30
Aug
2011
Coach Payton tells PFT that kickoffs could vanish from football
Sean Payton sees a future where kickoffs might be kicked out. (Cox Sports TV)
New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton spoke with ProFootballTalk.com’s Mike Florio on Tuesday about the future of kickoff returns.
Payton understands that fans — and many players — are miffed about kickoffs moving from the 30 to the 35, effectively reducing chances for big kick returns. He also knows that with the information the league had about injuries, kickoffs were a central target for change.
“Then you have to be able to take steps, so that 10 years down the road when someone is asking you, ‘Hey at this time, when you knew it was such a dangerous play and you continued on with the kicks from the 30 — and now you have someone who is seriously injured.’”
Payton acknowledged that kickoffs could eventually vanish from the landscape of football.
“Sitting in on John Madden’s coaches committee, and discussing this topic, this is a tough one, in regards to trying to reduce collision speed. There are a number of things you can do offensively and defensively, but when it comes to kicking that ball and these guys are running down the field (at) a pretty good rate of speed, even if they have a five-yard start as opposed to, last year, the 10-yard start. I wouldn’t be surprised, Mike, if down the road that’s where it was headed. Unless we come up with some good answers. And that’s the trick.”
Payton is clearly not on board with the league removing onside kicks.
PFT did the hard work on this one, so here’s the link to the story.
29
Apr
2011
Mark Ingram, Jr. gets an emotional message from his dad after being drafted (VIDEO)
This might have been the most emotional moment from last night’s 1st round of the NFL Draft.
Alabama RB and former Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram found himself waiting the longest to hear his name called in the draft’s green room, as he slid farther and farther down the board. But after being selected #28 overall by the New Orleans Saints, Ingram was overcome with a sense of relief and emotion, as ESPN’s Suzy Kolber shared an email she received from Ingram’s father, Mark, Sr.
Ingram, Sr was also selected #28 overall back in 1987 by the New York Giants, and went on to be an integral part of the club that won Super Bowl 25. He is currently serving a 7-year federal sentence for bank fraud and laundering. When Kolber shared the father’s message to his son, Ingram, Jr. simply couldn’t hold back the tears:
With the addition of Ingram, the Saints now have a crowded backfield, with Pierre Thomas, Chris Ivory and Reggie Bush already in the fold. Shortly after the draft, Bush sent out this tweet, indicating that he’s aware of the writing on the wall:
8
Jan
2011
Seahawks stun Saints, Marshawn Lynch delivers an incredible final blow (VIDEO)
(Photo: Getty Images)
Well that right there is why they play the games.
Everybody’s least favorite playoff team, the 7-9 Seahawks, upset the defending champion New Orleans Saints today in Seattle, hanging on for a shocking 41-36 win. The game was a shootout from the very beginning, with both defenses seemingly taking much of the afternoon off. Seattle was led by QB Matt Hasselbeck, who threw for 272 yards and four TDs in leading his team to a 24-17 halftime lead. And the offensive fireworks didn’t stop there, as both teams racked up almost 900 combined yards of total offense in the game.
Just when it looked like Drew Brees and the Saints were going to overpower the lowly NFC West champs down the stretch, RB Marshawn Lynch broke away for an incredible 67-yard 4th quarter touchdown run that put the game out of reach. The Saints seemed to have Lynch bottled up near the line of scrimmage, but the man who Carroll traded for mid-season broke loose around midfield. At least six members of the NO defense had a legitimate chance to bring him down on the play, but Lynch simply wouldn’t be denied the end zone:
Crazy. It’s already being called one of the greatest runs ever, and considering the breadth of skills Lynch used to elude defenders on the play (power/speed/shiftiness/field vision and one nasty stiff-arm), along with the fact that it sealed one of the bigger playoff upsets in recent league history, it certainly deserves to at least be in the conversation.
In the end, the Seahawks – who were roundly derided as the worst team to ever make the playoffs – once again proved that on any given Sunday, any team in the NFL can beat another … and that we don’t know a damn thing about how this post-season is going to play out.
BONUS GIF OF LYNCH TOSSING TRACY PORTER AFTER THE JUMP
8
Jan
2011
Carl from ATHF on the Seahawks playoff travesty (VIDEO)
Our old pal Carl from Aqua Teen Hunger Force is back with his hilariously unique perspective on the NFL, and delivers big time this week with his prediction for today’s Saints-Seahawks Wild Card playoff match-up. As usual, Carl succinctly sums up our feelings about Pete Carroll’s team hosting a playoff game with a losing record.
Best line: “We give out another trophy for teams that finish 7-9 … it’s called a high draft pick. This aint pee-wees where everyone gets to have a pizza party. It’s the NFL.”
Unfortunately, if Carl picks a team, it’s pretty much the kiss of death. So you might want to throw a few bucks on Seattle at the last minute … if you’re into that sort of thing, I mean.
30
Nov
2010
NFL Week 13 Power Rankings (featuring the “Berserker Number”)
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Does anyone want to play the Bills right now? (Source: BuffaloNews.com)
Note: For the teams from 32-17, I’ve tagged them with my BERSERKER NUMBER (B#). Ranging from 1 to 100, it rates a team’s ability to cause havoc for teams attempting a playoff run. Young, developing squads just beginning to show power (but stuck with losing records) are helped, in my rankings, by a high B#.
For the teams from 16-1, I’ve added my DESTINY SCORE (DS). Again, 1 to 100. Here, I’m attempting to weed out teams resembling, for instance, the 1988 Chicago Bears. Teams with towering regular season records that (we all know) will not get to — back to — the Super Bowl. Teams, well, missing something special.
My (totally subjective, imperfect) Week 13 Power Rankings:
32 Carolina Panthers (1-10) (B#4)
31 Arizona Cardinals (3-8) (B#8)
30 Cincinnati Bengals (2-9) (B#14)
29 San Francisco 49ers (4-7) (B#22)
28 Denver Broncos (3-8) (B#33)
27 Detroit Lions (2-9) (B#28)
26 Buffalo Bills (2-9) (B#68)
25 Dallas Cowboys (3-8) (B#41)
24 Minnesota Vikings (4-7) (B#42)
23 Oakland Raiders (5-6) (B#52)
22 Washington Redskins (5-6) (B#43)
21 Seattle Seahawks (5-6) (B#54)
20 Cleveland Browns (4-7) (B#73)
21
Sep
2010
Hit(s) Of The Week: Troy Polamalu flying tackle, Rolando McLain & Patrick Willis (VIDEO)
We’re starting a new tradition every Tuesday here at ReadAndReact by bringing you the Hit of the Week! We’ll find the most brutal tackle (or block) from each weekend of NFL games, and present it for your viewing pleasure
We’ve gotta give some props to the Pittsburgh Steelers defense, who were the star of the show in Tennessee on Sunday, getting 4 sacks and SEVEN turnovers in their 19-11 victory over the Titans. Oh, and they also held wonderboy RB Chris Johnson to only 53 total yards (34 yards rushing).
On this play, S Troy Polamalu (and his million dollar hair) times the snap perfectly on a goal line attempt by the Titans, leaping over the offensive line to bring down QB Kerry Collins before he even has a chance to get moving:
It’s not necessarily a bone-crushing hit, but it’s one of the best players in the game making a beautifully-anticipated goal line stop. And yes, I realize the Titans scored a TD on that same series … but they lost the game, and Polamalu is one of the main reasons why.
HONORABLE MENTION: Rolando McLain Suplex Maneuver
(Photo: Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images via BleacherReport)
We couldn’t give this one the award since he got flagged with a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty, but Raiders rookie LB Rolando McClain made his impact felt in yesterday’s 16-14 win over the St. Louis Rams … particularly on WR Danny Amendola. Watch as he violently slams the little guy to the ground:
9
Sep
2010
ARTIE and THEDARKHORSE discuss 2010 (Part One)
One more time, with feeling: Brett Favre and his Vikings are determined to get back to the NFC Championship. Their journey begins tonight. (Source: NewsOne)
THEDARKHORSE: Artie, we’re finally here. Standing at the doorway, with the 2010 NFL season spread before us in all its splendor. Today, every team has a certain amount of hope. If you’re the New Orleans Saints, you’re sure you can get back to the big game. If you’re the Detroit Lions, you’re sure this season brings proof of growth. If you’re the Minnesota Vikings, nothing less than the Super Bowl is acceptable. That’s fine, except that 15 NFC clubs will ultimately look back on this season as a failure. So… which supposed powerhouse falls the farthest this season? (In your world, Artie, which team is this year’s ’87 New York Giants)?
ARTIEFUFKIN: It is a magical time of year, indeed. I literally got giddy this morning thinking about how close we are to the start of the NFL season. And I like that you’re starting off on a negative note here: which playoff team from 2009 will FAIL the worst the year?
To me, the Arizona Cardinals have peaked, and are due for a fall this year. Gone from this year’s team are Kurt Warner, Karlos Dansby, Anquan Boldin and Antrell Rolle … four of the teams best players. They’re in a weak division, and they have the easiest schedule in the NFL this year, but with Derek Anderson taking over the reigns, things could slide quickly for the Cardinals
And everyone is all over the Vikings jock this year, but they could be in for a rude awakening if old man Farve doesn’t put on a repeat performance of last season, which is going to be difficult to do, especially with that lingering ankle injury. Sidney Rice is injured and Percy Harvin suffers from migraines, and it seems like defenses are finally starting to catch up to Adrian Peterson. To me, the Packers are the team to beat in the NFC, and the rest of the NFC north is getting better … it just feels like a recipe for potential disaster in Minnesota.
TDH, there seems to be an unusually large crop of rookie RBs who will be carrying a large part of the load for their team this year. Guys like Ryan Matthews and Javid Best are two guys who are already being hyped up, but which rookie (not necessarily RB) do you think will make this most impact this season.
THEDARKHORSE: In terms of RB, you’ve named two leading contenders in Jahvid Best and Ryan Mathews. I think they’ll thrive not only because they appear NFL-ready, but because they’ll be given a full chance to operate and produce on offense. Mathews, especially, is being thrust into a starting role occupied for the better part of a decade by LaDanian Tomlinson. Big shoes to fill, yet he’s stepping in at a good time — it appears nobody in San Diego is too distraught to be without LT. These guys aside, I believe C.J. Spiller is the one we’ll be talking about all season long. He’s dangerous from all points on the field and has incredible speed. The guy scores from long distance, and should remind you of a few whip-fast runners from our childhood: Dave Meggett and Eric (“Stop Calling Me Terry”) Metcalf. The Bills don’t have much on offense, and if defenses focuses on Spiller exclusively, he might not get the yardage Mathews will, but I think he’ll be twice as exciting.
Artie, do we have a surprise team in the NFL — do we have a 1999 St. Louis Rams this time around. And, for the record, let’s not call the Miami Dolphins a surprise team. More along the lines of a 4-12 club that completely stuns the league.
ARTIEFUFKIN: Well, I don’t necessarily see anyone coming out of nowhere and winning the Super Bowl, but I do think this might finally be the year that the Detroit Lions turn things around, and get their first .500 record since 1999. You saw glimpses last year that this group of players could pull together, and now that Matt Millen is no longer hanging around like a black cloud of sadness, you just get the feeling these guys are on the right track. They’ve got another year of seasoning under Matt Stafford & Calvin Johnson, and have added rookies like Ndomukong Suh & Jahvid Best, who should both make a big impact right away. Add veterans like Kyle Vanden Bosch, Nate Burleson, Rob Sims and Tony Scheffler to the mix, and you’ve got the building blocks for the future in place. GM Martin Mayhew and Head Coach Jim Schwartz genuinely seem to have a plan in place, and there is finally reason for hope in Detroit.
Click below to read more.
10
Feb
2010
Tracy Porter’s Super Bowl Interception, Tecmo Bowl-style
Now that the dust has settled from Super Bowl 44, we would be remiss if we didn’t post one last Tecmo Bowl recreation for the season, from our Youtube friend MRNFL. This one captures the biggest play from Super Sunday, and possibly the entire season, as Tecmo Tracy Porter picks off Tecmo Peyton and races 74 yards for the game-winning score.
I’m not sure if I’ll ever get tired of these.
7
Feb
2010
Saints defeat Colts 31-17 in Super Bowl XLIV; Tracy Porter intercepts Manning to seal victory (video)
A picture says 1000 words (Photo: Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images via ESPN.com)
The New Orleans Saints shocked the world and defeated the Indianapolis Colts 31-17 to win Super Bowl XLIV, and bring the Lombardi Trophy home to the city of New Orleans.
Trailing 10-0 at the end of the 1st quarter, head coach Sean Payton made a series of gutsy calls – including a failed 4th and goal attempt in the 2nd quarter and successful onside kick to start the 2nd half – that helped the Saints chip away at the lead and put themselves in a position to win.
Drew Brees went 32-39 for 288 yards, with two touchdowns and no interceptions to collect the MVP award, and the Saints defense came up big when it mattered to preserve the lead. The game winning-play came when Tracy Porter picked off Peyton Manning and brought it 74 yards to the house with 3:12 remaining.
WATCH VIDEO OF PORTER’S INTERCEPTION AFTER THE JUMP
24
Jan
2010
VIDEO: Brett Favre picked off by Tracy Porter; Saints win NFC Championship
Garrett Hartley kicks a 40-yard, game-winning FG in overtime of the NFC Championship(Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images via ESPN.com)
The New Orleans Saints eked out a 31-28 OT victory over the Minnesota Vikings for the NFC Championship in a thriller tonight. It was a back and forth contest, with both offenses taking shots at one another, until time finally ran out for one of them. But in the end, it came down to turnovers – Minnesota had 5, New Orleans just 1. Time and time again, despite moving the ball almost at will, the Vikings put the ball on the ground and threw away scoring opportunities when it mattered most.
At the end of regulation, with the ball in Saints territory, the Vikings needed only to run the clock out and attempt a last-second (albeit long), game-winning FG. Instead, on 3rd down, Brett Favre was intercepted by Tracy Porter on and ill-advised pass, saving the game for New Orleans.
CONTINUE AFTER THE JUMP FOR VIDEO OF PORTER’S INT
