Post by prossman on Dec 24, 2008 10:32:39 GMT -7
Adam Schefter
What a difference a year makes
Posted: December 24th, 2008 | Adam Schefter | Tags: Bill Belichick, New England Patriots
One year ago, the talk was not of bailouts but copouts.
Our government, at least certain members of it, were outraged –- outraged! — that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell copped out and did not come down harder on the unscrupulous New England Patriots and the villainous Bill Belichick for the heinous crime some termed as “Spygate.”
United States Senator Arlen Specter (R, Penn.) actually spent time writing to Goodell, demanding answers as to what happened to the destroyed tapes, as if those tapes contained secrets that were crucial to the success of mankind.
Think about how much better off our world would be if our elected officials would have directed their energies at government regulation and financial ethics. Instead, a chief concern was videotapes that featured cheelerleaders and benefited the Patriots.
It’s almost as if, last year, we had nothing better to complain about. Now it’s a little different. Billions, if not trillions, of dollars are gone. Way too many jobs have been lost. And the audacity of hopelessness has set in among too many people.
To think that the video-taping scandal actually commanded the attention of our government now is almost laughable, which might not be the worst thing. Everyone could use a good laugh, not to mention a little perspective, these days.
Permalink | ShareThis
Adam Schefter
Favre, Jets trying to avoid fade to black
Posted: December 23rd, 2008 | Adam Schefter | Tags: Brett Favre, Eric Mangini, New York Jets
It is not just Jets fans that have detected quarterback Brett Favre fading. To a certain degree, Jets coach Eric Mangini has done the same.
Asked whether he thought Favre was fading, Mangini responded: “There are some throws (at Seattle) that he definitely could’ve hit better, but there were some throws that were easily catchable and we didn’t come up with the catch. You catch a few of those and things look dramatically different. There were plenty of those balls, too.”
But Favre has not played as well recently as he did early in the year, a topic Mangini was asked about Tuesday.
“Anytime you’re not doing well on third down, the amount of opportunities decreases,” Mangini said. “We haven’t been very effective in that situation. The amount of drives lessens. The time of possession lessens. The opportunity to keep throwing the ball lessens. It’s been constrictive the last four games as well.”
Meanwhile, former Jets and current Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington has played himself into the running for the league MVP award.
These days, there are callers to sports talk radio shows talking about how they wish Pennington was still the Jets QB. But those same callers now are questioning Favre.
Permalink | ShareThis
Adam Schefter
Giants 52 yards from NFL record book
Posted: December 23rd, 2008 | Adam Schefter | Tags: Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward, New York Giants
Nicknamed Earth, Wind and Fire, the Giants backfield is on the verge of dancing its way into the NFL record book.
Fresh off his 215-yard explosion against the Carolina Panthers, Giants running back Derrick Ward needs only 52 more rushing yards to reach 1,000 for the season. It is a total that New York’s other running back, Brandon Jacobs, already has met and surpassed.
If Jacobs is on the bench Sunday, allowing his knee to get healthier for New York’s divisional playoff game, the Giants will be apt to give more carries to Ward. And if Ward gets the carries he needs to pick up those 52 yards and go over 1,000 for the season, the Giants would become the fourth team in NFL history to have two running backs with over 1,000 rushing yards in a season.
The last team to do it was the 1985 Cleveland Browns with Kevin Mack and Earnest Byner. The only other two teams to do it were the 1972 Miami Dolphins with Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris, and the 1976 Pittsburgh Steelers with Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier.
Now the Giants are trying to run their way into the NFL record book.
Earth is moving. Wind is blowing. And the NFL record book is waiting.
Permalink | ShareThis
Adam Schefter
Busy weeks ahead for celebrated assistants
Posted: December 23rd, 2008 | Adam Schefter | Tags: New York Giants, Tennessee Titans
When the New York Giants and Tennessee Titans clinched first-round byes last weekend, they unintentionally invited teams in need of head coaches to interview their coveted defensive coordinators next week.
Both the Giants and Titans will be off, which means New York defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride, Tennessee defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, and Titans offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger each could be asked to interview for head coaching jobs that pop open next week.
Any team that wants to interview Spagnuolo, Gilbride, Schwartz or Heimerdinger, some of the most sought-after assistants on the open market, is going to have to do it next week. It could lead to a busy week for the coordinators as they prepare for head-coaching interviews in one moment, and begin to get ready for their team’s divisional playoff game in the next.
And there are more interviews riding on the results of Sunday’s game. Should New England fall short of winning the AFC East title or fail to advance to the postseason, then Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels would be allowed to interview for a head coaching job sooner than if the Patriots season continued on.
These are some of the storylines of the NFL’s fifth quarter, which often turns into the league’s wildest and most unpredictable time.
Permalink | ShareThis
Adam Schefter
Worst to first a trend in NFC South
Posted: December 23rd, 2008 | Adam Schefter | Tags: Atlanta Falcons, NFC South
Football’s longest and most bizarre streak is on five years running, and it could be six after Sunday.
If Carolina loses at New Orleans, and Atlanta beats St. Louis, then the Falcons will become the sixth straight NFC South team to go from worst to first.
Every year since realignment in 2002, it has happened without fail, worst going to first.
The first year, Carolina finished last in 2002 (7-9) and first in 2003 (11-5). Then Atlanta finished last in 2003 (5-11) and first in 2004 (11-5). Then Tampa Bay finished last in 2004 (5-11) and first in 2005 (11-5).
Then New Orleans finished last in 2005 (3-13) and first in 2006 (10-6). Then Tampa Bay finished last in 2006 (4-12) and first in 2007 (9-7). Then Atlanta finished last in 2007 (4-12) in the most nightmarish season a team could not want to have, and look now.
No one thought the streak could hold this season. No one thought it could happen again with these Falcons. But then, no one thought it could happen in any of the other previous years, either — and it turned out to be even more automatic than Peyton Manning in a game’s final minutes.
The fact that it could happen again Sunday is disconcerting for Carolina, encouraging for Atlanta, and reassuring for New Orleans, which currently sits in last place in the NFC South. But in this division, last in one season has meant first in the next.
If only our last-place economy could belong in the NFC South.
Permalink | ShareThis
Adam Schefter
Another meaningless Week 17 for Giants
Posted: December 23rd, 2008 | Adam Schefter | Tags: New York Giants, Tom Coughlin
The Giants have repeated the scenario in which their final regular-season game means nothing.
Only this year’s regular-season finale vs. Minnesota — ripe with playoff ramifications for the NFC North — is different than last year’s regular-season finale vs. New England.
Last year, the Giants treated the meaningless game as if it were jam-packed with meaning. They played their regulars. They went all out. They did everything they could to win a game that, technically, didn’t matter. Only it turned out that the game propelled the Giants into the postseason and on to a Super Bowl victory over the previously unbeaten Patriots team that Giants lost to during the regular season’s final weekend.
This year, the Giants are coming off a momentum-building win over Carolina. The offense was clicking. Now, it will be easier for Giants coach Tom Coughlin to rest some of the starters that have battled injuries through the second half of the season.
It will not be surprising to see Coughlin lean on the medical advice of his doctors and rest running back Brandon Jacobs, who has been battling a knee injury, and defensive tackle Fred Robbins, who has been battling a shoulder injury, and even cornerback Aaron Ross, who suffered a concussion last week.
Coughlin could also opt to rest defensive end Justin Tuck (leg) and offensive tackle Kareem McKenzie (back). It’s even possible that the playing time of quarterback Eli Manning will be limited, depending on what Coughlin believes is the best approach. Coughlin wants to see how the week goes and how the players are feeling before making any final decisions.
Yet as the Giants prepare for a Vikings team that needs to win Sunday’s game to clinch the NFC North title, one thing is certain: for a variety of reasons, the Giants will not treat this year’s regular-season finale the same way they treated last year’s.
Permalink | ShareThis
Adam Schefter
Ellis throws $10,000 snowball
Posted: December 23rd, 2008 | Adam Schefter
It’s all right for kids to toss snowballs, but not NFL players.
Jets defensive end Shaun Ellis was fined $10,000 for tossing a large snow clump in the direction of Seahawks fans on Sunday. The NFL pointed out that players are notified prior to each season that any contact with fans that potentially presents crowd-control issues and risk of injury is prohibited.
In addition, players are informed that they must not confront fans at any time on game day and must leave those types of issues to security personnel.
So the league hit up Ellis on Tuesday, which raises this question: What if a camera doesn’t capture him throwing the massive snowball? Then maybe Ellis never is fined. But a fan caught it, and so did the NFL.
Permalink | ShareThis
What a difference a year makes
Posted: December 24th, 2008 | Adam Schefter | Tags: Bill Belichick, New England Patriots
One year ago, the talk was not of bailouts but copouts.
Our government, at least certain members of it, were outraged –- outraged! — that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell copped out and did not come down harder on the unscrupulous New England Patriots and the villainous Bill Belichick for the heinous crime some termed as “Spygate.”
United States Senator Arlen Specter (R, Penn.) actually spent time writing to Goodell, demanding answers as to what happened to the destroyed tapes, as if those tapes contained secrets that were crucial to the success of mankind.
Think about how much better off our world would be if our elected officials would have directed their energies at government regulation and financial ethics. Instead, a chief concern was videotapes that featured cheelerleaders and benefited the Patriots.
It’s almost as if, last year, we had nothing better to complain about. Now it’s a little different. Billions, if not trillions, of dollars are gone. Way too many jobs have been lost. And the audacity of hopelessness has set in among too many people.
To think that the video-taping scandal actually commanded the attention of our government now is almost laughable, which might not be the worst thing. Everyone could use a good laugh, not to mention a little perspective, these days.
Permalink | ShareThis
Adam Schefter
Favre, Jets trying to avoid fade to black
Posted: December 23rd, 2008 | Adam Schefter | Tags: Brett Favre, Eric Mangini, New York Jets
It is not just Jets fans that have detected quarterback Brett Favre fading. To a certain degree, Jets coach Eric Mangini has done the same.
Asked whether he thought Favre was fading, Mangini responded: “There are some throws (at Seattle) that he definitely could’ve hit better, but there were some throws that were easily catchable and we didn’t come up with the catch. You catch a few of those and things look dramatically different. There were plenty of those balls, too.”
But Favre has not played as well recently as he did early in the year, a topic Mangini was asked about Tuesday.
“Anytime you’re not doing well on third down, the amount of opportunities decreases,” Mangini said. “We haven’t been very effective in that situation. The amount of drives lessens. The time of possession lessens. The opportunity to keep throwing the ball lessens. It’s been constrictive the last four games as well.”
Meanwhile, former Jets and current Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington has played himself into the running for the league MVP award.
These days, there are callers to sports talk radio shows talking about how they wish Pennington was still the Jets QB. But those same callers now are questioning Favre.
Permalink | ShareThis
Adam Schefter
Giants 52 yards from NFL record book
Posted: December 23rd, 2008 | Adam Schefter | Tags: Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward, New York Giants
Nicknamed Earth, Wind and Fire, the Giants backfield is on the verge of dancing its way into the NFL record book.
Fresh off his 215-yard explosion against the Carolina Panthers, Giants running back Derrick Ward needs only 52 more rushing yards to reach 1,000 for the season. It is a total that New York’s other running back, Brandon Jacobs, already has met and surpassed.
If Jacobs is on the bench Sunday, allowing his knee to get healthier for New York’s divisional playoff game, the Giants will be apt to give more carries to Ward. And if Ward gets the carries he needs to pick up those 52 yards and go over 1,000 for the season, the Giants would become the fourth team in NFL history to have two running backs with over 1,000 rushing yards in a season.
The last team to do it was the 1985 Cleveland Browns with Kevin Mack and Earnest Byner. The only other two teams to do it were the 1972 Miami Dolphins with Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris, and the 1976 Pittsburgh Steelers with Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier.
Now the Giants are trying to run their way into the NFL record book.
Earth is moving. Wind is blowing. And the NFL record book is waiting.
Permalink | ShareThis
Adam Schefter
Busy weeks ahead for celebrated assistants
Posted: December 23rd, 2008 | Adam Schefter | Tags: New York Giants, Tennessee Titans
When the New York Giants and Tennessee Titans clinched first-round byes last weekend, they unintentionally invited teams in need of head coaches to interview their coveted defensive coordinators next week.
Both the Giants and Titans will be off, which means New York defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride, Tennessee defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, and Titans offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger each could be asked to interview for head coaching jobs that pop open next week.
Any team that wants to interview Spagnuolo, Gilbride, Schwartz or Heimerdinger, some of the most sought-after assistants on the open market, is going to have to do it next week. It could lead to a busy week for the coordinators as they prepare for head-coaching interviews in one moment, and begin to get ready for their team’s divisional playoff game in the next.
And there are more interviews riding on the results of Sunday’s game. Should New England fall short of winning the AFC East title or fail to advance to the postseason, then Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels would be allowed to interview for a head coaching job sooner than if the Patriots season continued on.
These are some of the storylines of the NFL’s fifth quarter, which often turns into the league’s wildest and most unpredictable time.
Permalink | ShareThis
Adam Schefter
Worst to first a trend in NFC South
Posted: December 23rd, 2008 | Adam Schefter | Tags: Atlanta Falcons, NFC South
Football’s longest and most bizarre streak is on five years running, and it could be six after Sunday.
If Carolina loses at New Orleans, and Atlanta beats St. Louis, then the Falcons will become the sixth straight NFC South team to go from worst to first.
Every year since realignment in 2002, it has happened without fail, worst going to first.
The first year, Carolina finished last in 2002 (7-9) and first in 2003 (11-5). Then Atlanta finished last in 2003 (5-11) and first in 2004 (11-5). Then Tampa Bay finished last in 2004 (5-11) and first in 2005 (11-5).
Then New Orleans finished last in 2005 (3-13) and first in 2006 (10-6). Then Tampa Bay finished last in 2006 (4-12) and first in 2007 (9-7). Then Atlanta finished last in 2007 (4-12) in the most nightmarish season a team could not want to have, and look now.
No one thought the streak could hold this season. No one thought it could happen again with these Falcons. But then, no one thought it could happen in any of the other previous years, either — and it turned out to be even more automatic than Peyton Manning in a game’s final minutes.
The fact that it could happen again Sunday is disconcerting for Carolina, encouraging for Atlanta, and reassuring for New Orleans, which currently sits in last place in the NFC South. But in this division, last in one season has meant first in the next.
If only our last-place economy could belong in the NFC South.
Permalink | ShareThis
Adam Schefter
Another meaningless Week 17 for Giants
Posted: December 23rd, 2008 | Adam Schefter | Tags: New York Giants, Tom Coughlin
The Giants have repeated the scenario in which their final regular-season game means nothing.
Only this year’s regular-season finale vs. Minnesota — ripe with playoff ramifications for the NFC North — is different than last year’s regular-season finale vs. New England.
Last year, the Giants treated the meaningless game as if it were jam-packed with meaning. They played their regulars. They went all out. They did everything they could to win a game that, technically, didn’t matter. Only it turned out that the game propelled the Giants into the postseason and on to a Super Bowl victory over the previously unbeaten Patriots team that Giants lost to during the regular season’s final weekend.
This year, the Giants are coming off a momentum-building win over Carolina. The offense was clicking. Now, it will be easier for Giants coach Tom Coughlin to rest some of the starters that have battled injuries through the second half of the season.
It will not be surprising to see Coughlin lean on the medical advice of his doctors and rest running back Brandon Jacobs, who has been battling a knee injury, and defensive tackle Fred Robbins, who has been battling a shoulder injury, and even cornerback Aaron Ross, who suffered a concussion last week.
Coughlin could also opt to rest defensive end Justin Tuck (leg) and offensive tackle Kareem McKenzie (back). It’s even possible that the playing time of quarterback Eli Manning will be limited, depending on what Coughlin believes is the best approach. Coughlin wants to see how the week goes and how the players are feeling before making any final decisions.
Yet as the Giants prepare for a Vikings team that needs to win Sunday’s game to clinch the NFC North title, one thing is certain: for a variety of reasons, the Giants will not treat this year’s regular-season finale the same way they treated last year’s.
Permalink | ShareThis
Adam Schefter
Ellis throws $10,000 snowball
Posted: December 23rd, 2008 | Adam Schefter
It’s all right for kids to toss snowballs, but not NFL players.
Jets defensive end Shaun Ellis was fined $10,000 for tossing a large snow clump in the direction of Seahawks fans on Sunday. The NFL pointed out that players are notified prior to each season that any contact with fans that potentially presents crowd-control issues and risk of injury is prohibited.
In addition, players are informed that they must not confront fans at any time on game day and must leave those types of issues to security personnel.
So the league hit up Ellis on Tuesday, which raises this question: What if a camera doesn’t capture him throwing the massive snowball? Then maybe Ellis never is fined. But a fan caught it, and so did the NFL.
Permalink | ShareThis