The Rams stun the Saints and get out of the winless circle

The St. Louis Rams got their first win of the season yesterday against the mighty New Orleans Saints.  Maybe the Rams were motivated after the St. Louis Cardinals won the 2011 World Series.  Maybe the Saints just took the winless Rams for granted.  Whatever it was, St. Louis looked like a real solid NFL team.  Seriously.  The defense sacked New Orleans QB Drew Brees six times.  The offense scored four touchdowns and even converted on fourth down – twice.  The outcome was a 31 – 21 whipping that made St. Louis cry for joy and New Orleans cry for mercy.

The saying is, “anything can happen on any given Sunday.”  The Rams are at the bottom of the league.  They drafted QB Sam Bradford with their first pick last year.  He is supposed to be the bright star in their future, but just like the end of his college days he is out with an injury.  New Orleans on the other hand is leading the NFC South with a great veteran quarterback.  They won the Super Bowl in 2010.  They are one of the elite groups in the NFL.  The Rams taking out the Saints, explains the point of the saying.

There are two winless teams left in the league.  The Indianapolis Colts and the Miami Dolphins.  The Colts will host the Atlanta Falcons next week while the Dolphins will travel to play the Kansas City Chiefs.  Let’s see if they can finally get a game in the win column.

Ciao! 

Heels & Helmets

Michael Vick’s past still haunting him

The NFL Network has been counting down the Top 100 players of the NFL 2010 Season voted by current players.  Yesterday, they revealed the 20^th player down to the 11^th player.  I was amazed to see Michael Vick at #20.  Number 20 is not justified for a guy who was not supposed to start and ended up not only starting, but also carrying his team to the playoffs. 

I’m not disturbed by Vick’s placement among his counterparts at the quarterback position.  Landing at #20 puts him in the Top 5 among quarterbacks.  Aaron Rodgers is#11.  Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning are sure to be unveiled in the Top 10.  All of these guys are Super Bowl champions.  For some reason even though football is a team sport, a player’s skill level gains more respect with a championship.  So, it is to be expected that they would rank higher than Vick.

What is alarming to me is that when you take the quarterbacks out, there are 15 other players who are ranked higher than Michael Vick.  I have respect for all positions, but it isn’t a secret that the NFL is a quarterback driven league.  So how does a defensive end on a team that is ranked #23 in total defense rank higher than Michael Vick?  DeMarcus Ware is a beast.  He had 80 sacks, but the Dallas Cowboys didn’t even make the playoffs. 

I believe the ghost of Michael Vick’s past reared his head once again.  It is the reason that after a remarkable season he was not the league’s MVP, was runner up in the Madden 2011 cover contest and is now #20 on the NFL’s Top 100.   Michael Vick saved his team.  The same can’t be said for many of the guys in front of him.

The final 10 players will be presented on Sunday on the NFL Network at 8 p.m.  EST. Who do you think will be #1?

Ciao!

Heels & Helmets®

College, NFL, fantasy leagues – Are you ready for football?

College football started, the NFL kicks off its season tomorrow and fantasy leagues have completed their drafts.  With so much going on, I decided to take a quick look at all three and give you some info to prepare for this weekend.

College Football

The first weekend of college football was really exciting!  The University of Michigan opened its new stadium to a sold-out crowd by demolishing Connecticut.   Quarterback, Denard Robinson, set a school record rushing for 197 yards at that position.  (I told you that the third year would be a charm.)  Boise State traveled to the nation’s capital and legitimized its #3 ranking by defeating Virginia Tech (#13) at FedEx Field, home of the Washington Redskins.  Boise gets to rest this weekend.  Michigan will go on the road to play non-conference rival Notre Dame led by new coach Brian Kelly.  Both teams are trying to climb its way into the top 25.  The Fighting Irish opened its season with a win over Purdue.  But, I do not think that their defense will be able to handle the speed of Robinson. 

The game to follow will be Ohio State (#2) and Miami (#12) at the “Horseshoe” in Columbus.  Miami lost the 2003 National Championship Game (Fiesta Bowl) to Ohio State in which a controversial call was made against Miami for pass interference.  The Hurricanes will be playing for all of the former players who were on the 2002 team.  They seem good enough to beat the Buckeyes.  I know that football is a team sport, but this is going to come down to the performance of one guy – Ohio State quarterback, Terrelle Pryor.  He is good enough to contend for the Heisman, but he also makes decisions that make him look like he should be on the bench.  I have been told that your greatest strength can also be your greatest weakness.  If TP is the Buckeyes’ greatest strength they will send Miami back to South Beach with an “L.”  If he is the team’s greatest weakness, there will be a serious hurricane in Northern Ohio.

Who Dat going to New Orleans?

It’s NFL Kickoff in the Big Easy!  Drew Brees and the Saints start the road to defend their Super Bowl Title at home against Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings tomorrow.  Both teams have their quarterbacks intact, but Favre’s ankle is still questionable.  The last time the teams played was earlier this year in the NFC Championship game.  In that game, Favre took a tough hit that injured his left ankle and threw an interception that ended the game.  Favre did not come back at 41 after major surgery on his ankle to lose.  I see him willing his way to victory and avenging his performance in last season’s NFC Championship game.  OK, I need him to do well because he is my fantasy QB.  Which brings me to…

Fantasy Football

You drafted your players and selected your defense.  Don’t worry if you did not get everyone that you wanted.  You can trade and draft new players throughout the season.  If you are new to fantasy football these three easy things will help you be successful with your team:

1. Keep up with your players’ schedules and do not have them on your roster when they have a “Bye” week.

2. Check in on injury reports and make sure that you are starting players who are still healthy and able to play.

3. Have patience and don’t trade immediately.  A player may start off slow and end up with a great season.  Try benching a player before you trade.

Now turn in your rosters and kick butt!  Just don’t mess up your heels.

Ciao! 

Heels & Helmets

Building a fantasy football team: Quarterbacks

The office chatter about fantasy football has already started.  Which fantasy league are you in?  When is your draft?  Ochocinco may not get a lot of points with T.O. in town.  In some cases you will hear more about fantasy football than real NFL games.  What’s all the hype about? 

Fantasy football allows a lot of football fans to have their ultimate fantasy job – own, manage and coach a professional football team.   Just like a NFL general manager, you get to draft the players that you want and trade them throughout the season.  You also get to put on your coaches hat and select your starters each week. 

Most fantasy football leagues are set up so you draft a quarterback, running back, tight end, wide receiver, kicker and one team’s defense.  Some leagues use individual defense players (IDPs) instead of team defenses.  Scoring is based on how your players perform in their actual games.  You will get points when one of your players completes a positive action such as scoring a touchdown or sacking.  You will lose points when a player does something negative like throws an interception.  (See the complete list of scoring opportunities.)  In the Heels & Helmets fantasy football league on NFL.com, the team rosters will include: 1 Quarterback; 2 Running Backs; 3 Wide Receivers; 1 Tight End; 1 Kicker; 1 Defensive Team; and 6 Bench players.  We are using the NFL managed scoring setting.   

When drafting players for your fantasy football team, do not base it on how well you think a team will perform.  Review individual statistics and consider how much playing time a player is anticipated to have this season.  Watching preseason games will give you an idea of who the top players are and how they are performing.  It also gives you a glimpse at the depth each team has because you will see second and third string players play.  To put this into practice, let’s look at some options at the quarterback position.

Drew Brees (New Orleans Saints) and Peyton Manning (Indianapolis Colts) are at the top of the league.  They have strong passing options in Marques Colston and Reggie Wayne respectively, that they are comfortable with.  They also are leading offenses that they know well.  I will give an edge to Brees because Peyton had neck surgery during the offseason, but either one of these guys are good picks for your team.

Brett Favre (Minnesota Vikings) is back.  Seriously.  He played in the preseason game yesterday, so forget the rumors.  It was a rough start for the super veteran, but he knows the game.  While he has appeared a little indecisive the last few years, no one questions how tough if he is.  He will take the majority of the snaps for the Vikings and this gives him plenty of opportunities to pass to his star young receiver, Percy Harvin or hand off to Adrian Peterson, running back and 3-time pro bowler.

Ben Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh Steelers) is healthy, but due to his suspension he will not play in the first six regular season games.  You do not want a guy who will miss out on almost half of the regular season as your starting quarterback.  Big Ben is a good option to have on your team later in the season.  Consider drafting him and putting him on the bench.  Just be mindful that he no longer has Santonio Holmes as a receiving threat. 

This brings me to the young New York Jets quarterback, Mark Sanchez.  In his rookie year, he led the Jets to the AFC Championship Game.  He is young and still learning, but he has a solid offense with experienced players like Holmes, Braylon Edwards and LaDainian Tomlinson.  Therefore, he doesn’t have to be great to be a superstar and get points for your team.

Here are a few other quarterback situations to watch in the preseason as you prepare for your fantasy draft: Matthew Stafford (Detroit Lions) is not on a good team, but Calvin Johnson is one of the leagues top receivers; Tom Brady (New England Patriots) is past his knee and fingers problems; Eli Manning (New York Giants) suffered a head injury in the Giants preseason game against the Jets last week; Donovan McNabb (Washington Redskins) is still adjusting to a new offensive line and receivers; and Carson Palmer (Cincinnati Bengals) now has the dynamic receiving duo, Ochocinco and T.O.

Tonight in preseason action, the Arizona Cardinals will play the Tennessee Titans at LP Stadium at 8 p.m.  Catch some of the game on ESPN and see how quarterbacks Matt Leinart (Arizona) and Vince Young (Tennessee) perform.  Will they show you something to make you want to draft them? 

Heels & Helmets Fantasy Football League Draft on September 6 online at noon!  Who will you pick?

Ciao! 

Heels & Helmets

WHO DAT with the Lombardi Trophy?!

Congratulations to the Super Bowl XLIV Champs, the New Orleans Saints and MVP, Drew Brees!


That was an exciting game!  While it was not the offensive shootout that I was expecting, it was one of guts and persistence.  It was a battle that kept me interested the entire game.


We all know that Drew had a stellar game.  He completed 32 of his 39 passes and had two touchdowns.  He entered the second half of the game with composure as if the first half did not matter.  It is also easy to notice that the defense truly stepped up.  Maybe they were feeling neglected by all of the talk about the strength of the offense, but they demonstrated that they are a factor on the team.  Just look at Tracy Porter's interception in the 4th quarter that really ended the game.


So, I want to highlight the Saints' Special Teams.  You know I believe that this unit can make or break a team.  I had a feeling that one of the Special Teams would make their team and fans feel very special.  That is exactly what the Saints' Special Teams did.  Coach Payton made a courageous (and shocking) move when he called for an onside kick to start the second half.  Thomas Morstead executed with the poise that he is known for.  The rookie kicked 12 yards and the Saints recovered.  This was the real game changer.


The Saints now had momentum and confidence.  The offense boldly came onto the field and started the drive that ended with their first touchdown of the game.  This set the tone for the remainder of the game.  As always, half of it is what you do and the other half is how you think.  The Saints had the skill set, but they were not assertive until the second half.  That change in mindset started with Special Teams, so I had to give this unit some special attention.  The New Orleans Saints' Special Teams receives the Heels & Helmets first Super Bowl REAL GAME CHANGER AWARD.   Congratulations!   




Ciao! 
Heels & Helmets

Super Bowl XLIV Champs Are...

This Super Bowl is going to be a high scoring game!  As you saw this week, both offenses are superb with very talented quarterbacks.  This game is about the #1 Offense going against the #2 team in passing yards.  So you can expect that they both will put up a lot of points.

Many people think that this game will only be about the offense.  I am excited to watch because I know that Drew and Peyton are going to put on a great show!  However, I agree with Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant and still believe that defense wins championships.  The teams are equally matched up on defense.  While both defenses have struggled this season, it did not stop either team from reaching the Super Bowl.  The Saints have an All-Pro Free Safety, Darren Sharper to watch out for Reggie Wayne and Pierre Garcon.  The Colts have an All-Pro Defensive End, Dwight Freeney who is #3 in sacks in the league and will focus on chasing Drew.   Whichever defense steps it up gives their team an edge.

So, with equally matched teams, who does the advantage go to?  I don't have "a team."  I just enjoy watching the game.  If this were the regular season, I would just pick the team with the most former Michigan players to have someone to cheer for.  However, these two teams are equal there too!  The Colts have Mike Hart (Running Back) and Marlin Jackson (Defensive Back).  The Saints have Jonathan Goodwin (Starting Center) and Adrian Arrington (Wide Receiver).  Congratulations guys, GO BLUE!

With anything, I believe half of it is what you do and the other half is how you approach it.  I think that the Super Bowl Champs will be the team that has the experience and the right mentality.  This will allow them to be poised under pressure.  This team is focused and understands that business for this season is not over until Sunday, the championship game.  This was displayed when they won their conference title.  One team celebrated as if the goal had been accomplished.  This mind set will cause them to feel proud just to be in Sun Life Stadium.  The other team did not celebrate as if they had reached their goal.  They were enthusiastic about another win, but ready to prepare for the next game.   

So, the 2010 Super Bowl Champs and winner of the Vince Lombardi Trophy are the Indianapolis Colts with a final score of 42 - 35.

If you need a reminder on any parts of the game that we have discussed go back to a previous post.  Otherwise send an e-mail to heelsnhelmets@gmail.com.

Enjoy watching the game!

Ciao!

Heels &  Helmets

Super Bowl XLIV: When the Saints are On Offense

Super Bowl XLIV is going to be all about offense. The Saints offense is a scoring machine! Our NFC Champs can pass the ball, run the ball and score touchdowns. Let me show you just how well they do it.

There are 32 teams in the NFL. After the regular season, the New Orleans Saints were #2 in passing yards (number of yards gained from throwing the ball), #7 in receiving yards (yards gained by the receiver running after catching the ball), #6 in rushing yards (number of yards gained from running the ball) and #1 in touchdowns. They were the #1 Offense in the NFL this season.

The Saints offense is led by Quarterback, Drew Brees. He can throw the ball and he has a couple of threats to pass the ball to. He has led the Saints to two NFC Championships games, but this is his first Super Bowl. So, he is hungry for a title!

Here is a look at all of the players that will most likely start on the Saints Offense next Sunday. (Go Back to our article on Offense Controls the Game to review the roles of each player.)

Quarterback

Drew Brees (#9) - Coming off of a strong playoff performance without any interceptions. (I show him a little love because he comes from the Big 10.)

Center

Jonathan Goodwin (#76) - Strong veteran and Michigan Man. (Go Blue!)

Guards and Tackles - They block well! Drew has time to pass and the Running Backs have space to run.

Carl Nicks (#77) - Left Guard

Jahri Evans (#73)- Right Guard

Jermon Bushrod (#74) - Left Tackle

Jon Stinchcomb (#78) - Right Tackle

Wide Receivers

Marques Colston (#12) - The guy to watch. He catches all over the field and led the Saints in catches and yards.

Devery Henderson (#19) - Catches long passes, but has a reputation of being inconsistent.

Robert Meachem (#17) - Great catcher, but has a sprained ankle.

Running Backs

Reggie Bush (#25) - Very fast and avoids tackles, but has not been consistent since his knee injury.

Pierre Thomas (#23)- Led Saints in rushing yards.

(Reggie should start, but if he is not playing well this week, Pierre will start.)

Tight End

Jeremy Shockey (#88) - Injury left him out of the Giants' Super Bowl, so he wants to make an impact. Not sure if he will because he didn't do much during the playoffs because of sore right knee.

Tomorrow we will look at the men that will attempt to stop this scoring machine - The Colts' Defense.

Ciao!

Heels & Helmets