Evans not buying into Lions reaching playoffs

NFL Network analyst Heath Evans hasn’t hidden the fact that he’s a doubter of the Lions. His opinions seem to have a far reach, though, drawing the ire of fans and media in Detroit, like this. And this.

So it probably shouldn’t come as a surprise that Evans refuses to buy into the idea that the Lions can make the playoffs, either.

“Is this team a playoff team? I still say no,” Evans said Tuesday on “Around the League.” “This is a player-driven league, and they lose that battle to the teams they’re facing inside their own division. I’m not sure they have the players to run the table to get 10 wins in (the NFC North). The experience that the teams have in their division — the Bears, Packers — it is priceless information they’ve had their hands on through experience of being in the playoffs and big games.”

While Evans admits the Lions have been playing “lights out” and believes they will improve to 3-0 against the Vikings on Sunday, he cites the fact the roster is light on big-game experience and also the turnover history (19 TDs, 21 INTs) of QB Matthew Stafford entering this season as holding them back.

The Lions have a tough schedule in the second half of the season, including road games against the Bears, Saints and Raiders, as well as the Packers twice.

“I just don’t see it,” Evans said.

We’re willing to guess there isn’t a Detroit chapter of the Heath Evans Fan Club quite yet.

Follow The NFL Network on Twitter @nflnetwork.

Posted in: NFL Network   comments    

Comments may be no longer than 2000 characters and will post to the site shortly after submitting.

View the original article here

Saints Going Back to the Playoffs; Top Falcons 17-14

The Saints played for their proverbial lives Monday night. Offensively, they played very well, but defensively they were spectacular. When no one but themselves and their fans gave them a snowball’s chance in hades of winning this game, they marched into the Georgia Dome and took care of business.

The game started off rather uneventfully for Drew Brees and company as they went three-and-out. But the defense kept the Falcons in check as well and so it went until the Saints put together an impressive drive that ended with a 52-yard Garrett Hartley field goal. Next Falcons possession, the Saints caught a huge break when the Falcon’s center, Todd McClure mishandled the snap to Ryan and a blitzing Jonathan Vilma alertly fell on it. The Saints were very impressive after the turnover, particularly Pierre Thomas who rumbled through for a critical 16-yard run before walking 2 yards into the endzone for the game’s first TD giving his team a 10-0 lead.

The lead was short-lived, however, as the Falcons responed quickly with a 78-yard touchdown drive of their own. With 7:28 left in the first quarter, Matt Ryan hit Roddy White for a 7-yard touchdown pass to narrow the score to 10-7. The Saints made one more impressive drive after that, but were knocked out of scoring range by a couple of big defensive plays by the Falcons. The score was 10-7 at halftime.

In the second half, the Saints defense flexed its muscle in front of the national television audience and showed everyone that they are capable of playing some tough football too. On a penalty-ridden drive in which the Saints literally escorted the Falcons down the field, the goal line defense of New Orleans came up huge. Jeff Charleston hit Michael Turner on the goal line, forcing a fumble that was alertly recovered by Marvin Mitchell. The Saints failed to take advantage of the turnover that time though, even though they put together a few good series to move the ball down the field. Instead they ended up punting after using three minutes and some change off the clock.

The Saints defense kept Atlanta off their game to start the second half. The Falcons offense couldn’t seem to get anything going. It was a horribly ill-advised throw by Drew Brees that led to the Falcons only other touchdown when Chauncey Davis intercepted a little flip pass intended for Reggie Bush. Atlanta took its first lead 14-10. Brees subsequently threw his second interception of the night to John Abraham on the Saints very next possession. Worthy of noting though is the fact that Brees was the one who tackled Abraham and prevented him from running it all the way back. It was a great job by the Saints defense to keep Atlanta from capitalizing off the turnover.

The Saints offense drove the field almost effortlessly, capping the drive with a 25-yard touchdown reception from Brees to Colston. But once again, a penalty wiped it out when Jermon Bushrod was flagged for a false start. Talk about a momentum killer! The drive eventually stalled. Fortunately, the Saints defense came to play and was able to keep Atlanta from scoring.

The Saints final scoring drive was nothing short of brilliant. This time, Payton used a balanced offensive scheme that kept the Falcons defense off balance. For the first time all night, New Orleans weathered the blitzes leaving the Falcons looking confused. Brees hit Lance Moore for an 18-yard pickup to move the chains on 3rd and 11. Then Payton called a reverse run by Devery Henderson for 11 yards and another first down. Then the crafty skill and footwork of Pierre Thomas turned a short pass into a critical 22-yard gain! With 3:24 left in the game, Brees threw a strike to Jimmy Graham for a 6-yard touchdown. After marching 90 yards and chewing up more than 7 minutes off the clock, the Saints regained the lead and never looked back. The defense was able to hold the Falcons, forcing them to punt on 4th and 6 with 2:52 left in the game. The Saints subsequently picked up some key first downs and were able to just run the clock out.

This, the final Monday Night Football game of the 2010 season, certainly lived up to all the hype. With this victory, the Saints clinch a playoff berth for the second time in two years. There were so many impressive performances on offense, but I was so very proud of the defense. After being ridicluled last week because of the lack of defense against Baltimore, Gregg Williams had his guys ready to play and they rebounded nicely. Hopefully, they’re just getting warmed up for the playoffs.

View the original article here

No to Re-Seeding for Playoffs

Rumblings are that owners have discussed whether to change the current system of rewarding division winners with a home playoff game, or if playoff seeds should be based strictly on record. It’s being discussed because the winner of the NFC and the AFC West could be 8-8 or 7-9, while a team with 10 or 11 wins could have to go on the road. This year, that means that the NY Giants, New Orleans Saints, Baltimore Ravens, or the NY Jets may have a better record but be on the road for their first game, or even not make the playoffs.

Reality is the following:

NY (1) Baltimore (24) New Orleans (53)

SF (6) Seattle (14) St. Louis (21) San Diego (28) Kansas City (31)

In parentheses is the TV Market sizes for each of the teams. And notice that 3 of the teams are in the East Coast, specifically the NorthEast area that the NFL (and all other sports) love. Add in that the SF and San Diego are NOT football towns (fair weather fans at the best), St. Louis is a baseball town, and the fever that New Orleans captured last year, you can understand why owners and the NFL want to re-seed. It’s more favorable to the East Coast teams, their respective TV markets and their respective fans.

Fans have complained about this in the NBA in the last few years, the Western Conference is dominating the regular season for the last 10 years and yet watch teams in the Eastern Conference make the playoffs with sub-.500 records. David Stern, though, wants to hear nothing about this. And the reason is quite simple, got to have the East Coast teams in the playoffs. Stern would any day take a sub-.500 NY Knicks or Philadelphia 76er team over the Golden State Warriors or Memphis Grizzlies teams (and their TV markets).

I’m against the re-seeding concept. With how they schedule the games (divisional games now having more focus towards the end of the season) and the natural rivals some teams have, divisional play is a fun part of the league (Ravens/Steelers x 2, Raiders/Chiefs/Broncos/Chargers x2, NFC East x 2) no matter the division. Games are competitive, has gotten more chippy and all teams recognize win your divisional games, have a great opportunity to make the playoffs. Completely re-seeding takes this away and you should then just go to one division for the NFC and one division for the AFC and have everyone just play each team 1 time in their division.

I’m also against it because I don’t care about the East Coast markets (I know, Saints aren’t east coast. I did take geography). I’m already tired about the Jets strength and conditioning coach tripping a Dolphin, about Big Ben’s crooked nose, about the MVP battle between Tom Brady and Michael Vick, etc. etc. etc. And not because those may not be stories, but because the play of Darren McFadden, Phillip Rivers, the interview skills of Mike Singletary, the fact that the best QB in the NFC West was on Dancing with the Stars are all stories that get no play from a league perspective. The East Coast doesn’t care, so let’s not spend much time on it from NFL’s view.

So No to Revis Contract Talks, No to Tiki Barber getting any more TV time about the Giants, No No No to the East Coast Bias. And No to the Re-Seeding for Playoffs.

View the original article here

WRs Smith, Nicks could return for fantasy playoffs

Published: December 1st, 2010 | Tags: Hakeem Nicks, Ahmad Bradshaw, Brandon Jacobs, Hakeem Nicks, New York Giants, Steve Smith North, Tom Coughlin

The Giants could be getting more help at receiver: Steve Smith was reportedly running routes at practice Wednesday, according to coach Tom Coughlin, and WR Hakeem Nicks told reporters that he wants to return soon, maybe as soon as Week 14 vs. the Vikings. These returns would coincide with the heart of the fantasy playoffs.

And that is obviously good news.

The duo would have a favorable matchup against the Vikings in Week 14 and then face the Eagles and Packers down the stretch.

Coughlin also reiterated that RB Brandon Jacobs will be the starter this week against the Redskins but that Ahmad Bradshaw will remain in the mix. Both have a great matchup and should be seen as flex starters.

Tweet your fantasy questions to @nflfantasy. Your Tweet might end up on the air on NFL.com Fantasy LIVE.

Posted in: Fantasy  

View the original article here