Monday, November 27, 2006
NFL Week 12 Sunday Recap
Don't mention my NFL picks for this week...ah well, 2 out of 3 ain't bad as Meatloaf one sang...
The upsets continued in Week 12. Losing teams such as the Titans, Redskins and Bills all won on Sunday. Meanwhile, we had a few predictable results mixed in for a change, as Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Minnesota took care of business.
Baltimore 27 Pittsburgh 0
The Steelers were like a train wreck in this one: horrible to watch and sad by the time it was over. Looks like the Ravens are digging in for a Super Bowl run.
Washington 17 Carolina 13
Rookie Jason Campbell wins in only his second NFL start and the Redskins really throw the Panthers for a loop. Jake Delhomme continues to struggle with his downfield decision-making and Ladell Betts did his best Clinton Portis impersonation.
New Orleans 31 Atlanta 13
This was the day that Jim Mora, Jr. unofficially lost his job. The Falcons will not recover from this loss, that’s for darn certain. Meanwhile, it’s amazing how much better the Saints look when they don’t turn the ball over. The road dog prevailed.
St. Louis 20 San Francisco 17
A bad loss for the 49ers. They played a good road game and did cover the spread. But a last minute touchdown sealed their fate. No matter, this is a team on the upswing and they should be proud. As for the Rams? Well, they are now tied with the 49ers and ended a rather lengthy losing streak.
New York Jets 26 Houston 11
New York continued their winning ways against inferior opponents and are now in position to challenge for a playoff spot. They easily covered the spread at home. The Texans are a bad team that played hard enough to win a few games accidentally this season.
Minnesota 31 Arizona 26
This was a typical Cardinals game where they do just enough to lose the contest. It was a wild ending with a familiar result for Arizona money line backers. Meanwhile, Brad Johnson looked good for the first time in a while, but not good enough for the Vikings to cover as a home favorite.
Cincinnati 30 Cleveland 0
Another shutout in Week 12. So much for the notion that the Browns hadn’t packed in their season yet. Looks like Marvin Lewis is hell bent on fixing his defense. So far so good. A big cover for the road favorite and an under for the total in this outcome.
Buffalo 27 Jacksonville 24
It was the most predictable home dog cover in quite some time. Sure the final score was close, but the Jags never really showed they were ready to win this game outright. A nice over for total bettors here.
San Diego 21 Oakland 14
Too bad Oakland couldn’t pull off the monumental upset.
Tennessee 24 New York 21
Vince Young took over the fourth quarter and willed his team to victory. Sure, he was helped by some stupidity on the Giants’ part, but man he is fun to watch. A nice underdog win for the home team.
New England 17 Chicago 13
The Pats turned the ball over five times and managed to win anyway on the strength of Rex Grossman’s poor decision-making and four turnovers. New England is looking great, while Chicago simply wants to play a home game after three straight road games. The under was golden here as well.
Indianapolis 45 Philadelphia 21
The Colts were apparently tired of the talk that they couldn’t cover a big spread or blow out an opponent. They came out on fire and never let up. The Eagles were horrible on defense and allowed the Colts to cover the big spread and run the total points of the game over the number.
The upsets continued in Week 12. Losing teams such as the Titans, Redskins and Bills all won on Sunday. Meanwhile, we had a few predictable results mixed in for a change, as Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Minnesota took care of business.
Baltimore 27 Pittsburgh 0
The Steelers were like a train wreck in this one: horrible to watch and sad by the time it was over. Looks like the Ravens are digging in for a Super Bowl run.
Washington 17 Carolina 13
Rookie Jason Campbell wins in only his second NFL start and the Redskins really throw the Panthers for a loop. Jake Delhomme continues to struggle with his downfield decision-making and Ladell Betts did his best Clinton Portis impersonation.
New Orleans 31 Atlanta 13
This was the day that Jim Mora, Jr. unofficially lost his job. The Falcons will not recover from this loss, that’s for darn certain. Meanwhile, it’s amazing how much better the Saints look when they don’t turn the ball over. The road dog prevailed.
St. Louis 20 San Francisco 17
A bad loss for the 49ers. They played a good road game and did cover the spread. But a last minute touchdown sealed their fate. No matter, this is a team on the upswing and they should be proud. As for the Rams? Well, they are now tied with the 49ers and ended a rather lengthy losing streak.
New York Jets 26 Houston 11
New York continued their winning ways against inferior opponents and are now in position to challenge for a playoff spot. They easily covered the spread at home. The Texans are a bad team that played hard enough to win a few games accidentally this season.
Minnesota 31 Arizona 26
This was a typical Cardinals game where they do just enough to lose the contest. It was a wild ending with a familiar result for Arizona money line backers. Meanwhile, Brad Johnson looked good for the first time in a while, but not good enough for the Vikings to cover as a home favorite.
Cincinnati 30 Cleveland 0
Another shutout in Week 12. So much for the notion that the Browns hadn’t packed in their season yet. Looks like Marvin Lewis is hell bent on fixing his defense. So far so good. A big cover for the road favorite and an under for the total in this outcome.
Buffalo 27 Jacksonville 24
It was the most predictable home dog cover in quite some time. Sure the final score was close, but the Jags never really showed they were ready to win this game outright. A nice over for total bettors here.
San Diego 21 Oakland 14
Too bad Oakland couldn’t pull off the monumental upset.
Tennessee 24 New York 21
Vince Young took over the fourth quarter and willed his team to victory. Sure, he was helped by some stupidity on the Giants’ part, but man he is fun to watch. A nice underdog win for the home team.
New England 17 Chicago 13
The Pats turned the ball over five times and managed to win anyway on the strength of Rex Grossman’s poor decision-making and four turnovers. New England is looking great, while Chicago simply wants to play a home game after three straight road games. The under was golden here as well.
Indianapolis 45 Philadelphia 21
The Colts were apparently tired of the talk that they couldn’t cover a big spread or blow out an opponent. They came out on fire and never let up. The Eagles were horrible on defense and allowed the Colts to cover the big spread and run the total points of the game over the number.
# posted by Eho @ 2:06 PM 
Friday, November 24, 2006
NFL Week 12 Picks
Here's my picks. I won't be putting much money on them though...
If Thanksgiving Thursday was any indication, perhaps favorites are the way to go with our picks this week. Although, recent weeks’ results have suggested that the league is anything but predictable. Nevertheless, we feel we have three solid plays to give out this week.
Buffalo +3
The Bills entertain the Jaguars and are coming off a hard fought win over Houston. We know, it should never be a hard fought win against the Texans, but it certainly was for Buffalo in Week 11. J.P. Losman had career numbers and the Bills may very well get Willis McGahee back in the lineup this Sunday.
Meanwhile, Jacksonville is a very inconsistent team. They now have 12 players on IR and the ones that are playing are sore. The Jags may very well win this road game in the cold at Buffalo, but if they do it’ll be extremely close. Take the Bills and the points.
New England -3.5
The recent suspension of Chicago DB Ricky Manning for the game against the Patriots hasn’t gotten a lot of fanfare. However, with DB Mike Brown already gone for the season and Pats’ QB Tim Brady coming off a great game, it does not bode well for Chicago.
Rex Grossman has proven to be fallible and the New England secondary should be able to give him fits. The Pats have lost a couple of games at home in a row and we don’t see them losing a third. Take New England and lay the points.
San Francisco +5
Our only road pick of the week, the 49ers are coming off three straight wins. Their defense has been winning them games of late and Alex Smith has been managing the offense quite efficiently. But the real story has got to be Frank Gore. His sheer dominance has been nothing short of spectacular.
St. Louis is fresh off being shutout in Carolina. The Rams have always had a great offense and so this shutout has got to be rattling their confidence. Meanwhile, their defense has been horrible during their five-game losing streak. To ask them to win by at least six points right now is just not smart. Take the points and the 49ers.
If Thanksgiving Thursday was any indication, perhaps favorites are the way to go with our picks this week. Although, recent weeks’ results have suggested that the league is anything but predictable. Nevertheless, we feel we have three solid plays to give out this week.
Buffalo +3
The Bills entertain the Jaguars and are coming off a hard fought win over Houston. We know, it should never be a hard fought win against the Texans, but it certainly was for Buffalo in Week 11. J.P. Losman had career numbers and the Bills may very well get Willis McGahee back in the lineup this Sunday.
Meanwhile, Jacksonville is a very inconsistent team. They now have 12 players on IR and the ones that are playing are sore. The Jags may very well win this road game in the cold at Buffalo, but if they do it’ll be extremely close. Take the Bills and the points.
New England -3.5
The recent suspension of Chicago DB Ricky Manning for the game against the Patriots hasn’t gotten a lot of fanfare. However, with DB Mike Brown already gone for the season and Pats’ QB Tim Brady coming off a great game, it does not bode well for Chicago.
Rex Grossman has proven to be fallible and the New England secondary should be able to give him fits. The Pats have lost a couple of games at home in a row and we don’t see them losing a third. Take New England and lay the points.
San Francisco +5
Our only road pick of the week, the 49ers are coming off three straight wins. Their defense has been winning them games of late and Alex Smith has been managing the offense quite efficiently. But the real story has got to be Frank Gore. His sheer dominance has been nothing short of spectacular.
St. Louis is fresh off being shutout in Carolina. The Rams have always had a great offense and so this shutout has got to be rattling their confidence. Meanwhile, their defense has been horrible during their five-game losing streak. To ask them to win by at least six points right now is just not smart. Take the points and the 49ers.
# posted by Eho @ 2:53 PM
NFL Thanksgiving Recap
Eating Turkey, drinking beer and watching football is what Thanksgiving is all about...
Three predictable results happened on Thanksgiving. All three teams that were underdogs lost and it makes me wonder whether or not favorites will clean up on the weekend as well. Here’s a look back.
Dolphins 27 Lions 10
Joey Harrington had more touchdown passes in the first quarter in this game than he had in four previous Thanksgiving Day starts in Detroit. Miami was relentless on the defensive line and thoroughly embarrassed the Lions’ running game. The Dolphins have now won four games in a row and are primed to make a run at a wildcard spot. It was an under, and Miami covered.
Cowboys 38 Buccaneers 10
The legend of Tony Romo grows from week-to-week, as he threw a Cowboy record-tying five touchdown passes en route to an easy win over Tampa Bay. The Bucs’ offensive line is just not very good and their defense has suffered too many injuries to play with good teams. Terrell Owens is having a blast catching (and dropping) passes from Romo and that, in turn, is making Bill Parcells a happy man. It was an over and Dallas covered.
Chiefs 19 Broncos 10
Larry Johnson was simply too much for the Broncos in this one. The big back had a field day in the second half for Kansas City. Alas, it’s getting sad to watch Denver’s offense operate with kid gloves every week under Jake Plummer. We can only hope Cutler gets the call in 10 days versus the Seahawks. The Chiefs covered and the under prevailed.
Three predictable results happened on Thanksgiving. All three teams that were underdogs lost and it makes me wonder whether or not favorites will clean up on the weekend as well. Here’s a look back.
Dolphins 27 Lions 10
Joey Harrington had more touchdown passes in the first quarter in this game than he had in four previous Thanksgiving Day starts in Detroit. Miami was relentless on the defensive line and thoroughly embarrassed the Lions’ running game. The Dolphins have now won four games in a row and are primed to make a run at a wildcard spot. It was an under, and Miami covered.
Cowboys 38 Buccaneers 10
The legend of Tony Romo grows from week-to-week, as he threw a Cowboy record-tying five touchdown passes en route to an easy win over Tampa Bay. The Bucs’ offensive line is just not very good and their defense has suffered too many injuries to play with good teams. Terrell Owens is having a blast catching (and dropping) passes from Romo and that, in turn, is making Bill Parcells a happy man. It was an over and Dallas covered.
Chiefs 19 Broncos 10
Larry Johnson was simply too much for the Broncos in this one. The big back had a field day in the second half for Kansas City. Alas, it’s getting sad to watch Denver’s offense operate with kid gloves every week under Jake Plummer. We can only hope Cutler gets the call in 10 days versus the Seahawks. The Chiefs covered and the under prevailed.
# posted by Eho @ 2:52 PM
Sunday, November 19, 2006
NFL Week 11 Review
It was a good weekend of NFL Football...
Dallas ended the last unbeaten record in the NFL this season by beating Indianapolis 21-14 on Sunday.
Marion Barber scored twice in the final period and quarterback Tony Romo was just about perfect in the second half as the Cowboys came from behind to win.
They move to 6-4 on the season and keep their playoff hopes very much alive while the Colts fall to 9-1.
Chicago continued their march towards the playoffs by shutting out the New York Jets 10-0 at the Meadowlands.
Chad Pennington and the Jets were able to move the ball against Chicago's vaunted defense.
But they were unable to get the points their yardage merited and it was the Bears who made the plays to move to 9-1 on the season.
A Robbie Gould field goal in the third quarter opened the scoring after the first half ended 0-0.
And then Rex Grossman hit Mark Bradley with a 57-yard touchdown pass to clinch victory.
New England bounced back to winning ways with a crushing 35-0 win over Green Bay.
Tom Brady threw for 244 yards and four touchdowns in a superb display, while opposite number Brett Favre left early with an elbow injury.
Baltimore continued their fine season by beating Atlanta 24-10 to move to 8-2.
Jamal Lewis rushed for 91 yards and three touchdowns as the Ravens recovered from an early deficit to severely damage Atlanta's playoff hopes.
Philadelphia lost Donovan McNabb for the season with a torn cruciate ligament as their playoff hopes took a huge nosedive in a 31-13 defeat by Tennessee.
Travis Henry rushed for 143 yards - including a 70-yard score - as the Titans caused an upset.
San Francisco (5-5) are surprise contenders for the NFC West title after beating Seattle (6-4) 20-14.
Frank Gore powered his way to 212 yards rushing on just 24 carries to lead the 49ers to a famous victory.
Carolina (now 6-4) kept their post-season hopes alive by shutting out St Louis 15-0.
DeAngelo Williams rushed for 114 yards on 20 carries as the Panthers controlled proceedings and Jake Delhomme hit Steve Smith with a 62-yard scoring pass.
Cincinnati bounced back from that heartbreaking defeat by the Chargers last weekend to notch a surprise victory 31-16 in New Orleans.
Carson Palmer threw for 275 yards and three scores - all to the unstoppable Chad Johnson (six catches for 190 yards).
Cincy improves to 5-5 with the win while the Saints fall to 6-4.
Larry Johnson rumbled for 154 yards and two scores as Kansas City beat hapless Oakland 17-13 to improve to 6-4.
And Miami's defense produced two touchdowns as the Dolphins continued their recent renaissance by beating Minnesota 24-20.
Renaldo Hill returned a fumble 48 yards for a score while Jason Taylor brought back an interception 51 yards.
Super Bowl champions Pittsburgh needed two scores in the dying minutes to beat Cleveland 24-20.
Willie Parker obliged for both, the second a four-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger with just 32 seconds remaining.
Lee Evans caught 11 passes for 265 yards and two touchdowns as Buffalo beat Houston 24-21.
Both of his scores were 83-yarders from JP Losman and both came in the opening quarter.
But it took a 15-yarder from Losman to Peerless Price in the final two minutes to clinch victory after the Bills had fallen behind.
Jason Campbell threw two TDs in his first start for Washington but it wasn't enough to avoid a 20-17 loss to Tampa Bay.
Matt Leinart got his first victory as a pro when Arizona beat Detroit 17-10. He threw for 233 yards and a score.
Dallas ended the last unbeaten record in the NFL this season by beating Indianapolis 21-14 on Sunday.
Marion Barber scored twice in the final period and quarterback Tony Romo was just about perfect in the second half as the Cowboys came from behind to win.
They move to 6-4 on the season and keep their playoff hopes very much alive while the Colts fall to 9-1.
Chicago continued their march towards the playoffs by shutting out the New York Jets 10-0 at the Meadowlands.
Chad Pennington and the Jets were able to move the ball against Chicago's vaunted defense.
But they were unable to get the points their yardage merited and it was the Bears who made the plays to move to 9-1 on the season.
A Robbie Gould field goal in the third quarter opened the scoring after the first half ended 0-0.
And then Rex Grossman hit Mark Bradley with a 57-yard touchdown pass to clinch victory.
New England bounced back to winning ways with a crushing 35-0 win over Green Bay.
Tom Brady threw for 244 yards and four touchdowns in a superb display, while opposite number Brett Favre left early with an elbow injury.
Baltimore continued their fine season by beating Atlanta 24-10 to move to 8-2.
Jamal Lewis rushed for 91 yards and three touchdowns as the Ravens recovered from an early deficit to severely damage Atlanta's playoff hopes.
Philadelphia lost Donovan McNabb for the season with a torn cruciate ligament as their playoff hopes took a huge nosedive in a 31-13 defeat by Tennessee.
Travis Henry rushed for 143 yards - including a 70-yard score - as the Titans caused an upset.
San Francisco (5-5) are surprise contenders for the NFC West title after beating Seattle (6-4) 20-14.
Frank Gore powered his way to 212 yards rushing on just 24 carries to lead the 49ers to a famous victory.
Carolina (now 6-4) kept their post-season hopes alive by shutting out St Louis 15-0.
DeAngelo Williams rushed for 114 yards on 20 carries as the Panthers controlled proceedings and Jake Delhomme hit Steve Smith with a 62-yard scoring pass.
Cincinnati bounced back from that heartbreaking defeat by the Chargers last weekend to notch a surprise victory 31-16 in New Orleans.
Carson Palmer threw for 275 yards and three scores - all to the unstoppable Chad Johnson (six catches for 190 yards).
Cincy improves to 5-5 with the win while the Saints fall to 6-4.
Larry Johnson rumbled for 154 yards and two scores as Kansas City beat hapless Oakland 17-13 to improve to 6-4.
And Miami's defense produced two touchdowns as the Dolphins continued their recent renaissance by beating Minnesota 24-20.
Renaldo Hill returned a fumble 48 yards for a score while Jason Taylor brought back an interception 51 yards.
Super Bowl champions Pittsburgh needed two scores in the dying minutes to beat Cleveland 24-20.
Willie Parker obliged for both, the second a four-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger with just 32 seconds remaining.
Lee Evans caught 11 passes for 265 yards and two touchdowns as Buffalo beat Houston 24-21.
Both of his scores were 83-yarders from JP Losman and both came in the opening quarter.
But it took a 15-yarder from Losman to Peerless Price in the final two minutes to clinch victory after the Bills had fallen behind.
Jason Campbell threw two TDs in his first start for Washington but it wasn't enough to avoid a 20-17 loss to Tampa Bay.
Matt Leinart got his first victory as a pro when Arizona beat Detroit 17-10. He threw for 233 yards and a score.
# posted by Eho @ 6:33 PM
Monday, November 13, 2006
Bears Bite Back
Week 10 of the NFL gave us plenty of excitement...
Rookie Devin Hester matched the longest play in NFL history by returning a missed field goal 108 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter as the Chicago Bears made a loud statement with a 38-20 victory over the New York Giants.
Hester fielded Jay Feely's kick that came up short and after briefly hesitating, he raced untouched down the right sideline, picking up blocks along the way.
The Giants suffered more injury problems, including one to running back Tiki Barber, who played most of the game with a damaged hand.
Tony Romo threw for 308 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Dallas Cowboys to a 27-10 win over rookie Matt Leinart and the inept Arizona Cardinals.
Josh Brown kicked a 38-yard field goal with nine seconds remaining to give the Seattle Seahawks a 24-22 victory over the St Louis Rams.
Jake Plummer completed 11 consecutive passes at one point in the second half and threw a pair of touchdowns to guide the Denver Broncos to a 17-13 triumph over AFC West rivals Oakland.
Willie Parker enjoyed the best rushing performance of the 2006 season as the Pittsburgh Steelers snapped a three-game losing streak with a 38-31 success over New Orleans.
Rian Lindell missed a 41-yard field goal attempt with 6:22 left in the fourth quarter and the Indianapolis Colts consumed the rest of the clock to beat the Buffalo Bills 17-16 on Sunday.
The lone unbeaten team left in the NFL, the Colts became the first team to start 9-0 in consecutive seasons. In 2005, they were 13-0 before losing at home to San Diego.
The Bills (3-6) nearly ruined the script.
Lindell made field goals of 22, 43 and 30 yards, but was wide right on his potential game-winning attempt.
Elsewhere, Brett Favre threw for 347 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Green Bay Packers to a 23-17 victory over Minnesota.
Favre put on a vintage performance in carving up the Vikings' defence, including a go-ahead 82-yard TD pass to Donald Driver in the final minute of the first half.
He finished 24-of-42 with no interceptions.
There was a thrilling game in Cincinnati where San Diego posted a 49-41 victory.
LaDainian Tomlinson matched his career high and franchise record with four rushing touchdowns and Philip Rivers threw for 337 yards and three scores for the Chargers.
The Bengals (4-5) made 545 yards but still lost after blowing a 21-point lead.
Tomlinson now leads the NFL with 18 touchdowns, including 16 rushing. He finished with 104 yards on 22 carries.
Ronnie Brown rushed for 89 yards and a touchdown and the Miami Dolphins contained Larry Johnson en route to a 13-10 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Brown carried 25 times, including a one-yard touchdown in the second quarter, which gave Miami a 13-0 lead.
Defensively, the Dolphins limited Johnson to 75 rushing yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown which wasn't enough.
The New York Jets beat AFC East rivals New England for the first time in eight attempts, winning 17-14.
Chad Pennington hooked up with Jerricho Cotchery for a key touchdown pass in the fourth quarter as the Jets capitalised on a late interception.
The result marked the first time since 2002 that the Patriots had lost consecutive games.
Houston also snapped an unwanted streak, winning for the first time on the road since December 2004, a run covering 12 winless games.
The Texans intercepted David Garrard four times en route to a 13-10 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Dunta Robinson, Morlon Greenwood, Demarcus Faggins and Anthony Weaver had interceptions for Houston, who beat the Jags for the second time in three weeks.
Tennessee old boy Steve McNair hit Derrick Mason with an 11-yard touchdown pass with 3:35 remaining to lift the Baltimore Ravens to a 27-26 victory over the Titans.
Thanks to McNair, the Ravens (7-2) have now made their best start in franchise history and own a commanding three-game lead over Cincinnati in the AFC North.
At first it appeared that McNair's return would be upstaged by rookie Vince Young as he helped the Titans build a 26-7 lead.
But McNair remained unflappable and chipped away at the lead before firing the winning touchdown to Mason, another former Titan.
In an all-NFC East clash, the Philadelphia Eagles coasted to a 27-3 victory over Washington.
Donte' Stallworth, Correll Buckhalter and cornerback Sheldon Brown all scored touchdowns for the Eagles, while the Redskins (3-6) lost Pro Bowl running back Clinton Portis to a broken right hand in the first quarter.
The Cleveland Browns physically pounded Michael Vick en route to a 17-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.
Star quarterback Vick completed just 16-of-40 passes for 197 yards and one touchdown and two interceptions while also losing a fumble.
In the second quarter, Vick also briefly left the game after taking a hard shot as the Falcons suffered their second straight disappointing loss.
In the day's other game, Frank Gore rushed for a career-high 159 yards and a touchdown and Joe Nedney kicked four field goals to lead the San Francisco 49ers to a 19-13 victory over the Detroit Lions.
Rookie Devin Hester matched the longest play in NFL history by returning a missed field goal 108 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter as the Chicago Bears made a loud statement with a 38-20 victory over the New York Giants.
Hester fielded Jay Feely's kick that came up short and after briefly hesitating, he raced untouched down the right sideline, picking up blocks along the way.
The Giants suffered more injury problems, including one to running back Tiki Barber, who played most of the game with a damaged hand.
Tony Romo threw for 308 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Dallas Cowboys to a 27-10 win over rookie Matt Leinart and the inept Arizona Cardinals.
Josh Brown kicked a 38-yard field goal with nine seconds remaining to give the Seattle Seahawks a 24-22 victory over the St Louis Rams.
Jake Plummer completed 11 consecutive passes at one point in the second half and threw a pair of touchdowns to guide the Denver Broncos to a 17-13 triumph over AFC West rivals Oakland.
Willie Parker enjoyed the best rushing performance of the 2006 season as the Pittsburgh Steelers snapped a three-game losing streak with a 38-31 success over New Orleans.
Rian Lindell missed a 41-yard field goal attempt with 6:22 left in the fourth quarter and the Indianapolis Colts consumed the rest of the clock to beat the Buffalo Bills 17-16 on Sunday.
The lone unbeaten team left in the NFL, the Colts became the first team to start 9-0 in consecutive seasons. In 2005, they were 13-0 before losing at home to San Diego.
The Bills (3-6) nearly ruined the script.
Lindell made field goals of 22, 43 and 30 yards, but was wide right on his potential game-winning attempt.
Elsewhere, Brett Favre threw for 347 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Green Bay Packers to a 23-17 victory over Minnesota.
Favre put on a vintage performance in carving up the Vikings' defence, including a go-ahead 82-yard TD pass to Donald Driver in the final minute of the first half.
He finished 24-of-42 with no interceptions.
There was a thrilling game in Cincinnati where San Diego posted a 49-41 victory.
LaDainian Tomlinson matched his career high and franchise record with four rushing touchdowns and Philip Rivers threw for 337 yards and three scores for the Chargers.
The Bengals (4-5) made 545 yards but still lost after blowing a 21-point lead.
Tomlinson now leads the NFL with 18 touchdowns, including 16 rushing. He finished with 104 yards on 22 carries.
Ronnie Brown rushed for 89 yards and a touchdown and the Miami Dolphins contained Larry Johnson en route to a 13-10 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Brown carried 25 times, including a one-yard touchdown in the second quarter, which gave Miami a 13-0 lead.
Defensively, the Dolphins limited Johnson to 75 rushing yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown which wasn't enough.
The New York Jets beat AFC East rivals New England for the first time in eight attempts, winning 17-14.
Chad Pennington hooked up with Jerricho Cotchery for a key touchdown pass in the fourth quarter as the Jets capitalised on a late interception.
The result marked the first time since 2002 that the Patriots had lost consecutive games.
Houston also snapped an unwanted streak, winning for the first time on the road since December 2004, a run covering 12 winless games.
The Texans intercepted David Garrard four times en route to a 13-10 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Dunta Robinson, Morlon Greenwood, Demarcus Faggins and Anthony Weaver had interceptions for Houston, who beat the Jags for the second time in three weeks.
Tennessee old boy Steve McNair hit Derrick Mason with an 11-yard touchdown pass with 3:35 remaining to lift the Baltimore Ravens to a 27-26 victory over the Titans.
Thanks to McNair, the Ravens (7-2) have now made their best start in franchise history and own a commanding three-game lead over Cincinnati in the AFC North.
At first it appeared that McNair's return would be upstaged by rookie Vince Young as he helped the Titans build a 26-7 lead.
But McNair remained unflappable and chipped away at the lead before firing the winning touchdown to Mason, another former Titan.
In an all-NFC East clash, the Philadelphia Eagles coasted to a 27-3 victory over Washington.
Donte' Stallworth, Correll Buckhalter and cornerback Sheldon Brown all scored touchdowns for the Eagles, while the Redskins (3-6) lost Pro Bowl running back Clinton Portis to a broken right hand in the first quarter.
The Cleveland Browns physically pounded Michael Vick en route to a 17-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.
Star quarterback Vick completed just 16-of-40 passes for 197 yards and one touchdown and two interceptions while also losing a fumble.
In the second quarter, Vick also briefly left the game after taking a hard shot as the Falcons suffered their second straight disappointing loss.
In the day's other game, Frank Gore rushed for a career-high 159 yards and a touchdown and Joe Nedney kicked four field goals to lead the San Francisco 49ers to a 19-13 victory over the Detroit Lions.
# posted by Eho @ 10:51 AM
Monday, November 06, 2006
Dolphins Beat Bears
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Chris Chambers celebrates his 24-yard touchdown reception during the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field in Chicago on November 5, 2006. The Dolphins won 31-13.
# posted by Eho @ 2:14 PM
NFL Week 9 - Bears no longer perfect
Joey Harrington tossed three TD passes as Miami Dolphins shocked Chicago
31-13 to hand the unbeaten Bears their first loss of the season yesterday.
With just one win this season the Dolphins (2-6) were not expected to present
the heavily favoured Bears with much of challenge, particularly at home
where they were unbeaten in their last 10 games at Soldier Field.
In other games yesterday:
Detroit Lions (2-6) polished off visiting Atlanta Falcons (5-3) in a 30-14
decision. The hometown Baltimore Ravens (6-2) jumped ahead 14-0 in the first five
minutes and never looked back in a 26-20 win over the Cincinnati Bengals (4-4).
Washington kicker Nick Novak had a second chance to kick a gamewinning FG in the dying
seconds, nailing this one after missing a 49-yarder with 31 seconds to go, to
lift the hometown Redskins (3-5) to a 22-19 win over the Dallas Cowboys (4-4).
Green Bay Packers (3-5) surrendered a 24-10 loss to the hometown Buffalo Bills (3-5).
Hometown NY Giants (6-2) knocked off the Houston Texans (2-6) by a score of 14-10.
Kansas City Chiefs (5-3) took a 31-17 win over the hometown St. Louis Rams (4-4).
Visiting New Orleans Saints (6-2) continued their winning ways with a 31-14
rollover of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-6). Jacksonville Jaguars (5-3) disposed of the visiting
Tennessee Titans (2-6) by a score of 37-7.
San Francisco 49ers (3-5) won a game of FGs in a 9-3 snorefest over the visiting Minnesota Vikings
(4-4). The hometown Super Bowl champs Pittsburgh Steelers (2-6) again failed to show why they were
champs last season, in a 31-20 loss to the Denver Broncos (6-2).
San Diego Chargers (6-2) held off the visiting Cleveland Browns (2-6) by a score of 32-25.
31-13 to hand the unbeaten Bears their first loss of the season yesterday.
With just one win this season the Dolphins (2-6) were not expected to present
the heavily favoured Bears with much of challenge, particularly at home
where they were unbeaten in their last 10 games at Soldier Field.
In other games yesterday:
Detroit Lions (2-6) polished off visiting Atlanta Falcons (5-3) in a 30-14
decision. The hometown Baltimore Ravens (6-2) jumped ahead 14-0 in the first five
minutes and never looked back in a 26-20 win over the Cincinnati Bengals (4-4).
Washington kicker Nick Novak had a second chance to kick a gamewinning FG in the dying
seconds, nailing this one after missing a 49-yarder with 31 seconds to go, to
lift the hometown Redskins (3-5) to a 22-19 win over the Dallas Cowboys (4-4).
Green Bay Packers (3-5) surrendered a 24-10 loss to the hometown Buffalo Bills (3-5).
Hometown NY Giants (6-2) knocked off the Houston Texans (2-6) by a score of 14-10.
Kansas City Chiefs (5-3) took a 31-17 win over the hometown St. Louis Rams (4-4).
Visiting New Orleans Saints (6-2) continued their winning ways with a 31-14
rollover of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-6). Jacksonville Jaguars (5-3) disposed of the visiting
Tennessee Titans (2-6) by a score of 37-7.
San Francisco 49ers (3-5) won a game of FGs in a 9-3 snorefest over the visiting Minnesota Vikings
(4-4). The hometown Super Bowl champs Pittsburgh Steelers (2-6) again failed to show why they were
champs last season, in a 31-20 loss to the Denver Broncos (6-2).
San Diego Chargers (6-2) held off the visiting Cleveland Browns (2-6) by a score of 32-25.
# posted by Eho @ 10:35 AM
Thursday, November 02, 2006
NFL Football Picks Week 9 - Fantasy...
Fantasy football picks for week 9...I haven't been doing too well lately.
Shawne Merriman tests positive for steroids and the biggest question is whether he will or won’t appeal. Would the public’s response be the same if a baseball player of his equivalent, such as Justin Morneau, tested positive for juicing? Somehow I doubt it. Here's my fantasy player match-ups:
Group 1
Carson Palmer
LaDainian Tomlinson
Andre Johnson
vs
Peyton Manning
Larry Johnson
Hines Ward
Both quarterbacks in this group head into hostile environments as Carson Palmer heads into Baltimore while Peyton Manning travels to Gillette Stadium in New England. Manning has thrown 14 INT’s in 11 games vs the Patriots and his team might have to rely heavily on Larry Johnson and Hines Ward to carry them. Palmer teams with Tomlinson, the hottest fantasy commodity at this point, and Andre Johnson, who leads the NFL in receiving. Pick: Carson Palmer, LaDainian Tomlinson, Andre Johnson
Group 2
Tom Brady
Willie Parker
Reggie Wayne
vs
Eli Manning
Tiki Barber
Jeremy Shockey
Tom Brady has led the Patriots to a quiet 6-1 but they won’t fly under the radar with a win this week. He teams with fast Willie Parker, whose five rushing touchdowns rank fourth-best in the NFL, and Reggie Wayne, who is off a monster three touchdown performance. They square off with an all-Giants team, led by the NFL’s leading rusher, Tiki Barber. They will host the Houston Texans this weekend. Pick: Eli Manning, Tiki Barber, Jeremy Shockey
Group 3
Drew Brees
Steven Jackson
Marvin Harrison
vs
Philip Rivers
Clinton Portis
Torry Holt
The former Chargers’ quarterbacks face-off once again in our fantasy match-ups and while Philip Rivers has been a pillar of consistency, Drew Brees will look to get back to his winning ways after a couple of ugly interceptions last week. He teams with Steven Jackson, who has piled up over 800 total yards but only has three touchdowns to show for his efforts, and Marvin Harrison. Rivers will work with Clinton Portis, who is battling a high ankle sprain and Torry Holt, who leads the NFL with seven receiving touchowns. Pick: Philip Rivers, Clinton Portis, Torry Holt
Group 4
Michael Vick
Chester Taylor
Roy Williams
vs
Marc Bulger
Warrick Dunn
Steve Smith
Michael Vick has played like a fantasy stud the past two weeks, compiling 618 yards and seven touchdowns. Given his hot streak, he should have an easy time of things carving up the meager Detroit Lions. The quarterback on the other side, Marc Bulger, returns to his friendly indoor confines this week and will try to keep the Rams atop the NFC West. Look for both Warrick Dunn and Chester Taylor to get back on track after mild production last week. Pick: Marc Bulger, Warrick Dunn, Steve Smith
Group 5
Wide Receivers
Darrell Jackson
Anquan Boldin
Laveranues Coles
Javon Walker
Pick: Anquan Boldin
Group 6
Running Backs
Willis McGahee
Kevin Jones
Julius Jones
Rudi Johnson
Pick: Willis McGahee
Shawne Merriman tests positive for steroids and the biggest question is whether he will or won’t appeal. Would the public’s response be the same if a baseball player of his equivalent, such as Justin Morneau, tested positive for juicing? Somehow I doubt it. Here's my fantasy player match-ups:
Group 1
Carson Palmer
LaDainian Tomlinson
Andre Johnson
vs
Peyton Manning
Larry Johnson
Hines Ward
Both quarterbacks in this group head into hostile environments as Carson Palmer heads into Baltimore while Peyton Manning travels to Gillette Stadium in New England. Manning has thrown 14 INT’s in 11 games vs the Patriots and his team might have to rely heavily on Larry Johnson and Hines Ward to carry them. Palmer teams with Tomlinson, the hottest fantasy commodity at this point, and Andre Johnson, who leads the NFL in receiving. Pick: Carson Palmer, LaDainian Tomlinson, Andre Johnson
Group 2
Tom Brady
Willie Parker
Reggie Wayne
vs
Eli Manning
Tiki Barber
Jeremy Shockey
Tom Brady has led the Patriots to a quiet 6-1 but they won’t fly under the radar with a win this week. He teams with fast Willie Parker, whose five rushing touchdowns rank fourth-best in the NFL, and Reggie Wayne, who is off a monster three touchdown performance. They square off with an all-Giants team, led by the NFL’s leading rusher, Tiki Barber. They will host the Houston Texans this weekend. Pick: Eli Manning, Tiki Barber, Jeremy Shockey
Group 3
Drew Brees
Steven Jackson
Marvin Harrison
vs
Philip Rivers
Clinton Portis
Torry Holt
The former Chargers’ quarterbacks face-off once again in our fantasy match-ups and while Philip Rivers has been a pillar of consistency, Drew Brees will look to get back to his winning ways after a couple of ugly interceptions last week. He teams with Steven Jackson, who has piled up over 800 total yards but only has three touchdowns to show for his efforts, and Marvin Harrison. Rivers will work with Clinton Portis, who is battling a high ankle sprain and Torry Holt, who leads the NFL with seven receiving touchowns. Pick: Philip Rivers, Clinton Portis, Torry Holt
Group 4
Michael Vick
Chester Taylor
Roy Williams
vs
Marc Bulger
Warrick Dunn
Steve Smith
Michael Vick has played like a fantasy stud the past two weeks, compiling 618 yards and seven touchdowns. Given his hot streak, he should have an easy time of things carving up the meager Detroit Lions. The quarterback on the other side, Marc Bulger, returns to his friendly indoor confines this week and will try to keep the Rams atop the NFC West. Look for both Warrick Dunn and Chester Taylor to get back on track after mild production last week. Pick: Marc Bulger, Warrick Dunn, Steve Smith
Group 5
Wide Receivers
Darrell Jackson
Anquan Boldin
Laveranues Coles
Javon Walker
Pick: Anquan Boldin
Group 6
Running Backs
Willis McGahee
Kevin Jones
Julius Jones
Rudi Johnson
Pick: Willis McGahee
# posted by Eho @ 9:46 PM
