Cover The Number » NFL

Super Bowl XLVI: Patriots vs. Giants

Glenn Andrew — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 11:00:58 +0000

Super Bowl XLVI isn’t just a match-up between a great offense versus a great defense, but it’s a rematch of Super Bowl XLII. The New York Giants shocked the world and NFL experts as they took down the undefeated and 10.5 point favorite New England Patriots four years ago, but this time around the Giants are not being underestimated. The 3 point spread set in place by football handicappers should be more than enough to show how close the gap is this time around despite the fact that the Pats have won 4 more games during the regular season than the G-Men. This game has all the makings of being an instant classic.

Offense shouldn’t be a problem for either of these teams, but when they played back in early November neither time had much luck getting into the end zone. The fact that the total for this game is set at 54 points indicates that NFL football experts feel as though there will be plenty of scoring this time around. Eli Manning and the Giants offense were handcuffed for most of the year as they were without their 1-2 running back combination for several games. Finishing dead last in rushing isn’t a good indication of how well the Giants can move the ball on the ground, and they are hoping to expose their rush attack Sunday against New England.

Along with an underestimated running game, the Giants have a defense that is playing at a much higher level than their statistics indicate. New York ranked 29th in passing yards allowed and 19th in rushing yards, but they may have sustained more injuries than any other team in the league this season. Now that they are healthy and have the majority of their starters back in action they are playing at a much higher level. Through 3 games this post-season they are allowing just 13 points per game, and have a confidence that should make Patriots quarterback Tom Brady very worried.

Brady and head coach Bill Belichick will do all they can to get revenge for the loss that New York handed them back in 2008, but it may be harder to do this time around as the Giants offense has the ability to get down the field with a talented aerial attack. Wes Welker may have had more catches than any receiver in the league in 2011, but there’s no question that the Giants Victor Cruz is far more dangerous with the ball in his hands. The difference in yards per catch between Cruz and Welker is too large to ignore, and the G-Men will rely on big yards after the catch to help them move the ball.

All indicators point towards a closely contested game that comes down to the last possession, but the potential for a blowout is always eminent due to turnovers. There’s very little doubt that turnovers have the potential to play a huge role in this game, and the winner in turnover margin will more than likely take home the title. Tune in Sunday as the Patriots and Giants battle for a Super Bowl win.

Niners host Giants in NFC Championship Game

Glenn Andrew — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 18:03:24 +0000

The New York Giants are playing their best football of the season. After an opening game loss to Washington, and a 4 game losing streak midway through the season, the G-Men looked as though they’d be sitting home once again come playoff time. Since shocking the world and beating the highly favored and undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl XVII, the Giants have lost 1 playoff game and failed to make the playoffs for 2 consecutive seasons. They are just 1 win away from getting back to the promise land, but the San Francisco 49ers have proven to be a legitimate Super Bowl contender all season long.

NFL experts have been touting the NIners as a potential “surprise” team for the last 3 seasons, but their lack of cohesiveness offensively has held them back. Quarterback Alex Smith was widely considered a bust as he had never lived up to being selected first overall in the 2005 NFL Draft, but has broken through this season under the tutelage of first year head coach Jim Harbaugh. Now that the Niners have a complimentary offense, they are looking like the type of team that will be perennial contenders in the NFC for years’ to come.

We know about how stout and disciplined San Francisco’s defense is, but it’s been the consistency of running back Frank Gore and the mistake-free play of Smith that has taken them to the NFC Championship game this season. Smith managed to out-duel Drew Brees and a New Orleans Saints team that was looked upon as one of the favorites to win the title this season. Both the Giants and Niners used offense to get the job done in the Divisional round of the playoffs last week, but there’s no doubt that defense will lead the way Sunday afternoon.

The 49ers finished the year with the 4th best defense in the league in terms of yards allowed per contest, and despite being much further down the list, the G-Men had a tremendous last 5 games and are playing as good if not better than any defense in football. Thus far in the playoffs, New York has given up just 22 points to a pair of the best offenses in the league. In order for the G-Men to win this game on the road they will need to play equally as well on defense, and not turn the ball over offensively.

Eli Manning backed up his statement about being one of the elite quarterbacks in the league with almost 5000 yards passing and 29 touchdown passes. The Giants relied heavily on Manning’s right are this season as they suffered numerous injuries to their running backs along the way. Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw are at full strength now, and are making it easier for the passing game to be effective as they are keeping defenses honest with their ground game. It will be critical for New York to establish their rushing attack against the Niners if they are to pull of another huge playoff road win.

Football handicappers have listed San Francisco as 1 point home favorites for Sunday’s match-up. Once again, the Niners aren’t getting the respect that they’ve earned. While the Giants have had a more impressive run to get to this point, it’s hard to overlook the fact that the Niners had just 3 losses all season and managed to take down a red-hot New Orleans offense that looked to be unstoppable. Tune in Sunday as the 49ers host the Giants in what should be a hard fought defensive battle to decide which team represents the NFC in the Super Bowl.

Packers host Giants in NFC Divisonal Playoff Round

Glenn Andrew — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 11:00:31 +0000

The Green Bay Packers looked almost unbeatable this season, but a loss to Kansas City in week exposed them as being mortal. Allowing 41 points to the Detroit Lions in the final game of the season gave the Packers defense the distinguished honor of being the worst in the NFL. They gave up over 410 yards per game, and were dead last in the league against the pass allowing almost 300 per game. One of the few close games that the Packers had all year was against the New York Giants on December 4th. Eli Manning and company gave the Pack a run for their money with a 35 point performance that just fell short. This time around could be even tougher for Green Bay as they have huge expectations to live up to.

NFL handicappers apparently aren’t giving the Giants too much of a chance to succeed as they have listed them as 8 point underdogs for Sunday’s game. The G-Men were 7 point underdogs the first time these two teams met, and came incredibly close to handing Green Bay their first loss of the year. Aaron Rodgers secured himself as the best QB in football with an incredibly efficient season that included a passer rating of over 120. He will need to continue that trend against a Giants defense that is peaking at the right time.

A 4 game losing streak towards the end of the season put New York in a position to have to win-out to make the playoffs. Wins over Dallas in 2 of their final 4 games were enough to get the NFC East title, and propelled them to a convincing win over Atlanta in the wildcard round of the playoffs. The Giants defense has been the one inconsistent this season, and is the reason why they didn’t secure a bye in the first round. New York has given up just 30 points over their last 3 games, and is playing their best all-around ball of the season right now. We can certainly expect them to give up a bit more than 10 points to the Packers on Sunday, but if they can make a few more stops than normal they’ll have a good chance at keeping this one close, and potentially pull out an upset win.

Football experts and analysts haven’t put too much faith in the Giants leading into this game, but as we’ve already seen, anything can happen. Tune in Sunday afternoon as the Packers host the Giants for a chance to take on the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship next week.

Niners host Saints in NFC Divisional Showdown

Glenn Andrew — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 11:00:51 +0000

The divisional round of playoffs in the NFL is always the best weekend of the year. This season is no exception as there are several interesting match-ups and story lines that will have us all glued to the TV. One of the most interesting match-ups is between the high-powered offense of the New Orleans Saints and the stout defense of the San Francisco 49ers. This has the makings of a great game as neither team will try to get away from what has worked for them all season long. NFL handicappers have the Saints listed as 3.5 point favorites on the road, but the Niners have been proving them wrong all year.

San Francisco went 11-4-1 against the number this year, including a ridiculous 9-0-1 start. Two out of their 3 losses this year were on the road, so we know they can get it done at home. As amazing as Drew Brees and the Saints offense has been, they will still need to be at their best Saturday against a 49ers “D” that allowed just 14.3 points per game this season. The only problem for San Fran is that they were the best in football against the rush, and New Orleans doesn’t put too much emphasis on running in their offensive scheme.

The Saints don’t really care what their opponents approach is defensively as they put forth a relentless offensive attack that almost always finds a way to get in the end-zone. Drew Brees finished off a record breaking season with the single season record in passing, and more touchdown passes than any QB in the league. He may not have one truly legitimate Pro Bowl receiver, but he has what many consider the best tight end in the NFL in Jimmy Graham as well as 6 other sure-handed options to get the ball to. The addition of Darren Sproles to the offense has been a huge boost. Sproles ended the year with the most yards from scrimmage in NFL history, and will be the center of attention for the Niners defense. He has the ability to take it to the house as a running back as well as a receiver, and could very well be the deciding factor in Saturday’s showdown.

Comparing these two offenses is like comparing a Lamborghini to a Honda Civic. San Francisco takes a very conservative approach to moving the ball, while New Orleans runs flat-out! However, the Niners have a far superior running game which compliments their commitment to defense. Running back Frank Gore may not of had his best year, but his 1211 yards were hard earned as defenses loaded up the box to force quarterback Alex Smith to beat them. Gore averaged only 4.3 yards per rush, but he is the sole reason why this offense has been able to succeed this year.

Everyone is assuming that the Saints will run away with this one, but San Francisco has shown that they have a tremendous all-around team that can withstand and beat anyone that they play. Football experts may all be in unison in taking New Orleans to win this match-up, but as we learned last week in the Denver/ Pittsburgh game….that’s why they play the game. Tune in Saturday as the Niners host the Saints in a classic battle of offense vs. defense.

Giants host Falcons in NFC Wildcard Showdown

Glenn Andrew — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 11:00:51 +0000

The New York Giants managed to salvage their season with consecutive wins over the Jets and Cowboys, and gained the last NFC wildcard position in the process. It certainly wasn’t a typical Giants season as they shied away from running the ball due to injuries, and lacked the killer instinct that they usually exhibit on defense. Fortunately for the G-Men, Eli Manning lived up to his own words as he reestablished himself as one of the elite quarterbacks in the league. Manning will need to keep his hot-hand going as the Giants take on a red-hot Atlanta Falcons team that is looking to get to the next level this season.

NFL experts anticipated the Falcons to not play at quite the same level they did in 2010 when they finished the year with a 13-3 record, but a 2-3 start was certainly unexpected. The Falcons finished with another double-digit win season, and if not for a ridiculously tough schedule could’ve finished with 11 or 12 wins. This team flew under the radar for much of the year as the Saints set numerous offensive records while finishing the year with a 13-3 record. However, the tremendous balance that Atlanta has running and throwing the ball make them extremely dangerous for any opponent.

Running back Michael Turner finish with the 3rd most yards on the ground this season, but it seemed like he was hardly mentioned all year long. Turner’s 11 touchdown runs along with the 29 thrown by quarterback Matt Ryan will give the inconsistent Giants defense all they can handle Sunday afternoon. Ryan may not be mentioned in the same breath as Brady, Brees and Rodgers, but he has all the tools to become one of the best quarterbacks in the league. All 3 of the before mentioned quarterbacks don’t have a legitimate run threat to fall back on, so they are forced to win games with their arms. Ryan not only has one of the best backs in the NFL, but he has a talented 12th ranked defense to help hold their opponents down.

The Falcons defense will have plenty of work to do to keep Eli Manning and this high flying aerial attack from getting big plays down the field. The loss of Steve Smith was supposed to hinder this Giants passing game, but a hidden gem in the form of Victor Cruz has given this offense an added dimension in their vertical attack. Cruz surpassed Hakeem Nicks as the “go-to” receiver, and finished the year with the 3rd most receiving yards in the league. New York has two huge hurdles to overcome if they are to make a run this post-season. They have been incredibly inconsistent on defense, and have not been able to run effectively due to the numerous injuries they’ve sustained. Ranking last in the NFL in rushing doesn’t mesh with the game plan that the Giants have used to win 3 Super Bowl titles.

Football handicappers are anticipating a close game as they have listed the Giants as a small 3 point favorite at home. Tune in Sunday as the Giants look to keep momentum going against the streaking Falcons.

Saints and Falcons in NFC South Battle

Glenn Andrew — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 11:00:04 +0000

Monday night’s game may be a battle of NFC South rivals, but each team has an entirely different mindset in why this game is so important. The New Orleans Saints are desperately trying to keep pace with the San Francisco 49ers for the 2 seed and a first round BYE, while the Atlanta Falcons are hoping to continue their strong finish and keep them alive as the final wildcard winner in the NFC. NFL handicappers aren’t overly confident in the Saints ability to run away with this game as they have listed them as less than a touchdown favorite over Atlanta for Monday’s showdown.

Drew Brees has been overshadowed by a phenomenal season from Aaron Rodgers, but he is on pace to shatter Dan Marino’s record for passing yards in a season. With 2 games remaining, Brees needs just over 300 yards to catch Marino and will more than likely surpass him with a decent performance tonight. He’s averaging over 340 yards through the air per game, and will more than likely crush Marino’s record as getting the 2 seed will come down to the final regular season game of the year.

Jimmy Graham has not only become one of Brees’ favorite targets, but he’s solidified himself as one of the best tight ends in the game. He’s already caught 87 balls for close to 1200 yards and 9 touchdowns with 2 games still to play. Many football experts believe that there isn’t a single standout receiver on this team, and they may be right, but with Brees at the helm they’re all put in position to make plays down the field. The Saints offense has been outstanding this season, but their defense has left them at times. Both sides of the ball will need to be at their best Monday when they take on a Falcons squad that is playing their best football of the season, and are hungry to get into the playoffs and make some noise.

Three losses in their first 5 games has made it extremely difficult for Atlanta to get back into the playoff hunt, but winning 7 out of their last 9 has put them in a position to get there. Matt Ryan has quietly had another solid season throwing 26 touchdown passes to just 12 interceptions with a quarterback rating of over 90. Unlike Brees, Ryan does have access to one of the most outstanding receivers in the league with Roddy White. White has surpassed the 1000 yard barrier in each of his last 5 seasons, and has the opportunity to break his single season record of 1389 yards with 2 big games to end the year. He will play an important role in this match-up, and could make the play that gets the Falcons the outright win.

Tune in Monday night as two of the best teams in the NFC battle in a game that has huge playoff implications.

Colts host Texans in AFC South Showdown

Glenn Andrew — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 23:56:53 +0000

The Indianapolis Colts may have broken through for their first win last week against a bad Tennessee team, but they are far from being a threat in the AFC. Thursday’s match-up with the Houston Texans will be a tough one for a Colts squad that has struggled mightily to put points on the board. They broke through with a 27 point performance against the Titans, but will have a much tougher time reaching the end zone against a team that is ranked 2nd in the NFL in total defense. NFL experts are in full agreement that the Texans should win this game handily, but a rather small 6.5 point spread makes it seem that the Colts are the team to go with against the spread.

Dan Orlovsky is not an NFL caliber quarterback. Nevertheless, he has been thrust into the starting job due to Peyton Manning’s neck injury and a lack of effectiveness by Kerry Collins and Curtis Painter. However, Orlovsky has shown signs of improvement over the last few weeks, and will need to play nearly perfect in order to take down a Texans team that has a first round bye on the line. Orlovsky passed for just 82 yards last week, but he passed the ball efficiently and didn’t turn the ball over. A 353 yard performance against the Patriots 3 weeks ago showed that he is capable of moving the offense vertically when given enough time, but it’s very unlikely that Houston will allow him to do so.

The biggest surprise in the Colts win over Tennessee was the running of Donald Brown. Brown was already having a solid game before he ripped off an 80 yard touchdown run with less than 4 minutes left to virtually seal the win for Indy. He has been sharing time with Joseph Addai at the running back position, but he is quickly gaining ground and may end up getting most of the carries over the last 2 weeks. Brown will find it much tougher to break big runs Thursday against a Houston “D” that allows lest than 97 yards per game.

Houston’s hopes of going deep in the playoffs rides heavily on how they finish. They are currently tied with Baltimore and Pittsburgh for the second best record in the AFC, and will more than likely need to win their last 2 games to hold the number 2 position and get a first round bye. We all know that running the ball isn’t a problem for this squad as they currently rank 2nd in the NFL with a 151.8 yard per game average. The combination of Ben Tate and Arian Foster has been a nightmare for most of their opponents, and that will more than likely be the case for the Colts. This team will depend on their 3rd string quarterback to lead them into the playoffs, but T.J. Yates truly believes that he’s capable of taking this team all the way to the Super Bowl.

Yates had by far his worst game of the season against the Panthers last week when he threw 2 picks and finished with a QB rating of 56.5. He’s a rookie and has a lot to learn, but handing the ball off to Tate and Foster has the ability to make any quarterback look good. With NFL handicappers listing the Texans as a 7 point favorite, it seems that they believe that the Colts have turn a corner this season and are good enough to keep Houston close. Tune in Thursday night as the Texans face their division nemesis in what may be their most important game of the year.

Niners host Steelers in defensive Showdown

Glenn Andrew — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 11:00:20 +0000

Monday Night offers one of the best NFL match-ups of the season when the Pittsburgh Steelers take on the San Francisco 49ers in a game that could weigh heavily on the playoffs. The Steelers were tire with the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North division, but have now pulled ahead by a half game with the Ravens shocking loss to San Diego. Despite being listed as 3.5 point favorites on the road against a struggling Arizona Cardinals team, the Niners faltered late in the game and lost 21-19. NFL experts are already jumping off of the 49ers bandwagon, but a solid performance Monday night would show that they’re as good as their record indicates.

With Alex Smith at quarterback this San Fran offense is built to run first pass second. Smith was selected as the number 1 overall pick by the Niners in the 2005 NFL Draft, but had quickly earned the reputation as one of the biggest top pick busts ever. He has had to deal with numerous coaching changes including several different offensive coordinators over his first 5 seasons, but had still never displayed the talents that made him so coveted coming out of Utah.

Jim Harbaugh hasn’t transformed him into a better quarterback this season, but he has done a remarkable job at putting Smith in a situation to succeed with a minimal chance for error. Smith’s passing numbers are well below average compared to the top quarterbacks in the league, but he’s cut down on his mistakes and utilized the rushing attack of Frank Gore to help this offense stay ahead of their opponents.

This is exactly the approach they will need to have Monday when they face a Steelers defense that has allowed just 19 total points over their last 3 games. Pitt ranks first against the pass and 6th against the run in 2011, and is poised to finish the season once again as the top defense in the league. A inconsistent run game as well as injuries to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger have made it tough at times for this Steelers offense to sustain consistency. Pittsburgh may be 10-3, but it’s not because they own an explosive offense. The Steelers have scored 20 points or less in 6 of their 13 games, and may have a hard time reaching that barrier Monday against a San Francisco “D” that is eager to show the country that they are as good as any in the NFL.

NFL Handicappers have set the total for this match-up at 37 points. This may not seem like a ton of points to the average NFL fan, but any football experts that’s worth their weight knows that getting to that number will take some turnovers, and a couple of defensive scores. Tune in Monday as the Niners host the Steelers is what promises to be one of the most competitive games of the year!

Oakland and Detroit in battle for Playoff Position

Glenn Andrew — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 11:00:52 +0000

Despite the fact that both the Oakland Raiders and Detroit Lions are in need of a strong finish to make the playoffs, it’s safe to say that both teams have exceeded the expectations of NFL experts. Detroit is in a good position heading into Sunday’s match-up. They have a 1 game lead over the Dallas Cowboys and the Chicago Bears for the final wildcard spot in the NFC. However, a tough road contest at Oakland as well as games against San Diego and Green Bay will make it extremely hard for the Lions to hold off their competition and maintain their current playoff status.

The Raiders have played tremendously well at times, but their inconsistency on the defensive side of the ball has put them in a position to virtually win-out to get in to the AFC playoffs. Wins against the Jets and Texans show that this team is capable of contending with the elite teams in the league, but a lack of discipline and turnovers have cost them dearly at times. It seems like there’s no middle-ground with this Raiders squad. They either surprise everyone with an impressive and unexpected win or they get hammered. In Oakland’s losses they are getting beat by an average score of 36-18. This speaks more about this teams commitment to competing then it does anything else.

Having Carson Palmer at the helm of this offense has given Oakland an added dimension to their passing attack. However, as well as Palmer has thrown the ball this season, this offense relies heavily on running the ball. The loss of Darren McFadden to injury has hurt this teams’ ability to move the ball consistently on the ground. Michael Bush has filled in nicely, but his 3.9 yards per carry are more than a yard shy of McFadden’s average, and often put Palmer in a position to have to make plays. Making plays against a Lions defensive front that has Ndomukong Suh back in the line-up will not be easy.

The Lions got off to an impressive 5-0 start, but looking back we can now tell that many of those wins were against teams that are having “down” seasons. A 3-5 record since week 6 has put Detroit in a tough situation moving forward. They will need to win 2 incredibly tough road games and hope that Dallas and Chicago falter to sustain the last playoff position. Detroit’s offense has shown that they can light up the scoreboard against any team they face, and that probably what they’ll have to do to get out of Oakland with a win.

Mathew Stafford has already proven himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the league. An injury plagued rookie season had many football experts questioning his ability to stay healthy, but he’s proven all of them wrong with a 2011 year that has him amongst the league leaders in many passing categories. Stafford has been asked to do more than usual as the Lions running game has been virtually nonexistent all season long. Javid Best had moments when he looked like a capable every down back, but injuries have put him and back-up Kevin Smith on the sideline. Maurice Morris isn’t exactly a solid option at the RB position, but he’s been able to do what has been asked of him in filling in. Now that Smith is back in the line-up we can expect a far more balanced attack from the Detroit offense.

Detroit is currently listed as 1 point favorites by NFL handicappers for Sunday’s showdown with Oakland. These teams may be just 1 game apart in their win/loss record, but Oakland’s recent struggles make it seem as though they are on a downward spiral. Tune in Sunday afternoon to see if the Raiders can bounce back in what is essentially a must-win situation at home.

Cowboys in Must-Win game against Buccaneers

Tony Bravo — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 11:00:49 +0000

The Dallas Cowboys have fallen a behind in the race for the NFC East with a unexpected loss to the New York Giants after leading by double digits with less than 5 minutes left on the clock. Eli Manning orchestrated a remarkable comeback that was capped off with a Brandon Jacobs 1 yard touchdown run with less than a minute to play. A blocked field goal attempt as time expired gave the Giants a huge road win that propelled them to the top of their division with the tie-break advantage. Losing in unexpected ways has been the Cowboys motto this season, but they still have a chance to right their wrongs with a strong finish. It all starts in this rare Saturday night showdown against a Tampa Bay Buccaneers team that is eager to redeem themselves following an embarrassing 27 point loss to Jacksonville last week.

Tony Romo has been the center of most of the Cowboys scrutiny over the last few weeks, but he’s actually having one of the best seasons in his career. Romo is completing nearly 65 percent of his passes and has thrown 26 touchdowns to just 9 interceptions this year. A better indication of how well he’s played is his passer rating of over 100. Romo ranks just behind the “big 3” (Rodgers, Brees, Brady) in most of the key passing categories, and should not be given any blame in regards to how this team has underachieved in the eyes of football experts.

The bottom line is the lack of defensive support. Dallas is currently ranked 15th in the league in total defense, and has been at their worst at the most critical times. Despite the fact that nothing seems to be going right for this team, the Cowboys still have the opportunity to get back into the playoff chase with a strong finish. The loss of running back DeMarco Murray will make it much tougher for the Dallas offense to remain consistent, but Felix Jones is more than capable of taking over the workload. With Miles Austin back on the field, Romo has his full arsenal of receivers to throw to, and will use his pocket presence to pick apart defenses.

Tampa’s “D” has fallen off dramatically from last year. They currently rank 29th in the league in yards allowed per game, but are next to last in points given up. Josh Freeman is a talented and fleet-footed quarterback that can make things happen offensively, but this offense isn’t built to come from behind or out-score their opposition every week.

A 5-3 start to the season with wins over Atlanta and New Orleans had this Buccaneers team right on schedule to make another run at the NFC South title, but 7 consecutive losses have them at the bottom of the division with a 4-9 record. NFL handicappers have listed the hungry Cowboys as 7 point road favorites for Saturday’s game despite how poorly they played last week against the G-Men. There’s no questioning Dallas’ talent level, but their desire to compete each week has left many experts and fans scratching their heads. Tune in Saturday night as the Bucs host the Cowboys in what promises to be a hard fought and potentially competitive match-up.