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NFL 2009: Week 11 Preview: Two Teams 9-0

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:37:49 -0600

NFL 2009: WEEK 11 PREVIEW

Week 11 NFL Preview

11/17/2009

TWO 9-0 TEAMS FOR THIRD TIME IN NFL HISTORY;

DIVISION LEADERS SHOWING WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES

As the NFL season rolls into Week 11, there are still two undefeated teams. The two unbeatens – the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints – form just the third pair in NFL history to start a season 9-0, joining the 1934 Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears and the 1990 New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers.

To get to 9-0, Indianapolis needed a come-from-behind victory over the New England Patriots on Sunday night. Trailing by 17 points in the fourth quarter, the Colts scored three touchdowns in the final period to pull out a stunning 35-34 victory. Indianapolis quarterback PEYTON MANNING threw four touchdowns on the night, including the game-winner to REGGIE WAYNE with 13 seconds remaining.

“Reggie called the last play,” says Manning. “He kept fighting through and made an extended catch. Maybe not his best catch ever, but it sure was timely.”

The Colts, who are 9-0 for the third time in the past five years, have won a franchise-record 18 consecutive regular-season games, tied with the 2003-04 Patriots for the second-longest streak in NFL history.

“We can’t be any better,” says Indianapolis head coach JIM CALDWELL about the team’s 9-0 record. “But the fact of the matter is, there’s still a lot of work to be done.”

New Orleans, who visits Tampa Bay this Sunday, improved to 9-0 for the first time in franchise history with a 28-23 win at St. Louis. The Saints, who were 4-5 at this time last season, are one of three 2009 division leaders – Cincinnati (7-2 in 2009; 1-8 in 2008) and Dallas (6-3; 5-4) – who were in last place after Week 10 a year ago.

The nine 2009 division leaders (Denver and San Diego are tied for first in the AFC West) are a combined 63-18 (.778) through Week 10, 22 wins better than their records from a year ago at this time (41-40, .506).

The Bengals completed a sweep of the defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers last week to vault into first place in the AFC North. Cincinnati is now 4-0 against division rivals Pittsburgh and Baltimore, the two teams that met in the AFC Championship Game. The Bengals are just the third team in the Super Bowl era to go 4-0 against the reigning Conference Championship Game participants (1967 Raiders vs. Buf/KC and 2006 Chargers vs. Den/Pit/Sea).

“The Steelers and Ravens have been the cornerstones of the league the last few years,” says Bengals cornerback JOHNATHAN JOSEPH. “We want to make our presence felt as well.”

Some of the headline games in Week 11:

MIAMI DOLPHINS (4-5) at CAROLINA PANTHERS (4-5) (Thursday, NFLN, 8:20 PM ET)

“These two teams are clawing their way back into the playoff picture,” says NFL Network’s BOB PAPA, who will call the game on Thursday night. “It’s power running versus power running.”

It will be a matchup of two of the league’s best rush teams as the Panthers (156.6 yards per game) are third in the NFL and the Dolphins (156.2) rank fourth. Carolina’s attack will showcase DE ANGELO WILLIAMS (860 yards, 7 TDs) and JONATHAN STEWART (466 yards, 6 TDs) while Miami’s offense will feature RONNIE BROWN (648 yards, 8 TDs) and

RICKY WILLIAMS (558 yards, 6 TDs). The Panthers and Dolphins are the only teams in the NFL to each feature two running backs with at least 450 yards and five rushing touchdowns.

Both teams were division winners last year and are looking to get back to the postseason after slow starts. The Dolphins and Panthers have each won four of their past six games after 0-3 starts.

“We were 1-3 in the first quarter and 2-2 in the second,” says Carolina head coach JOHN FOX. “The upside of that is there is room for improvement. There is no question to get better we’ve got to take a one game at a time approach. We’ve got a lot of season left. We’ll define where the body of work is after 16 games.”

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (9-0) at BALTIMORE RAVENS (5-4) (Sunday, CBS, 1:00 PM ET)

The Colts have won 18 consecutive games, tied for the second-longest streak in NFL history (New England, 2003-04). But head coach JIM CALDWELL is looking forward, not back.

“If you take a peak in the rearview mirror, there are some teams that are behind us, but not far behind us,” says Caldwell. “So we better make certain that we stay on our toes and continue to try and get better. All we have to do is look down the road to next Sunday and see who we’re playing. It’s an outstanding team in Baltimore. It’s going to be a tough battle.”

That outstanding team in Baltimore is coming off a 16-0 road win at Cleveland on Monday night.

“Anytime you’re in the NFL and you get a shutout, it’s big,” says Ravens linebacker RAY LEWIS.

Baltimore is gearing up for a tough series that will see them host the Colts and Steelers before traveling to Green Bay.

“This upcoming three-game stretch is probably everything for our season,” says Ravens head coach JOHN HARBAUGH.

The Colts have won six in a row against the Ravens, including a 15-6 win in the 2006 Divisional Playoffs en route to Indianapolis’ Super Bowl XLI victory.

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (6-3) at DENVER BRONCOS (6-3) (Sunday, CBS, 4:15 PM ET)

First place in the AFC West is on the line when these two division rivals meet on Sunday.

The streaking Chargers, who will play the 1,000th game in franchise history (including preseason and postseason), have won four in a row, including last week’s 31-23 win over Philadelphia.

“We didn’t know it would happen like this or this fast,” says San Diego quarterback PHILIP RIVERS, “but we believed we could get ourselves back into the division race. There is a lot of football left and there is no telling where things can go, but it’s nice to put together a string of wins and play better football. Denver will be a tough test and we’ll put together a great week at practice and look forward to it.”

Denver has stumbled after a 6-0 start, but head coach JOSH MC DANIELS knows his team is still in good position at 6-3 and tied for first place.

“We’re 6-3 and playing San Diego, who is also 6-3,” says McDaniels, whose club defeated the Chargers 34-23 in Week 6. “It’s a huge division game at home. I don’t know why we wouldn’t like to be in this situation. We need to fix the problems and play good football from here on out, starting this week against a great team coming from San Diego in our division.”

TENNESSEE TITANS (3-6) at HOUSTON TEXANS (5-4) (Monday, ESPN, 8:30 PM ET)

“Monday Night Football is very big,” says Houston wide receiver ANDRE JOHNSON, who ranks third in the NFL with 800 receiving yards. “Everybody is watching. This is a real big game and it will be a test for us.”

The Texans, coming off a Week 10 bye, will look to slow down the red-hot Titans, who have won three in a row and have averaged 35.0 points per game in their three victories, all started by quarterback VINCE YOUNG. Running back CHRIS JOHNSON, who became the second player in team history with 100 yards receiving and 100 yards rushing in a game last week, leads the NFL with 1,091 yards. He is the third player in NFL history (Pro Football Hall of Famer JIM BROWN and ADRIAN PETERSON) to rush for at least 1,000 yards and average 6.4 yards per carry in his team’s first nine games.

“My confidence level is high right now,” says Johnson. “We’ve won three in a row, and like I said earlier, our goal has been to try and go 10-0 in these last games (after the team’s 0-6 start).”

“It’s all about the next game,” says Titans head coach JEFF FISHER about the team’s winning streak. “We just have to keep it going.”

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NFL FACTOID

There are nine quarterbacks – BRETT FAVRE, DREW BREES, PEYTON MANNING, AARON RODGERS, TOM BRADY, MATT SCHAUB, PHILIP RIVERS, BEN ROETHLISBERGER, DONOVAN MC NABB – with a passer rating of at least 95.0, the most through the first 10 weeks of a season since 1970.

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NFL

Old Head

Sportscapper Island

____OLD HEAD______________
SHOW NO EMOTION

NFL QB Drew Brees Leads Charge In Pro Bowl Balloting

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:20:51 -0600

NFL 2009: Drew Brees Leading Pro Bowl Voting

New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees Leads Pro Bowl Charge With Five Weeks of Voting Remaining on NFL.com

11/18/2009

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS QB DREW BREES LEADS PRO BOWL CHARGE WITH FIVE WEEKS OF VOTING
REMAINING ON NFL.COM

Teams to be Announced on Pro Bowl Selection Show December 29 on NFL Network

New Orleans Saints quarterback DREW BREES, with 539,228 votes, leads all NFL All-Stars in balloting for the 2010 Pro Bowl, NFL.com announced today. 2010 Pro Bowl voting will continue on NFL.com/probowl and on web-enabled mobile phones by going to NFL.com through Monday, December 21.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback PEYTON MANNING (532,455 votes) ranks second overall, while Minnesota Vikings running back ADRIAN PETERSON (529,319 votes), Minnesota Vikings quarterback BRETT FAVRE (476,799 votes) and Arizona Cardinals wide receiver LARRY FITZGERALD (328,451 votes) round out the top five on NFL.com.

Balloting for the 2010 Pro Bowl will conclude on Monday, December 21 following the conclusion of Monday Night Football (New York Giants at Washington Redskins, ESPN, 8:30 PM ET). The teams will be announced at 4 PM (ET) Tuesday, December 29 on a special NFL Total Access 2010 Pro Bowl Selection Show on NFL Network.

The 2010 Pro Bowl will be played on Sunday, January 31, 2010 and televised live on ESPN at 7:20 PM ET from Dolphin Stadium in South Florida, also the site of Super Bowl XLIV a week later on Sunday, February 7.

Fans can buy tickets to the 2010 Pro Bowl at NFL.com/probowl and TICKETMASTER.com or by calling 800-745-3000.

The AFC and NFC All-Star squads are based on the consensus votes of fans, players and coaches. Each group’s vote counts one-third towards determining the 43-man rosters that represent the American Football Conference and National Football Conference in the Pro Bowl. NFL players and coaches will cast their votes on December 22 - 23.

The NFL is the only sports league that combines voting by fans, coaches and players to determine its all-star teams. It was the first professional sports league to offer online all-star voting in 1995.

Listed below are the top 10 overall All-Star vote-getters and the players with the most votes at each position through November 16:

NFL ALL-STAR TOP-TEN VOTE-GETTERS

Pos. Name, Team Votes

QB Drew Brees, Saints
539,228

QB Peyton Manning, Colts
532,455

RB Adrian Peterson, Vikings
529,319

QB Brett Favre, Vikings
476,799

WR Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals
328,451

RB Cedric Benson, Bengals
321,552

QB Tom Brady, Patriots
295,477

QB Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers
291,466

WR Andre Johnson, Texans
279,395

TE Dallas Clark, Colts
274,400

AFC LEADING VOTE-GETTERS

Pos. Name, Team Votes Pos. Name, Team Votes

QB Peyton Manning, Colts
532,455

DE Dwight Freeney, Colts
200,568

RB Cedric Benson, Bengals
321,552

IL Casey Hampton, Steelers
121,108

FB Le'Ron McClain, Ravens
78,194

OLB James Harrison, Steelers
124,676

WR Andre Johnson, Texans
279,395

ILB Ray Lewis, Ravens
148,480

TE Dallas Clark, Colts
274,400
CB Champ Bailey, Broncos
185,103

T Jake Long, Dolphins
107,299

SS Troy Polamalu, Steelers
192,289

G Alan Faneca, Jets
122,029

FS Ed Reed, Ravens
146,388

C Jeff Saturday, Colts
215,658

P Daniel Sepulveda, Steelers
48,468

K Adam Vinatieri, Colts
72,029

ST Joshua Cribbs, Browns
61,851

KR Darren Sproles, Chargers
77,972

NFC LEADING VOTE-GETTERS

Pos. Name, Team Votes Pos. Name, Team Votes

QB Drew Brees, Saints
539,228

DE
Jared Allen, Vikings
212,605

RB Adrian Peterson, Vikings
529,319

IL
Pat Williams, Vikings
135,669

FB Naufahu Tahi, Vikings
63,872

OLB
DeMarcus Ware, Cowboys
169,270

WR Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals
328,451
ILB

Patrick Willis, 49ers
115,350

TE Tony Gonzalez, Falcons
183,979

CB
Asante Samuel, Eagles
123,107

T Bryant McKinnie, Vikings
137,844

SS
Adrian Wilson, Cardinals
120,372

G Steve Hutchinson, Vikings
145,279

FS
Darren Sharper, Saints
184,993

C John Sullivan, Vikings
127,695

P
Jeff Feagles, Giants
52,952

K Ryan Longwell, Vikings
68,197

ST
Heath Farwell, Vikings
54,830

KR Percy Harvin, Vikings
143,880

NFL

Old Head

Sportscapper Island

# # #

___OLD HEAD_______________
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NFL 2009: Week 9 Preview: 5 Key Divisonal Contests

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:31:33 -0600

NFL 2009: PREVIEW-- WEEK 9

Week 9 NFL Preview

11/06/2009

KEY DIVISIONAL CONTESTS HIGHLIGHT WEEK 9 NFL ACTION

As the NFL approaches the halfway point, it’s still a wide open race to the playoffs.

Sure, the Indianapolis Colts (7-0) and New Orleans Saints (7-0) are in good shape with spotless records. But in the unpredictable NFL, you don’t want to count out anybody. Since 1990, when the current 12-team playoff format was adopted, 47 teams (20.6 percent of the 228 playoff clubs) have advanced to the postseason after starting the season with a .500 or worse record after eight games. So while being undefeated is nice, Colts wide receiver REGGIE WAYNE knows there’s a lot of football left to be played.

“We know that 7-0 guarantees us nothing,” says Wayne. “We’ve gotten farther than this in the past and came out with nothing. We just want to stay dialed in and continue to win games.”

And “continue to win games” is exactly what the Colts have been doing. Indianapolis has now won 16 consecutive regular-season games and can tie the 1933-34 Chicago Bears for the third-longest streak in NFL history with a win this Sunday against the 5-3 Houston Texans.

The 7-0 mark for Colts head coach JIM CALDWELL is the second-best start in the past 80 years for a rookie head coach, trailing only POTSY CLARK (8-0) of the 1931 Portsmouth Spartans. “They’re not handing out anything for whatever record that is,” says Caldwell. “We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us.”

And that work continues this Sunday. Both the Colts and Saints will look to remain unbeaten as part of five key divisional matchups in Week 9:

DIVISION
VISITING CLUB (RECORD)
HOME CLUB (RECORD)

AFC North
Baltimore (4-3)
Cincinnati (5-2)

AFC South
Houston (5-3)
Indianapolis (7-0)

AFC East
Miami (3-4)
New England (5-2)

NFC South
Carolina (3-4)
New Orleans (7-0)

NFC East
Dallas (5-2)
Philadelphia (5-2)

Some of the headline games in Week 9:

BALTIMORE RAVENS (4-3) at CINCINNATI BENGALS (5-2) (Sunday, CBS, 1:00 PM ET)

The 4-3 Ravens will visit the 5-2 Bengals in a matchup between two of the top teams in the AFC North. Baltimore is riding high after an impressive 30-7 victory over the previously unbeaten Denver Broncos while the Bengals, who had a bye in Week 8, have won five of their past six games.

“It was a special win,” says Ravens running back RAY RICE after defeating Denver. “It was a game that we needed, especially coming off the bye week. To come out and play all three phases the way we played, that was special.”

In Week 7, the Bengals played, according to offensive coordinator BOB BRATKOWSKI, “our best game of this year.” Cincinnati defeated Chicago 45-10 behind quarterback CARSON PALMER’s five touchdown passes and running back CEDRIC BENSON’s career-high 189 rushing yards. But head coach MARVIN LEWIS is looking forward, not back.

“It’s a new season,” says Lewis, speaking of the games after the bye week. “We have a nine-game schedule and we open with Baltimore.”

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NFL FACTOID

There have been 81 touchdowns of at least 50 yards scored this season. That is the most through the first eight weeks of a season since 1970. The previous high was 80 touchdowns of 50+ yards scored in 1998.

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HOUSTON TEXANS (5-3) at INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (7-0) (Sunday, CBS, 1:00 PM ET)

Two of the NFL’s hottest clubs will meet at Lucas Oil Stadium this Sunday in a battle of the AFC South’s top teams.

Houston has won three games in a row, including a 31-10 victory at Buffalo last week. The Texans, now 5-3, are two games above .500 after eight games for the first time in franchise history.

“This team has grown so much since the day I got here,” says Houston wide receiver ANDRE JOHNSON, who leads the NFL with 697 receiving yards. “I’ve pretty much been through it all here. We’ve come a long way.”

The Colts, who are 7-0 for the fourth time in the past five seasons, begin a stretch that will see them play teams that are a combined 19-11 (.633) over the next four games. That starts this Sunday against the Texans.

“We’re heading into the teeth of our schedule,” says Indianapolis quarterback PEYTON MANNING.

Indianapolis remained unbeaten with an 18-14 win over San Francisco last week, highlighted by running back JOSEPH ADDAI’s 22-yard fourth-quarter touchdown pass to REGGIE WAYNE.

“I couldn’t drop that one,” says Wayne, who ranks second in the NFL behind Houston’s Johnson with 689 receiving yards. “If I had dropped that one, he would have messed with me forever.”

DALLAS COWBOYS (5-2) at PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (5-2) (Sunday, NBC, 8:20 PM ET)

“Philadelphia and Dallas are playing great in all three phases,” says NBC analyst TONY DUNGY. “It’s setting up a big showdown game – with first place in the NFC East on the line – on Sunday night.”

The Cowboys have won three consecutive games and have scored 101 points (33.7 per game) during their recent winning streak. Quarterback TONY ROMO has posted a 100+ passer rating in all three games and wide receiver MILES AUSTIN has recorded 21 catches for 482 yards (160.7 per game) and five touchdowns in the past three – the first three starts of his career. Austin’s 482 receiving yards are the most by a player in his first three starts since 1970.

“The Cowboys are the best team in the NFC East right now,” says NFL Network analyst STEVE MARIUCCI.

Last week, the Eagles scored 40 points in a 23-point victory over the New York Giants, the team’s largest margin of victory over the Giants since 1996. In Philadelphia’s five wins this season, the team has averaged 34.4 points per game.

One of the weapons in the high-octane offense is wide receiver-punt returner DE SEAN JACKSON, who has scored six touchdowns of at least 50 yards this year, becoming just the second player in NFL history – Pro Football Hall of Famer ELROY (CRAZYLEGS) HIRSCH (1951) – to score six 50-yard touchdowns in the first seven games of a season.

“I’ve just been put in some great positions to score long touchdowns,” says Jackson. “Whatever we need to do to make it work, that’s what we’re going to do. I want to keep winning, keep making plays and hopefully make it to the Super Bowl.”

PITTSBURGH STEELERS (5-2) at DENVER BRONCOS (6-1) (Monday, ESPN, 8:30 PM ET)

The defending champion Steelers, coming off a bye, will look to extend their winning streak to five consecutive games this Monday night at Denver when two division leaders clash.

“We’re stacking wins,” says Pittsburgh wide receiver HINES WARD of the team’s recent winning streak. “In the month of November, we’re heading in the right direction.”

In Week 7, the Steelers, who currently are tied for first in the AFC North with Cincinnati, scored two defensive touchdowns in the fourth quarter – 77-yard fumble-return TD by linebacker LA MARR WOODLEY and 82-yard interception-return TD by linebacker KEYARON FOX – in the team’s 27-17 win over Minnesota.

“There’s a lot of season left and we have some growing to do defensively,” says Pittsburgh defensive coordinator DICK LE BEAU. “I think we have the potential to be a very, very good defense.”

A team that has shown a very, very good defense in 2009 is Denver. The Broncos, who enter the week in first place in the AFC West with a 6-1 mark, rank second in the NFL allowing just 13.7 points per game. Denver will look to rebound after suffering its first loss of the season last week against another AFC North opponent, the Baltimore Ravens.

“You can find out just as much about your team through the adversity of a loss as you can through six wins,” says Broncos head coach JOSH MC DANIELS. “Now we’ve got to get ready to play against a really good team in Pittsburgh.”

NFL

OLD HEAD

Sportscapper Island.com

____OLD HEAD______________
SHOW NO EMOTION

New York Yankees Take Game Three In World series

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 07:30:21 -0600

New York Yankees 8 Philadelphia Phillies 5

Game Three

After a rain delay in Philadelphia that lasted one hour and 20 minutes game three started and it was to be nothing like the low scoring games of one and two.

The Phillies got off to a 3-0 lead but the Yankees closed, went ahead and never looked back.

Yankee bats came alive as did the Phillies for this game but the Yanks came out on top. Home runs were on the menu and the Yankee sluggers were ordering, Alex Rodriguez, Nick Swisher and Hideki Matsui had home runs off of three different Philly pitchers. The long ball helped the Yankees put up eight runs on the Phils.

Jason Werth the Phillies right fielder added two home runs to his post season total, now at seven and one shy of the major league record.

Cole Hamels took the loss and Andy Pettitte was the winning pitcher for the Yankees.

Game four is tonight in Philly as they try to even the series at two games each.

New York Yankees Tie Series

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:45:52 -0500

World Series Now 1-1

The new billion dollar plus Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York came alive tonight as the Yankees beat the World Champion Philadelphia Phillies by a score of 3-1.

A.J.Burnett got the win as he pitched seven innings giving up just one run on four hits. The Phillies scored in the second inning going up by one run and that was the end of their scoring for the night.

Pedro Martinez pitched well for the Phillies but gave up two solo shot home runs by Mark Teixeira and Hideki Matsui and a run on a single by Posada in the seventh.

The Yankees used the one two punch of Burnett and the final two innings by Mariano Rivera to hold the Phillies to one run on just six hits.

The series now heads back to Philly for game three Saturday night.

Phillies Take Game One In 2009 World Series

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:06:14 -0500

Phillies beat the New York Yankees 6-1 in game one.

The Philadelphia Phillies won game one tonight in the 2009 World Series.

Winning pitcher Cliff Lee was at his best and the New York Yankee line up was only able to score in the bottom of the ninth on an error by Jimmy Rollins. The final score 6-1.

Chase Utley had two solo home runs to lead the Philly attack as he tied a record set in 1928 by Babe Ruth, two home runs in a World Series game against a left handed pitcher. It would be all the Phillies needed to defeat the Yankees.

Cliff Lee pitched lights out, a complete game and also had a great 'behind the back' defensive play.

Game two of the best of seven is Thursday night in New York with the action going to 'The Bank' in Philly on Saturday. It is also good to note for Philly fans that the winner of game one in the World Series won the Series in eleven of the last twelve World Series events.

Old Head

Sportscapper Island.com

NFL 2009: Week 8 Preview: Three Unbeatens Most Since 1970

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:08:58 -0500

NFL 2009: WEEK 8 PREVIEW

Week 8 NFL Preview

10/28/2009

THREE UNBEATENS ENTERING WEEK 8 ARE MOST SINCE MERGER; FAVRE RETURNS TO LAMBEAU

Week 8 is here and three teams – Denver (6-0), Indianapolis (6-0) and New Orleans (6-0) – remain undefeated – the first time since the 1970 merger that the league has had three undefeated teams through the first seven weeks.

The Saints improved to 6-0 last week by overcoming a 24-3 deficit to defeat the Miami Dolphins 46-34.

“It was the first chance for us to play from a deficit,” says New Orleans head coach SEAN PAYTON, “and I was encouraged with how we responded. I’m proud of this football team.”

It was the largest comeback victory (21-point deficit) in league history for a team attempting to preserve a perfect record of at least 5-0. And that’s the beauty of the never-say-die NFL.

“There was no doubt on our sidelines that we would come back and win,” says Saints quarterback DREW BREES.

Colts rookie head coach JIM CALDWELL improved to 6-0 with a 42-6 victory at St. Louis as Indianapolis notched its franchise-record 15th consecutive regular-season win. Caldwell and Denver’s JOSH MC DANIELS, whose club had a bye in Week 7, are the first pair of rookie head coaches to each start a season 6-0 since the 1970 merger.

“This team is going to get better as time goes on,” says Caldwell of the Colts. “The effort and execution are both improving every single week. The thing I’m really pleased about, overall, is that we just keep getting better every week. Any time you get a win in this league, it’s big.”

All three unbeatens will look for that “big” win this weekend. Denver will visit 3-3 Baltimore. Indianapolis will host 3-3 San Francisco. And New Orleans will welcome 4-2 Atlanta to the Louisiana Superdome on Monday night.

Week 8 will also feature both rematches of last year’s NFC Divisional Playoffs. Carolina will look to exact revenge against Arizona, winners of three in a row, and the New York Giants (5-2) will visit Philadelphia to face the Eagles (4-2) in a key NFC East divisional matchup. And those are just some of the exciting games on tap in Week 8.
Some of the others:

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (6-1) at GREEN BAY PACKERS (4-2) (Sunday, FOX, 4:15 PM ET)

“This is Brett’s homecoming, let’s be real about it,” says Green Bay safety ATARI BIGBY. “It’s going to be special. Everybody wants to see this. Everybody’s going to tune in to this game.”

Brett, of course, is Minnesota quarterback BRETT FAVRE, who set numerous Packers records including most games (255), wins (160), attempts (8,754), completions (5,377), yards (61,655), touchdowns (442) and passer rating (85.8) and returns to Green Bay as a Viking for the first time.

“My career with Green Bay speaks for itself,” says Favre about his return to Lambeau Field. “That won’t change. For three hours, I’ll be on the other side. Do I know what that feels like? I have no idea.”

In Week 4, the Vikings defeated the Packers 30-23 behind Favre’s 271 yards and three touchdown passes. However, Green Bay enters this week’s contest coming off back-to-back wins, outscoring opponents 57-3 in those two games. The offense has been led by quarterback AARON RODGERS, who ranks second in the NFL with a 110.8 passer rating.

“Our confidence is high,” says Packers head coach MIKE MC CARTHY. “We’re growing as a football team. We feel like we’re building each week, getting better and growing. We feel very, very good about ourselves as a football team.”

DENVER BRONCOS (6-0) at BALTIMORE RAVENS (3-3) (Sunday, CBS, 1:00 PM ET)

Two AFC contenders coming off bye weeks will meet this Sunday in Baltimore.

The Broncos, one of three undefeated teams in the NFL, will put their perfect record on the line against the Ravens. Denver ranks first in the NFL allowing just 11.0 points per game, while Baltimore is fifth in the league averaging 28.2 points per game.

“Even though we’re 3-3, this team believes in itself and in each other,” says Ravens center MATT BIRK. “I’m not happy about being 3-3 but we still feel good about what we’re doing and how we’re doing it.”

Denver quarterback KYLE ORTON, who leads the NFL with a nine-to-one touchdown-to-interception ratio (9 TDs, 1 INT), has won his first six starts with the Broncos and can join DIETER BROCK (Los Angeles Rams, 1985) as the only QBs since 1970 to win seven consecutive games to start a season in their first year with a team. To get win number seven, however, he’ll have to perform against a tough Ravens defense.

“Baltimore’s a physical team,” says Broncos head coach JOSH MC DANIELS. “That’s their style in all three phases. If you’re not ready for that style of play, you can get embarrassed by a team like this on the road.”

MIAMI DOLPHINS (2-4) at NEW YORK JETS (4-3) (Sunday, CBS, 1:00 PM ET)

Three weeks after a classic Monday Night Football showdown, these two AFC East rivals meet again.

In Week 5, the Dolphins defeated the Jets 31-27 as running back RONNIE BROWN scored on a two-yard touchdown run with six seconds left. It marked the sixth time in the team’s 44-year rivalry that Miami beat New York in the final minute of the fourth quarter. The Dolphins outscored the Jets 21-14 in the final quarter as the teams combined for 35 points, the highest-scoring fourth quarter in an NFL game in which no points were scored in the third quarter since 1982.

“You always dream as a kid of endings like that,” says Miami quarterback CHAD HENNE, who led fourth-quarter drives of 64, 84 and 70 yards against the Jets. “I watched JOE MONTANA. Comeback Joe. It’s great to be part of something like that.”

The Jets are coming off a 38-0 victory at Oakland. New York rushed for 316 yards – led by running backs THOMAS JONES (121 yards) and rookie SHONN GREENE (144) – and, following a 318-yard rushing performance in Week 6, are the first team in 75 years to rush for at least 316 yards in consecutive games (1934 Detroit Lions).

“I was really impressed with our team,” says Jets head coach REX RYAN about the team’s win in Oakland. “I thought our offensive line created a lot of running lanes and our backs did a great job of hitting it and our guys did a nice job of blocking down the field. Any time you can rush for 300 plus yards, you know it’s going well for you.”

This week, the Jets will look to continue to successfully run the ball and stop Miami’s Wildcat formation on defense.

“That Wildcat is something else,” says Ryan of Miami’s offense. “That’s an excellent scheme and they’re really good at it. They have two Pro Bowl running backs that they can put back there. It isn’t going to be easy to stop them.”

ATLANTA FALCONS (4-2) at NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (6-0) (Monday, ESPN, 8:30 PM ET)

Down 24-3 at Miami last week, the Saints, who had not trailed in a game all season, used a strong team effort to come back and defeat the Dolphins 46-34 to remain the NFC’s only unbeaten team.

“That was a huge win,” says New Orleans linebacker SCOTT SHANLE. “It can be a season-changing win. When you look back over the course of a season, a win like that can be huge. It says a lot about the character of this team. This was a test we hadn’t faced yet, and we came back and responded.”

The Saints have scored at least 45 points in four of their first six games, the first team in NFL history to accomplish the feat. New Orleans is averaging 39.7 points per game (238 points), the highest mark in the league, and the club will put its perfect record on the line in a divisional battle on Monday night against the Atlanta Falcons.

Atlanta, a playoff team last year, brings a 4-2 mark into the contest. Quarterback MATT RYAN has won four of his five career starts in November, including a victory over the Saints last year (November 9), and has posted a 113.9 passer rating in two meetings with the Saints.

“He plays with a lot of poise and confidence,” New Orleans head coach SEAN PAYTON says of Ryan. “He’s accurate and he’s tough. He’s a quarterback that always gives his team a chance, just like DREW BREES does for us. Those are guys who give you a chance to win every time you play.”

************************************************** ************************************************** ************************************************** *****************************************

NFL FACTOID

Four teams started 6-0 this year – the Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints – the most such teams in a single season in NFL history.

************************************************** ************************************************** ********************

LAST WEEK’S RESULTS (OCTOBER 25-26)

Byes: Baltimore, Denver, Detroit, Jacksonville, Seattle, Tennessee

Sunday, October 25

Green Bay 31, CLEVELAND 3
CINCINNATI 45, Chicago 10

HOUSTON 24, San Francisco 21
DALLAS 37, Atlanta 21

San Diego 37, KANSAS CITY 7
New Orleans 46, MIAMI 34

PITTSBURGH 27, Minnesota 17
Arizona 24, N.Y. GIANTS 17

Indianapolis 42, ST. LOUIS 6
New England 35, TAMPA BAY 7

Buffalo 20, CAROLINA 9

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MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

Philadelphia 27, WASHINGTON 17
*******************************

N.Y. Jets 38, OAKLAND 0

2009 WEEK 8 SCHEDULE (NOVEMBER 1-2)

(All times local)

Byes: Cincinnati, Kansas City, New England, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, Washington

Sunday, November 1

Denver at Baltimore, 1:00 PM
Oakland at San Diego, 1:05 PM

Houston at Buffalo, 1:00 PM
Jacksonville at Tennessee, 3:05 PM

Cleveland at Chicago, 12:00 PM
Carolina at Arizona, 2:15 PM

Seattle at Dallas, 12:00 PM
Minnesota at Green Bay, 4:15 PM

St. Louis at Detroit, 1:00 PM
San Francisco at Indianapolis, 1:00 PM

Miami at N.Y. Jets, 1:00 PM

*********************************

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

Atlanta at New Orleans, 7:30 PM (ESPN)

*********************************

N.Y. Giants at Philadelphia, 1:00 PM

NFL

OLD HEAD

Sportscapper Island.com

____OLD HEAD______________
SHOW NO EMOTION

NFL 2009: Week 7 Preview: NFL Game In London England

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:40:15 -0500

NFL 2009: PREVIEW-- WEEK 7

Week 7 NFL Preview

10/20/2009

NFL GOES INTERNATIONAL: PATS & BUCS MEET IN LONDON… THREE UNBEATENS IN ACTION IN WEEK 7

There will be one game in London…and plenty more back home in Week 7.

This week the NFL features a regular-season game in London, England and three of the remaining four undefeated teams will aim to stay perfect.

The Patriots-Buccaneers’ meeting is the third regular-season game at Wembley Stadium, part of a multi-year commitment to play a limited number of games in the United Kingdom on an annual basis.

“We’re happy to take the game of football international and make the sport bigger than it already is,” says Tampa Bay head coach RAHEEM MORRIS. “We’re really excited about the opportunity.”

This year’s contest follows last season’s exciting matchup between the New Orleans Saints and San Diego Chargers – won by the Saints 37-32 – in front of 83,226 enthusiastic fans.

“What really stood out to me was the atmosphere of the game,” recalls Chargers running back LA DAINIAN TOMLINSON. “I thought it was great. The fans were into the game and it was a really exciting game to be a part of. I think if you ask any one of the players in the locker room, they’ll say no doubt they’d go back and do it again.”

Meanwhile, back home stateside, three of the remaining four unbeatens – Indianapolis (5-0), Minnesota (6-0) and New Orleans (5-0) – will be in action. Denver (6-0) has a bye in Week 7 after a 34-23 win at San Diego on Monday night. The four undefeated teams through the first six weeks are the most since the 1970 merger.

“All I know is that we’re 6-0,” says Vikings quarterback BRETT FAVRE, who led his team to a 33-31 come-from-behind victory over Baltimore last week. “I’m proud of that. It’s a good start but there’s a long way to go.”

The long road for the Vikings leads to Pittsburgh this Sunday to face the 4-2 Steelers, winners of three consecutive games. The Colts, who had a bye in Week 6, are back in action in St. Louis against the Rams. And the Saints, who knocked off the previously unbeaten New York Giants last week, will head to South Florida, the site of Super Bowl XLIV, to face the Miami Dolphins and the Wildcat formation.

“There’s a reward for winning, a feeling that you’ve done something good, but it’s very short-lived as you get ready for the next game,” says New Orleans head coach SEAN PAYTON. “Miami is a real good football team and this will be a tremendous test for us.”

Some of the key games in Week 7:

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (4-2) at TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (0-6) in London, England (Sunday, CBS, 1:00 PM ET)

London’s calling and the Patriots and Buccaneers plan to put on a show for the British fans.

New England is coming off a 59-point offensive explosion in Week 6, led by quarterback TOM BRADY, who set an NFL record with five touchdown passes in one quarter (the second) and finished the game with six, tying his own franchise record. The Patriots built a 45-0 halftime advantage, the largest lead at the half in NFL history.

“Every week we’re learning something more about ourselves and what we can do,” says Brady. “There’s no doubt a game like this can give you a lot of confidence.”

Tampa Bay rookie wide receiver and kick returner SAMMIE STROUGHTER, a seventh-round pick (No. 233) out of Oregon State, will look to electrify the crowd. Last week, in front of the Tampa Bay fans, Stroughter had a 97-yard kick-return touchdown and finished with 207 all-purpose yards. The rookie averaged 34.5 yards per touch, recording 142 yards on three returns and 65 yards on three receptions.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (6-0) at PITTSBURGH STEELERS (4-2) (Sunday, FOX, 1:00 PM ET)

The defending-champion Steelers will put their three-game winning streak on the line against the undefeated Vikings.

Minnesota quarterback BRETT FAVRE, who is 6-0 for the first time in his career after last week’s 33-31 win over Baltimore, aims to join DIETER BROCK (1985 Rams) as the only QBs since the merger to win their first seven starts to start a season with a new team. Favre threw a 58-yard pass to wide receiver SIDNEY RICE, who finished with a career-high 176 yards, late in the fourth quarter to set up RYAN LONGWELL’s game-winning field goal.

“We’ve been in that situation before and I had faith that we would make a play,” says Rice.

The Steelers improved to 4-2 last week with a 27-14 win over Cleveland. Quarterback BEN ROETHLISBERGER threw for 417 yards, the fourth-highest total in club history, and two touchdowns as Pittsburgh racked up 543 yards of total offense. Wide receivers HINES WARD (159 yards) and SANTONIO HOLMES (104) each went over the 100-yard mark, the second time this season they’ve each reached the plateau in the same game.

“I don’t think we’ve played our best football yet and that’s pretty comforting,” says Steelers tight end HEATH MILLER, who caught his fourth touchdown in the past three games. “We’ve gotten a few wins without playing our best.”

ATLANTA FALCONS (4-1) at DALLAS COWBOYS (3-2) (Sunday, FOX, 4:15 PM ET)

Cornerbacks beware. In Week 5, wide receivers MILES AUSTIN of Dallas (10 catches, 250 yards, two touchdowns) and RODDY WHITE of Atlanta (eight catches, 210 yards, two touchdowns) became the second duo in NFL history to each record at least 200 receiving yards and two touchdowns on the same day.

The Cowboys, who had a bye last week, defeated Kansas City in Week 5. Quarterback TONY ROMO passed for 351 yards and two touchdowns, including the 60-yard game-winner in overtime to Austin.

Falcons quarterback MATT RYAN, who has guided the team to wins in seven of the past eight games, threw two touchdown passes in a Sunday-night victory over Chicago.

The game features two of the most prolific tight ends in the NFL – Atlanta’s TONY GONZALEZ and Dallas’ JASON WITTEN. Since 2004, Gonzalez leads all players at the position with 471 receptions and 5,560 yards while Witten ranks second with 422 catches and third with 4,847 yards.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (5-0) at MIAMI DOLPHINS (2-3) (Sunday, FOX, 4:15 PM ET)

The red-hot Saints, who lead the NFL averaging 38.4 points per game, travel to Miami to face the Dolphins, who have won two in a row and boast the league’s top rushing offense (177.0 yards per game).

New Orleans knocked off the previously unbeaten New York Giants last week 48-27 as seven different Saints scored touchdowns in the game. Quarterback DREW BREES passed for 369 yards and four touchdowns, posting a near-perfect 156.8 passer rating.

“We wanted to really dictate the tempo of the game,” says Brees. “Seven different guys scored touchdowns. That’s the type of rhythm when you feel like you can call anything and it’s going to work.”

Miami, who had a bye last week, defeated the division-rival New York Jets 31-27 in Week 5. In that Monday-night contest, quarterback CHAD HENNE passed for two touchdowns and posted a 130.4 rating while running back RONNIE BROWN rushed for two scores, including the game-winner with six seconds remaining.

ARIZONA CARDINALS (3-2) at NEW YORK GIANTS (5-1) (Sunday, NBC, 8:20 PM ET)

The past two NFC champions – Cardinals (2008) and Giants (2007) – meet on Sunday night in the Big Apple. New York is 5-1 and leads the NFC East while the Cardinals are tied for first in the NFC West (San Francisco) with a 3-2 record.

Both clubs feature a Super Bowl MVP at quarterback – Arizona’s KURT WARNER (XXXIV with St. Louis) and New York’s ELI MANNING (XLII).

Warner, who spent the 2004 season with the Giants, passed for 276 yards last week to reach 30,000 career yards. He accomplished the feat in his 114th game, tying Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO for the fastest to reach 30,000.

This season, Manning has 11 touchdowns versus just three interceptions and ranks seventh in the NFL with a 102.2 passer rating. Since the start of the 2008 season, Manning has won nine of his past 10 starts at Giants Stadium.

LAST WEEK’S RESULTS (OCTOBER 18-19)

Byes: Dallas, Indianapolis, Miami, San Francisco

Houston 28, CINCINNATI 17
OAKLAND 13, Philadelphia 9

GREEN BAY 26, Detroit 0
Arizona 27, SEATTLE 3

JACKSONVILLE 23, St. Louis 20 (OT)
NEW ENGLAND 59, Tennessee 0

MINNESOTA 33, Baltimore 31
Buffalo 16, N.Y. JETS 13 (OT)

NEW ORLEANS 48, N.Y. Giants 27
ATLANTA 21, Chicago 14

PITTSBURGH 27, Cleveland 14
Carolina 28, TAMPA BAY 21

Kansas City 14, WASHINGTON 6
Denver 34, SAN DIEGO 23

2009 WEEK 7 SCHEDULE (OCTOBER 25-26)

(All times local)

Byes: Baltimore, Denver, Detroit, Jacksonville, Seattle, Tennessee

Sunday, October 25

N.Y. Jets at Oakland, 1:05 PM

Green Bay at Cleveland, 1:00 PM

Chicago at Cincinnati, 4:15 PM

San Francisco at Houston, 12:00 PM

Atlanta at Dallas, 3:15 PM

San Diego at Kansas City, 12:00 PM

New Orleans at Miami, 4:15 PM

Minnesota at Pittsburgh, 1:00 PM

*************************************

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

Arizona at N.Y. Giants, 8:20 PM (NBC)

*************************************

Indianapolis at St. Louis, 12:00 PM

New England at Tampa Bay, 5:00 PM (GMT) 1:00 PM

Buffalo at Carolina, 4:05 PM

*************************************
MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

Philadelphia at Washington, 8:30 PM (ESPN)

*************************************

NFL

OLD HEAD

SPORTSCAPPER ISLAND .com

____OLD HEAD______________
SHOW NO EMOTION

NFL 2009: Week 6 Preview: Undefeated Most Ever Through 6 Weeks

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:31:38 -0500

NFL 2009: PREVIEW-- WEEK 6

NFL 2009

Week 6 NFL Preview

10/13/2009

FIVE UNDEFEATED TEAMS ARE MOST EVER THROUGH FIVE WEEKS; BIG GAMES ABOUND IN WEEK 6

Five teams – Denver, Indianapolis, Minnesota, New Orleans and the New York Giants – enter Week 6 without a loss, the most undefeated clubs through the first five weeks of a season in NFL history.

“This is the first time in my career to be 5-0,” says Vikings quarterback BRETT FAVRE. “I’m very proud of this team. It’s important to start fast. But it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. It only gets tougher from here on out.”

And “here on out” starts in Week 6 for four of the five unbeatens.

While the Colts enjoy a bye this week, the other four undefeated teams will all face clubs with a .500 or better record. And that includes a matchup between the 5-0 Giants and 4-0 Saints at the Louisiana Superdome.

“It’s going to be a great atmosphere at the Superdome with two undefeated teams,” says Giants quarterback ELI MANNING, who was born in New Orleans and will play in his hometown for the first time. “The Saints are playing really well. They’re a really talented team so it should be fun. I’m looking forward to the experience.”

New Orleans currently sits atop the NFC South, one season after finishing in last place. In fact, six of the eight divisions currently have new teams in first place from a year ago. If that holds, it will tie the 2003 and 2008 seasons for the most new division winners in a single season.

So while things are going well for the unbeatens, there’s still plenty of football left.

“It’s good to be 5-0,” says Vikings tight end VISANTHE SHIANCOE, “but we don’t want to be 5-1.”

He’s right. Because in this league, things can turn quickly. And the past has proven that.

Since the current 12-team playoff format was instituted in 1990, 11 teams have rebounded from being at least three games under .500 after the season’s first five weeks or later to qualify for the postseason. Of those 11, six won the division, including last year’s San Diego Chargers, who won the AFC West after a 4-8 start.

And that’s the NFL, which is always full of surprises.

Some of the key games in Week 6:

BALTIMORE RAVENS (3-2) at MINNESOTA VIKINGS (5-0) (Sunday, CBS, 1:00 PM ET)

This Sunday’s contest at the Metrodome will feature two teams with offenses that pound the ball on the ground and defenses that stop the run. Since the start of the 2007 season, the Vikings have been the league’s best in rushing offense (150.1 yards per game) and run defense (78.2). Meanwhile, the Ravens’ ground game ranks fourth (130.8) over that span and their rushing defense is second (79.7).

Minnesota’s run game is led by ADRIAN PETERSON, who leads the NFC with 481 rushing yards and tops the league with seven rushing touchdowns. The Pro Bowl running back has led the conference in rushing in each of his first two seasons and will face a defense that has allowed just one 100-yard performance in the past 40 games.

************************************************** ************************************************** **************************************

NFL FACTOID

Through the first five weeks of the season, teams with a 300-yard passer have a combined record of 23-8 (.742). The 23 combined wins for clubs with a 300-yard passer are the most in NFL history through the first five weeks of a season.

************************************************** ************************************************** **************************************

For the Ravens, running backs RAY RICE and WILLIS MC GAHEE have split carries to form a potent duo. Rice ranks seventh in the NFL with 364 rushing yards and McGahee is tied with Peterson for the league lead with seven total touchdowns. The tandem will face a squad that has led the NFL in rush defense in each of the past three seasons.

If the teams decide to air it out, both clubs have the quarterbacks to do it. Baltimore’s JOE FLACCO and Minnesota’s BRETT FAVRE are tied for fourth in the NFL with nine touchdown passes. Favre has passed for at least two touchdowns in 10 consecutive games at the Metrodome, the longest streak in one stadium since KURT WARNER‘s 12 games in a row at the Edward Jones Dome from 1999-2000.

NEW YORK GIANTS (5-0) at NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (4-0) (Sunday, FOX, 1:00 PM ET)

A showdown between two unbeaten teams will take place in the Louisiana Superdome this weekend.

The Giants, who are 5-0 for the third time in franchise history, are coming off an impressive 44-7 win over Oakland. New York outgained the Raiders 483-124 in total yards and rushed for 220 yards. Running back AHMAD BRADSHAW ran for 110 yards on 11 carries (10.0 average) and scored two touchdowns. Quarterback ELI MANNING provided the air attack, posting the fourth perfect passer rating (158.3) by a Giants QB since 1960 (minimum 10 attempts).

The Saints, who had a bye in Week 5, are 4-0 for the third time in team history. The club tops the NFL averaging 36 points per game and is led by quarterback DREW BREES, who has a league-best 14,941 passing yards since joining New Orleans in 2006.

“This game is going to be a real test for us,” says Giants linebacker ANTONIO PIERCE. “The Saints are going to be prepared. They’re a well-coached team. They’re playing well on both offense and defense. It’s one of our biggest challenges so far.”

CHICAGO BEARS (3-1) at ATLANTA FALCONS (3-1) (Sunday, NBC, 8:20 PM ET)

A pair of 3-1 teams will be in the spotlight on Sunday night when the Falcons host the Bears.

Atlanta was impressive last weekend in a 45-10 victory at San Francisco, the largest margin of victory against the 49ers at Candlestick Park since the team began playing there in 1971.

“MATT RYAN, MICHAEL TURNER and RODDY WHITE are the new ‘Triplets,’” NFL Network analyst DEION SANDERS says about the Falcons’ quarterback, running back and wide receiver trio.

In the victory against San Francisco, Ryan passed for a career-high 329 yards, Turner rushed for three touchdowns and White had eight catches for a franchise-record 210 receiving yards with two touchdowns.

The Bears, who had a bye last week, enter this game with a three-game winning streak. At 3-1, the team is off to its best start since 2006, when Chicago advanced to Super Bowl XLI.

Quarterback JAY CUTLER has recorded a passer rating of at least 100 in three consecutive games, the first Bears QB to accomplish the feat since the statistic was introduced in 1973. In his career, when Cutler has posted a 100+ rating, his teams are a perfect 13-0. In the backfield, Chicago running back MATT FORTÉ is one of only two players (Houston’s STEVE SLATON) in the NFL with at least 1,500 rushing yards (1,509) and 500 receiving yards (569) since the start of the 2008 season.

DENVER BRONCOS (5-0) at SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (2-2) (Monday, ESPN, 8:30 PM ET)

Two AFC West rivals will meet on Monday night when the red-hot Broncos, who are 5-0 for the first time since their last Super Bowl season in 1998, visit the defending division champion Chargers.

“We’ve won five games,” says Denver head coach JOSH MC DANIELS. “But we can play better and we can coach better. And we’ll need to in order to keep winning.”

The Broncos, who are allowing a league-low 8.6 points per game, are coming off an exhilarating 20-17 overtime victory over New England. The defense held the Patriots scoreless after halftime and quarterback KYLE ORTON passed for 330 yards and two scores, guiding the team on a 98-yard drive to tie the game in the fourth quarter.

San Diego had a bye in Week 5 and the team is looking forwarded to getting back on the field.

“This is a big stretch of our season,” says Chargers tight end ANTONIO GATES. “We had a chance to regroup a little bit, reevaluate what’s going on and now we’ll try and get on a roll in these division games.”

LAST WEEK’S RESULTS (OCTOBER 11-12)

Byes: Chicago, Green Bay, New Orleans, San Diego

Sunday, October 11

Cincinnati 17, BALTIMORE 14
Atlanta 45, SAN FRANCISCO 10

Cleveland 6, BUFFALO 3
ARIZONA 28, Houston 21

CAROLINA 20, Washington 17
DENVER 20, New England 17 (OT)

Pittsburgh 28, DETROIT 20
SEATTLE 41, Jacksonville 0

Dallas 26, KANSAS CITY 20 (OT)
Indianapolis 31, TENNESSEE 9

N.Y. GIANTS 44, Oakland 7
PHILADELPHIA 33, Tampa Bay 14

Minnesota 38, ST. LOUIS 10

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

MIAMI 31, N.Y. Jets 27

2009 WEEK 6 SCHEDULE (OCTOBER 18-19)

(All times local)

Byes: Dallas, Indianapolis, Miami, San Francisco

Sunday, October 18

Houston at Cincinnati, 1:00 PM
Philadelphia at Oakland, 1:05 PM

Detroit at Green Bay, 12:00 PM
Arizona at Seattle, 1:05 PM

St. Louis at Jacksonville, 1:00 PM
Tennessee at New England, 4:15 PM

Baltimore at Minnesota, 12:00 PM
Buffalo at N.Y. Jets, 4:15 PM

N.Y. Giants at New Orleans, 12:00 PM

************************************

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

Chicago at Atlanta, 8:20 PM (NBC)
************************************

Cleveland at Pittsburgh, 1:00 PM
Carolina at Tampa Bay, 1:00 PM

Kansas City at Washington, 1:00 PM

***************************
MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

Denver at San Diego, 5:30 PM (ESPN)

NFL

Old Head

Sportscapper Island

# # #

____OLD HEAD______________
SHOW NO EMOTION

NFL 2009: Week 5 Preview: Hispanic Heritage Month

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 07:45:00 -0500

NFL 2009: WEEK 5 PREVIEW

NFL 2009

Week 5 NFL Preview

10/08/2009

FIVE 4-0 CLUBS TIED FOR MOST EVER…PATRIOTS VISIT BRONCOS…AND HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH CELEBRATION ON MNF HIGHLIGHT WEEK 5

And then there were five… Five teams – Denver, Indianapolis, Minnesota, New Orleans and the New York Giants – enter Week 5 with perfect 4-0 marks, tied for the most such teams in a season (1968, 2003) in NFL history.

“We are 4-0 and we’re happy about that,” says Giants head coach TOM COUGHLIN. “We are excited but know that we have a lot of improving to do in all areas.”

Broncos rookie head coach JOSH MC DANIELS agrees that while a fast start is good, it doesn’t guarantee anything.

“We know we’ve won four games but four games will never qualify us for the playoffs or win our division,” says McDaniels. “Four games won’t ever really get us much of anything. We’re happy to be 4-0, but we’re certainly far from satisfied. There are a lot of improvements to make. We can play better, we can coach better and that’s what we’re after.”

In fact, all 32 teams are after that very same thing. And, while not everyone has gotten off to a hot start, nothing is a given in the NFL. Since 1990, when the current 12-team playoff format was adopted, 83 teams (36.4 percent of the 228 playoff clubs) have advanced to the postseason after starting the season 2-2 or worse.

“When you buy into something, anything can happen,” says Jacksonville defensive tackle JOHN HENDERSON about the Jaguars, who have won two in a row after an 0-2 start. “It can be an incredible year if we all buy into it.”

In five of the past eight seasons, a team that has started 2-2 or worse has advanced to the Super Bowl. And three of those teams – 2001 New England (1-3), 2003 New England (2-2) and the 2007 New York Giants (2-2) – went on to win the Super Bowl.

So, entering Week 5, while it certainly helps to be 4-0, don’t count anyone out.

Some of the key games on the NFL schedule for Week 5:

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (3-1) at DENVER BRONCOS (4-0) (Sunday, CBS, 4:15 PM ET)

It will be the teacher (New England head coach BILL BELICHICK) against the student (Denver rookie head coach JOSH MC DANIELS) when two of the league’s hottest teams square off in the Mile High City on Sunday afternoon.

McDaniels, who was named the Broncos’ head coach in January, spent the previous eight seasons (2001-08) working for Belichick in New England, including the last three (2006-08) as the team’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

“We’re not going to make more of this game than what it is,” says McDaniels, whose club has allowed a league-low 26 points. “It’s the fifth game of the year. It’ll be a great challenge to play against one of the best franchises in this league.”

Both teams are coming off victories.

Denver, who improved to 4-0 for the first time since 2003, got a late 51-yard touchdown from wide receiver BRANDON MARSHALL to take a 17-10 lead and cornerback CHAMP BAILEY broke up Dallas’ last chance in the end zone on fourth-and-goal from the two-yard line to seal the win.

The Patriots, who face an undefeated team for the fifth consecutive week, knocked off Baltimore 27-21. Quarterback TOM BRADY passed for 258 yards – spread among nine different receivers – including a touchdown pass.

“We’ve got a big opponent this weekend in Denver,” says Brady. “They’re undefeated right now, so it’s going to be a tough matchup for us.”

ATLANTA FALCONS (2-1) at SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (3-1) (Sunday, FOX, 4:05 PM ET)

The 49ers scored on offense, defense and special teams last week and improved to 3-1 with a 35-0 win over St. Louis. San Francisco scored twice on defense and once on specials teams, recording three non-offensive touchdowns in a game for the first time since 1966 (December 11 vs. Chicago). One of those defensive scores came on a 29-yard interception-return touchdown by linebacker PATRICK WILLIS, who added eight tackles and a career-high 2.5 sacks.

“Wow, just wow,” says San Francisco head coach and Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker MIKE SINGLETARY about Willis. “He has so much talent. His talent and knowledge coming together is what will take him to the next level.”

Atlanta, who is coming off a bye week, aims to get back on track after a loss to New England in Week 3. But it won’t be easy as the 49ers have won five consecutive games at home.

“It’s good to get back out there and start preparing for the 49ers,” says Falcons head coach MIKE SMITH. “They’re a good football team and they can make plays in all three phases – offense, defense and special teams.”

Quarterback MATT RYAN, who ranks sixth in the NFL with a 100.4 passer rating, leads an offense that features a trio of 2009 All-Stars in running back MICHAEL TURNER, wide receiver RODDY WHITE and tight end TONY GONZALEZ.

“Their quarterback was a huge success last year,” says Singletary, “and Atlanta has good running backs and receivers. They have great personnel on both offense and defense. We are going to have our hands full.”

NEW YORK JETS (3-1) en MIAMI DOLPHINS (1-3) (Lunes, ESPN & ESPN Deportes, 8:30 PM ET)

“¿Estás listo para el football?”

Monday Night Football will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with a matchup between two AFC East rivals.

The New York Jets, who started 3-0 before losing last week, will look to rebound in Miami, where the Jets have won eight of the past 11 meetings, including three in a row. The team’s early success has been attributed to QB MARK SANCHEZ, the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Month for September, and an aggressive defense led by head coach REX RYAN.

Miami, the defending AFC East champion, got its first victory last week with a commanding 38-10 win over Buffalo. The Dolphins gained 250 yards on the ground as running backs RONNIE BROWN (115 yards, 2 TDs) and RICKY WILLIAMS (85 yards, 1 TD) carried the load.

Miami’s No. 1 ranked rushing attack (183.5 yards per game) will be challenged by the Jets’ No. 4 overall defense (277.8 yards per game).

************************************************** ************************************************** **************************************

HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH CELEBRATION ON MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

The NFL’s celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month will culminate in a series of special events surrounding the Jets at Dolphins Monday Night Football game on Monday, October 12, on ESPN and ESPN Deportes. Univision Radio will also broadcast the game.

The telecast will kick off with a customized version of Hank Williams Jr.’s opening video featuring Grammy award-winning singer Gloria Estefan and including lyrics in Spanish. Grammy award-winning singer Marc Anthony will highlight gameday activities by performing the national anthem, which will be televised by both ESPN and ESPN Deportes. Estefan and Anthony are both limited partners of the Dolphins.

In-stadium festivities include a pregame performance by Latin Grammy award-winning Jesse & Joy on the Land Shark Tailgate Stage; Latin-style tailgating at Calle Dolphins, in collaboration with Bongo’s Cuban Café, offering typical Latin food, Latin music and a dominos tournament, presented by Pepsi; Hispanic celebrity video messages throughout the game, and a special “Celebration of the Americas” halftime show, presented by AT&T, produced by Estefan Enterprises with participation by Gloria Estefan and a live performance by rising Latin star Jocelyn Rivera.

In anticipation of the game, the NFL and the Dolphins will host an NFL FLAG Regional Tournament on Saturday, October 10 at Central Broward Regional Park in Lauderhill, Florida. The tournament will feature 200 children, ages 9-14, from local NFL FLAG teams, many with a high participation level by Hispanic youth. Las Águilas, the national champions of NFL Tochito, the NFL FLAG football program in Mexico, will also play an exhibition game.

On Monday, the NFL, ESPN and the Dolphins will host a “MNF Chalk Talk Luncheon” at Land Shark Stadium. Amigos for Kids, a local non-profit organization, will be recognized for the group’s work in the South Florida community.

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LAST WEEK’S RESULTS (OCTOBER 4-5)

CHICAGO 48, Detroit 24
MIAMI 38, Buffalo 10

Cincinnati 23, CLEVELAND 20 (OT)
NEW ORLEANS 24, N.Y. Jets 10

HOUSTON 29, Oakland 6
DENVER 17, Dallas 10

INDIANAPOLIS 34, Seattle 17
SAN FRANCISCO 35, St. Louis 0

JACKSONVILLE 37, Tennessee 17
PITTSBURGH 38, San Diego 28

N.Y. Giants 27, KANSAS CITY 16
NEW ENGLAND 27, Baltimore 21

WASHINGTON 16, Tampa Bay 13
MINNESOTA 30, Green Bay 23

2009 WEEK 5 SCHEDULE (OCTOBER 11-12)

(All times local)

Sunday, October 11

Cincinnati at Baltimore, 1:00 PM
Atlanta at San Francisco, 1:05 PM

Cleveland at Buffalo, 1:00 PM
Houston at Arizona, 1:15 PM

Washington at Carolina, 1:00 PM
New England at Denver, 2:15 PM

Pittsburgh at Detroit, 1:00 PM
Jacksonville at Seattle, 1:15 PM

Dallas at Kansas City, 12:00 PM

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SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Indianapolis at Tennessee, 7:20 PM (NBC)
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Oakland at N.Y. Giants, 1:00 PM

Tampa Bay at Philadelphia, 1:00 PM
Monday, October 12

Minnesota at St. Louis, 12:00 PM

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MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
N.Y. Jets at Miami, 8:30 PM (ESPN)
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NFL

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Sportscapper Island.com

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