NFL Week 3 Reaction

Last night closed the books on one of the most wild NFL weekends in recent memory. I have to admit these replacement refs have made quite the impact on the NFL. In a weekend where we had three OT games, and two questionable calls to end the Sunday night game and the Monday night game. We're going to look back on Week 3 for a long time. And let's start with Monday Night Football.


Green Bay 12
Seattle 14

Before I address the big issue that everybody's been talking about, I'm going to go through the game first.

Seattle is always a hard place to play and Green Bay found that out the hard way. Rodgers was sacked, I believe, 9 times in that game. The Seahawks front line was just dominating the Green Bay offensive line. Russell Wilson played a good game like a game manager should. He didn't throw any picks, made safe throws and didn't force anything that needed to be there. And when he could threw it, he did as he set up a 41 yard TD pass to Golden Tate in the second quarter.

In the second half, Green Bay regrouped and came out playing like Green Bay scoring 12 unanswered. Just when you thought Green Bay had regained control and was going to win this game, the unthinkable happens.

When time expired, Russell Wilson throws up a Hail Mary into the Endzone which is pulled down by Golden Tate for a TD to end the game! Right? Wrong!

The official NFL rulebook states as followed:

Rule 8, Section 1, Article 3, Item 5 of the NFL rulebook states, "If a pass is caught simultaneously by two eligible opponents, and both retain it, the ball belongs to the passers. It is not a simultaneous catch if a player gains control first and an opponent subsequently gains joint control."

The play was reviewed and the TD stood. But here's the thing, both men didn't have possession of the ball. M.D. Jennings had control of the ball from the jump and Golden Tate tried wrestling the ball away from him when they hit the ground. It should've been an interception and a win for Green Bay. The refs got that call wrong. Green Bay got robbed and as a result, drop to 1-2 and the Seahawks go to 2-1.

The refs have been at the center of a lot of NFL Controversy and we're only in Week 3. Add to that, but talks with the original refs don't look like they're going to be settled anytime soon. People can complain all they want but nothing will stop them from watching the NFL. If it weren't for these refs, we wouldn't be watching Football at all.

Green Bay hosts The Saints on Sunday and Seattle travels to St. Louis to face The Rams.



New England 30
Baltimore 31

Here's another game where the refs had an effect on the outcome. But before I get to that, we're going to go through the game.

In the wake of his little's brother's death, Torrey Smith plays alongside The Baltimore Ravens in Sunday night's game against New England. On a personal level, it was amazing to see him cope with his brother's death and still be able to play Football all in the same day. Much respect and love to him. He came to play scoring two TD's in this win.

The game didn't start off so hot for The Ravens. Brady and Co. engineered a 13-0 lead in the first quarter moving the ball at will. But Baltimore came back and scored two TDs, including one to Torrey Smith in the second quarter for a 14-13 lead at halftime.

In the second half, it was back and forth as Flacco and Brady moved the ball willingly down the field. Brady and Lloyd were killing the Ravens' Defense on short yardage plays and the it came down to which defense would make the big play to stop the offense.

Now, in the fourth quarter, here was the play where the fans of Baltimore came unglued. New England had the ball up 30-28. Brady goes for Welker on 3rd down, but it gets intercepted by Ledarius Webb. The call is illegal contact, but it could've just been called as holding. Another penalty was given for unsportsmanlike conduct on John Harbaugh who was almost out on the field. The fans started a Bulls*** chant which wasn't blocked out on NBC and actually gave a me a little laugh. They were extremely worked up as New England might have had the opportunity to put this game away.

After not converting on 3rd and 16, Baltimore gets the ball back, drives down the field and the rookie kicker Justin Tucker kicks what appeared to be the game winning FG. The Ravens were celebrating and the Patriots were saying the kick was no good. It looked to me like it was no good, but when you look at it closer, it just barely gets inside sailing way above the right upright. I'm still questioning that call myself.

So was Bill Belichick who raced after the referee to talk to him about the call, but the ref ignored him even when Bill put his hands on him.

New England is now 1-2 and travel to Buffalo on Sunday. The Ravens have a short week as they have to face The Browns on Thursday night.



Detroit 41
Tennessee 44

The game of the week. Hell, the game of the year so far took place in Tennessee.

This game had everything you wanted and then some. Big plays, trick plays, a 46 point fourth quarter, a hail Mary, and OT to close things up. Tennessee blew a 20-9 halftime lead and Detroit would score 18 straight and Tennessee would come back to score 21 straight in the fourth including a spectacular catch by Nate Washington right over the back of a defender, and racing into the endzone for the TD. 46 points combined were scored in the fourth.

An onside kick that was recovered by Detroit set up the hail Mary pass from Shaun Hill who took over for the injured Matthew Stafford. He let it fly and it was caught in the endzone by Titus Young! An amazing ending to a game that was not going to end anytime soon.

In OT, Tennessee kicks a FG and now it's Detroit's turn to score. They take the ball down to the redzone and on a 4th & 1, instead of taking the points and tying the game up, they decide to QB sneak it, and get stopped. Questionable call in an OT game on the road only down by three. I don't understand that. You can't tell if Detroit's defense would've been able to stop Jake Locker, who was on fire that day.

No question on how serious Stafford's injury is, but they face Detroit next week. The rejuvenated Titans face  The Texans next week.


New York 23
Miami 20

Another OT game which wasn't as exciting as the others, but still worth mentioning.

The Dolphins looked good early on moving the ball with Reggie and keeping the game plan simple for Tannehill. But when Bush went out with and injury, Miami's offense took a big hit and didn't really capitalize on opportunities. For instance, an interception in the Endzone and a missed FG by Dan Carpenter early on in the game. The Jets offense looked pitiful. Their lone offensive TD came in the fourth quarter. And let's just say, their two QB system is not working. You either you use one QB, or don't.

And then, then in OT, Dan Carpenter misses a FG which costs Miami the game and Santonio Holmes carries The Jets offense down the field for the game winning FG.

The Jets offense is absolutely horrid and they need more weapons instead of running their offense through Santonio Holmes. They host The Niners next week and Sanchez might be in for a rude awakening. Miami takes on the 3-0 Arizona Cardinals. Best of luck to them.


Kansas City 27
New Orleans 24

Battle of 0-2 teams and this quite the game.

The Saints were moving slow in the beginning like they seem to do now as of late. They only had a 10-6 lead at halftime. But coming out of the locker room, they exploded and took a commanding 24-6 lead over The Chiefs. Game Over, right? Wrong!

The Chiefs came to New Orleans to win and they slowly started to chip away at New Orleans by feeding the ball to Jamaal Charles gaining 233 yards on the ground. The Chiefs offense came all the way back from 18 down to tie the game at 24 and send the game in OT. The Saints' defense allowed The Chiefs to run and throw all over them. And then, a Drew Brees led offense only racked up over 288 total yards of offense.

In OT, The Chiefs made all the plays and took the ball down the field and Ryan Succop kicked the winning field goal. Chiefs go to 1-2 and The Saints go to 0-3. The Drew Brees Saints go to 0-3. Saints haven't been 0-3 since 2007.

It may be 0-4 because The Saints face Green Bay on Sunday. The Chiefs host The San Diego Chargers.



San Francisco 13
Minnesota 24

San Francisco was being touted as the best team in the NFL already, but they ran into a major trap game here with Minnesota. The Niners defense ran up to a very smart offense. They jumped on The Niners early by methodically running the ball and setting up Ponder to make plays with his arm and his feet. More importantly, they forced the game into the hands of Alex Smith and he couldn't beat them.

I don't look at The Niners any differently after this game. I still think they're one of the best teams in the NFL. This was just a bump in the road that they're gonna rebound from.

The Vikings on the other hand look like they have a pretty damn good team over in Minnesota. We'll have to see how they develop in the next few weeks. They've got a tough division foe in Detroit next week. Let's see how they do in Divisional action before we start proclaiming them as anything.

The Niners travel to New York to face The Jets. The Jets defense will be without Darrelle Revis, so that's one worry out of the way. A talented QB like Alex Smith should be able to rebound and have a big game.



Honorable Mentions:

Arizona - They rolled on the Eagles and made it look easy. Arizona moves to 3-0 and so far look pretty legit. They have a relatively easy schedule coming up. Let's see if they can keep it up.

New York - Went into Carolina and dismantled The Panthers. That defense couldn't do anything against The Giants offense.

Atlanta - The Falcons finally look like they've got the defensive side of things figured out to complement their offense. They completely ran over San Diego and look like the best team in the NFC. But only time will tell how long it'll last for.

Cincinnati - It looked like business as usual when they defeated Washington. They gave up a Big lead, but Dalton and Green rallied and look like one of the best tandems in the NFL right now.

Houston - Beating up on a Peyton Manning led team in Denver and moving to 3-0. Houston may just be the most complete team in the NFL.



Dishonorable Mentions - 

Philadelphia - Vick isn't going to make it through the season if he keeps getting knocked around like he did against Arizona. And with games like Pittsburgh, New York, Detroit, and Atlanta coming up, this offense needs to figure out what they're doing wrong and fast. It's funny, I'm talking about them like they're 0-3, but they're 2-1. Go figure.

Carolina - Their defense was abysmal against The Giants. They couldn't rush the passer, couldn't cover, couldn't tackle. Long story short, they were horrible. With Matt Ryan coming to town on Sunday, they better get their act together. If they show up like that on Sunday, I guarantee The Falcons drop close to 45-50 points.

Denver - Not necessarily on Peyton Manning and the offense, but the defense. They gave way too many big plays and allowed Houston to convert third down after third down after third down. It's starting to look like Indy all over again for Peyton Manning. This defense needs to get its act together if they're going to amount to anything.

Dallas - Sure they won, but their offense is so inconsistent. They have the firepower, but they don't seem to use it all the time. 16 points? I expect more out of the team that beat the Super Bowl Champions on opening night. They're gonna need more than 16 points to beat Chicago next Monday night.



Feel free to Comment.



By: Gerald "Showstopper" Prophete

NFL Week 2 Reaction

I apologize for this late entry, but I think from now on, I'll wait until after the Monday Night games are played to post my thoughts. Week 2 in the NFL is in the books, but there were surprises aplenty, so let's get right to the surprise of the day for me.

Arizona 20

New England 18

The Arizona Cardinals marched into New England and took out Tom Brady and The Patriots. I mean, they really took it to the Patriots. The defense was all over Brady, dominated that offensive line, and really made it hard for the Patriots to move the ball. They came ready with a gameplan, jamming receivers at the line, and Aaron Hernandez got injured. The Patriots almost came back and won in the end, but Gostowski missed a last second FG and their 10-game home opening winning streak was broken. 

The Patriots have a chance to rebound, but it'll be hard because they have to go on the road next Sunday night and face Baltimore. The 2-0 Arizona Cardinals led by Kevin Kolb are at home next week and face The Eagles. Let's see if they can continue this surprising winning streak.

Baltimore 23

Philadelphia 24

While we're on Philly and Baltimore, these two teams collided in a smash mouth game where there was lots of fighting involved. It got really physical between both these teams and before you know it, The Philly defense was being physical with the physical Ravens defense. It didn't look good early on when Baltimore had a 17-7 lead at the half, but Vick got it together and rallied his team back to beat Baltimore. I still think Flacco and The Ravens are better, they just got caught in a bad situation facing a very determined Eagles team in their home opener. 

Baltimore has a HUGE game with New England next Sunday. They better get ready cause both teams are gonna come with everything they got. The Eagles travel to Arizona to take on the 2-0 Cardinals. Either The Cardinals will prove how legit they are, or they're going to be brought down to earth in a BIG way.

Tampa Bay 34

New York 41

This is what I mean about The Giants sometimes. They can be so inconsistent it bothers me. But then again, this is not about The Giants' inconsistency, this is about their comeback against Tampa Bay. Eli shook off a few early interceptions against Tampa Bay and it looked like they were going to get blown out, but the Super Bowl Champions rallied. Eli tossed a number of TD passes and this rejuvenated offense was stretching the field, outplaying the corners, and with a little luck, the balls landed right where they needed to be.

The Bucs defense completely broke down in the second half being gashed for 604 overall yards. Freeman and Jackson looked like a perfect combination in the first half, but none of that looked like it was there in the second half. Eli had a BIG fourth quarter and The Bucs couldn't keep up and took a loss under their column.

Tampa Bay travels to Dallas next week in a very interesting game, while New York travels to Carolina to face Cam Newton and The Panthers. Two very intriguing games indeed.

New York 10

Pittsburgh 27

I'm not surprised in the least about this one. I knew Pittsburgh was not about to let The Jets score 48 points on them like the lowly Buffalo Bills. Sanchez and The Jets scored 10 points in the first half and that was all they had for the game. They didn't score again in the second half. Once Pittsburgh adjusted their defense, Sanchez didn't know what hit him. He was on the run, getting sacked, hurried, and overall just making bad plays because the defense smartened up to what he was doing.

Big Ben played like Big Ben and played mistake free ball completing 24 of 31 passes for 275 yards and shined sending the Jets to 1-1. The offense was cooking on all cylinders and all was normal in Pittsburgh. You could argue that The Jets sorely missed Darrelle Revis. Pittsburgh was just fine without James Harrison and Troy Polamalu in this game.

The Jets travel down to Miami who beat them in the last game of the season last season and ended any hope of a playoff run. After the beatdown Miami placed on Oakland on Sunday, The Jets better be ready. The Steelers go to Oakland and face the 0-2 Raiders.

Broncos 21

Falcons 27

Bad, bad game for Mr. Manning. But then again, it is only one game. The Falcons defense played sensationally and did something not many defenses do and that's confuse Peyton Manning. Peyton Manning is arguably the smartest mind in football and throwing 3 interceptions in his first three drives were definitely a shock to see. Then again, there was a game where Peyton threw 6 interceptions. Surprised people didn't bring that game up. He almost won that one too. Manning seemed fine in the second half without any picks, but the Falcons defense still dominated the Broncos offensive line. It was like Indy all over again. Peyton had almost no time to throw and he's not completely gelled with his new receivers yet. I'm not too worried about that cause we all know who Peyton Manning is.

The Falcons played great. Their defense helped them out in a HUGE way forcing 4 turnovers setting up Matt Ryan to throw 2 TD passes. Atlanta is one of the best regular season teams in the NFL, but all this won't matter unless they can carry it into the playoffs. But on this night, they were spectacular.

The Falcons take on another BIG test and travel to San Diego to face the 2-0 Chargers. Matt Ryan won the last time he was up there. The Broncos tough schedule continues as they host the Houston Texans. 

Honorable Mentions:

Seattle - I told you guys Seattle was a tough place to play. Dallas is proof of that. They looked sleepy out there and Seattle dominated them on both sides of the ball. Russell Wilson played well and they really took it to Romo and The Cowboys. Not much else to say there. Seattle hosts Green Bay next Monday.

Carolina - The Panthers took advantage of The Saints' funk and were dominated them early, but they fended off a rally and edged out a win. Their running game and passing attack balanced each other out and the defense didn't play spectacularly, but when it came down to crunch time, they made the plays that they had to so Brees couldn't orchestrate a comeback. With the Saints in a funk, the NFC South looks pretty wide open.

Indianapolis - Andrew Luck gets his first NFL win and looks good doing it as a matter of fact. Colts scored a late field goal for the win. The Colts stay at home and host The Jaguars.

Cincinnati - A great showing at home. Although it was against The Browns, they bounced back from a blowout loss against The Ravens and look to be back on the right track. Bengals have a tough test as they face RG3 and The Redskins in his home opener.

Miami - Reggie Bush shines as the Dolphins blow Oakland out of the water. They host New York next week. Ryan Tannehill better be prepared for the Jets defense.

San Francisco - The Niners defense is extremely legit. Stafford and The Lions never really took off. I knew it was going to be long night when Alex Smith and the offense took the field and scored on their opening drive. The 2-0 Niners travel to Minnesota Sunday.

Dishonorable Mentions:

Chicago - Offense was completely non-existent during the game. And overall poor showing. A game at home against The Rams could be just what they need.

Dallas - Looked sleepy on defense, and their offense couldn't move the ball at all.

Tennessee - For my pick to at least make the playoffs, they're not off to a good start.

Green Bay - Their offense still looked a tad bit weak, despite their defense being amazing.

Oakland - Carson Palmer is not the answer they needed for this offense. This 0-2 start is a clear sign of that.

Feel free to Comment.

By: Gerald "Showstopper" Prophete

Night of Champions Reaction

At first, I didn't want to even bother writing a blog on this show, but I changed my mind.

Pre-show Battle Royal to determine #1 contender for the US Championship
Participants: Brodus Clay, Tensai, Primo, Epico, Justin Gabriel, Michael McGuillicuty, Zack Ryder, Primetime Playas, Jinder Mahal, JTG, Drew McIntyre, Ted Dibiase Jr., Heath Slater, Santino

I won't get into much greater detail than this because this: It was a pretty standard battle royal. Not many faces people would know because they're never on TV, but nonetheless, it was an interesting battle royal. It came down to Tensai and Zack Ryder and Long Island's Finest came away with the win. So, therefore, we will have Zack Ryder vs Antonio Cesaro later on for the US Championship.

I'm sure you all heard what happened to Jerry "The King" Lawler on RAW. If not, then allow me to fill you in.

The King had a heart attack during a match on RAW last Monday. At one point, you could hear him snoring sort of, and then you just hear silence. WWE personnel rush over, and EMT's bring King to the back worked on him for 15 minutes to do CPR. King was treated in the hospital over night, and by Wednesday (?) He was up and feeling better. He posted a tout and all was right with the world. Thank god he's ok and back on his feet, and at home recovering.

While King is at home recovering, JBL came back tonight and took over color commentating duties for the show. Let's get to the event.

Fatal 4 Way Intercontinental Championship Match
The Miz (c) vs Rey Mysterio vs Cody Rhodes vs Sin Cara

This was a good opening match to be honest. Solid action from all four men, we got to see Mysterio and Sin Cara put on a little show, and we had some great spots as well.  An interesting ending here, when Miz was going to power bomb Sin Cara and got a mask put on him. With Miz being able to not see and all, he grabbed the first body and hit the skull crushing finale and got the win. Solid match, I would've expected a little more of a faster pace to the ending, but this works too.

WWE Tag Team Championship Match
Kofi & R-Truth (c) vs Kane & Daniel Bryan


First off, I gotta say that Daniel Bryan and Kane have become the entertaining portion of the show for the past two weeks, and these anger management segments have been funny. Getting to the match, it was solid, and told a good story. Kane and Bryan argued during portions of the match, even going so far as to hugging it out during the match when they got upset. They were so over that Kofi and Truth, who are also fan favorites, started to get booed at. But this isn't the first time this sort of thing has happened.

The ending sees Kane on the top rope, still arguing with Daniel Bryan. Bryan shoves him off and he lands on Kofi and gets the win and we have NEW Tag Team Champions. And afterwards, they argue and Kane leaves.

This is a great move by WWE here. Kane and Bryan have gotten super over ever since these anger management segments and giving them the tag team titles is a good move. My only thing is, where do they go from here? Who are they gonna find to challenge Kane and Bryan? Unless they throw two other upper mid-carders together to face them. But I don't think the belts will come off these guys any time soon.

United States Championship Match
Antonio Cesaro (c) (w/Aksana) vs Zack Ryder

Solid match. I didn't expect much from the match anyway, but not bad. I said this in my Summerslam reaction blog, I like watching Cesaro wrestle. The man knows what he's doing in there. Also, there was one spot in the match where he sent Ryder in the air and on his way down, he hit him with an uppercut. He used this great move in ROH and other indies before coming up to WWE. It's pretty lethal.

Cesaro wins with the Gotch Neutralizer after Aksana distracts him. So, Cesaro hangs on to the US Title which is a good thing cause this might be what he needs to make him relevant. Cesaro is a great talent and with some work, he could be something big. Maybe WWE can start putting him on RAW too.....a show that people will watch. SmackDown isn't as watchable as it was in the past.

Randy Orton vs Dolph Ziggler

When you think of a match that could be the possible showstealer, this was it. I'm not surprised because these two always put on great matches. Both of these guys have so much chemistry in the ring and this match was amazing. It was slow, fluid, methodical, and fast pace at times, but it didn't really need it. It ended with Orton lifting Ziggler in the air and hit him with an RKO on his way down.

Match of the night so far. But where does Ziggler go from here. He's getting absolutely no steam and no momentum. I mean yea, he's Mr. Money in the Bank, but what does that mean if he keeps losing?

Then again, Daniel Bryan kept on losing matches when he was Mr. Money in the Bank and look where his career is at now. Nuff said. We're just going to have to wait and see when Ziggler will get his chance to shine.

Divas Championship Match
Layla (c) vs Eve

Well, with Kaitlyn out of the mix, Eve takes her spot and faces Layla for the Divas Championship. What happened to Kaitlyn you ask? If you care enough to read, I'll explain.

Earlier on in the night, Kaitlyn "injured" her ankle backstage and was in no condition to compete apparently. How convenient. They didn't build up Kaitlyn one bit, and now she's "injured." Why put her in the match if you were planning to take her out of it? Later on, Booker T. named Eve as the replacement to face Layla. Shocking stuff. Why didn't you just add her to the match in the first place?

I wasn't too sold into this match for obvious reasons. But unlike the crowd, I appreciate a Divas match when both of them can actually wrestle. Layla always had talent, and Eve got better and better in the ring with her move set. That being said, the match was solid and we crowned a NEW Divas Champion in Eve.

I'm not that annoyed with the decision, but let's look at this for a minute:

Kaitlyn was "taken out" earlier on in the night, Eve is her replacement, and then wins the Divas Championship. It doesn't take a genius to realize that Eve was behind everything and it worked out in the end as she wins the Divas Title. All this in order to get Eve over as a heel. Eve lost A LOT of steam since her heel turn on Ryder back in March (?) But Eve wins the title, and I'm pretty sure Layla and Kaitlyn will be back after her.

The only twist they can come up with here (which they'll probably do) is for Eve to have paid someone to take Kaitlyn out so that her hands are clean of the situation. That would at least make the Divas division a little more interesting.

World Heavyweight Championship Match
Sheamus (c) vs Alberto Del Rio

Before the match gets underway, Booker comes out and makes the Brogue Kick legal again taking away all the "suspense" in this match in whether or not Sheamus can win without The Brogue Kick.

So, now that we have that out of the way let's get to the match. It went on for a little while, but it had a slower pace than their match at Summerslam, but this match was still good and told a good story. Del Rio continuously worked on that arm and every time Sheamus would go for the Brogue Kick, he would miss. When Sheamus was locked in the cross armbreaker and looked like he was going to tap, he fought his way to the ropes, twice.

Eventually, Sheamus nails Del Rio with the Brogue Kick and this one is over. And there is no appearance from Ziggler. So, I really don't know where Sheamus will go from here. My guess would be a feud with Orton, or maybe Wade Barrett. But I know THIS should be the last time Del Rio competes for the World Title, at least for a while.

WWE Championship Match
CM Punk (c) vs John Cena

Before the match, Paul Heyman is in the ring and says he's going to be at ringside to watch this match and introduces CM Punk out and here he comes wearing a hoodie and sporting NY Yankee pinstripe trunks clearly since they're in Boston and all. Cena comes out wearing Pink and Black for Breast Cancer Awareness month. Both men get separate introductions and it seems like for once, Boston is actually cheering Cena.

This match had a big fight feel and it didn't disappoint. Then again, Punk and Cena never disappoint. I know I bash PG WWE A LOT, but one thing I'll say is that Cena and Punk know how to put on a damn good show and making every minute worth it. This was another classic match that saw Cena doing a ring dive, multiple kickouts from finishing moves, escapes from submissions, other nearfalls, and just excitement all around. It was simply amazing.

But here's where I scratch my head. Ok, so at the end, Cena does a German Suplex from the top rope and the ref counts and apparently Cena wins the WWE Title! But wait, once Cena is done celebrating, the ref takes the belt away from Cena and says both his and Punk's shoulders were down on the mat when he counted the fall. Mr. Referee ends this match on a draw. Therefore, Punk keeps the WWE Title. And afterwards, while Cena is complaining about the decision, he turns around and Punk drops him with the belt.

I had to let this sink in for a bit. They really couldn't have Cena lose in his Hometown? Really? I mean it's not like it hasn't happened before. Anyway, they didn't want Cena to lose in Boston, and they didn't want Punk to lose the title, so this draw scenario is actually kind of interesting. Not only does it leave the people of Boston extremely upset which gives Punk more heat, but it shows how even they are. They did everything to each other and nobody walked out with a clean win on one another. I just feel like they could've executed it better. I mean when they showed the replay, Cena's shoulders were barely on the mat. I commend the move, but it just seemed off.

We're going to see Punk/Cena again at Hell in a Cell, and do you have Punk win there? There have been talks of Punk holding onto the title up until The Royal Rumble, but this scenario seems too familiar. Cena doesn't win the first match, but almost always wins the rematch. There is a method to all this madness.


Overall, this show was pretty damn entertaining. Way better than Summerslam that's for damn sure.

As much as I hate to say it, Cena/Punk surpassed Orton/Ziggler for Match of the Night, and we crowned two new Champions. All this adds up to a must see RAW tomorrow night. Good show, great wrestling, but a sloppy ending. I'll give a 7/10. WWE still has a lot to do in the world of building up every match like they used to do before the PG Era started.



Feel free to Comment.


By: Gerald "Showstopper" Prophete

NFL Week 1 Thoughts

Football is Back! And back in a big way. Let's cut the nonsense and let's get right to the action.

Dallas 24

New York 17

Well, lookie here. The New York Giants on opening night in front of their hometown crowd fall to The Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys played so well that they looked like the ones who just came off the Super Bowl victory. I mean, The Giants offense looked somewhat good early, but later on it just looked out of sync. Cruz was dropping balls and Eli was playing like the Eli we all knew. I don't mean "Eli-te" either.

The Cowboys Defense swarmed the ball and really played well against the deep throw. The addition of Carr and Claiborne gave that defense a boost and they sure did impress. And then we have Tony Romo. He bounced back from an early interception and played a near flawless game tossing 3 TDs. Dallas makes a HUGE statement after NOBODY had them winning this game. People had Dallas getting blown out actually, but they came out and quieted down New York. 

New York hosts Tampa Bay next week and this should be the perfect bounce back game for them, but then again who knows because The Giants can be inconsistent at times. Dallas goes to Seattle which is always a hard place to play.

Washington 40

New Orleans 32

WOW.....I mean really WOW. I knew RG3 was good, but when you're a rookie QB starting your first game and you go on the road in the loudest building in the NFL against the Drew Brees led Saints who were unbeaten at home last season, and WIN and look good doing it, that's an impact.

RG3 played so dominantly. At one point, he had not thrown an incomplete pass until midway through the second quarter. Brees started 3 and out and then Griffin led his team right down the field for an early score. He had such command of the offense, and threw with speed and accuracy. The man was unstoppable. The Saints, on the other hand, looked like they missed their head coach. Brees at points didn't look like Drew Brees. Even though he had 339 yards and 3 TDs, he still didn't look like himself. He threw in crowds, looked confused, and his receivers dropped passes too. Colston dropped a deep pass all by himself in the fourth quarter.

The final score doesn't dictate how bad this was. The Redskins were blowing The Saints out of the building.

I'd say the NFC East got a lot more interesting.

Both these teams go on the road next week. The Redskins have an easy test against The Rams, and The Saints face Carolina.

Indianapolis 21

Chicago 41

Andrew Luck's debut didn't really turn out so well. I believe Luck had the harder obstacle. Chicago does not fool around when it comes to rookie QBs. Luck kept his poise during some parts, but when Chicago brought the house, Luck didn't know what hit him. They disguised coverages, forcing Luck into throwing 3 picks and getting sacked a few times. Needless to say, it was a forgettable debut. I mean, he did have 309 yards passing and 1 TD pass, but The Bears made this debut as uncomfortable as possible for the young man.

Jay Cutler took a while to get going starting 1/12. But when he got going, he really got going. Cutler was slinging the ball around as only Jay Cutler can. Finding the open man, throwing lasers into tight windows, and throwing one of the best deep balls in the NFL. He's so glad to have Brandon Marshall back cause of their history in Denver. Chicago is going to be a legitimate threat once again if they can stay healthy.

The Colts home opener is next week against The Vikings and The Bears travel to Green Bay.

San Francisco 30

Green Bay 22

Speaking of Green Bay, man it was like deja vu all over again for them. Green Bay was just dominated on both sides of the ball. This Niners defense is just as fierce as they were last season, dropping Rodgers, forcing him into bad throws, throwing receivers off their routes, and just straight up controlling and keeping the Green Bay offense in check. Rodgers' receivers couldn't get off the blocks and were also dropping passes. Rodgers himself played a decent game, but let's be real, he wasn't flinging it 40-50 yards like last season. The Niners weren't playing any games.

And Alex Smith played well too. Call him a game manager if you want, but 20-29 and over 230 yards passing in Lambeau is saying something. I didn't pick The Niners to win the NFC for no reason. This team is so complete. Their defense is lethal and their offense has found its potency. When Green Bay couldn't move the ball, The Niners were piling on the points leading 22-7 at one point. Green Bay rallied late in the fourth quarter, but as I was watching it, there were some very questionable calls that led to Green Bay's points. But nonetheless, The Niners leave Lambeau with a convincing win.

The Niners host Detroit next week in a very exciting rematch from their game last season where Jim Schwartz almost fought Jim Harbaugh. Should be a great game. Green Bay hosts Chicago and the way The Niners looked and The Bears offense being so much more explosive, Green Bay is in trouble.

Pittsburgh 19

Denver 31

For those that doubted Peyton Manning's playing ability, maybe this game will quiet some of you down. Peyton Manning dominated The Pittsburgh defense and looked like he never even left the playing flied.

The only problem is Denver's defense. They allowed Pittsburgh to hold the ball for WAY too long. Big Ben and his offense would consistently eat up the clock with 10+ play drives taking up 5 or more minutes off the clock. Pittsburgh looked like they were on the field forever. The running game was solid and Ben kept on making great plays converting third downs in his sleep.

But when Peyton was on the field, he made the most of it. He would have an answer for every Pittsburgh scoring drive. He would take his team down the field and scored in half the time Pittsburgh did.

This game showed me that Peyton Manning is indeed back and that Denver is a legitimate threat in the AFC and that Pittsburgh's offense is still good, but their defense was sorely missing Ryan Clark and James Harrison.

Pittsburgh has to rebound at home against The Jets and The Broncos have another tough test going on the road to face Matt Ryan and The Falcons.

Honorable Mentions:

New England - Going on the road and destroying Tennessee. Business as usual for Brady and Company. They host The Cardinals next week which will be another easy win.

New York - I guess The Jets really did save all their stuff for the season. Putting up 48 points and forcing three turnovers is something. Then again, they did only play Buffalo. Let's see them drop 48 on Pittsburgh IN Pittsburgh.

Atlanta - Just like Brady, it was business as usual for Matt Ryan. He may have started off slow, but with Julio and Gonzalez, the Falcons' offense took off and put up a 40 piece in Kansas City on Romeo Crennel's defense. The Falcons host The Denver Broncos next Monday night. That should be something to see.

Minnesota - Arguably, one of the best games played yesterday. After a Jags go ahead TD with 20 seconds left, Christian Ponder marched the Vikings down the field and off the leg of a rookie kicker, got into OT and narrowly pulled out the victory. Great win and now they have Andrew Luck and The Colts next week.

Dishonorable Mentions:

Philadelphia - Yeah, they won, but that game was ugly. Vick threw 4 picks and he didn't look good at all. The Browns looked even worse. It was just an overall snooze. They host The Baltimore Ravens next week, so they need to get their act together FAST.

Detroit - Same deal with Philly, they won, but the game was ugly too. Stafford played a bad game with three picks, but I guess he was forgiven after throwing the game winning TD. They're going on the road to face San Francisco, so they have some work to do because The Niners are on a mission.

Carolina - Cam Newton's sophomore slump looks like it's going to be on. But then again, it was one game. Newton looked rattled and was really slinging that ball around. He needs to gather himself and rebound.

Tampa Bay - They did a good job containing Cam Newton, but they need more play out of their offense. I mean Freeman only had 138 yards passing.

As far as tonight's Monday Night games go, Baltimore is playing at home and Joe Flacco looked pretty damn good in the preseason. As good as Cincy is, I don't like their chances.

The Raiders with Palmer now have a whole new offense compared to how simple it was when Jason Campbell ran it. The Chargers should win this game, but it's hard to tell. They've had their problems with The Raiders as of late. I'll go with The Chargers on a coin toss.

Enjoy the games!

Feel free to Comment.

By: Gerald "Showstopper" Prophete

NFL Predictions

You can feel it, you can smell it, you can almost taste it. Ok, let me not get that carried away. But Football season is definitely the most anticipated season of any major sport. I mean, it's really not that close, but let me not drag on that. The season starts Wednesday when the defending Super Bowl Champion New York Giants take on the Dallas Cowboys. Then Sunday, the first full slate of games begins.

Everybody always makes predictions and I know what you're saying, "The season didn't even start yet. We should wait until they play the games first." Blah blah blah. Although you never really know what to expect from the NFL these days, it's always fun to pretend and make your own predictions on what you think will happen.

So, let's get right to it!






AFC East - New England Patriots

Even with that defense being as bad as it is, we forget The New England Patriots have Tom Brady. The man has yet to miss the playoffs. And now he has a TON of new weapons to throw to.

Let's be real, nobody in this division can stop New England. Miami is starting a rookie QB who'll probably be shown the bench in Week 3, or 4. The Buffalo Bills have an unhealthy habit of starting off strong, but never being able to finish that way. And The New York Jets, well the only reason they even stay in some of their games is because of their defense. The Mark Sanchez project has run its course. I think this team will have a better shot at winning the division if they start Tebow. I mean, did anybody else see how badly this team played in the preseason? Either they're really going to be that bad, or we've all been fooled and this team will surprise everybody.




AFC West - Denver Broncos

Two words: Peyton Manning. People have been criticizing Manning for quite some time as to if he would have any juice left in the tank. I think his play this preseason shut down a good portion of his critics. I mean, come on, it's Peyton Manning. It's not Brett Favre coming out of retirement.....again.

Back to the point, Manning pretty much has everything he didn't have in Indy: a solid running game that finished first last season, a good defense, and an O-Line that will give him time to throw. The Raiders won't be winning again. With Palmer at the helm, they....well let's just say they were better off waiting for Jason Campbell to return from his injuries. X them out. Even though their defense is going to be beastly this season, The Chiefs don't have the offensive consistency to back it up. X them out of the equation as well. And now we have the San Diego Chargers. This may be the one team to give Denver a challenge. Why? Because Peyton Manning doesn't do so well against The Chargers. He's 3-5 against them in the regular season and 0-2 against them in the playoffs. If any team is going to be a threat to Peyton Manning and The Broncos, I think it very well may be San Diego.


AFC North - Baltimore Ravens

This was tough for me to choose. The Ravens had a great season, but came up just a little short against New England. I still think they should've won that game, but whatever. Nonetheless, looking at the schedules of both Baltimore and Pittsburgh, I think Baltimore can make an early run with 3 of their first 4 games being at home. Steelers are on the road in 3 of their first five games. And of course, we have to keep an eye on the one-on-one matchups which are always fun to watch. I think Baltimore has the edge in defense here. I think their defense is every bit as powerful as Pittsburgh's. Flacco has a lot to prove this season when he said he should be mentioned in the main crop of QB's. I think he will be fine, but Pittsburgh will always be right there ready to move up if they make any sort of mistake. The Steelers haven't lost a step like people have said.

The Browns are starting this Brandon Wheedon kid. I still say Colt McCoy is a better Quarterback, but I guess Cleveland will learn from their mistake. The Bengals had a breakout season making the playoffs despite having Pittsburgh and Baltimore in their division. This team is capable of holding their own against those two powerhouses, but winning is a whole other story.


AFC South - Houston Texans

With a healthy Matt Schaub, this team can go places. With a healthy Matt Schaub, Houston might have gone to the Super Bowl last season. They really are that good. They're a complete team: they have the QB, the superstar wide receiver, the superstar running back, and a very, very physical defense that finished in the top 5 last season. They're ready to make it all the way and no team in this division can stop that. It all depends on whether or not Schaub stays healthy.

Jacksonville has Blaine Gabbert. Enough said. The Colts are starting over with Andrew Luck, and as good as he has looked in the preseason, I don't see Indy making the playoffs. The Tennessee Titans may be a viable opponent now that Jake Locker is starting. This guy is the real deal.


Wild Card: Tennessee Titans, Pittsburgh Steelers


So, here's how I see the overall ratings stacking up for the AFC.

1. New England Patriots
2. Houston Texans
3. Denver Broncos
4. Baltimore Ravens
5. Pittsburgh Steelers
6. Tennessee Titans



NFC East - New York Giants

As much as I hate to admit this, I can't see The Giants not making the playoffs. Their schedule is extremely brutal, but they did win the Super Bowl last season. This entire team now has an identity. They aren't just a team that gets by on luck anymore, but this season will say alot about them. Let's see if they can make it back to the promise land.

As far as competition is concerned, I think it will forever be the Dallas Cowboys. The Redskins are starting over with RG3, but I wouldn't be surprised if they win 6-7 games themselves. The Eagles are good, but Vick can't seem to stay healthy. They finished so strong last season, people had them already winning the division this season. But I don't share everybody's sentiments. Vick is already banged up and the NFC East plays the AFC North this season and that means games against Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Cincy. I don't think Philly is complete enough to get past that. That brings us back to Dallas. Their defense has gotten better and when Romo has all the pieces around him, they can be tough to beat. Dallas, for all we know, should've swept New York last season, but it didn't happen. This is a whole new season. I understand New York are the defending champs, but Dallas can be the team to beat them. But they need to turn up the intensity this season. With all the other good teams in the NFC, Dallas needs to win the division to get in the playoffs.


NFC West - San Francisco 49ers

Jim Harbaugh gave this team an extreme makeover. The defense was outstanding and Alex Smith was a great game manager. He didn't throw for an insane number of yards, but he managed the game with great efficiency. This team was a number of fluky plays away from a Super Bowl bid, maybe even a Super Bowl Championship. They can only go up from here, and I think that's what this team will do. I think alot of people expect this team to hit a slump after such a great season, but I beg to differ, this team has the tools to be a contender for years to come.

The Rams are not even in this discussion. Their season ended before it even got started. The Cardinals have a solid receiving core and an a solid defense, but their only bane is that at the Quarterback position. And I don't know how long it's going to take for them to see that Kevin Kolb is not the answer. The Seahawks have a solid shot, but I figured they would start Matt Flynn, but they chose to go with Russell Wilson. I don't how wise of a move that is, but I wouldn't be surprised if it backfires in their face.




NFC North - Green Bay Packers

As long as The Packers have Aaron Rodgers, they won't be going anywhere anytime soon. The Packers offense is still one of the best in the NFL, one that's hard to stop, and their defense may not be amazing, but they get the job done when they have to. Their promising season ended in disappointment, but they have the chance to rebound this season. They have a good slate of Home games early on in the season, and Green Bay plays well at Home.

The Packers only competition is the Chicago Bears. The main reason Chicago missed the playoffs last season is because Jay Cutler got injured. With Jay Cutler healthy and at the helm, The Bears are dangerous. Cutler is an essential QB that has amazing command of the offense and with Brandon Marshall back with him, the rest of the league better watch out. The Vikings are going to have Adrian Peterson back, but that won't be enough. The Detroit Lions had a good season last season, but I don't think they'll repeat their success.

This division is going to go through Chicago and Green Bay. Chicago has more winnable games that Green Bay, but head-to-head, I'm giving a slight edge to Rodgers and Co. The Bears should win this division, but that's why we play the games.


NFC South - New Orleans Saints

Experts and other critics have suspended thoughts of The Saints being as good as they were last season not only because of the scandal, but then we have the absence of Sean Payton, Gregg Williams, and several other players and front office people. But we all forget, The Saints have Drew Brees. Doesn't matter who's coaching him, Drew Brees will continue to put up the numbers that we know he can put up. And let's not forget that they went unbeaten at Home last season. They transform into this super powered Behemoth when they're at Home. They're almost unstoppable.

The other teams in this division have gotten better, but not enough to match up with New Orleans. I think Cam Newton and his boys are going to have a repeat of last season. Newton puts up insane numbers, but defense lets him down in the end. The Tampa Bay Bucs added some new pieces, but they always seem to be the team that "almost made it." I don't see them going anywhere either. The Atlanta Falcons are the only threat, but even then I think New Orleans beats them in every category. As good as Matt Ryan and Co. are, when it comes down to New Orleans and Atlanta, New Orleans has their number.


Wild Card: Chicago Bears, Atlanta Falcons


So, here how I see the NFC stacking up when all is said and done.

1. Green Bay Packers
2. New Orleans Saints
3. San Francisco 49ers
4. New York Giants
5. Chicago Bears
6. Atlanta Falcons

AFC Championship Prediction: Denver Broncos vs New England Patriots

Let's be honest here, Peyton Manning is the savior of this Broncos team. The Colts team that he consistently led to the playoffs had no solid run game and an aggressive defense. These are essential tools you will need to move forward in the playoffs and if the Broncos could make it to the second round with Tebow, imagine how far they can go in the playoffs with Peyton Manning. There in lies the question, how does Peyton Manning do with this new team against Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and New England? I think they can get to the AFC Championship with this team.

As for the reason as to why I have New England here is because I see Peyton Manning and his crew taking Houston out of the playoffs before they can even see the AFC Championship game. I gave Houston the #2 seed and Denver #3. I see Denver beating whoever they face in the first round and going to Houston. And when it comes down to the Houston Texans vs Peyton Manning, I'm taking Peyton Manning every time.

New England is here basically because I think The Broncos will take Houston down. The Patriots have Tom Brady but they also have an easy schedule. How convenient. They always seem to have an easy schedule. And when it comes to a home game, New England is visibly hard to go up against. I mean look at last year's AFC Championship game. Baltimore should've gone to the Super Bowl, but the Homefield Advantage is a factor because you get those calls when you play at home. And if by some weird twist of fate, Houston and Denver don't make it to the AFC Championship, it's gotta be New England winning again. But not this year, Peyton Manning is out to shut a lot of people up and it starts with this.

Tom Brady vs Peyton Manning, once again, for the AFC Championship. Could you dream up any scenario better than that?

NFC Championship Prediction: San Francisco 49ers vs Chicago Bears

Don't adjust your monitor. Your eyes are not deceiving you. The Chicago Bears will take on San Francisco. Before people jump on me, let's look at this for a second.

I already don't have The Giants repeating, and I have them facing Chicago in the first round of the playoffs. The Bears defense will be more than enough to slow The Giants offense down. And I know how The Giants have a habit of finishing the season strong and getting into the playoffs, but Jay Cutler and these Bears are of a different breed and can overpower The Giants. I think this team is ready to bounce back from the loss against Green Bay in the NFC Championship game a couple years ago. Besides, the last time The Giants entered the playoffs as Super Bowl Champions, they lost in the first round to Philly. Nonetheless, I see them getting past New York and knocking off Green Bay in Green Bay.

The Niners are an exceptionally gifted team and I believe this team can get back to the NFC Championship with this defense, this run game and with Alex Smith managing the game. Like I said before, Jim Harbaugh has changed this team and they are better than people have expected. They upset New Orleans and probaly should've beaten New York. But I see the rematch that everybody wants and that is New Orleans vs San Francisco, and I see the same result happening. The Niners defeat The Saints. I mean, I like Drew Brees and The Saints, and I understand how good New Orleans is at Home, but I think The Niners are that much better.

That being said, I see Chicago traveling to San Francisco for a classic NFC Championship game.

Super Bowl Predictions: Denver Broncos vs San Francisco 49ers

People can call me a Homer all they want, but I understand how good The Broncos are. A lot of people underestimate how good certain teams can be. The Broncos with a good QB probably would've beaten New England and maybe Baltimore. But with Peyton Manning, the possibilities are endless. Manning is going to have a phenomenal comeback season and cap it off with winning his second Super Bowl Championship.

I respect The Niners and Jim Harbaugh for what they've accomplished, but when you face somebody like Peyton Manning, it's a tall task. But their only saving grace is that Peyton is only 1-1 in the Super Bowl. The Niners have that no nonsense, rugged defense, but I saw what Manning did to said defense in the preseason.

The pieces are there. All Denver has to do is make the right moves and hope to not get checkmated earlier than they want.





Feel free to Comment.


By Gerald "Showstopper" Prophete