1. If you started making a list of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, you would write down a lot of names before you got to Tony Romo, and I think the Cowboys are starting to realize this. I have been saying for a long time that when you have Marion Barber (the scariest man in NFL, in my opinion) in the backfield, and DeMarcus Ware on defense, you build the team around them. The 'Boys are starting to do that. They obviously want to be a running team. They currently lead NFL in rushing. Last night Romo mostly threw safe passes to Jason Witten, who has more catches this season than the next two receivers combined. He threw no touchdowns, but also no picks, and the Cowboys won the game running the ball and playing good defense.
2. If you started making a list of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, you would write a lot more names before you got to Jake Delhomme. He flat out stinks this year. He better be careful or Steve Smith might punch him in the face.
3. Speaking of punches in the face - the Raiders, already the worst franchise in the league, have taken organizational dysfunction to a level never seen in the NFL before. It's dumbfounding. On the field they are pitiful. QB JaMarcus Russell is starting to look like a bust of Ryan Leaf proportions. On Sunday he completed 12 passes for a total of 61 yards, ouch. They didn't trust him to throw deep after two picks on passes intended for Darrius Heyward-Bey, better known as the luckiest recipient of first-round money ever. Off the field they are even worse, and that starts at the top. Al Davis is a crazy person. And then of course there is Head Coach Tom Cable. Today is has come out that the police are now investigating the incident in which Cable...broke an assistant coach's jaw! This incident was first made public back in August, but today we learned that the police and lawyers are involved. One lawyer said it is a textbook case of felony assault. Great leadership, from the top down, yields great franchises. As Colin Cowherd said on ESPN radio today, you need a great owner, GM, Head Coach, and quarterback. The Raiders are a mess at at least three of those positions.
4. Speaking of bad leadership...How about those Cleveland Browns? Head Coach Eric Mangini has not yet named a starter at quarterback for this weekend's game. On Sunday he benched Brady Quinn at halftime and in the second half Derek Anderson came in and promptly threw three interceptions. One of the oldest mantras in professional football is the team needs to know who the QB is going to be, so they have a direction and can prepare properly. At some point it is better to just name someone the starter than have no one.
5. Apparently Diana Taurasi is going to be named the WNBA MVP. Until today I thought she was still a UCONN Husky.
6. The MLB playoffs this year are going to be exciting. Eight teams make the playoffs and this year it is likely that six of those spots could be filled by teams that have recently won a World Series (NY Yankees, Boston, Detroit, LA Angels, Philadelphia, St. Louis), and it's possible that another recent World Series participant (Colorado) could make it as well. In other words, this year playoffs are going to be stocked with teams that know how to win.
7. If you started making a list of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, you wouldn't write down too many names before you wrote Brett Favre. He has still got it. He is the quintessential risk/reward QB. Every so often he has one of those 76-yard 4-int. games, but more often he does what he did Sunday, which in case you didn't see, was complete a touchdown pass at the back of the endzone with 2 seconds left to win the game. Now, as far as the play, I give the receiver a little more credit because his catch was incredible. But, Favre gets more credit for knowing what to do in that situation. In the post game press conference he said he knew he had to rifle the ball into the endzone to give his receiver the best chance to catch it. He said if he had lofted the ball, like most QB's would do there, it would give the defenders a chance to get to the ball, because they were in a zone, just playing to spots. He also said he knew he was going to be hit, and yet he stood there, took the hit, threw a bullet, and give his receiver the best chance to catch the ball. That's why the talking heads say Favre is worth four wins a year. There are times when Favre, and only Favre, can win you the game.
8. New York football fans, of which I am one, are really obnoxious. Are the Giants and Jets good? Yes. Are the Giants going to start the season 5-0? Most likely considering the cupcakes they have coming up on their schedule. Are the Jets for real? Yes. Are they going to meet in the Super Bowl? That is an absolute meta-physical certainty...if you ask a typical Giants or Jets fan. This type of hysteria happens every time a New York team has success. Both teams start 3-0 and the crazies go around the corner. It makes it hard to say out loud that I'm a Giants fan. I think tomorrow I'll go buy a Texans hat so I can get pity instead of scorn.
9. Rex Ryan don't play. He just suspended a piss ant receiver for tweeting about playing time. Damn.
10. Junior Seau hosted a bull riding event and got run over by a bull. The bull made Junior...wait for it...say ow...get it? Seau, Say Ow?
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
A Letter To Jim Zorn
Dear Mr. Jim Zorn,
I'm sure you've received quite a few of these requesting your resignation in the past 24 hours. I assure you that is not why I am writing this, though I wouldn't blame you if you chose to find a different line of work. You see, I'm not a Redskins fan, so your loss to Detroit, while comical, means about as much to me as a Kanye West blog apology. Instead, I offer advice. As you know, Jimmy, you kind of shit the bed yesterday against one of the worst sports teams known to man. But it's not your fault. Well, most of it is, but it's not ALL your fault.
For starters, you need a quarterback, Jimbo. As a man who has been forced to watch Redskins games because of their local affinity, I can tell you I'd rather have Tisha Campbell as my QB than Jason Campbell. But hey, YOU didn't draft this bum, Jim, and you tried like hell to replace him this offseason. You clearly saw a problem here and I will applaud you for your foreshadowing. I mean, Campbell was taken a pick behind Aaron Rodgers in '05, and he's only one of the 5 or 6 best QBs in the league midway into his second season as a starter. That's neither here nor there though, Jimmy. The important thing it's early and you can still try to make a change, and I have a name that's going to blow your mind. You sitting down, Jimmy, because I'm spit-balling on this one?
Vince Young.
Calm down, Jimmy. I know he's not exactly the second coming of Johnny Unitas, but Vince is a winner, and behind that pile of shit you call an offensive line, he has the mobility to do something other than try to force a pass with a linebacker's helmet lodged in his solar plexus. What's up with your O-Line anyway, Jim? Chris Samuels is a former Top 3 pick. He's a Pro Bowler. Casey Rabach and Derrick Dockery were solid once, too. Randy Thomas? I know he's hurt and it's not good to pour salt in the wound, but you lucked out there, buddy. Thomas....well, to be blunt, he sucks, Jimmy. The right side has been a mess and certainly locking eyes with your old buddy, Jon Jansen, in a Lions uniform all day while Detroit was abusing you like Mackensie Phillips' father must have been awkward, but hey, Jansen's been sewn together more than an old laundry bag. You did the right thing there. I mean, somebody had to go so you could pay DeAngelo Hall all that money, right?
Now, back to Vince. He was the 3rd QB last week for Tennessee, Jimmy! I know that's not a ringing endorsement, but the kid can play. He's certainly been to the playoffs more times than you have since you touched down in the nation's capital. Yeah, he's a little bit nutty and you might want to keep him away from any stray Zanex and sharp objects lying around your office, but really what else do you have, man? Have you looked at next year's free agent QB class? I think your boy Campbell is the best of the bunch, and we both know that's not saying much. Kyle Orton? Charlie Batch? Tarvaris Jackson? This group has less promise than Channing Tatum's acting career. I know, I know, Jim, what about the great QB class coming out this year? What about them? Sam Bradford has half a throwing shoulder. Tim Tebow is more Mike Alstott than Mike Vick. Snead and McCoy? They could be good, but do you really want to pay all that money for something that isn't a sure thing? I guess it won't matter to you since you'll probably be coaching UVA at the time, and if that does happen for you, be sure to bump into my buddy Gabe while you're in Charlottesville. You guys can sit and chat at Wild Wings Cafe and he can tell you all about the time I ran circles around him at the Boom Roasted Sports Pentathlon. I'm quite the athlete, Jimmy, but don't worry, I have about as much interest in playing for your football team as I do in watching one of Tyler Perry's racially-stereotypical, made-for-BET movies.
Vince Young, though, I'm sure he'd be thrilled to play for you. He can reunite with Albert Haynesworth. You can introduce him to Obama. Fun times, Jimmy, fun times, and at this point, the Titans would probably give him to you for 10 cents on the dollar just to shed that contract of his. The contract's steep, Jimmy, just thought I'd warn you, but compared to what your boss has been paying for guys the last few years, it's actually a steal.
So that's something to consider as you try to drown out all the witty headlines and dim-witted bloggers chastising you for the Detroit loss. Look, that team wasn't going 0-16 again, Jimmy, it had to happen to someone, and it happened to you, and that's going to haunt you for a while. I mean, you're the head coach, the QB coach and the offensive coordinator, and you only managed a combined 23 points against St. Louis and Detroit? Those teams were a combined 2-31 last year, Jim....I mean, excuse my language, but what the fuck? You do realize you have a guy at running back who led the NFC in rushing for the first half of last season, right? I know Clinton Portis isn't your BFF, but he's all you have. So run his ass!
That's really all I have for you, J-Man. You can make the move for Vince Young. Don't sell the farm, a couple picks and maybe Devin Thomas or Malcolm Kelly. You might even want to kick the tires on the Colts' Tony Ugoh. He did protect the blindside for Peyton Manning last year and Peyton did win the MVP. Just sayin'. I hope everything works out for you, Jimbo. Just remember, no matter how bad you do, you can't possibly be the most incompetent man to run things in Washington. Someone has that spot locked up.....and America gave him 8 years.
Signed,
boomroastedsports.com blogger and 18-0 Madden 10 NFL GM, Dave Leonardis.
I'm sure you've received quite a few of these requesting your resignation in the past 24 hours. I assure you that is not why I am writing this, though I wouldn't blame you if you chose to find a different line of work. You see, I'm not a Redskins fan, so your loss to Detroit, while comical, means about as much to me as a Kanye West blog apology. Instead, I offer advice. As you know, Jimmy, you kind of shit the bed yesterday against one of the worst sports teams known to man. But it's not your fault. Well, most of it is, but it's not ALL your fault.
For starters, you need a quarterback, Jimbo. As a man who has been forced to watch Redskins games because of their local affinity, I can tell you I'd rather have Tisha Campbell as my QB than Jason Campbell. But hey, YOU didn't draft this bum, Jim, and you tried like hell to replace him this offseason. You clearly saw a problem here and I will applaud you for your foreshadowing. I mean, Campbell was taken a pick behind Aaron Rodgers in '05, and he's only one of the 5 or 6 best QBs in the league midway into his second season as a starter. That's neither here nor there though, Jimmy. The important thing it's early and you can still try to make a change, and I have a name that's going to blow your mind. You sitting down, Jimmy, because I'm spit-balling on this one?
Vince Young.
Calm down, Jimmy. I know he's not exactly the second coming of Johnny Unitas, but Vince is a winner, and behind that pile of shit you call an offensive line, he has the mobility to do something other than try to force a pass with a linebacker's helmet lodged in his solar plexus. What's up with your O-Line anyway, Jim? Chris Samuels is a former Top 3 pick. He's a Pro Bowler. Casey Rabach and Derrick Dockery were solid once, too. Randy Thomas? I know he's hurt and it's not good to pour salt in the wound, but you lucked out there, buddy. Thomas....well, to be blunt, he sucks, Jimmy. The right side has been a mess and certainly locking eyes with your old buddy, Jon Jansen, in a Lions uniform all day while Detroit was abusing you like Mackensie Phillips' father must have been awkward, but hey, Jansen's been sewn together more than an old laundry bag. You did the right thing there. I mean, somebody had to go so you could pay DeAngelo Hall all that money, right?
Now, back to Vince. He was the 3rd QB last week for Tennessee, Jimmy! I know that's not a ringing endorsement, but the kid can play. He's certainly been to the playoffs more times than you have since you touched down in the nation's capital. Yeah, he's a little bit nutty and you might want to keep him away from any stray Zanex and sharp objects lying around your office, but really what else do you have, man? Have you looked at next year's free agent QB class? I think your boy Campbell is the best of the bunch, and we both know that's not saying much. Kyle Orton? Charlie Batch? Tarvaris Jackson? This group has less promise than Channing Tatum's acting career. I know, I know, Jim, what about the great QB class coming out this year? What about them? Sam Bradford has half a throwing shoulder. Tim Tebow is more Mike Alstott than Mike Vick. Snead and McCoy? They could be good, but do you really want to pay all that money for something that isn't a sure thing? I guess it won't matter to you since you'll probably be coaching UVA at the time, and if that does happen for you, be sure to bump into my buddy Gabe while you're in Charlottesville. You guys can sit and chat at Wild Wings Cafe and he can tell you all about the time I ran circles around him at the Boom Roasted Sports Pentathlon. I'm quite the athlete, Jimmy, but don't worry, I have about as much interest in playing for your football team as I do in watching one of Tyler Perry's racially-stereotypical, made-for-BET movies.
Vince Young, though, I'm sure he'd be thrilled to play for you. He can reunite with Albert Haynesworth. You can introduce him to Obama. Fun times, Jimmy, fun times, and at this point, the Titans would probably give him to you for 10 cents on the dollar just to shed that contract of his. The contract's steep, Jimmy, just thought I'd warn you, but compared to what your boss has been paying for guys the last few years, it's actually a steal.
So that's something to consider as you try to drown out all the witty headlines and dim-witted bloggers chastising you for the Detroit loss. Look, that team wasn't going 0-16 again, Jimmy, it had to happen to someone, and it happened to you, and that's going to haunt you for a while. I mean, you're the head coach, the QB coach and the offensive coordinator, and you only managed a combined 23 points against St. Louis and Detroit? Those teams were a combined 2-31 last year, Jim....I mean, excuse my language, but what the fuck? You do realize you have a guy at running back who led the NFC in rushing for the first half of last season, right? I know Clinton Portis isn't your BFF, but he's all you have. So run his ass!
That's really all I have for you, J-Man. You can make the move for Vince Young. Don't sell the farm, a couple picks and maybe Devin Thomas or Malcolm Kelly. You might even want to kick the tires on the Colts' Tony Ugoh. He did protect the blindside for Peyton Manning last year and Peyton did win the MVP. Just sayin'. I hope everything works out for you, Jimbo. Just remember, no matter how bad you do, you can't possibly be the most incompetent man to run things in Washington. Someone has that spot locked up.....and America gave him 8 years.
Signed,
boomroastedsports.com blogger and 18-0 Madden 10 NFL GM, Dave Leonardis.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
NFL Picks, Week 3
If my math is correct, Dave and I both went 10-6 last week against the spread. That puts our season totals at 22-10 for him and 19-13 for myself.
So let's get going with this week's picks. Again, these are against the spread and we are using the lines from the Las Vegas Hilton.
Here we go:
Cleveland (+13.5) at Baltimore
Gabe: Baltimore - This looks like a huge number. But the Browns flat-out stink and got rolled by Denver last week. Baltimore defense is great. I think they flirt with the goose-egg as Flacco and co. on offense score at least 4 TD's.
Dave: Baltimore - Playing anyone else, I would actually say not starting Jamal Lewis would be a good thing for the Browns, but not against the Ravens.
New York Giants (-6.5) at Tampa Bay
Gabe: New York - Last week Tampa lost by 13 to the Bills. The Giants have a better defense than Buffalo, even without Justin Tuck if he doesn't play. The Bills Fred Jackson ran all over the Bucs last week and I think the Giants running game will have a break-out game today. I'll take the Giants to win by more than a touchdown.
Dave: Giants - The Bucs are every bit as bad as we thought they were going to be(Is that the reverse Denny Green rant?) and Cadillac Williams is....stop me if you've heard this one....banged up. Plus, even without Tuck in the lineup, this Giants' pass rush against Leftwich and his 14-minute delivery spells trouble.
Green Bay (-6.5) at St. Louis
Gabe: Green Bay - Green Bay is going to come into this game angry after last week against the Bengals. St. Louis lost by two on the road in Washington last week, which in to them counts as a road win. Steven Jackson is the Rams' only weapon on offense. Defensive lineman, and fellow C-Villain, Chris Long might present some problems for Green Bay, but, after Antwan Odom's five sacks last week, I think they will be inspired to play better on the O-line. I'll take the Packers by at least 9.
Dave: Green Bay - Like last week, I flirted with going against my boys against a clearly inferior team but my homer bias won out. Look, the Rams are cosmically bad. They've managed one touchdown in 2 games, and while I'm sure they'll improve their sack total(one sack so far) by at least 300% against Green Bay's turnstile O-line, the Packers know they can't afford to lose two straight games they should have won and head into Minnesota against The Rotting Corpse, down 1-2.
Kansas City (+7) at Philadelphia
Gabe: Philadelphia - Kevin Kolb played pretty well last week, aside from turnovers. Michael Vick coming back is going to inject some life in this team, and their fans, and that will be the key. This is the toughest place in the league to play as a visitor. Matt Cassell is just not ready to lead his team into that kind of environment. Philly by 10.
Dave: Philadelphia - How are the Eagles only favored by a touchdown at home against a Chiefs team that's one of the two or three worst in the NFL? Granted, I don't think Kevin Kolb is a good QB. I think last week's 300 yard performance came from the fact that a. they were playing from behind from the get-go and b. they were playing a Saints D that could give up 400 yards through the air to the Def Leppard drummer. That being said, even no McNabb and a limited Westbrook won't stop the Eagles from winning by 10. Also, as a side bet, I'm putting the over/under on Vick plays at 20 and I'm putting the over/under on the announce team on going Gus Johnson on every 4 yard Vick scamper at 15.
Atlanta (+5.5) at New England
Gabe: Atlanta - New England's defense is getting old and slow. They will not be able to keep up with Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, and Roddy White. New England has shown that their offense can be harassed into making mistakes. I think Atlanta does that and keeps it close. I think this game will be decided by a field goal, one way or the other.
Dave: New England - Perhaps I'm just not ready to buy the Falcons or just not ready to give up on the Patriots, or probably both, but I don't think Tom Brady lets his team get embarrassed at home after two straight terrible performances. Yes, the Pats O-Line isn't getting Mr. Bundchen any protection, but it's like he's facing the Steel Curtain. The Pats D is pretty bad so this could be a shootout and in a shootout, even with half a knee, I like Brady and company.
San Francisco (+6.5) at Minnesota
Gabe: San Francisco - I will say it again; I believe in Mike Singletary and the SF defense. Minnesota's defense is also one of the best in the NFL. The difference will be AP, but I think it will be close. Minnesota will win, but by less than a TD.
Dave: San Francisco - This is what I've been waiting for: Brett Favre's Rotting Corpse against a real defense, after he snacked on Cleveland and Detroit so far and looked marginal at best. The Niners are for real, and while Frank Gore won't have the game he had last week, the Niners proved in the Cardinals game that they can still win when the O sputters. AP's banged up, Favre is nursing a broken nail on his throwing hand(which I'm pretty sure is just one of those "We'll manufacture some random injury to maintain the Brett Favre Tough Guy Mystique when he decides to play through the pain......ala last year and his torn biceps), plus Percy Harvin might be a scratch.
Jacksonville (+3.5) at Houston
Gabe: Jacksonville - If you read my piece at sportstalkbuzz.com (Boom...Cross-promoted!) you'd already know that this game is a match-up of each team's offense strength versus the other team's defensive weakness. I think the game will be high scoring, and close. Houston will win, but by only a field goal.
Dave: Houston - 3.5 is being a bit generous for a Texans team that dropped 34 on the Titans last week and now face a Jaguars team that has its sights set on drafting Tim Tebow next year and have, thus, quit on Jack Del Rio. Plus, Houston gets Kevin Walter back possibly this week and made perhaps the sneakiest good signing of the season by bringing in former Chief and Tom Brady season-ender Bernard Pollard. Texans by a TD.
Washington (-6) at Detroit
Gabe: Detroit - I am not jumping on the bandwagon and saying that Washington will lose, but I think 6 points would be too big of a line for the Skins if they were playing Michigan St., much less an NFL team. The Redskins play up or down to their competition, so I think they will win, but it will be close.
Dave: Washington - All the Detroit love changed my mind on this. Look, guys, this is still the Lions. Sure, they've looked like lovable losers in putting up a fight against N.O. and Minny the last two weeks, but they still lost those games...by a lot. Yes, Washington sucks. Yes, Portis is hurt. Yes, 6 points is a lot for a Redskins team that only scored 9 on the Rams, but remember the last time the Redskins showed life against a team, it was against these Detroit Lions and guess what? The Lions haven't won a game since then.
Tennessee (+2) at New York Jets
Gabe: New York - The Jets defense is the truth. The Titan's running game is for real. Mark Sanchez is playing well and Jericho Cotchery and Chansi Stuckey look great. Both teams can put up a lot of points. The difference will be the Jets D harassing Kerry Collins. If they could disrupt Tom Brady, imagine what they will do to Old man Collins. I think this is going to be a great hard fought game. I'll take the Jets to win by a field goal and cover.
Dave: Tennessee - My new strategy is pick the Titans until they make me look smart. Granted, it paid off in Week 1, but only because they lost by less than 6. Last week, they screwed me by forgetting to play defense against Houston. I can't see Jeff Fisher letting his boys go down 0-3 even against the Jets. Jets franchise Mark Sanchez is hurt and I want to believe the Titans D is better than they played last week and will provide some pressure on a rookie QB who has to have a bad game sometime this season. Titans by a field goal.
New Orleans (-6) at Buffalo
Gabe: New Orleans - The Saints have put up 93 points in two games. If they keep up that kind of production this week then Buffalo would have to score over 40 points to beat the spread...that ain't happenin'.
Dave: New Orleans - It's hard to get a gauge on these Bills. They outperformed a Pats team that probably isn't as good as we think for 58 minutes before coughing up the lead and then they dismantled a Bucs team that's just plain terrible. So are the Bills a good team that just didn't take care of business in Week 1? Or just a team feasting on cupcakes? One thing we do know, Drew Brees, he's pretty good and while a shootout(which this will inevitably become) makes 6 points risky, I'll take the Saints by a touchdown.
Chicago (-2.5) at Seattle
Gabe: Chicago - The Seahawks are beat up. Even if Matt Hasselbeck plays he will be hampered. Chicago's defense is also battered, but I think they can do enough to stop the Seahawks offense. Chicago wins by at least 3.
Dave: Chicago - For a preview of this game twice as long as the one Gabe wrote about Texans-Jags, check MY blog out at sportstalkbuzz.com. Assuming you do the smart thing and go read it, I'll keep this short for you: Jay Cutler facing a defense missing its top 3 corners. Oh, and Seneca Wallace is starting for Seattle. Bears by 14.
Pittsburgh (-3.5) at Cincinnati
Gabe: Cincinnati - Pittsburgh's defense has not been the same without Troy Polamalu. Carson Palmer and the rest of the Cincy offense have been playing great. Chad OchoCinco is once again playing like an elite WR. I think the Cincy passing game will carve up the Pittsburgh defense and get the straight up win in my...Boom!...upset special!
Dave: Cincinatti - I'm still digesting the crow from writing off Cincy last week(though I am enjoying the sweet taste of picking the Steelers to fall to Chicago last week) and while I don't see Antwan Odom notching 5 sacks or Cedric Benson having another career day, the Steelers' O is putrid and this defense clearly misses Troy Polamalu. Bengals win it outright, by 6.
Denver (-2) at Oakland
Gabe: Oakland - I can't describe how little I care about this game. Two below average AFC West teams? Yuck. I'll take the Raiders because they are at home.
Dave: Denver - Like the Bills, I can't get a read on these Broncos. Brandon Stokley, Week 1's hero, is hurt which will open up things, hopefully, for Brandon Marshall. Knowshon Moreno is also banged up but Correll Buckhalter is a nice backup. Plus, I said this last week, I'll keep saying it: I'm not co-signing JaMarcus Russell. Not now. Not ever.
Miami (+4.5) at San Diego
Gabe: San Diego - Ladanian Tomlinson is out. Darren Sproles is a capable back-up, but that will only last so long. I think San Diego's defense will get after the Miami offense. I also think the cross-country travel will be a factor.
Dave: San Diego - I want to believe Miami is a better team than the one that shit the bed against Indy on Monday night, but I can't. Chargers by 10.
Indianapolis (+3) at Arizona
Gabe: Arizona - Indianapolis has been winning by the skin of their teeth. They were absolutely dominated in every way last week, except on the scoreboard thanks to Peyton Manning TD passes on his first and last play of the game. They can only survive like that for so long and I think Arizona's potent offense will put up big points and Indy won't be able to hang.
Dave: Indianapolis - Bill Simmons made a good point in one of his podcasts this week when he asked when was the last time Peyton Manning disappointed in a night game. The last time I could think of was a few years back on a Sunday nighter against San Diego and that feels like ages ago. If you're giving me Peyton and a field goal, I'm taking those odds.
Carolina (+7.5) at Dallas
Gabe: Carolina - This line is simply too big. Both of these teams are trying to get things on track. Carolina got their passing game together last week. Dallas would be a great team if they could eliminate some of the distractions. I think they got the novelty of the stadium out of their system and now they can play ball. I think Dallas wins, but it will be a lot closer than 7.
Dave: Carolina - I was going to write a piece on how overrated Tony Romo is but Tony Dorsett beat me to the punch. Yes, Carolina has screwed the pooch twice this season and yes, the Cowboys are at home, but they'll be without Marion Barber and I don't think Romo is the kind of guy who lets Dorsett's barbs not get to him. I like Dallas as well, but by only a field goal.
So let's get going with this week's picks. Again, these are against the spread and we are using the lines from the Las Vegas Hilton.
Here we go:
Cleveland (+13.5) at Baltimore
Gabe: Baltimore - This looks like a huge number. But the Browns flat-out stink and got rolled by Denver last week. Baltimore defense is great. I think they flirt with the goose-egg as Flacco and co. on offense score at least 4 TD's.
Dave: Baltimore - Playing anyone else, I would actually say not starting Jamal Lewis would be a good thing for the Browns, but not against the Ravens.
New York Giants (-6.5) at Tampa Bay
Gabe: New York - Last week Tampa lost by 13 to the Bills. The Giants have a better defense than Buffalo, even without Justin Tuck if he doesn't play. The Bills Fred Jackson ran all over the Bucs last week and I think the Giants running game will have a break-out game today. I'll take the Giants to win by more than a touchdown.
Dave: Giants - The Bucs are every bit as bad as we thought they were going to be(Is that the reverse Denny Green rant?) and Cadillac Williams is....stop me if you've heard this one....banged up. Plus, even without Tuck in the lineup, this Giants' pass rush against Leftwich and his 14-minute delivery spells trouble.
Green Bay (-6.5) at St. Louis
Gabe: Green Bay - Green Bay is going to come into this game angry after last week against the Bengals. St. Louis lost by two on the road in Washington last week, which in to them counts as a road win. Steven Jackson is the Rams' only weapon on offense. Defensive lineman, and fellow C-Villain, Chris Long might present some problems for Green Bay, but, after Antwan Odom's five sacks last week, I think they will be inspired to play better on the O-line. I'll take the Packers by at least 9.
Dave: Green Bay - Like last week, I flirted with going against my boys against a clearly inferior team but my homer bias won out. Look, the Rams are cosmically bad. They've managed one touchdown in 2 games, and while I'm sure they'll improve their sack total(one sack so far) by at least 300% against Green Bay's turnstile O-line, the Packers know they can't afford to lose two straight games they should have won and head into Minnesota against The Rotting Corpse, down 1-2.
Kansas City (+7) at Philadelphia
Gabe: Philadelphia - Kevin Kolb played pretty well last week, aside from turnovers. Michael Vick coming back is going to inject some life in this team, and their fans, and that will be the key. This is the toughest place in the league to play as a visitor. Matt Cassell is just not ready to lead his team into that kind of environment. Philly by 10.
Dave: Philadelphia - How are the Eagles only favored by a touchdown at home against a Chiefs team that's one of the two or three worst in the NFL? Granted, I don't think Kevin Kolb is a good QB. I think last week's 300 yard performance came from the fact that a. they were playing from behind from the get-go and b. they were playing a Saints D that could give up 400 yards through the air to the Def Leppard drummer. That being said, even no McNabb and a limited Westbrook won't stop the Eagles from winning by 10. Also, as a side bet, I'm putting the over/under on Vick plays at 20 and I'm putting the over/under on the announce team on going Gus Johnson on every 4 yard Vick scamper at 15.
Atlanta (+5.5) at New England
Gabe: Atlanta - New England's defense is getting old and slow. They will not be able to keep up with Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, and Roddy White. New England has shown that their offense can be harassed into making mistakes. I think Atlanta does that and keeps it close. I think this game will be decided by a field goal, one way or the other.
Dave: New England - Perhaps I'm just not ready to buy the Falcons or just not ready to give up on the Patriots, or probably both, but I don't think Tom Brady lets his team get embarrassed at home after two straight terrible performances. Yes, the Pats O-Line isn't getting Mr. Bundchen any protection, but it's like he's facing the Steel Curtain. The Pats D is pretty bad so this could be a shootout and in a shootout, even with half a knee, I like Brady and company.
San Francisco (+6.5) at Minnesota
Gabe: San Francisco - I will say it again; I believe in Mike Singletary and the SF defense. Minnesota's defense is also one of the best in the NFL. The difference will be AP, but I think it will be close. Minnesota will win, but by less than a TD.
Dave: San Francisco - This is what I've been waiting for: Brett Favre's Rotting Corpse against a real defense, after he snacked on Cleveland and Detroit so far and looked marginal at best. The Niners are for real, and while Frank Gore won't have the game he had last week, the Niners proved in the Cardinals game that they can still win when the O sputters. AP's banged up, Favre is nursing a broken nail on his throwing hand(which I'm pretty sure is just one of those "We'll manufacture some random injury to maintain the Brett Favre Tough Guy Mystique when he decides to play through the pain......ala last year and his torn biceps), plus Percy Harvin might be a scratch.
Jacksonville (+3.5) at Houston
Gabe: Jacksonville - If you read my piece at sportstalkbuzz.com (Boom...Cross-promoted!) you'd already know that this game is a match-up of each team's offense strength versus the other team's defensive weakness. I think the game will be high scoring, and close. Houston will win, but by only a field goal.
Dave: Houston - 3.5 is being a bit generous for a Texans team that dropped 34 on the Titans last week and now face a Jaguars team that has its sights set on drafting Tim Tebow next year and have, thus, quit on Jack Del Rio. Plus, Houston gets Kevin Walter back possibly this week and made perhaps the sneakiest good signing of the season by bringing in former Chief and Tom Brady season-ender Bernard Pollard. Texans by a TD.
Washington (-6) at Detroit
Gabe: Detroit - I am not jumping on the bandwagon and saying that Washington will lose, but I think 6 points would be too big of a line for the Skins if they were playing Michigan St., much less an NFL team. The Redskins play up or down to their competition, so I think they will win, but it will be close.
Dave: Washington - All the Detroit love changed my mind on this. Look, guys, this is still the Lions. Sure, they've looked like lovable losers in putting up a fight against N.O. and Minny the last two weeks, but they still lost those games...by a lot. Yes, Washington sucks. Yes, Portis is hurt. Yes, 6 points is a lot for a Redskins team that only scored 9 on the Rams, but remember the last time the Redskins showed life against a team, it was against these Detroit Lions and guess what? The Lions haven't won a game since then.
Tennessee (+2) at New York Jets
Gabe: New York - The Jets defense is the truth. The Titan's running game is for real. Mark Sanchez is playing well and Jericho Cotchery and Chansi Stuckey look great. Both teams can put up a lot of points. The difference will be the Jets D harassing Kerry Collins. If they could disrupt Tom Brady, imagine what they will do to Old man Collins. I think this is going to be a great hard fought game. I'll take the Jets to win by a field goal and cover.
Dave: Tennessee - My new strategy is pick the Titans until they make me look smart. Granted, it paid off in Week 1, but only because they lost by less than 6. Last week, they screwed me by forgetting to play defense against Houston. I can't see Jeff Fisher letting his boys go down 0-3 even against the Jets. Jets franchise Mark Sanchez is hurt and I want to believe the Titans D is better than they played last week and will provide some pressure on a rookie QB who has to have a bad game sometime this season. Titans by a field goal.
New Orleans (-6) at Buffalo
Gabe: New Orleans - The Saints have put up 93 points in two games. If they keep up that kind of production this week then Buffalo would have to score over 40 points to beat the spread...that ain't happenin'.
Dave: New Orleans - It's hard to get a gauge on these Bills. They outperformed a Pats team that probably isn't as good as we think for 58 minutes before coughing up the lead and then they dismantled a Bucs team that's just plain terrible. So are the Bills a good team that just didn't take care of business in Week 1? Or just a team feasting on cupcakes? One thing we do know, Drew Brees, he's pretty good and while a shootout(which this will inevitably become) makes 6 points risky, I'll take the Saints by a touchdown.
Chicago (-2.5) at Seattle
Gabe: Chicago - The Seahawks are beat up. Even if Matt Hasselbeck plays he will be hampered. Chicago's defense is also battered, but I think they can do enough to stop the Seahawks offense. Chicago wins by at least 3.
Dave: Chicago - For a preview of this game twice as long as the one Gabe wrote about Texans-Jags, check MY blog out at sportstalkbuzz.com. Assuming you do the smart thing and go read it, I'll keep this short for you: Jay Cutler facing a defense missing its top 3 corners. Oh, and Seneca Wallace is starting for Seattle. Bears by 14.
Pittsburgh (-3.5) at Cincinnati
Gabe: Cincinnati - Pittsburgh's defense has not been the same without Troy Polamalu. Carson Palmer and the rest of the Cincy offense have been playing great. Chad OchoCinco is once again playing like an elite WR. I think the Cincy passing game will carve up the Pittsburgh defense and get the straight up win in my...Boom!...upset special!
Dave: Cincinatti - I'm still digesting the crow from writing off Cincy last week(though I am enjoying the sweet taste of picking the Steelers to fall to Chicago last week) and while I don't see Antwan Odom notching 5 sacks or Cedric Benson having another career day, the Steelers' O is putrid and this defense clearly misses Troy Polamalu. Bengals win it outright, by 6.
Denver (-2) at Oakland
Gabe: Oakland - I can't describe how little I care about this game. Two below average AFC West teams? Yuck. I'll take the Raiders because they are at home.
Dave: Denver - Like the Bills, I can't get a read on these Broncos. Brandon Stokley, Week 1's hero, is hurt which will open up things, hopefully, for Brandon Marshall. Knowshon Moreno is also banged up but Correll Buckhalter is a nice backup. Plus, I said this last week, I'll keep saying it: I'm not co-signing JaMarcus Russell. Not now. Not ever.
Miami (+4.5) at San Diego
Gabe: San Diego - Ladanian Tomlinson is out. Darren Sproles is a capable back-up, but that will only last so long. I think San Diego's defense will get after the Miami offense. I also think the cross-country travel will be a factor.
Dave: San Diego - I want to believe Miami is a better team than the one that shit the bed against Indy on Monday night, but I can't. Chargers by 10.
Indianapolis (+3) at Arizona
Gabe: Arizona - Indianapolis has been winning by the skin of their teeth. They were absolutely dominated in every way last week, except on the scoreboard thanks to Peyton Manning TD passes on his first and last play of the game. They can only survive like that for so long and I think Arizona's potent offense will put up big points and Indy won't be able to hang.
Dave: Indianapolis - Bill Simmons made a good point in one of his podcasts this week when he asked when was the last time Peyton Manning disappointed in a night game. The last time I could think of was a few years back on a Sunday nighter against San Diego and that feels like ages ago. If you're giving me Peyton and a field goal, I'm taking those odds.
Carolina (+7.5) at Dallas
Gabe: Carolina - This line is simply too big. Both of these teams are trying to get things on track. Carolina got their passing game together last week. Dallas would be a great team if they could eliminate some of the distractions. I think they got the novelty of the stadium out of their system and now they can play ball. I think Dallas wins, but it will be a lot closer than 7.
Dave: Carolina - I was going to write a piece on how overrated Tony Romo is but Tony Dorsett beat me to the punch. Yes, Carolina has screwed the pooch twice this season and yes, the Cowboys are at home, but they'll be without Marion Barber and I don't think Romo is the kind of guy who lets Dorsett's barbs not get to him. I like Dallas as well, but by only a field goal.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Milk Carton All-Star of the Day.....9/24
Milk Carton Week keeps chugging along, albeit amongst some unfortunate setbacks. Today, I decided to do something different. Unlike the normal procedure of selecting a has-been whose career is long over, today we will be dedicating this spot to an active player for the first time in Milk Carton history(unless you count Michael Crabtree, which I don't, because there's still a chance he never plays in the NFL.) So, without further delay, here's today's Milk Carton All-Star:
This man is current Oakland A's third baseman(sort of) Eric Chavez. At the beginning of the new millennium, Chavez was not only one of the best sluggers to man the hot corner, he was one of the most promising young hitters in the game. In 2000, his second full season in the bigs, Chavez hit .277 with 26 homers and 86 RBIs. The year after that, he hit .288 with 32 home runs and 114 RBIs, which was arguably his best season. In fact, from 2000-2006, Chavez had at least had at least 100 RBIs 4 times, and hit at least 20 home runs in each season as well as won the Golden Glove for 6 straight years. So why is he in a feature normally awarded to deadbeats? Well, for all of his greatness, Chavez's weaknesses were pretty evident. For one, he struggled with lefty pitchers the way Paris Hilton struggles with long sentences, and he had more trouble laying off the high fastballs than Kit Keller. He's never hit .300 in a season, never been selected to an All-Star game and his struggles in the postseason were among the many reasons why the A's were unable to capitalize on their Big Three of young pitcher(Tim Hudson, Barry Zito and Mark Mulder) and win a championship. He signed a 6-year, $66 million extension in 2004 and when he hasn't been hurt, the A's have been more adamant on hiding Chavez against southpaws than Lady Gaga is on hiding her penis. In fact, given how frugal the A's have been under GM Billy Beane, it would surprising if they don't bid farewell to Chavy in the coming months, which would be astounding given he's only 30.
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So let's give one last round of applause for the Dave Kingman of third basemen before he fades in October like he does every year.......ERIC CHAVEZ, EVERYBODY!!!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Milk Carton All-Star of the Day.....9/23
The daily Milk Carton concept hit a big of a snag thanks to a bad case of indecision on my part. Originally, I was all set to go with Spergeon Wynn as the follow-up to the Crabtree-Mike Williams tandem, but midway into typing that up, I thought it would be better to go with former Hurricane QB Ken Dorsey(because The U is hot again and because of the potential Tim Tebow comparison), but I was reluctant to have a football theme back-to-back, so that got scrapped. Inevitably, at the 11th hour, I settled on someone on I've been meaning to use in this spot for quite some time now....and here he is:
The man seen here is two-time Slam Dunk champion and hype machine poster child, Harold Miner. Miner's freakish athletic ability made him a standout as early as high school, where his ridiculous hops garnered him the nickname "Baby Jordan"(Mind you, this was the early 90s, long before Jordan would become a 6-time champion, as well as arguably the greatest basketball player to ever live and a well-documented endorsement whore, so I guess we should give him the PR people props for foreshadowing Jordan's success enough that they felt the need to produce Jordan clones). However, like many Jordan wannabes, Miner was nothing more than a stiff with a incredible vertical.
He was drafted 12th overall by the Miami Heat(ahead of notables like the pussy-whipped, emasculated defensive stalwart Doug Christie and choke artist Latrell Sprewell). He averaged double digits in scoring his first two seasons with the Heat, as he tallied around 10 points per game. His most notable achievements, however, would come during the All-Star Break where he dominated the Slam Dunk Contest. He won the title in 1993, before losing to J.R. Rider in 1994. Then, in the most anticipated showdown since Tyson-Givens, Rider and Miner squared off in 1995 for the Slam Dunk crown and Miner emerged victorious. Later that year, he was traded to Cleveland and after one season, the Cavs waived Miner and his career was over by the age of 24.
Perhaps Miner's biggest downfall was the fact that he was born a decade or two too early. In today's era of instant YouTube stars, reality television and round-the-clock sports media hype machines, Miner certainly could have been the second coming of Vince Carter had he been available in this year's draft, dazzling fans with amazing whirlwind dunks in 40-point blowout mop up duty.
That's merely hypothetical and the facts are that Miner was more "Baby Tyus Edney" than "Baby Jordan" in his brief four-year career, of which he finished with a eye-popping 9 points per game.
So let's give it up for Darius Miles' long-lost older brother, Harold Miner!
---DaveTuesday, September 22, 2009
Milk Carton All-Stars of the Day.....9/22
Splitting time between two websites tends to force you to put things on the back burner. One of those things, begrudgingly, has been the Milk Carton All-Star of the Week, which has been MIA for nearly two weeks. That drought ends now, and to make up for the absence of America's favorite weekly(when done right) column, I've declared this week Milk Carton All-Star Week. What does that mean exactly? Well, imaginary person I made up for self-serving purposes, it means every day from now until Friday, we will unveil a new Milk Carton All-Star. Also, since we missed out on last night because of prior business arrangements, we'll be doubling up today. So without further ado, here are the today's Milk Carton All-Stars:
You may be familiar with the idiot to the left. That man is none other than greedy, self-absorbed knucklehead Michael Crabtree. Crabtree, the 10th overall pick in April's NFL Draft and the only draft pick that remains unsigned, is refusing to sign with the team that drafted him, the San Francisco 49ers, until they give him the type of money befitting a Top 5 pick. The Niners, however, are reluctant to give Top 5 money to Crabtree based simply on the fact that HE WASN'T TAKEN IN THE TOP 5!!!! Crabtree's new plan is to sit out the season and re-enter the draft next year where he misguidedly believes he'll be taken where he should've been taken this year and be paid what he feels the Niners should have been offering in the first place. However, the history of college players re-entering the NFL Draft a year later and going higher than the year before despite a very public contract dispute that lead to said player being available once again in the draft is, well, not promising. Want to know the last high-profile college receiver who entered the NFL Draft after a year of inactivity?
You may be familiar with the idiot to the left. That man is none other than greedy, self-absorbed knucklehead Michael Crabtree. Crabtree, the 10th overall pick in April's NFL Draft and the only draft pick that remains unsigned, is refusing to sign with the team that drafted him, the San Francisco 49ers, until they give him the type of money befitting a Top 5 pick. The Niners, however, are reluctant to give Top 5 money to Crabtree based simply on the fact that HE WASN'T TAKEN IN THE TOP 5!!!! Crabtree's new plan is to sit out the season and re-enter the draft next year where he misguidedly believes he'll be taken where he should've been taken this year and be paid what he feels the Niners should have been offering in the first place. However, the history of college players re-entering the NFL Draft a year later and going higher than the year before despite a very public contract dispute that lead to said player being available once again in the draft is, well, not promising. Want to know the last high-profile college receiver who entered the NFL Draft after a year of inactivity?
Then, look to your right.
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That man would be former Lions bust Mike Williams. Like Crabtree, Williams was the 10th overall pick selected by Lions General Moron Matt Millen despite the fact that Millen drafted receivers Roy Williams and Charles Rogers in the first round of the previous two drafts. Like Crabtree, Williams was a stud in a high-profile offense(though in Williams' case, it was at USC, whereas Crabtree starred at Texas Tech). Like Crabtree, Williams faced serious questions about his top-end speed. However, Williams' situation differs from Crabtree's a bit. Williams missed a year of football because he foolishly followed former Ohio St. Buckeye-turned-Ohio-inmate Maurice Clarett as an early-entry in the 2004 NFL Draft after a temporary judge ruling overruled the NFL's long-standing rule of only allowing players three years removed from high school graduation to go pro. Much to the surprise of noone, that ruling was overturned and Williams, like Clarett, was left with no college and now, no future. That didn't stop Millen from blowing his load, Gus Johnson-style, when he saw Williams work out in 2005 when the Keyshawn Johnson clone was draft-eligible.
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Once in Detroit, Williams was hampered by the same gluttony that is currently engulfing Crabtree. Except Williams' vice wasn't millions of dollars as much as it was millions of calories. One of the big knocks on Williams(nicknamed BMW as in Big Mike Williams because he was, well, big at 6'5 240) was his inability to stay in shape. His love for the Wendy's dollar menu is why some teams suggested Williams play tight end in the pros(a suggestion that Williams vehemently refused). That would be the least of Williams' knocks, however. Despite showing a knack for making acrobatic catches at SC, BMW was Roberto Duran when it came to catching passes in the NFL.
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After just 2 seasons in Detroit, the Lions shipped Williams and his brick hands(as well as QB Josh McCown) to Oakland for a 4th round pick. He would last all of 7 months with the Raiders. His final moment in the Silver and Black came when then-QB Daunte Culpepper attempted to convert on fourth down on what would have been the game-winning drive by firing a pass to Williams. Williams, like he would do throughout his entire career, dropped it like it was hot.
After being released by Oakland, Williams reunited with another former SC coordinator in Norm Chow(previously, in Oakland, he hooked up with former SC game planner Lane Kiffin) and signed with the Tennessee Titans. With the Titans, Williams reportedly showed up at 270 lbs or 30 pounds heavier than teammate LenDale White at his tequila-drinking best. Needless to say, Williams didn't last long in Tennessee as he was released a few months later.
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So there's some precedent for you, Mr. Crabtree, though I wouldn't worry about being picked in the Top 10 next year. Not only will you be entering a draft with four potential top 10 QBs in Jevan Snead, Tim Tebow, Sam Bradford and Colt McCoy, but there's also Heisman favorite Jahvid Best. Plus, beyond any physical talents you may possess, teams tend to lean towards signability and, well, you pretty much shot that aspect to shit when you decided to turn your nose at damn near $20 million guaranteed. You see, football fans, as Redskins rookie LB Robert Henson is learning, are blue-collar individuals who love nothing more than enjoying a relaxing weekend of watching grown men slam into each other. So, when a punk kid who has had everything handed to him quibbles over a few million dollars when businesses are closing left and right and American citizens are struggling to find jobs in the worst economic downturn in a century, the American people tend to react to these individuals like Kanye West at the CMT Awards.
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So rather than do what we normally do and offer our Milk Carton All-Star to the fans as a moment of celebration for a career that has long-since been deceased, I want to use this spot to dedicate the dwindling career of Mike Williams to you, Mr. Crabtree, because you will be joining him on the lonely island of irrelevance in the very, very near future.
---Dave
Things I Learned This Weekend, no. 2, 9-22-09
1. The Jets' Darelle Revis might be the best corner in the league. He is a legit shutdown corner that you can leave on an island against the league's best receivers. This week he held Randy Moss to 4 catches and 24 yards. Last week he shutdown the Texans Andre Johnson. That's two of the three best receivers in the league in two weeks. This looks a lot like the first thing I learned last weekend.
2. The New York Jets are for real, and they have Rex Ryan to thank for that. He brought his crazy chaotic defense with him from Baltimore and it is giving trouble to every team they play.
3. The Giants gave the rest of the league the formula to beat a Tom Brady led team when they beat the Pats in the Super Bowl two years ago. Harass him to disrupt his timing. Brady plays with such precision that when it goes right, he looks perfect, but he makes mistakes when things are just a little off.
4. The WNBA gets no respect. The Eastern Conference Finals had to change venues because Sesame Street was in town. The Western Conference Finals had to move because of a Britney Spears concert. Who really cares though? I wouldn't watch the WNBA playoffs if they were being played in my living room.
5. Drinking your own urine doesn't make you a better boxer. See - Juan Manuel Marquez.
6. Robert Henson is a dope. Reaction to his twitter comments about Redskins fans are all over the media, the best being Mike Greenberg's rant this morning on Mike and Mike on ESPN. Henson is an idiot who will probably be working side by side in some office with one of these "dimwits" in the next year or so. Who am I kidding? This dummy wouldn't have an office job.
7. (BRS Homer alert no.1 ) The NY Giants can't score touchdowns in the red zone.
8. (BRS Homer alert no. 2) The Packers offensive line can make even Antwan Odom look like a star.
9. There are too many Pierres making noise in the NFL. That number would be two, Pierre Thomas and the ultra-French sounding Pierre Garcon. There should be a one Pierre limit.
10. UVA football has a bye this weekend...and the bye is favored by a touchdown. (That is one of the oldest jokes in sportswriting history, but it's always funny.)
2. The New York Jets are for real, and they have Rex Ryan to thank for that. He brought his crazy chaotic defense with him from Baltimore and it is giving trouble to every team they play.
3. The Giants gave the rest of the league the formula to beat a Tom Brady led team when they beat the Pats in the Super Bowl two years ago. Harass him to disrupt his timing. Brady plays with such precision that when it goes right, he looks perfect, but he makes mistakes when things are just a little off.
4. The WNBA gets no respect. The Eastern Conference Finals had to change venues because Sesame Street was in town. The Western Conference Finals had to move because of a Britney Spears concert. Who really cares though? I wouldn't watch the WNBA playoffs if they were being played in my living room.
5. Drinking your own urine doesn't make you a better boxer. See - Juan Manuel Marquez.
6. Robert Henson is a dope. Reaction to his twitter comments about Redskins fans are all over the media, the best being Mike Greenberg's rant this morning on Mike and Mike on ESPN. Henson is an idiot who will probably be working side by side in some office with one of these "dimwits" in the next year or so. Who am I kidding? This dummy wouldn't have an office job.
7. (BRS Homer alert no.1 ) The NY Giants can't score touchdowns in the red zone.
8. (BRS Homer alert no. 2) The Packers offensive line can make even Antwan Odom look like a star.
9. There are too many Pierres making noise in the NFL. That number would be two, Pierre Thomas and the ultra-French sounding Pierre Garcon. There should be a one Pierre limit.
10. UVA football has a bye this weekend...and the bye is favored by a touchdown. (That is one of the oldest jokes in sportswriting history, but it's always funny.)
Saturday, September 19, 2009
NFL Picks, Week 2
Gabe is going first this time. We'll be using the lines from the Las Vegas Hilton. Also, remember these picks are against the spread, not straight up. We've gotten some crap this week because of that.
Season record against the spread: Dave: 12-4 Gabe: 9-7 (who for the record hates picking against the spread. I'm no good at it. I went 14-2 in my ESPN straight picks league.)
So here we go for Week 2:
Carolina (+6) at Atlanta:
Gabe: Carolina - Six seems like too many points. Carolina still has a decent defense and a great offense outside of Jake Delhomme. I can't seem Delhomme having three horrible games in a row. I think the Falcons win outright, but the Panthers keep it close.
Dave: Carolina: As much as it pains me to put my money(or in this case, figurative bragging rights) on Jake Delhomme, I have to agree with Gabe, 6 points is pretty steep for an Atlanta squad that's hardly stout on defense. As bad of a disaster as Delhomme was against Philly, coach John Fox is smart enough to know that he can win this game by not relying on Delhomme's Helen Keller-esque accuracy. I expect the Panthers to pound the ball on this soft Falcons defense with a heavy dose of DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, and even Mike Goodson. Panthers win outright, by 7.
St. Louis (+9.5) at Washington:
Gabe: Washington - St. Louis flat out stinks. Anyone who read this blog knows I have never been a fan of Bulger-to-Avery. Stephen Jackson is their only offensive weapon and if you bottle him up then St. Louis can't score. The Skins will be motivated; it's their home opener and they want to bounce back from last week's game, especially Albert Haynesworth.
Dave: Washington: The 'Skins are a much better team than the squad that got bullied by the Giants last week. Granted, the Rams beat Washington last year, but this year's squad might actually be worse than last year's(which is saying something, because last year's team was putrid). Campbell rebounds behind the home crowd and the 'Skins stomp Nellyville by two scores.
Houston (+6.5) at Tennessee:
Gabe: Houston - Houston will be able to move the ball this week. Historically they have gotten big yards against the Titans, and last year they split with them. The only way Houston can win this game is if they score early, get the lead, and front-run. Tennessee is the kind of team that once they get a lead they grind it out and eat up clock. Either way, Houston will either win straight up, or they will get close as Tennessee tries to keep them at arm's length.
Dave: Tennessee: Let's remember that this Titans defense held the defending Super Bowl champs to 13 points and forced them into overtime in a game they would have won if not for a few botched field goals by Rob Bironas. The Texans may very well be as good as their sleeper buzz has warranted, but Tennesee's defense is as good if not better than a Jets defense that held Houston in check last week. Also, and this is at the risk of sounding like a homer, I think Kenny Britt continues his coming out party that he started against Pittsburgh and lights up a thin Texan secondary. Titans by 7.
New Orleans (pk) at Philadelphia:
Gabe: New Orleans - If McNabb were 100%, I would say Philly. I don't think he will play this week, and if he does, he won't be effective. Philly's offense will be sluggish, even against the Saints' soft defense. I think Brees will air it out again - he has too many weapons not to - so I'll take NO to win.
Dave: New Orleans: Four words for ya.....Starting quarterback Kevin Kolb.
New England (-3) at New York Jets:
Gabe: New England - After watching the way the Jets defense played last week I flirted with picking them for the straight up win. But then Kerry Rhodes opened his yap. The last time a defensive back called out Tom Brady (that putz from the Steelers two years ago), Brady threw two touchdowns in the guy's face, and pointed and jawed at him after the second TD. The Pats are not happy with how they played last week and are looking to play better. Now they have extra motivation. I'll take the Pats to beat down their divisional little brother, and win big.
Dave: New England: Again, I agree with Gabe, I think the Jets talked their way out of this one. As bad as New England's defense was last week and as rusty and nervous as Brady looked in his first game back, he's still Tom Brady and their still the Patriots. The spread for this game was as high as 6 earlier in the week and had it stayed there, I might have went with the Jets, but Tom Brady has proven that when you ruffle his feather, he takes you behind the woodshed.
Oakland (+3) at Kansas City:
Gabe: Oakland - This line doesn't make much sense to me. Oakland played very well and could have beaten San Diego last week. I think Oakland will do what they did last week. They will come out and hit KC in the mouth and win a physical game. I'll take Oakland for the straight-up win. Upset special? Maybe.
Dave: Kansas City: I give more credence to a team that fired its offensive coordinator and still kept things competitive against one of the best defenses in the NFL, despite going with two different quarterbacks behind center and neither of which being their franchise quarterback, Matt Cassel. Cassel might play Sunday and Chiefs RB Larry Johnson has a long history of owning the Raiders. I like Richard Seymour to continue his contract-inspired rampage, but I'm not co-signing JaMarcus Russell. Not now. Not ever.
Arizona (+3) at Jacksonville:
Gabe: Jacksonville - The Super Bowl loss hangover is going to continue for the Cards. Jacksonville gave Indy all they could handle last week. Jacksonville's defense steps up again, and they win by more than 3. If this were a late game I would have taken the push, but because it's a 1:00 game, on the East Coast, and Arizona has to travel all the way across the country, I'm taking the Jags.
Dave: Arizona- I know the Cards were bad last week, but 3 point underdogs to a Jacksonville team that looked anemic against an overrated Colts squad? Ridiculous. The offensive line issues for the Jags still aren't fixed and, as bad as the Cardinals played all around last week, they still managed four sacks and held San Francisco to 0.8 yards per carry.....and the Niners' offensive line is better than Jacksonville's. If Boldin and Breaston sit out with injuries, I might regret this pick, but Warner + Fitz + a dab of Beanie Wells is a good enough recipe for success for me.
Cincinnati (+9) at Green Bay:
Gabe: Cincy - This is just too many points. Cincy will want to a win badly after the way they had last week's game stolen from them. I think they will play well. But, the Packers at home are always tough to beat. I think the Packers will win by a touchdown.
Dave: Green Bay: Go ahead with the homer chants. I liked Cincy all week, but when I thought about it more, I just couldn't do it. Keep this in mind, the Bengals only scored 7 points against a bad Broncos defense....AT HOME. Now, they face a very good Packers defense that showed a knack for causing turnovers...IN LAMBEAU. The Packers' offense sputtered a bit last week against a game Bears defense but the Packers have had a week to fix their problems on the right side and Cincy doesn't quite have the speed rushers to take advantage of the inept Allen Barbe like Chicago did last week. Packers flirt with the shutout, win by 10.
Minnesota (-9.5) at Detroit:
Gabe: Minnesota - Detroit still stinks. Minnesota's defense is crazy good. Their offense is silly. Brett Favre won't have to do much, because AP is going to run wild again. Minnesota wins by at least two touchdowns.
Dave: Minnesota: As much as I hate taking the Vikings and Brett Favre's Rotting Corpse, the combination of Adrian Peterson and this defense facing a rookie QB making his 2nd start is too overwhelming to not take the Vikes here. Lions can make this close if they can exploit AP's butterhands and The Gunslinger's knack for throwing to guys in different colored jerseys, but that might be wishful thinking.
Tampa Bay (+4.5) at Buffalo:
Gabe: Buffalo - Buffalo showed us last week that they are for real and were it not for a bone-headed play they would have beaten the Pats. Tampa Bay showed us last week that they can lose big to a below average team. Buffalo's defense will stifle Tampa's O and T.O. will have his first big game as a Bill. Buffalo wins by a touchdown.
Dave: Buffalo: While I think the wheels on the Bills bandwagon are starting to come off after Leodis McKelvin handed the Monday nighter to New England and then T.O. decided to be T.O. and throw everyone under the bus because of his lack of touches, the Bucs are just not a good football team even with Cadillac Williams' return from the dead last week. The Bucs' defense was particularly bad against the pass last week and we all know T.O.'s bitching and moaning means he'll get the ball aplenty this week. Bills get the first of their 6 wins all season right here.
Seattle (+1) at San Francisco:
Gabe: San Francisco - I believe in Mike Singletary. He knows who he can and can't win with. I believe in his defense. Seattle beat up on a really bad team last week. I think the Seahawks will come out flat and I'll take SF to win by a field goal.
Dave: Seattle: Sure, the Niners have a good defense. So do the Seahawks. Lest we forget, Seattle had Week 1's only shutout last week(Yes, I know, it was against the St. Louis School of the Blind, but still, a shutout is a shutout). Here's some fun with numbers(and for more fun with numbers, you can check out my preview of this game on sportstalkbuzz.com.....BAM! Now that's marketing!), the 49ers' offensive line has given up 55 sacks in each of the last two seasons and they gave up four against Arizona last week. They also were only able to gain 0.8 yards per carry even with a healthy Frank Gore. Sure, they won last week, but how many weeks can a team expect to win with absolutely no help on offense. Like I said, the Niners' defense is good, but it's not the 2000 Ravens. I like Seattle by 6.
Pittsburgh (-2.5) at Chicago:
Gabe: Pittsburgh - Chicago QB Jay Cutler played like hell last week against the Packers. The Steelers defense is going to make him look silly. I think Pittsburgh is going to be all over the Bears on defense and will do just enough on offense to win. I think Pittsburgh takes it by three.
Dave: Chicago: Last week against the Packers, Jay Cutler showed everybody why Denver made him expendable by throwing four picks. Lost in the aftermath of Cutler's implosion was the fact that the Bears can provide a pass rush when facing a bad offensive line(or in Green Bay's case, a bad right side of the offensive line) and, lo and behold, they're facing a pretty bad offensive line this week. While Big Ben proved last week he'll always find a way to win, the struggles on offense won't come to an end this week against a sneaky good Bears defense(even without Brian Urlacher). I like the Bears to go with the game plan they should have went with last week which is force-feed the Steelers defense a steady portion of Matt Forte....on the ground....through the air....and wherever else. Also, with All-Pro safety Troy Polamalu out, there will be a serious void in the secondary if or when Cutler decides to go up top to speedy receivers Devin Hester and Johnny Knox. Bears pull off the upset and win outright.
Cleveland (+3.5) at Denver:
Gabe: Denver - Cleveland stinks. Denver got lucky last week. I think the difference here is Denver's offense. I think their receivers will have a field day and make it a long day for Cleveland. Also, I don't believe in Brady Quinn. Denver by 7.
Dave: Denver: The Broncos' offense looked stale against a so-so Bengals team last week. I don't think Josh McDaniels lets them look bad again in front of the home crowd, especially against the Browns. Broncos win big behind solid games by rookie Knowshon Moreno and QB Kyle Orton.
Baltimore (+3) at San Diego:
Gabe: Baltimore - The travel effect doesn't apply here, because it's an East Coast team heading west for a late game. LT is out for the Bolts. Flacco is for real. The Ravens' D is still nasty. Darren Sproles might have a few good games in him, but this won't be one of them. I'll take the Ravens for the straight up win in my...wait for it...whoooo!....Upset Special!!
Dave: Baltimore: Wait a minute....the Chargers are giving three? Without LT? To one of the top defenses in the NFL? After they nearly lost to Oakland on Monday night? No, thanks. As bad as Kansas City made Baltimore look last week by putting up a fight, it's hard to believe this defense won't squash the Chargers and that termite they have at running back, Darren Sproles. Flacco breaks out the whooping stick as Ray Rice(Rutgers alert!) outplays LT's caddy.
New York Giants (+3) at Dallas:
Gabe: N.Y. Giants - Last week the Giants defense played great, and, as predicted by this guy, scored a defensive touchdown. I think the Giants defense will harass Romo and they win a close game. More importantly though, they go to Dallas to open Jerry Jones' $1.5 Billion Ramses III-style shrine to himself. I think the Cowboys punter will be ordered to not kick into the big screen, but Giants punter Jeff Feagles, the greatest punter in NFL history, is going to lock onto that screen and hit it at least 5 times. The more fun bet in this game will be the over/under on how many time Jerry Jones is on camera looking constipated. I'm going to set that number at 7 - one for each time Feagles hits the screen, and two more for his team's play as the Giants front seven dominates them.
Dave: Giants: The Cowboys were soft against the run last week and now face a team that makes its money by running it down your throat. On defense, the Giants are too aggressive and athletic for Dallas' aging offensive line and Romo shows once again he's not ready to wear the big boy pants. In other news, Gabe cements his status as The Biggest Homer Alive by calling Jeff Feagles the greatest punter in NFL history.
Indianapolis (-3) at Miami:
Gabe: Indianapolis - Indy had a rough time with Jacksonville last week, but they always do. I think Miami outplayed their talent last year, and are not as good as they appear. I think Indy goes into Miami with a chip on their shoulder and dismantles the Dolphins. Indy by a touchdown.
Dave: Indianapolis: I really don't like Indy this year. They looked average against Jacksonville last week and now the offense will be without wideout Anthony Gonzalez for the next two months. That being said, Miami has a passing game that can't stretch the D past the line of scrimmage and their gimmicks are more predictable than Carrot Top's comedy act. Colts by 10 in a snoozer.
Note from Gabe: My wife said I need to stop using the term "upset special," even though I do it in a mocking way. I think it's funny. It's going to keep happening.
Note from Dave: Ray Rice is the next Barry Sanders, Kenny Britt is the next Jerry Rice. That was my best attempt at taking the homer crown from Gabe after that Feagles comment, and I still don't think it worked.
Season record against the spread: Dave: 12-4 Gabe: 9-7 (who for the record hates picking against the spread. I'm no good at it. I went 14-2 in my ESPN straight picks league.)
So here we go for Week 2:
Carolina (+6) at Atlanta:
Gabe: Carolina - Six seems like too many points. Carolina still has a decent defense and a great offense outside of Jake Delhomme. I can't seem Delhomme having three horrible games in a row. I think the Falcons win outright, but the Panthers keep it close.
Dave: Carolina: As much as it pains me to put my money(or in this case, figurative bragging rights) on Jake Delhomme, I have to agree with Gabe, 6 points is pretty steep for an Atlanta squad that's hardly stout on defense. As bad of a disaster as Delhomme was against Philly, coach John Fox is smart enough to know that he can win this game by not relying on Delhomme's Helen Keller-esque accuracy. I expect the Panthers to pound the ball on this soft Falcons defense with a heavy dose of DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, and even Mike Goodson. Panthers win outright, by 7.
St. Louis (+9.5) at Washington:
Gabe: Washington - St. Louis flat out stinks. Anyone who read this blog knows I have never been a fan of Bulger-to-Avery. Stephen Jackson is their only offensive weapon and if you bottle him up then St. Louis can't score. The Skins will be motivated; it's their home opener and they want to bounce back from last week's game, especially Albert Haynesworth.
Dave: Washington: The 'Skins are a much better team than the squad that got bullied by the Giants last week. Granted, the Rams beat Washington last year, but this year's squad might actually be worse than last year's(which is saying something, because last year's team was putrid). Campbell rebounds behind the home crowd and the 'Skins stomp Nellyville by two scores.
Houston (+6.5) at Tennessee:
Gabe: Houston - Houston will be able to move the ball this week. Historically they have gotten big yards against the Titans, and last year they split with them. The only way Houston can win this game is if they score early, get the lead, and front-run. Tennessee is the kind of team that once they get a lead they grind it out and eat up clock. Either way, Houston will either win straight up, or they will get close as Tennessee tries to keep them at arm's length.
Dave: Tennessee: Let's remember that this Titans defense held the defending Super Bowl champs to 13 points and forced them into overtime in a game they would have won if not for a few botched field goals by Rob Bironas. The Texans may very well be as good as their sleeper buzz has warranted, but Tennesee's defense is as good if not better than a Jets defense that held Houston in check last week. Also, and this is at the risk of sounding like a homer, I think Kenny Britt continues his coming out party that he started against Pittsburgh and lights up a thin Texan secondary. Titans by 7.
New Orleans (pk) at Philadelphia:
Gabe: New Orleans - If McNabb were 100%, I would say Philly. I don't think he will play this week, and if he does, he won't be effective. Philly's offense will be sluggish, even against the Saints' soft defense. I think Brees will air it out again - he has too many weapons not to - so I'll take NO to win.
Dave: New Orleans: Four words for ya.....Starting quarterback Kevin Kolb.
New England (-3) at New York Jets:
Gabe: New England - After watching the way the Jets defense played last week I flirted with picking them for the straight up win. But then Kerry Rhodes opened his yap. The last time a defensive back called out Tom Brady (that putz from the Steelers two years ago), Brady threw two touchdowns in the guy's face, and pointed and jawed at him after the second TD. The Pats are not happy with how they played last week and are looking to play better. Now they have extra motivation. I'll take the Pats to beat down their divisional little brother, and win big.
Dave: New England: Again, I agree with Gabe, I think the Jets talked their way out of this one. As bad as New England's defense was last week and as rusty and nervous as Brady looked in his first game back, he's still Tom Brady and their still the Patriots. The spread for this game was as high as 6 earlier in the week and had it stayed there, I might have went with the Jets, but Tom Brady has proven that when you ruffle his feather, he takes you behind the woodshed.
Oakland (+3) at Kansas City:
Gabe: Oakland - This line doesn't make much sense to me. Oakland played very well and could have beaten San Diego last week. I think Oakland will do what they did last week. They will come out and hit KC in the mouth and win a physical game. I'll take Oakland for the straight-up win. Upset special? Maybe.
Dave: Kansas City: I give more credence to a team that fired its offensive coordinator and still kept things competitive against one of the best defenses in the NFL, despite going with two different quarterbacks behind center and neither of which being their franchise quarterback, Matt Cassel. Cassel might play Sunday and Chiefs RB Larry Johnson has a long history of owning the Raiders. I like Richard Seymour to continue his contract-inspired rampage, but I'm not co-signing JaMarcus Russell. Not now. Not ever.
Arizona (+3) at Jacksonville:
Gabe: Jacksonville - The Super Bowl loss hangover is going to continue for the Cards. Jacksonville gave Indy all they could handle last week. Jacksonville's defense steps up again, and they win by more than 3. If this were a late game I would have taken the push, but because it's a 1:00 game, on the East Coast, and Arizona has to travel all the way across the country, I'm taking the Jags.
Dave: Arizona- I know the Cards were bad last week, but 3 point underdogs to a Jacksonville team that looked anemic against an overrated Colts squad? Ridiculous. The offensive line issues for the Jags still aren't fixed and, as bad as the Cardinals played all around last week, they still managed four sacks and held San Francisco to 0.8 yards per carry.....and the Niners' offensive line is better than Jacksonville's. If Boldin and Breaston sit out with injuries, I might regret this pick, but Warner + Fitz + a dab of Beanie Wells is a good enough recipe for success for me.
Cincinnati (+9) at Green Bay:
Gabe: Cincy - This is just too many points. Cincy will want to a win badly after the way they had last week's game stolen from them. I think they will play well. But, the Packers at home are always tough to beat. I think the Packers will win by a touchdown.
Dave: Green Bay: Go ahead with the homer chants. I liked Cincy all week, but when I thought about it more, I just couldn't do it. Keep this in mind, the Bengals only scored 7 points against a bad Broncos defense....AT HOME. Now, they face a very good Packers defense that showed a knack for causing turnovers...IN LAMBEAU. The Packers' offense sputtered a bit last week against a game Bears defense but the Packers have had a week to fix their problems on the right side and Cincy doesn't quite have the speed rushers to take advantage of the inept Allen Barbe like Chicago did last week. Packers flirt with the shutout, win by 10.
Minnesota (-9.5) at Detroit:
Gabe: Minnesota - Detroit still stinks. Minnesota's defense is crazy good. Their offense is silly. Brett Favre won't have to do much, because AP is going to run wild again. Minnesota wins by at least two touchdowns.
Dave: Minnesota: As much as I hate taking the Vikings and Brett Favre's Rotting Corpse, the combination of Adrian Peterson and this defense facing a rookie QB making his 2nd start is too overwhelming to not take the Vikes here. Lions can make this close if they can exploit AP's butterhands and The Gunslinger's knack for throwing to guys in different colored jerseys, but that might be wishful thinking.
Tampa Bay (+4.5) at Buffalo:
Gabe: Buffalo - Buffalo showed us last week that they are for real and were it not for a bone-headed play they would have beaten the Pats. Tampa Bay showed us last week that they can lose big to a below average team. Buffalo's defense will stifle Tampa's O and T.O. will have his first big game as a Bill. Buffalo wins by a touchdown.
Dave: Buffalo: While I think the wheels on the Bills bandwagon are starting to come off after Leodis McKelvin handed the Monday nighter to New England and then T.O. decided to be T.O. and throw everyone under the bus because of his lack of touches, the Bucs are just not a good football team even with Cadillac Williams' return from the dead last week. The Bucs' defense was particularly bad against the pass last week and we all know T.O.'s bitching and moaning means he'll get the ball aplenty this week. Bills get the first of their 6 wins all season right here.
Seattle (+1) at San Francisco:
Gabe: San Francisco - I believe in Mike Singletary. He knows who he can and can't win with. I believe in his defense. Seattle beat up on a really bad team last week. I think the Seahawks will come out flat and I'll take SF to win by a field goal.
Dave: Seattle: Sure, the Niners have a good defense. So do the Seahawks. Lest we forget, Seattle had Week 1's only shutout last week(Yes, I know, it was against the St. Louis School of the Blind, but still, a shutout is a shutout). Here's some fun with numbers(and for more fun with numbers, you can check out my preview of this game on sportstalkbuzz.com.....BAM! Now that's marketing!), the 49ers' offensive line has given up 55 sacks in each of the last two seasons and they gave up four against Arizona last week. They also were only able to gain 0.8 yards per carry even with a healthy Frank Gore. Sure, they won last week, but how many weeks can a team expect to win with absolutely no help on offense. Like I said, the Niners' defense is good, but it's not the 2000 Ravens. I like Seattle by 6.
Pittsburgh (-2.5) at Chicago:
Gabe: Pittsburgh - Chicago QB Jay Cutler played like hell last week against the Packers. The Steelers defense is going to make him look silly. I think Pittsburgh is going to be all over the Bears on defense and will do just enough on offense to win. I think Pittsburgh takes it by three.
Dave: Chicago: Last week against the Packers, Jay Cutler showed everybody why Denver made him expendable by throwing four picks. Lost in the aftermath of Cutler's implosion was the fact that the Bears can provide a pass rush when facing a bad offensive line(or in Green Bay's case, a bad right side of the offensive line) and, lo and behold, they're facing a pretty bad offensive line this week. While Big Ben proved last week he'll always find a way to win, the struggles on offense won't come to an end this week against a sneaky good Bears defense(even without Brian Urlacher). I like the Bears to go with the game plan they should have went with last week which is force-feed the Steelers defense a steady portion of Matt Forte....on the ground....through the air....and wherever else. Also, with All-Pro safety Troy Polamalu out, there will be a serious void in the secondary if or when Cutler decides to go up top to speedy receivers Devin Hester and Johnny Knox. Bears pull off the upset and win outright.
Cleveland (+3.5) at Denver:
Gabe: Denver - Cleveland stinks. Denver got lucky last week. I think the difference here is Denver's offense. I think their receivers will have a field day and make it a long day for Cleveland. Also, I don't believe in Brady Quinn. Denver by 7.
Dave: Denver: The Broncos' offense looked stale against a so-so Bengals team last week. I don't think Josh McDaniels lets them look bad again in front of the home crowd, especially against the Browns. Broncos win big behind solid games by rookie Knowshon Moreno and QB Kyle Orton.
Baltimore (+3) at San Diego:
Gabe: Baltimore - The travel effect doesn't apply here, because it's an East Coast team heading west for a late game. LT is out for the Bolts. Flacco is for real. The Ravens' D is still nasty. Darren Sproles might have a few good games in him, but this won't be one of them. I'll take the Ravens for the straight up win in my...wait for it...whoooo!....Upset Special!!
Dave: Baltimore: Wait a minute....the Chargers are giving three? Without LT? To one of the top defenses in the NFL? After they nearly lost to Oakland on Monday night? No, thanks. As bad as Kansas City made Baltimore look last week by putting up a fight, it's hard to believe this defense won't squash the Chargers and that termite they have at running back, Darren Sproles. Flacco breaks out the whooping stick as Ray Rice(Rutgers alert!) outplays LT's caddy.
New York Giants (+3) at Dallas:
Gabe: N.Y. Giants - Last week the Giants defense played great, and, as predicted by this guy, scored a defensive touchdown. I think the Giants defense will harass Romo and they win a close game. More importantly though, they go to Dallas to open Jerry Jones' $1.5 Billion Ramses III-style shrine to himself. I think the Cowboys punter will be ordered to not kick into the big screen, but Giants punter Jeff Feagles, the greatest punter in NFL history, is going to lock onto that screen and hit it at least 5 times. The more fun bet in this game will be the over/under on how many time Jerry Jones is on camera looking constipated. I'm going to set that number at 7 - one for each time Feagles hits the screen, and two more for his team's play as the Giants front seven dominates them.
Dave: Giants: The Cowboys were soft against the run last week and now face a team that makes its money by running it down your throat. On defense, the Giants are too aggressive and athletic for Dallas' aging offensive line and Romo shows once again he's not ready to wear the big boy pants. In other news, Gabe cements his status as The Biggest Homer Alive by calling Jeff Feagles the greatest punter in NFL history.
Indianapolis (-3) at Miami:
Gabe: Indianapolis - Indy had a rough time with Jacksonville last week, but they always do. I think Miami outplayed their talent last year, and are not as good as they appear. I think Indy goes into Miami with a chip on their shoulder and dismantles the Dolphins. Indy by a touchdown.
Dave: Indianapolis: I really don't like Indy this year. They looked average against Jacksonville last week and now the offense will be without wideout Anthony Gonzalez for the next two months. That being said, Miami has a passing game that can't stretch the D past the line of scrimmage and their gimmicks are more predictable than Carrot Top's comedy act. Colts by 10 in a snoozer.
Note from Gabe: My wife said I need to stop using the term "upset special," even though I do it in a mocking way. I think it's funny. It's going to keep happening.
Note from Dave: Ray Rice is the next Barry Sanders, Kenny Britt is the next Jerry Rice. That was my best attempt at taking the homer crown from Gabe after that Feagles comment, and I still don't think it worked.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Things That I, Too, Learned Over The Weekend....
Gabe wasn't the only one to have an epiphanous experience this weekend. Here, too, are what I gathered from this weekend, starting with the NFL's opening week.
* The 2010 NFL Draft will potentially feature four first-round quarterbacks: Oklahoma's Sam Bradford, Texas' Colt McCoy, Florida's Tim Tebow and Ole Miss' Jevan Snead.(I say potentially because Bradford could opt to stay another year to prove his shoulder is right and to not get into a battle for the top pick with McCoy.) The destinations for these four men, after Week 1, seem pretty clear: St. Louis, Carolina, Washington and Jacksonville.
Now, Jacksonville's owner has already come out and admitted it would like to have Tebow because of his iconic status in the state of Florida and how that would translate in their dwindling ticket sales. There is, of course, the larger issue, which is that David Garrard just isn't cutting it. Whether it be the spotty offensive line or lack of weapons around him, Garrard hasn't proven to be the quarterback the team thought he was when it did away with former first rounder Byron Leftwich and gave a long-term deal to Garrard a couple years ago.
The same could be said for Marc Bulger and Jake Delhomme, the incumbent starters for St. Louis and Carolina respectively. Bulger, like Garrard, suffers from a bad offensive line and even shakier supporting cast. Last Sunday's 28-0 drubbing at the hands of the Seahawks, in which Bulger struggled to complete half of his passes, proved that the former Pro Bowler has lost his confidence and is a shell of what he used to be.
As for Delhomme, like I mentioned in the Week 1 Picks blog, Delhomme's collapse in the playoffs last January clearly has embedded itself into the back of his mind much like Albert Pujols' moon shot burned into the cerebellum of former Astros closer Brad Lidge. His 5 turnover performance against Philly assured Panther fans that Delhomme's last days are upon us.
Then, there's Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell. To most diehard Skins fans, Campbell's implosion against the Giants was to be expected. I, for one, thought Campbell would use nearly being replaced twice in the offseason as motivation in a contract year to realize his full potential and start putting everything together. I was wrong. Now, Campbell, much like the other four aforementioned men will sit by this offseason and watch their jobs go to the likes of guys like Bradford and McCoy and Snead and maybe even Tebow(if he can prove he can be a QB in the pros). Of course, as bad as all four quarterbacks were Sunday, their debut wasn't nearly as bad Bears' QB Jay Cutler's, but the chances of the Bears going back to the drawing board after selling the farm for the former Commodore are nil.
*Speaking of QBs, I found the Eagles' hasty signing of Jeff Garcia after starter Donovan McNabb cracked a rib to be a bit interesting. A couple years ago, the team traded its first rounder to division rival Dallas to move down into the second round and select Houston QB Kevin Kolb to be McNabb's heir apparent. That was 2007. Three years later, the team still doesn't trust Kolb enough to give him the reigns even in the short term while McNabb recovers. That has to say something about Kolb's development. Not only does he have to battle Garcia, a cagey veteran who should have been given the Raiders starting gig over former top overall pick JaMarcus Russell, but he also has to fight for snaps for the returning Michael Vick when his suspension is up. It makes you wonder: What plans do the Eagles have for Kolb after signing two more backup quarterbacks in the past 6 weeks?
* I learned this week that L.T. is every bit as done as an elite running back as the pundits made him out to be in the offseason. After finishing the last two seasons with significant injuries, it took Tomlinson all of one half of play to get banged up, this time a sprained ankle. In an all or nothing year for the Chargers, the team can't continue to wait on L.T. to put forth one last hurrah before riding off into the sunset. The team nearly cut the future Hall of Famer loose this offseason and, at 30 and with backup Darren Sproles a free agent again at the end of the year, it seems as if this will be L.T.'s final year, not just as a Charger, but as a starting RB anywhere in the NFL. Look at Edgerrin James, a running back with a similar skill set to L.T. who got old just as fast. It took James until the middle of preseason to get a job and it was splitting carries with a lesser back in Julius Jones for the Seahawks. If or when San Diego lets LT go, where exactly can this man go and be an every down back? With more teams going to a two-back system and with the college ranks constantly churning new runners, there just seems to be no place for the once-great LT and LT strikes me as a man with too much pride to simply hog up a roster spot on a contender for the hopes of winning a ring.
*Finally, everyone has gotten their take on Kanye West's predictable award show temper tantrum, so here's mine. I'm not surprised, not offended. It's something Kanye's been doing for years and he's clearly shown that even at the pinnacle of his career, he'll do or say anything that will grab headlines so long as the cameras are watching. It's happened in past award shows. It's happened at the Katrina fundraiser. It's happened in magazine interviews. He's a man with a tremendous lack of a sense of self.
My issue isn't what West did, as much as why MTV didn't bother to prevent it from happening. For one, why were MTV execs letting stars like West get hammered before the show went to air if not for the hopes that something like Kanye's outburst would take place? What do you expect to happen when you have an award ceremony amongst ignorant, inebriated celebrities? Second, when Kanye was making his way to the stage, nobody felt the need to step in the man's way so Taylor Swift can have her moment? Did he just appear from under the stage? I know MTV aims more for shock value at these award shows, but in the YouTube/Fox News era, I think it's time to be a bit more careful.
As for the aftermath, look, hip-hop, even now at its mainstream peak, is still an artform that is not fully understood by the masses no matter how hard record companies and radio stations have tried to dumb it down for the people over the last few years. At the end of the day, rappers will always be treated like hooligans when things like this go down no matter how much the mainstream media uses them for their slang, their trends and their influences on the youth. No matter how many records Kanye or any rapper sells, all it takes is one public display of ignorance like this to wipe out 100 "Jesus Walks".
--Dave
* The 2010 NFL Draft will potentially feature four first-round quarterbacks: Oklahoma's Sam Bradford, Texas' Colt McCoy, Florida's Tim Tebow and Ole Miss' Jevan Snead.(I say potentially because Bradford could opt to stay another year to prove his shoulder is right and to not get into a battle for the top pick with McCoy.) The destinations for these four men, after Week 1, seem pretty clear: St. Louis, Carolina, Washington and Jacksonville.
Now, Jacksonville's owner has already come out and admitted it would like to have Tebow because of his iconic status in the state of Florida and how that would translate in their dwindling ticket sales. There is, of course, the larger issue, which is that David Garrard just isn't cutting it. Whether it be the spotty offensive line or lack of weapons around him, Garrard hasn't proven to be the quarterback the team thought he was when it did away with former first rounder Byron Leftwich and gave a long-term deal to Garrard a couple years ago.
The same could be said for Marc Bulger and Jake Delhomme, the incumbent starters for St. Louis and Carolina respectively. Bulger, like Garrard, suffers from a bad offensive line and even shakier supporting cast. Last Sunday's 28-0 drubbing at the hands of the Seahawks, in which Bulger struggled to complete half of his passes, proved that the former Pro Bowler has lost his confidence and is a shell of what he used to be.
As for Delhomme, like I mentioned in the Week 1 Picks blog, Delhomme's collapse in the playoffs last January clearly has embedded itself into the back of his mind much like Albert Pujols' moon shot burned into the cerebellum of former Astros closer Brad Lidge. His 5 turnover performance against Philly assured Panther fans that Delhomme's last days are upon us.
Then, there's Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell. To most diehard Skins fans, Campbell's implosion against the Giants was to be expected. I, for one, thought Campbell would use nearly being replaced twice in the offseason as motivation in a contract year to realize his full potential and start putting everything together. I was wrong. Now, Campbell, much like the other four aforementioned men will sit by this offseason and watch their jobs go to the likes of guys like Bradford and McCoy and Snead and maybe even Tebow(if he can prove he can be a QB in the pros). Of course, as bad as all four quarterbacks were Sunday, their debut wasn't nearly as bad Bears' QB Jay Cutler's, but the chances of the Bears going back to the drawing board after selling the farm for the former Commodore are nil.
*Speaking of QBs, I found the Eagles' hasty signing of Jeff Garcia after starter Donovan McNabb cracked a rib to be a bit interesting. A couple years ago, the team traded its first rounder to division rival Dallas to move down into the second round and select Houston QB Kevin Kolb to be McNabb's heir apparent. That was 2007. Three years later, the team still doesn't trust Kolb enough to give him the reigns even in the short term while McNabb recovers. That has to say something about Kolb's development. Not only does he have to battle Garcia, a cagey veteran who should have been given the Raiders starting gig over former top overall pick JaMarcus Russell, but he also has to fight for snaps for the returning Michael Vick when his suspension is up. It makes you wonder: What plans do the Eagles have for Kolb after signing two more backup quarterbacks in the past 6 weeks?
* I learned this week that L.T. is every bit as done as an elite running back as the pundits made him out to be in the offseason. After finishing the last two seasons with significant injuries, it took Tomlinson all of one half of play to get banged up, this time a sprained ankle. In an all or nothing year for the Chargers, the team can't continue to wait on L.T. to put forth one last hurrah before riding off into the sunset. The team nearly cut the future Hall of Famer loose this offseason and, at 30 and with backup Darren Sproles a free agent again at the end of the year, it seems as if this will be L.T.'s final year, not just as a Charger, but as a starting RB anywhere in the NFL. Look at Edgerrin James, a running back with a similar skill set to L.T. who got old just as fast. It took James until the middle of preseason to get a job and it was splitting carries with a lesser back in Julius Jones for the Seahawks. If or when San Diego lets LT go, where exactly can this man go and be an every down back? With more teams going to a two-back system and with the college ranks constantly churning new runners, there just seems to be no place for the once-great LT and LT strikes me as a man with too much pride to simply hog up a roster spot on a contender for the hopes of winning a ring.
*Finally, everyone has gotten their take on Kanye West's predictable award show temper tantrum, so here's mine. I'm not surprised, not offended. It's something Kanye's been doing for years and he's clearly shown that even at the pinnacle of his career, he'll do or say anything that will grab headlines so long as the cameras are watching. It's happened in past award shows. It's happened at the Katrina fundraiser. It's happened in magazine interviews. He's a man with a tremendous lack of a sense of self.
My issue isn't what West did, as much as why MTV didn't bother to prevent it from happening. For one, why were MTV execs letting stars like West get hammered before the show went to air if not for the hopes that something like Kanye's outburst would take place? What do you expect to happen when you have an award ceremony amongst ignorant, inebriated celebrities? Second, when Kanye was making his way to the stage, nobody felt the need to step in the man's way so Taylor Swift can have her moment? Did he just appear from under the stage? I know MTV aims more for shock value at these award shows, but in the YouTube/Fox News era, I think it's time to be a bit more careful.
As for the aftermath, look, hip-hop, even now at its mainstream peak, is still an artform that is not fully understood by the masses no matter how hard record companies and radio stations have tried to dumb it down for the people over the last few years. At the end of the day, rappers will always be treated like hooligans when things like this go down no matter how much the mainstream media uses them for their slang, their trends and their influences on the youth. No matter how many records Kanye or any rapper sells, all it takes is one public display of ignorance like this to wipe out 100 "Jesus Walks".
--Dave
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Things I Learned This Weekend...
1. A true shutdown corner is the rarest player in the NFL, and goes a long way to helping his team win. See - Nate Clements, SF 49ers. Clements essentially single covered Larry Fitzgerald all day. Fitzy did catch for 71 yards and a touchdown, but that is an off day in his world. San Fran left Clements on an island with Fitzgerald, Clements slowed him down, got a pick, and San Francisco won the game. See also, Antoine Winfield, Minn.
2. Good teams play well, great teams know how to finish. See - Buffalo vs. New England on MNF. Buffalo was playing a great game, especially on defense. They were shutting down Tom Brady and the Pats, and moving the ball even with T.O. being almost non-existent. Buffalo had the lead for the first 58 minutes of the game. But in the 4th quarter you could see the Pats picking up steam. In the final two minutes Tom Terrific threw 2 TD passes which sandwiched a Leodis McKelvin fumble on a kick-off. Final score, Pats 25 - Bills 24. The Bills are young and need to learn how to win. See also - Oakland vs. San Diego
3. Buffalo has a decent defense, and will get better with experience. Aaron Schobel is great. Paul Posluszny is great when he isn't injured. The defensive backfield could be amazing, in time, with McKelvin, Terrance McGee, and Donte Whitner. And to think, this team also used to have Nate Clements and Antoine Winfield (see no. 1).
4. Oakland will never learn to win as long as Al Davis is their owner. He is a crazy person.
5. Fantasy football almost made me forget that I have a first place fantasy baseball team to maintain.
6. A lot of my friends on Facebook care about their fantasy football teams and their favorite NFL teams.
7. Many more of my friends on Facebook care about Kanye West.
8. Having a sophisticated fan base leads to interesting things in the stands. See - UVA vs. TCU. I attended this game with my buddy Brad, a lifetime UVA fan and season ticket holder. With about six minutes to go UVA was down 30-0 because their we'll-tell-the-media-it's-a-spread-but-it's-really-a-bad-single-wing-offense could barely get into TCU territory, much less score. Then, they finally threw their first downfield pass of the game. The ball sailed over the receiver's head and landed about eight yards in front of him. Everyone in the stands stood, clapped, and gave what I can only describe as the loudest and most sarcastic, patronizing cheer I have ever heard at live sporting event. I have never heard such enthusiastic "it's about time" or "what good is that?" or "nice throw!" This bizarre cheering was topped on the next play when the UVA quarterback threw another deep pass, overthrew his intended receiver again, but had a different receiver catch the ball and take it in for a touchdown. See also - English soccer fans, who chant, "If you won the war, stand up.", when they play Germany.
9. ESPN's games that you allow to bet on games, i.e. Streak for the Cash, College Pick 'em, Pigskin Pick 'em, Eliminator Challenge etc., occupy too much of my thinking. See also - all of these same games on Yahoo.com, or Sportingnews.com, or Cbssports.com.....you get the idea.
10. I couldn't think of a tenth thing, so here is a tribute to two fallen legends.
2. Good teams play well, great teams know how to finish. See - Buffalo vs. New England on MNF. Buffalo was playing a great game, especially on defense. They were shutting down Tom Brady and the Pats, and moving the ball even with T.O. being almost non-existent. Buffalo had the lead for the first 58 minutes of the game. But in the 4th quarter you could see the Pats picking up steam. In the final two minutes Tom Terrific threw 2 TD passes which sandwiched a Leodis McKelvin fumble on a kick-off. Final score, Pats 25 - Bills 24. The Bills are young and need to learn how to win. See also - Oakland vs. San Diego
3. Buffalo has a decent defense, and will get better with experience. Aaron Schobel is great. Paul Posluszny is great when he isn't injured. The defensive backfield could be amazing, in time, with McKelvin, Terrance McGee, and Donte Whitner. And to think, this team also used to have Nate Clements and Antoine Winfield (see no. 1).
4. Oakland will never learn to win as long as Al Davis is their owner. He is a crazy person.
5. Fantasy football almost made me forget that I have a first place fantasy baseball team to maintain.
6. A lot of my friends on Facebook care about their fantasy football teams and their favorite NFL teams.
7. Many more of my friends on Facebook care about Kanye West.
8. Having a sophisticated fan base leads to interesting things in the stands. See - UVA vs. TCU. I attended this game with my buddy Brad, a lifetime UVA fan and season ticket holder. With about six minutes to go UVA was down 30-0 because their we'll-tell-the-media-it's-a-spread-but-it's-really-a-bad-single-wing-offense could barely get into TCU territory, much less score. Then, they finally threw their first downfield pass of the game. The ball sailed over the receiver's head and landed about eight yards in front of him. Everyone in the stands stood, clapped, and gave what I can only describe as the loudest and most sarcastic, patronizing cheer I have ever heard at live sporting event. I have never heard such enthusiastic "it's about time" or "what good is that?" or "nice throw!" This bizarre cheering was topped on the next play when the UVA quarterback threw another deep pass, overthrew his intended receiver again, but had a different receiver catch the ball and take it in for a touchdown. See also - English soccer fans, who chant, "If you won the war, stand up.", when they play Germany.
9. ESPN's games that you allow to bet on games, i.e. Streak for the Cash, College Pick 'em, Pigskin Pick 'em, Eliminator Challenge etc., occupy too much of my thinking. See also - all of these same games on Yahoo.com, or Sportingnews.com, or Cbssports.com.....you get the idea.
10. I couldn't think of a tenth thing, so here is a tribute to two fallen legends.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Week 1 Picks cont.
Dave had a flawless start to the 2009 NFL season by not only picking the Steelers not to cover but actually predicting the outcome of the game(Steelers winning by a field goal which, granted, isn't exactly predicting the Power Ball) Anyway, here's the rest of our picks for Week 1:
Note: These picks are against the spread.
Chiefs(+13) at Ravens
Dave: Ravens- When you fire your offensive coordinator a week before the season and are facing one of the top defenses in the league on the road without your franchise QB, I'd say your chances of winning are very, very low.
Gabe: Ravens - Their defense is still nasty and you have to believe in Flacco and their three-headed running game until they give you a reason not to. KC has had too much turmoil this off-season - New coach, new GM, firing the OC, demoting Dwayne Bowe to 3rd string for a few weeks, etc. The Ravens win by 2 touchdowns.
Gabe: Ravens - Their defense is still nasty and you have to believe in Flacco and their three-headed running game until they give you a reason not to. KC has had too much turmoil this off-season - New coach, new GM, firing the OC, demoting Dwayne Bowe to 3rd string for a few weeks, etc. The Ravens win by 2 touchdowns.
Eagles(-1) at Panthers
Dave: Eagles-I think this is going to be a messy season for the Panthers so long as Delhomme is their starting QB. That Arizona meltdown is going to haunt him like Brad Lidge after watching Albert Pujols' moon shot in the NLCS a few years ago. The Eagles are a bit overrated and overhyped and their opening day record isn't very good(4-6 in 10 seasons under Andy Reid) but I'll believe Delhomme put his playoff implosion behind him when I see it.
Gabe: Panthers - I think both teams are over-rated. They both have great potential on offense and good defenses. Like Dave said, this comes down to Delhomme. I think he does just enough and the Panthers win by a field goal or less.
Gabe: Panthers - I think both teams are over-rated. They both have great potential on offense and good defenses. Like Dave said, this comes down to Delhomme. I think he does just enough and the Panthers win by a field goal or less.
Lions(+13) at Saints
Dave: Lions-No, I don't think Detroit's 17-game losing streak ends here(though this might be their best shot at a W the next two months. Their next 5 games? Minnesota, Washington, at Chicago, Pittsburgh, at Green Bay before taking on the Rams at home. Look out, Seattle! Detroit might be making a run at your suicide rate!), but it's hard to expect a team, even one with an offense as explosive as New Orleans', will post a double digit win with a defense that horrid. Look, the Lions were terrible last year and this could very well be a laugher by halftime, but while it's hard to find a defender in Detroit capable of slowing down Drew Brees' and company, the same can be said about Lions WR Calvin Johnson and RB Kevin Smith. I think Matt Stafford, making his regular season debut, plays it safe early, airs it out late and the Lions lose by 10.
Gabe: Saints - The Lions still stink. Their starting a rookie QB on the road. The Saints' offense is incredible and the Lions have no answer for it. Calvin Johnson is amazing and Kevin Smith should have a break-out year, but the Lions have to get their feet wet first. The Saints' defense is not very good, but I think they will be helped by errant passes that turn into picks. I take the Saints to win by 14 or more.
Gabe: Saints - The Lions still stink. Their starting a rookie QB on the road. The Saints' offense is incredible and the Lions have no answer for it. Calvin Johnson is amazing and Kevin Smith should have a break-out year, but the Lions have to get their feet wet first. The Saints' defense is not very good, but I think they will be helped by errant passes that turn into picks. I take the Saints to win by 14 or more.
Vikings(-4) at Browns
Dave: Vikings- I'm still bewildered that a Vikings team that gave all the media experts a hard-on after they signed Brett Favre's rotting corpse is only giving four against a terrible Browns team. I was tempted to go the other way on this one strictly on the fact that Favre is a well-known turnover machine(as is AP) and Browns coach Eric Mangini might push all the chips to the middle of the table in a effort to spoil the Viking debut of the man who got him canned in New York. Then, Browns rookie sleeper James Davis got in a car accident and is 50-50 to play and Minnesota's Williams Wall was cleared to play after suspensions loomed after the StapCaps fiasco. So I like the Vikes to dominate, Favre to throw a pick for old time's sake, and AP to go nuts.
Gabe: Vikings - As the Vikings' writer on SportsTalkBuzz.com said, "Bet the Mortgage." The line on this game makes little sense to me. The Vikings have one of the best defenses in the league. They have the best running back in the league. The Browns stink out loud in every way. Quinn to Edwards might be a great passing combo by the end of the year, but not today. The Vikings will win big.
Gabe: Vikings - As the Vikings' writer on SportsTalkBuzz.com said, "Bet the Mortgage." The line on this game makes little sense to me. The Vikings have one of the best defenses in the league. They have the best running back in the league. The Browns stink out loud in every way. Quinn to Edwards might be a great passing combo by the end of the year, but not today. The Vikings will win big.
Dolphins(+4) at Falcons
Dave: Dolphins-Lost in all the talk over how improved the Falcons' offense is this year with the addition of future Hall of Famer/pass-catching fossil Tony Gonzalez is the fact that their defense, well, stinks. The Dolphins, on the other hand, improved on what was already a very good defense with the additions of former Phin Jason Taylor and former Giant/Raider Gibril Wilson. Plus, Miami has a new offensive weapon of its own in rookie QB/WR Pat White, whose role has been kept under wraps throughout preseason. I like the Phins to win outright, by 6.
Jaguars(+7) at Colts
Dave: Jaguars-The Colts were up and down last season. They got trounced in losses to the lowly Bears and Packers, but notched wins against the Ravens, Chargers, Patriots(granted, without Tom Brady) and the eventual champion Steelers. This year, they're without Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy and longtime Peyton Manning sidekick Marvin Harrison. While the Jaguars sucked out loud last season and seem to have quit on coach Jack Del Rio, they have an improved offensive line and a new starting RB in Maurice Jones-Drew to at least make things competitive(keep in mind, as bad as Jacksonville was last year, they split the series with Indy and only lost by 6 in their Week 16 showdown), especially with Colts All-Pro safety Bob Sanders out.
Gabe: Jaguars - My pick is based totally on the fact that these two teams know each other very well and the Jags always give the Colts fits. History says this will be a close game, so I'll take the Colts to win, but by less than a touchdown.
Gabe: Jaguars - My pick is based totally on the fact that these two teams know each other very well and the Jags always give the Colts fits. History says this will be a close game, so I'll take the Colts to win, but by less than a touchdown.
Broncos(+4) at Bengals
Dave: Broncos-As bad as I think the Broncos will be this season, It's hard for me to pick a team that has the words "starting running back Cedric Benson" in its team preview.
Gabe: Bengals - The Broncos are a mess. The Bengals underachieve. I think the Bengals have too good of a passing game with Carson Palmer, Chad OchoCinco (who'll be back to his old form this year), and the resurgent Chris Henry. I like the Bengals to win outright.
Gabe: Bengals - The Broncos are a mess. The Bengals underachieve. I think the Bengals have too good of a passing game with Carson Palmer, Chad OchoCinco (who'll be back to his old form this year), and the resurgent Chris Henry. I like the Bengals to win outright.
Cowboys(-6) at Buccaneers
Dave: Cowboys- Here's a fun mental image to picture between now and kickoff: Bucs QB Byron Leftwich and his 6-minute windup delivery going against DeMarcus Ware, whose in a contract year.
Gabe: Cowboys - The Bucs are this year's Lions. DeMarcus Ware and Marion Barber will wreak havoc. Cowboys win big.
Gabe: Cowboys - The Bucs are this year's Lions. DeMarcus Ware and Marion Barber will wreak havoc. Cowboys win big.
Jets(+5) at Texans
Dave: Jets- The Jets are better than people will give them credit for. They have a solid defense led by one of the best defensive minds in the league in Rex Ryan and they have a three-pronged rushing attack of Thomas Jones, Leon Washington and rookie Shonn Greene. A lot is being made over Mark Sanchez's inexperience and how that will translate in his debut. Houston is a formidable team with plenty of sleeper buzz and they're young and athletic on both sides of the ball, but their secondary has been decimated by injuries and, even with all the hype, they aren't a proven enough team to make me reluctant about taking a rookie QB on the road. I like the Jets by 7.
Gabe: Texans - This is the year it finally all comes together for the Texans. I know they have no run defense, but they have incredible pass rushers. Despite what Dave says, the Texans secondary is going to be better than most people think. They have two injuries but both spots have been filled by former starters and rookie Brice McCain has been playing great. Mark Sanchez will be in for a long day. On offense the Texans will score early and often. WR Andre Johnson is the best in the league. As long as Schaub is healthy the Texans offense will be great. I like the Texans to win big.
Gabe: Texans - This is the year it finally all comes together for the Texans. I know they have no run defense, but they have incredible pass rushers. Despite what Dave says, the Texans secondary is going to be better than most people think. They have two injuries but both spots have been filled by former starters and rookie Brice McCain has been playing great. Mark Sanchez will be in for a long day. On offense the Texans will score early and often. WR Andre Johnson is the best in the league. As long as Schaub is healthy the Texans offense will be great. I like the Texans to win big.
Rams(+8.5) at Seahawks
Dave: Seahawks- 8.5 points seems like a trap considering the Seahawks are thin on the offensive line without Walter Jones and Charles Spencer and are facing a head coach in the Rams Steve Spagnuolo who knows how to bring a pass rush. The Rams, however, haven't dusted off QB Marc Bulger and WR Donnie Avery yet this season and their rust puts them at serious disadvantage against a very aggressive Seahawks defense. The Rams are also soft up the middle, which doesn't bode well for them against the combo of Edgerrin James and Julius Jones. 8.5 is a bit steep, but I'm buying the Seahawks this year.
Gabe: Seahawks - The Rams are probably the second-worst team in the league. I really don't think Donnie Avery is that good. The Rams have one player on offense, Stephen Jackson, and he never stays healthy. Steve Spagnulo knows how to run a defense, but he needs personnel first. The Seahawks offense will be good this year, so they will win big.
Gabe: Seahawks - The Rams are probably the second-worst team in the league. I really don't think Donnie Avery is that good. The Rams have one player on offense, Stephen Jackson, and he never stays healthy. Steve Spagnulo knows how to run a defense, but he needs personnel first. The Seahawks offense will be good this year, so they will win big.
Redskins(+6.5) at Giants
Dave: Giants-I'm not a big fan of Eli Manning. I think he's overpaid. I think he's overrated and, while I have the Giants in the Super Bowl, I think that will be in spite of Eli rather than because of him. However, I'm even lower on Jason Campbell. He might be the worst starting QB in the league and he's going up against (hyperbole alert) the best pass rush in the game. I think new Redskins DT Albert Haynesworth and rookie LB Brian Orakpo slow the running game and force Eli to make plays with his underwhelming receiving core, but I think Big Blue flirts with the donut here as Campbell continues to struggle mightily. Also, as a side bet, I'm putting the over/under on the number of times overpaid CB DeAngelo Hall gets burnt deep this game at 3.
Gabe: Giants - The Giants pass rush is scary. Their running game wears opposing defenses out. Not only is Jason Campbell not good, but his receiving corps stinks. The Redskins will have trouble scoring and the Giants offense will put up a few points. I think the Giants defense will get a score too, and they will win by at least a touchdown.
49ers(+6.5) at Cardinals
Dave: 49ers-This will be a closer game then the spread would have you believe. The Niners can run the ball with Frank Gore and rookie Glen Coffee and their defense under coach Mike Singletary is vastly underrated. Also, while the Cardinals are the defending NFC Champs, remember that this is the same defense that got shredded for 6 TDs by Brett Favre's rotting corpse last season. Niners QB Shaun Hill, while not exactly Brett Favre, was efficient down the stretch when Singletary took over. Cards win this one, but don't cover after Larry Fitzgerald succumbs to the Madden Curse.
Gabe: 49ers - I think the '9ers are going to win this one outright, in my...wait for it...upset special! Kurt Warner is going to look old in a hurry. The 49ers offense is going to be decent and the Cardinals defense can be carved up. The 49ers will win.
Gabe: 49ers - I think the '9ers are going to win this one outright, in my...wait for it...upset special! Kurt Warner is going to look old in a hurry. The 49ers offense is going to be decent and the Cardinals defense can be carved up. The 49ers will win.
Bears(+3.5) at Packers
Dave: Packers-Fact: Packers FS Nick Collins was 2nd in the NFL in interceptions with 7 last year and led the league with 3 TDs. Fact: Packers CB Charles Woodson tied Collins with 7 picks and had 2 defensive touchdowns. Fact: Nickel back Tramon Williams had 5 interceptions, good for a 7-way tie for 6th. Fact: New Bears QB Jay Cutler threw 18 picks last year, 2nd most in the NFL behind Brett Favre's Rotting Corpse, while throwing to Pro Bowl WR Brandon Marshall and top rookie Eddie Royal. Fact: Bears WRs Devin Hester and Earl Bennett are not as good as Marshall and Royal. Packers win by 10.
Gabe: Packers - Dave pretty much covered it. Cutler throws a lot of picks. The Packers make a lot of picks. Done and done. Packers by a touchdown.
Gabe: Packers - Dave pretty much covered it. Cutler throws a lot of picks. The Packers make a lot of picks. Done and done. Packers by a touchdown.
Bills(+10.5) at Patriots
Dave: Bills-A couple of years ago, the Bills were double-digit underdogs to a then-undefeated Cowboys team on a Monday nighter in Buffalo. The Bills, led by then-backup QB Trent Edwards, managed to capitalize on a few key Tony Romo mistakes(5 INTs) and made it a game before inevitably losing by 1. On Monday night, the Bills will go into New England(who have won the last 11 meetings between the two teams by an average of 20.5 points) to face a Patriots team that lost a lot of talent on defense and has a QB in Tom Brady who hasn't played a full game in nearly a year. An upset is unlikely, but could Buffalo(who is also improved with the additions of T.O. and rookie DE Aaron Maybin) make it close while Brady shakes off the rust? I can buy that. Pats by 9.
Gabe: Patriots - The Patriots are back, at least on offense. Tom Brady looks good. They still have about 13 guys who can catch a pass. The last time Tom Brady played a full season he threw for something like 17,500 yards and 134 touchdowns (those numbers are estimates) with pretty much the same receiving corps. They are old on defense, but their offense is overwhelming. Oh, and I give T.O. about 3 offensive series before he implodes and starts yelling at Trent Edwards. Pats win big.
Gabe: Patriots - The Patriots are back, at least on offense. Tom Brady looks good. They still have about 13 guys who can catch a pass. The last time Tom Brady played a full season he threw for something like 17,500 yards and 134 touchdowns (those numbers are estimates) with pretty much the same receiving corps. They are old on defense, but their offense is overwhelming. Oh, and I give T.O. about 3 offensive series before he implodes and starts yelling at Trent Edwards. Pats win big.
Chargers(-9.5) at Raiders
Dave: Chargers- If I have to explain this one to you, you probably shouldn't be reading this. Chargers by 21.
Gabe: Chargers - If the Raiders were in the Pac-10 they would lose to USC, Oregon, and maybe Oregon State. The Chargers win, big.
Friday, September 11, 2009
NFL Preview - Part 2
Dave has made his picks, so it is time for me to make mine. I am going to see if I can keep the explanation to each pick to as close to one sentence as possible.
Here we go:
NFC East: NY Giants - I can hear the homer chants now. I know in our over/under I picked the Eagles to win more games, but that was before they signed Micheal Vick. I love what Vick does on the field, I don't like what he is going to do to the locker room and team chemistry, and to Donovan McNabb's head specifically.
NFC South: New Orleans Saints - I am not in love with the Panthers like everyone else is and I think the Falcons will regress. Give me the Saints to step up on defense and continue with that high flying offense.
NFC North: Minnesota Vikings - Their defense is amazing and they have the best RB in football. I think Favre and company do just enough to edge the Packers for the division crown.
NFC West: Seattle Seahawks - Arizona won't do what they did last year. I don't believe in Beanie Wells and the rest of the Cardinal runners. The rest of the division sucks out loud. Seattle wins by default.
NFC Wild Cards: Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers - both teams will finish as close seconds in their respective divisions.
AFC East: New England Patriots - I've said it all pre-season, New England is back. They won 11 games last year with Matt Cassell at the helm; they'll win more if Tom Brady is even 80% of what he used to be.
AFC South: Tennessee Titans - Last night's loss to Pittsburgh aside, this team is great, especially on defense where it seems the loss of Albert Haynesworth has been addition by subtraction. They will win a close race in what is the deepest division in the NFL.
AFC North: Pittsburgh Steelers - The champs picked up right where they left off last year. Roethlisberger doesn't get the credit for being as great as he is because he isn't a pretty boy with big numbers. But he knows how to win, as does Mike Tomlin and their defense.
AFC West: San Diego Chargers - This is the easiest pick of all, but that's how it is when your division has one real team and three teams that belong in the Pac-10. The Chargers are so good on both sides of the ball and they will run away with the division.
AFC Wild Cards: Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens - The Ravens defense and running game are too good. The Texans will win their last game of the year, at home against a Patriots team with little to play for, to edge Indianapolis for the final playoff spot.
Playoffs:
NFC Championship - Giants over the Saints.
AFC Championship - Patriots over the Steelers.
Super Bowl: Patriots over the Giants.
Coach of the Year: Gary Kubiak, Houston.
MVP: Drew Brees
Offensive Player of the Year: Adrian Peterson, Minnesota
Defensive Player of the Year: Demarcus Ware, Dallas.
Comeback Player of the Year: Matt Hasselbeck, Seattle.
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Mark Sanchez, New York Jets.
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Aaron Curry, Seattle.
Here we go:
NFC East: NY Giants - I can hear the homer chants now. I know in our over/under I picked the Eagles to win more games, but that was before they signed Micheal Vick. I love what Vick does on the field, I don't like what he is going to do to the locker room and team chemistry, and to Donovan McNabb's head specifically.
NFC South: New Orleans Saints - I am not in love with the Panthers like everyone else is and I think the Falcons will regress. Give me the Saints to step up on defense and continue with that high flying offense.
NFC North: Minnesota Vikings - Their defense is amazing and they have the best RB in football. I think Favre and company do just enough to edge the Packers for the division crown.
NFC West: Seattle Seahawks - Arizona won't do what they did last year. I don't believe in Beanie Wells and the rest of the Cardinal runners. The rest of the division sucks out loud. Seattle wins by default.
NFC Wild Cards: Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers - both teams will finish as close seconds in their respective divisions.
AFC East: New England Patriots - I've said it all pre-season, New England is back. They won 11 games last year with Matt Cassell at the helm; they'll win more if Tom Brady is even 80% of what he used to be.
AFC South: Tennessee Titans - Last night's loss to Pittsburgh aside, this team is great, especially on defense where it seems the loss of Albert Haynesworth has been addition by subtraction. They will win a close race in what is the deepest division in the NFL.
AFC North: Pittsburgh Steelers - The champs picked up right where they left off last year. Roethlisberger doesn't get the credit for being as great as he is because he isn't a pretty boy with big numbers. But he knows how to win, as does Mike Tomlin and their defense.
AFC West: San Diego Chargers - This is the easiest pick of all, but that's how it is when your division has one real team and three teams that belong in the Pac-10. The Chargers are so good on both sides of the ball and they will run away with the division.
AFC Wild Cards: Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens - The Ravens defense and running game are too good. The Texans will win their last game of the year, at home against a Patriots team with little to play for, to edge Indianapolis for the final playoff spot.
Playoffs:
NFC Championship - Giants over the Saints.
AFC Championship - Patriots over the Steelers.
Super Bowl: Patriots over the Giants.
Coach of the Year: Gary Kubiak, Houston.
MVP: Drew Brees
Offensive Player of the Year: Adrian Peterson, Minnesota
Defensive Player of the Year: Demarcus Ware, Dallas.
Comeback Player of the Year: Matt Hasselbeck, Seattle.
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Mark Sanchez, New York Jets.
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Aaron Curry, Seattle.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Milk Carton All-Star of the Week....9/10/2009
In honor of the return of football as well as a tribute to tonight's teams, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennesee Titans, I decided to dedicate everyone's favorite weekly anonymous roast session to man who dabbled in both circles:
This man here is commonly named ex-NFL wide receiver, Yancey Thigpen. Thigpen played 10 years in the pros, mostly with the Steelers and Titans(though he was drafted in the 4th round by the San Diego Chargers). He's a two-time Pro Bowler and started in two Super Bowls. In 1995, as a member of the Steelers, he played in the infamous Neil O'Donnell Super Bowl against the Cowboys and would have won Super Bowl MVP if he somehow could have changed the back of his jersey to say "Brown" and put a navy blue star on his helmet. Four years later, in 1999, Thigpen was the bridesmaid yet again with the Titans as they were a Mike Jones(the NFL one-hit wonder, not the hip-hop one-hit wonder) stop on the one-yard line from unseating Kurt Warner and "The Greatest Show On Turf".
In case you were under a rock in 1999 or live across seas(Newsflash: We're HUGE on the international scene), the Titans had a chance at the winning score with time winding down in the fourth when QB Steve McNair found WR Kevin Dyson on a slant going toward the end zone but was denied by Jones about 3 feet from the goal line. (Luckily for McNair, it's not the moment in his career that will haunt him the most......what? Too soon? Hey, at least I refrained from mentioned the irony of McNair operating out of the shotgun on said play.) For his career, Thigpen finished with just over 5,000 yards receiving and 30 TDs.
So let's give it up for the man whose name is Swahili for Carl Pickens, Yancey Thigpen!!
--Dave
This man here is commonly named ex-NFL wide receiver, Yancey Thigpen. Thigpen played 10 years in the pros, mostly with the Steelers and Titans(though he was drafted in the 4th round by the San Diego Chargers). He's a two-time Pro Bowler and started in two Super Bowls. In 1995, as a member of the Steelers, he played in the infamous Neil O'Donnell Super Bowl against the Cowboys and would have won Super Bowl MVP if he somehow could have changed the back of his jersey to say "Brown" and put a navy blue star on his helmet. Four years later, in 1999, Thigpen was the bridesmaid yet again with the Titans as they were a Mike Jones(the NFL one-hit wonder, not the hip-hop one-hit wonder) stop on the one-yard line from unseating Kurt Warner and "The Greatest Show On Turf".
In case you were under a rock in 1999 or live across seas(Newsflash: We're HUGE on the international scene), the Titans had a chance at the winning score with time winding down in the fourth when QB Steve McNair found WR Kevin Dyson on a slant going toward the end zone but was denied by Jones about 3 feet from the goal line. (Luckily for McNair, it's not the moment in his career that will haunt him the most......what? Too soon? Hey, at least I refrained from mentioned the irony of McNair operating out of the shotgun on said play.) For his career, Thigpen finished with just over 5,000 yards receiving and 30 TDs.
So let's give it up for the man whose name is Swahili for Carl Pickens, Yancey Thigpen!!
--Dave
Week 1 Picks
Tonight is the moment we've all been waiting for: Kickoff of the 2009 NFL regular season. As they've done the last few years, the NFL opted to open on a Thursday with a matchup between two of the league's premier teams. Some people like this idea(such as Gabe). Other people don't care for it as much(such as Dave). That. however, is another story for another day. With kickoff in less than 3 hours, we will unveil our first pick of the 2009 NFL regular season(with the spread, of course, because any pansy can just pick a winner. I'm talking to you, Bob Costas!). So here's our take on tonight's Steelers-Titans clash, with the other games coming later in the week.
Titans(+6) at Steelers
Dave: Titans-I think the Steelers will win the game, I just think it will be closer than two field goals. The Steelers aren't the type of fast-paced offense that lights up the scoreboard and the Titans are still fearsome enough on D to keep it close. Plus, these are two teams that are led by their running games, which will chew up an enormous amount of clock. With former Steeler-turned-new-Titan Nate Washington expected to be limited, if he plays at all, tonight, that's one less option for QB Kerry Collins to utilize incase they want to air it out. Plus, there's the vengeance factor after the Titans stomped it out on the Terrible Towel in last year's season finale(a WWE-style heel move....cue Gabe making fun of me for the wrestling reference), which will only motivate the defending champs even further as they defend the title in front of a home crowd. I like Pittsburgh by a field goal.
Gabe: I'm taking Pittsburgh to win, and cover. The last time they played the Steelers got smoked. It was also the only game they lost out of their last 10, on their way to winning the Super Bowl. The loss combined with the towel stomping will have Pittsburgh motivated. Tennessee lost Albert Haynesworth to free agency so their defense is much less stout. Kerry Collins is old and has no one to throw too - I'm not buying into Kenny Britt just yet, no matter how much my WWE-loving, Rutgers-homer, colleague wants me to. Tennessee's offense is run first, run second, and if they can get away with it, run third. Pittsburgh's defense will make it hard for Tennessee to score. I expect Santonio Holmes to emerge and Pittsburgh to have a more explosive offense and put up some points this year. I'll take Pittsburgh to win by 10.
Gabe: I'm taking Pittsburgh to win, and cover. The last time they played the Steelers got smoked. It was also the only game they lost out of their last 10, on their way to winning the Super Bowl. The loss combined with the towel stomping will have Pittsburgh motivated. Tennessee lost Albert Haynesworth to free agency so their defense is much less stout. Kerry Collins is old and has no one to throw too - I'm not buying into Kenny Britt just yet, no matter how much my WWE-loving, Rutgers-homer, colleague wants me to. Tennessee's offense is run first, run second, and if they can get away with it, run third. Pittsburgh's defense will make it hard for Tennessee to score. I expect Santonio Holmes to emerge and Pittsburgh to have a more explosive offense and put up some points this year. I'll take Pittsburgh to win by 10.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
NFL Preview
In less than 24 hours, kickoff will commence on the new season of America's new favorite pastime. So, naturally, I took out the time to offer up some predictions for the '09 season which will either make me look like a genius or a complete tool. Either way, it's a win-win for me, because I've adjusted to the taste of crow. (Here's a secret: It's better with hot sauce.)
AFC East: New England Patriots-They've lost a lot on D(Mike Vrabel, Richard Seymour, Tedy Bruschi, Rodney Harrison), but Tom Brady is back and unless his knee snaps like Shawne Merriman after an episode of "Shot At Love With Tila Tequila", this team should run away with a defense weaker than Karen Sypher's alibi
AFC NORTH: Pittsburgh Steelers-They've committed to RB Willie Parker as their full-time back as opposed to a time share with Rashard Mendenhall. They have a new third receiver(Limas Sweed) and a new middle linebacker(Lawrence Timmons), which gives the defending champs youth and athleticism to a team needing both. The shaky offensive line combined with the distraction of Big Ben's legal issues are significant obstacles, but a repeat is not out of the question if the team can stay grounded(and healthy).
AFC SOUTH: Tennesee Titans-They were the best team in the NFL....then, the playoffs started. This year, they've revamped the air attack, re-signing aging veteran QB Kerry Collins and bringing in rookie WR Kenny Britt and former Steelers WR Nate Washington. As for the running game, the big news this offseason was running back LenDale White giving up tequila for the betterment of his career(something Shawne Merriman should have considered). The newly svelt White will team with 2nd-year man Chris Johnson to lead one of the NFL's most potent power-speed ground tandems. On defense, the team will replace overpaid DT Albert Haynesworth with their bevy of young unsung heroes, starting with DT Jason Jones. The onus, however, is on Collins. His ability to continue where he left off last season(at least, where he left off in December) will be a force to be reckoned with. If not, there's always Vince Young......(that sound was Titans fans cringing).
AFC WEST: San Diego Chargers-They're a Super Bowl contender playing in a division with three I-AA teams. That being said, this has to be the year for San Diego. The team could lose their top two running backs next year(Darren Sproles is a free agent, LaDainian Tomlinson will be 31) and the pressure is on Phillip Rivers now more than ever after signing his big contract a couple weeks ago. On defense, the team was hoping for the return of pass-rush dynamo Shawne Merriman, albeit on the field and not in the headlines. They also added rookie Larry English to improve a pass-rush that stalled without "Lights Out".
Wild Cards:
1. Baltimore Ravens-They went to the AFC Championship last year by going back to their old ways of hard-nosed rush attack and smashmouth defense. Now, they're a year older, which is a blessing for some(QB Joe Flacco) and a curse for others(LB Ray Lewis, WR Derrick Mason). If Flacco rises like some are predicting, this team will be hard to beat. However, if they show their age, they could be a huge letdown.
2. Houston Texans-This pick is not as much me buying the Texans as much as me not buying the Colts or, really, anybody else beyond the afforementioned five. The Texans are a team with a lot of promise. On offense, they are led by the troika of QB Matt Schaub, RB Steve Slaton, and WR Andre Johnson. On defense, they've built a solid foundation through their years of high draft picks with guys like DE Mario Williams, DT Amobi Okoye, CB Dunta Robinson and LBs Brian Cushing and DeMeco Ryans. Of course, this team's success rides on the health of the fragile Schaub, who has yet to make it a full season since coming to Houston.
NFC EAST: Philadelphia Eagles-It was a toss-up between the Eagles and Giants. Ultimately, the Eagles have far too much talent on both sides of the ball not to be legit Super Bowl contenders. They improved the offensive line with tackles Jason Peters and Stacy Andrews replacing Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan. They added deep threat Jeremy Maclin to go with an already speedy receiving core of Kevin Curtis and DeSean Jackson. They added depth to the secondary with the acquisition of Ellis Hobbs. Oh, and they signed some guy named Michael Vick to be their decoy/Wildcat QB. That being said, the Eagles have been a team under coach Andy Reid that has stumbled when the expectations rise. While the team's aggressive offseason gives no reason for this team to not steamroll the entire NFC, the Eagles in years past have always found an excuse to disappoint.
NFC NORTH: Green Bay Packers-Last year, injuries and poor defense down the stretch caused this team to go 6-10. This year, they've revamped the defense with a new defensive scheme(Dom Capers' 3-4) and some new rookie additions(1st rounders Clay Matthews and B.J. Raji). The defense also returns S Nick Collins and CB Charles Woodson, who along with CB Tramon Williams, were in the top 5 in interceptions last year and now get four games against turnover-happy QBs Brett Favre and Jay Cutler. On offense, Aaron Rodgers will look to last year's 4,000 yard, 32 TD debut as he now has added motivation with former mentor Favre in-division. The running game is still a question mark as RB Ryan Grant still needs to get out to a quicker start, but if this team stays healthy, they're a Super Bowl contender. Now, cue the homer chants!
NFC SOUTH: New Orleans Saints-The team that finished last in NFC South the past few years have either won the division or, as of last year, went to the playoffs. The Saints' prowess on offense is well-documented. QB Drew Brees aired it out to the tune of 5,000 yards last year, but the story this year is the improvements on defense. The team added Malcom Jenkins with their first round pick and his versatility will have him seeing time at corner and safety. Speaking of safety, the team added veteran Darren Sharper. They're still a little thin in the front seven and the possible suspensions of DEs Will Smith and Charles Grant certianly hurts, but the additions in the secondary and the new running game led by Pierre Thomas(with some guest appearences from Reggie Bush) should mean less shootouts and more W's.
NFC WEST: Seattle Seahawks-Like the Packers, Seattle was a team decimated by injuries. Their starters lost more games to injury than any team in history. Now, they're back and relatively healthy(LT Walter Jones and C Charles Spencer will miss time with injuries, as will CB Marcus Trufant). They also added some nice pieces to the offense in WR T.J. Houshmanzadeh and RB Edgerrin James. On defense, the team brought in DT Colin Cole, DE Cory Redding and drafted LB Aaron Curry. Those improvements combined with a cotton-soft defense make Seattle the team to beat and their status as Super Bowl contenders will depend mightily on the team's ability to squash the injury bug.
Wild Cards
1. New York Giants: They're right there with the Eagles as the class of the NFC. Their big issue is, obviously, the lack of a proven target for overpaid QB Eli Manning. Rookie Hakeem Nicks came on towards the end of preseason but the history of rookie wideouts breaking out in their first year isn't promising. That means the team will have to go back to what it has done best under coach Tom Coughlin: Running the ball down opposing defenses' throats and scaring the piss out of opposing QBs with their slew of pass rushers. This season, the Giants added to their vaunted pass rush by signing Chris Canty from Dallas as well as getting back DE Osi Umenyoira from last year's season-ending knee injury. The tough division does them no favors but playing the AFC West this year certianly gives them an edge over other wild-card contenders.
2. Chicago Bears-A weaker division(and schedule) gives them a slight edge over Carolina and Washington. It also helps that they brought in the big arm of young QB Jay Cutler. The question now becomes: Who does he throw to? There's former college teammate, Earl Bennett. There's blazing fast reformed cornerback Devin Hester. There's last year's breakout rookie, Matt Forte. While Cutler doesn't have the same weapons that he had in Denver, he does have something he didn't have during his stint with the Broncos: a defense. While a bit long in the tooth, the Bears still possess a top-notch defense led by Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs and Tommie Harris. I like Chicago over Minnesota because they have a distinct edge in coaching and, while Cutler is just as turnover prone as Favre, he's also 14 years younger and not coming off shoulder surgery.
Award Predictions
MVP: Drew Brees, QB, Saints-He really should have won it last year, even despite the 8-8 record and last place finish. Brady will be right there with him, but I can see Belichick taking the foot off the gas down the stretch more so than Payton.
Off. Player of the Year: LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, Chargers: He ran for 1100 yards and 11 TDs on a bum toe. Now, he has Sproles to keep him fresh and he's more determined than ever after nearly being cut and hearing reports all summer on how he's washed up.
Def. Player of the Year: Mario Williams, DE, Texans: I think the Cowboys finish last this year, which kills DeMarcus Ware's candidacy here. I like Williams for 20 sacks this year as that defense continues to improve
Off. Rookie of the Year: Beanie Wells, RB, Cardinals: Not a strong offensive crowd this year. Niners rook Michael Crabtree would be a lock if he wasn't a complete knucklehead. Wells has a potent passing attack keeping defenses from stacking against the run and he's too big to not be a factor at the goalline. If the Jets get Brandon Marshall, I like Mark Sanchez's chances here, but right now, I'll roll the dice on Beanie staying healthy.
Def. Rookie of the Year: Aaron Curry, LB, Seahawks: Washington's Brian Orakpo could make his case, thanks to the presence of Albert Haynesworth in the middle, but it's hard not to take Curry here. He has too much athleticism to not be all over the place this year.
Playoff Predictions
AFC Championship: Chargers over Titans: It's now or never for the Chargers.
NFC Championship: Giants over Saints: I can't cosign the Eagles this year. I think the Vick signing will make McNabb paranoid and they have a long history of being a letdown when the expectations are high. I wanted to take Green Bay, but I just couldn't jinx my team and I'd have to see more than preseason dominance before I can fully back all the hype. As for the Giants, they run the ball well and their pass rush is the deepest I've ever seen. I'm tempted to back off the Saints after today's news about LT Jamaal Brown's hip surgery that will sideline him 6 weeks, but I think this is the year Drew Brees shows the world he's the best QB on the planet....just not against this Giants pass rush.
Super Bowl: Chargers 27, Giants 21: It's hard to pick a Norv Turner-coached team, but the Chargers have far too much talent and veteran leadership to blow it again this year. Of course, the same could be said about the Eagles but if I had to bet on either LT or McNabb folding under the pressure, I'm taking Donovan. Plus, what better story line than Eli, facing the team he whined his way off of in 2004, against Phillip Rivers, the only quarterback from the '04 Big Three to not win a ring yet?
--Dave
AFC East: New England Patriots-They've lost a lot on D(Mike Vrabel, Richard Seymour, Tedy Bruschi, Rodney Harrison), but Tom Brady is back and unless his knee snaps like Shawne Merriman after an episode of "Shot At Love With Tila Tequila", this team should run away with a defense weaker than Karen Sypher's alibi
AFC NORTH: Pittsburgh Steelers-They've committed to RB Willie Parker as their full-time back as opposed to a time share with Rashard Mendenhall. They have a new third receiver(Limas Sweed) and a new middle linebacker(Lawrence Timmons), which gives the defending champs youth and athleticism to a team needing both. The shaky offensive line combined with the distraction of Big Ben's legal issues are significant obstacles, but a repeat is not out of the question if the team can stay grounded(and healthy).
AFC SOUTH: Tennesee Titans-They were the best team in the NFL....then, the playoffs started. This year, they've revamped the air attack, re-signing aging veteran QB Kerry Collins and bringing in rookie WR Kenny Britt and former Steelers WR Nate Washington. As for the running game, the big news this offseason was running back LenDale White giving up tequila for the betterment of his career(something Shawne Merriman should have considered). The newly svelt White will team with 2nd-year man Chris Johnson to lead one of the NFL's most potent power-speed ground tandems. On defense, the team will replace overpaid DT Albert Haynesworth with their bevy of young unsung heroes, starting with DT Jason Jones. The onus, however, is on Collins. His ability to continue where he left off last season(at least, where he left off in December) will be a force to be reckoned with. If not, there's always Vince Young......(that sound was Titans fans cringing).
AFC WEST: San Diego Chargers-They're a Super Bowl contender playing in a division with three I-AA teams. That being said, this has to be the year for San Diego. The team could lose their top two running backs next year(Darren Sproles is a free agent, LaDainian Tomlinson will be 31) and the pressure is on Phillip Rivers now more than ever after signing his big contract a couple weeks ago. On defense, the team was hoping for the return of pass-rush dynamo Shawne Merriman, albeit on the field and not in the headlines. They also added rookie Larry English to improve a pass-rush that stalled without "Lights Out".
Wild Cards:
1. Baltimore Ravens-They went to the AFC Championship last year by going back to their old ways of hard-nosed rush attack and smashmouth defense. Now, they're a year older, which is a blessing for some(QB Joe Flacco) and a curse for others(LB Ray Lewis, WR Derrick Mason). If Flacco rises like some are predicting, this team will be hard to beat. However, if they show their age, they could be a huge letdown.
2. Houston Texans-This pick is not as much me buying the Texans as much as me not buying the Colts or, really, anybody else beyond the afforementioned five. The Texans are a team with a lot of promise. On offense, they are led by the troika of QB Matt Schaub, RB Steve Slaton, and WR Andre Johnson. On defense, they've built a solid foundation through their years of high draft picks with guys like DE Mario Williams, DT Amobi Okoye, CB Dunta Robinson and LBs Brian Cushing and DeMeco Ryans. Of course, this team's success rides on the health of the fragile Schaub, who has yet to make it a full season since coming to Houston.
NFC EAST: Philadelphia Eagles-It was a toss-up between the Eagles and Giants. Ultimately, the Eagles have far too much talent on both sides of the ball not to be legit Super Bowl contenders. They improved the offensive line with tackles Jason Peters and Stacy Andrews replacing Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan. They added deep threat Jeremy Maclin to go with an already speedy receiving core of Kevin Curtis and DeSean Jackson. They added depth to the secondary with the acquisition of Ellis Hobbs. Oh, and they signed some guy named Michael Vick to be their decoy/Wildcat QB. That being said, the Eagles have been a team under coach Andy Reid that has stumbled when the expectations rise. While the team's aggressive offseason gives no reason for this team to not steamroll the entire NFC, the Eagles in years past have always found an excuse to disappoint.
NFC NORTH: Green Bay Packers-Last year, injuries and poor defense down the stretch caused this team to go 6-10. This year, they've revamped the defense with a new defensive scheme(Dom Capers' 3-4) and some new rookie additions(1st rounders Clay Matthews and B.J. Raji). The defense also returns S Nick Collins and CB Charles Woodson, who along with CB Tramon Williams, were in the top 5 in interceptions last year and now get four games against turnover-happy QBs Brett Favre and Jay Cutler. On offense, Aaron Rodgers will look to last year's 4,000 yard, 32 TD debut as he now has added motivation with former mentor Favre in-division. The running game is still a question mark as RB Ryan Grant still needs to get out to a quicker start, but if this team stays healthy, they're a Super Bowl contender. Now, cue the homer chants!
NFC SOUTH: New Orleans Saints-The team that finished last in NFC South the past few years have either won the division or, as of last year, went to the playoffs. The Saints' prowess on offense is well-documented. QB Drew Brees aired it out to the tune of 5,000 yards last year, but the story this year is the improvements on defense. The team added Malcom Jenkins with their first round pick and his versatility will have him seeing time at corner and safety. Speaking of safety, the team added veteran Darren Sharper. They're still a little thin in the front seven and the possible suspensions of DEs Will Smith and Charles Grant certianly hurts, but the additions in the secondary and the new running game led by Pierre Thomas(with some guest appearences from Reggie Bush) should mean less shootouts and more W's.
NFC WEST: Seattle Seahawks-Like the Packers, Seattle was a team decimated by injuries. Their starters lost more games to injury than any team in history. Now, they're back and relatively healthy(LT Walter Jones and C Charles Spencer will miss time with injuries, as will CB Marcus Trufant). They also added some nice pieces to the offense in WR T.J. Houshmanzadeh and RB Edgerrin James. On defense, the team brought in DT Colin Cole, DE Cory Redding and drafted LB Aaron Curry. Those improvements combined with a cotton-soft defense make Seattle the team to beat and their status as Super Bowl contenders will depend mightily on the team's ability to squash the injury bug.
Wild Cards
1. New York Giants: They're right there with the Eagles as the class of the NFC. Their big issue is, obviously, the lack of a proven target for overpaid QB Eli Manning. Rookie Hakeem Nicks came on towards the end of preseason but the history of rookie wideouts breaking out in their first year isn't promising. That means the team will have to go back to what it has done best under coach Tom Coughlin: Running the ball down opposing defenses' throats and scaring the piss out of opposing QBs with their slew of pass rushers. This season, the Giants added to their vaunted pass rush by signing Chris Canty from Dallas as well as getting back DE Osi Umenyoira from last year's season-ending knee injury. The tough division does them no favors but playing the AFC West this year certianly gives them an edge over other wild-card contenders.
2. Chicago Bears-A weaker division(and schedule) gives them a slight edge over Carolina and Washington. It also helps that they brought in the big arm of young QB Jay Cutler. The question now becomes: Who does he throw to? There's former college teammate, Earl Bennett. There's blazing fast reformed cornerback Devin Hester. There's last year's breakout rookie, Matt Forte. While Cutler doesn't have the same weapons that he had in Denver, he does have something he didn't have during his stint with the Broncos: a defense. While a bit long in the tooth, the Bears still possess a top-notch defense led by Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs and Tommie Harris. I like Chicago over Minnesota because they have a distinct edge in coaching and, while Cutler is just as turnover prone as Favre, he's also 14 years younger and not coming off shoulder surgery.
Award Predictions
MVP: Drew Brees, QB, Saints-He really should have won it last year, even despite the 8-8 record and last place finish. Brady will be right there with him, but I can see Belichick taking the foot off the gas down the stretch more so than Payton.
Off. Player of the Year: LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, Chargers: He ran for 1100 yards and 11 TDs on a bum toe. Now, he has Sproles to keep him fresh and he's more determined than ever after nearly being cut and hearing reports all summer on how he's washed up.
Def. Player of the Year: Mario Williams, DE, Texans: I think the Cowboys finish last this year, which kills DeMarcus Ware's candidacy here. I like Williams for 20 sacks this year as that defense continues to improve
Off. Rookie of the Year: Beanie Wells, RB, Cardinals: Not a strong offensive crowd this year. Niners rook Michael Crabtree would be a lock if he wasn't a complete knucklehead. Wells has a potent passing attack keeping defenses from stacking against the run and he's too big to not be a factor at the goalline. If the Jets get Brandon Marshall, I like Mark Sanchez's chances here, but right now, I'll roll the dice on Beanie staying healthy.
Def. Rookie of the Year: Aaron Curry, LB, Seahawks: Washington's Brian Orakpo could make his case, thanks to the presence of Albert Haynesworth in the middle, but it's hard not to take Curry here. He has too much athleticism to not be all over the place this year.
Playoff Predictions
AFC Championship: Chargers over Titans: It's now or never for the Chargers.
NFC Championship: Giants over Saints: I can't cosign the Eagles this year. I think the Vick signing will make McNabb paranoid and they have a long history of being a letdown when the expectations are high. I wanted to take Green Bay, but I just couldn't jinx my team and I'd have to see more than preseason dominance before I can fully back all the hype. As for the Giants, they run the ball well and their pass rush is the deepest I've ever seen. I'm tempted to back off the Saints after today's news about LT Jamaal Brown's hip surgery that will sideline him 6 weeks, but I think this is the year Drew Brees shows the world he's the best QB on the planet....just not against this Giants pass rush.
Super Bowl: Chargers 27, Giants 21: It's hard to pick a Norv Turner-coached team, but the Chargers have far too much talent and veteran leadership to blow it again this year. Of course, the same could be said about the Eagles but if I had to bet on either LT or McNabb folding under the pressure, I'm taking Donovan. Plus, what better story line than Eli, facing the team he whined his way off of in 2004, against Phillip Rivers, the only quarterback from the '04 Big Three to not win a ring yet?
--Dave
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