It’s about time Denver got a mention. So far I have resisted slating this team that once held so many happy memories for me, but now fills me with an uncontrollable rage.
Tim Tebow can’t get on the field soon enough. He might give this mess of a franchise a bit of charisma and at least an identity, which they sorely need after Josh McDaniels did a mighty fine job of ruining what was a competitive team.
They have a lot of talent on their roster and Coach John Fox, formerly of the Carolina Panthers, knows a thing or two about turning-around incompetent units when the ability is there.
But this review is not about how bad the Broncos are, but how good the Packers appear.
The Green Bay Packers – the World Champions – were many people’s pick for the title this year, but I was hesitant to anoint them just yet, thinking instead that they would remain an elite team for many years to come and possibly win a couple more Superbowls before Rodgers retires but not just yet. I thought they would need a cooling off period.
Looks like they like it hot.
The Packers are steamrolling opponents this year, and playing with the kind of confidence that comes only from the very greatest triumph. Rodgers is blazing his way through the season, with the highest rating of any Quarterback; a rating that was bolstered by his 4/1 TDINT performance against the Broncos. He racked-up 408 yards through the air and totally outplayed his counterpart, Kyle Orton, who threw 3 touchdowns and 273 yards, but also tossed 3 costly interceptions.
The score line of 49-23 was not flattering for the Packers and, if anything, made it seem as if maybe half of the Broncos have played football before.
Which is, of course, nonsense…
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
Friday, 7 October 2011
Thursday, 6 October 2011
Week 4 Highlights: 49ers Vs Eagles
My pre-season predictions for this game would have been so far off the mark I might as well have been talking about baseball.
Alex Smith is playing as well as any Quarterback in this league. He has thrown a solitary interception this term, and it came in the 49ers Week 2 27-24 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, a game that, in retrospect, they really should have won.
He had a neat game against the Eagles, throwing for 291 yards and 2 Touchdowns, without any picks and earning another top-notch rating of 112.1.
And he had to be good because the Eagles came out fighting. Now 1-3, the finger is hovering over the panic button for Andy Reid and his Dirty birds.
Michael Vick insisted he was fit to play despite taking a serious knock against the Giants in Week 3, and his 416 passing yards seem to suggest he knows his body well. That said, he presided over another loss and is finding it difficult to win games for his team like he did with so much pizazz last year.
Philly need to win soon or they will find themselves with a mountain to climb come the back end of the season. They are fortunate that no other NFC East team has taken advantage of their slow start to build a commanding lead in the division – eve now they are only a couple of games off the lead so all is not lost with many more divisional clashes on the schedule.
The 49ers are now favourites to win the NFC West after 4 games of the season. They look genuine capable of causing some damage as the fourth, maybe third seeds of the conference behind Green Bay and the Saints.
The playoffs could look very different this year as new powerhouses emerge and past masters rediscover what made them great. Who doesn’t want to see the Lions, 49ers, Saints, Packers and Redskins in the playoffs?
Michael Vick for one…
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
Alex Smith is playing as well as any Quarterback in this league. He has thrown a solitary interception this term, and it came in the 49ers Week 2 27-24 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, a game that, in retrospect, they really should have won.
He had a neat game against the Eagles, throwing for 291 yards and 2 Touchdowns, without any picks and earning another top-notch rating of 112.1.
And he had to be good because the Eagles came out fighting. Now 1-3, the finger is hovering over the panic button for Andy Reid and his Dirty birds.
Michael Vick insisted he was fit to play despite taking a serious knock against the Giants in Week 3, and his 416 passing yards seem to suggest he knows his body well. That said, he presided over another loss and is finding it difficult to win games for his team like he did with so much pizazz last year.
Philly need to win soon or they will find themselves with a mountain to climb come the back end of the season. They are fortunate that no other NFC East team has taken advantage of their slow start to build a commanding lead in the division – eve now they are only a couple of games off the lead so all is not lost with many more divisional clashes on the schedule.
The 49ers are now favourites to win the NFC West after 4 games of the season. They look genuine capable of causing some damage as the fourth, maybe third seeds of the conference behind Green Bay and the Saints.
The playoffs could look very different this year as new powerhouses emerge and past masters rediscover what made them great. Who doesn’t want to see the Lions, 49ers, Saints, Packers and Redskins in the playoffs?
Michael Vick for one…
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
Wednesday, 5 October 2011
Week 4 Highlights: Lions Vs Cowboys
The Romo Rollercoaster suffered another devastating derailment this week, as Calvin Johnson and co destroyed the hopes of the Dallas faithful, by storming back from a 13 point deficit in the fourth, to wow a frenzied home crowd with a final quarter score line of 17-0, to bring the result down in their favour by a margin of 4.
Romo played very well for three quarters, and then seemed to forget what a football was and decided he’d much rather the other team had the responsibility of holding it. Allowing the Lions – historically a weak-hearted team – to rally in such miraculous fashion is not acceptable. 47 pass attempts by Tony Romo is an immense effort, but the wear showed-up badly in the form of 3 interceptions. His yardage was good and his 3 Touchdown tosses were excellent, but his late game collapse was horrible to watch.
Matthew Stafford, however, was imperious. 2/1 TD/INT and 248 yards is not stellar, but his composure, grit and incisiveness as the game drew to its frenetic close were all inhuman.
The Lions have exactly what they hoped they had in Stafford – a true star and a game changer.
Dallas have exactly what they hoped they wouldn’t have again – a headache, a hang over and an awful lot of questions to answer.
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
Romo played very well for three quarters, and then seemed to forget what a football was and decided he’d much rather the other team had the responsibility of holding it. Allowing the Lions – historically a weak-hearted team – to rally in such miraculous fashion is not acceptable. 47 pass attempts by Tony Romo is an immense effort, but the wear showed-up badly in the form of 3 interceptions. His yardage was good and his 3 Touchdown tosses were excellent, but his late game collapse was horrible to watch.
Matthew Stafford, however, was imperious. 2/1 TD/INT and 248 yards is not stellar, but his composure, grit and incisiveness as the game drew to its frenetic close were all inhuman.
The Lions have exactly what they hoped they had in Stafford – a true star and a game changer.
Dallas have exactly what they hoped they wouldn’t have again – a headache, a hang over and an awful lot of questions to answer.
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
Tuesday, 4 October 2011
Week 4 Highlights: Steelers Vs Texans
A couple of seasons ago, Pittsburgh would have woken up the Sunday morning of playing the Texans at home with a big smile on its face. These days, it’s a grimace at best. The Texans play rough football, much in the mould of the Black & Yellow bulldozers that have terrorized the NFL for decades, garnering 6 Lombardi trophies in the process. This year, however, it is looking more like the Texans turn to hoist the coveted trophy than it is that Big Ben and co will repeat the feats of Superbowls XL and XLIII.
The Texans ran out 17-10 winners of this hard-hitting Week 4 contest. Matt Schaub put in a tidy performance, throwing for a Touchdown and no interceptions, completed 14 of his 21 attempts resulting in a rating that crept over 100.
Roethlisberger and the Steelers were largely ineffective in the first half, finding it impossible to register any points at all. Their 10 second-half points looked to have given them a shot, but the Texans held on to their 1 score lead and ran out winners after picking off Ben once and preventing him from finding the endzone. These two will likely win their divisions with similar records and could be tussling for the second (or even first, should the Patriots continue to lose so surprisingly) seed, making a post-season rematch likely.
Home field advantage will matter more in January, so the Texans need to maintain the intensity unless they fancy returning to a frostbitten Heinz Field.
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
The Texans ran out 17-10 winners of this hard-hitting Week 4 contest. Matt Schaub put in a tidy performance, throwing for a Touchdown and no interceptions, completed 14 of his 21 attempts resulting in a rating that crept over 100.
Roethlisberger and the Steelers were largely ineffective in the first half, finding it impossible to register any points at all. Their 10 second-half points looked to have given them a shot, but the Texans held on to their 1 score lead and ran out winners after picking off Ben once and preventing him from finding the endzone. These two will likely win their divisions with similar records and could be tussling for the second (or even first, should the Patriots continue to lose so surprisingly) seed, making a post-season rematch likely.
Home field advantage will matter more in January, so the Texans need to maintain the intensity unless they fancy returning to a frostbitten Heinz Field.
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
Monday, 3 October 2011
Week 4 Highlights: Bills Vs Bengals
This is the first time the Bills looked in any way shape or form like the Bills we’ve come to know and pity. For the first three games they have impressed fans and critics alike with a mixture of offensive flair and defensive nerve, holding out against teams with far more experience and, historically at least, mettle.
After prevailing against the might of division rivals and favourites, the new England Patriots, the Bills went down softly to a team they must have expected to turn over.
Despite the Bengals being perceived as a hopeless unit – as usual – it is interesting to note that no team in the AFC North has a losing record at this point. It is perennially a strong group if only for the reason that both the Steelers and Ravens are constituents, but this year, what with the emergence of Colt McCoy as a genuine NFL starter for the Browns and the Bengals surprising glide to 2-2, there is competition to be found in any game featuring one of these four.
To lose by 3 points after the greatest victory the Bills have experience for over ten years, is a real kick in the gut, and who knows how much of a difference it will make come January, when it is likely several teams will be vying for Wild Card spots.
I still regard the Bengals as the likely losers of the AFC North, but by beating a team with more dynamism and cohesion, flying high on success and optimism, they have proven they mean business and deserve to be taken very seriously.
No one wants to suffer the same fate as the Bills, who fall to 3-1 but still lead the AFC East on head-to-head tiebreakers. Fitzpatrick had a really quiet game for the Bills, which says something about his importance to the team. Without him getting the ball into the end zone via receivers, the Bills struggle to grind it out. Avoiding interceptions is always preferable, but 199 yards is not enough for this team so more confidence is needed from Ryan Fitzpatrick. Dalton, on the other hand, was lighting up every category with 1 TD and 2 INTs, 2 sacks conceded and 298 yards through the air. I don’t think the stats speak very highly (they make him seem rash, immature and gung-ho, all of which he may be), but he was the winning Quarterback this week and deserved to be so on effort alone.
Will Dalton progress and become a real threat for the Bengals or will he be the next through the revolving door in Ohio? I’d plump for the latter, but with a bit of time to mature, who knows..?
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
After prevailing against the might of division rivals and favourites, the new England Patriots, the Bills went down softly to a team they must have expected to turn over.
Despite the Bengals being perceived as a hopeless unit – as usual – it is interesting to note that no team in the AFC North has a losing record at this point. It is perennially a strong group if only for the reason that both the Steelers and Ravens are constituents, but this year, what with the emergence of Colt McCoy as a genuine NFL starter for the Browns and the Bengals surprising glide to 2-2, there is competition to be found in any game featuring one of these four.
To lose by 3 points after the greatest victory the Bills have experience for over ten years, is a real kick in the gut, and who knows how much of a difference it will make come January, when it is likely several teams will be vying for Wild Card spots.
I still regard the Bengals as the likely losers of the AFC North, but by beating a team with more dynamism and cohesion, flying high on success and optimism, they have proven they mean business and deserve to be taken very seriously.
No one wants to suffer the same fate as the Bills, who fall to 3-1 but still lead the AFC East on head-to-head tiebreakers. Fitzpatrick had a really quiet game for the Bills, which says something about his importance to the team. Without him getting the ball into the end zone via receivers, the Bills struggle to grind it out. Avoiding interceptions is always preferable, but 199 yards is not enough for this team so more confidence is needed from Ryan Fitzpatrick. Dalton, on the other hand, was lighting up every category with 1 TD and 2 INTs, 2 sacks conceded and 298 yards through the air. I don’t think the stats speak very highly (they make him seem rash, immature and gung-ho, all of which he may be), but he was the winning Quarterback this week and deserved to be so on effort alone.
Will Dalton progress and become a real threat for the Bengals or will he be the next through the revolving door in Ohio? I’d plump for the latter, but with a bit of time to mature, who knows..?
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
Sunday, 2 October 2011
British Bullets Batter Bunch
Has British cycling EVER been in a better state? I'd say not. The team performance throughout the World Championships was unprecedented, and their efforts Herculean.
Bradley Wiggins deserves MORE credit. Despite an eye-catching ride to finish second in the time trial (further compounding hopes he may be ready to challenge for the top step of the podium in next year's Tour de France), his true courage and fortitude showed through in the road race the following day.
The British team had one goal: deliver mark Cavendish to the line as part of a bunch sprint for the title. A scenario that played into the hands of the Manxman, and ultimately worked.
Wiggins put in a mesmerising turn at the head of peloton inside the last 10km to really drive the pace up, and despite Cav losing Thomas's wheel in the stretch, he latched on to his nearest competitor and then pulled away with trademark ease. It is the first time in over forty years (Tommy Simpson 1965) that a Brit has won the Gold in this event, and, for the first time ever, it was the result of such a complete team performance.
With Wiggins now focusing on next year's Tour de France - a race he claims he can win after achieving fourth place in 2009 before crashing out with a broken collarbone this year) - we wonder how big British cycling can get.
With an already world-class pedigree, the home soil Olympics next year look set to solidify our reputation, not just on the track, but on the road as well.
A new super power in sport? If Bradley Wiggins is wearing Yellow by the end of July, I think the case will have been made.
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
Bradley Wiggins deserves MORE credit. Despite an eye-catching ride to finish second in the time trial (further compounding hopes he may be ready to challenge for the top step of the podium in next year's Tour de France), his true courage and fortitude showed through in the road race the following day.
The British team had one goal: deliver mark Cavendish to the line as part of a bunch sprint for the title. A scenario that played into the hands of the Manxman, and ultimately worked.
Wiggins put in a mesmerising turn at the head of peloton inside the last 10km to really drive the pace up, and despite Cav losing Thomas's wheel in the stretch, he latched on to his nearest competitor and then pulled away with trademark ease. It is the first time in over forty years (Tommy Simpson 1965) that a Brit has won the Gold in this event, and, for the first time ever, it was the result of such a complete team performance.
With Wiggins now focusing on next year's Tour de France - a race he claims he can win after achieving fourth place in 2009 before crashing out with a broken collarbone this year) - we wonder how big British cycling can get.
With an already world-class pedigree, the home soil Olympics next year look set to solidify our reputation, not just on the track, but on the road as well.
A new super power in sport? If Bradley Wiggins is wearing Yellow by the end of July, I think the case will have been made.
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
Saturday, 1 October 2011
Week 3 Highlights: Redskins Vs Cowboys
3, 6, 3, 6 is hardly the blow-out scoring pattern fans dream of as they fire-up their BBQs and get down to some serious pre-game tailgating, but when it comes-up against 6, 3, 7, 0 it’ll damn well do.
The Cowboys – in large part thanks to heavily scrutinised QB, Tony Romo – beat the Redskins to level the divisional rivals at 2-1. The parity between these two teams and the Giants is the only source of hope for the bottom-dwelling Eagles, who need to fire-up the engine soon if they want a chance of playing their way out of trouble.
Romo’s play this week was exactly what was demanded by his critics, and his late-game composure saw the Cowboys in the right position at the right time to come from behind and nil-down an essential, if unglamorous win.
Grossman – the Redskins starter these days after last year’s failed McNabb experiment – was 1/1 TD/INT and threw for a respectable, if unremarkable 250 yards in the loss, while Romo was 0/1 for a marginally superior 255 and a worse rating, but did it all when it mattered.
And crucially, he did enough to win.
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
The Cowboys – in large part thanks to heavily scrutinised QB, Tony Romo – beat the Redskins to level the divisional rivals at 2-1. The parity between these two teams and the Giants is the only source of hope for the bottom-dwelling Eagles, who need to fire-up the engine soon if they want a chance of playing their way out of trouble.
Romo’s play this week was exactly what was demanded by his critics, and his late-game composure saw the Cowboys in the right position at the right time to come from behind and nil-down an essential, if unglamorous win.
Grossman – the Redskins starter these days after last year’s failed McNabb experiment – was 1/1 TD/INT and threw for a respectable, if unremarkable 250 yards in the loss, while Romo was 0/1 for a marginally superior 255 and a worse rating, but did it all when it mattered.
And crucially, he did enough to win.
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
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