I finally had my first good week in Pick Em last week going 10-3, with the only picks I missed being the Bucs (0 previous wins), Titans (1 previous win), and the Chargers (Giants bias). I'm feeling pretty good about myself, and it continued with me picking the 49ers on Thursday night. Let's see if I can keep the momentum going.
Chicago Bears (4-4) vs. San Francisco 49ers (3-5)
I correctly predicted this game prior to the Thursday night kickoff, and it was not an easy decision to make. I have absolutely no faith in Alex Smith, and while Jay Cutler has a history of being much better, there's not much reason to have faith in him or that Bears team right now either. The 49ers had lost four in a row, including to the Titans last week, but the Bears were 1-3 in the past four with just a win against the Browns. In the end I had more faith in Frank Gore than Matt Forte against a slightly tougher 49ers defense, plus home field advantage, so I reluctantly went with San Francisco. Thank you, Jay Cutler.
Detroit Lions (1-7) vs. Minnesota Vikings (7-1)
I don't think I need to say much else about this one.
Denver Broncos (6-2) vs. Washington Redskins (2-6)
The Broncos will look to rebound against a Redskins team that is just looking to do something this year. The Redskins didn't look any better last week coming out of the bye, and now they are without Clinton Portis. The Broncos will take it to them.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-7) vs. Miami Dolphins (3-5)
The Buccaneers were able to pull off a surprise win at home against the Packers, but the Dolphins running game will be too much for them to handle in Miami this week.
Buffalo Bills (3-5) vs. Tennessee Titans (2-6)
The Titans' two game winning streak has not made me a believer out of them yet, but they can certainly get it done against the Bills. As long as Chris Johnson goes crazy on that horrible Bills run defense like he should, and Vince Young keeps doing what he's been doing, the Titans should have this one.
New Orleans Saints (8-0) vs. St. Louis Rams (1-7)
I don't think I need to say anything about this one either.
Jacksonville Jaguars (4-4) vs. New York Jets (4-4)
I am certainly worried about Maurice Jones-Drew against a Kris Jenkins-less Jets defense, but the Jets have a much better overall team (although that's not saying much). The weather will not be too bad for a New Jersey November, but it should still be a big home field advantage for the Jets.
Atlanta Falcons (5-3) vs. Carolina Panthers (3-5)
I thought for a split second about taking the Panthers in the upset here. These NFC South games are always played very tough, and it's usually smart to just side with the home team. But I remembered how much better of a team the Falcons are.
Cincinnati Bengals (6-2) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2)
Once again, I'm just going to keep sticking with the Steelers, especially at home. They can beat anyone right now. The Bengals are a very good team, and may probably be even more fired up for the game than the Steelers, but in the end, the black and gold will hold strong in this battle for the AFC North.
Kansas City Chiefs (1-7) vs. Oakland Raiders (2-6)
The Chiefs couldn't even manage to beat the Raiders in Kansas City earlier this season. The Raiders expect to get Darren McFadden back this week as well, so we can see a bit of a better Raiders team than recent weeks.
Dallas Cowboys (6-2) vs. Green Bay Packers (4-4)
The Cowboys are as hot as anyone right now, beating the Eagles last week in Philadelphia to take the NFC East. Meanwhile, the Packers must be losing confidence as they have been underperforming this season, complete with a loss to the winless Bucs last week. The only reason to pick the Packers here would be home field advantage, but I trusted Dallas on the road last week, and I'll trust them again this week.
Philadelphia Eagles (5-3) vs. San Diego Chargers (5-3)
The Eagles must put out a better effort than their last trip to the West Coast, but they are facing the Chargers who are a much better team than the Raiders (again, not saying much). The Chargers have gone on a three game winning streak since losing at home to the Broncos in what I figured would kill their chances at the division, but two straight losses by the Broncos have put the Chargers just one game behind in the race. Both teams are fighting hard for their respective divisions right now, but I cannot trust the Eagles out west.
Seattle Seahawks (3-5) vs. Arizona Cardinals (5-3)
Kurt Warner doesn't have to be as good as he was last week, just at least somewhere in the middle of his last two performances. This Seahawks team will go nowhere in Arizona; the Cardinals crushed them in Seattle earlier.
New England Patriots (6-2) vs. Indianapolis Colts (8-0)
This is the big pick of the week. Admittedly, I have much bias influencing this pick. However, the Colts have looked very troubling of late, and the Patriots offense can pick apart the Colts defense. Tom Brady still needs to pick up his game, but I will keep the faith in the Patriots.
Baltimore Ravens (4-4) vs. Cleveland Browns (1-7)
I can make my own jokes about how this is possibly a "marquee" Monday Night Football primetime game, but by the time this game is over, I'm sure you will have heard enough.
Last Week: 10-3
Season: 84-45
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
NFL Week 10 Power Rankings
The last of the winless teams put a 1 in the win column last week as the Buccaneers pulled off the upset against the Packers. Meanwhile, the two undefeateds remain, but the Colts nearly went down for the second week in a row, and now face the Patriots this week. The Giants have lost five straight, the Broncos have lost a pair in a row, and the Titans are on a two game win streak. Let's see how things are shaking up.
1. New Orleans Saints (8-0) [1] - The Panthers have been pretty bad this year, but these NFC South games are always tough battles, so a win for the Saints last week is another positive step. They shouldn't have to worry about losing this week, facing the Rams.
2. Indianapolis Colts (8-0) [2] - Their defense got crippled by injuries over the course of the past week, but they still came out on top against the surging Texans. It was not a convincing victory though, and you have to wonder how much longer Peyton Manning can carry this team. They face a big test this week when the Patriots come in though.
3. Minnesota Vikings (7-1) [3] - I was very close to putting the Steelers ahead of them this week after Pittsburgh's big win, and the fact that the Steelers beat the Vikings earlier at Heinz Field, but I hate to drop them down following their bye week. One shouldn't be so quick to forget how impressive the Vikings have been this season in all aspects. They could be in trouble though if the Steelers pull off another big win this week; the Vikings won't prove much of anything facing the Lions.
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2) [5] - After a very shaky start, the Steelers have now won five straight, including victories over the Vikings and Broncos. They will carry this momentum into a huge home game this week against the division-leading (with tiebreaker) Bengals. Ben Roethlisberger looked in a bit of trouble early in the game; a more solid effort could have vaulted the Steelers to #3. But this defense is still very good, and Rashard Mendenhall (155 yards rushing against what has been a very good Broncos rush defense) has solidified the running game.
5. Cincinnati Bengals (6-2) [6] - The Bengals defeated the Ravens for the second time this season and have earned a spot in the Top 5. Cedric Benson once again had a big rushing day with 117 yards on the ground (120 in the previous matchup). They go into Heinz Field this week for a huge divisional game though.
6. New England Patriots (6-2) [7] - Like the Steelers, the Patriots have bounced back and are looking impressive after a rough start, scoring a divisional win last week against the Dolphins. However, they face currently 8-0 teams on the road in two of the next three weeks, starting with the Colts this week. Some people are still skeptical in this team, so this stretch of games will show their true colors either way.
7. Dallas Cowboys (6-2) [10] - The Cowboys continue to maintain momentum and swagger since inserting Miles Austin into the starting lineup. He only had one catch last week, but it was for a big touchdown as they beat the Eagles 20-16 in Philadelphia to take hold of the NFC East.
8. Denver Broncos (6-2) [4] - The Broncos have now lost two in a row, and although they were both against strong AFC North teams, they were outscored 58-17 in the losses and have seemed far from the team that got off to a 6-0 start.
9. Philadelphia Eagles (5-3) [8] - It was disappointing losing the home matchup against the Cowboys who they were tied for in the NFC East, and they will have to rebound on the West Coast against a Chargers team that is much better than the Raiders that beat the Eagles earlier.
10. Baltimore Ravens (4-4) [9] - The Ravens have faced a rough schedule so far. They are a better team than their record indicates. But at some point you have to start winning some of these big games. Cleveland should be no problem this week, then they host the Colts and Steelers.
11. Atlanta Falcons (5-3) [11] - Michael Turner had a huge day last week as the Falcons easily beat the Redskins. Matt Ryan didn't do much but he didn't have to, as the game was won quite early on.
12. Arizona Cardinals (5-3) [14] - After an embarrassing loss against the Panthers, Kurt Warner turned a five interception game into a five touchdown game with no interceptions last week in blowing out the Bears. This team can potentially be very good, but there needs to be better consistency.
13. Houston Texans (5-4) [15] - Ryan Moats is not the answer in Houston. Slaton did not start but still scored a touchdown last week in a close loss to the Colts. This is a team to be feared right now, they just need to solidify the running game.
14. San Diego Chargers (5-3) [16] - This team seems up and down every week. They escaped New Jersey with a one-point win last week despite LaDainian Tomlinson leading the team with 22 rushing yards.
15. New York Giants (5-4) [12] - The Giants have now lost four in a row as they spiral down. However, there is still reason to remain optimistic. They are only a half game behind in the Wildcard, and will use their much-needed bye week to get their defense healthy. Linebacker Michael Boley and cornerback Aaron Ross should be ready for full action in Week 11.
16. Green Bay Packers (4-4) [13] - 16 seems a bit generous for them as they have been very shaky all year, culminating in a loss to the Buccaneers last week. They still have a lot of talent on that team though.
17. Miami Dolphins (3-5) [18] - The Wildcat was not enough to beat the Patriots this time around, but that offense is still very dangerous. The Patriots were also able to keep Ted Ginn quiet in the return game. They have a lot of winnable games left this season, and they are playing at home against the three teams left that are actually decent.
18. New York Jets (4-4) [19] - Hopefully the Jets got things figured out in their bye week, because they have been going in the wrong direction lately, and could face a hard time against Maurice Jones-Drew this week without Kris Jenkins.
19. Chicago Bears (4-4) [17] - The Bears were dominated last week against the Cardinals, and they have failed every kind of challenge this year. Their record is deceiving, with wins over the Seahawks, Lions, and Browns; the win over the Steelers in Week 2 is looking more and more like a fluke every week.
20. Tennessee Titans (2-6) [27] - Vince Young hasn't done much of anything in his two starts this season, but the fact is the Titans are now 2-0 with him as a starter. Most of it has to do with Chris Johnson, as well as the defense finally turning things around.
21. Carolina Panthers (3-5) [22] - DeAngelo Williams is continuing to show how dangerous he can be, adding 149 yards rushing with two touchdowns in a 10 point loss to the Saints, in which Carolina lead 14-0 after the first quarter. This team is still far from good though.
22. San Francisco 49ers (3-5) [20] - I have absolutely no faith in Alex Smith at quarterback, and the 49ers are now losers of four straight games. What looked like a very promising start is now far from memory.
23. Buffalo Bills (3-5) [23] - Trent Edwards returns following the bye week, although that is not necessarily a good thing.
24. Seattle Seahawks (3-5) [21] - The Seahawks are happy with a win, albeit against the Lions. They were almost embarrassed after falling behind 17-0 in the first quarter, but ended up winning 32-20.
25. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-4) [24] - Congratulations to beating the Chiefs at home last week by a whole three points.
26. Washington Redskins (2-6) [25] - It was another rough day for the Redskins, losing big to the Falcons, and losing Clinton Portis for some time due to a concussion. Ladell Betts could surprise in replacing Portis, but he won't be good enough to turn this team around.
27. Oakland Raiders (2-6) [29] - Darren McFadden may be set to return, which could make this team slightly better, but in the end, they will still be the Raiders.
28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-7) [32] - The Buccaneers have gotten a win! Unlike the Rams, who beat a Calvin Johnson-less Lions, and the Browns, who won a 6-3 "battle" against the Bills, the Bucs actually beat a decent opponent in the Packers. Could Josh Freeman be the answer?
29. Kansas City Chiefs (1-7) [26] - With the Larry Johnson fiasco now behind them, the Kansas City Chiefs are still losers.
30. Detroit Lions (1-7) [28] - After going up 17-0 in the first quarter against the Seahawks, they completely disappeared as they were outscored 32-3 the rest of the way.
31. St. Louis Rams (1-7) [30] - I don't suppose the Rams were able to develop a good enough game plan during their bye to stop the Saints this week.
32. Cleveland Browns (1-7) [31] - And with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers being a winner of a football game this season, I can finally put the Browns where they belong! They return to Brady Quinn at quarterback this week, but the fact that it took them this long to do so says a lot about the faith in Quinn right now.
1. New Orleans Saints (8-0) [1] - The Panthers have been pretty bad this year, but these NFC South games are always tough battles, so a win for the Saints last week is another positive step. They shouldn't have to worry about losing this week, facing the Rams.
2. Indianapolis Colts (8-0) [2] - Their defense got crippled by injuries over the course of the past week, but they still came out on top against the surging Texans. It was not a convincing victory though, and you have to wonder how much longer Peyton Manning can carry this team. They face a big test this week when the Patriots come in though.
3. Minnesota Vikings (7-1) [3] - I was very close to putting the Steelers ahead of them this week after Pittsburgh's big win, and the fact that the Steelers beat the Vikings earlier at Heinz Field, but I hate to drop them down following their bye week. One shouldn't be so quick to forget how impressive the Vikings have been this season in all aspects. They could be in trouble though if the Steelers pull off another big win this week; the Vikings won't prove much of anything facing the Lions.
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2) [5] - After a very shaky start, the Steelers have now won five straight, including victories over the Vikings and Broncos. They will carry this momentum into a huge home game this week against the division-leading (with tiebreaker) Bengals. Ben Roethlisberger looked in a bit of trouble early in the game; a more solid effort could have vaulted the Steelers to #3. But this defense is still very good, and Rashard Mendenhall (155 yards rushing against what has been a very good Broncos rush defense) has solidified the running game.
5. Cincinnati Bengals (6-2) [6] - The Bengals defeated the Ravens for the second time this season and have earned a spot in the Top 5. Cedric Benson once again had a big rushing day with 117 yards on the ground (120 in the previous matchup). They go into Heinz Field this week for a huge divisional game though.
6. New England Patriots (6-2) [7] - Like the Steelers, the Patriots have bounced back and are looking impressive after a rough start, scoring a divisional win last week against the Dolphins. However, they face currently 8-0 teams on the road in two of the next three weeks, starting with the Colts this week. Some people are still skeptical in this team, so this stretch of games will show their true colors either way.
7. Dallas Cowboys (6-2) [10] - The Cowboys continue to maintain momentum and swagger since inserting Miles Austin into the starting lineup. He only had one catch last week, but it was for a big touchdown as they beat the Eagles 20-16 in Philadelphia to take hold of the NFC East.
8. Denver Broncos (6-2) [4] - The Broncos have now lost two in a row, and although they were both against strong AFC North teams, they were outscored 58-17 in the losses and have seemed far from the team that got off to a 6-0 start.
9. Philadelphia Eagles (5-3) [8] - It was disappointing losing the home matchup against the Cowboys who they were tied for in the NFC East, and they will have to rebound on the West Coast against a Chargers team that is much better than the Raiders that beat the Eagles earlier.
10. Baltimore Ravens (4-4) [9] - The Ravens have faced a rough schedule so far. They are a better team than their record indicates. But at some point you have to start winning some of these big games. Cleveland should be no problem this week, then they host the Colts and Steelers.
11. Atlanta Falcons (5-3) [11] - Michael Turner had a huge day last week as the Falcons easily beat the Redskins. Matt Ryan didn't do much but he didn't have to, as the game was won quite early on.
12. Arizona Cardinals (5-3) [14] - After an embarrassing loss against the Panthers, Kurt Warner turned a five interception game into a five touchdown game with no interceptions last week in blowing out the Bears. This team can potentially be very good, but there needs to be better consistency.
13. Houston Texans (5-4) [15] - Ryan Moats is not the answer in Houston. Slaton did not start but still scored a touchdown last week in a close loss to the Colts. This is a team to be feared right now, they just need to solidify the running game.
14. San Diego Chargers (5-3) [16] - This team seems up and down every week. They escaped New Jersey with a one-point win last week despite LaDainian Tomlinson leading the team with 22 rushing yards.
15. New York Giants (5-4) [12] - The Giants have now lost four in a row as they spiral down. However, there is still reason to remain optimistic. They are only a half game behind in the Wildcard, and will use their much-needed bye week to get their defense healthy. Linebacker Michael Boley and cornerback Aaron Ross should be ready for full action in Week 11.
16. Green Bay Packers (4-4) [13] - 16 seems a bit generous for them as they have been very shaky all year, culminating in a loss to the Buccaneers last week. They still have a lot of talent on that team though.
17. Miami Dolphins (3-5) [18] - The Wildcat was not enough to beat the Patriots this time around, but that offense is still very dangerous. The Patriots were also able to keep Ted Ginn quiet in the return game. They have a lot of winnable games left this season, and they are playing at home against the three teams left that are actually decent.
18. New York Jets (4-4) [19] - Hopefully the Jets got things figured out in their bye week, because they have been going in the wrong direction lately, and could face a hard time against Maurice Jones-Drew this week without Kris Jenkins.
19. Chicago Bears (4-4) [17] - The Bears were dominated last week against the Cardinals, and they have failed every kind of challenge this year. Their record is deceiving, with wins over the Seahawks, Lions, and Browns; the win over the Steelers in Week 2 is looking more and more like a fluke every week.
20. Tennessee Titans (2-6) [27] - Vince Young hasn't done much of anything in his two starts this season, but the fact is the Titans are now 2-0 with him as a starter. Most of it has to do with Chris Johnson, as well as the defense finally turning things around.
21. Carolina Panthers (3-5) [22] - DeAngelo Williams is continuing to show how dangerous he can be, adding 149 yards rushing with two touchdowns in a 10 point loss to the Saints, in which Carolina lead 14-0 after the first quarter. This team is still far from good though.
22. San Francisco 49ers (3-5) [20] - I have absolutely no faith in Alex Smith at quarterback, and the 49ers are now losers of four straight games. What looked like a very promising start is now far from memory.
23. Buffalo Bills (3-5) [23] - Trent Edwards returns following the bye week, although that is not necessarily a good thing.
24. Seattle Seahawks (3-5) [21] - The Seahawks are happy with a win, albeit against the Lions. They were almost embarrassed after falling behind 17-0 in the first quarter, but ended up winning 32-20.
25. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-4) [24] - Congratulations to beating the Chiefs at home last week by a whole three points.
26. Washington Redskins (2-6) [25] - It was another rough day for the Redskins, losing big to the Falcons, and losing Clinton Portis for some time due to a concussion. Ladell Betts could surprise in replacing Portis, but he won't be good enough to turn this team around.
27. Oakland Raiders (2-6) [29] - Darren McFadden may be set to return, which could make this team slightly better, but in the end, they will still be the Raiders.
28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-7) [32] - The Buccaneers have gotten a win! Unlike the Rams, who beat a Calvin Johnson-less Lions, and the Browns, who won a 6-3 "battle" against the Bills, the Bucs actually beat a decent opponent in the Packers. Could Josh Freeman be the answer?
29. Kansas City Chiefs (1-7) [26] - With the Larry Johnson fiasco now behind them, the Kansas City Chiefs are still losers.
30. Detroit Lions (1-7) [28] - After going up 17-0 in the first quarter against the Seahawks, they completely disappeared as they were outscored 32-3 the rest of the way.
31. St. Louis Rams (1-7) [30] - I don't suppose the Rams were able to develop a good enough game plan during their bye to stop the Saints this week.
32. Cleveland Browns (1-7) [31] - And with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers being a winner of a football game this season, I can finally put the Browns where they belong! They return to Brady Quinn at quarterback this week, but the fact that it took them this long to do so says a lot about the faith in Quinn right now.
Friday, November 6, 2009
NFL Week 9 Picks
I should just give up by now, but I'm determined to turn this around and start doing half decently.
Baltimore Ravens (4-3) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (5-2)
Perhaps the experts know a bit more than me. The Bengals have been the hotter team this year, they are coming off a bye, and they beat the Ravens in Baltimore earlier in the season, yet the Ravens are favored in this game? I don't know.
Miami Dolphins (3-4) vs. New England Patriots (5-2)
The Dolphins have been impressive, and it wouldn't surprise me if they kept it close, but the Patriots should have enough firepower to win this game.
Arizona Cardinals (4-3) vs. Chicago Bears (4-3)
The Cardinals are coming off an uncharacteristically bad loss after starting to look like one of the better teams in the league, and will be looking to rebound. The Bears have been middle of the pack all season, and got embarrassed by the Bengals two weeks ago. I have more faith in the Cardinals in this game.
Washington Redskins (2-5) vs. Atlanta Falcons (4-3)
The Redskins have yet to give any reason to pick them against anyone but the worst few teams in the league. After a bye with their new playcaller, things can be different, but they're going to have to prove it to me first, and beating the Falcons will be no easy task.
Green Bay Packers (4-3) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-7)
With the Rams and Titans out of the picture, the Buccaneers become the lone team without a win, and it could stay that way for quite a while.
Houston Texans (5-3) vs. Indianapolis Colts (7-0)
The Texans are pretty hot right now, while the Colts narrowly defeated the 49ers last week. However, I have to keep the trust in Peyton Manning to get the job done in this pivotal divisional game. A win here for the Colts would go a long way in wrapping up the AFC South. Donald Brown should return this week after Joseph Addai struggled last week without him backing him up.
Kansas City Chiefs (1-6) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-4)
This is a game where Maurice Jones-Drew should single-handedly win it for the Jaguars. They have not done much lately, but they are facing a Chiefs team in the midst of a controversy and a running back change.
Carolina Panthers (3-4) vs. New Orleans Saints (7-0)
The Panthers stole a game last week against the Cardinals, but Drew Brees will not give them the same opportunity that Kurt Warner afforded them.
Detroit Lions (1-6) vs. Seattle Seahawks (2-5)
It's a little hard to believe the Seahawks are still stuck back at two wins. Matt Hasselbeck should help propel them to three this week against the Lions. Calvin Johnson will return for the Lions, but they may need more than he is physically ready to give them.
Tennessee Titans (1-6) vs. San Francisco 49ers (3-4)
Chris Johnson tore through the Jaguars' defense last week for 228 yards and two touchdowns to give the Titans their first win, but he will not have that same success against the 49ers. Although there is not much confidence to be had in Alex Smith, Vince Young has to show me more before I can gain any confidence in him as well.
San Diego Chargers (4-3) vs. New York Giants (5-3)
This cannot continue for the Giants. They know the key to their success on defense is to pressure the quarterback, and they have not been able to recently. They must be making changes in how they go about getting their defensive pressure. If Michael Boley can play this week, he should be a big help. The Chargers' running game can be slowed. Giants safety C.C. Brown doesn't deserve to be on a football field right now, and he has been benched this week; I don't know how much faith to put into replacement Aaron Rouse, but he can't possibly be worse.
Dallas Cowboys (5-2) vs. Philadelphia Eagles (5-2)
It is tough to pick against the home team here, but this will definitely be a close game, and I think the Cowboys are a bit of a hotter team right now. Brian Westbrook will return for the Eagles, but you can continue to question how healthy he is.
Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2) vs. Denver Broncos (6-1)
I'm not sure what happened to Kyle Orton and the Broncos last week, but the Ravens figured them out and played great defensively. I should expect the Steelers defense to be even tougher for them this week, especially coming out of the bye.
Last Week: 7-6
Season: 74-42
Baltimore Ravens (4-3) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (5-2)
Perhaps the experts know a bit more than me. The Bengals have been the hotter team this year, they are coming off a bye, and they beat the Ravens in Baltimore earlier in the season, yet the Ravens are favored in this game? I don't know.
Miami Dolphins (3-4) vs. New England Patriots (5-2)
The Dolphins have been impressive, and it wouldn't surprise me if they kept it close, but the Patriots should have enough firepower to win this game.
Arizona Cardinals (4-3) vs. Chicago Bears (4-3)
The Cardinals are coming off an uncharacteristically bad loss after starting to look like one of the better teams in the league, and will be looking to rebound. The Bears have been middle of the pack all season, and got embarrassed by the Bengals two weeks ago. I have more faith in the Cardinals in this game.
Washington Redskins (2-5) vs. Atlanta Falcons (4-3)
The Redskins have yet to give any reason to pick them against anyone but the worst few teams in the league. After a bye with their new playcaller, things can be different, but they're going to have to prove it to me first, and beating the Falcons will be no easy task.
Green Bay Packers (4-3) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-7)
With the Rams and Titans out of the picture, the Buccaneers become the lone team without a win, and it could stay that way for quite a while.
Houston Texans (5-3) vs. Indianapolis Colts (7-0)
The Texans are pretty hot right now, while the Colts narrowly defeated the 49ers last week. However, I have to keep the trust in Peyton Manning to get the job done in this pivotal divisional game. A win here for the Colts would go a long way in wrapping up the AFC South. Donald Brown should return this week after Joseph Addai struggled last week without him backing him up.
Kansas City Chiefs (1-6) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-4)
This is a game where Maurice Jones-Drew should single-handedly win it for the Jaguars. They have not done much lately, but they are facing a Chiefs team in the midst of a controversy and a running back change.
Carolina Panthers (3-4) vs. New Orleans Saints (7-0)
The Panthers stole a game last week against the Cardinals, but Drew Brees will not give them the same opportunity that Kurt Warner afforded them.
Detroit Lions (1-6) vs. Seattle Seahawks (2-5)
It's a little hard to believe the Seahawks are still stuck back at two wins. Matt Hasselbeck should help propel them to three this week against the Lions. Calvin Johnson will return for the Lions, but they may need more than he is physically ready to give them.
Tennessee Titans (1-6) vs. San Francisco 49ers (3-4)
Chris Johnson tore through the Jaguars' defense last week for 228 yards and two touchdowns to give the Titans their first win, but he will not have that same success against the 49ers. Although there is not much confidence to be had in Alex Smith, Vince Young has to show me more before I can gain any confidence in him as well.
San Diego Chargers (4-3) vs. New York Giants (5-3)
This cannot continue for the Giants. They know the key to their success on defense is to pressure the quarterback, and they have not been able to recently. They must be making changes in how they go about getting their defensive pressure. If Michael Boley can play this week, he should be a big help. The Chargers' running game can be slowed. Giants safety C.C. Brown doesn't deserve to be on a football field right now, and he has been benched this week; I don't know how much faith to put into replacement Aaron Rouse, but he can't possibly be worse.
Dallas Cowboys (5-2) vs. Philadelphia Eagles (5-2)
It is tough to pick against the home team here, but this will definitely be a close game, and I think the Cowboys are a bit of a hotter team right now. Brian Westbrook will return for the Eagles, but you can continue to question how healthy he is.
Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2) vs. Denver Broncos (6-1)
I'm not sure what happened to Kyle Orton and the Broncos last week, but the Ravens figured them out and played great defensively. I should expect the Steelers defense to be even tougher for them this week, especially coming out of the bye.
Last Week: 7-6
Season: 74-42
Thursday, November 5, 2009
The 2009 MLB season is over
Well, that is a wonderful thing to say.
Congratulations are in order for the Yankees. Say what you want about their players, front office, financial advantage, and their fans, but this was their year. Everything was clicking for them this season, and this championship started to become apparent by about July. Personally, I would have loved to see it, but a loss this year would have been heartbreaking for Yankee fans.
I do get a small sense of satisfaction for correctly predicting the Yankees to win in 6 games, but I would have preferred to be wrong.
The main thing I am taking from this World Series result right now is a growing desire to see the Mets win it all. My Facebook feed was flooded with friends' status updates cheering for Mariano Rivera entering the game, counting down the outs, and eventually the full on celebration (note: I hope this is the only time I ever mention Facebook in my blog). I have mentioned before how Yankee fans constantly rub their superiority in the faces of fans of other teams throughout the season, but at this moment, it is pure happiness that their team has won the World Series, and I can't wait for that moment to come for me.
I experienced the pure happiness with the Giants in Super Bowl XLII, but I care more deeply for the Mets, and there is more suffering to endure being a Mets fan, and my life as a diehard sports fan will not be complete until I see them celebrating a World Series championship.
Of course, the Mets still have plenty of issues to fix, which I will continue to discuss in the couple weeks before the Hot Stove season officially starts. Unfortunately, I will likely have a pretty pessimistic view through all of it, as I believe the front office thinks the team is better than they actually are and therefore will do a poor job in trying to fix the team. This will then lead to low expectations for the team as the season begins.
But one thing I know for sure is that it cannot possibly get worse than 2009. Right?
Please be right.
Congratulations are in order for the Yankees. Say what you want about their players, front office, financial advantage, and their fans, but this was their year. Everything was clicking for them this season, and this championship started to become apparent by about July. Personally, I would have loved to see it, but a loss this year would have been heartbreaking for Yankee fans.
I do get a small sense of satisfaction for correctly predicting the Yankees to win in 6 games, but I would have preferred to be wrong.
The main thing I am taking from this World Series result right now is a growing desire to see the Mets win it all. My Facebook feed was flooded with friends' status updates cheering for Mariano Rivera entering the game, counting down the outs, and eventually the full on celebration (note: I hope this is the only time I ever mention Facebook in my blog). I have mentioned before how Yankee fans constantly rub their superiority in the faces of fans of other teams throughout the season, but at this moment, it is pure happiness that their team has won the World Series, and I can't wait for that moment to come for me.
I experienced the pure happiness with the Giants in Super Bowl XLII, but I care more deeply for the Mets, and there is more suffering to endure being a Mets fan, and my life as a diehard sports fan will not be complete until I see them celebrating a World Series championship.
Of course, the Mets still have plenty of issues to fix, which I will continue to discuss in the couple weeks before the Hot Stove season officially starts. Unfortunately, I will likely have a pretty pessimistic view through all of it, as I believe the front office thinks the team is better than they actually are and therefore will do a poor job in trying to fix the team. This will then lead to low expectations for the team as the season begins.
But one thing I know for sure is that it cannot possibly get worse than 2009. Right?
Please be right.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
NFL Week 9 Power Rankings
One team got its first loss of the season. Two got their first wins of the season. The Giants have fallen to third in the NFC East. Three top ten teams and three bottom ten teams made up the list of six on bye last week. My head is going to spin figuring out these rankings, but here we go.
1. New Orleans Saints (7-0) [1] - The Saints continue to roll with a big divisional win against the Falcons. Drew Brees and Pierre Thomas both had solid games, and the defense recorded three interceptions for a league-leading 16, including yet another interception returned for a touchdown. This team can beat you in so many different ways.
2. Indianapolis Colts (7-0) [2] - The Colts remain undefeated, but it was not pretty with an 18-14 home victory over the 49ers. They were unable to find the end zone until the fourth quarter, and it was on a pass from running back Joseph Addai to Reggie Wayne. You can be disappointed about Peyton Manning throwing no touchdown passes, but he still had a great day with 347 yards and no interceptions. With Donald Brown injured, Addai took 20 of the 21 handoffs, rushing for a 3.1 yards per carry average. I don't think the loss of Brown makes that much of a difference; every great team has their stumbles.
3. Minnesota Vikings (7-1) [4] - With the Broncos losing, the Vikings return to #3 as the best team with a loss after winning in Green Bay. You can hate him all you want for his inability to decide what to do with his career, and for the ridiculous over-coverage of him in the media, but Brett Favre is having a remarkable season.
4. Denver Broncos (6-1) [3] - Eventually, somebody had to beat this team. At least it was to a very good Ravens team desperate for a win after three straight losses, but still, I would have liked to see a bit more fight from the Broncos. Their offense sputtered against a Ravens defense that has been shaky this year.
5. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2) [5] - Huge win over the Vikings in their last game, and will now face the Broncos in another huge game coming out of the bye. They will not have the advantage of being at Heinz Field though, but they still have a good chance of pulling off the win.
6. Cincinnati Bengals (5-2) [8] - It is hard to believe that Cedric Benson's 102.9 rushing yards per game is second in the NFL, behind just Chris Johnson. The Bengals are certainly enjoying Carson Palmer's return to good health, I had begun to forget what that was like.
7. New England Patriots (5-2) [6] - The Patriots face a grueling five game stretch out of their bye starting and ending with the Dolphins, with the Colts, Jets, and Saints in between. Will they be ready for the test?
8. Philadelphia Eagles (5-2) [9] - It was a dominating win for the Eagles, with Donovan McNabb easily finding the gaping holes in the Giants defense while Eli Manning overthrew seemingly every pass to Giants receivers. They have the big play ability, but I'm still not seeing the team that was projected as an elite team before the seasons started.
9. Baltimore Ravens (4-3) [10] - After three tough losses to very good teams, the Ravens came out of their bye and dominated the previously undefeated Broncos to break the losing streak. I still need to see some consistency from their defense.
10. Dallas Cowboys (5-2) [12] - The Cowboys have stormed out of the bye with two very convincing victories, although the Seahawks are not the same calibur as the Falcons. They could be feeling as much momentum as anyone right now, and they will need it to carry over into Phiadelphia where they face an Eagles team who they are tied with atop the NFC East.
11. Atlanta Falcons (4-3) [13] - The Falcons move up despite a loss, although that has more to do with teams in front of them needing to be moved down. They did put up a decent fight though against the Saints.
12. New York Giants (5-3) [7] - The Giants could potentially be lower after three straight horrible losses, but I have faith in their defense once Michael Boley returns from injury. Eli Manning, however, needs to be better. He looked like an elite quarterback in the early parts of the season, but at one point last game I half-jokingly said Derek Anderson was better. He was absolutely awful against the Eagles, with more overthrows than I've ever seen. I was honestly surprised to look at the box score and see that he completed more than half of his passes (20/39).
13. Green Bay Packers (4-3) [14] - There is disappointment after losing to the Vikings again, especially at Lambeau Field this time, but there are still a lot of quality players on this team. However, I did a double-take seeing Ahman Green doing kick returns. I love that the Packers re-signed him, but there has to be a better option at kick returner than the 32-year-old Green. His 20.1 yard return average is not going to cut it.
14. Arizona Cardinals (4-3) [11] - I expected the Cardinals to blow out the Panthers last week, instead it turned out to be the other way around. Kurt Warner's six turnovers helped lead to a 34-21 loss against a horrible Carolina team. I expect better from them in the future, but it is at least a reality check for the Cardinals who were beginning to soar towards the top.
15. Houstan Texans (5-3) [15] - After a slow start, the Texans roared back for a dominating victory in Buffalo. Don't let Ryan Moats' line fool you, that Buffalo defense is terrible against the run. He will not be a better option than Steve Slaton, assuming Slaton can hold onto the ball, but that has not been the case this year. They have big weapons at the wide receiver position with Andre Johnson and Kevin Walter, but they suffered a big loss of tight end Owen Daniels for the season.
16. San Diego Chargers (4-3) [19] - LaDainian Tomlinson tripled his touchdown total for the season. The Chargers have a great passing game, but unless they get better production in the running game and their defense, I don't have much faith in them. So far they have beat the Raiders twice, the Chiefs, and the Dolphins when they knocked out Chad Pennington for the season.
17. Chicago Bears (4-3) [17] - Like the Chargers, this team has the weapons, but has been disappointing in their running game and defense. Also, Jay Cutler was less than stellar against a terrible Browns team last week after struggling the last two weeks. This team is far from the team that beat the Steelers in Week 2 (or more likely, the current Steelers are far from what they were then), and have just beaten the Seahawks, Lions, and Browns since.
18. Miami Dolphins (3-4) [18] - The offense was hardly a factor last week for the Dolphins, who managed just 104 yards, but they got the job done with a Jason Taylor fumble recovery for touchdown and two 100+ yard kickoff return touchdowns by Ted Ginn.
19. New York Jets (4-4) [16] - The Jets took another step backward last week with the loss at home against the Dolphins. Jerricho Cotchery returned with a decent effort, and Braylon Edwards had a great catch and fight for the touchdown, but the Jets still came up short.
20. San Francisco 49ers (3-4) [20] - He may not be making the team worse, but Alex Smith starting at quarterback does not make the 49ers any better. He is still and always will be a poor quarterback. The 49ers kept it close with the Colts thanks to their run defense and a huge touchdown run from Frank Gore. Michael Crabtree had six catches for 81 yards, but also lost a fumble.
21. Seattle Seahawks (2-5) [21] - There is a big dropoff from #20 to #21, and the Seahawks stay here because they were the least disappointing of the ones directly below them. At least it was the Cowboys they lost badly to.
22. Carolina Panthers (3-4) [24] - Hard to imagine the Panthers winning 34-21 with Jake Delhomme throwing 7/14 for 90 yards, with 50 of them coming on one touchdown pass to Steve Smith. What is even funnier is that was good for his highest passer rating of the season. At least he didn't throw any interceptions for the first time all year, as the Panthers won the turnover battle 6-0 to give them the victory over the Cardinals. DeAngelo Williams rushed for 158 yards, while Jonathan Stewart added 87 yards and two touchdowns. But they can't expect to win many games that aren't handed to them when their quarterback is throwing for 90 yards.
23. Buffalo Bills (3-5) [23] - The Bills lead the AFC with 15 interceptions, but that may be the only thing going for them right now. They led the Texans 10-9 through three quarters with two interceptions off Matt Schaub, but they let Ryan Moats run all over them as Houston exploded for 22 unanswered points in the fourth.
24. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-4) [22] - Despite 177 yards on eight carries for Maurice Jones-Drew, including touchdown runs of 80 and 79 yards, the Jaguars still got blown out 30-13 by the winless Titans.
25. Washington Redskins (2-5) [26] - It will be interesting to see how the Redskins respond coming out of the bye week with new offensive playcaller Sherman Lewis. I don't know if I should have the blind faith to flip them with the Chiefs with both on bye, but this is a talented offense that just needs to find a way to click. If there's even a slight chance of that happening now, they could be on their way up.
26. Kansas City Chiefs (1-5) [25] - As if horrible performance wasn't reason enough, the Chiefs are finally pushing Larry Johnson out at running back. He will be suspended for this week's game, but it remains to be seen what kind of role he will have the rest of the way, if any. Jamaal Charles may not be much, but anything must be better than Johnson at this point.
27. Tennessee Titans (1-6) [29] - Vince Young is 1-0 since taking over as starter, which is one more win than Kerry Collins had in six games. Of course, it helps when Chris Johnson runs for 228 yards and two touchdowns (197/2 apparently wasn't enough when they faced the Texans in Week 2). Young finished 15/18 for 125 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions, with 30 rushing yards; not exactly a jaw-dropping line.
28. Detroit Lions (1-6) [26] - After fighting to earn the slightest bit of respect following an 0-16 season, the Lions just lost to the Rams at home. I will give them a slight break though as they were still without Calvin Johnson, but this hurts.
29. Oakland Raiders (2-6) [28] - I still don't understand how this team has two wins right now. Darren McFadden is on the verge of returning, which could give some more life to the offense, but this team is still far from being worth anything.
30. St. Louis Rams (1-7) [32] - Congratulations to Steve Spagnuolo on his first victory as a head coach. I expected it to come sooner though as he had been such a great defensive coordinator for the Giants, but you can only do so much with the talent handed to you.
31. Cleveland Browns (1-7) [30] - This team is going absolutely nowhere. Derek Anderson had another steller performance last week: 6/17, 76 yards, and two interceptions for a 10.5 passer rating. He doesn't cease to amaze me. Luckily for the Browns, they still have the Lions, Chiefs, Raiders, and Jaguars on their schedule, but that doesn't necessarily mean their win total will increase any. I wish I could put them last, but there's still one more team....
32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-7) [31] - I would love to see the Buccaneers win a game so I can put the Browns last, but I'm not sure if they ever will. Seriously, look at their schedule and tell me when they will win. Their only opportunity at home is the Jets, who have struggled at times but should easily find a way to beat the Bucs. Their chances on the road are in Carolina, who beat the Bucs in Tampa already, and Seattle in a cross-country team to Qwest Field, arguably the place with the biggest home field advantage in the NFL. Of course, surprises are always possible, and as their quarterback carousel turns to it's third man, Josh Freeman, a spark can possibly be lit. But you have to have serious doubts about this team winning a football game this year.
1. New Orleans Saints (7-0) [1] - The Saints continue to roll with a big divisional win against the Falcons. Drew Brees and Pierre Thomas both had solid games, and the defense recorded three interceptions for a league-leading 16, including yet another interception returned for a touchdown. This team can beat you in so many different ways.
2. Indianapolis Colts (7-0) [2] - The Colts remain undefeated, but it was not pretty with an 18-14 home victory over the 49ers. They were unable to find the end zone until the fourth quarter, and it was on a pass from running back Joseph Addai to Reggie Wayne. You can be disappointed about Peyton Manning throwing no touchdown passes, but he still had a great day with 347 yards and no interceptions. With Donald Brown injured, Addai took 20 of the 21 handoffs, rushing for a 3.1 yards per carry average. I don't think the loss of Brown makes that much of a difference; every great team has their stumbles.
3. Minnesota Vikings (7-1) [4] - With the Broncos losing, the Vikings return to #3 as the best team with a loss after winning in Green Bay. You can hate him all you want for his inability to decide what to do with his career, and for the ridiculous over-coverage of him in the media, but Brett Favre is having a remarkable season.
4. Denver Broncos (6-1) [3] - Eventually, somebody had to beat this team. At least it was to a very good Ravens team desperate for a win after three straight losses, but still, I would have liked to see a bit more fight from the Broncos. Their offense sputtered against a Ravens defense that has been shaky this year.
5. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2) [5] - Huge win over the Vikings in their last game, and will now face the Broncos in another huge game coming out of the bye. They will not have the advantage of being at Heinz Field though, but they still have a good chance of pulling off the win.
6. Cincinnati Bengals (5-2) [8] - It is hard to believe that Cedric Benson's 102.9 rushing yards per game is second in the NFL, behind just Chris Johnson. The Bengals are certainly enjoying Carson Palmer's return to good health, I had begun to forget what that was like.
7. New England Patriots (5-2) [6] - The Patriots face a grueling five game stretch out of their bye starting and ending with the Dolphins, with the Colts, Jets, and Saints in between. Will they be ready for the test?
8. Philadelphia Eagles (5-2) [9] - It was a dominating win for the Eagles, with Donovan McNabb easily finding the gaping holes in the Giants defense while Eli Manning overthrew seemingly every pass to Giants receivers. They have the big play ability, but I'm still not seeing the team that was projected as an elite team before the seasons started.
9. Baltimore Ravens (4-3) [10] - After three tough losses to very good teams, the Ravens came out of their bye and dominated the previously undefeated Broncos to break the losing streak. I still need to see some consistency from their defense.
10. Dallas Cowboys (5-2) [12] - The Cowboys have stormed out of the bye with two very convincing victories, although the Seahawks are not the same calibur as the Falcons. They could be feeling as much momentum as anyone right now, and they will need it to carry over into Phiadelphia where they face an Eagles team who they are tied with atop the NFC East.
11. Atlanta Falcons (4-3) [13] - The Falcons move up despite a loss, although that has more to do with teams in front of them needing to be moved down. They did put up a decent fight though against the Saints.
12. New York Giants (5-3) [7] - The Giants could potentially be lower after three straight horrible losses, but I have faith in their defense once Michael Boley returns from injury. Eli Manning, however, needs to be better. He looked like an elite quarterback in the early parts of the season, but at one point last game I half-jokingly said Derek Anderson was better. He was absolutely awful against the Eagles, with more overthrows than I've ever seen. I was honestly surprised to look at the box score and see that he completed more than half of his passes (20/39).
13. Green Bay Packers (4-3) [14] - There is disappointment after losing to the Vikings again, especially at Lambeau Field this time, but there are still a lot of quality players on this team. However, I did a double-take seeing Ahman Green doing kick returns. I love that the Packers re-signed him, but there has to be a better option at kick returner than the 32-year-old Green. His 20.1 yard return average is not going to cut it.
14. Arizona Cardinals (4-3) [11] - I expected the Cardinals to blow out the Panthers last week, instead it turned out to be the other way around. Kurt Warner's six turnovers helped lead to a 34-21 loss against a horrible Carolina team. I expect better from them in the future, but it is at least a reality check for the Cardinals who were beginning to soar towards the top.
15. Houstan Texans (5-3) [15] - After a slow start, the Texans roared back for a dominating victory in Buffalo. Don't let Ryan Moats' line fool you, that Buffalo defense is terrible against the run. He will not be a better option than Steve Slaton, assuming Slaton can hold onto the ball, but that has not been the case this year. They have big weapons at the wide receiver position with Andre Johnson and Kevin Walter, but they suffered a big loss of tight end Owen Daniels for the season.
16. San Diego Chargers (4-3) [19] - LaDainian Tomlinson tripled his touchdown total for the season. The Chargers have a great passing game, but unless they get better production in the running game and their defense, I don't have much faith in them. So far they have beat the Raiders twice, the Chiefs, and the Dolphins when they knocked out Chad Pennington for the season.
17. Chicago Bears (4-3) [17] - Like the Chargers, this team has the weapons, but has been disappointing in their running game and defense. Also, Jay Cutler was less than stellar against a terrible Browns team last week after struggling the last two weeks. This team is far from the team that beat the Steelers in Week 2 (or more likely, the current Steelers are far from what they were then), and have just beaten the Seahawks, Lions, and Browns since.
18. Miami Dolphins (3-4) [18] - The offense was hardly a factor last week for the Dolphins, who managed just 104 yards, but they got the job done with a Jason Taylor fumble recovery for touchdown and two 100+ yard kickoff return touchdowns by Ted Ginn.
19. New York Jets (4-4) [16] - The Jets took another step backward last week with the loss at home against the Dolphins. Jerricho Cotchery returned with a decent effort, and Braylon Edwards had a great catch and fight for the touchdown, but the Jets still came up short.
20. San Francisco 49ers (3-4) [20] - He may not be making the team worse, but Alex Smith starting at quarterback does not make the 49ers any better. He is still and always will be a poor quarterback. The 49ers kept it close with the Colts thanks to their run defense and a huge touchdown run from Frank Gore. Michael Crabtree had six catches for 81 yards, but also lost a fumble.
21. Seattle Seahawks (2-5) [21] - There is a big dropoff from #20 to #21, and the Seahawks stay here because they were the least disappointing of the ones directly below them. At least it was the Cowboys they lost badly to.
22. Carolina Panthers (3-4) [24] - Hard to imagine the Panthers winning 34-21 with Jake Delhomme throwing 7/14 for 90 yards, with 50 of them coming on one touchdown pass to Steve Smith. What is even funnier is that was good for his highest passer rating of the season. At least he didn't throw any interceptions for the first time all year, as the Panthers won the turnover battle 6-0 to give them the victory over the Cardinals. DeAngelo Williams rushed for 158 yards, while Jonathan Stewart added 87 yards and two touchdowns. But they can't expect to win many games that aren't handed to them when their quarterback is throwing for 90 yards.
23. Buffalo Bills (3-5) [23] - The Bills lead the AFC with 15 interceptions, but that may be the only thing going for them right now. They led the Texans 10-9 through three quarters with two interceptions off Matt Schaub, but they let Ryan Moats run all over them as Houston exploded for 22 unanswered points in the fourth.
24. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-4) [22] - Despite 177 yards on eight carries for Maurice Jones-Drew, including touchdown runs of 80 and 79 yards, the Jaguars still got blown out 30-13 by the winless Titans.
25. Washington Redskins (2-5) [26] - It will be interesting to see how the Redskins respond coming out of the bye week with new offensive playcaller Sherman Lewis. I don't know if I should have the blind faith to flip them with the Chiefs with both on bye, but this is a talented offense that just needs to find a way to click. If there's even a slight chance of that happening now, they could be on their way up.
26. Kansas City Chiefs (1-5) [25] - As if horrible performance wasn't reason enough, the Chiefs are finally pushing Larry Johnson out at running back. He will be suspended for this week's game, but it remains to be seen what kind of role he will have the rest of the way, if any. Jamaal Charles may not be much, but anything must be better than Johnson at this point.
27. Tennessee Titans (1-6) [29] - Vince Young is 1-0 since taking over as starter, which is one more win than Kerry Collins had in six games. Of course, it helps when Chris Johnson runs for 228 yards and two touchdowns (197/2 apparently wasn't enough when they faced the Texans in Week 2). Young finished 15/18 for 125 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions, with 30 rushing yards; not exactly a jaw-dropping line.
28. Detroit Lions (1-6) [26] - After fighting to earn the slightest bit of respect following an 0-16 season, the Lions just lost to the Rams at home. I will give them a slight break though as they were still without Calvin Johnson, but this hurts.
29. Oakland Raiders (2-6) [28] - I still don't understand how this team has two wins right now. Darren McFadden is on the verge of returning, which could give some more life to the offense, but this team is still far from being worth anything.
30. St. Louis Rams (1-7) [32] - Congratulations to Steve Spagnuolo on his first victory as a head coach. I expected it to come sooner though as he had been such a great defensive coordinator for the Giants, but you can only do so much with the talent handed to you.
31. Cleveland Browns (1-7) [30] - This team is going absolutely nowhere. Derek Anderson had another steller performance last week: 6/17, 76 yards, and two interceptions for a 10.5 passer rating. He doesn't cease to amaze me. Luckily for the Browns, they still have the Lions, Chiefs, Raiders, and Jaguars on their schedule, but that doesn't necessarily mean their win total will increase any. I wish I could put them last, but there's still one more team....
32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-7) [31] - I would love to see the Buccaneers win a game so I can put the Browns last, but I'm not sure if they ever will. Seriously, look at their schedule and tell me when they will win. Their only opportunity at home is the Jets, who have struggled at times but should easily find a way to beat the Bucs. Their chances on the road are in Carolina, who beat the Bucs in Tampa already, and Seattle in a cross-country team to Qwest Field, arguably the place with the biggest home field advantage in the NFL. Of course, surprises are always possible, and as their quarterback carousel turns to it's third man, Josh Freeman, a spark can possibly be lit. But you have to have serious doubts about this team winning a football game this year.
Friday, October 30, 2009
NFL Week 8 Picks
My picks just continue tanking this season, I don't even know why I bother anymore. For whatever reason, maybe my work schedule preventing me from watching as much, I have not been able to figure things out this year after doing an outstanding job last season. Quite frankly, I'm embarrassed. And things aren't looking any easier this week, but let's give it a shot.
Denver Broncos (6-0) vs. Baltimore Ravens (3-3)
I'm just going to continue riding the Broncos until they give me reason not to. I took them last game on the road in a must win for the Chargers, and I will take them again on the road against a good Ravens team that needs to get back on track after three straight losses to good teams. The Ravens are usually known for a tremendous defense, but they have been lacking this year, while Denver has really stepped it up.
Houston Texans (4-3) vs. Buffalo Bills (3-4)
Both teams are coming off back-to-back victories, and a road trip to Buffalo is usually dangerous for warm-weather teams, but I have to go with the team that is looking a lot better right now. I just can't see the Bills beating a hot Texans team.
New York Giants (5-2) vs. Philadelphia Eagles (4-2)
I would be looking slightly better right now without bad bias-driven Giants picks the last two weeks, as I expected both losses but picked them anyway. I am picking them again though, and I truly believe they will come out on top. The defense will get to Donovan McNabb, who will be without Brian Westbrook. They just need to find a way to contain DeSean Jackson.
Miami Dolphins (2-4) vs. New York Jets (4-3)
I got burned picking the Jets in Miami, and while the Dolphins have been impressive lately, the Jets are coming off a 38-0 win in Oakland and will play the Dolphins very tough at the Meadowlands. Games between the two are usually very good matchups, and I'll just go with the home field advantage.
San Francisco 49ers (3-3) vs. Indianapolis Colts (6-0)
There is no reason to believe the Colts will take their first loss here. Alex Smith could surprise, but this Colts team is just too good on both sides of the ball to lose at home to the 49ers. Frank Gore couldn't get it going last week for San Francisco, and they need him big time.
Cleveland Browns (1-6) vs. Chicago Bears (3-3)
The Bears got humiliated last week against the Bengals, but luckily for them they host the Browns this week, so they will do some humiliating of their own. I'm pretty sure I would pick the Rams to beat the Browns on a neutral field at this point. I don't know if the Rams would win, but I would pick them.
Seattle Seahawks (2-4) vs. Dallas Cowboys (4-2)
The Cowboys might be as hot as any team right now with Miles Austin becoming a huge part of the offense. The Seahawks will not be able to match up with them in Dallas.
St. Louis Rams (0-7) vs. Detroit Lions (1-5)
I had to stop myself from thinking too deeply about this one. It was making my head spin. Both teams are awful, but the Rams are bottom of the barrel. Steven Jackson has been solid, but that's about it. The Lions offense has been much better than the Rams, although that is not saying much at all, but they are dealing with injury concerns to Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson at the moment. But a Rams pick here would simply be one for pity, as there is no reason to believe they can win a game right now, especially on the road and not against the Browns.
Oakland Raiders (2-5) vs. San Diego Chargers (3-3)
The Chargers absolutely must win this game. Philip Rivers will have to spread the ball to more receivers than Vincent Jackson though if he will be covered by Nnamdi Asomugha, but he is a good enough quarterback and the Raiders are a horrible enough team that the Chargers should be fine.
Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3) vs. Tennessee Titans (0-6)
I may have been leaning on the Titans to finally get in the win column with Kerry Collins, but I have gotten off of that since Vince Young was named starter. He may be an improvement over Collins at this point, but I cannot trust him yet, nor can I trust the winless Titans in the midst of a quarterback change fueled by their owner. Maurice Jones-Drew will have a huge game against this Titans defense, and the usually-solid David Garrard will continue to find Mike Sims-Walker for a big game. The Titans basically just have Chris Johnson. The Jaguars have been decent enough stopping the run this year and beat them easily earlier, and this should be about the same.
Minnesota Vikings (6-1) vs. Green Bay Packers (4-2)
Again, I'm just going with the better team here. Green Bay is usually a tough place to play, and the place will be fired up with Brett Favre coming in, but the Vikings have been a more solid, consistent team all year. I do not expect Adrian Peterson to let them shut him down again.
Carolina Panthers (2-4) vs. Arizona Cardinals (4-2)
The Cardinals are pretty good at stopping the run, and that's the only way the Panthers can move the ball. The pass defense hasn't been as good, but they have playmakers who will get their share of interceptions off Jake Delhomme.
Atlanta Falcons (4-2) vs. New Orleans Saints (6-0)
The Falcons looked bad last week in a big loss to Dallas, but putting that aside, this division always plays each other incredibly tough. But I am sticking by my opinion that the Saints are the best team in the league, and have to take them with the home field advantage.
Last Week: 8-5
Season: 67-36
Denver Broncos (6-0) vs. Baltimore Ravens (3-3)
I'm just going to continue riding the Broncos until they give me reason not to. I took them last game on the road in a must win for the Chargers, and I will take them again on the road against a good Ravens team that needs to get back on track after three straight losses to good teams. The Ravens are usually known for a tremendous defense, but they have been lacking this year, while Denver has really stepped it up.
Houston Texans (4-3) vs. Buffalo Bills (3-4)
Both teams are coming off back-to-back victories, and a road trip to Buffalo is usually dangerous for warm-weather teams, but I have to go with the team that is looking a lot better right now. I just can't see the Bills beating a hot Texans team.
New York Giants (5-2) vs. Philadelphia Eagles (4-2)
I would be looking slightly better right now without bad bias-driven Giants picks the last two weeks, as I expected both losses but picked them anyway. I am picking them again though, and I truly believe they will come out on top. The defense will get to Donovan McNabb, who will be without Brian Westbrook. They just need to find a way to contain DeSean Jackson.
Miami Dolphins (2-4) vs. New York Jets (4-3)
I got burned picking the Jets in Miami, and while the Dolphins have been impressive lately, the Jets are coming off a 38-0 win in Oakland and will play the Dolphins very tough at the Meadowlands. Games between the two are usually very good matchups, and I'll just go with the home field advantage.
San Francisco 49ers (3-3) vs. Indianapolis Colts (6-0)
There is no reason to believe the Colts will take their first loss here. Alex Smith could surprise, but this Colts team is just too good on both sides of the ball to lose at home to the 49ers. Frank Gore couldn't get it going last week for San Francisco, and they need him big time.
Cleveland Browns (1-6) vs. Chicago Bears (3-3)
The Bears got humiliated last week against the Bengals, but luckily for them they host the Browns this week, so they will do some humiliating of their own. I'm pretty sure I would pick the Rams to beat the Browns on a neutral field at this point. I don't know if the Rams would win, but I would pick them.
Seattle Seahawks (2-4) vs. Dallas Cowboys (4-2)
The Cowboys might be as hot as any team right now with Miles Austin becoming a huge part of the offense. The Seahawks will not be able to match up with them in Dallas.
St. Louis Rams (0-7) vs. Detroit Lions (1-5)
I had to stop myself from thinking too deeply about this one. It was making my head spin. Both teams are awful, but the Rams are bottom of the barrel. Steven Jackson has been solid, but that's about it. The Lions offense has been much better than the Rams, although that is not saying much at all, but they are dealing with injury concerns to Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson at the moment. But a Rams pick here would simply be one for pity, as there is no reason to believe they can win a game right now, especially on the road and not against the Browns.
Oakland Raiders (2-5) vs. San Diego Chargers (3-3)
The Chargers absolutely must win this game. Philip Rivers will have to spread the ball to more receivers than Vincent Jackson though if he will be covered by Nnamdi Asomugha, but he is a good enough quarterback and the Raiders are a horrible enough team that the Chargers should be fine.
Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3) vs. Tennessee Titans (0-6)
I may have been leaning on the Titans to finally get in the win column with Kerry Collins, but I have gotten off of that since Vince Young was named starter. He may be an improvement over Collins at this point, but I cannot trust him yet, nor can I trust the winless Titans in the midst of a quarterback change fueled by their owner. Maurice Jones-Drew will have a huge game against this Titans defense, and the usually-solid David Garrard will continue to find Mike Sims-Walker for a big game. The Titans basically just have Chris Johnson. The Jaguars have been decent enough stopping the run this year and beat them easily earlier, and this should be about the same.
Minnesota Vikings (6-1) vs. Green Bay Packers (4-2)
Again, I'm just going with the better team here. Green Bay is usually a tough place to play, and the place will be fired up with Brett Favre coming in, but the Vikings have been a more solid, consistent team all year. I do not expect Adrian Peterson to let them shut him down again.
Carolina Panthers (2-4) vs. Arizona Cardinals (4-2)
The Cardinals are pretty good at stopping the run, and that's the only way the Panthers can move the ball. The pass defense hasn't been as good, but they have playmakers who will get their share of interceptions off Jake Delhomme.
Atlanta Falcons (4-2) vs. New Orleans Saints (6-0)
The Falcons looked bad last week in a big loss to Dallas, but putting that aside, this division always plays each other incredibly tough. But I am sticking by my opinion that the Saints are the best team in the league, and have to take them with the home field advantage.
Last Week: 8-5
Season: 67-36
World Series Notes: Series Tied 1-1
In a World Series featuring easily the best offensive teams of each league, the pitching has been the dominating factor thus far. Cliff Lee, who has been nothing but outstanding so far in the playoffs. put on one of the best World Series pitching performances in history in Game 1 facing C.C. Sabathia, who allowed just a pair of solo homers to Chase Utley in seven innings of work before the Yankees' bullpen suffered. In Game 2, A.J. Burnett out-dueled Pedro Martinez and Mariano Rivera picked up yet another two-inning save.
Up until the series started, I strongly believed that there was no possible way that I could root for the Phillies, even against the Yankees. I wanted absolutely nothing for the team and it's fans. But then, while I was breaking it down, I remembered that they already have what it is that I don't want them to have. Obviously, becoming back-to-back champions would make them much happier than if they were to lose in their defense of the title, but that joy and happiness and memories of winning the 2008 World Series will still be there. They would be upset over the lost opportunity, but that satisfaction will remain, especially for all those fans who were not yet born or were too young to remember going through a World Series championship, which the Phillies had only previously done in 1980.
I am currently experiencing this as a Giants fan. Prior to beating the Patriots in the Super Bowl, I was four years old the last time the Giants won the championship. Seeing them win Super Bowl XLII was such a tremendous moment. Of course I was upset when they lost in the playoffs the following year, especially to the Eagles. But I quickly got over it, but I still had great satisfaction after winning the previous year. It is perhaps the greatest fear of a diehard sports fan, to never have the experience of seeing your favorite team win the championship, and to see that great victory is a huge relief.
Of course, Yankee fans have seen their fair share of championships. At least the ones who really annoy me are old enough to have. But right now, they are in what they would classify as a long drought, nearing a full decade of losing. In a year where everything seems to be going right, where it seems like they may be destined to win this year, it would be heartbreaking for Yankee fans to see them lose.
Good. That's what I want. I want both teams and both fanbases to suffer from losing, but thanks to the Phillies winning last year, losing this World Series would hurt Yankee fans more than it would Phillie fans. If things had gone differently last year, I'm sure I would prefer the Yankees to win than to see the Phillies get any happiness and remain miserable. But now I can only hope for the misery of Yankee fans.
I know any Yankee fans who may be reading this are going to be mad at me for this post. Perhaps the reason Yankee fans love to annoy Mets fans so much is because of our loud hatred of the superior team. It is a vicious cycle. Yankee fans annoy Mets fans, who in turn hate the Yankees even more, so Yankee fans try even harder to show off their superiority. The bad blood between these two fanbases will never go away.
The point is, while I thought for sure I would root for the Yankees in this series, when I turned on Game 1 and saw the 1-0 score, I was happy. When the Phillies went on to win that game, I was happy. When the Yankees won Game 2, I was upset. I cannot believe I am saying this, but....
Let's Go Phillies
Up until the series started, I strongly believed that there was no possible way that I could root for the Phillies, even against the Yankees. I wanted absolutely nothing for the team and it's fans. But then, while I was breaking it down, I remembered that they already have what it is that I don't want them to have. Obviously, becoming back-to-back champions would make them much happier than if they were to lose in their defense of the title, but that joy and happiness and memories of winning the 2008 World Series will still be there. They would be upset over the lost opportunity, but that satisfaction will remain, especially for all those fans who were not yet born or were too young to remember going through a World Series championship, which the Phillies had only previously done in 1980.
I am currently experiencing this as a Giants fan. Prior to beating the Patriots in the Super Bowl, I was four years old the last time the Giants won the championship. Seeing them win Super Bowl XLII was such a tremendous moment. Of course I was upset when they lost in the playoffs the following year, especially to the Eagles. But I quickly got over it, but I still had great satisfaction after winning the previous year. It is perhaps the greatest fear of a diehard sports fan, to never have the experience of seeing your favorite team win the championship, and to see that great victory is a huge relief.
Of course, Yankee fans have seen their fair share of championships. At least the ones who really annoy me are old enough to have. But right now, they are in what they would classify as a long drought, nearing a full decade of losing. In a year where everything seems to be going right, where it seems like they may be destined to win this year, it would be heartbreaking for Yankee fans to see them lose.
Good. That's what I want. I want both teams and both fanbases to suffer from losing, but thanks to the Phillies winning last year, losing this World Series would hurt Yankee fans more than it would Phillie fans. If things had gone differently last year, I'm sure I would prefer the Yankees to win than to see the Phillies get any happiness and remain miserable. But now I can only hope for the misery of Yankee fans.
I know any Yankee fans who may be reading this are going to be mad at me for this post. Perhaps the reason Yankee fans love to annoy Mets fans so much is because of our loud hatred of the superior team. It is a vicious cycle. Yankee fans annoy Mets fans, who in turn hate the Yankees even more, so Yankee fans try even harder to show off their superiority. The bad blood between these two fanbases will never go away.
The point is, while I thought for sure I would root for the Yankees in this series, when I turned on Game 1 and saw the 1-0 score, I was happy. When the Phillies went on to win that game, I was happy. When the Yankees won Game 2, I was upset. I cannot believe I am saying this, but....
Let's Go Phillies
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
NFL Week 8 Power Rankings
How will the rankings shake up after one unbeaten lost, one had to pull off a huge comeback, and an unbeaten from two weeks ago has lost for the second straight week? Well, it's hard to make changes when the other good teams are beating up the awful tier of teams. It seems like you can look at so much of the top of the list and question their strength of schedule so far.
1. New Orleans Saints (6-0) [1] - Call me stubborn for keeping the Saints here after falling behind 24-3 to the Dolphins off a miserable start to the game by Drew Brees. But they showed great resiliency to come back and win 46-34 in beating a much better team than the Colts beat. Add another two interception returns for touchdowns for this New Orleans defense. We shall see how they handle the Falcons offense this week.
2. Indianapolis Colts (6-0) [2] - This Colts team is not letting up, with a 42-6 win over the Rams last week. Another three touchdowns for Manning and a solid performance by the defense. It's more like 1 and 1a between them and the Saints.
3. Denver Broncos (6-0) [4] - The Broncos move up during their bye week as they are now one of three remaining unbeaten. They face a tough road game in Baltimore this week though, but they have had their share of tests this year that they have passed so far.
4. Minnesota Vikings (6-1) [3] - The Vikings had a perfect opportunity to at least tie the game last week in the final minute if Chester Taylor catches that screen pass. Even though it was a loss, it was still a good effort playing in Pittsburgh. On a neutral field, the Vikings are the better team.
5. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2) [8] - After a disappointing start, the Steelers are 4-0 since Rashard Mendenhall took over as the featured running back. Even without Aaron Smith, their defense had two huge touchdowns and held Adrian Peterson to 3.8 yards per carry.
6. New England Patriots (5-2) [6] - In a week full of blowouts, I expected the Patriots to do a bit better than a 35-7 victory over the Buccaneers. It would have been a bigger blowout if not for two interceptions thrown by Tom Brady. After the bye week, they face a rough five-game stretch against divisional rivals and unbeatens.
7. New York Giants (5-2) [5] - Two weeks ago the Giants defense did nothing against the Saints. This past week it was the offense that could not get anything going against the Cardinals. It is extremely important for them to work out these inconsistencies in time for their showdown in Philadelphia this week.
8. Cincinnati Bengals (5-2) [11] - After a disappointing loss to the Texans, who may not be so bad after all, the Bengals came back with a surprising 45-10 blowout over the Bears. Carson Palmer (five touchdown passes) and Cedric Benson (189 rushing yards) both had monster games. After the bye week, they have their division rematches against the Ravens and Steelers, which will go a long way in determining how the standings will shape out at the end of the season.
9. Philadelphia Eagles (4-2) [10] - Once again, Brian Westbrook is banged up. LeSean McCoy was less than stellar replacing him against a good Redskins defense, and will face an even tougher Giants defense this week. The Eagles have the big plays to DeSean Jackson, but don't seem to have much else on offense.
10. Baltimore Ravens (3-3) [9] - Baltimore had a bye week to think about the three-game losing streak they are currently on, and will now face the undefeated Broncos, with the Bengals after that. The three losses have all come against good teams though, but they need to beat some of these good teams.
11. Arizona Cardinals (4-2) [13] - The Cardinals defense was very impressive in shutting down the dangerous Giants offense last week in a big win at the Meadowlands. Anquan Boldin's health is again a concern, but this team is getting back to the level that brought them to the Super Bowl last season.
12. Dallas Cowboys (4-2) [16] - The running back trio of Marion Barber, Felix Jones, and Tashard Choice is returning to health, and they have found a dangerous receiver in Miles Austin. This team could continue rising fast after being kept down in the middle of the pack most of the way.
13. Atlanta Falcons (4-2) [7] - Perhaps this is too far of a drop for the Falcons, but while their offense is very good, they need to show more on the defensive side. I expected more from them last week but instead got a 37-21 beating.
14. Green Bay Packers (4-2) [12] - The Packers have outscored their opponents 57-3 in the last two weeks, but those opponents were the Lions (without Calvin Johnson) and Browns. They have a huge game this week at home against the Vikings after losing by a touchdown in Minnesota earlier.
15. Houston Texans (4-3) [17] - After a disappointing start, the Texans are starting to reach the potential that many predicted at the beginning of the season. They still have yet to face the Colts, and those two games will obviously be very important as the Texans are the only thing standing in the Colts' way of winning the AFC South.
16. New York Jets (4-3) [20] - The Jets get a redeeming win with a 38-0 blowout against the Raiders. Say what you want about the Raiders, but it was a huge win for the Jets' morale leading into the home rematch against the Dolphins.
17. Chicago Bears (3-3) [14] - We have seen the bad side of Jay Cutler the past two weeks with five interceptions in a pair of road losses. He returns home this week and should have no problem with the Browns, but the week after poses a bigger challenge with the Cardinals coming in. I would like to see him spread the ball around to his other receivers. Obviously, Matt Forte also needs to do a much better job, as he was held to under 30 yards rushing for the third time this season. Cleveland can be run on very easily, but the same cannot be said about the Cardinals. This is just a mediocre team right now.
18. Miami Dolphins (2-4) [19] - If they could have held on for the win against the Saints, it obviously would have been a huge win. They have perhaps the most dangerous rushing attack in the league and a decent enough defense, but it is hard to beat a great team like the Saints with the inexperienced Chad Henne at quarterback. They have a chance to win at least half of their remaining games this season depending on the play of Henne.
19. San Diego Chargers (3-3) [15] - It is a bit surprising to see them drop four places following a 37-7 victory, but the four teams jumping above them have shown more this season. Philip Rivers has been terrific, but LaDainian Tomlinson is clearly not the running back he used to be.
20. San Francisco 49ers (3-3) [18] - The quarterback change to former #1 overall pick Alex Smith provided a spark in last week's game with three touchdown passes to former first round pick Vernon Davis. Michael Crabtree had a decent enough first game as the most recent San Francisco first round pick. If these offensive weapons start clicking around Frank Gore, this will be a very dangerous offense, but that remains to be seen.
21. Seattle Seahawks (2-4) [22] - The Seahawks have the potential but have failed to find consistency this season. They will likely not be able to slow down the Cowboys this week, then the Lions will make them look like a great team again before going on the road to face the Cardinals and Vikings.
22. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3) [23] - David Garrard has been solid and Maurice Jones-Drew is a great running back, but that's about all this team has. They can be thankful for an easy schedule with games that those two players alone can win for them.
23. Buffalo Bills (3-4) [24] - The Bills were dominated offensively last week but got four turnovers to set themselves up for the road win against the Panthers. I feel like the Bills have done nothing to be ranked as high as 23rd, but they have three wins and blew two more with special teams fumbles. It may be pretty ugly, but it is much more than the teams below them can say.
24. Carolina Panthers (2-4) [21] - I should have seen the loss to the Bills coming. The Jets could not beat the Bills despite a dominating running game, and even Mark Sanchez at his worst is much better than Jake Delhomme has been this season. Three interceptions doomed the Panthers. Unfortunately, they have very little reason to bother starting either of their backup quarterbacks.
25. Kansas City Chiefs (1-6) [26] - Larry Johnson just made a fool out of himself and will suffer the consequences, but it is about time the Chiefs got him out of the running game, because they were going absolutely nowhere with him. I don't know if Jamaal Charles can do any better, but he can't do much worse either.
26. Detroit Lions (1-5) [27] - It appears as though Calvin Johnson is still not ready to return this week as the Lions will try to avoid losing to the Rams. This will be the Rams' best shot at winning this season, and surely the Lions would like some company in the group of teams with an 0-16 season (although the Rams are not the last hope for this year).
27. Washington Redskins (2-5) [28] - The Redskins have lost Chris Cooley to injury as the season continues to worsen. Their defense is starting to play decently enough, but they appear to have no chemistry on offense. There is potential though.
28. Oakland Raiders (2-5) [25] - Things were surprisingly looking up after shocking the Eagles, but the real Raiders returned for a 38-0 loss. The current winless teams deserve the wins more than the Raiders do, but they are the ones sitting with two wins on their record. They rank ahead of only the Rams in points scored per game.
29. Tennessee Titans (0-6) [30] - The Titans move up a spot with the bye week to forget about the 59-0 loss to the Patriots as the three teams below them all got blown out this past week. Chris Johnson should be enough on his own to beat some of these teams, but the rest of his team has failed so far to give half an effort. They need to show up this week in a winnable home game against the Jaguars.
30. Cleveland Browns (1-6) [29] - So much for Joshua Cribbs. The only player worth watching on this team managed just one yard on one rush, -1 yards on one reception, and lost a fumble. The one victory against the Browns keeps them [perhaps wrongly] ahead of the Bucs and Rams.
31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-7) [31] - The Josh Johnson experiment is over after no positive results, and the Buccaneers will turn to third quarterback Josh Freeman. There is no reason to believe things will get any better though.
32. St. Louis Rams (0-7) [32] - The Rams are scoring an average of 8.6 points per game and are allowing 30.1 points per game. At least they have the Lions and their bye week coming up next, but then they have the pleasure of facing the Saints in Week 10.
1. New Orleans Saints (6-0) [1] - Call me stubborn for keeping the Saints here after falling behind 24-3 to the Dolphins off a miserable start to the game by Drew Brees. But they showed great resiliency to come back and win 46-34 in beating a much better team than the Colts beat. Add another two interception returns for touchdowns for this New Orleans defense. We shall see how they handle the Falcons offense this week.
2. Indianapolis Colts (6-0) [2] - This Colts team is not letting up, with a 42-6 win over the Rams last week. Another three touchdowns for Manning and a solid performance by the defense. It's more like 1 and 1a between them and the Saints.
3. Denver Broncos (6-0) [4] - The Broncos move up during their bye week as they are now one of three remaining unbeaten. They face a tough road game in Baltimore this week though, but they have had their share of tests this year that they have passed so far.
4. Minnesota Vikings (6-1) [3] - The Vikings had a perfect opportunity to at least tie the game last week in the final minute if Chester Taylor catches that screen pass. Even though it was a loss, it was still a good effort playing in Pittsburgh. On a neutral field, the Vikings are the better team.
5. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2) [8] - After a disappointing start, the Steelers are 4-0 since Rashard Mendenhall took over as the featured running back. Even without Aaron Smith, their defense had two huge touchdowns and held Adrian Peterson to 3.8 yards per carry.
6. New England Patriots (5-2) [6] - In a week full of blowouts, I expected the Patriots to do a bit better than a 35-7 victory over the Buccaneers. It would have been a bigger blowout if not for two interceptions thrown by Tom Brady. After the bye week, they face a rough five-game stretch against divisional rivals and unbeatens.
7. New York Giants (5-2) [5] - Two weeks ago the Giants defense did nothing against the Saints. This past week it was the offense that could not get anything going against the Cardinals. It is extremely important for them to work out these inconsistencies in time for their showdown in Philadelphia this week.
8. Cincinnati Bengals (5-2) [11] - After a disappointing loss to the Texans, who may not be so bad after all, the Bengals came back with a surprising 45-10 blowout over the Bears. Carson Palmer (five touchdown passes) and Cedric Benson (189 rushing yards) both had monster games. After the bye week, they have their division rematches against the Ravens and Steelers, which will go a long way in determining how the standings will shape out at the end of the season.
9. Philadelphia Eagles (4-2) [10] - Once again, Brian Westbrook is banged up. LeSean McCoy was less than stellar replacing him against a good Redskins defense, and will face an even tougher Giants defense this week. The Eagles have the big plays to DeSean Jackson, but don't seem to have much else on offense.
10. Baltimore Ravens (3-3) [9] - Baltimore had a bye week to think about the three-game losing streak they are currently on, and will now face the undefeated Broncos, with the Bengals after that. The three losses have all come against good teams though, but they need to beat some of these good teams.
11. Arizona Cardinals (4-2) [13] - The Cardinals defense was very impressive in shutting down the dangerous Giants offense last week in a big win at the Meadowlands. Anquan Boldin's health is again a concern, but this team is getting back to the level that brought them to the Super Bowl last season.
12. Dallas Cowboys (4-2) [16] - The running back trio of Marion Barber, Felix Jones, and Tashard Choice is returning to health, and they have found a dangerous receiver in Miles Austin. This team could continue rising fast after being kept down in the middle of the pack most of the way.
13. Atlanta Falcons (4-2) [7] - Perhaps this is too far of a drop for the Falcons, but while their offense is very good, they need to show more on the defensive side. I expected more from them last week but instead got a 37-21 beating.
14. Green Bay Packers (4-2) [12] - The Packers have outscored their opponents 57-3 in the last two weeks, but those opponents were the Lions (without Calvin Johnson) and Browns. They have a huge game this week at home against the Vikings after losing by a touchdown in Minnesota earlier.
15. Houston Texans (4-3) [17] - After a disappointing start, the Texans are starting to reach the potential that many predicted at the beginning of the season. They still have yet to face the Colts, and those two games will obviously be very important as the Texans are the only thing standing in the Colts' way of winning the AFC South.
16. New York Jets (4-3) [20] - The Jets get a redeeming win with a 38-0 blowout against the Raiders. Say what you want about the Raiders, but it was a huge win for the Jets' morale leading into the home rematch against the Dolphins.
17. Chicago Bears (3-3) [14] - We have seen the bad side of Jay Cutler the past two weeks with five interceptions in a pair of road losses. He returns home this week and should have no problem with the Browns, but the week after poses a bigger challenge with the Cardinals coming in. I would like to see him spread the ball around to his other receivers. Obviously, Matt Forte also needs to do a much better job, as he was held to under 30 yards rushing for the third time this season. Cleveland can be run on very easily, but the same cannot be said about the Cardinals. This is just a mediocre team right now.
18. Miami Dolphins (2-4) [19] - If they could have held on for the win against the Saints, it obviously would have been a huge win. They have perhaps the most dangerous rushing attack in the league and a decent enough defense, but it is hard to beat a great team like the Saints with the inexperienced Chad Henne at quarterback. They have a chance to win at least half of their remaining games this season depending on the play of Henne.
19. San Diego Chargers (3-3) [15] - It is a bit surprising to see them drop four places following a 37-7 victory, but the four teams jumping above them have shown more this season. Philip Rivers has been terrific, but LaDainian Tomlinson is clearly not the running back he used to be.
20. San Francisco 49ers (3-3) [18] - The quarterback change to former #1 overall pick Alex Smith provided a spark in last week's game with three touchdown passes to former first round pick Vernon Davis. Michael Crabtree had a decent enough first game as the most recent San Francisco first round pick. If these offensive weapons start clicking around Frank Gore, this will be a very dangerous offense, but that remains to be seen.
21. Seattle Seahawks (2-4) [22] - The Seahawks have the potential but have failed to find consistency this season. They will likely not be able to slow down the Cowboys this week, then the Lions will make them look like a great team again before going on the road to face the Cardinals and Vikings.
22. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3) [23] - David Garrard has been solid and Maurice Jones-Drew is a great running back, but that's about all this team has. They can be thankful for an easy schedule with games that those two players alone can win for them.
23. Buffalo Bills (3-4) [24] - The Bills were dominated offensively last week but got four turnovers to set themselves up for the road win against the Panthers. I feel like the Bills have done nothing to be ranked as high as 23rd, but they have three wins and blew two more with special teams fumbles. It may be pretty ugly, but it is much more than the teams below them can say.
24. Carolina Panthers (2-4) [21] - I should have seen the loss to the Bills coming. The Jets could not beat the Bills despite a dominating running game, and even Mark Sanchez at his worst is much better than Jake Delhomme has been this season. Three interceptions doomed the Panthers. Unfortunately, they have very little reason to bother starting either of their backup quarterbacks.
25. Kansas City Chiefs (1-6) [26] - Larry Johnson just made a fool out of himself and will suffer the consequences, but it is about time the Chiefs got him out of the running game, because they were going absolutely nowhere with him. I don't know if Jamaal Charles can do any better, but he can't do much worse either.
26. Detroit Lions (1-5) [27] - It appears as though Calvin Johnson is still not ready to return this week as the Lions will try to avoid losing to the Rams. This will be the Rams' best shot at winning this season, and surely the Lions would like some company in the group of teams with an 0-16 season (although the Rams are not the last hope for this year).
27. Washington Redskins (2-5) [28] - The Redskins have lost Chris Cooley to injury as the season continues to worsen. Their defense is starting to play decently enough, but they appear to have no chemistry on offense. There is potential though.
28. Oakland Raiders (2-5) [25] - Things were surprisingly looking up after shocking the Eagles, but the real Raiders returned for a 38-0 loss. The current winless teams deserve the wins more than the Raiders do, but they are the ones sitting with two wins on their record. They rank ahead of only the Rams in points scored per game.
29. Tennessee Titans (0-6) [30] - The Titans move up a spot with the bye week to forget about the 59-0 loss to the Patriots as the three teams below them all got blown out this past week. Chris Johnson should be enough on his own to beat some of these teams, but the rest of his team has failed so far to give half an effort. They need to show up this week in a winnable home game against the Jaguars.
30. Cleveland Browns (1-6) [29] - So much for Joshua Cribbs. The only player worth watching on this team managed just one yard on one rush, -1 yards on one reception, and lost a fumble. The one victory against the Browns keeps them [perhaps wrongly] ahead of the Bucs and Rams.
31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-7) [31] - The Josh Johnson experiment is over after no positive results, and the Buccaneers will turn to third quarterback Josh Freeman. There is no reason to believe things will get any better though.
32. St. Louis Rams (0-7) [32] - The Rams are scoring an average of 8.6 points per game and are allowing 30.1 points per game. At least they have the Lions and their bye week coming up next, but then they have the pleasure of facing the Saints in Week 10.
The Great World Series Dilemma
The World Series between the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies kicks off tonight at 7:57 PM. As a Mets fan, that is very painful to say. In a season where everything went wrong for our team, where they completely embarrassed themselves time after time, with absolutely no positives to take away from the season, Mets fans must now decide which of the two evils to root for. It's the rotten cherry on top of the worst season imaginable. It is only fitting that it comes to this.
Mets fans are split on the issue, and I'm pretty split myself. There are two ways to look at it: who can I root for, and who would I rather have win? Interestingly, the answer to both questions might not be the same.
Initially, I thought the answer was easy: I want the Yankees to win. There is no possible way that I can root for the Phillies to win. I want absolutely nothing for that franchise and nothing for its fans (apologies to my relatives in the Philadelphia area). As bad as the 2009 season was for the Mets on it's own, having the Phillies as the defending World Champions the whole time made it so much worse.
On the other hand, and I can't believe I am saying this, this Yankees team is the most likeable it has been this entire decade. I always had respect for the Yankees of the late 90s with the likes of Tino Martinez, Paul O'Neill, Bernie Williams, etc. Then they became despicable to me. But this team has gone out all season and had fun. A-Rod looks like a kid again. I love the A.J. Burnett pies to the face. C.C. Sabathia is just an amazing pitcher to watch. Deep down, I have been just a little bit on the Yankees bandwagon since the Mets became unwatchable, but I still had a strong desire to see it crash and burn; I never wanted to stay on for a World Series run.
The point is, if you put a gun to my head, I can root for the Yankees in this World Series. I cannot root for the Phillies. I can have fun talking to family, friends, and co-workers that are Yankee fans as they enjoy their run.
But it's these same Yankee fans who will turn around and constantly rub it in my face when it's all said and done. They have always rubbed it in my face, but this season has left me especially vulnerable. I can do nothing but just take the punishment and laugh with them instead of being laughed at. I cannot possibly wish for happiness and satisfaction for these fans.
Previously, I empathized with Yankee fans, saying that for having such high standards, their championship drought has been rough. Well, I want it continue. I don't want their drought to end. I want them to continue suffering. Yes, it would be more painful for me to see the Phillies win the World Series, especially to be able to gloat about back-to-back championships, but at least Phillie fans are already happy having won last season. If they lose again this year, it's no big deal. So now Phillie fans and Yankee fans are happy. I would rather have Phillie fans slightly happier and Yankee fans miserable than having both be happy. I love the misery of Yankee fans.
So when answering the question of who would I rather win, I have to say the Phillies.
But what does that mean when the games start tonight? I have to root for the Yankees, but I want them to lose. I want the Phillies to win, but I cannot possibly root for them. This is my nightmare.
Prediction: Yankees in 6.
Mets fans are split on the issue, and I'm pretty split myself. There are two ways to look at it: who can I root for, and who would I rather have win? Interestingly, the answer to both questions might not be the same.
Initially, I thought the answer was easy: I want the Yankees to win. There is no possible way that I can root for the Phillies to win. I want absolutely nothing for that franchise and nothing for its fans (apologies to my relatives in the Philadelphia area). As bad as the 2009 season was for the Mets on it's own, having the Phillies as the defending World Champions the whole time made it so much worse.
On the other hand, and I can't believe I am saying this, this Yankees team is the most likeable it has been this entire decade. I always had respect for the Yankees of the late 90s with the likes of Tino Martinez, Paul O'Neill, Bernie Williams, etc. Then they became despicable to me. But this team has gone out all season and had fun. A-Rod looks like a kid again. I love the A.J. Burnett pies to the face. C.C. Sabathia is just an amazing pitcher to watch. Deep down, I have been just a little bit on the Yankees bandwagon since the Mets became unwatchable, but I still had a strong desire to see it crash and burn; I never wanted to stay on for a World Series run.
The point is, if you put a gun to my head, I can root for the Yankees in this World Series. I cannot root for the Phillies. I can have fun talking to family, friends, and co-workers that are Yankee fans as they enjoy their run.
But it's these same Yankee fans who will turn around and constantly rub it in my face when it's all said and done. They have always rubbed it in my face, but this season has left me especially vulnerable. I can do nothing but just take the punishment and laugh with them instead of being laughed at. I cannot possibly wish for happiness and satisfaction for these fans.
Previously, I empathized with Yankee fans, saying that for having such high standards, their championship drought has been rough. Well, I want it continue. I don't want their drought to end. I want them to continue suffering. Yes, it would be more painful for me to see the Phillies win the World Series, especially to be able to gloat about back-to-back championships, but at least Phillie fans are already happy having won last season. If they lose again this year, it's no big deal. So now Phillie fans and Yankee fans are happy. I would rather have Phillie fans slightly happier and Yankee fans miserable than having both be happy. I love the misery of Yankee fans.
So when answering the question of who would I rather win, I have to say the Phillies.
But what does that mean when the games start tonight? I have to root for the Yankees, but I want them to lose. I want the Phillies to win, but I cannot possibly root for them. This is my nightmare.
Prediction: Yankees in 6.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
NBA Preview from a Born-Again Fan
Of the four major professional sports in the US, the NBA has always been by far the lowest on my level of interest. The games always seemed boring to me. I rather the dramatic low-scoring games that hockey and soccer provide (although I couldn't care less about the MLS, but soccer on the international level can be quite interesting). There just didn't seem to be enough excitement in the games for me. College basketball at least has March Madness, which might be the most exciting time of the year for me in sports, but I don't watch any of the regular season besides the occasional Duke game.
There have been a couple periods in my life where I have followed the NBA, but never a sustained interest. Two years ago, I didn't even bother to watch a single playoff game. However, when last year's playoffs rolled around, I decided I wanted to watch. I found myself getting excited. I made up my mind that from now on, I will follow the NBA.
But the big question for me is: What team do I follow? Perhaps the reason why I have never had a sustained interest in the NBA is that I have bounced around in regards to a favorite team, never settling on one that I could root for. Nobody in my family cared about the NBA either, so I had no direction to lean in that regard. Living in the state of New York, there are two local teams that I could choose between, but never had any reason to pick either side.
I initially became a San Antonio Spurs fan because David Robinson was my favorite player, if only because I got a Sports Illustrated for Kids magazine one day with him on the cover, and I said to myself, "He's a pretty good player and his name is David, he's my new favorite player!" I grew fond of him along with the young Tim Duncan, and was happy to see the Spurs defeat the Knicks in the NBA Finals some year.
But later on, a desire to root for a local team kicked in, one who's games I could follow on television. The Knicks seemed like a much better choice at the time., before the Byron Scott/Jason Kidd era in New Jersey. But soon after I became disinterested. Eventually, as the Nets brought in players such as Kidd, Richard Jefferson, and Kenyon Martin, I decided that I would root for them. At the least, they play in the same arena as the New Jersey Devils, so there's a positive (Knicks and Rangers? Ew.). Jefferson developed into my new favorite player with Robinson at the end of his career. I went to my first and only NBA game: Vince Carter's first game playing against the Raptors, which ended with a Toronto victory.
But disinterest settled in again. I shortly turned back to the Knicks, but they weren't worth rooting for. I bandwagoned the Spurs during their championship runs. A few years ago when my mom moved to North Carolina, just a short distance away from Charlotte, I spent some time with her there, and I became a Bobcats fan just for fun, because I didn't care about the other teams. But that was pointless.
So here we are on the verge of the 2009-10 NBA season. I want to be a fan, but I have no team to root for. Forget predictions of the upcoming season, because I don't know the teams well enough, and for the most part I'm still stuck on player evaluations from about five years ago. I just want to know what team I should root for, if any. Here are my five choices:
San Antonio Spurs - I still have a place in my heart for the Spurs. They have Tim Duncan, who I have always loved, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili who I've always liked, and now they have added my favorite player, Richard Jefferson. I put a lot of stock in this year's draft, and although they didn't get one of my big two, I was still excited by the DeJuan Blair pick. They are a top five team in the NBA while all my other choices are horrible teams. But I would rather root for a team I can watch on a regular basis, and I would feel a bit like a bandwagon fan if I went with the Spurs (although they were originally my favorite team for non-bandwagon reasons).
New York Knicks - They do have some nice talent that I can enjoy rooting for. They have former Duke Blue Devil Chris Duhon, the Italian Danilo Gallinari, along with David Lee and Nate Robinson. However, I think I prefer laughing at the Knicks' expense.
New Jersey Nets - If I were to choose between the local teams, I would rather the Nets, but they have stripped their roster since I last cheered for them, with Rafer Alston being the only one on the team now I really care about, and since the Devils moved into the Prudential Center, they no longer have that tie.
Charlotte Bobcats - They hit big in the draft for me with Duke's Gerald Henderson. I thought they had more Tar Heels, which was a big turnoff, but looking at the roster now, only Raymond Felton is left (not counting coaches). If they were to build themselves up and win a championship some day, it would be fun to say I rooted for them since they were at the bottom of the barrel, going back to my North Carolina days.
Golden State Warriors - My wildcard team. I've had absolutely no prior care for them until the 2009 Draft. When I was in North Carolina, I was also a short distance away from Davidson College. I had never heard of it before, but between the distance and the name, I became interested. When they burst onto the scene in the NCAA Tournament two years ago, I had to root for them. I fell in love with Stephen Curry. With no real NBA rooting interest, I had a desire to just root for whatever team Curry went to. With the Knicks on deck to pick, I was conflicted: it would be awesome for him to be on the Knicks because then I could follow him, but on the other hand, I really didn't want to have to root for them. But the Warriors took him at #7. Unfortunately though, there is no other reason for me to be excited about Golden State. They do have former Blue Devil Corey Maggette, but he was there before I became a Duke fan.
So there are the five teams I'm torn between. I am leaning towards the Spurs right now if only because they have more things going for them right now. I am worried if I am watching Knicks and Nets games constantly just because that's what is on, I will start to develop an interest in the Knicks (probably not the Nets). I am still excited by the prospect of following the Bobcats though (how fun would it be to walk around with a Bobcats hat), and still have a desire to root on Stephen Curry.
Alternatively, I could decide to follow no team, and just be an objective NBA fan. In all the other sports, there is always someone I am rooting for. It would be interesting to just put any bias aside and just enjoy what the league has to offer. Of course, I will always lean slightly towards those four teams plus whatever team Curry is on, but unlike other sports, in the NBA I have always cared more for the individual players than the teams.
Help me decide!
There have been a couple periods in my life where I have followed the NBA, but never a sustained interest. Two years ago, I didn't even bother to watch a single playoff game. However, when last year's playoffs rolled around, I decided I wanted to watch. I found myself getting excited. I made up my mind that from now on, I will follow the NBA.
But the big question for me is: What team do I follow? Perhaps the reason why I have never had a sustained interest in the NBA is that I have bounced around in regards to a favorite team, never settling on one that I could root for. Nobody in my family cared about the NBA either, so I had no direction to lean in that regard. Living in the state of New York, there are two local teams that I could choose between, but never had any reason to pick either side.
I initially became a San Antonio Spurs fan because David Robinson was my favorite player, if only because I got a Sports Illustrated for Kids magazine one day with him on the cover, and I said to myself, "He's a pretty good player and his name is David, he's my new favorite player!" I grew fond of him along with the young Tim Duncan, and was happy to see the Spurs defeat the Knicks in the NBA Finals some year.
But later on, a desire to root for a local team kicked in, one who's games I could follow on television. The Knicks seemed like a much better choice at the time., before the Byron Scott/Jason Kidd era in New Jersey. But soon after I became disinterested. Eventually, as the Nets brought in players such as Kidd, Richard Jefferson, and Kenyon Martin, I decided that I would root for them. At the least, they play in the same arena as the New Jersey Devils, so there's a positive (Knicks and Rangers? Ew.). Jefferson developed into my new favorite player with Robinson at the end of his career. I went to my first and only NBA game: Vince Carter's first game playing against the Raptors, which ended with a Toronto victory.
But disinterest settled in again. I shortly turned back to the Knicks, but they weren't worth rooting for. I bandwagoned the Spurs during their championship runs. A few years ago when my mom moved to North Carolina, just a short distance away from Charlotte, I spent some time with her there, and I became a Bobcats fan just for fun, because I didn't care about the other teams. But that was pointless.
So here we are on the verge of the 2009-10 NBA season. I want to be a fan, but I have no team to root for. Forget predictions of the upcoming season, because I don't know the teams well enough, and for the most part I'm still stuck on player evaluations from about five years ago. I just want to know what team I should root for, if any. Here are my five choices:
San Antonio Spurs - I still have a place in my heart for the Spurs. They have Tim Duncan, who I have always loved, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili who I've always liked, and now they have added my favorite player, Richard Jefferson. I put a lot of stock in this year's draft, and although they didn't get one of my big two, I was still excited by the DeJuan Blair pick. They are a top five team in the NBA while all my other choices are horrible teams. But I would rather root for a team I can watch on a regular basis, and I would feel a bit like a bandwagon fan if I went with the Spurs (although they were originally my favorite team for non-bandwagon reasons).
New York Knicks - They do have some nice talent that I can enjoy rooting for. They have former Duke Blue Devil Chris Duhon, the Italian Danilo Gallinari, along with David Lee and Nate Robinson. However, I think I prefer laughing at the Knicks' expense.
New Jersey Nets - If I were to choose between the local teams, I would rather the Nets, but they have stripped their roster since I last cheered for them, with Rafer Alston being the only one on the team now I really care about, and since the Devils moved into the Prudential Center, they no longer have that tie.
Charlotte Bobcats - They hit big in the draft for me with Duke's Gerald Henderson. I thought they had more Tar Heels, which was a big turnoff, but looking at the roster now, only Raymond Felton is left (not counting coaches). If they were to build themselves up and win a championship some day, it would be fun to say I rooted for them since they were at the bottom of the barrel, going back to my North Carolina days.
Golden State Warriors - My wildcard team. I've had absolutely no prior care for them until the 2009 Draft. When I was in North Carolina, I was also a short distance away from Davidson College. I had never heard of it before, but between the distance and the name, I became interested. When they burst onto the scene in the NCAA Tournament two years ago, I had to root for them. I fell in love with Stephen Curry. With no real NBA rooting interest, I had a desire to just root for whatever team Curry went to. With the Knicks on deck to pick, I was conflicted: it would be awesome for him to be on the Knicks because then I could follow him, but on the other hand, I really didn't want to have to root for them. But the Warriors took him at #7. Unfortunately though, there is no other reason for me to be excited about Golden State. They do have former Blue Devil Corey Maggette, but he was there before I became a Duke fan.
So there are the five teams I'm torn between. I am leaning towards the Spurs right now if only because they have more things going for them right now. I am worried if I am watching Knicks and Nets games constantly just because that's what is on, I will start to develop an interest in the Knicks (probably not the Nets). I am still excited by the prospect of following the Bobcats though (how fun would it be to walk around with a Bobcats hat), and still have a desire to root on Stephen Curry.
Alternatively, I could decide to follow no team, and just be an objective NBA fan. In all the other sports, there is always someone I am rooting for. It would be interesting to just put any bias aside and just enjoy what the league has to offer. Of course, I will always lean slightly towards those four teams plus whatever team Curry is on, but unlike other sports, in the NBA I have always cared more for the individual players than the teams.
Help me decide!
Monday, October 26, 2009
Sunday Notes
Last week, the Giants' secondary was severely exposed by Drew Brees and the Saints. This week, facing the great Cardinals passing team, the defense was able to play much better, getting the pressure on the quarterback that they needed. However, the offense was seemingly nowhere to be found all night. The score turned out to be a 24-17 loss, which doesn't look too bad, but take out one extremely lucky touchdown off a deflection to Hakeem Nicks and the score would be a very sorry 24-10.
Additionally, Jeff Feagles killed the Giants with very poor punting that constantly gave the Cardinals great field position after the offense failed to get anything going. Normally, Feagles is regarded as one of the best, if not the best, punters in regards to accuracy and consistency. If he makes a single bad punt in a game, I am shocked. I have never seen him have such a horrendous overall game before. I do not expect this to continue, but it was very disappointing as he kept giving the Cardinals the short field.
Suddenly, the Cowboys are just a half game behind the Giants in the standings after a big 37-21 win over the Falcons. Miles Austin has had an unreal first two starts, and if he can keep up just half of that production while Roy Williams and the running backs get healthier, this is a very dangerous team again.
The Eagles play the Redskins tonight also with a chance to move a half game behind the Giants, but they should be feeling pretty bad about themselves after seeing the Jets go into Oakland and completely dominate the Raiders just one week after the Eagles lost in Oakland. It was a much needed bounce back game for the Jets, but it comes with the loss of Leon Washington for the season who is a very important part to their offense and special teams play.
The Saints won 46-34 against the Dolphins, but there is much more to the story than just the score. The Dolphins jumped out to a 24-3 lead on some awful play by Drew Brees. But the Saints were able to fight back to trail 27-24 in the third quarter. Ricky Williams scored his third touchdown at the end of the period, but the Saints outscored the Dolphins 22-0 in the fourth to get the win. New Orleans picked off Chad Henne twice and returned them both for touchdowns. I don't know if this game showed weakness in the Saints to fall behind by so much early on, or strength and resiliency in coming back for the victory.
Cincinnati had the biggest surprise of the day, not necessarily for the victory, but for the complete blowout of the Bears. I predicted the Bears to win, but I expected it to be a close game that could easily go either way. Instead, the Bengals dominated in a 45-10 victory with five touchdown passes from Carson Palmer and 189 yards and a score for Cedric Benson. Matt Forte had just 24 yards on six carries for the Bears.
Once again, it was a big week of blowouts with great teams facing horrible teams. These included Green Bay over Cleveland 31-3, San Diego topping the Chiefs 37-7, the Colts over the Rams 42-6, and the Patriots beating the Buccaneers 35-7 in London.
Jake Delhomme threw for a season-high 325 yards but with three interceptions as the Panthers lose yet again. The 49ers benched Shaun Hill, and surprisingly, Alex Smith threw three touchdowns and almost led San Francisco to a comeback victory, but the Texans were able to hang on with another great game for Matt Schaub.
Not surprisingly, the most exciting game of the day may have been the undefeated Vikings going to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers. It was a good defensive game besides Brett Favre continuing to connect with Sidney Rice. With the Steelers winning 13-10 in the fourth quarter, Brett Keisel sacked Favre and knocked the ball loose for LaMarr Woodley to pick up and return it 77 yards for the touchdown and give the Steelers a ten point lead. However, on the ensuing kickoff, Percy Harvin went 88 yards on the return to bring the Vikings within three again.
Minnesota got the ball back with a few minutes left to give Favre a chance for yet another comeback victory. A big play to Adrian Peterson and another play to Chester Taylor had the Vikings at the Pittsburgh 19 ready to score with a minute left, but then Favre's screen pass to Taylor went off his hands and to Pittsburgh linebacker Keyaron Fox (replacing the injured Lawrence Timmons), who ran it back for the 82 yard touchdown to put the game away.
And of course, on Sunday, the nightmare that has been feared for months has now become reality. The New York Yankees will play the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series. God help me.
Additionally, Jeff Feagles killed the Giants with very poor punting that constantly gave the Cardinals great field position after the offense failed to get anything going. Normally, Feagles is regarded as one of the best, if not the best, punters in regards to accuracy and consistency. If he makes a single bad punt in a game, I am shocked. I have never seen him have such a horrendous overall game before. I do not expect this to continue, but it was very disappointing as he kept giving the Cardinals the short field.
Suddenly, the Cowboys are just a half game behind the Giants in the standings after a big 37-21 win over the Falcons. Miles Austin has had an unreal first two starts, and if he can keep up just half of that production while Roy Williams and the running backs get healthier, this is a very dangerous team again.
The Eagles play the Redskins tonight also with a chance to move a half game behind the Giants, but they should be feeling pretty bad about themselves after seeing the Jets go into Oakland and completely dominate the Raiders just one week after the Eagles lost in Oakland. It was a much needed bounce back game for the Jets, but it comes with the loss of Leon Washington for the season who is a very important part to their offense and special teams play.
The Saints won 46-34 against the Dolphins, but there is much more to the story than just the score. The Dolphins jumped out to a 24-3 lead on some awful play by Drew Brees. But the Saints were able to fight back to trail 27-24 in the third quarter. Ricky Williams scored his third touchdown at the end of the period, but the Saints outscored the Dolphins 22-0 in the fourth to get the win. New Orleans picked off Chad Henne twice and returned them both for touchdowns. I don't know if this game showed weakness in the Saints to fall behind by so much early on, or strength and resiliency in coming back for the victory.
Cincinnati had the biggest surprise of the day, not necessarily for the victory, but for the complete blowout of the Bears. I predicted the Bears to win, but I expected it to be a close game that could easily go either way. Instead, the Bengals dominated in a 45-10 victory with five touchdown passes from Carson Palmer and 189 yards and a score for Cedric Benson. Matt Forte had just 24 yards on six carries for the Bears.
Once again, it was a big week of blowouts with great teams facing horrible teams. These included Green Bay over Cleveland 31-3, San Diego topping the Chiefs 37-7, the Colts over the Rams 42-6, and the Patriots beating the Buccaneers 35-7 in London.
Jake Delhomme threw for a season-high 325 yards but with three interceptions as the Panthers lose yet again. The 49ers benched Shaun Hill, and surprisingly, Alex Smith threw three touchdowns and almost led San Francisco to a comeback victory, but the Texans were able to hang on with another great game for Matt Schaub.
Not surprisingly, the most exciting game of the day may have been the undefeated Vikings going to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers. It was a good defensive game besides Brett Favre continuing to connect with Sidney Rice. With the Steelers winning 13-10 in the fourth quarter, Brett Keisel sacked Favre and knocked the ball loose for LaMarr Woodley to pick up and return it 77 yards for the touchdown and give the Steelers a ten point lead. However, on the ensuing kickoff, Percy Harvin went 88 yards on the return to bring the Vikings within three again.
Minnesota got the ball back with a few minutes left to give Favre a chance for yet another comeback victory. A big play to Adrian Peterson and another play to Chester Taylor had the Vikings at the Pittsburgh 19 ready to score with a minute left, but then Favre's screen pass to Taylor went off his hands and to Pittsburgh linebacker Keyaron Fox (replacing the injured Lawrence Timmons), who ran it back for the 82 yard touchdown to put the game away.
And of course, on Sunday, the nightmare that has been feared for months has now become reality. The New York Yankees will play the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series. God help me.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Fixing the Mets, Part 2: Fire Omar Minaya
Previously, I advocated for the firing of manager Jerry Manuel. Next on the block is general manager Omar Minaya as I look at how the Mets can be fixed.
First of all, Minaya deserves a lot of credit for the job he did. After the Mets won the National League pennant in 2000, then-GM Steve Phillips began running the team into the ground with acquisitions such as Mo Vaughn and Roberto Alomar, as well as firing manager Bobby Valentine. Despite the World Series appearance, Phillips quickly wore out his welcome, and Mets fans were thrilled to see him get fired during the 2003 season.
Except he was replaced by Jim Duquette, who couldn't keep his job beyond 2004 after trading away Scott Kazmir for Victor Zambrano. Mets fans know all too well how that turned out.
After three straight horrible seasons in the Phillips/Duquette era from 2002-04, the Mets were in desperate need of saving. They turned to Omar Minaya, who signed Pedro Martinez and Carlos Beltran in his first offseason, promising a return to glory for the New York Mets. With these key acquisitions plus the emergences of David Wright and Jose Reyes, the Mets finished 2005 with an 83-79 record, after going 71-91 in 2004. The following season, Minaya added Carlos Delgado, Paul Lo Duca, and Billy Wagner, and the Mets would go on to win their first division title since 1988.
Then it all started to come crashing down. With the success of the previous two seasons came higher expectations and a continued push to get to the top. Fresh faces in 2007 included Luis Castillo, Moises Alou, and Shawn Green. The Mets were considered heavy favorites in the National League, but the regular season ended with the infamous Collapse as the Mets missed the postseason. Minaya made a huge splash in the following offseason to acquire ace pitcher Johan Santana, but again the team fell apart down the stretch and missed the playoffs despite leading the division in September.
And then 2009 happened. Details will be spared. We know them well enough already.
Sports are an interesting phenomenon in which the mighty can fall very quickly. Just a couple of years ago, a popular slogan for Mets fans was "In Omar We Trust," as if the man was some kind of genius who could do no wrong. Even if he made a move that looked sketchy, Mets fans would have faith that it would work out well. We do not have that kind of blind faith anymore. They may not all want him thrown out on the street like I do, but most certainly are worried about his ability to build a winning team.
The Yankees have taught us over the past decade that you cannot just pick up as many marqee names as possible and expect to win. You have to have the right group of players, which I believe they have found after picking up the likes of Mark Teixeira, C.C. Sabathia, and A.J. Burnett this past offseason. Omar is still learning the lesson.
Minaya put too much faith in the aging (Delgado, Castillo, Alou, Orlando Hernandez, to name a few) as well as the inconsistent (looking mainly at the 2008 bullpen and the 2009 rotation). Minaya brought in the offensively-challenged Brian Schneider because he valued his defense as a catcher, but he proved to be defensively-challenged as well. And he traded several pitching prospects for worthless pieces of junk in part of his work in demolishing the Mets' farm system and the Major League depth it brings.
Not to be forgotten, he has made himself look like a complete fool in the way he dealt with the firings of Willie Randolph and Tony Bernazard.
I am trying to see what might be the missing piece or the fatal flaw for a roster that is loaded with talent. One would think that with the players the team currently has, the fix should be relatively simple. But I just can't see there being one or two additions that will turn this team around. They could use a major shakeup, but at the same time, they cannot get rid of the stars they have in Wright, Reyes, Beltran, and Santana.
Instead, the shakeup must be in upper management. They need a fresh face with a new philosophy, one that can dig this team back out of being the laughing stock of baseball. They need the right players to compliment the stars on the team. They need to admit some wrongs and give up on some players they have given contracts to. They need to rework the rotation to get more consistency out of their starters.
Omar Minaya is not the man who will do these things, and frankly, like Jerry Manuel, I'm tired of seeing his face. It represents too much misery. He should get the Steve Phillips treatment before it's too late. I just hope he doesn't then go join ESPN and shove his inadequacies in our faces, then have an affair with a 22-year-old.
First of all, Minaya deserves a lot of credit for the job he did. After the Mets won the National League pennant in 2000, then-GM Steve Phillips began running the team into the ground with acquisitions such as Mo Vaughn and Roberto Alomar, as well as firing manager Bobby Valentine. Despite the World Series appearance, Phillips quickly wore out his welcome, and Mets fans were thrilled to see him get fired during the 2003 season.
Except he was replaced by Jim Duquette, who couldn't keep his job beyond 2004 after trading away Scott Kazmir for Victor Zambrano. Mets fans know all too well how that turned out.
After three straight horrible seasons in the Phillips/Duquette era from 2002-04, the Mets were in desperate need of saving. They turned to Omar Minaya, who signed Pedro Martinez and Carlos Beltran in his first offseason, promising a return to glory for the New York Mets. With these key acquisitions plus the emergences of David Wright and Jose Reyes, the Mets finished 2005 with an 83-79 record, after going 71-91 in 2004. The following season, Minaya added Carlos Delgado, Paul Lo Duca, and Billy Wagner, and the Mets would go on to win their first division title since 1988.
Then it all started to come crashing down. With the success of the previous two seasons came higher expectations and a continued push to get to the top. Fresh faces in 2007 included Luis Castillo, Moises Alou, and Shawn Green. The Mets were considered heavy favorites in the National League, but the regular season ended with the infamous Collapse as the Mets missed the postseason. Minaya made a huge splash in the following offseason to acquire ace pitcher Johan Santana, but again the team fell apart down the stretch and missed the playoffs despite leading the division in September.
And then 2009 happened. Details will be spared. We know them well enough already.
Sports are an interesting phenomenon in which the mighty can fall very quickly. Just a couple of years ago, a popular slogan for Mets fans was "In Omar We Trust," as if the man was some kind of genius who could do no wrong. Even if he made a move that looked sketchy, Mets fans would have faith that it would work out well. We do not have that kind of blind faith anymore. They may not all want him thrown out on the street like I do, but most certainly are worried about his ability to build a winning team.
The Yankees have taught us over the past decade that you cannot just pick up as many marqee names as possible and expect to win. You have to have the right group of players, which I believe they have found after picking up the likes of Mark Teixeira, C.C. Sabathia, and A.J. Burnett this past offseason. Omar is still learning the lesson.
Minaya put too much faith in the aging (Delgado, Castillo, Alou, Orlando Hernandez, to name a few) as well as the inconsistent (looking mainly at the 2008 bullpen and the 2009 rotation). Minaya brought in the offensively-challenged Brian Schneider because he valued his defense as a catcher, but he proved to be defensively-challenged as well. And he traded several pitching prospects for worthless pieces of junk in part of his work in demolishing the Mets' farm system and the Major League depth it brings.
Not to be forgotten, he has made himself look like a complete fool in the way he dealt with the firings of Willie Randolph and Tony Bernazard.
I am trying to see what might be the missing piece or the fatal flaw for a roster that is loaded with talent. One would think that with the players the team currently has, the fix should be relatively simple. But I just can't see there being one or two additions that will turn this team around. They could use a major shakeup, but at the same time, they cannot get rid of the stars they have in Wright, Reyes, Beltran, and Santana.
Instead, the shakeup must be in upper management. They need a fresh face with a new philosophy, one that can dig this team back out of being the laughing stock of baseball. They need the right players to compliment the stars on the team. They need to admit some wrongs and give up on some players they have given contracts to. They need to rework the rotation to get more consistency out of their starters.
Omar Minaya is not the man who will do these things, and frankly, like Jerry Manuel, I'm tired of seeing his face. It represents too much misery. He should get the Steve Phillips treatment before it's too late. I just hope he doesn't then go join ESPN and shove his inadequacies in our faces, then have an affair with a 22-year-old.
Friday, October 23, 2009
NFL Week 7 Picks
This could be a very interesting week, as it seems like nearly every game, the better team is on the road. However, all the really bad teams playing at home this week are playing very good teams that should still beat them easily, so I don't know if any of them can pull off an upset at home. I always have a bad feeling when looking over my picks and seeing mostly road teams, but sometimes, there's just no avoiding it. I need to bounce back though after a lousy Week 6.
Green Bay Packers (3-2) vs. Cleveland Browns (1-5)
The Packers should have this game pretty easily under normal circumstances. With reports that the flu has been running through the Browns' locker room this past week, this game will get ugly very fast.
San Francisco 49ers (3-2) vs. Houston Texans (3-2)
Frank Gore returns and Michael Crabtree enters the starting lineup for the 49ers, but I have been more impressed by the Texans in recent weeks than I have been with the 49ers all season. Matt Schaub has been tremendous, and their defense is rightfully starting to pick up. While those additions for San Francisco are great, they both may have some rust they need to shake off first.
Minnesota Vikings (6-0) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2)
There's certain teams over the past few years that I just hate to pick against unless they're facing each other. The Steelers are one of those teams, along with the Giants, Colts, and Patriots (with a healthy Tom Brady). The loss of Aaron Smith greatly hurts their ability to slow down Adrian Peterson, but I will continue to trust in their defense. Ben Roethlisberger is having an amazing season, and Minnesota is struggling right now with their pass defense, which is being hurt even more now by injuries. Rashard Mendenhall is emerging at running back and has earned the starting job for Pittsburgh over Willie Parker. The Vikings have looked terrific so far, better than the Steelers have, but they have to lose sooner or later, and it will come at Heinz Field.
New England Patriots (4-2) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-6) [Game being played in London]
The Buccaneers "host" the Patriots in London, but no home field advantage would have saved them in this matchup. This will be another blowout for New England.
Indianapolis Colts (5-0) vs. St. Louis Rams (0-6)
Arguably the best team in the league (although I personally disagree) against the worst team in the league. Need I say more?
San Diego Chargers (2-3) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (1-5)
The Chargers will move the ball against the Chiefs much better than the Cowboys or Redskins ever did the past two weeks. The Chargers cannot overlook the Chiefs, especially after the loss to the Broncos, but they should be fine.
Buffalo Bills (2-4) vs. Carolina Panthers (2-3)
The Panthers wrap up a three game win streak against awful teams before facing the good teams again. Jake Delhomme is awful, but this game will be all about the running back combination of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart for Carolina. Then again, the Jets ran the ball all over the Bills last week and still managed to lose, and the Panthers are even less competent than the Jets right now. Still, I can't expect the Bills to win this one.
New York Jets (3-3) vs. Oakland Raiders (2-4)
I don't know what has happened to Mark Sanchez and the Jets recently. You can excuse the loss to the Saints, but they should have beat the Dolphins and could not lose to the Bills. This team is in a downward spiral right now. They will again be without receiver Jerricho Cotchery, so Nnamdi Asomugha can focus on shutting down Braylon Edwards. The Raiders are a better run defense than the Bills, if only because the Bills are worst in the league. But the Jets were playing the Bills at the Meadowlands, which is usually a pretty tough place for opponents to play (except for the Bills who are used to the weather), while this week the Jets make the cross-country trip to Oakland which is usually a very tough place for opponents to play. Three weeks ago, I couldn't imagine picking the Raiders to beat the Jets, but after the Jets' recent games and the Raiders beating the Eagles last week in Oakland, it has come to this.
Chicago Bears (3-2) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (4-2)
I have the Bengals over the Bears in my Power Rankings, but faced with this matchup, I see the better team winning, yet now I think that's the Bears. Perhaps there is a higher ceiling with potential for the Bengals which inflated their ranking after some big wins this season, but I think I'm still hanging on that close win against the Browns, and losing to the Texans last week hurt. I think the Bears are consistently a better team though. This game can certainly go either way depending on which Bengals team comes to play, but my gut is telling me to go with the Bears.
Atlanta Falcons (4-1) vs. Dallas Cowboys (3-2)
The Cowboys need to come out of their bye week with a big home win, but they will need to compete with the high-powered Falcons' offense. Dallas should have all three of their running backs involved again though, and they have bumped Miles Austin into the starting lineup, but there are still health concerns with Roy Williams and the running backs, and Tony Romo needs to play better. The Falcons are really clicking right now. I just need to see more from the Cowboys before I can trust in them again.
New Orleans Saints (5-0) vs. Miami Dolphins (2-3)
The Dolphins pulled off a couple impressive wins at home after losing Chad Pennington, but they face a daunting task with the Saints coming in. They will not be able to keep up with the offensive output from New Orleans.
Arizona Cardinals (3-2) vs. New York Giants (5-1)
After suffering their first loss on the road in New Orleans last week, the Giants are happy to return home facing a West Coast team, although the game being in primetime helps to offset the time zone difference. The Cardinals boast a very dangerous passing game though, and the Giants got killed last week by the Saints passing the ball, but hopefully the Giants will be able to get more pressure on Kurt Warner than they did on Drew Brees. The Giants should bounce back and win this game.
Philadelphia Eagles (3-2) vs. Washington Redskins (2-4)
The Eagles look awful following a loss to the Raiders, but the Redskins have been horrendous all season, including a loss last week at home to the previously winless Chiefs. The Eagles are too good of a team to lose consecutive games against awful teams.
Last Week: 7-7
Season: 59-31
Green Bay Packers (3-2) vs. Cleveland Browns (1-5)
The Packers should have this game pretty easily under normal circumstances. With reports that the flu has been running through the Browns' locker room this past week, this game will get ugly very fast.
San Francisco 49ers (3-2) vs. Houston Texans (3-2)
Frank Gore returns and Michael Crabtree enters the starting lineup for the 49ers, but I have been more impressed by the Texans in recent weeks than I have been with the 49ers all season. Matt Schaub has been tremendous, and their defense is rightfully starting to pick up. While those additions for San Francisco are great, they both may have some rust they need to shake off first.
Minnesota Vikings (6-0) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2)
There's certain teams over the past few years that I just hate to pick against unless they're facing each other. The Steelers are one of those teams, along with the Giants, Colts, and Patriots (with a healthy Tom Brady). The loss of Aaron Smith greatly hurts their ability to slow down Adrian Peterson, but I will continue to trust in their defense. Ben Roethlisberger is having an amazing season, and Minnesota is struggling right now with their pass defense, which is being hurt even more now by injuries. Rashard Mendenhall is emerging at running back and has earned the starting job for Pittsburgh over Willie Parker. The Vikings have looked terrific so far, better than the Steelers have, but they have to lose sooner or later, and it will come at Heinz Field.
New England Patriots (4-2) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-6) [Game being played in London]
The Buccaneers "host" the Patriots in London, but no home field advantage would have saved them in this matchup. This will be another blowout for New England.
Indianapolis Colts (5-0) vs. St. Louis Rams (0-6)
Arguably the best team in the league (although I personally disagree) against the worst team in the league. Need I say more?
San Diego Chargers (2-3) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (1-5)
The Chargers will move the ball against the Chiefs much better than the Cowboys or Redskins ever did the past two weeks. The Chargers cannot overlook the Chiefs, especially after the loss to the Broncos, but they should be fine.
Buffalo Bills (2-4) vs. Carolina Panthers (2-3)
The Panthers wrap up a three game win streak against awful teams before facing the good teams again. Jake Delhomme is awful, but this game will be all about the running back combination of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart for Carolina. Then again, the Jets ran the ball all over the Bills last week and still managed to lose, and the Panthers are even less competent than the Jets right now. Still, I can't expect the Bills to win this one.
New York Jets (3-3) vs. Oakland Raiders (2-4)
I don't know what has happened to Mark Sanchez and the Jets recently. You can excuse the loss to the Saints, but they should have beat the Dolphins and could not lose to the Bills. This team is in a downward spiral right now. They will again be without receiver Jerricho Cotchery, so Nnamdi Asomugha can focus on shutting down Braylon Edwards. The Raiders are a better run defense than the Bills, if only because the Bills are worst in the league. But the Jets were playing the Bills at the Meadowlands, which is usually a pretty tough place for opponents to play (except for the Bills who are used to the weather), while this week the Jets make the cross-country trip to Oakland which is usually a very tough place for opponents to play. Three weeks ago, I couldn't imagine picking the Raiders to beat the Jets, but after the Jets' recent games and the Raiders beating the Eagles last week in Oakland, it has come to this.
Chicago Bears (3-2) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (4-2)
I have the Bengals over the Bears in my Power Rankings, but faced with this matchup, I see the better team winning, yet now I think that's the Bears. Perhaps there is a higher ceiling with potential for the Bengals which inflated their ranking after some big wins this season, but I think I'm still hanging on that close win against the Browns, and losing to the Texans last week hurt. I think the Bears are consistently a better team though. This game can certainly go either way depending on which Bengals team comes to play, but my gut is telling me to go with the Bears.
Atlanta Falcons (4-1) vs. Dallas Cowboys (3-2)
The Cowboys need to come out of their bye week with a big home win, but they will need to compete with the high-powered Falcons' offense. Dallas should have all three of their running backs involved again though, and they have bumped Miles Austin into the starting lineup, but there are still health concerns with Roy Williams and the running backs, and Tony Romo needs to play better. The Falcons are really clicking right now. I just need to see more from the Cowboys before I can trust in them again.
New Orleans Saints (5-0) vs. Miami Dolphins (2-3)
The Dolphins pulled off a couple impressive wins at home after losing Chad Pennington, but they face a daunting task with the Saints coming in. They will not be able to keep up with the offensive output from New Orleans.
Arizona Cardinals (3-2) vs. New York Giants (5-1)
After suffering their first loss on the road in New Orleans last week, the Giants are happy to return home facing a West Coast team, although the game being in primetime helps to offset the time zone difference. The Cardinals boast a very dangerous passing game though, and the Giants got killed last week by the Saints passing the ball, but hopefully the Giants will be able to get more pressure on Kurt Warner than they did on Drew Brees. The Giants should bounce back and win this game.
Philadelphia Eagles (3-2) vs. Washington Redskins (2-4)
The Eagles look awful following a loss to the Raiders, but the Redskins have been horrendous all season, including a loss last week at home to the previously winless Chiefs. The Eagles are too good of a team to lose consecutive games against awful teams.
Last Week: 7-7
Season: 59-31
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
NFL Week 7 Power Rankings
Internet problems have kept my blog inactive the past couple days, but I am back online now, so it is time for my Power Rankings, albeit a day late. I wrote them up while I had no Internet access, so I did not have as much information at my fingertips as I would like, and I apologize for any inaccuracies due to a lack of fact checking.
1. New Orleans Saints (5-0) [1] – I have gotten some opposition for putting the Saints at the top, saying that the Colts should be #1, but they got their big validating win last week against the previously undefeated Giants. Much is to be said about their playmakers on offense, but their offensive line just completely shut down a Giants defense that does a better job than any at getting pressure. And the Saints defense continues to make plays since they brought in the great defensive coordinator Gregg Williams this season. This team is a complete package with the most high-powered offense in the league.
2. Indianapolis Colts (5-0) [2] – The Colts still have the names on offense to compete with the Saints. Peyton Manning can beat anyone. Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark are terrific receivers, while Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon have stepped up as well, and Anthony Gonzalez may return soon. Joseph Addai and Donald Brown are doing well in the running game, and their defense has done a fine job. I understand anyone who wants to say the Colts are #1, but I have to go with the Saints.
3. Minnesota Vikings (6-0) [4] – Brett Favre continues to impress, and he seems to be in perfect rhythm with his receivers. Over the course of a full season though, I have to go with Drew Brees and Peyton Manning until Favre can prove last season’s dropoff won’t happen again.
4. Denver Broncos (6-0) [6] – It seems like no one can stop the Broncos at this point. They are winning at home and on the road. I cannot believe I am saying this, but Kyle Orton has been great this season. I am still a bit concerned about their defense though after the amazing start against weaker teams.
5. New York Giants (5-1) [3] – There should be no shame in losing to the Saints, but they got dominated. It was only a matter of time before their secondary got exposed. Their defensive line has been able to make up for it, but they got no pressure on Brees in this game, and the secondary suffered the consequences. Once again they are sorely missing linebacker Michael Boley.
6. New England Patriots (4-2) [8] – This team will just keep getting better as Tom Brady gets more and more comfortable. Well, maybe it doesn’t get better than 59-0. But it is time to start remembering that with a healthy Tom Brady, the Patriots are always one of the best teams in the league. It just took him a few disappointing weeks to get going.
7. Atlanta Falcons (4-1) [9] – The Falcons continue to look good as they pick up a win against the Bears. They have one of the better offenses, and their defense isn’t too bad either.
8. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2) [10] – Ben Roethlisberger is having an outstanding season so far. He has typically been a guy that is able to win most games but doesn’t put up the great stats, but this year he is getting the numbers up as well. The loss of defensive end Aaron Smith hurts though.
9. Baltimore Ravens (3-3) [12] – It has been a rough stretch for the Ravens losing three in a row, but I still believe this is a pretty good team. A loss is a loss, but they had a very good opportunity to defeat the undefeated Vikings in Minnesota. This team will bounce back from this losing streak.
10. Philadelphia Eagles (3-2) [5] – I don’t know what to think of their loss to the Raiders last week. Is it just a fluke loss, a result of a long road trip going into the rough environment in Oakland, or does this team have serious issues?
11. Cincinnati Bengals (4-2) [7] – Just when things were going so well for the Bengals, they get knocked back by the Texans at home. I kept waiting for them to make their comeback, but they never did anything. Cedric Benson had his worst game of the season, despite facing one of the worst rush defenses in the league. They may still be atop the AFC North for now, but they are still only the third best team in the division.
12. Green Bay Packers (3-2) [15] – Yes, it was against the Lions, but it was a needed dominating victory for the Packers. At times, they have looked like they could be better this season, and last week they showed their worth.
13. Arizona Cardinals (3-2) [18] – This team got off to a slow start, but the Cardinals may finally be getting back to the level that took them to the Super Bowl last season. If they put the second half where they gave up against the Texans behind them, they are outscoring opponents 48-3 in three of their last four halves.
14. Chicago Bears (3-2) [14] – I did not expect them to beat the Falcons last week, but they kept it close, which was good. Not good enough to move them up, but good enough to not drop them.
15. San Diego Chargers (2-3) [13] – I wanted to say the Chargers are still a better team than the Bears. They seem to be moving the ball better, but they are just not doing what it takes to win games. I called their game against the Broncos a must win, playing at home coming off a bye. But not surprisingly, they were unable to come through. The Broncos are a great team, but the Chargers should have been able to beat them under the circumstances.
16. Dallas Cowboys (3-2) [16] – As much as I would love to, I’ll refrain from dropping the Cowboys out of the top half following their bye. This team has the talent, and maybe they fixed things during the off week, which includes swapping Miles Austin into the starting lineup replacing Patrick Crayton, but I am still a bit doubtful that good things will come with this team.
17. Houston Texans (3-3) [21] – I have been extremely down on the Texans all season, but the win over the Bengals last week was a pleasant surprise. Andre Johnson continues to impress. This team has the talent to be a contender in any game they play if they can put it all together.
18. San Francisco 49ers (3-2) [17] – The 49ers will welcome Michael Crabtree to the starting lineup this week, and also welcome back Frank Gore. I don’t know if they will be enough to make up for Shaun Hill being their quarterback though when they take on the surging Texans this week.
19. Miami Dolphins (2-3) [19] – The Dolphins are on a two game win streak and have a home game this week following a bye, but it is the Saints they are facing. It should not be as bad a trip for them as it was for the Bills and Jets. But the Dolphins still have one of the better run offenses in the league, plus an intriguing young quarterback in Chad Henne.
20. New York Jets (3-3) [11] – The Jets sure did an amazing job tricking everyone into thinking they were a great team with the great start they had, but they have been humiliated in consecutive weeks by weak divisional opponents. Losing to the Bills in the Meadowlands is just incomprehensible. Mark Sanchez has seemingly lost everything that made him so successful to begin his career, and now his defense has lost perhaps it’s most important piece for the rest of the season with Kris Jenkins’ torn ACL.
21. Carolina Panthers (2-3) [23] – Jake Delhomme continues to be awful, but the Panthers finally got that tremendous running game going to beat the Buccaneers last week. They should return to .500 with another big running game this week.
22. Seattle Seahawks (2-4) [20] – Just when I thought the Seahawks had a good team, especially playing at home, the Cardinals embarrass them in Seattle. Julius Jones has been a surprising success running the ball this year, but managed just five yards rushing in the game. Hopefully it doesn’t get any worse than that loss, but the 41-0 win over the Jaguars two weeks ago seems like a very distant memory now.
23. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3) [22] – There’s still a large tier of terrible teams that the Jaguars stay ahead of with their two big wins, but they are the bottom of the higher tier. I don’t even understand how they needed overtime to beat the Rams, especially with the huge game that Maurice Jones-Drew had.
24. Buffalo Bills (2-4) [28] – Imagine if the Bills didn’t fumble away the opener against the Patriots. Imagine they also don’t let the Browns come away with a 6-3 victory against them. This team could be 4-2. They lost Trent Edwards in beating the Jets last week, and I’m trying to figure out if that’s a bad or good thing for the Bills.
25. Oakland Raiders (2-4) [31] – How much of a difference does cross-country traveling make? Two weeks ago, the Raiders went to New York and could not have looked worse against the Giants. Last week, they go back home while the Eagles come from Philadelphia to play them, and the Raiders pull off the win. I don’t know how it happened, but that is a pretty impressive win either way. They needed Zach Miller to finally do something with the offense.
26. Kansas City Chiefs (1-5) [27] – Although he has still yet to find the end zone, Larry Johnson may have had his best game of the season so far. If he can get going, it would give this team a more balanced offense along with Matt Cassel passing to Dwayne Bowe.
27. Detroit Lions (1-5) [26] – The Lions could not get any offense going with Calvin Johnson sidelined. Daunte Culpepper was successful last week replacing the injured Matthew Stafford despite Johnson missing most of the game, but it was a different story against the Packers as Detroit got shut out.
28. Washington Redskins (2-4) [24] – As terrible as the Redskins have been all season, it is still hard to believe that they lost at home to the Chiefs, especially considering Clinton Portis topped 100 yards rushing. Coach Jim Zorn officially doesn’t know what he’s doing. He benched his quarterback Jason Campbell, but he’s still starting this week, although Zorn has had his play-calling privileges taken away from him, which can only possibly be a good thing, but time will tell.
29. Cleveland Browns (1-5) [29] – If there is one thing that Browns fans can still get excited about, it’s Joshua Cribbs.
30. Tennessee Titans (0-6) [25] – Is this still too high to rank them based on last season’s success and the fact that they have Chris Johnson? Letting Tom Brady’s Patriots score 59 points on you is somewhat excusable when both of your starting cornerbacks are out. But is the Pats’ defense really that good? I don’t even know what to say about Kerry Collins at this point, I feel like anything I could come up with would be an understatement.
31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-6) [30] – I tried to have some hope for them with the change to Josh Johnson, but he has yet to accomplish anything. He may be a different quarterback than Byron Leftwich, but he isn’t doing any better of a job.
32. St. Louis Rams (0-6) [32] – The Rams may have finally showed something in taking the Jaguars to overtime last week, but they remain winless and at the bottom of the rankings.
1. New Orleans Saints (5-0) [1] – I have gotten some opposition for putting the Saints at the top, saying that the Colts should be #1, but they got their big validating win last week against the previously undefeated Giants. Much is to be said about their playmakers on offense, but their offensive line just completely shut down a Giants defense that does a better job than any at getting pressure. And the Saints defense continues to make plays since they brought in the great defensive coordinator Gregg Williams this season. This team is a complete package with the most high-powered offense in the league.
2. Indianapolis Colts (5-0) [2] – The Colts still have the names on offense to compete with the Saints. Peyton Manning can beat anyone. Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark are terrific receivers, while Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon have stepped up as well, and Anthony Gonzalez may return soon. Joseph Addai and Donald Brown are doing well in the running game, and their defense has done a fine job. I understand anyone who wants to say the Colts are #1, but I have to go with the Saints.
3. Minnesota Vikings (6-0) [4] – Brett Favre continues to impress, and he seems to be in perfect rhythm with his receivers. Over the course of a full season though, I have to go with Drew Brees and Peyton Manning until Favre can prove last season’s dropoff won’t happen again.
4. Denver Broncos (6-0) [6] – It seems like no one can stop the Broncos at this point. They are winning at home and on the road. I cannot believe I am saying this, but Kyle Orton has been great this season. I am still a bit concerned about their defense though after the amazing start against weaker teams.
5. New York Giants (5-1) [3] – There should be no shame in losing to the Saints, but they got dominated. It was only a matter of time before their secondary got exposed. Their defensive line has been able to make up for it, but they got no pressure on Brees in this game, and the secondary suffered the consequences. Once again they are sorely missing linebacker Michael Boley.
6. New England Patriots (4-2) [8] – This team will just keep getting better as Tom Brady gets more and more comfortable. Well, maybe it doesn’t get better than 59-0. But it is time to start remembering that with a healthy Tom Brady, the Patriots are always one of the best teams in the league. It just took him a few disappointing weeks to get going.
7. Atlanta Falcons (4-1) [9] – The Falcons continue to look good as they pick up a win against the Bears. They have one of the better offenses, and their defense isn’t too bad either.
8. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2) [10] – Ben Roethlisberger is having an outstanding season so far. He has typically been a guy that is able to win most games but doesn’t put up the great stats, but this year he is getting the numbers up as well. The loss of defensive end Aaron Smith hurts though.
9. Baltimore Ravens (3-3) [12] – It has been a rough stretch for the Ravens losing three in a row, but I still believe this is a pretty good team. A loss is a loss, but they had a very good opportunity to defeat the undefeated Vikings in Minnesota. This team will bounce back from this losing streak.
10. Philadelphia Eagles (3-2) [5] – I don’t know what to think of their loss to the Raiders last week. Is it just a fluke loss, a result of a long road trip going into the rough environment in Oakland, or does this team have serious issues?
11. Cincinnati Bengals (4-2) [7] – Just when things were going so well for the Bengals, they get knocked back by the Texans at home. I kept waiting for them to make their comeback, but they never did anything. Cedric Benson had his worst game of the season, despite facing one of the worst rush defenses in the league. They may still be atop the AFC North for now, but they are still only the third best team in the division.
12. Green Bay Packers (3-2) [15] – Yes, it was against the Lions, but it was a needed dominating victory for the Packers. At times, they have looked like they could be better this season, and last week they showed their worth.
13. Arizona Cardinals (3-2) [18] – This team got off to a slow start, but the Cardinals may finally be getting back to the level that took them to the Super Bowl last season. If they put the second half where they gave up against the Texans behind them, they are outscoring opponents 48-3 in three of their last four halves.
14. Chicago Bears (3-2) [14] – I did not expect them to beat the Falcons last week, but they kept it close, which was good. Not good enough to move them up, but good enough to not drop them.
15. San Diego Chargers (2-3) [13] – I wanted to say the Chargers are still a better team than the Bears. They seem to be moving the ball better, but they are just not doing what it takes to win games. I called their game against the Broncos a must win, playing at home coming off a bye. But not surprisingly, they were unable to come through. The Broncos are a great team, but the Chargers should have been able to beat them under the circumstances.
16. Dallas Cowboys (3-2) [16] – As much as I would love to, I’ll refrain from dropping the Cowboys out of the top half following their bye. This team has the talent, and maybe they fixed things during the off week, which includes swapping Miles Austin into the starting lineup replacing Patrick Crayton, but I am still a bit doubtful that good things will come with this team.
17. Houston Texans (3-3) [21] – I have been extremely down on the Texans all season, but the win over the Bengals last week was a pleasant surprise. Andre Johnson continues to impress. This team has the talent to be a contender in any game they play if they can put it all together.
18. San Francisco 49ers (3-2) [17] – The 49ers will welcome Michael Crabtree to the starting lineup this week, and also welcome back Frank Gore. I don’t know if they will be enough to make up for Shaun Hill being their quarterback though when they take on the surging Texans this week.
19. Miami Dolphins (2-3) [19] – The Dolphins are on a two game win streak and have a home game this week following a bye, but it is the Saints they are facing. It should not be as bad a trip for them as it was for the Bills and Jets. But the Dolphins still have one of the better run offenses in the league, plus an intriguing young quarterback in Chad Henne.
20. New York Jets (3-3) [11] – The Jets sure did an amazing job tricking everyone into thinking they were a great team with the great start they had, but they have been humiliated in consecutive weeks by weak divisional opponents. Losing to the Bills in the Meadowlands is just incomprehensible. Mark Sanchez has seemingly lost everything that made him so successful to begin his career, and now his defense has lost perhaps it’s most important piece for the rest of the season with Kris Jenkins’ torn ACL.
21. Carolina Panthers (2-3) [23] – Jake Delhomme continues to be awful, but the Panthers finally got that tremendous running game going to beat the Buccaneers last week. They should return to .500 with another big running game this week.
22. Seattle Seahawks (2-4) [20] – Just when I thought the Seahawks had a good team, especially playing at home, the Cardinals embarrass them in Seattle. Julius Jones has been a surprising success running the ball this year, but managed just five yards rushing in the game. Hopefully it doesn’t get any worse than that loss, but the 41-0 win over the Jaguars two weeks ago seems like a very distant memory now.
23. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3) [22] – There’s still a large tier of terrible teams that the Jaguars stay ahead of with their two big wins, but they are the bottom of the higher tier. I don’t even understand how they needed overtime to beat the Rams, especially with the huge game that Maurice Jones-Drew had.
24. Buffalo Bills (2-4) [28] – Imagine if the Bills didn’t fumble away the opener against the Patriots. Imagine they also don’t let the Browns come away with a 6-3 victory against them. This team could be 4-2. They lost Trent Edwards in beating the Jets last week, and I’m trying to figure out if that’s a bad or good thing for the Bills.
25. Oakland Raiders (2-4) [31] – How much of a difference does cross-country traveling make? Two weeks ago, the Raiders went to New York and could not have looked worse against the Giants. Last week, they go back home while the Eagles come from Philadelphia to play them, and the Raiders pull off the win. I don’t know how it happened, but that is a pretty impressive win either way. They needed Zach Miller to finally do something with the offense.
26. Kansas City Chiefs (1-5) [27] – Although he has still yet to find the end zone, Larry Johnson may have had his best game of the season so far. If he can get going, it would give this team a more balanced offense along with Matt Cassel passing to Dwayne Bowe.
27. Detroit Lions (1-5) [26] – The Lions could not get any offense going with Calvin Johnson sidelined. Daunte Culpepper was successful last week replacing the injured Matthew Stafford despite Johnson missing most of the game, but it was a different story against the Packers as Detroit got shut out.
28. Washington Redskins (2-4) [24] – As terrible as the Redskins have been all season, it is still hard to believe that they lost at home to the Chiefs, especially considering Clinton Portis topped 100 yards rushing. Coach Jim Zorn officially doesn’t know what he’s doing. He benched his quarterback Jason Campbell, but he’s still starting this week, although Zorn has had his play-calling privileges taken away from him, which can only possibly be a good thing, but time will tell.
29. Cleveland Browns (1-5) [29] – If there is one thing that Browns fans can still get excited about, it’s Joshua Cribbs.
30. Tennessee Titans (0-6) [25] – Is this still too high to rank them based on last season’s success and the fact that they have Chris Johnson? Letting Tom Brady’s Patriots score 59 points on you is somewhat excusable when both of your starting cornerbacks are out. But is the Pats’ defense really that good? I don’t even know what to say about Kerry Collins at this point, I feel like anything I could come up with would be an understatement.
31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-6) [30] – I tried to have some hope for them with the change to Josh Johnson, but he has yet to accomplish anything. He may be a different quarterback than Byron Leftwich, but he isn’t doing any better of a job.
32. St. Louis Rams (0-6) [32] – The Rams may have finally showed something in taking the Jaguars to overtime last week, but they remain winless and at the bottom of the rankings.
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