Patriots Review

NFL Power Ranking week 15 by Frank Hyun

2011-12-13T15:52:00.001-08:00

1. 1. Green Bay Packers

Green Bay Packers absolutely trashed the Raiders. By the end of the first half, the Packers were up 31-0 and even in the second half, the Raiders did not do much. With only the Chiefs, Bears and Lions left in their schedule, the Packers seem destined to go 16-0. The Lions are only one who can ruin the Packers’ path to perfect record, however they have been very shaky.

2. Baltimore Ravens

This wasn’t much of a blowout that I have expected but the score doesn’t show everything. The Colts’ offense was held to 167 yards while the Ravens’ offense moved the ball at will. This team, despite missing its leader in Ray Lewis, has shown maturity that one expects from an experienced team. They face challenging schedule (Chargers, Browns and Bengals) that will decide the winner of the AFC North

3. New Orleans Saints

This game was closer than I thought it was going to be. Unlike their usual game plan where the offense carrying the team, the defense came up big and won the game for the Saints. Sure Jake Locker threw for 282 yards and a touchdown but the Saints’ defense kept Chris Johnson to 23 yards in 11 carries. By beating the Vikings this week, the Saints can control their faith.

4. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers’ season is in jeopardy now that Ben Roethlisberger is injured. Latest reports show that he will not miss any games but the chance of being getting injured is exponentially great, so much so that I think the Steelers should rest him as much as he needs. Steelers face the 49ers, Rams and Browns and I believe that the Steelers defense is good enough to win these games

5. New England Patriots

If the 49ers did not lose against the Cardinals I would have dropped the Patriots a spot or two. The game against the Redskins was absolutely horrific. I saw an entire team falling apart, especially when Tom Brady and Bill O’Brien (Patriots’ offensive coordinator) had that dispute. The defense has gotten worse last few weeks and the offense lacks diversity. This season will be another disappointing season for the Patriots fan.

6. Houston Texans

The Texans deserve all the credits for overcoming injuries by its superstars (Schuab, Williams, ohnson etc) and continue to win games. The Bengals knew that they had to win in order to keep their playoff hope alive and played very physical football. However, the Texans showed compose and patience. The Texans, thanks to its strong running game and surprisingly efficient TJ Yates, have good chance to win last 3 games of the season.

7. San Francisco 49ers

This is a problem when you have Alex Smith as your quarterback. Your offense is not going to score much and it is on defense to limit opponents’ offenses. Alex Smith had 62.3 quarterback rating and the offense only had 233 total yards. The game against the Steelers will show whether they can survive tough NFL playoff game but don’t bank on it.

8. Atlanta Falcons

Perhaps I was wrong. The Falcons came back against the Panthers, even when the Panthers were up by 16 points at the end of the first half. They showed resilience and responded very well under pressure. The Falcons still have playoff chance and if they can get into the playoff, they will be a dangerous team to go against.

9. New York Jets

I don’t know whether the game was so loop-sided because the Chiefs are so bad or the Jets played well but by beating the Chiefs, they have kept their playoff hopes alive. The Jets’ defense held the Chiefs to 4 yards. Jets offense had great run-pass balance. I don’t know if they can make the playoff since a lot of AFC teams are still in contention for a spot in the playoff.

10. Denver Broncos

Dear, Tebowmania. If Tim Tebow beats the Patriots, I will be the believer. What this team has done last 7 weeks is nothing short of a miracle. I don’t know if it is because of Tim Tebow but entire team is playing hard and the defense made a great improvement. With Oakland struggling, Broncos can easily win the AFC East and go to the playoff.

11. Detroit Lions

12. New York Giants

13. Arizona Cardinals

14. Dallas Cowboys

15. Tennessee Titans

16. Cincinnati Bengals

17. San Diego Chargers

18. Seattle Seahawks

19. Chicago Bears

20. Carolina Panthers

NFL Power Ranking week 14 (combined)

2011-12-09T14:21:00.000-08:00

http://cjsportsnflblog.com/2011/12/the-ufb-power-rankings-week-14/

NFL Power Ranking week 14 by Frank Hyun

2011-12-06T19:43:00.000-08:00

1. Green Bay Packers

Who can stop the Green Bay Packers? To be honest, I believe that the Green Bay Packers can go 18-0 (During the Super Bowl bye weeks, they might either crumble under the pressure or get full of themselves just as the Patriots did). It is lock that Packers will get home field advantage and any team such as the Saints, will have hard time playing in Lombardi stadium come January. Aaron Rodger has built a strong case for MVP honor while Mike McCarthy, in my opinion, deserves the coach of the year award.

2. Baltimore Ravens

Another strong performance by the Ravens that struggled with consistency early season. As elites of the NFL do, the Ravens beat the Browns soundly despite missing Ray Lewis, the heart of the defense. Ray Rice had a field day, rushing for 204 yards while scoring once on the ground. The Ravens have good chance of winning the AFC North with four games remaining against the Colts, the Chargers, the Browns and the Bengals.

3. New Orleans Saints

Few facts about the Saints. They will score no matter what you do (lowest of the season is 21) but they will also let you score some. You cannot stop Drew Brees and Co. completely but you can slow them down and score a lot on them as the Packers did. The Saints have two games lead over the Falcons with a game against the Falcons in week 16. The Saints will be most dangerous opponent facing the Packers come playoff.

4. San Francisco 49ers

Wow, maybe I should get on the 49ers bandwagon. In the NFL, it is EXTREMELY hard to shut out anyone. But the 49ers managed to shutout the Rams. I mean sure it’s the Rams but still it is very impressive. The game against the Steelers in week 15 will be a key matchup for the 49ers as they can prove themselves and the league that they are ready to win the championship.

5. Pittsburgh Steelers

What a blowout. I believed that this would be low scoring game and the Bengals had a chance to win. But the Steelers proved once again that they are one of few elites in the league. The defense was stout against the above-average offense and the offense demolished the Bengal’s defense, one of the best in the league. With two games remaining against the Browns, they have an outsider chance to win the AFC North.

6. New England Patriots

By the end of the third quarter, I was wondering aloud why the Patriots are not putting their second offense. But guess what, Coach Belichick knew that the defense would not be able to stop the Colts. I am really worried that the defense has not found the rhythm. Sure they are missing key contributors, (Patrick Chung, Dane Fletcher, Brendan Spikes to name a few) but still you would assume that others would step up. I can’t wait to see the Patriots play the Broncos and see the Tim Tebow destroy the Patriots defense.

7. Houston Texans

The Texans are showing characteristics of the elite team. Despite missing key players, others have stepped up to replace them. The fact that the defense kept the Falcons to 10 points is very impressive, especially when the Falcon’s offense seem to have improved. However, the Texans must play their best football next four weeks as the Titans are heating up thanks to motivated Chris Johnson. Week 17 game against the Titans will be decisive.

8. Atlanta Falcons

I don’t know if the Falcons have enough to make the playoff, especially with the game against the Panthers and the Saints left in their schedule. However, they have fixed multiple problems that have been dogged them such as inconsistency, underachieving to name a few. Even if they don’t make the playoff, this season would be valuable for Matt Ryan and the Co.

9. Denver Broncos

I cannot believe I have the Broncos on #9 but they deserve their due for winning. No matter what the stats say, Tim Tebow deserves his due when he elevated the entire team’s performance. He is also improving, as he showed against the Vikings, as the quarterback. The defense is absolutely dominating the opponents (I view the game against the Vikings as a hiccup) and they are going to win the AFC East, I guarantee it.

10. New York Jets

Mark Sanchez is showing once again why he is one of most polarizing players in the NFL. Few weeks back, many Jets fans were calling for Sanchez’s head but now they are saying that Sanchez has finally become the franchise quarterback they have been missing since Joe Namath played for the Jets. However, they have a low chance of making the playoff with the game against the Chiefs, the Eagles, the Giants and the Dolphins.

11. Dallas Cowboys

12. Tennessee Titans

13. Cincinnati Bengals

14. Detroit Lions

15. New York Giants

16. Oakland Raiders

17. Arizona Cardinals

18. Chicago Bears

19. Miami Dolphins

20. San Diego Chargers

NFL Power Ranking week 13 (combined)

2011-12-02T09:28:00.000-08:00

http://cjsportsnflblog.com/2011/12/the-ufb-power-rankings-week-13/

NFL Power Ranking week 13 by Frank Hyun

2011-12-01T11:38:00.001-08:00

1. Green Bay Packers

Maybe this team will indeed make the NFL history by going 19-0. Last few weeks, there were times when I thought they would lose but they always found a way to come back and win games. Many believe that the Giants can upset the Packers, but with all the injuries, I don’t see the Giants causing any troubles for the Packers

2. Baltimore Ravens

Great win for the Ravens. They faced a team who is built a lot like them and won out. They are very likely to win the AFC North with games against Browns (twice), Colts, Chargers and Bengals left in their schedule. Still, the offense must find its consistency if they want to win the Super Bowl.

3. New Orleans Saints

This is the team that we expect from the Saints. They were never shut-down defense team but a explosive team whose defense fed off the offense’s explosiveness. The offense had a great game against what I consider above average defense (Giants) and defense did enough to win the game.

4. San Francisco 49ers

This is what will most likely happen in the playoff. The 49ers are a good team but it is too inexperienced and imbalanced to win any games in the playoff. The 49ers will clinch the playoff spot this week against the Rams thanks to weak NFC West. The 49ers’ offense is not good enough to overcome elite defense.

5. Pittsburgh Steelers

Since they beat Patriots, they are ahead of the Patriots even though Patriots trashed the Chiefs while the Steelers barely squeezed by. The game against the Bengals this week is crucial as it will show us whether the Bengals and the Steelers are ready for the playoff. This will be low-scoring game so don’t expect much fireworks.

6. New England Patriots

Ah how the fate of the game can change. I had this game as the most important game for the Patriots. Eleven games later, the game against the Colts has very little meaning other than record patter. Patriots’ offense seems to get better every week and defense, while not elite, has done enough to warrant some praises. With easy schedule left, Patriots have a good chance to go undefeated rest of the season.

7. Dallas Cowboys

After early season struggles, the Cowboys criticisms and won last four games with solid football. With traditionally strong NFC East in flux, they can win the division by beating the Cardinals and the Giants next two weeks. This is a dangerous team that is keep improving despite injuries and roster shuffles.

8. Atlanta Falcons

They are finally putting everything together after a disastrous start. The defense is back and offense is back to running the ball combined with play-action passes. However, this is not the season in which they will make serious playoff run as it must face Texans, Panthers and Saints in next four weeks. However, this will be a great experience that this team can build upon.

9. Houston Texans

What do you do when your starting quarterback gets injured? You put your backup quarterback. What do you do when your backup quarterback gets injured? This is a question that the Texans must find an answer to if they want to make the playoff. Two promising factors that may save their season is its stingy defense and a strong running game. However, its season is in jeopardy with games against Falcons, Bengals, Panthers and Titans remains in their schedule.

10. Oakland Raiders

What a great story for the NFL and the Raider nation. Carson Palmer had his ups and downs but he is an upgrade over Jason Campbell and the team seems to be extremely energized after years of futility. It faces very little challenges in its way to the playoff (I haven’t bought into Tebow-led Broncos yet) and could pull an upset.

11. Cincinnati Bengals

12. Detroit Lions

13. Chicago Bears

14. New York Jets

15. New York Giants

16. Tennessee Titans

17. Denver Broncos

18. Buffalo Bills

19. Washington Redskins

20. Philadelphia Eagles

NFL Power Ranking week 10 (combined)

2011-11-11T05:50:00.000-08:00

http://cjsportsnflblog.com/2011/11/the-ufb-power-rankings-week-10/

NFL Power Ranking week 9 (combined)

2011-11-04T11:14:00.000-07:00

http://cjsportsnflblog.com/2011/11/the-ufb-power-rankings-week-9/

NFL Power Ranking week 9 by Frank Hyun (Patriots Review)

2011-11-01T21:12:00.000-07:00

1. Green Bay Packers

Only undefeated team in the NFL is coming off a bye and should be ready for San Diego Chargers this week. Chargers have extra chips on their shoulders after the horrifying loss against the Kansas City Chiefs but Packers might be too much for them. As long as Aaron Rodgers stay upright, this team has chance to go 16-0.

2. Pittsburgh Steelers

Good game planning by the Steelers and great resilience by coaches and the players. Last week, everyone in media talked about how Tom Brady is 6-1 vs Steelers and how Steelers are no longer an elite team. Well guess what Steelers dominated good portion of this game. They have a chance to continue their resurgence in the game against the Ravens, who trashed Steelers 35-7 in first week.

3. New England Patriots

The game against the Steelers was a tough loss and a frustrating game for Patriots fans. The defense that seemed to find its groove was tore apart by Ben Roethlisberger and could not stop in any way. Offense had its problems but when the team only have the ball for 20 minutes, it is hard to score. Next four weeks (Giants, Jets, Chiefs and Eagles) win determine whether this Patriots team is ready to win all the way.

4. San Francisco 49ers

What this team has done is nothing short of a miracle. However, I don’t believe they are an elite team. If they can win against the Ravens and Steelers, this team should be a true contender. The stingy defense with adequate offense can carry you only so far in today’s league where no lead is safe. The 49ers should make playoff, might even clinch the playoff spot first this season.

5. Baltimore Ravens

This team is extremely inconsistent, which is hard to understand when you think about the locker room leadership it has. The Ravens better bring their best game or will be trashed at Pittsburgh, where Steelers are looking to return a favor from week 1. With Bengals playing great, the Ravens might become the third best team in AFC North.

6. Buffalo Bills

The Bills achieved what no one has done for last 25 years. Their defense didn’t allow a single point against the offense led by Mike Shanahan. Sure the Redskins’ offense is horrible but still it is very hard in NFL to completely shut down any offense. I like how they bounced back after a tough loss and they have a big game this week against the Jets, which may give them a sole possession of the first place in AFC East.

7. Detroit Lions

They absolutely destroyed the Broncos’ last week. I don’t even know how the Broncos managed to score 10 points between Lions’ fierce pass-rush and Tim Tebow’s incompetency. The offense looked great but running game is still a concern as they only managed 4.0 yards per carry against the possibly worst defense in the league. They have a bye week and a big game against Bears in Chicago a week after.

8. New Orleans Saints

This has to be the lowest for the Saints not only this season but also last few years. Going into the game, Saints absolutely demolished Colts, scoring 62 points while allowing only a touchdown. However, Saints were outmuscled and outsmarted by previously winless Rams who were missing their franchise quarterback, Sam Bradford. I don’t know if they will be able to bounce back and win against the Buccaneers and the Falcons.

9. Houston Texans

I really like how poised and resilient they look even after they lost two super stars (Mario Williams and Andre Johnson). They have beaten teams they should beat last two weeks (Titans and Jaguars) and have very manageable schedule for the rest of the season. With AFC South all but stable, Texans should easily win the division.

10. Cincinnati Bengals

This Bengals team is nothing like old teams I have seen for last few years. Everyone is dedicated to the football and there is no diva in that locker room. Andy Dalton and A.J Green will be the cornerstone this franchise for a long time. They still have to face the Steelers and the Ravens twice but the Bengals have a good chance to make playoff

11. New York Giants

12. Chicago Bears

13. New York Jets

14. Atlanta Falcons

15. Philadelphia Eagles

16. Kansas City Chiefs

17. San Diego Chargers

18. Oakland Raiders

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

20. Cleveland Browns

Oh man… this is bad by Frank Hyun

2011-10-31T14:22:00.000-07:00

As some of you may remember, I wrote on last week’s power ranking (http://patriotsreview.blogspot.com/2011/10/nfl-power-ranking-week-8-by-frank-hyun.html), the game against the Steelers was one of most important games that the Patriots have in this season. By beating the Steelers, this squad could have proved that they are ready to play in hostile venue and beat an elite team. But the Patriots came up short.

Both offense and defense had their problems but defense more so than offense. Pittsburgh Steelers had 39:22 time of possession, compare to 20:38 for the Patriots, largely due to the defense’s inability to stop the Steelers’ offense. Patriots’ defense gave up total 427 yards and 29 first downs, allowing Steelers to convert 10 third downs in 16 tries. Let’s diagnose what happened

1. Defensive line

Coach Belichick reasoned earlier this season that he is using 4-3 defense since it is simpler. Patriots brought in Albert Haynesworth, Andre Carter, Mark Anderson and Shaun Ellis to shore up any weaknesses (pass-rush, rush- defense etc) and I, along with many others, thought that these moves were great but now I am not as optimistic. Against the Steelers, Andre Carter was fantastic (5 tackles and 2 sacks) but others were marginal at best. Pass rush was almost non-existence and Roethlisberger rarely had to pull his signature scramble moves. Line held Steelers to 98 rushing yards but Steelers did not have to run much.

2. Linebackers

This is the group I am most worried about after the game. Patriots played a lot of zone coverage and linebackers continuous blew their assignments. Heath Miller dominated in first quarter and Steelers attacked middle of the field. As much as I like Rob Ninkovich for his tireless effort, he was invisible in pass rushing while Mayo didn’t look like himself. Only Brandon Spikes showed up but he was a liability in pass coverage.

3. Secondary

As much as secondary deserves a blame for the loss, other two groups of the defense made life harder for this group. With no pass-rush and little help from linebackers in pass coverage, secondary was torched, allowing more than 200 yards to three wide receivers. I believe that Coach Belichick has lost faith in this group since he won’t let them play man coverage.

I believe that offense could have scored a lot more with more time as Tom Brady heat up during the 4th quarter. Unless defense makes significant improvement, this season will not end in a way we want it to end.

NFL Power Ranking week 8 by Frank Hyun (Patriots Review)

2011-10-26T17:23:00.000-07:00

1. Green Bay Packers

What a game this was. At the start of the game, I thought it would be a blowout but Vikings were more than ready to battle their NFC North rival. But once again, Packers proved why they are the favorite to win. They stayed resilient and ended the game with a win. I don’t see them losing any game except maybe against Lions or Giants when they are good.

2. New England Patriots

Bye week for Patriots means I was bored not watching the Patriots play. The game against the Steelers might as well decide how this season plays out. If the defense can stop the Steelers offense, it will gain necessary confidence to go against any other team in the league. Offense will do enough to win the game; it is up to the defense to step up

3. New Orleans Saints

This game was too bad for me to watch. I feel like top 15 college football team had better chance against the Saints than Colts. Saint’s offense was dynamic despite not having Sean Payton on the sideline and the defense absolutely dominated Manningless Colts’ offense. Rest of season is all winnable but Saints’ defense better become consistent if they want to beat Packers in the playoff

4. Pittsburgh Steelers

Patriots vs. Steelers are just a great match up. Sure Steelers are not what they used to be but this is still an elite team that is capable of winning against any team in the league. Atmosphere in the Heinz field will be amazing since Pittsburgh fans are as passionate as any other fans in the nation. After games against Patriots and Ravens, Steelers have very easy schedule until the end of the season.

5. San Francisco 49ers

Are they an elite team? My answer is no but lack of top-tier teams in this season puts them at the 5th spot. As much as the win against the Lions was great, it was not against the elite team. I also do not believe that Alex Smith can continue his work as a game-day manager since he could not do that for last 5 years. Browns have decent chance to pull an upset since they have decent offense and defense.

6. Detroit Lions

I am disappointed in Lions’ inability to bounce back after a tough loss. They lost two consecutive games at home, which became one of the toughest venues to play in NFL thanks to energized Lions fans. Offense became too much Calvin Johnson oriented and Matthew Stafford seemed agitated and in a hurry. The game against Broncos maybe the cure they need, or dagger into their once promising season.

7. Baltimore Ravens

I am tired of them screwing it up again and again against teams they should dominate. I mean defense is doing its job but the offense is just struggling. I mean Jaguars played great defense and they deserve their dues but when your offense has Ray Rice, you expect more than a touchdown.

8. Chicago Bears

I am very impressed with their win against the Buccaneers. Bears will lose few games that will anger Bear fans but they should make the playoff. Bears’ offense seems to have found balance between the pass and run and as a result, play-action has become more effective. They have a bye week to prepare for the game against Eagles on Monday Night Football.

9. San Diego Chargers

I thought Chargers has finally become an elite team but they were just pretenders. Sure Jets have talent to be considered as an elite team but they have been struggling badly. Chargers should not have any problem winning the AFC West but they will fall short once again. Perhaps Chargers would have won two Super Bowls had they hired Rex Ryan as the head coach

10. New York Giants

Giants have suffered a lot thanks to injuries but this team has overcame somewhat. With NFC east all but settled, Giants have a chance to win the division. Also they still have a great pass-rush, which is becoming ever more important thanks to the transformation of NFL to passing league.

11. Buffalo Bills

12. New York Jets

13. Atlanta Falcons

14. Houston Texans

15. Cincinnati Bengals

16. Dallas Cowboys

17. Oakland Raiders

18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

19. Kansas City Chiefs

20. Philadelphia Eagles

NFL Power Ranking week 7 combined

2011-10-20T20:51:00.001-07:00

http://cjsportsnflblog.com/2011/10/the-ufb-power-rankings-week-7/

NFL Power Ranking week 7 by Frank Hyun

2011-10-19T20:26:00.000-07:00

1. Green Bay Packers

They just seem unbeatable. Sure they only have played one quality team (Saints) but even when they seem like they are about to lose, either the offense or defense steps up and the packers get the win. It is early for MVP discussion but Aaron Rodgers will win the MVP if the season ends right now. The game against the Chargers will be interesting match up.

2. New England Patriots

Who said Patriots have bad defense? Oh wait that was me… The defense deserves every credit for stepping up BIG time. I was really surprised how well the defense played against Jason Witten, Dez Bryant and Miles Austin. As much as I would like to give Tom Brady a praise for the late comeback, offense looked sluggish as Cowboys indeed brought “kitchen sink” But hey win is a win and I will take it.

3. Baltimore Ravens

Sure Texans were depleted (no Andre Johnson) but still the win was convincing. The defense confused Matt Schaub, one of better quarterbacks in the league. Offense had a good day, willingly running and passing while defense stuffed the run. In 3 weeks, Ravens will face Steelers at Pittsburgh for one of most intriguing games of the year.

4. San Diego Chargers

Sure they had bye week but I believe that Chargers are underrated. No one has talked about them being a true Super Bowl contender and understandably so, but the past is past. Just look at 49ers and Lions, past does not matter in today’s NFL. They have two easy games (Jets and Chiefs) until they face Packers.

5. New Orleans Saints

Yes, they lost to Buccaneers but they lost their head coach, Sean Payton, in first quarter. And the Saints clearly lacked coaching experience late in the game. I thought this game was going to be easy win for Saints and I think that Saints would have won with Sean Payton. Their offense is still explosive but Greg Williams, the defensive coordinator, better come up with solution on both pass and run defense or Saints will not make deep into the playoff.

6. San Francisco 49ers

Their win against Lions was very impressive. Ford Stadium, Lions’ home field, has become one of the hardest venues to play in for the opponents in NFL as the fans are buying into the new Lions. Their defense confused Matthew Stafford and limited Lions’ explosive running game. The Offense again did enough job to win the game. This team will make the playoff since there is no other contender in NFC West, but I don’t know if they can win against NFL’s elites

7. Detroit Lions

This was first game where the opponent out-hustled the Lions. I believe this loss is actually good for them since they have two games coming up in which they can easily lose due to arrogance. They are still impressive team but some holes (run-defense) was exploited. How this squad rebound from their first loss will go a long way

8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

They were determined to win this game to stop the recent slide and they achieved that by winning against the Saints. The defense re-discovered its mojo and offense was more balanced, which suits Josh Freeman and rest of offense more. They can continue feeling good by winning against the Bears, which may turn out to be tough match up.

9. Pittsburgh Steelers

The win against the Jaguars was not convincing but they won despite not playing their best. Rashard Mendenhall had his best game in the season even though he was injured and defense seemed as if they have turned the clock back few years. They have easy matchup against the Cardinals but face Patriots at Heinz field a week after.

10. Oakland Raiders

I cannot believe they traded first round pick and a first or second round pick for Carson Palmer. Sure, Raiders just lost Jason Campbell but, I don’t know if Palmer will be dependable for next few years. However, Raiders have everything going for them and can easily overcome Chargers to win the AFC West. The game against Chiefs will allow Palmer to get used to Raiders and the new surrounding before going into the bye week.

11. Buffalo Bills

12. New York Giants

13. Chicago Bears

14. Cincinnati Bengals

15. Atlanta Falcons

16. Dallas Cowboys

17. Tennessee Titans

18. Philadelphia Eagles

19. New York Jets

20. Washington Redskins

NFL Power Ranking week 6 (combined)

2011-10-13T17:22:00.000-07:00

http://cjsportsnflblog.com/2011/10/the-ufb-power-rankings-week-6/

NFL Power Ranking week 4 by Frank Hyun (Patriots review)

2011-10-11T19:12:00.000-07:00

1. Green Bay Packers

The Packers vs. Bears game was again entertaining as the game clearly showed how much they love each other. Green Bay is getting back to last year’s playoff form; Strong offense backed by high pressure defense that counters opponent’s passing game very well. Unless this team gets complacent, it has chance to win all 16 games (they only have three tough games left; 2 games against the Lions and a game against the Chargers at San Diego)

2. New Orleans Saints

Saints will go wherever Drew Brees will take them. Just when I thought the Saints would lose to the Texans, they came back and won. We already know about their offense but their defense is a cause of concern. Saints’ defense is extremely aggressive and so far this season, it has not worked out too well against good teams (Texans and Packers). Even the best offense will have trouble one week and Saints better hope that the defense is ready to step up at the right moment.

3. New England Patriots

I personally do not want to talk about them this week but it is my job to do so. Defense has no identity whatsoever and seems to be disorganized in many plays. 4-3 defense with pass rush I hoped seems like a pipe dream. Offense, despite what “experts” say is arguably the best offense but Coach Belichick better fix this defense or Patriots will not achieve the ultimate goal

4. Houston Texans

This team is for real. I thought that Texans would underachieve as they have last few seasons but I can see that this is different team. Despite going against one of the most clutch teams in the league, they stayed in the game until the very last moment. Defense is definitely improving and will become a force later this season as players get comfortable with 3-4 defenses.

5. Baltimore Ravens

They were not happy about what happened last week and came out strong to prove everyone that last week was a fluke. If the team realize that every team in NFL has chance of winning against the best of the best, and consistently perform at high level, this team will be dangerous. Let’s see if they can keep their egos down.

6. Detroit Lions

Who would have thought that Lions would be this good and resilient? Despite playing away and going overtime, they continued to put their best effort and won the game. Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson look like MVP candidates while defense seems to find its groove. But surprise teams tend to fall late in the season so keep an eye on them.

7. Buffalo Bills

From today on, English dictionaries have 2011 Buffalo Bills as an example of overachieving, no matter how they finish this season. Sure last two wins were at their home, but they played against strong opponents (Raiders and Patriots). Their will and resilience really surprised me. They have a lot of problems but they seem to find ways to win no matter what happens

8. Dallas Cowboys

Tony Romo is a good quarterback! Romo haters always talk about how he is not a clutch quarterback and that he is successful only when he has supporting cast but Romo can flat out play. He didn’t have his best game but he led his team to victory. Their defense seems to excel under Rob Ryan’s aggressive scheme. I am going to predict now that Cowboys will win the NFC East.

9. San Diego Chargers

Sure they barely beat lowly Chiefs but this team against showed will to finish close games, something that could not do last few seasons. Led by Rivers, offense is potent enough and defense is playing at good level. Once Antonio Gates returns from injury, they will be contenders.

10. New York Jets

What an embarrassing game. Raiders deserve their due for attacking one of the best defenses in the league aggressively, but Jets also deserve chastise for missing its opportunity to take the division lead. Mark Sanchez had above average game but again threw interception. Maybe Rex Ryan’s “cool” coach attitude is finally catching up with him.

11. Pittsburgh Steelers

12. Oakland Raiders

13. Philadelphia Eagles

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

15. New York Giants

16. Tennessee Titans

17. San Francisco 49ers

18. Washington Redskins

19. Carolina Panthers

20. Atlanta Falcons

NFL Power Ranking week 5 (combined)

2011-10-06T19:13:00.000-07:00

http://cjsportsnflblog.com/2011/10/the-ufb-power-rankings-week-5/

NFL Power Ranking Week 4 (combined)

2011-09-29T20:17:00.000-07:00

http://cjsportsnflblog.com/2011/09/the-ufb-power-rankings-week-4/

NFL Power Ranking week 4 by Frank Hyun (Patriots review)

2011-09-27T23:04:00.000-07:00

1. Green Bay Packers

2. New Orleans Saints

3. New England Patriots

4. Houston Texans

5. Baltimore Ravens

6. Detroit Lions

7. Buffalo Bills

8. Dallas Cowboys

9. San Diego Chargers

10. New York Jets

11. Pittsburgh Steelers

12. Oakland Raiders

13. Philadelphia Eagles

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

15. New York Giants

16. Tennessee Titans

17. San Francisco 49ers

18. Washington Redskins

19. Carolina Panthers

20. Atlanta Falcons

How you like them Pats?

2011-09-22T16:50:00.001-07:00

What an interesting this season has been. Just few months ago, I was worried about not having a NFL season was debating how to waste my time that NFL season filled. But we have a season and I am very happy for that. For next 10 years we, as fans, do not have to worry about whether there will be NFL or not.

By the way look at them Patriots. They scored 73 points in 2 weeks and Tom Brady is on pace to break the season record for passing yards by a wide margin. And since Tom Brady is playing as if he is a football god, Patriots are steamrolling their opponents. Sure Dolphins and Chargers had their chances but in the end we beat both of them by two touchdowns each.

Sure, defense is not doing too well, (second to last in pass defense) but they had their moments and that is all Patriots need right now to win. Sure pass rush is not there due to many reasons and new additions (Haynesworth, Carter, Ellis, etc) have not made impacts that I expected them to make but I had some lofty expectations for them so I am not that disappointed. Also I believe that this defense is still in transition from the time all the veterans left the team (Bruschi, Harrison, Seymour etc) and we are closer than ever to get dominant Patriots defense back.

But I have this itch on back of my head that this team is somewhat similar to 2007 Patriots, which is good and bad. 2007 Patriots were offense juggernaut, led by Tom Brady who threw for single season record of 50 touchdowns thrown and Randy Moss who also broke single season record of touchdowns caught with 23 touchdowns. However, the defense was a shell of itself as veterans got really old. Patriots got to the Super Bowl but when offense came up short, defense did not step up and Patriots lost to the Giants.

There is no doubt that this year’s team will post top 5 offense stats but the defense is simply not there yet. If we lose Patrick Chung, the safety position will be a mess and lingering injuries are hurting Haynesworth, Spikes, Wright and others. Patriots can win with bend but don’t break defense but when the playoff comes, that defense might not be enough when offense cannot execute.

As you can see in my power ranking, I have Patriots as #1 and really believe that Patriots have best chance of winning AFC championship and perhaps Super Bowl. But I would rather have Patriots that have dominant defense and good enough offense than juggernaut offense with bend but don’t break defense. Let’s hope that this team can achieve greatness that we expect from Patriots.

NFL Power Ranking Week 3 (combined)

2011-09-22T16:32:00.001-07:00

Again this is Week 3 power ranking of many bloggers!! check the bottom for bloggers who have contributed

http://cjsportsnflblog.com/2011/09/the-ufb-power-rankings-week-3/

NFL Power Ranking Week 3

2011-09-22T16:26:00.000-07:00

NFL Power Ranking Week 3

1. New England Patriots

I mean you have to put Patriots at the top when they beat Chargers 35-21. Their offense looks explosive and defense, while looking fragile, came up big when it needed to be. As a Patriots fan, I would rather not see Tom Brady break Dan Marino’s passing yard record, since if Patriots have huge leads in games, they will opt to run out the clock

2. Green Bay Packers

Either Cam Newton is one of the best rookie quarterbacks NFL has ever seen or Green Bay Packers’ defense is not what it used to be. Nick Collins’ injury is obviously huge but I expected them to overcome that like they did last year. Their offense looks even more dangerous, however, with emergence of James Stark

3. New York Jets

Wow, Jets’ game was just sad to watch. Top 25 college teams would have had better chance that those lowly Jaguars. With that said, Jets still can play dominant football; it is just matter of consistency. Unless Mark Sanchez fix his interception issues, Jets may never overcome AFC championship game

4. Philadelphia Eagles

Yea yea they lost to Falcons but I think Falcons got lucky. I mean Eagles defensive line just ate up Matt Ryan and Eagles offense looked unstoppable. I am not dropping them below top 5 unless Michael Vick’s concussion takes him out for extensive period of time or loses in lopsided game

5. New Orleans Saints

Saints really intrigue me. I already know how great their offense is but their defense has shown me two very opposite sides. Sure Packers have one of the best offenses in the league but they were horrific and then they demolish Bear’s offense, which isn’t half bad. They warrant more looks

6. San Diego Chargers

Even though they lost to Patriots, it was competitive game until the very end. Even with Gates taken out of the game by Patriots’ defense, they were few stupid plays away from winning. Not only will they win AFC west (I mean at this point, it’s a given) they will play deep into playoff

7. Houston Texans

They are winning against mediocre teams but hey at least they are not choking up. I am not completely sold on their defense yet but as long as offense scores plenty, their defense will not have to do much

8. Pittsburgh Steelers

9. Baltimore Ravens

10. Detroit Lions

11. Dallas Cowboys

12. Atlanta Falcons

13. Chicago Bears

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

15. Buffalo Bills

16. New York Giants

17. Arizona Cardinals

18. Washington Redskins

19. Oakland Raiders

20. Tennessee Titans

NFL Power Ranking week 2 (combined)

2011-09-15T20:48:00.000-07:00

http://cjsportsnflblog.com/2011/09/the-ufb-power-rankings-week-2/

NFL Power Ranking Week 2 by Frank Hyun (Patriots Review)

2011-09-14T23:39:00.000-07:00

1. Green Bay Packers

They have shown, at least for the first week that they are ready for the repeat. Sure Saints scored 34 points but hey they always score that much. Defense actually rattled Drew Brees so much that by the end of the game, Brees was inaccurate and indecisive. Offense looks great with some balance between passing and rushing game.

2. 2. New England Patriots

Yes I am moving Patriots to second spot even though eagles beat Rams. Patriots, especially in second half, did whatever pleased them in offense and defense was good enough to come up with few crucial stops. My guess is Patriots defense will again be bend but don’t break defense, which I am not happy with

3. Baltimore Ravens

What a game Ravens had. They completely destroyed Steelers to the point that I actually felt bad for Steelers and believe me I am not a fan of Pittsburgh Steelers. Their offense seemed very dynamic and defense looked great. If Joe Flacco continues his progress, Ravens are the favorite to represent AFC in the Super Bowl.

4. Philadelphia Eagles

Their win against Rams was not impressive. Sure score was 31-13 but the offense seems missing a beat and defense was susceptible to running game. Remember, Steven Jackson was out of the game after his touchdown run. I hope their young linebackers gain experiences real quick or Eagles have slim chance of winning Super Bowl

5. New York Jets

The game against the Cowboys shows why I hate Jets but I still have respect for them. Cowboys could have easily won the game but Jets hung in there. Their defense again came up big and offense did just enough to win the game. That resiliency is the reason why they made to AFC championship games last two years.

6. San Diego Chargers

Their win also wasn’t impressive but they won in the game that they usually lose. Even though the offense did not score 10000000000 points, the team stepped up to finish the job. Oh, by the way don’t think Chargers are not lucky as they lost their kicker in the kickoff.

7. Houston Texans

At least for this season, Texans are the best team in AFC South. Their offense was in sync and justified themselves as one of the best offenses in the league. What surprised me most was the defense. Sure Payton Manningless Colts are below average team at best, but defense had great pass rush.

8. Pittsburgh Steelers

Steelers better forget and move on from this catastrophe. I mean this loss was so bad that I thought Browns had better chance against Ravens. Offensive line that was barely enough to keep Ben Roethlisberger crumbled under Ravens’ ferocious defense. Their rock solid defense looked slow and weak. But this is Steelers we are talking about so let’s give them one more week before knocking them down from top 10

9. New Orleans Saints

Their offense is as explosive as ever, even without Reggie Bush. As long as Drew Brees is not knocked around too much, Saints will be in any game no matter the circumstances. They need to improve on the defense. Being aggressive is good but if being aggressive is costing you a game, you should stop.

10. Chicago Bears

This team is all about consistency. When the team is consistent they are dangerous but since they are inconsistent, i.e Jay Cutler, they are not elite team yet. With that said, they demolished Falcons. Their offense was compact yet dangerous and their defense reminded me of defense that led Bears to the Super Bowl few years ago.

11. Dallas Cowboys

12. Detroit Lions

13. Atlanta Falcons

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

15. San Francisco 49ers

16. Arizona Cardinals

17. Washington Redskins

18. New York Giants

19. Buffalo Bills

20. Rams

NFL Power Ranking

2011-09-08T13:56:00.000-07:00

Other bloggers and I have decided to make our own power ranking and this is it!!!

http://cjsportsnflblog.com/2011/09/the-ufb-power-rankings/

Patriots Roster moves by Frank Hyun

2011-08-24T04:25:00.000-07:00

I am going to say this from the start. This off season was GREAT!!!!! Coach Belichick has done a miracle. Sure I don’t love every move but what he has done is just amazing. Patriots gave up three late round picks for two ex-pro bowlers. He also signed several players who have vast experience in NFL. I will gladly give A for Patriots’ work (not A+ because I think they overpaid Shaun Ellis).

1, Chad Johnson (Ochocinco)
Sure, I’m not a fan of Chad whatever he calls himself but trading a 2012 fifth round pick and a 2013 sixth round pick for a decent player with chance to be good in right scheme and I believe that he is in the right scheme with Patriots. Everyone that consider themselves as a NFL expert says that teams must stretch the field with speedy wide receivers to have great offense. However, Patriots proved that precision short pass offense can also work. Johnson is known for his route running and good hands and will be able to contribute after Patriots’ bye week. (In this shorten off-season, it is impossible for new players to digest teams’ schemes from get go. Bye week will be good time for new players and rookies to understand schemes.)

2. Albert Haynesworth
This is most risky roster move that Coach Belichick has ever made. People who do not like this move argue that Haynesworth is different from troubled players Coach Belichick brought in (ex. Corey Dillon, Randy Moss, Rodney Harrison) in that he does not care about football. However, when the Patriots brought in Randy Moss, people also said that Randy Moss is not interested in football. As far as I am concerned Haynesworth will behave. People also say that Patriots are switching to 4-3 defense but remember that Coach Belichick changes his defense week to week basis, a key example being using 4-3 defense against Eagles in the 2004 Super Bowl. Coach Belichick will find best scheme that Haynesworth will thrive in.

3. Andre Carter
At first, I was very confused. I have not seen Carter play much since he was never famous enough to garner highlights, but from what I have seen so far, he has been great. I think that he will be used mostly is passing situation and not in 3-4 scheme. (Coach Belichick learned from his misuse of Burgress) I can see Andre Carter, Albert Haynesworth, Vince Wilfork and Shaun Ellis dominating the line of scrimmage. I expect 8-10 sack season

4. Shaun Ellis
Suck on this Jets. I don’t care if he doesn’t play a single down as a Patriots. I am just happy that Jets mess this up. Shaun Ellis has been rock in Jets locker room and Patriots killer. He still played in high level last season when he was not injured and I expect Coach Belichick to limit number of snaps Shaun Ellis will play. He will be a great mentor for young defensive linemen along with Vince Wilfork and Gerald Warren.

5. Mark Anderson
He was great for the Bears in his rookie season accumulating 12 sacks. However, his production dipped afterward. I have not seen enough from him to judge but I do know that he can play in this league. He is a bit of finesse pass rusher but hey I will take any kind of pass rush

EXTRA
What I don’t like….
Patriots did not get a complete 3-4 rush linebacker. But this is only thing I do not like. There was no one available in the free agency and trading for a complete 3-4 rush linebacker would have cost a lot of assets (players and draft picks) I wish Patriots had gotten Cameron Wake…

What if Nate Solder version By Frank Hyun

2011-07-19T01:37:00.000-07:00

With NFL lockout coming to an end, I thought it would be fun to see how much rookies can contribute. I’m only going to talk about rookies that has chance to make an impact (so no Lee Smith, Markell Carter, Ryan Mallett and Malcolm Williams)

Whenever the free agency start, Patriots must make a key decision on whether to sign or let go Matt Light. I do not think Patriots will resign Matt Light since Sebastian Vollmer seems ready to take over the left tackle job. Patriots also drafted Nate Solder and kepts Steve Maneri, a tackle from Temple University, over Ted Larsen who played well for Buccaneers.

If Matt Light is not resigned, I believe that Nate Solder will battle for right tackle job. Sure Patriots drafted him to be future left-tackle but blindside of Tom Brady is safer in hand of a veteran (Vollmer) .

Assuming he wins the job, Nate Solder faces tough schedule. Dolphins and Jets have exceptional pass rush while Bills has improved dramatically with acquisition of Marcellus Dareus from Alabama. I would say only two teams that Patriots face this upcoming season has below average pass rush (Broncos, Redskins) Nate Solder will also play his first NFL game on ESPN, under the spotlight of entire nation. It will be interesting to see how he reacts against opponents who will test him again and again with different tactics.

Rookies usually spend bye week to review their performance so far and correct any problems that has been exposed. Patriots have bye week on week 7 and it could not come at better time. On week 8 Patriots face Steelers at Heinz field and ferocity of Steelers’ pass rush is stuff of legend.

I think Nate Solder will struggle first few weeks as opponents will see if he can handle bull rush. (some draft experts have called Nate Solder soft) However, I believe he will catch on pretty quick since Patriots have one of best environments in NFL for rookies to excel. Dante Scarnecchia, offensive line coach, is well known for his work and veterans such as Dan Koppen and Tom Brady will help him digest schemes.