Wednesday, October 31, 2012

How They Got Here: The Story of the 2012 San Francisco Giants Part 3

How They Got Here: The San Francisco Giants is a one-by-one look at how each member of the 2012 World Series Champion San Francisco Giants found their way to the squad. We'll look at all of the players on the roster, as well as notable players who did not make the postseason roster for whatever reason and the coaching staff and general manager. Part three tells us the story of the Giants' number three catcher, Eli Whiteside.

Dustin Eli Whiteside was born on October 22, 1979, in New Albany, Mississippi. He attended high school in the same city at W.P. Daniel High School, and then furthered his education at Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi. At the end of his college years, he was a sixth round draft pick of the Baltimore Orioles in the 2001 draft. From 2001 to 2007, he played for various teams in the Orioles' farm system. His first team was the Delmarva Shorebirds of the Class A South Atlantic League. In 2002, Whiteside spent most of his time with the Class A Advanced Frederick Keys of Frederick, Maryland and also made a jump up to Class AA, where he played with the Bowie Baysox of Bowie, Maryland. An injury in the 2003 season cost hm some time with the Eastern League Baysox, and he made brief appearances in Sarasota, Florida with the Gulf Coast League Orioles at the Rookie level, and also with the Aberdeen IronBirds in the New York-Pennsylvania League, a touch below the Class A level. He continued to play with Bowie in the 2004 season, and throughout his first few years, he proved to be a marginal hitter with an average hovering between .250 and .260, while also averaging nine home runs and forty-two runs batted in per season. Whiteside's defense also wasn't spectacular, but he served his teams reasonably well at the catcher position. For 2005 and 2006, Whiteside spent his time in the Class AAA International League with the Ottawa Lynx in Ottawa, Ontario, and in the 2005 season, he appeared in nine games with the major league Orioles squad. His production at this level dipped a bit, and he found himself spending a lot of the 2007 season back with the Baysox, where he played much better. This earned him another chance, although in 2007, the Orioles switched their AAA affiliation to the Norfolk Tides in Norfolk, Virginia. In his limited time here, he struggled, and the Orioles let him walk at the end of the year. He was signed by the Minnesota Twins, but only appeared in eight games with their AAA affiliate, the Rochester Red Wings of Rochester, New York, before being released. He was discovered in very little time by the San Francisco Giants, and the rest of the 2008 season saw him play with the Fresno Grizzlies in the Pacific Coast League. He again played for the Grizzlies in 2009, but from late May onward, he was up with the Giants in a back-up catcher role. His numbers were not impressive at the major league level, but he stayed with the Giants in 2010 and 2011 as well, playing as back-up to Buster Posey in 2010 and was along for the ride as the Giants won the World Series in 2010 before taking on a larger role after Posey's gruesome leg injury in 2011. He struggled to excel in this larger role, watching his average fall below the Mendoza line by the end of the 2011 campaign. In 2012, he shuttled back and forth between Fresno and San Francisco, struggling mightily in both places. His particularly weak numbers at the major league level prompted the Giants to name Hector Sanchez as Posey's back-up, and it was only an injury to Sanchez that allowed him to stick on the roster in July, and then he was called back to the majors as rosters expanded in September. While his contributions to the 2012 Giants were few and far between, Whiteside can take comfort in knowing that his team was able to win the World Series.

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Tuesday, October 30, 2012

How They Got Here: The Story of the 2012 San Francisco Giants Part 2

How They Got Here: The San Francisco Giants is a one-by-one look at how each member of the 2012 World Series Champion San Francisco Giants found their way to the squad. We'll look at all of the players on the roster, as well as notable players who did not make the postseason roster for whatever reason and the coaching staff and general manager. Part two tells us Shane Loux's journey to the World Series title. 

Shane Loux was born on August 31, 1979 in Rapid City, South Dakota. He graduated from Highland High School in Gilbert, Arizona. He was drafted in 1997 by the Detroit Tigers at the age of 17, and reported to the Gulf Coast League Tigers of Lakeland, Florida to play rookie ball. He then spent all of the 1998 season and part of the 1999 campaign with the West Michigan Whitecaps of Grand Rapids, Michigan in the Midwest League. Midseason, he transferred to the Lakeland Tigers, in the Class A Advanced Florida State League. He continued with Lakeland into the 2000 season before stepping up to the Jacksonville Suns of the Southern League at the Class AA level. Throughout his time at the lower levels of the Tigers' minor league system, Loux proved to be a decidedly average pitcher, and certainly wasn't living up the second round expectations he was carrying. His time in Jacksonville was short and mildly successful, as his 3.82 earned runs average at this level, along with 130 strikeouts in 157 and 2/3 innings pitched, earned him a step up to Class AAA baseball. He pitched from 2001 to 2004 at the Tigers' AAA affiliate, the Toledo Mud Hens of the International League. He also appeared in 2002 for three games and in 2003 for eleven games with the major league Tigers squad, but his time here was not impressive, with an earned run average of 7.71 for those fourteen appearances. Loux was granted free agency at the end of the 2004 season. He struggled to work his way back, and the Kansas City Royals signed him to their AAA affiliate, the Omaha Royals of the Pacific Coast League, in 2005. He was granted free agency by the Royals in 2006, and signed on with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in 2007, where he played with the Salt Lake Bees of the Pacific Coast League in part of the 2008 season. He was called up to the majors by the Angels in 2008, where he appeared in seven games with the Angels and was granted reasonable success. His time with the Angels in 2009 did not go as well, and he was split between pitching in the rotation and the bullpen. Loux also suffered an injury in 2009, which caused him to split time with the Bees and the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes in the Class A Advanced California League. His major league statistics with the Angels showed improvement from his days with the Tigers, as he shaved about two runs off of his earned run average. It wasn't enough for the Angels, and at the end of the 2009 season, they again set him into free agency, but his layoff was much shorter, as the Houston Astros signed him to the Round Rock Express, also in the Pacific Coast League. Loux played with them through 2010, but was again sent to free agency, where the San Francisco Giants signed him into their organization. He played 2011 with the Fresno Grizzlies for his ninth full season in eleven years at the AAA level. Over this time, he was a slightly under-average pitcher, and including his time in 2012 with the Grizzlies, he turned in a 4.66 earned run average over 1106 and 2/3 innings with 584 strikeouts in AAA. In 2012, he had some time with Fresno, as well as an injury rehabilitation assignment with the Arizona League Giants. He also earned his way onto the Giants roster for parts of the year, where he shuttled back and forth between Fresno and San Francisco. Throughout his various stints, he worked from the bullpen, where he posted an earned run average just under 5.00. He ended the season on the major league roster, and stayed on the forty-man roster until the end of Melky Cabrera's drug suspension. At this time, he was sent back to Fresno, where he watched the team he contributed to marginally march their way to the World Series Championship. While he may not get a ring, he was a noticeable veteran presence for the Giants this year.

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Fantasy Football All-Stars Week 8

Quarterback: Matthew Stafford and Tom Brady
Running Backs: Doug Martin and Willis McGehee
Wide Receivers: Titus Young, Michael Crabtree, and Demaryius Thomas
Tight End: Rob Gronkowski
Kicker: Lawrence Tynes
Team Defense: San Francisco and New York Giants
Defensive Players: Tim Jennings, Wesley Woodyard, and Jason Pierre-Paul

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Monday, October 29, 2012

Monday Night Football Week 8 2012

This week, we have an NFC West game between the Arizona Cardinals and the San Francisco 49ers. San Francisco started with a first quarter touchdown pass of 3 yards from Alex Smith to Michael Crabtree, and David Akers kicked in the extra point. The 49ers added on in the second quarter as Akers made a 43 yard field goal. San Francisco struck again as Smith found Crabtree for 9 yards and a touchdown, and Akers again handled the extra point. The 49ers kept going in the third quarter as Smith found Randy Moss for 47 yards and a touchdown, and Akers booted the PAT. Arizona got on the board with a Jay Feely field goal of 28 yards. This was all they could manage, as they fell 24-3. San Francisco went up to 6-2 while the Cardinals dropped to 4-4.

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How They Got Here: The Story of the 2012 San Francisco Giants Part 1

How They Got Here: The San Francisco Giants is a one-by-one look at how each member of the 2012 World Series Champion San Francisco Giants found their way to the squad. We'll look at all of the players on the roster, as well as notable players who did not make the postseason roster for whatever reason and the coaching staff and general manager. First up is a non-postseason roster player, Brett Pill.

Brett Pill was born on September 9th, 1984, in San Dimas California. He attended Covina High School in Covina, California, and then extended his education at California State University, Fullerton, in Fullerton, California. In college, he hit for a high average, hitting no lower than .313 in his freshman year. He also amassed sixteen home runs and 114 runs batted in between 2004 and 2006 at college. He was drafted for the first time in 2005 by the New York Yankees, but did not sign. He was again drafted in the 2006 draft by the San Francisco Giants, with whom he signed. For the next five years, he worked his way through the Giants' farm system. He began with the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes of the Short-Season Class A Northwest League. He struggled a bit at this level, hitting only .220 with five home runs and thirty-five runs batted in sixty games. The next year, 2007, he played with the Class A Augusta GreenJackets in Augusta, Georgia, where he turned in a .269 average, along with ten home runs and ninety-one runs batted in over the course of 137 games. By 2008, he had stepped up to the Class A-Advanced level and played for thee San Jose Giants. His production here mirrored the levels he had with the GreenJackets, posting a .266 average with nine home runs and sixty-five runs batted in. He made another step up in 2009, advancing to the Connecticut Defenders in the AA-level Eastern League. This was that team's last season in Connecticut, and they moved along to Richmond under the name Richmond Flying Squirrels. Pill's production here also proved to be a step up, as he finished with a .298 average, nineteen home runs, and 109 runs batted in over 139 games. For the 2010 and 2011 seasons, Pill played with the AAA Fresno Grizzlies. Over that span, he hit .294 with forty-one home runs and 191 runs batted in. He led the Pacific Coast League on August 21, 2011 with 101 runs batted in for the season. Ten days later, he was called up to the major league Giants. He did not get an at-bat until September 6, 2011, and he made the most of it, hitting a home run off of San Diego Padres pitcher Wade LeBlanc. The last Giant to accomplish that feat was Will Clark. The next day, he entered himself into another piece of history, as he homered in his second major league game as well, becoming the 22nd player since 1919 to do so. John Bowker is the only other Giant to accomplish that feat. His short audition with the Giants in 2011 brought him a .300 average with two home runs and nine runs batted in over fifteen games. He struggled in 2012, and on June 9, 2012, he was optioned back to the Fresno Grizzlies. He returned to the big-league squad on July 31, 2012, and appeared in twelve more games for the Giants this season. He hit only .210, with four home runs and eleven runs batted in for the 2012 season, but he spent enough time with the team to earn the title World Series Champion, and his marginal role earned him the first featured spot on my How They Got Here series.

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Sunday, October 28, 2012

World Series 2012: Detroit Tigers VS. San Francisco Giants

Welcome to the closing post of the baseball season, the entire World Series between the Detroit Tigers and the San Francisco Giants. Before we get going, I thank you all for the continued support of my blog throughout the most difficult sports season there is for blogging. I didn't miss a game, a run, or anything, and while I probably won't do the 2013 season for baseball as I try to settle down in college, I will continue posting on here as much as I can. Without further delay...

Game 1: AT&T Park, San Francisco, California. On the mound: Justin Verlander for Detroit and Barry Zito for San Francisco. San Francisco started in the first inning as Pablo Sandoval hit a solo home run. The Giants padded the lead in the third inning as Marco Scutaro singled to plate Angel Pagan, before scoring on a two-run home run by Sandoval. San Francisco got another in the fourth inning as Zito singled to drive in Brandon Belt. The Giants struck again in the fifth inning as Sandoval hit his third home run of the game, another solo shot. Detroit got on the board in the sixth inning as Miguel Cabrera singled to score Austin Jackson. San Francisco replied in the seventh inning as Scutaro singled to knock in Pagan and Buster Posey doing the same to finish Scutaro's trip around. The Tigers shot back in the ninth inning as Jhonny Peralta hit a two-run home run, also scoring Delmon Young, but this only made it an 8-3 final. Zito notched the win and Verlander was handed the loss. San Francisco holds a 1-0 series lead.

Game 2: AT&T Park, San Francisco, California. On the mound: Doug Fister for Detroit and Madison Bumgarner for San Francisco. San Francisco finally got going in the seventh inning as Brandon Crawford grounded into a double play to bring in Hunter Pence. The Giants got another in the eighth inning with Pence hitting a sacrifice fly that allowed Angel Pagan to dash home. This was good for a 2-0 win, picked up by Bumgarner, while Sergio Romo threw the save, and Fister took a hard-luck loss. The Giants head east with a 2-0 series lead.

Game 3: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan. On the mound: Ryan Vogelsong for San Francisco and Anibal Sanchez for Detroit. San Francisco began in the second inning as Gregor Blanco tripled to force in Hunter Pence before scoring on a Brandon Crawford single. This stood up for a 2-0 victory, credited to Vogelsong, while Sergio Romo shut the door for a save, and Sanchez was dinged for the loss. San Francisco puts Detroit on the brink with a 3-0 stranglehold of a lead in the series.

Game 4: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan. On the mound: Matt Cain for San Francisco and Max Scherzer for Detroit. San Francisco opened in the second inning as Brandon Belt tripled to force in Hunter Pence. Detroit took the lead in the third inning with a two-run home run by Miguel Cabrera, also scoring Austin Jackson. The Giants regained the lead in the sixth inning on a two-run homer by Buster Posey, driving in Marco Scutaro. The Tigers tied it in their half of the inning on a Delmon Young solo home run. San Francisco gained the lead in the tenth inning as Scutaro singled to plate Ryan Theriot. This held up for a 4-3 victory, with the win going to Santiago Casilla, the save tossed by Sergio Romo, and the loss pinned on Phil Coke. The Giants sweep the World Series 4-0, their second championship in three years.

Keep an eye out for a player-by-player breakdown of How They Got Here, and also watch for KHL hockey starting November 1st. As always, follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.

NFL ALL GAMES Week 8 2012

We'll run the same format we did last week with another unbalanced morning/afternoon split. The first nine games are all running concurrently, beginning with...

The Pittsburgh Steelers hosting the Washington Redskins in stormy conditions. Pittsburgh began in the first quarter with Ben Roethlisberger passing 1 yard to Leonard Pope for a touchdown, and Shaun Suisham knocked in the extra point. The Steelers struck again as Suisham made a 48 yard field goal. Washington got on the board in the second quarter as Robert Griffin III passed 2 yards to Santana Moss for a touchdown, but Kai Forbath missed the extra point. Pittsburgh extended the lead as Roethlisberger passed 7 yards to Heath Miller for a touchdown, and Suisham again knocked in the PAT. The Steelers got some more as Suisham was good on a 27 yard field goal. The Redskins got some back in the third quarter as Forbath made a 48 yard field goal. Pittsburgh padded the lead with Roethlisberger passing 1 yard to Will Johnson for a touchdown, and Suisham tacked on the extra point. Washington shot back in the fourth quarter on a Forbath 45 yard field goal. This was as close as it got, with the final being 27-12, moving Pittsburgh to 4-3 while Washington fell to 3-5.

Out west a bit, the Detroit Lions host the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle led off in the first quarter with Steven Hauschka making a 23 yard field goal. Detroit took the lead as Matthew Stafford found Ryan Broyles for a 6 yard touchdown connection, and Jason Hanson tacked on the extra point. The Seahawks retook the lead with Marshawn Lynch running 77 yards for a touchdown, and Hauschka knocked in the extra point in the second quarter. Seattle added on when Russell Wilson found Sidney Rice for a 9 yard touchdown connection, and Hauschka again made the PAT. The Lions replied with Stafford passing 46 yards to Titus Young for a touchdown, and Hanson was true on the extra point. Detroit took the lead when Stafford ran 1 yard for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, and Hanson nailed the extra point. The Seahawks got the lead as Wilson passed 16 yards to Zach Miller for a touchdown, and Hauschka was good with the extra point. The Lions regained the lead as Stafford passed 1 yard to Young for a touchdown, and Hanson supplied the extra point. This stood up for a 28-24 win, with the Lions going to 3-4 while the Seahawks drop to 4-4.

Down in Chicago, the Bears bring in the Carolina Panthers. Chicago struck first with a first quarter 13 yard touchdown rush by Matt Forte, and Robbie Gould handled the extra point. Carolina got on the board as Justin Medlock made a 34 yard field goal. The Panthers took the lead as Cam Newton ran 8 yards and fumbled, which was picked up by teammate Louis Murphy in the end zone for a touchdown, and Medlock supplied the extra point. Carolina struck again as Medlock made a 31 yard field goal. The Panthers padded the lead with a 22 yard Medlock field goal in the third quarter. Carolina kept going as Medlock was true from 43 yards for a field goal. The Bears shot back in the fourth quarter on a Jay Cutler 12 yard touchdown pass to Kellen Davis, and Gould was true with the PAT. Chicago took the lead when Tim Jennings picked off Newton and returned it 25 yards for a touchdown, but they failed the two-point attempt. The Panthers regained the lead on a 45 yard Medlock field goal. The Bears eked out a 23-22 win on a late 41 yard field goal by Gould. Chicago is now 6-1 while Carolina is 1-6.

Back east, the Philadelphia Eagles welcome the Atlanta Falcons to a stormy game. Atlanta was first to score in the first quarter as Matt Ryan passed 15 yards to Drew Davis for a touchdown, and Matt Bryant kicked in the extra point. The Falcons added on as Ryan found Jason Snelling for 3 yards and a touchdown pass, and Bryant again made the PAT. Philadelphia got on the board in the second quarter with a 2 yard touchdown run by LeSean McCoy, and Alex Henery was there with the extra point. Atlanta replied with Ryan passing 63 yards to Julio Jones for a touchdown, and Bryant again kicked in the extra point. The Falcons padded the lead with Bryant making a 43 yard field goal. The Eagles shot back in the third quarter on a Henery 33 yard field goal. Atlanta replied as Bryant was good from 29 yards on a field goal. The Falcons kept going in the fourth quarter as Bryant made a 30 yard field goal. Philadelphia answered with a 7 yard michael Vick touchdown pass to McCoy, and Henery was true on the extra point. This produced a 30-17 final, with Atlanta improving to 7-0 while the Eagles drop to 3-4.

Across the Atlantic, the St. Louis Rams "host" the New England Patriots at Wembley Stadium in London. st. Louis got going in the first quarter as Sam Bradford passed 50 yards to Chris Givens for a touchdown, and Greg Zuerlein made the extra point. New England answered as Tom Brady threw 19 yards to Brandon Lloyd for a touchdown, and Stephen Gostkowski kicked in the extra point to tie the game. The Patriots took the lead as Shane Vereen ran 1 yard for a touchdown, and Gostkowski made the PAT in the second quarter. New England padded the lead as Brady passed 7 yards to Rob Gronkowski for a touchdown, and Gostkowski was there with the extra point. The Patriots extended the lead as Stevan Ridley ran 1 yard for a touchdown, and Gostkowski supplied another extra point. New England kept going in the third quarter as Brady found Lloyd again for a 9 yard touchdown, and Gostkowski tacked on the extra point. The Patriots struck again with a 26 yard Gostkowski field goal. New England struck again in the fourth quarter on a Brady touchdown pass to Gronkowski, and Gostkowski iced the drive with an extra point. This concluded the 45-7 drubbing, with the Patriots going to 5-3 while the Rams dropped to 3-5.

Back stateside, the Tennessee Titans welcome the Indianapolis Colts. Tennessee opened with a first quarter Rob Bironas field goal of 39 yards. Indianapolis tied it as Adam Vinatieri was true on a 20 yard field goal. The Titans took the lead again in the second quarter as Matt Hasselbeck threw 23 yards to Kendall Wright for a touchdown, and Bironas handled the extra point. The Colts pulled back in the third quarter as Vinatieri was good on a 44 yard field goal. Tennessee extended the lead as Bironas made a 30 yard field goal in the fourth quarter. Indianapolis tied it in the fourth quarter on a Delone Carter 1 yard touchdown run, and Vinatieri booted in the extra point. The Colts took the lead in the fifth quarter on an Andrew Luck 16 yard touchdown pass to Vick Ballard, ending the game at a 19-13 final. The Colts go to 4-3 while the Titans fell to 3-5.

Up in Ohio, the Cleveland Browns bring in the San Diego Chargers. Cleveland got going in the first quarter as Trent Richardson ran 26 yards for a touchdown, and Phil Dawson made the PAT. San Diego got on the board in the second quarter as Nick Novak kicked a 43 yard field goal. The Chargers chipped away in the third quarter with a Novak 31 yard field goal. They didn't score again, falling 7-6, with the Browns now sitting at 2-6 while the Chargers fall to 3-4.

Eastward again, the New York Jets welcome the Miami Dolphins into a storm. Miami opened with Dan Carpenter making a 33 yard field goal in the first quarter. The Dolphins added on by blocking Robert Malone's punt attempt, and then Olivier Vernon recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown, with Carpenters supplying the extra point. Miami kept going as Daniel Thomas ran 3 yards for a touchdown, and Carpenter booted the extra point in the second quarter. The Dolphins got some more as Carpenter booted a 39 yard field goal. New York got going in the third quarter on a Nick Folk 38 yard field goal. Miami shot back as Matt Moore passed 4 yards to Anthony Fasano for a touchdown, and Carpenter nailed the PAT. The Jets answered in the fourth quarter as Mark Sanchez passed 5 yards to Chaz Schilens for a touchdown, but they failed on the two-point attempt. The Dolphins shot back with a Carpenter 42 yard field goal. This gave them a 30-9 lead, a final, improving them to 4-3 while the Jets fall to 3-5.

Rounding out the early games, the Green Bay Packers host the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jacksonville started in the first quarter as Josh Scobee made a 38 yard field goal. Green Bay took the lead as Aaron Rodgers passed 5 yards to Randall Cobb for a touchdown, and Mason Crosby booted in the extra point. The Packers struck again in the second quarter as they blocked a Bryan Anger punt, and Dezman Moses recovered it for a touchdown, and Crosby finished the play with an extra point. The Jaguars got some back as Scobee nailed a 22 yard field goal. Jacksonville chipped away as Blaine Gabbert passed 1 yard to Guy Whimper for a touchdown, but they failed on the two-point conversion attempt. Green Bay extended their lead in the fourth quarter as Rodgers found Donald Driver for 4 yards and a touchdown, allowing Crosby to kick the extra point. The Jaguars pulled back as Scobee made a 32 yard field goal. The Packers shot back on a Crosby 25 yard field goal. This concluded the scoring at 24-15, with the Packers now at 5-3 while Jacksonville falls to 1-6.

To the late games, beginning with the Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Oakland Raiders. Oakland led off with a 36 yard Sebastian Janikowski field goal in the first quarter. The Raiders padded the lead with a Janikowski field goal of 35 yards in the second quarter. Kansas City answered on a 30 yard Ryan Succop field goal. The Chiefs tied it on a 42 yard Succop field goal. Oakland took the lead back as Carson Palmer found Denarius Moore for 9 yards and a touchdown, and Janikowski supplied the extra point. The Raiders added on in the third quarter as Janikowski was true from 29 yards out for a field goal. Kansas City replied as Succop nailed a 52 yard field goal. Oakland extended the lead on a Palmer touchdown pass of 23 yards to Darrius Heyward-Bey, and Janikowski again supplied the extra point. The Raiders padded the lead in the fourth quarter as Janikowski nailed a 32 yard field goal. The Chiefs answered as Matt Cassel threw 10 yards for a touchdown to Dexter McCluster, and Succop was true with the PAT. This only made it 26-16, a final, with Oakland going to 3-4 and the Chiefs falling to 1-6.

South to Dallas, as the Cowboys host the New York Giants. New York began with a first quarter 41 yard field goal by Lawrence Tynes. The Giants added on as Tynes made a 37 yard field goal. New York struck again with a 1 yard Andre Brown touchdown run, and Tynes was there with the extra point. The Giants kept going in the second quarter as Tynes was true on a 26 yard field goal. New York extended the lead as Jason Pierre-Paul intercepted Tony Romo and took it back 28 yards for a touchdown, allowing another Tynes PAT. Dallas got on the board when Felix Jones ran 4 yards for a touchdown, and Dan Bailey booted the extra point. The Cowboys pulled closer with a 51 yard field goal by Bailey. Dallas chipped away in the third quarter with Tony Romo running 1 yard for a touchdown, and Bailey supplied the extra point. The Cowboys took the lead as Romo passed 1 yard to John Phillips for a touchdown, and Bailey's extra point was the go-ahead point. The Giants got the lead back in the fourth quarter as Tynes kicked a 43 yard field goal. New York extended the lead with a Tynes field goal from 37 yards away. This held up for a 29-24 win, with the Giants going to 6-2 and the Cowboys falling to 3-4.

The prime time game concludes this post, as the Denver Broncos bring in the New Orleans Saints. Denver opened with a first quarter Willis McGehee touchdown run of 1 yard, and Matt Prater booted in the extra point. New Orleans tied it in the second quarter on a Drew Brees touchdown pass of 29 yards to Darren Sproles, and Garrett Hartley's extra point was the equalizer. The Broncos retook the lead as Peyton Manning passed 13 yards to Eric Decker for a touchdown, and Prater handled the extra point. Denver got some more as Prater made a 33 yard field goal. The Broncos extended the lead in the third quarter as Manning passed 1 yard to Demaryius Thomas for a touchdown, and Prater knocked in the PAT. Denver kept going in the fourth quarter as Manning found Decker again, this time for 2 yards and a touchdown, and Prater supplied another extra point. The Broncos struck again on a 33 yard field goal by Prater. The Saints got some back with Brees passing 18 yards to Jimmy Graham for a touchdown, allowing Hartley to make the extra point. This was as close as it got, with the final standing at 34-14, moving Denver to 4-3 while the Saints fall to 2-5.

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