Week 5 - Sunday Night Defensive Showdown!

Houston Texans (2-2) at San Francisco 49ers (2-2)
5:30 pm PST/8:30 pm CST

The defensive titans face off on what is sure to be a great Sunday night game--a must-win for both teams. 

1.  Matt Schaub (Virginia) is the "other" Texas quarterback. Three of his six interceptions in the past 3 straight games were all returned for TDs. The Texans' "fans" were caught burning his jersey, for Pete's sake. His teammates are in for the long haul with Schaub, even if the fans are not. The next couple of games are make or break for his 10-year career.





2. 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith (Missouri) had a run-in with the law two weeks ago and walked away with a DUI and a stint in rehab. The length of his absence is undetermined.

3. The 49ers & Texans are both 2-2 and desperate to prove that they are worthy of last season's praise.

4. 49ers QB Kaepernick (Nevada) is completing just 58% of his passes so far, and the 49ers are 27th in passing yards.  Yikes.

5. The stunning Texas defense, led by the manically awesome JJ Watt (Wisconsin), is number one in the league in yards allowed with 254.3. Coach Jim Harbaugh has been quoted as saying of Watt, "He can ruin a game." At the 2011 combine, Watt's vertical jump (37 inches) ranked second among 57 defensive linemen and his broad jump (120 inches) was third. His 20 1/2 sacks matched the sixth-highest total in league history and he led the Texans in tackles (81), tackles for loss (39), quarterback hits (42), forced fumbles (four) and fumble recoveries (two). And after last week's humiliating loss to Seattle, he's pissed.

Week 3 -- Chiefs @ Philly

A coach travels "home", a beloved Chief is honored and the QB gets the cheerleader. Shocker. I'm shocked. DON'T MISS the amazing drink recipe at the end of the blog. It's Week 3 in the NFL! Let's kick it off.....

Kansas City Chiefs (2-0) at Philadelphia Eagles (1-1)
8:30pm EST on NFL Network

1. Andy Reid (BYU) returns to Philly. This is everything you need to know about this game, and it's all you'll hear on the pre-game show and from the commentators for about the first hour. Ugh. Michael Vick (VA Tech) credits Reid with taking a chance on him in 2009 after serving 23 months at Leavenworth for running a dog-fighting ring, lest we forget? Double ugh. Reid coached in Philly for 14 seasons from 1999-2012. For all the cheesesteak-eating they're bound to try to convince us he's done, Reid was born & raised in LA. His first job was as a hot dog vendor at Dodger Stadium.

2.  Chiefs are thin at TE this week, with their starters both injured in Monday night's narrow win over the Cowboys. They cut TE Kevin Brock (Rutgers) two weeks ago, but re-activated him for tonight's game. I'm sure he has mixed feelings about this. :)

3.  The Eagles go into Week 3 with the 2nd overall offense, but the 30th overall defense. In KC, it's Opposite Day...the Chiefs offense is 26th overall, and the D is 3rd. Hmmm....I think that's what they call a pick 'em, except the Eagles have home field advantage and an edge in Vegas, favored by 3 points. I think there is a better than even chance the Chiefs will pull off the upset, or at least cover the spread.

4.  Usually stellar Chiefs running back, Jamaal Charles, is averaging only 4.1 yards per carry this season, down from his career average of 5.7. That's a lot. He's currently tied with Marion Motley for best all-time career average, but he'd better pick up the pace if he wants to keep that title.

5.  Look for DeSean Jackson (UC-Berkeley) to get the ball a lot tonight as he goes for his 3rd straight 100-yard receiving game.

6.  Chiefs QB Alex Smith (Utah) was drafted as the first overall pick in 2005 (over Aaron Rodgers), but was deemed a "dud". Well, things have certainly changed for the former 49er. And while it is a league rule that you can't date an NFL cheerleader on your own team, no one said anything about marrying one from ANOTHER NFL team. Smith married Oakland Raiderette, Elizabeth Barry, in 2009. 


7.  Be sure to catch the homage to the great Chiefs linebacker in "Derrick Thomas: A Football Life" September 24th on NFL Network.  

Party Tip!!

Whether the weather cooperates or not, it’s Fall! The equinox comes this weekend, so let’s celebrate with an autumnal beverage you can serve at your next football party. Here in LA, we have a favorite spot called The Tasting Kitchen. They serve a fabulous concoction called “The Braveheart”, and I found the recipe.  Hey! That’s a double! No wonder it costs so danged much….

Tasting Kitchen's Braveheart :  Tasting Kitchen's fresh ginger juice is a ratio of 2 parts juiced ginger to 1 part simple syrup (its simple syrup is 2 parts sugar to 1 part water). To juice fresh ginger, purée or grate peeled ginger and strain, discarding or saving the solids for another use. Tasting Kitchen shakes and serves the cocktail using single large rocks of ice. (I substitute ginger beer when I don't have time to make ginger juice.)

 

2 ounces blended scotch

1 ounce fresh lemon juice­

3/4 ounce ginger juice

1/4 ounce cocktail honey (3 parts honey, 1 part hot water)

2 dashes bitters, preferably Angostura

Combine the scotch, lemon juice, ginger juice, cocktail honey and bitters in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain and serve over ice in a bucket glass.

Each cocktail: 175 calories; 0 protein; 13 grams carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 0 fat; 0 cholesterol; 11 grams sugar; 1 mg sodium.

Week 2--San Francisco @ Seattle

In the most-anticipated matchup of the week, The Niners travel to Seattle to face their Division nemesis. There are so many talking points for this game. Let's dive in.

1.  The twitter servers have certainly lit up this week with trash talk between these two teams.  The 49ers Anthony Dixon (Miss State) called Seattle the "SheHawks", which quickly earned a retort from former roommate and 49ers linebacker KJ Wright (Miss State)... 


2. Jim Harbaugh, coach of the 49ers, was QB at Michigan and a QB in the NFL until 2000. He was head coach at Stanford during their meteoric rise and became head coach in San Francisco in 2011. He sure didn't have to send the moving van very far.

3.  Pete Carroll, coach of the Seahawks, was head coach at USC, infamously leaving them in the lurch for numerous NCAA violations which he surely helped to orchestrate. Pete's, wife, Glyna, babysat for her husband's old boss at Arkansas, little Lane Kiffin, who would later become his assistant at USC and go on to several head coaching jobs. Carroll and Harbaugh have a storied history, facing off for years in the PAC-12 and now in the NFC West Division.

4.  49ers QB, Colin Kaepernick, (Nevada) and Seahawks QB, Russell Wilson, (Wisconsin) are both playing at exceptionally high levels. Both are also early masters of the "Read Option" plays (see GTK) which should give both defenses fits tonight.

5.  Though the 49ers went on to face (and lose to) the Ravens in the Super Bowl last year, they still remember the embarrassing smackdown they received from Seattle in late December, a 42-12 blowout loss in front of the 12th Man, Seattle's league-loudest home crowd.



6.  Russell Wilson and the Seahawks are undefeated at home in the past 13 regular season games, though every single road game they played last season was a LOSS. They did win last week's road game at Carolina by a slim margin of 12-7.  

7.  Wilson played all 16 games in 2012 and threw 26 TD passes, a record for a rookie that he shares with Peyton Manning. 

8.  If you haven't seen the Madden video game commercials, featuring the pair claiming that the loser will shave an eyebrow, don't get too excited.  Kaepernick has been quoted as saying that it's all in good fun and that they'll probably just do something digitial.  Lame.

Who doesn't love a good divisional matchup??  

NFL 2013--HERE WE GO!! TALKING POINTS: Ravens @ Broncos

Dust off the chip-n-dip bowl, and shake the moth balls out of your jerseys!  The 2013 NFL season is here, and it marks the 48th since the advent of the Super Bowl and the 93rd since its inception.  Are you ready???

As a refresher.....

• Sound like an expert! Each week, I'll give you talking points for the big games everyone will be buzzing about.  
• Ladies! Look for my teaching points each week to get you caught up on the rules of the game that you either really wish you knew, or that you can pretend you know for the sake of your boyfriend/roommate/husband/parents/whomever around you obsesses about sports.
• Party tips finish off each post, because everyone needs party tips.

Baltimore Ravens (0-0) at Denver Broncos (0-0)
5:30pm PST/8:30pm EST on NBC

The defending Super Bowl XLVII Champion Baltimore Ravens kickoff the season on the road in the Mile High City, but it's hard to defend a title without the heart of your defense: retired spiritual leader, Ray Lewis (Miami), and vicious free safety, Ed Reed (Miami), who joined the Houston Texans' squad in the offseason. Denver is favored by 7.5 points at press time with an over/under at 48.5.

1.  QB Peyton Manning (Tenn) is looking for revenge after last year's AFC Championship loss in double overtime to the Ravens, 38-35.

2.  Denver WR Wes Welker (Texas Tech) will play tonight after suffering a mild ankle sprain in the preseason. Welker should be known for two things other than his amazing tenure with the New England Patriots:  a. marrying 2005 Miss Hooters International, Ana Burns, b. undergoing a successful hair transplant in Rhode Island in 2012. Well.....ok.

3.  Broncos' outside linebacker Von Miller (A&M) is serving a 6 game suspension for violating the NFL substance abuse policy. Miller was drafted no. 2 overall in the 2011 draft and has 30 career sacks already with 18.5 last season. That's a lot. He will be sorely missed by the Denver defense, as will Elvis Dumervil (Louisville), who is now sporting a Ravens jersey at the outside linebacker slot.

4.  The Ravens' offensive line took good care of Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco (Delaware) in 2012, and now they don't have to block Miller or Dumervil. Did you know that Flacco is the NFL's highest paid player with a 6-year, $120.6M contract AND that he married his high school sweetheart? Awwww.... here they are posing with the wedding party on their high school football field.

Many Vegas oddsmakers have the Broncos going all the way to the Super Bowl this year, but don't forget, the Ravens still have Flacco at QB and are facing a weakened Denver defense. Should be a heck of a game. 

Ground Rules pick:  Denver will win, but won't cover the spread.

Welcome back, football. We missed you.  

PARTY TIP!

Trim the ends of chives to make little footballs out of your grandma's deviled egg recipe!

Super Bowl XLVII Cheat Sheet

It's a bittersweet weekend for this football girl.....the ultimate game on the ultimate stage, but, alas, the FINAL NFL GAME OF THE YEAR!  WAAAAHHHHHH!!  Ok, I'm done with the self-pity.  Onward and upward.....

DID YOU KNOW?....No team has ever played a Super Bowl in its own stadium?  Read on to see what else you might learn about the most-watched television event in history.  (Sorry, 4077th)

1.  The Harbaugh Bowl:  So-named because the head coaches of the San Francisco 49ers & the Baltimore Ravens are brothers, Jim & John Harbaugh.

• Jim Harbaugh: Coach of the 49ers
• 1986 Big Ten Player of the Year, went 24-5-1 as the starting quarterback for the Michigan Wolverines
• Played for the Bears, Colts, Ravens, Chargers, Lions & Panthers
• Head coach for San Diego, Stanford & 49ers

• John Harbaugh: Coach of the Ravens
• Lost his starting QB position in high school to his little brother, Jim, after a finger injury.
• Played Defense at Miami of Ohio
• Named Ravens head coach in 2008 & they've made the playoffs every year since.

2.  Ray Lewis (set to retire after this game) got his first career sack on then-Colt Jim Harbaugh

3.  Both coaches made startling moves late in the season: Jim benched powerhouse QB Alex Smith in favor of rookie Colin Kaepernick in Week 11 & John fired Offensive Coordinator Cam Cameron in Week 14

4.   The NFC currently leads the AFC 25-21 since Super Bowl I in 1967 (yay!)

5.  The Steelers lead all-time with 6 SB victories, the Cowboys and 49ers each have 5

6.  In 2012 Super Bowl ad spots went for as much as $3.5 M for 30 seconds


7.  CBS & NBC have broadcast the big game 17 times each, ABC 7 times & FOX 6

8.  The Super Bowl has been played in New Orleans 9 times, second only to Miami with 10

9.  Super Bowl XXVII in 1993 was pulled from Arizona by the NFL after the state refused to recognize Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  It was re-awarded to the state in 1996 after the state changed their law to recognize the federal holiday.

 10. Move over Beyonce...the first Super Bowl halftime show was performed by the University of Arizona Symphonic Marching Band, the Grambling State Marching Band, Mr. Al Hirt & the Anaheim High School Drill Team.  I'd imagine no "nip slips" in THAT show.

Enjoy the game, don't eat too much, don't bet tooooo much and drink responsibly....unless you're walking home, of course.  :)

GO NINERS!!!

NFC Playoff Standings

Here is the NFC Playoff picture this morning:

1. Atlanta Falcons: 13-2
3. Green Bay Packers: 11-4
2. San Francisco 49ers: 10-4-1
4. Washington Redskins 9-6
5. Seattle Seahawks: 10-5
6. Minnesota Vikings 9-6
7. Chicago Bears: 9-6
8. Dallas Cowboys 8-7
9. New York Giants: 8-7

• In order for San Francisco to become NFC West Champs, look for them to win outright OR for the Rams to upset Seattle today. The Rams D would have to play perfectly for that to happen, but it's possible!
•  Here's a great rundown of today's NFC matchups that matter: SI NF

 

Week 14--4th Quarter of the NFL Season

Week 14...We are officially in the 4th quarter of the 2012 NFL season.  WAH!!!  I don't want it to end.  We're lucky that we still have relevant matchups these next few weeks, though it's hilarious to listen to the booth guys struggle to stat you to death in games that don't matter.  The AFC's Texans, Patriots and Broncos will all be in the playoffs, as will the NFC's Falcons, but all of the above are still playing for home field advantage and/or a first round bye. The thing to remember this late in the season is that a team's record doesn't necessarily reflect how they're playing.  For playoff contenders, it's all about finishing strong with the least injuries.

Dallas Cowboys (6-6) at Cincinnati Bengals (7-5) 
1pm EST on FOX
Both teams need this win....bad.  Both are in a heated race for a wildcard berth.  Paul Brown Stadium is sold out for the first time in the last three games.  This should be a fun one to watch.

 1.  The press still loves to talk about the 'Boys and loves it when they win, but Tony Romo & Co are inconsistent at best with recent victories coming against lackluster Philly & Cleveland. Cincy is favored by 3, having won 4 straight.

2.  Cowboys nose guard Josh Brent (Illinois) is under arrest for suspicion of intoxication manslaughter in the death of teammate Jerry Brown (Illinois).

3.  Bengals RB Green-Ellis (Mississippi) has beaten the turf for over 100 yards in each of the last three games.

4.  Bengals QB Andy Dalton (TCU) is coming alive as of late, and his entire Houston family is traveling to Ohio for this pivotal game.  With his Ginger-extreme looks, they call him "The Red Rifle" in Cincy, though I can't help but think of Patrick Swayze's Road House "Dalton". He'll be looking for favorite receiver, AJ Green (Georgia), all day long.

Baltimore Ravens (9-3) at Washington Redskins (6-6) 
1pm EST on CBS
We talk about the Redskins every single week, because you just can't take your eyes off RGIII (Baylor).  Last year's Heisman Trophy winner is being compared to the greats already, but at 6-6, the 'Skins are still just a wildcard contender in Week 14. The crosstown "Beltway Bowl" will certainly be more entertaining than half of the BCS bowls.

Families divided....with tragic consequences.

1.  Vegas has these guys at "Pick 'em", but let's not forget that Baltimore hasn't lost back to back games in over 3 years.

2.  Ravens RB Ray Rice (say that 10 times fast) (Rutgers) received exactly 0 touches in the fourth quarter of last week's loss to Pittsburgh.  You can bet that won't happen again.

3.  Ravens Safety Ed Reed (Miami) is one of the best in the game.  He has more interceptions than any active player. Boom.

4.  RGIII has the lowest interception rate in the NFL. Boom.

Houston Texans (11-1) at New England Patriots (9-3) 
8:30pm EST Monday on ESPN
The Patriots have won 12 straight regular season games in December. The streak started in 2009 against the Carolina Panthers. Can these guys be stopped? 

1. With one touchdown pass, QB Tom Brady (Michigan) will extend his streak to 45 straight games with at least one touchdown pass. It’s the third longest streak of all-time. TE Wes Welker (Texas Tech) only needs 8 receptions to become the first player in NFL history with five 100- catch seasons.

2.  Giselle Bundchen gave birth to a healthy baby girl, Vivian Lake, on Wednesday, but hubby, Tom, was present for Patriots' walkthrough practice on Wednesday and was on the field Thursday as well. Geez.

3.  Don't look for Arian Foster and the powerful Texans' offense to roll over for the Patriots.  This is a potential look at the AFC Championship game.  NE is favored by 4.5, but TE Ron Gronkowski (Arizona) is still out with a broken arm.

4.  JJ Watt (Wisconsin) is nasty, nasty, nasty.  If he and pretty boy don't get up close and personal, I'd be greatly surprised. Jon Gruden will be drooling in the booth over this guy's performance.  He's up for Defensive Player of the Year with 60 tackles, including 50 unassisted. He has 16 1/2 sacks, 27 tackles for loss, 31 hits on the quarterback and 15 passes deflected at the line of scrimmage. 

Hope everyone's getting into the Holiday spirit! I know football helps.  :)  Enjoy Week 14!