Archive for the 'NFL' Category

Tom Brady: From Sixth Round Draft Pick to NFL MVP

October 12, 2011

Tom Brady’s career in the NFL began unceremoniously. He was drafted by the New England Patriots who already had a well established quarterback in Drew Bledsoe. Tom Brady started his first NFL season as a fourth option for the Patriots in 2000 but by the end of his first year he climbed into the No. 2 starter position. Brady saw little action, going 1 for 3 for six yards.

2001 was an unlikely turning point in the career of the 199th NFL Draft pick. Brady started the season behind Drew Beldsoe but quickly was thrown into the spotlight after Bledsoe suffered internal bleeding after a vicious sideline hit.

The rest of the story is movie of the week material. Brady, who was once seventh on the depth chart for the Michigan Wolverines in college, was no starting for the New England Patriots. Bill Belichik designed the Patriots offense around the young Brady. He allowed him to take some chances but also played a conservative offense in key situations to keep his young quarterback out of trouble and flush with confidence.

Brady went on to win the Super Bowl in his first full season and capped it off by winning the Super Bowl MVP Award as well. Brady has won the Super Bowl MVP Award twice and he has led the Patriots to three Super Bowl victories.

If Brady can stay healthy he has a opportunity to break some of the most respected quarterback records in the NFL. Brady is showing no signs of letting up as his career enters the inevitable down cycle for veteran quarterbacks.

Will Tom Brady break any quarterback records this season? Check out your favorite online sportsbook for his and any other football player props.

Super Bowl Playoff History Of New York Jets

January 6, 2011

In the history of their franchise the New York Jets have recently qualified for the playoffs for the 14th time. The majority of the team’s playoff appearances have been in the last two decades, while the franchise has been in existence since the year 1960.

On Saturday, the Jets play the Indianapolis Colts and are favorites in NFL betting super bowl odds.

In the NFL on the a regular basis the Jets have become one of the best teams as they have qualified for the playoffs 6 times since the beginning of the 21st century. They have not been able to have the type of success in the playoffs that they’d hope for, even as they have really turned things around as of late.

Since the Jets last made their way to the Super Bowl it has been more than 40 years. In the times of the AFL, that Super Bowl appearance actually came. The Jets thus qualified for the Super Bowl against the winners of the NFL Championship as they managed to win the AFL.

By the famous Joe Nam the Jets were led to Super Bowl. In what is one of the classic football games of all time, the team managed to win the Super Bowl behind Namath.

The fans of the Jets had little to cheer for after that time. Even though they did manage to turn things around in the 1980’s, they did not make the playoffs at all in the 1970s. The Jets left a foundation for the team to build up to what it is today as they qualified for the playoffs 4 times in the 1980s.

Weekend Clash Between New York Giants And Green Bay Packers

December 24, 2010

This weekend the Green Bay Packers will battle against the New York Giants. For the Packers this game will be a “must-win” game. They are in danger of missing the playoffs as they are now just 8-6 on the season. In order to ensure their positioning in the playoffs, this season the Giants need at least one more win. After their loss to the Eagles, they are 9-5 on the season.

The total for the game is currently off whereas in NFL betting lines the Packers will be the 3 point favorites in this game.

The Packers need to win out in order to ensure a playoff spot as they lost in a close one against the Patriots last week. As the Packers’ starting quarterback is still trying to recover from a concussion sustained in week 14, he may or may not be available for this matchup.

However the Packers seem to struggle to win as many games as you’d expect they are a great team on both sides of the ball. In this one they will be playing at home. In Lambeau Field, they have won 9 of their last 10 games.

Last week the Giants lost in a heartbreaker against the Eagles. In this game their loss last week could play a major role. However the Giants managed to lose the game as time expired; they were up 3 touchdowns in the 4th quarter. A team can fall into a tailspin with that kind of losses.

In order to ensure that they do not continue falling after their loss to Philadelphia, the Giants need a strong start to this game.

This Weekend – New England Patriots Clash With Chicago Bears

December 9, 2010

This weekend the Chicago Bears will battle against the New England Patriots. While the Bears have a dominating defense the Patriots have a high powered offense, both feature differing approaches in this matchup. The Bears are 9-3 whereas the Patriots are 10-2 on the season.

At 43.5, the total for the game is currently sitting while in this game the Patriots will be the 3 point favorites.

Even though they also have an absorbent defense, the Patriots have a solid offense that knows how to score points. In comparison to their offence, the Patriots have actually allowed more yards on defense. Their efficiency in scoring opportunities is always the key for the Patriots. They manage to get the ball in the end zone, while many teams average more yards than they do on offense.

To keep the Patriots from scoring position, where they are so dominant, the Bears will need to ensure to play at a high intensity.

Even though this Bears team is better than in years past, they have lost 5 of their last 6 against New England. They have won 5 games in a row as they have a smothering defense. To give Jay Cutler a little more time to throw the ball the Bears will need help from the running game and in games that he has had time to throw the team has been much better.

As these top contenders from their respective conferences square off this should be the game of the week.

This weekend – Green Bay Packers Meets Atlanta Falcons

November 23, 2010

In Atlanta this weekend (1 pm ET, FOX), the Green Bay Packers will take on the Atlanta Falcons in Atlanta.

Over their division rivals, the Minnesota Vikings, The Packers are coming off of an impressive victory. On the season to this point, the Falcons have been steady and consistent all year and have posted a record of 8-2.

In NFL odds over under sits at 48 the Falcons will be the 2 point favorites.

Even though it’s clear that they have returned to form, the Packers looked like they were headed down the wrong path a few weeks back. Aaron Rodgers may be rounding off into the type of quarterback that he was last season as the Packers have won 4 of their last 5. The Packers may be the favorites from the NFC If Rodgers can get things rolling like last season.

Through a balanced attack the Packers have really dominated their opponents. In the air and nearly 130 yards per game on the ground, they average over 240 yards a game. In their game against the Packers, Their running game will be an important factor. On the ground, the Packers have allowed 112 yards per game. They may be able to put some points on the board if the Packers an exploit that hole in their defense.

The Falcons have not lost in their last 5 home games and are 8-1 in their last 9 games. While in Atlanta, They have been similarly dominant against the Packers. In their last 5 tries in Atlanta, The Packers have only been able to bring home one victory.

NFL – Patriots take on Browns – Preview

November 3, 2010

This Sunday, the New England Patriots will head to Cleveland to take on the Browns. The Patriots will be the 4.5-point favorites in football betting odds, in this matchup, despite being on the road. At 44 sits the total for the game.

The Patriots seem to pull out every year at some point and they have shown resilience. If the team would be able to survive with all of the talk of Randy Moss, many people wondered. It seems that the Patriots will be able to keep on rolling no matter who they have on the field, in the end. The Patriots seem to get better with each week and they have lost just one game on the season.

The Patriots have had a lot of success against the Browns recently and they are on a 5 game winning streak. The Patriots have managed to win 5 games, over the last 6 contests between the two teams. The running game will be the key for the Patriots. They were able to move the ball more easily because of it and last week they managed to find room to run against the Vikings.

The Browns are coming home where they generally play well, although they have just 2 wins on the young season. The Browns have managed to put together a good home record recently, despite winning just 7 of their last 25 total games. Coming into this week, they have won 4 of their last 6 home games.

To put the ball in the end zone, the Browns need to find a way. While they score 13 fewer points per game, they only average about 40 fewer yards per game than the Patriots on offense. The Browns will have a shot at winning games more consistently, if they can find a way to put the ball in the end zone.

NFL – Miami Dolphins at Cincinnati Bengals – Preview

October 28, 2010

This weekend, the Miami Dolphins will head to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals. Being the 2.5 point favorites, these two teams will square off with the Bengals. Currently, at 43.5 sits the over/under for the game.

Last week, the Bengals had an offensive explosion as Carson Palmer assaulted his opponents through the air. With more than 100 yards and Terrell Owens was close to 100 yards as well, the Bengals had 2 receivers. It seems that Palmer has not been consistent enough to keep this team going, although the Bengals have shown the potential to light up the scoreboard.

While the offense was solid, the defense could not stop the Falcons, which was the problem in the last week. on the season, they are now 2-4.

To this point in the season, they’ve struggled, while the Bengals have a solid home tradition. Of their last 8 home games, they have won 6. The problem is, at home recently, the Bengals have struggled against Miami, winning just 1 of their last 6 home competitions against Miami.

Last weekend, the Dolphins suffered a close lose to the hands of the Steelers. On the season, the loss dropped the Dolphins to 3-3. With confidence this weekend, the Dolphins should go into Cincinnati. Overall, against Cincinnati, they have won 8 of their last 10 and they have won 4 of their last 5 road games against all opponents.

After tough losses last weekend, this game will feature two teams trying to get back on track.

NFL: Cleveland Browns vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Preview

September 10, 2010

The Cleveland Browns will take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to start off the 2010 NFL season on Sunday. Truth be told, these teams are not nearly towards the top of the NFC. This game will feature two of the teams that are expected to finish towards

the bottom of the league.

The good news for these two struggling organizations is that one of them will get to start off the season with a win. A win could go a long ways towards giving one of these teams the momentum that they need to improve upon their seasons last year.

The Browns have a very apparent problem with their team: They are starting Jake Delhomme. Delhomme was the quarterback for the Panthers for years and did not finish well. He really struggled towards the end of his tenure in Carolina and showed no signs of bouncing back. If the Browns are relying on him to win games they will be in for a long season.

It seems like the Bucs have been mired in mediocrity for years now. They have a young quarterback at the helm now that may be able to rescue them out in time. Unfortunately it does not look like he is ready to carry the team to the playoffs just yet. The Bucs will need a miracle to take place if they are to have any chance at making a playoff run in 2010.

This game will be an important one for each team and for the NFL betting odds too as they may not have many more chances at victory for the rest of the season.

Washington Redskins: NFL Season Preview

August 13, 2010

Despite a very poor season in 2009, the Washington Redskins have high hopes in 2010. The team have made a change that they think will make all of the difference even though they struggled to score points.

A lot of hype to the Redskins will be brought by the addition of Donovan McNabb this year. The Eagles made it to the NFC Championship game several times and were led year in and year out by McNabb. To carry a team for stretches, McNabb has the passing skills and mobility. Whether or not McNabb still is the type of quarterback that can carry a team for a whole season is the only question. As Washington had a lot of struggles last year, he may need to in there.

Three former pro bowl running backs are featured in the running game of the Redskins. At some point and time, each of these backs was a premier player in the league. It seems that each of them is on the downfall is the real problem.

Clinton Portis will take the majority of the load as it is appeared of the three. Portis only was able to play 8 games last year and is just one season removed from a 1400-yard effort in 2008. The Redskins will need Willie Parker and Larry Johnson to step in and carry the load, if Portis does not come back at full strength.

The ‘Skins are lacking a true number one but have a few tools at wide receiver. As for most of his career McNabb was without a number one option may not be a concern for though,.

you can expect the ‘Skins to carry home more than 4 wins even though they are probably not destined for glory in 2010.

NFL Season Preview: Cleveland Browns

July 31, 2010

The Cleveland Browns are trying desperately to find something to bring success to Cleveland. They were only able to win 4 games last year and changes need to be made. Unfortunately the addition of Jake Delhomme may have been more desperate than productive.

Delhomme was once a solid quarterback for the Panthers. He was never seen as a guy that would carry the squad through the season, but he was good enough to win games if the right pieces were around him. He was not able to continue on in the pattern in the recent past in Carolina. The Browns signed him in hopes that he would bring some veteran leadership to Cleveland, but his signing might have been a bit of a stretch.

The Running game will be led by Jerome Harrison out of Washington State. Harrison has been in the league for several years now, but previous to last season he had only compiled a little more than 400 rushing yards in his career. He did manage to rush for almost 900 yards last year, but he is far from a franchise back at this point.

The Browns will probably be looking to use this year as a rebuilding year rather than a season to make a run at the playoffs. They simply do not have the talent necessary to compete in a division with so many strong teams.

The 2010 season will probably result in another draft pick in the first several picks of the NFL Draft for the Cleveland Browns.