Monday, August 31, 2009 Reliant Stadium (Houston, TX)

• Minnesota 17

• Houston 10

Vikings

• Pass: B. Favre (13-18, 142)

• Rush: A. Peterson (11-117)

• Rec: C. Taylor (3-41)

Texans

• M. Schaub (10-14, 108)

• S. Slaton (12-27)

• A. Johnson (3-61)   

Saturday, August 29, 2009 Ford Field (Detroit, Mich.)

• Indianapolis 17

• Detroit 18

Colts

• Pass: C. Painter (9-14, 145)

• Rush: J. Addai (7-22)

• Rec: P. Garcon (2-82)  

Lions

• M. Stafford (13-19, 160)

• K. Smith (8-50)

• C. Johnson (4-67)

Oakland Coliseum (Oakland, CA)

• New Orleans 45

• Oakland 7

Saints

• Pass: D. Brees (14-17, 179)

• Rush: L. Hamilton (16-95)

• Rec: R. Meachem (1-71)  

Raiders

• J. Russell (12-18, 153)

• G. Russell (3-42)

• L. Murphy (3-84)

Heinz Field (Pittsburgh, Pa.)

• Buffalo 0

• Pittsburgh 17

Bills

• Pass: R. Fitzpatrick (8-11, 65)

• Rush: M. Lynch (4-19)

• Rec: J. Jenkins (2-26)  

Steelers

• B. Roethlisberger (15-19, 168)

• R. Mendenhall (16-48)

• H. Ward (5-74) 

Browns Stadium (Cleveland, Ohio)

• Tennessee  17

• Cleveland  23  

Titans

• Pass: V. Young (17-24, 174)

• Rush: C. Johnson (7-27)

• Rec: J. Gage (6-57)  

Browns

• B. Quinn (11-15, 128)

• J. Davis (5-28)

• B. Edwards (3-51)

Giants Stadium (E. Rutherford, N.J.)

• NY Jets  27

• NY Giants  25

Jets

• Pass: M. Sanchez (13-20, 149)

• Rush: L. Washington (9-62)

• Rec: A. Allison (1-70)

Giants

• D. Carr (12-17, 181)

• A. Bradshaw (8-47)

• H. Nicks (6-144)

Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City, Mo.)

• Seattle 14

• Kansas City 10

Seahawks

• Pass: M. Hasselbeck (19-25, 216)

• Rush: J. Jones (15-57)

• Rec: J. Carlson (5-68)  

Chiefs

• M. Gutierrez (10-13, 113)

• J. Charles (7-54)

• A. Lelie (4-52)

Cowboys Stadium (Arlington, TX)

• San Francisco 20

• Dallas 13

49ers

• Pass: N. Davis (10-15, 132)

• Rush: K. Sheets (11-42)

• Rec: A. Battle (4-54)  

Cowboys

• J. Kitna (10-19, 127)

• T. Choice (8-55)

• M. Austin (3-44)

Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, N.C.)

• Baltimore 17

• Carolina 13

Ravens

• Pass: J. Flacco (23-28, 247)

• Rush: J. Parmele (4-68)

• Rec: D. Mason (6-71)

Panthers

• J. Delhomme (11-16, 180)

• M. Goodson (11-52)

• M. Muhammad (2-51)

Georgia Dome (Atlanta, Ga.)

• San Diego  24

• Atlanta  27

Chargers

• Pass: P. Rivers (10-15, 185)

• Rush: G. Johnson (12-59)

• Rec: M. Bennett (3-84)

Falcons

• M. Ryan (14-20, 140)

• M. Turner (12-47)

• M. Booker (6-62)

Friday, August 28, 2009 FedEx Field (Landover, Md.)

• New England 27

• Washington 24  

Patriots

• Pass: T. Brady (12-19, 150)

• Rush: B. Green-Ellis (6-49)

• Rec: R. Moss (6-90)  

Redskins

• J. Campbell (13-22, 209)

• A. Alridge (9-49)

• C. Cooley (2-87) 

University of Phoenix Stadium (Glendale, Ariz.)

• Green Bay 44

• Arizona 37

Packers

• Pass: A. Rodgers (14-19, 258)

• Rush: A. Rodgers (2-39)

• Rec: J. Nelson (3-88)  

Cardinals

• M. Leinart (24-38, 360)

• B. Wells (7-46)

• J. Urban (6-103) 

Thursday, August 27, 2009 Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia, Pa.)

• Jacksonville 32

• Philadelphia 33  

Jaguars

• Pass: D. Garrard (8-14, 93)

• Rush: J. Vaughan (10-29)

• Rec: M. Jones-Drew (2-58)  

Eagles

• D. McNabb (21-36, 244)

• L. McCoy (11-31)

• J. Avant (5-92)  

Brown Stadium (Cincinnati, Ohio)

• St. Louis 24

• Cincinnati 21  

Rams

• Pass: K. Boller (14-20, 96)

• Rush: S. Gado (5-33)

• Rec: S. Walker (1-24)

Bengals

• J. Palmer (5-6, 102)

• B. Scott (8-54)

• C. Henry (2-62)

Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Fla.)

• Miami 10

• Tampa Bay 6  

Dolphins

• Pass: C. Pennington (9-16, 128)

• Rush: L. Hilliard (11-32)

• Rec: B. Hartline (3-79)  

Buccaneers

• B. Leftwich (9-17, 100)

• C. Williams (8-54)

• M. Stovall (6-73) 

DISH Network will carry the new venture, based on the existing Red Zone Channel that currently airs exclusively on DirecTV as part of the Sunday Ticket package.

"NFL RedZone is the most exciting thing to happen to football since high definition," said Ira Bahr, Chief Marketing Officer for DISH Network, in a release.  "There's no better way to kick off the 2009 NFL football season than by changing the way America watches football, and DISH Network is pleased to offer consumers an opportunity to catch every touchdown and the biggest plays as they happen."

The league secured the ability to eventually export the RedZone concept to other platforms as part of a contract extension with DirecTV.  By extending the broadcast contract with FOX and CBS, the two networks that carry Sunday afternoon games, the NFL secured the right to do it right away.

Now NFL RedZone will also be on Dish Network channels.

• Jim Brown: (6’ 2”, 232 lbs.)

• Cleveland Browns: (1957-65)

• All-Time 11 positions: running back, strong safety

• All-NFL: 8 times

• MVP: 1958, 1965

• NFL football champion: 1964

• Hometown: St. Simons, Georgia

• College: Syracuse

• Hall of Fame: 1971

Jim Brown’s awesome physical skills make him an obvious choice on our All-Time 11 as a running back; amazing size, speed and physicality will make him a dominant performer at safety, as well. Brown is the greatest running back in NFL history and stands as one of the most versatile athletes in the history of North American sports.

Brown did not play defense in NFL football, but there is a precedent for him on that side of the ball. He played a roving linebacker/strong safety position and place kicker at Syracuse.

In his spare time, lettered in lacrosse, basketball and track. Brown is a member of the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame, which says he’s “considered by many to be the greatest to ever play the game.”

Most of Brown’s total rushing records have been surpassed. But nobody matches him for sheer dominance. He led  NFL football in rushing in eight of his nine years in the league, played in the Pro Bowl every single season and averaged a record 5.2 yards per carry over the course of his career. Brown also caught an average of 29 passes per NFL football season and is our primary receiving threat out of the backfield.  Brown was the unanimous selection as NFL Rookie of the Year in 1957 and picked up MVP awards in 1958 and in 1965, his final year in the league.

THE FOOTBALL PLAYERS

Each football team has 3 separate units: the offense who are on the field when the team has possession of the ball; the defense who line up to stop the other team's offense; and special teams that only come in on kicking situations (punts, field goals, and kickoffs). There are only 11 players are on the field from one team at any one time.

THE KICKOFF

The kickoff starts the football game. The ball is placed on a kicking tee at the defense's 30-yard line, and a special kicker (a "placekicker") kicks the ball to the offense.  A kick return man from the offense will try to catch the ball and advance it by running. Where football player is stopped is the place from which the offense will begin its drive, or series of offensive plays. When a kickoff is caught in the offense's own end zone, the kick returner can either run the ball out of the end zone, or kneel in the end zone to signal a touchback, a sign to stop the play. The ball is then placed on the 20-yard line, where the offense begins play.

FIRST DOWN

Progress in a football game is measured in yards. The offensive team tries to get as much "yardage" as it can to try and move closer to the opponent's end zone. Each time the offense gets the ball, it has four downs, or chances, in which to gain 10 yards. If the offensive team successfully moves the ball 10 or more yards, it earns a first down, and another set of four downs. If the offense fails to gain 10 yards, it loses possession of the ball. The defense tries to prevent the offense not only from scoring, but also from gaining the 10 yards needed for a first down. If the offense reaches fourth down, it usually punts the ball (kicks it away). This forces the other team to begin its drive further down the field.

MOVING THE BALL: Running and Passing

Putting the ball in play begins with the snap. At the line of scrimmage (the position on the field where the play begins), the quarterback loudly calls out a play in code and the fooball player in front of him, the center, passes, or snaps the ball under his legs to the quarterback. From there, the quarterback can either throw the ball, hand it off, or run with it. 

Running

There are two main ways for the offense to advance the ball. The first is called a run. This occurs when the quarterback hands the ball off to a running back, who then tries to gain as many yards as possible by eluding defensive football players. The quarterback is also allowed to run with the ball.

Passing

The other choice to running the ball is to throw it. Or as they say in football, pass it! Usually, the quarterback does the passing, though there are times when another football player may pass the ball to confuse the defense. Actually, anyone on the offensive team is allowed to pass the ball as long as the pass is thrown from behind the line of scrimmage. A pass is complete if the ball is caught by another offensive football player, usually the "wide receiver" or "tight end." If the ball hits the ground before someone catches it, it is called an incomplete pass.

Tackling

The defense prevents the offense from advancing the ball by bringing the ball carrier to the ground. A football player is tackled when one or both of his knees touch the ground. The play is then over. A play also ends when a player runs out of bounds.

A comparison between NFL football players, OJ Simpson and Reggie Bush.

NY Jets NFL cheerleaders in slow motion.

This is a tribute to all-time great NFL football half back, Barry Saunders.

All 32 NFL team logos.

The Top 10 wide receivers of NFl football teams.

The 10 Greatest NFL Football Quarterbacks of all times. See if you agree and comment where you disagree.

A cheap and I might add, dirty shot, was made on NFL football player, Philadelphia Eagles kicker, Saverio Rocca by Baltimore Ravens 50 Antwan Barnes. Roca had his helmet unstrapped at the time and it flew off.

CBS sports commentator, James Brown asks his colleagues: Dan Marino, Bill Cowher, Shannon Sharpe, and Boomer Esiason which NFL football teams and players  impressed them after the first round of games in week 2.

The top 10 things Brett Favre needs to learn about New York.

Dick Butkus was probably the meanest, nastiest, fiercest linebacker to ever wear an NFL football helmet.  The Butkus image of the middle linebacker wrapping up a running back and viciously slamming him to the field like a toy thrown in by a three year old having a temper tantrum still remains after his retirement over a quarter of a century later.  A photo taken of him with his lips curled in contempt during a 1968 game wearing his No. 51 NFL football jersey is also infamous.

Butkus terrorized NFL football offenses as the hub of the Chicago Bears’ defense after being a two-time All-American at the University of Illinois, playing center and linebacker. At Illinois NFL recruiter Dan Jenkins described Butkus in Sports Illustrated, "If every college football team had a linebacker like Dick Butkus, all fullbacks would be three feet tall and sing soprano. Dick Butkus is a special kind of brute whose particular talent is mashing runners into curious shapes…Butkus not only hits, he crushes and squeezes opponents with thick arms that are extremely long.

He was a NFL football player who lived for tough physical contact and was named all-NFL seven times and played in the NFL football Pro Bowl eight times. His career lasted nine years and was cut short by knee injuries. A 1970 panel of NFL coaches voted Butkus the player they would start with if they were building a brand new team.

His speed and quickness led him to make tackles from sideline to sideline and to cover tight ends and running backs on pass plays. He had instinct, strength, leadership and the all-important anger.

Butkus himself stated, “When I went on to the football field to warm up, I would manufacture things to make me mad.  If someone on the other team was laughing, I’d pretend he was laughing at me or the Bears.  I’d find something to get mad about. It always worked for me.”

Former Green Bay Packers running back MacArthur Lane said, “If I had a choice I’d sooner go one-on-one with a grizzly bear.  I prayed that I could get up everytime Butkus hit me.” His teammates and opponents were astounded by his ferocity.

Butkus led the Chicago Bears for eight straight years, averaging 120 tackles and 58 assists a NFL football season.  In 1967 he recorded 18 sacks which was a career high.

In 1970 Butkus suffered an injury to his right knee and underwent surgery for reconstruction of loose ligaments.  The surgery was only partially successful and he played in pain for the next two seasons.  Despite his knee pain he made 117 tackles and 68 assists, recovered three fumbles and intersected three passes.

Everything fell apart in 1973 when he had unbearable pain and took himself out of the game. A few weeks later he limped off the field for the last time. He charged the Chicago Bears with improper handling of his knee in a lawsuit which was settled outside of court. In 1997 he had an artificial knee replacement because of his continued suffering while standing, running and jumping.  This has eased his pain and today he plays golf  and does some acting. He is in both the college and NFL football hall of fames.