National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

How many professional sports leagues can pinpoint the exact spot, the exact day, even the exact time they “arrived?” The National Football League can: Yankee Stadium, December 28, 1958, 4:51 PM. Fifty years ago this December 28 — the final day of the 2008 NFL regular season — what would become known as “The Greatest Game Ever Played” took place — the 1958 NFL Championship Game between the Baltimore Colts and New York Giants at Yankee Stadium in New York City. And when Colts fullback Alan Ameche burst through a hole for a one-yard touchdown with 6:45 left in overtime — at 4:51 on a foggy, drizzly day — he took the National Football League with him into a new era. The NFL would never be the same. America had discovered it.

It may be hard for today’s young sports fan to believe, but 50 years ago, the sports scene — and the NFL — was vastly different. There was no SportsCenter, no internet (and therefore no EMQB), no sports-talk radio, no fantasy football. The “X-Games” didn’t exist because, for most Americans, there were no “alternative” games. Baseball was the No. 1 sport with fans. Then came this late-winter nationally televised NFL epic between larger-than-life teams featuring picturesque names like “Huff” and “Katcavage” and “Unitas” in a game that surged back and forth into the first sudden-death overtime in NFL title game history.

Here’s a heads-up for you. You can watch this game — digitally restored and colorized by ESPN Films in association with NFL Films — on ESPN next weekend — Saturday, December 13 at 9 p.m. ET. I’m not so sure it was the greatest NFL game ever played, but it was probably the most important.

Source: NFL Media

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

‘The Greatest Game Ever Played’ Remembered Fifty Years Later

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

With two sacks in this afternoon’s 25-16 win over the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter now has 10.5 on the season and is on a pace to break Michael Strahan’s all-time record of 22.5 sacks (back in 2001). After the game, Joey expressed his enthusiasm as only he can:

“I’ve never really been in a system to where a lot of the defense I’m featured in is so I can go out there and make plays. They put me in a position to make plays a lot and I’ll put that on myself to go out and make the plays. It’s a player-friendly defense that puts me in a lot of opportunities to have one-on-one with the back, one-on-one with the tackle. I’m isolated and in a lot of situations to take advantage. The sombrero’s on me when I have to win those matchups and I’ve been pretty good winning those matchups.”

This is what the Dolphins envisioned when they signed Joey to a five-year, $32 million deal before last season. But we all know what 2007 was about. Amidst a miserable 1-15 season, Joey only contributed 5.5 sacks. But his three sacks in the final three games gave new Dolphins Executive VP of Football Ops Bill Parcells and new head coach Tony Sparano enough reason to figure out that he wasn’t washed up yet. And he probably has Michael Strahan thinking about coming out of retirement.

Source: MiamiDolphins.com, Photo: Newscom

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Joey Porter Might Break Sack Record

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

N.Y. Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora will miss the 2008 season with a torn MCL. He injured his left knee in the second quarter of the Giants 10-7 preseason loss to the N.Y. Jets last night. So not only are the defending Super Bowl champs missing one of their Pro Bowl defensive ends (Michael Strahan to retirement), they’re now missing both of them with this devastating injury.

It was a sickening sight to see Osi’s left knee buckle on a play where he was simply rushing the quarterback. It looked like his foot caught in the turf and the next thing you know, he’s on the ground in a heap — season over. I know it’s part of the game and you see it every preseason, but it’s a really difficult injury to deal with because of the long recovery time. Osi is scheduled to undergo surgery Tuesday and head coach Tom Coughlin said on a conference call yesterday that the recovery period could be four months. I think that’s being extremely optimistic, but it’s what the doctors are telling him and they certainly know more than I do. I’ll still say if he’s 100% for the start of the 2009 season, the Giants will be fortunate.

Source: Giants.com

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

Osi Umenyiora Tears MCL, Season Over

Blogcasting the National Football League, Blogcasting the NFL

Michael Strahan is going out on top. The face of the N.Y. Giants and one of the greatest players in the team’s history announced his retirement today as a Super Bowl champion. Michael played 15 season with the Giants. This morning he told FoxSports.com:

“It was important that my teammates knew which way I was going before they got on the field to start the work to defend our title. It’s time. I’m done.”

I can’t say I’m surprised with Michael’s decision. He was considering retirement last year at this time. And it was pretty obvious his 2007 preseason holdout was due to a disdain for suffering through another training camp. With the grind of yet another camp looming just a couple months away, Michael made the decision to call it a career. There was speculation that Michael wanted somewhere in the vicinity of $8 million to play one more season, but apparently that was too rich for the Giants’ blood. You know he would’ve played another season for the “right” amount of money. As it stands, he is walking away from a $4 million salary for the final year of his contract and could be leaving for a job in TV. I could see that. He definitely has the personality for it.

Check out some of Michael’s accomplishments, which should make him a first-ballot Hall of Famer in five years. He retires with the NFL’s single-season sack record of 22.5 back in 2001. He has 141.5 career regular season sacks, the fifth-highest total in league history. He played in seven Pro Bowls and is only the third player to wear a Giants uniform for 15 seasons. And aside from all the stats, Michael was a team leader and role model to many young players. He was also a favorite among the media in New York and beyond.

Source: Giants.com, FoxSports.com, Photo: Newscom

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N.Y. Giants DE Michael Strahan Retires

Blogcasting the National Football League, Blogcasting the NFL

N.Y. Giants defensive end Michael Strahan is scheduled to receive $4 million this coming season. He wants $8 million. Otherwise, he’s probably going to call it quits. Apparently the Giants are willing to go as high as $6 million, but Michael is really pushing the envelope here. As he enters the final year of a seven-year deal, he insists money isn’t the issue. That’s very funny. Of course money is the issue. It’s the only issue. Michael has his Super Bowl ring. He hates training camp. And he would rather not wake up Monday mornings in pain. So why doesn’t he just call it quits? Because he can make more money playing than he can in retirement. And he can still play. He had 11 sacks last season. We just need to see how badly the Giants want him back.

Source: NY Daily News, Photo: Newscom

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

Michael Strahan Wants $8M to Not Retire

By the time the N.Y. Giants took the field, I had a pretty good idea of what to expect after my experience with the Patriots. And as a result, I feel I had a better session with the G-Men. As much as Tom Brady was getting most of the attention for the Pats, Giants QB Eli Manning and DE Michael Strahan were pretty much split in their popularity for New York. Both of them appeared to handle the adoration very well. Michael seems to thrive on his popularity. And he’s usually joking and having fun, even when talking about what the Super Bowl means to him:

“If we win the game, I’m supposed to quit (laughs)? I’ve done everything personally that I feel like I can do — awards, honors — that sort of thing. The only thing I haven’t done is the ultimate thing, which is to win a Super Bowl.”

At the podiums/risers for the Giants were Antonio Pierce, Justin Tuck, Plaxico Burress, Tom Coughlin, Jeff Feagles, Eli Manning, Brandon Jacobs, Michael Strahan, Amani Toomer, Shaun O’Hara and Osi Umenyiora. In special sections in the stands were offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, Lawrence Tynes, chairman/executive VP/co-owner Steve Tisch, GM Jerry Reese, president/CEO/co-owner John Mara and Sam Madison.

For the BIGPLAY Radio NFL Podcast, I spoke with Sinorice Moss, Corey Webster, Kareem McKenzie, Ahmad Bradshaw, James Butler and Steve Smith. What I couldn’t believe was the attention kicker Lawrence Tynes was getting. He didn’t just have a small gathering around him. He was mobbed. In fact, for one full hour, I couldn’t even see him from the front. I had to go around behind the crowd to get a picture. So, I never got my questions in for LT. I also really wanted to talk to DB Aaron Ross, but I never actually saw him. I roamed almost constantly and never saw him once. Perhaps he was still feeling some ill effects from the flu he reportedly had.

I felt I had enough audio so with 10 minutes left, I just focused on taking pics. When time was up, the Giants headed to the field for their team photo and I climbed the stadium stairs to the parking lot for my 20-minute shuttle ride back downtown to the Convention Center. Before I exited, I turned around to look back at the inside of the stadium. I visualized five days into the future when this very place will be on the eyes of over 90 million people. Wow. It’s an amazing thing to be a part of from my perspective. I can only imagine how excited the players are.

(Note: I would later learn that I was captured on Giants center Shaun O’Hara’s personal video coverage for NFL Network. I’m listening to R.W. McQuarters as the cam passes by us. The whole thing was also saved on NFL.com. See if you can spot me for the two seconds I’m on.)

Photos by David Kindervater

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

SBXLII Media Day: N.Y. Giants

There’s a Manning in the Super Bowl again this year. But this time, it’s younger brother Eli’s turn as he led his N.Y. Giants to a 23-20 overtime win against the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship game. Yes, Eli Manning led them. It was the Giants’ 10th straight road win and once again, Eli took charge by managing the football game and not making mistakes. He was 21 of 40 for 254 yards with no touchdowns, but also no interceptions. There is so much to be said for not turning the football over. Fumbles or interceptions in games of this magnitude are season-enders as the Packers found out. Eli doesn’t need to be spectacular for the Giants to be successful. He really doesn’t. That being said, I don’t want to downplay his excellence. Eli did make some big-time throws today. He is a much different quarterback than earlier this season, looking more in-control and more confident than I have ever seen him. He’s easily playing the best football of his young career.

Eli had help. The Giants O-line paved the way for RBs Brandon Jacobs (67 yards, one TD) and Ahmad Bradshaw (63 yards, one TD). They had the ball almost twice as long as Green Bay. It was ridiculous. And WR Plaxico Burress put on a clinic against All-Pro CB Al Harris, catching 11 balls for 154 yards. I really think Plaxico can be as good as he wants to be. I’m not sure he’s always been the most motivated player. But with an ankle injury that has hobbled him most of this season, I give him a lot of credit for stepping up in the biggest game of the season. He made Al Harris look like just another corner.

And what can I say about Giants kicker Lawrence Tynes? The guy missed two field goal attempts, one of which would’ve won the game in regulation for N.Y. When given a third chance from the longest distance of the evening, he nails it to send the Giants to the Super Bowl. Ahh, the life of a kicker. You’re the hero or the goat. Lawrence was both today but the misses matter not as long as you make the one to win the game.

Brett Favre’s dream season came crashing down around him. In the second half, I thought he made a bunch of ill-advised throws, two of which were intercepted. His O-line gave him ample time to throw. Michael Strahan had just two tackles and Osi Umenyiora had nothing statistically. But Brett had a hard time finding open receivers and he forced some throws, as he has been known to do from time-to-time. I had no confidence that the Packers had any chance to take this game the way things were going in the 4th quarter. Even after they won the coin toss in overtime, I didn’t think they would be able to move the ball. And they didn’t. Credit the Giants’ defense for holding former teammate Ryan Grant to 29 yards on a mere 13 carries, far from the game plan the Packers had in mind for their top running back.

This was a great football game that came down to the Giants making one more play than the Packers. I thought both teams played their hearts out. Bottom line, the Giants went out and won this football game in extremely difficult weather conditions (temps at Lambeau Field were below zero the entire game) against a very good team. They truly earned their way to Super Bowl XLII as the first NFC team ever to win three road games and advance to the Super Bowl. The Giants peaked at exactly the right time this season and have to be considered as a legit contender to beat the Patriots in two weeks. Technically, it’s a road game, so why not?

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

Giants Beat Packers for NFC Championship, Eli Manning Leads N.Y. to Super Bowl XLII

Blogging the National Football League, Blogging the NFL

It’s a one-game season for the teams in this weekend’s Conference Championship games. Win and you’re on your way to sunny Glendale, AZ for Super Bowl XLII on February 3. Lose and it’s the sudden beginning of a long offseason. “Our whole season is at stake and so is theirs,” says New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick in describing his AFC Championship Game against the San Diego Chargers. The same can be said for the New York Giants and Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game.

• Both games are rematches of Week 2 meetings this season (it is the 16th time since 1970 that both championship games were rematches). But both winning coaches, Bill Belichick (Patriots) and Mike McCarthy (Packers) say that their opponents are different teams now.
• The clubs combined for an .800 regular/postseason winning percentage (56-14).
• The teams are hot, no matter what streak you look at. New England is scalding, continuing on an unbeaten season at 17-0. San Diego has won eight in a row. New York is 10-1 on the road (no road team has ever played in a championship game with that road record). Green Bay has won eight of its nine home games this year.
• In action this Sunday will be the NFL’s career leader in quarterback wins and touchdown passes (Brett Favre), the season TD-pass record-holder (Tom Brady), the season sack leader (Michael Strahan), and the running back who has led the league in rushing the past two years (LaDainian Tomlinson).

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (13-5) at NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (17-0)
The players and personalities on these teams can exert their own game-changing influence on the matchup, but the bottom line to the meeting could be turnovers. San Diego led the league in takeaways (48; with a league-leading 30 interceptions), while New England had only 15 giveaways, best in the league (and only nine interceptions, third-best). That said, San Diego will face an offense seldom seen in the NFL. The Patriots set the season record this year for points (589) and touchdowns (75) and scored at least 24 points in 16 of their 17 games. Led by the 2007 NFL MVP, QB Tom Brady, New England seems capable of adjusting to anything defenses throw at it. Limit the pass (if that can be done) and they go to the run, or vice versa. Perhaps nothing illustrates this ability more than the Patriots’ Divisional Playoff game against Jacksonville. The Jags double- and sometimes triple-teamed WR Randy Moss, who set the NFL season TD-reception record (23) this year. What did Tom Brady do? He completed 26 of 28 attempts (for an NFL record 92.9 completion percentage) to eight different receivers for 262 yards – with only one pass going to Randy. The Chargers will come in to their rematch with the Patriots (they lost at New England 38-14 on September 16) somewhat limited. But that concerns Coach Belichick. RB LaDainian Tomlinson (knee), QB Phillip Rivers (knee) and TE Antonio Gates (toe) are hurting. Phillip would be replaced by veteran Billy Volek, who led San Diego to the winning score in the Divisionals. MY PICK: How can I go against the undefeated Patriots, a team I’ve been touting as the eventual Super Bowl champion since before training camp started? I can’t. I won’t.

NEW YORK GIANTS (12-6) at GREEN BAY PACKERS (14-3)
If anyone exhibits how teams can change during a season, it’s these two. Back in Week 2 (a 35-13 Green Bay win in New York), the Packers were worried about their running game, and even Brett Favre (who would become the NFL’s winningest QB ever in that game) was saying the Pack needed to be able to mix the run with the pass. The Giants? Their concern — a big one — was their defense, with new packages put in under new coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. By the end of the Green Bay game, the Giants had surrendered 80 points in the season’s first two games. Going into the NFC Championship, how things have changed. It took five more games for Green Bay to find its running game — in Ryan Grant, who grew up 20 miles from Giants Stadium (Ramsey, NJ). Ryan was a practice squad player/injured for the Giants for two years before Green Bay traded for him right before the season. All Ryan did since Week 8 was run for 1,130 yards and 11 TDs, including a Packers’ playoff record last Saturday with 201 rushing yards. Meanwhile, from a gritty goal-line stand against Washington in Week 3, the Giants’ defense began to take form, Spagnuolo’s shifting schemes and player rotation up front began to mesh, and New York has allowed only 18.9 points-per-game through the Divisionals since the Green Bay game. So how will this all pan out Sunday in what is expected to be sub-freezing temperatures at Lambeau Field? You have to think the running game will be a big factor. The Giants can match Ryan Grant’s production with their own RBs – Brandon Jacobs, the 6-4, 264-pound freight train who usually needs a good two or three guys to bring him down, and elusive Ahmad Bradshaw, one of the team’s two seventh-round draft picks this year. Giants QB Eli Manning — looking to become the second consecutive Manning to win a Super Bowl after brother Peyton did it last season — has a 100 passer rating in each of his last three games, along with eight TDs and one interception. He will go against one of the best corner tandems in the league in Al Harris and Charles Woodson, who excel in man-to-man. And Brett Favre, who also became the career TD leader this year — who knows what he’ll pull this week, from last-ditch shovel passes that set up scores to out-and-out bombs to the Pack’s “Big Five” alignment of five wides and an empty backfield. Brett has a strong O-line in front of him. He was sacked the third fewest times in the league (19, tie), but faces a defense that led the NFL in sacks (53) this season. MY PICK: I believe the Giants’ road win streak ends here at Lambeau. Brett Favre in the NFC Championship on the frozen tundra? Yeah, I like the Pack.

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

AFC & NFC Conference Championships: Patriots vs. Chargers, Packers vs. Giants