2009 September | Midwest Sports Fans

NFL Week 3 Preview: TV Schedules, Point Spreads, Announcer Pairings, and Free Picks

September 21, 2009 By Jerod Morris 2 Comments

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Update: The NFL Week 17 TV schedule, point spreads, and picks post is up.

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Does it seem to anyone else like those first two weeks of the NFL season just flew by?

I suppose it always seems like that. Training camp and the preseason just drags on and on and before you know it — BAM! — your team is 0-2 and it feels like all hope is lost.

Yes, you guessed it, a Browns fan is writing this week’s NFL TV schedule, point spreads, and announcer pairings post.

And although Browns fans may not have a whole lot to watch this week, considering their team has to travel to Baltimore, Week 3 is a pivotal week for a host of fan bases who had high hopes coming into this season.

That is a huge reason why you should be very careful before you bet against the Titans (at the Jets) and the Panthers (at Dallas on Monday night). I realize that neither of these teams has a favorable matchup, but both squads made the playoffs last year, had high hopes coming into 2009, and have rosters filled with prideful veterans.

They may not win, but I’d bet they’ll cover.

As always, this post is designed to be the most complete viewing guide you’ll find anywhere. Not only is every game listed (with date, time, network, and announcer pairing) but we also give you the point spread and over-under, as well as an educated guess at a spread pick for each game.

Through two weeks I am 19-13 against the spread. Not too shabby.

A couple of quick things to keep in mind:

All times are ET.
Some games do not have all of the information filled in as of this post being published (i.e. a few games don’t have spreads yet and the announcer assignments have not yet been announced). I’ll up date this post as soon as the information is available at the506.com.
Point spread and over-under listings are as of Monday night, and obviously subject to change throughout the week. If you want update point spread info, or some expert advice as you make your weekly picks, below are a few helpful links.
DocSports: NFL Odds
DocSports: NFL Picks

And with all that said, here is your mood music and the Week 3 TV schedule, point spreads, announcers, and picks.

NFL Week 3 Viewer’s Guide

TV Schedule – Announcers – Kickoff Times

Point Spreads – Picks – Odds – Over-Unders

Kansas City Chiefs (0-2) at Philadelphia Eagles (1-1)

Chiefs-Eagles Date: Sunday, September 27th
Chiefs-Eagles Time: 1:00 ET
Chiefs-Eagles TV Network: CBS
Chiefs-Eagles Announcers: Kevin Harlan and Solomon Wilcots
Chiefs-Eagles Point Spread: NL
Chiefs-Eagles Over-Under: NL
Chiefs-Eagles Pick: There is currently no line on this game, presumably while the powers that be await a decision on Philly’s QB and the status of Brian Westbrook. Well, I don’t care. Whatever it is (Philly will be favored) take the Eagles and the points. The Chiefs are awful. Chiefs-Eagles free spread pick: Eagles minus the points

New York Giants (2-0) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-2)

Giants-Buccaneers Date: Sunday, September 27th
Giants-Buccaneers Time: 1:00 ET
Giants-Buccaneers TV Network: FOX
Giants-Buccaneers Announcers: Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, and Tony Siragusa
Giants-Buccaneers Point Spread: Giants -7.5
Giants-Buccaneers Over-Under: 44
Giants-Buccaneers Pick: I have been wholly unimpressed by the Bucs so far this year — their secondary is absolutely pitiful — whereas the Giants have played very sound football in moving to 2-0. I think Eli Manning will have another big game hooking up with Steve Smith and Mario Manningham and the Giants will roll, even on the road. Giants-Buccaneers free spread pick: Giants -7.5

Green Bay Packers (1-1) at St. Louis Rams (0-2)

Packers-Rams Date: Sunday, September 27th
Packers-Rams Time: 1:00 ET
Packers-Rams TV Network: FOX
Packers-Rams Announcers: Chris Myers and Trent Green
Packers-Rams Point Spread: Packers -6.5
Packers-Rams Over-Under: 41
Packers-Rams Pick: This one is tricky. Before last week, it would have been Packers and the points without thinking about it. But after seeing how poorly the Packers’ line played, along with their inability to stop Cedric Benson, I’m a little worried. The Rams played Washington tough last week and will be in desperation mode at 0-2 in front of their home fans. In the end though, I don’t think the Rams can score enough to keep up with the Packers. Packers-Rams free spread pick: Packers -6.5

San Francisco 49ers (2-0) at Minnesota Vikings (2-0)

49ers-Vikings Date: Sunday, September 27th
49ers-Vikings Time: 1:00 ET
49ers-Vikings TV Network: FOX
49ers-Vikings Announcers: Sam Rosen and Tim Ryan
49ers-Vikings Point Spread: Vikings -6.5
49ers-Vikings Over-Under: 40
49ers-Vikings Pick: The 49ers are getting no love. I realize Minnesota has dominated their first two games, but they played Cleveland and Detroit. They have not yet faced adversity, and it will be interesting to see Favre and his new teammates respond to a close game against a team that can stop the run. I don’t know if San Fran can pull out the W on the road, but I do think they run the ball and stop the run well enough to keep it close. 49ers-Vikings free spread pick: 49ers +6.5

Tennessee Titans (0-2) at New York Jets (2-0)

Titans-Jets Date: Sunday, September 27th
Titans-Jets Time: 1:00 ET
Titans-Jets TV Network: CBS
Titans-Jets Announcers: Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf
Titans-Jets Point Spread: Jets -2.5
Titans-Jets Over-Under: 37
Titans-Jets Pick: This is a tough spread. The Jets’ defense has been out of its mind through two weeks, while the Titans’ proud defense has shown that it misses Albert Haynesworth and Jim Schwartz. This Tennessee team is a proud bunch that went 3-13 last year and will be playing with their backs against the wall. The Jets, I think, are ripe for a letdown after putting so much emotionally into last week’s win over the Patriots. And despite all the hype about Mark Sanchez, he is still a rookie and will have a few clunkers here and there. I don’t know that the Titans will win, but they keep it close. Titans-Jets free spread pick: Titans +2.5

Atlanta Falcons (2-0) at New England Patriots (1-1)

Falcons-Patriots Date: Sunday, September 27th
Falcons-Patriots Time: 1:00 ET
Falcons-Patriots TV Network: FOX
Falcons-Patriots Announcers: Joe Buck and Troy Aikman
Falcons-Patriots Point Spread: Patriots -4.5
Falcons-Patriots Over-Under: 44
Falcons-Patriots Pick: The Patriots will be ready to go and focused after getting blasted by the Jets last week. The problem? Atlanta is really, really good. The Falcons can rush the passer, which attacks the Patriots biggest weakness on offense (protecting Tom Brady), and they can also run the ball. Oh yeah, and they have an emerging star in Matt Ryan who is having fun with his new toy, TE Tony Gonzalez. This will be a close one, and will come down to a mano-a-mano battle between Brady and Ryan. I think Brady ultimately wins it, but the Falcons cover. Falcons-Patriots free spread pick: Falcons +4.5

Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2) at Houston Texans (1-1)

Jaguars-Texans Date: Sunday, September 27th
Jaguars-Texans Time: 1:00 ET
Jaguars-Texans TV Network: CBS
Jaguars-Texans Announcers: Bill Macatee and Steve Beuerlein
Jaguars-Texans Point Spread: Texans -3.5
Jaguars-Texans Over-Under: 46.5
Jaguars-Texans Pick: This Jacksonville team is terrible, and they have shown signs of being able to do anything offensively other than garbage points. The Texans’ D has not played well, but its offense got clicking last week against Tennessee. I would not be surprised to see this game break the over, and I think Houston wins by at least a TD or more. Schaub, Johnson, and a rejuvenated Steve Slaton (he’s due!) will be too much for Jacksonville to handle. Jaguars-Texans free spread pick: Texans -3.5

Washington Redskins (1-1) at Detroit Lions (0-2)

Redskins-Lions Date: Sunday, September 27th
Redskins-Lions Time: 1:00 ET
Redskins-Lions TV Network: FOX
Redskins-Lions Announcers: Thom Brennaman and Brian Billick
Redskins-Lions Point Spread: Redskins -6.5
Redskins-Lions Over-Under: 38
Redskins-Lions Pick: Something tells me the Lions will be a trendy pick to get the upset W this week. And there is good reason for that: Washington is not a very good team right now. When you only beat St. Louis 9-7 at home, you have some issues. Detroit played well in the first half against Minnesota last week, but the Vikings are a really good team. I would take the under in this game, and my main hesitation in taking the Redskins and the point is that I don’t even know if they can get to 7 points. I do not think Detroit wins this game, but I do think they keep it close enough to give Jason Campbell and Jim Zorn some more sleepless nights next week. Redskins-Lions free spread pick: Lions +6.5

Cleveland Browns (0-2) at Baltimore Ravens (2-0)

Browns-Ravens Date: Sunday, September 27th
Browns-Ravens Time: 1:00 ET
Browns-Ravens TV Network: CBS
Browns-Ravens Announcers: GUS JOHNSON and Steve Tasker (Yes!!! A reason to watch the Browns! Gus Johnson!)
Browns-Ravens Point Spread: Ravens -13.5
Browns-Ravens Over-Under: 38.5
Browns-Ravens Pick: Ugh. I don’t even want to analyze this game this week. I would take Baltimore and the points if the spread was 21. Cleveland has shown no signs of life on offense, it wears out their D by the second half, and this Browns team always gets trounced at Baltimore when the Ravens are good. Well guess what? Baltimore is really good this year, and barring a huge surprise, they will take the Browns behind the proverbial woodshed. Browns-Ravens free spread pick: Ravens -13.5

Chicago Bears (1-1) at Seattle Seahawks (1-1)

Bears-Seahawks Date: Sunday, September 27th
Bears-Seahawks Time: 4:05 ET
Bears-Seahawks TV Network: Dick Stockton and Charles Davis
Bears-Seahawks Announcers: FOX
Bears-Seahawks Point Spread: Bears -2.5
Bears-Seahawks Over-Under: 37
Bears-Seahawks Pick: Poor Matt Hasselbeck. He just can’t seem to stay healthy anymore. If he were healthy and playing, I think they’d be a good bet to win and certainly to cover 2.5 points. However, I think last week’s win was a big confidence builder for Jay Cutler and the Bears. And after seeing what Frank Gore did to Seattle last week, Matt Forte will no doubt be ready for his 2009 breakout game. I think he gets it, and I think the Bears win by a TD. Bears-Seahawks free spread pick: Bears -2.5 (for the record, I’m already re-thinking this one…Seattle is tough to beat at home. But the absence of Hasselbeck seals it. Bears, minus the points, final answer.)

New Orleans Saints (2-0) at Buffalo Bills (1-1)

Saints-Bills Date: Sunday, September 27th
Saints-Bills Time: 4:05 ET
Saints-Bills TV Network: FOX
Saints-Bills Announcers: Ron Pitts and John Lynch
Saints-Bills Point Spread: Saints -5.5
Saints-Bills Over-Under: 52.5
Saints-Bills Pick: I love the Saints this year. Their offense has just been spectacular, and they have played surprisingly well defensively. The Bills did a good job of containing the Patriots for 3 1/2 quarters in week 1 and are playing better than I think most people expected. They certainly are running the ball better than expected, and that should help them keep this game close. I think the Saints’ O will continue to roll, but Buffalo should be able to control the ball somewhat and limit Drew Brees’ chances. I think the Saints win, but I also think the Bills have enough to keep this one close and cover. Saints-Bills free spread pick: Bills +5.5

Miami Dolphins (0-2) at San Diego Chargers (1-1)

Dolphins-Chargers Date: Sunday, September 27th
Dolphins-Chargers Time: 4:15 ET
Dolphins-Chargers TV Network: CBS
Dolphins-Chargers Announcers: Dick Enberg and Dan Fouts
Dolphins-Chargers Point Spread: Chargers -6.5
Dolphins-Chargers Over-Under: 43
Dolphins-Chargers Pick: The spread has not been posted yet as of publishing this on Monday night, but I’m taking the Dolphins. The ‘Fins played very well on Monday night in so many facets of the game, holding the Colts to under 15:00 time of possession. Peyton Manning is one of the few QBs who could win a game like that, and he did. San Diego is struggling against the run, especially with Jamal Williams now out for the season. I think Miami will be able to run the ball, keep it close, and perhaps even come out with the win. Either way, they’ll cover; and remember, desperate teams usually make good bets to cover. Dolphins-Chargers free spread pick: Dolphins + the points (6.5)

Denver Broncos (2-0) at Oakland Raiders (1-1)

Broncos-Raiders Date: Sunday, September 27th
Broncos-Raiders Time: 4:15 ET
Broncos-Raiders TV Network: CBS
Broncos-Raiders Announcers: Ian Eagle and Rich Gannon
Broncos-Raiders Point Spread: Raiders -1.5
Broncos-Raiders Over-Under: 35.5
Broncos-Raiders Pick: Ugh. This is going to be an ugly game. Amazingly, either Denver will be 3-0 or Oakland will be 2-1 after this game. Neither team will be as good as their record indicates, but someone has to win. Right now, I have very little faith in JaMarcus Russell. The Raiders somehow won on the road with Russell going 7-24 last week, but that will not happen again. I’m not at all sold on Denver, but I do think their offense is starting to click a bit. The Raiders’ D is much better this year, which will keep Oakland in the game, but Denver can really get after the passer and will force mistakes by Russell. I think this one stays under the number, but the damn Broncos move to 3-0. Broncos-Raiders free spread pick: Broncos +1.5

Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (1-1)

Steelers-Bengals Date: Sunday, September 27th
Steelers-Bengals Time: 4:15 ET
Steelers-Bengals TV Network: CBS
Steelers-Bengals Announcers: Jim Nantz and Phil Simms
Steelers-Bengals Point Spread: Steelers -4.5
Steelers-Bengals Over-Under: 37
Steelers-Bengals Pick: Cincinnati shocked a lot of people by going into Lambeau and beating the Packers last week. They did it by pressuring the QB and stopping the run. So far this year and last year, the Steelers have really struggled to both run and protect Ben Roethlisberger. However, I cannot in good faith recommend the Bengals as a winner in this game when their RB is my sworn fantasy enemy Cedric Benson. But since they are at home, and seemingly playing much better, I do think they can keep it close. Pittsburgh won’t blow many teams out, and I think they just squeak by with a win in Cincy. Steelers-Bengals free spread pick: Bengals +4.5

Indianapolis Colts (2-0) at Arizona Cardinals (1-1)

Colts-Cardinals Date: Sunday, September 27th
Colts-Cardinals Time: 8:20 ET
Colts-Cardinals TV Network: NBC
Colts-Cardinals Announcers: Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth
Colts-Cardinals Point Spread: Cardinals -2.5
Colts-Cardinals Over-Under: 48
Colts-Cardinals Pick: This has all the makings of a really tough spread choice. Both offenses are fantastic in the passing game but struggle running the ball. However, neither defense is particularly adept at stopping the run. The Colts absolutely stole Monday night’s game in Miami despite having the ball for less than 15 minutes. Arizona’s offense is too good to allow the Colts to do something similar here. The Cardinals won’t be able to run the ball as well as Miami did against Indianapolis, but I do think they have enough firepower to outscore the Colts and win by at least field goal. Colts-Cardinals free spread pick: Cardinals -2.5

Carolina Panthers (0-2) at Dallas Cowboys (1-1)

Panthers-Cowboys Date: Monday, September 28th
Panthers-Cowboys Time: 8:30 ET
Panthers-Cowboys TV Network: ESPN
Panthers-Cowboys Announcers: Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, and Jon Gruden
Panthers-Cowboys Point Spread: Cowboys -9.5
Panthers-Cowboys Over-Under: 46
Panthers-Cowboys Pick: I don’t like this game at all and would not touch it with a ten-foot pole if I actually bet money on these things. Luckily I don’t, so I can still offer up at least a guess as to how it will turn out. I think it all comes down to who you trust more: Tony Romo or Jake Delhomme. If Romo protects the ball and lets his great RBs do the heavy lifting, the Cowboys should rebound from their home opener for a win. However, Dallas is terrible against the pass (as proven last week by Eli Manning) and perhaps this is the game that Jake Delhomme gets well again. In the end, I do think Dallas will win this game, but Romo will make enough mistakes and Dallas’ DBs will play poorly enough for Carolina to keep it close. Plus, when in doubt, go with the 0-2 team that had playoff expectations coming into the year. Desperation can be huge in the NFL. Panthers-Cowboys free spread pick: Panthers +9.5

Email the author of this post: jerod@midwestsportsfans.com

Filed Under: NFL, TV and Betting Tagged With: football, free spread picks, NFL, NFL Announcers, nfl odds, NFL point spreads, NFL TV Schedule, nfl week 3, nfl week 3 announcers, nfl week 3 odds, nfl week 3 point spreads

NFL Play of the Day Video: Ray Lewis Stuffs Darren Sproles and Jerry Jones Picks His Nose

September 21, 2009 By Jerod Morris 1 Comment

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Last week, there were two nominees for the NFL Play of the Day from Sunday: Adrian Peterson’s stiff-arm romp against the Browns and Brandon Stokley’s improbable TD catch to lead Denver to victory over Cincinnati.

This week, I think it’s safe to say that there is only one.

While there were certainly plenty of highlights yesterday, as there always are on Sundays, no play was more impressive or important than Ray Lewis’ amazing 4th and 2 stop of Darren Sproles.

The stop sealed the road win for Baltimore over San Diego, which moved Baltimore to 2-0 on the season, and proved that Ray Lewis still has at least a little bit of gas left in the tank.

Something tells me that this was not the look on Philip Rivers’ face as Ray Lewis stuffed the Chargers’ chances of winning.

Follow the link to StubHub for great deals on all 2009 NFL tickets.

The video is below.

Video: Ray Lewis Stuffs Darren Sproles on 4th and 2

Coming in a close second for Play of the Day has to be Jerry Jones, who dug hard but probably did not go deep enough to get what he was looking for (booger or victory, you decide).

Honestly, this video is not really all that big of a deal, and wouldn’t even merit a mention if it weren’t for Jerry Jones. For a guy who is so obsessively consumed with his own image, and that of the Cowboys, I can’t imagine he’ll be happy to see this video floating around.

Add in the fact that it came on perhaps his most important night as an owner — the opening of his immaculate shrine to himself (where the Cowboys will also play their home games) — and the irony makes it funny.

Hat tip to MoonDog for his video:

Video: Jerry Jones Picks His Nose as Cowboys Lose to Giants

Filed Under: Featured Column, Funny, NFL Tagged With: Baltimore Ravens, dallas cowboys, darren sproles, Jerry Jones, Jerry Jones picks his nose, ray lewis, Ray Lewis stuffs Darren Sproles, san diego chargers, video

College Football TV Schedule and Point Spreads – Week 4, September 26th

September 21, 2009 By Jerod Morris 1 Comment

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The college football bowl game TV schedule and point spreads have been posted!

Follow the link to view the college football bowl game TV schedule and point spreads for the 2009-10 bowl season, including all BCS games.

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Another weekend of college football is in the books, which means that another one is fast approaching.

Last week, we saw USC drop their annual game to an inferior Pac-10 opponent as Washington pulled off the upset of the weekend by beating the Trojans.

We also saw Charlie Weis stave off the mob for at least one more week when Notre Dame held off Michigan State in South Bend.

Additionally, we watched Lane Kiffin and Tennessee hang tough but lose by 10 in The Swamp and witnessed the resurrection of The U back to national prominence behind the cool, calm, collected leadership of an impressive sophomore quarterback.

There aren’t a whole lot of great games this weekend, but certainly a few highlights worth checking out. Now that conference schedules have started, the ante gets upped each weekend.

Below are the college football games of the week, as well as our usual college football tv schedule and point spreads table.

The spreads and odds listed below are from Monday, so things could change between when I post them and Saturday. Here are your links to our friends at DocSports for the most up-to-date spread and handicapping information:

And here are your college football Week 4 games of the week, with tv and spread information listed:

#4 Mississippi at South Carolina

Ole Miss-South Carolina Date: Thursday, September 24th
Ole Miss-South Carolina TV: ESPN
Ole Miss-South Carolina Kickoff Time: 7:30 ET
Ole Miss-South Carolina Point Spread: Ole Miss -3.5

#6 California at Oregon

Cal-Oregon Date: Saturday, September 26th
Cal-Oregon TV: ABC (regional)
Cal-Oregon Kickoff Time: 3:30 ET
Cal-Oregon Point Spread: Cal -7.5

#9 Miami (FL) at #11 Virginia Tech

Miami-Virginia Tech Date: Saturday, September 26th
Miami-Virginia Tech TV: ABC (regional)
Miami-Virginia Tech Kickoff Time: 3:30 ET
Miami-Virginia Tech Point Spread: Miami -2.5

Iowa at #5 Penn State

Iowa-Penn State Date: Saturday, September 26th
Iowa-Penn State TV: ABC
Iowa-Penn State Kickoff Time: 8:00 ET
Iowa-Penn State Point Spread: Penn Sate -10.5

And here is the college football Week 4 tv schedule, point spreads. and odds table, complete with the Thursday/Friday games and all games for Saturday, 26th:

College Football Week 4 TV Schedule and Point Spreads - Week of Saturday, September 26th

Date	Game	Time	TV	Point Spread	Tickets
Thu. 9/24	#4 Ole Miss at South Carolina	7:30	ESPN	MISS -3.5	Get Tickets

Fri. 9/25	Missouri at Nevada	9:00	ESPN	MISS -7.5	Get Tickets

Sat. 9/26	#7 LSU at Mississippi State	12:00	SECN	LSU -14.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Fresno State at #14 Cincinnati	12:00	ESPN360	UC -15.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	South Florida at #18 Florida State	12:00	ESPNU	FSU -14.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Southern Miss at #20 Kansas	12:00	FSN	KAN -13.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	#22 North Carolina at Georgia Tech	12:00	ESPN360	GT -2.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Indiana at #23 Michigan	12:00	ESPN/ESPN2	MICH -20.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Rhode Island at Connecticut	12:00			Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Minnesota at Northwestern	12:00	BTN	NU -2.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Buffalo at Temple	12:00	ESPN360	TEM -2.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Michigan State at Wisconsin	12:00	ESPN/ESPN2	WIS -2.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Wake Forest at Boston College	2:00		WF -2.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	San Diego State at Air Force	2:00		AF -15.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Tennessee Tech at Kansas State	2:10			Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	UNLV at Wyoming	3:00		UNLV -5.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	UTEP at #2 Texas	3:30	FSN	TEX -34.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Arkansas at #3 Alabama	3:30	CBS	BAMA -15.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	#6 California at Oregon	3:30	ABC*	CAL -7.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	#9 Miami (FL) at #11 Virginia Tech	3:30	ABC*	UM -2.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Illinois at #13 Ohio State	3:30	ABC*	OSU -14.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	#15 TCU at Clemson	3:30		CLEM -3.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Rutgers at Maryland	3:30		RUT -3.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	UCF at East Carolina	3:30		ECU -10.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Pittsburgh at NC State	3:30	ESPNU	NL	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Akron at Central Michigan	3:30	ESPN360	CMU -16.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Western Kentucky at Navy	3:30		NAVY -28.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Idaho at Northern Illinois	3:30	ESPN360	NIU -16.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	McNeese State at Tulane	3:30			Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Louisiana-Monre at Florida Atlantic	4:00		FAU -4.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Troy at Arkansas State	4:30		AKST -1.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	#1 Florida at Kentucky	6:00	ESPN2	UF -22.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Colorado State at #19 BYU	6:00	MTN	BYU -14.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	#8 Boise State at Bowling Green	7:00	ESPN360	BSU -17.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Grambling State at #16 Oklahoma State	7:00			Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Arizona State at #21 Georgia	7:00	ESPNU	UGA -12.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Louisiana-Lafayette at #25 Nebraska	7:00		NEB -26.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Ball State at Auburn	7:00	FSN South	AUB -31.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Army at Iowa State	7:00		ISU -10.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	North Carolina Central at Duke	7:00			Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Maine at Syracuse	7:00			Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Sam Houston State at Tulsa	7:00			Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Northwestern State at Baylor	7:00			Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	UAB at Texas A&M	7:00		TAM -15.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Mid. Tenn. State at North Texas	7:00		MTST -7.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Toledo at Florida International	7:00		TOL -1.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Miami (Ohio) at Kent State	7:00		KSU -9.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Ohio at Tennessee	7:00	VOLNet	TENN -20.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Hofstra at Western Michigan	7:00			Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Louisville at Utah	7:30		UTAH -11.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Arizona at Oregon State	7:35	VERSUS	AZ -2.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Iowa at #5 Penn State	8:00	ABC	PSU -10.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Cal Poly at San Jose State	8:00			Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Marshall at Memphis	8:00		MEM -3.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Vanderbilt at Rice	8:00	CSS	VAND -8.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Southern Utah at Utah State	8:00			Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Notre Dame at Purdue	8:00	ESPN	ND -8.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	#24 Washington at Stanford	9:00		STAN -7.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Texas Tech at #17 Houston	9:15	ESPN2	HOU -1.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	New Mexico State at New Mexico	10:00	MTN	UNM -10.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 9/26	Washington State at #12 USC	10:15	FSN	USC 44.5	Get Tickets

Email the author of this post: jerod@midwestsportsfans.com

Filed Under: CFB, CFB TV, Featured Column, TV and Betting

Marion Barber Injury Update: Pulled Leg Muscle, Left Game

September 20, 2009 By Jerod Morris Leave a Comment

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Marion Barber left tonight’s Cowboys-Giants game with what appeared to be a pulled leg muscle.

After getting behind the Giants’ D and appearing poised to scamper all the way to the end zone, Barber pulled up and eventually tumbled over about 10 yards shy of the end zone. It was apparent from the replay that Barber pulled a muscle in his leg.

Felix Jones ultimately scored a TD on the drive, but Barber left the game and was immediately pronounced out for the remainder of the contest, which New York won 33-31.

Barber ran for 124 yards on 18 carries and scored a touchdown. He also caught two passes for 31 yards. After the Cowboys’ coaches watch tonight’s film, they’ll have to ask themselves why they called anything but running plays.

On 29 carries, the Cowboys averaged a whopping 8.7 yards per carry. Tony Romo, on 29 pass attempts, threw for 127 yards and 3 INTs.

Follow the links to StubHub for great deals on Dallas Cowboys tickets and all 2009 NFL tickets.

I have seen no specific injury updates on Barber as of yet, other than he left the game and did not return, but I’ll update this post as soon as I hear anything.

Update: The injury that knocked Marion Barber out of last night’s game is being called a left quad strain, according to Yahoo Sports (via Rotowire). Barber did walk off the field under his own power, and the injury does not appear severe. Obviously if you are a Barber owner, you want to own Felix Jones and Tashard Choice as well (if possible), and be sure to monitor Barber’s status throughout the week.

Update 9/22: Newy Scruggs of NBC 5 in Dallas is reporting (hat tip: PFT) that Marion Barber will miss 1-2 weeks with the quad strain that he suffered Monday night. Because the Cowboys don’t play until Monday, I would not consider Barber to be definitely out this week. Check the injury reports, but make sure you have a contingency plan (or Felix Jones/Tashard Choice) because you will most likely have to make the decision Sunday as to whether or not you’re going to wait until Monday for the final word on Barber’s availability.

Update 9/23: Definitely keep your eye on Marion Barber’s status. The latest update, at least according to ESPN, is that Barber received treatment yesterday and hopes to play Monday night. Looks like this will be a Sunday morning decision and you’ll just have to base your thoughts on Barber’s status for Monday night — which will obviously influence the fantasy value of Felix Jones and Tashard Choice value — on as much info as you have.

Filed Under: Featured Column, NFL Tagged With: dallas cowboys, injury update, marion barber, NFL

Michael Floyd, Jimmy Clausen Injury Update: Broken Collar Bone for Floyd, Likely Out Rest of Season

September 20, 2009 By Jerod Morris 1 Comment

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The good news for Notre Dame over the weekend is that they squeaked by Michigan State to run their record to 2-1 and keep their BCS “hopes” alive.

The bad news for Notre Dame over the weekend is that their two most productive offensive players — WR Michael Floyd and QB Jimmy Clausen — both left the Michigan State game hobbled.

The injury update news according to ESPN.com, is much better for Clausen than it is for Floyd.

Michael Floyd, who was averaging an insane 160 yards receiving per game entering Saturday’s contest with the Spartans, had surgery today to repair a broken collar bone. The most up-to-date injury update on Floyd is that he will most likely miss the season. He could possibly return for a bowl game.

Jimmy Clausen has a yet-to-be-defined injury to his foot that did not require Sunday X-Rays. It appears to be something like turf toe or a general arch injury and Clausen will undergo an MRI to determine what exactly is wrong.

Follow the links to StubHub for great deals on Notre Dame football tickets and all college football tickets.

I’ll update this post if/when I hear anything more on Clausen’s injury.

**********

* – Michael Floyd photo credit: Athlon Sports

Filed Under: CFB, Featured Column Tagged With: CFB, injury update, Jimmy Clausen, Michael Floyd, ncaa, notre dame football

Packers Plagued By Penalties and Pressure In Loss to Bengals

September 20, 2009 By Ronald Clements 1 Comment

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Where did the high-powered offense go?

Where is this vaunted Packers defense?

For the second straight week, the Green Bay offense was inconsistent. The defense, which bailed the Packers out against Chicago, couldn’t stop the run in their 31-24 loss to Cincinnati Sunday afternoon at Lambeau Field.

Bears castoff Cedric Benson looked like a Pro Bowler while gashing the Packers defense for 141 yards on 29 carries. It was pretty clear the Packers still have some issues against the run, and they’re still without first-round pick B.J. Raji, who missed his second straight game with an ankle injury.

The Bengals were also 9-of-14 on third down conversions as the Packers defense even allowed a third-and-34 conversion late in the second quarter.

Instead of punting from its own end zone, Cincinnati then had the ball near midfield. One play later Chad Ochocinco burnt Jarrett Bush for a 44-yard gain. That led to a controversial touchdown for Carson Palmer on a quarterback sneak.

The official who initially signaled for the touchdown had his vision of the play obstructed by Ochocinco. Although replays appeared to show that not only that the ball did not break the plain, but Palmer also fumbled as he raised the ball up over the heap of bodies.

Referee Ed Hochuli called it a touchdown, the first of two crucial mistakes he made. The second came in the game’s waning seconds.

With the Packers trailing 31-24 with 10 seconds remaining, Donald Driver caught his sixth pass over the middle at the Cincinnati 10. The Packers rushed to the line, and the ball was snapped with a second remaining, and before a pair of Bengals were able to get back on their side of the line of scrimmage. A flag was thrown, and the assumption was for offsides.

Instead, Hochuli’s crew ruled that tight end Jermichael Finley was not set and moved early.

Hochuli’s explanation was that time expired before the ball was snapped, which was false, but “even if the ball was snapped before time expired, there was a false start on the play, which requires a 10-second runoff. The game is over.”

The loss overshadowed a stellar performance from Charles Woodson, who picked off Palmer twice, returning one for a touchdown to give Green Bay a 21-14 lead in the second. He also led the team with nine tackles, seemingly being the only defensive player to show up to play.

Backup defensive backs Aaron Rouse and Jarrett Bush were both forced into more playing time because of injuries to starting safeties Atari Bigby and Nick Collins, who left early in the second quarter.

As poorly as the Packers played on defense, the offensive line was worse. Green Bay (1-1) managed just 89 rushing yards – 43 of which came on four Aaron Rodgers scrambles, and Rodgers was sacked six times. Five of those sacks came from Cincinnati defensive end Antwan Odom, who now has seven sacks in two games.

Odom abused the Packers line, especially after tackle Chad Clifton was carted off the field with an ankle injury. Whether he was lined up over Allen Barbre or Daryn Colledge, Odom was in Rodgers’ face the entire game.

Not helping Rodgers were the receivers, who dropped six passes as Rodgers finished 21-of-39 for 261 yards and a three-yard touchdown toss to Driver in the first. Driver led the Packers with six catches for 99 yards, but Greg Jennings was held without a catch.

The Driver score tied the game at 7-7 after the Bengals (1-1) scored on their opening possession. Palmer and Benson easily led them downfield, averaging 10 yards per play before a 5-yard touchdown pass to Laveranues Coles.

Woodson’s first interception set up a four-yard touchdown run from Ryan Grant, who struggled to find holes for the second straight week. He finished with 46 yards on 14 carries, a 3.3-yard average, and a crucial fumble that led to Cincinnati’s go-ahead score in the third.

The Packers special teams also struggled, giving up punt returns of 60 and 32 from rookie Quan Cosby that both led to scores. Mason Crosby also badly missed a 55-yard field goal.

Both teams played sloppy football. Cincinnati was flagged 13 times for 100 yards while the Packers had 11 penalties for 76 yards.

The Packers were a nine-point favorite, but the linemen were flat on both sides of the ball. With the St. Louis Rams and Steven Jackson next on the schedule, if the Packers don’t figure out how to stop the run, they could fall victim to another disappointing upset.

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* – Mike McCarthy photo credit: The Red Zone Report

Filed Under: Featured Column, NFL Tagged With: Aaron Rouse, Antwan Odom, Atari Bigby, bengals, Bush, carson palmer, cedric benson, Chad Clifton, Charles Woodson, Colledge, Driver, Ed Hochuli, Finley, Jennings, Lambeau, Nick Collins, Ochocinco, packers, Raji, Rodgers, Ryan Grant

“Being a Browns Fan is How it Feels to be Dead Inside”

September 20, 2009 By Jerod Morris 6 Comments

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I’m glad I waited a couple of hours after watching the Browns game to post anything.

Had I sat down at my computer and started typing immediately after returning home from hanging out at the Dallas area Browns Backers, I might have just typed a whole bunch of expletives and hit publish.

As it is, even with the perspective of a couple hours, I don’t know what to say.

The Browns were absolutely awful today in just about every way, with no deficiency more egregiously and obviously awful than our offense.

In a word, we are destitute offensively.

We can’t run, we can’t pass, we can’t…geez, now I get what Jim Mora’s post game rant was all about when he was the Saints coach. Diddely-pooh indeed.

And guess what? Tickets are still available to watch the diddely-pooh live! Follow the links to StubHub for great deals on Cleveland Browns tickets and all 2009 NFL tickets.

It’s not often that I run out of things to be hopeful about with one of my teams. I’m about as optimistic a fan as they come. But right now, with a road trip to Baltimore looming next Sunday, there is nothing positive I can say. I’m sorry, it’s the truth.

I really want to buy into the Mangini era, into the Brady Quinn era, and into believing that the 2009 Browns can be more than a 2-14 or 3-13 team. But I also want to see something to believe in.

Through two games, the Browns haven’t given me or any of their fans much of anything to grasp onto and believe in.

So with that said — because I don’t want to sit here all night ranting and venting — I have compiled a series of tweets from Browns fans that pretty much sum up how we all feel right now.

To the players, know this: I, and most Browns I know, are not giving up on you. We’ll be there cheering hard next week, and the week after that, and the week after that. We may not have a whole lot of confidence right now, but we’ll always have your backs and be there cheering. Hopefully you understand why we need to vent on a night like tonight — and we do — but we’ll be there like always next Sunday.

And, as you know, all it takes is a sliver of something good to get a little belief going again.

Hopefully you can defy the odds and provide something, anything to believe in next week.

Without further adieu, some depressed, yet masochistically hilarious, post-game tweets from Browns Nation:

JD211: I’d rather be a #Lions fan than a #Browns fan right now. Honest. There’s more hope in Detroit.

DrPaulVecchio: I’m thinking about blindfolding myself and throwing a dart to decide what football team to follow until the Browns get it together.

jjthegolfguy: ummmm…do the Browns know the season has started

albiedrzycki: If the Browns end up with a losing season, Eric Mangini can always resort to delivering UPS packages http://bit.ly/3roEv

wulffpack55: The Cleveland Browns need to enter the MAC, then they might have a chance to compete. Time for Derek Andersen.

Yes, this is former NFL player Willie Anderson tweeting below:

WillAnderson79: @masternumber33 Thanks man but I’ll stay retired b4 I come play for Browns. They have great fans! That’s it.

Bob_reiland: Well Browns there’s always next week/year/decade/century (circle one)

dbarhoover: And with the first selection in the 2010 NFL draft, the ClevelandBrowns select… #Browns

AndyResnik: OK, 1 more sports post: #Browns, Mangini, Kokinis, Lerner prove it’s actually possible to worse than #Indians, Wedge, Shapiro, Dolan.

CavsWITNESS: Breaking News: Police in Baltimore plan to proactivley arrest Ravens players for the killing that will occur next Sunday vs. Browns.

BuckeyeBrownie: I often question why my dad raised me to be a Browns fan. Its just painful.

CavsWITNESS: By look of upcoming schedule, Cavs will get their first win beforeBrowns do. Can’t wait for that Lions game months from now.

bcluxton: They should select random Browns fans to play in the games. Would they really be any worse? #fb

JimmyCannoli: I’m filling out my divorce papers with the browns right now…

rollerOSU: After watching Browns the past eight games, Tress says, “I want Romeo or Mangini as my offensive coordinator.”

JeffSvoboda: The Browns are like George Costanza: Every decision they’ve ever made has been wrong. They should just disband. Again.

TweetaMike: I think the browns need to be moved again! Say…overseas this time?

mystery79: It really sucks to be so down on the Browns this early in the season…Mangini’s a douche so that makes it even harder to watch.

rollerOSU: Toledo wants a second straight game in Browns Stadium. But this time against the Browns.

rickbalas: I hate the Browns I hate the Browns I hate the Browns I hate theBrowns I hate the Browns I hate the Browns I hate the Browns!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

rollerOSU: I publicly promised to eat dog biscuits if the Browns finished above .500; I could have said the dog itself and still been safe.

CavsWITNESS: I’ve decided. Drying paint IS more intriguing than the Browns. Has to be red paint though.

And here is the winner of the tweet that made me laugh out loud the hardest:

CavsWITNESS: Seriously, does anyone else just not give a damn anymore? Being a Browns fan is how it feels to be dead inside.

Thanks you CavsWITNESS. You ironically gave me something to smile about on the drive home today.

Filed Under: Featured Column, NFL Tagged With: agony, browns-broncos, Cleveland Browns, defeat, depression, it sucks to be a browns fan, misery, NFL, nfl week 2, why must we suck so badly, wtf?

Frank Gore Takes Aim at Single Game Rushing Record

September 20, 2009 By Jerod Morris Leave a Comment

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One play into the 3rd Quarter, 49ers RB Frank Gore scampered for a long TD. The run gave him 206 yards on 12 carries with almost the entire second half to play.

Adrian Peterson currently holds the single-game rushing record with his 296-yard performance as a rookie. Gore needs 91 yards over the next 29 minutes of okay to break Peterson’s record.

Stay tuned….and go Browns!!!!

Filed Under: NFL Tagged With: Adrian Peterson, frank gore, NFL

Detroit Lions Leading Minnesota Vikings 10-0 in 2nd Quarter

September 20, 2009 By Jerod Morris Leave a Comment

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Wow. Consider me shocked.

A few people (including Peter King) were predicting that the Lions could beat the Vikings this weekend and snap their 18-game losing streak. After watching Adrian Peterson carve up the Browns in the second half last week, and Drew Brees throw for 6 TDs against the Lions, I wasn’t buying it.

But so far so good for Detroit.

Rookie QB Matt Stafford just threw a TD pass to Calvin Johnson and the Lions lead 10-0 with about 5 minutes left in the 2nd quarter.

Stay tuned…

Update: The Vikings, surprise surprise, scored on their next possession, a 1-yard TD pass from Brett Favre to Visanthe Shiancoe. 10-7 Lions.

Update: I officially jinxed the Lions. Adrian Peterson just treated the Lions D like they were the Browns and rumbled for a 27-yard TD. 17-10 Vikings. Sorry Detroit.

Filed Under: NFL Tagged With: detroit lions, Minnesota Vikings, NFL, nfl week 2

Notre Dame-Michigan State Recap: McCarthy’s INT Saves the Irish From Another Tough Loss

September 20, 2009 By Tyler Juranovich Leave a Comment

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It was the same scenario for the Irish, just a different but better outcome this time…all thanks to Michigan State.

Michigan State again gave their opponent a second chance, only for it to bite them back in the butt.

Late in the 4th quarter, Michigan Sate was down 30-33. Michigan State’s WR, Larry Caper, beat all of the Irish’s defense. He was wide open. All he had to do was catch the ball. Instead the ball was too high, and while Caper got his hands on the ball, he wasn’t able to catch it.

It would have been a TD and given the Spartans the lead, and maybe even the game, but it only led to an Irish interception that would clinch the game for the Irish.

The hero tonight?

Kyle McCarthy is the big man on campus this weekend for Notre Dame. His interception at the 4 yard line, with 57 seconds left, sealed the win for the Irish. A win that they needed really badly. Last week, Notre Dame let Michigan come back and beat them. A loss that put even more doubt on the team, including head coach, Charlie Weis.

The Irish aren’t even close to showing that they are the real deal. They won the game, and while thats all that matters in the end, having another late night scare shows that this team doesn’t know how to finish a game. It was another scare for loyal Fighting Irish fans. A scar that not many fans want to endure 2 weeks in a row. A scare that kinda ticks you off.

One thing that will make fans happy is Jimmy Clausen continues to play extremely well. He threw for 300 yards with 2 TD passes and no interceptions. He is looking like a great leader for a team that needs one. He has played very well this year, and is a reason why the Irish should be hopeful this and next year.

A huge blow to the Irish is the loss of WR Michael Floyd. Floyd suffered a broken collarbone when he landed in the endzone. He leads the nation in receiving yards per game (160), and in yards per catch (29.1). Luckily, Golden Tate and Clausen were able to pick up the slack, something they might have to be doing for some weeks. It’s not yet known how long Floyd will be out.

Overall a win is a win. However I am beginning to doubt this defense that, in the first week, looked very strong. They have given up two straight 30+ point games. A team can’t expect to win when their defense gives up that many points in a game. Defense should be the main thing for the Irish to work on this week in practice.

The Irish’s season depends how the defense plays. Look for the defense to step it up next week.

Filed Under: CFB Tagged With: CFB, charlie weis, Jimmy Clausen, Michigan State, ncaa, Notre Dame

NFL Picks Week 2: Take the Giants, Colts, Seahawks, and Panthers

September 20, 2009 By Rich Brown Leave a Comment

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New York GMEN(+3) vs. Dallas Cowboys

Looking at the match ups in this game, they favor the Giants greatly. Dallas’s offensive line is suspect and the GMEN have the best defensive line in the NFL. Tony Romo, when shaken, gets stirred like a James Bond drink, and I expect him to be hit all night. Tony Romo has a history of making some very poor decisions against the Giants and I don’t expect that to change this week. I like the Giants to win, but getting 3 points is always great.

Miami Dolphins vs. Indianapolis Colts(-3)

Miami took the league by storm last year with their Wildcat offense. That was then this is now. NFL defensive coordinators have had one year to see the Wildcat offense on tapes, and Miami wont be catching anyone by surprise this year. With that said Miami still does not have a quarterback that can throw the ball more than 25 yards down field which makes it easy for defenses to scheme against them. The Colts do struggle on the road and on grass, but it’s only 3 points, and I think they win by two scores.

San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks(+1)

I think Seattle is a completely different team with Matt Hasselbeck at quarterback at the helm. Not to mention he finally has a great receiver to throw the ball to in T.J Houshmandzadeh. For the 49ers I just don’t believe in Shaun Hill and besides Frank Gore, not enough playmakers, take the point and fly with the Hawks.

Atlanta Falcons vs. Carolina Panthers(+6.5)

Atlanta looked really good last week, Carolina looked really bad. The spread in the game started at -2 and has jumped almost 4.5 points. This is a big rivalry in the NFC South and if Carolina loses this game they might as well pack it in for the season, because their schedule is just brutal for the rest of the season. I don’t expect Jake Delhome to light it up, I expect the Panthers to run, run, and run some more, which you can do versus Atlanta. I think Atlanta wins, but they don’t cover.

Record this year:
College 3-5
NFL 2-2

Filed Under: Featured Column, NFL, Sports Betting Tagged With: Atlanta Falcons, carolina panthers, dallas cowboys, Indianapolis Colts, miami dolphins, new york giants, nfl week 2, NFL week 2 picks, san francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks

Jets-Patriots Preview and Prediction: Can Ryan/Sanchez Beat Belichick/Brady?

September 18, 2009 By Matt Noonan 4 Comments

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The last time the New England Patriots lost at Giants Stadium when playing against the New York Jets was when Vinny Testaverde, Wayne Chrebet, and Curtis Martin were suiting up for the green and white.

Nine years have passed since that dreadful 20-19 defeat on September 11, 2000, and the New York Jets are anxious, eager, and willing to do whatever it takes in their home opener to embarrass the Patriots and advance to a 2-0 record.

Here are is everything you need to know:

New England Patriots (1-0) at New York Jets (1-0)

Patriots-Jets Date: Sunday, September 20
Patriots-Jets Time: 1:00
Patriots-Jets TV Network: CBS
Patriots-Jets Announcers: Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf
Patriots-Jets Point Spread: Patriots -5.5
Patriots-Jets Over-Under: 46.5
Jerod’s Patriots-Jets Pick: The Jets are going to come after Tom Brady big time, and are coming off of a great defensive performance against Houston. I don’t see the Jets winning, because there is no way I’m picking Mark Sanchez over a Belichick defense and Tom Brady, but I think they can keep it close with New England at home. Patriots-Jets spread pick: Jets +5.5.
StubHub: Patriots-Jets tickets as low as $12!

Jets-Patriots Preview

Jets head coach Rex Ryan has called all the season ticket holders, admitting he may not be up to Coach Belichick’s standards. He also admitted that he probably does not have a quarterback like Tom Brady nor three Super Bowl rings, but overall wants to win this game… badly!

Numerous Jets players have spoken out publically calling this their “Super Bowl,” as well as admitting they just want to pummel any New England Patriot player that comes in their vicinity.

Believe me, I have never seen this much hype since 2006 when Terrell Owens’ return to Philadelphia as Dallas Cowboy began to escalate that summer; but all this chaos over a week 2 match-up? Seriously?

I still consider this just a regular divisional game for both teams, not a championship.

Let’s be completely honest: Tom Brady looked sloppy and not in sync with any of his receivers this past Monday night. He did, however, pull off a heroic comeback that resembled the original Boston Patriots in their day.

With the absence of Jerod Mayo, and a defense that seems to lack leadership, who knows if we will be ready to watch another stellar performance from rookie Mark Sanchez. Sanchez seemed to stretch Joe Willie Namath’s smile from ear to ear last week as the Jets’ hero watched the young quarterback tally up 272 yards in the air and throw his first career NFL touchdown.

Any chances we could be looking at the next “Broadway Joe”?

Doubt it.

Jets-Patriots Prediction

Look for an explosive and pulverizing effort from this New York Jets defense, as they look to pressure and blitz Tom Brady constantly. As for the New England Patriots, the key to this game is stopping Bart Scott, Kris Jenkins, and the rest of this talented defense from applying the kind of pressure they want to apply.

Tom Brady needs to gain back more confidence in the pocket while at the same time sending a few deep passes to Randy Moss. By stretching the Jets defense through the air, as well as utilizing Kevin Faulk, Laurence Maroney, and Fred Taylor as the three-headed running attack, the Patriots should be able to thwart what looks to be a very strong New York Jets defense.

This game should end up being close, but not a win for the Jets once the final second ticks away.

Sorry Jets fans, this one belongs to the Patriots!

Prediction: Patriots 30 – Jets 20

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* – Rex Ryan photo credit: AP via Newsday

Filed Under: NFL Tagged With: football, Jets-Patriots preview, Mark Sanchez, new england patriots, new york jets, NFL, tom brady

Florida-Tennessee Preview: Tim Tebow Ready to Make Lane Kiffin Eat His Words

September 18, 2009 By J-Dools Leave a Comment

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Lane Kiffin has said a lot of things, the guy loves to talk.

Kiffin especially likes to talk trash about Florida and their head coach. During the offseason, Kiffin’s comments about Urban Meyer and Florida included accusing Meyer of being a cheater in regards to recruiting.

Kiffin also got people riled up immediately after he signed with UT when he said he couldn’t wait to sing Rocky Top all night long after beating Florida.

Someone get Lane some more Hater-ade.

[Editor's note: I am making a quick addendum to J-Dools' fine work and embedding Rocky Top -- the greatest fight song in all of college sports -- here in this post because, unfortunately, I don't think the Vols will be hearing it much on Saturday; they certainly won't be singing it, and nor will anyone else, on Saturday night. But we can at least enjoy it right now]

As a Vols fan I love the trash talk; I think it’s great.

The problem is that the Vols are reeling after a dissapointing loss to UCLA and now have to face the Gators in The Swamp.

This Saturday, Kiffin likely will be forced to eat his own words.

Tennessee at #1 Florida Preview

Tennessee-Florida Date: Saturday, September 19th
Tennessee-Florida State Kickoff Time: 3:30 ET
Tennessee-Florida TV Channel: CBS
Tennessee-Florida Point Spread: Florida -29.5

It’s no secret how much Florida hates Tennessee and especially Kiffin. They have been throwing darts at his picture all summer. It wouldn’t surprise me if there is a bounty out on Kiffin in the city of Gainesville.

Setting the media circus aside, there is still a football game to be played. That part also doesn’t look too good for Kiffin.

Florida returned nearly all of their starters from last year’s national championship squad, most importantly quarterback Tim Tebow. (a.k.a God, Jesus, Chuck Norris, etc.)

The ’09 Florida Gators look as good as ever, having not allowed a touchdown in either of their first two games. This team has the capability to run the table in the SEC and making it back to another national championship.

The ’09 Vols looked a lot like the ’08 version when they dropped a 19-15 decision to UCLA on Saturday. The offense was booed of the field and Jonathan Crompton would have been banished from Knoxville if the fans had the power. Things are definitely looking bad for Crompton when a fellow UT student invites me to a Facebook group titled “Jonathan Crompton Please Retire From Football.” (I joined the group.)

As much as I would love to see the Vols go into The Swamp and beat Tebow and the Gators, its just not going to happen. Florida is faster, stronger, and better than Tennessee. The Gators tore apart UT in the return game last season, and with a pair of track sprinters returning kicks it can happen again.

Urban Meyer wants nothing more than to run up the score on the Vols and to get back at Kiffin. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him going for two point conversions all game. Mr. Perfect (Tebow) and his offense will come out firing on Saturday.

But there is always a glimmer of hope. If Vols safety Eric Berry can have a big game and lead the defense, Tennessee could catch the Gators being overconfident. The best chance Tennessee has is to try to keep the score low.

I want to stress that I am a Volunteers fan, but I am also a realist. There is a reason Florida is favored by 30 points.

This rivalry game will be fun to watch because of the bad blood between the teams. In the end, I think Florida will punish Kiffin for being too much of a Gator Hater.

My prediction: Florida- 41 Tennessee-17 (It hurts me to say that)

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* – Lane Kiffin photo credit: USC photo via Majorly English

* – Tim Tebow photo credit: NFFootballReport

Filed Under: CFB Tagged With: CFB, Eric Berry, Florida, Gainesville, Gator Hater, Gators, Jonathan Crompton, Knoxville, Lane Kiffin, SEC, SEC East, Tennessee, The Swamp, tim tebow, Urban Meyer, Vols, Volunteers

Browns-Broncos Preview, Analysis, and Prediction

September 18, 2009 By Jerod Morris 1 Comment

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All things considered, it was perhaps the most disappointing game of Browns’ 2008 season.

After opening the season 0-3, Cleveland battled back to win three out of its next five games, ultimately sitting at 3-5 as they prepared to take on the Denver Broncos at home on Thursday Night Football.

Leading 23-10 early in the 3rd quarter, it appeared that the Browns would improve their record to 4-5 and salvage some semblance of an opportunity to make a late season charge at the playoffs.

The Broncos were only able to muster a field goal in the 3rd quarter, meaning the Browns were nursing a 23-13 lead as the 4th quarter began. I was at the Browns Backers that night, as I usually am during Browns games, and for the first time since the opening week of the season, I felt genuine optimism.

We win this game, we’re right back in this thing, was the thought permeating the room.

We know how that turned out.

Over the next 15 minutes of play at Cleveland Browns Stadium, the door was shut on the Browns’ 2008 season for good. You all remember what happened: Eric Wright and Brandon McDonald forgot how to play cornerback, and another chapter in the over-hyped legend of Jay Cutler was written.

Cutler threw 3 TD passes in the 4th quarter, with the 93-yarder to Eddie Royal that started the barrage seeming to break the Browns’ back, even though Cleveland still led 23-20. Cutler would add subsequent TD passes to Daniel Graham and Brandon Marshall on his way to 447 passing yards on the evening.

Despite a solid game from starter Brady Quinn, and the best rushing performance of the year for Cleveland (160 yards, 5.5 yard average), the Browns ended the night a demoralizing 3-6. They would win the next week at Buffalo before proceeding to drop their last six games of the season.

Would 2008 have turned out any differently had the Browns been 5-5 instead of 4-6 after Week 10? Who knows. Probably not. But I know one thing: the sting of last season would have been a little less severe had that 4th quarter embarrassment against the Broncos not occurred.

Sunday afternoon, the Browns will have their opportunity for vengeance.

Here are the particulars:

Cleveland Browns (0-1) at Denver Broncos (1-0)

Browns-Broncos Date: Sunday, September 20
Browns-Broncos Time: 4:15
Browns-Broncos TV Network: CBS
Browns-Broncos Announcers: Bill Macatee and Steve Beuerlein
Browns-Broncos Point Spread: Broncos -3.5
Browns-Broncos Over-Under: 37.5
StubHub: Browns-Broncos tickets as low as $42!

Last week, my preview and analysis of the Vikings-Browns game unfortunately proved prophetic.

The Vikings are quite possibly the worst matchup in the NFL for the Browns, and it showed on Sunday. Cleveland played very well in the first half, but the Browns’ inability to run and stop the run doomed them to a disappointing second half.

This week, my Browns preview will not be nearly as pessimistic. Unlike last week, when I listed out the three reasons the Browns would lose and then provided three things that had to happen for them to even have a chance, this week will be much easier.

I’m giving you three reasons why the Browns will win on Sunday. Because they will. Chime in with your prediction, then read mine.

Who will win Sunday's game between the Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos

Cleveland Browns (63%, 10 Votes)

Denver Broncos (37%, 6 Votes)

Total Voters: 16

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Browns-Broncos Analysis

Three reasons the Browns will win on Sunday

1 – The Browns’ biggest weakness, run defense, is marginalized by Denver’s unproven rushing attack

The Broncos have long been known as a running team, ever since Terrell Davis began the legendary run of 1,000-yard backs that Mike Shanahan seemed to pluck off of the trees outside the Broncos’ practice facility. There was Terrell Davis and Mike Anderson and Clinton Portis and Mike Bell, and on and on and on.

Their rushing prowess also led to consistent success and many playoff berths for the Broncos, with the franchise winning at least eight games every year between 2000-2006 after winning 37 games in three years between 1996-1998.

But Denver has not had a 1000-yard back since Tatum Bell ran for 1,025 yards in 2006. Not coincidentally, they haven’t had a winning season since 2006. Also not coincidentally, 2007 is the season Jay Cutler took over as their quarterback.

The end result is that by last season, the Broncos were 12th in the league in rushing at 116.4 yards per game. That is actually impressive when you consider that they did not have a back eclipse 343 yards, with Shanahan employing a revolving door of Michael Pittman, Peyton Hillis, Selvin Young, Tatum Bell, Andre Hall, and others. (Note: the picture above is rumored to have been taken after Shanahan was shown the Broncos’ final 2008 rushing statistics. I cannot confirm this, however.)

The Broncos’ transition from a running team to a passing team was essentially complete at the end of last year, with the results obvious: a 15-17 record during the 2007 and 2008 seasons with no playoff berths.

In 2009, Jay Cutler has been replaced by Kyle Orton and the Broncos are counting on a rookie first round draft pick, Knowshon Moreno, and a career backup, Correll Buckhalter, to carry the load on offense.

One would think that the Broncos’ Week 1 matchup might have offered a chance for the running game to get going early in the season. The Cincinnati Bengals were 21st in the league in rushing defense last year. However, the Broncos’ offense struggled all day, netting a total of 302 yards with Buckhalter and Moreno combining for just 65 yards on 16 carries.

Certainly, I and everyone else expect them to have more success running the ball against the Browns, a team that few have been worse than over the past few years at stopping the run. But the Broncos will not be able to run roughshod all over Cleveland like the Vikings did.

Minnesota blew the Week 1 game open in the second half because Adrian Peterson is an absolute beast. In the first half, Cleveland actually played very well and contained the Vikings on the ground. On Sunday, I expect the Browns defensive performance to be much closer to the first half of Week 1 as opposed to the second half.

I’m sure that Denver will get 110-120 yards on the ground. The Browns are not going to miraculously become a good defense against the run overnight. But I do believe they will be able to contain the Broncos enough, like Cincinnati did, to make Kyle Orton beat them.

I’ll take my chances with Kyle Orton, which me leads to reason #2 why the Browns will win on Sunday…

2 – I’ll take my chances with Kyle Orton

The Broncos beat the Browns last year because Jay Cutler, despite his uneven record as a starting quarterback, is supremely talented and capable of getting into a zone that few QBs in the NFL can match. Cutler also had a great rapport with WRs Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal, and it was certainly on display last season.

That said, Cutler is douchy, inconsistent, and has poor leadership skills, which in my mind makes him a hugh risk as a franchise QB. Obviously though, none of that mattered in the 4th quarter last year.

Kyle Orton, on the other hand, is not the type of quaterback who can beat you on his own.

In Week 1, Orton finished the game with solid numbers: 17-28, 243 yards, 1 TD, 0 INTs. But take away his fluky touchdown pass to Brandon Stokley that won the game, and this is what his numbers would have been: 16-27, 146 yards, 0 TDs.

Against Cincinnati’s defense.

I realize the irony of a Browns fan criticizing another team’s offense, but the Broncos offensive attack just does not scare me. If the Browns can contain the Broncos’ running game, which I believe that we will, it will put the onus on Kyle Orton to win the game. Despite the fluky madness that ended last week’s game — for which Orton gets no credit, sorry — I don’t believe Kyle Orton will be able to get the job done.

The truth is that I see the Broncos and Browns as very similar teams. Both teams’ running games have potential, but have shown nothing yet. Both teams have pedestrian QBs that are incapable of winning games on their own. Both teams also have defenses with some obvious strengths, but also some very obvious holes and debilitating weaknesses.

So, considering that the Broncos are playing at home, what leads me to believe that the Browns will win on Sunday?

3 – Sunday’s game will be a close one in which special teams make a huge difference; the Browns have the decided advantage in this area.

No discussion of the Browns’ special teams can begin anywhere but with the best special teams player in the NFL: Joshua Cribbs.

In case anyone needed a reminder of Cribbs’ greatness, he took a punt 67 yards to the house last Sunday against the Vikings. For his career, Cribbs averages 11.1 yards per punt return and has score twice. On kickoffs, Cribbs averages 26.3 yards per return and has scored five times.

Eddie Royal, who handles the return duties for Denver and did so last year as well, has yet to score in his young career and falls short of Cribbs’ averages in both areas.

Kicker is another area where the Browns have an advantage.

Phil Dawson has made of 82.9% of his kicks over his successful career, with numerous clutch game-winners over the past two seasons. He may not have the strongest leg in the NFL, but he’s 12-14 between 40-49 yards over the past two seasons and did kick a 56-yarder last season.

Matt Prater, who handles placekicking duties for Denver, is only a 70% career kicker despite going 2-2 in Week 1 on a couple of long kicks. Last season, he was only 5-11 from 40-49 yards.

In a close game, I’ll take my chances with our far more proven kicker.

The Browns also have the more consistent punter and punt coverage unit. In 2008, Dave Zastudil averaged 45.5 yards per punt, pinned the other team inside their 20-yard line on 30.7% of his kicks, and the Browns gave up an average punt return of only 7.3 yards, good for an overall net of 42.3. Also, 43 of Zastudil’s punts were fair caught.

Brett Kern handles the punting duties for Denver, and while he averaged 46.7 yards per kick in 2008, he only pinned the opposing team inside its 20-yard line on 28.3% of his kicks. Additionally, the Broncos gave up 4.5 more yards per punt return (11.8) than the Browns, which resulted in a net punt average of 39.6 for Kern.

Here is the best thing about Kern from a Browns perspective: he kicks it long but they are returnable. Whereas only 42.6% of Zastudil’s punts were returned in 2008, 60.8% of Kern’s were returned. This only accentuates our advantage in the return game and makes Cribbs even more of a factor.

In a game between two subpar offenses, the hidden yardage of the return game could be huge. Points will most likely be at a premium, and the team can put itself in the best position to score with solid field position will most likely end up on top.

Hence why I believe the Browns will win on Sunday.

Browns-Broncos Prediction

I don’t think that Denver is a very good team this year. I’m not sure that the Browns are a good team either, but I do believe we are better than the Broncos.

What does give me a little bit of pause in picking Cleveland to win this Sunday is the fact that the game is in Denver, which has always been a tough place for opponents to play. Between the rowdy fans, the altitude, and the typically strong teams Denver has had, coming into the Mile High city and getting a W has never been easy.

But after the huge withdrawal that the Broncos made from the football karma bank last week, improbably snatching victory from the jaws of defeat, they are ripe for a little payback in Week 2. Add this impending karmic payback to the payback the Browns will already have on their minds after last season’s 4th quarter debacle, and Browns fans have yet another reason to believe.

Last season, the Browns outplayed the Broncos for 45 minutes and then simply ran into a 15-minute 4th quarter buzzsaw that could not be stopped. That threat is now gone with Jay Cutler replaced by Kyle Orton.

I think Sunday’s game will be much more like the first three quarters of the 2008 matchup than it will be like the final quarter. In fact, it will probably even be a little closer.

But if you take away that final quarter, the Browns would have won in ’08.

One year later, with special teams being the difference, the Browns will finish the job.

Take the Browns and the points but understand that you won’t need them:

Cleveland Browns 17 | Denver Broncos 16

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* – Jay Cutler in Browns-Broncos ’08 photo credit: Duncan / AP via New York Daily News

* – Joshua Cribbs photo credit: Bleacher Report

* – Phil Dawson photo credit: Waiting For Next Year

Filed Under: NFL Tagged With: Browns Preview, Browns-Broncos Preview, Cleveland Browns, denver broncos, jay cutler, joshua cribbs, NFL, nfl week 2

MNF Preview & Podcast: Colts-Dolphins Analysis and Prediction

September 17, 2009 By AJ Kaufman 12 Comments

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Editor’s Note: AJ Kaufman’s weekly MNF coverage on MSF is sponsored by Sadler’s Smokehouse, a producer of premium pit smoked meats that are best described by Sadler’s slogan: Legendary since 1948.

Sadler’s premium meats are perfect for tailgating on Saturday, for grilling out at home on Sunday, or for when you are hosting a group of friends, or even just the family, on Monday night.

With a variety of delicious choices (beef, pork, ribs, turkey, brisket, and more) and availability at grocery stores throughout the U.S., Sadler’s meats are the tasty, convenient choice when you want to watch the big game and eat well while you’re doing it.

Check out Sadler’s Monday Night Football Recipe of the Week: Shaved Pork Loin Quesadillas
Each week, you can also listen to the MSF Monday Night Football Podcast, brought to you by Sadler’s. In this week’s edition, Jerod and Big MB debate whether Miami or Indianapolis will come out on top Monday night and whether or not it’s true that Colts fans are both fair-weather.
Follow the link to listen to the MSF Podcast on iTunes, or us the in-page player below to listen while you read.

Colts-Dolphins MNF Preview Podcast presented by Sadler’s

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Monday Night Football Preview

Indianapolis Colts (1-0) at Miami Dolphins (0-1)

Colts-Dolphins Date: Monday, September 21
Colts-Dolphins Time: 8:30
Colts-Dolphins TV Network: ESPN
Colts-Dolphins Announcers: Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, Jon Gruden
Colts-Dolphins Point Spread: Colts -3.5
Colts-Dolphins Over-Under: 42
Colts-Dolphins Pick by JRod: The Colts will be without a proven #2 WR and have no running game to speak of. With the Dolphins coming off of a terrible loss, I think the Parcells-Sparano combo has them ready to play. I think the Dolphins actually win this game outright in front of their home fans on Monday night. They’ll certainly cover 3.5 points. Colts-Dolphins spread pick: Dolphins +3.5.
StubHub: Colts-Dolphins tickets as low as $42!
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Colts-Dolphins Analysis

Most Colts fans I know are usually optmistic, often blindly so. After last week’s 14-12 triumph over the subpar Jags in Indianapolis, however, many were not.

Even those over-analyzing and looking for pros and cons, down to the season as a whole, relayed guarded optimism at best, significant concerns about injuries and the running game at worst.

The Colts could not convert on short fourth downs, similar to last year’s playoffs when it directly cost them the game at San Diego. Despite the win last Sunday, Indy lost the turnover battle badly and did little on the ground. In addition to the injury to the team’s number two receiver, Anthony Gonzalez, oft-injured Bob Sanders (and his $7 million dollar contract) remains unavailable this week, out indefinitely it seems.

Therefore, I simply am not as sanguine as most others about the next few weeks of Colts football.

Though Indianapolis held on versus the Jags, it was far from spectacular. Overall, Peyton Manning was very good, with more than 300 yards in the air. Like in 2008 when he won his third MVP, he may have to carry this team on his shoulders if they are to achieve their 6th consecutive 12-win season. (And no, the team is not re-signing Marvin Harrison for obvious reasons not needing enumeration.)

The next step for the Colts is southward to Miami for a primetime special on Monday night.

Indianapolis can take solace in the fact that Miami’s “Wildcat” offense was listless in a 19-7 loss to Atlanta. Their focus is on shoring up the porous offensive line that will have to play better this week if they expect to have any chance of contending Monday night, much less throughout the season. The Dolphins lost three fumbles, threw an interception, and were nearly shutout. A late 4th-quarter touchdown made the game look closer than it actually was.

Miami had a plus-17 turnover differential last year. Was the Atlanta game an early sign that perhaps things won’t be the same in 2009?

Chad Pennington, who had just seven turnovers all of last year, had two last Sunday (an interception and a fumble). Though he was 21 for 29, Pennington threw for just 176 yards, which gives him a pretty weak average of just over six yards per attempt.

Returning to pass protection, the Falcons, not known for being able to get after the quarterback consistently, registered four sacks.

The Dolphins only used Pat White for three “Wildcat” plays during week one’s game, and on one of those plays he overthrew Ted Ginn, who was wide open and may have had a touchdown on the play. Using White more would likely allow him to get into a rhythm. With the Wildcat offense being an epic failure in the Atlanta game, however, garnering just four yards, is this fad fading?

This all established, Ricky Williams looked very quick and agile on Sunday, dispelling preseason talk from ESPN that he had lost a step. Still, one has to question if it’s the best thing for the Dolphins to keep Ronnie Brown–arguably the Dolphins most explosive offensive player–out for long stretches of the game simply because Williams is running the ball well. The Dolphins’ run defense was also solid, holding Atlanta’s Michael Turner to just 65 yards. Miami was 10th in the league last season at stopping the run.

An additional positive to note about the defending AFC East champions is the apparent resurgence of 35 year-old Jason Taylor. After a great preseason, Taylor proved he’s legit in 2009, starting off the regular season the right way with a sack. If he can regain the form that made him a perennial Pro Bowler, then the Dolphins may not have to rely on their offense as much throughout the year…and judging how they looked Week One, that could be a good thing.

Colts-Dolphins Prediction

My semi-confident prediction is that these two teams, who combined for only 21 points in week one, will score more this week.

But even with that potential for a low score, I think the Colts will find enough to cover the small spread.

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* – Ricky Williams photo credit: Jamie Squire/Getty Images via About.com

Filed Under: MNF, NFL, Podcast Tagged With: bob sanders, chad pennington, Colts-Dolphins, football, Indianapolis Colts, miami dolphins, mnf, Monday Night Football, NFL, nfl week 2, peyton manning, Podcast, sadler's

NFL Week 3 Preview: TV Schedules, Point Spreads, Announcer Pairings, and Free Picks

Update: The NFL Week 17 TV schedule, point spreads, and picks post is up.

NFL Week 3 Viewer’s Guide

TV Schedule – Announcers – Kickoff Times

Point Spreads – Picks – Odds – Over-Unders

NFL Play of the Day Video: Ray Lewis Stuffs Darren Sproles and Jerry Jones Picks His Nose

Video: Ray Lewis Stuffs Darren Sproles on 4th and 2

Video: Jerry Jones Picks His Nose as Cowboys Lose to Giants

College Football TV Schedule and Point Spreads – Week 4, September 26th

College Football Week 4 TV Schedule and Point Spreads - Week of Saturday, September 26th

Marion Barber Injury Update: Pulled Leg Muscle, Left Game

Michael Floyd, Jimmy Clausen Injury Update: Broken Collar Bone for Floyd, Likely Out Rest of Season

Packers Plagued By Penalties and Pressure In Loss to Bengals

“Being a Browns Fan is How it Feels to be Dead Inside”

Frank Gore Takes Aim at Single Game Rushing Record

Detroit Lions Leading Minnesota Vikings 10-0 in 2nd Quarter

Notre Dame-Michigan State Recap: McCarthy’s INT Saves the Irish From Another Tough Loss

NFL Picks Week 2: Take the Giants, Colts, Seahawks, and Panthers

Jets-Patriots Preview and Prediction: Can Ryan/Sanchez Beat Belichick/Brady?

Jets-Patriots Preview

Jets-Patriots Prediction

Florida-Tennessee Preview: Tim Tebow Ready to Make Lane Kiffin Eat His Words

Browns-Broncos Preview, Analysis, and Prediction

Browns-Broncos Analysis

Browns-Broncos Prediction

MNF Preview & Podcast: Colts-Dolphins Analysis and Prediction

Monday Night Football Preview

Indianapolis Colts (1-0) at Miami Dolphins (0-1)

Colts-Dolphins Analysis

Colts-Dolphins Prediction

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