Cortland Finnegan v Andre Johnson

The big talking point from the weekend was the fight between Titans CB Cortland Finnegan, and Texans WR Andre Johnson.  The fight broke out following a number of clashes between the two players.  I can't explain this situation as well as the video can, so take a look at this.



Both players were fined for the incident, but amazingly they both escaped a suspension.  I wonder if Thursdays 'NFL Network' game involving the Texans had anything to do with it?

The Playoff Picture

Week 12 gave us a few more ideas on what to expect come playoff time.  Both the Bears and the Falcons proved that they are for real in the NFC, and the Chargers proved that they are right back in the hunt in the AFC.  For those of you that are not quite sure of how the playoffs are pieced together, I will explain, and will also go through what to look out for in the remainder of the season.

The playoffs consist of 6 teams from both the AFC and the NFC.  The 4 division winners from each conference are automatically in the playoffs, regardless of record.  The other 2 teams in each conference are the 2 teams with the best records, despite division.  These teams are known as the 'Wildcard' teams.  It is possible for both wildcard teams to come out of the same division.  Therefore it is possible, that 3 teams could make the playoffs, from the same division.

The 4 division winners from each conference are seeded 1 to 4, on overall record.  The top 2 seeds have a bye in the first weekend of the playoffs - the 'Wildcard Round'.  Here the 3rd seed hosts the 6th seed, and the 4th seed hosts the 5th seed.  Obviously in playoff football the winner advances, and the loser goes home.  In the rest of the rounds the highest seed always plays the lowest seed, with the teams in between playing each other.  The highest seed always hosts the game.  Therefore the team that is seeded 1 has what is termed as 'Home Field Advantage'.  This means that team will play every game at home, until the Superbowl.

I know that sounds very complicated, so here is the playoff situation at the moment:

AFC

1. Jets 9 - 2 (East)

2. Ravens 8 - 3 (North)

3. Chiefs 7 - 4 (West)

4. Jaguars 6 - 5 (South)

5. Patriots 9 - 2 (East)

6. Steelers 8 - 3 (North)

NFC

1. Falcons 9 - 2 (South)

2. Bears 8 - 3 (North)

3. Eagles 7 - 4 (East)

4. Rams 5 - 6 (West)

5. Saints 8 - 3 (South)

6. Giants 7 - 4 (East)

 

 So as you can see from the seeds at the moment, Wildcard Weekend would see:

Steelers @ Chiefs

Patriots @ Jaguars

Giants @ Eagles

Saints @ Rams

These are 4 great games, but this situation is obviously very fluid, and to track this I am going to add a new feature to the site.  At the top of the page will be a 'Playoff Picture' tab (to be added later this week).  After every game is played I will update this section.  As well as showing the 6 seeds in each conference, I will add to the bottom, the teams that are in the hunt for a playoff spot.  The playoff season is fast approaching, and we need to know the situation for our teams.  Enjoy the new feature, and I hope this helps to explain how the playoff schedule is formed.

Thanksgiving Football

There is a huge tradition that goes hand in hand with Thanksgiving in America, and that's football.  We all know that thanks is given for a bountiful harvest, on the 4th Thursday in July, and has been a national holiday since 1941, but why the link to football?  The professional football league in 1934 asked if any team was interested in hosting a game on Thanksgiving day.  The only interested party were the Detroit Lions, who have done so ever since.  Due to the success of the game, the league decided to go for 2 games in 1966, but the Dallas Cowboys were the only interested team.  They have played on Thanksgiving ever since.  These 2 games became known as the 'Thanksgiving Classic' series, and have been hugely successful.  So successful in fact, that a number of other teams wanted to get in on the act.  So in 2006, the NFL decided to add a 3rd game.  This game though would not be a set host team, and would rotate around the league.  This years host team will be the Jets, who will welcome the Bengals.  The Lions host the Patriots this year, whilst the Saints travel to Dallas.

Patriots @ Lions

The 8 - 2 Patriots travel to Detroit to take on the 2 - 8 Lions.  The Lions are much improved this year, and will be looking forward to putting up a big performance here in front of their home fans. There was talk around that Patriots QB Tom Brady would not start due to a shoulder injury, but he does, look out Detroit.  The Lions will need to pressure Brady if they are to get anything from this game.  With the young DT Ndamukung Suh though, that is defiantly possible.  Suh is having an amazing rookie year, and will be out to prove a point on this big stage.  I do believe though that the Patriots have to much firepower in this one.  Also I cannot see the Lions putting up many points against this young, but very talented Pats D.  RB Jahvid Best should start the game, but his injuries this year will certainly limit him.  The Lions are still without franchise QB Matt Stafford, who like Brady, has a shoulder injury.

Saints @ Cowboys

The 7 - 3 Saints collide with the 3 - 7 Cowboys in the 2nd match up on Thanksgiving.  This game would have been seen as a clash of NFC favorites at the beginning of the year,  but the Cowboys have disappointed, and the Saints have managed to go about their business, without much attention.  This is a very important game for the Saints, as they need to keep up the pressure in their tough division, with both the Falcons and Buccaneers playing well this year.  The Cowboys have got back to playing decent football in the past couple of weeks, following the firing of HC Wade Phillips.  Jason Garrett seems to have this talented bunch playing hard, and the Cowboys will want to show the nation that they are not a laughing stock.  Should be a very interesting game!

Bengals @ Jets

The disappointing 2 - 8 Bengals take on the 8 - 2 Jets.  The Jets came back from the dead again on Sunday, with a last minute TD drive against the Texans.  That is not the first time the Jets have done that this year, and they have many people wondering, are they good? or are they lucky?  I personally believe that its a bit of both, but you have to be extremely talented to create so much luck!!  QB Mark Sanchez has proven that he is a very capable QB this year, and he leads the team when required.  Saying all this, I don't believe the Bengals will test them at all in this one.  They have been very poor this year when they were expected to defend their AFC North crown.  Most of there problems have come from their inability to run the ball, and that weakness will not be improved against this very good Jets defence.

Enjoy your turkey where ever you are in the world, but more importantly, enjoy the football!!

Week 10 Highlights

Here are the key plays and moments from week 10, in the NFL

Ravens 21 Falcons 26

The first 'Thursday Night Football' game of the year was a great game between 2 great teams, but the home Falcons managed to dig deep and get the win in the end.  To be fair to the Falcons, they dominated in the first half, leading 10 - 0 at the break.  Their 2 scores came from RB Jason Snelling (28 yard pass) and a 28 yard FG by Matt Bryant.  Falcons QB Matt Ryan had a great day, and really looks to be developing into the franchise QB.  He finished the game with 316 yards and 3 TD's, 0 INT's.  It was a good job that Ryan had a good day, as the Ravens tough defence was very stingy against the run.  RB Micheal Turner had only 39 yards in the game.

The Falcons defence though was dominant, getting a huge amount of pressure onto Ravens QB Joe Flacco.  Flacco had a good 2nd half, as the Ravens made their comeback attempt.  His numbers on the day were 215 yards, 3 TD's and 1 INT.  The catalyst for the Ravens comeback though was WR Anquan Boldin.  Boldin had 5 catches for 50 yards and a TD on the day.  But it was not particularly his performance on the field that lifted the team, Boldin was seen every time the offence was off the field walking around, talking to his team mates, motivating them.  He actually gathered the offence together before the first Ravens TD drive.  Flacco found Boldin himself from 5 yards out, to cut the lead to 13 - 7.

The Falcons though responded, and WR Roddy White got his first TD of the day, a 4 yard pass from Ryan.  White was the star of the game, catching 12 balls for 128 yards and 2 TD's.  He actually dropped 2 balls that were right at him, one that nearly cost the Falcons the game.  With the score 20 - 14, following a Derrick Mason TD for the Ravens, and just over 3 minutes on the clock, the Falcons faced a 3rd and 4.  Trying to take time off the clock, Ryan hit White right in the hands with a 5 yard pass, which he inexpliciply dropped.  This meant the Ravens got the ball back, and Flacco lead them down the field in 8 plays and 2 minutes, before finding TE Todd Heap from 9 yards.  The extra point from K Billy Cundiff gave the Ravens their first lead of the night, 21 - 20, with just 1.05 on the clock.

This was when QB Matt Ryan came into his own.  He found WR Michael Jenkins for 24 yards, White for 15 yards, before throwing a pass to TE Tony Gonzalez on 3rd down which fell incomplete.  The officials though had thrown a flag for pass interference, and the drive was still alive.  Ryan then looked long for Roddy White, who appeared to push off his defender slightly, before taking off for a 33 yard TD.  This time there was no flag and the Georgia Dome erupted.

This was a great win for the Falcons, one that will now catapult them into the conversation as one of the best teams in not only the NFC, but the league.  The Ravens were under no illusions on how difficult this game would be for them, but they really acquitted themselves well in defeat.  They to have a great young QB, and are without doubt one of the best teams in the entire NFL.  Was last nights game a 'Superbowl' dress rehearsal??  I certainly wouldn't mind seeing that game again.

Thursday Night Football

Tonight see's the first of a series of  7 games on Thursday nights, from now, until week 16.  These games are broadcast in the States by NFL Network, their only live games of the year.  These games are also available to view live at nfl.com and live in the UK on Sky Sports.

Here is the full list of the rest of the Thursday Night slate :

Week 10 - 11th Nov - Ravens @ Falcons.
Week 11 - 18th Nov - Bears @ Dolphins.
Week 12 - 25th Nov - Bengals @ Jets.
Week 13 - 2nd Dec - Texans @ Eagles.
Week 14 - 9th Dec - Colts @ Titans.
Week 15 - 16th Dec - 49'ers @ Chargers.
Week 16 - 23rd Dec - Panthers @ Steelers.
Week 17 - 25th Dec - Cowboys @ Cardinals.

So as you can see there are some great games to view, and we don't have to wait from Monday until Sunday for NFL action anymore.

This weeks game is a great one, and has been described by many as a possible Superbowl preview.  We will have to see about that.  Take a look at my preview of the game, and also my prediction.  Enjoy football on Thursdays people!!

Week 9 Highlights

Take a look at all the key moments from week 9 in the NFL.

Game of the Week

Colts 24 Eagles 26

The 'Game of the Week' and the late game on Sky from week 9 came from Philly.  It was a clash between the best QB in the league (Colts - Peyton Manning) and one that is probably the most exciting on his day (Eagles - Micheal Vick).  Vick was returning following a month out sidelined with a rib injury.  The Eagles were on their bye last week and had therefore had plenty of time to prepare for Manning and co.  The Colts, who had played against the Texans on Monday night, had plenty of injuries all over the field, and there was concern at the fact they had only had a short week.  The first play from scrimmage in the game seemed to show the difference in conditioning between the 2 teams as Eagles RB Lesean McCoy scampered for 62 yards, to the Indianapolis 10 yard line.  Just 2 plays later Vick found the other returning superstar WR DeSean Jackson, for a 9 yard TD pass.

The Eagles were concerned all week leading up to this game about the ability of Peyton Manning, but on just his 2nd pass of the game, CB Asante Samuel picked him off, and the Eagles turned that into a K David Akers FG, 10 - 0 Eagles, with just over 3 minutes off the clock.  The Colts did manage to sustain a bit of a drive on their next possession, but eventually had to punt.  Vick and the Eagles answered with another big play to WR Jackson, this time for 58 yards, and the Eagles were back within striking distance.  The Eagles were unable to get a TD here, even though they were in the redzone, but still had a commanding 13 - 0 lead after just 1 quarter.

Manning and the Colts then started to drive as Manning continually found TE Jacob Tamme (in for injured star TE Dallas Clark) and WR Reggie Wayne.  He eventually found Tamme from 3 yards, 13 - 7.  The Eagles though answered straight back.  Vick scrambled for 24 yards, before finding WR Jason Avant for 34 yards, and moved into the red zone.  Their red zone woes continued though and they had to settle for a 2nd David Akers FG, to give them a 9 point lead.  Manning though was in no mood to be out done, as he returned to the field with just 6 minutes till the half, but drove down field before RB Javarris James (cousin of former Colts RB Edgerrin) punched it in from the 6 yard line.  He also managed to get into position, after a poor series from the Eagles, for K Adam Vinateri to kick a FG.  17 - 16 Colts at the break.

The 3rd quarter didn't quite live up to the play in the first half, as there was only one score, another FG from the Eagles, from 44 yards.  There was quite a lot of good defence from there on in as punts rained in from both teams.  The Eagles did though start the 4th quarter with a bang as QB Vick went in on a QB keeper from 1 yard out.  Both teams had long drives that resulted in punts, before the Colts got back to within 2 points thanks to RB James going in for his 2nd TD of the day from 1 yard, but we were already after the 2 minute warning.  The Colts did get the ball back for one last chance though, but on a 3rd and 10 from their own 41 yard line, Manning was picked off for a 2nd time by CB Samuel, and the game was over.

The Eagles were very impressive in this game.  They showed they have big play ability, and can stop even the best teams.  They need to work on their red zone offence, but now have a legitimate shout at being the best team in the NFC.  The next 2 games should tell the tale for them as they play the Redskins and Giants in 2 HUGE NFC East games.  The Colts don't need to worry to much about this loss.  Even though they are banged up, and were nowhere near as fresh as the Eagles, they still managed to hang around.  Manning will win a lot of games for this team the rest of the way.

Week 8 Highlights

Take a look at the key plays and big moments from week 8, around the NFL

NFL London Game Review

Broncos 16 49'ers 24

After the long wait, the NFL finally arrived back in the UK on Sunday, and after a slow start, the game turned out to be an exciting showdown.  The day started with a performance by 'My Chemical Romance', and then 'The Star-Spangled Banner' by former 'Destinys Child' member Michelle Williams, and a strange version of 'God Save the Queen' by guitarist Jeff Beck.  Just a quick hint to the NFL, if you want to get the full effect of our national anthem, you do need a singer to help the crowd come in at the right time.  If you do this, the crowd will bring the hairs on the back of your neck up, with a thunderous rendition.  The 'home team' 49'ers took the field to the usual fireworks show, and the 83,941 fans in attendance were ready for the show to begin.

The first half was very slow, with the 49'ers trying to move the ball on the ground through RB Frank Gore, and the Broncos struggling to get anything going either through the air or on the ground.  The score at the half was just 3 - 0 49'ers, thanks to a Joe Nedney 34 yard FG. 

The 2nd half began with the Broncos kicking to the 49'ers.  They managed to move the ball from the 20 yard line, before it stalled on the half way line.  This movement was mainly down to Gore, who finished the game with 118 yards and a TD.  After they punted to the Broncos, they managed to get their first big play of the day, a deep throw from QB Kyle Orton, to WR Brandon Lloyd for 71 yards, down to the 1 yard line.  The Broncos bought in back up QB Tim Tebow, who took the ball in on a QB keeper.  This but the Broncos up 7 - 3.  The 49'ers started to show life and QB Troy Smith was heating up as he found Josh Morgan for 30 yards.  They were left to try a 52 yard FG, which Nedney hit the post.  After a few short possessions, the Broncos managed to get into field goal range, which Matt Prater hit from 32 yards, 10 - 3 Broncos.

The last 14 minutes were what will be known as, Troy Smith time.  He made a play were he scrambled right and completed the pass to Delaine Walker for 38 yards, before running the ball in himself, levelling the game up.  The play to Walker was described by HC Mike Singeltery as ' Farve like'.  The Niners defence got the ball back and Smith found WR Michael Crabtree for a 28 yards TD, 17 - 10 Niners.  The 49'ers defence came up big again as LB Manny Lawson forced Orton to fumble, and it was covered up by LB Takeo Spikes at the Denver 18.  Gore ran in another TD, and the 49'ers were up 24 - 10 with just under 4 minutes left.  The Broncos managed to score another TD, Orton to Bandon Lloyd, but the game finished 24 - 16 Niners.

The game was a huge success again, and I can't wait for next years specticle.  Keep in touch with nflgbview to find out all the latest NFL information, including next years Wembley game.  Keep in touch through this blog, twitter or facebook.

NFL London Game

Broncos @ 49'ers

So the time is now UK fans!!  We have waited a full 12 months to see live NFL action on this side of the pond, and we are only a few hours away.  This is the 4th regular season game to be played at Wembley, and from what NFL commissioner Rodger Goodell said on Friday, it certainly won't be the last.  Speaking to over 38,000 fans in Trafalgar Square London yesterday, Mr Goodell announced that the NFL plans to bring 'multiple' games to Europe, and that a full time franchise in London would be 'realistic'.  Can you imagine how good that would be people?  A team that we could watch week in, and week out, and call our own.  That really is something to look forward to.

Anyway back to today's game, between the 2 - 5 Broncos, and the 1 - 6 49'ers.  This game was seen before the season began as a battle between 2 teams that would be competing for division titles and playoff berth's.  The Broncos missed a 'wildcard' spot by 1 game last year after starting the season 6 - 0.  The 49'ers finished just 2 games back from Arizona in the NFC West last year, but after the departure of many key players from the Cardinals, including starting QB Kurt Warner and WR Anquan Boldin, the 49'ers were seen as the favorites for the title this time around.  This optimism has not been realised for either team as they have a combined record of just 3 - 11.  Some people have seen the fact that they are 2 struggling teams as a bad thing for the game.  In my eyes they couldn't be more wrong.  This is a game between 2 struggling, desperate teams that are looking to keep their season alive before the bye week.  I believe that this is going to be a scrap from beginning to end, and is going to be very entertaining to watch.

The 'home team' 49'ers will have a new QB under centre for this game.  Regular QB Alex Smith has a shoulder injury and is unable to play.  Last week 2nd string QB David Carr came in and looked awful, so the QB of choice is Troy Smith.  This will be only the 3rd start of the 26 year old NFL career, and his first ever for the 49'ers.  His 2 previous starts were in Baltimore in 2007.  This is a huge task for Smith to lift this team, especially as he may be without TE Vernon Davis.  Davis is a major part of this offence with a team leading 422 receiving yards and 4 TD's.  If he does miss the game, expect to see alot of RB Frank Gore, both running and receiving the ball.

The Broncos come into this game on the back of a thoroughly embarrassing 59 - 14 home loss to division rivals, the Oakland Raiders.  The Broncos defence was humiliated in the run game, giving up 328 yards and 5 TD's.  This phase will have to improve this week against the very talented Frank Gore.  The Broncos on offence are extremely good through the air.  They are in fact ranked 3rd in the NFL, with QB Kyle Orton throwing for a total of 2,140 yards and 11 TD's.  This will undoubtedly be the way in which Denver will try and win this game against an average 49'ers pass defence.

So this game will not have the explosiveness of the 2008 game in London between the Saints and the Chargers, but it will be a battle, and the outcome of the battle could have huge consequences for the losing teams coaching staff.  Enjoy the game UK, as it looks like the NFL is on these shores to stay!

Week 7 Highlights

Take a look at the highlights and key moments from 'week 7' in the NFL.

Power Rankings following Week 6

So here are my rankings, from 32 through to number 1, of the NFL teams at the moment.  I'm sure there are many things here that you may disagree with, and if there is, please get in touch.  Get in touch by either leaving a comment, through twitter - http://twitter.com/nflgbview, email - nflgbview@googlemail.comor facebook .  I look forward to hearing from you.  Also don't forget to vote for the 'Game of the Week' for week 7.  The poll is on the right hand side of this page.  Please vote, as I need to know which game to report in depth. 

32.  Buffalo Bills (0 - 5)
31.  Carolina Panthers (0 - 5)
30.  Cleveland Browns (1 - 5)
29.  Oakland Raiders (2 - 4)
28.  Detriot Lions (1 - 5)
27.  San Francisco 49'ers (1 - 5)
26.  Jacksonville Jaguars (3 - 3)
25.  Dallas Cowboys (1 - 4)
24.  Cincinnati Bengals (2 - 3)
23.  Denver Broncos (2 - 4)
22.  San Deigo Chargers (2 - 4)
21.  St. Louis Rams (3 - 3)
20.  Seattle Seahawks (3 - 2)
19.  Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3 - 2)
18.  Arizona Cardinals (3 - 2)
17.  Minnesota Vikings (2 - 3)
16.  Wasington Redskins (3 - 3)
15.  Chicago Bears (4 - 2)
14.  Green Bay Packers (3 - 3)
13.  Kansas City Chiefs (3 - 2)
12.  Tennessee Titans (4 - 2)
11.  Houston Texans (4 - 2)
10.  Miami Dolphins (3 - 2)
9.    Atlanta Falcons (4 - 2)
8.    New York Giants (4 - 2)
7.    Philadelphia Eagles (4 - 2)
6.    New Orleans Saints (4 - 2)
5.    New Engalnd Patriots (4 - 1)
4.    Baltimore Ravens (4 - 2)
3.    Indianapolis Colts (4 - 2)
2.    New York Jets (5 - 1)
1.    Pittsburgh Steelers (4 - 1)

Week 6 Highlights

Take a look at all the key moments and plays from week 6 in the NFL.  Pay particular attention to the catch from Colts number 85 WR Pierre Garcon, WHAT A CATCH!!

Cowboys 21 Vikings 24

The 'Game of the week' took place in Minnesota this week, when the 1 - 3 Vikings and the 1 - 3 Cowboys came up against one another.  Only 5 % of teams that have started 1 - 4 have ever made the playoffs since the new playoff system was bought in 20 years ago.  This game was therefore nicknamed the 'Panic Bowl' by reporters in both Minnesota and Dallas.  Both teams were seen as potential Superbowl contenders in the pre season, but which of them would be in a huge hole after just 6 weeks.

In the first half Cowboys QB Tony Romo moved the offence up and down the field connecting with WR Roy Williams for 2 TD's (15, 2 yards).  Between these 2 TD's Vikings QB Brett Farve found WR Greg Camarillo for a 10 yard TD.  Romo had a decent game for the Cowboys, throwing for 220 yards and 3 TD's.  He did though have 2 INT's, and the Cowboys could not get the running game going.  RB's Felix Jones and Marion Barber only managed 63 yards on the ground, with a long of just 6 yards.  Despite this, the Cowboys led 14 - 7 at half time.

The Cowboys had to kick off for the 2nd half, and back to return was former Florida Gator utility player Percy Harvin.  He took the ball at the 5 yard line, and took it back 95 yards for a TD.  This levelled the score line, but tipped the tide of emotion in the favour of the Vikings.  On their next possession they drove down the field behind the running of Adrian Peterson, who ran for 73 yards.  Peterson finished the drive with a 1 yard run for a TD to give the Vikings the lead.  This seemed like it may be the end of the road for the Cowboys, who once again committed penalty after penalty.  They gave up 11 penalties for 91 yards and teams giving up this kind of yardage cannot win games.  The Cowboys did however manage to get another drive going, and Romo found WR Dez Bryant for a 31 yard TD to level the scores.  There was just 10 mins left, which of these desperate teams could pull this out??

The Vikings went 3 and out on the following possession, and had to punt the ball back to the resurgent Cowboys.  The Cowboys ran the ball twice and got themselves in a 3rd and 2 situation.  Romo dropped back to pass, and looked for his prime target TE Jason Witten.  The ball though never arrived in Witten's hands as Minnesota Vikings MLB E.J Henderson picked the ball off, and lifted the roof off the dome.  The Vikings moved themselves into FG range, and kicker Ryan Longwell hit what turned out to be the winning 3 points.  This was a huge win for the Vikings, one that has put them right back in the hunt for the NFC North following defeats for the Bears and Packers.  The Cowboys are however in huge trouble in the NFC East, will they be able to be one of the 5 % that make the playoffs after starting 1 - 4, something tells me they won't!

Week 5 Highlights

Take a look at the Week 5 highlights and key moments!!

Game of the Week

Redskins 17 Eagles 14

The eyes of the NFL world were on Philadelphia this Sunday to watch the return of Donovan McNabb.  There were questions from a number of people, including me, to how the locals would greet the returning QB, and I'm glad to say the Eagles fans were very classy.  I wrote an article before the game on Sunday highlighting just what McNabb had done for the Eagles in his 11 year career there, and I was very happy to hear the cheers for him as he was announced before the game.  The Philly crowd is a notoriously tough one, but well done Eagles fans!!  There were embraces between McNabb and many of his former teammates, notably a big hug from opposing QB Micheal Vick, before kickoff also.

Once the game started of course, the Eagles fans jumped down McNabb's throat, and the boos rained in.  The Redskins though, started really fast, and were hitting hard.  The first TD of the day came on a 12 yard run by Ryan Torain, who ran through Eagles S Quintin Mikell on his way to the endzone.  This bull dozing run from Torain summed up just what kind of mood the Redskins were in, and before the Eagles could figure out what was happening McNabb found TE Chris Cooley for 31 yards, and a 14 - 0 lead after 1.

The Eagles opened the 2nd quarter with a 49 yard FG, following good play from Vick with both his arm, and his legs.  Vick though did get injured on this drive as he had a 23 yard scramble, and as he dived for the line he got sandwiched by 2 Redskins defenders.  This collision caused a rib injury, and kept Vick out for the rest of the game.  The Redskins though went straight back down the field, including a McNabb 57 yard bomb to WR Anthony Armstrong, and added a FG of their own from 26 yards making it 17 - 3.  Kevin Kolb, the QB that the Eagles chose over McNabb came into the game.  On his first play from scrimmage Kolb fumbled the snap, but luckily managed to recover the ball himself.  The Eagles then slowly moved down the field and added another FG, to make the game 17 - 6 at half time.

The 3rd quarter was littered with mistakes.  McNabb had a pass for Joey Galloway INT by Eagles rookie S Nate Allen,  LeSean McCoy had the ball knocked out of his hands as he ran towards the goal line, so the score remained 17 - 6 going into the 4th.  The Redskins managed to run a lot of the clock down in the 4th before finally Kolb and the Eagles offence got a chance to put point on the board with around 7.30 to go.  The Eagles went no huddle, and marched down the field before Kolb found TE Brent Celek with a 5 yard TD pass.  The Eagles, now trailing 17 - 12, decided to go for a 2 point conversion, in order to make it a FG (3 point) game.  The attempt failed, so the Redskins had a TD lead with just 4 minutes left in the game.  The Redskins dug in and kept the ball for around 3 minutes, but Kolb and the Eagles offence had one last chance, with 1.07 on the clock.  With the help of a couple of laterals, Kolb got the Eagles to the 32 and had one last chance.  Kolb bought time and heaved the ball into the endzone.  The ball went straight into the hands of WR Jason Avant, but he couldn't hold on, and Redskins CB DeAngelo Hall INT the tipped ball, and the Redskins had the win. 

This must have been a very sweet moment for McNabb.  His new Redskins team had understood just what this game meant to him, and had raised their game to help him get the 'W'.   He had shown the Eagles organisation just what they were missing, and now with Vick injured, do you reckon the would take him back if they could?

Week 4 Highlights

Take a look at this video and soak up all the big moments from week 4 in the NFL

McNaab back in Philly

You may be wondering what all the fuss is about this weekends game in Philadelphia.  OK its the Eagles against division rival Washington Redskins, and also some QB is returning to play against the Eagles for the first time in his career, whats so special about that??  Well I will try and explain to you the magnitude of this return, and why this game is so big.

Donovan McNabb was drafted by the Eagles in the 1999 draft, and McNabb received a series of boos from Eagles fans present.  These Eagles fans wanted the Eagles to select RB Edgerrin James, and felt that a QB was not what the organisation required.  Here was the birth of the McNabb legend.  He started 6 games in the '99 season, but took part in 12, and did enough to win the starting spot for the 2000 season.  This season was a fantastic one for the young QB, who threw for 3,365 passing yards and rushed for 629 yards with a combined 27 TD's.  This led the Eagles to a 11 - 5 record, and a wildcard spot in the playoffs.  The Giants ended this run in the divisional round of the playoffs, but what a start for McNabb.

McNabbs 3rd year in Philly saw the Eagles go to another 11 - 5 record, which won them their 1st division title for 13 years.  The streak didn't stop here as the Eagles beat the Buccaneers and the Bears to go into their first NFC title game for 21 years.  They lost this game against the Rams, but what an impact their young QB was making, and even so, the Philadelphia fans were still not convinced. 

The Eagles went on to take the divisional crown and advance to the NFC championship game for the next 3 years.  They even went to the Superbowl in 2004, where they lost 24 - 21 to the defending champion Patriots.  This was the criticism of McNabb in Philly.  The fans believed that McNabb had all the talent around him, but couldn't get it done in the big game.  The Eagles made playoff appearances in '06, '08 and '09, advancing to the championship game in '08 where they lost to the Arizona Cardinals.

So lets just put McNabb's career in Philly into perspective, in 10 seasons there, he made 8 playoff appearances, won 5 NFC East Championships, went to 5 NFC Championship games winning 1, and appeared in 1 Superbowl.  This to me is a 'Hall of Fame' career, even though he never managed to win the 'Big Game'.  Donovan McNabb gave his absolute all in Philly for 10 years, and was never appreciated for the success he bought to the team.

The Eagles decided to trade McNabb last year as they wanted to move in a different direction with young QB Kevin Kolb.  Now I have no problem with Kevin Kolb, but he lasted just 15 plays in the opening game with the Packers this year before having to leave with a concussion.  This is a very unfortunate injury, but may just point out that McNabb was working with a poor O Line in Philly, and was raising the performance of the whole team.  Veteran QB Michael Vick came in to replace Kolb, and now, even with Kolb back from injury, Vick is still the starter.  So where does this leave McNabb.  He was traded from the city he loved, and gave his career to, so this young hot shot could come in.  Now after just 15 plays, that young hotshot has lost his job to Michael Vick.  Vick is doing a good job at the moment, but do you think Eagles head coach Andy Reid would take McNabb back if he could??  I do!  Just to add more fuel to the fire, Vick would not even be in Philly if it wasn't for McNabb.  When Vick came out of prison for his dog fighting conviction it was McNaab that convinced Andy Reid and the Eagles organisation to bring in Vick.  McNabb took Vick under his wing, and happily split time with the former Falcons QB last year.  Now Vick has his job.  Add to this that the Eagles also traded McNabb to a division rival, knowing full well that they would have to play him twice a year, and you have got a very, very explosive game in prospect.

I hope now that you all have a bit more of an insight into what this game means this weekend.  I know players go back to play their former teams quite often, but you have to admit, this one has a special edge to it.  Enjoy it people, I know I can't wait!

Surprising Starts!!

So, after 3 weeks, there are only 3 unbeaten teams left in the NFL.  Whats most surprising is the identity of these 3 teams.  In the NFC, only the Chicago Bears remain, following victories over the Lions, Cowboys and the Packers.  In the AFC there are 2 unbeaten teams, the Pittsburgh Steelers, following wins against the Falcons, Titans and Buccaneers, and the Kansas City Chiefs, following victories over the Chargers, Browns and 49'ers.

The fact that the Steelers are unbeaten may not seem like such a big deal to most.  But when you consider the fact that they have won these games without franchise QB 'Big' Ben Roethlisberger, who is currently serving a 4 game suspension, this is quite an amazing fact.  Add to this - the QB who the Steelers selected to replace Big Ben while he was out Dennis Dixon, also got injured in their game against the Titans.  This meant that the game in Tampa this past Sunday, the Steelers had their 3rd choice QB starting Charlie Batch.  So the back up QB's have played well, right!!  Not really.  The Steelers currently rank dead last in the passing offence category and 26th in total yards gained.  So how is this team 3 - 0?  Only 1 word can describe this - DEFENCE!!  The Steelers defence has always been known as a solid defence.  This year is no exception.  They are ranked 3rd in the NFL against the run, 6th in total yards conceded and 1st in points conceded.  This combined with the 3rd ranked rush offence (led by number 34 Rashard Mendenhall - pictured) has been enough to see off their opponents so far.  This unbeaten record may be under threat this week though, as the Steelers welcome division rival Baltimore Ravens to Heinz Field.  This will be the last game the Steelers play without Big Ben, and even if they lose this game, they have surprised everyone without him.

The Kansas City Chiefs are a huge surprise to be unbeaten.  They opened the season with a fantastic home win on Monday Night Football against the division rival Chargers.  Alot of people saw this as a fluke as 2 of the 3 TDs were huge plays.  Jamaal Charles (pictured) scored on a 56 yard run, and Dexter McCluster returned a 94 yard punt return.  The rest of the box score seems to be in the favor of the Chargers, as Rivers threw for 298 yards, compared to Cassel's 68.  Everyone had made up their mind, this was a freak result, and the Chiefs would soon come back down to earth.  The Chiefs though traveled to Cleveland, and pulled out an ugly win.  3 FG's and a INT return for a TD saw them beat the Browns 16 - 14.  This again was seen as a fluke as the Chiefs had not scored any offencive points.  Their 3rd game though, a home clash against the 49'ers, silenced a number of their doubters.  The Chiefs scored 4 offencive TD's including 3 TD passes from Matt Cassel who also had 250 yards.  This was a big performance for Cassel as even Chief fans were questioning his ability.  The Chiefs have relied on big plays and their number one ranked rush attack so far, they have a bye this week, followed by games @ Indianapolis and @ Houston.  How long will the Chiefs stay unbeaten?

The Chicago Bears are a great story this season so far.  They started out with a win that never should have been against division rival Detroit Lions 19 - 14.  I say this as Lions WR Calvin Johnson, in my eyes made a great catch for a TD, which was ruled out.  The Bears breathed a sigh of relief, but fans were worried as they looked poor in the game.  Their next game was a trip to Dallas, where the Cowboys were looking to put right their season following an opening day loss against the Redskins.  The Bears though were fantastic in that game, led by QB Jay Cutler (pictured) who had 277 yards and 3 TD's, who looks like a much better player than he did last year.  But could the Bears follow up against division rival Green Bay?  They did, thanks in part to the Packers self destructing. The Packers committed 18 penalties for 152 yards.  The 20 - 17 win left the Bears 3 - 0, after defeating 2 of the NFC's supposed best.  So are the Bears the best team in the NFC??  They travel to New York to take on the Giants this week, if they win this, you could make a very good argument to back this thought!

So these 3 teams are undeafed for now, but who will last the longest??  Looking at their next games all 3 could lose, but for now, well done to these surprising teams!

Week 3 Highlights

Take a look at this video which shows all the big moments and highlights from Week 3

Sorry for the delay!!

Hello everyone!  I just wanted to appologise to you all for the delay in 'nflgbview' getting started for the new season.  I can happily announce that I am back in the UK as a married man, and ready to start writing again.  Things have been very hectic and therefore the site has had to take a back seat for the past month or so.  Anyway everything is back to normal now, so look forward to all the features returning to the site starting from now.  As you can see the standings, schedule and fantasy pages are all up to date.  The game previews section will be updated towards the end of the week, and I hope to write up a couple of week 2 games for you in the game reviews section.  But rest assured - the best coverage of the NFL in the UK is now up and running again. 

Pre Season Results so far!

Hi everyone, sorry that the posts have been few and far between just lately, I am in the middle of preparations for my wedding abroad in September, therefore time is at a premium.

Anyway here are the results from pre season so far:

Week 1

Saints 24  Patriots 27
Panthers 12 Ravens 17
Raiders 17 Cowboys 9
Bills 17 Redskins 42
Jaguars 27 Eagles 28
Chiefs 10 Falcons 20
Buccaneers 7 Dolphins 10
Lions 7 Steelers 23
Browns 27 Packers 24
Vikings 28 Rams 7
Texans 16 Cardinals 19
Bears 10 Chargers 25
Titans 18 Seahawks 20
49'ers 37 Colts17
Broncos 24 Bengals 33
Giants 31 Jets 16

Week 2

Colts 21 Bills 34
Patriots 28 Falcons 10
Eagles 9 Bengals 22
Ravens 23 Redskins 3
Steelers 24 Giants 17
Chiefs 15 Buccaneers 20
Dolphins 27 Jaguars 26
Rams 19 Browns 17
Texans 20 Saints 38
Jets 9 Panthers 3
Radiers 32 Bears 17
Cowboys 16 Chargers 14
Lions 25 Broncos 20
Packers 27 Seahawks 24
Vikings 10 49'ers 15
Cardinals 10 Titans 24

So they are the results from all the games so far this pre season, week 3 begins tonight with Rams @ Patriots and Colts @ Packers.

The posts are sadly going to be few and far between from now until the start of the season.  I fly out this Sunday and get back on the Monday morning of week 1.  There will be a full round up of week 1 that week, but the build up to week 1 will not be like the rest of the season.  Enjoy the rest of the preseason people, as well as kick off weekend, I will see you soon.

Hall of Fame Game.

Cowboys 16 - 7 Bengals!!



So as you can see from the highlights, the starters played for the first quarter, with the Cowboys offense impressing more than the Bengals offense did.  T.O though did manage 2 catches for 18 yards in his first game as a Bengal. 

There was drama on the opening drive of the game as the Cowboys drove the field, and got into a 1st and goal situation at the 5.  They handed the ball off to RB Felix Jones, who ran up the middle before getting hit and fumbling the ball.  The ball was recovered in the endzone by Bengals CB Leon Hall for a touchback.  There was a flag on the play however, a defensive offside, that caused this to be a no play, and moved the ball closer to the goal line.  The Cowboys then took 3 pass plays, that failed to get them into the endzone, and they had to settle for a field goal.  The Cowboys actually scored 3 FG's, which will please them no end, as their kicker is a big question for this year.

The Cowboys TD came as LB Brandon Sharpe took a INT back for a TD.  The Bengals TD came very late as QB Jordan Palmer (Carson's younger brother) found TE Darius Hill at the back of the endzone.

This was not a very exciting game to watch, but hey, FOOTBALLS BACK!!!!!

Sights and Sounds of 49'ers Training Camp

So what actually goes on at NFL training camp??

Take a look at this video that shows a few samples of whats going on at the San Francisco 49'ers camp.  The 49'ers are your host for this years NFL London game at Wembley.

Training Camp Update!

So the first week of training camp is complete for most teams now, there can't be much to talk about right?  You couldn't be more wrong.  There are stories braking all over the US all the time.  So lets take a look at a sample of them.

T.O Finds a team!

T.O and new teammate Ochocinco

The first major news that broke in the NFL around training camp was the fact that WR Terrell Owens, who had been searching for a team all off season, finally found a home in Cincinnati.  T.O had been to visit with the Bengals at the beginning of the free agency period, but left without a contract.  Just a few days later the Bengals signed former Buccaneer's WR Antonio Bryant.  This looked to kill off any chance of seeing the T.O and Ochocinco combo - to which I was very upset.  So Training Camp began and something changed the Bengals minds.  Within minutes of this news leaking out Chad Ochocinco was publicly trying to convince everyone, including T.O, that this was a great idea.  T.O signed a 1 year $2 million deal, with the prospect of receiving an additional $2 million in incentives.  T.O himself though understands that those contract incentives are almost impossible to reach, but he doesn't care, he just wants to play football.

Palmer also wanted T.O in

This team looks very exciting on paper now in the passing game. They have a great QB in Carson Palmer.  Palmer actually spent time in the off season working out with T.O, and was also rumoured to be putting pressure onto the Bengals organisation to sign him.  He now believes that he has the weapons around him to take the Bengals back to the playoffs, and maybe to a Superbowl.  Lets think about the offence for a second.  You have Ochocinco on one side, T.O on the other.  In an ideal world you would like to see double coverage on at least one of these players.  But here's the problem.  The Bengals can also put in Antonio Bryant as a slot receiver, and Jermaine Gresham, drafted in the first round this year and a very good pass catcher, in at TE.  Now what do you do as a defence?  I've got it!  You sit back in a zone coverage!  Not possible, don't forget the running presence of RB Cedric Benson.  This team has a huge amount of talent on offence, and if the defence can hold up to last years high standards, then this team WILL win the AFC North.


Defensive troubles in Baltimore

Ed Reed is on PUP

As all the excitement was building in Cincy, the Ravens injury worries kept going from bad to worse.   The first piece of bad news came as it was announced that pro bowl safety Ed Reed would begin the season on the PUP list.  The 'Physically Unable to Participate' list is used by teams so that they don't have to use up a roster spot.  All teams are limited to the amount of players they can have on their roster at any time.  During the season this is 53.  If the Ravens did not declare Reed as PUP, they would either have to name him as one of the 53 players (in essence wasting a roster spot) or put him on IR (Injury Reserve).  If you go on the IR list, you cannot play for the rest of the currant season.  PUP can be used up until week 6 of the season.  It is not clear when Reed will be able to play, but there is no doubt that his presence in the Ravens secondary will be missed.

Foxworth suffered injury

 The next piece of bad news came as the Ravens 2nd round draft pick LB Sergio Kindle could not report to camp.  The reason for this was that Kindle had fell down 2 flights of steps, and suffered a fractured skull.  Kindle is in a stable condition now, but the Ravens are unsure when he will come back.

The news kept coming once camp opened as starting CB Domonique Foxworth suffered a season ending knee injury.  These injuries have seriously damaged the Ravens defencive capabilities for the coming year.  This is not a good thing for the Ravens, as their division rival Bengals, are just getting better.



Darrelle Revis holds out

Revis wants more cash

The Jets defence is seen by many, including myself, as one of, if not the, best defences in the entire NFL.  The additions of Antonio Cromartie and Jason Taylor to an already fantastic defence, has everyone excited.  When they turned up for training camp though there was a big name missing, pro bowl CB Darrelle Revis.  'Revis island' is seen by many as the best CB in the league.  He proved this thought time and time again last season as he was matched up one on one with teams top WR, and completely shut them down.  The reason Revis is not at camp is because he is unhappy with his contract.  Revis is due to make $1 million this year.  To me and you that seems like a hell of a lot of money, but when you consider the fact that CB Nnamdi Asomugha is making over ten times more that that this year in Oakland, you can perhaps see Revis's point.  Just to prove how annoyed he is with the contract, consider the fact that everyday of camp he misses, he is fined over $16,000.  The Jets will be desperate to get Darrelle in camp as his one on one match up skills are a vital part of this defence.  Watch this space!


Albert Haynesworth can't run

Haynesworth fails again

If you have kept in touch with nflgbview over the off season you will have heard about the problems in Washington.  Basically Albert is unhappy in Washington, and has not turned up at all during the off season.  So the time comes - training camp!  The first day all players who have not been in during the off season - just Haynesworth - have to complete a fitness test.  This test involves 2 sprints, with a slight rest in between, that have to be completed in a certain amount of time.  Surprise, surprise, Haynesworth hasn't been keeping hiself in shape during the off season, and fails the test.  Head coach Mike Shannahan Tells Haynesworth he cannot practice until he passes the test.  We are now 7 days in, and Haynesworth is still not practicing.  He has not been taking the test every day, and has also claimed that he has a knee problem.  If you ask me, 'Fat Alb' needs to grow a pair, and get into shape.


Cowboys lose Bryant

T

Bryant out for 4-6 wks

The Dallas Cowboys took WR Dez Bryant in this years draft, which caused a huge amount of interest.  The Cowboys are 'America's team' and Bryant is a very gifted player, who happened to be suspended for most of his senior year in college due to meetings that took place with Deon Sanders.  With all this hype, and the Cowboys opening camp first, everyone wanted to see Dez.  The first few practices were great, Bryant making plays, beating CB's and catching passes from QB Tony Romo.  He also looked very talented in the kick / punt return game.  Then disaster struck!  Bryant went up to catch a pass, came down funny, and suffered a high ankle sprain.  Bryant is currently wearing a protective boot on his right foot, and is likely to be out for between 4 - 6 weeks.  This will see him miss most of training camp.

As you can see the first week of training camp has been anything but dull.  I will now be writing updates more regular so make sure you keep checking back to nflgbview for the latest news.  You will notice I have not wrote about a certain QB that wears number 4.  This is because the whole story is up in the air at the moment, I will cover this story in detail, when more details are avaliable.

The Keys to Training Camp - NFC West

Arizona Cardinals

 The Arizona Cardinals finished the 2009 season with a 10 - 6 record that saw them win the NFC West.  They hosted the Packers on 'Wildcard Weekend' in the playoffs, winning an extraordinary game 51 - 45.  The game winning play came in overtime as MLB Karlos Dansby (now with the Dolphins) returned a fumble for a TD.  The Cards then travelled to New Orleans, and got embarrassed 45 - 14 by the eventual Superbowl winning Saints.  How do the Cardinals get back to the playoffs?

How will the offence look?

The Cardinals offence is going to look a lot different this year due to players retiring and being traded.  The biggest blow to the team will be the retirement of QB Kurt Warner (pictured).  This offence has been a pass heavy one for years now, and the talented Warner has been instrumental in their success.  The NFC West is seen as one of the worst divisions in football, but 2 division wins and a Superbowl appearance in the last 2 years, is a very impressive display.  Another reason that this passing game was so effective was the play of star WR's Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin.  Boldin though was traded to the Ravens this off season.  How will this team adapt to losing 2 of its key players in 1 year?  Matt Leinart will step in at QB, which WR will fill in for Boldin?  Will they run more?  These are questions to be answered at training camp.

How will the defence look?

As well as losing key offensive players, the Cardinals have also lost major players on defence.  LB Karlos Dansby has signed with Miami, and CB's Antrel Rolle and Bryant McFadden have joined the Giants and the Steelers respectively.  To try and replace these players the Cards have bought in former Dolphins LB Joey Porter (pictured) and S Kerry Rhodes - formerly of the Jets.  I believe that both areas though are downgraded, and I worry how this defence will adapt this year.

Will they hold on to their division crown?

With all this change in the Cardinals in all phases of the game, it is quite easy to come to the conclusion that they will not be as good as last year.  But they play in a weak division, so they will be fine, right?  Not necessarily.  The rest of the division is catching on to the fact that they are seen as terrible, and are making moves to get better.  The Rams are rebuilding - but have a long way to go, the Seahawks have just bought in a new head coach - who will take a while to mould the team to his liking, but the main challenge will come from the 49'ers.  Head coach Mike Singletary (pictured) is doing a fantastic job with the 49'ers, and they are many peoples pick to overthrow the Cards this year.  Will the new team gel in time to hold off the 49'ers??



St. Louis Rams

 OK, here goes!  The Rams had the worst season of all in 2009, finishing with a 1 - 15 record.  This record obviously left them at the bottom of the division - the so called worst division in football.  This record also though left them as the worst team in the league.  This though, in some peoples eyes, can be seen as a bonus.  As the Rams are the worst team in the league, they now get to select first, as the college talent comes into the NFL.  I say that this is viewed a blessing by 'some' people, as I believe it can also be a disaster.  Not only do you have to pay this player a ridiculous amount of money (they usually become the highest payed player in the NFL) but who's to say he will be as good at this level.  This though was the situation the Rams were in - and they selected QB Sam Bradford.

When will Sam Bradford start?

Throughout the build up to the draft, people that read my articles, will recall that I didn't want the Rams to select Bradford.  To read more see here and join the facebook  That talk though is over now as they drafted Sam, and gave him a HUGE contract.  The question now is - when will he start?  Last year, 3 rookie QB's got starts in the NFL.  The Lions drafted Matt Stafford, and announced he was the starter before camp.  The Jets drafted Mark Sanchez, and let him battle for the job in camp (he won).  And the Buccs bought Josh Freeman in halfway through the season.  What do the Rams do?  In my eyes they have to see how good the O Line looks through camp.  I don't see the point of throwing Bradford in if the line is shaky, just to get beat up.  If this happens it might knock the young QB's confidence, and damage his career before it has chance to get started.

Can they play 'Spagnuolo' football?

Head coach Steve Spagnuolo (pictured) built his reputation as a coach in New York, with the Giants.  As their Defensive coordinator in their Superbowl win year, Spagnuolo was seen as a defensive genius.  He used a scheme that heaped the pressure on opposing QB's.  He would bring pressure almost every play, and you would not know where it was coming from.  The Rams did not play this way last year.  Now with a full season and another training camp behind them, will they come out like that this year?

What happens should Steven Jackson get injured?

 RB Steven Jackson (pictured) is without doubt the best player that the Rams have got.  He is probably one of the top 5 RB'sOgbonnaya.  I know absolutely nothing about either player, so look out for this at training camp.


San Francisco 49'ers

The 49'ers had a good year last year finishing 8 - 8, its first non losing season since 2002.  This record left them in 2nd place in the NFC West but they missed out on a wildcard spot.  With the Cardinals losing key players from their roster this year, the 49'ers are many peoples choice to be the NFC West champions this year.  They also have the added bonus of being the host for this years NFL London game against the Broncos.


Can Alex Smith improve?

At the beginning of last season, QB Alex Smith was seen as the back up to Shaun Hill.  Hill did not have a great start to the season so after 5 and a half games, Smith was put in, and kept the starting position.  Smith started 10 games last year, and threw for 18 TD's.  Imagine what he could have done if he had started all 16 games.  The 49'ers have also got talented players around Smith.  WR Michael Crabtree came into the starting lineup halfway through last year following a holdout, but was very impressive once there.  TE Vernon Davies also had a huge year, and will provide a big, middle of the field target for Smith.  All of the pieces seem to be coming together for this passing game to be very effective this year.

Will they be able to run the ball better?

Mike Singletary want his team to be a hard hitting, run first team.  Last year though, their pass attempts out weighed their run attempts almost 2:1.  The reason for this was that they just were unable to get the tough yards.  This was not down to the RB Frank Gore, who is a very talented player, this was down to the O line, who failed to get the push they needed.  The 49'ers were very aggressive in the draft in order to sort this problem.  They had 2 1st round picks (pick 11 and pick 17).  They used these on OT Anthony Davies (pictured) and OG Mike Iupati. Singletary will be hoping that these 2 new young prospects will bring the run blocking that Gore needs.

How will Ted Ginn fit in?

During the off season the 49'ers traded for former Dolphins WR Ted Ginn.  You may be wondering why I am bringing this up, as there is no chance Ginn will beat out Crabtree or Morgan.  This may well be true, but Ginn will be a valuable 3rd option at WR, but that is not the main reason the 49'ers have bought him in, in my opinion.  The 49'ers had a very poor kick return game last year.  In fact they were 22nd in kick return, and dead last in punt return.  Ted Ginn has proven since he come into the league that he is a very good kick returner.  Just ask the Jets - he had 2 kick returns for TD's against them in one game last year.  These kind of final pieces help make a successful franchise, and I don't think the 49'ers are far away.


Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks finished the 2009 season with a 5 - 11 record, which saw them finish in 3rd place in the NFC West.  This was the first season since legendary coach Mike Holmgren left town, and Jim Mora failed miserably.  The Seahawks have bought in former USC head coach Pete Carroll to begin rebuilding the franchise.


What will happen in the run game?

It is quite obvious that the first thing that coach Carroll thought he had to fix in Seattle was the run game.  He traded for both former Jet RB Leon Washington (pictured) and former Titan RB LenDale White (who has since been cut).  Washington is a very quick, elusive back, who they hope will be a perfect compliment to Julius Jones and Justin Forsett.  It will be interesting to see how the time and carries will be split between these 3 RB's.  Expect a real battle between Jones and Forsett for the number 1 role.  I think Washington will be the change of pace back, and may well return kicks.  This should be an interesting battle through camp.


Can the O Line improve?

Pete Carroll and the Seahawks realise that the RB's weren't the only reason for their run game problems last year. Some of that blame can lay on the O Line.  Because of this coach Carroll has bought in very talented OL coach Alex Gibbs.  Gibbs has a very good track record at improving teams run games, as soon as he arrives.  The Seahawks also drafted T Russell Okung (pictured) with their 1st round pick (6 overall).  They hope that between the coach, the rookie and newly acquired Ben Hamilton, can help open up holes for those RB's.

How will they get pressure on the QB? 

Another area of the game that the Seahawks struggled with last year was pressuring the QB.  To make things worse this year 2 DE's have left the team (Patrick Kerney - retired / Darrel Tapp - Traded) and they only selected 1 DE in the draft, in the 4th round.  They will hope that 2nd year player Aaron Curry (pictured) will be able to perform better this year.  It will be interesting to see how coach Carroll will attempt to bring pressure.

That is the final division previewed for Training Camp.  Camps have now been underway for around a week.  Check back tomorrow for the first 'Training Camp Update!'