It seems like the NFL’s power rankings become fleeting as each week winds down. I guess that’s the beauty of the NFL in that seemingly any team with a convincing track record deserves bragging rights. With that said, it’s usually at this point of the season where we see teams emerge for late season pushes. Tis the season for implosions as well with a few franchises looking sluggish. Turkey Day isn’t here yet but some of these clubs, namely the Giants, Chargers and Colts, look like they have a mean case of itis. Let’s see if they can shake off the malaise down the stretch. Read the rest of this entry »

Remember when Randy Moss gave his post game press conference after Week 1 in that odd looking fitted with the du-rag underneath? When Moss said he wanted to be “appreciated,” I had a hunch then that before Week 6 the receiver would be in a different uniform. Read the rest of this entry »

The NFL playoffs are supposed to be an exposé of the best teams and players the league has to offer. Ideally this leads to classic games, complete with 4th quarter drives and heroic individual efforts. Sadly this week was more about delivering beatdowns, as the Bengals, Eagles and yes, my beloved Pats were exposed as playoff frauds. Below is the game-by-game rundown.

Bengals Vs. Jets

This was a sloppy game between two teams that aren’t very good. The Bengals offense was hindered by crushing injuries/deaths in their wide receiver corps. Amongst the walking wounded was Chad Ochocinco, out with a sore posterior from the raping delivered over three hours Jets DB by Darrelle Revis. Watching Revis was particularly annoying as a Pats fan, because he’s totally mastered Ty Law’s style, making just enough contact with the receiver downfield to disrupt routes without getting flagged. Rookie Shonn Greene was the star on offense, routinely beating Cincy’s contain with edge runs. The Jets still have no business planning Super Bowl parades, as the Bengals were a shell of their former selves and the worst playoff team. San Diego should kill the dreams of Firemen Ed and annoying Gang Greeners everywhere next week.

Cowboys Vs. Eagles

Many, including myself, were expecting the Eagles offense to awaken after laying an egg last week but Dallas shut down McNabb and company for a second straight week. Meanwhile Tony Romo put his playoff demons behind him with some help from Miles Austin and Roy Williams.

The big play though was Felix Jones 73 yard TD run, in which he simply ran past the Eagles defense. Few players in the NFL have such raw speed and his playmaking abilities should scare the shit out of other NFC fans.

Patriots Vs. Ravens

Hey Pats fans, it was a good decade for us. But what a deflating way to close it out, getting punked by Baltimore. Everyone, and I mean everyone, laid an egg for the Pats – from Randy Moss’ no show to “Pro-Bowler” Brandon Merriweather getting schooled by Ray Rice on the first play of the game on an 83 yard touchdown. And just like that the game was over. Well not really, first I had to languish through three hours of Brady two yard checkdowns and approximately 73 third and ones where Baltimore converted by flattening our front 7. The Ravens move on, although they’ll need more out of Joe Flacco to take down the Colts next week. The Pats meanwhile, have some serious questions to answer in the offseason and a long climb back to the top. How’s KG’s knee?

Cardinals Vs. Packers

At least we had one classic game. More bullets were fired than the North Hollywood shootout as both Aaron Rodgers and Kurt Warner were afforded ample time to sit in the pocket and pick their favorite targets. This game had a little bit of everything, including a ballsy onside kick call by Green Bay that helped them get back in the game. By the 4th quarter, both defenses were gassed and it was clear that whomever had the ball last would win. Which should have been Arizona, but kicker Neil Rackers shanked a 34 yard field goal with 10 seconds left. The game thus proceeded to OT, Green Bay won the toss and appeared to be in the driver’s seat. Then, one great defensive play from ‘Zona sealed the deal.

Can the Cards win another shootout in the SuperDome next week? Probably not. But you just can’t count this team out.

This is what we’ve all been waiting for ain’t it?

Another season has come to a close and now it’s time to get down to business.  We’re down the twelve teams and all have one goal in mind.  The Super Bowl.  Some teams have better chances than others, but it begins with the Wild Card.  With the last two Super Bowl Champs starting out as Wild Card qualifiers, every team has to believe that if they get on a run that anything is possible.  Read through the as the Crew states how we see things going down this weekend. Read the rest of this entry »

“Time to separate the platinum from the white gold/Right from the door/The real from the fake, Ready rock from the raw…” – Jay-Z

With the NFL season winding down, Week 16 found teams looking to sew up playoff spots.  Although the top seeds were pretty much solidified, there were enough teams with hopes of a Wild Card berth jockeying for seeding to keep things interesting throughout the extended holiday weekend round of games. Read the rest of this entry »

My name is David D. and I’m a Saints fan.

Yeah, I know you are too. Now.

But I’m a lifelong Saints fan. I made it through the “Aint’s” and Mike Ditka years. So this year has been…bizarre. Somehow the Saints became the best team in the NFC and are favorites going in to every game. And I honestly have no clue how to react. Read the rest of this entry »

For the third and fourth time in the last five years, Indy and New Orleans enter December as unbeatens. Both teams maintained the course on their quest for perfection, Indy with a routine win over the feisty Titans (sorry Gotty™) and New Orleans with anything but against the Washington Redskins.

Down to the Skins, the Saints got a key touchdown after wide receiver Robert Meachem forced and recovered an improbable fumble after a (terrible) Brees interception. That’s a once or twice a year in the NFL play. Read the rest of this entry »

Before we get to the games I gotta vent first.

Screw you Rookwood Tap and, for that matter, screw you all Wrigleyville bars from the heart of the brojects on Clark and Addison. Screw your buffet with the cardboard eggs, death to your pouty waitresses (though I appreciate the fake boobs,) screw you for not having coffee and screw you for having a bathroom attendant at a sports bar. And a special fuck you for playing country music during the commercials. Could I at least get some Black Eyed Peas?

I don’t know if it was my hatred that rubbed off on the Bears or just their own mediocrity coming to the forefront, but the Monsters of the Midway got rolled by the visiting Cardinals. The Cards moved the ball at will against the beaten down Bears D with Larry Fitzgerald serving notice as to why he’s the best wide receiver in the game. He dominated whomever the Bears threw at him in single coverage and, if he wasn’t open, Kurt Warner was finding someone else. With a brutal schedule up ahead, the Bears look headed for under .500 and Lovie Smith looks like he’s on his way out. Read the rest of this entry »

Words By Jason Hortillas

As I walked the ticker-taped streets of lower Manhattan on a cold day in February 2008, it was surreal to realize that I was at a championship parade that was not the New York Yankees. Reminding myself this was a football parade, the New York Giants did the impossible and defeated the juggernaut that was the New England Patriots – playing hooky from the 9-5 was well worth it. As you can see I’m a fan of the G-Men. But what I’ve learned from last season is anything is possible. I shitted on “aw-shucks” Eli along with the rest of the critics. But their run last year was highly admired and definitely respected, if or if not you liked them.

In football, there is no seven game series – that “go hard or go home” mentality is in design set up for the upset. For the 2008 season, we wait for the next underdog to emerge on top. Many fantasy leagues have been drafted and on Thursday night once again it begins. Already with headlines such as name change man Chad Ocho Cinco (85 is “ochenta y cinco” by the way), Hurricane Gustav in New Orleans, and the immortal Brett Favre’s “un-retirement,” sky’s the limit I suppose. So before tonight’s kick off party for the new season, Patrick M. & I gave our picks for who will take it in ’09. For the record we’re not excited cause Usher is performing. Natasha Bedingfield must die BTW. Read the rest of this entry »