BRAD CARROLL'S GAMEDAY

YANKEES NEWS AND ANALYSIS: YANKEES INVITE RUSSELL BRANYAN TO SPRING TRAINING

2012-02-08T15:03:00.003-05:00

Russell Branyan will get a shot to make the Yankees. (AP photo)

The Yankees signed a former power hitter Wednesday, and no it's not Hideki Matsui or Raul Ibanez. Russell Branyan has been invited to spring training, the Yankees announced. Branyan appears to have little shot to make the team, but anything can happen with a strong exhibition season.

Branyan played 68 games for the Angels last year, hitting .197 with five home runs and 14 RBI. Branyan is a career .232 hitter with 194 home runs. In 2009, the best season of his long career, Branyan batted .252 with 31 home runs and 76 RBI in 116 games.

The team is still reportedly in the market for a designated hitter, with Matsui, Ibanez and Johnny Damon listed as possible targets. Eric Chavez, who was with the team last year, is also a possibility.

For us here at GameDay, the choice among those four is easy - sign Matsui. The former Yankee hit .251 last year with 12 home runs and 72 RBI in 141 games. Matsui starred with the Yankees for seven years, batting .292 with 140 home runs and 597 RBI. He played last year in Oakland and the year prior with the Angels.

Best yet, everyone knows Matsui won't crumble under the brights lights that come with playing for the Yankees. That is as important as anything when playing in New York.

JETS NEWS AND ANALYSIS: SANTONIO HOLMES WILL BE BACK WITH JETS, HOPEFULLY WITH AN ATTITUDE-ADJUSTMENT (AND BETTER NUMBERS)

2012-02-08T13:26:00.002-05:00

Santonio Holmes will be back with the Jets next season. (AP photo)

Every Jets fan had already come to the conclusion that, despite what many had wanted, wide receiver and ultimate troublemaker Santonio Holmes would be back next season. So it wasn't a surprise that Holmes is still on the roster today, even though it means paying him $15.25 in guaranteed money.

If the Jets released Holmes before today they would have had to pay him $7.5 million to go away. Obviously, the Jets weren't about to swallow that big-money loss and will welcome back the man who was at the heart of the team's dysfunction at the end of the season. Remember, it was Holmes' shouting match with tackle Wayne Hunter in the huddle in the final minutes of a season-ending loss to the Miami Dolphins that exposed what had become of the Jets' team.

That opened a can of worms that brought to light that Holmes and quarterback Mark Sanchez clashed during the season and then had anonymous Jets players ripping the quarterback in a Daily News story.

Coach Rex Ryan has already said Holmes and Sanchez are going to get together soon and hash out their differences, as if it were that easy.

Holmes signed a five-year, $45 million deal in the offseason, but he didn't produce the numbers you would expect from a player with that contract. He caught just 51 passes for 654 yards and eight touchdowns.

For those of us hoping free agent Braylon Edwards returns to the team next season, and we here at GameDay wanted the Jets to sign Edwards over Holmes last offseason, this might be the end of that hope. Edwards always believed he was better than Holmes, so it would be tough for him to come back at a fraction of the salary. Plus, there is the obvious feeling of being passed over for another player. But anything could happen.

The Jets gambled last offseason by going with Holmes and Plaxico Burress and it backfired in a big way. Burress won't be back, but Holmes will. Only time will tell if Holmes can get an attitude-adjustment in time for the Jets to have a bounce-back season.

GIANTS PARADE WILL BE TUESDAY MORNING

2012-02-06T00:32:00.001-05:00

Victor Cruz and the Giants celebrate Tuesday in NYC. (AP photo)

The Giants will make their way through the Canyon of Heroes Tuesday morning with a ticker-tape parade, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced Sunday night. The parade will start at Battery Place and Washington Street starting at 11 a.m.

GIANTS WIN SUPER BOWL: WE HAND OUT GAME BALLS AFTER THE GIANTS BEAT THE PATRIOTS

2012-02-05T23:57:00.004-05:00

We're handing out game balls after the Giants defeated the New England Patriots, 21-17, to win Super Bowl XLVI. The Giants are your world champions.

The Game Balls

Eli Manning celebrates the win. (AP photo)

* Eli Manning: There should be no argument about whether or not Manning is an elite quarterback. With his second Super Bowl title, and second Super Bowl MVP, Manning is one of the best quarterbacks in football. There's no question about it. Manning completed his first nine passes of the game, a Super Bowl record, and ended up 30-of-40 for 296 yards and a touchdown. But it was the biggest drive of the game where Manning proved how great he really is. Taking over at his own 12-yard line, Manning drove the Giants 88 yards in nine plays for a go-ahead touchdown with 57 seconds to play. The play of the game was his perfectly-thrown ball on the sideline to Mario Manningham, who himself made an unbelievable catch, getting two feet in bounds and holding onto the ball with two Patriots' defenders on him. Manning led the Giants to 12 straight points after the Patriots took a 17-9 lead, clinching another world title. "It's been a wild game, a wild season," Manning said. "This isn't about one person. It's about one team, a team coming together."

Justin Tuck had both of the Giants' sacks. (AP)

* Justin Tuck: With all the hoopla surrounding Manning and the Manningham catch, the play of Tuck from his defensive end position may be overlooked. But he had a big impact on the game. First, he came up with a huge play on the Patriots' first snap of the game. With Brady taking his time looking for an open receiver, he drifted into end zone. Tuck finally broke free and charged up the middle toward Brady. Just before the hit, Brady launched the ball downfield. The referees called intentional grounding, and Tuck was responsible for the first two points of the game. The pass rush went away until the fourth quarter, but luckily for the Giants it came back at the right moment. When the Patriots allowed the Giants to score to get the ball back with 57 seconds to play and needing a touchdown to win, Tuck again made his presence known. After two incompletions to start the drive, which were really two drops by Deion Branch and Aaron Hernandez, Tuck came up with a sack of Brady and a loss of six yards. Brady would hit Branch on the next play for 19 yards, on fourth-and-16, but the time and yardage lost put the Patriots in desperation mode. The Giants didn't get the pressure many thought they would, but Tuck came up huge in the final seconds. He had both of the Giants' sacks in the game.

Tom Coughlin. (AP)

* Tom Coughlin: From the hot seat to winning his second Super Bowl, it's been a wild ride for Giants coach Tom Coughlin. Earlier this season, the Giants were 7-7 and many fans and media members were calling for the coach's head. After that, the Giants started a magical run through the end of the regular season and through the postseason to end as world champions. The team never wavered on Coughlin as their head coach, and that started with an emotional victory over the New York Jets. That Christmas Eve game solidified this Giants team as a family and one that proved afterward they just couldn't be beat. Coughlin had the team believing there was no one more talented than they were. Not the one-loss Green Bay Packers. Not the two-seed San Francisco 49ers. And not the AFC's top seeded New England Patriots. Coughlin pushed all the right buttons and he had a second Super Bowl championship to show for it. "What I was concerned with was these guys making their own history," Coughlin said. "This is such a wonderful thing, these guys carving their own history."

Cruz and Nicks. (AP)

* Giants Receivers: Instead of focusing on just one, the Giants wide receivers each had big games in the Super Bowl in their own way. Mario Manningham made the greatest catch of his life late in the fourth quarter, catching a 38-yard pass on the sideline. He caught the ball and got two feet down with two Patriots defenders closing in on him. The play got the Giants to the 50-yard line and set up the game-winning touchdown drive. Manningham caught five passes for 73 yards. Hakeem Nicks was Manning's go-to receiver, catching 10 passes for 109 yards. Victor Cruz, who the Patriots keyed on all day long, was held to four catches for 25 yards, but did score a touchdown. The three wide receivers combined for 19 receptions and 207 yards and a touchdown.

GIANTS WIN SUPER BOWL: AHMAD BRADSHAW'S TD COULD HAVE COST THE GIANTS THE GAME

2012-02-05T22:59:00.001-05:00

Ahmad Bradshaw scores the game-winning touchdown. (AP photo)

Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw could have been the biggest goat in Super Bowl history - for scoring a go-ahead touchdown in the final moments. Bradshaw broke free up the middle against the Patriots defense and had a clear path to the end zone from six yards out. With Giants players screaming at him to take a knee at the one-yard line, Bradshaw turned and fell into the end zone.

The touchdown gave the Giants a 21-17 lead with 57 seconds to play, but it also gave the ball back to Patriots quarterback Tom Brady with a chance to win the game. No one will know what Bradshaw was thinking when he fell into the end zone, but it was a bad play, even though the Giants defense survived a Hail Mary pass in the end zone to win the Super Bowl.

"I was yelling to him, 'Don't score, don't score," Giants quarterback Eli Manning said. "He tried to stop, but he fell into the end zone."

Hopefully, Bradshaw couldn't stop his momentum, instead of what it appeared to be - him scoring the touchdown and grabbing the individual glory. The Patriots allowed Bradshaw to score.

Luckily for Bradshaw, the play didn't come back to bite the Giants.

GIANTS WIN SUPER BOWL: SHADES OF TYREE, MARIO MANNINGHAM HAS HIS SUPER MOMENT

2012-02-05T22:21:00.011-05:00

Mario Manningham makes an unbelievable catch. (AP photo)

First there was the David Tyree helmet-catch in Super Bowl 42, now there is Mario Manningham's tight-rope 38-yard sideline grab in Super Bowl 46. Both will be equally remembered as great plays in not only Giants history, but Super Bowl history as well.

With the Giants trailing 17-15 with 3:46 to go, Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning threw a sideline pass toward Manningham on the first play. Double-covered, Manningham, who just minutes earlier ran a poor sideline route that turned what would have been a big play into an incompletion, brought the ball in, held control and got two feet in bounds for the catch. After a long replay challenge, the catch was confirmed and the Giants were on their way to a comeback victory.

"I knew I had to freeze my feet when the ball touched my fingertips," Manningham said. "Wherever I was at when the ball hit my fingertips, I just froze my feet and fell. I knew I was either going to get hit or hit the ground. I knew something was going to happen, but I knew that I couldn't let that ball go."

With all the attention paid to Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks in the game, Manningham had the opportunity to make his mark in the game. And he did. He caught five passes for 73 yards.

"Words can't explain this," he said of the sideline catch. "Thank God I had great footwork and thank God for Eli's arm."

Nicks had a big game as well, leading the way with 10 grabs for 109 yards. Cruz caught four passes for 25 yards and a touchdown.

But everyone will remember Manningham and his sideline reception. Just like David Tyree.

GIANTS WIN SUPER BOWL: ELI MANNING PROVES ONCE AND FOR ALL HE IS AN ELITE QUARTERBACK

2012-02-05T22:11:00.007-05:00

Eli Manning is the Super Bowl MVP. (AP photo)

If there was any question as to whether or not Giants quarterback Eli Manning was indeed elite or not, it was emphatically answered in Super Bowl XLVI. Manning was simply outstanding in the game, leading the Giants to a 21-17 victory and world championship. But it was his play in the clutch that puts him in the upper echelon of quarterbacks.

Manning walked onto the field with 3:46 to play in the Super Bowl and down 17-15 with the ball at the Giants' 12. The first play was a perfectly thrown deep ball that dropped right into the waiting hands of Mario Manningham for 38 yards. Manningham made a play almost as spectacular as the David Tyree catch the last time these two teams played in the Super Bowl, getting both feet down and maintaining control for a huge play.

The pass-and-catch gave the Giants the ball at the 50. After an incompletion, Manning hit Manningham again, this time for 16 yards and a first down at the Patriots' 34 that put the Giants in field goal range. Manning and the Giants weren't done yet, however. Manning hit Manningham for two and then Hakeem Nicks for 14 to set up a first down at the 18.

With the clock now in their favor, the Giants slowed the game down, but the big plays didn't stop. Ahmad Bradshaw broke free for seven and Manning hit Nicks for four and a first down. Bradshaw then ran one yard and on the next play scored the most awkward touchdown in Super Bowl history, falling backward into the end zone for a six-yard score and the lead.

The Patriots defense let Bradshaw score, as they would have had almost no time to score if the Giants took the clock down and kicked a field goal. It appeared as if the Giants wanted Bradshaw to take a knee, which could have come back to haunt the team if Brady was able to lead the Patriots back.

But the Giants defense stepped up and would soon celebrate a world championship.

The main reason why was the play of Manning, the rightful Super Bowl Most Valuable Player. He was 30-of-40 for 296 yards and a 103.8 rating. There's not many quarterbacks in the NFL that can do what Manning does, especially in game-winning situations.

Once again, he beat Brady. Once again, he's a world champion.

There is no question now - Eli Manning is elite.

SUPER BOWL XLVI: GIANTS 21, PATRIOTS 17

2012-02-05T21:56:00.000-05:00

Ahmad Bradshaw scores the game-winning touchdown. (AP photo)

SUPER BOWL XLVI THIRD QUARTER ANALYSIS: GIANTS NEED TO PRESSURE BRADY OR THE PATRIOTS WILL BE SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONS

2012-02-05T21:03:00.008-05:00

Aaron Hernandez scores for the Patriots. (AP photo)

Here's our quick Thoughts & Observations from the third quarter of Super Bowl XLVI. The New England Patriots lead the New York Giants 17-15.

* If you read our halftime piece below, we mentioned two things the Giants had to do in the third quarter to slow the Patriots momentum - don't let Tom Brady drive the ball downfield for what would be back-to-back touchdowns and to defend tight end Aaron Hernandez. Well, the Giants did neither of those things. Brady completed 16 straight passes in the last drive of the second quarter and first of the third quarter and turned a 9-3 Giants lead into a 17-9 Patriots advantage. Hernandez? He caught the touchdown from Brady in the third quarter. Brady is 20-for-25 for 201 yards and two touchdowns. Hernandez has caught six passes for 52 yards and a score. The Giants, still, have to slow those two players if they want to come back and win this game.

* The Giants are still moving the ball up and down the field on the Patriots, but they haven't made those trips in New England territory count. Field goals are not going to do it against this Patriots offense. The Giants wasted a great drive in the third quarter, settling for a short field goal that cut the lead to 17-12.

* The Giants defense must get pressure on Brady in the fourth quarter. It's obvious, yes, but the Giants need Justin Tuck, Jason Pierre-Paul and Osi Umenyiora to sack Brady. The Patriots quarterback is exposing the Giants secondary, so the pressure is where the game will be won.

SUPER BOWL XLVI HALFTIME ANALYSIS: GIANTS DOMINATE, BUT PATRIOTS HOLD 10-9 LEAD

2012-02-05T20:06:00.004-05:00

The Giants need more from Hakeem Nicks in the second half. (AP photo)

Here are our Thoughts & Observations from the first half of Super Bowl XLVI from Indianapolis. The New England Patriots lead the New York Giants 10-9.

* The 96-yard drive by the Patriots to take the lead at the half not only tied the record for longest drive in Super Bowl history, but could be the start of a New England run in the second half. The Patriots get the ball first in the third quarter, which means Tom Brady and company could go from down six to up eight in a matter of minutes (not counting the long halftime show, obviously.) The Giants need to respond with a big defensive effort after the break or the Patriots could take control of the game.

* The Giants must cover the tight end, in this case Aaron Hernandez. Rob Gronkowski hasn't had much of an impact, so shutting down Hernandez shouldn't be a problem. But Hernandez has five catches for 40 yards. The Giants have to shore up the defense in the middle of the field.

* The Giants have dominated the game, holding the ball for 19:45 to New England's 10:15, but the scoreboard reads differently after that 96-yard scoring drive to end the quarter by the Patriots.

* This is the second time the Giants have trailed 10-9 in a Super Bowl at the half. They would come back to beat the Denver Broncos in that game. We'll see what happens tonight.

* Tom Brady is 10-of-15 for 147 yards and a touchdown. He was 10-for-10 on the scoring drive. Eli Manning is 13-for-17 for 120 yards and a touchdown. The game was built around the battle of the two quarterbacks, and they are not disappointing.

PEYTON MANNING WANTS TO PLAY FOR THE JETS ... HE'S AT LEAST TALKED ABOUT IT WITH ELI

2012-02-05T15:41:00.002-05:00

Peyton Manning could be a free agent soon. (AP photo)

I may be reading too much into Bob Costas' interview with Archie and Olivia Manning during the NBC Super Bowl pregame show, but I believe Peyton Manning wants to play for the New York Jets. During the interview, Costas asked about Peyton and Eli Manning playing in the same city, stadium and market. Olivia said that both have talked about it and Eli joked that Peyton could stay in his spare bedroom.

It wasn't a serious question, but I sensed Olivia was giving a serious answer, and that she thought it might be a possibility. Archie was quick to jump in and say that he didn't know what was going to happen.

Obviously, the Jets have Mark Sanchez as their starting quarterback, but if Peyton Manning becomes available, the Jets are sure to at least look into the possibility of adding him to the team. The Jets would have to tread lightly, as if they fail in landing Manning, Sanchez could be scarred.

But in the interview I got the sense the Mannings wouldn't mind sharing the spotlight in New York. Again, it was a quick comment in a quick interview, but there was a moment where I thought to myself Peyton wants to play with Eli in the same city.

FOX 61 IS PATHETIC FOR ITS EMBARRASSING DECISION TO SHOW MANCHESTER UNITED-CHELSEA ON TAPE DELAY - REVOLT, CONNECTICUT

2012-02-05T13:01:00.004-05:00

Just when you thought sports on television had reached a new level, where athletic events were aired live, no matter the time difference, we have the WTIC Fox affiliate in Connecticut. The embarrassing programmers decided to air the Manchester United-Chelsea English Premiere League soccer game on tape-delay. That's right, tape delay. In 2012.

So, in New York at this exact moment, at about 12:45 p.m., the game is in the 88th minute. In Connecticut, the game is in the 18th minute. Pathetic.

All you have to do is go on ESPN.com or pretty much any other sports website that runs live scores to have your day ruined if you're a second-class citizen in Connecticut, according to FOX-61 of course. So, residents of Connecticut, how does if feel not to rate a live game experience?

There should be outrage against this pathetic FOX affiliate. And it doesn't matter if you enjoy soccer or not. If the option is there to run a sporting event live, and this game is as big as it gets in its sport, than you do it. Don't insult our intelligence and show the game tape-delayed. It would be better if you just didn't run it at all.

According to Deadspin, out of the 185 FOX affiliates just 21 are not showing the game live. FOX-61 is one of the offenders. What a pathetic excuse for a network.

SUPER BOWL XLVI: GIANTS' WEBSITE SELLS TITLE MERCHANDISE AND BELICHICK RELEASES UNDERWOOD DAY BEFORE SUPER BOWL

2012-02-04T23:35:00.001-05:00

The Super Bowl is just hours away but there already is some interesting news coming out of both camps, and it's not good. Both the Giants and Patriots, teams that already aren't the most popular in the league, committed what easily could be considered personal fouls Saturday.

First, the Giants put on their website that they were indeed the world champions this season, selling merchandise for their "victory" over the Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI. The headline on the main page, which you can see above, says "The Giants Are Super Bowl Champions" in all caps.

That, obviously, is not the message you want to send heading into the "real" Super Bowl. The team took down the image quickly, but not before it made the rounds around the internet.

Second, Patriots coach Bill Belichick, who obviously has no heart, released wide receiver Tiquan Underwood Saturday - just one day before the biggest moment of the young player's life. The decision was based solely on football, as defensive lineman Alex Silvestro was promoted from the practice squad to take his place and fill a need for Belichik and the Patriots.

But couldn't that decision be made earlier?

Underwood played in both of New England's playoff games this season. He doesn't, however, provide much value to the team on offense or special teams. Still, imagine being Underwood tonight. You prepare and go through all the hype for two weeks and then you're sent home just hours away from playing in the Super Bowl with the team you spent the entire season with.

Underwood did handle it well, writing on Twitter: "Good Luck To The New England Organization, The Coaches, & All My Teammates. #PatsNation."

JETS NEWS & ANALYSIS: JETS GREAT CURTIS MARTIN ELECTED TO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME

2012-02-04T21:25:00.005-05:00

Curtis Martin is in the Hall. (AP photo)

Former New York Jets great Curtis Martin was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Saturday. The news may have come a year too late, but that doesn't take away from this moment. Martin was one of the key figures in turning the fortunes of the Jets as a franchise around. He rushed for 14,101 yards, fourth best all-time and added 90 touchdowns during his 11-year career.

"When I get awarded something like the Hall of Fame, it's almost foreign to me," Martin said. "This wasn't something I planned on doing. Football is something I did so I didn't end up jailed or dead. If you make up your mind to just do the right thing no matter what ... and you stick to it, which I did, this is how things can turn around. I feel as if my life turned around from what it used to be, and I think anyone has a chance."

Martin said that former coach Bill Parcells, who was a finalist but missed out on election this year for the Hall of Fame, will be his presenter in Canton, Ohio.

"There's God and there's Parcells as far the meaning they've had on my career," Martin said. "If I did dream about anything, it would've been going into Hall of Fame with guy I feel is responsible for my career. I was looking forward to either Bill going in or us going in together."

Parcells was the man who brought legitimacy to the Jets when he became head coach in 1997. His biggest move came by luring Martin to the Jets from the Patriots in 1998. Martin had seven straight seasons of 1,000 yards rushing or more for the Jets. His final year he gained 735 mainly because of injuries. He won the rushing title in 2004 with 1,697 yards.

"Curtis Martin's work ethic, durability and ability to consistently play at such a high level are the hallmarks of his career and appropriately recognized by his selection to the Pro Football Hall of Fame," Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum said. "I have never come across a player who has been more dedicated to the team and doing his job. Curtis’ tremendous production on the field, regardless of how outstanding it was, pales in comparison to the man he is. An individual of unparalleled integrity, he treats everyone who crosses his path with honesty, kindness and respect and serves as a shining example of how professional athletes should carry themselves on and off the field."

Martin was often overlooked as a great running back as he let his talent on the field do the talking. But he is overlooked no more, and will take his rightful place among the game's all-time best players.

PATRIOTS VS GIANTS SUPER BOWL XLVI: FOR JETS FANS, THIS IS WHAT HELL HAS TO FEEL LIKE

2012-02-02T04:04:00.001-05:00

Jets fans have to live with rooting for Eli Manning. (AP photo)

By Brad Carroll

The New England Patriots-New York Giants Super Bowl matchup this coming Sunday is being hyped as one of the greatest battles in the game's long and storied history. It's the rematch. It's great offense against great offense. It's Tom Brady against Eli Manning. It's Tom Coughlin against Bill Belichick.

It doesn't get any better than that, right? Right?

Well, if your allegiance lies with the New York Jets, this is nowhere near a dream matchup. It's a nightmare in every sense of the word.

The Patriots winning the Super Bowl? Jets fans would rather have Rich Kotite, the worst coach in team history, return to the sideline before watching Brady and Belichick celebrate another championship.

The Giants winning the Super Bowl? This year's Battle for New York game in the regular season was enough reason for Jets fans to regain their hatred for Big Blue. Giants players and fans made sure to rub the loss into Jets players and fans after that game, which is something no one should forget.

Now, some would be quick to point out the choice of who to root for is easy for Jets fans. The last time the Giants and Patriots met in the Super Bowl, after all, each and every Jets fan was with the Giants.

The Patriots were going for an undefeated season and the last thing Jets fans wanted to see was their mortal enemy not only winning the championship, but make history in the process.

As a not-so-secret Jets fan, I remember rooting for the Giants that day as hard as I had ever rooted for the Jets. It may have been a Giants vs. Patriots Super Bowl in name, but it had the feel for the Green and White faithful of a Jets vs. Patriots title matchup.

It was all about beating the Patriots, even if it meant rooting for another rival. And, on top of that, it was the classic New York vs. Boston scenario.

After Plaxico Burress scored the go-ahead touchdown, and the Giants defense held on for the victory, I had the feeling, for only a moment, of what it would be like if the Jets had reached the pinnacle of professional football in my lifetime.

The moment was brief, however, as reality soon sunk in after all the cheering and living and dying with every single play came to an end with the final whistle. The victory, although exactly what was wanted, was hollow at best. The Patriots had lost, but the Jets hadn't won.

The circumstances aren't the same this time around.

The Giants started their run to the Super Bowl this season after beating the Jets during that regular season matchup that was so important to both teams and both fan bases. The experience of being in the stadium that afternoon on Christmas Eve wasn’t something I would ever want to relive. There is no love lost here for the New York Giants and their fans. The heated rivalry is back.

The Patriots are the Patriots. The hatred runs deep and will never change.

But here we are again. Jets fans being forced to pick sides in a battle of the two most hated teams in the NFL. In the end, of course, it's a no-win situation.

Rooting for a team in this latest Super Bowl isn't as easy as it was back in the 42nd installment. There is nothing to go off of other than picking the lesser of two evils. Picking the team Jets fans hate just a little bit less. In the end, even with the Giants reaching blood rival status, their is never a reason to watch the Patriots win. So, the choice is made again.

Go Giants. As much as it pains me to write that.

TOOL CONCERT REVIEW FROM MOHEGAN SUN: MAYNARD, TOOL GIVE AMAZING PERFORMANCE THAT LIVED UP TO THE MASSIVE HYPE

2012-02-02T03:01:00.001-05:00

By Brad Carroll

There's a very short list of rock bands that I would drop everything to go see live. So when one of those bands was playing Mohegan Sun Tuesday night, I made sure to be there. The band was Tool, one of the greatest rock bands of all time and one that I've never had the privilege of seeing in person.

That changed Tuesday night. To say I was excited for the show going in would be a giant understatement. Out of all the rock shows I've been to recently, this was the one that had me most pumped. And, thankfully, Tool didn't disappoint, rocking the entire arena with an epic 90-minute performance.

The first and obvious thing to check out during a Tool show, beyond simply listening to the music, is watching lead singer Maynard James Keenan work on stage. He's been known to play entire shows with his back turned to the audience, almost unwilling to be the typical front man of a major rock band.

That reputation made watching Maynard work almost other-worldly. He worked the mic from the back part of the stage, parallel to drummer Danny Carey, which is usually the last line of a band performing live. He didn't want to be seen, just heard, which made for an experience that rivals the band's music in the first place, which is unique. It simply is a sound that you can say is distinctly Tool's.

Maynard did face the crowd the entire time, belting out the band's music, both popular and lesser known songs, with the same excellence on the studio tracks while still putting a distinct spin on each to make them seem new and original.

As with every band that plays live, it's always the hits that get the biggest reaction, and I'll admit to nearly jumping out of my skin to hear Stinkfist, Schism, Forty Six & 2, Lateralus and Ænima at the show, even though it probably devalues my fan-hood.

Stinkfist was the second song played on the night, but definitely set the tone for what was going to be an amazing show. Forty Six & 2, Schism and Lateralus followed to great reactions from the crowd, especially for me, where I got to experience it all 10 rows from the stage.

On a side, I was shocked the floor wasn't set up as standing room, but instead had chair-seating. I could only assume Mohegan didn't want the craziness a mosh would have created for such a hardcore show. It wasn't all bad, as everyone stood the whole show and basically gave everyone room to breathe. I had an aisle seat, so I spent much of the night standing in the walkway.

The security was crazy as well, more than usual at Mohegan, which is always on top of everything in the crowd. Here, security was in full-on crackdown mode of not allowing photos or video recordings. In all other concerts I've been to I've left with photos and entire video of songs taken with my phone. That wasn't going to happen. At the beginning of the show, I snapped a photo with my phone and I was immediately pointed out by security. A guy next to me was kicked out of the show for taking photos. (Granted he was warned three times before they gave him the boot.) That was a definite negative of the show.

The one song I couldn't leave without hearing was Ænima, one of my all-time favorites from any band. After an extended instrumental and video that took the place of fans chanting for an encore, Tool reemerged and brought the house down with Ænima to close out the show.

Overall, even with the security on high-alert, it was an amazing show put on by an amazing band. Tool lived up to the hype I placed on them and I can't wait for them to come back to town, however long that may be.

As great as Tool was, the opening act was the complete opposite. The only thing I can say about them was they were loud. Really loud. Blow out my eardrums loud. They had the mic on the drums turned up so high it drowned everything else out. My whole body shook with the noise coming through the speakers. After the show, I could barely hear, and it was all due to the opener.

I heard from someone after the show that they were a doom metal band, whatever that is. I do know, however, that they were terrible.

If you haven't noticed, I haven't even mentioned them by name. That's because they never introduced themselves. They just played for 20 or so minutes and then left. The lead singer said about two words to the crowd in between songs. At one point someone from the audience screamed out, "Who are you guys?" I prayed they would answer. But nothing.

I don't even care enough to go look them up. If they couldn't take two seconds to introduce themselves, then I don't have the two seconds to go look them up. When you're a band looking to move up the food chain, the least you should do is introduce yourselves. I would think that would be Rock Band 101. Someone needs to tell these guys that.

Luckily, Tool more than made up for it later in the night.

Click here for our review of Shinedown and more
Click here for our review of KISS
Click here for our review of Alice in Chains
Click here for our review of Stone Temple Pilots

CAROLINA PANTHERS NEW LOGO GAINS MORE INTIMIDATING STYLE THAN PREVIOUS LOGO

2012-01-30T12:39:00.000-05:00

The Carolina Panthers introduced a new main logo, the first change for the franchise since entering the league in 1995.

The differences are subtle at first glance, but the new panther has a more muscular look than the old. The new face has a less cartoonish style than the old. The old may be more aggressive in nature, but the new logo is definitely more intimidating.

Overall, it's a major upgrade without changing the style or color scheme. Sometimes little tweaks go a lot further than going in a completely new direction.

Check out the top most intimidating sports logos of all-time here.

UFC ON FOX 2: LONG ISLAND'S CHRIS WEIDMAN BEATS DEMIAN MAIA IN OPENING BOUT

2012-01-28T21:07:00.004-05:00

The UFC on FOX is back for its second go-around, and we're all hoping the event is better than the first installment, which fell short on a number of counts. But with one fight in the books tonight from Chicago, we already had one winner with local ties.

Chris Weidman, who attended Baldwin High School on Long Island, defeated Demian Maia by decision in the opening bout. Weidman graduated from Hofstra University as well. He improved his record to 8-0 overall in MMA and 4-0 in UFC.

It wasn't the most exciting fight, and casual fans might have tuned out because of the slow action, but it was a great win for a New York guy. It's especially impressive as Weidman had just 11 days to prepare for the fight, as he was a replacement fighter.

Rashad Evans is fighting Fred Davis in the main event on the card within the hour. The winner most likely will face Jon Jones next.

JETS FOUR-STRONG AT PRO BOWL SUNDAY

2012-01-28T15:16:00.000-05:00

D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Darrelle Revis, Nick Mangold, Brandon Moore. (AP photo)

The New York Jets are well represented at the Pro Bowl in Hawaii, which will be played Sunday night on NBC. D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Darrelle Revis, Nick Mangold and Brandon Moore will all play. One of the few reasons to actually watch the game, for Jets fans anyway, would be if and when all three offensive linemen get in the game at the same time.

On defense, it's always great watching Revis play. Plus, there's always the question of whether or not, even in the Pro Bowl, the opposing quarterback will throw his way.

There are no Giants playing in the Pro Bowl, as they have bigger things to worry about, as in the Patriots a week from Sunday in the Super Bowl.

GIANTS, PATRIOTS SUPER BOWL REMATCH A GAME OF SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES

2012-01-26T17:56:00.000-05:00

David Tyree was a hero in 2008. (AP photo)

By Steve Morton

We all knew Super Bowl XLVI would come. But who'd have guessed even less than a week ago that we’d be entertained by a replay of one of the most exciting Super Bowls in recent history – Super Bowl XLII – in another New York vs. Boston showdown.

Of course, with any rematch, it's tempting to look at the similarities of the original meeting between the Giants-Patriots first Super Bowl face-off.

But this isn't 2008. And for all the similarities, the differences are just as glaring. Certainly, it's intriguing to look at the many parallels, some of which are very uncommon. For instance the Giants' playoff road went through Green Bay this year, just as it did in 2008. And during each run, the Giants had lost to the Packers in the regular season matchup.

Also, in both Super Bowl journeys, the Giants won the NFC Championship in overtime off the foot of kicker Lawrence Tynes, in inclement weather. In 2008 the Giants played in the third coldest game in history in Lambeau and last week played in a downpour in San Francisco.

Furthermore, just like in 2007-08, the Patriots are the top seed in the AFC. The Patriots were favored the whole way to win it all back then, just like they are today. The Giants received no love from NFL analysts and experts throughout their 2008 postseason, and entered each game the underdog. This year, little changed for New York except for being a small favorite in the wild card round against Atlanta. Still, the Giants won almost as many road playoff games this year as compared to then, all of them against teams that were given much greater odds to win. And as they enter the Super Bowl, just like in 2008, the Patriots are the favored team to win.

Let's not forget the quarterbacks are the same, as well as both coaches. And once again Bill Belichick is a "genius," even though we all know the Patriots got help from Baltimore kicker Billy Cundiff last week against the Ravens, while Tom Coughlin had to sit all season long on the proverbial "hot seat," wondering if he'd have a job at the end of the season had his Giants not made the playoffs.

I'm sure if you looked hard you'll find even more peculiar similarities between the upcoming Super Bowl teams and that of four years prior. However, for all the comparisons that have the media jabbering about the strange coincidences, the differences of the two teams stands to play an important factor.

I'll skip the fact each team’s roster is almost completely different except for a handful of starters on both sides. So, for starters, Coughlin and Eli Manning have been to the big show before, and have won it. There's still pressure and all, but they’re experienced at it now. That brings a certain confidence level.

The Giants are Michael Strahan-less and Kawika Mitchell-less, but have new talent up front with second-year pro-bowler Jason Pierre-Paul and Mathias Kiwanuka, who was on injured reserve during the previous Super Bowl. Of course the Giants still have Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck and Corey Webster, three key players who contributed significantly to the Giants amazing win in 2008. But the whole look and feel of the Giants defense has changed under Perry Fewell, compared to that of Steve Spagnuolo, the Giants defensive coordinator in 2008.

Also, this year the Giants will rely on Hakeem Nicks, Victor Cruz and Mario Manningham — a completely new set of wide receivers to do the job that Giants fans watched Plaxico Burress, David Tyree, Steve Smith and Amani Toomer do in 2008.

And perhaps, most importantly for the Giants, Manning is having his best ever statistical season this year, and enters the Super Bowl a much more prominent and established player.

As for the Patriots, well, they’re a different team too, and enter the Super Bowl with a different motivation this time around. The pressure of completing a perfect season won’t be there. More so, Brady may have been humbled. You remember the pre-Super Bowl statement he made? "We’re only going to score 17 points?" he stated rhetorically and arrogantly to the media after a reporter quoted Plaxico Burress' prediction of the final score of the game.

That Brady hasn't emerged this year, so far anyway. In fact Brady has not only admitted to playing bad last week against Baltimore, but has said he can't watch a replay of the first Super Bowl against the Giants.

So, is Brady humbled now? Is he more motivated to win because of the fact the Giants, a team that was 14-point underdogs in the 2008 Super Bowl, destroyed Brady's near-impossible task of compiling the second ever unbeaten Super Bowl championship season?

Of course, Belichick is still the coach, but he too must want to seek revenge on the Giants at least at some level, as well as any other Patriots players that were part of the 2008 team. Let's not forget the Patriots defense isn’t nearly as good now as it was then, and the Randy Moss-less team relies more on its tight end upstarts for big plays. Whether that’s a good or bad thing remains to be seen.

All in all it promises to be an exciting Super Bowl. And though I spent my time here laboring to show you how different the teams are and how different of a game it will be this year, as of this week, we're still expecting a similar outcome. But there's a lot of time between now and Super Sunday.

GAMEDAY QUICK TAKE: SCHIANO LEAVES RUTGERS TO BECOME HEAD COACH OF BUCCANEERS

2012-01-26T17:18:00.002-05:00

Greg Schiano is the new head coach of the Buccaneers. (AP photo)

By Glenn Carroll

Greg Schiano, today, accepted the head coaching job with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Schiano was most recently the head coach of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, where he resurrected a lost program. Tampa fans and management hope he can bring that to the Buccaneers, which other than a short stretch under Tony Dungy and Jon Gruden, has been a bottom-dweller in the NFL.

Schiano will lead a team with plenty of talent on the current roster, with quarterback Josh Freeman heading into his fourth year and LeGarrett Blount emerging as a star at running back. Schiano, however, will need to use this upcoming draft on the defensive side of the ball to freshen up an aging squad.

It won't take long for players and fans of the Buccaneers to buy into Schiano's philosophy and style. This might have been a shock to many, but this is the right guy at the right time for the Buccaneers. Let the resurrection begin.

JOHN FRANCO ELECTED TO METS HALL OF FAME

2012-01-26T14:13:00.002-05:00

John Franco throws the first pitch last September 11. (AP photo)

For once, here's some positive news involving the New York Mets. John Franco, the team's longtime closer, was elected to the team's Hall of Fame today. Franco, who will be the 26th player elected, is the team's all-time leader in saves and games pitched. He saved 276 games in his 14 seasons.

Here are the statements by both Franco and the Mets.

Franco: "It's a tremendous honor to be elected to the Mets Hall of Fame. I would like to thank Fred Wilpon, Saul Katz, Jeff Wilpon, the Hall of Fame Committee, all of my managers and coaches and of course my teammates. My entire family is looking forward to June 3."

Mets COO Jeff Wilpon: "John set a very high standard during his career both on and off the field. It's great that during our 50th anniversary season we can have John – a true New Yorker in every sense – inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame."

There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason behind the Hall of Fame vote, which is done by a seven-man group of members of the organization and media. There was no one voted in last year and before four were elected in 2010 there wasn't an inductee since 2002.

Here is the Mets Hall of Fame list: Joan Payson (1981); Casey Stengel (1981); Gil Hodges (1982); George M. Weiss (1982); Johnny Murphy (1983); William A. Shea (1983); Ralph Kiner (1984); Bob Murphy (1984); Lindsey Nelson (1984); Bud Harrelson (1986); Rusty Staub (1986); Tom Seaver (1988); Jerry Koosman (1989); Ed Kranepool (1990); Cleon Jones (1991); Jerry Grote (1992); Tug McGraw (1993); Mookie Wilson (1996); Keith Hernandez (1997); Gary Carter (2001); Tommie Agee (2002); Frank Cashen (2010); Dwight Gooden (2010); Davey Johnson (2010) and Darryl Strawberry (2010).

JORGE POSADA WALKS AWAY AS A TRUE YANKEE

2012-01-24T12:27:00.013-05:00

Jorge Posada announced his retirement Tuesday. (AP photo)

In an emotional press conference, Jorge Posada announced he was leaving the game of baseball forever. With Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera, among other players and coaches, in attendance, one of the greatest catchers in Yankees history announced his retirement to a jam-packed audience in the Bronx.

Posada had the chance to play for another team this upcoming season, but said he had his mind made up last season, telling Jeter, his teammate and best friend, during the year that the 2011 season would be his last. Plus, there was the fact he couldn't see himself playing in anything but pinstripes.

"Playing for the Yankees has been an honor," Posada said. "I could never put on another uniform. I will forever be a Yankee."

"I knew it was going to be really tough for me to come back," Posada said. "I knew it would be tough for me to play baseball again. There were some teams that came calling. But it wasn't in me. I kept telling my agents don't worry about offers, don't worry about teams. I knew in my heart I didn't want to play anymore."

In 17 years with the Yankees, there was no shortage of great moments Posada was directly involved in, but three stood out for one of the best hitting catchers of all-time. Posada pointed out the 1998 perfect game thrown by David Wells, his debut in 1995, saying he believed at that moment dreams do come true, and the 1998 World Series victory where he hugged Rivera after the final out.

The perfect game may have been the best moment for Posada. "That was magical," he said.

His double against Pedro Martinez and the Red Sox during Game 7 in the 2003 season was also a great moment in the career of Posada. Every baseball fan remembers his reaction when reaching second base and sending Yankee Stadium into a frenzy.

"Looking at the stands and looking at the dugout, I was super excited," Posada said of his outburst of emotion after the hit.

Then there was playing with the Core 4, with himself, Jeter, Rivera and Andy Pettitte. "We grew up together. I think it was pretty exciting to win these championships together," Posada said. "They are like brothers. We try to spread that around the clubhouse."

Posada, Jeter and Rivera were teammates for 17 years, the longest three-man combination in baseball history.

As for Posada's future, he doesn't have any plans. "I really want to spend the summer with my family," he said.

And in five years, the debate will begin about whether or not Posada deserves to be voted into the Hall of Fame. The Yankees great will leave that up to the voters. "All I wanted to do was be in the big leagues. When you compare me to people in the Hall of Fame. That's up to you guys. Hopefully we can talk about it five years from now."

We break down Posada's chances at the Hall of Fame right here

We break down Posada's last great moment as a Yankee right here

JORGE POSADA TO OFFICIALLY RETIRE TUESDAY

2012-01-23T12:44:00.000-05:00

Jorge Posada will end his career as a Yankee. (AP photo)

New York Yankees great Jorge Posada will officially announce his retirement Tuesday morning at Yankee Stadium. Posada played 17 years with the Yankees, becoming one of the best hitting catchers of all-time. He won five World Series titles and was a five-time all-star.

We broke down Posada's Hall of Fame chances earlier this month.

GIANTS DEFEAT 49ERS: WE HAND OUT GAME BALLS (THOMAS, ELI, CRUZ, MORE) AND GAME FALLS (JACOBS, MORE) AFTER NFC TITLE WIN

2012-01-23T01:35:00.001-05:00

We're handing out game balls and game falls after the Giants defeated the San Francisco 49ers in overtime, 20-17, to win the NFC Championship game. The Giants now advance to the Super Bowl in Indianapolis two weeks from now against the New England Patriots.

The Game Balls

Devin Thomas had a huge game. (AP photo)

* Devin Thomas: It's a rare occurrence for a special teams player to make two game-changing play in an entire season, let alone in about a quarter's time. But that's exactly what Thomas did for the Giants Sunday in the NFC Championship game. He recovered two fumbles, one in the fourth quarter and one in overtime, that sparked the Giants to a 20-17 victory over the 49ers. On the first, the Giants, trailing 14-10 early in the fourth quarter and unable to put together any scoring drives to speak of, were again forced to punt. A lucky bounce, a recovery and a successful replay challenge later and the Giants had the ball at the Niners' 29. The punt bounced off kick returner Kyle Williams' knee and Thomas picked up the loose ball for a huge turnover. Eli Manning, seven plays later, hit Mario Manningham for the go-ahead touchdown. In overtime, Williams fumbled again, this time on a strip by Jacquian Williams, and Thomas was there to scoop up the loose ball. The Giants took over at the 49ers' 24, already in field goal range. A few runs later and the Giants were celebrating after Lawrence Tynes kicked a 31-yard field goal to win the game. Thomas' plays were the difference in sending the Giants to the Super Bowl.

Eli Manning. (AP)

* Eli Manning: The Giants quarterback took a beating Sunday against the 49ers, but still managed to lead his team to victory. He wasn't great by any stretch, but he did what he had to do to win the game, which was mainly survive. He was hit on seemingly every pass play. Overall, Manning was sacked six times and hit 12 times. He ended up 32-of-58 passing for 316 yards and two touchdowns. He also set the record for most road playoff victories, with five, and became the first player to have three games of 275 yards passing or more and two touchdown passes or more in a single postseason, in the Super Bowl era.

Victor Cruz. (AP)

* Victor Cruz: After a record-setting regular season, Cruz has taken a backseat in the postseason to the exploits of Hakeem Nicks. But Cruz was back in the spotlight in San Francisco. He had eight receptions for 125 yards in the first half alone, including four catches for 56 yards on the final drive of the half to help set up a 31-yard field goal to put the Giants up 13-10 at the break. The second half wasn't as kind, but Cruz did end up catching 10 balls for 142 yards on the day. Nicks and Cruz combined for 15 receptions for 197 yards. Throw in Mario Manningham and the Giants have three receivers that can go off in any game.

Chase Blackburn. (AP)

* Giants Defense: There might not have been a single standout player on the Giants defense, but the job done as a unit was outstanding. The bottom line was the 17 points allowed in more than four quarters of play. The Niners were just 1-for-13 on third down. The Giants had three sacks, the biggest coming with just over three minutes to go in the game. Osi Umenyiora and Jason Pierre-Paul got to 49ers quarterback Alex Smith for a seven-yard loss on third down to force a punt with the score tied at 17. After the Giants punted the ball back, the Giants defense came up with another three-and-out. Smith had just 196 yards passing in the game, 112 coming from Vernon Davis. If the Giants could have covered the big tight end, they might not have needed overtime to win on the road.

Game Falls

Vernon Davis scores. (AP)

* Guarding Vernon Davis: We brought it up above, but if the Giants want to beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl they will have to seal up the coverage against the opposing tight end. Davis had just three catches, but they were all big grabs, totaling 112 yards and two touchdowns. The Patriots feature Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez so it won't get any easier. Davis beat Antrel Rolle and Deon Grant for a 73-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter. In the third quarter, Kenny Phillips was beat for a 28-yard touchdown that put the Niners up 14-10. Those breakdowns can't happen two weeks from now against New England.

Brandon Jacobs. (AP)

* Brandon Jacobs: The Giants running back didn't get much action in San Francisco, rushing just five times for 13 yards. He also had two catches for eight yards. Ahmad Bradshaw was the workhorse for the Giants, carrying 20 times for 74 yards. He also caught six balls for 52 yards. The Giants called 64 passing plays to 26 running plays, so Jacobs wasn't asked to do much.

GIANTS DEFEAT 49ERS: DEVIN THOMAS, SPECIAL TEAMS COME UP BIG IN NFC TITLE GAME WIN

2012-01-22T23:39:00.003-05:00

Giants celebrate after Lawrence Tynes' field goal. (AP photo)

If we learned anything from the conference championship games Sunday night it was special teams matter. Big time. The Baltimore Ravens are going home because of theirs', as a 32-yard field goal attempt that would have sent the game to overtime was badly missed by kicker Billy Cundiff. The Giants, on the other hand, are going to the Super Bowl because of their special teams.

Coverage ace Devin Thomas recovered two fumbles on punt returns and kicker Lawrence Tynes had no problem with his game-winning 31-yard field goal, sending the Giants to Indianapolis for a date with the New England Patriots.

Thomas' plays were the two biggest of the game for the Giants. His first fumble recovery came on a punt that hit the knee of kick returner Kyle Williams. Thomas picked up the loose ball and after a replay challenge by Tom Coughlin, the Giants had the ball at the 49ers' 29. The Giants were trailing 14-10 early in the fourth quarter at the time, and the offense wasn't having much success against a tough San Francisco defense.

But seven plays later, Eli Manning hit Mario Manningham for a 17-yard touchdown pass that put the Giants up 17-14 with 8:34 to play.

In overtime, Thomas came up with another huge play, with help from his teammate. After a Giants punt, Jacquian Williams stripped the ball loose and Thomas recovered his second fumble of the game. The Giants got the ball at the Niners' 24, already in field goal range.

That's where the second part of the Giants' special teams unit came into play. Tynes was called on to kick a 31-yard field goal to send the Giants to the Super Bowl. Just one yard closer than Cundiff's kick for the Ravens, Tynes didn't have nearly the trouble. He calmly knocked home the winner.

"It's my second NFC championship game, my second game-winner," Tynes said. "It's amazing. I had dreams about this last night. It was from 42, not 31, but I was so nervous today before the game just anticipating this kind of game. I'm usually pretty cool, but there was something about tonight where I knew I was going to have to make a kick. Hats off to Eli, offense, defense. Great win."

If you had any doubt how important special teams were before tonight, look no further than the Ravens and Giants right now.

FORMER JETS GREAT SHAUN ELLIS FINALLY REACHES SUPER BOWL ... WITH THE PATRIOTS

2012-01-22T21:06:00.007-05:00

Shaun Ellis is going to his first Super Bowl. (AP photo)

For New York Jets fans, there isn't much to be happy about right now. The hated New England Patriots are headed to the Super Bowl and the despised New York Giants are one-half away from doing the same. Things couldn't get much worse if you're all about the Green and White.

But there might be reason to at least crack a smile if you're a Jets fan. In his 12th season in the NFL, Shaun Ellis is headed to his first Super Bowl. Of course, it's not all good, as Ellis has reached football nirvana in one season with the Patriots, something he couldn't do in 11 years with the Jets.

Ellis was one of the greatest Jets off all time, and his end with the team was one of the many reasons Rex Ryan and company failed in epic fashion this season. Ryan and general manager Mike Tannenbaum decided to offer Ellis the veteran's minimum to return this offseason. The Patriots then came in and offered him four times that amount, $4 million, to switch sides in the rivalry.

Given no choice, the biggest Patriots-hater on the Jets was suddenly joining the team he couldn't stand. The Patriots went on to win the AFC East while the Jets crumbled as a lack of leadership destroyed a locker room and made winning nearly impossible. Those were the risks Ryan and Tannenbaum took when allowing strong locker room personalities, like Ellis, leave.

"I played my heart out for them guys for years," Ellis said of the Jets. "If you would have cut me open, I was bleeding green."

Now, Ellis is headed to the Super Bowl with the hated Patriots.

"Definitely a humbling experience considering where I came from," Ellis said after the Patriots beat the Ravens. "When I got the call from Bill (Belichick) there wasn't any hesitation in my mind this is where I wanted to be. I just put everything aside. The past, the rivalry and moved on."

He moved on ... all the way to Indianapolis for his first Super Bowl.

PATRIOTS DEFEAT RAVENS: WE HAND OUT GAME BALLS (MOORE, WILFORK, MORE) AND GAME FALLS (CUNDIFF, MORE) FROM AFC TITLE GAME

2012-01-22T20:06:00.003-05:00

We're handing out game balls and game falls after the New England Patriots defeated the Baltimore Ravens 23-20 in the AFC Championship game Sunday night. The Patriots advance to the Super Bowl two weeks from now in Indianapolis against either the New York Giants or San Francisco 49ers.

The Game Balls

Sterling Moore makes the play. (AP photo)

* Sterling Moore: Few of you probably even knew Moore was on the Patriots roster, let alone the player who would make the biggest play of the AFC title game. With the Baltimore Ravens driving for the potential game-winning touchdown, quarterback Joe Flacco threw a perfect pass to Lee Evans in the end zone. The ball hit Evans right in the hands for what would have been the winning score in the final seconds. But after Evans corralled it, Moore swatted the ball right through his hands for an incomplete pass. Moore, who had his back turned to the pass, had just a split second to make the play, and he did. If he hesitates at all, Evans scores the game-winner and the Ravens are going to the Super Bowl. The Ravens, one play later, ended up missing a 32-yard field goal by Billy Cundiff, giving the Patriots the victory. Moore wasn't the best player on the field, but he came up with the biggest play of the game at the biggest moment.

Vince Wilfork. (AP)

* Vince Wilfork: The Patriots defensive lineman had six total tackles, a sack and three tackles for a loss against the Ravens. It was one of those tackles for a loss that was one of the biggest plays of the game. On a third-and-three play from the Patriots' 30, the Ravens called a draw play to Ray Rice. Already in field goal range, Baltimore was trying to not only get the first down, but at least get closer for an easier kick. But Wilfork broke through the middle of the offensive line and dropped Rice for a three-yard loss with just under three minutes to play. The Ravens were then forced to go for it on fourth-and-six from the Patriots' 33 instead of kicking a potential game-tying 50-yard field goal. Flacco threw incomplete on fourth down to give the Patriots the ball back. Wilfork and the New England defense had to hold one more time, and thanks to the Cundiff miss, they did just that to win the AFC crown.

Joe Flacco. (AP)

* Joe Flacco: Shockingly, Flacco outplayed Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in Foxboro Sunday night. Unfortunately for him, the Ravens came up three points shy and will watch the Super Bowl from home. Flacco, however, played well enough to get Baltimore the win. Flacco has done a lot of talking about wanting credit for his team's success this season, but until today, he hadn't deserved to be singled out as a great player. Flacco was 22-of-36 passing for 306 yards and two touchdowns against the Patriots. He had a passer rating of 95.4. Brady's passer rating was 57.5. Flacco, down a field goal, brought his team downfield and should have thrown the game-winning touchdown pass to Lee Evans, but the wide receiver got the ball knocked from his hands for an incomplete pass. Evans, even with the swat by Sterling Moore, should have held onto the ball. At the least, it would have been great to see what Flacco and Brady could have done in overtime, but Billy Cundiff didn't cooperate with his 32-yard miss at the end of the game. Still, Flacco finally backed up all his talk with a performance that deserved better.

Tom Brady. (AP)

* Tom Brady: I know, I know. Brady said he "sucked" after the game, and it's not hard to see why he would say that. He threw for just 239 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions, good enough for a 57.5 passer rating. But he still accomplished plenty in Foxboro to get on this list. He tied former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joe Montana's record for postseason victories. This was Brady's 16th in the playoffs. He also passed Montana and Colts quarterback Peyton Manning for second all-time in completions, trailing just Brett Favre. Finally, he passed former Broncos quarterback John Elway for fourth all-time in total passing yards in the postseason. Brady also, against the Ravens, scored the game-winning touchdown on a one-yard leap with 11:29 to go in the game. So, Brady may have "sucked" but he was still good enough to get the Patriots to the Super Bowl.

The Game Falls

Billy Cundiff. (AP)

* Bill Cundiff: The Ravens kicker will forever be remembered by both Baltimore and New England fans, as he could have sent the AFC Championship to overtime with a 32-yard field goal. Instead, Cundiff flat-out shanked a kick that had no chance of going through the uprights after contact was made. There wasn't even a moment where fans could have thought it was going to be good. It was ugly right from the start. The kick was so bad I don't see any way the seven-year player returns to the team next season. Missing a 50-yard kick is one thing, but missing badly on a chip-shot 32-yarder is a whole different set of circumstances. If your kicker can't handle pressure situations, there is no reason to keep him around.

Julian Edelman. (AP)

* Julian Edelman: The Patriots receiver played a lot as a defensive back Sunday, especially on the final drive of the game by the Ravens. Baltimore attacked Edelman several times during the drive, making him look like, well, a wide receiver playing cornerback. The worst part, however, was Edelman talking trash to Anquan Boldin after Flacco started that drive with an incompletion pass, with Edelman covering Boldin. That only made Edelman look foolish when he was continually beat thereafter. Boldin wouldn't be the guy to talk trash to either, as he caught six passes for 101 yards. Hopefully for the Patriots, they have someone else to step in at defensive back so Edelman can go back where he belongs.

JETS ANALYSIS: BRIAN SCHOTTENHEIMER'S RAMS' OFFENSE WILL GO HEAD-TO-HEAD WITH REX RYAN'S JETS' DEFENSE NEXT SEASON

2012-01-21T15:22:00.000-05:00

Schottenheimer v. Ryan. (AP photo)

The most interesting storyline surrounding the St. Louis Rams hiring Brian Schottenheimer as their new offensive coordinator isn't that the embattled former Jets play caller got another job in the NFL so quickly, but the fact he will be able to exact revenge on the team he parted ways with.

With ESPN reporting that Schottenheimer will join new head coach Jeff Fisher's staff in St. Louis, it makes for a very interesting subplot to an otherwise dull matchup next season. The Rams and the Jets will play each other next season in a now-hyped game featuring Schottenheimer's offense against Rex Ryan's defense.

For the Jets and their fans this could be both a good and bad thing. The good is to show Schottenheimer what the Jets can do without his predictable offensive play calling. The bad, obviously, is that Schottenheimer could lead the Rams to a victory over the Jets and light up the scoreboard along the way. The latter would be one of the most embarrassing moments in the Ryan era with the Jets.

Whenever the schedule comes out, that game will automatically be circled on the calendar. Jets vs. Rams suddenly has a whole new meaning.

GIANTS VS 49ERS NFC CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW: UNDERDOG ROLE A BONUS FOR BIG BLUE AS THEY HEAD TO SAN FRANCISCO FOR NFC TITLE GAME

2012-01-21T00:28:00.001-05:00

Hakeem Nicks and the Giants are looking for another upset. (AP photo)

By Steve Morton

Anyone who’s watched the New York Giants since Week 16 has to be asking, “Is this team destined to be in the Super Bowl or what?" After all, who lives like this? Which team in the NFL do you know plays mediocre and inconsistently throughout the regular season only to enter the playoffs and then start blowing teams suddenly and without explanation out of their socks?

That’s the story of the Giants, who have now sent four teams with better records and power rankings than them home to watch the playoffs from their sofa.

New York has without a doubt played some impressive football ever since squaring off against the Jets and Cowboys in the final two weeks of the regular season. The Giants were ranked lower than each of those teams, yet pummeled both to clinch the NFC East and a playoff berth.

Ironically, the Giants defeated Jets coach Rex Ryan and brother Rob Ryan, Dallas’ defensive coordinator, in each of those weeks. From there, the Giants manhandled the Atlanta Falcons in the wild card round of the playoffs, shutting out the Falcons' offense. And, most recently, shocked the Green Bay Packers, who many believed were the best team in football. The Packers were more than eight-point favorites to beat the Giants last Sunday, but instead were handed a 37-20 defeat.

Anyone who watched the game could see the Giants were no underdog.

Oh yeah, again, the Giants forced a game of Ryan, holding Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan to below 200 passing yards and zero touchdowns and limiting Packers running back Ryan Grant to 33 yards and forcing him to cough up a fumble that helped seal the win.

Now, with a magic carpet ride at full speed for the Giants, they head to San Francisco for the NFC title game on Sunday. Once again the Giants are the underdog as San Fran is favored by a little less than a field goal. Great news for Giants and their fans. The Giants have flourished over the years in the underdog role. The Giants Super Bowl championship win in 2007 was built on a magic carpet ride in which nobody gave the team a chance to win.

Nobody.

Everywhere you look it seems like no one ever wants to give the Giants a chance. Some things never change. Maybe now that there are no “Ryan's” associated with the 49ers franchise the run is over for the Giants. Can that be why San Francisco is favored?

You would think that after beating the Packers, who had only suffered one loss this season before last Sunday’s defeat, that critics would give the Giants more credit. But no. Instead, Green Bay lost because the team was sloppy and the Giants won because the Packers were bad — not because the Giants were good.

Well, Sunday’s matchup will prove what I’ve been screaming about since the Giants clinched their division — that the Giants relish the underdog role and are hardest to beat when the football world is against them.

Sure the Giants and Niners have met many times in the playoffs and critics will go onto to say San Francisco has the advantage because of the damp field conditions and yadda, yadda, yadda. Anything to not have to pick the Giants it seems. How many times do the Giants have to win to prove the theories wrong, might I ask?

I’ve said it for the last four weeks, and I’ll say it again. The Giants will win on Sunday. Count on it. My prediction: 20-10, Giants.

FORMER TWINS GM BILL SMITH SPEAKS AT ROCK CATS LUNCHEON ABOUT FIRING THEN REJOINING AS AN ASSISTANT IN AWKWARD APPEARANCE

2012-01-19T20:25:00.002-05:00

Matt Straub, Rocky, Evan Macy and Brad Carroll. (Rob Heyl photo)

CROMWELL, Conn. - There would be just one word to describe the just-finished luncheon featuring Minnesota Twins executive Bill Smith - Awkward. The event, hosted by the New Britain Rock Cats, the Double-A affiliate of the Twins, is typically a great get-together to listen to baseball people talk about the upcoming season. It's a chance for both the media and the general public to hear what goes on behind the scenes at a major league ball club.

Last year, Smith was the featured speaker as well. But the difference between that speech and this year's was like night and day. Like winning 99 games and then losing 99. Of course, those 99 losses by the Twins a year ago set up this awkward meeting with the media and the public.

Smith was fired as Twins general manager in November, but after taking a couple months off, he decided to return to the team as assistant to new general manager Terry Ryan and the team president. Smith chose to stay with the one baseball family he knows best.

That's not the awkward part, as if that's what Smith ultimately wanted in continuing his baseball career, that's great for him and his family. What was awkward was the Twins sending him to New Britain to represent the organization for this public appearance.

For the media, we're used to this, so asking the difficult questions and turning the answers into stories is part of the job. But to have Smith represent the organization in this setting, where an entire ballroom was filled with baseball fans, leaves something to be desired.

When the Rock Cats announced the hot-stove luncheon, I was surprised Smith was to be the featured speaker once again, his fifth straight year. I'm not sure what the decision-making process was, but somebody had to believe this might be a bad idea. (I won't even get into the fact the Twins should send down some fresh blood for an afternoon to talk baseball in Connecticut).

To his credit, Smith didn't back away from the firing or his return. In the press conference before the luncheon, he brought it up immediately. He was even able to joke about now being an assistant to the man who replaced him (Ryan) and the man who fired him (president Dave St. Peter) both to the media and later to the large public gathering. He was able to find the humor in what had to be a terrible moment for him. But he was able to move on from it.

"Changes had to be made and I certainly understand that and respect that," Smith said. "I'm thrilled to stay with the Twins."

He later added, "When you sign on for the general manager's position, you understand the risk and volatility of it. We had a terrible year last year. My greatest hope is that Terry Ryan and the baseball club wins 95 games again and gets us back on top."

For those in attendance at the luncheon it wasn't an enjoyable moment listening to the former general manager speak. It's not a knock on Smith, he spoke to what he could speak about. He's simply not in charge anymore.

Last year, Smith talked about taking the next step and winning a World Series. He talked about going straight after the New York Yankees, and building a team that could finally topple them in the postseason. It was a fantastic listen, as he wasn't keeping the team's ultimate goal a secret. He even talked about the process of signing pitcher Carl Pavano, including competing against rumors the Yankees and general manager Brian Cashman were going after him.

There was none of that this year. There couldn't be.

Overall, it was another solid event, with Rock Cats manager Jeff Smith giving a fantastic speech about the organization and his role as a Double-A manager. The Rock Cats did everything right.

Hopefully next year a representative of the Minnesota Twins is sent down that will give the fans of the Rock Cats something to talk about when they leave the luncheon. Last year, everyone was buzzing about baseball. This year, it was more somber, as they had to listen to a man who just lost his job speak about those who fired him. It was awkward, but next year it doesn't have to be.

NFL DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS WINNERS AND LOSERS: WE NAME OUR WINNERS (SMITH, DAVIS, BRADY) AND LOSERS (PACKERS, SAINTS 'D', MORE)

2012-01-17T13:22:00.002-05:00

In this playoff edition of Thoughts & Observations from the NFL's divisional playoff weekend, we break down the top three winners and the top three losers from the week that was. Have your own thoughts? Let everyone know in the comments section below. But, for now, it's time for some winners and losers.

WINNERS

Alex Smith scores on a touchdown run. (AP photo)

* Alex Smith: The San Francisco 49ers quarterback had the signature moment of his disappointing career in a shootout victory over the New Orleans Saints. Smith, the No. 1 overall draft pick out of Utah back in 2005, came from behind twice in the final 2:11 to beat the Saints last Saturday and send the Niners to the NFC Championship game. First, Smith scored on a fantastic 28-yard run down the left sideline to put San Francisco ahead 29-24. Then, after Drew Brees led the Saints back into the lead, on a 66-yard touchdown pass, Smith got the ball back with 1:37 to go. He hit Vernon Davis for a 47-yard pass that got the 49ers to the Saints' 20 and into field goal range. After a short pass and a spike it appeared the game was headed for overtime if David Akers could make the short kick on fourth down. But Smith and Davis wasn't about to let that happen. Smith threw a bullet that Davis brought in at the goal line with nine seconds left to win the game. The play was reminiscent of two other big catches in San Francisco history, the always-seen highlights of Dwight Clark and Terrell Owens bringing in winning grabs. Smith was 24-of-42 passing for 299 yards and three touchdowns. "It shows he's becoming an elite quarterback," linebacker Patrick Willis said of Smith. "I'm glad the world could see what he did today."

Vernon Davis. (AP)

* Vernon Davis: The man who caught the game-winning touchdown pass deserves his own spot on this list. Davis, a player that former San Francisco head coach Mike Singletary basically said wasn't a winner, proved him and all of his doubters wrong with an absolutely huge game against the Saints. He had seven catches for 180 yards and two touchdowns. Both scores were game-changers, as he put the 49ers up 7-0 in the first quarter on a 49-yard pass play and then caught the winner in the final seconds, taking a hit at the line of scrimmage but holding on for the 14-yard go-ahead score. His 47-yard catch and run set up the final touchdown pass as well. Everyone, especially San Francisco fans, will remember his final touchdown. "You've got to call it 'The Grab,'" Davis said. "We were down. I had to make it happen to take my teammates where we want to go." And that's to the NFC Championship. "This is huge for us," Davis said. "It's history, legendary, anything you can describe."

Tom Brady. (AP)

* Tom Brady: Granted, the New England Patriots lucked out by having to play and beat the Denver Broncos to advance to the AFC Championship game, but Brady made sure early on that there would be no Tim Tebow heroics in Foxboro. Brady threw five first-half touchdown passes and six overall in an easy win over a sub-par Broncos team Saturday night. Brady tied a postseason record with the six scoring passes, joining Steve Young and Daryl Lamonica. He was 26-of-34 passing for 363 yards and the six touchdowns. His favorite target again was tight end Rob Gronkowski, who caught 10 passes for 145 yards and three touchdowns. "I have no idea about records and stuff like that," Brady said. "Anytime you score 45, obviously with the help of our defense, and special teams played great - hopefully we can go out next week and play even better." It will be hard for Brady to equal this performance next week, but nobody would put it past him.

* New York Giants: Click here for all the winners from the Giants victory over the Packers.

LOSERS

Aaron Rodgers. (AP)

* Green Bay Packers: The Packers loss to the New York Giants wasn't all that surprising for us here at GameDay, as we picked Big Blue to win the game, but when you go 15-1 on the season and not only get beat in your first playoff game, but get run out of your own building, it's an embarrassing end to the season. The Packers could be the most flawed 15-1 team in NFL history. The defense has been terrible all season long and was bailed out time and time again by the team's high-scoring offense. But what happened against the Giants is why team's built on offense alone won't go far in the postseason. The Packers offense turned the ball over four times and couldn't do much when they kept possession. After their Super Bowl run last year and play this season it was obvious the Packers players thought they were the chosen team and would win back-to-back title without problem. But the Giants punched them in the mouth, especially with the completed Hail Mary pass at the end of the first half, that had the team moping to the locker room. "[Hakeem Nick's catch] kind of broke their backs," Giants running back Brandon Jacobs said. "Because I saw them walking off the field, had their heads down. I pretty much knew they were done." Now the Packers will be watching the rest of the playoffs from home.

Cover your eyes. (AP)

* Saints Defense: Twice in the final 2:11 of the fourth quarter the Saints defense allowed "game manager" Alex Smith to drive the field and come from behind to take the lead. On the first, they allowed Smith to break outside and rush for a 28-yard touchdown, a play that was both spectacular for the offense and depressingly bad for the defense. The Saints offense quickly got the lead back, but the defense collapsed again, as Smith completed a 47-yard pass to Vernon Davis to get the team into field goal range and then hit Davis again for the game-winning 14-yard pass in the end zone. On the final drive, the Saints allowed the 49ers to drive 85 yards in seven plays, scoring the final touchdown with nine seconds to play. Again, this is an example of a great offense being supported by a poor defense. In the end, those team's will lose in the playoffs.

John Fox and Tim Tebow. (AP)

* John Fox: The Patriots jumped out to a 35-7 lead at the half, which should have meant the Broncos would come out in the second half throwing the ball on nearly every down. But the first drive, Denver called two straight runs before Tim Tebow threw an incompletion on third down. After the Patriots scored another touchdown, to make it 42-7, the Broncos called a run play on a third-and-21 play, gaining two yards. After the Patriots punted the ball back, the Broncos called seven run plays to six passes in setting up a field goal. In a third quarter where the Broncos had their postseason lives on the line and down four touchdowns, Fox and company dialed up 10 run plays to nine pass plays. Does that make any sense to anyone? I don't think so. If Tebow is going to be your quarterback, then use him as a quarterback. Of those 19 plays run in the third quarter, at least 15 should have been passes. Down 28 the running game should have been scrapped. But the Broncos stuck with it, basically giving up at halftime. They would have been better served to simply kneel on the ball every play. Hopefully the coaching staff give Tebow a chance to succeed next year.

GIANTS DEFEAT PACKERS: SEVEN KEY MOMENTS HAS GIANTS PLAYING FOR NFC CHAMPIONSHIP

2012-01-15T23:04:00.003-05:00

Victor Cruz and the Giants are headed to San Francisco. (AP photo)

The New York Giants' 37-20 victory over the Green Bay Packers in an NFC divisional playoff wasn't without its game-changing, momentum-shifting plays. In fact, there was a season's worth of moments on the frozen field at Lambeau Field. Here's a breakdown of the seven big moments that led the Giants to the NFC Championship game against the San Francisco 49ers next Sunday.

In the final seconds of the first half, the Giants had a third-and-one play from their own 40-yard-line. The Giants ran a draw to Ahmad Bradshaw, but Packers coach Mike McCarthy called timeout to see what Tom Coughlin's team would call in that situation. After the timeout, the Giants ran the ball again, this time to the outside. But the Packers, who should have known what was coming, allowed Bradshaw to not only break a 23-yard run, but go completely across the field to get out of bounds with six seconds left. The Giants had no timeouts. The play gave the Giants a first down at the Packers' 37 and a chance to put points on the board.
The Giants could have kicked a 54-yard field goal after the big run by Bradshaw or throw a quick out-pattern that stopped the clock to shorten the field for Lawrence Tynes. But the Giants surprised everyone, including the Packers, by throwing a Hail Mary pass to the end zone. The decision ended up being the perfect call, as Hakeem Nicks was as wide-open as you can get on a Hail Mary pass. The ball dropped right into his extended arms and the Giants had a 20-10 lead at halftime.
On the first possession of the second half, the Packers drove the field, setting up a first-and-10 play from the Giants' 30. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers dropped back to pass, but just as he was about to unload a deep throw, Osi Umenyiora swatted the ball out of his hands. Deon Grant came up with the loose ball for the Giants. The play was even more important because Rodgers had a wide-open man downfield that most likely would have resulted in a touchdown. The strip-sack kept the Giants' lead at 20-10.
Early in the fourth quarter the Packers had the ball at the Giants' 39 trailing 20-13. On fourth-and-five and down just one touchdown, Giants linebacker Michael Boley sacked Rodgers for a seven-yard loss. New York turned the change of possession into a field goal and 23-13 lead.
With under eight minutes to play in the game, Rodgers hit Ryan Grant for a 10-yard pass. Kenny Phillips made the tackle and knocked the ball loose, which Chase Blackburn picked up and ran 40 yards to the Packers' four-yard-line. Manning needed just one play to hit Mario Manningham for a four-yard touchdown to all but put the game away, 30-13.
The Packers did make things interesting, scoring a touchdown to cut the lead to 30-20 and forcing the Giants into a third-and-11 on their next series. With the crowd suddenly back in the game and the defense needing a big stop with about three minutes to play, Manning calmly hit Victor Cruz for 17 yards and a first down. Brandon Jacobs later scored on a 14-yard run to officially put the game away.

Seven game-changing moments and the Giants are headed to the NFC Championship game next week in San Francisco.

GIANTS DEFEAT PACKERS: WE HAND OUT GAME BALLS (UMENYIORA, ELI, NICKS, BRADSHAW, MORE) AND GAME FALLS (BILL LEAVY, MORE)

2012-01-15T21:25:00.003-05:00

We're handing out game balls and game falls after the Giants defeated the Green Bay Packers, 37-20, in an NFC divisional playoff game Sunday. The Giants now advance to the NFC Championship game against the San Francisco 49ers. And, yes, we'll get to the terrible officiating as well.

The Game Balls

Eli Manning leads Giants past Packers. (AP photo)

* Eli Manning: Coming into the game, all the so-called experts made it clear that Manning would have to outplay Aaron Rodgers if the Giants wanted to win this game. Well, Manning did that and so much more. Manning was 21-of-33 passing for 330 yards and three touchdowns. He had a rating of 114.5 in the cold at Lambeau Field. Most importantly, he led the team to 37 points and a victory that sends the team to the NFC Championship next week in San Francisco. Manning may have finally solidified his stature as one of the best quarterbacks in all the NFL with this performance. He made it look easy against a Packers defense that has struggled this entire season. That's a mark of a great quarterback.

Osi Umenyiora. (AP)

* Osi Umenyiora: There are so many moments in this game that changed momentum completely, but the biggest was Umenyiora's strip-sack of Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. On the Packers first drive of the third quarter, trailing 20-10, Umenyiora knocked the ball out of Rodgers' hand as he was gearing up to throw the ball downfield. Deon Grant recovered and the Giants stalled a Packers' drive that had a first-and-10 from the New York 30 before the fumble. What makes the strip-sack even more game-changing was the fact Rodgers would have been throwing to a wide-open Greg Jennings that most likely would have been a touchdown. If the strip never happens, the Packers score to cut the lead to 20-17 and the momentum is suddenly on their side. But Umenyiora's play stopped all that cold. The Giants didn't score on the ensuing drive, but the momentum shift took its toll on the Packers, as they couldn't recover. On the final Packers drive, Umenyiora and Grant again came up with big plays. Umenyiora sacked Rodgers and then Grant intercepted the Packers quarterback to seal the game. There were so many key plays for the Giants that a case can be made for any of them as the ultimate game-changer. Umenyiora's strip-sack was, at the least, right at the top.

Hakeem Nicks. (AP)

* Hakeem Nicks: The Giants wide receiver had yet another huge game in the playoffs, catching seven passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns. But it was his catch at the end of the first half that was one of those game-changing moments that led the Giants to victory. With six seconds to play in the second quarter, the Giants passed up a 54-yard field goal attempt and called a play. It appeared to everyone, even the Packers defense, that the Giants would call a quick sideline pass to gain a few extra yards to set up an easier field goal attempt. But quarterback Eli Manning dropped back and threw a Hail Mary pass to the end zone. In actuality, the pass was anything but a prayer, as Nicks had a completely open look to the pass, as he wasn't guarded in the end zone. He made the grab and the Giants went into halftime with a 20-10 lead. It was perhaps the easiest Hail Mary completion of all time, as the Packers' defensive backs simply didn't look ready to defend the play. And they didn't. The Giants, who were put at a disadvantage by the game officials several times in the first half, got a little payback here. Nicks has been the best wide receiver in the postseason by far.

Ahmad Bradshaw. (AP)

* Ahmad Bradshaw: The Giants running back didn't have a great game against Green Bay. He rushed for 53 yards on just 12 carries. But in a game with so many momentum-shifting plays, he came up with one of his own. With a third-and-one play from the Giants 30 in the final seconds of the second quarter, Bradshaw took a handoff in what was a safe choice to get the first down and either run out the clock or set up a Hail Mary that everyone would have been ready for. But Bradshaw took the handoff to the left, broke free to the right, and not only ran downfield, but made it all the way to the sideline to stop the clock. The huge 23-yard run to stop the clock, which was key as the Giants were out of timeouts, set up the touchdown bomb from Manning to Nicks with no time left. Without that run by Bradshaw, the Giants lead by just three at the break and who knows how the game turns out in the second half.

Kenny Phillips. (AP)

* Kenny Phillips and Chase Blackburn: After the Giants kicked a field goal to take a 23-13 lead with 7:48 to go in the game, Rodgers and the Packers came back on offense with a small bit of momentum. The Packers defense held the Giants to that field goal after getting a sack on third down. If the Packers were going to make their run, this was going to be the time. But on the second play, Phillips hit Ryan Grant after a 10-yard catch and forced a fumble. Blackburn picked up the loose ball and ran 40 yards to the Packers' 5-yard line. One play later Manning hit Mario Manningham for a touchdown that put the Giants up 30-13. The fumble recovery and subsequent touchdown ended the game for the Giants. Overall, the Giants defense forced and recovered three fumbles in the game.

Michael Boley and Justin Tuck. (AP)

* Michael Boley: We'll give out one extra "game ball" this week as the Giants linebacker definitely deserves to be highlighted for his contribution to the victory in Green Bay. Boley led the team with nine total tackles, including eight solo. He had two sacks, three tackles for a loss of yardage, one pass defense and two quarterback hits. One of his sacks could be one of the many momentum changers that led the Giants victory. With a fourth-and-five play at the Giants' 39 early in the fourth quarter the Packers, trailing by just seven, decided to go for it. But Rodgers couldn't escape the Boley rush, getting sacked as the Giants stopped the drive. The sack set up a 10-play drive by the Giants that ended with a field goal and a 23-13 lead.

The Game Falls

Bill Leavy. (AP)

* Bill Leavy: We'll have a little fun here as there really wasn't any member of the Giants, save for maybe Lawrence Tynes, that deserved a "game fall." So, we'll go to the one group on the field that had an absolutely horrible game - the officials. The calls made by the crew in this Giants-Packer game were embarrassingly bad. There was a fumble call on Greg Jennings that was overturned on the field and then upheld after head official Bill Leavy reviewed it on replay. The only problem was Jennings clearly lost control of the ball before hitting the ground. It should have been Giants football. But somehow Leavy saw it differently. The Packers scored a touchdown on the drive. There was also a helmet-to-helmet penalty called on Umenyiora for his hit on Rodgers. Again, the only problem was Umenyiora didn't hit Rodgers in the head. On top of that, he wasn't even late with the hit. Of course, that could be just a case of overreacting in an effort to protect the quarterback. Only the Packers didn't get called for a clear late-hit on Manning in the game. On that Manning hit and the fumble by Jennings, FOX analyst and former official Mike Pereira said the calls made on the field were incorrect. The officiating was enough to make any fan not in Green Bay pull for the Giants. In the end, it didn't cost the Giants the game and I'm sure Big Blue and their fans don't want to see this crew ever again.

* Discount Double Check: Thankfully, with the elimination of the Packers from the playoffs, we hopefully won't have to be subjugating to the awful State Farm commercials featuring Rodgers, B.J. Raji and Clay Matthews. The original may have been interesting, but the following two killed the entire spot. If we're lucky, the Giants not only killed off the Packers, but there appearance in this commercial as well.

JETS & YANKEES GRAB HEADLINES OVER GIANTS DURING WILD SPORTS WEEK IN NEW YORK

2012-01-14T14:15:00.006-05:00

The Yankees signed Hiroki Kuroda Friday night. (AP photo)

As much as the Giants claim to own New York, especially when they are playing in an NFC divisional playoff game against the Green Bay Packers, this week proved otherwise. Here's the day-by-day breakdown of a week that should have belonged to the Giants, but had them regulated to secondary status.

Monday: The day after the Giants dominated the Atlanta Falcons in an easy victory in the wild card round of the playoffs, it was a Giants city. It was all about Big Blue's win and looking forward to a rematch with the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round. Things got even more interesting when Jason Pierre-Paul guaranteed the Giants would beat the Packers the following week.

Tuesday: It looked like more hype for the Giants-Packers divisional playoff would be in store, but the New York Jets decided to steal the back pages and headlines by announcing offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer wouldn't return to the team next season. Also, reports spread quickly that Tony Sparano was going to join the Jets staff, taking over for Schottenheimer as coordinator. Quickly, the Jets took over the newspapers and internet while the Giants playoff hype week barely became a footnote.

Wednesday: Since the Schottenheimer news came late Tuesday night, Wednesday became the first day many found out about the move and therefore continued to rule conversation. Then, at noon, the Jets announced the hiring of Sparano as offensive coordinator. With the Schottenheimer to Sparano switch still hot news, a story in the New York Daily News came out that quoted several anonymous team sources that attacked quarterback Mark Sanchez. Again, the Giants barely registered on the sports scale.

Thursday: The story by anonymous Jets players and members of the organization continued to be a hot topic, with most ripping those quoted, including here, as being gutless. The entire Jets soap opera is the subject of the sports world in New York, but the Giants slowly appear to be regaining steam.

Friday: That steam the Giants were hoping would take over completely evaporated as they were knocked on the back burner again, this time by the New York Yankees. The Yankees made national news by completing a blockbuster trade and then making a major free agency signing just minutes later. First, the Yankees traded catcher Jesus Montero and pitcher Hector Noesi to the Mariners for pitcher Michael Pineda and a minor league pitcher. Then, the team signed former Dodgers pitcher Hiroki Kuroda to a reported one-year deal for $10 million. Forget about the Giants, this was all about the Yankees.

Saturday: One day before the NFC divisional playoff game between the Giants and Packers and the talk of the New York sports scene is still the Yankees bolstering their pitching rotation with two huge moves Friday night. The newspapers are dominated with Yankees stories and even the internet doesn't seem interested in the Giants playoff game at all.

That's where we stand now. In a week that should have been all Giants, they barely made an impact on the New York sports world. There's still hope, as Sunday should be all Giants. Then again, Prince Fielder is still a free agent ...

YANKEES TRADE FOR MICHAEL PINEDA FROM MARINERS, GIVING UP JESUS MONTERO AND HECTOR NOESI, THEN SIGN HIROKI KURODA

2012-01-13T20:06:00.022-05:00

The Yankees traded for Michael Pineda Friday night. (AP photo

The Yankees have reportedly traded for Seattle Mariners rookie all-star pitcher Michael Pineda in exchange for catcher Jesus Montero and pitcher Hector Noesi. Also, many outlets are now reporting the Yankees have agreed to a one-year, $10 million contract with pitcher Hiroki Kuroda.

It's a wild night in Yankees Universe.

Pineda was 9-10 with a 3.74 ERA last year. The 22-year-old was outstanding in the first half of the year, but struggled in the second half. He didn't win in his final seven starts. Joining him will be Kuroda, the former Dodgers pitcher, who was 13-16 last year with a 3.07 ERA in 202 innings pitched.

Pineda and Kuroda will join a Yankees starting rotation that already includes CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Ivan Nova, Phil Huges and Freddy Garcia. Hughes and Garcia are the two likely casualties from that list, although I'm sure the Yankees are trying to find a taker for Burnett.

The Yankees, who would also get right-handed pitcher Jorge Campos from the Mariners, are giving up two of their highest rated prospects in the deal. Montero showed signs at the end of last season that he could turn into a star, but obviously the Yankees believe adding a young pitcher is worth the risk of letting him go. Noesi was a young and talented pitcher as well, although he didn't get a true chance to shine with the Yankees, making only two starts. Both players should make an impact with the Mariners next season.

The Yankees still have catching prospect Austin Romine in the system. He could be the backup to Russell Martin next year.

GIANTS VS PACKERS: BIG BLUE MAY BE A HUGE UNDERDOG, BUT WITH A REVITALIZED DEFENSE, THIS COULD BE THEIR GAME TO LOSE

2012-01-12T15:17:00.002-05:00

The Giants are going to have to be near perfect to beat Green Bay. (AP photo)

By Steve Morton, GameDay Staff Writer

When the 2011 NFL season began, many figured the road to Super Bowl XLVI would go through Green Bay. Certainly, however, no one figured it would be the New York Giants that would be the team driving through.

Sunday’s showdown in Green Bay is without a doubt the “can’t miss” playoff game of the week. Although I know few will miss Tim Tebow and the Broncos postseason encore against the Patriots on Saturday, you have to love the matchup on Sunday against the defending Super Bowl champs and the hot-streaking Giants.

The two teams met in Week 13 of the regular season, with the Packers (15-1) upending the Giants (10-7) by a field goal on the game’s final drive. The Giants made an impressive fourth-quarter touchdown drive and tied the game at 35 apiece after making a two-point conversion with 58 seconds left in the game. The Giants defense, however, put up little resistance to Aaron Rogers and the Packers offense, which moved the ball almost at will and scored on a Mason Crosby 31-yard field goal as time expired.

The rematch should be just as interesting. And though the Packers are at the moment an 8.5-point favorite, I still believe the Giants are the team to beat.

For starters, the Giants defense is playing at a much higher level now than it was six weeks ago. The Giants showed what they are capable of last Sunday against the Falcons, shutting down the sixth-ranked offense and pitching a shutout. Mind you, the Falcons' lone two points of the game were scored on a safety by the Falcons' defense. The Giants defense allowed the Falcons nothing offensively. Quarterback Matt Ryan was held to a mere 183 yards and running back Michael Turner held to just 41. The Giants had also stuffed the Falcons three times on fourth down conversion attempts, keeping them from scoring.

Ironically enough, coming into the game, the Falcons had scored 31 or more points in three of their last four games. Not so against the Giants. New York is now allowing an average of less than 10 points per game in its last three games and has compiled 13 sacks.

Granted, the Packers are the true team to beat this postseason, but it was only four seasons ago that these two teams met in Lambeau Field in the NFC Championship game. The Giants upset the favored Packers that year by a field goal in overtime.

Now say what you want about me, but I’ve been screaming about how inconsistent the Giants have played all year. But the last three weeks have been different. The Giants are a team that have hit their stride and have played extremely well over that time.

Do the Packers pose an immense threat to the Giants continuing yet another magic carpet ride as they did in 2007? You bet. Can the Packers be beat? You better believe it.

The Giants were close to being the first team to beat the Packers in Week 13. And I must ask why would someone say the Packers are clear winners by eight or more points when they weren’t able to beat the Giants by more than three in the regular season. I look for New York defensive coordinator Perry Fewell and his charges to figure out a way to surprise Rogers and the Title Town faithfuls. The Packers defense is way more porous than the Giants.

As the saying goes defense wins championships. I wouldn’t call it an upset though. I think the Giants are really the better team right now. So look for a Giant win on Sunday, 20-17.

WE RANK THE TOP 10 MOST INTIMIDATING SPORTS LOGOS FROM BOTH PRO AND COLLEGE

2012-01-12T13:31:00.001-05:00

If you're a sports fan, you know how important a team's logo is. Introduce a new logo or change an existing one and sports fans from around the world will chime in on what they think about it, the good, bad and ugly. Of course, we're no different here at GameDay. But we noticed there was one group of logos that is often overlooked when counting down the best in the business. So, we've rectified that by creating our own Top 10 list of the most intimidating sports logos today, the ones that are designed to strike fear into the opposition. We polled five members of the team here at GameDay and came up with the one and only top 10 list of the most intimidating logos in sports, which, believe it or not, is the rarest of all logos. As always, we want to hear what you think, whether you agree or not, in the comments section below.

10. CHICAGO BULLS

If you look into the bull's eyes, you can't say you wouldn't freak out if you came face to face with it. The flaming nostrils and horns make for an intimidating logo, especially with the overall angry demeanor portrayed in the bull's red and black face. The Bulls logo held off the Baltimore Ravens and the San Jose Sharks logos for the 10th spot. The Bulls were listed as high as No. 3 on one ballot.

9. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

Two voters had the Philadelphia Eagles logo ranked as high as No. 6, and it's not hard to see why. The eagle may not appear to be a menacing creature, but add an attacking beak, a crazed look in the eye and the appearance of the animal in flight, ready to attack, and you have one heck of an intimidating logo.

8. WAKE FOREST DEMON DEACONS

If the ready-to-fight (or worse) Demon Deacon face above doesn't at least give you the creeps than you're tougher than most. Wake Forest is based in Winston Salem and is a Southern Baptist college, which automatically congers up theology and religious aspects - in the creepiest way possible. The Demon Deacon was listed as high as No. 4 on one ballot and No. 5 on another.

7. WESTS TIGERS

The Wests Tigers professional rugby team's logo couldn't be denied in our vote, even though it could have been considered an underdog (or tiger). The tiger logo is easily the fiercest of the many, many logos that hold the same nickname. The Wests logo is simply ready to maul anyone in its path. That was good enough for one ballot to have the Wests Tigers logo at No. 2.

6. BINGHAMTON BEARCATS

The Binghamton Bearcats may not be a household name, but their logo definitely sets them apart from most other college programs. The green beast has just one intention here, to do bodily harm to whomever is in its path. Binghamton was listed on four of five ballots and reached No. 4 on two of those.

5. NEW ORLEANS VOODOO

While the previous five teams in our rankings were very close in total points, our final five were in its own class. It starts with the New Orleans Voodoo of the Arena Football League. The witch doctor-type logo above fits right into the underground New Orleans scene that, yes, involves voodoo. That underground, and corresponding logo, is flat-out scary and something no one wants to get involved with. The Voodoo was named on three of five ballots, but was high on those, ranking No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4.

4. NASHVILLE PREDATORS

The two huge fangs coming out of the predator's mouth above could make this logo the most hellish on our list. The silver color doesn't help ease anyone's fears, as the Nashville Predators logo appears to be half-machine, half-beast. That plays right into the Predators moniker. Not surprisingly, the Predators logo is the first on our list to receive a first-place vote. It was listed on four of five ballots, with ranks at No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 and No. 10. With those impressive numbers, you know the top three have to be great.

3. OAKLAND RAIDERS

We've seen this intimidating Oakland Raiders logo so much that it may have lost a twinge of its aura. But make no mistake, this logo still strikes fear into any opposition. It represents intimidation. It represents violence. It represents criminal activity. The logo represents some really bad dudes, none of which you'd ever want to mess with. The Raiders logo was scary enough to garner a first-place vote from our panel. It was named on four of five ballots, with ranks of No. 1, No. 3, No. 5 and No. 7.

2. MONMOUTH HAWKS

There's just something intimidating and flat-out creepy about this blue hawk with evil yellow eyes. That's not to mention its huge wing that could be hiding God knows what behind it. Monmouth may not be on the major college sports map, but its logo certainly is. It's one of the darkest logos on our list and, obviously, made a great impact on our voters to come in at No. 2 overall. It received one first place vote and was placed in the top five on four ballots. One ballot left Monmouth off, but that didn't slow its momentum, with ranks of No. 1, No. 3, No. 5, and No. 5. While those ranks were impressive, they weren't anywhere near our No. 1 most intimidating logo in pro and college sports.

1. ARMY BLACK KNIGHTS

The Army Black Knight sliced its way to the top spot on our most intimidating logo list, becoming the far and away winner. Army was the only logo voted upon that was named on all five of our ballots. It got one first-place vote, two second-place votes, one fourth-place vote and one fifth-place vote. The difference between No. 1 Army and No. 2 Monmouth was huge. The black knight holding the sword proved to be unbeatable, and there's no question the intimidation factor was turned on high. The caped-warrior is ready for battle and none of us would be able to stop him, or even challenge him. Simply put, Army nailed its logo and is clearly the most intimidating sports logo in the world. I dare you to tell the black knight above otherwise.

Agree or disagree? Have your own thoughts? Let us know in the comments section. The voters in our list were Brad Carroll, Craig Carroll, Glenn Carroll, Steve Morton and Matt Straub.

JETS NEWS & ANALYSIS: ANONYMOUS MEMBERS OF THE JETS SPEAKING AGAINST MARK SANCHEZ NEED A GIANT REALITY CHECK, AND BACKBONE

2012-01-11T19:38:00.007-05:00

Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez has support of many players. (AP photo)

Leave it to the New York Jets to completely take over the NFL playoffs in a year they aren't even part of them. First, late Tuesday night, offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer told the team he would not return next season. Then, around noon Wednesday, the Jets officially announced former Dolphins coach Tony Sparano would take over the position.

If that wasn't enough, word spread quickly about a story in the New York Daily News that had some Jets players and people in the organization bashing quarterback Mark Sanchez.

That story was enough to switch what should have been an otherwise a great day for Jets fans, into one of anger against a few cowards who ripped one of their own while not attaching their names to any of the quotes. The backlash against these anonymous speakers has been quick and to the point, where many players, from within the team and outside it, to the fans to the media have ripped them all for being gutless.

Gutless is exactly what these anonymous speakers are. The worst part is the quotes attributed are full of stupidity, ignorance and flat-out jealousy.

The anonymous quotes come across as some guy sitting on his couch watching SportsCenter screaming at the television as to what the Jets should do this offseason. That's all well and good for fans, but shouldn't be what players and members of the organization are doing, especially under secrecy. The Jets need to bring in a capable backup quarterback to compete with Sanchez, they cried. The Jets need to add Peyton Manning and trade Sanchez, they pleaded.

Of course, the best part is they make it all sound so easy. Trade for Manning? Simple. In fact, let's go out and trade for Calvin Johnson and Arian Foster and DeMarcus Ware too. Heck, we need a wide receiver, a great running back and a pass-rusher. Just trade away Santonio Holmes and Shonn Greene. Simple, right?

There's also clear jealousy from the quotes. One "source" in the article was taken aback that Sanchez was called "Sanchise" and was the face of the franchise. Last time I checked, Sanchez never dubbed himself the "Sanchise." And, guess what "Anonymous" ... Sanchez is the face of the franchise, whether you like it or not. As long as he's here, he is it. Again, did Sanchez go to the organization and the media and fans and ask to be that person. Absolutely not.

The biggest problem with the quotes, however, has to do with accountability. And that has nothing to do with attaching your name to quotes. It's all about facing reality.

Unless these quotes came from Darrelle Revis, David Harris or Nick Mangold (and Mangold was quick to defend Sanchez, first on Twitter, and then going on the radio to voice his outright anger at the anonymous quotes), then everyone needs to shut up. Why? Because every single member of the Jets organization, outside of the above three names, were terrible this season. Terrible.

Sanchez was bad this season, no doubt, but he wasn't the only one. The offense was bad all-around. The defense was bad all-around. The special teams were as well. Save for a few, the entire Jets team took a giant step back this year, as evidenced by their 8-8 record and failure to reach the postseason.

These anonymous speakers need to look in the mirror and start pointing the blame at themselves. Get a reality check.

So, these players can spew all the hate they want at Sanchez, it only makes them look foolish in the end. Not one player, media member or fan is saying anything positive about the anonymous speakers. In fact, if they were exposed, wishful thinking, they would be ostracized in the locker room.

And, one last item for these gutless wonders, do you really believe Manning wants to come to the Jets and enter that locker room, where players feel like they should talk smack about their own teammates to the media without the courage to attach their names to the quotes? Heck no.

Maybe there was a chance the Jets could have traded for Manning this offseason. They made a nearly equal splash a few years back, trading for Brett Favre. But thanks to a few spoiled, ignorant and jealous players and members of the organization, you can kiss Manning goodbye.

Just another embarrassing addition to your embarrassing, gutless quotes.

REX RYAN, JETS EXCITED TO ADD TONY SPARANO

2012-01-11T17:19:00.003-05:00

Rex Ryan and Mike Tannenbaum decided on Tony Sparano. (AP photo)

Here are the statements released by the New York Jets after the official hiring of Tony Sparano as offensive coordinator.

Sparano: "I'm very proud to be part of such an outstanding organization and to have an opportunity to work with these players. I know this division very well and I'm looking forward to that challenge. I'd like to thank Mr. Johnson, Mike Tannenbaum and Coach Ryan for giving me the opportunity."

Jets head coach Rex Ryan: "When we sat down with Tony, I knew that he was the right person at the right time for our offense. I've admired his work as a competitor in the division for the past three seasons. His teams were always physical, tough and hard-nosed."

JETS MAKE IT OFFICIAL, HIRE TONY SPARANO AS NEW OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR; HALEY NEXT?

2012-01-11T12:05:00.010-05:00

Tony Sparano is the Jets new offensive coordinator. (AP photo)

The Jets have officially announced the hiring of Tony Sparano as offensive coordinator. The former Miami Dolphins head coach replaces Brian Schottenheimer, who left the organization late Tuesday night. This will be Sparano's first job as a coordinator, although he did call the offensive plays for the Dallas Cowboys in 2006.

ESPN's Adam Scheftler reported today that former Kansas City Chiefs head coach Todd Haley will interview for a position with the Jets today, most likely as an assistant head coach and passing game coordinator. Haley would make a lot of sense seeing as he can work with quarterback Mark Sanchez closely.

BRIAN SCHOTTENHEIMER WON'T RETURN AS JETS COORDINATOR, TONY SPARANO TO TAKE OVER

2012-01-10T23:57:00.028-05:00

Brian Schottenheimer won't be with the Jets next season. (AP photo)

The day Jets fans have been hoping for, but never thought would actually happen, has finally become reality. The Jets announced Tuesday night that offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer won't return next season. Multiple media reports have the Jets hiring former Dolphins coach Tony Sparano as the new offensive coordinator. He reportedly will be introduced Wednesday.

Schottenheimer signed a two-year contract extension last offseason but the offense tanked again this season, with quarterback Mark Sanchez regressing instead of progressing. Their was no vertical passing game and the running game, a former staple, struggled this season. Overall, the Jets were ranked 25th in offense. The offensive struggles were commonplace, however, for the past six years under Schottenheimer.

When word spread that Schottenheimer wouldn't return, message boards across the internet began to light up, with one poster simply saying, "This is the greatest day of my life." That feeling, although a little extreme, is close to what every Jets fan is going through right now. It's pure elation.

Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum and coach Rex Ryan said after the season they would welcome Schottenheimer back if he didn't get a head coaching job elsewhere. That, however, was seen as merely giving Schottenheimer a chance to become a head coach instead of simply firing him right away. Money was also a big factor in not firing him, as he was still due $3.2 million for the next two seasons.

Schottenheimer interviewed for the Jaguars head coaching position, but that job went to Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey Tuesday.

"After much thought and consideration, I have decided not to return to the New York Jets in 2012," Schottenheimer said in a statement. "I am very proud of what we have accomplished in the six years I have been here. I am grateful for the relationships that I have with our players and coaches and appreciate the hard work and dedication that went into our success. My family and I would like to thank Rex Ryan and the entire Jets organization and wish them continued success. I look forward to the exciting opportunities that lie ahead."

Schottenheimer joins Bill Callahan (offensive line) and Henry Ellard (wide receivers) as coaches who won't return next season. Callahan decided to take the same job with the Dallas Cowboys.

"Brian and I talked and I understand his decision to look for a fresh start," Ryan said in a statement. "I'd like to thank him for all of his contributions these past three seasons. He's been right there with me, shoulder to shoulder, and played a key role in our success, helping us to reach two AFC Championship games. As I've said before, coaching is in his bloodlines, he has a tremendous work ethic and I consider myself fortunate to have worked with him. He has acquired a lot of experience at a young age and has a bright future in front of him. I know that he will be a successful head coach one day - probably sooner than later."

The final straw for Ryan and the Jets with Schottenheimer had to come against the Giants in the Battle for New York. Schottenheimer called 67 pass plays in embarrassingly bad offensive showing in a 29-14 loss that basically knocked the Jets out of the playoffs. Read all about that disaster right here.

Now, the Jets finally move forward.

Sparano, the new Jets offensive coordinator, is a disciple of Bill Parcells. He was 29-32 in three-plus seasons as head coach of the Dolphins. He was fired with three weeks left in the season. Sparano's teams in Miami were anything but offensive juggernauts, so it will be interesting to see if he can turn the Jets offense around. He also couldn't turn young quarterback Chad Henne into a dependable starter. Obviously, Sparano is going to work closely with Sanchez.

Sparano has never been a coordinator in the NFL, but did call plays for the Cowboys in 2006.

Only time will tell if Sparano can bring a spark to the Jets stagnant offense, but with Schottenheimer finally gone, nothing can bring Jets fans down from this long-awaited moment.

NFL WILD CARD WINNERS AND LOSERS: WE NAME OUR WINNERS (TEBOW, TEXANS, BREES) AND LOSERS (STEELERS DEFENSE, SMITH, DALTON)

2012-01-10T14:51:00.002-05:00

In this playoff edition of Thoughts & Observations from the NFL's wild card weekend, we break down the top three winners and the top three losers from the week that was. Have your own thoughts? Let everyone know in the comments section below. But, for now, it's time for some winners and losers.

WINNERS

Tim Tebow led the Broncos to victory. (AP photo)

* Tim Tebow: I almost can't even explain what the Broncos quarterback accomplished against the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday. Tebow, who many thought wasn't good enough to play quarterback in this league, including us here at GameDay, were again thrown for a loop. The Broncos quarterback threw for 316 yards on just 10 completions against the NFL's best defense. Included in that total was Tebow's 80-yard touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas on the first play in overtime, one that gave the Broncos a 29-23 upset in Denver. Tebow's completion percentage was still under 50 percent, but he made up for it by completing big play after big play. Tebow hit on five passes of at least 30 yards against the Steelers, a team that allowed just six of those passes all season. Tebow averaged 25.1 yards per pass on throws 15 yards or more Sunday. The Steelers allowed an average of just 7.8 during the regular season. His final pass was a perfectly thrown ball to Thomas, hitting him in stride over the middle against a defense that was playing the run. Thomas did the rest. "When I saw him scoring, first of all, I just thought, 'Thank you, Lord,'" Tebow said. "Then, I was running pretty fast, chasing him - like I can catch up to D.T. Then I just jumped into the stands, first time I've done that. That was fun. Then, got on a knee and thanked the Lord again and tried to celebrate with my teammates and the fans." Interesting note, Tebow threw for 316 yards and had a 31.6 yards per completion average. That was after a week of John Elway telling him to "pull the trigger." John 3:16, Tebow's favorite bible verse.

The Texans won their first-ever playoff game. (AP)

* Houston Texans: There was way too many great individual performances by the first-time entry into the NFL playoffs to single out just one. Overall, the Texans 31-10 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals was a huge moment in the franchise's history, with it being the team's first-ever playoff win. That's big. But how Houston got to that win was just as impressive. On offense, the Texans stars came to play. Arian Foster, the Texans' all-world running back, rushed for 153 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries, a 6.4 yards per carry average. He also had 102 of that 153-yard total come before first contact. He averaged 55.8 yards before carry during the regular season. Star wide receiver Andre Johnson, who has been hampered by injury all season long, had a big game as well for the Texans. He caught five passes for 90 yards and a touchdown. On defense, Houston intercepted Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton three times and sacked him three times. The secondary was outstanding, holding Dalton to a 51.4 rating. The biggest play, however, was made by a defensive lineman. With the score tied at 10 in the final minute of the first half, Dalton's short pass to the right flat was intercepted by J.J. Watt. The lineman then returned the athletic pick for a game-changing touchdown. "It changed the momentum of the game," Houston linebacker Brian Cushing said. Watt also became the first rookie lineman in postseason history to return an interception for a touchdown.

Drew Brees. (AP)

* Drew Brees: I'm not sure anyone can stop the New Orleans offense this postseason, especially quarterback Drew Brees, who is on an unbelievable run this entire season. Brees, who set the all-time single-season passing yards record this year, picked up right where he left off Saturday. He threw for 466 yards and three touchdowns as the Saints advanced to the divisional round with a 45-28 victory over the Detroit Lions. The Saints had 626 total yards of offense, which just so happened to break that record set 49 years earlier. "We were pulling out all the stops," Brees said. "We play aggressive. We're not going to apologize for that. That gives guys in the huddle a lot of confidence. We're not going to pull the reins back. It's pedal to the medal." Brees and the Saints now play the San Francisco 49ers on the road. The Saints have never won a road playoff game, but with how this season has gone, there's no reason to believe they won't snap that record either.

* New York Giants: To read the highlights from the Giants victory over the Falcons, click here.

LOSERS

Mike Smith. (AP)

* Mike Smith: If a football coach at any level wants to call a quarterback sneak on a fourth-and-one play, I have no problem with that. But if that same coach calls that same play later in the game after the first attempt failed miserably, I have a big problem with it. Falcons coach Mike Smith did just that against the New York Giants Sunday, with Matt Ryan getting stuffed both times. The Giants took advantage of the second failure, scoring on a 72-yard pass from Eli Manning to Hakeem Nicks that put the game away. It's not the first time a fourth-and-one play cost the Falcons. Smith called for the Falcons to go for it from that distance in overtime against the Saints during the regular season deep in their own end. Atlanta came up short and the Saints turned the stop into an easy win. Smith has turned the Falcons into regular season winners, winning 10 games this season, and are becoming a mainstay in the playoffs. But they are 0-3 in the postseason. The Falcons are passed the point of simply being happy to qualify for the playoffs, they need to start winning. Scoring just two points against the Giants isn't going to cut it. If Smith can't get the Falcons past the first round of the playoffs, if they even make it, next season, he could quickly be on the hot seat. With his fourth-and-short calls, that shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone.

Mike Tomlin. (AP)

* Steelers Defense: Coming into Sunday's showdown with the Denver Broncos, the focus for the Steelers was on quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and whether or not he would be able to physically lead his team to victory. Nobody was concerned coming in about the Steelers defense. After all, they were the No. 1 unit in the NFL this season and were playing a Broncos offense that featured a quarterback who couldn't throw the ball. If the Steelers could put together two or three scoring drives with Roethlisberger under center, this was going to be an easy win. Then, during the game, Tim Tebow went out and threw for 316 yards against that defense. Completed five passes of at least 30 yards against that defense. And, after the Steelers offense brought the team back to force overtime, Tebow hit Demaryius Thomas for an 80-yard touchdown on the first play to send Denver to the divisional round and Pittsburgh home. On that first and only play of overtime, the Steelers defense was playing the run to the point where the safeties were nowhere in sight when Thomas caught the ball over the middle. Not even Troy Polamalu could make up for cheating to the line of scrimmage. It was a fitting end for a defense that looked foolish against Tebow.

Andy Dalton. (AP)

* Andy Dalton: In a game that featured two rookie quarterbacks going head-to-head for the first time in the Super Bowl era, Dalton was outplayed by the unheralded T.J. Yates as the Texans advanced with a victory over the Bengals Saturday. Dalton, who had a tremendous regular season, did not play well in his first playoff game. He was 27-for-42 for 257 yards and three interceptions. One of his interceptions turned the game completely around, as Dalton was picked off by defensive lineman J.J. Watt and returned it for a touchdown. The return score changed a likely 10-10 game at halftime into a 17-10 deficit for the Bengals. It also gave Houston and the crowd all the momentum they would need to take charge in the second half for what turned out to be an easy win. It wasn't all Dalton's fault for sure, as coach Marvin Lewis deserves a lot of blame as well. The Bengals are 0-3 in the playoffs under Lewis. In those three losses, the Bengals scored first each time. That's not a good sign for Lewis, who somehow is still the coach in Cincinnati. At least the future is bright for the Bengals, with Dalton and A.J. Green leading the way.

ALABAMA FINISHES NO. 1 IN FINAL AP POLL: CRIMSON TIDE EASILY WIN TOP SPOT, WHILE LSU FINISHES SECOND AND OKLAHOMA STATE THIRD

2012-01-10T02:02:00.007-05:00

A.J. McCarron and Alabama are champions. (AP photo)

Split national champions? Forget about it. After its 21-0 dismantling of LSU in the BCS national championship game Monday night, Alabama was voted as the No. 1 team in the AP poll. Couple that with the Crimson Tide being the top team in the coaches poll, and it's a sweep for Alabama.

Alabama received 54 first-place votes in garnering the top spot in the AP poll. It was the Tide's eighth time ending the season No. 1, which ties Notre Dame for the most ever. LSU finished No. 2 in the poll and Oklahoma State was third. The Tigers got one first-place vote, while the Cowboys received four.

Oregon was No. 4 and Arkansas was No. 5. Rounding out the rest of the Top 10: Southern Cal was No. 6, Stanford No. 7, Boise State No. 8, South Carolina No. 9 and Wisconsin No. 10.

No.'s 11-20 were: Michigan State, Michigan, Baylor, TCU, Kansas State, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Houston, Georgia and Southern Miss. No.'s 21-25 were: Virginia Tech, Clemson, Florida State, Nebraska and Cincinnati.

ALABAMA WINS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP: CRIMSON TIDE DOMINATE LSU TO FINISH NO. 1, BUT OKLAHOMA STATE HAS CASE AS WELL

2012-01-09T23:54:00.004-05:00

Alabama celebrates its BCS title game victory. (AP photo)

With the way LSU played Monday night in the BCS title game, even the Tigers' biggest supporters couldn't make a case for split national champions. Alabama thoroughly dominated its SEC rival. Dominated them so badly, in fact, that the Tigers shouldn't even end the season ranked No. 2 in the final polls.

Based on this one game in New Orleans, Alabama is the undisputed national champion, to the point where if someone votes LSU No. 1, they should be stripped of their privileges immediately.

Alabama kicked five field goals before finally scoring a touchdown on a big Trent Richardson run in the fourth quarter. The Tide missed the extra point, making the scoreboard read a more cosmetic 21-0. Alabama's defense made LSU's offense look like a bunch of kids playing against men. It was bad. It was embarrassingly bad for LSU. Zero points in the national championship bad. Crossing the 50-yard line just once bad.

It was also embarrassingly bad for LSU coach Les Miles, who was beaten in every phase by Alabama coach Nick Saban. I thought Miles turned things around this season, as his Tigers were clearly the best team in the land before bowl season. But he isn't a great coach, and he was put to shame by Saban on the biggest stage of them all.

Alabama will finish No. 1 in both polls, but that doesn't mean it's Roll Tide all the way. Oklahoma State had just as much right to play for the national title as Alabama did. I would say more so. The Cowboys, however, have no shot at becoming a split national champion. Why? Because they never got the chance.

In a BCS title game void of any kind of offense, it would have been great to see what the Oklahoma State offense could have done against either the LSU or Alabama defenses. I'm nearly positive they would score more than the zero put up by the Tigers Monday night.

There might be a silver lining to having three teams all with a case to play for the title this season. The BCS committee will meet Tuesday to talk about changes to the current system. Changes that absolutely have to be made. There won't be a big playoff tournament, but a "plus one" system could be put in place that would be far and away the best thing for college football as a whole.

The "plus one" system would pit the BCS's No. 1 team against the No. 4 team in one bowl game and then the No. 2 team against the No. 3 team in the standings. So, this year, No. 1 LSU would play No. 4 Stanford and No. 2 Alabama would play No. 3 Oklahoma State. The winners would then play for a national championship one week later. I don't believe there is anyone out there that wouldn't be up for that. In fact, Saban has backed that plan.

Alabama is this season's national champion, but nobody can say the Tide are better than Oklahoma State. The Tide may have beaten the Cowboys, but then again, the Cowboys may have beaten the Tide. Unfortunately, we won't get the answer this season. But maybe, hopefully, that all changes next season.

GIANTS BEAT FALCONS: PIERRE-PAUL: GIANTS WILL BEAT PACKERS NEXT WEEK, '100 PERCENT'

2012-01-08T22:11:00.006-05:00

Jason Pierre-Paul says he's sure Giants will beat Packers. (AP photo)

The Giants may have been set as 8.5-point underdogs for their NFC divisional playoff game next Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, but don't tell that to Jason Pierre-Paul. The Giants defensive end basically guaranteed his team would beat the top-seed in the NFC, saying he was "100 percent" sure Big Blue would advance to the NFC championship game.

"We know what's at stake, and we know it's one and done," Pierre-Paul said. "We aren't going to let that happen. We are going to go out there and give all our effort and we are going to walk away with a win."

Pierre-Paul first said he was "80 percent" sure the Giants would win, before changing it to "100 percent."

"We should," Pierre-Paul said of winning the game. "We're sure."

The Giants played the Packers at home during the regular season and lost 38-35. The Giants tied the game at 35 with 58 seconds to play after an Eli Manning touchdown pass to Hakeem Nicks and a D.J. Ware two-point conversion run. But the hosts allowed Green Bay to move downfield almost at will and Mason Crosby ended up kicking a game-winning 31-yard field goal as time expired.

The Giants defense, however, is playing as well as anyone right now and obviously, from Pierre-Paul's words, are as confident as ever.

GIANTS DEFEAT FALCONS: WE HAND OUT GAME BALLS (GIANTS DEFENSE, NICKS, MANNING, MORE) AND GAME FALLS (NOT MANY) AFTER WIN

2012-01-08T17:30:00.004-05:00

We're handing out game balls and game falls after the Giants defeated the Atlanta Falcons, 24-2, in an NFC wild card playoff game Sunday. The Giants now advance to the divisional round to play the 15-1 Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Already, Big Blue is listed as a 10-point underdog. I'm sure the Giants don't care about that right now.

The Game Balls

Osi Umenyiora and the Giants dominated. (AP photo)

* Giants Defense: We'll break out some individual performances below, but the biggest reason the Giants won this game against the Falcons was because of the defense. The entire defense. The Falcons were able to put up just two points in the game, a safety the defense had nothing to do with. Remember, this Giants defense was the worst among playoff teams. They were allowing a whopping 25 points per game. That defense, however, didn't show up on Sunday. And that was great news for Giants fans. The very explosive Falcons offense put up just 247 yards of total offense. Matt Ryan passed for just 199 and Michael Turner had just 41 yards on 15 carries. The Falcons looked completely inept. The two biggest plays of the game came on fourth-and-one rushes by Ryan, with the second changing the complexion of the game. The Falcons were trailing 10-2 with the ball at the Giants' 21 with 4:16 to play in the third quarter. Coach Mike Smith decided to go for it, calling a Ryan sneak, a play that had already been stuffed by the Giants defense earlier in the game. This result was no different ... the Giants stuffed Ryan again and three plays later Eli Manning hit Hakeem Nicks for a 72-yard touchdown pass to finish off the Falcons. If Smith actually calls a legit play, and the Falcons go on to score and get the two-point conversion, it's a 10-10 game. The Giants defense was dominate, something they will need to be against Green Bay next Sunday.

Hakeem Nicks. (AP)

* Hakeem Nicks: All the attention has gone to Victor Cruz this season, especially over the last several weeks, but the best receiver on the Giants is Nicks. That's not taking anything away from Cruz, who has been simply awesome this season for Big Blue, but the go-to guy for quarterback Eli Manning is Nicks. The Giants put the game away with 2:58 left in the third quarter when Manning hit Nicks on a crossing route. Nicks took the pass, turned upfield, split through a host of Falcons defenders and ran 72 yards for a touchdown. The catch-and-pass gave the Giants a 17-2 lead, something they weren't going to relinquish. The play was all Nicks, as he made the Falcons defense look foolish. On the day, the North Carolina product caught six passes for 115 yards and two touchdowns. The Giants needed those big numbers, as Cruz, the team's all-time leader in single-season receiving yards, was held to just two catches for 28 yards. Mario Manningham also made his presence known for the first time in a long while, catching four passes for 68 yards a touchdown. The Giants are rolling into Green Bay with three talented wide receivers at their disposal.

Brandon Jacobs. (AP)

* Brandon Jacobs: The Giants running back has had turbulent career in New York. He's played great at times, terrible at others, and has even called out Giants fans, something that obviously didn't sit well with Big Blue supporters. But Sunday there was nothing but cheers for Jacobs, as he had one of the best games of his career. Jacobs rushed 14 times for 92 yards, a 6.6 yards per carry average. He broke free for a 32-yard run that got the crowd even more into the game, if that was possible. Jacobs also rushed for a first down on a fourth-and-one play from the Falcons' 6, setting up a Nicks touchdown that gave the Giants a 7-2 lead. The Giants running game has been terrible this season. In fact, they had the lowest ranked rushing game in the league. But, led by Jacobs, the Giants rushed for a season-high 172 yards against the Falcons. That number included Jacobs rushing for 42 yards after first contact.

Jason Pierre-Paul. (AP)

* Jason Pierre-Paul: The Giants defense, as we wrote earlier, was simply dominate against the Falcons and, not surprisingly, Pierre-Paul was heavily involved in the effort. Pierre-Paul was the one who stopped Ryan on the fourth-and-one sneak in the third quarter, giving the Giants the ball back, which the offense quickly turned into a 17-2 lead. The Giants defensive end had eight tackles in the game, including six solo and two which caused the Falcons to lose yardage. He was third on the team in tackles, which is as tremendous feat for a defensive lineman, trailing only Antrel Rolle and Chase Blackburn, who had nine each. Pierre-Paul, Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora give the Giants a fearsome group of pass rushers that are only getting better as the season continues. That's bad news for Aaron Rodgers and the Packers.

Eli Manning. (AP)

* Eli Manning: There are a lot of deserving Giants that could get this final "game ball," including coach Tom Coughlin (who has gone from the coaching hot seat to being two wins away from the Super Bowl) and Chase Blackburn (the Giants linebacker who had a huge game, with nine total tackles), but you can't go wrong with the performance of Manning. The Giants quarterback passed for 277 yards and three touchdowns, which are great numbers for any passer in the league. But that's not what gets him the "game ball" directly. Early in the second quarter, with both teams unable to do anything on offense, and the Giants giving up two points to Atlanta already, Manning and the Giants faced a third-and-two from their own 23. With no options downfield, Manning took off and raced 14 yards for the first down. The Giants, who took possession with 10:19 to go in the quarter, ended up scoring on a Manning four-yard touchdown pass to Nicks. The score came with 2:47 to go in the half, as Manning's scramble allowed the Giants to hold possession for 7:32. Later, Manning threw a perfect pass to Manningham in the end zone that gave the Giants a 24-2 lead with 9:55 to go in the game. There is no doubt Manning can compete with the best in the game.

The Game Falls

Victor Cruz. (AP)

* Victor Cruz: We've already dissected how good the Giants passing game was in the second half, with Nicks and Manningham both having tremendous games. But the man who set a new record for receiving yards in a single season for the Giants this year was a complete non-factor. Cruz caught just two passes for 28 yards against the Falcons. He looked skittish in the early going, dropping a couple of passes and not at all resembling the player who has become a quick star in New York. He was targeted five times in the game, tied for second on the team, but only brought it two of them. As the game went on, Manning looked to Nicks and Manningham instead of Cruz. The Giants obviously need Cruz to rebound next week against Green Bay.

Aaron Ross. (AP)

* Concussions: Two Giants players suffered concussions in the game against the Falcons. Cornerback Aaron Ross and running back D.J. Ware both suffered the injury and were forced out of the game, putting their playoff futures in doubt. The Ross injury could be an especially big loss for the Giants, as if he can't play next week, rookie Prince Amukamara will take his spot. Against the high-powered Packers passing game, that could be bad news for the Giants. Coughlin said after the game that he expects Ross to be good to go next Sunday, however.

JORGE POSADA TO ANNOUNCE RETIREMENT: WILL RETIRE AS ONE OF THE GREATEST YANKEES EVER, AND SHOULD BE A NO DOUBT HALL-OF-FAMER

2012-01-07T17:34:00.013-05:00

Jorge Posada should be a Hall of Fame catcher. (AP photo)

While he may not have gotten the ultimate sendoff of winning a World Series title last October, Yankees great Jorge Posada accomplished something on a personal level that has him leaving the sport with his head held high. One of best hitting catchers in baseball history is set to retire in the next two weeks, meaning he will end his legendary career right where it started - with the Yankees.

But it was the playoff series against the Detroit Tigers where Posada proved he was still a great player, despite what manager Joe Girardi, the media and some moronic Yankees fans would have you believe. Girardi, as we all know, had already benched Posada in the second half of the season, stripping him of the designated hitter role he held since the beginning of the year.

Posada, however, couldn't be taken out of the lineup in the playoffs. He had two hits in the deciding Game 5, one the Yankees lost where the other players on the team couldn't come through with the bat like Posada did. Posada batted .429 in the series, had a .579 on base percentage and was simply the team's best player. Not Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixiera, Curtis Granderson, Robinson Cano nor even Derek Jeter played as well as the man who was said to be done.

That fire and that heart is what Yankees fans will remember when Posada makes that decision to retire official. He was one of the greatest Yankees of all-time and I would put him in the Hall of Fame as well. It's a tough call, but he was the best hitting catcher of his generation. He batted .273 with 275 home runs and 1,065 RBI for his career. He was a five-time all-star and won five Silver Slugger awards. He finished third in the MVP voting in 2003 and sixth in 2007.

That alone might not get him in, but Posada's winning pedigree could be what puts him over the edge. It should be what gets him into the Hall. Posada, Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte were the core of a Yankees team that would win five World Series titles and dominate for more than a decade.

Posada may have gone through a tumultuous final season in the Bronx, but he became more popular than ever with real Yankees fans. They cheered his every plate appearance. They would explode when he came out of the dugout to pinch hit. They showed how much they wanted Posada in the game.

Here's what I wrote when Posada was benched by Girardi on August 7:

With all of that drama this season, the strangest thing could be Posada reaching his highest level of popularity ever. Since that May day where the Yankees tried to put Posada in a villainous light, every at-bat has drawn cheers from the crowd. When Posada is called in to pinch-hit at home, the crowd goes crazy. That is why this news isn't as sad for Yankees fans as it could have been.

Posada has always been a favorite of mine, as his name and number are just one of three that currently reside in my closet (with Andy Pettitte and Paul O'Neill the others.) But for most fans, he always lived in the shadow of Derek Jeter, Paul O'Neill, Mariano Rivera, Bernie Williams and probably more on the popularity scale. This year that changed.

So, even though Posada has had the worst season of his career, and his time in baseball is coming to an end, he finally reached the popularity level that he always deserved. I'm sure Posada would have liked that to happen differently, but in a season full of disappointment it is fitting he will go out on a high note nonetheless. The Yankees fans will make sure of it.

Yankees fans did make sure Posada went out on a high note. And Posada rewarded everyone with another October series to remember.

Thank you, Jorge, for being a true Yankee.

COLLEGE GAMEDAY REWIND CHAMPIONSHIP EDITION: BRAD CLINCHES SEASON TITLE OVER EVIL ONE AS ARKANSAS WINS COTTON BOWL

2012-01-07T14:38:00.003-05:00

Arkansas wins the Cotton Bowl, Brad wins the title. (AP photo)

Last year I won the GameDay Picks Championship going away, outdistancing the Evil One by six games. I more or less rolled to yet another season title from start to finish. This year was different, however, as Evil and I were neck-and-neck the whole way through. The lead for either one of us never swelled too large to overcome. It made for one great season.

With two games to pick - the Cotton Bowl and BCS National Championship - the two of us were separated by just one game, with me holding the edge. And, of course, it turned out that we both went in opposite directions in those final two bowl matchups. If I won one of the two games, I would claim the championship once again. If Craig took home both games, he would come back to win the title. Read our breakdown of the two games here and then check out the season finale of our college football show for more.

For those wanting an ultimate showdown in the BCS title game between the two of us, something I know Evil wanted, unfortunately for everyone except me, it ultimately didn't happen.

With Arkansas's 29-16 victory over Kansas State Friday in the Cotton Bowl, I captured the season-long race for GameDay supremacy. That win pushed my lead over Evil (otherwise known as Craig Carroll) to two games with just the BCS national title game left to be played. With that one game still in play, I hold a 69-50-1 record, two games better than Craig's current record of 67-52-1.

"It was a good year, but in the end, I was bested by Brad," the Evil One said.

Craig typically made his move in closing the gap against me during the bowl season, but he couldn't get separation this time around. We both went 11-7 picking bowl games.

There is still plenty of incentive left for everyone with our picks, however. First, we're both looking to pick the right champion this year. Last year, we both lost with Oregon against Auburn. This year, one of us will break that, as I went with LSU and he went with Alabama. Second, and probably the biggest personal goal of mine, is having the chance to finish 20 games over .500. That would be huge.

Either way, it's been a great season. One that is ending right where it should - with me keeping the GameDay championship right here.

Here's is the fully updated breakdown, with the review of the Cotton Bowl as well.

Brad's Bowl Week: 11-7 (spread); 12-6 (overall); 1-2 (upset picks)

Brad's Season: 69-50-1 (spread); 91-29 (overall); 7-8 (upset picks)

Brad's Money: UP $1,400 (season)

Craig's Bowl Week: 11-7 (spread)

Craig's Season: 67-52-1 (spread)

Craig's Money: UP $980 (season)

Joe’s Bowl Week: 8-10 (spread)

Joe’s Season: 11-16 (spread)

Joe’s Money: DOWN $660 (season)

Cotton Bowl

No. 6 Arkansas -8 vs. No. 8 Kansas State

My Pick: Arkansas 41, Kansas State 31

Actual Score: Arkansas 29, Kansas State 16

I hated giving up eight points in this game, but Arkansas was clearly the better team coming in, so I went with it. In the end, which was after a uneventful game, I not only had the win minus the points on Arkansas, but the overall GameDay season championship was in my possession as well. Kansas State did have its chances to cover the big spread, but couldn't get the job done in the end. I will say that it was great that FOX put this game in primetime on broadcast television. It's a shame that the BCS's home is on ESPN and not on broadcast television. Yeah, most people have cable by now, but ESPN shouldn't be broadcasting games of such magnitude. It cheapens a sport when its biggest games are on cable and not broadcast television. The national title game should absolutely be on ABC. ESPN doesn't rate a national championship.

COLLEGE GAMEDAY REWIND BOWL SPECIAL II: GAMEDAY PICKS CHAMPIONSHIP WILL COME DOWN TO GOOD VS EVIL IN FINAL TWO GAMES

2012-01-06T21:29:00.008-05:00

If Arkansas wins by more than eight, Brad wins the title. (AP photo)

The battle for the GameDay picks championship can be won tonight, as if Arkansas wins by more than eight points, I will claim the season title. The Evil One, otherwise known as Craig Carroll, is one game back, so he needs Kansas State to win outright or lose by seven points or less to remain alive. So, with that written, let's get right into the breakdown to see how we both got to this point.

Brad's Bowl Week: 10-7 (spread); 11-6 (overall); 1-2 (upset picks)

Brad's Season: 68-50-1 (spread); 90-29 (overall); 7-8 (upset picks)

Brad's Money: UP $1,300 (season)

Craig's Bowl Week: 11-6 (spread)

Craig's Season: 67-51-1 (spread)

Craig's Money: UP $1,090 (season)

Joe’s Bowl Week: 8-9 (spread)

Joe’s Season: 11-15 (spread)

Joe’s Money: DOWN $550 (season)

TicketCity Bowl

No. 22 Penn State +7 vs. No. 19 Houston

My Pick: Penn State 28, Houston 27

Actual Score: Houston 30, Penn State 14

I thought this game and spread was almost too good to be true. Penn State getting seven points against a team that played only one good team all season – and got destroyed in that game to boot. Yeah, give me Penn State plus the points. But Houston and quarterback Case Keenum made the pick look foolish in just minutes, as the Cougars jumped out to a 17-0 lead before the first quarter was even close to ending. Penn State made a little bit of a run, but with zero offense, that first quarter spurt by Houston was all she wrote for the pick on the Nittany Lions. All three of us (me, Craig and Joe) saw this game going the same way, and all three of us start the New Year off with a loss.

Capital One Bowl

No. 9 South Carolina -2.5 vs. No. 20 Nebraska

My Pick: South Carolina 24, Nebraska 21

Actual Score: South Carolina 30, Nebraska 13

Even though I picked a close final score in this game, I was as confident in South Carolina as I was with Penn State. Of course, after reading the above, that’s not saying much. But here I was absolutely right. South Carolina was not going to lose this game. It didn’t hurt that the Gamecocks completed a Hail Mary at the end of the first half that got them the lead and led to a run of three straight touchdowns to put the game away. This South Carolina squad, it should be noted, is the winningest team in program history. We all went with South Carolina to cover, and we all move to 1-1.

Gator Bowl

Ohio State +1.5 vs. Florida

My Pick: Ohio State 23, Florida 20

Actual Score: Florida 24, Ohio State 17

I incorrectly thought Ohio State would want to pull out all the stops to win this bowl game, seeing as the Buckeyes won’t play in one next season. But I didn’t take into account the other side of motivation, as in the Florida players, mainly the seniors, wanting to send a message to the new coach at Ohio State. Urban Meyer, the man who quit on the Gators after his savior Tim Tebow left town, is taking over the Buckeyes next year. Florida defensive lineman Jaye Howard said after the game he wanted to take his frustration of Meyer out on the Buckeyes. And the Gators did that, leaving Ohio State with its first losing season since 1988. I talked and wrote a lot about motivation this bowl season (click here for our Bowl Special I, Bowl Special II, and BCS title and Cotton Bowl Bowl Special), and I thought I had it pegged on Ohio State. Good for the Gators, who end a terrible season on a high note. Again, the three of us were thinking the same, and all of us take a loss on the Buckeyes. We’re each 1-2 on the day so far.

Kirk Cousins and Michigan State celebrate. (AP)

Outback Bowl

No. 17 Michigan State +3.5 vs. No. 16 Georgia

My Pick: Michigan State 28, Georgia 24

Actual Score: Michigan State 33, Georgia 30 (3 OT)

I got a ton of easy wins over the years going against Georgia and coach Mark Richt in what I would consider a big game. This year, however, the Bulldogs turned the corner and were actually winning games they wouldn’t have in the past. Still, I knew the ugly head of the Georgia program would reappear at the end of the season. First, I picked them to lose big against LSU in the SEC title game – they did, which wasn’t entirely surprising. Second, I picked them to lose outright here to Michigan State, a team, one paper, they should beat without problem. Georgia led 16-0 but the Spartans came back and tied the game in the final seconds. Then, in overtime, Richt and Georgia proved what I’ve been saying and writing all along – they can’t win the big game. With a chance to win in overtime, Richt settled for kicking a 42-yard field goal – on third down! That boneheaded decision was paid back with a miss on the kick. In the third overtime Michigan State would win after a field goal and then a block on a Georgia tying attempt. I had the upset pick in the bag and Georgia goes right back to being a major disappointment. I even my record at 2-2, while Craig does the same, picking the Spartans as well. Joe went on his own, picking Georgia, and falls to 1-3 with the loss.

Rose Bowl

No. 5 Oregon -6.5 vs. No. 10 Wisconsin

My Pick: Oregon 49, Wisconsin 42

Actual Score: Oregon 45, Wisconsin 38

Speed kills, right? Well, speed killed Wisconsin Monday night, as Oregon used it to run up and down the field and hold off a late surge by the Badgers to win the Rose Bowl. De’Anthony Thomas was the speed demon for the Ducks, breaking 91-yard and 64-yard touchdown runs that were all about quickness. For the pick, Wisconsin actually held a three-point lead in the fourth quarter, but the Ducks scored 10 straight to win by a touchdown and get me the win. Wisconsin had the ball with the chance to tie, but after a couple of huge completions, Russell Wilson spiked the ball with no time left to end the game. With two seconds left, the Wisconsin coaching staff should have let Wilson know he needed to snap the ball and run a play instead of spiking it. But it didn’t happen and a great Rose Bowl had a terrible ending. I’m not complaining, however, as I get the win to move to 3-2. It might just be one game over .500, but I’m actually ecstatic with the result. There was a point where I was thinking I could have been 0-5 or 1-4, so 3-2 is something I’ll run with. Craig also gets the win on Oregon to move to 3-2. Joe gets back in the win column, moving to 2-3 with the Ducks.

Justin Blackmon ruled the Fiesta Bowl. (AP)

Fiesta Bowl

No. 3 Oklahoma State -3.5 vs. No. 4 Stanford

My Pick: Oklahoma State 38, Stanford 28

Actual Score: Oklahoma State 41, Stanford 38 (OT)

I’ll start by saying the Fiesta Bowl was a tremendous game, culminating in an overtime win for Oklahoma State. Now, let’s get to the ending, which was ecstasy and agony rolled into one. Ecstasy: Oklahoma State ties the game at 38 with 2:35 to play. Agony: Andrew Luck drives Stanford to the Cowboys’ 17 in short order, setting up a potential game-winning 35-yard field goal. Ecstasy: Kicker Josh Williamson misses the kick to force overtime. Ecstasy and Agony: Williamson missed again to start overtime, which is good because a touchdown wins the game and the pick on Oklahoma State, but a field goal was now in play for the Cowboys, meaning a game win, but pick loss. Pure Ecstasy: Oklahoma State takes over after the missed field goal and Colton Chelf scores on a 24-yard touchdown pass that not only gets the Cowboys the victory, but we all get the win against the points, too. It was a truly unbelievable end to a great game. Agony: Oh, wait, there’s a review … and he’s a half-yard short. And, no, Oklahoma State doesn’t go for the touchdown. The Cowboys kick the field goal to win the game, which is all well and good. But the three-point win becomes a half-point loss for those backing the Cowboys. Agony and ecstasy, all wrapped into one final stretch. All three of us take losses on this game. I go into the final two picks with a 3-3 record. Craig does the same, coming in with a 3-3 record. Joe drops to 2-4 with just the Sugar and Orange bowls to go.

Denard Robinson and Michigan won the Sugar. (AP)

Sugar Bowl

No. 13 Michigan -2.5 vs. No. 11 Virginia Tech

My Pick: Michigan 31, Virginia Tech 24

Actual Score: Michigan 23, Virginia Tech 20 (OT)

This was a great win for the Michigan program, especially under whole new leadership with coach Brady Hoke. For Virginia Tech, it was another embarrassing loss under coach Frank Beamer. The Hokies played three solid opponents this season and they lost all three games, once to Michigan and twice to Clemson. Last year, Virginia Tech lost to Boise State. Beamer may be the best coach in the team’s history, and may be revered on campus, but does that mean the program should turn a blind eye to more losing? I don’t think so. Take all the talent and great teams Virginia Tech has had over the years and one fact remains – zero national titles for a coach that is treated like he has 10. Beamer is the worst big-game coach at a big-game school in as far back as I can remember. He doesn’t deserve to be treated like a God. But Virginia Tech is obviously one of those closed-off campuses from the real world that love its own and hate outsiders. How else do you explain the coach getting free pass after free pass? Good luck never winning anything, Virginia Tech. As for Michigan, the Big Ten could be there’s for the taking next year. One team is on the rise, the other is stuck with the status quo. You pick which one will have a legit shot at winning a national title in the coming years. All three of us take victories on the Wolverines. Craig and I both improve to 4-3, while Joe moves to 3-4.

Orange Bowl

No. 15 Clemson -3 vs. No. 23 West Virginia

My Pick: Clemson 37, West Virginia 30

Actual Score: West Virginia 70, Clemson 33

From one embarrassing ACC team to another, Clemson was the lowlight of the entire bowl season, allowing 70 points in the Orange Bowl. I don’t think there is any doubt which major conference is the worst now – the ACC. The Big East, including here with West Virginia, represented itself very well this bowl season and this was the exclamation point. The best the Big East has to offer is 70-33 better than the best the ACC has to offer. It’s simply embarrassing for the Tigers and their conference as a whole. Otherwise, not much to say about this game that saw the Mountaineers score 35 points in the second quarter. We all got sucked into the theory that the ACC was better than the Big East and we all take losses because of it. Craig and I finish with a 4-4 record, while Joe comes in at 3-5. The season race for GameDay supremacy will come down to the final two games of the season – the BCS National Championship and the Cotton Bowl. I lead Craig by just one game in the season race. We both went with opposite picks in the Cotton Bowl and BCS National Championship, so if Craig wins both of those games, he wins the title. If I win one of two, I win the crown. You can watch all of our picks of the final two games and more right here. It should be an interesting end to what has been a great bowl season so far.

GIANTS PLAYOFF PREVIEW: NFC WILD CARD MATCHUP AGAINST FALCONS JUST THE START OF SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR RED-HOT GIANTS

2012-01-06T02:41:00.003-05:00

Full steam ahead for Jason Pierre-Paul and the Giants. (AP photo)

By Steve Morton, GameDay Staff Writer

The best thing about this year’s NFL playoffs is that the New York Giants are in it. That hasn’t been a statement you could make since Big Blue was eliminated by Philadelphia in a windy divisional playoff game in the old Meadowlands Stadium in 2009. It’s hard to believe with all the talent the Giants roster has boasted in recent years that they’ve been absent from the postseason for three years, but that is the case.

On the good side, elated Giants fans have gotten to watch their team come around for the better and make a dramatic entrance into the playoff picture after clinching the NFC East last Sunday against the Cowboys.

Now, as the Giants gear up for the playoff matchup against Atlanta in front of their home crowd on wild card weekend Sunday, Giants fans everywhere will without a doubt be reminded of the magical Super Bowl season of 2007-08.

Like many, I’m wondering if once again the tumultuous team we’ve witnessed all season long was merely an opening act for a much larger play to come — a grand finale of epic proportions ... again.

Spectators learned in 2007-08 that the Giants are the born underdog — an unpredictable team content with flying under the radar. It’s a role in which they are comfortable and have flourished in over the years.

Face it. The Giants always play better when they have their back to the wall. The team’s two most recent wins in MetLife Stadium corroborate the point, defeating the Jets and Cowboys in win-or-go-home showdowns in the final two weeks of the regular season.

Mind you, the Giants were ranked 16th in the league if you listen to the "power rankings" before defeating the Jets, which were ranked 12th in Week 16. The following week, analysts favored Dallas, which was ranked 11th, to win the division over the Giants, who were ranked 12th at the time.

Like always, nobody picked the Giants and the Giants ended up surprising everyone.

Now the Giants are ranked 9th — ahead of both those teams and they’re in the playoffs. What’s more ironic is the Giants hold the same rank on Week 18 as they did before their unexpected Super Bowl run in 2008. Their current 9-7 record is one loss different than the 10-6 record they posted in 2007-08.

Atlanta (10-6), on the other hand, is currently ranked 7th. That’s right. The Falcons, which have yet to win a playoff game with quarterback Matt Ryan, are higher than Super Bowl XLII MVP Eli Manning and a red hot defense all because the Falcons have one more win than the G-Men and have scored at least 31 points in three of their final four games.

Well look at that. Once again the Giants are the underdog and no one is giving them or their 27th-ranked defense a chance.

Might I ask, did the Giants’ defense play like it was ranked 27th the past two weeks? The Giants defense held the Jets and Dallas to 14 points apiece. It recorded 11 sacks, three interceptions and two forced fumbles in those games. Sound like it’s ranked 27th? Maybe the Giants are just now getting healthy.

You may want to know the Giants are averaging 30 points a game over the past two weeks and its offense has gained more yards than Atlanta and averages nearly the same points per game. Still, just like the old days nobody gives the Giants a chance.

The saying goes that those who fail to learn their history are doomed to repeat it. Good news I suppose for Giants fans.

So where do the Giants stand? You could make the argument that the G-Men are a team that is locked and loaded to repeat what it did four seasons ago. Sure some of the cast has changed, some new scenery has been added. But the story is the same.

And the antagonists? Well there are some new ones, but the adversity is still the same.

Is there really that much more adversity involved in defeating Green Bay (15-1) than there was facing the 2007-08 Patriots in the Super Bowl, a team with a perfect 16-0 record?

Wasn’t it the Giants that went into the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field in the third coldest game recorded in football history and beat the great Brett Favre and the 13-3 Packers in the NFC Championships? Wasn’t it the Giants who in that same year marched into to Cowboys Stadium to beat a 13-3 Dallas team in the division finals?

Hmmm, 13-3 huh?

Again I’m forced to ask what’s so different about doing it then and doing it now in New Orleans (13-3) or San Francisco (13-3) or ultimately, possibly, against New England (13-3) ... again?

The fact of the matter is the stage is set. And, if you ask me, Atlanta will be in for a long afternoon.

The turbulent, inconsistent, unpredictable, downright dramatic underdog Giants are flying under the radar ... again ... and it’s a dangerous place to be for anyone who wants to survive the playoffs.

Don’t overlook the Giants; they’re just doing what they do best. The magic carpet ride is just getting started.

BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP PICKS COLUMN: NO. 1 LSU VS NO. 2 ALABAMA, PLUS WE PICK KANSAS STATE VS ARKANSAS IN COTTON BOWL

2012-01-05T18:43:00.008-05:00

Alabama and LSU play for the BCS championship. (AP photo)

Brad Carroll takes a look at the top college bowl games of the week

Bowl Week: 10-7 (spread); 11-6 (overall); 1-2 (upset picks)

Craig Carroll's Bowl Week: 11-6 (spread)

Overall Season: 68-50-1 (spread); 90-29 (overall); 7-8 (upset picks)

Craig Carroll's Season: 67-51-1 (spread)

Joe Fortunato’s Record: 11-15 (overall); 8-9 (bowl season)

BCS National Championship, Jan. 9

No. 1 LSU vs. No. 2 Alabama, 8:30 p.m., ESPN

The Skinny: In a bowl season that has featured some of the most exciting games in recent memory, you would believe the BCS national title game would be the epic conclusion to a great college football year. Unfortunately, there aren’t high expectations for a rematch between LSU and Alabama, two teams that might have trouble scoring a single touchdown Monday night. That’s exactly what happened in the first meeting, a 9-6 overtime victory by the Tigers at Alabama. That game made the majority of the country plead with the BCS to not spit out a rematch, but that’s what we got in New Orleans. For one, it opened the situation where even if LSU loses this game, the AP poll may vote the Tigers national champions anyway. The scenarios are pretty simple. If LSU wins, they win the national title. If Alabama wins a close game, it’s going to be very close to a split national champion. If Alabama wins by a touchdown or more, then the Tide wins the national title. It’s an interesting subplot in a game that might bore everyone to death watching at home.

So, how about the actual game on the field? Well, we learned in the first meeting that defense will rule the night, unless both teams figured out a way during this long break to get some rhythm on offense. It shouldn’t be a field goal fest this time around, as both offenses should be better than the first meeting. Wouldn’t they have to be? I picked Alabama to win the original game (I went with LSU plus the points, however) because I thought it was the better team, but since then I’ve been convinced LSU is the best team in the nation. I’m not the greatest Les Miles fan, to say the least, but he’s done a great job with the Tigers. They’ve beaten every challenge put in front of them this season, so there is no reason to believe they won’t do it again. It’s going to be all about defense, no doubt, but this time both teams will reach the end zone. Still, a field goal makes the difference in the end, as the Tigers win the national championship.

The Pick: LSU (+1) wins it 17-14.

Cotton Bowl, Jan. 6
No. 8 Kansas State vs. No. 6 Arkansas, 8 p.m., FOX
The Skinny: Both of these high-powered offensive teams could have played in a BCS game, but Arkansas wasn’t allowed because two other SEC teams already had their spots sealed while Kansas State was passed over for Virginia Tech and Michigan, who played in the Sugar Bowl. Both teams will be out to prove a point in the Cotton Bowl on national television Friday night. Arkansas lost just twice this season, to No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama. Kansas State has two losses as well, to No. 3 Oklahoma State and No. 14 Oklahoma. Obviously, Arkansas has the better resume, but Kansas State is riding the momentum of reaching the national spotlight once again. But the Razorbacks are clearly the better team overall and will win what should be yet another exciting, offensive showcase of a bowl game. The Pick: Arkansas (-8) wins it 41-31.

Here are Craig Carroll’s picks for the week: Alabama -1 and Kansas State +8.

Click here for the Evil One's take on the title game

Check out our college football web show at the top of the website.

GIANTS BEAT COWBOYS: GIANTS GETTING HOT AT RIGHT TIME, WITH SAME FEEL AS SUPER 2008

2012-01-03T01:23:00.003-05:00

Victor Cruz and the Giants ran past Dallas. (AP photo)

By Steve Morton, GameDay Staff Writer

The hottest part of the flame is blue. Why? Because it’s the most energized. It’s simple science. Right now the hottest team in football is Big Blue — the New York Football Giants.

Again, simple science.

For two straight weeks the Giants smoked a “Ryan” defense — Jets coach Rex Ryan in Week 16 and Dallas defensive coordinator Rob Ryan on Sunday — to win the NFC East division and clinch the team’s first playoff berth in three seasons. For a team that’s delivered mostly inconsistent play all season, the Giants have put together its best two games the past two weekends.

"I would not want to face the New York Giants in the playoffs right now," Giants running back Brandon Jacobs said. "I got the same feeling [that I had in 2007]. There's a lot of guys that are here that weren't here a couple of years ago when we went [to the Super Bowl], but it's the same kind of feeling that I have. It's basically the same road as well."

It’s hard to believe just a week ago rumors were beginning to spread about Giants coach Tom Coughlin. Why does his team suffer from such lapses and inconsistency? Was he finally finished in New York?

But these past two weeks, and especially Sunday night with a 31-14 win over the Cowboys in a rainy MetLife Stadium, the Giants seem nothing like the team of old. In fact the G-Men put together probably its best three quarters of football this season.

Aside from one quarter, the third, where Dallas tried its darndest to pull its own Miracle in the Meadowlands act, the Giants looked impressive, jumping out to a 21-0 lead in the first half and them coming up with big plays on defense when the Cowboys began to gain momentum in the second half.

"There were some times tonight where there was some nerve wracking, in particular the third quarter," Coughlin said. "We straightened it around and finished the game the way we wanted to finish it, finish the season the way we wanted to finish it and create an opportunity for ourselves to be in the playoffs and everything goes forward from here."

Eli Manning. (AP)

Perhaps the most spectacular play of the game came in the fourth quarter when Giants linebacker Michael Boley leapt over the Dallas defensive line and tackled Tony Romo with one arm by the back of the jersey to keep him from converting a fourth-and-one on a quarterback sneak. If that wasn’t spectacular enough, watching the Giants defense sack Romo six times throughout the game certainly was.

Offensively, the Giants were brilliant, racking up 437 total yards, committing zero turnovers to Dallas’ two.

The past two weeks, the Giants offense is averaging 30 points a game and it’s defense has allowed just 14 points per game. And for every Giants fan that griped and groaned due to Big Blue’s lack of consistency this year, they’ve been rewarded with two glorious victories in a row. The long anticipated winning ways for the Giants not only propeled them into the playoffs full steam ahead, but eliminated the Cowboys and contributed to the Jets' demise as well in the process. For what more could Giant fans ask?

Simply put, the Giants made up for a lot in the past two weeks — for a lot of heartbreak and frustration that had existed prior to Week 16. Now there’s nothing but a “can do” attitude in New York. The state of mind of its players has come full circle.

"I think us playing like we played tonight and we played the last two weeks, it's going to be a tough road to beat us," defensive end Justin Tuck said. “Obviously playing at home, our crowd was amazing tonight. ... It was just one of those special nights. It seemed like everything came together tonight."

Interestingly, the Giants face yet another “Ryan,” but this time on offense when they square off against quarterback Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons Sunday in the the wild card round of the playoffs.

Also, what is intriguing is how similar the Giants current run is to the magic carpet ride season of 2008 when the Giants defeated a then-undefeated New England Patriots team in Super Bowl XLII. That very year rumors had surfaced about Coughlin being in jeopardy of losing his job in the Big Apple. The Giants began that season with two losses and played pretty much as inconsistent as they have in 2011.

It wasn’t unil the final game of the year in 2008 that the Giants nearly upset the Pariots at home in the final regular season game where they began to gain steam. Sure the Giants lost that game, but they proved something to themselves and the momentum seemed to carry them through the playoffs, where they won road games in Tampa, Dallas and Green Bay before winning it all in the Super Bowl in Phoenix.

Could Coughlin and the Giants work their magic again?

Many are starting to believe so.

As for coach Coughlin and his job in New York, well, he isn’t going anywhere unless its on his terms, certainly not after winning a division title for the third time in six years.

"NFC East champions," Coughlin said. "That is a great thing to hear and I won't get tired of hearing that over and over again."

NFL WEEK 17 WINNERS AND LOSERS: WE NAME OUR WINNERS (CRUZ, RICE, FLYNN, MORE) AND LOSERS (TEBOW, JACKSON, COWBOYS, MORE)

2012-01-03T00:19:00.004-05:00

In this installment of Thoughts & Observations from Week 17 of the NFL season, we break down the top four winners and the top four losers from the week that was. Have your own thoughts? Let everyone know in the comments section below. But, for now, it's time for some winners and losers.

WINNERS

Victor Cruz had a huge season. (AP photo)

* Victor Cruz: If it wasn't for a three-touchdown performance in a preseason game two years ago against the Jets, Cruz might not even be in the league this year. But making the most of his opportunity, Cruz went out and had a record-breaking season for the Giants, ending with a game-changing performance against the Cowboys in the season finale. Cruz caught six passes for 178 yards and a touchdown against Dallas as the Giants won the NFC East. He ended the year with a Giants record 1,536 receiving yards. That number was also the third best in the league this season, to Calvin Johnson's 1,681 and Wes Welker's 1,569. Cruz had two huge plays Sunday, one a 74-yard touchdown and the other a 44-yard leaping catch that all but put the game away in the fourth quarter for the Giants. Defensive end Justin Tuck went as far to say Cruz is the team's co-MVP, with Eli Manning. And it all might never have happened for Cruz. “A realistic goal was just to get a catch in a real game that mattered, in a real game that counted,” Cruz said. “Due to some unfortunate injuries, I was able to come in and play a significant role. It’s been an amazing ride. It’s been a roller-coaster for me. I’m excited that we’re here, we won our division, and we’re going to the playoffs.” Cruz is a big reason why.

Ray Rice. (AP)

* Ray Rice: The former Rutgers star could be the best running back in the NFL. With a first-round bye on the line Sunday against the Bengals, the Ravens star put the team on his back and carried them to victory and the two-seed in the AFC playoffs. Rice ran for 191 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries. Rice started the game with a big play, scoring on a 70-yard on the team's fourth play, and ended it the same way, scoring on a 51-yard run on third-and-one with 5:41 to play. The last run put the game away, ending the Bengals' comeback hopes. Amazingly for Rice, 175 of his rushing yards came between the tackles. He also set a franchise record with 15 touchdowns this season.

Matt Flynn. (AP)

* Matt Flynn: The Packers backup quarterback may have played his way into a big contract after his performance this Sunday against the Lions. Playing for the rested Aaron Rodgers, who obviously is staying as the starter in Green Bay, Flynn had a record-setting performance in a wild victory over the Lions. Flynn set franchise records with 480 passing yards and six touchdown throws. Not Rodgers, Brett Favre nor even Bart Starr had such a prolific day in the long history of the Packers as Flynn did Sunday. To top off the gaudy numbers, he also proved to be a clutch player as well, hitting Jermichael Finley for a touchdown with 1:10 to play to give Green Bay the win. "Just think of all of the great quarterbacks that have come through here," Flynn said. "It's very humbling. I just thank everybody around me and everything. I couldn't have done it, obviously, by myself. There's weapons all around me, and the line did a great job. It's one of those games where it got to a shootout, and we just kept having to match each other." Flynn will return to his backup role in the playoffs, but he may be starting somewhere soon enough.

Matt Hasselbeck. (AP)

* Matt Hasselbeck: I'm not sure if this is good news or bad news for Tennessee Titans fans, but Hasselbeck's huge performance in a must-win game against Texans Sunday may buy him another season as the team's starting quarterback. I've been calling for Jake Locker to take over the job full-time, but the Titans kept going back to Hasselbeck this season. Now, Hasselbeck might be there for another year as the more talented rookie from Washington sits again. Hasselbeck threw for 297 yards and two touchdowns, giving his team a chance to make the postseason after a 23-22 victory. The Titans were eliminated later in the day when the Broncos and Raiders lost games. The Titans went 9-7 this season, earning their first winning season since 2008, and Hasselbeck deserves credit.

LOSERS

Tim Tebow. (AP)

* Tim Tebow: It's been a long time since Tebow was the toast of the football universe, as the Broncos have lost their last three games. Yes, Denver is headed to the playoffs, but if there was a worse way to qualify than the route the Broncos took I'd love to hear about it. Tebow was terrible against the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, a team that had all of six wins coming into the game. He was 6-for-22 for just 60 yards. That's his passing number. In a game to control their own destiny of winning the AFC West, the Tebow and the Broncos managed just a field goal, losing 7-3. Tebow will become just the fourth quarterback in NFL history to start a playoff game next week having completed less than 50 percent of his passes. Up next for Tebow and the Broncos is the 12-4 Pittsburgh Steelers. "It's obviously a little bittersweet right now," Tebow said. "We would have loved to have won that game to have a little momentum going into the playoffs. But I think it's still a special thing what we accomplished, to come back and win the AFC West is very special." Tebow gets one more shot to prove he's a starting quarterback in this league. My guess is he won't make a good final impression.

Hue Jackson. (AP)

* Hue Jackson: The Oakland Raiders head coach was fuming mad after his team laid an egg at home against the San Diego Chargers where a victory meant an AFC West title. He said after the game that he was pissed off and would now take control of the entire team and organization. "At some point in time as a group of men, you go win the game," Jackson said. "You can say whatever you want about coaches. You win the game. Here's your time to make some plays. We didn't get them stopped and we didn't make enough plays." The Raiders lost 38-26 to the Chargers on the field, but it's interesting to hear him take no blame for the loss. Sure, the players didn't get the job done. But how about the game plan on both sides of the ball? How about getting your players prepared to play in a do-or-die game? If your players don't come out ready to play for a division crown, there is more problems than just those players. Big talk by Jackson about making changes next season shouldn't cloud the Raiders hierarchy, without Al Davis, from evaluating what the team did this season. Jackson isn't that good a coach to be making statements like this.

Tony Romo. (AP)

* Dallas Cowboys: The NFC East was up for grabs against the New York Giants Sunday night on national television, but the Cowboys didn't come out and play like it. The Giants ran right over Dallas in the early going, leading 21-0 at the half. The Cowboys made a small comeback, getting the deficit down to 21-14, but the defense again came up small in big spots. The Cowboys forced the Giants into a third-and-seven play with still plenty of time to play in the fourth quarter. But Eli Manning hit Victor Cruz for a 44-yard play that killed any momentum the Cowboys had built. The Giants ended up kicking a field goal to go up 10. The Cowboys offense went three-and-out and the Giants hit another big play after getting the ball back, this time a 36-yard past to Hakeem Nicks. The Giants scored a touchdown to put the game away, 31-14. Dallas lost four of its last five games to finish out of the playoffs. "It's extremely painful and it's a damn shame," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. "We have a good team and I thought we would be going to the playoffs, but that didn't happen. We have to be able to take some of the good with the bad and move on. We did a lot of good things this year, but to point to one thing why this happened would be subjective. We're 8-8 and we have to be better than that." Don't look for major changes, as Jason Garrett and Tony Romo aren't going anywhere.

Raheem Morris. (AP)

* Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Coach Raheem Morris came into the game on the hottest of hot seats and how did his team respond in the season finale against the Atlanta Falcons Sunday? By falling behind 42-0 in the first half, of course. It meant the Buccaneers would end the season losing 10 straight games to finish 4-12. "If I was in the business of working out my future, I wouldn't be coaching," Morris said. "I'm going to go to work tomorrow until they tell me to stop." Well, the Bucs told Morris to stop on Monday, firing the in-over-his-head coach. Morris went 17-31 in his three seasons as head coach. Tampa Bay needs a major upheaval and firing Morris is a step in the right direction.

JETS NEWS AND ANALYSIS: SCHOTTENHEIMER, HOLMES EXPECTED BACK ... FOR NOW, PLUS MORE NOTES FROM RYAN, TANNENBAUM PRESSER

2012-01-02T16:21:00.003-05:00

Rex Ryan backed Brian Schottenheimer and Santonio Holmes. (AP photo)

The Jets didn't make the big splash fans wanted from Mike Tannenbaum and Rex Ryan at their just-ended press conference, saying they both expect offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer to return next season. However, he wasn't exactly given a ringing endorsement, and the decision on his future with the Jets could be put off until after he interviews with the Jacksonville Jaguars for their head coach opening.

"He's under contract as offensive coordinator," Ryan said. "For whatever reason, people want to target him. It should be targeted at me, not Brian. The criticism specifically of Brian is unfair."

Reading into everything, I still believe Schottenheimer will be fired, but only after his head coach options are exhausted. There's no reason to fire him when he's going after the Jaguars head coach job at the moment.

The other big story was that of Santonio Holmes quitting on the team Sunday against Miami. Ryan and Tannenbaum both said they expect him back next season, but again, it was the language that was interesting. "I believe Santonio will be back next year," Ryan said. Later in the press conference, when asked again about Holmes' returning, he said "he's under contract."

Again, there's no reason to tip your hand this early in the offseason, as much as many Jets fans would want to see Schottenheimer and Holmes hit the road immediately.

Speaking of team chemistry, Ryan admitted he was out of the loop. "For whatever reason, I don’t think we were as close as a football team as we were the first two years,” Ryan said.

"I don't think I've had the pulse of the team as I did in the past," he said later.

He also said that naming captains this season was a mistake and he won't have them next year. Of course, that has to be a shot at Holmes and Ryan's choice of the wide receiver as a captain.

Fixing team chemistry was and is an obvious point Ryan has to address this offseason, especially if Holmes returns. "Right now we need, and I will find a way to pull this team together," Ryan said.

Tannenbaum also said that Mark Sanchez will be back as the team's starting quarterback next year. That's no surprise. He did say they could look into adding another quarterback this offseason.

JETS NEWS AND ANALYSIS: POSITION-BY-POSITION BREAKDOWN OF WHO SHOULD STAY AND WHO SHOULD GO (HOLMES A MUST)

2012-01-02T14:41:00.005-05:00

Santonio Holmes should be sent packing. (AP photo)

A day after the Jets watched their season come to a close with yet another terrible loss, this time to the Dolphins, it's becoming more and more clear this team never had the chance to succeed. As more and more stories come out and comments are made, this season will be remembered for a complete failure in team chemistry.

Rex Ryan, speaking to the team, teared up while talking about team chemistry and sticking together, something that obviously was an issue all year long.

It came to a head in the final minutes against the Dolphins when captain Santonio Holmes was caught yelling at a player in the Jets' huddle, reportedly going back-and-forth with tackle Wayne Hunter. Soon after, Holmes was replaced by Patrick Turner, banished to the bench as the Jets were driving for a touchdown. The one doing the benching was Brian Schottenheimer, according to a report on ESPN, which for once, was a great call by the offensive coordinator.

Holmes, who was also called out by LaDainian Tomlinson after the game as having no desire to play, let alone lead the team as a captain, is the heart of the problem. He apparently got into a yelling match with Mark Sanchez during an offensive meeting this week, and even though some players said it wasn't a big deal today, there is no reason to believe now the Jets wide receiver wasn't at least a distraction.

Holmes has always had a bad reputation off the field. Remember, the Jets got him from the Pittsburgh Steelers for a fifth-round draft pick. You don't get great players in this league for nothing, so what happened this season is no surprise. It should have been expected. But the Jets deemed his one good year in New York enough to hand him a 5-year, $45 million contract.

That choice may have killed this entire season before it began. Braylon Edwards, who had just as much talent as Holmes, was passed over for some unknown reason. Edwards had his own baggage as well, but he was never considered a bad teammate during his time in New York. Mike Tannenbaum and Rex Ryan made a huge mistake with that decision and they paid for it with this nightmare of an end to the season.

Ryan and Tannenbaum will both meet with the media today at 3 p.m. and it should no doubt be interesting to see exactly what they will say about Holmes and the overall team chemistry. It's also possible they will announce the firing for Schottenheimer.

But before we get to that, here is what the Jets need to do this offseason with the current roster, broken down by position.

Mark Sanchez should be back next season. (AP)

Quarterback: Unless the Jets can somehow pry a healthy (that's key) Peyton Manning from the Colts, Mark Sanchez deserves one more shot to prove he can be the team's franchise quarterback. Hopefully he gets to prove that with a new offensive coordinator. Replacing Sanchez shouldn't even be an option. The team should dump backup Mark Brunell and bring in someone with an actual pulse as a capable second-string passer.

Running Back: Shonn Greene had his first 1,000-yard season, but he hasn't proven he can be the team's go-to back. That has to change next season, as he will be the main ball carrier again. He needs to take a major step forward. LaDainian Tomlinson shouldn't return, which means Joe McKnight will have to take over his role on the offense. McKnight showed sparks this season that he can succeed in that role. Bilal Powell, a rookie, should get more opportunities next season.

Tight End: Dustin Keller will be back next season. Matthew Mulligan needs to find a new home. He was terrible this season for the Jets and there is no reason why he should be on the roster.

Wide Receiver: Santonio Holmes can't return next season. Hopefully Ryan and Tannenbaum don't believe they can turn him back into a team-player, because it will never happen. Holmes is a locker room virus and needs to be sent packing. If they get rid of Holmes, I would bring back Plaxico Burress. He didn't do anything special this season, but if you get rid of him and Holmes, who's left? Jeremy Kerley had a great game against Miami, but he's a slot receiver. With Burress and Kerley, the Jets can focus on signing one wide receiver this offseason to start opposite Burress, instead of finding two new starters. Once again, the Jets wide receiver position is back to being a major area of concern.

Offensive Line: Nick Mangold, D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Brandon Moore are the rocks of the offensive line. Matt Slauson improved this season, but if there is a capable replacement available this offseason, I wouldn't hesitate to make a change at guard. Slauson would be a very valuable backup for the Jets, something the team simply didn't have this season. The move that has no question mark is finding a new right tackle. Wayne Hunter was the worst tackle in the league this year and has to be sent packing. There's a lot of players that need to go on this Jets team, but Hunter is right at the top of the list.

Defensive Line: Mohammed Wilkerson, Mike DeVito and Sione Pouha were all solid this season. But the team needs a pass rusher in the worst way.

Linebacker: David Harris is a star but those around him aren't. Bart Scott wore out his welcome this season. He hasn't been the player we all thought when the Jets signed him to his mega deal three years ago. He was a great trash talker, something the Jets needed his first two seasons, but he was quiet this season and didn't play well on the field either. Calvin Pace is another disappointing signing several years ago from the Cardinals. He was supposed to be a great pass rusher but hasn't lived up to the hype. But he'll stick around because he can still make plays. Bryan Thomas was lost for the season due to injury. He would be a solid starter next season. Aaron Maybin is a solid pass rush specialist, and should return. Just like defensive line, the Jets need a pass rushing linebacker in the worst way.

Defensive Backs: Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie and Kyle Wilson, who needs to improve, are as solid as it comes at cornerback. Depth beyond those three is a concern, however. The safeties, on the other hand, are as bad as they come. Jim Leonhard, Brodney Pool and Eric Smith should not return next season. Starting over is better than having to deal with terrible play from these three players. And for all those that believe Leonhard is a good player, stop listening to the hype. Watch any game this season and you'll see how bad Leonhard really is. Clean house and start over at safety.

Special Teams: The return game is solid, if you wipe out all of the fumbles - and there was a ton of them. McKnight returning kicks and Kerley returning punts is a solid twosome. The Jets must find a replacement for punter T.J. Conley. Special teams guru Mike Westoff misjudged Conley's talent this offseason, handing him the job he wasn't good enough to handle. Nick Folk is a tough decision. If there is a kicker available that is an upgrade, which isn't as easy as you might think, then kick Folk to the curb. If not, then it's another year of the inconsistent Folk kicking field goals for the Jets.

We'll have more Jets news and analysis coming up, especially if something major happens at the Ryan and Tannenbaum press conference today at 3 p.m.

COLLEGE GAMEDAY REWIND BOWL WEEK I: OKLAHOMA STATE COULD STILL SPLIT NATIONAL TITLE, NFL PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS AND MORE

2012-01-02T03:18:00.000-05:00

Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon and Brandon Weeden. (AP photo)

The highlight of the January 2 bowl games is obviously the Fiesta Bowl featuring No. 3 Oklahoma State and No. 4 Stanford. The game has the team I still believe should be playing for the BCS national championship – Oklahoma State. While the Cowboys won’t get that opportunity, is there a chance they could win a split national title?

Well, it would take a monumental effort to simply get into the conversation.

First things first, Oklahoma State must make another statement and beat Stanford by at least three touchdowns in the Fiesta Bowl. Just like the Cowboys had to destroy Oklahoma in the season finale to get back into the national title conversation, they must do the same against Stanford. Oklahoma State ran over the Sooners, bringing many to switch their support from Alabama to the Cowboys. The Cowboys will need a similar effort against Stanford to get the attention of the AP pollsters.

Second, the BCS national championship must end with an ugly Alabama victory. It would have to be so ugly that you’re left wondering if LSU and Alabama were really the two best teams in the nation this season.

That, of course, would be a difficult thought to change since LSU might still get first-place votes even if it loses to Alabama in the title game. That’s how dominate the Tigers have been this season.

It’s not likely, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility for Oklahoma State to split the championship this season either.

I’ll always root for chaos, so let the craziness begin Monday night.

Tim Tebow and the Broncos take on the Steelers. (AP)

Switching over to the NFL, can the AFC have any worse wild card playoff matchups than they do next weekend? The Houston Texans host the Cincinnati Bengals in what could be the lowest rated playoff game in history. The Pittsburgh Steelers-Denver Broncos matchup isn’t that much better, although it could signal the end of the Tim Tebow era. The Steelers defense could knock the Denver quarterback out of the starting position once and for all, making the decision for John Elway and John Fox a lot easier.

For Denver, it’s almost embarrassing to back into the playoffs the way it did Sunday. The Broncos did exactly what the Jets did this season, losing three straight games to finish the season 8-8. But the Jets are about to undergo major changes within the team, while the Broncos are hosting a playoff game.

It’s obviously not their fault they and the rest of the AFC West are terrible, with three 8-8 teams at the top of the standings. And that in no way means the Jets should be a playoff team, because they aren’t, especially losing to the Broncos and Raiders this season.

With the Bengals also losing their season finale and still making playoffs, could there ever have been a season in NFL history where two teams qualified for the postseason despite losing their season finales but got help from other teams around the league? It’s an interesting fact either way.

Prince Fielder is still a free agent. (AP)

Here are my early predictions for the wild card round of the playoffs: In the AFC, the Texans beat the Bengals and the Steelers destroy the Broncos. In the NFC, the Saints beat the Lions and the Giants beat an overrated Falcons squad at home.

Switching sports, I wrote almost a month ago that Major League Baseball was missing a great opportunity to make its free agency period an event that couldn’t be matched by any other professional sports organization in the land. In a nutshell, the current spaced-out game played by teams and players and agents is flat-out boring and needs to be fixed in order to gain a following.

Almost a month later from my original article the most prized free agent still on the market, Prince Fielder, is available. Not only is he available, but there is absolutely no buzz as to who he will sign with. The baseball offseason is completely dead.

But they still wonder why the NFL has taken over as the national pastime.

With a full slate of college football games and the NHL Winter Classic taking part Jan. 2, it should be a fantastic day for every sports fan. Enjoy the games.

Let’s get to the breakdown:

Bowl Week: 6-3 (spread); 6-3 (overall); 1-2 (upset picks)

My Season: 64-46-1 (spread); 85-26 (overall); 6-6 (upset picks)

My Money: UP $1,340 (season)

Craig's Bowl Week: 7-2 (spread)

Craig's Season: 63-47-1 (spread)

Craig's Money: UP $1,130 (season)

Joe’s Bowl Week: 5-4 (spread)

Joe’s Season: 8-10 (spread)

Joe’s Money: DOWN $300 (season)

Holiday Bowl

California +3 vs. Texas

My Pick: California 33, Texas 30

Actual Score: Texas 21, California 10

Texas ran for 109 yards in the game. California ran for 7. That’s about all you need to know about this borefest that had me thinking my struggles in picking bowl games wasn’t going to turn around this season. I’ll still chalk it up to simply picking the wrong team, as in California, who should have come out ready to make a statement against Texas. The Golden Bears came out flat instead and had no chance to win the game. I take the loss to open the real bowl season. Craig went with the Longhorns and starts with a victory. Joe starts 0-1 as well, picking incorrectly with Cal.

Champs Sports Bowl

Florida State -3 vs. Notre Dame

My Pick: Florida State 27, Notre Dame 21

Actual Score: Florida State 18, Notre Dame 14

Florida State scored 15 points in the fourth quarter to come from behind and beat Notre Dame at a sold out Champs Sports Bowl. Too bad it was played during the day when most people were either at work or on their way home from work. For me and Joe in the office, that meant following the game on the computer, which is never fun. Getting updates of Florida State scoring quickly and often, however, was a whole lot of fun. I get the win with the Seminoles and Craig and Joe do the same.

Robert Griffin III played perhaps his final game. (AP)

Alamo Bowl

Baylor -9.5 vs. Washington

My Pick: Baylor 45, Washington 24

Actual Score: Baylor 67, Washington 56

When Washington took a three-point lead with 9:40 to play in the Alamo Bowl the text went out to the Evil One that went something like, “Bleep Baylor.” After all, with the Huskies leading and getting 9.5 points, there would be almost no chance the Bears could pull out the win and cover – right? Luckily for me, and Craig and Joe as well, I was wrong. Baylor took a 60-56 lead after a quick touchdown, but that’s not where the minor miracle took place to get all three of us the victory. The Bears were trying to run out the clock, wasting time and calling running plays. With 2:30 to go and 43 yards from the end zone, this was the worst case scenario. But, proving that maybe, just maybe, my horrible bowl luck would finally turn around, the Bears broke a 43-yard run for a touchdown to put them up by 11 points. The defense held and I had an unlikely victory in a wild offensive game. So, I move to 2-1 after the first two days of action. Craig remained perfect with the pick of Baylor, moving to 3-0. Joe, who is trying to at least get over the .500 mark heading into the post-New Year’s bowl games, improved to 2-1 with the win.

Pinstripe Bowl

Iowa State +1.5 vs. Rutgers

My Pick: Iowa State 28, Rutgers 24

Actual Score: Rutgers 27, Iowa State 13

Obviously, I severely misjudged the talent level between Iowa State and Rutgers, not to mention the stock I put into the conference each plays in. Rutgers made the Big East proud in this game, dominating its Big 12 opponent after the first quarter. The Scarlet Knights have won five straight bowl games, beating me in the process here. That makes it 0-for-2 in upset picks so far this bowl season. Not good. I wasn’t the only one who saw it that way, though, as Craig and Joe both take losses on Iowa State as well.

Bob Stoops with the trophy. (AP)

Insight Bowl

Oklahoma -14 vs. Iowa

My Pick: Oklahoma 49, Iowa 27

Actual Score: Oklahoma 31, Iowa 14

Oklahoma led 21-0 in the fourth quarter before Iowa made things interesting. The Hawkeyes scored two touchdowns in the final period to cut the Sooners lead to 21-14 and put the pick on Oklahoma in severe jeopardy. Even worse, with 2:28 to go, the Sooners kicked a field goal to go up by 10. That not only made it nearly impossible to get a win on the Oklahoma pick, but it also took away Joe’s prediction of the Sooners winning by exactly 14 points, which was an interesting subplot on our GameDay show this week. But Iowa went four-and-out after the field goal, giving Oklahoma the ball at the Hawkeyes’ 30 with 1:48 to go. On fourth-and-one, Blake Bell broke free for a 21-yard touchdown run to give me my second unlikely victory of the bowl season. The odds of winning in that situation are virtually zero, but with the air-camera unbelievably crashing to the field during the game, anything was possible. I’ll take the exciting victory on the pick, improving to 3-2. Craig also gets the win on Oklahoma, moving to 4-1. Joe, he of the failed 14-point pick even with a 14-point spread, takes the loss. He’s 2-3.

Meineke Car Care Bowl

Texas A&M -10 vs. Northwestern

My Pick: Texas A&M 31, Northwestern 20

Actual Score: Texas A&M 33, Northwestern 22

This was in the bag the whole way through, as Texas A&M was rolling over an inferior opponent, winning 20-7 at the half and 30-7 at the end of the third quarter. The 10-point increase in the third quarter was huge, as everyone remembers the multiple ultimate second-half collapses for the Aggies this season. But it wasn’t to be today. Right? Touchdown Northwestern, 30-15. Touchdown Northwestern, 30-22. Are you kidding me? Texas A&M took over with 5:22 to play and ended up running 12 plays to get to the Northwestern 14 with just 30 seconds to play. On fourth-and-six, the Aggies did me a huge favor and decided to kick the field goal to go up 11 instead of running the ball and giving the ball back to the Wildcats with a long field and little time. Randy Bullock nailed the kick to give me yet another unlikely victory. I like how this bowl season is going so far. I’m 4-2 with the win. Craig and Joe also get the win with the Aggies. Craig improves to 5-1, while Joe evens up at 3-3.

Sun Bowl

Utah +3 vs. Georgia Tech

My Pick: Utah 28, Georgia Tech 27

Actual Score: Utah 30, Georgia Tech 27 (OT)

This game looked to be a loss from the get-go, as Georgia Tech not only led 24-10 in the fourth quarter, but was dominating. But Utah came alive in the final quarter, storming back with two touchdowns, the last with 1:32 to go, to tie the game. But the Yellow Jackets weren’t done and quickly drove the ball downfield and set up a 48-yard field goal. But Tech had trouble kicking field goals all day, so it was no surprise they missed this one too (they were 1-for-5 in regulation). That set up overtime where Georgia Tech had to settle for a field goal, which they actually converted, for a three-point lead. Six players later, however, the game was over as Utah was in the end zone celebrating, as John White IV became the school’s all-time single season rushing leader on the scoring run. It was a great moment for him and, yes, a great moment for me. I get the surprising win on my upset pick of Utah and improve to 5-2 with the win. Craig, who was not happy with the way Georgia Tech folded in the fourth quarter, takes the loss to drop to 5-2. Joe is correct on the upset pick as well, moving to 4-3.

Liberty Bowl

Vanderbilt -2 vs. Cincinnati

My Pick: Vanderbilt 27, Cincinnati 24

Actual Score: Cincinnati 31, Vanderbilt 24

This game changed right after Vanderbilt took a 21-17 lead early in the fourth quarter. Cincinnati answered right back with a 90-yard kick return for a touchdown to regain the lead immediately. The Bearcats added another late touchdown to get the Big East another huge victory this bowl season, against the SEC no less. Give the Big East credit for beating teams from better conferences. Give me no credit for going against the Big East in those games, as I fall to 0-and-2 on Rutgers and Cincy. My record drops to 5-3 on the final day of our early bowl picks special. Craig went with the Big East in this case and is rewarded with another victory, moving to 6-2 on the week. Joe went with Vanderbilt as well and drops back to .500 at 4-4.

Auburn won the Chick-Fil-A Bowl. (AP)

Chick-Fil-A Bowl

No. 25 Auburn -3

vs. Virginia

My Pick: Auburn 30,

Virginia 20

Actual Score: Auburn 43, Virginia 24

Out of the first nine bowl games we’ve picked, this was the first one where I didn’t have to worry about pulling out a late win, or losing in devastating fashion. Auburn did what I thought it would do, win the game rather easily. The victory for me was a nice way to end the opening bowl week, and the year 2011 as well. I head into the post-New Year’s games with a 6-3 bowl record and a GameDay-leading record of 64-46-1 for the season. That’s one game better than Craig, who ends the opening bowl week with a 7-2 record after winning with Auburn. He does gain a game on me in the season-long chase for the college football picks championship. He’s 63-47-1 this season overall. Joe finally was able to pull in a winning week, ending with a 5-4 record after winning with Auburn. Joe, who joined the GameDay crew during conference championship week, is 8-10 on the season. You don’t have to wait long to watch and read what we think of the post-New Year’s bowl games, including all the Jan. 2 games. Click here for our brand-new college football web show and click here to read my latest college football picks column. We’ve got you covered in 2012. Happy New Year!

JETS 2012 OPPONENTS: WITH AFC SOUTH, NFC WEST ON TAP, JETS HAVE FAVORABLE SCHEDULE

2012-01-01T23:14:00.007-05:00

D'Brickashaw Ferguson and the Jets move forward. (AP photo)

Well, here's some good news if you're a Jets fan looking forward to next season already. The non-division schedule is on the easy side, with games against the AFC South and NFC West on the horizon. That, in theory, should be a huge positive for a team that will undergo big changes this offseason.

The team will play the Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts and Oakland Raiders at home. They will play the St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers on the road.

The two biggest games would be at Pittsburgh and home against the 49ers. The other eight games should be penciled in as victories. Of course, nobody expected the Jets to be 8-8 this season either and look what happened. But, even with that, this is a very favorable schedule for next season.

Also, the Jets will pick 16th in the upcoming NFL draft. That's the highest since 2009, when they traded up from the 17th spot to draft Southern Cal quarterback Mark Sanchez with the fifth overall pick.

JETS LOSE TO DOLPHINS: WE HAND OUT GAME FALLS (HOLMES, RYAN, SANCHEZ, MULLIGAN, MORE) AND GAME BALLS (KERELY, MORE)

2012-01-01T21:36:00.016-05:00

We're handing out game balls and game falls after the Jets saw their season come to an end after an embarrassing 19-17 defeat to the Miami Dolphins Sunday. The Jets end the year with an 8-8 record, far below the Super Bowl expectations the team had prior to the season.

The Game Falls

Santonio Holmes shouldn't return. (AP photo)

* Santonio Holmes: If you listen to what LaDainian Tomlinson said about Holmes after the game, it's easy to discern that the receiver quit on his team. It all came to a head late in the fourth quarter, with the Jets driving on what would become a touchdown. Holmes was spotted on camera getting into an argument with another player in the huddle. The receiver was then soon on the bench, sitting alone and obviously could care less about the game. "There were guys in the huddle not happy with Santonio's demeanor throughout the game and in the two-minute drill," Tomlinson said. "And they said something to him about it." Of course, the worst part about the whole thing is that Holmes is a team captain. We all know Holmes isn't captain-material, but this public display of individualism was unbelievable. Holmes has been a huge disappointment after signing his mega-deal this offseason. He hasn't been part of the offense at all, which could be blamed on Mark Sanchez and Brian Schottenheimer as much as him. Still, it will be hard for the Jets to welcome Holmes back next season after his embarrassing display against Miami. In fact, I don't see how Holmes can be back next season. See if there is a willing trade partner, or crunch the numbers and see if releasing him outright makes sense. Holmes is a locker room virus and can't continue to infect a still young team looking for a major rebound next season.

Rex Ryan. (AP)

* Rex Ryan: The Jets head coach is the right person for this team and this organization. But, finally, I've grown tired of all the chest-thumping talk and guarantees of Super Bowl victories. The Jets needed that bravado from Ryan the first two seasons he coached the team. It worked. It got the team to two straight AFC championship games as underdogs. The talk this season, however, had a negative effect on the team. The Jets, first and foremost, couldn't back up all the lofty expectations, not even making the playoffs, let alone making a run at a championship. The bigger problem though was that it put a giant target on the team's back. When opposing teams played the Jets this year, they came out with the kind of passion and aggressiveness typically reserved for a big rival or defending Super Bowl champion. That's something the Jets don't need. The Giants were looking for Ryan's head two weeks ago and even Brandon Jacobs had a shouting match with the coach after the game. The lowly Dolphins wanted to beat the Jets to shut the team up. It's a common theme. Ryan can be funny. He can even be controversial and make a Super Bowl guarantee next offseason again. But he can't talk in public about how the Jets are going to beat this team or that. Or call out the league for not beating the Patriots. Keep that in the locker room. Jets players and their fans should be tired of being a marked team because of all the wrong things. Ryan has been great for the Jets, changing the culture of the entire organization, but the talk has got to simmer.

* Matthew Mulligan: The Jets part-time tight end has no business being on the team. He's a penalty waiting to happen, not to mention having no real value as an offensive player. He was flagged three times against the Dolphins in limited action. He was called for two false start penalties and a face mask (on offense!). The Jets overall were called for five false start penalties, which made no sense considering the stadium in Miami was more than half-empty. Mulligan has been called for nine penalties this season. Enough is enough.

Mark Sanchez. (AP)

* Mark Sanchez: This game had all the makings of a bounce-back performance from Sanchez. Coming off a disaster of a game against the Giants, the third-year quarterback had the chance to play against a team he's been very good against in his career. In five games he had seven touchdown passes and just one interception. But there was no light at the end of the season for Sanchez, who struggled against a bad Dolphins team. He was 21-for-32 for 207 yards and three interceptions. Two of the picks were thrown to defensive lineman Randy Starks. The biggest, however, came with the Jets driving for the game-winning score with three minutes to play. On a third-and-six play from the Miami 10, Sanchez threw an interception that killed the team's chances at winning the game and their postseason hopes as well. The Dolphins kicked a field goal to take a 19-10 lead late in the game. Sanchez padded his stats on the next drive, throwing a touchdown pass to Patrick Turner to cut the deficit to 19-17, but the damage was done. Sanchez has had a dramatic fall from grace this season, as many want the Jets to find another quarterback this offseason. But unless Peyton Manning somehow becomes available, Sanchez will most likely be back with the team. Hopefully a new offensive coordinator can help Sanchez become the franchise passer the team desperately needs.

Schottenheimer. (AP)

* Brian Schottenheimer: The Jets offensive coordinator always appeared to save his job with a late-season offensive surge that drew raves from everyone in the organization of how good things could be under his lead. For Jets fans, it was a bittersweet moment, as it meant more wins but that he would return for another season. Well, that didn't happen this season. In fact, it was the complete opposite. Schottenheimer's offense scored 17 points in a game they had to have, 10 if you don't count the last drive that got the Jets within two late in the game. He again went too much with draws and the wildcat and failed to get the ball outside to Holmes and Plaxico Burress. Some of the blame goes to Sanchez, of course, but Schottenheimer did him no favors by calling a game plan that always seemed doomed for failure. The good news from this embarrassing offensive showing against the Dolphins is that Schottenheimer should finally be fired. It's long overdue.

* The Drive: The Jets defense, led by Ryan, should be embarrassed by the drive they allowed starting in the third quarter against the Dolphins. Miami ran 21 plays, went 94 yards, took 12:29 off the clock and scored a touchdown to take a 13-10 lead. It was the longest drive in term of plays the Jets have allowed since 1993. It was also the Dolphins longest drive in plays and time in franchise history. The Dolphins converted six third-down plays on the drive. The drive ended the season for the Jets.

The Game Balls

Jeremy Kerley. (AP)

* Jeremy Kerley: It's hard to come up with bright spots in a terrible game by the Jets, but the rookie wide receiver out of TCU was one of them. Kerley had the best game of his young career, not only catching the ball, but throwing it as well. Out of the wildcat package, Kerley hit Mulligan for a 41-yard play that led to a touchdown. It was the longest completion of the day and tied for the second longest completion of the season for the Jets. Obviously, that doesn't say a lot about the Sanchez or Schottenheimer. Kerley also had four catches for 71 yards, including a 30-yarder. He also had a 16-yard run in the game. Of course, this is not only a positive sign for the future, but also a huge disappointment that the Jets didn't utilize Kerley more offensively this season. He could have been a huge weapon out of the stale wildcat plays Schottenheimer likes to call.

LaDainian Tomlinson. (AP)

* Bart Scott and LaDainian Tomlinson: Why put these players together? Because this most likely could be each's swan song with the Jets. Scott had a solid day, recording five solo tackles and a tackle for a loss. Tomlinson looked fantastic early on, rushing for a team-high 56 yards on 11 carries. He also caught four passes for 23 yards. Scott was a big-time free agent signing for the Jets three years ago, but hasn't lived up to his contract. Tomlinson will be a free agent this offseason and has hinted this could have been the final game of his career. If this was indeed the last time both will play for the Jets, at least both went out playing well.