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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.
LaDainian Tomlinson was one of the more controversial running backs heading into 2009 fantasy football drafts, as his history of consistent production and his advancing age collided to form a maelstrom of differing opinions on his potential for 2009.
In the end, despite his age (30) and 2008 struggles, most drafts saw L.T. get plucked at some point in the mid- to late-first round.
Still, there is no doubt that anyone drafting L.T. had to be more than a little nervous about investing their 1st round pick in a player who is fighting against the stacked history of running backs struggling once they reach 30 years old.
After one week, the L.T. results for 2009 can only be described one way: mixed.
If you did not stay up for the second Monday night game last night between San Diego and Oakland, you missed a thrilling 4th quarter in which Oakland took the lead late on a 4th and 15 TD pass by JaMarcus Russell only to see Philip Rivers and San Diego go right down the field and score a TD of their own to capture a 24-20 victory.
You also missed LaDainian Tomlinson having to spend most of the second half on the bench with an ankle injury.
The game was not a complete loss, however, as Tomlinson scored a touchdown in the first half and averaged 4.2 yards per carry on 13 rushes, generating 55 yards. He also had one reception.
The early Monday injury update on Tomlinson is that there really isn’t one, except that he was “limping badly after the game” according to The San Diego Union-Tribune (via PFT’s LT injury update). Tomlinson says that the ankle injury was not bad enough to keep him from playing, but said that it did tighten up on him in the second half.
In Tomlinson’s absence, Darren Sproles ran for only 23 yards on 9 carries, but did show his usual giddy-up while gathering 43 yards on 5 receptions.
We likely won’t know more about Tomlinson’s ankle injury until later in the week, and even then surely Norv Turner and the Chargers will milk the uncertainty over LT’s status as much as they can. With a tough game coming up against the usually ruthless Ravens’ defense, I would expect to hear very little substantive about LT until late in the week, if at all.
I’ll update this post as more information becomes available about Tomlinson’s injury. I’d make sure you have a backup plan ready, and then be pleasantly surprised if and when you don’t have to use it.
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.
And now, on with the preview of this week’s Chargers-Raiders matchup on Monday Night Football. Follow the link to also view MSF’s Patriots-Bills MNF preview and prediction.
Monday Night Football Week 1 Preview
San Diego Chargers (0-0) at Oakland Raiders (0-0)
Let’s take a quick look at all of the particulars for the second game in tomorrow night’s annual Week 1 MNF double-dip:
Chargers-Raiders Date: Monday, September 14th
Chargers-Raiders TV & Kickoff Time: 10:15 ET on ESPN
Chargers-Raiders Location: Oakland Coliseum in Oakland
Chargers-Raiders Announcers: Mike Greenberg, Mike Golic, and Steve Young
Like many of the past seasons, the Raiders don’t look like much to write home about.
In fact, since their Super Bowl loss to Tampa Bay following the 2002 season, they’ve won just 24 games the past six campaigns. (By comparison, the Indianapolis Colts have won 25 games the past two seasons; the Patriots have won 27 in that span.)
Their defense is, as it has been the past few seasons, very reputable. The offense, also like recent years, is rather putrid. This could cause the defense to look worse than it actually is, especially against a good team like San Diego, which is pretty stacked on the offensive side of the ball. Few deny that preseason is mostly meaningless, but many noticed how awful the Raiders looked against the Saints.
While Ladainian Tomlinson may never be as good as he traditionally was in his heyday a few years ago, he should be a lot better than he was in 2008 when he struggled mightily by his own high standards. In another weak season for the AFC West, he’ll surely be good enough to get the Chargers into the playoffs.
For now, scandal-ridden Shawne Merriman is again the key to a defense that is good versus the run, which happens to be the Raiders’ strength. Darren Sproles, who broke my Indianapolis Colts’ hearts last season, should be used in conjunction with Tomlinson (see Leon Washington), not just to “give LT a breather” as Norv Turner has unwisely done in the past, but as a more integrated part of the offense.
The Raiders are relatively weak versus the run, so the aforementioned two runners should see plenty of action.
Not necessarily, but the Chargers certainly are not going to get tripped up in Oakland. With Philip Rivers‘ pin-point passing, they should cover, winning by two touchdowns.
After all, the Chargers put 62 points on the board in their two meetings with Oakland in 2008, both wins.
NFL betting is finally back! We have one more week of preseason games on the schedule and thus one more opportunity to work our NFL prognosticating muscles back into shape. Let’s have a look at Friday’s games and make a few picks, shall we?
Houston Texans at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Friday, September 4, 7:00 p.m. ET
Favorite: Buccaneers -3
A good question to ask in preseason football is “What do these guys have to play for?†In Houston’s case, the answer is “not much.†All their offensive skill players are locked into their starting roles with little to no competition and the Texans will almost certainly sit their top guys to keep them fresh for NFL week 1 betting.
The Bucs, however, have a bit of motivation. After Byron Leftwich “won†the starting quarterback job, both Luke McCown and Josh Freeman will want to show that they’re the better choice to start at pivot. Running back Cadillac Williams is third on Tampa’s depth chart but there’s been talk of a committee and he could use Friday’s game to audition for a role in it. Pick the hungrier Bucs.
Betting services recommend: Buccaneers
Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings
Friday, September 4, 8:00 p.m. ET
Favorite: Vikings -3
The Cowboys’ situation is similar to Houston’s. Do you really think anyone will unseat Tony Romo, Marion Barber, Jason Witten and DeMarcus Ware at their positions? Of course not. The star players have no threats to their jobs and won’t play, so the Cowboys will field a team of subs with little motivation to win. In addition to home field, the Vikings have a least a couple players with extra motivation. Sage Rosenfels wouldn’t mind lighting up the Cowboys to show up Brett Favre, the man who stole his job. Meanwhile, super backup running back Chester Taylor could earn himself a bigger role in the offense if he impresses. Bet on Minnesota.
Forget drinkin’ the Kool-Aid; everyone’s drinkin’ the coffee – Glen Coffee – this preseason. The explosive back leads the NFL in rushing over the first three weeks and should see extensive time Friday filling in for starter Frank Gore. The Chargers have little to prove and their second-string skill players are nothing special, so the 49ers could surprise and outscore the home team. Take a flier on San Fran in your NFL picks.
(Editor’s note: This story was written before the Chargers’ strong late season run came to an end in Pittsburgh against the Steelers.)
The San Diego Chargers have made an improbable run from a 4-8 start all the way to the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs. One of the team’s most valuable players during their five-game run, and unquestionably their most valuable player in the team’s first round win over the Indianapolis Colts, has been RB Darren Sproles.
Just as the Chargers have overcome intense odds to still be alive in the playoffs, Darren Sproles has overcome odds and challenges of his own to become one of the team’s leaders as they prepare to play the Pittsburgh Steelers. Sproles has overcome the death of his mother and a pervasive stuttering problem to become not only an outstanding professional football player, but most importantly, an inspiring role model for football fans and non-football fans alike.
Tomorrow afternoon at 4:45 the Pittsburgh Steelers will host the San Diego Chargers in the final game of the NFL’s Divisional Round Playoff weekend. The winner of Chargers-Steelers will face the winner of the Baltimore-Tennessee game today in next weekend’s AFC Championship game.
Here is a quick rundown of the particulars and some relevant links to get you ready for the game:
San Diego Chargers (9-8) at Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)
As any sports fan not living in a cave knows, Chargers superstar RB LaDainian Tomlinson has been hobbled by an injury that leaves his highly doubtful for Sunday game after limiting him to standing on the sideline during the Chargers’ wild card round victory over the Indianapolis Colts. In LT’s absence, Chargers backup RB Darren Sproles stepped in to produce one of the most impressive individual performances of 2008.
The diminutive and spritely Sproles, a former Kansas State Wildcat, exploded for 328 all-purpose yards, which is the third highest total in NFL playoff history. The Chargers will be counting on Sproles once again this weekend, as the team faces the unenviable task of trying to move the ball against the 2008 version of the Steel Curtain.
James Harrison, Troy Polamalu, and the rest of the Steelers’ outstanding defense will be gearing up to stop Darren Sproles in his swift and agile tracks; but it most likely won’t faze Sproles, who has made an ability to overcome odds and challenges one of his defining attributes.
The most immediately obvious challenge that Darren Sproles has overcome is his size. He is listed at 5′6, 181 pounds, but makes up for it with head-spinning speed and quickness. More importantly, Sproles has displayed heart and toughness throughout his football career, which has allowed him to plow through the roadblocks of questions about his size.
The following is a quick rundown of Darren Sproles’ most impressive football accomplishments. (To see a complete rundown, visit his player page at Chargers.com)
Named Kansas Player of the year by USA Today as a high school senior in Olathe, Kansas.
Holds virtually every school record at Kansas State for career, single-season, and single-game rushing and all-purpose yards.
Big 12 Player of the Year by College Football News in 2003.
5th in Heisman Trophy voting in 2003.
4th round draft choice by the San Diego Chargers in 2005 draft.
Multiple selections as AFC Special Teams Player of the Week throughout career.
Has a yards per carry average of 5.0 during his NFL career.
Had third highest single-game all-purpose yards total in Chargers’ recent victory over the Indianapolis Colts.
Not bad for a guy that was told at pretty much every level that he was too small to play, huh?
The amazing thing about Darren Sproles is that his football accomplishments pale in comparison to what he has accomplished and overcome off the field.
On April 25, 2004, Darren Sproles’ mom Annette passed away at the age of 41 after battling cancer for five years. Despite his top-5 finish in the Heisman voting, and the certainty of being drafted in the 2004 NFL draft, Sproles bypassed the 2004 Draft to honor his mother and return to Kansas State for his senior year. This allowed to him to complete his degree in speech pathology.
The beautiful irony of Darren Sproles’ degree in speech pathology is that Sproles has dealt with a stuttering problem his entire life. While at Kansas State, Sproles was uncomfortable doing media interviews because of his stuttering, and Kansas State officials arranged for him to work with a speech pathologist to help him more effectively deal with his stuttering and become more comfortable speaking publicly.
And Sproles has turned his challenge with stuttering into an opportunity to help and inspire others who are dealing with the same issue. An article at FanHouse by Ryan Wilson discusses a comment to a post about the Colts-Chargers game that was left by an inspired fan. Follow the link to view the complete comment, but here is an excerpt:
I have stuttered my entire life and I can not tell you how proud I am of Darren Sproles for not being afraid to speak his mind to others, no matter how the words come out. I watched his interview after he scored the winning touchdown at last week’s game – that was awesome by the way – and when I heard hiim speak, I almost lost my breath. It is not every day we see someone as successful as he is stuttering on TV and it was refreshing to see. He has no idea how many people he has inspired and how great of an example he is to the thousands of kids and teens who stutter who are afraid to speak because of their stutter.
–Cathy O, from comment at FanHouse
Below is the interview that Cathy O is talking about:
Like Wilson explains in his article, I also saw this interview immediately after the game and did not necessarily think a lot of it. I was peripherally familiar with the fact that Darren Sproles had dealt with stuttering, and honestly my first reaction was to be feel bad for him while being simultaneously impressed by willingness to at least do the interview.
But after reading Cathy O’s comment and some of the other stories about how Sproles has inspired other people who stutter, I realized that the last thing Darren Sproles needs or deserves from me is pity. What he does deserve is both admiration and exposure.
Darren Sproles is a shining beacon of hope and inspiration in so many different ways while playing in a league in which he gets overshadowed by players who run their mouths, feed their own egos, and get into trouble off the field. Something is wrong when Pacman Jones is more famous and exposed than Darren Sproles.
If the NFL is smart, it will do more to market that amazing stories of guys like Darren Sproles, while putting more safeguards in place to keep the Pacman Joneses out of the headlines.
While researching for this post, I came across an article about Darren Sproles on the website for the Stuttering Foundation, an organization with a simple goal: to help those who stutter. I do not know if Sproles has an official affiliation with the Stuttering Foundation, but the article includes quotes that provide insight into who inspired Sproles on his journey to overcome stuttering:
Sproles said he learned to take his time while answering questions during an interview. “I don’t have to be in a hurry to say something.â€
“I remember a long time ago my grandpa told me “don’t ever let anybody tell you that you can’t do anything because you stutter.†Sproles said. “I always remembered that and worked hard at improving my speech.â€
To read the entire article, and to find out other famous people who have dealt with stuttering problems (like Bill Walton, for instance), follow the link to the Stuttering Foundation article about Darren Sproles.
(Update: Just found this after posting, but the Stuttering Foundation also has a Q&A with Darren Sproles
on their website. Sproles was also featured on a poster distributed by the Stuttering Foundation during National Stuttering Awareness Week, May 12-18.)
If you read this site regularly, you know that I am a die-hard Cleveland Browns fan, and also root for the Miami Dolphins. Obviously the Browns fell flat on their faces this year, while the Dolphins’ magically surprising 2008 season came to end last weekend against Baltimore. I figured I would just be watching the remainder of the playoffs with the general interest of a football fan, hoping for good games but not really having a team to root for.
After deciding to sit down an explore this story as a post idea, and then writing this post, I can emphatically say that my mindset has changed. Not that I really needed more reason to root against the Steelers, but I will be a full-fledged San Diego Chargers fan this weekend and for as long as they are in the playoffs.
Stories like Darren Sproles are what make sports such a wonderful form of entertainment, and such a wonderful source of inspriation. The injury to LaDainian Tomlinson has allowed Darren Sproles to step onto a national stage and prove that neither size nor stuttering are challenges too difficult to overcome.
He has inspired me, and I’m sure many others; and I’m hoping that the journey of Darren Sproles continues to inspire football fans, athletes who face challenges because of their size, and people who struggle with stuttering, all the way to the biggest stage of them all: the Super Bowl.
I do think that the Chargers will get a step closer to the Super Bowl this weekend. The Steelers have a great defense, but their offense has struggled thanks to injuries to, and inconsistent play from, Ben Roethlisberger and Willie Parker. The Steelers O-line is going to have a hard time blocking a Chargers defense that harassed NFL MVP Peyton Manning all game long last week. With Philip Rivers playing the best football of his career, and Darren Sproles providing a multi-purpose threat in LT’s absence, the Chargers have what it takes to pull off the upset at Heinz Field.
Wild Card weekend is upon us, with four games to try to satiate America’s insatiable appetite for the NFL. (Follow the think for a breakdown of the TV schedules, announcer lineups, and point spreads of each game this weekend.)
There is one clear marquee matchup this weekend though, and it will take place Saturday night at 8:00 in San Diego, California when the Indianapolis Colts take on the San Diego Chargers.
Why is this game the marquee matchup of the weekend?
These are the two hottest teams in the NFL. The Colts started 3-4 and then won 9 straight to finish 12-4 and capture the Wild Card. The Chargers started 4-8 and then reeled off four straight wins to finish 8-8 and win the AFC West. That’s 13 straight victories between the two, and proof that I have elementary math skills.
The game features superstars on both sides of the ball for each team. Peyton Manning is now a three-time MVP winner, while the Chargers have a former MVP of their own in LaDainian Tomlinson. Bob Sanders is a former NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Philip Rivers rubs some people the wrong way, but has had an outstanding season. Antonio Gates, Antonio Cromartie, Reggie Wayne, Dwight Freeney…yeah, there are stars all over the field.
The Colts and Chargers have a history of playing great, meaningful games against eachother in both the regular season and the playoffs. Earlier this season, the Colts beat the Chargers 23-20 in a game that helped turn the Colts season around. They have played three times in the last two seasons, and each game has been decided by four points or less.
There are plenty more reasons, but there is no need to state the obvious any more. Everyone knows that this will be the best game of the weekend, and I can’t wait to park myself on the couch and watch it Saturday night.
If you are looking for some solid analysis of the game, here are a few relevant links for you:
Stampede Blue – a great source for up-to-the-minute Colts news and notes
Now, let’s discuss for a minute one of the most important factors leading up to this game: injuries. The Colts have been hampered by injuries all season long, but are relatively healthy heading into this game. Oft-injured superstar SS Bob Sanders will play, as will RB Joseph Addai, although he only has one carry over the last three weeks. As of right now, only Gary Brackett is listed as out on the injury report. CB Keiwan Ratliff is questionable, but participated fully in the most recent practice.
On the San Diego side, the injury outlook is a little less clear and positive. Both Antonio Gates and LaDainian Tomlinson are questionable as of the most recent updates on the injury report. According to ProFootballTalk.com, they both have a 50-50 chance of playing. Obviously, the availability of stars like Tomlinson and Gates will have a huge impact on the game.
(Update: Just heard John Clayton say on ESPN that Tomlinson should be able to play, despite not practicing all week. Antonio Gates, however, is “more questionable.” Norv Turner was reportedly more pessimistic after the most recent practice and Gates will be a game-time decision.)
Now let’s get down to the nitty-gritty. It’s prediction time. I will come right out and say that I think the Colts are winning this game. Who do you think will win?
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Here are my reasons for liking the Colts on Saturday night:
The Colts’ superstars are healthier. Playoff games are won by stars, and with Tomlinson and Gates hindered, it is a huge advantage to a Colts team that has gotten healthy at just the right time.
Who do you have more confidence in: Tony Dungy or Norv Turner? I thought so.
Who do you have more confidence in: Peyton Manning or Philip Rivers? I thought so. (And let me just say, this is no disrespect to Philip Rivers, who is proving to be an outstanding quarterback. But Peyton Manning won the MVP for a reason, and he has proven more in the postseason than Rivers.)
The Chargers are 3-7 against teams outside the AFC West. And remember, the AFC West sucks. If the Chargers were in any other AFC division, they most likely would not even be in the playoffs.
However, this is not going to be any type of cake walk for the Colts, regardless of whether Gates and Tomlinson play. Peyton Manning has always struggled against the Chargers defense, and the gap between Manning and Rivers is actually closer than you might think. Plus, you have to give San Diego a slight bump because of the homefield advantage.
Still, in close games, I always go with the coach and QB I trust more. And regardless of whether you think Manning or Rivers is playing better right now, I don’t think anyone can argue that Tony Dungy is a better coach, and specifically a better big-game coach, than Norv Turner. For that reason in particular, I’m taking the Colts.
Colts-Chargers Prediction:
Indianapolis Colts 31 | San Diego Chargers 30
(And this, of course, means that you should go run and put money on the Chargers. I would say that my success predicting games this year has been bad, but I don’t want to overstate my abilities.)
Enjoy the game everyone, and then get ready for the Dolphins to upset the Ravens on Sunday. It’s happening.
Free expert NFL picks, NBA picks and MLB picks. ATS Consultants' top-ranked handicappers make all selections using the most up to date NBA lines, NFL lines, and MLB lines.
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..
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.
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