Week 2 Sunday NFL Action: Running Commentary...

Tweet tweet. InClement Speak on Rhodes' comments, too.
Check out how the predictions, NFL and fantasy, are progressing as well.

A few thoughts on the Sunday kickoffs in the NFL...

Meet the best player in the NFL whose name you likely don't know.
Read that carefully, so you realize what I'm saying.
Credit: ESPN.go.com

Washington outlasted St. Louis 9-7.
You take wins in the NFL, regardless of the opponent and the score. However, you have to analyze - if only a little - what is wrong with the Redskins. Their diehard fans might be divided 50/50, but it's Jason Campbell. It has a lot to do with the offense, his coaching, his wideouts, and his offensive line. Nevertheless, Campbell isn't the pocket passers and decision-maker necessary to take this team to the heights it anticipates yearly. I've seen plenty of evidence and doubt it's changing, while Campbell's in DC at least.

Atlanta held off Carolina 28-20.
God bless Sunday Ticket. After the euphoria of the Jet victory starts to wear off, I notice this is an 8-point game with 30 ticks to go...and tune in. I don't want to hear about Delhomme not throwing INTs and keeping his team in the game. The Panthers should NOT be 0-2, despite a brutal pair of opening games. Matt Ryan, blossoming more and more into "Matty Ice", tore up the fantasy sheets (is that a saying?) with a 3-TD performance (including targeteting big-time performers Gonzo and White). Homefield advantage in the NFC South remains crucial. Whomever can win 2 games on the road, in-division, will win the NFC South this season.

New York blitzed and blitzed and beat the Patriots 16-9.
Did you ever think the story of this game would be the fans? Rex Ryan left a friendly voicemail for season ticket holders, encouraging them to go bonkers all game long. They complied. Let me make a few observations, please.
1) Don't underestimate OR overestimate Welker's absence. It's too simple a cop-out, one the Patriots won't make.
2) Mark Sanchez isn't leading this team to the Super Bowl; however, he looks more like a franchise QB than any true Jet fan could've anticipated and/or hoped.
3) You can put pressure on a QB all game long and still NOT sack him. But you can also hold him without a TD pass and under 50 yards in the 2nd half passing.
4) Tennessee comes into New York next weekend. Beware of Chris Johnson. BEWARE!!!
5) Rodney Harrison? How does Kerry Rhodes' a** taste?
6) Buffalo lost due to poor coaching, poor execution, and poor defensive strategy...the Jets didn't.
7) Darrelle Revis is the best cornerback in the NFL. Period. PERIOD!

Percy Harvin is being used brilliantly by the Viking offense.
Crap, I just called Brad Childress "brilliant".
Credit: ESPN.go.com

Minnesota downed Detroit 27-10.
You had to wonder if the Lions might have something special for their home opener. Truth be told, they did! At least until the second half and Adrian Peterson took over. Favre was extremely efficient (23-27, 155 yds, TD) and is showing evidence that he may be ready to feed off of what AD (All-Day) forces the defense into giving up to the passing game. It will be a long year for Stafford and I'm honestly rooting for he, CJ, and Kevin Smith to get a W sooner than later. Might be very later, though.

Cincinnati (!?!?!) went into Lambeau and defeated the Packers 31-24.
Imagine, the Bengals could be 2-0 if not for a bad-luck deflection last week by Leon Hall. Let's go to the 5 points, so I can more efficiently rant and rave.
1) The Packers are extremely overrated. Anyone who felt they played well against Chicago last weekend is nuts.
2) A Rod is talented QB, but lost a ton of these games last year. When does more of the blame land on him, exactly?
4) I told a good friend to sit Palmer (for Favre, not the end of the world). Whoops. Might Chris Henry be slowly becoming a legitimate threat to play and perform every weekend (even if only 1 catch, it was for a TD)?
5) Charles Woodson was involved in waaaaay too many big plays, for better or worse. Guy's still a beast, though.

Oakland outlasted Kansas City 13-10.
Unless you had a family member in the game or a major fantasy revelation, who the h*ll cares? I'm seriously not commenting any further. These teams suck. Badly.

That's Mike Bell, not Reggis Bush or Pierre Thomas, who has revitilized the Saints' rushing attack. Boy was I wrong about him.
Credit: ESPN.go.com

New Orleans stomped Philadelphia 48-22.
You know what's stupid? Playing Drew Brees when you're up 41-20 in the 4th quarter. In fact, it's idiotic beyond belief. As for his performance, Brees is the MVP after 2 weeks (whatever that means). Kolb showed promise in the 1st half, but he wear and tear of the Saints offense on the Iggle D (there was a BRUTAL penalty call on a key drive admitedly) was just too much. Pierre Thomas might not get the starting job back from Mike Bell. Seriously. Don't read too much into the Eagles sans-McNabb. Do read into the lingering affects of that injury and potentially rushing back from it.

Houston "stunned" Tennessee 34-31.
Memo to the Titans: After 10 days off, don't blow 21-7 leads AT HOME. This game will make Jet fans do a double-take for countless reasons. Andre Johnson sure liked getting free from Darrelle Revis, didn't he? The Titans "D" looked putrid - after 10 days off - and both these teams were polar opposites from Week 1. As for the Texans, the rush defense MUST be shored up; however, this is the type of road win that Kubiak needs to deliver for a playoff push. I hope Indianapolis was watching the game closely, all three teams should contend for the AFC South title this season.

Yeah, Jack Del Rio still S-U-C-K-S. Crappy jacket, tool.
Credit: BostonHerald.com

Arizona Jack Del Rio'd the Jaguars 31-17.
Did I mention how much I loathe Del Rio, his wardrobe, and the future for this never-proud franchise? Time to kick them while they're down! The Cardinals simplified the gameplan, kept Kurt Warner upright, and fed off of a HUGE special teams TD to keep the Jaguars at bay. Garrard tossed two worthless TDs and MJD let down fantasy owners quite a bit. Meanwhile, Steve Beaston's return can't be overlooked for the Cardinal offense. Ditto for Fitz, who despite a TD catch, surprised more than a few with only 4 catches for 34 yards (meet Rasheen Mathis). In case you didn't see the box score, Warner was 24-26 and didn't turn over the ball. What does that equal? EPIC!

As for the late slate of games...

Chicago upset Pittsburgh 17-14.
1) This is why Bears fans should be happy Jay Cutler is their franchise QB.
2) Matt Forte is starting slow. I don't think he'll have any issues speeding back up, but I do wonder if last season was a bit overrated?
3) Pittsburgh had plenty of chances to put this away...and didn't.
4) Jeff Reed makes those kicks in Pittsburgh.

Patrick Willis is a bad, bad man. Was that a late, dirty hit though?
Credit: ESPN.go.com

San Francisco moved to 2-0 with a 23-10 victory over Seattle.
1) Whatever Mike Singletary is doing in San Francisco, is working.
2) Frank Gore would be runner-up to Drew Brees for 2-Week MVP.
3) Patrick Willis may be the best linebacker in the NFC. Seriously.
4) Hasselbeck may never stay healthy again. The guy had no reason to take that type of a hit when he did.

Baltimore held off San Diego 31-26.
1) Sproles getting STUFFED by Lewis was the individual play of the day on defense.
2) The Chargers always start this way and it will cost them down the stretch with road playoff games.
3) Baltimore appears balanced; especially in the backfield. That trio is lethal.
4) The Ravens are currently the team to beat in the AFC, even with Flacco at QB.

Denver, yes the Broncos, moved to 2-0 with an easy 27-6 victory over Cleveland.
1) Josh McDaniels has done his job: win two winable games.
2) Denver will be 3-0. Mark it down.
3) Cleveland is a disaster. Mangini may go 3-13 and lose his job after one season.
4) How long until Derek Anderson gets snaps at QB?

Yeah, he got his TD. His team one, too.

He dropped this pass, by the way.
Credit: ESPN.go.com

Buffalo didn't choke this weekend, defeating Tampa Bay 33-20.
1) Fred Jackson nearly blew this game at the end of the 1st half. Ball security!!!
2) Trent Edwards took some BRUTAL hits. Might want to protect yourself a little better, Stanford man.
3) Byron Leftwich isn't a quality starting quarterback in the NFL. In fact, he never has been.
4) Sabby Piscitelli is the best name in the NFL...bar none.


Enjoy the primetime matchups. Fantasy galore for many many of us.
Any chance Kevin Boss wants to outscore Jason Witten? Any at all???

Andre Johnson sure can catch...right Courtland Finnegan?

InClement Weather: Ranting and Raving

“You go out from the first quarter on, from the first play on, and try to embarrass them,” Rhodes said. “Not just go out there and try to win, try to embarrass them. Try to make them feel bad when they leave here. We don’t want to just beat them. We want to send a message to them, ‘We’re not backing down from you and we expect to win this game, and it’s not going to be luck, it’s not going to be a mistake.’ ”

Credit: NYDailyNews.com

Credit: Courier-Journal.com

As for the speculation surrounding Rhodes' comments and the insinutation that it'll only cause Tom Brady to get MAD and inflict pain on the Jets secondary, here is what I have to rant and rave about...

Why shouldn't Kerry Rhodes - or any defensive player in the NFL - feel confident about their chances, regardless of their opponent? When a microphone is put in their face, why shouldn't they honestly express their opinions? Why shouldn't they intend to target QBs, which is in the defensive gameplan for EVERY TEAM, and let their opponent know they aren't intimidated by them?

The Patriots don't need to worry about what Rhodes said, and to their credit largely, they haven't. Ironically, it's not Belichick/Moss/Brady firing back...it's Rodney Harrison and Laurence Maroney (more on those MORONS later).

While I don't believe it's necessarily wise to specifically call out a potent offense, I don't want ANY players on teams I root for worrying about "offending" their opponent. There may be nothing more overrated in sports than supposed "bulletin board" material. Why is "no comment" what is needed to be said, in order to not offend anyone. What happened to the concept of a rivalry? You tell me. Teams don't need to be reminded the importance of games, especially on the road and in your division. They're not infantile enough to need to psyche themselves up in order to try and win a game. Especially a Belichick-coached team.

What should the Jets do? Kiss the ring?
Sorry, Tony Kornheiser and Peter King are fighting over who gets to do it next.
Credit: StudentsoftheWorld.info

Now of course, the Anthony Smith (former Steeler safety) story of a couple of years ago comes up now whenever anybody says anything about getting after Tom Brady and the Patriot offense. Let me get one thing straight: Tom Brady and the Patriots didn't beat the Steelers JUST because of the safety's comments. Brady might've let Smith hear it after a big-time TD pass, but Smith's comments didn't suddenly give Brady, Belicheat, and the Patsies the "motivation" needed to take out their conference rival. If you think it did, your simpler and more of a frontrunning poser than Tony Kornheiser. (He's become nearly as insufferable as Jack Del Rio's wardrobe in recent years, by the way.)

And if you disagree and feel Tom Brady needs "extra" motivation to beat the Jets...then he's clearly NOT the Tom Brady nearly everyone in the media (hello Phil Simms!) pulls their panties down for weekly.

Tom Brady is a smart guy. Case and point (above). He clearly doesn't need to be told that throwing TDs against the Jets is his objective this weekend.
Credit: PantyLinePress.com

If you walk into a game feeling like you're going to be beaten, then you're going to get beaten. I don't knock Rhodes for being confident and don't buy hype over bulletin board material. This isn't a rivalry in which the teams are dead even. Far from it. But it's also one the Jets have enjoyed modest success in recently. Even more important, the Patriots and Jets clearly don't like each other, view each other as threats in their division and conference, and each expect to win this game. So if you think it's a mistake to predict victory, take a cue from Plaxico Burress. Why would you NOT predict a victory when that's the object of the game? TO WIN!

Kanye was clearly the moron of the week. Although the pro-Boston media would have you think differently. Am I bitter? YES. Am I sour grapes? YES. Is Taylor Swift slowly becoming quasi-attractive? Yes...
Credit: Blog.NJ.com

Media Update...

Rodney Harrison is a punk and thug hiding behind his sportscoat on NBC. He also has ZERO credibility.
Who cares what Laurence Maroney thinks about A-N-Y-T-H-I-N-G? He's a terrible running back and has wasted a golden opportunity to become one of the NFL's elite players in an offense that could give him 150 rushing yards and 2 TDs for free most games.
Kerry Rhodes needs to wait to win a few more games before he compares himself to the NFL's elite at safety and behind the microphone. I am a fan though.


Now let's hear you react. Come on...do it!

InClement Weather: Fantasy Football Speak [Part I of III]

Most of us, who would write for or read this blog, are fantasy football "players". In fact, many of us have been at it for over a decade now (some even longer). On top of that, many of us have multiple leagues we interact with yearly.

With that in mind, I'm going to serve up a series of 3 posts this upcoming week. Some might be surprised to hear that, as I'm leaving for Las Vegas to get married Monday and enjoy a week-long honeymoon in the City of Sin.

Don't worry, it won't be one of "those" Las Vegas trips.
Credit: ThisRecording.com

Don't worry, I've already written all three posts and will sneak the other two in at later dates, in-between Armin's finishing touches on the SWOTs (is that correct?).

First up, let's look at some basics of the league (commonly known as NOVA Fantasy Football).
Since it's near impossible to find a magazine or reputable website which has mock drafts with 2 starting quarterback parameters, this is a rare treat. So enjoy it!!!

Basics
A) 10-teams.
B) 18-round ladder draft. [Ex: 1 to 10, 10 to 1, 1 to 10, 10 to 1, and so on.]
C) Starters include 2 QBs, 2 RBs, 3 WRs, 1 TE, 1 K, & 1 DEF. 8 reserve sports.

Draft
D) Max of 1 1/2 mins/pick for the first 5 rounds, max of 1 min/pick for rounds 6 through 11, and max of 45 seconds (that's right!) for rounds 12 through 18.
Note: No keepers or holdovers either. Not in this league, at least.

2-Starting QB Rules
E) If a backup becomes a starter and you have 4 starting QBs, you must drop/trade one w/i 24 hours.
F) If you have 3 starters on your roster, you may NOT pick up a 4th starter with the intention of working a trade. Picking up a starting QB when you already have 3 can only be done if you are dropping one of your 3 current starters.
G) This also works for defenses and kickers. Yes, we once had an owner with 3 kickers, potentially tabbing another. Lowball, but savvy.

Draft Lottery Bonuses
H) Separate pick'em and survivor leagues give each winner an extra ping pong ball (which I literally draw 5 minutes before the draft).

Enough talk, let's look at the first three rounds (with a few brief observations):

He might not have gotten the Madden cover, but Peterson was an easy selection for #1 overall.
Credit: DeviantArt.com

Round #1:
1) Adrian Peterson
2) Tom Brady
3) DeAngelo Williams
4) LaDanian Tomlinson
5) Drew Brees
6) Matt Forte
7) Michael Turner
8) Maurice Jones-Drew
9) Peyton Manning
10) Steven Jackson

Comments: A-Pete was a lock for #1 (despite a near-trade between slots #1 and #2), Brady was taken #2 by the same owner (Pay) last year, Williams surprised a few at #3, I've never owned LT so took the risk for the potential reward at #4, Brees at #5 proves the value of QBs in 2-starting QB leagues, Forte seemed perfect for the 6-slot, Turner slid a bit to 7 (more than a few question his reaction to a season of 350+ carries), MJD has been ranked top 3 on a ton of sites (Yahoo! especially), Manning goes to a familiar owner, and Action Jackson is someone I was afraid to even mention.

How many of you had Matt Ryan going in the second round? One of our league members did. Surprised?
Credit: Madden-School.com

Round #2:
1) Matt Ryan
2) Chris Johnson
3) Aaron Rogers
4) Brian Westbrook
5) Phillip Rivers
6) Frank Gore
7) Brandon Jacobs
8) Larry Fitzgerald
9) Randy Moss
10) Kurt Warner

Comments: Ryan at #11 overall was shocking (it was a huge Falcons fan), CJ at #12 was a fallback after Jackson went already, Rogers before Rivers might be due to it being a Packers fan, Westbrook at #14 depends on that ankle, Rivers at #15 was the second-half fantasy MVP last season, Gore quietly went under the radar (again), Jacobs returns to a happy owner (me!), Fitzgerald last longer than expected and is the first wideout taken, Moss follows at #19 to combo with Tom Brady (uh oh), and Kurt Warner is drafted at least 100 spots (or more) earlier this year.

Two Texans went in Round 3. I suppose this mock-cover ruins the surprise on one of them. But can YOU name the other? Can YOU!?!?
Credit: PhotoBucket.com

Round #3:
1) Greg Jennings
2) Marion Barber
3) Steve Slaton
4) Tony Romo
5) Clinton Portis
6) Donovan McNabb
7) Carson Palmer
8) Ronnie Brown
9) Andre Johnson
10) Calvin Johnson

Comments: Jennings is the 3rd overall receiver taken (surprising?), Barber in the 3rd round surprised many, Slaton has incredible upside at #23, Romo was a borderline grab over McNabb, Portis returns to a Redskin owner (Goings), McNabb is one of the last rock solid QBs left, Palmer may be the ultimate "make or break" QB this fantasy season, Ronnie Brown is in a contract year and the Wildcat offense is intriguing to say the least, Andre Johnson at #29 almost seems criminal, and #30 is Calvin Johnson (who is a Lion, but an absolute beast nonetheless).

So there you have it. Feel free to post some comments of your own.

Next post I'll be taking a look at 10 make-or-break middle round selections (one per team) who may have a lot to say with fantasy success or suckitude.
After that, I'll finish up the series with 10 surprising drops for players. This means I'll target 10 guys who I expected to go much earlier than they did. Much much earlier in some cases.

Until then...

NFL SWOT Analysis: AFC East

Buffalo Bills

Strengths – Leave it to T.O. to possibly be an Addition-by-Subtraction for one team, while also being a nice addition to another. Owens should be the best thing that could have happened to Lee Evans. While Evans has somewhat come into his own, he’s always lacked that running mate who can free him of the double-teams. Behind the line, Marshawn Lynch should have less pressure as he now has two backups that can step in at any time. Fred Jackson was there, but adding Dominic Rhodes could be a big win. The defensive line is underrated and goes deeper than most would realize. The fresh legs will be a huge help in the 4th Quarter.

Weaknesses – The offensive line has completely re-shuffled. Gone is All-Pro LT Jason Peters. Langston Walker moves from the right side to fill in. Brad Butler slides over from guard to RT. There will be battles at both guard spots. Finally, free agent Geoff Hangartner will be making the line calls from the middle. The defensive backfield has a lot of question marks. Donte Whitner is on the verge of losing his job. Bryan Scott has a ceiling, and it’s not high. Terrence McGee plays with heart, but isn’t built to take on #1’s like Moss, Fitz and Andre Johnson.

Opportunities – Langston Walker takes on some really big shoes, that may not be as big as they seem. If Walker stays away from giving up double-digit sacks, he’s already outdone Peters, because Walker is just as good (if not better) at run blocking. On the other side of the ball, after watching Dominique Rogers-Cromartie’s success in Arizona last year, it’s time for Leodis McKelvin to step into the starting role and show why he was drafted ahead of DRC.

Threats – For a team that made moves that a team makes to put themselves over the top (e.g. Terrell Owens), they have a lot of rookies vying for significant playing time. Aaron Maybin could be a mainstay on passing downs. Both guards, Eric Wood and Andy Levitre are challenging a couple of journeymen. Shawn Nelson has the most potential at TE. Jairus Byrd could push Whitner to start at FS.

Passing/Receiving the Torch – Trent Edwards takes the reigns as the unquestioned QB of this team. He didn’t really receive the torch from anyone other than the shell of himself who was constantly looking over his shoulder.

Position Battle – Both OG spots where Eric Wood will battle Kirk Chambers on the left side and Andy Levitre will battle Seth McKinney on the right. There will also be a battle at FS where Whitner will fend off Ko Simpson and Jairus Byrd.

Rookie Contributor – Several, due to good drafting. Wood, Levitre, Nelson, Maybin and Byrd have been mentioned. However, keep an eye on LB Nic Harris, who will mostly be a special teamer. He has “Ian Gold” written all over him.



Miami Dolphins

Strengths – One of the strengths that I always stress is continuity. With the Dolphins returning 20 starters (one will switch positions), this is almost as good as it gets. With C and FS the two new faces, the Dolphins can build on last year’s success without having to re-invent the wheel. At QB, they have the comeback player of the year. Pennington is one of the highest football IQs and is a great game manager. The running game should once again be a strength, running behind a line that was built for smash mouth football.

Weaknesses – Why did they choose to ignore upgrading at WR again? Sure, Ted Ginn is a flyer and Davone Bess and Greg Camarillo are big targets, but are any of these guys turning into Go-To receivers? The DBs have a lot of question marks as well. Yeremiah Bell has been an asset, but how confident can you be in Gibril Wilson when the Raiders gave up on him? The Allen duo at CB isn’t awe inspiring either. Will Allen needs to scour Florida for the fountain of youth while Jason Allen needs to tap into some of that potential that made him a first round pick.

Opportunities – Back to the running game. A healthy Ronnie Brown, who claims that he is 100%, and a rejuvenated Ricky Williams, who claims that he feels younger than he’s ever felt, could do some major damage behind that offensive line. Before Brown went down to a season ending injury two years ago, he was the top performing back in the league at the time. Now that they have the running game, and the comeback QB in place together, this team could be a contender.

Threats – Here’s where the Dolphins should worry. They have one of the worst kinds of threats to have. They are not a very deep team. Holes created by injuries to starters won’t easily be patched up. If the team can stay healthy, they will do well. If the injury bug hits, it will be a long season.

Passing/Receiving the Torch – This is a team where many of the players are caught in the middle. Not many are ready to pass the torch. Not many are ready to receive it. Is that a good thing? Is it bad? Hard to tell this early.

Position Battle - QB2: Pat White vs. Chad Henne. With Pennington’s injury history, the backup QB is extra important in Miami.

Rookie Contributor – Pat White will probably take the Wildcat snaps. While there are three DBs that have potential, don’t expect to see them much this season. WR Patrick Turner could get a look or two as well.



New England Patriots

Strengths – When you have Tom Brady throwing passes to this veteran receiving corps, there isn’t much to worry about. Randy Moss and Wes Welker will catch the lion’s share of passes. Joey Galloway and Greg Lewis are the wild cards. Galloway, who plays younger than his age, could be a diamond in the rough for this team. This offensive line is completely intact and has Super Bowl experience. Oh…and…let’s not forget, they’re the Patriots. (Ok…that almost made me sick…but the truth does ring there)

Weaknesses – While the CBs are deep, they have a lot to prove. Two of the three potential top contributors had the Lions and the Redskins give up on them (Leigh Bodden & Shawn Springs respectively). Couple that with the fact that the OLB spot is a weakness outside of Audalius Thomas, and you have a formula for disaster. If there is a lack of pressure on the opposing QB, these CBs will be spending too much time in coverage, and will be exploited.

Opportunities – Fred Taylor could step up and be what Corey Dillon was to the Patriots a few years back. Taylor could be the workhorse that opens things up for Kevin Faulk to do his damage. This is a deep, versatile set of backs that the team can do a lot with. From a coaching standpoint, Belichick has taken full control of the offense once again. Can he prove that he is the reason this team dominates on offense, or will he prove that Weis and McDanials were the geniuses?

Threats – Will Tom Brady start to hear footsteps? An injury like that has changed some careers for the worse, regardless of what condition the player comes back in. If Brady goes down to another injury, there isn’t another Matt Cassel type to take over again. This offense also thrives on the play of its TEs in the red zone. If nobody steps up, things could clam up pretty quick on the red zone offense.

Passing/Receiving the Torch – Ty Warren from Richard Seymour as the dominant 3-4 DE on the team. Warren was an absolute beast last year (coming off a down year). Another will be Gary Guyton from Tedy Bruschi (unless Paris Lenon beats him out). Guyton was a great college free agent find last year.

Position Battle – LOLB: Pierre Woods vs. Tully Banta-Cain. Woods is penciled in to start, but Banta-Cain is in his second stint with the club, and could use that experience to help win the job. RT: Nick Kaczur vs. Sebastian Vollmer. Kaczur is in the dog house with his legal troubles. That is why they drafted Vollmer, who is a great pick.

Rookie Contributor – Minor contribution at best, unless Vollmer beats out Kaczur. Darius Butler could get some looks if the CB injury bug hits the Patriots for the umpteenth season in a row. Ron Brace should get some time, spelling Vince Wilfork.




New York Jets

Strengths – The defense is the major strength of this team, especially with Rex Ryan aboard. This is an underrated defense that could find themselves ranked highly by the end of the season. The defense is led by talented set of DBs. Kerry Rhodes and Jim Leonhard will roam the center fields, while a foursome of CBs led by Darrelle Revis keeps receivers in check. An offensive line with a lot of potential returns this season completely intact (yet another team that will benefit from this “phenomena”).

Weaknesses – Any time you start a rookie QB (unless it’s Peyton Manning), it’s a weakness. Mark Sanchez will hit bumps in the road. The question is: Can the rest of the team step up when he needs them? If there is one spot on defense that I would focus on as a weakness, it’s the most important component of a 3-4 defense: The OLBs. Bryan Thomas and Calvin Pace are serviceable, but not dominant, like a James Harrison, Shawne Merriman or DeMarcus Ware. Both OLBs combined for 11 sacks last year. A pitiful number when you consider this defense is designed for those players to rack up the sacks. Also, with Pace suspended for the first four games, the team turns to 2008 6th overall pick Vernon Gholston, who was non-existent last season.

Opportunities – Chansi Stuckey could pick up where Laveranues Coles left off. Stuckey is no stranger to making a big catch. Now all he has to do is build chemistry with Sanchez as the #2 receiver. Dustin Keller, on the other hand, needs to become the safety-valve that will be extremely valuable to Sanchez. On the other side, Bart Scott and David Harris have the opportunity to be the next Ray Lewis and Bart Scott. Scott steps into the limelight, in a position meant to make plays, as David Harris will play an equally important, yet less spectacular role of taking on the blockers.

Threats – Age comes into question here. How old are Thomas Jones’s wheels? While he is in great condition, and Leon Washington’s presence eases the load, Jones is getting up there in years and in RB years, he’s ancient. Will contract woes for Jones and Washington cause drama? For a relatively elderly defensive line, there are too few backups to speak highly of. Maybe the Kareem Brown to TE project won’t last that long. When Kris Jenkins went down last year, it was nearly as devastating as losing Favre.

Passing/Receiving the Torch – This one is obvious. This went from Chad Pennington’s team, to Brett Favre’s team, and now it’s Mark Sanchez’s team. Maybe Sanchez can prove that just being a USC QB gives you the credentials to be an NFL starter.

Position Battle – WR: While Stuckey should win the WR2 spot, he’ll get pushed by Brad Smith and David Clowney. If you could take the strengths of each player and put them into one player, you would have your ideal WR. The two that lose out on the WR2 battle will end up entrenched in a battle for WR3. Not too shabby, considering this team will probably put more Three WR Sets out there.

Rookie Contributor – Obviously Sanchez, but don’t be surprised if Shonn Greene steals some goal line carries from Jones and Washington.

Tuesday FourCast: Week 17

Another regular season down the drain. Some are rejoicing the extension of their teams' lives by one more week, such as Philly fans, who had everything fall into place through their trifecta of success (beating Dallas and watching Chicago and Tampa lose). Others cried foul, such as New England's faithful, who watched their team secure an 11-5 record, yet be denied a playoff berth thanks to Baltimore's victory and Brett Favre's crapulence. Regardless, this was a season to remember ... if not for the football, then for the garbage officiating :-)

1. Year of the Falcon

If your team missed out on the postseason, I really don't see how you can cheer for anyone other than the Atlanta Falcons. (And if you're still too busy sulking, then I invite you to go back to Ft. Worth and continue crying over spilt popcorn). I understand that the Miami Dolphins finished with a far worse record last season, and therefore finished with a 10-game turnaround compared with the Falcons' 7-game positive swing. However, the Fins coach stayed with them through their 1-15 season, and their turmoil was entirely based around poor football decisions. Now, I generally can't stand the Falcons, and I cheered against them most of the time, for no good reason really, but I still didn't like them. But this team watched its "quarterback of the future" get sent to prison for heinous crimes against animals. And then, as if being led by Joey Harrington wasn't bad enough, faux-savior/faux-coach/faux-human Bobby Petrino quit on his team with 3-games left in the 2007 regular season. This poor team basically had a gigantic turd laid on it's head both at the onset of last season and near it's end. What Mike Smith, Michael Turner, Matt Ryan and Roddy White have done there is nothing short of miraculous and awe-inspiring. And as much as it pains me, I'll be cheering for these guys starting this weekend.

2. Year of the Psych-Out

The Washington Redskins record through Week 8: 6-2. The New York Jets record through Week 13: 9-3. The Tampa Bay Bucs record through Week 13: 9-3. San Diego through Week 13: 4-8. Guess which ONE of these teams actually made the playoffs ...
Okay, so San Diego did squeak in despite not finishing with a winning record (8-8) thanks to Denver's choke job over the final three weeks of the season, but that doesn't take away from the fact that in the NFL two cliché rules ALWAYS apply:
A) You can never count a team out, and
B) There's no such thing as a sure thing (not even Norv Turner losing in December).
Now, the Redskins were never as good as their 6-2 record implied, nor were the Bolts nearly as bad as their 4-8 record claimed. Regardless, both teams psyched-out their own fans and those of their rivals, and thereby helped create a very intense and important Week 17 of the NFL season.

3. Year of the Bad Calls

Normally I do not re-use a blurb from my intro to the FourCast again as an item, but this was a big one. Starting with Ed Hochuli's terrible blown call in the Week 2 Denver/San Diego matchup, and ending with Walt Coleman's irresponsible overturning of the "No Touchdown" call in the Pittsburgh/Baltimore game, this was a poor season for the NFL's officiating crew. (NOTE: I do believe that Santonio Holmes scored on that play against Baltimore, HOWEVER, there was no conclusive evidence to overturn the call of "No Touchdown." Therefore, Coleman overstepped his bounds as a referee ... regardless of what the NFL's resident douchebag Mike Pereira says). Unfortunately, these bad calls decided games that ultimately decided playoff scenarios (Baltimore could have become the #2 seed rather than the #6 seed), yet nothing could be done after-the-fact.
Poor officiating has dogged most professional and collegiate sports since their inception, this is a fact of life which we must face and accept. However, when the officiating raises to blatant irresponsibility and horrendous calls which determine the final outcome of games, then action must be taken. The NFL must institute some form of an in-game review of its officials in extreme situations ... such as when referees blatantly ignore the standard by which they blow their whistles and overturn calls.

4. Year of the "Evening Out"

There would have been an embeded youtube clip of the Seinfeld "evening out" or "even steven" episode here. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a short clip of it on youtube or anywhere else on the web. But in essence, in the episode, Seinfeld always manages to break even. Whether it's on his trip to Vegas, or when he loses one gig, but finds another one for the same weekend for the same pay, Jerry believes that things always even out. As he told Elaine, when she was down on her luck, "Elaine, don't get too down. Everything'll even out, see, I have two friends, you were up, he was down. Now he's up, you're down."
Well, this law applies to the NFL and it's extreme parity. In the 2007 regular season, the New England Patriots became the first team in history to finish 16-0 in the regular season. Even though they did not win the Super Bowl, such dominance over the course of the regular season seemed to fly in the face of the great parity which the NFL preached. Enter the 2008 Detroit Lions.
Just as there was an undefeated regular season team before the Pats (the 1972 Dolphins finished 14-0), there was once a winless team in the NFL as well (the 1976 Bucs finished 0-14). But Lions had to go and out-do the Bucs and lose 16 games in one season. While this sucks for the Detroit fans, it's for the greater good. Hopefully the powers that be in the Motor City will take note of the fine folks in Miami, Atlanta and Baltimore, and turn this around for the league's first 0-16 team.

Thanks for another season. Breakdown of each individual playoff game begins on Thursday morning!

InClement Weather: 10 Midnight Musings

First off, push aside any of your "home-grown" playoff scenarios and just go here:
You can play out ANY scenario you want and get your results. And I mean ANY.

As usual, Yahoo! Sports is the place I go to get the very best.

Look closely and you'll see my co-NFL MVPs. Yep, I said it and I meant it.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Here are 5 nuggets from this week and 5 more from next week...

...5 From This Week...
1) How about we eliminate the division champs from the NFC and AFC West in the playoffs? Denver is choking almost as hard as the Jets and the Bolts may sneak in behind Norv Turner of all coaches; meanwhile, the Cardinals are an absolute embarrassment. I don't care when they 'clinched', they're the easiest 1st-round out in years, even at home.
2) Nobody wants New England in the playoffs. Nobody.
3) Brett Favre is going to retire. Mark it down. Let's see how New England acts if Cassell may get courted by the Jets.
4) Matt Ryan and Michael Turner should share the NFL MVP (see above dumby!)
5) Mike Smith and Tony Sporano should share the Head Coach of the Year Award.

...5 For Next Week...
6) If the Chargers win, that sets up Indy @ San Diego in the 1st round. Who doesn't like that drama/rematch? Even I do...
7) If the Eagles beat Dallas at home, neither might be in. Why? Oakland would have to beat Tampa for Philly to get in at 9-6-1. Ditto if the J-E-T-S beat the Fish & Pennington. By the way, it's S-U-C-K now.
8) Baltimore can still get knocked out with a loss. Although they can get in without a W without too bizarre a scenario, barely.
9) With #1 locked up, do the Giants suit up a team against Minnesota?
10) If Chicago loses tomorrow night, the Vikes might not suit up a team either.

Here are a few of the "more" important scenarios to take into account:
-Denver vs. San Diego is FLEXED by NBC. The winner is the AFC's 4-seed. Lock it up.
-Dallas wins and they are in. After all these past few years have seen for the enigmatic wideout of all wideouts, TO needs to help deliver a win in Philly. Wow.
-Miami wins and they are AFC East champs and the #3 seed. Easy. If they lose, there is NO scenario for a playoff birth. NONE.
-New England could end up only the second 11-5 team to NOT make the playoffs. How? Miami & Baltimore winning (both are favored).

The real key - as I see it - is the scheduling of games. Flexing can be done by CBS & Fox as well for the 4pm slate.

But which game gets the national 4pm spotlight? Or do two?
Dallas vs. Philly has FOX written all over it; meanwhile, NY Jets/Miami is a CBS showdown. There are other options; however, I don't see any being as plausible.

The aforementioned two could be very very interesting seeing as Tampa/Oakland should be a lock for 1pm; ditto for Buffalo/New England and Jacksonville/Baltimore. OH THE DRAMA!

Just imagine if New England and B-More win; who do the Jet fans root for between them and the Phins? Seriously? While nobody ever roots for their team to lose (or do they?), will memories of Spygate remind Jet fans a loss to the Fish spells doom for the Patsies?
Note: The team would never feel that way...I hope. Pride is pride. But fans (not me...yet) have sadistic levels of thinking.

While that's playing Devil's Advocate, it's still a game you play with playoff scenarios. While I see ZERO chance of either occurring, obviously there's two ways to get in for New York's not-so-finest:
1) WIN & New England loss to JP Losman & Buffalo (yeah, sure)
2) WIN & Baltimore loss to 5-10 Jacksonville (I'm on it!)
Note: Both are home games for the Patsies and Ravens.

Of course, WINNING in the first place isn't likely. Nevertheless...

It will be as crazy a Week 17 as we've seen in years. Especially if - let's say - the Jets beat the Fins and Iggles the Cowboys (or vice-versa in that second game) and neither of the four are in.

Drama...indeed.

Good luck!!!

Tuesday FourCast: Week 13

1) Reflecting Negatively
Here’s a few FACTS I bet you didn’t expect to see through 13 weeks of the NFL season:

A) Tom Brady with 0 TD passes.
B) Plaxico Burress shot himself in the thigh and the G-Men are 11-1.
C) 4-8 San Diego Chargers & Jacksonville Jaguars.
D) Brett Favre is 8-4; Aaron Rogers is 5-7
E) Oakland Raiders only firing 1 coach thus far.
F) Seattle Seahawks are 2-10.

There’s countless more; however, there’s the six I’m stacking up as my biggest negative surprises…that you won’t read in two-dozen national columns.

2) Reflecting Positively
Here’s a few FACTS I bet you didn’t expect to see through 13 weeks of the NFL season:

A) NFL TD leader…Michael Turner.
B) 8-4 Atlanta Falcons.
C) Joe Flacco is 8-4 as a starter.
D) Matt Forte, Chris Johnson, & Steve Slaton eyeing 1,000 yard, 10 TD seasons.
E) Gus Frerrotte starting for a playoff contender.
F) No NFC or AFC East team has a losing record.

There’s countless more; however, there’s the six I’m stacking up as my biggest positive surprises…that you won’t read in two-dozen national columns.

3) Deal or No Deal???
Let’s wax poetic with a little “old school” overrated/underrated.

Quarterbacks
Underrated: Chad Pennington
Overrated: David Garrard

Running Backs
Underrated: Thomas Jones
Overrated: Willis McGahee

Wide Receivers
Underrated: Andre Johnson
Overrated: Chad Ocho Cinco

Defenders
Underrated: Mario Williams (Charlie Casserly gets an extra year for this one)
Overrated: Jason Taylor (as a free-agent pickup)

Coaches
Underrated: Jeff Fisher
Overrated: Mike McCarthy

I could go on and on (and on); however, I won’t.

4) 4 More Weeks to Go
In the words of Woody Paige…LOOK AT THE SCHEDULE!
Specifically, let’s check out four of the most popular teams on the NFL radar.

Dallas Cowboys [8-4, 2nd in NFC East, 7th in NFC playoff standings]
@Pittsburgh, NY Giants, Baltimore, @Philadelphia
Consensus: The Cowboys have the Skins nipping at their heels and an NFC South race that is too close to call.

Pittsburgh Steelers [9-3, 1st in AFC North, 2nd in AFC playoff standings]
Dallas, @Baltimore, @Tennessee, Cleveland
Consensus: The Stillers have homefield as a possibility; however, the Ravens and several other hard-charging teams pose real threats for playoff seeding.

Washington Redskins [7-5, 3rd in NFC East, 8th in NFC playoff standings]
@Baltimore, @Cincinnati, Philadelphia, @San Francisco
Consensus: The Skins will need to edge out Dallas as it appears the NFC South may be worthy of 2 playoff spots this year. A win at B-More is crucial though.

New England Patriots [7-5, 2nd in AFC East, 7th in AFC playoff standings]
@Seattle, @Oakland, Arizona, @Buffalo
Consensus: Pats will be heavily favored to go 4-0 down the stretch. That means they’re 11-5 and ultimately playoff bound. Much to the dismay of the Jets, Ravens, and Dolphins.

A few more nuggets...
Carolina is closer to homefield than you might think in the NFC.
Denver may be the safest team – outside of Tennessee – in the AFC playoff picture.
I don’t want to talk about the major hiccup the Jets had last Sunday. Suffice to say though, it may cost them a playoff spot in the end.

Enjoy the madness over the next four weeks!!!

5 NFL Questions - Week 13

1) What will high emotions result in on 'Sean Taylor Day' in Washington D.C. as the Skins battle the first-place Giants?
2) Will the Bucs end the playoff hopes of the NFL South-darling Saints?
3) Are the Chargers going to be only one game out of the AFC West with a 5-7 record after today?
4) Who will be on top of the NFC North following today: Bears or Vikings?
5) Steelers @ Patriots: Who do you got???

Kevin Boss has quietly over the past few weeks displayed why the G-Men were ready to trade Shockey. Can his fantasy value rise as the playoffs arrive?
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

***Fantasy Football Bonus Question***
6) How do you deal with Giants - not Eli Manning - like Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward, Amani Toomer, Kevin Boss, Giants DEF, etc???

5 NFL Questions - Week 7

1. Which Carolina Panthers team will come to play versus the healthy New Orleans Saints?
2. Can Adrian Peterson (the good one) have a repeat performance of his last visit to Soldier Field?
3. How will San Diego react to the 10am Pacific time start in Buffalo? It'll be 51 degrees at kickoff. The last time it was 51 degrees in October in San Diego ... it was the ice age.
4. In the Cleveland/Washington late game today, who will be Jekyll and who will be Hyde?
5. What tactics will Bill Belichick employ in order to limit Brandon Marshall's production against the largest collection of retread cornerbacks?

Roger Goodell Has No Spine

There are a few truths that we hold to be self-evident.

• The Detroit Lions is the worst franchise in the NFL
• Unless handed a no-brainer pick, the Sonics/Thunder will draft a project power forward/center
• The Cubs will always disappoint
• Tom Brady is one good looking dude
• The voice of DJ Khaled should be added to the Geneva Conventions' interpretation of what consistutes torture

Here's another one: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has no spine.

Yeah, I went there. Many feel strongly that Adam "Pacman" Jones should not have been reinstated for his repeated indiscretions and would not have been reinstated unless he played for the NFL's most marketable franchise, the Dallas Cowboys. Meanwhile, not only has Jones been reinstated since becoming a member of the Dallas Cowboys, he is back in the news this week for getting into a fight with the team-issued bodyguard. Not surprisingly, Mr. Win At All Costs himself, Jerry Jones, has come out already and stated that the other Jones will not be suspended by the team. Ironically enough, or not so much at all, #1 cornerback Terrence Newman had surgery to repair a tear in his groin muscle and will be out for approximately a month. To date, there has been no suspension from the Commissioner's office for a player who was granted reinstatement on the assumption that no funny business would be tolerated. I wonder what Odell Thurman thinks about that.

While I understand that the Commissioner's office has to do its due diligence in any investigation of wrongdoing, it has acted swiftly in other matters that involved franchises of lesser stature (see the Cincinnati Bengals). Need I mention Spygate and which franchise was involved? Some have argued that the stripping of New England's first-round pick was an enormous penalty and that Goodell could not have taken away the 7th pick New England held which they acquired via trade from San Francisco for the rights to Joe Staley. My response ... he's the Commissioner and he can take away whatever he wishes. If he wishes.

At the end of the day, it's easy to come down hard on franchises that have more arrests than wins. It's a low risk, high reward situation for Goodell. When he came down hard on recidivists like Odell Thurman or Chris Henry, he was applauded by many for rooting out the bad behavior that his predecessor addressed with less purported ferocity.

In the case of the Commissioner addressing indiscretions coming from "America's Team" or the only team to win three Super Bowls this decade, it has to be considered high risk and medium (at best) reward. By coming down hard on the league's most valuable franchises, Goodell would be biting the proverbial hand that feeds him. Unfortunately, in the case of Roger Goodell, biting the hand that feeds him precedes doing what is right and what is consistent with his mission of improving player conduct in the NFL.

For those reasons, Roger Goodell is spineless and fits in pretty well with his political equivalents in Washington. What Goodell needs to do is to shape up and make decisions based on what is right for the league rather than making inconsistent judgments based on the ideals of self preservation.

Tuesday FourCast: Week 3

Clement is always a tough act to follow. The guy just has a knack for analyzing what happens on the field/court/rink/pitch/etc. Now it's my turn, and I do my analysis like I like my football games...UGLY!!! Week 3 had its shares of ups and downs, but I decided the bigger stories were more interesting to me.

Without much further ado...here's your Tuesday FourCast


#1. The Bane of Their Existence

How fitting is it that the team to end the New England Patriots' 21-game regular season winning streak would be the Miami Dolphins? The Curse of the '72 Dolphins persists. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Somebody has to shut those geezers up, and stop those corks from popping. I am not a fan of the Pats, but would have been fine if they put a cork in those geezers last year. Regardless of who is playing QB, nobody expected a 38-13 drubbing. But, is that what this team has become without Brady? Sure, they didn't have Maroney, but what does Maroney mean to that team anyway? He's been highly replaceable in my opinion. Would last year's Patriots have given up 4 TDs on the same gimmick play? Is Randy Moss giving up on another team? Charlie Casserly seems to be alluding to that. Regardless, we saw something that none would have dreamed while watching the Patriots tear through the league last season. The Foxboro faithful booed their own team.


#2. Al Davis and His Red Kimono

In Japan, by the time man reaches the age of 60, he is commemorated with a special ceremony. This ceremony features the man wearing a red kimono, which denotes that he no longer has the responsibilities of being a mature adult. Al Davis has been wearing a proverbial red kimono for some time now. The whole Lane Kiffin situation is nauseating. What self-respecting coach with any kind of experience would consider "coaching" the team under Al Davis? Kiffin is part of a long line of coaches that Al Davis has walked all over, dating at least back to when Shanahan was there. Davis owns a team that acts just as juvenile as he does. He breeds an environment for immaturity. The Raiders Culture is no longer a bunch of players who intimidate the other team on the field. They are now a team of individuals who do whatever they want at the detriment of the team. The latest, a Davis confidant John Herrera, showed those that saw the post-game video how despicable of a person he is. I say they parade him around the sidelines in Al's Red Kimono the rest of the season, before firing him.


#3. Jerrah and his Blue Storm

Switching from Al Davis to the owner that I respect the most in the NFL. Jerry Jones may be a meddlesome owner, but he knows his football. He's one of the better GMs in the league, and could probably head to the sidelines and coach that team. Jerrah is everything Al Davis tries to be (while failing miserably). He also deserves a ton of credit (so does Tuna) for having the best team on the field every Sunday. And yes, that is the most painful thing for a Redskins fan to say. The makeup of this team has championship written all over it. Now if they can just win their first playoff game in over a decade. Franchise QB, check. One-Two Punch at RB, check. Star Receivers, check. All-Star Offensive Line, check. Their offense has put up 96 points in the first three games. The defensive front seven is stacked like a 3-4 defense should be, with a slew of gutsy linemen and talented backers. The defensive backs are so deep with starting caliber talent that they can adjust to any team's style. Some haters will point to the players with unattractive character, but they forget the guys that are good influences on the team (Tony Romo, Flozell Adams, Zach Thomas, Ken Hamlin). Watching them pound the Packers this week cemented my feelings about the Cowboys. While I don't see them matching the regular season of the 2007 Patriots, I can easily see this team making another addition to the team's Lombardi Trophy case.


#4. The Bane of Their OWN Existence

Some are pointing to the St. Louis Rams as being the worst team in the NFL. However, I believe the owner of that title belongs to the Detroit Lions. I especially loved William Clay Ford, Jr. coming out and saying his father should fire Matt Millen so that the team can reach some level of success. No truer words have been spoken. The Lions are 31-84 under Millen. The bye week couldn't have come at a better time, because they go on the road in week 5, where Millen's road record is 8-49. While St. Louis is 0-3, they played teams like Philly, the Giants and the Seahawks (two playoff teams and a team that's playing like they're playoff bound). The Lions on the other hand have played two weak teams (Atlanta & San Fran), made them look good and have given up 113 points after 3 games. Their running game is in shambles, Kitna keeps putting the team in a bad situation by claiming they're going to win 10 games every year (giving other teams the motivation to shellack them), the offensive line, as talented as the individuals are, can't put it all together for an entire game, and the defense isn't playing with much heart outside of the LB corps. Management needs to show Millen the door. Not just for his mistakes, but also to give the team a fresh start from the top. The team may even need a fresh start from the coaching staff that runs the team more like a boot camp. Either way, it will be a long season for the Lions, and they may be looking at the #1 pick in the draft.

5 NFL Questions - Week 2

1) What will life be like for the Patriots after Tom Brady?

2) Will the Cincy Pro Bowl wideouts return to form this weekend against Tennessee?

3) How long will Damon Huard hold onto the starting QB job in Kansas City?

4) Which team will most surprise you at 0-2 after today: Indianapolis or Minnesota?

5) Can Jason Campbell win games in the West Coast offense?

Clement's Weekly Picks and Prognostications...Week 2

I decided to ditch the 5,000 word posts and look where it got me…
…2-3, already an upset special down, and trouble ahead in the coming weeks.

While other "experts" might look for some cupcakes to pick up their schedules, I refuse to do so!

Without further banter, let’s rock and/or roll!!!

NFL Picks: 2-3 [Out of the gates rickety and a little rusty to boot!]
Upset Special: 0-1 [Why do I keep picking road dogs? WHY!?!?]

…all spreads courtesy of Yahoo! Sports…

New England @ NY Jets (-2.5)

Calvin Pace, not Alan Faneca, may turn out to be this year's top Jet offseason acquisition.
Credit: DayLife

Am I prenouncing the Pats a sure-fire 8-8 team and out of the playoffs? Not a chance. Buffalo is far from as good as Seattle made them look, the Jets showed a lot of weaknesses last week, and we’re still talking Belicheat here. While he won’t break the rules this week, he’ll have a defensive scheme sturdy enough to make this more than a competitive game. Looking for the real matchup to watch? Can the Jets muster anything close to a consistent pass rush to take the pressure off of Revis & Lowery? Me doubts it sadly. Pats move to 2-0, sans Brady.

Buffalo @ Jacksonville (-6)
The Bills can make a GIGANTIC statement this weekend by walking into Jacksonville with a W. Unfortunately for "Toronto" fans, their special teams won’t score this week, MJD will have 100+ yards, and Garrard won’t turn the ball over. It’ll be close, but the Jags take the touchdown victory and cover a HUGE, undeserved number at home. Call me a hater. Do it!

San Diego @ Denver (Pick’Em)
I could’ve taken Indy/Minn or even Philly/Dallas; however, I've always had a soft spot for the AFC West. Hahahahahaha. Okay, seriously...I don’t. Anyone who believed in the Raiders before last week...sit down and be quiet please. Instead, I’m just interested in seeing how the Bolts D looks without a gimpy Merriman and the Broncos offense (okay, enough about Cutler and diabetes for this week) with Brandon Marshall. While I love what BM (horrid nickname, I know) adds, I don’t think he’s the elite, gamebreaking wideout everyone labels him as already. Cromartie tabs a late pick-six to clinch the game for the Super Chargers.

New Orleans @ Washington (-1)

Drew Brees is the Steve Nash of the NFL. Agreed?
Credit: EmptytheBench.com

Don’t underestimate the Skins in their home opener. Don’t underestimate Jason Campbell’s struggles with the West Coast offense. Don’t underestimate Jeremy Shockey’s impact on the ‘Aints offense. Don’t underestimate how many times I underestimate injuries (Colston). Reggie Bush will struggle this week. I’m taking the Skins…why I don’t know.

Upset Special

Tennessee @ Cincinnati (-1)
Another road dog? Seriously, Clement? You got it dude. The team is more than ready and willing to rally around Kerry Collins at QB and has a defensive line as dominant as any in the league. While Cincinnati isn’t as bad as their performance at Baltimore was last week…jump on the Titans to take this game outright and ALWAYS favor the AFC South middle of the pack over the AFC North chum.

I don't like the Vince Young tag of being Uncle Rico. However, I do love this picture.
Credit: QBN

3 Must Starts and Must Sits

START
…Last Week…
Donte Stallworth was inactive (no harm, no foul), Dwayne Bowe was a fantastic #1 wr start and could’ve easily had 2 TDs, and as for Matt Ryan…SUCK IT HATERS!!!

…This Week…
Larry Johnson has the Raiders as an opponent and needs to pick up some fantasy owners (me!)…so he will.
Alge Crumpler will benefit from the steadier hand of Kerry Collins. He’s a great sleeper at TE a lot of people cut after Week 1.
Patrick Crayton might be the sneakiest 6 catch, 75 yard (TD threat) guy in fantasy this season. Don’t sit him in your #4 WR slot. Even against a mega-talented secondary in Philly.

SIT
…Last Week…
Laurence Maroney will be a major fantasy frustration all season long, Calvin Johnson didn’t score (yet his 100+ yards tanked my logic), and Daniels was useless and Scheffler’s 72 yards were on one sans-TD catch (meh).

…This Week…
Devrey Henderson is as popular a pick this week, but I don’t see it.
Pierre Thomas is a mega-pooular pickup; however, there has to be better options out there to pick up a cheap-TD from the RB position.
L.J. Smith isn’t a primetime player. No-go on his start at TE this week.

Let’s see how it all works out.

Sorry, I couldn’t wax any more poetic than that.
Or did I just do that?

…

Until next predictions…

Tuesday FourCast: Week 1

Welcome to this year’s first installment of the Tuesday FourCast. For those who are new readers or for those who just need a refresher each Tuesday morning during the NFL regular season, one member of the PHSports staff will give his list of four things to take away from the weekend’s slate of games. Since the four of us have different styles, you will receive a variety of thoughts across the football spectrum. The only constant is quality.

#1: You Can No Longer Assume Health of Certain Players
Tom Brady’s injury tells us a number of things. First, the Patriots are no longer the frontrunners to return to the Super Bowl. Second, Tom Brady’s career following a torn ACL will never be the same. Third, how does this affect the value of Laurence Maroney, Randy Moss and Wes Welker?

What stuns me to end is that you can no longer assume the health of certain players, including but not limited to Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, LaDainian Tomlinson, and yes, Brett Favre. This further demonstrates the imposed parity that exists within the NFL caused by unintended events. That is why, on average, only 7 of 12 playoff teams return the following year.

In a slightly related story, Patriots players need to shut their mouths. While I understand how it feels to have your best player out for the year (I have my PhD in this … I’m an Eagles fan), it’s another thing entirely to say Bernard Pollard should be fined for his hit on Tom Brady. Be quiet, Randy Moss. Quit comparing apples and oranges, Vince Wilfork. It’s not like Pollard, a safety, treated Brady’s leg like a table to rest his elbow on. That’s what Vince Wilfork did.



#2: Who Said All Rookie WRs Had a Steep Learning Curve?
Someone forgot to send that memo to DeSean Jackson and Eddie Royal – both second-round picks. Jackson and Royal filled in for injured/suspended players and deputized admirably in the receiving department as well as special teams.

What was consistent with both rookie wide receiver performances is that their quarterbacks involved them early. Jackson was targeted on the first two plays for Philadelphia and made his imprint on the Eagles faithful with a 40+ yard reception. As for Royal, he was included on two passes and two rushes. Royal finished with 9 catches and 146 yards with a touchdown and torched DeAngelo Hall. What is most impressive about these rookies has been their route-running skills, which is a positive sign for future growth and development. Not to mention, both made heady plays which made fans forget that they are rookies.

#3: The AFC Is In Trouble
Last year, Sum so subtly described the plight of the NFC. The tables have turned. Among the six teams that made the AFC Playoffs last season, only half of them won, and among those three (New England, Pittsburgh and Tennessee), only Pittsburgh avoided a multi-week injury to their quarterback. Here is a rundown of how the AFC elite fared.
* New England. Won in ugly fashion behind Matt Cassel. Though Tom Brady once had the “game manager” tag, I will be shocked if Cassel rises to stardom like Brady did en route to a Super Bowl.
* Indianapolis and San Diego. Lost on respective their home fields to NFC teams who watched the playoffs from their living rooms.
* Pittsburgh. The only team with double-digit wins to win in impressive fashion. Willie Parker looked like a man possessed.
* Jacksonville. Much like Week 1 last year, they were stifled on the ground. Even worse, they lost both starting guards. Poor David Garrard.
* Tennessee. Despite winning, the Titans were awful. And by awful, I don’t mean they were full of awe. The Titans’ apologists will tell you that Chris Johnson and the defense played well, and that they generally win ugly.
* Cleveland. Steamrolled by Dallas. Additions on defense had a combined one good play, which resulted in 13 stitches for Mr. Jessica Simpson.

All of this can be summed in one word. Ouch.

#4: Don’t Buy Into the Hype … Yet
Matt Ryan. Joe Flacco. Aaron Rodgers. All three made their first NFL start (so did JT O’Sullivan, I think, but who cares about him?) and all three were winners. As I tell everyone I come across, the first week of the NFL season is all about anomalies. Perhaps, it’s an excuse I employ to explain losing an inordinate number of Week 1 matchups. Perhaps, it’s Tom Brady tearing an ACL in the first quarter of the first game and it’s Carson Palmer laying the mother of all eggs. Some events become trends, but most are one-time occurrences. That said, if all three continue to show poise under pressure and guide their teams to victory, then the hype is well worth it. Though he played against a Pop Warner defense, Matt Ryan impressed the most. It never hurts when you have a running back who breaks the franchise’s single-game rushing yards record … in his first game as a Falcon.

2008 Season NFL Predictions

Last year I began what I hoped would become an annual tradition. Making my NFL regular season and playoff predictions by going through and picking a winner in each of the 256 games played during the regular season. Following that, I determine which teams make the playoffs by handling all tie-breakers according to NFL rules. And unlike many other "professional" sports writers, I held myself accountable before the next season, taking myself to task when I f'd up, and patting myself on the back for the few correct things (like picking the Chiefs to go 4-12).

Without further ado, here are my predictions for the 2008-2009 NFL Season, berate them as you must:

NFC
NFC East *Dallas 13-3 **Philadelphia 10-6 NY Giants 8-8 Washington 6-10 Dallas is clearly the class of this division. The high powered offense plus the mean defense means another dominant season for Jerry Jones’ squad. Meanwhile, the Iggles should be back behind D-McNabb and Westbrook. The Giants defense is too banged up to be able to drag the offense into the playoffs again. And the Redskins will have growing pains under first year coach Jim Zorn.	NFC North *Minnesota 12-4 Green Bay 8-8 Chicago 5-11 Detroit 4-12 Minnesota should do very well this season, despite having Tarvaris Jackson at the helm. But if he plays the “Trent Dilfer” role, then the Vikes will be atop the Norris division again. Green Bay will perform decently as Aaron Rodgers gets used to leading the team, but they’ll be better next year. Chicago is slightly less abysmal with Orton at QB. Detroit … well, Matt Millen will somehow avoid being fired.
NFC South *Carolina 11-5 **New Orleans 10-6 Tampa Bay 7-9 Atlanta 4-12 Carolina will work out some early season kinks and Delhomme will find his touch just in time to guide the Panthers well. The Saints will also be back in the mix of things with their high-powered offense and average defense. Tampa will try a few different QBs and stumble their way through a sub-par season. Atlanta may finish with the same record as last year, but they’ll be a stronger team as Matt Ryan gets his NFL education.	NFC West *Seattle 12-4 San Francisco 6-10 Arizona 6-10 St. Louis 5-11 A piss poor division to say the least. Seattle is a solid team surrounded by mediocrity. The Hawks will follow their defense and a running back by committee routine to the top of the division. San Fran will have a steady hand in J.T. O’Sullivan, but will have enough troubles to avoid achieving success. The Cardinals are still mired in their QB controversy, and I don’t see it going away. The Rams … well, they need an overhaul at WR and QB.
Tie breaker note: MIN gets the 2-seed due to a better in-conference record than SEA; NO gets the 5-seed by virtue of a better won-lost-tied percentage than PHI in common games.
AFC
AFC East *New England 13-3 NY Jets 9-7 Buffalo 5-11 Miami 5-11 The Pats will not finish undefeated again, an aging defense will stop that from happening. However, they’re still atop the AFC and will dominate the East. The Jets will bounce back from the garbage they fed their fans last year, but the vanilla offense led by Favre will be figured out by teams as the season goes on. Buffalo and Miami are both better than their records suggest, but each still has some bugs to work out before they can crack an 8-8 season.	AFC North *Pittsburgh 10-6 Cleveland 8-8 Cincinnati 5-11 Baltimore 4-12 Pittsburgh wins this division, almost by default. Even with a diminished offensive line, they should win out here. Cleveland isn’t as bad as their 8-8 finish, but they won’t be in contention for the playoffs this year. Anderson’s magical ride will start to turn sour and we’ll see the rise of Brady Quinn. Cincy may or may not have Chad Ocho Cinco, depending on his torn labrum, but even with him, the defense is too weak to have much success in the AFC. The Ravens are too green on the offense and too old on the defense.
AFC South *Indianapolis 12-4 **Jacksonville 11-5 Tennessee 9-7 Houston 7-9 The Colts have a nice strangle-hold on the South … even though they’re in the Midwest. Peyton has plenty of targets, and he’ll make use of all of them. The Jaguars like what they have on the offense, and Matt Jones may finally emerge as a solid receiver. The Titans need Vince Young to learn to throw the ball before they become a truly serious threat. Houston will need to solve its running back quartet before they can truly expect to compete for a playoff spot in the AFC.	AFC West *San Diego 13-3 **Denver 11-5 Oakland 4-12 Kansas City 3-13 Norv Turner may just have a heart attack. Poor guy isn’t used to this success thing, but when L.T. leads your team, it’s hard not to find it. I expect Denver to have a solid season with Jay Cutler having his diabetes under control and finding rhythm with both Brandon Marshall and Tony Scheffler. Oakland’s record is tied to the health of Darren McFadden and the use of outlet receivers by JaMarcus Russell. Kansas City is just bad. Barring a return to glory by L.J., they’ll be worse than last year.
Tie breaker note: NE gets the 1 seed by virtue of a head-to-head win over SD. JAC gets the 5-seed due to a head-to-head win over DEN.

Wildcard Playoffs (winner in Italics)

Philadelphia at Seattle – Seattle has had an awesome home advantage in the playoffs in recent history. That continues against the more talented Philly team.

New Orleans at Carolina – Carolina let the Saints win the regular season finale since that really wouldn’t affect their playoff stance. However, the real Carolina team shows up this time.

Denver at Indianapolis – Cutler performs remarkably throughout the season, and gives Peyton a run for his money in this match-up. Ultimately, however, the Colts are a far more complete team than the Broncos.

Jacksonville at Pittsburgh – Garrard and MoJoDro lead the way as the Steelers don’t even put up a real fight.

Divisional Playoffs

Carolina at Dallas – Another year, another playoff disappointment for Tony Romo. Marion Barber, III plays his heart out, but in the end it’ll be the two-headed rushing attack of Carolina that’ll leave T.O. in tears again.

Seattle at Minnesota – Seattle’s defensive line will put way too much pressure on Tarvaris Jackson to allow the mediocre QB to do anything other than hand the ball off. The lack of a passing game will be enough to allow Seattle to squeak by the Vikes.

Jacksonville at New England – Wow. This AFC Divisional round looks kinda similar, no? The result of this portion will look similar as well, with Tom Brady looking picture perfect in a nail-biter against the talented Jags.

Indianapolis at San Diego – This half of the AFC Divisional round, however, won’t be a repeat. Indy romps the Bolts in San Diego, setting up football’s equivalent of Nadal vs. Federer in the AFC Championship game.

Conference Finals

Seattle at Carolina – The Panthers return to the Super Bowl, this time following the lead of Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams. Delhomme likes having more than one option at WR, and guides his team past a stingy Seattle defense.

Indianapolis at New England – Tom Brady has one thing on his mind … another Super Bowl ring. Joe Cool, Jr. is up to the task and directs his less talented team to a nice victory in the frigid Massachusetts weather.

Super Bowl

Carolina vs. New England – I don’t like predicting repeats of recent Super Bowls (especially if there’s no chance of a repeated wardrobe malfunction), but I guess I’m really high on the Panthers this season. On paper, the Panthers should win this one with their strong offense against the aging Pats defense. But that won’t happen. New England makes up for it’s crappy play in the last Super Bowl and wins this one 24-20.