NFL Game Previews | Week 7

Green Bay (3-2) at Cleveland (1-5)The infamous “trap game” is the buzz word around Green Bay this week as the Packers prepare for a road test against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday afternoon.The Packers are aware of their big showdown with former savior Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field on November 1, but business must be handled in order, starting with Cleveland. Green Bay came out of a bye week well rested and improved to 3-2 on the season — and 2-1 in the NFC North — with

Saints Camp 2009: When Football Meets Foreplay

It’s here people. Finally…FINALLY we’ll have a steady stream of real Saints news to talk about, nay, obsess over. Oh sure the Reggie Bush relationship gossip , Brett Favre comeback rumors, and Jeremy Shockey drunk-fests in Las Vegas helped to keep us busy in the doldrums of the offseason. But training camp is here. It’s like the football equivalent of foreplay but in this case, it’s the rookies who play hard to get. And although it’s only day 1, it seems the team’s already having a lit

Cutler’s Interceptions: The Context Matters

(Editor’s note: Brian Burke of Advanced NFL Stats is a guest blogger this week. His site, a combination of football, math and common sense, is well worth a visit.)Jay Cutler, the Pro Bowl quarterback traded to Chicago this off-season, threw 18 interceptions in 2008, second most in the N.F.L. behind Brett Favre. With so many interceptions, why is he considered a franchise QB? First, keep in mind that Cutler threw the second-most pass attempts of any quarterback last year. His interception rate

Win Probability, and Giants and Jets Links

A sampling of non-Brett Favre stories (there are still some of those out there) …1)Brian Burke of Advanced NFL Stats has completed the win probability graphs for the last five N.F.L. seasons, charting how each play influenced the chances of victory. As an example, he cited David Tyree’s “catch in the hat” in the Super Bowl, saying it improved the Giants’ chances of victory by +0.19.Burke wrote:Sadly, no one will remember the 2-yd gain by Jacobs on 4th and 1 to keep the drive alive, but that play

Win Probability, and Giants and Jets Links

A sampling of non-Brett Favre stories (there are still some of those out there) …1)Brian Burke of Advanced NFL Stats has completed the win probability graphs for the last five N.F.L. seasons, charting how each play influenced the chances of victory. As an example, he cited David Tyree’s “catch in the hat” in the Super Bowl, saying it improved the Giants’ chances of victory by +0.19.Burke wrote:Sadly, no one will remember the 2-yd gain by Jacobs on 4th and 1 to keep the drive alive, but that play