I recently finished a story about football on Thanksgiving morning. I went to local parks in Mount Prospect, IL and got a better understanding of why people play with the pigskin on Thanksgiving morning. To read that entire story, click here.
I then sat down for an in-depth interview with Chris Romaniwitz, a reciever on the Pilgrims who has played in the annual Pilgrims v. Indians "Turkey Bowl" for the last 18 years.
Greg: Have you always played on the Pilgrims?
Chris: Yep, all 18 years.
Greg: How do you guys decide who plays on what team?
Chris: It really depends. Sometimes guys’ dads played on a particular team, and then their son plays on that same team. Since my dad never played in this game, I was just told to play with the Pilgrims my first year. Other times guys are just placed on whichever team needs another player.
Greg: Interesting. What is one memory that you will never forget after playing in so many Turkey Bowls?
Chris: In 2003, there was a rumor leading up to the game that Todd Stephensons’ (an Indian’s defensive back) daughter’s boyfriend was going to play. I know Todd was hoping that he wasn’t going to play. Well he did. Todd and his daughter’s boyfriend, Jason, 19, were on opposite teams. Jason caught the ball on a deep post and Todd came over and completely laid him out. It was hilarious. Jason was on the ground for a good 30 seconds before he got up. To this day I believe Todd did that to make a statement, put the kid in his place.
Greg: Were you guys playing tackle?
Chris: No, we were playing touch, sometimes a rough touch with an occasional tackle. But Todd just laid the kid out, it was a shock to everyone at first and then we all joked about it after the game.
Greg: What did Jason say after the hit or after the game?
Chris: He didn’t say anything at all after the hit, he was totally caught off-guard. And I don’t think he wanted to say anything to his girlfriend’s dad. He took off right after the game ended, said nice game to a few people and left. That was his one and only Turkey Bowl.
Greg: Haha, that is funny. How does it feel when you win the Turkey Bowl?
Chris: It definitely makes the aches and pains feel a lot better. I have a hot tub in my master bathroom, and I’m in it for a shorter amount of time if we win. I’m more interested in uncorking a bottle of champagne to celebrate.
Greg: And if you lose?
Chris: Then I’m in a pissed off mood, and I don’t really enjoy the rest of the day. I try not to be rude or anything during Thanksgiving dinner, but I’m just not as friendly.
Greg: Do you or any of the other players have a pre-game ritual?
Chris: Yea we do. The night before the game about a dozen guys go to this bar Bogey’s, which is about 15 minutes away from the field. The first thing we do is buy a round of shots, So-Co lime to be exact. Don’t ask me why So-Co, it’s just tradition.
Greg: Do most people get pretty drunk the night before the game, or just have a couple beers, more of a social thing?
Chris: Most of the guys do it more because it’s tradition. There are always a few though that get pretty messed up. Those are the guys you have to call three or four times the next morning to make sure they get their butt out of bed and to the field on time.
Greg: What about yourself, you keep it pretty low key?
Chris: Now I do. But the first five or so years I played, I would get pretty drunk and not go to bed until four in the morning. I don’t think I cared about my performance in the game as much as I do now.
Greg: Why the change in behavior?
Chris: Well now I’m married and have two kids, an eight-year old daughter and a five-year old son. Before I didn’t. I guess I had to grow up (laughs). Plus, I don’t think my wife would be too happy if I came home drunk at 4 a.m.
Greg: Well that’s understandable. Do any of the players’ kids watch the game? Do your kids?
Chris: My kids don’t. I think my son will in a couple years when he is a little bit older. The kids that do come out to the field are usually between eight-and-twelve years old. They are more interested in playing with each other. They might watch the first 20 minutes of the game and then start throwing the football around, play at the park, throw snow balls at each other if there is snow on the ground. So most years there are some kids out there, but they are doing their own thing.
Greg: Is there a minimum age requirement to play in the game?
Chris: Usually it’s guys all over 30. The one exception was in 2003, and after the kid (Jason) got laid out, we all agreed no more kids.
Greg: Well, that makes sense though. Thanks for your time, Chris.
Chris: No problem.
Monday, December 15, 2008
1-on-1 interview with Pilgrims wide reciever Chris Romaniwitz
Turkey and Football
“It’s tradition. These guys look forward to playing in it all year,” said Chris Romaniwitz, 43, who sells insurance the rest of the year but caught passes as the 6-foot 200 pound receiver of the Pilgrims.
Football and Thanksgiving go together like turkey and mashed potatoes, from the annual NFL games in Dallas and Detroit to college football games between in-state rivals.
Then there are the backyard Turkey Bowls: the games played by friends, families and whoever else has the urge to chuck it long like Brett Favre. The games have become Thanksgiving rituals across the United States.
The Pilgrims v. Indians game was first played in the 1970’s, as many of the current players’ dads started the tradition.
“I remember coming out here when I was a little boy and watching my dad and all his friends play,” said John Russo, 37. “My dad was always in a much better mood if he won the game.”
Now Russo is playing in the game as the quarterback for the Indians. He is a divorce lawyer the rest of the year, but on Thanksgiving he puts all that behind him and tries to relive his park district football days.
“I can’t throw the ball as far as I used to,” Russo said. “But I still got pretty good touch on the ball.”
The game is tied and the next touchdown wins. The Indians have the ball and are driving down the field. Russo dropped back and seemed baited to throw it deep by a Pilgrims defensive back. But he underthrew the ball and was intercepted and returned for the game-winning touchdown.
“What a big win,” said Marcus Kardos, the Pilgrims defensive back who had the game-winning interception return for a touchdown. “We’ve lost the past four years and I didn’t want to lose again. I’m going to give Russo crap about it for the next year.”
At another park a mere two blocks away, men in their 50’s and early 60’s were out playing football. Even though some of the men are going to be sore for the next week, they said the two hours of fun is worth it.
“I don’t get to see many of my friends that often,” said John Steward, 58. “I look forward to coming out here and running around even though I have to ice my knees for the next five days,” Steward said, with a smile on his face.
One team had green pinneys, the other blue. It’s six-on-six football with each team having a player over 60. The green team is dominating the blue team, and it is apparent that the blue team is out of shape with half of them gasping for air.
“I see us all out here until we’re 70,” said Tom Lee, an offensive lineman on the blue team. “If anything we’ll have to get a defibrillator out here or something.”
Steward said that as long as he’s able to move with minimal pain he will always play football on Thanksgiving. “The excitement that builds up in me the week leading up to the game is incredible. My favorite part of Thanksgiving is getting out here with friends, and it really doesn’t matter who wins or loses.”
But what makes these games so unique is that the extent of organization is a matter of taste. No practice is required. Design plays on the fly. Team jerseys are a bonus, but torn up sweatshirts and sweatpants work just fine. Tackle or touch. Some keep score, others don’t.
Turkey Bowls are also a way for many to return to times when they were younger, thinner and quicker. “I’ve lost about five steps and gained about fifteen pounds since my high school days,” said Jeff Dombrowski, 38, with a chuckle. “But when I’m playing in the Turkey Bowl none of that matters because everyone else I play against is also fatter and slower.”
One word of caution: injuries do happen. At a park ten minutes away from where the Pilgrims and Indians battled, a game between the Giants and Huskies was in progress. The game was 11 v. 11, tackle with no pads. Five men stood off to the side watching the game.
Josh Smith, 28, said that he tore his Achilles tendon last year playing in this game. “It totally ruined my Thanksgiving,” Smith said. “I don’t know if I didn’t warm up enough or what, but I’m still not 100 percent.”
Tom Jones, 31, standing right next to Smith, broke his collarbone two years ago and quit. “I played in this game more for fun and it wasn’t worth getting seriously injured, to me at least,” Jones said. “I still wanted to come out here and support the other guys, but I cringe at the big hits in fear of someone else getting injured.”
The best way to avoid injury is to stay in modest physical condition. For some, this translates to dominating performances during the game and the turkey and mashed potatoes tasting that much better during Thanksgiving dinner.
“I try to keep myself in half-decent shape, and if you do that, you have a great shot at being better than anyone else out there,” said Vance Violante, who took home the MVP award with three touchdowns and two interceptions for the Huskies. “I’ve won the past two MVP awards and have won the last four Turkey Bowls.
“The winners enjoy the food a lot more and are a little less sore the next day.”
Friday, December 12, 2008
2 more Bears wins should clinch them a playoff berth
Here are my thoughts on the game from what I’ve read and what I saw on the Bears post game show.
After dominating the first half and winning 21-7 at halftime, the Bears offense stalled and couldn’t put up any points in the second half. In the meantime, the Bears defense, which dominated the majority of the game, allowed the Saints to move the ball and take a 24-21 lead with just over 7 minutes remaining.
Why can’t the Bears put a complete game together? That has been one of their biggest problems all year. The offense plays good for ½ or ¾ of the game but then there is another quarter where they move the ball 10 yards.
Or the defense plays well the first 80% of the game but then can’t stop a team in the last two minutes, proven in earlier losses to Tampa Bay and Carolina.
At 8-6 Bears are still sitting pretty. If they can win their last two games over Green Bay and Houston, I like the Bears chances of getting into the playoffs at 10-6.
Bears squeak by Saints in overtime, keep playoff hopes alive
After a practice kick, Gould walked back onto the field and booted the Saints out of Soldier Field with another devastating loss. He connected from 35 yards on Chicago's first possession of overtime, lifting the Bears to a 27-24 victory that boosted their playoff hopes.
"I like it," Gould said. "I get an opportunity to get a warmup kick in but also see and judge exactly how the wind is blowing. For me, I wish every coach would do that and give me the opportunity. They say ice, but I don't think it really works."
After leaving Chicago with season-ending losses the past two years, the Saints looked as if they were ready to end their frustration. Instead, their slim playoff hopes took another blow thanks to Gould, who also converted a 28-yarder on the final play of regulation.
Drew Brees hit Marques Colston for an 11-yard touchdown pass with just over 3 minutes left in regulation to give New Orleans its first lead at 24-21.
Kyle Orton responded by leading the Bears on a tying drive, setting up overtime between the 7-6 teams.
"You've got to know that Robbie is a Pro bowl kicker," Hester said. "That's what he was there for. In a situation like that you know that he is good for it. That pass interference was a big part of a victory. It set up the field goal in range and all we had to do was kind of keep the ball in the middle of the field and give Robbie a shot."
The Bears still need plenty of help to reach the postseason.
The Bears (8-6) are a half-game behind NFC North leader Minnesota, but the Vikings hold the tiebreaker. Chicago also is a half-game out of a wild-card spot.
It was another rough night in Chicago for New Orleans (7-7), which lost the NFC championship game here two years ago and saw its slim postseason hopes vanish with a loss on the final day last season at Soldier Field. The last-place Saints still have a shot at the wild card, but can forget about catching NFC South leader Carolina.
"Every time we've played them we've been in a similar situation," Brees said. "They've gotten the best of us."
Danieal Manning returned the opening kickoff 83 yards for a touchdown and helped set up Matt Forte's 1-yard TD run with a 52-yard return early in the second as the Bears grabbed a 14-7 lead. Forte's score came after Jason David grabbed Hester as he tried to catch a deep pass down the middle, putting the ball on the 5.
Orton's 6-yard scramble in the closing minute of the half made it a 14-point game.
With their second straight win and third in four games, the Bears finally appear to be hitting their stride after a 23-10 win over Jacksonville on Sunday. They'll try to make it three in a row -- something they haven't done since the 2006 Super Bowl season -- at Green Bay a week from Monday.
Chicago native and Illinois product Pierre Thomas started the Saints' comeback with a 42-yard touchdown run that made it 21-14 with 3:44 left in the third. Josh Bullucks set up the score, intercepting an Orton pass when it deflected off wide receiver Rashied Davis.
Glenn Pakulak kicked a 30-yard field goal with just over 9 minutes left to set the stage for Brees' go-ahead pass to Colston.
Chicago got a scare early when Forte limped to the sideline with a toe injury after his first attempt -- a run for no gain on the left side. He finished with 34 yards rushing and 29 receiving.
Orton was 24-of-40 with 172 yards and two interceptions.
The Saints got some good news before the game when a judge in Minnesota extended his injunction against the suspensions of Will Smith, Deuce McAllister and Charles Grant along with the Vikings' Kevin Williams and Pat Williams for violating the NFL's anti-doping policy.
Smith started at defensive end. McAllister was inactive and Grant (torn triceps) is on injured reserve.
"It's frustrating for everybody," said Reggie Bush, who sprained his knee in the first half and sat out the second even though he said he was fine.
Game notesSaints starting LT Jammal Brown sat out with an ankle injury. ... Chicago was without veteran WR Marty Booker, who injured his ribs in Sunday's game against Jacksonville and has been bothered by knee and hamstring problems.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Power Rankings: Week 15
1. Titans (12-1)-They outscored the Lions and Browns the past two weeks by a score of 75-19. Have one more gimme against the Texans this week before finishing with two toughies, vs. Pittsburgh and at Indy.
2. Giants (11-2)-A little bit of a surprising loss because the Giants have been so dominant. Two more victories wrap up the #1 seed in the NFC.
3. Steelers (10-3)-The Steelers are 16-5 in December games since 2004. Elite teams step up and win games in December, and that is why the Steelers are always title contenders.
4. Panthers (10-3)-Are in the driver’s seat in the NFC South with a big win over Tampa on Monday night.
5. Colts (9-4)-On a six game winning streak, should make it eight with their next two games against Detroit and Jacksonville.
6. Ravens (9-4)-My vote for the surprise team of the year. Two wins in the last three games clinches a playoff berth.
7. Buccaneers (9-4)-The loss to Carolina knocked the Bucs out of first place in the division and exposed their defensive flaws. Even a loss to Atlanta keeps the Bucs in the race because they finish with home games against San Diego and Oakland.
8. Cowboys (8-5)-Crushing defeat at Pittsburgh as the ‘Boys had control of the game before the Romo INT. Have three tough games remaining against the Giants, Ravens and Eagles.
9. Cardinals (8-5)-The Cardinals are in position to pass the Vikings for the third seed in NFC.
10. Patriots (8-5)-The Patriots don't control their own destiny, but as long as they keep winning they have a shot at the playoffs.
11. Dolphins (8-5)-The next two games are against the 49ers and Chiefs. If the Dolphins win them, like they should, they would be sitting atop the division going into the Meadowlands to play Brett Favre and the Jets the last game of the season.
12. Falcons (8-5)-The Falcons were bound to lose again before the season ended, and the Saints are very tough to beat in the Superdome.
13. Eagles (7-5-1)-They're back in the thick of things after a huge win over the Giants. This team is scary now that Brian Westbrook is healthy.
14. Vikings (8-5)-Not an overly impressive win against the Detroit, but a big one because the Vikings own the tiebreaker over the Bears should they finished tied atop the NFC North.
15. Jets (8-5)-Two straight losses have dropped the Jets into a 3-way tie with the Patriots and Dolphins. Play Buffalo and Seattle the next two weeks which should be wins, and would set up a huge showdown with the Dolphins on week 17.
16. Broncos (8-5)-Are the up-and-down Broncos finally showing consistency as they close in on the AFC West crown?
17. Saints (7-6)-Once again, the Saints are still alive. They played perhaps their best game of the season against Atlanta. But their only real chance at a playoff spot is to run the table at Chicago, at Detroit and home with Carolina.
18. Redskins (7-6)-The Skins were 6-2 at the halfway point and looking at a possible #1 seed. After losing four of five, they might not even make the playoffs.
19. Bears (7-6)-The Bears will play in a quick turnaround game Thursday night, but it's against a New Orleans team that struggles away from the Superdome.
20. Texans (6-7)-Shocking win at Lambeau to all but end the Packers hopes of winning the NFC North. It’s about time the Texans won a close game.
21. Chargers (5-8)-The Chargers are coming off of their best win of the season. But is it too late?
22. Bills (6-7)-Great start at 5-1, but after losing 6 of 7 this team is staying home for the postseason.
23. Packers (5-8)-Will the defending NFC North champs win again this year? Let the Brett Favre would have led us to the playoffs debate begin in Green Bay.
24. 49ers (5-8)-The Niners are wondering what might have been with Shaun Hill starting all season.
25. Jaguars (4-9)-Offense was awful at Chicago. They can’t run or pass the ball successfully. One of the two most disappointing teams in the league along with San Diego.
26. Browns (4-9)-Bye bye Romeo.
27. Chiefs (2-11)-At least Herm Edwards has this team playing hard. Have lost a couple of close ones the last couple of weeks.
28. Raiders (3-10)-One of the worst, if not the worst, franchises in the NFL in the last five years.
29. Seahawks (2-11)-When you are below the Raiders you know you’re awful.
30. St. Louis (2-11)-The Cardinals are good, but are beating up on the Seahawks, Niners and Rams. I think Florida would give the Rams a run for their money.
31. Bengals (1-11-1)-The Bengals might as well count their tie against the Eagles as a win.
32. Lions (0-13)-Will Detroit win a game, or be the first team since the 1976 Bucs to go winless?
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Jaguars just what the doctor ordered for the Bears
Luckily the Jacksonville Jaguars were at Soldier Field, because the Bears dominated the majority of the game in posting a 23-10 victory.
I actually didn’t even watch much of the game because I was so intrigued by the Lions-Vikings game. The Lions hung tough but could not pull off the upset as the Vikings prevailed 20-16. This is bad news for the Bears because the Vikings own the tiebreaker by way of a better conference record.
The defense dominated and held the Jaguars to 278 total yards of offense, with some of it coming in the 4th quarter when the Jaguars threw on every down.
Kyle Orton played a lot better than he did last week against Minnesota, going 20/34 for 219 yards and 2 TD’s.
The Bears now have a quick turnaround and host the Saints on Thursday night. Drew Brees and the Saints offense have been on a tear lately, so it will be a much tougher challenge than the Jaguars inept offense.
The Bears are going to need to win their final three games in order to win the division.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Predicting the NFC North Champ
The Bears have four games remaining starting tomorrow with the Jaguars. With all this hoopla surrounding who is going to play in what bowl game, I decided to look at the NFC North playoff picture and determine if the Bears have a shot at winning the division and clinching a playoff berth.
Minnesota Vikings (7-5)
Analysis: If the Vikings have both Pat and Kevin Williams for the remainder of the season they will win their first division title since 2000. If not, the Bears might overtake the Vikings but I doubt it with the way the Bears have played the last four weeks (1-3). Plus, the Vikings have a pretty nice schedule the last four games (at Detroit, at Arizona, vs. Atlanta, vs. NY Giants). If the Vikings can win two more games to finish 9-7 they should win the division.
Key player to watch: Obviously everyone is going to say Adrian Peterson, but I bet that defensive coordinators are going to game plan to stop him. The key player to watch is wide receiver Bernard Berrian. Every game this season where he’s had over 100-yards receiving the Vikings have won. If he can have a couple more big games it will greatly enhance the Vikings chances of winning the division.
Chances of winning the division: 80%
Chicago Bears (6-6)
Analysis: The Bears have lost three of their last four games with the only win coming against the lowly Rams. To make matters worse, the passing game has regressed since Kyle Orton sprained his ankle Nov. 2 against the Lions. If the passing game can’t get back on track starting tomorrow, the Bears will be sitting at home during the postseason. I want to say the Bears have a huge advantage with their schedule, with three games in a row at Soldier Field and a road game at Houston. But with the way the passing game has struggled and the defenses inability to stop anyone I predict the Bears finishing 8-8.
Key player to watch: Devin Hester. Since he isn’t producing any big plays on special teams anymore, he really needs to step up at receiver and turn more seven-yard slant routes into 65-yard touchdowns as he did against the Vikings last week. The passing game needs Hester’s big play ability to stretch the field in order to open up more holes for Matt Forte.
Chances of winning the division: 15%
Green Bay Packers (5-7)
Analysis: The Packers are all but eliminated unless they win their remaining games, which is doable (vs. Houston and Detroit, at Chicago, at Jacksonville). However, I don’t see the Packers jumping the Vikings.
Chances of winning the division: 5%
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Power Rankings: Week 14
1. Giants (11-1)-The class of the NFC so far. This team has overcome adversity throughout the season but can it overcome the whole Plaxico controversy? Burress has been suspended for the rest of the season, and his future with the team is iffy at best.
2. Titans (11-1)-The best team in the AFC has two gimme games in a row with the Browns and the Texans. Then the Titans host Pittsburgh and play at Indy the last game of the year. Even with losses to the Steelers and Colts, the Titans should get the #1 seed in the AFC at 13-3.
3. Steelers (9-3)-I have the Steelers defense on my fantasy team and they are downright nasty. The defense has single-handedly won me two games in fantasy and has carried this team while the offense has sputtered at times. The defense forced 5 Patriot turnovers, with James Harrison causing two by himself.
4. Panthers (9-3)-Huge game with Tampa on Sunday that could determine who wins the NFC South. DeAngelo Williams has been on a tear the past four weeks, and has produced major fantasy points for me.
5. Buccaneers (9-3)-The defense was able to shut down Drew Brees. QB Jeff Garcia has played well of late, and that needs to continue in Monday night's showdown at Carolina.
6. Colts (8-4)-The Colts were left for dead at 3-4 but are now riding a five-game winning streak with victories at Pittsburgh at San Diego and at home against the Patriots. With the next two games against the Bengals and Lions, the Colts will win a minimum of ten games and clinch a playoff berth.
7. Cowboys (8-4)-Nobody has been talking about the ‘Boys since the Giants have been so dominant. However, Dallas is quietly lurking at 8-4 and if they can win at the Steelers on Sunday they could finish with 10 or 11 wins.
8. Jets (8-4)-What the hell happened against the Broncos? The Jets got owned by the same Broncos team that lost to the Raiders, yes the Raiders the week before.
9. Falcons (8-4)-A huge road win in San Diego keeps the Falcons very much in the playoff hunt. They can clinch a winning season with a victory over New Orleans.
10. Ravens (8-4)-Who would have thought the Ravens would have won 8 out of 12 to open the season? Joe Flacco is improving every game and the defense is still dominant. This is a team no one wants to face in the postseason.
11. Patriots (7-5)-Four winnable games (at Oakland, Seattle and Buffalo, home against Arizona) remaining on the schedule. With four more games under his belt come the postseason, Matt Cassel will be even more dangerous. Are the Patriots going to win the Super Bowl? No. Can they upset a team or two in the playoffs? Definitely.
12. Redskins (7-5)-Sunday against Baltimore is a must win. If the ‘Skins lose, it will be very tough to make the playoffs.
13. Cardinals (7-5)-After dropping two in a row, the Cards are still sitting pretty because their division is so pathetic. Still have home games against the Rams and Seahawks, which will wrap up the division title.
14. Broncos (7-5)-Surprising victory at the Jets coming off an embarrassing loss to the Raiders.
15. Dolphins (7-5)-The ‘Fins get my vote for most surprising team of the league. They only si
t one game out of first and still play the 49ers and Chiefs.16. Vikings (7-5)-Huge win against the Bears on Sunday night to take a one game lead in the NFC North. However if both Williams’ are suspended for the remainder of the season it might cost the Vikings the division title and a postseason berth.
17. Eagles (6-5-1)-They're back in the picture if they can beat the Giants on the road (and that’s a big if). Their strong showing against the Cardinals shows that Donovan McNabb still has something left.
18. Bears (6-6)-Pathetic performance on Sunday night against the Vikings. This team has issues everywhere possible, offense, defense, special teams and coaching. This defense is not the same nor has it been since Ron Rivera left. Something tells me Bob Babich is not as good of a def. coordinator as Rivera was.
19. Saints (6-6)-Their playoff hopes are pretty much done unless they win out.
20. Packers (5-7)-Luckily for the Bears the Packers haven’t played that well against anyone but them lately.
21. Bills (6-6)-What happened to the Bills team that started the season 5-1? The Bills could finish the season 6-10 with games at Denver and the Jets and home games against the Patriots and Dolphins. Ouch.
22. Texans (5-7)-They beat the Jags on Monday Night Football. Does anyone really care? I don’t.
23. Chargers (4-8)-Most disappointing team in the league. Marty Schottenheimer where are you?
24. Jaguars (4-8)-2nd most disappointing team in the league.
25. 49ers (4-8)-This team just doesn’t have the talent to compete with most of the other teams in the NFL.
26. Browns (4-8)-The Browns lost QBs Derek Anderson (knee) and Brady Quinn (finger) in one week. Can it get any worse? Ken Dorsey gets the start Sunday.
27. Raiders (3-9)-I don’t have anything to say about this team other than that I see Michael Vick coming to Oakland over any other team.
28. Chiefs (2-10)-Wow, the Chiefs beat Oakland in the league’s most irrelevant game of this past weekend.
29. Seahawks (2-10)-I thought this team would compete with the Cardinals for the NFC West title. What the hell happened?
30. Rams (2-10)-I thought this team was going to turn it around after Jim Haslett took over. I guess I was wrong.
31. Bengals (1-10-1)-The Bengals might as well count their tie against the Eagles as a victory.
32. Lions (0-12)-Memo to the league. Please remove the Lions from playing on Thanksgiving. They suck, and quite frankly don’t deserve to play on Turkey day. They lose every time and the game is usually a blowout. Put another team on the schedule to play on Turkey Day like the Bears or Packers.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Bears dominated by Vikings, 34-14
Tonight was awful. The Bears got outplayed in every facet of the game. Coaching, offense, defense, special teams, passion, enthusiam, etc.
My thoughts:
How many times are receivers going to drop passes? Catch the damn ball. Rashied Davis dropped at least 3 passes, he seriously needs to be benched. Where is Brandon Rideau? The guy was a stud in the preseason and doesn’t see a lick of game action.
Why is Kyle Orton forcing the ball to Devin Hester? I felt like every other throw was intended for Hester. Just because on the third play of the game he turned a slant route into a 65-yard touchdown doesn’t mean the guy is an All-Pro receiver. Orton threw 3 interceptions, and I just don't think he's 100 percent out there. This is not the same Kyle Orton before the injury.
Because Hester is getting so much action at receiver, he is very ineffective at punt returns now. He’s got to stop dancing around when he catches the ball and just pick a hole and go forward. He loses more yards than gains when he does that crap.
The defense couldn’t tackle again tonight, as has been the issue all season. You are taught in 4th grade to wrap up when tackling, and numerous defenders didn’t wrap up.
Remember the one run by Adrian Peterson where he was in the grasp of about 3 defenders and then spun out and ran it for 50 yards? Perfect example right there.
THE BIGGEST PLAY(S) OF THE GAME WERE WHEN THE BEARS COULDN’T SCORE WHEN THEY HAD 1ST AND GOAL FROM THE 3-YARD LINE. 1ST PLAY AFTER THE VIKINGS GET THE BALL IT’S A 99-YARD TOUCHDOWN PASS TO BERNARD BERRIAN. MOMENTUM TO MINNESOTA, GAME ALL BUT OVER, MINNESOTA IS THE LEADER OF THE NFC NORTH.
Lovie do something, anything! Light a fire under your team. Or risk not making the playoffs.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Which is a better system in determining the national champion in collegiate sports, the BCS or a playoff system like March Madness???
Before you guys all start saying I’m nuts for even asking this question, hear me out.
While the BCS system is sports fan’s favorite whipping boy, I can argue that it really works.
Why the BCS works (and why a college football playoff wouldn’t)
-A college football playoff would ruin, if not destroy, the traditional bowl system. The bowl system allows 56 teams, nearly one-half of division I-A teams to stamp their season a success by reaching the postseason. If an eight or 16 team playoff occurs, 20 of those teams would get squeezed out of bowl games.
-A playoff would diminish interest in the regular season. College football’s regular season is the most meaningful and drama-filled in all of sports. With only two teams making it to the ‘championship’ game, there is little margin for error and every single week matters, whether it be in September or December. For example, this week’s game between Texas Tech and Oklahoma wouldn’t be nearly as important as it is now because both teams would most likely make the eight team playoff and still have a shot at the national championship. If Texas Tech loses on Saturday, they can kiss their national title hopes goodbye.
-With a playoff, the college game would become even more commercialized and professionalized. The regular season wouldn’t matter, and it would all be about positioning yourself for the playoffs. If a star player was 50/50 for the last game of the year or was slightly injured, he would be rested for the playoffs, just like it happens in the NFL all the time.
If an eight or 16 team playoff occurred, would anyone even care to watch the other bowls? Would an Iowa-Virginia Tech Insight Bowl (which could happen this year) matter to anyone besides Iowa or VA Tech fans? Nope. I sure as hell know I wouldn’t want to watch Maryland and South Carolina in the Gator Bowl because that game wouldn’t matter.
-Big time BCS bowl games generate major revenue for universities and their respective conferences. For example, if the Big Ten gets two teams into the BCS this year they are going to make $10 million plus. That’s a huge payout for the conference and for the schools going to BCS games.
-It tries to guarantee the top two teams play in the championship game every year. The odds of USC-Texas playing for the national title in basketball in 2005 like it did in football would have been very slim with all the upsets that occur. These were the best two teams in the nation that season, and it turned out to be what call the greatest college football game of all-time.
Why March Madness works (and the BCS doesn’t)
-The 64-team tournament gives fans what they want: a true champion decided on the court (not by polls and computers like in college football).
-March Madness is a lot fairer than narrowing the championship game down to two teams. For the few times the BCS has gotten it right, (USC-Texas) there have been plenty of times it’s been wrong. How could Nebraska jump Oregon in 2001? How could USC be left out in 2003 in favor of an Oklahoma team that got routed by Kansas State in the Big 12 title game? The game is played on the court in college basketball, and while upsets do happen, the majority of the time the top teams advance to the Elite 8 or the Final Four.
-Fans love it: the brackets, the toughest road to the Final Four, office pools across the country. Who isn’t into March Madness?? Even people who don’t follow college basketball during the regular season and could care less about it fill out a bracket and follow the three crazy weeks that ensue.
The top 10 March Madness buzzer beaters, courtesy of ESPN
-College basketball is played in both semesters of an academic year and there are no problems there. I don’t understand all the bitching from school officials saying that a playoff would tax the players too much and affect their studies. If you cut the regular season down to eleven games an eight team playoff would be three extra games at most, two for the teams that make it to the semi-finals. 14 games played for the national championship as opposed to 13 after playing in a bowl game. That’s a crock of shit. Basketball players play 35 games during the season and then another 6 if they play in the national title game. The season goes from early November through early April. I think college football can go from early September through mid-January.
-Even certain athletic directors and former college football coaches are wising up and clamoring for a college football playoff, similar to March Madness.
"I've looked at the Big 12's 10-year revenue projections — basketball television, basketball tournament, football championship game — and (most) percentage increases range from 20%-50%. Postseason football is like 2.6%. And you're thinking, 'Our bell cow, our big money producer, is going to generate 2%-3% more in 10 years. People ought to be in jail.' "
— Texas athletics director DeLoss Dodds
"Surely, the NCAA and Division I-A football can join the other 23 intercollegiate sports and devise a system that determines a true champion, preserves the integrity of the game and levels the playing field."
— Retired Brigham Young football coach LaVell Edwards, to the Senate Judiciary Committee last October
I WANT TO HEAR YOUR OPINION!! POST YOUR COMMENTS!!!!!!
Bears humiliated by Packers
Thank god the Vikings lost to the Bucs today. After the Bears got destroyed by the Packers 37-3, they are tied with the Pack and Vikings at 5-5 atop the NFC North. The Bears are LUCKY they play in such a shitty division.
The big question that Lovie Smith needs to answer IMMEDIATELY IS: What happened to the Super Bowl defense of two years ago?
Not only did the Bears not stop the pass (they haven’t all season), but they couldn’t stop the running game as Ryan Grant ran for 145 yards and a touchdown. Grant had only rushed for over 100 yards one game the entire season and was averaging 3.6 yards a carry. Today? He averaged 5.8 yards a carry and was constantly getting into the second level, being tackled by a defensive back.
Kyle Orton struggled today and was only 13/26 for 133 yards. I think he just wasn’t ready to play and was seen hobbling on his ankle multiple times.
Maybe Grossman should have gotten another start who knows? I am personally happy Orton was out there after Grossman’s performance last week. Orton should get re-evaluated this week and we’ll go from there.
But that doesn’t matter. What matters is that the Bears defense has gone from a top 5team in 2006 to 28th in 2007 to 19th so far this year.
How do you hold Chris Johnson and LenDale White to a combined 20 yards last week and then let the Packers run for 200 yards?
And if I were a fantasy football owner I would always start my quarterback against the Bears. After making Kerry Collins look like the best quarterback in the league last week, Aaron Rodgers was 23-30 for 227 yards and 2 touchdowns.
This was the same Aaron Rodgers who threw 0 touchdowns and 150 yards last week and was constantly running for his life as the Vikings defenders were always in the backfield.
I don’t know if it’s the players or the defensive scheme but something’s got to change. Troy Aikman and Joe Buck both said that Ron Rivera didn’t get enough credit for what he did in 2006.
Ever since Bob Babich took over last year the defense hasn't been as good. It’s the same players but a different coordinator. Hmmm…….
Another important point. Where are you Devin Hester? Do you care about punt and kick returning anymore? Or are you trying to be the next star receiver?
The more work Hester gets at receiver, the less effective he is as a kick and punt returner. Hester might evolve into a great slot receiver in the next couple of years, but the Bears desperately need his electrifying returns that in the past resulted in touchdowns and great field position.
In the past couple of games, teams haven’t kicked away from him. They kick it to him because he hasn’t done anything with it. Below, Hester is trying to make a sic acrobatic catch. He didn't.
Lovie and special teams coordinator Dave Taub need to discuss this situation ASAP.
If Hester is still ineffective they have to consider putting someone else at returner, maybe Garrett Wolfe?
The Bears are at St. Louis next week in what looks to be a must win game because I don’t see the Bears winning the following Sunday at Minnesota with this type of performance.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
The sweet joy of……little league baseball
The next pitch is fired in and I foul it off. I breathe a big sigh of relief and then step back to into the batter’s box.
The pitch is coming in and I hit the ball in between first and second for a base hit. One run scores and now we are only down three runs.
My buddy Eric comes up next and hits a double, scoring two runs to make it a one run game.
One more out and we lose the championship (since it’s a six-inning game). A couple mo
re hits and we pull off the upset.The next kid up, Lance, strikes out in four pitches and our rally comes up short.
The championship game and our magical run through the playoffs is what my buddy Eric and I talked about.
It was one of our favorite childhood sports memories. We played on the Cubs, a .500 team throughout the regular season which resulted in a pretty crappy seed.
It was our last year together (since we were in 8th grade) and no one thought we were going to make a run for the championship.
We slaughtered our first round opponent and then upset the #2 seed before playing the #5 seed Dodgers in the semifinals.
We were down 5-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning before rallying for four runs to take a 6-5 lead into the last inning. Eric came on to close the game and left the bases loaded and we escaped.
We moved on to the championship game to play the Tigers, who slaughtered the Giants in the other semifinal.
Eric and I both talked about how lucky we were to be a part of such a great ride and if we only could have won the championship it would have been that much sweeter.
“This definitely was my greatest sports memory growing up,” Eric said.
I couldn’t agree more.
We specifically talked about how nervous Lance was when he was “in the hole.” (meaning two batters away for you non-baseball people).
I could tell he didn’t want to come up to bat because he was going to shit his pants.
When he came up to the plate the crowd was going wild and I was hoping for a hit but new deep inside it wasn’t too be.
Eric was on second base and saw him swing and miss three times.
“It was awful,” Eric said. “He wasn’t even close to making contact.”
And that’s how our season ended. A great run for a mediocre team.
At least we made it farther than the real Cubs have the past two years, getting in the first round. Embarrassing!
Monday, November 10, 2008
Running, Live blog of Cardinals-Niners
7:30 CST: I'm doing a live in-game blog of the Arizona Cardinals vs. the San Francisco 49'ers on Monday Night Football. I wasn't able to do a live blog of the Bears game yesterday because I was out to lunch with my parents who came in for the weekend (how exciting I know). I had to skip out of my night class which doesn't end till 8:00 to watch this game. I hope it's not a blowout.
7:40: How many times are the announcers and ESPN analysts going to talk about Mike Singletary dropping his pants in front of his team? I know it's crazy but he did it to prove a point to his team.
7:42: Are you kidding me? Allen Rossum of the 49'ers returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown! Wow! Second longest kickoff return in 49'ers history, 98 yards. What a great start, now that's some excitement baby. That matches the second longest kickoff return to start a game in NFL history. I've witness history! wooh! 7-0 49'ers
7:44: Steve Breaston can't pull an Allen Rossum and returns the kickoff to the 25.
7:47: Warner 4-4 on the opening drive, ball on the 49er 12 yard line.
7:50: Cardinal's drive stalls, settle for a 27-yard field goal, 7-3 Niners. I'm already getting bored, not good.
7:56: 49'ers line up in the wildcat formation and former Penn State quarterback Michael Robinson runs for ten yards, first down. I wish the Hawkeyes would mix it up a bit and let internet legend DJK line up under center and run the ball a la McFadden.
8:05: I keep gettin text messages from this girl I met this past weekend, sooooo annoying.
8:15: Still 7-3 49'ers, 1:10 left in the 1st quarter. Kornheiser is just rambling about stuff that has nothing to do with the game. I love when the announcers do this, it just shows how bored they are.
8:20: The game went to a tv commercial, I flipped to the movie channels and watched American Pie for the past two minutes. It's the part where Finch hooks up with Stiffler's mom. I still don't know how he pulled that off.
8:22: 7-3 49'ers, end up 1st quarter.
8:25: Josh Morgan caught a 25-yard touchdown pass from Shaun Hill. Touchdown, 49'ers. They go up 14-3.
8:30: Cardinals march right down the field and score to make it 14-10. Anquan Bolding catches a 13-yard pass from Kurt Warner.
8:34: ESPN announces that Matt Holliday gets traded to Oakland from Colorado. San Fran goes three and out, big stop for the Cardinal defense.
8:43: Fummbllllllleeeeee:Tim Hightower fumbles, but after further review the officials said the Cardinals recovered. Next play Warner connects with Boldin for a 20 yard gain.
8:51: Cardinals settle for a 33 yard Neil Rackers field goal, 14-13 Niners with 4:41 left in the 2nd quarter.
8:53: Kornheiser has gone from talking about how Singletary was such a great player to how Emmit Smith said that he would play for coach Singletary. Is this game between the Niners and Cardinals or a platform to rave about Singletary??
9:00: 49'ers quarterback Shaun Hill got his helmet rippped off and still dove forward another three yards for a first down. Singletary loved that and was shown clapping and applauding his quarterback. Yea Kornheiser, the Singletary effect is already taking place!!!
9:10: Touchdown Vernon Davis, 21-13 Niners. My roomates making some chicken nuggets in the oven and they smell delicious, I'm about to go get something to eat. I'll be right back folks.
9:45: I burned the frickin pizza. My apartment reaks right now. I can't even watch this game because I got my shirt up over my nose.
10:00: Anyways back to this game.........24-23 49'ers, 11:16 left in the 4th quarter. Cardinals driving, screen pass to Hightower. Cardinals into Niner territory.
10:20: Arizona interception by Adrian Wilson returned back to the 49er three yard line. Kurt Warner a 4-yard pass to Anquan Bolding. Touchdown Cardinals. They take the lead 29-24.
10:40: My buddy called me raving about the Iowa upset of Penn State. I told him it was old news and that I had to get back to watching this game.
11:03: Frank Gore gets the handoff, crawling, crawling to the goal line! Is he down? the play is under review. The official rules Gore was down by contact at the 2 and a half yard-line.
On 4th down, they hand the ball off to Michael Robinson who is stuffed at the goal line!! game over, Cardinals win 29-24.
11:05: Too bad the Niners lost, Kornheiser was saying if there was anything such as a moral victory this was it.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Grossman ineffective in Bears loss to Titans
The defense has been vulnerable against the pass all year and was again today as Kerry Collins completed 30 of 41 passes for 289 yards and 2 TD’s.
But the offense ultimately cost the Bears this game.
Sexy Rexy had his first start at quarterback this season. And it was awful, as usual.
Why is he still on the Bears roster?
Grossman was 20-37 for 173 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT.
He missed wide-open receivers all game.
This loss pains me because it was such a winnable game. The past 3 or 4 games I was confident the offense could drive down the field and score points with Orton under center.
While watching the game today I had no confidence in Grossman to move the offense downfield, and he didn’t.
Grossman had 20 yards passing in the second and third quarters combined. 20 yards passing in two quarters? Is that a joke.
And what about the running game. Forte has 64 yards rushing at halftime, and only 8 in the second half.
He only got seven carries in the second half while getting thirteen in the first.
Why did Ron Turner abandon the running game?
Part of it has to do with the Titans having a great front seven. But still, I knew the Bears weren’t going to win the game with Grossman throwing the ball 37 times.
Lovie Smith was distraught and disappointed when conducting his post game interview.
Lovie said “it was a bad loss, especially when you lose on your home turf.”
Thatta baby Lovie, not making any excuses for Rex or the team.
Let’s all hope that Orton can get healthy this week for the big game at Lambeau next Sunday.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Breaking News: Orton hopes to play vs. Titans
Monday, November 3, 2008
The top 10 picks of the 2009 NFL Draft
1. Detroit-Mark Sanchez, QB, USC
With John Kitna out for the season and Dan Orlovsky probably not the long-term solution at quarterback, the new management of the Lions will want to draft a quarterback for the future. It’s really a tossup between Sanchez and Stafford as to who the first qb drafted is.
2. Cincinnati-Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss
The team was once searching for a defense to help out their explosive offense, now they need help pretty much everywhere. A front seven defender makes the most sense, but with none worthy of this pick, the Bengals land the franchise left tackle every team covets.
3. Kansas City-Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia
This team is in desperate need of a quarterback. With Sanchez being taken number one, Stafford is the next best available quarterback. Some teams might have Stafford ahead of Sanchez on their draft board. The Chiefs finally land their franchise quarterback.
4. Oakland-Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech
Johnson has as much potential as any defender in this draft, and could put on a show in the post season. He has had a solid season, but is still picked based on potential. The Raiders love big time athletes, and Johnson is pound for pound the best.
5. Seattle-Andre Smith, OL, Alabama
A WR is tempting here as both Crabtree and Maclin are available, but it is too high for either. So the Seahawks grab Walter Jones’ eventual replacement and a guy that
could help out along the line immediately at guard or tackle.6. Saint Louis-Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State
Jenkins is the top corner in the draft and arguably the best player on the board. That’s the ideal fit for a team looking for secondary help.
7. San Francisco-Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech
The kid is a stud. He’ll bring the type of go to capability the 9ers have lacked since the days of Jerry Rice.
8. Houston-Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri
Texans happy to have this playmaker fall down to 8. Should form a potent 1-2 punch with Andre Johnson on the edge. Maclin is also a dangerous kick returner and can take it to the house on every kickoff.
9. Cleveland-Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois
Davis should provide some immediate help for a team that can’t defend the pass.
10. Jacksonville-James Lauranitis, LB, Ohio State
Laurinaitis should become a favorite of Jack Del-Rio immediately. His toughness and playmaking ability make him a great selection at this point.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Rex to the rescue
Then Rex Grossman came into the game with the Bears down 23-13.
I thought the Bears season was over. If they lost this game with undefeated Tennessee coming to Soldier Field next week the Bears could have been looking at 4-5 on the year.
But Grossman threw a five-yard touchdown pass to Rashied Davis and ran in for another score with just over five minutes to go in the fourth quarter to give the Bears a 27-23 victory.
Matt Forte had his best game of the year with 126 yards rushing since the opening game against the Colts. He’s going to need to have more games like this in the next few weeks because I do not have confidence in Grossman. How many times is he going to get balls deflected and batted down at the line?
I’m amazed at the Jekyll-and-Hyde personality of the defense.
The first half they looked terrible, especially the second quarter. How do you let up 23 points in one quarter to the Lions?
Then in the second half the Bears defense was dominant, forcing two turnovers and holding the Lions scoreless.
According to defensive tackle Dusty Dvoracek, the Bears didn’t alter their game plan or strategy on defense; they just played better.
“We didn’t change anything,” Dvoracek said. “In the second half we just said we’re going to play our base defense and we’re going to beat them, and we did.”
So the defense now thinks they can turn it on and off whenever they want to? If they don’t show major improvement next week they are going to get crushed by the Titans.
It doesn’t help that Mike Brown left the game in the second quarter with a calf injury. But then again who is really surprised that he got hurt, we all knew it was a matter of time.
A source close to Orton told ESPN's Michael Smith on Sunday that he will miss at least a month with a high ankle sprain. Let the Good Rex-Bad Rex debate begin in Chicago.
Let’s all hope and pray it’s the good Rex. If not, the Bears can kiss their postseason hopes goodbye.
For highlights of the game, click here.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
It's that time in the season: TO BEAR DOWN
Listen and enjoy.
Anyhow, I hope that got you pumped up for the Bears game against the Lions and for the 2nd half of the season baby! Let's BEAR DOWN and win the NFC NORTH!!!
Meanwhile, some items of interest and thoughts to ponder:
The Bears know better than to get cocky against the Lions after losing both games to them last year.
How about the offense’s emergence and evolution from the beginning of the season? The Chicago Sun-Time’s Mike Mulligan believes it’s been a group effort.
Brandon Lloyd returned to the practice field this week but is not promising he’ll play this Sunday unless he’s 100%.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Top 10 Impact Rookies
These are the top 10 impact rookies after eight weeks of the NFL season.
10. Jerod Mayo (NE), linebacker
Mayo has stepped right into a depleted Patriot’s defense and has not disappointed. He leads the team with 48 tackles, 38 of them solo tackles.
9. Antoine Cason (SD), cornerback
Cason has emerged as the third cornerback behind Quentin Jammer and Antonio Cromartie. He is fifth on the team with 36 tackles, and has one interception and five pass breakups.
8. Felix Jones (DAL), tailback
Jones started off fast by scoring a touchdown in each of the Cowboy’s first three games. He averages a whopping 8.9 yards a carry. If Jones hadn’t been out the past three weeks with a hamstring injury, I would have him in my top five.
7. Eddie Royal (DEN), wide receiver
Royal has emerged as Jay Cutler’s second favorite target behind Brandon Marshall. He has 39 receptions for 392 yards and two touchdowns. His nine-catch 146-yard performance was his best so far. Opposing defenses have had to really pay attention to Royal since then.
6. Darren McFadden (OAK), running back
Just imagine what he would do if there weren’t three other running backs he was splitting carries with. McFadden leads the team with 341 yards rushing and one touchdown. He’s been bothered by turf toe the past couple of weeks and did not play in this past Sunday’s game.
5. Joe Flacco (BAL), quarterback
While some of you might be scratching your head at this selection, Flacco has led the Ravens to a 4-3 record. The Ravens are only one game behind division-leading Pittsburgh and host the Steelers later in the season. Flacco has improved his game the past couple of weeks and has not turned the ball over. His average quarterback rating the past two weeks is a solid 100.3. If he can continue to limit the interceptions, the Ravens have a shot at making the wildcard, if not winning the division.
Joe Flacco celebrates with teammates after a touchdown. (AP Photo)
4. DeSean Jackson (PHI), wide receiver
Eagles fans came into the season with high hopes for Jackson, but many were skeptical that he could have much of an impact on the offense. Given his lack of size and experience, they figured that he would primarily impact the team as a punt returner. Jackson immediately proved those skeptics wrong by becoming the first Eagles receiver since 1940 to go for 100 yards in each of his first two games. He leads the team with 32 receptions for 505 yards and one touchdown.
3. Matt Forte (CHI), running back
As a Bears fan, I cringed at this pick. I was one of many Bears fans who were thinking, Matt who?? Forte has been better than anyone could have imagined thus far. He has been the featured back since opening week, and while the running production has decreased the past four weeks Forte is a valuable pass-catcher coming out of the backfield. He leads the Bears in receptions, with 29. What I love about Forte is that he doesn’t go down on first-contact (think Cedric Benson). With Forte proving to be such a threat running the ball the first three weeks, defenses have had to respect the play-action pass which has opened up a lot more downfield for Kyle Orton the past few weeks. If Forte can stay healthy and increase the production in the running game, the Bears will win the NFC North.
2. Matt Ryan (ATL), quarterback
Being a rookie quarterback on a bad football team is an unenviable task, but Ryan has adapted to the role impressively, winning four of his first seven games. He has a quarterback rating of 79.7 and a td/int ratio of 7:5. Even Falcons head coach Mike Smith couldn’t have predicted this much success this soon. Ryan has showed great moxie in the pocket and has come up big in clutch situations, such as the pass to Michael Jenkins with one second left to get the Falcons in field goal range to beat the Bears.
1. Chris Johnson (TEN), running back
Not a whole lot of people knew about this guy coming into the season, but they sure know abou
t him now. Johnson is fast. Crazy fast. His clocked 40-yard dash time of 4.24 seconds at the NFL combine is the fastest ever, and that speed translates directly to the field, where he and LenDale White have formed one of the league’s best running tandems. He leads the Titans with 549 yards rushing and averages 5.3 yards-per-carry. Johnson is a big reason why the Titans are 7-0 and the only undefeated team in the league.
Chris Johnson carries the ball in the Titans 34-10 win over the Chiefs. (AP Photo)
Friday, October 24, 2008
The best catch of the season.......so far
Marty Booker made the greatest catch I've ever seen this season against the Detroit Lions.
Take a look.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Week 8 Power Rankings
The power rankings are back after a one week hiatus baby! Here we go.
1. Titans (6-0)-Only undefeated team left in football. Dominated a poor KC team to set up a Monday night showdown against the Colts. A win over a so-so Indy team would make it nearly impossible for the Colts to win a sixth straight division title.
2. Giants (5-1)-Look like the best team in the NFC at this point. We’ll know more about this team in the next three weeks as they play at Pitt at Philly and home versus the Romo-less Cowboys.
3. Steelers (5-1)-Huge game at home against the Giants on Sunday. Would be a statement victory if they could knock off the defending champs.
4. Bills (5-1)-Well rounded win over the Chargers. The Bills are legit, and might be the team to beat in the AFC East, especially with a new Patriot player hitting the dust every week.
5. Redskins (5-2)-The Redskins won ugly against an improved Cleveland defense. With Detroit next, the Redskins should be 6-2 heading into their Week 9 Monday night game vs. Pittsburgh.
6. Buccaneers (5-2)-Dominated the Seahawks and Panthers in their last two contests. Beating Dallas in “Big D” will solidify this team as the team to beat in the NFC South.
7. Panthers (5-2)-Dominating performance against the Saints proves the Panthers are for real.
8. Cardinals (4-2)-Kurt Warner needed the bye week to heal up heading into a tough road test at Carolina.
9. Patriots (4-2)-The epitome of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
10. Falcons (4-2)-The surprise team of the season at this point. Should be well rested and rearing to go after the bye week.
11. Packers (4-3)-Head into the bye week with some momentum after a thrashing of the Colts. Bye week couldn’t have come at a better time for Aaron Rodgers and co.
12. Bears (4-3)-Who could have possibly thought the offense is stronger than the defense right now?
13. Eagles (3-3)-Brian Westbrook is healthy and the Cowboys are without Tony Romo for a month. Eagles couldn’t be any happier.
14. Jaguars (3-3)-Reggie Nelson could return, which will give the defense a boost. But if Matt Jones begins a suspension, the offense will take a hit.
15. Cowboys (4-3)-Most disappointing team of the first half of the season. Things aren’t looking up in “Big D” as Romo is out for another month and the schedule is tough.
16. Colts (3-3)-The Colts are a yo-yo. For everything good they did in a top-to-bottom win over Baltimore, they did something bad in a terrible showing at Green Bay.
17. Broncos (4-3)-The Broncos' defense is just not good enough to survive sloppy offense, which has been the case in all of Denver's losses.
18. Chargers (3-4)-A close second to Dallas as biggest disappointment this far. The Bolts have been a model of inconsistency. Play well one week, pathetic the next.
19. Jets (3-3)-Terrible loss to Oakland in overtime. Now playing catch-up to the Bills and Patriots.
20. Ravens (3-3)-If this team can move the ball more consistently on offense they have a chance for a wild-card berth, because their defense is down-right nasty.
21. Vikings (3-4)-Missed out on a huge opportunity at Chicago. Arguably the worst special teams unit in the league, giving up five touchdowns in seven games. Is that a joke?
22. Saints (3-4)-With all the talent on this team it’s hard to fathom they are under .500
23. Texans (2-4)-Two wins in a row after an 0-4 start put this team in a much better frame of mind. Now can the Texans keep the Bengals winless?
24. Rams (2-4)-If only Jim Haslett was the coach from the beginning of the season. After dominating Dallas, this is a dangerous team playing with nothing to lose.
25. Dolphins (2-4)-The Dolphins have gotten a reality check with back-to-back losses, including one to the Ravens at home Sunday. Like almost everybody else, consistency is a problem.
26. Browns (2-4)-Winslow’s suspension doesn’t help a team in need of major improvement.
27. Raiders (2-4)- Big win against the Jets. Maybe the coaching change was just what the doctor ordered. We’ll see in the next couple weeks as they travel to Baltimore and then host Atlanta and Carolina.
28. 49ers (2-5)-The failure to develop Alex Smith ultimately cost Mike Nolan his coaching job.
29. Seahawks (1-5)-Seattle's offense has reached new levels of futility. Mike Holmgren seems to have no answers.
30. Chiefs (1-5)-This team is starting to make a strong case for being the worst in the league.
31. Bengals (0-7)-It's time to start thinking 2009 draft in the Queen City.
32. Lions (0-6)-When is it appropriate to start the 0-16 countdown?
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Bears win shootout against Vikings
Quarterback Kyle Orton celebrates with reciever Marty Booker
after the connected on a 51-yard touchdown pass in the 3rd quarter.
( AP Photo)
How many of you at the beginning of the season thought the Bears would actually win a football game when they surrender 41 points? I’m going to guess zero, because I sure as hell didn’t.
When you score a whopping 48 points, you still win the game. The Bears won 48-41 and scored every way possible.
They scored on a blocked punt returned for a touchdown and on punt coverage when it deflected off the Viking’s return man.
Kyle Orton looked like Brett Favre out there, making every throw imaginable. Orton finished 21/32 for 283 yards with two touchdowns and zero interceptions. He has made tremendous strides since the beginning of the season and looks so much better than Grossman ever did.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE AN NFL QUARTERBACK BABY!
Orton’s been even more impressive since he has had no running game. Forte finished with only 56 yards rushing and averaged 2.8 yards a carry.
One thing the Bears need to work on over their bye week is reviving the running game. It has been non-existent the past 3-4 weeks.
I’m concerned with the Bears pass defense and the secondary in particular. I know the Bears picked off Frerotte four times, but he’s one of the worst quarterbacks in the league.
The Vikings moved the ball at will in the passing game. If not for all those interceptions thrown, the Vikings would have won the game. Frerotte threw for 300 yards and two touchdowns.
Even Mike Brown can’t explain the poor defensive play. “We're not playing very good defense right now. It seems like we're lost, can't find a rhythm."
When the captain of your defense tells the media that “we’re lost” half-way into the season, that doesn’t bode well.
It is crucial that starting cornerbacks Nathan Vasher and Charles Tillman get healthy and get back on the field. They make the Bears secondary a lot tougher to pass on.
3 Things to work on over the bye week.
1. Get healthy. This will make the Bears a better team the second half of the season.
2. Revive the running game. Forte rushed for over 100-yards two of the first three games. Since then he’s had zero 100-yard rushing games.
3. Figure out how to play better defense and not look lost out there. I’m making that your responsibility Mike Brown.
On another note: Devin Hester injured his quadriceps in the 3rd quarter and did not return.
For highlights from the game click here.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Vikings Preview, News and Notes
This is a BIG GAME heading into the bye week for the Bears. They need to defend home turf and build momentum going into the bye week.
The difference in the game will be which running back can move the football and eat up clock. Matt Forte has been putting up average yards in the running game the past couple weeks, but his versatility coming out of the backfield will be key in keeping the Vikings defense honest.
The Bears need to shut down Adrian Peterson and avoid a repeat performance of last year when he ran for 243 yards.
For more in depth analysis, fantasy impact players and keys to the game click here.
Other News:
***Wide receiver Brandon Lloyd (knee) and safety Daniel Manning (pulled hamstring) are out for tomorrow’s game. Starting cornerbacks Nathan Vasher (wrist) and Charles Tillman (shoulder) are questionable. If both starting cornerbacks are out, the secondary will be vulnerable. 
***Linebacker Brian Urlacher has been fined $20,000 by the NFL for abusive conduct toward a game official.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Game Predictions: This Week and Beyond
Hester high-stepping his way into the end zone in the
photo below against the Lions on October 5.
So I decided to look at the future schedule and predict wins and losses for the rest of the season starting with Sunday’s game at Soldier Field against the Vikings.
Sunday, October 19 vs. Vikings—Biggest game of the season so far. The Vikings rushed for 311 yards at Soldier Field last year. I think the Bears defense will shut down Adrian Peterson and the Viking running game. With Tillman, Manning and Vasher all questionable for Sunday’s game, defending the passing game might be a tough chore. I think the secondary will do a good enough job, and the Bears offense should score enough points. Bears win 24-21 to improve to 4-3
Sunday, November 2 vs. Lions—After the laugher at Detroit ten days ago, it will be more of the same in Chicago. Bears win 31-13 to improve to 5-3
Sunday, November 9 vs. Tennessee—This is a very tough game to call right now. The Titans are the only undefeated team in the league and are playing some great football. They are finding ways to win at the end of the game, something the Bears haven’t done all year. The Titans get it done on the road in another tight game, 20-17. (5-4)
Sunday, November 16 at Green Bay—The Bears have fared well at Lambeau ever since Lovie took over in 2004. I think the Bears defense will be all over Aaron Rodgers, and will win 27-24 to improve to 6-4.
Sunday, November 23 at St. Louis—This is going to be a tough game for the Bears. Even though the Rams are one of the worst teams in the league so far, Jim Haslett will have this team much improved in five weeks. I’m predicting the Rams in an upset, 20-17. (6-5)
Sunday, November 30 at Minnesota—A crucial game as the Bears will be right in the thick of things in the NFC North. This is a Sunday night NBC game and the Bears are 2-0 so far on Sunday night. They will pound the run and Orton will make enough plays on defense that the Bears will improve to 3-0 on Sunday nights and 7-5 on the year with a 27-24 victory.
Sunday, December 7 vs. Jacksonville—A rugged opponent fighting their playoff lives in the AFC comes to Chicago. David Garrard runs it in for a touchdown on 4th down with just over a minute left and Jacksonville deals a severe blow to the Bears playoffs hopes with a 17-14 victory, dropping the Bears to 7-6.
Thursday, December 11 vs. New Orleans—Bears get a game on Thursday night on the NFL network. I think the last three times the Bears and Saints have met it’s been in Chicago. Kind of a weird scheduling quirk. Anyway Reggie Bush is going to take another punt to the house but the Kyle Orton has a big day and the Bears win a big one, 34-24.(8-6)
Monday, December 22 vs. Green Bay—First Monday night football game of the year, playing for the division title. Aaron Rodgers is in the Christmas spirit just a bit early and throws three
interceptions, one of them extremely costly as Charles Tillman returns it for a touchdown. A 59 yard touchdown run by Ryan Grant cuts the Bears lead to three with over a minute left, but the Bears recover the onside kick and win 33-30, sending the fans home happy for the holidays. (9-6)Sunday, December 28 at Houston—After an emotional Monday night victory against the hated Packers, this has all the makings of a let-down game. A shorter week to prepare, a team that won’t be in the playoffs, etc. I think the Bears are going to come out flat and fall behind by ten points at halftime and then try to rally but fall just short. The Texans upset the Bears, 24-23, dropping them to 9-7.
The Bears will end up tied with the Packers at 9-7 with the Vikings one game back at 8-8. It will come down to tiebrakers to determine if the Bears make the playoffs. If they don’t, they only have themselves to play after losing at Houston and blowing leads at Carolina, at Atlanta and against the Bucs.
Monday, October 13, 2008
The Tommie Harris Debacle
What should the Bears make of the recent off-field issues regarding Tommie Harris? He was remorseful this week and said he’s moved on. So did Tank Johnson, however, and we know how that turned out. Harris returned after a one game suspension yesterday and played ok, but Israel Idonije and rookie Marcus Harrison were both rotated in at tackle. 
Harris signed a four year, $40 contract this past offseason. That’s a huge investment from General Manager Jerry Angelo, who has shown other players the door because he didn’t want to pay them (Bernard Berrian). I think as long as Harris doesn’t have any more off the field issues and can stay healthy, he’ll be a mainstay at defensive tackle for the next four years. He’s been plagued by a knee injury most of the season and had some health issues last year. I think injuries are part of the reason why he’s been ineffective or less effective, than he was last year and in years past. Reports surfaced last week that he also fathered a child out of wedlock and was taking the news extremely hard. Once Harris starts concentrating on football again I hope he can regain the dominant form he showed in the past.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Bears fall in a heartbreaker, 22-20
Atlanta Falcons place-kicker Jason Elam (1) reacts with holder Michael Koenen (9)
after kicking the game- winning 48-yard field goal with one second remaining to defeat the Chicago Bears 22-20 in their NFL football game at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.
(AP Photo/Dave Martin)
Wow, I think that was the most improbable ending to a football game I have ever seen in my life, and I’ve watched a lot of football.
I went from the highest of highs, when Orton took the Bears offense down the field in 2:30 to score what looked like the game winning touchdown, to the lowest of lows, when Falcons kicker Jason Elam kicked the game winning field goal as time expired.
I have to question the Bears decision to pooch the kickoff with 11 seconds to go. Why not kick it deep?
I blame this one on the coaches for calling a pooch kick and not kicking it deep. I know the last time they kicked it deep Norwood almost ran it back for a touchdown, but what are the odds of that happening again? Slim-to-none.
If Norwood catches the ball on the five-yard line and runs it up to midfield that is going to take at least six or seven seconds off the clock. The clock would have gone from eleven seconds to four or five seconds, and that would have left the Falcons with one hail mary pass. Instead the
Falcons have enough time to run a play, a 26-yard out right to Michael Jenkins to the Bears 31 yard line with one second left.
Which brings me to my next point. What kind of coverage was that and why was Jenkins so open?? There was a huge gap between the corner, Marcus Hamilton, and the safety, Mike Brown. How can you let a receiver run an out route and get to the sidelines? That is totally unacceptable coverage. You are taught in pee wee football to force the receivers toward the middle of the field at the end of the game.
The Bears secondary and pass coverage looked vulnerable all game. I know starting cornerback Nathan Vasher did not play and Charles Tillman left the game in the 2nd quarter with a hip injury, but backups Corey Graham and Marcus Hamilton were constantly getting beaten on slant routes and quick hitches.
I’m just so disappointed because even though the Bears got dominated for ¾ of the game, they should have pulled out this victory. When Elam missed the gimme field goal with 2:35 left I thought karma was with the Bears. Good teams are able to win games even when they don’t play well and get dominated, and the Bears fell short.
I have to give credit where credit is due though. Matt Ryan played a great game and didn’t look like a rookie. He completed 22/30 for 301 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions. He made all types of throws, and slightly outplayed Kyle Orton, who has made major strides himself the past couple weeks and played a solid game.
