The History Of New Years Eve & Day / Time Square Goes ''Green''

"Happy New Year!" That greeting will be said and heard for at least the first couple of weeks as a new year gets under way. But the day celebrated as New Year's Day in modern America was not always January 1st.

ANCIENT NEW YEARS
The celebration of the new year is the oldest of all holidays. It was first observed in ancient Babylon about 4000 years ago. In the years around 2000 BC, the Babylonian New Year began with the first New Moon (actually the first visible cresent) after the Vernal Equinox (first day of spring).

The beginning of spring is a logical time to start a new year. After all, it is the season of rebirth, of planting new crops, and of blossoming. January 1, on the other hand, has no astronomical nor agricultural significance. It is purely arbitrary.

The Babylonian new year celebration lasted for eleven days. Each day had its own particular mode of celebration, but it is safe to say that modern New Year's Eve festivities pale in comparison.

Story Continues With Link Copy/Paste

http://wilstar.com/holidays/newyear.htm

Times Square's famed New Year's Eve ball is going green after being fitted with almost 10,000 energy-saving lightbulbs which use the same amount of power as 10 toasters.

The sight of the ball dropping has traditionally marked the start of the new year for New Yorkers since 1907, and this year the festive landmark has marked its centenary with an environmentally-friendly redesign.

It has been fitted with 9,576 energy-efficient LED bulbs, said to be smaller but twice as bright as those used last year, ready for the celebrations, which are on the theme 'Let there be light'.

Together with the 672 Waterford Crystal triangles which make up the surface of the ball, the bulbs will help create a kaleidoscope of more than 16 million colours.

Kaleidoscope of colours

The ball was first dropped for the New Year's Eve celebration in 1907. Made of iron and wood, it weighed 317.5kg and was lit with 100 25-watt incandescent bulbs.

Over the century, five other versions of the ball were designed to ring in the New Year. In 1999, the ball was made from crystal to welcome the new millennium.

The new design and technology "will make the ball glow like nothing else", said Tim Tompkins, president of the Times Square Alliance, a business group in charge of the event.

"The whole world looks up to New York's New Year's Eve. I'm proud to be able to save energy and show off this technology to the world with such a special event," said Kaj den Daas, chairman of Philips Lighting, which created the bulbs.

More than a million revellers are expected to crowd into Times Square for the New Year's Eve countdown.

Panthers Prevent A Buc Sweep Of The NFC South & Win In Tampa 31-23

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Tampa Bay resting most of its starters for the playoffs didn't stop Carolina from treating its season finale as a meaningful game and giving Vinny Testaverde a nice send-off.

DeAngelo Williams rushed for 121 yards and two second-half touchdowns, helping the Panthers beat the NFC South champion Buccaneers 31-23 with the retiring 44-year-old Testaverde taking the last snap in the same city where he began his NFL career in 1987.

Matt Moore threw for 174 yards and two TDs for Carolina (7-9) in his third pro start, preventing Tampa Bay (9-7) from joining the 1999 St. Louis Rams as the only teams since 1970 to go unbeaten in division play the year after going winless.

Instead, the Bucs will enter the playoffs on a two-game losing streak after treating the past two weeks much like the preseason.

Williams scored on runs of 1 and 32 yards, and Moore threw TD passes of 2 yards to Christian Fauria and 20 yards to Dante Rosario for Carolina, which finished a disappointing season that's raised speculation about the future of coach John Fox.

Story Continues With Link / Copy Paste To Browser

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/recap?gid=20071230027&prov=ap

Not Another Predictions Column! Week Seventeen

21-gun Salute To The End Of The Regular Season

Not Another Predictions Column! Week Seventeen


Saturday Night Football Tricast: New England 15-0 @ New York Giants 10-5

Everyone and their brother is talking about this game. Even the NFL has begrudgingly allowed NBC and CBS to simulcast this game with the NFL Network, an historic first. Randy Moss needs only two touchdown receptions to set the new benchmark for wide receivers, thus breaking Jerry Rice’s record. Meanwhile, Tom Brady only needs two touchdown passes to break Peyton Manning’s mark for quarterbacks in a single season. At one point this season Brady was on pace for roughly 62 passing touchdowns, but then the Patriots decided to demonstrate that they are capable of running the ball, showing that that supposed chink in their armor is actually not there. Interestingly, the Patriots are playing the Giants to set the stage for an unbeaten season. The two teams have not played each other since 2003, and the Giants are known for their late-season collapses. However, the Giants did manage a comeback victory against the Bills last week, thus ensuring that Eli Manning is in a playoff game yet again. A scenario playing out in my mind the past few weeks has been a Green Bay-New England Super Bowl with Green Bay knocking off New England, thus rendering New England’s perfect season an utter failure, OR New England defeating Green Bay, thus achieving some level of revenge for Brett Favre’s only Super Bowl victory back in 1996 when he and the Packers defeated the Patriots. This game has naturally had more than its fair share of media hype this week, just as the Battle of the Unbeatens, or Super Bowl XLI ½, with the Indianapolis Colts. Frankly, I fully support the Patriots this year and believe that Spygate is not a big enough deal to blemish their dynasty, which is rapidly approaching legend. What about coaches and fudging injury report lists? That, to me, has more of an effect on a game then videotaping signals does. I have ridden the New England gravy train all year long in this column, and I see no reason to not continue that. New England wins and takes the 1972 Dolphins (the last unbeaten team) off of their pedestal.

Seattle Seahawks 10-5 @ Atlanta Falcons 3-12

Well, the Seahawks are once again the underappreciated team in the media. Being that they are out in Seattle, far away from the rest of the known world, Seattle does not get talked about much. Another reason is perhaps that they get six games a year against such powerhouses as Arizona, St. Louis, and San Francisco. Nevertheless, the Seahawks have won enough games to win another division title and another playoff berth. Conversely, Atlanta has not. Atlanta almost managed their fourth win last week but lost in overtime to the aforementioned Arizona Cardinals. This could be a prime upset game choice, considering the Falcons are playing at home and played better last week than they have in a long time, but Seattle will want to end the season on a high note. Seattle defeats the Falcons.

Weekly Upset Game: New Orleans 7-8 @ Chicago 6-9

The Saints are still clinging to slim playoff hopes, but those will be dashed this week. To seriously have a chance they needed to defeat the Eagles, and they could not do that. Donovan McNabb passed, ran, and fumbled his way towards an Eagles victory last week. IKEA apparently released him. The Bears, rather downheartingly, unleashed a demolition derby on the Packers last week, defeating them 35-7. Special teams were a key factor, as the Bears blocked two punts. Brian Urlacher also contributed an 85-yard interception return for touchdown. Despite the impressive performance, the Bears have been unable to stop the run as of late, and frankly, I continue to find that fact curious. Ron Rivera meant more to that defense then it appeared. Well, Chicago will go out by playing spoiler this week, as they defeat the Saints.

Cincinnati 6-9 @ Miami 1-14

Much to my chagrin Cincy managed to pull out their upset of Cleveland last week, possibly causing Cleveland’s playoff hopes to go down the drain. Cincinnati cannot do much to play spoiler this week, though, as Miami is locked into the #1 overall draft pick and is clearly out of the playoff race. Miami, naturally, has no desire to finish the season with only one win, and their fourth-ranked pass defense will give the Bengals a bit of trouble. Conversely, the Bengals defense hauled in four interceptions from Cleveland’s Derek Anderson last week, so perhaps they are starting to gel. They decided to bite the bullet awhile back by drafting two young corners and immediately giving them a great deal of playing time in the hopes that they would mature into two solid shut-down cornerbacks. Eventually, that will probably pay off, and until then they will have to go throw growing pains, which is what much of this past season has been for the Bengals. Expect Cincinnati to be active in finding linebackers this offseason, though. The Dolphins lose to finish 1-15.

Detroit 7-8 @ Green Bay 12-3

I would like to thank my grandmother for the Christmas present she gave me. She gave me a Brett Favre jersey, which I will wear this Sunday. So, Grandma, thank you very much! Packers’ running back Ryan Grant is only 101 yards away from rushing for 1000 on the season. Detroit is not known for their stifling run defense, so it is entirely possible and perhaps even likely that Grant gets that mark. Hopefully he does. These two teams last met on Thanksgiving, when the Packers won behind an impressive performance from Brett Favre. Detroit snapped their losing streak last week, as I expected, but it was too little, too late. There is no ten-win season, there is no magical playoff berth, there is nothing but the stark realization that once again the Lions fell apart and accomplished nothing for another year. That old adage, “there’s always next year” is on the tongues of every Lions fan left, all six of them. Greg Jennings needs 80 receiving yards to hit 1000 – he gets them en route to a Packers victory.

Jacksonville 11-4 @ Houston 7-8

Jacksonville is one of the only teams in the league that I can think of that is currently winning because they have a strong defense and amazing rushing attack. An efficient quarterback who rarely makes mistakes is also a major factor to their success, but a round of applause to Jacksonville coach Jack Del Rio for continuing to succeed with what is appearing to be a method of play slowly phased out of the modern NFL. Houston is a team that struggles to find consistency, and seems to be unstable at the quarterback position. Frankly, that team just needs a major overhaul at all but a few positions. Houston should get run all over this week as the Jaguars roll into the playoffs, the team that no one wants to play. Jags win it, to finish 12-4, a record that should win most divisions but does not win this one when the Indianapolis Colts also play in it.

CAROLINA 6-9 @ TAMPA BAY 9-6

Well, here it is, ladies and gentlemen. The final Panthers game of the season will be played in Raymond James Stadium against one of the Panthers’ archrivals. I want a 21-gun salute at the end of this game, because it signifies the end of another Panthers’ season. Next year promises to be brighter, with the return of Jake Delhomme, the maturation of Jon Beason at midde linebacker, the addition of Chris Harris to the secondary, and the hope of offseason adjustments to bolster the squad. In the interim, however, it is time for Matt Moore to get his second career win. Steve Smith is 46 yards away from 1000 receiving yards on the year, and the goal is to get him that on the first offensive play of scrimmage against Tampa Bay. Contrary to popular belief, this IS Matt Moore’s third start in the NFL, not second. Panthers running back DeShaun Foster looks to finish another season short of 1000 yards rushing, needing 170 yards in this last game to reach that mark. Former first round pick DeAngelo Williams has been outshining Foster lately and looks to continue that this week. Tampa Bay is expected to rest most of their starters for the playoffs. Carolina will take advantage of that and pull out the win.

Buffalo 7-8 @ Philadelphia 7-8

Stunningly, I have actually been rooting for the Eagles for the last two weeks. I was pulling for them against Dallas and also against New Orleans. Both of these teams have been eliminated from postseason contention but they still have shots at .500 seasons. Donovan McNabb had an awesome run against New Orleans where he fumbled and the ball was pushed into the endzone and his receiver recovered it for a touchdown. Plays like that are always pretty sweet. Brian Westbrook has been on fire this year, with nearly 1300 rushing yards and over 700 receiving. Westbrook should be considered one of the elite backs in the NFL if he is not already, and he has now stayed relatively healthy for two successive seasons. Buffalo seems to have found their new quarterback in Trent Edwards out of Stanford. Whether or not this means J.P. Losman will be shown the door is unknown. Here is a little-known story for you: Everyone knows the Bills drafted Paul Posluszny, and everyone knows he was playing well at middle linebacker before he broke his arm. What everyone does not know is that his replacement was John DiGiorgio, an undrafted rookie out of Saginaw Valley State. DiGiorgio has 109 tackles, 1 sack, 1 interception, and six passes deflected in relief of the injured Posluszny. Those are extremely good numbers for any linebacker, but particularly for a linebacker who was not the starter for the entire season. DiGiorgio is perhaps the biggest success story for the Bills this year, bigger than rookie running back Marshawn Lynch or rookie quarterback Trent Edwards. Buffalo could pull this one out, but it being a home game for Philadelphia, I will go with the Eagles.


San Francisco 5-10 @ Cleveland 9-6

San Fran is on a two-game winning streak due in large part to the stellar play of their new quarterback, Shaun Hill. Despite all that has been said about Frank Gore’s ‘disappearance’ this season, he still has 1008 yards rushing with five touchdowns. Cleveland lost a game they could ill-afford to lose last week against the Bengals, and now questions surround whether or not Derek Anderson can win the big game. People, please remember this is his first season as a starting quarterback – everything cannot be expected right away. Cleveland has but one hope remaining to make the playoffs. Every Browns fan in the world just became an Indianapolis Colts fan. The Colts need to beat the Titans on Sunday Night Football, and the Browns are in. If the Colts lose to the Titans, there is no way for the Browns to make the playoffs this season, and all their efforts will have been for naught. Everyone knows I have supported the Browns this season, and I will continue to do so. Cleveland wins.

Pittsburgh 10-5 @ Baltimore 4-11

Someone needs to explain to me how a team that has a quarterback with a franchise-record 32 touchdown passes and only 11 interceptions has a passing game ranked 25th in the NFL out of 32 teams. I am talking about the Steelers here – Ben Roethlisberger has been having pretty much the best statistical season of his career. Despite its ranking, it will need to be leaned on more in the playoffs without star rusher Willie Parker carrying the team due to his broken leg. Najeh Davenport, the former Packer, is picking up the slack in Parker’s absence. The Ravens have been on a colossal losing streak this year. No matter whom they have played, no matter what they were favored by, they have lost. There may be some with a forlorn hope that Baltimore can win this week, but not me. Steelers take the victory on the road.

San Diego 10-5 @ Oakland 4-11

The Chargers have won eight straight games against the Raiders. They will be looking to push that to nine straight on the road to the Super Bowl. LaDainian Tomlinson is one carry away from 300 carries on the season, has 1400+ yards rushing, and 15 rushing touchdowns. Not exactly a down year, but not quite what he accomplished last season. JaMarcus Russell is expected to make his first career NFL start this week, against the NFL’s leading defense in terms of interceptions. The Chargers have picked off 29 passes this season, 10 of those by Antonio Cromartie. As such, they should be relishing the chance to pressure Russell all day long, and this will lead to a San Diego victory to close out Oakland’s season.

Weekly Upset Game #2: Dallas 13-2 @ Washington 8-7

I will go with a second upset this week, as Cowboys’ coach Wade Phillips is expected to rest many of his starters in this game. The Redskins are red-hot now that Todd Collins has started to play at quarterback, winners of three straight and masters of their own destiny. I would like to officially go on the record and say that I believe that many years down the line we will find that someone has been paying off the referrees in many Dallas Cowboy football games. I do not mean to blame the umpires, or complain about them, but when Chris Collinsworth holds a moment of silence at how obvious a call should have been, you know it is going too far. This is no isolated incident, either. Nevertheless, poor officiating can be overcome, and nearly was by Carolina last week. Washington will overcome it this week if they need to, because Washington will win and become a playoff team, making three teams from the NFC East in the playoffs.

St. Louis 3-12 @ Arizona 7-8

The Rams’ star running back Steven Jackson is only 53 yards away from 1000 yards rushing on the season. His has been a season marked by injury, plagued by loss, and this has equated into underwhelming statistics compared to his heroic numbers of last year. Speaking of heroic statistics, Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner has rejuvenated himself with 24 passing touchdowns this season and over 3000 yards passing. However, Arizona cannot consider him a quarterback of the future, so they will have a quandary on their hands with Warner and Matt Leinart next year. Arizona closes out the season 8-8 under new coach Ken Whisenhunt.

Minnesota 8-7 @ Denver 6-9

Rookie sensation Adrian Peterson has not had much opportunity to do anything recently as Minnesota has been throwing the ball and opponents have been loading the box forcing Travaris Jackson to beat them with his arm. He is basically out of the NFL’s rushing crown this year, as LaDainian Tomlinson leads him by a little over 100 yards. However, when Adrian Peterson has topped 200 rushing yards twice already this season, you can never completely count the possibility out. Denver has been a major disappointment this year, getting blown out by scores unheard of in the Mike Shanahan era. The Broncos were nearly shut out last week before finally managing a field goal. Minnesota needs to win and they need Washington to lose to make the playoffs, after having been in the driver’s seat of the sixth seed for several weeks. That is unlikely to happen, but the Vikings finishing with a winning record is likely. Minnesota wins.

Kansas City 4-11 @ New York Jets 3-12

Rookie receiver Dwayne Bowe is 18 yards away from starting off his career with a 1000-yard season. Wonder if their fans are happy they finally got a receiver? Damon Huard nearly led the Chiefs to a comeback win over the Lions last week, but I do not believe he read my column. I said the Chiefs would lose, and they lost. This is not exactly Moses parting the Red Sea, considering the Chiefs losing is not an uncommon event this season, but it is still always nice to be right. Thomas Jones has quietly rushed for 1000 yards for the Jets this season, which shows even further how pitiful it is that the Panthers have not managed a 1000-yard rusher since 2003. Speaking of 1000-yard rushers, the Chiefs do not have that this year either. They will not have a win this week on top of that, as the Jets get a home victory to close out the season.

Sunday Night Football: Tennessee Titans 9-6 @ Indianapolis Colts 13-2

Lost in the media hype over the Patriots are the Colts, who have only lost two games themselves. Peyton Manning and the crew have been winning, as is their custom. The Titans are in control of their own future: if they pull off the upset, they will be in the playoffs. If they lose, the Browns are in. This game WILL be televised in Tennessee, by the way (inside joke). The Colts defeated the Titans in a close 22-20 scrum back in Week Two, which feels like it was nearly four months ago. Oh wait. Never mind. Okay, it feels like it was 15 weeks ago. Oh wait. Never mind. I do not like the Titans, and I want them to lose so Cleveland can make it in the playoffs. I learned an interesting fact in my reading this week. All 22 of the Colts’ starters last week have spent their entire careers with Indianapolis. The Titans have a strong rushing attack, but their passing game is anemic, and when you play Indianapolis, you need a passing game. This is the last regular season Sunday Night Football game of the season, and the Colts will send it out in style with a victory over the Titans.

I would like to offer a special thank you to my loyal readers for reading NAPC! all season long. Herewith we have come to the end of the third regular season of NAPC!’s existence. Next week we will enter the NAPC! Playoff Edition phase of the column.

Last week I went 12-4 and am 155-88 overall.

By Robert “RingLeader” Gilbert

[Comments Will Be Taken In The PantherCoalition Forums]

Carolina @ Tampa Bay / Preview / THANK YOU Mike Rucker For Being A Panther !

Panthers Keys For Success

1. Establish a running game. Despite having quality backs in DeShaun Foster and DeAngelo Williams the offense hasn't been able to mount a dependable ground game. Last chance, guys: Running the back is imperative to have any success when passing.

Here's the plan: Challenge the Bucs' midsection by having Foster or Williams follow fullback Brad Hoover and center Justin Hartwig as they isolate on linebacker Barrett Ruud. Once Rudd is out of the way, both backs have the quickness to break to the outside and the speed to turn the corner against linebackers Derrick Brooks and Cato June.

2. Get the ball to Steve Smith. No-brainer, huh? Smith might be the NFL's most explosive player. Trouble is, the team's quarterback quagmire turned this stud into a dud. Offensive coordinator Jeff Davidson must devise ways for quarterback Matt Moore to use Smith to challenge the secondary deep downfield.

This scheme goes hand-in-hand with Key No. 1, because an effective ground game would draw defenders closer to the line of scrimmage. It also would give Smith more single-coverage opportunities. Bucs defensive backs are good, but they can't stop Smith in one on one.

3. Deny the deep pass. It all begins up front, especially with standout defensive linemen Mike Rucker, Kris Jenkins and Julius Peppers. Add to the mix Jon Beason, a rookie sensation at middle linebacker. This crew should be able to slug it out with the Bucs but must not get knocked aside by a successful inside running game. They also can't get rendered ineffective by quarterback Jeff Garcia's skillful use of short passes.

Garcia will use play-action to find opportunities to throw to the deep corner to wideout Joey Galloway. Cornerbacks Ken Lucas and Chris Gamble cannot come up too quickly in run support. Neither can safeties Deke Cooper and Chris Harris fill too hard, because that would leave the corners in single coverage. If Garcia gets defenders to bite, he'll pick the Panthers apart.

Buccaneers Keys For Success

1. Pressure the quarterback. Matt Moore should be used to this by now, but attacking him remains the first and best option. Opponents know he lacks experience and mobility, and coaches will have defensive linemen Kevin Carter, Gaines Adams and Greg White bring outside pressure. Tackles Chris Hovan and Jovan Haye will collapse the pocket up the middle and occupy blockers so the ends can converge on Moore. The goal? Keep Moore from getting time to find playmaking wideout Steve Smith. Defenders also must remember that despite being an undrafted rookie Moore makes good decisions and doesn't force throws.

2. Control the clock. Earnest Graham has been key in replacing injured featured back Carnell Williams. He might not be "Cadillac" but he is a luxury. This week's plan is simple: Let Graham run up the middle behind center John Wade and guards Arron Sears and Davin Joseph. Quarterback Jeff Garcia will mix Graham's runs and short-to-intermediate passes in the methodical West Coast scheme. Of course the team wants to score; but it also wants to win time of possession and keep Smith off the field as much as possible.

3. Spread the ball around. Coach Jon Gruden acquired Garcia to lead the Bucs to the playoffs. He's done it, sore back and all, using his skills to elude pass rushers and expertly direct the West Coast offense. The team's cast of receivers and running backs give Garcia plenty of options. These options will keep the Bucs from concentrating on Graham and top wideout Joey Galloway.


http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=262599

A Christmas Carol / The Impact Of A Folktale

It's amazing to think that one simple folktale shaped how we celebrate Christmas today.
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is a staple of the Christmas season. The story has been told and retold an infinite amount of times. It has been performed the traditional way that has remained close to the original story, it has been done with puppets, as a cartoon and it has been brought into the modern era as movies with a modern twist on the classic. However, with all these versions of the story being told is it possible that we have forgotten the significance of this folktale?

To find the answer to this question we have to go back in time, back to England in the mid 17th century during the time of the Protestant Reformation. The parliament was ruled by a Protestant political party. Amongst many of their opinions on society they felt that Christmas was too materialistic and promoted unholy things. Though the Catholic Church tried to counteract this belief along with King Charles I (who was pro Christmas) Christmas was banned in 1647. This led to “Pro-Christmas” riots in many parts of the country. For example halls were illegally decorated with holly and royalist slogans were shouted by these protestors, cities such as Canterbury were under the control of rioters. The ban on the holiday lasted for thirteen years until 1660. By the 1820’s the holiday nearly died out. Even in the United States Christmas was not a popular holiday to celebrate, it was seen as being an British holiday, which was not a good thing by a people who were striving to find their own cultural identity.

It was at about this time that Charles Dickens’ story came out. As with much of Dickens work, it is a commentary on the economic and cultural state of England at the time. There is a clear cut line between the “haves” and the “have nots”. For example Scrooge is a very wealthy man. He has the ability to be able to put food in his belly, cloths on his back, coal in the fire with money to spare. However, his employee that works in the very next room could barely provide for his family no matter how hard he worked he couldn’t make ends meat. In the world of Charles Dickens the ones that had all of their material desires lacked what Dickens believed truly mattered; love, joy and family.

It was this perception that when all the materialism was gone the true riches of life were revealed that not only hit home with many of the common people of England but also helped shape the holiday that we know today. In “A Christmas Carol” the principles of giving to your fellow man, appreciating your family and simply enjoying the world around you were the main themes and are the current themes that bombard us at this time every year. It was these themes that revived the Christmas Holiday and launched it into the position that it is now within our society. It’s not just Christmas that it helped launch into this permanent sacred position but the whole season itself.

http://folktalesmyths.suite101.com/article.cfm/a_christmas_carol

''Panthers Go Down Swing'in'' / Dallas 20 Carolina 13

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- With Terrell Owens watching the second half from the locker room, the Dallas Cowboys had to depend on their running game and their defense to avoid a second straight upset loss.

Tony Romo threw for 257 yards and a touchdown and the Cowboys overcame the loss of Owens to a left ankle injury in a 20-13 victory over the Carolina Panthers on Saturday night.

While Dallas (13-2) moved a step closer to clinching home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, the Cowboys were dealing with another injury to a key offensive player.

Last week it was Romo, who bruised his right thumb and was ineffective in a loss to Philadelphia. Now it's Owens, who left in the second quarter after his left leg got caught underneath him after a catch.

The Cowboys made it 14-0 a play after Owens left, but failed to score another touchdown.

After the Panthers (6-9) cut it to 20-13 on John Kasay's 25-yard field goal with 3:01left, the Cowboys put it away on Barber's 11-yard run with 1:45 left.

Barber rushed for 110 yards on 22 carries to help Dallas match the 1992 team for the most victories in franchise history.

But despite improving to 7-0 on the road, the Cowboys struggled to put away the Panthers, who started undrafted rookie Matt Moore for a second straight week.

Moore, who like Romo went undrafted and spent training camp with the Cowboys, threw for 182 yards. He threw his first NFL touchdown pass to Steve Smith in the second quarter, and connected with Smith on a 57-yard pass play that led to Kasay's final field goal.

But Moore was sacked five times, twice by DeMarcus Ware and the Cowboys' defense was strong despite the absence of Roy Williams, who was serving a one-game suspension for an illegal "horse-collar" tackle.

Smith caught nine passes for 137 yards, but the Panthers managed only 67 yards rushing and were officially eliminated from playoff contention.

After the game, Carolina coach John Fox refused to address an NFL Network report that owner Jerry Richardson said Fox and general manager Marty Hurney would return next year despite their second straight non-winning season.

"I won't address that or any conversations until the season is over," Fox said.

While the Panthers season will end next week, the Cowboys will clinch home-field throughout the playoffs if Green Bay loses at Chicago on Sunday.

But there are concerns about when Owens will be able to play again.

Owens had his team-record 15th touchdown catch of the season in the first quarter. After grabbing a sideline hitch pass, Owens barreled over cornerback Richards Marshall for a 10-yard score and a 7-0 lead.

Owens' fifth catch midway through the second quarter was his last. After Romo's 4-yard pass near the goal line, Owens' left leg caught underneath him when he was brought down by Jon Beason.

Agitated, Owens limped to the sideline, then later walked to the locker room. He was seen later seen walking outside the locker room without his left shoe, and he remained in the locker room for the rest of the game.

Cowboys took a 14-0 lead the play after Owens went down on Marion Barber's 5-yard run, but struggled to score again despite a big possession advantage.

Romo, shaking off the distractions from last week's poor play and the publicity over girlfriend Jessica Simpson's appearance, completed 28 of 42 passes and had one interception.

There was no sign of Simpson, although a trio of portly male fans wore blond wigs and a handful of others wore Simpson masks.

They cheered when Romo fumbled the first snap of the game from fill-in center Cory Procter, who replaced Pro Bowl pick Andre Gurode (knee).

But Romo quickly found a rhythm, with the assist from a ground game that had disappeared of late.

The Cowboys rushed only 15 times for 53 yards against the Eagles, but Dallas targeted Carolina's defensive line, which was without Julius Peppers (knee), by rushing for 148 yards.

The Panthers cut it to 14-7 on Moore's first touchdown pass of his career, an 11-yard pass to Steve Smith, his first TD catch since Week 6.

Trailing 17-7 early in the third quarter, the Panthers drove inside the Dallas 10. Then center Justin Hartwig sprained his right knee. He was replaced by rookie Ryan Kalil, and Moore was sacked on the next two plays. Kasay kicked a 37-yard field goal to make it 17-10.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/recap;_ylt=AvllZ1LsdlhVJxYgavDA24SD2bYF?gid=20071222029&prov=ap

Not Another Predictions Column! Week Sixteen

NAPC! Week Sixteen


Dallas 12-2 @ Carolina 6-8

Two teams that are both coming off of surprise performances – the Dallas Cowboys and the Carolina Panthers. In Dallas, the Cowboys just dropped a surprise game to the Philadelphia Eagles, losing 10-6. Meanwhile, the Panthers pulled off a huge upset over the Seattle Seahawks primarily through the efforts of a stingy defense and rookie quarterback Matt Moore. Moore was efficient and effective as he passed for over 200 yards and completed 19 of 27 passes. Carolina will most likely be playing this game without the services of Julius Peppers at defensive end. However, since Peppers has been non-existent much of this season, that may not be that much of a problem. Third round pick Charles Johnson will likely see increased playing time with Peppers injured. Everyone this week is talking about whether or not Jessica Simpson attending the Dallas Cowboys game last week affected Tony Romo’s level of play. Whether or not it did, there are rumors that she will attend this game, and frankly, Carolina needs all the help they can get, so I hope she attends. As always, Carolina wins, keeping their playoff hopes alive.


Cleveland 9-5 @ Cincinnati 5-9

The lack of a defense definitely caught up with Cincy this year, as consistently they have lost games because their defense could not prevent opposing teams from scoring. The last time these two teams squared off, it resulted in an infamous 51-45 scoring bonanza in which Cleveland had the 51. Among the ridiculous statistics in that game was Jamal Lewis and his 216 rushing yards. Carson Palmer passed for six touchdowns, as well. The Browns’ defense is also suspect, but has been playing better then the Bengals’ unit. Last week the Browns won a snow bowl against Buffalo, defeating the Bills 8-0 in a blizzard. Conversely, the Bengals dropped a game to the Shaun Hill-led 49ers. Rookie corner Leon Hall of the Bengals leads all rookies with four interceptions, however. Cleveland is still fighting for their division title, so they will be fired up to defeat a division rival in the Bengals this week. Cleveland wins.

Kansas City 4-10 @ Detroit 6-8

Well, the Lions have fallen apart, people. They have lost six straight games after starting off the season 6-2. At one point in time ten wins looked like a certainty for the Kitna-led Lions, but it is apparent the Lions were merely pretenders, not contenders, this season. The Lions have been officially eliminated from the playoff race, as have the Chiefs, so both teams are mostly just playing for pride at the moment. Neither team has been able to run the ball effectively, consistently, this season. However, the Lions have been able to pass the ball much more proficiently then the Chiefs. Jared Allen made it to his first Pro Bowl with an 11-sack season for the Chiefs, greatly helping out their pass rush this year. The Chiefs should be able to put up a solid fight in this one, but the Lions will pull off a win.

Houston 7-7 @ Indianapolis 12-2

The Texans are still fighting for a .500 season, but facing the Colts is a daunting task. Indianapolis has not been quite as stunning as usual this year, but they are still winning games and still definitely a threat. Bob Sanders, the safety who is the heart and soul of the Indy D, will be a free agent after the season and Bill Polian will have to decide if Sanders is worth the price tag he will command in the open market. Mario Williams, the star defensive end for the Texans, was snubbed in the Pro Bowl voting this week. Despite leading the AFC in sacks with 13, he is not penciled in for a trip to Hawaii. Houston will fight hard in this game, but it will not be enough, as the Colts improve to 13 wins on the season.

Green Bay 12-2 @ Chicago 5-9

The reigning NFC Champion Chicago Bears will most definitely be finishing this season with a losing record, and a myriad of question marks at the quarterback position. Rex Grossman, Brian Griese, and Kyle Orton have all started at quarterback this season for the Bears. Frankly, Orton should just start the rest of the season for Chicago. By the way, if you have not heard, the Packers clinched a first-round bye with their win last week. Brett Favre is 97 yards away from throwing for 4000 yards this season. Last time these two teams met, the Bears spoiled my prediction that week and pulled off an upset of the Packers with a 34-yard touchdown strike to Desmond Clark – and the world wept. That was Brian Griese’s debut this season, and it filled the Bears with hope that this would not be a wasted season. Sorry, the honeymoon ended. I might give Orton a victory next week, but right now the Bears need to take some revenge from the Packers. Green Bay wins it.

New York Giants 9-5 @ Buffalo Bills 7-7

Despite dropping a game in a blizzard to Cleveland last week, the Bills are still fighting for a winning record. Rookie quarterback from Stanford, Trent Edwards, has been playing well and seems to have put incumbent J.P. Losman out of a job. This disappoints no one but J.P. Losman and Lee Evans, who typically enjoyed Losman’s constant attention. The Giants are starting to come loose around the seams, but should still be in the playoffs again. Whether or not that is enough to save Tom Coughlin’s job is unknown. Eli Manning is still the king of inconsistency and acts like it. These two teams do not play each other much – case in point, the last time these two teams played Drew Bledsoe was the starting quarterback for the Bills. This is a promising upset game selection, but the Giants should still have enough in the tank to defeat Buffalo, so I will roll with them.

Oakland 4-10 @ Jacksonville 10-4

Despite being snubbed for the Pro Bowl, Fred Taylor, part one of the Jaguars’ two-headed rushing attack, will still travel to Hawaii because of Willie Parker’s fractured fibula. Jacksonville is fighting to make the playoffs and needs to win games against teams like Oakland. Oakland, at this point in time, is only worrying about playing spoiler. Maurice Jones-Drew, part two of the Jaguars’ aforementioned rushing attack, may be the best thing to ever happen to Fred Taylor. Fred Taylor has now rushed for 1000+ yards in two consecutive seasons despite splitting time with Jones-Drew, and Taylor has four consecutive 100-yard games. Jacksonville will not have to do much in this game but run the ball – Oakland has trouble stopping the run. Jaguars win it, keeping them in the hunt for the playoffs.

WEEKLY UPSET GAME: Philadelphia 6-8 @ New Orleans 7-7

Carolina needs Philadelphia to continue winning this week and knock off the Saints in order for Carolina to remain in the hunt for the final playoff spot in the NFC. The Eagles pulled off a surprise upset last week of the Dallas Cowboys, and look to play spoiler this week. The Saints’ defense will have difficulty containing Brian Westbrook, who is on fire. By the way, I would like to tip my hat to Westbrook for stopping at the one-yard line against Dallas, thus assuring themselves of the victory. It was a great move by a great player. Donovan McNabb is still capable of managing a game, as he showed, but I am not sure that a game can be put squarely on his shoulders anymore. Reggie Bush is attempting to come back this season, but he is listed as questionable on the injury report. Philadelphia’s defense continues its stifling play and at least limits the Saints’ offense whilst the Philly offense scores just enough to win. Eagles win this week.

Tampa Bay 9-5 @ San Francisco 4-10

San Francsico has had Tampa Bay’s number in recent years, particularly at Monster Park. This would have been a tempting upset game choice, but it does not effect Carolina’s postseason chances, so why take the chance? Shaun Hill won his start against Cincinnati last week on the NFL Network, and now he gets a shot at the division-leading Buccaneers. He will have to dodge rookie defensive end Gaines Adams, who leads all rookies with six sacks. Earnest Graham, running back for the Bucs, is 123 yards away from cracking 1000 on the season. I will go out on a limb and say that he will get all of that this week against San Francisco en route to a Bucs’ win.

Atlanta 3-11 @ Arizona 6-8

What a year it has been for Arthur Blank and the Atlanta Falcons. If it were not Mike Vick killing a dog, DeAngelo Hall fighting with teammates, a coach abruptly leaving, or Bill Parcells turning Atlanta down, it was another. It has been a topsy-turvy three-win season for the Falcons, which should make for an interesting off-season. Marty Schottenheimer’s name has been leaked as someone the Falcons are interested in going after. Meanwhile, Arizona has had their own tumultous season, playing with the quarterback roulette wheel themselves. Kurt Warner has revived his career and has been playing well, for the most part, but is still plagued by the occasional game-losing mistake. Larry Fitzgerald was voted into the Pro Bowl this week – and there is no one more deserving of a Pro Bowl selection. Fitzgerald is one of the classiest players in the NFL and one of the best at what he does. All-Pro running back Edgerrin James got his 1000 yards last week, and now looks to pad his numbers a bit. He will, as Arizona wins at home this week.

Miami 1-13 @ New England 14-0

The Patriots are still in pursuit of that undefeated season, and in their way at the moment are the lowly Dolphins. The Dolphins did manage to avoid the ignominious distinction of a season in which they lost all their games by knocking off the Ravens in OT last week, but that was not for a lack of trying. Greg Camarillo and Cleo Lemon bailed the Dolphins out, though. Lemon hit Camarillo on a 63-yard touchdown strike in which Camarillo burned most of the eleven players on the field for the Ravens’ defense. Tom Brady is still five touchdown passes away from breaking Peyton Manning’s record, and only has two games left to do it in. You can bet he is working on it, and it is possible he breaks it in tomorrow’s action. Last week, however, the Patriots were busy demonstrating that they are capable of running the ball, which made the rest of the NFL shudder even more. The Dolphins will pull out all the stops in this game, but it will not be quite enough, as the Patriots will seek to embarrass them again. New England wins and improves to 15-0.

Baltimore 4-10 @ Seattle 9-5

The Seahawks dropped a shocker in Carolina last week, falling prey to a swarming defense and excellent offensive execution by Carolina’s new quarterback sensation Matt Moore. However, the Ravens did them one better by falling flat on their faces and losing to the Dolphins who had previously not won a game on the season. Seattle looks to regain face over Christmas weekend with their fans, who were shaking their heads at the apathetic performance turned out by Matt “We’re gonna win” Hasselbeck and Co. Rookie quarterback and former Heisman trophy winner Troy Smith will get the start for the Ravens this week, which must scare the Seahawks considering the last rookie quarterback they faced ripped through their secondary and made it look effortless. Look for the Seahawks’ defensive coordinator to remember to blitz this week, and if he does, it will make Troy Smith look like he did in his last college game. Seahawks win it and improve to 10 wins on the season.

New York Jets 3-11 @ Tennessee Titans 8-6

Well, Eric Mangini’s Jets are not making a playoff run this year, for sure. On the contrary, the Titans, led by Vince Young, are still in contention for a wildcard spot in the AFC. Vince Young threw two touchdown passes last week, both to Roydell Williams. Lendale White is 40 yards from 1000 on the season, and considering he is facing the 30th rush defense in the NFL this week AND is playing at home, he ought to be able to hit that milestone this week. Chad Pennington looks to be starting for the Jets this week, as Kellen Clemens hurt his ribs in the loss to the Patriots last week. Pennington has gotten a raw deal in New York in my opinion, and deserves to get a look elsewhere in the League. The Jets were a thought for upset game, but Tennessee is playing for their playoff lives. Titans win.

WEEKLY UPSET PART 2! (Sun. Night)Washington 7-7 @ Minnesota 8-6

Yep, you got it. Two upset game selections this week, because Carolina needs some help to make it to the playoffs, and I am giving it to them. Quarterback Todd Collins has kept the Redskins alive in the playoff hunt, and looks to continue keeping them alive by knocking off the Vikings, who are currently in possession of the final playoff spot in the NFC. The Redskins will have to contain Chester Taylor and Adrian Peterson, but if they can do that, they should not have much of a problem knocking the Vikings off. Travaris Jackson and the Vikings managed to knock off the Bears last week despite turning the ball over four times. Unfortunately, or rather, fortunately for Carolina, the winning streak ends this week. Washington knocks off the Vikings in surprising fashion on Sunday Night Football.

Denver 6-8 @ San Diego 9-5

The Broncos have been maddeningly inconsistent this season, and I have greatly disliked picking their football games. Meanwhile, their division rival, the Chargers, have also been maddeningly inconsistent, but at least it has been easier to deal with. LaDainian Tomlinson has rushed for over 1300 yards this season, though it has not felt like it after last year’s banner season. The Broncos are still holding on to the hope of a .500 season, but it is unlikely to happen. Rookie Selvin Young at the running back position has been awesome to watch, though. Is Michael Turner worth the first round pick teams were thinking of trading for him last year? He has only 53 touches this season for 5.0 yards per carry and only one touchdown. Antonio Gates has nearly double the receptions of the next closest guy on the team, Vincent Jackson. I guess we know whom Philip Rivers likes to throw to. Gates is 102 yards away from 1000 on the season. Look for Gates, Chris Chambers, and LaDainian Tomlinson to lead San Diego to a victory this week.

Last week I went 8-8 and am 143-84 overall. Merry Christmas to all my readers! Have a wonderful holiday, and GO CAROLINA!

By Robert "RingLeader" Gilbert

[Comments Will Be Taken In The PantherCoalition Forums]

''Showdown In Charlotte'' / Dallas @ Carolina

Cowboys Keys For Success

1. Pressure Carolina QB Matt Moore. With Moore making just his second career start, an aggressive pass rush could severely hinder his performance. Look for Dallas coach Wade Phillips to blitz outside linebackers Greg Ellis and DeMarcus Ware from all over the field and continue to change alignments to challenge Moore's wits. Moore showed a quick release last week against Seattle's good pass rush.

2. Make reads off Jason Witten. Witten is the key to the Cowboys' passing attack; how opponents defend him determines how the whole passing game operates. If Carolina safety Chris Harris covers Witten with fellow safety Deke Cooper helping to double-team wide receiver Terrell Owens, the other wide receiver (Patrick Crayton or Terry Glenn) will receive man-to-man coverage and become a primary target. If Witten is covered by a linebacker, quarterback Tony Romo will take advantage of that mismatch in the middle of the field. The Panthers will pick their poison and hope for the best.

3. Utilize Marion Barber to control the clock. If the Cowboys take an early lead Saturday night -- which is a likely -- they should have Barber wear down the Panthers' defense and run the clock. Barber's aggressive running style and 4.9-yard average per carry could stymie any potential Panthers comeback.


Panthers Keys For Success

1. Throw downfield to Steve Smith. Smith, arguably the NFL's most dangerous receiver, has not scored a touchdown since Oct. 14 primarily because of instability at quarterback and the inability of his fellow receivers to take pressure off him. To defeat the sure double-teams Smith will face Saturday night, Panthers coaches should send him in motion and make it more difficult to jam him and slow his release. When Smith does get open, Moore must deliver the ball accurately and on time.

2. Drop eight defenders into coverage. On obvious passing downs, opponents have tried repeatedly and mostly unsuccessfully to blitz Romo. Between his ability to escape pressure and his offensive line's ability to pick up the blitz, opponents have left their secondary undermanned against the Cowboys' many weapons. The Eagles had success blitzing Romo last week, but the Panthers lack the same pass-rush weapons. Instead, the Panthers should use dime personnel and rush only three men. This would leave eight defenders to cover the likes of Owens, Witten and Glenn.

3. Utilize trick plays. Simply put, the Panthers cannot match the Cowboys' talent and therefore must get some big plays through trickery. Panthers coaches should watch the Cowboys' tendencies in the first quarter and see if there is anything they can exploit. If Ware and Ellis are chasing hard on plays away from them, then perhaps a reverse to Smith would work. If safeties Ken Hamlin and Roy Williams play close to the line in run support, then maybe a flea flicker will result in an open receiver downfield. The Panthers must utilize their entire playbook to beat Dallas.

http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=262783

Moore & Panthers Get It Done / Carolina 13 Seattle 10

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Carolina Panthers rookie quarterback Matt Moore got into the huddle late in the first half Sunday and froze.

"I just couldn't get the play out of my mouth," Moore said. "Guys were like, 'Come on! Come on!"'

Moore kept his mistakes to the huddle.

Becoming the fourth quarterback to start for the Panthers this season, Moore engineered three scoring drives in the fourth quarter and outplayed two-time Pro Bowler Matt Hasselbeck, as the Panthers stunned the Seattle Seahawks 13-10.

In a bizarre game played in a strong wind that stayed scoreless for more than three quarters, Moore didn't turn it over and the Panthers defense turned in its best performance of the season.

The victory quieted talk, at least for the moment, of coach John Fox's job security, and was a rare bright spot for a team that lost starting QB Jake Delhomme to a season-ending right elbow injury in Week 3.

"I would bet most people didn't give us a chance to win," defensive end Mike Rucker said.

Not with Moore forced into duty with Vinny Testaverde sidelined by soreness in his 44-year-old body, and with Carolina (6-8) having lost six of seven games. And not with the Seahawks (9-5) riding a five-game winning streak a week after they wrapped up the NFC West title.

"We didn't play very inspired football," Seattle coach Mike Holmgren said.

Hasselbeck's career-best season took a detour with a lackluster performance, which included a fumble with just under 2 minutes left that ended Seattle's chances.

"I don't even feel like we played a full game," Hasselbeck said. "I feel like we should go back out there and try again. It wasn't us."

They'll get to try again in the first round of the playoffs, as the loss ended Seattle's hopes for a bye.

Moore left UCLA because he lost his starting job, ended up at Oregon State and then was cut by Dallas before the season. He showed poise, if not results, early on.

In the fourth quarter, Moore led the Panthers on two field goal drives, the second ending in John Kasay's 37-yarder with 2:59 left that gave Carolina a 6-3 lead.

On the next possession, Hasselbeck fumbled on a sack by Thomas Davis and Carolina's Richard Marshall recovered. That led to DeAngelo Williams' 35-yard touchdown run with 1:20 remaining to put it away.

Moore completed 19 of 27 passes for 208 yards, wasn't sacked and did not throw an interception after coming into the game with a 21.1 passer rating in six brief appearances.

"I'm just glad I managed the game," Moore said. "I'm glad I didn't make any major mistakes."

Hasselbeck was 27-of-41 for 274 yards and was sacked three times. Seattle's only touchdown came on Hasselbeck's 15-yard pass to Deion Branch with 1 second left.

Moving the ball was difficult all day with wind gusts up to 30 mph.

The Panthers finally broke the scoreless drought with 12:18 left when Kasay kicked a wind-aided 53-yard field goal. Moore had a 13-yard pass to Steve Smith and two passes to Drew Carter totaling 18 yards on the drive.

The Seahawks seemed to wake up when they fell behind. Hasselbeck was 4-of-5 for 42 yards on the ensuing 76-yard drive that included a 24-yard pass interference penalty against Marshall.

Facing a fourth-and-1 from the Carolina 4, Holmgren put in the kicking team and Josh Brown's 22-yard field goal with 8:23 left tied it.

"I thought we came in here ready to play, but obviously we didn't," said receiver Bobby Engram, who had nine catches for 84 yards and went over 1,000 yards receiving for the season.

Seattle's dependence on the passing game backfired in the wind, as Shaun Alexander was held to 17 yards on seven carries and Seattle had only 44 yards rushing.

When it appeared Seattle was going to finally score on the first possession of the third quarter, Alexander was dropped for 6-yard loss.

"We didn't run worth a lick," Holmgren said. "We're going to keep trying. But to think we're all of a sudden going to become this power running team, I think it's a little foolish."

Fox has played coy with the quarterback situation all season, but he was quick to hint that Moore would likely start Saturday night against Dallas, the team that cut him in September.

"He did a good job. He didn't hold on to the ball long," said Seahawks defensive end and NFL sacks leader Patrick Kerney, who never got to Moore. "He did a good job of mixing in screens and draws. I commend him on the job he did and their game plan."

Notes

Seahawks S Brian Russell (abdomen) started despite missing practice last week. ... Panthers S Chris Harris tied Mark Fields' team record with his seventh forced fumble. ... New Seahawks long snapper Jeff Robinson had an error-free day a week after he replaced the erratic Boone Stutz.


http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/recap;_ylt=AiUiW.bapWUwFXMHoDiQUJR_2bYF?gid=20071216029&prov=ap

Not Another Predictions Column! Week 15

Not Another Predictions Column! Week 15



Cincinnati 5-8 @ San Francisco 3-10

After a brief absence, NAPC! returns. My readers, I apologize for not penning my column, but I was involved in a trip to Tennessee, senior year finals, and a research paper. My picks were still made on the forums, though, for posterity’s sake. Apparently, the Bengals won a game last week, but then, they were playing the St. Louis Rams. Many teams have won that match-up this year. Naturally, though, their opponent this week is not much tougher. The San Francisco 49ers’ quarterback position is in such a state of flux currently that they actually signed former Carolina Panthers quarterback Chris Weinke to back-up current starter Shaun Hill. Rudi Johnson reappeared on planet earth for Cincy in their victory over St. Louis last week with almost 100 rushing yards and a touchdown. There is not much to say about this match-up – San Francisco’s starting Shaun Hill, Cincinnati Carson Palmer. That should answer the question of who wins satisfactorily. The Bengals win it.

Tennessee 7-6 @ Kansas City 4-9 WEEKLY UPSET GAME

Despite the situation Kansas City has had at quarterback this season, they have two players who are on track to hit the 1000-yard receiving mark on the season. Tight end Tony Gonzalez is within 46 yards, and rookie wide receiver Dwayne Bowe has 821 yards on the year. Their running game, however, has not come around thus far. Superstar running back Larry Johnson has found it hard to get into gear this year, averaging only 3.5 yards per carry and picking up 559 yards rushing on the season. The Panthers’ DeShaun Foster has more rushing yards. Tennessee lost to San Diego last week in a rather close affair. To illustrate just how much I forget the Titans exist, I was actually in Tennessee last weekend in a restaurant with the Titans game on, and I was wondering why the Titans’ game was being shown. At first I thought it was because the restaurant owner was a Chargers fan. However, after about 60 seconds, it occurred to me that I was in the state of Tennessee, so naturally Tennessee’s games get shown on TV. So much for geography. Well, this is my weekly upset game. I have had difficulty picking Kansas City this year, but they should be able to win this week.

Baltimore 4-9 @ Miami 0-13

Jake Delhomme played for three weeks and he has more than 2/3 the touchdown passes the two starting quarterbacks in this game have, Kyle Boller (Ravens) and Cleo Lemon (Dolphins). Both of these teams are eliminated from the playoffs, although in Miami’s case we all knew that awhile ago. They may as well just play the young guys. Oh wait, that is what they have been doing. Never mind. Considering Ronnie Brown went down quite a while ago, it is a testimony to the ineffectiveness of the Dolphins’ passing game that Brown is still the second-leading receiver on the team (and also leading rusher). Willis McGahee has rushed for almost 1100 yards this year with the Baltimore Ravens, and has even found the endzone seven times. Nevertheless, the team’s leading receiver, Derrick Mason, has manged to find the endzone only thrice. The Dolphins’ quarterback, Cleo Lemon, has rushed for more touchdowns than that. It would be nice for Miami to get a win, but it will not happen this week. Ravens win it, but not by much.

New York Jets 3-10 @ New England 13-0

I was going to start off this section of the article with something along the lines of “How bad do you think Eric Mangini wants this game?” but then I realized, “How bad do you think Bill Belichick wants to kill Mangini’s Jets this game?” Once I thought about that, I realized that Belichick has the tools to do so – Mangini does not. Quite frankly, if I were Mangini, I could really see applying for the Witness Protection Program. Ray Barone ought to have the number. New England should be pulling out all the stops in this game, and it should definitely be enjoyable to see. That is, if you are not one of the ten Jets (or is it Giants?) fans remaining. Tom Brady is five touchdown passes away from breaking Peyton Manning’s single-season passing touchdown record. I am not sure the over-under on his breaking that record this week, but it should definitely be happening in front of his home crowd, as the Patriots play at home this week and also next week. I really do not think many New England fans miss Drew Bledsoe, do they? As a rhetorical statement, I have long thought that Tom Brady and Bill Belichick should retire at the same time so that the question of which one the credit should really go to can never be completely answered. I believe they are both an intrinsic part of the success of the Patriots and that neither would have had quite the same level of success without the other. New England improves to 14-0 by defeating the Jets this week.

Buffalo 7-6 @ Cleveland 8-5

gro-VER! gro-VER! gro-VER! Oh wait, wrong Cleveland. Buffalo is still fighting for slim play-off hopes, and Cleveland themselves are positioning for a shot at a good playoff run. Derek Anderson has 26 touchdown passes and is playing his way towards a big payday either this offseason or 2009. Jamal Lewis has nine rushing touchdowns – he should call up DeShaun Foster and explain that the point of rushing the football is to score touchdowns for your own team, not to fumble it to the other team and let them score touchdowns. It is a noble cause, I will admit, but the fans get tired of it quickly. Back to Derek Anderson: while he does not lock on just one receiver, it is clear he favors one receiver over the other when it comes to touchdown passes. Braylon Edwards has 13 touchdown receptions compared to Kellen Winslow’s 5. I must publicly apologize to rookie quarterback Trent Edwards of Buffalo: when I first heard Stanford had a quarterback projected to be drafted in the top two rounds of the NFL draft, I laughed. I should not have, he has proven he has a place in this League. My apologies Trent. Now, I am not so sure J.P. Losman is happy about this, but you can never please everyone, now can you? My apology does not stretch far enough to give the Bills a win this week, unfortunately, Trent. Bowns win at home, improving to 9-5 and guaranteeing a winning season for the first time since 2002.

Seattle 9-4 @ Carolina 5-8

The last time these two teams met in the regular season was roughly three years ago. However, every Panthers fan remembers the match-up in the NFC Conference Championship Game two years ago. In that game, running back Nick Goings was knocked out with a concussion early on, and the Seahawks’ defense throttled the Panthers offense as the Seahawks’ offense rolled over the Panthers defense. There’s not a Panthers fan around who wants to think about that game any longer than they have to. There is also not a Panthers fan around who has not thought about just how bad they wanted Seattle to lose to Carolina in the next go-round. Now, I am not sure that any Panthers fan ever anticipated that the rematch would come with Vinny Testaverde at quarterback, but that may be a good thing. Vinny has never lost to Seattle, and seems to get all the calls against them. That said, he has not practiced in two days and is listed as probable on the injury report. According to a Seattle paper, the reason Vinny hasn’t practiced is that he is old. I guess tact went out of style. By the way, as an aside, members of the Panther Coalition’s sister site, SeahawkBlue.com, are making the trip to Charlotte for the game. Safe travels, my friends. Not to the surprise of anyone, I pick Carolina to win this game because I am an eternal optimist. And it IS a rule, after all.

Arizona 6-7 @ New Orleans 6-7

Hey, check it out! Wanna-bes! The Cardinals and the Saints – pre-season media darlings – are both likely going to be sitting at home come January. What little running game the Saints had just went away, since Reggie Bush will be out for the duration of the season. This game should be a great shoot-out without either team really being able to stop the pass. I am happy to see David Patten has revived his career in New Orleans with 40 receptions this season for 600+ yards. I was worried that after the Redskins signed him and he was hurt that that would signify the beginning of the end, but Drew Brees is good at maximizing what he can get out of his wide receivers. Edgerrin James quietly rushed for over 1000 yards last year and is on pace to do the same this season. If the Cardinals could just find a few defensive players, they would really challenge for a playoff spot. A consistent quarterback would probably help as well. I like Kurt Warner, and I do not like New Orleans, so this is an easy pick. Arizona wins on the road.

Atlanta 3-10 @ Tampa Bay 8-5

Well, technically, Tampa could still lose their last three games and Carolina could win their last three, tying them at 8-8 apiece. Yeah, right, and I want to hold on to 16 as long as I can. Eternal optimist, though, do not forget. Besides, that could save some of the Carolina coaching staff their jobs, and that is probably not a good thing. Poor Atlanta fans – first they lose their superstar, then they have their coach turn on them, what next? On the other hand, I do not believe any of the other three teams in the division will mind a multi-year rebuilding process for Atlanta, if Tampa, New Orleans, and Carolina can be so lucky. Sorry Falcons’ fans! I do believe that if Tampa Bay wins this game, they clinch the division. At least, that is what a little birdie told me. Earnest Graham is closing in on 1000 yards rushing – he only needs 202 more yards and he has three games to do it in. Well, two, since Carolina will not let him. Tampa Bay wins it this week.

GREEN BAY 11-2 @ St. Louis 3-10

Show of hands for how many people want Green Bay in the Super Bowl? I see at least two, and they are both mine. Brett Favre has thrown 24 touchdown passes this season – there are entire teams with fewer touchdown passes. And despite not having a rushing game, the Packers’ Ryan Grant still has roughly 750 yards rushing on the season and averages five yards a pop. I saw that Brock Berlin, former University of Miami stand-out quarterback, started a game for the Rams last week against Cincinnati. I had not heard anything about his NFL career for a while, but I am rather happy that he got an opportunity. How did he do? Well, 17 for 28, 153 yards, and an interception. Pretty much what Carolina expects from their quarterbacks these days. Marc Bulger is starting this week, though, which does give St. Louis a chance to pull off the upset. It will not happen, though. Green Bay improves to 12-2 on the year.

Jacksonville 9-4 @ Pittsburgh 9-4

Just what I needed – a Jacksonville game to pick where they are going up against a team almost their mirror image. I still consider Jacksonville to be on probation in my column. Pittsburgh has been a little inconsistent for my tastes as well, but generally I can predict them accurately, so I am not worried on that front. Willie Parker and Adrian Peterson are vying for the rushing crown this year, with Parker currently in the lead. Yep, he WAS the third-string running back for UNC. Yep, I do not understand it either. He IS an inspiration to third-string college players everywhere, though. That said, Najeh Davenport has more rushing touchdowns than Parker this season, three to two. Both of these teams play excellent defense (unless the Steelers use a safety to ‘cover’ Randy Moss), they both run the ball well, and they both have efficient quarterbacks. However, Ben Roethlisberger is more capable of taking over a game than David Garrard, and this game may come down to quarterback play. Nevertheless, David Garrard just does not make mistakes very often at all. Pittsburgh is 7-0 at home this season, so I will play that card and give Pittsburgh an 8-0 home record on the 2007 season with a win over Jacksonville.

Indianapolis 11-2 @ Oakland 4-9

The Colts came alive last week with a 44-20 drumming of the Baltimore Ravens. Rookie first round draft pick Anthony Gonzalez caught six passes for 130+ yards and two touchdowns against Baltimore. Raiders running back Justin Fargas needs only 80 yards to eclipse the 1000-yard mark for the first time in his career. The Raiders have had a good rushing attack, but their passing game has been virtually nonexistent in most games this season. Unlike the Vikings, Oakland does not have the ability to pull that off. Indianapolis clinches their division if they win – because of that, Indianapolis wins this week.

Detroit 6-7 @ San Diego 8-5

Five weeks ago Detroit was 6-2 and looking at a potential playoff berth and 10-win season, as quarterback Jon Kitna infamously proclaimed they were capable of. However, the luck has run out. Detroit has lost five weeks in a row and now look like the Detroit of old, not the 6-2 ‘powerhouse’ Detroit. As Detroit fans are used to saying, “There’s always next year.” Sure, they could still win out and finish with a winning record, but they needed to win 10 games after Kitna made his prediction. It is possible for them to win out and then win a playoff game, though, giving Detroit 10 wins on the year. Then Kitna could claim that he was including the playoffs in his prediction. (PLAYOFFS? YOU’RE TALKIN’ PLAYOFFS?) I suppose my apologist attitude toward the Lions is undeserved. They did fall apart, after all. Meanwhile, San Diego has finally started winning games, and looks to win the division again. In fact, the Chargers clinch the division with a win over Detroit this week. San Diego wins it at home, improving to 9-5.

Philadelphia 5-8 @ Dallas 12-1

Andy Reid is sticking with Donovan McNabb at quarterback. Frankly, that seems like a bad idea to me, but what do I know. This is probably McNabb’s farewell tour in Philadelphia, though, before getting released or traded this offseason (Chicago, perhaps?). Once again, Brian Westbrook has proved himself the heart and soul of the Philadelphia offense with over 1000 yards rushing and 600+ receiving yards, not to mention 12 combined rushing and receiving touchdowns. Cowboys’ tight end Jason Witten is 45 yards away from 1000 on the season, and I bet he wants to get those 45 yards at home against Philly. Tony Romo has thrown 35 touchdown passes on the season, with 60% of them going to Terrell Owens and Witten. Donovan McNabb has throw 14, with none of them going to Terrell Owens or Jason Witten. That may have something to do with them not playing on the same team. As much as I dislike Dallas, there is really no way they should lose this game. Dallas wins it.

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Washington 6-7 @ New York Giants 9-4

Has Tom Coughlin solidified his job standing with the Giants? They have not yet had their annual collapse under Coughlin, and look like they might be able to finally make it through a year without it. Todd Collins is starting at quarterback this week for the Redskins in place of injured starter Jason Campbell. According to Washington’s offensive coordinator Al Saunders, Collins knows his system better than any other quarterback alive. By the way, anyone looking for a defensive line coach may seriously want to consider hiring the Giants’ line coach away, if at all possible. Chris Cooley is the Redskins’ leading receiver in terms of receptions, yards, and touchdowns. Antwaan Randel El has yet to score a receiving touchdown this season for Washington. If the Giants win it will all but end the Redskins’ postseason hopes. Well, I’m down with that. Giants win it to improve to 10 wins.



MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Chicago 5-8 @ Minnesota 7-6

Friends, it is part two of the Adrian Peterson v. Adrian Peterson bowl! The Bears’ second string rusher is starting in place of the injured Cedric Benson, and the Vikings’ stunning rookie is coming off the worst performance of his young NFL career, with only three yards rushing against San Francisco. Something I have been advocating for all year was for the Bears to start Kyle Orton at quarterback, which they are doing this week. It will be interesting to see how he does after not playing for two years, basically. Vikings’ defensive tackles Pat and Kevin Williams (no relation) both managed interceptions last week against San Francisco, a feat unlikely to be matched for quite a long time. Minnesota is in the drivers’ seat to claim the last wildcard spot and make the playoffs. There is an outside chance that their ‘other’ rusher, Chester Taylor, will notch 1000 yards himself. Taylor needs 284 yards and has three games to get it in. Quarterback Travaris Jackson has thrown only six touchdown passes this season, but I suppose you do not care how you win, just so long as you win. Minnesota wins this week, clinching at least a .500 season and sending the reigning NFC Champions into a losing record for the year.

Last week I went 11-5 and am 135-76 overall.

By Robert “RingLeader” Gilbert

[Comments Will Be Taken In The PantherCoalition Forums]

Seahawks @ Panthers Preview

The Seattle Seahawks have overcome a slow start to become division champions once again.

They'll try for their sixth straight win on Sunday when they visiting the struggling Carolina Panthers.

A five-game winning streak capped with a 42-21 win last Sunday over Arizona gave the Seahawks (9-4) their fourth straight NFC West title. The winning streak is Seattle's longest since a team-record 11-game run two seasons ago that helped them reach their first Super Bowl, where they lost to Pittsburgh.

Of course, Seattle hasn't gotten nearly as much attention as the two teams ahead of it in the conference, Dallas and Green Bay. That also doesn't come as much of a surprise to coach Mike Holmgren.

"We are kind of far away. Heck, we're in Alaska almost," he said. "There's a lot of stuff going on."

Still, the Seahawks' run has likely earned them the No. 3 seed in the playoffs and a home game in the first round. Seattle is two games ahead of Tampa Bay and owns a tiebreaker against the Buccaneers.

The Seahawks trail the Packers by two games and the Cowboys by three, and neither has a particularly strong schedule. Holmgren, though, isn't quite convinced that a No. 3 seed is inevitable.

"I will absolutely talk to them, because I think we have three games left in the regular season, to keep our momentum going," Holmgren told the Seahawks' official Web site. "And to really try and achieve, maybe a little bit more, a little bit better positioning for the playoffs, that's a real goal."

Seattle's surge has coincided with Holmgren's decision to depend more on quarterback Matt Hasselbeck's arm. Hasselbeck has responded, completing 63.0 percent (119-of-189) of his passes during Seattle's winning streak with 11 touchdowns and just three interceptions.

"He is doing everything I have asked him to do - and probably a little more," Holmgren said of Hasselbeck, who threw a season-high four touchdown passes and no interceptions against the Cardinals.

In 2005, when the Seahawks beat Carolina 34-14 in the NFC title game, they largely relied on running back Shaun Alexander as he rushed for 1,880 yards and 27 touchdowns en route to MVP honors. This season, Alexander has become almost an afterthought in Seattle's offense, running for just 595 yards and three touchdowns.

The Panthers (5-8) have done little on offense since quarterback Jake Delhomme was lost to a season-ending elbow injury three weeks into the season. They have failed to score more than one touchdown in six of their last eight losses and have been outscored 184-87 while losing six of their last seven.

Carolina is coming off perhaps its most miserable offensive showing of the season, a 37-6 loss at Jacksonville last Sunday. The Panthers failed to build off momentum created in an encouraging 31-14 win against lowly San Francisco the week before by finishing with a season-low 149 yards of offense against the Jaguars.

"They're a good football team, but let's be honest, that was garbage," Carolina guard Mike Wahle said after the loss. "We had turnovers, three-and-outs, not efficient. I can go on and on about it. We're not playing very well."

Vinny Testaverde threw a pair of touchdown passes against the 49ers. Against the Jaguars, however, the 44-year-old was 13-of-28 for 84 yards with an interception that was returned for a touchdown before being replaced by Matt Moore in the fourth quarter.

Coach John Fox has not named a starting quarterback for this game. Moore was 3-of-10 for 21 yards after taking over for Testaverde, while offseason pickup David Carr has dropped to third on the team's depth chart.

Over the last 10 games, the Panthers have just eight touchdown passes - the same number Delhomme threw in his three games.

"We weren't as consistent throwing the ball as we needed to be," Fox said. "When we have been, we've been in games. When we haven't been, we've not."

Whoever starts for the Panthers likely won't have it easy against an opportunistic defense. Seahawks cornerback Marcus Trufant had three interceptions against the Cardinals, the second straight week one Seattle player intercepted three passes as linebacker Lofa Tatupu had three on Dec. 2 in a 28-24 win over Philadelphia.

Trufant has seven picks this season - two fewer than he had in his first four seasons combined.

Defensive end Patrick Kearney, meanwhile, had three sacks for the third time in four games. He leads the NFL with a career-high 13 1/2 this season.

Making things even more daunting for the Panthers is their remaining schedule. After this contest, they close against division leaders Dallas and Tampa Bay, and will likely have to run the table to keep any hope of a playoff berth alive.

"With adversity like this, that's when we've got to come together," safety Deke Cooper said. "We can't let a loss separate us. We've got three games left. Who knows what's going to happen in the playoff race? We've got to play every game like we're still in the playoffs."

Story Is Complete / Link For Tech Purpose

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Next Up / Seattle @ Carolina PREVIEW COMING SOON !

Taylor & Jags Run Wild On Panthers 37-6

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- Jacksonville's defense turned in its best performance in two months. Fred Taylor topped it with the longest run in team history.
Together, they helped the Jaguars move a step closer to securing an AFC playoff berth.
Taylor ran for 132 yards and a touchdown, the defense looked like its old self and the Jaguars beat the Carolina Panthers 37-6 on Sunday.
Jacksonville (9-4) harassed Vinny Testaverde, stuffed DeShaun Foster and locked down Steve Smith -- the defense's most complete game since consecutive wins at Denver and Kansas City early in the season.
The Jaguars turned the game on the first play of the third quarter and sealed the victory on the first play of the fourth.

Panthers @ Jaguars / Can Carolina REALLY Win In Jacksonville ?

David Garrard has been praised this season for his ability to protect the football and not make mistakes. He only made a few in Sunday's loss to Indianapolis, but has a chance for a flawless week against the lowly Panthers at home.Carolina is 5-7 on the season and sits three games behind Tampa Bay in the NFC South standings. The Jags will have an easy time running the ball against the Panthers' 17th-best run defense, and should not face any problems in the defensive backfield with aging signal call Vinny Testaverde under center for the Panthers.

Even though the Panthers are coming off a 31-14 win over San Francisco, they will have a hard time making plays this weekend. Jacksonville's run-stuffing duo of Stroud and Henderson is back at full strength, so expect the Panthers to come out throwing early and often. If the Jags can keep Addai under 100 yards, imagine what they are capable of doing to Carolina's DeShaun Foster. Jacksonville owns a 2-1 edge in the all-time series with Carolina, but was a 24-23 road loser when the teams last met in 2003.

Complete Story http://scoreboards.canoe.ca/default.asp?c=canoe&page=/nfl/news/ABN4115998.htm Provided By Eddie Quinn / Admin

Panthers 31 49'ers 14 / A Win At Home....FINALLY!!!

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Behind an ancient quarterback, a suddenly diverse playbook and a dominating defense, the Carolina Panthers finally tasted victory at home.
Vinny Testaverde threw two touchdown passes and the Panthers snapped a five-game losing streak with a 31-14 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Carolina's first home win in more than a year.
Using razzle-dazzle rarely seen under conservative coach John Fox, the Panthers (5-7) snapped a seven-game home losing streak dating to last season with Testaverde, who at 44 years, 19 days became the second-oldest starting QB in NFL history.

Testaverde also became the oldest starter to win, besting his own record set seven weeks ago in Arizona -- Carolina's last victory.
The Panthers' defense stepped up, too, with six sack and Richard Marshall's 67-yard interception return for a touchdown, spoiling the 49ers' confidence a week after they snapped an eight-game losing streak.
Trent Dilfer threw for 171 yards and two touchdowns, but was intercepted four times and hit all day by Carolina's much-maligned defense. The 49ers (3-9) committed six turnovers.

The sloppy game was evidence of why both teams will be watching the playoffs on TV, but the Panthers will take it after going 377 days between home wins. The strong showing came a week after New Orleans hammered Carolina 31-6, with David Carr throwing two interceptions in place of Testaverde, who was out with a sore back.
Testaverde returned Sunday and Carr was demoted to third string. And while Testaverde threw for only 153 yards and had two interceptions, he directed an offense that took risks and snapped a streak of 12 straight quarters at home without an offensive touchdown.

Article Continues With Link
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