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Ben Hamilton Benched?

Garrett Barnes — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:55:46 +0000

Nobody has had as rough a two weeks in recent memory as Offensive Guard Ben Hamilton. Hamilton, who has been a key part of the Denver Broncos offense since 2002 has had a huge fall from being one of the best Offensive Linemen in the NFL, to one of the most questionable pieces on the [...]

Bleeding Tricolour: Time to rock Richardson!

sportsblognet — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:40:00 +0000

Injured linebacker Thaine Carter has done his best to give Queen's and Kingston its version of Winfield-wants-noise. Ahead of Saturday's Yates Cup game vs. Western, last season's defensive player of the year (out after shoulder and knee surgeries) has penned an open letter to the Golden Gaels fanbase:

"We need everyone’s help to cheer us on to our first conference title since 1997.

"I want to see the crowd jammed into Richardson Stadium like never before; let’s break an attendance record!! Western needs to fear our 13th man!! The stands need to shake and we need to make the Mustangs feel your presence!!

"The 13th man makes all the difference. Queen’s University and the City of Kingston will be on the map in front of a national audience. Let’s make it memorable, let’s make it loud and let's send the Purple Ponies home with their tails between their legs."

Queen's fans are noted for being rather, uh, pensive during the game. Another zinger is that you know the Gaels have a good team when present-day students say they've heard the school has a football team, although no, they haven't been to any games this season.

Since the Toronto Blue Jays and Queen's each won in 1992, the reference fits.

Whose House?

nepatriotsblog — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:37:00 +0000

By Rocky:

"This is Our House" is the new Gillette Stadium-anthem done by Belichick's boy Bon Jovi. And even though the Patriots will be on the road Sunday night it will be played during the broadcast. Was the song written for Bill with the Pats in mind? We doubt it, because Jovi originally tried to give "We Weren't Born to Follow" to us but baseball claimed it first. The Internet also tells us is that the Jersey- poster-boy-rocker once announced "this is our house!" in Giants Stadium.

-30-

Vernon Davis Believes He Can Destroy The Bears Struggling Defense

Bearsfanforever — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:33:23 +0000

49ers tight end Vernon Davis thinks the 49ers offense can crush the Bears struggling defense. Davis has 20 catches and four touchdowns, since the 49ers replaced Shaun Hill and inserted Alex Smith as their quarterback. Here’s what Davis had to say: “I think we can destroy their front, the guys up front, I think we can destroy [...]

How many Super Bowls can one team play?

jetsdaily — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:00:00 +0000

Maybe the Jacksonville game isn't being looked as a Super Bowl, like the New England game was, but this is being treated as a playoff game.

So if the first Patriots game was the Super Bowl, and a game against the middle-of-the-pack Jaguars is a playoff game, where does next week's showdown with the Patriots fit in? Not to mention the intensity of the two Dolphins games.

Either way, it's all just words, and the Jets know what they have to do. They need to start turning their running game and good defense into more than just stats. They have to win, and it starts against Jacksonville.

They should be an angry and fresh team, and Jacksonville is the type of the team the Jets need to beat at home to separate themselves. A loss, and they need a miracle to make the playoffs.

Final Phantasy: Must Plays & No Ways (Week 10)

Evan Edwards — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:56:00 +0000

Wake up fantasy owners, you have to get your roster set before tomorrow night. Yes, we're back to the point of the NFL season where the the league force feeds us their network and the Thursday night game. Not like we don't have enough to do during the week, we now must make sure our rosters are set for the weekend tilts three days earlier than usual. Well, we here at Touchdown Dance are here to help. Not only to remind you that your roster needs to be set a few days early, but also some help in some fantasy roster decisions.

One positive of being this late in the NFL schedule is that is the last weekend for byes. There is only two teams on a bye this weekend, but both have some very important fantasy performers on them. This last weekend of the bye has the Houston Texans and New York Giants enjoying there weekend away from the gridiron. Especially the Giants who have fallen apart as of late.

Lets get to it. Here's is our Final Phantasy Must Plays and No Ways for Week 10.

Must Plays

Quarterbacks

Tony Romo (Dallas) Whatever Romo did during his bye week to get his head straight and concentrating solely on football worked wonders for him and the Cowboys. In the last three games Romo is averaging 291 yards per game while throwing 7 touchdowns and only 1 interception. The Packers defense has been sliding the wrong way since their hot start and were taken apart by a rookie in his first start last week in Tampa.
Brett Favre (Minnesota) Favre is feeling good coming out of the bye week which is really surprising for a forty year old quarterback, but why shouldn't he. He plays for one of the best teams in the league and is having a superb season thus far and they come out of the bye with the Detroit Lions coming to town.
Joe Flacco (Baltimore) Last weekend was the roughest this season for Flacco as the Bengals defense played very well again. This week the Ravens face the sad sack Browns who are a mess in every imaginable way. Look for Flacco and crew to take out some much needed frustration on this division punching bag.

Running Backs

Ray Rice (Baltimore) Rice was the lone bright spot for the Ravens defense last week in their defeat to the Bengals. He racked up 135 total yards and the teams only touchdown. This week he gets to face the worst defense in the division and will have his way both rushing and receiving.
Ronnie Brown (Miami) Brown's production has been way down the last three games where he has only found the endzone one time. This weekend the Buccaneers come a calling and that 30th ranked rushing defense looks awfully inviting.
Frank Gore (San Francisco) Gore was still disappointed by the Sunday loss to the Titans on Monday. That was until he watched the tape of the Chicago Bears defense and what the Arizona Cardinals were able to do to them on the ground. Gore is twice as good as any Cardinals back and they were able to rack over 180 yards on the ground against a depleted and defeated Bears defense.

Wide Receivers

Marques Colston (New Orleans) Colston and the Saints offense looks to get back on track and this week will be easier than most as they visit the Rams in St. Louis.
Sydney Rice (Minnesota) With the Lions coming to Minnesota this weekend Rice and Favre will look to pick up where they left off before the bye. Rice is by far Favre's go to guy now and his touches should increase with each passing weekend.
Derrick Mason (Baltimore) Mason could almost be some of the Browns players Dad and he is sure to give the young and bad Browns defense a lesson in Receiving 101. Look for the last of the big games from this aging veteran. In there first meeting in week 3 Mason had 5 catches for 118 yards and a touchdown.

Tight Ends

Vernon Davis (San Francisco) The Niners and quarterback Alex Smith have one passing play that they run well and that is the seam route to Davis. Coincidentally that is one of the many routes that the Bears defense really don't defend at all. Look for a couple more touchdown for Davis tomorrow night.
Heath Miller (Pittsburgh) The Bengals main priority this weekend will be to stop then run. Secondly, they look to take away at least two of Roethlisberger's favorite receiving targets. Miller is exceptional at sneaking off the line when you least expect it and snare a pass from Big Ben as he is falling down. Miller's performance could be the difference in this weeks AFC North battle.
Jeremy Shockey (New Orleans) It's not that Shockey is putting up decent numbers thus far this season, but what is surprising is that he has made it to the field every week. Shockey plays hard and that has lead to plenty of injuries. His numbers are very good so far and look for them to improve as they play the Rams this weekend.

No Ways

Quarterbacks

Matt Ryan (Atlanta) Ryan's play as of late has been far under his Matty Ice standards. During the last three games Ryan is averaging 207 yards per game with only 5 touchdowns. In that same time he has throw 6 interceptions and lost a fumble. Thought the Panthers lost one of their best defensive players for the season last week, Julius Peppers is playing like a man possessed or at least playing for a whole lot of new paper.
Jay Cutler (Chicago) During the Bears 4 losses this season it seems that the offense and defense alternates on who will be the reason for the loss. With the very sad performance by the defense last week it is now the offenses turn. Plus, the 49ers defense is fairly good which means Cutler will have very little time when dropping back to pass. The Bears offensive line is one of the worst in the league.
Donovan McNabb (Philadelphia) The unbalanced nature of Andy Reid's offense has McNabb numbers dropping as teams can key almost solely on the passing game. During the last few weeks the Chargers defense has been playing better and held the Giants to 20 points last week in the win at the Meadowlands.

Running Backs

Michael Turner (Atlanta) I see bad things for the Falcons this weekend and especially for the Falcons Turner. The Panthers will key on Turner and make Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan beat them while visiting Charlotte. Ryan looks to be in a bit of a sophomore slump.
Knowshon Moreno (Denver) The Redskins don't do much well, but play defense is one thing they are good at. Moreno and the Broncos running game has been stopped in the two game losing streak and doesn't look to be coming out of their slumber this weekend in Washington.
Cedric Benson (Cincinnati) I keep on putting this name down, but this weekend the defense isn't playing on years past like the Ravens are. The Steelers have been shutting down the run all year and will continue to do so this weekend when the Bengals visit Heinz Field.

Wide Receivers

Chad Ochocinco (Cincinnati) The Steelers will have their full complement of secondary players and number "85" will be the one to suffer. Now that Chris Henry is gone for the remainder of the season it will be much easier for the Steelers to key on stopping the talkative one.
Anquan Boldin (Arizona) He wasn't happy he didn't play last weekend in Chicago and who could blame him. Every receiver old and young wanted to line-up and play that porous defense. This weekend look for Warner and Fitzgerald to keep going what they started last week in Chicago which means far less balls for Boldin.
Calvin Johnson (Detroit) Where there's smoke there is usually fire. The rift between Johnson and quarterback Matt Stafford may have some truth to it. Eventually it will pass, but right now all the losing is getting to the young talented receiver and his knee won't get any help while playing on the turf in the Metro Dome.

Tight Ends

Dustin Keller (NY Jets) Keller had his best game of the season before the bye week in loss to Miami, but now that the Jets received some bye week rest the team will be back to a full complement of healthy receivers. Look for quarterback Mark Sanchez to find some rhythm with Edwards, Cotchery and even Clowney. This will leave little for Keller as the majority of Jets offensive plays are on the ground.
Dallas Clark (Indianapolis) Peyton Manning most important cog will be facing his toughest test when the Patriots come to town this weekend. The Patriots defend the tight end position very well and will make a point of taking away Clark away.
Greg Olsen (Chicago) Olsen enjoyed his best game of the season last weekend as the Bears lost to the Cardinals, but this weekend he faces a defense that can cover him more one on one with more young athletic players. Look for him to fall back closer to season averages.

Mike Vick keeps $16M from Falcons.

sportsblognet — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:40:49 +0000

A federal appeals court in Chicago ruled yesterday that Michael Vick can keep $16.2 million in bonuses which his former team, the Atlanta Falcons, sought to recover when he was imprisoned on a dog fighting conviction.

There’s a joke in there somewhere about scratch off lottery tickets, but my racist chapeau has been at the haberdashery for a couple of weeks, so I won’t try to figure it out. That dough would have gone a long way at the Leavenworth commissary though, huh? I wonder if Vick still owes anyone for protecting him ‘on the inside’? It will probably be in Vick’s sure-to-be-upcoming autobiography. (reuters)

Technorati Tags: Clubhouse Cancer,NFL,Philadelphia Eagles,Atlanta Falcons,Michael Vick

The walking wounded. Injury updates…

nepatriotsblog — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:48:00 +0000

By: Greg

By the middle of every season numerous players are bumped, bruised and hurt. This season many Patriots have gone down. Below is an update of what is happening on the injury front with the Patriots:
Matt Light (knee)- Has been out for four games. Expected back in the next few weeks. Although he is expected back he will not be handed his job back. Sebastiain Vollmer has been doing an excellent job while filling in for Light. Vollmer has shut down his opponents, like Joey Porter last week. BB said about Light getting his job back "Well deal with that situation when he comes back"

Straight Ahead Sammy Morris (knee): Morris went down with a knee injury a few games ago. He has been questionable for a few weeks. He has been limited in practice but is not walking with a limp any more. He is not expected back this week and will probably return week 11. When he does return, do not expect him to be back in the starting role because Maroney has been playing well of late.

Fred Taylor- Has not been ruled out for the season but it is a possibility. If he does come back it wont be until late. Taylor would be an excellent pick up down the stretch of the season when the Pats need to grind it out.

Dan Koppen- His status is unknown. He went down last game.

Jarvais Green- Green should be back in 2-3 weeks. Mike Wright filled in last week and did a honorable job.

Julian Edelman- Probably wont return for another few weeks. When he is back he gives the Pats another weapon in the slot and in the return game.

Johnathan Whilitie- Returned to practice on Wednesday: "I'm happy to be standing up here talking to ya'll right now because I was throwing up and sick a lot, but everything is fine now, and I'm ready to get back," he said.

Monique Walker passes along an extensive list of players not present at the media portion of Patriots practice:
WR Julian EdelmanWR Brandon TateRB Fred TaylorS Brandon MeriweatherRB Sammy MorrisC Dan KoppenLT Matt LightWR Randy MossDL Jarvis Green

Vollmer, Patriots Silence Joey Porter

sportsblognet — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:37:04 +0000

On Sunday, Nov. 9, the Patriots took the field against the Dolphins on what they were hoping to be a snowy field, but the Dolphins were a few weeks too late. Instead they got a sunny, 65-degree day, which is what you would expect from a Miami home game. Despite the wacky weather, the Patriots [...]

Touchdown Dance: Confidence Picks Challenge & Spread Selections (Week 10)

Evan Edwards — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:26:00 +0000

Here we are again, this time a day earlier due to the NFL schedule of Thursday night football. Hard to believe that Thanksgiving is only a couple weeks away. Well, like most weeks here at the Confidence Picks Challenge I came out the winner last week. Which again put off me wearing a dress on my Confidence Picks Challenge Fancast at fanvsfan.com. Either nobody wants to see my sexy legs in a hot dress or I'm just that damn good with the confidence picks.

Once again I'll issue the challenge that if anybody tops my score I'll wear a dress for my Confidence Picks Challenge Fancast on fanvsfan.com. This challenge is easy, fun and you can get a good laugh at my expense if you beat me. Plus, you'll live in infamy along the Touchdown Dance sidebar where your name will be posted for all to see and admire. This week there is only two teams on a bye so we have 15 games on the NFL slate. So we'll want to number are selection from 15 to 1. Fifteen being your most confident victory all the way down to one being your least confident victory selection. You can leave your picks here on the comments section of this post or email them to me at mcspazz@tddance.com.

Last week here at Touchdown Dance was another victory weekend for the spread selections and a game under on the point total picks. Our season record thus far is (69-58-2) against the spread and (67-57-4) picking the over/under. Remember kids, gambling is fun when your on a run, but in the end he who gambles lives in shambles. Lets get this party started.

Bye Week: Houston, NY Giants

Confidence Picks Challenge Selections (Week 10)

15- New Orleans @ St. Louis (New Orleans Wins)

14- Detroit @ Minnesota (Minnesota Wins)

13- Baltimore @ Cleveland (Baltimore Wins)

12- Tampa Bay @ Miami (Miami Wins)

11- Denver @ Washington (Denver Wins)

10- Seattle @ Arizona (Arizona Wins)

9- Buffalo @ Tennessee (Tennessee Wins)

8- Jacksonville @ NY Jets (NY Jets Win)

7- Kansas City @ Oakland (Kansas City Wins)

6- Dallas @ Green Bay (Green Bay Wins)

5- Chicago @ San Francisco (San Francisco Wins)

4- Atlanta @ Carolina (Carolina Wins)

3- Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh Wins)

2- Philadelphia @ San Diego (San Diego Wins)

1- New England @ Indianapolis (New England Wins)

Spread Selections (Week 10)

Chicago @ San Francisco (-3) (43.5) Take the 49ers (-3) and the over.

Detroit @ Minnesota (-17) (47.5) Take the Vikings (-17) and the under.

Denver @ Washington (+4) (36) Take the Broncos (-4) and the under.

Tampa Bay @ Miami (-10) (44) Take the Buccaneers (+10) and the over.

Buffalo @ Tennessee (-6.5) (40.5) Take the Titans (-6.5) and the over.

New Orleans @ St. Louis (+14) (50) Take the Saints (-14) and the over.

Jacksonville @ NY Jets (-6.5) (40) Take the Jaguars (+6.5) and the over.

Atlanta @ Carolina (+1.5) (44.5) Take the Panthers (+1.5) and the under.

Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh (-7) (42) Take the Bengals (+7) and the over.

Kansas City @ Oakland (-2) (36.5) Take the Chiefs (+2) and the over.

Dallas @ Green Bay (+3) (47.5) Take the Cowboys (-3) and the over.

Philadelphia @ San Diego (-2.5) (47) Take the Chargers (-2.5) and the under.

Seattle @ Arizona (-9) (47) Take the Seahawks (+9) and the under.

New England @ Indianapolis (-3) (49) Take the Patriots (+3) and the over.

Baltimore @ Cleveland (+11) (40.5) Take the Ravens (-11) and the over.