After a wild 59 minutes and 45 seconds, the 49ers sat at the Saints 14 yard line with :15 seconds left and one timeout remaining. Figuring to take one of two shots at the end zone, Alex Smith lined up, seen man coverage and threw a dart right into the chest of his Pro Bowl tight end Vernon Davis, who caught the pass and took a hit from safety Roman Harper but held on to give the 49ers the win. It was one of the greatest plays in a storied franchises history. The Saints fought hard and didn’t make it easy by any means, nearly snatching victory a mere 1:23 prior when Jimmy Graham broke free for a 66 yard TD catch. For coach Jim Harbaugh, winning in his first season has been as common as a Patrick Willis tackle, but to win in his first postseason game was simply amazing. Alex Smith continued to show that he wasn’t a bust and just needed the right coaching and the rest of the team continued their high level of play.
To add to the great year, the 49ers watch Sunday as the New York Giants upended the #1 seed Green Bay Packers to make the NFC Championship game, meaning San Francisco will host the game against a Giants team they beat 27-20 in week 10. The Niners are a 2.5 point favorite and have a big chance to win and make the Super Bowl, where they are 5-0 in franchise history. Could the 49ers win #6 this year? With the way their season has gone, it is a high possibility and I know myself and every other 49er fan would be ecstatic if they did.
Five time Pro Bowl selection Brian Waters signed a two-year deal with the New England Patriots that could be worth around $5.5 million. The move is big for the Patriots, as they already have a strong offensive line and Waters can only boost it. An undrafted free agent, Waters joined the Kansas City Cheifs in 2000 and was one of the top offensive lineman over the last decade. After Kansas City released him back in late July, Waters was looking for a team with a shot at the Super Bowl and he definately found one with New England. We’ll see how he gets worked in early in the season and how things work out.
Once again Michael Vick has received a $100 million contract from an NFL franchise. Back in 2005, Vick signed a 10-year, $130 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons. After legal troubles and jail time, Vick lost out on alot of it and it’s well documented what were the reasons were. Reborn and back on the football field, Vick has transformed himself into the Quarterback he once was believed to turn into. The Philadelphia Eagles signed Vick to a 6-year $100 million deal. Is it deserved? Will Vick play out the deal? My answer to both questions is HELL YES! Vick has been amazing on the field since his return to the game and has improved in every aspect of the Quarterback position. He did his time and has shown remorse, in addition to maturity on and off the field. Vick and the Eagles will now turn their attention to winning the Lombardi Trophy. Something the Eagles have never done. The teams last title? The 1960 NFL Championship.
Today the New England Patriots hit the NFL offseason jackpot today, acquiring Wide Receiver Chad Ochocinco from the Cincinnati Bengals for two draft picks (A 2012 5th rd and a 2013 6th rd), and acquired defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth from the Washington Redskins for a 2016 5th rd pick. Acquiring these two Pro Bowl players not only boosts New England’s chances of returning to the Super Bowl, but also winning the Lombardi trophy. Ochocinco is coming off a season in which he took a backseat to Terrell Owens and had a down year for his standards with 67 catches for 831 yards and 4 TD. Haynesworth was in a bad situation in Washington last season and posted a lackluster line of 16 tackles and 2.5 sacks in only half a season. Head coach Bill Belichick is a master of getting disgruntled players and rerouting them back to there old form, Corey Dillon and Randy Moss for example, and will assure that Haynesworth plays to the level he did as a member of the Titans and get Ochocinco involved early and often throughout the season. Tom Brady and co. will definately be a force to be reckoned with all year long.
With the NFL lockout going on, Chad Ocho Cinco has revisited a sport he said he preferred over the one he plays. Ocho Cinco has gone on record and said that he preferred Euro football, or soccer as we know it in America, over American football and has gone to Sporting Kansas City to tryout. On Wednesday he started out on a four day trial and today was asked to play Monday against the Kansas City Brass, a minor league soccer team. “There a lot of people who question how serious I am about it. But for those who know me, who know my background, this is where it all started,” he said. Ocho Cinco has drawn criticism from coach Marvin Lewis which resulted in Chad snapping back on Twitter, and Packers Tight End Jermichael Finley called him a “clown.” In my opinion Chad is going about things the right way and should be applauded for staying active and not sitting back hoping for the NFL lockout to disappear.I’d personally love to see Chad play well with Kansas City and once the NFL lockout ends, whenever that may be, he’ll be more than ready to go.
In his first outing as a Chelsea player, Fernando Torres faced off with his old club Liverpool and it didn’t go according to plan. The man many, including myself, thought was transferred for a ridiculous fee didn’t make much of an impact on the game. Only taking two shots, Torres was subbed off in the 65th minute and was forced to watch as Liverpool’s Raul Meireles scored a goal minutes later to give the Reds the victory.
I know it’s only the first game but when you are transferred for $80 million, you need to make an impact immediatly. Is Torres fully fit? Did Liverpool intentionally transfer him to a Premiership foe? Questions like these will be asked until Torres displays the skills that have made him one of the world’s best strikers. Chelsea will either hit the jackpot with Torres or go bankrupt and aren’t off to a great start.
Ronaldo is,was,and always will be my favorite football (Soccer for my fellow Americans) player of all-time. An idol of mine for more than a decade, I admire “R9″ like no other and respect him to the fullest. I’ve worn his #9 and even mimicked some of his “silks” on the pitch. So as I found this video of all of his World Cup record 15 goals, I decided to share it with everyone. Enjoy!
Throughout the course of the 2009-10 NFL season, Mike Vick did some amazing things on and off the football field. After all the downs he faced, Vick came back this year as the Eagles backup but shortly after the season started, became not just the starter in Philly, but a bonafide MVP candidate. The two most beautiful things about Vick’s season were his transformation from a talented athlete playing Quarterback into a solid franchise Quarterback, and the maturation process the 30 yr old Virginia native showed. Conducting himself in a respectful and professional manner all season long, Vick made every last one of his fans happy by not only providing us with more highlights, but firepower to the detractors and haters who didn’t want to see him succeed.
I could on and on about Vick’s stats this season, (1st career 3,000 yard passing season, 676 yds rushing,21:6 TD:INT ratio),and him making another Pro Bowl team, but that’s nothing compared to Vick becoming a changed man. Whether it was his demeanor in his interviews or the crossing and pointing to the sky during pre game introductions, Vick showed and proved to many that he’s no longer the talented kid who relies on talent and doesn’t work hard anymore. Hard working, mature, and hellbent on becoming the best he can be, Vick has his head held high and is ready to take his game to the next level.
For everything that you’ve accomplished this season, Thank You Mike Vick. You are an inspiration to many of us, and show that we should never give up and never let what people say about you let us down. I personally wish you the best not just in your career, but in life.
Brandon Lloyd was once a 4th round round selection by the San Francisco 49ers and showed much promise early with acrobatic grabs and flashes of being a solid #1 WR. Well it didn’t go according to plan as Lloyd had highs of 48 catches, 733 yards and 6 TD as a Niner as was soon gone from the team to Washington Redskins. Lloyd would onl catch 25 passes in two seasons with Washington and was soon off to Chicago. Another lackluster season, (26 catches,364 yards,2 TD), and Lloyd found himself looking for work again. It wa soff to Denver where Lloyd would be behind All-Pro Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal for catches. Lloyd would only play in two of his squads’ games before succumbing to injury. Lloyd began te 2010-11 season as one of the candidates for #1 WR for the Broncos alongside Eddie Royalm Jabar Gafney and Demaryious Thomas. Lloyd has not only taken the number one slot, but has posted Pro Bowl numbers. Lloyd currently leads the NFL in receiving yards and doesn’t look like he’s slowing a bit as Denver is 2nd in the NFL in passing. Lloyd is having a career year and a resurrection. Once thought as a player with a bad attitude and horrible work ethic, Lloyd has transformed himself into a playmaker and a Pro Bowl target. With 48 catches (tied for a career high), a career high 968 yards and 6 TD, Lloyd still has seven games left to play and has an outside shot at challenging the incomprable Jerry Rice’s record of 1848 yards in a season, (He’s currently on pace for 1721). It’s been a career resurrection for Lloyd and many Bronco fans are happy he’s done it as a member of their squad.
On Sunday in a matchup of two NFC West rivals, the San Francisco 49ers were able to knock off the St. Louis Rams in overtime 23-20. It was only the 3rd win of the season for the preseason favorites, but yet a huge one. Coming off a bye week after defeating the Denver Broncos, the Niners knew that if they’re going to have any shot at winning the division they needed to win in week 10. Quarterback Troy Smith came up big for San Francisco and posted a career high 356 yards passing on 17/28 attempts. Running back Frank Gore added 154 yards of total offense and a touchdown and All-Pro linebacker Patrick Willis had 11 tackles and a sack on defense.
Meanwhile, in another divisional matchup, the Arizona Cardinals lost to the Seattle Seahawks, knocking themselves down the bottom of the division. This leaves Seattle atop the table at 5-4, St. Louis next at 4-5 and San Francisco and Arizona at 3-6. Wide open if you ask me. Seattle hasn’t been consistent from week to week, (i.e blowout losses to Oakland and NYG then spanking Arizona), the Cardinals are a mess on offense with injuries and a Quarteback carousel, and the Rams are limited on offense outside of Stephen Jackson and Sam Bradford. This leaves the Niners in prime position now, only two games backm to make a run for the division. With key matchups coming up with Arizona (twice), St. Louis again and a payback game at home vs Seattle, the Niners can win the division if they can keep the momentum going. Troy Smith has earned the right to continue starting, Gore is still busting thhrough defenses and the defense has been performing well of late. Limiting the penalties and utilizing their special teams will only increase their chances and the Niners could easily get atop the NFC West and make the playoffs.
Posted by DABsportstalk 
