Cutler and Broncos hand Falcons first home loss
John who? This is Cutler town.
Fourth quarter comebacks must be named in the job description for Denver quarterbacks, because they sure seem to have a knack for it. Jay Cutler threw another come from behind fourth quarter touchdown against Atlanta Sunday, this one to Daniel Graham with about 5 1/2 minutes left. The Broncos again spoiled home field advantage and found a way to win on the road for the second week in a row.
The Broncos had to put it's full roster to use , and then some, in order to compensate for the gang of injuries it's suffered recently. Most notably, Rookie Spencer Larsen played on both sides of the ball. He started at both linebacker and fullback for the banged up Broncos- the first time someone had played both positions in Broncos history.
"I think it is cool," he said. "It's a great experience and I credit the coaches for allowing me to do it."
Peyton Hillis, who normally plays fullback, stepped in again at running back.
But it was the veterans who took the victory home. Dre Bly, after a less than mediocre start, intercepted Matt Ryan for his second huge defensive play in as many weeks. (Bly stripped the ball from Cleveland's Kellen Winslow last Thursday) Denver converted the interception into a field goal to go up 17-13.
Atlanta roared back when Michael Turner scored his second touchdown of the day with just under 11 minutes left in the game. The score put Atlanta in the lead 20-17. Despite this 28 yard scamper- the Broncos D held Turner to just 81 yards rushing on the day.
On the ensuing posession, Cutler strung together a 10 play, 83 yard drive that would turn out to be the winner. About half the drive came on a huge 47 yard pass play to Brandon Marshall. Cutler admitted it wasn‘t the scripted play:
"It wasn't the first read. It wasn't the second read," Cutler said. "He got behind everyone, and I just threw it up and he made the catch."
On a 3rd and goal from Atlanta's 9 yard line, Cutler scrambled under pressure and threaded the needle to veteran TE Daniel Graham. "It was a busted play," Cutler said. "I got a little pressure and had to roll out. Daniel did a great job of finding a hole."
Cutler's performance was great- although not quite the numbers he put up against Cleveland. He finished the day 19 of 27 passing for 216 yards, a far cry from his 447 yards last week, but a much more balanced offense.
Atlanta may very well have been caught off guard by Denver's willingness to run the ball this week, although Atlanta had given up a league worst 4.9 YPC.
"We thought it was going to be more of a passing game," Falcons DE Jamaal Anderson said. "They came in and wanted to establish their running game."
The rushing attack was led by rookie Peyton Hillis, who saw the bulk of Denvers load. He carried the ball 10 times for 44 yards and 2 scores. It was just Hillis' second game at running back, but his time as a fullback showed. Hillis got the better end of several collisions against Atlanta and earned several extra yards on second efforts.
Tatum Bell pitched in and ran the ball well for a guy who's "not in football shape", racking up 34 yards on 7 carries. P.J. Pope, signed from Denver's practice squad this week, pitched in as well with 35 yards of his own.
Denver's defense played great again. Despite young players- they played with passion and limited a very good Atlanta offense. Matt Ryan played a great game against the Broncos, but had no touchdowns against their depleted secondary. Linebacker back-ups Jamie Winborn and Wesley Woodyard led the Broncos in tackles again, and Spencer Larsen finished third on the team racking up 6 tackles. This marked the third week Denver prevented an hundred yard rusher.
With the win, Denver improved to 6-4, and with the Charger's loss they now have a commanding lead in the division. The Broncos should have an easy win next week against the lowly Raiders- who they romped in their season opener.
Just a few numbers:
All six of Denver's wins have come with 2 or less turnovers- they had none against Atlanta.
Dre Bly's interception in the third quarter was his first this year.
Spencer Larson is first player to start on both offense and defense in the NFL since 2003. He is the first to start at fullback and linebacker in Broncos history.
Denver improved to 3-2 on the road.
Denver's next three opponents are a combined 10-20.
(c) 2008 Copyright Examiner.com All Rights Reserved
Lack of Color in College
(November 10, 2008) - Ironic after the country selects its first African-American president, a study comes out revealing the number of Black coaches in NCAA football will be its lowest count in five years.
The report by The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at the University of Central Florida polled every major college on the ethnicity of its coaches, athletic directors, presidents, faculty, student athletes and NCAA faculty representatives.
After the recent dismissals of Washington Huskies coach Ty Willingham and Kansas State Wildcats coach Ron Prince, the number of Black coaches of the 119 schools among Division 1 was reduced to four.
12 Black coaches have been hired for 199 open positions since 1996 with the highest number of African-American coaches coming in 1997 with a record count of eight. Disturbing numbers considering fifty-five percent of all student athletes are minorities.
"While the percentages are slightly better, the general picture is still one of white men running college sport," Richard Lapchick, the report's co-author told ESPN. "Overall, the numbers simply do not reflect the diversity of our student-athletes. Moreover, they do not reflect the diversity of our nation where we have elected an African-American as President for the first time."
Lapchick has asked the NCAA to adopt a rule to mandate that minorities be interviewed for head coaching jobs. Lachick wants to coin the rule as the "Eddie Robinson Rule," in honor of the record-setting Grambling head coach. The idea is designed to be the collegiate version of the NFL's “Rooney Rule,” in which the NFL sanctions teams that do not interview a minority candidate whenever a position becomes available.
Copyright 2007 by Afro.com
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Cincinnati Bengals NFL Football Predictions
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Cincinnati Bengals NFL Football Predictions: The Jaguars are (3-4) off a 23-17 home loss to Cleveland last week. Jacksonville had big chances to take the lead and got to the Cleveland 26-yard line with 16 seconds remaining. But Jones bobbled a perfectly thrown jump ball in the end zone that could have won the game. True, J'ville hasn't been a trustworthy favorite this year (0-5), but Jags have weaponry to extend the margin and get back into the AFC wild card chase. The sports odds posted by the oddsmakers currently list Jacksonville Jaguars -9 favorites to Cincinnati Bengals heading into this matchup.
How we respond is what's most important," Del Rio said. "My reaction to a game isn't what's important. How we respond as a football team to get ready for the next opponent is what's most important. I just want to see a little more grit, a little more resolve, a little more determination and the execution and the accountability for each other for what we're doing, for how important it is."
The Bengals are (0-8) coming off a road loss to Houston 35-6 last week. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick was 20/32 for 155 yrards and 2 INT's. On the season Fitzpatrick has 2 TD's and 5 INT's. The Bengals seem to be getting worse by the week. The 29-point loss is their largest of the season, and they've allowed 73 points in the last two weeks. The online sports betting odds in this Jacksonville Jaguars vs Cincinnati Bengals game is set at 40 points on the OVER/UNDER.
"We played horrible," safety Dexter Jackson said. "We came in here, they put up 35 points on us, we put up six. The score speaks for itself. The scoreboard doesn't lie."
NFL Football Predictions: Jacksonville running back Maurice Jones-Drew will look to bounce back against that defense after gaining only 29 yards on 12 carries last week. What a difference a year makes, last year, the strongest division in the AFC was the south. Indy and Jaguars are struggling with Tennessee undefeated. With QB Palmer likely on shelf again and little used ex-Harvard man Ryan Fitzpatrick taking snaps, Cincy "O" has slowed to a crawl just averaging 10 points in their past three games and has yet to cover any of Fitzpatrick's four starts. Over is 4-0-1 in Jaguars last 5 games in November.
Copyright 2008 Sports Odds
Bet on Patriots vs Broncos Monday Night Football
Patriots vs Broncos Monday Night Football: Jay Cutler and his ability to throw the ball downfield will not be the only thing the Broncos will need to accomplish as they face the Patriots in tonight's Monday Night Football matchup. Heading into tonight Monday Night Football picks matchup the Denver Broncos are averaging only 17.3 point per game. The Patriots have managed to maintain a competitive pace without star quarter back Tom Brady. The reduced juice Monday Night Football odds makers currently have the New England Patriots as the -3(+101) MNF betting favorites with the total set to 48 1/2( ov-105).
New England Patriots' Matt Cassel has performed better at home than on the road, this will be Cassel's opportunity to step up. Tonight's Monday Night Football matchup put's Cassel up against the worst AFC defense. The Broncos defense has allowed 393 yards and has several flaws that Coach Belichick will hope to exploit. The New England Patriots defense needs to stop Devers passing game and the Pats defensive secondary needs to step up tonight in their Monday Night Football matchup against Broncos. As far as the Monday Night Football coaching matchup Shanahan has been Belichick's equal in their head-to-head battles.
The Denver Broncos come into tonight Monday Night Football matchup defeating the Patriots in their last three matchups. The Broncos Brandon Marshal leads the NFL with 43 catches and rookie Eddie Royal is tied for 11th with 30 receptions. Denver's second ranked passing offense is the greatest threat to the New England Patriots weak secondary. With both the New England Patriots and the Denver Broncos both having weak passing defenses this should be a high flying Monday Night Football picks matchup.
(c) 2008 Sports Handicapping
Patriots try to make it four straight vs. Chargers
SAN DIEGO -- Before Tom Brady and Shawne Merriman were lost for the season with knee injuries, Sunday night's game between the New England Patriots and San Diego Chargers looked to be an epic battle between two of the AFC's elite teams.
It should still be a pretty good show, the renewal of a rivalry that's become edgy if not one-sided.
Although the Patriots (3-1) are the underdog in the betting line, they'll come in relatively fresh after having remained in California following their win at San Francisco last Sunday. The Chargers (2-3) come in confused, trying to figure out why they've been so inconsistent in a season that started with Super Bowl expectations.
Just when they need a win the most, the Chargers have to face a team that's given them headaches and heartaches.
"Obviously there's history between these teams," said Chargers inside linebacker Matt Wilhelm, who wasn't referring to a series that dates to the birth of the AFL in 1960 and has seen the teams play in both the Los Angeles Coliseum and Fenway Park.
"There's some built-up dislike between both teams because of the circumstances in which we've played in the past. Two playoff games, two losses, one being at home," Wilhelm said.
This will be the fifth time the Patriots and Chargers have played in four seasons. Three of San Diego's last 10 losses have been to the Patriots. There's been enough smack talk and bad blood to make it feel like a division rivalry.
The two losses that really hurt were when the Patriots coldcocked the Chargers' chances of reaching the Super Bowl.
On Jan. 20 in frozen Foxborough, Brady led the Patriots to a 21-12 win over the hobbled Chargers to clinch the AFC championship and run their record to 18-0. San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers gamely played with a shredded ligament in his right knee but LaDainian Tomlinson glumly watched most of the game while huddled in a parka, sidelined by a sprained knee that kept him from cutting and accelerating.
Afterward, Chargers center Nick Hardwick accused Patriots defensive end Richard Seymour of being a dirty player. Seymour said Hardwick's comments were "classless."
A year earlier, the Chargers went a franchise-best 14-2 to clinch home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. But they went into inexplicable brain lock against the Patriots in a divisional-round playoff loss, committing numerous mistakes in what proved to be Marty Schottenheimer's last game as their head coach.
Several Patriots celebrated at midfield by mocking Merriman's spasmodic sack dance, prompting Rivers to call Ellis Hobbs "the sorriest corner in the league" and sending the normally mild-mannered Tomlinson into a rage. Tomlinson said the Patriots "showed no class and maybe that comes from the head coach."
Tomlinson and Patriots coach Bill Belichick smoothed things over at the Pro Bowl a month later.
"It's the loss that lingers more so than the disrespect and what they did on our field," Wilhelm said. "We want to go out and beat a quality opponent that we hadn't beat in a long time."
Sandwiched in between the playoff losses was a 38-14 loss at Foxborough on Sept. 14, 2007, when Brady and Randy Moss schooled the Chargers.
Tomlinson doesn't even want to refer to it as a rivalry.
"Really and truly I think that's beyond us right now, to call it a rivalry," said Tomlinson, who's been slowed this season by a toe injury. "One, because we haven't beaten them; and two, this is a regular-season game for us. They are in better shape than we are. I wouldn't call it a rivalry. I would say it's just another game on our schedule that happens to be the Patriots and we need a win, badly."
The Chargers are coming off a 17-10 loss at Miami, which just happened to beat the Patriots two weeks earlier. The two-time defending AFC West champions have fallen two games behind Denver, and the Broncos beat the Chargers in their first meeting.
"This is as challenging of a situation as we can be in," Rivers said.
The Chargers are trying to figure out why they've started games slowly. They're hoping a home game in prime time will help them snap out of their funk.
"We need to come out with a bang and get excited and get started quick against this team," Wilhelm said. "We have not only a lot to prove to ourselves, but to this team that we owe some payback to, but to prove to our fans as well."
Even though they don't have Brady, the Patriots do have a winning record behind another California-born quarterback, Matt Cassel.
Cassel has settled in after being thrown into the starting role after Brady went down with a knee injury in the opener. Cassel threw a 66-yard touchdown pass to Moss in a 30-21 win over the 49ers.
Cassel grew up in the Los Angeles suburb of Northridge. He played in the Little League World Series in 1994 when he was 12. At Southern California, he backed up Heisman Trophy winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart.
Now he's 2-0 as a starter on the road and expects to have a lot of family members and friends watching on Sunday. Among them will be older brother Jack, who pitched for the San Diego Padres for part of the 2007 season.
"It's been a wonderful road and a long road and I've had to overcome some adversities here and there, but it's been all worthwhile now that I'm here," Cassel said.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
Bengals QB Palmer has limited practice
CINCINNATI -- Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer handed off during practice Wednesday but didn't participate in plays that called for a pass, part of the plan to help his sore elbow heal.
Palmer sat out a 20-12 loss to Cleveland on Sunday with a sore elbow, hurt a week earlier in a loss to the Giants. Coach Marvin Lewis plans to wait until late in the week to decide whether Palmer will play on Sunday in Dallas.
Backup Ryan Fitzpatrick ran most of the plays on offense Wednesday. He started against the Browns and threw three interceptions. Palmer thinks he can be ready to play against the Cowboys.
"We'll see how Carson does through the week and what the plan of the medical staff is," coach Marvin Lewis said. "We'll just follow that course and see how it comes out."
Palmer said the inflamed elbow is getting better. Although the injury is not considered serious, it could get worse if he tries to come back too quickly. He threw a football on Wednesday, though not in team drills.
"You don't want to over-stress what I've got going on," Palmer said. "When you do, that's when you start either getting tendinitis or start tearing things and requiring surgery later on down the road. So the training staff's going to take this thing as slow as possible and definitely have a long-term mindset, and make sure we're not pushing it too fast."
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
QB Huard will start Sunday for Kansas City
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Damon Huard will be back under center on Sunday for winless Kansas City, giving the Chiefs a different starting quarterback for the fourth week in a row.
Huard, the only one of Kansas City's four quarterbacks who ever won an NFL game, will start against Denver (3-0) while Tyler Thigpen, who threw three picks in his first NFL start last week, returns to the bench.
In the meantime, regular starter Brodie Croyle, who separated his shoulder in the season opener at New England on Sept. 7, began light throwing Wednesday and expects to return on Oct. 19 against Tennessee.
By then, the 0-3 Chiefs could be 0-5 if they don't find some continuity at quarterback and get some consistency in a rookie-laden roster that's struggled in losses to the Patriots, Raiders and Falcons. Last week's 38-14 loss to Atlanta was Kansas City's 12th in a row going back to last October.
Coach Herm Edwards pointed to Huard's experience and Thigpen's interceptions last week in Atlanta as reasons for making a change.
"When you look at us right now, we need a guy who can protect the football, not turn the football over," Edwards said. "We've done that too much the last three games, 30 points we've given up so far on turnovers."
Huard, a 12-year veteran, came off the bench for Croyle at New England and then started the next week against Oakland. Thigpen, a seventh-round pick in 2007 from Coastal Carolina, came off the bench after Huard was slightly injured against the Raiders, then made the start at Atlanta.
"Damon's pretty good and comfortable with protecting the football," said Edwards. "He's been in this position before."
In giving Thigpen the start last week, Edwards indicated he wanted to take a good look at the 24-year-old whose only NFL experience to that point was throwing six passes in a game last year. But evidently, the hunger for victory outweighed the desire to give Thigpen another opportunity to feature what everyone knew would be raw skills.
"When you go back and look at how we played, not making first downs, really turning the ball over on offense. ... You can't do that a whole lot. You get in trouble," Edwards said. "I think Damon understands that. He knows when to make the throw."
Altogether in roughly a game and a half, Thigpen has clicked on 28 of 69 throws for 279 yards and two touchdowns and four interceptions. Benching him, Edwards said, does not necessarily signal the end of his career.
"He was given a great opportunity. We found out a lot about him, and I think he found out a lot about himself, what it's like to start in this league. It's difficult. He's a rookie in my opinion, didn't have a lot of playing time. But you have to build on the young players and the good things that they do, and he did some good things. He needs to grow and get better."
Guard Brian Waters, one of the few veterans on the NFL's youngest team, said nobody is sweating the quarterback chaos.
"It really doesn't change anything," said Waters. "The plays are the same. Really, it's upon those guys to just come in and do what they've been taught. We've had all these (quarterbacks) at some point or another behind us, whether it be in (spring practice) or training camp or whatever.
"Believe me, right now we're getting used to it."
But wouldn't it be nice to just have one quarterback and stick with him?
"It would be, but it's not the situation we're dealing with. We can't live in those dream worlds."
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
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