Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Apologies
Vinny Del Negro hasn't been fired yet, but the article I read said that according to a source inside Bulls management, the decision to fire Del Negro has already been made. Del Negro denied the report. However, I believe that his tenure as Bulls coach is basically over and its only a matter of time. Therefore my previous post was incorrect, but in the case he does get fired soon, my opinion stands. Thanks!
Monday, December 28, 2009
Bulls' Del Negro getting a raw deal
Chicago Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro was fired earlier today in a move that had been speculated for weeks. After the Bulls blew a 35 points second half lead to the Kings earlier this month, Del Negro has been on the hottest seat of any coach in the NBA.
Explain to me one thing though, how is this season Del Negros' fault? Last season Del Negro guided the Bulls to the 8th seed in the Easter Conference playoffs, where the Bulls lost to the Celtics in seven games in what is considered one of the best postseason series in the history of the NBA. During the off-season, Bulls management thought it would be a good idea to not resign the teams best shooter and proven scorer in Ben Gordon. Derrick Rose is now forced to carry this team on his own, as the Bulls' next best scorer besides Rose is John Salmons.
A classic example of a head coach getting a raw deal. Del Negro is forced to work with the pieces he has. Maybe the 11-17 record the Bulls currently have isn't Vinnys fault. I know the Eastern Conference is a joke, but how could Bulls management think that letting Ben Gordon walk would improve the team. I know sometimes you have to take a step backwards to go forward, but not in this case. I don't care if you have the best coach in the world, if you don't have any talent for him to work with, he can't succeed. Same goes if you have the best players in the world and an awful coach, those players won't be in the position to succeed. Bulls management didn't put Del Negro in a psoition to succeed. Its like he was walking the plank from the first game this season. But really, what could Bulls management expect with such a mediocre (at best) roster?
Explain to me one thing though, how is this season Del Negros' fault? Last season Del Negro guided the Bulls to the 8th seed in the Easter Conference playoffs, where the Bulls lost to the Celtics in seven games in what is considered one of the best postseason series in the history of the NBA. During the off-season, Bulls management thought it would be a good idea to not resign the teams best shooter and proven scorer in Ben Gordon. Derrick Rose is now forced to carry this team on his own, as the Bulls' next best scorer besides Rose is John Salmons.
A classic example of a head coach getting a raw deal. Del Negro is forced to work with the pieces he has. Maybe the 11-17 record the Bulls currently have isn't Vinnys fault. I know the Eastern Conference is a joke, but how could Bulls management think that letting Ben Gordon walk would improve the team. I know sometimes you have to take a step backwards to go forward, but not in this case. I don't care if you have the best coach in the world, if you don't have any talent for him to work with, he can't succeed. Same goes if you have the best players in the world and an awful coach, those players won't be in the position to succeed. Bulls management didn't put Del Negro in a psoition to succeed. Its like he was walking the plank from the first game this season. But really, what could Bulls management expect with such a mediocre (at best) roster?
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Tell me this is just a nightmare and I'll wake up..
Now I am an avid football fan. I also love basketball as well. I used to play football, and I used to wrestle as well. I have never played organized basketball, but still love the sport. I am a big fan of high school wrestling as well. However, baseball is a different sport to me. I have played since I was 4 years old and still do, and I love stepping on that diamond each and every day during the summer. I love baseball more than most things. Its special to me and I care a lot about it. After reading a certain article though, I was immediately in a state of disbelief. Check this article out.
Now what is your first reaction. I'll tell you mine. I was first mad. Then I was in a state of shock. Who says that the SEC has the right to change the rules of the national past time? Since when can you change the rules of a game just to fit your schedule and suit you better? This is a joke.
What wasn't mentioned in the article is the worst part. If the batter is not ready before that 20 second "play clock" is up, a strike is called. If the pitcher is not ready, a ball is called. Sorry, but the last time I checked, a strike could only be called on you if you were in the box and didn't swing at a called strike, or swung and missed, or fouled a pitch off. Not if you weren't ready. I know baseball games can take a long time, and there are certainly those that do not like how long the game takes. To me though, that's the beauty of the sport.
In basketball, you have a 24 or 35 seconds to shoot. You have 5 seconds to inbound the ball. You play four 12 minute quarters. Rules are different for different levels, but the one thing that remains the same, you are timed. There is a certain amount of time you have to make a play and to win a game.
In football, you have a certain amount of time before you are forced to run an offensive play, or you are penalized. You play four quarters. Again, you only have a certain amount of time to win a game.
In baseball though, you have 27 outs. You get as many or as little amount of swings you need, but its up to you to make the most of them. There is no time limit. The game is endless and you never face the pressure of having two minutes left on the clock down by 6 points. Instead, you have 3 outs left down by 1 run. Now those 3 outs can take as long as you want. You can have as long of an at bat as you want, but you decide whether you're getting on base or going back to the dugout.
Now I know these rule changes won't directly affect the score of a game, or will it? What if I'm batting. My team is down 2-1 in the 9th inning. We have 2 outs, and a runner on second. Its a 3-1 count. There is a lot of pressure on me, but I do not have to swing at the next pitch. If the next pitch is on the corner, I can wait for the next one and try to drive that. Now lets say I took just a second too long to get ready to hit in the batters box. Their is strike two, and I never even saw a pitch, thus I never had a chance to WIN THE GAME. Now its 3-2. I have to protect the plate. I have to swing at anything relatively close. I swing at that nasty curveball on the corner and I miss. I'm out, game over, we lose. What if that pitch was only the second strike though? Maybe I could have swung at the next pitch, looking for another sort of offspeed pitch that I can drive. Then maybe I tie the game. Maybe, just maybe, we win the game.
Whats worst about these rule changes are that no one knows how widely they will spread. The SEC is going to see how these changes affect the SEC tournament, and if the SEC likes what they see, they may implement the changes in to the regular season. Then maybe all of college baseball does it. Then maybe it trickles down to high school baseball. Maybe a new commissioner after Selig likes the idea, and adds it to the MLB. To be honest, I don't even like the idea of instant replay in baseball. I know i'm only 17, but I'm old fashioned. I like how the game was played in the early 1900's. If the ump calls a line drive fair and it ends up being the game winning hit, thats how the cookie crumbles sometimes. There shouldn't be an opportunity to double check whether the ump really got it right, because that to me is compromising the integrity of the game. Getting screwed over by an ump on a bad call is the way the game goes sometimes, and you just have to live with it. I know, I have been in that position hundreds of times before. Now there is talk of one day getting rid of umps and having a computer call balls and strikes. I could not be more against these changes. You are completely eliminating the entire human element of the game. Why not have robots play the game instead of humans?
Bottom line, leave baseball the way it was. When hot dogs and cracker jacks were ballpark favorites. When the losing team left the park complaining about how they got screwed on a terrible "strike 3" call. Leave baseball as it was, don't compromise the game just because oen generation lacks patience and the ability to find beauty in our national past time.
Now what is your first reaction. I'll tell you mine. I was first mad. Then I was in a state of shock. Who says that the SEC has the right to change the rules of the national past time? Since when can you change the rules of a game just to fit your schedule and suit you better? This is a joke.
What wasn't mentioned in the article is the worst part. If the batter is not ready before that 20 second "play clock" is up, a strike is called. If the pitcher is not ready, a ball is called. Sorry, but the last time I checked, a strike could only be called on you if you were in the box and didn't swing at a called strike, or swung and missed, or fouled a pitch off. Not if you weren't ready. I know baseball games can take a long time, and there are certainly those that do not like how long the game takes. To me though, that's the beauty of the sport.
In basketball, you have a 24 or 35 seconds to shoot. You have 5 seconds to inbound the ball. You play four 12 minute quarters. Rules are different for different levels, but the one thing that remains the same, you are timed. There is a certain amount of time you have to make a play and to win a game.
In football, you have a certain amount of time before you are forced to run an offensive play, or you are penalized. You play four quarters. Again, you only have a certain amount of time to win a game.
In baseball though, you have 27 outs. You get as many or as little amount of swings you need, but its up to you to make the most of them. There is no time limit. The game is endless and you never face the pressure of having two minutes left on the clock down by 6 points. Instead, you have 3 outs left down by 1 run. Now those 3 outs can take as long as you want. You can have as long of an at bat as you want, but you decide whether you're getting on base or going back to the dugout.
Now I know these rule changes won't directly affect the score of a game, or will it? What if I'm batting. My team is down 2-1 in the 9th inning. We have 2 outs, and a runner on second. Its a 3-1 count. There is a lot of pressure on me, but I do not have to swing at the next pitch. If the next pitch is on the corner, I can wait for the next one and try to drive that. Now lets say I took just a second too long to get ready to hit in the batters box. Their is strike two, and I never even saw a pitch, thus I never had a chance to WIN THE GAME. Now its 3-2. I have to protect the plate. I have to swing at anything relatively close. I swing at that nasty curveball on the corner and I miss. I'm out, game over, we lose. What if that pitch was only the second strike though? Maybe I could have swung at the next pitch, looking for another sort of offspeed pitch that I can drive. Then maybe I tie the game. Maybe, just maybe, we win the game.
Whats worst about these rule changes are that no one knows how widely they will spread. The SEC is going to see how these changes affect the SEC tournament, and if the SEC likes what they see, they may implement the changes in to the regular season. Then maybe all of college baseball does it. Then maybe it trickles down to high school baseball. Maybe a new commissioner after Selig likes the idea, and adds it to the MLB. To be honest, I don't even like the idea of instant replay in baseball. I know i'm only 17, but I'm old fashioned. I like how the game was played in the early 1900's. If the ump calls a line drive fair and it ends up being the game winning hit, thats how the cookie crumbles sometimes. There shouldn't be an opportunity to double check whether the ump really got it right, because that to me is compromising the integrity of the game. Getting screwed over by an ump on a bad call is the way the game goes sometimes, and you just have to live with it. I know, I have been in that position hundreds of times before. Now there is talk of one day getting rid of umps and having a computer call balls and strikes. I could not be more against these changes. You are completely eliminating the entire human element of the game. Why not have robots play the game instead of humans?
Bottom line, leave baseball the way it was. When hot dogs and cracker jacks were ballpark favorites. When the losing team left the park complaining about how they got screwed on a terrible "strike 3" call. Leave baseball as it was, don't compromise the game just because oen generation lacks patience and the ability to find beauty in our national past time.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
The BCS system got it right
Whenever you hear anyone talk about college football these days, at some point the argument over the BCS rankings comes in. I think the BCS got it right this year.
Florida was crushed by Alabama. They looked lifeless. So Alabama easily took the #1 spot in the polls, and after Texas narrowly escaped from Nebraska, they deserve a shot in the title game.
"Well, what about TCU, Boise State, or Cincinnati? They all went undefeated, how can they not get in to the title game?"
Believe me, I feel your pain. I'll explain it to you how I see it though. In todays world of college football, its very competitive. You have to win every single week. And even if you do that, it may not be enough. Not only do you have to win, but win against good teams. I would rather give the nod to Texas, who finished the season 13-0 while playing in the Big 12, one of the four most competitive conferences in the nation, over TCU, Cincy, or Boise.
Texas beat good teams such as Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Nebraska.
TCU's had only two wins which I consider impressive. They defeated both BYU and Clemson, who are fringe top 25 teams to me.
Boises best win came against Oregon in the first week of the season. After that, no win is even close to impressive. UC Davis? Bowling Green? Idaho? Utah State? Come on now, Broncos. You want a title shot, your going to have a tough time playing in the WAC.
Cincinnati did play in a BCS conference, the Big East, but come on, the Big East is a basketball conference, not football. Oregon State, West Virginia, and narrowly escaping Pitt are all impressive victories to me, but the Big 12 is better than the Big East in football. Thats why Texas got in.
The bottom line is, it used to be all you had to do was focus on winning. Well now with so many competitive and talented teams, winning alone isn't good enough anymore. You have to win, win convincingly, and against good teams.
Texas did that, and they are led by the best QB in the nation, so they get the nod over the Bearcats. Can Cincinatti really be disappointed though? They get a shot to prove how good they are againt Florida in the Sugar Bowl. They have the chance to prove everyone wrong.
For TCU, they didn't lose a game, but it has to do with the schedule.
Florida was crushed by Alabama. They looked lifeless. So Alabama easily took the #1 spot in the polls, and after Texas narrowly escaped from Nebraska, they deserve a shot in the title game.
"Well, what about TCU, Boise State, or Cincinnati? They all went undefeated, how can they not get in to the title game?"
Believe me, I feel your pain. I'll explain it to you how I see it though. In todays world of college football, its very competitive. You have to win every single week. And even if you do that, it may not be enough. Not only do you have to win, but win against good teams. I would rather give the nod to Texas, who finished the season 13-0 while playing in the Big 12, one of the four most competitive conferences in the nation, over TCU, Cincy, or Boise.
Texas beat good teams such as Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Nebraska.
TCU's had only two wins which I consider impressive. They defeated both BYU and Clemson, who are fringe top 25 teams to me.
Boises best win came against Oregon in the first week of the season. After that, no win is even close to impressive. UC Davis? Bowling Green? Idaho? Utah State? Come on now, Broncos. You want a title shot, your going to have a tough time playing in the WAC.
Cincinnati did play in a BCS conference, the Big East, but come on, the Big East is a basketball conference, not football. Oregon State, West Virginia, and narrowly escaping Pitt are all impressive victories to me, but the Big 12 is better than the Big East in football. Thats why Texas got in.
The bottom line is, it used to be all you had to do was focus on winning. Well now with so many competitive and talented teams, winning alone isn't good enough anymore. You have to win, win convincingly, and against good teams.
Texas did that, and they are led by the best QB in the nation, so they get the nod over the Bearcats. Can Cincinatti really be disappointed though? They get a shot to prove how good they are againt Florida in the Sugar Bowl. They have the chance to prove everyone wrong.
For TCU, they didn't lose a game, but it has to do with the schedule.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
It's good to be back..
I apologize for not updating this for over a month. My weekly workload has definitely increased within the last month. I just finished applying to most of my colleges on Sunday. Between that, my high schools basketball team is now underway and they have their first game Saturday. I'm not on the team, but I am very involved with the team as I am sort of the leader of my schools student section and I run the school flag out before games. I won't bore you with all of the other stuff thats kept me busy between college apps, basketball, work, off-season baseball workouts etc. I'll start getting back to actually spreading some light on the world of sports (Lets see if I remember how to do this..)
So how 'bout them Saints? Yeah I know. We have been hearing about them all year. But man, what a team they have. That Monday night drubbing of the Pats was a franchise changing win.
The Vikings look better and better and better with each passing week. They have possibly the best defensive player in the NFL in Jared Allen. They have arguably the best running back in the NFL in Adrian Peterson. Last time I checked, to be successful in the NFL, a team needs to be able to run the ball and stop the run. Check and check. Oh yeah, Brett Favre is having a decent year too..
Peyton and the Colts tend to scare us every week, but who can remember the last time they lost a regular season game? Try October 27th, 2008. The Colts gave up 31 points to the Titans and lost that game 31-21. The Colts face the Tennessee Titans this weekend, who have won five straight. Does any QB-RB tandem in the NFL look better right now than the revived Vince Young and speedster Chris Johnson?
If I had to vote for MVP, these would be my top five candidates.
1.) Peyton Manning
2.) Drew Brees
3.) Chris Johnson
4.) Brett Favre
5.) Bruce Gradkowski
Ok, Ok. The last one is a joke. So before you go off and start punching your computer screen, realize it was a joke.
On a serious note, Peyton is the front runner right now for the MVP race. Now obviously one big reason is because the Colts are 12-0 and could finish undefeated, but perhaps whats even more significant is that this is with a rookie head coach! Jim Caldwell was on Tony Dungys staff for years, but how often does a rookie head coach start the season 12-0? Peyton has eased the transition of a new head coach as he is the coach on the field. He is more than a field general, he is an intelligent, well oiled machine that will out think your defense and knows that your going to blitz on 3rd down while he is still in the huddle for first down.
Brees has to be second because he is the quarterback of the other undefeated NFL team right now. Brees is in the same category with Manning and Brady now as the best QB in the game. And to think he began his career struggling with the Chargers, and people thought the former Boilermaker would never pan out.
Chris Johnson is third because he is less than 600 yards away from breaking Eric Dickersons single season rushing record of 2,105 yards- and we still have 4 games to play, however the Titans are only a disappointing 5-7. Without Johnson, this team would have two wins AT BEST. He makes this team go, but its going to be hard for him to win MVP with the Titans having seven losses and counting.
Brett Favre is easily in this conversation because statistically speaking, he is playing the best football of his career. At age 40! When Favre signed with the Vikings, I thought that he would put them at about a 9 or 10 win season and fade out towards the end of the season like he did last year with the Jets. However, the Vikings already have 10 wins and Favre has thrown 26 touchdowns and only 5 interceptions. Wait, is this the same gun slinging, risk taking Brett Favre we have always known? Yeah. The same Favre who threw 29 interceptions in 2005 has only thrown five this year. The Vikings are 10-2 and with losses only to last years superbowl teams (Arizona and Pittsburgh), Minnesota poses a real threat to New Orleans if they happen to meet up in the playoffs this year.
I'm not going to go in to detail about Bruce, but hell of a game by him at Pittsburgh, eh?
Four weeks left, and I'm going to try to update this thing more. I'm always on the go (who isn't these days?) but I'll do my best to get to this more. Anyways, I'm out for now.
So how 'bout them Saints? Yeah I know. We have been hearing about them all year. But man, what a team they have. That Monday night drubbing of the Pats was a franchise changing win.
The Vikings look better and better and better with each passing week. They have possibly the best defensive player in the NFL in Jared Allen. They have arguably the best running back in the NFL in Adrian Peterson. Last time I checked, to be successful in the NFL, a team needs to be able to run the ball and stop the run. Check and check. Oh yeah, Brett Favre is having a decent year too..
Peyton and the Colts tend to scare us every week, but who can remember the last time they lost a regular season game? Try October 27th, 2008. The Colts gave up 31 points to the Titans and lost that game 31-21. The Colts face the Tennessee Titans this weekend, who have won five straight. Does any QB-RB tandem in the NFL look better right now than the revived Vince Young and speedster Chris Johnson?
If I had to vote for MVP, these would be my top five candidates.
1.) Peyton Manning
2.) Drew Brees
3.) Chris Johnson
4.) Brett Favre
5.) Bruce Gradkowski
Ok, Ok. The last one is a joke. So before you go off and start punching your computer screen, realize it was a joke.
On a serious note, Peyton is the front runner right now for the MVP race. Now obviously one big reason is because the Colts are 12-0 and could finish undefeated, but perhaps whats even more significant is that this is with a rookie head coach! Jim Caldwell was on Tony Dungys staff for years, but how often does a rookie head coach start the season 12-0? Peyton has eased the transition of a new head coach as he is the coach on the field. He is more than a field general, he is an intelligent, well oiled machine that will out think your defense and knows that your going to blitz on 3rd down while he is still in the huddle for first down.
Brees has to be second because he is the quarterback of the other undefeated NFL team right now. Brees is in the same category with Manning and Brady now as the best QB in the game. And to think he began his career struggling with the Chargers, and people thought the former Boilermaker would never pan out.
Chris Johnson is third because he is less than 600 yards away from breaking Eric Dickersons single season rushing record of 2,105 yards- and we still have 4 games to play, however the Titans are only a disappointing 5-7. Without Johnson, this team would have two wins AT BEST. He makes this team go, but its going to be hard for him to win MVP with the Titans having seven losses and counting.
Brett Favre is easily in this conversation because statistically speaking, he is playing the best football of his career. At age 40! When Favre signed with the Vikings, I thought that he would put them at about a 9 or 10 win season and fade out towards the end of the season like he did last year with the Jets. However, the Vikings already have 10 wins and Favre has thrown 26 touchdowns and only 5 interceptions. Wait, is this the same gun slinging, risk taking Brett Favre we have always known? Yeah. The same Favre who threw 29 interceptions in 2005 has only thrown five this year. The Vikings are 10-2 and with losses only to last years superbowl teams (Arizona and Pittsburgh), Minnesota poses a real threat to New Orleans if they happen to meet up in the playoffs this year.
I'm not going to go in to detail about Bruce, but hell of a game by him at Pittsburgh, eh?
Four weeks left, and I'm going to try to update this thing more. I'm always on the go (who isn't these days?) but I'll do my best to get to this more. Anyways, I'm out for now.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Yankees and Phillies sure to be a true fall "classic"
New York and Philadelphia.
Both teams have very potent offenses and strong starting rotations. The X-factor in this series? I say Mariano Rivera. I'll get to that though, lets compare each player by position.
Catcher: Jorge Posada vs Carlos Ruiz.
Posada has already played in five world series. Ruiz doesn't have anywhere near the post-season experience. Ruiz is also only a career .246 hitter, compared to Posada who is a career .277 hitter. Posada is not feared behind the plate, as he let more than 70% of runners steal safely this season. Ruiz isn't much more of a defensive guru either though, so defensively they cancel each other out. Posada has the experience and still has some pop in his bat.
Result: Jorge Posada
First base: Mark Teixeira vs. Ryan Howard.
Coin toss anyone? Both players were probably the MVPs of their teams during the regular season. Howard has swung a hot bat this post-season, while Teixeira has been in a bit of a slump thus far in the playoffs, as hes only batting .205. Howard also has a tendency of striking out a lot more than Tex does. The biggest difference between the two though is their defensive abilities. Tex is a gold glove first baseman and is one of the best, if not the best, defensive first baseman in all of baseball. Texieiras bat will warm up eventually, and because of his defensive abilities, I'm taking Tex.
Result: Mark Teixera
Second Base: Robinson Cano vs. Chase Utley.
Utley is one of the centerpieces of the Phillies lineup. He's a left-handed power hitting second baseman with a good glove and can hit for average too. Cano is a very capable player too though. His glove is a little shaky at times, but hes a guy that can hit for a high average and hit 25 bombs or so in a season. Utley is recognized as perhaps the best second baseman in the game though. I'm taking Chase.
Result: Chase Utley
Third Base: Alex Rodriguez vs. Pedro Feliz.
This one is simple. Alex Rodriguez is one of the best hitters of his generation, and by the time he retires, could be not only the all time home-run champion, but the best player to ever play the game. He has also snapped out of his post-season slump which he suffered from in the past, making him an even more viable threat when he steps to the plate. No knock on Feliz though, he is a talented ball player who is a reliable every day third baseman, but hes no A-Rod.
Result: Alex Rodriguez
Shortstop: Derek Jeter vs. Jimmy Rollins
The captain vs the 2007 NL MVP. Jimmy Rollins is one of the best shortstops in the game today. He is part of one of the best middle infield combinations in all of baseball, and is the thrid member of the Phillies "big three" which includes Howard and Utley as well. Rollins played absolutely terrible through the first half of the season though, as he was batting only .195 from the leadoff position towards the end of June. He did turn things around a bit in the second half, but when Rollins isn't hitting, that Phillies offense just isn't the same. Jeter on the other hand is a legitimate MVP candidate for this season, and is known widely as one of the most clutch players in all of baseball. If New York is going to win this series, the modern day Mr. Yankee will play a big role in that accomplishment.
Result: Derek Jeter
Outfield: Johnny Damon, Melky Cabrera, Nick Swisher vs. Raul Ibanez, Shane Victorino, Jayson Werth.
Johnny Damon is a reliable two hitter behind Jeter in the lineup, and showed he has some power this past season along with his speed. He is a defensive liability as I'm pretty sure a kid I went to high school with (I was a sophomore when he was a senior) has a stronger arm than Damon. No joke. Cabrera has developed in to a reliable player in center field though. Swisher has struggled for most othe post-season and is a low average hitter with a little bit of home run power. No player in this outfield is terrific defensively, as they are all pretty much average at best.
On the other hand, Ibanez is coming off one of the best seasons of his career (He played so well, he was accused of steroid use by an online blogger!). Victorino just made the all star team for the first time this year. He also led the majors in 2009 with 13 triples this past season, making his nickname "The Flyin' Hawaiian" very appropriate. Jayson Werth is also one of my favorite players to watch. Hes a hustle player who can hit big bombs (I still can't forget his home run at Toronto this past season, that ball went like 3 decks up!). As a whole, everyone in the outfield has a very solid arm, especially Werth. I like this trio a lot.
Result: Ibanez, Victorino, Werth
Starting Pitching: C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Andy Petitte vs. Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, Pedro Martinez.
C.C. had a Cy Young type season. He proved to be worth every dollar the Yankees signed him for, as he has carried this pitching staff through out not only the regular season, but has dominated in the post-season as well. Burnett looks like he could be a Cy Young award winner at times, because he certainly has the stuff, but for whatever reason, he falters at times. He is incosistent but most of the time can leave the game and have the Yankees in a position to win. But when he is "on", watch out. Petitte is the opposite of Burnett and perhaps the definition of consistency. Over his career, Andy has never been known for his blazing fastball, incredible off-speed or anything like that, but he has suceeded because he understands where to pitch batters and understands the game. He also, as a lefty, has one of the best pick-off moves you'll ever see. Whenever he is on the mound, the Yankees have to be feeling confident.
Cliff Lee. Boy can he flat out pitch. The Phillies tried to acquire Halladay at the trade deadline, but Cliff Lee has been a decent second option. Yeah, some second option. Cliff Lee is the best pitcher in the game right now if you ask me. If there is one pitcher than can not only slow down, but SHUT down the Yankees offense, its Lee. Without the acquisition of Lee, I'm not so sure the Phillies make it back to the World Series. Cole Hamels was the star of the rotation during last years World Series run by Philly, but hasn't been the same since. He hasn't had the same stuff he had last year and seems to have lost some confidence. If he can return to the form he was at last October, the Phillies chances at winning the series improve vastly. And who would have ever thought that we would see Pedro pitch in Yankee Stadium again? Its not the Yankee Stadium Pedro is used to, but this is going to be entertaining if nothing else. He isn't anywhere near the same pitcher he was 10 years ago, and who can blame him. Thats what age does. All he has to do is keep the Yankees at bay though, and give the offense a shot. Otherwise, get ready for the "Who's your daddy?" chants from New York fans.
Lets see, Lee and C.C. cancel eachother out. Burnett and Hamels both being inconsistent cancel out, and in a match-up, I would take Petitte over Pedro. Nod goes to New York.
Result: Sabathia, Burnett, Petitte
Bullpen: Too many to be named vs. Too many to be named.
Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, and company are more feared coming out of the 'pen than the Phillies 'pen. Ryan Madson throws hard and J.A. Happ is one of the best young pitchers in baseball, but with the way Phil and Joba have been pitching this season, how can you pick against them? They got roughed up a bit agaisnt the Angels, but I expect big things from the Yankees 'pen this series.
Result :Yankees bullpen
Closer: Mariano Rivera vs. Brad Lidge.
This macth-up is pretty simple as well. Mo is the best closer of all time and one of the best post-season performers of all time. Would you believe he gave up his first earned run at home in the post-season in game 6 against LAA? Yeah, his first earned run ever at home given up. The guy still has it and he is in his late thirties. Lidge on the other hand is a mess. Last year it seemed that he was finally back after being lights out for most of the year. This year, his regular season ERa was over 7 and he has become unreliable. This is why I called Mo the X-factor earlier in this column. For most of the other match-ups, both teams match up pretty evenlyl. Ths is one matchup that the Yankees definitely have the upper hand in though. The Yankees are a very good come from behidn team, and Lidge better be on his game or the Yankees are going to be putting up some late game fireworks sooner or later.
Result: Mariano Rivera
Keep in mind though, none of this really means anything when it comes to the game itself. If the game was played on paper, the Yankees would seem the favorites. But as we have seen before (Giants vs. Patriots Superbowl), match-ups on paper don't tend to matter when you step on the field.
However, I have made my prediction. These are two very evenly matched teams, but I like the Yankees in this series.
Yankees win the series in 7. Here comes World Series ring #27, and another trophy for the boss, George Steinbrenner.
Both teams have very potent offenses and strong starting rotations. The X-factor in this series? I say Mariano Rivera. I'll get to that though, lets compare each player by position.
Catcher: Jorge Posada vs Carlos Ruiz.
Posada has already played in five world series. Ruiz doesn't have anywhere near the post-season experience. Ruiz is also only a career .246 hitter, compared to Posada who is a career .277 hitter. Posada is not feared behind the plate, as he let more than 70% of runners steal safely this season. Ruiz isn't much more of a defensive guru either though, so defensively they cancel each other out. Posada has the experience and still has some pop in his bat.
Result: Jorge Posada
First base: Mark Teixeira vs. Ryan Howard.
Coin toss anyone? Both players were probably the MVPs of their teams during the regular season. Howard has swung a hot bat this post-season, while Teixeira has been in a bit of a slump thus far in the playoffs, as hes only batting .205. Howard also has a tendency of striking out a lot more than Tex does. The biggest difference between the two though is their defensive abilities. Tex is a gold glove first baseman and is one of the best, if not the best, defensive first baseman in all of baseball. Texieiras bat will warm up eventually, and because of his defensive abilities, I'm taking Tex.
Result: Mark Teixera
Second Base: Robinson Cano vs. Chase Utley.
Utley is one of the centerpieces of the Phillies lineup. He's a left-handed power hitting second baseman with a good glove and can hit for average too. Cano is a very capable player too though. His glove is a little shaky at times, but hes a guy that can hit for a high average and hit 25 bombs or so in a season. Utley is recognized as perhaps the best second baseman in the game though. I'm taking Chase.
Result: Chase Utley
Third Base: Alex Rodriguez vs. Pedro Feliz.
This one is simple. Alex Rodriguez is one of the best hitters of his generation, and by the time he retires, could be not only the all time home-run champion, but the best player to ever play the game. He has also snapped out of his post-season slump which he suffered from in the past, making him an even more viable threat when he steps to the plate. No knock on Feliz though, he is a talented ball player who is a reliable every day third baseman, but hes no A-Rod.
Result: Alex Rodriguez
Shortstop: Derek Jeter vs. Jimmy Rollins
The captain vs the 2007 NL MVP. Jimmy Rollins is one of the best shortstops in the game today. He is part of one of the best middle infield combinations in all of baseball, and is the thrid member of the Phillies "big three" which includes Howard and Utley as well. Rollins played absolutely terrible through the first half of the season though, as he was batting only .195 from the leadoff position towards the end of June. He did turn things around a bit in the second half, but when Rollins isn't hitting, that Phillies offense just isn't the same. Jeter on the other hand is a legitimate MVP candidate for this season, and is known widely as one of the most clutch players in all of baseball. If New York is going to win this series, the modern day Mr. Yankee will play a big role in that accomplishment.
Result: Derek Jeter
Outfield: Johnny Damon, Melky Cabrera, Nick Swisher vs. Raul Ibanez, Shane Victorino, Jayson Werth.
Johnny Damon is a reliable two hitter behind Jeter in the lineup, and showed he has some power this past season along with his speed. He is a defensive liability as I'm pretty sure a kid I went to high school with (I was a sophomore when he was a senior) has a stronger arm than Damon. No joke. Cabrera has developed in to a reliable player in center field though. Swisher has struggled for most othe post-season and is a low average hitter with a little bit of home run power. No player in this outfield is terrific defensively, as they are all pretty much average at best.
On the other hand, Ibanez is coming off one of the best seasons of his career (He played so well, he was accused of steroid use by an online blogger!). Victorino just made the all star team for the first time this year. He also led the majors in 2009 with 13 triples this past season, making his nickname "The Flyin' Hawaiian" very appropriate. Jayson Werth is also one of my favorite players to watch. Hes a hustle player who can hit big bombs (I still can't forget his home run at Toronto this past season, that ball went like 3 decks up!). As a whole, everyone in the outfield has a very solid arm, especially Werth. I like this trio a lot.
Result: Ibanez, Victorino, Werth
Starting Pitching: C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Andy Petitte vs. Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, Pedro Martinez.
C.C. had a Cy Young type season. He proved to be worth every dollar the Yankees signed him for, as he has carried this pitching staff through out not only the regular season, but has dominated in the post-season as well. Burnett looks like he could be a Cy Young award winner at times, because he certainly has the stuff, but for whatever reason, he falters at times. He is incosistent but most of the time can leave the game and have the Yankees in a position to win. But when he is "on", watch out. Petitte is the opposite of Burnett and perhaps the definition of consistency. Over his career, Andy has never been known for his blazing fastball, incredible off-speed or anything like that, but he has suceeded because he understands where to pitch batters and understands the game. He also, as a lefty, has one of the best pick-off moves you'll ever see. Whenever he is on the mound, the Yankees have to be feeling confident.
Cliff Lee. Boy can he flat out pitch. The Phillies tried to acquire Halladay at the trade deadline, but Cliff Lee has been a decent second option. Yeah, some second option. Cliff Lee is the best pitcher in the game right now if you ask me. If there is one pitcher than can not only slow down, but SHUT down the Yankees offense, its Lee. Without the acquisition of Lee, I'm not so sure the Phillies make it back to the World Series. Cole Hamels was the star of the rotation during last years World Series run by Philly, but hasn't been the same since. He hasn't had the same stuff he had last year and seems to have lost some confidence. If he can return to the form he was at last October, the Phillies chances at winning the series improve vastly. And who would have ever thought that we would see Pedro pitch in Yankee Stadium again? Its not the Yankee Stadium Pedro is used to, but this is going to be entertaining if nothing else. He isn't anywhere near the same pitcher he was 10 years ago, and who can blame him. Thats what age does. All he has to do is keep the Yankees at bay though, and give the offense a shot. Otherwise, get ready for the "Who's your daddy?" chants from New York fans.
Lets see, Lee and C.C. cancel eachother out. Burnett and Hamels both being inconsistent cancel out, and in a match-up, I would take Petitte over Pedro. Nod goes to New York.
Result: Sabathia, Burnett, Petitte
Bullpen: Too many to be named vs. Too many to be named.
Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, and company are more feared coming out of the 'pen than the Phillies 'pen. Ryan Madson throws hard and J.A. Happ is one of the best young pitchers in baseball, but with the way Phil and Joba have been pitching this season, how can you pick against them? They got roughed up a bit agaisnt the Angels, but I expect big things from the Yankees 'pen this series.
Result :Yankees bullpen
Closer: Mariano Rivera vs. Brad Lidge.
This macth-up is pretty simple as well. Mo is the best closer of all time and one of the best post-season performers of all time. Would you believe he gave up his first earned run at home in the post-season in game 6 against LAA? Yeah, his first earned run ever at home given up. The guy still has it and he is in his late thirties. Lidge on the other hand is a mess. Last year it seemed that he was finally back after being lights out for most of the year. This year, his regular season ERa was over 7 and he has become unreliable. This is why I called Mo the X-factor earlier in this column. For most of the other match-ups, both teams match up pretty evenlyl. Ths is one matchup that the Yankees definitely have the upper hand in though. The Yankees are a very good come from behidn team, and Lidge better be on his game or the Yankees are going to be putting up some late game fireworks sooner or later.
Result: Mariano Rivera
Keep in mind though, none of this really means anything when it comes to the game itself. If the game was played on paper, the Yankees would seem the favorites. But as we have seen before (Giants vs. Patriots Superbowl), match-ups on paper don't tend to matter when you step on the field.
However, I have made my prediction. These are two very evenly matched teams, but I like the Yankees in this series.
Yankees win the series in 7. Here comes World Series ring #27, and another trophy for the boss, George Steinbrenner.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Wacky as always- An overview of Week 5 of the 2009 NFL season
If you were to tell me back during August that 5 weeks in to the NFL season, the Denver Broncos would be undefeated and the Cincinnati Bengals would be 4-1, I would have probably had you checked in to a mental institution.
Denver just beat New England, and proved to the world (myself included) that they certainly are for real. Josh McDaniels has to be feeling like he is on top of the world, after he beat his former boss and his former quarterback. I always though McDaniels would be a successful head coach in the NFL while he was with the Patriots, and when he got the job in Denver I liked the move by the Broncos front office. I just didn't think he would be this succesful, this soon. We all know that McDaniels is an offensive mastermind. He made Matt Cassel look like the second coming of Tom Brady last season and appears to be doing the same in Denver. Kyle Orton has been playing errorless free this season. He has thrown only one interception, and that was a bomb heaved up at the end of the second quarter that was picked off by Randy Moss. If Randy Moss is the only guy who has picked you off, you must not be doing too bad. While I'm impressed with Ortons play, the thing that surprises me about the Broncos is the D. Mike Nolan, the Broncos current defensive coordinator, had a head coaching stint in San Francisco that he was eventually fired from. Before that, Nolan was the defensive coordinator for the Ravens during the early to mid 2000's. He always had loads of talent to work with in Baltimore, but not somuch in Denver. However, the scheme Nolan runs is working as the Broncos have given up an average of 8.6 PPG. And we all though the Chargers were destined to win the division..
Jamarcus Russell needs to be benched in Oakland. His futile play at the quarterback position is absolutely horrid to watch. He throws off his back foot 90% of the time, locks in to recievers, doesn't look off coverage, and can read a defense about as well as I can read an essay typed in Wingdings font. This is where the Raiders made the mistake. Not the mistake of drafting Jamarcus (thats a whole different matter), but the mistake of cutting Jeff Garcia before the season. Hes undersized, his arm strength is below average, hes old, yada yada yada. Who cares. Point is the guy wins games. Had the Raiders kept Garcia around, they could possibly turn the season around if theyh threw him in to the starting lineup next week. Who knows. Maybe they would finish with 5-7 wins at least. For now, it doesn't look like the Raiders will win more than 3 games. Trent Dilfer said the Raiders are the worst football team he can ever remember seeing play. Scrap Jamarcus, trade up in the draft if needed, and draft Sam Bradford. I believe he is the next Peyton Manning. In 4-5 years, Bradford could be in the talks of Brady, Manning, etc. The Raiders have a history of awful drafting in the first round (Robert Gallery, Michael Huff, Jamarcus Russell, Darrius Heyward Bey etc.) Don't mess this one up Al, I don't know how much more Raider nation can take.
Quick Hits:
Did anyone forecast the Falcons putting up 45 points on Mike Singletarys niners in San Fran? I wouldn't want to be in that locker room post-game..
The Colts haven't skipped a beat following the loss of Tony Dungy at head coach. One reason: Peyton Manning. Hes a coach as well as a player on the field.
The Wildcat gets the best of everyone, even the Rex Ryan run Jets defense. Miami put up 31 points on a defense that looked lights out earlier this season.
When is Michael vick going to make an impact for the Eagles? My guess? Never.
Last, and certainly least, did anyone see the Browns @ Bills game? 6-3? If I was in the stands I would demand my money back. I watched the game while at work and almost threw up on the job. It staryted to just make me mad to see two teams play the game of football so poorly. I can't believe I am writing so much about a game that meant so little..
Fantasy advice of the week: Pick up every player possible on the Eagles, and play them. Philly plays at Oakland Sunday. Maybe Mike Vick proves me wrong and does make an impact. If he doesn't do it this week, then it may be never.
Denver just beat New England, and proved to the world (myself included) that they certainly are for real. Josh McDaniels has to be feeling like he is on top of the world, after he beat his former boss and his former quarterback. I always though McDaniels would be a successful head coach in the NFL while he was with the Patriots, and when he got the job in Denver I liked the move by the Broncos front office. I just didn't think he would be this succesful, this soon. We all know that McDaniels is an offensive mastermind. He made Matt Cassel look like the second coming of Tom Brady last season and appears to be doing the same in Denver. Kyle Orton has been playing errorless free this season. He has thrown only one interception, and that was a bomb heaved up at the end of the second quarter that was picked off by Randy Moss. If Randy Moss is the only guy who has picked you off, you must not be doing too bad. While I'm impressed with Ortons play, the thing that surprises me about the Broncos is the D. Mike Nolan, the Broncos current defensive coordinator, had a head coaching stint in San Francisco that he was eventually fired from. Before that, Nolan was the defensive coordinator for the Ravens during the early to mid 2000's. He always had loads of talent to work with in Baltimore, but not somuch in Denver. However, the scheme Nolan runs is working as the Broncos have given up an average of 8.6 PPG. And we all though the Chargers were destined to win the division..
Jamarcus Russell needs to be benched in Oakland. His futile play at the quarterback position is absolutely horrid to watch. He throws off his back foot 90% of the time, locks in to recievers, doesn't look off coverage, and can read a defense about as well as I can read an essay typed in Wingdings font. This is where the Raiders made the mistake. Not the mistake of drafting Jamarcus (thats a whole different matter), but the mistake of cutting Jeff Garcia before the season. Hes undersized, his arm strength is below average, hes old, yada yada yada. Who cares. Point is the guy wins games. Had the Raiders kept Garcia around, they could possibly turn the season around if theyh threw him in to the starting lineup next week. Who knows. Maybe they would finish with 5-7 wins at least. For now, it doesn't look like the Raiders will win more than 3 games. Trent Dilfer said the Raiders are the worst football team he can ever remember seeing play. Scrap Jamarcus, trade up in the draft if needed, and draft Sam Bradford. I believe he is the next Peyton Manning. In 4-5 years, Bradford could be in the talks of Brady, Manning, etc. The Raiders have a history of awful drafting in the first round (Robert Gallery, Michael Huff, Jamarcus Russell, Darrius Heyward Bey etc.) Don't mess this one up Al, I don't know how much more Raider nation can take.
Quick Hits:
Did anyone forecast the Falcons putting up 45 points on Mike Singletarys niners in San Fran? I wouldn't want to be in that locker room post-game..
The Colts haven't skipped a beat following the loss of Tony Dungy at head coach. One reason: Peyton Manning. Hes a coach as well as a player on the field.
The Wildcat gets the best of everyone, even the Rex Ryan run Jets defense. Miami put up 31 points on a defense that looked lights out earlier this season.
When is Michael vick going to make an impact for the Eagles? My guess? Never.
Last, and certainly least, did anyone see the Browns @ Bills game? 6-3? If I was in the stands I would demand my money back. I watched the game while at work and almost threw up on the job. It staryted to just make me mad to see two teams play the game of football so poorly. I can't believe I am writing so much about a game that meant so little..
Fantasy advice of the week: Pick up every player possible on the Eagles, and play them. Philly plays at Oakland Sunday. Maybe Mike Vick proves me wrong and does make an impact. If he doesn't do it this week, then it may be never.
Monday, October 5, 2009
The wacky world of College Football
We're nearly half-way through the college football season, and the real BCS contenders are emerging, while other pretenders are beginning to take a back seat. Here is a rundown of college footballs top teams and how they did over the weekend.
Oh Pete Carroll. One week your team is being upset by Washington, who is coached by your former offensive coordinator Steve Sarkasian, and did I mention Washington went 0-12 in 2008? Yikes. And although USC couldn't handle Washington, they dominated #24 ranked Cal over the weekend by a score of 30-3. USC had their annual conference game letdown to Washington, now they will probably run the table from here on out, earn a Rose Bowl bid, and prove to be too fast and too atheltic for some Big Ten team. Typical.
Alabama continued to prove they aren't a team to be taken lightly. Nick Saban has this team rolling on all cylinders right now. Mark Ingram is a bruising tailback who is a big reason that Alabamas ground game is so effective. Alabama has rushed for over 1100 yards throughout five games. Thats a big help to first year starter Greg McElroy, who has played nearly error free throwing 9 TD's as to 1 INT. Alabama has a rough SEC schedule that they have yet to play, but the onyl real threat I see in the future is LSU. They do have to play Mississippi, South Carolina, and Auburn, but those are all games that Alabama should be able to win convincingly. My money would be on the Crimson Tide to run the table and put up a strong argument for a BCS national championship bid.
Ohio State continued their Big Ten dominance by beating lowly Indiana by 19 points. Terrelle Pryor is a hell of an athlete. However, with Michigan football playing the way they are (despite the loss in OT to rival Michigan State), I'm excited to see this matchup this year. Tate Forcier has been playing great for the Wolverines, but Ohio State has had Michigans number in recent memory. Last years game was a blowout from the start, but this year should be something special. It won't be like the #1 vs #2 matchup in 2007, but this should be a much better game than last years.
Quick note:
My National championship pick right now= #1 Florida vs #2 Alabama.
Tim Tebow is a college football god and is way too determined to let this team slip his senior year. Florida returned a ton of starters from last years national championship team, and if the way the way they have played so far is any indication of how they wil finish, they are a safe bet to make it back to the title game.
Alabama will get brownie points if they run the table against their SEC schedule. They still have to play some tough conference games, but even if they let one slip, they still can be in the argument for national championship contenders.
I'm out for now, time to watch some Monday Night Football tonight!
Oh Pete Carroll. One week your team is being upset by Washington, who is coached by your former offensive coordinator Steve Sarkasian, and did I mention Washington went 0-12 in 2008? Yikes. And although USC couldn't handle Washington, they dominated #24 ranked Cal over the weekend by a score of 30-3. USC had their annual conference game letdown to Washington, now they will probably run the table from here on out, earn a Rose Bowl bid, and prove to be too fast and too atheltic for some Big Ten team. Typical.
Alabama continued to prove they aren't a team to be taken lightly. Nick Saban has this team rolling on all cylinders right now. Mark Ingram is a bruising tailback who is a big reason that Alabamas ground game is so effective. Alabama has rushed for over 1100 yards throughout five games. Thats a big help to first year starter Greg McElroy, who has played nearly error free throwing 9 TD's as to 1 INT. Alabama has a rough SEC schedule that they have yet to play, but the onyl real threat I see in the future is LSU. They do have to play Mississippi, South Carolina, and Auburn, but those are all games that Alabama should be able to win convincingly. My money would be on the Crimson Tide to run the table and put up a strong argument for a BCS national championship bid.
Ohio State continued their Big Ten dominance by beating lowly Indiana by 19 points. Terrelle Pryor is a hell of an athlete. However, with Michigan football playing the way they are (despite the loss in OT to rival Michigan State), I'm excited to see this matchup this year. Tate Forcier has been playing great for the Wolverines, but Ohio State has had Michigans number in recent memory. Last years game was a blowout from the start, but this year should be something special. It won't be like the #1 vs #2 matchup in 2007, but this should be a much better game than last years.
Quick note:
My National championship pick right now= #1 Florida vs #2 Alabama.
Tim Tebow is a college football god and is way too determined to let this team slip his senior year. Florida returned a ton of starters from last years national championship team, and if the way the way they have played so far is any indication of how they wil finish, they are a safe bet to make it back to the title game.
Alabama will get brownie points if they run the table against their SEC schedule. They still have to play some tough conference games, but even if they let one slip, they still can be in the argument for national championship contenders.
I'm out for now, time to watch some Monday Night Football tonight!
Monday, September 28, 2009
Its been too long..
I have been overloaded with a ton of stuff lately. From work, to sports, to school, to anything else that may come up in life, I haven't had the time to update this as often as I would like to. However, after watching the sports world for the last two weeks, I've got some things I would like to hit on.
NFL hits
1.) Are the Steelers still...the Steelers? They blew a fourth quarter lead to the Bears in week two and lost 17-14. Pittsburgh followed that performance by blowing a 13-0 first half lead to the Bengals. 13-0 in the first half isn't exactly a done deal, but I bet anyone who picked the Steelers to win that game was feeling pretty comfortable. I know I gave a co-worker of mine a little grief after looking at his pick sheet, where he correctly picked Cincinnati over Pittsburgh. I wouldn't sweat it though, this team is still the defending world champs. After playing San Diego this week, things lighten up for the Steelers as the next two games are against Detroit and Cleveland.
2.) Michael Vicks regular season return to the NFL was...boring. 0/2 passing wise and one rush for seven yards didn't exactly have me jumping out of my seat. I think Vick is still an explosive player though, and Andy Reid is slowly working Vick in to the offense. He will be an asset to the Eagles come December, when they should be battling for a division title with the Giants. By then he should be somewhat reminiscent of the old Mike Vick.
3.) I've said it before and I'll say it again. Tony Romo is the mos overrated QB in the NFL. He consistently does not come through when his team needs him the most, which is the ultimate marking of a true star quarterback. Jerry Jones dumped T.O. in the off-season, and tried to make the team as "Romo-friendly" as possible, yet he still isn't taking the leadership role of this team like he should be. When you ask me about top QBs in the league, heres my top 10 list disregarding injuries and all that. If I had to pick a QB to win me a game tomorrow, here would be my list..
1.) Peyton Manning
2.) Tom Brady
3.) Drew Brees
4.) Philip Rivers
5.) Ben Roethlisberger
6.) Eli Manning
7.) Donovan McNabb
8.) Aaron Rodgers
9.) Brett Favre
10.) Matt Ryan
Notice who isn't on that list? Romo. Those guys listed above get it done much more consistently than Romo. Sure Romo may throw 25+ touchdowns and over 3500 yards and look all flashy, but the most important stat is "Did he win the game?" I don't see the Cowboys winning a superbowl with Romo at the helm.
4.) Brett Favre is looking like a kid, once again. Believe me, I was much against Favre and all of his indecisevness, and holding the Vikings hostage, and showing up to training camp whenever he wants etc. But the bottom line is that without Favre, the Vikings don't win that gam yesterday. Neither Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels could have made that play yesterday to win the game. Brett Favre drove 80 yards down the field yesterday with no timeouts and less than two minutes on the clock and punched in a TD. Not only was it a heck of a throw, but did you see that catch? Pretty impressive for a guy who was signed earlier that week.
5.) The Saints scored 27 points, and Drew Brees didn't throw a touchdown. Good one..wait, really? This has to be a sign of the apocalypse..
6.) The Detroit Lions..won..a football game. Heres an interesting stat, did you know that since the Detroit Lions won their last football game in December of 2007, the Detroit Tigers won over 150 games. Oh. Well anyways, congrats to Jim Schwartz and Matt Stafford, as each of them earned their first ever NFL wins yesterday. I like Schwartz, I think he can turn this team around and Stafford is looking very solid so far. Maybe not statistically, but his throws are accurate and very catchable. I like what this team is doing.
7.) This brings me to my next point, the Washington Redskins. When will owner Daniel Snyder realize that what he has been doing since 200 isn't working. Jason Campbell is a very incapable NFL quarterback. Jim Zorn is lost as a head coach. This team is spiraling downward. Money can't buy rings. Chemistry, stability, and leadership can. Just ask the Steelers, they seem to have all three. Look at any Superbowl contender this year. They have a leader at QB (Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Philip Rivers etc.) They have stability and leadership in the head coaching position (Mike Tomlin, Belichick) and chemistry, to me, is the most important part of building a succesful team. Also See: Dallas Cowboys..
I'm about to go watch Carolina play at Dallas. I say the Cowboys win 24-20. A tale of two quarterbacks who are not known for their playoff heroics, Jake Delhomme and Tony Romo. Maybe Romo and the 'Boys can prove everything I just said about them wrong!
NFL hits
1.) Are the Steelers still...the Steelers? They blew a fourth quarter lead to the Bears in week two and lost 17-14. Pittsburgh followed that performance by blowing a 13-0 first half lead to the Bengals. 13-0 in the first half isn't exactly a done deal, but I bet anyone who picked the Steelers to win that game was feeling pretty comfortable. I know I gave a co-worker of mine a little grief after looking at his pick sheet, where he correctly picked Cincinnati over Pittsburgh. I wouldn't sweat it though, this team is still the defending world champs. After playing San Diego this week, things lighten up for the Steelers as the next two games are against Detroit and Cleveland.
2.) Michael Vicks regular season return to the NFL was...boring. 0/2 passing wise and one rush for seven yards didn't exactly have me jumping out of my seat. I think Vick is still an explosive player though, and Andy Reid is slowly working Vick in to the offense. He will be an asset to the Eagles come December, when they should be battling for a division title with the Giants. By then he should be somewhat reminiscent of the old Mike Vick.
3.) I've said it before and I'll say it again. Tony Romo is the mos overrated QB in the NFL. He consistently does not come through when his team needs him the most, which is the ultimate marking of a true star quarterback. Jerry Jones dumped T.O. in the off-season, and tried to make the team as "Romo-friendly" as possible, yet he still isn't taking the leadership role of this team like he should be. When you ask me about top QBs in the league, heres my top 10 list disregarding injuries and all that. If I had to pick a QB to win me a game tomorrow, here would be my list..
1.) Peyton Manning
2.) Tom Brady
3.) Drew Brees
4.) Philip Rivers
5.) Ben Roethlisberger
6.) Eli Manning
7.) Donovan McNabb
8.) Aaron Rodgers
9.) Brett Favre
10.) Matt Ryan
Notice who isn't on that list? Romo. Those guys listed above get it done much more consistently than Romo. Sure Romo may throw 25+ touchdowns and over 3500 yards and look all flashy, but the most important stat is "Did he win the game?" I don't see the Cowboys winning a superbowl with Romo at the helm.
4.) Brett Favre is looking like a kid, once again. Believe me, I was much against Favre and all of his indecisevness, and holding the Vikings hostage, and showing up to training camp whenever he wants etc. But the bottom line is that without Favre, the Vikings don't win that gam yesterday. Neither Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels could have made that play yesterday to win the game. Brett Favre drove 80 yards down the field yesterday with no timeouts and less than two minutes on the clock and punched in a TD. Not only was it a heck of a throw, but did you see that catch? Pretty impressive for a guy who was signed earlier that week.
5.) The Saints scored 27 points, and Drew Brees didn't throw a touchdown. Good one..wait, really? This has to be a sign of the apocalypse..
6.) The Detroit Lions..won..a football game. Heres an interesting stat, did you know that since the Detroit Lions won their last football game in December of 2007, the Detroit Tigers won over 150 games. Oh. Well anyways, congrats to Jim Schwartz and Matt Stafford, as each of them earned their first ever NFL wins yesterday. I like Schwartz, I think he can turn this team around and Stafford is looking very solid so far. Maybe not statistically, but his throws are accurate and very catchable. I like what this team is doing.
7.) This brings me to my next point, the Washington Redskins. When will owner Daniel Snyder realize that what he has been doing since 200 isn't working. Jason Campbell is a very incapable NFL quarterback. Jim Zorn is lost as a head coach. This team is spiraling downward. Money can't buy rings. Chemistry, stability, and leadership can. Just ask the Steelers, they seem to have all three. Look at any Superbowl contender this year. They have a leader at QB (Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Philip Rivers etc.) They have stability and leadership in the head coaching position (Mike Tomlin, Belichick) and chemistry, to me, is the most important part of building a succesful team. Also See: Dallas Cowboys..
I'm about to go watch Carolina play at Dallas. I say the Cowboys win 24-20. A tale of two quarterbacks who are not known for their playoff heroics, Jake Delhomme and Tony Romo. Maybe Romo and the 'Boys can prove everything I just said about them wrong!
Monday, September 14, 2009
Top 6 Surprises of NFL Week 1 action
Well, well, well. We got just a bit of sneak preview of whats to come this NFL season. The Vikings can run the ball, The Steelers can play defense. These are things we already know and were aware of coming in to the season. Waht I'm more interested in though, are the things that I didn't expect. I don't want to talk anymore about Favres return, ESPN has that covered. I don't want to talk about the mumbo jumbo you can hear anywhere else. I'm interested in some of the surprises of week one, and here are my top six most surprising headlines from NFL week one action.
6.) What in the name of Zeus is wrong with Jake Delhomme? After coming off perhaps the worst performance by a QB in NFL playoff history, things didn't get any better Sunday as Philly manhandled the Carolina offense, forcing five turnovers, including four interceptions and a fumble lost by Jake Delhomme. I mean, I know Philly has a strong defense, but Carolina looked absolutely miserable. Of Carolinas last 22 possesions dating back to last season, Jake Delhomme has turned the ball over 11 times himself, including 9 interceptions and 2 fumbles. Now their are questions in Carolina as to whether they can win with Delhomme under center. Carolina fans are even entertaining the idea of having Matt Moore, the former Oregon State QB, start in place of Delhomme. I know things are bad, but with Matt Moore at QB, the maximum amount of wins Carolina could reach is 6. Jake is 34 years old now, but there is no way he should be playing this bad. Coach John Fox defended Delhomme Monday after the loss to Philly and said that his status as starting QB "hasn't changed". But how long can you afford to keep him in the lineup? Carolina is in big trouble right now.
5.) The Browns actually played well....for two quarters. If you had told me before Sundays Minnesota at Cleveland game that the Browns would be leading at half time, I would have most likely had you drug tested. Somehow though, the Brownsd went into halftime with a slim 13-10 lead. Slim, but a lead none the less. I was impressed with the way the Browns played for those two quarter. They got a pass rush on Favre and they shut down Adrian Peterson on the ground. They made tackles in the open field when they had to, and they found a way to get points on the board. The second half was a different story, as Minnesota proved to be too much, but I don't think Cleveland or their fans can be completely disappointed with the way they played. Mangini is a defensive guru and it seems like he had the Vikings a bit confused in the first half. If the Browns continue to make strides like they did yesterday, they could have a chance to compete in the AFC sooner rather than later. Not this year, but next year or two years down the road, Cleveland could compete. Wow, did I just say that?
4.) What happened to those mighty Texans who were a dark horse pick by so many to make the playoffs this year? The Texans are known for their ability to score points if anything. However Sunday they were completely stuffed by the Jets and Rex Ryans defense. Matt Schaub looked awful. He completed 18 of 33 passes for 166 yards and an interception. Good thing I didn't start him in fantasy..oh wait. Steve Slaton looked awful, the line didn't help him at all either. Slaton had 9 carries for 17 yards. DT Kris Jenkins walked all over Houston Center Chris Myers. Houston was held to 204 total yards of offense, and only had possesion of the ball for 21:14. For a team with so many offensive weapons (Schaub, Slaton, Andrew Johnson, Owen Daniels and Jacoby Jones) they seemed completely out of sync. Besides Schaub, I also started Andrew Johnson at receiver. How do you think my team did?
3.) What happened to those Cardinals? We knew they could score points, but we didn't think they could play too much of solid defense. It actually turned out to be quite the opposite on Sunday. The Cardinals held San Francisco to 20 points and 203 yards of offense. Anytime that the Cardinals defense holds someone to those type of numbers, it should be an easy W as their offense had no trouble scoring points last season. However, the Cards only mustered up 16 points. Only rushing for 40 yards on the ground probably didn't help the Cards, but Kurt Warner and the passing game usually make up for that. Only thing is, Warner threw two interceptions. Warner was also sacked 3 times and hit 8 times. For a Cards offense that excelled in the air last season, they couldn't get it done against a defense that is not exactly dominant.
2.) The Raiders hung with the Chargers, and the Bills hung with the Pats? Weirder things have happened on Monday Night Football, but last night was a series of back to back rarities. The Monday night doubleheader started off with the Buffalo Bills taking on the New England Patriots in Foxboro. Buffalo grabbed an early lead and never trailed until it counted the most. Tom Brady snapped in to official "Tom Brady form" and tossed a touchdown pass to Benjamin Watson with 50 seconds left. This score was the immediate result of a fumbled kickoff return by Bills cornerback Leodis McKelvin. On the bright side though, the Bills played with a ton of heart and made a terrific game out of what most people, including myself, predicted to be a blowout. For an offense that seemed stuck in park rather than drive all pre-season, putting up 24 points on Belichicks defense isn't too shabby. The second game of the night had the Chargers visiting the Raiders in Oakland. Another lopsided match up that went to the very last few seconds, literally. Oakland stuck with San Diego all game and kept the Chargers offense in check all game until Darren Sproles scored with 18 seconds left in the ball game. After a hectic off-season where head coach Tom Cable was accused of punching an assistant coach in the face, followed by the Richard Seymour ordeal, I was surprised to see the Raiders pull together so well and play as well as they did. 2 near upset bids were cut short in the final minute of each game. Parity is one thing the NFL has always been noted for, but last nights games truely proved to people that anything can happen in the NFL. Anything.
1.) Young quarterbacks can succeed. Mark Sanchez was nearly flawless against Houston. Matt Stafford threw for over 200 yards against the Saints and the Lions scored 27 points. Brodie Croyle started for KC in place of Matt Cassell, but still completed 16 of 24 passes and threw 2 tds. Against the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens! Jamarcus Russel even shined a bit in the first half against San Diego, although he did finish the game with 2 interceptions to 1 touchdown. Whatever way you look at it, young QBs can succeed. Its always been frowned upon in the NFL to start a rookie or young quarterback, but this weekends performances is sure to make some coaches think twice. Enter Vince Young...not really though.
6.) What in the name of Zeus is wrong with Jake Delhomme? After coming off perhaps the worst performance by a QB in NFL playoff history, things didn't get any better Sunday as Philly manhandled the Carolina offense, forcing five turnovers, including four interceptions and a fumble lost by Jake Delhomme. I mean, I know Philly has a strong defense, but Carolina looked absolutely miserable. Of Carolinas last 22 possesions dating back to last season, Jake Delhomme has turned the ball over 11 times himself, including 9 interceptions and 2 fumbles. Now their are questions in Carolina as to whether they can win with Delhomme under center. Carolina fans are even entertaining the idea of having Matt Moore, the former Oregon State QB, start in place of Delhomme. I know things are bad, but with Matt Moore at QB, the maximum amount of wins Carolina could reach is 6. Jake is 34 years old now, but there is no way he should be playing this bad. Coach John Fox defended Delhomme Monday after the loss to Philly and said that his status as starting QB "hasn't changed". But how long can you afford to keep him in the lineup? Carolina is in big trouble right now.
5.) The Browns actually played well....for two quarters. If you had told me before Sundays Minnesota at Cleveland game that the Browns would be leading at half time, I would have most likely had you drug tested. Somehow though, the Brownsd went into halftime with a slim 13-10 lead. Slim, but a lead none the less. I was impressed with the way the Browns played for those two quarter. They got a pass rush on Favre and they shut down Adrian Peterson on the ground. They made tackles in the open field when they had to, and they found a way to get points on the board. The second half was a different story, as Minnesota proved to be too much, but I don't think Cleveland or their fans can be completely disappointed with the way they played. Mangini is a defensive guru and it seems like he had the Vikings a bit confused in the first half. If the Browns continue to make strides like they did yesterday, they could have a chance to compete in the AFC sooner rather than later. Not this year, but next year or two years down the road, Cleveland could compete. Wow, did I just say that?
4.) What happened to those mighty Texans who were a dark horse pick by so many to make the playoffs this year? The Texans are known for their ability to score points if anything. However Sunday they were completely stuffed by the Jets and Rex Ryans defense. Matt Schaub looked awful. He completed 18 of 33 passes for 166 yards and an interception. Good thing I didn't start him in fantasy..oh wait. Steve Slaton looked awful, the line didn't help him at all either. Slaton had 9 carries for 17 yards. DT Kris Jenkins walked all over Houston Center Chris Myers. Houston was held to 204 total yards of offense, and only had possesion of the ball for 21:14. For a team with so many offensive weapons (Schaub, Slaton, Andrew Johnson, Owen Daniels and Jacoby Jones) they seemed completely out of sync. Besides Schaub, I also started Andrew Johnson at receiver. How do you think my team did?
3.) What happened to those Cardinals? We knew they could score points, but we didn't think they could play too much of solid defense. It actually turned out to be quite the opposite on Sunday. The Cardinals held San Francisco to 20 points and 203 yards of offense. Anytime that the Cardinals defense holds someone to those type of numbers, it should be an easy W as their offense had no trouble scoring points last season. However, the Cards only mustered up 16 points. Only rushing for 40 yards on the ground probably didn't help the Cards, but Kurt Warner and the passing game usually make up for that. Only thing is, Warner threw two interceptions. Warner was also sacked 3 times and hit 8 times. For a Cards offense that excelled in the air last season, they couldn't get it done against a defense that is not exactly dominant.
2.) The Raiders hung with the Chargers, and the Bills hung with the Pats? Weirder things have happened on Monday Night Football, but last night was a series of back to back rarities. The Monday night doubleheader started off with the Buffalo Bills taking on the New England Patriots in Foxboro. Buffalo grabbed an early lead and never trailed until it counted the most. Tom Brady snapped in to official "Tom Brady form" and tossed a touchdown pass to Benjamin Watson with 50 seconds left. This score was the immediate result of a fumbled kickoff return by Bills cornerback Leodis McKelvin. On the bright side though, the Bills played with a ton of heart and made a terrific game out of what most people, including myself, predicted to be a blowout. For an offense that seemed stuck in park rather than drive all pre-season, putting up 24 points on Belichicks defense isn't too shabby. The second game of the night had the Chargers visiting the Raiders in Oakland. Another lopsided match up that went to the very last few seconds, literally. Oakland stuck with San Diego all game and kept the Chargers offense in check all game until Darren Sproles scored with 18 seconds left in the ball game. After a hectic off-season where head coach Tom Cable was accused of punching an assistant coach in the face, followed by the Richard Seymour ordeal, I was surprised to see the Raiders pull together so well and play as well as they did. 2 near upset bids were cut short in the final minute of each game. Parity is one thing the NFL has always been noted for, but last nights games truely proved to people that anything can happen in the NFL. Anything.
1.) Young quarterbacks can succeed. Mark Sanchez was nearly flawless against Houston. Matt Stafford threw for over 200 yards against the Saints and the Lions scored 27 points. Brodie Croyle started for KC in place of Matt Cassell, but still completed 16 of 24 passes and threw 2 tds. Against the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens! Jamarcus Russel even shined a bit in the first half against San Diego, although he did finish the game with 2 interceptions to 1 touchdown. Whatever way you look at it, young QBs can succeed. Its always been frowned upon in the NFL to start a rookie or young quarterback, but this weekends performances is sure to make some coaches think twice. Enter Vince Young...not really though.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
2009 NFL season predictions (continued)
Now that I have covered the AFC, its time for me to unveil my thoughts on the NFC.
NFC East
New York Giants 13-3
Philadelphia Eagles 12-4
Dallas Cowboys 9-7
Washington Redskins 6-10
The Giants are just a force to be reckoned with. I admire what Tom Coughlin does and how he handles this team. Rather than trying to befriend his players (Cough, Wade Philips) Coughlin takes a hard stance and demands both respect and perfection, and it works. Eli Manning will have to live up to his ridiculous new contract, however it will be more difficult without Plaxico Burres to throw to. Kevin Boss is becoming a viable recieving threat at the tight end position, and the O-line is perhaps the best unit in the league. Brandon Jacobs is a punishing runner and a defense led by Osi Umenyiora and Antonio Pierce will once again be dominant. The Giants will come out on top of this dog fight for division champs.
Philadelphia is a popular choice among many to contend for a superbowl title. Besides the controversial signing of QB Michael Vick, the Eagles added even more offensive toys for Donovan McNabb to play with. Drafting wide reciever Jeremy Maclin at 19th overall was an absolute steal, and drafting LeSean McCoy from Pittsburgh was also another great pick. Desean Jackson had a very succesful rookie debut during the 2008 campaign, and will contribute to what could be the fastest offense in the NFL. Replacing defensive mastermind Jim Johnson is an impossible task, however the Eagles will be ok. Johnson was one of the most respected coaches in the NFL by not only his peers, but his players as well. He will be missed greatly, but Philly has a reputation for playing stellar defense, and will do so once again this season.
Finishing third in the NFC East is the Dallas Cowboys. QB Tony Romo is a very solid starter, however I do not believe he has the leadership skills necessary to join the ranks of Manning and Brady when discussing top quarterbacks in the league. Although he was criticized for dropping passes, the loss of Terrell Owens to Buffalo will hurt. Jerry Jones tried to make the team "Romo-friendly" as he tried to build the team around Tony. Head Coach Wade Philips is also another name on the coaching hot seat this year. It has been over a decade since Dallas has won a playoff game, and I don't think this years Cowboys will break that streak. Demarcus Ware is perhaps the best pass rusher in the NFL and was a big reason Dallas led the NFL in sacks last season. Despite that, the defense does not impress me as a whole. The Cowboys have a ton of talent, but I don't see them putting it all together behind Wade Philips.
The signing of Albert Haynseworth was perhaps the biggest move during the entire off-season. It vastly improves a defensive unit that was shaky and now forces opposing coaches to game plan around Haynseworth. Besides that, there isn't much worth talking about on the Redskins. Owner Dan Snyder is a perfect example of the fact that money can't buy you a superbowl ring. After being unable to trade for Jay Cutler in the off-season, Jason Campbell will return as starting QB. Campbell is a very incosistent starting quarterback and is not someone who can win 10+ games for you. Clinton Portis is one of the most talented running backs in the NFL and always puts up good numbers. Besides Portis on offense, there isn't much of anything that will catch your eye. The Redskins look destined for a long year.
NFC North
Green Bay Packers 10-6
Minnesota Vikings 10-6
Chicago Bears 7-9
Detroit Lions 2-14
Aaron Rodgers has become one of the premier passers in the NFL, and has a great wide reciever tandem in Greg Jennings and Donald Driver. Jennings may be one of the most underrated players in the NFL, but trust me, he is a beast. Ryan Grant should rebound from a disappointing 2008 season where he only had four touchdowns. Bringing in Dom Capers to coach up the defense is a very wise move. Aaron Kampman, Nick Barnett, AJ Hawk and Charles Woodson are the leaders of the defense and gives Capers a lot of talent to work with. I believe the Packers will rebound from being 6-10 in 2008 and will win the division.
The first thing you think of when you think of the Minnesota Vikings is Brett Favre. Wait, what?!? The ever so indecisive Favre stole all off-season headlines when he decided to sign with the Vikings in August. Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels now battle for the back-up position behind Favre, who some think may still have something left in the tank. Even though Favre is not the player he once was, its ok. The Vikings are not known for having a pass heavy offense because they have the best running back in professional football, Adrian Peterson. Besides Favre and Peterson on offense, the Vikings have one of the top defenses in the NFL and shut down the run extremely well. If Favre can simply manage the game rather than forcing throws and being the gunslinger he once was, the Vikings have a lot of potential.
Chicago won the Jay Cutler sweepstakes in the off-season, and acquired a a pro-bowl type quarterback. Only problem is, Cutler has no one to throw to. Devin Hester is a tremendous punt/kick returner, but as a reciever he is decent at best. Cutlers only offensive passing weapon may be Greg Olsen. The former Hurricane has established himself as one of the top five recieving tight ends in all of football. Matt Forte will also look to build on the success he had during his rookie season last year. Forte is a running back who can also catch passes out of the backfield as well. The defense has a reputation for being dominant in recent years, however they are not the same defense they once were. But hey, any defense led by Brian Urlacher can't be in too bad of shape.
The only good thing about going 0-16 is that, well, it can't get any worse. The Lions hired Titans defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and drafted former Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford first overall. With Schwartz announcing Stafford as the starter, we're about to see what this kid is all about sooner rather thaan later. Calvin Johnson will be a nice big target for Stafford to throw to, that is if he gets any time behind an awful offensive line. The running game is nearly non-existent for the Lions, (Detroit fans are keeping their fingers crossed for a Barry Sanders comeback) and that is not exactly a good thing when you have a rookie quarterback. The defense gave up an average up 32.3 PPG last season, and I wouldn't expect a dramatic change. I can hear Roger Goodell now..(And with the first pick in the 2010 NFL draft, the Detroit Lions select...)
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons 11-5
Carolina Panthers 11-5
New Orleans Saints 9-7
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 3-13
The Falcons are absolutely stacked on the offensive side of the football. The addittion of Tony Gonzalez in the off-season was huge. Add him with Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, and Roddy White, and you will have no problem scoring points. Head coach Mike Smith guided the Falcons to a very impressive 2008 season, and was named 2008 NFL Coach of the year. Smith, Ryan and the rest of the Falcons should be one of the top dogs in the NFC this year, even with a defense that may not exactly be stellar. Expectations are high for this 2009 Atlanta Falcons team.
The Panthers won the division in 2008 and should be in contention again, but will fall just short. Quarterback Jake Delhomme hopefully can rebound from one of the worst postseason performances by a QB in NFL history that left the Panthers with a bad taste in their mouth following last season. DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart together in the backfield form a two headed beast that is a nightmare for opposing defensive coordinators. Steve Smith is still one of the quickest receivers in the NFL and is a threat to break free for a score whenever he touches the ball. Jon Beason is an animal at the linebacker position for Carolina. Julius Peppers is still a threat to rush the passer on every down. Very talented players on both sides of the ball should lead to a successful season.
The Saints are one of the most exciting teams to watch play. Drew Brees leads an offensive powerhouse that is stacked with weapons such as Reggie Bush, Pierre Thomas, Marques Colston, Lance Moore, and Jeremy Shockey. Brees is an established pocket passer who can pick apart defenses with his arm. Bush is a threat not only when lined up in the backfield, but also when lined up as a slot reciever. Pierre Thomas can catch passes out of the backfield and should have a breakout year this year and really make a name for himself. While the offense is perhaps the best in the NFL, the Saints defense is a different story. A defense that is regularly known for having trouble stopping opponents, they made some adjustments in the off-season by hiring defensive guru Greg Williams. New Orleans also drafted CB Malcolm Jenkins from Ohio State in the first round, and he should help shore up the secondary as well. Jonathan Vilma is also a talented linebacker who can make plays for the Saints on defense. Head coach Sean Payton had tremendous success his rookie season by leading the Saints to the NFC championship game, but since then has not been as lucky. The Saints are a dangerous team for anyone to play.
First off, Tampa Bay is a mess. Ok, now that that is off my chest, let me begin. Byron Leftwich left his backup QB role in Pittsburgh to start for Tampa Bay. While Leftwich is strong armed and tough, he lacks accuracy on his throws and tends to make some bad decisions. Tampa Bay did add running back Derrick Ward and tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. during the off-season in an attempt to revamp the offense. They took a step backwards though when they fired offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski, which may be a sign of panic in the Bucs front office. The defense added linebacker Angelo Crowell, but that won't make up for the losses of linebackers Cato June and Derrick Brooks, along with cornerback Philip Buchanon. Rookie head coach Raheem Morris has his hands full and should start focusing on the draft board in April.
NFC West
Arizona Cardinals 10-6
San Francisco 49ers 6-10
Seattle Seahawks 6-10
St. Louis Rams 3-13
The Cardinals have history against them, as seven of the last eight superbowl losers have failed to make the playoffs the following season. They also have the history of the madden curse working against Larry Fitzgerald (Troy Polamalu was already affected by the curse!) Besides both of those stats, I am expecting the Cardinals to win the division as the other three teams are sub par and this is perhaps the least competitive division in the NFL besides the AFC West. Fitzgerald, Boldin and Breaston should all once again have stellar years, as each reciever had over 1,000 yards recieving last season. The run game should get a boost from Ohio State rookie running back Beanie Wells. The defense out did themselves during the postseason last year, and will probably return to their normal mediocre play, which isn't too much of a problem when your offense puts up 25-30 PPG. Head coach Ken Whisenhunt should lead this team to the playoffs again.
The 49ers are unfortunately still the only team who have yet to sign their first round draft pick, Michael Crabtree. Crabtree has said he is willing to sit out the entire 2009-10 season and re-enter the draft again next April. Who knows when that contract situation will play itself out. As for the rest of the team, Frank Gore leads a solid running attack. As the only real offensive weapon, he will be depended upon heavily if the 49ers are going to have any shot this year at winning games. Tight end Vernon Davis has not translated his production from college to the NFL, even with all of the physical tools he posesses. Starting quarterback Shaun Hills most reliable target outside of the aging Isaac Bruce is Josh Morgan. Morgan enters his second season in the NFL, and could become a fantasy sleeper this year. On the defensive side of the ball, the one player that comes to mind is linebacker Patrick Willis. Willis is quickly becoming one of the best linebackers in all of football. Outside of Willis though, there may be no help. Head coach Mike Singletary has been criticized for the way he treats his players, but if he can win games this year, the doubters will be silenced. I don't expect the 49ers to have much success though, sorry Mike Singletary.
The Seattle Seahawks struggled last season, as starting QB Matt Hasselbeck was injured for most of the year and Jim Mora was on his first year on the job. The acquisition of wide reciever T.J. Houshmanzadeh will help the passing game, along with the solid production from tight end John Carlson. The running game was weak last season, and Julius Jones is an average back who will share carries with an aging Edgerrin James. Defensively, you would expect the Seahawks to be solid due to Jim Moras defensive experience. Seattle led the NFC last season with 20 interceptions and only allowed 15 passing touchdowns. If the defense can continue to improve, they should keep Seattle within reach of most games.
Finishing last in the NFC West will once again be the St. Louis Rams. Drafting offensive tackle Jason Smith from Baylor should help some, but the Rams are still in the re-building stage. St. Louis lost Torry Holt to the Jaguars, and QB Marc Bulger isn't getting any younger. Donnie Avery will step up in the passing game and Steven Jackson will bounce back from a rough 2008 campaign. Defensively, the Rams should show signs of life as rookie head coach Steve Spagnuolo was formerly the defensive coordinator of the New York Giants, including the year they stunned the world by beating the pats in Superbowl XLII. This year won't be the year, but I believe Spagnuolo is a bright guy and will ultimately have success as a head coach.
NFC East
New York Giants 13-3
Philadelphia Eagles 12-4
Dallas Cowboys 9-7
Washington Redskins 6-10
The Giants are just a force to be reckoned with. I admire what Tom Coughlin does and how he handles this team. Rather than trying to befriend his players (Cough, Wade Philips) Coughlin takes a hard stance and demands both respect and perfection, and it works. Eli Manning will have to live up to his ridiculous new contract, however it will be more difficult without Plaxico Burres to throw to. Kevin Boss is becoming a viable recieving threat at the tight end position, and the O-line is perhaps the best unit in the league. Brandon Jacobs is a punishing runner and a defense led by Osi Umenyiora and Antonio Pierce will once again be dominant. The Giants will come out on top of this dog fight for division champs.
Philadelphia is a popular choice among many to contend for a superbowl title. Besides the controversial signing of QB Michael Vick, the Eagles added even more offensive toys for Donovan McNabb to play with. Drafting wide reciever Jeremy Maclin at 19th overall was an absolute steal, and drafting LeSean McCoy from Pittsburgh was also another great pick. Desean Jackson had a very succesful rookie debut during the 2008 campaign, and will contribute to what could be the fastest offense in the NFL. Replacing defensive mastermind Jim Johnson is an impossible task, however the Eagles will be ok. Johnson was one of the most respected coaches in the NFL by not only his peers, but his players as well. He will be missed greatly, but Philly has a reputation for playing stellar defense, and will do so once again this season.
Finishing third in the NFC East is the Dallas Cowboys. QB Tony Romo is a very solid starter, however I do not believe he has the leadership skills necessary to join the ranks of Manning and Brady when discussing top quarterbacks in the league. Although he was criticized for dropping passes, the loss of Terrell Owens to Buffalo will hurt. Jerry Jones tried to make the team "Romo-friendly" as he tried to build the team around Tony. Head Coach Wade Philips is also another name on the coaching hot seat this year. It has been over a decade since Dallas has won a playoff game, and I don't think this years Cowboys will break that streak. Demarcus Ware is perhaps the best pass rusher in the NFL and was a big reason Dallas led the NFL in sacks last season. Despite that, the defense does not impress me as a whole. The Cowboys have a ton of talent, but I don't see them putting it all together behind Wade Philips.
The signing of Albert Haynseworth was perhaps the biggest move during the entire off-season. It vastly improves a defensive unit that was shaky and now forces opposing coaches to game plan around Haynseworth. Besides that, there isn't much worth talking about on the Redskins. Owner Dan Snyder is a perfect example of the fact that money can't buy you a superbowl ring. After being unable to trade for Jay Cutler in the off-season, Jason Campbell will return as starting QB. Campbell is a very incosistent starting quarterback and is not someone who can win 10+ games for you. Clinton Portis is one of the most talented running backs in the NFL and always puts up good numbers. Besides Portis on offense, there isn't much of anything that will catch your eye. The Redskins look destined for a long year.
NFC North
Green Bay Packers 10-6
Minnesota Vikings 10-6
Chicago Bears 7-9
Detroit Lions 2-14
Aaron Rodgers has become one of the premier passers in the NFL, and has a great wide reciever tandem in Greg Jennings and Donald Driver. Jennings may be one of the most underrated players in the NFL, but trust me, he is a beast. Ryan Grant should rebound from a disappointing 2008 season where he only had four touchdowns. Bringing in Dom Capers to coach up the defense is a very wise move. Aaron Kampman, Nick Barnett, AJ Hawk and Charles Woodson are the leaders of the defense and gives Capers a lot of talent to work with. I believe the Packers will rebound from being 6-10 in 2008 and will win the division.
The first thing you think of when you think of the Minnesota Vikings is Brett Favre. Wait, what?!? The ever so indecisive Favre stole all off-season headlines when he decided to sign with the Vikings in August. Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels now battle for the back-up position behind Favre, who some think may still have something left in the tank. Even though Favre is not the player he once was, its ok. The Vikings are not known for having a pass heavy offense because they have the best running back in professional football, Adrian Peterson. Besides Favre and Peterson on offense, the Vikings have one of the top defenses in the NFL and shut down the run extremely well. If Favre can simply manage the game rather than forcing throws and being the gunslinger he once was, the Vikings have a lot of potential.
Chicago won the Jay Cutler sweepstakes in the off-season, and acquired a a pro-bowl type quarterback. Only problem is, Cutler has no one to throw to. Devin Hester is a tremendous punt/kick returner, but as a reciever he is decent at best. Cutlers only offensive passing weapon may be Greg Olsen. The former Hurricane has established himself as one of the top five recieving tight ends in all of football. Matt Forte will also look to build on the success he had during his rookie season last year. Forte is a running back who can also catch passes out of the backfield as well. The defense has a reputation for being dominant in recent years, however they are not the same defense they once were. But hey, any defense led by Brian Urlacher can't be in too bad of shape.
The only good thing about going 0-16 is that, well, it can't get any worse. The Lions hired Titans defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and drafted former Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford first overall. With Schwartz announcing Stafford as the starter, we're about to see what this kid is all about sooner rather thaan later. Calvin Johnson will be a nice big target for Stafford to throw to, that is if he gets any time behind an awful offensive line. The running game is nearly non-existent for the Lions, (Detroit fans are keeping their fingers crossed for a Barry Sanders comeback) and that is not exactly a good thing when you have a rookie quarterback. The defense gave up an average up 32.3 PPG last season, and I wouldn't expect a dramatic change. I can hear Roger Goodell now..(And with the first pick in the 2010 NFL draft, the Detroit Lions select...)
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons 11-5
Carolina Panthers 11-5
New Orleans Saints 9-7
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 3-13
The Falcons are absolutely stacked on the offensive side of the football. The addittion of Tony Gonzalez in the off-season was huge. Add him with Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, and Roddy White, and you will have no problem scoring points. Head coach Mike Smith guided the Falcons to a very impressive 2008 season, and was named 2008 NFL Coach of the year. Smith, Ryan and the rest of the Falcons should be one of the top dogs in the NFC this year, even with a defense that may not exactly be stellar. Expectations are high for this 2009 Atlanta Falcons team.
The Panthers won the division in 2008 and should be in contention again, but will fall just short. Quarterback Jake Delhomme hopefully can rebound from one of the worst postseason performances by a QB in NFL history that left the Panthers with a bad taste in their mouth following last season. DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart together in the backfield form a two headed beast that is a nightmare for opposing defensive coordinators. Steve Smith is still one of the quickest receivers in the NFL and is a threat to break free for a score whenever he touches the ball. Jon Beason is an animal at the linebacker position for Carolina. Julius Peppers is still a threat to rush the passer on every down. Very talented players on both sides of the ball should lead to a successful season.
The Saints are one of the most exciting teams to watch play. Drew Brees leads an offensive powerhouse that is stacked with weapons such as Reggie Bush, Pierre Thomas, Marques Colston, Lance Moore, and Jeremy Shockey. Brees is an established pocket passer who can pick apart defenses with his arm. Bush is a threat not only when lined up in the backfield, but also when lined up as a slot reciever. Pierre Thomas can catch passes out of the backfield and should have a breakout year this year and really make a name for himself. While the offense is perhaps the best in the NFL, the Saints defense is a different story. A defense that is regularly known for having trouble stopping opponents, they made some adjustments in the off-season by hiring defensive guru Greg Williams. New Orleans also drafted CB Malcolm Jenkins from Ohio State in the first round, and he should help shore up the secondary as well. Jonathan Vilma is also a talented linebacker who can make plays for the Saints on defense. Head coach Sean Payton had tremendous success his rookie season by leading the Saints to the NFC championship game, but since then has not been as lucky. The Saints are a dangerous team for anyone to play.
First off, Tampa Bay is a mess. Ok, now that that is off my chest, let me begin. Byron Leftwich left his backup QB role in Pittsburgh to start for Tampa Bay. While Leftwich is strong armed and tough, he lacks accuracy on his throws and tends to make some bad decisions. Tampa Bay did add running back Derrick Ward and tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. during the off-season in an attempt to revamp the offense. They took a step backwards though when they fired offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski, which may be a sign of panic in the Bucs front office. The defense added linebacker Angelo Crowell, but that won't make up for the losses of linebackers Cato June and Derrick Brooks, along with cornerback Philip Buchanon. Rookie head coach Raheem Morris has his hands full and should start focusing on the draft board in April.
NFC West
Arizona Cardinals 10-6
San Francisco 49ers 6-10
Seattle Seahawks 6-10
St. Louis Rams 3-13
The Cardinals have history against them, as seven of the last eight superbowl losers have failed to make the playoffs the following season. They also have the history of the madden curse working against Larry Fitzgerald (Troy Polamalu was already affected by the curse!) Besides both of those stats, I am expecting the Cardinals to win the division as the other three teams are sub par and this is perhaps the least competitive division in the NFL besides the AFC West. Fitzgerald, Boldin and Breaston should all once again have stellar years, as each reciever had over 1,000 yards recieving last season. The run game should get a boost from Ohio State rookie running back Beanie Wells. The defense out did themselves during the postseason last year, and will probably return to their normal mediocre play, which isn't too much of a problem when your offense puts up 25-30 PPG. Head coach Ken Whisenhunt should lead this team to the playoffs again.
The 49ers are unfortunately still the only team who have yet to sign their first round draft pick, Michael Crabtree. Crabtree has said he is willing to sit out the entire 2009-10 season and re-enter the draft again next April. Who knows when that contract situation will play itself out. As for the rest of the team, Frank Gore leads a solid running attack. As the only real offensive weapon, he will be depended upon heavily if the 49ers are going to have any shot this year at winning games. Tight end Vernon Davis has not translated his production from college to the NFL, even with all of the physical tools he posesses. Starting quarterback Shaun Hills most reliable target outside of the aging Isaac Bruce is Josh Morgan. Morgan enters his second season in the NFL, and could become a fantasy sleeper this year. On the defensive side of the ball, the one player that comes to mind is linebacker Patrick Willis. Willis is quickly becoming one of the best linebackers in all of football. Outside of Willis though, there may be no help. Head coach Mike Singletary has been criticized for the way he treats his players, but if he can win games this year, the doubters will be silenced. I don't expect the 49ers to have much success though, sorry Mike Singletary.
The Seattle Seahawks struggled last season, as starting QB Matt Hasselbeck was injured for most of the year and Jim Mora was on his first year on the job. The acquisition of wide reciever T.J. Houshmanzadeh will help the passing game, along with the solid production from tight end John Carlson. The running game was weak last season, and Julius Jones is an average back who will share carries with an aging Edgerrin James. Defensively, you would expect the Seahawks to be solid due to Jim Moras defensive experience. Seattle led the NFC last season with 20 interceptions and only allowed 15 passing touchdowns. If the defense can continue to improve, they should keep Seattle within reach of most games.
Finishing last in the NFC West will once again be the St. Louis Rams. Drafting offensive tackle Jason Smith from Baylor should help some, but the Rams are still in the re-building stage. St. Louis lost Torry Holt to the Jaguars, and QB Marc Bulger isn't getting any younger. Donnie Avery will step up in the passing game and Steven Jackson will bounce back from a rough 2008 campaign. Defensively, the Rams should show signs of life as rookie head coach Steve Spagnuolo was formerly the defensive coordinator of the New York Giants, including the year they stunned the world by beating the pats in Superbowl XLII. This year won't be the year, but I believe Spagnuolo is a bright guy and will ultimately have success as a head coach.
Friday, September 11, 2009
My 2009 NFL Season Predictions
With the kickoff of the 2009 NFL season last night, we got a sneak peek at whats in store this season for two of last years AFC playoff teams. I will go division by division, giving an analysis of each team, trying once again to do the impossible, predict what the 2009 NFL season has in store for us.
AFC East
New England Patriots 13-3
Miami Dolphins 9-7
Buffalo Bills 7-9
New York Jets 6-10
No surprise here. Tom Brady returns and the Pats finish on top of what is at best a mediocre division. Bill Belichick and the Pats look poised for another deep postseason run. The loss of Richard Seymour will hurt, but the Pats won't have to worry about holding teams scoreless with the offensive fireworks they have.
The Dolphins have an aging defense and teams aren't going to be caught off-guard by the wildcat offense anymore as defenses have had a whole off-season to study it. Chad Pennington is someone I have always liked, and Tony Sparano had a very solid first year. For some reason I see this team taking a bit of a dip and returning back to earth following their incredible 2008 campaign.
The addition of T.O. to the Bills will not do much. A shaky offensive line with a young quarterback are not always the best ingredients for scoring points. The Bills also have at best an average defense. A weakened secondary due to the loss of Jabari Greer to the Saints and outside of Marcus Stroud, the Bills are shaky on the defensive line as well. Dick Jauron is definitely on the hot seat this year, and this might be the year he gets the boot from long time owner Ralph Wilson.
The Jets have a first year head coach in Rex Ryan as well as a rookie QB. The combination is not always the best (but if Mike Smith and Matt Ryan made it work last year, who knows). Mark Sanchez will eventually be a very good QB, however it won't be this year. I think the Jets are a year away from being a playoff contender when Rex can truly get his defensive scheme going and Sanchez becomes more comfortable.
AFC North
Pittsburgh Steelers 12-4
Baltimore Ravens 11-5
Cincinatti Bengals 5-11
Cleveland Browns 4-12
Pittsburgh proved in their season opener that they are once again a defensive powerhouse and will create match up problems for any team that faces them. Troy Polamalu being injured may be just another case of the Madden curse, but either way the loss hurts. He is expected to return in 3-6 weeks, but the Steelers run a great system on defense led by genius Dick Lebeau. They will be ok on defense. The Steelers are also well disciplined team behind Mike Tomlin. Big Ben will once again work his magic and do just what he does; win games. He may not have the best stat line, but bottom line is that Ben has 51 wins in his first five seasons, more than any QB in NFL history. Don't expect that trend to end.
Baltimore will finish in a close second, however the loss of defensive coordinator Rex Ryan to the Jets will hurt. No worries though, as the defense will be led by Ray Lewis, Haloti Ngata, Ed Reed and the gang. I believe QB Joe Flacco will avoid having a sophomore slump as he has a strong running game behind Leron McClain, Willis McGahee and Ray Rice. He also has Derrick Mason and Todd Heap to throw too, and while the Ravens aren't known for their offensive fireworks, they get very solid offensive production.
The Bengals get back a healthy Carson Palmer, but the loss of T.J. Houshmanzadeh will hurt. Chad Ochocinco looks to rebound from a sub par 2008 season, and I believe he can. Chris Henry will be a solid replacement as a number two reciever in place of Houshmanzadeh.The Bengals will have to live and die by the pass, as the running game is less than stellar. Rookie linbacker Rey Maualuga will make an impact on defense, but first round draft pick Andre Johnson will be affected by the time he missed in training camp and the pre-season. Marvin Lewis is also on the hot seat this year, and he may be in trouble.
As for Cleveland, where do I begin. Rookie head coach Eric Mangini will be in for a long year. The QB battle between Anderson and Quinn is one that has gone on for long enough. I believe Quinn should be the starter as the Browns need to begin building for the future. Quinn has a chance to be a solid NFL starter, but not with the offensive tiiks he has this year. Braylon Edwards dropped way too many passes last year, sixteen to be exact. That combined with the loss of Kellen Winslow Jr. will not help whichever QB starts. The Browns also have a porous defense. Expect a top five draft pick.
AFC South
Indianapolis Colts 11-5
Tennessee Titans 10-6
Houston Texans 9-7
Jacksonville Jaguars 5-11
Even with the loss of Coach Tony Dungy, don't expect too much of a drop off for Indy. The colts are still led by future hall of famer Peyton Manning. Reggie Wayne will be his number one target this year, and Anthony Gonzalez will transition nicely into the role of a number two reciever. Dallas Clark will also be a viable threat for Manning as he is one of the top Tight Ends in the league. On defense, the Colts have never been dominant. They never needed to be as they were used to putting up 30+ points a game. This year the defense is going to have to step up in order to help Manning win some games. Bob Sanders is one of the premier defensive players in the NFL, yet he is injury prone. If he cannot play in many games, the Colts may struggle a bit this year on defense. Even with that being said, Peyton is an offensive mastermind and will guide this team to the playoffs.
Tennessee proved in the season opener the same thing Pittsburgh did; they can play defense, and play it well. Veteran QB Kerry Collins proved he can still lead an offense down the field, as he passed for nearly 250 yards in the season opener against the Steelers. Chris Johnson is one of the most electrifying backs in the league, and Kenny Britt and Justin Gage proved they can be reliable recievers.
Houston is a sleeper pick by everyone to make the playoffs this year, however they play in perhaps the toughsest division in the NFL. Matt Schaub could become the QB that the Texans envisioned when they traded for him. Andre Johnson is an athletic freak who shouldn't have a problem racking up 80+ catches and 10+ touchdowns. I'm still not convinced the defense is stable enough to be able to hold opposing offenses in tight games. Mario Williams is also a freak of nature. Demeco Ryans is a tackle machine and should have an impressive year also, but the defense as a whole hasn't impressed me in the last few seasons.
AFC West
San Diego Chargers 11-5
Oakland Raiders 6-10
Denver Broncos 5-11
Kansas City Chiefs 4-12
San Diego will run away with the title of AFC West Champion, although it doesn't mean much. Winning the weakest divison in the NFL is nothing to brag about. QB Philip Rivers has made the leap in to the top 10 QBs in the NFL. Darren Sproles is a playmaker on offense, and Vincent Jackson and Antonio Gates are nice targets for Rivers to throw to. However the question remains, can LT bounce back from a "down" year? (Although he still rushed for over 1,000 yards. I think L.T. proves once again he is still the machine he was two years ago, just a little older and maybe not as quick as he once was, yet still very productive. The defense will be very solid behind Merriman. He won't let them slip. Perhaps all the talent on this team will actually account for something in the postseason.
Oakland will do something this year they haven't done since their superbowl season in 2002, win more than five games. Jamarcus Russel showed at the end of last season that he can be a solid starter, and I expect that success to continue. Rookie reciever Heyward Bey was one of the fastest players in the draft, however had issues with actually catching the ball. McFadden should have a breakout year following being injured last year, as he is too good to get stuffed for a loss, even behind a weak offensive live. The defense has been the worst at stopping the run since 2003, but if newly acquired Richard Seymour decided to show up, he will help the defensive line a ton.
After losing their head coach, starting QB, and now rumors of the Broncos trading their star receiver Brandon Marshall, its safe to say the Broncos had one hell of an off-season, but not in a positive way. Orton will struggle as he did in the pre-season, and it especially doesn't help is Marshall continues to be a head case. Moreno from Georgia should have success on the ground, as I like how he fits. Still the defense will struggle as Champ Bailey can't do it all. Expect a top 7 draft pick.
The acquisition on Matt Cassel and head coach Todd Haley should have the Chiefs scoring points at a quick pace, but not this year. The running game is unreliable as Larry Johnson doesn't want to be in KC. Dwayne Bowe is the only real offensive threat after losing Tony Gonzalez. The defense is young, but in time they can improve and eventually become solid. For now though, the Chiefs will be back at the bottom of the barrel.
AFC East
New England Patriots 13-3
Miami Dolphins 9-7
Buffalo Bills 7-9
New York Jets 6-10
No surprise here. Tom Brady returns and the Pats finish on top of what is at best a mediocre division. Bill Belichick and the Pats look poised for another deep postseason run. The loss of Richard Seymour will hurt, but the Pats won't have to worry about holding teams scoreless with the offensive fireworks they have.
The Dolphins have an aging defense and teams aren't going to be caught off-guard by the wildcat offense anymore as defenses have had a whole off-season to study it. Chad Pennington is someone I have always liked, and Tony Sparano had a very solid first year. For some reason I see this team taking a bit of a dip and returning back to earth following their incredible 2008 campaign.
The addition of T.O. to the Bills will not do much. A shaky offensive line with a young quarterback are not always the best ingredients for scoring points. The Bills also have at best an average defense. A weakened secondary due to the loss of Jabari Greer to the Saints and outside of Marcus Stroud, the Bills are shaky on the defensive line as well. Dick Jauron is definitely on the hot seat this year, and this might be the year he gets the boot from long time owner Ralph Wilson.
The Jets have a first year head coach in Rex Ryan as well as a rookie QB. The combination is not always the best (but if Mike Smith and Matt Ryan made it work last year, who knows). Mark Sanchez will eventually be a very good QB, however it won't be this year. I think the Jets are a year away from being a playoff contender when Rex can truly get his defensive scheme going and Sanchez becomes more comfortable.
AFC North
Pittsburgh Steelers 12-4
Baltimore Ravens 11-5
Cincinatti Bengals 5-11
Cleveland Browns 4-12
Pittsburgh proved in their season opener that they are once again a defensive powerhouse and will create match up problems for any team that faces them. Troy Polamalu being injured may be just another case of the Madden curse, but either way the loss hurts. He is expected to return in 3-6 weeks, but the Steelers run a great system on defense led by genius Dick Lebeau. They will be ok on defense. The Steelers are also well disciplined team behind Mike Tomlin. Big Ben will once again work his magic and do just what he does; win games. He may not have the best stat line, but bottom line is that Ben has 51 wins in his first five seasons, more than any QB in NFL history. Don't expect that trend to end.
Baltimore will finish in a close second, however the loss of defensive coordinator Rex Ryan to the Jets will hurt. No worries though, as the defense will be led by Ray Lewis, Haloti Ngata, Ed Reed and the gang. I believe QB Joe Flacco will avoid having a sophomore slump as he has a strong running game behind Leron McClain, Willis McGahee and Ray Rice. He also has Derrick Mason and Todd Heap to throw too, and while the Ravens aren't known for their offensive fireworks, they get very solid offensive production.
The Bengals get back a healthy Carson Palmer, but the loss of T.J. Houshmanzadeh will hurt. Chad Ochocinco looks to rebound from a sub par 2008 season, and I believe he can. Chris Henry will be a solid replacement as a number two reciever in place of Houshmanzadeh.The Bengals will have to live and die by the pass, as the running game is less than stellar. Rookie linbacker Rey Maualuga will make an impact on defense, but first round draft pick Andre Johnson will be affected by the time he missed in training camp and the pre-season. Marvin Lewis is also on the hot seat this year, and he may be in trouble.
As for Cleveland, where do I begin. Rookie head coach Eric Mangini will be in for a long year. The QB battle between Anderson and Quinn is one that has gone on for long enough. I believe Quinn should be the starter as the Browns need to begin building for the future. Quinn has a chance to be a solid NFL starter, but not with the offensive tiiks he has this year. Braylon Edwards dropped way too many passes last year, sixteen to be exact. That combined with the loss of Kellen Winslow Jr. will not help whichever QB starts. The Browns also have a porous defense. Expect a top five draft pick.
AFC South
Indianapolis Colts 11-5
Tennessee Titans 10-6
Houston Texans 9-7
Jacksonville Jaguars 5-11
Even with the loss of Coach Tony Dungy, don't expect too much of a drop off for Indy. The colts are still led by future hall of famer Peyton Manning. Reggie Wayne will be his number one target this year, and Anthony Gonzalez will transition nicely into the role of a number two reciever. Dallas Clark will also be a viable threat for Manning as he is one of the top Tight Ends in the league. On defense, the Colts have never been dominant. They never needed to be as they were used to putting up 30+ points a game. This year the defense is going to have to step up in order to help Manning win some games. Bob Sanders is one of the premier defensive players in the NFL, yet he is injury prone. If he cannot play in many games, the Colts may struggle a bit this year on defense. Even with that being said, Peyton is an offensive mastermind and will guide this team to the playoffs.
Tennessee proved in the season opener the same thing Pittsburgh did; they can play defense, and play it well. Veteran QB Kerry Collins proved he can still lead an offense down the field, as he passed for nearly 250 yards in the season opener against the Steelers. Chris Johnson is one of the most electrifying backs in the league, and Kenny Britt and Justin Gage proved they can be reliable recievers.
Houston is a sleeper pick by everyone to make the playoffs this year, however they play in perhaps the toughsest division in the NFL. Matt Schaub could become the QB that the Texans envisioned when they traded for him. Andre Johnson is an athletic freak who shouldn't have a problem racking up 80+ catches and 10+ touchdowns. I'm still not convinced the defense is stable enough to be able to hold opposing offenses in tight games. Mario Williams is also a freak of nature. Demeco Ryans is a tackle machine and should have an impressive year also, but the defense as a whole hasn't impressed me in the last few seasons.
AFC West
San Diego Chargers 11-5
Oakland Raiders 6-10
Denver Broncos 5-11
Kansas City Chiefs 4-12
San Diego will run away with the title of AFC West Champion, although it doesn't mean much. Winning the weakest divison in the NFL is nothing to brag about. QB Philip Rivers has made the leap in to the top 10 QBs in the NFL. Darren Sproles is a playmaker on offense, and Vincent Jackson and Antonio Gates are nice targets for Rivers to throw to. However the question remains, can LT bounce back from a "down" year? (Although he still rushed for over 1,000 yards. I think L.T. proves once again he is still the machine he was two years ago, just a little older and maybe not as quick as he once was, yet still very productive. The defense will be very solid behind Merriman. He won't let them slip. Perhaps all the talent on this team will actually account for something in the postseason.
Oakland will do something this year they haven't done since their superbowl season in 2002, win more than five games. Jamarcus Russel showed at the end of last season that he can be a solid starter, and I expect that success to continue. Rookie reciever Heyward Bey was one of the fastest players in the draft, however had issues with actually catching the ball. McFadden should have a breakout year following being injured last year, as he is too good to get stuffed for a loss, even behind a weak offensive live. The defense has been the worst at stopping the run since 2003, but if newly acquired Richard Seymour decided to show up, he will help the defensive line a ton.
After losing their head coach, starting QB, and now rumors of the Broncos trading their star receiver Brandon Marshall, its safe to say the Broncos had one hell of an off-season, but not in a positive way. Orton will struggle as he did in the pre-season, and it especially doesn't help is Marshall continues to be a head case. Moreno from Georgia should have success on the ground, as I like how he fits. Still the defense will struggle as Champ Bailey can't do it all. Expect a top 7 draft pick.
The acquisition on Matt Cassel and head coach Todd Haley should have the Chiefs scoring points at a quick pace, but not this year. The running game is unreliable as Larry Johnson doesn't want to be in KC. Dwayne Bowe is the only real offensive threat after losing Tony Gonzalez. The defense is young, but in time they can improve and eventually become solid. For now though, the Chiefs will be back at the bottom of the barrel.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)