The Final Drive: 2012 Wildcard Weekend posted by Joe Anello

Are you exhausted yet? There was TOO MUCH DRAMA! (That’s a lie. There’s never too much.) Both nights of Wildcard weekend ended in tremendous excitement, wrapping up with a dramatic overtime ending that didn’t even warrant explanation of the new rules. I’m still appalled. Let’s just get The Final Drive started.

The first game of the weekend started off awfully sloppy, with plenty of penalties and “jitters” as described by Nessler and Mayock. As the game drew on though, the Texans clearly established themselves as the better team by man-handling Cincy. Rookie lineman J.J Watt, who has shown an inherent talent and awareness to deflect passes at the line of scrimmage made the play of a game by boomeranging Dalton in the second quarter. Watt timed his jump perfectly and made the catch and rambled 29 yards to paydirt. Then he sacked Dalton to end the first half as the Bengals were driving. It was hilarious afterwards to see Dalton with the “Why didn’t you tell me that lineman wasn’t actually fat? I never would have thrown it his way had I known” face. I blame the scouts on that one. The Bengals performance could be encapsulated with their second half opening drive: they were stopped on second down for a loss, then flagged for 12 men in the huddle, then Dalton wasted a time-out as he couldn’t hear the play-call in Reliant’s noise. Those wheels came off. Missed chances to take away the ball from Houston, poor tackling on defense allowed Houston to let Arian Foster loose and control to flow of the game. T.J. Yates never had to make a big play, so the Texans got the win.

Joe's 2012 Gameday Preview: Wildcard Saturday posted by Joe Anello

It’s time. Time for the select few to battle out for the most coveted prize in the NFL: the Lombardi Trophy. The playoffs begin today with the Wildcard round. I’m so excited I can’t even finish this introduction! Let’s just get right to these games, shall we?

As has become tradition in the NFL, the opening game of the Wildcard round is sorta… crappy. The Bengals are a slightly above average team that defied their lowly preseason expectations. Andy Dalton started strong as a rookie, but his production has certainly fallen off in recent weeks. A.J. Green will be healthy enough to make a difference, but I don’t think Dalton has enough developed talent around him to light up the scoreboard. Cedric Benson is a workhorse running back, but he’s never been explosive. Cincy’s offense is decent, but I’d give the edge to Houston’s defense in that match-up. They’re fast and aggressive and can slow down the Bengals enough to give their own rookie quarterback a chance.

Speaking of, we’ve got freaking T.J. Yates starting a playoff game with FREAKING Jake Delhomme backing him up. So if Yates’ shoulder isn’t completely healthy or hinders his play, the Interception Machine will be coming on the field. The thought alone gets me all excited. For the rest of Houston’s offense, Arian Foster and Andre Johnson will both be healthy (ish) for the first time in forever, giving Yates a full complement of weaponry at his disposal. After the Cincy defense gave up two giant runs to Ray Rice last week, Foster will be licking his chops. They won’t be a juggernaut, but that offense should be able to get 21-24 on the Bengals’ D, which will be enough to get the win.

The Final Drive: Week 16, 2011 posted by Joe Anello

It was a Christmas Eve of meaningful NFL action as all the remaining playoff spots were nearly filled and draft orders are beginning to finalize. Miss any of the action? No need to worry, because the Final Drive starts right now!

Indy… what are you doing??? After all the speculation, you could single-handedly win yourself out of a franchise quarterback. Knock it off. (Or play more scrubs.) To Houston, I say congratulations. You’re in the playoffs. Now get ready to go home before anyone else.

This was about as disappointing a loss as you could find on Sunday. For a division-leader that could have locked up their playoff berth to lay down to a team that had nothing to play for is unacceptable. The Teebs magic was all used up apparently as Timmy tossed four interceptions, two of which were boomerangs. I wish I had been able to watch this one. It would have felt SO good.

It was looking awkward when the ‘Phins were up 17-0 at halftime, but Brady rallied and made sure his team clinched a first-round bye. I’m expecting the Patriots to take the number one seed in the AFC, but I don’t feel very confident about their postseason chances.

PFFT. I’m glad this turned out to be less of a game, because if it had been overly dramatic I wouldn’t stop hearing about it all week. And the rumors that the Jets aren’t completely sold on Sanchez for next year? Frosting on the cake baby. And this picture of Jacobs and Ryan jawing afterward? Weird.

The Opening Drive: Week 16, 2011 posted by Joe Anello

Christmas Eve or not, there’s no way I’d let a schedule of great NFL action slip past my nets! The playoff positioning is settling in, but there’s some unresolved business in the NFC East with two pivotal games on Saturday. There’s plenty to talk about in week 16, so let’s get right to it!

John Skelton gets another chance to prove how little publicity the Cardinals can garner, despite his Tebowian winning ways. They travel to Cincy to take on the Bengals, who are desperate to climb back into the playoffs after stumbling the past few weeks. (I mean, they didn’t exactly blow out St. Louis.)

Can a game between a 7-7 and 8-6 team be any more unnecessarily hyped? I know there’s playoff hopes on the line and it’s between the two New York squads, but please, can we settle down slightly? The Jets defense has been utterly mediocre and Mark Sanchez has regressed. Give me Eli and the inconsistent Giants in this one.

This one would be almost not worth writing about except for Big Ben’s injury. Instead, the ancient Charlie Batch will get the start against the lowly Rams, a team that is now in the running for the first pick in April’s draft. I’m picking the Steeler defense in this match-up… because not much else excites me.

The Final Drive: Week 15, 2011 posted by Joe Anello

I’m not sure what else you could have wanted from week 15 in the NFL. Two impressive streaks ended, the “Trap of the Week” proved to be true once again and one win never mattered as much as it did for Indianapolis. (And Candlestick Park was sans light… for a few second before auxiliary lighting come on. Not as much drama.) Many a-loser won on this day. Oddsmakers be damned! Get ready for The Final Drive!

Oh Tennessee. How could you? You somehow managed to give their first lowly Colts a victory whilst in the midst of your own playoff hunt. For shame. While it’s nice to get a win (I’m sure), Jim Caldwell should still get effing fired.

Another streak brought to a necessary conclusion! Honestly, as much as we generally thought the Packers COULD do it, it’s probably better that they didn’t. Injuries to their offensive line killed them yesterday against the Chief pass rush, just one facet of a defense that made it difficult on Aaron Rodgers. Well done Romeo Crennel. Oh yeah, and the Chiefs can somehow still get into the playoffs.

BOOM! You got TRAPPED Eli! This was such an obvious upset to pick, even in a day that ended up with a metric ton of stunning results. How the Giants could come out and lay an egg like this when they had a chance to put some distance in front of the Cowboys is appalling. (And hilarious.)

The Opening Drive: Week 15, 2011 posted by Joe Anello

Week 15??? Really? Time goes by so fast! With the playoff races tight and Tebow versus Brady on the schedule, week 15 has everything you want. Let’s set-up for The Opening Drive!

We’re starting this week’s drive by diving right into the “Trap of the Week!” The Giants are coming off a huge win against the Cowboys, with whom they’re tussling for the division title. It would be fitting of this annually inconsistent team to lose a game late in the season that they absolutely should win.

I seriously have no idea what’s going on in this game. Two aggressive defensive lines, but two very different offenses will take the field. The Lions can’t run the ball to save their lives and the Raiders would prefer to simply pound you into the dust. Something has to give.

Speaking of something has to give… I will do anything to be able to see a beatdown of these Broncos. Tom Brady… I will do ANYTHING. Just have the Patriot PR person get in touch with me. Away from divine interference on the field, I simply don’t see the Broncos keeping pace offensively with the Patriots. Brady should have a two-touchdown lead going into the fourth quarter, which should be more than enough. If the Pats score more than 24, they should win.

Joe's 2011 Thanksgiving Day Preview posted by Joe Anello

It happens every year. Thanksgiving is a time for family, friends, football and food comas. Unfortunately, you’ll want to pay attention to all three games today as they all feature teams with something to prove. It’s time for a breakdown of the holiday’s action!

(10-0) Green Bay Packers at
(7-3) Detroit Lions

Hey, remember when this looked like it could be a match-up between two undefeated teams? …That would have been AWESOME. Despite Detroit’s faltering along the way, this is still shaping up to be a tremendous game, with lots and LOTS of scoring. Green Bay has no need to run the ball and Detroit doesn’t have the ability to run, so expect 40 passes on the day for each quarterback. It’ll be a shoot-out to start the day.

(3-7) Miami Dolphins at
(6-4) Dallas Cowboys

Turkey Day Trap! Miami’s won three in a row and get to play on the road… where they’re actually better off. Dallas is coming off a dramatic but emotionally taxing win over the Redskins in overtime, so they might be taking these formerly 0-7 ‘Phins lightly. It won’t light up the scoreboard as much as our early game, but it could go right down to the wire.

The Final Drive: Week 11, 2011 posted by Joe Anello

There are plenty of close games to discuss from the week 11 slate, some with interesting consequences for the division races involved. The Final Drive. It’s on.

So… this time the glove works? Man Stafford, get it together! Same goes to Cam Newton and the Panthers. Eventually you guys are going to have to win a game in order for anyone to take you seriously.

Successful or not, you have to admire the balls on Raheem Morris to go for two onside kicks on the defending champions. These amount of points and yardage the Bucs were able to rack up on Green Bay make this Lions-Packers Thanksgiving game all the more interesting.

WTF Buffalo. What is your deal? You start off 4-0 and then drop 5 of 6? To make it worse, they’ve dropped these last few in tremendously embarrassing fashion, all but ensuring they’re headed for another collapse. Shame on you for fooling us Buffalo.

My trap prediction apparently rang true. Kudos to Dallas for escaping with a divisional road win, tying them with the Giants, who tripped up in a home loss. Don’t ask me to ever pick anything in the NFC East again though.

Joe's 2011 Gameday Recap: Bears 37, Lions 13 posted by Joe Anello

Well that was easy. The Chicago Bears wasted no time it laying the wood to the Detroit Lions, paying them back for the Monday night loss earlier in the season and notching their fourth win in a row. The Lions were sloppy with the ball on offense and committed costly penalties of which the Bears were more than happy to take advantage. It was a defensive demolishing from Lovie Smith’s crew, who went to man coverage and shut the Lions down.

(6-3) Chicago Bears 37
(6-3) Detroit Lions 13

On Detroit’s opening drive, it looked as if Calvin Johnson was on his way to a monster game, catching three passes on that series. However, on his third catch, Julius Peppers absolutely mauled Johnson, forcing a fumble that Brian Urlacher brought back to the Lion 30. A multitude of Matt Forte runs and a Kyle Vanden Bosch late hit penalty set up the Bears at the six, where Forte took it in to give his team a lead they would never relinquish. A Tim Jennings forced fumble gave the Bears their second possession, on which Cutler found Earl Bennett on their way to Robbie Gould’s first field goal. After Lance Briggs wrapped up Matthew Stafford during an incompletion, Devin Hester brought back the punt 30 yards to the Chicago 48, foreshadowing his next punt return. After an 82 yard run up the sidelines off what seemed like the Lions’ ninth punt of the game, Devin Hester made it 20-0 with fourteen minutes left in the second quarter and sucked the life out of the Lions. From there the defense pinned their ears back and the line went after Stafford as the corners sat on his throws.

Bears Smash Lions, 37-13 posted by Richard Kagan

The Chicago Bears won their 4th straight game and saw Devin Hester return a punt 82 yards for a TD, and the defense pick off two Matthew Stafford passes for touchdowns, en route to a convincing Bears win.  The game was marred by a fight that broke out near the Lion sidelines when a D.J. Moore hit Matthew Stafford.  Afterwards there was a melee which was broken up by officials.  But lines will be levied.

Before it was all over, the Bears forced 6 TO's to dominate the game.  QB Stafford was intercepted 4 times.  It was a brutal and hard-hitting game and the Bears took it to the Lions.  Players were leveled and hit hard by both teams, but the Lions took some tough shots.  This was the first time that the Bears ran 2 interceptions back for TD's since 1993 against Green Bay.  The Bears are now 6-3 and solidfy themselves as a wild-card contender. This was a wild game and it will take a day for fines to be sorted out.  The Bears played smash-mouth football, taking it to the Lions for the stinging defeat it had in Detriot, earlier this season.  At least the Chicago fans were happy.  Major Wright and Charles Tillman ran back the picked off passes for touchdowns.  Corey Graham also picked one off in the endzone.

The Bears beat a good team.  And, they made it look pretty easy.  This game was over early in the third quarter when Wright and Tillman rocked Soldier Field with their pick 6's.  That made the score 34-6.  The Lions would score a TD late in the 4th quarter.  The defense looked rock solid and almost menacing in forcing two quick first quarter fumbles that led to early 10-0 lead.  The Bears were just getting warmed up.

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