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:
6
Jul
2011
Field of Dreams 2: NFL Lockout Edition (VIDEO)
(Image via FunnyorDie.com)
As much positive spin as there seems to be coming from the NFL labor negotiations of late, we’re still just over two weeks from when training camps are scheduled to begin, and we’re still sitting around waiting for some real news, with no football in site. So, in our latest installment of “laughing to keep from crying over the whole nightmare”, we bring you this opus from the good folks over at Funny or Die: Field of Dreams 2: NFL Lockout Edition.
In the trailer for this fake sequel (which is more-than-plausible, and in fact looks better than half of the crap being spewed out in in today’s originality-bereft Hollywood, where bastardizing the best movies of my childhood seems to be the only idea left … ahem. Sorry, minor rant there), Twilight‘s Taylor Lautner appears alongside Kevin Costner, Ray Liotta and Dennis Haysbert, as the man who welcomes the disenfranchised NFL’ers into his cornfield, spurred on by the voices in his head. Ray Lewis, Tony Gonzalez, DeSean Jackson, Antonio Cromartie, Steve Smith (NYG) and a litany of other NFL players (who currently have nothing better to do) come to Iowa rekindle the magic and purity of the game in the National Corn League … at least until the lockout finally ends and the money comes calling, that is:
VIDEO AFTER THE JUMP
22
Jun
2010
Steve Smith broke his arm playing flag football
(Photo: David T. Foster/Charlotte Observer)
The Charlotte Observer is reporting that Panthers all-pro WR Steve Smith broke his arm while playing flag football in an adult rec league. And while the injury is certainly a blow to Carolina, it must be nice for Smith’s fans and teammates to know that he’s using his off-season to really work on his game against the best of the best:
Smith was playing flag football in an adult league at the Siskey YMCA Sunday when he fell and landed awkwardly on his left arm. He immediately called team officials, and met with team doctors before undergoing surgery to insert a plate and two screws into the broken left radius to speed healing.
Don’t kid yourselves … the Siskey YMCA has some of the best flag football players in the greater Metrolina area. Of course, this news comes in contrast to Smith’s original story, which was that he injured himself Sunday while working at his youth football camp. Turns out that camp actually ended on Saturday, so …
Smith is expected to miss at least 6 weeks, but his agent says he’ll be ready by the start of the regular season.
28
Dec
2009
Panthers’ Steve Smith breaks arm, Giants’ backs in win (video)
Giants fans would probably like to forget the last game played at Giants Stadium (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
There really isn’t too much to say about the horrendous display put forth by the New York Football Giants yesterday. In their final home game at Giants Stadium, Big Blue were trounced 41-9 by the Carolina Panthers, ending their playoff hopes and leaving fans wondering how this team ever won 5 straight games to start the season.
It was so bad, it even left pro bowl DE Osi Umenyiora wondering if this wasn’t his last home game in a Giants uniform:
“I couldn’t really explain what I’m feeling right now, disappointment is an understatement, in everything, the way everything has played out this year has been absolute nonsense, very disappointed, disheartened, discouraged, whatever you want to call it. I feel all those emotions. On a day like this, for us to come out and perform like that is unbelievable to me. I don’t even know what else to say.”
“It’s an unbelievable situation, man. Last game at Giants Stadium, probably as a Giant, just the way everything has unfolded has been unbelievable.”
Needless to say, things are going to get ugly in New York over the next few weeks, and don’t be surprised if Defensive Coordinator Bill Sheridan loses his job as a result of his unit’s collapse this season.
The highlight of the otherwise ugly game came on this play early in the 3rd quarter. After going into halftime up 24-0, the Panthers came out and squashed any hope of a Giant comeback with a 4 play, 71-yard scoring drive, culminating with this TD strike from Matt Moore to Steve Smith. Watch after the catch as Smith takes a hit from S Michael Johnson, but hangs onto the ball and continues into the end zone. We would later learn that Smith broke his left arm on the play:
Say what you will about the man, but that Steve Smith is one tough S.O.B.
23
Nov
2009
Eli Manning’s 2009 Performance Chart = The Big Dipper
(Image: Shutdown Corner)
Thanks to Shutdown Corner for this educational graph which illustrates the tumultuous journey of Giants QB Eli Manning so far this season. Not surprisingly, with the exception of game #9 against the Chargers, when Eli plays well, the Giants win. And when Eli craps the bed (like he did against the Saints, Cardinals and Eagles), it leads to a 4-game losing streak.
Yesterday against the Falcons, despite getting off to a horrendous start, Manning threw for a career high 384 yards and 3 TDs en route to a 34-31 OT victory. He spread the ball out to his receivers - Steve Smith, Mario Manningham and Hakeem Nicks combined for 15 catches for 270 yards – and took what the defense gave him, including some beautiful deep touch passes to the outside. And despite the Giants defense’s best efforts to give the game away in the 4th quarter, the Giants won the toss in OT and Manning was able to get them into FG range to win the game.
So it’s safe to say that as goes Eli, so go the Giants. Thank goodness we have science to back this stuff up.
11
Nov
2009
ReadAndReact Mid-Season NFL Awards
Yep, it’s that time of year again! Time for bloggers and sportswriters across the land to create meaningless mid-season NFL awards lists!
And who are we to buck the system? If nothing else, this exercise allows us to take a step back to examine the first 9 weeks of action, and heap accolades on those whose performances have set them apart from the pack thus far (in either a good or not-so-good way).
So without further adieu, here they are, the inaugural ReadAndReact Mid-Season NFL Awards:
Why yes, the crow does taste fine. Thanks for asking (Photo: Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
MVP: Brett Favre, MIN - As much as we hate to admit it, the old man has been the difference maker in Minnesota, and is the main reason they’re sitting atop the NFC central. So far. It’s mainly about the attitude he brings, and the belief the rest of his teammates now have in their chances. But so far, Favre has put up excellent numbers (16TDs vs 3 INTs), and shows no signs of slowing down. But then, we were saying the same thing about Favre and the Jets at this point last year. We’ll see how the arm holds up come week 16.
Coach of the Year: Josh McDaniels/Mike Nolan, DEN – in a total shocker to everyone in the league, McDaniels has come into Denver and changed the team culture in record time, leading the team out to a fast 6-0 start. And Nolan’s defense – currently 3rd in the NFL in Total Yds/Gm, and 1st in defensive touchdowns (8 so far) – has been the main reason for their success.
Still pointing at us (Photo: C. Schneider/AP)
Offensive Player of the Year: Drew Brees, NO – I’m taking Brees over Peyton Manning here, mainly because we’ve come to expect this sort of ruthless efficiency from Peyton, but Brees seems to have entered a new stratosphere in 2009. He’s playing about as well as you can at the position (106 QB Rating), and has the Saints leading the NFL in total offense.
Defensive Player of the Year: Darren Sharper, NO – With a league-leading 7 interceptions (3 of them returned for TDs!), Sharper has changed the attitude of the Saints defense, and helped turn them into a force. Is it scary that a Saint is getting the award for both offense and defense? Yes, and it’s why I like the Saints to go all the way this year.
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Percy Harvin, MIN – One of the most exciting offensive playmakers to come along in a while, Harvin is a threat to score every time he touches the ball. With 5 TDs in 8 games – 3 via reception and 2 via KO return – Harvin has challenged the Vikings coaching staff to develop more ways to get the ball into his hands.
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Jairus Byrd, BUF - The first-year DB has been a ball-hawking machine, with multiple interceptions in 3 consecutive games! With 7 interceptions so far, Byrd is tied for the NFL lead, and is on pace for 14 this season, which would tie an NFL record.
Continue reading after the jump for more RnR Mid-Season Awards
21
Sep
2009
Jerry Jones picks a loser, Giants spoil Cowboys Stadium debut
The Giants WRs don't scare anyone, but Mario Manningham sure enjoyed the new Cowboys Stadium (Photo: NFL.com)
Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones said he hand-picked the Giants to be the first team to christen his new $1.2 billion dollar stadium. Ummm … that might have been a mistake. The opening night of “Jerry World” was spoiled in grand fashion last night by the New York Football Giants, who defeated the Cowboys 33-31 on a last-second FG by Lawrence Tynes.
It was a back-and-forth contest, in which Dallas QB Tony Romo was intercepted 3 times, and New York won the turnover battle 4-0. But the Giants stalled inside the red zone repeatedly, settling for FGs instead of TDs and making the score much closer than it could have been. But in the end, Romo was completely out-played by Eli Manning, who found his WRs in Mario Manningham (10 catches, 150 yds, 1 TD) and Steve Smith (10 catches 134 yds, 1 TD), and calmly led the Giants on a last-minute drive to win the game.
And while everyone has been talking about the Jumbotron (which was a non-factor last night), perhaps the more intriguing in-game entertainment option provided at Cowboys Stadium is the presence of cage dancers at one end of the stadium. Apparently the dancers are positioned right above the standing-room-only “Party Plazas”, to give those tickets more of a strip club feel to them. So that’s classy.
Unfortunately for Jerrah, fancy stadiums and exotic dancers don’t win football games, and their golden boy QB failed miserably once again when put to the test in a big game.
In other news, Justin Tuck is scheduled to get an MRI today to check out his injured shoulder, but says that he’s “fine”, and will play next week. The All-Pro DT was hurt when Flozell Adams blatantly stuck out his foot and tripped Tuck, after being beaten at the line of scrimmage.
5
Jun
2009
Tour the New Giants Facilities with WR Steve Smith … and drive home in his sweet Impala!
The Giants moved into their first new home in 32 years ... not a bad upgrade (Photos: Giants.com)
The New Meadowlands Stadium won’t open until 2010, but the New York Giants recently moved into their brand new, 199,000 square-foot office and training facility, located just west of the stadium.
Giants WR Steve Smith posted a 3-part video series to his Facebook page, where he takes viewers on a whimsical journey through the grounds. In the third installment, Smith even saves me the trouble of making a crass comment about the Cowboys practice facility collapse, so that’s helpful (as an aside, it turns out the the Giants also had a practice bubble collapse on them back in 1996. So … yeah).
AND, as of today, you – yes you - can own Steve Smith’s ’73 Chevy Impala!!! Just picture yourself cruising down the boulevard in this old-school classic, rolling on these clean 26s, and having the keys handed to you by Steve Smith himself! Check out the Lambo doors and white gut interior with pumpkin piping! (ed. note – I know nothing about cars … pulled that straight from the FB comments. Sounded good, huh?).
