What To Know : Week 11

Here’s your go-to guide for Week 11:

GAME OF THE WEEK: Colts at Patriots. Who thought that this would be a great game against two 6-3 teams? Survey says the Pats will come away with the win at home, but you can never underestimate the power of an emotionally charged team. On the other hand, you can never underestimate the power of the Hoodie.

PLAYER TO WATCH: Nick Foles, Eagles backup quarterback. Philly fans were clamoring for him to start anyway, but he’ll be starting for sure on Sunday due to Michael Vick’s concussion. Time to sink or shine!

STORYLINE TO KNOW: The battle of the backups. There are lots of guys out with concussions this weekend, which is a little troublesome for the NFL since they’re actively trying to change the culture of those types of injuries. Nonetheless: Michael Vick, Alex Smith, Jay Cutler, and Ben Roethlisberger (the rib/shoulder injury) won’t be playing. The Monday nighter between the Bears and the Niners takes on a whole new meaning with two backups playing in a big game; great chance to evaluate how the teams respond, and it should still be a competitive game.

RECIPES TO MAKE:

(Thank you, Pinterest, for these many gifts.)

Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Crescent Wrap

Chocolate Peppermint S’mores

Giant Salted Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Peanut Butter Chocolate Christmas Bark

Twix Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

What To Know : Week 10

Week 10 has arrived! Here’s what you need to know:

GAME OF THE WEEK: Lots of people are saying Cowboys at Eagles, and for good reason. Both teams have found their niche this season as the teams that never fail to find a way to fail. So Sunday’s battle of the 3-5’s promises not to be unlike watching a head-on collision to see which vehicle escapes with less damage. Personally, I’m excited for the Texans at Bears. It promises to be a low-scoring affair with two of the league’s best defenses on display, but a good matchup of worthy opponents. Also, be on upset alert for the Falcons at Saints game.

PLAYER TO WATCH: There are so many different directions I want to go with this one, but I think I’m settling on all of the Tennessee Titans. All of the players/coaches/personnel/secretaries were put on notice after owner Bud Adams went on the war path following the Titans humbling loss to Chicago last Sunday. Basically, everyone will be playing for their lives, which isn’t the best atmosphere for starting QB Jake Locker to come back to after being out on injury for the past few weeks.

STORYLINE TO KNOW: Charles Tillman, cornerback for the Bears, has let it be known that if his wife goes into labor on Sunday, he will miss the game to be with her. This, predictably, has the more rabid football fans and commentators up in arms, while everyone else is touched by his (completely NORMAL) commitment to his family. Would you expect anyone else to miss the birth of their child if they had a choice in the matter? Tillman is absolutely making the right call here.

RECIPES TO MAKE:

caramelitas (a personal favorite)

caramel apple brownies

gooey chocolate peanut butter cup brownies

peppermint cookies and cream popcorn

pumpkin magic bars

What To Know : After Week 9

I kind of like busting out different formats for this post. This week, let’s look at the nine biggest jaw-dropping moments from Week 9:

  1. Holy Yardage, Rookie Running Back! Doug Martin put up 251 rushing yards against the Raiders in Sunday’s Bucs win. (For reference: that’s more than double what normal, human running backs average.)
  2. Holy Yardage, Rookie Quarterback! Andrew Luck threw for 433 yards against the Dolphins in the Colts victory on Sunday, thus breaking the record (set last year by Cam Newton with 432) for highest single game throwing yards by a rookie QB.
  3. We already talked about this yesterday, but Chuck Pagano’s post game speech was jaw dropping and tear inducing. If still haven’t heard it, please take the time to listen to it and read about it here.
  4. Places of Doom, Part I: Tennessee. After their 51-20 loss to the Bears on Sunday, the Titans owner let it be known that he’s basically firing everyone in the off-season. Which, even though the Titans have been less than stellar lately, is a little harsh since the Bears defense is insane right now. INSANE.
  5. Places of Doom, Part II: Philadelphia. For a city that is already intent on lambasting any and every professional sports personnel…I can’t even imagine what the Andy Reid Angstometer looks like at this point. Which is a shame. Reid has been a staple in Philly and has brought a steady stream of success to the team. He’s a hall of fame caliber coach, but unfortunately none of that matters to fans when you’re on a multiple game losing streak.
  6. I hate to harp on this, but I feel like I have to: the Eagles had four 1st-and-goal situations last night (meaning they were within 10 yards of the end zone with 4 chances to get points)…and came away with two field goals. There are no words for that.
  7. HOW ARE THEY LOSING THESE GAMES?! I am not even close to a Cowboys fan, but I still find it unnervingly frustrating to watch them lose every week. It goes against everything I know about the NFL to watch a team be poised to win at some point in the game every week…and then lose, every week. Dallas fans, I’m sorry. This must be brutal for you.
  8. For the sake of the general NY/NJ area, I really wanted to see the Giants win on Sunday. But man, what a game. The Steelers played great, but it was the first time all season that Eli Manning hasn’t looked superhuman in the 4th quarter. Tough loss.
  9. Peyton Manning. Just being Peyton Manning. Even in an ugly win he’s still unbelievable to watch.

How about you guys? What were your favorite moments from Week 9?

What To Know : Week 9

Here’s what we need to know in week 9 of the NFL regular season:

GAME OF THE WEEK: I have a love/hate relationship with this pick…but I’m saying Cowboys at Falcons. The Falcons are still undefeated, and the Cowboys still find ways to make big comebacks…and then lose. It’s like bad reality tv…you know the result but you just can’t help watching the inevitable unfold. But if the Cowboys could summon all of their talent and give the Falcons a run for their money, it’ll be a great game. Second pick: the suddenly relevant Dolphins at Colts game. Who knew either team would be in the playoff conversation at this point of the season?

PLAYER TO WATCH: Michael Vick. After last week’s post-bye meltdown, he needs to have a statement game against the Saints on Monday.

STORYLINE TO KNOW: Steelers at Giants. This game has the potential to do for NYC what the first Sunday of football after 9/11 did for the country. Whether you like football or not, competitive sports do something to unite people. It’s a symbol of perseverance and teamwork, two attributes that will be much needed in the coming months of disaster relief. I can’t even begin to understand the desperation those who have been affected by Sandy are feeling, but hopefully this is a game that will inspire a little hope in the city and its surrounding areas.

RECIPES TO MAKE:

Let’s call this edition Things to Make with Leftover Candy

candy corn and pretzel bark

frozen peanut butter cup banana pops

halloween blondies

monster cookies

mounds bar cookies

What To Know : After Week 8

Eight thoughts on Week 8:

  1. My mind continues to be boggled at the Jets refusal to use Tim Tebow in obvious offensive situations. No matter what his starting quarterback potential is, no one can deny that he was born to play on 3rd and short and in the redzone. It’s just what he DOES. And yet they continue to leave him on the sidelines when he could make a tangible contribution to winning games, something the Jets have not done much of lately. Even if they don’t want to start him at quarterback, at least use him effectively as a football player. (?!?!?!) (Or as Herm would say, YOU PLAY TO WIN THE GAME. Hello?!?!?!)
  2. The Colts are looking like the comeback kids. They won another game in OT this week (against the Titans) and since the AFC is particularly awful this year, they have a legitimate shot at being a real playoff contender.
  3. Unexpected thriller of the week: Dallas’ 24 point comeback in the second half against the Giants. It wasn’t enough to win the game, but it sure was one heck of an effort.
  4. Holy throwbacks, Batman. My eyes still hurt.
  5. The Eagles collapse continues to gain momentum. They just could not hold it together against the Falcons, who are steamrolling along at 8-0. More changes are sure to come, likely at the expense of Michael Vick.
  6. San Diego…what?! A 7-6 loss to Cleveland?
  7. Denver is in full swing under the leadership of Peyton Manning. Let’s just pause for a moment to consider how amazing a Broncos-Giants Super Bowl in New Orleans would be. The Manning brothers dueling it out in their hometown?! Doesn’t get any better than that. (Unless, of course, the Packers are in the Super Bowl.)
  8. Speaking of, a win is a win is a win. But the Packers just squeaking past Jacksonville doesn’t really bode well for them as it pertains to their former offensive prowess. They are decimated by injuries at it shows. Come on, bye week! Week 10 can’t come soon enough!

What To Know : Week 8

Here are the essential facts about week 8 in the NFL:

GAME OF THE WEEK: There are a bunch of noteworthy games on Sunday – Patriots vs. Rams in London (a geographic selection which never fails to confuse me) and the return of Joe Vitt as Interim Head Coach to the Saints in their night game in Denver – among them. But the big one to me is Giants at Cowboys: the classic NFC East battle. The Giants lost a shocker to the Cowboys on opening day of the season, but since then the roles have been reversed. The Cowboys have been frustratingly terrible and the Giants are coming off of multiple big wins in a row. However, you can never predict what will happen in a match up between these two teams. But you can predict the need for snacks ( see below) and a clearing of your schedule between 4:30 – 7:30pm.

PLAYER TO WATCH: Cam Newton. He came under quite a bit of fire this week for his downtrodden demeanor – both on the field and off – as it pertains to the Panthers losing streak. As many commentators have been wise to point out, this is the first time he’s actually lost and taken heat for it…ever. He’s always been on winning teams or been praised for his efforts. So he deserves a little time to adjust, but should probably speed up the process a bit to quiet the media and encourage his teammates.

(I find it ironic that he’s facing another QB famous for demeanor issues this week: Jay Cutler.)

STORYLINE TO KNOW: The unbeaten Falcons visit the floundering Eagles. Two big things to note here: 1. The Eagles are 13-0 under Andy Reid after the bye week. And this is the game after their bye week (excellent timing). 2. The Eagles fired their defensive coordinator, Juan Castillo, before the bye week, so there will be some first-time on-field adjustments to be made under a new coordinator, Todd Bowles. The Eagles are also playing at home, and the Falcons have not been overwhelmingly successful against the Eagles in the past.

So, all signs point to an Eagles victory. Which probably means the Falcons will win.

RECIPES TO MAKE:

(It’s halfway through the season…so let’s keep it healthy this week. Pace ourselves in preparation for the next 8 weeks.)

carrot chips

cinnamon and pear fruit leather

roasted rosemary walnuts

toasted almond guacamole with apricots

whipped feta with sweet and hot peppers