The TSS Sports Task Force was busy (probably watching their team win), so that leaves you all with me to sum of the events that were week four. Coming off a gutsy Monday night victory over division rival Washington, Dallas had only the red-hot Detroit Lions standing in between a 3-1 record and a much needed bye week. Read the rest of this entry »

The third installment of the weekly drama that is the NFL saw continued offensive explosions in the Northeast, some surprising upsets and some fallen soldiers in the league’s war of attrition. The marquee matchup of the early set featured 2011’s “Dream Team”  the Philadelphia Eagles hosting the underwhelming New York Giants. Read the rest of this entry »

2011 appears to be the NFL’s answer to the MLB steroid era. The lockout, years of pro-passing rule changes and obvious obliviousness to steroid use (I’m looking at you Peyton Hills) have offenses putting up NFL Blitz numbers from coast to coast. The marquee matchup in week two featured two of the Air Attack Era’s offensive juggernauts in the Patriots and Chargers. Read the rest of this entry »

Thursday night’s shootout between Green Bay and New Orleans was the appetizer. On Sunday, the 10 year anniversary of one of America’s darkest days, the Good Lord said “Let there be light!” and the heavens rained a surplus of football games. Read the rest of this entry »

With the NFL 2011 season just around the corner, it’s almost time to make Sunday a nonproductive day and just sit around with the weekly order of a 36 pack of beer and bottomless basket of chicken wings. And to add to the festivities, this year TSS is resurrecting an old tradition of fantasy football with a league hosted on ESPN. Read the rest of this entry »

The end of the football season stings a little more for most fans than the normal climax. After all this could be the last football for years if Roger Goodell’s 18 game stubbornness derails labor negotiations over this summer. 2011’s Super Bowl thus took on greater significance, as two of the league’s foremost franchises battled for supremacy in Texas. Read the rest of this entry »

A trip to Dallas and immortality on the line, four cold weather franchises known for hard hitting defenses took to the field in frigid mid-January temps. The result—ugly if intense football and a matchup between franchises known for dynasties past come two weeks. Read the rest of this entry »

The first round of the playoffs saw a mix of upsets and last second heroics. Below is the breakdown of the highs and lows of the weekend’s Wild Card Playoffs.

Saints Vs. Seahawks

Pre-Game Chatter: The defending champs lucked out with what was dubbed a bye week against the 7-9 Seahawks. Drew Brees and company were easily expected to overcome Seattle and the Qwset Field crowd. Read the rest of this entry »

Start the freaking playoffs already.

That’s the attitude most teams seemed to have in a mundane week 17. With playoff qualifications secured, most contenders began the New Year trotting out backups and has-beens. While some teams stormed into the playoffs despite featuring second-stringers (New England, Pittsburgh, the Jets), many seemed  content to back in with weak efforts against inferior opponents (Baltimore, Indianapolis, the Chiefs). No team looked worse than the defending champion Saints, who were thoroughly outplayed by the Buccaneers on all sides of the ball, Read the rest of this entry »

A model of excellence and efficiency. That’s what the New England Patriots were in a 34-3 pillaging of the Buffalo Bills. The defensive forced 7 turnovers, the ground game went for 200 yards and Tom Brady threw 3 TDs. Ho-hum.

In addition to locking up the number one seed for the Patriots, this game should lock up the MVP for Brady. Michael Vick’s story deserves a Hollywood ending, but Brady’s faced more obstacles this season. Read the rest of this entry »

Chokers.

What else do you call the New York Giants after yesterday’s fiasco? At home, in an epic battle for NFC supremacy, the Giants had total control over the rival Eagles with a three touchdown lead in the second half. Plenty of time though, for Michael Vick to go into Madden mode. Vick gashed the previously ferocious Giants D with improvised rollouts and runs. A Vick to Jeremy Maclin touchdown with two minutes left leveled the game. After a failed Giants drive, the teams were a punt out of bounds away from overtime.

But Giants punter Matt Dodge had other ideas, inexplicably kicking to the always dangerous DeSean Jackson. A sliver of space was all Jackson needed to run to glory.

Head coach Tom Coughlin was sure to publicly humiliate his player post-game, deflecting from the fact that his team suffered a total collapse. A tough game at Green Bay looms and it remains to be seen if the Giants can make the playoffs and Coughlin can keep his job, particularly with Bill Cowher openly asking for it.

In the other marquee matchup of Pennsylvania and New Jersey based teams, the Jets refused to let their season die, eking out a win in a snowy Heinz Field. As expected, defenses dominated as both teams came into the game struggling to put points on the board. Ferocious hits were the name of the game, with several borderline cheap shots that may have James Harrison making another donation to Roger Goodell’s charity of choice. The Jets were able to cobble together 22 points on a kickoff return, a safety and a few well put together drives. A last gasp effort from Ben Roethlisberger gave the Steelers a last second shot at victory, but the Jets defense held firm.

The NFC playoff picture came into focus with Atlanta’s road shalacking of Seahawks and New Orleans’ loss to the Ravens. The Falcons were as usual led by Matt Ryan and Roddy White in a battle against the “first-place” Seattle team and look to lock up the one seed next week. The Ravens were led by Ray Rice’s giant day (230 yards, 2 TDs) meaning every fantasy nerd who drafted him in the first round will win their consolation playoff bracket. Too little, too late Ray.

Quick Hits

– Fitting that Tim Tebow’s first NFL start comes on the birthweek of our Lord and Savior. Young Timothy did better than some would expect, rumbling for a 40 yard TD on a quarterback draw. Unfortunately, not even St. Timothy could deliver a win for the Broncos.

– The Lions needed overtime to do it, but they notched their first road victory since 2007 by battering the bruised Bucs. Tampa’s playoff hopes are slipping away quickly.

– Washington fans should be worried by Rex Grossman’s 4 TD performance as it may con Mike Shanahan into keeping him around for 2011. Of minor note though, the Skins still lost and Sexy Rexy threw an INT on the final drive.

– Patriot Dan Connolly lived every offensive lineman’s dream turning a pooch kick into a near touchdown. His 71 yard kick off return was the longest by an offensive lineman in history.

The weather is frigid, yet the race for the playoffs is as hot as it has ever been. With only three weeks left in the season after this week, the sense of urgency – for the teams that need it – are at code red levels. Those already planning offseason vacations find solace in knowing they leave coal in someone’s stocking. Week 14 had its fair share of notable games, upsets and a collapsed stadium roof for good measure. Read the rest of this entry »

Week 13 saw a bevy of divisional games finally start to put some space between contenders and pretenders in this the weirdest of seasons. The Falcons came close to wrapping up the NFC South and possibly the entire conference with another comeback victory against Tampa. Dressed in vintage orange unis, the Bucs took a ten point lead before an Eric Weems kickoff return brought the Dirty Birds within three points. Read the rest of this entry »

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 »

We can champion the NFL for its parity all day long, but someone has to go to the playoffs at the end of the day. The cream will begin to rise to the top, the minute hand will tick faster towards midnight for Cinderellas & some teams will have to relish playing the spoiler & fighting for roster spots. Yet, on a week where things should begin to sort themselves out, many questions arose as opposed to answers. Read the rest of this entry »