Touchdown 2005: Everything You Need to Know About the NFL This Year (Andy Benoit's Touchdown: Everything You Need to Know about the NFL) [Paperback]

Andrew Benoit (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 2, 2005 | Series: Andy Benoit's Touchdown: Everything You Need to Know about the NFL

THIRTY-TWO TEAMS, TWENTY WEEKS, ONE MUST-READ GUIDE THAT PUTS YOU IN THE MIDDLE OF IT ALL.

Nineteen-year-old Andy Benoit kicks off the 86th NFL season with Touchdown 2005, the all-new ninth edition of the indispensable pigskin guide that’s loaded with stats, expert analysis, sharp predictions, and outrageous commentary.

A rising star among football writers, Benoit previews all thirty-two NFL teams and offers in-depth coverage of each franchise, providing the low-down on how far they’ll go in 2005, info and commentary on every key member of their rosters, and up-to-date analysis on all off-season players, coaching, and front-office moves–including a breakdown of the 2005 NFL draft.

Touchdown 2005 is crammed with full-color photographs and easy-to-read graphics and outlines. Benoit’s thorough, passionate approach to the game makes this book a must read for even the most die-hard fantasy league fanatic–and is peerless when it comes to explaining football to even the most casual viewer.

Smart, funny, and as dead-on as Manning to Harrison, this is the one book no NFL fan will want to be without when heading into the 2005 season.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“One of the most thorough and comprehensive NFL previews that I have ever seen.”
–Chris Berman, ESPN

“A very impressive writer [with a] passion for the game.”
–John Madden, ABC Monday Night Football

“All I can say about Touchdown is . . . wow!”
–Rick Reilley, Sports Illustrated

About the Author

Andy Benoit recently graduated as an honor student from Boise High in Boise, Idaho. He was co—editor in chief of his school paper, a winner of a Gold Congressional Award for his volunteer work, and the creator and host of a weekly live sports radio show in the Boise area.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books (August 2, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345484320
• ISBN-13: 978-0345484321
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.5 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,008,140 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent if you're willing to spend a few extra bucks, August 23, 2005

By 

Jordan "Jordan" (Sacramento) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Touchdown 2005: Everything You Need to Know About the NFL This Year (Andy Benoit's Touchdown: Everything You Need to Know about the NFL) (Paperback)

When I first saw this on the shelf at my local Borders I almost laughed. Who'd pay fifteen bucks for yet another NFL Preview book when there are several out there on the magazine racks for half the price? After taking a look inside however, I was tempted to buy it myself! Aside from the greater overall quality of the book compared to the magazines, the best feature is the humor. I laughed out loud several times in just a few minutes while skimming over the previews. Speaking of the previews, they are extremely well-written and are very relevant. I'm stunned this was written by one person.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars I really wanted to like this, but..., September 5, 2005

By 

Thomas B. Gross (Winchester, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Touchdown 2005: Everything You Need to Know About the NFL This Year (Andy Benoit's Touchdown: Everything You Need to Know about the NFL) (Paperback)

I first learned about this book when I read the "Talk of the Town" piece about the author in the New Yorker. Andy Benoit is an 18-year-old resident of Boise, Idaho who has never attended an NFL game, but is clearly an avid fan of the NFL. According to the New Yorker, he has been self-publishing an annual guide to the NFL since he was in the fourth grade, but this is the first year his book has appeared in print from a major publishing house.

I expected some interesting, unusual analysis of the NFL, something I hadn't read or heard before. I hoped Andy Benoit might be the Bill James of pro football, but what I got when I read the book is a somewhat entertaining but very conventional view of the NFL written by an 18-year-old recent high school graduate. It's the sort of book that if you saw produced by a high school student you might find amusing, but you probably wouldn't pay for it, and you certainly wouldn't think to try to get it published.

It's not that his observations are wrong exactly: they mostly encapsulate what everyone thinks about each player and team, with a few exceptions. One exception, for example, is when he points out that although everyone says the Colts don't advance in the post-season because their defense isn't good enough, in fact their offense scored only 3 points against the Patriots in their playoff game last year. While this is certainly true, it's not exactly an earth-shattering, paradigm-shifting analysis.

I suspect that most fans who know their particular team well will find his analysis of their team to be a little off. Again, he's not exactly wrong, but not as well-informed about a team's strengths and weaknesses as he could be. For example, he makes it sound as though the Patriots were able to sign Hank Poteat (of all people, truly a replacement player if there ever was one, who has already been cut from the team) because they decided not to keep Ty Law.

Another problem is that by the time the season is about the start, the book is already out-of-date, because many significant free-agent signings (for example, Corey Simon and Ty Law) occurred after the book was published.

There really isn't any interesting statistical analysis in this book at all. Just a lot of goofy metaphors and platitudes about players and teams. For example, he says things like "write this down: Bill Parcells is not going to let the Cowboys play as badly as they did last year." Ok, great, but what exactly does that mean? If they don't play better this year, what's he going to do? Take away their birthdays?

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best football book I've read this year!, August 4, 2005

By 

Ryan A. Brassey "Talent Finder" (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Touchdown 2005: Everything You Need to Know About the NFL This Year (Andy Benoit's Touchdown: Everything You Need to Know about the NFL) (Paperback)

This book hooked me from the very first page. Never before have I seen this kind of voice in a sports preview book. The indepth analysis on each team is unparalleled, the commentary is shrewd, and the humor is well placed. When I heard that Andy Benoit had just turned 19, I was awe struck. This book has the insight and maturity of an experienced veteran sports writer and I was amazed that he had this type of ability at such a young age. I would strongly reccomend this book to anyone who is looking to read exceptional writing. Well done Andy.