Goal-Line Stand - The Score

Do the NFL overtime rules need to be overhauled?

It creates the biggest debate in the NFL. It’s pro football’s version of the BCS. Overtime. Let’s face it, it’s easy to flip flop on this one. If your team benefits by winning an overtime coin toss and then winning the game, you’ll argue that teams have to have the ability to defend as much as they can score. If your team loses the toss and then immediately loses the game, you’ll say it’s not fair that both teams don’t at least get a shot at it. It is possible that this is one of those rare circumstances...

Published Mon, Jan 01 2009 11:01 PM by Brad Gagnon

Filed under: Indianapolis Colts, San Diego Chargers, overtime

Wild-card weekend picks

Last week: 12-4 (7-4-5 against the spread) Season record: 161-94-1 (114-112-30 against the spread) 2007 season: 174-82 (118-105-33 against the spread) Falcons @ Cardinals Atlanta has all the momentum and is probably the more confident team, but the Cards were 6-2 at home and have the more experienced quarterback. But here’s the thing: when is the last time the Falcons outplayed a good team? New England beat them by 40 points two weeks ago, Minnesota by 21 the week before, and Philadelphia by 28 two...

Published Sat, Jan 01 2009 1:18 PM by Brad Gagnon

Filed under: Picks, Indianapolis Colts, Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons, Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, San Diego Chargers

The Ten: Week 17 (Christmas list)

It’s Christmas Eve, so we thought we’d do something really different, really cool. Really original. So we bring you the Goal-Line Stand’s Christmas list for the top 10 teams in football -- something that surely has never been done before. But it’s been a tough year for St. Nick’s pocketbook, too. So each team only gets to request one item, and there’s no guarantee Santa will deliver. If he does, there’s a good chance the recipients will be rewarded with a pleasant January. 1. Tennessee Titans Last...

Published Wed, Dec 12 2008 1:04 PM by Brad Gagnon

Filed under: The Ten, New York Giants, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, Tennessee Titans, Atlanta Falcons, Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, Carolina Panthers

Pickin' the Thursday game

So our publishing application has this strange setting that forces us to make every title unique, which is why we're thankful these Thursday night games are finally coming to an end. Although coming up with titles has become a fun little challenge: Nov. 13: Thursday night pick Nov. 20: Thursday night pick (for some reason it let us get away with that) Nov. 27: Thursday picks Dec. 4: Thursday pick Dec. 11: Pick for Thursday Dec. 18: Pickin' the Thursday game If we were only as good at picking...

Published Thu, Dec 12 2008 2:14 AM by Brad Gagnon

Filed under: Picks, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars

The Ten: Week 16 (Pro Bowl comparison)

In case you missed it, we delivered our Pro Bowl rosters to loyal readers on Tuesday , hours before the actual rosters were released by the league. There were, of course, some shockers. Not surprisingly, it was the rookies and sophomores who got screwed. Eight guys who should be on the AFC team, but aren’t: Ben Roethlisberger, Steve Slaton, Ryan Clady, Jerod Mayo, Logan Mankins, Samson Satele, LaMarr Woodley, Michael Griffin. (It’s probably no coincidence that six of those guys are in their first...

Published Wed, Dec 12 2008 2:58 AM by Brad Gagnon

Filed under: The Ten, New York Giants, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, Tennessee Titans, Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, Carolina Panthers

Rear-View Monday: Who wants a Super Bowl?

It’s hard to remember the last time the league was this wide open. Remember back in November, when the Giants were walking to the No. 1 seed in the NFC and the Titans were thinking perfection? It feels like only a few weeks ago the Colts were in turmoil, the Redskins were considered the most efficient team in the league and the Packers were putting fear in everybody. Now, with a fortnight remaining in the regular season, the Giants, losers of back-to-back games, a team that has scored only one offensive...

Published Mon, Dec 12 2008 4:38 AM by Brad Gagnon

Filed under: New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Rear-view Monday, Green Bay Packers, Carolina Panthers

The Ten: Week 15 (Dual backfields key)

This should come as no big surprise because the trend has been emerging for years, but let’s just reemphasize the importance of dual running backs. Whether you want to call them Thunder and Lightning or Smash and Dash or Earth Wind and Fire or Wash and Wear or whatever, multi-back systems have truly become vital to success in the National Football League. Want proof? At least eight of the top 10 teams in football (according to us) rely on more than one running back. On second thought, “rely” probably...

Published Wed, Dec 12 2008 9:50 PM by Brad Gagnon

Filed under: The Ten, New York Giants, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, Tennessee Titans, Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons, Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Miami Dolphins, Carolina Panthers

The Ten: Week 14 (Williams Wall should fall now)

The Minnesota Vikings are heating up. After a slow start, Minnesota’s won back-to-back games by a combined score of 64-26. Adrian Peterson’s rolling and the defence has finally smoothed out the rough edges after stumbling earlier. The Vikes haven’t been outplayed once this season at home (they lost to Indianapolis in week 2 despite controlling most of the game), and are making due with Gus Frerotte under centre. With all that said, Tuesday’s news that the “Williams Wall” -- defensive tackles Kevin...

Published Wed, Dec 12 2008 11:39 PM by Brad Gagnon

Filed under: The Ten, New York Giants, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons, New York Jets, Baltimore Ravens, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Kevin Williams, Roger Goodell, Tennessee Titans: Pittsburgh Steelers, Pat Williams

The Ten: Week 13 (Dedicated to Sinatra)

Start spreading the news, I'm leaving today I want to be a part of it - New York, New York These vagabond shoes, they are longing to stray Right through the very heart of it - New York, New York I wanna wake up in a city that doesn't sleep And find I'm king of the hill - top of the heap These small town blues, are melting away I'll make a brand new start of it - in old New York If I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere It's up to you - New York, New York New York, New...

Published Wed, Nov 11 2008 11:54 PM by Brad Gagnon

Filed under: The Ten, New York Giants, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, Tennessee Titans, Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons, New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Frank Sinatra

The Ten: Week 12 (Giants back on top)

After spending three weeks atop our weekly rankings of the best 10 teams in football, the Tennessee Titans are handing their crown back this week. Sorry, Titans. We don’t mean any disrespect. But as Sean famously told Will : “It’s not your fault.” It’s not your fault, because one week after proving you could win by passing the football, you proved that you can win on the road … against a good football team … and in comeback fashion. It’s not your fault that the team that surpassed you -- the New...

Published Wed, Nov 11 2008 10:06 PM by Brad Gagnon

Filed under: The Ten, New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, Tennessee Titans, New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Good Will Hunting

Rear-View Monday: The difference 10 seconds makes

The difference 10 seconds makes We couldn’t get enough of this last night in our Sunday’s Best column . Yes, if NFL games were 10 seconds shorter, the Dolphins, Lions, Bears and Redskins would have won yesterday. Yeah, yeah, they play the whole 60 minutes. Blah, blah, blah. That’s not the point. The point is, timekeeping in NFL games is far less precise than it is in any other sport. In hockey, the whistle blows and the clock is stopped. Same thing for basketball. Baseball doesn’t even have to worry...

Published Mon, Oct 10 2008 4:30 PM by Brad Gagnon

Filed under: Indianapolis Colts, Rear-view Monday, Dallas Cowboys, Tony Romo

Rear-View Monday: Colts can thank lucky horseshoes

According to popular folklore, horseshoes have been a source of luck for over 1,000 years. We’re getting maybe the best example this year, with the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts, kings of the AFC South for five of the six years of its existence, usually have no trouble bullying division opponents Houston, Jacksonville and Tennessee en route to division title after division title. But this year, things are different. The Colts have certainly felt the luck of their logo four games in. Even with it...

Published Mon, Oct 10 2008 5:39 PM by Brad Gagnon

Filed under: Indianapolis Colts, Rear-view Monday, Houston Texans

Sunday Preview: 3 big games, 3 big injuries

Three standout games There are some putrid matchups this weekend. Chiefs-Falcons, Bucs-Bears, Lions-49ers, Rams-Seahawks, Browns-Ravens. All awful. But, at the other end of the spectrum, there are three particularly enticing games set for Sunday. Jaguars @ Colts An Indianapolis win pretty much ends Jacksonville’s season. A Jacksonville win pretty much ends Indy’s reign of dominance (you’d have to think a 1-3 start would officially make the AFC South very interesting.) While Jeff Saturday is expected...

Published Sat, Sep 09 2008 2:15 PM by Brad Gagnon

Filed under: Picks, Indianapolis Colts, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, LaDainian Tomlinson, Darren McFadden, Adrian Peterson, Jacksonville Jaguars

The Ten: Week 1 (No love for NY)

Yeah, yeah, the Giants won the Super Bowl. But it’s a new season, and New York’s not getting a seat atop our debut rankings....

Published Thu, Sep 09 2008 2:34 PM by Brad Gagnon

Filed under: The Ten, New York Giants, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots

5 Question Preview: Indianapolis Colts

1. How will Peyton Manning’s knee affect his play? While we’re still waiting to get a response from the folks who handle the honorary degrees at Amherst College, as of right now, we at the Goal Line Stand are not doctors, and can’t predict how Manning will play as he continues to recuperate from surgery to remove an infected bursa sac in his left knee. While we continue to hear that there is nothing mechanically wrong with the knee, swelling and a lack of lubrication (stop laughing...

Published Thu, Aug 08 2008 7:08 PM by Brad Gagnon

Filed under: Indianapolis Colts, Tony Ugoh, Jeff Saturday, Peyton Manning, bursa sac, Freddy Keiaho

Authors

News

Recent Posts

Tags

Archives

Top Column Archives

Blog Roll