A sports blog by and for Midwest Sports Fans
From time to time this season, I’ve killed time on Sunday nights while watching SNF by compiling the most entertaining images, GIFs, and videos from the day in professional football. Since this is the final week of the regular season, I can’t pass up my final opportunity for one last trip to the NFL’s lighter side.
Athletes are preternaturally competitive beings.
During the heat of competition, the passion that courses through combatants can sometimes take a turn into uglier territory.
Rex Ryan has come out and said how his team needs a win in this AFC East battle between the Jets and Patriots Sunday night, and he is absolutely right.
Both teams currently have a 5-3 record, but a loss would give the Patriots both head-to-head wins, which gives them the tiebreaker if the teams ended the year with the same record. Both teams must also keep pace with the 5-3 Bills, who may or may not be for real this season.
This Sunday night’s game between 2010 playoff teams the Jets and Ravens is actually an anticipated matchup compared to the game last week, even though the Colts didn’t do too badly. (Or did the Steelers just do that bad? Either way, the Colts are 0-3 and Curtis Painter is their starting quarterback. He’s no Ryan Leaf, but at the same time he is no Peyton Manning…)
Let’s take a look at this game, which will feature Jets head coach Rex Ryan going up against the future Hall of Famers he used to coach in Ray Lewis and Ed Reed.
Another week of NFL football is upon us. Are we excited? Amped up? Ready to strap on our chinstrap and run out of the tunnel?
Here are a few games that all NFL fans should keep their eyes on on Sunday.
I thought there was a chance that we would have three close, competitive games and one boring blowout last weekend during the divisional round of the NFL Playoffs. I thought the games between the Saints-Cardinals, Cowboys-Vikings, and Colts-Ravens would all come down to the final quarter. The Chargers-Jets game I was pretty sure would be an easy victory for San Diego.
Hmm…yeah, about that…
I tell you this in an effort to be up front about the fact that while I was pretty accurate at predicting things during the regular season (57% against the spread), my radar has been way off for the playoffs (2-6 record).
Still, that is not going to stop me from trying, and I have already submitted my Conference Championship Sunday picks: Colts to win and cover, Vikings to cover and probably win. This would give us a Super Bowl matchup between the Colts and Vikings that would be quite compelling.
But how compelling would an Indy-Minnesota (aka Favre-Manning, let’s be honest) matchup be in relation to the other three possible Super Bowl matchups?
It can be in the Big Apple, under the bright lights, in front of a sea of green and white maniacs. Those maniacs who are screaming their heads off to perfectly complement a defense that has plenty of screams of their own. It be at a press conference guaranteeing a spot into the second season as you make your coaching debut.
Or..
It can be coming into a situation as murky as the Everglades, as distorted as a Picasso painting, and as confusing as a puzzle. Coming into the situation with your head on right, not letting any certain WR get in the way of you getting to your goal, in order to prove your former team/head coach wrong, and then guide your new team to a 5-0 start.
Recognizable situations, no?
Well if you are still unfamiliar, let me clear things up.
Welcome to my second “Great Debate”, where I will pit two of the best at what they do against each other in an all-out brawl. Comparing and contrasting the two with facts, stats and opinion; where in the end one will come out on top, whether it be by a landslide or a hair.
So without further ado I would like to introduce you to Round 2 of my Great Debate, coach vs coach, defensive mastermind vs offensive guru.
Rex Ryan vs Josh McDaniels.
Last week at this time wide receiver Braylon Edwards was lanquishing in Cleveland, waiting for a ball to come his way from a sputtering offense, while searching for nightlife downtown and throwing down with a Friend of LeBron.
On Monday Night Football in Miami, Jets v. Dolphins, Number 17 — wearing his new New York Jets uniform — was brilliant, showing off the moves, leaps and most importantly, the hands that Browns fans had not seen since 2007.
Edwards had five catches for 64 yards, one touchdown and another called back on a challenge with the ball placed on the one-yard line. The Jets scored on the very next play.
Despite the loss to Miami, New York fans were buzzing about the Mark Sanchez to Braylon Edwards connection.
Magical.
