NFL Week 3 Power Rankings

A few dramatic jumps and slides highlight the power rankings this week as two new up-and-comers, the Dolphins and Chiefs, each jumped up six spots after 2-0 starts, while the unexpectedly lowly  Redskins fell six spots all the way to 22nd after a winless first two games. The Denver Broncos still sit at number one after their impressive victory over the Giants in Manning-Bowl III this Sunday, and the Seahawks jumped up a spot to second after their blowout win over the rival 49ers. Finishing at the bottom once again are the Jaguars, who already have TV stations apologizing for airing their games on Sundays. The rest of the season definitely looks bright in Jacksonville.

1. Denver Broncos (2-0)           No Change

Another impressive victory for the Broncos last week in the Meadowlands. Right now it’s gonna take a whole lot to dethrone them from the top spot in these rankings.

2. Seattle Seahawks (2-0)        +1

Talk about impressive victories, the Seahawks absolutely shut down the San Francisco offense in prime-time Sunday night. It looks like we could be seeing another year of domination for the ‘Hawks at Quest Field.

3. Green Bay Packers (1-1)     +3

So many things went right for the Packers and their offense on Sunday, with the exception of losing their rookie running-back Eddie Lacy. He should miss at least a week with a concussion, but nonetheless it appears that this offense is back in full swing.

4. San Francisco 49ers (1-1)    -2

I wouldn’t put too much emphasis on the poor performance by the 49ers Sunday night, as they have really struggled in Seattle for the past few years. But if this carries over into coming weeks then we could have a problem.

5. New Orleans Saints (2-0)    -1

Wow did the Saints play down to their opponent or what on Sunday? They absolutely did not deserve that victory in Tampa Bay but a win is a win. New Orleans is 2-0 and that’s all they should care about.

6. New England Patriots (2-0)     -1

Continuing with the trend of teams not deserving of their 2-0 starts, the New England Patriots have certainly not looked like a contender in the AFC through two weeks, yet they’re undefeated. This has to be a good sign right?

7. Chicago Bears (2-0)               +2

Are the Bears for real or not? So far they’ve played two sloppy games yet have pulled out two sloppy wins late. The Marc Trestman era is off to a great start in Chicago, yet we’ll still have to wait and see if anything has actually changed with this team.

8. Atlanta Falcons (1-1)             No Change

Typical Falcons home game against a below average opponent: get out to a big lead, nearly squander it away, ultimately go on a scoring drive and put the game away late. At least they got the win and improved to 1-1.

9. Houston Texans (2-0)          -2

Well the Texans squeaked out yet another close win last week at home against the Titans in overtime, but they lost their top receiver Andre Johnson to a concussion. Look for rookie DeAndre Hopkins to be featured this week in Baltimore.

10. Cincinnati Bengals (1-1)     +1

With an ugly 20-10 victory on Monday night over Pittsburgh, the Bengals got their first victory of the season. Obviously no game in this division is going to look great, so they should certainly be proud that they did what was needed to get the victory.

11. Kansas City Chiefs (2-0)     +6

Our biggest jumpers of the week moved up six spots after their victory over the Cowboys in their home opener. The offense didn’t look great, but the defense was again impressive. Let’s see if they can continue this play in Philadelphia on Thursday.

12. Baltimore Ravens (1-1)      +1

Well the defense played light-years better than they did in the season’s first week, but that could’ve been due to them lining up against the inept Cleveland offense. This offense again looked sub-par so that should certainly be a concern going forward.

13. Indianapolis Colts (1-1)      -3

It seems like these were the type of games that the Andre Luck-era Colts had continually pulled out over and over again last year. For once their luck ran out in defeat. Now how will they rebound next week?

14. Detroit Lions (1-1)               -2

A defeat in Arizona definitely hurt, but more painful for this team could be the losses of Nick Fairley and Reggie Bush on both sides of the ball. Their health will be paramount for this team moving forward.

15. Miami Dolphins (2-0)          +6

Moving up five spots in this week’s rankings, the Dolphins took a huge step forward with an impressive road victory in Indianapolis. Now an even bigger test will come in their home opener next week against the Falcons.

16. Dallas Cowboys (1-1)          -2

Stop me if you’ve heard this before: the Cowboys lost a definitely winnable game in Kansas City last week due to mental errors and despicable play-calling. When will this terrible trend finally end in Dallas?

17. San Diego Chargers (1-1)  +2

Despite still sneaking out a win in Philadelphia, the Chargers really should be 2-0 right now. Their collapse in week one is still inexcusable for me. If this pass-defense could improve then San Diego could possibly be a legitimate threat for a playoff spot this season.

18. Philadelphia Eagles (1-1)   No Change

Well the fast-paced offense was again out in their home-opener, but it proved to more of vice for them as San Diego held the ball for over 40 minutes. Their are definitely flaws with this system and a sub-par defense definitely won’t help.

19. Tennessee Titans (1-1)      +3

Well they were able to drive the Texans into overtime in Houston on Sunday, so that is definitely a positive, and this defense appears to be vastly improved over last years. Maybe the Titans have turned the corner this season and can contend for a playoff spot.

20. New York Giants (0-2)       -4

Four more interceptions for Eli Manning this season has led for the bi-yearly callings for Tom Coughlin’s job to come out early this year. Although the terrible NFC East might just keep them in contention this year after a rough start.

21. St. Louis Rams (1-1)            +2

Tavon Austin had his first breakout game as a pro, and the Rams really made a nice comeback on the road despite ultimately being defeated. I’m not sure that they should expect a playoff spot, but the future does look bright in St. Louis.

22. Washington Redskins (0-2) -6

After being handed a 38-20 shellacking by Green Bay on Sunday (it wasn’t even that close), the 0-2 Redskins now have to question their judgement on bringing RGIII back for the start of this season. Is healthy backup Kirk Cousins a better option at this point?

23. Minnesota Vikings (0-2)    -3

The defense couldn’t stop Jay Cutler and the Bears from going down the field and scoring a game-winning touchdown last week, giving the Vikes an 0-2 start. The season could already be in jeopardy for Minnesota.

24. Buffalo Bills (1-1)                  +5

EJ Manuel played well for the second straight week, inspiring even more confidence for Bills fans this season and beyond. Discipline still has to be an issue for them as they head into New Jersey to take on the Jets next Sunday.

25. Pittsburgh Steelers (0-2)  -1

This was feared rushing game is now almost literally nonexistent. Alex Smith alone has more rushing yards than the Steelers do so far this season. Unless that changes Pittsburgh could be headed for a long 2013 season.

26. Arizona Cardinals (1-1)      +2

Palmer is already looking like an improvement over their inept quarterbacks of the past as he led Bruce Arians to his first win in Arizona. Once this defense gets Daryl Washington back the Cardinals could become a very formidable squad.

27. Carolina Panthers (0-2)     -2

Their defense has now blown 10 fourth quarter leads in the Ron Rivera era, and the offense has been incredibly unimpressive in the season’s first two weeks. Things better change fast in Carolina if much of this staff wants to keep their jobs.

28. New York Jets (1-1)            -2

Geno Smith really showed his inexperience in New England on prime-time as he looked completely over-matched after throwing three interceptions in defeat. Although the defense did look very impressive in holding off the hobbled Patriots.

29. Oakland Raiders (1-1)        +1

Well they beat the Jaguars at home, which is an achievement I guess. Darren McFadden played very well and made this offense look very impressive, but again, they played the Jaguars. We’ll see how they look next week against Denver.

30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-2) -3

How did they lose this game? The Tampa Bay Bucs literally should be 2-0 and about 15 spots higher on this list. Instead they’re ranked 30th and have to deal with a QB controversy very early in the season.

31. Cleveland Browns (0-2)     No Change

Weeden is more and more beginning to look like he’s definitely not the answer for the Browns at quarterback. The defensive line played well again but you simply can’t win games if you can’t score.

32. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2) No Change

Hey, at least their offense scored more points than their defense this week. Could Tim Tebow actually be the “answer” for the Jaguars this season until Teddy Bridgewater arrives?

Biggest Jump: +6 (Chiefs, Dolphins)

Biggest Drop: -6 (Redskins)

NFL Week 2 Power Rankings

First of all, my apologies to fans of the teams in the NFC West. Due to time constraints (college) I was unable to complete the previews for those four teams. Hopefully I can make it up to you guys somehow. No guarantees. But never mind all of that, because the season is finally upon us. Rejoice my fellow NFL super-fans, grab some chips and a drink, sit down in your favorite chair, and let the NFL take care of your concerns for the next 17-plus Sundays. Now onto the rankings.

The Broncos hold down the top spot in the rankings right now, and barring some miraculous collapse, they should remain in the top five for most of this season. Rounding out the top three will be the NFC West-rivals 49ers and Seahawks, each of whom squeaked out close victories last week. They’ll meet in prime-time this Sunday night in a very anticipated matchup. Bringing up the rear will be the Jacksonville Jaguars, who somehow have less hope for a successful year in 2013 than they did a week ago.

1. Denver Broncos (1-0)- Seven touchdowns. Seven nonchalant touchdowns for Peyton Manning on what was presumed to be one of the league’s better defenses. They are easily the league’s best team right now.

2. San Francisco 49ers (1-0)- An impressive win over the Packers in week 1 was highlighted by Colin Kaepernick’s 412 passing yards. This team will coast through the rest of the NFC if he keeps that level of play up.

3. Seattle Seahawks (1-0)-They really dominated the Panthers this week but only came out with a mediocre-looking 12-7 victory. Their first real test will come next Sunday night.

4. New Orleans Saints (1-0)- Part two of the Sean Payton era has gotten off to a great start after a victory over the hated Falcons. I really like this team as a contender in the NFC South.

5. New England Patriots (1-0)- A come-from-behind win in Buffalo keeps the Patriots in the top five for now, but injuries in that game to a few key offensive players could spell doom for them in the coming weeks.

6. Green Bay Packers (0-1)- Sure they took a loss in week one on the road in San Francisco, but can you really punish them all that much for it? This team will be fine again in 2013.

7. Houston Texans (1-0)- Houston certainly avoided early-season disaster at the hands of the Chargers late Monday night/Tuesday morning. There are questions (Arian Foster), but for now they’re still a top-10 team.

8. Atlanta Falcons (0-1)- Even after the week one loss in New Orleans I still don’t have many major concerns about this team. Although if they could score a touchdown inside the redzone with the game on-the-line late that would be nice.

9. Chicago Bears (1-0)- A nice home win over the talented Bengals last week gives Chicago a top ten spot for now. They look like early contenders for the NFC North crown.

10. Indianapolis Colts (1-0)- A very unimpressive win over the Raiders at home is certainly nothing to brag about, but they appear to still have that knack for pulling out close games late. The AFC South should be very fun at the top this season.

11. Cincinnati Bengals (0-1)- Don’t let the loss in Chicago discourage you, this is still a very potent offense which can and will do big things this season.

12. Detroit Lions (1-0)- Is Reggie Bush the perfect fit at running back for this offense or what? A career-high 104 yards after the catch for Bush gives Lions fans a ton of hope for the remainder of this season.

13. Baltimore Ravens (0-1)- Well, the defense finally looked vulnerable and, dare I say, mediocre after surrendering 49 points to the poignant Broncos last week. The super bowl champs better get going quickly.

14. Dallas Cowboys (1-0)- A bit of good fortune certainly fell upon the Cowboys in Jerryworld on Sunday night, but a win is a win, especially when it’s a win over the Giants in that stadium.

15. Washington Redskins (0-1)- Alfred Morris looked incredibly average, while RG III took quite a while to get going on Monday night. It’s not time for major concern just yet, but with a trip to Lambeau Field looming, things don’t look so great right now in Washington.

16. New York Giants (0-1)- Despite the interceptions, Eli Manning played well. Despite the 36 points allowed (23 actually), the defense played well. It’s the running game that should be a huge concern in New York.

17. Kansas City Chiefs (1-0)- Not sure what to take out of the Chiefs victory in Jacksonville last week. Sure they looked dominant, but at this point the Jaguars are the NFL’s equivalent of the Washington Generals. We’ll no more about them after this week.

18. Philadelphia Eagles (1-0)- The first half of the first game of the Chip Kelly era in Philadelphia could’ve have gone any better. The second half? Not so great. Nonetheless, the Eagles still should feel good about where they’re at right now.

19. San Diego Chargers (0-1)- It seems like only the Chargers could lose a game like that. Insanely stupid penalties, costly turnovers, and three-and-outs on your final five possessions are not the way to hold on to a second half lead. It’s like Norv Turner never left San Diego.

20. Minnesota Vikings (0-1)- This will be the story-line all year in Minnesota, who can produce besides number 28? Peterson didn’t play that great either but until Christian Ponder improves, things won’t be getting any easier for this offense.

21. Miami Dolphins (1-0)- They handled the Browns offense last week, but I’m not sure how much we can really take out of that. Enjoy it while you can Dolphins fans, Andrew Luck and the Colts come to town next week.

22. Tennessee Titans (1-0)- Well someone had to win that game in Pittsburgh last week. The unexpected victory will go a long way for the Titans, and now a win over the Texans next week would make things even better. Trust me, don’t count on it.

23. St. Louis Rams (1-0)- Led by Sam Bradford and tight end Jared Cook the Rams offense actually didn’t look too bad in the first game of the post-Steven Jackson era. We’ll see how this unit fares as the season goes along.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers (0-1)- A home loss to the Titans coupled with the losses of center Maurkice Pouncey and running back LaRod Stevens-Howling is how the season got underway for Pittsburgh. Ouch.

25. Carolina Panthers (0-1)- The defense actually looked pretty good, holding the potent Seahawks to just 12 points. The offense on the other hand did not. Understandable for now, but the Panthers better hope this trend doesn’t continue.

26. New York Jets (1-0)- For once fortune favored the Jets one Sunday. A terribly stupid late hit on Geno Smith propelled New York to a miraculous victory in week one. Hurrah for now, have fun in New England this Thursday.

27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-1)- Too many mistakes for a team who simply cannot afford to make them. Is it possible that Greg Schiano could be on the hot seat already? I certainly think so.

28. Arizona Cardinals (0-1)- The new-look offense led by Carson Palmer was somewhat of a bright spot on Sunday, but overall this team will be a work-in-progress this season.

29. Buffalo Bills (0-1)- Rookie quarterback EJ Manuel looked and played well in his first NFL start. The future is looking somewhat bright, but for now the Bills are not a very good team.

30. Oakland Raiders (0-1)- What a pleasant surprise Terrelle Pryor was in Indianapolis this past Sunday. Not only did he play well but he nearly led them to an impressive road victory. Hey, that’s better than what the past 25 quarterbacks in Oakland have been able to do.

31. Cleveland Browns (0-1)- This front office was already reasonably skeptical about Brandon Weeden as the signal-caller for this team going into the season. After last week that skepticism certainly looks valid.

32. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-1)- I’ve ripped on the poor Jaguars enough in this post, I won’t pile it on here.

New England Patriots 2013 Preview

photo credit: fansidedblogs.net

2012 Record: 12-4 (1^st in AFC East)

2012 Season Review: It seems like since 2004 we’ve seen pretty much every New England Patriots team follow the same script. Dominant offensively in the regular season, a favorite to win the Super Bowl going into the postseason, but then inexplicably falling to a team that is oftentimes their lesser. Last season’s squad was no different as they were once again one of the league’s top offenses. Led by Tom Brady and his ho-hum 4,827 passing yards, New England ranked number one in the league in both offensive points and yardage on their way to another double-digit win season. But once again they were the poster-children for the mantra “defense wins championships” as their season ended with a disappointing loss in the AFC title game to Baltimore. Another dominant regular season followed by another disappointing playoff loss. Some fans in New England may be getting tired of this dull story.

Offseason Review: Key Additions- WR Danny Amendola, RB LeGarrette Blount, QB Tim Tebow, WR Donald Jones, DE Jamie Collins (draft), WR Aaron Dobson (draft)…Departures- WR Wes Welker, TE Aaron Hernandez, S Patrick Chung, WR Brandon Lloyd…Final Analysis- If the team that we previewed yesterday, the Miami Dolphins, were the “winners” of the offseason, then the Patriots were definitely in contention for the “losers” crown. First of all they lost arguably the league’s top pass-catcher in Welker and replaced him with fellow stereotypical “high-motor” receiver Danny Amendola. A downgrade without question, but not an incredibly large one. They were also forced to cut tight end Aaron Hernandez amidst murder allegations, and saw Rob Gronkowski undergo another offseason surgery (from which there is still no timetable for his return). Now they rely on offseason pickups Jake Ballard and Daniel Fells to pick up the slack. Not entirely convincing. On defense they lost safety Patrick Chung, a very serviceable player when healthy, and replaced him former Cardinal Adrian Wilson and Rutgers product Duron Harmon. Wilson is coming off of a terrible 2012 season and many thought Harmon wasn’t a smart pick in the fourth round. Defense has never been much of a priority for New England in the past, but now with a much-diluted offense this secondary plays a much larger role in their 2013 success. Lost in the shuffle of more serious news was the pickup of Tim Tebow. I’ll keep this short and sweet: I like the move and I think this team really fits him well. He won’t see much playing time, but when he is on the field he better produce. This could be his last shot in the NFL. Grade: C

Strengths: Anytime that you have Tom Brady lining up under center for you on opening day you have to feel confident in your offense. Brady is still easily among the league’s top quarterbacks, throwing for over 4,000 yards in four of his last five full seasons. Although he certainly does not have the same impressive supporting cast around him this season, he should still be able to get the most out of what he’s got. Amendola should prove to be an effective slot receiver in place of Welker, and the addition of Donald Jones is one that I really like. Brady is now getting up there in age at 35 years-old, but that shouldn’t affect his pocket-passer style of play. It won’t come as easy as it has in the past for Brady, but he should still put up a season that is among the best in the league. On the defensive side of the ball it’s very hard to look at this linebacking corps and not be impressed. Jerod Mayo has virtually no flaws in his game as the anchor of this defense. Mayo easily led the team in tackles last season, was serviceable in pass coverage, and impressed many with his ability to get to the quarterback for a team that lacked a dominant pass-rusher. Middle linebacker Brandon Spikes easily had the best season of his short career in 2012, racking up 92 total tackles and forcing five fumbles. Expect him to improve even more in 2013. Finally this stellar group is rounded out with Alabama product Dont’a Hightower, who had an outstanding rookie season that was overlooked by many. He ranked in the top 15 for NFL rookies in tackles and sacks, and, similar to his counterpart Spikes, should only improve upon his skill set in 2013.

Weaknesses: Going into last season the Patriots were absolutely loaded with viable options at receiver. Wes Welker, Brandon Lloyd, Aaron Hernandez, and Rob Gronkowski all were looked at as threats by opposing defenses and had to be dealt with accordingly in their separate ways. Now due to free agency, murder trials, and injuries, none of them will likely produce for this team at all in 2013. Filling in for them will be Danny Amendola, Donald Jones, Michael Jenkins, rookie Aaron Dobson, and Jake Ballard. All practical options for Brady that can get the job done, but none of them have any sort of game-changing abilities. As I stated in the last section, I do believe that this offense will still produce enough to win ballgames, but if you’re looking for the explosive Patriots offense of old in 2013 you’re going to be disappointed. On the defensive side of the ball my main concern has to be the secondary. This group finished 29^th in the league in pass defense last season, and lost safety Patrick Chung to free agency. Devin McCourty finished last season with five interceptions and was third on the team with 82 tackles, but he’s coming off shoulder surgery in the offseason. I don’t know I’d feel very confident with Adrian Wilson in the secondary either. I do like the combination of Aquib Talib and Kyle Arrington at the corners, but behind them the Pats are not very deep. They should definitely improve upon last season’s terrible ranking, but can they be good enough to keep the Patriots in games if the offense struggles?

Fantasy Breakout Player: I feel obligated to say Danny Amendola here as he takes over the Wes Welker role in this offense. Welker caught 118 passes for 1,354 yards last season as Brady’s top target. If Amendola can even put up 60 percent of that production he’ll have a solid fantasy year. Also, look for Stevan Ridley out of the backfield to produce this season. Although he’ll be splitting time with LeGarrette Blount, he really impressed me near the end of last season and should get some chances for receptions as well. He could serve as a viable backup for many teams this season.

Best Case/Worst Case: Best Case- The offense doesn’t miss a beat as Brady once again has another all-pro season. Amendola fills the lead receiver role nicely, and the tandem of Blount, Ridley, and Vereen out of the backfield proves itself worthy. The defense plays well enough to keep them in games, and the Pats are again on their way to double-digit wins. Worst Case- Dealing with the loss of so many quality options on offense and the Aaron Hernandez offseason controversy proves simply too much for New England. The offense struggles and the defense plays well, but not enough to win games. But it’s OK because Tim Tebow saves the day in week 10 and the Patriots win the Super Bowl by 95 points. Just kidding. Maybe not though.

One Word to Describe This Preview for the Lazy: Perseverance. The Patriots have had so much controversy surrounding them in the offseason. From Hernandez to Gronkowski to Tebow, it will be quite a challenge for them to just go out and play football. They’ve faced adversity in the past and have quieted it with a resounding boom. Will the same happen in 2013?

Prediction: 10-6

Early 2013 NFL Odd’s: Who’s the Favorite?

It’s currently a somber time in the world of sports. The NFL season is over, it’s still a bit too early to get excited for the MLB season, the NBA and NHL seasons are still relatively early, and it’s not March yet so no one in America really cares about college basketball.

So what do we do as sports fans when there’s a shortage of sports (that are actually in-season) to talk about? We speculate about the next NFL season of course! Remember, it is only a short seven months away…

The big-shots in Vegas are obviously aware of the American people’s thirst and longing for more NFL football, so yesterday they released their very, very, early odds as to who they believe will take home the Lombardi Trophy next season. For those of you who are too lazy to click on the link, the top five are:

1. New England Patriots, 6/1

2. San Francisco 49ers, 8/1

3. Denver Broncos, 8/1

4. Houston Texans, 10/1

5. Green Bay Packers, 10/1

Now if you have a brain and a basic understanding of the present-day NFL, there aren’t really any surprises here. The Patriots are assumed to be among the NFL’s elite every year because Bill Belichick sold his soul to the football gods back in 2000 when he took the job (Hey, you don’t just draft this guy and have him turn into one of the NFL’s greatest QB’s without a little black magic). The other four teams rounding out the top five were all very formidable in 2012, and they should happily be looking forward to next season. The only real problem that I have with these odds right now are that the Steelers are way too high at 14/1 (7th in the league), and the Colts are a bit too low at 40/1.

But all in all, these odds are being released seven months before the actual season starts, so we really can’t take anything from them just yet. For now I guess the NFL has to take a backseat to other sports for a while until the 2013 draft. Call me in April so that I can complain about my team’s picks like I actually know what I’m talking about.

NFL Divisional Playoffs Preview and Predictions

Ravens at Broncos

After an emotional win last week over Indianapolis, the Ravens travel to the Mile-High City in what could once again be Ray Lewis’ final NFL game. His defense will certainly be put to test though as they are given the task of trying to stop Peyton Manning and the NFL’s fourth best overall offense. I see Denver getting out to a hot start early as the Ravens struggle with adapting to the thin air, and they will hold that lead in a victory. Pick: Broncos 31-Ravens 21

Packers at 49ers

In what looks like the most entertaining game this weekend in my opinion, the Packers and 49ers will battle for a chance to play in the NFC title game next week. Back in week one it was an Alex Smith-led San Francisco team that went into Green Bay and handled the Packers in an impressive victory. Fast-forward 18 weeks and Smith now watches from the sidelines as Colin Kaepernick leads the 49ers into the playoffs. I don’t see a repeat of week one in this one though as the Packers should win a close one. Pick: Packers 28-49ers 24

Seahawks at Falcons

Matt Ryan and the Falcons recent playoff struggles have certainly been well-documented throughout the NFL. Since Ryan’s rookie season in 2008 Atlanta has made three playoff appearances, and has three losses in those games. There is no quarterback who has more pressure on him than Ryan this week as a loss would absolutely crush his confidence. Something feels different about this year though, everyone for once is picking against the Falcons, and I think they’ll use that as motivation. Pick: Falcons 24-Seahawks 14

Texans at Patriots

When looking at this game, I get a feeling which is eerily similar to the Jets-Patriots AFC Divisional game two years back. A confident but streaky Houston team is coming into Foxboro, and almost no one is giving them a shot. The Patriots come in playing dominant football, and they rolled the Texans in primetime a few weeks back, similarly to what they did to the Jets in 2010. I know that they are huge underdogs, but I’ll take Houston in this one. Pick: Texans 20-Patriots 17

NFL Wildcard Weekend Recap

Texans 19 Bengals 13

The Cincinnati offense really struggled in this one as they were only able to muster two field goals and had just 198 total yards. The Texans really dominated this one overall, but they were unable to turn long drives into touchdowns which keep the Bengals alive late. So for the second straight year the Bengals have seen a rather pleasant season come to an end on wildcard Saturday in Houston. For them the focus in 2013 should be playing strong for a full year (they started 3-5 this season), and securing a home playoff game by winning the AFC North. They’ve got a talented team but they’ve shown that it’s not easy to win a road playoff game. The Texans move on to Foxboro to take on the 12-4 Patriots, who shellacked them 42-14 just a few weeks ago. It will be a tough task, but if their defense can play like they did on Saturday, they should be very confident in their chances.

Packers 24 Vikings 10

This was a relatively lopsided matchup which certainly did not live up to the hype that it received most of last week. The Vikings were surprisingly without their second year quarterback Christian Ponder in this one as he was scratched late due to an elbow injury, and I believe that certainly hurt them. As if they weren’t already, Green Bay was able to focus completely on stopping Adrian Peterson, who had dominated them in their first two matchups. Peterson was held to just 99 yards on 22 carries and zero touchdowns, diminishing any hope that the Vikes had of pulling the upset. The Packers will now travel to San Francisco to take on the 49ers in what will probably end up being the most competitive game of the divisional round.

Ravens 24 Colts 9

Legendary Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis played in the final home game of his career yesterday, but his team made sure that it was not his final game overall as they thumped the Colts 24-9. For the first time in a while we saw shades of the early 2000’s from this defense as they were able to force a few crucial turnovers on the high-powered Indianapolis offense. Now the Ravens, who looked dead just a few weeks ago, roll into Denver with a chance to play for their second straight AFC title. If they don’t want to see a repeat of their embarrassing 34-17 loss a few weeks ago, they will certainly have to figure out a way to stop Peyton Manning and the Broncos offense. They are playing for Ray Lewis though, and stranger things have happened.

Seahawks 24 Redskins 14

This one actually looked like it would be a blowout the other way early as the Redskins jumped out to an early 14-0 lead. But as Russell Wilson and the Seattle offense settled into things, it seemed as if Robert Griffin III was getting less and less healthy. This all finally culminated in RG3 not only reportedly partially tearing his ACL and LCL in the fourth quarter, but also crucially fumbling deep in his own teams territory. It all ended with the Seahawks gaining an impressive road victory and moving on to play the top-seeded Falcons next week. I am certainly very confident in them next week to take down Atlanta, as they have been incredibly hot of late and we all know of the Falcons playoff struggles. But if they do want to pull off the upset, they’ll have to get off to a much better start than they did on Sunday.

NFL Week 17 Predictions

As we roll into the final week of the NFL’s regular season, a full slate of 16 games are on hand today to close out the year. Here are my picks:

Falcons over Buccaneers

Atlanta has already clinched the top spot in the NFC, but I still think that they will defeat the reeling Bucs, who have lost five straight games since the middle of November.

Bills over Jets

The Jets forgettable circus season will finally come to an end today in Buffalo. In what is expected to be Tim Tebow’s final game in New York, I believe that the Jets will fall.

Ravens over Bengals

The Ravens are resting quite a few of their top starters on both sides of the ball, but I still like them to get a victory in what may be a preview of a playoff matchup next week.

Bears over Lions

Chicago obviously needs a win and help to get into the playoffs after a promising 7-1 start. I think that this one will be a shootout in the Motor City, but the Bears will ultimately prevail.

Texans over Colts

It will be an emotional day in Indianapolis as the Colts head coach Chuck Pagano will be making his return to the sidelines after his battle with Leukemia. But Houston has much more to play for in this one and they will get the victory.

Saints over Panthers

In what will probably be the most entertaining but meaningless game in the NFL this week, the Saints should be able to outscore the Panthers for a victory.

Giants over Eagles

The Giants must first win today over the Eagles to keep their slim playoff hopes alive, and I believe that they will. Look for this one to be close though as Michael Vick auditions for a starting spot somewhere else in 2013.

Steelers over Browns

The Steelers have pretty much nothing to play for today, but they have only four losses against Cleveland since 2000, with one of them coming this year. Ben Roethlisberger won’t allow his team to be swept today.

Titans over Jaguars

We have a winner for the most meaningless and boring game of the day. The Jaguars would probably rather lose this one to have a better chance at the number one pick, so I’ll take Tennessee.

Broncos over Chiefs

In a matchup of the worst team in the league versus arguably the best team in the league, Kansas City doesn’t stand much of a chance today in Denver.

Packers over Vikings

This is a pretty big game for each team today as Green Bay fights for a first round bye, and Minnesota tries to clinch a playoff spot. I like the high-powered Packer offense to prevail in this one.

Patriots over Dolphins

In New England, the Patriots still have a chance at the AFC’s top seed if they can win and get some help. The Dolphins have been playing well recently, but they won’t be able to keep up today.

Chargers over Raiders

Norv Turner will most likely be coaching his final game today in San Diego, so look for the Chargers to hopefully play an inspired game today in a win.

Seahawks over Rams

Seattle still actually has a chance at a division title and a first round bye going into the playoffs with a win today, so they will likely outplay St. Louis today.

49ers over Cardinals

Coming off of their blowout loss in Seattle, the 49ers will not be happy today. They should jump on Arizona quick and roll to an easy victory.

Cowboys over Redskins

Something feels different about this Cowboys team compared to last year. This game will be a shootout, but I have a feeling that Dallas will surprisingly not make a crucial mistake, leading to a big win.

NFL Week 15 Predictions

Packers over Bears

The Bears have certainly been reeling of late, losing four of their last five. The Packers, on the other hand, have won four of their last five and are looking to put away the division today. I believe that they will in a big road win.

Falcons over Giants

New York has owned the Falcons of late, but I see that changing today. Atlanta certainly wants to forget their performance in Carolina last week, and I think that they will.

Broncos over Ravens

At this point the Broncos are absolutely rolling as they have won eight straight games and haven’t lost since October. The Ravens defense is still banged up in my mind and I doubt that they can contain the Denver offense today.

Browns over Redskins

Just to be clear, I was picking Cleveland in this one whether or not RG3 was playing for the Redskins. I think that Washington is set up for a let down against the Browns who are 5-3 in their last eight games.

Texans over Colts

Houston has been very good at home this season, and I see them rebounding from their Monday night embarrassment with a division-clinching win at home today.

Dolphins over Jaguars

The Dolphins are still barely alive for the playoffs at 5-8 right now, and I don’t see them dying yet with a win today over the Jaguars.

Saints over Buccaneers

Tampa Bay absolutely needs this win if they are going to have any chance at the playoffs this season, but I don’t see them getting it. Their loss against the lowly Eagles sealed their fate last week.

Vikings over Rams

In this elimination matchup of two surprising teams in the playoff hunt this year, I like the Vikings to stay alive and get to 8-6 on the season.

Lions over Cardinals

This may just be the most depressing game in the NFL this year. Both of these teams had such hope at the beginning of this season, only to have it fall away terribly. I’ll take the Lions I guess.

Bills over Seahawks

The Bills should be playing in front of an energized Toronto crowd, and even after their win at the Bears, Seattle has been a very bad road team this year. I’ll take the Bills in an upset.

Chargers over Panthers

The Chargers are once again pulling a classic move and making a late season push to save Norv Turner’s job. I think that they will defeat the Panthers today although I cannot confirm that Norv will return next year.

Cowboys over Steelers

This is probably the biggest game in an awesome NFL week. I like the Cowboys to build off of their big win last week in Cincinnati and stay alive in the division.

Raiders over Chiefs

The Chiefs have been dreadful on the road this season and I don’t like their chances today in Oakland.

49ers over Patriots

The Patriots have been rolling of late, especially at home. But I’ll take the 49ers to pull off the upset tonight led by a great performance Collin Kaepernick.

Jets over Titans

The Jets have actually been playing pretty good recently, and with some help, they could actually still make the postseason. I’ll take them in their Monday night matchup in Tennessee.

NFL Week 13 Predictions

Packers over Vikings

The Packers should certainly bounce back in this one after their dreadful performance last week in New York. They’ll win this one to stay in the NFC North race.

Bills over Jaguars

The Jaguars have really been playing well in the last two weeks, but the Bills should be able to handle them. I like Buffalo to pull off the win at home today.

Bears over Seahawks 

Seattle has been absolutely dreadful on the road this season with only one win coming away from home. I don’t see that changing today as the Bears should take care of business.

Colts over Lions

At this point Detroit’s hopes for a playoff spot are probably far-fetched, after their loss on Thanksgiving day their season essentially ended. The Colts need this a lot more and will get it.

Panthers over Chiefs

The Chiefs will certainly be playing with heavy hearts today after the events that transpired yesterday, but I think that Cam Newton will be too much for them and the Panthers will win a close one.

Patriots over Dolphins

The Patriots offense is absolutely rolling right now, and that should continue against Miami. New England will all but clinch the division after a win today.

Jets over Cardinals

Both of these teams are in absolute disarray right now as they both come in playing horrible. The Cardinals have been historically bad when playing on the east coast so I’ll take the Jets.

49ers over Rams

It would’ve been hard enough already for the Rams offense to be able to score on the potent San Francisco defense today, but now that wideout Danny Amendola will not play it will be almost impossible. The 49ers will win easily.

Texans over Titans

There’s not really much to say about this game really. The Texans should be able to easily handle their business today on the road in Tennessee.

Broncos over Buccaneers

This one may be a lot closer than some people expect as the Bucs have really been playing good football of late. I don’t see them winning in the end though as the Denver offense will simply be too much.

Ravens over Steelers

The Ravens have gotten incredibly lucky this season as they have played Pittsburgh twice without Ben Roethlisberger. I don’t see the Pittsburgh offense turning it over eight times, but they won’t be able to pull out a win today.

Browns over Raiders

I’ve said many times how I like the way that Cleveland has been playing this year. The Raiders shouldn’t be able to stop Trent Richardson today as the Browns should coast to an easy road win.

Bengals over Chargers

In this one the Bengals are playing in a must win game essentially while the Chargers season is basically over. I don’t think that Cincinnati will slip up today in San Diego.

Cowboys over Eagles

The Eagles are missing Michael Vick, LeSean McCoy, and DeSean Jackson in this one. If Dallas loses head coach Jason Garrett may not be able to make it into the locker room before he is fired.

Giants over Redskins

This is probably the Redskins biggest game of the last few years, but I don’t believe that they will pull of the upset. New York can basically cement themselves as division champs with a win, and I think that they will.

NFL Week 12 Thoughs

Jets Embarrass Themselves on Thanksgiving Night

If you’re having a bad day and looking for something that will cheer you up, please just watch the second quarter of the Jets and Patriots game on Thanksgiving. That should certainly give you a good laugh and make you thankful that you are not a New York Jets fan. New York lost 49-19 to the Patriots on Thursday, but this wasn’t just any blowout loss, it was a hilariously bad blowout loss. It included Mark Sanchez fumbling the ball after running into his own lineman’s backside, only to have the Patriots pick it up and run it back for a touchdown. It then had the Jets fumbling the ensuing kickoff into the hands of Julian Edelman, who ran it back for a touchdown. This one was so embarrassing for the Jets that they may have lost their greatest fan of all, Ed “Fireman Ed” Anzalone, who left at halftime and has retired as the teams unofficial mascot. It looks like the Jets have hit rock bottom, and at this point I don’t know if it can get any worse.

Steelers Fall Without Big Ben

Ben Roethlisberger may have made his case for the NFL’s MVP award in the last two weeks without even playing. His Steelers have lost their last two without him, including a turnover-filled 20-14 loss on Sunday to the Cleveland Browns. They turned the ball over eight times with Charlie Batch leading the offense, as he threw three interceptions, and five running backs each lost a fumble. Pittsburgh is now just 6-5 as their chances of a playoff spot may now be in jeopardy. They have a matchup with Baltimore next week in a game that they now absolutely must have. If they cannot get Roethlisberger back quickly then they will not make the playoffs, it’s that simple. Charlie Batch cannot lead this offense and it is clear that they cannot rely on their running backs. Pittsburgh needs its quarterback healthy and playing for them soon.

Kaepernick Leads 49ers in New Orleans

There may not be a quarterback controversy in  San Francisco after all. Collin Kaepernick has simply run away with the job in his first two starts. He was once again outstanding in a win at the Saints as he threw for 231 yards and had two total touchdowns. Kaepernick proved last week that he could slice up an outstanding defense against the Bears, and he proved on Sunday that he could manage his team to a big win on the road. If Kaepernick continues to play like this and, more importantly win them games, then I don’t see any way that coach Harbaugh could sit him. He has continually stated that he will start the player that gives them a better chance to win the game. Well right now he has a quarterback that has won both of his career starts, and has looked good in both. I know that it’s only two games, but Collin Kaepernick has won me over for the starting job in San Francisco.