Talking NY Sports

Post Turkey Day wrap up

2010-11-27T17:21:00.000-08:00

Week 12 1-1-1
Patriots -6.5 @ Lions W
The Patriots are looking strong this year. With that said, Tom Brady will try to improve his MVP trophy hunt against an on-again, off-again Lions team. This game may be not as miserable to watch after all.
Saints -3 @ Cowboys T
It’s Thanksgiving tradition that the Boys play on this day. They always play well, and I can definitely see that this year even with them struggling. Jason Garrett has brought new life into this team. Look for the boys to not give up without a fight the rest of the year.
Bengals @ Jets -8.5 L
Let’s see if the Jets can squeeze out another one this week in the primetime nightcap. Rex said he’ll keep apologizing the rest of the way to the Super Bowl if they keep winning like they have been. He might be apologizing this week for playing an easy game.
Steelers -7 @ Bills
The high-scoring offense of the Bills, yes I cannot believe I said that either, will be no match for one of the best defenses in the league. The Bills line will be no match for the power of the Steelers linebackers.
Packers @ Falcons -2
Great match-up right here. This could be a preview for the NFC Championship game right here. Both these teams have great offenses, but what it’ll come down to, which is usually does, is which team’s D will step up. The Packers D can rush the QB with Clay Mathews and may give lots of headaches to Matt Ryan and the rest of the Falcons offense.
Panthers @ Browns -10
To tell you the truth I have no idea who the Panthers starting QB is now. They might be on their 4th QB of the season. The Browns can put up points and Hillis is still an absolute beast. 10 points is a lot to cover, especially since the Browns are not really a proven team.
Titans @ Texans -6.5
I would take the Titans all day, except when they start a QB named Rusty Bracket, or whatever his name is. The Titans defense is what will keep them in the game but relying on CJ for the whole game will be tough when they have 8 men in the box all game.

Vikings @ Redskins -1
The Cowboys had a slight resurgence when Garret took over for Philips, so maybe the same thing will happen here for the Vikings. Hopefully Leslie Frazier can breathe some life into this aged and struggling team before the whole season goes to waste and Favre goes down in flames.
Jaguars @ Giants -7.5
Oh no, the Giants are losing WR’s to injuries. The season is coming to an end. What are we to do? I think I know a certain team with a certain quarterback who has less to work with and is on an MVP run, and his name is NOT Eli. The Giants will win because of their defense, not because of Eli. Don’t start crying yet Giants fans.
Chiefs -2 @ Seahawks
I like the Seahawks because their home and I don’t want the Chiefs to win. The last time I said I was rooting against the Chiefs with no rhyme or reason they got slobbered by the Broncos, so maybe the Seahawks will poop all over them too for me.
Eagles -3.5 @ Bears
I don’t know how it is possible that every week goes by and Vick just gets more and more exciting. Now that he can actually throw the ball, what exactly is his flaw? The Eagles secondary are ball-hawks and Cutler lovessss throwing picks.
Buccaneers @ Ravens -7.5
I guess the Bucs are actually legit. They get the job done to what is needed to win a football game. Josh Freeman has been surprisingly a very good QB this year. I don’t see them beating the Ravens, but I don’t think the Ravens will cover this spread.
Rams @ Broncos -4
The Rams actually still have something to play for in that weaksauce of a division. The Broncos, do not. Both teams are playing a roller coaster of a season. Look for the Rams to take it here and to take a lead in the NFC West.
Chargers @ Colts -2.5
You better start believing and jump on this band wagon now. When the Chargers pull off this “upset” the division is going to be a lock for them. The Colts cannot afford to lose any more games however, but the Chargers are on fire right now. #1 offense and defense in the league. Watch Philip Rivers go all PHILIP RIVERS on the Colts.

49ers -1 @ Cardinals
What a horrible MNF game. I don’t even want to pick a winner here because I honestly could care less who won. With that said, I know I will definitely not be watching this game and not watching a field goal kicking contest won by the 49ers.
Lock of the Week: San Diego SUPERRR Chargers
Record: 83-71-5 (9-7) Locks- 9 for 11

Gobble Up Those Wins - Turkey Day Special

2010-11-24T11:05:00.000-08:00

Week 12

Patriots -6.5 @ Lions

The Patriots are looking strong this year. With that said, Tom Brady will try to improve his MVP trophy hunt against an on-again, off-again Lions team. This game may be not as miserable to watch after all.

Saints -3 @ Cowboys

It’s Thanksgiving tradition that the Boys play on this day. They always play well, and I can definitely see that this year even with them struggling. Jason Garrett has brought new life into this team. Look for the boys to not give up without a fight the rest of the year.

Bengals @ Jets -8.5

Let’s see if the Jets can squeeze out another one this week in the primetime nightcap. Rex said he’ll keep apologizing the rest of the way to the Super Bowl if they keep winning like they have been. He might be apologizing this week for playing an easy game.

Lock of the Week:

Record: 83-71-5 (9-7) Locks- 9 for 11

The Big Dez in Big D

2010-11-18T10:06:00.001-08:00

Week 11

Bears @ Dolphins -1

The Bears tore up the Vikings to my surprise last week. The Dolphins wont be able to win this game off the leg of Dan Carpenter, especially with Tyler Thigpen leading them down the field against one of the top d’s in the NFC.

Browns @ Jaguars -1.5

An absolute heartbreaker last week for the Browns in what should have been a win for them and a definite confident booster for the rest of their season. They have a stretch of opponents in which they could actually all beat starting this week.

Raiders @ Steelers -7.5

Steelers were embarrassed by their standards last week by the Patriots, showing that they do actually have some weaknesses. They are still a top 5 team in the NFL and they’ll get back on track against a tough opponent, believe it or not, in the Raiders.

Bills @ Bengals -6

Why am I still picking the Bills? Maybe because they are not as garbage as they use to be, but there still pretty bad. My opinion is that they should just lose out the rest of the season to get a higher pick, but they may actually have a chance here

Lions @ Cowboys -7

Yes the Boys beat the crap out of the Giants on national tv, but can they really do it again? This spread is pretty high so I don’t know, even with the Lions looking less potent then they did in earlier weeks.

Cardinals @ Chiefs -8

Just when the Chiefs started getting on a roll, they absolutely blew it against the Broncos….and I absolutely loved it. This just opens the path for the Chargers to swoop in and take the division. They’ll look to get back on track this week, but the Cardinals are playing for something, 1^st place in the NFC West.

Packers -3 @ Vikings

The Vikings season is slowly, but surely slipping away from them. I thought they would get on a roll last week against the Bears, but were easily defeated. The Packers are a better team than the Bears, so it could just be another losing week for the Vikings.

Ravens -10 @ Panthers

The Panthers are running out of QB’s to play. It’s like a carousel down there in Carolina. Now with DeAngelo Williams out for the season, they really have no chance. The Ravens will show how dominate they really can be.

Redskins @ Titans -7

There’s just one word that comes to mind when I think of the Redskins and their situations: yuck. Yeah, pretty weak I know but they just have no appeal to me, just like any team in the NFC West really. CJ will run wild here, like usual.

Texans @ Jets -7

J-E-T-S! Jets! Jets! Jets!....are lucky as hell. But hey “ A win’s a win” I guess. Grasping two victories from the jaws of defeat two weeks in the NFL, does not matter what team it is, is quite lucky in my books. I’m sure they’ll manage something here as usual.

Seahawks @ Saints -12

The Seahawks just seem to know how to play when Hasselbeck is at QB. He knows how to get it down and understands that offense the best. If he can stay healthy, they may be able to take their division and it could start here. Even if they don’t win, it’s going to be a close one.

Buccaneers @ 49ers -3

Let’s see if the Buccaneers can keep this up. They are only one game back in the NFC South, behind the soaring Falcons, no pun intended, ok well maybe a little bit intended. Anyway, they got something working down in Tampa Bay this year.

Falcons -3 @ Rams

The Atlanta Falcons may have the best offense in the NFL. Do I think that is a stretch? Only slightly but one does have to question when you throw around a statement such as the best. I don’t think the Rams defense can handle this triple threat offense.

Colts @ Patriots -3.5

These two teams always play very well against each other and it very well could be the match-up we may see later on in the season as well. The Patriots did some work against the Steelers and if they could handle them like that I don’t see why they can’t handle the Colts as well.

Giants @ Eagles -3

I don’t know if anyone can stop the Eagles when Vick is at QB. Is it too early to say that he can be the NFC MVP? And well Eli is just Eli I guess, meaning he’s not as good as my boy. Vick could be just NFC MVP though because…well just read below.

Broncos @ Chargers -10

Because without Philip Rivers the Chargers would be absolutely no where, however thanks to the MVP PERFORMANCE from him the Chargers are only 1 game out in the AFC West. With that said, the Chargers will begin their usual end of season run and win the division starting this week.

Lock of the Week: Atlanta Falcons

Record: 74-64-5 (7-7) Locks- 8 for 10

Week #10..Supercharged Chargers

2010-11-11T11:56:00.000-08:00

Week 10

Ravens @ Falcons -1

A questionable, yet playing, Roddy White along with a middle of the run defense will let Ray Rice and Anquan Boldin wreak havoc in Atlanta. Look for Boldin to have a solid game to get back on track and the Ravens D to be stifling as usual.

Panthers @ Buccaneers-7.5

The Buc does not stop here. The Panthers are onto their third QB on the depth chart. They figure, eh why not? Let’s give Tony Pike a try. We got nothing to lose. Poor John Fox, he can’t get out of their quick enough. The Buccaneers will win here and continue to surprise the NFC.

Lions @ Bills -2.5

First and probably only game this year the Bills will be favored and believe it or not I’m taking them to win. This may be the only chance they get to win a game, until possibly the end of the year when teams start playing their scrubs against them because they will have clinched a playoff spot already. Matt Stafford is out and that gives the Bills a shot.

Texans @ Jaguars -1

Two of the worst pass defenses are going up against each other this week in this match-up. Look for Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson to out duel David Garrard and…, yes that is right I could not even think of one WR on the Jaguars.

Titans -2 @ Dolphins

Seems like the only offense the Dolphins have is a running game. Too bad they can’t figure it out to throw to Brandon Marshall. Maybe Chad Pennington will insert some new life into this offense, although it will be tough against one of the best D’s in the league.

Vikings -1.5 @ Bears

I said it after the Vikings won last week that they are going to crush the Bears this week and I still believe it. The players are playing for themselves this week, if not for the rest of the season. They’ll start turning it around starting this week against their division rivals.

Jets -3 @ Browns

Upset alert in Cleveland this week. The Browns have had two great weeks in a row and Hillis was an absolute monster against the Patriots last week. I’m sure the Broncos wish they could have him back. The Jets will take this but it’s going to be awfully close.

Bengals @ Colts -7

The Bengals had so much promise and potential this year. Looks like this year isn’t this year…again. T.O. is having a great year, quite unlike the rest of his team. The Colts will continue to improve. Jacob Tamme has been a great fantasy pick-up for me so I’ll be cheering him on this week along with Jersey Shore Conference standout Donnie Brown.

Chiefs -1 @ Broncos

I’m taking the Broncos solely this week because they will be the only team I’m going to cheer for, besides my fantasy football players of course, because the Chargers have a bye and we NEED the Broncos to win so they still have a chance. Other than that, I don’t really have a good reason why the Broncos would win this game besides that they are home.

Cowboys @ Giants -14

The Cowboys are bad. We all know that, but I don’t think they are two-touchdowns worse than the Giants. Wade Phillips is out and now the players are going to be playing for their jobs the rest of the way as they seen what lengths Jerry Jones is willing to go to get back on track.

Rams @ 49ers -6

Up and down season for the Rams. The 49ers won last week and maybe some things may be looking up for them. The NFC West is such a crap-shot that the Rams very well could win that division, especially if they win this week.

Seahawks @ Cardinals -3

The Charlie Whitehurst experiment didn’t work out too well for the Seahawks last week as they got demolished by the Giants. Didn’t help though that the offense only had 37 total plays, mostly passing from behind. Matt Hasselbeck is back this week and the Seahawks need to make up some ground in the pitiful NFC West.

Patriots @ Steelers -4.5

Game of the week right here. Two of the best teams in the AFC, let alone the NFL, squaring up in Steel City. This is going to be a real nail-biter, probably coming down to the wire. The Patriots will look to bounce back after an embarrassing lose to the Browns, but will have some tough duties against the Steelers defense. I like the home team in this one.

Eagles -3 @ Redskins

Mike Vick is back and picked up where he left off before he got injured. The Eagles are in good hands with Vick under center. The McNabb/ Shanahan saga will continue this week and no one knows how it will play out. Either way the Eagles will soar this week.

Lock of the Week: Minnesota Vikings

Record: 67-57-5 (9-3-1) Locks- 8 for 9

Week #9 and the Cowboys Suck more than EVER!

2010-11-05T08:03:00.001-07:00

Week 9

Saints -6.5 @ Panthers

Looks like the Saints are back. They took it to one of the best teams in the NFL last week in the Steelers. The return of Reggie Bush will help them even more and it looks like they won’t just be a one hot wonder, as I started to think they were.

Chargers -3 @ Texans

Can we say that the Chargers have finally got their groove back? Hopefully so. We saw what Peyton did to the Texans last week and Rivers is on pace to shatter Marino’s single season passing yardage record. Look for the Chargers and Philip Rivers to cut up the Texans secondary and roll into their bye week with a victory.

Jets -4 @ Lions

This game is going to be a lot closer than most people think. The Lions have been playing good football and the return of Stafford at QB showed what they could do last week. The Jets will win this game but it’s going to come down to the wire.

Dolphins @ Ravens -5

The Dolphins are a quirky team. They seem like a good team but yet have such a hard time putting the ball into the endzone. They won last week off the leg of Dan Carpenter. Chad Henne statistically is one of the worst QB’s in the league, so look for the Ravens to provide lots of pressure and take this game.

Cardinals @ Vikings -8

The Vikings are slowly spiraling further down and down in the NFL quality teams list. There is just so much commotion going on there that they can’t seem to concentrate on winning football games. They may have a shot to pull this one off, but the spread is too high I believe for them to cover.

Buccaneers @ Falcons -8.5

Apparently Raheem Morris thinks the Bucs are the best team in the NFL. I think he’s out of his mind honestly. The Falcons are a much better team than the Bucs but this spread is quite high that I don’t think they will cover for some reason. Just a gut feeling.

Patriots -4.5 @ Browns

Seems like everyone is jumping on the Patriots bandwagon as being the best team in the NFL. I’m almost ready to believe it as they improved last week in their performance as when they played the Chargers two weeks back. The Browns won’t let them just run over them as the Mangenius has a hatred towards Bill and the Pats since his Jets days.

Bears -3 @ Bills

I cannot believe I’m saying this but I really do believe the Bills actually have a chance at winning this game. The last couple weeks for them have really shown that they are not just lying down, as Fitzpatrick really has sparked the line-up. Maybe if they get CJ Spiller involved more, they can start putting some W’s up. They are still garbage, but not as much anymore.

Giants -7 @ Seahawks

The Giants are the best team in the NFC, but that is because no one is competing ad they should in that league, although the Packers are slowly creeping up. I still hate Eli and he is still not a better QB then Philip Rivers. All hatred aside, they’ll take the Seahawks here in a tough game.

Colts @ Eagles -3

The Colts surged against the Texans last week in almost a must win for them to keep pace in the AFC South, however the return of Vick to Philly after a bye will be huge for them. The Eagles will also return Jackson and have their powerful 1-2 threat at QB/WR that led to major points for them early in the season.

Chiefs @ Raiders -2.5

The Chiefs and Raiders both have a lot to play for this week as they both have a legitimate shot at being first place in the AFC West. The Raiders are on such a hot streak that don’t be surprised to see them score another 30-something points this game to tie the Chiefs for first.

Cowboys @ Packers -7.5

Wow this is really surprising, the Cowboys suck. At this point in the season they may be more garbage then the Bills, especially with Kitna at QB. It seems like he hasn’t played football in about 10 years the way he’s been playing. I don’t think the Boys have any chance at winning any games the rest of the year without Romo unless their running game magically decides to show up now.

Steelers -4.5 @ Bengals

This is going to be a big rebound game for the Steelers. The Bengals have been another disappointing team this year, although Owens and Ocho are both having pretty good years. That aside, look for the Steelers to get back on track this week.

Lock of the Week: Pittsburgh Steelers

Record: 58-54-4 (7-6) Locks- 7 for 8

Week #8 - Big Issues in Big D

2010-10-29T11:28:00.000-07:00

Week 8

Jaguars @ Cowboys -6.5

Let’s put it this way: If the Cowboys don’t win all, and I mean ALL, hope is lost for Big D for the 2010 season. Jerry Jones is going to be pissed and just might blow up his new billion dollar stadium just to spite the NFL of not having the Cowboys being in the Super Bowl there this year. So with that said, the Cowboys will, hopefully, take this.

Panthers @ Rams -3

The Rams may actually be legit, not that legit though. Just legit enough to beat the Panthers who really have no idea what they are doing on offense. They are relying on a carousel of QB’s as opposed to their two 1,000yd running backs. Look for the Rams to increase their division lead.

Broncos -1 @ 49ers

It’s a battle of two under-achieving teams. Give some slack to the Broncos though because they have been injured riddled since the start of the season. The 49ers have not and look very troubled at times. Coach Singletary still believes he can win the NFC West. His clock is running out and it’s going to start this week.

Bills @ Chiefs -7.5

Yes the Bills are garbage but yet again last week impressed me by taking the Ravens into OT and putting up a lot of points. The Chiefs on the other hand are continuing to lead the AFC West with a strong performance against the Jaguars last week. Even though the Chiefs blew out the Jags, I like the fact that Buffalo can now put up some points, but they still won’t win the game.

Dolphins @ Bengals -1.5

The Dulphins lost a heartbreaker to the Steelers last week, which makes them a good pick this week. The fact that they “practically” beat the Steelers just shows me that they can beat up on the Bengals this week who have no sense of identity on offense.

Packers @ Jets -5.5

The Jets are coming off a bye and I don’t think they’ll miss a beat. The Packers hassled Brett Favre and got a victory over their slumping division rivals in Minnesota . The Jets are going to win this game but I think the high powered Packers will put up some points for the Jets not to cover.

Redskins @ Lions -2.5

This week may be the start for the Lions to go on a roll. They are in a tough division but will compete from here on out with Stafford back at QB. The Redskins will put up another tough fight like they do every week, but I think the home team will get this one.

Titans @ Chargers -3.5

The Chargers are by far the most under-achieving team in the NFL right now. Their expectations are always so high yet always get off to a slow start, however it has never lasted this long in recent memory. They need to pick their ish up, that’s for sure. The Titans D has looked great and it’s going to be a close game but the Chargers will probably find a way to blow it as usual.

Vikings @ Patriots -6

The Patriots looked sloppy and slow against the even sloppier Chargers last week. The only reason they won that game was because the Chargers had 4 turnovers before halftime, and even then it seemed like a close game. Brett Favre will be a game time decision but its time for the Vikings to get it together with or without him. With the Vikings getting points, they’ll be good here.

Seahawks @ Raiders -1.5

Well look at the Raiders. Unbelievable that they put up a whooping 59 points against the Broncos. I didn’t even they think they could put 59 points up in a total of 3 games, but what do I know right? The Seahawks are fairing well and Pete Carol is proving something so far this season, but look for the Raiders to put up some more points if they didn’t run out.

Buccaneers @ Cardinals -3

I’m still not believing in the Cardinals, even though they put up a good showing with Max Hall at QB. Then again I don’t have confidence in the Bucs either, so it’s a lose-lose for me. However I do believe in the power of getting points in a game like this, so I’m taking the Bucs in this one.

Steelers -1 @ Saints

I believe the Steelers will continue to dominate and prove they are the best team in the NFL with a victory over the on-again, off-again Saints. The Saints may show up this week but it probably will not be enough to overcome the Steelers offense and dominating D.

Texans @ Colts -5.5

The Colts are going to be hell-bent on not being swept by the Texans for the first time since the two have faced off; losing once for the first time was bad enough. The Texans support the NFL leading rusher in Arian Foster and the Colts have never been a team to stop the rush well. The lose of DeMeco Ryans may hurt them, but they still have to account for the devilish ways of Peyton Manning. It’s going to be a lot of points for the Colts to cover here.

Lock of the Week: Miami Dolphins

Record: 51-48-4 (7-7) Locks- 6 for 7

Week #7 and its still anybody's game

2010-10-22T06:13:00.000-07:00

Week 7

Steelers -3 @ Dolphins

Good game here. Steelers are competing to be one of the best teams in the NFL while the Dolphins are competing to stay in the hunt for the AFC East crown. The Steelers defense is just too good here for the Dolphins to overcome.

Bengals @ Falcons -3.5

I have no idea what happened to the Bengals. They were a team that was supposed to be atop the AFC North with the Steelers and Ravens. Instead they seem to have fallen into their old Bengal ways of under-achieving. Look for the Falcons to bounce back this week after a miserable lose to the Eagles last week.

Rams @ Buccaneers -2.5

Who would have thought the Rams are in contention in their division? Granted it is the very weak NFC West but still. After only winning two games last year, they are steadily competing and improving every week. The Bucs are in flux and they really are a tricky team to predict. I like the Rams here.

49ers -3 @ Panthers

Teams have a combined 1 win. Let’s see who will come out of this slugfest. Oh wait, no one will really care. The Panthers are digressing and going back to Matt Moore, who is not the future of the franchise, and the 49ers are trying to piece together a second straight win. Look for the Niners this week in a strugggle at the bottom of the barrell.

Redskins @ Bears -3

The Bears at times play some real good football. Then other times they look like they looked last year. The Redskins started hot this year but have cooled off and so has Donovan. The Bears are home and its starting to get cold out. Look for Chi-town to erupt for them this week.

Browns @ Saints -13.5

The Browns running game led by Peyton Hillis is one of the tops in the league. I think the Saints will win but they won’t cover as the Browns can put some points up on the board.

Bills @ Ravens -13

The Bills are still garbage, even in week 7, however have gotten stronger each week since Fitzpatrick became the QB. Their coming off a buy week but I don’t think it will help much. Look for the Ravens to absolutely crush them here.

Eagles @ Titans -3

The just seem to get better and better every week, but so do the Titans. CJ had another monster week last week, but that was against the Jaguars. The loss of Desean Jackson will hinder the Eagles but not to the point that it will affect their game plan as much as Maclin will fill in just fine.

Jaguars @ Chiefs -9

The Chiefs are atop the AFC West, but only by a game. This may be the week that they pull away from the pack. The Jaguars don’t have a QB yet as the only two on the depth chart were injured last week. This is a big spread for the Chiefs but I think they’ll get this one this week.

Cardinals @ Seahawks -6

The Seahawks might finally be on a roll and found a grove. They played well last week as Mike Williams had a career best day. Max Hall, the undrafted Mormon from BYU, leads the Cardinals this week and for the most part probably the rest of the year if he keeps it up. The Seahawks are home and have one of the best crowds in the league. I got them here.

Raiders @ Broncos -8

This is the first meeting between these two division rivals this year so far. The Broncos have had injuries all year and are slowly falling in the division, however the Raiders really don’t know what they are doing at all. Broncos here but barely.

Patriots @ Chargers -2.5

I can’t believe I’m taking the Patriots here. I’ve finally realized that the Chargers need to prove me something before I can pick them again. The Chargers play better at home then on the road, but they are playing the Patriots. They usually play the Pats tough in the past but there getting points here so I feel like I got to take them.

Vikings @ Packers -2.5

The Vikings won their must win last week, but they can’t stop now. It seemed like the whole Packers team is now injured after last week, but they still have Aaron Rodgers and that’s all they need. I think the Vikings figured it out and they of course have the Brett Favre factor, so I’ll take them here.

Giants @ Cowboys -3

It’s a must win for Big-D this week. If they don’t win, half of America might blow up. I’m just kidding, but you never know what Jerry Jones might do. The Giants D might be back to full force of what it use to be. I think they’ll upset the Cowboys here and leave Dallas fans still crying.

Lock of the Week: Baltimore Ravens

Record: 44-41-4 (7-4-2) Locks- 6 for 6

Week #6 and Lots to Prove on the Gridiron.

2010-10-14T12:01:00.000-07:00

Week 6

Ravens @ Patriots -3

The Ravens are a top 3 team in the NFL. I’m very surprised to see that they are getting points here, but I know it is solely because the Patriots are the home team here. The Ravens have all cylinders clicking on both sides of the ball. Ray Rice finally picked it up last week too. This will be the first game the Patriots play without Moss. I like the points for the Ravens here.

Chiefs @ Texans -4.5

The Texans have one of the most potent offenses in the NFL, however were stuffed by the Giants last week. The Chiefs don’t have a defense like the Giants though, but they do have a shut-down corner in Brandon Flowers that could give Andre Johnson some trouble. Look for the Texans to get their top ranked run game back on track against the surprising Chiefs.

Chargers -8.5 @ Rams

The Rams are contending for first in the weak NFC West and that is surprising a lot of people. They are starting to turn that franchise around over there. The Chargers on the other hand are somewhat disappointing as they keep betting themselves up. Their special teams are nonexistent to say the least and that’s what is keeping them from being 5-0. Philip Rivers is on pace to shatter Dan Marino’s single season passing yardage record. I’m sticking to my guns and taking the Chargers here in a bounce back victory.

Lions @ Giants -10

Well the Giants finally stringed together a couple of good defensive games, so I’m on board now. Like I said in earlier weeks, the Lions have been playing some good football this year and it showed in last week’s clobbering of the Rams. The Giants are home but these points are a lot here so I’m sticking with the Lions.

Saints -4.5 @ Buccaneers

The Bucs are on an upswing winning 3 of their last 4 games, granted they were against bottom of the barrel teams. The Saints on the other hand are struggling and are battling in close games with the likes of the winless 49ers and Panthers and losing to the Cardinals. Perhaps the loss of Reggie Bush was more than they could account for. The Saints are still the defending champs, so I still got faith in them here.

Browns @ Steelers -14

Now that Big Ben is done rapin chicks, he can start throwin picks. Nahh, well at least not this week. The Steelers are playing the Browns, who have been somewhat surprising this year due to Peyton Hillis and his beastly arms. Colt McCoy sounds like will be getting the start this week for them. Welcome to the NFL Colt, have fun against one of the topped ranked defenses in the game. The Steelers are going to dominate here.

Seahawks @ Bears -7

The Bears will be getting Jay Cutler back this week, which is good considering Todd Collins threw 4 picks and has a passer rating lower than 10 and still managed to win thanks to the outstanding performance by Matt Forte. The Seahawks are coming off a bye and will look to pull ahead in the NFC West. They acquired Marshawn Lynch from the Bills and will now have a feature back to hopefully compliment their pass game. The Bears may win here, but I don’t think they will cover.

Falcons @ Eagles -3

The Falcons looked impressive all year. They haven’t skipped a beat since their opening day OT lose to the Steelers. They are easily a top 3 team in the league, with a very explosive offense. The Eagles have Kevin Kolb under center again and he will need to prove he is the starter before Vick returns healthy to the line-up for them. Even though the Dirty Birds are away, I like them in the torturous city of Philadelphia.

Raiders @ 49ers -6.5

Congratulations to the Raiders. You have finally managed to beat the Chargers for the first time in about 6 years. I guess they were due. Jason Campbell did step up for the injured Bruce Gradkowski and showed why they brought him in the first place. I think he should remain the starter, but what do I know? The only word to describe the 49ers this year: disappointing. They are winless yet Mike Singletary still believes they will win the division. Win a game first Mike, and then start talking like that. There heavy favorites here, maybe based on Singletary’s words? I’ll take the Raiders.

Jets -3 @ Broncos

Guess I will start to believe in the Jets hype. I may even go as far as saying that they are the best team in the NFL right now. OK, I’m not going that far…yet. The Jets still prove that they can take on any team by beating the Vikings despite giving up their most yards this year. Mark Sanchez continues to improve every week. The Broncos are slowly falling, due largely in part to all the injuries they are sustaining, despite the high-caliber effort of Kyle Orton. The Jets will show why they may be the best team in the league again here.

Cowboys @ Vikings -1.5

Desperate times call for desperate measures and this is that time for both teams. This game is a must win for both teams, however we all know that only one team can win, except if they tie of course. Favre had a chance against the Jets to pull that one off but once again threw a late game pick to seal the deal for them. Some people are calling for the benching of Favre. Really? Do you really think Tarvaris Jackson is a better alternative? Doubtful. The Cowboys cannot seem to figure out how to win a game, even with Tony Homo throwing 400yd games left and right. This games a pick’em and I’m picking the home team here.

Colts -3 @ Redskins

The Colts did not look all too impressive last week against the Chiefs. I guess the only real good they got out of last game was that Adam Vinateri got a lot of game reps in. Peyton will be Peyton for the rest of the year and as long as they have him they’ll be fine. If Donovan McNabb can rally his troops together at home, they may have a shot. That’s a big if though.

Titans -3 @ Jaguars

CJ once again had another fantasy feast of a game, leading the Titans to victory. It didn’t hurt that Vince Young also had 3 touchdown passes in the game as well. The Jaguars have been flying under the radar this year posting a solid 3-2 record thus far with wins over the Broncos, Bills and Colts. Mighty Mouse has been leading the offense, as David Garrard and WR core have not been much to talk about. The Titans always play well against the run and will look to stop MJD at all cost and make Garrard beat them. I’m locking up the Titans this week.

Lock of the Week- Tennessee Titans

Record: 37-37-2 (7-7) Locks- 5 for 5

The Double Edge Sword

2010-10-12T14:16:00.000-07:00

Pick your poison.

Now matter how the cards unfold, one things for sure. The Yankees will be in a dog fight for the AL crown.

With Texas you have Cliff Lee and a high powered offense. With Tampa you have David Price and a devastating running game. And with both teams, the Yanks still have to deal with their own rotation and a certain inconsistent pitcher named AJ.

All I can say is good luck Yankees and let's hope that whoever wins can take down those phucking phils! Let's just hope they don't choke on the big one like the Braves.

Week #5: Break Away Time

2010-10-06T11:48:00.001-07:00

Week 5

Buccaneers @ Bengals -6.5

The Buccaneers are coming off a bye week, but I don’t think that time off will really help them. They have been struggling a bit, however have showed some signs of life with the games leading up to their bye week. The Bengals come off a disappointing lose to the Browns and will look to rebound here.

Packers -2.5 @ Redskins

The Redskins are coming off an exhilarating win over division rivals, the Eagles, and McNabb will look to keep it up for his team. The Packers are coming off a close win over the Lions, but Aaron Rodgers is one of the best QB’s in the game. The spread is low here, so look for the Packers to cover.

Chiefs @ Colts -8

The Chiefs are coming off a bye week of the most surprising start in the NFL. They will look to continue their ways against the Colts and Peyton Manning, who are surprisingly at the bottom of their division right now. Peyton is playing very well, however the defense is not holding up. I think this will be a lot closer than most people think, thus I’m taking the Chiefs with a higher spread.

Falcons -3 @ Browns

The Falcons are one of the best teams in the NFL right now and it shows. Roddy White and Matt Ryan are on fire. The Browns played some good football last week, beating their division rivals, Cincinnati Bengals. I think the Falcons are just too much for the Browns to handle.

Broncos @ Ravens -7

The Ravens grinded out a good win over the Pittsburgh Steelers last week. Ray Rice has yet to show why he deserved to be a top 5 fantasy pick. The Broncos are playing good football so far, coming off a good win against the mid-level Titans. This spread is pretty high, so I’m taking the Broncos here.

Giants @ Texans -3

The Texans are coming off a win over the Raiders off another big performance from Arian Foster. He has shown that he is a top player in the NFL right now. The Giants are coming off a much needed win over the Bears, a game in which the defense finally stepped up and had their way with Jay Cutler. Eli is still retarded though. Giants win here, with the points.

Rams @ Lions -3

If this was a game last year, I would be talking about how bad both of these teams are and that this may be the only shot for either team to get a win. However this is not last year and I will not be saying that here. Both the Rams and Lions are playing pretty good football. Not top tier football, but pretty good. I’ve been impressed with every game the Lions have played this year, and I’ll be impressed after this game too.

Jaguars -1 @ Bills

This game will be one of those games that the Bills will actually have a chance of winning, and it may be their only win of the year too. Their schedule is really tough, but it doesn’t matter because they are absolute garbage. Maybe if they can get CJ Spiller into the game for once, they could produce some points. The Jaguars are coming off a surprising win over the Colts. Look for them to beat the Bills, for the Jaguars sake.

Bears -3 @ Panthers

The Giants absolutely had their way with Jay Cutler and the rest of the Bears team last week. They will look to bounce back this week against the Panthers, who showed up to play against the Saints last week. The Panthers running game finally showed up, but look for the Bears to be fired up and get a victory here.

Saints -7 @ Cardinals

The Saints are coming off a squeaker against the Panthers off the leg of newly signed veteran John Carney. The Cardinals may be the second worst team in the NFL, next to the garbage Bills. They took out Derek Anderson, a player they believed was better than Matt Leinart, for Max Hall. Who? Exactly! I would have just kept Leinart and let him flop around out there, but apparently they think they can do something with Anderson and Hall. Well, not this week.

Chargers -6 @ Raiders

The Chargers needed their blow-out win against the Cardinals last week to boost their confidence as a team. This will be their second AFC West game, as they are behind in the standings to the Broncos and Chiefs. The Raiders are battling some injuries, as well as some QB controversy, but it looks as if Gradkowski has it sealed for now. The Chargers will continue their winning ways, and hopefully another blowout. I won’t hold my breath though.

Titans @ Cowboys -6.5

The Cowboys got their first win of the year entering into their bye week. Their running game has been abysmal and they need to pick it up in order to contend for the NFC East title. Tony Romo can’t do it all himself every game. I’m picking the Titans because this spread is high and CJ needs to bounce back after his 2nd non-100 yd rushing game of the year.

Eagles @ 49ers -3.5

If Vick doesn’t get hurt, the Eagles give Donovan a rude homecoming and win that game. Kolb did not do poorly in replacing him, but he isn’t the NFC Player of the Month. San Fran almost had it against the Saints, but the good news for them is the defense played like the 49ers D was suppose to play like, holding the high powered Saints to only 16 points. I like the Eagles here with points especially.

Vikings @ Jets -4

The Jets are proving every week that they deserved to talk all the smack they did leading up into the season. It seems as if every week they are getting better. They play another tough game here against the Vikings, who have been the most disappointing team so far. Favre will look to lead his Vikings against his former team, yes the Jets, in hopefully a win that will resurge their season.

Lock of the Week- Atlanta Falcons

Record: 30-30-2 (7-7) Locks- 4 for 4

Contender or Pretender? - Week #4 Picks

2010-10-01T07:08:00.001-07:00

Week 4

Lions @ Packers -14.5

Losing to the Bears was a bit of a shock to me for the Packers, even with the sloppy game they played. Their running game needs to step up for Rodgers to be as effective as he was last year, which made them a Super Bowl contender. I think they’ll win the game here, but the spread is too much to cover, especially with a Lions team that is putting points on the board and looking impressive this year.

Broncos @ Titans -6.5

The Titans seemed to have their way with the Giants D, scoring on all fronts. CJ had a bounce back game, but did not look as good as Vince Young’s bounce-back performance. The Bronco’s question marks at RB will mean that they will have to really on Kyle Orton, who played relatively well last week. The Titans will get this, but it’ll be a close game so they won’t cover.

Bengals -3 @ Browns

The Bengals are staying competitive in the tough AFC North and with this rivalry game, they will continue to be competitive. The Browns have not really shown anything this season, however with Wallace at QB I feel they have a better fighting chance then with Delhomme. With that said, it still won’t be enough for the Browns to overcome the Bengals in this one.

Panthers @ Saints -13.5

The Saints lost a heartbreaker to the Falcons on a Garrett Hartley missed FG. The Panthers still do not have any potential plan of attack, even with Clausen in now. Look for the Saints to bounce back and score at will against the lowly Panthers.

Ravens @ Steelers -1.5

Charlie Batch was throwing TDs left and right last week in his first start for the Steelers in years. This is going to be a defensive battle, so the team who can battle through will ultimately prevail. Flacco has been somewhat shaky this year so far, even with a nice bounce-back game last week. Look for the Steelers to continue their winning ways.

Jets -4.5 @ Bills

The Jets are turning it around since their disappointing Week 1 loss. This game should be no problem for the Jets as, yes you guessed it, the Bills are still garbage. They did seem to wake up a little bit when Fitzpatrick became the starter, but they are by far the worst team in the NFL. The Jets will easily cover this small spread.

49ers @ Falcons -6.5

It has been quite a shock at how bad the 49ers have been playing. A lot of people predicted them to win the sluggish NFC West, but not at this pass. The Falcons are looking like an elite team in the NFL and coming off a great win against the Saints, they should continue to do so.

Seahawks -1 @ Rams

The first place Seahawks look to stay atop the division going up against the Rams, who are coming off a surprising win against the Redskins. If the Seahawks can keep up their D, look for them to not only win this game handedly, but also stay atop the NFC West.

Colts -8.5 @ Jaguars

Peyton Manning is off to his best start of his career and that’s saying a lot since Peyton has been an elite QB in the league for the last 10 years or so. The Colts as a team on the other hand are struggling a little bit, mostly on the defensive side. They recently have been playing better though. The Jags have no chance here as they have no offensive fire power.

Texans -3 @ Raiders

The Texans suffered a minor bump in their plan to prove the league they are a greatly improved team with the loss to the Cowboys last week, however they get the Raiders this week. Gradkowski gave the Raiders some life, but it won’t be enough here to top the Texans.

Cardinals @ Chargers -8

The Chargers are prone to slow starts in their recent seasons so there should be no red flags here….yet. They usually do step up as the season progresses. They have some ground to make up in the AFC West as the Chiefs are off to a hot start. They should hopefully have no problem here against the Cardinals, however I’d caution with the high spread here.

Redskins @ Eagles -6

This is the game of the week by far. The return of McNabb to Philadelphia could not come any sooner. The Eagles are playing great football and are showing that they are the top dogs in the tough NFC East. Vick is playing like a man on fire. McNabb on the other hand will come out guns blazing. That’s why I’m taking the Redskins here, even though the Eagles will probably win.

Bears @ Giants -3

What is happening with the Giants? They go from a stellar defensive team, to a team that shows up like its playing with 5 people out there. Eli the Magnificant and Ahmad Bradshaw cannot carry the team when the defense is giving up 29 points to a team like the Titans. Cutler has stepped up so far this season and it shows with the Bears being unbeaten so far. I like the Bears here, especially with points.

Patriots -1 @ Dolphins

Brady and Moss have found the connection that led them to a Super Bowl years back. They came up short last week against the Jets. There looking to improve this week especially against division foes. The Dolphins can’t afford to lose any more ground in the tight AFC East. This game could go either way, but look for the Patriots to bounce-back and take it to the Dolphins.

Lock of the Week- New York Jets

Record: 23-23-2 (7-9) Locks- 3 for 3

Broadway lights shining on the Jets

2010-09-28T17:56:00.000-07:00

After a lack of offense in week 1, I as well as many football fans, wrote off the Jets as "pretenders". With an anemic offense and the inablity to score against the Ravens, it was hard to imagine this team as having any chance at making the Super Bowl, let alone the playoffs.

Well, this is the time where I insert my foot in my mouth. gross!

Who would have thought that Sanchez actually could throw the ball? and throw it well none the less?

Two weeks in a row, the sophmore QB has been the FedEx air player of the week. Not to shabby for a QB who relied on a strong running game, stout defense, and Indy totaling laying down to carry gang green to the playoffs last year.

The Jets look like they are the toasts of the AFC East with strong wins over the Pats and Fins. And now, with the Bills comming up, it is likely that the Jets will complete the division tirfecta, improve to 3-1, and take full control of the division.

So I ask all you out there... Are the Jets really a contender here? Will Sanchez's inexperience break through or will this young star conitnue to shine bright under the lights of Broadway???

NFL Week #3 Picks - Get Em While They're Hot!

2010-09-23T13:13:00.000-07:00

Week 3

Bengals -3 @ Panthers

Looks like the Jimmy Clausen era has officially begun. That didn’t take too long. The Panthers are a struggling team right now, while the Bengals are a team competing to win the AFC North. Look for the Bengals to take the game.

49ers -1 @ Chiefs

The 49ers and Chiefs very well could be in opposite roles right now. The Chiefs are playing like a team that they haven’t seen in years, but how long can they really play this hot streak. I think the trail stops here as the 49ers put up a good effort against the Saints last week in a bounce-back game for the D.

Lions @ Vikings -10.5

Favre and the Vikings are still winless. Who would have thought that? I’m sure this is not what he signed back up for. The Vikings just don’t seem as explosive as they did last year, even with AP running like a beast. The Vikings will win here, but they won’t cover the spread, as surprisingly the Lions are playing very impressive football.

Cowboys @ Texans -2.5

How bout them Cowboys? The better question may be how bout them Texans?? The Texans are finally playing up to their potential on both sides of the ball. The Battle of Texas will be a good one as Big D does not want to lose another game and possibly their coach, but I think the Texans will take this one.

Falcons @ Saints -3.5

The defending champs are truly playing to their form, as they are the best team in football right now. This will be their first big test of the year, as the Falcons are playing some pretty good football too. Matt Ryan and Co. will put up some points, but not enough to overcome the Saints high-powered O.

Steelers -2.5 @ Buccaneers

Three games into the season and the Steelers are on their 3^rd different QB. Charlie Batch will take the reins for this game, but I don’t think it will matter for the Steelers. The Bucs are playing good football, but the ship stops here as the Steelers are a much better team than any they faced this year so far. Look for the Steelers to win in usual fashion.

Browns @ Ravens -10.5

The Ravens absolutely exploded last game, and I don’t mean that in a good way. Flacco threw about 7 picks (give or take a few) and Boldin was m.i.a. The D played decent only giving up 15 points. Look for them to bounce back here and put up some points against the lowly Browns.

Titans @ Giants -3

Was the benching of Vince Young really needed? I mean do the Titans really expect to think that Kerry Collins can still play football? CJ saw his 13 game consecutive streak of 100yd rushing come to an end with the loss to the Steelers. The Giants could not even come close to stopping Peyton, but then again that is no easy task. The G-Men will play better than last week, but look for CJ and the Titans to build a little streak of their own here.

Bills @ Patriots -14

Three weeks into the season and yes, the Bills are still garbage. I feel bad for them though. They have played some pretty tough competition and it doesn’t help that they are in the toughest division in football. That being said however, no matter who they put at QB or RB, they are still a horrid team. I wasn’t sure if the Packers could cover last week, but since they did it gives me confidence going into this game, especially with the Pats coming off a loss to the Jets.

Eagles -3 @ Jaguars

This is what I have been waiting for the last 3 years. Vick is a starter again. He is by far the most exciting player to watch in the NFL. The Eagles are coming off a shootout with the Lions, while the Jaguars just got crushed by the Chargers last week. Look for Vick and the Eagles to excite the crowd and the scoreboard.

Redskins -3.5 @ Rams

Sam Bradford has been playing surprisingly well for the Rams, probably much better than anyone expected. McNabb has been playing like the old McNabb and has given some life to the Redskins in the tough NFC East. It seems like they are the team to beat. The Rams will put up a fight, but it won’t be enough to overcome the Redskins.

Chargers -5.5 @ Seahawks

The Chargers finally played like the team that they are suppose to be, scoring in buckets against the Jaguars. Vincent Jackson or not, the Chargers are still going to be throwing the ball like crazy. If Rivers cuts down on the INT’s, he’ll have a career year. The Seahawks did a complete 180 between Week 1 and 2, as they just got decimated by the Broncos. The Chargers are going to put up similar numbers like last week and take the game.

Raiders @ Cardinals -4.5

It wasn’t long before QB’s switch in Oakland, however I don’t know if I agree with the decision. What was the point of bringing Jason Campbell in if Bruce Gradkowski is just going to start again? Analysts said that the team had more life when Gradkowski was in, so I’m gonna play along too with that. The Cardinals have yet to show anything to prove they can win a game, let along score some points.

Colts -5.5 @ Broncos

Peyton Manning seemed unstoppable against little Eli and the Giants. The Broncos D has been playing well but it’s going to be tough to stop Manning and his crew, as usual. Plus the Colts can’t fall behind the Texans in the division this early in the season.

Jets @ Dolphins -1.5

The Jets finally backed up all the talk they had during training camp and held the Patriots in check. I don’t see why they can’t do it to the Dolphins as well, considering the Dolphins are a run heavy team and the Jets have the best run D in the game. The loss of Revis won’t be that much of a factor. The Dolphins have been playing good football, but are not scoring as many points they would need to be the Jets in this game.

Packers -3 @ Bears

Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers are on a mission this year: to make the Super Bowl and they sure as hell are playing well enough to do so. This is going to be a tough test for them, as last year Rodgers struggled real badly against the Bears. Jay Cutler has been a surprise story this year so far, as he has led the Bears to a 2-0 record. This is going to be a close game, but look for the Packers to continue in their quest for the trophy.

Lock of the Week- Philadelphia Eagles

Record: 16-14-2 (7-8-1) Locks: 2 for 2

Week #2 - who saw that comming?

2010-09-20T11:51:00.000-07:00

With week #2 of the NFL season all but a memory, I must say that this season is begining to offer some big time surprises and a resurgence of the "any given sunday" mentality.

Prime examples: Jets, Pats, Ravens, Bengals.

After looking like a pee-wee passing game throughout their first game, the Jets, behind 2nd year Sanchise, regained their winnings ways this Sunday, not only shutting down Brady's potent air attack, but letting Sanchez flash some of the potential that made him that first round pick just two drafts ago.

On the other hand, Brady and the Pats jut couldn't seem to get it working in the second half after unleashing all hell on the Bengals a week earier. Maybe Brady isn't "Tom terrifict" anymore, or maybe his O-line just needs some shipoopi.

On to the Ravens. Is Flaco color blind? I wasn't really sure if he was trying to throw it directly to the Bengals secondary or what. Now with some help from the refs, total BS calls against Lewis and Suggs, the Bengalas were able to steal a win, but with the Steelers playing tough without Big Ben, the AFC North race should been a thriller.

Big Problems in Big D
What is going on in Dallas? Seriously. 0-2 after playing the skins and da bears?? Just wait now as the Cowboy's schedule starts to get tougher and this early season SB pick could be staring at an 0-5 record. Texas, Titans and Vikings. The road to some wins does not look easy! For a team that is 4th in the league in total yards, its pretty sad to see that their 25th in points. So much for the three headed running monster too. 29th in the league in rushing yards per game at 69.5. Starting worrying Jerry, this season could become pretty bad if something doesn't happen soon.

The Vikings ship has sailed.
Favre should have stayed retired and thats that. With 1 TD pass and 4 interceptions, he is begining to look more and more like the over-the-hill QB that he is. Advice to #4. stay retired.

Don't get too excited Philly.
The lions are still the lions. It's good to get a win, but I do not see a Kolb or Vick lead team making any noise in the NFL this year, of frnakly for the next 2-3 years. Right now the NFC east is clearly up for grabs.

Don't look now, the Bucs and Cheif's are 2-0
Crazy right? Well if you're fans of either team, don't get too excite yet. Bucs really don't have a chance with the Saints and Falcons in their division, however, I wouldn't count out the Cheifs...in another 2 to 5 years, when they are finally done rebuilding their team.

Pure excitement so far. So many questions and so few answer so far in this early season preview. Numerous teams continue to have monumental problems, however, my SB pick Packers are flying high on cruise control. The Texans are looking like a playoff team and the Chargers turned things around with an impressive win. The season is shaping up to be something exciting, so don't blink.

NFL Week #2 Picks

2010-09-16T06:51:00.001-07:00

Here they are folks! Your Week #2 NFL Pciks!

Week 2

Eagles -5 @ Lions
The late second loss for the Lions will be disappointing, however I don’t think they can bounce back against a Vick-leaded Eagles offense. He looked good when he came in for the injured Kolb. This should be an exciting game to watch from the Eagles perspective.

Bears @ Cowboys -9
Cutler had an exciting game, as he was second in passing yards in the NFL in Week 1, but that was against the Lions. The Cowboys were below par in their performance against the Skins, and should be looking to bounce back and score some points against the Bears, however this spread may be too much for them to cover

Buccaneers @ Panthers -3
Matt Moore had too many turnovers for the Panthers, as the Jimmy Clausen era may be coming sooner than people think. Their run game looked good against the Giants but I think the Bucs will surprise here, trying to go 2-0.

Chiefs @ Browns -2
Gotta give props to the Chiefs D and special teams that looked awesome against the high-powered offense of the Chargers. The Browns didn’t do anything impressive in Week 1, in what I thought would be a win, against the Bucs. Look for the Chiefs to win the game, without the help of points if they play like last week.

Cardinals @ Falcons -7
It was a tough loss for the Falcons last week against the Steelers. The Cardinals just squeaked by the Rams last week. Look for Roddy White to have another monster game against the Cardinals.

Dolphins @ Vikings -6
The Dolphins held up my Lock Pick for Week 1 by being granted an intentional safety, as they beat the Bills. I thought they would handle them easily and put up more points. The Vikings on the other hand had no problem putting up points against the Saints solid D and should have no problem here.

Steelers @ Titans -5.5
CJ seemed to pick up where he left off from last year, having another monster game. The Steelers won an OT thriller on a Mendenhall 50-yd rush, which really surprised me. The Steelers D is still good, but look for CJ to have another good game in the Titans home opener.

Ravens -1.5 @ Bengals
Seems like the Ravens shocked the world when they beat the Jets last week. They didn’t shock me, in the low-scoring defensive trench war. Rice did not have a productive game, but who would against the Jets D, besides Boldin that is who had 100+yds. The Bengals had a shootout with the Patriots, but look for the Ravens here, especially with this low spread.

Bills @ Packers -14
These games are always tough to pick because a two touchdown spread is a tough swing either way. I’m taking the Packers here because let’s face it, the Bills are still garbage. Rodgers will recover from last week and Jackson will have no problem replacing Grant this week against a lowly Bills D.

Seahawks @ Broncos -3.5
The Pete Carol led Seahawks put up surprising points against a solid 49ers D in Week 1. Hasselback looked like the QB of old, while at the same time Orton for the Broncos put up a near 300yd passing game. Let’s see if the Seahawks can keep it rolling, getting some points here.

Rams @ Raiders -3.5

Campbell will do some good for the Raiders, who have desperately needed a solid QB after Rich Ganon retired (what a name drop). Their home here too so that will help and their also playing the Rams, which helped even more.

Jaguars @ Chargers -7.5
I’m not going to make excuses for the Chargers performance last week, but all I will say that it is tough to throw the ball 40 times in a game with a heavy downpour in your face. Just saying. The Jaguars will be a tough Week 2 opponent as the Chargers have had trouble stopping the run and MJD is as good as anyone in the league. Look for Rivers and the Bolts to bounce back and have a big game to get back to even.

Patriots -2 @ Jets
So Mark Sanchize thinks the Jets are going 15-1 the rest of the way? I don’t think so. They’ll be lucky if they can win 2 games in the next 5 weeks. Their D looked as good as advertised, but it’s that struggling O led by the Sanchize himself that will have Mike Tannenbaum pulling more of his hair out then he did during the Revis negotiations. Looks for Brady and the Pats to squeeze by here.

Texans -3 @ Redskins
What a performance by the Texans. They really surprised everyone by putting the numbers up they did against the Colts. McNabb looked McNabb-like against the Cowboys last week, but I don’t think it will be good enough here. Look for the Texans to stay on a role and make some noise from this week out.

Giants @ Colts -6
Manning v. Manning. A match-up that will be sure to excite Archie beyond belief, I’m sure. A better question to ask then who is going to win the game should be, who will Archie cheer for. Will he play both sides of the fence, or will be take a stand and cheer for his non-retarded looking son? That’s Peyton by the way. Peyton’s pissed about losing to the Texans I’m sure. If he put up 400+yds in that game, imagine what he will do against Eli and the Giants? 500+?? Don’t be surprised if he puts up numbers like Week 1 again.

Saints -6 @ 49ers
The Saints looked good against the Vikings in Week 1. The 49ers on the other hand, did not look good against the Seahawks. I wish Alex Smith the best as he has been through a lot in his life, but he needs to play like he did in the final weeks of the season last year if he wants to keep his job. The 49ers D also went M.I.A. They’ll show up here, but not enough to stop the Saints.

Lock of the Week- Kansas City Chiefs

Record: 9-6-1 (9-6-1)

Hip Hip Jorge!

2010-09-15T12:02:00.000-07:00

Yankees blow a 6 run lead only to be bailed out by a pinch-hit home run in the 10^th!

After cruising for 4+ innings to the tune of a 6-0 lead, the Yankees hit a big speed bump, with the Rays scoring 7 runs before the end of the frame to quickly take a 1 run lead. With Big Bat Cano continuing his monster year, the Yankees were able to tie the game up and force extra innings, free baseball for the fans if you will, to finally see themselves win a nail bitter, a feat that they have recently been unable to figure out.

With stellar pitching from the likes of Joba, Wood, Robertson, and of course, Mo, to go along with spectacular defensive plays by Golson and Granerson in the outfield, the Yankees were able to fight back, holding down the Ray’s explosive line up and taking the game and once again the ½ game lead in the division.

The frustrating thing about this game was how the Yankees handled the lead when they were up big. Blowing a 6-0 lead in one inning to your closest rival is not acceptable. Girardi appear to go against his better judgment (Bench Coach Pena had him leave in Nova for 1 extra batter) and next thing you know, the Rays, with one swing of the bat, are up a run. Frustrating? You bet! Tell me why Girardi would let the youngster stay in there when there are 3 lefties due up in a row and Boone Logan ready to go in the pen? At that time Logan had 25 consecutive appearances without giving up a run. Poor management? You bet. Something that the Yankees seem to experience more often than not.

On the verge of possibility suffering their 4^th walk off win in the last 5 games, the Yankees got a much needed reprieve from Jorge, when, with none out in the 10^th, he stepped up as a pinch hitter and sent Wheeler’s 2-0 offering way outta there! What a shot! Now with this win, hopefully the Yankees can come out of their recent funk (lost 7 out of past 9) and get on track for the playoffs. Their bullpen appears to be shaping up and with Andy due back on Sunday and AJ pitching like his old self, the rotation should start to click on all cylinders again.

My concerns now are simply, lack of timely hitting of late and poor management. Good for Girardi that he won the World Series last year, isn’t that expected with such a high profile team? He seriously needs to figure out what moves to make and when to make them before the only move he makes is getting off the couch during the playoffs to get something from the kitchen!

The Yankees are the team to beat, but only if they can keep their manager from beating them first!

NFL Week # 1…The Verdict

2010-09-14T09:20:00.000-07:00

Not so bad for the first week, finishing with a solid record of 9-6-1.

The Expected:

The Jets D was stellar, but yet again their offense resembled a middle of the pack D1 program. The Ravens are a legit D to go up against, but if you can’t put more than 9 points up on the board when your own D is giving you such great field position, then how do you expect to live up to your Super Bowl fantasy?

Lions show improvement. Despite the loss (total BS there), the Lions did keep the Bears from covering and showed some significant improvement with second year QB Stafford at the helm. Questions surround this team now that Stafford may be sidelines, but backup Sean Hill did lead an impressive drive that came one booth review away from a winning TD.

Texans are a playoff contender. Whereas no one expected the Texas to absolutely beat up on the Colts, it is clear that this team is legit, with a solid defense, good QB, power running back and one of the top three receivers in the game. Possible that this team takes the division, not just earns a wildcard spot.

Chris Johnson is amazing…not much more to say here. Another 75+ yard TD run and this guy shows why he is the consensus #1 fantasy player. Piles up stats on and off the field and allows Vince Young to play with

confidence.

The Shockers:

The Pete Carroll era has begun with a bang and who ever would have expected the Seahawks to blow out the Niners like that?? Shockers on both ends here. Are the Seahawks the new team to beat in the West or did the Niners forget that they were supposed to be playing football on Sunday? Time will tell here, but I would keep an eye on this division race.

Chargers and Cowboys inability to get in the end zone. Both teams have high powered offenses and should have won this week. I conclude that they will both be playoff teams come season end, but with such efficiency at the QB position this week, these teams need to figure out how to finish off drives with TDs. I would be more worried about the play calling in Big D then anything else.

The Stupid:

Jets for running their mouths before they had a chance to see what their anemic offense could actually do in a game

Cowboys coaching staff for that horrible play selection at the end of the first half.

Conclusion:

Week one offered some exciting moments as well as some not so exciting moments (Jets vs Ravens, Falcons vs Steelers). Yawn! The season is definitely shaping up to offer some new teams a chance at playoff glory, but until week #17, this guy is not going to make any predictions.. Just kidding

AFC: Chargers, Colts, Ravens, Pats, Titans, Texans

NFG: Niners, Packers, Saints, Cowboys, Vikings, Giants

Stay posted…week #2 picks will be ready soon.

Title on the Line! Yanks, Rays Series Preview

2010-09-12T16:34:00.000-07:00

With first place on the line, the Yanks and Rays should offer an exciting showdown.

Game #1: Sabathia vs. Price.

In what might be the showdown for the AL CY Young, the first game appears to be the marquee pitching show down. In his career, Sabathia has an 8-4 record, with an ERA of 3.08 vs Tampa Bay while Price is 2-1, with a 3.98 ERA. This one appears too close to call, however, I would imagine Sabathia will come out strong to account for his poor showing against Baltimore at home, which ended his 21 game undefeated streak at home. I give the slight edge to the Yankees here, but would imagine a maring of 2 runs or less.

Prediction: Yankees 5 and Rays 4.
Player of the game: Jeter (2-5) with 2 runs, a double and RBI.

Game #2: Nova vs. Garza

The rookie with the live arm against a proven winner. Nova possess a sizzling fastball and sharp breaker, while Garza has already tossed one hitter this year, with the ability to shut down any offense. I would take experience over talent in this one, as Nova has yet to experience the pressure that comes with a playoff push, but would not discount the Yanks from stealing this one as Garza has been nothing special of late and has bad numbers against the Yanks historically.

Game #3: Hughes vs. Shields.

Phil needs to rebound and based on his recent bullpen appearance in Texas, it looks as if his command is back. Shields has had an unimpressive year and is a back end guy for the Ray. I would take Hughes in this one as I see a high scoring game, with the Yankees bats carrying them to victory. Let’s not forget, Phil gets some of the best run support on average.

Prediction:
Yankees take 2 out of 3 and pad their lead to 1.5 in the East before they take the trip up to Baltimore.

Fantasy Island: Winning your NHL Draft

2010-09-12T16:00:00.000-07:00

With the recent series of blog posts over on the Puck Daddy Blog on Yahoo! Sports dealing with the Professional fantasy philosophy, I’ve decided to teach you a little thing or two about how to win your not so professional league. Therefore, for all your fantasy stars, I offer you a guide for the 2010 fantasy hockey draft!
Ever wonder why the same person ends up winning the league year after year after year? It’s because he knows what he’s doing, and knows how he’s going to end up doing it. Drafting for any fantasy league is a tricky task which some handle with ease, while some spend countless hours researching to try to find out who will be the best to choose. There is no set way to go, but there are different ways to go about it which will ultimately be successful. After being in the top 3 of every fantasy hockey league I’ve been in for the last 4 years, I can safely say that these tricks/hints can help lead you to fantasy greatness.

Draft Philosophy- There are countless philosophies used when drafting in leagues. My personal philosophy is to draft 1 player per position until I have 1 player to fill each position, and from then on its drafting the best available. Every sport has certain positions that are deeper than others, in hockey it’s the center position. The only time you should open a draft with a center is if he’s a game changer like Sidney Crosby, Henrik Sedin, or Joe Thornton. If there are no game changers available, start out by drafting a right wing. There are only about 10 legitimate right wings in the NHL, and it’s the position with the least depth out of all. From there, I would draft a defenseman, because after the top 5 or 7 offensive defensemen, the point totals drop considerably. Everybody has a different philosophy, and everything changes when you find your draft order, and see what everyone before you has done. The most important thing is to know what you want, and know what you’re going to do, and what’s most important when drafting.

Win the Bottom of the Draft- Any yahoo coming in off the street can draft well in the beginning of the draft; that’s why god invented pre-draft rankings. However, it takes serious knowledge of any sport to be able to draft well in the bottom of the draft, and ultimately, this is what could make or break your team. Keeping in mind the players that are underappreciated or the ones that are ranked low due to an injury riddled season, can put your team over the top. This past season, Steven Stamkos went undrafted in one of my leagues, and he ended up tying for the Rocket Richard. Another example would be a player like Mike Comrie. This year, he’s slated to play with Sidney Crosby on the Penguins top line. He’s had two previous 30 goal seasons, but he’s so underappreciated that very few people will draft him. Even though Sidney Crosby has only meshed with 3 wingers in his entire career, Comrie is definitely worth a low round pick.

Stay away from bad teams- If your league only records points, then this shouldn’t matter. However, if your league’s scoring is deeper, and includes plus/minus, among other things, you can’t afford to pick players from bad teams. If you do, you will automatically lose plus/minus every single week. I usually pay attention to a team’s off season moves to try to figure out where they will land in the standings. This year, for me at least, Carolina, Edmonton, and New York (both teams) are going to be off limits for me. None of these 4 teams have much to offer in terms of fantasy relevance. Granted, there’s Hemsky, and the Staals, but it isn’t worth it to be a top 3 team, while being the worst team in the league in any statistic.

Have a Go To Guy- This is something that I find to be fairly important when drafting. You have to find a player that you like, worthy of a draft choice, but isn’t one of the best in the league. Players like Sidney Crosby and Dany Heatley aren’t very good ‘go to’ guys. This is because you cannot draft Crosby unless you have a favorable draft position, and Heater can be anywhere from a 1st rounder to a 3rd, depending on the depth of your league, and you don’t want to choose a go to guy when there are better choices available. The ideal go to guy, is a guy who is very underrated, on a team very few people hear about or is on a team full of superstars, and has a high potential. My personal ‘go to guy’ is James Neal of the Dallas Stars. He has the potential to score 30 goals, not very well known, and most importantly is another guy that can help you win the bottom of your draft. Originally, my ‘go to guy’ was Sean Avery, but when Gary Bettman decided Avery had to be neutered, he not only removed his manhood but also his fantasy viability.

KNOW THE SPORT- This is by far the most important thing in any fantasy league. In order to be most successful, you have to know the sport, and regularly keep up with the news and injury updates. If you draft Crosby and Pronger, and Pronger decides to deliver the peoples elbow unto Crosby’s forehead, and Sid gets a concussion and Pronger a suspension, there is no warning message on fantasy leagues that say to drop them both, or not to play them. Following the sport allows you to keep up with what’s going on, and to drop/add appropriately, or at least to know not to start Sid and Pronger.

Despite Clutch Hitting, Yankees falter on doorstep of Victory.

2010-09-12T10:07:00.000-07:00

On a warm night in Texas, the Yankees showed their resiliency, but came up short to yet another walk off win in Texas.
Despite the loss, I think that the Yankees can definitely take some big positives away from this disheartening loss.

Pitching:

Despite Mo’s blown save, it is hard to fault him for the loss, after throwing 2 strong innings the night before. Mo is Mo and he is human. Poor performances happen, and though he did get the loss, if there is one pitcher in the Yankees bullpen that I am not worried about come postseason time, it is definitely him. Mo is a hall of famer, with what? 3 or 4 blown saves this year? Most closers blow that many come the all star break! The set up men, with the exception of Kerry Wood (great pick up there), may be a reason for concern, but Mo is the anchor that continues to dishearten opposing teams come the 9th inning.

AJ tossed another strong performance. Though the rain delay cut into outing, he was able to throw strikes, with good command, and control the potent Ranger’s offense.

Batting:

What a comeback, with clutch hitting by Arod! Clutch performance becomes key as the calendar rolls into September, and with Arod getting hot going into the playoffs, I am very excited to see what kind of run the Yankees can make. Both the Yankees and Rangers showed god resiliency, with multiple lead changes, and I cannot wait to see what the Yanks are going to offer come playoff time!

Conclusion:

The AL East race has become tight again, but do not be fooled. The Yankees are a playoff team with all the pieces starting to fall into place. Andy is making a promising comeback, with CC anchoring the staff and AJ starting to regain his composure. The performance of Jeter has become a concern, but you can always rely on Captain Clutch when the time comes. Do I see the Yankees as a repeat World Series champion? To early to tell! I say let’s see how the rest of the month goes, but they are no doubt at the top of the contender list!

The Buck Stops Here!

2010-09-10T10:06:00.000-07:00

Pretenders or Contenders? Orioles 2011.

Ever since the departure of Ripken, the Baltimore Orioles have been finding themselves to be consistent dwellers in the AL East cellar, finishing below.500 every year since in ’98. But if you have happened to catch an Orioles game of late, this team no longer looks like the bunch that had a pitiful 64 wins through ’09 and had only 29 wins up until this year’s All-Star break.

Call it the “Buck” effect if you will, but ever since Buck Showalter took over the reins of this flailing ball club, the Orioles have been playing some of the hottest baseball. With a record of 21-14, Showalter has revived life into a once lifeless team, which has the same basic personnel as it did before the arrival of Showalter. After the first week, when the Orioles put together a modest 3 game winning streak, it was easy to write this off as coincidence. But now, with a .600 record over a 35 game span (22% of the season), it is clear to see that not only do the O’s have some talent, but with the right man at the helm, they could pose a formidable opponent in the tough race for the AL East crown.

Now, there is no way to explain exactly what has happened here, but the Orioles young and talented center filed, Adman Jones summed it up best with the following quote

"I think what's really going on is everyone knows his reputation as a hard-ass. He's going to get on you for doing this, he's going to say something about everything. I think that's actually worked. Hey, let's get it done. You might as well. You don't want him on you. I think that's the approach a lot of guys are taking. Hey, let him sit in there with that scowl. If it works, it works.

"It's just that his presence, well, you can just feel the change coming. He's been on some winning ballclubs, he knows what it takes. Everybody knows his reputation around here. They know it as someone who's going to get on you, and it's working for us."

Scared much? You Bet!

Buck is a proven winner and highly regarded baseball personality. He has brought a tough, old-school attitude to Baltimore, knowing ho w to deal with a young team and maximize potential. The Orioles impressive turnaround has made me start thinking that they could finally post a winning record for the ‘2011 season, with the chance of flexing some muscle in next year’s race for the AL East crown if they can shore up some spots in their bull pen and maybe add one good veteran starter.

Do I foresee a World Series contender in this team? Well, not for at least 5-10 years. But what I do see is a young, solid core, that with proper guidance, could turn around this team and review the once stroried baseball tradition in Baltimore.

Prediction for 2011: Orioles finish 4th in the division with anywhere from 75-85 wins. I would put them at 83 and 81.

Jets or Giants Stadium? You Make the Call!

2010-09-09T11:50:00.000-07:00

The classic debate for New York Football.

Who’s stadium is it? The New York Jets or the New York Giants.

In recent history, I would have to say it belongs to the Giants! Super bowl victors in 87, 91 and 2008 compared to the Jets lone victory with Broadway Joe in 1969.

However, with the Jets resurgence last year, loud mouth coach in Rex Ryan, and trip to the AFC championship , the scales may be starting to tip in their favor.

If Eli can right the ship this year and return the Giants to their winning ways, I think they retain the crown as the top team in New York, but if Rex’s wrecking crew smash mouth D can keep the Jets rolling, they just may become the premier show in the area.

I’ll leave this one up for debate..so you make the call.

Captain Clutch or Captain Crutch?

2010-09-09T10:27:00.000-07:00

Derek Jeter...A season to remember???

As any baseball fan, with some knowledge of the game knows, Derek Jeter has been the face of New York Yankees baseball for over the past decade. Jeter is the captain of the best baseball team known to man, with more championships than any other (25% of all world series titles) and more than the next three teams combined (Cardinals -10, A’s -9, Red Sox – 7).

Over the years, NY sports fans have been accustomed to Jeter getting the big hit when it counts, or making the big play (see “the flip”). However, despite starting off the 2010 in is patented Jetarian style, Derek has had an offensive season to forget.

Going into the stretch run of the 2010 playoff push, Jeter is batting an unimpressive .268, with a .328 OBP. These numbers, combined with his proficiency into hitting into double plays, have somewhat softened the Yankees potent offense, while cutting rallies short and limiting scoring opportunities. Combine this low average with the fact that he appears to be well below his career averages in homers (17) and RBIs (80) and it looks like Jeter may soon be facing the end of his playing career.

The end in sight?

Not one time since his rookie year has Jeter ever batted under .290 for a season (career .314), and despite his lackluster performance at the plate this year, at 36, he appears to have hopefully a few more years left in him. The Yankees drafted what they are hoping to be the future of their infield with SS picks in the first and second rounds (see Cito Culver and Angelo Gumbs). These players are still light-years away from seeing any Major League action, and when you combine that with Jeter’s stellar defensive year (6 errors through 137 games), it appears that he may still have some more years to go wearing pin stripes.

The question rattling around in my brain is…Will the Yankees keep paying Jeter the big bucks if he can’t perform. With contract negotiations looming after this season, I cannot imagine how the Yankees would be willing to (A) part with Jeter or (B) Pay him the $22.6mm that he is currently getting. It is obvious that, there will need to be some type of mutual agreement here and my hope is that both the Yankees and Jeter realize that there is still some value in their relationship, just at a lower price.

Make no mistakes about it. Jeter wants his money, but he is a competitor, and I would bet that he understands that his offensive performance of late is not acceptable and that he would be willing to accept a smaller contract to help bring in some more, big free agent names next year.

Jeter is a Yankee through and through, and though he may be struggling this year, I say that once the cooler post-season air rolls around, you will see him kick it into an extra gear. Let’s not forget, he is Mr. November, a time-tested baseball warrior, the face of a city, and one of the best to ever play his position.

The Best of the West - Western Conference Playoff Projections

2010-09-07T19:43:00.000-07:00

In the world of professional sports, there are always clear cut winners, and clear cut losers, but what’s difficult to determine is the final positioning of those middle teams. One injury can destroy a team’s playoff hopes faster than a cherry bomb in a toilet, and the sport of hockey is probably the most affected by this. Certain teams can survive the loss of one player (see Brodeur, Martin in 2008-2009; and Crosby, Sidney in 2008-2009), however most teams will absolutely fall apart at the loss of their highest paid player(s). It’s this unpredictability that makes picking which middle of the pack teams will make it to the summer shindig that much more difficult. With this, I present to you my picks of teams that won’t quite make it to the golf course(yet) come April (Part 2)

Detroit Red Wings- Best, most offensively and defensively deep team in the West. Hard to bet against their top 2 lines, and now with the additions of Jiri Hudler and Mike Modano, it’s also difficult to bet against their third line. If Jimmy Howard plays the way he did last year, this is the best team in the West, possibly the entire league.

Los Angeles Kings- With plenty of cap space, and room for additions to their young and already highly skilled core, the Kings should take the Pacific division with relative ease, and make waves in the playoffs. Without major additions at the deadline, they can’t (and won’t) make it to the Cup finals, but an early to midseason addition of prospect Jonathan Bernier should make it a lot easier.

Vancouver Canucks- With one of the best (regular season) goalies in the league, and a top 3 defensive unit to go along with their forward depth, they will make waves this season in both the regular season and playoffs, but will fail to get the cup due to Roberto Luongo.

San Jose Sharks- The Sharks are no longer “best team in the league” material, but definitely still playoff material. Can’t say how well they will do in the regular season, but with an additional defensive addition at the deadline, they should make it further than they ever have in the playoffs to date.

Chicago Blackhawks- After losing 12 of their players, they aren’t in a position to challenge for the cup again, but they will definitely make the playoffs on the backs of Toews, Kane, Keith, et al.

Phoenix Coyotes- Financial issues will be no big deal for the desert dogs, and they’ll ride the coattails of heart and soul leader Shane Doan, as well as goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov, to make it to the playoffs for a second straight year.

Nashville Predators- With a ridiculous number of NHL forwards, and even more ridiculous number of defensive prospects in the pipeline, the Preds are set to make the playoffs for several more years to come, including this one. They lost the ‘old man’ in Jason Arnott in a trade to the Devils, but that will only create more opportunities for younger, hungrier players.

Minnesota Wild- I’m going against my gut on this one, but looking at the Wild forward corps, they’re much deeper than they were 1 year ago. If Niklas Backstrom can return to form, and he gets offensive help, the Wild can go far. This team, a lot like the Penguins of the East (big surprise since GM Chuck Fletcher was previously the right hand man of Pittsburgh GM Ray Shero), are built to be a team that can make the playoffs, but when it does it will make waves. This is my sleeper pick to go to the finals in the West.

Beasts of the East - NHL Eastern Conference Playoff Projections

2010-09-07T19:12:00.000-07:00

In the world of professional sports, there are always clear cut winners, and clear cut losers, but what’s difficult to determine is the final positioning of those middle teams. One injury can destroy a team’s playoff hopes faster than a cherry bomb in a toilet, and the sport of hockey is probably the most affected by this. Certain teams can survive the loss of one player (see Brodeur, Martin in 2008-2009; and Crosby, Sidney in 2008-2009), however most teams will absolutely fall apart at the loss of their highest paid player(s). It’s this unpredictability that makes picking which middle of the pack teams will make it to the summer shindig that much more difficult. With this, I present to you my picks of teams that won’t quite make it to the golf course(yet) come April.

Boston Bruins- The clear cut best team in the Northeast, with the offensive firepower to be the best team in the East, if not the league. Very solid goaltending, and 3 lines of offense make them the regular season team to beat.

Pittsburgh Penguins- It was a toss up between my favorite flightless birds and the flying nothings (Flyers). The Flyers goaltending situation drops them down a few rungs, while the addition of Mike Comrie to the Penguins puts them over the edge. Very easily can be at the top of the East standings, but has the tendency to go through a midseason slump that will knock them back.

Washington Capitals- You can never count out a team with Alex Ovechkin and Backstrom, but the loss of team depth might not help them win the division, especially with the next team looming.

If you notice, the first 3 teams are in order of placement in the standings. From here on out I will be choosing teams I think will make the playoffs, without much attention to placement in the standings. This is because, as evidenced this past year, an 8 seed can make it pretty far, so it doesn’t matter how high you’re ranked.

Tampa Bay Lightning- 2 Lines deep full of offensive superstars, an upgraded defense and goaltending, and they can easily make the playoffs here; possibly even win the division. However, with a long term injury to Simon Gagne, and Vinny LeCavalier deciding not to show up for a 3rd year in a row, would dismantle this team’s chances of making the playoffs. This is one of my bubble picks.

New Jersey Devils- The Devils will make the playoffs because they’re the Devils, and because of Kovalchuk, Parise, and Brodeur, but don’t expect much after that.

New York Rangers- Added another offensive threat in Alex Frolov to relieve the strain Marian Gaborik’s back has felt from carrying the Rangers offensively. I don’t like this pick because they can easily blow it, but there just isn’t another viable team in the East capable of taking them out of the playoff picture.

Montreal Canadiens- My intense hatred for this franchise and their goaltender Carey Price make me hate this pick even more than the Rangers. However, because of the boring system they play and the lack of other able teams, they make the playoffs in the bottom 2-3 spots. If Carey Price chooses to light up a fag (british term for cigarette, get your heads out of the gutter) instead of playing hockey, the Habs will be out of the playoffs in February.

Philadelphia Flyers- I almost forgot these guys because they’re such a sure bet on making the playoffs. Possibly the deepest team defensively, and 3 lines deep up front, they realistically would probably do better without a goalie (not that they have one you can name). Easily will make the playoffs, and easily will make it to the second round. Could be in the top of the standings in the East, but the Penguins will narrowly beat them to that spot.

So there you have it. Sound off in the comments to tell me you disagree and that I’m a moron…or that I’m a robot sent from the future to accurately describe the NHL playoff picture. Preferably the second one.

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