact penalty on Corey Webster on a third-down stop by the Giants early in the game that led to a New England touchdown, New York may very well have come away with the win. It prevented the big play for 49 minutes, which was when Brady launched a 65-yard touchdown bomb to Randy Moss to give the Patriots a three-point lead. The Giants also kept Maroney in check, allowing him only 46 yards on the ground. He did, however, reach the end zone twice.
Eli Manning may not need to have another performance like he did when he faced New England on Dec. 29th for New York to have a chance at winning this football game, but he does have to minimize his mistakes more than ever. The much-maligned quarterback has done that thus far in the postseason, as he is yet to turn the ball over. He has done an excellent job managing games for the Giants while compiling a 99.4 passer rating in the playoffs to boot.
New York has to give the Patriots a heavy dose of the new-found dynamic duo of Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. The two young backs totaled 130 yards between them in the Giants' NFC Championship victory over Green Bay. Bradshaw was absent in the Giants' loss to New England last month because of a leg contusion. Now, he will get his chance to give the Patriots their first look at what looks to be a future star halfback in this league. New England has shown some vulnerability in stopping the run at times this season, and that is something New York has to jump on in this game.
The Giants also have to realize that taking Moss away from the Patriots is not going to hand them a victory. The superstar receiver has been held to only one catch in each of New England's playoff games, yet Brady has still found Welker, Donte' Stallworth, tight end Ben Watson, etc. to put points on the board. This Patriots' team has an unlimited supply of weapons, as evidenced by backup halfback Kevin Faulk's 82 yards receiving on eight catches Sunday. Jabar Gaffney and Welker caught the two touchdowns from Brady. Moss, Stallworth, and Watson were all but non-existent, and Brady maneuvered a way to pull it out.
New York's defensive line was able to push around New England's offensive line in their first meeting, as Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora, and Justin Tuck seemed to always be around Brady as he was making his throws, whether they were hitting him or simply getting in his face. Even the Giants' linebackers found paths to the Pats' all-pro quarterback, and that is something New England will have to prevent in two weeks. The only way the Giants can win this game is if they can get pressure on Brady. It's easier said than done, but the Patriots will have to do all they can to protect their quarterback.
Another huge factor in this game is the special teams. Domenik Hixon has been dominant as a kick returner for New York since being inserted into that role late in the year, as demonstrated by his kickoff return for a touchdown in the game against New England. Hixon was also an unsung hero for the Giants on Sunday against the Packers, consistently giving Manning and the offense a short field to work with. The Patriots' have a pretty good return man themselves in Ellis Hobbs, and kicker Stephen Gostkowski looks Adam Vinatieri-like out there in the postseason. Although Lawrence Tynes kicked the game-winner from 47 yards out against Green Bay for New York, one still cannot be 100% confident in him if it does in fact come down to a field goal. Tynes missed two attempts, including a 36-yarder that would have won the game at the end of regulation, before sending the G-Men to their first Super Bowl since 2001.
All things considered, the Giants are the best-equipped team in the NFL to beat New England. If they can apply constant pressure to Brady and force him into bad throws, then they have a very good shot at winning this football game. If they give him time, then he will surely be able to pick apart a still suspect New York secondary. It has played much better lately, with Webster finally coming into his own and Gibril Wilson regularly making plays both at the line of scrimmage and downfield, but it is still vulnerable. The middle of the field can also be a spot of weakness for the Giants' defense, so expect Brady to look for Watson there for a good portion of the game.
Give the Patriots an inch, and they will take a yard. It takes an almost absolute perfect effort to beat this team, but if anyone can do it, New York can. Bet your money on the Giants for this matchup. Although they may not come away with the win, I am almost certain they will not lose by two touchdowns.
Magical Giants have feeling of invincibility
The Tampa Bay heat couldn't stop them. The division rival Cowboys couldn't stop them. Not even the frigid sub-zero temperatures of Green Bay could hold them down. Whatever Eli Manning critics were left before Sunday night's NFC Championship Game between the New York Giants and the Packers now have to shut up. All of the Big Blue doubters who said New York simply got "lucky" against Dallas last week now have to eat crow. Why? Oh, not much, really, except for the fact that the New York Football Giants are headed to their first Super Bowl since 2001.
Manning orchestrated yet another symphony by the Giants' offense, passing for 254 yards and controlling the game for all four quarters. The much-maligned quarterback continued his turnover-less streak in this year's playoffs, and threaded the needle on many throws to a variety of different receivers ranging from Plaxico Burress, who had a monster game, to special-teams expert David Tyree. Eli has finally arrived.
Because of Manning's performance, though, many other players who stepped up in this game for New York will get overlooked. Ahmad Bradshaw, for example, essentially took over the game offensively for the Giants in the second half, finishing with 63 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. The 22-year old also had a huge 48-yard touchdown run with 2:15 remaining in the fourth quarter called back due to a holding penalty on guard Chris Snee. Despite that, he Bradshaw still delivered with several clutch runs down the stretch and consistently kept the chains moving.
Someone who won't be discounted is Burress, who caught 11 passes for 154 yards and dominated physical star cornerback Al Harris all evening long. The 6'5" receiver really opened up the field for Manning and New York's offense and made big play after big play throughout the game to help the Giants get to the promised land.
Not enough can be said about New York's defense, either, as it held Brett Favre to only 21 yards passing in the second half. He was picked off by R.W. McQuarters in the fourth, but McQuarters fumbled the football and Green Bay tackle Mark Tauscher recovered to give the Packers a fresh set of downs (they would eventually tie the game at 20 on a field goal). Favre was then intercepted by Corey Webster in overtime, and this time, the Giants didn't lose the ball. Webster's pick set up Lawrence Tynes for the game-winning 47-yard field goal that would send New York to Arizona.
Michael Strahan took over late, bull-rushing Tauscher and forcing Favre into several bad throws down the stretch. Osi Umenyiora also got in on a couple of plays and rushed the 38-year old quarterback out of the pocket. Antonio Pierce and Gibril Wilson both put forth great efforts, as well, as Pierce did an outstanding job reading plays as usual and Wilson characteristically was a huge factor in stymying Green Bay's running game. Ryan Grant, who smoked the Seahawks for 201 yards and three scores last week, was held to a mere 29 yards on 13 carries by this New York defense.
Also, how about the play of kick return specialist Domenik Hixon? He did an excellent job of getting the Giants great field position to work with in the final moments of the game and recovered a huge McQuarters fumble on a punt return that prevented the Packers from re-gaining possession with just over two minutes to play in regulation.
New York's Cinderella story is one of the more remarkable ones in sports this year. Most "experts" picked the Giants to finish below .500 and out of the playoffs. They said general manager Jerry Reese was setting coach Tom Coughlin up to fail and that Coughlin would surely lose his job by the end of the year. They also said that Manning was on the hot seat at quarterback and the possibility of him being benched was very high should he slip up. Most everyone also felt that the loss of Tiki Barber to retirement would cause the Giants' offense, primarily the running game, to take an enormous hit that it wouldn't be able to close. I think Brandon Jacobs did that job this season, as has the newly found Bradshaw in recent weeks.
Now, Strahan and Amani Toomer will get another shot at winning the big one. Their first and only chance came in the 2000-01 season. After demolishing the Minnesota Vikings 41-0 in the NFC Title Game that year, they went on to lose to the Baltimore Ravens 34-7 in the Super Bowl. It left a bitter taste in the mouth of New York that all but two of its players (Strahan and Toomer) would never get another chance to correct.
But hey, why can't these Giants do it? They were doubted during the regular season, and even after winning six straight to improve their record to 6-2 midway through the year, the negative Nancies still found something to complain about: "They haven't played anybody; the secondary has issues; Eli still looks a far cry from being an elite quarterback in this league." Then, after Manning threw four picks, three returned for touchdowns, in a loss to the Vikings in week 12, many began to wonder whether or not New York would even make the playoffs. What happened? The G-Men responded by winning in Chicago thanks to clutch play by Manning in the fourth quarter and then went on to beat the division-rival Eagles in Philadelphia the following week.
That still wasn't enough. Even though they were sitting at 9-4, many said that the Giants had to win against Washington in week 15 to play January football. Well, they didn't, as the swirling winds forced Manning into throwing an unreal 35 incomplete passes in a 22-10 loss that got everyone talking. New York had Buffalo in its next game and that had to end the season at home against the undefeated Patriots. To a good majority of NFL analysts and fans, the Giants were done. There was no way they would beat an inspired Bills' team that would have Kevin Everett on the sideline for the game, and with that loss, they would be forced into a must-win situation against New England in the final week of the season in a game they would almost certainly get annihilated in.
New York again silenced its critics, beating Buffalo to clinch a playoff spot despite getting down 14-0 early. The Giants then gave the Patriots all they could handle in the last game of the 2007 campaign, holding a 12-point lead at one point late in the third quarter. They would eventually fall, however, 38-35. Still, Manning threw four touchdowns compared to a single interception in that contest, and since then, he has been darn near perfect.
The Giants are now New York's darlings. The Yankees couldn't get it done in the postseason, losing in the first round for the third consecutive year, and the collapse of the Mets left the other half of baseball fans in the Metropolitan area spinning. The Knicks...well, I don't think we need to go there with them. Big Blue is now "the team," and rightfully so.
Strahan and company will get another shot at New England in two weeks. Something tells me the result of this game will be a little different.
Manning orchestrated yet another symphony by the Giants' offense, passing for 254 yards and controlling the game for all four quarters. The much-maligned quarterback continued his turnover-less streak in this year's playoffs, and threaded the needle on many throws to a variety of different receivers ranging from Plaxico Burress, who had a monster game, to special-teams expert David Tyree. Eli has finally arrived.
Because of Manning's performance, though, many other players who stepped up in this game for New York will get overlooked. Ahmad Bradshaw, for example, essentially took over the game offensively for the Giants in the second half, finishing with 63 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. The 22-year old also had a huge 48-yard touchdown run with 2:15 remaining in the fourth quarter called back due to a holding penalty on guard Chris Snee. Despite that, he Bradshaw still delivered with several clutch runs down the stretch and consistently kept the chains moving.
Someone who won't be discounted is Burress, who caught 11 passes for 154 yards and dominated physical star cornerback Al Harris all evening long. The 6'5" receiver really opened up the field for Manning and New York's offense and made big play after big play throughout the game to help the Giants get to the promised land.
Not enough can be said about New York's defense, either, as it held Brett Favre to only 21 yards passing in the second half. He was picked off by R.W. McQuarters in the fourth, but McQuarters fumbled the football and Green Bay tackle Mark Tauscher recovered to give the Packers a fresh set of downs (they would eventually tie the game at 20 on a field goal). Favre was then intercepted by Corey Webster in overtime, and this time, the Giants didn't lose the ball. Webster's pick set up Lawrence Tynes for the game-winning 47-yard field goal that would send New York to Arizona.
Michael Strahan took over late, bull-rushing Tauscher and forcing Favre into several bad throws down the stretch. Osi Umenyiora also got in on a couple of plays and rushed the 38-year old quarterback out of the pocket. Antonio Pierce and Gibril Wilson both put forth great efforts, as well, as Pierce did an outstanding job reading plays as usual and Wilson characteristically was a huge factor in stymying Green Bay's running game. Ryan Grant, who smoked the Seahawks for 201 yards and three scores last week, was held to a mere 29 yards on 13 carries by this New York defense.
Also, how about the play of kick return specialist Domenik Hixon? He did an excellent job of getting the Giants great field position to work with in the final moments of the game and recovered a huge McQuarters fumble on a punt return that prevented the Packers from re-gaining possession with just over two minutes to play in regulation.
New York's Cinderella story is one of the more remarkable ones in sports this year. Most "experts" picked the Giants to finish below .500 and out of the playoffs. They said general manager Jerry Reese was setting coach Tom Coughlin up to fail and that Coughlin would surely lose his job by the end of the year. They also said that Manning was on the hot seat at quarterback and the possibility of him being benched was very high should he slip up. Most everyone also felt that the loss of Tiki Barber to retirement would cause the Giants' offense, primarily the running game, to take an enormous hit that it wouldn't be able to close. I think Brandon Jacobs did that job this season, as has the newly found Bradshaw in recent weeks.
Now, Strahan and Amani Toomer will get another shot at winning the big one. Their first and only chance came in the 2000-01 season. After demolishing the Minnesota Vikings 41-0 in the NFC Title Game that year, they went on to lose to the Baltimore Ravens 34-7 in the Super Bowl. It left a bitter taste in the mouth of New York that all but two of its players (Strahan and Toomer) would never get another chance to correct.
But hey, why can't these Giants do it? They were doubted during the regular season, and even after winning six straight to improve their record to 6-2 midway through the year, the negative Nancies still found something to complain about: "They haven't played anybody; the secondary has issues; Eli still looks a far cry from being an elite quarterback in this league." Then, after Manning threw four picks, three returned for touchdowns, in a loss to the Vikings in week 12, many began to wonder whether or not New York would even make the playoffs. What happened? The G-Men responded by winning in Chicago thanks to clutch play by Manning in the fourth quarter and then went on to beat the division-rival Eagles in Philadelphia the following week.
That still wasn't enough. Even though they were sitting at 9-4, many said that the Giants had to win against Washington in week 15 to play January football. Well, they didn't, as the swirling winds forced Manning into throwing an unreal 35 incomplete passes in a 22-10 loss that got everyone talking. New York had Buffalo in its next game and that had to end the season at home against the undefeated Patriots. To a good majority of NFL analysts and fans, the Giants were done. There was no way they would beat an inspired Bills' team that would have Kevin Everett on the sideline for the game, and with that loss, they would be forced into a must-win situation against New England in the final week of the season in a game they would almost certainly get annihilated in.
New York again silenced its critics, beating Buffalo to clinch a playoff spot despite getting down 14-0 early. The Giants then gave the Patriots all they could handle in the last game of the 2007 campaign, holding a 12-point lead at one point late in the third quarter. They would eventually fall, however, 38-35. Still, Manning threw four touchdowns compared to a single interception in that contest, and since then, he has been darn near perfect.
The Giants are now New York's darlings. The Yankees couldn't get it done in the postseason, losing in the first round for the third consecutive year, and the collapse of the Mets left the other half of baseball fans in the Metropolitan area spinning. The Knicks...well, I don't think we need to go there with them. Big Blue is now "the team," and rightfully so.
Strahan and company will get another shot at New England in two weeks. Something tells me the result of this game will be a little different.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Giants look to continue Cinderella run
Coming into the season, most fans and "experts" said the New York Giants would be nothing more than a six or seven-win team at best and would miss out on the playoffs. The media was already calling for coach Tom Coughlin's head, and the Giants hadn't even played a single game yet.
What everyone failed to realize was that this New York team was not the same club that lost six of its final eight games last year to finish 8-8 and lose to the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round of the playoffs. That squad had to deal with off-the-field distractions, ranging from Tiki Barber's television career to Coughlin's job status. There was also dissension in the locker room, with Michael Strahan accusing Plaxico Burress of quitting at one point during the season.
None of that would be tolerated in the Meadowlands this time around. The Giants, after starting out the season 0-2 after giving up a total of 80 points in those to losses, won 10 of their last 14 regular season games and took the undefeated New England Patriots to the brink in the final week. That momentum has carried over into the postseason, as New York defeated the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay 24-14 in the Wild Card Round and then went on to take out the hated rival Dallas Cowboys at Texas Stadium a week later.
The Giants have won nine consecutive road games, their last away loss coming at the hands of the Cowboys back in week one. They are rolling, and at the perfect time. New York is eerily similar to the 2005-06 Pittsburgh Steelers, a team whom many counted out toward the end of the season but then steamrolled through the playoffs on the way to a Super Bowl title.
Eli Manning has found himself, compiling passer ratings of over 100 in his past three games (118.6 against New England, 117.1 against Tampa Bay, and 132.4 against Dallas). More importantly, his playoff quarterback rating is an eye-popping 123.2. He looks much more confident in himself now and has done a great job spreading the football around to a variety of different receivers. Thanks to Manning, rookie wide-out Steve Smith has now been fully incorporated into the offense. Smith caught four passes for 48 yards on Sunday, each of them huge receptions.
Credit also has to be given to rookie halfback Ahmad Bradshaw, who has given the Giants a new dimension to work with in the running game. What took Coughlin so long to get this kid involved? His 151-yard performance against the Buffalo Bills appeared to be enough to win the 22-year old over with the coaching staff, and Bradshaw was a key component in both of New York's playoff wins so far. He rushed for 66 yards against the Buccaneers and 34 on only six carries against the Cowboys, but those 34 yards were absolutely huge.
And, of course, you can't say enough about this Giants' defense. They harassed Tony Romo for the entire second half yesterday, with Strahan, Osi Umenyiora, Kawika Mitchell, and others constantly getting in his face and rattling the 27-year old. They also made adjustments on Marion Barber, who, after running all over New York for 101 yards in the first half, was held to only 28 in the final two quarters.
The Giants' ailing secondary, already missing Sam Madison and Kevin Dockery, was dealt what appeared to be another costly blow against Dallas, as Aaron Ross went down with a sprained shoulder. However, Geoffrey Pope, a cornerback who was on New York's practice squad not too long ago, stepped in and did a fine job. Corey Webster and R.W. McQuarters also elevated their games, with McQuarters ending the game with an interception for the second straight week. Webster did a phenomenal job jamming Terrell Owens at the line of scrimmage and not allowing the explosive receiver to get behind him. The Cowboys' failure to make the big play yesterday was their ultimate downfall, and that can only be attributed to an outstanding effort by the Giants' defense.
Now, New York will travel to Green Bay to try and continue their magical run. The Packers beat the Giants 35-13 back in week two, but that was a very different New York team still trying to find itself and adjust to new defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Some of the players, such as Mitchell, James Butler, and Mathias Kiwanuka (who was later put on IR due to a broken leg), were still learning new positions. Clearly, the players were able to adapt, and because of that New York may have the league's best defense.
Smashmouth football is back in New York. Bruising back Brandon Jacobs has made Tiki's retirement an afterthought in the Metropolitan area, and the unheralded offensive line has been consistent all year in opening up holes for Jacobs to run through and for giving Manning ample time to throw the football (Manning was sacked only 27 times all season). That type of style is exactly what it takes to win the big one, and the Giants certainly have the talent to do it.
The team also has a number of clutch playmakers, namely Amani Toomer, who scored two touchdowns on Sunday, one of which came on a catch on a hitch route that Toomer took 52 yards to the end zone, shedding several tacklers along the way. Smith has developed into a very reliable receiver in big spots, and even rookie tight end Kevin Boss has had his fair share of critical receptions, including one that got New York down to the four-yard line to set up Toomer's second touchdown grab before halftime, evening up the score at 14.
Most everyone will again pick against the Giants next week in the NFC Championship Game, as they will figure that New York will not be able to stop Green Bay's aerial attack led by savvy veteran Brett Favre and that the elements of Lambeau Field will rattle Manning and force him into making big mistakes. Yes, it is beginning to sound like a cliche. They first said Tampa Bay's pass defense would be too much for Manning and the Giants to overcome, but Eli picked apart the Buccaneers' secondary en route to a 10-point victory. Talking heads then said Dallas' powerhouse offense would be too much for New York and that Romo was simply more equipped than Manning to win the big game. How did that one turn out?
This is why the games are played.
What everyone failed to realize was that this New York team was not the same club that lost six of its final eight games last year to finish 8-8 and lose to the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round of the playoffs. That squad had to deal with off-the-field distractions, ranging from Tiki Barber's television career to Coughlin's job status. There was also dissension in the locker room, with Michael Strahan accusing Plaxico Burress of quitting at one point during the season.
None of that would be tolerated in the Meadowlands this time around. The Giants, after starting out the season 0-2 after giving up a total of 80 points in those to losses, won 10 of their last 14 regular season games and took the undefeated New England Patriots to the brink in the final week. That momentum has carried over into the postseason, as New York defeated the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay 24-14 in the Wild Card Round and then went on to take out the hated rival Dallas Cowboys at Texas Stadium a week later.
The Giants have won nine consecutive road games, their last away loss coming at the hands of the Cowboys back in week one. They are rolling, and at the perfect time. New York is eerily similar to the 2005-06 Pittsburgh Steelers, a team whom many counted out toward the end of the season but then steamrolled through the playoffs on the way to a Super Bowl title.
Eli Manning has found himself, compiling passer ratings of over 100 in his past three games (118.6 against New England, 117.1 against Tampa Bay, and 132.4 against Dallas). More importantly, his playoff quarterback rating is an eye-popping 123.2. He looks much more confident in himself now and has done a great job spreading the football around to a variety of different receivers. Thanks to Manning, rookie wide-out Steve Smith has now been fully incorporated into the offense. Smith caught four passes for 48 yards on Sunday, each of them huge receptions.
Credit also has to be given to rookie halfback Ahmad Bradshaw, who has given the Giants a new dimension to work with in the running game. What took Coughlin so long to get this kid involved? His 151-yard performance against the Buffalo Bills appeared to be enough to win the 22-year old over with the coaching staff, and Bradshaw was a key component in both of New York's playoff wins so far. He rushed for 66 yards against the Buccaneers and 34 on only six carries against the Cowboys, but those 34 yards were absolutely huge.
And, of course, you can't say enough about this Giants' defense. They harassed Tony Romo for the entire second half yesterday, with Strahan, Osi Umenyiora, Kawika Mitchell, and others constantly getting in his face and rattling the 27-year old. They also made adjustments on Marion Barber, who, after running all over New York for 101 yards in the first half, was held to only 28 in the final two quarters.
The Giants' ailing secondary, already missing Sam Madison and Kevin Dockery, was dealt what appeared to be another costly blow against Dallas, as Aaron Ross went down with a sprained shoulder. However, Geoffrey Pope, a cornerback who was on New York's practice squad not too long ago, stepped in and did a fine job. Corey Webster and R.W. McQuarters also elevated their games, with McQuarters ending the game with an interception for the second straight week. Webster did a phenomenal job jamming Terrell Owens at the line of scrimmage and not allowing the explosive receiver to get behind him. The Cowboys' failure to make the big play yesterday was their ultimate downfall, and that can only be attributed to an outstanding effort by the Giants' defense.
Now, New York will travel to Green Bay to try and continue their magical run. The Packers beat the Giants 35-13 back in week two, but that was a very different New York team still trying to find itself and adjust to new defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Some of the players, such as Mitchell, James Butler, and Mathias Kiwanuka (who was later put on IR due to a broken leg), were still learning new positions. Clearly, the players were able to adapt, and because of that New York may have the league's best defense.
Smashmouth football is back in New York. Bruising back Brandon Jacobs has made Tiki's retirement an afterthought in the Metropolitan area, and the unheralded offensive line has been consistent all year in opening up holes for Jacobs to run through and for giving Manning ample time to throw the football (Manning was sacked only 27 times all season). That type of style is exactly what it takes to win the big one, and the Giants certainly have the talent to do it.
The team also has a number of clutch playmakers, namely Amani Toomer, who scored two touchdowns on Sunday, one of which came on a catch on a hitch route that Toomer took 52 yards to the end zone, shedding several tacklers along the way. Smith has developed into a very reliable receiver in big spots, and even rookie tight end Kevin Boss has had his fair share of critical receptions, including one that got New York down to the four-yard line to set up Toomer's second touchdown grab before halftime, evening up the score at 14.
Most everyone will again pick against the Giants next week in the NFC Championship Game, as they will figure that New York will not be able to stop Green Bay's aerial attack led by savvy veteran Brett Favre and that the elements of Lambeau Field will rattle Manning and force him into making big mistakes. Yes, it is beginning to sound like a cliche. They first said Tampa Bay's pass defense would be too much for Manning and the Giants to overcome, but Eli picked apart the Buccaneers' secondary en route to a 10-point victory. Talking heads then said Dallas' powerhouse offense would be too much for New York and that Romo was simply more equipped than Manning to win the big game. How did that one turn out?
This is why the games are played.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Third time is a charm for Giants
If Eli Manning didn't silence his critics in last week's win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, then he certainly strengthened his case on Sunday. Manning completed 12 of 18 passes for 163 yards and two touchdowns and the New York Giants defeated the Dallas Cowboys 21-17 in their Divisional Round playoff matchup, earning their first trip to the NFC Championship Game since 2001.
The Giants got off to a quick start, scoring on the first drive of the game. Brandon Jacobs picked up 20 yards on his first three carries, and Manning found Amani Toomer for a short pass that turned into a huge gain, as Toomer shed a couple of tackles and ran 52 yards into the end zone to give New York an early 7-0 lead.
New York forced Dallas to punt on their first possession, and after a promising eight-play drive, the Giants had to kick the ball away as well. The Cowboys' offense then got moving, as Marion Barber mixed in several big gains, highlighted by a 36-yarder, to set Dallas up at the four-yard line. Barber ran 20 yards on a first-down play to get them there. Two plays later, Tony Romo connected with Terrell Owens for a five-yard score that evened the score up at seven. The Cowboys started the drive from their own four-yard line.
New York had to punt again on the ensuing drive, setting up another impressive drive by Dallas. Starting from their own 10, the Cowboys continued to use their ground game to move down the field. Barber carried the ball on the first three player of their possession, rushing for 11 yards and a first down. Romo then scrambled for seven, Julius Jones went for two, and Barber got five more to give Dallas yet another fresh set of downs.
The Cowboys then finally incorporated their passing game into the drive, as Romo threw an 11-yard pass to Terry Glenn on a third-and-seven to set Dallas up at their own 49. Then, on first down from the Giants' 37, Romo misfired on a throw that landed right in the arms of New York's Corey Webster, but the 25-year old cornerback could not hold on to what should have been a sure-interception, giving the Cowboys another opportunity. Dallas capitalized.
Two plays later on third-and-10, Romo found Owens over the middle for a 20-yard gain that positioned the Cowboys at the 17-yard line. The drive, which lasted 20 plays and ate up 10:28 of clock, finally ended when Barber pounded up the middle for a one-yard score to give Dallas a 14-7 advantage with 53 seconds left in the first half.
It appeared that the Cowboys would go into halftime with the lead, but Manning made sure that didn't happen. Starting from his own 29, Manning found Steve Smith 22 yards down the right sideline on the second play of the drive, putting New York at the Dallas 49. Manning again connected with Smith on the next play, this time good for 11 yards. However, a 15-yard facemask penalty on Jacques Reeves gave the Giants the ball at the 23. Manning then completed a 19-yard pass to rookie tight end Kevin Boss to get New York to the Dallas 4, and followed that up with a four-yard pass to Toomer to knot the score up at 14 heading into the half.
Still, it didn't look like the Giants could stop the powerful offense of the Cowboys. Dallas' offense got moving immediately to start out the second half, as a series of short runs and pass plays methodically pushed the Cowboys into New York territory. They got as close as the 16-yard line on the 14-play, 62-yard drive, but had to settle for a field goal to go ahead 17-14. That would mark the last time Dallas would score all game.
The Giants didn't get much going on the ensuing possession, as Manning was sacked for a nine-yard loss after Jacobs ran for gains of eight and four yards to get New York a first down. Jacobs then carried for two and caught a pass for five but was well-short of the first-down marker. The Giants had to punt, and the Cowboys would take over from their own 20. That was when New York's defense began to step up.
The Giants finally began to slow Barber down, and after a 10-yard completion from Romo to Jason Witten was called back due to an unnecessary roughness penalty on guard Leonard Davis, Dallas was driven back and had to kick it away. R.W. McQuarters returned the punt 25 yards to the Cowboys' 37. Manning then completed a 13-yard pass to Toomer to start off the possession, and after executing two throws for a total of 15 yards to Smith to move New York to the nine-yard line, rookie halfback Ahmad Bradshaw ran for eight yards down to the one to set up a touchdown carry by Jacobs, giving the Giants a 21-17 lead they would never relinquish.
New York's defense harassed Romo in the fourth quarter, finally getting its first sack with 10:26 to play as linebacker Reggie Torbor downed the Dallas quarterback. The teams then traded punts, and after Romo was plastered several times by Giant defensive linemen on the Cowboys' second drive of the quarter, Dallas was forced to give up possession again.
New York got the ball with 3:46 to play. The Cowboys had only one timeout remaining, so a first down would have put the Giants in great position to close out the game. That didn't happen, as Manning was sacked by Tank Johnson on a third-and-four to give Dallas one final chance with 1:50 remanining.
The Cowboys were given great field position to work with, as they started out from their own 48-yard line. Romo began the drive by completing a nine-yard screen pass to Barber, and two plays later on third-and-two, the 27-year old flipped a shovel pass to Witten who ran for 18 yards to the New York 22. After a false start by Marc Colombo moved Dallas back to the Giants' 27, Romo completed another pass to Witten, this one good for four yards. Because Witten did not get out-of-bounds, the Cowboys had to use their third and final timeout. That would also be the last pass Romo would convert on the rest of the day.
He threw an incompletion to Witten on the next play, and then overthrew Patrick Crayton, who dropped a couple of easy catches earlier, in the end zone on third-and-11, leaving Dallas with one more chance to get a first down. Romo stepped up in the pocket and fired in the direction of Glenn in the end zone, but the pass was picked off by McQuarters to end the game. It marked the second game in a row that McQuarters finished a game off with an interception.
Romo went 18-for-36 with 201 yards, a touchdown, and the costly pick on the day, and Barber ran for 129 yards. Jacobs rushed 14 times for 54 yards for New York, and Toomer caught four passes for 80 yards and the two touchdowns. Smith caught four balls for 48.
The Giants will travel to Green Bay to face the Packers at Lambeau Field next Sunday to decide who will represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. Green Bay defeated New York 35-13 at the Meadowlands back in week two. However, the Cowboys beat the Giants in both of their regular season meetings, and that didn't matter in the end.
The Giants got off to a quick start, scoring on the first drive of the game. Brandon Jacobs picked up 20 yards on his first three carries, and Manning found Amani Toomer for a short pass that turned into a huge gain, as Toomer shed a couple of tackles and ran 52 yards into the end zone to give New York an early 7-0 lead.
New York forced Dallas to punt on their first possession, and after a promising eight-play drive, the Giants had to kick the ball away as well. The Cowboys' offense then got moving, as Marion Barber mixed in several big gains, highlighted by a 36-yarder, to set Dallas up at the four-yard line. Barber ran 20 yards on a first-down play to get them there. Two plays later, Tony Romo connected with Terrell Owens for a five-yard score that evened the score up at seven. The Cowboys started the drive from their own four-yard line.
New York had to punt again on the ensuing drive, setting up another impressive drive by Dallas. Starting from their own 10, the Cowboys continued to use their ground game to move down the field. Barber carried the ball on the first three player of their possession, rushing for 11 yards and a first down. Romo then scrambled for seven, Julius Jones went for two, and Barber got five more to give Dallas yet another fresh set of downs.
The Cowboys then finally incorporated their passing game into the drive, as Romo threw an 11-yard pass to Terry Glenn on a third-and-seven to set Dallas up at their own 49. Then, on first down from the Giants' 37, Romo misfired on a throw that landed right in the arms of New York's Corey Webster, but the 25-year old cornerback could not hold on to what should have been a sure-interception, giving the Cowboys another opportunity. Dallas capitalized.
Two plays later on third-and-10, Romo found Owens over the middle for a 20-yard gain that positioned the Cowboys at the 17-yard line. The drive, which lasted 20 plays and ate up 10:28 of clock, finally ended when Barber pounded up the middle for a one-yard score to give Dallas a 14-7 advantage with 53 seconds left in the first half.
It appeared that the Cowboys would go into halftime with the lead, but Manning made sure that didn't happen. Starting from his own 29, Manning found Steve Smith 22 yards down the right sideline on the second play of the drive, putting New York at the Dallas 49. Manning again connected with Smith on the next play, this time good for 11 yards. However, a 15-yard facemask penalty on Jacques Reeves gave the Giants the ball at the 23. Manning then completed a 19-yard pass to rookie tight end Kevin Boss to get New York to the Dallas 4, and followed that up with a four-yard pass to Toomer to knot the score up at 14 heading into the half.
Still, it didn't look like the Giants could stop the powerful offense of the Cowboys. Dallas' offense got moving immediately to start out the second half, as a series of short runs and pass plays methodically pushed the Cowboys into New York territory. They got as close as the 16-yard line on the 14-play, 62-yard drive, but had to settle for a field goal to go ahead 17-14. That would mark the last time Dallas would score all game.
The Giants didn't get much going on the ensuing possession, as Manning was sacked for a nine-yard loss after Jacobs ran for gains of eight and four yards to get New York a first down. Jacobs then carried for two and caught a pass for five but was well-short of the first-down marker. The Giants had to punt, and the Cowboys would take over from their own 20. That was when New York's defense began to step up.
The Giants finally began to slow Barber down, and after a 10-yard completion from Romo to Jason Witten was called back due to an unnecessary roughness penalty on guard Leonard Davis, Dallas was driven back and had to kick it away. R.W. McQuarters returned the punt 25 yards to the Cowboys' 37. Manning then completed a 13-yard pass to Toomer to start off the possession, and after executing two throws for a total of 15 yards to Smith to move New York to the nine-yard line, rookie halfback Ahmad Bradshaw ran for eight yards down to the one to set up a touchdown carry by Jacobs, giving the Giants a 21-17 lead they would never relinquish.
New York's defense harassed Romo in the fourth quarter, finally getting its first sack with 10:26 to play as linebacker Reggie Torbor downed the Dallas quarterback. The teams then traded punts, and after Romo was plastered several times by Giant defensive linemen on the Cowboys' second drive of the quarter, Dallas was forced to give up possession again.
New York got the ball with 3:46 to play. The Cowboys had only one timeout remaining, so a first down would have put the Giants in great position to close out the game. That didn't happen, as Manning was sacked by Tank Johnson on a third-and-four to give Dallas one final chance with 1:50 remanining.
The Cowboys were given great field position to work with, as they started out from their own 48-yard line. Romo began the drive by completing a nine-yard screen pass to Barber, and two plays later on third-and-two, the 27-year old flipped a shovel pass to Witten who ran for 18 yards to the New York 22. After a false start by Marc Colombo moved Dallas back to the Giants' 27, Romo completed another pass to Witten, this one good for four yards. Because Witten did not get out-of-bounds, the Cowboys had to use their third and final timeout. That would also be the last pass Romo would convert on the rest of the day.
He threw an incompletion to Witten on the next play, and then overthrew Patrick Crayton, who dropped a couple of easy catches earlier, in the end zone on third-and-11, leaving Dallas with one more chance to get a first down. Romo stepped up in the pocket and fired in the direction of Glenn in the end zone, but the pass was picked off by McQuarters to end the game. It marked the second game in a row that McQuarters finished a game off with an interception.
Romo went 18-for-36 with 201 yards, a touchdown, and the costly pick on the day, and Barber ran for 129 yards. Jacobs rushed 14 times for 54 yards for New York, and Toomer caught four passes for 80 yards and the two touchdowns. Smith caught four balls for 48.
The Giants will travel to Green Bay to face the Packers at Lambeau Field next Sunday to decide who will represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. Green Bay defeated New York 35-13 at the Meadowlands back in week two. However, the Cowboys beat the Giants in both of their regular season meetings, and that didn't matter in the end.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Grant carries Packers to NFC Title Game
Ryan Grant overcame some early postseason jitters to run for 201 yards and three touchdowns as the Green Bay Packers defeated the Seattle Seahawks 42-20 in their Divisional Round playoff matchup to advance to the NFC Championship Game.
On the first play from scrimmage for Green Bay, Grant caught a pass behind the line of scrimmage and, after being hit by Seattle linebacker LeRoy Hill, lost the football. Pro Bowl linebacker Lofa Tatupu recovered for the Seahawks, setting his team up at the Packers' one-yard line for a touchdown run by Shaun Alexander.
Then, on Green Bay's very next possession, Grant fumbled on the second play, this time after he gained six yards on a run up the middle. Safety Brian Russell applied the hit, and cornerback Jordan Babineaux picked up the loose ball and was stopped at the Packers' 49. It took Seattle six plays to score, as Matt Hasselbeck hit Bobby Engram with an 11-yard touchdown pass to give the Seahawks a 14-0 lead 2:09 into the first quarter.
It didn't take long for Grant and Green Bay to respond, however. On the ensuing drive, Brett Favre completed four passes in four attempts, highlighted by a 31-yard catch-and-run with James Jones and a 15-yard touchdown to Greg Jennings. After that, it was all Packers for the rest of the game.
Green Bay forced Seattle to punt on its next possession, which was when Grant's redemption began. The 25-year old undrafted halfback compiled 49 yards on the ground on the nine-play drive for the Packers, finishing things off with a one-yard touchdown carry to knot the score up at 14. Grant's best run of the drive was a 26-yard burst up the middle that got Green Bay to the Seahawks' 16-yard line.
The turnover bug then attacked Seattle the next time it had the football. After catching a five-yard pass from Hasselbeck, tight end Marcus Pollard was hit by safety Atari Bigby and put the ball on the ground. Aaron Kampman recovered at the Seahawks' 18-yard line. Favre then connected with Jennings for the second time of the game, converting on a short two-yard toss to give the Packers a 21-14 advantage.
Josh Brown tacked on a field goal for Seattle on its next possession to make the score 21-17, but Green Bay wouldn't stop scoring. The Packers mixed in a variety of pass plays from Favre with several carries from Grant to go on a 14-play, 70-yard drive that ate up 6:52 of clock. Grant capped off the drive with a three-yard touchdown, extending Green Bay's lead to 28-17 heading into halftime.
After forcing the Seahawks to go three-and-out once again to start out the second half, the Packers marched 66 yards down the field to go up 35-17 on Favre's third touchdown toss of the game, this time a 13-yarder to backup rookie halfback Brandon Jackson. Brown would add on one more field goal for Seattle to cut Green Bay's lead to 15 at 35-20, but the Seahawks were done scoring after that. The Packers were not.
For the sixth consecutive possession, Green Bay scored a touchdown, this time on a another one-yard scamper by Grant, putting the Packers up 42-20. For Grant, it was his third rushing touchdown of the game, setting a franchise postseason record for Green Bay. His 201 yards also set a postseason franchise record. Favre finished 18-for-23 with 178 yards and three touchdowns.
Seattle could not find any kind of ground game, as Alexander rushed for only 20 yards on nine attempts. Maurice Morris carried three times for negative one yards. The Seahawks did not enjoy much success through the air, either, as Hasselbeck completed 19 of 33 passes for 194 yards and a score. Engram caught six passes for 67 yards and the lone receiving touchdown of the day.
The Packers will face the winner of the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys game in the NFC Championship Game. Green Bay defeated New York and lost to Dallas this season. Favre is 0-9 lifetime at Texas Stadium, including an 0-3 record in the playoffs. He lost there this year in a contest where he left early after dislocating both his elbow and shoulder on the same play.
On the first play from scrimmage for Green Bay, Grant caught a pass behind the line of scrimmage and, after being hit by Seattle linebacker LeRoy Hill, lost the football. Pro Bowl linebacker Lofa Tatupu recovered for the Seahawks, setting his team up at the Packers' one-yard line for a touchdown run by Shaun Alexander.
Then, on Green Bay's very next possession, Grant fumbled on the second play, this time after he gained six yards on a run up the middle. Safety Brian Russell applied the hit, and cornerback Jordan Babineaux picked up the loose ball and was stopped at the Packers' 49. It took Seattle six plays to score, as Matt Hasselbeck hit Bobby Engram with an 11-yard touchdown pass to give the Seahawks a 14-0 lead 2:09 into the first quarter.
It didn't take long for Grant and Green Bay to respond, however. On the ensuing drive, Brett Favre completed four passes in four attempts, highlighted by a 31-yard catch-and-run with James Jones and a 15-yard touchdown to Greg Jennings. After that, it was all Packers for the rest of the game.
Green Bay forced Seattle to punt on its next possession, which was when Grant's redemption began. The 25-year old undrafted halfback compiled 49 yards on the ground on the nine-play drive for the Packers, finishing things off with a one-yard touchdown carry to knot the score up at 14. Grant's best run of the drive was a 26-yard burst up the middle that got Green Bay to the Seahawks' 16-yard line.
The turnover bug then attacked Seattle the next time it had the football. After catching a five-yard pass from Hasselbeck, tight end Marcus Pollard was hit by safety Atari Bigby and put the ball on the ground. Aaron Kampman recovered at the Seahawks' 18-yard line. Favre then connected with Jennings for the second time of the game, converting on a short two-yard toss to give the Packers a 21-14 advantage.
Josh Brown tacked on a field goal for Seattle on its next possession to make the score 21-17, but Green Bay wouldn't stop scoring. The Packers mixed in a variety of pass plays from Favre with several carries from Grant to go on a 14-play, 70-yard drive that ate up 6:52 of clock. Grant capped off the drive with a three-yard touchdown, extending Green Bay's lead to 28-17 heading into halftime.
After forcing the Seahawks to go three-and-out once again to start out the second half, the Packers marched 66 yards down the field to go up 35-17 on Favre's third touchdown toss of the game, this time a 13-yarder to backup rookie halfback Brandon Jackson. Brown would add on one more field goal for Seattle to cut Green Bay's lead to 15 at 35-20, but the Seahawks were done scoring after that. The Packers were not.
For the sixth consecutive possession, Green Bay scored a touchdown, this time on a another one-yard scamper by Grant, putting the Packers up 42-20. For Grant, it was his third rushing touchdown of the game, setting a franchise postseason record for Green Bay. His 201 yards also set a postseason franchise record. Favre finished 18-for-23 with 178 yards and three touchdowns.
Seattle could not find any kind of ground game, as Alexander rushed for only 20 yards on nine attempts. Maurice Morris carried three times for negative one yards. The Seahawks did not enjoy much success through the air, either, as Hasselbeck completed 19 of 33 passes for 194 yards and a score. Engram caught six passes for 67 yards and the lone receiving touchdown of the day.
The Packers will face the winner of the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys game in the NFC Championship Game. Green Bay defeated New York and lost to Dallas this season. Favre is 0-9 lifetime at Texas Stadium, including an 0-3 record in the playoffs. He lost there this year in a contest where he left early after dislocating both his elbow and shoulder on the same play.
Saturday, January 05, 2008
Seahawks stave off Redskin rally, advance
The Washington Redskins' magical season has finally come to an end at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks, as Seattle beat Washington 35-14 in their wild card playoff matchup on Saturday.
Matt Hasselbeck overcame two third quarter interceptions, one of which resulted in seven Redskin points, and threw a touchdown pass to D.J. Hackett with 6:12 to play in the fourth to give the Seahawks a 21-14 lead after Hasselbeck then executed on a two-point conversion to tight end Marcus Pollard.
Seattle struck first in this one, as fullback Leonard Weaver scampered 17 yards into the end zone on the Seahawks' second drive of the game. Josh Brown then nailed a 50-yard field goal in the second quarter, and Seattle held a 10-0 lead heading into halftime. The Seahawks' defense had Washington quarterback Todd Collins on the run for the entire first half, and although he was only sacked twice, he could not find any rhythm thanks to the likes of Patrick Kerney, Julian Peterson, and the good majority of the rest of the Seattle defense.
The Redskins' offense remained stagnant at the beginning of the second half, as they were forced to punt on their first drive. The Seahawks got the ball at their own 33-yard line and were able to move it 52 yards down the field to set Brown up for a 33-yard field goal, pushing Seattle's lead to 13-0. That was when Washington woke up.
Collins completed a series of passes to a variety of receivers on the Redskins' ensuing possession, throwing a 19-yarder to tight end Chris Cooley on their second play. The 36-year old quarterback capped off the 12-play, 84-yard drive with a seven-yard touchdown toss to Antwaan Randle El, trimming the Seahawks' lead to six, 13-7.
Hasselbeck was then intercepted by LaRon Landry on Seattle's next possession, and Washington took over at the Seattle 42 with 14:09 left to play. It took the Redskins three plays to get in the end zone; a nine-yard run by Clinton Portis, a three-yard pass to Santana Moss, and then a 30-yard bomb to Moss for a score, giving Washington its first lead of the game at 14-13.
As if the Redskins couldn't get any more momentum, Nate Burleson botched the kickoff as the ball hit his leg and trickled past him to the Seahawks' own 14. Washington's Anthony Mix recovered, giving the Redskins outstanding field position. However, Washington only amassed two yards on the drive, and two incompletions by Collins set the Redskins up only for a 30-yard field goal attempt. They couldn't even get any points out of that, as Shaun Suisham shanked the kick, keeping it a one-point game.
Seattle immediately marched 44 yards down the field on three plays, including two long passes, a 19-yarder to Bobby Engram and a 17-yard completion to Hackett, only to see Landry pick off his second pass of the game at Washington's nine-yard line. Still, the Redskins could not move the football, and they punted to the Seahawks after a three-and-out.
Seattle then took over from that point on, as Hasselbeck completed a 20-yard touchdown pass to Hackett and then converted on the two-point try on the ensuing drive and Marcus Trufant then intercepted Collins and ran 78 yards for a score on Washington's next possession, putting the Seahawks up 28-14 with 5:56 left. Seattle's secondary wasn't done scoring, however, as Jordan Babineaux then picked off Collins and took it back 57 yards for a touchdown, extending the Seahawks' advantage to 35-14.
Seattle will face the Green Bay Packers in the Divisional Round of the postseason next weekend.
Matt Hasselbeck overcame two third quarter interceptions, one of which resulted in seven Redskin points, and threw a touchdown pass to D.J. Hackett with 6:12 to play in the fourth to give the Seahawks a 21-14 lead after Hasselbeck then executed on a two-point conversion to tight end Marcus Pollard.
Seattle struck first in this one, as fullback Leonard Weaver scampered 17 yards into the end zone on the Seahawks' second drive of the game. Josh Brown then nailed a 50-yard field goal in the second quarter, and Seattle held a 10-0 lead heading into halftime. The Seahawks' defense had Washington quarterback Todd Collins on the run for the entire first half, and although he was only sacked twice, he could not find any rhythm thanks to the likes of Patrick Kerney, Julian Peterson, and the good majority of the rest of the Seattle defense.
The Redskins' offense remained stagnant at the beginning of the second half, as they were forced to punt on their first drive. The Seahawks got the ball at their own 33-yard line and were able to move it 52 yards down the field to set Brown up for a 33-yard field goal, pushing Seattle's lead to 13-0. That was when Washington woke up.
Collins completed a series of passes to a variety of receivers on the Redskins' ensuing possession, throwing a 19-yarder to tight end Chris Cooley on their second play. The 36-year old quarterback capped off the 12-play, 84-yard drive with a seven-yard touchdown toss to Antwaan Randle El, trimming the Seahawks' lead to six, 13-7.
Hasselbeck was then intercepted by LaRon Landry on Seattle's next possession, and Washington took over at the Seattle 42 with 14:09 left to play. It took the Redskins three plays to get in the end zone; a nine-yard run by Clinton Portis, a three-yard pass to Santana Moss, and then a 30-yard bomb to Moss for a score, giving Washington its first lead of the game at 14-13.
As if the Redskins couldn't get any more momentum, Nate Burleson botched the kickoff as the ball hit his leg and trickled past him to the Seahawks' own 14. Washington's Anthony Mix recovered, giving the Redskins outstanding field position. However, Washington only amassed two yards on the drive, and two incompletions by Collins set the Redskins up only for a 30-yard field goal attempt. They couldn't even get any points out of that, as Shaun Suisham shanked the kick, keeping it a one-point game.
Seattle immediately marched 44 yards down the field on three plays, including two long passes, a 19-yarder to Bobby Engram and a 17-yard completion to Hackett, only to see Landry pick off his second pass of the game at Washington's nine-yard line. Still, the Redskins could not move the football, and they punted to the Seahawks after a three-and-out.
Seattle then took over from that point on, as Hasselbeck completed a 20-yard touchdown pass to Hackett and then converted on the two-point try on the ensuing drive and Marcus Trufant then intercepted Collins and ran 78 yards for a score on Washington's next possession, putting the Seahawks up 28-14 with 5:56 left. Seattle's secondary wasn't done scoring, however, as Jordan Babineaux then picked off Collins and took it back 57 yards for a touchdown, extending the Seahawks' advantage to 35-14.
Seattle will face the Green Bay Packers in the Divisional Round of the postseason next weekend.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Peterson wins Offensive Rookie of the Year
Minnesota Vikings' halfback Adrian Peterson won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award, it was announced on Wednesday.
Peterson finished second in the NFL in rushing yards, compiling 1,341. The 22-year old back may very well have led the league in that category had he not missed two games in the middle of the season due to a torn lateral collateral ligament he suffered at Green Bay on Nov. 11th. Only LaDainian Tomlinson had more yards on the ground.
Peterson also set the record for most rushing yards in a single game, totaling 296 against San Diego on Nov. 4th. Not only that, but he went for 224 three weeks earlier in Chicago.
Peterson finished second in the NFL in rushing yards, compiling 1,341. The 22-year old back may very well have led the league in that category had he not missed two games in the middle of the season due to a torn lateral collateral ligament he suffered at Green Bay on Nov. 11th. Only LaDainian Tomlinson had more yards on the ground.
Peterson also set the record for most rushing yards in a single game, totaling 296 against San Diego on Nov. 4th. Not only that, but he went for 224 three weeks earlier in Chicago.
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