Nov 5th 2008 5:35PM by Josh Alper (author feed)
Filed under: Dolphins, Jaguars, AFC East, AFC South
After the Dolphins beat the Broncos on Sunday, loquacious Miami linebacker Joey Porter called Brandon Marshall a soft player who mopes and cries when he doesn’t get the ball. It was hardly the first time that Porter has spoken his mind.
His Marshall comments didn’t cost him any money, at least. When he criticized Ed Hochuli’s officiating after the Dolphins lost to Houston, J. Peezy found himself $20,000 lighter in the wallet. That fine was still on his mind today while he discussed another wide receiver, Matt Jones of the Jaguars, and the league’s crackdown on fines for big hits.
“If I knew the answers, I’d still have 20 more thousand dollars. But I’m still trying to figure out how a guy gets caught with cocaine in his car and still plays the game and nothing happens.He got caught with cocaine and Matt Jones is still playing football. How does he get away with that? And then you fine people $20,000 for making comments to the media about the refs. The guy got caught with cocaine.”
Most of the time Porter opens his mouth, he says something foolish. But, like a broken clock twice a day, he’s right on the money.
Jones plea bargained his way into a drug treatment program after getting caught cutting up cocaine in his car this summer. The league suspended him three games, but Jones appealed and has been playing the entire season. What’s the holdup on the appeal?Continue Reading
Nov 3rd 2008 10:57AM by Sportz Assassin (author feed)
Filed under: Bengals, Jaguars, AFC North, AFC South, NFL Referees
During the Bengals win over the Jaguars yesterday, there was a nasty exchange between Bengals OL Andrew Whitworth and Jags DT John Henderson. There were punches thrown and ejections made, but there was also some eye-gouging from Henderson that could/should see him fined or suspended.
For his part in the brawl, Whitworth defended himself:”We had gotten in a tussle after a run play and he came up and took a shot at the back of my head. Levi (Jones) was screaming at the refs for a flag. And when he stood up, he pushed me again in my facemask, and the ref still didn’t throw anything,” Whitworth said.
“So on the next play, he wanted me, I wanted him, and he kind of ’swam’ me. I just pushed him past the quarterback and he fell to the ground, but he held onto my facemask and ripped my helmet off.”After that, well, you can see on the video above.
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Nov 2nd 2008 7:33PM by Sportz Assassin (author feed)
Filed under: Bengals, Jaguars, AFC North, AFC South
If I know Bengals fans, they are hyped that their team is 1-8. Okay that doesn’t sound like much but when that “1″ came today, forgive Cincinnati for celebrating. They should celebrate as the pressure of a winless season finally goes away.
Chad Johnson is. He broke out of a season long funk with two TD grabs and a kiss on the cheek for both head coach Marvin Lewis and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Cincinnati got their first win with a gutsy 21-19 victory over Jacksonville.
Here’s a screwed up stat for you: the Bengals are 8-1 when they wear the orange jerseys they sported today.
It wasn’t their duds that won the game. Cincinnati was aggressive on both sides of the ball and finally played somewhat physical. They even had a guy (Andrew Whitworth) ejected from the game for exchanging punches with the Jags’ John Henderson (Henderson was given the boot, too).
Still, Jacksonville nearly stole this one away.
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Nov 2nd 2008 9:57AM by Michael David Smith (author feed)
Filed under: Jaguars
Twenty employees of a Florida hospital have been fired for violating the privacy of Richard Collier, the Jacksonville Jaguars offensive lineman who was shot on September 2.
The employees, who include nurses, admissions workers and patient relations staff at Shands-Jacksonville Medical Center, were accused of breaking federal privacy rules by snooping at Collier’s medical records.
Channel 4 news in Jacksonville reports that the employees were fired for violating the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which is designed to protect patients medical records.Continue Reading
Oct 24th 2008 11:15AM by Will Brinson (author feed)
Filed under: 49ers, AZ Cardinals, Bears, Bengals, Bills, Broncos, Browns, Buccaneers, Chargers, Chiefs, Colts, Cowboys, Dolphins, Eagles, Falcons, Jaguars, Jets, Lions, Giants, Packers, Panthers, Patriots, Raiders, Rams, Ravens, Redskins, Saints, Seahawks, Steelers, Titans, Vikings, NFL Gambling, NFL Media Watch
Just another limp-D 8-6 week. I wonder when I’ll finally break through and sniff a double digit win week? Hmm. Maybe this week? Nah. Probably not. The season record now stands at a “creeping-on-a-comeback” 47-53-1 record. And somehow I forgot to post my locks. They will be there this week and indicated by ** some sort of thing. Onto the picks.
The Falcons are a bizarre story — I know they’re winning but I watched the Panthers beat them and … well, I just don’t think they’re as good as their record. I also think the Eagles are better than their record. So I’ll take the ridiculous nine points.
What a stout freaking line that is, and I suppose it’s indicative of just how crappy the Chiefs are; the Jets, if you recall, did actually just lose to the Raiders. Which, while embarrassing enough, still isn’t as bad as having to start Tyler Thigpen at quarterback. This really will be a true test of Herm Edwards’ crappiness.
Ummm, did I miss something? Because Jim Haslett is undefeated this season. Oh right. I didn’t watch any football Monday night. That’s why they’re so heavily favored. Still, Haslett.
Well, that’s just not enough. What a slap in the face to the Buffalo Bills … yoooooooour 2008 AFC Champions*.
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Oct 20th 2008 11:25PM by Will Brinson (author feed)
Filed under: Jaguars, NFL Police Blotter, NFL Rumors
Scoop Mortensen is at it again, staying all up on this Matt Jones story. It was originally mentioned on Sunday that he could/would most likely be facing a suspension. Such things generally happen when you get a felony cocaine possession. Actually jail usually happens.
Unless you’re a professional athlete. In that case, per PFT, you just get suspended.
Now the word has come: ESPN’s Chris Mortensen is reporting that Jones has been suspended three games for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.
If Jones is not able to get the suspension reduced on appeal, he’ll miss games at home against the Browns, at the Bengals and at the Lions.
As MDS noted, the three games the Jaguars will have to deal without Jones are winnable anyway, so an appeal of the suspension would only be worthwhile if it didn’t delay the start of said time off.
Jones’ absence hurts the Jags, but David Garrard should still be a nice start for those weeks. Also, this might make — gulp — Jerry Porter a pretty nice start here. Scary, I know.
Oct 19th 2008 12:20PM by Will Brinson (author feed)
Filed under: Jaguars, NFL Police Blotter, NFL Media Watch, NFL Rumors
So, take it for what you will because this is coming from Chris ‘SCOOP’ Mortensen, but reportedly Matt Jones is going to be suspended by the NFL sooner than later (I believe that’s the phrase he used).
Basically, the deal is this: Matt Jones got caught with some cocaine. Which, last I checked, is an illegal substance. So …
With a smattering of applause, a judge Monday accepted Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Matt Jones into a drug treatment program that could erase a felony cocaine charge against the former Arkansas star.
The former Razorbacks quarterback must participate in NFL-sponsored substance-abuse counseling and random drug testing through the end of the football season, then return to Fayetteville to complete the intervention program, Judge Mary Ann Gunn said.
I don’t get the applause thing, but apparently he’s going to get a felony cocaine charge dropped. Yay, America.
In addition, Mort is saying that he will be suspended by the NFL. This makes a ton of sense, because not doing so would be hypocritical on Roger Goodell’s part. In other words, while Mortensen is not to be trusted with his scooping, a suspension here actually makes a ton of sense. Expect to see it happen.
Oct 17th 2008 9:00AM by Will Brinson (author feed)
Filed under: 49ers, AZ Cardinals, Bears, Bengals, Bills, Broncos, Browns, Buccaneers, Chargers, Chiefs, Colts, Cowboys, Dolphins, Eagles, Falcons, Jaguars, Jets, Lions, Giants, Packers, Panthers, Patriots, Raiders, Rams, Ravens, Redskins, Saints, Seahawks, Steelers, Texans, Titans, Vikings, NFL Gambling, NFL Media Watch
Nothing like a week of mediocrity (8-6) mixed in with a season of, um, worse than mediocrity. And, such a stellar record brings our season total to 39-47-1. Simply. Stunning.
Stunning enough, in fact, that this particular column has been referred to as “Brinson’s Bad Picks” (which, in hindsight, is a much cooler name than anything else I’ve been able to offer).
The Titans are the “best” team in the NFL. The Chiefs are one of the worst. Larry Johnson is out. This should be easy.
Wow. I’m torn. On one hand, I have tremendous team crush on the Bills. On the other, Philip Rivers is your early season MVP. So, yeah. However, the Chargers are just better and they are favored on the road, so I see no reason to mess with what’s worked so well thus far into 2008.
It’s unconventional and stupid to take a team favored by 10 on the road. But not as unconventional and stupid as taking the Bengals.
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Oct 13th 2008 11:40PM by Will Brinson (author feed)
Filed under: Jaguars
The bizarre thing about serious injuries in sports is that while we always remember the particular player who is injured, we don’t necessarily think about them 24/7. And I mean that in the most honest, non-callous way possible. Richard Collier, however, will hopefully hang around at least our peripheral eyeline for quite some time.
He is a sad and tragic — albeit living — reminder of the dangers that exist in the world and the horrible nature of street violence. And he also was finally released from the hospital today.
“He’s going to have a long, difficult rehab,” [Jack] Del Rio said. “We just want to be there, help support him. I just thank God he’s alive. When I saw him the day after he’d been shot, I really did not think that there would be a day when he would get out of the hospital. He was in bad, bad shape.
“I just thank God that he’s still alive, and I know that God kept him alive for some reason. I hope that Big Rich finds that calling and is able to do some good in the world with the time he has left here on Earth.”
I’m not one to try and attribute Collier’s survival to anything out of the medical realm — especially on a sports blog — but I tend to think that Del Rio’s got a point here. First of all, there should be something done for him at the first home game where he’s prepared to appear in front of a stadium crowd. And secondly, I sincerely hope that he puts a lot of his resources and fame towards helping raise awareness of random street violence.
Oct 12th 2008 11:35PM by Josh Alper (author feed)
Filed under: Broncos, Jaguars, AFC South, AFC West
Remember Week 2 when Jay Cutler fumbled a ball against the Chargers, except the referee, Ed Hochuli, screwed the pooch and said it wasn’t a fumble? And remember how that call allowed the Broncos to win a game they should have lost? Well, karma reared its head in Denver this afternoon and another botched call allowed the Jaguars to win a game they couldn’t afford to lose.
Sorta. When the flag flew on Marlon McCree for interfering with Jags receiver Greg Estandia in the fourth quarter, it allowed Jacksonville to run out the clock and secure the victory. McCree never touched Estandia and Dre’ Bly was also the victim of a questionable flag earlier in the contest but it doesn’t change the fact that the Broncos did more than enough to lose the game all by themselves.
David Garrard, averaging just 175 yards a game through the air entering play on Sunday, threw for 276 yards and a touchdown. Maurice Jones-Drew, 35 yards per game, had 125 yards and broke a 46-yard touchdown run that illustrated the issues the Broncos still have stopping the run this season. The defense gave up two other first downs on that final drive to help kill the game so the bad call, while convenient, doesn’t excuse a poor afternoon’s work by the Bronco defenders.Continue Reading
