National Football League Dominates ESPYs

The 20th Annual ESPY Awards aired last night and, naturally, were dominated by the National Football League. The ESPY Awards, for those uninformed, are the equivalent of a Grammy or an Emmy. It's the awards show that has been put on by ESPN since the year 1993.

We live in a country that is surrounded by football. It has become easily the biggest sport in the country, so it shouldn't have come as any sort of surprise that five of the major awards were handed out to NFL players/coaches or "moments."

This year is the 20th year since it was created and was hosted by actor Rob Riggle and I have included a 14 minute video of a few of his jokes from the program last night.

But, before you watch the video here's a rundown of the awards handed out to the NFL:

Record Breaking Performance: Drew Brees' 5,476 passing yards

This is a record that I think will be broken a couple more times, at least, with the way the NFL has been changing. Before the 2011 season, a quarterback has thrown for 5,000 yards in a single-season just twice (Dan Marino and Brees), but that number is now up to five (Marino, Brees twice, Tom Brady, Matthew Stafford).

Although I believe this record will not stand for very long, it's still a well-deserved victory for Brees when you take into consideration the fact that he broke Marino's record by nearly 400 yards.

Other nominees:

*Coach K, career wins

*Mariano Rivera, career saves

*Lexi Thompson, youngest LPGA Tour winner

Game of the Year: 49ers over Saints, NFC Divisional Playoff

You know it had to be good in order to edge out Game 6 of the MLB World Series. And it really was.

With 34 combined points and four lead changes in the fourth quarter alone, the 2011-12 cinderella team (well, almost) pulled off the improbable upset over Brees' Saints thanks to a late 14-yard TD throw and catch from Alex Smith to Vernon Davis. The touchdown turned emotional as Davis ran over and hugged coach Jim Harbaugh. That was the icing on the cake for San Francisco, advancing to the NFC Championship game against the New York Giants.

Other nominees:

*Mizzou at Kansas, CBB

*Rangers at Cardinals, WS Game 6

Best Moment: Tim Tebow's 80-yard GW touchdown pass in OT

No doubt it was a great moment, but I think there were a couple more deserving than this one (*ehem* last day of MLB regular season). But of course it was the finishing touch on a miraculous upset pulled off by Tebow's Denver squad that "stood no chance" against a defense of such gratitude–No. 1 overall Pittsburgh Steelers. Not to mention it was in the postseason and gave Denver the fastest overtime victory in history.

Ok, ok, fine. Tebow's moment deserved to be recognized with an ESPY. Congrats, Tebow. Enjoy it now, because I don't see it getting too much better since you joined the circus in New York.

Other nominees:

*Derek Jeter's 3,000 hit

*Last day of MLB Regular Season

*Bubba Watson's Masters win

Best Coach/Manager: Tom Coughlin, New York Giants

Considering that, yet again, Coughlin was forced to shut his critics up by beating out tough teams in the postseason and Super Bowl to prove to everyone he is a more than capable head coach, I'd say he's pretty deserving of this award.

Haven't people learned by now that Coughlin seems to be best when backed up against a wall? Early in the season he was on the cusp of being flogged by Giants fans and run out of town, but once February rolled around these same fans started praising him and practically crowned him king.

Just goes to show that you're only loved when you're winning.

Other nominees:

*Coach Calipari, Kentucky basketball

*Kim Mulkey, Women's Baylor basketball

*Patrick Murphy, Alabama softball

*Erik Spoelstra, Miami Heat

*Darryl Sutter, LA Kings

Best Comeback: Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions

This really was one for the books. In just 13 starts in two seasons prior to 2011, the No. 1 overall pick in 2009 had been less than stellar (19 TDs, 21 INTs, 3-10 record as starter). But this past season was a whole different story.

Stafford put up the fifth-most passing yards in NFL history (5,038) and a personal-best 41 TDs on his way to a record-season while leading Detroit back to the playoffs for the first time since 1999. With a little help from Calvin "Megatron" Johnson, Stafford put Detroit back on the radar...but this time, it was through the air that Detroit was making plays.

Going from starting three games one season due to a shoulder injury to a full 16 games the next season is a difficult enough task to accomplish as it is. But to not only accomplish that, but to pull a historically losing team out of the dark and into the light of the postseason? That is truly a noteworthy accomplishment.

Other nominees:

*Sidney Crosby, PIT C

*Johan Santana, NYM pitcher

*Maria Sharapova, women's tennis player

Best NFL Player: Aaron Rodgers, Packers quarterback

He was already voted the 2012 season's No. 1 player by NFL Network after posting a 15-1 record this past regular season in Green Bay. Now he receives an ESPY for his spectacular play under center.

What's next for Rodgers, another Super Bowl ring? Perhaps.

Other nominees:

*Drew Brees, Saints

*Rob Gronkowski, Patriots

*Calvin Johnson, Lions

*Terrell Suggs, Ravens

Best Male Collegiate Athlete: Robert Griffin III

Normally I wouldn't include this category on an NFL-based article. But, come on. We all knew this was coming. If RGIII didn't win it, then it likely would have been former Stanford Cardinal, now Indianapolis Colts, quarterback Andrew Luck.

Luck was the No. 1 overall pick, but it appears RGIII may get the last laugh as the flashy quarterback is awarded the ESPY over his counterpart Luck, in addition to three other deserving nominees.

Other nominees:

*Andrew Luck, Stanford football

*Anthony Davis, Kentucky basketball

*Jack Connolly, Minnesota-Duluth hockey

*Mike Zunino, Florida baseball

~ ~ ~

Host Rob Riggle, everyone!

You may view the complete list of ESPY winners here.

Note: I do not own any of the above images (or video). No copyright infringement intended.

Patriot Killer?: Eli Does it Again

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning has done it again, beating the New England Patriots 21-17 in Super Bowl XLVI to capture his second Vince Lombardi trophy for his head coach Tom Coughlin. His performance (30/40, 296 yards, 1 TD; 88-yard GW scoring drive with a minute to play) earned him his second SB MVP award, which is one more than his older brother Peyton.

Even more impressive may be that he did so in his older brother's home stadium–Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN.

The result brings up a couple of questions surrounding both Eli and his G-Men, and quarterback Tom Brady and his Pats squad. Is Eli elite? Yes. He is now 8-3 in the postseason (4-0 this postseason) as he threw 9 TDs and just one interceptions over a five week span in January/February. He also defeated future Hall of Famer Brady in two separate Super Bowls. So, yes, I do believe Eli should be considered among the elite and his performance clearly demonstrates that. He out Brady-ed Brady in the fourth quarter, and did that on a consistent basis all season long.

Eli should, and will, be considered a more successful postseason quarterback than his brother, and he joins an elite class of signal callers with multiple championships and multiple MVP awards.

As for Brady? He is now 3/5 in his record-tying five Super Bowl appearances, with both losses coming to the Coughlin/Manning tandem. He did, however, set a Super Bowl record with 16 consecutive completions during the second and third quarters tonight and looked exceptional for the majority of the game. Two Justin Tuck sacks and multiple hits on NY's part may have rattled Brady a bit, throwing off his rhythm. But in all, both quarterbacks played exceptionally well tonight, as expected.

Despite Eli's great overall performance, especially in the fourth quarter, it was New York's running back tandem of Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw that essentially won the Giants the game. New York's front 7 put some pressure on Brady, and Eli's targets played well, but it was the 28 carries for 114 yards and a touchdown that allowed New York to control the clock.

They ran for seven first downs and kept Brady off the field for well over half the game, in fact they held the ball for nearly 40 minutes (37:05) and kept the Giants' defense well-rested. Pulling out ahead early allowed New York to focus a little more on the running attack, setting up Eli for some successful play action plays.

Head coach Bill Belichick's decision to allow Ahmad Bradshaw to run the ball in from six yards out with :57 to play will be questioned by fans and analysts for the next several months, I'm sure. But there's no doubt I would have done the exact same thing in that situation. If Bradshaw kneels the ball at the one, Eli could have run the clock all the way down to under :20 and sent Tynes in to kick the go-ahead chip-shot field goal.

Giving Brady the shot to drive New England down the field with a minute to play gave New England their best shot, and dropped passes by Deion Branch and Aaron Hernandez didn't help the cause too much. Although I loved the clutch 4th and 16 reception by Branch. Gronkowski came close to bringing in the hail mary on the final play, but New York was able to knock the ball down before he could get to it.

In all, I was thoroughly impressed by both quarterbacks, and if both have shown signs that they are not done. They both may find themselves in yet another Super Bowl in the coming years. If I was New England, I'd work on improving that defense though.

My pre-season prediction of New England winning the Super Bowl and Wes Welker being named the game's MVP didn't prove to be true, and I have fallen to 7-4 for the postseason (2-2 in WC, 4-0 in Divisional, 1-1 in conference and 0-1 in SB). But, I can't complain with the outcome of this season.

Great game, great season. One more note before I sign off for the evening: Mario Manningham's sideline catch in NY's game-winning drive will be replayed for years to come. Not quite as miraculous as David Tyree's "helmet catch" in Super Bowl XLII, but it was eye-popping nevertheless.

Another fun-filled season is in the books, now the countdown to the 2012 draft in April officially begins!

Photo credit
Mario Manningham: Win McNamee/Getty Images

NYG/GB: Why We Could see Similar Results to '07 NFC Championship game on Sunday

Quarterback Eli Manning, on his way to a Super Bowl championship in 2007-08 postseason, knocked off legendary Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers in overtime with a little help from Lawrence Tynes' game-winner from 47 yards out.

The game that day, Sunday January 20, 2008, was played at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin at -7 degree weather with high winds and a wind chill factor of -27.

Manning managed to play through that weather and defeat Green Bay on the road thanks to a stout running attack led by Brandon Jacobs (67 yards, 1 TD) and Ahmad Bradshaw (63 yards, 1 TD) and with the high/low of this Sunday being 30/22, we could see Manning making a greater impact in the passing game.

These two squads met earlier in the year as well, with the then-undefeated Packers coming away with a slim 38-35 victory to improve to 12-0. New York played well overall, with Manning (347 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT) playing one of his better games of the season and running for 100 yards and a TD as a team. But what they failed to do is put pressure on Aaron Rodgers, who did make one mistake with an INT but still managed 369 yards and 4 TDs.

After watching the KC Chiefs hand Green Bay its only loss of the season, I think I have discovered what it takes to defeat this Pack team: run, run, run.

Green Bay has allowed 100 or more yards on the ground on 10 different occasions this season, but it was Kansas City that pounded the ball the most against the Pack (39 times for 139 yards, 1 TD), which gradually wore down the front 7. Not only that, but it also keeps Rodgers and the offense off the field. A combination of Thomas Jones (15 carries), Jackie Battle (10 carries), Dexter McCluster (5 carries) and Le'Ron McClain (4 carries) was enough to possess the ball for 36 out of the 60 minutes of play.

How to beat Rodgers? Keep him off the field. As simple as that.

Throughout the regular season, New York accumulated just 1,427 rushing yards (last in league) with 17 TDs (sixth in league), and have run the ball for 100 or more yards eight times–never for more than 119 yards. But, during its three-game win streak (including Sunday's Wild Card victory), they have cracked 100 all three games and controlled the time of possession over the last two weeks 68-52.

Lets face it, the Giants are red-hot and have managed to control recent games because of its normally weak rushing attack. If there's one thing I know, it's that Green Bay's running game (1,558 yards, 12 TDs, 3.9 Y/C, 27th in league) isn't much better than that of New York, and a reliable running game is vital when it comes to the NFL postseason.

The saying "offense sells tickets, defense wins championships" will factor in to this matchup as well, with a relentless front 7 in New York. Green Bay's defense, while ranked at the very bottom in pass defense and 14th in run defense, forced a lot of turnovers (38, t-1st in league) and has thrived off that all season.

As for New York, they do that well too (31, t-4th), but they also happen to be one of the best pass-rushing teams in the league (48 sacks, t-3rd) and have numerous playmaking and difference-makers in the front 7: Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck, Jason Pierre-Paul, Mathias Kiwanuka. All of which are relentless in their attack, not to mention hungry.

Overall, the passing game and receivers' edge are given to the Packers, as well as the offensive line, in this one. But as far as running attack and defense, the edge certainly belongs to the New York Giants.

Other key stats:

*Though the Packers lead the head-to-head postseason matchup 4-2, the Giants were also considered huge underdogs to the 13-3 NFC East champion Packers back in '07, going up against Favre at home in the frigid weather. Yet, somehow, Manning found himself winner in the end.

*While GB was 8-0 at home this season, the Giants put up a respectable 5-3 road record on its way to a 9-7 season.

*Green Bay has been off for two weeks. That can sometimes work to an advantage–more time to prepare–but it can also sometimes work against a team in terms of restlessness and could make for a slow start in the game.

Just some things to think about while watching the game that I believe could very well end in an upset. After watching the 7-9 Seattle Seahawks upset Drew Brees' Saints in last year's Wild Card round, I believe anything is possible once playoff time rolls around.

My Prediction: Eli, NYG's rushing attack upsets Rodgers and moves on to the NFC Championship game.

Photo credit

Eli Manning: greenbaypostgazette.com

Jordy Nelson: Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Osi Umenyiora: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Eli Manning's Inconsistent Season Puts New York's Playoff Hopes on Life Support

After Green Bay's 45-17 shellacking of Eli Manning's G-Men yesterday at the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field, Tom Coughlin's crew may need a little help to make the postseason this year.

The loss allowed the Eagles, before even playing their week 16 game against the Minnesota Vikings (postponed yesterday and rescheduled for tomorrow night in Philly), to clinch the NFC East title. The loss also puts New York behind New Orleans (10-4) and Green Bay (9-6) in the race for the two Wild Card spots.

Not only will the Giants have to beat their NFC East counterpart Washington Redskins this coming Sunday to have a shot, but they will also need help from numerous teams.

Eli's four interceptions in yesterday's matchup has been the story of their season thus far. At 29 years old, Eli has set a couple of career highs--touchdown passes: 30, completion %: 63.1, and is 263 shy of setting a career-high in passing yards--but the most important stat this season has been interceptions. Yes, that's right, Eli Manning has thrown a career-high, and league-leading, 24 interceptions through 15 games.

There's no question that Eli has had plenty of time to get rid of the football, either, considering he has been sacked by the opposition just 16 times this season. And as a team, New York is averaging 141.2 rushing yards per game, good enough for fifth in the league.

Eli had a tough time adjusting and bouncing back after New York's defense allowed 28 fourth quarter points and watched Philadelphia steal one from them in their own house. That loss snapped New York's three-game win streak and shifted the momentum in Philly's direction.

Over that three-game stretch, New York's defense allowed a total of 30 points (average of 10.0/game), but allowed 38+ in each of the next two games for a total of 83 points.

New York has proven that they can put up points (have had six games with 30-plus points, and two games with 40-plus points this season), but the defense has also been inconsistent, allowing 30 or more points on four separate occasions this season.

One thing is for certain, if New York manages to squeeze in to the NFC playoffs, they will definitely have to step it up on the defensive side of the ball and will need to be dependent on the run game so they can limit Manning's interceptions. What do I think about all this? New York will beat the Skins in the finale, but miss the playoffs with a 10-6 record. Sorry Giants fans.

Photo Credit

Eli Manning: AP Photo/Morry Gash