Tag Archives: Mark Sanchez

Sep 4 2012

NFL 2012: AFC East Preview

By Matt Noonan 

The AFC East may not be the flashiest division this season, but don’t underestimate Buffalo, New York or Miami. All three teams have challenged the Patriots over the past few seasons, and can certainly provide the unnecessary head ache to Patriots coaches, fans and players, especially when they least expect it.

However, New England shouldn’t have a problem winning this division, but keep your eyes on the Bills and Jets.

1.) New England Patriots (12-4) – Some analysts believe this team may mimic their record-breaking performance from 2007, while others think they’re a shoe-in for this year’s Super Bowl. In order for the Patriots to be successful, they’ll need rookies Chandler Jones and Dont’a Hightower to pressure opposing quarterbacks and provide all sorts of havoc.

Will Chandler Jones be the Patriots most valuable defensive player this season? We’ll see! (Photo Credit: Zimbio.com)

2.) Buffalo Bills (9-7) – The Bills bolted out of the gate last season, but couldn’t maintain their momentum, as injuries and errors derailed their chances of a successful season. This year, Buffalo added Mario Williams and Mark Anderson to their defense, and drafted two potential studs in Cordy Glenn and Stephon Gilmore. The usual cast is back on offense – Ryan Fitzpatrick, Fred Jackson and Steve Johnson, but the main question from last year remains: Can they stay healthy? Also, can they be consistent, too?

3.) New York Jets (7-9) – No offense Jets fans, but your team is in complete disarray. New York didn’t locate the end zone until their fourth preseason game, and there’s still questions surrounding their offense and defense. Yet, probably one of the biggest sagas surrounding this team is when will Rex Ryan swap Tim Tebow for Mark Sanchez?

4.) Miami Dolphins (5-11) – There will be a lot of ups and downs this season for the Dolphins, but expect Miami to conclude their year with at least four or five wins.

Mar 26 2012

Tebow-Mania Spreads to New York City

Tim Tebow was introduced as a New York "Football" Jet on Monday, and apparently is ready to help Gang Green win a title! (Photo Credit: USA Today)

By Matt Noonan 

The New York Jets haven’t won a Super Bowl championship since January of 1969, but Monday’s Tim Tebow press conference certainly provided numerous Gang Green supporters with a great deal of optimism toward the upcoming campaign.

Tebow spoke with 200 credentialed media members for roughly 32 minutes on Monday at the Jets practice facility, and fielded questions from why he was “blessed” to be a Jet to his relationship with starting quarterback Mark Sanchez. The young gunslinger also preached about his relationship with the New York coaching staff, which possibly explains why he chose the Big Apple over Jacksonville, Florida.

“It’s such an honor for me to be here, and I’m so excited about being a Jet,” Tebow said via the team’s website. “I just want to thank the Broncos for my time in Denver – it was an amazing time. I want to thank my teammates and the fans for being such great teammates and such great fans, and I’m looking forward to my time here in New York and my time as a Jet.”

“I’m so honored and humbled to be a Jet. I’m so thankful that they wanted me, and I’m so excited about meeting my teammates,” added the Jets backup quarterback.

This particular type of press conference is rather unusual, especially for a backup quarterback, but due to the so-called, “Tebow hype,” as well as his success from last season, it wasn’t too surprising that various media members decided to greet the 24-year-old, as well as question him about joining a team that’s been the doormat to the Super Bowl the past three years in the American Football Conference.

“I’m excited to be a Jet – to go out there and help this team anyway that I can, and whatever my role is, however I can expand that role – I’m going to try and do that,” said Tebow.

Tebow will certainly be a major asset, especially since head coach Rex Ryan believes that his number will be called roughly 20 times per game. However, don’t anticipate any quarterback swap to occur because as various reports confirmed – Sanchez is going to be the starter once week one arrives.

“I think the exciting thing is that me and Mark have a great relationship,” Tebow said when asked about playing behind Sanchez. “We have had a good relationship for the last three-years, I think. We’ve been friends, we’ve [texted each other] back and fourth, we’ve talked already, and we’re going to have a great relationship and a great working relationship and I think we’ll have a lot of fun together.”

So, whether you like it or not, Tebow is officially a Jet and the excitement for him has definitely drifted from the Rocky Mountains to the city that never sleeps.

Mar 21 2012

Tebow Chooses The New York “Football” Jets

It's official - Tim Tebow is going to be a Jet in 2012! (Photo Credit: CBS News)

By Matt Noonan 

Numerous sources confirmed at 9PM on Wednesday, March 21, that Tim Tebow is officially headed to the New York Jets. Gang Green also received a seventh round draft pick, while Denver endured a fourth and sixth round selection.

Sources and reports confirmed earlier that Tebow had officially been traded to New York, but a later bulletin announced that the Jets front office hadn’t exactly read all of the fine print.

Tebow’s contract apparently stated that any suitor who obtained him would have to pay Denver $5 million. And while New York remained at a standstill over this issue, sources then began reporting that Tebow would most likely return to Denver, and then be pursued by Jacksonville and St. Louis.

However, the whirlwind officially ended a few hours later when the Broncos and Jets agreed to split the coast, and execute the deal.

Tebow started 13 of 18 games last season, which included two postseason contests against New England and Pittsburgh, but will most likely backup Mark Sanchez, who recently signed a three-year extension.

Mar 9 2012

Thomas: Five Teams That Should Acquire Peyton Manning

Now that Peyton Manning is a free agent, where will he most likely end up next? (Photo Credit: Colts.com)

By Elizabeth Thomas 

On Wednesday, Mar. 8, the Indianapolis Colts decided they wouldn’t renew Peyton Manning’s five-year, $90 million contract, which included a $28 million signing bonus. So, instead of picking up the remaining four-years on his current deal, the Colts decided to show Manning the door. And now, he’s a free agent quarterback looking for a new home, as well as a fresh start, too.

So, with all this in mind, I thought I’d provide five various organizations that should certainly consider signing the highly touted veteran quarterback.

Miami Dolphins: Since losing out on the Jeff Fisher sweepstakes, Miami hasn’t made too much noise this offseason. First-year head coach Joe Philbin and offensive coordinator Mike Sherman are committed to implementing a west coast offense, which Manning has never conducted. However, the former Colts gunslinger does own a home in South Beach, as well as won a Super Bowl at Dolphins Stadium, too, so that could certainly provide some leverage at the negotiating table. Also, the Dolphins offense would excel quite well with him under center, and force Brandon Marshall, Davone Bess and Reggie Bush to step-up their “game.” Manning could be an excellent puzzle piece for a veteran squad, but would a west coast offense be the straw that breaks the camels back? We’ll see!

Washington Redskins: Reports surfaced earlier this week that a Washington radio station confirmed that the Redskins were most likely out of the running for Manning. Yet, if head coach Mike Shanahan can somehow adjust his offensive, then maybe Washington will be able to lure Manning to their organization.

Denver Broncos:  With Tim Tebow becoming not only the face of Denver’s franchise, but also a cultural icon, then it’s highly doubtful that the Broncos head coach John Fox would make any changes to tarnish his image, right? Think again! Manning seems determined to remain in the AFC, and while executive vice president of football operations John Elway wants to win now, then it’s likely that the Broncos should consider signing him as soon as possible. Elway and Manning are golf buddies, so it’s possible that the former Denver gunslinger could woo the free agent quarterback to the “Mile High” city.

New York Jets: New York has invested time and money in their quarterback, Mark Sanchez, who has led Gang Green to the AFC Championship twice in the past three seasons. However, if New York wants to end their championship drought, then adding Peyton might be necessary.

Arizona Cardinals: Who wouldn’t want to play football in the desert? Wouldn’t you want to join the Cardinals, so you could toss numerous touchdowns to the NFL’s most lucrative receiver, Larry Fitzgerald? Manning would be a great fit for Arizona, who still hasn’t won a Super Bowl. Also, if you acquire Manning, you’d probably get Reggie Wayne, who is a free agent, too.

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.

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.

Oct 18 2011

Analyzing Three NFL Winless Teams – Indianapolis, Miami and St. Louis

Can Manning help Painter lead the Indianapolis Colts to one win this season?

By Matt Noonan 

After six weeks, we have one undefeated team, (Green Bay) and three winless squads, (Indianapolis, Miami and St. Louis), but which organization is the absolute worse?

Which squad do you think has the best chance to end the season with no wins?

Is it possible to state that all three teams are vying for the number one spot in the NFL Draft, so they can select Stanford University quarterback Andrew Luck?

Well, here are a few thoughts and ideas on all three teams, as well as their remaining schedule.

Indianapolis Colts [0-6] – I think it’s time the Colts throw in the towel and start praying for Andrew Luck’s help.

We all knew once the season began that Indianapolis wouldn’t be the same without Peyton Manning, who’s still recovering from neck surgery. Yet, while he’s not on the field with his teammates, cameras have caught him talking with players, coaches and even backup quarterback Curtis Painter, which is a good thing, right?

Overall, I don’t see this team winning one game this year. They’ll contend against their divisional foes, which include Houston, Jacksonville and Tennessee, but again, they won’t secure a single win this season. Opponents have trampled over their defense, while their offense hasn’t secured more than 90-yards on the ground.

Seriously, they’re pathetic, but I guess all teams have to go through tough times, right?

Miami Dolphins [0-5] – The Dolphins are bad, real bad.

Against the New York “Football” Jets, they looked completely unmotivated. Backup quarterback Matt Moore was flustered, despite completing 16-of-34 passes for 204 yards and two interceptions, and the defense struggled to contain Mark Sanchez and the Jets offense, which registered two touchdowns.

Miami has been embarrassed twice on national television this season by New England and New York, but have challenged Cleveland, Houston and San Diego.

Will they win one game this season? I think so, but am not too confident. They have to face New England and New York again, as well as play Buffalo, Oakland, Dallas, and Philadelphia, which won’t be easy. Yet, if I had to make a bold prediction, they’ll finish with one with this season.

St. Louis Rams [0-5] – It’s hard to believe, but the Rams are once again the laughing stock of the NFL.

After a somewhat decent and successful season last year, head coach Steve Spagnuolo doesn’t seem to have an answer for his young squad’s demise. However, the Rams have lost numerous players due to injuries this season and currently are ranked 32nd in points scored per game, while their defense has allowed the most rushing yards.

Looking ahead to the remainder of their schedule, the Rams could certainly muster a few wins against Arizona, Dallas, Seattle and possibly, Cincinnati. I don’t see this team finishing with a winless record, but instead, two or three wins.

Sep 19 2011

NFL Fast Starts and Finishes

Rogders and the Packers kicked-off the 2010 season with two back-to-back wins, as well as won the Super Bowl, but can they do it again?

By Matt Noonan 

It’s been said; NFL teams that begin their season undefeated have a better chance of reaching the playoffs than squads with no wins. Well, week two isn’t officially in the books, but according to the standings there are a seven teams that are currently unbeaten as of Monday morning and could be on pace to reach the playoffs.

Here’s a look at the current seven teams that are undefeated, as well as the last time they began their season with two back-to-back wins.

New England Patriots – In ’08,Matt Cassel led New England to two important victories against the Kansas City Chiefs and New York Jets. However, New England lost in week three against the Miami Dolphins, who went onto win the AFC East that season. The Patriots finished the year [11-5], but struggled to win games against the “big boys,” Pittsburgh, San Diego and Indianapolis.  

New York Jets – Quarterback Mark Sanchez kicked-off his rookie career with a bang in ’09, as he helped the Jets to three games before New York lost in week four against the New Orleans Saints. The Jets finished the season with a gaudy [9-7] record, but managed to make an appearance in the AFC Championship game, which they lost.

Buffalo Bills – In ’08, quarterback Trent Edwards and his Bills offense started the season with four wins before the team lost five of their next six contests. Buffalo finished the season [7-9], and struggled to maintain their September momentum for the remainder of the season. Also, quarterback J.P. Losman didn’t help the squad, as he lost both games he started, while Edward finished the year with seven wins and loses under center.

Houston Texans – Last season, the Texans began the year with two wins, but finished [6-10]. In ’07, they kicked off their brand new season with two back-to-back wins, but struggled to win a majority of their schedule. All in all, the Texans have often struggled during the opening weeks, but as of recently, they look like a team that’ll finally win a division title.

Washington Redskins – The last time the “Hogs” had something to cheer about was in ’07, which was when head coach Joe Gibbs watched his Redskins beat Miami in overtime and Philadelphia on the road. Washington’s undefeated record came to an end in week three against the New York Giants, but somehow, the Redskins managed to win their final four games of the season to end the year [9-7].  

Detroit Lions – In ’07, quarterback Jon Kitna guided the Lions to a quick [2-0] start before Detroit faltered. The Lions managed to win five more games during that particular season and finished the year [7-9]. However, the modern day Lions have played quite well through two games this season and look like a squad that will certainly raise eyebrows as the year progresses.

Green Bay Packers – The Packers have always been a successful franchise, win or lose, but the last time the Green and Yellow started a season with two wins was last season. Green Bay defeated Philadelphia and Buffalo, as well as went onto beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl.  

Sep 12 2011

NFL Week One – Sunday Thoughts/Reactions

 

By NoontimeSports.com

The one and only, Matt Noonan provides some commentary on the first official NFL Sunday, as well as predicts the two remaining week one match-ups between the Patriots and Dolphins, as well as the Raiders and Broncos.

Sep 12 2011

Romo, Cowboys Suffer Another Heartbreaking Opening Day Loss

Once again, Romo struggles, and the Cowboys lose!

By Matt Noonan 

Entering Sunday’s game against the New York Jets, quarterback Tony Romo did the unthinkable in the fourth quarter, as he misfired a pass that was intended for Dez Bryant and instead found cornerback Darrelle Revis.

Ouch!

Well, once again, Romo proved that he’s not exactly Mr. Clutch. He’s certainly not Tom Brady or Peyton Manning, but once again, the Cowboys begin another season losing under the “Sunday Night Lights.”

The Boys won the first three quarters, but slipped during the final 15 minutes, which allowed quarterback Mark Sanchez and kicker Nick Folk enough time to muster enough points for an exciting opening day win.

So, while the Jets and head coach Rex Ryan catch their breath, one has to wonder, what do the Cowboys do now?

Well, head coach Jason Garrett needs to do something, especially since his team cannot afford to begin their season [0-2] again, (ahem, last year). So, hopefully this particular game will inspire America’s Team to stop slouching in the final quarter. Perhaps this particular game will force the Boys to learn how to play the final quarter with a passion or swagger, but then again, they’re like the Boston Red Sox, who tug at their fans hearts, (zing).

Don’t get too discouraged Cowboys fans, especially since it’s only one game, yet, it’s OK to wonder if Tony Romo is the right man to lead this team? Seriously, the squad looks pretty banged up and definitely they’re some questions that’ll need to be addressed, but in the end, it’s just a game, so hopefully they can regroup and register their first win against the San Francisco 49ers.

If not, they’ll once again be in Jerry Jones’s “dog house.”