Mick Jagger hangs with USC Volleyball star Jess Gysin

While USC Football Head Coach Pete Carroll was mulling over a possible return to the NFL that eventually led to his resignation from USC for the NFL Seattle Seahawks, USC Vollleyball star and grad student Jess Gysin was enjoying the beach in her bikini with The Rolling Stones' legendary singer Mick Jagger.

Ok, it's not what you think. A well-dressed for the beach Mick Jagger stopped to take a photo with Jess Gysin and her friends. Jessica Gysin (on the left) put the photo up on the Internet December 27th and via her Twitpic account.

From the looks of the photo, satisfaction was had by all, and Mick Jagger still knows how to find time to be photographed with beautiful women. Jessica Gysin is considered by sports fans at the blog Busted Coverage to be one of the hottest women in college sports.

Pete Carroll resigns from USC for Seattle Seahawks

After a controversial deal struck while The Seattle Seahawks were simultaneously interviewing Minnesota Vikings Defensive Coordinator Leslie Frazier, Pete Carroll resigns from USC as head coach and is expected to officially become the Seattle Seahawks next head coach on Monday, according to the LA Times and The LA Daily News.

The LA Times reports that Pete Carroll came to agreement on a 5-year $35 million contract.

The news that Pete Carroll was desired as the next head coach of the Seahawks surfaced as far back as last Thursday and was reported that Friday. But to comply with an NFL rule known as "The Rooney Rule", the Seahawks would have to interview with at least one minority candidate.

After saying no to being the minority candidate because he believe the Seahawks wanted Pete Carroll anyway, Minnesota Vikings Defensive Coordinator Leslie Frazier said "yes" at the behest of the Fritz Pollard Alliance (FPA), which looks at NFL Rooney Rule compliance performance. The FPA was under the impression that because Seahawks CEO Tod Leiweke reportedly said to the FPA they would not give general manager duties to Carroll, that meant Carroll was not "the guy" preferred by the Seahawks.

The FPA was wrong.

While Leslie Frazier never got a real shot at a job that wasn't his to start with, soon-to-be former USC Head Coach Pete Carroll gets a job and deal he reportedly wanted, else he was going to remain with the University of Southern California. Pete Carroll returns to pro football and a won-loss record that is the reverse of the one at his storied tenure with USC.

Pete Carroll's NFL record is 33-31 in four seasons with the New York Jets and the New England Patriots, and 1997 with the New England Patriots. At USC Pete Carroll's record was 97 wins, 19 losses. A list of Pete Carroll's accomplishments at USC and posted at Wikipedia is worthy of review:

Two BCS Championship Game appearances (win over Oklahoma, and a loss to Texas in 2005)
Two national championships, including the AP 2003 national championship and the undisputed 2004 national championship.
Seven consecutive Associated Press Top-4 finishes
A record six BCS bowl victories
A record seven consecutive BCS bowl appearances
A record seven consecutive years as Pac-10 Champions or Co-Champions
A national-record 33 consecutive weeks as AP's No. 1-ranked team
A winning record of 97–19 (85.6%), including 16–2 against traditional rivals Notre Dame and UCLA
A NCAA record of 63 straight 20-point games
Twenty-five All-American first teamers
53 players selected in the NFL Draft, including 14 in the first round.[49]
Three Heisman Trophy winners (Carson Palmer, 2002; Matt Leinart, 2004; Reggie Bush, 2005)
Four Top-5 recruiting classes
Win streaks for home games (34) and Pac-10 home games (22).
In 2007, USC became the first NCAA FBS team to achieve six consecutive 11-win seasons.[50] In 2008, USC added an unprecedented seventh consecutive 11-win season.
28–1 in the month of November
Only team in history to win three consecutive Rose Bowl Games

With all of this, why leave USC and a job Carroll once said he not leave for the NFL? The consensus is that Pete Carroll wants to make up for his first two failures in the NFL.

Stay tuned.

Pete Carroll to USC for Seahawks; NFL Commissioner OK's deal

NFL PR Head Brian McCarthy reports that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has been in "constant contact" with the Seattle Seahawks and that they're in compliance with The Rooney Rule. McCarthy took to Twitter to report the news and that the Washington Redskins were in compliance as well.

Goodell, in Cincy for Jets-Bengals game, told media that Redskins + Seahawks have complied w/ Rooney Rule
about 2 hours ago from UberTwitter

The Seattle Seahawks almost simultaneous interview of Minnesota Vikings Defensive Coordinator Leslie Frazier while working an agreement to hire USC Head Coach Pete Carroll has caused a massive controversy as it appears the Seahawks were using Leslie Frazier to comply with The Rooney Rule.

The Washington Redskins hired former Denver Broncos Head Coach Mike Shanahan, but after setting full interviews with minority candidate and Defensive Coach Jerry Gray before making a decision. By contrast, the Seahawks appear to have made a decision even before talking to Leslie Frazier.

Stay tuned.

Pete Carroll leaving USC for Seahawks? Seattle using Leslie Frazier?

The rumors are all over that USC Head Coach Pete Carroll is leaving USC for The NFL's Seattle Seahawks, and that Mike Riley will take over for Pete Carroll at USC. But if that's the case, and it's still not officially a done deal, it would mean in the view of this blogger that the Seattle Seahawks are using Minnesota Vikings Defensive Coordinator Leslie Frazier and just as a minority pawn.

Leslie Frazier

As this is going to post, its reported that the Seahawks have a deal with Carroll on the same Saturday they're reportedly still interviewing Leslie Frazier.

Moreover, it would mean the Fritz Pollard Association did not pressure the Seattle Seahawks to stop press leaks that Pete Carroll was the coach they wanted all along.

Here's what happened.

On Friday rumors circulated that USC Head Coach Pete Carroll was highly sought after by the Seattle Seahawks, who fired Head Coach Jim Mora, Jr. after only one season. But the NFL has a provision called "The Rooney Rule" which states that each team considering a head coaching candidate must interview a qualified minority coach.

But The Rooney Rule does not force minority coaches to interview with NFL teams, so when the Seattle Seahawks called on Leslie Frazier to be interviewed, really to comply with The Rooney Rule, he at first said "no".

Smart.

The Rooney Rule has been used to set up a number of less-than-sincere interviews of black coaches for head coaching positions when the NFL team had zero intention of hiring a black coach. Meanwhile, the NFL has continued a track record of hiring coaches who are white and have poor records, but then are rehired again by another team. By contrast, the NFL has no problem assuming a running back is good in part because he's black.

(It's also why a number of bloggers including this blogger started comparing Stanford Running Back Toby Gerhart to Jim Brown. First, Toby Gerhart reminds many of Jim Brown, but it wasn't the first comparison offered in conversation; John Riggins of the Washington Redskins was. Riggins is white, as is Gerhart; Jim Brown is black)

In this case, Pete Carroll has a poor NFL record and yet would be rehired by a team in the NFL, if a deal was done.

Leslie Frazier changed his mind after a day when the Fritz Pollard Association, which has worked to assure that NFL teams were in compliance with The Rooney Rule, stepped in, and got Seahawks EVP Tim Lewicky to agree that they were not going to give Pete Carroll control over personnel decisions. And on that basis, the interview happened.

Why?

Because it was believed that not giving Pete Carroll full control of the team means that he's not "their guy" in the mind of the Fritz Pollard Association. It's a twisted logic that could lead to Pete Carroll getting the Settle Seahawks job because he was "their guy" anyway and Leslie Frazier left out to bear the cold winter of Minnesota.

Leslie Frazier deserves his shot as an NFL Head Coach. He's coached many of the top players and created some of the NFL's best defenses. He should be given the same chance that many white NFL defensive coordinators, from Wade Phillips to Dave Campo (and both with the Dallas Cowboys) have received.

Pete Carroll won at USC because he was a great recruiter and a great coach. But at the NFL level, he would just be a great coach. That does not guarantee the amazing level of success Pete Carroll has had at USC.

Meanwhile, this episode should really cause the league to look at The Rooney Rule. Pete Carroll will not fare well at Seattle because he's not the best scheme person and at the NFL level, teams will zero in on what he's doing and stop it by the seventh game of the season. By contrast, Mike Holmgren knew and coached the Walsh Offense before he came to Seattle.

Seattle will learn, the hard way.

Stay tuned.

Artie Lange out of hospital, will remain with Howard Stern Show

Artie Lange, The Howard Stern Show star and sidekick to Howard Stern, is out of Jersey City Medical Center. Artie Lange was released Friday after a successful surgery. An executive for Sirius XM and The Howard Stern Show has released a statement that Artie Lange is welcome back and is "very much a part of these channels".

According to the NY Times, Howard Stern Show Senior Vice President Tin Sabean said “Artie is very much a part of these channels, and we look forward to Artie’s fast recovery and we wish him all the best.”

This ends a horrifying week for Artie Lange fans, for his family, for Howard Stern Show fans, and Howard Stern himself, as it started last Saturday with the report of Artie Lange's accident, then intensified Monday, as The New York Post Page 6 reported that Artie Lange stabbed himself in a suicide attempt that was only confirmed by Hoboken Police on Thursday.

Emma Watson's missing leg spotted in video

British Actress and Harry Potter star Emma Watson is burning up the Internet, and that's due to her new Buberry advertisements which feature her as the face of their campaign and a controversy about her legs, or one of them.

The 19-year-old star has created the ads (her second go-round with Burberry in two straight years) with her brother, 17-year old Alex, and for the British label’s Spring/Summer 2010 campaign.

There's just one problem: it looks like Emma Watson's missing a leg in one of the iconic photos created by legendary photog Mario Testino for Burberry.

The photo above of her with Alex looks as if Emma Watson's right leg is half there.  The way her leg is placed visually implies that it should continue such that it can be seen between Alex legs.  But what's there is the same color as the wall.

This has caused massive web buzz with speculation that Emma Watson's leg was photoshopped out of view.   The Huffington Post's readers seem to think so, according to their poll.  

But they're wrong.  This video below shows that Emma's leg is actually exactly behind that of her brother's leg.



Thus, from a straight on angle, as the photo was taken from, it appears that Emma Watson has part of her leg and not the whole.

If Emma Watson weren't so skinny, all of her leg would have been visible, even behind that of her equally thin brother, Alex.  

Did Burberry instruct Mario Testino to make the photo that way to deliberately draw attention? Or did Mario Testino comes up with the idea on his own?  In either case, the result is pure Internet marketing genius.

Stay tuned.

Oakland Raiders John Herrera out of control

The Oakland Raiders have had a great tradition of Senior Executives who have had great relationships with the press, politicians, and the public. Such names as Morris Bradshaw, Al LoCasale, and Bruce Allen have held the title of Oakland Raiders Senior Executive.

John Herrera points finger in face of Tim Kawakami in 2008

Both Al LoCasale and Bruce Allen have been legendary figures in the National Football League because they command respect by treating everyone with the dignity and honor they deserve.

In Al LoCasale's case, this blogger learned NFL politics from him. In 1996, when I served as Economic Advisor to the Elihu Harris, when he was the Mayor of Oakland, Al LoCasale contacted me and we met for lunch almost weekly at his favorite restaurant, Linguini's in Alameda in Park (great Lasangna).

Why? Because LoCasale wanted me to work behind the scenes to help reestablish the 49ers / Raiders Preseason Game. At the time the Oakland Raiders were involved in a lawsuit with the NFL so LoCasale believed it would be hard to get the league to agree to a game that would be of benefit to them at the time.

I agreed to help him. After weeks of conversation and preparation with LoCasale, the first call I made under LoCasale's direction was to then-NFL Executive Vice President Roger Goodell. That was a great first start because as it happened, I read about his father the late Republican Senator Charles E. Goodell several years ago, but didn't know Roger Goodell was his son!

After much conversation about politics, Goodell said the best way to reestablish the preseason game was to approach the San Francisco 49ers. My next endeavor centered on gaining a meeting with San Francisco 49ers Owner Eddie DeBartolo. "Mr. D" as he's called, came with his then-assistant Ed Muranski to Oakland for a meeting with Mayor Harris and myself.

We talked about the NFL, the Oakland Raiders, and the redevelopment of Jack London Square, because the then-new DeBartolo Entertainment Company was looking for venues to build themed sports bars. Jack London Square was a perfect candidate, especially since Mac's Sports Bar had just closed its doors.

But with those meetings, including an incredible trip to 49ers Headquarters in 1997 that featured a tour and a brief talk with a man who's become now a friend: then 49ers Head Coach Steve Marriuci, who's now with the NFL Network and I last saw at the 2008 NFL Draft and at a Cal game later that year:



All of that was set in motion by AlLoCasale both directly and indirectly.

While I never got to know Raiders Executive Assistant Bruce Allen as well as I did Al LoCasale, Bruce was always gracious to me, even during the time I was trying to bring the Super Bowl to Oakland, and the Raiders were involved in a nasty lawsuit against the City of Oakland. And when I saw him at Leigh Steinberg's Super Bowl Party in Houston in 2004, and when he was General Manager of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Jon Gruden was the head coach, Bruce introduced me in a way that made my hair stand, and I don't have any.

Bruce said to Jon: Jon, this guy was with the City of Oakland; he could be a good general manager.

I had no idea he felt that way, and while I never followed up on what he said, it was just nice to hear.


Morris Bradshaw has always been a friend. We've talked about a lot of aspects of life, way beyond football. Morris knows what I mean here; I don't need to write any more. Morris Bradshaw is a good man.

The point in all of this, is Oakland Raiders Senior Executives have a tradition of understanding how to work with people and giving them the respect they deserve. Unfortunately, that history is threatened by the behavior, as I have seen it, of John Herrera.

What spurred me to finally write this was his quip against Rich Gannon in the San Jose Mercury News where the Merc's Steve Corkran wrote:

Raiders senior executive John Herrera said Wednesday that neither Davis, Russell, coach Tom Cable nor the Raiders needs any help from Gannon and that "maybe it's Rich that needs the help."

That was not right to say. Flip? Yes. Angry? Of course. Necessary? No. Rich Gannon just extended a hand of help to a team he played for who needs it because he cares and sees a major diamond-in-the-rough in Raiders QB JaMarcus Russell. For Herrera to think of making that statement, of all things he could have said, was the product of an awful train of thought.

But if that's terrible, it pales compared to how John Herrera treated Mercury News Columnist Tim Kawakami in 2008. As the video below shows, John Herrera essentially tried to bully Tim Kawakami because he didn't like something Tim Kawakami wrote.

Here's the video:



Herrera could have addressed the issue in a classy, dignified way. But what he did was disappointing to see. Tim should have never been exposed to that kind of treatment by any Oakland Raiders official.

John Herrera has a long tradition of Oakland Raiders Senior Executives to follow. Right now, Herrera's not, in my view, doing a good job. No one "hates the Oakland Raiders" here. This is a matter of a call for John Herrera to act with the dignity, kindness, and respect that past and current Oakland Raiders executives have set a standard for, from Morris Bradshaw to Al LoCasale, and Bruce Allen.

Let's hope for a better performance in the future.

There's snow in florida? Snow fall in Orlando, Florida

The East Coast United States' weather has been colder than in the past but never so cold that it was snowing in Florida. But that's what's happening today: snow in Florida. Snow fell in Orlando, Florida and Volusia, Seminole, Orange and Lake counties in central Florida (around Walt Disney World), have all seen snow.

According to the National Weather Service, Williamsburg, Florida, also next to Disney World, has a 7-day weather forecast that includes a wind chill warning, a hard freeze warning, a wind chill advisory, a freeze watch, and a fire weather watch.

The National Weather Service reports it's currently "Cloudy and cold, with a high near 37. Wind chill values as low as 29. North northwest wind around 15 mph" and it's going to get as cold as 14 degrees at night with the wind chill factor.

The snow is such an unusual site that Florida residents have taken to YouTube to post videos of the event.

This video is from Ocala, Florida, and posted today:





And this snow in Florida video features a Florida snowball fight:



Unbelievable.

The forecast is for warmer weather near the end of next week.

Stay tuned.

NFL MVP is Colts' QB Peyton Manning

Indianapolis Colts Quarterback Peyton Manning has scored a record 4th NFL Most Valuable Player Award, and his second NFL MVP Award in two consecutive years. According to ESPN, Manning received 39.5 votes, to 7.5 for Drew Brees and 2 for Drew Brees and 1 for Brett Favre. But the 2009 NFL Season was among Peyton Manning's best.

Peyton Manning threw for 4,500 yards and 33 touchdowns in the 2009 NFL Season. And at 33-years-old, he's started in every game of his career. He led three fourth quarter comebacks this year, and during a winning stretch that saw the Colts rack up 14 straight wins.

While many in the media point to his receivers and his drive as the reason for his amazing success and the 2009 NFL MVP, the other reason, the main one, is his ability to read NFL defensive coverages and determine how best to attack them and the freedom the Colts offense gives him to do this.

Peyton Manning's success is a testament to the idea that the quarterback, not the coach, has the best feel of the game. It's something that may have missed Minnesota Vikings Head Coach Brad Childress and caused his arguments with Quarterback Brett Farve.

In the Colts Offense, Peyton Manning is given three plays to pick from and at times, he changes the play at the line of scrimmage.

Moreover, Peyton Manning's throwing motion is worthy of study. He carries the ball high, near his ear, thus reducing the time it takes for him to throw a pass. It's in stark contrast to legendary Dallas Cowboys Quarterback Roger Stauback's wind-the-arm-back, then-bring-it-up-to-throw long developing motion that NFL defensive backs would take advantage of today. That major key to Manning's success also shows how far the pro football passing game has evolved from the 1970s.

Peyton Manning's MVP award is the result of a technical understanding of the game, use of textbook passing mechanics, coaches who have developed a state-of-the-art offense, tutored him in its operation, and let him run with it.  That's a formula for constant success.

“FRO’s Favorite Five” Frankie’s Favorite Fantasy Picks Wildcard Weekend

“FRO’s Favorite Five”
Frankie’s Favorite Fantasy Picks
Wildcard Weekend


For the playoffs I prefer to rate each position for those people who play in the Playoff Fantasy Leagues. Teams on bye (Indianapolis, San Diego, New Orleans and Minnesota) are not included in these rankings.

By Frankie Underwood, Senior Fantasy Writer at www.footballreportersonline.com Email questions and comments to Frankie@footballreportersonline.com


Quarterbacks

Aaron Rodgers - Green Bay @ Arizona
Kurt Warner – Arizona versus Green Bay
Tony Romo – Dallas versus Philadelphia
Tom Brady – New England versus Baltimore
Donovan McNabb – Philadelphia @ Dallas
Joe Flacco – Baltimore @ New England
Carson Palmer – Cincinnati versus New York Jets
Mark Sanchez – New York Jets @ Cincinnati

Running Backs

Ray Rice – Baltimore @ New England
Thomas Jones - New York Jets @ Cincinnati
Ryan Grant - Green Bay @ Arizona
Cedric Benson - Cincinnati versus New York Jets
Marion Barber - Dallas versus Philadelphia
Laurence Maroney - New England versus Baltimore
Beanie Wells - Arizona versus Green Bay
Felix Jones - Dallas versus Philadelphia
Willis McGahee - Baltimore @ New England
Brian Westbrook - Philadelphia @ Dallas
Tim Hightower - Arizona versus Green Bay
Kevin Faulk - New England versus Baltimore
Leonard Weaver - Philadelphia @ Dallas

Wide Receivers

Larry Fitzgerald - Arizona versus Green Bay
Randy Moss - New England versus Baltimore
Donald Driver - Green Bay @ Arizona
Miles Austin - Dallas versus Philadelphia
Anquan Boldin - Arizona versus Green Bay
DeSean Jackson - Philadelphia @ Dallas
Braylon Edwards - New York Jets @ Cincinnati
Greg Jennings – Green Bay @ Arizona
Derrick Mason - Baltimore @ New England
Chad Ochocinco - Cincinnati versus New York Jets
Jerricho Cotchery – New York Jets @ Cincinnati
Laveranues Coles - Cincinnati versus New York Jets
Patrick Crayton - Dallas versus Philadelphia
Julian Edelman - New England versus Baltimore
Roy Williams - Dallas versus Philadelphia
Jeremy Macklin - Philadelphia @ Dallas
Steve Breaston - Arizona versus Green Bay
Brad Smith - New York Jets @ Cincinnati

Tight Ends

Brent Celek - Philadelphia @ Dallas
Jason Witten - Dallas versus Philadelphia
Todd Heap - Baltimore @ New England
Jermichael Finley - Green Bay @ Arizona
Dustin Keller - New York Jets @ Cincinnati
Ben Watson - New England versus Baltimore
Donald Lee - Green Bay @ Arizona
JP Foschi - Cincinnati versus New York Jets
Ben Patrick - Arizona versus Green Bay
Martellus Bennett - Dallas versus Philadelphia

Kickers

Neil Rackers - Arizona versus Green Bay
David Akers - Philadelphia @ Dallas
Shaun Suisham - Dallas versus Philadelphia
Mason Crosby - Green Bay @ Arizona
Stephen Gostkowski - New England versus Baltimore
Billy Cundiff - Baltimore @ New England
Jay Feely - New York Jets @ Cincinnati
Shayne Graham - Cincinnati versus New York Jets

Defenses

Dallas vs Philadelphia
New York Jets @ Cincinnati
New England versus Baltimore
Baltimore @ New England
Green Bay @ Arizona
Philadelphia @ Dallas
Cincinnati versus New York Jets
Arizona versus Green Bay

JETS OPEN UP WILDCARD IN CINCY WITH A CHIP ON THEIR SHOULDERS

JETS OPEN UP WILDCARD IN CINCY WITH A CHIP ON THEIR SHOULDERS
by TJ Rosenthal-Contributing Writer-Football Reporters Online

Sometimes the best remedy for being an underdog is carrying an "us against the world" mentality. On Saturday the New York Jets will do just that as they visit the Cincinnati Bengals in the opening round of the AFC Playoffs. There are plenty of experts and football fans who believe the Jets were benefactors of good fortune at the end of the season, and not truly playoff worthy. The Jets have reminded us all week that they are the league's number one rushing team and defense. In a rematch of week 17, the Jets will soon get their chance to prove the doubters wrong, while taking one step closer to the ultimate goal, a trip to the Super Bowl.

Last weeks 37-0 trouncing of these same Cincinnati Bengals has been defined in the press this week a few different ways. The first viewpoint has been that only  the 9-7 Jets had everything to play for, with a win or go home scenario staring them down last Sunday night.  Unlike the Bengals who had nothing to gain except the addition of key players to the injury report had they risked injury in order to get a meaningless win. The other side of the coin offered has been that the Jets are a tough team built for January that is getting on a roll. Gaining momentum on both sides of the ball. 

The reality is, the truth will come out, starting on Saturday. For now, what can be said about the Jets win in the final game at Giants stadium, is that the club DID achieve one thing. It set the template for how these 2009 Jets CAN be a force through January.  That is, a bruising run game (one that rushed for 257 yards combined last week) with a defense that is tough to move it on, a quarterback in Mark Sanchez who risks little, and an emerging playmaker who will see opportunities to make a difference in Brad Smith. Smith's 58 yard run that set up the Jets first TD,  a 2 yard plunge by RB Thomas Jones, made it a second straight week with a big play for the former QB at Missouri. Smith has been used before behind center in his four years as a Jet, but the breakout game Sunday night (4-92 yds 1 TD) followed another game in which Smith made a huge difference with a big play. In Indianapolis one week prior, Smith returned the second half kickoff 106 yards for a TD, the longest in Jet history, putting the Jets up 10-9 at the time against the then undefeated Colts..

 If Smith has emerged as a true weapon who can be effective with an increased work load both as a running QB and one who can pitch the ball to Jones or rookie RB Shonne Greene,  the load will be lightened for Sanchez. This would come as a delight to the Jet staff, as they look to keep the rookie under wraps more. After a great start that  helped lead the Jets to a 3-0 record, a mid season turnover swoon developed, leading to a 20 interception season. The total tied Sanchez with Detroit rookie Matthew Stafford for second most in the NFL. Only the Bears Jay Cutler threw more with 26 . Should Rex Ryan's Jet defense be even more opportunistic with sacks and scoring off of turnovers, Sanchez's role will be lightened even more. For now, short throws mainly to the outside, away from traffic seem like the best formula for the rookie out of USC, who has not thrown a pick the last two weeks since the gameplan has become even more stringent on the QB.

The Bengals will be at full strength this Saturday after resting four defensive starters and their top rusher  last week. Banged up RB Cedric Benson, the teams leading rusher figures to help an offense that struggled to move the ball at all against the Jets last week. Veteran QB Carson Palmer who has been solid all year for the division winning Benglas, had zero yards passing in the first half. Palmer played just one series in the second half.

 Flamboyant WR Chad Ochocinco  offered Jet Superfan Fireman Ed tickets to the game after failing to come through on doing his own Fireman Ed chant after scoring on Jet star  Darelle Revis in week 17. The Bengals top WR was held to no catches on the day, this after proclaiming all week on Twitter that he was going to win the battle. Ochocino then praised Revis on Monday again on twitter, saying that number 24 was tops in the NFL. Ochocinco, who injured the knee on the icy field during warmups last week said that after having sex on Monday, the knee held up beautifully and is ready to go. So with the defense at full strength, Ocho healthy, Benson back, and Palmer sure to be more focused,  the Bengals will be aiming to show why they were AFC Central champions. 

 The Jets hope to continue as they left off. Ground and Pound it with Thomas Jones and Shonne Greene on offense, while All Pro CB Darrelle Revis and the Jets defense shuts Ochocinco and the Bengals  down on defense. Rex Ryan has been bold during his press conference's saying that of all the teams still alive, he'd rather be coaching the Jets; a team with the number one D and rushing unit in the NFL. He's also tried to reframe the notion that the Jets are long shots to go far. Vegas odds have them a 50-1 shot to win the Super Bowl. The brash outspoken rookie head coach has called the Jets in fact, "the team to beat" in this years playoffs.

 Jets LB David Harris, injured last week with a sprained ankle was insulted this week by the Benglas Benson. Asked what the potential loss of Harris would mean to the Jets, Benson replied "I don't even know who that is." Harris leads the Jets in tackles. He practiced lightly on Thursday. No word as to his status has been determined yet. 

Despite the Jets and Ryan proudly mentioning those "number one" stat categories, they know they have something to prove. In order to truly be thought of as an elite team in 2009 , the Jets have to go out and prove they deserve to be. They have to go out and once again beat the Bengals. This time, in a do or die  game for both sides. This time, on the road.

The Jets were fortunate in catching a break when so many AFC teams lost in week 16 that they regained control of their destiny. They faced a Bengal team on cruise control last week. Although those back to back odd circumstances worked heavily in NY's favor, they don't have to apologize for them. 

What they have to do instead, is make the best of their opportunity. The opportunity to prove that maybe, just maybe, they have bought enough time in 2009 for all three phases to finally put it together in unison. That they have found the right approach for the offense with Sanchez playing it safe while mostly handing it off  to the top rushing unit on football. That they have hung around long enough for  the defense to have regained it's early season swagger. That they acknowledge Brad Smith has to be a bigger cog in the gameplan. Saturday in Cincinnati marks the beginning of a playoff run that is there for the taking. Only however, if the Jets can seize the moment by channelling the emotions born when a team goes out to prove so many people wrong by playing focused, sound passionate football.


KEYS TO THE BENGALS:

EMOTIONS: Are the Jet truly setting their sights on the Super Bowl or are they satisfied just to have made it out of December?. Many have called their playoff berth a joke, or simply luck. Rex Ryan will undoubtedly use the "Us against Them" card throughout the postseason. The Bengals did not like getting knocked down 37-0. They're also at home. WR Chris Henry's death weeks back after a domestic dispute shocked the Bengals  who went out days later in San Diego and played magnificently in Henry's honor. This past week, Jets owner Woody Johnson's daughter Casey, 30, was found dead in LA.  Both teams will play with heavy
 hearts as a result of these tragedies on Saturday.

STEP UP NOW ROOKIE, IT'S YOUR TIME TO SHINE: It goes without saying that if the Jet ground game falters, so will the Jets. However, the Jets may in fact move it on the ground yet also need Sanchez to deliver some key third down throws. Maybe even over the middle. Lead a comeback or two. Here's to hoping that Sanchez plays with that confidence he exuded  most notably Monday night in Miami, leading the Jets back twice in the second half. The perception of Jets doubters will change only with a win that includes Sanchez having contributed more than handoffs and quick rollout tosses to the flat. A win is a win though, so if it means play it safe with the lead, he'll do it. Ill advised throws  have to be behind the kid who seems to be adjusting to his game managing role well, or else, trouble looms.

X FACTORS: Here are two, Brad Smith and FS Kerry Rhodes. Smith can provide big plays on special teams, as WR, and while getting direct snaps in the Jets version of the Wildcat or Kordell Stewart "slash" role of taking handoffs right under center. Rhodes has been coming on since the benching a month ago. His hit on Ochocinco that broke up a pass play last week showed that he is back to playing with instinct again. His three interceptions have got us thinking that something big could be on the way from the guy Rex Ryan hoped could be the next Ed Reed. A key read by Rhodes on a Palmer throw could go a long way to help leading the Jets to victory.  One that would make  Ryan's first playoff game as an NFL head coach even more memorable.

additional notes: 

The last time these two teams met in the playoffs was in 1982, Jet RB Freeman McNeil rushed for 202 yards in a 44-17 Jet win . That was the strike shortened season when the playoffs were called the Super Bowl tournament.

The Bengals were the last team admitted into the AFL back in 1968. Paul Brown was the head coach. Soon to be 49er legend but then assistant Bill Walsh, was credited with inventing the West coast offense during this time. This out of necessity as the team had a hard time run blocking. Former Bengal Super Bowl coach Sam Wyche was the QB.


follow TJ Rosenthal on twitter @thejetreport

FOOTBALL TALK-Wild Card Weekend: A Second Take

January 6th, 2009 9:37pm PST

FOOTBALL TALK-Wild Card Weekend: A Second Take
By David Ortega for Football Reporters Online

This Weekend NFL fans will see what looks like a rematch of last weekend when the Eagles-Cowboys, Packers-Cardinals, and Jets-Bengals tango. In the first two matchups it will be a complete repeat with the Eagles and Packers again hitting the road. The difference in the Jets and Bengals, unlike last week's contest in the Big Apple this one will be in Cincinnati.

The Cowboys will be shooting for the Tri-fecta on Saturday when they face the Eagles for the third time this season. With quarterback Tony Romo (311 yards passing and two touchdowns last week) playing well and the Cowboys defense (four sacks last Sunday) coming to life, the boys from Texas look like favorites to complete the sweep.

The Packers and Jets may have only seen a mirage of the teams they will face this weekend. Green Bay's defense barely faced the Cardinals starting quarterback Kurt Warner who exited early and Sunday night it looked like the Bengals starters took all of the night off against the Jets.

The Cards offense was stagnate with Matt Leinart under center last weekend, but you can bet the Packers secondary will have their hands full with Warner in the huddle on Sunday. The question for Cincy will be trying to muster some offense against the Jets stingy defense and shut down corner Darrelle Revis. Last Sunday Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco was held without a catch and quarterback Carson Palmer managed only one completion for no yards and an interception.

It's not often a team gets a chance during the playoffs to exact some revenge for an earlier loss in the season, but this wild weekend will present three opportunities with the Bengals, Cardinals, and Eagles all looking for that chance.

Looking under the hood of Week 17

Vikings flex some muscle on Sunday...
So much for the worry, on Sunday against the Giants the Vikings offense appeared to have cured all of their offensive ills. Quarterback Brett Favre was back to form completing 25 of 31 passes and throwing four touchdowns, while the ground game pounded out 129 yards, including a score by Adrian Peterson. The defense was also stellar forcing two turnovers, recording three sacks, and limiting the Giants to only 181 yards.

Cardinals don't show much in finale ....
With nothing to play for in Week 17, the Cardinals limited quarterback Kurt Warner to a cameo appearance last Sunday. Warner only threw six passes, but he'll need to throw a lot more if the Cards hope to get past a very good Packers pass defense (ranked 5th) that leads the NFL with 30 interceptions this season. Warner is a savvy veteran quarterback with plenty of weapons and he'll have wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald (13 touchdowns) available, but Anquan Boldin (84 receptions) could be a different story with a banged up ankle.

Bengals show very little in finale.....
Whether it was by design or not, the Bengals showed very little in their season finale against the Jets. The performance was so poor it could have many fantasy owners concerned about even considering any starters this weekend. Against the Jets stout defense the Bengals managed only 72 total nets yards, turned the ball over three times, and surrendered three sacks. With quarterback Carson Palmer going one for eleven passing and the offense mustering just five first downs, offense could be a problem on Saturday.


More fantasy Notes

"Inside the Matchups"

The Bengals could have a big problem on Saturday in their rematch with the Jets in the AFC Wildcard round of the playoffs. Last week shutdown corner Darrelle Revis (six interceptions) did a huge number on wide receiver Chad Ochocinco not allowing a single catch in five tries. Whether Ocho plays or not, the Bengals figure to half a tough time completing passes in the direction of Revis. Revis has been stellar all season up against the best and leads the NFL's number one ranked pass defense.

The Cowboys tight end Jason Witten (94 receptions) did not have a big season in the end zone, but he was consistent and one of quarterback Tony Romo's most reliable. Last week against the Eagles Witten was effective catching six passes for 76 yards, including a score. In his last five matchups with the Eagles Witten has been an effective target, so there's little doubt that Romo will be looking his way a great deal on Saturday night.

The Patriots may have suffered a big loss last Sunday with the injury to Wes Welker, but they will still have the NFL's 2007 MVP, quarterback Tom Brady. It was not a Brady-like season, but the Patriots quarterback still finished the year with strong numbers; 4,398 yards passing, 28 touchdowns, and 96.2 passer rating. With Welker out, it will be a lot of Randy Moss (13 touchdowns) and Julian Edelman (10 receptions last week) on Sunday against the Ravens 8th ranked pass defense.