Philadelphia Sports Talk Blog

The Demise of the Eagles

2010-01-11T14:05:00.003-05:00

Here at the Mole & Meares show we try to remain partisan when making our picks or doing our power rankings for the NFL. It is no secret, however, that I am a passionate Philadelphia Eagles fan. I devote 4 hours most every Sunday or Monday from September till now to watching my team on the field. I also spend countless hours reading, listening and thinking about the Eagles. I am probably not the most diehard fan in Philly but no one can dispute my passion. The only problem is I am getting to the point where I am not sure if I should continue my obsessive behavior. This team, year in and year out, continues to let me down by not delivering a championship that I know they are capable of winning. I am sure I am not alone today in Philly in my way of thinking. Why do I continue to pour my heart into this team when each year I know they will eventually rip it out and stomp on it? Albert Einstein once said "the definition of insanity is to repeat the same action and expect a different result." It seems both the Eagles and myself are 100% completely insane.

There are a lot of people in Philadelphia calling for McNabb's head on a platter. He had two of the worst games of his career in the last two weeks against the hated Dallas Cowboys. In my opinion, I do believe it is time to move on from #5. He has had a very good career here in Philly but his time is now finished. The Eagles have one of the youngest teams in the league from top to bottom, they have two excellent young wide receivers, a very good young running back and tight end. It's time to try a young (somewhat) quarterback and hand the reigns over to Kevin Kolb. Do I think that Kolb is going to be better than McNabb? Not necessarily, but if the Eagles continue to do the same thing over again next year it would be insane by definition.

Fixing the quarterback issue is only one aspect of what needs to be addressed in this offseason. How about the offensive line? They were absolutely pitiful against the Cowboys in the last two games. The Eagles spent millions and millions of dollars on the Andrews brothers only to see them watch from the sideline this entire year. Stacy Andrews, in a post game interview, stated he was now physically ready to play football, talk about some excellent timing. Jamal Jackson will more than likely not be back in time for next season either which will leave them a big gaping hole at center. There is no doubt the Eagles have weapons on offense but if you can't protect the quarterback you have no chance of winning.

On to the defense who forgot to show up for the last two weeks. The first thing I would like to see done is to cut Joselio Hanson. This guy is by far the worst DB in the entire NFL. He was absolutedly pathetic all season and his inability to cover anything was never more prevelant than in Saturday's game. The loss of Brian Dawkins was also a huge factor in the downfall of this defense. Macho Harris is definitely not the answer, I understand he is a rookie but his play seemed to get worse as the season went on. Hopefully their linebacking core will improve next year when Stewart Bradley comes back from injury. The main reason they lost these last two games was their lack of size up front on the defensive side of the ball. They were manhandled by the much larger offensive line of the Cowboys and their quickness was negated by short quick throws by Romo.

This team has a long way to go to get back to the team they were in the middle of the decade. Most of the major weapons are in place but they just need to plug some holes and make changes in the necessary areas. With that said, if they go into next season with the same quarterback and the same offensive and defensive line, then by definition they are 100% insane.

Meares

NFL Power Rankings - Week 17

2009-12-30T20:22:00.004-05:00

We have finally reached the end of the regular season in the NFL. We no longer have any undefeated teams left after the Colts fell to the Jets last week. Yes, you read that correctly, the Colts lost to the Jets to ruin their perfect season, well sort of. I mean the Colts lost but their starters weren't playing, which, in my opinion, is not the way to go. Take a hint from Herm Edwards, "We play to win the game!." Looks like the Colts play to not get hurt, if they lose in their first playoff game they will be hounded by the media until next season. Anyway...here is our last NFL power rankings of the year.

1. San Diego Chargers (12-3) - The Chargers are, without a doubt, the hottest team in the NFL having won 10 straight games so they end the season as our number one team. I am not sure how you would argue that the Chargers will not represent the AFC this year in the Superbowl, especially after their dismantling of the resurgent Titans last week on Christmas Day. This team has now locked up the #2 seed in the AFC and will most likely face the Colts for the AFC championship, a game which will be hyped for weeks.

2. Indianapolis Colts (14-1) - The Colts allowed the Jets to win last week and that is putting it nicely. Midway through the third quarter, leading by 5 points and on their way to 15-0, they gave up and handed the Jets the game keeping NY's playoff hopes alive. They play their last game of the season against the Bills in Buffalo so you can be sure that the starters will see very limited, if no, time at all. I completely disagree with this philosophy as it will be 3 weeks from now that the Colts will play another meaningful game. They might as well be a college team getting ready for a bowl game and we all know how they look after 3-4 weeks off. With all of that said the Colts finish our power rankings at #2.

3. Philadelphia Eagles (11-4) - The Eagles continue to play well at the end of the season by running off their 6th consecutive win this past week against the Denver Broncos who were playing for their post season lives. We moved the Eagles ahead of the Saints this week because the Saints, who still had something to play for, lost to the 2-12 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Eagles entire season will come down to one game on Sunday against their bitter rivals, the Dallas Cowboys. If the Eagles can beat the Cowboys they will win the NFC east and lock up the #2 seed in the NFC and a first round bye. Needless to say, this game will be an all out war.

4. New Orleans Saints (13-2) - The Saints have fallen hard in the past two weeks. Their loss to the Cowboys, although it ruined their perfect season, was seen as inevitable. Their loss last week to the Buccaneers was seen as pathetic. This team had a chance to lock up the top seed in the NFC by beating the worst team in the entire conference and instead they allowed the Bucs to come back from a 17 point deficit to win, are you kidding me? This was supposed to be the Saints year, the year they go to the Superbowl, the year they win it all. Now the better hope they can win a game in the playoffs. What scares me even more is because the Vikings lost last week, the Saints clinched the #1 seed in the NFC and now won't play a meaningful game for three weeks...how is that going to affect their confidence?

5. Dallas Cowboys (10-5) - The Cowboys round out our final power rankings of the year in the number 5 spot. They followed up their impressive victory over the Saints with a shutout against the woeful Redskins setting up a huge game against their division rival, Philadelphia Eagles. Once thought of as dead in the water, the Cowboys have proven they can win in December and have been playing their best football of the year. This week will be a huge test for Tony Romo and company. If they can win they are guaranteed to host at least one home playoff game with a chance at the number 2 seed. A loss and they will have to win all of their games on the road, a huge difference for a team that hasn't won a playoff game since '96.

Well, there you have it, Mole & Meares NFL power rankings for week 17. Make sure to check back next week as we will give our playoff predictions for every game and make our Superbowl predictions. Also don't forget to check out our weekly NFL picks video at www.moleandmeares.com or www.youtube.com/meares78.

Meares

NFL Power Rankings - Week 16

2009-12-23T10:53:00.003-05:00

For the first time all year we finally have a new number one team in our power rankings. New Orleans finally lost a game and now relinquishes the number one spot to the only undefeated team in the NFL. This week's rankings might cause a little controversy but our rankings are based on what have you done for me lately and who is the best team at this moment, remember that!

1. Indianapolis Colts (14-0) - The Colts remained undefeated after beating the faltering Jacksonville Jaguars in a shootout last Thursday night. With two games remaining will the Colts try and run the table or will they rest their key players? That is the number one question right now, not can they beat their opponents but will they try to beat their opponents? They face the New York Jets this week in a game that the Jets must win to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. Even if all the starters don't play for the Colts I don't think the Jets have enough to win this game and the Colts could go into the final weekend of the season with a chance to run the table!

2. San Diego Chargers (11-3) - The Chargers continue their solid play with their 9th victory in a row this past weekend over the Cincinnati Bengals which all but locks up the number 2 seed in the AFC. Their offense is playing as good, if not better, than any other team in the league and they look headed for a late January match up with the Indianapolis Colts for the AFC championship. That would be a rematch of last year's wild card game where the Chargers stunned the Colts in one of the biggest upsets of the playoffs. The Chargers have a tough game this week as they have to travel across the country to face the resurgent Tennessee Titans on Christmas Day.

3. New Orleans Saints (13-1) - The Saints drop two spots in our power rankings this week after getting man-handled by the Dallas Cowboys last Saturday night. The Saints had been teetering on losing for quite some time and the Cowboys exposed some weaknesses in the Saints defense. Luckily for the Saints, they face to sub par teams to finish the season, hosting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this week and then traveling to Carolina to finish the season in week 17. Anything less than a 15-1 season and a Superbowl appearance would be disappointing.

4. Philadelphia Eagles (10-4) - The Eagles move up a spot in our power rankings after their somewhat easy defeat of the San Francisco 49ers this past Sunday. The Eagles have now run off 5 straight victories and are playing well heading into the playoffs as they have done numerous times over the past 8 years. They hold a slim one game lead in the NFC east over the Cowboys and have a very tough opponent coming into town this weekend in the Denver Broncos. There is a subplot to this game as Brian Dawkins will be back in Philadelphia to face his former team. This should be one of the games of the week.

5. Minnesota Vikings (11-3) - The Vikings have lost two of their last three games and looked atrocious last week in a loss against the Carolina Panthers. The Vikings are in danger of falling out of the second seed spot in the NFC and there seems to be a situation brewing between Favre and the head coach, Brad Childress. They face the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Monday night football this week which will not be an easy game. If the Vikings really want a shot of making it to the Superbowl they need to step it up these last two weeks and win out. If they fall down to the third or fourth seed in the playoffs they are going to have a tough time making it to the NFC championship game let alone the Superbowl.

So there they are, the top 5 teams in the NFL with only two weeks to go in the regular season. Make sure to check out our weekly NFL picks video at www.moleandmeares.com or www.youtube.com/meares78.

Meares

NFL Power Rankings - Week 15

2009-12-17T09:41:00.003-05:00

With three weeks left in the season, we still have two undefeated teams left in the NFL, what a crazy regular season its been. We do have a new team added to the rankings this week after the Cincinnati loss to the Vikings. The top four teams are tough to dispute and we have yet to have a number 5 team cement their stay in the power rankings. There are some really good games this weekend which should clear up the playoff picture even more going into next week. Here we go...

1. New Orleans Saints (13-0) - The Saints continue to hold the number one spot in our power rankings after a good win against the injury depleted Atlanta Falcons last Sunday. The Falcons fell behind early but made a nice charge at the end only to come up a field goal short. The Saints will face the reeling Dallas Cowboys on Saturday night in their quest for an undefeated season. They have yet to lock up home-field advantage throughout the playoffs so look for the Saints to play hard and keep the Cowboys from winning their first December game this year.

2. Indianapolis Saints (13-0) - The Indianapolis Colts faced a tough opponent last Sunday, the Denver Bronocs, but still found a way to stay undefeated. The Broncos fell behind early but showed some resolve and made it a game going into the fourth quarter only to fall short. The Colts have now locked up home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs and if past history indicates anything, they will begin to rest some of their star players. I hope they decide against this route because everytime they decide to rest players they end up losing their first playoff game. Take this into consideration though, it will be over 30 days before they play their next meaningful game, will this help or hinder them?

3. San Diego Chargers (10-3) - The Chargers won their 8th consecutive game on Sunday by going into Dallas and handling the Cowboys. This team is really playing well right now, LaDanian Tomlinson is playing better than he has the past two years and Phillip Rivers is really looking like a star quarterback. They have a huge game this Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals which will decide which team will get the first round bye in the AFC. I see no reason the Chargers will not win the rest of their games, win the AFC west and get a bye week heading into the playoffs. Watch out Indianapolis.

4. Minnesota Vikings (11-2) - The Vikings bounced back off of their horrific loss to the Cardinals with a good win against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Vikings dominated on both sides of the ball and made the Bengals look awful and not like a playoff team. With a win this week they will clinch their division and take a step closer to clinching the second seed in the NFC and a first round bye in the playoffs. They will travel to Carolina on Sunday to play the Panthers who have been playing better of lately. For Minnesota's sake, I hope they don't take this game lightly.

5. Philadelphia Eagles (9-4) - For the first time this year the Eagles appear in our power rankings. They won a huge NFC east battle on Sunday against the New York Giants in a game where neither teams defence decided to show up. DeSean Jackson took a huge step towards proving he may be the league's most exciting player. The Eagles now have a one game lead in the east over the Dallas Cowboys and will play host to the San Francisco 49ers this week. A win over the 49ers will go a long way to locking up the NFC east and putting the Eagles into the playoffs.

There you have it, the Mole & Meares NFL power rankings for week 15. Don't forget to visit us at www.moleandmeares.com or www.youtube.com/meares78 to see our weekly NFL picks video.

Meares

NFL Power Rankings - Week 14

2009-12-10T10:04:00.003-05:00

It's that time of the week again, time for our power rankings for week 14 in the NFL. With only 4 weeks left in the 2009 NFL season we still have two undefeated teams left, the Colts and the Saints. They look to be far and away the two best teams in the NFL and they seemed to be destined for an epic clash in the Superbowl. If we have learned anything from watching football over the past 30 years its that the two teams that look dominate in each conference usually don't both make it to the big game. Which team will falter come January?

1. New Orleans Saints (12-0) - The Saints have held our top spot all season long and were very close to relinquishing that spot last Sunday. With less than two minutes to go it looked like the Redskins were about to seal one of the most improbable upsets of the year as they were about to kick a 23 yard field goal to put the game out of reach. But the Redskins found yet another way to lose the game when their kicker flat out missed the chip shot field goal and 30 seconds later Brees found wide receiver Meachem in the end zone for the game tying touchdown. The Saints then pulled out the victory in overtime to remain undefeated. The Saints now head into Atlanta this weekend to face an injury depleted Falcons team. Barring a major upset the Saints should find themselves at 13-0 heading into the last 3 weeks of the season.

2. Indianapolis Colts (12-0) - After 5 straight comeback victories the Colts finally had a game where they were never in any danger of losing. The funny thing is this was the first week in quite some time that I actually thought their opponent had a realistic chance of winning. The Titans, after starting out 0-6, had run off 5 straight victories and looked poised to end the Colts chance at an undefeated season but they forgot to show up on Sunday. So now the Colts head into week 14 with a chance to clinch a first round bye and home field advantage throughout the playoffs with a victory. They will definitely have to earn it as the Broncos will be coming into town playing some very good football. This could be the game of the week and the Broncos have a chance to prove that they are for real.

3. San Diego Chargers (9-3) - The Chargers just keep winning, beating the Browns last week for their 7th consecutive victory and remain one game up in the AFC West. Their offense is really playing well and if their defense can step up and play to its potential they really could give the Colts a run for their money come January. The face a big test this Sunday as they head into Dallas to play the Cowboys who are coming off a heart breaking loss to the New York Giants. The Cowboys will be looking to silence all of their critics who say they can't win in December and the Chargers will be looking to stay atop the AFC west. This should be a real good football game.

4. Minnesota Vikings (10-2) - The Vikings drop a spot in our power rankings after getting man handled by the Arizona Cardinals on Monday night. Brett Farve looked his age and Adrian Peterson was no where to be found. I have yet to figure out if the Vikings played that bad or if the Cardinals are that good. It doesn't get any easier for the Vikings this week with the Cincinnati Bengals coming to town. Both teams love to run the ball and both defenses are good at stopping the run so this should make for an interesting game.

5. Cincinnati Bengals (9-3) - The Bengals have won their last two games against very weak teams but at the same time the Steelers have been going backwards. Having said that the Bengals have all but wrapped up the AFC North going into this week's battle with the Vikings. The Bengals need to win this game more than the Viking's due to prove that they are for real this year and could be a contender for the Superbowl. I am not sure if they have the weapons to keep up with the Vikings but that is why they play the game.

There you have it, with 4 games remaining in the season, our top five teams in the NFL. This week will go a long way to answering questions about the playoffs and there are a lot of good match ups this weekend. It should be the best week to date in the 2009 NFL season. Don't forget to check out our weekly NFL picks video at www.moleandmeares.com or www.youtube.com/meares78.

Meares

NFL Power Rankings - Week 13

2009-12-03T14:02:00.003-05:00

If you would have told me before the NFL season started that come week 13 there would be two undefeated teams left, one in each conference, I wouldn't have believed you. But that is where we stand entering this week, the Colts and Saints remain undefeated, although their paths have been greatly different. The Colts have looked down right beatable at times and the Saints offense has, for the most part, looked unstoppable. That is the reason they remain number 1 in our power rankings for the 11th consecutive week.

1. New Orleans Saints (11-0) - The Saints hosted the Patriots in what was described by some as the game of they year. The game didn't live up to the hype as the Saints destroyed the Patriots 38-17. When the Saints offense plays as well as it did this past Monday, its hard to imagine them not in this year's Superbowl. Now they head to the nation's capitol to face the Washington Deadskins. Five more wins to the perfect season, can they do it?

2. Indianapolis Colts (11-0) - The Colts were down 17-0 in Houston on Sunday and it seemed their dream of an undefeated season was finally coming to an end. But the reigning MVP of the NFL would not let them lose, outscoring the Texans 28-7 in the second half. The Colts have perfected the art of the comeback in the past month and this should give them a huge boost of confidence heading into the playoffs. The Colts have to feel that no matter the score they are always capable of coming back in a football game. They might need another amazing comeback this week as they face the much improved Tennessee Titans team on a five game win streak. As with the Saints, its hard to imagine them not in the Superbowl come February.

3. Minnesota Vikings (10-1) - The Vikings dismantled the Chicago Bears on Sunday and for the second consecutive week had such a lead going into the fourth quarter they were able to give Brett Farve some time to rest. Farve's stats this year are incredible considering he is 40 years old. He has thrown for 2,874 yards, 24 TDs and only 3 interceptions. That is amazing considering I can remember a game from each of the last 3 seasons when Farve threw at least 3 interceptions in a single game. The Vikings front office look like geniuses for bringing in Farve when so many people scoffed at the idea. They face their first tough game in a while this week as they head to Arizona to face the NFC West leading Cardinals. If they play their style of football it really shouldn't be a contest in the desert. As with the Saints and Colts, its hard to imagine this team not playing in the Superbowl come February.

4. San Diego Chargers (8-3) - The Chargers extended their winning streak to 6 games this past Sunday, defeating the Kansas City Chiefs, 43-14. This game was over as quickly as it started and Phillip Rivers continued his solid quarterback play throwing for over 300 yards and 2 TDs with no interceptions. The Chargers only face two more teams in their last 5 games with records over .500. This team is starting to play up to its potential and could pose a real stumbling block for the Colts come playoff time, remember what they did to the Colts last year? This week they head to Cleveland to face one of the worst teams in the league. I am putting my money on the Chargers.

5. Dallas Cowboys (8-3) - The Cowboys get the fifth spot in our power rankings by default. The only other team in the league with the same record has lost one of their last two games, the Cincinnati Bengals. Because the Cowboys have won their last two they get our fifth position. I have a tough time believing they are the fifth best team in the NFL but we will find out this Sunday. They beat the cellar dwelling Oakland Raiders last week on Thanksgiving at home. This week they travel to New York City to face the struggling New York Giants. If the Cowboys win they will solidify their playoff chances but if they lose they bring both the Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles back into the division race. Which Tony Romo will show up this week?

There you have it, the NFL power rankings for week 13. Make sure to check out our weekly NFL picks video at www.moleandmeares.com or www.youtube.com/meares78.

Meares

NFL Power Rankings - Week 12

2009-11-25T12:13:00.002-05:00

We have reached week 12 in the NFL, the bye weeks have come and gone and the playoff races are starting to heat up. Last week proved to be a very interesting one with some teams we thought were geared up to stake their claim to the top 5 faltering. The top 3 teams in this week rankings cannot be disputed, numbers 4 and 5, on the other hand, can be disputed. Here we go.

1. New Orleans Saints (10-0) - The Saints took care of business against a dismal Tampa Bay team last week, 38-7. Their offense clicked on all cylinders and their defense looked dominating. This week will be a huge test for the Saints as the New England Patriots come to town on Monday night football. This may be their last tough game on their way to an undefeated season. Will Drew Brees and company take care of business and remain undefeated, I am not sure but I can't wait to watch!

2. Indianapolis Colts (10-0) - The Colts remained undefeated after squeaking out another close victory against the Baltimore Ravens. The Colts have won by the skin of their teeth for the last month but still have yet to lose. They head to Houston this week to face their division opponents, the Texans. The Texans always play the Colts tough and this week will be no different. I still like the Colts to win this week and remain undefeated and keep hope alive for an undefeated Superbowl featuring the Saints and Colts.

3. Minnesota Vikings (9-1) - The Vikings just absolutely demolished the Seahawks last week 35-9. They were beating them so bad going into the fourth quarter that they handed over the offense reigns to Tavaris Jackson and let Favre get some much needed rest. This team really looks unstoppable right now. Favre is the top rated quarterback in the league and Adrian Peterson is 1 yard away from another 1,000 yard rushing season, not to mention their defense has been playing really well as of late. They host the Bears this week who have been playing some terrible football, the Vikings should go to 10-1.

4. San Diego Chargers (7-3) - The Chargers have now won 5 straight games and aside from the two undefeated teams are the hottest team in the NFL. They embarrassed they Denver Broncos on Sunday, allowing only 3 points and taking complete control of the AFC West. They will face the Kansas City Chiefs this week who showed a sign of life last week defeating the defended world champion Pittsburgh Steelers in overtime. With that said, I think the Chargers will come out and put a hurting on the Chiefs.

5. New England Patriots (7-3) - For the first time this season, the Patriots have edged their way into our power rankings. They have won 4 out of their last 5 games and now have a strangle hold on their division. They face our #1 team this week, the New Orleans Saints, in New Orleans. This will be a huge test and if they fail their time in our power rankings will be very short lived.

There you have it, NFL power rankings for week 12. Make sure to check out our newest NFL picks show which you can see at www.youtube.com/meares78.

Meares

Five Interesting Things from Week 11 in the NFL

2009-11-23T16:49:00.005-05:00

I have been trying to write a regular blog after the Sunday games and everyone does the Monday morning quarterback and it was so unoriginal. So I have been thinking about this for a while and came up with the perfect formula, the five most interesting points from the previous days games. I am sort of following the formula of our power rankings and limiting it to five. More than five might lose your attention and less than five just doesn't seem like enough. So, after my long winded explanation, here we go!

1. For the first time since September 30th, 2007, Week 4 in the NFL, the Oakland Raiders, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Detroit Lions all won during the same week.

2. For the second consecutive year in the AFC west, the Denver Broncos have lost 4 games in a row and the Chargers have won at least 4 games in a row to take over 1st place in the division. Last year the Chargers beat the Broncos in week 17 to take their first lead of the year, this year they accomplish the same feat in week 11.

3. The offense that was put up in yesterday's Lions vs Browns game was extraordinary considering what they had done up to this point in the season. The two teams had combined for 22 touchdowns in their previous 9 games total, yesterday they combined for 11. Combined, they average less than 30 points a game, yesterday they put up a whopping total of 75 points. Looking at this game on paper no one would have imagined it would have been that entertaining, but it was, without a doubt, the game of the day.

4. The Indianapolis Colts won their 19th consecutive regular season game. That is now second all time to the New England Patriots who won 21 in a row a couples years back. What do these two teams have in common? Future Hall of Fame quarterbacks. Just goes to show that although defense may win championships, great quarterbacks win games.

5. A big deal was made before the season when Denver traded Jay Cutler to Chicago for Kyle Orton. Everyone said this was a huge gain for Chicago. Well stats and record don't lie. Cutler has thrown for 2,524 yards, 15 TD, 18 INT with a passer rating of 74.5 and has led the Bears to a 4-6 record. Kyle Orton has thrown for 2,202 yards, 11 TD, 5 INT with a passer rating of 87.8 and has led the Broncos to a record of 6-4. Which one would you rather have? In my opinion, neither!

So there you have it, our first installment of the five most interesting things from week 5 in the NFL. Don't forget to check out our weekly NFL picks show at www.moleandmeares.com or www.youtube.com/meares78.

Meares

NFL Power Rankings - Week 11

2009-11-19T11:30:00.002-05:00

On to week 11, it seems that once someone enters our power rankings for the first time they lose. The Cowboys looked awful last week against the Packers so they have now fallen out of our rankings and a new team enters this week. The top two teams just keep winning and remain the same...here we go!

1. New Orleans Saints (9-0) - The Saints played a really bad St. Louis team and only won by 5 last week. They need to take every Sunday seriously if they want to remain the best team in the NFL. I almost moved them down to #2 but I said earlier this year they will remain #1 until they lose and they haven't lost yet. They are not playing as good as they can play but they still find ways to win. They continue their quest for an undefeated season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this week, another pathetic football team. If they play Saints football they should walk away with an easy victory.

2. Indianapolis Colts (9-0) - The Colts beat the Patriots last Sunday night and I am so sick of hearing about Bill Belicheck and his awful decision. In my opinion I think it was the correct decision and its a shame they didn't get the first down because that would have ended the game. Somehow the Colts found a way to win and remain undefeated and have a definite argument that they are the best team in the NFL right now. Unlike the Saints, the Colts have a difficult road game this week in Baltimore against the Ravens. It should be an interesting game and there is definitely a chance the Ravens could knock the Colts from the ranks of the undefeated.

3. Minnesota Vikings (8-1) - The Vikings took care of business against the Detroit Lions last week, or should I say Adrian Peterson took care of business. This guy is incredible, he is one of the most amazing football players I have ever seen. He just runs over, through and around people on a week in, week out basis. They get to host the Seahawks this week who have been not playing well this year. The Vikings should win this game walking away and all but clinch the NFC North title this week.

4. Cincinnati Bengals (7-2) - Does anyone question how good the Bengals are now? They completed their sweep of the defending world champions last week and now sit at 5-0 in the AFC North. Barring a Denver Broncos like collapse they should win this division and with their remaining opponents maybe even challenge the Colts for home field advantage. As long as the injury to Cedric Benson isn't too bad they should make some noise come January. I love the way their defense is playing. They do have to travel to the west coast this week but the good thing is they get to play the Oakland Raiders. Should be an easy victory.

5. San Diego Chargers (6-3) - The Chargers have been playing really well of late, winning 4 games in a row to tie for the division lead with the Broncos. They handled the Philadelphia Eagles last week on both sides of the ball and really never looked like they could lose that game. This week will be huge for them, going to mile high for a first place showdown with the Broncos. Phillip Rivers has been playing very well and it seems their running game woke up a little last week. The Broncos will be looking to stop the bleeding but I don't think they will be able to and I am hoping that the Chargers remain in our rankings for another week.

There is our top 5, will San Diego be able to remain there longer than Dallas? Will Indianapolis and the Saints be able to remain undefeated? We will find out on Sunday. Make sure to check out our weekly NFL picks video on Friday at www.moleandmeares.com or www.youtube.com/meares78 and don't forget to submit your picks for a chance to win a T shirt!

Meares

NFL Power Rankings - Week 10

2009-11-12T10:21:00.002-05:00

We are more than halfway through the season and the cream is starting to rise to the top. There are still 2 undefeated teams left in the NFL and they are one and two in our power rankings. You will see a new team enter the rankings this week although I am not sure how long they will stay there...here we go.

1. New Orleans Saints (8-0) - The Saints remain as the #1 team in our power rankings with a win over the Carolina Panthers last week. They have been #1 in our rankings since we started back in week 3. Last Sunday they fell behind early to the Panthers but still found a way to come back and win. That has been their theme over the past couple of weeks. Even when they were behind 14 points was anyone concerned that they would lose? This team has a cake walk of a schedule for the rest of the season with the exception of maybe two games. Is it too early to talk of an undefeated season?

2. Indianapolis Colts (8-0) - The Colts remained undefeated after their hard fought win over the Houston Texans last week. This week is a huge test for Peyton Manning and company as Tom Brady and the rest of the New England Patriots head into town. I can't think of a bigger rivalry in the NFL that pits two teams that aren't from the same division against each other. The Patriots have been a thorn in the side of the Colts for the past 7 years with the exception of their one SuperBowl victory. Can the Colts handle the recently hot Patriots and remain undefeated? We will see.

3. Minnesota Vikings (7-1) - The Vikings are coming off of their bye week and will host the pitiful Detroit Lions which should be an easy victory. If you watch our weekly NFL video show you know my thoughts on teams coming off a bye, more often then not they play very good football and cruise to a victory. Brett Farve is supposedly battling a groin injury but for a guy who has NEVER missed an NFL start I find it doubtful that it will prevent him from playing. The Vikings don't have a tough opponent until week 14 so as long as they can avoid a stumble against the basement teams in the NFL they should remain planted in our rankings for the foreseeable future.

4. Cincinnati Bengals (6-2) - The Bengals played a great game last week against a struggling Baltimore Ravens team and now head to Pittsburgh in a game that will decide first place in the AFC North. This team is playing really good football on both sides of the ball. They are running the ball effectively and playing spectacular defense which is a recipe for a championship team. If they take care of business in Pittsburgh they will hold a commanding lead in the division at 5-0. This will definitely be the game of the day.

5. Dallas Cowboys (6-2) - I would have never imagined the Cowboys would make their way into the power rankings this year the way the started the season. But 4 wins in a row will get it done. They beat the Philadelphia Eagles last week and completely shutdown their high powered offense. They have an interesting game against the struggling Green Bay Packers this week at Lambeau Field. Anytime you go to Lambeau you have a chance to lose. If the Cowboys play the way they have been playing they should be able to take care of business and remain in our rankings for another week.

There you have it...NFL Power Rankings for week 10. Make sure to check out our weekly NFL picks show at www.moleandmeares.com or www.youtube.com/meares78.

Meares

NFL Power Rankings - Week 9

2009-11-05T13:38:00.003-05:00

It is that time of the week again, time for the official Mole & Meares NFL power rankings. Not much change this week as our top five teams all performed fairly well last week. This week could be different, here we go...

1. New Orleans Saints (7-0) - The Saints remain atop our power rankings again this week with a win against their division rivals last Monday night, the Atlanta Falcons. The Saints overcame a plethora of turnovers in route to their seventh consecutive win to start the season. This team just finds a way to win every week and they are extremely fun to watch. They play another division opponent this week in the Carolina Panthers but they shouldn't prove to be much competition. Look for them to be atop our rankings again next week at 8-0.

2. Indianapolis Colts (7-0) - The Colts are the only other undefeated team left in the NFL although San Francisco gave them everything they could handle last week in what was a close game. Peyton Manning continued his stellar performance throwing for over 300 yards again this season but he failed to find the endzone. The Colts managed to come away with a win and will host a dangerous Houston Texans team this week. Indianapolis is not going to go undefeated this year and this could be a trap game for them. I like Houston to upset the Colts and send them down our rankings next week.

3. Minnesota Vikings (7-1) - In the most media hyped game in recent memory the Brett Farve led Vikings headed back into Green Bay last Sunday and laid the smackdown on the Packers and took a strangle hold on the division. Brett Farve played solid and the defense came up big in the victory. Minnesota heads into the bye week and I am sure Brett Farve's 40 year old body couldn't be happier. If they continue to protect the ball and play solid defense I don't see them dropping from our rankings anytime soon.

4. Denver Broncos (6-1) - The Broncos finally lost a game last week to the Ravens who were in a must win situation. The Broncos schedule this year is absolutely brutal and it is a good thing they got off to such a hot start. They looked lost on offense last week and they better hope they figure out what went wrong fast as they head into the defending champion Pittsburgh Steelers backyard this weekend. I have a feeling we are going to see a slow decline of the Broncos over the next couple of weeks, although I still think they will run away with their division.

5. Cincinnati Bengals (5-2) - The Bengals are coming off their bye week and they will be hosting the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. If they can string two wins together in the next two weeks against the Ravens and Steelers they will be in the absolute drivers seat in the division. I still don't believe this team has played up to their potential this year and I think they might raise in our power rankings over the next few weeks.

So there you have it. Make sure to check out our weekly NFL picks video which highlights the top 4 games of the week and comes out every Friday. You can watch the video at www.moleandmeares.com or at www.youtube.com/meares78.

Meares

NFL Power Rankings - Week 8

2009-10-29T13:57:00.002-04:00

So we are down to three unbeaten teams in the NFL after Minnesota lost to Pittsburgh this past week. Those teams will be at the top of our rankings but we will see a new team emerge into the rankings this week...read on to find out who it is...

1. New Orleans Saints (6-0) - The Saints survived a scare this past week against the Miami Dolphins. They were down by 21 in the first half and still managed to win by 11. Their offense is ridiculous and their defense in the second half is incredible. It is hard to find a weakness on this team. They have a tough game against the Falcons who really didn't show up agains an up and down Cowboys team. This is a divisional game though, teams always show up for rivalry matches...could this be the week the Saints finally lose?

2. Indianapolis Colts (6-0) - The Colts offense looked incredible last week, of course they were playing what basically amounts to a division 2 college football team in the St. Louis Rams. Still, Peyton Manning looks unstoppable this season and their division is a joke. The Colts look they are headed to another AFC championship game, unless of course, they lose as the favorite again in the early rounds of the playoffs.

3. Denver Broncos (6-0) - The Broncos are coming off a bye week which the desperately needed to get some of their veteran players healthy. Now they head into Baltimore in a game which most people will expect Baltimore to win. Teams coming off a bye seem to have more than enough time to prepare and gameplan for their opponent and I like Denver to win this game and remain undefeated. Their defense has been playing incredible and Kyle Orton continues to protect the ball. All of that adds up to another Bronco's victory.

4. Minnesota Vikings (6-1) - The Vikings fell from the ranks of the unbeaten this week against the Pittsburgh Steelers. This week they play one of the most hyped games in recent memory in the NFL, Favre playing his first game at Lambeau as an opponent. This is a very big game for the Green Bay Packers...they are a half game back in the division and they have already lost once this season to the Vikings. Can the Vikings rebound from the crushing defeat by the Steelers? Can Aaron Rodgers come out of Brett Farve's shadow in Green Bay? We will find out on Sunday!

5. Cincinnati Bengals (5-2) - It was difficult to find a team to put at number 5 this week in our rankings. There were a couple of teams that could have slid in but overall I believe Cincinnati deserves to be here, especially coming off the 45-10 drumming of Chicago last week. Chicago was supposed to be a team that would compete for their division and Cincinnati just absolutely destroyed them. They sit atop the AFC north and have wins over both Pittsburgh and Baltimore. They are on a bye this week but the two weeks following will show us if they are for real as they have to face the Steelers and Ravens again.

That is it for this week's power rankings. Please make sure to visit us at http://www.moleandmeares.com or http://www.youtube.com/meares78 to check out our weekly NFL picks video.

Thanks!

Meares

NFL Power Rankings - Week 7

2009-10-22T10:21:00.005-04:00

Last week was interesting in the NFL. There were a couple of big upsets and a couple of important games that showed us who is for real. There has been a semi shakeup in this weeks rankings and a new team enters our top 5 for the first time. Here we go!

1. New Orleans Saints (5-0) - The Saints absolutely demolished our #2 ranked team from last week, the New York Giants. After a few weeks of not having the explosive offense we were accustomed to seeing, the Saints came out roaring putting 48 points up against what we thought was the #1 defense in the NFC. This game was over during the 1st quarter when it was evident the Giants had no way of stopping Drew Brees. The Saints scored a touchdown on their first 4 possessions of the game. The Saints are now, far and away, the best team in the NFL. Now they head into Miami this week against a much improved Dolphins team coming off a bye...should be a good game.

2. Indianapolis Colts (5-0) - The Colts had a bye week last week and moved up two spots in our rankings. People will ask how can I move up the Colts when they didn't even play last week and my answer is simple, Peyton Manning. Manning is having his best statistical year since he came into the league and their offense looks unstoppable. Their defense will return Bob Sanders this week and that should help out their secondary which is their only question mark to this point. The Colts have a cake walk opponent this week in St. Louis and should remain in this spot for the foreseeable future.

3. Denver Broncos (6-0) - The Broncos just keep figuring out a way to win. They stay at 3 in our power rankings this week but it was hard not to move them up to number 2. They went into San Diego on Monday Night Football and took care of business and also took a commanding 3 1/2 game lead in their very weak division. Now they get a much needed bye this week which will allow their starters to get healthy. In two weeks they will have to travel to the east coast to battle the Baltimore Ravens which should be a great game...two excellent defenses going head to head. I wouldn't bet against the Broncos for the rest of the season.

4. Minnesota Vikings (6-0) - Can Brett Favre really have been the answer for this team? We knew they didn't have a good situation at quarterback coming into the season and now it seems like he was definitely the missing piece. The Vikings answered any doubters they might have by beating the Raven's last week 33-31. Adrian Peterson ran for over 100 yards and Favre didn't make any mistakes. Giving up 31 to the Raven's offense is a small cause for concern but you can't dispute the fact they are still undefeated. They have another big matchup against an AFC powerhouse this week when they travel to Pittsburgh. If they can somehow defeat the defending world champs in their backyard it will be hard not to move this team further up the rankings.

5. Atlanta Falcons (4-1) - For the first time this year a team with a loss enters our top 5. The Falcons have been playing brilliant football this year and they have bee doing it quietly. Their one loss came back in week 3 against the Patriots in Gillette Stadium. The last two weeks they have beaten teams that we thought could have good seasons, San Francisco and Chicago. Their defense is good and Matt Ryan seems to have matured into a very good second year quarterback. They have to go into Dallas Stadium this week and play the Cowboys who are coming off of their bye and are in desperate need of a win. It will be hard for the Falcons to not over look the Cowboys when they know the following week they have a Monday Night showdown with the Saints. Their spot in our top 5 could be very short lived.

Don't forget to check out our weekly NFL picks video at www.moleandmeares.com

Enjoy NFL week 7!

Meares

NFL Power Rankings - Week 6

2009-10-15T10:03:00.003-04:00

It is Thursday, October 15th and it is time again for the Mole & Meares NFL power rankings. Our top 5 teams from last week didn't lose so you won't see any new additions but you will see teams in different spots than last week. Here we go.

1. New Orleans Saints (4-0) - The Saints had a bye last so they will remain atop of our rankings. This week is when we find out how good they really are. They will host the New York Giants on Sunday with the opportunity to solidify their spot as the best team in the NFC and maybe the entire NFL. We might also get to see how they play when they aren't leading since we haven't seen that yet this year.

2. New York Giants (5-0) - The Giants took care of business last week against the Oakland Raiders in a blow out. Eli Manning looked good and didn't seem to be bothered by his heel injury and got to sit out most of the second half so he will be fresh come Sunday. They do look to be the most complete team in the NFC but will their defense be able to stop the high powered Saints offense on Sunday? I think the key to them beating the Saints lays on the shoulders and legs of Brandon Jacobs. If they can pound the ball and win the time of possession battle they will come out victorious and perhaps take over our coveted #1 position next week.

3. Denver Broncos (5-0) - The Broncos just know how to win. They move up two spots this week with their defeat of the Patriots. The Patriots were coming off their biggest win of the season against the Ravens and just got flat out outplayed by the Denver Broncos. Now the Broncos head west for a Monday night showdown against the San Diego Chargers. If they win they take a commanding 3 1/2 game lead in the division and will have surpassed everyone's expectations for the season.

4. Indianapolis Colts (5-0) - The Colts thrashed the Titans on Sunday night in their last match up before their bye week. Peyton Manning continues to put up ridiculous numbers so far this season with his fifth consecutive game of at least 300 passing yards. This guy is on his way to win consecutive MVP awards for the second time in his career. If their defense keeps playing the way it has been this team is scary good.

5. Minnesota Vikings (5-0) - The Vikings destroyed the St. Louis Rams last week 38-10. What I find most interesting is they keep winning games without Adrian Peterson rushing for over 100 yards. If Brett Favre can continue to protect the ball and not get his 40 year old body into trouble this team will compete for the NFC championship. They have a huge test this week against the Ravens who have lost 2 in a row and will be looking for a much needed win. Something tells me this is the week the Vikings will fall from the ranks of the undefeated.

Don't forget to check out our weekly NFL prediction show by visiting us at http://www.moleandmeares.com or http://www.youtube.com/meares78. After watching our show don't forget to submit your week 6 picks for a chance to win our weekly prize.

Meares

NFL Week 5 - Monday Morning Quarterback

2009-10-12T10:58:00.003-04:00

Week 5 in the NFL comes to a close tonight after the New York Jets go into Miami. Let's hope this game is more exciting then most of the games yesterday. Okay, it is time to go over some interesting points from yesterday's action.

1. Denver is definitely for real! Not many people gave the Broncos a chance to beat the New England Patriots but that is just what they did. They played their hearts out and pulled out an amazing overtime victory. Denver's defense is very good and Kyle Orton is finally figuring out how to run an offense. He continues to just make solid throws and not turn the ball over and if Denver keeps running the ball like they did this team could be around come February.

2. Cincinnati is for real. What a huge win for Cincinnati in Baltimore. Who would have predicted that after 5 weeks the Bengals would stand alone in first place in the AFC North? They have now beaten the Steelers and the Ravens in back to back games and if it wasn't for the fluke touchdown in the last seconds by Denver they would be undefeated. Cedric Benson has revived his career and for the first time in 40 games, Baltimore allows a rusher to go over 100 yards. Could we be heading for a Cincinnati vs Denver AFC Championship game?

3. There are a lot of really bad teams in the NFL. What has happened this year? There are at least 4 teams that are pathetically bad, Oakland, Kansas City, Tampa Bay and St. Louis. 3 of these teams aren't even competitive anymore. At least Kansas City put up a decent effort this week but the rest of these teams lost by a combined 84 points. Are you kidding me? There are 4 teams that haven't won a game yet and it is tough to justify they will. Then you have all the teams with just one win, Washington, Detroit, Buffalo, Cleveland and Carolina. These teams aren't much better. What is going on in the NFL this year?

4. Worst game of the year, maybe of the century, Cleveland beats Buffalo 6 to 3. Wow, I feel sorry for anyone who actually watched this game. Derek Anderson was the winning quarterback and he went 2 for 17 for 23 yards. FOR THE ENTIRE GAME. Each team only got into the red zone twice. FOR THE ENTIRE GAME. Cleveland won with only 193 yards of total offense. FOR THE ENTIRE GAME.

5. There still remains 5 undefeated teams in the NFL, Minnesota, Denver, NY Giants, Indianapolis and New Orleans. Next week might be the game of the year in the NFC, NY Giants vs the New Orleans Saints. The Giants defense looks really good but they haven't played anyone this season that has had an offense. The Saints will be coming off a bye and have yet to trail this year. Should be a very good game.

That about does it for week 5. Let's hope we have some better games next week as almost half of the week 5 games were blowouts and over by the second quarter. Don't forget to visit us at http://www.moleandmeares.com to see our weekly NFL video and to submit your weekly picks for a chance to win a weekly prize.

Meares

NFL Power Rankings - Week 5

2009-10-08T13:17:00.003-04:00

Its Thursday, October 8th and here are the power rankings for the NFL through the eyes of Mole & Meares.

1. New Orleans Saints (4-0) - The Saints took care of business at home this past week against what was our 4th ranked team in the NFL, the New York Jets. What was surprising wasn't that they won but how they won, with defense. Everyone knows that the Saints have a high-powered offense but their defense is what has won them the past two games. If you would have told me that Drew Brees wouldn't have thrown a touchdown pass in the past two weeks, I wouldn't have though they would win. They are much improved from a year ago on the defensive side of the ball and that only makes them more scary. Oh, and by the way, they have yet to trail in any game yet this year...yeah, they are our number 1 team.

2. New York Giants (4-0) - The Giants remain as our number 2 team this week after a victory against the pathetic Kansas City Chiefs. Their schedule doesn't get any tougher this week as they play host to the equally pathetic Oakland Raiders. Steve Smith has definitely emerged this year as a dominant wide receiver, he leads the league in receptions through week 4. Their first true test of the year will come in week 6 against the New Orleans Saints. That is when we will find out if they are the real deal or not.

3. Minnesota Vikings (4-0) - They won last week's biggest hyped game in years. Brett Favre against his old team. But the biggest story of this game was the inability of the Packers offensive line to stop the Minnesota rush. Aaron Rodgers had absolutely no time to throw the football and Minnesota dominated them from start to finish. If Adrian Peterson stays healthy for the whole year this team could find itself playing for the Superbowl come February.

4. Indianapolis Colts (4-0) - The Colts quietly enter our power rankings this week at 4-0. They aren't spectacular but they find ways to win football games. Peyton Manning is off to his best statistical start of his career, that is incredible considering the stats he has put up throughout his career. Their running game is questionable and their defense can be susceptible at times to big plays but in my eyes they are still the favorite to come out of the AFC so far this year. It is very early to say this and it makes me sick to think about, but could we be in for a Manning vs Manning Superbowl?

5. Denver Broncos (4-0) - I can't believe that I am putting the Denver Broncos in the top five teams in the NFL but they are one of the 5 remaining undefeated teams and I will give them some respect coming off of a nice victory at home against Dallas. They have the best defense in the league based on points per game. They have a quarterback who doesn't turn the ball over and they have play makers on offense. They might only appear in these rankings for one week but I had to give them their due. They face a much improved New England team coming off their biggest win of the season last week. It should be an interesting game and we will definitely find out if Denver is as good as THEY think they are.

Don't forget to visit us at www.moleandmeares.com to watch our weekly NFL show and email us to submit your picks for a chance to win our weekly prize!

Check back next week for our week 6 power rankings!

Mole & Meares

Sunny Side Down

2009-10-06T16:08:00.002-04:00

What a great week four in the NFL. A fan really couldn’t ask for much more entertainment, drama, and suspense. Week four saw the entertainment of the irresistible force of the Saints offense squaring off against the immovable object of the Jets defense, the drama of two underrated teams in the Broncos and the Cowboys in an epic battle of will and desire, and the suspense of the Patriots and Ravens fighting to the bitter end. Then to top off the week we saw Brett Favre facing his former team and teammates in a classic Monday night matchup in which Favre would attempt to make history by having defeated every team in the NFL.

What else could a fan ask for?..... I don’t know, maybe the entertainment of an ounce of offense from the Jets, the drama of the Cowboy’s secondary making a tackle, or the suspense of a goal line stand by the Patriots as opposed to an anticlimactic Raven’s drop on fourth down. We were however provided with an overrated spot in history for the retired/unretired Brett Favre. (Although you can’t knock his performance, I just don’t care that he’s beaten every team over the course of 63 years in the league)

Week four also saw the strong play of Washington and Pittsburgh who both improved their mark to 2-2. Washington entertained us with an impressive 16 to 13 victory over the winless Bucs while Pittsburgh dramatically clung to a 28-0 lead against San Diego pulling off the 38 to 28 victory. And in the game of the week, Cincinnati defeated Cleveland in the longest game of the year thus far. In a suspense filled overtime, both teams managed to hang around midfield until the final seconds when a pass was finally completed by Cincinnati, setting up the game untying field goal. We can only hope Week five will be bring us just as much entertainment, drama, and suspense as week four. And maybe some real history will be made.

Check us out at www.moleandmeares.com

Mole

Monday Morning Quarterback - NFL Week 4

2009-10-05T13:56:00.006-04:00

We are going to do a little segment each Monday morning on our blog called the Monday Morning Quarterback...we are basically going to recap some of the more interesting stats and storylines from the prior days games. Are you ready? Okay...lets begin...

The Denver Broncos might just be for real. A lot of people, including myself, didn't expect the Broncos to win 4 games all year let alone be 4-0 after week 4. Their defense is stifling, they gave up double digit points for the first time this year this week against the Cowboys and it was only 10. They have only given up 2 touchdowns in 4 weeks. The Philadelphia Eagles made a huge mistake letting Brian Dawkins go...he isn't the only reason the defense is playing so well...but he is one of the reasons.

The Tennesse Titans might be this bad. Nobody saw this coming...after starting out last year 10-0 the Titans can't seem to figure out what sport they are playing. They got their asses handed to them by the Jaguars yesterday. They let David Garrard throw for over 300 yards, seriously, David Garrad? Kerry Collins looks like a deer caught in headlights every play. A lot of people predicted the Titans to make the playoffs this year...if they are lucky they might win 4 games.

The New York Jets have a spectacular defense. But they still have a rookie quarterback. Mark Sanchez looked like a rookie yesterday and the New Orleans Saints cruised to a 14 point victory without any help from their offense. The Saints have yet to trail this season...are you fucking kidding me? The Jets are definitely for real and depending on how quickly Mark Sanchez matures is how far this team will go.

Fuck Tom Brady. Seriously, this guy is the poster boy for the NFL and the refs treat him that way...it is utterly disgusting. There was at least one phantom roughing the passer call against the Ravens which might have cost them the game. Well...I guess I shouldn't go that far...Derrick Mason forgot how to catch a pass that hits him in the chest and that cost them the game but either way, Tom Brady, you are a pussy. The last time I checked, quarterbacks were still FOOTBALL PLAYERS, please let them get hit...that is the point of the fucking game.

Peyton Manning - you are good. He is putting up the best numbers of his career this early into a season. Seriously? His numbers are getting better? This guy can just flat out throw the ball. Well...at least during the regular season. The Colts look like a very solid team which will be tough to beat...however, they play in a joke of a division, Houston, Jacksonville and Tennessee are all mediocre at best. This should be a cake walk for the Colts. Can he win his second Superbowl?

Worst team in the NFL - St. Louis Rams. Holy Shit! How can you be this bad? I can't wait till they play Detroit on November 1st. That should be a barn burner. Looking at St. Louis's schedule, they could definitely go 0-16. My advice, move back to LA...or at least let USC don your uniforms and play one week for you...that is your best chance of winning.

How about Cleveland Brown's nose tackle Shaun Rogers. All this guy does is block field goals...he has 11 blocks in his career and he single handedly kept the Browns in this game with a blocked field goal and a blocked extra point at the end of regulation. Too bad their offense is so inept they couldn't even get into field goal range in 3 possesions in overtime to even try a kick. Cincinnati wins a game they shouldn't have, sort of makes up for the miraculous loss they had to the Broncos in Week 1. Back to the Browns, it looks like they have finally found a star receiver in Mohamed Massaquoi, this guy looks like the real deal. He caught 8 passes for 148 yards, half of which were spectacular.

JeMarcuss Russell - you need to quit. This guy is the worst quarterback in the league. His numbers are horrific. Yesterday he went 12 for 33 for 128 yards. On the season he is 43 for 108 for 506 yards with 1 TD and 4 picks. He has a passer rating of 42.4. I don't know much about what goes into a passer rating but I do know if you are below 50 after 4 games you should be automatically cut from the team. It is such a shame because Oakland has a decent amount of playmakers on offense but they will not go anywhere with this guy leading them. Bring Rich Gannon out of retirement.

Don't forget to stop by again on Thursday for our power rankings and also don't forget to check out our weekly NFL video show at www.moleandmeares.com

Meares

Best 5 Teams in the NFL right now...

2009-10-01T13:19:00.004-04:00

A lot of different sports websites do power rankings so I figured why not Mole & Meares? So every Thursday we will post our top 5 teams in the NFL and tell you why we think they deserve to be there.

1. New Orleans Saints (3-0) - This team's offense looks absolutely unstoppable right now. Drew Brees is averaging 3 touchdown passes a game which will put him on pace to almost be able to break Peyton Manning's single season touchdown record. Mike Bell should return this week after being held out last week against the Bills. They have wide receivers that can spread the field and that aren't afraid to across the middle. Oh, yeah, they have a guy by the name of Reggie Bush who still hasn't shown his full potential yet. Not to mention their defense looks much improved from a year ago. Until they lose they will stay atop our rankings.

2. New York Giants (3-0) - The question mark going into this year was their wide receivers, were Mario Manningham and Steve Smith going to be able to rise to the occasion and step in for an incarcerated Plaxico Burress. Question answered...they are both in the top 8 in the NFL in receiving yards. Eli Manning seems to mature every year and is making limited mistakes. The running game has been solid and the defense is one of the top 5 in the league. Week 6 they travel to New Orleans and we will see if they can stop Brees and company.

3. Baltimore Ravens (3-0) - Is it just me or does Joe Flacco seem like a 7 year veteran quarterback this year? He is putting up some good numbers for his sophomore season. Their running game is outstanding with both Ray Rice and Willis McGahee running wild so far. Their defense is just as good as it is expected to be and with Pittsburgh slow start they seem to have a tight grasp on their division already. They have a good test this week against a somewhat weaker than normal New England Patriots team.

4. New York Jets (3-0) - Did anyone expect the Jets to be undefeated 3 games into the season? Is Mark Sanchez the real deal? One thing is for sure, their defense is the real deal. They looked incredible against the Patriots in week 2, holding Brady to no touchdowns for the first time since 2006. If Thomas Jones can stay healthy and Mark Sanchez can play smart football there is a good chance this team could end up in Miami in February.

5. Minnesota Vikings (3-0) - Adrian Peterson. Do I need to say anything else?

Check back next Thursday to see the new power rankings.

Don't forget to visit us at www.moleandmeares.com to watch our weekly NFL show and email us to submit your picks for your chance to win an official Mole & Meares T shirt!

Meares

Baseball playoffs coming soon...

2009-09-29T16:25:00.005-04:00

So we are finally in the home stretch of the Major League Baseball season...the last week. A week from tomorrow the playoffs start and there isn't much left to be decided. Most races are basically over except for two in the National League and one in the American league. The reigning world champion Phillies are struggling at the end of the season and have seen their lead shrink to 4 over the Braves. Meanwhile, the Braves are hot, winning 15 of the last 17 games to get within two of Colorado for the wild card.

In the American League the Twins took the first game of today's day/night doubleheader to pull within one game of the struggling Tigers. If they win tonight they will be tied with only 4 games left to play.

With all of that said I want to go ahead and make my predictions for the post season.

In the American League, the Yankees have locked down home field advantage for the playoffs and the Angels have won the division with the Red Sox all but clinching the wild card. The one team left comes out of the central division. I think the Twins are going to pull the improbable comeback on the Tigers and take that division crown. That will mean they will win a date with the Yankees while the Red Sox will travel to Anaheim. I see the Yankees taking caring of business in the first round with the Angels winning in five over Boston. I think the Yankees will then out muscle the Angels and head back to the World Series for the first time in since 2003.

In the National League, both the Dodgers and St. Louis have wrapped up their divisions with the National League East and wild card still up for grabs. I see the Phillies limping into the playoffs by winning the division on the last weekend of the season and I think the Braves will overtake the Rockies for the wildcard. I believe the Dodgers will secure home field advantage which will send the Braves to Los Angeles and the Phillies to St. Louis. I see the Braves upsetting the Dodgers in 4 games and the Cardinals destroying the Phillies in 3. I then see the Cardinals taking care of the Braves in 6 and going on to face the Yankees for the World Series.

The Yankees have been the best team in baseball since late April and I don't see that changing. I believe they will beat the Cardinals in 6 and take home their league leading 27th title.

Do you see something different happening? Let us know by leaving a comment or emailing us at contact@moleandmeares.com

Meares

Week 3 in the NFL...

2009-09-28T16:18:00.001-04:00

Week 3 in the NFL comes to a close tonight when the Panthers go into the new Cowboy stadium on Monday Night Football. Do they really need to play this game tonight? I mean, really, do the Panthers stand any chance of beating the Cowboys? I am not a Cowboys fan by any stretch of the imagination, I am a diehard Eagle's fan so I would like to see the Panthers win but come on...they are horrendous. Jake Delhomme is a different quarterback since his injury, his arm strength is gone and his decision making is worse than Kanye West at the MTV Music Awards.

There were a couple of good games yesterday in the NFL and even though its only week 3 some teams are in bad situations. Take the Tennessee Titans for example, coming off last season where they had the best record in the NFL and now they have yet to win a game this year and look nothing like they did last year...Kerry Collins is not looking like the answer. Then you have 4 teams that look like they wouldn't be able to beat a Division 1 college football team: the St. Louis Rams, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Cleveland Browns. If these teams don't play each other this year they all have a chance of going 0-16. Then you have the surprising teams, the New York Jets, the Denver Broncos, the San Fransisco 49ers and the Cincinnati Bengals. No one would have thought those teams would have gotten off to such quick starts.

This is why I love the NFL, because of the parody each season brings. Sure there are teams that play at a high level year in and year out, the New England Patriots, the New York Giants, the Philadelphia Eagles, but every year there always surprise teams. Look at the Arizona Cardinals last year...who would have thought they would make it to their first SuperBowl? Which team is going to carry the momentum this year? Which team looks like they are the real deal and might have what it takes to go all the way? Out of the 4 surprising teams I am going to say it's either going to be the Jets or the Broncos...they are built almost the same way...they both have strong defenses but question marks at quarterback. But we all know what it takes to win championships and that is defense. The Broncos and the Jets have two of the best defenses in the league which is why I believe one of those two will end up making an appearance in the AFC championship game.

Feel free to leave your opinions and if you get a chance check out our show from last week (www.moleandmeares.com) and our picks. Think you can do better than us? Email us your picks at contact@moleandmeares.com for you chance to win a free T-Shirt. Good Luck!