Eagles Fan Commandeers JWF, Posts Tecmo Bowl Version of DeSean Jackson's Unbelievable Game-Winning Punt Return

The telltale sign of an amazing comeback is when a video game re-enactment of the final play surfaces on YouTube within 48 hours.

This one's for you, Giants fans.



Via Philly.com.

Dumbest NFL Trick Play Ever?

After being disemboweled by the New York Giants to the tune of 24-0 in the first half last night (and it wasn't even that close), the Washington Redskins tried to pull off one of the dumbest trick plays I've ever seen. Considering they were fortunate to even be in field goal position, everyone in the building and watching on television expected a field goal attempt before they scurried off the field in shame. So after they line up, they shifted seven men wide to the left. Since the Redskins had fooled the Giants on a trick play for a touchdown in the previous meeting this year, New York Coach Tom Coughlin wisely called timeout.

You think at that point Washington just goes for a regular field goal try. But no! They come out and try the same thing again, with predictably disastrous results. The holder (the Washington punter) takes the snap and is nearly decapitated as three Giants come free at him and he heaves a pass that is intercepted and then nearly returned after Michael Johnson gets at least halfway down field.

Maybe this was Jim Zorn's poke in the eye to owner Daniel Snyder. If I were Zorn I may not have even come out on the field after that disgraceful performance in the first half, which was followed up by an equally pathetic second half en route to a 45-12 drubbing.

Thanks to Ace for the link. Plenty of wiseguy comments over there.

How soon I forget. Maybe coaches ought to start donating their brains to science.

Thanks also to Allahpundit for the link.

Pick of the Night for Cowboys

Cost of a new stadium: $1.1 billion.

Contract for the overrated Tony Romo: $67.4 million.

Jimmy Jones picking his nose after Giants return a Romo interception: Priceless.

That gem came after Bruce Johnson returned an INT int he first quarter last night, one of three awful picks from the grossly overrated Romo.

In case you were sleeping, here's a wrap-up of the Giants 33-31 win in Dallas last night.

Giants Waive David Tyree

Damn, football is a tough business. Although everyone already saw this coming, it's certainly difficult when the time comes.

The Giants have made the tough decision everyone seemed to know was coming.

David Tyree, the Super Bowl XLII hero, has been released, according to his agent, Michael Clouser.

"I talked to (assistant GM) Kevin Abrams this morning and he said it was a very tough decision for the team," Clouser said by phone minutes ago. "Like anyone else, it was a tough thing for David to hear. He's actually saying his goodbyes to his teammates right now.

"He's obviously disappointed, but we're confident someone else will see the value he brings on special teams and as a wide receiver. We'll see how things go here in the next few days."

Tyree told reporters the other day he realized his days with the team might have been limited. He reflected on his time with the team, which he said he will always appreciate.

"What a joy it was to be a part of something so great from day one," the 2003 sixth-round pick said. "My experience here has been nothing short of a dream. To be placed in team history and sports history, where do you go from here?

"But at the same time, my love for this game hasn't died out yet and I really feel I still have something great to add onto my career and legacy."

I've watched David Tyree playing football since high school and couldn't have been happier that a man who overcame so many personal demons turned out to be the guy who helped pull off one of the greatest plays ever. This will forever be his legacy.



Not a bad final catch as a New York Giant. Unfortunately Tyree was injured and missed the entire 2008 season and there are at least six younger true wideouts ahead of him on the depth chart so this is a numbers game.

Hopefully he can catch on elsewhere in the league. Otherwise he can take comfort he'll always be remembered for his Super Bowl XLII heroics and the fact he'll never again have to pick up a dinner tab in north Jersey.

Plaxico Burress Pleads Guilty, Gets Two Years in Prison

One of the dumbest football players alive has pled guilty to gun charges and faces two years in prison. I guess the Philadelphia Eagles won't be signing him any time soon.

Plaxico Burress, the former Giants receiver, entered into a plea agreement on Thursday morning in his weapons-possession case, in a deal with Manhattan prosecutors that will send him to prison for two years.

Justice Michael H. Melkonian of State Supreme Court accepted the guilty plea. Along with the two-year prison sentence, Mr. Burress, 31, will be sentenced to two years of post-release supervision.

Mr. Burress was indicted earlier this month on related to an episode in November 2008, when he accidentally shot himself in the thigh in a Manhattan nightclub. The Giants released him in April without waiting for the outcome of the criminal proceedings.

If the case were to go to trial and Mr. Burress were convicted of all charges — two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and one count of second-degree reckless endangerment — he could face 3½ to 15 years in prison. The plea agreement still needs the approval of a State Supreme Court justice.

No word whether he'll have a reduced sentence after an amount of time served, but with this sentence it's clear he'll miss at least two full seasons and his career certainly could be at an end considering he'll have missed nearly three seasons by the time he's released. You have to figure even if he were in shape to play by the time the 2011 seasons rolls around the commissioner would probably tack on a suspension.

He has only himself to blame.

Update: According to this report he'll serve 20 months.

Giant Hero

You may recall Lt. Col. Greg Gadson, noted here last year prior to the New York Giants win over New England in Super Bowl XLII. Well, he's still recovering from wounds resulting in the amputation of both legs above the knee and has been been fit with a pair of high-tech prosthetic legs.

Meet the Bionic Fan.

Iraq war hero and double amputee Lt. Col. Greg Gadson -- whose bravery helped inspire the New York Giants to their last Super Bowl victory -- recently became the first person in the world to land a pair of super-high-tech prosthetic legs that practically think for themselves.

Gadson was made an honorary co-captain of the team and credited as a driving force behind Big Blue's success.

And, at the next Super Bowl, he hopes to be jumping for joy -- literally.

"I was in a wheelchair last time," he said. "Next time, hopefully I'll be up there with the team."

Gadson -- who lost both legs above the knee when his convoy was hit by a roadside bomb two years ago -- has been fitted with the Power Knee, a revolutionary, battery-powered prosthetic developed by Icelandic company Ossur.

"[The prosthetic's] intelligent," Gadson said last week from his home in Virginia. "It gauges my weight, my speed . . . It's the closest thing to normal legs that I've experienced.

"The difference is if you're walking on a normal prosthetic and you step in a pothole in the street, you're going to fall. With this, it's going to accommodate that.

"Going from a regular prosthetic to this is like going from driving a school bus to a top-of-the-range sports car," he said.

Gadson was in Walter Reed hospital two years ago when he was visited by Mike Sullivan, a former teammate from a West Point football squad and an assistant to Giants coach Tom Coughlin.

Sullivan invited Gadson and his family to a game in DC, where the injured warrior spoke to the team about perseverance, spirit and teamwork.

That day, the Giants began a six-game winning streak that took them to Super Bowl XLII.

"The credit I got was a little strong," Gadson said of the wins. "I didn't play. I didn't call a play. But that season, we formed a special bond, and I like to think we inspired each other and helped each other realize what we are capable of."

More here.

Gadson, 43, of Fort Belvoir, is an Army officer whose legs were amputated above the knees and the first person in the world to receive the completed version of the second generation of the Ossur Power Knee prosthetics device.

"The biggest difference is just how smoothly they operate, obviously the appearance," he said. "These knees are lot lighter, they're quieter and they have a lot longer battery life, so that makes them logistically a lot easier for a bilateral to manage."

According to developers of the power knee, ground contact sensors allow users to control and manage their walking without thinking about it and the device provides maximum support in any given angle of flexion as soon as contact with the ground is made, while allowing for a natural and easy gait.

"These legs really mimic how you walk," Gadson continued. "This is much more natural. I can already see myself doing things that I would normally not do, like going shopping and browsing instead of just going in to get something."

Here's more from Ossur's website.

Giants Release Plaxico Burress

Somewhat surprising since it appeared the team was willing to take him back assuming he'd be eligible to play at some point in the 2009 season. Well, that's all over now.

Nice way to flush about $40 million down the drain.

In a shocking development to the ongoing Plaxico Burress saga, the Giants announced just a few moments ago that they have released the troubled receiver, just four months after he shot himself in the thigh at a Manhattan night club.

“I am an optimist, and I believe most situations can be worked out,” said General Manager Jerry Reese. “We hung in there as long as we could in hopes that there could be a resolution to this situation other than the decision we made today to release Plaxico. It wasn’t to be, so now we have to move on. Like everybody else here, we want nothing but the best for Plaxico, and we are appreciative of the contributions he made to this franchise.”

Probably a safe bet they're going WR in Round 1 in the April 25 draft, unless that trade rumor or Braylon Edwards for Matthias Kiwanuka comes to fruition. A lot of draft boards have them taking Hakeen Nicks of North Carolina.

RIP, Brad Van Pelt

Former New York Giant great Brad Van Pelt has died of a heart attack this morning.

Brad Van Pelt, who played for the New York Giants during his action-packed NFL career, has died at the age of 58 after reportedly suffering heart attack.

According to WILX, Van Pelt graduated from MSU in 1972. The Owosso native was a football great and went on to play 14 years in the NFL, primarily with the New York Giants. In addition to football, Van Pelt also played basketball and baseball for the Spartans.

This story is developing. While it appears Pelt died of a sudden heart attack, the cause of death has not yet been confirmed.

Van Pelt was one of the few spots on many a moribund Giants team of the mid-to-late 1970's. From his Wikipedia page.

As a member of the Giants, Van Pelt was a member of the Crunch Bunch, a team of fierce linebackers composed of Van Pelt, Brian Kelley, Lawrence Taylor, and Harry Carson. The group is widely considered one of the best defensive combos in NFL history. He was also named player of decade for the 1970s by the Giants.

During his 11-year career with the franchise, the Giants posted a winning record only once, in 1981, when New York reached the playoffs for the only time in a 20-year stretch between 1964 and 1983. Van Pelt also has the unusual distinction of playing for the franchise in four different home stadiums: Yankee Stadium, the Yale Bowl, Shea Stadium, and Giants Stadium. He also played for five Giants head coaches: Alex Webster, Bill Arnsparger, John McVay, Ray Perkins, and Bill Parcells.

Ironically, Van Pelt left the Giants after Parcells selected another Michigan State standout, Carl Banks, in the first round of the 1984 NFL Draft to fill the left outside linebacker slot opposite Taylor.

Van Pelt wore number 10 with the Giants, even though the NFL instituted a numbering system for the 1973 NFL season, which limited linebackers entering the league to numbers 50 through 59. Van Pelt wore number 91 with the Raiders and Browns.

I'll never forget when the Giants made the playoffs in 1981 by beating Dallas in overtime in their final game on a Saturday afternoon (they actually had to wait until the Jets beat Green Bay the next day to make it official). Besides it being the first time I ever saw my beloved Giants become a playoff team, the reaction and tears of joy from Van Pelt and Brian Kelley will always remain with me. These were exceptional players who toiled for years on really bad teams and to see them rewarded brought me great joy. It's a shame they never got to win a Super Bowl with the Giants.

RIP, Brad.

Update: A nice tribute from giants.com writer Michael Eisen, who interviewed Harry Carson today.

“He just took pride in being a part of a group of guys who had a tremendous amount of pride,” Carson said. “If you look at his autograph you could see how Brad was very meticulous in signing autographs. We would be signing as a group and he would have to be the last one in line because he would hold everybody up because he wrote his autograph in such a way that everybody could understand it and he didn’t rush through it. He also took time to communicate with people who were before him because he was a football player, he is a great person, and I think people will reflect on him as a football player and things that he did on the football field, but very few people are going to reflect on the person that he was that not a lot of people got to know personally. I am just so glad that I got to know the man more so than the athlete.”

I used to attend a lot of training camp as a kid and remember Van Pelt as not only one of the most popular players but always one who took the time to talk with the fans and give autographs to whoever asked.

Go Figure: Plaxico Burress Replacement Shot

On the upside, he apparently didn't shoot himself.

Giants receiver Taye Biddle is recovering from gunshot wounds to his hand and leg after being shot while visiting family in his hometown.

Decatur police said in a statement Thursday that Biddle was shot Sunday night outside a residence and was treated and released from a local hospital. Police said there was no evidence Biddle caused or provoked the shooting.

Police have not made any arrests in the case and have not released a possible motive for the shooting.

"He had surgery on his hand today," Biddle's friend, Bruce Jones, told The Decatur Daily on Thursday. "He told me his leg is OK, and he ought to be fine."

Biddle was promoted from the Giants' practice squad after receiver Plaxico Burress accidentally shot himself in the leg last November.

NFL Divisional Playoffs

The best weekend of the NFL playoffs is upon us and we have four games that are all rematches from the regular season, including a rubber match between the Eagles and Giants.

We were 2-2 for Wild Card weekend, winning with the Ravens and Eagles.

It's snowing here in the east, so what better to do today and Sunday than watch football?

SATURDAY
Titans -3 RAVENS: Tennessee won in Baltimore 13-10 earlier this season and expect another fairly low scoring slugfest between two teams that have no love for each other. Baltimore forced their defense upon Miami last weekend, but don't look for the Titans to rely on Kerry Collins to win. Expect Tennessee to follow the blueprint used by the Giants against the Ravens and to pound it on the ground. I don't see Baltimore mustering much offense and expect Tennessee to be far more physical than Miami was and get after Joe Flacco. The loss of Kevin Mawae could hurt the Titans, but I expect them to play a safe ball-control game. Titans 21-13

Cardinals +10 PANTHERS: Cardinals were better than I expected last week and found a good rhythm after staggering down the stretch. They kept it close at Carolina back in October, losing 27-23. The loss of Anquan Boldin really hurts, however, but since Arizona is playing with house money, expect them to air it out anyway. Still, Carolina is rested and hasn't lost at home this season. They should be able to chew up the clock with DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. Oh, and Arizona is 0-5 in the east this year, a bad omen. Carolina 31-23

SUNDAY
GIANTS -4 Eagles: Philly was the lone road team to beat the Giants at home this year, but New York was on cruise control at the time at 11-1 and coming off the Plaxico Burress fiasco. Having already won at Philadelphia, they just didn't match the Eagles' intensity and desperation that game. Sunday is a different story. Brandon Jacobs is healthy, the team is rested and the Giants will want to assert their strength early by ramming it down Philly's throat. If they contain a banged-up Brian Westbrook as they did in their first meeting, the Eagles will be hard pressed to score much. The Giants are right where they want to be: at home defending their title with people doubting them. Too much for the Eagles to overcome. Giants 27-10

Chargers +6 STEELERS: Their first meeting in early December resulted in the only 11-10 game in NFL history and conditions tomorrow should be about the same: Snowy and in the 20s. I really like how San Diego has run off five straight wins but I have serious doubts whether Darren Sproles can come close to matching what he did against the Colts going up against the league's best defense. Still, don't underestimate the determination of Philip Rivers. Big question is whether Ben Roethlisberger has sufficiently recovered from his concussion and if he holds up. Defense rules the day here. Steelers 17-16.

Show Your Idiocy for Only $230

I'd never fork over that much for a personalized jersey, but apparently some wiseass Giants fan are having some fun at the expense of Plaxico Burress.

You, too, can be No. 17 - Harris Smith!

Giants bad boy Plaxico Burress checked into New York-Cornell Hospital under that generic fake name, The Post first revealed this week, and fans who want to score an "H. SMITH" No. 17 jersey don't have to go anywhere further than their own computer.

Fans can go to www.Giantsproshop.com, click on "personalized jerseys" and build their own Burress alter-ego uniform in home blue, road white or alternate red.

An authentic fake "H. SMITH" jersey goes for $230.

Giants Banish Burress

The New York Giants wasted little time in placing Plaxico Burress on the non-football injury list today, ending his season and likely his career in New York.

Plaxico Burress returned to Giants Stadium on Tuesday, only to be told that he would be suspended four games and placed on the non-football injury list.

While police were still trying to sort out the events surrounding the Manhattan nightclub shooting that prompted the suspension, Burress' season with the Super Bowl champions, and possibly his career with the team, likely came to an end.

"I'm happy," Burress said, "this allows me more time to drive my son to school," apparently unaware nursery schools are Glock-free school zones.

OK, I added that last part. But it's not a stretch with this dunce, now proud owner of the $27 million shot heard around the world.

Perhaps the only punishment worse than losing all that money and facing prison time might be acquittal followed by a trade to Detroit.

Thanks to Ace for the link.

Dopey Burress Told Hospital He Was Shot at Applebees; Still Laughing and Joking About Incident

The farcical saga of the idiotic Plaxico Burress continues to unravel and is now reaching comical levels. Unfortunately for many others, they may all be dragged down with him.

Trouble-prone Giants receiver Plaxico Burress desperately tried to sidestep the law after shooting himself in the leg with an illegal handgun he carried into a Midtown nightclub - getting workers at the hot spot and at a top city hospital to lie for him, sources told The Post yesterday.

Details of the hectic hours Burress spent trying to conceal his bone-headed blunder emerged as he said he would surrender to the NYPD today. Detectives last night seized the .40-caliber gun from his New Jersey home.

His web of deceit included:

* Taking his gun from the Midtown club Latin Quarter, where workers never called authorities and even cleaned up afterward.

* Spending about 90 minutes making frantic calls to figure out where his wound could be discreetly treated.

* Getting special treatment at New York-Cornell Hospital, where he gave his name as Harris Smith, saying he'd been shot at an Applebee's restaurant. Nonetheless, hospital workers recognized him as Plaxico Burress, sources said, and the gunshot was not reported, as required by law.

Police found the gun last night at the Super Bowl hero's Totowa home, sources said, after they were told it was in his kitchen. He was not home at the time.

He plans to turn himself in at the 17th Precinct station house, said his lawyer, Benjamin Brafman.

Burress, 31, will be slapped with a felony gun charge and plead not guilty, his lawyer said.

Cops believe that Burress - who took the bullet cleanly through his right thigh at the club late Friday night - was with teammate Antonio Pierce and an unidentified woman as they worked the phones to choose a hospital, sources said.

Detectives were checking whether a Giants team trainer was among those called for advice, the sources said.

The trio was logged in at 2:45 a.m. by a New York-Cornell security guard, according to records reviewed by the police. The facility is connected with The Hospital for Special Surgery - a popular choice among elite athletes, where Burress was once treated himself. He was out about 10 hours later.

Hospital workers recognized Burress and agreed not to report the incident to police, the sources said.

It turns out a third Giant, Ahmad Bradshaw, was also with Burress and Pierce. It's unclear whether Bradshaw, who served time last summer for a Virginia burglary several years ago, will face any charges. Pierce may likely some misdemeanor local charges, but if he had a hand in transporting the gun over to New Jersey, could face some federal charge of transporting a weapon across state lines.

So all because of the incredible stupidity of Burress, we've got two teammates facing possible legal problems, along with an untold number of club and hospital employees.

Good career move, Plaxico.

Meanwhile, short of being shot in the head, he apparently will never get it.

Burress' reaction to all this?

He laughed.

"He called me laughing and grinning," fellow New York Giant Brandon Jacobs told reporters. "He is doing fine. He is feeling good. I called him and made a few jokes about the situation and he laughed - which is what I wanted to hear.

"He shouldn't be down because it is a mistake that happened," said the running back.

It's a mistake that could cost Burress dearly, despite his lawyer's vow that he'll plead not guilty to charges of criminal possession of a weapon. For the first time, his bosses at the Meadowlands hinted that his career as a Giant could be in jeopardy.

Memo to anyone on the Giants: Stay clear of this dud if you know what's good for you.

Giants Roll, Idiot Burress Facing Arraignment

The New York Giants rolled to another victory Sunday despite the absence of wideout Plaxico Burress.

The Giants spent most of a week cheerfully preparing to play the Redskins at FedEx Field on Sunday, carrying a six-game winning streak and a swelling sense of invincibility. But their smooth glide to a 10-1 record was gone in a painful flash on Friday night, when receiver Plaxico Burress accidentally shot himself in the thigh at a Manhattan nightclub.

Suddenly, Sunday’s result against the Redskins, win or lose, would be a proxy on the Giants’ resilience and focus. Win, and the Giants further prove themselves a single-minded bunch, able to steer clear of even the most unseemly of distractions. Lose for the first time since Oct. 13, and frenzied debate would ensue over whether one bullet could cripple their equilibrium.

On a drizzly and dreary afternoon at FedEx Field, the Giants powered past the rival Redskins, 23-7, their latest show of defiance against a difficult schedule and the occasional off-field controversy.

Well, it appears nothing may stop them now. Eli Manning sent a not-so-subtle message to Burress and the rest of the league by throwing for 305 yards on a rainy day, spreading the ball around and utilizing Domenik Hixon, the (permanent?) replacement for Burress. The Giants are now the only team since the 1970 Vikings to defeat winning teams six straight weeks. They still face four teams with winning records, starting with Philadelphia at home next Sunday, when they could possibly clinch the NFC East.

Meanwhile, Quickdraw is scheduled to be arraigned on weapons charges Monday.

Giants receiver Plaxico Burress, who accidentally shot himself in the thigh Friday night at a Manhattan nightclub, will surrender to the New York City police on Monday morning and will be charged with criminal possession of a handgun, according to his lawyer, Benjamin Brafman.

Burress will plead not guilty, said Brafman, whom Burress hired Sunday and who has represented high-profile defendants like the rapper Sean Combs.

“I ask his fans and the New York Giants to withhold judgment in this case until the facts come out,” Brafman said in a telephone interview, adding that he did not yet know what the possible punishment for Burress could be.

Once can hope he's made an example of. Maybe some jailtime and a lengthy suspension will finally wake this moron up. He also could face charges in New Jersey since his has no concealed carry permit there, either.

Note to Self: Put Down the Wine Glass Before Unloading Bullets

Geez, Plaxico Burress looks dumber by the minute.

Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress caught a bullet in his leg while fumbling with a gun in the vestibule of a Manhattan nightclub early yesterday, sources said.

The trouble-plagued NFL star blasted himself through his right thigh just after midnight near the VIP entrance to the LQ nightclub on Lexington Avenue and East 48th Street and had to be hospitalized, sources said.

Burress, 31, was allegedly inside the hot spot with teammate Antonio Pierce when they were confronted by security guards looking for weapons.

The Super Bowl hero, who nabbed the game-winning catch in the Giants' monumental win over the Patriots in February, admitted to the guards that he was packing heat, sources said.

After moving to a secluded area with a guard, he allegedly took the gun out and started to unload the bullets while drinking a glass of wine. But the sure-handed wideout began to bobble the firearm, accidentally firing a shot that ripped through his leg but missed the bone.

A source said a guard came over in the aftermath, emptied the gun's chamber and then gave it back to Burress.

Security personnel tried to call an ambulance, but the grid great stopped them.

Sources said Pierce drove Burress to Cornell Medical Center at 2 a.m. and then left immediately. It's not clear where Burress was in the time between the shooting and his arrival at the hospital.

Such stupidity I've come to expect from Burress. But I'm disappointed to find out Antonio Pierce was with him. I thought he knew better. Now he faces legal issues, although word is he'll still be in the starting lineup in Washington today. The police would like to chat with him.

Plaxico Burress isn’t the only one in trouble after Friday night’s shooting. Antonio Pierce is in hot water, too.

Pierce was not only with Burress when the receiver shot himself in the right thigh at a Manhattan night club Friday night, he apparently tried to hide the gun after the incident, the Daily News has learned. In fact, Pierce’s attorney was frantically trying to save him from criminal charges late last night, the News is reporting.

Burress, meanwhile, is expected to be arrested on felony weapons charges sometime in the next few days, according to sources. He could face up to five years in prison if he’s eventually convicted. Carrying an illegal, concealed weapon in New York also carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 3 ½ years.
...
• Burress was drinking at the nightclub, and the gun apparently slipped down his pants leg and went off accidentally. He apparently does not have a permit to carry a concealed weapon in New York. He had a license in Florida, but that expired in May and wouldn’t have been recognized here anyway.

• Burress told Pierce (and others at the club) not to call 911 after he was shot, and he didn’t go to the hospital for two hours, until 2 a.m. when his wife, Tiffany, and a friend finally took him to New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

• Pierce agreed to cooperate with police if they agreed not to immediately charge him with a crime. Cops are still planning to get a warrant to search Pierce’s car.

I'll assume Burress doesn't have a license in New Jersey, either.

Plaxico Burress Shoots Himself in the Leg' Update: Shocker! Shooting Took Place at a Nightclub

Clueless

What more can go wrong with this idiot?

Plaxico Burress' controversial year has just taken a turn for the worse.

The New York Giants wide receiver accidentally shot himself in the leg on Friday night, FOXSports.com has learned, not long after being ruled out of Sunday's game against the Redskins with a hamstring injury.

He spent the night in the hospital and the injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. The team is still trying to gather further information on the incident.

This has been a troubled year for Burress, who opened the season with a lengthy contract dispute. He was also suspended one game in October for violating team rules, benched during another game and hit with a series of fines.

The Giants are atop the NFC standings with a 10-1 record and are vying for their seventh straight win Sunday when they face Washington.

I suspect Burress may have played his last game in a Giants uniform. Knowing Burress and his dubious recent history, I suspect there's more to this story and the team may have hit the breaking point. The Giants may be headed for the Super Bowl again and don't need the endless soap opera with this guy.

Update: He was reportedly shot at a nightclub. There's a shocker.

New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress was accidentally shot in the leg at a nightclub, it was reported Saturday.

ESPN.com and Fox Sports.com said the wound was not life threatening. It was not clear at what club the shooting took place. The Fox Web site said Burress spent the night in the hospital.

"I don't have anything for you at this stage," team spokesman Pat Hanlon told The Associated Press from Giants Stadium before the Super Bowl champions left for a flight to Washington for a Sunday game against the Redskins.

Yup, injured player with a really bad track record of late out at a nightclub with a gun. What could possibly go wrong?

Update: Giants react.

“Obviously, our primary concern is for Plaxico’s health,” the Giants said in a statement released by Pat Hanlon, the team’s vice president for communications. “We have been in touch with N.F.L. security on this matter. At this point, we are attempting to gather all the facts surrounding this incident. This incident could become a matter for law enforcement officials, and because of that, we have no comment on any of the details.”

Biden Booed at Giants-Eagles Game?

Frankly, this is blown out of proportion, but then again, the fans in Philadelphia are famous for pelting Santa Claus with snowballs. Matt Drudge links to this story, but I think it's misleading.

The Giants and Eagles played in front of a special guest. Vice President-elect Joe Biden watched the game in a luxury suite with Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie. Biden was booed when he was showed on the video screen.

Sure, there was a smattering of boos at the time Biden was shown, but if they're talking about the instance when he was shown on television, there was a penalty called against Philadelphia on the field that I believe was more the cause for the booing. The fans were much more upset later when several challenges didn't go their way.

Of more importance, the Giants won and now own a three-game edge on the Eagles and Cowboys and two over Washington.

Update: Thanks to Hot Air for linking. Michelle Malkin updates an earlier post and a reader clarified the specific call.

Update: Several readers say the booing was over a ref’s call.

Here’s one: “Eli had just gotten sacked and he threw the ball down and wasn’t called for intentional grounding. The Philly fans were booing the non-call on the NFL’s golden boy, not Joe Biden.”

Well, I'll take issue with Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning being called a golden boy, but I'll chalk that up to a disgruntled Eagles fan staring up from the NFC East cellar today.

I also read the Philly papers online this morning and didn't see any mention of the Biden booing in any of the game stories from last night.

NFL Week 10

Let's give a hand to the geniuses in the league office for having the intelligence to rescind the fine against Justin Tuck for this hit on Brooks Bollinger. Not only was the roughing the passer an atrocious call, to tack a fine on to it was preposterous. This is football, people, not tiddlywinks. Dallas wouldn't have even gotten an offensive score in that beatdown if it weren't for that absurd flag.

The Giants again this week are in one of the marquee games, traveling to Philadelphia for the Sunday night game. Other games of note are Tennessee at Chicago, Buffalo at New England and the Colts at Steelers.

We went 7-7 in Week 9, binging the 2008 record to 63-64-7. I forgot to forecast the Thursday night game between Cleveland and Denver, so only 13 selections this week.

SUNDAY
Rams +9 JETS: Was surprised by the Jets last week with their win in Buffalo, but can't trust them yet laying this much in a trap game, with New England on tap next Thursday. Jets 23-16

Jaguars -6.5 LIONS: Jacksonville a huge disappointment this year, but are they so bad they'll lose to winless teams two weeks in a row? A pride game, if anything. Jaguars 30-17

Titans -3 BEARS: It seems Tennessee wins by three every week and they're bound to get tripped up one of these weeks. But Rex Grossman is starting, so lay the points. Titans 27-20

Bills +3.5 PATRIOTS: Patriots destroyed Bills twice last season, so there's a bit of a revenge factor at play. Bills need to stop their two-game slide and a win here would be huge. Bills 16-13

Saints +1 FALCONS: Saints coming off their bye and getting healthy. Falcons have surprised so far, but this one's a reality check for Matt Ryan. Saints 30-24

DOLPHINS -8.5 Seahawks: Previous two trips east this season, the Seahags have gotten drilled to the tune of 78-16. Might seem crazy to lay this many with the Fish, but dreadful Seattle is due for another east coast whipping. Suddenly it's not so far-fetched to think Miami can contend for a playoff spot this year. Dolphins 33-13

Packers +2.5 VIKINGS: Packers gave Titans all they cold handle last week and Vikings can be thrown on. Plus there's always the Gus Frerotte factor to consider. Packers 28-24

TEXANS E Ravens: When last seen, this week's starter for the Texans, Sage Rosenfels, was self-immolating against the Colts. Times to make amends for that fiasco. Ravens have shown offensive life of late, but may be caught looking ahead to date with the Giants. Texans 30-27

Panthers -9.5 RAIDERS: Raiders had something like 77 yards total last week for the entire game! Geez, you could take a knee all game and do better than that. Panthers 30-3

CHARGERS -15 Chiefs: Chargers another huge disappointment this year, but they can still win their putrid division. Bet they better get a move on. Chargers 38-10

Colts +3 STEELERS: Steelers were impressive with big win at Washington Monday night, but a short week with a banged-up Roethlisberger is dicey. Colts 27-24

SUNDAY NIGHT
Giants +3 EAGLES: Giants have won three straight regular season games in Philly. Considering they're the best team in the league and are getting points makes this a no-brainer. As always, The Olbermann Rule is in effect. Giants 24-20

MONDAY NIGHT
CARDINALS -9.5 49ers: How bad is Bay Area football these days? Arizona may clinch the NFC West during November. Cardinals 44-14

Now as a special added bonus for those of you who made it this far, watch Justin Tuck level the hapless Brooks Bollinger one more time.

Giants Put Tyree On Season-Ending IR

Normally when a career special teamer goes on IR for the season, it's reduced to agate type in the transactions, but when it's David Tyree, the man on the receiving end of the greatest play in Super Bowl history, it makes news in these parts.

David Tyree said that seeing his season end before it even began is definitely something that "definitely stings." But he wasn't surprised and he absolutely isn't angry with the Giants. He knew it was a decision that they had to make.

"I can't say I was shocked," Tyree said on a conference call a few minutes ago. "It was just kind of news, you know? You kind of take it in stride. My knee felt good, but I wasn't able to show them my knee was good. I totally understood that pretty well."

Tyree, of course, had been on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list since July, due to his recovery from knee surgery in April. He returned to practice on Oct. 15 to begin a three-week evaluation period, but on the second day he strained his hamstring and hasn't been able to practice since.

As a result, the Giants were never able to see him on the field to gauge if his knee was truly healthy. That's why today, at the end of their three-week window, they placed him on season-ending injured reserve.

Tyree - one of the biggest heroes of Super Bowl XLII - said he was going to be ready to practice in "a week, maybe two weeks tops." But that would've taken him possibly into Week 11 before the Giants would've been able to get a good look at how he performs on his rehabilitated knee.

"I felt great running on Monday, but it was just straight ahead running and that's not a real good test when you're out there playing the wide receiver position," Tyree said. "I'd love to say to them, 'Hey, give me two weeks,' but that doesn't make sense from a management perspective."

Tyree understands that this could mean he's played his last game as a Giant - which would also mean that his miraculous catch in the Super Bowl could be his final Giants catch. "I'm a Giant," he said. "Until something changes I'm a Giant and obviously happy to be that. I don't desire to be anywhere else in my career."

This was a no-brainer for the organization. Cutting Tyree would be a PR blunder while they're steamrolling along this season as they seek to repeat as Super Bowl champions. He'll have the opportunity to make the team again next year and should be retained likely for his dynamic special team work over the years. Tyree never was a regular WR and the Giants have an abundance of talent ahead of him.

Whatever the case, he'll forever be in Giants lore for that one moment, and we'll never forget this play, perhaps the greatest ever:

NFL Week 8

As we hit the midseason mark in the NFL, we have perhaps the best matchup of the season in Pittsburgh as the Giants and Steelers meet. With both teams at 5-1, it's being touted as a potential Super Bowl preview, but that's so far off now it's impossible to say where things may stand come January. As it is, the Giants are finished with the cream puff portion of their schedule and need to start playing better. Another big matchup is Monday night as the stumbling Colts face the last unbeaten team in the league, the Tennessee Titans. A special added bonus this week: No Sunday night game, so you won't have to be on alert for that moron Keith Olbermann.

We managed an 8-6 slate in Week 7 and stand at 52-47-3 for 2008.

SUNDAY
JETS -13.5 Chiefs: You have to be really bad to be a two-touchdown underdog to the very mediocre Jets. Well, Kansas City is just awful. Jets would love nothing more than to pound on their former coach Herman Edwards, and they will. Jets 38-6

RAVENS -7 Raiders: Baltimore may not score much, but the Raiders will be fortunate to muster any offense against Ravens. Ravens 23-3

Chargers -3 Saints: Saints are technically the home team, but this game is being played in London. The Chargers may well win their division by default, but they might want to start winning some games. Saints are all banged up and reports are flying a couple of players may have failed drug tests. Not good. Chargers 31-21

Bills -1.5 DOLPHINS: Bills are going to be fooled by Miami's offensive gimmicks and Trent Edwards is rapidly rising to stardom. Bills may be the best team nobody has seen this year. Bills 24-17

Buccaneers +2.5 COWBOYS: I'm supposed to believe a team that was humiliated by the lowly Rams is to be favored over a Tampa team with a stout defense? The implosion continues in Dallas. Buccaneers 27-20

Falcons +9 EAGLES: Atlanta is a legit 4-2, coming off a bye and getting nine points? Eagles will throw everything at Matt Ryan, but guess what? Falcons have a great running game. Eagles 24-23

PATRIOTS -7.5 Rams: Rams may be flying high after beating the Redskins and Cowboys, but New England may well have gotten their offense in gear last week, although they have huge problems with the running game. Patriots 27-13

Cardinals +4 PANTHERS: Carolina is another solid team playing in relative obscurity. While the Cards will likely cruise to an NFC West title, they're not quite ready to beat elite teams on the road. Panthers 30-27

LIONS +7.5 Redskins: Sure, it seems insane taking a winless Detroit team, but they've covered two straight while Skins have been in an offensive fog. Probably not enough to win, but Lions may keep it interesting. Redskins 20-17

Giants +3 STEELERS: Problem child Plaxico Burress returns for first time to Pittsburgh and is due for a big game. Without Willie Parker, Pittsburgh will be forced to throw a lot and Giants pass rush will get to Ben Roethlisberger. Giants 24-20

JAGUARS -7 Browns: Rested Jags finally have some offensive lineman back and will run all over Browns. This may be the week Derek Anderson gets the hook in favor of Brady Quinn. Just a hunch. Jaguars 31-21

TEXANS -9 Bengals: Carson Palmer may be finished for the season. Seriously, Bengals could go winless. Texans 34-10

49ERS -5 Seahawks: Niners stink, but they already won in Seattle this year and the Seahags are swirling the drain. What the hell happened to them? 49ers 30-13

MONDAY
Colts +4 TITANS: Titans could bury erratic Colts with a win here, but I suspect Peyton Manning and the Colts aren't quite finished yet. Titans finally stumble in prime time spotlight. Colts 24-21