![[SPORTS] DEFENSE CARRIES PATRIOTS TO FIFTH STRAIGHT WIN](https://i0.wp.com/sloppyvinyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/img_8404-1-2.jpg?resize=665%2C443&ssl=1)
by sloppyvinyl | Oct 30, 2018 | SPORTS
Patriots Defense Steals The Show In Buffalo
Tom Brady didn’t have much reason to smile all night long as his offense searched for answers vs the Buffalo Bills defense.
On one particular play with him watching from the sidelines, he would have one as a familiar Patriot put the game to bed on defense.
The New England Patriots fended off a pesky Buffalo Bills team in a 25-6 victory on Monday night at New Era Field.
Long-time Patriots safety Devin McCourty would fuel New England with a 84-yard interception touchdown return midway through the fourth quarter to help turn back the upset minded Bills.
A unit that’s experienced it’s struggles this season took advantage of the NFL’s worst offense.
The New England Patriots held the Buffalo Bills to 4-for-13 on third down and 46 total rushing yards.
One of the stables of the Buffalo Bills offense, which hasn’t been any good in 2018, is their rushing attack.
Knowing that, Bill Belichick forced backup Bills quarterback Derek Anderson into beating him as he took away Buffalo’s rushing attack.
New England failed to get much pressure with Buffalo’s offense dinking and dunking its way through the game, but on a play where they did, linebacker Kyle Van Noy forced a fumble on a sack in the third quarter that would be recovered in Buffalo territory and lead to a New England field goal.
On a night where offense was hard to come by, it was Patriots running back James White making the plays for New England.
The always reliable pass catching back finished the game with a team-high 10 receptions to go along with 79 receiving yards and a rushing touchdown.
White scored New England’s only touchdown of the game on a brisk and cool night in Western, New York as New England won their fifth straight game.
This was expected to be an easy detour for the New England Patriots, who coming in had scored at least 38 points in each of their last four games, but it was anything but despite the final score.
The Buffalo Bills made it hard on the New England Patriots offense, specifically the offensive line, as their front four dominated against the Patriots, limiting them in the rush game and forcing Brady to make quick decisions with the ball.
The rushing attack of New England struggled without running back Sony Michel (knee) and right tackle Marcus Cannon (concussion) available for this game.
It was a 12-6 game entering the fourth quarter before New England finally got in the end zone early in the fourth quarter.
Tom Brady failed to throw a touchdown pass as he finished with 324 passing yards while completing 64 percent of his passes.
Julian Edelman would finish the game with a team-high 104 receiving yards to go along with nine receptions.
Buffalo came out offensively with a few different wrinkles to open the game to throw the Patriots off guard as they ran the wildcat formation with LeSean McCoy and Chris Ivory out of the backfield.
Derek Anderson, who was signed just two weeks ago by the Bills, made his second start for Buffalo in place of injured quarterback Josh Allen, who is dealing with a sprained right elbow.
Understanding the limitations of the veteran quarterback and the fact he’s still very much learning the playbook, offensive coordinator Brian Daboll would run a mostly conservative game-plan through three quarters.
In a performance that would suffice given what their play at quarterback would be with Nathan Peterman at the helm, Derek Anderson would finish the game with 290 passing yards and one interception as he completed 56 percent of his passes.
Anderson would be helped off the field after being sacked by Kyle Van Noy late in the fourth quarter and would be replaced by Peterman.
LeSean McCoy, who missed most of last week’s game vs the Indianapolis Colts, struggled to find room for much of the night behind Buffalo’s offensive line.
McCoy would be held to a pedestrian 13 rushing yards on 12 carries but would add six receptions for 82 receiving yards to salvage his line.
The Buffalo Bills (2-6) will have a short week to prepare for the Chicago Bears in a home game at New Era Field this Sunday afternoon.
A positive for New England’s offense this week will be that they didn’t turn the ball over after doing so three times last week.
It’s the first game this season in which the Patriots have not turned the ball over as they had 13 turnovers coming into the game after turning the ball over just 12 times all of last season.
While it wasn’t pretty, New England will take it as they appear to be in the driver’s seat in the AFC East.
Tom Brady has dominated the Buffalo Bills in his career, improving to 29-3 after tonight’s win vs the Buffalo Bills, the most wins by any quarterback vs a team in NFL history.
The New England Patriots will welcome the Green Bay Packers into Gillette Stadium on Sunday night in a highly anticipated matchup between Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers.
What are your thoughts on New England’s Monday night win in Buffalo? Leave your comments below!
![[SPORTS] KLAY THOMPSON SETS NEW 3-POINT MARK IN WARRIORS ROUT OF BULLS](https://i0.wp.com/sloppyvinyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/img_8400-1.jpg?resize=1080%2C675&ssl=1)
by sloppyvinyl | Oct 30, 2018 | SPORTS
Splash Bro Goes For 52 vs Bulls
That’s one way to break out of a shooting slump.
Warriors guard Klay Thompson exploded for 52 points on Monday night in the Golden State Warriors 149-124 victory vs the Chicago Bulls in the United Center.
In an amazing shooting display, Klay Thompson broke his teammate Stephen Curry’s single-game record of made 3-pointers with 14 on Monday night.
The 14th 3-pointer came at the 4:53 mark of the third quarter as Thompson, coming off a pick by Stephen Curry, drained a long ball from the right wing as he held his right-hand up in approval.
Thompson has a red-hot start as he scored 22 points in the first quarter before going into the half with 36 points as he hit 10 3-pointers in the half, also an NBA record.
It was just two seasons ago when Klay Thompson embarked on a similarly unbelievable shooting night as he scored a career-high 60 points in just 29 minutes vs the Indiana Pacers.
He accomplished tonight’s feat in just 27 minutes as he did not play in the fourth quarter.
Thompson came into tonight mired in a ugly slump as he was averaging only 15.1 PPG on 39 percent shooting while making only five of his 36 shots from beyond the arc.
After scorching the house that M.J. built ablaze, it’s a reminder that Golden State has two of the greatest shooters in NBA history on their team.
What are your thoughts on Klay Thompson’s record breaking performance? Leave your comments below!
![[SPORTS] KNICKS SNAP FIVE-GAME SKID WITH BLOWOUT WIN OVER BROOKLYN](https://i0.wp.com/sloppyvinyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/img_8402-1.jpg?resize=534%2C356&ssl=1)
by sloppyvinyl | Oct 30, 2018 | SPORTS
The Streak Is Over For The Knicks
The New York Knicks defeated the Brooklyn Nets 115-96 on Monday night at Madison Square Garden to end their five-game losing streak.
Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 25 points to go along with 8 assists and five rebounds in 35 minutes of action.
In a total team effort, the New York Knicks put together a much-improved defensive effort against a Nets team that’s been good offensively to start the season, specifically from 3-point range.
Call it tired legs or not, the Brooklyn Nets were out-hustled and out-scrapped on Monday night vs the New York Knicks.
The New York Knicks dominated the glass vs the Brooklyn Nets 53-32 and stifled them on the defensive end as Brooklyn was held to 40 percent shooting from the field and 28 percent from beyond the arc.
Kenny Atkinson’s team put forth a strong effort the day before vs the Golden State Warriors at home, but that effort would not be transferable here.
The New York Knicks shot 49 percent as a team and saw six players reach double figures on the night.
Caris LeVert, who came in averaging a team-high 21.3 PPG on 51 percent shooting and scored a career-high 28 points vs the Knicks back on October 19th, had a nightmarish night at the Garden.
LeVert shot 2-for-11 from the field and finished with only 4 points on the night, a new season-low.
Spencer Dinwiddie led the Brooklyn Nets on the night in scoring with 17 points off the bench.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, coming off the bench for the fourth straight game since making his season debut last Wednesday, had a strong showing as he scored 16 points to go along with seven rebounds, two steals and one block.
The New York Knicks responded to their head coach David Fizdale’s calls for more aggressive and physical play and they delivered that.
Leading the charge was Knicks center Enes Kanter, who put together an inspired performance off the bench for the Knicks as he finished with 15 points and 15 rebounds in 26 minutes as he fired up the Knicks faithful on the night.
Kanter, who came off the bench for the first time on Friday vs the Golden State Warriors, outpaced Mitchell Robinson in minutes on the night as he played 26 minutes while Robinson played 15 minutes.
The New York Knicks will look to make it two in a row when they play host to the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night.
Meanwhile, the Brooklyn Nets will look to regroup after three consecutive losses when they welcome the Detroit Pistons in the Barclays Center on Wednesday night.
What are your thoughts on the Knicks snapping their five-game skid tonight? Leave your comments below!
![[SPORTS] STEPHEN A. SMITH: JAMES WOULDN’T SURVIVE PLAYING IN SAME ERA AS JORDAN](https://i0.wp.com/sloppyvinyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/img_8391-1-1.jpg?resize=590%2C350&ssl=1)
by sloppyvinyl | Oct 29, 2018 | SPORTS
Smith Has His Doubts About The King
As great as LeBron James has been in his career, people who have followed his career will still hold against him his shortcomings and also his character in the face of adversity.
In a way, Stephen A. Smith alluded to that on Monday when the question arose if LeBron James would be as great as he is in this era if Michael Jordan was around.
LeBron James said recently on his HBO show “The Shop” that losing to the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals was his “greatest achievement”, something that wasn’t lost on Smith.
“What I’m proclaiming is that those early years of LeBron James, and the suffering he endured because of it against specifically somebody like Michael Jordan, he would’ve never recovered from that. Because Jordan would’ve piled it on, year after year after year. And we would’ve been asking, LeBron, what you gonna do against this guy? And that’s the difference,” Smith said on “ESPN’s First Take”.
“When you look at LeBron in his career, Dallas, San Antonio, Golden State, there has been no one that LeBron James has gone up directly [against] where it’s you against them until Kevin Durant arrived in Golden State.
“And even then, we weren’t really looking at it (that way) because of the weapons that Kevin Durant had around him but I’m gonna still give him credit for averaging 35 and eight.
“All I’m saying to you is he hasn’t had that. If LeBron was playing in the era with Jordan it would’ve been, what you gon’ do against this guy? And this guy would’ve never allowed LeBron to elevate.”
In one of LeBron James’ most damaging moments in his NBA career, he lost to the Dallas Mavericks in six games during the 2011 NBA Finals where he had arguably the worst game of his career when he scored 8 points on 3-for-11 shooting from the field in Game 4 of that series.
James has compiled a 3-6 mark in the NBA Finals, having lost to Golden State three times and San Antonio Spurs twice in addition to the one loss to the Dallas Mavericks.
LeBron James responded to a promo featuring Michael Jordan on Sunday Night Football last night with a tweet saying “I’m ready!!!” for a game of one-on-one.
In the promo on NBC, Michael Jordan began the anticipation to the battle that will happen this Sunday when the Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady square off in a matchup of two of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play in the NFL.
What are your thoughts on if LeBron played in MJ’s era? Leave your comments below!
![[SPORTS] STEPHEN A. SMITH: GIANTS SHOULD SIT OBJ, BARKLEY](https://i0.wp.com/sloppyvinyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/img_8389-1-1.jpg?resize=912%2C516&ssl=1)
by sloppyvinyl | Oct 29, 2018 | SPORTS
Big Bad Blues
The New York Giants are awful in 2018, so awful that whether or not Big Blue should seriously consider sitting two of the Giants franchise cornerstone players in Odell Beckham Jr. and Saquon Barkley.
Stephen A. Smith on Monday said that the New York Giants should sit Odell Beckham Jr. the rest of the season to protect them from injury.
“The team stinks. You ain’t going nowhere. They’re the future, why jeopardize it?,” Smith said on “ESPN’s First Take”. “Now there are people out there that will say bench Eli Manning. Well dammit if he’s as awful as you say he is Max [Max Kellerman] and Molly [Qerim], you know what, play him the rest of the year. Let him keep losing.
“In all seriousness, I don’t want to subject Eli to that. Because I think he deserves to go out with respect. Bench him, send him away, convince him to retire or whatever. I wouldn’t want to take Saquon [Saquon Barkley] and Odell [Odell Beckham Jr.] out and leave him in there with nobody to throw the football to or hand it off to. I wouldn’t want to subject Eli to that but his time is up. He clearly needs to go.”
Saquon Barkley is seventh in the NFL in rushing with 519 rushing yards and he has 1,016 total yards from scrimmage to go along with seven total touchdowns.
Odell Beckham Jr. is fourth in the NFL in receiving with 785 receiving yards with 61 receptions and two touchdowns. He’s also thrown for a touchdown.
The New York Giants fell to 1-7 on Sunday afternoon after a 20-13 loss to the Washington Redskins at MetLife Stadium.
It’s the second straight year the Giants have started the season 1-7 as the Giants remain a dysfunctional and undeniably horrid offensive football team.
The New York Giants have not scored 20 points at home in a game this season. New York is averaging 18.8 PPG, 28th in the NFL.
The New York Giants will have a bye week to look forward to before taking on the San Francisco 49ers coming off their bye in Week 10 at Levi’s Stadium.
Should the Giants bench their two young offensive stars?
![[SPORTS] NFL WEEK 8 RECAP: RAMS EKE OUT WIN AT HOME TO STAY UNDEFEATED](https://i0.wp.com/sloppyvinyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/img_8388-1.jpg?resize=540%2C304&ssl=1)
by sloppyvinyl | Oct 29, 2018 | SPORTS
Rams Pass Latest Test At Home To Move To 8-0
How can I explain this?
If you watched the the early afternoon slot of games in Week 8, you likely noticed a trend.
No game was close.
That’s right, around 4 pm/ET with most of these games in the fourth quarter only one game was within single digits and that was a game at Soldier Field between the New York Jets and Chicago Bears where realistically a 17-10 score at home for the Khalil Mack-less Bears felt like a 14-point lead.
Ironically, Chicago went on to win that game 24-10.
Games expected to be close were mostly one-sided thrashings. That would change a little later due to some bizarre events, but overall, it was a blowout centric day across the NFL.
Better days are ahead, hopefully, as Week 9 promises to have more than a few noteworthy matchups.
Here are my takeaways from Sunday’s NFL Week 8 action below.
Rams Get Unlikely Heroes In Nail Biter Over Packers
The Los Angeles Rams have been tested this season, and Sunday’s home game vs the well-rested Green Bay Packers represented their stiffest to date.
Due to unlikely heroes, the Los Angeles Rams still have not tasted defeat this season.
The Rams outlasted the Green Bay Packers 29-27 on Sunday afternoon at Los Angeles Memorial Stadium to improve to 8-0.
A big hit by Ramik Wilson on wide receiver Ty Montgomery during the Packers final kickoff return would cause a fumble that would be recovered by Los Angeles, spoiling Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense opportunity to win the game late.
It wasn’t just Wilson’s hit that proved critical, but the play from “the other” guys.
A downed punt at the one-yard line by Sam Shields, a hit in the end zone by Mark Barron and two touchdowns by Cooper Kupp fill-in Josh Reynolds all contributed equally to Los Angeles’ latest win.
Unable to display their typical offensive prowess due to a step up in competition, Jared Goff, who finished with 295 passing yards and three touchdowns, was mostly under duress throughout the game.
The Packers defense came to play, with Goff being sacked a season-high five times on Sunday. A standout performance by cornerback Jaire Alexander and the Packers defensive unit wouldn’t be enough, however, as the Packers offense cold spell following a first quarter touchdown lingered into the second half.
Aaron Rodgers finished with 286 passing yards and one touchdown, not exactly lighting the world on fire as we’re accustomed to seeing.
If there is a bright spot for the Green Bay Packers, it’s their defensive play, which was questioned coming into the game after a so-so first six games.
They’ll need to be better next week vs the New England Patriots on the road.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Rams will have their hardest road game of the season when they visit the Bayou to take on the New Orleans Saints.
Bengals Hold Off Buccaneers As Winston Benched
Whether it’s the end of Jameis Winston as Buccaneers starting quarterback or not, the quarterback is now back in the headlines for the wrong reasons.
The Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 37-34 on Sunday afternoon at Paul Brown Stadium after kicker Randy Bullock hit a game-winning 44-yard field goal as time expired.
The Cincinnati Bengals blew a 21-point lead and a 18-point fourth quarter lead, but they’ll take a much needed win after losing two straight games.
The talk of the game on any other day would be Cincinnati rewriting their own history of late game gaffes, but on this day the benching of Bucaneers’ starting quarterback Jameis Winston is the story.
After his fourth interception, a 21-yard interception touchdown return by Jessie Bates, Winston would be benched after late in the third quarter for backup Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Fitzpatrick went on to lead the fierce fourth quarter comeback for the Buccaneers as he hooked up with Mike Evans on a 72-yard touchdown and O.J. Howard in a game-tying touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Fitzpatrick finished the game 11-for-15 for 194 passing yards and two touchdowns.
Jameis Winston, who was making his third start of the season following a three-game suspension to open the year, finished the game with 276 passing yards, one touchdown and four interceptions.
He also completed only 51 percent of his passes, illustrating the fourth year quarterback is struggling with accuracy.
Year four is an important year for Jameis Winston, and while you might attribute it to rust against teams who have a leg up on him in terms of games, there’s little to argue with coach Dirk Koetter’s decision to yank him after another poor throw to the opposing team.
Dirk Koetter after the game held off on naming a starter for Tampa Bay’s next game in Carolina next week, but it’s clear that Winston’s spot as Buccaneers starting quarterback is tedious at best.
When the Buccaneers drafted Jameis Winston with the first overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, they expected growing pains with Winston’s accuracy being a question mark but NFL makeup looking like a sure thing.
Four years later, there seems to be little improvement from the quarterback who threw a pick six in his first career game to the one we see now.
Newton, Panthers Roar In Win Over Ravens
The Panthers won’t admit it, but being labeled as underdogs at home pissed off a team that had won nine straight at Bank of America Stadium.
On Sunday, they let off of those emotions and anger out on the rugged Baltimore Ravens.
Behind Cam Newton’s three total touchdowns and a strong defensive performance, the Carolina Panthers pummeled the Baltimore Ravens 36-21 on Sunday afternoon.
Newton dominated the NFL’s top ranked defense coming into play as he finished with 219 passing yards while completing 72 percent of his passes.
The Panthers trailed early 7-0 after an opening drive touchdown by the Ravens, but would assume control thereafter. Carolina scored 27 unanswered points vs Baltimore, putting the game out of reach on a 12-yard touchdown run by Cam Newton in the fourth quarter.
The Carolina Panthers (5-2) have won 10 straight now at home and have not lost there since Week 3 of last season.
They are keeping pace with the New Orleans Saints in the NFC South, and hope to continue their winning ways at home vs the last place Tampa Bay Buccaneers next Sunday.
Mahomes 4 TDs Lead Chiefs To Sweep Of Broncos
The Kansas City Chiefs keep scoring and scoring, but just as was the case back in Week 4 vs Denver, The Broncos didn’t back down from the Chiefs.
The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Denver Broncos 30-23 on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium to improve to 7-1 this season.
Patrick Mahomes continued his blistering pace by throwing for 303 passing yards and four touchdowns with an interception on Sunday afternoon.
It’s the second-year quarterback’s third consecutive game with four touchdown passes as he and the Kansas City Chiefs offense continue to befuddle NFL defenses.
Like last week, though, it was Kareem Hunt’s “beast mode” like running that stole the show.
On a 4th and 1 play midway through the third quarter, Kareem Hunt would take a shovel pass from Patrick Mahomes and proceed to hurdle over a Bronco defender and finish the run by fighting his way for a touchdown with several Broncos trying to keep him out of the end zone.
Kareem Hunt finished with 86 total yards from scrimmage and one touchdown as the Broncos did a good job of limiting him on the ground with 3.1 yards per carry.
Andy Reid said it best after the game, Kareem Hunt is one of the best running backs in the league.
What he does for Kansas City in the run game and the pass game can not be overstated enough. He’s the heartbeat of the Chiefs offense and manages to with his speed, athleticism and ferocity go out and dominate on a given play.
The Denver Broncos (3-5) fought tremendously hard to be in the game, trailing 16-14 at the half, but two second half turnovers by Case Keenum proved critical in this one.
Keenum finished the game 262 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception as Denver couldn’t make it two wins on the row on the road.
The Broncos will prepare for a road visit from the Houston Texans next Sunday at Sports Authority Field.
Meanwhile, Kansas City will visit the Cleveland Browns next Sunday at FirstEnergy Stadium.
What are your thoughts on Sunday’s Week 8 action? Leave your comments below!
