13
Sep
2011
Sebastian Janikowski Ties NFL Record with 63-yard Field Goal (VIDEO)
(Photo: Getty Images via ShutdownCorner)
Raiders K Sebastian Janikowski tied an NFL record last night with a 63-yard field goal that proved to be the difference-maker as Oakland Raiders beat the Denver Broncos 23-20 on Monday Night Football.
The moment came with just seconds remaining in the first half, after Oakland managed to put themselves just within Janikowski – who had just drilled a 70-yarder during pre-game – range. Here’s video of the kick, including the warm-up shot (via INSTNTRPLY.com):
Afterward, Janikowski said he had dreamt about tying the record the night before, but that he wasn’t all that impressed with the history-making kick itself:
“To be honest, I didn’t hit it very well … I just saw the replay. It barely made it.”
Either way, the rotund kicker known as “Sea Bass”- whose previous career high was 61-yards – is now tied with Jason Elam and Tom Dempsey in the NFL record books. Congrats, Jason.
11
Sep
2011
Cam Newton shatters record for rookie debut passing yards in Panthers loss (VIDEO)
(AP PHOTO/PAUL CONNORS via AZcentral.com)
Panthers No. 1 draft pick Cam Newton had the best debut of any rookie NFL quarterback ever on Sunday, throwing for 422 yards and 2 touchdowns in a losing effort, falling 28-21 to the Arizona Cardinals. Newton’s performance destroyed the previous modern-day yardage record held by Peyton Manning, who threw for 302 yards back in Week 1 of the 1998 season, and ties Matt Stafford‘s 2007 Week 10 performance for most yards ever thrown for by a rookie. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the all-time record for a first-game by a rookie was 346 by Otto Graham for the Cleveland Browns in 1950.
Newton’s first professional touchdown pass came on this 77-yard strike to WR Steve Smith:
In total, Newton went 24-for-37 for 422 yards, 2 TDs and 1 interception, plus 18 yards and 1 score on the ground. Both passing scores went to Smith, who finished with 178 yards receiving, with Newton completing passes to eight different receivers and making all the throws you could ever hope to see from your new quarterback.
Watch complete game highlights of the league’s newest superstar after the jump, via BSO:
9
Sep
2011
Randall Cobb performs “Barrel Roll” en route to 108-yard kickoff return (GIF)
(Image via Imgur.com)
Packers rookie WR/KR Randall Cobb made a pretty strong impression on his new team last night with this record-tying 108-yard kickoff return in the 3rd quarter, which helped Green Bay on to a thrilling season-opening 42-34 victory over the New Orleans Saints.
The most impressive part of the play came as Cobb crossed the 20 yard line and got seemingly upended by Saints CB Leigh Torrance. Cobb then performed a “barrel roll” maneuver and managed to put down a hand as one of his teammates helped prevent his fall and keep him moving forward. The 2nd round draft choice then burst from the pack and used his speed to do the rest.
Since the NFL seems determined to have all kickoffs go into the endzone, it’s nice to know that there’s still plenty of young kids with no fear who are willing to eschew taking a knee in favor of taking one to the house.
WATCH THE VIDEO AFTER THE JUMP
7
Feb
2011
Monday Morning Super Bowl XLV round-up: Packers outlast Steelers to re-claim Lombardi Trophy
This year's trophy also came with a championship belt (Photo: Getty Images via ChicagoBreakingSports)
The Green Bay Packers are bringing the Lombardi trophy back to Titletown.
As the whole world watched, the Packers hung on to defeat Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25 in Super Bowl XLV, with Aaron Rodgers throwing 3 TDs and taking home the MVP trophy. Green Bay jumped out to an early 21-3 lead, and for a minute it looked like we might be headed for a blowout. But the Steelers were able to turn the momentum and mount a comeback in the second half to cut the lead to within a score. But down by 6 points with just under 2 minutes to go, Ben Roethlisberger wasn’t able to summon the last-minute heroics needed for a game-winning drive, and the Packers held on for the victory. In the end, the difference in the game came down to turnovers. Pittsburgh committed three turnovers, and Green Bay committed none. Plus, the Packers were able to capitalize on all three of the Steelers turnovers with touchdowns. It’s pretty simple, really: when you spot a team 21 points in the Super Bowl, it’s difficult to win.
Rather than re-hash every angle you’ve probably heard overanalyzed a dozen times by now, we’ll just provide a few links to some of the more interesting side notes to this year’s big game:
- Yes, Christina Aguilera screwed up the lyrics to the Star Spangled Banner. Deport her immediately.
- After all of his ploys to add extra attendees for the game (including selling tickets for standing room only party plazas outside the stadium) Jerry Jones missed setting the Super Bowl attendance record by 766
- And thanks to that attempt by Jerrah, 400 ticket buyers, who each paid $800 for newly constructed seats at Cowboys Stadium, were forced to watch the game on TVs in the stadium after the fire marshal deemed their seats unsafe. But the league is hooking each of the displaced fans up with $2,400 cash, NFL merch, tix to SB 46 … oh, and they got to go on the field during the post-game celebration last night.
- Only one record was set during SB XLV: fewest combined rushing attempts by both teams, with 36 (Packers 13, Steelers 23)
- Injured Packer CB Charles Woodson apparently gave an emotional, “Gipper-esque” halftime speech to his teammates, which helped fire them up to take home the championship.
20
Dec
2010
VIDEO: Big fat lineman has incredible kick return
This was probably the best moment of the weekend.
As we all know, offensive linemen are the unsung heroes of the gridiron. They do all the dirty work and rarely get any credit, and pretty much never actually get to touch the football. But during last nights Patriots-Packers game, New England Guard Dan Connolly somehow ended up with the ball in his hands on a kick return, and instead of falling on the ball as big guys usually do, this happened:
And big boys everywhere cheered in delight.
With the nimble 71-yard jaunt, Connolly enters the NFL record books for the longest return ever by an offensive lineman (what was the previous record, 8 yards?). And the Patriots- who were down 17-7 at the time – were able to carry that momentum into the second half and hold on for the win.
And then there’s this, from the Youtube comments:
Desean, I’m real happy for you, and imma let you finish, but Dan Connolly had one of the best returns of all time! OF ALL TIME!
UPDATED w/ GIF OF CONNOLLY’S BEAUTIFUL RETURN AFTER THE JUMP
29
Oct
2010
Favre’s streak reportedly in jeopardy … YAWN
(AP Photo/Andy King via ESPN.com)
UPDATE: Favre participated in practice today on a limited basis, but Childress said he wouldn’t decide on who will start on Sunday until just before game time:
“I am fond to saying 48-hours to game time,” Childress said. “We don’t play until 3:15, I think, East Coast time; still got a lot of treatment time. Can bones heal in 48 hours? Probably not, but (head athletic trainer) Eric Sugarman has a great bone stimulator in there that really does the trick.”
This is starting to remind me of the whole Favre retirement saga … and as such, I no longer care. I mean, this is a 2-4 team with a bad offense led by a gimpy old man. Aside from the streak – which should have ended naturally via one of his recent retirements – this is almost a non-issue. The Vikings would probably be better off with Jackson at the helm this weekend, and that in and of itself speaks volumes.
_______________
The Star-Tribune is reporting that Vikings HC Brad Childress is leaning toward sitting Brett Favre down on Sunday against the Patriots with two fractures in his left foot. This, despite the fact that Favre – who has yet to practice this week and has been in a walking boot until today – hasn’t ruled himself out the game yet. Of course, the big news here is that if Favre doesn’t go, it would put an end to his NFL Record streak of 291 consecutive starts … but that’s still a huge “IF”:
Favre, who has played through numerous injuries during his 20-year NFL career, has “confided” in some close to him he’s not convinced Childress will let him play against New England, the NFL Network also reported Thursday night.
Yeah yeah yeah … I’ll believe it when I see it. Like everything else Favre-related, this feels like just another media-hyped creation to help build up his legend even further. In fact, at least one NFL team doctor said that the injury is nothing more than a “glorified ankle sprain”, and its been speculated that if this were a playoff game, most players would be able to play through it.
They’re going to shoot Favre up with whatever painkillers it takes so he can step under center and take at least the first few snaps of the game to keep his streak intact.
24
Oct
2010
DeAngelo Hall ties NFL record with 4 INTs; Cutler still throwing picks
DeAngelo Hall deflated the Bears with this amazing one-handing pick, which he returned 92 yards for the score (Photo via ChrisMottram)
Jay Cutler is having a heck of a season. After starting the year 3-0, the perpetually dopey Bears QB got his bell rung by the Giants in week 4 and sat out one game before returning. Cutler may have rushed himself back into action, because he took six sacks in a loss to Carolina last week, and apparently the concussion is lingering … or at least, Cutler would be wise to use that as an excuse after his performance today.
It looked as though Cuter thought DeAngelo Hall was a member of the Bears this afternoon, throwing 4 interceptions – all of them to Hall – in an ugly 17-14 loss to the Redskins. Hall became just the 19th person in NFL history, and the first since 2001, to intercept four passes in one game. He put Washington ahead for good with an incredible 92-yard pick six near the end of the 3rd quarter. The Redskins racked up 6 total turnovers and four sacks, and there were a total of 9 turnovers (and nearly many more) in a game that was brutal to watch at times.
But Cutler, in displaying his unique brand of stubbornness and stupidity, said he never considered not throwing Hall’s way:
“No,” he said. “Not at all. I’ve played against him before. There’s no reason to shy away from him. I mean that’s hard for me to say throwing four picks to the guy, but I still think if we had to play him tomorrow, I’d go after him every time.”
Really Jay? Every time? Really? Isn’t rule number one for a quarterback pretty much not to throw the ball when your receiver is covered like a blanket? Or is your strategy to just chuck it up there – regardless of the situation – and trust that your rocket arm is going to bail you out every time? It’s that kind of arrogance that will keep Cutler from ever becoming a great QB in this league … and probably keep the Bears from making the playoffs.
WATCH ALL FOUR OF DEANGELO HALL’S INTERCEPTIONS AFTER THE JUMP
4
Jan
2010
VIDEO: Chris Johnson 2009 Season Highlights (aka the best season by any NFL RB ever)
Even though he fell short of Eric Dickerson’s NFL single-season rushing record, Tennessee Titans RB Chris Johnson broke the Marshall Faulk’s record for total yards from scrimmage in a season on Sunday. As the video above demonstrates, in 2009 Johnson put together one of the greatest seasons by a running back in NFL history, finishing with 2,006 yards rushing and 503 yards receiving.
In doing so, he became just the sixth player to rush for over 2,000 yards in a season, joining Eric Dickerson, Jamal Lewis, Barry Sanders, Terrell Davis, and O.J. Simpson in the elite club. But none of those other backs were nearly as prolific as receivers out of the backfield, so one could easily make a case for Johnson as the most complete back of all time.
Congratulations to Johnson and the Titans O-line, and to any fantasy football owners who had CJ on their roster. You had one hell of a year!
21
Dec
2009
VIDEO: Joshua Cribbs returns kicks better than anyone else … ever
If there has been one shining bright spot in Cleveland this season, it has been the play of WR/KR/PR/QB/RB Joshua Cribbs. Yesterday, Cribbs proved once again that he can create offense single-handedly, helping the Browns to a 41-34 win over the KC Chiefs.
One of the most dangerous men in the league with the ball in his hands, Cribbs returned not one but TWO kickoffs for 100+-yard TDs to set a new NFL record for KO returns for TD in a career:
Ummm … note to Eric Mangini and the Browns staff: you might just want to give the ball to Cribbs on every play.
11
Nov
2009
The Aaron Rodgers Sack Tracker has been working overtime
(Screen Shot via madison.com)
The Green Bay Packers offensive line has been horrendous in pass protection this year, allowing 37 sacks on QB Aaron Rodgers. That’s already more than the total number of times Rodgers was sacked all of last year, and they are on track to destroy the Packers club record for # of sacks allowed in a season (62). In fact, if the way the OL played against the hapless Bucs on Sunday was any indication (6 sacks allowed), Rodgers has a good shot to break David Carr’s 2002 all-time record for # of times sacked in one season (76).
Fortunately, technology has blessed us with the Interactive Aaron Rodgers Sack Tracker, so we can keep track of Rodgers’ progress from week to week. But be careful not to put all of the sacks for the season up on the tracker at once … just trust me on this one. And don’t say I didn’t warn you.
