It looks like we have another sport involved in another lockout on our hands. This time it's the NHL that is in talks about a new agreement between ownership and players.
Wes Welker's playing time (or lack thereof) has been, without question, the strangest story of the 2012 season. After catching a ridiculous 122 passes in 2011, Welker has seen his usage rate drop substantially in favor of the Julian Edelman. This trend has given rise to every manner of rumor and conspiracy theory, most notably the strange idea that the Patriots are somehow punishing Welker for complaining about his contract situation during the off-season.
Eli Manning passed for 288 yards and a touchdown, as the New York Giants routed the Carolina Panthers, 36-7, on Thursday night in Charlotte. Running back Andre Brown added a career-high 113 rushing yards and two touchdowns for New York (2-1) in his first NFL start in place of the injured Ahmad Bradshaw.
Two battles between unbeaten teams and a rematch of last season's AFC title game highlight the Week 3 NFL schedule. Here's a preview of all of the week's action:
Thursday, Sept. 20
NY Giants at Carolina Panthers — 8:20 p.m.
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
After rallying to a win behind Eli Manning's 510 passing yards, the Giants (1-1) face a short week of preparation for Carolina (1-1) and their versatile quarterback, Cam Newton. Expect New York to pressure Newton and respect the Panthers' solid running attack. Though Giants receiver Hakeem Nicks was ailing after last Sunday's win, he should be in uniform on Thursday. New York running back Ahmad Bradshaw is less likely to play.
Will they go down in history as heroes, or choke when it matters most? Many of the most rewarding moments in professional sports are borne from last-second heroics. These accomplishments also tend to lead to some pretty entertaining celebrations. Take a step into the time machine and relive these incredible game winners:
Matt Ryan passed for 219 yards and two touchdowns, as the Atlanta Falcons took advantage of three first-quarter interceptions by Peyton Manning to beat the Denver Broncos, 27-21, in the Georgia Dome on Monday night.
The New York Giants rallied, the Arizona Cardinals pulled off an upset and the San Francisco 49ers kept rolling. Here's a recap of Sunday's Week 2 NFL action:
We've had our first round of big upsets, with Arkansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma State and Wisconsin all falling out of the Top 25. And with some big games on tap next Saturday (Clemson vs. Florida State, Kansas State vs. Oklahoma, Michigan vs. Notre Dame), a bunch of big names better not get caught looking ahead this week.
Here is what to watch for in college football this weekend.
Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers — 8:20 PM
Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI
In their 20-point, Week 1 win over the Colts, Chicago (1-0) was led by its offense, namely quarterback Jay Cutler and receiver Brandon Marshall. The duo will look to continue its success against a Packers' defense that didn't stop the 49ers often enough last week. Green Bay (0-1) needs to show better balance on offense, as the Packers piled up most of their positive yardage last week after the game was all but decided.