Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Last Place Update - November 24

It's getting a little crowded in the Cellar. However, there can only be one this week. The 2-8 Cleveland Browns get the boot in favor of this week's Kings of the Cellar, the 2-8 San Diego Chargers. Although the 2-8 Tennessee Titans have no division, conference, or home wins, the Chargers have something the other two 2-8 teams don't have: a six game losing streak. Cleveland is right behind San Diego with a five game losing skid, but it's not enough to take the Cellar.

This week's honorable mention goes to the Dirty Birds themselves, the 6-4 Atlanta Falcons. After going 5-0, the Falcons went 1-4 and will host an improved Minnesota Vikings this week. NFL analysts say the Matt Ryan has regressed in recent weeks. Let's see which Matty Ice shows up this week.

Next loss...

San Diego will host the 4-6 Jacksonville Jaguars. The Chargers lead the series 5-2 and are on a four game winning streak against Jacksonville. They first met in 2003, when the Jags won 27-21. They have never gone to overtime nor have they played each other in the postseason. Neither team has ever shut out the other.

Here are some historical scores for teams playing each other this week from November 24,

1940  New York Giants 21 - Washington 7
1974  New York Jets 17 - Miami 14
1986  Miami 45 - New York Jets 3
2013  Tennessee 23 - Oakland 19
2013  New England 34 - Denver 31 (OT)

Will San Diego hold on to the Cellar? Will Cleveland or Tennessee make a move? Will the Dirty Birds continue their collapse by letting Adrian Peterson run all over them?

Stay tuned.

Have a great day!!!

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Last Place Update - November 17

Meet the new Kings of the Cellar; definitely not the same as the old Kings, thanks to the 2-7 Detroit Lions' win over the Green Bay Packers. This week's Kings of the Cellar are the 2-8 Cleveland Browns. The Browns are enjoying a 5 game losing streak and been scored on by 30 or more points over the last three games. Five teams are a half game back, including the division rival 2-7 Baltimore Ravens and evicted Kings of the Cellar 2-7 Detroit Lions.

This week's honorable mention goes to the 4-6 New Orleans Saints defense. Over the past three games, the sieve of a defense allowed 1,425 yards, 526 of them came courtesy of the 5-5 Washington Redskins, hence costing defensive coordinator Rob Ryan his job. Remember, the Saints passed over Super Bowl winning defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel for Ryan. New Orleans has an bye this week, so maybe the defense will show some improvement.

Next loss...

The team named after legendary coach Paul Brown has a bye this week, so the 2-7 former Houston Oilers go to sunny Florida to take on the 3-6 Jacksonville Jaguars in a divisional matchup. The now Tennessee Titans lead the series 23-18, but the Titans are 8-6 against Jacksonville since 2008. They first met in Jacksonville's inaugural season of 1995, when the Oilers won 10-3. There are no overtime or postseason games in the series. Neither team has ever shut out the other.

Here are some historical scores for teams playing each other this week, November 17,

1974  Green Bay 19 - Minnesota 7
1974  Baltimore Colts 17 - Atlanta 7
1991  Minnesota 35 - Green Bay 21
2002  Minnesota 31 - Green Bay 21

Will Cleveland's off week cost them them their spot in the Cellar? Will the 2-7 Dallas Cowboys win now that Tony Romo is back? Will the Baltimore continue to collapse their way to the Cellar?

Stay tuned.

Have a great day!!!

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Last Place Update - November 11

Before we get started, I have a message for all of you who served or are serving our country. THANK YOU!!!!! Thank you for your service and sacrifice. You are most definitely appreciated. Now let's have some fun.

This week's Kings of the Cellar did not lose last week. Then again, they didn't play either. Hence, the 1-7 Detroit Lions hold on to the Cellar for one more week. The 2-6 Tennessee Titans had a chance to kick out the Lions, but their overtime win over my New Orleans Saints ruined that opportunity. The 2-7 San Diego Chargers and Cleveland Browns round out the bottom three. Cleveland is sporting a four game losing streak, but San Diego does one better by losing their last five games.

Today's honorable mention goes once again to the 2-6 Dallas Cowboys, losers of their last six. Say what you want about QB Tony Romo, but the Cowpokes are not the same team without him. This week, Dallas visits the New Sombrero to take on the 3-5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Unless the former America's Team can play 60 minutes of good football, Jameis Winston and the Bucs will notch win #4.

Next loss...

In a rivalry that goes back to the Great Depression, the former Portsmouth Spartans will travel to the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field to take on the Green Bay Packers. The now Detroit Lions trail the series 67-97-7 and are 7-25 against the Packers since 1999. They first met in 1930, when Green Bay spanked the former Spartans 47-13. The teams met in the postseason twice and the Packers lead that series 2-0. Both games were in the Wild Card round in 1993 and 1994. They went to overtime four times and the series is tied 2-2. The last overtime game was a 16-13 Detroit loss in 2005. The last time Green Bay shut out Detroit was 26-0 in 2009. The last time Detroit shut out Green Bay was 34-0 in 1973. Their last tie was 13-13, also in 1973.

Here are some historic scores from games played today, November 11,

1979  Chicago 27 - Los Angeles Rams 23
1979  Buffalo 14 - New York Jets 12
1984  Miami 24 - Philadelphia 23
1984  Los Angeles Rams 29 - Chicago 13
2001  Pittsburgh 15 - Cleveland 12 (OT)
2007  Denver 27 - Kansas City 11
2007  Pittsburgh 31 - Cleveland 28

Will Detroit hold on to the Cellar? Will the Browns and Chargers continue their collapse and take the Cellar? Will Dallas ever get a win without Tony Romo this season?

Stay tuned...

Have a great day!!!!

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Last Place Update - November 4

The Cellar giveth and The Cellar taketh away. Thanks to their 29-26 victory over the 2-6 San Diego Chargers, the 2-6 Baltimore Ravens got evicted from the cellar. And this week, to paraphrase the old The Who song, meet the new Kings of the Cellar; same as the old Kings of the Cellar. Who's that? It's the 1-7 Detroit Lions! They are sporting a two game losing streak by the combined score of 73-29. The 1-6 Tennessee Titans trail the Lions by a half game and are a six game losing streak and have scored more than 7 points in each of the last two games.

This week's honorable mention goes to the 2-6 Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys are 0-5 since Tony Romo went down. However, none of those losses were blowouts and the last four were by a touchdown or less. Nevertheless, as Stephen A. Smith would say, Dallas always finds a way to lose.

Next loss...

Since Detroit has a bye this week, we'll focus on the next team up. The former Houston Oilers will invade the former Louisiana Superdome to face the New Orleans Saints. The now Tennessee Titans lead the series 7-5-1 and are 4-1 against the New Orleans since 1996. They first met after the NFL/AFL merger in 1971, when the two teams broke even at 13-13, the lone tie in the series. The Titans and Saints never had an overtime game nor have they met in the postseason. Neither team has ever shut out the other.

Here are a couple of historic scores for teams playing each other this week from November 4,

2007  Atlanta 20 - San Francisco 16
2007  Dallas 38 - Philadelphia 17

Since there are only two scores from today, here are some scores from tomorrow, November 5,

1961  Los Angeles Rams 31 - Minnesota 17 (First ever meeting)
1967  Buffalo 35 - Miami 13
1972  Miami 30 - Buffalo 16
1978  Atlanta 21 - San Francisco 10
1989  Minnesota 23 - Los Angeles Rams 21 (OT)
2000  Philadelphia 16 - Dallas 13 (OT)


Will new head coach and former Minnesota Vikings/Pittsburgh Steelers TE Mike Mularkey lead the struggling Titans over former Chicago Bears QB Sean Payton and the improving Saints? Will Detroit lose, even with a bye this week? Will the Cowboys sweep the season series over the 3-4 Philadelphia Eagles?

Stay tuned.

Have a great day!!!