If Only The NFL Knew What A Catch Was….

December 18, 2017 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

Jesse-James-TD

Good morning sports fans, and welcome to another episode of What’s A Catch?! In this controversial episode, the NFL has its fingerprints all over the outcome of Week 15’s ‘Game of the Week’. The New England Patriots took their talents to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers. A game with major playoff implications in the AFC could only be called by the one, the only (broadcaster who doesn’t know how to shut up), Tony Romo!!

Through the cold and rain, the 1st quarter remained even. After Rex Burkhead dove in for a 1-yard touchdown, the Steelers marched down the field, tying the game at 7 on an Eli Rogers touchdown. The energy at Heinz Field was intense, as this game lived up to the hype.

Despite carrying a 17-10 lead into halftime, the 2nd quarter was a living nightmare for the Steelers. With just over 13 minutes left in the 2nd quarter, Ben Roethlisberger attempted to hit his favorite target, Antonio Brown, in the end zone. Brown was unable to hang on to the 25-yard touchdown pass, as his leg was slammed between 2 Patriots’ defenders. Brown fell to the ground clutching his left calf. Early reports indicate Brown has a partially torn left calf muscle. To see the play, click here.

Without Brown, the other B stepped up; Le’Veon Bell. Bell had 165 scrimmage yards and a touchdown. He walked into the end zone from 3 yards out with 1:33 left in the 3rd quarter, giving the Steelers a 24-16 lead. That would be the last time the Steelers would score. Football fans over the past 15 years know that’s not a recipe for success against Tom Brady. 1 Patriots’ field goal and a Steelers’ 3-and-out later, Tom Brady had the ball, down 5, with 2:06 remaining.

Sounds familiar doesn’t it??

Brady targeted Rob Gronkowski 4 times during this 2-minute drill. Gronk would haul in 3 of those targets for 69 yards. It was like there was no one else on the field, and Brady and Gronk were playing catch in the backyard. In UnBradyLike fashion, the Patriots scored with too much time left on the clock (56 seconds). 1 play later, Big Ben and the Steelers were on the Patriots 10-yard line. Here’s where it gets interesting….

After the Steelers burned their final timeout, Big Ben connected with tight end, Jesse James, for a 10-yard touchdown. Heinz Field erupted. Jesse James and company celebrated. And Jim Nantz and Tony Romo saw nothing to suggest the play was in question. And then the review (every scoring play is reviewed) started to take a minute. 2 minutes. 3 minutes. A line from Cinderella Man instantly popped into my head:

“I’ll tell you this much, when they take this long to make a decision, they’re gonna decide to screw somebody.”

Obviously, the touchdown was overturned. Watch the play, then we’ll talk….

I don’t care that the NFL says a player must maintain possession of the ball through the entire motion of a catch (including contact with the ground). That silly rule doesn’t apply here. Jesse James scored a touchdown yesterday. He caught the ball while hitting the ground, THEN turned up field and reached for the end zone. After crossing the plane, and theoretically already scoring a touchdown, the ball jars loose from his Kung-Fu Grip, barely touching the ground.

Sooooo, the Steelers dusted themselves off, and took 2 more shots at the end zone. After a completion to the 7-yard line, the Steelers hurried back to the line. Big Ben faked a spike (that faked out 2 of his own receivers), and threw into traffic. A Patriots’ defender batted the ball up in the air, and it was intercepted. No touchdown. No field goal. No overtime. The Patriots stole another one against the Steelers, 27-24.

Home field, in the AFC, goes through Foxborough — for now.

Was it a catch???? Tell me in the comment section below.

You can now find me on the Radio too. Download the TuneIn Radio App and search OWWR. I’ll be on live every Wednesday from 6:10 P.M. – 8:00 P.M EST. I also broadcast every show on Facebook Live via my DaveTalksSports.com Facebook Page: http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports .

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. You can also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends!!

Pull Up A Chair — An Epic NFL Weekend Is Upon Us!!

December 14, 2017 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

Pittsburgh Steelers v New England Patriots

Take the night off.

Since the NFL decided to put the worst football game in the history of football games on Thursday night, take the night off. Go finish your Christmas shopping. Go cook a nice meal. Go to bed early. And gear up for a FANTASTIC weekend of football.

Week 15 is poised to be historic. The amount of games with major playoff implications is staggering. Don’t forget, Saturday football starts this week as well. Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Yes, the NFL is taking over the calendar.

Here are the top 4 games of Week 15:

4.) Los Angeles Chargers (7-6) @ Kansas City Chiefs (7-6), Saturday @ 8:25 P.M.

Can I get some Saturday Night Football here?? Not only can you stay home and watch football on Saturday night, but you’ll be blessed with an AFC West showdown. That’s 1 part serious, 1 part sarcasm. Bad or not, this game may determine the winner of the AFC West. Philip Rivers is playing some of the best football of his career. Melvin Gordon is on his way to the 1st 1,000 yard season of his career. And the Chargers pass rush is as good as it gets. I don’t care that the Chiefs finally won a game, I’ll stick with the team playing as well as anyone in the league; the Chargers.

Prediction: Chargers 27, Chiefs 24

3.) Green Bay Packers (7-6) @ Carolina Panthers (9-4), Sunday @ 1:00 P.M.

It’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for. The Baaaaad Man is back!! Aaron Rodgers has been medically cleared to play, and will be under center this coming Sunday. Rodgers hasn’t played football since he broke his collarbone against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 6. Let’s give Brett Hundley credit for the job he did over the past 8 games. He led the Packers to a 3-5 record. It’s not easy to fill Aaron Rodgers shoes, but Hundley kept the Packers afloat. Now, Rodgers must do the improbable — run the table. I think we’ll see some rust from Rodgers, but ultimately he’ll be the best player on the field.

Prediction: Packers 24, Panthers 18

2.) Los Angeles Rams (9-4) @ Seattle Seahawks (8-5), Sunday @ 4:05 P.M.

Talk about an important game. A potential playoff berth, and the lead in the NFC West hangs in the balance. Despite the level Russell Wilson is playing, football is not a 1-man sport. The Rams are a more complete team. One of Jared Goff’s favorite weapons, Robert Woods, will return to the field this week after missing 3 straight games with a shoulder injury. This will be a close, hard fought game. But Jared Goff, Todd Gurley III, Sammy Watkins, Robert Woods, and Cooper Kupp will prove too much for this stripped down, Seahawks’ defense.

Prediction: Rams 28, Seahawks 24

1.) New England Patriots (10-3) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (11-2), Sunday @ 4:25 P.M.

You wanted the game of the week. You got the game of the week. Sunday afternoon, the class of the AFC, will throw down at Heinz Field. The Patriots and Steelers are the only 2 teams in the AFC with double-digit wins. The Steelers offense is firing on all cylinders. Big Ben has turned back the clock, and Leveon Bell and Antonio Brown are the best, at their respective position, in the league. But the Patriots play well everywhere. Duh! It’s noteworthy when you handle the 2nd best team in the AFC (for the past 15 years), year in and year out. The Patriots are 5-2, including playoffs, at Heinz Field since 2002. Plus, since the start of the 2003 season, the Patriots are 40-5 following a loss. THAT’S INSANE!! That means they’ve only lost consecutive games 5 times in nearly 15 seasons.

Prediction: Patriots 27, Steelers 20

What is the most exciting game of Week 15?? Post your predictions in the comment section below.

Week 14 Had It All

December 12, 2017 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

bills-colts-600

That throw.

How many can make that throw?? Click here to see the spectacular precision only a handful of men on the planet possess (it happens at the 2:00 mark of the video). That’s “Big Ben” doing what “Big Ben” does.

Instant Classic

Ben Roethlisberger has been a really good quarterback for a really long time. His performance on Sunday Night Football is a microcosm of his career. With 6:44 left to play, the Pittsburgh Steelers trailed their division rival, Baltimore Ravens, by 9 points. Roethlisberger, poised as ever, drove his team 68-yards for a touchdown in just 3 minutes and 15 seconds. After a 3 and out that lasted just 1 minute and 4 seconds, Roethlisberger went back to work.

See, it’s not just the throw. It’s the moment. When the moment calls for a perfect, 34-yard pass that looks like it was gently placed into the hands of Antonio Brown, Roethlisberger produces that throw. On that play, Roethlisberger not only clinched the game, but became the only quarterback in NFL history with 3 career 500-yard passing games. 39-38 Steelers. If you didn’t catch this one live, go find a replay. It’ll be worth it.

Do You Want To Build A Snowman??

Football in a blizzard is awesome!! It’s unique. It’s different. It draws eyes to the TV. Eyes that would otherwise be glued to an iPhone, iPad, or videogame. It also gave us a wildly entertaining football game. The Indianapolis Colts struggled in the elements in Buffalo, scoring their 1st points with just 1:16 left in the game. With 40-mph wind gusts staring Adam Vinatieri in the face, the Colts opted to go for 2. It worked!! The Colts went up 8-7 in the most improbable of comebacks….until they didn’t. In came a flag, 45 seconds after the play, nullifying the conversion. Vinatieri would be forced to attempt a 43-yard extra point. He nailed it!! To overtime we’d go. As the 1st tie of the NFL season was staring each team in the face, the Buffalo Bills did the impossible. 3rd string quarterback, Joe Webb, hit Deonte Thompson for a 34-yard bomb. This would set up a Lesean McCoy scamper from 21-yards out for the 13-7 overtime victory!!

What A Weird Season

The New York Jets beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 23-20 in Week 4. The New York Jets lost to the Denever Broncos 23-0 in Week 14. Make sense of that….

Overshadowed By Injury

The Philadelphia Eagles vs. the Los Angeles Rams was supposed to be the game of the week. The battle for NFC supremacy. Carson Wentz vs. Jared Goff. What could be more exciting??

While it was an entertaining game, it was marred by Carson Wentz’, season ending torn ACL. Wentz was sandwiched between 2 Rams as he dove into the endzone in the 3rd quarter. Check out the play here. Down 28-24, he hobbled back to the huddle after the touchdown was called back on a holding penalty. Wentz, left immobilized, stayed in the game long enough to throw a 1-legged touchdown!! The Eagles would hold on for a 43-35 victory, clinching the NFC East Division Title. However, Wentz’ MVP hopes circled the drain hand-in-hand with the Eagles’ Super Bowl dreams….

Last Time I Checked, You Can’t Do That

Reminiscent of the “Malice at the Palace”, a Seattle Seahawks’ player tried to fight a fan.

Let me repeat that: A SEATTLE SEAHAWKS PLAYER TRIED TO FIGHT A FAN!!

Watch Einstein here.

Quinton Jefferson, unhappy that some of his teammates are dirty players, and that his team lost, decided it would be a good idea to try to climb into the stands and fight a fan. Yes, of course fans should NEVER throw objects on the field. But, a player, no matter the circumstance, should NEVER EVER try to climb into the stands to assault a fan.

I thought that was understood….

What was the most exciting part of Week 14?? Tell me in the comment section below.

Celtics D Stifles Warriors, Headline Busy Thursday Night

November 17, 2017 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 2 Comments

jaylen brown

You’ve done it again Thursday.

My thumb was reacquainted with the ‘Prev Ch’ button. Football to basketball, basketball to football, NFL Network and TNT got my ratings Thursday night (until I fell asleep on the couch). To the hardwood we go….

NBA Finals Preview??

Thursday’s nights matchup between the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors pinned the 2 best records in the NBA against each other. The Warriors were winners of 7 straight, as they travelled to Beantown to take on the red hot Celtics (winners of 13 straight).

The Warriors looked like the Warriors, carrying a 17-point lead past the midway point of the 3rd quarter. Then, Jaylen Brown happened. Over a 49 second span, Brown scored 8 consecutive points. After learning of his best friend’s death just hours prior to tip-off, Brown played inspired basketball (22 points and 7 rebounds). He dedicated his performance to Trevin Steede.

The Celtics didn’t win their 14th straight game because they scored 142 points. They won because they do something that’s very rare in the NBA. The play defense. They held a Warriors team, that’s averaging 117.5 points per game, to 88 points. Unbelievably impressive, but I wouldn’t expect Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green to shoot a combined 11 for 43 (25.5%) from the field again — ever.

The Celtics will revel in their 92-88 victory during their day off on Friday. They’ll seek their 15th straight win on Saturday against the hapless Atlanta Hawks (3-12).

A 4th Quarter To Forget

Marcus Mariota let’s it fly. Rishard Matthews comes down with the deep bomb, scampering 75-yards for a touchdown. That’s one way to start the 2nd half. 16-7 became 16-14 in the blink of an eye. And just like that, we had a football game on our hands. Or so we thought. The Titans final 3 possessions: punt, interception, interception. That, plus Antonio Brown’s 3-touchdown night, put the game out of reach in the 4th quarter. 17 unanswered points brought the totality of destruction to 40-17.

The Steelers now own an AFC best record; 8-2. That is, until the New England Patriots play on Sunday. As for the Titans, they drop to 6-4, leaving the door wide open for the Jacksonville Jaguars to grab an AFC South division lead.

You Scored How Many Points?!

Chris Paul made his return to the court Thursday night. After missing 14 games with a knee injury, Paul played 21 minutes against the Phoenix Suns. Effective minutes I’d call them.

Chris Paul’s Evening: 11 points, 10 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals.

Paul was merely a pedestrian contributor to the absolute smack down the Rockets laid on the Suns. He was 1 of 7 players to score in double figures, led by James Harden’s 48 points. The Rockets set a franchise record Thursday night, scoring 90 points in the 1st half.

No need to readjust your spectacles. The Houston Rockets scored 90 points in the 1st half. I know the Suns are bad, but that’s absurd. The final score of 142-116 included 6 Rockets’ going a perfect 35 for 35 from the free throw line. Only Clint Capela would miss a free throw (0-3).

Harden, Paul, and company will look to improve on their 12-4 record when they take on the Memphis Grizzlies Saturday. Paul will look to ramp up his minutes, while Harden continues his MVP charge.

What were you watching Thursday night?? Tell me about it in the comment section below.

Any Given Sunday….Can Be The Craziest Sunday You’ve Ever Seen….Ever!!

September 25, 2017 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

Jake-Elliott

This is why we will ALWAYS watch. Despite the “extracurricular” activites, and the controversy, and the injury risks, NFL fans will always be just that; fans. Week 3 has been a prime example of that.

The best word I can use to describe Week 3 in the NFL is — WOW!!!! Actually, the best way to sum up Sunday’s action would be, “HOLY CRAP!!”, but that wouldn’t maintain the level of sophistication you’ve grown accustomed to here at DaveTalksSports :).

While difficult, I’ve done you the favor of ranking Sunday’s insanity:

7.) Baltimore Ravens vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

The Ravens and Jaguars took their talents across the pond on Sunday. No one, outside of die-hard, Jaguars’ fans, thought they would win. And NO ONE, could have predicted the way in which they won. This game can be summarized in one-line, Joe Flacco’s stat-line: 8 for 18 for 28 yards and 2 interceptions.

Hey Joe, I’ve never seen a QBR of 0.5 before, so thanks for that. Remember when the storyline was, ‘When will Blake Bortles get pulled from the game’?? That quickly turned into, ‘Joe Flacco actually got pulled from the game’. Final Score: Jaguars 44, – Ravens 7.

6.) Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Chicago Bears

In one of the many shocking results on Sunday, the Pittsburgh Steelers fell to the Chicago Bears in overtime, 23-17. Antonio Brown and company had to come charging back to force overtime, as they found themselves down 17-7 at halftime. The halftime score SHOULD have been 21-7, if it weren’t for Marcus Cooper doing his best Leon Lett impersonation. With 6 seconds left in the 1st half, the Steelers had a 35-yard field goal attempt blocked. Cooper picked up the ball and streaked toward the endzone. Rather than sprint his way in for the score, he inexplicably slowed to a tortoise pace at the 2-yard line. Vance Mcdonald of the Steelers tracked him down and swatted the ball from his hands. The ball travelled out of the back of the endzone, and the Bears were afforded 1 untimed down from the 1-yard line. You’ll have to see it to believe it. Click here to see the madness.

5.) Green Bay Packers vs. Cincinnati Bengals

With 10:20 left in the 2nd quarter, Aaron Rodgers dropped back to pass. In atypical Aaron Rodgers’ fashion, he stared down his receiver, throwing a bad interception. This interception was returned 75-yards for a touchdown, giving the Bengals a 21-7 lead (in Green Bay). But, as any Bengals fan will tell you, they never felt less confident in their team in that moment. In typical Benagals’ fashion, they scored a whopping 3 points in the 2nd half, allowing Rodgers and the Packers to creep back into the game.

Throughout the 4th quarter and overtime, Aaron Rodgers did what Aaron Rodgers does. You never thought you’d hear the name Geronimo Allison so many times did you?? Rodgers hit Allison 3 times on the game-tying drive, as well as the all important 72-yard connection in overtime. This set up a chip-shot field goal, leading the Packers to a wild 27-24 victory and keeping my hopes alive in my ‘suicide pool’.

4.) New York Jets vs. Miami Dolphins

SAY WHATTTTTT?!?!?! The New York Jets won a football game?? And it wasn’t against the Browns?? Ohhhh, it was against the Dolphins. That makes sense. As maligned as the Dolphins franchise is, this may be a new low….

The New York Jets are trying to lose on purpose, and they can’t even do that right. As a Jets’ fan, I’m on board with this strategy, so thanks a lot Jay Cutler!! Believe it or not, the 20-6 score doesn’t do it justice. The Dolphins were completely and utterly dominated, and if it not for an ULTIMATE ‘GARBARGE-TIME’ touchdown (as time expired) to DeVante Parker, they would have been shutout. Why 6?? Because the Dolphins missed the extra-point. “HA-ha!” (Nelson’s laugh in the Simpsons). That’s why.

3.) New York Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles

The New York Giants travelled to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles in as close to a must-win as can be in Week 3. Their offensive line, and offense as a whole, has looked putrid through 2 weeks. And until the 4th quarter, the Giants were laying a golden goose egg again (they were down 14-0). Then, Odell Beckham Jr. showed his worth. Beckham Jr. scored 2 touchdowns in the span of 1 minute and 46 seconds. He also managed to receive a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for his inane TD celebration, as well as lay down in the middle of the field, stopping play, when there was nothing wrong with him.

Hey everybody, LOOK AT ME!!

Despite a valiant effort by the Giants, they coughed up a lead in the 4th quarter — twice. With the game tied at 24, overtime looked like a certainty. But the Eagles took a final shot from their own 38-yard line (thanks to an awful punt by the Giants), and 13 seconds left in regulation. After a 19-yard completion to Alshon Jeffrey, the Eagles sent rookie kicker, Jake Elliot, onto the field to try a 61-yard, miracle field goal. ELLIOT MADE THE KICK!! He skimmed the inside of the right field goal post with about 2 yards to spare. And as time expired, the Eagles put the Giants away 27-24.

2.) New England Patriots vs. Houston Texans

Deshaun Watson nearly did what no rookie quarterback has ever done before, win in Foxborough. But, yet again, if you’ve ever seen the Patriots play, you knew they weren’t losing this football game. When the Houson Texans failed to score a touchdown, settling for a field goal with 2:24 to play, you knew it was over. Tom Brady, down 5, from his own 25, is the surest bet in sports. They even spotted the Texans 10 yards, pushing their drive back to their own 15-yard line (thanks to a holding penalty). And not even when it was 3rd and 18, with 54 seconds left, from his own 48, should anyone have doubted the greatest QB of all-time. 2 plays, 52 yards and 31 seconds later, the game was over. I can’t actually stomach writing this, so while I vomit, watch the final drive by clicking here. The Patriots beat the Houston Texans 36-33 in dramatic fashion, but it’s only dramatic to the unaware. To the rest of us, it’s Tom Brady being Tom Brady.

1.) Atlanta Falcons vs. Detroit Lions

All I have to say is what in the hell was that?? Okay, maybe that’s not all I have to say, but I have never seen a game end like that. Matthew Stafford and the Lions had the ball, down 30-26 with 2:23 left to play. Starting at their own 26-yard line, they drove the ball all the way to the Falcons’ 1-yard line. So let’s set the table: 1st and Goal from the 1 with 19 seconds left. You have to score, don’t you?! Not if you’re the Detroit Lions. After 2 quick incompletions, Stafford found Golden Tate on 3rd down. He dove into the endzone with 8 seconds left, and the Lions had done it!! Until they didn’t. The play was reviewed and ultimately reversed. The official said Tate’s knee hit the ground prior to him crossing the goal line.

Lions huddle: “Alright guys, let’s re-group and score this touchdown on 4th down!!”

Referee: “Game over!”

According to the dumbest NFL rule in existence, there must be a 10-second run off due to the Lions having no timeouts left. Therefore, the game was over. That’s the most RIDICULOUS thing I’ve ever seen on an NFL field.

And that’s saying a lot….

What were you watching on Sunday?? Tell me the craziest thing you saw in the comment section below.

You can now find me on the Radio too. Download the TuneIn Radio App and search OWWR. I’ll be on live every Wednesday from 6:10 P.M. – 8:10 P.M EST. I also broadcast every show on Facebook Live via my DaveTalksSports.com Facebook Page.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. You can also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel called DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends.

AFC North Preview

August 24, 2017 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

afc-north-preview

Prepare to shield your eyes ladies and gentlemen, this could get ugly!! Listen, football is football. If the Cleveland Browns and the Jacksonville Jaguars are playing, I’m watching, but that doesn’t mean it’ll be pretty. And that leads us seamlessly into Dave’s AFC North Preview….

Last Season’s Standings:

Pittsburgh Steelers: 11-5

Baltimore Ravens: 8-8

Cincinnati Bengals: 6-9-1

Cleveland Browns: 1-15

To the bottom of the barrel we go….

Cleveland Browns

I’ve run out of ways to make fun of the Cleveland Browns (says the Jets’ fan), so I’m going to skip right to the meat and potatoes. Seriously though — the Browns are so historically bad, sometimes I wonder if they’re doing this on purpose (?). The Browns haven’t had a winning record since 2007 (10-6). They haven’t made the playoffs since 2002 (lost in the Wild Card Game). And they haven’t won the AFC North Division since 1989!! That’s a BAD meatball!! Despite having the #1 overall pick in the draft, again, the Browns will continue their streak of last place finishes (6 years running) in the dreadful AFC North.

Key Additions: Myles Garrett (Draft), Calvin Pryor, DeShone Kizer (Draft)

Key Losses: Demario Davis, Josh McCown, Gary Barnidge

Baltimore Ravens

Did I mention this division will be bad?? Just 3 short years ago, the AFC had the honor of sending 3 teams to the playoffs. This year..not so much. The Baltimore Ravens are going to regress this year. Their wildly overpaid quarterback, Joe Flacco, is dealing with a back injury and could miss anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks of the regular season. Considering their back-up quarterback (Ryan Mallett) is the worst quarterback in the NFL, I don’t like their chances. If it’s any consolation prize, at least you’re not the Browns….

Key Additions: Danny Woodhead, Jeremy Maclin, Brandon Carr

Key Losses: Elvis Dumervil, Dennis Pitta, Kamar Aiken

Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals are a hard team to figure out. In 2015, they were 12-4 (1st in the AFC North). In 2016, they were 6-9-1 (3rd in the AFC North). With consistency at the quarterback position, and a good defense, it’s odd to see a team fluctuate this much. Even when the Bengals showed flashes of sustainable success, they underachieved. For 5 consecutive seasons (2011-2015), they lost in the 1st round of the playoffs. This is a franchise that hasn’t won a playoff game since 1990 and has never won a Super Bowl. 2017 will not shatter either of those streaks. Sorry Bengals fans. Man, I feel like I’m sending out condolence letters left and right here.

Key Additions: Joe Mixon (Draft), Andre Smith, Kevin Minter

Key Losses: Domata Peko, Rex Burkhead, Karlos Dansby

Pittsburgh Steelers

We’ll call them, Patriots Lite. For those who haven’t noticed because they were counting Tom Brady’s Super Bowl rings, the Pittsburgh Steelers have quietly dominated the AFC North. The Steelers have not finished under .500 since 2003 (6-10). They have made the playoffs 9 times over that span, and have won 2 Super Bowls (in 3 appearances). Big Ben, Antonio Brown, and hopefully Le’Veon Bell will coast to another AFC North division title this year. The question is, can they beat the New England Patriots come January??

Key Additions: Knile Davis, Justin Hunter, Coty Sensabaugh

Key Losses: DeAngelo Williams, Lawrence Timmons, Jarvis Jones

This Season’s Predictions:

Pittsburgh Steelers: 11-5

Cincinnati Bengals: 8-8

Baltimore Ravens: 5-11

Cleveland Browns: 4-12

Today felt like a history lesson in mediocrity. I’d say tomorrow will be better, but we’re travelling to the AFC South, so I can’t make any promises. I promise you’ll laugh though.

So tune in tomorrow for Dave’s AFC South Preview.

Who do you think will win the AFC North?? Post your predictions in the comment section below.

You can now find me on the Radio too. Download the TuneIn Radio App and search OWWR. I’ll be on live every Wednesday from 6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M EST. I also broadcast every show on Facebook Live via my DaveTalksSports.com Facebook Page.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. You can also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel called DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends!!

NFL Free Agency Continued (Day 2)

March 14, 2013 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

Day 1 of free agency in the NFL was just a warm-up for the real action. Day 2 is where all the big moves came pouring in. There were many big moves all across the NFL, but one clearly stood out amongst all the rest. Wes Welker, the longtime Patriot signed with their AFC rival Denver Broncos. This is a huge deal for the Denver Broncos. Let’s take a quick peak at that receiving core and see the weapons Peyton Manning will have to work with this coming season. He has Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker on the outside, and now Wes Welker will fill in the slot for Manning’s high powered offense. Combine that with the Broncos good young defense and solid rushing attack, and you might see Peyton playing in Eli’s house come Super Bowl Sunday. While I’m sure that Tom Brady is upset to lose such a dependable receiver in Wes Welker, the move they made Wednesday is not a bad replacement for Welker. The New England Patriots signed Danny Amendola to their roster. Danny Amendola is a younger version of Wes Welker and should fit nicely into the Patriots offense. I think Amedola will actually improve with Brady’s help, assuming he can stay healthy. The only concern with Amendola is that he is injury prone. However, in New England being one of many options should keep him healthier longer, unlike in St. Louis where he was the only receiving option. His workload with the Rams could have a lot to do with his prior injuries. Another huge signing Wednesday was the former Miami Dolphin Reggie Bush signing with the Detroit Lions. WOW, can’t you just see it now? Megatron and Reggie Bush on the same field should be something special to watch in the Motor City. Another running back on the move Wednesday was Rashard Mendenhall. The former Pittsburgh Steeler was signed by the Arizona Cardinals. When healthy Mendenhall is a very solid back that could help any team. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers picked up a solid safety in former San Francisco 49er, Dashon Goldson. And as if the Seattle Seahawks defense needed to get any better, they signed former defensive end and former Detroit Lion Cliff Avril. This should strengthen their pass rush and bring more toughness to their defense. One last defensive signing that took place on Wednesday was former Philadelphia Eagle Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie signed with the Denver Broncos. Maybe this will keep the Broncos secondary from having any deep balls launched over their heads. Ouch. Too Soon? Na, definitely not soon enough. Ah yes, I almost forgot, the New York Football Jets. What a train wreck they are. The news regarding the Jets is not who they’ve signed. It is the lack of signings by the Jets and the amount of players they’ve not re-signed and let walk out the door that is the concern. Strong Safety Laron Landry has signed with the Indianapolis Colts and should give Andrew Luck some help on the other side of the ball. He is a hard hitting safety that should bring the pain in the middle of the Colts secondary. The Jets also let Shonne Green slip away, as he signed with the Tennessee Titans. This move I’m not all that upset about because I never thought Green was good enough to be a featured back anyway, but they need to sign someone.

There are still some big names in limbo in free agency, that should get signed in before the weekend. Some of those names are: Greg Jennings, James Harrison, Ed Reed, Bernard Pollard, Steven Jackson, and last but certainly not least Brian Urlacher. All of these names have yet to find their final destinations for the upcoming season. Hold on to your hats because this ride isn’t over yet. You can check back tomorrow for the rest of the signings here @ DaveTalksSports.com.

If you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. Also you can follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook athttp://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

To Leave Or Not To Leave, That Is The Question (Either Way It’s All About The Benjamin’s Baby!!)

March 13, 2013 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

Tuesday afternoon at 4:00 P.M. marked the beginning of free agency in the NFL. It didn’t take long for teams to start signing and resigning players shortly after the 4 O’ clock hour. There were many moves that happened right away, and there are many moves that are still going to take place. I will give you a recap of what moves have been made and where your favorite players will be suiting up next season. I will also give you a quick rundown of some key players who have yet to sign a new deal. Some of these moves make you scratch your head from a football standpoint, but you need to remember these moves are about one thing and one thing only; money. With that being said, let’s take this thing for a ride.

One of the biggest signings so far has surely been Mike Wallace. Tuesday afternoon, the former Pittsburgh Steeler, signed the dotted line to play for the Miami Dolphins. The deal is reportedly for 5 years and 60 million dollars (30 million of which are guaranteed). It appears that the Steelers only offered Wallace 10 million per year, however Wallace was looking for a minimum of 12 million per year (cha ching). Another significant signing that occurred on Tuesday was the Cleveland Browns signing former Baltimore Ravens linebacker Paul Kruger to a 5 year, 40 million dollar contract. This is big money for a pretty unproven player in Kruger. He is a good linebacker but does not have the track record that would merit a contract of this magnitude. Only time will tell if the Browns made a smart move by signing Kruger (considering we are talking about the Browns I’m sure this move will backfire). There were a couple of moves at the tight end position Tuesday with Martellus Bennett and Anthony Fasano both on the move. Bennett, the former New York Giant, inked a 4 year, 20 million deal with the Chicago Bears, giving Jay Cutler another legitimate option other than Brandon Marshall. Anthony Fasano formerly of the Miami Dolphins signed with the already very busy Kansas City Chiefs. The deal is reportedly for 4 years and 16 million dollars. The Chiefs continue to improve their roster, and dare I say that the Chiefs might sniff at a winning record this season? Yeah you’re right, probably not. The biggest news at the tight end position by far was the decision by future Hall-Of-Famer Tony Gonzalez to come back to play one more season with the Atlanta Falcons. This season will be Gonzalez’s 18th, and based on his production from 2012, I’m sure the Falcons are giddy at the news of his comeback.

On the defensive side of the ball there hasn’t been as much noise, but there have been some moves that will impact the New York teams next season. The Giants had released Chris Canty who is now a member of the defending champion Baltimore Ravens. In his place, the Giants have brought in Cullen Jenkins formerly of the Philadelphia Eagles. The New York Jets made some noise a day prior to the free agent frenzy with the earth shattering signing of David Garrard, however they made a couple moves Tuesday as well. They restructured Santonio Holmes’ and Antonio Cromarties’ contracts and they can wave bye-bye to Mike Devito as he is off to the most popular place to live these days (apparently), Kansas City. Another noteworthy move from the defensive side of the ball was that the Eagles released Nnamdi Asomugha. Asomugha is one of the worst free agent signings in recent history (don’t worry Albert Haynesworth, your’e still #1 in my heart). Another notable release was Ryan Fitzpatrick being let go from the Buffalo Bills. At least they didn’t wipe their butt with all that money (haha). William Gay, formerly of the solid Arizona Cardinals defense will add some depth to an aging Pittsburgh Steelers defense. Also, Dunta Robinson, formerly of the Atlanta Falcons, signed with the new and improved Kansas City Chiefs.

At this point there are still some big names hanging out in free agency that have yet to sign somewhere. Most notably Wes Welker, Reggie Bush, Ahmad Bradshaw, Greg Jennings, Rashard Mendenhall, and Steven Jackson. All of these guys will find a home in the coming days, it is just a matter of where. You also have Victor Cruz in waiting as a restricted free agent. For those of you who don’t know what it means to be a restricted free agent allow me to explain: A restricted free agent can negotiate with any team until April 19th. If another team presents said free agent with an offer, the original team has an opportunity to match or exceed the offer. If the original team decides not to match the offer, they will receive draft compensation based on the qualifying offer. While I like Victor Cruz as a player (and I’m sure the Giants like him too), it’s not about the player, it’s about the money. Can the Giants keep Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz? I highly doubt it.

Let us move on to the other New York “team”, the Jets. The New York Jets are going to be one of the worst teams in the league this year. They have two quarterbacks who are both completely useless, and they are losing players in bulk this offseason. They already released Calvin Pace, Bart Scott, and Erik Smith in February. As I mentioned earlier, they lost mike Devito to free agency, they waived Sione Po’uha, and it is likely that Darrelle Revis will be traded before this years draft. It is safe to say that they are in rebuilding mode.

All in all it has been a busy couple of days in free agency, and the fun has only begun. As it stands so far, you’d have to say that the Kansas City Chiefs are the big winner so far. There are big names still left to sign so that may change in a heartbeat. Stay tuned for the rest of the moves around the NFL.

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