Early Edition: Week 7 NFL Predictions

First off, fantasy gets the weekend off. Two reasons:
1) I stink at it.
2) Thursday is a little earlier than I like to predict and prognosticate.

So why the Early Edition? (Remember that show?) Simple. I'll be in Dallas this weekend with the family.

Yeah, I'll check this place out (Falcons @ Cowboys will be on the games being picked this weekend, btw) along the way.
Credit: GoldandtheGame.com

Time for the 10 Questions of the Week

Credit: Newsday.com

1) If (when) Sanchez struggles on Sunday in Oakland, does Clemens see any snaps?
2) Anybody outside of New York and Anaheim (aka LA) that has interest in the ALCS over the NFL weekend slate?
3) Is Cedric Benson ready to lead the NFL in rushing?
4) How will Frank Gore's return impact the 49ers?
5) Speaking of those Niners, what's the over/under on 1 reception for rookie wideout Michael Crabtree?
6) Does anyone actually watch Fox's Brothers? Besides Strahan's family, I mean?
7) Matt Ryan or Joe Flacco: who wins a playoff game this season?
8) Is Roddy White becoming a top-5 NFL receiver?
9) Is Marvin Harrison now officially done?
10) Does Jim Zorn survive after Monday night?

Weekly Picks
Last Week: 5-3 (I bet on the Skins and paid the price. As for the Iggles, more on that debacle later.)
Season Total: 20-13 (I made a target of 25-15 at this point. A 5 and 2 week means I need to pick an easy one or two. No dice!)
Upset Special: 2-1 (I went with three road dogs and got 2 out of 3. I would've won big on Arizona and Houston, but the Giants really let me down.)
Survivor Selection: 4-1 (Philly breaks my stranglehold on selecting the "easiest game of the week". Believe me, I wasn't alone. Nevertheless, it still stings.)

Minnesota Vikings @ Pittsburgh Steelers (-4)
I'm taking the Stillers, barely, and the home-field advantage. Minnesota can survive losing this game. In fact, you don't want too too much hype this early in the season. Seriously.

San Diego Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs (+ 4 1/2)
I think this is the week the Chargers get back on track. But mark my words: they aren't winning the AFC West this season. The playoffs aren't out of the question though...yet.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Washington Redskins (+7)
In a last second change, I'm switching to Philly. I felt like the Skins might be troublesome; however, the reports from practice this week have been flat and uninteresting. No juice left in DC worth mentioning.

Buffalo Bills @ Carolina Panthers (-7)
Why do I believe in Carolina and the awfulness that is Jake Delhomme? Steve Smith pouts and responds with 2 TD receptions.

NY Jets @ Oakland Raiders (+7)
I am a negative negative man. The Jet wideouts are extremely banged up and this team can't travel west. If you find this above 7, take the money and run.

Upset Special #1
Atlanta Falcons @ Dallas Cowboys (-4)
My mom is a LEGIT die-hard Cowboys fan. I know, hate away. I sympathize with the team for her and for Troy Aikman (always a personal favorite). She bleeds the team colors and has never been to a game in Dallas. She missed out in the final year of Texas Stadium, so she deserves a win in her trip out to Big D. Ain't gonna happen. In fact, I question these odds entirely. Matty Ice on the road is enough to eeek out a W. Sorry mom.

Upset Special #2
Chicago Bears @ Cincinnati Bengals (- 2 1/2)
I had a feeling last week with Houston and it would've paid off handsomely. I don't want to sink the Bengals yet, but I think the Bears are a better team and can play well in this envrionment. In fact, I'm picking them to win outright in a rather entertaining matchup (who would've thought that earlier this season?).

I'm dead in the Survivor-pool. I'd love to target the following squad though: Indianapolis. Not the toughest pick in the world, right?

Thanks for the crappy London-matchup Goodell. Thanks.

Parting Thought of the Week

Credit: SeattlePI.com

Let's play the "what-if" game. Crabtree may see 12-15 snaps this week and perhaps even double that next week. Some wild rumors have him starting (opposite Ike Bruce), but still not seeing too many snaps. If the 49ers are able to target Crabtree for a big play or perhaps in the redzone, how does Coach Singletary respond to his former holdout rook? I know I'd love to see it.

Enjoy the weekend slate...

NFL SWOT Analysis: NFC East

The NFL is heating up. Training camps have either started already or are starting over the next week. Once again we're back with the Team-by-Team SWOT Analyses. We're taking a close look at the upsides and downsides of each team, and what they look like going into training camp. Check back every couple of days as a new division will be posted. As always, looking forward to the comments.


Dallas Cowboys

Strengths – Many teams would love to have a tandem of backs like Marion Barber and Felix Jones. If Jones is 100%, expect an even split on carries, allowing Barber to step back into a role he dominated in when splitting carries with another Jones. The QB’s best friend is a great TE. The Cowboys have arguably the best in the league with Jason Witten. However, don’t sleep on Martellus Bennett. If D-Coordinators think they can put a LB on him, expect some nasty exploitation. Together, they will cause mismatches that will move the chains. The Defensive Front Seven, led by DeMarcus Ware and Jay Ratliff, is one of the best in the league.

Weaknesses – Was losing T.O. addition by subtraction? Roy Williams will have some big shoes to fill. Outside of the TEs, he doesn’t have much help. The secondary will need all the help they can get from the front seven. Mike Jenkins steps in as a full-time starter. Team him up with Terence Newman, and you have two CBs who don’t like to make tackles. Gerald Sensabaugh should not have a hard time making the team forget about the other Roy Williams at safety. But, if he does, it’ll be a long year for the Dallas D.

Opportunities – As a team, the Cowboys need to use last year’s debacle to fuel their fire for this season. They cannot be an embarrassment again. At the nickel corner, Orlando Scandrick has the kind of physical build and game that the team desperately needs. If he can prove himself during training camp and the preseason, we could see the 2008 fifth rounder a lot.

Threats – Can Jerrah Jones stick with Wade Phillips throughout the season if the team hits some bumps? While I’m not a fan of Phillips, replacing him mid-season would be disastrous to this team, regardless of Jason Garrett’s presence. This is also the toughest division in the league (until another division proves otherwise). For the Cowboys to succeed, they must best the Giants and Eagles, who are the class of this division at this point in time.

Passing/Receiving the Torch – Anthony Spencer, from Greg Ellis. Spencer has the type of pass rushing skills to make Dallas fans forget about Ellis. Spencer could have Shaun Phillips-like production because of the luxury of who he has as a bookend.

Position Battle – WR: Patrick Crayton, Miles Austin, Isaiah Stanback. At least one of these three has to step up and be as good as Jerrah claims they are. Once that happens, the Cowboys could be tough to stop on offense.

Rookie Contributor – Not likely to be any. I did like Robert Brewster. He might have had the best chance in the preseason, to show that he’s going to be the eventual replacement for Hotel Adams. But, this morning I got news that he's out for the season. I guess most of the rookie contribution will have to come from all four drafted LBs. They need to show that they can spell the starting four. A deep set of LBs is the strength of any 3-4 defense.



New York Giants

Strengths – This team lived and died by Eli Manning’s arm for the last few years. With the receiving corps taking a new shape, the running game becomes an even bigger focus than last year. Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw will pick up most of the slack left by Derrick Ward. This job is always made easier by one of the best functioning offensive lines in the league.

Weaknesses – It is very easy to point out the receiving corps. Losing Plaxico is huge. A pistol-packing, self-shooting individual off the field, he was heavy artillery on it. On the other side of the ball, I’m going to go out on a limb and say that their defense is a weakness. While there is some talent, Steve Spagnuolo is gone.

Opportunities – This is Eli’s chance to prove how good a QB he is if he can produce with what looks like a mediocre set of WRs (on paper, that is). Kevin Boss should end up with a bigger role in the passing game. He has a lot to prove.

Threats – The D-Line will be tested early this season. They are a smallish group flanked by a linebacking crew that isn’t impressive outside of Antonio Pierce (Boley will miss nearly half of the season due to injury). A power running team could have a field day.

Passing/Receiving the Torch – Bill Shridan from Spags. Will Sheridan keep the same defensive philosophy intact, or will he add his own signature? Either way, will he be able to hold this defense together as masterfully as Spags did.

Position Battle – DT: While newcomers Chris Canty and Rocky Bernard are penciled in as the starters, holdovers Fred Robbins and Barry Coefield won’t give up their spots without a fight. This is also the formula for a strong DT rotation.

Rookie Contributor – Potentially a few with such a strong draft. Hakeem Nicks and Ramses Barden are big receivers that this team lacks without Plaxico around. Clint Sintim could fill in for Michael Boley early.



Philadelphia Eagles

Strengths – McNabb is this team’s MVP. Last year’s benching was a fluke, and Reid knows (whether he likes it or not), this team goes where McNabb takes them. They arguably have the best WRs in the division and arguably the best McNabb has had since joining the team. This is the QB that took his team to several NFC Championships with James Thrash, Todd Pinkston and LJ Smith as his targets. The defensive line and linebackers may be one of the more underrated in the league. The DTs started getting some love last year, but LBs like Stewart Bradley and Chris Gocong could be the next breakout players.

Weaknesses – How do you recover from losing Brian Dawkins and Jim Johnson? These were the on and off field leaders of this defensive team. Team Quintin at safety (Mikell and Demps) leave a lot to be desired. Mikell is one-dimensional, in the form of Roy Williams. His strength is to stop the run, but he leaves something to be desired in pass coverage (which is why Sean Jones is around), and Demps is stepping into some HUGE shoes.

Opportunities – On paper, the Eagles are the talent of the division. However, any football fan should know that it means nothing until you produce on the field. Look for Andy Reid and the coaching staff to tap into that potential and maybe land back in the NFC Championship. Brent Celek has an opportunity to show if he is the TE that caught 12 balls in one game, or if he’s a one game wonder.

Threats – Biggest question of the year: Can Westbrook stay healthy? The offensive line has question marks as well. You have Jason Peters coming off a season where he gave up a rack of sacks. Stacy and Shawn Andrews will flip-flop from the positions they played last year. It also doesn’t help that Jamaal Jackson never lived up to his hype when he signed his deal, and should get a push from Nick Cole. While Peters and the Andrews brothers are great linemen, can the line gel as a whole this season? Could McNabb be running for his life again (much like some of his most frustrating years)?

Passing/Receiving the Torch – Demps from Dawkins. Taking over for a legend, will Demps be Steve Young or Quincy Carter? Can the Eagles fans go easy on him early? I guess the other question is, could Sean Jones swing over as the deep safety and take the spot from Demps?

Position Battle – RB: LeSean McCoy and Lorenzo Booker. Who will have the opportunity to be Brian Westbrook’s #1 caddy?

Rookie Contributors – Jeremy Maclin as a returner and a home run threat. LeSean McCoy as a potential RB2. Clint Ingram, if Celek turns out to be a one game wonder.



Washington Redskins

Strengths – There are not many to speak of on offense other than Chris Cooley. On the other side of the ball, they strengthened their DTs with the addition of the $100 Million Dollar Man, Albert Haynesworth. The linebackers, led by tackling machine, London Fletcher, look good. Rocky McIntosh proved to be a student of the game last season and broke out.

Weaknesses – The WRs are either too short for the offensive scheme, or they are unproven. The offensive line, even with the addition of Derrick Dockery, is in need of an overhaul. However, the biggest issue for this team last season was the instability in the play calling. The team dominated the first half of the season as a power running team. However, they turned into a pass-happy team in the second half and stunk things up.

Opportunities – Jason Campbell’s stage has been set. He’s finally going into his 2nd year in the same offense (a feat unrealized since high school), and he’s got a boulder on his shoulder (forget a chip). Outside of the upgrades, the rest of the starting roster stayed intact. This team has the makings of a surprise waiting to happen.

Threats – This is the downside of the Jason Campbell situation. He could end up folding under the pressure (like a lawn-chair) and the consequences will be heavy. This is also an old team that somehow lacks stability. They will beat a great team one week, and give a winless team their first win the next week. If that roller coaster starts hitting it’s peaks and valleys early, it’s going to be a long season.

Passing/Receiving the Torch – Many passers. Few takers. This may be Snyderrato’s last shot at doing anything before the inevitable dismantling and re-building.

Position Battle – WR3: Roydell Williams, Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly. It’s too bad they’re not vying for the WR2 spot, as Antwaan Randle El would probably make a better WR3 than he does a WR2.

Rookie Contributor – Bryan Orakpo will play the hybrid LB/DE role. He will play LB on running downs and DE on obvious passing downs.

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!!!

Clement’s Weekly Picks & Prognostications…Week 16

First off, it's time for the 'excuse' as to why I didn't post on Friday.
Well, a partial dislocation of my left elbow did the trick!

Two words: not fun.
Credit: LSBU.uk

Two more weeks to go and the NFL season is officially white hot.

Wouldn't you know it, but both the AFC and NFC have every seed up for grabs.
(Note: The exception to the rule came true Thursday night as Indy clinched the #5-seed after defeating the Jags 31-24.)

True, several teams have clinched either a division (Tennessee, Pittsburgh, NY Giants, Arizona), a bye (Tenn & Pitt), and others just a playoff spot…wait, none of the “wild-card” are locked up yet (again, except Indy).

Interestingly enough, Carolina can win next week and clinch the #1-seed in the NFC OR lose out and potentially miss the playoffs altogether. Best-case to worst-case, to say the least.

6-8 San Diego is alive; meanwhile, it’s possible an 11-5 Patriot team could miss the playoffs (not likely though). Even crazier is that two 10-6 teams (as opposed to just Cleveland last season) AFC teams and several NFC will likely miss the playoffs.

Imagine if the Falcons and Phins end up 10-6 and both are out of the playoff picture.
The Jets could go from 8-3 and Super Bowl contenders to 9-7 and 2 games out of the playoffs.
Skin fans have sentiments far drearier as their playoff path seems invisible, despite a 6-2 start.

You gotta love this time of year, right? NO.
It’s far too much stress I tell you. Too much!
Fortunately, you have me to kick around…as my picks have suddenly become sublimely average.

NFL Picks: 41-26 [Taking credit for the Bears W over the ‘Aints. Pay can back me up. I swear!]
Upset Specials: 11-10 [If I can get this thing to something like 16-12, it’s a respectable season.]

I’m taking each and every game that MATTERS. HONEST!

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Tennessee Titans (+1)
Chucking the Titans to the side of the road is a mistake. An even bigger mistake is noticing how the Steelers do nothing but dominate fourth quarters. With Vanden Bosch and Haynesworth already ruled out, I don’t like Titans chances for brusing up Big Ben and an underachieving Steeler rush game. Tight ends will play major factors in this game and I’ll take the veteran Pro Bowler Troy Polamalu over the emerging talent Michael Griffin at the other key position, safety. That means I’m going Steelers for the cover.

Miami Dolphins @ Kansas City Chiefs (+4)
Don’t sleep on the Phins facing a challenge this week. They play teams close and aren’t likely to blow anyone out. Problem for KC this week (and every week) is turnovers, the pistol formation stifling LJ in the redzone, and the overall lack of playmaking talent on the defensive side of the ball. Pennington won’t have that crippling 3-turnover game that allows 2-12 teams to pull upsets. Phins cruise, which means a win by 7-10. Joey Porter may have 20 sacks on the year after this game for his season tally. 2 extra INTs too.

San Diego Chargers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-3)
Not the best time for Tampa to struggle with stopping the run. Then again, LT is a shred of his former self this season. Remember the Bucs are 6-0 at home and they realize their playoff lives are on the line. A division title still remains a possibility; enhanced even more with Jeff Garcia likely back under center. While the Chargers can really put a TON of pressure on Denver (who has no gimme itself this weekend), I like the Bucs to move to 10-5 and end the Charger season across the country.

Buffalo Bills @ Denver Broncos (No Line)
Not sure what’s going on with the psyche of either team right now; however, I’m taking the Broncos to win a close one. In all honesty, I flipped a coin.

Atlanta Falcons @ Minnesota Vikings (-3)
The game is in Minnesota, so I’m taking the Vikings. You need more? A-Pete versus The Burner should be amazing. The real storyline may be Ryan & Jackson though. While I’m not sold on Tavaris, I am also not sold on the Atlanta D on the road. Vikes win, with probably a push on this 3. I'm pulling for the upset though.

Carolina Panthers @ NY Giants (-3)
Another game that screams for a push. The G-Men must improve the juice in their pass rush - despite their lack of depth this time of the season - and force Jake Delhomme to rush throws into a crowded secondary. While I don’t want to go 0-3 in consecutive weeks with the G-Men, I also don’t know if the Panthers will run all that well against the Giants. I’ll take New York’s finest football team. If DeAngelo Williams was a Pro Bowl snub, we'll know after this weekend.

[Picking Against My Own Team] Upset Special #1:

New York Jets @ Seattle Seahawks (+5)
I pissed and moaned last week and the Jets did almost everything they could to lose at home - after leading 14-3 (with the ball at midfield early in the 2^nd quarter) – to the lowly Bills. Nevertheless, a win is a win. Or is it? While some Jets are talking about the lack of need for style points…I’m questioning offensive playcalling, a bland defensive scheme, zero intricacy with blitz packages, and a lack of reliance on the rush offense with the lead. Seriously, only 1 carry for Leon Washington? I’m calling for the outright upset here by the Hawks. Why? I know the Jets all too well. 8-3 was maybe the worst thing that happened to this team and coaching staff.

[Monday Night] Upset Special #2:

Green Bay Packers @ Chicago Bears (-4 ½)
Spoiler alert! Not sure why, but it will be!

[Quasi-]Upset Special #3:

Baltimore Ravens @ Dallas Cowboys (-4 ½)
Obviously, this is a VERY different game if it’s being played in Baltimore than in Texas Stadium; especially weather-wise. The health of Tony Romo may quickly come into question - especially considering the ferocity of hits the Ravens lay on opposing QBs - as without Romo the Boys are DOA. Ditto for the patience of Cam Cameron in Joe Flacco if DeMarcus Ware can get around the corner and pressure the rookie QB. If Flacco can't make big throws downfield, the Ravens won't dink and dunk their way to a road W. Two other factors really stick out: the Ravens unbalanced line and the lack of a Raven running game. One needs to help the other as the new line-formation won't do enough if it's only intention is to contain Ware on the edge. My pick is the Cowboys; however, I’m sticking with the Ravens to keep it close. Very close.

Ten Fantasy Insights/Questions on Championship Weekend:
1) If you don't have your championship in Week 16…your league stinks.
2) If you are pairing up a regular season title with a potential playoffs title, that’s awesome.
3) If you are pairing up a regular season tite, point’s lead, and a playoff title…you are awesome.
4) If you are the 8-seed playing for the playoff championship, I have two words for you: silver lining.
5) If your NFL team is out of it, I hope your fantasy team isn’t.
6) Whose your fantasy MVP: Kurt Warner, Michael Turner, Adrian Peterson, Andre Johnson, or maybe even Tony Gonzalez?
7) Whose your fantasy LAMO over the year: Tom Brady, Carson Palmer, Derek Anderson, or maybe even LT as your #1 overall pick?
8) Which rookie QB did you ride to a greater fantasy surprise: Matt Ryan or Joe Flacco?
9) Who's the #1 pick next year: Adrian Peterson or the field?
10) Is Matt Cassell a top 7-8 QB – wherever he is – next season (fantasy football-wise).

See you next week…to close out the regular season (gulp).

Tuesday FourCast: Week 15

The playoffs are approaching, and Week 15 kicked off what I consider the most important three weeks of the regular season. Just like any season, there are plenty of teams on the bubble going in, and Week 15 is when you start seeing the pain kick in, as teams on the cusp of the post season have their hopes crushed. Hope the Trekkies can enjoy this one.


1. Improbable AND Impossible...take that Dr. Spock!!!

This week, we saw the two best teams in the league duke it out. It's too bad the Super Bowl can't always consist of the two best teams. In my opinion the Giants and Cowboys are the best teams in the league. On one hand, you have the Giants who should be reeling from the loss of Plaxico Burress, but seem to be moving on without him. On the other hand, you have the Cowboys who were knee deep in drama with a divided locker room, and an owner questioning the Marion Barber's toughness. What makes the teams great is their defenses that, despite the final score on Sunday night, are for the most part hitting on all cylinders. The Cowboys were my preseason pick to win the Super Bowl and I'm sure I wasn't alone in that thought at that time. However, I may stand with less when I say that they are still my favorite to win it all. Hopefully they don’t make me look silly by missing the playoffs.


2. Dammit Jim, I'm a doctor, not a referee!!!

Ravens fans are not going to let this one go, but I will go on the record and say that was a touchdown. I understand the call could go either way, and I have many that will disagree with me. I saw the ball breaking the plane. I watched the replay several times, and I saw a TD. The point in question here is, can that play have been used as irrefutable evidence to change the call either way. Too close to call. I wouldn't be surprised if someone said the refs decided on a coin flip. Either way, it would be nice to see both of these teams meet in the playoffs and have the game decided in a less controversial way.


3. 19 Down, only 4 more to Chekov

The Ware Watch is in full effect. Two games left. Can DeMarcus Ware get 4 more sacks? Never thought I would cheer for a Cowboy to break an NFL record, but Strahan's faux sack record needs to fall. I never looked at Brett Favre the same after his prima-donna-ish move to be purposely sacked by Strahan which broke the previous NFL record. Ware leads a defense that is now healthy, at full strength and off any suspensions. While the Steelers defense is the favorite is ranked as the best defense in the NFL (and considered one of the best all-time), I think the Cowboys make a strong case to be 2nd at this point in the season.


4. You can beam me up now, Tony

I hope Tony Siragusa will always have a commentator/analyst job. His comment, comparing his vertical to that of Santana Moss had me nearly rolling on the floor. Goose is a funny guy, and his humorous blurbs are much welcome. On the flip-side, you get Tony Kornheiser. Get this guy out of there. He’s worse than Dennis Leary. If the NFL and their partnering networks want to reach the fan-base that’s going to keep their league atop all sports in the U.S., they can’t have old Korny making comments about the random things he talks about. Let’s keep Korny on PTI (where I can avoid him), and lets see if we can move Goose into the booth on Monday nights. I guarantee that he would be exponentially more entertaining than Korny. A Tony for a Tony.

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!!!

Clement’s Weekly Picks & Prognostications…(Late) Night Turkey Day Edition

Sorry for the timing of this post; however, the busy day got the best of this writer.

First off, happy Thanksgiving to all. If for some reason the holiday isn’t your thing, I at least hope you have the day off. Although I suppose if anyone is working, at least you’re getting paid extra.

If none of these reach out to you. I pity you.

While the regular NFL edition will get its due tomorrow, I decided to peg out a “holiday edition” for the five of you who look forward to this weekly-column.

Probably came as no surprise to YOU that CJ/White both had MONSTER days.
Did it to me?
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

NFL Picks: 33-18 [A LaDell Betts fumble cost me 3-0, but not the Skins the game.]
Upset Special: 9-10 [That late 2-point conversion that failed for San Fran cost me a winning record in a dismal “upset” season of picks.]

…spreads courtesy of oddsmaker.com…

Tennessee Titans vs. Detroit Lions (+ 11 ½)
The lack of this game being 11-0 vs. 0-11 might turn off fourteen of the twenty-eight viewers who aren’t connected to this game for fantasy or as a Lions/Titans fan. Nevertheless, the Titans are on a short week after a brutal ***-kicking from the Jets. Meanwhile, Detroit is starting to hear 0-16 more and more every day. I expect this game to be very very ugly. That means the Lions are going to be 0-12, losing by 12 or more points.

Seattle Seahawks vs. Dallas Cowboys (-13)
This game – for Dallas – needs to be against an NFC East rival every year. Rotate between the three or have the guys to make this game Dallas vs. Washington every year. Nevertheless, Seattle is a BAD team who doesn’t even play well at home – no less on the road – this season. Julius Jones returns to Dallas as the starter and will be a non-factor. Look for Romo to light up the air and toss 3-4 TDs and keep pacifying his wide receiver known commonly as TO. 13 is a TON of points to leave out there. I’m taking em though, as I see this as the second route of a lukewarm Turkey Day schedule.

Arizona Cardinals vs. Philadelphia Eagles (-3)
It boggles my mind the spreads that come out for Philly at home. I know that public money and the oddsmakers are always “behind the scenes”; nevertheless, Arizona was beaten up by the Giants and will travel cross-country easier than their last two-week stay. While the weather might be frightful, Andy Reid and Donovan F. McNabb aren’t going to salvage much out of this season. My real interest is on the play of erratic Cardinal LB Dansby and how Coach Wisenhunt manages an underachieving rushing gameplan (not necessarily the talent). Would 1 or 2 I formations – outside of the red zone – kill this team? Maybe. Sorry Iggles fans, you won’t cover or win.

See you tomorrow with the Friday edition. Here’s to shooting for 40-25. Then maybe 50-30 by playoff time.

Happy holiday.

Clement's Weekly Picks and Prognostications...Week 12

A lack of an introduction can only help me at this point.
Oh wait, was this an intro???

...

NFL Picks: 31-17 [Yes, I was one of "those" who lost a pick due to the Polamalu-non TD. Stupid zebras. Picks are on a roll, by the way.]
Upset Specials: 8-8 [Should've gone to that Skins/Cowboys slobberknocker.]

You might not see a better catch this season than this one. Don't believe me? WATCH.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports (assist to YouTube)

Philadelphia Eagles @ Baltimore Ravens (-1 1/2)
Not taking the road dog here. It's likely time Reid, McNabb, or both go. Fear not, they'll both have plenty of suitors. As for the game, Ray Lewis won't fear the tiny Iggle backs. Ravens win a crucial game for their playoff hopes.

Minnesota Vikings @ Jacksonville Jaguars (-2 1/2)
Not liking the Jags or the Vikes much after last weekend. If the Jags can't rush the ball, they won't be able to pass it to win. David Garrard might be the next Jeff Blake. That's not a good thing, by the way.

Washington Redskins @ Seattle Seahawks (+ 3 1/2)
Could Sean Alexander return to Seattle as a starter for Skin fans? If he does, they're likely to lose this game traveling west. I trust CP will suit it up and Santana Moss will catch a big play or two. It'll be close, but not FG close.

Upset Special #1
Indianapolis Colts @ San Diego Chargers (- 2 1/2)
A lot of public money will hit Indy early and often. San Diego - even at home - doesn't have anything left in the tank that scares people. Indy is clicking. Despite Norv having Dungy's number, Peyton and co. are playing too well. Bob Sanders needs to play though.

Upset Special #2
NY Giants @ Arizona Cardinals (+3 1/2)
Jacobs should be fine; however, Vegas knows something in this spread the average eye doesn't. Ballhawking safeties like Rolle and Wilson might make Eli regret a pass or two. He's gotten away with a few too many close-INTs this season. I'm taking a real shot here...at least for that spread - as small as it seems - not to last. (Deep breath)

Upset Special #3
San Francisco 49ers @ Dallas Cowboys (-11 1/2)
Either Dallas guts out this win (barely) in the closing minutes OR Shaun Hill struggles big time and Big D wins by three touchdowns. Dallas isn't ready for Romo to throw a parade of TDs. TO needs a 2-TD day badly though. I fear that because I'm up against him in fantasy. More deep breaths to come shortly...

Top Ten Fantasy Insights of the Week...You Didn't Expect
1) Kurt Warner is likely on one of the top team's in your fantasy league.
2) Tom Brady isn't.
3) Peyton Manning is back. The idiots who traded him will pay.
4) LT will not be #1 next year. Adrian Peterson has that locked up.
5) Andre Johnson owners (me!) are panicking.
6) Anquan Boldin owners aren't.
7) Coles and Cotchery won't each have a good fantasy week the rest of the way. Good luck with that!
8) Santana Moss can't be started until he's 100%.
9) Kevin Boss owners might see a few more doughnuts this season.
10) NFC North defenses are mad unpredictable.

See ya next week...

Tuesday FourCast: Week 9

I've given this week's FourCast a commercial theme for the most part. While we all look forward to Super Bowl commercials, the current commercials (especially during the Presidential Campaigns) are the type of mindless drivel that could drive us all insane. Anyway...I'll kick it off with the worst of them all.

1) Saved By Zero

I now understand the annoyance level of Terrell Owens (sorta). Watching college and NFL football over the last three weekends has caused me to hear the all too familiar jingle on the Toyota commercials. I have even discussed the fact that the cars in the commercial are animated, and the fact that the Prius doesn't get that kind of financing because the market is hot for them and Toyota wants to put it to Prius buyers with their financing. Regardless, the commercial is driving me insane. Anyway...T.O. seems to be dealing with the same kind of frustration when it comes to his QBs. Brad Johnson was nothing short of...well...short on a lot of his noodle-armed passes. Brooks Bollinger showed his true value on his first play (an interception). The Cowboys are in shambles, and while the return of Romo would make T.O. less frustrated, there seems to be more to fix on that team than just the QB situation. Some DBs that can cover would be a start.

2) Can you hand your team to a man who has never been in charge of anything?

While McCain's Campaign aired this commercial way too much, I think Curt Menefee made a great observation in his live editorial on Fox NFL Sunday which asked the same question. There are too many teams out there that are run by non-football people. I'm interested to know which team he mentioned is now run by a former blogger. It makes me feel qualified to run a team. He also mentioned that these non-football people running these teams have made knee-jerk reactions to the media and the criticism of their respective teams. While I'm not going to complain about how well they're doing now, as a Redskins fan I have seen this with Dan Snyder and Vinny Cerrato. They are not football guys, and it's taken them a while to get to the current success that they're having. How many teams are dealing with this issue? I would say Oakland is a pretty good place to begin.

3) $5 Foot Long

A bargain, right? Except when you realize you just saved $0.19 on your sub. Want a real bargain? Look no further than the Titans who just finished up a perfect first half of the season. They entered this season with nearly $18 million in cap space (6^th lowest cap figure in the league). In my opinion, several factors lead to the 8-0 Titans. First and foremost, you start with Jeff Fisher. He has been the head coach of the franchise since 1994 (replacing Jack Pardee late in the season). The defensive system has been intact since that time, and while the offense has changed somewhat over that time, the overall structure remained. At the QB position, they actually have a real QB playing. Kerry Collins has solidified that offense with his ability to make reads (better than Vince Young, at least) and complete passes. Finally, you add Chris Johnson to the mix, who is everything Chris Henry was supposed to be at RB for this franchise. Many jumped on the Titans on draft day for taking Johnson so early. The Titans are having the last laugh with Johnson, who is leading the AFC in rushing. If they can secure homefield advantage over the next 8 weeks, they could find themselves playing for the Lombardi.

4) This is a Test

For the next sixty days, the "team" known as the Lions will conduct a test of the Emergency QB System. This is only a test. However, should Daunte Culpepper show us anything during that time, he could resurrect his career (sort of). One of the questions is whether the Lions are the right team for him. A few things don’t make a lot of sense. Culpepper (as Sum would put it) is no spring chicken. Drew Stanton was about to be handed the reigns this year. The Lions are in rebuild mode. I don’t think I’ll be too far out on a limb to predict that this union between Culpepper and the Lions won’t end in any kind of great success.

5 NFL Questions - Week 8

1) Why isn’t the “London Game” – New Orleans vs. San Diego – getting more pub than a 1 pm slot on CBS?
2) Which of the winless – Detroit (hosting Washington) or Cincy (@Houston) – has a better chance to notch their first W of the season?
3) If Dallas ends Sunday at 4-4, will Wade Phillips have a job Monday morning?
4) Can Clinton Portis (NFL best 818 rushing yards) keep up his Herculean-workload without finally being seriously dinged up? (Jinx THAT Skins fans!)
5) Anybody too upset there’s no Sunday night game tonight (*cough*World Series)?

Clement's Weekly Picks and Prognostications...Week 8

I'm taking the week off from "upset specials". Make it the month. (Sure thing Clement, there's one week left in the month).

Nevertheless, I proceed...

NFL Picks: 15-12 (This number is never seeing a double-digit lead. Or is it???)
Upset Specials: 5-7 (Stupid West Coast teams traveling cross country to play at 1pm on the East Coast.)
..courtesy of the Sportsbook...

Atlanta @ Philadelphia (-8 1/2)
I do not like this matchup for the Falcons. Philly is rested up - especially Brian Westbrook - off of the bye and Matt Ryan is gonna feel the Philly blitz big time. Interestingly enough, he's the only NFL QB not to be sacked on the blitz. Wow.

St. Louis @ New England (-7)
Sammy Morris is out and now the Patriot backfield has its ugliest platoon in years. Who cares? Stephen Jackson has groin problems and the Rams won't beat their third straight postseason team from 2007. Not even close.

Buffalo @ Miami (+1 1/2)
Pennington never played the Bills too well; however, he was always much more solid away from Orchard Park. Until the Phins find a wideout (or injure Trent Edwards), I'm actually predicting the Bills to get 6-1. Geez.

Tampa Bay @ Dallas (-2)
Does Vegas know something we don't? Tampa will make the Boys one-dimensional by suffocating Barber III (who needs Felix quite a bit). Nevertheless, I'm calling for a Dallas victory. Not sure how they'll do it though.

Indianapolis @ Tennessee (-4)
I'm sticking with my improbable Titans. Yes, I am.

Taking the week off fantasy-wise. Anything I say turns into cancer for my teams and others as of late.

Lucky you!!!

Until next week...

Goodell Grows Some ... Allegedly

Last week, when news outlets reported that Adam "Pacman" Jones was in an altercation with a member of his four-person security team, I waited for our true football guys at PHSports to tackle the story. However, one was busy with his future in-laws, another had relatives in town and the other was at a law conference. We all have lives, and I do too sometimes. When I found the time on Saturday, I wrote this scathing piece which questioned whether NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's ability to make decisions based on what is right.

That said, I also waited for Goodell to arrive at a decision. When I first saw the report, I was upset. When I read about Cowboys Owner/GM Jerry Jones deeming any punishment "ridiculous", I was infuriated by his pomposity and arrogance. When I read the never-before-seen version of the English language manifested in a police report which had Jerry Jones's inconspicuous imprints all over it, I had exceeded the previous levels of infuriation. However, when word struck about alcohol being involved in the incident, it was an absolute no-brainer that Goodell that a decision was imminent and that it would be punitive. In the end, I give Goodell a small measure of credit for his decision to indefinitely suspend Jones; however, like I said, it was a no-brainer and I think it's imprudent to praise a leader for making the obvious decision one week later than he should have.

Tuesday FourCast: Week 6

Paymon called it last week with his code orange games. Things definitely went awry, especially for one division. We saw some mighty teams fall in what should have been easy matchups. And with that, we start the mid-section of the season.


#1. Take That Vegas

At one point last week, the Redskins were 14.5 point favorites over the Rams. Let's not forget, this is the NFL, which means "No Funds League" if you use Vegas odds when betting on games. Coming off big wins against the Cowboys and Eagles on the road, the Redskins lay an egg at home against the hapless Rams. Being a long time fan of the Skins, I can tell you that this is normal. I told people in my office last week that this is a game the Skins always lose and had several of them remind me on Monday about that revelation. A few things I take away from this game. Josh Brown is one of the best free agent acquisitions the Rams have had for a while. The Redskins came down to earth as soon as they had a few turnovers. Vinny Cerrato should publicly apologize for forcing the team to keep Durant Brooks as their punter, since he wasted a draft pick on Brooks. Offensive linemen should bat down passes instead of thinking they are Jerry Rice. And, Richie Incognito should be a professional wrestler and not in the NFL.


#2. Gun-Slinging (Sorta) in the Wild West

How important is special teams play to a football team? Just ask the Cardinals who pulled a minor shocker at home against the Dallas Cowboys. There is no need to look further than the Cardinals' opening play and their closing play of the game. J.J. Arrington started things off with the proverbial punch in the nose, with a 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Later, Sean Morey and Monty Beisel combined to block a punt and claim the ball in the end zone for a TD in overtime to seal the victory. These two plays served as the end-caps for a game overstocked with turnovers and ugly play. Another observation I had refers to what T.O. cried about in a previous press conference. He wanted the damn ball. But, in three of the last four games, he has 8 catches for 120 yards and 1 TD. Marion Barber had 11 for 128 and a TD in this game alone. Note to T.O.: Get open, and you'll get the damn ball...and cozy up to Brad Johnson too.


#3. Is LT Finally Going to Shut Up???

I could see it before the game even started. A pouty LaDainian Tomlinson boo-hooing over a loss to the Patriots, claiming, "They cheated!!! Belichick is a bad bad person!!!" (Queue crying baby sound effect). It was nice seeing them pound the Brady-less Patriots like a team that's missing their All-Pro QB. Ok, that sounded redundant, but I'm sure you all know what I mean. Phillip Rivers got his groove on throwing to his over-sized receivers. The smaller Patriot DBs showed their weakness. Matt Cassel showed us why he's never been a starting QB. I think this is just further proof that since Tom Brady went down, the AFC is anybody's game.


#4. The New York Football...Midgets???

Not quite, but what are we to think? Did the Browns come to life, or did the Giants finally come back to earth? Derek Anderson spent the last few weeks barely holding Brady Quinn off from the starting QB job. Last night, Anderson restated his case as the outright starter in Cleveland. Eli Manning threw three picks (one of them a Pick-Six) to a set of Browns DBs that the average fan couldn't name a single member. Amazingly, sans the "Soulja", the Browns looked a lot like the team that went 10-6 last season. Braylon Edwards shook off some of that dust to give Anderson a hand, and once again looked like he's the next big thing at WR. Furthermore, the Giants lost their first road game since week 1 last season. If I was to point out a trend for this week, it's that three quarters of the NFC East needs to pick themselves up after some shocking losses and once again prove that they are the best division in the league.

Quick Hits From Week 6

In lieu of the running blog that we at PHSports have done throughout most of the season, I wanted to offer some quick hits from a most interesting Week 6. As noted in this past Tuesday's edition of the FourCast, awkward games are this season's calling card.

• In the early set of games, the Washington Redskins lost three fumbles (all three in field goal range resulting in a potential 16-point swing) and gave away a game against the St. Louis Rams at the death. The Redskins outgained the Rams by over 150 yards. Maybe the Rams knew what they were doing when they made Donnie Avery the first WR taken in the draft and gave silly money to a kicker.

• In the game that would not end, Dallas forced overtime at Arizona and had seemingly stolen the momentum ... only to lose on a blocked punt. Despite another sloppy game from Dallas, their fourth in six games, many will decide to point fingers at the special teams who bookended the game with touchdowns surrendered.

• Indianapolis has resurrected its season and Marvin Harrison answered my question earlier today about whether he was done. He's not. Just ask Chris McAllister. The Colts may have longer term issues with the health of Joseph Addai hanging in the balance, but the timing which is so crucial to Indy's engine was functioning per usual.

• As expected, Jacksonville hit Denver in the mouth and won. Let's see if the Jags can do the unthinkable and aim for consistency.

• Perhaps we have been underrating the NFC South. Just ask the Chicago Bears who are 0-3 against the division. Three teams have 4 wins and New Orleans is in last with three wins. Also, paging the Carolina Panthers. Meanwhile, Matt Ryan is no game manager. He's a winner.

• Philadelphia salvaged a fourth-quarter comeback against San Francisco. It's amazing how Correll Buckhalter's numbers can mirror that of Brian Westbrook's when he gets similar touches. Am I saying Buckhalter is as good as Westbrook? Not a chance. But I am saying that Buck can start in this league for at least 10 teams and it's no coincidence that his lack of touches correlate with losses to divisional foes. Also, I'm starting to think that Donovan McNabb is more comfortable without Reggie Brown and Kevin Curtis. The team is 3-1 when neither have played, and the only loss was the shootout in Dallas.

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.

Clement's Weekly Picks and Prognostications...Week 6

5 weeks down and the byes are starting to really affect both fantasy lineups and a few of these picks.

Nevertheless, it's time for me to start making some big moves.
Otherwise, I'm going to end up .500ish on everything involved with this weekly column.

Yeah, that's the ticket!

NFL Picks: 11-9 [Okay, we're starting to make SOME minor progress. Very minor.]
Upset Special: 2-5 [It's starting to get pathetic. Very pathetic.]

Dallas @ Arizona (+4)
A lot of talk has "wierd things happening in the desert". Since when, exactly? The Cowboys need to break out this week and the Cards are the right ticket. It'll be close until the half, when Dallas goes longball on a shaky Cards secondary.

Jacksonville @ Denver (-3)
These are the two teams (along with Pittsburgh) that make up my "Axis of Evil". Nevertheless, I'm tackling this challenge. The Jags bother me because of their ability to run the ball and make clutch field goals. Denver needs to make an AFC statement. They'll do it, barely.

Oakland @ New Orleans (-7)
The Saint defense is beyond horrible. Nevertheless, the Raiders don't have the leadership or the overall talent to score with the Saints. Memo to Javon Walker: you're allowed to catch passes after the first drive.

Upset Special #1
Green Bay @ Seattle (-1 1/2)
One liner: Matt Hasselbeck and Aaron Rogers may not finish this game in one piece.

Upset Special #2
Miami @ Houston (-3)
One liner: Miami at 3-2 is a playoff-caliber team.

Upset Special #3
New England @ San Diego (-4 1/2)
One liner: San Diego and LT won't need another excuse to justify a loss to the hated Patsies.

I'm taking a week sabbatical from fantasy football analysis and reactions. Why?
Because lately, I'm questioning any ability to conquer that beast.
And general apathy when I'm under the weather.

See you next week!!!

Tuesday FourCast: Week 4

Three solid weeks of the FourCast to start off the season, and the NFL must have sensed I was coming to bat since it gave me a plethora of things to write/cheer/bitch/celebrate/groan about. Hell, so much happened that I didn't even have room to include an item complaining about the horrid officiating (Hochuli strikes again, and WTF happened in the MIN/TEN game??) or the horrid handling of fines for bitching about officiating (WHERE IS NORV TURNER'S F'ING FINE????). Y'all better behave in Week 8 ... otherwise I'll blast you then. For now, it's Week 4's FourCast...

#1. Enver Broncos (There’s no “D”)

I’m sorry, is it just me or is Paul Westhead coaching the Broncos? Westhead, of course, coached the other defense-less pro team in Denver history, the Nuggets, from 1990-1992. In his first season as coach, Westhead’s Nuggets put up a whopping 120 pts per game, kinda like the Broncos have been putting of 33.25 points per game. Problem? The Nuggets gave up 131 points per game. The Broncos haven’t given up more points than they’ve scored quite yet, giving up 29.25 points per game, but are well on their way to doing so. Denver ’s got a powerful offense that is relying heavily on the passing attack, but it cannot continue to win with a defense that gives up 33 points to Kansas City .

Unfortunately for Denver Fans, the Broncos Defense was listening to Peyton's chant...

#2. HOW BOUT DEM … Redskins?

Yes, I’m opting to use one of my points to be a homer. But how could I not, given that the Redskins outplayed a superstar-filled Dallas team in their last-ever meeting at Texas Stadium? The Skins managed an impressive ground game against DeMarcus Ware and Co., enabling the way to a balanced offensive attack (37 rushes, 31 passes) and over 38 minutes of possession time. After four weeks it seems that the Cowboys will have to tweak their defense quite a bit if they want to fulfill the glorious predictions that so many pundits have given (myself NOT included). As for Washington , given their penchant for consultation between players and coaches on the sidelines during each game, this is a team that is looking to learn, grow and develop after every single down played this season … and as a fan of both the Skins and of the NFL, this is something I really like.

Dat's mah Kotaback! Ima throw him under the bus for only gettin me the ball on 1/3 of the plays!

#3. Tragedy Strikes Collier

Why does it seem that I get tragedies related to NFL players for my Fourcasts? Monday afternoon I learned that Jacksonville ’s O-lineman, Richard Collier will be paralyzed from the waist down and also had his left leg amputated from above the knee. Following in the recent shootings of Sean Taylor and Darrent Williams, it seems that someone has painted a target on NFL players. Per the facts available in all three cases, the athletes were innocent in their actions prior to being shot. Taylor sought to defend his family from would-be burglars, Williams was having fun with friends on New Year’s Eve (though there are rumors of a potential dispute earlier in the evening at a nightclub), and Collier and a teammate were waiting for two women outside their apartment. While it is a miracle that Collier survived the 14 bullet wounds to the back, left groin, left legs and right buttock (per Yahoo! Sports), his promising career has been unfairly stopped at the age of 26.

Of course our prayers go out to Richard Collier and his family.

#4. No Family League

The other tragedy is the death of Matt Bryant’s infant son. Bryant buried his three month old son, Matthew Tryson Bryant, on Saturday, and then proceeded to play, and win the game, for the Bucs on Sunday. To lose a child is one of the most difficult things, and yet Bryant was pretty much forced to play. While, again, our prayers go out to the Bryant family, I also am disgusted and appalled that the NFL does not allow a roster exemption for bereavement and other drastically important family matters.

Given the current layout of rules in the “No Family League,” a team can receive a roster exemption for having a douchebag as a player (see Chris Henry, Pacman Jones, et al.), but cannot receive such an exemption for having a dedicated family man on its team. So whether a player’s wife starts giving birth to his first-born child or a player’s spouse, parent, sibling or child dies, that player is all but forced to play. I’m sure the Bucs gave Bryant the option of missing the game, but, being a consummate professional and realizing that his absence would require the team to cut another member in order to sign a replacement kicker, Bryant kicked his team to victory with a very heavy heart.

Kudos and prayers to you, Matt Bryant.

A double-dose of my middle finger to you, NFL policy makers.

Quick Hits from Sunday's Games

Here's one sentence (maybe two) from each of Sunday's games ...

Cleveland @ Cincinnati
Edwards and Ocho Cinco find the endzone, and Quinn should have entered the game for Cleveland after halftime if Crennel knew what he was doing.

Houston @ Jacksonville
Jacksonville evens up its record yet Matt Schaub has a career game. Both defenses stopped the other team's running backs.

Atlanta @ Carolina
Moose reawakens and Atlanta fails to score a TD in its second straight divisional road game.

Denver @ Kansas City
LJ and Clement's fantasy teams got going. Four turnovers and an inability to stop the run killed Denver.

San Francisco @ New Orleans
The return of Deuce McAllister to full-time duty and a full game's worth of production from Drew Brees result in an easy win in the Big Easy.

Arizona @ New York Jets
Thirty-four second quarter led to the clock operator being replaced and Kurt Warner putting up the worst 472 passing yards ever. Arizona will never stay on the East Coast.

Green Bay @ Tampa Bay
Late burst from Earnest Graham shored up an anything but certain victory for Tampa. Shocker: I saw at least one scuffle and guess who was in the middle? Jeremy Trueblood.

Minnesota @ Tennessee
Tennessee cruises behind its defenses, who caused three turnovers, and effective redzone play. Minnesota is searching for answers.

San Diego @ Oakland
Oakland squanders a 12-point fourth quarter lead and that LT guy wakes up from his season-long slumber. As of the writing of this post, Lane Kiffin still has a job.

Buffalo @ St. Louis
Linehan's out after Buffalo took care of business in the second half. Action Jackson finally finds the endzone.

Washington @ Dallas
Washington outplayed and outcoached Dallas, and TO - the target of 34.5% of offensive plays - complains. Missing person reports were submitted for Marion Barber III and Felix Jones.

Philadelphia @ Chicago
Orton plays his best half as a pro followed by possibly his worst. Philadelphia's inability to translate turnovers caused into points (6 points from 4 turnovers) cost them dearly.

5 NFL Questions - Week 4

1) Will Santana Moss again burn the Dallas secondary for a huge game?
2) What is the status of Favre's ankle and the Jet offensive scheme?
3) How close will Brian Griese come to matching last week's 76 attempts?
4) How are the respective "healths" of Brian Westbrook and Donovan F. McNabb of the Eagles?
5) Can Michael Turner and John Abraham propel the hapless Falcons to a 3-1 mark?

Our Thoughts: Does Plax's Suspension Shift the Balance of Power in the NFC East?

Sum: No, it doesn't. As I discussed in my Pre-Season Faux-Cast, Eli can do just fine without "talent" at the wide-receiver position, plus the Giants have lots of depth there. In the second preseason game (Cleveland), Eli completed 4 of 7 pass attempts, and none of the recipients were named Plaxico, Amani or Steve Smith. In fact, in that game, none of those three "starters" even caught a pass, and that was one of the two all-important weeks of the pre-season. So, I think the Giants will be fine for the ONE game they're Plax-less. Sure, Plax and Eli have the "connection" down pat, but Eli is a team leader now, and he can lead his team without Burress. Now, if this were last season prior to Shockey's injury, or anytime before, my answer would be much different. The balance of power in the NFC East still has Cowboys-Eagles-Giants at the top with the Redskins a semi-distant second. At least for now.

Armin: Not so much, in my opinion. Dallas is the team to beat in the NFC (B)East. Washington is going to finish last. The battle will be between the Eagles and Giants. However, before Plaxico was suspended, it was not too hard...not TOO hard...for me to say that Philly was playing like the better team. We also saw Steve Smith step it up a little lately, and he looks like he could be a weapon. Toomer is usually "Old Faithful" on 3rd downs. If Eli can create an even better connection with Kevin Boss, the Giants should be ok. I guess the big question is: Will Plax become a problem?

Clement: Determining the 'Balance of Power' in the NFC East won't occur until a few more weeks. Anything before that is speculation supported with speculation. The real key in the coming weeks is which NFC East team can win a game on the road (memo to Zorn and the Skins). It's fun to call Dallas "October's Team", but everybody for years had the same issues (and made excuses) for Peyton and the Colts. It's Romo's third season and the team's defense is still gelling with new additions all over the field (Thomas, Jones, Jenkins, etc.) In reality, New York suspended Burress for far more than missing a practice during a bye week. He just earned a FAT contract and isn't representing the team well with recent reports of potentially missing several meetings and possible potential domestic disturbance issues. Washington isn't allocated for last place, not yet. Every team still needs to answer several questions before we can analyze who is who. Dallas seems at the top right now; however, the Giants are an incredible road team and that isn't something I'm willing to pass up. Eli will have a lot of work to do without Plax for a week, obviously. What I'm really interested in is how the Giants balance their platoon of 3 backs. It doesn't take a fantasy owner to realize that Brandon Jacobs needs more than 12-15 carries a game to impose his size, strength, and will on an opposing defense.

Paymon: In a word, YES, it most certainly does. At a maximum, only three NFC East will make it to the playoffs. In reality, some weaker team will rise from the scrap-heap to claim the second wild card slot. The season is not decided in September, but Dallas certainly has the look of the best September to December team in the NFL, let alone their conference and division. As noted, Philadelphia and New York were in a dead heat for second billing with most giving the Eagles a slight edge. Washington, who was expected to be the doormat of this division, have reeled off two straight wins, albeit at home, against decent competition and Jason Campbell looks worthy of being an NFL quarterback. You can think of this as a one-game suspension. You can also think of this as a potential chemistry killer. Chemistry - the very reason that the Giants are the defending Super Bowl champions. Though the Giants are off to a 3-0 start, their competition is a combined 2-7, and they had to eek out an overtime home victory against the winless Bengals. Long story short, the margin for error is too little for chemistry issues in addition to the existing set of personnel losses. Plax's ego minus his production is too big a loss, because I do not think he will let it go (even though he is likely at full fault for whatever it is that he did) after he returns to work two weeks from now. Also, his presence allows for players like Toomer to dominate on 3rd down and Smith to roam the field out of the slot.