The Atlanta Falcons demolished the New York Giants 34-0, to improve to 12-2 and 7-0 at the Georgia Dome.

Falcons quarterback, Matt Ryan completed 23 of 28 passes for 270 yards and three touchdowns. His 82.1 completion percentage and 142.6 quarterback rating were both season highs for the five-year starter. This was also Ryan’s sixth game this season throwing at least three touchdown passes.

Wide receiver Julio Jones was tied for a game-high six receptions for 74 yards and hauled in two touchdown catches. Jones has surpassed his eight touchdown rookie season, catching nine with for over 1,000 yards and still two games to go.

Veteran tight-end Tony Gonzalez also caught six receptions for 49 yards and one touchdown. Gonzalez leads the Falcons with 87 receptions.

As for the run game, Michael Turner carried the ball 16 times for 52 yards and punched in a one-yard run on the Falcons first offensive drive.

The Giants were out of sync from the start, opening their first drive with Eli Manning throwing an interception on 2 and 7 from their own 16 yard-line. Manning threw his second interception in the second quarter, resulting in a Falcons field goal.

Manning only completed 13 of 25 passes for 161 yards. His favorite target was wide receiver Domenik Hixon, who caught five passes for 80 yards.

The Giants were without running back Ahmad Bradshaw because of a foot-and-knee injury. Instead, rookie David Wilson got the nod for the start but was not nearly as explosive as last week. Wilson carried the ball 12 times for 55 yards.

With the loss, the Giants have fallen to 8-6 along with four other teams in the NFC. The Giants are currently third in the NFC East division at 8-6 behind the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins, who are all 8-6. However, the Giants still control their own destiny and by winning out they will earn a wildcard playoff position. As for the Falcons, they will head to Ford Field to take on the Detroit Lions and control their own destiny for the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs.

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After last weeks pivotal divisional loss over the Washington Redskins, the New York Giants bounced back strong, demolishing the New Orleans Saints 52-27.

Giants’ rookie running back and returner, David Wilson had a career day, single-handily becoming the Saints worse nightmare. Wilson compiled 327 all purpose yards, third-highest total for a rookie since the NFL-AFL merger.

Right after the Saints intercepted Eli Manning and went ahead 7-0, Wilson’s day started. On the ensuing kick-off Wilson jolted past the Saints special team unit and returned the the kick, 97-yards to the tie the game back up.

Wilson punched in a six yard run in the third quarter to give the Giants a 28-13 lead and then put the Saints to sleep with a career long 52 yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to seal off the victory. Wilson averaged 7.7 yards per carry rushing for 100 yards on 13 carries, the rookie’s first 100 yard game of his career.

Manning quickly bounced back after throwing an interception on the Giants second offensive drive of the game. On the Giants’ next drive, Manning connected with tight-end Martellus Bennett on a six yard touchdown. Bennett caught five passes for 32 yards along with his touchdown.

Right before the half, Manning connected with wideout Domenik Hixon to take a 21-13 lead into the third quarter.

Manning also connected with wideout Hakeem Nicks for a 25 yard touchdown pass in the third quarter. Nicks caught four passes for 67 yards along with his touchdown. Nicks has been suffering through injury all season long and after the win over the Saints was re-examined. Coach Tom Coughlin expects Nicks to continue to play however it is unlikely he will be at 100% for the rest of the year.

Manning threw his fourth touchdown pass of the game at the start of the fourth quarter to wideout Victor Cruz. Cruz led the Giants in receiving hauling in eight catches for 121 yards along with his touchdown catch.

The Giants’ defense was on point, limiting Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees. Brees completed 26-of-43 passes for 354 yards one touchdown and two interceptions.

Brees lone touchdown came towards the end of the third quarter, connecting with speedster Darren Sproles. Sproles caught four passes for 28 yards along with his touchdown reception. He also had five carries for 56 yards and punched in 13 yard run in the third quarter.

Brees was picked off twice by Giants’ safety, Stevie Brown.

With the victory, the Giants remain atop the NFC East at 8-5 with both the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins breathing down their neck at 7-6. The Giants have a tough match-up next week on the road against the NFC’s current number one seed the Atlanta Falcons. As for the Saints, who have now dropped to 5-8,  they will face NFC South division rivals the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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Robert Griffin III and the Washington Redskins kept their playoff hopes alive with an important 17-16 victory over NFC East rivals, the New York Giants.

RGIII led the Redskins completing 13-of-21 passes for 163 yards and one touchdown. He also contributed on the ground with five carries for 72 yards. The Redskins took a 7-3 lead in the first quarter, after RGIII fumbled and the ball landed directly into wide receiver, Joshua Morgan’s, hands and he burst into the end-zone.

Wide Receiver, Pierre Garcon, hauled in an 8 yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter to put the Redskins ahead 17-16. Garcon caught eight passes for 106 yards along with his touchdown.

Rookie running back, Alfred Morris, continued his dominance over the Giants’ defense in Monday night’s match-up. Morris carried the ball 22 times for 124 yards. In both games against the Giants this season, Morris ran for a combined 224 yards.

As for the Giants, they were led by quarterback Eli Manning. Manning completed 20-of-33 passes for 280 yards and a touchdown. His lone touchdown pass came in the second quarter to tight-end Martellus Bennett.

Wide-out Victor Cruz contributed with 5 receptions for 104 but was unable to get into the end- zone. Running back, Ahmad Bradshaw carried the ball 24 times for 103 yards, eclipsing the 100 yard mark for the third time this season.

Unfortunately, the Giants were unable to capitalize and settled for three-field goals. In addition, the Giants finished the game with nine penalties, accumulating 73 yards. Costly penalties down the stretch helped the Redskins hold onto the victory.

With the victory, the Redskins are now 6-6 and in the playoff mix. The Skins are tied with NFC East Rivals, the Dallas Cowboys, at 6-6, both just a game away from becoming closer to the top of the NFC East division.  The Redskins will have a tough match-up next week at home against the Baltimore Ravens. Also, before the end of the season they have two crucial match-ups against the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys.

The Giants are hanging onto the division lead by a thread and also face tough competition in the ensuing weeks. The Giants will welcome the Saints to MetLife next Sunday. The Giants still need to travel to Atlanta and Baltimore before they end the season against the Eagles.

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The National Football League Draft is one of the most highly anticipated events on the sporting calendar as the 32 NFL franchises select the best young American Football players from the collegiate leagues to replenish their ranks. Predictably, a large portion of players who go on to become stars in the NFL are selected in the first round, where selections can make or break teams for years to come.

Names such as Ryan Leaf, Tony Mandarich and JaMarcus Russell should serve as cautionary tales to NFL General Managers, but the sheer amount of quality available in the Draft arguably makes it easier to hit, rather than miss, on a player in the first round.

On the flip side, for every Leaf or Russell, there is a Tom Brady or Kurt Warner, players who fall to the later rounds of the Draft or even fail to get drafted at all, but who go on to have stellar careers within the NFL.

With that in mind, we have examined which current NFL rookies (non-first and second rounders) have the potential to stand in the lofty heights created by the likes of Brady and Warner.

1) Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks.

Wilson was selected in the third round by the Seahawks, presumably to learn from the duo vying for the starting jersey, Matt Flynn and Tavaris Jackson. Not even the most optimistic of Seahawks’ fans would have predicted that their young rookie would oust the highly paid acquisition that was Flynn, but he did just that.

Wilson has thrown for 2,051 yards and 17 touchdowns so far this season, despite playing behind an inexperienced offensive line and without an elite receiving corps. With a few decent additions to Seattle over the coming years, Wilson could, and perhaps should, develop into an elite quarterback.

2) Alfred Morris, RB, Washington Redskins.

Understandably, headlines were focused on another Redskins pick at the start of the season, a certain Robert Griffin III but fast forward a few months and, well, they’re still focused on RG3, but running back Morris is also earning some time in the spotlight.

Selected in the sixth round, Morris has perhaps offered more value for money than any other rookie currently in the NFL. Morris has 982 rushing yards (fifth in the NFL), with an average of 4.7 yards-per-carry, further proving that excellent running back prospects can be found towards the end of the draft (honorable mentions also to Daryl Richardson and Bryce Brown).

3) Vontaze Burfict, LB, Cincinnati Bengals.

The former Arizona State University player went undrafted this year, despite entering the 2011 NCAA season as one of the most highly rated prospects in the country. A poor combine workout, personality concerns and testing positive for marijuana all ensured that Burfict slipped off of most teams’ radars.

He has already collected 76 combined tackles this season and would perhaps have more if he had not been moved from inside to outside linebacker. More importantly, Burfict is repaying the faith shown in him by Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis by training hard, playing well and avoiding any off-field controversies. Providing he can continue in this vein, we could well be witnessing the first few steps of the next Ray Lewis.

4) Alfonzo Dennard, CB, New England Patriots.

There was little fanfare in New England when Dennard was selected in the seventh round. Fans were far more focused on defensive counterparts Chandler Jones and Don’t’a Hightower, both of whom were selected in the first round, whilst the secondary was also strengthened in the second and sixth rounds with the acquisitions of Tavon Wilson and Nate Ebner. Although it was safe to say Dennard flew in under the radar, there is nothing under the radar about his play since.

Dennard has three interceptions — one of which was returned for an 87-yard touchdown — in just seven games and already looks at home in the Patriot’s defense. His form has also allowed for Devin McCourty to move back to safety, with a potentially dominant secondary forming among the young defensive backs for New England.

5) Justin Tucker, K, Baltimore Ravens.

The Ravens were faced with a conundrum at the beginning of the season: stick with veteran kicker Billy Cundiff or roll the dice on the undrafted Justin Tucker? Tucker eventually won the battle in preseason and neither Tucker nor the Ravens have looked back since.

The kicker has missed just two of his field goal attempts, has 100 percent success rate on extra point attempts and has broken the franchise record with a 56-yard field goal. Although Baltimore was criticized by some for going with the rookie at the start of the season, they have proved their critics wrong as Tucker has arguably outshone all the kickers drafted above him, with perhaps the exception of Greg Zuerlein.

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On a chilly Sunday evening at MetLife stadium, the New York Giants pummeled the Green Bay Packers on offense and defense to earn a well-deserved 38-10 victory.

Eli Manning, completed 16-of-30 passes for 249 yards and three touchdowns in the victory. Manning finally threw a touchdown pass after being held to none in the previous three weeks. He also passed Giants’ great Phil Simms for the most touchdown passes in Giants history.

Hakeem Nicks led the Giants receiving core with five receptions for 77 yards and a touchdown. Wide-outs, Victor Cruz and Rueben Randle each had a touchdown.

Andre Brown led the Giants rushing with 13 carries for 64 yards and a touchdown. Unfortunately, he exited the game in the fourth quarter and has officially been diagnosed with a broken left fibula. Brown could possibly miss the remainder of the season. Ahmad Bradshaw also contributed to the run game, with 10 carries for 58 yards and a touchdown.

The Giants defense was aggressive and on point containing Green Bay’s high powered offense. They were able to break through the Packers fragile offensive line and record five sacks. Cornerback, Corey Webster recorded his fourth interception and defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul had a fumble recovery.

A 31 point first half performance for the Giants was more than enough to put the Packers away.

Aaron Rodgers was flustered the entire night with no time to throw the ball. He completed 14-of-25 passes for 219 yards for one touchdown, one interception and a fumble. His 61-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver, Jordy Nelson to tie the game 7-7 in the first quarter was the Packers best offensive play of the night.

Green Bay’s running attack continues to be very ineffective and trailing the entire evening did not help. James Starks had eight carries for 35 yards and Alex Green had 10 carries for 30 yards. The Packers are at the bottom of the NFL with only two rushing touchdowns.

With the loss, the Packers are now 7-4 and have fell back to second place in the NFC North Division. Green Bay will be home next week against NFC North rivals the Minnesota Vikings. As for the Giants they remain atop the NFC East Division and will head to FedEx Field to take on the Washington Redskins.

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The New York Giants were able to hold off divisional rivals the Washington Redskins, and their impressive running attack, 27-23 to earn their first divisional win of the season.

Giants quarterback Eli Manning waited till the end of the game to show how elite he truly is. After the Redskins pulled ahead 23-20 thanks to quarterback Robert Griffin III connecting with veteran wideout Santana Moss, Eli Manning and the New York Giants had one last opportunity.

Manning and the Giants offense started their drive on their own 23 yard-line. Manning started off the drive  with an incomplete pass to running back Ahmad Bradshaw. On 2nd and 10, in Shotgun Manning dropped back and connected with wideout Victor Cruz down the middle of the field for a 77 yard touchdown to regain the lead.

On the ensuing drive, with just over a minute left, the Redskins began their final drive of the game on their own 20 yard-line. Robert Griffin III, RGIII, connected with wideout Josh Morgan, who fumbled and recovered the ball for a 12 yard gain. RGIII looked over the middle for Moss but they couldn’t connect. On 2nd and 10 from their own 32 yard-line, RGIII hit Moss over the middle but Giants linebacker Chase Blackburn forced a fumble and it was recovered by cornerback Jayron Hosley. The Giants offense kneeled their way to a much needed divisional victory.

Manning finished the game, completing 26-of-40 completions for 337 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Running back Ahmad Bradshaw struggled running the ball, compiling only 43 yards on 12 carries and one touchdown. Back-up running back Andre Brown also had one touchdown on five carries for 17 yards.

RGIII competed 20-of-28 passes for 258 yards two touchdowns and one interception. RGIII  also ran nine times for 89 yards. Redskins running back, Alfred Morris ran the ball 22 times for 120 yards. Morris has ran for over 100 yards in three of the last four games. Back-up tight-end Logan Paulsen had four receptions for 76 yards. Paulsen entered the game after starting tight-end Fred Davis left the game with an apparent achilles injury. Wideout Santana Moss was the recipient to both of RGIII’s touchdown passes.

The Redskins struggled protecting the ball on offense. The Redskins turned the ball over four times; meanwhile, they turned the ball over five times all season prior to this game. Safety Stevie Brown had one interception; defensive tackle Linval Joseph, cornerback Jayron Hosley and linebacker Michael Boley all recovered fumbles for the Giants.

The Giants will be back in action next week against divisional rivals the Dallas Cowboys at Cowboys Stadium. The Giants are atop of the NFC East Division and their remaining schedule will continue to get tougher as the season progresses.

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Robert Griffin III led the Washington Redskins on their first victory at FedEx Field, 38-26 over the Minnesota Vikings, to end an eight-game home losing streak.

RGIII was questionably well enough to play the Vikings, after suffering a concussion last week against the undefeated Atlanta Falcons. RGIII showed no signs of having suffered the concussion with his efficient performance through the air and on the ground. He completed 17 of 22 passes for 182 yards, one touchdown and one interception. His lone touchdown pass came in the second quarter to fullback Darrel Young, for his first touchdown of the season.

Wideout Santana Moss led the Redskins with four receptions for 46 yards. In addition, tight-end Fred Davis caught three passes for 46 yards.

The Redskins’ running game was led by RGIII carrying the ball 13 times for 138 yards, and with two touchdowns. His electrifying 76-yard touchdown run in the 4th quarter put the finishing touches on the Vikings and solidified the victory. RGIII is now atop the NFL, with six rushing touchdowns. Running back Alfred Morris had 47 yards on 16 carries for a touchdown.

This loss for the Vikings may solely be based on their offense’s inability to convert in the red-zone early. On the Vikings’ first three possessions, they had to settle for three field goals, all three less than 30 yards out.

Quarterback Christian Ponder completed 32 of 52 passes for 352 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions and one fumble. This was Ponder’s second career game throwing over 350 yards, and first game this season exceeding 300 yards in the air. Ponder’s 52 pass attempts were also a career high for the two-year quarterback.

Percy Harvin led the Vikings’ receiving core with 11 receptions for 133 yards. Harvin’s 133 yards is a season high, and it is also Harvin’s second consecutive week with 100+ receiving yards.

Harvin has already surpassed last years’ two total 100+ receiving yards game with three, just six weeks in. Tight-end Kyle Rudolph and wideout Michael Jenkins caught touchdown passes.

Adrian Peterson continues to run hard for the Vikings, compiling 79 yards on 17 carries. Peterson also caught seven passes for 50 yards. He had compiled 100 total yards in four consecutive games.

The 4-2 Vikings are in second place in the NFC North Division, behind the Chicago Bears, who had their bye week. The Vikings will be back in action Sunday, October 21 against the Arizona Cardinals. As for the Washington Redskins, they will be heading to MetLife Stadium to take on divisional rivals the New York Giants.

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After an early 14-0 lead for the Cleveland Browns, the New York Giants prevailed to rout the winless Browns  41-27.

It was a shaky start at MetLife Stadium for the Giants after running back Ahmad Bradshaw fumbled on the first play of the game. The Browns capitalized on the ensuing play with a 15 yard touchdown run by rookie running back Trent Richardson. Bradshaw regained his composure after his fumble, and rushed for a career high 200 yards on a career high 30 carries, along with one touchdown. The Giants were without backup; Andre Brown was ruled out with a concussion. Giants rookie running back David Wilson stepped up and punched in his first career NFL touchdown on two carries for 44 yards.

The Giants were depleted at wide receiver, missing Hakeem Nicks for a third straight week with a knee and foot injury. Furthermore, the Giants were without wide receiver Ramses Barden because of a concussion. This didn’t stop Eli Manning from having a field day against the Browns. Manning threw 259 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.

Rookie Rueben Randle stepped up, catching a career high six passes for 82 yards. Victor Cruz caught five passes for 50 yards and all three of Manning’s touchdown passes. Cruz’s three touchdown passes is a career high in a single game.

Browns rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden completed 22-of-35 passes for 291 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Richardson finished off  the game with 17 carries for 81 yards and one touchdown.

Two year wideout Jordan Norwood led the Browns receiving core with nine receptions for 82 yards. In addition, rookie Josh Gordon caught his first career touchdown pass on a 62 yard bomb early in the first quarter. Gordon caught his second touchdown pass in the 4th quarter.

The Browns are 0-5 for the first time since the 1999 NFL season. Additionally, the Browns matched a franchise record 11th straight loss.

The Giants improved to 3-2 on the season, a much needed victory after last weeks gut wrenching loss against the Philadelphia Eagles. Luckily, the Eagles lost against the Pittsburgh Steelers 16-13, the Washington Redskins lost against the undefeated Atlanta Falcons 24-17 and the Dallas Cowboys were on their bye week. The Giants victory keeps them in second behind the Eagles.

New York will have a tough task next week on the road against the San Francisco 49ers. As for the Cleveland Browns, they will be home against division rivals, the Cincinnati Bengals, and hope to snap their losing streak.

For additional player and game statistics click here. 

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The Minnesota Vikings extended their win streak to three games after an easy 30-7 victory against AFC South opponent Tennessee Titans.

Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder led the Vikings offense, completing 25-of-35 passes for 258 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Ponder was also effective running for 31 yards on three carries.

Percy Harvin led all receivers with eight receptions for 108 yards and a 10-yard receiving touchdown in the third quarter. Tight-end Kyle Rudolph caught his 4th touchdown of the season in the 4th quarter. Rudolph has already surpassed last years total touchdowns just five games into the 2012 season.

Running back Adrian Peterson had another efficient game on the ground rushing for 88 yards on 17 carries. Peterson also caught three passes for 15 yards. Peterson has rushed for over 80 yards in four of his five starts this season. Harvin was also featured in the run game, scoring his first rushing touchdown of the season in the 1st quarter.

The Tennessee Titans were led by veteran quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. Hasselbeck started in place of injured quarterback Jake Locker, who suffered a separated shoulder in week 4. Hasselbeck completed 26-of-43 passes for 200 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Wideout Kendall Wright led the Titans in receiving with nine receptions for 66 yards. Tight-end Jared Cook also caught five passes for 37 yards and his 2nd touchdown of the season. Cook is one touchdown shy from matching last years total.

Tennessee’s run game continues to struggle, and Chris Johnson has been extremely inconsistent. Johnson ran the ball 15 times for 24 yards and caught one reception for five yards. Johnson had a surprising 100+ breakout game last week against the Houston Texans. In Johnson’s other four start he has rushed for a combined 69 yards.

Titans’ third string quarterback Rusty Smith entered the game for Tennessee’s final possession, completing 3-of-5 passes for 34 yards.

The Vikings are undefeated at home this season and their 4-1 start is a team best since 2009. Furthermore the Vikings have exceeded last seasons win total five weeks into the NFL season. Minnesota is definitely the biggest surprise in the NFC North Division, and remains atop the division.

Minnesota will head to FedEx Field next Sunday to take on the Washington Redskins. The Titans will be short on rest and be back in action Thursday night for another tough match-up against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

For additional player or game statistics click here. 

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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.

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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.

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Chicago, U.S.A. — The National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) and The Gatorade Company have teamed up to declare July 11, 2012, a day when U.S. sports takes a break from competition, the first annual National Recovery Day.

With high school athletes suffering two million injuries each year(1), National Recovery Day has been established to focus the attention of athletes on the importance of proper athletic recovery in order to continuously perform at their best.

The Gatorade Sports Science Institute recommends the following fueling guidelines for proper athletic recovery:

1. Studies show that consuming about 20g of protein as soon as possible following training or competition, can help enhance the muscle recovery process.
2. To speed up your body’s muscle recovery between games or practices, consume approximately 1/2 g of carbohydrate/pound of body weight* when the next workout is less than eight hours away.
3. Drink 16-24 ounces of fluid with sodium for each pound of body weight lost during exercise following a workout or game.

Athletes are constantly on the move from one workout to the next, and proper recovery is essential not only for rebuilding muscle but for sustaining strength. The focus on post-competition routines has been brought to the national stage leading up to and on National Recovery Day with professional athletes including the NY Yankees’ Derek Jeter, Washington Redskins’ Quarterback Robert Griffin III and Carolina Panthers’ Quarterback Cam Newton discussing how proper athletic recovery has allowed them to evolve as an athlete and achieve success in their respective professional sports careers.

As part of National Recovery Day, NATA and Gatorade are asking athletes and athletic trainers nationwide to share their recovery tips on Gatorade’s Facebook and Twitter pages and NATA’s Facebook and Twitter pages.

“How athletes treat their bodies is critical to their performance,” said incoming NATA President Jim Thornton, MA, ATC, PES, CES. “How they prepare and recover physically and how they fuel their bodies before, during and after training or competition all make a difference. We hope that National Recovery Day will serve as a reminder to athletes worldwide to do everything possible to set themselves up for athletic success.”

“We are pleased to team with the National Athletic Trainers’ Association on this effort to emphasize the importance of athletic recovery,” said Asker Jeukendrup, global senior director, Gatorade Sports Science Institute. “By combining our areas of expertise, we are working to ensure athletes are aware that recovering well is the key to coming back a stronger and better athlete.”

For more information on National Recovery Day, please visit www.nata.org or www.gatorade.com.

Image Courtesy of  Herbert Kratky / Shutterstock.com

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It has been common knowledge for some time that Percy Harvin is not happy at the Minnesota Vikings. Reports have emanated that he is unhappy with the way the Vikings have dealt with his injury; Harvin is currently recovering from surgery on his shoulder. It has been suggested he is dissatisfied with the Vikings’ reluctance to offer him a new contract which more accurately represents his contribution to the team. Whilst none of these rumors have been confirmed, with both Harvin and the Vikings preferring to settle these issues in-house, it has resulted in Harvin officially requesting a trade away from Minnesota.

The first thing that should be assumed in this saga is that the Vikings will not trade Harvin, despite the request. Given that Harvin is contracted to the Vikings for another two seasons, and at a very a reasonable price, it would take an extraordinary offer for Minnesota to even consider trading their number one receiver. Harvin made 967 yards on 87 receptions last season and was by far the most prolific of the Vikings’ receivers, also showing his versatility by playing running back when required, rushing for 345 yards.

That being said, there will be plenty of NFL teams who have sat up and took notice following Harvin’s announcement. At the forefront of this group is likely to be the Miami Dolphins. Stripped of a number one receiver following Brandon Marshall’s trade to the Chicago Bears, the Dolphins are in dire need of top receiving talent, despite their assurances they are happy with their current group. Their receiving corps boasts the likes of Davone Bess, Brian Hartline, Legedu Naanee and recent addition Chad Ochocinco, but none of them have the overall skill set to make them a legitimate contender for the number one receiver role. There is no doubt that Stephen Ross would love to have Harvin as a target for rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill, but the question remains as to what he would have to give up to obtain him.

Another team likely to be interested is the Washington Redskins, who would also love to have him link up with their rookie quarterback, Robert Griffin III. Although the Redskins boast a better receiving corps than the Dolphins, with the likes of Santana Moss, Josh Morgan and Pierre Garcon, there is no doubting that Harvin would not only become the number one receiver, but also transform the Redskins’ offense into one which could compete in the challenging NFC East. Given the price paid for the opportunity to acquire RG3, it is debatable whether Washington has the leverage to make a tempting offer to the Vikings, and if they do, would they even be willing to trade away further draft picks.

One team which is perhaps in a position to make a decent offer to the Vikings (the Redskins can be thanked for that) is the St Louis Rams. The plethora of picks they received for their number two overall draft pick in the 2012 draft could possibly be enough to tempt Minnesota into a deal. Whilst the Rams have already added Steve Smith to their receiving corps in free agency, as well as Chris Givens and Brian Quick in the draft, the prospect of an elite receiver like Harvin could be too tempting for St Louis to turn down, who have shown faith in Sam Bradshaw as their franchise quarterback and will look to give him all the tools he needs to succeed.

Essentially these scenarios are very unlikely to come true, with the Vikings likely to wait until next season before trading Harvin when they would probably be able to receive just as good an offer as they could get this season. This would see them get another year’s production out of one of the best young receivers in the league and also give them an opportunity to try and convince him his future is in Minnesota. If the Vikings were to cut their losses on an unhappy player, and avoid any chance of him upsetting the locker room this coming season, it would certainly be one of the more surprising stories from this offseason, but far from the strangest thing that has ever happened in the NFL.

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With the furore surrounding the release of Peyton Manning and the quarterback’s visits to prospective employers, the Washington Redskins’ move for the St Louis Rams’ number two pick in the forthcoming draft went fairly unheralded.

As the dust settles on the deal, opinions seem to be polarized, with many believing the Redskins have paid to heavy a price for a single draft pick, even if that pick will be to take the supremely talented Robert Griffin III, whilst others have said there is now a light at the end of the tunnel for Washington who had to make do with a combination of John Beck and Rex Grossman last season.

All in all, the Redskins had to give up their first round picks for the next three years, as well as an additional second round pick in the upcoming draft in order to secure the probable acquisition of Griffin. This will have Rams fans enthused about their future, with a franchise quarterback already in place in the form of Sam Bradford, and the potential arrival of five first-round talents in the next three years.

Redskins General Manager Bruce Allen has moved to quickly dispel any concerns the Washington faithful have over the future of the franchise, reassuring fans that they haven’t ‘mortgaged their future’ with the trade. A statement which is backed up by the fact that Washington still have six picks in the 2012 draft to help compliment a squad which seems to be getting progressively younger thanks to a multitude of picks the franchise had in the 2011 draft.

Although you quite often hear stories of players from the later rounds going to become stars in the NFL, there is no denying that the majority of ‘superstars’ in the league are drafted in the first round, and to deny yourself the opportunity to have a chance of recruiting these players in the 2013 and 2014 drafts is quite a risk (providing the Redskins don’t trade for other teams first round picks of course).

This means that the Redskins will need to be very astute in Free Agency over the coming seasons, most likely starting with the retention of both London Fletcher and Laron Landry. With upcoming first round picks no longer available to them and a rather unexciting free agent class currently on display, the Redskins would be best served trying to secure these key players to new deals, especially Landry given the lack of other options at the safety position.

This speculation is likely to continue for the foreseeable future, with extra scrutiny being put on Washington’s free agency moves in order to minimize the damage that losing the two extra first round picks will cause. The only thing which will stop people from criticizing the Redskins’ decision will be for Griffin to make an immediate impact in the NFL, somewhere in the region of Cam Newton’s impact on the Carolina Panthers last season, and instantly cement himself as the franchise quarterback for Washington.

The Baylor product undoubtedly has the skill and physical attributes to succeed right from day one, not to mention an extremely mature attitude for someone so young, but as is often said, quarterback is the most difficult position to play in terms of the transition from college to the NFL, and only time will tell whether Griffin proves the Redskins’ decision to be genius or foolish.

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The story catching everyone’s attention from Sunday’s Patriots Redskins showdown wasn’t tight end Rob Gronkowski breaking the NFL record for most touchdown receptions by a tight end. It wasn’t how the Patriots barely escaped Washington with a victory, or how the defense managed to do just enough to win the game despite surrendering 463 yards.

It was how Tom Brady and offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien had a screaming match on the side line after Brady threw an interception. The Patriots were up by 7, and Brady tried to sneak one into Tiguan Underwood, but was picked off with just over 6 minutes to go in the game.

The Redskins got the ball and started marching down the field trying to send things to overtime as Brady and O’Brien were engaged in a screaming match. ”I threw a pretty bad interception, so he wasn’t happy about it,” said Brady, ”And there was probably a long line of coaches and players that were pretty (upset) at me after that, but Billy got to me first. He let me have it; I deserved it.”

Brady finished 22 of 37 for 357 yards three touchdowns and his first interception in over a month. He also passed Warren Moon for sixth on the all time touchdown list and crossed the 4000 yard mark for the fourth time in his illustrious career. Gronkowski had quite the day catching six passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns propelling him past Antonio Gates and Vernon Davis for most touchdowns by a tight end ever.

The Patriots hardly won an easy one, needing a penalty and a tipped pass to save the day. Santana Moss made a catch for the score, but it was negated by a pass interference call on Moss. On another play, Moss tipped a pass right into the hands of Jerod Mayo to seal the deal for the Patriots who have the worst defense in football.

Rex Grossman finished 19 of 32 for 252 yards with two touchdowns and the one interception. Roy Helu had another big day rushing for 126 yards on 27 carries. ”You kind of don’t want to give up those yards in the first place,” Patriots safety James Ihedigbo said. “But at the same time, we’re going to bow our necks once we get down there, and say, ‘Hey, they’re not getting in the end zone.’”

The Redskins had a great day despite missing both left and right tackles and tight end Fred Davis. The loss was bad, but the officiating really had the Redskins upset after the game. There was the flag on Moss late in the game, but another call where linebacker London Fletcher was flagged for hitting a sliding Brady with a forearm to the head. Replay showed that he clearly hit him in the chest. Coach Mike Shanahan said the call was “horrible.”

“We don’t get no calls around here, man,” Moss said. “You guys have been covering us for a long time. Y’all see what goes on out there. We blow our breath on one of the doggone guys over there and it’s a penalty. Our quarterback gets killed — and you just almost hit somebody that’s a quarterback and we get flagged. So a lot of stuff goes on. But I guess we’ve got to play against a team and the ref.”

New England continues their quest for the best seed in the AFC with a trip to Denver to face Tebow-mania and then back home to finish against the Dolphins and Bills. Washington, looking to finish the season strong heads to New York to try to play spoilers against the Giants, then home to play Minnesota and finish up their season at Philadelphia.

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Don’t let the score fool you; this game was closer than it appears on paper. For the second straight week, the New York Jets played three quarters of mediocre football and picked things up to win the game in the fourth quarter. Led by Shonn Greene’s three touchdowns, the Jets managed to win another close game to put them right into the thick of the AFC Wildcard race.

It took a big play from Aaron Maybin to spark the team when he sacked Rex Grossman, and forced a fumble that set up one of Greene’s two touchdowns. The other big play came on the series before when Mark Sanchez found Santonio Holmes for a 30-yard touchdown pass to put the Jets ahead for good with just under five minutes to play.

With the Jets needing to win out to make the playoffs, Sanchez again came up big when it mattered most. The win keeps the Jets in the hunt for the last wildcard spot as they got some help with Oakland and Cincinnati losing. ”It tells us we have to get better,” Rex Ryan said. “Sometimes, you don’t like it to come down to that.”

Getting better is an understatement, as the Jets only had 168 total yards after three quarters against the Redskins, a team that has lost seven of eight games. Sanchez only had 165 yards on 19 of 32 passing and one touchdown, but didn’t throw an interception for the first time in five games. For the second straight week, the offensive line didn’t allow a sack.

Greene contributed with 88 yards on 22 carries and saw much of the workload despite LaDainian Tomlinson returning after missing two weeks with a knee injury. ”It was rough the first half,” Greene said. “But we just kept together and kept plugging away.” Grossman ran 19 of 46 for 221 yards, and had one interception and afumble that halted any chance of Washington mounting a comeback.

The fumble was recovered by Calvin Pace, and Greene turned it into six with a nine-yard run out of the wildcat. ”That was just one of those situations where we knew as a defense it was crunch time,” said Maybin, “We’ve been in those situations.” The Jets were trailing 16-13 with just under eight minutes to go, but a hit-or-miss kickoff was returned to midfield.That’s when Sanchez scrambled to avoid the sack, and completed a pass on third and four to Greene for 10 yards. Two plays later, he found Holmes wide open for the long score.

A bright spot for the Redskins, Fred Davis, who has been having a great season, had six catches for 99 yards. After the game, news broke that both he and left tackle, Trent Williams, are going to be suspended for the rest of the season for breaking the NFL’s substance abuse policy.

Rookie running back Roy Helu also had a good game rushing for 100 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries. His score came at the beginning of the game to put Washington up 7-0. The Jets came right back with a 17 play, 74-yard drive to score the tying score. With this second late surge in a row, Ryan thinks the Jets are on their way to their third straight playoff appearance.

“We know where we think we’re going,” he said. “More confident than 100 percent? I don’t know about that.”

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The Jets are mathematically still in the thick of the AFC wild card race, but if they don’t improve their play it’s not going to matter what the numbers say. Coming off a victory over the Bills in a must-win game, the Jets look to keep things rolling when they travel to FedEx to face the Washington Redskins on Sunday.

New York narrowly avoided a loss and possibly the end of their season when Mark Sanchez found Santonio Holmes for the game winning touchdown with just over a minute left last week against the Buffalo Bills. While they got the win it was hardly a pretty game as Sanchez struggled, despite throwing for a career high four touchdowns, and the defense had trouble stopping a Bills offense which was without its best player in running back Fred Jackson.

Their play wasn’t a good sign for a team likely forced to win at least four of their last five games, if not all, to have a shot at the final playoff spot in the AFC. For the Jets to have success down the stretch, they’ll have to rely on Sanchez to improve his play and lead the team. He completed 48.6 percent of his passes for only 180 yards last week.

The once feared defense allowed the Bills to drive 90 yards down the field for the score earlier in the game, and almost let Ryan Fitzpatrick lead the Bills down the field in less than a minute for the game winning score. Had Stevie Johnson made a wide-open catch on a play during that drive, the Bills probably would’ve scored and won the game.

“We have to keep improving, there’s no question,” Jets coach Rex Ryan said. “We’re not going to win and we’re not going to reach our goal if we don’t get better. But we definitely plan on getting better.”

“It is funny how if we make a mistake, we’re horrible and it’s, `Oh, they’re terrible,” Ryan said. “That could be bad luck there, too. But if we make a play, it’s, `Oh, we’re just lucky.’ So, maybe it’s the green (team colors). I don’t know. I hope karma is with us. I hope we continue to be lucky, and we’ll take that.

“The old saying, `I’d rather be lucky than good.’ I’d rather be both, and I think we are.” The Jets are hoping for luck, and that they gained momentum heading into the game Sunday because their track record against the ‘Skins isn’t good. The Jets are 1-8 all time versus Washington.

Washington also hopes to keep some momentum going, coming off a close win over Seattle to snap a six game losing streak. The Redskins came back from 10 down in the fourth to score 16 unanswered points. ”That’s what you’re in this game to do, is to win,” Washington coach Mike Shanahan said. “But at the same time, when you’re around a football team that’s giving you everything they’ve got, you feel good.

“That’s why I feel good about the character of this football team, and it was nice to find a way to win because they deserved to win. Our players have been working extremely hard, and hopefully we can keep it going.”

Rex Grossman is coming off of one of his best performances of the season completing over 73 percent of his passes and racking up 314 yards. To add to that, rookie running back Roy Helu earned himself the start this week rushing for 108 yards and a touchdown last week. He also caught seven passes for 54 yards as well.

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Rex Grossman and the Washington Redskins were able to come back from being down three points against the Seattle Seahawks going into the final quarter, winning the game 23-17 on Sunday.

The Redskins were able to move downfield thanks to the help from Grossman, who threw for 314 yards on 26 completed passes for two touchdowns and two interceptions. Receivers Fred Davis and Anthony Armstrong were his two targets for the touchdowns, both making five receptions all together for a total of 108 yards.

Seattle quarterback Tarvaris Jackson helped offensively, throwing for 144 yards on 14 completed passes for two touchdowns and one interception. Receivers Marshawn Lynch and Golden Tate were caught the only two touchdown passes for the Seahawks, altogether collecting two receptions for a total of 35 yards.

Running back Roy Helu played well for the Redskins, rushing for 108 yards and one touchdown on 23 carries. The same can also be said for Seattle’s Lynch, who ran for 111 yards on 24 carries. The Redskins were the first to take the lead halfway through the first quarter, when Davis caught a two-yard pass from Grossman after a time of possession that lasted 14 plays and almost eight minutes.

Seattle was able to tie the game up four minutes into the second quarter when Lynch caught a 20-yard pass from Jackson, making the score 7-7 after the first half. The only time points were scored in the third quarter was when Seattle took the lead after a 36-yard field goal kick from Steven Hauschka.

In the last quarter, both teams stepped up their game. Seattle widened their lead to 7-17 almost three minutes into the quarter with a 15-yard pass from Jackson to Tate after 12 plays that moved the ball 88 yards downfield. The Redskins responded three minutes later with Helu rushing for a 28-yard touchdown, leaving Washington down by three points.

Washington was able to score on their next drive thanks to a 50-yard touchdown pass from Grossman to Armstrong, giving the Redskins the lead with six minutes left to play. Seattle was unable to recover and make any successful attempts to score after a 25-yard field goal from the Redskins’ Graham Gano, which wrapped up the game with Washington winning 23-17.

The Washington Redskins (4-7) head home to face the New York Jets on Sunday, while the Seattle Seahawks (4-7) get to face the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday.

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A 39-yard field goal off the boot of Dan Bailey helped secure the victory in overtime for the Dallas Cowboys, beating the Washington Redskins 27-24 on Sunday.

Tony Romo was another key factor to the comeback victory, throwing for 292 yards on 23 completed passes for three touchdowns. Recievers Jason Witten, Dez Bryant, and Laurent Robinson caught one touchdown pass apiece, making 10 receptions altogether for a grand total of 187 yards.

Redskins quarterback Rex Grossman also played very well throughout the game, throwing for 289 yards on 25 completed passes for two touchdowns and one interception. Receiver Jabar Gaffney was his main target, collecting 115 yards on seven receptions for one touchdown. Donte Stallworth also caught a touchdown pass, along with 51 yards on four receptions.

Running back Demarco Murray helped the Cowboys move the ball down the field, collecting 73 yards on 25 rushing attempts. Redskins’ running back Roy Helu only had eight rushing attempts, averaging four yards per carry.

After a slow start for both teams, the Cowboys were first to take the lead with a 22-yard pass from Romo to Bryant halfway through the first quarter. Bailey gave the Cowboys a 10-point lead with 10 minutes left in the second quarter after kicking a 37-yard field goal.

The Redskins got their first points of the night thanks to a four-yard rushing touchdown by Grossman with four minutes to go before halftime. Grossman then was able to hit Gaffney with a 16-yard touchdown pass in the final minute of the quarter, making the score 10-14 going into halftime.

The only action in the third quarter happened in the first five minutes, when Graham Gano kicked a 40-yard field goal to give the Redskins an eight-point lead going into the final quarter.

Romo shined in the fourth quarter, making a 7-yard touchdown pass to Robinson on the first drive of the quarter, then throwing a huge 59-yard pass to Witten later on to take the lead at 24-17. However, the Redskins were able to get a touchdown in the final minute of the fourth quarter, a 4-yard pass from Grossman to Stallworth, to tie the game up and bring them into overtime.

Both teams battled strong in extra time, but the Cowboys were able to defend a lead given by a 39-yard field goal from Bailey until the final whistle blew with the Cowboys winning 27-24.

The Dallas Cowboys (6-4) travel back home to face the Miami Dolphins on Thursday, while the Redskins (3-7) travel to Washington to face the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.

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Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys offense looks like its back to full power and with a solid defense the Cowboys are looking strong. They dominated the Bills in more than convincing fashion with a 44-7 victory. With the Cowboys schedule getting even easier, Tony Romo torched the Bills defense on their first four series all ending in touchdowns.

Terence Newman added two interceptions, one which he ran back for the score and the Cowboys cruised to victory. This was the second straight victory for Dallas who moves to 5-4 and one game behind the Giants. The difference is the Giants have one of the hardest remaining schedules and the Cowboys have one of the easiest. The Cowboys next three opponents have a combined record of 6-18.

“We needed a game like this,” tight end Jason Witten said. “This needs to be the foundation of what lies ahead for this team.” This marks the most points scored by a Cowboys team since 2007 when now-coach Jason Garrett had his first game as offensive coordinator.

The Cowboys have been benefiting from more balance on offense and much of that is thanks to the emergence of rookie running back DeMarco Murray. He rushed for 135 yards on 20 carries and a touchdown while contributing 35 yards receiving on 6 catches out of the backfield.

Murray has been helping to create space in the secondary by creating problems for opposing defenses. ”They can’t load the box on us and they can’t double-team wide receivers,” Murray said. This was the first game Romo played without a special vest protection for the broken rib he suffered back in Week 2.

Romo put the Cowboys up 21-0 with a 34 yard touchdown pass to Dez Bryant, and a 58 and 5 yard passes to Laurent Robinson. He hit on his first 13 throws and finished 23 of 26 and 270 yards. His completion percentage, 88.5, set a franchise record for a single game. Though the offense was somewhat shutdown after those first scoring drives, they protected the lead with no interceptions from Romo and the offensive line doing their job and allowing no sacks for the second straight week.

“We are learning a little bit about who we are and what we can do and what we are capable of doing,” Romo said. Dallas handed Buffalo its second straight beat down and third loss in four games. They didn’t do much right in this game and need to turn things around quickly to stay in the playoff hunt.

We will regroup and continue to work to get better,” Gailey said. “But you have to go do it. Nobody’s going to give you anything in this league.” Ryan Fitzpatrick had another forgettable day. He was 20 of 31 for 146 yards a touchdown and three interceptions. The touchdown was a 3 yarder to David Nelson. The Bills were only able to convert 2 of 7 on third down.

After signing his new 6 year $59 million contract Fitzpatrick has had two bad games. ”We put in some good practice time and really thought we’d come out here and play well,” Fitzpatrick said. “It’s hard to even think ahead right now because of how embarrassing that loss was.”

The Cowboys forced four total turnovers getting a fumble from Jackson, his second of the season. The lone bright spot was Jackson who racked up 114 yards on 13 carries. The Bills look to turn things around and avoid three straight losses with a trip to Miami next Sunday to face the Dolphins who are suddenly the winners of two straight, while the Cowboys head to Washington to face the Redskins losers of five straight.

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For the first time in almost a year, the Miami Dolphins gave their home crowd something to cheer about. Reggie Bush scored the clinching touchdown and emphatically threw the ball into the stands. Bush scored twice and Rex Grossman, who got the start over John Beck this week, was picked off twice as the Dolphins cruised to a 20-9 victory over the Washington Redskins.

This was the second straight victory for a Dolphins team that started the season 0-7. ”It was nice to come in this locker room and celebrate a win,” coach Tony Sparano said. “I see 2-7 now as a hill but not a mountain. That’s how our players see it, too.” The Dolphins had a small 10-6 lead going into the half, but were able to put together 70 and 81 yard scoring drives to pull away as they held off any chance of a fourth-quarter comeback by the Redskins.

“The first seven games we were kind of in disarray,” Bush said. “We were trying to find our identity. The difference now is we’re playing 60 minutes and finishing at the end of games.”

Miami was up 13-9 with Grossman driving down the field to the 10 early in the fourth when he threw a pass right at linebacker Karlos Dansby who made the interception to end the drive. The Dolphins then came out and drove 81 yards for the touchdown on a 18 yard run by Reggie Bush, who finished with 47 yards on 14 carries

Vontae Davis, who returned from his one game benching, added another interception. Matt Moore, who had a terrific game against Kansas City last week, had an interception and a fumble but was 20 of 29 for 209 yards. The Dolphins went 8 for 14 on third down despite coming in as the worst in the NFL.

The Redskins dropped their fifth in a row after starting the season promisingly. “It’s frustrating being 3-6,” Grossman said. “We’re better than that.”Grossman was 21 of 32 for 215 yards and two picks. Grossman was the surprise starter this week after he was benched four weeks ago in favor of John Beck.

Shanahan said it had to do with the injuries to the offensive line that he decided to go with Grossman who’s more experienced. ”I thought Rex gave us a chance to win,” Shanahan said. “If you have this many guys go down, I didn’t want to go with the inexperienced guy and throw him to the wolves.”

The Redskins’ three scoring drives netted only 48 yards as they were set up close by two turnovers, but had to settle each time for field goals. Washington reached the Miami 20, 26, 5, and 10 yard lines. Graham Gano also missed two field goals form 50 and 49 yards out. The interception by Kevin Barnes set up the Redskins at the Miami 5, but they lost three yards on three plays and settled for a field goal.

On Ryan Kerrigan’s sack forced fumble the Redskins were again set up close at the Miami 24, but again settled for just three points. ”You get into the red zone three times, you’ve got to make plays to win the game,” Shanahan said. The Dolphins look to continue their new found success when the Bills come to town on a two game losing streak.

Washington heads home looking to snap the losing streak against division rivals the Dallas Cowboys winners of two straight.

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What is something that the Miami Dolphins have that John Beck doesn’t? A victory. Beck is still looking for that ever elusive first win as a starter as the Redskins travel to Miami looking to avoid losing five straight.

Beck, who was a second round pick of the Dolphins back in 2007, played in five games with four starts and failed to record a win. He was released after the 2008 season and hasn’t gotten a chance to start until last month when coach Mike Shanahan benched Rex Grossman during a game against Philadelphia. He’s now 0-3 as a starter after throwing for 254 yards, a touchdown, and an interception last week against the 49ers.

“When you’re the quarterback and the team hasn’t been winning games, you want to step up to the plate,” Beck told the Redskins’ official website. “You want to win games. I think in the league, week-in and week-out you see it — the desire to win, the feel for the need to win a game. It’s always there.

“There’s always pressure every week regardless of who you’re playing or the situation you’re in. Even when you’re winning all your games or you’re not — there’s always pressure to win.” During this four game losing streak the Redskins have been outscored 95-44, which includes a 23-0 shutout against the Bills in Toronto.

“If we come out and get some points on the board early, maybe the game would be different,” receiver Jabar Gaffney said. “But these last four games, we’ve fallen behind in all of them and, it’s like, as soon as the other team scores, it’s not the same feeling on the sideline. People aren’t looking the same, aren’t playing the same.”

The Redskins will likely look to rookie running back Roy Helu again this Sunday with Tim Hightower lost for the season with a torn ACL and backup Ryan Torian struggling. He got his first start last weekend rushing for 41 yards on 10 carries, but sparked the team by setting a franchise record with 14 receptions for 105 yards.

“Helu has the speed to make some big plays,” Shanahan said. “I think you can see he is a pretty good all-around back. He made some plays. I think he’d like to have that fumble back.” Miami is coming off their first win of the season after taking out seven games worth of anger on the Kansas City Chiefs winning 31-3. Matt Moore threw for 244 yards and three touchdowns.

“It was absolutely great to get a little reward for all the work we’ve put in, just to have that feeling of getting a win under your belt,” Moore said. “I think guys now understand that, ‘Yeah we can do this,’ and they’re hungry and we’re going to enjoy this one and get ready for Washington.”

The Dolphins look to turn their luck around at home. They’ve lost seven straight at Sun Life Stadium. The defense should get a boost, as corner back Vontae Davis is expected to play after being held out of last weeks’ game after showing up late to practice. Reggie Bush who had another solid game last week rushing for 92 yards on 13 carries and a score will look to continue that against the 21^st ranked rush defense. Washington is giving up 122.6 yards per game.

John Beck will try to one up his old team as he takes on one of the worst passing defenses in football. Miami is ranked 27^th giving up 265.3 yards per game. He will have to look to tight end Fred Davis with wide receiver Santana Moss being out for the season.

With Miami coming off their first victory, they are riding some momentum. John Beck won’t get his first win against his former team as Miami should get their first win at home this season and make it two in a row. Final Prediction: Washington 10 Miami 21

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Thanks to the help of David Akers and Alex Smith, the San Francisco 49ers were able to beat the Washington Redskins 19-11 on Sunday. Neither team was able to score in the first quarter; however, the 49ers were able to get on the scoreboard with two field goal kicks off the boot of Akers. One of the field goals was kicked 52 yards.

With a minute left in the second quarter, Smith threw a 30-yard pass to Bruce Miller to give the 49ers a 13-0 lead. The Redskins were able to get on the scoreboard before the end of the half with a 59-yard field goal kick from Graham Gano. Akers was able to put another 45-yard field goal through the uprights in the third quarter, increasing the lead to 16-3.

Akers struck for the last time halfway through the fourth quarter with a 20-yard field goal, bringing his total contribution in the game to 13 points. The Redskins had the last say in the game, with a 9-yard pass from John Beck to Jabar Gaffney. Beck was also able to get the two-point conversion with a pass to Leonard Hankerson, leaving the Redskins eight points shy of bringing the game into overtime.

According to Fox Sports, the 49ers have their longest winning streak since 1997 and are 4-0 on the road for the first time since 1992. ”We have to do something to keep that confidence up,” Gaffney said in an interview with Fox Sports. ”And stop playing like we’re seeing ghosts out there.” The Redskins have lost their last four games.

The San Francisco 49ers (7-1) head back home to face the New York Giants next Sunday, while the Washington Redskins (3-5) travel to Florida to face the Miami Dolphins.

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Around the middle of the NFL season, usually week 7-9, teams hit that proverbial fork in the road. Coaching staffs around the league have personnel decisions to make at the most important position, the starting QB. Option A is pretty simple, and it consists of staying with the starter QB you selected at the beginning of the season with the hopes that he will lead your team to the playoffs.

However Option B is a complex situation full of hard decisions and calculated gambles. Option B requires a coaching staff to replace the starting QB with someone on your bench for the remainder of the season. The complex part revolves around why replace the starter, who you do replace the starter with, and when do you finally pull the trigger.

Well in Week 7, six NFL teams have gone the route of Option B and that got my editorial partner, Kristian Winfield, and me to thinking. Which one of these fresh faces will have the better season? The candidates are as followed Charlie Whitehurst (SEA), A.J. Feely (STL), Christian Ponder (MIN), Carson Palmer (OAK), Tim Tebow (DEN), and John Beck (WSH).

It’s almost a loaded question against us because a QB swap is usually only made after a team has had an unproductive 7 weeks. We will admit that there are some exceptions, and injuries sometimes force the hand of a coach. More often than not, the former is the underlying factor in a change at the QB position.

Before we each give you our picks, let’s review why each QB is starting in the first place.

John Beck: John Beck impressed people during the preseason with his picture perfect passes, but because of a single interception thrown, the start was given to Rex Grossman. In five games Grossman might have hauled in 1,132 but it was clear Grossman was driving the Redskins’ offense into the dirt. Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan decided to make a change and Beck was named the new starter.

Carson Palmer: After losing starting QB Jason Campbell for the season because of a broken collarbone, coach Hue Jackson came face to face with his biggest crisis as new head coach, who was going to start at QB. In a surprise move the Raiders traded away multiple draft picks for former “retired” Cincinnati Bengals QB Carson Palmer.

A.J. Feely: Feely was the back up on the St. Louis Rams to Sam Bradford. In last week’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Bradford suffered a high ankle sprain that forced him wear a protective boot during the week. With a 0-5 record and the Rams clearly out of the divisional race there was no need to rush Bradford back, so head coach Steve Spagnuolo handed over the reins to Feely.

Tim Tebow: Late in the season last year Tim Tebow was named the starter on the Denver Broncos after the Broncos’ playoff hopes were dashed. Tebow was supposed to remain the starter this year but due to a coaching change and horrible pre-season play by Tebow, Kyle Orton was given his starting position back.

Under Orton this year, the Broncos went 1-4 and new coach John Fox gave Tim Tebow a chance to reclaim his starting position back. Charlie Whitehurst:  Charlie Whitehurst was given the starting position after Tarvaris Jackson injured his pectoral muscle against the Giants.

Whitehurst had been previously named the starter late into the 2011 season, winning a game against the St. Louis Rams that sent the Seahawks to the playoffs. Christian Ponder: After Donovan McNabb’s abysmal 1-5 start for the Minnesota Vikings, head coach Leslie Frazier made a power move, inserting Christian Ponder into the lineup as the starting QB.

Now for what you’ve been waiting for, our “expert” picks.

Kristian’s Pick

The Vikings season was going nowhere fast, to put things into perspective, Donovan McNabb played absolutely terrible for the six games as the Vikings starter. In the first game of the season, he only threw for 39 yards—worst among starting QB’s in the NFL for season openers. Through five-and-a-half games, McNabb threw for four touchdowns and two interceptions.

I can name some wide receivers that have more receiving TD’s than McNabb has passing. Either McNabb was going to drag the franchise into the dirt, or a change was going to be made. Enter my pick, the pure passing rookie QB out of Florida State, Christian Ponder.

In their win last week over Carolina, Ponder played very well, considering the situation, throwing for 236 yards and a touchdown, while completing 18-of-28 attempts. And the week before, against the Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers, Ponder threw for 219 yards and two touchdowns.

He’s still got a long way to go, but for a rookie that was pretty much dumped into the rotation after six weeks, Ponder is a significant improvement from the lackluster performances of McNabb. Ponder IS NOT the short term solution, but by showing promise and glimpses of greatness, he definitely is the Vikings’ QB of the future.

Terrance’s Pick

My pick is the man who can do no wrong, the Christian crusader, the legend himself, Tim Tebow. All of the reasons why I think Tebow will have the better season are not intrinsically football-related.  Tebow has the will to win, and has proven that he can win on every level of football.  You can’t teach a man how to be winner, that is something you have to be born with, and Tebow has it in spades.

For example take his performance in week 7 against the Miami Dolphins into consideration.  Tebow played like absolute crap for 55 minutes of a 60 minute game, but when you have that never-say-die mentality, sometimes five good minutes is all you need. Tebow lead his Denver Broncos to score 15 points in five minutes, throwing for two touchdowns and rushing for a two point conversion.

Being down 15 points and subsequently scoring 15 points in the final five minutes of game a feat that hadn’t been accomplished since the merger of the NFL and AFL in 1970. During the Broncos’ improbable comeback, Tebow consistently made big throw after big throw, performing so well that ESPN analyst Skip Bayless compared him to Steve Young.

However if there is one factor that could trump all of Tebow’s intangibles it would be his poor throwing mechanics. This has been the one gripe about Tebow since he entered the NFL last year. His awkward throwing release causes him to be inaccurate and overthrow receivers.

Before the 2010 NFL Draft Tebow worked tirelessly on correcting his throwing motion, when under pressure old habits tend surface and his team suffers. That same awkward delivery was on display during the first 55 minutes of the Dolphins game; Tebow consistently missed open receivers.

The one upside to Tebow’s glaring flaw is that his throwing motion can be fixed, and there are instances where he has shown that, just not on a consistent basis. Only time will tell us which one these six QBs will have the better season.  The only that is for certain is that each NFL season is highly unpredictable.

For all we know, both Ponder and Tebow could perform miserably the rest of season, and make our expert picks null and void. If that happens let’s just hope that Toonari Post doesn’t swap us out for some fresh journalistic faces.

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The New York Jets had a bye week that came at the worst time. They had gained some momentum and were riding a two-game winning streak going into the bye. And given their recent history under coach Rex Ryan coming off of byes (they’re 0-2), they’re hoping to change things and are confident that they won’t have a drop off due to time off.

Ryan was at a loss when asked about the trend of his team coming out flat after time off, but said this year that can’t happen. “We have to do something about that trend,” he said. “We need to win this week.” Every game has become a must win for the Jets, especially since the Jets are one game behind the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots for first place, and they face these two teams in the next two games.

Even CB Darrelle Revis called the game against the Bills this Sunday a must win. “You can’t focus on the past coming off byes and losing,” Revis said. “It’s a new year and we’re in control of our destiny and where we want to go.” The Jets do in fact control their own destiny even after a three game skid as if they can take both of the next two games they could potentially be sitting atop the AFC East.

Lose both games, and the Jets’ season could be close to being over. The Jets have owned the Bills in the past few years, winning five of the last six meetings between the two, and that includes three wins in Buffalo. Ryan believes the practices have been good, and the Jets look very alert and aware of the situation which he hopes will translate into a good showing out of the bye.

But the Jets have lost all three of their away games this season and hope to end the streak at three with a win on Sunday. “Would we like to have had a better record? Absolutely, we would’ve, but we don’t,” Ryan said. “We’re 4-3, but we have it right in front of us. The teams you have to beat are right in front of us, so we’ll know. These next few weeks are going to be critical for us.”

Buffalo on the other side sits at 5-2 atop the AFC East and is coming off their best performance of the year dominating Washington 23-0 up in Toronto. They only gave up 178 yards had two picks to add to their league lead 14, and recorded 9 sacks. This was way better than their five previous games in which they gave up 414+ yards in each game.

“You hope that your team gains confidence from that, and that your defense sees how well they can play,” coach Chan Gailey said. “It should create more confidence.” The Bills are 26^th in the league giving up 385.9 yards per contest, but the Jets’ offense isn’t much better ranked 29^th and averaging 300.1 yards per game.

The problem for Buffalo is that the Jets have recently been playing better, including their season high 162 yards on the ground in their last game against San Diego in which Shonn Greene had 112 yards. This isn’t good for a Buffalo defense that struggles stopping the run. The Jets average 279.0 yards on the ground in the past four meetings with Buffalo.

Buffalo does benefit from having Fred Jackson on their side and they are ranked fifthin rushing averaging 140.6 yards per game. Jackson is ranked second in the NFL averaging 103.0 yards and is sixth rushing touchdowns. His 353 yards receiving out of the backfield is good for fourth among running backs. This matchup looks good compared to the Jets who are 25^th against the rush giving up 126.9 yards per game.

They will have to rely on their backfield because Ryan Fitzpatrick has a 62.0 rating in four games against the Jets and, with CBs Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie, look for TE Scott Chandler to have a big game as the Bills will try to take advantage of the safeties down the seams the one weakness of the seventh ranked pass defense.

The Bills defense is 20^th against the rush and 24^th against the pass. The Jets’ offense, which saw a boost against the Chargers as WR Plaxico Burress and RB Shonn Greene had breakout  games, is looking to keep the momentum going. Mark Sanchez needs to out-manage Ryan Fitzpatrick if the Jets want to win this game.

This will be a good game that will come down to a key play or drive. Each team is riding momentum and playing well as of late and I believe that the Jets with a few more playmakers on their team will be able to pull the game out late. Final Prediction: Jets 27 Bills 21.

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It’s the team that nobody saw coming. For the past few years, the Bills have been the laughing stock of the AFC East. They were the one team bringing down a division with the power house Patriots and the better than average Jets and Dolphins.

Not anymore. The Bills have quietly been putting together a good team and this year, we are finally seeing just how good this team and Harvard graduate QB Ryan Fitzpatrick can be. The Bills realize this and recently gave him a big contract extension of 6 years $59 million, locking up their franchise man for years to come. That extension is bad news for the rest of the AFC East.

He’s been worth every penny of that, having a career year, and has the Bills sitting in a 1^st place tie atop the AFC East with the New England Patriots at 5-2. He’s ranked 6^th in the league in quarter back, rating at 97.8 for the season. The Bills are third in the league, scoring 30.1 points per game this year.

While only being ranked 13^th overall in passing at 239.6 yards a game, the running game has received a boost from their QB play ranking 5^th overall at 140.6 a game. Running back Fred Jackson, who is having an MVP type season, is fourth in the league in yards with 721 and is ranked fourth among running backs in receiving with just over 350 yards.

He’s tied for first with Matt Forte of runs over 20 yards ranks second in yards per game with 103.0 and is fourth in yards per carry at 5.5, but is second in running backs to LeSean McCoy. DeMarco Murray and Michael Vick are one and two, but have half the carries of McCoy and Jackson. Jackson also has zero fumbles this season so far.

While the Bills defense isn’t one of the better in the league, they still put fear into a team as they lead the league in interceptions with 18 and three touchdowns off interceptions. This defense has potential the potential to be real solid in the coming years if they can keep everyone healthy. They showed this last week shutting out the Washington Redskins 23-0 and racking up 9 sacks in the process.

To the Bills credit, they’ve also been doing this against quality opponents. They’ve beaten Kansas City and Oakland, both who are tied for first with San Diego for the AFC West all sitting at 4-3. They’ve beaten the Patriots once already and beat a good Philadelphia Eagles team who has recently been turning things around after a horrible start.

They took care of business against an obviously weaker Washington team, shutting them out last week. The Bills only losses come at the hands of the Bengals and the Giants. Both these teams are atop of their divisions and have a 5-2 record. The Bills should have more respect than they do.

Consider that the Patriots have a worse defense in football, giving up 424.1 yards a game compared to the Bills who are 385.9, the Patriots are considered playoff contenders and potential Super Bowl threats. The same could be said for the Packers who rank below the Bills in yards per game giving up 391.0 and currently hold the 31^st spot in opponents passing yards per game, yet they’re widely regarded as being the best team in football.

These teams are led by their quarterbacks and Fitzpatrick has proven he can do that. Add to that a more potent running attack than either Brady or Rodgers has and this is a team that can go deep into the playoffs.

If that’s not enough for you, think about the New Orleans Saints team that won the Super Bowl a few years ago. They are very much like this Bills team in that they have a strong quarterback, a high scoring offense, and a defense that isn’t that great, but forces turnovers and scores points.

This Bills team is as good as they’re record and play this season has been. In a quarterback driven league they’ve found their man in Ryan Fitzpatrick. They are proving they can score points with anyone in the league and if teams with good quarterbacks and bad defenses can be in the hunt for the Super Bowl the same should be said for the Bills.

The fan base has been waiting patiently for this time to come and it has come quicker than expected, but not as a shock at all. So the next time you go to dismiss the Bills as a top team in this league, think about what they’re doing and show them some respect.

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It’s the home game away from home. For the past few years the Buffalo Bills travel north of the border to play a ‘home’ game in Toronto, but until Sunday this hasn’t been a good thing for the Bills. Sunday was the first win in four tries since the cross-border series started back in 2008.

This was also the first shutout in Washington Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan’s long and illustrious 24 season career as a coordinator or head coach. For the Bills it marked the paying off of the recent contract extension given to Ryan Fitzpatrick, 6 years $59 million, as well as, giving the fans in Canada, who haven’t been the most supportive of their Buffalo brethren, reason to cheer.

Fitzpatrick was able to find TE Scott Chandler for two touchdowns and the Bills defense which has been one of the worst in the NFL this season had a monster game racking up 9 sacks, 2 interceptions, and a blocked field goal. They held the Redskins to 178 yards of total offense and only 10 first downs. The injury riddled Redskins had no answers for the Bills on either side of the ball all game.

Safety George Wilson called the Toronto fans passion as well as loyalty into question in the week leading up to the game, but came to find that the Bills were the drawing most of the cheers from the crowd. ”That was one of the things coming in, give them something to cheer about. And I thought we did that today,” said Fitzpatrick, “I think there was more excitement out there than there has been in years past.”

It was a great overall performance,” said defensive end Spencer Johnson, who had a sack and blocked Graham Gano’s 49-yard field-goal attempt in the second quarter. “To shut anybody out in the NFL, that’s a big feat, a big accomplishment and a big step in the right direction.”

Fred Jackson, who’s putting up MVP numbers, had another great game posting 120 yards on the ground and 74 yards receiving. This put Jackson at over 1000 yards from scrimmage 7 games into the season which makes him only the fourth Bill in history to do so and the first since Thurman Thomas did so in 1991.

Another bright spot for the Bills was the emergence of first round draft pick Marcell Dareus who started in place of injured NT Kyle Williams. Dareus had 2 ½ sacks, leading the defense for the day.

The Bills overall looked solid against the injured Redskins, but they will face a much tougher test next week as they square off against division rivals the New York Jets back in Ralph Wilson Stadium. With the Patriots loss, the Bills are currently tied for first in the AFC East.

This will be a real measuring game for the Bills as the Jets have a better offense and a much better defense than the Redskins. The Jets are also riding a two game win streak and have had an extra week to prepare for the Bills.

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The Buffalo Bills won their fifth game of the season by shutting down the Washington Redskins’ offense to secure a 0-23 victory. The Bills were able to make sure the Redskins were unable to get the ball moving in their running play, with the Redskins only able to rush for a total of 26 yards the whole game.

Although the Bills were not able to score a rushing touchdown, running back Fred Jackson was able to help move the ball down the field for a total of 120 yards on 26 attempts. The Redskins were also unable to capitalize on passing drives as well.

Quarterback John Beck threw a total of 208 yards in the game off of 20 completed passes, along with giving up two interceptions to Bills’ Jairus Byrd and George Wilson. Washington receiver Fred Davis provided the most help and scoring chances, getting 94 yards on eight catches.

The Bills were able to move the ball downfield successfully through the air throughout the game. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick through for a total of 262 yards off 21 completed catches, along with throwing two touchdown passes and an interception. Receiver Scott Chandler caught both touchdown passes on the only two passes thrown to him in the game.

The main target was Jackson, who caught three passes for 74 yards. Kicker Rian Lindell provided 11 points for the Bills, going three for four in field goal kicks along with two extra point kicks after each touchdown. The Washington Redskins (3-4) fly back home to face the visiting San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, while the Buffalo Bills (5-2) welcome the visiting New York Jets on Sunday.

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While the schedule may say a home game for the Bills, the teams are traveling north to Toronto for the Bills annual “home” game in Canada. Buffalo is 0-3 since signing the five year deal with Toronto-based Rogers Communication in 2008 to play one home game in Toronto each year.

“It’s not a home game,” safety George Wilson said. “The fan support in Toronto is a night-and-day difference from what we have in Buffalo (at Ralph Wilson Stadium). For the most part, it’s a show. You see just as many jerseys for the opposing teams as you do the Bills. They cheer for any big play regardless of whichever team makes it.”

Buffalo is coming out of a bye that couldn’t have come at a better time. The team is ravaged by injuries and has dropped 2 of 3 since starting 3-0 and needs all the help it can get. So far their No.2 receiver Donald Jones is out, defensive tackle Kyle Williams is out indefinitely, and linebacker Shawne Merriman was placed on the injured reserve Tuesday with an injury to his Achilles.

Add to that starting LT Demetrius Bell is doubtful after missing two straight and this is a team that needed its bye week more than ever. The Redskins are in the same boat without the help of a bye week.

Their best receiver and down field threat Santana Moss broke a bone in his left hand last Sunday and will be sidelined for a few weeks, and their leading rusher Tim Hightower is out for the season after tearing his ACL in the same game.

They also placed tight end Chris Cooley on the injured reserve this week, and its possible London Fletcher will be out with a hamstring injury. For Fletcher this might be the first missed game of his 14 season career and would be a big loss for the Redskins defense which has been struggling as of late.

The Bills have one of the worst defenses in football ranking thirtieth in pass and run defense and has surrendered 414 yards in five consecutive games so the lack of offensive weapons for John Beck whose making his second consecutive start will help the Bills though Beck did play a good game last week going 22 of 37 for 279 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception.

They’re doing well due to quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and running back Fred Jackson who have helped turn this into one of the highest scoring offenses in football. They are averaging 31.3 points a game. The downside is that, in the two games they’ve lost, they’ve failed to score 30+ points.

The Bills have the fourthbest rushing attack averaging 141.0 yards and they’re going up against a Redskin defense that has surrendered 367 yards in the past two weeks, both losses. Jackson had a big game putting up 82 yards on the ground and 69 receiving a few years ago the last time these two teams met, which was a 17-16 win for the Bills in Washington.

With the Bills’ offensive power and Washington’s lack thereof, the Bills should get their first win in Toronto over the Redskins to move to 5-2 and stay at least 1 game behind the division-leading Patriots, who don’t have an easy game going into Pittsburgh. Final Prediction: Bills 31 Redskins 17

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The Carolina Panthers had their first comfortable game against the Washington Redskins, leading in the score all four quarters to win 33-20. The Redskins put up a strong fight to stay with the Panthers throughout the game. John Beck threw 22 for 37; he collected 279 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.

Tim Hightower, along with Fred Davis, helped the most in making scoring chances for Washington. Hightower got 17 rushing attempts and 88 yards, while Davis made six receptions for 80 yards and a touchdown.

Rookie quarterback Cam Newton carried the Panthers through the second half, throwing 18 to 23 for 256 yards and one touchdown pass to Brandon LaFell. Steve Smith helped get the ball down the field, catching seven passes for 143 yards. Jonathan Stewart and Cam Newton also ran for one touchdown apiece, running for a total of 127 yards.

The Washington Redskins (3-3) lost their best receiver in Santana Moss to injury –  a broken bone in his hand - in the first half. Along with that, Hightower also injured his knee in the third quarter. According to the Associated Press on Fox Sports, the severity of Hightower’s injury is unclear.

The Redskins travel to face the Buffalo Bills next Sunday, while the Panthers go back to North Carolina to face the Minnesota Vikings.

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