AthlonSports.com - Pro Football Perspectives

Vacchiano: Redskins blow by tough competition

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 15:00:00 -0500

On Opening Night against the Giants, Jim Zorn and his team looked like that deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming tractor trailer. Now? The Redskins are 4-1, a half-game behind the defending champs, and they’re about to head into the easiest stretch of their schedule.

Vacchiano: Titans' patience with Fisher paying off

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 10:00:00 -0500

The Tennessee Titans, with their starting quarterback standing on the sidelines, are the surprise of the NFL so far with an impressive 4-0 record. And if this were almost any other franchise, their head coach wouldn’t have been around to see it.

Vacchiano: Six coaches could be fired

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 10:30:00 -0500

It’s that time of year where the weather gets colder, but seats around the NFL are beginning to heat up. There are six coaches right now who appear to be square in the firing line of their respective owners.

Vacchiano: Soap opera in Oakland continues

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 08:30:00 -0500

According to reports out of the Oakland-San Francisco area, Raiders coach Lane Kiffin is about to be fired. It could be minutes from now, or hours, or days, or even weeks. It all depends on the unpredictable whim of owner Al Davis, who has brought his franchise to a new low.

Vacchiano: Brady's injury leaves door open

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 14:00:00 -0500

When Tom Brady went down with a season-ending knee injury on Sunday, everything we thought we knew about the NFL had changed.

Vacchiano: Patriots will take Super Bowl XLIII

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:00:00 -0500

The 2007 New England Patriots were 2 1/2 minutes from being enshrined as the greatest team ever. Now they return almost their whole team in tact, and that's why Ralph Vacchiano believes they’re going to win Super Bowl XLIII.

Vacchiano: Strahan should remain retired

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:45:00 -0500

It makes no sense, but yet here we are, just a few days before the defending champion Giants kickoff the NFL season and Michael Strahan is interrupting his Grecian vacation to ponder a return for a 16th NFL season. We have some advice...

Vacchiano: Bengals are embarrassment to NFL

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:00:00 -0500

The Bengals, for years, have been the epicenter of the criminal activity, bad behavior, and horrible character that has tarnished the NFL’s image. Clearly they don’t care at all after bringing back troubled receiver Chris Henry.

Vacchiano: Jets find missing ingredient

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 14:46:37 -0500

There are no guarantees for the Jets, but Brett Favre gives his new team a chance – at least the appearance of a chance -- and he’ll definitely give them a swagger. The great quarterbacks always do.

Vacchiano: Favre created his own mess

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:30:00 -0500

Brett Favre has made a Hall of Fame career out of making something good out of a mess. So it would be no surprise at all if Favre finds the positive in the ugly situation he’s in the midst of right now in Green Bay. Of course, there’s one big difference this time: He’s created this mess himself.

Vacchiano: No rematch in Super Bowl XLIII

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 09:00:00 -0600

As much as the Patriots would love another shot at the Giants for spoiling their perfect season, and as much as the Giants would love a chance to prove their Super Bowl win was no fluke, the odds are enormous that it’s not going to happen.

Vacchiano: Nobody's doubting the Giants now

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 09:00:00 -0600

Sitting in the stands, just another fan now, Ernie Accorsi could feel the weight of the moment the world was about to see. Moreso than anyone else, he was the man responsible for making Eli Manning a Giant. For years, as Manning struggled, sometimes it seemed he was the only one who believed.

Vacchiano: Giants complete improbable journey

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 09:45:00 -0600

They were less than a minute and maybe six inches away from a disastrous end to a season that hadn’t yet started. And now they're headed to Super Bowl XLII. To say it’s unexpected that the New York Giants are the NFC champions is the understatement of the season.

Vacchiano: Manning finding himself at right time

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 11:00:00 -0600

The rise of the Giants came out of nowhere, after an 0-2 start and an up-and-down season. But that’s nothing compared to the surprising rise of Eli Manning, who has dealt with more than his share of criticism in the past.

Vacchiano: Gibbs' legacy still intact

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 09:45:00 -0600

It wasn't an easy four years in Washington for Joe Gibbs during his second stint with the Washington Redskins, but after leading his team to a miraculous playoff run, he stepped down Tuesday with his legacy still intact.