December 7th, 2010, Tuesday
Tuesday’s Football Notes
More Headlines
Saints On The Rise Again
The Saints may be chasing the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC South, but at 9-3, they are starting to look like one of the hot team in the league. With the plethora of talent they posses, one may have to ask have they returned to their Super Bowl form?
According to safety Darren Sharper, guest on The T.Ocho Show says the Saints are not quite back to form; they still have lots to improve upon. They are however winners of five straight which include four consecutive games scoring 30 points or more. In that span quarterback Drew Brees has thrown for more than 300-yards four times and tossed 11 touchdowns.
If they are not there yet, they are getting close.
The Saints have still had some inconsistencies with their ground game, but with Reggie Bush getting healthier and sure to return to form, the offense looks primed to fire on all cylinders heading deep into December.
The defense has begun picking up some of the slack in recent weeks with timely big plays and overall stinginess in the season of giving. Opponents are only averaging 18 points per game over the past five weeks; although they defense has given up 57 points in its’ last two games.
As Sharper alluded to in his interview, this team still has holes to fill. With a huge matchup on Monday night with the Falcons in week 16 looming we can ask all the questions we want and it looks like we will find all the answers we need on that Monday night of destiny for one of these teams.
Falcons Take Steps Closer to Locking Down NFC
On Sunday the Atlanta Falcons and quarterback Matt Ryan just continued to do what they have done for the most part this season and in very much the same fashion. On the road in a tough battle with division foe Tampa Bay, “Matty Ice” led his troops to another come-from-behind win on Sunday; it was the sixth time this season that Ryan has led a game winning drive in the 4th quarter.
Ryan has been brilliant this season making the plays when he needs to and keeping the offense rolling from one week to the next. In twelve games this season Ryan has passed for 2,920 yards, tossed 21 touchdowns, and has only thrown 7 interceptions. He is on pace to set career bests in all three categories. A big reason for his success is his great rapport with his playmaking wide receiver Roddy White (91 receptions, 1,140 yards receiving) who is on pace to set a couple of career highs himself.
The Falcons are not using any mysterious magic formula for winning, a balanced offense with the number nine rushing attack coupled with a defense and special teams that come up with the big plays. The third year veteran quarterback leads an offense that limits their mistakes and has their club at a plus 10 takeaway/giveaway ratio. When you do these things, you often see a lot of “W’s” on Sunday.
With 10 wins, including six straight the Falcons own the best record in the NFL. It now appears in all likelihood they will have to beat the Saints in week 16 on Monday night in the Georgia Dome to lock down the division (as the Saints winner of five in a row are keeping pace just a game back).
Chargers Start Off December On Sour Note
So which Chargers team are getting this Christmas? Normally the boys in powder blue start slowly then don’t lose once we hit Thanksgiving, but that wasn’t the case on Sunday.
Heading into Sunday’s matchup with the Oakland Raiders, since he became the Charger’s starting quarterback in the 2006 season, Philip Rivers had gone undefeated in December winning 18 straight games. Well all that came to a screeching halt when the Raiders simply outplayed and Bolts gaining over 200 yards on the ground. The win completed a series sweep for the NoCal boys.
With the loss the Chargers are now 6-6 tied with the Raiders and two games behind the division leading Kansas City Chiefs. The loss certainly dampened any post season hopes the Chargers may have in mind, but as history has shown, this is the season for miracles and the Bolts have simply owned the month of December since 2006.
For the avid fan and Charger hopeful, as if the football gods had planned this all along, with their chances seemingly slipping away San Diego will have an opportunity this Sunday to bolt right back into contention when they meet the Kansas City Chiefs at Qualcomm Stadium.
Rivers did not have his best game against the Raiders last Sunday only completing 23 of 39 passes in the loss. Not only will he need to play better, but he’ll need his full complement of weapons to play well. On the other side of the ball the Chargers are going to need to tighten up quite a few screws on the defense if they hope to slow down the Chiefs number one ranked rushing offense; last week they allowed 251 yards (4.8 yards per carry) on the ground to the Raiders.
A win for the Bolts on Sunday would put that right back in the middle of the AFC West race, but a loss could leave them three games back with three games left to play and asking for another December miracle; sound familiar?
The Infirmary Report
This weeks Injury news
WR-Kenny Britt
After sitting out several weeks with a hamstring injury, Titan’s wide receiver Kenny Britt looks set to make his return to action on Thurday night against Colts. It is not known yet if Britt or Moss will start, but Britt’s return will certainly give the Titan’s offense a huge needed boost after struggling to score just six points the last two weeks.
TE-Antonio Gates
Playing through pain this season has become the norm for Charger’s tight end Antonio Gates (torn plantar fascia), but following Sunday’s loss to the Raiders he said he was in severe pain. This week the Chargers will need all of their best players available when the visiting Kansas City Chief come to town. As he has always done, Gates will make every effort to play on Sunday, but in all likelihood his status won’t be known until game-time.
RB-Pierre Thomas
It sounds like there’s good chance that Saints running back Pierre Thomas (ankle) could return to action this Sunday against the Rams. Thomas has been sidelined since week three with the ankle injury. He started practicing in a limited capacity last week, but sat out of Sunday’s game against the Bengals. Head coach Sean Payton would not commit to Thomas playing in week 14, but did say he was “cautiously optimistic.”
Saints On The Rise Again
The Saints may be chasing the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC South, but at 9-3, they are starting to look like one of the hot team in the league. With the plethora of talent they posses, one may have to ask have they returned to their Super Bowl form?
According to safety Darren Sharper, guest on The T.Ocho Show says the Saints are not quite back to form; they still have lots to improve upon. They are however winners of five straight which include four consecutive games scoring 30 points or more. In that span quarterback Drew Brees has thrown for more than 300-yards four times and tossed 11 touchdowns.
If they are not there yet, they are getting close.
The Saints have still had some inconsistencies with their ground game, but with Reggie Bush getting healthier and sure to return to form, the offense looks primed to fire on all cylinders heading deep into December.
The defense has begun picking up some of the slack in recent weeks with timely big plays and overall stinginess in the season of giving. Opponents are only averaging 18 points per game over the past five weeks; although they defense has given up 57 points in its’ last two games.
As Sharper alluded to in his interview, this team still has holes to fill. With a huge matchup on Monday night with the Falcons in week 16 looming we can ask all the questions we want and it looks like we will find all the answers we need on that Monday night of destiny for one of these teams.
Falcons Take Steps Closer to Locking Down NFC
On Sunday the Atlanta Falcons and quarterback Matt Ryan just continued to do what they have done for the most part this season and in very much the same fashion. On the road in a tough battle with division foe Tampa Bay, “Matty Ice” led his troops to another come-from-behind win on Sunday; it was the sixth time this season that Ryan has led a game winning drive in the 4th quarter.
Ryan has been brilliant this season making the plays when he needs to and keeping the offense rolling from one week to the next. In twelve games this season Ryan has passed for 2,920 yards, tossed 21 touchdowns, and has only thrown 7 interceptions. He is on pace to set career bests in all three categories. A big reason for his success is his great rapport with his playmaking wide receiver Roddy White (91 receptions, 1,140 yards receiving) who is on pace to set a couple of career highs himself.
The Falcons are not using any mysterious magic formula for winning, a balanced offense with the number nine rushing attack coupled with a defense and special teams that come up with the big plays. The third year veteran quarterback leads an offense that limits their mistakes and has their club at a plus 10 takeaway/giveaway ratio. When you do these things, you often see a lot of “W’s” on Sunday.
With 10 wins, including six straight the Falcons own the best record in the NFL. It now appears in all likelihood they will have to beat the Saints in week 16 on Monday night in the Georgia Dome to lock down the division (as the Saints winner of five in a row are keeping pace just a game back).
Chargers Start Off December On Sour Note
So which Chargers team are getting this Christmas? Normally the boys in powder blue start slowly then don’t lose once we hit Thanksgiving, but that wasn’t the case on Sunday.
Heading into Sunday’s matchup with the Oakland Raiders, since he became the Charger’s starting quarterback in the 2006 season, Philip Rivers had gone undefeated in December winning 18 straight games. Well all that came to a screeching halt when the Raiders simply outplayed and Bolts gaining over 200 yards on the ground. The win completed a series sweep for the NoCal boys.
With the loss the Chargers are now 6-6 tied with the Raiders and two games behind the division leading Kansas City Chiefs. The loss certainly dampened any post season hopes the Chargers may have in mind, but as history has shown, this is the season for miracles and the Bolts have simply owned the month of December since 2006.
For the avid fan and Charger hopeful, as if the football gods had planned this all along, with their chances seemingly slipping away San Diego will have an opportunity this Sunday to bolt right back into contention when they meet the Kansas City Chiefs at Qualcomm Stadium.
Rivers did not have his best game against the Raiders last Sunday only completing 23 of 39 passes in the loss. Not only will he need to play better, but he’ll need his full complement of weapons to play well. On the other side of the ball the Chargers are going to need to tighten up quite a few screws on the defense if they hope to slow down the Chiefs number one ranked rushing offense; last week they allowed 251 yards (4.8 yards per carry) on the ground to the Raiders.
A win for the Bolts on Sunday would put that right back in the middle of the AFC West race, but a loss could leave them three games back with three games left to play and asking for another December miracle; sound familiar?
The Infirmary Report
This weeks Injury news
WR-Kenny Britt
After sitting out several weeks with a hamstring injury, Titan’s wide receiver Kenny Britt looks set to make his return to action on Thurday night against Colts. It is not known yet if Britt or Moss will start, but Britt’s return will certainly give the Titan’s offense a huge needed boost after struggling to score just six points the last two weeks.
TE-Antonio Gates
Playing through pain this season has become the norm for Charger’s tight end Antonio Gates (torn plantar fascia), but following Sunday’s loss to the Raiders he said he was in severe pain. This week the Chargers will need all of their best players available when the visiting Kansas City Chief come to town. As he has always done, Gates will make every effort to play on Sunday, but in all likelihood his status won’t be known until game-time.
RB-Pierre Thomas
It sounds like there’s good chance that Saints running back Pierre Thomas (ankle) could return to action this Sunday against the Rams. Thomas has been sidelined since week three with the ankle injury. He started practicing in a limited capacity last week, but sat out of Sunday’s game against the Bengals. Head coach Sean Payton would not commit to Thomas playing in week 14, but did say he was “cautiously optimistic.”
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