Filed under: Packers, Steelers, NFL Video, Super Bowl
The frigid weather in Dallas has been perhaps the biggest story during Super Bowl week. Giants QB Eli Manning paid a visit to the FanHouse TV set on radio row to discuss the icy conditions and whether or not he thinks Super Bowl XLVIII in the New York area is a good idea.
Filed under: Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, Ravens, NFC East
The NFC East began 2010 with three elite quarterbacks and one unproven starter. The team that began the season on Sept. 12 with the unproven quarterback won the division even though he wound up starting just five games. Meanwhile, one of the elite trio’s seasons ended with an injury in his fifth game, another was benched in December and the third led the league in interceptions. And the quarterback who replaced the unproven one is starting the Pro Bowl.
That shows you how much things can change in the span of a few months in the NFL. So here’s a look at the NFC East’s quarterbacks.
EAGLES — In 2006, his sixth season in Atlanta, Michael Vick was still considered more of an athlete than a quarterback. But after two years away from the game — most of it spent in prison for dogfighting felonies — and a season as a gimmick player in Philadelphia, Vick exploded back into the spotlight in 2010. After replacing the concussed Kevin Kolb at halftime of Philadelphia’s opener, Vick dazzled the NFL with both his trademark running ability but also a newfound passing excellence and sterling leadership. Vick was leading the NFL in passer rating and yards per-carry and had yet to turn the ball over before his shock and awe performance on “Monday Night Football” at Washington on Nov. 15. Just hours after the Redskins announced a five-year contract extension with 2000-09 Eagles starter Donovan McNabb, Vick quarterbacked the Eagles to a quick 35-0 lead en route to an eventual 59-28 rout. The one-time pariah was the toast of Philadelphia and the talk of the league.
Filed under: Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, Ravens, NFC East
The NFC East began 2010 with three elite quarterbacks and one unproven starter. The team that began the season on Sept. 12 with the unproven quarterback won the division even though he wound up starting just five games. Meanwhile, one of the elite trio’s seasons ended with an injury in his fifth game, another was benched in December and the third led the league in interceptions. And the quarterback who replaced the unproven one is starting the Pro Bowl.
That shows you how much things can change in the span of a few months in the NFL. So here’s a look at the NFC East’s quarterbacks.
EAGLES — In 2006, his sixth season in Atlanta, Michael Vick was still considered more of an athlete than a quarterback. But after two years away from the game — most of it spent in prison for dogfighting felonies — and a season as a gimmick player in Philadelphia, Vick exploded back into the spotlight in 2010. After replacing the concussed Kevin Kolb at halftime of Philadelphia’s opener, Vick dazzled the NFL with both his trademark running ability but also a newfound passing excellence and sterling leadership. Vick was leading the NFL in passer rating and yards per-carry and had yet to turn the ball over before his shock and awe performance on “Monday Night Football” at Washington on Nov. 15. Just hours after the Redskins announced a five-year contract extension with 2000-09 Eagles starter Donovan McNabb, Vick quarterbacked the Eagles to a quick 35-0 lead en route to an eventual 59-28 rout. The one-time pariah was the toast of Philadelphia and the talk of the league.
Filed under: Giants, Redskins, NFC East
The New York Giants took care of their end of the bargain, beating the host Washington Redskins 17-14 on Sunday, but they still missed the NFC playoffs when the Chicago Bears couldn’t hold on to beat the Green Bay Packers.
New York (10-6) jumped on top 10-0 and led 17-7 when receiver Mario Manningham burned Washington Pro Bowl cornerback DeAngelo Hall for a 92-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Eli Manning just 2:41 into the second half. The Redskins closed to 17-14 on quarterback Rex Grossman‘s 64-yard touchdown throw to receiver Anthony Armstrong with 5:52 remaining. However, Washington (6-10) only ran six more plays and didn’t advance past its own 36 yard-line the rest of the way.
Defensive end Osi Umenyiora had a big game for the Giants, sacking Grossman twice and forcing fumbles in New York territory. The turnovers were two of Washington’s four failures in the red zone. The others were an errant 30-yard field goal try by Graham Gano and a fumble by receiver Santana Moss fighting for extra yardage at the 10 in the fourth quarter.
In his third start since replacing six-time Pro Bowl pick Donovan McNabb as Washington’s quarterback, Grossman was 26-of-44 for 336 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
What a difference a week and a few hours, can make.
A week ago Sunday afternoon, the host New York Giants were cruising 31-10 over the Philadelphia Eagles with less than eight minutes to play in the showdown for the NFC East lead and seemingly putting to rest all those stories about how coach Tom Coughlin’s teams — other than in 2007 — fold down the stretch like so much laundry.
This Sunday night, the Giants will lie in their beds in their Appleton, Wis. hotel rooms wondering what happened to the team that was 6-2 at midseason and on the verge of going 10-4 a week ago. As every NFL fan knows all too well, Big Blue was torched for four late touchdowns in being stunned 38-31 by the Eagles last Sunday.This Sunday, New York followed with a miserable 45-17 shellacking at Green Bay. Suddenly, after being outscored 73-17 over the last 67:28, the Giants are 9-6 and in serious danger of missing the playoffs for a second straight year.
Now trailing the Packers for the NFC’s sixth and final spot, the Giants will only be playing past Jan. 2 if they beat the Redskins that afternoon while Chicago wins at Green Bay or if they win at Washington, Green Bay wins and current fifth-place team New Orleans loses Monday night at Atlanta and next Sunday at home to Tampa Bay.
“(Our frustration level is) at an all-time high,” said Giants defensive tackle Barry Cofield. “I didn’t think it could be worse than last week. Last week was more stunning; this is just disappointing. You can’t go out there and have bad performance after bad performance and keep saying that we will get it right. We just have a tendency not to play well enough.”
Filed under: Giants, Packers, NFC East, NFC North
The Green Bay Packers are still very much alive in the NFC playoff race, while the New York Giants are clinging to their postseason lives.
The Packers‘ 45-17 win over the Giants — led by a brilliant performance from Aaron Rodgers — put them just one win away from getting to the playoffs. The Giants, meanwhile, are in big trouble and need a lot of help to advance.
New York (9-6) is now left on the outside looking in, hoping Green Bay (9-6) falls next week to Chicago or New Orleans (10-4) loses out.
Some thoughts on the game:
Filed under: 49ers, Bengals, Chiefs, Colts, Eagles, Atlanta Falcons, Jets, Giants, Packers, Patriots, Rams, Redskins, Titans, Vikings, AFC East, AFC North, AFC South, AFC West, NFC East, NFC North, NFC South, NFC West, NFL Rumors, NFL Analysis
Michael Vick, DeSean Jackson and the Eagles strutted out of East Rutherford on a well-deserved high, looking very much like a team that could represent the NFC in Super Bowl.
The Giants?
Mathematically, the loss didn’t hurt as much as it seemed. New York still controls its own destiny, and can clinch a playoff berth — and leave last Sunday in its rear-view window — with a victory Sunday in Green Bay.
But mentally? Well, that may be another story. The Giants were a beaten team — both on the scoreboard and between their ears — as they walked off the field last Sunday, so much so that Eli Manning called a team meeting on Monday for the first time in his career.
So, can the Giants pick up the pieces in time to salvage a season that through 14 weeks and three quarters seemed so promising?
Filed under: Atlanta Falcons, Giants, Saints, Seahawks, Vikings, NFL Video
Is this finally the end of the line for Brett Favre in an NFL uniform? Can the Giants recover from the Miracle at the Meadowlands sequel? Which team will emerge out of the uninspiring NFC West?
FanHouse NFL Senior Writer Chris Harry joined FanHouse Live with the answers.
Filed under: Eagles, Giants, NFC East
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Urban mythology has it that only cockroaches and Twinkies can survive a nuclear holocaust. You can now add Matt Dodge to that list.
“By God’s grace I’m still here,” he said Monday.
The Giants‘ punter didn’t know if his name would still be above his locker. Not after becoming the star of New York’s collapse against Philadelphia.
Blowing a 31-10 lead in the final eight minutes wasn’t quite as devastating as a nuclear attack. New Yorkers might even agree with that once they crawl out from under their lounge chairs.
The city was in full recrimination mode Monday. The cover of the New York Post featured a picture of two Giants futilely chasing Michael Vick. Their helmets had been replaced by the heads of a Bulldog and a Chihuahua.
“GIANTS DOG IT” was the headline.
And for their next trick …?
