What is happening here?  This photo was taken by NY Jets tight end Dustin Keller, apparently on the team plane back from Cleveland where the Jets just beat the Browns 26-20.  Keller stuck it up on his Plixi account for us all to see and I am now forever grateful.

What is Sanchez doing here though?  Is he doing his impersonation of De Niro or Brando?  Is this just how Sanchez actually talks?  It would really warm my heart a lil bit he did talk like this all the time and I have no idea why.  Also, side note, why does he look so much like Adam Morrison here?

The most astounding thing about this picture, to me, is surprisingly not so much the raccoon hat that Sanchez is wearing, no, it is that the star quarterback of the New York Jets does not get to sit in first class.  That is full on coach seating there. Sure he gets a whole row to himself, but c’mon Rex, hook the kid up.

I’d love to see the picture of first class with Rex Ryan and the whole coaching staff sipping on champagne and smoking Cuban cigars while lounging around in NY Jets logo’ed plush robes and slippers. That must be happening up there.  It must.

Mark Sanchez, raccoon hat wearing, coach class sitting, man of the people.

Is this pic dying for photoshops or what?

Hard Knocks on HBO this season has been amazing from the start and this clip from the show is no different. It might even be one of the best endings to a pep talk ever in the history of endings to pep talks. Why? Well because of snacks of course. Who the fuck doesn’t want to eat a snack after getting pepped up? I know I do. Stick around til the end, its just randomness.

Guess which perpetually injured quarterback who has trouble throwing the ball more than 30 yards wants back on an NFL field? Chad Pennington of course! Even more shocking is that the Dolphins wouldn’t mind him back as an insurance option for Chad Henne, but they need to see if he can actually throw a 15 yard out route first. That’s right, they aren’t sure if he can hit a 15 yard out route because his arm/shoulder have been so shredded throughout his career. Isn’t that what you want in a backup quarterback?

Lets take a look at Chad’s injury history in his 9 seasons of pro football real quick:

• 2002 – Fracture/dislocation on his left (non-throwing) hand (missed 6 games)
• 2004 – Injured right rotator cuff (missed 4 games)
• Feb  2005 – Surgery to repair substantial tear in the right rotator cuff, as well as a large bone spur.
• Sept 2005 – Injured right rotator cuff.
• Oct  2005 – Surgery to repair his right rotator cuff.
• 2007 – High ankle sprain (missed 1 game); benched after 8 games.
• Sept 2009 – Injured right shoulder.
• Oct  2009 – Surgery to repair labrum tear and shoulder capsule.

Wow…ok. If this was baseball, this guy would only be tossing balls for a rec league softball team. A guy who never had much arm strength to begin with, coming off his 3rd shoulder surgery, who has only played in 16 games twice in his career, seriously wants to give it another go? I dont want to be the bearer of bad news but, c’mon, read the tea leaves Chad.

Pennington needs to listen to his body more than his heart. He may have the desire to play still, but his body has already told him he just shouldn’t do it.

From Miami Herald

This past Sunday afternoon of playoff football was by far the best 2 games of the playoffs this season. Sure, the Colts and Jets game was done after the colts took a two score lead, but before that it was pretty impressive, but the Saints/Vikings game was an ass load full of entertainment. You had Purple Jesus fumbling the ball left and right. You had Brett Favre playing like a kid, leading the league in smiles, and just gunslinging the ball into the hands of Vikings defenders, ultimately losing the game for his team. It was non stop entertainment and sure I was drunk most the time, but Goddammit, it was for my dollar the best weekend of playoff football yet.

I don’t even know if the Super Bowl can come close to this weekend. You had an overtime game, you had parts of games that were defensive masterpieces, you had parts of games that were offensive explosions, you had untimely pentalties, you had untimely turnovers, you had untimely fumbles and dropped interceptions that weren’t turnovers but should have been, you had challenges, booth reviews, and you had Brett Favre getting beat into the ground and looking like the old man that he is.  The Saints win and the Colts win.  Fun times.

This is what the NFL playoffs should be about. The previous Wild Card and Divisional games that preceeded this weekend of AFC and NFC Championships really cannot even compare. For both these games, you had two relatively evenly matched oppenents facing off their strength vs the other teams strength in a battle for the ultimate conquest…a chance at the Lombardi Trophy. The Jets’ suffocating defense versus the robotically efficient Colts’ offense. MATCHUP! The Vikings’ high flying offense and intense defense versus the Saints’ even more high flying offense and even more intense defense. MATCHUP!

Sorry to sound like an NFL fanboy but I was in heaven watching these games. If parity rules in the NFL then I hope every weekend is like this. Now, we have the Saints in their very first Super Bowl appearance versus the Colts.

The Colts are an extremely efficient offense that thrives on not making any mistakes with their precise attack and they are going against a defense that thrives on forcing their opponents into making mistakes. The Saints offense isn’t as efficient but their firepower makes up for it in that they have so many weapons to get the balls into the hands of, not to mention a quarterback that can put the ball into the hands of the playmakers when they are open. The Colts’ defense is solid, but will certainly have trouble matching up against the numerous options the Saints have.

This might be a Super Bowl I am genuinely excited about for the first time in a long time. Two high powered offenses against two generally decent defenses makes for a pretty evenly matched game with plenty of fireworks. Hooray for the NFL, David Stern couldn’t have planned for a better championship game.

(Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

So the playoffs begin this weekend and I fell off the map with my picks in the last 2 weeks of the regular season, so i totally have to make up for it here just for my own peace of mind. I ended up finishing above .500 for the year, which bodes well for the playoffs. As always, all lines are from TheGreek. Hot cheerleader is Meghan from the Baltimore Ravens. Lets get to the games*:

New York Jets at CINCINNATI -2.5

The Bengals know they are going to win this game and they will. The young “Sanchize” shouldn’t be much of a factor here as rookie quarterbacks with questionable receiving corps. generally do not do well in the playoffs. The Jets D might be able to keep this close for awhile, since the Bengals only have one receiving threat themselves, but I expect the Bengals to easily win this game by well more than a field goal. Take the Bengals.

PHILADELPHIA +4 at Dallas

The Eagles got destroyed last time they faced the Cowboys, getting shut out 24-0. The first time they faced the Cowboys, they lost 16-20 at home. So why am I picking the Eagles this week? Simple! I hate the Cowboys. Also there is no way an NFC East team beats another NFC East team 3 times in a row. Its got to be some sort of statistical fact that this never happens. Like ever. Unless it has, then its almost never. Take the Eagles, at the very worst, they will probably cover, at best, they win outright.

BALTIMORE +3.5 at New England

Picking against the Patriots, at home, in the playoffs should be suicide for you bank account. This year, I do not think it is. I think the loss of Welker is going to really hurt their offensive attack which was hardly as dynamic as it has been in past years. Some people in Baltimore still say they would’ve beaten the Patriots in the regular season if it werent for all those phantom roughing the passer penalties on them. I’m all about the road dogs this week apparently.

GREEN BAY +1 at Arizona

The Cardinals were in the Super Bowl last season and they are only favored by 1 point here? Ohhh, maybe its because Kurt Warner has no healthy bodies to throw the ball to and is depending on a couple of backs dealing with a little case of fumbleitis. Meanwhile Green Bay can score on anyone but they have supreme difficulty in stopping anyone. Luckily, in this game, they shouldnt have to do much to stop the Cards. Take the Pack. Road dogs rule!

Good luck.

*Deuce of Davenport is only doing this column for entertainment purposes only, you’d be a fool to actually follow any of this advice and/or these picks. We accept no responsibility for anyone actually gambling with these picks.