Category Archives: NFL

Super Bowl XLV – Players to watch

Quarterbacks are usually the focus of attention in the run-up to the Super Bowl and this year has been no different as the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers prepare for battle in Dallas this Sunday. Aaron Rodgers is attempting to win his first title in Green Bay and emerge once and for all from the shadow of Hall of Fame predecessor  Brett Favre, while Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger will hope to complete his redemption from the off-field indiscretions that saw him suspended for the first month of the season and is bidding to join the elite club of three-time champion signal callers.

But as much as some people would have you believe, the quarterbacks are just part of the story, and it’s only fair to highlight some of the other, perhaps lesser known, players on the two teams that could have a decisive influence on the destination of the Lombardi trophy.

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Super Bowl XLV – Biggest Plays of the NFL Play-offs

Super Bowl XLV is set at last, with the Green Bay Packers casting aside their position as sixth seed to win through to meet the Pittsburgh Steelers in Dallas on February 6. Rarely have two teams with such storied histories and fanatical supports met in the big game, so  another memorable showpiece awaits at the Cowboys magnificent new stadium.

But neither Green Bay nor Pittsburgh coasted through to the Super Bowl, with both having some hairy moments along the way. In each of their play-off games to date there have been crucial plays or costly mistakes that maybe didn’t show up in the box score or the highlights package but were significant  shifts in momentum that were vital to their progress. Continue reading

Four Downs: NFL Preview Week 6

For various reasons this is coming later than usual this week so apologies. This week’s slate includes probably the biggest game of the season so far between  the Dallas Cowboys and the Minnesota Vikings, where the loser will be marooned at 1-4 and in real trouble when it comes to the play-offs, and a vital game for injury-riddled Green Bay Packers, who badly need a big win to show they remain a Super Bowl contender.

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Four downs: NFL preview week 5

We were badly let down last week by, amongst others, an injury to Michael Vick and a Miami special teams meltdown, but it’s not in us to mope, so we’re straight back on the horse with Week 5′s quartet of live games, including an interesting boost to the Vikings’ hopes in New York on Monday night. Continue reading

Four downs: NFL preview Week 4

Week 4 sees the start of the bye weeks in the NFL, with big hitters like Dallas and Minnesota among those with a day off this Sunday. However, there remain some cracking matches on the docket, including the much-anticipated return of former Eagles lightning rod Donovan McNabb to Philadelphia. Continue reading

The soccer fan’s guide to the NFL – Part 2

Following on from Part 1, which looked at the NFC East and South, this time we round out the NFC with the North and West, including two of the the NFL’s most successful franchises, the Green Bay Packers and the San Francisco 49ers.

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Four downs: NFL Week 3 preview

Week 3 of the NFL is upon us with four more live televised games for us to enjoy. We’re feeling pretty good about our 3-1 record last time (thanks for nothing Dallas) so let’s break down this week’s slate…

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The soccer fan’s guide to the NFL – Part 1

BreesyNewcastle

The 2010 NFL season is still in its infancy and if you haven’t yet got a team to follow, allow 3rd and Goal assist you by listing all 32 alongside their closest parallel in our world of football, or soccer if you like a little clarity when talking about the two footballs. First up, it’s the NFC East and the NFC South, home of the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints… Continue reading

NFL Week 2 preview

It’s Week 2 of the NFL season and here’s the rundown of what to expect from the slate of games set to be broadcast in the UK and Ireland, including the second ever Manning Bowl.

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American Idiot: #1 – Albert Haynesworth

The first of an occasional series highlighting the sinister, cynical and sillier sides of American sports…

Who is he?
Albert Haynesworth, on his day, is one of the most disruptive forces on an NFL defensive line. Playing for the Tennessee Titans, Haynesworth was named to Pro Bowls in 2007 and 2008 and was considered the premier run-stopper in the league. In 2009 he signed a $100million seven-year deal with the Washington Redskins, with a record $41m guaranteed.

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