Posts tagged Mark Sanchez
Super Bowl XLV – It’s Prediction Time!
Feb 3rd
It’s a long time since training camps last year, when many (but by no means all!) of the teams though they could go all the way.
Back in August, we took a look at how we thought the divisions might play out. And… well, we were pretty much wrong across the board. In fact in some divisions we got the predictions exactly the opposite way to how it turned out. What can we say? It’s been that sort of season.
Super Bowl Rings
We’ve had some good turnaround stories this season, like the Rams and the Bucs who were both pushing for post-season places going into the final weeks. We’ve had the pre-season optimism of teams like the Redskins and Cowboys be beaten away by the realities of the season. We’ve had coaches fired, replaced, out of contract and just not as good as they should have been. We’ve had players go through bitterly disappointing seasons or moments and we’ve had the same number of triumphs. We had a good game between two not-so-good teams at Wembley.
All teams have overcome adversity and injuries during the long and gruelling season but two teams are left. The Green Bay Packers from the NFC and the Pittsburgh Steelers from the AFC.
The Packers are one of those teams who looked like they were struggling, but have hung in there throughout the season and with a great win in week 16 (against the rival Bears!) booked themselves into the play-offs at the last possible moment.
Rodgers Scrambles
They had big injuries, like losing Ryan Grant for the season in week 1, successive losses in overtime to the lightweight Redskins and Dolphins. Rodgers was concussed and at times they didn’t like championship worthy. But they’ve be playing great football for a while now and their last few games have certainly been championship ball.
The Steelers, as we all know, started the season without their starting quarterback. They traded away a Super Bowl MVP and it looked like the defence was losing a step. For most of the season they were neck and neck with the Ravens but were able to book a first-round bye with their strong showing as the season drew to an end.
Both coaches, Mike McCarthy and Mike Tomlin have both done incredibly jobs this year.
In the past few weeks we’ve looked at both teams in some depth, so we’re not going to do that again. Instead, let’s take a look at each element of the game and see how has the edge. No, it’s not a novel approach. But it works. More >
NFL 2010 AFC Championship
Jan 19th
New York Jets @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Sunday 23rd January, 11:30pm UK Time
It seems like a long time ago that Rex Ryan announced shortly into the first episode of Hard Knocks that the Jets were going to win the Super Bowl; that they were the best and this was the year. Now, going into the conference championship for the second consecutive season they’ll be hoping to get past the hurdle they fell at last year.
The Steelers started this season under a cloud of controversy and talk of their starting QB being traded. Coach Mike Tomlin kept the ship steady and really it’s no surprise to see the Steelers competing – again – in the Championship game.
Heinz Field
Apart from the game this season, these teams hadn’t met since 2007. A lot has happened since then, like the Steelers winning the Super Bowl in 2008 and the resurgence of the Jets under Rex Ryan. Let’s take a look at the last few meetings
Week 8, 2010: Green Bay Packers @ New York Jets
Oct 29th
This week sees me heading to Wembley along with Andrew and Graham for what should be a great game of football between the Denver Broncos and the San Francisco 49ers. That won’t stop me from taking a look at other games however, and this week I’ll be focusing on the Green Bay Packers at the New York Jets.
Mark Sanchez
Brandon Jackson has now had time to settle into the Packers offence and show us what he is made of. I do commend him and he has done a decent enough job. Sure he’s not the feature back that Ryan Grant is, but considering his lack of playing time previously he can be proud. I do think that the Packers are desperately missing the presence of Jermichael Finley, Aaron Rodgers more than anyone else. He was a focal point in their passing game and to be honest that has looked a little stale since he has been out. They really need to try and utilise Greg Jennings more than they have done, because when he has had the ball thrown at him he has made some good plays and showed everyone why he can be the number 1 receiver at Green Bay. He has already beaten his touchdown total from last year in half the time, but his yardage is suffering and at the moment he isn’t even close to breaking 100 yards. More >
Week 6, 2010: New York Jets @ Denver Broncos
Oct 14th
I know we take a look at the Broncos and 49ers every week as part of our Wembley Watch series, but I’m not sure that we’ve take a pre-match look at any of Denver’s matches. Well that changes this week!
The New York Jets travel to Denver in buoyant mood and form as after a week one (narrow) loss to the Ravens they’ve gone on a four game streak, beating each of their divisional rivals and then the Vikings to take a strong position in the AFC.
Week 4, 2010: New England Patriots @ Miami Dolphins
Sep 30th
3 weeks of NFL sure goes by fast. It only seems like last week when I was analysing the Baltimore Ravens picks from the 2010 draft. We’ve been blessed in that we’ve had some great games so far, and I’m sure there are many more to go, after all the season is still young. So this week I’ll be heading to the Sun Life Stadium where I believe the Patriots v the Dolphins will provide one hell of a contest.
Sun Life Stadium
What I Learned From HBO’s Hard Knocks
Sep 11th
HBO’s Hard Knocks – Training Camp With The New York Jets behind-the-scenes NFL program finished this week, it’s 5 week run seeming far too short but leaving plenty of memorable moments and lessons learned. It’s not perfect, and it’s careful to present the Jets in a certain way, there are plenty of narrative shortcuts too but it gives a good look at a club with high ambitions for the 2010 NFL Season.
If you get the chance to watch it, which is admittedly difficult in the UK, then it’s definitely worth a look regardless of your personal team allegiance.
What are the key lessons that we could take from this season of the show?
1 – Rex Ryan Is Really Funny
The series pretty much opened with Rex wondering if they could win the Super Bowl without star corner (then on holdout) Darelle Revis, then stating. “I dunno, he’s pretty ****ing good.” and making me laugh from there on out.
More >
First Look 2010… AFC East
Jun 14th
We all know that predicting the divisions before the season has started can be, well, lets say – tricky! However, it is one of the things that we love doing and something that serves as a reference point for the changing fortunes of teams throughout the year. Oh, and more importantly means we can refer back to the awful predictions each other made as the year goes on!.
Andrew’s Redskins Review – Week 6
Oct 21st
Well, it’s all getting a bit silly isn’t it?
In all honesty though, I never saw us doing more than propping up the division so I’m not hugely surprised at our results. Just how bad we are though… that is surprising.
Another scoreless first half, more of the same again and again. I just… really, I don’t know what to say. This season is shot to pieces and if anything we’re being flattered with our 2-4 record. We have no easy games coming up any time soon and could easily be looking at 2-8 when we travel to Oakland in week 14.
More >
NFL News Round-up Friday 25th Sep
Sep 25th
Philadelpia Eagles
Donovan McNabb will miss this Sundays game. Quarter back duties will again be taken by Kevin Kolb, with an impressive back up team of Michael Vick and Jeff Garcia.
Minnesota Vikings
Adrian Peterson will most likely play with his back injury after talking it down. -
“God willing, I will be out there playing. Not a big deal at all.”
Results, Week 1
Sep 15th
Thursday, 10th September
Tennesse @ Pittsburgh, 10-13
This was a tight, tight game and the Titans can walk out of Heinz Field with their heads held high. Well, maybe apart from Rob Bironas. Chris Johnson lit it up a couple of times, as did the Ben/Santonio connection. But the real stars were both defensive units, certainly against the run.
Anyway, we both called this one correctly.
Sunday, 13th September
Jacksonville @ Indiana, 12-14
Well, we thought that this would be a close game and so it proved! Jones-Drew looked good as the focal point of the Jags attack, and the Colts did enough but will need to show us more if we’re going to believe in them this year.
Detroit @ New Orleans, 27-45
Drew Brees put on another passing clinic, completing 6 TD passes to 5 receivers. Matt Stafford wasn’t quite as impressive, but did get the Lions moving when the running game was shut down. On the plus side, the Lions did put up 27 points which is more than in any game last year. There were signs, but there’s still work to do.