Week 8: They Might Be Giants: Sunday Recap

After spending a weekend back in college I have learned a few things, unfortunately I can't remember any of them right now because trying to relive 4 years of college in 3 days can make things a little fuzzy. The good news is we made it back in one piece and in time to recover on the couch with week 8 of the NFL.

- Eli Manning and the New Your Giants pulled off a win against the Dallas Cowboys making them 4-0 when they play the Cowboys in Dallas. The Giants seemed to be on their way to a blow out when they were up 23-0 in the 2nd quarter, due mostly to turnovers by the Dallas Cowboys. But Tony Romo was not going down without a fight and the Cowboys rallied to take the lead 23-24. But we all know by now that Eli Manning is never done and he managed to lead the Giants down the field twice for field goals to make it 29-24. Romo had one last chance and it looked like he had it when he threw what looked like a touchdown pass to Dex Bryant with 44 seconds remaining in the game. However, when the officials took a look at the play they saw that Bryant's had went out of bounds making the pass incomplete. The Cowboys still had 3 more chances to pull off the win but Romo was not able to make it happen. Tony Romo threw for a career high 437 yards with three receivers having 100+ yard days. "Impress Him" Fact: Jason Witten broke his own Cowboys record with 18 catches for 167 yards. That is the most receptions by a tight end in NFL history. In the end, the Cowboys will blame the loss on turnovers, 4 interceptions thrown by Romo and 2 lost fumbles.

so so close but no cigar for Dez Bryant and the Cowboys

-While the Pittsburg Steelers may have looked like a bunch of grown men in bumble bee costumes on Sunday, their throwback uniforms seemed to give them the edge the needed to beat RG3 and the Washington Redskins. The Steelers specialize in shutting down rookie quarterbacks, they are 14-1 against rookies since 2004, and today was no different. The Steelers defense managed to hold RG3 to just 177 passing yards and 8 rushing yards. Big Ben Roethlisberger threw for 222 yards and 3 touchdowns to get the 12-27 win over the Redskins.

I would not want this kid trick or treating in my neighborhood

- The Atlanta Falcons are still undefeated after beating the Philadelphia Eagles 30-17. This is the second time that Michael Vick has started against his former team since returning to the NFL in 2009 after spending 16 months in jail on dog-fighting charges. The only good news for Vick today was that he didnt turn the ball over once, which has been an issue for him this season. On the other hand, Matt Ryan completed 22 of 29 passes for 262 yards and 3 TDs for the Atlanta Falcons who are 7-0 for the first time in Franchise history. Meanwhile, the Eagles were booed off their own home field and head coach, Andy Reid should probably be polishing up the old resume.

I feel like I can actually hear him screaming in this picture

All in all it was a pretty uneventful Sunday...or maybe I was just zoned out after my weekend in Sewanee. Check back in tomorrow when I recap the MNF game between the Arizona Cardinals and the San Francisco 49'ers.

Week 8: Off The Grid

This week I have been a bad little blogger. I skipped re-capping Monday night's game, mostly because it was a snoozer (the Chicago Bears beat the Detroit Lions 13-7) and I will likely not be able to recap tonight's game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Minnesota Vikings...but I have a good excuse! I am heading up to Sewanee, TN for my 10 year college reunion. For those of you who don't know anything about Sewanee, it is literally on top of a mountain called the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee...somewhere in between Nashville and Chattanooga. Aside: While Sewanee does not make many (or any) ESPN headlines these days, it was once quite the football powerhouse. Sewanee was actually a founding member of the SEC and in 1899 the football team shutout 5 southern teams (Texas, Texas A&M, Tulane, LSU, and Ole Miss) in 6 days...making it one of the most accomplished football teams in history. When I was a student in Sewanee I don't think that wireless internet existed; while I am sure that technology has made itself up The Mountain, I don't think I will be looking for it this weekend. So instead of a recap of tonight's game tomorrow, how about a preview of it tonight?

"...and on the 7th day the rested"; the legendary 1899 Sewanee Football team, intimidating aren't they?

-The Minnestoa Vikings are looking to their star running back, Adrian Peterson, to get them the 5th straight home win tonight against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It would be their first 5-0 home start since 2009. The Vikings will also need wide receiver, Percy Harvin to step up during this game. QB, Christian Ponder has completed 53 passes to Harvin despite the Vikings being at the bottom of the barrel in the league when it comes to the passing game.  'Impress Him" Facts: The Vikings are ranked 27th out of 32 teams in passing yards per game. They are averaging 203.4 passing yards per game. Perterson is just 10 months removed from major knee surgery but is tied for 3rd place with 652 rushing yards.

- On the flip side, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have lost 9 straight on the road. However, they are third in the league when it comes to rush defense...which could come in handy against the Vikings who have been relying heavily on their running game. Tampa Bay is only allowing an average of 3.1 rushing yards per game

What's the bottom line? Tampa Bay is terrible on the road but talented when it comes to stopping the run. If they can shake off their jitters and just do what they do best, they are going to force Minnesota to try to throw the ball, and that is where the Vikings run into trouble.

Now I may have left you high a dry this week, but don't worry, I will be back online in time for Sunday Football. I hope everyone has a great weekend, I know I will...I mean, how could I not??

not a bad place to spend the weekend...or 4 years.

Week 7: Sunday Recap

For the past 6 weeks I have listened to my husband cuss, yell and gesture emphatically at the television and the computer because the players on his fantasy team were not performing as they should...I mean at times I actually felt bad for them...and then I remembered that I am 32 years old and understand that the people in the TV can't hear us. Today, something changed. It was like he thought that since intimidation and foul language weren't working, he would just try to ask them nicely. So I sat mesmerized by my smart, rational husband talking sweetly to Eli Manning asking him to "pretty please throw the ball to Hakeem Nicks" and then, on the next play, he did! I don't know how my hubby's fantasy team is fairing this year but I hope that he will remember the effectiveness of the kinder, gentler approach the next time I come home with a new pair of shoes.

I will risk life and limb to figure out how to walk in these.

- Sunday's game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Houston Texans was a match-up between the only 2 teams in the AFC with winning records. All week the Baltimore Ravens have been telling themselves and everyone else that they will find a way to win without Ray Lewis playing on defense. On Sunday the Ravens did get some good news when they learned that Terrell Suggs, 2011 Defensive Player of the Year, would be active for their game against the Houston Texans after being out with an injury all season. But that was where the good news ended for the Ravens. The Texans were out for blood after an embarrassing loss to the Greenbay Packers last week and came out strong to kill the Ravens, 43-13, setting a franchise record for most points in a game. "Impress Him" Fact: Before today's game the Ravens were 5-0 against the Texans. Matt Schaub passed for 256 yards and 2 touchdowns while Arian Foster did his part with 98 yards and 2 touchdowns. Not only were the Ravens missing Ray Lewis and Ledarius Webb from their defense but Ed Reed also left the game with a chest injury. "Impress Him" Fact: While Ray Lewis is a terrifying character he is also the emotional center of not only the Baltimore Ravens (a team he has been with since the team's creation in 1996) but also possibly the entire NFL. Few other players in the league command the universal respect around the League that Ray Lewis does. Many are wondering if this triceps injury will be the end of his career.

Only Ray Lewis can make gripping a patch of turf look intimidating... well, the flames and arms don't hurt

- Drew Brees certainly seems to have gotten his mojo back for the New Orleans Saints. After throwing an early interception Brees bounced back to throw for 313 yards and 4 touchdowns IN THE FIRST HALF, extending his record holding streak to 49 consecutive games with a touchdown pass.While that is an impressive performance, New Orleans still had to overcome the shoddy play of their defense to pull off the 35-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who happened to be wearing their throwback uniforms that are called the "Creamsicles" because of their orange creamsicle color. Seriously. Josh Freeman, quarterback for the Bucs, had an impressive day himself, throwing for 420 yards and 3 touchdowns to give the Bucs an early 21-7 lead. But Drew Brees is sick of losing and the Saints walked away with their 2nd win a row. 

Sometimes, when you are calling yourselves "Creamsicles", it's hard to win football games.

- If there is one team that the Football Gods hate more than the Dallas Cowboys, it is the Carolina Panthers, so lucky for the Cowboys that they were on the road in Charlotte on Sunday to take on those very Panthers. Cam Newton and the Panthers were down 14-16 late in the 4th quarter but seemed to be driving down the field when those Football Gods decided to start throwing their tricks out there. First, on a 4th and 1 play, Cam Newton completed a pass for a 1st down...but the play was called dead because the officials ruled that the Cowboys had called a timeout. On the next play a Dallas defender collided with a Panthers receiver before the ball got there, which should have been a pass interference call, but no flag was thrown and the Cowboys got the ball back and kicked a field goal to give them a 19-14 lead. The Panthers were unable to get into field goal range and they walked away with their 4th straight loss. "Impress Him" Fact: Cowboys' kicker, Dan Bailey, missed a field goal to lose last week's heart-breaker against the Ravens. He made up for it today with 4 made field goals to win the game. 

Maybe this week they will give you a ride home, Dan.

- I have been to see exactly 3 scary movies in my entire life. The first was Scream the summer before my senior year of high school. I made it past the opening scene before I dragged my friend out of there and made her drive me around listening to the Spice Girls to get the images out of my head (before you say it, I know that Scream is not a real scary movie but how was I supposed to know that when drew Barrymore is getting stabbed over her her popcorn?!). The second was The Blair Witch Project when I was a sophomore in college. While I did somehow make it through the whole movie, I was not able to form a complete sentence for the rest of the night. The last scary movie I saw was the first Saw when I was in my first year of grad school. I was told by my best friend that we were going to have dinner and go see Ray; instead we had a bottle (or 2) of wine on his porch and he took me to see Saw, and even though we are still friends, I have never completely forgiven him for putting me through that, I can't even watch the previews that come on for all the hundreds of Saw's that have come since. The purpose of this trip down memory lane is that I have seen (just) enough scary movies to know that it is never over when you think it is, the bad guy always lunges for you one last time and that's exactly what happened when RG3 and the Washington Redskins took on Eli Manning and the New York Giants. With about 90 seconds left on the clock RG3 put together a 77 yards drive that was capped off with a 30 yard touchdown throw to Santana Moss to put the Redskins up 23-20. But the celebration didn't last long...no seriously it didn't last long at all; 19 seconds later Eli Manning threw a 77 yard pass to Victor Cruz for a touchdown and the Giants beat the Redskins, 23-27, their 3rd straight win. RG3 continues his bid for rookie of the year with 258 passing yards and 2 touchdowns; he also put up 89 rushing yards. Eli Manning overcame 2 interceptions to pass for 337 yards and the long touchdown to Victor Cruz.

Why do people pay good money to watch this guy torment people??

Quick Notes:

- Aaron Rodgers continues to look good for the Greenbay Packers...he's playing pretty good football too (badum bum). Rodgers completed 30 of 37 passes for 342 yards and 3 touchdowns in the Packers 30-20 win over the St. Louis Rams. At least one of my QB crushes is bouncing back (sorry, Cam!).

- Going into Week 7 all 4 teams in the AFC East were tied for first place (or last place, depending on how you want to look at it). The Jets, Dolphins, Patriots, and Bills all went into this week with 3-3 records. After Sunday's games, the New England Patriots move to the top of the division with the 26-29 overtime win over the New York Jets. The heartbreaking part of this loss for the Jets is that they were driving down the field getting in good position to at least tie the Patriots with a field goal when Mark Sanchez fumbled the ball in overtime, and the Patriots recovered giving them the automatic win.

Sometimes Tom makes it too easy for me. I hope Gisele has some baggies.

- Lucky for the Minnesota Vikings that they have Adrian Peterson on their team. The Vikings QB, Christian Ponder, completed 8 of only 17 passes for 58 yards against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. But who needs a pass game when Adrian Peterson is on your team and can rush for a season-high 153 yards and a touchdown. The Vikings also got some help from their defense who sacked Cardinals back-up QB, John Skelton, 7 times. The Vikings squeaked out an ugly 14-21 win over the Cards.

- Here's a team I don't talk about a lot but I am obsessed with that new show, Nashville so I am going to start paying attention to the Tennessee Titans. The Titans pulled off a 34-35 victory over the Buffalo Bills. They have been waiting all season for Chris Johnson to show up and today he did with 195 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns during a crazy first quarter when the 2 teams scored 3 touchdowns in 30 seconds.Titans QB, matt Hasselbeck secured the win with a 15 yard TD pass with a minute left. Aside: If yall haven't been watching Nashville you are CRAY CRAY!! It is so good for so many reasons one of which is Connie Britton's hair. It comes on Wednesdays at 10pm on ABC, you can thank me later.

Before you judge, just watch one episode. And no, that is not an Olsen Twin.

There you have it, a rundown of the 7th Sunday of the 2012 season. Only 9 more regular season Sundays to go and then it really gets interesting!

Week 7: Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49'ers

Week 7 opened with the Seattle Seahawks taking on the San Francisco 49'ers. I learned 2 things on Thursday night: First, with the 13-6 win over the Seahawks, the 49'ers now lead the NFC West; second, and more importantly, defensive football makes me sleepy (that a nice way of saying it's BORING!). I am sure that there are a legion of men out there who would disagree with me, but for someone who doesn't understand all of the minutiae of this game it can be tedious to watch. That being said, you never really know who will come up with a win in these kinds of games, so there is that. Snoozeville, it may have been, but some interesting details did come out of this game.

- The first touchdown of the game came in the 3rd quarter (see what I mean?!) when 49'ers QB, Alex Smith threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Delanie Walker. "Impress Him" Fact: Walker's touchdown was SF's first TD in 7 quarters of football.

- Frank Gore, running back for the 49'ers, ran for 131 yards while Marshawn Lynch did his part for the Seahawks with 103 rushing yards.

- Both of these "defense-first" teams allow fewer than 16 points per game.

There is not much else I can say about this game, we all know I was watching Grey's Anatomy while I flipped back to it so here are some parting shots to think about on this beautiful Friday.

I don't know about y'all, but no doctor I have ever met has looked like this.

how is it fair that as men age they go from this...

....to this?!

Week 6: Monday Night Football Recap: Broncos vs. Chargers

While I was watching the first half of the Denver Broncos vs. San Diego Chargers game I kept thinking to myself, "I can't believe I am missing Gossip Girl for this blowout. So when Chargers were winning 24-0 at the half, I flipped on the DVR thinking that this one was not going to be worth a post. I should have known that whenever I think a game is done, it ends up being one for the books. As I kept flipping back to the game I ended up staying to watch more more because Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos were starting tp put on a show; well that, and also Dan Humphrey's hair on Gossip Girl was driving me crazy and watching Blake Lively makes me feel fat. Anyhoo...at the end of the 2nd half the Denver Broncos had scored 35 unanswered points to stun Philip Rivers and the Chargers 35-24. And another Monday Night Football game will go down in the history books, a comeback that was pulled off not only by Peyton Manning's offense but also the stellar play of the Broncos defense in the second half, a total team win. Here are some stats from last night's game.

I mean..what's happening here. Just cut that mess off!

- Before Monday's game, only 3 teams in the history on the NFL (during the Super Bowl era) have ever overcome a 24 point deficit. It was the largest halftime deficit overcome in Monday Night Football history!

- At halftime, with a 24-0 lead, the San Diego Chargers had a 98.5% chance of winning the game. But then San Diego d-bag quarterback, Phillip Rivers threw 4 interceptions and had 2 fumbles, a career high for him. Two of the interceptions resulted in touchdowns for the Broncos. In case you were starting to feel bad for Philip Rivers, I wouldn't. He doesn't seem like a very good guy.

We don't know why you are such a jerk either, Philip!

- In the second half, Peyton Manning completed 13 of 14 passes for 167 yards and 3 touchdowns. The other 2 touchdowns came from the afore mentioned interceptions.

- This is the second week in a row that the Chargers have blown a lead in the second half. Last week they lost a 10 point lead to the New Orleans Saints who beat them 31-24.

Great win for Peyton Manning and the Broncos, tough loss for the Chargers. Both teams are off next week so it will be interesting to see how they come back after 2 weeks to think over last night's game. What a great game to cap off week 6!

Week 6: Sunday Recap

Cute, huh!

This is an exciting week in the short life of this blog! Not only am I given a break this week from the troubles of Cam Newton whose on the field woes are matched only by his alma mater, Auburn, who I also happen to be a life-long fan of; but this week I also get to introduce the new GFG logo and Facebook page! So please like Gridiron For Girls on Facebook (I promise I will figure out how to get a "Like" button on the blog, baby steps.) and let me know what you think of the logo! Having an official logo coupled with the events of my weird/crazy weekend has made me a little saucy, so please forgive the tone of some of the recaps below, I simply could not help myself.

- The biggest story of the day has to be the comeback of the Greenbay Packers. After losing only one game last year, the bar was set (maybe unfairly) high for Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. So when they travelled to Houston to take on the undefeated Houston Texans many wondered if the Packers' season was done. Far from it. Aaron Rodgers channeled all the negative chatter around him and turned it into an outstanding performance that resulted in a dominating 42-24 win over Matt Schaub and the Houston Texans. Aaron Rodgers threw for 338 yards and a career-high 6 touchdowns, 3 of which were to Wide Receiver Jordy Nelson. The Greenbay defense also did their part to shut down a team that has been averaging 30 points per game. "Impress Him" Fact: Coming into Sunday Night's game Matt Schaub was getting sacked an average of once for every 51 pass attempts; on Sunday night the Packers sacked Schaub 3 times. So the Houstons are now 5-1, still a very impressive record, and the Greenbay Packers are 3-3 and have silenced critics for at least one week.

Nelson and Rodgers. I guess when you catch 3 TDs in a game it doesnt matter that your name is, "Jordy".

- A little east of Houston, the Atlanta Falcons are still undefeated after a last second field goal got them their 6th win of the season against the Oakland Raiders, but it wasn't pretty. The Raiders, who have not had an interception all year, intercepted Matt Ryan 3 times in the first half! In the second half, it was any one's game. With 2 minutes left in the game, Asante Samuels returned an interception for 79 yards and a touchdown giving the Falcons a 7 point lead. But those crazy Raiders weren't giving up so easily, QB Carson Palmer completed a 38 yard pass to Derek Hagan which set up a short touchdown rush by Darren McFadden to tie the game with 40 seconds left. But last minute wins are the bread and butter of this 6-0 Atlanta Falcons team. Matt Ryan drove his team down the field one last time and Matt Bryant (who, BTWs, is 37 years old) booted through a 55 yard field goal to win the game, 20-23, with 1 second remaining. The Falcons are now the only undefeated team in the NFL."Impress Him" Fact: This is the second time this season that Matt Bryant has saved the day for the Falcons. Two weeks ago he kicked the game winning field goal with 5 seconds left to give the Falcons a win against the Panthers.

This little kicker is a hero...

- The Dallas Cowboys' suffering continues. Last we saw the Cowboys, Tony Romo was continuously throwing the ball to the wrong team. Today he looked pretty good against the Baltimore Ravens; he threw for 261 yards and managed only 1 interception. "Impress Him" Fact: If you were to look at the stats of this game alone you would bet your Halloween Candy that the Cowboys won. Dallas held on to the ball twice as much as the Ravens and rushed for 227 yards which is the most ever against the Ravens by any other team EVER. On top of all that, the Ravens only had 1 yard on three offensive plays in the 3rd quarter. ONE YARD!! But as the Football Gods have decided that they hate the Cowboys, they handed a little bit of luck to the Baltimore Ravens to give them a 29-31 win over the Cowboys. The first bit of luck came when Jacoby Jones had a 108 yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the 3rd quarter to make it 13-24. This was not only an exceptional run, but it also tied for the longest kickoff return for a TD in NFL history. What are the chances? The next break for the Ravens came when Dez Bryant wasn't able to catch a ball on a 2-point conversion that would have tied the game with 32 seconds remaining in regulation. It may have looked like luck had run out when the Cowboys retrieved an on-side kick and had another chance to tie the game with 6 seconds remaining. But, like I said, the Football Gods hate the Dallas Cowboys and Dan Bailey missed a 51 yard field goal attempt to end the game and give the Ravens the win. What can I say at this point about the Cowboys....even when they're good, they're bad.

...this little kicker is not.

- What is the deal with the Jets? It's like being in a bad relationship; one day they are dumping you over a text message, the next day they are showing up with a diamond ring and a copy of The Notebook. Every week I make some conclusion about this team and the next week they turn around and do the opposite. One week they don't score any points, the next week they are a scoring machine.WHAT IS HAPPENING OVER THERE?! No wonder no one but (some) New Yorkers like these fools. In my defense the New York Jets blew out the Indianapolis Colts after scoring only 3 touchdowns in their last 4 games. For all you math whizzes out there that means they went one game without a touchdown (no points at all to be clear)!!! So who on Earth could have predicted a blow out against a team who pulled off an emotional comeback win last week. NO ONE! Okay. Sorry about that. Long story short, the Jets beat the Colts, 35-9. Running Back, Shonn Greene, who was averaging about 25-30 yards a game before today had 161 yards and 3 touchdowns....which I am sure thrilled all the fantasy football owners, including my husband, who either cut or benched him today, sending my husband's "NFL Sunday Hair" to an all-time high. Even little Timmy Tebow got in on the action with a 23 yard completion. Who knows what these yahoos will do next week against the Patriots, I am not saying a word.

- Speaking of the New England Patriots, they were not able to overcome the Seattle Seahawks on their first trip to Seattle. With 1:18 remaining in the game rookie QB, Russell Wilson found Sidney Rice in the end zone for a 46 yard touchdown to cap off a 14 point come-from-behind rally giving the Seahawks a 23-24 win.

Cheer up, Belichick. Christian Grey is around the corner and knows how to make it all better.

- Remember when you were in high school and they made you carry around an egg for a week to remind you not to get pregnant? Well this week Michael Vick put himself through a similar test. In order to make sure he cuts down on his fumbles, Vick carried around a football everywhere he went this week and challenged anyone who saw him to try and strip it from him. And just like Egg Week in high school has failed time and time again (thanks, MTV), this experiment also did nothing for The Philadelphia Eagles' turnover woes. Vick had one lost fumble in the game against the Detroit Lions as well as 2 interceptions. This gives Vick 6 fumbles and 8 interceptions for a total of 14 turnovers on the season, the most in the NFL. The Lions beat the Eagles 26-23 in overtime and the Eagles lose another close one. Aside: Why is  Sixteen and Pregnant so hard to look away from?! I mean, I think I have struck TV gold when I find a 16 and Pregnant Marathon on! To be clear, I do not endorse high school pregnancy, so if someone can please tell me why I am so fascinated by the struggles that these poor girls face I would be forever grateful.

Look alive, #7! You're about to be a Daddy!

Quick Notes:
- What did rookie QB, Brandon Weeden get for his 29th birthday? The Cleveland Browns first win of the season beating the Cincinnati Bengals 24-34! On a sidenote: how long was Brandon Weeden in college that he is turning 29 in his rookie year? 10 years?

- In a rematch of the 2011 NFC championship game, the   Giants pull themselves to the top of the NFC East with a 23-3 win over the SF 49'ers. "Impress Him" Fact: Before today's game the 49'ers had not allowed a rushing TD on their home field in 14 games, Ahmad Bradshaw broke that streak on Sunday.

- RG3 overcame a mild concussion to put on a show today to get a win for the Washington Redskins against the Minnesota Vikings. Not only did RG3 complete 17 of 22 passes for 182 yards and a touchdown, but he was also the lead rusher for the Redskins with 13 carries, 138 rushing yards, and 2 rushing touchdowns (including one 76 yard rushing touchdown). The Redskins beat the Vikings 38-26. I can't even think of something smart to say here, he was simply great. Maybe he should get knocked out more often...look at that I could think of something smart to say!

Six Sunday's into the NFL season I think things are going well. My husband is actually asking me questions about games that are going on and it has been nice to actually get out of the bed on a Sunday. The downside is that I have decided that since I am writing about the NFL, I should take on the diet of a linebacker and have probably gained 7 pounds during this experiment. But cheeseburgers are delicious so I am willing to live with it through the winter. Don't forget to like the Gridiron For Girls Facebook Page and follow me on Twitter @gridiron4girls. I would love to hear any questions you have about the NFL or anything else! Having said that, I will leave all of you with this question: Should I be concerned that I just asked my husband if he was talking to me and his response was, "No, I was talking to the TV."? Thoughts?

Week 5: Still Perfect: Houston Texans vs. NY Jets

The Houston Texans 23-17 win over the NY Jets on Monday night held a couple of firsts for the Texans. It was the first time that they had beat the Jets in the teams history and the first time that the team is 5-0. Although it looked like the Jets were going to pull off an upset after being killed last week (34-0 against the 49'ers) Texans QB, Matt Schaub, and running back, Arian Foster, pulled off the win to continue their 9 game winning streak, the longest in the NFL.

- After the humiliating loss against the 49'ers last week many Jets fans have been calling screaming for Tim Tebow to replace Mark Sanchez as the starting quarterback. Tebow didn't start last night, but he did have a run for a first down on a fake punt that seemed to get the usually obnoxious vocal Jets fans excited. The jury is still out on whether Mark Sanchez should be replaced at quarterback, but he is not making a great case for himself. "Impress Him" Fact: Mark Sanchez currently has the lowest completion percentage in the NFL at 48.4%. And last night when the Jets had a chance to win, Sanchez was intercepted by Kareem Jackson. The fact is that the Jets are a mess right now, they are not committed to their quarterback, they are missing key parts of their offense and defense due to injury and they are seriously thinking about handing over control to this guy. That's rough.

This can't seriously be the Jets' last hope. Can it? (Photo Source: Obsessedwithsports.com)

- For their part, the Texans refused to go away. Matt Schaub was 14 of 28 for 209 yards and a touchdown; and Arian Foster carried the ball 29 times for 152 yards and a touchdown that seriously looked so easy I felt like I could have done it. The one black mark on the night for the Texans was a knee injury to star linebacker, Brian Cushing. The Texans are holding their breath that it is not a torn ACL. "Impress Him" Fact: On Monday night Arian Foster rang up his 5000th rushing yard from scrimmage in his 40th NFL game. Only 2 other players have reached the same milestone in fewer games.

On second thought, the Jets may be damned if they do, damned if they don't. (Photo Source: gq.com) 

I have to dedicate this post to one of my husband's best friends and his wife. Not only because they are huge Texans fans but also because they both know more about football and sports in general than anyone I know but still read this little blog and say nice things. I love it when people say nice things. Here's to you Mr. and Mrs. May, and congrats on the Texans (so far) perfect season!

Week 5: Cool Brees: Sunday Recap

Can you believe it's October? I can't, mostly because it has been 90 degrees outside. In fact, the only way I can tell that it is October is because everything, including NFL players and coaches, is covered in pink...which I think is AWESOME. I can't think of anyone who hasn't been touched in one way or another by Breast Cancer, so I think it's great that this male dominated sport is showing their support for their moms, wives, sisters, daughters, and friends! With October comes Week 5 of the NFL season. Aside: I have to apologize for not posting about Thursday night's game between the Rams and the Cardinals. I blame my husband's co-workers who were playing fast and loose with the wine list at my favorite restaurant. Anyhoo, for me, the best part of following the NFL are the stories off the field that makes what happens on the field all the more poignant and interesting. This week there were a couple of teams with more on the line than just their record, starting in New Orleans.

- It's no secret that the New Orleans Saints have been struggling this year. Amid the Bountygate Scandal, three of the Saints coaches, including Saints' Head Coach Sean Payton who is suspended for the entire season and was to have no contact with the team and the Saints were 0-4 going into Sunday night's game. However, Sunday night's match-up between the Saints and the San Diego Chargers was no ordinary night. If Saints QB Drew Brees could throw a touchdown pass in this game it would be his 48 consecutive game with a touchdown pass and he would break a 52 year old record set by Johnny Unitas. Before the game Drew Brees personally emailed NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, and asked that Sean Payton and the other suspended coaches be allowed to attend the game. The commissioner granted the request and for the first time this season the Saints' had their head coach in the building...even though he wasn't coaching.We didn't have to wait long for the history-making throw from Brees; With 2:36 minutes left in the first quarter, Brees threw a 40 yard touchdown to Devery Henderson to break the record set by Johnny Unitas from 1956-1960. It was a great moment for the Saints and they went on from there. Brees threw 3 mores touchdowns to Marques Colston for a total of 370 passing yards on the night and the Saints won their first game of the season, 31-24. "Impress Him" Fact: Drew Brees played for the San Diego Chargers before hurting his shoulder and the Chargers decided to go with Phillip Rivers as their starter. It looked like he had nowhere to go until the Saints signed him for the 2006 season. It must have felt pretty good to break the record against his old team.

The Saints haven't seen that smile in a while. (Photo Source: Monolith.com)

- The big story surrounding the Denver Broncos vs. New England Patriots game had less to do with the teams and more to do with the 2 quarterbacks. While this is Peyton Manning's first year with the Broncos, this game would mark the 13th time that he has gone head to head with Patriots' QB, Tom Brady. The Patriots won 21-31 improving Brady's record against Manning to 9-4. Brady completed 23 of 31 passes for 223 yards, a touchdown and a rushing touchdown of his own. Brady also put together 4 scoring drives of 80 yards or more. When all seemed lost, Manning tried to put together a late comeback and managed to make it a 10 point game. They were poised to score again when Willis McGahee lost a fumble that would secure the win for the Patriots.

- Coming into Week 5 there were 3 undefeated teams: the Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, and the Houston Texans. The Cardinals lost on Thursday night to the St. Louis Rams  the Atlanta Falcons extended their winning streak against the Washington Redskins, and the Texans don't play until Monday night, but they should hang onto their streak as well against the troubled NY Jets.

- The Atlanta Falcons are 5-0 for the first time in franchise history. With their 24-17 win over the Washington Redskins, Matt Ryan and the Falcons sent a message to future opponents that they are capable of winning under any circumstances. If you have been following this blog week to week you know that RG3, the rookie QB for the Redskins, has been making a serious run at the Rookie of the Year title. He may still be on his way to that title, but he was knocked out of the game with a mild concussion during the 3rd quarter when he ran for a first down. "Impress Him" Fact: A more seasoned NFL quarterback would have known to get out of bounds after securing the first down in stead of trying to gain more yardage and risking a big hit, which is exactly what happened to RG3. On the other side of the ball, Matt Ryan, QB for the Atlanta Falcons, is making a serious case for league MVP. Ryan completed 34 of 52 passes for 345 yards and 2 touchdowns. The loss is the eighth consecutive home game loss for the Washington Redskins.

getting stitched up on the sideline. learned your lesson, RG3? (Photo Source: Sportsrapport.com)

- It has been an emotional week for the Indianapolis Colts. The team learned this past Monday that first year head coach, Chuck Pagano, was diagnosed with Leukemia and has taken an indefinite leave of absence in order to receive treatment which is intended to cure the disease. So when the Colts took to their home field against the Greenbay Packers they had more on their mind then getting a win, they wanted to get a win for their coach. Win they did, 30-27, in a most dramatic fashion. At halftime the Colts were down 21-3 and things did not look good. But in the second half rookie QB, Andrew Luck and Wide Receiver, Reggie Wayne took matters into their own hands and decided to put on a show. In fact, they both had career high games. Luck was 31 of 55 for 362 yards; Reggie Wayne had 13 receptions for 212 yards including the game winning touchdown which came in the last 35 seconds of the game after Luck had put together an 80 yard drive. The Packers had a chance to tie the game but missed a 51 yard field goal attempt. I am not a Colts fan, and you all know how I feel about Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, but there is just something about a team that is playing for more than just league standing. So congrats on a hard fought and well deserved win, Colts; here's hoping Coach Pagano is back on the field soon!

- The NY Giants again overcame injuries to key players to pull out a 27-41 win over the win-less Cleveland Browns. Aside: One of my loyal readers, also known as my cousin, wanted to know why the Browns are called the Browns but wear orange. The short answer is that the Browns were named after their coach Paul Brown, when the team was started in 1944; the team colors are orange and brown. The Browns actually have a pretty interesting history which you can read all about here. Now back to the present. The Browns came out and scored a fast 14 points in the first quarter that had me thinking that maybe this was going to be the week that these poor saps actually win a game and against Eli Manning and the Giants to boot! But in typical fashion eli Manning and the Giants would not go away. Victor Cruz caught a career-best, 3 touchdown passes and 3 salsa dance celebrations. And Ahmad Bradshaw overcame an early fumble to have a career-best 200 rushing yards. "Impress Him" Fact: The Giants are 9-0 in games where Ahmad Bradshaw has 100+ rushing yards. The Browns are 0-5 for the first time since their return to the league in 1999 and extend their 11 game losing streak. Ouch.

What will happen tonight when the Texans take on the Jets? Will Tebow be Tebowing instead of Mark Sanchez? I'll let you know all about it tomorrow morning!

Week 4: Let's Call Him "Wrong Team Tony": Chicago Bears vs. Dallas Cowboys

Sorry for the late and quick post, friends! Real life got in the way of blogging today...can you believe that?! So today I will spare you my witty opener and dive right in to Monday night's Chicago Bears vs. Dallas Cowboys match up where the Boys were absolutely routed, 34-18.

- Tony Romo threw 5 interceptions last night. Let me say it again. Tony Romo threw 5 INTERCEPTIONS last night! Two of them were returned for touchdowns including one by Lance Briggs whose 74 yard interception returned for a touchdown was his first since 2005. The only real good thing I can say about Tony Romo's performance last night is that he was only sacked once on the first series of the game...but then again he also thought he was playing quarterback for the Chicago Bears, so why would they sack him? "Impress Him" Fact: The Chicago Bears defense started 5 players who are in their 30's (considered aging in the NFL). Those "old" guys sure did show Dallas that they could still play.

Man, I feel bad for this guy. (Photo Credit: bleacherreport.com)

- On the flip side Jay Cutler was playing lights out for the Chicago Bears. Cutler completed 18 of 24 passes for 275 yards including 2 touchdowns. He also managed to find his groove with Brandon Marshall who last night was trying to shake off my "Sir Drops-A-Lot" nickname. Marshall caught 7 passes for 138 yards and a touchdown last night. "Impress Him" Fact: Brandon Marshall has a long rap sheet and a reputation for being trouble. Last year he was diagnosed as having Borderline Personality Disorder, a diagnosis that he says has helped him understand who he is, take responsibility for his past misdeeds and move forward as a better person. Not an easy task, and definitely admirable. In other Jay Cutler news, Kristin Cavallari has come out and said that she wants more babies soon. Yikes.

Sorry so short and sweet...or maybe y'all prefer it that way. You can always let me know what you think on Twitter @gridiron4girls or by email, gridironforgirls@gmail.com

Week 4: So Close! Sunday Recap

Yesterday, thanks to a very sweet friend, I was invited to go to the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers game in Atlanta. This was not only my first NFL game but also the first time I was going to get to see my favorite, Cam Newton, play live and in person. And to make my day even more special, my ticket came from Linda Hope, the wife of Chris Hope who plays for the Atlanta Falcons (my friend does some work with the Hopes). So in addition to my first NFL game, and seeing my favorite player, I got to see the games from the insiders perspective and the whole experience has really made me love this sport. The stadium's energy was so exciting with loud, fun music (which wins me over in most situations), and a raucous crowd. As much as I love Cam Newton it was hard not to root for the Falcons who were one of several teams to pull out a close win yesterday. I also want to say that even though I had the best time and am so thankful I got to go to the game yesterday, it did make me realize that the best way to watch the games really is in my living room with my husband and his crazy "NFL Sunday" hair....I wonder if he will let me blast some music during time outs.  Well, since I lived it, let's start in Atlanta.

- Let's just say that getting into the Georgia Dome 10 minutes before kickoff was not the easiest thing I have ever done. Once we got in and got up to our section the Panthers had already put 7 points on the board, Cam Newton had thrown a 17 yard touchdown pass to Greg Olsen for the early lead. In fact, it looked like the Panthers had locked up a win. Cam Newton competed 15 out of 24 passes for 215 yards and 2 touchdowns AND one rushing touchdown. It looked like the Panthers were going to hang on to their one point lead as Cam Newton hung on to the ball to rush for a first down and run the clock down. But he fumbled the ball, lost the first down, and the Falcons got their opportunity to score. Atlanta QB, Matt Ryan, was sacked for a career high 7 times during this game. But he overcame that painful stat to throw a 59 yard bomb to Roddy White. That huge play with a few more short completions got the Falcons in field goal position and Matt Bryan kicked a 40 yard field goal to win the game 28-30. The Falcons go on with a 4-0 record and Cam Newton walked off the field with the weight of the Panthers loss on his very nice shoulders.

The cheese stands alone. I'll talk to you, Cam!

- Eli Manning was not able to pull a rabbit out of his hat last night when the NY Giants took on Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night. Well, he actually was able to, but then his kicker killed that poor bunny. The Eagles were up by 2 with 15 seconds left in the game. The Giants' kicker, Lawrence Tynes went out to attempt a 54 yards field goal and he missed it! Except, much like the Dolphins last week, the Eagles had called a time out in order to try and "ice the kicker" so he would have another chance...a shot at redemption...he could still win the game...and then he missed it AGAIN! The Eagles squeaked out another win 17-19. "Impress Him" Fact: The Eagles became the first team in NFL history to have all 3 of their first wins decided by 2 points or less.

- For a hot second it looked like the New Orleans Saints might get their first win in the most hostile of environments, Lambeau Field, against the Greenbay Packers. I think it is safe to say that after the debacle that was last Monday night's game, the Packers deserved a break, though it seemed like even the regular officials were against them during this game. After it appeared that the Saints had fumbled a kickoff return and the Packers had recovers it, the refs called the runner "down by contact" which means there was no fumble. The Packers were out of challenges so what should have been a turnover, stayed with the Saints and the marched the ball down the field to get in field goal position. Garrett Hartley made the first 43 yard attempt but the Saints were called for holding so they moved it back 10 yards to set up a 53 yard attempt. To add a little more drama the Packers were then called for encroachment to move it back up 5 yards and make it a 48 yard attempt. Poor Hartley probably was expecting another whistle when he finally did get to kick the football so he missed it and the Packers found redemption with a 27-28 win over the Saints. In good news for the Saints, Drew Brees looked good with 446 passing yards including 3 touchdowns. "Impress Him" Fact: Drew Brees now has 47 consecutive regular season games with a touchdown pass, tying Johnny Unitas for the all time record. Aaron Rodgers was no slouch either, he threw for 319 yards and 4 touchdowns to get the Packers' win.

- The Washington Redskins and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers decided they wanted to be part of the close games that were going on on Sunday. And on a day where kickers were making or breaking games the Redskins' kicker, Billy Cundiff, thought that he would do his part by missing 3 field goals and then coming out to kick (and make) the game winning, 41-yard field goal. The Bucs had overcome an 18-point deficit to pull ahead of the Redskins 22-21. But our favorite rookie, who showed so much promise during that first week, was not ready for his team to lose 3 in a row. Despite the headset in his helmet going out, Robert Griffin III (RG3) led the Redskins from their own 20 yard line to the 40 and then carried the ball himself to the 26 yard line. Cundiff's game winner gave the Redskins their 24-22 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well as ensuring that he had a ride home. Don't count RG3 and the Redskins out just yet.

Other Notables:
- The Houston Texans ran over the Tennessee Titans 38-14. Last week Texans QB, lost part of his ear after a particularly nasty hit. He proved that you really don't need that part of your ear to play football as he threw for 202 yards and 2 touchdowns. Arian Foster rushed for 86 yards. "Impress Him" Fact: The Texans are 4-0 for the first time in franchise history.

- The New England Patriots destroyed AFC East rivals the Buffalo Bills. At the beginning of the third quarter the Bills were up 21-7 and I was about to open a bottle of champagne to celebrate the demise of the Patriots. And then Tom Brady sensed my impending celebration and decided to rain on my parade. He directed 6 touchdown drives in the second half to come back and kill the Bills 52-28. The Patriots had 580 yards of offense and forced 6 turnovers. "Impress Him" Fact: The Patriots' 45 points in the second half were the most in franchise history and the fourth most in NFL history, they were also the most by a team who was trailing since 1950.

I just like silly pictures of this guy. Bet you a million dollars he has never been on a motorcycle. (Photo Credit: justjared.com)

Well, that does it for me until tomorrow's recap of the Chicago Bears at the Dallas Cowboys! I am off to have a very productive day off...and by productive I mean catch up on Revenge, Once Upon a Time, and the Real Housewives of New Jersey Reunion, Part 1 (of 3!!!). You have your definition of productive, I have mine.