Tag Archives: Tom Brady

Feb 5 2012

Noonan: Super Bowl XLVI Prediction – New England vs. New York

Can Tom Brady earn his fourth Super Bowl ring on Sunday? (Photo Credit: Zimbio.com)

By Matt Noonan 

Well, it’s time for me, (Matt Noonan) to deem a NFL champion for Noontime Sports.

It’s been a LONG season, and 32 teams have dwindled down to just two, New England and New York, and once the clock strikes zero in the fourth quarter, we’ll officially have a winner, right?

OK… there might be overtime or a second or third, but you get my drift.

Although, how bizarre is it that pigskin lovers get to watch a rematch of Super Bowl XLII?

Doesn’t it seem like yesterday that New Englanders were crossing their fingers for Tom Brady to recover from his awful performance against the San Diego Chargers in the 2007 AFC title match?

Well, he didn’t do that well against the Baltimore Ravens two weeks ago, so should we expect déjà vu all over again? Who knows!

The Giants are a mediocre squad. Seriously, they’re 9-7, which means they’re OK, but not great, and as someone who is a true Dallas Cowboys supporter, it pains me to see Eli Manning leading his troops in the “big game” instead of Tony Romo. However, Manning certainly has taken a step forward toward the upper echelon of “elite quarterbacks” in the NFL, but now the question remains … can he beat Brady and the Patriots on Sunday, again?

I certainly think it’s possible, especially since New York has a variety of offensive weapons that can stretch the field, and attack Bill Belichick’s questionable and fragile secondary.

Also, I believe the Giants front seven will attempt to mimic their actions from four years ago when they recorded five sacks in Arizona. However, they never forced Brady to throw an interception, but this past November when the two teams met in Foxborough, the G-Men tallied two sacks and two interceptions, as well as a win, too.

New England hasn’t defeated New York since that epic clash in December of 2007, which was when the Patriots registered their 16th victory, and ended the regular season with a perfect record. Yet, ever since that night in New Jersey, the Giants have had their number in the championship and regular season matches, which probably means they’re better, right?

Hard to answer that particular question, but overall, I think these two teams are even. And yes, I know I labeled the Giants as “mediocre,” but all in all, I think we’re going to be watching a true heavyweight bout.

Super Bowl XLVI Prediction: The Giants rallied to beat the Patriots earlier this season, and it’s certainly possible that Manning could lead a last minute drive and hook up with Jake Ballard or Victor Cruz for the game-winning touchdown.

However, I believe in the motto, “In Bill, We Trust.” New England’s defense has ratcheted up their intensity over the past few weeks, and certainly defied the odds against Baltimore and Denver in the playoffs.

Although, shouldn’t every defense be able to stop Tim Tebow and the Broncos offense? I think so!

If New England can establish the run and maintain the time of possession, then I’m expecting the Patriots to win. Although, if Manning and his offense to can beat up the Patriots front seven and tear apart the secondary, then the Giants should win.

Overall, it’s a tough decision, but I going to stick with my gut and say… New England 20, New York 17

Feb 3 2012

Rex Ryan’s Thoughts On Patriots, Super Bowl XLVI

Rex Ryan believes in the Patriots win the Super Bowl that Belichick and Brady will be considered the best! (Photo Credit: NJ.com)

By NoontimeSports.com 

New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan talked with Fox25 Boston on Friday morning, and provided his two cents on the upcoming big game between the New England Patriots and New York Giants.

“Both those teams are playing great and the one thing about – the last two times these two teams have played, it’s come right down to the wire and I expect the same this week,” said Ryan.

The Jets head coach also complimented head coach Bill Belichick and Tom Brady on their success when he said, “Belichick in my opinion is the best coach, maybe he’ll go down in the history of the game as being the best coach…And then Brady is – he may go down as – if he wins this Super Bowl this week, I mean it’s hard to say he’s not the best big game quarterback of all time.”

To watch the interview with Ryan  - CLICK HERE.

Jan 31 2012

Countdown to Super Bowl XLVI: Recapping Media Day (Links)

The New England Patriots players seemed to enjoy Media Day! (Photo Credit: TimesUnion.com)

By NoontimeSports.com 

It’s Tuesday, which means we’re inching closer to Sunday’s big game between the New England Patriots and New York Giants. Although, while we anxiously count down the hours, minutes and seconds, let’s continue our series, “Countdown to the Super Bowl” with a few highlights and links from Media Day.

* Media Day’s are normally filled with a variety of thought provoking, as well as silly and bizarre questions. Do you think someone asked Bill Belichick to spell his receivers names? I don’t think so, but according to an article from the AP, we learn about some of the unusual questions that were asked on Tuesday.

* ESPNBoston.com provided an interesting blog that featured highlights of a Tedy Bruschi interview on The Herd with Chris Cowherd radio show. Bruschi talked about the big game and tight end Rob Gronkowski‘s injury.

* Patriots wide receiver Chad Ochocinco reflected on this past year with New England, and talked with the NFL Network about the opportunity to play in the Super Bowl.

* New England quarterback Tom Brady certainly enjoyed his fifth “Media Day,” and handled the press “with aplomb.”

* According to ESPNNewYork.com – Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz is excited to test the Patriots questionable secondary.

* The New York Times provides an interesting piece on quarterback Eli Manning, who spoke with reporters about his brother Peyton Manning, but not his future.

* It’s a total long shot, but could Giants head coach Tom Coughlin “be forging a legacy” if his team defeats the Patriots, again?

* The New York Daily News profiled Belichick’s “Media Day” experience.

Jan 30 2012

Countdown to Super Bowl XLVI: Tom Brady’s Overconfident Words Links

Did Tom Brady actually predict victory against New York? (Photo Credit: Patriots.com)

By NoontimeSports.com 

What did you think about Tom Brady‘s farewell speech to the fans on Sunday?

Was it wrong of him to motivate the New England Patriot die-hards? Do you think it’s “bulletin board” material for the New York Giants?

Well, no matter what you think, Noontime Sports decided that it would be necessary to do some research on this particular subject and dig up a few interesting articles and blogs.

Here is what we found, enjoy.

According to an interesting blog post on ESPNNewYork.com – the staff writers believe Tom Brady was a tad bit over confident on Sunday when he stated, “We’re going to give it our best and hopefully we have a lot more people at our party next weekend.”

* The Los Angeles Times provided a rapid piece on Brady’s words, as well as how New York tabloids perceived his rallying cry.

* The New York Post published an article on Monday that mentioned how the Giants will certainly want to use Brady’s words for motivation.

* The USA Today crafted an intriguing piece about how Brady sparked a firestorm of emotions in New York on Monday.

* The Washington Post blogged about the New England QB’s words, and claimed these are “fighting words.”

* WEEI’s midday show, Mut & Merloni discusses Brady’s confidence, as well as dissects the so-called, “bulletin board material.”

* The New York Daily News suggested that Brady’s words of a future Super Bowl party will provide the necessary spark for the Giants in the Super Bowl.

Jan 30 2012

Daily Noontime – January 30, 2012

Paul Pierce and the Boston Celtics fell to Kyrie Irving on Sunday, 88-87! (Photo Credit: Lawrence.com)

By NoontimeSports.com 

Good Monday morning to everyone, and welcome into yet another stupendous edition of the Daily Noontime.

* The Boston Celtics four-game winning streak was snapped on Sunday evening, as the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Green and White, 88-87. Kyrie Irving sank the go-ahead bucket with roughly two-seconds left, which proved to be the difference in this particular contest. Ray Allen led the squad with 22 points, while Paul Pierce had 18 points and six rebounds. Boston will return to the hardwood on Tuesday when they travel to Cleveland for a 7:00pm tip-off.

* The New England Patriots touched down in Indianapolis on Sunday, and will begin their preparations for Super Bowl XLVI on Monday. The New York Giants are slated to start their championship week practices on Wednesday.

* According to various reports - Patriots quarterback Tom Brady apparently rocked the Big Apple on Sunday when he told New England fans at a Gillette Stadium rally/send-off that he plans to work hard this week, as well as help his team win a Super Bowl. He also stated, “We’re going to give it our best and hopefully we have a lot more people at our party next weekend.” Brady’s remarks have certainly shocked New Yorkers, as well as their media outlets, too.

* Boston Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs told reporters on Sunday that he is “totally” behind Tim Thomas, who skipped out of last week’s White House Stanley Cup ceremony. Thomas drew a great deal of criticism for his actions, but we’re sure he feels a tad bit better, especially knowing that the owner is on his side, right?

Jan 23 2012

Tom Brady’s AFC Championship Resume

Tom Brady didn't toss a single TD on Sunday, but still managed to lead New England past Baltimore, 23-20! (Photo Credit: SB Nation)

By Matt Noonan 

The New England Patriots escaped Sunday’s dramatic AFC Championship contest with a 23-20 victory against the Baltimore Ravens.

However, quarterback Tom Brady didn’t exactly have his best game in a Patriots uniform, which is why Noontime Sports decided to go back in time, and analyze his past conference championship performances, as well as see if there was any parallels from Sunday’s tilt.

January 27, 2002 – New England at Pittsburgh: Against the Steelers, Brady completed 12 of 18 passes for 115 yards, but didn’t manage to toss a single strike to the end zone. Brady sustained an injury midway through the first half, which allowed former starting quarterback Drew Bledsoe to lead the Patriots to a 24-17 victory.

January 18, 2004 – Indianapolis at New England: The New England Patriots defense flexed their muscles by recording four interceptions and four sacks on quarterback Peyton Manning, who only tossed one touchdown. Brady finished the game 22 of 37 for 237 yards and one touchdown. He also tossed one interception, and rushed for one yard on five carries.

January 23, 2005 – New England at Pittsburgh: Brady registered 207 yards and two touchdowns, which included a 60-yard pass to Deion Branch that sparked New England’s offense and defense to eventually defeat Pittsburgh for the second time in three years, 41-27.

January 21, 2007 – New England at Indianapolis: Despite leading the Colts, 21-6 at halftime, Manning and his teammates staged an epic comeback to capture the AFC crown, which ended the Patriots quest toward a fourth Super Bowl title. Brady tossed one touchdown and one interception, as well as was sacked once, while Manning finished the game with one touchdown, one interception, and 349 yards through the air.

January 20, 2008 – San Diego at New England: Against the Chargers, Brady struggled. The New England gunslinger completed 22 of 33 passes for 209 yards, as well as finished the game with two touchdowns and three interceptions. San Diego also recorded two sacks, but only mustered 12 points, thanks to kicker Nate Kaeding, who was 4-for-4.

January 22, 2012 – Baltimore at New England: Similar to the 2001 AFC Championship game, Brady didn’t record a single touchdown, but managed to cough up the ball twice, as he was picked off by cornerbacksJimmy Smith and Lardarius Webb. However, the Patriots signal caller did finish the game with 239 yards through the air, and 22 completions.

Overall, Brady is 5-1 in conference championships, and 3-1 in the Super Bowl clashes.

Jan 23 2012

Patriots-Ravens Monday Links

By NoontimeSports.com 

Sunday’s tilt between Baltimore and New England was certainly dramatic, as well as an epic clash, too. And while many still have this particular game on their mind, Noontime Sports thought we’d create a list of interesting “day after” headlines.

* The Chicago Sun-Times has an interesting piece pertaining toward Billy Cundiff, who missed the potential game-tying field in the fourth quarter.

* The Washington Post regales about the Ravens final drive, and how they were 14-yards away from punching their ticket to Super Bowl XLVI.

* Wide receiver Lee Evans told the media that this particular loss falls on his shoulders.

* The Eagle Tribune provides a great article on New England’s Sterling Moore, who dislodged the ball from Evans’ grasp in the fourth quarter.

* After Sunday’s game concluded, Baltimore’s Ray Lewis hinted that he’s planning on not retiring.

* According to sources — New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski ankle injury won’t prevent him from suiting up and playing against the New York Giants in two weeks.

* Tom Brady didn’t exactly play his best game on Sunday, and on Monday, he told Boston’s Sports Radio Station, (WEEI/93.7FM) that he didn’t exactly sleep well on Sunday due to a few mistakes.

* Brendon Ayanbadejo admitted through Twitter that despite the Ravens heartbreaking loss, he’s planning on not watching the “unSuper Bowl” in two weeks.

Jan 22 2012

Noonan: AFC/NFC Conference Championship Predictions

Can Ray Rice repeat his 2009 postseason performance against New England's defense on Sunday? (Photo Credit: Zimbio.com)

By Matt Noonan

Last week, I went 3-1. This week, I am expecting to go 2-0, but let’s see what happens!

New England 27, Baltimore 24 – I am super excited for this matchup, especially since these two teams always find a way to end the game with a dramatic sequence. Baltimore defeated New England last time these two teams met in the postseason, 33-14. Running back Ray Rice tallied 159 yards on 22 carries, and two touchdowns, while quarterback Joe Flacco finished the game 4 of 10 for 34 yards. Although, the true matchup to watch on Sunday will be the Ravens defense against the Patriots offense. Tom Brady tossed six touchdowns last weekend against Denver, and certainly is capable of tearing apart Baltimore’s secondary. However, if Baltimore’s front seven can pressure Brady, as well as control the time of possession on offense, then they’ll win the game. Yet, if New England can control the time of possession, and contain Rice, they’ll win.

San Francisco 24, New York 20  - I am not exactly the biggest fan of head coach Jim Harbaugh, but what he’s done in San Francisco has been rather impressive. Harbaugh revamped the 49ers defense to become one of the best in the league, and against Eli Manning, I’m expecting the front seven to not only pressure him, but also record two or three sacks, too. Alex Smith proved he’s a clutch quarterback, as he tossed three strikes to the end zone last weekend against New Orleans, which included the game winning touchdown to Vernon Davis. San Francisco handed New York a loss earlier this season, and once again, I am expecting them to defeat the Giants in the City By The Bay.

Jan 18 2012

The Boston Sports Pulse: New England Patriots

By Matt Noonan 

Last year, Noontime Sports ran a column that featured an insightful breakdown of all four major Boston sports teams, as well as their current statuses as of last January, (2011).

This year, we’re making a change.

Instead of combining four teams into one blog, we’ve decided to separate each squad, and provide four individual posts, which will focus thoroughly on that one team.

So, we’ve decided to kick off this four part series with the New England Patriots, who’re technically two wins away from earning their fourth Super Bowl trophy in 10 years.

Here are some thoughts and analysis on the local pigskin squad, enjoy.

Reflecting On The Past Year:  It’s been a rather interesting season for the Patriots, who not only earned their third AFC East championship crown in the past four years, but also, the top seed in the AFC Conference, too.

Tom Brady experienced one his better seasons as a quarterback. He tossed 39 touchdowns and recorded 5,235 yards through the air, as well as helped second year tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez become elite stars.

Both tight ends combined for 2,237 yards and 24 touchdowns in 16 games.

However, the biggest weakness for New England was their defense, which yielded 342 points, and 6,577 yards. They also allowed opponents to average 6.2 yards per play, as well as tally 370 first downs and 26 touchdowns.

Yet, the Patriots front seven and secondary did combine for 23 interceptions and 40 sacks.

Biggest Disappointment From The Past Year: During the 2011 season, New England did not defeat a team with a winning record.

They lost to the New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers, who managed to tally nine wins or more, as well as secure a spot in the postseason, too.

However, against Dallas, Denver, Miami, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, New England earned wins, but they weren’t exactly “special” or “great,” especially since all these teams finished the season with roughly eight wins or less.

It’s indeed rather shocking that their opponents didn’t have great records, but earning the top spot in the conference against underachieving squads isn’t exactly something to feel great about, right?

Who knows how the rest of the season will play out, but certainly, Patriots fans will always remember this particular squad as the team that didn’t defeat any true “winners.”

Playoff Success: No Patriots blog would be complete without providing a few intriguing statistics from their past playoff tilt against the Denver Broncos, but also noting that their most recent victory snapped a two-game playoff-losing streak, which dated back to their last win against the San Diego Chargers in the  AFC championship in 2008.

Against the Broncos, Brady completed 26-of-34 passes for 363 yards, and six touchdowns. He tossed five of his six scores in the first half, while his opponent, Tim Tebow, struggled immensely, as well as finished 9-of-26 for 136 yards. He didn’t register a single touchdown or interception, but did manage to get sacked five times.

New England will face a daunting task on Sunday when they welcome the Baltimore Ravens to Gillette Stadium, who defeated the Patriots during the 2009 playoffs, 33-14.

Closing Thought: The New England Patriots finally won their first playoff game in four years, but now, they need to use that momentum to carry them to Indianapolis, Indiana for Super Bowl XLVI.

Yet, do they have what it takes to win their fourth championship in 10 years? Um… I think so, (yes, I am a tad bit unsure).

New England isn’t exactly the flashiest squad in the NFL. Their defense was horrendous, but their offense was stupendous, and yes, I know that rhymed.

However, if they do manage to reach the NFL title match, it will certainly prove to teams like Philadelphia that you don’t need loads of talent to win championships.

The Patriots have always been about teamwork and hard work. They’re not self-centered players. They want to win a championship, as well as continue their modern day 21st century dynasty.

So, in conclusion, I am going to display my “hometown optimism” by saying, they’ll end this current season by celebrating on the same fake grass that Peyton Manning defeated them on November 15, 2009, with a Vince Lombardi championship trophy.

Fans Take: What are your thoughts or “two cents” on the current Patriots squad? Do you think they have what it takes to reach the Super Bowl and win? If so, post your thoughts below, as well as on our Facebook page, too.

Follow Matt Noonan on Twitter @NoontimeSports.

Jan 11 2012

Daily Noontime – January 11, 2012

Nathan Horton scored two goals on Tuesday, which helped the Bruins defeat the Jets, 5-3! (Photo Credit: Zimbio.com)

By NoontimeSports.com 

Good Wednesday morning to all, and welcome into yet another tremendous edition of the Daily Noontime! Here are some of the day’s headlines and news, enjoy.

* Without left-winger Brad Marchand in the line-up, the Boston Bruins managed to pick up an important win against the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday evening. Nathan Horton netted two of the team’s five goals, while Tuukka Rask recorded 29 saves between the pipes. The Bruins will enjoy a day of rest, and then welcome the Montreal Canadiens to the TD Garden on Thursday for a 7:00pm face-off.

* According to an article from ESPNBoston.com – Marchand expressed that he wasn’t happy to fork over $152,439.02. He also admitted that he was quite shocked that he was handed a five-game suspension, too.

* Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow told New England and Boston reporters that he admires Tom Brady, and certainly believes he can learn from him. Tebow was quoted for saying, “He’s been one of the best in the business and he’ll definitely go down as one of the best. My hat is off to him and his career and how great of a quarterback he’s been and good for him.”

* It’s been a few days since the Boston Celtics last played basketball, but on Wednesday, they’ll host the defending NBA champion Dallas Mavericks, who have won four of their last five contests. The Celtics winning streak was snapped last week when the Indiana Pacers handed them an 87-74 victory.

* Despite an interesting 34 minutes, Harvard’s men’s basketball team somehow prevailed, as the Crimson defeated Monmouth, 70-61.