College Football Rivalry

With the football season nearly halfway over, it looks like the contenders and the pretenders are starting to separate themselves. The race is wide open in both conferences, but there are some very obvious front runners at the moment.

It’s time to review the season thus far by proclaiming the best teams in each conference. When all is said and done, I’ll then go ahead in making a Super Bowl prediction.

The first team that deserves a mention is the Pittsburgh Steelers. While they were surprise losers to the Bears and the Bengals, they’ve since improved with some great football. Everything is clicking in Pittsburgh after a shaky start, and the team has its sights set on another Super Bowl win.

While things do look great in Pittsburgh, the Patriots have followed a similar course. A rough beginning to the season seems to have smoothed out, and New England is playing the dominant type of football that we all witnessed two seasons ago. The Denver Broncos have also started the season with a bang, and could very easily find themselves in the playoffs.

While all of these teams have been great, no AFC team has been as strong as the Colts. An incredibly efficient offense has dominated its opponents, thanks to the steady hand of Peyton Manning. Until the Colts lose, they’re tops in the conference.

Let’s look at the NFC next. Any conversation about the NFC has to start with the New Orleans Saints, still undefeated through eight weeks.

Drew Brees may very well win the league MVP if his second half looks anything like his first seven games, and the defense has been effective enough to provide the team with enough of a cushion to win each of its first seven games.

Contenders to the Saints would be the Eagles, playing some great football themselves, and the Arizona Cardinals, coming off a big win in New York and winners of three straight games. The Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants are also obvious contenders as well, though their recent losses make the Saints the clear favorite thus far.

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Tags: football games by David Ricks
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The decade is almost over, and it’s time to reflect on it a bit. Being the big sports fan that I am, not to mention the fact that I’m watching football right now, I thought that it’d be nice to take a look at the top 5 quarterbacks of this past decade.

Keep in mind that this is based on everything they’ve done through the course of the decade, not based on the top 5 guys at the moment. With that in mind, it’s very well possible that some younger QB ends up having a better career (or next decade) than any of the guys on my list.

Everything is up for debate, which is exactly what makes the world of sports so great. If you have a differing opinion, feel free to chime in.

Coming in at number five on my list is Kurt Warner, the veteran quarterback who is still going strong to this day. As the current leader of the Arizona Cardinals, he added a second Super Bowl appearance to his resume last season. Warner shows no signs of slowing down at this point.

Next up is Brett Favre. The veteran QB still looks great to this day, but his lack of a Super Bowl run prevents him from going any further here. Still, it’s hard to argue against the fact that Favre has been amazing.

Donovan McNabb may not be better for his career than Favre, but the decade has been a better one for McNabb without a doubt. He’s come one game away from the Super Bowl five times and it’s clear that he’s been the most consistent NFC quarterback during this span.

Tom Brady. With his three Super Bowl rings, a 212-90 career record, and a 93.4 career QB rating, all of which took place during the course of the decade, Brady has been phenomenal.

Lastly, Peyton Manning is already being spoken of as one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game of football, and some are beginning to believe that he may in fact be the best. He led the Colts to a Super Bowl, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see him win another one.

About the writer: This author also has a site called Rocket Spanish ripoff that reviews the system.

Tags: football games by Mark Hall
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While many differ in their opinions as to who the best NFL team in each conference may be, just about everyone can agree that there are a few teams that seem to stand above the rest. Football has been exciting so far, and the rest of the season will be very interesting.

Let’s look at each conference and determine who the favorites may be. This is all in good fun, and I could very well be wrong about both predictions.

In the AFC, it would appear that there are a few clear contenders. First of all, the Pittsburgh Steelers have bounced back from a disappointing start, winners of 4 straight and now 5-2. They have Troy Polamalu back and the fact that they beat the Vikings shows that this team is strong.

Next on the list would be the New England Patriots. Tom Brady has shaken off some rust and is beginning to look like his old self, making the sky the limit in New England. Additionally, the Broncos can’t be forgotten about with just one loss thus far.

While all of these teams have been great, no AFC team has been as strong as the Colts. An incredibly efficient offense has dominated its opponents, thanks to the steady hand of Peyton Manning. Until the Colts lose, they’re tops in the conference.

The NFC may be a bit easier to dissect, but by no means is it a sure thing. The New Orleans Saints look like the strongest team in the NFC thus far.

Drew Brees may very well win the league MVP if his second half looks anything like his first seven games, and the defense has been effective enough to provide the team with enough of a cushion to win each of its first seven games.

There are some other teams that can’t be overlooked. The Philadelphia Eagles and the Minnesota Vikings both look exceptional right now, and veteran QBs Brett Favre and Donovan McNabb are leading their teams in true form. Behind these teams would be the Giants and the Cardinals, though both have been inconsistent at times.

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Tags: football games by David Ricks
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I can’t believe we’re almost done with yet another decade. In just several weeks, the end of the 00s will be behind us, and I’d like to take the time to look back at the decade that was, showcasing the best five NFL quarterbacks to have played football during these ten years.

My rankings factor in the overall performance over the last 10 years, rather than who may be better than who at present. Based on this, we’re going to remember what’s transpired in seasons past in determining who finished where on this list.

Everything is up for debate, which is exactly what makes the world of sports so great. If you have a differing opinion, feel free to chime in.

Coming in at number five on my list is Kurt Warner, the veteran quarterback who is still going strong to this day. As the current leader of the Arizona Cardinals, he added a second Super Bowl appearance to his resume last season. Warner shows no signs of slowing down at this point.

Brett Favre. A better career QB than at least one of the guys (and arguably more) below him here, Favre’s still going strong to close out the decade.

With 5 conference championship appearances on his resume, Donovan McNabb has done his share to earn a spot on this list. The Eagles have been perennially strong during this decade, thanks to a great defense and a top notch quarterback.

Next up is Tom Brady, who easily could have captured the number one spot on this list if not for his season ending injury and Peyton Manning’s recent dominance. Still, many might argue for at number one but I believe that Manning’s simply been a bit better.

Peyton Manning has been consistently amazing throughout the course of his career. This decade was no exception, as the Colts have been a constantly competitive team and always a threat to win the AFC. Manning is one of those quarterbacks who only surfaces once or twice per generation.

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Tags: football games by Mark Hall
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Cody-5 is the winning play Alabama’s coaching staff called on the winning touchdown. The Tide lined up in their goal-line formation with Big Mount Cody playing the role as a fullback/blocker.

But instead of running the ball — as Alabama has done all season out of that formation — quarterback Greg McElroy faked a handoff, rolled right and fired a quick pass to Upchurch for the touchdown.

Cody-5. As in Terrence Cody and Upchurch’s jersey number is 5.

“Hey, if Daniel Moore wants to make a painting of it, I’m his man,” said Upchurch.

Such an unlikely star in such a big rivalry game, Upchurch , a senior from Tallahassee, Fla. ,had only touched the ball just once in Alabama’s previous 66 plays. He’s Alabama’s third-string tailback who has battled injuries throughout his career.

“I was just ready,” Upchurch said when the coaches called his suggested “Cody-5″ play. “I was just ready to get in the end zone, put points on the board and get out of here.”

On third-and-3 at the Auburn 4, Alabama originally called for a running play. And if the play did not result in a touchdown, Leigh Tiffin could kick a very short field goal for the lead.

But coach Nick Saban didn’t want a field goal. He called a timeout, told his coaches he wanted to throw it and somebody finally heard Upchurch screaming for “Cody-5.”

“As soon as I got the play call I was like ‘We’re gonna throw it?’” said McElroy. “But I loved the play call. It was something we’d really been hitting on.”

As Upchurch ran his route, he said an Auburn defender grabbed his facemask and “I was just panicking. I had to find the ball and I did just that.”

Until that pass, Alabama had run 812 plays this season and Upchurch had touched the ball on just 50 of them. Playing behind Heisman hopeful Mark Ingram and freshman sensation Trent Richardson, Upchurch’s opportunities are rare.

But Upchurch’s last touch in his last regular season game, well, maybe Moore will immortalize it.

“It doesn’t get any bigger, really, than scoring the winning touchdown for the Iron Bowl,” fellow senior Brandon Deaderick said. “He did a great job when he got his chance. He really stood out.”

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Tags: Uncategorized by timtim
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No one really knew what to make of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2009 NFL season. Would they continue to improve on their winning season or would they head in the opposite direction?

The Bucs best season since winning the Super Bowl came in 05′ when they finished 11-5 but lost to the Washington Redskins in the first round. Tampa Bays offense in 09′ is abysmal scoring barely- points per game.

The old saying is that if you have two quarterbacks you have no quarterbacks - that is the case with the Bucs. Byron Leftwich and Josh Johnson are average QB’s at best, no much more.

The defense didn’t change much. They’re one of the worst units in the league and they should have spent a bit more on balancing out the squad, not just improving the offense.

The Bucs opened up its 2009 campaign with a game against the Dallas Cowboys. No one really knew what to expect of this game. The Cowboys were without Terrell Owens, and the game was being played in Tampa Bay, so some went so far as to predict that Tampa Bay would come away with a win.

Things didn’t exactly work out this way for the Bucs. The Cowboys jumped out to an early lead and never really looked back, taking the game by a score of 34-21.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were dealt a somewhat difficult opponent in week 2, traveling to Buffalo to face the Bills. The Bills had nearly beaten the New England Patriots in week 1, and looked to be much improved in 2009, thanks to a few key additions at both offense and defense (most notably Terrell Owens). The Bills won this game 33-20, nearly the same score as the Bucs’ week one loss.

The Bucs defense is one of the worst in the league - if not THE worst - the Bucs have given up more the 30 points more times then many teams give up the entire season. It will be a long season for the Bucs in 09′.

Head on over to the most exciting Buccaneers forumss at RootZoo Sports. Check out their trivia questions with over 60,000 questions.

Tags: football games by Dustin Pinz
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Who would have expected the Tennessee Titans to open up the season with an 0-2 record? After a successful 2008 season, it’s shocking.

The Titans dominated their competition during the 2008 regular season. If my memory serves me right, I think they won their first 10 games before losing one in November. This is the kind of Tennessee Titans football that I’m used to seeing, and I’m stunned to see that they’ve dropped their first two to open the season.

It’s not that the Titans are a bad team. In 08′ the Titans went–3, winning the AFC South and overthrowing the Colts. This year QB Kerry Collins is completing less then 59% of his pass attempts - granted the Titans have an average receiving core.

Having acquired Nate Washington and a few other valuable pieces, many fans were hoping this would be enough to withstand the loss of Albert Haynesworth. Anytime you lose a player as valuable as Haynesworth it will definitely show, however nobody would have expected it to show this much.

In week 1, the Titans faced a difficult challenge in visiting the Pittsburgh Steelers in Pittsburgh. Having to play the defending champions at their own field on opening night is a huge challenge in and of itself, but the Titans handled the challenge well, nearly coming away with a win against the Steelers.

With the loss of DT Albert Haynesworth, the Titans defense may not be as strong as it once was but they still have defensive skill players such as Cortland Finnegan, Chris Hope, Keith Bulluck, and Nick Harper.

It is hard to believe that a team coached by Jeff Fisher will continue to play this way for an entire NFL season.

The Titans now have an 0-2 record to begin the 2009 NFL season and sit at the bottom of their division. Things aren’t looking so good in Nashville now.

If you’re looking for the most exciting Titans forumss online, then look no further than RootZoo Sports. Be sure to check out their free new fantasy football leagues that everyone’s been talking about!

Tags: football games by Anthony Penn
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Because this year’s Crimson Tide vs Tigers being played on Friday instead of Saturday, everything had to be moved up practice-wise, so the Crimson Tide started preparing for the Tigers on Sunday instead of taking a day off. Television made a bad decision.
Someone at CBS apparently forgot that Alabama-Auburn is one of the country’s best rivalry games.

Auburn is coming off their bye and has the advantage of playing at home.

“I think it helps probably more physically more than anything,” senior left guard Mike Johnson. “No matter whom the next opponent is you’re still going to be running the same plays & trying to defend the same for the most part. Just having that extra week to get your legs going to be huge for them (Auburn), & I know they’re excited. They’re a good football team. We are going to have to work that much harder.”

Sports Illustrated has confirmed rumors that Alabama tailback Mark Ingram does indeed appear on the cover of this week’s issue.

INJURY REPORT: Saban claims no injuries heading into the Iron Bowl that were serious enough to keep players out of drills today.

Tailback Terry Grant (abdominal strain) has missed the past three games and missed practice Monday before returning to work Tuesday.

Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart was named today as one of 34 nominees for the Frank Broyles Award, which is given each year to the top assistant coach in college football.

Smart’s defense is currently ranked No. one nationally in total defense & second nationally in rushing defense.

Comparing the SEC’s Best:

Mark Barrons’ Stats : Comparison to the supposed top safety in the SEC.
Tackles
60

Interceptions
6

Eric Berry from UT
Tackles
70

Interceptions:
2

Greg McElroy Stats: Comparison to the top QB in the SEC:
Passing Yards: 1913
Completion % 60.2
TD 13
INT 4

Tim Tebow Stats:
Passing Yards: 1730
Completion % 64.6
TD 12
INT 4

Tags: Uncategorized by timtim
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The Seattle Seahawks seem to be poised for a bounce back year, following a disappointing 2008 campaign that saw the team finish with a losing record. They’ve made some changes; most importantly their new head coach Jim Mora.

The 09′ season for the Seahawks should be well improved — the Seahawks might not be Super Bowl contenders but should compete in every game they are in.

New head coach Jim Mora should have his team ready week in and week out and the embarrassment of the 08′ season will be forgotten. He’s the type of no non-sense coach and going to make some quick improvements this season.

The NFC West isn’t the strongest division the NFL has ever seen. The Arizona Cardinals haven’t yet found themselves yet, the St. Louis Rams are one of the bottom feeders in the league, the San Francisco 49ers are a young team on the rise though.

Since their Super Bowl appearance in 05′ - between 06′-08′ - the Seattle Seahawks have a record of 23-25 in the regular season and 2-2 in the playoffs. The Seahawks need to improve a great deal on offense if they hope to contend for the NFC West title - the Seahawks are in the bottom third in offense in the NFL.

QB Seneca Wallace has stepped in for Hasselback and has done fairly well — completing around 61% of his pass attempts. The acquisition of T.J. Houshmandzadeh gives the QB’s of the Seahawks a number one option. WR Nate Burleson has had a good season averaging over 10 yards per catch. Burleson only played one game in the 08′ season.

Week 2 wasn’t as kind to them, as the team lost in San Francisco to the 49ers, a fellow NFC West team. Not only did they lose the game, but Hasselbeck took a serious shot.

If the Seahawks can stay healthy for the majority of the season they are an easy 8 win team — which is double the wins from last season. The Seahawks have their coveted “12th man” with the home crowd which makes it difficult for opponents to play them on their own turf.

Enjoy an awesome Seattle Seahawks forum and the most active football forums online, all at RootZoo Sports.

Tags: football games by David Graham
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What has become of the mighty Tennessee Titans. This is a team that opened up the season undefeated through the first two months of the NFL season in 2008.

An amazing defensive unit, two powerful running backs in Chris Johnson and LenDale White, and a team led by the wise ways of accomplished head coach Jeff Fisher.

It’s not that the Titans are a bad team. In 08′ the Titans went–3, winning the AFC South and overthrowing the Colts. This year QB Kerry Collins is completing less then 59% of his pass attempts - granted the Titans have an average receiving core.

The running game of the Titans is more dangerous, as Chris Johnson and LenDale White are a formidable running duo. The Titans’ defense has been good at stopping the run but not much else. The Titans are among the worst in the NFL in points per game allowed and passing yards per game allowed.

They don’t seem to be doing anything different then last year - which might be the problem this year.

As a team that lost its first game, there wasn’t much of a need to panic. After all, the Texans were coming to town the next week. Seemed like a game that the Tennessee Titans were bound to win.

While it’s true that the Texans seem to play the Titans well (think back to that nail biter last season with all of those Rob Bironas field goals), the Titans looked pretty dreadful during the loss. Their running game was fine, but the defense was notably weaker than that of last season. They looked like one of the worst defensive units in the entire NFL.

Since the Titans play in the same division as the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans, hopefully they can get some “easy” wins against them and other below average teams to finish the season with a respectable record. This can either be a very long season for the Tennessee Titans - or it can be one where they find out what they are made of bouncing back from a bad start

If you’re looking for the most exciting Tennessee Titans forum online, then look no further than RootZoo Sports. Be sure to check out their fantasy football that everyone’s been talking about!

Tags: football games by Anthony Penn
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