First we’ll make a quick recap of how we did in the Wild Card round.

• Ian 4-0
• Steve 2-2

Yeah that’s right Ian picked all four games. Just so you know on your way to work the road is gonna open up and swallow you and your car. It’s the next logical step after that.

I meanwhile had the two AFC games but sucked when it came to the lesser conference.

So with that said we have four more games this coming weekend in the Divisional Round. Of course during the week “Sox & Dawgs” will bring you a bunch of Patriots news with “In The Red Zone” on Tuesday and the “In The Red Zone Game Preview” on Friday and any other news as needed. Plus later in the week Ian and I will have the game picks for you but now here are your matchups as if you didn’t know already.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

• Seattle Seahawks at Green Bay Packers, 4:30 PM on FOX
• Jacksonville Jaguars at New England Patriots, 8 PM on CBS

Sunday, January 13, 2008

• San Diego Chargers at Indianapolis Colts, 1 PM on CBS
• New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys, 4:30 PM on FOX

 

Fatherhood hasn’t slowed down Tom Brady and neither did a couple of cross country flights or a missed practice.

Two days after the birth of his son Brady, in a game many thought he wouldn’t even play in, was pretty damn good completing 17 of 21 passes for 167 yards. He threw two touchdown passes in New England’s 24-7 win over the Carolina Panthers in NFL preseason action at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.

Given his best protection of the preseason by his offensive line Brady had plenty of time to pick his receivers as he threw TD passes to Heath Evans and Marcellus Rivers. He would have had a third but tight end Ben Watson dropped a pass in the end zone.

Brady played into the 3^rd quarter before yielding to back-up Matt Cassel.

The game also featured the return of running back Lawrence Maroney after off-season shoulder surgery. Maroney carried the ball 15 times and gained 58 yards. Evans, in addition to his TD catch, ran for 58 yards including a two-yard TD run.

Brady spread the ball around to a lot of different receivers, none of them named Randy Moss, throwing passes to eight different targets and connecting with newly acquired Donte` Stallworth on a 37 yard pass to open the second half.

Moss, who has been out since August 1^st with a hamstring injury, missed his third preseason game.

The Panthers who struggled on both sides of the ball had few bright spots.

Keary Colbert staked a claim to the Panthers’ No. 2 receiver role with a nifty 48-yard catch-and-run touchdown late in the first half. Drew Carter also contending to replace the released Keyshawn Johnson in the starting lineup, had three catches for 52 yards.

Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme was 11 of 18 for 162 yards with 1 TD pass.

The Pats special teams had a good defensive play as Jarvis Green blocked a 43-yard field goal attempt by John Kasay in the 3^rd quarter.

Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski missed two of three field goal attempts.

The Patriots take on the Giants next Thursday at Gillette Stadium in the final preseason game.

Just hours after filing papers in a Virginia court, Michael Vick has been suspended indefinitely without pay by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. This suspension now allows the Atlanta Falcons, Vick’s employers, to recover part of the signing bonus Vick received when he signed his $130 million contract.

Here are excerpts of Goodell’s letter to Vick from NFL.com:

“Your admitted conduct was not only illegal, but also cruel and reprehensible. Your team, the NFL, and NFL fans have all been hurt by your actions.”

“Your plea agreement and the plea agreements of your co-defendants also demonstrate your significant involvement in illegal gambling. Even if you personally did not place bets, as you contend, your actions in funding the betting and your association with illegal gambling both violate the terms of your NFL Player Contract and expose you to corrupting influences in derogation of one of the most fundamental responsibilities of an NFL player.”

“You have engaged in conduct detrimental to the welfare of the NFL and have violated the league’s Personal Conduct Policy.”

“I will review the status of your suspension following the conclusion of the legal proceedings. As part of that review, I will take into account a number of factors, including the resolution of any other charges that may be brought against you, whether in Surry County, Virginia, or other jurisdictions, your conduct going forward, the specifics of the sentence imposed by Judge Hudson and any related findings he might make, and the extent to which you are truthful and cooperative with law enforcement and league staff who are investigating these matters.”

“I have advised the Falcons that, with my decision today, they are no longer prohibited from acting and are now free to assert any claims or remedies available to them under the Collective Bargaining Agreement or your NFL Player Contract.

Judging from the letter, it seems that Goodell is quite pissed off about the matter. And he should be, Vick essentially came into his office and lied to him about his involvement in this awful mess. Had Vick been straightforward in the matter, he still probably would have been suspended.

Arthur Blank, Falcons owner, fully supported Goodell’s suspension of Vick and issued this statement:

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Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and his former girlfriend Bridget Moynahan became parents in Los Angeles today. The baby boy and the mom are doing well according to Moynahan’s publicist, Christina Papadopolous.

No other information on the birth was released.

Moynahan and Brady split up late last year after a three-year relationship. Brady has since moved on to model Gisele Bundchen.

Moynahan, 36, is a former model who has starred in such films as “Coyote Ugly,” “I, Robot” and “The Sum of All Fears.” Her television credits include “Sex and the City” and the ABC series “Six Degrees.”

Let the baby momma drama begin!!!

Michael Vick is a liar. A big fat liar. He lied to the NFL, he lied to the Falcons organization, he lied to the people of Atlanta, he lied to everyone else and worst of all he lied to himself.

After his 3 co-defendants took plea deals in the federal dogfighting charges, Vick decided it was best for him to plead guilty to those same charges instead of taking his chances in a court of his peers. It has been thought that he will spend at least 12-18 months in jail.

The NFL released this statement in response to Vick’s plea:

“We are aware of Michael Vick’s decision to enter a guilty plea to the federal charges against him and accept responsibility for his conduct. We totally condemn the conduct outlined in the charges, which is inconsistent with what Michael Vick previously told both our office and the Falcons. We will conclude our own review under the league’s personal conduct policy as soon as possible. In the meantime, we have asked the Falcons to continue to refrain from taking action pending a decision by the commissioner.”

Basically Vick screwed the Falcons over. They traded away backup QB Matt Schuab to the Houston Texans in thinking that Vick would be playing this season. Now they will move forward without him. There’s a pretty good chance he’s seen the last of the Atlanta Falcons.

I’ll have more on this as it comes out. Steve will have your Red Sox-Devil Rays game recap.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has told beleaguered Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick to stay away from training camp while the league completes it’s own investigation. He also told the Falcons to hold off on any form of punishment until the investigation is done.

Vick is set to be arraigned Thursday on charges of operating a dogfighting operation. Coincidentally, Thursday is also opening day for Falcons training camp.

Goodell made this statement in a letter sent to Vick:

“While it is for the criminal justice system to determine your guilt or innocence, it is my responsibility as commissioner of the National Football League to determine whether your conduct, even if not criminal, nonetheless violated league policies, including the Personal Conduct Policy.”

Goodell did say that Vick will still receive his preseason pay. PETA has been actively demonstrating lately, as they did one at the Falcons headquarters on Monday and last week at the NFL offices in New York.

Personally, I think if he is guilty he should be suspended from the NFL for life. But until the legal system runs it course, he should be “presumed innocent until proven guilty.” Such a cliché I know, but it is the American way although the new American way seems to be the media convicting an athlete before the legal system has it’s chance to do so.

The AP is reporting that Tom Brady is very happy about becoming a daddy. Here is a look at the statement that was read by his agent, Don Yee:

“Tom and his family are excited about the pregnancy, and want to thank everyone who has shown support, and particularly for their consideration of Tom’s privacy. Privacy and consideration is appreciated at this time. No further comments will be made.”

Brady had been overseas with his current girlfriend, Gisele Bundchen and presumably is still there. So how will it affect his relationship with Gisele? Will he do the right thing and marry Bridget Moynahan, the mother of his child?

Brady’s image had been so squeakly clean so this news could tarnish his image. Or will it?

Who would you rather be with a 36 year old B-list actor or a top supermodel who is 26?

Technorati: Tom Brady, Bridget Moynahan, Gisele Bundchen

If your team goes 14-2 in the regular season, you would think that your job is secure. Well this is not the case as the San Diego Chargers have fired their head coach, Marty Schottenheimer. Rumors are that Schottenheimer was not happy about losing his top assistants to other teams. The most recent one to leave was Wade Phillips, defensive coordinator, who took the head coaching job with the Dallas Cowboys. Cam Cameron, his offensive coordinator, left to take the head coaching job of the Miami Dolphins. His Tight ends coach Rob Chudzinski became the Cleveland Browns’ offensive coordinator, and linebackers coach Greg Manusky was hired by the San Francisco 49ers as their defensive coordinator. Schottenheimer recently turned down a 1 year extension for 2008, leaving him under contract for only the 2007 season. Read the statement from San Diego Chargers president Dean Spanos after the jump Technorati: Marty Schottenheimer, San Diego Chargers, NFL

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According to sources at ESPN, Wade Phillips will be named the next head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, replacing Bill Parcells. As many of you know, Parcells abruptly retired at the end of last season. Phillips has been a head coach before with the Denver Broncos and Buffalo Bills. Most recently, he was the defensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers. An interesting move to me because Phillips is more known for his defensive coaching abilities than his offensive ones. The big question is how will he get a long with Terrell Owens. It will be interesting in Valley Ranch to say the least. Technorati: Dallas Cowboys, Jerry Jones, Wade Phillips

The Baltimore Indianapolis Colts won Super Bowl XLI by a final score of 29-17