Joe's 2012 NFL Black Monday Breakdown posted by Joe Anello

Black Monday in the NFL is always chock-full of news and storylines and this latest incarnation is no different. Along with the two head coaching vacancies we’re already aware of (Miami and Jacksonville) two more holes opened up on Monday (with more likely on the way). Here’s my take on the day’s news.

As many great sound bites as Morris has given us, he also managed to deliver one craptacular year after raising expectations so high with a ten-win season in 2010. After starting this season 4-2, Morris’ young Bucs lost ten straight to finish at 4-12. And they weren’t close games either. These Bucs were routinely pummeled, ending with the 42-point first half they allowed to the Falcons on Sunday. The Glazer family had no choice.

Tampa Bay needs someone with experience this time around. Jeff Fisher’s going to be a hot commodity, but St. Louis or Miami would seem to have the inside track to land him. As opposed to the ridiculously young Morris, the Bucs could still hire someone young-ish, but a candidate with a greater wealth of NFL knowledge. Maybe Rob Chudzinski (currently OC for the Panthers) could be a dark horse for the job? Mike Sherman’s been bandied about by NFL Network’s Jason La Canfora, which would be the direct opposite of Morris. You know, old white guy re-tread.

The Opening Drive: Week 17, 2011-12 posted by Joe Anello

I’ll bet you thought week 17 in the NFL was meaningless! Well I call shenanigans on that premise entirely, as I’m ready to touch on ELEVEN games going on New Year’s Day. How’s THAT for an Opening Drive?

 

(10-5) Detroit Lions at
(14-1) Green Bay Packers

We pretty much know the story here. Detroit wants like hell to avoid losing and dropping to the sixth seed in the NFC, because that would mean a trip to New Orleans in the wild card round and a quick trip back home after a swift kick in the ass from Drew Brees and company. Green Bay has absolutely nothing to play for, so they’ll likely sit Rodgers and any banged up skill players early. Lions should win this one.

St. Louis is primed to snatch the number one draft pick away from Indy with another loss, meaning they’ll be the subject of so many “Should they draft Andrew Luck or trade (incumbent starter)” questions throughout the offseason. Seriously though, getting the number one pick twice in a span of only three seasons? Ouch.

There’s some mild playoff implications for the Jets here if they win and get a whole bunch of other (better) teams to lose on Sunday. Unfortunately, they probably won’t get past the whole “winning” thing on their own. Miami is one of those better teams.

Joe's 2011 Thursday Night Preview: Texans at Colts posted by Joe Anello

A whopping nine wins separate Thursday Night Football’s combatants tonight as the AFC South Champion Houston Texans travel to Lucas Oil Stadium to take on the finally-not-winless Colts. Will this be a game… or a slaughter?

(10-4) Houston Texans at
(1-13) Indianapolis Colts

Let’s just get this out of the way right now. Indy isn’t “dangerous.” Could they win behind Dan Orlovsky and a healthy dose of Donald Brown? Sure, maybe. That’s essentially what the offensive gameplan that Houston’s will employ. However, what will really be the factor tonight is the defense. Indianapolis just won’t be able to create the same turnovers or get the same stops as Houston’s can. They’re still pretty bad. They even have a reason to lose as they must ensure they get the number one pick. (Not saying they’ll do it on purpose, but hey, they probably should.)

For Houston, they’re going to need to follow the same formula they’ve been using all season. Hand that ball to Arian Foster and make sure the quarterback (whoever it is) doesn’t screw up. T.J. Yates had his issues last weekend against Carolina, but he won’t have to put up that kind of point total tonight. Lucky for him too, since he’s still without Andre Johnson. Houston is the forgotten division winner, having lost their top two quarterbacks and wide receiver to injury. They’ve had a successful season, but who could really pick them to get any further than the divisional round?

The Final Drive: Week 13, 2011 posted by Joe Anello

Week 13 in the NFL saw a variety of last second comebacks, including more “Jebus and Teebs” magic and a scare for the undefeated champs. Need to know more? Welcome to The Final Drive.

(7-5) Denver Broncos 35
(2-10) Minnesota Vikings 32

This is really starting to piss me off. Can’t SOMEONE knock this guy off the horse for ONE week? To be honest, this was probably Tebow’s best statistical game. He did complete 10 of his 15 passes. However, you can thank the defense for a timely turnover and Matt Prater for two clutch field goals. They are the real heroes.

I told you 20.5 points was too large a line! It was just begging to be betted on. Indianapolis played its best game in some time, out-gaining New England and controlling the ball. Unfortunately their two turnovers cost them this one, making their 21 fourth quarter points too little, too late.

Ow. That kinda hurt. After riding high with those “moral victories,” those pesky Bengals finally got put down by the cream of the AFC North. They might still get in for a wild card spot, but I don’t see them making much noise yet.

What a fantastic freaking game this was. Defenses were scarce aside from a few key plays, leaving these quarterbacks plenty of opportunities to light up the scoreboards. I don’t think I want to see what Tom Coughlin’s face looked like this morning. I swear that old man is so mad all the time his face probably takes 2-3 days to un-furiate.

Pick Six: Week 13 posted by Randolph Charlotin

1. The Gillette Stadium crowd thought they witnessed a Patriot claim another record, but the celebration was short lived. TE Rob Gronkowski scored three touchdowns, tying the record for touchdown receptions by a tight end in a season with 13. Gronk’s third TD was actually was a lateral though. History will have to wait at least a week for Gronkowski, but he did score his first rushing touchdown.

2. When Matthew Slater was drafted in 2008, he had experience at UCLA as a receiver, a returner, and safety. His defensive background was fully put to use as he started the game in place of Patrick Chung. Besides finishing with seven total tackles, Slater forced a fumble in the third quarter. Naturally, the ball was recovered by the human loose ball vacuum, CB Kyle Arrington.

3. It was ruled a fumble when RB Kevin Faulk hit the ground on a three yard gain in the first quarter. But when the replay was shown, head coach Bill Belichick reached for his red challenge flag. After further review, Faulk was down by contact and the play was reversed. Belichick has been money when challenging plays this season. He has won six of eight challenges.

4. A few firsts to mention. We saw the debut of Nick McDonald at center. WR Tiquan Underwood had his first reception as a Patriot for a 10-yard gain. The recently signed CB Nate Jones not only was in the starting lineup, he defended his first pass with the Pats. And LB Jerod Mayo had his first career interception on an athletic diving play over the middle in the fourth quarter.

5. WR Chad Ochocinco had his first reception since week 10 against the New York Jets. Ochocinco making a miniscule contribution is nothing new. How he was used was. Ochocinco’s reception came when the offense was running a no-huddle attack. This might be a sign of Ochocinco’s understanding of the offense. He wasn’t on the field during no-huddle or two-minute offense situations before. Ochocinco doesn’t play much, but if he fully grasps the offense, his role could expand. It would add a new wrinkle to the offense late in the season. Defenses don’t want to deal with another Patriot weapon.

The Opening Drive: Week 13, 2011 posted by Joe Anello

The weeks are rushing by in the NFL with the playoff picture beginning to take shape. Two 11-game streaks could push their way to 12 and an NFC contender tries to get by without one of their biggest stars.

(6-5) Tennessee Titans at
(5-6) Buffalo Bills

I gotta say, the only reason I’m putting this one on here is that the Titans could actually sneak their way into contention for a wildcard slot if the Jets and Bengals lose. That shouldn’t be a tremendous feat against the Bills, who are stumbling mightily.

This is crazy. A 20.5 point line for a professional game? That just proves how utterly hopeless the Colts have been this season. I don’t expect it to be close… but that’s a very large number. Very. Large. Still, with Dan Orlovsky starting for Indy it could be a safe bet.

The Bengals have had two shots to make statements against the Ravens and Steelers but have failed to deliver. Round two against the AFC Champs takes place on Sunday as the Bengals try to hang onto their playoff hopes. Look for things to be different this time around as Andy Dalton should hopefully have A.J. Green for the entire game.

Uh… who’s Houston starting at quarterback again? T.J. Yates? …It would be REALLY hard for me not to take Atlanta here. I’m not saying Yates is awful, but first starts are hardly ever stand-out performances. The Falcons are quietly winning but need a noisemaker for anyone to start taking them seriously.

Hours Before Kickoff: Week 13 posted by Randolph Charlotin

It was a convincing win over the Philadelphia Eagles that came surprisingly easier than expected.

Hope you enjoy re-runs for the rest of the season.

The combined record of the remaining opponents is 18-37. A third of those wins belong to the streaking Denver Broncos that won their last four games without a quarterback.

If the Patriots handle their business, there shouldn’t be a close game for the rest of the season. Try not to get bored by the second halves.

Watching New England play Bully might deliver some level of entertainment (especially against the hated and handicapped Colts and NFL darling QB Tim Tebow), but what do the Patriots get out of it?

For one, Belichick wants to build momentum in December to carry into the playoffs. Since 2001, New England finished the season with at least four wins eight times. Only in 2008 did they fail to reach the playoffs despite an 11-5 record.

When the Pats lost twice during the final stretch, New England either missed the playoffs (’02) or was one and done (’09).

Opposing records don’t matter. Looking at the four Super Bowl seasons, the remaining opponents combined for a losing record every time:

2001: 32-43
2003: 27-37
2004: 28-52
2007: 30-50

The power of momentum argument loses a little credibility in 2010. Against the toughest group of opponents (43-37 combined record), New England swept the five games, but lost in the divisional round. It is the only time a playoff-bound Patriots team finished undefeated through December but failed to reach the Super Bowl.

The Opening Drive: Week 12, 2011 posted by Joe Anello

I hope you got your fill of exciting and meaningful football on Thanksgiving, because there is a slew of pure crap on the early NFL schedule for week 12. I’ll still be entertained no matter what I’m watching, but you might want to sleep in a bit if you just want to watch good teams. It’s time to kick-off the Opening Drive!

(2-8) Carolina Panthers at
(0-10) Indianapolis Colts

I’ve got my eye on this game because it might be the only game Indy wins this entire season. Cam Newton’s production and excitement has waned in recent weeks, leaving a horrific defense and so-so offense in front of Panther fans. If Curtis Painter (or whatever crappy QB they put out there) was ever going to put up a respectable point total, it’d be in this match-up. Though now that I’ve said that they’ll probably get shut-out.

(5-5) Buffalo Bills at
(5-5) New York Jets 

For the Bills and Jets, this game is a chance to get back into the AFC Wild Card hunt, since neither team will be able to catch up to the Patriots. It would be more interesting if the Jets hadn’t absolutely pounded the Bills in Buffalo only three weeks ago, but alas, we’re probably in for more of the same. Rumors of an out in the Ryan Fitzpatrick contract are swirling heavily. He needs to play really well down this stretch in order to avoid being dropped like a mediocre hat at the end of the year.

Joe's 2011 Midseason Musings posted by Joe Anello

It’s the mid-way point of the NFL season this week, which of course means plenty of pontificating and meaningless award giving. I want in on the fun so here are the 2011 Midseason Musings!

Offensive Rookie of the (Half) Year: Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals

It’s easy to say Cam Newton since he has some wicked stat lines, but Dalton’s getting it done for a 6-2 that NO ONE thought would be a contender.  He’s up over 60% in completions and has twelve scores and only seven picks on the season. Thanks to fellow rookie A.J. Green, Dalton has the trappings of a bona fide Rookie of the Year.
Honorable Mention: Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers

Defensive Rookie of the (Half) Year: Aldon Smith, San Francisco 49ers

Yeah baby. He’s racked up 6.5 sacks and on a 7-1 team with a bruising defense. For all the talk of how raw he was going to be, he’s certainly bypassed the potential phase of his career. (At least in his first eight games.)
Honorable Mention: Von Miller, Denver Broncos

 

Biggest Surprise: Cincinnati Bengals

Yeah… I pretty much whiffed completely on this one in my preseason predictions. They may not be a legitimate AFC player, but they’re not the bottom-feeder many of us thought they’d be. Andy Dalton’s playing nearly mistake-free football with a great crop of wide-outs and the addition of Nate Clements to the defense has panned out thus far.

The Opening Drive, Week 8, 2011 posted by Joe Anello

Week eight in the NFL season features several division match-ups and an early showdown between two favorites in the AFC. Let’s just ignore some of the… uglier games on the schedule. (Especially the early games. They’re not pretty.)

(0-7) Indianapolis Colts at
(3-3) Tennessee Titans

This game is particularly interesting to me because both teams are coming off of pretty embarrassing losses and need to bounce back in a big way. Unfortunately for the Colts, they still suck something awful. If they don’t get beat by 55 points, consider it a win.

Was the Jaguars’ win over the Ravens a stepping stone to something greater? Their offense should have an easier time against the Texans this week, but it might not be enough to combat Matt Schaub, who’s been rolling even without Andre Johnson.

This… is one of the marquee match-ups this week. That feels weird to say. Both of these squads started fast out of the gates to jump on their respective divisions, but now they’ve fallen back to Earth and have little room for error. Ryan Fitzpatrick has to deliver a huge game following the mega-deal he just inked.

Tebow time! Hopefully he’ll lose this week so I don’t have to see him kiss another man on the sidelines. Wait, maybe I do want to see that. I’ll get back to you on that one.

Colts owner unhappy Manning went public (AP)

[read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports

Colts hire Ravens DC Pagano as coach

The Indianapolis Colts have hired Baltimore Ravens defensivecoordinator Chuck Pagano as their new head coach, the teamannounced Wednesday. [read full article]

From FOXSports.com News for NFL

Report: Manning unsure he'll be in Indy

In a lengthy interview with the Indianapolis Star publishedTuesday, the injured Indianapolis Colts starting QB admitted thathe does not know if we will be back In Indy next season with theteam that drafted him back in 1998 with the No. 1 overall pick. [read full article]

From FOXSports.com News for NFL

Jim Tressel could be sensible option for Indianapolis Colts

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From FOXSports.com News for NFL

Owner Johnson backs Sanchez, but ...

New York Jets owner Woody Johnson says quarterback Mark Sanchez''is our guy,'' but also wouldn't rule out the possibility ofpursuing a veteran such as Peyton Manning if the Indianapolis Coltsstar became available. [read full article]

From FOXSports.com News for NFL