Week Two Preview: New York Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys.

The Cowboys make their home debut Sunday night against the New York Giants and there will be fireworks, sparks, and a ton of excitement and that’s just before the game starts. 

The Giants defense manhandled the Redskins last week forcing two turnovers and sacking Jason Campbell three times. The Giants will continue to use their nine man rotation to generate pressure and force turnovers.

Linebacker Antonio Pierce leads a unit that includes Osi Umenyiora, who returned a fumble for a touchdown and Justin Tuck who was the leading sack man for the Giants last season with 12. Not playing is former Cowboy Chris Canty, who injured his calf on Wednesday and did not practice on Thursday.

The Giants will also be without starting corner Aaron Ross however, which means second year player Terrell Thomas will start in his place. The Giants secondary isn’t a great one so if their front seven doesn’t get pressure expect Tony Romo to have a game similar to last week when he torched the Buccaneers secondary for 353 yards and three TD’s.

Also not playing on Sunday is receiver Hakeem Nicks and backup running back Danny Ware. However Brandon Jacobs is playing and he loves to play in Dallas. Jacobs has ran for over 100 yards in the last two games against the Cowboys and shared his feelings about them earlier this week saying, “I hate the Cowboys with a bloody passion.”

Eli Manning was a very efficient 20-29 for 256 yards last week against the Redskins throwing one TD and one interception. However that TD was the only score on offense for the Giants as they went 0-3 in the red zone with Lawrence Tynes kicking three field goals.

The Giants are a running team and will rely on that to guide them to victory but if the Cowboys can step up to the challenge and force the Giants into passing situations they can send DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer at Manning and they’ll have a good chance of winning their first home game.

The Cowboys bring a potent offense home that torched the Bucs for 462 yards and while the Giants front seven may pose a huge challenge for the Cowboys, they’ve stepped up to the challenge recently. The Cowboys are 4-0 in regular season games that Romo has started against the Giants.

The Cowboys offensive line is one of the biggest in the league, and that combined with Romo’s maneuverability has helped them escape the Giants pass rush in recent years.

Sunday night won’t be any different. If the Cowboys can give Romo protection then he has an arsenal of receivers including tight ends Jason Witten and Martellus Bennett who have an advantage over the Giants linebackers.

The run game will have to be huge for the Cowboys to come away with a win. In their last game it was Tashard Choice who had the big night with 91 yards on nine carries and a TD. Marion Barber was limited to only eight carries by Wade Phillips because of his foot injury.

With Barber and Jones healthy for this game expect all three to see action and to keep the running game fresh throughout. If the Cowboys get a lead late in the game Barber will be in there to close the game out.

The Cowboys defense will have its hands full with Brandon Jacobs, who the Giants will make sure gets the bulk of the carries.

The Cowboys didn’t do a good job of shedding blocks last week and will have to fill the gaps because once Jacobs gets started, he’s hard to bring down and no one wants to see cornerback Mike Jenkins run from Jacobs again. 

While the Giants no longer have a No. 1 receiver, like the Cowboys they have a group of solid guys that can get open and make plays. Mario Manningham had a 30-yard TD last week against the Redskins. Steve Smith had 80 yards receiving and tight end Kevin Boss had 62 yards on three catches.

The Cowboys front seven is just as potent and as aggressive as the Giants, so it’s going to come down to what team can stay out of second and long as well as third and long situations and which team can establish their running game.

Both teams are going to improve on their efforts from last week and with 100,000 in attendance this game won’t disappoint.

The Cowboys have more weapons on both sides of the ball and their passing game will be the difference, especially if the Cowboys get the pressure everyone is waiting for.

Cowboys over Giants: 24-17.

 

 

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Ravens-Chargers: East Coast Teams Fall Flat In San Diego

Baltimore Ravens fans, writers, players, and cronies all believe that the Ravens “should” go into to San Diego and beat the Chargers.

Are you serious?

I know that the Chargers struggled to beat Oakland (whose defense is much better than you think), but seriously, why does no one look at history?

Teams that fly from the Northeastern part of the United States have very little success in San Diego in recent years.

 

2008

Chargers 30, New England Patriots (No Tom Brady) 10

Chargers 48, New York Jets 29

2007

Chargers 32, Baltimore Ravens 14

2006

Chargers 23, Pittsburgh Steelers 13

The Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers were the last Northeastern team to win in San Diego, which happened in 2005 on a last second field goal.

In the same season however, the Buffalo Bills were drilled 48-10 by the Chargers, while the New York Giants were engulfed 45-23. 

Chargers blowouts of East Coast teams caused the NFL to change the rules to protect the East Coast teams from having to travel the the West Coast too often. Not surprisingly, the NFL made no such concession for West Coast teams.

Make no mistake. Had San Diego not embarrassed the New York Jets and New England Patriots (and those teams didn’t even compete) on national television last season, there would have been no rule change.

The Ravens, playing at home, against a backup quarterback in a new offensive system (with no offensive coordinator-he was fired) barely won their battle with the Chiefs. 

Somehow, the score in that game was 24-24 with less than five minutes to play.

Flacco, up against the worst pass rushing team in NFL history, led the Ravens to the go ahead touchdown via the air. Meanwhile, Chiefs backup quarterback Brodie Croyle fumbled inside his own 20 to hand Baltimore another garbage touchdown to seal the game.

Folks, that is what you call lipstick on a pig.

You’re supposed to dominate an inferior team at home. You should find a way to beat an equal team at home, and you should give a superior team a good battle and maybe even win if they come to your house.

Don’t get swept away in a wave of euphoria just yet. Look at the history of the 2006 Chargers. They were a team we know was good, but got beat by two road opponents that had no business beating them. 

The Chargers had beaten the dreadful Oakland Raiders and terrible Tennessee Titans a combined 67-7 and then traveled to playoff-bound Baltimore and got beat at the buzzer 16-13 after completely dominating on the stat sheet.

After running roughshod over the San Francisco 49ers and Pittsburgh Steelers a combined 72-32, they were once again beaten at the last second by a playoff bound team. The Kansas City Chiefs won in Kansas City 30-27.

You can’t expect to go into a good team’s house and roll or you may be rolled yourself.

It’s for good reason that the odds-makers weren’t stupid enough to make Baltimore the favorites in this one folks.

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Mel Kiper’s Wrong: Michael Crabtree Won’t Be a First Rounder

“With the 21st Pick in the 1998 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings select…Randy Moss!”

Those words should be haunting Michael Crabtree right now.

If Mel Kiper, or Crabtree’s deadbeat cousin, or Eugene Parker, or any other delusional dreamers think that he has a snowball’s chance of becoming a top 10 pick in the 2010 NFL Draft…all they need to do is remember the quote above.

Let’s revisit the year 1998, shall we?

There was no doubting Randy Moss’s talent. In fact, he had many parallels to Crabtree.

Like Michael Crabtree, he was a top Heisman candidate—Moss finished in fourth place. Also like Crabtree, Moss came from a school that wasn’t exactly a perennial BCS contender (Marshall). Finally, Moss had a “full of myself” reputation that was highlighted when he worse sunglasses to the Heisman ceremony.

And like Michael Crabtree, Randy Moss was supposed to be a top pick.

Many analysts expected Moss to join the Cowboys, who held the No. 8 pick in the draft. Even that would have been a slide down the draft board. His talent was clearly Top Five potential.

But because of his attitude and his off-field issues, Moss fell to No. 21. His episode with marijuana and a domestic violence rap cost him untold millions of dollars.

That’s where the two stories part. Moss accepted the money that he was offered, became a rookie sensation, and put himself on the right track. Crabtree wants his reward before making a single NFL reception.

The reason we must examine this story is because it shows how seriously teams treat bad apples. They don’t want to touch them. They don’t want to look at them. They don’t want to waste their brain power even thinking about them.

And here’s another dirty little secret…

…GM’s can forgive drug use or domestic violence. They will NEVER tolerate crimes that affect their financial statements.

If Randy Moss had held out the 1998 season and re-entered the draft, he would have fallen to the fifth round. Guaranteed.

Mel Kiper’s argument that Crabtree will go Top 12 next year is so asinine that it’s hard to know where to begin. I’ll make three simple points to counter his sensationalistic attention grab:

* If teams wanted him so bad, he wouldn’t have fallen to No. 10 in the 2009 Draft. There were two other teams in between the Raiders (No. 7) and the 49ers (No. 10) who felt that Crabtree’s skills did not make him valuable enough to obviate their positional needs. If he was really that good, he would have gone to the Packers at No. 9.

Oh, and 2010 is a much more loaded draft than 2009, so it only gets harder.

 

* There is no position where conditioning and attitude matter more than WR. Let’s face it, if a receiver loses a step, or even a half-step, he’s done. Falling out of shape is the death knell for a wide receiver, even one of unmatched talent. Just ask Charles Rogers. Crabtree will have missed a year of top-tier conditioning (and no, catching passes from Shaun Hill doesn’t count).

Let’s not even get started on attitude problems. Is there any position in sports that is more susceptible to attitude problems than wide receiver? Nope. T-O, Ochocinco, Keyshawn Johnson, the aforementioned Detroit Lions bust.

Wide receivers drive teams nuts, and Crabtree is looking like he has studied his predecessors well.

 

*Risk. Risk. Risk. Risk. GMs hate taking unnecessary risk. There is more to lose than to gain. Making a seemingly good draft pick and having that pick turn into a bust…that’s bad. Picking somebody who has existing red flags and having that guy bust? That is career-ending for a GM.

 

There is no chance that Crabtree will be a top 10 Pick. He probably won’t be a first rounder. And because Al Davis clearly doesn’t like him, he may not get taken in the early second round either.

If he thinks that the three reasons above are not convincing, he should hop on the phone with Randy Moss.

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10 Best Cowboys-Giants Games of the Last 12 Seasons

Sunday Night Football looks to present us with yet another installment of one of the most bitter rivalries in the NFL between the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants, a series so storied and so intense, that it literally needs no introduction.

It has been an extremely captivating match up since the game was first played between the two in 1960. However, the last 12 years has had no shortage of notable and amazing games. Without further ado, the 10 Greatest Cowboys-Giants game of the last 12 years.

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Your Favorite Uncle’s NFL Week Two Picks Against the Spread

Under the most poignant moment in NFL history (see photo), your Uncle Spleefy will break down the games for you and make the hard choices that each week provides.

My advice to you? Bet hard and bet often. Call DiTech, refi that humble abode of yours, and let’s turn it into a castle. We can do this…Got a hunch? Bet a bunch!

Last week I went 10-6. You’ll have to trust me on that because I hadn’t started this gig as of yet, but I did in fact go 10-6. A great accomplishment? Yeah, but not really.

Vegas likes to set the spreads a little easier the first week so people get reeled in, letting them think it’s child play and then as the season goes on they start betting heavy. Which of course is my advice to you as well. Bah bah bah bet? Yes yes yes yes!

There really is no better way to test your NFL knowledge than to try to beat Vegas. These guys don’t give money away, so if you come out +50 percent, you’re really doing something. It would really be something to establish a +75 percent, but that’s dreaming.

If a guy could do that, he’d sell everything and move to the desert. Which of course, is exactly what I recommend to you, dear reader…

With no further fluff, here’s your unk’s picks with short reasoning…

ATL cover CAR (-6.5)

Home game for Atlanta; Jake Delhomme has 11 turnovers in his last 51 attempts. Can Carolina afford to keep him in the game, much less pay that crazy contract they gave him after single-handedly throwing all post season aspirations out the window last year? My only trepidation is why is this line only 6.5?

When that happens, Vegas knows something and they are suckering you in. I’m going to bite on this, however. I see Jake getting benched after turnover three and AJ Feel-me mopping up the loss. Give the points, take the home team.

MIN cover DET (-10)

Ten points is a big spread against a divisional rival at their home. More times than not you are going to take the points and usually walk away with the money. However, Stafford’s a rook, Kevin Smith ran for only 20 yards last week against a weak defense, and the Vikings are going to run, run and run for TDs.

The last two games were nail biters against Detroit, but the Vikings won’t let that happen this year. Give the points, take Minny.

CIN cover GB (+9)

Going against the reasoning in the Minnesota game, the points are too great in this one. The Bengals have a very good defense, their offense is used to the 3-4, and they have two dynamic WRs in Ocho and Henry.

If Palmer can stay upright, and his two WRs stop dropping balls, the Bengals have a good chance at winning, no less covering. Take the points, watch your friends call you a lunatic. Cash in Monday.

TEN cover HOU (-6.5)

This is another classic case of Vegas begging you to take the points. Do they know something? They might. The line started -7 and dropped a half point Wednesday. The Titans by all means should crush Houston Sunday. They played very well against the Steelers, and Houston was embarrassed and beaten hard by the Jets.

Why this wouldn’t be more like a -10 spread is what has me worried. But I’ve never understood why the Texans are getting as much positive press as they have lately. I really don’t like Schaub, and their defense is less than spotty. I’m calling Vegas on this sucker bet and taking it.

It’s the case where they’re making it easy so the bettors gain confidence. Give the points, take the Titans.

OAK cover KC (+3)

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but the Seymour trade looks like it might be a good idea. While they’ll have to give him a contract extension, at least they know what they’re getting. Signing another top ten pick that should have been a fourth-rounder to $40 million has got to be killing Al Davis.

Give it to a proven vet, because you obviously can’t draft with the rest of the league. I get it, I like it…for the Raiders this year anyway. In addition, Russell looked good in spots last Monday. McFadden might just pan out. They don’t need Heyward-Bey this year, which is a good thing. Take the points, pick Oakland.

NYJ cover NE (+3.5)

I ought to have my head examined for this one. I just have a gut feeling. I like the Junior Ryan’s mouthy approach to this, and I think the Pats are licking their wounds from last Monday. They were absolutely lucky to get that win, and a more disciplined team takes it from them.

I see that team in the Jets. Plus, you get 3.5 points for the home team. Of course, the Pats could always go off to shut the Jets mouths up for this past week. Nah, take the points, take the Jets.

PHI cover NO (pick)

New Orleans is not playing the Detroit defense this week. I also am not a fan of their own defense. I liked the offseason additions of Vilma and Greer, but Sharper is way past his prime. Payton has had Reid’s number the last few years, which is a little unnerving, but it’s at Philly.

Even if Kolb does start, I like the Eagles D to trim the offensive production and swarm Brees.  Everyone is taking the Saints based on McNabb’s injury, but I’m picking Philly’s D over the Saints O. A straight up winner here, I like the home team.

STL cover WAS (+10)

These are the picks I hate making. You know the Redskins are going to win, just not by how much. St Louis is just an awful team, one that makes you wonder how a franchise gets this bad this fast. My survivor pick, the Redskins, could very well cover this week, but I see them running the ball over the Rams.

They were right in courting other QBs. Campbell is not the answer. And unless you have Adrian Peterson on your team, you’re looking at a low-scoring, win by a touchdown/FG victory here. I usually will tell you to bet your wife’s car, but on this one take it easy. If you must, take the points, and take the Rams to cover.

JAC cover AZ (-3)

Hangover. 38-year-old QB with a bad hip on a passing team. Mighty Mite. Passes will stop deflecting off Fitzes’ hands soon enough, but Boldin is really hurt this time. His routes were sloppy and slow, and he should not be on the field this weekend. Give the points, take the home squad.

BUF cover TB (-5)

Another tight one; Buffalo is coming off a huge emotional letdown. Tampa is a very young team led by a capable Leftwich. In games like this I look for the better defense to prevail. I like where Buffalo is going and if they don’t let last week affect them this week, they’ll win going away.

Even though I’m not a fan of Jauron, or Wilson for that matter, give the points and take the home team.

SEA cover SF (+1.5)

Don’t get me wrong here, I like where Frisco is going with Singletary, even though he dropped his drawers last year in front of 75 grown men. San Fran is an unglamorous sleeper that is very underrated at this point. It’s just that Hasselbeck isn’t hurt yet.

The early reports that Houshmandzadeh was out seem to be wrong and looks like he’s going to suit up. Keep your eye on that right to the line. Take the points, pick the Seahags.

CHI cover PIT (+3)

Obvious = no Troy. Chicago is at home, and they’re coming off being embarrassed—wait, no—Cutler is coming off being embarrassed against the Pack. Even though Chi fans don’t like his attitude after the game, I do.

It’s the same kind of “oops, oh well” Eli Manning spouts off after making terrible decisions. But a bad memory is a good thing when you were that bad. I like Chicago for my upset special this weekend.

Take Chicago at home, and take the three.

DEN cover CLE (-3)

The home team usually automatically gets a three-point gimme, and that’s what this is here. A quick look at the QB situations for both teams, and you have to give the edge to Orton. At least he’s serviceable.

“Noodles” Quinn last week attempted no less than five downfield passes before the fourth quarter, and Mangina’s game plan was absolutely horrible. Give the points, take the home team.

BAL cover SD (+3)

I’m a little concerned about Baltimore’s defense. Maybe they’re feeling the loss of Rex Ryan. Letting KC score at all last week was a surprise to me. I’d tread lightly on this pick, and if you have to bet, bet low.

I know, I know, no balls.

OK, bet the f’n farm, big boy. San Diego played a late Monday night game, and I look for the Ravens to bounce back defensively. Take the points, take the visitors.

NYG cover DAL (+3)

If the Giants are going to live up to their NFC expectations, there is no time like the present. Going to the new Taj Mahal of stadiums in Big Texas, they need to get after Romo early and often. Romo is an incredible 8-1 in September, but not against this team. Take the points, take the Giants.

IND cover MIA (-3)

While I’ve been picking a lot of visiting teams this week, I think this one has merit. Miami isn’t as bad as last week, and the Colts aren’t as good as they were last year with their new coach. Manning will miss Gonzalez, but they just made a great move in getting Baskett, and of course they have Wayne. Take the visitors and give the points.

Now remember, these are FOOL-PROOF PICKS. You CAN’T LOSE. Mortgage, sell, liquidate, raise that cash and get on the horn.

Run, don’t walk.

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Expert NFL Football Picks: Week Two Predictions

Week One of the NFL season brought with it a lot of surprises and upsets, as well as a few injuries. Week Two should be no different. There will be unexpected NFL winners, and a few teams that shouldn’t lose will.

So what should you expect this time around? Let’s see what you should look out for in Week Two.

 

Oakland vs. Kansas City (Kansas City -3)

It’s been a while since the Kansas City Chiefs were actually favored to win a game, but when you’re playing the Raiders, it’s not hard to see why. The Chiefs went down to the wire with the Ravens last week, who went to the AFC championship game last season.

The Raiders looked strong in the first half against the Chargers, only to fade down the stretch. Expect a physical game that will probably be low-scoring. This should be the first game of the Matt Cassel era in Kansas City, which should help the offense.

 

Houston vs. Tennessee (Tennessee -6.5)

The Titans lost a heartbreaker against the tough Pittsburgh Steelers. Anytime you can go into Heinz Field and only lose by a field goal in overtime, you played a pretty good game overall.

The Titans should be able to get their running game going a little better against the Houston defense. The Texans will look to rebound from a terrible performance in Week One against the Jets. Look for the Texans to get Steve Slaton and Andre Johnson involved in the game early.

 

New England vs. New York Jets (New England -3.5)

New England barely came back and beat the Bills on Monday Night Football last week. Will they be able to impose their will against the hot New York Jets? Mark Sanchez looked like a veteran under center in his first game and will try to continue with his solid play in Week Two.

The Jets defense looked pretty decent under new coach Rex Ryan. This one should be a pretty good game.

Note to Jets: If you see anybody with a camera in the huddle, you might want to make them leave.

 

Cincinnati vs. Green Bay (Green Bay -9)

The Green Bay defense appears to be for real. They were flying around like madmen against the Bears on Sunday night, and they look to be markedly improved. Throw in a stud quarterback in Aaron Rodgers and a healthy Ryan Grant, and you’ve got a recipe for success.

With that being said, Chad Ochocinco looked like he was ready to finally play again in Week One. If the rest of the team can play better, they can compete with anyone.

 

Minnesota vs. Detroit (Minnesota -10)

This line is no surprise, considering the Vikings are one of the best teams in the league and the Lions are the worst. Detroit made a lot of changes in the offseason, but you wouldn’t have known it watching them get dismantled against the Saints.

Maybe the Lions pull it together behind Matt Stafford and put up a good game. However, the Vikes look like they are going to be legitimate contenders this year.

 

Carolina vs. Atlanta (Atlanta -6)

Tony G’s first game in Falcon black looked pretty good. He added another dimension to the offense, even though Michael Turner couldn’t get going on the ground.

Matt Ryan played pretty well in the opener, and the defense did great. They made the Miami offense look ridiculous and held them to seven points.

Last week, the Panthers flat-out were embarrassed by the Eagles. Can Jake Delhomme rebound against the Falcons?

 

St. Louis vs. Washington (Washington -9.5)

Can the Rams actually score a point this week? They put up a big zero against the Seahawks last week. Can the Redskins rebound from a loss to the G-Men last week? Look for a low-scoring game in this one.

 

Arizona vs. Jacksonville (Jacksonville -3)

Arizona looked completely lost without offensive coordinator Todd Haley calling the plays. Will Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, and Anquan Boldin be able to right the ship?

Look out for a big game from Maurice Jones-Drew of Jacksonville. He is a threat to rush and receive and has a nose for the end zone.

 

Seattle vs. San Francisco (San Francisco -1.5)

According to the oddsmakers, this should be a pretty evenly matched game. Expect a pretty good game with a lot of big plays on both sides of the ball. The Seahawks seemed renewed with their quarterback back in the fold. The Niners played a pretty solid game under Mike Singletary.

 

Tampa Bay vs. Buffalo (Buffalo -5)

The Bills stood toe-to-toe with New England and almost came away with a win. The Bucs pretty much got embarrassed by the Cowboys as Tony Romo threw all over their defense. The running game for the Bucs looked solid with Cadillac Williams and Derrick Ward carrying the ball. This should be a pretty evenly matched game.

 

Cleveland vs. Denver (Denver -3)

Who was in charge of giving the Broncos the Bengals and the Browns in the first two weeks of the season? Nothing like giving a bad team an easier schedule to start out with.

The McD era started out pretty slowly in Denver, but a lucky fluke of a play gave them the win. Will they be so lucky against the Browns? Look for Brady Quinn to have a solid game against an overrated Denver D.

 

Baltimore vs. San Diego (San Diego -3)

The Ravens looked downright dominant at times last week yet still almost gave away the game. The Chargers looked a little out of sync but ultimately won the game against the Raiders.

The Ravens defense is still as good as ever, and if last week is any indication, Joe Flacco will be given the green light to pass. Look for a very good game in this one.

 

Pittsburgh vs. Chicago (Pittsburgh -3)

Although the Steelers win a lot of games, it seems like they always give the other team a chance to win. This one should be no different as Matt Forte and Jay Cutler look to rebound from a disappointing first game.

Cutler had a tough time with Green Bay’s defense, so what should we expect against the Steelers?

 

New York Giants vs. Dallas (Dallas -3)

Tony Romo rebounded from a poor 2008 to put up a monster game in Week One. The Giants also looked strong again. Look for a very good game between two good teams here.

 

Indianapolis vs. Miami (Indy -3)

Miami got off to a rough start last week, and it doesn’t get any easier against the Colts. Peyton Manning looked good as always. The loss of Anthony Gonzalez won’t help the offense, but they should still score some points.

 

Check out Vernon Croy’s Expert NFL Football Picks for Week Two.

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Commish’s NFL Picks of the Week: Week Two

I had a disappointing Week One, going 1-1.

It’s even, but that’s not what we’re looking for.

Nothing much stands out this week. I’ve got no real GOLD to go after. There are a couple of games I feel real confident about, though.

Game 1

The Minnesota Vikings are 10-point favorites over the Detroit Lions. They should easily cover that, even though the game is @ Detroit. 

Rookie Matt Stafford and the Lions should have a few turnovers against the Vikings’ spectacular defense. 

When you give Adrian Peterson and Brett Favre extra opportunities, the score will run up.

Game 2

The Dallas Cowboys are three-point favorites over the New York Giants.  I have the Cowboys covering in this game. 

All of the experts are split on this one. They point out the Giants defensive front seven versus the Cowboys offensive line. Both units are good. The problem with that thinking is that those units aren’t the only ones in the game. 

The Cowboys also have a good pass rush. They will get to Eli Manning. When Eli is pressured, he makes mistakes and gets frustrated. I see that happening. It’s going to be DeMarcus Ware in his face all day.

One also has to factor in the excitement of the Cowboys opening their new billion-dollar stadium. That place will have over 100,000 fans! Talk about a 12th-man advantage. 

 

*This is my you can’t sue me cuz I’m telling you don’t believe me and don’t bet disclaimer. If you bet on my ideas you are out of your mind and did it all on your own. I had nothing to do with it cuz I told ya not to.”

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Fantasy Football: Week One Water Cooler Chat

 

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Washington Redskins Allow Game Tweets: A Crack in the NFL Armor?

Did the Washington Redskins find a weak spot in the NFL social media policy?

I hope so.

As you know a couple of weeks ago, the NFL unveiled a social media policy tighter than Fort Knox, restricting anybody related to the NFL from utilizing social media 90 minutes before and after any NFL games.

I wrote earlier that I expect the NFL to enforce that policy on the players and personnel through hefty fines and public admonitions.  It has caused Chad Ochocinco to consider closing his Twitter account rather than attempting to fight the system.

However, the NFL’s policy of restricting fans from using social media during games was something I didn’t believe could be enforced. 

Now it looks like that one NFL team has thrown the NFL’s defense off by testing that policy starting this Sunday.

In an article written by Aaron Brazell it says that the Washington Redskins are actually encouraging their fans to Tweet during games using the #redskins hashtag that will be posted on large screens in the stadium and online for those who aren’t at the game.

Encouraging fan engagement during NFL football games?  What a novel concept!

If the Redskins are successful, which I completely believe they will be, I expect other NFL teams will come out with their own ways to get fans engaged using social media during games this fall.

When that happens, I hope the NFL will take notice and start looking to go from a defensive to an offensive mode and score points with social media savvy NFL fans…like me. 

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Steve Raquel is sports fan and an online social media expert who helps professional athletes, individuals and businesses navigate and succeed in leveraging social media as the president of Illinois Online Ventures.  Contact Steve directly at sraquel@iovmedia or follow him on twitter at @sraquel.

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Vikings Vs. Lions Preview: Favre the Disarming Teammate

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

Brett Favre’s debut as Viking quarterback was a resounding success as Minnesota prevailed on the road in Cleveland, 34-20. Adrian Peterson rushed for 180 yards and three touchdowns, but just as importantly, Favre had no turnovers and not once displayed the urge to toss some crazy, underhanded pass.

Favre also showed the boyish, unbridled enthusiasm he is known for, celebrating wildly after a touchdown pass to Percy Harvin.

“I think you can put the talk of a ‘divided’ locker room to rest,” says Jared Allen. “It’s hard not to root for Brett, especially since he’s on my team. He’s got such a ‘disarming’ quality about him, and that has nothing to do with his history of injuries.”

“Brett and I are both country boys, so we bonded immediately over talk of high-powered rifles, camouflage coveralls, and smokeless tobacco. Heck, we’re already swapping jeans like giddy schoolgirls.”

Only for the Vikes can such a monstrous day from a running back be overshadowed by such a mediocre day from a quarterback. Of course, the Lions’ Matthew Stafford would kill to have a day like Favre’s.

Then, by extension, Stafford would probably commit genocide for a running back with Peterson’s talent. Stafford had three interceptions and a passer rating of 27.4 in a loss to the Saints.

“I don’t expect Matthew to run and hide from this,” says Jim Schwartz. “He may be a rookie, but he can own up to his mistakes. In fact, he micro-blogged about it on his personal social networking site, Jitter.”

It won’t be easy for Stafford against the Vikes, either. Running is difficult, and nearly impossible, against Minnesota. Defensive tackles Kevin and Pat Williams are free from suspensions for now, and defiantly wear Dallas Cowboy hats in protest of the furor over their use of the Star Caps supplement.

They’ll force Stafford to throw it, which he should be able to do against the Vikings secondary.

But the Lions have to make Favre beat them. What’s the best way to do that? Well, they could load the box with 11, or they could call a press conference and order Favre to make a decision immediately.

Peterson goes for 150 yards and one touchdown, and Favre hits tight end Visanthe Shiancoe for a score. With the game in hand late in the fourth quarter, Favre retires to the bench.

Minnesota wins, 34-21.

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