SB Nation - Brett Favre

Vikings Bounce Back Nicely, Cruise to Win Over Bengals

Anthony21 — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 22:24:44 -0000

After last week's debacle, I wrote:

Plenty of problems were exposed tonight, and plenty of challenges have emerged -- now we get to see just how resilient this team is.

Answer: Pretty dang resilient.

After a scoreless first quarter, the Vikings jumped out to a two-score lead over the Bengals by halftime, extended that lead by a touchdown in the third quarter, and iced the game in the fourth quarter. Between missteps by a sloppy Bengals club, an impressive defensive effort headlined by the return of Antoine Winfield, a productive afternoon for Adrian Peterson, and a solid special teams performance, the Vikings looked darn good today.

And of all the factors that lifted the Vikings to a 20-point win over Cincinnati, the defense deserves a huge amount of the credit. One unforgettable scene from today's game: Antoine Winfield dropping what should have been an intercepted pass, and proceeding to do several push-ups between his drop and the next play. Good to have you back, Toine. The man's presence was felt in a big way, as Carson Palmer only managed 94 yards on 25 pass attempts. Chad Ochocinco got into the endzone in the second quarter to bring the Bengals within a field goal, but as far as offensive highlights go, there weren't many for Cincy beyond Ocho's 15-yard score.

Sure, Cedric Benson put up some impressive numbers -- 16 carries for 96 yards -- but nearly half of those yards came on a single carry, and for the most part, the rush defense was solid. All told, the Bengals could only manage 210 yards of total offense, while getting flagged 11 times for 85 yards. The Vikings made their share of unforced errors (nine penalties for 69 yards), but the Purple didn't make any mistakes that were too costly.

On the offensive side, Adrian Peterson rebounded nicely from a rough night in Arizona, finishing the game with a combined 137 yards through the air and on the ground. He also scored twice, including a dive into the endzone for a touchdown in the third quarter that would clinch the victory for the Vikings.

Brett Favre continued to struggle a bit, completing just over 50% of his passes while tossing a touchdown and an interception. The absence of Percy Harvin couldn't have helped matters for Brett, who never targeted his other favorite receivers -- Shank and Rice -- with any sort of consistency this afternoon (though it should be noted that one of Sid's four receptions was a nine-yard touchdown in the first quarter that lifted the Vikings to a 10-0 lead). It was a shame that Brett couldn't get into a rhythm for the second game in a row, but then again, that doesn't matter a whole lot when everything else is going right for the Vikings. And that was the case today.

Jasper Brinkley made three tackles today in relief of E.J. Henderson, but the real story was the emotional lift provided to this defense through the return of Antoine Winfield. After nine tackles and a few push-ups, Antoine had given everyone a reminder -- as if we needed it -- of just how valuable he is to this defense. You would have never guessed this guy had been sidelined for as long as he was, since he didn't miss a beat out there.

By the way, something that will probably go under the radar but deserves mention is the performance from the special teams. Aside from a penalty or two, it was near-perfect. Longwell went 3/3, Cincy averaged three yards per punt return and under 20 yards per kickoff return, and Kluwe was kicking the ball nicely out there. For a group that has sometimes struggled to rebound from a tough 2008 season, the special teams looked good today.

But Antoine Winfield and Adrian Peterson will headline this game, and rightfully so. Winfield was simply tremendous, and Peterson's pair of touchdowns helped him break a single-season team record for rushing touchdowns. This week was about rebounding from a setback, and both of those guys did just that.

Interview: Daily Norseman stop by to give us knowledge on the Vikings

Kirkendall — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 18:01:58 -0000

Some are already looking towards week 15 against the Chargers as the biggest game of the year for the Bengals, limiting the importance of this weekend's game against the Minnesota Vikings. However, in an odd world of things, both the Vikings and Bengals have proven very little against winning teams this year. If it wasn't for the Packers, neither team would have won a game against a team that has a winning record at this point in the season. So while Sunday's game has little to do with playoff implications, it does have a lot to do with proving that they belong with the NFL elite. Confidence is a big thing in the NFL and from Cincinnati's perspective, they'll need to beat the Vikings to prove that they can travel to California and beat the Chargers with the second seed in the AFC on the line.

But what about these Vikings? What should we expect? I sat down with Gonzo from Daily Norseman, who gives us some knowledge on our opponent this weekend, in a game that features two teams with a combined 19 wins this year.

1) The Vikings have played the Packers twice already. This is significant because before losing to the Cardinals, the Vikings had only beaten one team with a winning record. Then they lost by 13 to the Arizona Cardinals during last week’s Sunday Night football. Is there a feeling that the Vikings have a lot to prove against the Bengals, who are the third-ranked team in the AFC?
This week's game against the Bengals is, in my opinion, the most vital game of the season for Minnesota, because it could really set a tone for the team the rest of the way. If they beat the Bengals, it becomes easier to write the Cardinals' game off as simply a one-time bad performance, which I'm sort of under the impression it was. A loss to the Bengals, however, means that we could end up completely out of control going into what should be a relatively easy final three games of the season. The Vikings DO have a lot to prove against the Bengals this Sunday, and I think they'll be more than up for the challenge. I'm of the opinion that Sunday night in Arizona was the perfect storm of the Vikings coming out flat, the Cardinals being fired up, and Minnesota putting together their worst game of the season. I would be shocked if they played as badly against the Bengals as they did against Arizona.

2) Brett Favre is arguably having his best statistical season in his career. It seems that he’s willing to check down more often. Are there any concerns that Favre could take a downward spiral late in the season like last year when he played through an injury with the Jets?
With a guy Favre's age behind center, the concern obviously has to be there, but I don't think it's completely warranted. As you stated, last season Favre got injured during the course of the season, and it affected his ability to throw the football. As anyone this year that's watched Favre can see, his ability to physically throw the football is as good as ever. He's not playing through an injury this year or anything like that. What worries me more than that, however, is his admission that he let his emotions get the better of him against the Cardinals, which led directly to one of his interceptions. He can't afford to have that happen if the Vikings are going to continue to play well in the regular season and the post-season. He needs to continue playing smart, solid football, check it down when he has to, and just do what he's been doing through the first 3/4 of the season.

3) How will losing E.J. Henderson impact the defense?
The loss of E.J. Henderson is a significant one, to be sure. After he missed most of 2008 after dislocating his toes, it looked like he was finally back to being the old E.J. Henderson. Henderson is also one of the linebackers in the nickel package for the Vikings, as well as the defensive signal caller. Ben Leber will most likely take over Henderson's responsibility on both those fronts, and Jasper Brinkley, Minnesota's fifth-round pick in the 2009 draft out of South Carolina, will man Henderson's spot in the middle on first and second down. Brinkley has a world of potential, and with the Williams Wall in front of him, hopefully there won't be a lot of drop-off for Minnesota.

3a) The Vikings have one of the best rush defenses in the league. We’ve argued at Cincy Jungle that the Bengals need to attack the Vikings secondary. What would you say is the weakness in the Vikings defense this year?
Minnesota's front seven can compete with any team in the league, but the secondary has been no better than average for most of the year. More specifically, the safety play for most of the year has bordered on atrocious. Granted, the team has been without Antoine Winfield since Week 7, and you obviously have to change up your schemes when you lose someone of that caliber, but it doesn't excuse what we've seen from Madieu Williams and Tyrell Johnson for most of the year. (Johnson is unlikely to play on Sunday, and he'll likely be replaced by Jamarca Sanford, the Vikings' seventh-round pick in the 2009 Draft out of Ole Miss.) But the safeties are definitely the weak link in the Minnesota defense, because I think the Vikes have been pretty solid at CB for most of the year despite the loss of Winfield.

3a) Reports suggest that Antoine Winfield could return this week after missing the previous six with a foot injury. What does his return mean to the secondary?
Winfield's return is huge, particularly when you're lining up against a team with one of the most talented receivers in the league. Winfield goes back to being the #1 guy, which allows Cedric Griffin to go back to the #2 spot and Benny Sapp can go back to being the nickel guy instead of starting. Winfield's presence in stopping the run also can't be underestimated, as there's no better run-support corner in the NFL, in my opinion. Every account I've read says that he's rested, healed, and ready to go, and I hope to heck we see him out there tomorrow afternoon. His presence against the Bengals could be huge, both against the run and against the pass.

4) Jared Allen is a beast. How should the Bengals game plan against one of the league’s best pass rushers?
I think you have to do what the Cardinals did against him... you constantly have to have someone over on his side along with the tackle, whether it's a tight end, a running back, or sometimes both. If you try to block Jared Allen one-on-one for the better part of a game, he's going to beat you unless you have a truly elite left tackle like a Joe Thomas or someone along those lines. You need to double-team him, you need to chip him, try to get him frustrated... and then hope that the rest of the line does their jobs against the Williams Wall and Ray Edwards (who is having a surprisingly good season thus far).

5) Sidney Rice is having a career year, already surpassing the 1,000-yard receiving mark. However, he only has four touchdowns. Does the Vikings offense tend to look away from their receivers in the red zone?
I'm not sure if it's that they "look away" from Rice in the red zone. . .it's just that Favre has been so good about spreading the ball around to all of the options he has this season that Rice has just been in the wrong place at the wrong time, for lack of a better way to put it. Whenever a Favre-led offense gets into the red zone. . .and it's been this way ever since he was in Green Bay. . .the tight end is the guy he loves to look for, and the nine touchdown catches for Visanthe Shiancoe this season are a testament to that. The go-to guy in the red zone can change from one day to the next. . .it might be Shiancoe, it might be Rice, it might be Bernard Berrian, it might be Percy Harvin...it just depends on matchups and who's open at that particular time. That's the thing that Favre has brought this year, the fact that defenses can't just key on one particular guy in the passing game.

6) Arizona limited Adrian Peterson to 19 yards rushing on 13 attempts. What did the Cardinals find out that shutdown Peterson?
They found out that the Vikings were way too quick to give up on the run, which is something that's been rare this season, and something that absolutely can not happen against the Bengals. As good as Brett Favre has been this season, the Vikings' offense needs to run through Adrian Peterson. Granted, Peterson seems to be a bit more impatient this season than he was his first two years. . .he's not letting his blocks develop at times. . .but he's also not getting a ton of help from the offensive line. According to the folks at Football Outsiders, the Vikings have the most "stuffed runs" in the NFL this season, and after what the Vikings' offense has done on the ground the last two seasons, that's completely unacceptable. I would be thoroughly shocked, however, if Peterson had a performance against Cincinnati as bad as his performance against the Cardinals.

New York Jets Pass Offense vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pass Defense

John B — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 13:00:20 -0000

by Tony Gutierrez - AP

-- FILE -- In this Nov. 22, 2007, file photo, New York Jets quarterback Kellen Clemens looks to pass during an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys in Irving, Texas. Clemens was considered the favorite to be the starting quarterback until the team traded up from No. 17 to No. 5 and took a player they believe is the future of the franchise. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez,file)

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The Jets do not want this game in the hands of Kellen Clemens. Part of this has to do with how well the Jets run it. Part has to do with how poorly the Bucs stop the run. As much as anything is how little faith this organization has in Clemens. The Jets wouldn't have traded for Brett Favre if they thought Clemens was ready to be their guy. They certainly wouldn't have traded up for Mark Sanchez. Last week's horrendous performance against the Bills didn't inspire much confidence.

If there's one thing I'd like to see the Jets do it's let Clemens work without a huddle. He's been in this system for four years. He knows it inside and out. If you remember back to 2007, Clemens did some of his best work in late game situations. In other spots, he seemed tentative and unsure of himself. Going no huddle speeds things up for him and doesn't give him enough time to overthink. It also limits the defense's ability to substitute and throw exotic looks at him.

In recent weeks, Tampa Bay has switched from Jim Bates' system into a Cover 2 scheme. I predict things will be a bit different this week. The Bucs will load up the box with a lot of eight and nine man fronts. They want to take away the run and force Clemens to beat them. Tampa has a quality starting corner in second year man Aqib Talib. The other starter, Ronde Barber, was formerly a top corner. At 34 his skills have diminished, and his best years are behind him. Talib should be able to hold his own against Braylon Edwards or Jerricho Cotchery. Whoever doesn't draw Talib should have an edge against Barber, and Clemens should look in that direction.

Also look for the Jets to target Dustin Keller. Think back to Mark Sanchez's midyear struggles. The Jets seemed to make Keller Sanchez's first read to make things safer. Without much faith in their quarterback, we could see a similar focus. The Bucs have some solid linebackers in coverage in Barrett Ruud and Quincy Black.

Brett Favre: Best season? Maybe. Most efficient season? Definitely. MVP? Doubtful.

ZombieMonta — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:41:51 -0000

There are certain athletes who come around once in a lifetime, and whether or not you like them, you have to appreciate what they bring to the table. Had Brett Favre stuck with his convictions two years ago and walked away, no one would have said boo -- after all, he pretty much had all the records. But now, Favre is not only playing fantastic at age 40, he's having the most efficient season of his career by far.

Here's a comparison between his best statistical season prior to 2009 -- his 1995 season when he won the MVP -- and this year:

1995: 38 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, 4413 yards, 63.0 completion %, 99.5 QB Rating

2009: 26 touchdowns, 5 interceptions, 3149 yards, 69.0 completion %, 108.5 QB Rating

Are the touchdowns and yardage as impressive as they were in 1995? No. But in everything else, Favre is playing better than he ever has before. In all the years he started all 16 games, the least INT's he ever threw was 13, and he led the league with 22 picks last season. His QB Rating and completion percentage are off the chart as well -- for the first time, you can actually categorize Favre as a game quarterback and not just a gunslinger.

However, we've seen this story before. Earlier in his career, Favre was recognized as the greatest cold-weather quarterback of all time, but since the turn of the century, his tolerance to freezing temperatures has decreased substantially. We all remember how badly he played in the 2007 NFC Championship Game, when he coughed up the game-losing interception, and we all know how badly he played in the final five games of the 2008 season. Granted, Favre was injured in '08 and in this go-around with the Vikings, his team is in no danger of missing the postseason. Still, it's not unreasonable to question if Favre's efficiency will plummet over the course of December and January.

If he has any prayer of winning the MVP, Favre has to maintain a statistical edge over Peyton Manning and Drew Brees, which at the moment he doesn't have. Unfortunately for Brett, Brees and Manning are both on 12-0 teams and will likely monopolize the MVP voting should both or either of them go undefeated. Even if they both lose a game before the end of the year, there's no assuring that the award would go to Favre anyway; thanks to his horrible performance against the Cardinals on Sunday, Drew Brees leads Brett Favre in every statistical category besides interceptions.

In short, Favre is having a phenomenal year, and that won't change even if he has a slow December. But if he's going to win the MVP, he not only has to keep pace with Manning and Brees, he has to better than them. And knowing Favre's track record of late in December, that could be an obstacle he's incapable of overcoming.

Bengals Banter: Should the Bengals go pass happy against the Vikings?

Kirkendall — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:17:42 -0000

Should the Bengals attack the Vikings through the air this weekend? It's not exactly a state secret that the Cincinnati Bengals decided to follow the same model that two successful AFC North teams have used in their own respective successes. Effective rushing offense. Strong defense. So when the Bengals rush the football more than they ever have on a Marvin Lewis team, is the question about balance all that necessary? Then again, what do you mean by balance? Do you mean yardage? Do you mean play calling?

The Bengals offense has rushed the football 51.2% of the time, while passing 49.7% of their 793 offensive snaps. Though, I feel you while your argument starts simmering about predictability. This isn't a Bob Bratkowski bash-fest.

But my primary question is, what philosophy is working best this year? The combined winning percentage of the top ten teams that have passed the most through 12 games this year, is 0.675 (81-39). The combined winning percentage of the top ten teams that have rushed the football the most this year is 0.625 (75-45).

The next question. With Cincinnati heading to the comforts of a warm dome in Minnesota, should the Bengals go from a rush-heavy offense to a pass-happy offense? The Vikings have one of the best tackle combinations in the league, which limits opposing offenses to 84.2 yards rushing per game -- third in the NFL -- with only three touchdowns rushing allowed all season. On the other hand, the Vikings are middle of the pack against the pass. They're passing defense ranks 21st, allowing 18 touchdowns this season with an opposing quarterback rating of 91.2. But they also sport the league's best pass rush, sacking the quarterback 40 times this season.

So if you're the Cincinnati Bengals' offensive coordinator? Would you game plan a passing attack? Keep the status quo and pound the football until the Viking stop you? Or would you do your best to have a balanced attack?

Bengals should have an indoor facility. There's some raising the issue that the Cincinnati Bengals are unnecessarily traveling to Mason during inclement weather to practice indoors. Joe Reedy writes, "It also throws another unnecessary wrinkle into the preparation for Sunday's contest at 10-2 Minnesota. Instead of having the extra time to watch film or refine game plans to face Brett Favre and company, the team spent at least 90 minutes going to and from Mason."

You mean to tell me that the only place that the Bengals can practice indoors in the entire Cincinnati region is all the way in Mason -- like we're taking a bus ride to Rhode Island?

Paul Daugherty wrote, "The Bengals had to practice in Mason, because they dont have a bubble. You know M. Lewis was steamed about that. The public will not tax itself to pay for it, and you can bet The Family isn't likely to open its vault. The Men lose an hour and a half every time they have to get on the bus. The Family's business is football. Not winning football. Never forget that."

Palmer says: "It’s a pain. It’s a drag, but it is what it is," quarterback Carson Palmer said. "Just sitting on the freeway for 45 minutes or an hour – we’ve actually sat on the busses for a couple hours one year because of the snow. It’s the situation we’re in."

I have no doubt that the Bengals SHOULD have an indoor facility for days like today and for preparation in games that will be played indoors. I don't know a single person that doesn't support the Bengals building an indoor facility. Really, there's no better way of saying it then the Bengals should have one.

But god forbid that people have to travel 25 minutes during inclement weather on the highway which has been totally clear during our snowy days this week. I'll play my little violin mp3 during my 40 minute one-way commute. And considering I have no reason to believe that the Bengals are spending their entire waking hours watching film, I'm sure the commute to and from Mason is easily packed into their working day.

But in the end, yes, the Bengals need to join the ranks of other teams with an indoor facility. It just makes too much sense.

Moving on...

Did you know that Carson Palmer is the best passer in the NFL on third and long? It's true. Of the 52 pass attempts he's made on third and longer-then-eight, Palmer has recorded 25 first down passes. That's nine percentage points over second place Tony Romo.

James Walker asks the question, are the Bengals elite? Scouts Inc.'s Matt Williamson doesn't think so. Why?

Williamson believes the Bengals have several holes that could be costly when they meet elite competition down the stretch. The two most glaring weaknesses Williamson points to are the Bengals' lack of depth at cornerback and their unwillingness to throw deep on offense.

We meant to do this earlier in the week. WhoDeyFans is having a gathering at Bar 71 this weekend for the Viking and Bengals game to "partake in dollar beers, cheap wings and great burgers". All Bengals fans are welcome.

Chad: "They’ll keep jacking up the fines, I’ll keep jacking up the celebrations." Should there be a worry that the NFL could suspend Chad if they finally discover that fines haven't really ever worked?

Domata Peko: "I’ll be fine. I’m feeling good. I wish I could have played these two games (against the Vikings and Chargers). These are big games, with the big running backs they have."

John Thornton weighs in on the rotating right tackle, saying "the Bengals should settle in on a guy and roll with it."

Reader smoormaniddy points out Sports Illustrated's Ross Tucker's piece about how the Bengals used the practice squad.

What you didn't know is that three of the linemen who have started at least five games up front for the Bengals are veterans of the practice squad, including two who have spent multiple seasons on what used to be referred to as the taxi squad. Center Kyle Cook, left guard Nate Livings and right tackle Dennis Roland have earned their playing time the hard way and they play like it.

Mike Zimmer on Bengals rookies: "I’ve played a lot of rookies before, but never this many on a team that was good."

Notes from first post...

Listed below is the top ten quarterbacks ranked by passing attempts and their team's record.

Quarterback	Attempts	Rating	Team	Record
Peyton Manning	460	101.9	Colts	12-0
Tom Brady	458	96.9	Patriots	7-5
Matt Schaub	434	97.2	Texans	5-7
Jay Cutler	421	75.3	Bears	5-7
Aaron Rodgers	420	103.3	Packers	8-4
Tony Romo	414	96.3	Cowboys	8-4
Joe Flacco	406	84.6	Ravens	6-6
Kurt Warner	404	97.0	Cardinals	8-4
Brett Favre	403	108.5	Vikings	10-2
Drew Brees	392	111.3	Saints	12-0
				81-39

Rushing offenses

Teams	Attempts	Yards	Record
New York Jets	432	2,023	6-6
Cincinnati Bengals	406	1,607	9-3
Miami Dolphins	398	1,805	6-6
Carolina Panthers	378	1,823	5-7
New Orleans Saints	374	1,711	12-0
Tennessee Titans	372	1,989	5-7
Minnesota Vikings	351	1,483	10-2
New York Giants	351	1,495	7-5
Denver Broncos	342	1,507	8-4
Jacksonville Jaguars	339	1,356	7-5
			75-45

A little discussion about the 2009 Most Valuable Player Award

BigBlueShoe — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 19:59:06 -0000

More photos » by Darron Cummings - AP

29 days ago: Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning reacts after he threw the game-winning touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots in Indianapolis, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009. Indianapolis defeated the New England Patriots 35-34. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

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I'm a Colts blogger. So, naturally, I'm going to tell you that Peyton Manning is the 2009 NFL MVP. And while there is the rather annoying sentiment out there that "They could give it to Peyton every year," the truth of the matter is the MVP award often goes to the best player in the NFL who also happens to be making a playoff run. If the MVP goes to any other sort of player, it cheapens the award; makes it nothing more than a popularity contest on par with the Pro Bowl, American Idol, and a local bar's wet tee-shirt contest.

And when you look through the numbers, the wins, and the overall play of the candidates, there is absolutely no doubt that, right now, Peyton Manning is the league's Most Valuable Player.

When judging candidates, you must first ask the following question: Are the players everyone is blabbing about making a playoff run? MVP candidates must make the playoffs. It's embarrassing if they don't. If you disagree, fine. You're clearly in the minority. In the history of the modern NFL, no MVP winner has missed the playoffs.

This means that if you are considering a player like Titans runningback Chris Johnson, the answer is no.

The Titans are done for 2009. If by some miracle they get in, it's because some other team choked and the Titans were lucky enough to back-in to post-season play. Doing this suggests that the faults of another team were the reason why the candidate is in the playoffs, and not the play of the candidate himself. Plus, in a monster game against the Colts last weekend, with a chance to climb out of a 0-6 hole and get back to .500, Chris Johnson was held out of the endzone all day with his longest run only accumulating 11 yards. That's not MVP play.

Thus, Chris Johnson (who is still the best RB in football, I might add) is out.

(AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

The second thing you absolutely must cut out of the equation is sentimentality. This is an award for athletic excellence, not a lifetime achievement award. This is why I got so frustrated and annoyed with my own colleagues at SB Nation last year when half of them voted for Chad Pennington as Most Valuable Player.

Chad Pennington? Really?

The term "value" is not divorced from the term "good." And while Chad Pennington is certainly not a bad quarterback, you are a moron of truly epic proportion if you think Chad Pennington is as good a QB as Peyton Manning. In the case of my SB Nation colleagues, I think they forgot to include the "good" in with the "valueable."

This year, the sentimental pick is Brett Favre. Big Whigs like Peter King practically have their vote for Favre cast, regardless of what they are publicly writing. But even before his little stumble Sunday night in Arizona against the Cardinals, Favre was not a true MVP candidate. While there is no doubt that Favre's numbers are some of the best of his truly great career, the fact of the matter is the Vikings have played the kind of schedule that would make the UFL champion Las Vegas Locomotives look like world beaters. The Vikings have played the 25th toughest schedule in the league, with teams like the Lions (twice), Browns, and Rams all counted as wins on their schedule. Against two potential playoff contenders, the Steelers and the Cardinals, Favre has played some of his worst football. Both those games were on the road, and an MVP candidate must show that he can help his team win big games on the road.

Thus, Brett Favre (who is a truly amazing player, regardless of what the haters think or say) is out.

(AP Photo/Paul Battaglia)

This leaves us with two truly viable candidates, and only two: Peyton Manning of the Colts and Drew Brees of the Saints.

The MVP "race" is between these two gentlemen, and anyone suggesting otherwise is just wasting your time. Both are putting up amazing numbers. Both are QBs on teams that have yet to lose a game. But when you truly compare both candidates, the argument for Brees shrivels up and dies rather quickly.

Now, before we get into the details, please note that all of this goes out the window if and when the Colts start resting Manning once their playoff position is locked up. If the Colts start resting people going into the playoffs while the Saints continue to play starters in meaningless games, Drew Brees will indeed win the MVP. The press will love the Saints for "Going for Perfection" and reward them with an MVP vote for their QB.

(AP Photo/Rob Carr)

Does this kind of thing cheapen the MVP award? Yes, and the main reason why is the Saints (like the Vikings) have played a cupcake schedule. Also, with three of their last four games against the dreadful Buccaneers, the sorry Panthers, and the disappointing (and injured) Falcons, the prospects are very high of the Saints building big leads against these clubs early only to (shock!) rest starters in the second half of those games. Meanwhile, the Colts play the Broncos and Jaguars in back-to-back weeks. Both teams are currently in the playoff picture, but need to keep winning if they want to remain in. Following the Jags game, the Colts play the desperate New York Jets, who are still in playoff contention, but are on the outside looking in. So, that's three games against potential playoff teams with one or two of those games being utterly meaningless for the Colts.

However, regardless of whether the Colts will rest starters or not, Peyton Manning should indeed win his fourth (and NFL record setting) MVP award. The Colts have played the 7th toughest schedule in the NFL. The Saints have played the 24th toughest. Indy also plays in the NFL's toughest division, with all four teams potentially ending the season with .500 or better records. In games against quality opponents like the Patriots, Ravens, Cardinals, Titans, Jaguars, Dolphins, and Texans, Peyton Manning has thrown for 2,750 yards, 20 TD, and 10 INTs.

Consider those numbers and then compare them to Brees, who has feasted on teams like the Bucs, Panthers, Bills, Rams, Redskins (who the Saints almost lost to), and Lions. Now, obviously, Brees cannot control the teams on the Saints schedule. However, when comparing candidates, especially two quarterbacks playing extremely well for two undefeated teams, you absolutely must take into account who they have played. So far, Manning trumps Brees in this area.

Manning is also currently leading the league in passing yardage (3,685 yards) as well as completion percentage (70%). The fact that Manning is doing all this with the #32 ranked rushing attack and (essentially) two rookie wide receivers is nothing short of astounding.

Overall, the MVP race should be an exciting one as we head into the home stretch for the 2009 regular season. And, unlike last year, laughably bad candidates (like Kurt Warner) are not polluting the competition for the award. But, at the end of the day, this award is Manning's. He has played better than Brees against better competition, and has shown an uncanny ability to do more with less around him.

If you have thoughts or other ideas on the MVP candidates, please add them to the comments below.

[UPDATE]: Be sure to check out DevilsReject's FanPost on the MVP race as well.

Jets Flight Connections 120909

dvdvil — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:52:00 -0000

Rich Cimini wants QB Mark Sanchez to sit out on Sunday. He also turns an innocent compliment by FB Tony Richardson on the running game into a negative assessment of WR Braylon Edwards.

Peter King is impressed with the Jets rushing offense, and especially with OL Coach Bill Callahan.

RB Thomas Jones is performing very well and is up for another FedEx Ground Player award. He won this before in Week 6. Vote for him here. Vote early and often.

And I also want to remind everyone that so far, only G Alan Faneca is leading the Jets in the ProBowl voting. Vote for Revis, C Nick Mangold, LB David Harris and other deserving Jets here.

Jets practice squad FB Jason Davis also likes the run game and prepares like a starter. Another young guy on the squad is LB Jamaal Westerman, and I found this article on him.

Dave Hutchinson takes a quick look at the next game and reiterates that CB Darrelle Revis could be considered the NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

Mark Cannizzaro lauds HC Rex Ryan's in-game defensive adjustments. Larry to the Izzo compares Rex to Bill Belichick.

But Newsday's Roderick Boone says don't believe the Jets defense hype. (You can't actually read the full article without paying. Seriously, what the hell, Newsday?)

Maybe he's got a point, because despite the stats, the Jets are just a .500 team.

Hopefully, that will change on Sunday. Obviously, we are expected to beat Tampa Bay.

More connections after the jump.

Nick Mangold, Giants TE Kevin Boss and CB Corey Webster, the teams's owners and some fans stepped onto the field yesterday. Mangold talks about the stadium in this video.

The New Meadowlands Stadium will have removable endzone and midfield turfs. We will actually be seeing the Jets logo at the 50 yard line next year.

Find out more about the field turf here.

Some NFL kickers will not miss the current stadium and the swirling winds within it.

Sports Illustrated rates the Dewayne Robertson draft pick as the worst trade of the decade. Meanwhile, the Patriots are pretty much the best everything. Oh, and they also talk about this thing called SpyGate.

The branches of the Belichick coaching tree are not getting along.

In the loss to the Dolphins, are the Patriots players to blame and not the coaches?

Examiner.com blames last year's Jets meltdown not on QB Brett Favre, but on Jones and Coles. Vikings TE Vishanthe Shiancoe is confident the same thing won't happen in Minnesota.

WR Laveranues Coles is still adjusting to the Bengals system. His teammate Chad Ochocinco is having fun in Cincinnati - and paying for it.

Are we rooting for the Browns on Thursday? Steelers WR Hines Ward might miss that game.

Lastly, Kerry Locklin, we hardly knew ya.

Primer: Cincinnati Bengals (9-3) at Minnesota Vikings (10-2)

Kirkendall — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:00:26 -0000

Game: Cincinnati Bengals (9-3) at Minnesota Vikings (10-2)
Series Leader: Series tied, 5-5
Streak: Bengals have won two of the past three
Coaches vs. Opponent: Lewis: 1-0. Childress: 0-0
Broadcast: CBS (12:00 PM CT): Greg Gumbel, Dan Dierdorf. Westwood One Radio: Kevin Kugler, Mark Malone. SIRIUS: 129 (Cin.), 122 (Min.). XM: 107 (Min.).
SB Nation: Daily Norseman
NFL.com: Game Center
Weather: Dome
Uniform: White
Television Coverage: Many states. Check the map [506]

Cincinnati Bengals

With a win, head coach Marvin Lewis (55-53-1) will surpass Paul Brown (55-59-1) for second most wins in team history (Sam Wyche: 64-68).
Bengals look to go undefeated against the NFC North -- they went undefeated against the NFC North in 2005.
Against the NFC North in 2009, Carson Palmer has nine touchdowns, four interceptions and a 111.6 passer rating.
Cedric Benson only needs 31 yards rushing for his first career 1,000-yard rushing season.
Bengals are 5-0 when Benson rushes 25 times or more and averages 135.4 yards rushing per game in those five games.
Chad Ochocinco looks to record his third consecutive 100-yard receiving game against the NFC, averaging 115.3 yards receiving in those games.
Chad only needs 90 yards receiving to record his seventh 1,000-yard receiving season in his career.
Jonathan Fanene recorded his first pick-six last week.

Minnesota Vikings

In four career starts against the Cincinnati Bengals, Brett Favre is 3-1.
Favre has recorded 1,799 yards passing, 16 touchdowns and only one interception at home this season for a passer rating of 119.1.
Since entering the league in 2007, Adrian Peterson has rushed for 4,204 yards -- by far, most in the league.
In four home games against the AFC, Peterson is averaging 184.5 yards per game and four touchdowns.
Chester Taylor recorded 139 yards rushing in his only start against the Bengals, while with Baltimore, on December 5, 2004.
Wide receiver Sidney Rice leads the NFC with 1,036 yards receiving.
In his past four home games, Rice has 25 receptions for 555 yards and two touchdowns.
Percy Harvin leads all NFL rookies with eight touchdowns (six receiving, two on kick return).
Tight End Visanthe Shiancoe is second among tight ends with nine touchdowns and looks to record a touchdown in his fourth straight.
Jared Allen has 3.5 sacks and two forced fumbles in his past two games.
Since 2004, Allen has 70 quarterback sacks. Most in the NFL.

TEAM RANKINGS

Offense	Bengals	Vikings
Total	331.9 (18th)	383.8 (5th)
Scoring	21.2 (16th)	29.9 (2nd)
Third Downs	41% (12th)	47% (3rd)
Rushing	133.9 (6th)	123.6 (11th)
Rushing TDs	9 (t-16th)	13 (t-9th)
Passing	198.0 (21st)	260.2 (9th)
Passing TDs	16 (t-16th)	27 (2nd)
Sacks Allowed	22 (t-8th)	25 (t-12th)
20-yard Passes	31 (21st)	42 (9th)

Defense	Bengals	Vikings
Total	293.2 (4th)	311.4 (8th)
Scoring	15.6 (1st)	19.4 (10th)
3rd Downs Allowed	33% (1st)	33% (3rd)
Rushing	81.8 (2nd)	84.2 (3rd)
Rushing TDs	6 (t-6th)	3 (t-1st)
Passing	211.5 (12th)	227.2 (21st)
Passing TDs	13 (8th)	18 (t-18th)
Sacks	29 (t-9th)	40 (1st)
QB Rating	73.7 (7th)	91.2 (24th)
20-Yard Passes Allowed	33 (t-13th)	41 (t-25th)
Interceptions	14 (t-6th)	9 (t-22nd)

Special Teams	Bengals	Vikings
Kickoff Return	21.8 (25th)	24.3 (t-8th)
Punt Return	11.8 (5th)	9.4 (t-12th)
Punting (Net)	43.8 (22nd)	37.9 (17th)
Punts Inside the 20	20 (t-13th)	19 (t-16th)

2009 STATISTICAL INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS

Carson Palmer	Stat	Ranking
Quarterback Rating	85.0	18th
Yards Passing	2,547	17th
Touchdowns	16	t-13th
First Downs	129	15th
Average Yards/Att	7.0	18th
Completions	222	17th
Interceptions	10	t-18th
Times Sacked	22	t-17th

Cedric Benson	Stat	Ranking
Yards Rushing	969	7th
Attempts / Game	24.1	1st
Touchdowns	6	t-14th
First Downs	45	8th

Chad Ochocinco	Stat	Ranking
Receptions	62	19th
Yards Receiving	910	12th
Touchdowns	6	t-12th
20-yard receptions	14	t-8th
First Downs	48	t-7th

CAREER AGAINST THE MINNESOTA VIKINGS

Carson Palmer

Date	Result	Comp.	Att.	Yards	TDs	Int
9.18.2005	W 37-8	27	40	337	3	1

Chad Johnson

Date	Result	Rec	Yards	TDs
9.18.2005	W 37-8	7	139	1

Cedric Benson

Date	Rushes	Yards	TDs
10.14.2007	18	67	0
12.3.2006	9	60	1
1.1.2006	9	35	0
10.16.2005	3	2	0

State of the AFC West Week 13

Sam (sdsuaztec4) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 07:16:37 -0000

More photos » by Amy Sancetta - AP

Dude, smell my fingers! (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)

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Good news, everyone! The Chargers can become the first member of the AFC West to clinch a spot in the playoffs if they beat the Cowboys, like 8 other teams lose, Tim Tebow dies for our sins, and Brett Favre retires for the rest of the regular season and makes a comeback in the playoffs...for the Broncos.

Anyway, after being left for dead (by me and the MSM at least) after their 4 game losing streak, the Broncos have come back with two dominating victories over the G-Men and the Chiefs to stay within 1 game of the Chargers. The Chargers have a tough 3 game stretch (@DAL, vs. CIN, @TEN) but hold the tiebreaker over Denver so the Chargers still hold the best position to win their 4th straight AFC West title.

The Raiders now have two big wins on their schedule after the Gradkowski led them on multiple 4th quarter TD drives to win over the Stillers in Pittsburgh, something the Chargers couldn't do. While they still aren't very good, the are now clearly much better than the sucky sucky Chiefs. (HA! Take that Chiefs fans! I called your team sucky!) Let's see if the Raiders can beat the Broncos and prove they can win a division game (other than over the Chiefs, HA!) and maybe we'll think about considering whether the Raiders can be relevant again anytime soon.

Click the jump link thingy. Please.

AFC West Standings

	W	L	PF	PA
San Diego	9	3	342	242
Denver	8	4	240	202
Oakland	4	8	142	282
Kansas City	3	9	196	326

(updated 12.8.2009 at 1:21 AM PST)

Kansas City Chiefs: The whispers are Matt Cassel better get his act together soon are he might go the way of the Dodo. I'm not sure what they expected from a career backup who came from the devious Patriots. Although Josh McDaniels sure wanted him and he obviously knows about him. On the other hand, maybe he was just feigning interest to get the Chiefs in on him to guarantee they would suck. Josh is pretty douchy like that, coming from the counsel of Bill Belichick. All of that, and now the Chiefs might be facing the first blackout in like a really really long time. Not to mention they've only won one homegame out of the last 12. Anyway, enough bashing on the Chiefs. If you don't have anything nice to say, you shouldn't say anything at all, right? That Jamaal Charles guy is really good.

Oakland Raiders: Even if their best defensive player is out and their QB is coming back from his 23rd concussion, anytime you beat the Steelers on their home field it is impressive. Anytime your QB leads you on two 4th quarter TD drives that's impressive. Gradkowski has now led two winning drives in the final two minutes in three weeks. Vote in the poll for the AFC West Question of the WEEK! Was Jamarcus Russell such a black hole of Suck that he made the entire team awful? Or are the Raiders just catching some breaks and playing teams at the right time? 400 yards of offense by the Raiders on Hienz field. Think about that. This is way too much Raider love though; probably because I hate the Steelers more than the Raiders because the Raiders suck and they have two former Aztecs starters on their team. (C. Shillens and K. Morrison).

Denver Broncos: So, after getting shellacked in Denver by the Bolts, the Broncos b*tch slapped New York and then pimp slapped KC. I still can't understand this team. Streaky is an understatement. The Broncos appear headed for a wildcard spot in the #5 seed, which means they would play the #4 seed in an away game in the wildcard round of the playoffs. It looks like right now that would be the Patriots. Can this Broncos team beat the Patriots in Foxbourgh in January? If I had to bet, I'd say no, but then again I thought they'd lose to both the Giants and the Chiefs. The good news for the Broncos is that they really got the running game together against the Chiefs which will do good things for them in the playoffs; although that might say more about the Chiefs defense than anything else. The Broncos have a tough 3 game stretch coming up (@ IND, vs. OAK, @PHI) we'll know a lot more after we see how they do in those games.

San Diego Chargers: Here's what we know: The Chargers have the best passing offense in the NFL according to ~~G0d~~ Football Outsiders, a sometimes useful running game, an inconsistent defense, and really injury prone starters. A lot of the Chargers future success will depend on the health of the team. Sound familiar? Like every post season from the last 4 years familiar? I'm REALLY starting to wonder about the training staff. The health of Eric Weddle, Shawne Merriman, and Luis Castillo are going to be very important down the like; not only because of the players themselves, but when Shawne is in, Shaun doesn't get doubled and is able to get more pressure...our match-ups against offensive players are much better. Eric Weddle might be the most important player on our defense. We get killed on defense without him. (See Browns, Cleveland). If the Chargers beat the Bengals, they have a very good chance of locking up the #2 seed and a first round bye...which is very important given our health issues. We definitely could use that time to heal up.

Poll

Is Bruce Gradkowski the long term answer in Oakland?

Week 13: Inside the Numbers

mgrex03 — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 05:28:26 -0000

More photos » by Michael Conroy - AP

Where's that #18 jersey again? (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

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Sorry again for the week off last week. I finally have everything back to where it was, waiting to see if my data can be recovered from my dead hard drive. I think what I have is correct, so we're going with it!

We're in the home stretch now of the season, and the Colts just keep right on ticking. Sunday saw the Colts take it to the Titans once again, being extremely efficient on offense, and making the big plays on defense to get the Colts to 12-0, one win away from the #1 seed and guaranteeing the Road to Miami comes through the Circle City. A few notes from the game:

The Colts have now won 12 games in 7 straight seasons. Only 7 other franchises have seven such seasons in their history! The Cowboys come the closest in terms of straight seasons with 4. The all-time record is 11 by the Cowboys, followed by the Colts' 10.
It happened against the Texans, but Peyton Manning passed John Elway for 3rd all time in Completions. Elway did it in 7250 passes. Manning? 6420.
Again from the win against the Texans (via Elias):

The Colts rallied from a 17-0 deficit to post a 35-27 win at Houston. It was the fifth time that Peyton Manning led his team to a regular-season victory after trailing by at least 17 points, a new NFL record. (Manning and the Colts also won the AFC title game in January 2007 after trailing the Patriots by 18 points.)

For comparison, they mentioned on Sunday night that Brett Favre has never come back from a 14 point deficit. I'm just saying...
We all know that the Colts have now won 21 consecutive regular season games, tying the record set by the Patriots just last season. I'd really like the Colts to get one more.

The win over the Titans certainly looked very nice, but what do the numbers say? Let's have a look:

Here are the numbers from Week 13:

Statistic	Offense	Rank	Defense	Rank	Off/Def Above	Off/Def Below	Record
DSR	81.3%	4	76.5%	26	N	N	3-0
ANPY/A	7.838	11	5.182	13	Y	N	7-0
Turnovers	0	1	2	10	Y	N	9-1
Yds/Drive	39.78	6	37.50	22	N	N	3-0
ToP/Drive	3:00.1	7	3:17.9	29	N	N	6-1
Yds/Play	5.594	14	4.870	12	Y	N	5-1
First Downs/Drive	2.56	4	2.40	28	N	N	2-2
3rd/4th Down	64.3%	1	44.4%	23	N	N	6-0
Avg Start Pos	32.4	12	31.7	18	N	N	7-4
3 and Outs	3	11	1	30	N	N	3-2
RZ Eff	85.7%	3	48.6%	9	Y	N	5-4
Plays/Drive	7.111	5	7.700	32	N	N	4-3
Penalty Yds / Play	0.625	14	0.649	18	N	N	3-4
RB Success	55.6%	4	60.0%	32	N	N	3-6
Yds/Carry	3.26	21	4.30	21	N	Y	3-5
Net Punts Yds/Game	36.00	28	39.00	10	N	Y	2-3
Ranking - Week (32)	2		23		9
Ranking - Season (384)	15		278		115

Some thoughts:

It wasn't the greatest day passing the ball for Manning, but it rarely is against the Titans. Still above average though, along with the defense. Teams have rarely lost this year when they've done that (97-5).
3rd/4th Down conversions were key on Sunday, as the Colts had the best conversion rate in the league on Sunday, and the Titans missed a couple really big 4th downs.
Also key was Red Zone Efficiency. Offense ranked 3rd, Defense ranked 9th. Excellent job this week.
RB Success is very interesting this week. The offense were successful over 55% of their runs, good for 4th best in the league. That is fantastic against a defense like the Titans. But the defensive number is concerning: dead last. Now, I know the Colts held Chris Johnson in check the whole game, keeping him from breaking the long one. But he consistently gained yardage each time he touched the ball, which is what the defense needs to focus on. A 4.3 YPC is good, unless the other team actually gets 4 yards each time they run the ball: they'll march into the end zone.

Full Season Stats (12 games):

Statistic	Offense	Rank	Best	Defense	Rank	Best	Record	Win %
DSR	79.1%	1	Colts	70.3%	19	Jets	78-8	0.907
ANPY/A	7.655	4	Saints	4.699	8	Bills	97-5	0.951
Turnovers	1.25	4	Chargers	2.00	6	Saints	88-20	0.815
Yds/Drive	38.72	1	Colts	31.48	23	Packers	79-11	0.878
ToP/Drive	2:48.7	11	Bengals	2:58.0	32	Packers	86-24	0.782
Yds/Play	6.263	3	Saints	5.024	7	Jets	81-17	0.827
First Downs/Drive	2.24	1	Colts	1.87	28	Bengals	70-19	0.787
3rd/4th Down	51.0%	1	Colts	44.5%	30	Bengals	75-16	0.824
Avg Start Pos	28.3	25	Bears	27.4	7	Cardinals	87-26	0.770
3 and Outs	2.42	1	Colts	3.42	23	Eagles	57-21	0.731
RZ Eff	72.1%	3	Cardinals	57.5%	5	Redskins	59-33	0.641
Plays/Drive	6.182	2	Falcons	6.266	32	Packers	66-32	0.673
Penalty Yds / Play	0.610	2	Dolphins	0.885	7	Seahawks	65-38	0.631
RB Success	50.4%	8	Broncos	48.0%	19	Vikings	64-35	0.646
Yds/Carry	3.81	28	Titans	4.23	17	Ravens	43-43	0.500
Net Punts Yds/Game	38.95	22	Raiders	42.52	29	Patriots	35-43	0.449
Overall	1		Colts	20		Packers

A couple notes:

The Colts are, once again, the Best Offense in the NFL, leading in 5 categories, and Top 4 in 11/16 categories. These are all stats the Colts have excelled at in the past, so this should be no surprise to anyone.
The defense is still giving up the longest drives in the league, at almost 3 minutes a drive. They were doing great, but have struggled lately. Need to get this worked out before the Playoffs.
The Defense has been great forcing Turnovers, getting 2 / game. Fantastic. Also, the Red Zone Efficiency is great at 57.5%. To put this in perspective, the Colts offense is outscoring their opponents on each Red Zone trip by 5.0 - 4.0. NFL average is 3 RZ trips / game, so that is 3 points in the Colts favor, just from the Red Zone. Awesome.
This year, more than any other recent year, is defining the mantra: "Pass and defend the pass = Wins". 95.1% speaks for itself.