Monday, August 5, 2013
Moving Day!
That's right friends, Gridiron For Girls has a brand new home! Be sure to visit our brand new site at www.gridiron4girls.com. There is a new Glossary/Cheat Sheet to help you brush up on all that complicated football lingo and in a few weeks all the new recaps will be posted here...Are you ready for some football??
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Off-Season Post #2: This is One Draft You Don't Want to Dodge
Anyone who has had an American History class has learned about the draft, specifically during the Vietnam War when boys and men 18 and older were pulling all kinds of tricks to avoid being drafted into the army. There is a draft in NFL-land as well but in this case boys 21 and older are killing themselves to make it in and make it in fast! To girls the end of April means sundresses and wine nights on the patio; to guys the end of April means the Official Unofficial Beginning of the NFL Season, also known as the NFL Draft. Y'all, over the course of the last 8 years that I have been with my husband I have been made to actually sit down and watch this thing for one reason or another. Sometimes it was voluntary...most times I would consider hostage situations with beer and snacks. All that being said, I learned that if you know a little bit about the draft it can make this last weekend of April with your man a lot more interesting.
During the course of this blog I have mentioned how NFL football is basically a soap opera for guys. Well, this is where the soap opera begins. The 2013 NFL Draft begins on Thursday night with the first round being broadcast in prime time ( a new development in the last few years, the Draft used to not start until Saturday). The very simplest of explanations of how the NFL Draft works is this: There are 7 rounds in the draft. The first round is by far the most interesting to a lay person AKA, me. There are 32 picks in the first round, theoretically one for each team in the NFL, though this changes with trades. The team with the worst previous season (the Kansas City Chiefs this season) gets the #1 pick in the draft and the order goes on from there until the #32 pick of the first round which goes to the reigning Super Bowl Champs (the Baltimore Ravens). Then the second round begins with the 33rd pick and it goes on from there. Naturally, the higher a player is picked in the draft, the higher their value, so the more they get paid. Sounds simple, right? WRONG. Teams make deals with each other to trade players for draft picks (this can actually happen right up to the second before a team is supposed to make their pick), teams lose draft picks as a form of punishment, and all kinds of other crazy stuff happens which adds an element of drama to the proceedings. Click here if you want to see a full run down of the picking order for the 2013 draft.
Trying to navigate the top stories of this years draft seemed a daunting task for even this totally knowledgeable blogger. So in the interest of full disclosure, I had to get some help from my friends at Pro Football Hot Reads. If you have a hard core football fan in your life or if you want to know more about what I write about here, this is the site to go to. Luckily for me, they were happy to help me weed through the noise and pick out some of the biggest stories going into the draft, and here they are.
1.)Who will be the #1 pick for the Kansas City Chiefs? All (qualified) fingers seem to be pointing to Luke Joeckel, the Offensive Tackle from Texas A&M (basically offensive tackles protect the quarterback). This is the guy who helped Texas A&M beat an undefeated Alabama in their first year in the SEC and who is universally described by his teammates and opposing players as "nasty"...but you know the good kind of nasty. The bigger picture here is that there may be three offensive tackles who go in the top 10 of the draft.
2.)Where there seems to be an abundance of Offensive Tackles in the first round there seems to be a lack of the so-called "stars" of the game, the quarterbacks. I have heard a lot of back and forth on this one. Some say that Geno Smith of West Virginia will be the only quarterback drafted in the first round because of his experience on the field. Others think that maybe Ryan Nassib (Syracuse) will go at the #8 spot to the Buffalo Bills because he used to play for their new head coach and they are in desperate need of a QB. Either way, this draft is seriously lacking in the big quarterback names of drafts gone by which had high profile prospects like RG3 and Cam Newton.
2.)Where there seems to be an abundance of Offensive Tackles in the first round there seems to be a lack of the so-called "stars" of the game, the quarterbacks. I have heard a lot of back and forth on this one. Some say that Geno Smith of West Virginia will be the only quarterback drafted in the first round because of his experience on the field. Others think that maybe Ryan Nassib (Syracuse) will go at the #8 spot to the Buffalo Bills because he used to play for their new head coach and they are in desperate need of a QB. Either way, this draft is seriously lacking in the big quarterback names of drafts gone by which had high profile prospects like RG3 and Cam Newton.
3.)The big story that broke just this Sunday is that the New York Jets have traded their star cornerback, Darrelle Revis to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for the 13th overall pick in the draft and a conditional selection in next year's draft. This gives the Jets two first round picks, #9 and #13, so it will be interesting to see who they go shopping for with their extra pick, could Mark Sanchez be out of his quarterback job? Bottom line, nothing the Jets do make any sense (like trading away their best player) needless to say there could be some high drama early in the first round.
4.)While Darrelle Revis might be the most talked about cornerback this week, he is not the most interesting cornerback story out there. D.J. Hayden is a cornerback from the University of Houston. Hayden suffered a hit during practice which freakishly caused the inferior vena cava aka the main vein to his heart to tear. Hayden underwent emergency heart surgery where he specifically told the doctors not to mess with his abs, so they went through his sternum. Let's all just keep in mind that this happened back in November...about 5 months ago and this guy showed up to Houston's Pro Day and basically ran like the wind. I try to keep this blog family friendly, but I am going to say that this story deserves a solid "WTF". Who comes back from heart surgery and runs faster than Batman? These guys are the very closest we will get to superheroes on Earth, their bodies do not behave like mere mortals. Keep an eye on where D.J. Hayden goes in the draft, you may be hearing his name on Thursday night. If that story didn't get you and you are in the mood for a good cry check out this story on DeAndre Hopkins, a wide receiver from Clemson who is expected to go in the first round, it will make you hit your knees and thank God for everything you have.
4.)While Darrelle Revis might be the most talked about cornerback this week, he is not the most interesting cornerback story out there. D.J. Hayden is a cornerback from the University of Houston. Hayden suffered a hit during practice which freakishly caused the inferior vena cava aka the main vein to his heart to tear. Hayden underwent emergency heart surgery where he specifically told the doctors not to mess with his abs, so they went through his sternum. Let's all just keep in mind that this happened back in November...about 5 months ago and this guy showed up to Houston's Pro Day and basically ran like the wind. I try to keep this blog family friendly, but I am going to say that this story deserves a solid "WTF". Who comes back from heart surgery and runs faster than Batman? These guys are the very closest we will get to superheroes on Earth, their bodies do not behave like mere mortals. Keep an eye on where D.J. Hayden goes in the draft, you may be hearing his name on Thursday night. If that story didn't get you and you are in the mood for a good cry check out this story on DeAndre Hopkins, a wide receiver from Clemson who is expected to go in the first round, it will make you hit your knees and thank God for everything you have.
Yep, he seems okay to me. (Source: Houstonchronicle.com) |
5.) Another name that seems to come up again and again is Tavon Austin, wide receiver from West Virginia. You may remember from my Combine post ( I assume that you are all committing these posts to memory, right?) that Tavon Austin was the wide receiver prospect who seemed to shine for the scouts in Indianapolis. But it is decision time now and at 5'8", 170 lbs, Tavon Austin is a tiny Wide Receiver prospect. Coaches and general managers are likely worried that while he is a talented player, he is too small to take multiple NFL hits without getting injured. And when you are good at something in the NFL, they tend to hit you even harder. They may think that it is a gamble to pay him first round money, or they may think that he is worth the risk. It will be interesting to see where Tavon Austin falls in this draft.
There you have it, the Top 5 stories going into the draft. Not as complicated as Days of Our Lives but not as simple as Hart of Dixie and definitely involves more math than both. Remember this information is only to be used for good OR to shut up that incredibly obnoxious co-worker who talks to you like you know nothing...I know you all have one. And another BIG thanks to Pro Football Hot Reads for helping a girl out....seriously tell all the guys you know about this awesome site!
Don't forget to follow along on Twitter @girdiron4girls for all the happenings of this year's draft. As always if you have any questions about football or life you can always hit me up on Twitter, Facebook, or at girdironforgirls@gmail.com. Let me be the first to welcome you to the 2013 NFL season, this is where it all begins.
There you have it, the Top 5 stories going into the draft. Not as complicated as Days of Our Lives but not as simple as Hart of Dixie and definitely involves more math than both. Remember this information is only to be used for good OR to shut up that incredibly obnoxious co-worker who talks to you like you know nothing...I know you all have one. And another BIG thanks to Pro Football Hot Reads for helping a girl out....seriously tell all the guys you know about this awesome site!
Don't forget to follow along on Twitter @girdiron4girls for all the happenings of this year's draft. As always if you have any questions about football or life you can always hit me up on Twitter, Facebook, or at girdironforgirls@gmail.com. Let me be the first to welcome you to the 2013 NFL season, this is where it all begins.
Monday, February 25, 2013
Off-Season Lesson #1: The Combine
Hi friends! I have taken a few weeks off the get my old, football-free life back and I feel good. I feel rested, relaxed, and caught up on all the girlie things I missed out on during football season. Last Friday, I thought I would see what was going on in NFL world only to see that the Combine was in full swing. I took this as a sign from above that it was time for my first, Off-Season post. And what better place to start than the unofficial start of the NFL season, the NFL Scouting Combine.
What is the Combine? Well let's start with basic pronunciation first. After you read this post you are going to want to run to your boyfriend to impress him with all the knowledge I am about the drop. It will help your credibility a lot if you don't mispronounce words. So when you start your conversation about the Combine be sure and pronounce it, COMbine...like the piece of machinery, not the thing you do when you mix two things together. Got it? Good. Okay, now onto what this thing is. If it sounds like it might be painful, that's because it is. The NFL Scouting Combine is a week-long training camp held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis that happens every year a couple of months before the NFL Draft. Here, college football players perform rigorous physical and mental tests for the benefit of coaches, general managers, and scouts of NFL teams. Basically these men are looking to see how well these players perform to determine their value when it comes time for the draft. Players attend the Combine by invitation only and some higher profile college players who are certain to go high in the draft may not attend at all.
As I have mentioned before one of the things I learned during this past season is that to most guys any football is better than no football. It is for this reason that the Combine is televised and you can actually watch these poor guys get put through the ringer. While I have dedicated a good bit of my energies to following the NFL, I will not become someone who sits and watches 18 year old dudes run really fast. That being said there is one very interesting story coming out of the Combine this year and that would be the story of Manti Te-o, the infamous linebacker from Notre Dame who everyone expected to go in the first round of the Draft. In case you have been living under a rock here is Manti Te-o's story in a nutshell. Going into the BCS National Championship game between Alabama and Notre Dame, Te-o won over the hearts of America with the crushing story of how six hours after losing his grandmother Manti Te-o also lost his girlfriend to cancer. A few weeks after the big game a story broke that Manti Te-o's girlfriend never existed. Basically, he met her on the internet and she told him she was a cancer patient and undergoing treatment, they even spoke on the phone, but the whole thing turned out to be a hoax. You can imagine the humiliation that followed. My first reaction to this story when it came out was "who cares?" well it turns out that one of the major things that NFL teams look at is the mental health of the players to see how they will hold up in the locker room and off the field. No team wants someone who is going to be more of a distraction than an asset. Not only did Manti Te-o show up 2 hours late for his press conference at the Combine, but the majority of the questions centered around his fake girlfriend, making it apparent that Te-o will have a lot to prove when he It looks like Manti Te-o is set to show off at the Combine on Monday and his performance will tell if his off the field vulnerabilities are worth overlooking.
If you really want to impress some guys, ask them if they are surprised that the standout Wide Receiver at the combine was Tavon Austin from West Virginia. Tavon Austin not only showed incredible speed running the 40 yard dash in 4.34 seconds (when talking to guys all you have to say is "he ran a four three four forty" and they'll know exactly what you are talking about...these people have there own language!) and also was able to catch the ball pretty well. Analysts are saying that he may have dashed his way into the first round...get it? Dashed? Sorry, the jokes haven't gotten much better during my time off. Be sure to like Gridiron for Girls on Facebook and follow me on twitter @gridiron4girls for more little tid bits from the Combine and the weeks leading up to the Draft.
What is the Combine? Well let's start with basic pronunciation first. After you read this post you are going to want to run to your boyfriend to impress him with all the knowledge I am about the drop. It will help your credibility a lot if you don't mispronounce words. So when you start your conversation about the Combine be sure and pronounce it, COMbine...like the piece of machinery, not the thing you do when you mix two things together. Got it? Good. Okay, now onto what this thing is. If it sounds like it might be painful, that's because it is. The NFL Scouting Combine is a week-long training camp held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis that happens every year a couple of months before the NFL Draft. Here, college football players perform rigorous physical and mental tests for the benefit of coaches, general managers, and scouts of NFL teams. Basically these men are looking to see how well these players perform to determine their value when it comes time for the draft. Players attend the Combine by invitation only and some higher profile college players who are certain to go high in the draft may not attend at all.
What if your whole life depended on how well you could do this? |
As I have mentioned before one of the things I learned during this past season is that to most guys any football is better than no football. It is for this reason that the Combine is televised and you can actually watch these poor guys get put through the ringer. While I have dedicated a good bit of my energies to following the NFL, I will not become someone who sits and watches 18 year old dudes run really fast. That being said there is one very interesting story coming out of the Combine this year and that would be the story of Manti Te-o, the infamous linebacker from Notre Dame who everyone expected to go in the first round of the Draft. In case you have been living under a rock here is Manti Te-o's story in a nutshell. Going into the BCS National Championship game between Alabama and Notre Dame, Te-o won over the hearts of America with the crushing story of how six hours after losing his grandmother Manti Te-o also lost his girlfriend to cancer. A few weeks after the big game a story broke that Manti Te-o's girlfriend never existed. Basically, he met her on the internet and she told him she was a cancer patient and undergoing treatment, they even spoke on the phone, but the whole thing turned out to be a hoax. You can imagine the humiliation that followed. My first reaction to this story when it came out was "who cares?" well it turns out that one of the major things that NFL teams look at is the mental health of the players to see how they will hold up in the locker room and off the field. No team wants someone who is going to be more of a distraction than an asset. Not only did Manti Te-o show up 2 hours late for his press conference at the Combine, but the majority of the questions centered around his fake girlfriend, making it apparent that Te-o will have a lot to prove when he It looks like Manti Te-o is set to show off at the Combine on Monday and his performance will tell if his off the field vulnerabilities are worth overlooking.
In addition to Combine drills, Te-o has to work on looking less confused. Toughy. |
If you really want to impress some guys, ask them if they are surprised that the standout Wide Receiver at the combine was Tavon Austin from West Virginia. Tavon Austin not only showed incredible speed running the 40 yard dash in 4.34 seconds (when talking to guys all you have to say is "he ran a four three four forty" and they'll know exactly what you are talking about...these people have there own language!) and also was able to catch the ball pretty well. Analysts are saying that he may have dashed his way into the first round...get it? Dashed? Sorry, the jokes haven't gotten much better during my time off. Be sure to like Gridiron for Girls on Facebook and follow me on twitter @gridiron4girls for more little tid bits from the Combine and the weeks leading up to the Draft.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Super Bowl XLVII: The Night That The Lights Went Out in NOLA
I am sorry for the late post, but I have really been trying to figure out how I want to approach this last post of the 2012 NFL season. Even people who hate football watch the Super Bowl either for the commercials or the halftime show and let's be honest, there are not many girls out there who were going to miss a Beyonce/Destiny's Child halftime show...although I was a little let down by the amount of DC time, were you? The short story of what happened during the game is this...the Ravens were winning big, Beyonce blew the lights off the place (figuratively), the lights went out (literally), the 49'ers made a huge comeback, the Ravens win anyway. What started off looking like it was going to be a blow out by the Ravens turned into a really great game that came down to the wire, it was a great way to end a drama filled season.
It seems like so long ago that I started this little experiment of mine (remember the replacement refs). Ever since I started dating my now husband 8 years ago people have heard me joke that the best birthday present I get is the end of football season (The Super Bowl is always on or around my birthday). But this year I definitely feel a little sad that it is over. Here are some of the things I have learned by writing this blog:
1.) As you know, part of the reason I started this blog is so that I would be a part of my husband's life during football season. I wasn't sure how well my plan had worked until a few weeks ago when my husband was at Twin Peaks (imagine Hooters with trashier uniforms) with a friend watching the playoffs and was texting me the whole time about the game. It's nice to know I was top of mind when surrounded by so many um...peaks.
2.) I have learned to live without Project Runway and Glee. In order to follow this sport, I really had to take inventory of the TV I was watching and get rid of the dead weight. It turns out I don't need ego-maniacal designers or mash-ups of Adele songs to entertain me. It may sound ridiculous but you have no idea how liberating it is. Auf Weidersehen yourself, Heidi Klum.
3.) I am the only person I know who likes Cam Newton. Seriously, even the guys on ESPN hate him. Maybe I am missing something but I will always be a Cam fan
4.) My husband does not classify 10 straight hours of watching football on the couch as "laying around". The other day I just wanted to have a lazy Saturday while my husband wanted to run all over town. When I complained he said, "I can't just lay around all day!". When I pointed out that that is exactly what we had done for the last 16 Sundays I was told, "yeah, but that's football.". You can't argue with logic that incredible.
5.) I have learned that, to men, any football is better than no football. There were games when someone like the Raiders would be playing someone like the Cardinals...and even though there were complaints about how terrible the game was, it was not terrible enough to hand over the remote control so I could watch my taped episode of Pretty Little Liars. I have even caught my husband watching high school football on a Friday night. And why is it that high school football games always look like they were taped in 1985?
6.) I am the girl who signs up for 3 months of unlimited yoga, is great about going for the first month, and then starts to find any reason not to go near the place. Writing this blog showed me that when I really dedicate myself to something I have what it takes to see it through.
7.) And to go along with #6 I have learned that I really love writing. I have had more fun writing this blog the last 5 months! It has given me something to focus on outside of work and I am not really ready for it to be over. So in the off season you can look forward to periodic posts on what is going on in the NFL so you can stay in the loop and blow the guys in your life away with the little tid bits you find here.
Thanks so much to all of you who read, praised, and encouraged me. I really hope you meant it because you have inspired to me to keep going which means I will be blowing up your Facebook page for months to come! Please leave your comments and feedback and see you in the off season!
xoxo,
Gridiron For Girls (I have been waiting YEARS for a reason to use a Gossip Girl-esque sign off!)
That's right, Mrs. Carter, it's all your fault that the lights went out.You just had to have the flames at the beginning didn't you? |
It seems like so long ago that I started this little experiment of mine (remember the replacement refs). Ever since I started dating my now husband 8 years ago people have heard me joke that the best birthday present I get is the end of football season (The Super Bowl is always on or around my birthday). But this year I definitely feel a little sad that it is over. Here are some of the things I have learned by writing this blog:
1.) As you know, part of the reason I started this blog is so that I would be a part of my husband's life during football season. I wasn't sure how well my plan had worked until a few weeks ago when my husband was at Twin Peaks (imagine Hooters with trashier uniforms) with a friend watching the playoffs and was texting me the whole time about the game. It's nice to know I was top of mind when surrounded by so many um...peaks.
I mean, seriously? If you wore that on a mountain you would die. It's not realistic. |
I don't even care if you're together or not! |
4.) My husband does not classify 10 straight hours of watching football on the couch as "laying around". The other day I just wanted to have a lazy Saturday while my husband wanted to run all over town. When I complained he said, "I can't just lay around all day!". When I pointed out that that is exactly what we had done for the last 16 Sundays I was told, "yeah, but that's football.". You can't argue with logic that incredible.
5.) I have learned that, to men, any football is better than no football. There were games when someone like the Raiders would be playing someone like the Cardinals...and even though there were complaints about how terrible the game was, it was not terrible enough to hand over the remote control so I could watch my taped episode of Pretty Little Liars. I have even caught my husband watching high school football on a Friday night. And why is it that high school football games always look like they were taped in 1985?
6.) I am the girl who signs up for 3 months of unlimited yoga, is great about going for the first month, and then starts to find any reason not to go near the place. Writing this blog showed me that when I really dedicate myself to something I have what it takes to see it through.
7.) And to go along with #6 I have learned that I really love writing. I have had more fun writing this blog the last 5 months! It has given me something to focus on outside of work and I am not really ready for it to be over. So in the off season you can look forward to periodic posts on what is going on in the NFL so you can stay in the loop and blow the guys in your life away with the little tid bits you find here.
Thanks so much to all of you who read, praised, and encouraged me. I really hope you meant it because you have inspired to me to keep going which means I will be blowing up your Facebook page for months to come! Please leave your comments and feedback and see you in the off season!
xoxo,
Gridiron For Girls (I have been waiting YEARS for a reason to use a Gossip Girl-esque sign off!)
Monday, January 21, 2013
The Playoffs: Championship Sunday
- The San Francisco 49'ers beat the Atlanta Falcons 28-24 to win the NFC Championship and earn a spot in the Super Bowl. I am more than a little bummed about this loss for the Falcons. You might remember that I had the chance to go to a Falcons game early on in the season and it was one of the most fun experiences I have ever had (it was like the opposite of watching The Bachelor). And in the beginning it looked like the Falcons might run away with it. They took an early 17-0 lead with Julio Jones racking up over 100 receiving yards in the first half and making touchdowns look easy. But then the Falcons did what they do best, blow leads. Only this time they couldn't comeback against the 49'ers and Colin Kaepernick...the quarterback who replaced Alex Smith mid-season. A decision that is making Head Coach, Jim Harbaugh, look like a genius right about now.
- Speaking of Harbaughs, after Jim made sure his team was headed to the Super Bowl it was his big brother, John Harbaugh's turn to do the same for the Baltimore Ravens. Another Aside: Okay I know this is supposed to be about football, but I just watched the part of The Bachelor when Kasey tries to clue Sean into the drama that the other girls are having. I think it is fair to say that Kasey is a lethal combination of stupid, desperate, and crazy. I mean, she has been on this show before (first red flag) shouldn't she know that ratting out the other girls never goes over well with the guy you are all fighting over?? Okay...I'm done...oh wait someone just fell down the stairs. Her name is Tierra...give me a break. Back to football. What I was saying is that when the Baltimore Ravens kicked off against the New England Patriots there was a very good chance that the Super Bowl would feature two brothers coaching against each other. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT IS HAPPENING! Can you tell I am excited?! Not only do I love the Ravens but nothing makes me happier than seeing Tom Brady and Bill Belichek lose football games, let alone this football game! The Patriots had never lost an AFC Championship game at home, Tom Brady was 67-0 at home when they are leading at the half, but all of that history was no match for the Ravens who shut the Patriots down 28-13. So now Ray Lewis will end his 17 year long career...all spent with the Ravens...at a Super Bowl. That's quite a story.
It looks like he beat up a 12 year old boy and stole his outfit |
The stage is set for Super Bowl XLVII (any one have any clue how many that is...my brain is too fried by mindless television to try and figure it out). And what a story it will be: The first time in Super Bowl history that 2 brothers will be coaching against each other, the end of Ray Lewis' iconic career...and of course the Destiny's Child reunion concert. Fun Fact: Jim and John Harbaugh are only 15 months apart. Also their parents names are Jack and Jackie and they have a sister, Joanie. Do you see where I am going with this? Jack, Jackie, Jim, John, and Joanie. Say that 5 times fast. For the first time in a long time I am so excited for more than just the commercials and half time entertainment when it comes to this Super Bowl. What do y'all, think? are you excited for Harbaugh Bowl? Does it concern you that there are people out there who would name their child, Tierra? No matter what, there is only one game left in this NFL season and then I have to figure out another hobby. Bowling for Broads, anyone?
Thank God they have to wear those hats or things would get very confusing on Super Bowl Sunday. |
A cowboy hat, belt buckle, AND chaps? What do you think he is thinking about? |
Wear all the glasses you want, you will never be as cool as Lebron. |
I started the season with this gem...seems fitting that I should end with it. |
Monday, January 14, 2013
The Playoffs: Divisional Round
I think the most important way for me to start this week's (late) post is to let all of you know that as I write this NFL blog, my husband is watching The Bachelor and getting mad at me for not paying attention. How's that for irony? I have used The Bachelor as a metaphor for football before in this blog so in honor of my hubby I will bring it back for Round 2 of the playoffs, otherwise known as the Divisional Round. Anyone who has watched The Bachelor knows that nothing is feared more than the dreaded 2-on-1 date. That's where two girls go on a date with our bachelor and only one comes back. Well imagine an episode made up of four 2-on-1 dates and that would be the Divisional Round of the playoffs, 8 teams go in, only 4 come out. Below is a snapshot of where we are after this weekend's games...you know in case you dont feel like reading my witty recaps.
- It's official, I am a Ravens fan. I love Ray Lewis and want to see him end his career with a Super Bowl win. I love Torrey Smith, I think he has the kindest face of anyone I have ever seen. And I love that this is a team that just will not go away. After beating the Colts last week, the Ravens travelled to Denver to take on Peyton Manning and the Broncos who have been on somewhat of a hot streak. Well nothing was hot in Denver on Saturday....no seriously the windchill factor was -2 degrees. To make a long game short, here is what you need to know: Joe Flacco and Jacoby Jones saved the day for the Ravens. After trading scores all game, the Broncos were up by a touchdown with 31 seconds left in the game when Joe Flacco threw a 70 yard Hail Mary pass to Jacoby Jones to tie the game and send it to two overtimes and winning the game 38-35. It should also be noted that Peyton Manning was not his best self. Maybe the cold air was too much for his Louisiana blood, but he accounted for all 3 of Denver's turnovers to help the Ravens on to the AFC Championship.
I am trying to think of something funny to say but all I can think of is "bahaha!" Go home, Peyton. |
- The news was not as great for one of my other favorite teams, the Green Bay Packers as they took on the San Francisco 49'ers. Colin Kaepernick, who became the starting quarterback for the 49'ers during the last 3rd of the regular season, certainly made a statement in his first playoff appearance. Not only did he throw for 26 yards and 2 touchdowns, but he also rushed for a record 181 yards and 2 touchdowns to give the 49'ers the 31-45 over Aaron Rodgers and the Packers.
Bless him. Hey Rodgers! Call me, maybe. |
- One of the perks of my job is that I get to go to market in Atlanta and shop for beautiful home furnishings and accessories with someone else's credit card. If that is not living the dream, I am not sure what is. I was so excited to get to market on Sunday that I almost forgot about the Atlanta Falcons kicked off against the Seattle Seahawks at 1:00. That is until we started looking for a parking place and were surrounded by Falcons jerseys. I finally found a $30 parking spot in the middle of a Falcons tailgate and definitely felt a little jealous that I wasn't there to be part of the football fun...and believe me it would have been fun. The Falcons blew a 20 point lead and were down by 1-point in the 4th quarter with 31 seconds left to play. But as we have seen all season the Falcons have, more often than not, found a way to win; and after 2 long passes by Matt Ryan and 8 seconds remaining, Matt Bryant kicked a 49 yard field goal to give the Falcons their first post-season win since 2004. The Falcons will face the San Francisco 49'ers in the NFC Championship next week.
- The last game of the Divisional Round was between the Houston Texans and our old friends the New England Patriots (y'all got the sarcasm there, right?). Apparently all Tom Brady knows how to do is win playoff games, and unfortunately for the Texans Sunday afternoon was no exception. Brady threw for 344 yards and 3 touchdowns to solidly beat the Texans, 28-41. The Patriots will face my real friends, the Ravens next week in the AFC Championship. I am so upset about Tom Brady getting another shot at going to the Super Bowl that I am almost too depressed to google ridiculous pictures of him...almost.
Name one thing you have to cry about, Tom. ONE. |
I was going to save this one, but I couldn't wait. Nice hair. |
Next week we have the AFC and NFC Championships that will decide who goes to the Super Bowl. It's like the final date of The Bachelor except this time the final date is a football game that is sure to be overshadowed by the Destiny's Child reunion concert at halftime. I mean, I can think of no better reward for my 18 weeks of football watching than the girls back together again! What do you think they will open with? Say My Name? Too predictable? Oh gosh, my head might explode just thinking of all the possibilities, it's going to be just like that last scene in Dreamgirls!
Yes girls, I think I am finally ready for this jelly. |
Sunday, January 6, 2013
The Playoffs: Wild Cards
Happy New Year and yes, I did take Week 17 off. There was way to much Holiday Spirit going around for me to sit down and blog. But it is a new year and with 2013 comes the beginning of the NFL Playoffs which will take us all the way to the Super Bowl on February 3rd. The first round of the playoffs is known as the Wild Card Round. Basically in this round the #6 seed (the Wild Card team) plays the #3 seed and the #5 seed (The Wild Card team) plays the #4 seed. If you want to learn more about what it means to be a Wild Card team in the NFL you can click here.In case you were wondering here is a snapshot of who is in the playoffs.
AFC teams are on the left, NFC on the right and they meet in the middle for the Super Bowl |
- It should be noted that 3 out of 5 rookie quarterbacks have made it to the post season: Russell Wilson for the Seattle Seahawks, Andrew Luck for the Indianapolis Colts, and RG3 for the Washington Redskins.
- Texans quarterback, Matt Schaub, not only finally got to play in his first playoff game, but he managed to win his first playoff game against the Cincinnati Bengals (the Wild Card team). The Texans started off the season tied for the best record in the NFL only to see their star fade at the end of the season when they went from being a potential #1 seed with a bye week to the #3 seed who needed to get past the Bengals to keep their post season alive. Schaub had some help from running back, Arian Foster, who rushed for 140 yards and a touchdown. Maybe more importantly, Foster was able to help his team hold possession of the ball for 38 minutes and 49 seconds. The Texans beat the Bengals 19-13 and face a real challenge when they take on the New England Patriots next week.
- The Minnesota Vikings (the Wild Card team) may have the bionic man on their side in Adrian Peterson, but it wasn't enough to take down the Green Bay Packers who they had played (and beat) just one week before. This week Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers were on their home field and they were ready for the Vikings. To top it all off, the Vikings starting QB Christian Ponder was inured and they had to start their back-up, Joe Webb, who had seen one snap back in Week 5 against the Titans. The Packers won 24-10 and go on to face the San Francisco 49'ers next week.
-What I really love about the NFL are the stories off the field that make what happens on the field that much more exciting. And it was an emotional one when the Indianapolis Colts (the Wild Card team) travelled to Baltimore to take on the Ravens. A few months ago the Ravens' emotional center, Ray Lewis, went out with what was thought to be a season ending triceps injury. Well, it would take much more that that to end Ray Lewis' time on the field and he was back on the defense this week but only after announcing earlier this week that he would be retiring after this season after 17 years with not only the NFL, but the Baltimore Ravens. All that means that this game against the Ravens would be the last home game for Ray Lewis and it was a memorable one. The famed Baltimore defense, led by Lewis, held Andrew Luck and the Colts to just 9 points and walked away with the 9-24 win. Not only was Ray Lewis' storyline an emotional one but there was also the issue of Indianapolis Head Coach, Chuck Pagano. Pagano, who missed much of the season to undergo treatment for Leukemia, spent 4 years as an assistant coach for the Baltimore Ravens. After the game Ravens players could be seen lining up to give their old coach a hug. Actually Pagano got a sideline hug while the game was still going on by Ravens' defender Terrell Suggs. The Ravens head to Denver next week to take on Peyton Manning and the Broncos.
- With Andrew Luck out of the playoffs, there were 2 rookie quarterbacks left in the race and they faced off against each other with Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks (the Wild Card team) taking on RG3 and the Washington Redskins. All eyes were on RG3 who missed last weeks game with a knee injury and it was thought by many that he was not ready to play today. Those "many" were right. Despite a quick score on their first drive, RG3 did not look like his old agile self and in the 4th quarter RG3 fumbled a ball and went down again on that bad knee. The Seahawks recovered the fumble and walked away with the 24-14 win, their first road playoff win since 1983. The Seahawks head to Atlanta next week to take on the #1 seed Atlanta Falcons.
I'll be back next week with a recap of the Divisional Round of the playoffs. In the meantime, please let me know how you have liked the blog this season. What can I do more of? What can I do less of? Should I bother doing this again at all? I want to know! Hope everyone has a good week back at work...I don't know about y'all but it feels like years since I put in a full week, this one is going to be a doozy.
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