Who's the Favorite?: AFC and NFC Playoff Pictures

Each week of play has told us something different. Last week I got the idea that maybe, just maybe, this Minnesota Vikings team has a chance to excel without Brett Favre in the lineup.

Right away I have discovered that that's not necessarily true, as the Giants man-handled Tarvaris Jackson and the Vikings' offense on Monday night.

This week, the clear-cut favorites have been discovered. New England's offense racked up 36 points on Chicago's stellar defense, clinching the league's first playoff berth with the victory (11-2). Atlanta extended its win streak to seven games with a 31-10 victory over Carolina. Both teams are Super Bowl favorites coming out of their respected conferences, but Atlanta has a little more competition than New England.

With Seattle, New Orleans and Carolina still left on their plate this season, Atlanta has the potential to snag the NFC South title. New Orleans (10-3) and Tampa Bay (8-5) are both battling for Wild Card spots, but next week's New Orleans/Atlanta showdown on Monday Night Football may end up being the game of the year, and will without a doubt be pivotal in the race for the division title.
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The NFC West continues to be the laughing stock of the National Football League, with both St. Louis and Seattle at a deadlock for the division lead, both at 6-7. As insane as this sounds, San Francisco is still very much alive in the chase, just one game behind at 5-8. Arizona isn't statistically eliminated, either, with a record of 4-9.

The battle for the Wild Card will be a wild one for sure, with New Orleans (10-3) Philadelphia/New York (both 9-4), Green Bay (8-5) and Tampa Bay (8-5) all jockeying for two spots.
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The AFC playoff picture isn't much clearer than the NFC's, as the second-place teams in all four divisions are just a game behind the leader as we hit the final three weeks of the regular season.

The Colts and Jets continue to crumble: Indy is 2-3 in their last five games, New York is on a two-game losing streak. New York, 9-4, is still very much in the Wild Card hunt as long as they win two of their final three games, but Indy will be battling for their playoff hopes against Jacksonville this Sunday. If the Jags--current AFC South leader with 8-5 record--defeat Peyton and Co., they will likely end the season with their first division title since 1999.

After a quick start to the season, Kansas City has hit a few bumps in the road. At 8-5, they are still the West's leader, but San Diego (4-1 in last five games) is breathing down their necks, just one game behind Kansas City. Matt Cassel's appendectomy, which caused him to miss last week's game against San Diego, was a huge setback, but if he's back in the lineup this week expect the Chiefs to recover.

Miami (7-6), Oakland (6-7) and Houston/Tennessee (5-8) shouldn't be ruled out of the playoff hunt, either.
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Lucky for us, all four of the AFC's divisions will likely be decided in the final week. If we're lucky, maybe the NFC will turn out that way as well.

Photo Credit
Brian Urlacher and Tom Brady: AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast
Maurice Jones-Drew: AP Photo/Stephen Morton

Rodgers' Concussion puts Green Bay's Playoff Hopes in Jeopardy

In the middle of a heated NFC North battle with the Chicago Bears, the Green Bay Packers experienced a setback in yesterday's game.

Star quarterback and the team's "face of the franchise" Aaron Rodgers suffered a concussion in the second quarter of a showdown with the Detroit Lions. Before leaving the game, Rodgers was 7/11 for 46 yards and an interception.

Third-year quarterback Matt Flynn, an LSU alum, was forced to step in immediately. Flynn didn't do too bad (15/26, 177 yards, 1 INT), but led Green Bay on only one scoring drive, which added just three points to the scoreboard.

In the end, a superb defensive performance (two sacks, two INTs, 3/15 on third downs, 7 points) was put to waste as the Detroit Lions--with third string QB Drew Stanton making his second consecutive start--came away with its third win of the season, 7-3.

The only touchdown of the game came midway through the final quarter of play as Stanton hit 29-year old tight end Wes Heller from 13 yards out. It was Heller's only catch of the game.

Luckily for Green Bay, Chicago was stomped by the New England Patriots, meaning the Pack are still only one game behind Da Bears for the division lead. Green Bay's matchup with the New York Giants next week is very crucial. Rodgers will likely be able to play, but if he isn't able to lead his Pack to the victory, they may not get the chance to snag a playoff spot.

Hopefully, it will all come down to week 17's Chicago/Green Bay game in Lambeau. Those are always fun, especially if they are both fighting for the division title.

Get ready for a crazy, final two weeks in Lambeau.

Photo Credit

Aaron Rodgers: AP Photo/Paul Sancya

Lebron "King" James Backs Peyton up, Bashes ESPN's Trent Dilfer

It's amazing what you learn from Twitter.

As a Twitter member, and Lebron follower, I witnessed--first hand--what the Miami Heat forward thinks of ESPN's NFL analyst and former quarterback Trent Dilfer's criticism of the way Indianapolis Colts' star quarterback Peyton Manning has been playing these past few weeks (the four-time MVP has thrown an astonishing 11 INT's over the last three games).

Here's what James tweeted yesterday (taken right from his Twitter page):

Watching SC and Trent Dilfer is talking bad on how Peyton Manning is playing as of late! In his wildest dream could never ever do the things

And later on that day:

Peyton does on the field. Good or bad! People get on TV and think they can say whatever they want! And it's always former players! Crazy!! 

Some of these athletes have trouble making complete thoughts while tweeting. So he skipped a few words in that second sentence. But basically what he is doing is backing up Peyton, who has a championship ring (unlike Lebron), and is trashing Dilfer's subpar career...despite his Lombardi winning season with Baltimore in 2000.

Now obviously Dilfer loses some credit for that Super Bowl winning season because of the fact that Baltimore had arguably one of the best defenses in league history that season. But, despite his disappointing 13-year career with five different teams after being picked with the sixth pick in the 1994 draft, Dilfer knows the mechanics and "x's and o's" well enough to breakdown what Manning has been doing wrong this season, because obviously he is doing something wrong.

I'm not a Lebron hater whatsoever, in fact my NBA fantasy team was named "Lebron's Kings" last season. But I don't agree with him bashing Dilfer. Especially when Dilfer is just doing his job, and didn't even say anything about Lebron. Instead, he was just letting us viewers know what is up with Peyton this season.

Note: Photo does not belong to me.

Injuries, Struggling Offense Make for Shocking 2010 Campaign in Carolina

With quarterback Jake Delhomme struggling mightily after throwing just eight touchdowns and 18 interceptions in 11 games, Carolina let him go after the 2009 season. In the draft this past April Carolina used its second round pick to snag Jimmy Clausen, quarterback out of Notre Dame, to try and turn things around in 2010.

The plan was to ease Clausen in to the league with a run-heavy offense, like usual, led by Pro Bowlers DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. Both Williams and Stewart eclipsed 1,000 yards on the ground in the 2009 season, teaming up to create the league's best rush attack (18 combined touchdowns between the two).

Despite the porous 4-7 record with Delhomme as the starter, Carolina made a late run--won four of the last five games--and was looking good heading in to 2010.

Unfortunately for head coach John Fox, in his ninth season at the helm for the Panthers, the injury bug hit the Carolina run game, and the quarterback position as well.

Williams has been ruled out for the rest of the season (foot) after just 361 yards and a touchdown in six games. Stewart has played in ten of the Panthers' 12 games, but his performance has obviously been effected by a the concussion he suffered early on in the season. Stewart appears to be healthy again, though, as he ran for 98 and 92 yards in consecutive weeks now.

While Williams and Stewart sat, second-year back Mike Goodson stepped in and done well, recording back-to-back 100-yard games against tough opponents: Tampa Bay and Baltimore. Both were career-highs at the time.

It's a good thing Stewart seems to be at full health, because Goodson has reportedly sprained his AC joint in Carolina's 11th loss of the season (against Seattle) this past Sunday. Goodson says he'll be fine, but either way it's surely to affect his overall play.

It's likely that, at the quarterback position, rookie Jimmy Clausen will make his third consecutive start this Sunday against NFC South rival Atlanta, whom happens to be one of the top teams in the league. Clausen began the season on the bench, with Matt Moore--last year's quarterback when Delhomme wasn't under center--taking the starting position. Clausen made a couple in September and October after Moore was benched, but Clausen was later demoted again (poor play). Moore suffered a shoulder injury in a week nine loss to New Orleans and was shortly after placed on the injured reserve.

Clausen has just one touchdown this season, compared to his six interceptions, so don't expect anything spectacular this weekend. Especially against these Atlanta Falcons.

Carolina is, by far, the lowest-scoring offense this season, with just 154 points scored and has allowed the seventh-most points on defense (307).

With six defensive players on this week's injury report, it seems like that is one of the few things stopping Fox's defense from winning a few more games. When it comes to total yards, Carolina is a middle-of-the pack kind of defense with the one thing they've struggled at this season is stopping the run.  The two-time Pro Bowl linebacker Jon Beason has had a bit of an off-year in 2010, but still provides Carolina's young defense with the leadership it needs.

NFL Network's Albert Breer answered my question on Carolina's 2010 struggles very well in today's live chat on NFL.com. In his opinion, the lack of a rushing attack, and John Fox himself, are not to blame for the struggles. He says it all has to do with financial troubles in the front office.

Check out the chat here (14th question from the top)

Photo Credit

Jimmy Clausen: AP Photo/Amy Sancetta

Jonathan Stewart: AP Photo/Elaine Thompson

What Week 13 has Taught us...

When it's crunch time, the great teams always find a way to get it done. That's why when the month of December rolls around, the boys are separated from the men.

Now, some say it's too early to look at the playoff picture, and I say that's bull. The biggest games of the regular season are played around this time and last night the New York Jets showed me that they are not Super Bowl contenders this season.

They have always been able to talk the talk (dates all the way back to Joe Namath's famous guarantee, and yes he even managed to back that talk up). But were not able to walk the walk last night as Rex Ryan's top-tier defense was scorched for 45 points against the now-AFC East leading New England Patriots.

To make matters worse, New York managed just three points against New England's 31st-ranked total defense. The supposedly matured second year quarterback Mark Sanchez managed just 164 yards and three interceptions against New England 31st-ranked pass defense, as well.

He made rookie mistakes, and he's got an entire year on this year's rookie quarterbacks.

Teams are only as good as their leader, and Sanchez didn't do much to help his team out. Embarrassing.

Obviously with a 9-3 record they are almost certain to get a playoff seed as long as they win about half of their remaining four games, but they haven't been able to handle themselves against the better teams (Baltimore, Green Bay, New England). So how do they expect to make a run to the Super Bowl, especially when competing with teams such as Pittsburgh, New England, Baltimore and even the struggling 6-6 Colts?

More things I learned this past weekend:

*Atlanta is the best team in the NFC, if not the entire NFL. They became the first team to 10 wins (New England was the second after the beating they put on New York last night) with a victory over NFC South rival Tampa Bay.

*If the playoffs were to begin this week, like most fantasy leagues, then Atlanta and New England would most definitely be the favorites to be in the Super Bowl.

*New Orleans has made a quiet return to the elite this season after Drew Brees led a fourth quarter come-from-behind victory over the Bengals.

*Chicago and Green Bay may be the division race to watch, with the regular season finale coming in Lambeau between these two teams.

*Michael Vick and Phillip Rivers continue to head the MVP candidate list, with Vick possibly edging Rivers at this point considering San Diego's win streak, and December win streak, abruptly ending against the Raiders on Sunday.

*Minnesota may be better off with Tarvaris Jackson in the lineup at this point, rather than have Brett Favre's gunslinging style making numerous mistakes a game. With Jackson in the lineup, the Vikings can control how many times they throw the ball a game a little bit easier than they would if Favre was under center. That way, they can get back to letting Adrian Peterson run freely like they did in the pre-Favre era. Go home, Brett.

*Jason Garrett has turned the Cowboys around. Perhaps they should have fired Wade Phillips sooner. Under Garrett the 'Boys are 3-1 and just recently upset Peyton Manning and the Colts in overtime. The firing allowed for a more player-friendly head coach to step up and let players do what they do best.

*Jacksonville has a good chance at beating out the Colts for the South division title. With a two-game lead on the struggling Texans and Titans, it looks like Indy is the only threat to the Jags (Jags 7-5, Colts 6-6). If Peyton continues to throw as many interceptions as he has been this season (15 in twelve games; had 16 all last season), then Jacksonville have a good shot at defeating Indy in their week 15 matchup as long as they go run-heavy with Maurice Jones-Drew against Indy's 29th-best run defense. The winner of that game will likely be the division winner by season's end, in my opinion.

*One more thing I learned? Pittsburgh has a great shot at taking the AFC North crown after Troy Polamalu stripped Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco of the ball late in the game, allowing the battered (broken nose, foot and all) Ben Roethlisberger and short-distance back Isaac Redman to put the Steelers ahead. The final was 13-10 as Tomlin's crew took sole possession of the division.

What's on our plate for tomorrow: hopefully a much-needed great matchup between two rivals--Indy and Tennessee--whom are both battling for their playoff hopes.

Photo Credit
Deion Branch: AP Photo/Charles Krupa
Eric Weems: AP Photo/Chris O'Meara
Tarvaris Jackson: AP Photo/Hannah Foslien
Emmanuel Sanders: AP Photo/Nick Wass

Nine Division Match-ups Headline Week 13

Here we are, week 13, with the playoff race getting tighter by the minute. This is when teams have to start proving themselves a contender. What better way to do that then with divisional showdowns. Between today and tomorrow night we will get to see nine of them.

Chicago at Detroit

Cutler and his Bears are just trying to extend their lead in the NFC North and, as long as the offensive line can contain rookie defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, they shouldn't have much trouble in doing so against the 2-9 Lions.

Denver at Kansas City

Josh McDaniels' squad has been perhaps the most inconsistent club all season long. Kansas City, on the other hand, has been going strong all season at 7-4. Kansas City is the league's top rushing team and is 5-0 at home. I don't see any reason why they wont put Denver in their place today and hand them their ninth loss of the season.

Washington at New York

Game No. 1 against the G-men this season, McNabb and the Skins (5-6) are just a couple of big plays away from being contenders in the NFC East. Despite all this talk, Washington is 2-3 in its past five games and have struggled to finish games. Giants take this one with a solid day from Eli Manning.

Jacksonville at Tennessee

Kerry Collins will finally make his return today after leaving week 10's loss against the Dolphins with a calf injury. This should hopefully limit the turnovers to a minimum and allow Nate Washington and Randy Moss to make some plays. Chris Johnson should have a nice return as well, Tennessee takes this one.

Oakland at San Diego

The MVP front-runner (Phillip Rivers) has turned around San Diego's rough season, taking them on a four-game win streak, and has them above .500 at 6-5. Oakland, however, has hit a cold streak with two straight losses and is now back under .500. No way the Oakland defense will manage to contain Rivers, especially with the possibility of Vincent Jackson getting some looks.

St. Louis at Arizona

The Sam Bradford-led Rams, along with Seattle, are the only teams leading a division with a losing record (both Rams and Seahawks currently sit at 5-6), so winning this game against Derek Anderson and the 3-8 Cardinals is a big game. St. Louis is 1-4 on the road, but I expect them to pull out a victory and improve to 6-6.

Atlanta at Tampa Bay

Two games behind Atlanta in the NFC South, this is certainly Tampa Bay's chance at proving they belong in the playoff talk. But Atlanta, currently on a five-game win streak, is on fire and I doubt Josh Freeman will be able to out-gun the fiery Matt Ryan. Atlanta wins big as Tampa further hurts its playoff hopes.

Pittsburgh at Baltimore

Perhaps one of the biggest games of the entire weekend, along with Monday night's game. Ben Roethlisberger was still serving his four-game suspension when the two met earlier in the season, with a Baltimore victory. Baltimore looks to be the more complete team at this point, and Joe Flacco's offense will pull together a victory to break the two-way tie in the North. First Baltimore sweep of Pittsburgh since 2006, but don't be surprised if they meet again in the postseason.

New York at New England

The hyped second match-up between Rex Ryan and Bill Belichick is finally here, and what better time to watch it play out then on national television in primetime. You can't get any more even in this matchup, either. Both hold win streaks of three and four games and are 4-1 in their last five games. New England is 5-0 at home, New York is 5-0 on the road. Something's gotta give, and I think New England will pull ahead in this one with the help of Tom Brady's right arm.

Other game predictions:

Saints over Bengals

Packers over Niners

Browns over Dolphins

Vikings over Bills

Colts over Cowboys

Panthers over Seahawks

Must-win for Houston Tonight at Lincoln Financial

Houston has been very lucky this season? If Peyton Manning wasn't having an off year they would not have a shot in hell to make the playoffs right now with a 5-6 record (2-2 in division). But, coming off a 20-0 defeat of division rival Tennessee, Houston seems to be on track to put themselves in the middle of the playoff hunt in the South.

Just one game behind the first place Colts and Jags (both 6-5), the Texans have the ability to put themselves atop the division--temporarily, at least--with a convincing win over Michael Vick and the high-flying 7-4 Eagles.

Tonight, at 8:20 on NFL Network, Michael Vick will test the Texans' 28th-ranked defense in front of NFL fans all over the country. This is Houston's chance to show the nation that they truly do deserve to be considered a playoff contender coming out of the South. Whether they will manage to beat out Indy for this division title is yet to be seen, considering they still have Baltimore, Denver and two more divisional matchups (TEN, JAC) left on their schedule.

Despite having the seventh-best offensive attack in the league (seventh in rushing, 15th in passing) and one of the game's best runners in Arian Foster, I really don't think Houston will manage to contain Vick.

Unfortunately for Houston, Philly is poised to put a beating on Houston. This is actually unfortunately for me as well--I had Houston making the playoffs for the first time in franchise history this offseason.

Vick puts the ball in the end zone four times tonight, three through the air and one on the ground. Philly wins the game 38-17. That's my prediction. Bold, I know, but hey someone's gotta do it.

Whatifsports.com says...

Philadelphia 21, Houston 18

Not quite as big a margin as I was predicting, but same outcome nevertheless. Vick didn't have any rushing yards on five attempts (Houston did manage to contain him), but threw for 198 yards and tossed two TDs. LeSean McCoy ran all over Houston for 112 yards and a score.

Jeremy Maclin's 15-yard catch and run from Vick, which he put in the end zone, allowed Philly to extend its lead to 21-10 early in the fourth quarter. Foster ran the ball in from 13 yards out with four and a half minutes to play, but Philly's defense stopped Matt Schaub's late-game surge.

This loss may be the end to any playoff run Houston was hoping to make this season, putting to waste their solid 4-2 start this year.

Photo Credit

Arian Foster: AP Photo/David J. Phillip

This is Why We Love the Game: Includes Famous Quotes from Current and Former Players, Coaches

American football is pure beauty. Everything about it.

Blistering cold and windy Sunday afternoons with 200-300 pound men beating the snot out of each other in front of millions of fans. Each team has the same goal: winning the Super Bowl at the end of the year. This could only mean one thing, every team is on its own, there's no allies in the game of football. Beating the other three in the division race is goal No. 1 on every coaches' list of things to accomplish. After that? Destroy every man in its path, giving us fans a great spectacle to watch every Sunday (or Thursday, Saturday and Monday in some cases).

If you're truly a fan of football, specifically the National Football League, you should not only follow your favorite team, but every aspect of the game, league, and all 32 teams. I am not a huge fan of "fair-weather" fans or "bandwagoners." If you're gonna categorize yourself with every other guy out there, "die-hards" especially, then actually know the players and keep up with everything. One of my many pet peeves is what I call fake fans. They're there when the team is winning, but when the team is in the dumps they are no where to be found. To call yourself a fan I'd like to think that you'd at least have an idea of what's going on.

My other major pet peeve? When people refer to the men in stripes as referees or refs. No, I'm sorry, but there's only one referee on the field and he's the head honcho of the group of seven officials. If you're going to referee to the zebras at all, please call them "officials" like you're supposed to. The referee is the one wearing the white cap and is the one who does the talking over the intercom every time he, or one of the other six officials, throws a penalty flag.

What's with all this nonsense about boring games? There really isn't such thing as a boring NFL game, I can at least never recall a time when I was truly bored while watching a game. Yes, there's such thing as a sloppy game in which one, or both, teams make mental and physical mistakes, including but not limited to too many penalties (I'd say around seven or eight is a bit too much for one team) and turning the ball over three to four times. But a boring game? No way.

If there isn't enough hard hits, or the scoreboard doesn't read 42-35 then it seems as though fans are disappointed and say "they suck."

That brings me to another pet peeve of mine. Yes, the Lions had an 0-16 season back in 2008, but I would still be highly offended--if I was on the 2008 Lions squad--if a lame, 5'6'' 160-pound middle-aged man said I "sucked at football." These are professionals out there, they are there for a reason. Scrubs are not allowed in the professional football industry, meaning these guys are the cream of the crop. The reason they failed to win the game was because there were other professionals that outplayed them....just so happened to happen every week. Saying a team that about a team whom wins the Super Bowl that season, too, is a big no-no in my book. Stop being jealous of a team that outplayed yours and get off others' backs about it. Please. You are taking away from the joy others get from the game.

I apologize that this turned in to an article in which I announce just a couple of my pet peeves about the fans of the National Football League. It had to be said. But with all of that being over with, here are just a handful of entertaining/funny/famous/motivating quotes from current and former coaches and players that I have stumbled upon, enjoy:

"Confidence is contagious. So is lack of confidence." --the oh-so-wise Vince Lombardi (former Green Bay Packers' head coach; more to come from him).

"I approach you from the front and you're like 'wow this guy is pretty serious' but then I walk away and you're like 'damn, he likes to party.'" --Jared Allen talking about his mullet in 2009.

"If you don't pick me I'm going to kick your butt for the next 15 years." --Peyton Manning on draft day in 1998.

"If winning isn't everything then why do they keep score?" --Vince Lombardi

"If I needed someone to give me advice then I'd have a second brain to tell me what to do." --Randy Moss in 1997 (Minnesota drafted him out of Marshall in 1998).

"If my mother put on a helmet, shoulder pads and a uniform that wasn't the same as the one I was wearing, I'd run over her if she was in my way. And I love my mother." --former running back Bo Jackson...Bo truly does know best.

"I may be dumb, but I'm not stupid." --Terry Bradshaw; Hall of Fame QB, Super Bowl champion and 1970s pretty boy.

"I've got news for you. We're gonna win the game. I guarantee it." --Joe Namath's famous guarantee before Super Bowl III. New York, of course, followed through and defeated Unitas' Colts.

Several of these allow us younger kids truly appreciate the rich history the National Football League holds, as well as look in to the present-day game of football and clearly see that there are just as many entertaining and important figures in today's game as there was 10, 20 even 30 years ago.

Just another reason to absolutely love "America's Game."

(Side Note: Photo does not belong to me).

Commissioner Goodell Only Fine Johnson, Finnegan $25,000 apiece

Big news yesterday was not the backlash of the streaking San Diego Chargers' whipping of Peyton Manning's Colts the night before, but rather the decision Roger Goodell made to only fine Houston Texans' wide receiver Andre Johnson and Tennessee Titans' defensive back Cortland Finnegan. To make matters worse, the fine was just $25,000 each.

As you all have likely heard by now, after pushing and shoving each other throughout the Tennessee/Houston game on Sunday afternoon, Johnson finally lashed out and threw--and connected on--multiple punches on Finnegan. Both helmets were ripped off each other as they tussled in the middle of the play in the second half of the game. They didn't even have the audacity to wait until the two teams had finished running the play. Finnegan, much smaller than the 6'3''/230-pound Johnson, didn't have a chance and wasn't even able to get a punch out before both benches had cleared and the two were broken up.

You can watch the fight here.

The two players never did have a liking for each other. In fact, this is now the second season in a row that Johnson has been fined for actions against his counterpart, Finnegan. Last September Johnson--usually a very quite and humble player who keeps to himself--was fined $7,500 by the league for a brush up he had with Cortland, during which both teams' benches were cleared as well.

It's hard to blame Johnson, really, considering Finnegan has gained an aggressive, almost dirty reputation from his fellow players over the last several years. It appeared as though Finnegan had done a bit of instigating, pushing Johnson to his limit and, eventually, over the top. Johnson snapped, and he will have to pay the consequences.

Fans and plenty of other people in the NFL society have shown their frustration with this mere 'slap-on-the-wrist' type punishment. Defensive players are being fined $50,000-$75,000 for helmet-to-helmet contact, yet Johnson can land multiple punches on a helmet-less player without a suspension, and just a $25,000 fine. It just doesn't seem right, and I agree 100% with any of Johnson's fellow NFLers who happen to speak out about this.

It seems to me as though Goodell is supporting, or at least not acting out against, this whole WWE-style persona. I don't like it and I think Johnson should face a minimum three-game suspension. Players have, rightly so, been getting hit with 4-6 game suspensions (sometimes even lengthier) for off-the-field issues, yet Johnson (and Finnegan, he's not completely innocent in this incident despite not throwing any punches) can beat on a defender and not face any major punishment.

It's not just this one incident that I have questioned, either. As I wrote about last week, Richard Seymour was ejected from last week's game, just like Johnson and Finnegan were two days ago, for sucker-punching Ben Roethlisberger after he threw a touchdown pass. But Seymour was also just hit with a $25,000 docking of his paycheck.

That's not the only thing that shocked me. It's one thing to just fine them with no suspension, but to give both Johnson and Finnegan the same dollar amount in fines is just ridiculous, in my opinion. Yes, Johnson was victorious in the fight, but that should mean he gets a larger sum of money docked, because of the fact that he was the one throwing the punches. Seymour had one punch, Johnson? Two or three solid, at least.

What I would have done? Fine Finnegan $25,000 with a one-game suspension and hit Johnson with a $50,000 fine and three-game suspension. But maybe that's just me.

Photo Credit
Andre Johnson: AP Photo/Dave Einsel

Start 'em, Sit 'em: Week 12 Edition (Game Picks Included)

A majority of fantasy football leagues' regular seasons should be winding down at this point, which means the "new" season, also known as the playoffs, are right around the corner. Keeping up with your team's roster and making the right decisions when it comes to starting, and benching, certain players is very crucial from here on out.

Whether you've already locked up a playoff spot or are fighting for a chance to play in the winner's bracket, these are the guys you want to have in your lineup this week. I added some guys who you may want to stay away from, as well.

Quarterbacks

Start:

Ben Roethlisberger, vs. Buffalo

To me, I think this is rather obvious. Roethlisberger has racked up 275-plus yards and three touchdowns through the air in two consecutive games and has thrown just four interceptions in his six starts this season. Buffalo's defense has allowed 20 touchdown passes this season and has allowed the second-least turnovers with 11 (tied with Denver). Huge mismatch in Pittsburgh's favor.

Brett Favre, vs. Washington

Tough to predict what will happen with Favre at this point, but if you don't have an elite quarterback on your roster then Favre may be your best bet. He has a favorable matchup against the 29th-ranked passing defense in Washington, plus Favre's favorite target from 2009, Sidney Rice, seems to be close to getting back on track. Perhaps tomorrow is his breakout game.

Kyle Orton, vs. St. Louis

Orton has shown he belongs on the top 10 fantasy quarterbacks list this season. With at least one touchdown pass in all 10 of Denver's games, Orton has done everything he can for the Broncos, despite their 3-7 record. He hasn't been a winner in reality, but fantasy and reality can very easily have different outcomes when it comes to the National Football League. Orton has protected the ball well with just six interceptions and two fumbles. A matchup with St. Louis should produce solid numbers for Orton, but that doesn't necessarily mean Denver will come out victorious.

Matt Cassel, vs. Seattle

One of the more underrated quarterbacks, fantasy-wise at least, Cassel has a nice looking matchup Sunday against Seattle's 30th-ranked pass defense. Fighting to stay alive in the AFC West race, the only thing going against Cassel in this game is the fact that the Chiefs are 1-4 on the road and the game will be played in Seattle. Seattle has allowed at least 290 passing yards and a combined 10 touchdown passes in their past four games. Cassel is sure to be licking his chops right now.

Sit:

Eli Manning, vs. Jacksonville

This may surprise everyone, other than Eli's skeptics, considering the younger Manning brother has currently scored the sixth-most fantasy points among NFL quarterbacks (according to my league on ESPN.com). But after throwing three picks in last week's loss and losing leading receiver Hakeem Nicks for at least a couple weeks, I think a hot Jags team--on a season-high three game win streak--will be able to contain Eli and keep him from lighting up the scoreboard.

Matt Ryan/Aaron Rodgers, playing each other

Both are elite quarterbacks, but seeing as they are both signal callers for Super Bowl contenders coming out of the NFC, they each have tough defenses and will need to play safe football. Atlanta and Green Bay are both top six scoring defenses (Green Bay is tied with Chicago for least amount of points allowed with 146) and have intercepted 15 passes this season. Theses two elite quarterbacks may be seeing themselves throwing touchdown passes to the defenders, instead of their own receivers.

Running Backs

Start:

Peyton Hillis, vs. Carolina

Hillis has had a huge breakout season thus far, with three 100-yard games and eight touchdowns for the lowly Cleveland Browns. Facing off against Carolina, at home, is already great news for Hillis. What makes it even more of a no-brainer (starting Hillis, that is) is the fact that Jake Delhomme will be making his return to the lineup after rookie Colt McCoy suffered a high ankle sprain. This likely means Hillis will see more carries/touches come his way in order to take pressure off Delhomme.

Michael Turner, vs. Green Bay

It may look like I'm contradicting myself after listing Matt Ryan under the sit category and saying the game will be dominated by the defenses, but Turner has had some solid games and the ground game will be crucial against a defense that revolves around rushing the quarterback and stopping the pass. The only team Turner didn't fare well against in the past three games was Baltimore's smash-mouth defense led by veteran Ray Lewis. Turner will be the key to Atlanta coming out on top in this NFC showdown.

Ahmad Bradshaw, vs. Jacksonville

Jacksonville will be so focused on stopping Eli Manning that they will likely forget all about Bradshaw, who has done a nice job stepping in for the overrated Brandon Jacobs and has had a solid 2010 campaign. This success will continue as long as he works on that fumbling problem. Bradshaw is one of those bruising tailbacks who is bound to break-free nearly every time he touches the ball.

Mike Tolbert, vs. Indianapolis

With rookie Ryan Mathews still ailing, Tolbert has been forced to step up and recorded his second 100-yard game last week against the Broncos with 111 and a touchdown. Tolbert now has eight rushing touchdowns this season as a fill-in and has a favorable matchup against Indy's 29th-best run defense. Tolbert is a must-start if your backfield has been hit with the injury bug.

Sit:

Maurice Jones-Drew, vs. New York Giants

Jones-Drew has turned his disappointing season around the past few weeks, but an unfavorable matchup with the league's fourth-best run defense on the road in New York doesn't look like good for MJD and his Jags, who currently hold the lead in the AFC South. P.S. Their division lead will be short-lived with Peyton and Co.

Fred Jackson, vs. Pittsburgh

Sorry, Buffalo fans! But your current win streak will end tomorrow, at your house, against the phenomenal run defense of Pittsburgh. As will Jackson's two-game 100 yard-plus streak. But hey, it was great while it lasted, right?

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

Start:

Mike Wallace, vs. Buffalo

Ben's favorite target will sure to get some looks against a defense that has allowed 20 touchdowns through the air this season. Buffalo has picked off just four of their opponents' pass attempts this season and I wouldn't be surprised if Roethlisberger tried to hook up with Wallace on a couple deep passes throughout the game.

Vernon Davis, vs. Arizona

Listed as probable, Davis seems to be gaining his health back. And after an off-game (1 catch for three yards against Tampa before leaving the game) last week Davis seems poised to break out with a solid performance against Arizona's weak pass defense, who has allowed the second-most points in the league this season.

Sit:

Roddy White, vs. Green Bay

I will most likely end up regretting the decision to put White on the sit list, but it's tough when he has such an unfavorable matchup against a defense like Green Bay's. Expect Matt Ryan to be pressured most of the game, meaning his passes may not be quite as on-target as usual. Therefore hurting White's number of targets.

Randy Moss, vs. Houston

Another big, superstar name on my sit list. But, if you are an active NFL fan then you know Moss's, and the Titans', story this season. Moss has been merely a decoy, leaving other Titan receivers with single coverage. With the injury to Vince Young, the rookie Rusty Smith will make his first career start, furthermore hurting Randy's stock. Maybe it's time for him to hang up his cleats? Just a thought.

Defense and STs/Kickers

Start:

Pittsburgh D/ST

Expect a couple of INTs and sacks of Buffalo's immobile Ryan Fitzpatrick as well as a stout run defense against Jackson. Maybe a touchdown or two as well?? We'll see.

Sebastian Janikowski, vs. Miami

The highest-scoring kicker this season may get quite a bit of opportunities tomorrow with a close game likely headed our way. Oakland has relied quite a bit on Janikowski and he has really pulled through. With Bruce Gradkowski returning to the lineup as the starter, we may see quite a few Sebastian field goal attempts.

Sit:

Chicago D/ST

Ok, yes, I understand that Chicago's defense has been the best there is this season, leading the league in several defensive categories. But they have yet to try and stop Vick, who is making a strong case for league MVP this season. In eight of Philly's 10 games the offense has put up 20 or more points. This very well may be the game of the week.

Tennessee D/ST

Houston knows they will be facing a rookie quarterback in Rusty Smith, so on offense I wouldn't be surprised if the Texans came right at Tennessee early and often, putting more pressure on Rusty Smith and his right arm.

------------

Game Picks:

Thanksgiving picks: Pats over Lions (correct), Saints over Cowboys (correct, barely), Jets over Bengals (correct).

Sunday November, 28, 2010

Giants over Jags

Steelers over Bills

Vikings over Skins

Browns over Panthers

Falcons over Packers

Texans over Titans

Chiefs over Seahawks

Raiders over Dolphins

Eagles over Bears

Rams over Broncos

Ravens over Bucs

Chargers over Colts

Monday November 29, 2010

Niners over Cardinals

Photo Credit

Kyle Orton: AP Photo/Ed Andrieski

Peyton Hillis: AP Photo/Mark Duncan

Fred Jackson: AP Photo/Ed Behrman

Vernon Davis: AP Photo/Paul Sakuma

Steelers' defense (James Farrior and Ryan Clark): AP Photo/Don Wright

Ben Jarvus Green-Ellis: AP Photo/Rick Osentoski

Pats, Jets Improve to 9-2; Saints Edge 'Boys on Turkey Day

What am I thankful for? Thanksgiving football, of course!

And my family and friends as well, can't forget them.

But, the big news today is that both the New York Jets and New England Patriots survived their respective Turkey Day matchups. What exactly does this mean? Well, it means that next Monday we will be witnessing a heavy-weight AFC East showdown between the 9-2 Patriots and 9-2 Jets. As if that isn't already incentive enough to tune in, it's a primetime game and will be played in Gillette Stadium. December games in Massachusetts always means there's a pretty good chance that snowfall may play a role as well.

Scarily enough, Tom Brady looked nearly flawless, passing for 341 yards and four touchdowns. New England got off to a slow start, struggling with stopping Shaun Hill's short passing game and former Seattle Seahawk Maurice Morris, who was a threat both on the ground and through the air.

Detroit simply didn't show up for all 60 minutes of the ball game, blowing its 17-10 halftime lead as the two teams were in a 24-24 deadlock at the end of the third quarter of play. That was when Tom Brady really turned up the heat on Detroit's pass defense, throwing two touchdown passes (22-yarder to Deion Branch and 16-yarder to Wes Welker) in the final quarter of play. Ben Jarvus Green-Ellis capped off the 21-point fourth quarter with a one-yard touchdown run just before the two minute warning.

Branch, Welker and Green-Ellis all had two touchdowns each as the Pats put up 45 points at Ford Field.

Phil Simms' (CBS) All-Iron Award winner: Tom Brady--21/27, 341 yards, 4 TDs, 158.3 QB rating

Game two of the full, three-game slate was much more anticipated back in April when the schedules came out. Now that the Cowboys got off to a slow, 2-8 start which brought about the firing of Wade Phillips, this matchup may not have been seen as much of a heavy-weight battle. But much like the early game, the ending was well worth the ugly first half of play.

New Orleans' took control early as the Cowboys struggled to hold on to the ball and convert first downs. Dallas failed to convert a fourth down inside the red zone early in the game, which may have come back to haunt them. New Orleans went in to the locker room at the half with a 20-6 lead after Dallas' kicker David Buehler kicked a career-high 53-yard field goal as the time on the game clock expired.

Dallas came out ready to play in the second half, cutting the lead to 20-13 just one minute in to the third quarter as WR Miles Austin took an end around 60 yards for the score. A Garrett Hartley field goal (28 yards) was the only points of the quarter for New Orleans as the 'Boys put up another seven when Marion Barber III capped a scoring drive with a one-yard run, putting Dallas within three.

Another one-yard run in the final quarter, Tashard Choice this time, gave Dallas a four-point lead with about six minutes to play. Dallas had the chance to put the game away but on a long 47-yard catch and run by receiver Roy Williams, New Orleans cornerback Malcolm Jenkins stripped Williams of the ball, giving the Saints another shot. Drew Brees wasted no time, hitting Lance Moore in stride just five plays later. The 12-yard touchdown strike put the Saints up 30-27. Jon Kitna led a strong, 9-play drive in an attempt to get the lead back, but David Buehler's missed 59-yard field goal spoiled the Cowboys' comeback bid.

New Orleans improved to 8-3 which, for the moment, puts them in second place in the NFC South, ahead of the 7-3 Buccaneers and just behind the 8-2 Falcons. Dallas falls to 3-8, still last place in the NFC East.

Fox's Galloping Gobbler winner: Drew Brees--23/39, 352 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 86.7 QB rating

Carson Palmer continues to show why he is one of the most overrated quarterbacks in the league. He has numerous weapons to get the ball to yet hasn't been able to win games (2-9 on the season). His inability to stay healthy also gets some blame, but it's mainly just because of the fact that he has been erratic with the football in his hands.

Jets' cornerback Darrelle Revis was able to contain future Hall of Famer Terrell Owens (3 rec., 17 yards) and New York's fifth-best run defense shut down Cedric Benson, therefore limiting Palmer's pass attack even more. Mark Sanchez threw for just 166 yards and one touchdown, but he really didn't have to do much other than just managing the game, especially with his run game--and defense--working so well.

Wide receiver Brad Smith's 53-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter, giving New York a 10-7 lead, proved to be the game-winner. But, he wasn't done there. After Cincinnati's Aaron Pettrey kicked a 28-yarder between the uprights to put the Bengals within a touchdown early in the fourth, Smith sealed the deal with an 89-yard kickoff return for the touchdown.

A Trevor Pryce sack, and safety, of Carson Palmer capped off the Jets' 26-point performance and finally put any hope the Bengals had to bed. The loss was Cincinnati's eighth-straight as New York captured its fourth straight victory and a 4-2 record at home.

NFL Network's Pudding Pie winners: Darrelle Revis--limited T.O. to 3 rec., 17 yards; Brad Smith--two touchdowns (53-yard run, 89-yard KO return)

Photo Credit

Wes Welker: AP Photo

Drew Brees: AP Photo/Mike Fuentes

Antonio Cromartie: AP Photo/Mike Koustroun

Richard Seymour, You Sir, Are a Disgrace to the National Football League

While a Patriot, defensive end Richard Seymour was always a player I respected. He was always a guy who I saw as a hard-worker who did what it takes to win games for his team. His 227 tackles and 39 sacks in eight seasons with the Patriots is proof of his hard work and a salute to his solid NFL career.

Now a Raider since last season, Seymour has recorded 60 tackles and 8.5 sacks in his 25 games in Oakland.

Unfortunately, all respect I had for him is gone after watching his unsportsmanlike display in yesterday's ugly 35-3 loss to the 7-3 Pittsburgh Steelers.

After Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to rookie wideout Emmanuel Sanders he went up behind Seymour and appeared to say something to him. Seymour then turned around and threw an open-hand "punch" at Roethlisberger, knocking him to the ground. The officials went on to eject him from the game.

Now, of course, Roethlisberger isn't quite innocent in this incident as we see him clearly saying something to him to provoke the punch, but that does not mean Seymour shouldn't get in trouble. Goodell fined him $25,000 today, but I think the punch certainly warrants a suspension of at least one game. There's absolutely no excuse for a 31-year old man to punch another player on the football field. Wasn't he ever taught not to let your emotions get the best of you, especially on the field? Kids are told that by their youth football coaches all the time, why can't a grown man understand this concept?

Unacceptable.

And what makes it even worse is, after further research, it has come to my attention that this is not the first time he's been fined for unnecessary roughness after the whistle. Last December he was ejected and fined $10,000 for hitting Cleveland's running back Jerome Harrison after the play was dead. One thing is for sure, Seymour doesn't like the AFC North too much.

Photo Credit

Richard Seymour: AP Photo/Keith Srakocic

Week 11 Picks: Colts/Pats Game to Watch

Thursday November 18, 2010

**Picked Bears over Dolphins (Bears shut out Dolphins 16-0)**

Sunday November 21, 2010

Ravens over Panthers...With one of last season's best run games battling injuries, and Brian St. Pierre making the first start of his prolonged career there's no way Carolina will manage to outscore Baltimore.

Jets over Texans...Battling to keep up with the Pats, Sanchez will be healthier than last week and likely ready to go.

Browns over Jaguars...Browns, surprisingly enough, have been playing good football lately, upsetting the Saints and Pats and falling just short to the 7-2 Jets.

Packers over Vikings...Favre's last game against Green Bay. I guess it's just too bad the Packers are playing better football at the current moment.

Chiefs over Cardinals...Undefeated at home, the Chiefs are looking to snap its two game losing streak and stay alive in the West.

Cowboys over Lions...Jon Kitna facing his former team and it looks like Dallas may finally have a little confidence after defeating Eli Manning's Giants.

Raiders over Steelers...Oakland upset Pittsburgh last season too, only this time it may not even be considered an upset considering how well Oakland (5-4) has been playing lately.

Bengals over Bills...Terrell Owens will be looking to impress his 2009 team, and Carson Palmer shouldn't have much trouble against Buffalo's defense.

Titans over Redskins...It's going to be tough to rebound after allowing 59 points to the Eagles on the biggest stage of the weekend (MNF). I say Tennessee's high-powered offense puts up 30.

Saints over Seahawks...With Reggie Bush likely to return, the Saints are looking to take control of the NFC South.

Niners over Bucs...This will be considered an upset, although I never really thought of the Bucs as contenders despite the 6-3 record.

Falcons over Rams...Atlanta is one of the league's best teams, if not the best. After Matt Ryan led the offense 80 yards in just over one minute to win the game against Baltimore's smash-mouth defense, I was convinced that they are Super Bowl contenders this season.

Patriots over Colts...No doubt the matchup of the weekend. After witnessing Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski dominate Pittsburgh's stellar defense on Sunday night, I'm convinced that they wont have much trouble putting points up against this banged up Colts team.

Eagles over Giants...Much like the Pats, it's really hard to doubt the Eagles after last week's 59-point performance. Michael Vick will carve up New York's defense and we will see how Eli Manning responds after being upset by Dallas last week.

Monday November 22, 2010

Chargers over Broncos...Tim Tebow throwing his first touchdown as a pro, and running for another, was a great story in the Broncos' 49-point game last week, but let's face it, Josh McDaniels has a little more work to do.

Byes: None

Who will shock the world this week??

Photo Credit:

Driver and Favre: AP Photo/Morry Gash

Jason Snelling: AP Photo/John Bazemore

Vick Picks Apart Skins on National Television; Climbs up Rankings in Process

If there was any doubt in Philly that Michael Vick could lead this Eagles offense, it has surely been erased over the past two weekends.

First, Vick takes hold of the reins as Philadelphia defeats Indianapolis for the first time since Peyton Manning joined the franchise in 1998. Next, Vick picked apart Washington's defense for a franchise-record 59 points at Fedex Field last night.

Vick did it all. He did what he does best--ran for 80 yards and two touchdowns--and he completed 20 of his 28 pass attempts for 333 yards and four touchdowns. He also managed to protect the ball, which was very key in Philadelphia's record-breaking 42 point first half. The 31-point victory (59-28) was Philly's fourth road victory, making them one of the most successful road warriors so far this season at 4-1, along with the 5-0 Jets and 4-1 Steelers.

This game alone, despite the 'Skins 4-5 record, should place the Eagles inside the top five in this week's power rankings, especially with the Giants, Ravens, Steelers and Titans all losing their respective match ups.

Vick wasn't the only player to have a great game last night. Vick's top three receiving threats--DeSean Jackson (2 rec., 98 yards, 1 TD), Jeremy Maclin (4 rec., 79 yards, 1 TD) and Jason Avant (5 rec., 76 yards, 1 TD)--all had spectacular games, and Philly's run game accumulated 260 yards on the ground.

On defense, the Eagles picked off former teammate Donovan McNabb, fresh off his new contract extension, three times. One of those three picks was turned into a pick6 after the interceptor, defensive back Dimitri Patterson, returned the ball 40 yards for the eighth and final touchdown of the night.

Photo Credit

Michael Vick: AP Photo/Gail Burton

A Picture is Worth a 1,000 words: Haley vs. McDaniels

After Denver defeated AFC West rival Kansas City by thirty (49-29), head coach of the Chiefs Todd Haley refused to shake Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels' hand in the middle of the field. Haley, obviously disgusted with the way Denver played (probably felt McDaniels was running up the score on his Chiefs), shaked his finger at Josh and walked away.

Earlier today Haley did apologize to both McDaniels and the Broncos franchise, but that doesn't mean he is truly sorry for what he did. What do I think of the incident? I think Haley should try not to be such a baby and maybe try stopping this from happening by playing better defense. I mean, come one, 35 of those 49 points came in the first half.

This was not a case of "running up the score." Rather a case of a team really sticking it to their inter-division counterparts. Nothing dirty about scoring 35 first half points. Sorry, Mr. Haley.

Two Weeks Later: McNabb Signs Five-year Extension with Skins

Earlier today ESPN reporter Michael Smith broke the news in D.C.

The Washington Redskins, hours before the team's matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles, signed 33-year old veteran Donovan McNabb--the former long-time Eagle--to a five-year, $78 million contract extension. The contract reportedly includes around $40 million in guaranteed money.

The signing came just two weeks after head coach Mike Shanahan benched McNabb in Detroit with two minutes remaining in the game. Washington was trailing by six when Rex Grossman was sent on to the field as McNabb looked on. On the first play from scrimmage, Grossman fumbled the ball, which was recovered by rookie defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and returned 17 yards for a game-sealing touchdown.

It was later discovered that, in fact, there was no sort of injury involved with the benching, and that Shanahan made the decision because of his unfamiliarity with the two minute offense. He never even said that he regretted the decision to sit him.

As much of a head-scratcher as this seems to me, and likely many other NFL followers out there, the Skins seem to know what they want. Even if that does happen to be Donovan McNabb under center for at least another five years. Huge risk which may not be worth the price in the end.

Photo Credit

Donovan McNabb: AP Photo/Paul Sancya

Tired of "Fans" Hating on Tom Brady

This is one of my pet peeves when it comes to all of these so-called NFL fans. Calling him offensive names is not going to change the fact that he will go down in history as one of the best quarterbacks in league history.

The 33-year old has three Super Bowl championships, two Super Bowl MVP awards, a league MVP award (2007), five Pro Bowl selections, etc., etc., etc.

Yes, ok, I agree he is a bit of a pretty boy. And, yes, at times it may seem that the league is overly protective. But, with his top-tier offensive line he is able to pick apart defenses like it's his job--oh wait, it is his job, isn't it? And he does his job better than anyone else out there. After watching him tear apart Pittsburgh's hard-hitting defense last night, putting up 39 against the league's leader in points allowed per game, I'm convinced that Brady isn't going away anytime soon.

Much like Indianapolis' three-time MVP quarterback Peyton Manning, I really don't think it matters who Brady's weapons are. In fact, just twice in Brady's 11 seasons have the Pats ranked in the top 10 in rushing. Could be the result of Belichick trusting Brady with the ball in his hands, and the team's pas-to-run ratio. But nonetheless, Brady turns decent receivers in to great receivers, and Belichick's calm coaching style complements Brady well.

Hate the pretty boy all you want, but if you're a fan of football, the passing game in particular, you should appreciate Brady's approach and his passion for the game of football. Stop hating just because he knows how to win games and doesn't buckle under pressure. Please and thank you.

Photo Credit
Tom Brady: Joe Robbins/NFL

Week 10 is Here: Game Picks

Thursday November 11, 2010

Picked Ravens over Falcons--Falcons defeated Ravens 27-21.

Sunday November 14, 2010

Bills over Lions

This may be Buffalo's best chance at winning a game this season, and with Matthew Stafford out looks like they could finally pull it off.

Bears over Vikings

Bears defense is likely to exploit Favre and his offense, making the Vikes one dimensional.

Jets over Browns

Rex vs. Rob. New York's defense will stop the Browns from continuing it's upset streak.

Colts over Bengals

Despite missing some key pieces on offense, Peyton Manning will find a way to beat out these struggling Bengals.

Texans over Jaguars

Arian Foster, my first half MVP, will have a big day and Matt Schaub will give them a balanced offensive attack against Del Rio's defense.

Titans over Dolphins

Kerry Collins will be starting, but with Chad Pennington's first start of the season, the Titans defense will tear this offense apart with several turnovers.

Bucs over Panthers

Mike Goodson is making his second start in replacement of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. Without their top two running backs, Carolina doesn't have much.

Chiefs over Broncos

Kansas City's second-best running game will run all over Denver's 31st-ranked run defense.

Cardinals over Seahawks

Seattle is scoring just 16 points a game, good enough for 31st in the league. Inconsistency is the weakness in Seattle right now.

Giants over Cowboys

Eli's G-men have been one of the hottest teams in the league and I don't expect that to change against the 1-7 Cowboys.

Rams over Niners

Sam Bradford is in the running for rookie of the year, and has really impressed me so far.

Steelers over Patriots

If he plays, expect James Harrison to hit Tom Brady as much as possible. They will likely add on to their league-leading 21 forced turnovers as well.

Monday November 15, 2010

Eagles over Redskins

Michael Vick returned last week with a strong performance against the Colts. With him in the lineup again tomorrow, expect him to give the Skins a handful of trouble.

Byes: Raiders, Chargers, Packers Saints

Photo Credit

Josh Freeman: AP Photo/David Goldman

Thursday Night Football (On NFL Network) Kicks off with Heavyweight Matchup

Aside from the first week of the season in which the Vikings and Saints kicked off the season on a Thursday night, tonight is the first of several Thursday night games that will be aired on NFL Network.

The matchup between the two conferences' top teams, Baltimore Ravens (6-2; first in AFC North) and Atlanta Falcons (6-2; first in NFC South), has been anticipated for a while now. Matt Ryan vs. Joe Flacco, two third-year quarterbacks whose careers have gotten off to a quick start and have great weapons at their disposal on the offensive side of the ball. Both offenses are very similar. Baltimore has a great run game combination of the short, quick Ray Rice and the red zone presence of Willis McGahee while Atlanta has the explosive Michael Turner, a TD machine.

Baltimore clearly has the defensive advantage with Ed Reed roaming the defensive secondary. Reed, in his two games this season, has three interceptions and one forced fumble. I wouldn't expect anything less than a INT or two tonight, despite playing against the elite Matt Ryan and Roddy White.

Baltimore also has the coaching advantage with coach John Harbaugh, who is 26-14 in his third season in Baltimore. But, I think one of the biggest reasons why I have picked Baltimore to beat Atlanta tonight is because of the fact that Pro Bowl receiver Roddy White (ankle) is listed as questionable. Yes, it's very likely that he will still play, but nonetheless he will not be 100% no matter what he tells the press. Because of this, Atlanta's pass game will be exposed and Baltimore's defense is likely to take advantage of this.

Prediction: Baltimore 28, Atlanta 24

Photo Credit

Willis McGahee: AP Photo/Nick Wass

Whether or Not You Tweet, Having a Twitter Account Pays Dividends (especially if you're an avid sports fan like myself)

I know what you're thinking..."Twitter? Really?"

And the answer is a simple, yes. I have a twitter account (follow me at ), and I used it a couple of times a week. I don't do much tweeting myself, but I'd say probably about half of the celebrities and athletes regularly tweet. This means, yes, following athletes on twitter allows you to receive inside information first-hand.

Not only do I follow NFL superstars, but also TV personalities and sportswriters. In today's society, more and more major networks, such as ESPN, are using twitter to break news. Personally, I currently follow about 220 people, mostly athletes and sportswriters like I mentioned above.

I have only posted about 23 tweets, most of which I tweeted in order to advertise for this blog, and have just eight followers. Twitter allows me to get in the heads of millionaire athletes and see what it is they are up to on a regular basis, who doesn't love that?

So, if you're a huge sports fan and would like to get the inside scoop on players, coaches or be the first to read about breaking news, I advise you to sign up for a Twitter account and let the following begin!