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Packers Blow Rodgers' Comeback Bid

By MJ Kasprzak | December 1, 2008 | The Frozen Tundra

Aaron Rodgers did all he could, but that won't stop the haters out there from laying all the blame for this loss on him.I apologize for bringing my issues to everyone, but you don't have to listen to these people frothing at the mouth. You don't have to defend a quarterback who is among the top ten in the game in his first year of starting from vitriolic and irrational personal attacks. I liken their attitude to this quote from Robert DeNiro as Alphonse Capone in the four-star movie classic, The Untouchables: "I want him dead, I want his family dead, I want his house burned to the ground!"I am reminded of the deplorable actions of Packers fans who allegedly poisoned Dan Devine's dog in retribution of his failings in following a legend, Vince Lombardi. Unlike the hatred directed at Rodgers, which is unwarranted based on his performance, Devine did...

Read more | 1 Comment | Tags: Aaron Rodgers, Brandon Jackson, Brett Favre, Green Bay Packers, Jake Delhomme, NFC North, NFL, Ted Thompson

Sunday Night Show-Down

By Marty Bode | November 30, 2008 | Community

With the division lead on the line, the entire counrty will be watching the two 6-5 teams atop the NFC North beat each other up for the rights to say "We are #1!" Well, at least #1 in the division....

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Adrian Peteerson, Chicago Bears, Culpepper, Forte, Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Packers, Sunday Night Football

Packers-Panthers Preview

By MJ Kasprzak | November 29, 2008 | The Frozen Tundra

The Packers have their backs to the wall after the loss to New Orleans Monday night, and they are facing one of the six teams in the league who came into the week with eight wins.Good thing it is still not a must win. Oh, it's pretty close, but if the Packers lose Sunday, they still likely would win the division if the won their last four games.And that is not that unlikely, since their final four games are against Jacksonville, Houston, Chicago and Detroit. Only the Bears have a winning record, and that game will be on the road, but the Packers dominated the Bears in their first match-up last November 16, 37-3.Nevertheless, the Packers are already in a hole, and another loss puts them deep enough they may not get out. I am reminded of one of my favourite lines from a movie that runs every few weeks...

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Aaron Rodgers, Carolina Panthers, Derrick Frost, Green Bay Packers, John Kasay, Mason Crosby, NFL, Ryan Grant

Will the Real NFC North Champ, Please Stand Up?

By Michael Yette | November 27, 2008 | Vikings War Cry

With five weeks remaining in the NFL regular season, the Minnesota Vikings (6-5), Chicago Bears (6-5), and Green Bay Packers (5-6), are all still jockeying for position to be crowned the title, "NFC North Champion." The three teams - all of whom have shared at least a portion of the division lead at some point this season - are reminiscent of the 1970's game show, "To Tell the Truth". In that show, three contestants claim to be the actual person carrying the same name, while actually only one of them is actually that person. At the end of the show, after all three have been examined...

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, NFL

Oakland Raiders Week 12: Ballers and Busters

By LDizzle | November 24, 2008 | Thoughts from the Dark Side: An independent Oakland Raiders news, commentary, and media site

Photo by Candy Padilla

The Raider Nation is rejoicing this week after the Raiders beat down the Broncos IN DENVER and sent all of them donkey fans home to cry in their Coors Light. I had a funny feeling about this game and despite everyone insisting the Raiders were going to get trampled by this years vaunted "Orange Blush" defense in Denver, I thought otherwise. It seemed like the stars were aligned for an "upset". I can't disagree with those who said "until this Raiders offense proves otherwise..." because after a MONTH without an offensive touchdown this offense didn't deserve any faith being placed in them. But with the Broncos getting worse as the year has gone on and the Raiders defense looking better, combined with the vengeance on the mind of the Raiders after the 41-14 thrashing they took in week one, this game had upset special written all over it. There...

Read more | 11 Comments | Tags: Aaron Rodgers, Ashley Lelie, Ballers and Busters, Brady Quinn, Brandon Marshall, Brandon Stokley, Chris Johnson, Darren McFadden, DeAngelo Hall, Denver Broncos, Gibril Wilson, Green Bay Packers, JaMarcus Russell, Javon Walker, Jay Cutler, Joe Flacco, Jon Alston, Jonnie Lee Higgins, Justin Fargas, Kansas City Chiefs, Matt Cassel, Matt Ryan, NFL, Oakland Raiders, Peyton Hillis, Raider News, Ronald Curry, Sebastian Janikowski, St Louis Rams, Stanford Routt, Tatum Bell, Thomas Howard, Tyler Thigpen, University of Louisville, Zach Miller

Monday Night Football Fantasy Preview: Packers vs. Saints

By Brad Berreman | November 24, 2008 | MVN Outsider

Week 13 of Monday Night Football brings us a possible offensive showcase in the Superdome, as the New Orleans Saints (5-5) welcomes the Green Bay Packers (5-5) to the Bayou. Here are some things to watch for tonight as a fantasy football owner. Reggie Bush Reports suggest that Bush will miss tonight's game due to his lingering knee injury. He brings a game-breaking element to the Saints' offense and return game when he is healthy. If Bush is inactive tonight Deuce McAllister would likely start the game, while Pierre Thomas would seem likely to get some carries too. McAllister is dealing with a knee injury himself, so that could mean more playing time for Thomas if he is limited by the injury. Bush's absence could have an effect on special teams play as well during the game. The Packers aren't likely to be afraid to kick to any of the...

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Fantasy, Fantasy Football, Green Bay Packers, New Orleans Saints, NFL

Packers-Saints Preview

By MJ Kasprzak | November 22, 2008 | The Frozen Tundra

In my picks for the week, I had this game a toss-up even though the Saints are favoured by two-and-a-half points. Rather than flipping a coin, I gave it to the Saints because I had already picked eight road teams to only seven home teams. Now that I have looked at the match-up in more detail, I cannot believe the Saints are favoured: on paper, this does not look all that close. That being said, there are things to consider that do not appear on the stat sheet. For instance, New Orleans has missed time with Reggie Bush, who is expected to return for this game. Conversely, most of the Packers players who are now active but have missed time are in the secondary, where the stats are great anyway. However, about half of the season so far featured defensive end Cullen Jenkins and all but last week featured linebacker...

Read more | 6 Comments | Tags: Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Green Bay Packers, New Orleans Saints, NFL, Packers, Reggie Bush, Ryan Grant, Saints

The season starts when?

By Ryan Tennant | November 21, 2008 | From the Midway

Evidently the Bears have a different take on the NFL schedule from the other 31 teams in the league. I think what's most irritating about Smith's comments about the season starting over with six games to go is that I'm not surprised, or even really all that angry. I mean, this is a team that can't even manage a game clock, so why should anyone expect them to know how to read a calendar? Or maybe now is the time the Bears have decided to play like the team they claim to be - you know, the best team in the league. THAT'S what it is - the Bears have lulled the rest of the NFL in to thinking they're a delusional, overpaid, underachieving bunch of wasted talent, and now they can execute their master plan to show everyone who the best team in the NFL is! Or maybe it's...

Read more | 1 Comment | Tags: Bears, Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, NFC North, NFL, Packers, playoffs, schedule, Vikings

Monday Night Football Fantasy Preview: Packers vs. Saints

By Brad Berreman | November 24, 2008 | MVN Outsider

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Fantasy, Fantasy Football, Green Bay Packers, New Orleans Saints, NFL

Which current NFL players will be in the Hall of Fame?

By Andrew Strickert | November 20, 2008 | MVN Outsider

I'll be fortunate to tell my grandchildren one day that I saw most of the future Hall of Famers listed below. Not on TV, but in person, watching them in games with my binoculars focused on them and observing their actions. Whenever any of them are playing in the NFL stadium closest to you, I hope you'll take advantage of the opportunity to go see them. The primary criteria I used in selecting these players is not how their stats compare to others already in the Hall, but how they compare to their contemporaries. The players who were the best in their era are the most deserving to be inducted one day. This is measured best, in my opinion, by the number of Pro Bowl appearances and first-team All-Pro honors garnered. Please also note that I am measuring these players by their entire body of work. If a player's career ends today, would he be...Read more

Read more | 9 Comments | Tags: Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New York Jets, NFL, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Diego Chargers, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

NFL Power Rankings, Week Twelve

By Andrew Strickert | November 18, 2008 | MVN Outsider

1. New York Giants (9-1) The G-men ran all over the Ravens last week in a very impressive performance, which helps to make them early favorites in postseason play. 2. Tennessee Titans (10-0) Just like Ol' Man River, Kerry Collins and the Titans keep rolling on. Their average margin of victory is eleven points per game. 3. Carolina Panthers (8-2) The Panthers are very quietly having a great season. They should continue to be a force as the schedule continues heading into the postseason. 4. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-3) The Steelers defense is playing tough. If Ben Roethlisberger and Willie Parker get healthy, watch out. 5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-3) Can Jon Gruden take the Bucs to the promised land again? They're playing better than their talent says they should. 6. Washington Redskins (7-3) They've dropped a few spots after losing to the Cowboys but they still have the hosses to...Read more

Read more | 4 Comments | Tags: Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, New York Jets, NFL, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Diego Chargers, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, Washington Redskins

Pregame Hype: Leon Washington, Jet Propulsion

By Anthony Brown | November 14, 2008 | MVN Outsider

New York Jets 34, New England Patriots 31Thursday Night Football finds us hyping a game already played. And what a game it was for those lucky enough to see it on the NFL Network.The Jets showed enough offensive prowess to pull off the overtime win and weren't hurt bad enough to pay for defense's inability to stifle New England's come-back. For all the acclaim heaped on Brett Favre's performance (78.8 percent pass completion rate, 119.4 QB rating), Leon Washington had the more impressive night. Washington had a hand in the Jets' first two touchdowns, a seven yard scoring reception from Favre, and a 92 yard kick return that put the Jets up 17-6 in the second quarter.Washington averaged 44.3 yards per kick return. Take away that one 92 yard return and he still averages a respectable 28 yards per return. His returns gave the Jets excellent starting points on the...Read more

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, New York Jets, NFL, Tennessee Titans, Washington Redskins

News and notes from around the NFL

By Andrew Strickert | November 11, 2008 | MVN Outsider

Was it a desperate attempt to save his job? Or was it because Herm Edwards has a lot of blind faith in his offense? Or is he just a loose nut? When the Chiefs scored a last-minute touchdown to pull within a point of the Chargers, Edwards elected to go for a game-winning two-point conversion instead of a regular PAT and overtime. The conversion failed and the Chiefs' record dropped to 1-8 with the 20-19 loss. Randy Moss took a big hit from the league office last week. He was fined $20,000 for criticizing the officials in the Patriots' Sunday night loss to the Colts. Moss' comments seemed rather innocuous to me, especially in comparison to some of the other criticism about the officiating this year. Some of the criticism is well deserved and the league is becoming overly sensitive on this issue. The NFC East isn't as competitive as...Read more

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Arizona Cardinals, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, New York Jets, NFL, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Diego Chargers, Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins

Monday Overtime: A Giant Step Forward

By Anthony Brown | November 10, 2008 | MVN Outsider

New York Giants 36 - Philadelphia Eagles 31More and more, the race for Beast of the East looks like a race for Best of the Rest. The New York Giants held off the feisty Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday Night Football. The game was never much in doubt, despite the five point difference in the score. The Iggles could do nothing against the Gints unless New York helped them with a turnover or two. At one point in the second quarter, the Giants controlled the ball for over 16 minutes to the Eagles two. The 8-1 Giants are 3-0 against the Beast and 6-0 against the conference. They are a game ahead of the Carolina Panthers for playoff home field advantage. The Eagles are winless within the division. Atlanta Falcons 34, New Orleans 20Michael Vick was, or is, such a gifted athlete that he blinded Falcons fans and ownership on...Read more

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New York Giants, New York Jets, NFL, San Diego Chargers, St. Louis Rams

NFL week ten preview: Predictions and burning questions

By Anthony Hall | November 9, 2008 | MVN Outsider

Every weekend, MVN Outsider's five NFL writers look into their crystal balls and pick the outcomes of the week's games. After nine weeks of predictions, here's how the standings look:Patrick Patterson: 10-4 last week, 82-48 overall Andrew Strickert: 9-5 last week, 78-52 overall Anthony Brown: 10-4 last week, 77-53 overall Anthony Hall: 8-6 last week, 75-55 overall Greg Trippiedi: 11-3 last week, 74-56 overallAnd here are their predictions for week ten of the NFL season: There are several big divisional games this week, with the winners earning a leg up in the quest for postseason positioning. Can the Eagles tighten up the NFC East race by beating the Giants at home in primetime? Can the Patriots regain AFC East supremacy by defeating the upstart Bills? Will the Vikings or the Packers gain an inside track in the NFC North picture? Will the Falcons bury the Saints' NFC South division...Read more

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, NFL, Philadelphia Eagles

A 2008 NFL midseason review

By Andrew Strickert | November 6, 2008 | MVN Outsider

Every team has now played eight games, and some nine, which brings us to the halfway point of the regular season. Now that it's halftime, so to speak, it's a good time to review the first half of the season. Each year, some of the teams predicted to be in strong contention for postseason play don't perform up to expectations and are replaced in the standings by a few surprise teams. We'll also take a look to see who's on a hot streak and who's not, review the most competitive races, and finally, recognize some people for individual accomplishments. How the mighty have fallen: Indianapolis, the second seed in the AFC last year with a 12-4 record, and only two years removed from a Super Bowl title, has limped out to a 4-4 start. The Chargers, the third AFC seed last year, have a 3-5 record, as do the Jaguars,...Read more

Read more | 6 Comments | Tags: Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, New York Jets, NFL, Oakland Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Diego Chargers, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans

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