Sports With a Spin

Devils-Blue Jackets Recap

2013-12-12T20:03:00.003-05:00

So another game and another frustrating loss for #JerseysTeam as they fall to 12-14-6. (Side note: anyone else notice how much the Devils are really pushing this whole "#JerseysTeam" thing since the Nets fled to Brooklyn? We know it's NJ, it's in the damn team name.. but I digress) Yet another outing in which the Devils deserved to win and should have won, but for one reason or another lost. This time you have to assign the lion's share of blame to the Hall-of-Famer-to-be in net. Yeah, he got a few bad bounces (Atkinson's goal off his calf after Brodeur stopped Dubinksy's throw on net), but any time you allow 5 goals on 23 shots, it's probably not going to be a good day.

Anyone who follows the Devils knows that anytime the offense shows up and puts four on the board, it's a game where the boys in red should come away with two points, end of story. The team is built on defense and it just wasn't there on Tuesday. Anton Volchenkov was playing like some sort of Space Jam-like aliens stole his talents for a sequel hockey game against the Tune Squad (although it's not like any of them would target Volchenkov in the first place). Yeah, he got hurt and came back into the game, but it's not like he was playing like Scott Stevens before he left.

Frustrating game from the Devils, as I can assure you Schneider wouldn't have needed four goals for a win Tuesday, guy has been winning with barely any offense in front of him and at this point he's clearly the number one.

There were a couple bright spots surprisingly enough as Damien Brunner finally snapped out of his zombie-like slump with two goals, which will hopefully give him the confidence he needs to jumpstart his play. Michael Ryder stayed hot with another goal and now has four goals in his last five games, but perhaps the biggest help is the progress being made by two players that have missed significant time due to injury in Ryane Clowe and the captain Bryce Salvador.

Ryane Clowe, the walking concussion who I'm sure most people forgot was a Devil at this point (get used to it, he's signed for five years), should be back by the weekend or early next week. Salvador began skating with the team this week on his way back and should stabilize the defense, which has played well in his absence for the most part, taking some pressure off of the rookies, Merrill and Big Gelly (friggin love Eric Gelinas).

Anyways, the Devils are back in action Friday in Pittsburgh. On paper it's scary due to their record, but the Devils have won 4 of the last 6 against those assholes. Either way, Let's Go Devils.

This needs to come back...

Super Bowl XLVII: 5 Reasons Why Each Team Will Win

2013-02-02T18:36:00.001-05:00

Well here we are on the eve of the most hyped-up and celebrated television program of the year: the Super Bowl. As Rent-A-Centers everywhere are buzzing with big screen TV rentals and corporations are desperately throwing millions at CBS for advertising slots, the Ravens and 49ers are wrapping up their preparations for the Big Game. Here are five reasons why each time will win tomorrow in New Orleans and take the coveted Lombardi Trophy back home (Prediction at the end).

San Francisco 49ers

1. Colin Kaepernick. I'll be the first to admit that I thought the Niners were making a mistake by replacing Alex Smith with the unproven Kaepernick in the midst of a season in which they were clearly contenders, and after a year where Smith dazzled in the playoffs, especially against the New Orleans Saints in a memorable divisional round matchup. I'll also, however, be the first to admit that I was wrong. Kaepernick has given San Francisco an added dimension on offense that Smith couldn't provide. His legs, combined with his rocket of an arm, provide a deadly combination that certainly keep opposing defenses up late at night. He has resurrected a seemingly-lost Michael Crabtree since he became the starting signal-caller in November. Kaepernick will cause the Ravens' defense fits with his read-option and may also be able to get loose for a few big runs against a weaker Raven run defense than we're used to seeing.

Will Colin K. be flexin down in Nawlins?

2. The Front Seven. You show me a better front seven in football, and I'll show you a liar. The pass rush led by the Smith brothers, Aldon and Justin (no, they're not really brothers), paired with a linebacking corp featuring Navorro Bowman and Patrick Willis are a matchup nightmare for any blocking scheme. They rush the passer better than anyone in the league and they tackle better than anyone in the league. They are as sure of a thing as sure things come. However, don't sell their secondary short either as Carlos Rogers, Dashon Goldson, and even Chris Culliver (who has made the press this week for all the wrong reasons) are nothing to scoff at either.

3. Vernon Davis is a matchup nightmare. Vernon Davis' numbers were down this year, mostly thanks to a disappearing act at the end of the season, back he has seemingly resurrected himself and become the force that we know him to be. The Ravens will likely be forced to bring a nickel back onto the field for much of the game to cover Davis, but there will be times throughout the game where he'll be staring across the line at a linebacker, a matchup that Colin Kaepernick must exploit. Few tight ends deserve the attention that Davis warrants, but then again, there aren't exactly too many 250 lb tight ends that run a 4.38 (40-yard dash).

4. Jim Harbaugh is the better coach. No disrespect to John here, and this "Harbowl" is clearly something to commemorate because we may never see anything like it again, but Jim has the upper hand. Sure, John is the longer tenured coach, but he inherited a fearless defense with surefire Hall of Famers in Ray Lewis and Ed Reed and all-pro caliber players like Haloti Ngata. Granted Jim was handed most of his team as well, but the players he was given never demonstrated any sort of success prior to his arrival. Hell, San Francisco hasn't been this relevant since the Jerry Rice and Steve Young days (even with T.O. and Jeff Garcia, who somehow has a smokeshow of a wife). All in all, I contend that Jim utilizes his team's strengths better and owns a better overall gameplan on a week-to-week basis.

5. The football gods owe them. We all remember (or at least should) Kyle Williams' devastating fumble that, for all intents and purposes, fumbled the game away last year in the NFC Championship Game against the eventual champion New York Giants. If Williams fields a relatively routine punt cleanly, Eli Manning is still sitting on one championship. However, Williams muffed the punt, which was recovered by the G-Men, sending the Niners home sooner than it seemed they would. When a break goes so far toward the other team in professional sports, things tend to go your way the next time; everything has a way of evening out, a level playing field, if you will. The signs would indicate that the Niners are due, and due for something big like, dare I say it, a Lombardi Trophy.

Baltimore Ravens

1. Joe Flacco. I started off San Francisco's list with Kaepernick, so it only seems fair to go Flacco here, but all-in-all he is a difference maker. I really think Flacco's play alone will dictate this contest; I think he is the biggest variable. He's been nothing short of spectacular this postseason, as he boasts an 8-0 touchdown-to-interception differential. He received an awful lot of criticism when he claimed that he believes he's the best quarterback in the NFL last year, and by criticism I mean a lot of laughs. However, why shouldn't he be confident? He's backed it up with two consecutive AFC Championship game appearances and now a Super Bowl berth. If Flacco continues his stellar play, I think it's Baltimore's game to lose, but if he falters, they'll be in a world of trouble. This is his chance to prove that he is, in fact, an elite quarterback, and I definitely think he is capable of answering that call.

Joe Flacco is about to get paid if he wins one more game.

2. Ray Lewis' last hurrah. Will Ray Lewis be as big of a factor as he was in the Super Bowl XXXV victory in which he was named MVP? Absolutely not. However, he will be extra motivated to go out on top, and I think his teammates want to help him do that (if for no reason other than to usher him out the door). Big name players have seemed to go out on top recently, so why can't he be the next one to retire after winning "The Big One" with the likes of John Elway, Jerome Bettis, and Michael Strahan? Say what you want about his character, his past, or his sudden devotion to his faith, but the guy can play some ball. Besides, how could I call myself a (quasi)sports writer without mentioning Ray Lewis in a Super Bowl column?

3. Torrey Smith. I'm a big fan of Torrey Smith's. I skyped with the man last year (no, but really, I did) and he's a genuinely nice human being, however that doesn't even begin to describe how good this guy is. He may not get the press that other high-level receivers get, but Torrey Smith has quietly (a nice chance of pace for a team with Ray Lewis) become arguably the best deep threat in the NFL. With Joe Flacco having what is most likely the strongest arm in the league, Torrey Smith can just put a move on the DB and turn on the jets because Flacco will get him the pigskin. Smith will play a major role in this game, as no team has had an answer for him thus far in the playoffs.

4. They're the underdogs. There's just something to be said about an underdog. While they may only be a small underdog in Vegas (+3.5 last I looked), most are predicting a Niner victory. Well, tell that to Baltimore. They weren't supposed to beat Denver. They did it. They weren't supposed to beat New England. They did that too. Why not San Francisco? Tell me. Why not?

5. The leg of Justin Tucker. There's something special about the leg of this young man. He's been virtually automatic on the year, missing only 3 FGs all season long as a rookie. He's made four from 50+ and has already drilled a 47-yard game winning FG in double OT in Denver (how's that for clutch?). I think this is a close game, and Baltimore has the better, more consistent kicker right now in Tucker, whereas David Akers has been a mini disaster this season for San Francisco. This game has all the makings of a dogfight and if it comes down to the wire, I like the foot of the youngster.

Prediction

It's going to be close, and I think anyone who believes otherwise is kidding themselves. (Of course when it's a blowout I'll have the taste of foot in my mouth for a week). As with my last point made, I think it's Justin Tucker hoisted on the shoulders of his Raven teammates as the clock expires, bringing the Lombardi Trophy back to Baltimore, sending Ray Lewis off into the sunset (thank God).

Baltimore, 27-24.

-TA

Hockey Is Back: One Week In

2013-01-29T17:08:00.001-05:00

So after what I'd like to call a lengthy sabbatical, I need to return to one of my favorite pastimes: sports writing. Now I know everyone who has visited my blog has been waiting with baited breath for my return, well here it is. I had a lot running through my mind during this horrific excuse for a class (thank God I took it pass/fail), so I went to the old reliable pen and paper (or I guess laptop, but it doesn't sound as cool). So here we go with some hockey...

Eastern Conference

First impressions after a week or so:

The Bruins seem to be the team to beat- Boston is one of the most physical teams in the league, and they have shown it. Milan Lucic is a man-beast on the ice with an unparalleled balance of physicality and skill, and with guys like Shawn Thornton, Nathan Horton, Zdeno Chara, and even the 19-year-old Dougie Hamilton added to the mix, the Bruins have the size to not only match up with any team, but outmatch them. Even their smallest guys like Brad Marchand fearlessly throw their weight around. Their size and skill in front of underrated goaltender Tuukka Rask make them the frontrunner, in my mind, to recapture the East.

Yeah, I wouldn't exactly be jumping at this chance to stare Lucic down.

The Devils don't seem to be missing Zach Parise too much- My beloved Devils are off to a 3-0-1 start and their defense, paired with the tremendous play of ageless wonder Marty Brodeur in net, is their biggest strength. The Devils return their entire defensive unit from last year's Stanley Cup Final team, something that Brodeur has said he feels greatly comforted by. The team should have last year's rookie sensation and playoff hero Adam Henrique back by the end of the week, adding to a group of forwards that have already featured strong play from David Clarkson, Patrik Elias, Ilya Kovalchuk, and Travis Zajac. While the Devils are in a nice position 4 games in, they need to address their slow first period starts if they want to keep it that way. Right now they look like a contender, but they clearly can't relax in what is probably the best division in hockey.

The old man's still got it.

Tampa Bay's offense is a force to be reckoned with- You already know what Steven Stamkos, Marty St. Louis, and Vinny Lecavalier bring to the table (although the latter two may be a bit of surprise with their high levels of play as they continue to age), but there has also been a surprise with the addition of the AHL's reigning MVP in Cory Conacher. Conacher looks to be a potential Calder Cup frontrunner as the league's top rookie, as he has contributed 2 goals and 5 assists for 7 points in the club's first 5 games. The smaller rookie (listed at 5'8" 179 lbs) has seemed to have no trouble transitioning to the next level. They'll need goalie Anders Lindback to step up at times to balance out the attack, but the Lighning have struck early.

The Rangers and Flyers need to pick it up- These two division foes handed in quite an entertaining affair in their first meeting, a game the Flyers won 2-1, but their slow starts have them looking up within the division (even behind the Islanders, bleh). While the Rangers' 2-3 and the Flyers' 2-4 starts may have produced a little bit of panic amongst fans, these teams are built well enough to make the playoffs, which is all a team needs to do in a shortened season. The Rangers have arguably the best goalie in the NHL in Henrik Lundqvist and one of the best top lines in the league with Rick Nash, Brad Richards, and Marian Gaborik. The Flyers took a hit with the loss of Scott Hartnell for a month, but the return of Danny Briere helps along with one of the best young players in the game in Claude Giroux. Philadelphia's defense remains suspect and they'll ask more out of Ilya Bryzgalov in net this season, but I think they're a good enough team to make the playoffs.

Hartnell is a big loss, although I'm not convinced this isn't Hagrid.

Washington fans should be panicking- Something is wrong in the nation's capital. The Caps don't look quite right; Alexander Ovechkin doesn't look quite right. Ovechkin seems to be missing something. He has moved from left wing to right wind, but that can't be what's wrong. Whether it's that he's trying to do too much or whatever, the Caps can't contend with their star performing like he has. Their goalie play has struggled as well, although their defense isn't helping. Last year's playoff surprise, Braden Holtby has struggled mightily allowing 10 goals in his two games. Michael Neurvirth has been slightly better for Washington, but the goalie play in total needs to be better and that begins with the defense, which has allowed the two goaltenders to be peppered with shots, something that can't continue. Unless the team turns it around quick, they're in trouble with each game that much more important in a shortened season.

Western Conference

Chicago has regained its Stanley Cup swagger- There hasn't been a better team in the early going so far than the Chicago Blackhawks. Their offensive attack, led by Marian Hossa, Patrick Kane, and Jonathan Toews has been stellar, and goaltender Corey Crawford, who struggled at times last season, has been tremendous. Chicago is 6-0-0 and is showing no signs of slowing down. The best way to put it is simply: the 'Hawks are back, back to their ways that brought the Stanley Cup back to Chicago in 2010.

Patty Kane, ladies and gents.

The Kings are off to a "slow start"- There has been a bit of a hubbub about Los Angeles' "slow start", but I'm not one of those worriers. The team is 2-2-1 and currently sitting in what is now 8th place in the West, which is a playoff spot in case you needed reminding. This is a team that won the Stanley Cup last year from the 8 seed. Anze Kopitar is just getting his sea-legs back after suffering an injury while playing overseas, and while the injury to Matt Greene puts a damper on the defense, they still have a tremendous goaltender in the reigning Conn Smythe winner, Jonathan Quick in net and most of the same team that won Lord Stanley's Cup a mere 7 months ago.

This could be Edmonton's breakthrough year- The Oilers have now been bad for what seems like decades. However, after amassing top pick after top pick in the draft, Edmonton has started 3-2 and while it is respectable, it's a vast improvement from where the team has been, which is in the basement. Their young talent is starting to come together with guys like this year's top pick Nail Yakupov, with former top picks Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. The Oilers have gotten solid goaltending from Devan Dubnyk and the early signs point to Edmonton perhaps being a playoff team as early as this year.

For many other teams it's been business as usual, which can be good (in the cases of San Jose and St. Louis) or bad (in the cases of Calgary and Toronto). While we've all been deprived of our hockey for the better part of 4 months, it is back and as strong as ever. Record ticket sales and viewership have been reported in the opening week, meaning the boost the NHL received last year through the playoffs has not only not receded, but has continued to grow. We have less hockey now in our 48-game season, but we have more meaningful hockey and more hockey in a typical week. The NHL knew we'd be back and we knew it too, regardless of how much apathy we pretended to have through the whole lockout. However you felt and whoever you blamed is not deemed irrelevant and the indignant nature and feelings have calmed. Hockey is back and beginning to regain its glory days of the 1980s and 1990s when Gretzky and Lemieux ruled the ice.

It's an exciting year for the NHL, even if it will carry an asterisk in the record books. We have a jam-packed season on our hands and I, for one, am beyond excited. So hockey fans, and those who are just reading this because they like me (even though I'd have no idea how you made it this far), enjoy it, because it will be a hell of a ride.

-TA

Taking the Temperature of the Miami Dolphins

2012-01-11T02:35:00.000-05:00

As promised Al, here ya go...

The Miami Dolphins are coming off a somewhat disappointing 2011 campaign in which they finished 6-10. The reason I say that it is only somewhat disappointing is because they finished off the season 6-3 in their last nine games after an 0-7 start. The team looked much stronger at the tail end of the season and showed some promised, even after the firing of Head Coach Tony Sparano following Week 14.

The Dolphins faced some adversity this season when they lost starting QB Chad Henne during a Week 4 matchup with the San Diego Chargers. Rookie RB Daniel Thomas was hobbled with a hamstring injury that lingered for most of the season, forcing the team to rely on Reggie Bush.

Bush, however, proved to be a rare bright spot on offense for Miami. Bush, who was brought over from New Orleans in a trade before the season, was expected to split carries with Thomas, but was forced to shoulder the brunt of the carries. Bush showed that he could handle it though as he finished with over 1,000 yards rushing for the first time as a pro.

Next year should be brighter on offense for Miami as they should have a healthy Thomas in his second year to complement Bush in the backfield for a balanced attack. They will have Henne back if they choose to stick with him as the starter, a decision that will likely be saved for the future head coach.

The defense was solid again this year, finishing sixth in points allowed per game (19.6) and third in rushing yards allowed per game (95.6). The defense should be stout again next year, led by breakout defensive end Cameron Wake who accounted for 8.5 sacks in 2011, as well as 14 in 2010.

The position of head coach remains vacant at the moment, but it is no secret that they highly covet former Titans' head coach Jeff Fisher, who they chartered a private helicopter for late last week. However, the Rams are hot on Fisher as well and he may be more interested in that job.

If the 'Fins do not land Fisher, let's take a look at some other coaches that I think they could consider bringing in:

Bengals' Defensive Coordinator Mike Zimmer: Zimmer has made the Bengals' defense strong again and helped them clinch a birth in the playoffs. Behind a rookie QB, they Bengals had to rely a lot on their defense, and Zimmer got his boys ready to play. The Dolphins have always been a strong defensive-minded team, and Zimmer could provide that focus. Many think that Zimmer should have gotten a chance at a head coaching job way before now, but he is still out there and could be a viable candidate for the Miami job. Owner Stephen Ross was thought to have desired a coach with previous NFL head coaching experience, but if Fisher chooses St. Louis and Bill Cowher and Jon Gruden stay in the broadcast booth, they may have no choice than to turn to an assistant.

Interim Head Coach/ Secondary coach Todd Bowles: Sometimes the best place to look for a coach is within the organization. Bowles took over as the interim head coach after the firing of Tony Sparano prior to Week 15. The team finished 2-1 under Bowles' tenure, during which the team played some of its better ball. There is talk of Bowles possibly heading to Tampa, but they are also keen on Marty Schottenheimer, so if they do not bring Bowles in, and Miami wants someone familiar with the system, they could do much worse than keeping Todd Bowles.

My Prediction: Fisher decides to coach the team with a franchise QB in place, that being the Rams with Sam Bradford. With Fisher off the board, I think the Dolphins ultimately go with Cincinnati's Zimmer, a guy who just seems like a head coach. Also, it could help his cause that he and GM Jeff Ireland worked together during their stints in Dallas.

So as we near Fisher's decision, we shall wait and see which direction the Dolphins choose to go. Will they get Jeff Fisher? Will they get Zimmer and prove me right? Or will they go Bowles or an entirely different unforeseen direction? That's the beauty of the NFL coaching carousel, we won't know until the first report comes in, and even then we must wait for confirmation.

Until next time, take care all and enjoy the playoffs.

-TA

Quick Thought: Possible Schottenheimer Reunion?

2012-01-11T01:55:00.000-05:00

Hey guys, it's been a while since I've been on here as I've been working with Bleacher Report a bit and will embark on a sports writing internship coming up in two weeks, but I will never forget my roots, those being this blog where it all started. Thanks again to all who have read it means the world to me and has helped fuel my dream. So to my thought...

On Tuesday, Jets' Offensive Coordinator Brian Schottenheimer informed the team that he will not be back next season. This move comes after there was a lot of talk of uneasiness and unrest within the locker room. Third-string QB Greg McElroy went on to say that there were a lot of huge egos on the team and that many players did not care about winning or losing, but rather personal statistics.

It may make sense that Schottenheimer has jumped ship now to part ways with the cancerous players in his unit (Santonio Holmes in particular), but could there be an ulterior motive?

News broke earlier this week that the Tampa Bay Bucs were bringing in former NFL coach Marty Schottenheimer to interview for the vacant head coaching job left vacant by Raheem Morris' firing. Marty Schottenheimer, who most recently coached in the UFL, is the father of Brian Schottenheimer.

So while it may seem as though Brian just tried to get away from a sinking ship in New York, could he just be freeing himself up to join his father Marty just in time for his return to the NFL? This would not be the first time we've seen this. Brian was the quarterbacks coach under Marty when he was the head coach in Kansas City, Washington, and San Diego, so he is no stranger to his father's staff.

To further illustrate this, look at Lane Kiffin and his father Monty. When Lane became the head coach at Tennessee in 2009, he brought his father, Monty, along to be the defensive coordinator, and went on to bring him along to USC where both held the same positions.

Only time will tell where the two wind up, but it seems rather coincidental that this move comes at this time. This is pure speculation by me at this time, but don't be surprised if you see the two on the same staff in 2012.

Guest Blog: Jose Reyes: A Mets' Fan's Perspective

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

The following is a guest blog from a longtime friend and fellow Met fan, Nick Cantatore. Enjoy.

_______

Amidst all of the commotion surrounding the recent signing of Jose Reyes to the Miami Marlins, Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson is making a statement. A statement that says he is here for the long haul. A statement that says this is not a “give him the sixth year and let it be the next GM’s problem” kind of situation this organization has had in the past. A statement that says he is committed to making this team the way he wants. A statement that says he is not afraid to do things his way. And finally, a statement that says he wants to build the foundation of this team around promising young talent for the future.

Regardless of whether you happen to agree or disagree with the decision, it’s final. I, on one hand, am not thrilled that he went to a divisional opponent, but I can understand why Alderson had to make this decision. So while everyone is busy ripping him and making assumptions as to why the Mets couldn’t keep Reyes, I have decided to take Alderson’s point of view. I will take a look into his thought process, along with the once crowned “superstar” front office, which now seems to have fans in an uproar:

1. Reyes is Injury Prone.

Reyes receiving attention after an injury

Reading the blogs and everything Mets fans are thinking about the Reyes signing, there is one thought that I keep running into: “What will Wright do without Reyes? He has never played beside someone else!” The fact of the matter is, over the past three seasons Wright has played next to someone not named Reyes. In fact, nearly 40% of the time the person playing shortstop was someone NOT named Jose Reyes. This alarming statistic is exactly the reason the Mets were reluctant to give Reyes that coveted sixth year.

In case you have never taken anatomy, let me break it down for you as simply as I can: When you age, your body deteriorates. At age 28, Jose Reyes is no longer that young explosive talent he once was. Okay, maybe the explosive part still applies, but with his medical history, who knows how long he will hold up. By giving Reyes an enormous contract with a guaranteed five years and option for a sixth means you are committing a bulk of your payroll to a player who has been injury prone since he stepped foot on the diamond in 2003. Believe me, when healthy Reyes is one of the most exciting players in baseball. He brings elements to the game that few other players have ever possessed. But that key phrase is “when healthy.” The Mets cannot afford to lock up a player with the much publicized budget cuts and hope he can stay healthy, for 6 years no less. As dynamic and explosive as Reyes is, he is getting older with each passing season. His hamstrings are as tender as I like my steak, and his body will only continue to deteriorate. This type of contract guarantees nothing more than a large sum of guaranteed money to a player who is anything but guaranteed to play.

2. With or Without Reyes, The Mets Won’t Win.

Frustrated Mets fans (WITH REYES STILL ON THE TEAM)

I love the Mets, always have, and always will. I find no fans to be as ignorant as Philadelphia fans, in any sport for that matter. However, some of the posts from Mets fans regarding Reyes have made me think we may not be far behind. Any true and logical Mets fan would know that with or without Reyes in 2012, this team will not win. We will not win the division, and will certainly not win the World Series. In fact, any baseball fan will tell you that a combination of Philadelphia’s pitching staff and the Braves combination of young talent and solid veterans will hold up for the next five years easy in that division. That’s not even considering Washington or Miami, who have both shown a desire to bring in free agents to have a shot to compete. So what sense does it make to invest a bulk of your remaining payroll into an aging player that can’t put you over the top? By not signing Reyes to an astronomical contract that would eat up a bulk of their miniscule payroll (in comparison to past years, not the Pirates), the Mets afford themselves some room to add pieces. These pieces go to a bigger puzzle called a team. A team is a lot of pieces, not just one. Yes, you always have those pieces that you build around, but what good is that one piece if you have nothing to put around it? As far as I see it, although Alderson is reluctant to fully admit it, the Mets are in a rebuilding stage.

Much to my dismay, they look up and see the pitching staff of the Phillies, which should make ANY line-up quiver. They look up at the Braves and the promising young talent they have in place to compete for the division year in and year out. They look up at the Nationals and see two of the brightest young stars in Strasburg and Harper, mixed with a front office willing to spend the money to compete. They look up at the Marlins and see an organization who apparently thinks they have money equivalent to that of the Yankees (which I don’t know where it’s coming from, they have no fans. They had Jews run the field night to attract some fans last year for goodness sake). And then there sits the Mets, at the bottom looking up. Mind you, there they sit, with or without Reyes. Ultimately deciding to build this puzzle called a team around new pieces, pieces that will allow this team to compete when the other teams need to do exactly what the Mets are doing now, rebuild.

3. The Mets Have Promising Talent in the Farm System.

Mets promising young power pitcher, Matt Harvey.

Just like Reyes and Wright, the Mets once again have managed to build a solid farm system. What was considered bleak nearly two years ago, the Mets have managed to create a bright spot of young talent under the Alderson regime. Namely going after pitching, the Mets hope they have a foundation in place to build a solid starting rotation from within. With Harvey and Wheeler being considered to have top of the rotation potential, and Familia, Mejia and Fulmer all showing promise, things suddenly don’t look so bad down the road. With first round pick Brandon Nimmo and OF Cesar Puello finally showing his power potential, the Mets definitely have some pieces to build around. Although we may not see these players for a few more years, Mets fans definitely have something to look forward to. And although he is being ripped right now, there is no better judge of young talent than Alderson. He builds from within, and has a way of finding the right pieces to fit the puzzle.

On the evening of the Reyes signing, Alderson said this statement during a press conference: “Look, I'm not conceding anything with respect to 2012. We're here [in Dallas] for the next four days to figure out how to put the best possible team on the field for 2012.” Much like the 2011 season, Terry Collins will have this team out there playing hard. They may or may not exceed expectations, but they will never stop trying. And whether or not you think the Mets could have kept Reyes, the fact of the matter is they didn’t. All Mets fans should stop dwelling on the fact that we have lost one of the most loved players in franchise history, and start preparing for life after Reyes…

And most of all, start believing in this front office.

Week 11 Power Rankings: Bears surge

2011-11-16T19:48:00.000-05:00

1. Green Bay Packers (9-0) (Last week: 1)- The Packers never even gave the Vikes a chance. They pounced on them right away when Randall Cobb returned a punt for a TD before the offense had a chance to step onto the field. This team is special.

2. San Francisco 49ers (8-1) (LW: 2)- The Niners proved that they're an elite team in this league after holding on to defeat the Giants who had looked as strong as anyone of late. Frank Gore looks like he'll be okay, just don't be surprised if they lighten his load going forward with Kendall Hunter lurking with fresh legs.

3. New Orleans Saints (7-3) (LW: 6)- The Saints held on after blowing a 10 pt 4th quarter lead against the Falcons on the road. It was a big win for the Saints within the division on the road to give themselves a game and a half lead in the NFC South heading into their Week 11 bye.

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-3) (LW: 7)- The Steelers took care of the Bengals to catapult themselves into sole possession in the AFC North thanks to a Ravens loss. The Steelers may still be the class of the AFC.

5. New York Giants (6-3) (LW: 5)- The G-Men fell just short against the Niners on the road in Week 10. However, it was the Niners and the Giants almost came through to tie the game on their final drive. The Giants are a very good team, but they'll have to watch surging Dallas behind them as they have the Packers and Saints waiting for them on the other side of Philly.

6. Chicago Bears (6-3) (LW: 14)- The Bears absolutely dominated the Lions in Week 10, plain and simple. Their defense was exceptional, producing 2 TDs and Devin Hester took another one to the house off of a punt return. The Bears look scary again.

7. New England Patriots (6-3) (LW: 8)- The Pats faced a tough divisional foe in the Jets in Week 10 and proved that it's still their division to lose. They get the Tyler Palko-led Chiefs on Monday night this week as they try to nurse their secondary back to health.

8. Baltimore Ravens (6-3) (LW: 3)- Wow. What a difference a week makes. The Ravens looked flat and couldn't stop Marshawn Lynch even when they knew he was coming. A loss to lowly Seattle isn't a good sign for the Ravens, having come off a huge win against Pittsburgh.

9. Houston Texans (7-3) (LW: 10)- The Texans tore apart the Bucs in Week 10, but the week was a huge loss for them as they lost Matt Schaub for the season due to a foot injury. Here comes Matt Leinart...

10. Detroit Lions (6-3) (LW: 4)- The Lions couldn't get anything going against the Bears in Week 10, as they mustered a mere 13 points to the Bears' 37. They'll have to get it together soon or else they could find themselves out of the playoff picture with 2 games against the Packers still to come.

11. Cincinnati Bengals (6-3) (LW: 9)- Bengals couldn't get it done against Pittsburgh, falling just short. Tough divisional matchup looms this week in Baltimore.

12. Dallas Cowboys (5-4) (LW: 17)- Dallas has looked very impressive of late and Tony Romo was brilliant in their Week 10 rout of Buffalo. DeMarco Murray continues to shine as the featured back, and it looks as though he'll remain in that role with Felix Jones returning.

13. Oakland Raiders (5-4) (LW: 18)- The Raiders looked good in their Week 10 Thursday night victory, taking over first place in the AFC West. Michael Bush has been sensational filling in for the injured Darren McFadden and Carson Palmer may have found his new favorite target in Denarius Moore.

14. Atlanta Falcons (5-4) (LW: 12)- The Falcons were so close to knocking off the Saints in Week 10 and taking over first place in the NFC South, but Mike Smith's decision to go for it on 4th and inches from their own 29 came back to haunt them as Michael Turner was swarmed by a wall of Saints, setting up an easy game-winning John Kasay field goal. They get Tennessee at home this week.

15. New York Jets (5-4) (LW: 15)- For a team that is supposed to rely on a strong defense, it didn't get it done against New England on Sunday night. The Pats were able to pull away and punish the Jets D. Welker was held in check, but Gronkowski picked up the slack.

16. Tennessee Titans (5-4) (LW: 21)- The Titans completely demolished the Panthers as their defense figured out Cam Newton and didn't allow him to do a thing. A road trip to Atlanta will test if they can catch the Matt Schaub-less Texans in the AFC South.

17. San Diego Chargers (4-5) (LW: 15)- And the Chargers continue to fall. Thankfully none of the other teams in the West are putting forth a tremendous effort.

18. Tampa Bay Bucs (4-5) (LW: 16)- The Bucs got trounced by the Texans, and are now 2.5 games out of first. The NFC is too strong to fall behind.

19. Buffalo Bills (5-4) (LW: 18)- The Bills may still have a winning record, but they sure haven't been playing like a winning team. Dallas pushed them around in all facets, and don't be surprised if Miami beats them this week. The Bills are free-falling back down to earth.

20. Denver Broncos (4-5) (LW: 23)- Tim Tebow threw 8 passes. He completed 2. His team won. Oh well, I guess the bottom line is Tim Tebow is 3-1 as a starter no matter how ugly it's looked.

21. Kansas City Chiefs (4-5) (LW: 20)- The Chiefs were bound to fall off at some point, and now with Matt Cassel maybe out for the year, it's probably safe to write off the Chiefs.

22. Seattle Seahawks (3-6) (LW: 28)- So Seattle won a game. And against a good team at that. Who knew? Too bad they're in the same division as San Francisco.

23. Arizona Cardinals (3-6) (LW: 29)- The Cardinals have now won two in a row behind none other than John Skelton. QB controversy maybe?

24. Philadelphia Eagles (3-6) (LW: 19)- The Eagles have now reached a new low. A loss to Arizona had the Eagles walking back to the locker room with their tail tucked between their legs.

25. Cleveland Browns (3-6) (LW: 22)- The last play of the game against St. Louis that would have won Cleveland the game says it all for this team...

26. Washington Redskins (3-6) (LW: 25)- And the Redskins continue their fall. They're trying to go 3-13 the hard way. Shanahan needs to put Helu in and pick a QB so his team can actually have some chemistry.

27. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-6) (LW: 27)- Lucky for Jacksonville they got to play Indianapolis last week to get their 3rd win. The other good news? They get them once more this year. Outside of that not much else.

28. Miami Dolphins (2-7) (LW: 30)- Wow, Miami has won two games in a row and looked pretty good doing it. Maybe Tony Sparano will get to keep his job after all.

29. Minnesota Vikings (2-7) (LW: 24)- The Vikings never stood a chance against Green Bay. Christian Ponder looks like he may have a bright future, but he will need some help. Justin Blackmon maybe?

30. St. Louis Rams (2-7) (LW: 31)- The Rams snuck out their second win of the year against the Browns, but who are they kidding?

31. Carolina Panthers (2-7) (LW: 26)- Cam Newton may be the future, but they don't have much of a present.

32. Indianapolis Colts (0-10) (LW: 32)- Again, why bother?

-TA

The Albert Haynesworth Project

2011-11-10T01:00:00.000-05:00

The New England Patriots waived former Pro Bowl DT Albert Haynesworth on Tuesday after registering only 3 tackles as a member of the team. He was claimed by the Tampa Bay Bucs on Wednesday to step in for Gerald McCoy, who was lost for the season with a torn biceps.

Haynesworth was not able to make it work with the Pats.

A mere two years ago, Haynesworth was awarded with a 7-year $100 million contract by the Washington Redskins, and was widely considered the best defensive tackle in the NFL. It seemed as though he was on top of the world.

However, his tenure in Washington was short-lived and included a variety of public spats with his coaching staff about their transition to a 3-4 defense. The Redskins later went on to trade the disgruntled Haynesworth to the New England Patriots for a late-round draft pick after only two seasons with the team.

His early departure from Washington only added to the troublemaker image he had established as a member of the Tennessee Titans. As a Titan, Haynesworth stepped on then-Cowboys’ center Andre Gurode’s head after his helmet had been knocked off. When news of his disruptions in Washington broke, it was hardly a surprise, and they continued throughout his two seasons as a Redskin.

As a Patriot, many thought that Haynesworth’s career could be revived under coach Bill Belichick, but the experiment only lasted 8 games and a paltry 134 snaps. He did not fit in with their primarily 3-4 defense and was said to have had a heated dispute with his defensive line coach. Now the Bucs hope that they can get the most out of what Haynesworth has left in their 4-3 system.

The question is though, is he really worth it? The former Pro Bowler has been nothing but trouble everywhere he’s gone. Sure, he plays better in a 4-3 scheme, but is he worth the headache? He certainly cannot be good for the locker room and midway through the season, he’s already in position to be an outsider amongst the team. If he cannot get his attitude in check, as we saw with Randy Moss last season, no team will want to retain him for the marginal production he puts forth.

Haynesworth has been a disruption on every team he’s played for and is already clearly in the decline of his career. To put it simply, the man is a cancer. He is a guy who cannot be counted on to be a leader for his teammates and never seems to have remorse for his actions.

For a team poised to be in a playoff race, to me this move makes little sense, even despite the need on the line. A playoff team needs cohesion in the locker room and for that to transfer to the field, and with Albert Haynesworth, that can only create a divide. Coach Morris and GM Dominic, you are hurting your team.

-TA

Week 10 Power Rankings (And 2nd Half Bold Predictions)

2011-11-09T23:30:00.001-05:00

The bold predictions are back this week for the NFL's 2nd half; they follow each team's rank.

1. Green Bay Packers (8-0) (Last week: 1)- The Packers outlasted the feisty Chargers in Week 9 to remain the league's only unbeaten. Minnesota comes to Lambeau on Monday night in what shouldn't be that close.

Bold Prediction: 19-0 for the Packers. They'll do what the Pats couldn't in 2008.

2. San Francisco 49ers (7-1) (LW: 2)- They let Washington make it somewhat interesting at the end, but behind another strong performance by Frank Gore the Niners pulled another one out. The Giants are coming to town in what should be a very intriguing matchup.

Bold Prediction: The Niners clinch the division in Week 11.

3. Baltimore Ravens (6-2) (LW: 6)- The Ravens beat the seemingly mighty Steelers on Sunday to complete the season sweep. Baltimore's defense remains strong and Joe Flacco proved he can get it done in crunch time with a tremendous 2-minute drill, ending in a game-winning TD to Torrey Smith.

Bold Prediction: The Ravens sweep their division on their way to the AFC's number 1 seed.

4. Detroit Lions (6-2) (LW: 7)- The Lions may have been a little forgotten over the bye week, but I am not willing to have anyone but the Ravens jump them on account of their win over the previous number 3 Steelers. Big divisional matchup with the Bears looms.

Bold Prediciton: The Lions drop their week 10 matchup against the Bears and miss the playoffs at 10-6 like last year's Giants.

5. New York Giants (6-2) (LW: 7)- Huge win over the Pats in a Super Bowl XLII rematch, in which Eli Manning led another impressive game-winning drive. (Told you he was elite). Doesn't get any softer as the G-Men travel to San Fran to take on the 7-1 49ers.

Bold Prediction: Eli Manning leads the Giants to a win over the Niners on the road.

6. New Orleans Saints (6-3) (LW: 9)- The Saints showed on Sunday that when they get it together and provide a balanced attack on offense, they are as good as anyone. The defense shut the Bucs out until the waning minutes of the 1st half, even without Jonathan Vilma for the whole game and Tracy Porter and Patrick Robinson for most of it.

Bold Prediction: Drew Brees is finally the QB that is on pace to break Dan Marino's single-season passing yards record that does it.

7. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3) (LW: 3)- The Steelers couldn't close it out against Baltimore on Sunday and got swept on the season. That doesn't bode well for them in case of a tiebreaker. They go on the road to take on the 1st place Bengals this week.

Bold Prediction: Steelers beat the Bengals this week by double-digits.

8. New England Patriots (5-3) (LW: 5)- The Pats didn't have enough time on the clock to respond to Eli's late game heroics, but they better get themselves together to keep themselves in first in the division against the Jets. I guess short-haired Tom Brady does lose, and two in a row at that.

Bold Prediction: The Pats lose this week to the Jets and settle for a Wild Card spot.

9. Cincinnati Bengals (6-2) (LW: 10)- The Bengals completed the come from behind victory against the Titans, staying in a tie for first in the division. The real test of the Bengals will be this week at home against the Steelers.

Bold Prediction: 10 TDs for AJ Green.

10. Houston Texans (6-3) (LW: 11)- The Texans continued their winning streak with a big win against the Browns and widened their lead on the division with a loss by the Texans. They traveled to Tampa to take on the Bucs to try to make their win streak 4 games.

Bold Prediction: The Texans lock up the division in Week 13.

11. New York Jets (5-3) (LW: 12)- The Jets made a statement in the AFC East with a convincing 27-3 win over the Bills. They can overtake 1st place with a win over the Pats at home this week (that and a Bills loss).

Bold Prediction: Jets win the AFC East.

12. Atlanta Falcons (5-3) (LW: 13)- The Falcons took care of business against the Colts on Sunday with a 31-7 victory in which Julio Jones broke out for 131 yards on 3 catches and 2 long TDs.

Bold Prediction: Julio Jones has more yards and TDs than Roddy White in the 2nd half.

13. Buffalo Bills (5-3) (LW: 8)- The Bills looked bad against the Jets last weekend, plain and simple. They're going to have to be better if they want to keep pace with the Pats and Jets in the East. That must start this week in Dallas.

Bold Prediction: Bills finish 8-8, missing the playoffs.

14. Chicago Bears (5-3) (LW: 14)- The Bears weren't too fond of their role as underdogs Monday Night, and showed why they are still a contender in the NFC. Big divisional matchup against the Lions awaits them this weekend at Soldier Field.

Bold Prediction: The Bears win at home against the Lions this weekend and make the playoffs as a Wild Card.

15. San Diego Chargers (4-4) (LW:15)- The Chargers gave the Packers a run for their money at the end of the game in Week 9, but it was the Packers, so there's not much shame in that. They get Oakland at home on Thursday night in a crucial divisional showdown.

16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-4) (LW: 16)- The Bucs were kept in check in New Orleans last Sunday, as the Saints got their revenge. The Bucs had to sling it around after getting down early, so they were not able to run it down the Saints' throat. They are now a game and a half out of first, in 3rd place in the NFC South.

Bold Prediction: LeGarrette Blount gets over the 1000 yard plateau with at least 8 TDs.

17. Dallas Cowboys (4-4) (LW: 18)- The Cowboys took care of business against the lowly Seahawks last Sunday, as DeMarco Murray proved he was also a threat in the passing game out of the backfield. They look to get back into the NFC East race at home against the Bills this weekend as the Giants have a tough matchup.

Bold Prediction: The Cowboys, aided by the Giants schedule, roar back with a strong second half and win the NFC East.

18. Oakland Raiders (4-4) (LW: 19)- The Raiders got shown up at home by a weak Denver team, as Carson Palmer tossed two picks late in the game. Lucky for them the Chargers also lost to maintain a share of the AFC West lead.

Bold Prediction: Darren McFadden misses significant time and Michael Bush averages a touchdown a game in his absence.

19. Philadelphia Eagles (3-5) (LW: 17)- The Eagles couldn't capitalize on an opportunity to climb into a 2nd place NFC East tie with a loss to the Bears at home on Monday night. They continue to find ways to lose in the fourth quarter, and unless that changes immediately, the Eagles will undoubtedly be watching the playoffs from home.

Bold Prediction: The Eagles lead the league in rushing and are top 3 in total yardage, but with a losing record.

20. Kansas City Chiefs (4-4) (LW: 20)- The Chiefs got absolutely stunned by the winless Dolphins at home, and it was bad to say the least. Luckily they get the Broncos this week to try to get back on track.

Bold Prediction: Chiefs finish 6-10, third in the West.

21. Tennessee Titans (4-4) (LW: 21): Tennessee doesn't get to jump KC because they also lost. The Titans continue their slide and will try to stay within reach in the AFC South in Carolina this weekend.

Bold Prediction: Chris Johnson is relegated to the bench, as Javon Ringer gets a chance to start when they are out of contention.

22. Cleveland Browns (3-5) (LW: 22)- The Browns got pushed around in Houston last weekend, as they are quickly falling out of contention.

Bold Prediction: Peyton Hillis walks after this season after not getting a sufficient deal from the Browns.

23. Denver Broncos (3-5) (LW: 28)- Tebow is now 2-1 as a starter this season, somehow. The Broncos are miraculously only a game out of the division lead in the NFC West, and get a chance to stay in striking distance with a divisional matchup against the Chiefs.

Bold prediction: The Broncos beat the Chiefs this week as the Chiefs start to spiral downward after the loss to Miami.

24. Minnesota Vikings (2-6) (LW: 24)- The Vikes had a week off to prepare for the Packers this Monday night, but I'm not sure how much it's going to help. Christian Ponder led them to a semi-close game against the Pack earlier in the year, but I'm not convinced it's going to be close again on the road.

Bold Prediction: 20 TDs for Adrian Peterson.

25. Washington Redskins (3-5) (LW: 25)- The Redskins scored late to make the score closer than it should have been against the 49ers, but it was another loss for the plummeting 'Skins.

Bold Prediction: The Redskins, after starting 3-1, steal only one game en route to finishing 4-12.

26. Carolina Panthers (2-6) (LW: 23)- Cam Newton continues to impress this year and will look to increase his win total for pride's sake this week at home against Tennessee.

Bold Prediction: Cam Newton finishes in the top 5 in rushing TDs with 15.

27. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6) (LW: 26)- The Jags get a treat this week as they travel to take on the winless Colts in Indy. They better make the most of this golden opportunity.

Bold Prediction: The only two games they win from here on out are against the Colts.

28. Seattle Seahawks (2-6) (LW: 27)- Another game, another loss for the Seahawks. It looks as though that win against the Giants will have been their Super Bowl.

Bold Prediction: The Seahawks finish 2nd in the West with 4 wins.

29. Arizona Cardinals (2-6) (LW: 30)- The Cards came back and stole a game from the Rams in OT with a spectacular 99-yard punt return from rookie Patrick Peterson, even though I'm not sure why he ever would field a punt at his own 1 yard line.

Bold Prediction: Larry Fitzgerald comes on in the 2nd half with 5 TDs in the remaining 8.

30. Miami Dolphins (1-7) (LW: 31)- The Dolphins got their first win with style as they clobbered the Chiefs 31-3. They look to keep it rolling against the Redskins on Sunday.

Bold Prediction: The 'Fins win 3 more games to finish 4-12, the first of those 3 coming this week against Washington.

31. St. Louis Rams (1-7) (LW: 29)- The Rams couldn't keep it going after beating the Saints, as they lost to another 1 win team last week, that being the Cards in OT.

Bold Prediction: Mark Clayton comes back and is the team's leading receiver in the second half over Brandon Lloyd.

32. Indianapolis Colts (0-9) (LW: 32)- Why bother.

Bold Prediction: 0-16 and Andrew Luck is the heir to Peyton Manning's throne.

-TA

Why Eli Manning IS an Elite NFL QB (And in Brady's Class)

2011-11-04T15:16:00.001-04:00

New York Giants QB caused a big stir when he claimed he was in the same class as New England Patriots QB and future Hall of Famer Tom Brady in an interview late last summer. Most people quickly dismissed his claim as ludicrous and scoffed at the mere mention of Eli's name being in the same conversation as Brady's.

When you look at their numbers since they've come into the league, the conclusion to be drawn, however, is that the two really aren't that all different. Brady, in 9 full seasons, has averaged just under 3,900 yards per season with 29 TDs, and 11 INTs. Manning, in the 6 full seasons he has played, has averaged just under 3,600 yards per season, with 25 TDs and 17 INTs.

But when we analyze the differences in these stats they make sense. Brady has played 9 full seasons to Manning's 6, and seeing as Brady is currently in his prime, there is only reason to believe that Manning is just entering his. That, paired with the idea that he amassed his top 2 passing seasons in his last 2 years seems to justify this. He is currently on pace to shatter his previous career high of 4,021 yards in a season (he is on pace for over 4,800) and come close to last year's career-high 31 TDs. Manning drew a lot of criticism for his 25 interceptions last year, which is a stat in and of itself which led people to claim it was a bad year for Manning despite his 2nd consecutive 4,000 passing yard season and the aforementioned career-high 31 TDs. While that stat is one Eli would like to forget, he only has 5 picks through 7 games this season, which when extrapolated to a full year, is 11. It seems as though last year's high INT total was merely an aberration.

On the subject of interceptions, Tom Brady had a remarkable season last year in which he only threw 4 of them to go along with his 36 TDs. However, through 7 games this season, Brady already has 8, doubling last year's total not even halfway through the year. Granted, comparing this total to last year's is hardly fair, but he currently has 3 more than Manning. Brady has averaged 4 TDs per season more than Manning, but when we take out his insane 2007 year with 50 TDs, a severe outlier given his next-best total was last year's 36, his average drops to 26, a mere 1 more than Manning.

The biggest "stat" that most people have used in this debate, however, is the rings. Brady has won three to Manning's 1. Tom Brady has won three Super Bowl titles, and the impressive part about them is that they all came in his first 4 years as a starter. However, Brady is 0-1 in Super Bowls since then, his lone loss coming to the New York Giants. Their QB? None other than good ol' Eli himself. Manning, despite having to live in his brother, Peyton's, shadow for his entire career, is 1-0 in Super Bowls. This is the same record as Drew Brees, who is unanimously considered an elite NFL QB. This total is also 1 more than Philip Rivers, who after last year all but cemented his name in the conversation, despite a down year this year. Brady's 3 Super Bowls, I would argue, are as much of a product as the team he's played for, one with a stellar defense with elite coaching and Adam Vinatieri's golden leg, as by his own efforts. Now, before that gets misconstrued, I said as much of a product, meaning he shares the praise, but it is not by his merits alone. Manning has done so with an average to above-average coach in Tom Coughlin, and although he had a great WR in Plaxico Burress along with an amazing pass rush, it was Manning who led the game-winning drive in the Super Bowl, earning him MVP honors.

As far as intangibles are concerned, Brady is considered the king with his label as a "winner". While he wins a lot of games, and a heck of a lot in the regular season, he hasn't lived up to that title since the 2004-05 season, his last Super Bowl victory. Manning's was as recent as the 2007-08 season and he only looks as though he is improving. Now with a complete cast of WRs and a two-headed running attack to compliment the still-elite pass rush with Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora (another name I just correctly spelled without looking), Eli's stock should be on the rise. This season the Giants' defense was decimated by injuries during training camp, so if they don't get it done this year with a makeshift secondary and linebacking corp, nobody should fault them, but by next year at the latest, the Giants will undoubtedly be in a position to make some noise. That is, like I said, only if they don't do so this year with a 5-2 record approaching the second half of the season.

Inside 2 minutes left in the half, there are probably only enough QBs to count on one hand that I'd rather take over Eli, as he runs the 2 minute drill as well as anyone in this league. If it wasn't for his brother being possibly the best QB the league has ever seen, he may get more of the credit he deserves. Eli Manning is an elite QB in this league, and what better way than to prove it than by stacking his numbers against the poster-child of elite QBs and the one he claimed he was in the same class with? I would argue that Eli Manning is indeed in the same class as Tom Brady, although probably a step behind him, and what class does Brady belong to? That would be the NFL's elite. I've noticed, and maybe someday he'll get the credit and accolades he deserves from the rest of the football community.

Welcome, Eli. Feel free to unpack, you're here to stay.

-TA

Week 9 Power Rankings

2011-11-01T18:05:00.000-04:00

1. Green Bay Packers (7-0) (Last week: 1)- Idle week for the Pack does nothing to their ranking. The Pack are still the class of the league and Aaron Rodgers continues his impressive season with 20 TDs to only 3 INTs thus far.

2. San Francisco 49ers (6-1) (LW: 4)- And the Niners continue to climb. Frank Gore is proving he's back, registering his 4th consecutive game with 125+ yards on the ground and a rushing TD. I'll be shocked if they don't have the division locked up by week 12.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2) (LW: 5)- Big Ben threw the ball 50 times in Week 8 against New England, including a career-high 30 in the opening half. Apparently that worked. Pittsburgh pulled off a win against a quality team in New England and the Patriots pass defense was no match for Big Ben and company. So much for that talk in the first couple weeks that the Steelers were getting too old.

4. Detroit Lions (6-2) (LW: 7)- The Lions returned to their dominant form with a convincing 45-10 victory over Tim Tebow and the Broncos. Their defense sacked Tebow 7 times and made him one dimensional, perhaps writing the book on how to stop Tebow altogether. The Lions get a week to rest before taking on the Bears as Soldier Field.

5. New England Patriots (5-2) (LW: 2)- Big Ben torched the Pats defense for 365 yards through the air while the Steelers tenacious pass defense kept Tom Brady in check. As I've said so many times, the Pats can be a great team, but if they can't get their pass defense together, they won't be able to make that next step toward the Super Bowl.

6. Baltimore Ravens (5-2) (LW: 6)- Well, they successfully gave the Cardinals a 21 point head start and said "Go ahead, we'll play just one half" before coming all the way back behind 3 Ray Rice rushing TDs to defeat Arizona. Defense really stood up in the second half when it counted.

7. New York Giants (6-2) (LW: 8)- Sunday was ugly for a while as they found themselves trailing the winless Dolphins, but Eli Manning, who I feel is an elite QB in this league (post about this coming), got it done when it matters, coming from behind to win the game for the 4th time this season. Now, the brutality that is the Giants schedule comes beginning this week in New England. We'll see what this team is really made of in the upcoming weeks ahead.

8. Buffalo Bills (5-2) (LW: 9)- The Bills defense made a mockery of the Redskins offense, sacking John Beck a whopping 9 times and intercepting him twice en route to a 23-0 shutout win, handing Mike Shanahan the first shutout of his career. The Bills' surprising season continues.

9. New Orleans Saints (5-3) (LW: 3)- You can't lose to a winless team and expect to stay near the top. the Saints came off their 62-7 shellacking of the Colts very flat and couldn't even muster a single point in the first half against a team giving up the most points of any team in the league. Brees has to be better than he showed Sunday and quick to avoid another loss to Tampa as the Bucs come to the Superdome this week with a healthy LeGarrette Blount.

10. Cincinnati Bengals (5-2) (LW: 14)- The Bengals kept their surprising season rolling with a 34-12 win over the Seahawks, in which the Dalton to Green duo was present again. Don't look now but the Bengals are only a half-game back of the Steelers for the division lead.

11. Houston Texans (5-3) (LW: 13)- Houston turned in another win at home against Jacksonville this week in what wasn't anything spectacular but they did what they needed to do at home against a division opponent: win. They look to increase their hold on the division this week against Cleveland at home.

12. New York Jets (4-3) (LW: 12)- Big divisional game looms this week as the Jets travel to Ralph Wilson Stadium to take on the Bills in what could have huge implications on the AFC East race. We'll see if the Jets really are returning to form or not.

13. Atlanta Falcons (4-3) (LW: 11)- Atlanta headed into the bye coming off a big win against Detroit and they'll look to build off that this week when they travel to Indianapolis to take on the winless Colts. Shouldn't be too big of a problem, but then again look what happened last week when we thought an NFC South team would trump a winless team...

14. Chicago Bears (4-3) (LW: 16)- We'll see how much work the Bears put in during the off week as when they travel to Philadelphia to take on the suddenly rejuvenated Eagles under the lights on Monday Night.

15. San Diego Chargers (4-3) (LW:10)- The Chargers downward spiral continued on Monday with a crushing OT loss to Kansas City. It doesn't get any easier for the Chargers this week as they get the Packers at home coming off of the bye with an extra week to prepare. The good news for the Chargers, though, is that the calendar switched to November, and Philip Rivers is 15-5 lifetime in November.

16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-3) (LW: 18)- The Bucs will look to make it 3 straight against the Saints when they travel to New Orleans this weekend, this time with starting RB LeGarrette Blount. The Saints should prepare for a heavy dose of Blount after the Bucs watched Steven Jackson plow through the Saints on Sunday.

17. Philadelphia Eagles (3-4) (LW: 21)- The Eagles soared back in a big fashion this week with a convincing 34-7 win over Dallas at home on Sunday Night Football. LeSean McCoy ran rampant through a mediocre Dallas run defense as the Eagles seemingly had the ball all night. They get the Bears at home this week in another primetime affair, this time on Monday night.

18. Dallas Cowboys (3-4) (LW: 15)- The Cowboys, who had looked sharp against St. Louis in Week 7, came out and completely got manhandled by a hungry Eagles team. The 'Boys better wake up quick or their find themselves out of the division race before it even begins.

19. Oakland Raiders (4-3) (LW: 17)- Hopefully Carson palmer got a little more comfortable with the playbook during the bye. They get Denver at home this week so it should ease them back into gear, and with news just breaking that the Raiders have reunited Carson Palmer with TJ Houshmandzadeh, the Raiders could be gearing up for an intense division race.

20. Kansas City Chiefs (4-3) (LW: 20)- The Chiefs somehow stole a win from the Chargers after letting them come back and almost take it away on Monday night. Matt Cassel showed poise and the defense picked off Philip Rivers twice and took the ball away from him with under a minute left in regulation, preventing a game winning field goal by Nick Novak.

21. Tennessee Titans (4-3) (LW: 19): Tennessee pulled out another one, and yet again it wasn't pretty. They let the Colts hang around longer than they should have and Chris Johnson's struggles continue. Javon Ringer came in late in the game and doubled Johnson's total yards. Head Coach Mike Munchak says the team is sticking with Johnson as their primary back, but we'll see how long that lasts if these performances persist.

22. Cleveland Browns (3-4) (LW: 23)- The Browns hung tough with a very good San Francisco team, but Frank Gore punched them right in the mouth and Cleveland didn't have an answer. They look to rebound this week as they travel to Houston for a tough road game against the Texans.

23. Carolina Panthers (2-6) (LW: 24)- Despite the record, Cam Newton continues to shine and if it weren't for a questionable holding call on the Panthers final drive that nullified a Cam Newton run that would have put Carolina inside the five, they might have won the game outright. The Panthers have to feel good about their QB of the future, as well as the resurgence of Steve Smith.

24. Minnesota Vikings (2-6) (LW: 28)- Christian Ponder picked up his first NFL win Sunday against the Panthers, and Adrian Peterson showed he is also a threat in the passing game out of the backfield. Maybe the Vikes are beginning to right the ship.

25. Washington Redskins (3-4) (LW: 22)- Despite what their record says, I can't rightfully put the 'Skins ahead of the Vikes or Panthers. They looked horrendous again on Sunday getting blanked by the Bills on the road. They are headed downhill in a hurry.

26. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6) (LW: 26)- Blaine Gabbert had a poor showing Sunday against the Texans, as we should see for much of 2011 with a terrible cast around him. They're off this week before getting to play Indy.

27. Seattle Seahawks (2-5) (LW: 27)- Whether it's Whitehurst or Jackson at the helm, the Seahawks aren't going to win many games period. Both QBs are backups at best and the Seahawks might as well mail it in and hope that the bottomfeeders steal some wins.

28. Denver Broncos (2-5) (LW: 25)- One thing that was evident in the Broncos 45-10 loss to the Lions: Tim Tebow looked horrible. He couldn't make throws that NFL QBs need to make and he was turned one-dimensional, which spells disaster for the Broncos. He won't last the season as the starter, John Fox already thought he sucked.

29. St. Louis Rams (1-6) (LW: 31)- The Rams came out at home on Sunday and truly gave it to the Saints. Chris Long and Robert Quinn were no match for the Saints' tackles as the defense sacked Brees 6 times and picked him off twice. Oh, and see what happens when you give Steven Jackson the rock and let him do his thing?

30. Arizona Cardinals (1-6) (LW: 29)- They were so close to knocking off the Ravens, but they couldn't seal the deal. They let the Ravens march right back into the game and erase a 21 point halftime deficit. It's going to be a long year in the desert.

31. Miami Dolphins (0-7) (LW: 30)- The Dolphins came so close to finishing off the Giants but the defense couldn't stop them when it counted. The Dolphins take one step closer to Andrew Luck.

32. Indianapolis Colts (0-8) (LW: 32)- Another week, another one in the loss column. That's pretty much all there is to say.

-TA

At the NFL Halfway Point: Where I Was Right, and Where I Was Wrong So Far

2011-10-31T14:18:00.000-04:00

So, we've hit the halfway point for the NFL season for most teams, and it hasn't come without its surprises or disappointments. So now is my time to admit where I went wrong in my predictions and claims, and also boast about what I was right about. So without further ado, here it goes by conference.

AFC

Predictions that have made me look good so far:

1. Kansas City taking a step back: So far, heading into tonight's matchup with the Chargers, one with heavy implications for the division, Kansas City is 3-3, a game out of the division lead. On paper, it doesn't look so bad, especially with a chance to tie the division lead, but Kansas City has not looked good. They came out in Weeks 1 and 2 and got blown out by Buffalo and Detroit by a combined 89-10. Fortunately for them they have been able to play Minnesota, Indy, and an Oakland team caught between QBs to come from 0-3 to a respectable 3-3. So I guess for most of this, I'm going by their play thus far, and taking a step back means a step back from the division-winning 10-6 record last year. I also got a little lucky here because star RB Jamaal Charles went down for the year in week 2 (too bad I had him on my fantasy team).

2. The Texans stepping up to take over the AFC South: I did make this prediction after it was announced that Peyton Manning could possibly miss a good portion of he season so it isn't so great, but I had them at 11-5. So far they are 5-3 with a good handle on the division. Arian Foster looks like the Arian Foster that broke out last year, and barring something unforeseen, they should begin to distance themselves from the rest of the division.

Predictions that have made me look bad so far:

1. Cincinnati being terrible: At the beginning of the season I had the Bengals going 3-13. I know, I know. They have already come close to doubling that 8 weeks in at 5-2. I had no idea that their offense would be this effective with a rookie duo at QB and WR, but in fact they have been stellar. The defense has held up its end of the bargain as well, and the Bengals are tied with the Ravens at a mere half game back of the Steelers for the division lead.

2. Indy and Miami combining for 11 wins: The only excuse I have here is I wanted to put the Colts are 4-12, but couldn't do it because I didn't think Peyton Manning was worth 6 wins himself. Turns out he was worth more. Even if I had said 4-12 for Indy, that would be 9 wins combined for two teams that have 0 apiece at the halfway point.

What remains to be seen:

1. The Jets being the top Wild Card spot at 11-5: So far the Jets are 4-3, and on the outside of the playoff picture looking in. However, they are well within striking distance. If Rex Ryan's group can rebound defensively and pull out games like they did against San Diego in Week 7, then they could be well on their way, but if they sputter and continue to let opposing teams run at will on them, they will be watching the playoffs from home; it remains to be seen.

2. The Browns: I had the Browns taking a step forward to 7-9. They currently are on pace to come close, sitting at 3-4. However, they have been unimpressive and haven't shown me the real improvement I was looking for. They have found a way to beat teams, albeit in a very lackluster fashion. They really could tank or pick it up from this point forward; it remains to be seen.

NFC:

Predictions that have made me look good:

1. The Lions being a step-up team: I had them at 9-7 and being a contender for a wild card spot. They have surpassed my expectations so far and look well on their way to a playoff spot. So I look good here in saying they will be a good team this year as a contrast to previous season, but not too great because I didn't think they'd be this good.

2. The Packers being the class of the NFC: I had them at 13-3 this year and being the sure-fire best team in the NFC, which they have been, but by even more than I think most of us expected. They sit at 7-0 and have barely been tested so far this season. They are well on their way to 13-3, and if I had to bet, even better than that. The title is theirs to lose.

Predictions that made me look bad:

1. Cardinals winning the West: This is perhaps the worst prediction I made of all, where I said the Cards would win this paltry division at 9-7. So far, it's been San Francisco running away at 6-1, while the Cards sit at a measly 1-6. Kolb has struggled and the defense has been bad. I guess they were more than just a QB away.

2. San Francisco being bad: I never published this, but let it be known I thought San Francisco would be terrible this year. I thought they'd go about 4-12 and that there would be serious growing pains for first-year coach Jim Harbaugh. Boy was I wrong. The Niners look like they could be the 2nd best team in the NFC behind only Green Bay, and Frank Gore is back with 4 straight games with over 100 yards and a touchdown. The defense has played tremendously as well. Yet again, I was wrong.

What remains to be seen:

1. Tampa Bay taking a step back: I thought Tampa would step back this year and go 7-9. They currently sit at 4-3 and have been very inconsistent. One week they lose 48-3 to San Fran, the next they beat New Orleans, then lost to Chicago in London. They could replicate their 10-6 season from last year or they could also be 7-9 like I said; it remains to be seen.

2. The Eagles: I had them winning the division at 11-5. They started the year making a mockery of themselves and the "Dream Team" label by beginning 1-4, but since have reeled off consecutive wins against division opponents. Last night against Dallas the Eagles looked like they may have finally figured it all out. Andy Reid is now 13-0 coming off the bye as coach of the Eagles, and they could have been the turnaround point for the Eagles, who could either come back and take the division that is down this year, or they could continue their struggles as maybe Dallas was having one of their bad games that they have every other week; it remains to be seen.

Also, I would like to throw in a bit about Tebow. Amidst the hype and the criticism, I claimed that he is a viable QB because he makes those around him better and he makes plays when you need him to because the guy wins. I said he just needs some pieces around him. I am hereby retracting my statements after watching him play against the Lions yesterday. He was awful. As a quarterback, he cannot make the throws necessary to be a permanent player in the NFL. The Lions made him one-dimensional as they took the lead early, and he looked lost. The pick-six he threw in the second half from inside the 10 was an awful throw, which Eric Decker never even had a shot at. He's definitely a human highlight reel and can make spectacular plays at key moments when presented to him, but when playing from behind against a good team, he won't be able to do what he did against Miami. Maybe he can prove me wrong, but I'm going back to my calls I made when I was a huge fan of his at Florida where I said he would not make it in the NFL. It looks like I was right then, and not now.

-TA

Week 8 Power Rankings

2011-10-25T21:54:00.001-04:00

1. Green Bay Packers (7-0) (Last week: 1)- Minnesota made gave Green Bay their closest game since New Orleans in Week 1, but just like that game, they came out with the W. The Pack look like they could be on their way to, dare I say it, an unbeaten season.

2. New England Patriots (5-1) (LW: 2)- The Pats had a bye week to rest up for Pittsburgh this upcoming week, but perhaps the biggest winner of the New England area was TE Rob Gronkowski who was seen out gallivanting with adult film star Bibi Jones. I guess this really is just Gronk's world, and we're all just living in it.

3. New Orleans Saints (5-2) (LW: 6)- Normally I wouldn't condone a team getting jumped while on a bye, but with the way New Orleans played on Sunday night, I don't think there was anyone who could have beaten them, let alone the Colts. We'll have to see how this offensive juggernaut continues on from here.

4. San Francisco 49ers (5-1) (LW: 5)- Despite being jumped by New Orleans while on a bye, the Niners still move up a spot with the loss of San Diego. While in the NFC West, a 13-3 season or something of the sort is nowhere near out of the equation.

5. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2) (LW: 8)- After a worrisome start, Pittsburgh keeps reeling off wins, as a tough matchup with New England looms this week. This will be a true test.

6. Baltimore Ravens (4-2) (LW: 3)- Loss on the road to a bad Jacksonville team surely didn't look good as the offense struggled mightily, but I tend to think it was more of an aberration than a true sign of Baltimore's standing within the league. They need to get it together offensively though.

7. Detroit Lions (5-2) (LW: 7)- Another loss for Detroit is slightly troubling, as they travel to Tebow Land to take on the Broncos. Ndamukong Suh, though, is quickly getting a reputation for being a dirty player.

8. New York Giants (4-2) (LW: 10)- Climbing due to the blunders of the tail end of the Top 10. Might as well give them a nice ranking for now as it is sure to drop soon with their brutal schedule.

9. Buffalo Bills (4-2) (LW: 11)- Bye week came at a good time after suffering their second loss of the season at the hands of the Giants. They get a banged-up Washington team at home this week to get back on track.

10. San Diego Chargers (4-2) (LW: 4)- They gave the game away against the Jets as Rivers looked terrible in crunch time. They travel to Arrowhead on Monday night to take on the Chiefs, where Brandon Flowers lurks.

11. Atlanta Falcons (4-3) (LW: 19)- Here comes Atlanta. A big win on the road against Detroit keeps the Falcons within striking distance of the NFC South lead. The bye should allow Matt Ryan enough time to heal to stay in the race.

12. New York Jets (4-3) (LW: 16)- Big win in San Diego was huge for the sputtering Jets and their confidence. They get a bye this week to gear up for a showdown with Buffalo.

13. Houston Texans (4-3) (LW: 15)- A very convincing win at Tennessee catapulted Houston into first place as last year's Arian Foster came back out to play. They get Jacksonville at home this week.

14. Cincinnati Bengals (4-2) (LW: 14)- I can't believe how a team with a rookie quarterback is still sitting pretty at number 14. Guess that's what happens when you have a good record amongst a ton of mediocrity.

15. Dallas Cowboys (3-3) (LW:17)- Rookie RB DeMarco Murray broke out in a big way with 253 yards on the ground against lowly St. Louis. He will have a good chance to replicate that performance, or at least come close, against Philadelphia's meager run defense.

16. Chicago Bears (4-3) (LW: 18)- The Bears were able to hold on against the Bucs in London as the O-line is slowly getting it together, affirming Mike Martz's statement that he'd get the unit in gear. The bye will give them extra time to recover from any jet-lag back to the States.

17. Oakland Raiders (4-3) (LW: 9)- Shutout loss to Kansas City may have shown that there will be some rust to brush off for Carson Palmer and an accompanying transition period.

18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-3) (LW: 12)- After riding high off a win against New Orleans, they fell back down to Earth with a loss to the Bears. The Bucs need to find some consistency if they want to stay in the hunt for the NFC South, because in Week 9 they have to travel to New Orleans to take on the Saints yet again after the bye.

19. Tennessee Titans (3-3) (LW: 13)- The Titans are the newest Jekyll and Hyde team of the NFL. After beating Baltimore earlier this year, Houston trounced them at home in a 41-7 laugher. They'll have to be ready for Cincinnati this week.

20. Kansas City Chiefs (3-3) (LW: 22): Kansas City was very convincing in their rout of Oakland on Sunday as they intercepted Oakland QBs 6 times, 3 off both Kyle Boller and Carson Palmer. Brandon Flowers is an emerging star in this league.

21. Philadelphia Eagles (2-4) (LW: 20)- Big matchup looms with Dallas after the bye week as the Eagles look to chip away at their NFC East deficit. They better be ready for DeMarco Murray.

22. Washington Redskins (3-3) (LW: 21)- The 'Skins keep falling apart. After their QB woes, they've now lost their leading rusher Tim Hightower for the season to a torn ACL. If their division wasn't so weak this season they may be falling out for good.

23. Cleveland Browns (3-3) (LW: 24)- After winning a horrendous game against Seattle, Cleveland is somehow sitting at an even 3-3. It certainly isn't pretty but there's no denying their record.

24. Carolina Panthers (2-5) (LW: 26)- Cam Newton is well on his way to setting the single-season rushing TD record for QBs as he picked up his 7th in only 7 games, equaling Vince Young's rookie record.

25. Denver Broncos (2-4) (LW: 25)- Well say what you want about Tim Tebow's horrendous first 3.5 quarters, he got it done when it mattered and delivered the W after being down 15 with just under 3 minutes to go. The kid just wins.

26. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-5) (LW: 29)- Who knew that Jacksonville would steal a win from Baltimore on Monday Night Football. Give credit to the Jags' D for keeping Baltimore off the board for almost the entire game.

27. Seattle Seahawks (2-4) (LW: 23)- They should probably be given 2 losses for losing such a bad game to a below average team like they did. Maybe they should starting looking toward the draft for an actual QB, maybe USC QB Matt Barkley.

28. Minnesota Vikings (1-6) (LW: 27)- Christian Ponder made it interesting against Green Bay in his first career start and did a lot of things to give Viking fans hope for the future. Unfortunately, for now it seems like there may be some temporary growing pains.

29. Arizona Cardinals (1-5) (LW: 28)- The disappointing season continues for Ken Whisenhunt's group as they stumble again against Pittsburgh to fall to 1-5. A trip to Baltimore this week probably won't help matters.

30. Miami Dolphins (0-6) (LW: 30)- They were so close. But they let Tim Tebow do his thing and let the Broncos recover a key onside kick to set up the game tying drive before faltering in OT. They travel to the Meadowlands for what should be another tough game against the G-Men.

31. St. Louis Rams (0-6) (LW: 31)- The Rams still continue to lose. Things are only going to get worse this week against a New Orleans team fresh off a 62-7 win over a 0-6 team. Good thing the Rams' record is.... oh.

32. Indianapolis Colts (0-7) (LW: 32)- Colts' C Jeff Saturday claimed after Sunday night's embarrassment against the Saints that his team was outcoached. OK, while that may have been true, you really think that was the difference? 55 points worth? Nothing is going right for the Colts and the end is nowhere in sight.

-TA

Week 7 Power Rankings: Top 10 jumbles

2011-10-19T22:48:00.001-04:00

First post as a legal drinking American...

1. Green Bay Packers (6-0) (Last week: 1)- Pretty much toyed with St. Louis and decided not to play offense the second half, resulting in no points for either team. Green Bay is in a league of its own at the moment.

2. New England Patriots (5-1) (LW: 4)- The Patriots almost got upset at home by Dallas, but the Cowboys left too much time on the clock for short-haired Tom Brady. He is proving short-haired Brady doesn't lose; it's all business now.

3. Baltimore Ravens (4-1) (LW: 5)- Solid win against Houston pushes the Ravens into the top 3. Defense held Houston's offense to only 14 points, even though they were without star WR Andre Johnson, solidified the belief that their defense is still an elite group.

4. San Diego Chargers (4-1) (LW: 6)- Bye week certainly can't drop you, and losses by New Orleans and Detroit bump them up.

5. San Francisco 49ers (5-1) (LW: 9)- Alex Smith, who knew, led the Niners to a come from behind win against the unbeaten Lions. I guess San Fran really is for real.

6. New Orleans Saints (4-2) (LW: 2)- Loss on the road to a hungry Tampa team coming off a 48-3 shellacking by the 49ers proved to be a trap for the Saints, who were widely viewed to be in a major lull in the schedule. A primetime matchup with the winless Colts, which should have been a big game, should get them back on track this week.

7. Detroit Lions (5-1) (LW: 3)- Loss to the 49ers left the Packers as the only undefeated and pushed this 5-1 team a game out of first in their division. They get Atlanta at home this week, which could be tough if Atlanta figures themselves out.

8. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2) (LW: 8)- Pittsburgh looked great in the first half against the Jaguars, but somebody forgot to tell them they had to play another. They still played well enough to win. They have to travel across the country for their Week 7 matchup, but only to play a Super Bowl rematch against Arizona, a team really struggling right now.

9. Oakland Raiders (4-2) (LW: 10)- Newly acquired Carson Palmer should start right away and is an obvious upgrade at the quarterback position. Did they overpay for him? Probably, but they're in win-now mode.

10. New York Giants (4-2) (LW: 15)- This may be the highest the Giants are ranked this year considering the rest of their schedule: after the bye and Miami they get New England, San Francisco, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Green Bay, Dallas, Washington, the Jets, and Dallas again. Yikes.

11. Buffalo Bills (4-2) (LW: 7)- Loss to the Giants brought them off of their high just a bit, but they have fallen behind New England in the division, a move that could be permanent with the return of short-haired Tom Brady.

12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-2) (LW: 16)- Big time rebound last week for the Bucs. After losing a laugher to the Niners, they responded big time with a 26-20 win over the Saints at home. They play the Bears in London to try to stay tied atop the NFC South.

13. Tennessee Titans (3-2) (LW: 13)- Bye week gave Chris Johnson a needed rest after he tweaked his hamstring against the Steelers. Home win against the Texans will give them a nice game and a half cushion atop the AFC South.

14. Cincinnati Bengals (4-2) (LW: 20)- Andy Dalton and AJ Green could be a hookup we see for quite some time in this league. For all the hype given to Julio Jones, it's been Green shining as the Bengals keep reeling off wins.

15. Houston Texans (3-3) (LW:12)- Big divisional game looms this week in Tennessee as the Texans try to take back the division lead. They'll have to do it without Andre Johnson though, as he is still out recovering from his hamstring injury.

16. New York Jets (3-3) (LW: 17)- They got back to .500 with a win over lowly Miami, but they didn't look good. Sanchez looks shaky and if it wasn't for Revis they're defense would be in trouble. Big matchup this week as San Diego come to town.

17. Dallas Cowboys (2-3) (LW: 14)- Even though they may be behind the Redskins in the standings, I think they're a better team. Romo and company almost got the job done in New England on the heels of the defense but didn't have enough time.

18. Chicago Bears (3-3) (LW: 18)- So it was the Bears that sent McNabb to the bench. Hester did what Hester does and returned a kickoff for a TD, while adding another on a long reception. O-line looked much better against a very good pass rush, which is huge for them moving forward.

19. Atlanta Falcons (3-3) (LW: 19)- Well, they did what they needed to do and won a divisional game at home, even if it was only Carolina. Tough game coming as they travel to Detroit to take on the Lions.

20. Philadelphia Eagles (2-4) (LW: 22): Big win for the Eagles on the road, knocking off rival Washington. The defense looked much improved as Ryan Torain only managed 22 yards on the ground on 10 carries and picking off Sexy Rexy Grossman four times to send him back to riding the pine.

21. Washington Redskins (3-2) (LW: 11)- John Beck now takes over the reigns for Mike Shanahan as the Redskins look all kinds of messed up on offense. A loss to the Eagles was bad for a team trying to show its 3-1 start wasn't a fluke.

22. Kansas City Chiefs (2-3) (LW: 25)- The Chiefs look to get rolling off the bye at Oakland, facing the newly-acquired Carson Palmer. The offense has been improved as late as Dwayne Bowe has gone back to being the Dwayne Bowe we saw much of last year, which is good news for the Chiefs, and they may have found something in RB Jackie Battle.

23. Seattle Seahawks (2-3) (LW: 23)- Coming off the bye Seattle will travel to Cleveland to take on the Browns. Rookie undrafted WR Doug Baldwin looks to keep his impressive rookie campaign going as Seattle looks to stay within reach of San Francisco.

24. Cleveland Browns (2-3) (LW: 24)- Hopefully Peyton Hillis' hamstring isn't an ongoing affair as those injuries seem to nag much more than others. He didn't practice Wednesday, so that could be an issue for Sunday's tango with the Seahawks.

25. Denver Broncos (1-4) (LW: 26)- This week officially begins the Tim Tebow era in Denver. The Broncos will be without star WR Brandon Lloyd, who was traded to St. Louis on Monday. I guess they have a lot of faith in Eric Decker and Demaryius Thomas. (Side note: I correctly spelled "Demaryius" without looking. It's ok you can be impressed...)

26. Carolina Panthers (1-5) (LW: 21)- Cam Newton probably played his worst game as a pro against Atlanta in Week 7, throwing 3 interceptions without a TD, so I guess the rookie is human.

27. Minnesota Vikings (1-5) (LW: 27)- I really wanted to drop them in the rankings, but nobody below them warrants moving ahead of the Vikes. There is one positive though, it's now the Christian Ponder era in Minnesota as McNabb watches from the bench. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

28. Arizona Cardinals (1-4) (LW: 28)- Coming off the bye, it doesn't get any easier as the Steelers come to town for a rematch of Super Bowl XLIII. Kolb needs to play better because he is not living up to what they paid for him, both in the trade and his contract.

29. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-5) (LW: 29)- Countdown until Jack Del Rio's firing continues... About all you can say about Jacksonville, who somehow scored a Monday night appearance against Baltimore.

30. Miami Dolphins (0-5) (LW: 30)- Well, they beat the Jets pretty bad for just about the entire first half, but couldn't get anything going. The Dolphins are just pretty bad. Tony Sparano is a dead man walking.

31. St. Louis Rams (0-5) (LW: 31)- The Rams just continue to lose. They'll probably have to play this week against Dallas on the road without QB Sam Bradford. Good luck AJ Feeley...

32. Indianapolis Colts (0-6) (LW: 32)- The quest for Andrew Luck continues as they fight the Dolphins and Rams to the finish line. Sunday night's affair with the Saints should help them out.

-TA

Guest Blog: The Roller Coaster Ride Is Over...

2011-10-13T17:09:00.000-04:00

Guest Blog by friend-of-the-blog and my personal best friend, AJ Welch. Enjoy...

Well, the Garcia coaster has finally derailed. And let me tell you it was one hell of a bumpy ride. Throughout his whole career here at USC, Garcia has been one headache after the next; from his off the field suspensions, to his recent lack of talent and intelligence on the field.

Coming out of High School, Stephen Garcia was a highly recruited Qb, a four star recruit as a matter of fact. However, he was already tagged with the label of being a hand-full and an off field liability. You see, in his high school days, he would go around in the parking lots and slash tires, a modest hobby in his eyes I’m guessing. Still, these issues were seen as just some “high school pranks” and what not, he ultimately got recruited and offered a scholarship to play ball here at South Carolina.

Coming into camp in the summer, Garcia looked very promising as a starter, and a talented one at that. But wouldn’t you know his off field issues traveled with him to college. His first suspension came when was yelling and making a scene outside of his dorm, while sitting on a cooler of beer absolutely plastered.

But this wasn’t enough for him, almost one month later, he received his second suspension. This time it came for keying one of his professor’s cars. Even better about this, is his professor SAW him doing this, amateur status Stephen, amateur.

After these two pretty much back-to-back suspensions, he seemed to be settling down and maybe changing his act…”maybe” being the key word. Meanwhile, his off field stupidity was not necessarily translating to the football field, when he was able to play granted. He was shaping up to look like an all SEC quarterback. In 2009 he threw for 2,862 yards and 17 TD’s, not too shabby.

However, with each upside, there always seemed to be a downside. He got suspended for a third time in the offseason for underage drinking. This started to shape the question in some fans minds if maybe he had a problem and needed some help with it. This was quickly forgotten however when Garcia was once again reinstated.

Once the season started in 2010, the fans were on the fence about their controversial Qb. He soon had fans on his side of the fence when he started the season with a bang. He led the Gamecocks to a big time victory over Georgia, a game the Gamecocks haven’t won in many years. He also came very close to defeating the future National Champion Auburn Tigers, in a shootout.

Garcia celebrating after the upset

Then came the Alabama game, which will now probably be his most remembered game. He must have been drinking something magical in that kool-aid, because the man played out of his mind. He led the Gamecocks to their first victory over a #1 ranked team, and one of the biggest upsets in the school’s history.

This is one of the reasons I believe fans have been so loyal to him in these past two years. They caught a glimpse of the high caliber talent that he has, but for reasons unknown, he doesn’t bring them to every game. This is what makes him such a frustrating player to watch on the field, his inconsistency. He is one of the only quarterbacks I know who can be flawless against a #1 ranked team, and then look like hes in pop warner against a team the next week. He has so much talent but he doesn’t use it on a regular basis.

Then comes the two other suspensions that came this year. Both of which are again for stupid things. The first suspension was for his violation of the hotel room curfew at the Chick-Fil-A Bowl in Atlanta. Now I guess this one isn’t terribly stupid, I mean he is a guy just trying to get some play, but as a fan I don’t want my quarterback to be focused on that a night before a fairly substantial bowl game that he is playing in. His second suspension is just downright dumb. He was suspended for drunken disruptive behavior at a leadership conference. Wow, nothing quite says leadership like a drunk fool. This is honestly where, as a fan, I began to draw the line on Steven. When he failed to learn from his past incidences and made my school look like a joke, I think its only fair.

Overall, I do not hate/dislike Stephen Garcia. I would merely say I am very disappointed in him and think to myself what could have been. This year he has severly regressed; now whether or not it has anything to do with all these suspensions…I do not know. All I know is that this year the Gamecocks are chock-full of talent, and while he was under center he didn’t allow the talent around him to shine. All of the games he started were nail biters till the very end, with the Gamecocks managing to pull them out for a win. Until Auburn came to town, and Garcia couldn’t manage to pull it out. Connor Shaw got the start the following week and everyone suspected that Garcia would ride the pine the remainder of the year, now with his dismissal, he won’t even do that. I think this quote I heard sums it up beautifully, “He is a million dollar talent, with a ten cent mind”. So now, with Garcia dismissed from the team, we turn to a new chapter with Connor Shaw. I think the future looks very bright for this young man. He came out looking spectacular last week when he started at Qb. He threw for over 300 yards and 4 TD’s, matching Garcia’s season total. And another upside to this young man is that there are no off-field issues to give fans heart attacks about. We shall now see where our season takes us, and hopefully it is a smoother ride.

Week 6 Power Rankings: Bills, Raiders rise. Texans, New Yorkers fall.

2011-10-12T15:52:00.000-04:00

1. Green Bay Packers (5-0) (Last week: 1)- Looked like Atlanta would give them their first loss of the season... until Aaron Rodgers and company outscored them 19-0 in the second half. Green Bay looks unstoppable.

2. New Orleans Saints (4-1) (LW: 2)- Win at Carolina wasn't pretty, but yet another example of why you can't count out Drew Brees. Road games against divisional opponents are always tough and another at Tampa awaits them this week

3. Detroit Lions (5-0) (LW: 4)- Who can cover Calvin Johnson? That question hasn't been answered yet. Undefeated record and impressive play keeps them ahead of New England, but just barely.

4. New England Patriots (4-1) (LW: 6)- Win against the Jets proves New England is still the team to beat in the AFC East, and quite possibly the AFC. Short-haired Brady doesn't lose.

5. Baltimore Ravens (3-1) (LW: 3)- Drop two spots is mostly a result of the bye week, but then again may be a settling into the spot they deserve. Home game against the Texans should be another good test of their defense this week.

6. San Diego Chargers (4-1) (LW: 7)- 4-1 start for this typically slow-starting team is only helping. They head into the bye with their only loss coming against the Pats.

7. Buffalo Bills (4-1) (LW: 15)- Slip up against the Bengals may have just been an aberration. Win against self-destructing Eagles gives them ammo into fact that the Bills may be for real.

8. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2) (LW: 11)- Big Ben clearly didn't like my bold prediction that he'd throw under 20 TDs on the year, erupting for 5 against the Titans in Week 5. The aging Steelers may be getting it together.

9. San Francisco 49ers (4-1 (LW: 14))- Might as well give the Niners the division now. Jim Harbaugh is showing he may be everything he was cracked up to be this offseason as he and Alex Smith(?) have led the team to a 4-1 start.

10. Oakland Raiders (3-2) (LW: 17)- Emotional win for the Raiders against Houston catapults the Raiders into the top 10. They get Cleveland in Week 6, look for a huge game from McFadden.

11. Washington Redskins (3-1) (LW: 13)- Bye week only helped them as the rest of the NFC East is trying to give them the division. Week 6 showdown against tumbling Philadelphia can be huge for their confidence.

12. Houston Texans (3-2) (LW: 5)- Loss against Oakland brought them back to Earth. A Week 6 win at Baltimore could put them right back into the Top 10 though.

13. Tennessee Titans (3-2) (LW: 10)- Last week's loss came to Pittsburgh, so it wasn't too bad for Mass Hasselbeck and company, but enough to knock them out of the Top 10.

14. Dallas Cowboyss (2-2) (LW:16)- Bye week may have come at the right time for Dallas as the Giants stumbled against the lowly Seahawks. Dez Bryant and Tomo Romo needed the off week more than anyone as they travel to New England in a huge Week 6 matchup for the 'Boys.

15. New York Giants (3-2) (LW: 9)- Week 5 meltdown against Seattle was embarrassing, but Eli's 3 picks didn't help. The Giants look to get back on track with a home game against the emerging Bills.

16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2) (LW: 12)- A 48-3 loss to San Francisco surely wasn't what Raheem Morris and his crew had in mind in Week 5, and it doesn't get any easier for the Bucs in Week 6 as the Saints come to town.

17. New York Jets (2-3) (LW: 8)- Lackluster loss to the Pats could have been a sign of a a free fall for the Jets, but luckily they get the winless Dolphins in Week 6. But unfortunately for Rex Ryan, dolphins don't have feet...

18. Chicago Bears (2-3) (LW: 18)- The first static member of the Power Rankings. Loss to the Lions surely isn't a bad loss, and they get the Vikings at home in Primetime on Sunday night to get back into the early Wild Card race.

19. Atlanta Falcons (2-3) (LW: 19)- A great first half from Matt Ryan and company had the Falcons in position to knock off the top-ranked unbeaten Packers, but the Pack had other ideas, shutting out Hotlanta in the second half, 19-0. They need to learn how to finish off a lead, but they can't overlook Cam Newton and the Panthers in Week 6.

20. Cincinnati Bengals (3-2) (LW: 23): Win against the Jags continues Cincinnati's surprising season. Who would have thought a team that looked doomed for a lost season, led by a rookie QB would be 3-2? Not me.

21. Carolina Panthers (1-4) (LW: 22)- Cam Newton almost pulled off his first comeback win, but unfortunately they left too much time on the clock for Drew Brees. A road win against Atlanta could get them out of the NFC South basement.

22. Philadelphia Eagles (1-4) (LW: 20)- The Eagles have had a chance to win every game they've played this year, yet they're 1-4. Andy Reid looks like a dead man walking and the defense needs to wake up or their slide can continue against the 'Skins this week.

23. Seattle Seahawks (2-3) (LW: 27)- Charlie Whitehurst led the Seahawks to victory after losing Tavaris Jackson for the 2nd half to an injury (which could be a huge blessing in disguise for Seattle). Win against the Giants was a very quality win as the defense picked off Eli Manning three times.

24. Cleveland Browns (2-2) (LW: 24)- Hopefully they made the most of their bye week because their Week 6 matchup against Oakland will be a rough one. We'll see how Colt McCoy continues his development.

25. Kansas City Chiefs (2-3) (LW: 28)- Stole back the game after a 17 point defecit against Indy. But then again, it was Indy. Regardless Matt Cassel seems to have regained his confidence and Dwayne Bowe continues his great season.

26. Denver Broncos (1-4) (LW: 26)- Well, folks in Denver, you got what you want. It's Tebow Time. We shall see if he's the answer the fans are looking for or if he's just another QB for them to lose with. It's his time now, but he did make it interesting against San Diego in Week 5.

27. Minnesota Vikings (1-4) (LW: 29)- Adrian Peterson broke out in Week 5 with three first-half TDs against the struggling Cardinals and the Vikes finally got their first win. A Week 6 road matchup with the Bears on Sunday night awaits as they look to piece together consecutive wins.

28. Arizona Cardinals (1-4) (LW: 21)- Bye week comes at a critical time after a worrisome blowout loss at the hands of Adrian Peterson and the then-winless Vikings. Kolb and the offense is sputtering, although Beanie Wells is holding his own as the starting running back. Kolb needs to find Larry Fitzgerald more because he'll catch anything.

29. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-4) (LW: 25)- Loss to the Bengals has Jack Del Rio one step closer to the firing he's been long overdue for. This season is purely for Gabbert to develop, nothing else.

30. Miami Dolphins (0-4) (LW: 30)- The Andrew Luck race is underway for the 'Fins as Chad Henne is very conveniently out for the season. Maybe they keep Tony Sparano around long enough to fire him at the end of the year, or at least until they start winning.

31. St. Louis Rams (0-4) (LW: 31)- Bye Week just gave the Rams an extra week to look forward to the Week 6 beatdown coming this week at the hands of the Packers. Yikes.

32. Indianapolis Colts (0-5) (LW: 32)- Well, it looked good for them in the first half against Kansas City. That is, before they squandered their lead and watched Kansas City take the game. Current frontrunners for Andrew Luck given their next four opponents: Cincinnati, New Orleans, Tennessee, and Atlanta. Hello, 0-9.

-TA

Cutler, and Tebow, and Eagles... oh my!!! (And the return of pictures!)

2011-10-12T00:34:00.002-04:00

So Week 5 of the NFL season is now in the books. However, there are a few things that need to be touched on that are either not getting enough attention, or at least not the right kind.

First thing's first... Everybody better quit the Jay Cutler criticism right now. The guy has been nothing but scrutinized his entire career. The majority of his criticism has stemmed from last year's NFC Championship Game against the Green Bay Packers. Cutler went down with an MCL sprain in his knee and was unable to return to the game. Players spoke out against him that he wasn't tough and that he looked disinterested on the sidelines while injured, or that he wasn't in backup QB Caleb Hanie's ear enough to walk him through the game.

This was the shot that had many people questioning Cutler's toughness, both mental and physical.

At the time, I was hesitant to criticize the Diabetic Cannon (or the Glucose Gunslinger, or the Vandy Dandy that Can't Have Candy, as my friend Jordan Welch would put it) because, well, I don't know how I can criticize a professional athlete for not playing injured, especially when I don't know what the pain is like.

Well, at this point into this year's season, I have seen enough to say leave Jay Cutler alone. Anyone who has watched the Bears this year has seen the debacle that is their offensive line. This guy is running for his life on every play and these guys simply cannot keep him upright. Suddenly, the Bears must be regretting not re-signing veteran Pro Bowl center Olin Kreutz during the offseason, who went on to sign a deal with the New Orleans Saints. Now, how many times have you heard Cutler complain about his line? Clue: none. The guy has kept his mouth shut and played the game. And ironically, it seems as though he has made less Cutler-esque mistakes this year. It is because of Jay Cutler that I am further turned off by Michael Vick's comments earlier in the season about how his O-line is not protecting him and such. Michael, take a page out of Jay's book, keep your mouth shut and play football. My hat goes off to Jay Cutler for how he has handled his situation this year. The guy has proven he's tough and he isn't even complaining about the beating he's taken. You've won me over, Jay.

Now, onto the biggest news of the day. In case you haven't heard, the Denver Broncos have announced that sophomore QB and fan-favorite Tim Tebow will be the team's starting QB when they return from their bye in Week 7.

Ladies and gentlemen... it's Tebow Time.

Perhaps the most stunning thing about all of the hype, at least to me anyway, is how extreme the opinions on Tebow are. It seems that you either love him and think he's destined to be a star in the NFL, or you think he's terrible and not worthy of playing for an NFL team. I, however, fall into neither of the two. I personally think that he is a viable starter in the NFL, and while he will never be a premier passer, the guy flat out makes plays; he's a winner. And I know that phrase has been long overused in reference to Tebow, but it's true. Anyone who watched the end of the Denver-San Diego game saw glimpses of greatness and an inconsistent pocket passer. That is exactly what he is. He will never have the polished passing skills of a Peyton Manning, a Tom Brady, a Drew Brees, or an Aaron Rodgers, but he finds a way to get the first down or the critical yardage when you need it the most, and it usually isn't pretty. So far, since the beginning of the 2010 season, only Michael Vick (9) has more rushing TDs than Tebow (7) among quarterbacks. The difference? Tebow has only started 3 games since he's been in the NFL.

Now, I've never been a big fan of running QBs in the NFL, because they're often prone to mistakes and taking off at the wrong time, but I would actually take Tim Tebow as my starting QB. Not because I think he's a Hall of Fame QB in the making, but because I trust his instincts and I trust his decision-making with the game on the line and in critical situations. If I were to take him, though, it would be necessary to surround him with some weapons. Right now Brandon Lloyd is a very good WR, but Eric Decker as a number two? And with no notable tight end threat? No disrespect to Eric Decker, he could wind up being very good, who knows, but as of now he's not the number two guy I want to set Tebow up with. He doesn't have a great running back to hand it off to either, despite the reemergence of Willis McGahee, especially since Knowshon Moreno hasn't panned out as expected.

Bottom line here is that Tim Tebow is neither the Broncos' savior, nor a scrub. The guy makes plays, kisses babies, and knows how to win games.

Well. Now onto the part that will either make you cry or smile. The Eagles. Where to start with the once self-titled "Dream Team"... I think at this point it is safe to say that from here on out it is an uphill battle just to keep his job. With the talent that the organization has assembled, there is really no excuse for a 1-4 record. After this year, Eagle fans may get what they have inconsistently off-and-on wanted for years now, an Eagle team not coached by Andy Reid. I have never been a big "fire Andy Reid" proponent because I don't think the Eagles would have reached three straight NFC Championship games in the middle of the past decade without Reid. But, if the season continues as it is going right now, Andy Reid should be gone.

Just to put it all in perspective, the Eagles would theoretically have to end the year 9-2 just to reach a 10-6 record and possible make the playoffs. With the way this team has made costly mistakes, this is not only unlikely, but impossible. The sad thing for this Eagle team is that they have been in a position to win every game they've played this year, but without fail, they have found a way to beat themselves.

The problem has not only been their mistakes, but their defense has not lived up to expectations. Their ridiculous secondary has been rendered irrelevant without the presence of a run defense. They have allowed opposing running backs to impose their will on the paltry Eagles D. Their poor tackling and execution has led me to the conclusion that I could have success running the ball against the Eagles defense behind Jay Cutler's offensive line. They're that bad.

Is it possible for the Eagles to get it together and roll off a 9-2 run and make the playoffs? Yes. But the reason why it will not happen is because this team is simply undisciplined. Nobody is being held accountable for the team's mistakes and there has to be a lot going on in the locker room, considering the Players Only meeting that was called on the off day after Week 4. Poor clock management in the final two minutes of each half has to fall equally on the shoulder of Reid and Vick, because if one mismanages, the other should have the presence of mind to bail the other out.

Where does the blame fall? Anyone? Bueller?

Herein lies my mistrust of Michael Vick. His head. I don't trust him when it matters to make the crucial play in crunch time. In theory, Vick is the Anti-Tebow. Where Tebow excels, Vick falters. Is Vick a better passer and better running with more raw athletic ability? Absolutely. But who do I want managing my offense to a comeback win in the 4th quarter? The answer is simple: Tim Tebow.

To all Eagle fans, your team needs to get it together, plain and simple. But their problem isn't one that can be fixed overnight. The team needs to put their egos aside and form a cohesive unit. Because if they don't, not only will they continue to beat themselves and lose games, but you can expect a slew of firings on the Eagles coaching staff and a massive overhaul. Buckle up Eagle fans, it could be a very bumpy ride.

Week 5 Power Rankings

2011-10-05T16:08:00.000-04:00

We're a quarter of the way into the schedule for each NFL team and it hasn't come without a few surprises and disappointments. At this point, I'm ranking all 32 teams and giving a bold prediction about each one.

1. Green Bay Packers (4-0)- The offense is firing on all cylinders and Aaron Rodgers is making a case that he is the best quarterback in the league. The defense is playing well enough for the offense to be the difference.
Bold Prediction- Green Bay loses once all year and locks up the NFC by Week 15.

2. New Orleans Saints (3-1)- The poor man's Packers. Brees is off to a quick start with 1410 passing yards and the running game showed that you don't need one feature back to be effective.
Bold Prediction- 12 touchdowns for Jimmy Graham this year.

3. Baltimore Ravens (3-1)- The Ravens defense showed on Sunday night that it is still one of the toughest groups in the league and one of the most opportunistic. Despite Flacco's poor effort, they find ways to win games against good teams.
Bold Prediction- Baltimore sweeps the division.

4. Detroit Lions (4-0)- We knew the Lions would be much improved this year, but I'm not sure anyone knew they'd be this improved. The Lions don't have to play the Packers until Thanksgiving, so they may be able to stay within at least a game of the division lead until then.
Bold Prediction- Stafford to Calvin Johnson produces the highest touchdown total of any QB-WR hookup in NFL history when their careers are over.

5. Houston Texans (3-1)- If it weren't for a 4th quarter hiccup against New Orleans in Week 3, they'd be 4-0. They showed a lot of poise keeping Pittsburgh from roaring back in the 4th quarter.
Bold Prediction- Arian Foster continues to miss time sporadically throughout the year and Ben Tate is the team's leading rusher at the end of the year.

6. New England Patriots (3-1)- With Tom Brady and Bill Belichick at the helm, they're always a Super Bowl contender. Defense still worries me, especially with Jerod Mayo out 6 weeks.
Bold Prediction- Over 130 catches for Wes Welker this year.

7. San Diego Chargers (3-1)- For once, they actually are having a strong start to the year, which is dangerous for the rest of the AFC because Philip Rivers just does not lose in December.
Bold Prediction- Ryan Mathews becomes the featured back alone by Week 10.

8. New York Jets (2-2)- Record doesn't look too impressive, but they won't have to play the Ravens every week. Sanchez better step it up though.
Bold Prediction- They beat New England both times in the regular season and win the division.

9. New York Giants (3-1)- Tied atop the NFC East with Washington. Schedule hasn't been very tough, a win versus the Eagles early could be very helpful late in the season.
Bold Prediction- Giants slip up and miss the playoffs.

10. Tennessee Titans (3-1)- Matt Hasselbeck is doing his very best to make Seattle regret not signing him every single week. He clearly doesn't need Kenny Britt all that much.
Bold Prediction- 4,000 yards and 28 TDs for Hasselbeck.

11. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-2)- Only losses are to top 5 teams, but the injuries are piling up for Pittsburgh. Baltimore looks much stronger and the early head-to-head loss could prove very costly.
Bold Predicton- Under 20 TDs for Roethlisberger.

12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1)- Schedule hasn't shown much, but they are 3-1. Week 6 matchup with New Orleans looms and will show their true colors.
Bold Predicition- LeGarrette Blount finishes in the top 5 in rushing.

13. Washington Redskins (3-1)- Ryan Torain burst onto the scene in Week 4 with over 100 yards on the ground. Mike Shanahan must be liking his chops with all these rushing options.
Bold Prediction- No Redskin back rushes for 1000 yards despite over 150 carries for all 3 backs.

14. San Francisco 49ers (3-1)- Big comeback win for the Niners against Philly on the road shows they are the team to beat in the NFC West, although I'm not sure how much weight that really carries.
Bold Prediction- 10+ TDs for Frank Gore.

15. Buffalo Bills (3-1)- Week 4 loss to Cincinnati showed that their strong start may have been a fluke.
Bold Prediction- Bills finish the year below .500.

16. Dallas Cowboys (2-2)- Tony Romo has been a warrior this year playing through injury, but his play has been Jekyll and Hyde. Collapse against Detroit was just flat out embarrassing.
Bold Prediction- Romo gets it together and Dallas wins the division.

17. Oakland Raiders (2-2)- Darren McFadden has been an animal on the ground and showing that he will be a player in this league for quite some time.
Bold Prediction- Over 1500 yards on the ground this year for McFadden.

18. Chicago Bears (2-2)- Thank God for Matt Forte last week or Carolina might have won by 10. Offensive line can't keep Cutler upright, but maybe they can block for the run game? It must be killing Mike Martz that he has to run it.
Bold Prediction- Forte remains the team's leading receiver for the entire season by a lot.

19. Atlanta Falcons (2-2)- Roddy White's preseason comments that Atlanta is the newest version of the 2001 Rams "Greatest Show on Turf" is appearing quite comical. Their play this year has been quite worrisome, especially given play of New Orleans, and Tampa Bay to a certain degree.
Bold Prediciton- Atlanta is the newest victim of the NFC South winner not repeating. They finish 3rd in the division and miss the playoffs.

20. Philadelphia Eagles (1-3)- "Dream Team" label is officially dead and there may be too many egos in the locker room. Players called a "players only" meeting on Monday instead of taking their customary day off, which proves there is some trouble in paradise.
Bold Prediction- Eagles finish 8-8 and miss the playoffs.

21. Arizona Cardinals (1-3)- Questionable call against the Giants possibly cost them the game, but a week 5 matchup with Minnesota could get them back on track.
Bold Prediction- 100 yards and 2 TDs for Fitzgerald this week in a win against the Vikes.

22. Carolina Panthers (1-3)- Cam Newton's progress with a short offseason has been nothing short of remarkable. I may soon have to eat my words that he will be a bust. Needs to tone down the mistakes though if he wants his stats to translate into Ws.
Bold Prediction- 12 rushing TDs for Newton this year.

23. Cincinnati Bengals (2-2)- Cam Newton has gotten all of the attention, but the most impressive rookie QB may actually be Andy Dalton, who has led a team most people expected to be horrendous to a 2-2 start.
Bold Prediction- 1000 yards receiving for rookie WR A.J. Green this year.

24. Cleveland Browns (2-2)- Not really sure what to make of the Browns so far. They're 2-2, but their only wins are against 0-4 teams.
Bold Prediction- Under 1000 yards on the ground this year for Peyton Hillis, even though he is a tank.

25. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-3)- Blaine Gabbert has shown signs of excellence along with his growing pains. Having his second career start come against New Orleans probably wasn't fair. He needs some weapons.
Bold prediciton- Maurice Jones-Drew's total yards this year is within 500 yards of Gabbert's total passing yards.

26. Denver Broncos (1-3)- Don't put much weight into the loss against Green Bay, it was Green Bay. Divisional foes will be a better Litmus test.
Bold Prediction- Tebow starts the last 6 weeks of the year as the Broncos are out of contention early and the fans get restless.

27. Seattle Seahawks (1-3)- Whoever decided that they should not re-sign Hasselbeck and sign Tavaris Jackson should never be allowed to hold any position in football ever again. 2 point loss to Atlanta wasn't terrible, however.
Bold Prediciton- We see Charlie Whitehurst as starter before the end of the year.

28. Kansas City Chiefs (1-3)- After looking like the worst team in NFL history through the first two weeks, they got a win in Week 4 against the winless Vikings. A week 5 matchup with Indy should do wonders for their confidence.
Bold Prediction- 100 yards and a TD on the ground in Week 5 for Thomas Jones.

29. Minnesota Vikings (0-4)- They have held a lead in every game this season and have no wins to show for it. How on God's Green Earth can you not close out games with Adrian Peterson in the backfield?
Bold Prediction- Christian Ponder is the team's Week 10 starter after the bye.

30. Miami Dolphins (0-4)- The team says Tony Sparano is the guy for the job, but how can they seriously say that after their much-publicized pursuit of Jim Harbaugh in the offseason? The team is in trouble.
Bold Prediction- Sparano is fired after Week 8 after a 1-7 start.

31. St. Louis Rams (0-4)- They made it interesting at the end of their Week 4 loss to Washington, but their -67 point differential is God-awful. Where is Mike Sims-Walker?
Bold Prediction- Rams go 2-14 this season.

32. Indianapolis Colts (0-4)- Who knew Manning made this much of a difference? The defense is just not good enough to make up for their quarterback being 67 year-old Kerry Collins or wannabe-bro Curtis Painter. Seriously what is up with that guy's hair?
Bold Prediction- They steal a win from KC in Week 5.

5 Things I learned from Week 1 2011 (And late NFC Predictions)

2011-09-14T14:51:00.000-04:00

So, I didn't quite get to do my NFC Preview, and now, although I think it may be a day late and a dollar short, I'm still going to give my quick NFC projections for the division winners and Wild Cards before my Week 1 observations...

NFC North: Packers 13-3... The Real Deal
NFC East: Eagles 11-5... Not a "Dream Team" but good enough to win the division
NFC South: Saints 12-4... Not going away yet
NFC West: Cardinals 9-7... Finally have a QB, and in a horrendous divison that is the difference.

Wild Cards:
Falcons 11-5... Matty Ice and company are here to stay, but have to contend with Saints
Bears 10-6... Not quite sure why everyone automatically expected them to fall off this year

Step-Up Team: Lions 9-7... One Year away, although Stafford looks good

Step Back Team: Bucs 7-9... Raheem Morris' group still plays in a tough division and didn't do enough in the offseason with all that cash

NFC Championship: Packers over Saints

Super Bowl: Packers over Patriots... First back to back since the 03-04 and 04-05 Pats (ironically)

... Now onto Week 1's 5 Things I learned, in ascending order of importance:

1. The Packers are Still the Champs

In a matchup between the last 2 Super Bowl champs, the Packers came out swinging behind a rowdy crowd at Lambeau, piling up 21 points and 202 yards of total offense in the first quarter against the Saints. The Saints nearly came back but the Pack buckled down on the last play with no time remaining to preserve the victory. Aaron Rodgers and company sent a message to the rest of the league that there is no Super Bowl hangover in Green Bay and that the road to the Super Bowl still must go through the Green and Yellow.

2. The Lions are for real

I was already drinking the Lions Kool-Aid in the offseason when I bought my Ndamukong Suh jersey, and they didn't disappoint in Week 1 against a Bucs team that went 10-6 last year, albeit missing the playoffs. The arial attack was out and about as Matt Stafford threw for 305 yards and 3 TDs, 2 to star receiver Calvin Johnson. If Stafford can stay healthy, the Lions may very well contend for a playoff spot with a much improved defense.

3. Shanahan loves Hightower

When Mike Shanahan traded for Tim Hightower back in late July, he was expected to contend for carries with Ryan Torain. But after a solid preseason in which he averaged 6.8 yards a carry (and against the Ravens and Steelers' first teams for 2 of the games), Hightower was namesd the starter for Week 1. And the starter he was. Hightower carried the rock 25 of the 26 attempts for the Redskins, the lone other going to rookie Roy Helu. Hightower was able to find the end zone in Week 1, and it also seems he found a way into Mike Shanahan's heart as well.

4. The Texans will run away with the AFC South

After Week 1's drubbing of the Peyton Manning-less Colts, and the lackluster play from both the Titans and Jags against each other, the Texans should skate to a division title. Clearly the Clots won't be giving them problems, so it's just a matter of getting by the non-divisional games and taking care of business against the Jags and Titans, which they should. Watch out for this team with raised confidence.

5. Peyton Manning Really Does Matter That Much

Wow. To say the display by the Colts in Week 1 was bad is the epitome of an understatement. And with no return in sight for Manning, the Colts are done. DONE. Kerry Collins looked like a man in his forties and was absolutely lost. He ran for his dear life, his brittle bones somehow made it through. I think this will be a common trend or this year, and with Colts' GM Bill Polian already talking of looking for a successor for Manning now, it may not be a bad idea to just let it go, tank it, and get Andrew Luck. I mean, look at Aaron Rodgers...

-TA

AFC Preview

2011-09-08T20:59:00.000-04:00

Well, I'm back after a little more than a month off. Here we are with the first game of the season underway and I'm particularly siked, I'm getting the chills for the first time in a while. It comes at a particularly good time for myself as I, and I'm sure a few others, need something to be happy about. So without further ado and given the time constraints with this game here's my 2011 AFC Preview... (teams listed according to last season's standings)

AFC

North:

Pittsburgh Steelers (last season 12-4, 1st Place)

Yet again the Yellow and Black is the team to beat in the north. The Ravens will be pesky as usual and be right in the hunt until the final week of the season, I'm sure, but the defending AFC Champs are back and I look for Mike Wallace to further develop into an elite WR in this league.
*Prediction: 11-5; 1st Place

Baltimore Ravens (last season 12-4, 2nd Place)

The Ravens are the team that could probably win 5 other divisions in the NFL, but they are in the same one as the Steelers, and it will cost them. I think they do take a small step back as the defense growing another year older starts to show.
*Prediction: 10-6; 2nd Place

Cleveland Browns (last season 5-11, 3rd Place)

The Browns are a team that I like. I like their quarterback as Colt McCoy has looked great in the preseason and looks like he is poised to develop into a viable starter in this league, and Cleveland's QB of the future, something they haven't had in quite sometime. They made good strides, but aren't quite there yet.
*Prediction 7-9; 3rd Place

Cincinnati Bengals (last season 4-12, 4th Place)

The Bungals. Well, to put it bluntly, they're in for a long year. With a rookie QB, Andy Dalton, at the helm it is always difficult to compete. I like his prospects long term, but the team is going to be tough to watch this year without Carson Palmer and Chad Ochocinco. AJ Green will be a very good WR in this league, but he fell into a mess of a situation.
*Prediction: 3-13; 4th Place

East:

New England Patriots (last season 14-2, 1st Place)

Wow. What to say about the Pats. They were 14-2 last year, 14-2! But couldn't do it in the Playoffs. But, with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick you can never neglect to mention them as Super Bowl contenders, and that doesn't change this year.
*Prediction: 13-3, 1st Place

New York Jets (last season 11-5, 2nd Place)

Well, if you ask Rex Ryan they'll win the Super Bowl. But then again they would be the 2-time defending champs if Rex was always right. The Jets are a very, very good defensive team and their classic "ground and pound" style will be prevalent again this year, but maybe with Shonn Greene leading the way this year. Still New England's baby brother.
*Prediction: 11-5, 2nd Place

Miami Dolphins (last season 7-9, 3rd Place)

The Dolphins, I think, lost more than people realize on offense with the loss of both Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams, and only gaining rookie Daniel Thomas, who I think has a bright future, and Reggie Bush, who no matter what Tony Sparano says, is not a future back. Trust me, as a Saint fan, I know. Miami's defense isn't enough to do it and Chad Henne isn't the guy.
*Prediction: 5-11, 4th Place

Buffalo Bills (last year 4-12, 4th Place)

The Bills are just a miserable franchise and they need to move. I'm sorry to the Bills fans, if there are any, but they aren't very good. On the bright side though, I think they do take a step forward this year out of the basement with stability at the quarterback position with Harvard alum Ryan Fitzpatrick. Also Stevie Johnson proves himself this year with a repeat season.
*Prediciton: 6-10, 3rd Place

South

Indianapolis Colts (last season 10-6, 1st Place)

Wow, what a difference a day makes. Yesterday, Peyton was only out Week 1, and today he's out at least 2-3 months. This is a surgery my dad has had 3 or 4 times and I don't see him coming back this year. Without Manning, this is not going to be a good football team. I don't care how many weapons they have catching the ball, without someone to throw to them and without a decent run game, they're in trouble.
*Prediction: 6-10; 3rd Place

Jacksonville Jaguars (last season 8-8, 2nd Place)

In a stunning move, yesterday the Jags released starting QB David Garrard and will start Luke McCown in preparation for the Blaine Gabbert era. This will seriously hinder their chances this year even with the additions of LBs Paul Posluszny and Matt Roth. Without a QB, they aren't going anywhere.
*Prediction: 5-11; 4th Place

Houston Texans (last season 6-10, 3rd place)

The Texans definitely disappointed last year after some higher expectations, but without Peyton Manning in their division, they should skate to a division title. In maybe the weakest division now, and an improved defense with the addition of CB Jonathan Joseph formerly of the Bengals, the Texans should be in line for their first division title.
*Prediction: 11-5, 1st Place

Tennessee Titans (last season 6-10, 4th place)

The Titans added veteran QB Matt Hasselbeck to take over their offense as a stopgap until rookie Jake Locker is ready. In this division without Manning now, he should be enough to get them second place.
*Prediction: 7-9; 2nd Place

West

Kansas City Chiefs (last year 10-6, 1st place)

The Chiefs came out of right field last year to win the AFC West with a great ground game behind Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones, and Dwayne Bowe catching TDs, they can still be competitive. Matt Cassel is a viable QB and their defense can hold its own with Derrick Johnson, Brandon Flowers, and Eric Berry. However, I think they take a step back.
*Prediction: 8-8; 2nd Place

San Diego Chargers (last year 9-7, 2nd Place)

With Vincent Jackson here for the full year, and Philip Rivers coming into his prime, and who I think is without a doubt an elite QB in this league, the Chargers should win this division. They have a solid RB tandem in 2nd-year pro Ryan Mathews and the dougie-ing tank Mike Tolbert. Their defense will be solid again.
*Prediction: 10-6; 1st Place

Oakland Raiders (last year 8-8, 3rd place)

With a perfect divisional record last year at 6-0, the Raiders still finished a mediocre 8-8, and weren't able to make the playoffs. They will be average again with the loss of CB Nnamdi Asomugha, although Run DMC Darren McFadden is here to stay.
*Prediction: 7-9, 3rd Place

Denver Broncos (last year 4-12, 4th place)

With all the talk of Tim Tebow surrounding the Broncos, they made the smart move and went with the proven Kyle Orton. They have Brandon Lloyd on the outside who had a breakout year last year, but without much of a defense and it remains to be seen if Knowshon Moreno can be the guy they drafted him to be. They're in for a long year as well.
*Prediction: 4-12; 4th place

In short:

North: Steelers 11-5
East: Pats 13-3
South: Texans 11-5
West: Chargers 10-6

Wild Cards:
Jets 11-5
Ravens 10-6

AFC Championship: Patriots over Chargers

Look out for my NFC Preview coming tomorrow or Saturday!

Philadelphia's Christmas in July

2011-07-30T02:57:00.000-04:00

Well, July 29th was a day to forget for fans of Philly rivals, including myself, but undeniably a day to rejoice in the City of Brotherly Love. As most people around here know, and many others, the Philadelphia Phillies acquired right fielder Hunter Pence from the Houston Astros in exchange for their top pitching and hitting prospects, Jarred Cosart and Jonathan Singleton, respectively, and two other minor leaguers. However, this was after news broke that the Philadelphia Eagles had come out of nowhere to sign highly-coveted free agent cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, formerly of the Oakland Raiders. Philadelphia virtually dominated Twitter from the early evening onward on Friday.

Now it's time to break down each move.

This pretty much sums up Philly's emotions on Friday.

We start with Asomugha. Many Jet fans, and some Cowboy fans as well, now sit in the corner with their arms crossed and a frown painted across their faces after losing the Nnamdi Asomugha sweepstakes. With one signing, Friday belonged to the Birds. Already having acquired a cornerback on Thursday in Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie via a trade with Arizona that sent Kevin Kolb to Phoenix, the Eagles were widely considered set at the cornerback position. Most thought the Eagles would look to aid the linebacking corp, which still remains a big question mark, or even bolster the safety position after acquiring DRC. Wrong. The Eagles added Asomugha, making their corners virtually unstoppable on paper.

Now before Eagle fans start crowning themselves Super Bowl champs, there are some concerns, although maybe minute. With 10% of their allotted salary under the new cap now devoted to Asomugha, it remains to be seen if they keep Asante Samuel, who was the only real cornerback they had coming into this offseason. Will they want to deal him, which would still leave a great CB tandem, to have more available cash to address their other needs? Early reports indicated the Eagles intending to keep the Pro Bowl corner, but we shall see.

Another thing to watch is the consistency of newly-acquired Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. He is a guy who can make a spectacular play one down, as noted by the fact that he returned three of his four interceptions last year for TDs, and get totally torched on the next. Having said that, he is a young player and still has a lot of room to grow, and learn to utilize his blazing speed to keep up with any receiver in the game. The addition of Asomugha does, however, make DRC the best nickel back in the league, and a great luxury to have in such packages.

Now to the Alpha of the bunch. Nnamdi Asomugha, who only had 33 passes thrown his way in 2010, and a mere 27 thrown his way in 2009. To put it in perspective, this is about half the amount of the next-least. Let's face it, the guy is good, real good. But how much stock should we put in this stat? Sure he's good and opposing QB's don't like to throw his way, but we should note that he only plays one side of the field, the defensive right side. This is the blind side of right-handed QBs, which dominate the NFL, which allows Nnamdi to make a play on the receiver without the QB being so alert to it. This is no knock on Asomugha since he makes these plays because he's good. But we need to realize that since this is the QBs blind side, more often than not the team's #1 receiver lines up to his right, or defensive left. This means Asomugha is usually left covering the team's #2. In such a situation, why would you want to throw Asomugha's way if he is on a number 2? There is usually a mismatch on the other side. However, I mean no disrespect to Asomugha and his abilities, but this is rather to show that there may indeed be some chinks in this guy's armor.

The expectations have been set.

If the Eagles do indeed keep Samuel, they will undoubtedly have the best corners in the NFL. I am reluctant to say the best secondary because they are young and unproven at safety. They have promise at free safety in the young Nate Allen, but strong safety remains shaky as right now's starter could be rookie Jaiquawn Jarrett. Had they had an established set of safeties they would blow away teams like the Packers and Saints who have complete DB corps, albeit not nearly as good overall at corner. No matter how good your team seems, the parity in the NFL always leaves the door wide open for an array of teams to win; they still have to play the game. Having said all of this, if the Eagles corners perform like what they are fully capable of doing, no team will be comfortable passing against them, or should have much success. Paired with an explosive offense lead by Michael Vick, Desean Jackson, and Lesean McCoy, this should be a defense that will cause major headaches for opposing quarterbacks. They now should jump into the conversation for the NFC's best team alongside Green Bay, New Orleans, Atlanta, and maybe Chicago.

As for the Philadephia Phillies, offense was their main concern moving toward the trade deadline. Their pitching has been dominant behind Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels, and Cliff Lee (even the young Vance Worley), although they have limited their opponents to the least amount of runs of any team in baseball. Saying their pitching is good wouldn't begin to do them justice. Philadelphia fans though worried that their offense may not be good enough to stand up to opposing pitching come October. Well, in addition to their recent successes at the plate, they added another weapon in Hunter Pence, formerly of the Houston Astros. Pence is batting .308 with 11 home runs and 62 RBIs thus far this season. He is that right-handed bat that adds depth to the Phillies' lineup alongside guys like Utley, Howard, Rollins, and Victorino.

It honestly doesn't get any better than Roy Halladay.

Really, even as a Mets fan, there's really nothing negative that can be said about this team now. They were already the best team in the National Legaue prior to this trade. The only thing, maybe, is that they gave up their best hitting and pitching prospects. But really, who cares? They were able to keep the young Domonic Brown AND Vance Worley, who could be a viable starter in this league. When you can get a young, proven talent like Pence, while all but assuring yourself as the NL representative in the World Series, you do what you can to get him. Who cares if you trade some of your future to get him if that means winning now? Trust me, I am not a Phillies fan and don't plan on converting any time soon, but you can't help but like what their organization is doing to put the best possible product on the field. This is not a good team, but a great team. Whoever faces them in the World Series, whether it be the Yankees or Red Sox or whoever, should any of them get there, better come prepared because this team is for real. If they weren't the favorites before, they are now I'd argue.

Pence is the answer.

Congrats on your day Philly. You sure did work. Now it's time to collect some hardware because anything short of a ring, especially out on the diamond, will be considered a grave disappointment. Especially in that crazy city. I can tell you one thing though, Eagles, my Saints will be ready. Hotlanta will be ready. And that team in Green Bay, the defending champs, isn't going anywhere anytime soon. You have your work cut out for you. Do your darnedest.

-TA

"Football is Back"

2011-07-25T20:05:00.000-04:00

For those of you who may be living under a rock, which thanks to that Geico commercial we now know is possible, the NFL and the NFL Players Association have reached an agreement on a new 10-year Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). 10 years. This is what I believe is the most underrated aspect of the entire deal. This means that we will not have to endure another grueling lockout like this one for at least another 10 years, and hopefully longer. To get it out of the way, thank the dear 8 lb 6 oz infant Baby Jesus, sitting there in his little golden diapers and don't even know a word, or the Jesus in a tuxedo t-shirt, for those of you who wish to be formal, yet like to party.

For those of you who didn't quite get the reference, and then some. (Some adult language)

This week will be a frenzy of trades and signings, whether they be of free agents, draft picks, or undrafted players, but one thing is for sure, it will be a hot stove, and entertaining at that. In addition to Sunday's MLB Trade Deadline, this weekend can really be Christmas in July for sports fans. I can almost assure you that SportsCenter, and ESPN in general, will probably be the most exciting things to watch this week, regardless of the what MLB games are being played.

While I watched ESPN today and listened to callers on ESPN Radio, I can tell that I am not the only one overjoyed by today's news. This, more than anything else, has, in my opinion, solidified that even though baseball may be America's pastime, football is America's here and now. At work today nothing could bring me down off of the high I was on because, no matter what I had to do, I knew that come August and September, there will be football, and that was more than enough for me. I also think it is safe for me to say that much of America shared my elation today, as news broke that there would be, without a shadow of a doubt, an NFL season.

Kind of what was going on inside of many of our heads. Well, maybe not to this degree, but you get the point.

Another positive to note is that it seems increased crime will have to wait at least another ten years to rear its head. In an interview with ESPN's Sal Paolantonio back in May, Baltimore Ravens' linebacker Ray Lewis claimed that evil would arise if there weren't a season this year. He said that crime would increase if they took away their game. Really, Ray? Really? So you're telling me that those people who would tend to commit crimes refrain from doing so because they have football to watch on Sundays? Oh, maybe he meant that the NFL players without jobs would turn to crime! No, wait that is equally as ridiculous. Sorry, Ray, no matter how you spin it, you're statements are ludicrous. For a guy who is widely respected amongst NFL players, and who most would consider at least a semi-intelligent human being, that was something that should have been caught in the filter between his brain and mouth. I wonder how his foot tastes right about now, I'm sure he knows.

You can fast-forward to about the 2:25 point.

Unlike the NHL, which lost many fans during its season-long lockout in 2004-05, I would venture to say that this lockout may have helped the NFL. While that may sound absurd due to the frustration that the two sides have caused throughout the entire process, think about it for a second. No games were lost other than the Hall of Fame Game, which is merely exhibition. Very few preseason games are even televised on cable, let alone watched. Sure it is the first true game of the season, but who is going to boycott any football because the Hall of Fame Game was cancelled? The fact of the matter is that since so many people were upset at the notion that the lockout would affect the regular season, seeing that the entire schedule will remain largely intact will ease the troubled mind. This is a simple example of "you don't know what you have until it's gone". I think that logic in and of itself is why the NFL will be back and better than ever.

My title here, "Football is Back", seems to be the common phrase being echoed across the sports stratosphere today. However, for something to be back, I argue that it had to have left in the first place, which is why I put it in quotation marks. I ask you, dear reader, did football ever leave in the first place? Here we are on July 25th, with a new CBA in place, about to begin free agency and training camp. But, let's think back to last year on July 25th, where were we? Only the Cowboys had reported to camp (on the 24th), along with only the rookies from Cleveland, New England, and San Diego (on the 25th), with the rest of the league reporting on the last couple days of July. So, basically, we're right on track minus the free agent and rookie signings, which will be taken care of throughout this week.

While players weren't participating in OTAs (Organized Team Activities) during the summer and getting treatment from team trainers and doctors, let's not forget that these players are professionals. They know that it falls on themselves if they do not show up in shape when the lockout is lifted. Folks, they've been working out, and let us remember that day after the judge's ruling that temporarily lifted the lockout, players were allowed to report and they received their playbooks. The only difference is that they've been wearing their own sweats throughout the summer instead of sponsored team apparel.

The media buzz during this lockout was so immense that some people grew tired of hearing about it because there was so much false hope and so many rumors that it began to teeter on obsession. However, regardless of how crazy the coverage got, we listened. The reason we got upset was because we didn't want to get excited without proper reason. But despite all of the headaches the lockout brought, the NFL was always there, in our hearts and in our minds. And due to that fact alone, it never left.

So, ladies and gentlemen, I have one final question for you. Are you ready for some football?

I'm getting goosebumps.

-TA

...ps look at this goal scored by the beautiful Alex Morgan yesterday.

Isn's she just wonderful?

Why The US Women Didn't Choke

2011-07-18T17:11:00.002-04:00

After having a day to gather my thoughts and let my emotions settle down from yesterday's World Cup loss to Japan, I have come to a consensus that seems to differ from the mainstream media and angry callers on ESPN Radio. The more I think back to the actual way the game was played, the more I can strengthen my belief that our women did not choke.

Wambach (left), the Silver Ball winner for 2nd best player, and Solo (right), the Golden Glove winner for best goalkeeper, have no reason to hang their heads.

We start in the first half. From the first minute the US was out for blood, they led the attack when Lauren Cheney decided to shoot rather than pass to a wide open Abby Wambach in front of the net. These chances were plentiful in the first forty-five minutes, but the US failed to cash in on these opportunities. However, it was evident that the United States was the much better team, that much is certain. Despite the failed attempts in the first half, and the beginning of the second for that matter, the US struck first blood when Megan Rapinoe launched a perfect ball up to the beautiful Alex Morgan, who rifled a shot past the goalkeeper into the right side of the net. It seemed then like the US was well on its way to its first World Cup since 1999.

However, destiny had other plans. They simply ran into a team that was playing for much more than themselves in the Japanese. A land ravaged by earthquakes and tsunamis, a few players on the Japanese team weren't even sure they'd be able to compete due to the amount of work that they had to take care of on the home front. With an entire nation's prayers and emotions on their back the Japanese were able to do just enough to win. They capitalized on a couple of US defensive miscues when it mattered the most. Much like my beloved New Orleans Saints two Super Bowls ago, they played for the people back home, and they needed it.

They were able to tie it at one on a botched clearing attempt by the US back line. When the gorgeous Alex Morgan found Abby Wambach's golden head in extra time, it seemed that yet again destiny was on their side, but she proved fickle. The Japanese were able to score off a corner kick, which wound up deflecting off of a US defender, buckling goalie Hope Solo, as she had no play to make. Solo did her part the entire game, as she was hung out to dry by her defense on two instances that resulted in goals.

Then, the game came down to penalty kicks. Now, I have a problem with penalty kicks for one reason. That reason is that penalty kicks do not tell us who is better. If you were to play out the penalty kicks ten times, each team would probably win five times. It comes down to a guessing game. When the shooter runs up to the ball, the goalie has to make a decision on which way to dive, and if he or she guesses wrong then there is no time to recover; the ball has already found its home in the back of the net (or missed the net completely in the case of Carli Lloyd, the US midfielder who shot high over the net on the second shot). Yes, penalty kicks are compelling and yes, they increase ratings, but no real skills are involved. The best goalies, and teams for that matter, don't always win, as was the case on Sunday. That's why I think they should either go back to the old "Golden Goal", sudden death style in their extra time, such is the case in hockey's overtime and in the NFL, where the first score wins. Such is the case in the hockey playoffs in which shootouts are left out, I feel the overtimes should continue in soccer until the first goal is scored in major tournaments like the World Cup and Olympics.

The Japanese goalie guessed right more than Hope Solo in those situations, which doesn't mean they deserved to win that game. The US still to this minute have not trailed the Japanese, and controlled the vast majority of the game. This is why our women didn't choke. They weren't outplayed. They were the victims of a tiebreaker that didn't reflect their play or skill; they were victims of destiny.

Something tells me Abby Wambach and Alex Morgan will ensure a different result next year in the Olympics in London.

-TA

Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Care About the US Women's Soccer Team

2011-07-13T19:11:00.000-04:00

Now that our women's soccer team has made it to the World Cup Final, in search of its 3rd World Cup victory (this is only the 6th competition ever), here are the top 5 reasons that you should care and/or watch the Championship Game on Sunday at 2:45 PM ET:

5. This is the World Cup

The biggest stage of all. And probably a caveat to #5 should be that we're also competitive. Unlike the mens team, which we've sort of gotten used to seeing fall short rather early, despite them continuing to get better, the women's team is competing for yet another World Cup title. You see, winning is fun; we like winning. Now, in front of the entire world, the United States gets to show that soccer is not (entirely) a joke here, even though not too many people (including myself) care about it outside of the World Cup. But either way, OUR team is 90 minutes (and however many minutes of stoppage time the referee arbitrarily decides to take on) away from becoming World Champions.

PS... this time "World Champions" actually means "World Champions" despite the fact that we call Super Bowl winners and the likes "World Champions" when they're really just "American Champions".

PS #2... After writing "American Champions", I now know why they say "World Champions" here.

4. We are Americans

You may not have noticed, but we are also Americans. They play on our behalf. Unlike when fans talk about their favorite teams here in the professional US leagues and say "we", as in "yeah, we just signed Player X" when they have no direct correlation to the team other than being a fan, this team actually is ours; we can say "we" and not be a tool. In all seriousness though, this team plays for us and our country and it's time to give them the recognition they have more than earned. That and it's fun to see us whoop other countries' asses and get to rub it in their faces.

We got Swag.

3. There is Magic in This Team

This team's adventure through this World Cup perfectly captures our spirit as Americans; we never give up. The Quarterfinals against Brazil had plenty of examples of this. Up 1-0, we were called for a questionable foul inside the box, giving Brazil a penalty kick... oh, and we got a bogus red card for it so we had to finish out the game with 10 players. Brazil's Cristiane takes the kick only to have it blocked by goalie Hope Solo, who made a spectacular dive to preserve the lead. Only wait, it has to be retaken because a player on our team may have crept into the box a tad early. Sure, it may have technically been the right call, but in a game and play of that magnitude to make such a close call is a little distasteful. Then, with the game now in extra time (the equivalent of our overtime, just not sudden death), Brazil scores to take the lead despite a player being offside, more controversy. Then, in the last minute of stoppage time in extra time, the US nods the game at 2 on a miraculous header by Abby Wambach. We then went on to win in penalty kicks. The announcers had already pronounced us dead, but at no point did the team gets down and give up, no matter how easy it would have been to blame the referees and take our ball and go home. Even against France in the Semis, when tied 1-1 and the French were outplaying us and had all the momentum, we persevered and scored twice more in the last 12 minutes to seal the game. There's something special about this team. They do not quit. Period.

2. Football is Still in a Lockout

I know it's close to being over, or so they say, but there is still no football. Trust me, it hurts nobody more than me to see the football season not being underway with OTAs, rookie camps, free agency, and fantasy football talk, but it's not here yet. So why not tune in to see our girls kick some Japanese ass on Sunday? Just do it. If you do tune in and it's your first time watching this team, then the #1 reason will be a pleasant surprise and treat.

And now the top reason why you should care about this team and watch the game on Sunday...

1. Forward Alex Morgan and Goalkeeper Hope Solo are total BABES

If nothing else I said can entice you into watching on Sunday, this should do it. In addition to other attractive girls like Ali Krieger and Lauren Cheney (kinda), Alex "Don't Call Me Katie" Morgan and (I) Hope (She's) Solo are sexy. Morgan still has that cute element because she's younger, but looks mature enough at 23 to be labeled as hot or sexy. That and the fact that she just is. And Hope Solo just has those eyes that make her look extra sexy; she's just hot. If you watch this one, notice both of them, and don't rewind it (if you have DVR) or make a point to look for them from there on out, then only one conclusion can be drawn: you are either gay (surprise!) or a straight woman (which may be an even bigger surprise for some...)

Babe #1: Alex Morgan. Told you.

Babe #2: Hope Solo. Told you again.

-TA

Thank You, Mike Trout

2011-07-08T17:53:00.000-04:00

Today was a big day for baseball in South Jersey. For those of you who may have missed it today, baseball's top prospect and former Millville High School star Mike Trout was called up to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim today from Double-A Arkansas. The Angels' first-round selection (25th overall) in 2009 was hitting .338 this year in Double-A with 11 triples, 9 home runs, 69 runs scored, and 8 stolen bases. These stats, and the fact that he can pretty much do anything on the field short of making the ball move with his mind, have earned the 19 year-old the title of baseball's top prospect to most, depending on whether or not you like Nationals' prospect and young phenom Bryce Harper more.

I can't believe I'm almost a full year older than this kid.

Trout has developed a squeaky-clean personality through his interviews and kind personality both on and off the field, something that can only help your reputation (that, and the the fact he's from South Jersey... just sayin). Today he has done what few prospects ever do, especially ones drafted out of high school, he has been called up to the big leagues in a mere 2 years after being drafted. One thing is inarguable, the kid can flat-out play. He can hit for power and average, he can run, he can play the field, and he has an arm; a true five-tool player.

However, what he does for his team from here on out and how many All-Star games he is selected to is just icing on the cake. What he has done for this area, and what he is doing for baseball is what should really be appreciated. Granted it is really cool seeing a player from our area be selected in the first round of the draft and making it to the big leagues (and hopefully succeeding) is really cool, especially for some of my friends from high school who had the honor of playing against this kid (he played for Millville High School, who plays in the same conference as my alma mater, Absegami). But what he really did for the area was make little kids believe. He gave local kids a glimpse of hope and showed them that kids from anywhere can make it with hard work and determination. Although he was blessed with great athleticism and skill, he harnessed his abilities and was able to make good on them.

Even more than this, he has shown those kids who have been, or should be, inspired by him the right way to do it all. In a world of unnecessary, flashy plays and cocky attitudes, Mike Trout has made it to the big league with class and a big smile. He has shown us that you don't need to be outspoken and controversial to succeed, that you can do it quietly while making your presence felt on the field. I have never seen an interview with him where he has given an arrogant response or a snide remark; the kid says the right thing.

So, Mike Trout, I wish you all the best in your hopefully-lengthy and prosperous major league career, because you truly deserve any success you obtain. From myself, and South Jersey, I thank you. Thank you for giving kids a reason to believe, and thank you for reminding us what baseball is all about.

-TA