Early NFL Power Rankings Up

Yes, it’s early.  Camp has not even started yet.  The page has been sitting there with a “Coming Soon” on it for way to long.  So here are the Football Jabber Pre-Season NFL Power Rankings.  Feel free to voice your argument in the comments.

NFL Jabber News and Notes

Remember a couple weeks ago when we talked to that American football loving Brit, Adam?  He continues to make his rounds in promotion of his record setting vacation of taking in 35 NFL games in the 2008 season.  This week he has landed on the Canal Street Chronicles.  If you have any extra season tickets laying around make sure you give Adam a buzz! Read more

NFL Jabber | Mini Camp and More

The media is trying really hard to make Jason Taylor’s comments about wanting to win in 2008 into a confrontation between Taylor and Bill Parcells. “Please give us some kind of story people…” I feel your pain mainstream media. Not much going on right now so you work with what you have. Jason Taylor would like you to point out that his talk is not a demand to be traded (DAMN!) but a request… Read more

2008 NFC West Draft Grades

Arizona Cardinals

Needs: CB, S, RB, DL, LB, OL

The Cardinals are a team that showed a bit of flash last year but it was the old guard getting it done. Kurt Warner stepped in a started for an injured Matt Leinart. 30 year old Edgerrin James ran the ball all year long and WRs Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald were the dynamic playmakers they always are. Unfortunately for the Cards, Larry Fitzgerald huge backloaded rookie contract forced them into a corner in the free agent market. Fitz’s deal finally got done but not until after key free agents were gone. It was rumored that Arizona was targetting former Steelers guard Alan Faneca. Read more

Jim Zorn named Redskins Head Coach | Football Jabber

What a turn around in the world of Redskins football! Dan Snyder has named former Seattle Seahawks…and now former Redskins Offensive Coordinator…Head Coach of the Washington Redskins. It has been just two weeks since he was named O.C. in Washington.

“I’ve always dreamed of being a head coach with a franchise rich in tradition like the Redskins,” Zorn said in a statement released by the team. “As a player who had to fight Redskins teams at RFK as well as at our home field, I know about the history of this franchise as well as the passion of its fans. I won’t let you down.”

I have stated before that I thought that Snyder should go out and get a guy who can build his reputation and legacy as a head coach in Washington rather than throw big money at some guy. I have to say though, being hired on the lower tier and then “promoted” has to leave a taste of not really being the guy they wanted. Regardless, Zorn now gets to prove that he can be the guy. Hey, he may also get a say in who his offensive coordinator will be now that the spot has opened up.

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NFL Playoff Jabber/Divisional Saturday

Everybody (except the Jags for some) that we expected to be playing this week is. Everything is going according to plan in what seems to be a given in the Patriots run to perfection. There is the old saying something like, “That’s why they play the games…” I have opened myself up to ridicule for my pick of the Jaguars against the Patriots. FanYard blogging says I’m having fits of Bushillariness [boosh-hil-uh-ree-nis]. I still can’t explain it. The Patriots are the easy, safe (safest ever?) pick. There is just this feeling that they can be beat and if the Jaguars play the whole game they can do it.

So did you hear that Matt Hasselbeck put his foot in his mouth at the coin toss for over time the last time the Packers and Seahawks met in the playoffs? I have to admit, at the time I was wondering what the hell he was talking about. Last week he cleared it up by saying he was joking around like kids would in the backyard since he knew the guys on the Packers. It’s all in fun.

Anyway, this week we have our poll results (at the time of writing this) from the Jabberheads here, the AccuScore Game Forecast used at the mainstream sites, and The Yardstick from our friends at FanYard. We’ll also take a look around the web with a bunch of links and quotes for today’s games.

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Kickoff at 4:30 EST on Fox

Poll Results:

• Football Jabber: 74% in favor of the Packers
• AccuScore: 69% in favor of the Packers
• YardStick: 83% in favor of the Packers

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Kickoff at 7:00 EST on CBS

Poll Results:

• Football Jabber: 57% in favor of the Patriots
• AccuScore: 82% in favor of the Patriots
• YardStick: 94% in favor of the Patriots

Now let’s get on to that link and quote dump…

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NFL Footballderdash/Divisional Playoffs

Love the playoffs in the NFL! We are a week into it and things are shaping up just about how most people thought they would. Except for my nemesis, who picked the Steelers over the Jaguars last week. Let’s get to the divisional round. While your here, go ahead and hit the polls over there in the side bar for these games! —>

Last week

Good Guy (Lee)

Regular Season 30-23/Playoffs 4-0

Bad Guy (Kelloggs23)

Regular Season 30-23/Playoffs 3-1
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Story lines! Brett Favre making another run, Will it be his last? His former backup, Matt Hasselbeck, returns to Green Bay. The Big Show, Mike Holmgren returns to where he brought a Lombardi home. The thing that catches me eye about this game is how different the seasons ended up in the running game. The Seahawks were supposed to have one of the top running backs in the NFL in Shaun Alexander. The Packers were not supposed to have a running game. Oh, what a difference 16 games can make. This one for me comes down to simple math. Over the season it has worked fairly well for me. Passing game+Running game+Defense beats having a Passing game+Defense-running game. The Seahawks sound as if they are content in coming in with Hasselbeck’s (a hurt Hassellbeck) arm a blazing and get the job done. Don’t see it happening.

Lee: Green Bay Packers

Favre’s swan call. The Seattle D showed just how menacing they can be this last week and will keep it going against the Pack @ Lambeau. I think Alexander will come around this game and play with more authority. I’m not saying 200 yards and 3 TDs, but I think he breaks the century mark and finds the end zone a couple times. Hasslebeck has been quietly putting up great numbers all year and will keep it going. The GB D is overrated IMO and will be exposed for who they are this game. Favre will be playing catchup and you know that means he will be forcing some balls which will get him into trouble. Holmgren comes back to GB and shows them what they missed out on by letting him go. Hasslebeck is gonna take the ball cuz they are gonna score!

Kelloggs23: Seattle Seahawks

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NFL Playoff Jabber/Wild Card Sunday

I have to say that the 4th quarter in both of the playoff games on Saturday was some of the best post season football in the NFL in while.  Edge of your seat stuff, especially if you were a fan of one of the teams.  We can only hope that today brings as much action.  You can check out highlight videos HERE for the Jags/Steelers and HERE for the Seahawks/Redskins.

Let’s move on to the Sunday games.  Below is some results from the polls done here as well as what the rest of the world outside Jabberland thinks via NFL.com polls (results at the time of writing this).  Following that is a big link and quote dump getting us set for the rest of Wild Card Weekend.

Giants @ Buccaneers

Kickoff is at 12pm EST. on Fox

Poll Results:

Football Jabber Poll: 55% in favor of the Giants

NFL.com Poll: 55% in favor of the Giants

Footballderdash Picks: Both Lee and Kelloggs23 take the Giants.

Titans @ Chargers 

Football Jabber Poll: 91% in favor of the Chargers.

NFL.com Poll: 81% in favor of the Chargers.

Footballderdash Picks: Both Lee and Kelloggs23 take the Chargers.

Now for some linkage and quote dumpage…

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Playoff Jabber/Wild Card Saturday

Wild Card weekend is here! For the most part we have some pretty good games this season, even with half of the teams being from the NFC. What we are going to do is take a look at the different games with some quotes and link dumps. There is also a short ESPN video preview if you want to have a look, go to the video page link above. Poll results from here at Football Jabber and the rest of the world via NFL.com (results at of the time of this post). Let’s get started…

Redskins @ Seahawks

Kickoff is at 4:30 EST on NBC

Poll Results:

• Football Jabber: 67% in favor of Seattle Seahawks

• NFL.com Poll: 53% in favor of Washington Redskins

Footballderdash Picks: Both Lee and Kelloggs23 went with the Seahawks.

Jaguars @ Steelers

Kickoff is at 7pm EST. on NBC

Poll Results:

• Football Jabber: 70% in favor of Jacksonville Jaguars

• NFL.com Poll: 60% in favor of Jacksonville Jaguars

Footballderdash Picks: Lee takes the Jaguars, Kelloggs23 rolls with the Steelers

Linkage and quote dumpage…

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