Further Evidence Of Spygate Is Being Revealed

I love it. For months and months I've been writing about the Patriots cheating and how every week you should pick the Patriots to win because the NFL wants them too. It angered me that there was a team this good, but I truly believed they were only that good for unfair reasons (just like steroid users in baseball). I could flood this entire website with banners of how the Patriots are such a fake team if I wanted too, but for now since this story is in the early speculation stages, I'll wait until they get nailed before I make any drastic claims. For the record, I believe they have been cheating for years, and the latest story reveals that they've been cheating ever since the beginning of their dynasty in the Super Bowl against the Rams. If this whole story turns out to be true, then the Patriots will have ruined the game of football for me because the lines between fair and unfair will be blurred forever, but if I'm wrong about this whole case, I'll admit it when the time comes. But...for now, I'm just writing about the story as it continues to unfold everyday. Here's the latest in the Spygate situation:

An unnamed source has claimed a New England Patriots employee secretly videotaped the St. Louis Rams' pregame walk-through the day before Super Bowl XXXVI, the Boston Herald reported Saturday.

According to the report, an unnamed source close to the team during the 2001 season said that following the Patriots' walk-through at the Louisiana Superdome, a member of the team's video staff stayed behind and taped the Rams' walk-through
-- a non-contact, no-pads practice at reduced speed in which a team goes through its plays.

The cameraman was not asked to identify himself or produce a press pass and later rode the media shuttle back to the Patriots' hotel, the source told the Herald. It is not known what became of the tape, or whether the cameraman made the tape on his own initiative or at someone else's instruction, according to the report.

Mike Martz, who was St. Louis' head coach during the Super Bowl game in question, spoke to ESPN.com investigative reporter Mike Fish about the allegations.

"I hope that is not true," Martz said. "I have great respect for [Patriots head coach] Bill Belichick. It's hard to believe that is true. It's a serious allegation and I hope it is not true.

"Obviously if there is enough substance to it the league should look into it.''

In responding to the report, Patriots media relations official Stacey James said, "The coaches have no knowledge of it," according to the Herald.

The next day, the Patriots upset the favored Rams 20-17 for their first Super Bowl championship. New England will play the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII on Sunday in a bid to become the first NFL team to finish a season 19-0.

Former Rams quarterback Kurt Warner, currently with the Arizona Cardinals, told Fish that if the league has heard those claims, he is surprised it has not spoken to former Patriots video department employee Matt Walsh. He said if Walsh or any other source has information, it should be investigated.

Walsh, a former Patriots video assistant, has suggested to ESPN.com that he has information that could have exposed the Patriots prior to the NFL catching New England taping the New York Jets' defensive signals during the 2007 season opener. The Patriots were fined $750,000 and lost a first-round draft pick as punishment.

"If I had a reason to want to go public, or tell a story, I could have done it before it even broke," Walsh told ESPN.com. "I could have said everything rather than having [Jets coach Eric] Mangini be the one to bring it out.

"If they're doing a thorough investigation -- they didn't contact me. So draw your own conclusions. Maybe they felt they didn't need to. Maybe the league feels they got satisfactory answers from everything the Patriots sent them."

Told of the newest allegation, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told The Associated Press on Saturday:

"We were aware of the rumor months ago and looked into it. There was no evidence of it on the tapes or in the notes produced by the Patriots, and the Patriots told us it was not true."

James reiterated that sentiment.

"The suggestion that the New England Patriots recorded the St. Louis Rams' walk-through on the day before Super Bowl XXXVI is absolutely false," James said. "Any suggestion to the contrary is untrue."

Rams spokesman Rick Smith, reading a statement from team president John Shaw, said, "At this point, we have no comment."

Walsh, 31, now an assistant golf pro at the Ka'anapli Golf Resort in Lahaina, Hawaii, worked for the Patriots from 1996 until the winter of 2002-03, when he was fired. He has hinted to ESPN.com that he has information that could be damaging to both the league and the Patriots but has declined to make it available, saying it could be seen as stolen property.

Walsh said he is fearful of potential legal action against him by either the league or the Patriots if he details what he knows. He refused to provide evidence of potential wrongdoing unless ESPN agreed to pay his legal fees related to his involvement in the story, as well as to an indemnity that would cover any damages found against him in court. ESPN denied his requests.

On Friday, Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., said he had written NFL commissioner Roger Goodell seeking an explanation as to why evidence in the NFL's investigation of the Patriots videotaping was destroyed.

"I am very concerned about the underlying facts on the taping, the reasons for the judgment on the limited penalties and, most of all, on the inexplicable destruction of the tapes," Specter wrote.

Specter, the ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said the matter could put the league's antitrust exemption at risk. In a phone interview with The New York Times, which first reported Specter's interest in the matter, he said the committee at some point will call Goodell to address the antitrust exemption as well as the destruction of the tapes.

Goodell, in his previously scheduled news conference Friday from Phoenix, said, "I am more than willing to speak with the senator. There are very good explanations why the tapes were destroyed by our staff -- there was no purpose for them."

There were six tapes, according to Goodell -- some from the 2007 preseason and the rest from 2006. He said he had them destroyed because he was confident the Patriots had turned over all of the tapes and notes the NFL had requested in its investigation. He also said they were destroyed in order to prevent leaks to the media -- as some footage from one of the tapes was leaked shortly after the story broke.

"We wanted to take and destroy that information," Goodell said. "They may have collected it within the rules, but we couldn't determine that. So we felt that it should be destroyed."

Belichick had little to add on the subject.

"It's a league matter," he said Friday during his news conference. "I don't know anything about it."

Again, I'm just pleased that the cat is finally out of the bag and everyone who jumped on the Patriots bandwagon this year (not the original fans who always supported them) should learn not to always side with who's popular in the public eyes.

Once Again Our Government Feels The Need To Interfere With Sports

First, it was steroids in baseball. Now, Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) wants to call NFL commissioner Roger Goodell before Congress to talk about the purging of evidence in the infamous Patriots "Spygate" case.

Now this is a very good question...but I find it suspicious that this question concerning the New England Patriots had to be asked on the weekend of their Super Bowl. I thought the whole Spygate scenario was over. That was 20 weeks ago.

Then again, if there is nothing to hide, why destroy the tapes?? The Patriots' incident with the Jets was not just a one time issue. The Packers and Lions also complained about the Patriots spying on them. We're talking about 19-0; We're talking about history. Who knows how long the Patriots have been spying on teams. Therefore, if Congress feels the need to "cleanse" the game of baseball with their steroid investigations, then they have every right to investigate why the NFL would burn tapes of the Patriots if supposedly there is nothing to hide.

Then again, this is just another example of how when an athlete or a team rises and defies odds, right away everyone becomes suspicious that there is something unnatural about that athlete or team.

With the Super Bowl fast approaching, a senior Republican senator says he wants the NFL to explain why it destroyed evidence of the New England Patriots cheating scandal.

"I am very concerned about the underlying facts on the taping, the reasons for the judgment on the limited penalties and, most of all, on the inexplicable destruction of the tapes," said Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., in a Thursday letter to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

The story was first reported by the New York Times.

Specter, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said the matter could put the league's antitrust exemption at risk. In a phone interview with the Times on Thursday, he said the committee at some point will call on Goodell to address the antitrust exemption as well as the destruction of the tapes.

"Their antitrust exemption has been on my mind for a long time," he said in a Capitol Hill news conference Friday.

Goodell, in his previously scheduled news conference Friday from Phoenix, said, "I am more than willing to speak with the senator. There are very good explanations why the tapes were destroyed by our staff -- there was no purpose for them."

There were six tapes, according to Goodell -- some from the 2007 preseason, and the rest from 2006. Another reason he had them destroyed was one tape was leaked to the media just after the Patriots-Jets game. "We wanted to take and destroy that information," he said. "They may have collected it within the rules, but we couldn't determine that. So we felt that it should be destroyed."

The matter may not compare to the CIA's destruction of interrogation tapes, Specter said Friday, but he added, "I do believe that it is a matter of importance. It's not going to displace the stimulus package or the Iraq war, but I think the integrity of football is very important, and I think the National Football League has a special duty to the American people -- and further the Congress -- because they have an antitrust exemption."

"It's a league matter," New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick said Friday during his news conference. "I don't know anything about it."

Matt Walsh, a former Patriots video assistant and now a golf pro at the Ka'anapli Golf Resort in Lahaina, Hawaii, has suggested to ESPN that he has information that could have exposed the Patriots prior to the Jets' allegations which ended up with the record fines.

"If I had a reason to want to go public, or tell a story, I could have done it before it even broke," he told ESPN.com's Mike Fish. "I could have said everything rather than having [Eric] Mangini be the one to bring it out."

Walsh, who worked for the Patriots from 1996-2003, also suggested to ESPN that he has information that could be embarrassing for the NFL and the Patriots.

"If their doing a thorough investigation ... they didn't contact me, so draw your own conclusions," Walsh told Fish.

Walsh said he hasn't made a decision on whether he'll talk to Congress if asked, though he's considering it.

The Patriots play Sunday in the Super Bowl against the New York Giants.

The Spygate controversy surfaced in September 2007, when NFL security confiscated a video camera and tape from a Patriots video assistant during New England's 38-14 victory over the New York Jets at Giants Stadium.

I do believe that it is a matter of importance. It's not going to displace the stimulus package or the Iraq war, but I think the integrity of football is very important, and I think the National Football League has a special duty to the American people -- and further the Congress -- because they have an antitrust exemption.

--Sen. Arlen Specter

The assistant was accused of aiming his camera at the Jets' defensive coaches as they signaled to players on the field.

After a league investigation, Goodell fined Belichick $500,000, the maximum amount, and docked the team $250,000 and a first-round draft pick. It was the biggest fine ever for a coach and the first time in NFL history a first-round draft pick has been confiscated as a penalty.

After its investigation, the NFL said it destroyed all materials, including six tapes, it received from the Patriots.

In a Jan. 31 letter to Specter, which the senator released Friday, Goodell said the tapes and notes on the investigation were destroyed to ensure that the Patriots "would not secure any possible competitive advantage as a result of the misconduct."

Specter said the explanation "absolutely makes no sense at all," and blasted the commissioner for failing to respond to his inquiries on the matter for more than two months. His initial letter to the league is dated Nov. 15, 2007; the follow-up letter is dated Dec. 19. Goodell said in his letter to Specter that he just became aware of Specter's questions Thursday.

"There's a credibility issue here," Specter said.

Specter, a lifelong Philadelphia Eagles fan who still calls sports radio stations on Monday mornings, said he was concerned about the integrity of sports.

"I don't think you have to have a law broken to have a legitimate interest by the Congress on the integrity of the game ... What if there was something on the tapes we might want to be subpoenaed, for example? You can't destroy it. That would be obstruction of justice," Specter said to The Times.

There is no timetable for when the committee would call upon Goodell.

The possibility exists that Patriots employees or other NFL personnel would have to testify before the committee.

"It's premature to say whom we're going to call or when," Specter said. "It starts with the commissioner. He had the tapes, and he made the decision as to what the punishment could be. He made the decision to destroy them."

He stopped short of charging a coverup, but warned that the judiciary panel may want to probe the matter.

In the meantime, Specter said he might miss Sunday's big game.

"I may play squash while it's on," Specter said.

Oh, and don't expect Bill Belichick to give you any answers.

Is Vinny Testaverde Finally Ready To Call It Quits?

The answer is yes. After 21 seasons, Vinny Testaverde has had enough. Sunday will be the public's last chance to see this soon-to-be historic figure in action. The 44-year-old quarterback said Saturday that he'll retire after Carolina's season finale at Tampa Bay on Sunday.

Testaverde

"I just feel like it's time," Testaverde told The Associated Press before boarding the team bus for the airport. "Obviously at 44 it does get a little bit tougher as the weeks go by. I'm glad I'm able to do it on my own terms and walk away from the game not only healthy, but to experience some of the things I've been through."

Testaverde was out of the league until the Panthers, desperate for quarterback help after injuries to Jake Delhomme and David Carr, signed him on Oct. 10. Four days and only three practices later, Testaverde became the oldest starting QB to win a game when he led the Panthers to a victory at Arizona.

"It's going to be, for me, one of my special moments in the NFL," Testaverde said. "To come in with three days of preparation and go out and help a team win a football game and contribute, I'm proud of the fact I was able to do that."

Vinny is just too old to be in the quarterback position in football. His body wore down late in this season, and he was sidelined by back pain and a right Achilles tendon injury that kept him out of games and practices the past month. Testaverde's final game will come where his pro career started.

Testaverde had a remarkable career. As the 1986 Heisman Trophy winner at Miami, Testaverde was the No. 1 overall pick by Tampa Bay in the 1987 draft. He got off to rocky start, throwing 13 touchdown passes and 35 interceptions in his second season with the Buccaneers, his first as the full-time starter.

Testaverde weathered the criticism for three more seasons before moving to Cleveland. After the franchise moved to Baltimore, Testaverde made his first Pro Bowl in 1996.

Testaverde made the Pro Bowl two years later with the New York Jets, when he had 29 touchdown passes and only seven interceptions. He was the New York Jets savior who came in under Bill Parcells and led his team to the NFC Championship 1 year after a horrible season. They were winning that game at half and if it wasn't for John Elway and the Broncos they would have been in the Super Bowl that year. Late in his career he played with Dallas and New England.

Testaverde ranks sixth in the league for career attempts (6,701), completions (3,787) and yards passing (45,233). Testaverde has thrown 275 touchdown passes and 267 interceptions.

Testaverde also holds the NFL record by throwing at least one touchdown pass in 21 straight seasons.

My Predictions For Week 16 Of The NFL

Thursday

Pittsburgh At St. Louis - This is a very big game for the Steelers, who have the Browns breathing down their necks in the AFC North. Jacksonville pushed the Steelers around Heinz Field on Sunday. If not for Ben Roethlisberger's heroics, the game would not have gone down to the wire. While St. Louis isn't nearly as big and physical as the Jaguars, Pittsburgh will be on the road with little preparation or healing time for Thursday night's contest. Despite these facts, I still like the Steelers to pull out a victory in this one. Look for the league leading rusher Willie Parker to have a good game.

Saturday

Dallas At Carolina - I seriously doubt Jessica Simpson's global positioning on this Earth had any kind of gravitational effect on Tony Romo's poor performance last week. That's one of the greatest excuses I've heard though. The Cowboys need to rebound after a terrible outing against the Eagles last week. They need to win in order to hold onto home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Carolina was impressive last week, but can they make it two weeks in a row? I think not.

Sunday

New York Giants At Buffalo - Is anyone aware that the Giants may not make the playoffs. They play the Patriots next week (thats an automatic loss), so if they don't win this week and the teams behind the Giants win their last 2 games, then the Giants are out. Buffalo is scratching for a Wild Card with the Browns and Titans. This has the makings of a very good inter-state game and I like the Bills to upset the Giants.

Green Bay At Chicago - With the Cowboys stumbling a week ago, the Packers are breathing down their neck to position themselves for the No. 1 playoff spot. After last week's disappointing loss for the Bears, they have nothing to play for. Just give the win to the Packs.

Cleveland At Cincinnati - The Bengals were utterly unimpressive in their Saturday night loss in San Francisco, but now they get an extra day to prepare for this home game. In a crucial game for the AFC wild-card picture, Cleveland defeated the Bills last week in nasty Cleveland weather. Cincinnati was officially eliminated from the postseason after Week 14, making this season a major disappointment. The Browns have stayed remarkably healthy and are battling Pittsburgh for the lead in the AFC North. While the Browns have put together a very impressive season, they are just 3-4 on the road. In Week 2, these teams combined for a whopping 96 points and 1,085 offensive yards in a narrow Cleveland victory. Look for Cleveland to win again.

Kansas City At Detroit - I must stick with my theme (despite all stats and facts) and pick the Chiefs just because Kitna promised 10 wins. This loss will make loss #9....with 1 more week to go.

Houston At Indianapolis - The Texans are coming off two impressive wins and still have a mathematical chance to make the postseason. They would like to finish the season out with a four game winning streak, which would give them their best record since the franchise started. The Colts have wrapped up a bye for the first week of the playoffs and home field advantage until they possibly meet the Patriots for the AFC championship. This is actually tough to pick. Immediately I would choose the Colts to win, but unlike a team like the Patriots, the Colts are actually respectful and would bench their starters this late in the season if they got out to a big lead. Even still, Sorgi is a great player and I like the Colts regardless of who's playing.

Philadelphia At New Orleans - These two teams met in the playoffs last season and the Saints won to advance to the NFC championship game. Right now the Saints are just trying to fight for their playoff lives and the Eagles were eliminated once the Vikings won on Monday night. New Orleans QB Drew Brees to WR Marques Colston has been one of the most lethal combinations in the NFL over the second half of the season, but I like the Eagles secondary to shut them down and get the win.

Atlanta At Arizona - There aren't many easy wins in the NFL, but the hard-luck Falcons might be one. Atlanta is beyond struggling right now and it's to a point where it is just trying to find any and all competitiveness left to finish the season strong. Even though the shots of the Cardinals making the playoffs are next to none, they will still get this win because they would like to finish on a good note.

Oakland At Jacksonville - Based on the way Oakland has been playing and based on the way the Jags have been playing (one of the hottest teams in the NFL right now), its a no brainer to pick the Jags.

Tampa Bay At San Fransisco - The Buccaneers have clinched a divisional title but are hoping to fine tune their offense as QB Jeff Garcia returned last weekend after missing two games with a back injury. This is also a return to the city where he led the 49ers from 2000 through 2003 and went to the Pro Bowl three times. I think this is a game where the Bucs, having already clinched, will fall asleep and let the 49ers win.

New York Jets At Tennessee - The Titans must win in order to stay in the playoff hunt, while the Jets are looking to build on a strong outing against the Patriots. Under head coach Eric Mangini the Jets have played their best football in the second half of the season, while Titans head coach Jeff Fisher continues to have his players playing at a high level. Expect the Titans to come out pounding the ball against a Jets run defense that has struggled all season. The Titans should win this and Vince Young should be entertaining as the Jets try to contain him.

Baltimore At Seattle - The Ravens have lost seven games in a row. They are beat up on the defensive side of the ball especially at the CB position where they may once again be without starters Chris McAlister and Samari Rolle. How will they deal with Seattle's passing attack this week after giving up 315 passing yards last week to Dolphins QB Cleo Lemon? The Seahawks are coming off an extremely ugly road loss last week and this is the week they bounce back at home.

Miami At New England - Wouldn't it be so ironic if the only team to go undefeated stops the Patriots from doing so and preserving their record. If the winter conditions in the Northeast continue through the weekend, it could make the passing game take a back seat to the ground game, which would serve as an equalizer to an underdog, especially since the Patriots lack a running game. I will pick the Patriots to win, but I will be cheering on Miami to perform the biggest upset in decades.

Washington At Minnesota - The Vikings and the Redskins are both still in the hunt for the last Wild Card playoff spot in the NFC. Peterson and Taylor are running behind the best offensive line in football right now. Despite how poorly the Vikings have been playing (I wrote an article about this), I still like them over the Redskins.

Denver At San Diego - Forget the records these teams bring into the final Monday night game of the season, because this is an intense divisional rivlary no matter what and both teams are sure to play hard on this stage. Expected this game too be heated and close, but expect LT and the Chargers to pull out a win. San Diego is a very dangerous team heading into the playoffs with a dominating running game behind LaDainian Tomlinson and a defense that is attacking offenses much more in recent weeks.

Football Predictions For Week 15 Of The NFL

I can't believe how time flies. It seems like just yesterday the season started.

Thursday

Denver At Houston - This is a great Thursday night game of evenly matched teams fighting for their playoff lives. I will term this a coin toss win, but I can see the Texans winning if Andre Johnson can burn the Broncos' secondary.

Saturday

Cincinnati At San Fransisco - While this isn't the most exciting matchup of the week, it is the only NFL game on Saturday night, which is ample reason to watch. San Francisco is at the bottom of the league by a substantial margin with a minus-141 point differential and was dominated at home last week by the Vikings. Needless to say, the 49ers have not lived up to expectations this year. The same can be said for Cincinnati, who has been riddled with injuries throughout the season, but injuries alone do not excuse the Bengals' 5-8 record. With all that said, I'd still choose the Bengals over the 49ers.

Sunday

Buffalo At Cleveland - Quite possibly the most exciting game of the week in terms of playoff implications. It seems Buffalo came out of nowhere and the winner of this game will most likely grab a Wild Card spot. The Bills have been a gritty defensive club with a hard-nosed ground attack; the Browns have tried to outscore opponents as they have the worst-ranked defense in the league. This should be an outstanding contest between the second-best club in the AFC North and the second-best team in the AFC East. I believe the Browns will edge the Bills in this one.

Tennessee At Kansas City -This game is critical for Tennessee to win. The Titans pretty much have their backs to the wall if they want to make it to the postseason while Kansas City is already out of the race. Tennessee suffered a heart-breaking loss to the Chargers at home on Sunday, but I see no reason why they should lose this week.

Green Bay At St. Louis - This is a match of two teams going in opposite directions. The Packers and Favre have exceeded expectations while the Rams haven't lived up to any expectations. Both teams still have powerful offenses and in this shootout I'd obviously take the Packers.

Baltimore At Miami - Baltimore is on a huge losing skid. How does a team stop a losing streak? By playing Miami of course! Miami will be starting Cleo Lemon instead of John Beck, who never scored a point.

New York Jets At New England - I live in New York, so I have no choice but to watch this putrid mess of a game. The Patriots will run up the score on the Jets, but they have every right to. After all, Mangini was the one who exposed Belichick and turned millions of football fans to question and dislike the Patriots.

Arizona At New Orleans - This is another highlight game of the week. While the Arizona Cardinals are coming off a disappointing loss, the New Orleans Saints have given themselves a chance with a road win in Week 14. The loser of this meeting will be out of postseason consideration. Both teams are banged up in certain positions. Reserves need to step up. This will be an intriguing matchup between two young coaches of inconsistent teams. This is another coin toss game, but I'd take the Cards over the Saints because the Cards have the better running game and Warner doesn't screw up as much Brees.

Jacksonville At Pittsburgh - This is another great game. In fact, this whole week of football is so dramatic. This should be an excellent matchup between 9-4 football teams. The Jags' victory last week all but wrapped up the fifth seed in the AFC playoff picture. Heinz Field is a very tough place to play and the Steelers are a perfect 7-0 at home. The Jags defense is amazing, but the Steelers' defense is the best. The Steelers, however, edge the Jags in offense and that's why I pick them to go 8-0 at home.

Atlanta At Tampa Bay - The Falcons are playing for next year while the Bucs want to wrap up a divisional title this weekend. I have nothing new to say about the Falcons' horrible season on and off the field that hasn't been said already. Just hand this win to the Bucs.

Seattle At Carolina - Again, these are two franchises going in opposite directions. Carolina was completely dismantled by the Jaguars last week and has no hope of getting into the postseason. Seattle locked up the NFC West in decisive fashion with a 42-21 victory against divisional rival Arizona. The Seahawks are peaking at the right time, having won five in a row coming down the homestretch. The Seahawks are playing very well on both sides of the ball and I see no reason why they should lose against the Panthers.

Indianapolis At Oakland - Was Marvin Harrison injured? Did the Colts have 7 injuries at one point? You would never know with the success that the Colts have displayed this season. They'll beat Oakland silly.

Philadelphia At Dallas - In the first meeting between these two teams the Cowboys embarrassed the Eagles. This is a classic NFC East rivalry. The Cowboys need a win to stay in front of the Packers for NFC supremacy, while the Eagles must win to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. I can easily see Owens catching 2 TDs and 100 total yards in a win over his ex-team. He shouldn't let what Keyshaun said get to him. Just look at who's on the field catching touchdowns every week and who isn't.

Detroit At San Diego - I'm telling you. Kitna actually meant 10 losses, not 10 wins. While the Lions are coming off a last-minute loss, which forces them to run the table to have a chance at the postseason the Chargers have put more distance between themselves and the rest of the AFC West with an overtime road victory. The Chargers came from behind in a dramatic effort on Sunday that gave them their fourth win in the past five contests. The Lions are reeling from their fifth loss in a row and are trying to avoid a total collapse in the second half of the season. The Chargers will beat them and this loss will be #8...2 more to go with 2 weeks left. Has any guarantees by players come in this year?

Washington At New York Giants - The Giants escaped Philadelphia in Week 14 with a 16-13 victory and have clearly established themselves as the fifth seed in the NFC playoffs. However, the Giants simply need to stop turning the ball over so frequently. New York is only .500 at home this year and has yet to defeat a team with a winning record. I'm going to pick the Giants to win over the Redskins and actually feel more confident in this team than usual, at least for now.

Monday

Chicago At Minnesota - A chance to show off the Vikings running game on Monday night. Chester Taylor, Adrian Peterson, take your pic. Not even real Bears could catch up to them. Vikings will win over the Bears.

Are The New York Jets Cheaters Now?

Surrounding the hype of the rematch between the New York Jets and the New England Patriots is another interesting controversial issue.

First, to recap :

After helping Bill Belichick and the Patriots win three Super Bowls as a defensive assistant, Eric Mangini left to become coach of the Jets. The relationship between the two has been frosty since.

Things got even chillier after a Patriots video assistant was caught taping from the sidelines during their game against the Jets in Week 1, a move some speculated fueled New England's drive to perfection. The NFL punished the Patriots by taking away their first-round draft pick, fined them $250,000 and fined Belichick another $500,000.

A league rule prohibits teams from using a video camera on the sidelines for any purpose. So, the Patriots were cheating, exposed by Mangini, and now hated by millions of Americans. (It is interesting to note that ever since the Patriots were caught cheating, Belichick decided to try to destroy every team he played. What would have happened if Mangini never exposed Belichick? Would Belichick had that same mentality? Perhaps exposing the Patriots was ultimately a negative act, but let's not get into the "what if" scenario).

Anyway, now, the interesting part:

The Jets were caught videotaping at Gillette Stadium last season and the Patriots had that New York employee removed from the area, according to published reports Wednesday. Jets coach Eric Mangini said his team received permission to film behind both end zones during the playoff game in January.

"We taped the game is what we taped, and we taped end-zone copy of the game, and we tape a double-end zone, which is standard operating procedure for us," Mangini said Wednesday. "We request that every single road game, and it's usually granted if physically it's possible. And when people request it from us, we do the same thing: We grant it."

Mangini maintained the Jets did nothing wrong and had filmed at New England during the regular season without incident. It was nothing like what the Patriots did earlier this season, when a New England employee was caught taping New York's defensive signals and punished by the league.

"We do it every time we go on the road," Mangini repeated. "We ask for permission to do it. It's within the league rules, and when people ask us to do it, we grant it, as well." Indeed, what the Jets did was not illegal. In the Jets' case, they were filming from the end zone. The Jets film from both end zones during practice, a common procedure used by NFL teams.

Like coach like assistant right? However, I find it funny how the Jets were exposed for recording teams, illegal or not, and can only manage a 3-10 record. If you're going to do something like that, at least have it payoff.

Injury News Around The NFL

We have some more fallen soldiers...

Rams quarterback Marc Bulger will not play this weekend after suffering a setback in his recovery from a concussion, the St. Louis Rams announced Saturday morning. The team also announced that Brock Berlin, who has never attempted a pass in a regular-season game, would start Sunday at Cincinnati.....and I picked the Rams to win? Cross that out now. Then again, probably one of the best defenses to try out a new QB on would be the Bengals defense.

New Orleans Saints tailback Reggie Bush will not require surgery to repair a partially torn ligament in his left knee, but the second-year veteran almost certainly will not play Monday night at Atlanta, and the former Heisman Trophy winner is likely to miss the rest of the season.

The Houston Texans placed Ahman Green on injured reserve Friday, ending the season for the player signed to be their featured running back. Green missed Houston's last three games with a left knee injury that's bothered him for months. He rushed for 260 yards on 70 carries this season, less than what the Texans expected when he signed a four-year, $23 million contract in March. What a bust.

Starting quarterback Jason Campbell sustained a potential season-ending knee injury in the second quarter of the Washington Redskins' game against the Chicago Bears on Thursday night, as the third-year veteran dislocated his left patella.

Jets wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery was listed as doubtful Friday -- but not out -- for New York's game against Cleveland with an injured right index finger that kept him on the sideline last week. Cotchery, who reportedly broke the finger in practice last Monday, hasn't been seen in the locker room or on the practice field during media availability since. The Jets' injury report listed Cotchery as limited in practice Friday after he didn't participate the previous two days.

Free safety Gibril Wilson will miss his second straight game and Pro Bowl linebacker Antonio Pierce will be a game-time decision for the New York Giants on Sunday against the Eagles in Philadelphia. Rookie Michael Johnson will replace Wilson, who has been sidelined with a knee injury. Pierce sprained an ankle against Minnesota two weeks ago. He played last week against Chicago but the injury limited him in practice this week. Chase Blackburn would start if Pierce cannot play.

Despite quarterback Jeff Garcia's contention that he is sufficiently recovered from a back injury to return to the lineup, Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden remains uncertain about who will start when his team meets the Houston Texans on Sunday in a game that could secure the NFC South title for the Buccaneers. Garcia practiced on a limited basis most of the week, then skipped the Friday walk-through session, muddying the quarterback picture a bit. The expectation of most players is that Garcia, who missed last week's victory at New Orleans, will start. But Gruden has adopted an uncharacteristically cautious stance on his quarterback, and insisted he won't make a decision between Garcia and Luke McCown until Sunday morning.w Orleans Saints, Reggie Bush, Houston Texans, Ahman Green, Washington Redskins, Jason Campbell, Jerricho Cotchery, New York Jets, New York Giants, Gibril Wilson, Jeff Garcia, Tampa Bay

My Interpretation of Week 11 in the NFL

Green Bay 31 beat Carolina 17 - Perhaps this was the only game other than the Patriots which wasn't close. Favre was simply spectacular again and they finally established a solid running game.

Arizona 35 beat Cincinnati 27 - This was the first of many games to flip-flop back and forth before Arizona came away with a victory. The Bengals defense could not stop the Cardinals and Palmer's 4 interceptions really hurt them.

Cleveland 33 beat Baltimore 30 - This was truly an exciting game. Not only did it flip-flop back and forth but it went into overtime. The Ravens finally scored more points than I could spend at the McDonald's $1 menu (corny I know), but Cleveland proved they are the real deal and owners of the Wild Card spot. Even still, the Steelers should watch out.

New York Giants 16 beat Detroit 10 - I'm starting to really lose faith in Kitna's promise for 10 wins. They play the Packers on Thanksgiving and that'll be another loss. Eli Manning did surprisingly well for a game in the second half of the season and perhaps they have solidified their spot for a Wild Card.

Philadelphia 17 beat Miami 7 - I was getting a little scared at one point in this game, but then I remembered the Eagles were playing the Dolphins. McNabb got hurt yet again after throwing 2 interceptions. Feeley didn't do any better. Thank God for Westbrook on that team otherwise the Eagles would be lost. Beck didn't fair well at gall in his first game as a starter, but at least he didn't throw an interception or turn the ball over.

Tampa Bay 31 beat Atlanta 7 - With this win Tampa Bay pretty much clinched first place in their division. Leftwich, who they decided to start despite Harrington winning 2 in a row, did terrible. Maybe next time they'll start Harrington.

Minnesota 29 beat Oakland 22 - Perhaps it wasn't Adrian Peterson himself who was amazing. I think no matter who the Vikings have as a running back he will rush like he is on crack. Chester Taylor, the backup to Peterson, ran for 164 yards and 3TDs. Culpepper threw for 344 yards in a losing effort against his old team.

Jacksonville 24 beat Chargers 17 - Philip Rivers still has Antonio Gates and LaDanian Tomlinson, but there is something very different and uncomfortable about this team. Meanwhile, Jacksonville continues to roll and are seriously giving the struggling Colts a run for their money.

Indianapolis 13 beat Chiefs 10 - The good news is the Colts won. They still have a lead over the Jaguars for first place. The bad news is they barely squeaked by the Chiefs, which is a team that has seen better days. I don't know what Vinatieri's problem is, but he needs to start converting on simple kicks. The Colts will continue to win, but it will be an uphill struggle until the playoffs where they will lose if they don't have their full squad of healthy players back.

Houston 23 beat New Orleans 10 - I expected the Saints to bounce back after that embarrassing loss against the Rams, but Brees messed things up once again while Schaub had a very good game. The most interesting stat of this game was the unusually large number of fumbles.

New York Jets 19 upset Steelers 16 - This was the upset of the week. Just when it looked as if the Jets were going to blow another 4th quarter lead for the 6th time, the Jets found new life in them. Their defense stepped up and shut down the Steelers' offense while Clemens did a very fine job of leading his team on a two minute drill to send the game into overtime. I think many will agree with me that the Steelers are the only team left on the Patriot's schedule who stands a chance at stopping their perfect season, but after this game maybe I'll rethink that.

Seattle 30 beat Chicago 23 - Not much to comment in this offensive showdown. Grossman actually looked good, but Hasselbeck looked better. Seattle isn't all that good, however. They'll win their division by default and get smacked up in the playoffs.

St. Louis 13 beat San Francisco 9 - St. Louis is back! Its ashame its too late, but I'll be picking them to win many more games the rest of the season. Then again, any team except the Dolphins can beat the 49ers.

Dallas 28 beat Washington 23 - This game was much closer than it should have been. Dallas is very good, don't get me wrong, but they also get very lucky. Terrell Owens caught 4 TDs in this game, proving he is still one of the best receivers in the game.

New England 35 Vs Buffalo 7 (At Half) - My suspicion as to why this is a Sunday night game is confirmed. I actually thought at first Buffalo would upset them on a primetime Sunday night game. Then I realized this game is primarily on in order to show off the Patriots, as if the world doesn't know already that Tom Brady is the sun and everything revolves around him. Randy Moss has 4 TD catches already, probably to match Owens' 4 TDs because the Patriots always want to prove anything any team can do, they can do better. I can't watch anymore of this. It gets to a point where its not fun anymore and I'm always suspicious of the Patriots cheating. I am, however, entertained at the fact Al Michaels said "damn" on a Sunday night football game.