Bleacher Report - Articles by Thaddeus Yeiser

After Falling to Cincy Pitt Proves They Have Yet to Arrive

Thaddeus Yeiser — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 16:33:12 -0500

Everything on the campus of Pittsburgh was rosy two weeks ago. They were 9-1 and riding a six-game winning streak, most recently a 27-22 victory over Notre Dame. The next two games on their schedule matched them with unranked West Virginia and with fifth-ranked Cincinnati.

A win over WVU guaranteed at least the Gator Bowl, and win over Cincy guaranteed a BCS bowl. A win over both would have helped to produce one of their best seasons since Marino was in town.

They got off the bus at Morgantown, but somehow the offense never quite joined the party until it was too late...9-2.

Well no problem. Simply beat the Bearcats, and a BCS Bowl is next. For a while the Orange Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, maybe even Sugar Bowl, looked like a guarantee. Pitt was moving the ball at will, while Cincinnati was floundering.

Bill Stull had just connected with Johnathan Baldwin on a 40-yard touchdown pass to give Pitt a 21-10 lead and their third TD in as many drives. A Tony Pike interception then lead to a FG, while a blocked punt then led to a TD. The lead was 31-10.

The Pitt crowd was roaring. The defense was playing brilliantly, and the Panthers always had Dion Lewis in their back pocket. Cincinnati was close to finished.

The only problem was Mardy Gilyard. He returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown, and it all came crashing down for Pitt.

Cincinnati would narrow the lead to 32-24 going into the fourth quarter off a 68-yard catch and run by Gilyard.

The Panthers would respond with a touchdown of their own in the form of a Dion Lewis 15-yard run. Then Gilyard got them again with a long kickoff return, setting up a short touchdown run to cut the lead to 38-30 after a missed extra point.

The Bearcats would later tie it at 38 all. With not much time left Pitt did rally and score a touchdown with under two minutes to go, but the extra point was botched, and the lead stayed at six. The Bearcats followed the inevitable script and went right down the field to take the lead and ultimately win the game, 45-44.

Following the 31-10 lead, Pitt was outscored 35-13 the rest of the way.

Pitt had more first downs and dominated in time of possession—40 minutes to just 20 for the Bearcats—but none of that mattered when the Bearcats were starting every drive at midfield or better.

In one half of a football game, Pitt falls from the BCS to probably the Meineke Car Care Bowl. Quite a drop when you were 9-1 and the ninth-best team in the nation.

All year Pitt looked like a vastly improved team over the one from last year that finished 9-3 and made an appearance in the Sun Bowl.

With two games remaining, 10, maybe 11 wins and a major bowl for the first time since 2004 were on the horizon. They just had to beat two good teams to get there. They were not good enough to do so.

With the loss today Pitt proved that they are no better than last year. Dave Wannstedt, the head coach, has talked a lot about taking this program to the next level. They got back to a bowl game last season, but they had a BCS Bowl in their pocket with one game left.

The next level was only one door away, they simply didn't have the key. If they can't improve and get to a major bowl next year Wannstedt's seat could get very hot. This is a program far too tired of mediocrity to accept 9-3 and a mid-level bowl anymore.

If they can't open the door next year it could be the beginning of the end for Wannstedt.

Why I Hate Fantasy Football

Thaddeus Yeiser — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:10:06 -0500

So I'm sitting on my couch one day and I see the SportsCenter highlights, of the now infamous, "Jones-Drew kneel down." The first thing that pops into my head is how intelligent and smart of a football play that was. The next day I applauded Jones-Drew on my sports radio show as someone who is unselfish and exactly what the NFL needs.

But then that ugly word reared its' head to spoil the fun once again.

"Fantasy."

You all know what it is I'm sure I don't need to explain. Basically because of a game that means nothing, a great play that should be enjoyed is ruined, scrutinized, and berated.

"He killed my standings in my fantasy league!" I hear people say.

"He should have just run the ball in!"

To bring anyone up to par who hasn't been paying attention I'll fill you in. Basically the Jaguars are down 21-22 with 1:45 to go in the game. Jones-Drew takes a hand off and is ready to break the goal line for an easy touchdown.

Instead, though, he takes a knee, and allows his teammates to run down the clock and kick the game winning field goal (no more than an extra point), Jags win 24-22. He made this controversial play to prevent the Jets from possibly getting the ball and scoring a go-ahead touchdown.

I say great play, heads up play, smart pro-bowl caliber play, but because of Fantasy Football this is torn down to its core.

What's more I can't stand the fact that fantasy leagues have destroyed fandom. Fandom is the most sacred thing in all of sports, but it can make a die hard Bengals fan root for the Steelers because he has Willie Parker on his roster.

It'll make a true blue Pats fan root for the Colts because they have Manning this week.

It'll make a Falcons fan bleed Gold because he picked up Pierre Thomas off waivers.

This makes me sick. Completely, utterly sick, and I know I'm probably the minority on this topic. But this has gone too far. A Computer Game should never be taken even half as seriously as the real game itself.

Too many, great warriors of the gridiron, are bludgeoned and bloodied, every Sunday, in the name of sports to have their hard work be reduced to petty numbers.

Believe me I've tried Fantasy Football and gave it a fair shot, but there will never be a day I miss a Panthers game simply because I need to see how Tony Gonzalez is doing, and never will I mock a brilliant football play because it hurts my league standing.

No I don't need Fantasy Football. I'd much rather enjoy the real thing. Well I guess that's a boneheaded play, too.

Keeping Up With The 2009 Carolina Panthers

Thaddeus Yeiser — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 20:47:22 -0400

Through the first six games of a season, any competant sports fan should have some idea of how most of the teams around the NFL are doing.

For instance if you take a 6-0 team and compare them to an 0-6 team, it should be fairly easy to determine which is doing better. It shouldn't be difficult to tell which team has a shot at the playoffs.

Through six weeks, the Carolina Panthers have taken us fans on a roller coaster, and it hasn't always a fun one.

In fact, at times I have felt sick to my stomach and begged the ride to stop. (Please see my previous article.)

But through it all, the Panthers have showed us two things about them. They can beat the easy teams, and will get trucked by the good ones.

The Panthers are 2-3 coming off back to back wins over the flopping Redskins and the abyssmal Buccaneers. Previous to these victories the Panthers were destroyed by the Eagles, Falcons, and Cowboys.

They have a game coming up against the Bills, a 2-4 team. Which is then followed by teams like Arizona, New York, Minnesota, another with the Falcons, and two against the Saints. The list goes on.

Now lets get onto some good news. Since Week One, the Panthers have, slowly but surely, made some improvements. After the disaster in Philadelphia, the turnovers have decreased and the defense has slowly improved.

Basically the Panthers are a team with a lot of positives and lot of negatives.

The positives are that we have a stout offensive line that provides holes for a powerful running game.

We have a defense that is looking better and better each week with Ron Meeks' new scheme. They held Dallas in check, and then shut down both Washington and Tampa Bay. We have a winnable game in Buffalo coming up as well.

The negatives however make me take a step back. Our schedule after Buffalo is brutal. We have an aging quarterback and a suspect receiving corps. But, if we keep improving then we have a chance.

With the Bills next week, if we win that game, we'll be 3-3. But, again, all our wins will have been against non contenders.

But if the defense continues to improve and the running game becomes more and more established headed into the Arizona showdown, then we have a chance. If not, well, read my previous article to find out what will happen.

For Carolina Panthers, It's Game Over Man, Game Over

Thaddeus Yeiser — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 01:01:14 -0400

This game against the Cowboys proved that the Panthers are incapable of beating good teams. The defense, mainly due to Dallas penalties, held the Cowboys at bay in the first half. They were able to get pressure, and chalk up sacks. The Panthers ended the half on a high note with a perfect two minute drive offense capped off by a 25 yard touchdown pass to Dante Rosario.

But for the third time in the last four meaningful games the Panthers fell apart after getting the first score. The Panthers offense was three and out in the first four drives of the second half, while the Cowboys slowly ran up points. Drive after drive the Panthers D failed to make a big play.

Despite all of this the Panthers were only down 13-7 but of course like the 0-3 team we are we made an, "0-3" type mistake. A miscommunication on a passing route that turned into a 27-yard pick six. Set, game, match...season.

The Panthers are now 0-3. They've been inconsistent at best, and downright awful at their worst. Their cruising to a 4-12 season, and barring some miraculous season changing experience where we somehow make the playoffs, there will be big changes in Carolina.

Firstly Fox will go. No doubt about it. Second Peppers will walk. We don't have a first round pick so we'll probably draft a QB in the second round. Muhammad, who is in the last year of a two year deal, could either retire, sign an extension or sign with a contender.

The John Fox era was great while it lasted. It had incredible highs, and tough lows, but somehow we were always able to right the ship, unfortunately this time I think our luck is finally out. Believe me teams have come back from worse than 0-3 to at least salvage a season. But this squad has too many problems and not enough depth.

Panthers fans sit back and brace yourself. In all likelihood this season will be one beating after another, but who knows names like Gruden, Holmgren, Shanahan, and Cowher are on the market.

After the ceiling inevitably collapses, they just might be the right guy to build us back up again.

Delhomme Wins Despite Panthers Loss

Thaddeus Yeiser — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 16:45:13 -0400

It's always tough to feel good after a loss, no matter the circumstance.

Ordinarily I'm not too happy after a loss to the Falcons. In fact I might be downright livid.

But this is different. We weren't supposed to win this game. In fact we weren't even supposed to come close.

Delhomme was coming off two horrible games in a row in which he combined for 11 turnovers. It was hard to imagine him possibly rebounding, but somehow the Ragin' Cajun proved everyone wrong. I don't think anybody, myself included, thought he would go out against a tough Falcons defense and complete 25 of 41 passes for 308 yards with one touchdown and only one interception.

He was magnificent. The offense in general played like a juggernaut in stretches.

Give Delhomme all the credit in the world. Everyone and their mother was booing him last week. All anybody was saying was that he's washed up, a has-been holding back his team.

I can't imagine how hard it is to overcome criticism like that. Somehow Delhomme has, at least for now, and that is a win in itself.

I was also impressed by how the defense responded in the second half holding the potent Falcons to only one score while forcing a fumble and numerous punts. It should be noted that the only score the Panthers D gave up in the second half was when the Falcons had good field position in Carolina territory.

Unfortunately, the Cats still lost and that is the bottom line.

But it appears that our quarterback has returned, and boy, that sure is the greatest feeling in the world.

Madden Cover Curse Strikes Again! Fitzgerald, Take Cover!

Thaddeus Yeiser — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:59:19 -0400

One of America's most beloved video games "Madden" first entered our homes with the debut of John Madden Football in 1989. For about a decade, Madden himself graced the cover of each game.

This changed in '99 when San Francisco 49ers running back Garrison Hearst graced the cover. This is when the Madden Curse began. From '99 onward, each year a different, high-profile football player would be featured on the cover.

With the recent injury of Troy Polamalu (The latest cover athlete, shared with Larry Fitzgerald), I couldn't resist bringing this issue back. The cover accolade is certainly an honor, but along with this honor has come a strange phenomenon.

Virtually every cover athlete has suffered massive injuries, or decline in performance the next year. Call it a coincidence, nit-picking, or something to watch out for, but this article is dedicated to the not-so-lucky victims of Madden's infamous Curse.

Madden '01 Eddie George

Before Madden Cover: Started all 16 games in '99 and rushed for 1300 yards while helping to lead the Titans to the Super Bowl.

After Madden Cover: Got better as a runner and even racked up 1500 yards, but here is where the Curse got started. In the 2000-01 divisional round of the playoffs against the Ravens, he had a costly fumble that helped lead to a shocking loss against the visiting wild card Ravens.

Verdict : Cursed

Madden '02 Daunte Culpepper

Before Madden Cover: In 2000 Culpepper lead the Vikings to 11 wins, the division crown, and to within one game of the Super Bowl.

After Madden Cover: His stats dropped considerably. He started five fewer games, went from 33 touchdowns to just 14, and the Vikings failed to reach the playoffs for the first time since the '95 season.

Verdict: Cursed

Madden '03 Marshall Faulk

Before Madden Cover: Faulk helped the Greatest Show on Turf go 14-2, light up the NFL and to Super Bowl XXXVI, before a shocking upset at the hands of the Patriots. Faulk put up exceptional numbers.

After Madden Cover: In 2002 Faulk and the Rams took a big step back. Faulk's yardage dropped by 400 yards, and he rushed for four fewer touchdowns. He did manage to squeak out a seventh pro bowl appearance, but his team dropped all the way to 7-9, and out of the playoffs.

Verdict: Cursed

Madden '04 Michael Vick

Before Madden Cover: Michael Vick electrified the NFL in 2002. He was named to the Pro Bowl, had one of his best seasons statistically, and even led the upstart Falcons to an upset win over the Packers in the playoffs.

After Madden Cover: In 2003, Vick missed all but four games with a broken leg. The Falcons fell apart without him and finished 5-11. This is a no-brainer.

Verdict: Cursed

Madden '05 Ray Lewis

Perhaps the one person who has legitimately avoided the cover curse. He hardly registered a drop in production and was an outstanding player all around.

Verdict: Curse Avoided

Madden '06 Donovan McNabb

Before Madden Cover: McNabb was fresh off leading the Eagles to their fourth straight Conference Championship appearance and first Super Bowl appearance since the 1980 season. He was a pro bowler and had one of his greatest years as a pro.

After Madden Cover: McNabb missed seven games. Had a terrible fued with wide receiver Terrell Owens, suffered an obvious drop in production. And to top it off, the Eagles suffered their first losing season since '99.

Verdict: Cursed

Madden '07 Shaun Alexander

Before Madden Cover: In 2005, Alexander was the league MVP and set the record for most rushing touchdowns in a single season with 28.

After Madden Cover: His performance went in the tank. He ran for almost a 1000 fewer yards, and rushed for 20 fewer touchdowns. Not to mention the fact that his record for most rushing TDs in a season was broken in 2006 by LaDanian Tomlinson.

Verdict: Cursed

Madden '08 Vince Young

Before Madden Cover: Vince led the upstart Titans to a record of 8-5 in games he started. He was named to the Pro Bowl and was named rookie of the year.

After Madden Cover: In 2007, he threw nine touchdowns to 17 interceptions. He managed to lead the Titans to the playoffs but played poorly in the game. He was eventually relieved of starting duty by Kerry Collins in week one of the '08 season. He hasn't started a game since.

Verdict: Mild Curse

Madden '09 Brett Favre

Before Madden Cover: Brett rides off into the sunset after leading the Packers to one of their best seasons in years.

After Madden Cover: Opts out of retirement and undergoes offseason-long fued with Packers. He signs with the Jets, and they collapse after an 8-3 start. They finish 9-7 and miss the playoffs.

Verdict: Cursed

And now...

Madden '10 Feat. Larry Fitzgerald and Troy Polamalu

Fresh off a Super Bowl win and at the height of his game, what could possibly go wrong for the Flyin' Hawaiian? Well how bout an MCL tear in the second quarter of week one? He could miss up to six weeks. Madden Cover Curse strikes again. Sorry, Fitzgerald. Unfortunately, it was only a matter of time.

Well perhaps there is strength in numbers. Maybe the curse can only affect one guy at a time. Maybe it won't get good ol' Larry Fitzgerald. Or just maybe it's only a matter of time. For when featured on the Madden Cover, many will try but few will ever avoid that dreaded, awful...Madden Cover Curse.

If Defenses Win Championships The Panthers Could Be In Trouble

Thaddeus Yeiser — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 13:24:31 -0400

I'll say this: The Carolina Panthers return eleven starters on offense, and look to be a dangerous juggernaut to contain. With Steve Smith, Mushin Muhammad, DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, and the emergence of Mike Goodson, they could cause many a defense to suffer terrifying nightmares.

But through it all, the Panthers look to be very vulnerable on the defensive side. It is true that the Panthers return nine starters from last year's defense, but the gaping hole at defensive tackle up front could cause problems. They should sign a free agent soon, but the best they will be to get at this point is average.

The void at DT was never more evident than the Giants game last year when the Panther—minus Maake Kemoeatu and Damione Lewis—simply could not contain the Giants' strong ground game.

The secondary will also be an issue. Already inexperienced Godfrey recently went down with an injury, and Jon Beason and Thomas Davis—critical cogs of this defense—are also nursing injuries.

If all goes well, they could all be back by the beginning of the season. But we can't afford to be missing any of them for an extended period of time on an already thin defense, full of inexperienced and young players.

We all know what happened during the second half of last season. The defense, save for Beason and Peppers, completely collapsed. They gave up well over 30 points a game, but thankfully the offense turned into a machine and would put up between 28 to 35 points of their own.

The problem is offense alone will never win a championship, even if you look at the greatest offenses in NFL history. This includes the '84 Dolphins, the '81 Chargers, the '87 49ers, the '83 Redskins, the '04 Colts, the '07 Patriots, the '99 Rams, '02 Raiders and the '98 Vikings.

Despite their deadly offenses, they had average defenses and it shows. Only one of those teams (the '99 Rams) actually won the Super Bowl.

Now look at some of the greatest defenses in NFL history. The '85 Bears, the '70's Steelers, the '08 Steelers, the '02 Buccanneers, the '00 Ravens, '69 Chiefs, '72 Dolphins, and the '75 Vikings. Guess what? All but one of those teams came away with a Super Bowl ring.

My point is, the Panthers may outscore teams but eventually someone will figure out that defense and we will be in real trouble.

It really is ironic. For years the cornerstone of the Panthers' success was their vaunted defense. The team had to fiind some way to make up for the offense's shortcomings, but now the roles have been reversed.

For any Panthers fans out there: When you say your prayers tonight, pray we score a lot of points. I mean a lot. Because if things don't change quickly for our defense, we may need all the points we can get.

The Ultimate 2009 NFL Preview

Thaddeus Yeiser — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 01:16:00 -0400

So here we go. The season's almost here, and of course its time to predict how this season will ultimately pan out. In this article I will be previewing every NFL team.

Record, state of the franchise, and their most burning issues. I will start with the flat out predictions and then get into potential firings, rookie breakouts, declines, surprises, comebacks, etc.

AFC NORTH

Steelers 14-2

Ravens 10-6, wildcard

Bengals 9-7

Browns 6-10

AFC SOUTH

Titans 12-4

Colts 10-6, wildcard

Texans 9-7

Jaguars 7-9

AFC EAST

Patriots 12-4

Jets 9-7

Bills 8-8

Dolphins 8-8

AFC WEST

Chargers 13-3

Chiefs 7-9

Broncos 6-10

Raiders 5-11

I don't think the AFC has changed much. The NFC is where we start to see a new look.

NFC NORTH

Vikings 11-5

Bears 9-7

Packers 8-8

Lions 4-12

NFC SOUTH

Falcons 11-5

Panthers 10-6, wildcard

Saints 10-6

Buccaneers 5-11

NFC EAST

Eagles 13-3

Cowboys 9-7

Giants 8-8

Redskins 7-9

NFC WEST

Cardinals 10-6

Seahawks 10-6, wildcard

49ers 8-8

Rams 4-12

AFC Championship: Steelers over the Chargers

NFC Championship: Vikings over the Falcons

Super Bowl XLIV: Steelers over the Vikings

League MVP: Adrian Peterson

With defenses accounting for No. 4 Peterson will see open holes like never before.

Comeback Player of the Year: Tom Brady

He's virtually a shoo-in as long as they make the playoffs.

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Jeremy Maclin (Philadelphia Eagles)

This offense will be electric and Maclin will be one of its main stars.

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Aaron Curry (Seattle Seahawks)

Linebackers always win these awards and Curry will have great defenders like Lofa Tatupa and Patrick Kerney around him.

Coach of the Year: Jim Mora

He will be handed a stable oraganization, and will benefit from all his starters coming back.

Biggest Surprise Team: Seahawks

They are in for a comeback year.

Biggest Disappointment: Colts

Although we should see this coming, they are on the decline.

Coaches Who Will Be Gone: Dick Juaron, Marvin Lewis, Jack Del Rio, Wade Phillips

Under the Most Pressure: Brad Childress, Brett Favre and the Vikings.

They have put a lot on the line. If Childress is to stick around the Vikings will need to at least reach the NFC Championship game to justify the signing of Brett Favre. Favre may not need to lead them all the way if he throws 35 TD's, but that simply won't happen.

Playoff win or bust for the Norse men of Minnesota.

My Personal Note On What 2009 Could Mean For Us

So much is on the line. So many teams need to win now, but not everyone will. The following teams could emerge from a long stay in the shadows.

The Raiders could finally prove Al Davis right. Yeah I laughed a little bit too.

The Bills could wash away the pain of four Super Bowl losses, or continue their decade or mediocrity.

Brett Favre could prove all his doubters wrong and take the Vikings to new heights, or fall flat on his face and take Childress with him.

The Steelers could very well repeat and solidify their claim that Steel is the toughest thing on earth, or do what they did in 2006 after winning Super Bowl XL.

The Dolphins could show us that '08 was no fluke, or they could fall apart.

Vick could be the comeback story of all time, or he could be just another casuality of crime. Who knows.

That's the Great thing about the NFL. Unscripted, uncharted fun. It is what every other sport tries to be. Now lets sit back and enjoy another great year of football.

How Michael Vick Can Set the NFL On Fire All Over Again

Thaddeus Yeiser — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:50:58 -0400

Let me start off by saying this. No, Michael Vick is not a starting quarterback in the league.

Let's be realistic here.

His passing numbers weren't exactly prolific in his days with the Falcons, and a two-year hiatus isn't going to help matters.

But this is one of those rare circumstances where an athlete could have a huge impact in a non-starting role. In my opinion Vick will not be effective as a starting QB.

In his days with Atlanta he was a far better runner than passer. Granted a lot had to do with having a rather weak receiving corps. Whether that was the receivers fault or Vick's is up for debate.

My point is this: If Vick is plugged into a wildcat offense he will drive defenses bananas.

I'm going to throw out some hypothetical situations here. Let's say he gets reinstated and the Patriots decide to pick him up.

The potential is endless. First of all you have an all-world quarterback that already demands a ton of game planning, in Tom Brady.

You have an underneath type receiver in Wes Welker that will snag eight to 10 passes a game and keep defenses tight. Than you have a prolific deep threat in Randy Moss.

Mix in a solid running game, and this offense is already looking deadly.

Now add in Michael Vick. This goes from a three dimensional offense to a flat out terrifying offense.

The possibilities are endless. I'll paint a scenario.

For the first quarter, maybe quarter and a half of any given game the Patriots have been running their traditional '07 offense. In all likelihood its working, but in reality most teams are probably going to be game planning and studying the tape of Super Bowl XLII.

We all know that with a healthy Brady coming back this team will be odds on favorites to win it all in '09. Now I'm not saying that every team will have the ability to stop them, but at least we now know that this offense does indeed have a weakness.

So, if I was the Patriots front office I'd want to bring in a bit of a wild card. In my opinion Micheal Vick fits the bill.

Now as I was saying for the first quarter or quarter and a half they have been running their traditional '07 offense, but now its time to mix things up.

Suddenly, Michael Vick steps on the field in some capacity.

Before the ball has even been snapped the opposing defense will have no clue what the Patriots will do. Here is a potential list of options in the Wildcat, or some variation of that.

Vick in Running Back position

They direct snap the ball to Vick who then takes off running.
They direct snap the ball to Vick who then bootlegs and throws it to one of their prolific receivers.
They direct snap the ball to Vick who then flea-flickers back to Brady.
Have Vick go into the flat for a short pass. He will demand immediate coverage.

Split Vick out at receiver

Run a reverse.
Have him run a route.
Run the old gadget play, where the ball is handed off to the running back, Vick does a reverse gets the ball, and throws down field to the open receiver.

Put Vick in at Quarterback and split Brady out at receiver

Run the gadget play but with different personnel.
Direct snap to running back who throws the ball.
Have Vick run.
Have Vick pass.
Flea-flicker.

And my personal favorite, but should be used sparingly...

Put Vick in at Quarterback and take Brady off the field

It's pretty much the same set of circumstances as the above, but it is so deadly.

So let's go back to before the ball was snapped. Again Vick is walking onto the field. Your the defensive coordinator. I have just told you every possible way they could kill you with the wildcat.

Just the Wildcat, mind you!

So, what's your game plan? Heck Vick could just be a decoy. He may not even be in the next series. And this is exactly why this gameplan is so effective. It will knock even the best defenses completely out of their rhythm.

Like it or not Vick is one of those players that requires a ton of work and gameplaning throughout the week to handle.

Then his team could turn around and not even use him, or use him in a completely different way than you had planned. That is why Vick would be so effective.

Now I said the Patriots, which is a hypothetical of course. But there is some merit to this claim.

First of all the Patriots of '09 will be playing in a much better division than the Patriots of '07.

The Dolphins run the wildcat.

The Jets will have a revamped defense under Rex Ryan, and the Bills have acquired T.O.

Add in the fact that Belichick is an absolute wizard with every player he gets his hands on. Imagine what he could do with Vick and the Wildcat.

After all he took a quarterback that had not started since high school and made him look good!

Honestly it doesn't even have to be the Patriots. I think a lot of teams could use Vick with deadly results. I'll throw out a few...

New Orleans

Drew Brees, Michael Vick, and Reggie Bush. The potential is endless.

Carolina

Imagine Vick coming in from time to time with the best running duo in the league behind him, and Steve Smith to throw to. Yeah, I'd be scared too.

Pittsburgh

They are already fond of the gadget with past players like Randle El, and Kordell Stewart. So Vick would make perfect sense.

Miami

Vick is in many ways a more seasoned, and athletic version of Pat White.

Minnesota

Same scenario as with New England. Except now the threat is with Adrian Peterson. An up and coming receiving corps with guys like Berrian, and now Harvin. And then Brett Favre! Wow. That has scary written all over it.

Chicago

With young inexperienced receivers the Bears will need to mix things up in a big way.

To be honest with the potential that Michael Vick offers I personally think every team could benefit from his presence.

He doesn't even have to take the field and defenses will be worried. He is a threat, when utilizing his athletic prowess.

Now do I actually believe that all the teams in the league will be calling for him?

Not in a million years.

In fact maybe only five or six teams will have the guts to put up with a potential PR nightmare.

But with the right coaching and the right system Vick could again set the league on fire, and the strange thing is: He may not be a starter.

Why The Carolina Panthers Are Lucky to Have John Fox

Thaddeus Yeiser — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:58:34 -0400

Let's be honest—John Fox is not the type of coach that will dazzle viewers and fans with offensive genius. His teams won't light up the scoreboard or set the league on fire, but they'll get the job done. And on any given Sunday, more often than not, that equates to a win.

It amazes me that, in this day and age, so many fans are willing to get rid of a coach so quickly. The playoff game against Arizona was a disaster, but let's look at the bigger picture here.

First of all, in seven seasons under Fox, not once have we done worse than 7-9. Think about that. Sure it's mediocre, but we've never had an awful season with him as coach.

He has a strong overall record. He's 63-49 in the regular season, and 5-3 in the postseason. That equates to 68-52. Bottom line...we'll always be in the hunt.

Here's something interesting to chew over. Fox has as many playoff wins in seven years as Jeff Fisher has in over thirteen years of coaching. Furthermore, Fox has the same number of playoff wins as Marty Schottenheimer—accumulated in over twenty years of head coaching.

The Panthers are one of only three NFC teams to have reached two or more Conference Championship games this decade, the others being the Eagles and the Giants.

It's a tribute to Fox's tenure that we could be consistently competitive amongst so much change.

Believe me, I wish that at times he would be more agressive and blow out a team. But trust me, it would cost us the game more often than win it. We simply don't run the style of offense that allows for much risk taking.

If the Panthers are playing to expectations then they will run the ball, create havoc on defense, and make the occasional big play in the passing game to keep the other team honest. And when that happens we're going to win. Plain and simple.

After all the success we've had I just can't put a guy under the bus after one bad, albeit horrible game. The Panthers had a bad day against the Cardinals, but we have to give the guy another chance before it's anything more than one bad game.

In the modern NFL, I feel fortunate to be a Panthers fan. With so much turnover in front offices and coaches getting fired left and right, quarterbacks get benched every week, I feel that we are lucky to have the rare combination of both coaching and quarterback stability.

Give that up and who knows what could happen.

Remembering Steve McNair

Thaddeus Yeiser — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 18:33:00 -0400

This is one of those articles that I hate having to write. It's always tough to say goodbye to someone who touched so many people, but McNair was one of those players who deserves to be remembered.

McNair was found dead today in his Nashville apartment along with a still unidentified woman. He suffered a fatal gunshot wound. No person or persons have been taken into custody yet. This according to espn, and TMZ.com.

Now to business. If you take a look at McNair's NFL career on the surface it may look something like this. He was drafted in 1995 by the then Houston Oilers, who became the Tennessee Titans.

He played with them until 2005. After assuming the starting quarterback position in '97, he led the Titans to four playoff appearances in a five-year span (99,00,02,03).

His teams reached two AFC Championship games, and an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIV. McNair was then picked up by the Baltimore Ravens and he helped lead them to their best regular season to date at 13-3, during the 2006 season.

They were subsequently ousted by the Colts in the divisional round of the playoffs. He would hang around for one more year before retiring.

He finished his career as a three time Pro Bowler, and co-MVP in 2003. He threw for 174 touchdowns to 119 interceptions, and had 31,000 passing yards.

His record in the playoffs was 5-5, and despite playing well in the Super Bowl, his team lost thanks to the most famous tackle in history.

That was his career on paper, but really he did so much more than that. He came from a very small school (Alcorn State). He wanted to play quarterback, but in the NFL it was hard for African-Americans to get respect at that position.

He proved so many people wrong. He was not only a prolific passer, but he was very smart with the football. He hated interceptions more than anything else, and was said to be conservative with the ball.

He could also make people pay with his feet, as he often displayed his nimble rushing abilities. I, however, feel that his biggest contribution was his sheer toughness.

Numbers can't describe how the man would routinely put his shoulder pads down and charge right into the heart of the defense. He was fearless, and often touted as being the toughest man on his team.

That's saying something, considering his teams featured players like Jevon Kearse, John Runyan, Derrick Mason and Ray Lewis.

Many people have said that the NFL is too soft. That the NFL wants quarterbacks to wear dresses. I even heard an analyst yelling that football is supposed to be a contact sport.

It's true that today's sports are not the gladiator exhibitions of yesteryear, but it was refreshing to see such a fearless athlete. To see one at the quarterback position was even more surprising.

I won't forget Steve McNair. I won't forget the man that, along with guys like Randall Cunningham and Warren Moon, made what Donovan McNabb, Michael Vick and Vince Young possible.

He was one of the trailblazers of the NFL, and one of the classiest men to ever don a helmet. I don't remember ever hearing his name in the news for something bad or for some misconduct.

No McNair was truly a competitor and a man that will be sorely missed. It truly is an awful day for sports fans.

If NFL Players Were Superheroes...

Thaddeus Yeiser — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 07:10:27 -0400

Often times, while watching a game, I will see a catch, or juke, or pass that will leave me speechless. Now lately it has become clear that NFL players can be all too human, but everynow and again I wonder..."Are these guys real?" The things they do can be almost Super-human at times. So today I'm going to be taking a look at players in NFL history that were most like our favorite superheroes. It whittles down to mannerisms, how they played, personality, etc.

Begin Slideshow

You Weren't Supposed To Win!: Sports Stories That Never Were—'98 NFC Title

Thaddeus Yeiser — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:41:27 -0400

In sports we love surprises. We love to see the team that wasn’t supposed to be there pull off a big upset. We love the rags to riches stories, and the unscripted fun that sports has to offer.

Occasionally, though, we want things to go a certain way. Sometimes without knowing it, most sports fans will have a bias.

For instance, the day Brett Favre’s Packers were playing the Raiders, back in 2003, almost everyone was rooting for the Packers. This is because we all knew that just one day earlier Brett had lost his father to a car accident.

Favre played the game of his life, and his team won.

Or take the 2008 US Open, for example. Tiger Woods was almost everyone’s favorite because he was playing heroically on a bad knee.

Tiger ended up winning it all.

How about Super Bowl XLI? I think it’s safe to say that most people wanted to see Tony Dungy and Peyton Manning finally win the ring. We were rooting for those guys, even if you weren’t a Colts fan.

And, sure enough, they won. Peyton even got the MVP award.

It seems like the sentimental favorite will always find a way to win, whether it’s Jerome Bettis in Super Bowl XL, or Lance Armstrong winning the Tour De France. Something “wills” that person or team to victory.

This is why I think it’s very sad and remarkable when the overwhelming fan favorite goes down, and what makes it worse is if they had a great chance to put the game away.

I cannot think of a better example than the '98 NFC Championship Game. It was one of those times when sports just didn’t have a happy ending.

For many reasons, the Minnesota Vikings were the favorites over the Atlanta Falcons, not just in the point spread, but also in America’s hearts.

Vikings coach Dennis Green was trying to become the first African American head coach to reach the Super Bowl. Before that magical '98 season, he had taken a lot of criticism by both the fans and the media. Many people said that a black coach could not be trusted to lead his team to the Promised Land. Many ignorant people wrote angry letters or put out hate mail.

His team’s success prompted most of the sports nation to get behind him, and root for him.

Cris Carter was another one of those men that had to overcome adversity. Earlier in his career, the veteran wideout was cut by the Eagles because of a drug addiction. Many did not think he would play again, but the Vikings gave him a second chance, and he went on to become one of their greatest players in the NFL.

Nothing would have capped off a Hall of Fame career better than a ring.

Randy Moss was the rookie out of Marshall that was looked at with scrutiny. Despite the obvious fact that he was the best receiver in the draft class, many draft experts felt that he was a trouble-maker and because of this, 21 teams passed on him. It wasn’t until the Vikings took him at No. 22 that he got his chance.

During the season, his story began to grow as he started to prove every person wrong that passed on him. He caught a rookie record 17 touchdowns. A fair number of people may have wanted Moss to finish the fairy tale story with a record-setting playoff run.

Look at Randall Cunningham. He was the quarterback who had supposedly seen his better days, and in '96 was out of football completely for a year. That all changed when he was brought in to play in Week Two, and went on to have the best year of his career. He was facing Falcons quarterback Chris Chandler. Everyone wanted Cunningham to lead his team to the Super Bowl, and nobody really knew who Chandler even was.

The average fan had to feel sympathy for the Vikings, simply for the fact that they had been to the Big Show four times before in their history, but never once did they manage to win. This was supposed to be the year they made up for all those missed opportunities.

After a record-setting 15-1 regular season that, at that time, featured one of the most dominant offensive juggernauts in league history, they were primed to finish off a flash-in-the-pan Falcons team and continue their fairy tale story.

On paper, they were favored to win, and the game started out that way. They were up 17-7, and driving. Randy Moss got his hands on what would have been a touchdown, but he dropped it. They settled for a field goal, and a crushing fumble at the end of the half put Falcons in business. They were able to get a touchdown, and the score at the half was 20-14.

With roughly two minutes to go in the game, the Vikings found themselves up 27-20. They were lined up to kick a 38-yard field goal. A 10-point lead with that little time would have virtually put the nails in the coffin.

To make things even more certain, the Vikings kicker, Gary Anderson, was perfect that year. He had not missed a single extra point or field goal. Add in the fact that the game was in a dome! Victory was inevitable and redemption was at hand—or so everyone thought.

He lined up for the kick, and sure enough, it sailed wide. The Falcons went on to tie the game up and win it in overtime.

To make things worse, the Falcons would go on to get clobbered by the Broncos in the Super Bowl. Many people still believe that the Vikings could have beaten Elway’s team that year.

You see, to me what makes this story so crazy is that the favorite, the sentimental team, well...lost. It goes against the grain of sports. Not to say that the Falcons were a bad team; they were a great team, but we all fully expected the Vikings to win and the fact is they really should have. I mean, give them credit; they had a fantastic year, and proved a lot of people wrong, but they could’ve done so much more.

To me (except for Super Bowl XXXVIII, that’s my own bias), this is probably the saddest thing that ever happened in a football game. There were so many men on that team that could have, once and for all, exorcised their demons, but one failed kick brought their world crashing down. I think Carter’s comments after the game summed up the whole story.

"Walking off that field and losing like that...I didn't even know if I wanted to play football again," Carter said. "I just felt like I would never win after that."

Look, I know that the unpredictability of sports is awesome, but if anyone ever deserved to win, it had to be the Vikings in this game. They were riding a ship of dreams atop a record 556 points, and were thought to be unsinkable.

Well, history proved them wrong and, like the Titanic before them, they met a tragic end well before they achieved full glory.

Some may say "Serves those chokers right!"

I say to them that maybe things should have been different. Maybe the Falcons weren't supposed to win. Not on that day. Not against that team.

Pittsburgh Pirates Commit Yet Another Crime Against Hu-"Fan"-Ity

Thaddeus Yeiser — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 14:00:44 -0400

Well done Pirates! You've once again declared this season a lost cause and traded away our only viable All-Star, Nate McLouth. All this despite only being six games out of a weak division in early June!

Well I guess it wouldn't make much sense to try and build the team around a solid young player, who is both a phenomenal hitter, a talented fielder and has also shown strong leadership skills in the lockerroom.

Yeah, wouldn't want to do that; It might endanger our goal of reaching 17-consecutive losing seasons.

In fact, now that you mention it, we've done this before, haven't we?

Let's recap: In 2003, the Pirates traded away Aramis Ramirez, who went on to become a two-time All-Star with the Cubs and has hit .300 or better many times in his career.

Last year, the Pirates traded both Jason Bay and Xavier Nady. Both were productive outfielders who could be relied on for their fielding and the ability to produce RBI. Jason Bay was also a two-time All-Star. Now you can add the all-star Nate McLouth to that list.

That's right, we sure as heck wouldn't want to keep a nucleus of solid players together. If we did that we just might break .500, or even fill some seats.

Well don't worry Pirate nation, we'll be able to dodge that bullet for another year. The streak is still intact!

Now if you haven't noticed by the sheer wonder and advancement of PNC Park (voted best ballpark in the majors), the Bucs' front office isn't strapped for cash. It just happens to be that the Pirates are one of those teams that can't fathom paying an All-Star player All-Star money.

I mean they have to stick to the Pirates famous formula, right? You know it starts with a great farm system that breeds solid ball players.

They move up to the majors, play a few good years and become a legitimate star. Then they ask to be payed what they deserve, and well we'll just have none of that.

Sure enough, we trade them away for more "prospects" to start the process all over again.

That's the basic way of things. Develop talent and, well, let them go.

Sounds more like a Triple-A team to me, and the owner is just fine and dandy with that.

So, Bucs fans, it's that time of year again. Let's put yet another season on the shelf because we're all "frugal", and "careful with money." I mean, it's not like the goal of sports is to win, or you know to be successful.

Because if it is then our front office needs to read the the Baseball Rule book (Listed under common sense and things a jellyfish would know).

World Series Trophy: Given to a team which reaches the postseason and is able to win the best out of five in the ALDS/NLDS, best out of seven in the NLCS/ALCS and best out of seven in the Championship round.

Wait, playoffs???

Oh yeah!!! That thing at the end of the season that...oh, nevermind. We'll just sit here and continue to trade away our only chance of ever being legit again.

And the owner can walk by Roberto Clemente's statue everyday and ignore everything that this team used to stand for. I guess the rest of us will have to stand by and suffer at the hands of incompetence.

It's just a tragedy that when the day comes that this team is sold and has to leave Pittsburgh, that all the things this team did in the past will account for nothing.

Oh well, the front office will just say "Easy come easy go! Not like this team used to be a part of this city right?"

Shame on them.

Remembering Sam Mills, and The Lesson We Should All Learn

Thaddeus Yeiser — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 12:45:03 -0400

In sports we are divided. Plain and simple. New Yorkers love their Yankees. Bostonians love their Red Sox. The Buckeyes hate the Wolverines, the Bruins hate the Trojans, Lakers fans don’t particularly care for Celtics fans.

No matter what sport, or what level you will always find someone who, for whatever reason hates your team, and you probably hate theirs too. Rivalry is the heartbeat of sports, and we all embrace it.

I am certainly included in this. As a Pitt Panthers fan I freely admit to hating the Mountaineers.

No fan can avoid this mentality. So I asked myself, is there any part of sports that we can feel united in? Well to be frank, there isn’t much. Some people like golf, some people like tennis. Some people like to run the ball, others enjoy passing the ball.

The list goes on, but as I thought about this I remembered a man who taught a lot of people a lesson about what sports truly means. It is a lesson that every fan of every team in every nation can learn from and emulate in all aspects of their lives. It is the story of Sam Mills.

Sam Mills was an undersized linebacker out of Montclair State College, and despite his talent he went undrafted. After playing in the USFLfor three years, he finally got his chance withthe New Orleans Saints.

He would play withthem for nine seasons, and appeared in four pro bowls. He is often called one of the greatest Saints to ever play. He was then picked up by the Panthers and played there for three seasons.

He reached his fifth Pro Bowl game, and in ’96 was finally able to make a deep playoff run as he helped lead the Panthers to the NFC Championship Game.

After three seasons in Charlotte he retired. Subsequently he became the Panthers linebackers coach, and remained an active leader in the locker room.

However in August of 2003 Sam Mills was diagnosed with intestinal cancer and was given two months to live. He was now in his sixth year as the Panthers linebackers coach, and the obvious decision was looming.

Give up, or keep fighting. Mills, who was one of the toughest men to ever put on a helmet, said no to cancer.

He kept his job as a coach on the Panthers staff. He arranged his chemotherapy treatments so that he could still coach every game. He never stopped fighting. He never stopped giving back to his team. His fight to survive became an inspirational story for the Panthers that year. They became the Cardiac Cats and lived on Mills motto, “Keep Pounding”.

Before the post-season started he gave the Panthers a rousing speech, and one of his quotes has always stuck out to me.

“You have your good days and your bad days. I am just glad I am having days, you know?"

He said that their play on the field inspired him, and in return he inspired them. The Panthers went on to beat the Cowboys, Rams, and Eagles en route to Super Bowl XXXVIII. Despite their best efforts they came up short, but I firmly believe that Mills was honored by how they played for him.

Sam Mills died on April 18th, 2005 in Charlotte. He was 45. His lesson, though, is what lives on. He was the man who was too small to play in the NFL, but he didn’t listen to that.

He was the man that was only supposed to live for another two months, but he didn’t listen. He was the man that wasn’t supposed to be coaching, and again he didn’t listen.

Instead he would fight. He never let outside forces stop him from doing what he loved…football. I firmly believe that this is the lesson that every sports fan from every team can learn from.

No matter what life gives you, even death, it can never be an excuse to stop doing what makes you happy. Never stop fighting, never surrender, and keep on pounding. If we all believe in this than I guess we really aren’t that different at all.

The NFL's Top 10 Almost Dynasties

Thaddeus Yeiser — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:47:26 -0400

The 60's Packers, the 70's Steelers, the 80's 49ers, the 90's Cowboys, and the 2000's Patriots. Those are the NFL's dynasties. These are the teams that won several championships over a specific range of time, and did so consistently. The Steelers won four rings in six years and the latter two dynasties won three rings in a shocking four year span, but what about the teams that were great, possibly even dominant, but just weren't considered a dynasty? These are the teams that may have won two, maybe one, perhaps they didn't even win a championship, but they displayed dominance over a period of time. These teams are the ALMOST dynasties of the NFL.

Begin Slideshow

The NFL's Forgotten Stories, Pt. 3: George Allen

Thaddeus Yeiser — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 20:11:11 -0400

Pop Quiz:

Which NFL Head Coach had the third-highest career winning percentage ever?

The following answers might come up: Chuck Noll? No. Don Shula? No. George Siefert? Close. Everyone knows John Madden ranks No. 1, but it comes as a surprise that the third-highest winning percentage by an NFL coach belongs to a man named George Allen.

That’s right, George Allen.

He is a long-forgotten NFL coach. He not only had an incredible winning percentage, but in twelve seasons as a head coach, he never once had a losing season. On top of that he led his teams to a total of seven playoff appearances. Those stats are all good and well, but stats don’t tell a story, so here we go.

In 1966, George Allen took over as the head coach of the Los Angeles Rams, who were in the midst of some hard times. In fact, they had gone eleven straight years without reaching the postseason.

Allen would be the savior to lead them out of the darkness. After a stunning 1967 season in which they won their division and reached the playoff, he was almost unanimously named Coach of the Year.

In his four years with the Rams, he was able to lead them to two playoff appearances, but they never got out of the first round. A dispute between Allen and the ownership led to his firing following the 1969 season.

That’s when he received a call from the Washington Redskins offering him the head coaching job. He immediately took it and got to work.

Once again, Allen was faced with a daunting task. He took over an abysmal team. Washington had not been to the playoffs since 1945, but like he did with the Rams, he was able to turn the Redskins around, and in 1971 was named Coach of the Year for a second time after leading the Redskins to the playoffs.

However, his team again fell in the first round. At that point he was 0-3 in playoffs, but all that would change the next year, in 1972.

During that season, he led the Redskins to a division title with a record of 11-3 and then went on to beat the Packers 16-3 in the divisional round before blowing out their rivals, the Dallas Cowboys 28-3 in the Conference Championship. It should also be noted that the Cowboys were the defending World Champions, and this would’ve been considered a big upset.

After the magical '72 season, Allen would continue to try to get the Redskins back to the Super Bowl, but never could. Under his leadership, they would go to the playoffs three more times. They were eliminated in the first round every time.

He was let go after the 1977 season and would never coach again. In his twelve seasons, he compiled 118 wins, compared to only 54 losses. He led his teams to the playoffs seven times, and never had a losing season.

In fact, he never even went .500. That alone is incredible. His résumé becomes even more impressive if you account for the fact that he had this kind of winning with teams that were awful before his arrival; consider the fact that the Rams and Redskins were both awful for decades before he showed up. Imagine if he were to have inherited a group of veteran winners: who knows how much more he could have accomplished?

Allen's critics cite his poor playoff record as the reason he does not receive as much recognition. In seven appearances, he managed only two playoff wins, and compiled an overall 2-7 record. Although it is unremarkable, he did still manage to reach a Super Bowl, and is one of only two Redskins coaches to reach that plateau.

To add to that, you should consider that in the entire Super Bowl era of the NFL, only three coaches have even taken the ‘Skins to the playoffs.

Now it would be foolish to think that he is anywhere near as great a coach as Joe Gibbs. It’s no contest, but I still feel that he is worth remembering. Just consider the fact that he made several impacts on the NFL that are still around today.

For example, he helped to popularize the 16-hour work day that many head coaches still are known for utilizing. He was also known for being very fit and ran several miles every day. He would eventually be appointed, by Ronald Reagan, on the President’s council as the Physical Fitness and Sports.

So why would he not be remembered? Some reasons could be that he only made a deep playoff run once or that he coached in the same era with men like Lombardi, Noll, Shula, etc. You could also say that the incredible success that Joe Gibbs had after Allen’s tenure had a lot to do with it, and it certainly did. In a way, this reminds me of the Bledsoe/Brady scenario, and provides a lesson that we, as NFL fans can again try to learn.

Always cherish the great ones who took you to the Promised Land, but never, ever forget the ones who brought you out of Egypt.

—Quote me on that.

The NFL's Forgotten Stories, Pt. 2: Mack Strong

Thaddeus Yeiser — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 00:32:19 -0400

In today’s game when it comes to running the ball, one man usually gets the credit. He gets to perform the fancy touchdown dances, rack up fantasy points, and make the highlight reel.

Of course, I’m talking about the halfback. It’s one of the most artistic and well-known positions in sports. Names include Walter Payton, Emmitt Smith, Barry Sanders, Edgerrin James, Franco Harris, and Jerome Bettis. These are the household names that gave us hours of jaw-dropping jukes, and hair-raising highlights, but without a certain man lead-blocking for them, they would never have been half the legends they were.

I’m talking about the fullback, and in this chapter of the NFL’s forgotten stories, we’ll be looking back at Mack Strong, one of the greatest blocking backs in NFL history.

His career was a lengthy and successful one. Strong was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in 1993. He started as fullback from day one, and was a catalyst in the Seahawks running game.

In fact, Strong was such a catalyst that he helped lead block for three different 1,000-yard rushers. This consisted of Chris Warren in '93, '94, and '95; Ricky Watters in '98, '99, and '00; and Shaun Alexander numerous times from 2001 through 2005, including the year that Alexander was the NFL’s MVP.

Let’s put this in perspective for a moment. Strong played 14 seasons for the Seahawks, and, out of those, 11 times he lead-blocked for a 1,000-yard rusher, 11-of-14! This, in itself, is an incredible accomplishment, but is rarely given enough credit. I don’t believe it to be a coincidence that so many running backs were able to find holes behind Strong’s powerful blocking.

During his time in Seattle, the team had some of its greatest success.

Although the first few years were rough, in '99 the Seahawks won their division and made it to the playoffs. In 2003 they would again reach the postseason as a wildcard, but lost to the Green Bay in the famous “We want the ball and we’re gonna score!” game. In 2004 they won their division but for the second year in a row, lost in the first round, this time to the Rams.

However, 2005 proved to be the best year the Seahawks would ever see. With help from Strong, and, of course, a talented championship-level team, they went 13-3, won their division, and went all the way to the Super Bowl, only to fall to Pittsburgh. At the end of the season, Strong was named to his first and long overdue Pro Bowl.

In 2006, Seattle again won their division, but fell in the second round of the postseason to the Bears. Strong was named to his second straight Pro Bowl. In 2007, he was playing at his usual level but fell to a career-ending neck injury at the beginning of the season. He took over the role of running backs coach for the remainder of the season, and the Seahawks were able to win their fourth division title. They again reached the second round of the playoffs before falling to the Packers.

His stats as a rusher were marginal, but then again no one asked him to be one. All they asked of him was to be a lead blocker, and help make their running game better. Well I think he did a pretty darn good job.

In today’s game it’s so difficult to find a man who is willing to just do his job. A man that is willing to stick by his team, through thick and thin for almost fifteen seasons.

In fact, to find an athlete so selfless that he could give up carrying the ball just to help another do it in his stead. That is a very rare quality to have in professional sports.

To add to that, being a fullback is to hold one of the most physically demanding positions in all of sports. It entails putting your body on the line, play after play. It deals with the most brutal aspects of the game, and Mack Strong did it with class and grace for over fourteen seasons.

There are too many Chad Johnsons, Terrell Owens, and Plaxico Burresses, in this league, and to have been able to watch a class-act, and hard working football player like Mack Strong is an honor. Let’s not forget a man who simply hunkered down and gave it everything he had. Outside of Seattle his name will never be mentioned very often, but then again that’s why he’s on this list.

The NFL's Forgotten Stories, Pt. 1: Drew Bledsoe

Thaddeus Yeiser — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 21:35:26 -0400

The NFL’s Forgotten Stories, Pt. 1: Drew Bledsoe

We all know what Tom Brady has done for the New England Patriots.

His credentials include the 2007 NFL MVP award, two Super Bowl MVP awards, three Super Bowl rings, four Super Bowl appearances, “FIVE GOLDEN RINGS,” and don’t forget four pro bowls. Then if you consider the fact that in 2007 he had one of the greatest seasons by any quarterback, ever!

However, people often forget just whom he took over for on that mild September evening, back in 2001. Drew Bledsoe.

How often it has been forgotten what he did for the Patriots, and yes, he was a pretty good quarterback. He was the first “savior” of Boston, but has been overlooked. Now I’m taking a step back and looking at one of the NFL’s forgotten stories.

In 1990, the Patriots were at an all-time low.

A lowly 1-15. They had consistently gone down hill, since losing to the Bears in Super Bowl XX. Two more abysmal seasons followed, including going 2-14 in 1992. A franchise lost looking for some stability.

In 1993, New England hired, two-time Super Bowl winning, former New York Giants coach, Bill Parcells. He would then make a move that changed the direction of the franchise. In the '93 draft, he picked up Washington State quarterback Drew Bledsoe.

Never again would they be a laughing stock.

In 1993, Bledsoe took the reigns of starter, and helped improve them to 5-11. Despite being thrown to the wolves, Bledsoe handled the new system and league with class.

In 1994, the Patriots were sitting at 3-6, but after a, furious comeback, win against the Vikings, they began a seven game win streak, to the playoffs. Despite losing to the Browns, this was the franchise first playoff game, since the 1986 season. Bledsoe was named to his first Pro Bowl.

After a down year in '95, Bledsoe would take the Patriots to the next level, with a division crown and an 11-5 record.

They were able to beat the Steelers and Jaguars in the playoffs en route to their second Super Bowl appearance. The Patriots however went on to lose to the Packers 35-21. Bledsoe was average at best in the game, but for his accomplishments that season he earned his second trip to the Pro Bowl.

The Patriots would go on to win a second straight division title in '97, and were able to beat the Dolphins in the first round playoff win.

Bledsoe played in his third Pro Bowl with the Patriots. Bledsoe then led them to one more playoff appearance in '98, a one and done deal, but remained a solid starter with the team. It should be noted that in '98, Bledsoe led his team to the playoffs but was injured and didn’t start in the actual game.

In '99 Bledsoe started the season strongly, and the Patriots looked to make another crack at the playoffs, but a second half collapse in the season, ended that hope.

In 2000, Bledsoe was solid, but the Patriots fell to 5-11.

In 2001, Bledsoe’s reign in New England finally ended. He suffered a bone-crunching hit in week two, Brady took over, and the rest is history.

Bledsoe went on to have productive years with the Buffalo Bills, leading them to a pair of winning seasons and securing his fourth Pro Bowl appearance in 2002. He then moved onto the Cowboys before finally retiring after the 2006 season.

His time was over.

Now it’s easy to throw what Bledsoe did out the window. Since he left, Brady has taken the Patriots to unheard-of heights. All the championships, the classic playoff games, and let’s not forget 16-0, but it was not Brady who led the Patriots out of the depths of despair. It was a man called Drew Bledsoe.

Let’s not forget that he was the face of the franchise for New England for eight seasons. Eight seasons! He was to New England, what LaDainian Tomlinson is to the Chargers, what Matt Hasselbeck has been to the Seahawks, what Tony Gonzalez is to the Chiefs.

Simply put, a franchise player, and someone that could not only be depended on, but was productive and won games. Let's not forget Drew Bledsoe was Tom Brady before Tom Brady. Bledsoe led teams to 33 fourth-quarter comebacks, and holds the record for the most overtime touchdowns of all-time.

Now I'm not saying that he's Tom Brady. Brady is one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time and simply a better quarterback than Bledsoe ever was.

However, were it not for Brady, Bledsoe would likely still be called the greatest the Patriots ever had. He helped rescue them from losing, before being hopelessly overshadowed by a decade of dominance from the "Great" Bill Belichick and Brady.

I want to remind everyone of what Bledsoe accomplished and insure that he won't be forgotten.

Thank guys. Keep reading

The NFL's Greatest One-Year Wonders

Thaddeus Yeiser — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 23:27:28 -0400

It's those flash in the pan teams, or that player who gets it right that one year but can't seem to find himself again. It's the team that comes out of nowhere, shakes up the NFL, then goes back into hibernation, possibly never to return for a long time. These are the one year wonders of the NFL, and this is my top ten.

Begin Slideshow

Why The Broncos Collapse Last Season Forever Changed Their Franchise

Thaddeus Yeiser — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 02:31:48 -0400

At one point in 2008, the Denver Broncos were 8-5 and leading their division by three games. The nearest threat to them was the San Diego Chargers who were 5-8 at the time. All they needed was either a win, or even simply a San Diego loss, and they were AFC West Champs.

Despite injuries to seven different running backs, they forged ahead, and were resilient.

Quarterback Jay Cutler was now a rising star in the NFL, and once they made it to the playoffs, perhaps he could show the world what he was truly made of.

Then came the collapse.

It was not just any collapse because this one would have more impact on the NFL than anything else in years.

The Broncos went on to lose to Carolina in a blowout, and then they lost to the free-falling Bills. At the same time, San Diego had won back to back games including a shocking 18 point comeback against Kansas City. A game that would've won the division for the Denver. The two would face off for the division title, and sure enough the Chargers walked away the winners. This brought an abrupt, and perhaps premature halt to the Broncos season.

It was a domino effect from that point onward. Because of their failure to make the playoffs, and in that kind of fashion, the Broncos fired long time head coach Mike Shanahan. This led to the hiring of Josh McDaniels. After that McDaniels stupidly tried to bring in quarterback Matt Cassel from his former team, and this lead to the now infamous dispute with Jay Cutler. After that fallout Cutler would never again be happy in Denver. He was soon traded there after. From that point they were able to obtain Kyle Orton and some draft picks, but they are now changed for good, and possibly for the worse.

In one offseason, they’ve gone from a team with a direction. To a team, void of a franchise quarterback, and stuck with a head coach that no one can respect. In one off-season they’ve gone from a team that should’ve been shoring up their atrocious defense, to a team that is still at square one in that department.

Were it not for that epic collapse, they would’ve made the playoffs. It would have been very difficult to fire Mike Shanahan, and the “McJay” gate fiasco would never have been born. The Broncos would still have their franchise quarterback, but instead they find themselves, once again on that never ending search for the next John Elway…well Denver...it's back to the old drawing board.

Advice on the Julius Peppers Situation: Don't Trade Him!

Thaddeus Yeiser — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 01:22:02 -0400

Here's my advice to the Carolina Panthers on the Julius Peppers situation. Stay where you’re at!

I know that the 34th overall pick is tempting to a team without a first round draft pick, but it’s not enough. Here are the reasons why the Panthers should not trade Peppers to the Patriots, or anyone for the matter:

A rookie lineman will not be able to fill his shoes

The Panthers are in win-now mode. Their window of opportunity could be closing, and giving up a dominant, elite pass rusher would be a bad call.

If we were a young team, under a new coach, I could see that happening, but we're not, and the Panthers can't afford to draft a lineman to replace him and wait for him to grow and mature.

He is worth at least a No. 1 pick

If you look at all the defensive linemen in the draft, and find one that will, in his first year, get you 14.5 sacks, I'll be shocked. Pick one that'll get ten sacks, even, that would be surprising as well.

2007 was not the real Peppers

Some experts are saying that Peppers could very well have a bad year in 2009, like he did in 2007. This could prove true, who's to say?

I, however, believe that Peppers has many reasons for why he did poorly in '07. Firstly, Mike Minter retired just before that season, and it was a huge shock to the defense, whom Minter had been the emotional leader of for years.

Peppers was forced to step into that role, and that just was not his style. The other thing is that I believe he may have been nursing an injury that he had to play through. All these reasons could contribute to a down year, and I don't believe Peppers will have another like it.

He is perfectly fit for the 4-3 Defense

We all know what Pep is saying about wanting to be in a 3-4, but if you listen to the experts, they'll all agree that he is perfect for the system he's in.

At 6'7", 295, and freakishly athletic for his size, he works well at defensive end. The 3-4 requires heavier defensive ends, and smaller outside linebackers. He won't get the kind of production he's used to in a 3-4. It's that simple.

Has played in Carolina his whole life

High School, College, and Pros. He's never suited up for any team that wasn't based in North Carolina. It would be a shame to see him leave his home state.

It's not like he's old

Peppers has probably five more years where he'll be playing at a high level we're used to. He's a veteran, but its not like he's about to just drop. If we trade him now, he's only going to go to another team, and dominate (if it's a 4-3). We can't afford that.

Two of the teams he wants traded to are NFC East teams

Guess which division is on our schedule next year? That's right, the NFC East. I'd prefer to not have him come to town wearing, Cowboy blue, or Eagle Green, and start beating up on us. No thank you!

So basically I believe it's in the best interest for the team, the city, the fans, and even Peppers himself to just stay put. I know its tempting to try and trade players, and see what you can get, but the Panthers need to do the smartest thing in this situation.

Nothing.

March Madness Preview

Thaddeus Yeiser — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 23:33:16 -0400

Well, it's that time of year. The time when we all start filling out brackets and hoping that finally our Cinderella will come through for us. It's the time when we balance our time between work and checking the scores on ESPN. Now I'm here to hopefully provide insight into the tournament and give you guys a leg up on your brackets. Enjoy.

Here we go.

Most Vulnerable No. 1 Seed

Pitt—I love them to death and they are easily the most balanced team in the field, but if one piece goes missing the whole machine will go right down with it. Take for example DeJuan Blair. If he gets into foul trouble of any kind, the Panthers will find themselves in serious trouble. They have now lost every game in which he has fouled out. This could be a very real possibility in the later rounds.

Three Teams That Could Surprise

No. 12 Arizona—They may be struggling coming into the tournament, but they are a team with a ton of postseason experience. Not only that, but they have an extremely favorable first round matchup against Utah. Next would probably be Wake Forest, who is absolutely horrible against the zone. A little run here is possible.

No. 11 VCU—This is the team that beat Duke a few years back. They are dangerous and have a balanced roster. If they get past UCLA, they could cause problems for some teams.

No. 10 Minnesota—They are well-coached, and I wouldn't sleep on them if I were drawing up a bracket. Playing the Big Ten all year has given them valuable experience in tough games.

Team with the Most To Prove

Pitt—This team has consistently choked around this time of the year. Remember, 1974 was the last time they got to an Elite Eight, and the last time they got to a Final Four, boy, get out your history books—1941. The pressure is even greater now, considering that they are a No. 1 Seed and anything less than a Final Four appearance will be falling short of expectation.

Player with the Most To Prove

Tyler Hansbrough of North Carolina. Face it; he came back for one reason. To win a National Championship. He has faced scrutiny and criticism for being soft, and a cry baby. If he can lead the Tar Heels to the top, it will shut a lot of critics up and solidify his case for being the No. 1 overall pick in next year's draft.

Team That Could SHOCK the World in the First Round

Stephen F. Austin—I know, you're thinking, huh?! What?! Try this on for size. The 'Cuse are spent, absolutely spent. Six overtimes against No. 1 seeded UConn and a tough overtime game against No. 1 seeded Louisville. I'm not saying this will happen (remember this is supposed to be a shock), but don't scream and rip up your bracket if it does. It is called Madness for a reason.

First No. 1 Seed To Fall

UConn—They'll have the unfortunate pleasure of having to get past Memphis. I don't see that happening. UConn falls in the Elite Eight. The other No. 1 seeds will at least make it to the Final Four. Pitt survives against Duke, North Carolina will blow out a surprising Arizona State team, and Louisville will take care of business against Michigan State.

My Final Four

Louisville vs Memphis

Pitt vs North Carolina

National Championship Game

Memphis vs North Carolina

Projection—After a brutal game against Pitt, the Tar Heels will run out of gas against the Tigers. Don't forget; this is the same team that nearly beat Kansas last year, and would have, had it not been for their horrendous foul shooting at the end of the game, which is much improved this season.

Memphis redeems themselves and wins it all.

There you go. Enjoy the games, and good luck in the polls!

Curse of the Super Bowl Loser: Why the Cardinals Will Be No Exception

Thaddeus Yeiser — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 02:57:01 -0400

Give the Cards credit: They had a great run to the Super Bowl in 2008, but for many years (well, since 2000) almost every Super Bowl loser has fared far worse the next year.

In fact, seven of the last eight runner-ups have not even made the playoffs and have averaged just over seven wins in their respective following seasons.

In reality, it hasn't always been this way.

In 1999, the Titans lost Super Bowl XXXIV to the Rams. The following year they went 13-3 and returned to the playoffs. In those days, it was not an unheard-of thing.

A team that makes it to the Super Bowl is supposedly still a very good team, and making the playoffs the next year is a given.

This ideology held true after the Giants lost Super Bowl XXXV. They were favored to win their division in 2001, thus the curse would begin.

The Giants fell to 7-9 and out of the playoffs the next year. The following year the Rams would fall to 7-9.

Then came the Raiders, who went 5-11 after their Super Bowl appearance in 2002 and haven't recovered since.

In 2004, the Panthers also declined to 7-9.

In 2005, the Eagles, after reaching the playoffs in five straight years, including four straight NFC title games and the Super Bowl, inevitably fell to 6-10.

In 2007, the Bears slipped to 7-9 and, finally, the Patriots, despite a winning record and tie for division lead at 11-5, also missed the playoffs in 2008.

The lone exception to that curse was the Seahawks, who, after losing Super Bowl XL, were, in fact, able to reach the playoffs in 2006, but they did win an incredibly weak division that year.Now, I realize history shouldn't always affect the future, but there's reason to believe that the Cardinals will in fact fall prey in 2009.

First, the 49ers are a team on the rise, and the Seahawks are even more dangerous.

Seattle was decimated by injuries and the knowledge that their coach was leaving after the season last year.

Also, add in the fact that their injuries were to their starting quarterback and virtually their entire receiving corps.

Since then they've added All-Pro receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, most everyone else, including Matt Hasselbeck, are back healthy.

They have a top-five draft pick, and new coach Jim Mora Jr. has proven that he can lead a team to victory.

The 49ers are also a team on the up tick. They have been a much, much better team since Mike Singletary took over.

They were 5-4 under him, including winning five of their last seven. They are headed in the right direction.

Now, let's look at the fact that the Cardinals have lost their offensive coordinator and have changed defensive coordinators.

Again, let's look at the facts. The Cardinals defense is bad. I'm aware of their improvement in the playoffs, but they still gave up an average of 22.25 points a game, and don't let that fool you.

They gave up plenty of yardage, and touchdowns, but were able to overcome the Falcons, Panthers, and Eagles thanks to nine turnovers and several other dumb mistakes by their opponents.

Let's also look at the fact that Edgerrin James suddenly became a force to be reckoned with in the postseason and that was crucial to their success.

The only reason he was suddenly so effective was because of how fresh he was.

Odds are he's going to get a lot more carries next season and thus fizzle out down the stretch.

This is, of course, saying he even plays for them at all. Remember, he does want a trade.

All this said, I do not believe that the Cardinals will be able to reach the playoffs next year.

I think their defense will suffer and the division will be much tougher.

I also believe that they will not get nearly the amount of breaks they got in the playoffs.

Sorry, Cardinals fans, but get ready because the Super Bowl curse might just claim its next victim.

The 2009 NFL Season: Upcoming Milestones

Thaddeus Yeiser — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 17:43:15 -0500

Why are milestones so great? Well, for one thing, they can help define a career. Milestones help shape a picture of how a player performed. Everyone knows about Brett Favre breaking all the records in 2007. Touchdowns, yards, wins by a quarterback, etc.

Well guess what? Those are all critical milestones.

I think one reason milestones are so important is because of how they live on. We'll forever remember Emmitt Smith breaking the all-time rushing record. We remember when Jerry Rice broke all the receiving records. We remember when Reggie White got his 100th sack. It simply lives forever.

So here we go. This is a complete list of all the potential upcoming milestones in the 2009 NFL season. Many are predictions. You must take into account that some of these players are not currently starters, or there could be injuries involved. But barring variables, here's what could be coming up.

20,000 Passing Yards

Jake Delhomme 17,877

Chad Pennington 17,391

Carson Palmer 15,630

30,000 Passing Yards

Donovan McNabb 29,320

Brad Johnson 29,054

Kurt Warner 28,591

Tom Brady 26,446

Drew Brees 26,258

Jeff Garcia 25,537 (Huge longshot, career long is just over 4000 yards)

Jon Kitna 27,293

Trent Green 28,475

40,000 Passing Yards

Kerry Collins 37,393

50,000 Passing Yards

Peyton Manning 45,628

10,000 Yards Rushing

Clinton Portis 9,202

100 Rushing Touchdowns

Edgerrin James 80

10,000 Receiving Yards

Hines Ward 9,780

Amani Toomer 9,497

Chad Johnson 8,905

Reggie Wayne 8,129 (Would need to break single season receiving record to reach 10,000 yards)

15,000 Receiving Yards

Isaac Bruce 14,944

Marvin Harrison 14,580

Randy Moss 13,201

1000 Career Receptions

Terrell Owens 951

Tony Gonzalez 916

Torry Holt 861

100 TD Passes

Eli Manning 98

Tony Romo 81

Phillip Rivers 78

200 TD Passes

Tom Brady 197

Donovan McNabb 194

Kerry Collins 186

Kurt Warner 182

Drew Brees 168

100 Sacks

John Abraham 84

Joey Porter 83

50 Interceptions

Ed Reed 43

Champ Bailey 43

Sammy Knight 42

Dre’ Bly 40

Coaching 50 Career Wins (Including Postseason)

Marvin Lewis 46

Lovie Smith 39

Again, many of these possible milestones will not happen. Jon Kitna, Trent Green, and Brad Johnson aren't even starters, so odds are they won't do much of anything. Torry Holt will need to nearly match the all-time receptions record to reach 1,000 receptions. Randy Moss and Reggie Wayne will need astounding seasons to reach their respective milestones.

With this in mind, though, I am confident that many of these will be accomplished next season. We'll just need to wait and see.

What It Means To Root for the Pittsburgh Pirates

Thaddeus Yeiser — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 23:14:52 -0500

What does it mean to be a Pittsburgh Pirates fan?

Well if you're a long-time fan, say decades long, you can remember the last time they won, or even went to a World Series. But for many of us all we've ever known, except for maybe those decent years from 90-92, is losing, losing, and losing.

We must never lose hope. Here's what I think it means to be a fan of the team that has been nothing short of a train wreck in the last generation.

To me being a fan of the Pirates is being a fan of something that will never win.
It's having the best ballpark in baseball, and the worst team to put in it.
It's about being stuck in the middle of a cold, dark cave and the light, if there even is any, is up the slippery cave wall, and inevitably far away.
It's about seeing decent baseball players come in only to be traded away, because of incompetent ownership.
It's about watching a team blow multiple run leads late in games.
It's about strikeouts, flyouts, and groundouts...oh my!
It's about having an owner, whom it would seem cares little at all about the proud heritage of a city, and its baseball team.
It's about having nothing to hang your hat on.

But in these dark times I try to remember what good can come out of it, and what else it means to be a fan of a team like this.

It means being the toughest fans in baseball. How is it that we can endure suffering like this and keep our chins up.
It's about living up to our cities reputation as being tough as steel, and sticking with our hometown team.
It's about the ultimate show of loyalty by standing alongside a wounded, almost lost team, while not selling out and rooting for somebody else
It's about cheering and going to the games.
It's about remembering the famous walk-off home run in the 1960 World Series.
It's about losing, but at least doing it without steroids.
It's about driving across Clemente bridge.
It's about sitting in the seats no more than eighty feet from the field and having a clear view of the grand PNC Building in the distance.
It's about hoping, just hoping, and praying that one day a miracle will happen and this will all end.

For now it doesn't look like that's going to happen, but just remember that the worst thing to do now would be to quit on them.

Stick by them, even to the end. I'll end it with one of my all-favorite quotes. This is from the man that coached the Bills to four consecutive Super Bowl losses. (He knows a thing or two about tough losses)

"'Fight on my men,' Sir Andrew said, 'a little I'm hurt, but not yet slain. I'll just lie down and bleed a while and tomorrow I'll rise to fight again.'" -- Marv Levy. After losing Super Bowl XXV

Well enough of this. I'm gonna get ready for another season, losing it may be, but what the hell. What do we have to lose? Thanks for reading guys.

Wide Right: Another Super Bowl Flashback

Thaddeus Yeiser — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:34:26 -0500

We will never forget. The Bills will never forget, the fans of their team will never forget, fans everywhere will never forget, but above all Scott Norwood is the man that will remember this moment more than anyone else, and perhaps that is unfair, but it’s the sad tragic truth.

It did, however, make for one heck of a memorable Super Bowl moment.

I will preface this one by saying that I respect what the 1990 Giants did that season. They got the job done, and proved that they could win it all without their starting quarterback, and that makes them great.

At least to me, however, this moment has little to do with them, and it is really about the Bills. In fact, the Giants will almost never be remembered with this moment, and it always goes back to the kick and to the poor, poor Bills who began a run of almost greatness.

At the end of the eighties a sorry Bills franchise had reinvented themselves under Marv Levy. They began to win, and the 1990 season was supposed to be the culmination of the rebuilding process.

It was meant to be a crowning moment for a once sorry team, and a championship that could make a city proud. It was supposed to perhaps spark a dynasty, and be remembered for all time as one of the great American sports stories. Instead all of that was lost with one kick.

It all starts with a man named Jim Kelly. He was the Buffalo Bills Pro Bowl quarterback, who led the team’s deadly offensive unit, nicknamed the K-Gun. This offense led the league in points scored with a total of 428 over the season. Jim Kelly also had the highest passer rating in the league, to go along with that.

The running back Thurman Thomas had a stellar year, and was the yards from scrimmage league leader. On the defensive side of the ball, Bruce Smith, their leading defensive lineman was the defensive player of the year, and had 19 sacks to go with the accolade.

The mighty Bills stormed through the regular season and finished with a record of 13-3. They were also undefeated at home, and after a bye week played the Dolphins in the Divisional round of the playoffs.

They emerged victorious, winning 44-33. In the Conference Championship they would play a tough Raiders team, but the game itself proved to be a farce. The Bills demolished their opponent 51-3, and set the stage for what was supposed to be their crowning moment.

They were eight point favorites over the New York Giants, and the game started out that way as the Bills built a 12-3 lead in the first half. They were running the ball effectively, and a sack in the end zone provided the difference.

The Giants however were resilient and drove the length, in an extremely long drive, to draw to within two points after the touchdown.

The second half started and the Bills were on defense. The drive that followed helped define this game. The Giants would control the clock for nine minutes before finally scoring the go ahead touchdown. This kept the dangerous Bills offense off the field and wore down the Bills defense.

The Bills got the ball back and scored quickly off a run from Thurman Thomas, but still their defense could not catch their breath.

The Giants got the ball and ground out another brutally long drive, and despite not getting a touchdown were able to put up three points and lead by one. After a few punts the Bills got the ball back with 2:16 left. Their offense had been sitting on the bench for most of the half, but now had the chance to make the finishing drive.

They had the chance to seal a season with a championship.

It all started well for the Bills. Jim Kelly looked like Joe Montana as he drove the Bills the length of the field and set them up in scoring territory. Levy sent out his kicker to attempt a 47 yard field goal to win the game.

20-19, it came down to this. Despite the Giants offense controlling the entire second half, and not allowing the Bills offense to score very much, by simply not allowing them on the field, had hurt them. They were unable to blowout this team as they had so many others, but now came a field goal shot. Despite the tough game, they could end it all with one kick.

An entire city was ready to cheer. Jim Kelly looked on, hoping he had driven them close enough, and hoping that he would finally have his championship. The tired Bills defense looked on hoping to be redeemed for an entire half. A half in which the Giants converted first down, after first down, after first down, but it could all end here.

The kick was off...an entire season of winning led to this…they watched as all they had accomplished was about to be cashed in for the ultimate prize…some could envision the papers tomorrow 22-20 Buffalo…they couldn’t wait for their rings…it looked good…they were World Champions…but wait…no one was cheering…it couldn’t be…it can’t end this way…it sailed wide right…no good…Bills lose…the Bills lost.

Super Bowl XXXVIII Flashback: The Famous Fourth Quarter

Thaddeus Yeiser — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 01:36:54 -0500

This has to be one of the most underrated moments in Super Bowl history. The game itself has been rightfully hailed as one of the most exciting games ever watched on the big stage, and Vinatieri’s field goal at the end is a guaranteed highlight in any Super Bowl discussion.

However, it is often lost what happened in the fourth quarter.

Picture this...

The first three quarters of Super Bowl XXXVIII were not much to write home about. There was virtually no offense in the first quarter. In fact this game remained scoreless longer than any other Super Bowl.

The end of the first half did provide a lot of excitement, and fans expected the excitement to continue in the third quarter, but it was again a defensive struggle. Going into the fourth quarter the Patriots led the Panthers 14-10.

And then it began.

First, the Patriots, who had already begun moving the ball at the end of the third quarter, scored a touchdown and got some much-needed breathing room. They were ahead 21-10 and hoped to hold down the Panthers' offense.

For much of the game this had been a simple task, but the Panthers' dormant offense began to come to life. They moved the ball and answered with a touchdown of their own. They opted for the two point conversion to try to make it a field-goal game, but failed.

Ahead by five points, the Patriots got the ball back, and quarterback Tom Brady led his team down the field. He was shredding the Panthers' defense with ease, and guided his team deep into the red zone.

It appeared that the Patriots were going to finally take control of the game, and the game would finally start playing out like so many had predicted. Despite what was happening, no one could have predicted what happened next.

Brady, who rarely (if ever) turned the ball over in the postseason, was intercepted, and the Panthers were back in business. Jake Delhomme threw an 85-yard strike to wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad for a touchdown. The pass was the longest score in Super Bowl history.

With the touchdown, Carolina went ahead, 22-21 but failed on the two point conversion attempt.

It would prove costly as Tom Brady and the Patriots refused to lose; the Pats had not lost since Week Four of the regular season. Brady led them back downfield and scored quickly on a trick-play pass to linebacker Mike Vrabel.

Then came the direct snap on a two-point conversion that made the score 29-22. Fans were now on their feet. The action was incredible, and it wasn’t letting up.

The Panthers had a long way to go, and not much time to do it. They needed to tie the score quickly, and hope for overtime. A team that relied on the running game so often had to keep passing—and they did.

Right down the field they went, and they tied the score with a touchdown pass to Ricky Proehl. No one could believe it. The Panthers had answered the Patriots punch for punch, but unfortunately for the Panthers, there was over a minute left on the clock.

It was déjà vu for New England. Brady had led the game-winning drive against the Rams only two years earlier, and had the chance to do it again.

John Kasay’s kickoff went out of bounds and gave the Patriots good field position. The stage was set. The Patriots moved the ball flawlessly against a tired Panthers defense.

All was set for Vinatieri’s latest heroics. He lined up for another Super Bowl-winning kick. The crowd was cheering as the biggest game in the world hinged on his foot.

He lined up…He kicked…Right down the middle. Patriots win, 32-29.

The two teams combined for 37 points in the fourth quarter as the Patriots won their second Super Bowl in three years, writing another chapter in what would prove a dynasty.

However, what makes this fourth quarter great is what I will explain here.

You had the Cardiac Cats from Carolina. They were a team who had won seven games by seven points or fewer during the season. They routinely made their fans sweat game after game. They won on last-second touchdowns, last-second field goals and in wild overtimes.

Even the playoffs were no exception, as the Panthers barely slipped past the Rams in double overtime with a 69-yard touchdown pass to Steve Smith.

The Super Bowl was no different when they took on an opponent that was supposed to destroy them, and they found themselves down over and over again.

They were unshaken as Delhomme led them downfield, as he did so many times that season, and tied the game to set them up for a familiar overtime. But what makes it great is that for once, that wasn’t enough. For once, their vaunted defense could not hold back a relentless offense.

The Cardiac Cats had run out of lives.

Another reason to remember that fourth quarter is the sheer number of points and how they did it. In one quarter we had 37 points, including five touchdowns, one of them the longest touchdown pass in Super Bowl history. There was an interception, three two-point conversion attempts, and a game-winning field goal for only the third time in Super Bowl history.

The 37 points, by the way, were the most ever in the fourth quarter.

You had a quarterback for the Panthers who was virtually unknown before the season started, and in Week One, came off the bench to lead a 17-point comeback against the Jaguars, and take over the team for a magical season.

You had a team that only two seasons before that had been 1-15. They came out of nowhere, and came within a field goal of capping off one of the biggest rags-to-riches stories ever.

You had the Patriots, who were on a roll, winning fourteen in a row. Somehow, someway they overcame what could have been a storybook ending for the Panthers and made it their own.

Belichick and Brady showed their mettle by not buckling despite the resurgent Panthers' offense in the fourth quarter. They knew how many teams the Panthers came back against over the season, but they refused to be one of them.

Instead, they became champions, and both teams gave us something to remember.

Super Bowl XXXVIII was probably the most realistic view of life from two vastly different points of view. The Panthers remind us that the underdog doesn’t always win. The story is not always happy at the end. Sometimes, you keep fighting and fighting, but no matter how hard you try, you just cannot complete the final step.

The Patriots show us the side of life that we want to be familiar with. They showed us that it doesn’t matter what is happening around you, and that all you need is perseverence. They faced a valiant opponent and defeated it.

They faced down what could have been defeat a few times in the fourth quarter, but bounced back to continue their winning ways.

You had two teams that people could fall in love with. Two gallant opponents who both deserved the Lombardi trophy. Both teams, unlike so many other Super Bowl teams, played the game like they deserved to be there, and both fought like champions.

What makes this one memorable, what puts it on this list is that only one could become the victor.

Is Kurt Warner a Hall Of Famer?

Thaddeus Yeiser — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 22:26:44 -0500

Hi guys. This is going to be a tough question, but if Kurt Warner retires this year, is he a Hall of Famer?

At least for me, it's a toss up, but I'm just gonna give some pros and cons I've come up with, and then let you guys leave your comments, for or against. Feel free to answer the poll. Thanks for reading.

Let's start with the pros. Again, this is if he retires.

PROS

Two-time NFL MVP
Won Super Bowl XXXIV with the Rams
Has played in three Super Bowls
Holds the record for most yards ever thrown in the big game, second and third on the list belong to him as well
Second-highest completion percentage in NFL history
Third-highest career Passer Rating
Went from supermarket to Super Bowl
182 touchdowns is not bad considering how long he played

CONS

Was only a true starter for the Rams for three seasons (1999-2001), which is not much. In '98, Trent Green was the starter. In '02 Warner was injured most of the season, and in '03 Marc Bulger became the full-time starter
Four Pro Bowls is good, but may not be Hall of Fame-worthy
Got cut by the Giants
Was the Cardinals' full-time starter in '07, and of course '08, but played off and on in '05 and Leinart was running the show in '06
Career was not consistent at all

There you go, the good and the bad.

Give your opinion.

Answer the poll, and I'll answer as many questions as I can. Thanks again, guys.

Fran Tarkenton: The Forgotten Quarterback

Thaddeus Yeiser — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:55:42 -0500

Do you remember a man named Fran Tarkenton? Well if you don’t then this article is for you.

Fran Tarkenton is one of the most underrated quarterbacks…scratch that…he is THE most underrated quarterback ever, and I have quite a bit to back that up, but first I’ll give you a brief history.

Statistics

Tarkenton played at the University of Georgia and was drafted by the Vikings in 1961. He played with Minnesota until 1966, and played for the Giants from 1967-71. He was subsequently traded back to the Vikings and played with them again from 72-78.

He threw 342 touchdown passes and 266 interceptions. He passed for over 47,000 yards and posted an 80.4 passer rating. When he retired in 1979, these were all NFL records. He was also the all-time leading rusher as a quarterback at the time of his retirement.

Let's add in the fact that he played in three Super Bowls in four years, and was a nine-time Pro-Bowl selection. Plus he was the MVP in 1975.

What they say

Now this may not convince you of his greatness. You must be thinking…Thad, didn’t Dan Marino and Brett Favre break all his records? He never won any of those Super Bowls? Lots of QB’s scramble now? Well here’s what I have to say to that.

What I say

Tarkenton played in an era of football when it was much easier to throw interceptions. Pass interference rules were simply more lax, and touchdowns were harder to come by. On top of that the West Coast-style pass-happy offense hadn’t even been thought of yet,

Plus, can you honestly name me one of Tarkenton’s receivers? He didn’t exactly have a Hall-of-Fame cast around him. Now with all this going against him the man throws 342 touchdowns?!

To put that in perspective, consider other Hall of Famers who played in that same era. Keep in mind these are Hall-of-Fame quarterbacks.

Johnny Unitas 290 TD’s

Terry Bradshaw 204 TD’s

Joe Namath 173 TD’s

Roger Staubach 153 TD’s

Bart Starr 152 TD’s

That’s right, the next closest guy was 52 touchdowns off, and that pattern follows suit with his incredible yards passing as well. He threw for 47,000 yards when most Hall of Famers threw in the 20's!!!

Now, let’s also throw into the mix the fact that Tarkenton literally invented scrambling. It simply wasn’t done very much until he came around, and he made it an art. He pretty much was his offensive line, and bought himself time to make throws.

Let’s take a look at the men who broke his records Dan Marino and Brett Favre.

Marino was in one of the most pass-happy systems ever invented with Don Shula’s playbook. On top of that, running the ball wasn’t as essential as it was in Tarkenton’s day. Also, let’s add in the fact that Marino had the famous “Marx” brothers to throw to.

Brett Favre may have thrown a ton…I mean a ton of touchdowns, but in an era where interceptions are harder to throw, he throws over 300! Come on now.

The Super Bowls

Now I understand that he never won any of the Super Bowls he played in. In fact, they weren’t even close. That can’t be explained and criticism goes all around for the way the Vikings played in those games, but he still played in three of them!

If some people say Marino was the second greatest QB of all time, then why do they overlook the fact that he played in only one Super Bowl. That’s no comparison.

Let's make one side note. Had it not been for the robbing call at the end of the famous “Hail Mary” game against the Cowboys in the 1975 divisional round, Tarkenton may have won that ring after all.

Last Note

Now I’m not saying that this man is the greatest quarterback ever. I’ll argue that it's Montana ‘til I’m blue in the face. But to forget the man, and lose sight of what he has accomplished is wrong. I think we owe this man some more credit, and I’m just giving him his due.

Thanks for reading guys.