The Sportmeisters Top 10 Games of the Decade: Game No.1

Game No. 1 – New York Giants vs. New England Patriots – Super Bowl XLII

Even though the 00’s are finished, Sportmeisters Derek and Ryan have decided to present their top 10 games of the past decade. Today, they finish their discussion with the best game from 2000-2009. What follows is a transcript of their discussion.

Sportmeister Derek: Ryan, today we finish up our countdown, and even though we’re in 2010, it’s hard not to look back at this amazing game from the 00’s.

Sportmeister Ryan: Absolutely Derek, and as we start the new decade, let’s look back one last time at our consensus number one pick for the best game from 2000-2009; Super Bowl XLII between the New York Giants and New England Patriots.

SD: Let’s start with Week 17 of the 2007 NFL season. In a game that had no playoff implications, the 15-0 New England Patriots and the 10-5 New York Giants met in Giants Stadium.

SR: In what has become custom for many teams, fans of both were expecting them to rest their starters, but to everyone’s surprise, the two teams played a thrilling game, risking injuries on both sides, as we saw the New England Patriots become the first 16-0 team since 1972, winning 38-35. It definitely gave some momentum to both teams heading into the playoffs.

SD: New York would have to go on the road in their playoff games, starting with the NFC Wild Card, where they beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24-14. That followed with a road game against the Dallas Cowboys.

SR: Dallas had already beaten New York twice this season, so many were expecting the trifecta to be pulled off by Dallas.

SD: In what would become a recurring theme for the Giants, they defeated Dallas in the NFC Divisional Round 21-17. On the other side, the New England Patriots handily took down the Jacksonville Jaguars 31-20.

SR: The Patriots game saw Tom Brady go 26-of-28 (92.9%), breaking the record for best completion percentage, set by former New York Giant QB Phil Simms.

SD: In the NFC Conference Championship, New York traveled to the frozen tundra of Green Bay, and in a game worthy of its own recognition, Eli Manning and Co. got the best of Brett Favre in his final game as a Packer, winning 23-20 in overtime.

SR: The Patriots didn’t play their best in the AFC Championship Game, but they did what was necessary in a 21-12 win, becoming the first team to go 18-0, and heading into the Super Bowl, they had a legitimate shot at becoming the second undefeated team in NFL history.

SD: New England had one of the best offenses around, led by Tom Brady’s NFL-record 50 touchdown passes, 23 of those to newly acquired WR Randy Moss.

SR: After the week 17 showdown, many expected New England to win again. Even Las Vegas set the line at 14 points. Clearly, all the attention was on New England.

SD: New York received the ball to start Super Bowl XLII, and ran the longest drive in Super Bowl history, a 16-play, 77-yard drive that ended with a Lawrence Tynes 32-yard field goal to put New York up 3-0.

SR: That long drive set the tone, as New England was only able to get one drive off, making the two drives the fewest in Super Bowl history. At the same time, with the number of commercials and such in the Super Bowl, it’s hard to keep the flow of a game going.

SD: New England would take the lead in the second quarter, 7-3, on a one yard Laurence Maroney run.

SR: For the Patriots, who were so offensive-minded, the low-scoring affair had to be in their mind. New York was getting a ton of pressure, led by Justin Tuck, who had two sacks and a forced fumble in the first half alone.

SD: That pressure New York brought, completely wrecked an offense used to scoring at will. The third quarter ended without a score, bringing the Patriots 15 minutes to history, leading 7-3.

SR: New England took a few fourth-quarter chances, even catching New York with too many men on the field at one point. They didn’t convert, but it was easy to see the Patriots were doing whatever they could to attempt to put the game out of reach.

SD: New York would start the fourth quarter on their own 20, and a seven-play, 80-yard drive culminated in a five-yard touchdown pass from Manning to David Tyree, putting the Giants up 10-7 with 11:05 to go in the game.

SR: Tyree, who we will mention later, couldn’t catch a ball in practice, but came up big when necessary. Some players just shine with the spotlight on.

SD: A couple defensive stops from both teams kept the score the same until New England took over with under eight minutes to play. Using that fourth-quarter magic New England is best for, Tom Brady marched them down the field, eating up 5:12 over the 80-yard drive, which ended, how else, from Brady to Moss.

SR: New England had a few games during the season that required those last minute heroics, and this was another one of those moments. New England is up 14-10, with 2:39 to go before 19-0.

SD: Eli Manning would march the Giants to a third and five from the New York 44 with 1:15 remaining, and history happened.

SR: Before we get there, New England had a chance to end the game when the second down pass was just missed being intercepted by Asante Samuel.

SD: Nevertheless, New York had the ball, and Manning took the snap, sitting in the pocket, when Jarvis Green, among other Patriots, collapsed on Manning, but couldn’t sack him. Manning was able to spin out, right himself, and fire a 32-yard pass that was caught by Tyree, who put the ball against his head to keep control of it.

SR: That play was magic for a number of reasons. Manning getting out of the pressure and getting the throw off. Tyree with the catch, while being manhandled by Rodney Harrison. At that exact moment, New York had the entire momentum.

SD: Four plays later, and it was Manning to Plaxico Burress from 13 yards out, giving New York the 17-14 lead with 35 seconds left.

SR: Running a four-wide set, Burress went on a slant-and-go, getting Ellis Hobbs, who single covered Burress, to bite, leaving him wide open.

SD: New England would have enough time to take a shot, but another sack, this one by Jay Alford, and a few incompletions ended the greatest Super Bowl in history.

SR: New York pulled off the perfect upset, using every bit of luck, magic, and skill to win, once again sealing the 1972 Dolphins perfect season.

SD: This game had it all and that is why we have named it our number one game of the decade. Any questions or concerns, feel free to email us at Derek@Sportmeisters.com or Ryan@Sportmeisters.com .

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Rams-Titans Super Bowl Ranks No. 9 on Sportmeisters’ Top 10 Games of the Decade

Game No.  9: St. Louis Rams vs. Tennessee Titans—Super Bowl XXXIV

With the end of the decade nearing, Sportmeisters Derek and Ryan have decided to present their top 10 games of the past decade. Today’s discussion is on the ninth-best game from 2000-2009. What follows is a transcript of their discussion.

Sportmeister Derek: Ryan, today we are here to discuss something that will be debated for the next few weeks. With 2010 on the horizon, we are naming our top 10 games of the decade.

Sportmeister Ryan: Following up on Game No. 10, we move to football, selecting Super Bowl XXXIV between the St. Louis Rams and Tennessee Titans as our No. 9 Game of the Decade.

SD: Let’s start with a quick history recap. The Rams had signed Trent Green to play quarterback and traded for Marshall Faulk to be their starting running back. The Titans had actually just become the team we know today as they moved from Houston in 1998 and officially became the Titans in 1999.

SR: A Super Bowl run is not a bad way to start a season in a new town, especially when it’s the first for your franchise.

SD: In a fit of irony, the move for Green ended up being a waste as he was injured and lost for the year in the third preseason game.

SR: That opened up the opportunity for Kurt Warner, an undrafted free agent who had played in the Arena League and NFL Europe, to step into the role. For a team that had just gone 4-12 the previous season, it was understandable that they were concerned about putting their season into Warner’s hands.

SD: Yet Warner and Faulk were the best thing to happen to St. Louis. They ended up leading the Rams to a 13-3 record, the best in the NFC.

SR: We also saw Warner earn NFL MVP, with a résumé that included throwing for 4,353 yards and 41 touchdowns. Faulk also had a great year, rushing for 1,381 yards and seven touchdowns to go with a team-leading 87 receptions for 1,048 yards and five more touchdowns.

SD: One could definitely argue Faulk led the way for the more versatile running backs that can run and catch.

SR: The Titans were also led to a 13-3 record by the QB/RB tandem of Steve McNair and Eddie George. McNair only played in 11 games but still managed to throw for 2,179 yards and 12 touchdowns and rushed for 337 yards and eight more touchdowns. George rushed for 1,304 yards and nine touchdowns and caught 47 balls for 458 yards and another four touchdowns.

SD: Interesting note—these two teams met in week six, with Tennessee narrowly winning, 24-21. That knocked St. Louis from the ranks of the undefeated and put both teams at 6-1.

SR: The Rams got a first round bye and then defeated the Minnesota Vikings 49-37 and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 11-6 to reach the Super Bowl.

SD: The Titans had a bit more trouble, as they almost lost in the wild card round to the Buffalo Bills until the Music City Miracle happened.

SR: A side bar for those who don’t remember: Buffalo had taken a 16-15 lead, and on the ensuing kickoff, Lorenzo Neal gave the ball to Frank Wycheck. Wycheck proceeded to throw the ball across the field to Kevin Dyson, who ran 75 yards for the touchdown.

SD: The Titans would hold on for the 22-16 win and then defeat the Indianapolis Colts 19-16 and the Jacksonville Jaguars 33-14 to get the opportunity to face the Rams in the Super Bowl.

SR: The Rams ended up defeating the Titans 23-16, but what puts this game on our list are the events that made fans sit on the edge of their seats until the end.

SD: The Rams went into the half up 9-0 on three Jeff Wilkins field goals. They would extend the lead to 16-0 with a Warner pass to rookie Torry Holt for a nine-yard score with 7:20 left in the third quarter.

SR: Tennessee would not be the first team shut out in the Super Bowl, however. They scored 16 unanswered points to tie the game with 2:12 left in the fourth quarter.

SD: Following the ensuing kickoff, St. Louis spent little time regaining the lead. Warner, who would set an NFL Super Bowl record with 414 passing yards, threw his last pass of the game to WR Isaac Bruce, who would scamper 73 yards to put St. Louis on top 23-16.

SR: The following kickoff would set McNair at his own 10-yard line, with 90 yards and a touchdown needed to win the game, and the Super Bowl.

SD: With only 1:54 on the clock, McNair benefited from 20 yards of St. Louis penalties, as he completed four passes for 39 yards, including a 16-yarder to WR Kevin Dyson to put Tennessee on the St. Louis 10 with six seconds left.

SR: Tennessee would use their last timeout to set up what would be the final play. Tennessee came out with the expectation of running Wycheck up the right side of the field to attract LB Mike Jones. Dyson would then slant left into the opening left by Jones. The play went off perfectly.

SD: Dyson caught the ball at the three with an opening towards the end zone. Jones, however, noticed the open Dyson catching the ball, quickly changing directions and wrapping Dyson’s legs up at the two-and-a-half-yard line.

SR: Both players rolled with Dyson stretching his arm in an attempt to get the ball across the plane for the winning touchdown. It would not be, however, and St. Louis prevented an amazing comeback and won Super Bowl XXXIV, 23-16.

SD: Warner was named the MVP of the game as he threw for the aforementioned Super Bowl-record 414 yards and two touchdowns. Bruce had six receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown, and Holt had seven receptions for 109 yards and a touchdown.

SR: Even though the game was a defensive showdown, St. Louis’s phenomenal offense showed why they were dubbed “The Greatest Show on Turf.”

SD: This game had it all, from comebacks to big plays, and that’s why Super Bowl XXIV is No. 9 on our countdown of the best games from the decade. Stay tuned for the rest of our Top 10 coming up in the next few weeks. Any questions or concerns, feel free to email us at Derek@Sportmeisters.com or Ryan@Sportmeisters.com .

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NFL Week 14: What We Learned

By Ryan of The Sportmeisters

As the holidays approach, what teams are going to give their fans Super Bowl dreams for Christmas?

Distraught Dallas in December
One team hasn’t lost in December since their QB took the reigns, compiling a 16-0 record. The other team is 5-9 since their QB has been the December starter. Can you guess who won when they faced off Sunday?

The San Diego Chargers, behind Phillip Rivers, ran their winning streak to eight games, improving to 10-3, after beating the Dallas Cowboys 20-17. Two long scoring drives broke a 10-10 tie, and allowed the Chargers to methodically destroy a Cowboys team who is looking for answers on their own. For Dallas, despite a no-turnover performance from QB Tony Romo, they have now slipped to second in the NFC East, and could be on the verge of missing the playoffs. That would ultimately seal the end for Coach Wade Phillips.

Trouble in Paradise?
The New England Patriots are 8-5, leading the AFC East, and just defeated the Carolina Panthers 20-10 to improve to 7-0 at home. So why is there so much turmoil?

The Patriots have been nowhere close to the 2006 squad that eviscerated opponents. Instead, they’ve lost close games in the fourth quarter, and could very well still miss the playoffs, with both the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins a game back. Recently, players have started grumbling, and it has affected their on the field play.

Four players were sent home Wednesday after being late, one of those being Randy Moss. Now we hear he was not putting forth a maximal effort, and it showed in a one catch, 16 yard performance. Linebacker Adalius Thomas was another member who missed the meeting, and after his bad mouthing of Coach Bill Belichick, watched the victory from the bench.

If the Patriots are expected to go deep in the playoffs, they need to quickly get on the same page. Players need to give 100 percent and buy into the coach’s message, or else all is lost.

Playoff Predictions
Every week until the end of the season, I’ll update my playoff predictions.

AFC (with current record):

1. Indianapolis Colts (13-0): AFC South Division Champions, first round bye, home field throughout playoffs

2. San Diego (10-3): AFC West Division Champions, first round bye, home field for Divisional Round

3. Cincinnati Bengals (9-4): AFC North Division Champions, home field for Wild Card Round

4. New England Patriots (8-5): AFC East Division Champions, home field for Wild Card Round

5. Denver Broncos (8-5): Wild Card

6. Miami Dolphins (7-6): Wild Card

NFC (with current record):

1. New Orleans Saints (13-0): NFC South Division Champions, first round bye, home field advantage throughout playoffs

2. Minnesota Vikings (11-2): NFC North Division Champions, first round bye, home field for Divisional Round

3. Arizona Cardinals (8-4): NFC West Division Champions, home field for Wild Card Round

4. Philadelphia Eagles (9-4): NFC East Division Champions, home field for Wild Card Round

5. Green Bay Packers (9-4): Wild Card

6. New York Giants (7-5): Wild Card

Contenders and Pretenders
The playoff picture is getting clearer, so who is in the snapshot?

The Philadelphia Eagles have now won four in a row, their most recent a 45-38 offensive
performance against the New York Giants. The Eagles now control the NFC East, with a one game lead over the Dallas Cowboys.

The Green Bay Packers have won five in a row, and while the NFC North might be out of range, they are in good control to lock up a wild card spot. They won Sunday, 21-14, over division rival Chicago Bears.

Pretenders come in all shapes and sizes:
The Pittsburgh Steelers keep slipping, and have all but guaranteed a January at home. They lost to the lowly Cleveland Browns 13-6 on Thursday night.

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What We Learned: NFL Week 13

By Ryan of The Sportmeisters

The playoff picture is getting clearer. Who’s going to be celebrating a longer season, and who will have a lump of coal in their team’s stocking?

Welcome to Atlanta

When the Philadelphia Eagles traveled to the Georgia Dome to face the Atlanta Falcons, many fans weren’t focused on the playoff implications this game had. Instead, the focus was on number seven, Michael Vick, who had been the cornerstone of the Atlanta Falcons franchise, and now returned on the visitor’s side. Vick also scored for the first time since 2006, on both a rushing and passing touchdown, as fans, who initially booed him when he entered the game, showered him with cheers at the end.

On the other side, Atlanta took a deeper blow to their outside wild-card chances.  With five offensive starters out, including QB Matt Ryan and RB Michael Turner, they needed someon new to step up. Although Chris Redman through for a solid 235 yards, he also threw two costly interceptions.  The running game could never get going, mustering only 61 total yards.

A Saintly Victory

Good teams find a way to win. Undefeated teams need as much help as they can get towards the later part of the season, with the pressure of remaining undefeated an extra factor. For the New Orleans Saints, a number of miracles allowed them to continue their march for perfection, squeaking by the Washington Redskins 33-30 in overtime.

The Saints used the following plays to ensure victory: a 23 yard field goal missed by Washington K Shaun Suisham, that could have put the game out of reach; a shanked punt by New Orleans P Thomas Morestead that the Saints somehow recovered on the Washington 41, gaining them 29 yards on fourth down; and a play so wacky, it deserves its own paragraph.

QB Drew Brees threw an interception to Kareem Moore of the Redskins.  Moore was then stripped by WR Robert Meachem, who took the ball 44 yards for a touchdown.

New Orleans is now at 12-0, and still holds hopes of the perfect season, while Washington is just counting down the days to the 2010 NFL Draft.

Playoff Predictions

With the regular season coming to a close soon, I have decided to make my current top six predictions for both the NFC and AFC.

AFC (with current record):

1. Indianapolis Colts (12-0): AFC South Division Champions, first round bye, home field throughout playoffs

2. San Diego (9-3): AFC West Division Champions, first round bye, home field for Divisional Round

3. Cincinnati Bengals (9-3): AFC North Division Champions, home field for Wild Card Round

4. New England Patriots (7-5): AFC East Division Champions, home field for Wild Card Round

5. Denver Broncos (8-4): Wild Card

6. Miami Dolphins (6-6): Wild Card

NFC (with current record):

1. New Orleans Saints (12-0): NFC South Division Champions, first round bye, home field advantage throughout playoffs

2. Minnesota Vikings (10-2): NFC North Division Champions, first round bye, home field for Divisional Round

3. Arizona Cardinals (8-4): NFC West Division Champions, home field for Wild Card Round

4. Philadelphia Eagles (8-4): NFC East Division Champions, home field for Wild Card Round

5. New York Giants (7-5): Wild Card

6. Green Bay Packers (7-4): Wild Card

 

Contenders and Pretenders

The playoff picture is getting clearer, so who is in the snapshot?

The San Diego Chargers have now won seven games in a row, running their record to 9-3, the latest victory a 30-23 win over the Cleveland Browns. The San Diego Chargers are in the driver’s seat for the playoffs.

In a battle of hot streaks, the Indianapolis Colts outlasted the Tennessee Titans 27-17, running their record to 12-0. The loss all but ended Tennessee’s remarkable comeback attempt. Indianapolis has now won 22 regular season games in a row, a new NFL record.

The Denver Broncos are keeping their playoff hopes alive, winning two games in a row, the most recent against the Kansas City Chiefs 44-13. Denver is a game behind San Diego in the AFC West, but has a wild card berth in their sights.

Pretenders come in all shapes and sizes:

The Pittsburgh Steelers record in 2006, after their last Super Bowl win? 8-8. They’re on their way to repeating history after losing their fourth game in a row, this time to the Oakland Raiders 27-24. The Steelers need a huge run if they plan on qualifying for the playoffs as a wild card.

A mere month ago, the Houston Texans were 5-3, with a playoff berth on their mind. They’re now 5-7, after losing 23-18 to Jacksonville, and rumors are starting to float, with most aimed at Coach Gary Kubiak.

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What We Learned: NFL Week 12

By Ryan of The Sportmeisters

A last second touchdown, a clinched division, and more sum up this week in the NFL. Let’s revisit some of the bigger stories.

 

A Championship Comeback, Part Two

Two weeks ago, the Indianapolis Colts turned a 31-14 deficit into a 35-34 victory against the New England Patriots. Surely, against the Houston Texans, they would find an easier road. Instead, the Colts decided to spot the Texans 17 points and then proceeded to run off 28 unanswered points in the second half to win 35-27.

Some historical data here: Indianapolis has now won 20 straight regular season games (second most in NFL history) and became the first team to win 11 games seven years in a row.

On the other side, Houston is now 1-15 against Indianapolis since forming in 2002, and this could be the final straw for coach Gary Kubiak.

Indianapolis has shown some weakness, with this not being the first time they’ve fallen behind. However, good teams find a way to win, and as long as Peyton Manning is under center, the Colts are always in the running.

 

Last-Second Heroics

Who are the Tennessee Titans, and where did they come from? Once again, putting QB Vince Young back in the starting lineup was the right call, as he threw for a career-high 387 yards, including the game-winning 10-yard pass to WR Kenny Britt with no time left. This brought the Titans to 5-6, and their outside shot of a playoff spot still remains.

The game also saw a “rematch” of the 2006 National Championship between Young and Arizona Cardinals QB Matt Leinart. Leinart, starting in place of the injured Kurt Warner, managed the game very well, with 220 yards and no interceptions or touchdowns. In the end, however, Young won it on the last play again.

On a smaller scale, but important nonetheless, is RB Chris Johnson’s sixth straight game of over 125 rushing yards. This matched the record held by Earl Campbell and Eric Dickerson.

Tennessee faces the undefeated Colts next week in what should make for a very entertaining AFC South matchup.

 

A Battle in the North

When AFC North rivals the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers face off, it is a hard-hitting, grind-it-out power game. Baltimore must have been salivating at this matchup, facing off against little-used third string QB Dennis Dixon with Ben Roethlisberger and Charlie Batch out with injuries.

Much like Pittsburgh has done before with young QBs, they relied on him to manage the game, using the run heavily and expecting the defense to make the stop. Everything was running smoothly until overtime, when little-used LB Paul Kruger jumped in front of a pass, giving Baltimore the ball. A few plays later, Billy Cundiff’s 29-yard field goal won the game for the Ravens.

Both Baltimore and Pittsburgh are 6-5, fighting for playoff survival. This win is huge for the Ravens, as it helps them in the tiebreakers for the AFC Wild Card.

 

Contenders and Pretenders

The playoffs are knocking—who is going to answer the door?

Brett Favre threw for 392 yards and three touchdowns, and Adrian Peterson had a touchdown run, as the Minnesota Vikings improved to 10-1 with a 36-10 victory.

The San Diego Chargers are continuing their quest for the AFC West and got a boost with their 43-14 win over Kansas City. This was the sixth straight win for San Diego.

While some teams are perfect, others are perfectly inept.

I wouldn’t call the Atlanta Falcons a pretender just yet, but when you lose your starting QB and starting RB, you’re going to be tough to show yourself as a contender. They squeaked by Tampa Bay 20-17, but those miracles can only last so long.

Jake Delhomme and John Fox might be on the way out in Carolina, as Delhomme threw four more interceptions, this time against the New York Jets. The Panthers are 4-7 and falling fast.

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What We Learned: NFL Week 10

By Ryan of The Sportmeisters

Some upsets, a questionable call, and two undefeated teams remaining sum up Week 10 of the NFL. Let’s go deeper at some of the bigger stories.

 

A Championship Comeback

It was billed as the Matchup of the Decade, and the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts lived up to the hype all the way to the very end. With the Patriots looking to end the Colts undefeated season, they came out firing, holding leads of 24-7 and 31-14 as late as the fourth quarter. However, on fourth-and-two from the New England 28, Bill Belichick chose to go for the first down, and missed.

This gave Indianapolis a short field and allowed QB Peyton Manning to find WR Reggie Wayne with 13 seconds left to finish the comeback, and allow the Colts to escape with a 35-34 victory.

This was the first time Bill Belichick lost when leading by 13 or more, and marked the biggest comeback victory this season for Indianapolis. New England still sits atop the AFC East, and have the struggling Jets next on the schedule. Indianapolis keeps their quest for perfection alive against Baltimore next week.

 

No Bungles Here

Not too many pundits expected the Cincinnati Bengals to be challenging for the AFC North title this year, not after last season’s failure, and with defending Super Bowl Champions Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens in the division.

Well, make room for another team in the crowded AFC North.

A year removed from 4-11-1, the Bengals sit atop the AFC North at 7-2, with a commanding 5-0 division record, including season sweeps of both Pittsburgh and Baltimore, effectively widening their lead when taking tiebreakers into effect. This time, defense helped keep Ben Roethlisberger and company in check, using four Shayne Graham field goals to win 18-12.

Neither team scored an offensive touchdown, the difference being a Bernard Scott kickoff return. Both Pittsburgh and Cincinnati have winnable games against Kansas City and Oakland, respectively, so look for the offense to come right back out.

 

Reversal of Fortune

Three weeks ago, after starting the season 6-0, the Denver Broncos looked well on their way to the AFC West title. The San Diego Chargers, meanwhile, had just lost to the Broncos 34-23, and had more questions than answers.

Now, both teams sit 6-3, with Denver losing their third straight, 27-17 to Washington, and the Chargers defeating Philadelphia 31-23.

The two teams are now set for a huge momentum shifting matchup this Sunday in Denver. The Broncos may be without QB Kyle Orton and San Diego’s RB LaDanian Tomlinson is getting his groove back.

Last year, San Diego used the end of the season to storm back and take the AFC West. At the rate this is going now, San Diego could be making their move a few weeks early.

 

Contenders and Pretenders

The playoffs are knocking, who is going to answer the door?

The Saints are still sitting pretty at 9-0, but almost coughed it in up in a 28-23 squeaker over St. Louis Rams. They travel to Tampa Bay before a huge home game against New England.

The Tennessee Titans aren’t turning too many heads yet, but since inserting QB Vince Young back in the lineup, they have won three in-a-row and are 3-6. The latest came behind RB Chris Johnson’s 200+ all-purpose yards in a 41-17 victory over Buffalo.

While some teams are perfect, others are perfectly inept:

Five interceptions by newly acquired glory boy Jay Cutler allowed San Francisco to escape with a 10-6 victory. The Bears have now lost two in-a-row.

Since starting off at 3-0, the Jets have cooled off quickly, losing to Jacksonville to watch their record slip to 4-5. At the rate they are going, they can forget the playoffs and the division.

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What We Learned: NFL Week 10

By Ryan of The Sportmeisters

Some upsets, a questionable call, and two undefeated teams remaining sum up Week 10 of the NFL. Let’s go deeper at some of the bigger stories.

 

A Championship Comeback

It was billed as the Matchup of the Decade, and the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts lived up to the hype all the way to the very end. With the Patriots looking to end the Colts undefeated season, they came out firing, holding leads of 24-7 and 31-14 as late as the fourth quarter. However, on fourth-and-two from the New England 28, Bill Belichick chose to go for the first down, and missed.

This gave Indianapolis a short field and allowed QB Peyton Manning to find WR Reggie Wayne with 13 seconds left to finish the comeback, and allow the Colts to escape with a 35-34 victory.

This was the first time Bill Belichick lost when leading by 13 or more, and marked the biggest comeback victory this season for Indianapolis. New England still sits atop the AFC East, and have the struggling Jets next on the schedule. Indianapolis keeps their quest for perfection alive against Baltimore next week.

 

No Bungles Here

Not too many pundits expected the Cincinnati Bengals to be challenging for the AFC North title this year, not after last season’s failure, and with defending Super Bowl Champions Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens in the division.

Well, make room for another team in the crowded AFC North.

A year removed from 4-11-1, the Bengals sit atop the AFC North at 7-2, with a commanding 5-0 division record, including season sweeps of both Pittsburgh and Baltimore, effectively widening their lead when taking tiebreakers into effect. This time, defense helped keep Ben Roethlisberger and company in check, using four Shayne Graham field goals to win 18-12.

Neither team scored an offensive touchdown, the difference being a Bernard Scott kickoff return. Both Pittsburgh and Cincinnati have winnable games against Kansas City and Oakland, respectively, so look for the offense to come right back out.

 

Reversal of Fortune

Three weeks ago, after starting the season 6-0, the Denver Broncos looked well on their way to the AFC West title. The San Diego Chargers, meanwhile, had just lost to the Broncos 34-23, and had more questions than answers.

Now, both teams sit 6-3, with Denver losing their third straight, 27-17 to Washington, and the Chargers defeating Philadelphia 31-23.

The two teams are now set for a huge momentum shifting matchup this Sunday in Denver. The Broncos may be without QB Kyle Orton and San Diego’s RB LaDanian Tomlinson is getting his groove back.

Last year, San Diego used the end of the season to storm back and take the AFC West. At the rate this is going now, San Diego could be making their move a few weeks early.

 

Contenders and Pretenders

The playoffs are knocking, who is going to answer the door?

The Saints are still sitting pretty at 9-0, but almost coughed it in up in a 28-23 squeaker over St. Louis Rams. They travel to Tampa Bay before a huge home game against New England.

The Tennessee Titans aren’t turning too many heads yet, but since inserting QB Vince Young back in the lineup, they have won three in-a-row and are 3-6. The latest came behind RB Chris Johnson’s 200+ all-purpose yards in a 41-17 victory over Buffalo.

While some teams are perfect, others are perfectly inept:

Five interceptions by newly acquired glory boy Jay Cutler allowed San Francisco to escape with a 10-6 victory. The Bears have now lost two in-a-row.

Since starting off at 3-0, the Jets have cooled off quickly, losing to Jacksonville to watch their record slip to 4-5. At the rate they are going, they can forget the playoffs and the division.

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Talking Sports In The War Zone: Madden Mania

By Ryan of The Sportmeisters

Ryan of The Sportmeisters is currently deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. While there, he is continuing to write about sports and it’s effect on the troops. This is his latest update.

Sports are a release, whether it be in the states or overseas. To take three hours on a football game, even if it is at midnight or one in the morning, it allows a soldier to take his mind away from the work, and remember a simpler time. The same can be said for video games. For most of us, sports at a professional level were a pipe dream, but in the virtual world, anything is possible. Following that, it’s another way for a troop to release for thirty minutes to an hour.

We call those times to release an MWR event, standing for morale, welfare, and recreation. Of course, for a base with over three thousand people, there are a number of events. TVs playing sports, basketball and volleyball tournaments, karate classes, and even sanctioned running events (I did the Army 10 Miler!). But a new event, hosted by yours truly, was a Madden 2010 tournament.

Eight teams of two signed up for what promised to me some bone-crushing, smack-talking action, in front of the entire base in the dining facility. True to their word, they didn’t disappoint in the first round. One team required some fourth quarter magic to seal a win, and another lost on a questionable fumble. Needless to say, for the three hours we played, setting up next week’s semi-finals and finals, not one participant was concerned with their job.

Sure, the mission does come first, and we all are aware of whats going on here, but to let it slide to the side of the mind for a few hours, it helps us refocus. We’ve all worked the 12 hour days, seven days a week here, and people get burned out. They need these events to allow the energy to flow out, and come back the next day refresh and recharged.

Madden is the most popular football video game on the market, and so, a big turnout was nice, but what has spun from it is even greater. Talks of more Madden, NCAA Football, NBA, and other games have been given interest for more tournaments in the future.

Take 3,000 plus personnel and you get 3,000 plus different likes and dislikes. It seems like, with Madden and the effect on its morale, we get quite a few personnel with similar feelings.

As the days get shorter to coming home, keeping the morale up is pivotal for a young solider, and helping them keep their eye on the prize. A little Madden Sports picks up the morale every time.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

What We Learned: NFL Week Nine

By Ryan of The Sportmeisters

The playoff picture is starting to come in clearer as the second half of the NFL season begins. Let’s look back at the top stories from last week.

 

Come On Back!

As soon as I finished writing my story on whether or not New Orleans and Indianapolis would go undefeated, both teams required fourth quarter comebacks to keep their perfect streaks alive.

Facing off against the red-hot Houston Texans, the Indianapolis Colts, behind QB Peyton Manning’s seventh 300-yard game, took down the Texans 20-17.

A fourth quarter touchdown with seven minutes left and a Kris Brown missed field goal at the end of regulation sealed coach Jim Caldwell’s 8-0 start, the best rookie coach start since 1930. Manning also became the first QB in a decade to throw for 40,000 yards.

Indianapolis’ streak is on the line in a tough showdown with New England next week.

Heading down South, the New Orleans Saints have taken the last few weeks to practice their fourth quarter theatrics. For the third straight week, the Saints came back from a double-digit deficit to remain perfect.

QB Drew Brees threw for over 300 yards, overcoming two early turnovers, as he kept the Saints with a great chance to run the table. They have two winnable matchups on the table, but they need to start playing four quarters of football.

 

Draft Day Revenge

In 2004, QB Eli Manning was drafted by the San Diego Chargers. Thirty minutes later, Eli Manning was a New York Giant, and Philip Rivers, and eventually Nate Kaeding and Shawne Merriman, were Chargers with the draft picks they grabbed in the trade.

Since then, Manning has a ring, but in 2009, it looks like Rivers could be marching toward the title.

The two met on different sides, San Diego winning two in a row and the Giants losers of the past three. Those streaks continued as San Diego used an 80-yard drive to cap a 21-20 victory. Rivers exploiting the weak Giants secondary and New York penalties were just two reasons the Giants go into the bye week at a pedestrian 5-4.

It’s still too early to say whether Manning or Rivers is better, but the two will be battling for that title for a while.

 

The Final Frontier

The hardest win for a rookie coach and a rookie QB is the first one. For Tampa Bay’s new leading men Raheem Morris and QB Josh Freeman, they both earned their first one last week, taking out Green Bay 38-28.

It may have taken eight weeks, but in Freeman’s first start, he managed the Buccaneers well, throwing for three touchdowns, and a complete effort helped the Buccaneers snap an 11-game losing streak dating back to last season.

Ronde Barber’s blocked punt return for a touchdown helped tie the game early in the second quarter, and Tanard Jackson’s interception for a touchdown sealed the game in the fourth.

While it is still too early to anoint Morris and Freeman saviors in Tampa Bay, the first win is always the biggest hump to get over.

 

Contenders and Pretenders

The playoffs are knocking—who is going to answer the door?

What does a 4-0 record in the AFC North get you? For the Cincinnati Bengals, it’s a 6-2 record and sole possession of first place right now, thanks to their season sweep over the Baltimore Ravens.

The Dallas Cowboys have won their fourth straight game and now sit with a one-game lead over the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East.

While some teams are perfect, others are perfectly inept.

With a shot at gaining some ground in the NFC North, both Chicago and Green Bay lost, pushing them a full three games behind the Minnesota Vikings.

Another game, another loss for the Washington Redskins, who have now lost four in a row. The Redskins have yet to win a game on the road in 2009.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Previewing Colts-Texans

By Contributing Blogger Scott for The Sportmeisters

 

This Sunday, the undefeated Indianapolis Colts host the red-hot Houston Texans. The odds favor the Colts to remain undefeated, and once again, send the Texans home winless from Indy. This game has the potential to become a shootout because of two high-powered offenses facing off. Let’s look at the chances each team has.

Why The Colts Will Win:

Because they always do and especially at home. If this game becomes a shootout, the Colts will win by a touchdown. Every year the Texans find a way to lose (e.g. last year’s “Rosen-coptor”), and with Texans’ turnover prowess, why shouldn’t the Colts win? If Peyton Manning gets into a rhythm, it will be a long day for the Texans’ defense. The past two weeks the Texans held the 49ers and Bills to minimal rushing yards, but gave up big passing yardage late in the game.

Unfortunately, the Colts passing game will be front and center from the 1st quarter. Defensively, the Colts have to keep the Texans off the field and out of rhythm. After Ryan Moats’ big game last week, look for the Texans to run the ball early. The Colts cannot let the Texans’ run game get into sync. The key for the Colts’ D is to force turnovers and give Peyton Manning a short field to work with.

 

Why The Texans Will Win:

Call it divine intervention or just timing, but the Texans could steal this game. It is easy for the Colts to overlook this game as another one “in the bag.” In order to the win, the defense must apply pressure to Peyton Manning and keep the Colts offense off the field. Historically, Peyton Manning’s worst games have been when he is under constant pressure. The Texans have to bring the heat by all means necessary. They must keep the game from becoming a shootout. In the last two weeks, the Texans forced turnovers late to seal the game. Don’t expect that to come easy with Manning under Center.

Offensively, the Texans have to establish the run. Doing so will exhaust the Colts smaller defenders and keep their offense off the field. Time of possession is critical this week, as well as scoring TDs in the red zone. Finally, they cannot commit any turnovers this week or Manning will make them pay, dearly. This week everything must fall into place for the Texans to walk away with another road win.

The two teams meet again in a few weeks, but a win here for either team could set the tone for the remainder of the NFL season.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

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