Archive for New York Jets
NFL Conference Championship Round Preview
Posted by: | CommentsWow, what a week of playoff football! We saw total blowouts from the Saints, Vikings, and Colts, and then another upset from the Cinderella New York Jets team. As the 2009 NFL season heads into conference championship weekend, let’s take a closer look at this week’s games, as well as the always-fun-to-watch Pro Bowl:
2010 AFC Championship Game
New York Jets at Indianapolis Colts
Sunday, Jan. 24, 2010 3:00 PM EST
On paper this looks nothing like a conference championship game. When the Colts and Jets met in Week 16, the Colts were 14-0 and the Jets were a mediocre 7-7 looking for a chance at making it to the postseason. The Jets ended up having an easy pass into the playoffs thanks to the Colts benching their starters, and the Bengals’ disgraceful performance in Week 17. To prove the Jets’ 37-0 beating of the Bengals was no fluke, they came back in the first round of the playoffs to beat them again, 24-14, thanks to two rookies: Mark Sanchez and Shonn Greene. Then last week, they held on against the Chargers, 17-14, and again Shonn Greene was key in grinding out the game.
This week’s matchup pits a team of rookies versus a team of seasoned veterans. Peyton Manning and Reggie Wayne have been working it together for nine years now, and they’ve brought the Colts a Super Bowl title and a plethora of playoff appearances. As I mentioned earlier, two of the Jets key offensive players are rookies; Sanchez hasn’t been asked to do much all season and the team has relied on their running attack, powered by Greene and Thomas Jones. The Jets do have the number one defense in the NFL, which could play a factor in this game as they try and stop the 4-time MVP quarterback Manning from taking the 15-1 Colts to another Super Bowl. However, I think the Colts will be too much for the rookie quarterback to handle, and Peyton Manning will step up his game, finding a way past the dominance of Darrelle Revis and the Jets defense. In the end, it looks like the Cinderellas of the 2009 NFL playoffs won’t be able to beat Indianapolis again, and the Colts will win 20-10.
2010 NFC Championship Game
Minnesota Vikings at New Orleans Saints
Sunday, Jan. 24, 2010 6:40 PM EST
This game should certainly be another offensive battle in the NFC. The Saints, who arguably have the best offense in the NFL, led the league in yards per game and points per game throughout the regular season. Drew Brees might be the best quarterback in the NFL right now, and they showed all their weapons against the Arizona Cardinals last week. The Saints aren’t known for having a great defense, but they were still able to blowout Arizona. I think New Orleans, if they can get a hot start, will keep streaking like they did last week and win the game.
On the other hand, the Minnesota Vikings have quite a few weapons of their own. They are led by future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre and hot-shot running back Adrian Peterson. Minnesota also has nine Pro Bowlers this year, including two starting offensive lineman, wide receiver Sidney Rice, Favre, and Peterson. They also have a solid defense, led by All-Pro defensive end Jared Allen. This team is loaded with talent, and should not disappoint this week in the Big Easy. As tough as this game should be, I see Brett Favre leading his team to a Super Bowl. Vikings win 31-24.
2010 NFL Pro Bowl Game
AFC vs. NFC
Sunday, Jan. 31, 2010 7:20 PM EST
Before the game even starts, it is already making history. For the first time ever, the Pro Bowl will be played before the Super Bowl! Personally I liked the game better when it was after the Super Bowl, but at least now you don’t have to go a week without football anymore. It is also being played in Florida this year instead of Hawaii, a move I don’t like. Hawaii doesn’t have a professional football team, so when the Pro Bowl comes along, all the fans on the little islands in the Pacific Ocean finally get to enjoy a game, and a special one. But it is what it is, and the game will stay on the mainland.
Anyway, this game should also be interesting to watch. But when I look at these rosters though I think one thing: AFC! The AFC looks very strong this year with studs like Peyton Manning, Chris Johnson, and Andre Johnson leading the offense. Their defense is also very strong with sack-king Elvis Dumervil and other stars such as James Harrison, Ray Lewis, Darrelle Revis, and Dwight Freeney. Expect a lot of pressure on the NFC quarterbacks and even a few sacks. I think the NFC has another very strong defense with Darren Sharper, Charles Woodson, and Asante Samuel manning the secondary. Patrick Willis, DeMarcus Ware, and Jared Allen should act as a wall to many of the AFC’s moves, too. Since there is so much talent in these all-star games, it is very tough to predict, but I’d have to give my edge to the AFC, 27-24.
Good luck to all the teams you guys are rooting for and feel free to leave your feedback on who you think will go dancing into the Big Game.
R.I.P. Gaines Adams (1983-2010)
-Rich
Richie Sliwinski, 14, is a young card collector who enjoys playing, watching, and talking about sports, hanging out with friends, going on the computer . . . and of course, collecting cards! He has been featured in Beckett Sports Card Monthly, Sports Illustrated for Kids, and was a kid blogger for Upper Deck Kids.
Popularity: 26% [?]
2009 Rookie of the Year Candidates
Posted by: | CommentsThe NFL season is winding down, and the playoff picture is starting to come into focus. I have followed the rookies for the whole year on both my site and this one, keeping a close eye on those who stand out as top of the class. With the offensive and defensive Rookie of the Year award, there are a few contenders that are at the forefront of the discussion. Many of these rookies have won at least one of the Upper Deck Rookie of the Week awards, and there are still three weeks left for the others to jump on board.
First, I want to discuss my thoughts on the offensive side of the ball, as these are the players that usually receive the most attention. Each of these candidates has meant a great deal to their team (some of which have even won games single handedly). They’ve also had some of the better rookie seasons in recent memory, and the exclamation point will be on the way for two of them come February.
Percy Harvin
If there is one player that has redefined the word “electrifying” this year, Percy Harvin is him. In addition to catching six TD passes from Brett Favre, he also has run back two kicks for touchdowns as well. He leads all rookies in plays over twenty yards from scrimmage, and has been Favre’s favorite third down target for the whole year. He has also functioned as a running back in some cases, carrying the ball out of the Wildcat and motion formations (some of which went for good yardage). He is pretty much the complete package, but the problem of migraines late in the season may hamper his run for this award. He has already missed one game, and is on track to miss at least one more. Regardless, his odds are still pretty good to come home with the trophy.
Knowshon Moreno
Denver has always been famous for churning out great running backs, and Moreno is no exception. He leads rookie running backs in yards, attempts, yards per carry, touchdowns, and has put together a very nice rookie campaign. Denver started off as one of the three undefeated teams into the middle of the season, and Moreno was a factor in those wins. His five touchdowns are tops on the team, and he is primed for a 1,000 yard season with 837 yards and three weeks to go. Moreno also looks like he will be a force in the years to come, as the Broncos running game has drastically improved with his arrival. His drawbacks are few, but the ones that stick out in my mind are a few key fumbles in key situations. However, this shouldn’t hurt him too much: if Harvin falters and misses the last few games, Moreno is probably the favorite.
Matt Stafford
Before last year, rookie quarterbacks were never expected to put up good seasons due to the time needed to develop into an efficient playmaker. Stafford was drafted by the Lions to take over the reins as soon as possible and has done that effectively. He brought the first two wins in the last two years to the team, one coming on the last play of the game with a hurt shoulder. He also set the rookie record for touchdowns and passing yardage in a single game, making a good case for his winning the award. But the problem with Stafford all season has been injuries, as he missed a number of games with knee and shoulder problems. Stafford has done his best to make us forget those weeks, but at this point he will need some big numbers to convince us that he deserves consideration.
Mark Sanchez
This season has been about as big of a roller coaster as it could be for Sanchez, starting very high and going through some twists and turns. Right now, the roller coaster is probably at its lowest, with Sanchez having missed the last game, but the team record could do a lot more for him when compared to Stafford. Sanchez has also thrown a lot of interceptions, but those came on the back of some great performances early in the season. I’m not sure how much of a chance he has right now, but he still has some time to make his case.
Beanie Wells
Although he started off slow, Wells has slowly become the running man in Arizona, putting up touchdowns in the last few games. He has also performed above expectations with yards per carry average, and has done a very good job in getting the struggling Cardinals running game on track. It used to be that the Cardinals would come in and hit you with the gruesome wide receiver twosome, but now there is an added element with Wells carrying the ball. I like Wells’ potential in years to come . . . but as for Rookie of the Year, he is a longshot.
Hakeem Nicks
I think Hakeem Nicks has quietly put together an awesome rookie season. He leads the rookies in receiving yards and is tied for the lead in touchdown receptions, but hasn’t received the same kind of attention as someone like Harvin. He definitely has a shot if the Giants can put together a nice run to get into the playoffs, but it will take some major convincing to dethrone the people ahead of him.
When it comes to defensive Rookie of the Year, there are really only two names in the discussion, mainly because of how well they have performed in their team’s overall defensive arrangement.
Brian Cushing
Cushing is the only rookie to have put up 100 tackles, and has also had 2.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and a few interceptions. He has truly been a one man wrecking crew, and his credentials are top notch for Defensive ROY. I would say that Cushing is basically the end all and be all of this award, but the overall Texans defense has been less than stellar.
Clay Matthews
Matthews has been a freaking beast for the Packers in their 3-4 defense. He has 8.0 sacks and has put together an awesome season. He may only have 40 tackles, but he did rip away a touchdown from Adrian Peterson when the Packers played the Vikings early in the season. Its going to be him or Cushing, and that is a no doubter.
With that, my picks so far are going to be Percy Harvin and Brian Cushing, but there is still a chunk of season left to play. Many of the rookies are going to be playing on teams that are fighting for their lives, and that may lead to some changes in the rankings. Who knows: once the season comes to an end, we may have someone new altogether.
Also, be sure to continue to enter the codes from all of your favorite Upper Deck cards, as you still have the chance to win great prizes if your code matches the Rookie of the Week. Of course, it couldn’t hurt to bank on these guys, as they are mostly all past winners. You can also win an autographed football of all the rookies who attended the 2009 Rookie Premiere, giving you another reason to diligently follow the Own The Rookies site.
Adam Gellman runs the collecting blog Sports Cards Uncensored, and has been a collector of all things sports for over 15 years. To see more of his work, visit www.sportscardsuncensored.com (warning: strong language!).
Popularity: 69% [?]
Rookie of the Week: Week 7 – Shonn Greene
Posted by: | CommentsOne of the most exciting reasons to collect NFL rookie cards is that you get to watch their values spike if the player performs well on the field. To help capture that excitement, Upper Deck launched a new website to help collectors track 2009 NFL rookie cards, and make predictions on which rookie would have the best week at OwnTheRookies.com.
Collectors who successfully guess the player who will be Upper Deck’s “Rookie of the Week” will be entered into a drawing to win a box of 2009 NFL trading cards. For having the best single game performance of any of the 2009 rookie running backs so far, New York’s Shonn Greene is the top rookie of Week 7. If you entered codes from Greene’s cards last week, stay tuned to the website to see if you are a winner!
While playing at the University of Iowa, Shonn Greene was definitely a player many fans expected would become successful in the NFL. He was the first Iowa player to win the Doak Walker award, was named as an All American, and had the talent to be a great professional back. As the rounds moved on in the 2009 draft, Greene was passed up by just about every team in favor of more polished backs like Knowshon Moreno and Donald Brown. The New York Jets weren’t buying it, and traded up to select him in the third round to play behind aging Thomas Jones and Leon Washington.
During camp and the preseason, it became clear that Greene’s first few years would most likely be in a backup role: this was the case until last week. Leon Washington, who had been having a good year playing with other Jets rookie Mark Sanchez, went down with an injury at the beginning of the game. Greene was called upon to fill his shoes, and did so with reckless abandon. He rushed for close to 150 yards and two scores on the way to a convincing Jets victory over the struggling Raiders. Greene looked great, and I’m sure a few of those teams who passed on him in the early rounds were smacking themselves.
Greene isn’t the first later round pick to shine this year, but he is the first running back to explode on the field. His performance outshone any other rookie running back so far, and did so by a wide margin. Not only did he wreck the Raiders’ defense, but he did it off the bench. Truly impressive. Now with Washington out for the year, Greene has all of a sudden put himself at the top of the Jets running game. This has led to a huge spike in his value, and luckily for collectors, there are few things on the horizon to help them out in getting a hold of his cards.
The first are his cards out of UD Black, featuring the first hard signed high end offering of the year. Greene will surely be featured prominently as a participant in the 2009 Rookie Premiere, and that will mean lots of rare and valuable cards. Secondly, Ultimate Collection and SP Authentic are not far off anymore, and both look to be some of the coolest cards of the year.
In addition to what is coming, Greene has some great cards that have already hit the market. First, his SPX Rookie Jersey Auto looks great. It has pieces of player worn jersey as well as a great example of an autograph signed by a player who cares about the way it looks.
Greene was also part of the recent SP Threads release, and his acetate embedded rookie jersey card was unique to say the least. The card has swatches of player worn jersey just like the SPX, but the player picture is printed on a stock that is translucent. This gives a great effect when looking at it, almost like the player is a ghost on the card.
Lastly, Shonn’s Upper Deck rookie card has one of the better action shots of the set. I always love to see a great photo for the card subject, and this one does not disappoint. It is one of those cards that I could see as a great one to get signed, or to keep for the future. Greene definitely has the prospects to make it worth your while to pick up a few right now.
Next week will be a bigger test for Greene as he faces a team that’s a little more competition than the Raiders. Miami has a good defense, and Sanchez may need to rely on the rushing game a little more than usual. Jets fans are hoping Greene will continue his torrid pace and give the team more added hope in their 2009 rookies. I Jets collectors are banking on it, literally.
Check in next week for the newest rookie to win “Rookie of the Week” honors and don’t forget to enter in all your rookie card codes from the Upper Deck products you have collected so far. Not only can you win prizes, but the site has some great features that allow you to track rookies and their cards this season!
Adam Gellman runs the collecting blog Sports Cards Uncensored, and has been a collector of all things sports for over 15 years. To see more of his work, visit www.sportscardsuncensored.com (warning: strong language!).
Popularity: unranked [?]
Monday Night Football Review and Preview
Posted by: | CommentsThrough the first five weeks of what has been an intriguing football season, the Miami Dolphins are the most successful team rushing the ball, averaging 177 yards per game. The funny thing about this fact is that they are doing it in a most unconventional way by utilizing the Wildcat offense. The phenomenon of the Wildcat offense has caught many defenses in the NFL off guard. The New York Jets experienced it firsthand on Monday night. The Dolphins have said over and over again that they will continue to put their best players on the field. The difference is they put all their best players on the field at the same time. The Dolphins one-two punch of Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams combined for a total of 226 yards against one of the league’s stingiest defenses. Once again, head coach Tony Sporano executed his game plan to perfection, converting on nine of 14 third-down attempts.
The Wildcat is not a new offense. The Dolphins’ version features their most electrifying playmaker, Brown, taking a direct snap from center, and then having the option of handing the ball of to the motion receiver, in this case Williams, or faking the handoff and taking it up the gut himself. This type of offense was developed in college football many years ago, and was recently implemented into the NFL last year by Sporano and former coach and current Dolphins’ VP of Football Operations Bill Parcells. In the past, coaches would not dare run this type of offense because NFL players were said to be too strong, smart, and quick for an offense such as this. Apparently, Sporano and Parcells knew something the rest of the league didn’t.
For some odd reason, the New York Jets looked extremely confused on defense. First-year head coach Rex Ryan was the defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens last season. Mind you, the Ravens have been known for boasting one of the top five defenses in the league since 2000. He brought this same philosophy to the Jets, along with some of his favorite players including Bart Scott and Jim Leonhard. He also played the Dolphins twice last year, shutting down this same Wildcat offense both times. So, if any blame is to be placed for Monday night’s debacle, it solely rests on Ryan’s shoulders for failing to adequately prepare his team.
Next Monday night, however, may be a game for the ages. The undefeated Denver Broncos travel to San Diego for the first time this season. Forget the fact that it is only their first meeting and we are only six weeks into the season; this is a must-win game for the Chargers if they want any shot at making the playoffs. Once again, they’ve gotten off to a slow start (2-2), except this time it may hurt them more than ever before. Last season, the division was fairly competitive. But after looking at both teams’ schedules with four games remaining, it was easy to conclude that the Broncos were probably not going to make it to the playoffs.
This year, however, poses a different Broncos’ team that seems focused and has taken on the mentality of their new head coach, Josh McDaniels. Their staff does a great job of putting the team in successful positions to win games. Add this to the fact that they have a great defense and a quarterback named Kyle Orton who doesn’t turn the ball over, and it seems that they are in a prime position to steal a victory in San Diego.
What makes this scenario even more likely to come true is the fact that the Chargers’ organization is currently in a state of flux. They were the premier team in the division and have been for a long time. But all of a sudden, they can’t run the ball because of a poorly assembled backfield. And they can’t stop the run because of dreadful outside linebacker play, which means there is no pressure on the opposing quarterback so they have trouble defending the pass. This chain of reaction is what the Chargers face every game. The Broncos’ staff is comprised of several former New England Patriots coaches, some of whom are widely recognized as the best game planners in the NFL. I believe that McDaniels will exploit the Chargers for their long list of shortcomings because that’s the New England way.
Get ready for another interesting Monday Night Football game!
Popularity: unranked [?]
Rookie of the Week: Week 1 – Mark Sanchez
Posted by: | CommentsOne of the most exciting reasons to collect NFL rookie cards is that you get to watch their values spike if they perform on the field. To help capture that excitement, Upper Deck launched a new website last week to help collectors track 2009 NFL rookie cards, but also make predictions on which rookie would have the best week at OwnTheRookies.com.
Collectors who can successfully guess who will be Upper Deck’s “Rookie of the Week” will be entered into a drawing to win a box of 2009 NFL cards. After his strong showing this weekend, Upper Deck has recognized New York Jets QB Mark Sanchez with the honors of “Rookie of the Week”. If you entered codes from Sanchez cards last week, stay tuned to the website to see if you are a winner!
Early on in training camp, Rex Ryan tapped rookie Mark Sanchez to be his starting QB, a move that definitely paid off for him in week one. As a result, Upper Deck has chosen Sanchez as their Rookie of the Week for his impressive play during their 24-7 win over the Texans. Here on the Upper Deck Blog, we will discuss the impact this player has made on his team, as well as a few cards to pick up along the way.
When the Jets traded up to pick Sanchez at number five in the 2009 NFL Draft, many Jets fans were extremely happy to have such a talented quarterback at the helm. Brett Favre was out, Sanchez was the future, and things were definitely looking good. Collectors also latched on pretty early, as Sanchez’s USC career and NFL potential made him one of the most valuable pulls in any product release. Now that he has won his first game, thrown for close to 300 yards and a touchdown (as well as solidified his place as the Jets’ QB of the future) things are only going to get better for Sanchez collectors.
Heading into week one, it was expected that Sanchez would have a tougher time against Mario Williams and the Texans defense than some of the other rookies that were also making their debut. Sanchez didn’t disappoint, however, throwing a rainbow 30 yard touchdown pass to receiver Chansi Stuckey in the second quarter. As Sanchez bolted down the field in celebration, you could almost feel a collective sigh of relief coming from the Jets fans who have dealt with their share draft problems over the last few years. After the TD, he finished the game 18/31 for 272 yards and a convincing Jets win. Sanchez did throw an interception, but the contributions he made during the game were key. He even showed his considerable accuracy with a few throws that moved the chains on third down and long, even against a formidable pass rush. Sanchez kept his cool, hit his receivers, and proved his worthiness of the Jets’ top pick.
Luckily for collectors, there are quite a bit of amazing Sanchez cards to pick up in the wake of his first game, and I would suggest acting quickly due to his growing popularity. The first card I would like to focus on is his Same Day Signature card out of Upper Deck Football. The card features Sanchez in his Jets jersey with a hard-signed signature, and is one of the most sought after cards in the new product. There are a few out there with special inscriptions, making the cards even more amazing. I would be on the lookout for those examples, as they carry quite a premium over the others.
For some of the other people (who may also be fans of Sanchez from his days at USC), the Upper Deck Philadelphia National Chicle mini is one of my favorites so far. The painted card is a short print insert in the recently released set, usually coming only a few per box. Due to the rarity, as well as the amazing look of the card, they are some very valuable cards. If you are lucky enough to get a signed parallel, consider me to be very jealous, as the hard-signed signature makes the card even more desirable.
There are also some great cards that are about to hit shelves in the coming week, including his SPx Rookie Jersey Autograph card, one of the first high end cards to be released. The SPx cards are always a favorite of collectors, and feature Sanchez pictured in his Jets jersey. The card is also one of the first to feature player worn jersey pieces, so you can bet that it will be one of the more valuable cards around.
When it comes down to it, “El Matador” is poised to have a great career in New York, and collectors are not hesitating to recognize that potential with the highest values of the 2009 class. His experience in a USC pro-style offense gives him the tools to be extremely effective on a team with no shortage of weapons, thus making him even more valuable to the collectors who have targeted him. Sanchez is definitely deserving of the first rookie of the week for 2009, and I don’t think he has even shown what he is capable of.
Check in next Tuesday for the newest rookie to win top honors of the week, and don’t forget to enter in all your rookie card codes from the Upper Deck products you have collected so far. Not only can you win prizes, but the site has some great features to allow you to track rookie cards this season!
Adam Gellman runs the collecting blog Sports Cards Uncensored, and has been a collector of all things sports for over 15 years. To see more of his work, visit www.sportscardsuncensored.com (warning: strong language!).
Popularity: unranked [?]
