NFL Week 16: The Down and The Dirty

By Dan Rodgers

The second to last week of the season proved to be important as two teams now control their destiny with a win and in scenario.

NFL Week Sixteen

"The Down"

This was kind of tough because there were a couple of bad performances, but I chose Curtis Painter because all he had to do was nothing and he did less than that. He did negative with his interception, incomplete passes and fumble that was returned for a touchdown. The Colts lost their undefeated season and gave the Jets playoff hopes.

Honorable Mentions:

QB Matt Hasselbeck (SEA) – 19 of 37 for 198 yards 1 TD and 4 INTs
QB Charlie Frye (OAK) – 26 of 45 for 333 yards and 3 INTs
QB Keith Null (STL) – 20 of 31 for 171 yards 1 TD and 3 INTs
QB Drew Stanton (DET) – 11 of 21 for 130 yards and 3 INTs

"The Dirty"

Unfortunately, the player with the sickest game plays for a team with nothing to play for this season. Jonathan Stewart of the Carolina Panthers racked up 206 yards on 28 carries and one touchdown. Stewart torched a Giants team that was in a must-win situation to have a shot at the playoffs. So all Carolina did was embarrass to G-men and play spoiler with them. Both teams will be looking to next year in week 17.

Honorable Mentions:

WR Roddy White (ATL) – 8 for 139 yards and 2 TDs
WR Randy Moss (NE) – 4 for 45 yards and 3 TDs
WR Devin Aromashodu (CHI) – 7 for 150 yards and 1 TD
RB Chris Johnson (TEN) – 18 for 166 yards and 2 TDs

If anyone thinks I missed a player that deserves to be recognized on either list please let me know.

Rodgers That

Sunday's NFL Headlines

By Dan Rodgers

Week 14

1:00

• Dirty Birds embarrass Bills in a meaningless game
  
• Cincy clinches AFCN with edgy win over KC
  
• Cleveland wins two in a row, Mangini's job not in jeopardy?
  
• Pack blows out Hawks, Grant has two touchdowns as Cheese Heads clinch playoff berth
  
• Texans jump out to big lead, hold on to keep slim playoff hopes alive
  
• Steel City upsets Bmore to stay in wild card chase
  
• Giants eliminated from playoffs in blowout loss to Carolina; future looks good for Panthers, Moore
  
• Brady throws four touchdowns as Pats clinch seventh division title in nine years
  
• Bucs shock Saints, lose two in a row

4:00

• Cards get first 10 win season in over 30 years with win over Rams
• San Fran's defense stifles Detroit as 49ers beat Lions in pointless afternoon game
• Late field goal spoils Dawkins' homecoming in Philly, Broncos playoff chances in jeopardy
• Jets ruin Colts shot at perfection, Paint a playoff bound picture in must-win game next week

SNF

• Cowboys clinch playoff berth, beat Skins in a boring game; NFL sucks at scheduling prime time games

Rodgers That

What makes an athlete?

By Dan Rodgers

NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson was named the 2009 AP Male Athlete of the Year.

Johnson received 42 votes. Tennis star Roger Federer came in second place with 30 votes and Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt came in third with 29. They were the only three to receive double digit votes.

The biggest problem I have with this is that race car driving is A) not a sport and B) you don't have to be athletic or an athlete to compete in NASCAR. Take Tony Stewart for example, this guy is a fat slob and is a beast race car driver. Now, you might look at David Ortiz and say he is not an athlete. I agree, but at least he has to have hand-eye cordination and such and not just turn left all day long. Besides, he would never win the award. At least R-Fed is an athlete. Usain Bolt is a monster but sprinting isn't anything special.

Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant and Albert Pujols tied for fourth with nine votes each.

So this was just me venting a little bit because I have a problem with the race car driver winning an award dealing with being an ATHLETE.

Rodgers That

Keep the champagne flowing

By Dan Rodgers

Champagne is popping in South Florida because the '72 Dolphins are still the only team in NFL history to finish the regular and post-season undefeated (17-0).

Believe it or not the New York Jets defeated the previously unbeaten Indianapolis Colts. Now, obviously I am very happy about this because, being a Jets fan, it's nice to control our own destiny next week. So, I am just waiting to listen to the tons of Colts fans complain about them pulling starters, this being a cheap win for the Jets etc etc. It doesn't matter. I'll tell you why: The Colts have done the same thing in previous years, a win is a win, the Jets were sticking with them before Manning was pulled and no one will care when the Colts win the Super Bowl.

I don't know why everyone is complaining. I mean I guess the Broncos, Texans and Steelers have the right to be upset. They are the only ones that might be getting screwed since the Jets have the tie-breaker of those three clubs. It doesn't make sense for Colts nation to be upset because they are still the number one seed, a damn good team, clinched home-field throughout and so on. Why does it matter so much to go undefeated? Is it pride or ego or what?

Someone answer me that...


A fun stat: The past two seasons the Jets beat the last unbeaten team in the NFL.
2008 - NYJ: 34 TEN: 13
2009 - NYJ: 29 IND: 15

Look for a follow up story involving playoff scenerios and such.

Rodgers That

Fins to root for Jets

By Dan Rodgers

Gosh it's been a while since I have written and I do apologize but you wouldn't believe what my work schedule has been like this past week. I hope everyone had a nice holiday whatever they chose to celebrate or observe.

To clarify the headline, the 2009 Miami Dolphins will in no way to rooting for the New York Jets to win today. However, the 1972 Miami Dolphins will be praying for victory over the unbeaten Colts so their perfect 17-0 record will stay intact. If the Jets win, they keep their slim playoff chances alive, but hurt the Dolphins chances. But then the '72 Fins will be popping champagne anyway because they are still the only unbeaten team in history. So there will be mixed feelings in Miami. Do you root for the franchise that you played for to do well or do you root for the record to set to not be broken?

These guys will have to make a decision because next week the Colts play the Buffalo Bills, and I will say it right here that there is ZERO chance the Bills can beat the Colts even if Curtis Painter plays instead of Peyton Manning.

Should be a wild week.

Rodgers That