The Autumn Wind Will Always Be a Raider

I'll be honest, I wasn't too saddened with the death of Steve Jobs. Yes, he was a visionary and an innovator. Yes, he's the man who's mind is responsible for millions of phones and helping to make the music industry somewhat profitable again. Yes, he's the man who made us all see that Microsoft won in spite of it being the worse product. But after all that, he's just a guy who headed a company. Our lives wouldn't be radically different if Steve Jobs never lived. Computers and the internet would still be here. The iPod wouldn't but there were mp3 players long before the 1st iPod. The iPhone wouldn't be there, but I don't have one, and Android phones will overtake iPhones at some point. There were tablet PCs well before the iPad. All of that said, we all owe Jobs a thank you, because he made everything move faster, but I was never along for the ride (except for the iPod - curiously the only Apple product which is buggy as shit). I have an Android. I've been a PC user my whole life. Jobs' tragic defeat in his battle with cancer wasn't that big of a deal.

The loss of Al Davis? That killed me. See my life wouldn't be too different without Jobs (I would have had a Zune, which yes is awful, but without the iPod to compare it to, it would've seemed great). My life would be totally different without Davis and his Raiders. They were the NFL team I loved first. It was the 2000 NFC Championship Game and the Raiders were hosting the Ravens. I did not watch football at the time except for the previous two Super Bowls and still with just a passing interest (my love of Super Bowl XXXIV the year before is mainly from re-viewings years later) in either. Then I watched that game at the at-that-time McAfee Coliseum. I saw throngs of Raiders fans dressed in everything but a NFL jersey. There were countless Darth Vader costumes, Skeleton costumes, spikes and gorilla masks. There was every dark costume you could think of. It didn't matter that the Raiders lost that day 16-3. I was hooked. I was a Raider fan. Some would call this joining the band-wagon, but hell, I was 9 at the time, had no team that I was jumping from, and at least I didn't pick the Ravens who won the Super Bowl that year. I was a Raider fan, and that led me directly to being an Al Davis fan.

To this point in my Raider Fan life, which has spanned nearly 11 years, I've seen the team suffer the worst defeat of any team in any sport in the last decade (my opinion) in the Tuck Rule Game. I've seen them make the Super Bowl, before summarily being crushed in that game. Then I saw them win 4-5-4-2-4-5-and-5 games in 7 years. I saw a team that went 33-15 (4-3 in the playoffs) in three years then go 24-88 over the next seven. It was a tough time to be a Raider fan, a tough time to an Al Davis fan. But I always knew that sooner or later, Al would once again become that brilliant football mind that he used to be. The Raiders wouldn't always be bad. Now, they are a legitimate 3-2 after being 8-8 the previous year. They aren't bad. Hell, in many ways, they are good. They have explosive receivers. They have one of the league's best D-Lines. They have the league's best runningback at the moment. Their O-Line is solid. They have the league's best punter, and a kicker who has already hit field goals from 63, 56, 55, 54 and 50 yards on the season. They are everything Al Davis would've wanted his team to be. The only thing now missing is Al.

Football fans that are my age have long been told that Al Davis was a visionary and once one of the brightest football minds alive. That his teams were dominant for 25 years straight, and that they were the most feared team in the league, while also being the team that had the most fun. They had womanizing, boozing Quarterbacks, and fast receivers with weird numbers (Biletnikoff was #25?_. They had great hard hitting players on defense, and a string of all-pro cornerbacks. We all were told how great the Raiders used to be. I'm sure we all thought that part of this was just a myth. I iknow I did. But none of it is.

When you research the life of Al Davis, the words innovator, visionary and maverick aren't really enough. No, Al was a genius. Not in the same way Bill Walsh (although Al Davis identified that bit of genius, hiring Walsh once) was, or Bill Belichick or Joe Gibbs. No, he was a genius because he could do it all, and do it all his own way, and it all worked. It has been mentioned in scores of articles since his death that Al Davis was a scout, coach, GM, owner and commissioner at some point in his football life. Yes, he was against the merger, but that didn't really come in the way of him being associated with it. He was one of the first AFL owners to start the bidding war with the NFL, the single biggest point of ignition for the merger in 1970. He was the AFL commissioner and deeply believed that the AFL, if it stayed separated, could beat the NFL in popularity. He was the driving force behind the AFL being able to compete with the NFL. Al Davis changed football in that literal sense, but he did it in more ways than just the events of the 60's.

Al Davis' vertical offense was revolutionary. Bill Walsh used a lot of it to create his West Coast Offense. Al Davis' was groundbreaking, as he was made the Raiders first the first NFL team to be coached by a Latino (Tom Flores, who just went on to win 2 Super Bowls), and then the first NFL team to be coached by an African-American (Art Shell), and recently made the Raiders the first team headed by a woman (CEO Amy Trask). He never saw color, or gender, he just saw his team and wanted them to win. He didn't hire Flores because he was Latino, or hire Shell because he was black. He Hired them because he thought they were good coaches and wanted to win. That's why we love him.

Al Davis was the Raiders. It was his renegade image that fronted the team and then the ideal. He collected castoff veterans who were axed because partly because they didn't fit in, and partly because they were doing too much on the side to have the time to fit in. He brought in drunks, and playboys. All he asked them to do was win, and they did. 13-1, 12-2, 12-1-1, 8-4-2, 8-4-2, 10-3-1, 9-4-1, 12-2, 11-3, 13-1, 11-3, 9-7, 9-7, 11-5, 7-9, 8-1, 12-4, 11-5, 12-4. That was the Raiders' records from 1967-1985. Those 19 years were legendary. In that time, the Raiders won three Super Bowls, lost another and made four other AFC Title Games. Only the Steelers were more successful in that time-frame. It was John Madden, Daryl Lamonica, Ken Stabler, Art Shell, Gene Upshaw, Jim Otto, Marcus Allen, Cliff Branch, Ted Hendricks, Willie Brown, Mike Haynes, Fred Biletnikoff, Ray Guy. But most of all, it was Al Davis.


No team is identified by its owner. The one exception is possibly the Yankees and Steinbrenner, but the Yankees have a host of other candidates to identify the team by. The Raiders have had great players, but it was always Al Davis in front of everything. He was the guy who put all of those great players together, who hired young coaches, like John Madden at 32, Mike Shanahan at 35, Jon Gruden at 34, identifying coaching talent well before the rest of the league did. Al Davis was one of the few men who fought the league head on, and won, winning his lawsuit to move the team to LA (Reggie White is probably the other notable example). Al Davis did not like Pete Rozzelle, which led to one of the most iconic football images of the 80's not involving the 49ers, with Al Davis accepting the Lombardi trophy from Rozzelle. Al Davis' was iconic, with that white or black tracksuit as lasting as the silver-and-black team on the field. He loved the silver-and-black. No uniform has been changed less than the Raiders, and for good measure. How can you change a uniform that is perfect? It was so good so many teams in every sport started incorporating black uniforms; some good (Baltimore Ravens), some horrible (Philadelphia Eagles). Al Davis' teams weren't perfect, and neither was his behavior, but the look of him and the team he created. That was as perfect as could be.

Al Davis died last Saturday. In a way, one era of the Raiders died as well. Although he was in bad health, no one was really ready for this day to come, which is why the question of where the Raiders go from here is so interesting. Mark Davis, his son, is the successor for now (I hope for long, I would hate to see them back in LA), and the team looks to have a good foundation off of three straight fruitful drafts by Davis. But the Raiders are no longer Al's team. No other NFL team as old as the Raiders have had one owner. Yes, some have had the same family (Bidwill's, Rooney's, Mara's), but this is just one guy. This was a small-business prospering in the biggest sports business in the world. This was one man against 31 others, and for most of his life, he was up to the task.

The Raiders have always had an image, and it has always been the same image. I think the Steelers are the only other team that can say that. The Steelers have almost always been a great defensive team with tough QBs embodying the city they play in. The Raiders have always been a team with speed and flash on the outside (WRs, CBs) and toughness in the middle (o-line, d-line). It has always been the same. It probably will always be the same. It is sad Al Davis had to die this year. His team was finally right again. He finally had the fast receivers that could actually dominate games. He had the fast running back. He had a stable of fast corners (though his last great corner was gone in the offseason). Al Davis was finally about to prove that the NFL had not passed him by over the last decade. That his tricks weren't too old, that his ideas too antiquated, that the Raiders weren't too far gone.

I loved that image that the Raiders portrayed, which was what kept me with them. They were a team that didn't give a shit what anyone one else thought about how they did business. Their fans were fanatic and they were all over. The Raiders are, in my opinion, one of the four national NFL franchises, along with the Steelers, Packers and Cowboys, in that they have a national fanbase, with a lot of fans outside their own city. The Raiders have those fans, and I am one of them, mainly because of that image of rowdiness, of toughness, of living life on the edge of the rules, of fighting against the Man, of getting your opponent down on the ground, of running by him laughing, of winning. That image was built by Al Davis, and I am sure it will go on many years from now, and Al Davis will smiling all the way.

 

'Till Next Time (which should be my inaugaral 2011 MLB Playoff Running Diary, and my first attempt at a Running Diary Doubleheader, with the two baseball games tomorrow).

Week 6 NFL Power Rankings

After 5 Weeks, it is still too early to make any real judgements on any team not 0-5 (0-4) or 5-0. 1-4 is pretty much done, and 4-1 is pretty much real, but anything in between is just a mash. Anyway, here we go, with a quick version of the power rankings.


32.) St. Louis Rams (0-4)

I hate to blame a team for picking a QB #1 overall, but will we look back and say that the Rams made a horrible pick with Sam Bradford over Ndamukong Suh? Bradford was a consensus top-5 pick so you can't blame the Rams too much, but everyone saw this Suh thing coming.


31.) Miami Dolphins (0-4)

Well, the Dolphins got a nice bye week. I'm surprised Sparano wasn't axed over the bye week, as that is usually a favorite time to in-season fire a coach. I don't think it is all Sparano's fault, mainly because the one thing Miami was counting on, their defense, has been really bad.


30.) Denver Broncos (1-4)

Tebow time!!! I've never seen someone go 4-10 passing and be praised like Tebow has. Orton was not the problem. He wasn't the solution. But this might be a scheme to go get Andrew Luck.


29.) Jacksonville Jaguars (1-4)

They should also follow a scheme to get Andrew Luck, but they probably would rather get some corners. I was in Jacksonville over the weekend, and the headlines were talking about a Jack Del Rio getting fired, which is odd, since I thought no one cared.


28.) Indianapolis Colts (0-5)

If Manning was playing they easily win the Chiefs, Browns and Bucs games, and probably win the Steelers game (it helped the Steelers played like shit). I don't know about that Texans game, but they would be 4-1. Fuck neck injuries.


27.) Kansas City Chiefs (2-3)

Somehow, they've won two straight games. Somehow, Todd Haley and Matt Cassel may make it to year 4 together. This makes me so happy, because this team is not any good, and having the Raiders play him twice a year is good.


26.) Seattle Seahawks (2-3)

In a similar vein, the Seahawks are somehow 2-3. I believe in them slightly more than the Chiefs just because they have that home field, and they have more talent. I think they'll stick with Charlie Whitehurst now, which lends me to wonder why they ever wanted Tarvaris.


25.) Arizona Cardinals (1-4)

I still think they are the 2nd best team in the division. That was the first time they weren't competitive in a game. Kolb looks to be somewhat of a disaster, but he's no worse than Tarvaris/Whitehurst or Bradford.


24.) Cleveland Browns (2-2)

2-2, and the two wins are against teams that are currently 0-9. They do have an easy schedule the rest of the way, so their record will probably end up better than their actual level of play. Watching Colt McCoy really reminds me of watching a shittier Brian Griese.


23.) Minnesota Vikings (1-4)

So, after four straight close losses they drill the Cards. Their season is pretty much shot, but at least they are still trying damn hard. Jared Allen is a fucking monster. Watching Jared Allen and Dwight Freeney play great for bad teams is really tough to stomach.


22.) Carolina Panthers (1-4)

The Cam Express is still doing business, but all the attention being paid to Cam overscores what the real issue his. HolyFuckingSteveRules&RegulationsSmith. Steve Smith is a monster, close to what he was in 2005. 609 yards in just 27 catches? That is insane.


21.) New York Jets (2-3)

I still see this team as not being good. They can turn it around if they can get that running game going, and it was good for them to have Mangold back, but the Jets don't have an offensive identity, and as I've said a lot so far in 2011, that defense just isn't as good.


20.) Philadelphia Eagles (1-4)

They could easily be 4-1 (The Giants loss was totally legitimate), but that doesn't mean anything now. There has been five teams that were 1-4 that made the playoffs. Three happpened in the last 10 years ('02 Jets, '02 Titans, '04 Packers). They have a shot, but it better get turned around quick.


19.) Cincinnati Bengals (3-2)

Where was this defense last year? Does Carson Palmer want to know unretire? How are they winning games with Andy Dalton and Bruce Gradkowski? The Bengals are doing kind of what the '09 Bengals did, just without as good of a QB. That's the difference from 7-9 and 10-6.


18.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2)

I never really believed in them. Two teams have beaten the Colts by less than a touchdown (Steelers, Bucs) and both lost their next game. The difference was the Bucs got smacked in a way that hurts. The Bucs just can't consistently play offense the way they need to.


17.) Atlanta Falcons (2-3)

That game showed the Falcons just aren't Super Bowl worthy. They controlled the Packers in the 1st half, but sooner or later, Matt Ryan and his cavalcade of plodding receivers and mid-level throws stop getting it done. That defense hasn't done enough either.


16.) Chicago Bears (2-3)

The Bears have lost by 10 to the Packers and 11 to the Lions. That's about where I see them. They have had a really tough schedule so far (their three losses are to teams currently 14-1), and here on out it isn't as bad. Look for them to make a run at some point.


15.) Tennessee Titans (3-2)

Mike Munchak finally got his welcome to the NFL. That was one team who was 3-1 off an easy schedule and a flukey win (over Baltimore) playing a team with a defense that can still tar up a bad offense. Hasselbeck finally looked like a 38 year old.


14.) Dallas Cowboys (2-2)

I'll talk more about this later, but the Cowboys are a bad matchup for New England. They can throw and throw and throw, and the Pats can't stop the pass. The Cowboys can rush the passer without blitzing, which is key to beating the Pats. I expect this game to be relatively close.


13.) Washington Redskins (3-1)

The NFC East will be a dogfight, but with three dogs that aren't best in show. Rex Grossman is still doing a Jake Plummer impression, but Plummer only once went better than 10-6. The Redskins defense is still excellent.


12.) New York Giants (3-2)

That was a horrifying loss. I did not see that coming at all. The Giants should have pulled it off, and that was a truly flukey interception that Seattle returned for 6, but the Giants should never have been in that sort of game. They have Buffalo and @NE in their next three games. Step up, New York.


11.) Houston Texans (3-2)

Tough loss, but that was a game that would be tough. Losing to the Raiders is not a bad loss anymore. They way it ended was tough with Schaub throwing that pick, but he did convert a 3rd and 23 two plays earlier. I feel bad for them with Mario out, but Wade should be able to scheme them well enough.


10.) San Francisco 49ers (4-1)

I still don't trust this team to be the elite, but they should win the division. They still have Zona and St. Louis twice, as well as Cleveland. The NFL Playoffs will return to the Bay. Will it return to both sides of the bay? Well, that should be interesting to watch play out.


9.) Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2)

The Steelers have one win where they were shitty (@IND), and two blowout wins. They also have two losses were they looked really bad. I think the Steelers will not catch the Ravens, but they have a pretty easy schedule, with St. Louis and Arizona still on it.


8.) Oakland Raiders (3-2)

They should be 4-1. They blew that Bills game. Their defense has been bad so far, but they have played three excellent offenses (Pats, Texans and Bills). Their pass rush is still excellent. The problem is their corners, but they'll get experience as the year goes on. BTW, look for an Al Davis piece coming up later this week.


7.) Buffalo Bills (4-1)

Teams that get a lot of interceptions usually are more than being just lucky. The Bills have had talented players in the sencondary for years, and although I didn't think they had that, they obviously do. The Bills offense is also still legitimate.


6.) Detroit Lions (5-0)

They aren't as good as the other 4-1 (or 5-0 in GB's case) teams in front of them. They still have a big play offense, but if they can't get those plays, I'm not sure how good their offense really is. Megatron is amazing, but he makes up for a lot of spotty throws by Stafford.


5.) San Diego Chargers (4-1)

Here is the scary part about the Chargers. They've started slow like they always do. Phil Rivers hasn't really played well yet. Antonio Gates will come back at some point. They are still already 4-1. They have a chance to go on a run. The schedule is tough, but history points to the Chargers getting a lot better.


4.) New England Patriots (4-1)

38, 35, 31, 31, 30. That is their point total in their games in order. Yup, it has been decreasing each week. They are still an excellent offense, but they can't count on getting huge Welker plays each game. The Patriots will have a game sooner or later where they need their defense to step up. I'm not sure what will happen then.


3.) New Orleans Saints (4-1)

They are like the Chargers in that they haven't got it fully together yet, but are still 4-1 with a great QB. They have the full cavalcade of offensive weapons back (in that direction, how good is Jimmy Graham?). They've already finished 3 road games, and will end with 4 of 6 in the dome.


2.) Baltimore Ravens (3-1)

That defense is something I want to see again. Leaguewide the offensive numbers are scarily high, but the Ravens are playing better defense than anything they've played since 2008 or 2006. They get a banged up Texans team and then Jacksonville and Arizona before a showdown with the Steelers in Heinz. The Ravens should enter that game 6-1.


1.) Green Bay Packers (5-0)

I always say that until the Champs lose, they have the top spot. Even if they weren't the Champs, the Packers would have the top spot. The Packers just won a road primetime game against a team that is still talented, and won by 11 without playing anything near their best. They will lose eventually, but it will take a great effort for it too happen, or for Rodgers to play badly. Rodgers played about a "C" against Carolina, so it is still possible.


Projected Playoff Predictions

AFC

1.) Baltimore Ravens 13-3
2.) San Diego Chargers 13-3
3.) New England Patriots 12-4
4.) Houston Texans 10-6
5.) Buffalo Bills 11-5
6.) Oakland Raiders 10-6


NFC

1.) Green Bay Packers 13-3
2.) New Orleans Saints 13-3
3.) New York Giants 10-6
4.) San Francisco 49ers 10-6
5.) Detroit Lions 12-4
6.) Dallas Cowboys 10-6


'Till Next Time

Week 5 NFL Picks

Doing this quick because I have wedding festivities to attend to.


Kansas City Chiefs @ Indianapolis Colts (-1.5)

If the Colts can't win this game, they might be going 0-16, which is really sad, because the Colts would be 3-1 right now if Manning was playing.

Chiefs 17 Colts 24 (IND)


Arizona Cardinals @ Minnesota Vikings (-3.5)

I don't think the Vikings will lose this game. They are at home, and the teams are pretty much even. Both have played better than their record. I'll go with the team who's defense I trust.

Cardinals 16 Vikings 23 (MIN)


Philadelphia Eagles (-3) @ Buffalo Bills

The one reason to like Philly is that they can't keep losing forever. The reason to like the Bills is that they already beat the Pats, and are being horribly disrespected be being underdogs to a 1-3 team whilst being 3-1.

Eagles 24 Bills 28 (BUF)


Oakland Raiders @ Houston Texans (-5)

I wish Oakland won last week because then I wouldn't care as much about this game. I like Houston at home. They finally seem to have gotten their shit together, and they won't drop games at home to average teams.

Raiders 20 Texans 27 (HOU)


New Orleans Saints (-6.5) @ Carolina Panthers

The Panthers are keeping every game close. Yes, they are losing most of them, but they keep them close. The Saints were impressive in a weird way last week, but I think that they won't be here. Second straight road game and all.

Saints 30 Panthers 24 (CAR)


Cincinnati Bengals (-2.5) @ Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars suck. Jack Del Rio will be fired very, very soon. The Bengals defense is really underrated and will hold anyone to less than 30.

Bengals 23 (CIN) Jaguars 13


Tennessee Titans @ Pittsburgh Steelers (-3)

The Titans are 3-1 with Chris Johnson doing nothing and Matt Hasselbeck at QB and a lunatic at QB? That is hard to believe. The Steelers are nowhere near a great team, but I think they put the hammer down in this one.

Titans 13 Steelers 30 (PIT)


Seattle Seahawks @ New York Giants (-10)

The Giants escaped Zona like I thought they will. Zona always played them tough (2008, 2009). The Seahawks never do. This one is quite easy to call.

Seahawks 16 Giants 31 (NYG)


New York Jets @ New England Patriots (-7.5)

This is a high line considering the Jets have at times done a good job against this offense. That said, I still don't think the Jets are any good. Mark Sanchez is still overrated. Santonio Holmes has really disappeared. The Pats are just better.

Jets 17 Patriots 28 (NE)


San Diego Chargers (-3.5) @ Denver Broncos

Easiest line of the week. I know that the Chargers haven't blown anyone out yet, but the Broncos aren't any good. The Chargers, I think, will get it going this week.

Chargers 35 (SD) Broncos 17


Green Bay Packers (-6) @ Atlanta Falcons

I actually like Atlanta in this game to keep it close. The Falcons are playing a revenge game that no one thinks they have a shot at.

Packers 23 Falcons 20 (ATL)


Chicago Bears @ Detroit Lions (-6.5)

I think the Bears can cover this one too. The Lions are not a great team. What I mean is that they are not 4-0 good. The Bears will be able to do something against the Lions offense, and do enough to keep it close.

Bears 20 (CHI) Lions 24


Last Week: 11-5

Season to Date: 28-19-1


Enjoy the Games!

Week 5 NFL Power Rankings

That was a less satisfying week of football, but the last two night games were good. The Sunday Night Game showed that when they are riled up, in that stadium, the Ravens are the most amazing defense on earth, still. On Monday Night, we saw that the Colts are a proud team. They would be 3-1 if Manning was still playing. The AFC is below the NFC right now, which makes it worse that the Colts can't take advantage of a weaker AFC.


32.) St. Louis Rams 0-4

Boy, oh boy. The defense finally played competently again, but the offense continues to be awful. In the "Year of the QB" Sam Bradford is putting up lethargic numbers. Maybe, just maybe, we just shouldn't of anointed a player who went 7-9 in the first season mainly because the defense got a lot better. Oh, and in other news, Roger Saffold is absolute crap.


31.) Miami Dolphins 0-4

Tony Sparano watch is on, since they are on a bye-week right now, the perfect time to make a change. Chad Henne is not the problem. He's not the answer, but he's basically what Jason Campbell was when he was in Washington. There are loads of problems on that team, like Reggie Bush being a bust in Miami and that defense really deteriorating.


30.) Minnesota Vikings 0-4

I still think they are talented, and the Vikings could easily be 3-1 after losing three straight close games. At this point, I think they should switch to Christian Ponder. McNabb is not getting them anywhere, and in a hyper-competitive NFC, they are absolutely done. Adrian Peterson's long extension is looking like a move that will keep him on a middling team for the rest of his productive career.


29.) Kansas City Chiefs 1-3

It is great that they have looked like an actual NFL team again the last two weeks, but they needed a lot to beat an 0-3 team last week at home. They still have the 2nd worst point differential in football. I still wouldn't trust them to win three more games. If any team should "suck for luck" it is the Chiefs, who's true biggest liability is at quarterback.


28.) Jacksonville Jaguars 1-3

They won their opening game. Since then, they put up 3 points against a Jets team in an effort that looks more embarrassing each week. They then put up 8 against Carolina (admittedly, part of that game was played in a monsoon). Finally, they put up 10 against the Saints at home. They have the worst offense in the NFL. Hey, who knew getting rid of one of your two best receivers and then cutting your starting quarterback and replacing him with a McCown and a rookie would end badly?


27.) Indianapolis Colts 0-4

I always feel bad doing this, but without Manning, I can't see them beating any team. I think they will play more competitively day in and day out with most of these teams in this range, but the other QBs just can't pull games out. The defense has played well two straight games, and the running game has been a revelation. Apart from QB, this is a good team.


26.) Seattle Seahawks 1-3

How the Seahawks came close to winning that game is beyond me. Tarvaris Jackson actually looked decent. All of this is probably just due to that damn Qwest Field, which is still an evening factor of any game the Seahawks play. I think they are still in deep trouble, but that crowd will make games watchable, at least.


25.) Denver Broncos 1-3

Orton and that offense actually moved the ball pretty well against the Packers. It was that defense that is still recovering from bad personnel management since the end of the Shanahan days and through the McDaniels' dictatorship. I love that they finally brought in Tim Tebow for a useless play. If you told NCAA fans two years ago that Tim Tebow would amount to nothing while a renegade QB Cam Newton would be setting rookie passing records, I think they would have killed you.


24.) Arizona Cardinals 1-3

This team came within the following of being 4-0: Two missed field goals in Seattle. A 1-point loss in Washington. A controversial call being called the way a majority of the people in the world saw it. The Cardinals are the best 1-3 team in the NFL (other than the Eagles, who are easily the most talented). Since they haven't played SF yet, I still think they have a good shot at an NFC West title.


23.) Cleveland Browns 2-2

The two teams the Browns beat are both 0-4 (Indy, Miami), and their two losses have come to teams that are among the lesser .500+ teams (Cincy, Tennessee). The Browns are a team with average talent that is unsurprisingly getting average results. All of that amounts to optimism in Cleveland. This isn't the mirage 2007 team, but a team that is worth following, that will end up with single digit losses. That can be an upgrade, just ask Raiders fans' about the 2010 season.


22.) Cincinnati Bengals 2-2

AJ Green is really, really good. The Bengals defense is good. Their schedule, like everyone in the AFC North, is really weak (the AFC South and NFC West will do that to you). They have @JAX, vs IND, bye, @ SEA, @ TEN before their first meeting with the Steelers. There is a real chance they could be 5-3 heading into that game. That is incredible. And just think if Mike Brown and Carson Palmer didn't have to sooth their egos and if he was playing QB.


21.) Carolina Panthers 1-3

Cam Newton is a lot better that what I thought he would be. But that isn't as important as the sudden revival of one Stevonne Latrall Smith (his real name), the master of the rules and regulations of the game. Mr. 89. From 2003-2008, Steve Smith was, other than Moss and Johnson/Ocho, the most exciting receiver in the game. His touchdown dances were underrated (changing the baby). He singlehandidly made Jake Delhomme into a good QB. He's the real secret behind Cam having a great rookie year.


20.) Philadelphia Eagles 1-3

This is just sad. It is just pathetic. Lose to Atlanta: Fine, they were desperate at 0-1 in their home opener. Lose to the Giants: Less fine, but the Giants are still a good team. Blow a 23-3 lead at home to the 49ers: ABSOLUTELY INEXCUSABLE. Michael Vick isn't the issue. It is all the old Eagles' foibles, like not being able to score touchdown and not being able to prevent them when inside the red zone. It also is dumb shit like Frank Gore doing his best Aaron Brooks impression.


19.) Dallas Cowboys 2-2

Tony Romo is really the new-old-Brett Favre (2002-2006). Favre in those years won a lot of games, but he also lost just as many with dumb, idiotic interceptions. Picks #1 and #3 were just bad decisions and throws. Good NFL QBs just cannot make those decisions. I said in the offseason that getting Romo back isn't that big of a deal since the difference between him and Kitna's performance in 2010 wasn't that much. Romo can make throws Kitna can't, but he'll make idiotic decisions like those picks.


18.) San Francisco 49ers 3-1

I thought they would be bad. I'm still not sure they aren't. They don't really do anything well other than not turn the ball over and stop the run. They've been outgained by about 80 yards a game, have no one rushing for over 4.0 ypc, and have Alex Smith throwing for just 800 yards (Brady crossed that in two games, so did Cam Newton). They've given up 14 sacks. They honestly do nothing well, yet came within a Tony Romo comeback of being 4-0.


17.) Atlanta Falcons 2-2

They are what they are, an unexplosive team with good players on paper that aren't any more than the some of their parts. This doesn't mean they are bad. They were the same thing in 2009, when they went 9-7. I don't think they are headed to the playoffs, but they still are a tough out for anybody.


16.) Tennessee Titans 3-1

They have given up the fewest points in the NFL so far, and Matt Hasselbeck is completing 2/3rds of his passes and has a ypa of 8.7. They are 3-1, with Chris Johnson being among the worst RBs in the NFL in ypr right now. Kenny Britt is also gone, but they went out and blasted the Browns in Cleveland. This probably won't continue too much longer, but right now, the Titans are a legitimate wild card threat in the weaker conference.


15.) Washington Redskins 3-1

Holy Rex. He just wins games. He just does what is needed. Enter in whatever Rex Grossman platitude Lovie Smith used to use in 2006. The Redskins have a good defense, capable of winning games if the offense doesn't make too many mistakes. The Redskins have a good offense with a great play-caller running the show. The Redskins played pretty well in their only loss as well. Grossman is really doing a Jake Plummer impression, and that usually ended in January.


14.) New York Jets 2-2

I had a feeling that the Jets would take a step back in 2011 from 2009-2010, but my thoughts were mostly about their defense. I thought Sanchez would get better. Their receiving corp didn't make a great exchange of players, but Sanchez would get better. Well, bang me silly, that really hasn't happened. The Jets need Nick Mangold back, and quick. Seeing them without Mangold get destroyed, I think my selection of Mangold being the higher ranked player over Revis doesn't look as outlandish.


13.) Pittsburgh Steelers 2-2

The old Steelers never let a "finesse" team like Houston run for 170 yards. The Steelers just lost to the Texans in a defensive struggle. That sentence just made a terrible towel eat itself. I think they will snap out of it a bit, and that easy schedule is still there, but their close loss to the Colts was not a mirage. The Steelers o-line has somehow become worse and more injured. The defense still looks old, and now James Harrison is having orbital bone surgery. Black and Blue for the Black and Gold.


12.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers 3-1

I love that the Buccaneers win all these close games, but that just means that they aren't that great of a team. They haven't gone out and beaten a good team straight up. They play all these middling teams close (Indy, Minnesota). Can they just go out and blast a team like all the other good teams? It is like Freeman just wants to get as many 4th-quarter comebacks as possible.


11.) Oakland Raiders 2-2

That was a loss that is acceptable. They aren't ready to beat a team of New England's caliber when they make mistakes. They played Brady well, holding him to just over 50% completion percentage. They were the first team to shut down Gronkowski. If Campbell doesn't throw that ridiculous interception, the worst they go into halftime is 17-13 (or even 17-17). That game could've been different. I still took positives out of it.


10.) Chicago Bears 2-2

Devin Hester is ridiculous. Devin Hester is the greatest returner in NFL history. You know what, it is always fun to watch the absolute best. It was fun to watch Manning carve up teams to no end, to throw balls into tight windows to covered receivers. It was fun to watch Tiger in his prime, or Federer in his. Watching people who are the best to play their sport is fun, and Hester is one of those guys. He's the best ever at what he does.


9.) Buffalo Bills 3-1

That was a crushing loss. I picked that they would not cover the Bengals, but I truly didn't expect them to lose, and in that fashion. I don't think the Bills are the frauds that they were in 2008 when they started 4-0, but the Bills aren't going to the playoffs if they lose these winnable games. By the way, what exactly is CJ Spiller doing these days?


8.) New York Giants 3-1

Oh, G-Men. I'm sorry I doubted you. With Osi back, and Eli getting more acclimated to those new weapons, the G-Men are about to go on a streak. History tells us so. History also tells us that there could be problems in the 2nd half, but that can't last forever. The G-Men still have that great running game and have the best pass-rushing d-line in the NFL. Those two in tandem with Eli playing awesome make a combination ripe for 11-5.


7.) Houston Texans 3-1

Just like I wrote in the Steelers part, the Texans just out-physicaled a physical team. The Texans did what they did, most of the game without Andre Johnson, against the Steelers. Yes, the Steelers o-line is about as good as most Div-III colleges, but that doesn't take away fully from the fact that the Texans pass rush was just dominating on Sunday. The Texans don't have to play great offense to win their games, winning two games when scoring a combined 40 points.


6.) Detroit Lions 4-0

Congratulations for being undefeated one more week. They ripped the heart out of the Jerry Dome. The Jerry-Pire State Building opened in the beginning of the 2009 season. That year, the Lions were in a 5-47 run. A year after that ended (end of 2010), they outgunned the Cowboys in the Jerry-Canyon. Calvin Johnson is also a beast. But we always knew that.


5.) San Diego Chargers 3-1

The Chargers have looked tired and lazy in their three wins, and looked like the "same old Chargers" in their only loss. The Calendar is flipped, and this is when the Chargers start playing good again. That's a good thing, because in this season, the Chargers are already 3-1 in their lazy, tired phase of the season. Phil Rivers won't have more picks than TDs for long. That defense is still really good, and that offense will get better (hasn't score 30 yet this year, I expect that to change, maybe this week). The Chargers are still my pick to win the Super Bowl, but then again, after picking the White Sox to win the Super Bowl, that is probably going to make the Chargers miss the playoffs again.


4.) New England Patriots 3-1

This defense is still awful. They've given up over 410 yards in every game. They can't rush the passer at all. They are virtually the 2004 Colts, with less explosiveness and more efficiency (basically, they won't hit the same amount of deep plays as that Colts team did, but will get more long drives and YAC). That isn't a recipe for success. They've finished their transition to the 2003-2004 Colts. Have fun with that, Pats fans. You have become your enemy.


3.) New Orleans Saints 3-1

That was a game that good teams win in just that fashion. The Saints weren't playing 100%. But they still won by 13 on the road. That's how a good team gets it done. The Saints played the Packers damn tough in what has been the NFL's impossible game (road teams still haven't won the Week-1 game at the defending champ since it started in 2004. Many have been close 2004, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, but the road team hasn't gotten it done ever). The Saints have since been the Saints, and now their defense finally had a great outing.


2.) Baltimore Ravens 3-1

My oh my. How the hell did they lose 13-26 in Tennessee. Even if you include that game, this team has the best point differential in the NFL. Their defense has been fantastic. Some of it will regress back to the mean (like already recovering 8 fumbles and having 14 takeaways through 4 games), but Flacco will probably not end the 2011 season with less than 50% completions. Torrey Smith looks really good, and Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta look to be a solid 1-2 TE combo. The Ravens, in the conventional sense, are the most complete team in the NFL. They just aren't the best, yet.


1.) Green Bay Packers 4-0

They are really good. They are the champs and they are undefeated. They are the best team in the NFL right now. Aaron Rodgers cannot play at a 124.7 passer rating pace for too much longer since that is pretty much impossible (and as good as he looks now, he hasn't played as good as Peyton in 2004 when he had a 121.1). That defense, though, will probably get better. They still haven't had a great game, but they are still getting turnovers. Until they lose they won't drop. I honestly think they have a shot to lose this Sunday night in Atlanta, but that's just a gut feeling. My head is telling me it could be something resembling the 48-21 playoff game.



Playoff Projections/Predictions

AFC

1.) Baltimore Ravens 13-3
2.) San Diego Chargers 13-3
3.) New England Patriots 12-4
4.) Houston Texans 11-5
5.) Pittsburgh Steelers 10-6
6.) Oakland Raiders 10-6


NFC

1.) Green Bay Packers 13-3
2.) New Orleans Saints 13-3
3.) New York Giants 11-5
4.) San Francisco 49ers 9-7
5.) Detroit Lions 12-4
6.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10-6


'Till Next Time

Week 4 NFL Picks

So, after a one week hiatus, where everything went right in my NFL world (Pats lost, Raiders won, Colts look competent for once without Manning), I've decided to forget my earlier decision to forget about football. Anyway, here come my Week 4 NFL Picks.


Detroit Lions @ Dallas Cowboys (-2.5)

Dallas beat Washington 18-16 at home. Detroit is a different animal, especially on that defensive line. Suh, KVB and the rest of the boys will tee off on an offensive line that still isn't really gelling. Tony Romo, for all his supposed heroics, played average, especially given that horrible pick he through in the 3rd quarter. The Lions offense should be able to take advantage of that still porous pass defense. The Cowboys should be able to get a good pass rush, but then again, the Vikings did too.

Lions 27 (DET) Cowboys 20


New Orleans Saints (-7) @ Jacksonville Jaguars

The Saints are good. The Jags are not. The Saints have been scoring at a really high rate, and the Jaguars defense, while being good so far, has yet to face a passing offense close to that of the Saints. Drew Brees is quietly having an excellent season through three games. The Jaguars offense will really struggle under Blaine Gabbert against a good blitzing defense. This one is quite easy to call.

Saints 31 (NO) Jaguars 16


San Francisco 49ers @ Philadelphia Eagles (-9.5)

That is a high number for a team that looked lifeless a week ago and with a QB who had a concussion and then a bruised (at one point close to broken) hand in his last two games. The 49ers offense is still not very good, but they have one key advantage over the Eagles: Vernon Davis. The Eagles' LBs are horrible. They can't cover anyone, and Vernon Davis should have a nice game. I still think the Eagles are too good to actually lose this game, but they 49ers will keep it close.

49ers 20 (SF) Eagles 24


Washington Redskins (-3) @ St. Louis Rams

I'm not sure if I like the idea of the Redskins and Rex Grossman being favorites on the road, but the Rams are not playing good at all. The Redskins defense has been really good so far this season, which is worse for an offense still struggling to just get off the ground. Rex Grossman still had a bad interception against Dallas, but mainly stayed protective of the ball. This is much like the old Shanahan reclamation project Jake Plummer. I like this Redskins team right now. Their defense plays tough. Their offense can make some moves and the running game is operating on a Shanahan-lite level.

Redskins 24 (WAS) Rams 16


Tennessee Titans (PK) @ Cleveland Browns

One of these teams will be 3-1. That is terrifying. Mike Holmgren stopped coaching Matt Hasselbeck in 2008, when Hasselbeck was washed up. Now, either a team QBed by Hasselbeck or run by Holmgren will be 3-1. Personally, I don't think either team has lasting power, and I like both teams, but when in doubt, go with the home team that isn't QBed by a 38 year old bald man who's really playing with house money.

Titans 17 Browns 23 (CLE)


Buffalo Bills (-3) @ Cincinnati Bengals

Are the Bills really going to be 4-0? I think for the first time in 2011 the Bills offense will be slowed to a point. The Bengals defense is good enough to keep this game relatively lower-scoring. The Bills defense then will have to play well against Andy Dalton, which really isn't a task too difficult for a team that just picked off Tom Brady four times. Andy Dalton has really looked like an overdrafted rookie in a volatile situation. The Bills will, in my estimation, be 4-0, as crazy as that sounds.

Bills 23 (BUF) Bengals 16


Minnesota Vikings (-3) @ Kansas City Chiefs

The only meeting of two 0-3 teams is a game where the two teams is a matchup where one team has lost three close games to three good teams. The other is a team that was blown out twice and then lost a game nowhere as close as the score indicated to San Diego (in KC's defense, Minnesota did as well). I'll go with the team that has played better, the team that has built up big leads, mainly because without Thomas Jones, the Chiefs can't really make the comeback.

Vikings 27 (MIN) Chiefs 20


Carolina Panthers @ Chicago Bears (-7)

The Panthers are a nice team, they really are. But what amazes me is that they've had a lot of success on offense without getting much from DeAngelo Williams ("not getting much" is actually an understatement, since he's been horrific), or that defense. That is not a good way to match up against a team that can play great defense, and limit the big play. The Bears are good enough to beat the Panthers.

Panthers 16 Bears 28 (CHI)


Pittsburgh Steelers @ Houston Texans (-4)

I'm amazed the Texans are favored in this game. I'm more amazed that I really like them here. The Steelers defense is just not the same. They need to replace Aaron Smith, James Farrior, James Harrison and that whole secondary quickly to be set for the next decade. The Texans have a huge game in this one. The division is going to be winnable anyway, but this is the type of game that they lay the hammer down. They will.

Steelers 17 Texans 24 (HOU)


Atlanta Falcons (-6) @ Seattle Seahawks

There isn't any point in picking this game. Weird things happen in that stadium. Most people view this game as a lock for the Falcons, but I think the Seahawks keep it close. I'm not really sure why I do, but it just looks like that type of game that could lose a lot of people a lot of money. The Falcons haven't done anything to prove that they can go into what is still a tough place to play and win by a touchdown.

Falcons 27 Seahawks 24 (SEA)


New York Giants (-1.5) @ Arizona Cardinals

I also think this game will be closer than most, and here the line agrees with me. I'm surprised after a win like that the Giants are only favored by 1.5. The Cardinals are better than that 1-2 record. They could easily be 3-0, losing their last two games in bad fashion. The Giants are playing a classic letdown game. Then again, I can't see the Cardinals winning, and that line is awfully low, so after all that, the Giants should cover.

Giants 33 (NYG) Cardinals 28


Miami Dolphins @ San Diego Chargers (-6.5)

The Dolphins stink. The Chargers are still getting better. The Chargers haven't played a great game yet, and Philip Rivers has been pedestrian for him. I won't waste time on a game that is really obvious pick.

Dolphins 13 Chargers 27 (SD)


Denver Broncos @ Green Bay Packers (-12)

This is more obvious than the Chargers pick. The Packers will lose eventually, but it sure as hell won't be to the Broncos. Orton will have time, and that Packers defense doesn't look nearly as good as it was in 2009-2010, but the Packers offense will easily score too many points.

Broncos 24 Packers 41 (GB)


New England Patriots (-6.5) @ Oakland Raiders

This is a homer pick. This is a pick that will probably be wrong, but fuck it. This is the biggest game the Raiders have played in a while. They can make a statement here. This is the type of team New England can struggle against. The Raiders can run clock to get a good time of possession (much like Baltimore in the 2009 playoffs). The Raiders have the d-line that can get good pressure without blitzing too often (like the Giants in the 2007 playoffs). I like the Raiders to stun everyone and beat the Pats.

Pats 20 Raiders 24 (OAK)


New York Jets @ Baltimore Ravens (-5)

I don't think the Jets are that good. I don't think they are making the playoffs. They made their offense worse with their free agent decisions, and then their defense has mysteriously regressed. The Ravens will be ready for this. This is their night game at home. I researched that they are wearing the black uniforms, and other than a loss to the Colts in 2007, the Ravens have NEVER lost a night game in the all-black uniforms (they've won the other 4). Ravens in Black, it is over.

Jets 13 Ravens 24 (BAL)


Indianapolis Colts @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-10)

I would love to pick the Colts in this game. I won't do that because I don't trust Curtis Painter at all to be anything more than bad. That said, I can pick this to be close because the Buccaneers just don't blow-out anyone. The Colts defense is playing amped up. They aren't quitting, and that is all that I can say about a team that will probably go 3-13.

Colts 17 (IND) Buccaneers 24


Last Week: 10-6

Season to Date: 17-14-1

MLB Playoffs: Breaking the ALDS's Down

Picture credit to www.mw32.com

So, after that masterpiece on Wednesday night, we have to sit down and look at what lies ahead: October baseball. I'm already stocking up on extra nails to bite off over the next four weeks. Overall, this might be the best field we've had in the playoffs in years. For the second straight year, the fewest wins of any playoff team is 90, and this year we have more good teams then ever. The top three in the AL won 97, 96 and 95 games, and the top three in the NFL won 102, 96 and 94 games. These are all good teams, and other than Arizona, all teams that are not surprises in a way. The AL returns three teams from last years' playoffs, with the Verlanders replacing the Twins. The NL has the Phillies, which was kind of obvious, and the Cardinals, who while a surprise, have been playoff staples over the last decade. The Brewers were my pet team, so I'm not surprised in any way. The D'Backs are a huge surprise, but they were good from the beginning of the season, and then after that 11 game win streak took over the NL West lead and never really came close to blowing it. This is a deep playoff slate, and I'll be surprised if we get any sweeps.

Detroit Tigers (95-67) vs New York (97-65)

The Yankees were the best team in the AL, but the talent difference between these two teams are not that huge. On offense, the Yankees got less than years from A-Rod, Teixeira, and Jeter (who did quietly build his batting average to .297 but didn't even reach 100 on OPS+), but got great years from Granderson and Cano. This might be the changing of the guard, but I'm not sure if that is a good thing. As for the Tigers, Miggy had a quietly great year, again with a .344/.448/.586. Alex Avila went from unknown to very good offensive catcher. V-Mart batted .330, which begs the question why the Red Sox ever got rid of him. Overall offense, the Tigers scored 80 fewer runs, but also played 81 games in an extreme pitchers park. The Yankees team OPS+ was 106, while the Tigers were 110+. They aren't just Verlander and a bunch of nothing.

On pitching, they really are pretty much Verlander and a bunch of nothing. Doug Fister has been brilliant since coming over from Seattle, but didn't really pitch great against any good teams in Detroit. Scherzer really fell off in the second half. The bullpen is good, especially in the back end with Valverde, but I've never had too much confidence in him. As much as the hitting is far closer than most people think, the Yankees have a surprising edge in pitching, The Yankees gave up just 657 runs (3rd fewest in the AL) and the Tigers gave up 711 (8th in the AL) despite having a great pitcher park. Verlander is great, but Sabathia is really 98% as good. A lot of the Tigers perceived edge in pitching is just the way Verlander has been mythologized this season.

Yes, Justin Verlander has been the most exciting pitcher in baseball this year. Yes, he is probably the best pitcher in the AL, but those two things are not the same (Clayton Kershaw had just as good of a year. Kershaw is in the NL, but plays in a good offensive division with Colorado and Arizona, and had better stats in most categories). Verlander's biggest draw is that 24-5 record, but if 2009 and 2010 thought us anything, it is that wins are meaningless. Three of the four Cy Young winners in that period had 13 (F. Hernandez), 15 (Z. Greinke) and 16 (T. Lincecum) wins. Verlander won 24, but really, that doesn't mean much. The rest of his stats are great, and are in all ways better than CC, but would I be surprised if the Yankees win one of the two possible Verlander starts? No, I won't. The Yankees are probably deeper at pitchers #3 and #4 (and Jim Leyland is promising he won't start Verlander Game 4). The Yankees have the far deeper bullpen. The Yankees are the better team.

Odd Stat That Doesn't Mean Much but is Interesting: The Yankees haven't beaten a team in the ALDS other than the Twins since 2001. They beat the Twins in 2003, 2004, 2009 and 2010, and were knocked out in the ALDS in 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2007.
Pick: Yankees in 5.

Tampa Bay Rays (91-71) vs Texas Rangers (96-66)

They met a year ago in the ALDS, in what was a series totally opposite to this one. In 2010, the Rangers were the surprise, winning the AL West for the first time since the 90's with a 91-71 record, and the Rays were already making their 2nd playoff appearance in two years at 96-66. The records are opposite, and so are the teams. The Rangers don't have the offense they did back when it was Tex, Kinsler, Young and Blalock along the infield, but their offense is simply better than that of the Rays. The Rangers were 1st in batting, 2nd in SLG and 2nd in OPS. They are deep, with 9 starters and their top 2 backups having OPSes above .700 and OPS+es ranging from 84 to 171. Josh Hamilton had another great year despite missing six weeks. Their biggest strength might be that they had the fewest strikeouts of any team in the AL.

The Rays aren't built to put up big offensive numbers, and even in 2008 in their apex, they weren't. BJ Upton had a really nice second half, and has shown he can go on power surges. What they all collectively do is draw walks and a lot of them (3rd most in the AL). They also play in a pitchers park that depresses some of their stats. All of them are solid, with their top 11 having seven players with an OPS+ above 115. That all said, it is clear that, and for the 2nd year in a row in this matchup, the Rangers have the hitting edge.

Ironically, the Rangers have the sizable pitching edge as well. It isn't that the Rays are bad, but that the Rangers quietly were really, really good in 2011. They had the 3rd best run differential (+178) in baseball behind the Yankees (+210) and the Phillies (+184), and a lot of that is pitching. Unless the Rays want to pitch Matt Moore as a starter, the Rays will have to pitch either someone on short rest, or pitch Wade Davis or Jeff Neimann, neither of whom are that great. Hellickson, Price and Shields are all good, but Price did not have a great end to his season. On the surface, the Rangers don't look to be better, but they play in an extreme hitter's park. All five starters have an ERA+ over 100. CJ Wilson put up great numbers all year long. Matt Harrison and Ariel Ogando have been solid all year. What makes it better for them is that they have the better bullpen too. The Rangers just have a better team on offense and defense.

Odd Stat That Doesn't Mean Anything but is Interesting: 6 times two teams have met in back-to-back ALDSes since 2001 (The Angels and Red Sox met three straight times, but in this excercise, that counts as two different back-to-backs), and the winner of the first meeting is 4-2 against the other team. The two times it switches was the 2002 Cardinals beat Arizona after losing in 2001, and the 2009 Angels beat the Red Sox after losing in 2008. The 2003-04 Yankees beat the Twins, the 2009-10 Yankees beat the Twins, the 2005-06 Cardinals beat the Padres, and the 2007-08 Red Sox beat the Angels.
Pick: Rangers in 4.


NL Coming Tomorrow

For Just One Night

After it all, the best part was three teams were one out away from winning, and all three needed to be blown for the Cardinals and Rays to clinch the playoffs, and all three were blown.

After it all, the best part is that all those people who said the Red Sox were dead after their 2-10 start to the season were somehow right.

After it all, the best part is the fact that the Yankees were up 7-0 before they trotted out guys named Golson, Romine, Ayala, Dickerson, Nunez, Laffey, Valdez, Brackman, Wade and Proctor.

After it all, the best part is that two of the best closers in baseball blew leads in the 9th inning, and for once, the Red Sox probably wished that Mariano Rivera pitched in the ninth.

After it all, the best part was that literally three minutes after the Orioles walked off with the 2011 Red Sox's scalps, Longoria hit a walk off home run to clinch the Rays 3rd playoff berth in three seasons.

But really, after it all, the best part is that October, a month filled with sacred, chilling, pulsating moments between pitches deep into cold nights, has not even started yet.

People say baseball is dead. People say the "national pastime" is so out of touch with the modern generation that it will soon be the 3rd sport in the US. People can say whatever the fuck they want, but on nights like last night, baseball is the best sport on earth. Facebook and Twitter erupted with baseball related statuses. Most of them were some knock on the Red Sox (whose fans will milk the living shit out of this collapse despite winning a championship in every sport since 2004). However, beneath all the silly jests on the Sox expense, there were many Facebook statuses that rang the same tune; "What a night of baseball!"

It was a night to rejoice in the game famous for having no clock and little action. It was a night to sit and watch three great games simultaneously going on, and all ending in stunning fashion. One of the biggest take-aways from last night was that the 2011 Braves and Red Sox have the biggest September collapses in the history of the MLB. However, even if those two teams hadn't blown huge September leads, and they were just in a daily battle with the Cardinals and Rays, that would have been the greatest closing night in MLB history.

That was a night that only baseball could give you. It is the only sport with rain delays, which allowed a 9 inning 4-3 game to end simultaneously with a 12 inning 8-7 game that started at the same time. It is the only sport where walk-off hits are common occurrences (in hockey, it isn't that common in the regular season, and then playoff hockey is just a different animal), and we got two within three minutes of each other that combined to give the Red Sox fans just one more thing to cry about. It is the only sport with 20 seconds between plays where that time is filled with tension (unlike the 35 seconds between plays in the NFL that is filled with nothing), and the tension was greater than anything I've seen in the regular season. Finally, baseball is the only sport where momentum changes often and that it is ingrained in the body of the game. The Red Sox had 1st and 3rd with no outs in the 9th inning, and didn't get an insurance run. The Yankees had 1st and 3rd with one out in the 11th inning, and didn't get an insurance run. Both teams would pay, or more exactly, the Red Sox would pay in both instances.

The drama in the AL really overshadowed what went down in the NL, and probably allowed the Braves to kind of be off the hook outside Atlanta, but it was as crazy. The Braves all season long have forced their top three bullpen arms to pitch way more than necessary, often to great results. They finally got tired, with star closer Craig Kimbrel blowing a 9th inning lead, just like what happened in Tampa Bay and Baltimore. The Cardinals were the only team to not give their own fans heart attacks, blasting the Astros 8-0 (in this, the Astros now had the worst season in the MLB since the Royals in 2005 - the same year the Astros made it to the World Series). The Braves finished their misery 25 minutes before the Red Sox and Rays decided to play play on two stages, and it was a great, if miserable, opening act.

Dan Johnson, Nolan Reimold and Robert Andino combined to kill a team that this offseason spent nearly 300 million in getting Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez. Dan Johnson was hitting .108. Nolan Reimold is living off of one good year three years ago. Robert Andino is, well, Robert Andino. Those three wouldn't make the Red Sox roster, and they were the stars of the show. Jonathan Papelbon and the array of Yankee pitchers who decided to make cameos in the most important game for the Red Sox this season were the villains, and what better way to have it, with the Red Sox relying on their closer who had been brilliant in 2011, and the Yankees deciding to everything but openly throw a 7-0 game. It was dramatic, but it was comedic, with one team playing as hard as they could but still losing, and then needing their biggest rival to win, and that rival after taking a 7-0 lead playing as ambivalently as they could and inevitably losing.

The most dramatic part of all of the games was probably the 9th inning in the Red Sox-Orioles game, and that provided the most expansive ending. The best part was its finish, with speedy Carl Crawford messing up in the field and not getting to Andino's line drive. Carl Crawford never really wanted to go to Boston, but he was leaving Tampa, a place that couldn't afford him and had a replacement waiting in Triple A. Carl Crawford, like most mortal men, was won over by money to play for Boston, where he's done nothing but disappoint. In the end, Tampa used him well in 2011, capitalizing on his mis-field. The Rays, it seems, always know just when to get rid of players.

Going into last night, I was hoping for at least one 1-game playoff. All the one's in my time of watching baseball have been incredible. First was the Rockies/Padres 13-inning affair in 2007 where the Padres' Trevor Hoffman blew a 2-run lead in the 9th and it ended with Matt Holliday scoring a run in which he still hasn't tagged home. The next year, the White Sox beat the Twins 1-0 in a great pitcher's duel in game 163. The next year, the Twins closed out the Metrodome in 13 innings against the Tigers. I wanted a one game playoff. That said, I will take what I got last night every single time. I wrote last year that the chance to see Roy Oswalt pitch playoff games again will get me to love baseball again the way I used to when the Astros played back-to-back nail-biting NLCSs in 2004-05. That wasn't totally true, but it was last night. Night's like that, filled with drama and comedy and errors and struggle are what baseball is all about. Nights like that show why baseball is still around, still relevant, and can still captivate a nation of sports fans. Nights like that are why I, and so many others love baseball, because for just one night, anything, like winning when down to one strike, like Red Sox fans rooting hard for Yankee scrubs, like great closers blowing leads, like winning when down 7-0 in the 8th inning in a must win game, anything can happen.

Week 4 NFL Power Rankings

So, after a great weekend of football from beginning to end, I'm back in for the 2011 NFL Season, and this time for good, starting here with the Power Rankings.


32.) Kansas City Chiefs (0-3)

The good news is that they actually looked like a competent NFL team for once, not losing by more than 30. The bad news is they should have lost by 30, and they don't have their best player for the rest of the season, and in a year when passing yardage numbers are becoming the home run numbers of the 2010's, Matt Cassel hasn't passed for 200 yards yet.


31.) Miami Dolphins (0-3)

I don't think they are any good, and for once, it is not really Chad Henne's fault. Brandon Marshall is not good enough to do it alone. Their defense also has become average, which is a big step down. They can't get a good pass rush, and their linebackers are old. Not a good combination.


30.) Seattle Seahawks (1-2)

They won a game, which only matters because now they cannot possibly go 0-16. They got lucky with Arizona suffering through two missed field goals. There was once a time when the NFC West was not horrible. I know it happened at some point. Hell, from 1984-1994, the NFC West consistently had two good teams each year. Now, that is not the case, at all.


29.) Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2)

That win in Week 1 is looking more and more like a mirage. Luke McCown is horrible. Blaine Gabbert looked like a raw rookie, which is no surprise. Maurice Jones-Drew hasn't exactly had a great year. Their defense is surprisingly playing quite well, especially up front, but they need more than that when their offense struggles to cross the 20 point number.


28.) St. Louis Rams (0-3)

Wow, I did not expect them to be this bad at all. But then again, it probably is not a total surprise. Sam Bradford seems to have not developed at all in year 2. His receivers are no better. The reason I don't have them below the teams above them is mainly because I think at some point they'll get better, while I think those teams will all get worse.


27.) Indianapolis Colts (0-3)

That was an awesome performance. I haven't been as proud of the Colts in a long time. They played incredible on rush defense and rush offense. They gave up big plays in the passing game, but more then made it up with the rush of Maths and Freeney. Those two better never get old.


26.) Cincinnati Bengals (1-2)

Andy Dalton looks like what I thought he was, a prospect who because of a run on quarterbacks was overvalued, and QB who because of Mike Brown's paucity, is a starting QB. The defense is good again, which should help them win four games or so, but they aren't doing any favors by losing winnable home games against teams of San Francisco's ilk.


25.) Denver Broncos (1-2)

Denver is a team that if they stopped making dumb mistakes, could've put together a KC in 2010 type run, because they are well coached with a capable QB, and a defense that actually has gameplans. It is amazing what losing a autocratic buffoon can do to a team. They don't need Tim Tebow to save them, they just need time.


24.) Arizona Cardinals (1-2)

Yes, they are 1-2 and a loss to Seattle is disappointing even if it was in Seattle, but I still like this team to get things right and sneak out this division. They lost two road games so far, one by 1 point on a last second field goal against a 2-1 team, and the other a game in Seattle when they missed two makeable field goals. They still have more talent than anyone in that division, and probably the best QB and head coach in it as well.


23.) Minnesota Vikings (0-3)

The Vikings aren't bad, but are honestly the same team they were a year ago, just with a different aging QB. They're defense has played three straight great 1st halves, and three straight bad 2nd halves, which happened a lot last year, just not to these extremes. The Vikings pass rush was incredible in the first half and then couldn't generate much in the second. That's the key to this team.


22.) Carolina Panthers (1-2)

I like Cam Newton, who ironically had his worst game against a bad defense. I never thought he would be a JaMarcus-ian bust just because he seemed totally committed, and I still think that. The other revelations of the 2011 Panthers are that Steve Smith can still designate "the rules and regulations of the game" (ahh, the classic 2009 season. If the Colts just recovered that damn onside kick, that would've really been a perfect NFL season for me).


21.) San Francisco 49ers (2-1)

Somehow, they are 2-1. Alex Smith is still the quarterback. Michael Crabtree is still underperforming everyone's projections for him out of college. More amazingly, they are a great Romo comeback away from being 3-0. If they were 3-0, I think they should just be automatically awarded the NFC West.


20.) Cleveland Browns (2-1)

They are also 2-1, and they've played no one. But look at their schedule. They play no one. Other than set matchups with Baltimore and Pittsburgh, their schedule features a trip to Oakland, and then the entire NFC West and AFC South (other than Indy). They can do exactly what KC did in 2011. Sadly for them, they have Pittsburgh and Baltimore. Those two aren't going away.


19.) Tennessee Titans (2-1)

Two questions? What is more surprising: Matt Hasselbeck having two games that easily could've come out of the 2005 season for him? or that Chris Johnson has yet to cross 100 yards... total? Actually the most surprising is that they are 2-1.


18.) Washington Redskins (2-1)

They blew that game. The Cowboys also blew it, but the Redskins played great defense for 58 minutes, all until that all out blitz on 3rd and 21. Just play freakin zone and make the Cowboys convert a 4th and 9 or whatever. What exactly was the point of that big blitz. Holy God, was that a stupid defensive playcall.


17.) Dallas Cowboys (2-1)

That was the most pitiful performance by a center ever. They stuck to what they do, and although they never got a touchdown, they finally started running the ball near the end, and Romo made some plays. At the end of the day, I can't be too excited about a team that won two games, one in overtime and the other with a last minute come-from-behind field goal against a Rex Grossman QB-ed team.


16.) Atlanta Falcons (1-2)

They aren't this bad, but they have the same problem they had last year: they can't score quickly. You need to be able to do that in 2011. They couldn't really do it last year, but their o-line play was better, so they could at least run the ball all day. Matt Ryan is stuck throwing short throws, and the odd deep ball. The defense really hasn't stepped up either.


15.) Chicago Bears (1-2)

That loss to the Packers was bad, but what was more telling was that the Bears lost the field position all day. They didn't play all that bad on defense, but the Packers just had shorter fields all day long, so they converted it into points. I will say that their o-line has been a lot better, despite giving up 14 sacks, and their two losses are to two damn good football teams. Finally, Brian Urlacher is a hall of famer., He's incredible.


14.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1)

They are 2-1, with a great chance to go 3-1 with Indy next Monday Night, and then a great chance to go 4-1 after a road date with San Fran. It would behoove them to win those two games, since they have two big home games with New Orleans and Chicago next. Other than Detroit, they are the team that has continued their upward trend from 2010 (unlike St. Louis and Atlanta), and that should be less of a surprise than it is for me.


13.) Philadelphia Eagles (1-2)

Thank God for them that Michael Vick isn't missing three weeks, because they would be screwed. Even with Michael Vick, their offense just isn't what it was a year ago, and that probably boils down to Avant not being the same and DeSean not being the same either. Their linebackers need serious work, and for all the money they spent on Babin and Cullen, you would've thought their d-line would be better as well.


12.) Oakland Raiders (2-1)

For the first time in years, they beat a good team without playing their best, and without getting lucky. This wasn't a fluke win, like the time in 2009 when the Bengals fumbled back to back drives, or when Bruce Gradkowski threw three 4th quarter TDs to beat Pittsburgh. No, this was real. That win over the Jets felt like two even teams. If they can even keep close with New England, I think the Raiders are truly serious wild-card contenders, if not in the division.


11.) Pittsburgh Steelers (2-1)

Their defense looks old. Of course, it is old, but they really show it. Mike Pollak may be many things, but the sight of him pushing Aaron Smith around was sad to see. James Harrison didn't get any pressure until the Painter fumble. Troy looked good for once, but the team just looks slower. Their offense is still good, but that defense is just not the same.


10.) New York Jets (2-1)

They made a mistake by essentially trading Jericho and Braylon for Mason and Plax. That isn't a winning scenario. The run defense was non-existent on Sunday. Yes, the Raiders are a very good running team, but what they are not are a very good pass-blocking team, and they held that Jets pass rush completely. Also, what is going on with Shonn Greene. All that said, they are still a good team, and if Mark Sanchez can just stop throwing ridiculous interceptions, should be fine.


9.) Buffalo Bills (3-0)

A lot of people are citing the Bills 4-0 start in 2008 as reasons to not believe. Well, here's why that's crap. In 2008, they beat Seattle (4-12), Jacksonville (5-11), Oakland (5-11) and St. Louis (2-14) in those four games (admittedly, the Seattle and St. Louis wins were blowouts). The Chiefs suck, but the Raiders are mediocre at worst and good at best, and the Pats are the Pats. These are legitimate wins. They overcame a 21 point defecit pretty easily.


8.) New York Giants (2-1)

So, they just beat the Eagles without Manningham, Hixon, a good tight end, good corners, and Osi. They were never going to be the 6-10 team some people said, and they might not be the 8th best team, but when they play well, they play really well and they usually string together a nice run. In the past four seasons, they've had a 6 game winning streak (2007), two five game winning streaks (2009, 2010) and a seven game winning streak (2008). This might be the start of a run, especially with some of the calvary coming back.


7.) Houston Texans (2-1)

A lot of the media sang the same tune about the Texans, that "they are not a new team, they haven't grown up". That's all bull. They were just outgunned by a powerful offense in their building. Anyone else loses 40-33 to the Saints and it is probably no big deal. Hell, the Packers came one yard away from blowing a 21-7 lead on the Saints in Lambeau. Their defense isn't good enough to shut down good teams on the road, but if just two of those field goals were touchdowns they are 3-0.


6.) Detroit Lions (3-0)

They are 3-0. Of course, they were down 20-0 to the Vikings, but then again, the other 3-0 surprise team was down 21-0. If the Lions keep Matthew Stafford healthy, they will make the playoffs. Calvin Johnson is a beast. Their d-line has underperformed, and they are still good. That team gets the Packers in their building on Thanksgiving, which will make all those "why the hell do the Lions get to host a Thanksgiving game from now to eternity?" jokes totally irrelevant. They also play in Lambeau Week 17. Should be fun.


5.) San Diego Chargers (2-1)

They are put here more because they are a great "buy" right now. Everyone knows the Chargers start slowly. The funny thing is that they are winning the games that the past Chargers teams lose, like their opener and even last week. They were much more in that New England game than the score indicated. Phil Rivers won't be this pick-prone for too long. The only worry is Gates' injury might be serious.


4.) New England Patriots (2-1)

Their defense sucks. It might be worse than last years. They get no pass rush. For all those offseason acquisitions, it looks like none of them have really paid divedends, especially Shaun Ellis and Mark Anderson. Brady remains on fire (although those picks were enjoyable). The biggest reason I still have them this high is that West Welker is 100% back from that ACL tear. He's gotten back the agility and quick-step that he didn't have in 2010.


3.) New Orleans Saints (2-1)

They lost a nail-biter to the best team in the NFL, then beat the Bears easily, and then made a spirited comeback against a good Houston team. I think they are over that Week 1 loss. Their defense still seems to have taken a step back from last year when they were legitimate top-10, but their offense has gone along fine without Marques Colston, which is a shock. With an easier schedule than Green Bay, I still like them to get HFA.


2.) Baltimore Ravens (2-1)

That loss to Tennessee is a mirage. It happens. Hell, just last year 14-2 New England lost to 5-11 Cleveland. What means more is they have crushed their other two opponents into submission 72-14. They have been great on defense as always, and this Torrey Smith, along with Lee Evans, will stretch the field. Joe Flacco has made the leap.


1.) Green Bay Packers (3-0)

They are still the champs. They are 3-0. They really haven't put together one great game from start to finish, winning by 8, 7 and 10. That all said, they are still the champs and have yet to lose. Jermichael Finley is a beast (on the other hand, Donald Driver looks completely burned out). Aaron Rodgers has thrown 10 tds to 1 int. Their defense has yet to hit their stride. Holy God.


Playoff Projections:

AFC

1.) Baltimore 13-3
2.) San Diego 13-3
3.) New England 12-4
4.) Houston 11-5
5.) Pittsburgh 10-6
6.) Oakland 10-6


NFC

1.) New Orleans 13-3
2.) Green Bay 12-4
3.) New York 11-5
4.) Arizona 9-7
5.) Detroit 11-5
6.) Tampa Bay 10-6


'Till Next Time.

Week 2 NFL Picks

I didn't do these in Week 1, and wasn't even sure on doing them at all. Football just isn't the same without Peyton Manning, for me. Then the Raiders Monday Night game happened, where the Raiders went into Denver and did well what they do well. They ran the ball. They stopped the pass and dominated the line of scrimmage. Sebastian Janikowski kicked a super long field goal. And they piled up tons of penalty yards. The Raiders are back again. They aren't falling back into mediocrity like so many of the "experts" predicted (football outsiders, I'm looking at you. You continue to tell jokes about them when they've had an upward trend for three years now). They got me back into football. Not all the way, so the analysis here will be more curt than usual, but at least they inspired me to do it.


Chicago Bears @ New Orleans Saints (-6.5)

This line is too high. The Bears defense was, other than Baltimore, the most impressive defense in Week 1. That was at home, and this is in the Super Dome, but the Saints usually struggle against Cover-2 teams (like Minnesota the past couple of years, or Atlanta in general). Chicago's offense also looks better than ever. I have a fear I was wrong on them (and I have them staying better than most do). The Saints are also still, in my book, really good, but I worry about their offense without Colston. They need a consistent target against a cover-2 and without Colston they don't have that. In the end, the Saints probably won't go 0-2, but I don't see them winning that big.

Bears 20 Saints 24 (CHI)


Kansas City Chiefs @ Detroit Lions (-8.5)

That is a huge number for Detroit to be favored by, but that seems about right. Kansas City looked awful in every single way, and since Week 1, they've lost Tony Moeaki and Eric Berry. Unless Jamaal Charles goes off, which is always a possibility, I don't see the Chiefs scoring enough to keep pace. I hate trusting the Lions to cover this spread, but there offense looked really good in Week 1, and they have the weapons to exploit the Chiefs without Berry.

Chiefs 16 Lions 28 (DET)


Jacksonville Jaguars @ New York Jets (-9)

The jets usually don't blow out teams like Jacksonville, but I think this is different. The Jets' defense will be upset after not having a good performance in Week 1. The Jaguars are starting Luke McCown. The Jets' defense will be able to start teeing off for the first time against the Jaguars and their suspect o-line.

Jaguars 13 Jets 27 (NYJ)


Oakland Raiders @ Buffalo Bills (-3)

The Bills are not good at stopping the run. The Raiders are good at running. The Bills don't have a good o-line. The Raiders d-line is top-5 in the league. The only thing that gives me pause is that the Raiders are playing a 1 pm game on the East Coast. That said, if the Raiders really want to make the playoffs, then they win this game. They need to win this game if they want to make the playoffs. I think they will.

Raiders 24 Bills 16 (OAK)


Arizona Cardinals @ Washington Redskins (-3.5)

This is an interesting game. Rex Grossman has another chance to have a good game, and the Redskins can somehow be 2-0. The Cards are another team playing a 1pm game on the East Coast. I don't think they match up too well with a Redskins team whose defense was a lot better than I thought it would be. The Redskins at home are in a game they should win, and Mike Shanahan usually pulls these games off.

Cardinals 17 Redskins 23 (WAS)


Baltimore Ravens (-6) @ Tennessee

Baltimore's defense made Ben Roethlisberger look bad. They will kill Matt Hasselbeck, who is playing behind a line that has regressed so much over the past three years. The only thing that gives me pause is that the Ravens' run defense wasn't that great against the Steelers, so Chris Johnson can go off. I don't think he will though.

Ravens 27 Titans 10 (BAL)


Seattle Seahawks @ Pittsburgh Steelers (-14)

This is a really high line in any time. It is extremely easy for a favorite to not cover a two-touchdown line. Then again, Tarvaris Jackson against a defense that will be really jacked up to do anything on defense. That is not exactly a recipe for an upset, or even a underdog cover. The Steelers offense should get it going, but the Seahawks defense looked oddly impotent.

Seahawks 10 Steelers 30 (PIT)


Green Bay Packers (-10) @ Carolina Panthers

Another high line, but this one is lower, and makes sense. Cam Newton will probably have a falling back to earth game. The Packers defense will be something he's never seen. The Panthers defense will probably keep this from being a total blowout, but this looks like a total mismatch. Not much to really say here.

Packers 27 Panthers 13 (GB)


Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Minnesota Vikings (-3)

This is a tough one. Both teams are desperate. The Buccaneers o-line is really good. Detroit barely got any pressure at all in Week 1 against them, and they should do a good job against a Vikings d-line that did a good job in Week 1. The Buccaneers offense is a little overrated though. As is their defense. I think these are two similar teams, so I'll go for a close game, and give the Vikings, since they are at home, a small edge.

Buccaneers 20 Vikings 24 (MIN)


Cleveland Browns (-2) @ Indianapolis Colts

There's no need for analysis. If the Colts can't win this game, then they are going 2-14 or 3-13, and Bill Polian should be fired. Peyton Manning doesn't mean that much. The Colts have to win this game. Take away Manning and they are still more talented. Lost in the Week 1 mess was that when the Colts defense wasn't given a short field after fumbles, they held the Texans to 13 points. Also, the Colts running game was actually present. The Colts get their shit together.

Browns 16 Colts 24 (IND)


Dallas Cowboys (-3) @ San Francisco 49ers

This is a classic Cowboys loss, but the Cowboys already had a classic loss and I'm not ready to give the 49ers a 2-0 start. The analyst in me says that the 49ers rush defense will definitely shut down Choice and Felix. It will be up to Romo, and I think he'll definitely be up to the challenge in this one. The Cowboys defense looked good, but after experience with Rob Ryan through the years, they have about one good game every three. So, I'm not quite sure what to expect this game.

Cowboys 27 49ers 17 (DAL)


Houston Texans (-3) @ Miami Dolphins

The Texans offense is basically as good as the Patriots offense. No, I'm not kidding. That said, what the Patriots did last weekend was one in a million. That won't happen again. Then again, the Dolphins offense played well in Week 1. Chad Henne got great protection. I see a shootout, but when that happens, I go with the better QB, and the team with the great offense.

Texans 31 Dolphins 27 (HOU)


Cincinnati Bengals @ Denver Broncos (-3.5)

I'm not sure I'm ready to have the Bengals at 2-0, but I love Bruce Gradkowski in these winnable games. They won't beat good teams, but they can win these types of games. But then again, I think the Broncos aren't exactly going to sit down. What I did like about the Broncos in Week 1 was their pass rush. Elvis Dumervil looked great, and Von Miller had an immediate impact. Also, Eric Decker looks like a player. I think the line is a half point too high. I think the Broncos win but don't cover.

Bengals 17 Broncos 20 (CIN)


San Diego Chargers @ New England Patriots (-6.5)

Man, is this a great Week 2 game. Rivers didn't look as good as Brady in Week 1 (obviously), but there is no way Brady puts up 516 yards. He's facing a team that gave up just 39 yards in Week 1. Rivers also looked good against great pass rush. The Patriots don't have that type of pass rush. They get free runs every now and then, but they are not consistent down by down at rushing the pass rush. The Chargers defense on the other hand looked great, but that was against the Vikings. The Patriots are a different animal. I don't know who wins, but that line seems awfully high. Other than the 2007 Spygate Revenge game, the Pats-Chargers games have all been close. This one will be too.

Chargers 27 Patriots 24 (SD)


Philadelphia Eagles (-2.5) @ Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons played bad in Week 1, but statistically it was close. A turnover on downs made it a lot less competitive, as did the fumble/touchdown. I don't see the Falcons going to 0-2. This is a great matchup for them. The Eagles are not great against the run, especially against physical runners like Michael Turner. Matt Ryan should be able to complete some passes over the middle to Gonzalez. On the other side, I think Vick will be pressure again. It will all rest on if the Falcons pass rush can get Vick on the ground. I think they can, just enough.

Eagles 23 Falcons 24 (ATL)


St. Louis Rams @ New York Giants (-6)

This is easy. The Rams have a banged up Bradford. Probably won't have Steven Jackson, and Danny Amendola will be out. The Giants still got a great pass rush against the Redskins, but their secondary was awful. That won't be as much of a problem here against a team without any good receivers. The Giants offense should get the running game going. The fact that this is a Monday Night game for the Giants makes it quite simple. If the Giants don't win this then they are in for a much longer game then I thought.

Rams 16 Giants 31 (NYG)


Enjoy the Games.