Hot Stove Player of the Week: Chase Blackburn

This week’s winner was hard to choose from. The Jets lost. The Giants won but didn’t play particularly well. The Rangers went 1-1-1. The Islanders are the Islanders. And is there anybody out there who even knows that the Devils exist? It seems like we dodged a Hot Stove Player of the Week curse, though. Aaron Voros didn’t pull an Eli Manning. He scored two goals on Saturday in Detroit, negating the Hot Stove jinx. This week’s prize is a product called the Stadium Pal. Click here to find out about the best friend a man could ever have. As always, the winner can pick up his prize at his own time and expense.

Winner 

Chase Blackburn: We’re going to give the defense it’s due this week. It’s not as flashy as finding the end zone, scoring goals or being called for offensive pass interference and yelling expletives at your coach, but defense wins games. Antonio Pierce’s replacement had 10 tackles (two for lost yardage), his first career sack and a forced fumble against the 49ers. And he was a big factor in helping hold Frank Gore to 11 yards rushing. The middle linebacker also had to step in and call the defensive signals. Not bad for a non-drafted backup.

Runners Up 

Justin Tuck: We’ll stick with defense here. The Giants defensive end sacked walking Irish bar J.T. O’Sullivan twice and had two forced fumbles, one of which led to the most exciting play in football – the safety.

Michael Johnson: More defense. The Giants safety came up with his first two career interceptions vs. San Francisco. One came right before the half as the 49ers were close to scoring and getting back into the game.

Thomas Jones: The second week in a row the Jets running back is a runner-up. He could have been the winner if his team won. After scoring three touchdowns the previous game, he piled up 159 yards (his most as a Jet) on 24 carries.

Zach Parise: In the Devils two victories this week, the left-winger scored two goals, had two assists and was plus-three. And he scored the lone shootout goal to beat Washington on Friday. Hey, somebody has to score for New Jersey.

Anti-Player of the Week 

It’s a team award this week. The winner: The Jets. They lost to Oakland? Al Davis came back from the dead, classlessly fired his coach while accusing him of lying and then put a hex on the Jets. Maybe Brett Favre accidentally talked to Davis on the phone and told him how to beat the Jets.