Tag Archives: Aaron Rodgers

Jan 14 2012

Noonan: NFL Divisional Playoff Predictions

Can Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos keep their playoff magic going on Saturday against New England? (Photo Credit: Zimbio.com)

By Matt Noonan 

Here are my predictions for the NFC Divisional Round.

New Orleans 30, San Francisco 21: The Saints cashed in on five offensive series in the second half against the Detroit Lions last weekend, and are expected to keep their high-flying offensive attack going against the 49ers on Saturday. Drew Brees clearly is on a mission, which is why I believe they’ll defeat San Francisco, and advance to the NFC Championship game for the second time in three seasons.

New England 28 – Denver 16: The story of Tim Tebow has been fascinating, but against the Patriots at Gillette Stadium, I’m expecting him to struggle, and possibly throw two or three interceptions.

Baltimore 28 – Houston 21: Earlier this season, the Ravens defeated the Texans, 29-14. Joe Flacco completed 20-of-33 passes for 305 yards and one touchdown, while Billy Cundiff kicked five field goals. Can Baltimore duplicate their week five performance against Houston on Sunday? My answer… YES!

New York 24 – Green Bay 21: This is a total shot in the dark, but the Giants have gained a great deal of momentum over the past few weeks, and might have what it takes to knock out the defending NFC and Super Bowl champions. I like New York’s front seven on defense, especially since they could provide a great deal of chaos toward quarterback Aaron Rodgers. If the Giants pressure the Packers, and force a few turnovers, then expect Big Blue to walk away winners on Sunday.

Dec 18 2011

Kansas City Upsets Green Bay, Indianapolis Earns First Win Against Tennessee

Kansas City Chiefs interm head coach Romeo Crennel earned his first win on Sunday! (Photo Credit: Kansas City Star)

By Brian Willwerth 

The last unbeaten has fallen. The last winless team is winless no more.

Welcome to “Upset Sunday” in the NFL.

With all the hype surrounding the Patriots/Broncos epic matchup in Denver, the first big headline of the day came from Arrowhead Stadium. The Kansas City Chiefs, who fired head coach Todd Haley less than a week ago, pulled off the shocker of the year: a 19-14 victory over the previously undefeated Packers.

Kyle Orton threw for 299 yards – 64 more than Aaron Rodgers. Jackie Battle scored Kansas City’s lone touchdown of the game to seal the deal.  Rodgers pulled Green Bay to within five in the closing minutes, but the Chiefs were able to run out the clock. The end result: the Packers’ first loss since Dec. 19, 2010, and a Gatorade bath for interim Chiefs head coach Romeo Crennel.

The Packers still have the inside track to the No. 1 seed in the NFC, but Sunday’s result gives other teams hope.

Meanwhile, at Lucas Oil Stadium, another long streak ended. The Indianapolis Colts finally won a game. With a 27-13 victory over the Titans, Indianapolis avoided becoming the second 0-16 team in NFL history, (Detroit is alone in that regard). The Colts’ defense forced three turnovers, and Donald Brown rushed for 161 yards, including an 80-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter that sealed the deal.

Indy’s defense held Chris Johnson to just 55 yards on the ground.

While those were the most notable upsets of the day, they weren’t the only ones.

The Panthers beat the Texans. Houston was one of four teams that came into the day tied for the No.1 seed in the AFC.

The Seahawks beat the Bears at Soldier Field. Chicago hasn’t won since losing quarterback Jay Cutler to an injury.

The Redskins walked into the Meadowlands and put a dent in the Giants’ playoff hopes.

Dec 4 2011

NFL Week 13 – Afternoon/Evening Scoreboard

By Brian Willwerth 

A recap of Week 13 in the NFL – three of Sunday’s games was decided on the final play of regulation, or overtime. We’ll start with those.

PACKERS 38, GIANTS 35 — Our “Game of the Day” will no doubt get some votes for “Game of the YEAR” when all is said and done. Green Bay and New York combined for nearly 900 yards of total offense. Let’s jump right to crunch time.  Trailing by eight in the final minute, Eli Manning threw a two-yard touchdown pass to Hakeem Nicks. The Giants made the two-point conversion to tie the game, but then Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers got the ball at his own 20 with 0:58 left on the clock. It only took two big plays for him to lead his team into field goal range. Mason Crosby kicked the game-winning, 30-yard field goal, as time expired, and yes, the Packers improved to [12-0]. Rodgers threw four touchdown passes, while Manning tossed three.

CARDINALS 19, COWBOYS 13 (OT)  – What a wild ending in Glendale, Arizona, and one that will be talked about a lot in Dallas for the next few days. With 0:07 remaining, Dan Bailey was lining up for a game-winning field goal attempt. A timeout was called to ice the kicker. But, the stoppage was called by Dallas head coach Jason Garrett. Bailey’s kick, which went through the uprights, did not count. He had to try it again, and came up short. Arizona got the ball to start overtime, and Kevin Kolb hit Larod Stephens-Howling, who danced through the Cowboys’ defense and into the end zone for a 52-yard, game-winning score. And it’s all because Jason Garrett iced his own kicker, wow!

BRONCOS 35, VIKINGS 32 – Don’t look now, but Denver is now tied for first place in the AFC West. And once again, Tim Tebow led his team from behind. He threw for 202 yards and two touchdowns. Then after the Broncos picked off Christian Ponder with less than two minutes remaining, they marched down the field and Matt Prater kicked a 23-yard field goal as time expired. Tebow is now [6-1] as the Broncos’ starting quarterback.

TITANS 23, BILLS 17 – Chris Johnson is finding his groove. He ran for 153 yards and two touchdowns in Tennessee’s victory at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Johnson has rushed for over 100 yards in three of his last four games.

CHIEFS 10, BEARS 3 – While this was hardly the best game of the day, it may have featured the play of the day or maybe it was just Kevin Harlan’s voice that made it special. The only touchdown of the contest came on the final play of the first half, when Tyler Palko’s “Hail Mary” pass landed in the arms of Dexter McCluster.  Chicago suffered a significant blow when Matt Forte left the game with a right knee injury.

DOLPHINS 34, RAIDERS 14 – Here’s the upset of the day. In Miami, the Dolphins made it look easy against the first-place Raiders. Reggie Bush ran for 100 yards and a touchdown. Miami scored two touchdowns within 20 seconds of each other in the third quarter.

PATRIOTS 31, COLTS 24 – They love Rob Gronkowski in Foxboro, Massachusetts, as the tight end scored three more touchdowns, giving him 13th touchdown receptions on the season. His other score was a rushing TD on a lateral. The Pats built a big lead, and then hung on as the Colts scored 21 points in the fourth quarter. Indianapolis is now [0-12], while New England is [9-3].

STEELERS 35, BENGALS 7 – This was a statement game for Pittsburgh. At Heinz Field, Ben Roethlisberger threw two touchdown passes, as the Steelers swept the season series from Cincinnati, who is now [0-3] against the two teams ahead of them in the AFC North, (PIT and BAL.)

PANTHERS 38, BUCCANEERS 19 – This was all about Cam Newton. Carolina’s rookie quarterback rushed for three touchdowns and threw for another at Raymond James Stadium. Josh Johnson started at quarterback for Tampa Bay in place of the injured Josh Freeman. The Bucs, who at one time were [4-2], and in first place, have lost six in a row.

JETS 34, REDSKINS 19 – At FedEx Field, the Jets kept their playoff hopes alive by rallying for 21 points in the fourth quarter. Mark Sanchez found Santonio Holmes for the game-winning touchdown with 4:49 to play. Washington has lost seven of its last eight.

TEXANS 17, FALCONS 10 – It doesn’t matter who’s playing quarterback for Houston; the Texans keep on winning. Rookie quarterback T.J. Yates played mistake-free football, and Arian Foster rushed for 111 yards and a touchdown.  Atlanta QB Matt Ryan’s last-second pass in the end zone fell incomplete.

49ERS 26, RAMS 0 – We have our first division winner. San Francisco wrapped up in the NFC East with an easy victory at home over St. Louis. Alex Smith threw two touchdown passes, while Frank Gore ran for 73 yards, and became the franchise’s career rushing leader.

RAVENS 24, BROWNS 10 – Neither a driving rainstorm nor Cleveland’s defense could slow down Ray Rice. The Baltimore running back broke loose for a career-high 204 yards, as the Ravens remained in first place in the AFC North. They own the tiebreaker over the Steelers.

Nov 23 2011

Thanksgiving Football Prediction: Detroit-Green Bay

Can the Lions hand the Packers their first loss of the regular season on Thursday? We'll see!

By Matt Noonan 

Nobody probably imagined that this would be the game to watch on Thanksgiving. Over the past few seasons, opponents have demolished the Lions on National Television, but this year, I expect quarterback Matthew Stafford to lead his team to victory.

The Lions have registered 25 touchdowns through the air, and have compiled 1,011 rushing yards, while Calvin Johnson leads the receiving core with 974 yards and 11 strikes to the end zone.

Detroit’s offense shouldn’t experience too many problems against a Packers defense that has allowed opponents to rack up at least 22 points per game, and roughly 391 yards of offense. Yet, the biggest issue facing the Lions will be containing quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who leads the league with 31 touchdowns.

FUN FACT – Green Bay’s most recent regular season loss came against Detroit last year when the Lions defeated the Packers, 7-3 at Ford Field. However, I doubt the Lions will hold the Packers to just three points this time around, right?

PREDICTION – Expect the Lions to “get-up” for this one, and even score first. Stafford should toss two touchdowns, while the Lions defense will most likely record one turnover. Detroit 34 – Green Bay 27  

Nov 15 2011

Noonan: The Pack Continue To Impress

Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers picked up an impress victory on Monday against the Minnesota Vikings!

By Matt Noonan 

It’s official, Week 10 of the NFL season is in the books, and now, we’re left with seven significant weeks to go. It’s been a topsy-turvy season, but once it’s over, I’m expecting a few more surprises, as well as a title game that should certainly live up to its hype.

Of course, the front-runner at the moment is the Green Bay Packers, a team that has flattened their opponents, and made it look too darn easy. They have a quarterback by the name of Aaron Rodgers, who’s technically on pace to shatter Tom Brady’s record of 50 touchdowns, along with a group of “cheese-heads” that posses speed, endurance, quickness, as well as a defensive linebacker that needs a haircut, (sorry, Clay Matthews, but it’s the absolute truth).

The Packers are destined to win their remaining seven matchups, but against the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions, anything’s possible, right?

America won’t be too happy if this season’s Thanksgiving clash between Green Bay and Detroit doesn’t live up to its hype, especially since many thought both squads would enter Ford Field with undefeated records.

However, if the Packers finish the season undefeated, what’s their chances of winning the Super Bowl?

Well, again, they’re the number one squad in the NFC, and I doubt any team could truly challenge or beat them, but again, that’s just an educated guess. I’d presume New Orleans or San Francisco might have the best shot of dethroning the former NFC champs, but again, that’s just a thought.

I’d consider mentioning Chicago, Detroit, Dallas or New York as contenders, but I’m not entirely sure if any of those squads could play consistent football against Green Bay. Sure, they might pressure Rodgers or force the Packers to make a few mistakes, but in the end, Green Bay would most likely prevail.

No one probably assumed that the Packers, excluding themselves, would experience this much success. Green Bay has outscored their opponents this year by a score of 320-186, and leads the conference with 39 touchdowns. They’ve won seven conference matchups, two AFC meetings, three divisional contest, and five road games.

They’re also on pace to shatter Bill Belichick’s ’07 records, and become the second NFL team to cap off a season with no losses, (the Miami Dolphins in ’72 finished their season, 17-0, as well as beat the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl VII), but again, nothing is certain, especially in the NFL.

The Packers have been a great story, but what would make their magical season even more memorable would be winning Super Bowl XLVI, and stretching their current winning streak, which started on December 5, 2010 to 28 games.

Nov 15 2011

Daily Noontime – November 15, 2011

Don't expect anything drastic to occur for the NBA anytime soon!


Alright, it’s Tuesday, which means the current week is motoring along, right? Here’s the latest news, headlines and more! 

Headlines: 

* In case you haven’t heard, the NBA Players Association rejected the Owners proposal on Monday, which means the Lockout has shifted to a “nuclear winter,” according to commissioner David Stern.

* The Green Bay Packers pulverized the Minnesota Vikings on Monday evening, as well as earned their ninth win in a row.

* According to multiple sources, Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel have suffered serious injuries, and will most likely miss the remainder of the season.

* On Monday, the Philadelphia media confirmed that Eagles quarterback Michael Vick played Sunday with two broken ribs, and also hurt two more too.

* Former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky proclaimed on a recent NBC interview that he is innocent.

* Apparently Aaron Rodgers is on target to shatter Tom Brady‘s 50 TD record this season. Rodgers currently has 28 TDs, and certainly is on par to tie the record.

Games to Watch: 

* New Jersey at Boston (NHL) – 7:00pm eastern 

* Ottawa at Calgary (NHL) – 9:00pm eastern 

* No. 2 Kentucky at No. 11 Kansas (NCAA Basketball) – 9:00pm eastern 

Video of the Day: 

Wow! Here’s Aaron Rodgers talking after a community college football game! 

Nov 6 2011

NFL Week Nine – Afternoon Scoreboard

By Brian Willwerth 

In a change of pace, I’m going to recap the late games first, because they were just outstanding.

GIANTS 24, PATRIOTS 20 – My “Game of the Day” comes from Foxboro. This was a rematch of Super Bowl XLII. And for fans of these two teams, it was déjà vu all over again. Late in the fourth quarter, Tom Brady led his team down the field, hitting Rob Gronkowski on 4th down to put New England up by three. But the Giants came right back, with help from a pass interference call against Sergio Brown that put the ball on the one-yard line. With 15 seconds left, Eli Manning hit Jake Ballard with a one-yard TD pass to win the game for the Giants.

PACKERS 45, CHARGERS 38 – What a wild game this turned out to be. Aaron Rodgers is unstoppable right now. He was 21-for-26 for 247 yards and four touchdowns, much to the delight of all the Cheeseheads in attendance Qualcomm Stadium. Still, the Chargers came back with a Philip Rivers TD pass, a successful onside kick, and then another Rivers TD to cut the margin to seven points. Rivers threw four TD passes, but also threw three INT’s, two of which were returned for scores. Green Bay remains unbeaten at [8-0].

BRONCOS 38, RAIDERS 24 – In Oakland, the Broncos broke a 24-24 tie with 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. Eddie Royal returned a punt 85 yards for what turned out to be the winning touchdown. Willis McGahee ran for 163 of Denver’s 298 rushing yards and Tim Tebow threw two touchdown passes.

BENGALS 24, TITANS 17 – Is Cincinnati the NFL’s best-kept secret? Trailing 17-7 at the half, the Bengals rallied in the second half in Nashville.  Andy Dalton threw three touchdown passes. Cincinnati is [6-2]. The Bengals have won five in a row – their longest winning streak since 1988. Oh, and the Bengals host Pittsburgh next week.

CARDINALS 19, RAMS 13 (OT) – This was a matchup between two woeful teams, but it had a crazy finish. Arizona blocked a potential game-winning field goal to send the game into overtime. In OT, rookie Patrick Peterson fielded a punt on his own 1-yard line. You’re not supposed to do that, right?  Well, a few moves and 99 yards later, Peterson and his teammates were celebrating a victory in the end zone at the other end of the field.

JETS 27, BILLS 11 – The Jets won a big AFC East game on the road at Orchard Park, NY.  New York rushed for 126 yards, 76 of them by Shonn Greene. Buffalo turned the ball over three times. Both teams are now [5-3].

COWBOYS 23, SEAHAWKS 13 – Dallas is back to .500 on the season. In Arlington, Texas, the Cowboys broke open a 6-6 game in the second half. Tony Romo threw for 279 yards and 2 TD’s.

FALCONS 31, COLTS 7 – What a day for Atlanta wide receiver Julio Jones. The rookie only caught three passes, but two of them went for touchdowns of 50 and 80 yards as the Colts rolled at Indianapolis.  The Colts are now the only winless team in the NFL, because….

DOLPHINS 31, CHIEFS 3 – Miami – yes, Miami – has finally broken through. And the Dolphins did so in surprisingly convincing fashion at Arrowhead Stadium. Matt Moore threw for 244 yards and three TD’s in the upset. The loss snaps the Chiefs’ four-game winning streak.

SAINTS 27, BUCCANEERS 16 – At the Superdome, New Orleans bounced back from an awful loss to the Rams with a solid win over a division rival. The Saints rushed for 195 yards, and Drew Brees threw a pair of touchdown passes. New Orleans remains in sole possession of first place in the NFC South. Tampa Bay has lost three of its last four.

49ERS 19, REDSKINS 11 – San Francisco improved to [7-1] on the season with its fourth straight road victory, winning at Landover, MD. Frank Gore rushed for 107 yards, and the 49ers’ defense forced three Washington turnovers.

TEXANS 30, BROWNS 12 – Houston ran wild over Cleveland. The Texans had two running backs rush for over 100 yards: Arian Foster (124) and Ben Tate (115.) The Texans have won three in a row, and remain atop the AFC South.

Oct 20 2011

Noonan: Six Weeks Of The NFL Is In The Books

Have you been impressed by the Buffalo Bills this season? (Photo courtesy of the Buffalo Bills website)

By Matt Noonan 

After six weeks of the NFL’s current season, we’ve learned a lot, and witnessed some amazing moments. However, we’re far from over or throwing in the towel, especially since we have another 10-weeks remaining of the regular season.

Yet, I do wonder if anyone imagined that after six weeks, the Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers would be a combined, [10-2]?

Here’s another question – who truly believed that the Cincinnati Bengals would eventually trade quarterback Carson Palmer?

Finally, did anyone expect the Philadelphia Eagles “dream-team” to implode after six weeks?

Overall, there’s been a bunch of surprises, but in this particular column, it’ll be my duty to breakdown some teams that have raised some eyebrows, as well as look ahead to the remainder of the season.

Biggest Surprise Team: I certainly have enjoyed watching Detroit and San Francisco, but the team I am going to select for this particular category is the Buffalo Bills.

Buffalo has been dreadful over the past few years and yes, they’ve had some fast starts, but between quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and running back Fred Jackson, as well as a defense that’s forced numerous turnovers against Tom Brady and Michael Vick, I’d say, they’re cooking and onto something.

Yet, despite their two recent losses against Cincinnati and New York, the Bills will certainly want to regroup quickly, especially since their remaining schedule features a variety of playoff bound teams, such as Dallas, New England, New York, San Diego, and Tennessee. They should certainly pick up a few more wins against Denver, Miami and Washington, and will most likely compete for an AFC Wild-Card spot too.

All in all, the Bills have been a lot of fun to watch, but we’ll have to wait and see if this is yet again another year of a “fast start” or possibly the start of something new.

Biggest Flop Team: Hands down, this award goes to Andy Reid and the Philadelphia Eagles.

Backup quarterback Vince Young should have bit his tongue this past summer when he told reporters that Philadelphia was “the dream team.” The Eagles have played horrendous on both sides of the ball, but managed to pick up an important win last weekend against Washington. Philadelphia certainly is a talented group, but if they keep playing haphazard football, don’t expect a championship to be delivered anytime soon.

Vick and his receivers need to get on the same page, while the defense has to figure out ways to stop their opponents. Expect the Eagles to pick up the slack in the coming weeks, but overall, they have a lot of ground to make-up.

Who’s more likely to clinch a postseason birth? Buffalo, Detroit, San Francisco or Tennessee?

Again, I have enjoyed Buffalo’s wild ride, but my best guess is the San Francisco 49ers, who practically have the NFC West locked up. Arizona, Seattle and St. Louis have been complete flops, which have allowed the 49ers the opportunity to distance themselves from the pack. San Francisco has been quite impressive this year, especially against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a few weeks ago, (sorry, Brian Willwerth) and should certainly hang onto win their division, especially since they have five divisional contests remaining, which include two against the winless Rams.

Expect Aaron Hernandez to continue being one of Tom Brady's go-to guys for the rest of the season!

Best AFC Team: As much as I want to pick the Baltimore Ravens, who have demolished their opponents thus far, I am going to pick the New England Patriots. Quarterback Tom Brady and wide receiver Wes Welker have been a deadly one-two punch, while second year tight ends Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski have helped with the run game.

As far as their defense, well… it’s getting better. Against the Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets, the secondary, which is one the worst in the NFL played quite well, while the front seven pressures both quarterbacks, Mark Sanchez and Tony Romo.

This week, the Patriots will enjoy a much needed bye week before they travel to Pittsburgh. If New England can keep grinding out wins, expect this team to finally end their recent playoff drought.

Best NFC Team: This is an easy one – the Green Bay Packers.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Pack have been on a roll this season, and are certainly on pace to return to the Super Bowl. Yet, it’s only been six games, so I think we need a few more weeks to decide how good this Packers team is, but as of Oct. 20, 2011, I’m going to say, they’re the best the NFC has to offer this season.

Possible Super Bowl Prediction: Earlier this summer, I didn’t have a chance to predict a possible Super Bowl matchup, but now, I am going to say it’ll be between the Packers and Patriots. Both teams are committed to winning, as well as have two of the best quarterbacks in the game that are completely clutch in the fourth quarter. Green Bay’s defense might be a tad bit better than New England’s, but all in all, I’m anticipating a Super Bowl XXXI rematch in Indianapolis, Indiana this February.

Sep 26 2011

Willwerth: Thoughts and Reactions to Week 3 in the NFL

By Brian Willwerth 

Bills 34, Patriots 31 – Look who’s alone atop the AFC East. For the second week in a row, Buffalo [3-0] came back from a huge deficit, capping the comeback with a 28-yard field goal from Rian Lindell as time expired. Ryan Fitzpatrick led the Bills’ comeback, throwing for 369 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. New England quarterback Tom Brady threw four touchdown passes, but was also picked off four times, one of which was returned for a score by Drayton Florence. This was Buffalo’s first win over New England since the ’03 season opener.

49ers 13, Bengals 8 – Running back Kendall Hunter scored the only touchdown of the game by either team late in the fourth quarter to give San Francisco (2-1) the win at Paul Brown Stadium. The attendance was 43,363 – the smallest crowd for a Cincinnati home opener in 30 years.

Browns 17, Dolphins 16 – In Cleveland, Colt McCoy engineered a game-winning, 80-yard drive. He threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Mohamed Massaquoi with 43 seconds left for the Browns [2-1]. Miami is still winless (0-3).

Titans 17, Broncos 14 – In Nashville, Matt Hasselbeck threw for 311 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner to Daniel Graham with less than five minutes to play for Tennessee [2-1].  For Denver [1-2], quarterback Kyle Orton also threw two touchdown passes, but was picked off twice.

Lions 26, Vikings 23 (OT) – Just as Buffalo is the story right now in the AFC, the same can be said of Detroit [3-0] in the NFC. The Lions rallied from a 20-0 deficit in the second half. Jason Hanson kicked the game-winning 32-yard field goal in overtime. Detroit is [3-0] for the first time in 31 years. Minnesota [0-3] blew a big lead at home for the second week in a row; the Vikes squandered a 17-0 advantage to Tampa Bay last Sunday.

Saints 40, Texans 33 – There are many candidates this weeks “Game of the Day,” but I’ll give this contest the nod. At the Superdome, Drew Brees and Matt Schaub combined to throw for 743 yards and six touchdowns. In the end, New Orleans [2-1] got the last laugh against Houston [2-1].  The teams combined for 37 points in the fourth quarter, and 927 yards of total offense for the game. If you love offensive fireworks, this was the game for you.

Giants 29, Eagles 16 – Eli Manning spoiled Philadelphia’s home opener. He threw four touchdown passes, including two to Victor Cruz. The Giants improve to [2-1], while the Eagles fall to [1-2]. Also, the team is somewhat concerned about Michael Vick’s health. He left in the fourth quarter with a broken right hand. Philadelphia head coach Andy Reid said Monday that Vick’s hand was just bruised, not broken.

Panthers 16, Jaguars 10 – Cam Newton did not throw for 400 yards; he didn’t even come close. But he did find Greg Olsen for the game-winning touchdown with 4:20 left to give Carolina its first win. Newton finished with 158 yards passing. Jacksonville rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert made his first NFL start, throwing for 191 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

Raiders 34, Jets 24 –  A Rex Ryan-led defense gives up 234 yards rushing? Rex, meet Darren McFadden. He had 171 of those yards and two touchdowns as Oakland [2-1] won before at home. The Raiders handed the Jets their first loss of the season.

Ravens 37, Rams 7 – After losing to Tennessee last week, Baltimore [2-1] took out some serious frustration against St. Louis [0-3]. The Ravens had a 27-0 lead and over 400 yards of offense – in the first half. It was blowout city from that point on.

Chargers 20, Chiefs 17 - It wasn’t pretty for San Diego [2-1], but the Bolts did enough to keep Kansas City winless on the season. The Chargers got two short touchdown runs from Ryan Matthews to bail out quarterback Philip Rivers, who was picked off twice.

Packers 27, Bears 17 – The Super Bowl Champs are off to a [3-0] start. Aaron Rodgers threw three touchdown passes as Green Bay beat its long-time rival at Soldier Field.

Seahawks 13, Cardinals 10 – In a defensive battle in Seattle, the Seahawks picked up their first win of the season. Tarvaris Jackson scored his team’s lone touchdown on an 11-yard run.

Buccaneers 16, Falcons 13 – In Tampa, the young Bucs’ [2-1] defense was the story, sacking Matt Ryan four times and forcing three turnovers.  Tampa Bay stopped a five-game losing streak to Atlanta. The Falcons [1-2] have already lost as many games this year as they did in the entire 2010 regular season.

Steelers 23, Colts 20 – If you thought this would be a cakewalk for Pittsburgh without Peyton Manning on the field, think again.  It took a Shaun Suisham field goal with 4 seconds left to give the Steelers the win.  Each team scored a defensive touchdown: Troy Polamalu for Pittsburgh, Jamaal Anderson for Indy (0-3.)

Sep 20 2011

Expect Great Things to Come for Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers

Have you been impressed by Cam Newton this season? If so, why?

By Matt Noonan 

Cam Newton has been quite impressive this season and it’s only been two games.

The rookie gunslinger currently ranks second in the NFL behindTom Brady with 845 passing yards, and has also tossed three touchdowns and four interceptions too.

“Going into the game, coach asked us as a quarterback, [what are] the things that it’ll take to win and I don’t think I followed the number one rule and that was protect the football,” Newton said via the Carolina Panthers website.

OK, he may not be the second coming of Joe Montana or Brett Favre 2.0, but all in all, he’s been quite impressive these past few weeks despite not earning a single win in the standings.

Against the Arizona Cardinals in week one, Newton registered three touchdowns, two in the air, and one on the ground, while his defense struggled against Kevin Kolb’s offense. Also, Newton complete 24-of-37 passes for 422 yards, but again, his team didn’t win.

This past Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, Newton helped the Panthers earn an early lead before it was erased by Aaron Rodger’s offense. Newton struggled in the second half, as well as recorded three interceptions. Although, while he showed his first-year true colors during the Panthers second game of the season, he did admit that he can’t turn the ball over or make decisions that’ll hurt his team.

“I’m going to get it,” Newton said. “The more I see it the more I know that it’s not college no more and it’s no gimmicks in this league, especially playing good teams. We played an excellent team in the Packers and they capitalized each and everyone of your mistakes.”

Newton and the Panthers will eventually get their first win of the season and while they may not win a lot of games this year, it certainly seems that Newton will continue to improve, as well as excel under the guidance of head coach Ron Rivera.

“Our coaches do an excellent job of getting us in the best play possible and it’s my job personally as a quarterback to make everything right. Whether it’s throwing the ball deep – throw it to the man or just checking the ball down. [You] can’t be greedy in this league and it’ll come back to bite you every single time,” Newton said.

Newton and the Panthers will look to earn their first win this Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars at home and who knows, maybe the rookie gunslinger will rack up yet another 400-yard day.