Patriots Predict a Win!

No, not in so many words. In my eyes and ears though every time they cry about Plaxico Burress telling the world that the Giants don’t intend to lay down this Sunday it sounds like a prediction on their end. “Who the hell do they they they are thinking they are going to win, we are going to win…” Am I the only one that sees it this way?At least Tom Brady made it about the points and not the intention to win…

“We’re only going to score 17 points?” a surprised Brady said Wednesday. “OK. Is Plax playing defense? I wish he had said 45-42 and gave us a little credit for scoring more points.”

Now that point I can understand considering the Patriots set an NFL record with 589 points this season. It’s those “How dare they think they can beat us?” like responses that come across to me as being just as much of a prediction as Plaxico’s.

tag: NFL, Super Bowl, Prediction, Paxico Burress, Patriots, Giants, Tom Brady, Football Jabber

Oooo Big Bad Burress Prediction

Day 10 waiting for the Super Bowl. Oh how I long for the days when we only had one week to wait between the conference title games and Super Sunday. They now give us six bonus days of the media blowing up little things.

To the point…Plaxico Burress thinks that the Giants will beat the Patriots 23-17…and he said it out loud. OH MY GOD! Can you believe he said that? Who does he think he is?

Come on people, Super Bowl III was almost forty years ago when there was a big deal made of some Quarterback saying they were going to win the game while sitting next to the pool. I’m going to have to make a point of keeping track of all the bold “predictions” made by players next year. They really area dime a dozen, wouldn’t you say? They are usually forgotten within a week if they don’t make too much of an idiot of themselves in the process.

“I am going to say it again, the goal is to win the football game,” Burress said. “It is not to come here and just play. The goal is to come here and win. That’s why we are here.”

What the hell is he supposed to say? Is he supposed to say, “We really don’t stand a chance in this game…I mean have you people looked at who we are playing. We are playing the undefeated Patriots and we never should have made it past the Packers. My QB is a time-bomb who has been overachieving compared to the rest of his career and he is bound to just implode in this game. You people write this down….Plaxico Burress says that the Patriots will demolish us 47-3.”

Bottom line is the Giants are the last team to go blow for blow with the Patriots and have more reason to be confident than any other team right now…for one they are still playing. What did Burress do in that game that he should have any confidence at all? Our friends at Statbeast say he only had four receptions. Two of those were for TD’s and he had 84 yards.

So what do the other Giants have to say about this? They can’t be happy, right? Why would Burress selfishly let the Patriots and world know that they intend to attempt to win the game? Let’s listen in…

Read more

New York Giants Championship History

With the Giants and the Patriots meeting in the Super Bowl this weekend I thought I would take a look back at the championship history for the New York Giants.

In the Pre-Super Bowl NFL the Giants racked up four titles. The Giants won their first championship in 1927, it’s third year in the league. There was not a Championship game in itself but the Giants 11-1-1 record was fit for them to be named NFL Champions. In NFL Championship games prior to the Super Bowl era, they put together a 3-11 record. Those three wins were:

• 1934: New York Giants 30/ Chicago Bears 13
• 1938: New York Giants 23/ Green Bay Packers 17
• 1956: New York Giants 47/ Chicago Bears 7

1986 Season

When the Super Bowl era began the New York Football Giants found themselves in quite a dry spell. It wasn’t until the 1986 season that they returned all the way to the big game. In Bill Parcells fourth season with the team the Giants posted a 14-2 record. They knocked off the 49′ers 49-3 and the Redskins 17-0 in the NFC playoffs. After 30 years the Football Giants were back in the title game…

Read more

Team Links Page for the Fantasy Freaks

The guys here at Football Jabber were brought together by that wonderful thing called Fantasy Football. As we hit our one month birthday I started pondering what I would want in a site as far as fantasy football resources as an owner. Of course there are the local papers. Go to the guys that write on that team everyday, right? Official site and Depth Charts….check. Another resource that often gets over looked is the home of the die-hard fan…a fan based message board for the team.

We have added a links page (found HERE or in the handy menu bar up top)with these resources and more things could be added as they are realized. Team official page links, depth charts, and local papers are entered. What we are looking for now is ONE featured messaged board forum for each team. If you won or frequent a team message board, preferably run by fans themselves, shoot me one of those electronic messages via the “Contact” form above if you would like to work out a link exchange.

tag: NFL, Football, Links, Local Papers, Message Board, Forum, Fantasy Football, Resources, Sports, Football Jabber

Countdown to the Lingerie Bowl!

There is another big game coming on Feb. 3rd. The annual Lingerie Bowl is returning, this time in the same city as the actual Super Bowl. I have been as a big of a fan as you can be (for a guy who has not watched outside of You Tube) for a couple years now.  What is not to like about babes in underwear playing football. Yes, there is the chance of a slip moneyshot, as they have happened in years past. Edge of your seat stuff, huh?

Here is a little rundown from Wikipedia to lick your chops to…

The Lingerie Bowl is a controversial pay-per-view show that airs live during the halftime of the Super Bowl as an alternative halftime show. The show features a game of full-contact American football with scantily-clothed female models as players. It first aired during Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004 and broadcasts continued for 20052006. It was originally sponsored by the American automobile manufacturer Dodge, but they withdrew after criticism of the show was made. The players in the game wear short shorts, a sports bra and some protective gear. The presentation is produced by Horizon Productions and is not affiliated with the NFL.

In honor of these Gridiron Babes you can find videos HERE on our video page.  There will be the entire Lingerie Bowl III, broke up into two parts, and the Beyond the Glory short.

tag: Football, Super Bowl, Babes, Lingerie Bowl, Video, Football Jabber

Why the Dolphins should trade down

by TJ Ford

After a terrible 1-15 season, the Fish find themselves the not so proud owners of the 1.01 pick in the 2008 NFL entry draft. With owner Wayne Huizenga pretty much cleaning house at the end of the season, the Dolphins look poised to right the ship with the hiring of Bill Parcells to the front office. But as far as the team of the field goes, the holes are gaping as they are plentiful.

But who to choose? The 1.01 pick carries a huge burden on the owner as you must be absolutely correct in your choice. With the way that salaries have been going for rookies, you may be committing yourself to historically unheard of guaranteed money for a player who hasn’t played a snap of pro football. If you miss, you doom yourself cap-wise and talent-wise for years to come.

Experts like Mel Kiper and armchair GMs like myself alike have predicted Glenn Dorsey to be the man to go to 1.01 should they choose to use it. And really, what’s not to like about the guy? He can rush the passer, stop the run, play different techniques and different systems. He is bar-none the best defensive tackle in the draft. His down-side? He can’t play all 11 positions on defense.

Which brings me to my point. The holes on Miami’s defense are everywhere. Miami’s secondary was putrid all year due to both poor play and terrible injuries. The linebacking corps also suffered injuries and inconsistent play. Free agency, age and lingering injuries will have a huge role in deciding whether the linebacking corps will return to form without an infusion of new talent. The front four also saw injuries and poor play. Vonnie Holiday was not the impact player they needed him to be and Jason Taylor did not return to his defensive player of the year form. By choosing Dorsey at 1.01, the Dolphins are forcing themselves to hit on every draft choice in the second and third round to bring their defense back to form.

This draft is deep in CB, WR and DE/OLB hybrids. If the Tuna chooses to implement a new 3-4 defense, then trading down will be the perfect way to maximize the amount of new blood in the organization. By obtaining multiple first day picks, the Dolphins could be choosing up to 6 or 7 times on the first day. And there won’t be any shortage of suitors either. It’s no secret that Jerry Jones of the Cowboys is suffering from an aggravated case of man-love for his fellow Razorback, Darren McFadden. The Cowboys also have two first round picks. This stuff writes itself.

Read more

Nate Kaeding kicked on a Broken Leg

Here is another tidbit that will make people whine about L.T. coming out of the AFC Championship game with an injury. Chargers Kicker Nate Kaeding was kicking with a fractured lower left leg, which happens to be his plant leg, for five games. So Nate was putting all his weight on broken friggen leg.

I’m not questioning L.T., I just bring that up because people will. Could you imagine the legend of toughness these guys would have carved out for themselves had they went on to win the Super Bowl? Hell, they wouldn’t have even had to win, just make it. Jack Youngblood played with a broken leg in Super Bowl XIV for the losing Rams and cemented his legacy as one tough SOB.

Since they lost the AFC Championship people question if Philip Rivers playing with a torn ACL. You can’t question Kaeding in the same way since they couldn’t find the endzone and he kicked four field goals in that game. Here’s to Nate for setting himself aside from the stereotypical wimp kickers.
tag: NFL, Chargers, Nate Kaeding, Kicker, Broken, Leg

NFL Draft Prospects: Dan Connor

Name: Dan Connor
Position: Inside Linebacker / Outside Linebacker
School: Penn State
Year: Senior
2007 Stats: 145 total tackles, 1 INT, 6.5 Sacks, 6 pass defenses
Ht: 6-3
Wt: 232
40: 4.6 (est)
Bench: N/A
Expected draft position: LB 1-3 1st round
YouTube Linkage
Strengths: Excellent tackling, good instincts, rarely caught out of position. Able to rush the passer effectively for a middle linebacker.

Concerns: Injury and character are small concerns. Broke a bone in his hand last year and was suspended in his sophomore year for prank calling former coaches. Both are unlikely to affect him too much in the draft.

Comments: Connor is the latest linebacker to emerge for Penn State, dubbed Linebacker U due to its penchant for churning out quality linebackers every year. Connor succeeds Paul Posluszny as the next best thing from Penn State’s LB corps. Connor can play both inside and outside and is as sure a tackle as they come. Will likely be a first round choice.

tag: NFL, Draft, Football, Prospect, Profile, Penn State, Dan Connor

NFL Draft Prospects: Jeff Otah

Name: Jeff Otah
Position: Offensive Tackle
School: Pittsburgh
Year: Senior
Ht: 6-6
Wt: 340
40: N/A
Bench: N/A
Expected draft position: OT 3-6 1st - 2nd round

Strengths: Despite his monstrous size, did not miss a game for Pittsburgh. Long arms and uncanny speed for his size make him likely the best physical athlete in the offensive tackle class this year. Works hard and continues until the end of the play.

Concerns: Unrefined talent. Coming from Nigeria and not playing football until his senior year of high school, Otah still needs to work on some of the finer points of his game.

Comments: Huge upside pick here. One can only hope that the right coaching staff continues to develop his guy as he has the physical attributes and instincts of a bonafide star in the NFL. Otah likely needs a couple training camps and preseasons of work before he is NFL ready though.

tag: NFL, Draft, Football, Prospect, Profile, Pittsburgh, Jeff Otah

NFL Draft Prospects: Raymell (Ray) Rice

Name: Raymell (Ray) Rice
Position: Runningback
School: Rutgers
Year: Junior
Career stats: 4926 rush yds 5.4 ypc 49 rush TDs 37 rec 334 rec yds 1 rec TD
Ht: 5-9
Wt: 205
40: N/A
Bench: N/A
Expected draft position: RB 4-7 (1st - 2nd round)
YouTube Linkage
Strengths: Shifty, compact runner who possesses breakaway speed and big play ability. Despite the small package, he runs very physical and has not broken down despite almost getting 1000 touches over 3 years. Shown that he has talent in the passing game in his senior year by catching 25 balls for 239 yards.

Concerns: Many feel that he needs to bulk up a bit in order to not be a liability in pass blocking situations.

Comments: I compare Rice in stature to that of Frank Gore. Gore is a thick but compact runner who depsite being very short, is an extremely physical runner. Rice has shown the ability to pound the ball despite his size. I think Rice will do well in the NFL if given the opportunity to tote the rock despite not garnering the attention of the McFaddens and Stewarts of the world.

tag: NFL, Draft, Football, Prospect, Profile, Rutgers, Raymell Rice, Ray

Next Page »