Posts Tagged ‘Football’


NFL Playoff Picture To Change?

Breaking news from NFL.com…

FORT WORTH, Texas — Rich McKay, Atlanta Falcons president and co-chair of the NFL Competition Committee, said Wednesday at the league’s owners meeting that he would like to see playoff teams re-seeded, with division winners not necessarily granted a home game.

McKay said that in the past, similar proposals have received upwards of 18 votes, but not the 24 needed by owners to pass a measure.

When asked if he believed the possibility of a .500 or worse team winning a division would lead to future consideration of altering playoff seeding, McKay said: “I hope so. I’ve brought it up twice and never had real success getting it passed. I think it is something we should consider.”

McKay said he has always supported re-seeding spots 4 through 6 based on record, but he realizes not all share his views. Several owners I’ve spoken to in the past about this issue believe there should be a significant reward for winning one’s division, with that belief grounded in the traditions of the game and a desire to keep a focus on divisional rivalries.

“I don’t disagree with that,” McKay said, “but re-seeding is something we should keep talking about.”

What do you think?  Should things stay the way they are, granting the division winners home-field throughout, or should the NFL continue to deviate from football tradition, and shake things up?

Are The Pittsburgh Steelers For Real?

With week 3 in the books, there are some movers and shakers in the collective power ranking pool. The Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers have soared to the top, while pre-season analysis said the Bears were laden with trouble, and the Steelers would be lucky to go 2-2 without Big Ben for the first four games.  The New York Jets had – hands down – the best defense in the NFL.

What we find most interesting, though, is the way the Pittsburgh Steelers have rallied around adversity, touted as a team that is too old, and riddled with problems.  Not even making the post-season last year, the Steelers were – and are – determined to prove everyone wrong.  So far undefeated without their two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback, the Steelers defense has done an amazing job.  And the offense has allowed Charlie Batch to make plays. Entering week 4 of the 2010 NFL season, the Steelers have defeated the Atlanta Falcons, Tennessee Titans and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Not too long ago, Sports Illustrated columnist, Peter King, chose the Steelers to beat the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV. People joked.  They laughed.  They wanted to know what King was smoking when he made that prediction…  But the actions on the field do speak for themselves, don’t they?

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Impacts On Week 2

So early in the season, but so much happening. When you have your studs — and duds — picked, the NFL throws you for a loop. Maybe that is why we love it so much. In week two, we saw…

The Super Bowl defending New Orleans Saints lose Reggie Bush to a broken leg. Ouch. Many forecast that one Bush does not make a team. Others say that his loss wll be the team’s detriment. In fantasy world, people are dropping Bush faster than you can say spit. The StubPass folks are divided on whether or not the Saints can pull off a playoff run, without Bush in the mix for the time being…

In a “Leggo my Eggo” moment, Philadelphia Eagles‘ Michael Vick is the starter. There are none more waffly than Andy Reid, who can’t decide from one week to the next , who the starting QB spot belongs to. Initially, he was steadfast that the start belonged to Kevin Kolb. But wait. No. Now it’s Michael Vick. Granted, Vick did quite well for the Eagles. But the team needs to know who the leader is, more than the media does. Lordy.

Charlie Batch, of the Pittsburgh Steelers, was all but released just a few short weeks ago. In the absence of the 102 million dollar QB Ben Roethlisberger, the decision was made. Byron Leftwich was the starter, with Dennis Dixon as 2 string.

And then, Boom Boom Pow. The Steelers’ Leftwich is out with a knee injury and Dixon is the #1 — yet struggling — starter. But no, there’s more. Dixon finds himself in a jam with a knee injury requiring surgery, and now a Steelers (essentially) 4th string veteran QB, Charlie Batch, is at the helm in week three. Backup? Antwan Randle El (who could, potentially, do quite well if need be). The Steelers defense needs to maintain…

You have got to love the NFL. Predictions mean nothing, when one has no idea what will happen from week to week.

So who is going to be in the “impact player”? What team will suffer more, because of those that cannot play? Will the Saints flounder — or be mediocre at best — without Reggie Bush? Will Michael Vick step up for the Eagles, and show he still has what it takes to be an elite NFL quarterback? Will the Steelers find success with Charlie Batch, and manage to squeak out one (or two) more wins, to take the Steelers to 4-0 upon Roethlisbergers return? Oh yeah — will Brett Favre retire, again, from the Minnesota Vikings? Talk to us.

NFL Quarterback Controversies

Controversy is nothing new in the NFL, and the 2010 season proves to be no different. As fans and teams ramp up for the regular season, there are several quarterback controversies brewing across the National Football League.

The Philadelphia Eagles are right in the middle of a controversy, after releasing veteran quarterback Donovan McNabb – picked up by the Washington Redskins. In McNabb’s wake, Philly finds themselves deciding between Michael Vick and Kevin Kolb. The plan, apparently, is for the Eagles to rotate both quarterbacks before making a firm decision.

Rumors state that the locker room is divided as to which quarterback the Eagles would like to start the 2010 regular season, but only time (and possibly performance) will tell.

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Tis The Season For Trading Spaces…

With week one of the 2010 NFL regular season on the horizon, roster cuts are being made, and trade rumors abound. Whether players like the Cardinal’s Matt Leinart lost their starting positions to other players for the sub par performance, or holdouts like the Jets’ Darrelle Revis just became too much of a pain; teams are slowly but surely trimming their rosters to the required 53.

There are several teams in the market for quarterbacks, including the New York Giants and the Arizona Cardinals. Those who are rumored to be available shortly include current Cardinal’s QB Matt Leinart, Steeler’s QB Charlie Batch, and Viking’s QB Sage Rosenfels. The rumor mill churns that the Steelers may release Batch – an old, yet effective backup – and Arizona will scoop him up.

The New York Jets have been at a stalemate with CB Darrelle Revis, and it appears that, while unlikely, there is the possibility the Jets have tired of the holdout and could trade him over the weekend.

The talented, but injury prone, Marshawn Lynch may be bidding the Buffalo Bills a farewell this weekend. With the Bills having Fred Jackson and first round pick C.J. Spiller, Lynch may be with a new team soon.

Willis McGahee may well be on his way out of Baltimore Ravens, with the Ravens finding great success in Ray Rice. A trade may be in the works over the weekend, and Baltimore may be shipping McGahee off to the Denver Broncos – a team in need of some depth at the running back position.

While the rumor mill churns, fans (and teams) most likely won’t have any definitive answers to who is staying, who is going, or who is playing in week one until the weekend is over.

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Pre-Season Week One Round-Up

New York Giants | Eli Manning received 12 stitches in his head, after being lambasted by Jets’ linebacker Calvin Pace, losing his helmet, and having his head get a personal introduction to Jim Leonhard’s facemask.  A concussion was ruled out, but the Giants may be playing the Pittsburgh Steelers this weekend without Manning.

Undrafted rookie free agent, Victor Cruz, made his Monday night football debut with significantly better results.  In addition the Giants’ unknown, undrafted wide receiver caught three touchdowns, with one of them being a literal one-handed grab resulting in a 64-yard run for the TD.

Pittsburgh Steelers | With Roethlisberger likely to start for the Steelers against the New York Giants at the New Meadowlands Stadium, there are still several questions regarding who the starting QB will be during Roethlisberger’s four to six game suspension.  It appeared as though Byron Leftwich had the job, but Dennis Dixon played well enough to keep the final decision under wraps.

Additionally, first-round draft pick, Maurkice Pouncey, was all but relegated to playing his first year as a guard now has Tomlin considering throwing him in the mix for the starting (if not rotating) position of center for the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Having six seemingly good receivers has also put the future of Stefan Logan in jeopardy, and his performance against the Giants this weekend – or lack thereof – could be a determining factor in the Steelers’ decision.

San Francisco 49ers | Free agent running back, Brian Westbrook, signed a one-year contract with the  49ers.  Westbrook played with the Philadelphia Eagles for eight seasons.

Stay tuned for more information, and get your NFL tickets early!

NFL Weekend Roundup

It was a busy weekend for NFL football.  The Dallas Cowboys saw Emmett Smith inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame, and the Cowboys beat the Cincinnati Bengals in the HOF Game, 16-7.  The Pittsburgh Steelers attended to enjoy Dick LeBeau’s induction, and we are now 3 days away from the start of the 2010 NFL pre-season.  Let’s have a look at the Thursday matchups.

New Orleans Saints at New England Patriots – Thursday, August 12 – 7:30 pm.

 

With the Saints looking to avoid the dreaded “Super Bowl Hangover”, the team will travel to Gillette Stadium to open the 2010 season against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.  While the Saints are sick and tired of hearing the term directed at them, history speaks for itself.  There has never been a repeat NFC South champion in the history of its existence.

Carolina Panthers at Baltimore Ravens – Thursday, August 12 – 8:00 pm.

 

The Ravens will kick off their pre-season with three QB’s in the mix.  In addition, the improved passing game with Anquan Bolden and Dante Stallworth should keep the Ravens offense exciting.  The Panthers are looking to evaluate the competition at the #2 wideout slot, and put last season’s horrible start in the past.

at Dallas Cowboys – Thursday, August 12 – 9:00 pm.

 

The Raiders have had dismal seasons recently, but feel that they are contenders.  Fans are demanding a change up in play calling, and a winning season.  The Cowboys are hurting after their Hall of Fame game yesterday, since John Phillips most likely has a torn ACL, and Kevin Brock sustaining a left ankle sprain.

Stay tuned for more information, and get your NFL tickets early!

Tuesday’s NFL Training Camp Update

As injuries and drama pile up across NFL training camps, there are some newsworthy bits to share…

Minnesota Vikings Waiting with baited breath, Minnesota Vikings fans received the news the Bret Favre told his teammates that he will not be returning to the team this season. So who will fill his shoes – Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels?
Arizona Cardinals A bruhaha broke out in Flagstaff, as defensive tackle Darnell Dockett and offensive tackle Levi Brown during the first practice in full pads.
Dallas Cowboys Cornerback Terence Newman states his love of NASCAR has made him an “instant redneck”. There’s something you don’t hear every day…
Indianapolis Colts People are on the edge of their seats to see if Bob Sanders (S) – who has missed 26 games in the last two seasons – is ready to go. Only time will tell…

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Will The 2009-2010 NFL Playoff Season Start Off With Deja Vu?

The 2009-2010 NFL playoffs are about to kick off and amazingly enough, three of the four matchups are repeats from the final week of the season. The only game that is not a repeat is the Ravens-Patriots game that is being played on Sunday. However, while most of these games are week 17 repeats, it is unlikely that we are going to see the same results on the scoreboard.

Saturday Games:

New York Jets @ Cincinnati Bengals
Week 17 had the Jets blowing the Bengals out, but this was much ado about nothing. The Bengals had many of their starters either riding the bench or being pulled early in game. Lewis definitely did not show his hand and treated the game more like a scrimmage. The Jets had to win this game in order to make the playoffs and the Bengals already knew that if they lost this game to the Jets, they were going to see them again in the first round. It was the perfect opportunity to pick their opponent. While you have to respect the Jets defense, the rookie Sanchez will probably be in for a long afternoon. Expect the Bengals to win big here.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Dallas Cowboys
While some of the analysts tried to play the Eagles loss down, week 17 provided an old fashioned whuppin’. Dallas is now 2-0 against the Eagles this season and will have to go 3-0 in order to win their first playoff game since 1996. While the media hype would have you think this is a difficult task, 2-0 teams are 12-7 in the playoffs when trying to sweep the season. Dallas can expect to see a lot more blitzes early in the game and while this game will be close, Dallas may just have Philadelphia’s number this season. If they manage to get by the Eagles, Dallas could be the team to beat.

Sundays Games:

Baltimore Ravens @ New England Patriots
The Patriots were flat out beat in week 17 and lost one of their premiere players, Wes Welker. Their defense has been suspect all season and Baltimore does not fear the road. This could be Flacco’s coming out party and the points in this one are just a bonus. Expect the Baltimore D to be in Brady’s face all day and this could very well be an outright win by the Ravens on Sunday afternoon.

Green Bay Packers @ Arizona Cardinals
This is the final game of the weekend and the third repeat from week 17 of the regular season. Again, we have a game where the studio morons were blowing the Arizona loss out of proportion. Arizona sat their starters and did nothing more than let their players get healthy. While we don’t feel that Arizona will get deep into the playoffs this season, they take this game in what should be a shootout.

Get your NFL Playoffs Tickets at StubPass.com for this season!

NFL Recap: Who’s Safe This Week?

There is a word for the way things are going for a few of the premier NFL teams thus far this year. I believe the season can be summed up with a profound Wow. The New Orleans Saints have defied the past statistics and a broken the 7-0 mark for the first time since the early 1980’s. Now standing at 8-0 and having taken last week’s game with a great burst of gusto, this is certainly a team that will continue to intimidate and shake up its completion for the remainder of the season. Can’t wait to see how this plays out.

We have just one other undefeated team standing in the NFL this season, that being the Indianapolis Colts. Between these two, a great many predictions and comparisons can be made, but the proof will certainly be in the pudding by the time week 16 rolls around. Of course, there is still plenty of room for both of these teams to be taken over at the top, but wouldn’t it be something to watch them continue on undefeated until they meet head to head? We can only hope at this point.

The Minnesota Vikings stand currently at 7-1 on the season, placing them in second place for the league and keeping them well in the running should either of our perfect teams take a tumble in the coming weeks. With things as capable of shuffling and shifting as they are, each and every game is anyone’s until the final snap.

New England Patriots, Cincinnati  Bengals, Denver Broncos, and Dallas Cowboys are all tied at 6-2 for the season thus far, with a great many predictions pointing the Dallas Cowboys out of the running within the next few weeks. For up to date information, news, NFL Tickets and secure online bookings to all of your favorite events, stay with StubPass.com.

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