Tuesdays with Romo: Saints dominate the Patriots

It's true. The Saints didn't beat the Patriots, but they annihilated them. Drew Brees had a marquee game that pretty much propelled him into the MVP discussions. Brees only had five incompletions the entire game.

He had a perfect QB rating, 371 yards passing and five touchdowns. By the way, those five TD passes were to five different receivers.

The Saints are good, but I don't think they can make it to 16-0. They have to stumble at some point. We'll see what happens though.

Tuesdays with Romo: Saints are 7-0

New Orleans Saints 35 - Atlanta Falcons 27- This was an interesting game for most of the night. The Saints looked like they were in control when they led at halftime 28-14.

The Falcons scored in the third quarter when Matt Ryan connected with Roddy White on a 68-yard touchdown pass. Jason Elam kicked a field goal in the fourth to get the Falcons within four points of the Saints. Elam missed two field goal kicks prior.

A New Orleans fumble gave the Falcons the ball in Saints territory. However, Ryan was picked off in the end zone. Pierre Thomas cushioned the Saints lead with a one-yard run for a touchdown.

The Falcons nailed a field goal late and recovered the onside kick. However, Ryan was picked off by Darren Sharper with eight seconds left in the game.

Drew Brees completed 25-of-33 for 308 yards and two touchdowns. Brees has now crossed the 2,000 yard plateau for the season. Ryan completed 19-of-41 for 289 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. Michael Turner rushed for 151 yards and one touchdown in the Falcons loss.

The Saints could easily go 10-0 at this rate. They get Carolina this week, St. Louis and Tampa after that. Right now, the Saints just look great.

As for the Falcons, they're 4-3. They get Washington at home this week. If something were to happen and the Falcons lost, there would be a lot of issues. We'll see what happens though. That's why they play the games.

The Mondays: I like leading with Favre losing

Pittsburgh Steelers 27 - Minnesota Vikings 17- This was probably the only good day for me. The Steelers defense came through big with two turnover touchdowns. Keyaron Fox scored the touchdown to put the Vikings away for good. Like I said, only happy part of day for yours truly.

Cincinnati Bengals 45 - Chicago Bears 10- This was such a painful day for me. Cedric Benson got his revenge. So now the Bears are at 3-3. The Bengals are 5-2. Such a crazy world. That said, I think it's time to get rid of Ron Turner.

Indianapolis Colts 42 - St. Louis Rams 6- The Colts are undefeated, the Rams haven't won a game.

New England Patriots 35 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7- Really New England? Only 35 points? I was expecting 60 out of you guys.

New Orleans Saints 46 - Miami Dolphins 34- My pick went right for the first three quarters. Sure enough, everything would fall apart. A 22-point fourth quarter got New Orleans to 6-0. The Saints proved that they can be a true contender in the NFC.

Dallas Cowboys 37 - Atlanta Falcons 21- ROMO ALERT: The namesake completed 21-of-29 passes for 311 yards and three touchdowns.

SUNDAY NIGHT RECAP: Arizona Cardinals 24 - New York Giants 17- Cheer up Giants fans, at least the Yankees are in the World Series.

MONDAY NIGHT PREDICTION: Philly over Washington D.C.

The Mondays: 59 points? Impressive!

New England Patriots 59 - Tennessee Titans 0- 59 points in an NFL game is tough to score. It's especially tougher when there's snow falling in October. Somehow, the Patriots like to score when the snow falls. Tom Brady threw six touchdown passes and they took him out of the game early. The Patriots had 32 first downs, as opposed to nine for the Titans. So when does Vince Young get his shot?

New Orleans Saints 48 - New York Giants 27- This was a statement game for the Saints. They needed to win on Sunday to prove that they're for real in the NFC. As the season progresses, that win could make the difference for home field in the NFC. We'll have to wait and see though.

Kansas City Chiefs 14 - Washington Redskins 6- So the Jim Zorn train is about ready to leave the station in Washington. It's no longer if, but when. Zorn can no longer call plays on offense now, according to Pro Football Talk.

Carolina Panthers 28 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers 21- The Panthers get Buffalo at home next. They could be 3-3 going to Arizona.

Oakland Raiders 14 - Philadelphia Eagles 9- Huh? Sorry, I was reading about the Phillies beating the Dodgers in game 3.

Buffalo Bills 16 - New York Jets 13- The Jets have lost three straight games. Is it time to start freaking out? Personally, I think it's funny.

SUNDAY NIGHT RECAP: Atlanta Falcons 21 - Chicago Bears 14- I admit, I cursed loudly on the fourth down play at the end of the game. For some backwards reason, the Falcons like beating the Bears. How about playing one in Soldier Field, eh Matty Ice? At 4-1, the Falcons are starting to prove that they are the real deal. It was a good win for them. Their next two games are road games against Dallas and New Orleans though. If they win against both teams, then they're a legit contender in the NFC.

MONDAY NIGHT PREDICTION: Denver over San Diego

See you guys on Tuesday.

Photo Credit: Associated Press

NFL Preview Show Extravaganza: New Orleans Saints

Most Offensive Player: Drew Brees
Most Defensive Player: Darren Sharper
Best New Guy: Malcolm Jenkins
Coolest Twitter Page: Billy Miller
Team Song: Anything by Wynton Marsalis
Coolest Names (Top 3): Glenn Pakulak, Pierre Thomas, Pierson Prioleau
Most Likely to Succeed: Drew Brees (5,000 yards passing)
In 2009, the Saints will go: 9-7.

That does it for the NFC. We'll take care of the AFC North to wrap up the week.

The Mondays: IT'S THE ELI MANNING ADEQUATELY-AWESOME SHOW!

New York Giants 21 - Pittsburgh Steelers 14- A field goal, a safety and a 2-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Boss in the fourth quarter made the difference for the Giants. The 12 points came in a five minute span. The Giants remain at the top of the NFC East. Things are going very well for the Giants going into their showdown next week against the Dallas Cowboys.


New Orleans Saints 37 - San Diego Chargers 32- Things look good for the Saints, but not so much for the Chargers. The Saints are keeping up with the rest of the NFC South. The Chargers shouldn't panic yet. If the Broncos continue to struggle, the Chargers could win the AFC West with an 8-8 record.


Baltimore Ravens 29 - Oakland Raiders 10- So how about that Joe Flacco guy? He's got some cool playing ability, that's for sure. Flacco threw one touchdown pass and ran another one in. He's slowly maturing into a good quarterback. It's not out of the realm of possibility for the Ravens to get in the playoff fray.


New England Patriots 23 - St. Louis Rams 16- The Rams played hard again on Sunday, but it wasn't enough. Marc Bulger threw for 300 yards on the Patriots defense. The Pats are now tied for first in the AFC East. Anything is possible at this point in the season.


Cleveland Browns 23 - Jacksonville Jaguars 17- I have a question. What's wrong with the Jags? They're 3-4 and now tied for third (or last if you're pessimistic) with the Houston Texans. The Jags have Cincy and Detroit for the next two weeks. If the Jags split, I can't see them making the playoffs.

There was no Sunday Night Game.

Monday Night Prediction: Tennessee over Indianapolis


Enjoy your Monday

Tuesdays with Romo: Vikings win close one

Minnesota Vikings 30 - New Orleans Saints 27- So, the Saints lost the game, despite two punt return touchdowns by Reggie Bush. Bush ran the first one back in the third quarter when he returned it for 71-yards. The second return came in the fourth quarter when Bush ran it back 64-yards to give the Saints a 27-20 lead with a little more than 10 minutes left in the game.

Vikings quarterback Gus Frerotte would tie the game when he threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Bernard Berrian. A Ryan Longwell field goal late in the game would give the Vikings the win.

Frerotte had one touchdown pass and 222 yards through the air. Saints quarterback Drew Brees threw for 330 yards and one touchdown in the loss.

Neither side was able to get the running game going. Adrian Peterson had 32 yards on 21 carries for the Vikings. Bush had 29 yards on 12 carries.

NFL Picks: Week 1

The 2008 NFL season starts today (at 1 p.m. ET to be exact). We've missed it and we're ready for more football action. Without further ado, time for my picks for week 1.

1. Philadelphia over St. Louis- The Eagles should be ready to go. Sure they don't have Kevin Curtis, but I can't see St. Louis winning on the road.
   
   
2. Jacksonville over Tennessee- Great division game to start the season. I know the Titans have done well against the Jags, but I think things should be different this time around.
   
   
3. New Orleans over Tampa Bay- This seems like a no-brainer to me because the Saints are a much better team than the Bucs. The Saints will be back in the saddle again, to quote Aerosmith.
   
   
4. New York (Jets) over Miami- Miami is coming off of a 1-15 season, need I say more?
   
   
5. Upset Pick: Houston over Pittsburgh- The Texans showed a lot of promise last season. This year could very well be their breakout year and it all starts in Pittsburgh.

Enjoy the games

NFL Preview Show Extravaganza: New Orleans Saints

We continue our month long preview extravaganza of the NFL. This week's focus is on the NFC South. Today, our attention is turned to the New Orleans Saints.

After reaching the NFC title game during the 2006 season, a lot of people had high hopes for the Saints to reach their first Super Bowl. However, the Saints experienced a bumpy start to the 2007 season.

The Saints started the regular season 0-4. They lost to the Colts, the Bucs, the Titans and the Panthers. In those four losses, the Saints gave up almost 30 points and were outscored 119-51.

The Saints made a comeback run, winning their next four games. By week 15, the Saints were still in the playoff hunt at 7-7. However, the Saints lost their final two games to miss the playoffs at 7-9.

To make matters worse, the Saints lost first string running back Deuce McAlister to an injury. This put the pressure on second overall pick from the 2006 draft, Reggie Bush. In 12 games, Bush ran for 581 yards with five rushing touchdowns. Bush also had eight total fumbles, which is among the worst in the league. With McAlister back, he will be able to take pressure off of the younger Bush.

The Saints recently added tight end Jeremy Shockey to the mix, trading away some draft picks to get the four time Pro Bowler. If Shockey can stay healthy (and with the program), the Saints will certainly have another air threat for quarterback Drew Brees.

In 2007, Brees had one of his best seasons ever as a quarterback. The two time Pro Bowler threw for more than 4000 yards in his second straight season with the Saints. Brees also threw 28 touchdowns, but gave up 18 interceptions. Brees has thrown for more than 8000 yards and 54 touchdowns in two seasons with the Saints. With Shockey added in the mix with Bush and Marques Colston, Brees has the chance to throw for 4000 yards this season.

The Saints also made a move in the offseason to improve their secondary by adding former Patriots defensive back Randall Gay. In some ways, it's a homecoming because Gay grew up in Baton Rouge.

The Saints will open up the 2008 season at home when they face the division rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers. For home games, the Saints will face San Diego, Minnesota and Oakland. For road games, the Saints will face Washington, Denver, Chicago and Kansas City.

Now it is time for the always magical, always popular, burnin' questions (yearbook style):

• Number of passing yards for Brees this season: 4219
  
  
• Touchdown passes for Brees: 33
  
  
• Jeremy Shockey will: Continue to be a team hazard (768 yards receiving, 6 touchdowns)
  
  
• Leading rusher for the Saints: Deuce McAlister (1089 yards, 10 touchdowns)
  
  
• Combined yards (rushing and receiving) for Reggie Bush: 1053 yards
  
  
• Number of games Kim Kardashian shows up to: Anywhere from 0 to 5
  
  
• Number of times her family shows up to the games: Hopefully 0, but with Bruce Jenner, it doesn't matter
  
  
• Coolest names (Top 3): Jermon Bushrod, Scott Fujita and Devery Henderson (Will Smith gets honorable mention)
  
  
• '80s song that best describes team: Read 'em and Weep- Barry Manilow
  
  
• In 2008, the Saints will: Win the division, go 11-5

The Best of the Mondays: Week 2

So I'm doing week two of the Best of the Mondays. It is very exciting. I'm happy to do it. Oh, how it seemed to be so long ago. Matt Schaub was turning into a household name. The Giants started 0-2, GASP! So kick back, and enjoy.

• Houston Texans defeated the Carolina Panthers, 34-21- How about Matt Schaub, two touchdown passes and 228 yards passing. How about Andre Johnson, seven catches, 120 yards and two touchdowns. This team might surprise a lot of people come playoff time. Their next test will come against Indy at home, do I smell an upset?- Well it's the Colts.
  


• Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the New Orleans Saints, 31-14- The Saints knocked me out of a Survival Pool. Thanks guys- Oh those Bucs! I'm never picking the Saints in a survival pool again.
  


• Arizona Cardinals defeated the Seattle Seahawks, 23-20- This is a joke, right?- How strange is it to see the Seahawks lose?
  


• Green Bay Packers destroyed the New York Giants, 35-14- I'm not a Brett Favre fan or a Packers fan, but Favre is certainly a winner- Don't worry, the re-match is better.
  


• ROMO ALERT: Tony Romo threw for 186 yards and two touchdowns in a 37-20 victory over the Miami Dolphins- Yep......
  


• Monday Night Pick: Washington Redskins over Philadelphia Eagles- Yay!
  

See ya Wednesday

Oh No Romo

Friday Briefs: The 'Where Will Jason Taylor Go' Game

It's Friday and I don't have to go to school......For a week. Woo, a whole week off from school, only to return for summer school (my choice). With that, I'll also be taking a week off from the blog, barring any huge story breaking in the next week. So for my last post before I head home for the week, I thought I'd play a little game.

With the recent situation surround Jason Taylor and the Miami Dolphins, I figured what the hey; I'll generate some scenarios for where Jason Taylor could end up, in case he is traded or released before June 1.

So.....LET'S PLAY WHERE THE HELL WILL JASON TAYLOR GO......

Kansas City Chiefs

This move makes a lot of sense for the Chiefs. They traded away Jared Allen to the Vikings and need to fill the spot. Could you imagine Tamba Hali and Jason Taylor lining up on the ends with Glenn Dorsey at the defensive tackle spot. I'm getting all tingly just thinking about it. If the Chiefs can pull it off, that would be the biggest acquisition of the off-season.


Washington Redskins

This might be a stretch, but Dan Snyder tried to get Chad Johnson, do not think for two minutes that Snyder won't wheel and deal to try and get Taylor.

New Orleans Saints

This move would make sense for the Saints. They don't have much depth. They also have a lot of salary cap room. Taylor would give a huge boost to a struggling defense. In 2007, Charles Grant and Will Smith combined for a total of 9.5 sacks. Taylor recorded 11 sacks in 2007. I'm not saying it would be enough, but it's better than before.

Carolina Panthers

With the recent retirement of Mike Rucker, the Panthers are pinning their hopes and dreams on Tyler Brayton, who didn't start a game for Oakland in 2007, but still played 16 games. Brayton recorded only nine tackles on the season. Taylor would be a complement to fellow end, Julius Peppers. Peppers recorded a career low, 2.5 sacks in 2007. If Taylor comes to Carolina, it will be one less problem for John Fox to deal with.

Seattle Seahawks

This team is a top ten defense in the NFL. Could you imagine seeing Jason Taylor wearing a Seahawks uniform? It's flabbergasting! This team is stacked with an excellent defense from line, to secondary. Taylor could send the Seahawks to South Florida, come February.


That's all I have for now. Enjoy your weekend and Memorial Day.

Oh No Romo

Hump Day: Keeping the Schedule Thing Alive, Baby!

Just when you thought it was safe to come out of your home, Oh No Romo continues its look at the 2008 NFL Season. Yes, I did take a week off from the preview. Now with the NFL Draft over, I can give a better preview. I preview three games from each week However, I am back and today I will cover weeks seven and eight.

Week 7- Oct. 19- Oct. 20

Tennessee Titans at Kansas City Chiefs- Two potentially playoff teams go at it in this midseason game. If Larry Johnson is healthy, if Brodie Croyle is good, if the Chiefs are good, this will be a good game- 1 PM ET on CBS

Indianapolis Colts at Green Bay Packers- Two quarterbacks going face-to-face. It's Peyton Manning against Brett Favre's replacement, Aaron Rodgers. That's assuming that Favre is still retired by then- 4:15 PM ET on CBS

Seattle Seahawks at Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Matt Hasselbeck vs. Whoever the quarterback is for the Bucs at that time- 8:15 PM ET on NBC

Week 8- Oct. 26 & 27

San Diego Chargers at New Orleans Saints- Live from London- 1 PM ET on CBS

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Dallas Cowboys- The Tampa Defense heads to Texas Stadium to take on Tony Romo and the Cowboys. Two teams enter, one walks out- 1 PM ET on FOX

New York Giants at Pittsburgh Steelers- This is shaping up to be a great game. We have Eli Manning vs. Ben Roethlisberger, Willie Parker vs. *Insert Giants Running Back Here*, Plaxico Burress vs. His Former Team. This is a potential game of the week. I'm giddy just thinking about it- 4:15 PM ET on FOX


That's all I have for now. LOVE ME BUZZ!!!


Until then, I'll see you Friday.


Oh No Romo

Tuesdays with Romo: Rams beat the Saints

The St. Louis Rams picked up their first win of the 2007 season on Sunday, after defeating the New Orleans Saints, 37-29.

The 37 points against the Saints was the Rams highest scoring game this season. Quarterback Marc Bulger completed 27 of 33 passes for 302 yards and two touchdowns.

Running back Steven Jackson got back on track as he carried the ball 22 times for 76 yards and one rushing touchdown. Jackson also threw a two-yard touchdown pass to tight end Randy McMichael.

Receivers picking up game

Wide receiver Torry Holt had a season high 124 yards receiving and eight receptions against the Saints on Sunday. He wasn’t the only receiver to step it up.

Isaac Bruce caught four passes for 162 yards and also had a touchdown reception. It was Bruce’s first touchdown this season. In his previous two seasons, Bruce has caught a combined six touchdown passes.

Wide receiver Drew Bennett also caught a touchdown pass on Sunday, his second of the season.

Trouble with the O-Line continues

One issue that continues to bother the Rams is the trouble in the offensive line. Bulger was sacked four times on Sunday. This season, Bulger has been sacked 22 times this season, fourth most in the NFC.

The running game hasn’t been a lot better. Consider this, last season the Rams averaged 4.4 yards per carry, 10th best in the NFL. This season, the Rams are averaging 3.5 yards per carry, sixth worst in the NFL.

Run defense shuts down Bush

Despite giving up two rushing touchdowns, the Rams held the Saints to a total of 43 net yards on the ground.

In the process, the Rams were able to contain Reggie Bush to a combined 47 total yards, including 17 yards rushing. In the two games prior to Sunday, Bush had more than 100 yards of total offense.

Rams face tough challenge in Saints

The St. Louis Rams face a tough team following their bye week as they head down to the ‘Big Easy’ to take on the New Orleans Saints.

After starting the regular season 0-4, the Saints have reeled off four straight wins and are tied for second in the NFC South.

Offense Tale of the Tape

The Saints offense will be a tough task for the Rams. During their four game winning streak, the Saints have scored at least 20 points. Last week against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Saints put up 41 points.

The Rams offense continues to be dismal. They are the worst scoring offense in the NFL, with only 12 points per game. Even more stunning is the fact that the Rams have scored a total of 99 points on the season. The Rams are the only team in the NFL not to have scored at least 100 points, this season.

The rushing game for the Rams has been terrible. They have the fourth worst rushing yards per game in the NFL. Only the Kansas City Chiefs, the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears
are worse in that category.

Defense Tale of the Tape

Both defenses are similar; neither team is even close to being terrific. The Saints give up 23 points per game, while the Rams give up 27 points per game.

The Rams have given up a total of 219 points this season, worst in the NFC. The Saints have given up 186 points this season, tied for second worst in the NFC.

The Saints run defense will definitely be a challenge for running back Steven Jackson. The Saints are giving up 97 yards per game, 10th best in the NFL.

In the Saints four straight victories, the defense has given up a total of 173 yards on the ground. In eight games this season, only one running back has ran for more than 100 yards on the Saints run defense. Joseph Addai of the Indianapolis Colts gets the credit.

Little out for defense

The Rams put Leonard Little on the injured reserve this week after it was announced that he would get surgery to repair a torn ligament in his toe.

Rookie Dustin Fry is expected to replace Little in the line up.

Friday Briefs:

Happy Friday everybody. It's been a long week and I have a fight event to go and cover tomorrow night. I'm very excited about the event, even more excited than my homecoming. It's kind of sad when you think about it.

Once again, I went 3-2 last week. For the regular season, I am 18-11. Maybe, just maybe, I can go 5-0. Better yet, I'll be happy to get my 20th win of the season. Let's take a gander.

• New Orleans Saints over Atlanta Falcons- The Saints picked up their first victory of the season on Sunday night. Meanwhile at the Hall of Justice, Aqua Man (Byron Leftwich) gets the start over Joey Harrington.
  
• Oakland Raiders over Kansas City Chiefs- It's the Raiders, at home. I apologize to all the Chiefs fans.
  
• Baltimore Ravens over Buffalo Bills- Willis McGahee comes back to Buffalo. Don't forget to say hi to the great staff at the Applebees on Union Road.
  
• New York Jets over Cincinnati Bengals- Be hopeful Jets fans.
  
• St. Louis Rams over Seattle Seahawks- The Rams gotta win during some point in the season.

See ya

Nos

Hump Day: Another Edition of the Loser's Rankings

So many potential losers I could mention this week. To be honest, I don't know where to start. I think I know what I'm doing, but then again, it could be the Pepsi talking

10. New Orleans Saints- This is one that I wish I didn't have to do. But they do make the list at #10. They're 0-3 and they lost running back Deuce McAllister for the season. They have Carolina this week, I fear that they could go 0-4 and move up from 10.

9. Arizona Cardinals- Did anybody really see this coming? They have issues at quarterback. Who should they start, the pretty boy from USC, or the slow old guy who takes too long to throw?

8. Minnesota Vikings- They stink and they have quarterback issues. At least they have Adrian Peterson.

7. Buffalo Bills- They are an 0-3 team and they've lost quarterback JP Losman for a couple of weeks. This team just can't get things done. They'll be lucky to win 6 games.

6. Kansas City Chiefs- They defeated the Vikings, but they still don't look good.

5. San Diego Chargers- I've been salavating at the opportunity to keep the Chargers on the list. Now, they face the Chiefs next week. The Loser moves even further into the top five.

4. Cincinnati Bengals- They gave up only 24 points this time, but they lost. This team can score, but they can't stop scoring. Now they get to play New England on Monday Night.

3. St. Louis Rams- They're 0-3 and they don't have running back Stephen Jackson for a while. This just doesn't look good.

2. Cleveland Browns- Allow me to taunt all Browns fans with this highlight.

1. Chicago Bears- 11 points a game in the first three games. They've benched their quarterback, according to reports. They can't run, they can't pass and they couldn't stop Terrell Owens on Sunday night. It's easy to blame it all on Rex Grossman, but let's face it, this team does not look good.

Peace

Nos

Hump Day: The New Orleans Saints

It's Hump Day here at Oh No Romo! Today we profile the NFC South, by starting with the division champs, the Saints.

The Saints finished the season first in the South, going 10-6. They went deep into the playoffs, losing to the Bears in the NFC Title game.

The Saints drafted WR Robert Meachem out of Tennessee in this year's draft. They open up the regular season against the defending Super Bowl champion, Colts.

They'll also face the Titans, the Seahawks, the Eagles and the Jaguars.

It's time for those burnin Yearbook style questions:

1. Number of flips into the endzone Reggie Bush does: 9
2. Number of flips into the endzone Deuce McAllister does: 0
3. Marques Colston will: Lead the league in receiving yards
4. Drew Brees will: Lead the league in touchdown passes and yards
5. On November 18, the Saints will: Laugh in the face of the Texans, as Reggie Bush scores 3 TD's, as they win 42-17 (That's what Houston gets for passing on Reggie Bush)
6. Most likely to win MVP: Drew Brees
7. Kiss song that best describes the team: Sure Know Something
8. In 2007, the Saints will: Go 13-3, win the South (again), get top seed in NFC Playoffs

See y'all tomorrow

Nos