NFL Admits Mistake On Page Penalty

Safety Jarrad Page said the NFL sent the Chiefs a letter acknowledging an error was made when Page was penalized for unnecessary roughness in last week’s loss to the Giants. Page broke up a pass over the center for wide receiver Steve Smith but was penalized for making helmet-to-helmet contact with Smith. Replays showed Page in fact used his shoulder to hit Smith in the chest. The Giants scored on a touchdown pass to Smith on the next play, taking a 14-3 lead and eventually winning the game 27-16.

The league’s acknowledgment didn’t make Page feel better. Why would it? The team still lost this game. The NFL is somewhat stupid. They apologize for something they can’t change anymore. Do not apologize for something like that, do something about it. They should do a better job next time and make sure this will not happen again. Page said what good will it bring to them now that they have lost the game.

Philadelphia (-15.0) vs. Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay is starting to get better defensively after looking puzzled the first two weeks after years of playing a cover 2 scheme. Tampa allowed 7.5 ypp in their initial two games, but just 5.2 yppl the last two weeks against the Giants and Redskins, who would combine to average 5.4 yppl against an average team. I still rate the Bucs’ defense at 0.5 yppl worse than average and the Eagles are 0.3 yppl better than average offensively with Donovan McNabb and RB Brian Westbrook back in the lineup. The big disparity in this game is when Tampa Bay has the ball, as raw starting quarterback Josh Johnson is clearly a below average passer and his ability to run (56 yards on 8 rushes) doesn’t come close to making up for his passing deficiencies (just 3.9 yards per pass play on 35 pass plays against teams that would allow 5.6 yppp to an average QB).

Philadelphia has yielded just 4.3 yppl in 3 games (against teams that would average 5.3 yppl against an average team, so Johnson could be in a rough day if the Eagles don’t fully letdown. The math model favors the Eagles by 19 points, but it will be tough for Philly to play with full power against the winless Bucs. Tampa Bay applies to a 20-2 ATS subset of a 79-36-1 ATS situation that plays on bad teams and don’t want to jump that trend. With the math going one way and the circumstances favoring the other side it’s best to pass on this game.

NY GIANTS (-14.5) vs. Oakland

The Giants looked pretty impressive winning 3 straight road games, but the Giants are 19-2 ATS in their last 21 games away from home and just 6-6 ATS as a home favorite of 4 points or more in the same time frame. Also, teams that have won 3 consecutive road games are only 1-6-1 ATS as a favorite of more than 3 points when they return home. It’s also risky laying more than 14 points in an NFL game regardless of how big the disparity between two teams appears to be. Road underdogs that score more than 14 points are 60-41-3 ATS in the NFL since 1980, including 9-1 ATS recently. The problem with all that technical analysis is that Oakland’s offense pathetic offense (3.9 yppl) does not need to figure much to do much against a Giant’s defense which allowed just 4.5 yppl for the season and held bad offensive teams Tampa Bay and Kansas City to an average of 140 total yards at 2.9 yppl and 8 points the last two weeks. New York has been proven to be vulnerable to the run (5.6 ypr allowed), so it’s possible that the Raiders can finally get their ground attack working (they miss injured G Robert Gallery) even with Darren McFadden out (he’s only averaging 3.1 ypr and Michael Bush is averaging 4.0 ypr).

Oakland is relatively very decent on the defense but they are on the field for way too many plays (68 per game is 6 over the league average) and tend to get worn down. It’s actually an accomplishment to be average defensively (5.3 yppl allowed to teams that would average 5.3 yppl against an average team) despite playing so many plays per game. New York’s offense will probably get conservative with Eli Manning nursing an injured heel and I expect Manning to leave this game early if the Giants build a big lead, so back-door cover is a possibility for the Raiders.

Raiders O-line Faces Tough Test VS. Giants

Facing the New York Giants defensive line is a sturdy task for an offensive line in the best of conditions. The beaten Oakland Raiders have to do it this week with reserves in three of the five spots. Henderson is one of two regulars who will be in his customary spot this week, along with right guard Cooper Carlisle. Starting left guard Robert Gallery is out with a busted bone in his left leg and right tackle Cornell Green is out with a strained calf. Those injuries will compel center Chris Morris to go to left guard, and backup center Samson Satele and backup tackle Erik Pears into the starting lineup.

The Raiders have struggled up front this season, particularly creating holes in the running game. Oakland is fifth worst in the NFL, averaging 3.5 ypc and 88.8 ypg. Coach Tom Cable, who was in charge of the team’s offensive line the past two seasons, spent extra time than usual in practice with his offensive linemen hoping for them to get better against the Giants.

Winless Chiefs Facing Many Woes

Just as the Kansas City Chiefs were running out of the passageway onto the field this past Sunday, a horse used in pre-game ceremonies did what usually horses do. While many in the crowd cheered, a man in a dazzling red shirt came running out and cleaned up the untidiness. Just a few minutes later, Jamaal Charles fumbled the kickoff and the New York Giants grabbed a hasty 7-0 lead in a game that suggests the guy trailing the horse and Chiefs coach Todd Haley have something in general. Haley is also trying to fix a mess as fast as possible. The Chiefs are 2-29 going back to 2007 and last in the NFL in 3rd-down conversions. The problems here run deep, really really deep.

The defense seems to have been better by a bit from last year’s 2-14 record with the addition of linebacker Mike Vrabel, who came over from New England along with quarterback Matt Cassel. But a destroyer for the offense game after game has been an incapability to convert on third downs. It’s a statistic in which the Chiefs rank dead last among the 32 NFL teams.

D Propels Undefeated Saints Past Jets

A fresh start with the New Orleans Saints marked the return of “the shake” back in 33-year-old Darren Sharper. The NFL’s active leader in career interceptions had two more against rookie Mark Sanchez, returning one for a club-record 99 yards for a touchdown to aid the undefeated Saints hand the New York Jets their first defeat of the season, 24-10 on Sunday. Sharper’s trademark shoulder-shaking revelry are becoming an illustration of a defense that can now take recognition for leading New Orleans to victory after taking the fault for the Saints’ failure to make the playoffs the past two seasons.

The win ensured the Saints, who have a bye week next week, would still be undefeated when they play host to the New York Giants on Oct. 18. The Giants host the listless Oakland Raiders next weekend, giving them a great shot at staying undefeated as well. The Jets-Saints matchup drew a lot of interest not only because it was the weekend’s only game between unbeaten teams, but also because it pitted a fearsome defense designed by Jets coach Rex Ryan against the Saints’ league-leading offense, driven by Brees’ creative passing and the imaginative play calling of head coach Sean Payton.

Manning’s 3 TD Passes Lead Giants Past KC

The best offensive line in the planet couldn’t have secluded Eli Manning from this injury. All he did was drop back to pass, something he’s done a thousands of times. All of a sudden, he felt a sting in his right heel. He stayed in for another play, a short pass to Hakeem Nicks which the rookie turned into a beauty of a 54-yard touchdown play in a 27-16 victory over Kansas City. But now Manning and the Giants will have to linger and see if a troublesome bruised right heel will let him play next Sunday against the Raiders.

Manning threw a pair of scoring passes to Seth Smith, who caught 11 for 134 yards, as the Chiefs were defeated for the 27th time in 29 games. In the closing minutes, Matt Cassel threw two short scoring passes that made the final score more respectable and not how badly the Giants outplayed their miserable hosts.

Chiefs Vs. Giants

The Giants have only been good, but not fantastic, so far this unfortunate season, averaging 6.0 yards per play and allowing 5.2 yppl to a schedule that is 0.2 yppl worse than average from the line of scrimmage and about 1 point worse than average on a points scale. Kansas City, on the other hand, has been out-gained 4.6 yppl to 5.6 yppl by a schedule of teams that would out-gain an average team by 0.4 yppl – so the Chiefs are 0.6 yppl worse than average.

These two teams are epitomes of what fans thought they would be and my ratings favor New York by 8 points in this game, so the line is about right, but the situational analysis favors Kansas City in this game. The Giants are an incredible 21-4 ATS in their last 25 games away from home, but they’re only 1-2 ATS in those games when favored by more than 7 points. I’ll lean slightly with the Chiefs plus the points against a banged up Giants team with a long injury list.

Giants Blank Buccaneers

Revitalizing a dominant rushing attack offensively and stopping the run defensively were the most important priorities Sunday, as the New York Giants blanked the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a 24-0 victory. A week after giving up 251 yards on the ground and needing a field goal as time expired to beat Dallas, the defending NFC East champions pushed the listless Bucs around from start to finish. Tampa Bay, which has lost seven consecutively dating to an 0-4 December that cost them a playoff berth last season, was outgained 397 yards to 86 and did not get a first down until late in the third quarter.

It was the Giants’ first shutout since a 36-0 home win over Washington in October 2005. They hadn’t blanked anyone on the road since beating Philadelphia 23-0 in November of 1983. In 2009, the Giants blanked the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Demand on Hakeem Nicks

With Plaxico Buress off field activities torpedoing the New York Giants last season, and his pending departure, the New York Giants has placed its hopes on its first round pick Hakeem Nicks. From his college career, Hakeem Nicks length and power would be the perfect target for Eli Manning. He has the hands to catch the ball and the ability to run with it, something the Giants had with the mercurial Buress. The only downside to him is that he is a rookie, and may just wilt under the harsh glare of the New York lights.

But the Giants are not pinning all their hopes on their new Number One target, as they still have one of the best running games in the league and a solid offensive and defensive line. But to make the Giants get back to the Super Bowl game, this rookie must grow up fast and contribute to the offense orchestrated by Eli Manning.

Giants to Prepare without Buress

The New York Giants General Manager Jerry Reese is hoping that Plaxico Buress would be in a Giants uniform next year but he is keeping his fingers crossed. He said that all options are being reviewed as to the situation with the mercurial wide receiver on his return from recuperating the leg he shot at a nightclub the previous year.

But the problems of Buress does not end there as he stands to face felony charges for gun possession which carries with it a prison sentence of three and half to fifteen years incarceration. Prior to this, Buress’ agent had circulated an email offering a trade for three clients including Buress. To this the GM quipped that Plaxico Buress is still a Giant and having him back is incorrect because the receiver has not gone anywhere. He continued that he would take Buress back subject to some imposed guidelines for his behaviour.

The wide receiver’s absence has made the Giants offense predictable which resulted in the elimination of the Giants in the first round of the playoffs.

Predicting Superbowl 44

Ok, so it’s quite early to predict who would meet in Superbowl 44, but there already are strong contending teams that are very likely to reach the championship round next year.

For the AFC, you simply can’t count out the champions. With a still growing Ben Roethlisberger on their side, the Pittsburgh Steelers still have a strong chance of reaching and possibly winning the Superbowl for the 7th time. They will also have an easier schedule this season, and that is rare for defending champions. Another strong contender would be the New England Patriots. Even without Tom Brady, Matt Cassel would still be able to fill those shoes and keep their high-paced offense running. They will be having a touch schedule but they are the best team in their division.

When it comes to the NFC, the Cardinals will simply have a tough time returning to the Superbowl. As of now, they are still having problems with their winning line-up, and their future is still uncertain. One of the strongest contenders would have to be the New York Giants. In recent years, the Giants have been able to get to the Superbowl and win it so there’s a big chance that they would be doing something similar this season.

Stolen Superbowl Rings

One of the most valuable things you can own are Superbowl rings. Even if you have a lot of money, not just anyone can get their hands on one of these. You would need to go through a whole season  of American Football, go through the conference finals, and actually win the Superbowl itself. Getting into the Superbowl has been a difficult task itself for a lot of teams (ask the Cardinals), what more to win it. This is the only time you’ll be able to recieve it, and it’s appalling to think that some people would cheat their way into owning one.

27 New York Giants Superbowl Rings were stollen from a jewelry manufactuer last June. This was valued at around $170,ooo. Some of them were recently found in a safe in a bank owned by a 22 year old.

There have been several suspects for the robbery, and some of them haven’t been proven guilty yet.

Hopefully, the real culprits will be  caught soon since it’s really enraging that people would have the nerve to do such a thing. It’s like desecrating a temple for the gods, or peeing in a public pool.

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