Narg On Sports

Week 16 Review

2011-12-25T03:04:00.007-05:00

Game of the Week

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Giants vs. Jets
More on this game later in the week, but key things: Giants and Dallas winner next week wins the division and Jets sit in 9th now in the AFC standings. The need a lot of help with one week left. A fumble to a safety, and a pass interference on Plaxico decided this game.
Jets (-3) Loss

Dolphins vs. Patriots
Pats rally and come all the way back. Clinch a first round bye.
Dolphins (+10) Win

Browns vs. Ravens
Baltimore held on to win and fight for a first round bye and the division.
Browns (+13) Win

Vikings vs. Redskins
Vikings surprise the Redskins for their third win in this one.
Redskins (-6.5) Loss

Raiders vs. Chiefs
Chiefs should have won this, but went to OT and lost. Now the Raiders have a chance to lose the division, but still make the playoffs next week if things play out correctly.
Chiefs (-2) Loss

Bucs vs. Panthers
Cam Newton sets the all time pass record in this one and adds a 49 yard TD run. He is turning this team around and they have a bright future.
Panthers (-7.5) Win

Rams vs. Steelers
Steelers are trying to keep up with the Ravens for the division and a first round bye in the AFC.
Rams (+13) Loss

Eagles vs. Cowboys
Cowboys had nothing to play for, but the Eagles played with a lot of heart and handled them. Comes down to next week in New Jersey for the Cowboys.
Eagles (+3) Win

Chargers vs. Lions
Lions clinch a playoff birth for the first time in 13 years and take care of Rivers.
Lions (-1.5) Win

49ers vs. Seahawks
49ers come back late and win on a field goal in Seattle.
Seahawks (+2) Push

Broncos vs. Bills
Blowout here, Bills defense steps up as Tebow doesn't protect the ball. Denver still control their own fate next week. A win against KC, and they're in.
Broncos (-3) Loss

Jaguars vs. Titans
Titans win at home to help their playoff hopes. Currently in 8th place in the AFC. Don't cover though.
Titans (-7.5) Loss

Cardinals vs. Bengals
Cardinals don't complete the comeback, and lose to the Bengals. Bengals now claim the 6th spot as of now and are in the playoffs.
Cardinals (+6) Push

Bears vs. Packers
The Packers dominated again and clinch home field advantage throughout the playoffs.
Packers (-12) Win

MNF
Falcons vs. Saints
Brees- the new all time single season passing leader. Saints dominate and win 45-16.

TNF - http://nargonsports.blogspot.com/2011/12/thursday-night-football-week-16_21.html

Happy Holidays!!!

Week 16 Preview and Picks

2011-12-23T01:57:00.010-05:00

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Game of the Week

Giants vs. Jets

The deciding factor in this game is if the Jets offensive line can protect against Sanchez from a pounding by the Giants defense. For the Jets to win, their offensive line needs to step up. The Jets have to protect Sanchez coming off a game against the Eagles when he was sacked 4 times. The Giants have 37 sacks this season on opposing QBs and the Jets have allowed 33 sacks. Jason Pierre-Paul alone has 13.5 sacks. If Sanchez has time to make plays, then they can win this game. In the Jets victories this year, Sanchez has 16 TDs and 6 INTs. In their losses: 7 and 7. The Giants have given up the 29th most passing yards per game this year (258). It won't fall completely on him however as Greene continues to run the ball well for the Jets. Greene has been playing great since his awful first four games, especially in the last four weeks. In the eight Jet wins this year, he has 5 TDs and 632 yards. In their six losses, he has 1 TD and only 309 yards. Add a little bit of LT and I think the Jets will be able to pile up yards against the Giants.
On paper the Giants offense is more dynamic, with the backfield of Bradshaw and Jacobs, the phenomenal year Manning is having, and the three above average receivers, it will be a matter of if they can exploit the Jets defense. As game time approaches however, it looks Manningham will not be playing. The Jets have the 7th best pass defense, allowing 205 yards per game. The Giants have the 3rd best pass offense, throwing for 299 yards per game. The Jets will need to stay with their receivers and defend the pass and force the Giants to run more. The Giants might be able to exploit the Jets rush defense if Bradshaw can be elusive and quick. Jacobs might not have much success in this one, but Bradshaw might be able to break off a big run.
This game will decide a lot in the NFL. There are so many scenarios that can happen, pending the outcome of this game. If the Giants win this week and next, they make the playoffs. If the Jets win out, they make the playoffs. Both teams can to lose this game and still have a chance, but they will need help to stay in the playoff hunt. If the Giants lose, they will still have a chance at the division, if the Cowboys lose to the Eagles this week, the Eagles lose next week, and the Giants take care of the Cowboys next week. If the Giants lose this week and win next week, and the Eagles win this week and next week, then the Eagles will win the division. The Jets scenario might get even messier, with the Bengals, Titans, Oakland, and San Diego all still in the race. It is a mess for the playoffs, but this game will help solve the playoff puzzle.
I think when all is said and done, the Jets will win this game. It is going to be close but the Jets have what it takes to limit the damage from Manning. I think the Jets rushing attack will prove to be the difference, and the Jets will solidify their playoff hopes this Christmas Eve.
Jets (-3)

Broncos vs. Bills
I am looking for Tebow to go to Buffalo and win this game. He threw the ball well against the Patriots and actually showed a lot more conventional quarterback skill. He will be able to throw against Buffalo, but with snow in the forecast, he might have to hand if off even more. The Broncos lead the league in rushing with 163 yards per game, and Buffalo has given up the 3rd most yards, 139.5, on the ground this season. A great matchup for the Broncos here and a chance for them to be one game away from winning the AFC West. If they win here, then they return home to play the Chiefs on New Years Day.
Broncos (-3)

Jaguars vs. Titans
The Titans are fighting for a playoff spot still and the Jaguars are just waiting for the season to be over. Titans are tough at home and I think they pull it off easily to stay alive.
Titans (-7.5)

Cardinals vs. Bengals
The Bengals are still alive in the AFC playoff picture, but the Cardinals can put up a fight. I think the Cardinals keep it close in this one.
Cardinals (+6)

Dolphins vs. Patriots
The Patriots are playing for playoff positioning at this point. The Dolphins have been winning or keeping it close as of late, and will again in Foxboro.
Dolphins (+10)

Browns vs. Ravens
The Ravens are trying to lock up the division after coming off a loss against the Chargers. I think they win, but not in a blowout.
Browns (+13)

Vikings vs. Redskins
The Vikings are reeling, and the Redskins have some fight left in them after their blowout against the Giants last week. Grossman and Moss have been working nicely together since Moss came back from injury, look for more of the same here.
Redskins (-6.5)

Raiders vs. Chiefs
The Chiefs might have something gong with a new coach and Orton behind center. I don't think it will be a very high scoring game for either side, but I like the Chiefs in this one. The Raiders are not out of it yet but they have to have a lot go right, and I don't think they'll win this one.
Chiefs (-2)

Bucs vs. Panthers
Look for Newton to have a good game and beat the Bucs at home.
Panthers (-7.5)

Rams vs. Steelers
Steelers are trying to rebound after losing in San Fran last week. Both teams are banged up so this should be close.
Rams (+13)

Chargers vs. Lions
The Lions are coming off an exciting win and both teams still have playoff hopes. I think this one is decided by a couple points, the team with the last possession wins this game.
Lions (-1.5)

49ers vs. Seahawks
The Seahawks are hot right now and the 49ers have not allowed a rushing TD. Should be interesting against a red hot Lynch. I think he breaks through against them at home.
Seahawks (+2)

Eagles vs. Cowboys
I think the Eagles beat the Cowboys in Dallas, and with a Giants loss, things stay interesting in the NFC East.
Eagles (+3)

Bears vs. Packers
The Packers will rebound from their first loss last week. They should rout the Bears at home on Christmas night.
Packers (-12)

MNF
Falcons vs. Saints
The Saints are home but the Falcons usually play them tough. This one will be close and I will take the Falcons to stay close in this one.
Falcons (+7)

TNF - http://nargonsports.blogspot.com/2011/12/thursday-night-football-week-16_21.html

Giants vs. Jets Preview and Pick

2011-12-22T03:03:00.000-05:00

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Game of the Week

Giants vs. Jets

This game will decide a lot in the NFL. There are so many scenarios that can happen, pending the outcome of this game. If the Giants win this week and next, they make the playoffs. If the Jets win out, they make the playoffs. Both teams can to lose this game and still have a chance, but they will need help to stay in the playoff hunt. If the Giants lose, they will still have a chance at the division, if the Cowboys lose to the Eagles this week, the Eagles lose next week, and the Giants take care of the Cowboys next week. If the Giants lose this week and win next week, and the Eagles win this week and next week, then the Eagles will win the division. The Jets scenario might get even messier, with the Bengals, Titans, Oakland, and San Diego all still in the race. It is a mess for the playoffs, but this game will help solve the playoff puzzle.

I think when all is said and done, the Jets will win this game. It is going to be close but the Jets have what it takes to limit the damage from Manning. I think the Jets rushing attack will prove to be the difference, and the Jets will solidify their playoff hopes this Christmas Eve.

Jets (-3)

Check back for the rest of my week 16 picks

Thursday Night Football Week 16

2011-12-21T03:02:00.004-05:00

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Texans vs. Colts

The Texans couldn't pull off the win last week against the Panthers but this week face the Colts. Even though the Colts just won their first game, I don't think they are going to suddenly find the desire to play hard for the last two weeks. The Texans already have clinched the division, but remain in a battle for a first found bye. They will be trying to win out the next two weeks and prepare for the playoffs in the meantime. They are still trying to mesh with Yates, and each game is a learning experience for these guys for the postseason. Look for things to go better in this game for the Texans as they will win in Indianapolis.

Texans (-6) Loss
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UPDATE: Colts rally with seconds left for their second straight victory

Week 15 Review

2011-12-18T19:45:00.006-05:00

Patriots vs. Broncos

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The Broncos held a 16-7 lead, before a calamity of turnovers. They coughed up the ball and couldn't stop the Patriots on third down, leading to 27 unanswered points and a 34-16 lead. The Patriots never looked back after that as they went on to win 41-23. This is a minor setback for Tebow, but it showed a few things about Tebow. He showed that he could throw in the beginning of the game when he had to, and that had been questioned coming into this game. The Broncos were simply overwhelmed as this game continued, but it was a good check for them as they get ready for the playoffs.

Broncos (+7.5) Loss

Redskins vs. Giants
An embarrassing game for the Giants. They are now in a position where they basically need to win the last two games to assure the playoffs. They were never in this game against the Redskins, even after starting the game with a pick of Grossman. The game was ugly from the beginning and the Redskins showed everyone that they do indeed have a defense that can click and stifle an offense. The Giants need to rebound next week, in what will be a crazy atmosphere in New Jersey. They take on the Jets at MetLife Stadium, in front of a crowd that will primariliy be Jets fans. It will be a crazy game, and they way it looks now, will be a very tough game on both teams.
Giants (-7) Loss

Packers vs. Chiefs
Who saw this coming? The Chiefs defeated the Packers in a shocking game. The Packers had to think this game was going to be the easiest one left in the season, but they were stunned by the Chiefs in Kansas City. Kansas City was led by Orton in his first start. He threw for 299 yards going 23/31. Rodgers just could not get anything going and their hopes for an undefeated season ended. On Thanksgiving, I still thought they would not pull off the undefeated season, but they finally got me believing after the last two games. And now this week, it ends. Good win by the Chiefs in this one.
Packers (-12) Loss

Jets vs. Eagles

The Jets fell behind 28-0 in what looked like the rout in Baltimore earlier this season. They were able to salvage 13 points at the end of the half to make it a 28-13 game, but the Eagles struck for another TD to start the second half and would continue to pile it on. The Jets were helped by the Titans losing, but hurt by the Bengals winning. They now must win the final two games if they want to make it to the playoffs.
Jets (+3) Loss

Saints vs. Vikings

Brees put up 5 TDs and 412 yards in this game. The Saints blew out the Vikings, as they should have, and move to 11-3 this season.
Saints (-8) Win

Seahawks vs. Bears
Lynch did not put up a lot of yards, only 42, but he ran for 2 TDs. The Seahawks had no problem in the second half putting away the lifeless Bears. The Bears have no QB, and are slowly slipping out of the playoff picture.
Seahawks (+3.5) Win

Dolphins vs. Buffalo
Miami went to Buffalo in the snow and pulled off the victory. Reggie Bush thought he was back at USC, running for over 200 yards. They won 30-23, as Buffalo has now lost 7 in a row.

Buffalo (even) Loss

Panthers vs. Texans

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The first half was dominated by the Panthers, and unlike last week, they were able to maintain the lead and win this one. Carolina jumped out to a 21-0 lead and carried it to halftime. They would hold on to win, 28-13. The Texans playoff position still looks good, but they will have to battle for a first round bye.

Panthers (+6) Win

Titans vs. Colts
The Colts finally win a game, and do it against a Tennesse team that is battling for a playoff spot. Donald Brown took control of the game, with 161 yards rushing and a TD. The Colts finally fill the win column this season.
Titans (-7) Loss

Bengals vs. Rams
Cincy gave up a late TD to bring the score closer, but it was not a close second half. The Bengals controlled the second half, after trailing 6-3 at half time. They relied heavily on their running game with Benson and Scott. The Bengals remain in the playoff hunt after pulling off this win.

Bengals (-7) Push

Lions vs. Raiders

The Lions completed a 98 yard drive with two minutes left to take the 28-27 lead against Oakland. The Lions remain in the hunt for the playoffs after this comeback win in Oakland.
Lions (-1.5) Loss

Browns vs. Cardinals

Seneca Wallace filled in nicely for McCoy in this one. The Browns jumped out to a 10-0 lead before they surrendered a TD with 25 seconds left in the half. Wallace found Little in the third for a 76 yard TD to make it 17-7. The Cardinals came back however, and tied it at 17 to force the game into overtime, where they would go on to win on a field goal, 20-17.

Cardinals (-6.5) Loss

Ravens vs. Chargers

The Chargers dominated this one and are keep their playoff hopes alive. The Ravens are not as good a team on the road as they are at home, and this trend continues. They will now battle with the Steelers for the division in the final two weeks.

Chargers (+3) Win

MNF- Steelers vs. 49ers

The Steelers were unable to play well with a hobbled Big Ben. They now fall to 5th place in the AFC and miss their opportunity to claim the first seed. The 49ers continue to roll and dominated in this game. Both teams are headed to the playoffs, so this one was all about positioning for the playoffs.

Steelers (+3) Loss

TNF Jax vs. Atl - Win - http://nargonsports.blogspot.com/2011/12/thursday-night-football-week-15.html

Dal vs. TB - Win - http://nargonsports.blogspot.com/2011/12/saturday-night-football.html

Week 15 @ the Half

2011-12-18T14:20:00.003-05:00

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Surprises all around the NFL. The unbeaten Packers are losing to the Chiefs 6-0. We know they have a good defense, but really? Packers need to pick it up here. The Giants are behind 17-3 against the Redskins, even with a couple Grossman picks. Carolina and Cam are beating up the Texans, lets see if they can hold onto the big halftime lead this week. The rest of the games right now are real close. Cincy trails the Rams 6-3 at halftime. New Orleans is beating the Vikings 21-13 as they scored a TD with under 2 minutes left in the half. Miami is beating the reeling Bills. Chicago scored a late TD to take the lead on Seattle. The Titans are barely beating the Colts at the half.

Week 15 Preview and Picks

2011-12-15T23:41:00.007-05:00

Patriots vs. Broncos

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The Broncos are looking to continue their current win streak. They will go for their seventh straight against the Pats in Denver. After a shootout in Minnesota, they returned to their typical ways of playing last Sunday. They were trailing all game, Tebow was only 3-16 before the fourth quarter, and had a 13.5 QB rating. It looked like he might actually lose. Until he went on a typical fourth quarter Tebow tear. He took advantage of a lazy Bears defense and picked them apart. He led receivers with his throws and looked like he was in control of the game. He completed 13 of 17 passes in the fourth quarter and overtime for 130 yards and a TD. Will we see it again this week? If Tebow wants to pull off another victory he is going to have to take advantage of the wounded and weak Patriots defense. He will have to make throws that he usually makes in the fourth quarter, all game long. If he can execute and mix in McGahee and his own running game, then this has all the makings of another huge win for Tebow and the Broncos. The Broncos are going to have to bring their A game on defense as well. They have been playing at a very high level, but they are going to have to step it up even more. They need to keep close from the beginning and not let Brady pull too far ahead. They will need to be creative in the way they attack the Patriots and Brady. It is impossible to pick against Tebow right now. He is bringing out the best in his teammates, and making them believe that they can beat just about anyone. For what it's worth, the Patriots have lose their last three games in Denver. I like the Broncos to stun the Pats in Denver. In terms of the spread on this one, the Pats are 8-2-1 against the spread in their last 11 road games, and the Broncos are 1-4-1 against the spread in their last 6 home games. I think the Broncos are an excellent option getting 7 points in this matchup.
Broncos (+7.5)

Redskins vs. Giants
The Giants are now on top of the division and will win it if they win out. They have been piling up the offensive numbers, but their defense, much like Dallas, has been questionable. The Redskins have a pretty good defense, so it might be a challenge for the Giants to break through. They have the big play capability however, and that should be enough against the Skins. The Giants are back to using Jacobs and Bradshaw. On the season, they both have 130 carries, Bradshaw has 490 yards and 5 TDs, and Jacobs has 480 yards and 7 TDs. Most the season it has been one or the other playing. They are at their best when Bradshaw is the main back and Jacobs is complimenting him. Look for a return to that type of run game. The Giants need to use the run game a bit, even though it will be tempting to just air it out all day to Cruz and Nicks. They should win this game by a TD at least. If they don't win by at least a TD, then the Redskins will have probably upset the Giants at home.
Giants (-7)

Packers vs. Chiefs
The Chiefs will be making a change at QB if Orton is healthy enough to go. It won't make a difference though. The Packers can't be stopped right now and are simply embarrassing teams. Even with the loss of Jennings, they are going to destroy KC. Finley is going to be used as the number one guy now in the offense, so look for a huge game from him. The Raiders are a decent team that the Packers dismantled last week, so to think that the Chiefs, no matter who their QB is, can stay close is ridiculous. The Packers move to 14-0 this week in Kansas City.
Packers (-12)

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Jets vs. Eagles
The Jets need this game. If they run the table, they make the playoffs. If they prepare and limit what Vick does then they have a shot to win this one on the road. This is a playoff type game, in a playoff atmosphere. If the Cowboys and Giants win before this game, then maybe the Eagles lose some of their motivation, as their season will be officially over. If both teams lose however, then the Eagles are going to be coming out playing their best football of the year because they will still have a chance at the playoffs. If all is lost though, I see Jackson and others shutting it down and making it easy for the Jets. The Jets need to do their best to control McCoy. They have not been special controlling the run this year. They are ranked 14th in rushing yards allowed this year, giving up 109 per game. They need to step up here and I think they will. The Eagles have given up 115 rushing yards a game, 18th best in the league. They have a difficult task with the physical Shonn Greene running for the Jets. He is on a great streak as of late, and when he gets hot, the Jets get hot. In the last three week he has put up an average of 98 yards per game, with four TDs rushing. He also led the Jets last week in receiving yards with 58. I think he has another big game in Philly and leads the Jets to another victory. Sanchez is coming off a big game last week and in interviews this week, he sounds more focused than ever. He has been playing great and this week has to play error free football to win the game.
Jets (+3)

Saints vs. Vikings

The Saints struggle away from the confines of New Orleans. This one however, is in a dome, thus making it more like their home turf. They are playing a struggling Vikings team who have lost five straight games, and are only 2-11 on the season. The Saints just hung on long enough last week in Tennessee, but the Vikings aren't the Titans, and won't be able to stay close. They are expecting to get Peterson back, but who knows how effective he will be. Ponder has been practicing this week so he should be back at QB for the Vikings. For the Saints, Jimmy Graham had been hurting before the game on Sunday with back pain. He received treatment on his back, and was a full participant in practice this week, so look for him to be at full strength this week. The Saints will win this one on the road and continue to battle for the first round bye in the NFC.
Saints (-8)

Seahawks vs. Bears
The Seahawks are trying to keep their playoff hopes alive and the Bears are trying to get back in the playoff picture. Seattle has the best running back in football right now. Lynch is running over every team he faces, and there is no reason to think he won't continue in Chicago. The Bears are struggling on offense and look like they can barely make a first down, yet alone score a TD. I like the Seahawks in this one against an injured Bears squad.
Seahawks (+3.5)

Dolphins vs. Buffalo
I think Buffalo will end their losing streak at home against the Dolphins. After the firing of Sparano in Miami, the Dolphins might have lost the reason to battle the rest of this season. Both these teams will be doing no more than playing spoiler to other teams as the season winds down.
Buffalo (even)

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Panthers vs. Texans
The Panthers are coming off a tough loss at home against the Falcons. They led the game 23-7 at halftime and then gave it away after half, giving up 24 unanswered points. The Texans on the other hand, pulled off a stunning comeback against the Bengals in Cincinnati in the final seconds of the game to win 20-19. Yates has been able to keep his team in the game and get a couple wins since taking the reigns at QB. Houston is trying to stay in the lead of the AFC, as they are currently in first place. This is a great matchup, as Houston has the 3rd best passing defense and 4th best rushing defense. The Panthers on the other hand have the 8th most passing yards, and 5th most rushing yards. It will be interesting to see if Newton can take apart the Houston defense in this game. If he can, then it will be close, if not, they Carolina doesn't stand a chance. The Panthers defense is awful, so Yates and Foster have an opportunity to put up big numbers. Foster might get 150 yards rushing and over 50 yards receiving. I think Cam has a good game and keeps them close.
Panthers (+6)

Titans vs. Colts
The Titans are sitting in 7th place in the AFC, one spot out of the playoffs. They might not have Hasselbeck in this game, but against the Colts, will still win. The Titans have too much to play for to give one up to the winless Colts. Looks for Chris Johnson to have a big game, especially if Locker gets his first career start at QB.
Titans (-7)

Bengals vs. Rams
The Bengals are continuing to disappear in the end of the season, now losers of 4 of their last 5. They had a brutal last second loss to Houston in their last game but now go against a bad St. Louis team. The only way I see the Rams winning is if Steven Jackson has a monster game running the ball. The Bengals however are 7th in the league against the run, allowing 100 yards even to their opposition. If they control Jackson, then they win this game easily, and rebound from a handful of tough losses.
Bengals (-7)

Lions vs. Raiders

If the Lions want to hold on to the last playoff spot then they need to beat the reeling Raiders on the road. The Raiders will be without McFadden again and on the other side, the Lions look like they will be getting Kevin Smith back at runningback. The Lions should win this game easily and continue to cling to the 6th spot in the NFC.
Lions (-1.5)

Browns vs. Cardinals
The Cardinals are a great team at home, and the Browns are a bad team period. Cleveland will also be without McCoy this week after taking the viscous hit from Harrison last week against Pittsburgh. Seneca Wallace will most likely get the start for Cleveland. The Cardinals are 4-2 at home this year, and should handle the Browns easily this week.

Cardinals (-6.5)

Ravens vs. Chargers
The Chargers have put together a couple wins and are hoping to continue their modest two game win streak at home against the Ravens. The Ravens have won four in a row and sit in a tie atop the AFC standings for best record, at 10-3. Baltimore has a tough task on the road against a Chargers team that has finally found some confidence. I think this is a great test for the Ravens, but I don't think they get it done. If they do, it will be a close one, so I will take the Chargers getting 3.

Chargers (+3)

TNF Jax vs. Atl-Win - http://nargonsports.blogspot.com/2011/12/thursday-night-football-week-15.html

SNF Dal vs. TB - http://nargonsports.blogspot.com/2011/12/saturday-night-football.html

Check back for my Monday Night Football pick!

Saturday Night Football

2011-12-15T23:20:00.003-05:00

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Cowboys vs. Bucs

The Cowboys are coming off of a tough loss at home against the Giants. They now are behind the Giants in the division, but all is not lost. They have a matchup in week 17 against the Giants, so if they keep winning, they will keep their hopes alive. The defense needs to step up. Romo is doing all he can for Dallas and it is time for the defense to pick it up. I tend to always believe the Bucs are going to show up and fight, but I think it is safe to say they are a bad team, and should get blown away here. With a game back under Miles Austin's belt, I think he has a better game than last week and helps the Cowboys more. Although they are without Murray not, Felix Jones looked god last week when he had to step in for him. They look like they should have no problem with the Bucs, if they can get the memories of their last two games out of their heads.

Dallas (-7) Win

Update: Dallas wins in a rout, 31-15

Thursday Night Football Week 15

2011-12-14T19:09:00.001-05:00

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Thursday Night Football

Jaguars vs. Falcons

This game was never close. The Falcons completely controlled this game, scoring 41 points before Jacksonville could score any. For the Jags, Jones-Drew managed another 100+ yard rushing game, but that was their only bright spot. The Falcons pulled Ryan after three quarters, the then pulled White and Jones midway through the fourth. Ryan finished 19 for 26 for 224 yards and 3 TDs. White finished with 10 catches for 135 yards and 2 TDs. Jones caught 5 for 85 yards and a TD. Turner was also taken out in the fourth, and he finished with 61 yards and a TD. This was a dominate performance and the Falcons can now look ahead to next week, when they get another shot at the Saints. If things play out right, they still have a chance at the division. Atlanta started the season 2-3, but since then are 7-2. They are proving to be major players in the NFC.
Falcons (-11.5) Win

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Preview

The Atlanta Falcons currently sit in 5th place in the NFC playoff picture. With the Bears and Cowboys fighting for a playoff spot, it is imperative to the Falcons for them to continue to win. They are playing at home against a bad Jaguars team. They need to contain MJD and if they do, will win easily. Matt Ryan is continuing to utilize Julio Jones and Roddy White, while handing the ball off to Turner to keep defenses off balance. The Jags have been playing better as of late, but they aren't on the same level as the Falcons. This should be an easy win for Atlanta. If they win, they will look like a pretty safe bet to make it to the playoffs.
Falcons (-11.5)

Week 14 Review

2011-12-11T23:59:00.027-05:00

Game of the Week

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Giants vs. Cowboys
The Giants (7-6) entered this game looking to take first place in the NFC East from the Cowboys (7-6) and take control of the rest of their season. They began the game strong, sacking Romo for a safety and then added a 23 yard field goal on their next possession. The Cowboys responded with a TD pass from Romo to Phillips to put Dallas on top 7-5 at the end of the first. Jacobs ran for a 1 yard TD (and then did a little jig on the star in the endzone) to give New York a 12-7 lead. Romo again responded with a 9 yard TD to his favorite scoring machine, Laurent Robinson, to give them a 14-12 lead. The giants would make a field goal, giving them a 15-14 lead. A field goal with 20 seconds left for Dallas gave them a 17-15 lead at halftime. After another field goal by Bailey for Dallas, the Giants would take the 22-20 lead on a long 47 yard TD pass from Manning to Manningham in the third quarter. Romo connected with Robinson for 74 yards and then hit Austin for a 6 yard TD, to take the 27-22 lead in the fourth. Eli and the Giants would drive again midway through the fourth. They converted on a 4th and 3 on the Cowboys 37, before Sean Lee intercepted a ball in traffic and off of a Giants player. Dallas would beat the Giants coverage and score a huge TD on a pass to Bryant to give Dallas a 34-22 lead. With over five minutes left, the Giants drove 80 yards in 2:27, as Eli connected on several big pass plays, and ended the drive in the endzone on an 8 yard pass to Ballard with 3:14 remaining, and now trailing 34-29. The Cowboys went three and out, giving the Giants a chance to win the game. Manning drove the Giants down field again. After Manningham dropped a perfect pass that would have given the Giants the lead, Manning composed himself, and continued to drive down field. The Giants scored a TD with 46 seconds remaining to take the 35-34 lead. They executed a 2-point conversion to make it a 37-34 game. Romo connected across the middle to Austin, and then spiked the ball to set up a 47 yard field goal attempt by Bailey. The kick sailed up and was good, but the Giants called a timeout prior to the snap. Bailey had to reset himself and do it all over again. Pierre-Paul would get through the line, and block the following field goal attempt. The Giants won the game on a blocked field goal and an amazing comeback by Manning. Manning had 400 yards with 2 TDs and an interception. Jacobs ran for 101 yards as Bradshaw was benched for the first half. Nicks had 154 yards on 7 catches. For Dallas, Romo had 321 yards and 4 TDs. Felix Jones replaced Murray, and had 16 carries for 106 yards. Murray left this game with a fractured right ankle, putting the rushing duties in the hand of Felix Jones once again. This is a huge loss for the Cowboys if Murray is indeed done for the rest of the season. He was running over teams but now will be sidelined, we will have to see for how long. Robinson continues to put up insane numbers, catching 4 passes for 137 yards and a TD. Dallas now need to fight to make the playoffs, as they are in 8th in the NFC. They will have an uphill battle in the following three weeks.

Giants (+3) Win

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Bears vs. Broncos

What can be said about this game. The game was scoreless at halftime, and the Broncos trailed 10-0 with just over four minutes left in regulation. Tebow drove down field in 2:26, completing 7 of 7 passes for 63 yards, including a 10 yard TD to Thomas to make it a 10-7 game. They then tried an onside kick that failed. The Bears took over with 2:08 left, running a play to go to the 2 minute warning. Out of the warning, Barber took the ball, and ran out of bounds inexplicably. This allowed the clock to stop for the Broncos. They had a chance if they could stop the Bears on the next play, a 3rd and 5. Barber only got one yard, forcing a punt to the Denver 11 yard line. Denver had 53 seconds to tie the game. Tebow would manage the game perfectly with those 53 seconds. He hit Decker for a 9 yard gain, and Decker got out of bounds. From the 29, Tebow passed to Ball for 11 yards to get to their own 40, where Tebow spiked the ball. He completed a pass to Willis for 19 yards, where he ran out of bounds. Tebow missed his receivers on the next 2 passes, and on the following play, scrambled out of bounds for no gain at the Chicago 41 yard line. This set up an improbable 59 yard field goal attempt by Matt Prater...no chance right? Wrong. Prater hit it, to send the game to OT. Chicago started the overtime with the ball and drove down field. They were in field goal range, when another crazy play happened for Tebow and the Broncos...Barber fumbled the ball and Denver recovered. Tebow time again. He threw an incompletion followed by a 2 yard pass to McGahee. On a 3rd and 8, Tebow passed to Thomas for 10 yards and a first down. Tebow was sacked, and then completed a 16 yard pass to Thomas again, down to the Chicago 40. After a 1 yard McGahee run, Tebow ran for 5 yards, and then ran for another 1 yard. This set up a 4th and 3, and a 51 yard field goal attempt to win the game. Prater would line up, take the kick, and complete another amazing comeback for the Broncos, who are now 8-5. Tebow will get it done. He will motivate his teammates and impossible will happen. He finished going 21 for 40 for 236 yards, a TD, and an INT. He added 12 carries for 49 yards. He has led the Broncos to three OT wins this season, and 6 wins in a row. He is 7-1 as a starter this season. Tebow is captivating the nation with what he is doing, and whether you love him or hate him, it is amazing to watch.

Broncos (-3.5) Loss

Vikings vs. Lions
This was a very close game. Surprisingly, the Vikings started to get back in the game after Ponder was removed. Ponder had turned the ball over three times, and was battling an injury coming into the game. The Lions scored 31 points before halftime, and held a 31-14 lead at the break. The Vikings added a TD in the third and fourth quarter, as the Lions would only add a field goal in the fourth. The Vikings had a chance at the end of the game. They were faced with a 4th and 6 on Detroit's 12 yard line. They picked up 10 yards to get down to the 2, where they took a timeout with 9 seconds left. Webb, who replaced Ponder, was sacked all the way back at the 11, and then fumbled to end the game. The Lions held on to this one, but it was not easy. They hold the last spot in the NFC playoff picture as of now.
Lions (-10) Loss

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Chiefs vs. Jets
The New York Jets are in control of their own fate. They currently sit in the final playoff spot in the AFC. If they win out, they will make the playoffs. They have to play the Eagles next week in Philadelphia, the Giants at the Meadowlands on Christmas eve, and the Dolphins to end the season. Today, the Jets did what they were supposed to in this game...dominate a bad team. They destroyed Palko in this game, sacking him five times. They Jets performed a perfect bootleg for Sanchez to score the first TD of the game. He then connected to Holmes for a 4 yard TD. Greene ran all over the Chiefs, and would score the next TD, making it 21-3. LT made brilliant moves on a pass from Sanchez to weave past defenders, and score on a 19 yard TD. They led 28-3 at the half. Sanchez rushed for another TD in the 3rd capping off a great game where he went 13/21 for 181 yards and 2 TDs. He also ran for 2 TDs. Greene led the team in rushing and receiving, carrying 24 times for 129 yards and a TD, and adding 3 catches for 58 yards. He is key to the Jets success should they make the playoffs. Similar to last year, the Jets lose Jim Leonhard in this one, probably for the season. If they just keep winning, they will attempt another improbable run in the playoffs.
Jets (-11) Win

Colts vs. Ravens
The Ravens did what they were supposed to against a winless team this week. The Ravens won this one by two TDs. They took a 17-0 lead, and gave up a TD as time expired to make the final score 24-10. The Ravens remain in the lead of the AFC North, and currently are in second place in the AFC playoff picture, trailing only Houston.
Colts (+17) Win

Saints vs. Titans
The Saints hung onto a 22-17 lead as time expired in this one. The Titans received the ball back with 1:34 left, and Locker, who replaced Hasselbeck who left with a strained left calf, completed a 40 yard pass to Nate Washington who pinballed off defenders to the 5 yard line. Locker had a slant to Mariani defended perfectly by Porter, who swatted it down to protect the lead. Locker would have one more try, but he could not find anyone open, and ended up getting sacked to end the game. The Saints needed a road win and got it here. Brees had another great day, going 36 for 47, for 337 yards and 2 TDs. Ivory stepped in with Ingram out, with 13 carries for 53 yards. Colston had 7 catches for 105 yards and a TD. Locker replaced Hasselbeck going 13 for 29 for 282 yards and a TD. The Titans (7-6) with this loss, fell to 7th place in the AFC, and are now behind the Jets for the final playoff spot.
Saints (-4) Win

Texans vs. Bengals

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This game came down to the final seconds. This was a key matchup to the AFC playoff picture, with the Bengals trying to hold on to their playoff spot. The Texans were trailing 16-3 at halftime, and 19-10 with under six minutes left in the game. They hit a field goal, and then get the ball back after the Bengals couldn't do anything. They took the ball over with 2:33 left and 80 yards to go. T.J Yates drove down field, accounting for all 80 yards and throwing a 6 yard TD to Kevin Walter with 2 seconds left in the game to give Houston a 20-19 win. This opens things up in the AFC for the playoffs. Houston clinched the division with the win and the Titans loss. The Bengals now sit in 8th place, two spots out of the playoffs. It might be their year next season, but it looks like this young team is just tired out now at this point of the season.
Texans (+3) Win

Eagles vs. Dolphins
The Eagles dominated against the Dolphins today, after the Fins took a quick 7-0 lead. Philly went on to score 24 unanswered points, and won 26-10. Vick returned in this game for 208 yards, 1 TD and 1 pick. The Eagles now hope to play spoiler to the Jets next week when they return home.

Dolphins (-3) Loss

Patriots vs. Redskins
This game was as I predicted, close from beginning to end, and high scoring. Brady threw for 357 yards, 3 TDs and 1 INT. The interception came in the endzone, and almost allowed for the Redskins to tie the game. Grossman would drive down the field with 6:30 left and trailing by a TD. They got to the New England 5, when Grossman threw what looked like a game tying TD, but ended up being offensive pass interference on Moss. The Redskins came up short on the next two plays, and would lose the game when Grossman's pass was tipped off of Moss's fingers, and landed in the hands of Mayo. The Redskins played them close and had the lead at two points in the game. They had the game tied at 27 in the fourth as well. The Redskins played tough, but in the end, Brady and the Patriots succeeded again. Gronkowski broke the tight end record for TDs in a season, as he had a ridiculous game, reeling in 6 catches for 160 yards and 2 TDs. New England (10-3) are in 3rd place overall in the AFC.
Redskins (+9) Win

Falcons vs. Panthers
You wouldn't know it by the final score, but Atlanta was trailing 23-7 at halftime. The Falcons must have felt themselves slipping out of the playoffs, because they played with a bit of desperation in the second half. They cut into the lead with a field goal, and then Matt Ryan hit Jacquizz Rodgers for a 31 yard TD. That sparked the offense, as they were only trailing 23-17. Julio Jones had been very quiet, until Matt Ryan started finding him in the fourth. He caught a 17 yard TD pass a couple minutes into the fourth, which gave Atlanta a 24-23 lead. Ryan connected again with Jones, this time for a 75 yard TD to make it a 31-23 game. With just over four minutes remaining, Cam Newton connected with Steve Smith for a 48 yard pass, to give the Panthers a chance. Cam couldn't connect on the next four passes, and the Panthers came up short in this one. Matt Ryan had a huge game, with 320 yards and 4 TDs. Jones had 3 catches for 104 yards and 2 TDs and White had 7 catches for 84 yards and a TD. Gonzalez once again impressed, with 7 catches for 82 yards. Newton had 276 yards, 2 TDs, and 2 INTs. He added 36 yards rushing. Steve Smith continued to impress with 125 more yards. The Panthers fall to 4-9, and the Falcons are now 8-5. Atlanta stays in the final 6 for the playoffs in the NFC with this win.
Panthers (+3) Loss

Buccaneers vs. Jaguars
Tampa Bay was leading 14-0, before the Jags came back for 42 unanswered points. Both these teams are well out of the playoff hunt, but the Jags still impressed with their play in this game. The highlight of this game was MJD, scoring 4 TDs, 2 passing and 2 receiving.
Bucs (-3) Loss

49ers vs. Cardinals
The 49ers went into Arizona and fell victim to the Cardinals home field advantage. Arizona is 6-7 overall, but are 4-2 at home. Kolb left the game with a head injury and Skelton did a good job filling in for him. Skelton had 282 yards, 3 TDs and 2 INTs. San Fran had a 6-0 lead, before Skelton connected with Doucet on a 60 yard TD. Akers added two more field goals for the 49ers before the half, to give the 49ers a 12-7 lead at halftime. Gore broke out for a 37 yard run to make it 19-7 in the third. Arizona would strike back with a 46 yard TD pass from Skelton to Fitzgerald to bring them within 5. In the fourth, Skelton connected with Roberts for a 3 yard TD, to give the Cardinals a 21-19 lead, the score by which they won it. The 49ers stumbled on the road here and gave away the lead, but they have clinched the division already and currently sit in second place in the NFC playoff picture, with a 10-3 record.
49ers (-4) Loss

Raiders vs. Packers
There is really not much to say here, except the Packers are on their way to a perfect regular season. They dismantled the Raiders, scoring 34 points before the Raiders were able to put up any points. Ryan Grant started the scoring with a 47 yard TD run, and would finish with 85 yards and 2 TDs. Rodgers had 281 yards, 2 TDs, and a pick. The Packers lost Greg Jennings with a possible torn MCL. The Packers are playing on an unbelievable level right now that no team can match. For the Raiders, Palmer had 4 interceptions, and with all their injuries, seem to be falling out of the playoff picture fast. They sit in 9th place in the AFC, with a 7-6 record.
Packers (-13) Win

Bills vs. Chargers
The Chargers dominated this game, leading 16-0 at halftime, and winning 37-10. Rivers was 24 for 33 with 240 yards and 3 TDs. Ryan Mathews continued to run wild, with 114 yards on 20 carries. The Chargers now sit at 6-7, and the Bills are at 5-8, losers of six straight. Both these teams are pretty much out of the playoff hunt.
Chargers (-7) Win

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Monday Night Football
Rams vs. Seahawks
This one has no playoff implications for either team, but the Seahwaks will believe if they win out and have a lot of help, then maybe they have a chance. I don't see it though. The Seahwaks this season, are a better team, especially at home. They are going to win this game and depending on if Bradford plays, will determine how much they will win by. If Bradford doesn't play I think it will be a big win for Seattle, but if Bradford plays, I can see St. Louis sticking around. Steven Jackson has been doing nothing for the Rams since week 11, so he doesn't look like he will be a factor. He had three huge games prior to week 11, so maybe he has hit a wall. As for Seattle, Lynch is coming off his best game of the season, piling up 148 yards rushing and 2 TDs against the Eagles. Seattle also has extra rest, so I am taking Seattle to cover in this one. They are the better team.

Update: The Seahawks dominated in this game, winning 30-13. They continue to keep their slim playoff hopes alive, now sitting at 6-7. The will need to win out if they want to stay in contention. Lynch continues to put up crazy numbers, this week piling up 115 yards and a TD. The Rams continue to struggle, and Bradford is having a season he wishes he could forget.
Seahawks (-10) Win

TNF- Browns (+14.5) Win http://nargonsports.blogspot.com/2011/12/thursday-night-football-week-14.html

Week 14 Record: 10-6
Season Record: 31-30-1

Week 14 @ The Half

2011-12-11T14:29:00.005-05:00

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The Jets are dismantling the Chiefs today at the Meadowlands, 28-3. Sanchez is 13/17, 181 yards and 2 TDs. Greene started the game with a 31 yard run, and has 67 yards so far with a TD. Greene also leads the team in receiving yards with 58. Tomlinson has 50 yards receiving and a TD. The Jets D is destroying Palko, and he might not complete too many more passes against them today. Houston has not been able to put many points on the board. Yates is efficient, 9/16, 129 yards, but has an INT. Foster has not been able to get it going, only 31 rushing yards on 9 attempts. Tate has 5 for 52. Cedric Benson already has 92 yards rushing as the Bengals lead 13-3. In Carolina, Atlanta took an early 7-0 lead, but the Panthers have stormed back to take a 23-7 lead at halftime. Cam Newton is leading the way with 147 yards and 2 TDs. In Miami, Philly fell behind early, but have scored 24 consecutive points, to make it 24-7. The Titans are playing the Saints tough at home, but the Saints still lead with a late field goal, 6-3. Hasselback was taken out of the game with a calf injury. Jake Locker has come in at QB. In Washington, New England tied the game 20-20 as time expired in the half. Grossman is having a good game, besides an endzone fumble early on the was picked up by New England for a TD. Tampa Bay is losing 28-14 to the Jaguars in Florida. Baltimore is handling the Colts at home, and Detroit has put up 31 against the Petersonless Vikings.

UFC 140 Recap

2011-12-11T00:49:00.003-05:00

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Jon "Bones" Jones vs. Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida

The main event was living up to be an exciting thriller. Machida was using his speed and ability to jump in and out of danger perfectly hitting the champ like he never has been, even staggering him in a small flurry. It seemed that Machida was becoming looser, and waiting for the next opportunity to strike. Round 2 would start off the same and after an initial stuffed takedown, the champ would eventually get one. A small cut would lead to a quick doctor check but nothing else. Once the they resumed Machida worked his way back to his feet and was caught with a quick left, as he went with the right. He fell to his knees but quickly popped up. However he left his neck exposed, which allowed the champ to latch on a guillotine and elevate Machida's neck. He refused to tap and after about 8 seconds went to sleep and so did his dreams of regaining the title. This makes Jones the first champ since Liddell to have at least two straight title defenses, now lets see if he can make to four like Liddell. This win capped an amazing year that saw Jones defeat the likes of Ryan Bader, Shogun, Rampage Jackson, and now Lyoto Machida.

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Frank Mir vs. Minotauro Nogueria

The co-main event was a very anticipated rematch between Frank Mir and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueria. In the rematch Nogueria was looking to prove a point, that his illness in the first fight rendered him unable to perform at a top level, which eventually lead to his loss. Well it seemed to be that he was telling the truth as he was quick with his punches and used excellent head movement. Pushing Frank Mir up against to the cage to possibly look for the takedown. A minute later and the former champ had Frank Mir in a world of trouble with a 1-2 combo that left his foe on rubbery legs falling to the ground. The followup punches almost made the ref jump in and stop the contest. Mir would go on to survive and secure a kimura from the bottom rolling Nogueria over several times before snapping his shoulder, and prompting the stoppage.

Tito Ortiz vs. Lil Nog

The first main fight of the next scheduled three began with Tito Ortiz facing Lil Nog. Ortiz did exactly as expected coming out strong with a few punches putting his opponent against the fence to try to work for a takedown. That tactic seemed to be going well for Tito in the opening minute until Lil Nog pushed off the fence and blasted Tito with a left hand. It obviously hurt him, but the way he covers asked for Nogueria to swarm all over him and eventually hit him with a knee to the stomach, the same area where Machida and Rashad had him hurt. While turtling on the ground covering his face, Nogueria teed away at his ribs with about five straight punches that left the ref no choice but to halt the action giving him the TKO win. Tito was grimacing in pain and very slow to rise from the ground that left many to wonder if he broke his ribs.

Brian Ebersole vs Claude Patrick

Brian Ebersole vs Claude Patrick proved to be what I expected, both men trying there best to get the win, with Ebersole on occasion inviting him to stand and trade. However after 3 long rounds of what turned out to be a wrestling match with dirty boxing, a winner was announced. Ebersole ended up taking a split decision victory but not after some thrilling submission attempts in the final minutes of round 3, attempted by Patrick. This contest was extremely close with two major mma websites having different decision winners as well.

Chan Sung Jung vs. Mark Hominick

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UFC 140 Bones vs Machida proved to be one of the more entertaining pay per view cards in a long time. The card started off with the Canadian Mark Hominick fighting in front of a home crowd, but for him his entrance was longer than his actual fight. In what looked to be a little cheap shot hook thrown right after touching gloves, the Korean Zombie blasted him with a straight right, that staggered him and planted him on his butt. A few follow punches notched Chan Sung Jung with a TKO victory 7 seconds into the very first round. It looks that I was little off when I said that Sung is not a striker and should stop acting like he is.

Written by Andrew Consiglio
Andrew Consiglio contributes his MMA expertise to nargonsports.blogspot.com. He has a wealth of
MMA knowledge and will lend his MMA analysis to my site periodically.

UFC 140 Preview and Predictions

2011-12-10T09:39:00.003-05:00

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Written by Andrew Consiglio
Andrew Consiglio contributes his MMA expertise to nargonsports.blogspot.com. He has a wealth of
MMA knowledge and will lend his MMA analysis to my site periodically.

UFC Light Heavyweight Championship Match

Jonny Bones Jones vs. Lyoto Machida
This weekends heavily anticipated matchup in UFC features Jonny Bones Jones and Lyoto Machida. Lyoto Machida made a run, tearing through the division and taking out a highly touted Thiago Silva. He then captured the belt from Evans in a fantastic display of takedown defense and timing. Since losing the belt in brutal fashion, he was been on a journey to recapture the gold. On the other side is the young, talented Jon Jones, who has walked through every challenge thrown his way, with relative ease. Stylistic wise, this will be interesting. Jon Jones is tall for a light heavyweight, with long limbs as shown in his last fight with Rampage Jackson, where he kept his arms out in a way similar to how Shogun does. He also kept his distance, a display of leg kicks that left his hard hitting opponent from landing any power strikes against him. Jon Jones is a fantastic wrestler who has taken down every single person he has faced. The only person who has ever stuffed one of his takedowns was Quinton Rampage Jackson. His takedown defense in the octagon sits at 100 percent with never being put on his own back. So how does Machida bring something to the table that no other person has been able to?

Machida is an elusive fighter who has a karate stance and unorthodox striking. Unlike any other opponent he keeps his distance and has excellent timing. He throws punches unlike any other. He has a hard hitting straight left that he throws which is normally set up by his excellent kicks to the legs and midsection. While charging forward he also likes to lunge with a knee. He has a killer instinct and knows when to attack. When he knocked out Evans he was relentless. When Jackson was hurt he flurried with kicks and punches. On another note he has excellent takedown defense himself, stopping Rashad Evans and many others. With so much to offer though I do not see him winning and that is based on one fact, Jon Jones ability to use that long reach. We saw him duck, sprint, and weave out of danger from Ryan Bader to Rampage Jackson. While getting hit more and taking some punishment from Machida, more than any other fighter he has faced, the outcome will be the same. Jon Jones will catch him off guard with his own takedown and grind out a TKO to retain the title. However with that said, because of all the attributes I listed for Machida, if he were able to win, it will go down in the second round with lunging straights and lefts knocking out Jon Jones.

Frank Mir vs Antonio Nogueria

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Frank Mir vs Antonio Nogueria is a rematch from a 2008 match, in which Mir knocked out the former champ in an interim title fight between the two. That fight showcased a stand up game displayed by Frank Mir. Nogueria, who has always stood with little head movement, has paid the price for it over his long fighting career. A man known for taking all the abuse in the world and never being able to be finished was finished in their first fight. He was then completely demolished by Cain Velasquez.
Going into the Schuab fight, I was sure he was going to get Tko'd again but he shocked the world by absorbing some powerful blows and scoring a knockout. Frank Mir though is slowly climbing the ladder to retain a title shot. After a knockout over Mirko Cro Cop and a dominate decision win against Roy Nelson, he is on a winning streak and it won't be stopped in this rematch. Frank Mir has only gotten better in the stand up game and sadly I see this fight playing out the same way that the first one did. Look for Mir to be bouncing around on his feet and picking his shots, dropping Nogueria in the first round. He will finish him in the 2nd in a classic repeat, almost identical to the first one. I don't expect to see that much BJJ being used in this fight especially since Mir knows that he can beat him on the feet.

Tito Ortiz vs. Lil Nog

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Tito Ortiz Vs Lil Nog is another great fight with good action. Tito Ortiz has rebounded after a long drought in his career and notched a win against Ryan Bader. This led up to a rematch with Rashad Evans that he took on a few weeks notice and lost, so that will be overlooked since he stepped up when others didn't. However father time has not been nice to Tito Ortiz who has already had a lot of surgeries in the past which has seemed to take a toll on his wrestling. While he is still capable of taking people down, his explosiveness that resembled that of Josh Koscheck and St. Pierre, has vanished. After losing to Frank Shamrock due to gassing out in the 4th round, Tito would become known to never tire again. However we did not see that out of him in his last couple of fights. In his rematch against Griffin, he stood there like a brick in round 3. In the rematch against Evans, he did not move in the beginning of round 2. Tito's striking, at best, has always been mediocre. Lil Nog is a great BJJ artist and has won many boxing championships in Brazil. He is looking to rebound from two straight defeats from Ryan Bader and Phil Davis. Both men are powerhouse wrestlers which has always been his weakness. In a fight of the year performance back in Pride when he took on Shogun, he was taken down multiple times and lost a hard fought decision. In the Phil Davis fight, he actually seemed to defend the double leg continuously throughout the fight. Until Davis found that a single he could not defend, and from the point on, the take downs were nonstop whenever one was attempted. However since Tito Ortiz is no longer on that level of wrestling, he will lose this fight in a hard fought decision. Look for him to due well in the early round and to drop the next two due to a draining gas tank and sub par wrestling.

Mark Hominick vs. Chan Jung Sung

Mark Hominick vs. Chan Jung Sung is an interesting match up because Mark Hominick was at the top of his game coming off a gutsy performance against Jose Aldo in the bid for a title. In the process he racked up four straight wins, showcasing an ever improving ground game and as always, top level kick boxing, knocking out George Roop and Yves Jabouin. His striking is going to be the key to victory. He needs to set up leg strikes and punches to catch the Korean Zombie off track and score a knockout much like George Roop did in his encounter. Throughout his career it seems that he struggles with good grapplers though he lost tough battles to Hatsu Hioki, Rani Yahya, and Mike Brown. Chang Jung Sung is a great grappler and can hang with the best of them as long as he remembers that he is a grappler. Look for some intense moments where both men will be in trouble and Chan Jung "The Korean Zombie" Sung winning a close decision.

Brian Ebersole vs. Claude Patrick

Brian Ebersole is a journeymen with 60 pro MMA fights before he made his debut in the UFC. He dominated Chris Lytle and then went on to knockout Dennis "Superman" Hallman. His strengths though is his striking, something that he invites fighters to try against him. Much like how Donald Cerrone does a little of everything, so does Ebersole, who will go for submissions and takedowns should they appear. His only weakness right now is his takedown defense because in the early minutes of his fight with Hallman, he was being outclassed in the grappling and ground game. Claude Patrick is a great wrestler and submission artist already, going 2-0 against Ultimate Fighter winner James Wilks and talented submission artist Daniel Roberts. This fight will be no different then the rest as he will take down and grind out Ebersole for 3 straight rounds and secure a fight ending submission late into the third to keep his octagon record perfect at 3-0

Week 14 Preview and Picks

2011-12-09T16:47:00.006-05:00

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Week 14

Game of the Week

Giants vs. Cowboys
The Giants are coming off a thrilling game against the Packers that they almost won. They now play their biggest game of the year against the Cowboys. A win for the Giants means they will hold the lead in the NFC East. A win for the Cowboys pretty much ends the Giants season, as they will fall 2 games back. They do have another matchup this year against each other, but a lot will have to happen for the Giants to lose this and still be in contention when they meet again. Dallas is coming off a loss that they should have won in Arizona. I think they respond well in this game against the Giants, but it will not be easy. Both teams have electric offenses that can explode with one play. With the Giants getting Bradshaw back last week, we saw Jacobs run the ball well again. When he is used in a secondary role, Jacobs is very effective, and last week carried 8 times for 59 yards and a TD. The Giants need to keep the pressure on the Dallas defense, the same way they did against the Packers. If they play as well as they did against the Packers, then they will win. They need to play with their A game for the second week in a row. Dallas needs to get the loss out of their heads from last week and focus on this weeks game. A win here gives them control of the division, and both teams have tremendous opportunities in front of them. I have a feeling that the Giants win this game. But both teams have something rare that we don't see with many teams...they each have three great wide receivers. For the Giants, it looks like Manningham will play. And for the Cowboys, it looks like Austin will play. Nicks, Manningham, and Cruz on one side, and Austin, Bryant, and Robinson on the other? That can only mean both QBs throwing over 300 yards and a high scoring game. It is going to be a shootout, with the Cowboys utilizing Murray more this week than last, and finding Dez Bryant and using his height and physicality to pull in a few extra catches. The Giants will mix it up with Bradshaw and Jacobs as well as the aerial attack. This game might go back and forth a few times, but after 60 minutes, the Giants will come away as the leaders of the NFC East.
Giants (+3)

Vikings vs. Lions
The Vikings will be without Peterson. Ponder is playing, but he is reportedly hobbling in the warmups. I think it is going to be tough for him to have a good game, even he has said he probably won't be 100 percent. The Lions have lost three of their last four and five of their last seven. Detroit is 5th in the league in passing yards and Minnesota is 26th in passing yards allowed, so on paper, the Lions should win this game easily. Ponder has been utilizing Harvin very nicely lately. Last week he had 156 yards with 2 TDs, and in the last 3 weeks has 4 TDs. He has also had five rushing carries per game the last three week, adding to his total yards each week. Stafford is turning the ball over at a ridiculous rate, 10 picks in his last 4 games. He has to play a bit safer and not give the Vikings opportunities on defense. I do not think the Ponder will be able to have a good game battling the injury, so I will take the Lions here.
Lions (-10)

Bears vs. Broncos

The Broncos are favored in this game by 3.5. I think this is just about where this game is going to be. I am taking Tebow again, of course, but I do think it will be close. The Bears have a great defense so Tebow will have to find ways to pick it apart and confuse them. If the Bears get to Tebow more often than he can escape them, then the Bears will win this game, but I think that Tebow will be able to make a few big plays and win this one. It helps that Chicago is without a QB and without Forte. Forte is a huge loss for them and without him, the rushing duties fall on Marion Barber. He will have a good game, but not good enough to carry them to victory. I think that the Broncos are going to have to start embracing that they are a good team, and they are going to start beating teams before they get to the fourth quarter. This might be their chance to do that at home against the depleted Bears. I think the Amazing Tebows do it again and grab a firm hold on the AFC West.
Broncos (-3.5)

Chiefs vs. Jets
The Jets need to keep winning to keep their playoff chances alive. Sanchez and the Jets were able to get through some rough spots in Washington last week, and hold on for the victory. They seemed to start to click at the end of the game, so hopefully it carries over into this one. The Jets however always make it interesting. But the Chiefs offense right now is so bad, that it is hard to think the Jets will not win by at least 10. Sanchez is starting to find Holmes again, and this is pivotal to New York's success. Greene returned to his playoff form last week, with 3 TDs. If he has gotten his groove back then they Jets will win this game easily. Greene and Sanchez seem to do better when the pressure is on, and at this point in the season, the pressure is certainly on. Even if the Jets win out, they are not guaranteed a playoff spot, so it is essential that they win the games they need to win. This one should allow them to figure some things out, but they have to stay focused, and not overlook this game, with a game in Philadelphia looming next weekend.
Jets (-11)

Colts vs. Ravens
Ravens are 17 point favorites in this one. The Colts won't win this game, but they won't lost by 17 either. Flacco is not that explosive of a quarterback to make it a guaranteed blowout win. The Ravens are playing to keep in front of the Steelers for the division. A loss would put then behind them, and a win will match the Steelers 10-3 record, thus keeping the Ravens in first due to the tiebreaker.
Colts (+17)

Texans vs. Bengals
The Bengals are starting to tire out it seems. They are a young team with Dalton at QB, and Green leading the way at WR. The Texans are going to rely heavily on Foster and Tate in this one, and Foster will play a big role in the passing game as well. As it stands now, both these teams would make the playoffs, but coming down the stretch, the Bengals really need wins. They have 3 teams tied with them and as long as they keep winning, they will make it. I think that Yates has been decent at QB for Houston, but I think he will check down to Foster a lot in this game, and they will be able to pull out the win. I have been picking the Bengals all year, but I think they are showing signs of fatigue and the Texans have the running game to beat the Bengals on the road in this game.
Texans (+3)

Saints vs. Titans
The Titans are in the middle of a playoff race for the last spot in the AFC. They currently sit in a 4 way tie with a 7-5 record, but are in 7th as of now, one spot out of the playoffs. They sit behind the Bengals, who look a bit tired, and might give some ground here in the final few weeks. The Titans have an easy schedule going forward, but they need to get this game at home. Chris Johnson has suddenly found his form of a couple years ago the last couple weeks, and has made the Titans very relevant in playoff talks. They even have an outside chance at their division if Houston loses some games down the stretch. They have a real test this week with New Orleans coming in red hot. They have won four in a row, and are staking their claim on the NFC South. They are without Ingram this week, but they have Sproles. Sproles plays a huge role in the backfield when it comes to making catches and will now get a few more carries in the rushing department. The biggest advantage for the Saints? Drew Brees. In his last 3 games, he has put up 322, 363, and 343 yards starting three weeks ago in Atlanta. He has 9 TDs during that stretch and no interceptions. He is playing at a very high level and I think they he will be able to go to Tennessee and have another huge game. I like the Saints because of the Brees factor.
Saints (-4)

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Eagles vs. Dolphins
Dolphins continue to play hard for Sparano, sensing his job is on the line. The team is clicking and it is hard to pick against them. They are the favorites in this one, as both teams enter with a 4-8 record. The Eagles have extra rest this week, after their embarrassing loss to the Seahawks last week, but I think the Dolphins still have the advantage in this game.
Dolphins (-3)

Patriots vs. Redskins
I think this game will be closer than people think. The Redskins are playing a lot better with Grossman at QB. Moss is going to have a big game Sunday against the Patriots with Davis not playing while he is suspended. The Patriots will win the AFC East, and Washington will not make the playoffs, but I do think the Redskins will play hard and put up a good amount of points against New England at home. The Patriots have been playing great football and are due for a close game every now and then. Redskins play them tough in this one, and keep it within 9.
Redskins (+9)

Falcons vs. Panthers
Falcons are coming off a loss in Houston, in a game that saw Matt Ryan have a very uncharacteristic game. He started very slow which allowed them to fall behind and they couldn't recover. Atlanta now sits in the last playoff spot in the NFC and will need to win these games coming up. The Giants and Detroit are trying to claim a spot, so they need to keep up with their game. The Panthers are coming off two straight road wins and Cam Newton is playing at a high level right now. I think they play this game very close, maybe even can get a win here at home against Atlanta. I think Newton has the tools to win, he will just need a little bit of help from the bad defense of the Panthers.
Panthers (+3)

Buccaneers vs. Jaguars
This is going to be a rough game to watch. The Bucs are the better team though, they just are not putting up the wins this year. The Jags came out strong last week on Monday Night Football against the Chargers, but quickly lost the lead and got blown out. They are not better than the Bucs, and I think the Bucs win this game on the road against Jacksonville.
Bucs (-3)

49ers vs. Cardinals
The Cardinals should have lost last week, but won in overtime against Dallas. Arizona did play a great game to keep it manageable against Dallas, but I think the 49ers are playing on another level right now. They are storming through the NFC, and I think they go into Arizona and win this one easily.
49ers (-4)

Raiders vs. Packers
The Packers are playing great and the Raiders are still without McFadden. Moore and Ford are going to be out another week, so Palmer does not have many weapons once again. The Packers are coming off the exhilarating win in the Meadowlands against the Giants and now return home to Lambeau in December. This has all the makeup to be a blowout, even with the Packers being without Starks this week in practice. The Packers are on their way to a perfect regular season, and this game won't have any hiccup potential for them. Rodgers picks apart the Raiders in this one, and has another great game.
Packers (-13)

Bills vs. Chargers
The Bills continue to lose, as they have lost 5 straight games and 7 of their last 9. They are going to San Diego to play a Chargers team that dismantled the Jags last week. There might be a lot of points scored in this game, but with jobs on the line in San Diego, I think the Chargers finally put some heart into their game and win this one at home. Rivers and Mathews were way too good on Monday night to think that they won't continue against a bad Bills defense.
Chargers (-7)

Check back for my Monday Night Football pick!

Stern's Court

2011-12-09T09:44:00.001-05:00

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It looked like a very fair trade in the NBA yesterday, that sent Chris Paul to team up with Koke Bryant on the Lakers, Lamar Odom, Kevin Martin, and Luis Scola to the Hornets, and Pau Gasol to the Rockets. David Stern inexplicably vetoed the trade in a move that is causing outrage throughout the league. The real thoughts of reversing this trade started when Cavs owner, Dan Gilbert emailed Stern. Gilbert is a joke to begin with, so if Stern really did decide to veto a perfectly fine trade based on this guy, then it makes Stern look worse.
Ultimately, the point is that Stern pulled the trigger on the veto and it has sent shockwaves through the NBA. The last thing the NBA needed after a long lockout, was more drama with the owners and David Stern. Stern came off as power hungry and egotistical during the CBA negotiations, not fearing a year without basketball because he was in favor of making more money for his owners and thus, himself. Stern now has done the unthinkable, and taken a fair trade and blocked it from happening. What does this mean for the NBA now and the teams and players involved?

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Let's start with the players involved. It is already being reported that Paul will not report to the Hornets camp on Friday. Odom has spoken publicly about his thoughts on the trade, and his feelings on the Lakers after he thought he would end his career there and then learning of the trade through media outlets. As for the owners, they are split on this, some in favor and some not. The NBA as a whole is completely split on this issue. It is going to be interesting to see how fans in these markets respond. The league is receiving tremendous backlash already, and who knows if Stern will fold under pressure again...I wouldn't put it past him to reverse the trade again. I think in the end, Stern's way is the only way, and the NBA looks like a joke.
It is unbelievable to think that this can happen in a professional sports league. The Hornets made a trade that would help their future after Chris Paul. Now what? Paul will leave next year, and the Hornets will be left with nothing. In the meantime, Paul is considering a lawsuit, all of the players involved are outraged, owners are sending emails and acting like they are working hand in hand with Stern and are calling the shots. All of which makes the league look like a joke. Stern made a ridiculous mistake. Today, people would be talking about the great 3 way trade that took place, and how New Orleans salvaged their franchise with this trade. Instead, the Hornets look like they will be left with nothing. Stern needs to figure some things out because this whole situation is a disaster. More details will come out and Stern will make up some ridiculous story, but what he did was ludicrous and this story will not go away for a while. The reality now is that these players will have to return to teams that they feel like do not want them. Stern could not handle the pressure from owners, who were simply mad because they couldn't get a trade done to land Paul on their team. Gilbert after all, knows what it is like to lose a player and get nothing back, when he lost LeBron James. Why would anyone want to see it happen to another organization? If it was another owner's team involved, they would not be calling the commissioner and crying for him to use his powers to unjustifiably veto this trade. The ball is in Stern's court, lets see if he can do anything (allow the trade) to bring some respect back to the NBA.

#24 Harvard vs. #9 UCONN

2011-12-08T17:01:00.001-05:00

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Harvard is the first team from the Ivy League to ever be ranked in the top 25. They have a very deep team that can compete in games and stay close. This matchup against UCONN though is going to be tough game to win. UCONN is playing at home where they have a 38 game non-conference winning streak. UCONN will be facing a team in the top 25 for the second time this year as they took #20 Florida State to overtime a couple weeks ago and ended up winning by two. I think this game might be close for a while because UCONN tends to let teams stick around. They will be able to beat Harvard tonight though. Although Harvard has a very deep team, they do not match up well against Connecticut. Harvard's numbers are not in line with their national ranking. They are 191st in the country in scoring and 252nd in the nation in rebounding. Connecticut on the other hand ranks 63rd and 22nd in those categories.
Look for Freshman Andre Drummond to rebound from a bad game against Arkansas. His previous two games before Arkansas were his best of the year, so look for him to get back into form at home tonight. Lamb continues to play well, so look for another good game from him. The wild card for UCONN is Shabazz Napier, he continues to be inconsistent. His last five games points totals: 22,23,4,26,9. He will have to have more consistent games going forward. In his 4 point game, he turned the ball over 7 times, which can't happen with a team who is defending the national title. Tyler Olander, who really started to stand out during the Big East tournament last year, is having a good season for the Huskies. He leads the team in rebounds with 6.6 per game and has been playing solid, useful minutes all year. This game tonight will be exciting and it will be interesting to see just how good Harvard is as they play the national champs in Storrs tonight.

Thursday Night Football Week 14

2011-12-08T02:11:00.006-05:00

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Browns vs. Steelers

This is going to be a one sided game. The Browns allow the second most rushing yards per game in the league, 151. Their offense is abysmal with only 197 passing yards per game and 94 rushing yards a game, good for 24th and 30th respectively. Hillis is expected to start, and they will probably rely on their running game often. Big Ben should have his way with the Browns in this one and I would look for one or two big plays to Wallace. In addition to Wallace, look for Mendenhall to have a big night. With a bad rushing defense, Mendenhall should be able to break off some big runs. The Steelers have won 8 of their last 9 and are trying to get ahead of the Ravens to win the division. A big key to their success has been their great defense. They have only allowed 177 yards per game passing, 2nd best, and 97 yards rushing, 7th best. The line on this game is 14.5 and although the Steelers will win this game, it is possible for the Browns to keep it within 2 TDs. The Steelers have not been punishing teams and the Browns have only lost two games this year by over 14 points. I will take the Browns to lose by 2 TDs or less in this game.

Browns (+14.5)

Halftime: Steelers lead at half, but lose Big Ben

Ben Roethlisberger left the game with a little over five minutes to go in the half. He got hit by two Browns, and his ankle was caught under them. He was helped off the field and Batch took over for him at QB. Before leaving he was 8 for 9 for 102 yards and a TD. Both teams are struggling to get it going on offense but the Browns are keeping it close. If Big Ben stays out, then maybe the Browns have a chance to get out in front in this game. The Pittsburgh defense has looked pretty good, minus a draw that got the Browns 28 yards. With or without Big Ben, it is going to be an uphill battle. This could be bad news for the Steelers, but we will have to watch how the injury progresses. We'll see how the Steelers defense responds and if they can carry the team.
Injury Update: X-rays negative on Big Ben, he is limping, but playing in the second half.

FINAL: Steelers win on Thursday Night, 14-3
The Browns were able to keep it close until McCoy threw an interception in the endzone late in the fourth quarter, as the Browns were threatening to take the lead. The Steelers finally broke out a big play on offense after the turnover, a 79 yard TD from Roethlisberger to Brown. Until the 79 yard touchdown it had been a 7-3 game since the first quarter. The Steelers let the Browns stick close, something the Steelers let teams do far too often. This will be something that might come back to haunt them come playoff time. But tonight, they got it done. It wasn't pretty, it wasn't dominant, but it was a win. The Browns played a tough game and gave it their best effort. McCoy took a few hits in this one that drew personal fouls, including a helmet to helmet hit from James Harrison that will probably result in another fine for Harrison. Both these teams took a large amount of abuse in a very physical game. Roethlisberger finished with 280 yards, 2 TDs, and 1 INT as returned after halftime with a bad ankle and visibly limping. Mendenhall finished with 18 carries for 76 yards. The Steelers, at 10-3, continue to fight for the division and keep the pressure on the Ravens.
Browns (+14.5) Win

Check back later in the week for a full preview of week 14 action!

Week 13 Review

2011-12-05T03:40:00.005-05:00

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Packers vs. Giants
What a game. We saw four lead changes in this one, a tied game with 58 seconds left, and a game winning field goal as time expired. The Giants stuck with the Packers all game, and they started the scoring with a 67 yard TD from Eli to Beckum. The Packers responded with a 12 yard TD pass to Finley. After the Giants took a lead on a field goal, Clay Mathews returned a Manning interception for a 38 yard TD to make it 14-10 Green Bay. The Giants would take the lead back on a 1 yard TD run from Jacobs. Rodgers would find Driver with 1:10 left in the half to reclaim the lead going into halftime, 21-17. Rodgers delivered another TD in the third quarter, this time to Greg Jennings to make it 28-17. Manning responded with a 4 yard pass to Nicks to cut the Packers lead to 28-24. Tynes would kick a 50 yard field goal to make it 28-27 in the fourth. Driver found the endzone again with 3:34 left, and Green Bay took a 35-27 lead. The Giants would then drive 66 yards in just over two and a half minutes to make it a 35-33 game on a 2 yard TD from Manning to Nicks. Manning was 5 for 8 for 63 yards on the drive. The Giants converted a two-point conversion on a handoff to Ware to tie it 35-35. The problem with the great drive by Manning? He left Aaron Rodgers 58 seconds. The 58 seconds were more than enough, as Rodgers went 4 for 4 for 68 yards to set up the game winning field goal as time expired. The dagger was the first play of the drive, a 24 yard pass that seemed to suck the life out of the stadium. The next three passes combined for 44 yards, to set up the game winning 30 yard field goal, as time expired. Rodgers finished the game going 28/46, for 369 yards, 4 TDs, and 1 INT. He also led the team in rushing yards, with 32. Jennings and Nelson had 94 yards, to go along with Finely's 87. Eli Manning went 23/40 with 3 TDs and 1 INT. Jacobs ran for 59 yards and a TD, and Bradshaw had 38 yards. Victor Cruz once again put on a show, with 7 catches for 119 yards. Nicks had 88 yards and 2 TDs. This game was one for the ages, and was eerily similar to the Giants attempt to break up the Patriots perfect season in week 17 of the 2007 season. They lost by the same score as well. They trailed in the 4th, and fought back to make it a game however. Whenever Rodgers looked in trouble, he scrambled for yards and averted danger. It looks like this was the last true test for the Packers in the regular season as they have Oakland at home, Kansas City on the road, followed by Chicago and Detroit at home. As for the Giants, they prepare for a division matchup against Dallas next week. They face them twice in the final four weeks, so it is completely possible for them to win the division, as they are only one game back of Dallas. If the Giants win out, they are guaranteed to make the playoffs because of the games against Dallas.
Giants (+7) Win

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Jets vs. Redskins
The Jets pulled off another win in the final quarter. They played sloppy all game, but in the fourth quarter when it mattered, they finished off the Skins. Folk hit a big 51 yard field goal in the third to tie it 13-13. The Jets were trailing or tied all game until the fourth quarter, when Sanchez connected on a strike to Santonio Holmes for a 30 yard TD to make it 20-16. After the Jets got to Grossman and sacked him to force a fumble, Greene took the direct snap for a 9 yard touchdown. The game was all but over at that point. Greene would add another 25 yard field with under 2 minutes left. The Jets played a solid fourth quarter, but the rest of the game was a bit painful. They stuck close though, but in reality, they should have been down a lot more at halftime. The Jets remain in the hunt now, sitting in 9th place in the AFC. They will need some losses from the Titans, Raiders, and Bengals for a chance to get in, along with winning almost every game. If they win out, then they should be able to steal a playoff spot. They are all tied with a 7-5 record, but they do not hold any tiebreakers at this moment. For Washington, Grossman had a bad day going 19 for 46 for 221 yards and 1 INT. Helu was the only one to rush the ball in this game for Washington, gaining 100 yards and a TD. For the Jets, Sanchez went 19 for 32 with 165 yards and a TD. His offensive line provided great protection, he was not sacked at all. Greene had 22 carries for 88 yards and 3 TDs. The Jets have Kansas City next week at home. They should beat them easily...I'd like to think.
Jets (-3) Win

Titans vs. Bills
Tennessee jumped out to an early 17-7 lead, that included a 48 yard TD by Chris Johnson. The story of this game, is that Johnson is back to form, rushing 23 times for 153 yards and 2 TDs. Fitzpatrick had 288 yards and a TD for the Bills and Spiller ran for 83 yards and a TD. The Bills were playing from behind the whole game, but couldn't get all the way back. It seems like a long time ago that that Ralph Wilson Stadium was shaking after the Bills came back to beat the Patriots in week 3. They have lost 5 in a row and 7 of their last 9. Tennessee finds themselves in 7th place in the conference, in a 4 way tie at 7-5, but holding the 2nd of the best tiebreakers.
Titans (+1) Win

Chiefs vs. Bears
A 38 yard hail mary batted down into the hands of McCluster at the end of the first half gave the lead to the Chiefs, and they held on to win 10-3. The Chiefs are out of the hunt, but the Bears are now 7-5, and have a big problem at quarterback and have lost Forte for an estimated 2-4 weeks. He suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain. The Bears might not make the playoffs after such a tremendous start to the year with Cutler and Forte. They are going to have to hold off the Giants, Detroit, and Atlanta for the 5th and 6th seed. They currently are in 5th place in the conference.
Chiefs (+8) Win

Raiders vs. Dolphins
Injuries were in fact too much for the Raiders. Wish I never changed my pick on this one, I believed too much in Palmer and Bush. I should of believed in the revived Fins. The Raiders have fallen to 8th place in the conference standings. They have lost the division to the Tebows for good I believe. There is no coming back now. There is something going on in Denver that can not be explained.
Raiders (+3) Loss

Colts vs. Patriots
Looked like it was going to be a blowout, but the Pats relaxed a little and let the UCONN alum rack up so good yards. Still a win that everyone expected here however, just not by as many points as I thought.
Patriots (-21) Loss

Bengals vs. Steelers
Pittsburgh erupted in the 2nd quarter for 28 points, and effectively sucked the life out of the Bengals. Pittsburgh now is tied with Baltimore for the division at 9-3, but as it stands, sit in 5th place in the conference, as they would lose the division by tiebreaker. The Bengals might just be tiring out in these last two games and we should have expected this after last weeks stinker against the Browns. They will have to fight to hold onto the last spot in the playoffs with their 7-5 record.
Bengals (+7) Loss

Falcons vs. Texans
Yates was filling in nicely for Houston, as he was 10 for 17 at the half with 154 yards and a TD, but after halftime went 2 for 8 for 34 yards. He didn't need to do much though, as Foster ran 31 times for 111 yards and a TD, and Tate ran 11 times for 41 yards. Andre Johnson had a big game with 97 yards, before leaving the game with a left hamstring injury. This is not the same hamstring he had previously injured. They believe it is not severe, but he will have an MRI on Monday. This however was a great win for Houston and a bad loss for Atlanta. Matt Ryan went 20/46 for 267 yards, 1 TD and 2 INT. Turner only had 44 yards on the ground. Tony Gonzalez had another great game, 7 catches for 100 yards, but Roddy White only had 51 yards and a TD. Julio Jones returned for 64 yards on 4 catches. It was not enough though, as Houston and Foster proved too much and held off Atlanta to win a big game at home. Atlanta currently holds the last playoff spot in the NFC at 7-5.

Falcons (-1.5) Loss

Panthers vs. Buccaneers
Cam Newton went insane in this game. In the passing game he went 12 for 21 for 204 yards and 1 TD. His rushing game was dominant, rushing 14 times for 54 yards and 3 TDs. Ridiculous. Oh, and he caught a pass for 27 yards. They blew out the hapless Bucs, 38-19, and have now won back to back games, both on the road.
Panthers (-2) Win

Broncos vs. Vikings

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TEBOW TIME! The Broncos are now the leaders of the AFC West after Tim Tebow did it again. There are no more words to describe what this guy does week in and week out. He had his best game of the year passing wise, going 10 for 15 for 202 yards. He made perfect throws, including one of the best scrambles and passes I have seen in a while. It was a 41 yard TD, where Tebow had to evade numerous defenders, stiff arm another, and when it looked like he was going to take off and run he found Thomas and let him do the rest. Tebow waited until every defender in the area committed to chasing him, and then let it go. It was a great play and even though the Broncos still trailed 22-21, you somehow knew he was going to do it again. Harvin would score on a 48 yard touchdown pass, which was immediately followed by another TD by the Broncos, this time McGahee broke away for a 24 yard TD run followed by a Tebow two-point conversion to tie the game in the fourth, 29-29. Each team would get a field goal, and with 1:33 left in a tied game, Ponder threw an interception on the first play of the drive, setting up a winning, 23 yard field goal by Prater to win the game for the Broncos. McGahee finished the game with 20 caries for 111 yards and a TD. Ponder threw for 381 yards, 3 TDs and 2 INTs and Harvin caught 8 catches for 156 yards and 2 TDs. At the end of the day though, it was another unbelievable game for Tebow and the Broncos, and I am happy to see that more people are starting to believe. It is their division to lose now, as Tebow improves to 6-1.

Broncos (even) Win

Ravens vs. Browns

Ravens won easily in Cleveland, as Ray Rice ran wild: 29 carries for 204 yards and 1 TD. Ricky Williams got in the mix too with 16 carries for 76 yards and a TD. Flacco was average again, 10/23 for 158 yards and lost a fumble. Baltimore improves to 9-3 and has the lead for the AFC North.

Ravens (-7) Won

Rams vs. 49ers

Rams did not start Bradford in this one, therefore they had nothing. 49ers shut them out, 26-0. Steven Jackson was held to only 19 yards rushing. For the 49ers, Smith threw for 274 yards and 2 TDs. Gore ran for 73 yards and Crabtree caught 4 passes for 96 yards and a TD. Solid effort and the 49ers improve to 10-2.

49ers (-14) Won

Cowboys vs. Cardinals
Dallas led this game 13-6 in the fourth quarter, before giving up a Beanie Wells TD. The Cowboys had a shot to win the game, but Dallas broke down in the last 30 seconds. They apprently forgot how to manage the clock in crunch time. After not calling a timeout and letting the clock tick down for no reason, only to spike the ball, they then rushed the field goal unit out. They then did call a timeout...on their own kicker, as Bailey's field goal soared through the uprights. Garrett said that he wanted to give him enough time and not rush the field goal attempt. Well the next try was short and wide, and the Cowboys would go to overtime and lose on a 52 yard TD pass from Kolb to Stephens-Howling. Cowboys won this game, but had it taken away by a dumb timeout. They are now only one game ahead of the Giants and square off next week in Dallas. This will be the biggest game of the year thus far, so the Cowboys better shake this loss from their memory. Romo finished with 299 yards and a TD and Bryant caught 8 for 86 yards and a TD. Murray was held to 38 yards on 12 carries. In Kolb's return, he had 247 yards and the game winning TD.
Cowboys (-4.5) Loss

Lions vs. Saints

The Saints improved to 6-0 at home, as they beat the Lions, 31-17. Brees had another huge game, going 26 for 36 with 342 yards and 3 TDs. Ingram took the bulk of the carries, 16 for 54 and a TD. Meachem had a big game with 3 catches for 119 yards and a TD. Graham continued his great season with 8 catches for 89 yards. As for Detroit, they lose Kevin Smith again to injury and are starting to slip out of the playoff picture.

They now sit in 7th place, so if the season ended today...they would not make it. Stafford threw for over 400 yards in this one, but all in a losing effort. The Lions are reeling and they will need to turn it around quick if they want to get back in the playoff picture.

Lions (+9) Loss

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Monday Night Football
Chargers vs. Jaguars

The Chargers lit it up from the final 2 minutes of the first half until the end of the game. In the final two minutes, the Chargers were losing 14-10. They scored two TDs with under two minutes left in the first half. They would add a 52 yard TD from Rivers to Floyd in the third and Mathews added a 31 yard TD run in the fourth quarter to finish the game on a 28-0 run. Rivers finished with 294 yards and 3 TDs. Mathews carried 13 times for 112 yards and a TD. Floyd led all receivers with 108 yards and a TD, followed by Jackson with 72 yards and a TD, and Gates with 70 yards. On the other side of the ball, MJD had 97 yards rushing and 91 yards and a TD receiving. In the end though, it was San Diego that clicked tonight winning 38-14, and sit at 5-7 on the season.

Chargers (-3) Win

TNF: Seattle (+3) Won
http://nargonsports.blogspot.com/2011/12/thursday-night-football.html

This weeks record: 10-6

Week 13 @ The Half

2011-12-04T14:28:00.009-05:00

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1 p.m. games

New England started slow, but is starting to get things going in Foxboro, 17-3. Pittsburgh put up 28 in the second quarter and lead Cincy 28-7. Tennessee winning 17-10, Chris Johnson another good game already. KC and Chicago are struggling in this one without QBs. Forte left with a knee injury as well. Oakland is being shutout by Miami, 13-0. Minnesota took a late lead against Tebow and lead 12-7. Newton putting on a show in Tampa as they lead 21-12. Jets are playing very sloppy and are lucky to still be close against Washington, trailing 13-10. Atlanta got behind early against Houston, but managed to get a field goal in this one. Yates is impressing at QB for Houston, 10 for 17 with 154 yards and a TD.

4 p.m. games

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The Giants trail 21-17 as they lost the lead with just over a minute left in the half. They went on to turn the ball over as the offense was not aware of a live ball that came out of Manning's hands. The Packers recovered and gained a few yards but Crosby missed a field goal to end the half, his second miss of the year. Starks has left the game with an ankle injury. In Arizona, Laurent Robinson has left the game with a shoulder injury. Robinson had 41 yards before exiting. Felix Jones has 25 yards, and Murray has 23 on the ground. Romo is 10 for 18 with 130 yards and a TD. Dez Bryant has 3 catches for 40 yards and a TD. Giants and Packers have a back and forth game going in New York. In Cleveland, Baltimore leads 10-0 at halftime as Rice is having a great first half, 107 yards and a TD. Williams is also having a good rushing game for Baltimore with 43 yards. Flacco is 7/14 with 102 yards. In San Francisco, the 49ers have a 9-0 lead. Smith is 13 for 18 with 128 yards and Gore has 46 yards on the ground. St. Louis is without Bradford and can not get much going, Feeley has only 68 yards passing and Jackson only has 9 yards rushing.

Monday Night Football

Rivers and the Chargers started to turn it around at the end of the half, looking to avoid their seventh straight loss. After San Diego took a 10-0 lead in the first, the Jags stormed back for 2 TDs in the second to take a 14-10 lead. But the Chargers were able to regain the lead at the half, 24-14, on a couple Rivers TD passes with under two minutes left. Rivers finished the half 16 for 21 with 202 yards and 2 TDs, and Mathews had 56 yards on 6 carries. Tolbert added 21 yards and a TD. Jackson has 72 yards and a TD receiving. For Jacksonville, Gabbert is 11 for 15 with 139 yards and 2 TDs ad an INT. MJD has 50 yards rushing and receiving has 87 yards and a TD.

Week 13 Preview and Picks

2011-12-04T02:22:00.011-05:00

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Week 13

Jets vs. Redskins
The Jets escaped again last week at home vs. Buffalo. Now they travel to Washington, who has had a momentum boost with Grossman taking over at QB again. Washington matches up really well against the Jets, because the Jets weakest link right now is their offensive line. Sanchez has been getting hit far too much and therefore throwing more interceptions. Besides that, Hall of the Redskins has spoken about Sanchez and his tendency to stare down the receiver he is going to right after the snap. Teams are recognizing this, and this has also been resulting in more interceptions and pick sixes. He needs to break this trend. He is giving the other teams a heads up as to who he is throwing to and very seldom does he go to his second or third options. He needs to do this, and this week they are getting LT back, so he will be able to at least check down to LT if his first option is not there. Sanchez is key to the Jets success. In Jets wins this year, he has 13 TDs and 6 INTs. In their losses, he has 5 TDs and 5 INTs. He will need to take what his offensive line gives him, hopefully they step up, and he can buy some time to make big plays. The Jets need this game if they want to stay in the playoff hunt.
Jets (-3) Win

Colts vs. Patriots
In 1992, the Buffalo Bills covered a 20 point spread twice. That was the last time a team covered a 20+ spread. The Colts are starting UCONN alum, Dan Orlovsky, and I just don't think they will be able to hang close, plus the Patriots love to keep scoring even when the game is out of reach.
Patriots (-21) Loss

Titans vs. Bills

Bills are reeling, even after almost pulling off a victory at the Meadowlands. Stevie Johnson was fined for his endzone celebration and this guy lets things get to him. I think he might not have a very productive day, and without him it is hard for the Bills to get the big plays. Tennessee has a solid defense and maybe Chris Johnson has finally found his rhythm on offense. If he did, he can have another huge game against a bad Bills defense. I look for this game to be very close, but I think that Tennessee is playing with more confidence at this point in the season.

Titans (+1) Win

Chiefs vs. Bears
This is the matchup of injured QBs. The Chiefs are going with Palko as their starter. They have Orton on the bench who would be an immediate upgrade, but they are sticking with Palko. The Bears are sending out Hanie again. Last week they kept it close in Oakland. They need to stick to the running game and not take away carries from Forte. If Forte has another week sharing carries with Barber, then I expect him to start shutting it down and making a statement that he does not deserve to split carries. I am taking Kansas City with the points, but I think Chicago will win if Forte doesn't have to share again.
Chiefs (+8) Win

Raiders vs. Dolphins
Raiders are traveling across the country, and Miami is well rested after their Thanksgiving nail biter. Oakland has been playing good football as of late with Carson Palmer getting a grasp on the playbook. McFadden will still be out, but Bush continues to carry the load well. With Tebow coming up strong, Oakland has to keep their foot on the gas and not let the Broncos tie the division, but Moore and Ford are not going to be starting again, limiting what Palmer can do. I think it will be close, but I do not know if Oakland can win again without three starters on offense. I think it will be close either way. Heyward-Bey needs to have a more productive day than last week if they want to beat a hot Miami team on the road. I like the Raiders getting 3 points in this one, even though they might lose by a point or two.
Raiders (+3) Loss

Bengals vs. Steelers
Here we go again, another test for the Bengals. After keeping things close against the Steelers and Ravens in consecutive weeks, they put up a stinker against the Browns at home last week but still won. They were lucky to win that game and now have to travel to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers again. The Steelers almost let one slip away against the Chiefs last week in an ugly game. I expect a playoff type battle in this one. After the close games both these teams played last week, I expect another close one between these two teams.
Bengals (+7) Loss

Falcons vs. Texans
Falcons have been playing well, and White has been a reason for it. In the last two weeks, he has put up numbers that we have come to expect in past seasons. Two weeks ago, he had 7 catches for 147 yards. Last week he caught 10 passes for 120 yards and a TD. With this kind of production, the Falcons are a very dangerous team. The Texans will be starting Yates again, so they will rely heavily on Foster and Tate and Atlanta will be able to stack the box. I like Atlanta in this one.
Falcons (-1.5) Win

Panthers vs. Buccaneers
Both these teams are out of the playoff hunt. The Bucs have lost 5 in a row and Freeman is not starting because of a shoulder injury. Cam Newton on the other hand, is having a stellar season, but the rest of his team is not that good. I would look for a huge game from Newton and Smith. Carolina is ranked 6th in road passing, and 4th in road rushing. This is up against Tampa's 29th home passing defense and 17th home rushing defense ranks. I like Carolina to win this game.
Panthers (-2) Win

Broncos vs. Vikings
I believe in Tebow. After last weeks comeback and overtime win, I can not do anything but believe in the Broncos and what Tebow has done for this team. Earlier this week he was asked by head coach John Fox to give a speech to the team, and the team responded well. This kid is getting it done and I will take him until he gives me a reason not to.
Broncos (even) Win

Packers vs. Giants
Giants look awful right now, but they need to put up a good game here to end all of the negative talk. I think they keep it relatively close here. With Bradshaw coming back, it might ignite the running game. Eli continues to pile up yards as Cruz keeps putting up monster numbers. Don't forget about Nicks on the other side of the hash marks. The Giants have the weapons to keep it close, but do they have the heart? The Packers are...well...the Packers. They will probably put up 35 points in this one, it is just a matter of Eli keeping up. They are the best team in the league, and if they are clicking on defense, then the Giants will get blown away. But in a huge game before playing Dallas, I think the Giants put up a fight and build some momentum for next week.
Giants (+7) Win

Ravens vs. Browns
Browns have Hillis back at running back, but I think the Ravens are a better team, but not as good as they believe they are. But, if they are serious contenders in the AFC, then there is no reason they do not beat the Browns by more than a TD.
Ravens (-7) Win

Rams vs. 49ers
The Rams are not a good team this season and the 49ers are 7-0-1 against the spread in their last 8. Got to keep it going this week.
49ers (-14) Win

Cowboys vs. Cardinals
I think the Cowboys blow the Cardinals away in this one. They are without Austin again, but Laurent Robinson has stepped in and put up huge numbers. He has scored at least one TD in five straight games, and in those five games, he has a total of 7 TDs. There is no reason to expect anything different this week. Murray is still running with the top backs in the league and Romo is in the zone lately. Dallas wins this game easily.
Cowboys (-4.5) Loss

Lions vs. Saints
The Saints are starting to destroy teams again at home. This game worries me if I am Detroit. After all the publicity with the Suh stomping incident and now a car crash, it is going to be interesting to see how they respond. Stafford has been turning the ball over like crazy since week 8, when he fractured his index finger. He has thrown 9 interceptions in 3 weeks. If he continues this, then look for another bad loss for Detroit. New Orleans has been utilizing Jimmy Graham perfectly. He had 5 catches for 84 yards and 2 TDs. He is unstoppable, and Brees is even better. He had a historic game last week and is on fire, but I think Stafford finds Calvin Johnson in this game and they have a big day, good enough to keep it close.
Lions (+9) Loss

Monday Night Football

Chargers vs. Jaguars
I don't see any way that the Chargers don't win this game. Yes they have lost six in a row, but they have a lot more skill than the Jags, so it will be hard to understand if they lose this one. They need to pull off a win here to not be completely embarrassed. The Jaguars are bad and if the Chargers don't show up tonight, then they probably won't show up for the rest of their games. Rivers needs to prove he has some fight in him. I am going to think that the Chargers will show minimal effort, and that should be enough to win.
Chargers (-3) Win

TNF: Seattle (+3) Won

Check my post for thoughts on this weeks games here...
http://nargonsports.blogspot.com/2011/12/week-13-review.html

SEC Title Game: Georgia vs. LSU

2011-12-03T17:07:00.004-05:00

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LSU Comes Back To Win the SEC

Georgia started this game strong, forcing LSU to a 3 and out, followed by an impressive drive that led to a field goal. It could have been a touchdown if not for a ball that should have been caught in the endzone. They then executed a successful onside kick to get the ball back. Georiga was faced with a 3rd and long, when Mitchell dropped a pass with seven and a half minutes left in the first quarter that would have given them a 10-0 lead. They had to attempt a field goal, and missed it to turn the ball over on downs. Georgia continued to stay hot on defense, forcing another 3 and out. Georgia would ultimately drive down the field again and get into the redzone. They scored a TD on a pass from Murray to White to give Georgia a 10-0 lead over #1 LSU.

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The second quarter saw more of the same for LSU on offense, with no first downs in the half. After a booming punt from Georgia, LSU's Mathieu returned a punt for a 62 yard TD to make it a 10-7 game. Before the punt return TD with 5:48 left in the half, LSU had nothing going. LSU's Simon came up with a tremendous play to stop Georgia on 3rd and long with under a minute left in the half. LSU QB Jordan Jefferson was 2 for 8 with 7 passing yards. LSU had a total of 12 offensive yards in the first half.
The second half saw a complete change in momentum. Georgia fumbled on the third play of the half, which was recovered by Mathieu on the Georgia 27. This set up a 15 yard Kenny Hilliard rushing touchdown to finally give LSU the lead, 14-10. A Georgia 3 and out led to another TD by Hilliard on LSU's next drive. Georgia would get a first down on the next drive, but then would turn the ball over, leading to yet another Hilliard touchdown, this time on a pass from Jefferson to make it 28-10. Blue added a 48 yard rush TD in the 4th to make it a 35-10 game. LSU added a pick 6 to seal the game off, 42-10. LSU awaits who they will play for the BCS Championship.

Cincy Holds On, West Virginia to a BCS Bowl

2011-12-03T15:36:00.001-05:00

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UCONN trailed 28-6 going in to halftime, and fought back to make it a one possession game with over four minutes remaining. They could not stop Cincy with a little over two minutes left on 3rd and 2, and Cincinnati was able to convert and hold on for the win. UCONN outscored Cincy 21-7 in the second half.
UCONN was playing to be bowl eligible with a win, and Cincy was playing to create a 3 way tie for the Big East title with Louisville and West Virginia. Cincy successfully does so and with the tiebreaker rules, West Virginia will receive the automatic BCS Bowl bid. UCONN ends a disappointing season, the first under new head coach Paul Pasqualoni, with a 5-7 record.

TUF 14 Finale

2011-12-03T10:34:00.011-05:00

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Tonight will be the last Ultimate Fighter finale on Spike TV due to UFC's new deal with FOX. They will take over the broadcasting rights on January 2012 including TUF on FX. The finale gives us time to reflect on the great fighters that have made their way through The Ultimate Fighter, who ultimately may not have been discovered or signed to the UFC otherwise. The new deal will include live fights on FX and each fight will count towards the fighters record.
As for tonight, the TUF Finale will start with last years TUF winner, Tony Ferguson (12-2, 2-0 in the UFC) against the long time vet Yves Edwards (41-17-1). As for the fighters that were a part of this years TUF, in the Bantamweight Final, John Dodson (11-5) will face T.J. Dillashaw (4-0). The other final is in the Featherweight Division, where Diego Brandao (13-7) faces Dennis Bermudez (7-2). These fighters are being given the opportunity to fight in the biggest MMA organization and on the biggest stage in the world and are fighting for their future in these two finals tonight.

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The fight that I am waiting for will be the fight between the coaches, Jason "Mayhem" Miller (24-7) and Michael Bisping (21-3). Bisping had an interesting weigh-in, where he was a quarter of a pound overweight, and had some controversial words for the crowd. This guy can't stop making enemies. As for the fight itself, both fighters have opposite tactics, so this fight will be decided by who implements their strategies more efficiently. Miller will try to get this to the ground, and Bisping will try to keep it standing up. I personally can not stand Bisping, but if he defends against Miller, then he will win this. If Miller is able to get him down at will, then opportunities will open for Miller and it won't be that much of a stretch for him to win. As much as I would like to see Miller win, we will have to see if he will be able to finish off Bisping. Bisping has only lost 3 fights, all to quality opponents (Rashad Evans, Dan Henderson, and Wanderlei Silva) who are all better fighters than Miller. All we can ask for is a good fight, which I think we will get in this one, and out of the whole card for that matter.
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Results

--Johnny Bedford def. Louis Gaudinot by TKO-strikes- Round 3 (1:58)
--Tony Ferguson def. Yves Edwards by unanimous decision 30-27, 30-27, 29-28
--John Dodson def. T.J. Dillashaw by ref stoppage TKO Round 1 (1:54) - Dodson the First ever Bantamweight Tournament Winner
--Diego Brandao def. Dennis Bermudez Submission by armbar Round 1 (4:51) -Brandao First ever Featherweight Tournament Winner. What an unbelievable fight.
--Michael Bisping def. Jason Mayhem Miller by TKO-strikes-Round 3 (3:34)

First Pac 12 Championship Game

2011-12-02T22:00:00.007-05:00

UPDATE: Oregon Crushes UCLA to Earn Inaugural Pac-12 Championship

LaMichael James continued to tear the Bruins defense apart in the second half. The second half started with a Touchdown by Prince to bring UCLA within 11 points, but James followed it with a touchdown for Oregon. Oregon would add another TD after that on a 22 yard Darron Thomas pass to David Paulson. LaMichael James finished with 219 rushing yards and 3 TDs. Oregon QB Darron Thomas finished 20 for 36 for 219 yards, 3 TDs, and 1 INT. He also had 60 yards rushing. Oregon handled UCLA as they should have in the first Pac-12 championship game, winning 49-31 and earning a BCS bid to play in the Rose Bowl.

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35-17 Oregon Leads at Halftime

There certainly is not a lack of scoring in this game at the half. Oregon is being led by LaMichael James with 115 yards and 2 TDs. With USC being banned from the conference title game, it opened the door for another team to qualify that any other year wouldn't have. UCLA was a 32 point underdog, so I was interested to see if Oregon would actually cover it. It's going to be interesting to see if they do at the end of this game. Thought 32 points was quite a lot but the way it looks now, with Oregon leading 35-17 at the half, it is going to be close.

Syracuse Takes on Florida in a Top 10 Matchup

2011-12-02T17:10:00.006-05:00

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UPDATE: Syracuse Wins 72-68 to Remain Undefeated

This game was thrilling. It had everything that you would expect in a top ten matchup and more. The atmosphere in the Carrier Dome was electric. In the early part of the second half, the teams were going back and forth with their baskets, but Syracuse started to get a grip on the lead as the second half went on. They built it up slowly as the half went on. Syracuse's largest lead was 9 points and Florida's was 5. The rebound advantage went to Syracuse, which was huge in them winning this game. Coming into this game, rebounding looked like the one area that Florida excelled in and held the decisive edge. For Florida, Boynton led the team with 22 points. Brandon Triche led Syracuse with 20 points and was 9 for 9 in free throws. Scoop Jardine had 7 assists and 16 points. Kris Joseph had a subpar game, going 5-14 for 14 points. Coming off the bench, C.J. Fair had 9 points and 11 rebounds. Syracuse's 3 point shooting was awful, going 3-17, but they were still able to hold on in this one. It was an exciting game, that moves Syracuse to 8-0 as Florida falls to 5-2. Syracuse proved that they are for real in this one.

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Preview

Amongst the allegations against former assistant coach Bernie Fine, Syracuse suits up for their 8th game of the year. They have been able to remain focused since the allegations began to surface, which resulted in the firing of Fine. Their long tenured head coach, Jim Boeheim, has been questioned as to whether he should still be coaching while an investigation is taking place. The university has decided to stick with Boeheim as he adamantly denies that he knew of anything involving Fine. Boeheim has seemed genuine with his comments, and has openly answered the media's questions for him.
While all the legal issues surface and get sorted out, Syracuse basketball is among the top teams in the country. They are currently #3 in the rankings and hold a 7-0 record. Although they have yet to go on the road, they will be tested tonight at home. Florida comes in with a 5-1 record and they are ranked 9th in the country. Florida is led by junior guard Kenny Boynton, who is averaging 18.5 points per game. They have one of the best scoring teams in the nation, putting up almost 91 points per game, 3rd best. They also have great board presence, lead by Patric Young who averages 7.7 boards a game. The team as a whole are averaging almost 43 rebounds per game, 6th best in the country. Syracuse on the other hand, does not have the same presence on the boards that Florida has, ranked 56th overall. The guy to watch tonight for Syracuse is reigning Big East player of the Week, Kris Joseph. He leads the team with almost 15 points per game, is second on the team with 5.7 rebounds per game, and shoots over 40% from three point range. He can do it all and will play a big part in this game tonight if Syracuse wants to continue their winning streak. Syracuse puts up an average of 83 points per game and have the home court advantage in this one. The Carrier Dome can get crazy, and I expect it to be louder than ever for this big early season matchup. It should be a back and forth game and it will allow us to see how much Florida has learned since their loss on the road to then #3 Ohio State in the second game of the year. For Syracuse, we will get a gauge on just how good they are, with their first top ten matchup of the year. This should be a well played game and a great way to start the first weekend of December off.