49ers Ground Jets in Monday Night Opener

Week 1 - With the start of the 2024-25 NFL regular season in full-swing, football fans were given a steady diet of games all throughout the week including the season-opener on Thursday night between the Kansas City Chiefs & Balitmore Ravens, followed by a Friday matinee in Brazil between the Green Bay Packers & Philadelphia Eagles. The fun continued with a busy slate of matches on Sunday, bookended by the San Francisco 49ers hosting the New York Jets on Monday Night Football. The final match-up of the week would be one of the more intriguing games going in as no two teams are in win-now mode in their respective conferences more than the 49ers and Jets. 

But if there's one thing these two teams have in common aside from their closing championship window, it's their familiarity with heartbreak which both teams felt in two completely different ways just a season ago. On one hand, you have Kyle Shanahan's 49ers who have gotten to the Conference Championship in 4 of the last 5 seasons including 2 Super Bowl appearances but have come up short despite having arguably the best overall roster in the entire NFL. On the other hand, you have the Jets who also have a talented roster of their own on both sides of the football but have had a glaring weakness in the past at the quarterback position. Expectations were sky-high a season ago for the Jets under head coach Robert Saleh, former 49ers defensive-coordinator who served four years on Shanahan's staff, after the acquisition of one of the greatest QB's of all-time in Aaron Rodgers. Hoping the 4-time league MVP would be the answer to those problems after coming over from the Green Bay Packers via trade during the offseason, things went south rather quickly when Rodgers was injured just four plays into his season and ruled out for the year with a torn Achilles in the Monday Night-opener. Coincidentally, the Jets would find themselves playing on Monday Night to open the season for a second consecutive season, this time hoping to avoid injury to arguably their most important player. 

Taking the field without their big offseason acquisition Haasan Reddick whom quarterback Brock Purdy and the 49ers know quite well dating back to the 2023 NFC Championship game in Philadelphia against the Eagles which saw Reddick make a play that injured the Niners QB and put an end to their Super Bowl hopes, the Jets would have little to no answer for San Francisco's offense once the game started. With Reddick missing all of training camp and even demanding a trade after failing to receive a new long-term contract extension, similar to the incident that San Francisco's front-office endured with receiver Brandon Aiyuk, Reddick's presence was certainly missed in the trenches by the Jets defense, as demonstrated by a streak of eight consecutive scoring-drives which ignited the Niners to an easy win in the opener. 

Missing a key player of their own, the 49ers would announce just an hour before kickoff that 2023 AP Offensive Player of the Year and starting running back Christian McCaffrey would be scratched from Monday night's game with a lingering calf injury suffered in training camp. Having led the league in scrimmage yards and touchdowns since joining San Francisco in Week 7 of the 2022 season, CMC would leave some big shoes to fill while missing only his second game in a 49ers uniform. However, filling those shoes would not be a problem for backup running back Jordan Mason who would be called upon to make his first career start. After later revealing that it wasn't until Friday night that head coach Kyle Shanahan had informed Mason that he could get the nod at running back if McCaffrey's calf didn't show any signs of improvement before kickoff, the 49ers appear to have channeled a bit of gamesmanship by possibly withholding the severity of McCaffrey's injury. The CMC news quickly spread like wildfire and took the betting landscape by storm as sportsbooks across the country either tinkered with their spreads moments before kickoff or wiped the game off their boards completely. Nevertheless, McCaffrey's absence would be a footnote by games end. 

With both teams exchanging three and out punts on their initial drives, the 49ers struck first after Rodgers' first Jets completion ended in a turnover following a heads up play by Niners All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner who forced a fumble on New York running back Breece Hall. San Francisco would turn Hall's fumble, just the second lost fumble of his career, into a Jake Moody field goal to give them an early 3-0 lead. The lead would not last long, however, as Rodgers and company embarked on their longest drive of the night with a 14-play, 70-yard drive that spanned over 7-minutes and ended in redemption for Breece Hall who rushed into the end zone with a 3-yard touchdown to put the Jets ahead. Adding a second Jake Moody field goal on their ensuing drive, the 49ers would make it a 7-6 ballgame before taking a 13-7 lead midway through the second quarter and never looking back. The Niners' first offensive touchdown of the new year would come from Deebo Samuel who also helped fill in for running back Christian McCaffrey, with a 2-yard rushing touchdown. By this time, the 49ers were off and running on what would be eight straight scoring-drives. 

Leading 16-7 at the half, Jordan Mason added the only other 49ers touchdown thanks to a 5-yard score up the middle to open the second half. The rest of the game in terms of scoring for San Francisco would turn into the Jake Moody show as the second-year 49ers kicker would add four more field goals on the night to give him a total of 6-for-6 on his way to being named NFC Special-teams Player of the Week in Week 1. The 49er defense did a good job stymying Rodgers, especially on the Jets' first possession of the second half when he was intercepted on a deflected pass intended for receiver Garrett Wilson. Niners cornerback Deommodore Lenoir broke up the pass, allowing for an easy tip-drill interception by teammate Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles. One of the few mishaps on the night by the 49er defense came on New York's following possession when Rodgers took advantage of a free-play on an off-sides penalty by the newest member of the Niners Leonard Floyd, and chucked a 36-yard pass to receiver Allen Lazard for his lone touchdown pass of the night. After his NFL-leading 18th career free-play touchdown pass, Rodgers would sit out for most of the fourth quarter with the game out of reach after his final drive ended in a turnover on downs.

The Jets would add a garbage time touchdown with backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor under center, who connected on a 2-yard pass with Lazard for his second touchdown reception on the night, before falling by a final score of 32-19, the first time ever a game ended with that score and handing the Jets their 13th loss in their last 14 games played in primetime. Lazard would lead all receivers with 6 receptions for 89 yards receiving and 2 touchdowns. In his first game back since tearing his Achilles in the season-opener a year ago, Rodgers finished the contest with career-lows in an opener in both completions and pass attempts, tossing for 167 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception on 13 of 21 passes. His counterpart Brock Purdy would finish with a quietly productive night, throwing for 231 yards passing on 19 of 29 attempts, but helped his team play a turnover-free game on offense. But the star of the night for either team would be backup running back Jordan Mason who had himself a career night by logging the fourth best game in 49ers opening-game history. 

Mason's 147 rushing yards were the 4th-most rush yards in a season-opener in 49ers franchise history, behind only Garrison Hearst's 187 yards in 1998 which also came at the hands of the Jets, Carlos Hyde's 168 yard performance in 2015 against Minnesota, and Christian McCaffrey who rushed for 152 yards just a season ago in Pittsburgh. Mason's 147 yards were also the most rushing yards in a season-opener by an undrafted player since Arian Foster's 231 rush yards in 2010 with the Houston Texans. By halftime, Mason had amassed 74 first half rushing yards which were the most total yards of his career in a full game. But perhaps the biggest stat of all is the 28 rushing attempts by Mason, the most in his football career since his 2016 Gallatin High School season in Tennessee, as well as the most carries of any 49ers player in a game under coach Shanahan. Prior to Monday night, the most touches Mason had in an NFL game was 11.  

With their 32-19 win, San Francisco won consecutive openers for the first time since 2011-16 and their first time in the Shanahan era. It was a night filled with firsts as they faced Jets head coach Robert Saleh for the first time since he left San Francisco's defensive coordinator position to coach the Jets back in 2021. It would also mark the first game with newly hired defensive coordinator Nick Sorenson, marking the team's fourth defensive coordinator in five years. When San Francisco went on their scoring spree of eight straight scoring possessions (6 field goals, 2 touchdowns), it was their longest streak in 45 years. Monday's game would not only be the first win on Monday Night Football in three career tries for Niners QB Brock Purdy, it would also be the first game for him as a starter without Christian McCaffrey in the backfield. And finally, Monday night's game was the first game without allowing a pressure since Week 3 of the 2022 season for 49ers left-tackle Trent Williams who had missed all of his team's training camp while holding out in a contract dispute. 

Noteworthy: The 49ers are the only NFL team in the Super Bowl era to get a 200-yard passing game (Purdy), a 125-yard rushing game (Mason), a 50-yard receiving game (Jennings) and an interception (Flannigan-Fowles) from 4 players who were drafted 200th or later or weren't drafted at all. 

Week 2 Preview: Hitting the road for the first time this season, the 49ers will make the trip to the land of ten thousand lakes where they haven't won on the road since 1992 when they take on the (1-0) Minnesota Vikings. Facing off against former 49ers quarterback Sam Darnold who spent last season as the backup in San Francisco and started in the regular season-finale, the 49er defense will try to keep Darnold from having the same amount of success as he had in Week 1. Coming off a 28-6 drubbing of the New York Giants on the road, Darnold tossed for 208 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception in the win. Darnold was brought in to provide a veteran presence and potentially even compete with Vikings first round draft pick J.J. McCarthy who was selected 10th overall out of Michigan, before the former Wolverine was injured in Minnesota's first preseason game. Requiring surgery to repair a torn meniscus, the injury would put McCarthy on the shelf for his entire rookie campaign, allowing the starting job to fall right into Darnold's lap. 

Early reports have 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey listed as questionable while still nursing his calf injury, but he is expected to practice ahead of Sunday's game according to coach Shanahan. If he is unable to go, we could be in store for another heavy workload from Jordan Mason. 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga could also make his return in Week 2 after suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 11 last year that required surgery. The return of Hufanga would be a welcomed one for a 49ers secondary that figures to have their hands full with the very dangerous Justin Jefferson on the opposite side of the ball. San Francisco fell to Minnesota on Monday Night Football during Week 7 a season ago, losing 22-17 behind a Kirk Cousins-led Vikings team.  

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Injury-riddled Niners ground Jets in blowout Win

Week 2 - Even before Sunday's game between the New York Jets and San Francisco 49ers, things have been grim for the defending NFC Champs who have had to deal with multiple key injuries in the first weeks of the 2020-21 NFL season. But nothing would have prepared them for what they would endure in Week 2. In a battle between two teams coming off Week 1 losses and seeking their first win of the season, the 49ers were once again quick to jump out to an early lead on Sunday when running back Raheem Mostert turned the first snap of the ball game into an 80-yard touchdown. It would be one of the few moments enjoyed by the team collectively as the Niners' luck quickly turned once again. After losing their superstar tight-end George Kittle in the first half in Week 1 to a sprained knee that also kept him out of this one, Kyle Shanahan's 49ers endured a myriad of injuries in the first half on Sunday. Perhaps none greater than the injury suffered by second-year defensive-end and last year's Defensive Rookie of the Year: Nick Bosa. During a 13-play drive that ate up 6-minutes and 43-seconds and ended in a Jets field goal, Bosa went down with an apparent left knee injury that required him to be carted off the field. Two plays later, fellow d-lineman and former first-round pick Solomon Thomas would also need to be carted off the field with a similar knee injury. MRI results would confirm what the team had feared for both players -- a torn ACL. Adding insult to injury to a banged up 49er defense that had already ruled out both Dee Ford (neck) and Richard Sherman (calf) in the days leading up to Sunday's game. 

Things on the offensive side wouldn't be a whole lot better as both Jimmy Garoppolo and Raheem Mostert went to the locker room before halftime with ankle and knee injuries respectively. Making matters worse, neither player would return in the second half. While it wasn't apparent when Mostert had suffered his injury, the injury to Garoppolo occurred during San Francisco's second possession of the game on a low-hit sack that brought Jimmy G to his knees. While he would play through it for the remainder of the half after team trainers wrapped extra tape around his ankle, Garoppolo took multiple hits and was shown limping around in obvious discomfort. Even then, he managed to find tight-end Jordan Reed for a pair of passing touchdowns on back-to-back drives in the second quarter. It would be a memorable day for Reed who filling in for injured Kittle, had went a total of 673 days in between touchdowns since his last score on November 2018 with the Washington Redskins. 

Opening the second half with backup QB Nick Mullens under center, the 49ers quickly found themselves in a 3rd and 31 situation before Jerick McKinnon exploded for a 55-yard run that got the 49ers into enemy territory and allowed them to kick a 46-yard Robbie Gould field goal. San Francisco's second drive on offense with Mullens at the quarterback position wouldn't be as lucky as he was intercepted on a tipped-pass intended for McKinnon, which the Jets would turn into another field goal. Any chances the Jets had of pulling off a late comeback were put to bed when McKinnon made a house-call from 16-yards out to give his team a 31-6 lead in the 4th quarter. New York would get a garbage-time touchdown late in the 4th quarter when QB Sam Darnold escaped pressure before finding receiver Braxton Berrios for a 30-yard score to make it a 31-13 final. 

While the 49ers' first win of the season would come at a great cost after losing multiple players to injury, the team saw a much different story play out on third down than the one that left them with a loss in Week 1. Kyle Shanahan's offense converted on 53% of third downs on Sunday, compared to just 18% a week ago. As expected with their starting running back Le'Veon Bell sidelined with a hamstring injury, the Jets went with a steady diet of Frank Gore in the run game as the long-time 49er and the franchise's all-time leader in rushing, carried the ball 21 times for 63-yards on Sunday against his former team. In comparison, San Francisco got 92-yards rushing on 8 carries from Mostert before his injury and another 77-yards on 3 carries from McKinnon in an all-around efficient performance for the 49ers run game. While Sam Darnold passed for 179-yards and a touchdown on 21-of-32 pass attempts, Garoppolo threw for 131-yards and two TD's on 14-of-16 passing before missing the entire second half. Mullens finished the game completing 8-of-11 passes for 71-yards and a pick. 49ers rookie receiver Brandon Aiyuk made his NFL-debut and finished with two receptions for 21-yards, but it was Jordan Reed who stole the show in the 49ers receiving game with 7 catches for 50-yards and 2 TD's, his first multi-TD game since Week 7 of the 2017 season. 

Week 3 - Several 49er players took to Twitter after the game to express their distaste for the newly installed artificial-turf at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium following the numerous injuries suffered in Sunday's win. Whether those complaints fall on deaf ears or not, it's virtually impossible that anything will be done before kickoff in Week 3 as the Niners will return to that very field when they face the New York Giants (0-2). Coming off a loss in Chicago to the Bears, the Giants clawed their way back from a 17-0 halftime deficit before running out of time and falling in regulation, 17-13. Similar to the Niners, the Giants also had a rough day in the injury department on Sunday as they lost their superstar running back Saquon Barkley for the year with a torn ACL, the same injury suffered by Bosa and Thomas. Both teams will be thin at running back when they meet next week, as the 49ers found out on Monday that they'll be without both Raheem Mostert and Tevin Coleman in Week 3 with knee injuries. Before having to leave Sunday's game, Mostert set another record with his speed. A week after clocking in at a speed of 22.73 mph, the fastest speed by a ball carrier since 2018, Mostert did himself one better by setting another record and reaching 23.1 mph on his game-opening touchdown run, the fastest since 2016. Shanahan and company hope Mostert is just one of the many players they're able to replace as they'll have no other choice than to live by the, "next man up" mantra for at least the next week. As for Jimmy G, it appears the team dodged a bullet and will make a game-time decision on whether backup QB Nick Mullens will need to start in his place or not. 

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest 

Murray, Cardinals hand 49ers Loss in Opener

Week 1 - After suffering the heart-wrenching loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 54, the San Francisco 49ers dubbed the 2020-21 season their self-proclaimed "Revenge Tour" in an effort to settle some unfinished business following their 4th quarter collapse that left a bad taste in the mouths of Niner players and fans alike. On Sunday, their season and so-called tour got off to a rough start as the 49ers were upended by Kyler Murray and the visiting Arizona Cardinals. With fires raging up and down the west coast and more specifically the state of California, the 49ers were forced to take extra precaution all week during practice with the air quality reaching unhealthy to nearly hazardous levels in the Bay Area. But if that wasn't enough cause for concern come game day, the team's depleted receiving corps would surely do the trick. With last year's rookie standout Deebo Samuel placed on the team's Injured List and expected to miss the first three weeks of the season while still recovering from a broken foot and 2020 first-round pick Brandon Aiyuk nursing a hamstring strain, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo played every bit as uncomfortable as some feared he would without two of his starting receivers. And he nearly lost his superstar tight-end as the 49ers had an injury scare with Pro-Bowler George Kittle. 

As for the Cardinals who are much improved from a roster standpoint compared to where they were a season ago, Arizona was one of the busiest teams in the league over the offseason and easily made the biggest splash on offense with the acquisition of wide-out DeAndre Hopkins from the Houston Texans. Pairing an elite receiver in his prime with a bright young talent like Kyler Murray should pay dividends as well as cause fits for the 49er defense for many years to come. Hopkins would waste no time making his presence felt with his new team as he hauled in a career-high 14 catches for 151 yards. The newest member of the Cards dwarfed his teammates in receiving yards as no other Cardinal tallied more than 34-yards. But it was the play-making ability of Murray that ultimately led to the 49er defense scratching their head after Week 1. 

San Francisco got off to a good start on both sides of the ball as a Robbie Gould field goal from 52-yards out got the Niners on the board early following their first possession. After a forced punt on Arizona's first possession, Garoppolo made quick work of the Cardinals defense as he found running back Raheem Mostert with a pass up the middle for a 76-yard touchdown, a career-long for both parties. Blowing by Arizona rookie Isaiah Simmons for the easy score, Mostert was clocked at a top speed of 22.73 mph on his way to the end zone, the fastest by a ball carrier since 2018. With another stop on defense, this time on a three and out, the 49ers seemed to be in business yet again before Arizona forced a three and out of their own that resulted in a blocked punt. One play later, the Cardinals cashed in on the miscue for a 10-yard touchdown by Chase Edmonds. Looking to extend their lead, the 49ers marched all the way down to the 1-yard line before a gutsy decision by head coach Kyle Shanahan to go for it on 4th and goal. Electing to hand it off, Mostert was stuffed at the goal line for a turnover on downs. Luckily for the 49ers, Cardinals kicker Zane Gonzalez missed his first of three field goal attempts which failed to tie the game. After an interception by Niners safety Jaquiski Tartt on Arizona's next possession, both teams would exchange field goals as San Francisco took a 13-10 lead into the half, despite going 0-for-6 on third down. 

The Cardinals would open the second half by suffering a second missed field goal by Gonzalez, but the Niners would fail to get much going on offense themselves as their only two possessions of the third quarter resulted in punts. Starting things off in the fourth quarter, the Cardinals would benefit from a costly unnecessary roughness penalty on a bogus late-hit call on the sliding Murray on 2nd and 21. The speedy Murray would eventually make the defense pay by using his legs to rush for a 22-yard touchdown to give Arizona their first lead of the day. In need of an answer, the 49ers would get just that in the form of a 5-yard touchdown reception by running back Jerrick McKinnon. Setup by a 41-yard connection from Garoppolo to his fullback Kyle Juszczyk, McKinnon who had gone 966 days since playing in his last game following multiple injuries and setbacks, scored his long-awaited first touchdown in a 49er uniform to put his team back on top. Trailing 20-17, Murray and the Cardinals offense continued to chip away at the 49er defense in the fourth quarter as Arizona had a DeAndre Hopkins touchdown erased as the replay review determined the receiver was down just shy of the goal line. Unbothered by the reversal, Kenyan Drake ran up the middle on the very next play to punch in the go-ahead score. 

Given one final chance with just over five minutes remaining, the 49ers had the clock in their favor and all three timeouts remaining if they had a last-minute come-from-behind win at home against Arizona in mind for the second consecutive season. Garoppolo and company would march to the 16-yard line with less than a minute remaining, before a pair of incomplete passes intended for Trent Taylor were broken up, resulting in a game-sealing turnover on downs. Though Garoppolo steered clear in the giveaway department, he made a few errant passes and took three sacks before finishing 19-of-33 for 259 passing yards and 2 touchdowns, while his counterpart completed 26-of-40 passes for 230 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception. However, Murray's real damage came on the ground as he tallied a game-high 91 yards rushing to go along with his rushing touchdown. Kenyan Drake added another 60-yards on the ground on 16 carries. With the aforementioned DeAndre Hopkins leading the game in both receptions and receiving yards, Raheem Mostert lead the way in both receiving (95) and rushing yards (56) for San Francisco. 

Super Bowl hangover? Probably not, but it appears this unprecedented season without any preseason reps to help prep for could take longer to adjust to than initially thought for Kyle Shanahan's reigning NFC Champs. Also worth noting is just how much the team fed off of the raucous crowd of Levi's Stadium a season ago as the seats at Levi's were empty on Sunday and likely will be all season long due to the pandemic. The inability to convert on third downs early on and the team's failure to prevent Murray from running free and creating plays with his feet were ultimately what did the Niners in in the opener, not to mention their short-handed offense that clearly misses both Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk in the receiving department. 

Let the early season overreaction begin! 

Week 2 Preview - The 49ers (0-1) will take to the road for the first time this season when they pay a visit to MetLife Stadium in New Jersey to face the New York Jets (0-1) in Week 2. Coming off a 27-17 loss against the division rival Buffalo Bills, the Jets who will be without Le'Veon Bell (hamstring), will call upon future Hall of Fame running back Frank Gore whom 49er fans are quite familiar with as he spent 10 seasons with the franchise from 2005-2014 and was named to 5-Pro Bowls. The fan favorite who to this day still has a red and white photo of the No. 74 as his Twitter avatar to honor his former teammate and the recently retired Joe Staley, says he still holds the 49ers organization and their fans near and dear to his heart. The same could be said about Gore for the Faithful as the 37-year old back just surpassed Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith for the 3rd most games played in NFL history at the RB position (227). Having been at or near the bottom of the AFC Eastern Division standings for four of the past five seasons now, the Jets were absolutely obliterated in the time of possession battle in their Week 1 loss to Buffalo, as the Bills controlled the ball for 41:16 compared to New York's 18:44. However, if the Niners plan to have similar success with the ball in their possession, they'll need to do a much better job on 3rd down if they want to avoid falling in an early 0-2 hole, as they converted only 18% compared to Arizona's 50. After shipping away their best player in Jamal Adams to the Seattle Seahawks, the Jets are a rebuilding team that is still multiple seasons away from truly contending for a division title. That said, I'd expect a big day for the 49er defense and an all around bounce back performance for Kyle Shanahan's San Francisco team, even if they're without tight-end George Kittle who suffered a sprained knee and will be further evaluated for Sunday's game. 

Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest 

49ers Blow Late Lead, Fall to lowly Jets in OT

Week 14 - With the (1-11) San Francisco 49ers hosting the (3-9) New York Jets in a battle of two struggling teams, we'd bare witness to a tale of two halves as one team went from scalding hot in the first half to ice-cold in the second half , meanwhile, the other team managed to do the complete opposite. Hoping to get a glimpse of the future and solve their prolonged quarterback situation, Jets head coach Todd Bowles decided to give the ball to QB Bryce Petty who in his second year would make only his second career start while facing the 49ers. And in a first half dominated by the home team, Petty's inexperience would show early on.

After receiving the ball to start the game, Petty would make his first mistake on only the second play of the game as a pass intended for receiver Quincy Enunwa was picked off by cornerback Jimmie Ward who read Petty like a book and jumped the route to set his team up inside the red zone. 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick would waste no time to capitalize on the turnover as he found Carlos Hyde for the early touchdown on a 7-yard dump off on their very first play. For Hyde, it would be the start of what would end up being a career day for the Niners running back who entered the game seeking his first 100-yard performance since Week 3. And versus the fourth best rushing defense in the NFL entering Sunday, he would eclipse the century mark in less than two full quarters in this one as he broke off big gain after big gain, including a 47-yarder on San Francisco's next possession which set up backup running back Shaun Draughn who scored on the very next play with a 4-yard rushing touchdown of his own.

Looking to tack on more and take a commanding lead, the 49ers relied on their dependable kicker Phil Dawson who came into Sunday's affair having made 17 of his 18 field goal attempts this season. But not even San Francisco's Pro Bowl kicker would be perfect in this one as he missed back to back field goals on 44 and 48 yard tries on consecutive possessions. After watching Jets kicker Nick Folk make one from 36-yards out to put New York on the board in the second quarter, the third time would be a charm for Dawson who split the uprights with a 47-yarder to give the 49ers a 17-3 lead that they would take with them into the half. But like they've done so often this season, San Francisco would forget to bring their offense with them in the second half as yet another 14-point lead would soon be evaporated. Leading 17-6 with 5 minutes remaining in regulation, a combination of poor tackling and predictable play-calling would be the Niners' demise and allowed the Jets to get right back in it as Petty followed up a Bilal Powell rushing touchdown with a successful two-point try to pull his team within a field goal.

Even with the worst two minute offense in the league entering Sunday for the Jets, San Francisco's lackluster defense would once again let us down as Petty managed to march his team down the field and in position to set up his kicker for a game-tying field goal. And from 51 yards out, Folk would do just that, sending the game into overtime. Though 49ers running back Carlos Hyde would feast with a career-high 193 yards rushing and 7 yards receiving to give him 200 total yards on the day, the most by a 49ers RB since Frank Gore's 207 yard performance on September 20, 2009, his team would fail to ride his big game into victory as the Jets completed the comeback and won in overtime, 23-17, on a 19-yard touchdown by Powell. Powell would also finish with an impressive afternoon, compiling 179 total yards (145 rushing) and a pair of touchdowns. Petty's first career win would hand San Francisco their franchise-worst 12th straight loss. The quarterback the Jets are hoping will solve their woes at the QB position threw for 257 yards compared to the 133 yards by Colin Kaepernick who struggled to get anything going offensively in the second half, as has been the case virtually all season long for both Kaepernick and Chip Kelly's 49ers who've been unable to closeout games week after week.

Week 15 - After failing to come out with a win on Sunday at home to the lowly Jets, the 49ers will have their hands full with a trip to Atlanta next to take on the NFC South-leading Falcons. Sitting at 8-5 on the year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers also at 8-5 and breathing down Atlanta's neck for first place, the Falcons are coming off a 42-14 road shellacking of the Los Angeles Rams and are looking to extend their lead in the division which is bad news for a 49ers team still seeking its first road victory of 2016. Led by quarterback Matt Ryan who began the season as an MVP candidate, Ryan helped hang a 42-spot on the road against the Rams by throwing for 3 touchdowns, all without his best receiver in Julio Jones who was unable to play due to an injured toe. The Niners figure to dodge a bullet as Jones is expected to also be out in Week 15, but the 49ers will still have plenty on their plate as they look to stop all the other play-makers Atlanta has on offense, including the 1-2 punch of running backs Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman. Another big day by Carlos Hyde would be a nice counter for the 49ers, but unless Kaepernick and company can contribute through a full four quarters and the defense can show up, this one could get ugly in a hurry.


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49ers Lose to Bears in NFC Suckfest

Week 13 - In a match-up between the NFC's two worst teams -- the (2-9) Chicago Bears and the (1-11) San Francisco 49ers, the struggle would continue at damp and snowy Soldier Field. The poor conditions with slush-like snow falling from the sky helped make for an even uglier brand of football than we've grown accustomed to seeing from both teams this year. With the 49ers still seeking their first road win since a meeting with the Bears last December, neither team would complete a pass in the opening quarter as it was the ground game that both teams relied heavily on in the early going. That would be especially true for San Francisco as nearly every passing play was either incomplete or ended in a quarterback sack as QB Colin Kaepernick spent much of his time either on the turf or struggling to find the open man on Sunday. As if the elements weren't enough for the 49ers signal-caller to deal with, he had his former defensive coordinator Vic Fangio on the opposing side, dialing up plays that proved to be a headache for Kaepernick and coach Chip Kelly's 49er offense.

With 23 run plays to 10 passing plays for San Francisco in the first half, we would get a steady diet of Carlos Hyde who tallied 92 rushing yards on the afternoon and helped the 49ers dominate in the time of possession department in the first half as they held the ball for 20 of the games first 30 minutes. Somewhat of a surprise considering San Francisco entered the game ranked last in the league in time of possession. Sadly, they would manage to score only six points in all that time as a pair of Phil Dawson field goals was all San Francisco had to show for despite the time advantage. With Chicago pinned back in their own end zone on fourth down, 49ers backup running back Shaun Draughn would get a hand on a Pat O'Donnell punt attempt which helped put the Niners in position to kick their first field goal. Draughn would come up big yet again on special-teams as he stripped Bears return man Deonte Thompson of the ball on the ensuing kick, thus setting up another 49er field goal to make it a 6-0 San Francisco lead.

With just under two minutes to go before halftime and Bears quarterback Matt Barkley still without a completion, the former USC Trojan would begin completing pass after pass as he stringed together four completions on the ensuing drive. Following a controversial pass interference call in the end zone which put the Bears in business at the 1-yard line, Barkley handed the ball off to his rookie running back Jordan Howard who did the rest by punching it in for the go-ahead touchdown. The go-ahead score would be the start of 26 unanswered-points scored by Chicago and the first of three rushing touchdowns on the afternoon by Howard. Adding to his busy afternoon, Howard finished with 117 yards rushing, becoming the ninth back to eclipse the 100-yard mark against the 49ers defense this year. Putting that dismal number into perspective, no other team has allowed more than four 100-yard rushers this season. Sadly, that wouldn't be the most woeful stat of the day for San Francisco as that dubious honor would belong to Colin Kaepernick who was replaced by Blaine Gabbert with 12:55 remaining in the fourth quarter after throwing for only 4 yards on 1-of-5 pass attempts.

Making matters worse for Kaepernick who has had somewhat of a roller coaster campaign in 2016, he would watch Gabbert log more passing yards on his first play of action (an 18-yard completion to Jeremy Kerley) than Kaepernick had in the entire three quarters he spent on the field. Gabbert would finish with 35 yards passing on 4 of 10 attempts before being taken down in his own end zone for a safety in the final minutes of San Francisco's 26-6 loss. After factoring in the six total sacks that the 49ers quarterbacks would suffer, San Francisco combined for a total of 6 net passing yards, the second lowest mark in franchise history. It would also be the fewest yards allowed by a Bears team since the 1985 Monsters of Midway Chicago Bears team that won the franchise's one and only Super Bowl. As for their offense, the 26-points scored by Chicago would be a season-high in what would end up being the first career win for Matt Barkley who finished the game with 192 yards passing on 11-of-18 attempts. The 49ers will now at least have a top-4 pick in next year's NFL Draft as their franchise-worst losing-skid has now reached 11 games. Meanwhile, Chicago improves to 3-9 on the year.

Week 14 Preview - With the 49ers returning home to face the 3-9 New York Jets who are coming off a 41-10 blowout loss at home to the Colts on Monday Night Football, San Francisco will find themselves in rare territory as odds makers have them favored by 3 points, something we've seen very little of this season. Currently suffering a four-game losing streak of their own, the Jets have been one of the most disappointing teams of the season and are likely to press the reset button at seasons end with speculation regarding the potential firing of head coach Todd Bowles. Like Chip Kelly, Bowles has had a quarterback carousel of his own to deal with with Ryan Fitzpatrick, Geno Smith and now Bryce Petty who will make his second career start on Sunday. Petty, drafted last year out of Baylor, started in a Week 10 loss to the Rams in which he threw for 163 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception. With Jets fans hoping they've got their quarterback for the future, a game against the lowly 49ers defense might not be a very good gauge to figure out if Petty is in fact the solution to their problem. As for their defense, New York's strong D-line might cause problems for San Francisco's run game, forcing them to rely through the air which isn't very promising considering their most recent performance. Thankfully, there won't be any snow or subzero temperatures to worry about in this one.

Noteworthy: 49ers Pro Bowl offensive tackle Joe Staley will miss his first game of the season on Sunday with a hamstring injury, snapping a streak of 92 consecutive games started. 


Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest 

TebowMania hits New England

Attention football fans and bible thumpers alike, everyone's favorite Christian -- Tim Tebow has found a new home! After appearing to be dead in the water with no place to go following his unfortunate release from the New York Jets in April which couldn't have come at a worse time given most teams that needed a quarterback this offseason likely acquired one in the NFL Draft, a surprise team emerged. That team? The New England Patriots who agreed to sign Tebow to a 2-year deal with no money guaranteed. With arguably the most successful quarterback-coaching tandem that's ever stepped foot on a playing field in Tom Brady and Bill Belichick in place, it's unlikely Tebow will receive many snaps at the quarterback position if any at all this season. From a QB standpoint, New England was both the best and worst possible destination for Tebow. But that's not to say neither party will benefit.

Playing in New England under coach Belichick and alongside Brady will do wonders for Tebow's knowledge of the game even if it means watching from the sidelines while holding a clipboard. For Tebow, a former Heisman Trophy winner, the move to Foxborough will reunite him with some familiar faces including Pats offensive-coordinator Josh McDaniels who was at the helm of the head coaching position in Denver when the Broncos traded up to draft Tebow in the first round in 2010. Another is tight-end Aaron Hernandez whom Tebow won a BCS National Championship with at the University of Florida. Despite being listed at quarterback as mentioned by Belichick on Tuesday when addressing the media at minicamp, if Tebow does see playing time it'll likely be at another position. And though he's made it clear that quarterback is his ideal position where he's listed at third behind Brady and backup Ryan Mallet on the depth-chart, there won't be any complaining or bickering coming from Tebow regarding his role albeit as a fullback or at tight-end where New England will likely need help in place of the ailing Rob Gronkowski.

Having already undergone a plethora of mechanical throwing adjustments from coaches and former players alike, moving to another position might be the only way Tebow will see playing time this season. Few teams relied on the run in short-yardage situations last year more so than the Patriots which would be right up Tebow's alley. And granted no coach likes to mix it up quite like Belichick when it comes to milking his players for their versatility, it's definitely a possibility. But while his role remains a mystery, one thing that we all know already is that Tebow, who spoke highly of the franchises recent success and thanked the organization numerous times for giving him the opportunity, will give it his all and will do everything possible to help his team win if called upon. But not all players seeking success come to New England and leave having flourished. While Randy Moss and Danny Woodhead were both gambles that paid off, Chad Ochocinco and Albert Haynesworth are just an example of a few recent experiments that Belichick and co. rolled the dice on to no avail. During his nightmare season with the Jets last year under coach Rex Ryan, Tebow threw for a whopping 39 yards while completing 6 of 8 pass attempts and ran for another 102 yards on 32 carries while seeing limited action.


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Week 4: 49ers Bounce back, Pummel Jets in shutout fashion

After a loss on the road during Week 3 to Minnesota in which the 49ers were downright outplayed on offense, defense and special teams, Jim Harbaugh and company would use just about anything as a springboard, but would much rather prefer a shutout. Facing a New York Jets team which features a number of question marks on both sides of the ball, the 49ers would get just that. Similar to last year's trip out east when coach Harbaugh decided to keep his team in Youngstown, Ohio where the squad trained following back-to-back games in Weeks 3 and 4 against the Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles, the man at the helm chose to setup camp in Youngstown for a second time rather than make the flight back to the west coast only to fly back east a few days later. Allowing the team to focus a bit more on the task at hand, the remedy worked once again as the team showed up on Sunday looking like an entirely different team than the one that fell to the Vikings, 24-13 the week before despite not playing to their full potential.

With a combined 246 yards passing between San Francisco's Alex Smith (143 yards) and New York's Mark Sanchez (103 yards), it would be the running game that ignited all the fireworks on offense. Thanks to a number of contributions, most notably from running backs Frank Gore (62 yards) and Kendall Hunter (56 yards) as well as backup quarterback Colin Kaepernick (50 yards), the 49ers ran for a combined 245 rushing yards compared to the Jets' 45 yards rushing, with each player finishing with one rushing touchdown including the first touchdown of Kaepernick's career. The 245 rushing yards allowed by New York marked the most ever for a Rex Ryan coached team. Equally as bad as their defense was at stopping the run, the Jets offense had nothing to show for either as Mark Sanchez  entered the game with the worst completion rating in the league at 49.2%. After early indications of a lackluster offense during the preseason which saw the Jets fail to score a single touchdown on offense, things would only get worse for the Jets. 

Having lost their best player on defense the week before in Darelle Revis, the bad news for Rex Ryan's squad would continue as they would wind up losing wide-receiver Santonio Holmes to a serious foot injury in the fourth quarter, adding to the nightmare that has been the Jets' season. Tim Tebow who was brought in during the off-season and was due for his first snaps in a Jets uniform according to Rex Ryan, saw limited action under center as his first and only pass attempt of the season was a 9-yard reception to wide-out Dedrick Epps who was met by Dashon Goldson before fumbling and losing the ball, the first of four New York turnovers including two other fumbles and an interception. Since last season, winning the turnover battle has been vital to the 49ers' success under second year head coach Jim Harbaugh and has almost always decided the victor. Sunday was no different as San Francisco's stingy defense was +4 in the turnover department as the 49ers bounced back from their Minnesota debacle by trampling the Jets by a final score of 34-0. The 34-point shellacking was also the Jets' biggest shutout loss at home since falling 37-0 to the 1989 Buffalo Bills. 

Week 5 Preview & Prediction: With the 49ers returning home for the first time since their Sunday night affair against the Detroit Lions in Week 2, Jim Harbaugh's squad will host the 2-2 Buffalo Bills. Led by QB Ryan Fitzpatrick who leads the league with 12 touchdowns and is tied for second with the most interceptions (7), the Bills have been just as dangerous through the air this season as they have on the ground. But with the Bills nursing not one, but two star running backs in Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller, Buffalo's offense might be in store for a long day as the 49ers D looks to impress and prove that last week's slaying of the New York Jets was no fluke. And with Fitzpatrick coming off a 4 touchdown, 4 interception outing at home against an off and on New England Patriots defense, the Harvard alum will have his hands full with one of the best defenses in all of football. Expect to see Alex Smith rebound from his dismal 143 yards passing, 0 touchdown performance against the Jets with his biggest numbers yet as he and running back Frank Gore lead the 49ers to a 30-17 win at home.


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Tebow's Late Game Heroics

In case you haven't overdosed just yet on all the attention the media has shown Broncos QB Tim Tebow, the former Heisman Trophy winner once again dazzled the critics this past Thursday to steal the spotlight. Since week 7 against the Miami Dolphins when Denver's head coach Jim Fox promoted Tebow as the starting quarterback over Kyle Orton who led the team to a sluggish 1-4 start, Tebow has helped turnaround the Broncos season in ways most didn't think he was capable of. Despite failing to meet the standards of a traditional quarterback, Tebow has led his team to three consecutive victories and a total of four wins in five games with their only loss coming against a Detroit Lions team that has solidified themselves as one of the more surprising teams in the NFL this season.

Considering his successful career at the collegiate level which ranks as one of the all-time greats, it's not the winning Tebow's done that has surprised everyone, but rather the manner in which he's doing it. Just last week in Kansas City facing the division rival Chiefs, Tebow and the Broncos managed to pull within a game of .500 with limited production via the passing game as Tebow needed only two completed passes to pull out the 17-10 win. One of those completed passes being a 56-yard touchdown to wide receiver Eric Decker as Tebow finished the game with a total of 69 yards passing. But just when you thought you've seen the last of Tebow's Cinderella-like antics he did it again.

Up against one of the leagues better defenses in the New York Jets, the Denver Broncos had the odds stacked against them and their abnormal offensive style. After three and a half quarters of mediocrity that saw the Broncos cause limited damage down 14-10 with just under 6 minutes remaining on the game clock, it would soon be Tebow time. Having made a trend out of comebacks late in the game with the clock against him, Tebow would once again come alive in the fourth quarter, this time doing his best work yet putting together a 95-yard drive and scoring the game-winning touchdown on a 20-yard run with just 58 seconds to spare. Facing both a four point deficit and a game clock with under a minute left would prove to be too much for Mark Sanchez and the Jets to overcome as the Broncos went on to win, 17-14, improving their record to an even 5-5 on the year.

Following the game, teammate and go to receiver Eric Decker said of his quarterback's late game heroics, "He just gets better later in the game. He's got that it factor." Another thing Tebow's got is a will to win. Regardless of his often criticized mechanics and unconventional ways the man knows how to do what's most important of all -- find a way to win. With that being said I think it's about time the rest of the AFC Western Division took Tebow seriously.


Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest

Pats steal Ellis from Jets, igniting AFC East arms race

Spicing up one of the NFL's more heated rivalries as of late is the recent news of former Jets Defensive end Shaun Ellis signing with the New England Patriots. Though the 2-time Pro-Bowler out of Tennessee spent 11 years pressuring the Quarterback he now calls his teammate (Tom Brady), Jets head coach Rex Ryan won't be sending flowers or a good luck card to his player of two years anytime soon. Instead, he made it clear via a press-conference that he wishes Ellis good health, but also hopes he plays poorly with his new squad before adding that he had a great deal of respect for the 34 year old veteran. Whether or not coach Ryan agrees, Ellis' transition from NY to NE isn't your typical rivalry flip-flop considering he was just looking to play for whoever gave him the best offer.

Despite spending over a decade in New York, the Jets looked to repay their longest tenured player for his services by offering him a 1-year deal at the veteran's minimum of $910,000. Having witnessed Ellis reek enough havoc on his team and Quarterback over the years including a 2 sack performance as recent as the AFC Divisional Game on January 16, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick recruited him as both sides agreed to a 1-year, $4 Million deal. And while Rex Ryan and the Jets got the last laugh in 2010 as they went on to eliminate Belichick and the Patriots out of the Playoffs to play in the AFC title game which they eventually lost, New England appears to be making all the right moves to avoid a similar incident.

The uniting of Ellis and Belichick is fitting given they both have a lot to do with where one another has been for the past decade. Having served as Bill Parcells' assistant head coach and defensive coordinator for several years in New York (1997-99), Belichick wad handed the head coaching duties after Parcells' retirement. However, only one day into the job, he resigned as the Jets head coach after surprising the organization with a note that read, "I resign as HC of the NYJ" moments before taking the podium to announce his change of heart. Making matters worse, Belichick was announced as head coach of the New England Patriots just hours after his debacle with the Jets. Arguing with the league office that Belichick was still under contract with New York, then NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue demanded compensation from the Patriots who gave the Jets their first-round draft pick in exchange for Belichick. The Jets would go on to use that pick to select Shaun Ellis 12th overall and the rest is history.

Ellis joins Chad Ochocinco and Albert Haynesworth to form a newly looked Patriots squad that hopes to once again out-muscle the opposition to recapture sole possession of the division. Alongside Ellis and Haynesworth will be nose tackle Vince Wilfork, forming one of the more formidable tandems in all of football. Though Gang Green hasn't made as much noise as their rivals via the free agent and trade market this offseason, they did manage to fill the void of the recently departed Braylon Edwards by signing the 6-foot, 5-inch Plaxico Burress. But while Burress' height advantage serves in the Jets' favor, his time away from the game may prove to be costly as it's been a rough two years since he's last played a down of football. However, that's one gamble Rex Ryan and company is willing to take as his third year Quarterback Mark Sanchez will need all the help he can get on offense.

While the answer to the question of who comes out on top in the AFC East is up in the air, one thing that's certain is that the division has now evolved into a chess match as both teams begin shifting their pieces in anticipation of the 2011-2012 NFL season. Both teams look to add another chapter to their rivalry come Week 5 in Foxborough's Gillette Stadium on October 9.

Heads or Tails?

In New Jersey, something as small as a coin toss has angered an entire fan base. In walking distance from the old Giants Stadium, a new playing field is being built and is set to open its doors for the 2010 NFL season. The only problem is, there's two teams calling the new state of the art stadium their home, causing quite the controversy in terms of who will be playing their first. NFL commissioner Roger Godell made the decision by flipping a coin to determine who will get to show off the new venue first. & Guess who won. That's right, the Giants. With the win of the good old fashion coin toss, the New York Giants will play the first regular season game at the new Meadowlands Stadium, while the Jets are stuck watching from a television screen.

With one of the two organizations excited, the other is left disappointed to say the least. Since sharing stadiums with their New York counterparts, the Jets have been seen as the little brother to the Giants. And now that their moving to a new stadium not named after the G-Men, things don't seem to be starting off any different. Hopefully for the Jets, the grass will be much greener in the new stadium, considering since the Jets made the move to Giants Stadium in 1984, they've been yet to bring home the Lombardi Trophy. While the Giants on the other hand, have obtained 3-Superbowl rings. If you ask me, I say a match-up between the two should take place as the first ever game played at the new Meadowlands stadium, but noooo, that would make too much sense now wouldn't it?

Luckily for Gang Green, the Jets will get to take the field for the first time the following night for their home opener on Monday Night Football, less than 24 hours after the Giants break the stadium in on Sunday. Like its predecessor, the new stadium will be the only NFL stadium shared by two teams. However, unlike Giants Stadium in which the Jets were a junior partner, the new stadium will be a 50/50 partnership between both NFL teams. The new stadium will seat 82,500 fans, including 10,005 club seats and approximately 218 luxury suites, making it the third largest NFL stadium in total seating after the Washington Redskins' FedEx Field and Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. As seen in the movie 'The Day the Earth Stood Still' Giants Stadium will soon be no more and will be vanished, this time with the thanks of a wrecking ball.

L.T. to N.Y. x T.J. to K.C.

In one of my more recent posts -- Happy Trails x L.T. & Thomas Jones, both Tomlinson and Jones were looking for an organization to call home after being released by their former teams. And just two weeks later, both players have found a place to play, with one of them actually taking the former job of the other. When the New York Jets cut ties with their running back of 3-years -- Thomas Jones, many speculated it was to give rookie stand-out Shaun Greene more playing time and sole possession of the starting position. But now that L.T. will be donning a Jets uniform, the possibility of Greene being the front man is unlikely. On March 14th, the former 2006 NFL MVP who was cut by the Chargers, agreed to a 2-year deal worth $5.1 million dollars.

As for Thomas Jones who was cut by New York, despite having a career year (1,402 rushing yards, 14 touchdowns), the 2008 Pro Bowler will now serve his duties in Kansas City with the Chiefs. Jones signed a 2-year, $5 million dollar contract on March 9th. He'll form a tandem with Jamaal Charles, who led Kansas City in rushing last season with 1,120 yards and seven touchdowns. For Tomlinson, it was either New York or Minnesota as the top suitors for landing the 5-time Pro Bowler. Sources say Brett Favre was even a factor in trying to lure L.T. to Minnesota. Although his efforts obviously weren't enough to help the Vikings reel him in, it could answer the repetitive question of 'Will Brett Favre be returning again next season?' But with Favre, the world may never know...


At the end of the day, I question the move the Jets made, considering Jones had one of the best, if not the best year in his career, opposed to L.T.'s worst season in the NFL. & It's not like the Jets improved age wise by getting much younger, both players will be 31 years old once the season starts with Jones being 10-months elder than Tomlinson. They released someone who has grown accustomed to the Jets offense, registering back-to-back phenomenal years, for a player who's numbers have descended year after year. Sure L.T. might help sell a few more jersey's, but other than that, I don't get the reasoning of the move one bit at all.

The team L.T. now works for is bulking up on defense as well. A week and a half prior to the acquisition of Tomlinson, the Jets made a trade with San Diego for L.T.'s former teammate -- CB Antonio Cromartie. The signing has me pondering whether or not the 2007 Pro Bowler Cromartie played a similar role like Favre, as to trying to encourage him to play next year in New York. Regardless, the best defense in the league just got a whole lot better with Cromartie's addition. For someone who has some baby momma issues, a large sum of the money Cromartie will be making this year, is going towards paying off his child support. The Jets new cornerback has 7 different children, from 6 different woman, in 5 different states. I'm guessing this dude's never heard of a condom?

Happy Trails x L.T. & Thomas Jones

9 Productive years in SD, and no ring to show for - As early as it is in the NFL offseason, this week is expected to be one of the busiest with players showcasing what they've got in the NFL scouting combine, hoping to find a job and get selected in this year's NFL Draft. Only a month removed from the conclusion of the 2009 NFL season, teams have already begun to make headlines and adjustments to their rosters for next season. But none have made bigger news, than that of the San Diego Chargers. Just last week, the team has decided to part ways with their running back of 9 years -- LaDanian Tomlinson, or better known as LT. The former 2006 NFL MVP holds just about every Charger franchise record in each offensive category possible. From the most all-time Charger rushing yards (11,760), to the most all-time career touchdowns as a Charger (150). It's almost hard to believe LT's now seeking a job, considering his offensive resume is endless.

However, since his 2007 campaign, Tomlinson's numbers have dropped drastically in such categories as: attempts, yards, touchdowns and average yards per carry. 2009 served as his only year in the NFL in which he did not reach the highly coveted 1,000 yard plateau, finishing the season with 730 yards rushing. But to say the current record holder for the most touchdowns in a single season doesn't have anything left in the tank would be unfair. Personally I don't think LT's capable of registering another 1,300+ yard season, but anytime he's on the field, he poses a big enough threat. Now that he's on the free agent market, I don't see the 5-time Pro-Bowler having any trouble finding a suitor, but not for the price LT has grown accustomed to making. However, Tomlinson won't settle with just any team and says he "wants to play for a tittle contender."

Also making the news, is LT's backup RB Darren Sproles. Planning to take another route, the Chargers have said they won't be tendering a contract to the speedy Sproles, making him an unrestricted free agent.


New York to get a lot Greener - San Diego isn't the only organization bidding farewell to it's play makers. The New York Jets have reported that RB Thomas Jones will be released by the team, with 2009 rookie sensation Shaun Greene taking over at running back. Jones, the AFC's starting running back in last year's NFL Pro-Bowl, led the AFC in rushing just a year ago, tallying over 1,300 yards. Although it's not yet known if San Diego is a potential destination for Jones, the team's best bet would be to target a back in the Draft. Clemson's C.J. Spiller and Cal's Jahvid Best will both be available on April 22nd when the NFL Draft takes place, but with the high number draft pick the Chargers own, it's unlikely either one will land in the arms of San Diego.

Rex Ryan Part III x Rexy so Sexy

As if enough fun hasn't already been poked at Rex Ryan's weight in the past, the latest pictures and footage of Ryan's Buddha belly seen at a hockey game earlier this week will surely have you disgusted and possibly a bit curious. The New York Jets head coach was spotted at a Panthers-Hurricanes game wearing a Flyers jersey, until the 'Canes Ice-Girls assisted him with a brand new Hurricanes jersey. For a minute I thought Ryan was gonna pull the unthinkable by putting on a show for the home crowd and doing the 'truffle shuffle'. Instead, he provided us with an image that will scar for life.

Ryan is a walking example of why it's important to work out regularly and eat healthy even at an elderly age, unless you're trying out to be a sumo wrestler of coarse. Although his invite to the Nathan's hot dog eating contest was terminated along with his team, it looks like the loss might have done him some justice, as the contest Ryan should now look into is NBC's The Biggest Loser or perhaps VH1's Celebrity Fit Club. & With 3-years left on his contract in the big apple, it'll be interesting to see if Ryan even attempts to slim down a bit. At the rate he's currently at, Ryan might outweigh his entire offensive line and I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up being the first head coach with a snack bar on the sidelines.

Rex Ryan Part II x Cancel the Invite

Prior to his team losing in the AFC Conference Championship, New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan was invited to the World's Famous Nathan's hot dog eating contest. The catch -- his team had to make it to the Superbowl. But now that his team has been eliminated, all chances of the rookie head coach going head to head with some of the most fierce competitive eaters can now be put to rest. As big of a publicity stunt the event would be, you would have to think the contest would draw twice as many fans and reel in just as much ratings if not more than a regular televised Jets game. & As exciting as it would be to see Ryan defeat Kobayashi and Joey Chestnut in their own game, it's almost a shame that now it'll never end up happening.

Whether or not it's a joke aimed at Ryan's weight, I'm sure he got a kick out of it given he's one of the biggest jokester's in all of football. Ryan has become a fan favorite not only because he's a rookie, but because his jesting personality lightens up those in the press conference. The man has made a memorable early coaching career out of saying some off the wall shit and surprising the league that his Jets are for real. But in my opinion, he has easily transformed from one of the more likable coaches in the league, to one of most annoying, within a matter of days. It's almost a daily thing to tune into SportsCenter to find out what Ryan has to say today. & After saying he'll be shocked if his Jets didn't win and beat the Colts, hopefully next season he'll learn to let his team do all the talking on the field instead of him doing it behind a podium.

If Ryan's mouth didn't get him into enough trouble already, his finger sure will. After being seen at a Strikeforce MMA event earlier this week in Miami, Ryan was seen giving the good 'ol bird to a number of heckling Dolphin fans. The picture made it not only on Sports channels and websites, but on the front cover of the New York Post. Ryan later apologized for his obscene gesture, but that didn't stop the NFL from fining him $50 thousand big ones. For some odd reason, I think this is only the beginning of Ryan's questionable antics as an NFL coach. With that being said, Rex deserves the award for the biggest character in the NFL for 2009.

Colts End Jets Impressive Playoff Run

Manning continues to rewrite the records books - Similar to the NFC Conference Championship, the battle for the AFC Conference Championship hosted the number 1 seed, the Indianapolis Colts. They're opponent however was one nobody expected to be there -- The New York Jets. But after already defeating both the Cincinnati Bengals and the San Diego Chargers in the postseason, the Jets were just as confident as anyone. Led by a strong defense and a ground game that led the the league in rushing, the Jets started the game like they were destined to win. But it wasn't long before Peyton Manning began to work his brilliance and lead the Colts to their second Superbowl appearance in four seasons.

Although Mark Sanchez and the Jets failed to make it to the Superbowl, they almost did it in the opposite way many thought they could. For as much as the team depends on it's defense, the offense seemed to be what was keeping them in the game to almost pull off the upset. After an 11-point lead with under 2 minutes remaining in the first half, Manning would bring the Colts to within 4-points heading into the lockers, after connecting in the end-zone with WR Austin Collie. With momentum on their side, the Colts then came in during the second half and did what needed to be done, as the Jets were shutout for the remainder of the game, resulting in a final score of 30-17. With the win, the Colts got their revenge on the team that put an end to their potential undefeated run just several weeks ago.

Regardless of the outcome, I've gotta tip my hat to Mark Sanchez for proving everyone that doubted him wrong and that said he wasn't experienced enough to start in his first year in the NFL. Instead, the former USC Trojan developed into one of the more promising arms for the future as both he and Jets head coach Rex Ryan should work wonders in New York for many years to come. Sanchez finished the day throwing for 257 yards and 2 touchdowns on 17 of 30 passing attempts, giving him an overall stellar performance. But the game ball would have to go to Peyton Manning of coarse.

After the first half, Manning found his groove and shredded the best defense in the league, finishing with a total of 377 yards and 3 touchdowns on 26 of 39 passing. With Jets Pro-Bowl CB Darrelle Revis covering Colts WR Reggie Wayne, Manning completed 18 of his 26 passes to WR's Pierre Carcon (11 catches, 151 yards) and Austin Collie (7 catches, 123 yards). The 300+ passing yard performance marked Manning's 7th 300-yard playoff game of his career, passing Kurt Warner and Joe Montana for the most all-time. It's no wonder Peyton Manning was rewarded this year's league MVP. But will he be able to add another Lombardi Trophy to his already crowded trophy case?

Aside from the game itself, my favorite part had to be the award ceremony after the game. With the earthquake that hit Haiti just weeks ago, no one on the field was affected more by the tragedy than Colts WR Pierre Garcon. Garcon who is of Haitian descent, had a big day on the field and broke the record for the most receptions in an AFC Championship game and was seen celebrating after the game with teammates and holding a Haiti flag up high (as seen in the photo below). It definitely served as one of the more touching moments of the NFL season this year.

J-E-T-S, JETS JETS JETS! x Chargers Choke, 17-14

This past Sunday, the New York Jets proved just how deadly their defense really is by upsetting the San Diego Chargers and keeping them under 20 points for the first time this season. Prior to the loss, San Diego was riding an 11-game winning streak. But after a BYE week the previous week, it looks like the time off hurt them a lot more than it helped. With a quiet rushing game from San Diego's backs, the Chargers had to depend highly on Philip Rivers and the air attack. Although Rivers threw for a touchdown and neared the 300 yard mark, coming 2 yards shy, his 2 interceptions would be costly. Jets QB Mark Sanchez didn't have a great day offensively either, but with a stellar run game backing him up, he didn't need one.

Rookie RB Shonn Greene played exceptionally well by finishing with yet another 100-yard performance. On 23 rushes, Greene ran for 128-yards and a touchdown, including a 53-yard run. The run also happens to be the longest postseason run in Jets franchise history. Although the Jets defense played a major role in the win, they couldn't have done it without Chargers kicker Nate Kaeding's help. Kaeding, the kicker for this year's Pro-Bowl, missed 3 field goals, despite entering the game with a streak of 20 kicks without a miss and a streak of 69 field goals made from 40 yards or less, which included playoffs. However, with the game on the line and a possible chance to help send his team to Indy, Kaeding chokes and the Chargers are sent packing yet again.

When it comes to kicking field goals, the Jets have had some sort of fortune on their side as opposing teams have had a hard time making field goals against them. This post season, their opponents have missed a total of 5 field goals (2 by the Bengals & 3 by the Chargers). Call it luck but at the end of the day, the Jets are the team moving on. As the Jets prepare to play in their first AFC Championship since 1998, they'll have to face this year's league MVP -- Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. Although the Colts are one of the favorites to not only make it to the Superbowl but win the whole thing, you know Rex Ryan thinks otherwise. The team that put an end to the Colts perfect season in week 16 to keep their playoff hopes alive will once again be in the building of Lucan Oil Stadium, and once again playing for their playoff lives. This time, they can be almost certain that Peyton Manning will be playing the entire game, instead of just the first half in which he played during the team's previous meeting.

& Just like that, the team that almost everyone said had no chance in the playoffs, has easily changed a lot of minds and proved those who doubted them wrong. I'll admit, I'm one of those who have became a believer and wont be surprised if Gang Green comes out on top this week. As for the Chargers, before you begin to blame head coach Norv Turner, blame management for bringing the guy back for another few years as the Chargers front-office dishes Turner a surprising extension. Extensions are meant to be given weeks and maybe months after a playoff loss. Giving one days after your team fails to make the AFC Championship is like saying he did the right thing. Something else worth bringing up, is Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson who has fallen off the radar in terms of the league's most lethal backs. Many are questioning whether or not LT should call it quits and with Darren Sproles behind him to rely on, I've gotta agree. What do you think?

Rex Ryan Part II x What December woes?

*Tisk Tisk* - Since his team barely creeped their way into the playoffs, Rex Ryan has become the brunt of a joke as he continues to fail at getting the memo. In a New York Jets press conference on Thursday, Ryan took the podium to answer questions. After being asked what he thought about being the biggest underdogs in the playoffs, Ryan replied, "Biggest underdogs?, I wasn't aware of that. I think we should be the favorites to win the whole tournament." WRONG! Coach, I like your confidence heading into Saturday's game against Cincy, but since you declared your team dead and out of playoff contention in week 15, the only thing you should be favored for is the award for the biggest clown of the league.

I can't wait 'til his press conference after the Bengals actually put their starting squad on the field tomorrow night in Cincinnati. Bengals QB Carson Palmer hasn't had as much success as he had in the first half of the season, but running-back Cedrick Benson should be plenty for the Jets stellar defense to deal with. & For the Bengals sake, let's hope Chad Ochocinco is as healthy as he says he is. Otherwise they'll have to prey the defense comes out guns blazing. The Jets own the series record over Cincinnati, 14 games to 7, with New York having won 7 of the last 8 meetings. But Ocho & friends plans to put an end to all of that.

How 'bout them Cowboys!? - Since the mid-90's, the Dallas Cowboys have been known for being one of the worst teams in the month of December and in the playoffs, given they haven't gotten passed the first round since Troy Aikman served as the starting QB. However, this season the 'Boys have sang a different tone in the month of December. QB Tony Romo has played some of his best ball in a Cowboys uniform the past few weeks, as he helped the team win back-to-back games in the month of December for the first time in six years. & If that wasn't enough, they also won last week against the same team they'll be facing tomorrow -- the Philadelphia Eagles. But unlike the 24-0 beating the Eagles received last week, both teams will be playing for their playoff lives this time around instead of home-field advantage and a division crown. A little something else that might be on the line, is Wade Phillips' future in the Big D.

Ryan & The Jets Take The Easy Route

After the most unlikely of scenarios, the New York Jets take the easy route to the playoffs by defeating teams that were playing for virtually nothing and without their star players. After putting an end to the Manning-less Colts' potential undefeated season just two weeks ago, New York went on to beat the Cincinnati Bengals, 37-0. After losing at home to the Falcons just 3 weeks ago, Jets head coach Rex Ryan said his team was no longer alive to make the playoffs. But now he's thinking otherwise by saying, "No one wants to face us in the playoffs, we're a very dangerous team." Yeah, way to show confidence in your squad coach...

Ryan also gave lots of credit to his struggling rookie quarterback - Mark Sanchez for getting the Jets to the promise land. When instead, it was a combination of the Jets defense and their deadly running game that really got them to the playoffs. Before you declare Ryan a genius, consider this: the two teams the Jets beat to make it to the playoffs have already clinched playoff berth's and sat most of their starters and key players to avoid injury and keep healthy for the postseason. But whether or not the Jets got lucky, they're in the playoffs no doubt. A word of advice for Rex Ryan and his boys, don't plan on any teams sitting their starters now that it's playoff time.