On Saturday, the NFL’s current Pro Bowl stars were given the unique opportunity to play in what was expected by many to be the last Pro Bowl ever played. Following the abysmal effort from players in the exhibition last year, coupled with a strict warning from Commissioner Roger Goodell that the Pro Bowl’s future would be decided this year, the portents were not looking kind for the event, which was first played back in 1939.

Although many expected the Pro Bowl to write its own eulogy, the viewing public were treated to a surprising compelling game, and the players could well have done enough to breathe life into an event that was all but on the scrapheap.

Both teams displayed considerable effort given the circumstances, and could have found a comfortable ‘middle ground’ which could see the Pro Bowl remain a feature on the NFL calendar.

A perfect example of this was evident when Denver Broncos defensive end Elvis Dumervil had a big blindside hit lined up on Drew Brees, but pulled out of it, seemingly remembering where he was as he got closer to the quarterback. Protecting the quarterback in a game such as this seems fair, especially when you consider the defensive hustle that was shown throughout the game (by this I mean tackles were made, an odd sight in recent Pro Bowls).

The game also featured its madder moments, not least so the inclusion of JJ Watt as a wide receiver at one point, but to the Pro Bowl detractors, let’s not forget that this is an end of season showpiece – If you can’t do the crazy here, where can you?

One of the most resounding arguments for keeping the Pro Bowl was surely made by Peyton Manning and Jeff Saturday. Manning and Saturday played together for the majority of their careers in Indianapolis, and following Saturday’s recent retirement announcement, the NFC center was allowed to snap the ball one last time to the AFC’s Manning. It was a poignant moment, and if Goodell does end up scrapping the Pro Bowl, it was a fitting moment for the exhibition to go out on.

It will inevitably, if unfairly, be compared to the NBA’s ‘All Star Weekend’ which far exceeds it in popularity and effort displayed by its players (the joys of a non-contact sport). However, could the Pro Bowl learn something from its round-balled cousin?

All Star Weekend is littered with extra events that all lead up to the All Star game, such as the three-point shootout, slam dunk competition, and a celebrity game, all of which contribute to the success of the weekend. It is difficult to imagine similar events at the Pro Bowl, with perhaps the exception of a highly appealing quarterback shootout, but it is something which Goodell could consider to help rejuvenate the event.

Unfortunate, it is unlikely that we will ever see a Pro Bowl competed for with the intensity that the players play with in the NFL. Due to the money these players risk losing if they suffer a serious injury, sensibility will always cause them to reel in their efforts.

In the world of Rugby Union, the Barbarians invitational side play with passion and effort abound, despite the fact the players are at just as much risk of injury as those in the Pro Bowl. There is however a large disparity in earnings, and most rugby players also have guaranteed contracts, meaning that all but the most serious injuries should have little to no affect on the players’ earnings.

With the Super Bowl, Free Agency, Combine and Draft all looming on the horizon, anxiety over Goodell’s decision in regards to the Pro Bowl will be very low. This essentially has left many with decidedly mixed feelings over the Pro Bowl. It is a nice event to have, but if Goodell does decide to do away with it, I certainly won’t lose any sleep over it.

Image Courtesy : NFL

The article The Pro Bowl Lives to Fight Another Day appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Another week in the AFC East and the division continues to travel as a pack. After four weeks, the Buffalo Bills, the New York Jets, and the New England patriots all stand at 2-2 while the Miami Dolphins are just one game back at 1-3.

The 2-1 Jets hosted an angry San Francisco team that completely overpowered the Jets on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Mark Sanchez posted one of his worst efforts in recent memory in a 34-0 shellacking at the hands of the 49ers. Sanchez’s consistent mistakes lead many fans to call for backup Tim Tebow to see some snaps under center, but the Jets brass remains steadfast in their commitment to Sanchez as the starting quarterback. To add injury to insult, wide receiver, Santonio Holmes, left the game with an apparent foot injury. His status is uncertain for the coming weeks, but the Jets fear he is lost for the season.

In Arizona, the Dolphins took the undefeated Cardinals to their limit, ultimately succumbing to an overtime field goal in a 24-21 loss. That makes two straight overtime losses for Miami, but this one came with a little more gusto. Ryan Tannehill looked motivated to win the game, finding target, Brian Hartline, 12 times for 253 yards and a touchdown. Ultimately, a loss is a loss, but Dolphin fans can be proud of the effort their team put forth on Sunday.

The Patriots looked the opposite of their 2-2 counterparts in the Jets and Bills after trouncing Buffalo in a 52-28 blowout. Thirty-one fourth quarter points propelled Tom Brady and the Patriots to a road win, while forcing four interceptions from Buffalo quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. This might be just the type of win New England needed to shed their early season rust and leave the rest of the division in the dust.

For this upcoming week, the Jets face an equally tough foe in Houston on Monday Night Football. Miami travels to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals, Buffalo takes on the 49ers in San Francisco, while New England hosts Denver for another installment of the great rivalry between Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.

Image Courtesy of  Miami Dolphins

The article AFC East Week 4 Review: A Tale of Four Quarterbacks appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The only thing the Houston Texans (3-0) did wrong on Sunday was not allow quarterback Matt Schaub to go home with his entire left ear intact. Other than that, they took care of business the way they had it planned all week.

On a high hit handed out by Denver linebacker Joe Mays, which warranted a flag, Schaub severely cut his left ear and had to come out of the game for a play. It turned out that a chunk of the lobe actually fell off.

“I felt fine,” Schaub said. “I just lost a piece of my ear. I was bleeding and my helmet came off. So, I had to come out for a play, but I was fine.”

Schaub threw for 290 yards and four touchdowns, Arian Foster tallied 105 yards on 25 carries and the Texans held on late to clinch their third consecutive win to open the season, defeating Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos (1-2) on the road, 31-25.

“We knew that we had to try to get the ball downfield because they had a lot of people committed to the run,” said Texans head coach Gary Kubiak. “We did what we had to do to win, convinced them that we had to make some big plays and they did.”

Houston responded to Denver’s quick five points at the outset with a 60 yard Andre Johnson touchdown to gain a 7-5 lead at the 6:38 mark of the first quarter.

They never trailed again from that point on.

A three yard touchdown pass to Foster and 52 yard strike to receiver Kevin Walter later, the Texans had extended to a 21-5 advantage less than midway through the second quarter.

By halftime the Broncos were not done, though, as they were able to cut it to a 10 point game with two field goals before entering the locker room.

A dominant third quarter by the Texans in which they outscored the Broncos 10-0 put a considerable amount of distance between the two at 31-11.

It appeared to be over, but Manning, as he has always done, would not go down without swinging.

Manning found his old battery mate from his Indianapolis days, Brandon Stokley, for 38 yards and a touchdown to trim the deficit to 31-18 with just under 10 minutes remaining in the fourth.

Another Manning touchdown pass with exactly three minutes left to go gave the Broncos an opportunity to win the game if they could find a way to come up with a much needed stop.

But that didn’t happen, as Schaub found Johnson down the left sideline on a critical 3rd and 5 in Houston territory. They were eventually forced to punt, but by that time the Broncos were left on their 14 yard line with just 20 seconds on the clock.

They tried to pull off a lateral-laced miracle as the clock struck zero, but to no avail.

“Second week in a row we lost by six points,” said Broncos head coach John Fox. “It’s the second week in a row we started very slowly. Different side of the ball this time.”

“We have to learn from this game, address it, be honest, everybody needs to be accountable and try to improve forward,” Manning said. “It’s not the ideal situation. Everybody would love to be 3-0. That’s not the way it is right now.”

While Manning and his new crew are still trying to find themselves, Schaub and the Texans just keep rolling along, even if pieces of body parts are literally being torn off.

Said Kubiak of Schaub’s performance, “Boy, he played like a champ today.”

Image Courtesy of   Houston Texans

The article Texans Remain Undefeated, Down Manning and Broncos 31-25 appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Once former quarterback Peyton Manning was shelved due to a serious neck injury that refused to recover before the 2011 regular season even kicked off, the Indianapolis Colts season was realistically over. The team that had been the class of the AFCo South for over a decade went winless over its first 13 games last year without Manning, and was embarrassingly fortunate to finish with a 2-14 final.

At 36 years of age, no one was truly sure how much Manning had remaining in the tank, and the worst part was that Indianapolis had to decide whether or not they would give him a $28 million bonus for the upcoming season. However, if there was ever a perfect time to have such a troublesome dilemma in Indianapolis, it was last year. Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck was predicted to forego his senior year of college and enter the 2012 NFL Draft. Many do not hesitate to claim that he is one of the most – if not the most – polished quarterbacking prospects of all time.

After months of nationwide speculation, the Colts finally cut ties with Manning, cutting him on March 7, confirming the widespread belief that they would draft Luck and build toward the future.

But owner Jim Irsay felt that a change in quarterback would not suffice. He went ahead and changed the entire regime by firing both head coach Jim Caldwell and general manager Bill Polian. Chuck Pagano, who served as the Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator last season after three previous seasons as their secondary coach, will replace Caldwell in his first season as an NFL head coach. Ryan Grigson, a former Philadelphia Eagles scout, was hired as the new general manager.

With the additions came several subtractions. Veterans such as tight end Dallas Clark, running back Joseph Addai, center Jeff Saturday, wide receivers Pierre Garcon and Anthony Gonzales, and linebacker Gary Brackett have all gone elsewhere. Long-time wide receiver Reggie Wayne, in a surprise to many, did however re-sign with Indianapolis.

Additions that are expected to have an immediate impact include former Tennessee Titans wide receiver Donnie Avery, former Ravens defensive lineman Corey Redding, and former Dolphins cornerback Vontae Davis. Draft picks other than Luck who are believed to step in and receive a significant amount of playing time include his former teammate, who was drafted in the second round, tight end Coby Fleener, tight end out of Clemson, Dwayne Allen (third round) and former FIU wide receiver T.Y. Hilton (third round).

Expectations aren’t too high in Indy as far as the win total is concerned following the period of extreme transition, but after finishing 28^th in the league in both scoring offense and defense last season at 15.2 and 26.9 points per game, respectively, the Colts main hope is to simply improve and grow as a team that could be serious AFC contenders for years to come.

Image Courtesy of   Indianapolis Colts

The article Indianapolis Colts Season Preview appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

It may only be Week 3 of the preseason, but there is much at stake for the hyped rookie quarterbacks of the Indianapolis Colts and Washington Redskins when they meet on Saturday in the nation’s capital.

This is the number two overall pick of the 2012 draft, former Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III, trying to prove to Colts management that they made a dire mistake in selecting Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck with the initial pick instead of himself.

However, if there’s anyone out there who truly understands what it feels like to be good, but not good enough to finish in first place, it has to be Luck.  After all, he did have to disappointingly accept the title of Heisman Trophy runner-up to Griffin this past collegiate season.

Both first-year quarterbacks are certainly aware of the sky-high expectations that people around the league have bestowed upon them, dating back to before they were even drafted, and how their careers will inevitably be compared and forever linked as well. But, being as humble as they are, they attempted to downplay all of those storylines.

“You realize that’s the nature of the beast, the nature of playing quarterback, nature of being drafted 1-2 at any position in any sport,” said Luck. “[But] it’s not too hard. . . . There are much bigger things to worry about.”

Griffin was even more dismissive of the topic, adding, “He’s trying to lead his team. I’m trying to help lead my team.”

Being that these two will be competing not only in different divisions for a considerable amount of years – if they are as successful as many believe they will be – but different conferences on top of that, meetings between them will unfortunately come few and far between. Luck’s Colts compete in the AFC South, while Griffin’s Redskins are members of the NFC East.

Indianapolis will play the NFC North this season as part of it’s non-AFC schedule. Meanwhile, the Redskins will verse the AFC North when not squaring off against their fellow NFC opponents.

The Colts were able to attain Luck with the number one overall pick in this year’s draft after a dismal 2-14 campaign last year – after starting out 0-13 – as a direct result of the loss of their former quarterback. Peyton Manning, whose Colts career began back in 1998, and is a certainity for the Hall of Fame, could not play due to a serious neck injury that failed to recover properly after sustaining it the previous season. During his time in Indy, Manning was an 11 time Pro Bowler, 4 time MVP and one time Super Bowl champion.

The prevailing sentiment (that’s made its way throughout the NFL since Manning’s release from the Colts back on March 7) is that if there is anyone that could somehow realistically step in and be the next Peyton Manning, it’s Luck. Luck has been repeatedly touted as one of the most complete – if not the most complete – quarterbacking prospects of all times.

“I’ve been around guys who are extremely smart, worked extremely hard at it,” said Colts offensive coordinator Bruce Arians, who worked with Manning for several years. “But [Luck] just gets it. It’s kind of scary.”

Griffin does not have anything close to that type of pressure on him, however. Yes, the Redskins have historically struggled mightily at the quarterback position, but following a 5-11 season they decided to trade this year’s first round pick, first round picks in 2013 and 2014, and a 2012 second round pick to the St. Louis Rams with the belief that Griffin could make them much more competitive for years to come. Washington has not made the postseason since 2007 when they posted their last winning record (9-7).

“RG3 is a different player. He’s probably not as far along with his comfort level as a pocket passer, but he has world-class speed and can create plays with his legs,” said former 17 year NFL quarterback Rich Gannon when asked to compare the skill sets of Luck and Griffin.

Saturday, 4 p.m., FedEx Field – one of the most anticipated preseason games of all time. Let the fun begin.

Image Courtesy of  Indianapolis Colts and Washington Redskins

The article Colts-Redskins Features First Matchup Between Luck, Griffin appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The Chicago Bears took on the Denver Broncos under the lights at Soldier Field to kick off their preseason play. Not only were Bear fans fortunate enough to see their team play, they also got a glimpse of Peyton Manning in his first game with the Broncos.

Manning completed 4 of 7 passes for 44 yards and threw an interception in the 31-3 victory. It was evident that Manning was grateful and excited to be back under center for the first time since missing all of last season. Manning connected with three different wide receivers within his first four pass attempts, already spreading the field and keeping defenses guessing. Denver’s offensive line kept Manning protected very well and did not allow him to get hit once. Peyton’s leadership and experience definitely makes the Broncos a team to look out for once the regular season comes along.

As for the Chicago Bears, their starting quarterback, Jay Cutler, warmed up, but did not play because of the birth of his first child on Wednesday. As a result, Jason Campbell started for the Bears and completed 4 of 5 passes for 13 yards. In addition, running back Matt Forte sat and watched from the sideline, giving the start to newly acquired Michael Bush.

Bush carried the ball three times for two yards and also fumbled. Also, wide receiver, Brandon Marshall, caught one pass for four yards in his Bears debut. The addition of both Bush and Marshall makes the Bears become an offensive threat this upcoming season. Not to mention that Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall are already very well acquainted with each other after playing together in Denver.

However, the only positive offensive note for the Bears from Thursday’s game was rookie receiver Alshon Jeffery. Jeffery led the Bears receiving core with four receptions for 35 yards. The former South Carolina Gamecock was drafted in the second round of the NFL Draft and signed a four-year deal in early May. Jeffery has been playing extremely well during training camp and is showing a ton of potential.

Defensively for the Bears, Julius Peppers also watched from the sidelines. In addition, linebacker Brian Urlacher did not play for reported personal reasons. However, Urlacher has been suffering from some knee soreness.

Chicago will welcome RGIII and the Washington Redskins Saturday, August 18, for their second preseason game. As for the Broncos, they will also be in action August 18 against the Seattle Seahawks.

Although the Bears finished last season with an 8-8 record and missed the playoffs, their offseason additions could possibly help make them the second best team in the NFC North Division behind the Green Bay Packers.

Image Courtesy of   Chicago Bears

The article Bears Pummeled in Preseason Debut appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Although this year’s class of free agents was not heralded as being a remarkable group of players, one position in particular has caught the headlines early in the free agency period. The position of quarterback, despite always receiving more media attention than any other position, has seen several big name moves around the league with expectant fans waiting anxiously to see how their new stars perform in the game’s most critical position.

One of the more unreported signings has been former Jacksonville Jaguar David Garrard’s move to the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins were spurned by Peyton Manning and Alex Smith all within the space of a week and were lucky to add Garrard to their roster where he will compete with current incumbent Matt Moore for the starting spot.

Although Moore showed flashes of brilliance last season, his inconsistency will be a worry for head coach Joe Philbin and Garrard’s arrival gives Philbin two serviceable options at the position, in addition to any further recruitment through the draft. As long as Garrard is showing no ill effects from his herniated disc, which kept him out of the 2011 season, his career pass completion rate of 61.6% and experience of the west coast offense that Philbin wants to implement at the Dolphins could well give him the edge over Moore when the new season arrives.

As the 2011 season came to an end, everyone expected then soon-to-be free agent Matt Flynn to join former offensive coordinator Philbin at the Dolphins, but instead the former understudy to Aaron Rogers is now plying his trade at the opposite end of the country, in Seattle. Flynn’s move to the Seahawks has been suggested by many to be enough to put Seattle into playoff contention despite the presence of the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West.

The main concern surrounding Flynn is whether he has the ability to be an NFL starter, having previously been a back up to Rogers in Green Bay. He put in two sensational performances for the Packers towards the end of the regular season but it is also important to remember that the Packers were a highly-tuned offensive machine last season and Flynn will not be surrounded by the same embarrassment of riches this year in Seattle.

The most important contributing factor to whether or not Flynn’s first season for the Seahawks is successful arguably rests with whether or not receivers Sidney Rice and Mike Williams can remain fit throughout the season.

Peyton Manning stole the headlines with his move to the Denver Broncos but questions remain as to whether the Broncos were the right destination for the quarterback. The Broncos do offer a good chance of making the playoffs given the relative weakness of the AFC West, but there are also many negatives to consider regarding his choice to play at Mile High Stadium.

The cold winters, lack of a dome and lack of elite receivers will all come as a shock to Manning who did not have to contend with these issues during his time at the Indianapolis Colts. The decision to join the Broncos is even more surprising considering there was also interest from both San Francisco and Tennessee.

The 49ers, who made it to the NFC Championship game last season, arguably offer a more realistic chance at a Super Bowl appearance, whilst the Titans offered Manning a ‘position for life’ effectively guaranteeing the quarterback a position with the franchise beyond his retirement. For better or worse however, Manning has made his decision and committed to the Broncos, making Denver one of the most eagerly anticipated teams to watch in 2012.

Perhaps the most intriguing and potentially successful move has been the acquisition of Tim Tebow by the New York Jets. The announcement of the move came shortly after Mark Sanchez agreed terms on a new long-term contract in New York and raises questions over who will be the starting quarterback for the Jets.

Sanchez has seen his progression stall of late, with some even suggesting he has regressed, and many experts had tipped the Jets to let him move on this offseason. The arrival of Tebow, which will not only help reduce discord in the Jets locker room, could spur on Sanchez and help the quarterback reach the potential he has promised since he joined the league.

Even if Tebow has been acquired solely as backup for Sanchez, he offers a fantastic second choice option and may well be the best backup in the league, with notable mentions to both Jason Campbell and Kyle Orton who have moved to the Chicago Bears and Dallas Cowboys respectively.

One thing can be guaranteed however, should Sanchez show the same lacklustre performances next season then Linsanity will have to take a back seat and allow Tebowmania a chance to shine in the Big Apple.

Image Courtesy of     https://www.facebook.com/DenverBroncos

The article QB Acquistions, Tebow Best Signing? appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The beginning of the free agency period always sparks a frenzy of activity throughout the league, none more so than this year. Big names have moved on to unfamiliar territory and will be expected to perform instantly, in some cases providing their new teams with the tools to be able to make a run at the playoffs (Buffalo Bills fans be warned, Mario Williams is just one man).

With many of the more high profile players already signed to new deals, it is time to take a step back and look at the winners and losers of what has been a surprisingly interesting free agency thus far.

Given the relatively weak class of free agents this year, it is perhaps not surprising that many teams have swooped early and signed some of the better players to very lucrative contracts, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers showing very little restraint early on. They have helped quarterback Josh Freeman immensely with the signings of Carl Nicks and Vincent Jackson.

Freeman’s development seemed to stall last year, Tampa Bay will be hoping for a return to form with the added protection of Nicks and the top receiving target of Jackson. They have also strengthened a fairly weak secondary with Eric Wright, formerly of the Detroit Lions, as they look for the secondary to match up with their formidable defensive line.

The Buccaneers can be fairly pleased with their moves in free agency so far, spending big (and with their cap space and poor form last season, why wouldn’t they?) but acquiring key pieces which have helped strengthen a very young team.

Another team who has spent well so far, but gone under the radar in comparison to Tampa Bay, has been the San Diego Chargers. They have brought in Le’Ron McClain (the injury prone Ryan Matthews will be eternally grateful) to help shore up their running game, whilst the arrival of wide receivers Eddie Royal and Robert Meachem should help to make up for the loss of Jackson to Tampa Bay.

Perhaps their most useful signing so far will be on the other side of the ball, with former Baltimore Raven linebacker Jarret Johnson making the move to San Diego, a signing which will surely aid the Chargers’ poor run defense. Given that both Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs have labeled Johnson as the key to the Ravens unforgiving defense, he could be exactly the man the Chargers need to take the next step on their way to becoming Super Bowl contenders.

The biggest signing of the Free Agency thus far has arguably been Mario Williams’ move to the Bills. He singlehandedly improves their defense immeasurably and will give Tom Brady something to fear when his Bills meet the Patriots next season. This will of course be trumped by the signing of Peyton Manning once the quarterback decides whether his future lies in Denver, Tennessee or San Francisco as he not only singlehandedly improves a teams’ offense, but makes them a Super Bowl contender, such is the talent he brings to a team.

Not every time has been so active in the early stages however, with the likes of the Ravens, Steelers and Patriots all biding their time given that their limited cap space means they cannot compete with the Buccaneers and Bills of the league in terms of lucrative contracts.

While the Patriots will retain the nucleus of their team next season, the Ravens have already lost starters in the forms of Ben Grubbs, Corey Redding and Johnson, whilst the Steelers have had to cut several key players in order to stay under the cap and face the challenging task of trying to sign star wide receiver Mike Wallace to a new contract. Both teams will need to spend wisely towards the end of free agency if they are to retain their statuses as genuine Super Bowl contenders.

Whoever ends up with Manning, whether it be the Broncos, Titans or 49ers, is a strong candidate for the team to have done best in the free agency, as are the previously mentioned Buccaneers.

However, the fairly understated signings that the Chargers have made will help them immeasurably, potentially putting them back into the playoffs and therefore could well be the best signings of the Free Agency period so far. At the other end of the spectrum are two AFC North sides, the Ravens and the Steelers.

The Ravens are noted for building through the draft and do have some cap room left to make some important moves, but the Steelers could be in genuine trouble. With little to no cap room left and the likes of Farrior and Smith already cut, there is little to celebrate in Pittsburgh this offseason and fans will be hoping for some very good prospects in the upcoming draft lest the Steelers fall below the Ravens in the battle for supremacy of the AFC North.

The article NFL Free Agency; Winners and Losers so Far appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Although the contract details have not been made public as of this morning, it is being reported that Peyton Manning has chosen to take his talents to Denver.

The Denver Broncos won out against several other teams who were said to be in the running for the services of Manning who was just released by the Indianapolis Colts. The Broncos won the division with an 8-8 record last year and made the playoffs with young polarizing Tim Tebow running the show. Tebow proved that he can win in the NFL but for the last 14 years, Peyton Manning has proven that he is a future Hall of Famer. The decision was simple, even for supporters of Tim Tebow.

At this point it is clear that Tebow will most likely be on the trading block and probably be shipped to another team before the ink dries on Payton’s new contract.

Peyton chose to go play in the AFC West instead of the NFC West with the 49ers, taking the more difficult route to the Super Bowl — considering how difficult their schedule will be for the upcoming season in Denver. The 49ers who were in hot pursuit would have given Peyton a top ten defense along with an improving receiving corps, not to mention a division with teams like the Rams and the Seahawks. Instead, Peyton will compete with the underachieving but tough San Diego Chargers, Oakland Raiders (who play hard) and the improving Kansas City Chiefs.

It is an interesting decision by Peyton because of what went on in Denver last season with Tebow mania and the talent, or lack thereof, on this roster. The last memory we have of this team is the post season blowout at the hands of the New England Patriots where the defense had no answers for the Patriot offense. Leader of defense Brian Dawkins, too, is a year older and the injuries continue to pile up. Champ Bailey, one of the greatest defensive backs in NFL history, is also not getting any younger. Although he played at a pro bowl level last season, there were times where he looked slow and outclassed. Linebacker D.J Williams might be out for the first six games due to a drug suspension and the defense will most certainly suffer.

It won’t be as easy as people think, especially playing with the toughest schedule, but Peyton will bring balance to this team. We won’t see a tired defense forced to hold teams to 12 points in order to win eight games. The pressure will be high but Manning chose this team and must know what he is doing. It is fitting that he is likely to end his career playing for John Elway, maybe even winning a Super Bowl.

Image Courtesy Tennessee Journalist

The article Peyton Manning, A Denver Bronco appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

As fans all over the country speculate on whether future Hall of Fame NFL quarterback Peyton Manning will sign with Tennessee, Denver, or some other team, Nissan North America has just sweetened the deal by offering to “… make Manning a Titan.”

But in this case, the automaker, which is based in Franklin, Tenn., a suburb of Nashville, where the Tennessee NFL franchise plays, is offering to “make,” or rather, “build” Manning a 2012 Nissan Titan Pro-4X pickup truck.

On its website and Facebook page, Nissan extended the offer in an open letter to Manning. In an effort to remain neutral, Nissan indicates it will make Manning a Titan regardless of the NFL team he chooses.

Tennessee has been the corporate headquarters for Nissan’s operations covering all of North, Central and South America since 2006 when the company moved to Nashville from California. The company, now based 15 minutes south in the suburb of Franklin, Tenn., is one of the state’s largest employers. Nissan operates technical and design centers in California, Arizona and Michigan, two assembly plants and one power-train plant in Tennessee, as well as a third assembly plant in Canton, Miss.

“The Nissan Titan V-8 engine is built in Tennessee,” said Brian Carolin, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Nissan North America. “And even more poetically for Mr. Manning, the Titan itself is assembled in a place called Canton.”

Manning played college football for the University of Tennessee. He is expected to be a first-ballot Hall of Fame inductee when he becomes eligible after retirement. The NFL Hall of Fame is located in Canton, Ohio.

An Open Letter to Peyton Manning

Dear Peyton,

We hope it’s okay to be informal and call you Peyton. You’ve been like one of the family to sports fans, especially Tennesseans, since your record-setting college days at the University of Tennessee.

Like you, we at Nissan North America were not all born to Rocky Top. But it is now home to our corporate headquarters and three manufacturing facilities employing more than 6,000 Tennesseans.

At Nissan, we too have fans all over the U.S.A. and we appreciate them all. And like all of your fans, we’re awaiting your decision on where to play next season. While we are in no position to sign you to any particular NFL franchise, we at Nissan North America want to make you a Titan – a 2012 Nissan Titan – as a gesture of gratitude recognizing your great accomplishments and philanthropic contributions to our national community.

We extend this offer on behalf of a nation of football fans and Nissan fans, not necessary to influence your decision.  So next time you’re in Nashville, give us a call and we’ll bring the keys.

Sincerely,

Nissan North America

Image Courtesy of   http://www.flickr.com/photos/tnjn/

The article Peyton Manning, A Nissan Titan? appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The New York Jets will not pursue former Colts great Peyton Manning, as the team gave its starting quarterback of the last three years, Mark Sanchez, a three year contract extension on Friday night. Sanchez’s contract will be worth $58.25 million, making him the seventh-highest paid quarterback in all of the NFL. He is guaranteed $20.5 million combined through 2012 and 2013.

“The best part about it is, they chose to stick with me,” said Sanchez. “I’m going to be their starting quarterback for the next few years and that’s exciting.

“I’m the leader of this team and I’m excited to get back.”

Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum stated that the decision to extend Sanchez was made after the season ended, despite leaving the door open recently on a possible change at the position when asked about any potential interest in bringing in Manning. Sanchez previously had two years remaining on his rookie contract, but they did not include any guaranteed money.

New York completed a three game losing streak in Miami in Week 17 to end the season at 8-8, preventing them from making their third consecutive playoff appearance with Sanchez under center. The ensuing result during the offseason was heavy criticism of the 25-year-old, which came in the form of negative remarks from several unnamed teammates concerning his talent level and mental makeup.

Sanchez led the Jets into back-to-back AFC title games in his first two seasons and losses in these were his only two in six career playoff games. All four of his post-season wins were impressive for a young quarterback, considering that they all came on the road in hostile environments against elite quarterbacks – Carson Palmer in Cincinnati, Philip Rivers in San Diego, Peyton Manning in Indianapolis, and clearly the most extraordinary victory, Tom Brady in Foxboro.

Sanchez showed flashes of brilliance in 2011 with a career high 26 touchdown passes, but a career high with an equal amount of turnovers left him looking like a split personality quarterback at times.

Jets fans moaned for years that former offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer’s quick passing, mainly horizontal air attack was the central factor that prohibited Sanchez from ever reaching his full potential as a quarterback. It did not allow Sanchez to take very many shots down the field, which drastically limited the Jets offense while also holding back his necessary progression at the position.

Jets management finally felt that it was time to make a change at the offensive helm, and thusly fired Schottenheimer this offseason. They then hired former Miami Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano to replace him. Sparano was the head man in Miami for the past three plus seasons.

Time will prove if the coaching alteration will get Sanchez to the place that he, the Jets, and their fans believe he is more than capable of getting to. “We’ve won a lot of football games with Mark as the starting quarterback of the New York Jets and that’s what really concerned us,” said Tannenbaum. “It’s not a projection, it’s not a hope, it’s not an incremental leap of faith. Here’s a three year body of work.

“That said, we don’t have blinders on. It has to get better and it will get better. We think he’ll become more consistent. Taking a long view of things, we’re excited and encouraged by the trajectory of Mark’s career.”

Image Courtesy of   http://www.flickr.com/photos/yourdon/

The article Jets Give Sanchez Extension, Out of Peyton Sweepstakes appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The Peyton Manning era in Indianapolis officially came to an end Wednesday at noon, as the team’s 14-year quarterback held a nationally televised press conference with Colts owner Jim Irsay, who announced that the team was cutting Manning. Manning missed the entire 2011 season following multiple neck procedures and was due a $28 million bonus this month.

However, after a 2-14 season landed the Colts with the number one overall draft pick and the opportunity to bring in the highly touted quarterback out of Stanford, Andrew Luck, both sides were in agreement that it would be in their best interest to part ways.

There had been an abundance of chatter over the last few months about the possibility of Manning calling it a career due to a cloud of uncertainty about his ability to return from this serious neck surgery continuously hovering in the picture. Manning completely put that notion to bed when asked after making his speech at the press conference, however.  He stated, “Well, I don’t want to retire,” and continued, “Nobody loves their job more than I do. Nobody loves playing quarterback more than I do, and I still want to play.”

Twelve teams have already expressed interest in signing Manning, but only seven have been confirmed thus far – the New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals, Washington Redskins, and Seattle Seahawks. The Jets, though, pulled out of the Manning race over the weekend after giving their young quarterback, Mark Sanchez, a three-year contract extension. Rumors have also included teams like the San Francisco 49ers and Houston Texans. Manning has said that he will sign with a new team within the next week.

Which team would offer Manning, not only a chance to make it to the Super Bowl next year, but the best chance overall?  The answer would have to be the Houston Texans. Although the Colts were Manning-less all year long in 2011, do not think for even one moment that the Texans’ ensuing level of success was a fluke by any means. Last season was the greatest in Texans franchise history–one in which they clinched their first ever AFC South title, playoff berth, and victory.

Matt Schaub and Matt Leinart were both placed on IR with major injuries during the regular season, but rookie third-string quarterback T.J. Yates had plenty of talent around him to win a playoff game after making his five regular season starts. Despite all of the other interested/potentially interested teams having their own share of talent, the Texans certainly boast more than anyone else.

The depth of the Texans roster begins on the outside with their wide receivers. Andre Johnson is a four-time Pro Bowler and one of the elite deep threats in the league with his lethal combination of size and speed. Jacoby Jones, a fifth year receiver, shows great promise as one of the faster wide-outs in the game.

Their starting tight end, Owen Daniels, has become one of the more consistent players at his position as well. Houston’s starting running back, Arian Foster, also gives the Texans one of the most dangerous running attacks out there. With Ben Tate behind him, the team led the league in rushing at 159.5 yards per game.

And the Houston defense? Well, they were no joke either. They ranked in the top five in the league in all defensive categories, despite missing Pro Bowler Mario Williams for much of the season, were second in both passing and rushing, and first in yards per game.

The AFC South, as Manning knows from playing his whole career there, is one of the weaker divisions in all of football. This would only improve his chances of making it to the promise land even more. Houston appears to be the way to go for Peyton.

Image Courtesy of   http://www.flickr.com/photos/auroraco/

The article Houston Best Fit for Peyton appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The 2011 NFL season may be only nine weeks old, but for some teams at the bottom of their division, the season is already over. And, some fan bases couldn’t be happier that their team is performing so poorly.

Every year the worse team in the league gets the first pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, and this year that pick is slightly more coveted than in recent years. The reason for this comes down to the junior starting quarterback for the Stanford Cardinal, Andrew Luck. Luck, barring any unforeseen injuries will enter his name in the draft next year, and without a shadow of doubt be selected by the team with the first pick.

Luck is regarded as the most NFL ready college quarterback by football analysts across the land. He was projected to go number one in the 2011 Draft, but elected to finish his degree at Stanford and play one more season. NFL teams have been salivating over Luck because his ability to play the quarterback position has franchise savior written all over it.

In 2010 Luck threw for over 3,000 yards, completed 70% of his passes, and had a dizzying touchdown to interception ratio of 32 to 8. Luck is also proving that last year was not a fluke; he is currently on track to outpace his phenomenal numbers from last year.

The image now becomes clear as to why some teams fan bases want their favorite team to stink it up for the rest of the season. What’s one bad year, when we can acquire Luck, and possibly have the next legendary quarterback on our team?

The current teams that are in line to win the Andrew Luck jackpot are the Miami Dolphins, St. Louis Rams, and the Indianapolis Colts. These teams are the bottom of the bottom and their combined record is an atrocious 2-23. As of Week 9 while all three teams look hapless, Indianapolis is the clear frontrunner at 0-9.

The Dolphins could easily be 4-4, if not for a miraculous 4^th quarter comeback by Tim Tebow, and a couple of losses in close games, so it is doubtful that they will finish at the bottom. The Rams recently acquired Sam Bradford with the number one pick in 2010.Bradford was last year’s Offensive Rookie of the Year, so it is likely that the Rams would trade the pick for more draft picks to fill other personnel holes.

Then there are the Indianapolis Colts who are going in the wrong direction, with each performance looking worse than the one before. What’s odd is that the Colts, for the last 11 years, have been stout at the quarterback position thanks to future Hall of Famer, Peyton Manning.

If Manning would’ve been healthy at the beginning of the season, the Colts would probably be in contention for a playoff spot and not the first draft pick. However  with Manning’s neck injury lingering and people close to the situation doubting if his production value will be anywhere close to the Manning of old, Luck is now a serious option.

The popular school of thought is that if Luck goes to the Colts one of two things will happen. The first is that after drafting Luck, if Manning can return next year, Luck will sit on the bench and learn from one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. In 3-5 years when Manning’s contract extension is up, Luck will take over and be the new heir to the Colt’s offense.

The second option is that if Manning can’t make his return the Colt’s would trade or cut Manning, and begin the Luck era in Indianapolis. A crude way to treat your former savior, but the NFL is a business where tough decisions need to be made.

With 8 weeks left in the season it’s anybody guess as to who will wind up with the first pick in the draft.  What is certain is that one NFL team is going to win by losing.

Image Courtesy of  http://www.flickr.com/photos/han_shot_first/

The article Who Wants to Get Luck-y? appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

It has been a few years since the New York Giants and New England Patriots met in the unforgettable Super Bowl XLII, but the bitterness was still there. In a game that was hyped as a duel between Tom Brady and Eli Manning, fans were not disappointed.

Manning watched Brady march down the field for the score to put the Patriots up 20-17 with less than two minutes in the fourth quarter, Manning finished off a drive with a one-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jake Ballard with only a few ticks left on the clock to give the Giants the victory at Foxboro Stadium. The win improved their record to 6-2.

“I knew we would win,” Giants running back Brandon Jacobs said. “It definitely took me back to the Super Bowl.” Just like the Super Bowl, when Manning found David Tyree over the middle for the most improbable catch by an unknown receiver, Manning found Ballard for a 28-yard gain in which he leaped up and caught it through two Patriot defenders.

“If it was thrown anywhere else, I wouldn’t have caught it,” Ballard said. “You dream about making catches like that.” And just to add to the eeriness of the drive, Ballard wears 85. That’s the same number worn by Tyree that season. ”I’d rather be down by three with a minute-thirty [left] than up by four with a minute-thirty with Tom Brady, with their offense on the field,” Manning said.

“You like those situations where you have an opportunity to go win the game.” Spoken like an elite quarterback, Manning got the chance to win it and came through. He had another good game, going 20 of 39 for 250 yards two touchdowns and one interception. This was a big win keeping the Giants two games ahead of the Dallas Cowboys who beat the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.

The Patriots fall to 5-3 and, more importantly, fall into a three-way tie for the AFC East with the Buffalo Bills and the New York Jets, whom they face next week for AFC East supremacy. ”We’ve got half the season to go,” Brady said. “We’ll see what our team’s made of this week.”

The loss ended two very impressive streaks: 20 regular season home game wins for the Patriots and 31 straight regular season home wins for Brady. At one point, it looked like the Patriots were going to win behind a Brady comeback when he connected with Rob Gronkowski for a 14-yard score to put the Patriots up 20-17 with a minute and a half left.

The key play was a 20-yard pass interference call on Sergio Brown that put the Giants on the one-yard line with 30 seconds left. ”I was looking at the ball the whole time,” Brown said. “I was surprised. They come and tell us as long as we’re looking at the ball, we can play the ball.”

Manning found Ballard in the end zone for the win three plays after that. All points were scored in the second half as the game was deadlocked at 0-0 going into the half. The Giants took a 10-0 lead on a 10-yard Jacobs run. The Patriots responded with 13 unanswered points, and Stephen Gostkowski made a 45 yard field goal to put the Patriots up 13-10.

Manning answered that with a 85-yard drive capped by a Mario Manningham 10-yard touchdown with just over three minutes left. The Giants defense came up big and helped the offense overcome injuries to center David Bass, running back Ahmad Bradshaw, and wide receiver Hakeem Nicks. They got to Brady twice, and forced two picks as well as a fumble.

Brady finished the day 28 of 49 for 342 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions, and a fumble. At one point the fans started booing after Brady threw an incompletion on third down. They cheered up quickly as Aaron Ross muffed a punt on the next play that the Patriots recovered.

The Patriots had scoring opportunities, but an interception by Brady and a missed 27-yard field goal left them with zero points in the first half. The Giants face another tough test as they head west to face off with the San Francisco 49ers and the Patriots travel to MetLife Stadium to face the New York Jets.

Image Courtesy of   http://www.facebook.com/newyorkgiants

The article Eli Manning Leads Late-Scoring Drive to Top Patriots 24-20 appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

For the first time since the late 1990s, the Indianapolis Colts are in major danger of having a losing season. A team that has been a perennial championship contender since they drafted their Hall of Fame quarterback, Peyton Manning, their high-powered offense was derailed by Manning’s neck surgery and their chances of making a post-season appearance seem dimmer than ever.

At first sight of a Manning injury, the Colts signed a security blanket in the form of veteran Quarterback, Kerry Collins, to help keep the team afloat until their field general returned to the roster. However, after three consecutive poor performances leading to losses and suffering a concussion in Game 3 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, young Curtis Painter finally got a chance to show what he knows.

Painter had a rocky start when he first entered the game, under and overthrowing open receivers, but when he finally got into a rhythm, he began to hit his targets with precise accuracy. Though he only completed five out of 11 passes for a mere 60 yards, Painter led the Colts to their only scoring drive, while Collins couldn’t get the ball to the promised land despite his 29 passing attempts.

Another edge Painter has over Collins is that he knows the playbook inside-out. Collins is fresh off the free agency, while Painter has been behind Manning and Jim Sorgi for the past two years. Being the third string QB, he might not have gotten many reps in practice, but there’s no question he knows the plays.

Whether he can execute them, time will tell, but knowing how to run the plays and where each player should be is key for the new leader of the offense. Painter also has two key people backing him as the starter for the Colts: Star Wide Receiver Reggie Wayne and ex-Head Coach Tony Dungy.

After the loss to the Steelers on Sunday, Dungy believed that the Jaguars, in Week 4, would see a lot of Painter. And while Bob Costas responded in disbelief and astonishment of how he could side with someone who missed so many open players, Dungy showed confidence in the young Quarterback by saying that it was due to a lack of reps in practice.

Wayne, on the other hand, sided with Painter from the very beginning. During a press conference, he stuck up for the third year QB. “I’m going balls to the walls for him, man,” Wayne said. “I’m not going to let anybody just come in here. I don’t care who you are.

I mean I’m not going to let anyone just come in here and just push someone aside like you’re that dog now, you know what I mean. I’m sure Curtis is thinking it, and if he’s not thinking it, I’ll take the challenge for him.” With two important people backing him, Painter should be looking at quite a few reps this Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

If the coaching staff can show the same confidence that Dungy and Wayne did, the Indianapolis Colts could be looking at a functional Quarterback to lead the team to a decent record this season. Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis, the Colts’ D-Line superstars, have stepped up and gotten stops on the other side of the ball.

If Painter can lead the Colts to one or two scoring drives each game, Indy just might stay afloat long enough for the savior to return.
Alexey Stiop / Shutterstock.com

The article Why Curtis Painter is the Answer for The Indianapolis Colts appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

At this point last year Jets fans were on pins and needles wondering what was going to happen with All-Universe corner Darrelle Revis and his holdout. As we know now he ended up holding out all summer and it took him a while to get back to full form injuring his hamstring shortly after his return.

The injury was due to a lack of off-season, but this year there’s no lockout and Revis is up to his usual tricks of wreaking havoc on quarterbacks and wide receivers.

With this news the rest of the league should begin preparing to face arguably the most complete corner in the game when they face the New York Jets this year. This year Revis is having probably his best training camp as a pro and is on a daily basis causing trouble for QB Mark Sanchez.

Sanchez likes to ignore the “Revis Rule” and is constantly challenging him in practice, usually to no avail. Sanchez says that it makes him a better quarterback being humbled by such an outstanding corner.

“They keep saying, ‘The Revis Rule, the Revis Rule,’ but that’s my chance to get after it in practice,” Sanchez said Thursday. “I can see what you can fit in and what you can get by with.

He keeps you sharp, he keeps you accurate…You try to take short vacations on Revis Island and try to get out of there as quick as you can.”

This is great news for Jets fans as having their best player at top form is good news for the defense and having their quarterback square off against him daily can only help Sanchez in his progress.

Rex Ryan said, “He’s the Tom Brady and Peyton Manning of defensive backs in this league. He’s the best I’ve ever been around.”

The Jets will need Revis to shutdown half the field as the question mark that remains from last year is the Jets pass rush. Having Revis do his thing forces quarterbacks to hold the ball for longer giving the line more chance to get to the opposing quarterback.

It’s looking like another Pro-Bowl year for the young DB.

Image Courtesy of  http://www.flickr.com/photos/35602564@N00/

The article Revis Island is Open For Business appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Throughout the NBA playoffs, most recently the finals, the spotlight has been put on the referees and the way that they have treated star players on the court.

Though fans are currently focused on basketball, namely players like LeBron James and Dwyane Wade (who can seemingly get to the free throw line any time they choose to flail their arms or legs), the truth is that this phenomenon seems to be consistent across all sports.

The fact is that many officials will give the benefit of the doubt to the best veteran players. Whether this is a conscious action is another story.

When it comes to the NBA, some people are beginning to think that the league is altogether “fixed” in order to give an edge to some of the superstars. So many times when Dwyane Wade makes a strong move toward the basket, it seems that the referees have made the decision to call the foul before the actual outcome of the play. It seems that the powers at be are doing whatever they can to make these players get their rings.

Another key example of this can be seen week after week in the NFL. Premier quarterbacks such as Peyton Manning or Tom Brady can barely be touched at all without a roughing the passer flag coming out. However, do we see those same flags come out when young players like Colt McCoy take a big hit? I don’t think so.

In baseball, a popular hitter like Derek Jeter might get an edge on a close pitch if he is facing a rookie pitcher. Why? Maybe it just so happens to work out that way, but all probability points to the fact that players like Jeter not only know many of the umpires personally, but have a solid reputation across the league.

Of course fans want to see their stars do well and obtain gargantuan statistics, it’s just good for the leagues. That being said, are they being babied so much so that they are beginning to pick-up on it themselves?

For example, in crunch time of a basketball game, what is to stop LeBron from driving right into the chest of the opposing team’s big man, knowing that all game he has gotten his way with the referees? If he can wave his arms around after he throws the ball up and get to the free throw line regardless of contact, why wouldn’t he do that if it will help his team win? This is the mentality that has been so unfortunately spread among some of the league’s elite.

In other generations, there was too much pride for any of this to go on. Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon did everything they could to make the ball go through the hoop every time they attacked the rim. Simply knowing that they could probably get to the free throw line wasn’t good enough when they believed they could score every time they shot the ball. If they missed and got the call, so be it, but that surely wasn’t the goal. Some players have lost that edge these days.

Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy, who was fired from the league and faced criminal charges for fixing professional basketball games, has become somewhat of a whistle-blower as of late, claiming that the NBA is indeed fixed for superstar players to get their way. After some of the recent NBA Finals games he has posted YouTube videos with commentary regarding the unjust calls that are given to LeBron James, but not other players. Although he may not the the most honest person, he is an inside source, and that should send a meaningful message.

The “flopping” problem has gotten so bad that some fans and analysts have called for fines of players for intentionally trying to deceive referees to gain an edge (an idea that I most definitely can get on board with).

Is it the referees fault for being biased towards certain players? Is it the players fault for knowing they can work the referees to gain advantage? Is it the leagues fault for letting this all go too far?

I honestly believe it is a balance of all of these things. Some athletes need to get the mentality back that they can do anything, and not settle for being able to work the refs for a win. Nobody wants to see a pair of unwarranted free throws decide the NBA Finals. Nobody wants a bad roughing the passer penalty to give a free first down and change the course of an NFL playoff game.

I can only hope as a fan of the games, that the leagues and their respective officials will get together and right the wrongs that are plaguing our favorite sports. This is a problem that can and should be fixed very soon.

Domenic Gareri / Shutterstock.com

The article Do Referees Baby the League’s Biggest Stars? appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The 2010-2011 NFL season showed fans a slew of teams that found themselves on the cusp of taking the reigns of their respective divisions. The AFC South in particular has seen the Indianapolis Colts dominate Houston, Jacksonville and Tennessee over the past decade en route to perennial top seeded playoff positions. Though they are still considered a serious threat around the league, last year for the first time they showed that they too have flaws and seem to be a bit vulnerable. Father time seems to have caught up with a few of their dominant players, and young talent across the division may be too much to handle for Indianapolis moving forward. Let’s break down the AFC South down team-by-team and see who really has the best chance to dethrone the Super Bowl XLI Champions.

Tennessee Titans: The Titans have probably been the most inconsistent team in the division over the past few years. They were always able to fall back on having one of the most well-renowned coaches in the NFL in years past. Now that the Jeff Fisher era is behind us, we will see what this team really is made of. Also, owner Bud Adams seems to have finally given up on Vince Young and his off-field antics. The hope is that new coach, former Houston Oilers guard, Mike Munchak will be able to form a nice report with first-round draft pick Jake Locker (QB, Washington), and mold him into a leader on the field. They undoubtedly have some other nice pieces in place with electrifying running back Chris Johnson alongside receivers Kenny Britt and Justin Gage running the offense. Their defense has shown promise over the past few seasons, and though Tennessee is in somewhat of a rebuilding time, they might just have enough firepower to make noise in the division.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Though the Jaguars picked after the Titans in the first-round of the draft, they got the quarterback that everyone else seemed to want more than Locker in Blaine Gabbert (QB, Missouri). Jacksonville is taking the safer, and probably smarter route in developing Gabbert over time since they still have David Garrard to man the helm and mentor the rookie for a few years. They always seem to be a tough team to beat at home, and when you possess one of the best runners in the league, defenses are never going to be excited about playing you. Maurice Jones-Drew has racked up over 1,300 yards in each of his past two seasons and shows no signs of slowing down. Look for them to feature MJD even more this season amidst all of the quarterback confusion. The Jags can be expected to round out the bottom of the division this season, but if Jones-Drew has another career year, ninth year head coach Jack Del Rio just might be able to coax them into a successful season.

Houston Texans: This is where we come to the bread and butter of the AFC South. Last season the Texans showed real promise at the beginning of the season knocking off the Colts at home in week one and making everyone wonder whether 2010 was finally their year. It wasn’t. They finished a disappointing 6-10 and showed serious problems on the defensive side of the ball. I remember seeing their offense torch a prolific New York Jets defense last season, only to watch their corner backs fail to cover simple slant routes on consecutive plays to lead the Jets into the end-zone and blow yet another game for Houston. Everybody knows that the Matt Schaub to Andre Johnson connection is one of the best in the business. Unfortunately, they also know that they can routinely throw down field on one of the worst secondaries in the league. Everyone in Houston is hoping that newly hired defensive coordinator Wade Phillips will be able to turn their struggles around and finally snatch the division away from Indianapolis. The Texans are my sleeper this year, and if the Colts aren’t careful, they might find themselves having to compete for a wild-card spot in 2011.

Indianapolis Colts: So what do we know about the Colts? Well, offensive guru Tom Moore is gone, they caught the injury bug in the worst way last season, and Peyton Manning is coming off of two neck surgeries. Nobody is doubting what Manning has done, and probably still will do in the future at quarterback in Indianapolis. In fact, I would have to say that he’s the best I’ve ever seen play the game at that position. The problem is, he’s 35 years old going into this season, and not everyone can last as long as Brett Favre and John Elway. He finally, for the first time, showed signs of the slowing down last season when he was plagued by a string of interceptions midway through the year. Of course, even with all of the injuries, the Colts still went 10-6 to win the division, but failed to show off their prolific offense in the playoffs and were bounced quickly. I’m not doubting what this team can do with a future hall-of-fame quarterback leading them, but I will say that if they don’t make some changes and improvements from last season, their time in the spotlight of the AFC South may be coming to and end sooner than some people may think.

The AFC South is definitely no longer a one horse race as it has been for majority of the past decade. There are some real star-players all the way across the division, and seemingly more to come out of the first-round draft picks selected in this years draft. There will be battles throughout the year between all four of these teams, and don’t be surprised if we see two AFC South representatives in the playoffs next season…if there is a season of course.

Anthony Correia / Shutterstock.com

The article Balance of Power: AFC South appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

What a mess!  This sums up nicely the almost two months since the most-watched Super Bowl as well as the most-watched program of any kind in American television history was held. This past Super Bowl being played in the new Dallas Cowboys stadium between the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the previous record of 106.5 million viewers which was the record for last year’s Super Bowl.

While the NFL Lockout just began on March 11, this Lockout has been in the making for over two years, going back to 2008 when the NFL opted out of renewing the now recently expired collective bargaining agreement with the NFL Players Association.  Owners claimed the reason for not renewing their agreement was because costs were too high and the owners would need givebacks of some monetary amount from their players in order to make it worth there wild and to keep operating under what is now the former Collective Bargaining Agreement. Besides this small story in the news, we haven’t really seen the impact over the years until now.

A lot of major events have happened since the Super Bowl which have shaped the heated and messy landscape that the owners, players, and fans have been exposed too and endured this New Year. A time line of events hopefully will help to clarify the current state of the NFL as we see it today.

Before the Super Bowl on January 18, the NFL Players Association, here after called the Union, filed a collusion claim against owners regarding lack of movement of restricted free agents.  On February 6, the day before the Super Bowl, both sides met for a brief negotiations session where nothing was accomplished.  Then, Happy Valentine’s Day to you too sweetheart, the NFL filed a charge with the National Labor Relations Board on February 14th for not bargaining in good faith because the Union had plans of decertifying for a long time now.  Soon after on February 18^th, renowned federal mediator George Cohen began working with the two sides in Washington to see if some type of agreement or extension could be reached.

Cohen actually fared better than most experts thought, given an almost impossible task; he was able to keep the two sides at the negotiations table for over two weeks. An impressive feat for how far apart the sides were at the start and considering how much they distrusted each other.  Then on March 1^st, U.S. District Judge David Doty, who was a major player in the Labor disputes between the NFL and NFLPA before in 1993, ruled against the NFL, claiming they violated the Collective Bargaining Agreement when they sought for a 4 billion dollar TV revenue profit guarantee even if no games were played in the 2011 season due to a lockout.

This was considered “Lockout Insurance” to Doty who implied in his judicial opinion that if there was indeed a lockout and the players brought an Anti-Trust suit claim against the owners, that he would rule in the favor of the NFLPA once again.  This ruling was seen as a huge victory to the players and blow to the negotiation strategy of the owners.  Then, potentially because of this ruling, the two parties on March 3^rd, just before the official Collective Bargaining Agreement would expire, decided to extend the deadline one more day to continue talks.

The following day, the two sides then agreed on March 4^th to extend the deadline for an entire week, in order to continue negotiations.  Sadly, to football fans across America, the following Friday, after rejecting the owner’s proposal, the NFLPA decertified giving up its right to represent the players.  Later that night, at approximately midnight, the NFL led by Commissioner Roger Goodell imposed a lockout of the players once the Collective Bargaining Agreement expired.

Now having proceeded to what can be described as an ugly divorce, headed by Demaurice Smith as the Union leader and Commissioner Roger Goodell for the NFL and its owners, 10 players filed an antitrust lawsuit and injunctive request in the federal court in St. Paul, Minnesota on March 11th.  This is the same court that Judge David Doty resides.

To try to clarify, an antitrust case is a legal action brought against a party or parties who are being charged with limiting free competition in the marketplace.  The players are essentially claiming that the league and its owners by locking out the players from all football activities have limited the players’ ability to market their services to any employer of their choice, which includes price fixing of the amounts that would be paid to the players.

In this proceeding, the alleged anti-competitive actions that have generally taken place include a lockout to prevent free-agency and by boycotting rookie players through efforts to force their salaries to be lower then what they actually would be in a free market.  This claim is seen through the proposal to implement a rookie wage scale and cap to how much rookies can make.  The suit, which seeks to end the lockout against the players, names Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Drew Brees as its lead plaintiffs along with other current NFL players

In addition to current players, the league in its effort to show uniformity included one of the incoming top rookie prospects, Von Miller of Texas A&M.  Then, surprising to the union, it is U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson and not Judge Doty who has scheduled a hearing for April 6^th.  Additionally, while some people have expressed curiosity as to why such a high profile case, would take almost a month to have a hearing, this month turnaround is actually fairly quick for cases in the legal world.

While this waiting period has been going on, a lot of interesting events have still taken place, either feeding football fans appetite for news on their beloved sport, or just angering them.  With the lockout taking place, all football operations and activities are suspended.  Essentially current NFL players are “locked out” of the facilities and are unable to communicate with coaches and other personnel.  So even though there is not scheduled to be any OTAs, minicamps, or even film study sessions at team facilities at this time with the players, one event is guaranteed to happen, the 2011 NFL Draft held in New York City.

The article 2011 NFL Lockout, The Next Box Office Hit appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The NFL officially has a work stoppage. As of 12:00 a.m. March 12, 2011 the NFL owners imposed a lockout, disallowing any players from entering the teams’ facilities. This came just hours after the NFLPA’s union dissolved itself, and just as the current CBA expired.

There seemed to be some light at the end of the tunnel, as the CBA kept being extended and the two sides continued to meet for 16 days of face-to-face mediation in front of a federal mediator. Now NFL fans should be worried. The NFL has become incredibly popular to a level unprecedented. The last two Super Bowls have ranked as the highest watched programs in U.S. television history.

So the big question now is what happens next? Now that there are chains locking players out, negotiations will head to the courts. A number of NFL players have filed a lawsuit to try to block the owners’ lockout. These players include some of the league’s biggest stars, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Drew Brees. The antitrust suit attacks the NFL’s policies on several key issues including the draft, salary cap and free-agent restrictions such as franchise tags.

Who knows how long things could drag out in the courts. The key figures, DeMaurice Smith and Roger Goodell now take a back seat to relevancy as judges and lawyers become the role players for now. Goodell even reduced his salary to $1 during the lockout, a symbolic gesture, but also to belittle his role from here on out.

Clearly the biggest loser in this whole ordeal is the fans. The draft becomes less exciting because draft-day-trades can only include picks for picks and not player swaps. No players that are drafted can be signed until an agreement is reached, leaving new players and old players in a sort of limbo, not knowing when and where their futures lie. Fans usually excited about the draft and impending free-agency, or prepping their fantasy teams, will be left hoping for a season at all. What good is a fall Sunday on the couch with no football? What else is exciting about a Monday night?

Not all is doom and gloom for fans though. College football isn’t going anywhere, and although the sanction-ridden league constantly has problems, nothing will ever stop the games from being played. Players that might jump to the NFL early will stick around, and NFL coaches that are out of jobs could jump into the college game, making the product on the field that much better. With the added attention to the college game, perhaps something will be done about the awful BCS system and the lack of playoffs.

Television networks could also capitalize on a lack of football, putting premier shows on Sunday or Monday nights, or trying out some new pilots for the future.

The last time there was serious labor problems in the NFL was 1987 when there was a player strike, and the NFL brought in replacement players. They could attempt the same thing this year, but the lack of star power would make it a tough product to sell.

Another interesting idea that has been out there is the players creating their own league to force the owners’ hands. Former and current players would simply create and run their own league, or could even join the UFL, making it relevant and sliding around the NFL’s demands. Several networks would rush to pick up TV contracts, and there are plenty of stadiums around the country that would fill up to see an NFL game, minus the NFL tag. This would give the players all the power, forcing the NFL to make concessions, or disappear forever. Imagine Jerry Jones with his billion-dollar stadium, and a Dallas Cowboys team that no longer exists.

This is just one proposed idea of many but hopefully the two sides don’t allow things to get that far. The selfishness and greed needs to end and an agreement on how to split billions of dollars from TV contracts, ticket and merchandise sales, sponsorships, etc. needs to be compromised.

Reports stated that the NFL and union were still about $185 million apart when talks broke down on Friday, which is progress, but there were still so many other issues involving free-agency, pensions, safety, the number of games, and rookie salaries that the two sides could not agree on.

The union also had a problem with NFL owners not opening their books to prove that they needed the money they were claiming, citing a problem of trust and transparency.

So although it may be a tough pill to swallow for fans out there. Don’t give up. Things will work out in some way, and regardless, there will be good TV in the fall NFL or not. The “fat cats” in this issue will not come out on top, and hopefully in the end the game will once again be the most important aspect, the game for the fans.

The article Football Fans Have Hope – The Game will be Okay appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.