Dec 2nd 2008 2:30PM by JJ Cooper (author feed)
Filed under: Bears, Buccaneers, Cowboys, Dolphins, Falcons, Jets, Giants, Packers, Panthers, Patriots, Ravens, Redskins, Steelers, Titans, Vikings

Four weeks to go in the season, and we’re starting to see some parts of the playoff race clear up, while some division races are actually muddier than they were last week.

Unless some absolutely unexpected upsets happen, there are five teams that are already in. The Titans (11-1), Colts (8-4), Broncos (7-5), Giants (11-1) and Cardinals (7-5) would all have to fall apart to miss the playoffs. The Steelers’ (9-3) big win over the Patriots also puts them in very good shape, but their remaining schedule (Cowboys, Ravens, Titans and Browns) means it’s not possible to pencil them in yet.

But thanks to the Jets’ loss to the Broncos, and the Falcons’, Panthers’ and Bucs’ wins, the AFC East and NFC South races are tighter than ever. And while the general consensus for months has been that the NFC East could put three teams into the playoffs, it now looks like the NFC South is a better bet to snag both wild card spots.Continue Reading

Dec 2nd 2008 2:45PM by Will Brinson (author feed)
Filed under: Giants, Panthers, Pressing Issues, NFL Fans, NFL Media Watch
NFL.com is widely known for some pretty stringent practices regarding what customized jerseys it will allow to be made. For instance, you most certainly cannot make a “Ron Mexico” jersey. No how, no way.

The newest name on the computer’s banned list? “Harris Smith,” Plaxico Burress’ Applebee’s alias (and an early runner for “2009’s Most Widely Abused Fantasy Football Team Name”). At least that’s what NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told Central Main Sports in response to their “Why can we still purchase a Rae Carruth jersey?” question.
“There are a number of jerseys that fans may not order online, including the ones you cite below (Michael Vick, Harris Smith, Ron Mexico, Lawrence Phillips). Those names are blocked immediately by a computer program which (unfortunately) is not all inclusive and may miss names from time to time. So a fan could type in names on the screen which would make it appear that he/she could purchase it. However, if a fan followed through with an order and attempted to purchase the jersey of a player like you named, we would catch it manually and would not make the jersey or ship the order. The fan would receive a notice that the order would not be fulfilled. Bottom line, you would not be shipped a jersey with the names you cited (Rae Carruth, Art Schlichter, OJ Simpson).”
So, yeah, the NFL is pretty lame AND predictable. Frankly, I’m of the opinion that it shouldn’t really matter whatsoever if you want to put a convicted criminal or a fake herpes name on the back of your jersey that costs $200 freaking dollars to order. And I’m not even the poor, real Harris Smith who just wants a No. 17 Giants jersey.

Dec 1st 2008 2:50PM by Bruce Ciskie (author feed)
Filed under: Packers, Panthers, NFC North, NFC SouthThis just hasn’t been Green Bay’s year.

Many fans are going to trace it directly back to the day the Packers decided to go with Aaron Rodgers as the starting quarterback, even though future Hall of Famer Brett Favre was contemplating a return from his short retirement.

Others will look — more accurately — at the day general manager Ted Thompson traded hulking defensive tackle Corey Williams to Cleveland to avoid giving him a huge contract. Or the day Thompson decided that second-year tackle Justin Harrell would be able to fill that void.

Coming from a Packer fan, there are too many people to point fingers at on this one.

While Rodgers is not at all immune, he’s handled the spotlight very well. His teammates have praised his play on the field, and they’ve praised his off-field presence. This fan believes you couldn’t have scripted a better transition from Favre to the next guy. Rodgers didn’t ask for it to go down this way, and nearly all the criticism that’s been thrown his way has been completely unfair.

He’s played well. Others who carried high expectations into the season have not. The reality is that the Packers are 5-7, an extreme longshot for the playoffs, and Sunday’s fourth quarter was a microcosm of the season to this point.Continue Reading

Nov 24th 2008 7:41AM by JJ Cooper (author feed)
Filed under: Falcons, Panthers, NFC SouthThe Panthers have seen enough of the Falcons to know that they’re more than a fluke.

And they surely came into Sunday knowing they’d have to figure out a way to slow down tailback Michael Turner and outstanding rookie quarterback Matt Ryan, and their offensive line would have to be on top of its game to handle John Abraham.

But there is no way that they could have known about Harry Douglas.

Douglas came into the game with eight catches, a couple of OK punt returns (he’d just replaced Adam Jennings in the role four games ago) and an occasional reverse. But even if Turner scored four TDs to make all of his fantasy owners happy, it was Douglas who beat the Panthers.

Continue Reading

Nov 16th 2008 5:50PM by Sportz Assassin (author feed)
Filed under: Lions, Panthers, NFC North, NFC SouthThe Panthers ran for a franchise-record 264 yards in their 31-22 victory over the Lions. Jonathan Stewart rushed 15 times for 130 yards and a touchdown. DeAngelo Williams rushed 14 times for 120 yards and two touchdowns. The Panthers averaged an amazing 8.3 yards per carry.

Carolina moves to 8-2 and keep their one-game lead in the NFC South. Still, it isn’t all smiles in Charlotte.

Jake Delhomme had another off day, completing just 10-of-19 passes for 98 yards. That is the second week in a row that he has thrown under 100 yards passing and several fans rained boos on him. The Panthers also allowed the Lions to stick around all game and had to stuff a Daunte Culpepper two-point conversion late to preserve the win.

Continue Reading

Nov 9th 2008 10:20PM by Adam Gretz (author feed)
Filed under: Panthers, RaidersNormally, when teams hold an opposing quarterback to 7-for-27 passing and force four interceptions, they come out of the game on the winning end. Most teams, however, aren’t the Oakland Raiders. Despite Jake Delhomme putting up the numbers shown above, the Panthers still managed to walk out of Oakland with a 17-6 win, in front of an announced crowd of 47,888, far short of a sellout. Games like this might be why guys are so willing to pay their way out of Oakland, I imagine.

So, anyway, as for the game itself … I suppose it should be looked at as a positive that the Raiders saw, like, a 6000% increase in their first downs from a week ago, and actually managed to register a couple of field goals. However, when you consider how Delhomme, with four interceptions, tried to give the game to them, it has to be incredibly frustrating to still lose by 11.

Andrew Walter, making his first start of the season in place of the injured JaMarcus Russell, did his best to maintain the level of play Raiders fans have become accustomed to at the quarterback position, completing 14-of-32 for 143 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions.Continue Reading

Nov 6th 2008 3:10PM by Adam Gretz (author feed)
Filed under: Buccaneers, Cowboys, Jets, Panthers
Former New York Jets/Tampa Bay Buccaneers/Dallas Cowboys/Carolina Panthers wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson has found himself a new job, but it’s not catching passes in NFL stadiums on Sunday afternoons. A new analyst job? No. Coaching? Of course not. Actually, he’s going to be the star of a new reality show on A & E where he begins a quest to become, of all things, an interior designer.

Raise your hand if you saw that coming. The has some info, as well as the official press release. Here is part of the release:
“Keyshawn Johnson: Tackling Design” will follow the day-to-day drama facing former NFL pro and current ESPN analyst Keyshawn Johnson as he embarks on a very different career path: interior designer. “Sports fans are aware of Keyshawn’s formidable skills on the field, but will be completely surprised by his talent as a designer. The fact that he is really trying to get his interior design business off the ground perfectly fits with our real life brand where we capture the real lives of extraordinary people,” said Robert Sharenow, Senior Vice President, Nonfiction and Alternative Programming, A&E.
Continue Reading

Nov 6th 2008 5:45PM by Ryan Wilson (author feed)
Filed under: Panthers, Raiders, AFC West, NFC South
For those Bay Area Raiders fans looking forward to watching the DeAngelo Hall-Steve Smith Grudge Match II this weekend, I have some bad news: Hall’s been fired. Okay, that’s bad news unless you’re a Panthers fan, but for those of you just interested in watching the game on your teevees, well, that ain’t happening unless you’re planning to move out of Northern California in the next two days.

You see, the game has been blacked out. Usually this occurs when the home team fails to sell enough tickets — and that’s the company line here — but I’m convinced it’s just the local FOX affiliate taking mercy on a dejected, beat down fan base.Continue Reading

Nov 4th 2008 5:00PM by Matt Snyder (author feed)
Filed under: AZ Cardinals, Bears, Broncos, Chiefs, Cowboys, Lions, Panthers, Raiders, Ravens, Steelers, Texans, Titans, AFC North, AFC South, AFC West, NFC East, NFC North, NFC South, NFC West, Fantasy Football, NFL Draft
With Ray Rice and Tim Hightower announcing their presence with authority this weekend, we are continuing to witness easily the best draft class of running backs in NFL history. No class even comes remotely close to this one, should even half of the guys continue to make good on the potential we’ve seen through just a half season.

You know what that means in fantasy football … lots of possible horses to lock up for their entire career on your keeper league team. You know there are people out there who drafted LaDanian Tomlinson his rookie year and have enjoyed every single season of his production since. Does this year’s draft class sport one of those?Continue Reading

Oct 26th 2008 6:23PM by Sportz Assassin (author feed)
Filed under: AZ Cardinals, Panthers, NFC South, NFC West
For 30+ years, the Cardinals were a member of the NFC East. So why can’t they win a game on the East Coast anymore?

Arizona thought they were set to break the winless streak that western teams have had out east. Teams from the Mountain and Pacific zones are a combined 0-10 when they venture east, yet Arizona had seemingly bucked the trend.

The Cardinals jumped out to a 17-3 lead early in the second half and seemed to have the Panthers’ offense in a bottle. But that bottle must have had a leak, because Carolina woke up with a 24-6 run to end the game. Jake Delhomme found Steve Smith for two touchdowns (including a controversial 65-yard catch-and-run to give Carolina the lead for the first time).Continue Reading