- Tackle Igor Olshansky made one tackle as the Dallas Cowboys beat the Philadelphia Eagles, 24-0. The teams will face each other again next week in a Wild card game. Winner goes into the NFC Division Playoff; loser goes homes. shut out the Washington Redskins, 17-0 to clinch a playoff berth. For the season, Olshansky, who started 14 of the Cowboys’ 16 games, had 40 tackles (29 solo, 11 assisted, including 1.5 sacks. Guard Kyle Kosier also started the game, as he did for all the contests this season.
- Carolina Panthers’ tackle Geoff Schwartz made his third straight start in the team’s 23-10 win over the suddenly-struggling New Orleans Saints.
- Aaron Podlesh made four punts (36.3 yard average, including a 43-yarder) in the Jacksonville Jaguars’ 23-17 last minute loss to the Cleveland Browns. For the season, Podlesh, a third-year player, kicked a total of 72 punts for a total of 3,017 yards (41.9 average).
- The Minnesota Vikings crushed the Giants 44-7. You would have thought they’d give Brett Favre a rest and bring in the back-ups, i.e. Sage Rosenfels, but no. In what must be some kind of record for a player on an active roster, Rosenfels did not play in a single regular season game in 2009. Now watch, something will happen to Favre and second-string QB Travaris Jackson and Rosenfels will finally get his chance. But becaue of all the rust, the Vikings will lose their NFC Division playoff game and who will get the blame?
- San Diego Charger long-snapper David Binn appeared in the team’s 23-20 win over the hapless Washington Redskins. Bin n appeared in all 16 games for the Chargers, who move on to an AFC Division game. Defensive end Antonio Garay made his second start, making two tackles (one assist). In two games, he had four tackles (3/1).
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Kind of a shame that Sage didn’t get a single snap all year, but that’s what happens when you’re behind “iron-man” Brett Favre. Well, on a more positive note, I’m sure many people wouldn’t mind his gig, nice salary and front row seats. Speaking of the Vikings, incidentally, while there are quite a few Jewish owners in the NFL and the world of sports in general, I believe Zygi Wilf is the only Orthodox owner. He’s done a very nice job with the Vikings during his time there.
As far as Jewish football player of the year, I guess the honor would go to Igor Olshansky, who put together another solid, if not spectacular season. Adam Podlesh put up nice numbers too, but it’s not fashionable to award the MVP to a punter (even though I was one myself in my school days). Olshansky may not make any Jewish fans forget the days of Sid Luckman, or even Jay Fiedler, but if Hollywood central casting ever needs a guy for another football movie, he should be among the first in line. He’s a pretty amazing physical specimen and known as one of the stronger players in the NFL. His rags to riches story as an immigrant turned football star is pretty inspirational too, and I remember hearing him talk about his pride in his Jewish heritage. I even believe he has a Jewish star tattoo like Gabe Kapler. Some may say Jews shouldn’t have tattoos, but that’s beyond my area of expertise, lol.