The NFL has been really messed up this year, and that is putting it lightly. No team has come out and stated that they are the team to beat. Last year the Colts and Saints established themselves as early favorites and eventually played in the Superbowl. So far this year, I haven't gotten a feel as to which team is best. The Steelers have looked pretty good, but at times have looked suspect. Same thing goes for the Ravens and the Falcons. After a bad week 1 loss the Jets have looked pretty good too. I am more worried about the chaos that is the NFC this year.
Entering this season most people thought there would be 4 elite teams in the NFC. The Saints, Vikings, Cowboys and Packers. I didn't think too highly of the Cowboys, but I was believing in the Saints and Packers. So far none of these teams have looked all that good. The Cowboys season is on the verge of tanking into obscurity, it all depends on how well backup QB Jon Kitna can play and if Romo can return at all or not. The Vikings have offensive line issues and Brett Favre is not looking too well so far. The Packers have been hit by injuries, but still haven't been playing too well, they turn the ball over, can't run the ball and have been somewhat weak on defense. The Saints have played pretty crappily. Their 3 losses have all been self induced. They lost in OT to the Falcons thanks to a Garrett Hartley missed field goal. Their loss to the flightless Cardinals has thanks to 5 turnovers, and on Sunday Bree's threw a career high 4 interceptions and lost one fumble. Two of the picks were returned for a touchdown by a defensive lineman. If the Saints keep turning the ball over they won't win, its simple. The Saints D thrived on turnovers last year, now they Saints offense has been giving them away like candy. Honestly who would have thought that the Saints defense would be keeping them in games and their offense was sucking?
The Saints can turnaround their season, they have been hit by injuries but they can still win games. I think the Saints heads are not in the game. Sean Payton is a great coach, he needs to show it now and get his team in the right direction. Their whole offense has not been gelling together, something is wrong and Payton is the guy to fix it. When the Saints play up to their potential they are the best team in the league.
Cowboys are in for a long season, one win so far despite having good statistical number, and now they lost their starting QB Tony Romo for 6-8 weeks and get Jon Kitna to take his place. Those cannot be comforting words for fans of the Cowboys. If the Cowboys are out of the playoff race when Romo is healthy, don't be surprised if he doesn't start, the last thing they would want to risk is another injury. Big changes are in store in Big D.
Brett Favre has a hurting ankle, but still wants to play. I think Favre is not healthy enough to play right now, he wants to keep his record of consecutive starts, but he seems out of his element. I doubt the Vikings would want Favre to come back next year after seeing him play like this.
An interesting note though, many people are thinking that the Giants are the team to beat in the NFC, I am not sold. Their defense is really good, but the Giants are not elite, here is my thinking. The Giants took an early lead against the Cowboys on MNF, however they could not hold the lead. The Cowboys almost came back to win the game, AND the had a washed up old backup QB playing. The Giants may be good but they are not elite. In my opinion not one team in the NFC can be considered 'elite' right now, the Falcons are the closest but not there yet.
Oh and on a side note, I forgot to make picks for last weeks game, kinda glad I did they probably would have been bad
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
NBA Preview
So to my delight the NBA regular season tips off tonight with a game between the Boston Celtics and the revamped Miami Heat. This is the moment everyone has been waiting for, everyone has been waiting to see how the Heat can play in the regular season. Can they meet the hype that has been generated? It seems almost impossible in my opinion. Every single time the Heat lose a game it will make the headlines on ESPN. Every single error they make will be scrutinized beyond comprehension. Just imagine if they don't win the championship, or even worse, if they don't make the NBA finals. The Heat are in a must win situation pretty much every night. That isn't the only big story in the NBA though, can the Lakers three peat? Will Boston's aging roster finally cave in? Will the Magic be a threat in the East? Can any team in the West challenge the Lakers? Will the Thunder live up to the hype and contend in the West? Who will become the Champion?
In most expert's opinions, the NBA title will come down between the Lakers and the Heat, its a pretty common prediction and most experts think the Lakers will win it all this year. They think that the Heat will need an additional season playing together to win it all. I don't see that happening. If the Heat can stay healthy they will win it all. Lebron, Dwayne and Bosh are all amazing players. Lebron is by far the best small forward in the game and is one of most dominating players in the league. Dwayne Wade is the best shooting guard right now, he can play the point position but is best as a 2 guard. Bosh is one of the top power forwards in the game. The point I am making is this, if the Heat can stay healthy they will score 100 points every game, no doubt in my mind. The Heat don't have much of a bench, but they have 3 of the top 6 or 7 players in the game on their roster.
I am not sold on the Lakers this year, Kobe and Derek Fisher are both getting older, and Bynum's knee continues to give him problems. They are still an amazing team and should be the favorites in the West, but thinking they are invincible is not a wise thought.
Most of ESPN has the Oklahoma City Thunder as the second best team in the West. Why they think that I am not sure. Don't get me wrong, the Thunder are a really good team, but they were the 8th seed last year. My thinking is that since the Thunder gave the Lakers a tough series in the playoffs, people are now thinking that they can contend for the west. I don't see it happening. They have Kevin Durant, one of the best players in the league and also a decent PG in Westbrook, after that, their roster is kinda shaky. This is a good, young team, but they are not ready to contend for the west, the west is too deep.
Teams to look out for in the West. Portland Trailblazers, Utah Jazz and the Houston Rockets. The Blazers last year were killed by injuries and still made the playoffs, if they can stay healthy they will be really good. Brandon Roy is one of the leagues best players and he has a good supporting cast around him. The Rockets will get Yao Ming back in limited minutes, they have a deep roster and I think they will surprise a lot of people. The Utah Jazz went through some pretty big roster changes, the biggest is they lost Carlos Boozer and picked up Al Jefferson. I think this move is one of the smartest off season moves made, Boozer doesn't work hard, is hurt a lot and doesn't seem to like being in Utah. Jefferson publicly stated that he wanted to play in Utah. How many people actually want to play in Utah? Well Jefferson does and he is happy, he wanted to play with Deron Williams. Jefferson is happy being here and he is dedicated to winning. Boozer was not dedicated, he just wanted his big payday. Plus Jefferson can play as a center, so the Jazz have him at center and then Paul Millsap at PF, I see them working well together. The Jazz also have the best PG in the game in Deron Williams. With a deep bench and a solid coach, they should surprise a lot of people.
I'm trying to be unbiased in my predictions, even though I am a huge Jazz fan. I do think they will be really good this year, they may not be able to beat the Lakers in the playoffs, but they should be a tough, tough team to beat.
In the East a sleeper team in Milwaukee. The Bucks got on a late season surge last year before their center Andrew Bogut got hurt for the year. They have a young, solid team and should surprise people again. I am not saying they will win the East, but they will be a good team.
The Magic will also contend, they have a good team, but they have big competition in Miami and Boston. If Dwight Howard wants to establish himself as an all time great, he can do it this year by leading his team to the Finals. I don't see that happening, but he has a chance to make a HUGE name for himself.
The Celtics are old, but still good. If they can stay healthy they will pose the biggest problem to the Heat. They have amazing chemistry and play very tough defense. I'm not saying they will win it all, but they won't go down easily.
The Heat should win it all this year, there is just too much talent on the roster. The Miami 3 all want to win, that is why they came to play together, its not about who makes the most money, or who gets the best stats, its about winning multiple championships, and I see them winning it all this year.
If I were a betting man I would say the Lakers will be in the finals, but don't be surprised if Portland or Utah makes it, they both have solid teams.
This season should be really, really good. Lets just hope it lives up to the hype.
In most expert's opinions, the NBA title will come down between the Lakers and the Heat, its a pretty common prediction and most experts think the Lakers will win it all this year. They think that the Heat will need an additional season playing together to win it all. I don't see that happening. If the Heat can stay healthy they will win it all. Lebron, Dwayne and Bosh are all amazing players. Lebron is by far the best small forward in the game and is one of most dominating players in the league. Dwayne Wade is the best shooting guard right now, he can play the point position but is best as a 2 guard. Bosh is one of the top power forwards in the game. The point I am making is this, if the Heat can stay healthy they will score 100 points every game, no doubt in my mind. The Heat don't have much of a bench, but they have 3 of the top 6 or 7 players in the game on their roster.
I am not sold on the Lakers this year, Kobe and Derek Fisher are both getting older, and Bynum's knee continues to give him problems. They are still an amazing team and should be the favorites in the West, but thinking they are invincible is not a wise thought.
Most of ESPN has the Oklahoma City Thunder as the second best team in the West. Why they think that I am not sure. Don't get me wrong, the Thunder are a really good team, but they were the 8th seed last year. My thinking is that since the Thunder gave the Lakers a tough series in the playoffs, people are now thinking that they can contend for the west. I don't see it happening. They have Kevin Durant, one of the best players in the league and also a decent PG in Westbrook, after that, their roster is kinda shaky. This is a good, young team, but they are not ready to contend for the west, the west is too deep.
Teams to look out for in the West. Portland Trailblazers, Utah Jazz and the Houston Rockets. The Blazers last year were killed by injuries and still made the playoffs, if they can stay healthy they will be really good. Brandon Roy is one of the leagues best players and he has a good supporting cast around him. The Rockets will get Yao Ming back in limited minutes, they have a deep roster and I think they will surprise a lot of people. The Utah Jazz went through some pretty big roster changes, the biggest is they lost Carlos Boozer and picked up Al Jefferson. I think this move is one of the smartest off season moves made, Boozer doesn't work hard, is hurt a lot and doesn't seem to like being in Utah. Jefferson publicly stated that he wanted to play in Utah. How many people actually want to play in Utah? Well Jefferson does and he is happy, he wanted to play with Deron Williams. Jefferson is happy being here and he is dedicated to winning. Boozer was not dedicated, he just wanted his big payday. Plus Jefferson can play as a center, so the Jazz have him at center and then Paul Millsap at PF, I see them working well together. The Jazz also have the best PG in the game in Deron Williams. With a deep bench and a solid coach, they should surprise a lot of people.
I'm trying to be unbiased in my predictions, even though I am a huge Jazz fan. I do think they will be really good this year, they may not be able to beat the Lakers in the playoffs, but they should be a tough, tough team to beat.
In the East a sleeper team in Milwaukee. The Bucks got on a late season surge last year before their center Andrew Bogut got hurt for the year. They have a young, solid team and should surprise people again. I am not saying they will win the East, but they will be a good team.
The Magic will also contend, they have a good team, but they have big competition in Miami and Boston. If Dwight Howard wants to establish himself as an all time great, he can do it this year by leading his team to the Finals. I don't see that happening, but he has a chance to make a HUGE name for himself.
The Celtics are old, but still good. If they can stay healthy they will pose the biggest problem to the Heat. They have amazing chemistry and play very tough defense. I'm not saying they will win it all, but they won't go down easily.
The Heat should win it all this year, there is just too much talent on the roster. The Miami 3 all want to win, that is why they came to play together, its not about who makes the most money, or who gets the best stats, its about winning multiple championships, and I see them winning it all this year.
If I were a betting man I would say the Lakers will be in the finals, but don't be surprised if Portland or Utah makes it, they both have solid teams.
This season should be really, really good. Lets just hope it lives up to the hype.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
New NFL Rules
So this week the NFL has been stepping up its rules against helmet to helmet hits, in my opinion this should have been put in place when the NFL switched from leather helmets to their current helmets. Football is a violent sport and people are going to get hurt, but using a helmet to take someone out of a game is just dangerous and unnecessary. The scary part isn't just that these players are getting taken out of a game or two, its that most players suffer permanent brain damage. Most of these effects occur later in these players lives, well after they have retired. For a point of reference you can look at the lives of Terry Long and Mike Webster, both played for the Steelers, both are dead. Long committed suicide by drinking antifreeze. Doctors studied his brain and came to the conclusion that his depression, amnesia and other head related lead to his suicide. How did he get these head injuries? Concussions. Mike Webster, one of the best Centers to every play the game, lived a broken and homeless life after his football days. Doctors said that during his 25 year career in the NFL he had been suffered damage equal to 25,00 automobile crashes. Now granted the helmet has been re-designed and is a lot safer now, but still we have evidence that concussions kill and ruin lives.
I am feel pretty strong about this topic, simply because as much as I love the game, I don't want to see players get hurt, especially if it leads to life long damage that will ruin players lives. It makes me feel bad that I take part in seeing players mental health get destroyed.
This past Sunday there was a total of 7 players taken out with head injuries. Seven! When things get that bad, you have to make changes to the rules for the safety of the players and long term success of the NFL. Some of the hits clearly were intentional, not every helmet to helmet hit is intentional, at time it cannot be avoided because the game is so fast, but most of these hits could have been avoided. The one that scared me really bad was the hit that eagles WR DeSean Jackson took from Falcons CB Dunta Robinson. If you want to see this scary hit, just click here. I can't stand to watch it, I saw it live and I got a gross feeling in my stomach, hits like this are not suppose to happen, this is not what the NFL is about. Please don't tell me that you want to see hits like that every Sunday, I sure as hell don't.
In today's world of mass media, it's considered cool to 'lay out' an opposing layer if you are on defense. You don't get a chance to score points, so to make it on the highlights for SportsCenter you gotta be violent and be in a seek and destroy mentality. This is whats wrong with the NFL, it shouldn't be considered 'sexy' to lay a player out and hurt him. On ESPN's Monday Night Countdown, there is a segment called 'Jacked Up'. This segment shows all of the 'big' hits that happened the previous day. It gives glory and attention to big hits, this has made players want to make those big hit to get noticed. Sadly leading with your helmet is an easy way to get a big hit, it is also an easy way to give a player a concussion.
Another reason why I decided to blog about this is the statements that Steelers LB James Harrison has made since Sunday. In case you were not aware he was fined 75 grand for two hits that he had on two different players for the Cleveland Browns. Both players were taken out for the game with concussions. In both hits, Harrison lowered his helmet on the hits, something you CANNOT do in the NFL. If you want to see the two hits, and hear the helmet crack, click here. I didn't see either of these hits live, but watching them makes me feel bad, this isn't how football is suppose to be. What irritates me even more is Harrison's reaction to being fined. He is seriously considering retiring from the NFL. His reasons, its not fair to fine me for making legal hits. You know what Mr. Harrison? If you are reading this, please take my advice. Retire. The NFL was successful before you came into the NFL, and it will be more successful when you leave. You may be a great Linebacker, hell you were the Defensive Player of the Year a few seasons ago, but the NFL has no need for a dirty player, giving cheap shots and taking players out of the game.
You want to hear Harrison's logic? This is what he said.
"I don't want to see anyone injured," Harrison said, "but I'm not opposed to hurting anyone."
Wait...come again? That seems like somewhat of an oxymoron. He would explain himself a little better.
"There's a difference. When you're injured, you can't play. But when you're hurt, you can shake it off and come back, maybe a few plays later or the next game. I try to hurt people."
That last sentence is what is wrong with the NFL. If any player says he is out to hurt people, and then you see him leading with his helmet on hits, you know you have a problem. He is trying to act like he is the victim, but you know who the victims are? Joshua Cribbs and Mohamed Massaquoi. Those are the two players that suffered concussions on illegal hits, and how about their families?
Steelers head coach made a statement that really irked me. He said that James Harrison is a 'model' for young players to imitate...wait..did I read that right? You are saying that playing dirty, breaking rules and causing serious injuries to players is what young players need to do? Remember, Harrison also slammed Titans QB Vince Young to the ground, he was fined 5 grand for that as well as 5 grand for cheap shots to a Bengals player. What about the fact that he assaulted his girlfriend, has a charge against him for that and had to go to anger management classes. Sounds like a grade A kinda guy.
Please Harrison, leave. Make good on your threat and retire, the Steelers will still be a good team, and the NFL will only get better with you gone.
I am glad the NFL is taking action though. Some teams are getting really hurt by brain injuries. The Eagles now have 5 players that have been hurt by concussions. You still think its a good idea to add two games to the schedule? Go back and read my first article and you will see that I am right.
Honestly what I think made the NFL make these rule changes was not what happened on the field, but what was said on NBC's Sunday Night Football. Former NFL Safety Rodney Harrison and former head coach Tony Dungy revealed some ugly truths about the NFL in regards to helmet to helmet hits. Former coach Dungy said that he didn't care if his players got fined for an illegal hit. He did not lose one second of sleep over it, it did not bother him one tiny bit. But suspending a player for a hit would get his attention big time. So if the coaches don't care about big hits, does that mean they don't coach on hitting safely?
Then Rodney Harrison opened his mouth and said something that stunned me. He said he would put away 50 grand every year to go towards fines that he would receive. Why would he want to do this you ask? So that he could establish his reputation as a hard hitting safety. He didn't care about getting fined, in fact, he was anticipating it. He wanted to be known as a big and hard hitter. The money didn't matter. What did get his attention was suspensions. He was suspended one game in 2002 for a helmet to helmet hit against WR Jeery Rice. That suspension gave him a wake up call, because he was letting his teammates, coaches and fans down. It also cost him a game check. When Harrison admitted that on Sunday, you know the NFL was listening. That is why they are going to start to suspend players for those illegal hits. They want players to get the message that the NFL is trying to send. You cannot use your helmet as a weapon, concussions are a problem in the NFL and if players continue to lead with their helmet they will be suspended, and I am glad they are finally doing it.
Now please don't get me wrong, I don't want to see the NFL turn into flag football or two hand touch. And I don't think that every helmet to helmet hit should get suspensions. I think the NFL needs to be smart and look at each hit individually and see if there was any malicious intent on the part of the defender. The NFL is so fast and quick that not every helmet to helmet hit can be avoided. However when players start to launch themselves leading with their helmet, we then have a problem. NFL players are going to get hurt, its part of the game and the players know that. But we have to try and eliminate players that are looking to headhunt. So please NFL, don't suspend every player, just the ones that used their helmet on purpose.
We don't want to see careers cut short by concussions. We've already seen great players such as Johhny Unitas, Roger Staubach, Merril Hodge, and Steve Young(to name a few) forced into retirement. I want to see the NFL at its best. Players launching themselves at players like rockets, leading with their helmet is the NFL at its worst. Mr. Goodell, please PLEASE, make good on your threats to suspend players. The NFL needs to keep its players safe, we as fans don't want to see more DeSean Jackson-Dunta Robinson collisions ever again.
I am feel pretty strong about this topic, simply because as much as I love the game, I don't want to see players get hurt, especially if it leads to life long damage that will ruin players lives. It makes me feel bad that I take part in seeing players mental health get destroyed.
This past Sunday there was a total of 7 players taken out with head injuries. Seven! When things get that bad, you have to make changes to the rules for the safety of the players and long term success of the NFL. Some of the hits clearly were intentional, not every helmet to helmet hit is intentional, at time it cannot be avoided because the game is so fast, but most of these hits could have been avoided. The one that scared me really bad was the hit that eagles WR DeSean Jackson took from Falcons CB Dunta Robinson. If you want to see this scary hit, just click here. I can't stand to watch it, I saw it live and I got a gross feeling in my stomach, hits like this are not suppose to happen, this is not what the NFL is about. Please don't tell me that you want to see hits like that every Sunday, I sure as hell don't.
In today's world of mass media, it's considered cool to 'lay out' an opposing layer if you are on defense. You don't get a chance to score points, so to make it on the highlights for SportsCenter you gotta be violent and be in a seek and destroy mentality. This is whats wrong with the NFL, it shouldn't be considered 'sexy' to lay a player out and hurt him. On ESPN's Monday Night Countdown, there is a segment called 'Jacked Up'. This segment shows all of the 'big' hits that happened the previous day. It gives glory and attention to big hits, this has made players want to make those big hit to get noticed. Sadly leading with your helmet is an easy way to get a big hit, it is also an easy way to give a player a concussion.
Another reason why I decided to blog about this is the statements that Steelers LB James Harrison has made since Sunday. In case you were not aware he was fined 75 grand for two hits that he had on two different players for the Cleveland Browns. Both players were taken out for the game with concussions. In both hits, Harrison lowered his helmet on the hits, something you CANNOT do in the NFL. If you want to see the two hits, and hear the helmet crack, click here. I didn't see either of these hits live, but watching them makes me feel bad, this isn't how football is suppose to be. What irritates me even more is Harrison's reaction to being fined. He is seriously considering retiring from the NFL. His reasons, its not fair to fine me for making legal hits. You know what Mr. Harrison? If you are reading this, please take my advice. Retire. The NFL was successful before you came into the NFL, and it will be more successful when you leave. You may be a great Linebacker, hell you were the Defensive Player of the Year a few seasons ago, but the NFL has no need for a dirty player, giving cheap shots and taking players out of the game.
You want to hear Harrison's logic? This is what he said.
"I don't want to see anyone injured," Harrison said, "but I'm not opposed to hurting anyone."
Wait...come again? That seems like somewhat of an oxymoron. He would explain himself a little better.
"There's a difference. When you're injured, you can't play. But when you're hurt, you can shake it off and come back, maybe a few plays later or the next game. I try to hurt people."
That last sentence is what is wrong with the NFL. If any player says he is out to hurt people, and then you see him leading with his helmet on hits, you know you have a problem. He is trying to act like he is the victim, but you know who the victims are? Joshua Cribbs and Mohamed Massaquoi. Those are the two players that suffered concussions on illegal hits, and how about their families?
Steelers head coach made a statement that really irked me. He said that James Harrison is a 'model' for young players to imitate...wait..did I read that right? You are saying that playing dirty, breaking rules and causing serious injuries to players is what young players need to do? Remember, Harrison also slammed Titans QB Vince Young to the ground, he was fined 5 grand for that as well as 5 grand for cheap shots to a Bengals player. What about the fact that he assaulted his girlfriend, has a charge against him for that and had to go to anger management classes. Sounds like a grade A kinda guy.
Please Harrison, leave. Make good on your threat and retire, the Steelers will still be a good team, and the NFL will only get better with you gone.
I am glad the NFL is taking action though. Some teams are getting really hurt by brain injuries. The Eagles now have 5 players that have been hurt by concussions. You still think its a good idea to add two games to the schedule? Go back and read my first article and you will see that I am right.
Honestly what I think made the NFL make these rule changes was not what happened on the field, but what was said on NBC's Sunday Night Football. Former NFL Safety Rodney Harrison and former head coach Tony Dungy revealed some ugly truths about the NFL in regards to helmet to helmet hits. Former coach Dungy said that he didn't care if his players got fined for an illegal hit. He did not lose one second of sleep over it, it did not bother him one tiny bit. But suspending a player for a hit would get his attention big time. So if the coaches don't care about big hits, does that mean they don't coach on hitting safely?
Then Rodney Harrison opened his mouth and said something that stunned me. He said he would put away 50 grand every year to go towards fines that he would receive. Why would he want to do this you ask? So that he could establish his reputation as a hard hitting safety. He didn't care about getting fined, in fact, he was anticipating it. He wanted to be known as a big and hard hitter. The money didn't matter. What did get his attention was suspensions. He was suspended one game in 2002 for a helmet to helmet hit against WR Jeery Rice. That suspension gave him a wake up call, because he was letting his teammates, coaches and fans down. It also cost him a game check. When Harrison admitted that on Sunday, you know the NFL was listening. That is why they are going to start to suspend players for those illegal hits. They want players to get the message that the NFL is trying to send. You cannot use your helmet as a weapon, concussions are a problem in the NFL and if players continue to lead with their helmet they will be suspended, and I am glad they are finally doing it.
Now please don't get me wrong, I don't want to see the NFL turn into flag football or two hand touch. And I don't think that every helmet to helmet hit should get suspensions. I think the NFL needs to be smart and look at each hit individually and see if there was any malicious intent on the part of the defender. The NFL is so fast and quick that not every helmet to helmet hit can be avoided. However when players start to launch themselves leading with their helmet, we then have a problem. NFL players are going to get hurt, its part of the game and the players know that. But we have to try and eliminate players that are looking to headhunt. So please NFL, don't suspend every player, just the ones that used their helmet on purpose.
We don't want to see careers cut short by concussions. We've already seen great players such as Johhny Unitas, Roger Staubach, Merril Hodge, and Steve Young(to name a few) forced into retirement. I want to see the NFL at its best. Players launching themselves at players like rockets, leading with their helmet is the NFL at its worst. Mr. Goodell, please PLEASE, make good on your threats to suspend players. The NFL needs to keep its players safe, we as fans don't want to see more DeSean Jackson-Dunta Robinson collisions ever again.
Monday, October 18, 2010
BCS stands for Big Conference System or Bull Crap System, take your pick
The BCS, which really stands for Bowl Championship Series, started in the 1998 season in hopes to give college football a true national champion. In previous years there would often be a split in the voting for a national champ. The two best teams would not play each other in a winner take all bowl game like we see now. In the 56 years prior to the BCS the #1 and #2 teams only played each other 8 times. So what we have now is clearly better than what we had before. College football does not have a playoff system to determine who is the nation champion, so whatever team wins the BCS national championship game is then named champion. The hard part is to make it to that game, not winning it. A teams strength of schedule, pre-season ranking and win total all play critical parts in a teams ranking in the BCS. I have been against the BCS ever since I started following college football closely. Here I plan to show how the BCS is wrong and is not what college football needs.
When the BCS started it was agreed that 6 conferences would be the primary participants in the BCS bowl games. The 5 BCS bowl games pay a lot more money and are considered to be very good games. Those bowls are the Fiesta, Orange, Sugar, Rose and then the National Championship Bowl game. The 6 conferences that are considered 'BCS' conferences are the SEC, ACC, Pac 10, Big Ten, Big 12, and Big East. Most of the traditional power teams come from these 6 conferences, and so in the agreement, the winner of each of these conferences would be guranteed a BCS bowl birth, as well as other teams that finish in the top 8 of the BCS polls. It sounds a little confusing if you are not familiar with how this all works, but this is just a little history on the BCS.
When the BCS first started most people were very excited and pleased with the results. #1 and #2 teams played most years and we had a true national champion. However there seemed to be some disputes as the years went on. Teams started to go undefeated and not be in the National title game. Or some teams would finish with the same record, but one team would play for the title and the other would not. Things like the teams strength of schedule and their rank in the polls(which is highly determined by their preseason ranking which is pretty much an educated guess). Teams started to feel left out, but most of the public thought it was good. People were happy that we had the #1 and #2 teams playing each other.
In the 2003-2004 season there was the first 'split' national champion. LSU won the BCS championship game, however USC which won the Rose Bowl finished 1st in the AP poll and was awarded the AP Championship. This is the first year that the BCS clearly failed, it could not give us a true champion and we seemed to have the same problem that plagued college football in the pre-BCS era. Things would even get worse as time went on.
The came the 2004-2005 season. This is the season that made people think if the BCS was fair. In this season we had a total of 5 teams go undefeated heading into the Bowl Season. USC, Oklahoma, Auburn, Utah and Boise State each went undefeated. However under the way the BCS works, only two teams can play for the national title. Three of these teams Oklahoma, USC and Auburn came from BCS conferences, Boise State and Utah did not. Utah became the first team to play in a BCS bowl game that was not from a BCS conference(also called an AQ conference, automatic qualifier). Utah played Pitt in the Fiesta Bowl and blew them out. Boise State lost their bowl game, Auburn won their BCS game. USC beat Oklahoma to win the BCS championship. USC was announced as champions, but Auburn went undefeated and felt that they were wronged during the season. Although Utah was happy to play in a BCS game, it also felt discriminated against since they could not try and win it all.
In the 2006-2007 season Boise State went undefeated and upset Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, one of the best college football games ever played. Boise State felt that they could contend for the National Championship Game, which Florida would win. They had a solid argument too, they beat everyone on their schedule including Oklahoma. Many people seem to forget this, but if it weren't for an referee's mistake in a call in the Oklahoma-Oregon game. To refresh your memory, Oregon was losing late in the game when they kicked an onside kick. An onside kick is basically where the kicker has to kick the ball 10 yards and hope that his team can recover the ball. Oregon recovered the onside kick and went on to win the game. However when Oregon was kicking the onside kick a player for Oregon touched the ball before it went the required ten yards. This call cost Oklahoma a win and they went on to finish 11-1 heading into their Bowl Game. So if the correct call was made Oklahoma would have gone undefeated and most likely would have played in the Title game. So Boise State beat a team that should have been in the Title game. However thanks to the BCS they were not able to play in the title game.
Last season Alabama, Texas, Boise State and TCU all finished with a perfect record, but Boise State and TCU were not given the chance to play for the title. In the 2008-2009 season Utah finished undefeated but did not play for the title.
The simple solution is a playoff. This is nothing groundbreaking, but it is the solution. Allow the top 8 teams to go into a playoff and the winner of that will be the national champion. Sadly I don't think this will ever happen. Too many people like the BCS the way it is and like the 'tradition' of the Bowl Games. If by tradition I think they mean, unfairly deciding who is the champion. College football is a beautiful thing, I love watching it. But it is sad when you know there is not a fair way to determine the champion. Look at college basketball and the craze of March Madness. So many people watch all of the games, wanting to see who will and get to play on. Imagine that craze with college football. So many more people would watch the bowl games to see who will play on, and who will go play for the title. I know that I did not watch two of the BCS games last year, the Orange and Sugar bowls. Now I would have watched them if there was a playoff in place and I know that the winner would play again.
People that are anti-playoff claim that the BCS them more money than a playoff would, I beg to differ. More people would watch these games and more money would be. FedEx had been the sponsor for the Orange Bowl for many, many years, but has pulled its name due to a lack of viewers. The Orange bowl was hardly watched by BCS standards, a way to fix that. Make it a playoff.
I'm not saying I want a playoff because I am a fan of small schools like Boise State, Utah and BYU. I'm saying I want a playoff because I want the best games possible, and I want whoever is crowned the nation champion to deserve it 100%, no questions whatsoever.
When the BCS started it was agreed that 6 conferences would be the primary participants in the BCS bowl games. The 5 BCS bowl games pay a lot more money and are considered to be very good games. Those bowls are the Fiesta, Orange, Sugar, Rose and then the National Championship Bowl game. The 6 conferences that are considered 'BCS' conferences are the SEC, ACC, Pac 10, Big Ten, Big 12, and Big East. Most of the traditional power teams come from these 6 conferences, and so in the agreement, the winner of each of these conferences would be guranteed a BCS bowl birth, as well as other teams that finish in the top 8 of the BCS polls. It sounds a little confusing if you are not familiar with how this all works, but this is just a little history on the BCS.
When the BCS first started most people were very excited and pleased with the results. #1 and #2 teams played most years and we had a true national champion. However there seemed to be some disputes as the years went on. Teams started to go undefeated and not be in the National title game. Or some teams would finish with the same record, but one team would play for the title and the other would not. Things like the teams strength of schedule and their rank in the polls(which is highly determined by their preseason ranking which is pretty much an educated guess). Teams started to feel left out, but most of the public thought it was good. People were happy that we had the #1 and #2 teams playing each other.
In the 2003-2004 season there was the first 'split' national champion. LSU won the BCS championship game, however USC which won the Rose Bowl finished 1st in the AP poll and was awarded the AP Championship. This is the first year that the BCS clearly failed, it could not give us a true champion and we seemed to have the same problem that plagued college football in the pre-BCS era. Things would even get worse as time went on.
The came the 2004-2005 season. This is the season that made people think if the BCS was fair. In this season we had a total of 5 teams go undefeated heading into the Bowl Season. USC, Oklahoma, Auburn, Utah and Boise State each went undefeated. However under the way the BCS works, only two teams can play for the national title. Three of these teams Oklahoma, USC and Auburn came from BCS conferences, Boise State and Utah did not. Utah became the first team to play in a BCS bowl game that was not from a BCS conference(also called an AQ conference, automatic qualifier). Utah played Pitt in the Fiesta Bowl and blew them out. Boise State lost their bowl game, Auburn won their BCS game. USC beat Oklahoma to win the BCS championship. USC was announced as champions, but Auburn went undefeated and felt that they were wronged during the season. Although Utah was happy to play in a BCS game, it also felt discriminated against since they could not try and win it all.
In the 2006-2007 season Boise State went undefeated and upset Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, one of the best college football games ever played. Boise State felt that they could contend for the National Championship Game, which Florida would win. They had a solid argument too, they beat everyone on their schedule including Oklahoma. Many people seem to forget this, but if it weren't for an referee's mistake in a call in the Oklahoma-Oregon game. To refresh your memory, Oregon was losing late in the game when they kicked an onside kick. An onside kick is basically where the kicker has to kick the ball 10 yards and hope that his team can recover the ball. Oregon recovered the onside kick and went on to win the game. However when Oregon was kicking the onside kick a player for Oregon touched the ball before it went the required ten yards. This call cost Oklahoma a win and they went on to finish 11-1 heading into their Bowl Game. So if the correct call was made Oklahoma would have gone undefeated and most likely would have played in the Title game. So Boise State beat a team that should have been in the Title game. However thanks to the BCS they were not able to play in the title game.
Last season Alabama, Texas, Boise State and TCU all finished with a perfect record, but Boise State and TCU were not given the chance to play for the title. In the 2008-2009 season Utah finished undefeated but did not play for the title.
The simple solution is a playoff. This is nothing groundbreaking, but it is the solution. Allow the top 8 teams to go into a playoff and the winner of that will be the national champion. Sadly I don't think this will ever happen. Too many people like the BCS the way it is and like the 'tradition' of the Bowl Games. If by tradition I think they mean, unfairly deciding who is the champion. College football is a beautiful thing, I love watching it. But it is sad when you know there is not a fair way to determine the champion. Look at college basketball and the craze of March Madness. So many people watch all of the games, wanting to see who will and get to play on. Imagine that craze with college football. So many more people would watch the bowl games to see who will play on, and who will go play for the title. I know that I did not watch two of the BCS games last year, the Orange and Sugar bowls. Now I would have watched them if there was a playoff in place and I know that the winner would play again.
People that are anti-playoff claim that the BCS them more money than a playoff would, I beg to differ. More people would watch these games and more money would be. FedEx had been the sponsor for the Orange Bowl for many, many years, but has pulled its name due to a lack of viewers. The Orange bowl was hardly watched by BCS standards, a way to fix that. Make it a playoff.
I'm not saying I want a playoff because I am a fan of small schools like Boise State, Utah and BYU. I'm saying I want a playoff because I want the best games possible, and I want whoever is crowned the nation champion to deserve it 100%, no questions whatsoever.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Week 6 picks
So last week my picks weren't all that hot, however when I compared my picks to the 'experts' from ESPN, I felt a lot better. Not one of the 'experts' had a better record than 7-7, which is what my record was last week. Some were 4-10 or 5-9. Hopefully things will get better, but there are a lot of interesting games this week. If you want to view the 'experts' picks click here.
Seahawks vs Bears - The Bears won without QB Cutler, who is suppose to be in the game on Sunday. Right now the Bears look like the best team in the NFC north, and seem pretty solid overall. The Seahawks have good special teams, but still lack the firepower on offense and defense to be a contender. I expect the Bears to flex their muscle on Sunday.
My Pick - Bears over Seahawks.
Dolphins vs Packers - I think this game will show us Green Bay's true colors, this will show us if we should fear the Packers as an elite team, or if they are just one of the many good teams in the NFL. Aaron Rodgers has not said if he will play or not as of today, but he is optimistic about his chances of starting. Even if he does start there are a ton of other injuries to worry about. GB has been very inconsistent so far this year.
My Pick - Dolphins over Packers
Chargers vs Rams - The Chargers are just confusing everybody right now. Their biggest weakness has been special teams, but the lack of a running game is still troubling. The Rams don't have a very deep roster and lost one of their best WR's last week to injury. I don't trust the Chargers very much, but they should be able to beat the Rams.
My Pick - Chargers over Rams
Lions vs Giants - The Lions are feeling confident after embarrassing the Rams last week, but the Giants are also confident after beating the Bears and Texans. The Lions may just have one win, but they are a tough team to beat. However, the Giants defense is fierce, possibly to fierce for the Lions
My Pick - Giants over Lions
Falcons vs Eagles - It is still unknown if the Eagles will start Vick or not, but it doesn't look good. The Falcons are still trying to prove to everybody that they are the team to beat in the NFC, and a win in Philly would help their cause. The Falcons haven't looked as flashy as most people thought they would, but they still look good and Philly has a weak defense plus a lot of injuries that are starting to pile up.
My Pick - Falcons over Eagles
Browns vs Steelers - The Browns will be starting rookie QB Colt McCoy against the Steelers. This is not a good move in my opinion. I like Colt, but he is not ready at this moment to start in the NFL, let alone start against the Steelers defense in Pittsburgh. The Steelers should walk all over the Browns with Big Ben coming back. Heck the Steelers would destroy the Browns with me as their QB.
My Pick - Steelers over Browns
Saints vs Buccaneers - The Saints have not looked good at all this year. Their offense is not explosive, their running game has struggled and they turn the ball over. The Saints defense has looked a lot better and has kep them in games. TB has had moments were they look really good, and moments were they don't. This game is tough for me to decide on. I want to pick the Saints, but something is telling me that they will choke on the road. It will be a close game either way.
My Pick - Saints over Bucs
Ravens vs Patriots - This will be the first game without Randy Moss for the Patriots. The Pats say they can win without him, and I agree with them. The Pats didn't have huge stars when they won their first Superbowl against the Rams in Superbowl XXXVI. However the Ravens look really good and may have found their stride with their offense. The Patriots have a weak secondary, and with the big WR's, Joe Flacco could have a good day. He also could suck it up like has before, but I am thinking he will do good.
My Pick - Ravens over Patriots
Chiefs vs Texans - The Texans got blown out by the Giants last week and need a win to say they are an elite team. The Chiefs would like to prove that their 3-0 start wasn't a fluke and a win over the Chiefs would be huge. However, the Chiefs are young and need help on offense, a lot of help.
My Pick - Texans over Chiefs
Raiders vs 49ers - The 49ers are 0-5 and need a win this week. Well they needed a win the last two weeks, but that didn't happen. The Raiders have shown moments were they look good, and moments were they look like the Raiders we expect to see each week. However, the 49ers need this one badly, they don't want to lose to the Raiders. If the 49ers lose don't be surprised if someone gets fired.
My Pick - 49ers over Raiders
Jets vs Broncos - The Broncos have not looked very impressive all year long so far. The Jets are playing better as each week goes on. The Jets defense smothered the Vikings, but their offense was slow too. I expect the Jets O to play better and leave Denver with a W.
My Pick - Jets over Broncos
Cowboys vs Vikings - Both teams have just one win this year, both teams had Superbowl aspirations in the pre-season, both teams need this win. Only one team will(unless they tie, in which case no one wins, how funny would that be?). The Vikings seem to be hurt on offense, and Favre has not looked good so far. The Cowboys at times have looked good, but lack the discipline to close out games. Last week they lost to the Titans, despite having way more yards on offense. Penalties and lack of execution seem to kill the Cowboys. This is probably the toughest pick of the week. My brain says the Cowboys, because they have a lot of talent on both sides of the ball. My heart says the Vikings, because I know the Cowboys can lose to anyone and the Vikings have to get on track eventually, right? I'm still not 100% sure, but I still have to make a pick. The Wildcard in this game will be the combo of Favre and Moss. If Favre and hook up with Moss the Vikings should win, if not, I don't see it happening. With Favre's status still not certain, I will withhold my pick until I know if Favre will start or not, because that will play a huge role in the game. With Favre starting my pick is out.
My Pick - Vikings over Cowboys
Colts vs Redskins - Both teams are 3-2 and both teams need this win. The Redskins are in 1st in their division, and would love to get a win to stay in 1st. The Colts need this win because they are suppose to win, and if they want to be feared in the NFL they have to beat the Redskins. The Skins defense is pretty bad, but is lucky with turnovers. The Colts love to pass the ball, but have really struggled with running the ball. The Colts may end up being a one dimensional team on Sunday. If the Redskins can get some turnovers and be smart with the ball, they could easily upset the defending AFC champions.
My Pick - Redskins upset the Colts
Titans vs Jaguars - The Titans are feeling really good after blowing out the Cowboys last week. The Jags are still feeling good after beating the Colts a few weeks ago. Both teams have good offenses, so it will come down to turnovers and ball control. Both teams have good running games, but I'm betting that Chris Johnson will show his stuff on Monday night.
My Pick - Titans over Jags
Seahawks vs Bears - The Bears won without QB Cutler, who is suppose to be in the game on Sunday. Right now the Bears look like the best team in the NFC north, and seem pretty solid overall. The Seahawks have good special teams, but still lack the firepower on offense and defense to be a contender. I expect the Bears to flex their muscle on Sunday.
My Pick - Bears over Seahawks.
Dolphins vs Packers - I think this game will show us Green Bay's true colors, this will show us if we should fear the Packers as an elite team, or if they are just one of the many good teams in the NFL. Aaron Rodgers has not said if he will play or not as of today, but he is optimistic about his chances of starting. Even if he does start there are a ton of other injuries to worry about. GB has been very inconsistent so far this year.
My Pick - Dolphins over Packers
Chargers vs Rams - The Chargers are just confusing everybody right now. Their biggest weakness has been special teams, but the lack of a running game is still troubling. The Rams don't have a very deep roster and lost one of their best WR's last week to injury. I don't trust the Chargers very much, but they should be able to beat the Rams.
My Pick - Chargers over Rams
Lions vs Giants - The Lions are feeling confident after embarrassing the Rams last week, but the Giants are also confident after beating the Bears and Texans. The Lions may just have one win, but they are a tough team to beat. However, the Giants defense is fierce, possibly to fierce for the Lions
My Pick - Giants over Lions
Falcons vs Eagles - It is still unknown if the Eagles will start Vick or not, but it doesn't look good. The Falcons are still trying to prove to everybody that they are the team to beat in the NFC, and a win in Philly would help their cause. The Falcons haven't looked as flashy as most people thought they would, but they still look good and Philly has a weak defense plus a lot of injuries that are starting to pile up.
My Pick - Falcons over Eagles
Browns vs Steelers - The Browns will be starting rookie QB Colt McCoy against the Steelers. This is not a good move in my opinion. I like Colt, but he is not ready at this moment to start in the NFL, let alone start against the Steelers defense in Pittsburgh. The Steelers should walk all over the Browns with Big Ben coming back. Heck the Steelers would destroy the Browns with me as their QB.
My Pick - Steelers over Browns
Saints vs Buccaneers - The Saints have not looked good at all this year. Their offense is not explosive, their running game has struggled and they turn the ball over. The Saints defense has looked a lot better and has kep them in games. TB has had moments were they look really good, and moments were they don't. This game is tough for me to decide on. I want to pick the Saints, but something is telling me that they will choke on the road. It will be a close game either way.
My Pick - Saints over Bucs
Ravens vs Patriots - This will be the first game without Randy Moss for the Patriots. The Pats say they can win without him, and I agree with them. The Pats didn't have huge stars when they won their first Superbowl against the Rams in Superbowl XXXVI. However the Ravens look really good and may have found their stride with their offense. The Patriots have a weak secondary, and with the big WR's, Joe Flacco could have a good day. He also could suck it up like has before, but I am thinking he will do good.
My Pick - Ravens over Patriots
Chiefs vs Texans - The Texans got blown out by the Giants last week and need a win to say they are an elite team. The Chiefs would like to prove that their 3-0 start wasn't a fluke and a win over the Chiefs would be huge. However, the Chiefs are young and need help on offense, a lot of help.
My Pick - Texans over Chiefs
Raiders vs 49ers - The 49ers are 0-5 and need a win this week. Well they needed a win the last two weeks, but that didn't happen. The Raiders have shown moments were they look good, and moments were they look like the Raiders we expect to see each week. However, the 49ers need this one badly, they don't want to lose to the Raiders. If the 49ers lose don't be surprised if someone gets fired.
My Pick - 49ers over Raiders
Jets vs Broncos - The Broncos have not looked very impressive all year long so far. The Jets are playing better as each week goes on. The Jets defense smothered the Vikings, but their offense was slow too. I expect the Jets O to play better and leave Denver with a W.
My Pick - Jets over Broncos
Cowboys vs Vikings - Both teams have just one win this year, both teams had Superbowl aspirations in the pre-season, both teams need this win. Only one team will(unless they tie, in which case no one wins, how funny would that be?). The Vikings seem to be hurt on offense, and Favre has not looked good so far. The Cowboys at times have looked good, but lack the discipline to close out games. Last week they lost to the Titans, despite having way more yards on offense. Penalties and lack of execution seem to kill the Cowboys. This is probably the toughest pick of the week. My brain says the Cowboys, because they have a lot of talent on both sides of the ball. My heart says the Vikings, because I know the Cowboys can lose to anyone and the Vikings have to get on track eventually, right? I'm still not 100% sure, but I still have to make a pick. The Wildcard in this game will be the combo of Favre and Moss. If Favre and hook up with Moss the Vikings should win, if not, I don't see it happening. With Favre's status still not certain, I will withhold my pick until I know if Favre will start or not, because that will play a huge role in the game. With Favre starting my pick is out.
My Pick - Vikings over Cowboys
Colts vs Redskins - Both teams are 3-2 and both teams need this win. The Redskins are in 1st in their division, and would love to get a win to stay in 1st. The Colts need this win because they are suppose to win, and if they want to be feared in the NFL they have to beat the Redskins. The Skins defense is pretty bad, but is lucky with turnovers. The Colts love to pass the ball, but have really struggled with running the ball. The Colts may end up being a one dimensional team on Sunday. If the Redskins can get some turnovers and be smart with the ball, they could easily upset the defending AFC champions.
My Pick - Redskins upset the Colts
Titans vs Jaguars - The Titans are feeling really good after blowing out the Cowboys last week. The Jags are still feeling good after beating the Colts a few weeks ago. Both teams have good offenses, so it will come down to turnovers and ball control. Both teams have good running games, but I'm betting that Chris Johnson will show his stuff on Monday night.
My Pick - Titans over Jags
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Week 5 Picks
So last week a few big upsets hurt my picks, but hopefully I can recover and get above .500 for the season, I swear I am normally a lot better with my picks. There are a lot of games that are pretty much a toss up, so those ones are gonna be hard to pick
Jaguars vs Bills - This is one of those tough games to pick. The Jaguars are just beat the Colts last week, but the question will be if they can keep the momentum up and play a good game. Luckily for them the Bills are awful this season. This game will be close, and hate to say it, but boring.
My Pick - Jaguars over Bills
Buccaneers vs Bengals - The Bengals just lost to the Browns, and should be more focused on this game. The Bucs had a bye last week and want to rebound after the Steelers killed them in Week 3. TB has a bad defense, this should be the game were we see Carson Palmer prove he is still a great QB.
My Pick Benagls over Bucs
Falcons vs Browns - The Browns are very confident after beating the Bengals, it was a big win for this team. However they now have to host the Falcons, who at times have looked like on the of the best teams in the NFC. The Browns should put up a fight, but it won't be enough.
My Pick - Falcons over Browns
Rams vs Lions - This game is really hard for me to make a pick on. The Rams have won two games in a row, so their confidence is high. And even though the Lions haven't won a game this year, they have made each game close, so its not like they are getting blown out each week. This game is literally a toss up, but I think homefield might give the Lions an edge.
My Pick - Lions over Rams
Chiefs vs Colts - The Chiefs are the lone undefeated team in the league, that will end this week. The Colts have got to be upset that they let the Jaguars beat them, so expect them to show no mercy against the Chiefs.
My Pick - Colts over Chiefs
Packers vs Redskins - The Packers have not looked elite, but they have looked really good all year. The Redskins are still an up and down team this year, but with RB Clinton Portis out with an injury I think that will make this game too hard for the Skins.
My Pick - Packers over Redskins
Bears vs Panthers - The Bears are without QB Jay Cutler, but the Panthers are still going to play rookie QB Claussen. The Bears got embarrassed last week against the Giants, so expect them to play harder and run the ball better.
My Pick - Bears over Panthers
Broncos vs Ravens - The Ravens just got a huge win over the Steelers, so expect them to keep up their confidence. Flacco finally got in a groove last week and was able to pass the ball really well. The Broncos have seemed a little confused on defense, and that could be trouble.
My Pick - Ravens over Broncos
Giants vs Texans - The Giants defense looked really good against the Bears. However the offense was awful, they could not turn turnovers and punts into points. The Texans have a good defense and an explosive offense. The Giants will keep it close until half time or so, then the Texans should start to pull away.
My Pick - Texans over Giants
Saints vs Cardinals - The Saints have been hit hard with injuries, but they still find ways to win. The Cards will be starting rookie QB Max Hall, so don't be surprised to see the Saints blitz a lot. The key to the game will be turnovers. The Saints have dropped passes in the redzone a lot this year, so if that changes the Saints win easy.
My Pick - Saints over Cardinals
Titans vs Cowboys - This is a big game for Dallas, they are coming off of a bye and are playing a team that can amaze you one week, and embarrass you the next. Tennessee wants to prove they are legit, but the Cowboys defense is pretty good and should shut down their running game.
My Pick - Cowboys over Titans
Chargers vs Raiders - The Chargers dismantled the Cardinals last week and seem to have found their tempo. I expect the Chargers to keep up the pace and score a lot of points. The Raiders are just looking for an identity right now, and they do not have it.
My Pick - Chargers over Raiders
Eagles vs 49ers - The Eagles are without QB Michael Vick, that is a huge blow to their momentum. Kevin Kolb did not look all that hot against Washington last week. The Eagles will be more prepared to use Kolb instead of Vick but the 49ers defense also won't be planning for Vick. The Eagles defense has not been very good at all this year, and with Asante Samuel out with an injury, their secondary just got worse. Expect San Fran to run the ball and use a lot of play action. If the Niners lose this week it will be a lost season and coach Singletary will be out of a job.
My Pick 49ers over Eagles
Vikings vs Jets - The Vikings picked up Randy Moss for a 3rd round pick, so that should help their passing woes, but with Brett Favre still not playing like we are use to seeing him play, and the offensive line still giving up sacks, it may not be enough. The Jets are ready to prove they are elite, if they can beat the Vikings in primetime their will be a lot of talk about the Jets. Even though the Vikings are 1-2, it will still be a big win for the Jets. I haven't heard if Moss will be playing as well, there are rumors he may sit this one out. Either way this game is huge for both teams, but the home team should come out on top.
My Pick - Jets over Vikings
Last week 7-7
Season 22-24
Jaguars vs Bills - This is one of those tough games to pick. The Jaguars are just beat the Colts last week, but the question will be if they can keep the momentum up and play a good game. Luckily for them the Bills are awful this season. This game will be close, and hate to say it, but boring.
My Pick - Jaguars over Bills
Buccaneers vs Bengals - The Bengals just lost to the Browns, and should be more focused on this game. The Bucs had a bye last week and want to rebound after the Steelers killed them in Week 3. TB has a bad defense, this should be the game were we see Carson Palmer prove he is still a great QB.
My Pick Benagls over Bucs
Falcons vs Browns - The Browns are very confident after beating the Bengals, it was a big win for this team. However they now have to host the Falcons, who at times have looked like on the of the best teams in the NFC. The Browns should put up a fight, but it won't be enough.
My Pick - Falcons over Browns
Rams vs Lions - This game is really hard for me to make a pick on. The Rams have won two games in a row, so their confidence is high. And even though the Lions haven't won a game this year, they have made each game close, so its not like they are getting blown out each week. This game is literally a toss up, but I think homefield might give the Lions an edge.
My Pick - Lions over Rams
Chiefs vs Colts - The Chiefs are the lone undefeated team in the league, that will end this week. The Colts have got to be upset that they let the Jaguars beat them, so expect them to show no mercy against the Chiefs.
My Pick - Colts over Chiefs
Packers vs Redskins - The Packers have not looked elite, but they have looked really good all year. The Redskins are still an up and down team this year, but with RB Clinton Portis out with an injury I think that will make this game too hard for the Skins.
My Pick - Packers over Redskins
Bears vs Panthers - The Bears are without QB Jay Cutler, but the Panthers are still going to play rookie QB Claussen. The Bears got embarrassed last week against the Giants, so expect them to play harder and run the ball better.
My Pick - Bears over Panthers
Broncos vs Ravens - The Ravens just got a huge win over the Steelers, so expect them to keep up their confidence. Flacco finally got in a groove last week and was able to pass the ball really well. The Broncos have seemed a little confused on defense, and that could be trouble.
My Pick - Ravens over Broncos
Giants vs Texans - The Giants defense looked really good against the Bears. However the offense was awful, they could not turn turnovers and punts into points. The Texans have a good defense and an explosive offense. The Giants will keep it close until half time or so, then the Texans should start to pull away.
My Pick - Texans over Giants
Saints vs Cardinals - The Saints have been hit hard with injuries, but they still find ways to win. The Cards will be starting rookie QB Max Hall, so don't be surprised to see the Saints blitz a lot. The key to the game will be turnovers. The Saints have dropped passes in the redzone a lot this year, so if that changes the Saints win easy.
My Pick - Saints over Cardinals
Titans vs Cowboys - This is a big game for Dallas, they are coming off of a bye and are playing a team that can amaze you one week, and embarrass you the next. Tennessee wants to prove they are legit, but the Cowboys defense is pretty good and should shut down their running game.
My Pick - Cowboys over Titans
Chargers vs Raiders - The Chargers dismantled the Cardinals last week and seem to have found their tempo. I expect the Chargers to keep up the pace and score a lot of points. The Raiders are just looking for an identity right now, and they do not have it.
My Pick - Chargers over Raiders
Eagles vs 49ers - The Eagles are without QB Michael Vick, that is a huge blow to their momentum. Kevin Kolb did not look all that hot against Washington last week. The Eagles will be more prepared to use Kolb instead of Vick but the 49ers defense also won't be planning for Vick. The Eagles defense has not been very good at all this year, and with Asante Samuel out with an injury, their secondary just got worse. Expect San Fran to run the ball and use a lot of play action. If the Niners lose this week it will be a lost season and coach Singletary will be out of a job.
My Pick 49ers over Eagles
Vikings vs Jets - The Vikings picked up Randy Moss for a 3rd round pick, so that should help their passing woes, but with Brett Favre still not playing like we are use to seeing him play, and the offensive line still giving up sacks, it may not be enough. The Jets are ready to prove they are elite, if they can beat the Vikings in primetime their will be a lot of talk about the Jets. Even though the Vikings are 1-2, it will still be a big win for the Jets. I haven't heard if Moss will be playing as well, there are rumors he may sit this one out. Either way this game is huge for both teams, but the home team should come out on top.
My Pick - Jets over Vikings
Last week 7-7
Season 22-24
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Tuesday's thoughts on the NFL
After watching and reading about week 4 in the NFL, I am left scratching my head. Does anybody want to win? Are the Kansas City Chiefs really the only undefeated team left in the NFL? Why is no one stepping up and being a favorite?
Entering this season there seemed to be some obvious favorites to contend for the Superbowl. The Saints, Vikings, Packers and Cowboys in the NFC. While the Colts, Patriots, Ravens and Chargers seemed to be leading candidates in the AFC. However, none of those teams have really made a statement that they are going to win it all. None of these teams are undefeated, the Saints, Packers, Patriots and Ravens are all 3-1, but it doesn't feel like they have been dominate. The Packers have been killed by penalties and the lack of a running game, the Saints have been hit by the injury bug already, the Patriots seem up and down and the Ravens don't seem to have that big offense that everyone thought they would have. The Colts are 2-2(0-2 in the division) while the Cowboys and Vikings are both 1-2. What is going on in the NFL? All the teams seem to be very even, the bad teams in the NFL have been improving(for the most part, sorry Buffalo fans) and the great teams haven't done much to get better.
Entering week 4 the Eagles and Steelers looked like the best teams in their conferences. However, the Eagles defense is still dreadful, and with Vick out at least for week 5 the Eagles suddenly seem to be an average team again. The Steelers offense was decent against the Ravens, but what surprised me was how their defense collapsed at the end of the game. Normally when their D is healthy they close out games really well. But Joe Flacco was able to take the Ravens down the field and score a touchdown to win the game. Flaccos hasn't been playing all that well this season, but seemed to play pretty well against Pittsburgh.
So I honestly don't know who is the best team in the league right now. It is only week 4, so it is way to early to guess, but the point I am trying to make is that no one is making an early season statement that they are the team to beat. Last year we had 4 teams that were 6-0(Saints, Colts, Vikings and Broncos), so far this year its the Chiefs alone at 3-0. The good news for the NFL though, is that pretty much every team is still alive to make the playoffs. The Bills, Lions and Panthers all 0-4 seem to be out of it. Even the 0-4 49ers can still hope for the playoffs since they play in the awful NFC West. So this will make the NFL season exciting, because everyone is still in it and will probably be contending until the last weeks in the NFL.
The St. Louis Rams have looked pretty good so far this year, they are 2-2 on the year so far and have the benefit of playing Seattle, San Fran and Arizona twice this year. Rookie QB Sam Bradford has looked pretty good for a rookie QB, and RB Stephan Jackson continues to play out of his mind. The Rams have a pretty easy schedule, so don't be surprised if they are contending to win their division. I don't see the Cardinals winning it this year, or the Seahawks. If the 49ers can get into gear they should be able to win the division, but it all depends on how well the Rams play the rest of the season.
The Saints are hurting, both Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas are hurt, and CB Tracy Porter is out for 2-4 weeks. The Saints need to be healthy to win games. The Saints are also hurting when it comes to catching the ball. Drew Brees is completing 73% of his passes, thats really really good, but the WR's are dropping balls and fumbling after they catch the ball. Last week against Carolina, the Saints had two turnovers deep in Carolina territory, if they Saints want to win, they need that offense to spark. Luckily for them, the defense has stepped up in a big way. The Saints are coming up with stops when they need to. The Saints still have a lot of work to do, but they have the coach and QB to get it done.
The Steelers should start playing very well when Big Ben returns from his suspension. I expect the Steelers to finish the regular season well, assuming Ben can still throw the ball well. The defense has looked great all year, besides their 4th quarter collapse last week, and I am counting on Pittsburgh to be in the post season.
The Packers were a popular pick to make it to the Superbowl, but they don't look all that great. They are lacking a running game and their secondary seems to be suspect at times. The Detroit Lions have gotten a lot better even though they are 0-4, but the Packers should have blown them out of the water, instead it was a very close game until the end. Green Bay needs to fix their penalties and running game woes if they want to win in January.
Did the Colts really lose to the Jags? I am still baffled by that, I know that Jacksonville always plays Indy tough, but the Colts are way better than the Jaguars, or so I thought. No one should start to panic yet in Indy, but it is clear that the Colts are not as great as they have been in years past.
This season should be really good. Every season is really good, but I'm really excited about this one simply because there are so many equal teams out there. There are no clear cut favorites, with a lot of teams showing a lot of promise
Entering this season there seemed to be some obvious favorites to contend for the Superbowl. The Saints, Vikings, Packers and Cowboys in the NFC. While the Colts, Patriots, Ravens and Chargers seemed to be leading candidates in the AFC. However, none of those teams have really made a statement that they are going to win it all. None of these teams are undefeated, the Saints, Packers, Patriots and Ravens are all 3-1, but it doesn't feel like they have been dominate. The Packers have been killed by penalties and the lack of a running game, the Saints have been hit by the injury bug already, the Patriots seem up and down and the Ravens don't seem to have that big offense that everyone thought they would have. The Colts are 2-2(0-2 in the division) while the Cowboys and Vikings are both 1-2. What is going on in the NFL? All the teams seem to be very even, the bad teams in the NFL have been improving(for the most part, sorry Buffalo fans) and the great teams haven't done much to get better.
Entering week 4 the Eagles and Steelers looked like the best teams in their conferences. However, the Eagles defense is still dreadful, and with Vick out at least for week 5 the Eagles suddenly seem to be an average team again. The Steelers offense was decent against the Ravens, but what surprised me was how their defense collapsed at the end of the game. Normally when their D is healthy they close out games really well. But Joe Flacco was able to take the Ravens down the field and score a touchdown to win the game. Flaccos hasn't been playing all that well this season, but seemed to play pretty well against Pittsburgh.
So I honestly don't know who is the best team in the league right now. It is only week 4, so it is way to early to guess, but the point I am trying to make is that no one is making an early season statement that they are the team to beat. Last year we had 4 teams that were 6-0(Saints, Colts, Vikings and Broncos), so far this year its the Chiefs alone at 3-0. The good news for the NFL though, is that pretty much every team is still alive to make the playoffs. The Bills, Lions and Panthers all 0-4 seem to be out of it. Even the 0-4 49ers can still hope for the playoffs since they play in the awful NFC West. So this will make the NFL season exciting, because everyone is still in it and will probably be contending until the last weeks in the NFL.
The St. Louis Rams have looked pretty good so far this year, they are 2-2 on the year so far and have the benefit of playing Seattle, San Fran and Arizona twice this year. Rookie QB Sam Bradford has looked pretty good for a rookie QB, and RB Stephan Jackson continues to play out of his mind. The Rams have a pretty easy schedule, so don't be surprised if they are contending to win their division. I don't see the Cardinals winning it this year, or the Seahawks. If the 49ers can get into gear they should be able to win the division, but it all depends on how well the Rams play the rest of the season.
The Saints are hurting, both Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas are hurt, and CB Tracy Porter is out for 2-4 weeks. The Saints need to be healthy to win games. The Saints are also hurting when it comes to catching the ball. Drew Brees is completing 73% of his passes, thats really really good, but the WR's are dropping balls and fumbling after they catch the ball. Last week against Carolina, the Saints had two turnovers deep in Carolina territory, if they Saints want to win, they need that offense to spark. Luckily for them, the defense has stepped up in a big way. The Saints are coming up with stops when they need to. The Saints still have a lot of work to do, but they have the coach and QB to get it done.
The Steelers should start playing very well when Big Ben returns from his suspension. I expect the Steelers to finish the regular season well, assuming Ben can still throw the ball well. The defense has looked great all year, besides their 4th quarter collapse last week, and I am counting on Pittsburgh to be in the post season.
The Packers were a popular pick to make it to the Superbowl, but they don't look all that great. They are lacking a running game and their secondary seems to be suspect at times. The Detroit Lions have gotten a lot better even though they are 0-4, but the Packers should have blown them out of the water, instead it was a very close game until the end. Green Bay needs to fix their penalties and running game woes if they want to win in January.
Did the Colts really lose to the Jags? I am still baffled by that, I know that Jacksonville always plays Indy tough, but the Colts are way better than the Jaguars, or so I thought. No one should start to panic yet in Indy, but it is clear that the Colts are not as great as they have been in years past.
This season should be really good. Every season is really good, but I'm really excited about this one simply because there are so many equal teams out there. There are no clear cut favorites, with a lot of teams showing a lot of promise
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Week 4 Picks
So last my picks for last week turned out a lot better than the previous week. Week 4 has some good match ups, and should give us some more clues about what teams are contenders, and which are pretenders.
49ers vs Falcons - The Falcons are coming off a huge win over division rival New Orleans, while the Niners are struggling in just about every phase of the game. I like the 49ers, and hate the Falcons, but right now I would be very surprised if San Fran can turn it around one of the best teams in the NFC.
My Pick - Falcons over 49ers
Jets vs Bills - The Bills could not keep up the with Patriots last week and lost. They now have to play the Jets, who finally seemed to get things going on offense against the Dolphins. The Jets are still without CB Darrell Revis, but that won't be a problem for the Jets, it is gonna be long season for Bill fans.
My Pick - Jets over Bills
Bengals vs Browns - Cleveland is just a bad sports town, I'm sorry. It's been a long year for the Browns, and their schedule only gets worse from here. They do get QB Jake Delhomme back from injury. Jake isn't as great as he used to be, but he can still have moments where he amazes you(usually followed by moments where he makes you very angry). However, the Bengals defense looks really tough this season, and Carson Palmer needs to start playing to his potential. Expect Palmer to get things going against the Browns.
My Pick - Bengals over Browns
Lions vs Packers - The Packers lost a close game to the Bears on Monday night, they hurt themselves with a huge amount of penalties. Green Bay's coaching staff will address this, so don't expect them to be foolish again. Aaron Rogers is one of the top QB's in the league and he should have a good time against the Lions. Detroit will play hard, but will be lucky if it isn't a blow out
My Pick - Packers over Lions
Broncos vs Titans - The Titans should continue to run the ball against Denver. Tennessee looked awful against the Steelers, but played well against the Giants. I expect Chris Johnson to have another good game running the ball, and for the Titans defense to take advantage of an injured Denver offense.
My Pick - Titans over Broncos
Rams vs Seahawks - This game really intrigues me, both teams have been playing a lot better than most people, including myself, thought they would. Seattle has a really good special teams unit, they scored two touchdowns on kick returns, but seem to be lacking some firepower on offense. Sam Bradford has really surprised me, he looks pretty good for a rookie QB. The Rams also have one of the best running backs in the game in Stephan Jackson. He is underrated because he plays for the crappy Rams. This will be a good game to watch.
My Pick - Rams over Seahawks.
Panthers vs Saints - The Saints have not looked all that great this year. Expect the Saints to play very hard, and get back into gear against the Panthers. Carolina looks lost right now, and things shouldn't be pretty if rookie QB Jimmy Claussen gets blitzed by the Saints D. New Orleans is looking for redemption after their last loss.
My Pick - Saints over Panthers
Ravens vs Steelers - Baltimore has looked pretty flat on offense all year. Everyone was talking about how they are going to be a very good offensive team. So far it hasn't happened. Joe Flacco has not stepped up as a QB yet, and don't expect him to do well against the Steelers D. Pittsburgh looks amazing right now on defense. Charlie Batch will be under center for the Steelers, and he can play decent, not great, but decent. This will be a low scoring game, where turnovers will be key. Luckily for the Steelers, Flacco seems to be giving up a lot of INT's this year.
My Pick - Steelers over Ravens
Texans vs Raiders - The Texans lost to Dallas last week, and with that, lost a chance to be considered one of the best teams in the league. They will still play hard and play for recognition. The Raiders seem to be confused on offense, the QB controvsy doesn't help at all. Expect the Texans to play their best and put the Raiders away early.
My Pick - Texans over Raiders
Colts vs Jaguars - The Colts look to be in mid-season form already, while the Jags look baffled on both sides of the ball. Indy takes every game seriously, so don't be counting on them to take it easy. Jacksonville needs a win, but they will have to play out of their minds to get it.
My Pick - Colts over Jags
Redskins vs Eagles - Donovan McNabb return to Philly! Big woop, I don't care that much. McNabb should get a standing ovation from their crowd, but thats all that this 'reunion' really means. Vick and the Eagles look really hot right now. Vick is more settled now, he stays in the pocket and is accurate with his throws. The Redskins defense has looked shaky the last two games. It will always be Sunny in Philadelphia if Vick is under center.
My Pick - Eagles over Redskins
Cardinals vs Chargers - Two teams that did well last year, who are struggling this year. The Chargers always start slow, but its now October, it's time to get in gear. The Cardinals have looked awful without Kurt Warner and Anquan Boldin. The Chargers look like the clear favorite, but don't expect the Cardinals to go without a fight.
My Pick - Chargers over Cardinals
Bears vs Giants - The Bears are coming off a big win against the Packers and the Giants look to be in a big mess. Former Giants have been questioning if the coaching staff still has the team under control. That is bad news, especially for a team in NY. Expect the Bears to keep playing hot, and Cutler to light up a poor Giants defense.
My Pick - Bears vs Giants
Patriots vs Dolphins - The Dolphins defense seemed to get exposed by the Jets on Sunday, so don't be surprised if the Pats look to do the same. Randy Moss and Wes Welker should do well against the Fins defense. Sorry Dad, I just think the Dolphins are over matched this week.
My Pick - Patriots over Dolphins
Last week 9-7
Season 15-17
49ers vs Falcons - The Falcons are coming off a huge win over division rival New Orleans, while the Niners are struggling in just about every phase of the game. I like the 49ers, and hate the Falcons, but right now I would be very surprised if San Fran can turn it around one of the best teams in the NFC.
My Pick - Falcons over 49ers
Jets vs Bills - The Bills could not keep up the with Patriots last week and lost. They now have to play the Jets, who finally seemed to get things going on offense against the Dolphins. The Jets are still without CB Darrell Revis, but that won't be a problem for the Jets, it is gonna be long season for Bill fans.
My Pick - Jets over Bills
Bengals vs Browns - Cleveland is just a bad sports town, I'm sorry. It's been a long year for the Browns, and their schedule only gets worse from here. They do get QB Jake Delhomme back from injury. Jake isn't as great as he used to be, but he can still have moments where he amazes you(usually followed by moments where he makes you very angry). However, the Bengals defense looks really tough this season, and Carson Palmer needs to start playing to his potential. Expect Palmer to get things going against the Browns.
My Pick - Bengals over Browns
Lions vs Packers - The Packers lost a close game to the Bears on Monday night, they hurt themselves with a huge amount of penalties. Green Bay's coaching staff will address this, so don't expect them to be foolish again. Aaron Rogers is one of the top QB's in the league and he should have a good time against the Lions. Detroit will play hard, but will be lucky if it isn't a blow out
My Pick - Packers over Lions
Broncos vs Titans - The Titans should continue to run the ball against Denver. Tennessee looked awful against the Steelers, but played well against the Giants. I expect Chris Johnson to have another good game running the ball, and for the Titans defense to take advantage of an injured Denver offense.
My Pick - Titans over Broncos
Rams vs Seahawks - This game really intrigues me, both teams have been playing a lot better than most people, including myself, thought they would. Seattle has a really good special teams unit, they scored two touchdowns on kick returns, but seem to be lacking some firepower on offense. Sam Bradford has really surprised me, he looks pretty good for a rookie QB. The Rams also have one of the best running backs in the game in Stephan Jackson. He is underrated because he plays for the crappy Rams. This will be a good game to watch.
My Pick - Rams over Seahawks.
Panthers vs Saints - The Saints have not looked all that great this year. Expect the Saints to play very hard, and get back into gear against the Panthers. Carolina looks lost right now, and things shouldn't be pretty if rookie QB Jimmy Claussen gets blitzed by the Saints D. New Orleans is looking for redemption after their last loss.
My Pick - Saints over Panthers
Ravens vs Steelers - Baltimore has looked pretty flat on offense all year. Everyone was talking about how they are going to be a very good offensive team. So far it hasn't happened. Joe Flacco has not stepped up as a QB yet, and don't expect him to do well against the Steelers D. Pittsburgh looks amazing right now on defense. Charlie Batch will be under center for the Steelers, and he can play decent, not great, but decent. This will be a low scoring game, where turnovers will be key. Luckily for the Steelers, Flacco seems to be giving up a lot of INT's this year.
My Pick - Steelers over Ravens
Texans vs Raiders - The Texans lost to Dallas last week, and with that, lost a chance to be considered one of the best teams in the league. They will still play hard and play for recognition. The Raiders seem to be confused on offense, the QB controvsy doesn't help at all. Expect the Texans to play their best and put the Raiders away early.
My Pick - Texans over Raiders
Colts vs Jaguars - The Colts look to be in mid-season form already, while the Jags look baffled on both sides of the ball. Indy takes every game seriously, so don't be counting on them to take it easy. Jacksonville needs a win, but they will have to play out of their minds to get it.
My Pick - Colts over Jags
Redskins vs Eagles - Donovan McNabb return to Philly! Big woop, I don't care that much. McNabb should get a standing ovation from their crowd, but thats all that this 'reunion' really means. Vick and the Eagles look really hot right now. Vick is more settled now, he stays in the pocket and is accurate with his throws. The Redskins defense has looked shaky the last two games. It will always be Sunny in Philadelphia if Vick is under center.
My Pick - Eagles over Redskins
Cardinals vs Chargers - Two teams that did well last year, who are struggling this year. The Chargers always start slow, but its now October, it's time to get in gear. The Cardinals have looked awful without Kurt Warner and Anquan Boldin. The Chargers look like the clear favorite, but don't expect the Cardinals to go without a fight.
My Pick - Chargers over Cardinals
Bears vs Giants - The Bears are coming off a big win against the Packers and the Giants look to be in a big mess. Former Giants have been questioning if the coaching staff still has the team under control. That is bad news, especially for a team in NY. Expect the Bears to keep playing hot, and Cutler to light up a poor Giants defense.
My Pick - Bears vs Giants
Patriots vs Dolphins - The Dolphins defense seemed to get exposed by the Jets on Sunday, so don't be surprised if the Pats look to do the same. Randy Moss and Wes Welker should do well against the Fins defense. Sorry Dad, I just think the Dolphins are over matched this week.
My Pick - Patriots over Dolphins
Last week 9-7
Season 15-17
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