WEEK 7 GMAC VS. RTR

It was a snow covered field on a cold February morning this past Sunday for our team's most anticipated rematch of the season.  GMAC looking to come up big against the best team in the league in RTR.  The game started very slowly as the first quarter was scoreless.  Both teams had trouble in the out set of the game getting anything going in the snow.  We stood strong against RTR in the first quarter being the first team to hold them scoreless through one quarter.  

A tough deep ball to their tallest receiver game them the 6-0 lead in the second quarter.  The first score of the game was a hard earned one, and the failure to convert the extra point gave us a chance to believe that we could stop this team and pull out an upset.  Our offensive line struggled through the first half a lot.  It got to the point where Doug Convissar had to come into the back field to block.  He did a good job but it was still difficult to get anything going.  Our team was forced to punt at the end of the half where an effective spot pass made it 12-0 as time expired in the first half.

The third quarter we got the ball back and had a quick strike down the field to make it 12-6 as Eric Convissar caught Nick Beltrani's pass on the biggest corner on the team; a slip but the RTR defender an Eric was gone into the end zone.  For the rest of the quarter it was a struggle for both teams as we tried to tie the game, they tried to pull away.  Neither side was successful at doing this.

The fourth quarter was the most thrilling quarter of the season.  After a punt by RTR, we had the ball we some good field position, and a chance to tie the game late.  On a 3rd and 5 in RTR territory, a pass interference call put GMAC in the red zone with less than 5 minutes left.  The play was to Rob Adams to bring us closer to the end zone and to victory, however, a slip on the snowy turf cost ed us a turnover that gave them the ball back deep in their territory.  Our defense did their job getting the ball back with just over 2 minutes.  But like the previous drive, the snowy conditions and a slip gave us yet another interception given up.  RTR would then score a meaningless touch down inside to minutes to win 18-6.

A lot came out of the game for GMAC.  We believe that we can compete with the best team in the league, and we are certainly the second best team in the league.  We held an undefeated team that averages over 30 points a game to 18 (in reality just 12 with the meaningless touchdown), as well as scored on a team that has given up now just 2 touch downs on the season.  Next week we take on Inches-a-Weigh again, a team we beat 15-6 in the third week for our first win of the year.

Week 6 Rematch with Belfiore

Week 6 brought our 5th game of the year.  Coming off the bye week with a 2-2 record having won 2 games after an 0-2 start.  It also brought our second straight game with Belfiore Meats.  In our week 4 matchup, we won 34-12 giving up a last second touchdown.  Three touchdowns deep to Eric Convissar, along with his brother Doug, and defensive captain Rob Adams, having one touchdown a piece.  The one concern our team had coming into this game was looking past them towards our rematch with RTR Swashbucklers.  

Well our team made it clear early that we weren't looking past them as our team leader Nick Beltrani hit Will Piccarello deep on the first drive of the game for a quick 7-0 lead.  We set the pace early for a game that was sure to get out of hand.  Nick once again had a huge game throwing 5 touchdowns, including a 75 yard touchdown to Rob, marking his longest TD reception of the season; that put the game away.  Umberto Cordero got his first touchdown of the year, and the offense was clicking on all cylinders.  Will with two, Rob with two, and Umberto with one marking the 5 touchdowns that Nick threw during the game.  

The defense was stout after giving up 12 points to the lowest scoring team in the league in our previous meeting.  Belfiore only had a couple of plays in Appleseed territory, and threw four interceptions, one returned for a touchdown by Will.  Applseed steamrolled Belfiore 40-0, marking the first shut out of the season, and making a huge statement going into the rematch with RTR.  Next week at 8:30 on the Greenbelt turf, we will look to avenge the week 1 28-0 loss to the best team in the division.  

Supernatural to the Mets

Johan Santana was traded yesterday to the New York Mets for Carlos Gomez, Phil Humber, Kevin Mulvey, and Deolis Guerra.  None of these names strike me as impact players that will help the Twins within the coming years.  I feel that Santana was robbed from the Twins.  Let's not forget it was a month and a half ago that players like Jose Reyes, Phil Hughes, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Jon Lester were mentioned as possible players from the Mets, Yankees, and Red Sox that were suppose to be traded for the best lefty of the century.  Which is why I look at this trade and I feel like as much as the Twins wanted to sit and get the best possible offer, I feel like they sat and watched the major players leave the table, and were forced into making a trade that is almost one sided.  It doesn't seem like the Twins want to win anything within the next ten years.  Letting Torii Hunter go was the beginning of the exodus.  Now, Santana was traded for virtually a crap shoot.  They still have a good core of players with Mauer, Morneau, and Cuddyer.  However their team isn't nearly as intimidating as it once was.  It is a shame the Fransisco Liriano can no longer learn from the best lefty around.  Coming off of Tommy John surgery you would think he could use all the advice he can get.  Bottom line is the team that is going into a new stadium in Minnesota will have plenty of time to enjoy the new surroundings when they go to the games, because the product they are going to see has become nothing short of futile.  

As for the Mets, congratulations, you now have the best pitcher in our era.   Just don't go blowing a September lead like you did last year.  The Mets have moved up to being the team to beat once again in the National League.  That doesn't mean they have automatically won the National League, or even their division.  The Phillies have improved their bullpen with the Brad Lidge signing.  This may move Brett Myers back to the rotation to compliment Cole Hamels, and of course, lets not forget they have the best offense in the National League.  The best 1st baseman, 2nd baseman, and shortstop in Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, and Jimmy Rollins (yes, and MVP award does make him better than Jose Reyes Mets fans).  With all that the Phillies shouldn't be too intimidated about the Mets acquiring Johan Santana.  Its too early to make predictions and analyze teams, but its shaping up to be a great race in the NL East once again in 2008.

Week 3 Appleseed vs. Inches-a-Weigh

This past week it was a match up of 2 win less teams looking to get on the right track.  Our team set the pace early with a quick scoring drive on a little in route that ended up with us in the end zone.  Our team quickly made it 7-0 and set the tempo for a long game for Inches-A-Weigh.  Later on in the first half we got another great scoring drive on yet another big play that made it 13-0.  The opposing team's offense had a tough time getting anything going as a botched snap in the end zone resulted in a safety that made it 15-0.  

During the second half our team came out a little slow and struggled moving the ball down the field.  A botched snap on a punt resulted in great field position for our opponent.  Are defense remained stout and held them on four straight downs.  However, a costly holding penalty gave them first and goal inside the one.  On the next play the quarterback scrambled in and made it 15-6.  Our defense bounced back and held them on their next drive, and our offense put together a time consuming drive that ended the game.  

It was a great game for our team on both sides of the ball.  We gave up just 3 completions, and a touchdown that wouldn't have been scored if not for a penalty.  Our offense scored for the first time in the three games we've played so far this year.  I feel like we are starting to get the hang of this league, and we may be a better competitor than what we were just 2 weeks ago.  We need to continue in this direction to give ourselves' any chance against the better teams in our division.  This week, Super bowl Sunday, Appleseed Realty takes on Belfiore Meats, 8:30 a.m., on the Greenbelt Turf.  Our team is looking to get back to .500 with a win going into the bye. 

Week 2 in Touch Tackle

This past Sunday we faced 5 Star Carting.  This team was coming off a 48-0 win in the previous week.  We needed to be at the top of our game, and unfortunately for the second straight week we weren't.  Our team got out to an early lead after 3 straight botched snaps by the opponent that ended in a safety.  Our team didn't capitalize on the possession, and on the next drive they scored a touchdown that put them out 8-2.  At the end of the half, our quarterback Nick Beltrani, had a pass deflect off one of our receivers and was intercepted.  The turnover resulted in a touchdown in the final minute that put them ahead 14-2.  In the second half our offense was moving the ball, and our defense was looking a lot better than what we were in the final 2 minutes of the first half.  Unfortunately our team struggled in the red zone for the second straight week.  A couple of bad snaps that killed our drives, and our momentum.  A promising start turned into an ugly finish for our team.  We were a lot better on special teams this week, and the defense played well outside of the 2 minutes in the second quarter.  Our offense seems to be getting into shape as well, we just need to keep from getting bad snaps in the red zone that end our drives.  Our team is still in search for our first win as we take on Inches-a-Weigh at 8:30 January 27th, at Green Belt park.  

This is our first time around but I feel like we are pretty close to making things right and getting on the roll we need to be on to bring the team where it should be.  There is a long way to go in our season and we still feel we have a shot, now all we have to do it take care of business.

SUPER BOWL XLII NEW YORK GIANTS VS. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

The super bowl is set.  It was one of the most exciting games of the year.  On December 29, the Patriots went to the Meadow lands to take on the Giants in one of the most intense games of the year.  The Giants played them extremely well, and at one point lead the game 28-16.  However the Patriots came out with 22 unanswered points to take a 38-28 lead.  The Giants would score a touchdown in the final 2 minutes to get the score to 38-35, and failed to get the on-side kick.  This lead the Patriots to the first undefeated season since the 1972 Dolphins.  Although the Giants lost, I feel that they gained a lot of confidence going into the post season considering just how hard they fought the best team in the NFL.  The Giants scored more points than any other opponent that faced the Patriots during the season.  

As January rolled on, the Giants became road warriors.  Underdogs in every game during the playoffs the Giants took on the challenges that stood in their way.  Jeff Garcia, who had defeated the Giants in the last 2 playoff meetings looked sluggish in the second half of the game and the Bucs lost 24-14.  In Dallas, the drive that ended the first half by the Giants turned the momentum in their favor, and a time that was number 1 in the NFL in 3rd quarter points, was held to just 3 points the entire half and lost 21-17.  And on Sunday, at the cathedral known as Lam beau field, the Giants missed 2 field goals in the 4th quarter, both of which would have won them the game, played into overtime and intercepted one of the best quarterbacks we have ever seen.  This lead them to a third field goal try that won them the game after their kicker had been in the dog house for missing 2 big kicks, he ended up in the penthouse by games end.  So the Giants go to Super bowl 42 and continue to face the stacked odds against them.  Do they have what it takes?

The Patriots continue to learn from their all knowing head coach.  After a 16-0 season, they faced the Jaguars who were supposed to be the only team that was hot enough to beat them in the playoffs.  The Jags played them tough to a 14-14 score at half time.  The Patriots then came out in the second half and out scored the Jags 14-3 in the 3rd quarter and cruised to the finish a 31-20 victory over the Jags to host the AFC Championship.  The AFC title game was against a banged up Chargers team that played with a lot of heart.  After a week of practice, and working hard to be a better defense in the red zone, the Chargers made it into the red zone 4 times, only to be held to 4 field goals.  Brady's sloppy play was picked up by this amazing red zone defense.  The fourth quarter touchdown that gave the Patriots a 21-12 lead wasn't nearly as impressive as the final drive that took the last 9:13 off the clock.  Once again the Patriots have shown that they can beat a team in anyway necessary.  Now the last task they have for a perfect season is winning the super bowl.  Are we going to witness history?

This Super Bowl has a team with a mission against a team that wasn't suppose to be here.  The heavy under dog Giants have the odds stacked against them once again, as the rematch the undefeated Patriots.  The Giants showed that they can compete with the best of them going through some of the toughest teams in the NFC, as well as putting up a hell of a fight against the Patriots in a losing effort.  Meanwhile, the Patriots showed that no matter what a team wants to throw at them, they will continue to have an answer, and continue to win games.  Now, they are just one win away from being the best team in NFL history.  This should be a great game.

The Shocking Conference Championship Matchups

With the Divisional round of the NFL playoffs over, we now have the conference championship games set.

AFC Championship: San Diego Chargers at New England Patriots; Sunday, January 20, 3:00

To the surprise of many, the AFC Championship is a rematch of the San Diego Chargers and the New England Patriots, and not a rematch of week 9 between the Indianapolis Colts and the New England Patriots.  In week 2, the Patriots defeated the Chargers 38-14, just one week removed from the Spygate situation.  With some pretty big injuries hanging over the Chargers (Tomlinson, Gates, and Rivers) the Chargers may not have a prayer against the Patriots.  It just seems that the machine know as the Patriots are on a mission to win the Super Bowl, not only for themselves, but for Belichick as well.  The Chargers, like the Giants in the NFC have been written off for weeks by many people around the league.  They have continued to answer the call all the way to the AFC title game.  I just think that it will not be enough to stop a team that has an agenda.  The Chargers may keep it interesting until the second half, but like the Jaguars game, the Patriots will pull away again.  

Patriots 34, Chargers 21

NFC Championship: New York Giants at Green Bay Packers;  Sunday, January 20, 6:30

The NFC Championship is also a rematch of week 2.  Also, like the AFC, the NFC has a shocker in its championship game as well.  After the stunner in Big D, the Giants have once again proven to road warriors as they continue to shock everyone around the league.  The Giants have won 9 straight road games (an NFL Record), and go into the toughest place to play in the playoffs now, Lambeau Field.  The Green Bay Packers in 2006 won their last four games to get to 8-8, and have carried it over into 2007 with a 13-3 record.  Both of these teams come into this game extremely hot with a lot of talent on both sides of the ball.  I feel this is going to be an extremely tight game unlike the 35-13 game they had in week 2.  Although that game was closer than the score would tell you.  The Giants have been underdogs since week 1 when no one had them going anywhere.  Green Bay has surprised the NFL, and Farve has them back on top again.  This game will come down to the fourth quarter, where home field advantage will come into play and the Packers pull it out.

Packers 24, Giants 20

Those are my predictions, I will have a little closer break down of these match ups in the coming days.