Football Reporters Online

By David Levy-Fan Experience Reporter-FRO

The New York Jets controlled the big apple during the post season over the last two years. In fact, Jets fans like myself anticipated that the team would finally be the Kings of New York instead of the Giants. After all, since 2008 the Giants hadn’t come close to returning to the Super Bowl, while their former weak sisters nearly went there twice.  The Jets had control for once in New York.

But a whole new season can make a really big difference, considering where New York’s two teams are right now. Not only have the Jets free fallen into the murky abyss, they may have lost their chance to seize control of New York permanently at this rate while the Giants approach another Super Bowl.  Both teams were in control of their destiny this season.  The Giants took control while the Jets let control slide from their hands.

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By Dr. Bill Chachkes-Managing Partner/Executive Editor Football Reporters Online

(photo-Coughlin & Reese at the Met Life Stadium naming event in August 2011)

The Giants are one win away from another Super bowl appearance. Let’s let that statement sink in for a moment. The team that few if any gave a chance to in August, September, October, November & December….Is again making noise In January, much like the 2007 Giants. Or are they more like the 1990 Giants?

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By Jon Wagner-Sr. Writer-Football Reporters Online

Image via Wikipedia

Say what you will if you’re a critic of New York Giants’ quarterback Eli Manning.

It’s all been said countless times before… Manning doesn’t exude the same type of on-field leadership skills as his brother, Indianapolis Colts’ quarterback Peyton Manning. And, he simply hasn’t had, nor will he seemingly ever possess the overall quarterback skills of Peyton.

But, one criticism of the younger Manning signal caller that would be unfounded is that he lacks toughness.

Image via Wikipedia

That’s certainly been proven otherwise, such as when Manning shook off a bloodied head injury like it was nothing in last year’s unveiling of the (then-named) New Meadowlands Stadium. And, Manning’s resolve was shown again, a season earlier, when he performed like a pro bowl starter against Oakland with a very painful right heel injury.

Of far greater significance, Manning outplayed the legendary Brett Favre on Lambeau Field’s renowned frozen tundra in severe cold and snow while helping the Giants to a 2010 NFC championship title.

That came right before facing the pressure and coming through (albeit with the help of a little luck – thank you, David Tyree and Asante Samuel) on a game-winning drive against the undefeated New England Patriots to deliver the Giants’ third Super Bowl title.

Yes, time and again, through a sometimes up, sometimes down career, Manning has taken his lumps and has fought through adversity.

And, through it all, he’s always remained on the field.

Ironically now, it’s the younger brother Eli who will suddenly become the league’s most durable quarterback at his older brother’s expense, as the NFL kicks off its 92nd season this week.

Thanks to back and shoulder issues following off-season neck surgery, Peyton is about to unfortunately end the longest active streaks (227 games overall, including 208 in the regular season) for consecutive starts by an NFL quarterback, and Eli is next on the list to take his brother’s place.

Unlike 35-year-old-Peyton, the Giants’ Manning (who will turn 31 two days after New York’s regular season finale against Dallas on New Year’s Day) will play on Sunday and continue what will then become the NFL’s new longest active quarterback starts streaks when he begins his eighth year in the league with his 111th consecutive start overall and 104th in a row during the regular season.

Especially painful for Peyton and Colts’ fans is that Indianapolis’ entire season could be in jeopardy as the prognosis of Eli’s brother returning to the lineup anytime soon is uncertain at the moment during a season when the Colts’ home stadium is set to host Super Bowl XLVI, in February.

Meanwhile, making Peyton’s situation even more ironic for Eli and Giants’ fans doesn’t end with Eli taking over his brother’s reign for active durability.

That’s because of all players to come out of oblivion to take over for Peyton (at least for now), it’s the ex-Giant who led New York to the Super Bowl prior to Eli accomplishing the same feat. Yes, none other than former Super Bowl XXXV quarterback Kerry Collins, who will start in Peyton’s place on Sunday, in Houston, after coming out of retirement for an 18th season at age 38.

(Eds. Note-This Article ran on the Giants Football Blog @ SNY.TV earlier today, and was quoted by several Giants Beat writers by The Dinner Hr. tonight! Nice Job Jon!)

Green Bay Hangs on to Win Fifth Straight and Capture NFC Title Over Gutsy Bears

By Jon Wagner-Sr.Writer-Football Reporters Online

Twenty-five years after “The Fridge” helped the Chicago Bears capture their last Super Bowl victory, it took “The Freezer” to deny them another chance at reaching football’s biggest game, and ice the Green Bay Packers’ first NFC championship in thirteen years.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers got the Packers off to a fast start by leading a pair of touchdown drives, but it was Rodgers’ touchdown-saving tackle (after a mistake) and an interception return for a touchdown by nose tackle B.J. Raji, the self-proclaimed “Freezer,” which propelled Green Bay to an historic 21-14 win at Solider Field in Chicago.

It was yet another different method by which the injury-riddled Packers (13-6) found a way to win this season, as hot Green Bay won its fifth straight elimination game to reach Super Bowl XLV after struggling to a mediocre 8-6 start.

With more starters on the injured reserve list than any other NFL team, the Packers have endured a lot this season. Now they have just one last hurdle to overcome, in the biggest game of all.

And, they’ll have the game’s hottest quarterback to take them there.

As if he wasn’t good enough last week, while going 31-for-36 in Green Bay’s divisional round rout in Atlanta, Rodgers picked right up where he left off in that win, going a perfect 4-for-4, for 76 yards, to lead a 7-play, 84-yard scoring drive on the game’s opening possession.

Rodgers (17-30, 244 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT) completed passes of 22 and 26 yards to wide receiver Greg Jennings (8 catches,  game-high 130 yards) on the first two plays of the game, before connecting on throws of six and 22 yards. He finished the drive with a one-yard touchdown run, untouched, to the left, to give the Packers a 7-0 lead just 4:04 into the game.

While the Bears’ offense sputtered for a total of 109 yards on eight punts and an interception through Chicago’s first nine possessions, the Packers extended their lead on their fourth possession of the game.

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How do Aaron Rodgers and Jay Cutler compare?

A look into the two quarterbacks playing for the NFC title.

By Rafael Garcia Sr. Contributing Writer

Southeast Region

January 21, 2011

The comparisons have been made about these two players for some time. The argument has been taken to another level now that they are competing against each other for the NFC Championship Sunday. Aaron Rodgers will be remembered as the quarterback that could have been the top pick in the 2005 draft. Instead, he sat until the Packers called his name with the 24th pick. Remember that the Packers had a guy named Favre at the time, so Rodgers knew he would be sitting for a minute. Cutler came in the next year and was thought to be going to a few places. Then, the Broncos moved up to get Cutler and his career was under way.

Both quarterbacks are 27 years old and possess strong arms. Each man has had to wait his turn, though Rodgers waited longer, and each has made the most of his opportunity. Last week they each accounted for four touchdowns and led their teams to this title game. Rodgers threw for 28 touchdowns and Cutler was not far behind with 23 this year. They are both built about the same and rely on their arms to get the job done. Rodgers got his chance after the legend of Brett Favre moved on. Cutler found himself as the first quarterback in Denver with hope since the legend that was John Elway.

Cutler moved on and got traded to the Chicago Bears while Rodgers remains with the Packers. Yet, each has had to play in the spotlight, Cutler in big city Chicago and Rodgers in legendary Lambeau Field. Each had over 3,000 yards passing and all those yards have propelled them into the biggest game of their lives.

All the comparisons and similarities will change on Sunday. One of these men will take a giant leap forward and find themselves in the Big Game. They have had to endure college careers full of adversity. They made their way into the NFL and both are resilient. Each has gone through a similar path as the other, but on Sunday one of them will hit the big time. The loser will have to regroup and try to get back to this position again next year.

The Year of Michael Vick

by John Maloney  / Give Me Liberty or Give Me a Championship

I never cared for college football. The idea of emotionally investing yourself in a bunch of 18 to 21 year old kids always struck me as funny. The quality of play is substandard (they’re kids); the bowl season is bloated, corrupt and desperately in need a playoff; and half of a big-time team’s games are 73-2 blowouts of West Central A-Little-To-The-Right State and The Alvin Ailey School of Dance. If you live in an area with no professional teams or attended a school with a big-time program, the fervor makes sense. But for me, college football is only for the occasional interesting match-up or to check in on a potentially special player (i.e. Reggie Bush).

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