AFC Wrap Up Week 11

  AFC Wrap Up Week 11
 
By Rafael Garcia
Sr. Contributing Writer
Southeast Region
 
Tennessee 20 Houston 17
There are many people in the football world wondering what is going on in Nashville these days. The season started with six straight losses and the call from owner Bud Adams to start Vince Young. Ever since that Sunday against Jacksonville things have not been the same. Receivers are catching balls and the running game is on point. Against Houston, on Monday night, it was another homecoming for Young and he came to play. He did not have the spectacular numbers but accomplished more. He showed a command of the offense never seen before in him. You could see him going through his progressions as he hit the second or the third read. When he couldn’t pass he ran for 73 yards on 11 carries. Some of those were of the third down conversion variety and when he was throwing the football he did it smoothly and very effectively. The questions after his first game back were understandable and after the second game maybe. Now after four consecutive wins the Titans find themselves at 4-6 and only two games out of the wild card with six games to play. Chris Johnson continues to be off the charts as he racked up another 151 yards putting his season total to 1,242 yards rushing on the year. He is ahead of the pace set by Eric Dickerson when he set the NFL record with 2,105 yards. He had two marvelous runs and one in particular may be the highlight of the year. He took the handoff and went right when he was hit once and then a second time much harder. It should have put him on the turf but instead he kept his balance, spun away from the tackle and went for 36 yards. He has shown a strength that does not seem possible for his size. He is so elusive that teams are too tired by the time they figure him out. The defense still needs work as they allowed 305 yards passing to Matt Schaub but were able to sack him four times. Now another coach goes on the hot seat and this time it is Gary Kubiak. When he was hired he was supposed to bring this team to a playoff game but has yet to deliver. Now they are 5-5 and have these Titans in their rear view mirror. Back in Tennessee the thought of Young continuing to mature and the nuclear threat of Johnson has fans salivating at he mouth. If these two can continue to build a rapport and Young keeps maturing the combination could be almost unstoppable. So what was once a lost season in Nashville now becomes a battle cry. A cry to those who did not believe, to those that gave up and those that never tried. Now the locker room is full of confidence and fun. The game means something again and players, coaches and fans see a possible playoff birth with some luck. They must win out and hope that other teams fall too. This past weekend helped them when a slew of AFC teams lost to improve their odds of making the postseason. Now let see what they have left because if they can beat the Colts they have a good chance to finish with 10n straight wins. Now the season is in high gear folks.
 
Indianapolis 17 Baltimore 15
First off to the Ravens I say just put the ball in the end zone. Well they couldn’t and the Colts find themselves at 10-0 after just getting by in this one. The Ravens had a chance to get a touchdown on a first-and-goal from the one in the fourth quarter. Instead of the lead they had to settle for a field goal. The win was the 19th straight for the Colts, which puts them two away from the Pats NFL-record 21 straight. They won despite three turnovers and the inability to be as effective as usual on offense. The defense allowed the Ravens 354 total yards but got lucky when Baltimore had to settle for threes. They have won these past few weeks by the hair of their chinny chin chin and must get back to the drawing board on offense. Still they have Peyton Manning and he is like a human video game out on the field. Joseph Addai is doing his part, as are players like Pierre Garcon. It is still along road to the finish line but the Colts look to be on cruise control now. They will have to stay healthy and the young receivers must keep maturing. Most of all they will count on their leader Manning to take them to the promise land once again.
 
Jacksonville 18 Buffalo 15
The Jags have a way of letting a player shine every once in awhile and this time it was Terrell Owens. He got away on one for a 98-yards score and he finished the day with 197 yards on nine catches. Other than that it was just another blown chance for the Bills as they fell to 3-7 in season to forget. The Jags were not much better as David Garrard could not move the ball with any consistency. Maurice Jones-Drew never got on track but the Jags won their third straight game. The Owens catch made it 15-10 and it looked like the Bills might pull this one out. That’s when Garrard remembered he was here to win the game. He got the ball with just over six minutes left and drove his team down the field. He won it connecting with Mike Sims-Walker from three yards and then running in the two-point conversion himself. I still don’t know if all of this will be enough to save Jack Del Rio’s job. He too was brought to Florida to take the Jags to the next level and has failed. This is a as close to a do-or-die season as you can get and it looks like Del Rio may ended up on the unemployment line when it’s all said and done. What was supposed to be a sure second place has turned out to be harder than they thought. Now they have six games left to save their season and possibly their head coach’s job.

NFC South Week 11 Wrap Up

   NFC South Week 11 Wrap Up
 
By Rafael Garcia
Sr. Contributing Writer
Southeast Region
 
Miami 24 Carolina 17
The Dolphins came in to this game without injured star running back Ronnie Brown so they had to make adjustments. One of them was to put Ricky Williams in and see if the vet could produce for a whole game. What they got was a flashback of the old Ricky as he ran 22 times for 119 yards with two rushing scores and one receiving. It was the fifth win in seven games for the Fins after a 0-3 start and they find themselves right back in the playoff picture. Chad Henne continues to shine as well going 17-29 for 172 yards and one touchdown with no picks. He has made the most of his opportunity after Chad Pennington went down a few weeks ago.  He was able to get the win despite losing his starting and backup centers. The Panthers continued they’re disappointing season with Jake Delhomme throwing yet another pick and being unable to finish the deal. After starting 0-3 themselves the Panthers were trying to get in the playoff picture but are probably now out of it. Delhomme was a pedestrian 19-42 for 227 yards and a touchdown pass to Steve Smith. DeAngelo Williams had another good game with 122 on just 13 carries with a long run of 50 yards. Smith had seven receptions for 87 yards and a score but the Panthers will find themselves out of the playoffs again and more than likely with a new head coach next year.
 
New York Giants 34 Atlanta 31
When the Falcons took the field they were aware they were playing a Giants team desperate for a win. They came out flat and were down 17-7 at the half on the strength two touchdown catches from Kevin Boss. The second half would begin with the Falcons going downfield and scoring when Jason Snelling ran it in from one-yard to make it 17-14 for his second touchdown of the game. Snelling was in for the inured Michael Turner and had 25 carries for 76 effective yards. Matt Ryan has had his struggles in his second year but was ready to make a late charge. With his team down 31-17 he went to work as he converted third down after third down on a 12-play drive that ended with his 4-yard scoring pass to Eric Weems to make it 31-24. Then it was down to the last minutes of the game and the Gmen could not stop Ryan again. He converted a few more third downs and with time running out he hit Tony Gonzalez from 11 yards to tie the game with 28 seconds left. Now the Falcons felt confident since they were able to drive on New York late and wanted to end things in the overtime. Things did not work out as New York drove the ball and won it on a Lawrence Tynes 36-yard field goal. Atlanta saw itself at 4-1 after five games and have gone 1-4 since to have their playoff hopes dimmed at best. Turner is hurt, Ryan is struggling, and that combination will not help this team one bit. Next week is a divisional game against the winless Bucs and if they are not careful they will find themselves as the second win in a season gone bad for Tampa Bay.
 
New Orleans 38 Tampa Bay 7
Fantasy football owners have not been too happy with Drew Brees these past few games, as he has failed to put his projected points. Against a weak Tampa defense he got some of his fantasy moxie back on as he finished with three touchdown passes but had only 187 yards passing. Mike Bell bounced back after several quiet games and had 75 yards on 13 carries to go with two scores. His running mate Pierre Thomas chipped in with 92 on 11 carries. The defense did not have to work too hard as Tampa QB Josh Freeman was picked off three times and sacked just as many times. The rookie continues his growing pains in a season of lows with hope of only getting any win he can get. After their first possession the Bucs could muster no offense. They had 219 total yards and 95 were on that drive alone. The defense gave up nearly 400 yards to the Saints top-ranked offense. Now New Orleans faces their biggest test of the year when they host the New England Patriots next Monday night. They have ridden the wave to 10-0 but have shown flaws along the way. Brees has been explosive at times but has been inconsistent far too often to beat the Pats unless he has the near perfect game. They Saints defense will have to come up big also because even if Brees has a big day they still have to stop Tom Brady. We all know that will not be done without the utmost effort next week. So let’s enjoy the game and see whom the real heavyweight is when this one is over.

NFC South Wrap Up Week 5

                       NFC South Wrap Up Week 5
 
By Rafael Garcia
Sr. Contributing Writer Football Reporters Online
Southeast Region
 
Carolina 20 Washington 17
For the Panthers it was just a matter of a win any way they could get it. Well they had to sweat it out but got the win when Jonathan Stewart ran in from eight yards with just over nine minutes left in the game. Jake Delhomme came in needing to exercise the demons that have been haunting him since last year’s playoff debacle. He threw his eight interception of the season but that would mean nothing to him later and now the Panthers are in the win column thanks in part to 18 unanswered points. Delhomme was 16-25 for 181 yards and one touchdown pass. He still has plenty of work to do as he has only three touchdown passes this year and is still trying to get in his rhythm. The running game was also stagnant too as Stewart and DeAngelo Williams combined for 79 yards on 28 carries. One thing for sure is the Redskins and their coach are in some trouble now as the Skins continue their slide and it is only a matter of time before fans start to call for the head of coach Jim Zorn. Carolina is still having problems holding onto the football as they had four more fumbles and lost one. Next week they get a chance at two in a row when they go to Tampa Bay.
 
Philadelphia 33 Tampa Bay 14
Well so much for Tampa getting their first win against a Philly team that had their number one quarterback in the lineup again. Donovan McNabb returned and simply lit up the Bucs for 264 yards on 16-21 with three touchdown passes and no picks. Two of those were to Jeremy Maclin who continues to impress in his rookie year. Maclin finished with 142 yards on 6 catches as the Tampa defense offered very little resistance. The Tampa Bay offense was led by young QB Josh Johnson’s 26-50 for 240 yards and two touchdowns. He also threw three picks and fumbled twice losing one. Tampa is now on a nine game losing streak dating back to last December when they stumbled their way out of the playoffs. First year head coach Raheem Morris is still searching for his first NFL win.
 
Atlanta 45 San Francisco 10
This was one of those games where one team got outmatched, out muscled and outplayed. The 49ers started the season strong under head coach Mike Singletary. If not for one play they could have started 4-0. Players like TE Vernon Davis went from the dog house to a go to receiver. Then came game time where the Falcons would rip any confidence they had. I mean it was a whipping of the worst kind. Falcons wide receiver Roddy White had 185 yards by halftime and finished with 210 on eight catches with two touchdowns. one was a 90-yard beauty to put Atlanta up 14-0. At halftime it was 35-10 and basically the Niners were done. Matt Ryan was 22-32 for 329 yards and two scores. Michael Turner chipped in with three touchdowns rushing and 97 yards. So Atlanta moves to 3-1 and look to keep pace with the Saints who face the Giants next week.

NFC South Week 4 Wrap Up

                                                     NFC South Week 4 Wrap Up
 
By Rafael Garcia
Sr. Contributing Writer Football Reporters Online
Southeast Region
 
 New Orleans 24 New York Jets 10
When rookie QB Mark Sanchez took the field he was looking to keep his team undefeated. Well reality set in as well as mistakes and the kid turned out to be human after all. Darren Sharper picked off two Sanchez passes, returning one 99-yards for a touchdown, to help keep the Saints unbeaten. Just two weeks ago he set the team record when he ran one back 97-yards against Philadelphia. He now has 10 career touchdowns and that ranks him second all time behind Rod Woodson’s 12. Sanchez was harassed all day and finished 14-27 for just 138 yards and three picks. Remi Ayodele also had a touchdown when he recovered a Sanchez fumble after he was sacked by Saints end Will Smith. Pierre Thomas had another strong showing with 86 yards to lead the running game. For the second consecutive game Drew Brees did not throw a touchdown pass and he had only 190 yards passing. So Brees has a sub par day and the running game does not have a 100-yards runner but they win by 14. The Saints still showed that they are capable of playing a complete game on both sides of the ball. They have the Giants in two weeks after a bye.  After the G-Men take care of the Raiders next week it will be another clash of the unbeaten.
 
Washington 16 Tampa Bay 13
The young Bucs came into this game believing they could win it. After all, the Redskins had just come of a loss to the Lions, ending their 19-game winless streak. Things started well for them in the first few minutes of the game. At the 13:00 mark quarterback Josh Johnson put the Bucs up when he hit Antonio Bryant for an 8-yard touchdown on his first pass of the game. By halftime it was 10-0 and Washington QB Jason Campbell was wondering if he should come out for the second half. Whatever was said in the locker room worked. The Skins came out in the third quarter and scored 16 points to put the game away. Campbell was 7 of 9 for 110 yards and two touchdowns in the quarter. Johnson showed his inexperience and finished up 13-22 for 106 yards one touchdown and one pick. The ground game could never get started and the offense could not mount a drive in the second half. They are now 0-4 and head coach Raheem Morris is still looking for his first NFL win.
 
The Atlanta Falcons and the Carolina Panthers were idle this week. Next week the Falcons go to San Francisco and try to beat a 49er team that is 3-1 and looking better every week. Carolina looks to get into the win column when they host the Redskins next week. They need quarterback Jake Delhomme to get on track as he has had a shaky start to 2009.

AFC South Week 2 By Rafael Garcia Sr. Contributing Writer-Football Reporters Online Southeast Reg

                                                     AFC South Week 2
By Rafael Garcia
Sr. Contributing Writer-Football Reporters Online
Southeast Region
 
Houston 34 Tennessee 31
 
As the teams prepared for this game each knew that this would be a pivotal game. Yes it’s early but this was a divisional game and the team that won this one would take a big step forward and the loser a step back. Each team was trying to avoid going into a 0-2 hole and it was the Texans that came out the victor. It started well for the Titans as running back Chris Johnson scored twice in the first quarter. The first score was a beauty as the Titans were facing third and 19 and wondering what play to call. They decided on a draw and Johnson took it to the house showing his blazing speed. The next one was a thing of confusion, beauty and pure speed. Johnson was split wide left and noticed that no one was wide enough on defense. Kerry Collins noticed the same thing too and called a quick count snap. He got the ball to Johnson and with nobody near him he was off to the races. It was 14-7 and the Titans looked well on their way to a rout. No sooner than the second quarter started they were at it again. At the 12-minute mark Collins hit wide receiver Nate Washington from 8 yards out and it was 21-7 Tennessee. This is what the Texans were trying to avoid all week long. They talked about keeping their mistakes to a minimum and here they were in a hole helped out by their own mistakes. There was still time though and they had to decide if they were going to stand toe-to-toe with Tennessee or give in early. They chose to stand and fight and a great game ensued from there. Now it was Tennessee’s turn to make the mistakes that would eventually cost them the game. On their next drive Houston would close the gap. Titan cornerback Nick Harper and free safety Michael Griffin bit on the run and were burned by WR Andre Johnson’s 72-yard scoring catch. Just over a minute later QB Matt Schaub hit Jacoby Jones from 29 yards to tie the game. A field goal followed and the Texans had just scored 17 unanswered points to take their first lead of the game. Rob Bironas finished off the first half scoring tying the game with two seconds left in the half. So now the Texans had showed the Titans they could play with them. That they could push and shove back and not be intimidated by their long time foes. The third quarter would provide more drama when Chris Johnson took a handoff from the Titan nine and went left. Before you knew it he was in the open field and there was nobody that was going to catch him. 91 yards later he had scored his third touchdown of the game and it put his team up once again. Still Houston would not give in as they drove 65 yards on 11 plays to tie the game at 31-31. Now the stage was set for a dramatic finish between these two divisional teams.  After two punts by each team Houston got the ball with just over seven minutes left and moved the ball 63 yards on nine plays to take a 34-31 lead. There was still time left for Tennessee to tie or win the game. So with less than two minutes left Collins took the snap and felt the pressure coming. He took a step into the pocket to avoid Amobi Okoye’s rush and then inexplicably dropped the football. Defensive lineman Jeff Zgonina picked up the fumble and sealed the win for Houston. The Titans had their chance and gave it away but it was not the only reason they lost. The defense could not get the job done on this day. They allowed Schaub too much time to hit his receivers. He finished 25-39 for 357 yards and a career high four touchdown passes. Andre Johnson had 10 catches for 149 yards and two scores. This game showed that the Titans are adjusting to life without Albert Haynesworth. They do not have that run stopper and the secondary was unusually soft. They have plenty of work to do and going into a 0-2 hole in their division puts them seriously behind the eight ball. As for Houston, well it was a win but they cannot rest here. They must learn from their own mistakes as well. They allowed Johnson to run wild on them as he had 16 carries for 197 yards and added nine catches for 87 yards more. Kerry Collins was 21-33 for 216 yards and two touchdowns but his fumble late cost his team a chance for the win.
 
Arizona 31 Jacksonville 17
 
Last week the Jags had trouble playing a team within their division and this week they were at home and made it a record day for Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner. He was 24-26 for 243 yards and two touchdowns, had a passer rating of 131.2 and completed a single-season record 92.3 % of his passes. The pass rush never showed up for the Jags and Warner took full advantage. He completed passes to nine different receivers and got help from Jacksonville when they had a field goal blocked and returned for a touchdown. On top of that Arizona was able to run as well averaging over four yards a carry. Jags running back Maurice Jones-Drew had 13 carries for 66 yards and four catches for another 17. That will not get the job done when you give your star player only 17 touches for the game.  So the Jags start off 0-2 and will look for answers as they face Houston and Tennessee the next two weeks. Warner was able to throw right and left as well as short or long. He had no turnovers and was never sacked. The Cardinals had a 24-3 lead at the half and stretched it to four touchdowns later. As for the Jags, well let’s just say, they were awful. Quarterback David Garrard was in desperation mode most of the game. He was sacked four times and fumbled three other times. His line gave him little or no protection and players were blaming each other after the game. They must take responsibility one by one and as a whole. It will take so much more for them as coach Jack Del Rio find his hold on the job weakening. It’s early but time will not wait for the things this team needs to do to compete.
 
Indianapolis 27 Miami 23
Someone please explain to me how you lose a game in which you control the ball? A game you dominated for most of the night? The Miami Dolphins found a way to give a game away on Monday night. Everything was working to perfection starting with the Wildcat. Running back Ronnie Brown had a huge game as he found hole after hole to gain 136 yards on 24 carries to go with two scores. Quarterback Chad Pennington hit receivers to complement the running game. The Dolphins kept Peyton Manning and the Colts offense off the field for most of the game and yet they managed to win. If that was not enough Miami had the ball for just over 45 minutes and still could not win. One thing for sure this game shows that Manning still has what it takes to move his football team even with new weapons at his disposal. He showed that he could make the most of his opportunity even when his time on the field is limited. He turned two short passes into touchdowns with some heads up route running by TE Dallas Clark and wide receiver Pierre Garcon. The defense was on the field most of the game but when they needed to make a stop they made it. Manning finished 14-23 for 303 yards with two touchdowns, as he made the most of the few chances his offense got. So the Colts are 2-0 when they could be 0-2 with a few twists and turns. Either way they proved that their man behind center could still move an offense at will and it will take much more to knock Indy of its high horse.

NFC South Week 2 By Rafael Garcia Sr. Contributing Writer Football Reporters Online Southeast Region

                                    NFC South Week 2
 
By Rafael Garcia
Sr. Contributing Writer Football Reporters Online
Southeast Region
 
 Atlanta 28 Carolina 20
This was another one of those divisional games that would set the tone for the rest of the season. Panther quarterback Jake Delhomme had to regain his confidence and the Falcons were trying to start 2-0 for just the seventh time in team history. Falcon QB Matt Ryan got his team off to a good start and took his team into the locker room with a 21-13 lead at the half. He showed that he is maturing with each game and is starting to take control of the offense as opposed to managing it. He finished 21-27 for 220 yards three touchdowns and one pick. At one point he was so in the zone he completed 13 consecutive passes. It was also the first time in his young career that he threw for three scores in the first half. The Panthers were determined to stop running back Michael Turner but he still managed to get 105 yards on 28 carries. Meanwhile Delhomme got his groove back as he went 25-41 for 308 yards and one touchdown. His big mistake came with just over two minutes left in the game. Chris Houston intercepted his pass that was intended for Steve Smith and then with one last chance his hail mary was knocked away with time running out. So now the Falcons take their show to New England and a chance to put the Pats at 1-2. It will be a homecoming of sorts for Ryan who played his college ball at Boston College.
 
New Orleans 48 Philadelphia 22
Well so much for containing Saints quarterback Drew Brees. After throwing for six touchdowns last week Brees came back with another three. It resulted in another 40-point game for the Saints and another big win. He finished 25-34 for 311 yards with a pick. Brees showed that at this point he is the most prolific passer in the game right now. It was as if he could do whatever he wanted when he wanted to. He hit receivers across the middle and hit them long. The game was close enough in the first half as the Saints held a 17-13 lead. In the third quarter things opened up for the Saints when Ellis Hobbs fumbled the kickoff and Chris Reis recovered it at the Eagle 22. Two plays later it was 24-13 New Orleans. Scott Shanie picked off Philly quarterback Kevin Kolb on the next possession and that led to another score. Now it was 31 -13 just like that and the air was taken out of the Eagles. The questions about backup Kolb were answered for at least one Sunday as he went 31-51 for 391 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions. With McNabb out again head coach Andy Reid will once again turn to Kolb to start next week. So the Saints take their highflying act to Buffalo next week and they do not look like they will be slowed down. Brees is hitting receivers on short passes and they are turning them into big gains. He is hitting his long passes with receivers in stride. The running game is working as well. Now the defense needs to step it up as they have shown that they can give up the big play too. If the “D” can pick it up this Saints team could go deep into the playoffs this year.
 
Buffalo 33 Tampa Bay 20
When the two teams took the field Sunday they looked evenly matched. By the end of the first quarter the Bucs appeared to be overmatched in this one. They allowed Bills running back Fred Jackson to scorch them for 163 yards on 28 carries as their front seven were consistently shoved back by the Bills offensive line. They let them get into a rhythm that produced 220 yards passing and 218 rushing. A balance they cannot allow if they wish to compete with the rest of the NFC South. Yet there was some good production by some in a losing effort. Quarterback Byron Leftwich wasn’t too bad in going 26-50 for 296 yards and three touchdowns. He did make mistakes as well throwing an interception to Donte Whitner who ran it back 76 yards for the score. He was forced to play catch up all day after his team fell behind 17-0 after just one quarter. The running game, that was so successful thus far, produced little to nothing. Cadillac Williams was held to nine yards and the team as a whole managed just 57 in a game dictated by the passing game. The defense gave up 438 yards of offense to Buffalo as Trent Edwards went down field more often than usual. With the game still in hand the Bucs let Terrell Owens get open for a 43-yard touchdown that sealed the win for Buffalo. Now the Bucs fall to 0-2 and find themselves in hole early in the year. Their defense must make their adjustments and Williams must get the running game in gear. Leftwich needs to look down the field a little more and not rely on the short pass as much.  Being in the same division as New Orleans and Atlanta does not give them a lot time to fix things. Next week they have the huge task of trying to stop the New York Giants run machine. A 0-3 hole looks likely if they cannot right this ship during the week.

NY Giants Recap Week 1-By Dr. Bill Chachkes -Football Reporters Online

NY Giants Recap Week 1-By Dr. Bill Chachkes -Football Reporters Online


The Giants came into yesterday’s opening day match up with several questions still unanswered from this summer’s training camp. By 8pm Sunday night, few of those questions remained open for discussion. Among the three biggest concerns had to be how the corps of talented but youthful receivers would do without at least one veteran on the roster as a stabilizing force. Even though first round draft choice Hakeem Nicks sprained his foot, Steve Smith, Mario Manningham, and Tight End Kevin Boss all stepped up and played very well.

There was a reason Coach Tom Coughlin and GM Jerry Reese decided to carry 7 receivers to open the season. Injuries. Nicks’ foot could be worse however, as the x-ray’s were negative. Just how bad the sprain is has yet to be determined. An x-ray can only tell you so much. It could be 2 weeks or 4, as a foot sprain is almost like a bad back, it’s very tricky. One sports medicine expert we speak with who is familiar with lower limb injuries tells us that a severe sprain could sometimes be worse then an actual fractured bone. Now the Giants offense is down to 6 wide outs. The other receiver drafted in 2009, Ramses Barden, was inactive for the game but will most likely now be an active roster move for the next several weeks while Nicks recovers.

The second most important question was how the Giants pass rush would do with the infusion of free agents obtained in the past offseason. We saw that they did just fine up front defensively, putting pressure on Redskins QB Jason Campbell on several long second and third down plays. Osi Umenyiora had a 37yard fumble recovery return for a touchdown, and Justin Tuck, Chris Canty, Rocky Bernard, and the rest of the Giants defense looked like the same unit that has won 22 regular season games over the last two years. The concerns still remain over the secondary however, where there is still work to be done. That being said, Corey Webster’s sideline interception took the “wind out of Washington’s sails” on a key offensive possession.

The final major question was how well Eli Manning deals with the partial turn over in personnel. With the exception of a few skittish moments early in the game’s first half, Manning also looked like the same player who had the fantastic 2007 and most of 2008 seasons. But now, a new set of questions arise like any other Monday morning in the NFL.

Will the Giants continue to have trouble scoring Touchdowns in the “Green” zone? (Something both Coach Coughlin and Eli Manning made note of as needing improvement in the post game press conference). Will Danny Ware’s wrist keep him out of any games? Will Mario Manningham continue to emerge as the big play threat (his 30 yard catch and run touchdown while tight-roping the sideline was a thing of beauty)? Or will Kevin Boss fulfill that role?

While the defense saved the day for NY, there were some shaky moments as we mentioned earlier. Redskins Runningback Clinton Portis seemed to play like a hall of famer at times, running through gaps in the Giants run defense large enough to drive an Abrams tank through. This will need to be corrected at some point if the Giants expect to contend for another trip to the Super Bowl. Overall they played well enough to win and did just that, but they missed out on some scoring chances, leaving at least 14 points on the field, meaning the final score should have been more like 34-17 or 37-17 rather then 23-17.

Next week the Giants will play Dallas on “Sunday Night Football” to open the new Stadium. Dallas beat Tampa Bay 34 21 in Tampa this week, and will pose many more problems then Washington did this week. It won’t be easy for NY to walk away with a victory next week. The fact that Eli Manning was able to spread the football around against the Redskins (Smith 6 catches, Boss, Manningham, and Bradshaw 3 each, Nicks, Jacobs 2 each and Hixon 1) will be the one facet of the Giants offense that the Cowboys have trouble with, and what Coach Coughlin should go after Sunday night.


The other telling stat that signals a problem for the Giants against teams with strong run defenses: Washington held the Giants to just 106 total rushing yards, Plus Danny Ware also left the game with a dislocated elbow and probably won’t play for at least 1-2 weeks. Overall the Giants totaled 351 yards of offense to Washington’s 272, with just 85 of that being on the ground.

JETS IMPRESSIVE IN 24-7 WIN OVER HOUSTON

JETS IMPRESSIVE  IN 24-7 WIN OVER HOUSTON
by TJ Rosenthal for Football Reporters Online

The Jets took the field yesterday in Houston on Sunday ready to prove to naysayers,  that they had a top notch defense, a rookie Quarterback who could handle himself in adverse situations and a receiving corps that could help move the chains. Mission accomplished. The Rex Ryan era was ushered in with rave reviews, as Gang Green played a magnificent complete game that they controlled emotionally from start to finish. Bart Scott punishing lick on Texans QB Matt Schaub on the game's first play from scrimmage set the tone for what was to come all day. A physical complex attack scheme led by Scott , LB David Harris, and NG Kris Jenkins that hit the Texans hard and stopped them behind the line of scrimmage more than I can remember a Jet defense doing.

The Jets led 3-0 after a 24 yard  first quarter Jay Feely field goal.  Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer gave rookie Mark Sanchez modest plays early to allow him to gain a solid footing yet showed off the USC star's versatility by allowing him to roll out of the pocket in both directions. This keeping the Texan defense and star Mario Williams off balance from the onset. In the second, after a Steve Slaton fumble deep in Jet territory thwarted perhaps the Texnas best and only drive of the day, Sanchez struck. Moving them to the Texan 30, he found Chansi Stuckey all alone as a result of a failed Texans blitz, for a 10-0 lead. 

The only danger came when Sanchez threw an ill advised interception while nursing a 17-0 lead with 12 minutes to go in the fourth. Ryan was quoted today as saying that looking back on it , it should've been "ground and pound." Sanchez and the Jets did not perpetuate a typical JEts trait of the past and  wilt though. In fact, they came out aggressively and when Dustin Keller (94 yards) caught a 40 yard pass after lining up as a WR in single coverage against formr Jet Nick Ferguson, a win was on it's way. The deal sealed when Thomas Jones broke free for a 30 yard TD knock out punch.

The Jets SHOULD feel good. They entered the building of a team many project as a playoff contender and beat them physically and mentally. Their rookie QB showed resiliency and a sense of calm after the int. Their coach made true on a promise that the Jet defense would be an attacking one. Jenkins controlled the line of scrimmage all day. Harris and Scott cleaned the rest up. The maligned receiving corps who many feel is without a true number one threat, answered the bell. They were led by dependable Jerricho Cotchery (6-90yds) the speedy Chansi Stucky (4-64yds) and emerging star TE Dustin Keller (4-94yds).  RB Leon Washington (15-60yds) and Thomas Jones (20-107 yds) will continue to be the primary focus of an offense that will try and move it on the ground while shortened field provided by a stifling defense.

Next week, the Jets take on hated rivals the New England Patriots in the home opener. Rex Ryan entered Jet nation in March, by saying that he didn't come here to kiss Bill Belicheck's rings. We already knew that in week 2 the pressure on rookie Sanchez would come from one of the NFL's masterminds. After Sunday, we also now know that the heat will be on Tom Brady as well: Perhaps for the first time since the Jets after Mo Lewis knocked out Drew Bledsoe back in 2001 in Foxboro. Leaving Belicheck with no choice but to go his unknown backup, Brady. First place is already at stake in what is shaping up to be a big game in September.

Jet notes: A review of the 3 keys to the Texan game.

Sanchez vs Texan defense. Sanchez threw for 1TD 1 int, 256 yds and answered the call often on third down with crisp tight accurate throws. Mario Williams ran Sanchez down but didn't make any game changing plays.

Slaton vs Jets front 8. Slaton was held to 17 yards and was stopped behind the line on more than one ocassion forcing Houston into second and third and long. Chris Brown looked better for the Texans. Enough said.

Darrel Revis vs Andre Johnson. Johnson was held to 4 catches and 35 yards. He di not have one deep ball thrown to him bacuae of the Jets pressure on Schaub. Domination. Double teams helped Revis but in all, a major playmaker was held to a whisper.