Wildcard Weekend

Filed under: , , by: Stankoniforous 0ne

There's so much to talk about regarding these past four games.  Stank-0 will try to make this quick.  Overall, this mirrors last year's wild card slate, many blow outs and one good game.  With the exception of the Packers @ Cardinals, all the games were highlighted by a heavy running attack. 


Gang Green prevails! 

If you had told Stank-0 that the J-E-T-S, JETS, JETS, JETS would mollywhop the Bengals...Stank-0 would have been listening.  If you had then said that Carson Palmer would look like a rook, Stank-0 would have still been listening.  If you had then said that Sanchez would throw less than 30 times and they would win handily, Stank-0 would have told you to stop talkin because that's non-sense.  That's exactly what happened. 

Let's clear the air.  Palmer doesn't have much playoff experience.  His last playoff game ended with a major knee injury.  He hasn't been in the playoffs very often.  Those high throws?  Jitters. 

Stank-0 was slow to believe in Revis Island, but that jawn is tighter than Alcatraz.  He has locked up some elite receivers.  Revis for Secretary of Homeland Security! 

The Jets have a great back in Shonn Greene (Iowa Hawkeye).  That boy got some good yards on the ground.  The Bengals were missing some key pieces on D, namely Gaithers and the rookie LB from USC.  The misdirection is gonna wreak havoc on some teams.  Sanchez also sells the playaction very very well. 

How big is Houshmanzadeh's free agent move to Seattle now?  Coupled with the untimely death of Chris Henry, the only receiver in stripes that scares defenses was Ocho Cinco.  That left Caldwell and Coles to take up the slack. 


(AP Photo/David J. Phillip)


Three times! 

The Eagles will need to re-tool in the off-season.  They need to rebuild for the sole purpose of beating the Cowboys.  Dem Cowboys play havoc on the defensive front.  That is the strength of their team.  They have aging LBs and a suspect defensive secondary, but neither unit has to be world beaters when they can create pressure with four. 

The Cowboys seemed to have turned back to the run.  They have a great running back committee, why not?  Jones or Barber could start in about 95% of the NFL. 

Andy Reid is too in love with the pass, and that plays into the Boys' plans.  They can get consistent pressure so if you pass it's not working out in your favor.  Unfortunately, Bryant Westbrook may have reached the end of his usefulness.  He missed 8 games, the Eagles' record: 7-1.  At this point, you can't say that Westbrook is that much better than McCoy.  You just can't.  Now to give him some longevity, use him more like Marshall Faulk/Kevin Faulk, a receiving back.  If the Eagles won't run, then at least screen pass it's about the same thang. 


(AP Photo/Elise Amendola)


In your own house

Jason Whitlock captured this game perfectly.

Ray Ray (Avon), Reed (Stringer), Rice (Bodie), Suggs (Wee-Bey) all making plays early. Order being restored on Baltimore corners!
That encapsulates that game perfectly.  Not to toot my own horn, but uh....toot! toot!  Stank-0 said:

The Patriots are a pass happy team now, understandably with Randy Moss and his sidekick, Welker.  The balance is missing.

The Patriots are so enamored with Welker underneath and Moss deep...it's unskewed the balance to the point that the loss of Welker last week already had people doubting they could win this game.  The Ravens already believed they lost a game to the Patriots they should have won earlier this season. 

That Ravens' running attack is surrious:  Rice, McClain, and McGahee.  To hang 24 points on the Patriots in the 1st Q in Foxboro is unimaginable.  Now in all fairness, Brady and Moss looked injured.  Brady has had some rib injuries and Moss had something, probably a hammy, ankle, or something in that area.  He didn't have that breakaway speed he's known for. 

Also not challenging that fumble?  According to the announcers, the big boards in the stadium did not show the replay the viewing audience saw of the Patriots player NOT maintaining possession while falling out of bounds.  That is odd it wasn't shown.  Even so, someone up in the box should have told Harbaugh to challenge that play. 

http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/ept_sports_nfl_experts__19/ept_sports_nfl_experts-313581501-1263181137.jpg?ymSFDgCDMt2Sxpvt

Where's the D?

Stank-0 did not watch the entire game, but did see the end.  It looked like this was goin to be yet another blowout, but the Packers refocused and crawled back into the game.  Stank-0 watched the Packers, down 7 to the Cardinals with less than 2 mins in the 4th Q, tie the game.  Rodgers is truly one of the best QBs in football.  His only problem is he likes to try to keep plays alive and that gives defensive players who overran the play time to come back and get him. 

The way that game ended has to leave a sour taste in everyone in Cheeseland's mouths.  That just hurts, especially considering that 87% of the time the team that wins the coin flip in OT wins the game. 

On the flipside, Kurt Warner missed 4 passes and had 5 TDs.  That. Is. Not. A. Typo.  We are truly watching a HOFer at the age of 38 who is only getting better.  The commentators said that Warner owns 3 of the best yardage records in Super Bowl history. 

Chew on this.  The Cardinals were this explosive, dangerous, etc. and Anquan Boldin aka Q was NOT playing.  He'll be back next week.  Warner, Fitz, Q, Breaston, Hightower, and Wells, now that's an offensive unit.

Stank-0 will refrain from giving previews because they will be everywhere.  A good place to start reading is here.  Can almost bet they will have something written about the upcoming games.  Question, dear readers.  What's the best game of the next round?  Stank-0 is gonna say Bal @ Indy, with AZ @ NO as a very close second.  Is it next Sunday yet?




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Patriots: 2001-2009

Filed under: , , , by: Stankoniforous 0ne

You, my good readers, knew this day was coming.  Every dog has its day and so forth.  The sun shone very brightly on the New England Patriots and it has now set.  A seven year run in this post- parity NFL is quite an accomplishment, but let's call a spade a spade.  IT'S OVAH!  The Patriots are a good team but it's not the same unit out there any more. Let's run down the case. 

The beginning of the end
That infamous 2007 AFC Championship game.  You know the one.  The Pats are up big (21 points?) on the Colts in their own house.  Time to get the bottles on ice cause we gonna pop champagne like we won a champ-ion-ship game!  Except that the Colts rally behind Peyton and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. 

It used to be that the Pats were up that big...time to call it a ball game and send in the reserves to play the rest of this one out. 

Sign that the magic was gone
When Plax predicted that the Pats would not score 17 points in the Super Bowl and he was wrong.  BY THREE POINTS!  Then Eli goes Houdini on the Pats D line and heaves a miracle to David Tyree...just to keep the drive alive.  Asante Samuel drops a gimme INT to ice the game.  Then Plax shook Hobbs something serious for the go-ahead score.

Sign that the mojo will not be coming back:
Coach "Let 'em Leave" McDaniels mollywops the Patriots in the Mile High City.  Then Gang Green tapdanced all over the Patriots to the tune of 16-9 behind the then sensational rookie QB Mark Sanchez.

Sign that the Patriots are mere mortals:
The Patriots are 0-2 against undefeated teams this seasonThis. Season.  They let Peyton hang around and he got in a rhythm and took a game they had in their hands.  Last night, the Saints marched through, around, over, and by the Patriots.  It was 24-10 at half.  AT HALF!

Reasons for the decline: 
The Patriots' core has aged and it has not been adequately replaced.  Vrabel?  In KC.  Bruschi?  Living the high life in retirement.  They also sent another to Oakland  [Editor's note:  Poor guy.] They let Asante Samuel go to Philly where he is BALLIN!

The Patriots are a pass happy team now, understandably with Randy Moss and his sidekick, Welker.  The balance is missing.   

Is Stank-0 wrong?  The floor is yours.

Week 11-- close calls

Filed under: , , , , by: Stankoniforous 0ne

This week...wow!


(AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
The Chiefs pulled it out in OT against the Steelers. Chris Chambers still has some life left in him. Jamaal Charles was BALLIN today. A kickoff return and a receiving TD. Stank-0 sees you stuntin boy. These situations will pay off next season. Big Ben was knocked out of the game and Charlie Batch filled in well but the Chiefs D stood tall and got the ball back. Cassel's line: 15/30, 248 yds, and a TD. Very workman-like outing.

Next up the Giants needed OT to pull it out against the Falcons as well. Didn't really watch that game, but the Falcons showed some heart in that game.

(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
The Lions also won on a weird ending against the free falling Browns. There was a pass interference call in the endzone that set up the Lions on the 1 yard line. They score to tie the game and then win it on the extra point. The Lions have the talent to play.  Stafford finally started throwing the ball with enough air on it cause he tossed a bomb to Calvin Johnson aka Megatron.  That boy is a burner. 


(AP Photo/J. David Ake)
The Colts won in a very low scoring affair against the Ravens. The Ravens needed TDs but only got FGs. The Colts continue to do the little things to win games. They had some new players to step in like TE Santi. Might want to deal for him in your respective fantasy leagues. Dallas Clark had the catch of the week and one-handed TD in the back of the endzone on the Colts first possession.

The Redskins hung with the Cowboys for a long time on the strength of their defense, but the Cowboys prevailed 7-6. The offense needs to hold up their end of the team. The Skins held the explosive Cowboys to 7 points?! The defense is out there entirely too long. The TD in question: Romo got outside the pocket and started directing Crayton to run a post where he hit him on the backside of the play.


(AP Photo/Phil Coale)
The Bills snatched defeast from the jaws of victory against the Jaguars. TO had 9 reception for 197 yards and a TD.

The Saints remained undefeated as well. After spoting the Bucs 7, they went on the score 38 unanswered point to win the game. Brees had 2 TDs.

The Vikings had a glorified bye week playing the Seahawks and winning 35-7. Favre had 3 TD passes on 22 of 25 passing in the 1st half! FIRST HALF!  One was to Harvin. 

Right now the Jets are down to the Patriots 7-0 on an interception.

Sunday Night is the Eagles and the Bears, should be an interesting game.




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Game of the season!

Filed under: , , by: Stankoniforous 0ne

If you did not watch the Patriots @ Colts on NBC, go Plaxico yourself.  You missed out! 

Stank-0 is gonna throw this out there right now.  Al jinxed the Patriots when he said that most QBs who throw for 300+ yards lose the game but Brady is the exception.  What happened?  The Comeback Colts stormed back into the game. 

Also, Stank-0 understands putting the game on ice by going for it on 4th down.  Stank-0 really does, but we are talkin about Peyton Manning gettin the ball back with a short field.  Yeah when you think about it, that's not a hard decision to make.  PUNT!

Brady lives the life we all want to live, but Manning is the Kobe Bryant of football. He studies game film religiously, keeps copious notes, reviews notes from past games, and keeps said notes in an effing safe.  Stank-0 and his roommate wondered about all the commercials and Stank-0's roommate posited that he prolly shoots all of them during the off-season because during the season it's all about football. 

Stank-0 has been saying that Andre Johnson is the best receiver in the football, but will have to amend that statement.  Andre, Moss, and Fitz are the best receivers in football.  Moss put on a clinic.  Enough said. 

The 4th down call is a lil dubious.  How do you not get forward progress on the catch?  The only way is if they contend he did not have possession, which is true.  He bobbled that jawn for a minute.  Also that pass interference call felt a lil LeBron James-ish.   

NBC kept putting up the graphic "Rivalry of the Decade" after every lead-in.  It didn't look like it in the beginning, but man that turned into a game. 

How much do the Colts miss Bob Sanders? 

Jim Caldwell is definitely part of the Dungy coaching tree. Stank-0 doesn't think the cameras showed Caldwell saying three words all night.  He has learned well from Obi Wan Dungy.

P.S. on a non-NFL-related football note, Stank-0's flag football team made the playoffs!!  At one point, we were 4 games below .500 and sitting two spots out of playoff contention, but came storming back and got in on the last week of the season.   

Once and for all

Filed under: , by: Stankoniforous 0ne

Look, can we quit with the Wes Welker nutsack hangin, please?  Talking head after talking head Commentator after commentator praise him to the skies.  Uh...there's a few reasons for his success.  1.  He plays for a better team, 2. Tom Brady, and 3.  Randy Moss



Randy Moss and Terrell Owens



Randy Moss SuperMan

So let's role play for a second.  You're a defensive coordinator and you are playing the Patriots.  You have seen the game film on Moss and Welker.  Who do you focus on stoppin more? 

A comment said it best about Welker. 

for wes welker, it should say the ultimate possession receiver who
thrives on having randy moss taking majority of the coverage.

Stank-0 recognizes Welker's talents, but realizes his production is a function of the most physically gifted receiver to EVER play the game drawing double coverage.  EVER.  Once in a lifetime receiver. 

Randy Moss effected an entire draft.  He was the class of 98 and the very next year you saw a rack of corners and taller faster receivers get drafted. 


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MNF: 4/7

Filed under: , , by: Stankoniforous 0ne

We've been over this before.  A quick refresher.

That's MNF's number of good games (4) versus the total so far.

History has a way of repeating itself because the Patriots just straight up punched the Broncos in the mouf (yes mouf) and the game was over from that point forward.  It wasn't even Cutler messing up his finger on his throwing hand.  It was just the complete capitulation of the Broncos. 

It was like they said, "It's aight this is a non-division game."  Then proceeded to play like doo doo.  It's hard to determine how good the Patriots are because the Broncos were that bad to begin with.  The Chiefs fan in Stank-0 relishes that the Broncos were clowned on national TV. 



Denver Broncos at New England Patriots

The best part of Stank-0's night was the bar trivia.  Stank-0 and his boy (that's two people) came in third and were within 3 points of 1st place, while other teams boasted 6 or more people.  If Stank-0 brings one more person it's curtains!  LOCK IT UP!


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SNF!

Filed under: , , by: Stankoniforous 0ne

Normally the Patriots and Bolts give us a good game.  This was not one of those times

New England 10, San Diego 30

The Bolts dominated from the very 1st play from scrimmage (a deep ball from Rivers).  Matt Cassel just doesn't have the experience necessary to make this game entertaining.  The Pats got punched in the mouf and never recovered.  Deltha O'Neal and Ellis Hobbs got abused so much Stank-0 considered calling Protective Services.   

Coach Bill, why was that coach all in your grill at the half?  Got to tell the underlings not to be all up on you like that in front of the cameras. 

Let's hope the Monday nighter is better, but my gut tells me that the GGGGGGGGGGGGGMeeeen are gonna run all over the Browns.  Weren't the Browns a pre-season Super Bowl contender? 


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