13
Dec
2009
VIDEO: Derrick Mason incredible catch, hit & run
This gets my vote for play of the day (even though it came in one of the most boring, lopsided games of the day).
Ravens WR Derrick Mason hauls in the pass from Joe Flacco, gets sandwiched by two Lions defenders, somehow stays on his feet & scampers 62 yards for the score:
27
Nov
2009
Matt Stafford is even more impressive on “mic’d up”
We realize that the Matt Stafford coverage this week is bordering on man-crush territory. And the fact that he threw 4 INTs yesterday against the Packers cannot be ignored.
But you just can’t fight a great story. And Stafford’s gutsy comeback performance (and particularly the final play) last weekend against the Browns was a great story. This “mic’d up” segment gives even more insight into the way this kid plays the game of football, including how he fought off the trainers to re-enter the game with a shoulder injury. If you don’t want to follow Stafford into battle after watching this, I don’t know what to tell you.
Stafford has obviously got a long way to go. But it’s clear from this video that he has the intangibles you just can’t teach, and should make him a great QB in this league for a long time.
26
Nov
2009
Live Game Blog: Thanksgiving Day Edition
mmmmm .... Turducken. (Photo: Jeff Kowalsky/Getty Images)
Thanksgiving annually means 3 things: 1) awkward family gatherings 2) overeating/drinking and 3) football. Guess what we’ll be doing today?
As has become tradition, the Cowboys and Lions will be hosting turkey day games … off against the Packers and Raiders respectively (hint: neither of these games will be interesting to watch). But John Madden is no longer a part of the festivities, and in looking at the banner pic above, we can’t help but miss the ol’ son of a gun around this time of year.
This year we also get an extra night game courtesy of the NFL Network, and I – ArtieFufkin – will be attending the Giants/Broncos game this evening in Denver, and will try to report back with images and tales of whimsy from the game.
In the mean time, here is Adam Sandler’s classic “Thanksgiving Song” to get you in the holiday spirit. All of us here at ReadAndReact hope your Thanksgiving is filled with joy and cheer!
And if you can sneak away from the family for a moment, feel free to post your gameday thoughts and follow today’s NFL action in the comments section.
24
Nov
2009
Awesomely Hilarious Video: Matt Stafford is now a man
I don’t know who wrote this song (UPDATE: as I should have guessed, it’s from the South Park guys, and was actually the opening theme song for Trey Parker’s movie Orgazmo), but it’s definitely the best thing I’ve heard in a while. The fact that it’s set to a montage of Matt Stafford pics and highlights is just icing on the cake.
Hope you enjoy a laugh on this pre-holiday Tuesday:
Live it, Live it!
23
Nov
2009
Game of the Week Highlights: Lions vs Browns – Stafford shoulders the win
Matt Stafford breaks away from a member of the Lions training staff to re-enter the game against the Browns (Photo: JULIAN H. GONZALEZ/DFP)
Heading into week 11 of the NFL season, one game stood out as the match-up that nobody wanted to see – the 1-8 Detroit Lions vs the 1-8 Cleveland Browns. The worst teams from both conferences squaring off in a game that was barely even broadcast on TV in their home markets. Feel the power. But by Sunday evening, this clash of the basement-dwellers stood out from the pack as the most competitive, action-packed game of the week. And the ending was certainly the most memorable!
The Browns jumped out to a lead on the arm of Brady Quinn, who threw for three 1st quarter TDs, and had Cleveland feeling good early. But rookie #1 pick Matt Stafford led the Lions on a gutsy comeback with 4 TDs of his own, giving them one last shot to win the game as time expired.
If you don’t know what happened by now, you can watch the complete game highlights below … or fast forward to around 5:10 to see the big finish (game recap here):
Peter King describes exactly what happened on those final two plays , including what went down after Stafford seemingly threw a pick to end the game as time ran out. But a pass interference penalty – along with an unnecessary timeout by Eric Mangini – allowed Stafford to re-enter the game after injuring his shoulder to throw the go-ahead score. Against the wishes of Lions team doctors.
UPDATE: Stafford suffered an AC joint separation in his non-throwing (left) shoulder. He is likely to miss Thursday’s Lions game against the Packers, but it doesn’t look like a long-term injury.
And while it’s yet another brutal loss for Cleveland and their fans (and TheDarkHorse may kill me for this post), the win marks the coming out party for Matt Stafford as a QB who now has earned the respect of his teammates, along with the city of Detroit. Head Coach Jim Schwartz summed it up best after the game:
“His best play wasn’t the last play, or the second-to-last,” Schwartz told me. “His best play was eluding four of our medical guys to get back onto the field.”
By playing through the pain and carrying the team on his shoulders (literally), Stafford has given hope to a franchise that hasn’t felt that emotion since Barry Sanders left town. And that’s a pretty big accomplishment in and of itself.
4
Oct
2009
VIDEO: Jay Cutler goes airborne against the Lions
Bears QB Jay Cutler set the tone for his team in the first quarter against the Lions today with this 5-yard run, which concluded with Cutler launching himself into the air at the goal line:
Cutler seems to be enjoying his new Chicago surroundings, and now has the Bears sitting at 3-1.
22
Sep
2009
Week 2 NFL Highlights – Drunken Lions Fans edition
Every Tuesday here at ReadAndReact, we’ll bring you video clips of the best highlights from the previous weekend’s NFL action. This week, we kick things off with a highlight that comes from the stands rather than the playing field, as we capture Lions fans in their natural state: DRUNK.
Watch as these two fully inebriated ladies make a scene during Sunday’s Lions/Packers game, and ultimately get escorted away by Detroit’s finest:
And now, back to your regularly scheduled in-game highlights.
Kenny Phillips INT off of Jason Witten’s foot:
Ray Lewis stuffs Darren Sproles on 4th and 2
3
Sep
2009
Thursday Round-Up: Vick eligible? Top-selling NFL jerseys; Romo’s new woman
America has spoken. Favre and Vick top jersey sales
Lots going on this week as we prepare for the final pre-season games, roster cuts, fantasy football drafts, and very soon, the start of the NFL season. Time to get fired up, folks!
Here is your Thursday Round-Up:
- Michael Vick likely to be eligible for Week 1, and is reportedly meeting with Roger Goodell today [NFL Fanhouse]. Wow, really? Goodell sure seems to be caving quickly on this one. Is our society’s tolerance for mistakes and capacity for forgiveness this great? Or do we just have a short memory when it comes to our “heroes”? Probably the latter, huh?
- Along those lines, CNBC put together a list of the top-selling jerseys in the NFL. Brett Favre is #1. Michael Vick is #4. Self respect did not make the list.
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Candice Crawford will now distract Romo from his football playing duties
The Detroit Lions won the Kevin O’Connell sweepstakes, signing him to back up Matt Stafford and Daunte Culpepper. [Yahoo!]
- In case you care, Peter King gives his 2009 NFL predictions, with projected records for each team, along with his playoff forecast. SPOILER ALERT! – he has the Bears vs Patriots in the Super Bowl. [SportsIllustrated]
- Tony Romo’s got a hot new squeeze, and it’s former miss Missouri Candace Crawford, who also happens to be the sister of teen hearthrob Chase Crawford. [US Weekly]. And I really couldn’t care less … just an excuse to post a picture of a hot chick.
UPDATE: The Winnepeg Sun says it was a rambling internet video post by Pacman that caused them to re-consider:
2
Sep
2009
Former Patriot Assistants trip over themselves trying to claim Kevin O’Connell
Kevin O'Connell could reunite with Josh McDaniels in Denver
When the Patriots released back-up QB Kevin O’Connell on Monday, it seemed clear that at least one of Belichick’s former staffers would make a play for the 2008 3rd round choice. With the recent injury to Kyle Orton and presence of his former OC Josh McDaniels, Denver seemed like the most obvious fit for O’Connell.
But according to ProFootballTalk, not one, but FOUR teams have put in a waiver claim for O’Connell: Denver, Cleveland, Detroit and the NY Jets. Both the Jets and Lions need back-ups for their rookie QBs, so those teams make sense too. Cleveland is interesting, though. They already have a QB controversy, so does this mean Eric Mangini simply wants more in-house fodder for trade talks?
Let’s face it, Belichick could release a turd, and most of his disciples would kill themselves trying to scoop it out of the toilet. So is O’Connell a real viable option at QB, or just a sign that these young head coaches are desperate, and would be happy with Belichick’s table scraps?
Interestingly, the Kansas City Chiefs haven’t made a claim for O’Connell, which means that the GM who drafted him (Scott Pioli) a year ago isn’t interested. And with an ailing Matt Cassell, that could be a statement in and of itself.
22
Aug
2009
( ( ( LIVE GAME BLOG ) ) ) Browns vs. Lions
The Browns 10-year rebuilding plan continues today!
And we are here to follow the action. After a dismal showing against Green Bay last Saturday, will the Browns have their act together today in Cleveland Browns Stadium? Will Eric Mangini’s team be different than those coached by Chris Palmer, Butch Davis, or Romeo Crenell–or is this just more of the same?
Aspects of the game the Browns need to improve:
- Every aspect
There’s an incredible amount of attention on the QB battle between Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson, but the reality is that neither of these guys has separated from the pack. Neither has shown they can play consistent football week to week (or even practice to practice). The “quarterback controversy” here, in my opinion, is the fact that we’re going into the season for the eleventh time since the Browns return to the league WITHOUT a clear-cut starter–and minus a true leader at the position.
Here are two problems that suggest disaster for this team: (1) They cannot run the football; (2) They cannot stop the run. That’s the recipe for a painful, long season. This team that has to get tougher, smarter, and refuse to lie down. Winning or losing preseason games is not of core importance–but playing well, gaining confidence, and nailing down Mangini’s new system are critical.
Will the team get their act together today? We’ll post throughout the game, right after the jump…
