I rose from my seats at the 50 yard line as Gillette Stadium slowly grew louder. We all knew what was coming- Adrian Peterson, All Day, AP, whatever you want to call him, was going to try to bust into the end zone. It was 4th and Goal from the 1, and the whole stadium was finally on their feet. Here it came. BAM! Stood up at the line of scrimmage and pushed back to the 2! What a stop! We all started jumping up and down, screaming out praises to the defense. It was the turning point in the game, and possibly the season, for both teams. After our group "hug dance" (don't ask), I looked up and saw the sun setting across the stadium. There was a little opening on the other side of the stadium, and for about a minute you could see the sun setting in the background. And then, after a few moments, it was gone. How poetic. The sun had set on the Vikings season. They were done. Obviously, the second half had to be played, and there were many more plays that won the game for the Patriots (namely, the broken play to Brandon Tate, and the interception by Devin McCourty). But this was the one that changed the whole complexion of the game. This was a stop reminiscent of the legendary Willie McGinest tackle for loss against Edgerrin James and the Colts. Here it was, the best (CJ hasn't been nearly as good this year) running back in the league, going one on one with one of the youngest defensive teams in the league. We came out on top. There was Ron Brace and Rob Ninkovitch (both no-names to all non-Pats fans) holding the line, and there was Brandon Spikes and Vince "Vending Machine" Wilfork bringing him down. Celebrations ensued. Fun way to go into halftime.
A few observations from the Pats game as a whole:
1) The Patriots offense is struggling mightily to put together sustained drives. It may seem to casual observers that the Patriots offense is just fine. But watching them game to game, and scrutinizing every play, there is something terribly wrong. Against the Dolphins (with Moss) we looked out of sync. Against the Ravens, we were dead for three quarters. We couldn't stop the rush against the Chargers and nearly blew a game that was gift wrapped for us. This week, we had great pass protection, but had 9 rushes for 9 yards in the first half, and had tons of trouble opening up the passing game. The second half was much better, but besides for a long play to Aaron Hernandez, the long passing plays seemed to all be fluky. Tate's first long catch went right threw the defender's hands, and his second one wasn't lucky, but it wasn't the way the play was drawn up. Yes, BJGE looked awesome in the second half, but the Patriots passing game seems to be stuck in the mud. A win is a win, and scoring 28 points is scoring 28 points, but the Patriots are going to have to figure out ways to consistently move the ball down field.
2) The Pats defense is gelling. Slowly but surely, the Patriots defense is figuring out ways to make plays. Like my dad said last night, they are very "opportunistic." They have players who are creating turnovers in different, strange ways. Rob Ninkovitch, who has been improving every week, has 3 fumble recoveries and 2 interceptions. We all know about Pat Chung's special teams contributions. When the ball is on the ground, we are picking it up, That sounds simple, but the past few years, it wasn't happening. We didn't get the right bounce, or we didn't have the right players. This year, we do.
3) Zoltan Mesko is the man. The Pats drafted him and Gostkowski in the last 5 years, and both have been special teams gems. Watching the Chargers, you gain a greater appreciation for special teams effectiveness.
4) The Pats need Deion Branch to get healthy. He played a meager 23 snaps this game (courtesy of Mike Reiss), and when he was on the field, he didn't look himself. He had a nice screen turned into a long gain, but he also missed a chance at a HUGE play. He was running down the left sideline when Brady lofted a nice ball over his shoulder towards the outside shoulder. He got a hand on it, but couldn't bring it in. I have to assume a healthy Branch gets an extra half step on that play and is gone for a 93 yard touchdown reception. It was thisclose.
5) I retract my anger over not drafting Dez Bryant. Devin McCourty is a BEAST! He is already a legitimate number one cornerback, and he has only played 7 games! He's big, strong, athletic and has a great nose for the ball. His interception last week (@ SD) was just a glimpse of what this kid is capable of. This week he had a beautiful play on a deep ball to Percy Harvin. He not only kept up with Harvin (who is even more incredibly athletic in person) and turned his body around (which, by itself, only about a quarter of the CB's in the league can do), he almost came away with an interception! He also made a nice play in the endzone in the 4th quarter. He is a very impressive young player who by years end will probably be in the running for Defensive Rookie of the Year.
6) Randy Moss. Awkward. "I miss them guys. I love all them. I miss Tommy Boy." Maybe he did like the Justin Beiber hairdoo.
Thoughts on Jets- Pack:
1) The Jets need a quarterback. Mark Sanchez has regressed considerably from the Vikings game until now. Maybe he finally hit the sophomore wall. When the running game isn't working, the Jets offense is dead in the water.
2) The Packers might just be turning into the team we all thought they were going to be. Rodgers has been very good, and the defense was stellar this week. Clay Mathews continues to impress as his chances for Defensive Player of the Year keep rising.
3) Strange (gutsy, but probably more dumb than anything) call to go for a fake punt on 4th and 18. Great challenge by Mike McCarthy. The Jets special teams has been very good, but this was one of the wackier plays this season. With a defense like the Jets have, why not punt away and let the D get you the ball back?
Other thoughts from around the NFL:
1) The Cowboys are awful. Wow. It couldn't possibly get any worse than this can it? Their coach, Wade Phillips, may or may not be dead. Jon Kitna is, well, Jon Kitna. And what in the hell happened to that fast, aggressive defense?
2) I hate Oakland. Why are they good all of the sudden? Of course the one time the Pats trade for a number one pick, they become playoff contenders. Except Sebastion Janikowski- keep booting those field goals!
3) Mathew Stafford and Calvin Johnson are going to be very good for a very long time. That they are this good together at their age is just plain scary.
4) Keep your eye on the Chargers. This is usually when they make their move. They looked good in the second half against the Pats, and looked very good against the Titans this week. They also get Vincent Jackson back in a couple of weeks.
5) Rex Grossman! REX GROSSMAN! Are you kidding me Mike Shanahan! Did you really think he wasn't going to give up a fumble returned for a TD??? THIS IS REX GROSSMAN! The same Rex Grossman who had multiple 0.0 QB Ratings in the year his team went to the Super Bowl. He hasn't gotten any better since he left the Bears! That was just an absolutely outrageous move by the head coach.
6) Huge win for the Saints. That was the ferocious defense we have all been waiting to see since week 1. Brees still didn't look like himself though, I don't know what it is, but he just doesn't seem to be playing with as much confidence as last season. He isn't throwing good balls downfield, and has WAY too many turnovers.
7) Someone should probably wake up Al Davis and tell him that the Raiders are actually decent this season. He's been in a coma for years.
8) Has the wind ever affected as many games as it did yesterday? Just from what I saw, the Jets-Pack game, the KC-BUF game and the Pats-Vikes games all were extremely affected by the weather conditions. I bet the Jets wish they would've put that dome on...
I would post some links, but the internet is very spotty, so I'll post them next time.
And another thing:
Wow was I wrong about the San Fransisco Giants. I mean, I knew they had great pitching, but I didn't expect this. Also, where did Cody Ross (or as they call him in San Fran "The Boss") come from? He's a platoon player! When did he morph into Albert Pujols?
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
The EPIC Celtics-Heat season opener and Roster Breakdown
Like every other basketball fan, I am SO excited for tonight's slate of games. But one sticks out. Yes, I am talking about Celtics-Heat. This one is for all the marbles. This is THE matchup we have all been waiting for.
OK, we may be taking this all a little too seriously. It is the first game of the season. So it may be the best season opening matchup of all-time. Who cares? (Besides the NBA. The NBA always cares.) Last year, the Celtics manhandled the Cavaliers in the first game of the season. Guess how much it mattered down the road? Not one bit. The Cavs were in transition. Shaq had just joined them, and I believe Delonte West was deactivated due to an investigation into his hiding a loaded shotgun in a guitar case while riding his motorcycle. Seriously, that happened. Anyways, the Celtics had their Core 4 and Perk, and the Cavs were just trying to figure out how to play together.
Sound familiar?
The Heat's big 3 have played a whopping 3 minutes together. Wade injured his hammy, and Bron also went down with an injury- leaving Chris Bosh with memories of his years on the Raptors (him, and no one else). They are amazing, no doubt. But they are in transition. The Celtics have added a few pieces as well (Shaq, Jermaine, Von Wafer...don't ask), but their Core 4 are still there- chugging along as usual. People are talking about a healthy Kevin Garnett and a finally healthy Paul Pierce, and they assume the Celtics will be bigger (definitely) and better (who knows?) than last year. The truth is, this game means nothing in the grand scheme of things.
Will it be fun? Yes. Will it be entertaining? Yes. Will everyone write rapid reactions and scrutinize every second of action (including me)? Yes. But what does it all mean? The game is almost meaningless. The C's will be without Delonte "Wild Wild" West and Kendrick Perkins, while the Heat will be without sharpshooter Mike Miller. Neither team is complete, and neither team is in midseason form. So while we are all enjoying tonight's game, try and keep it in perspective. (By the way, Celtics will win it with stingy defense and team chemistry. Also, Lebron is a jerk.)
We all waited so long for Celtics season to start up again, especially after last season's heartbreak, let's take a closer look at each member of this years squad (Reloaded. Again.)
Rajon Rondo- After absolutely exploding onto the National Stage with his pantheon performance in game 4 (29-18-13, from a point guard) of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, Rondo is ready for the big time. I, like many others, expect Rondo to make the leap this season to superstar, and win some games for this team by himself. Finally armed with some offensively capable centers, look for Rondo's assist numbers to be even higher this year.
Ray Allen- Besides for being a consummate professional, Ray Ray has always been the Celtics 3 point threat. We were all praising him after his record breaking performance in game 2 of the Finals, and we were all cursing him in game 3. That is how Ray is. He is a rhythm shooter. Last year we saw a dip in his 3 point percentage, but with KG healthy, and the Diesel keeping defenses honest, we should expect Ray to get more open looks this season.
Paul Pierce- The captain. Pierce is the leader of this team. He preps his warriors for battle. He fights through injuries, and is always called on when the Celtics need a basket at the end of the game. Slowed last season by an array of injuries, Paul seemed to be quickly deteriorating before our eyes. He showed some flashes of his old self in the playoffs, but he really needs to be more consistent this year to still be considered an elite scorer. Let's hope Paul stays healthy and bounces back this season.
Kevin Garnett- KG. The big ticket. The guy who slaps his own head. We can all agree that KG may go overboard sometimes with his emotions, but he gives this team an identity. He spread it to his other half (Kendrick Perkins), and he lets everyone know. We are going to play great defense, and we are going to be loud while we do it. KG had a tough year coming back from his knee injury, but seemed to pick it up in the playoffs. Everyone says it takes two years to recover from a serious knee injury. Hopefully, they are right.
Shaquille O'Neal- The Diesel has come to Boston for one purpose- to win a ring. OK, so he also went to Phoenix and Cleveland to win a ring, but we will forget about those for now. This is the deepest team he has played on since his years with the Lakers. He is highly motivated to get at least another ring in what he calls his last "730 days" as an NBA player. Kobe threw it in his face last year, and he hates Kobe- ("Hey Kobe, tell me how my A$$ tastes"). I expect big rebounding numbers, and a bunch of easy buckets for the Big Shamrock.
Delonte West- Despite the Celtics addition of Shaq Diesel, I think Delonte is going to prove to be the most significant off-season acquisition by the end of the year. Starting off with a 10 game suspension, Delonte will certainly be behind when he comes back, but he is going to be a great backup for both Rondo and Ray. A high percentage shooter and a great passer, Delonte also possesses the great ability to control the tempo of the game without turning the ball over. He also fits in very well with this tough one on one defensive minded team- he is considered one of the best man to man defenders in the league.
Marquis Daniels + Nate Robinson- Both players figure to play big roles off the bench this season. Quis' is "a completely different player" according to Paul Pierce, and Nate will have a better handle on the offense with his first off-season with the team. I expect both of these players to have very good years, and help solidify the revamped second unit.
Glen "Big Baby" Davis- Hit a huge speed bump last year when he broke his thumb in a fight with a friend on the eve of the season opener (you can't make this stuff up), Glen was huge for the Celtics by the time the playoffs rolled around. He's got to cut down on his Blocks Against (he got blocked on about 33% of his shots around the rim area), but he seems to be primed for a breakout year. The Celtics will need it, as their bench struggled to score at points last season.
Semih Erden + Jermain O'Neal- Both big guys figure to play pretty significant roles. Erden is obviously a surprise, but he definitely played well enough in the preseason to garner some attention, and minutes from Coach Doc Rivers. Erden is a wild card, but if he could develop his game, he might be the first rookie to help the Celtics since the Big 3 arrived in 08'. With O'Neal, you know what you're getting. A decent shot blocker, and a pretty good offensive player and rebounder, he is a solid addition to the already deep Celtics bench.
Overall, this team is almost definitely better than last season's squad, but let's just hope there are no more injuries along the way, or it will be very hard for the C's to repeat as Eastern Conference Champions.
On to the links-
A few articles from Celtics-Heat hype machine:
http://sports.espn.go.com/boston/nba/columns/story?columnist=may_peter&id=5725990
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/truehoop/miamiheat/columns/story?columnist=wallace_michael&page=Heat-101026
http://www.boston.com/sports/columnists/gasper/2010/10/heat_check_for.html
Articles for Celtics fans:
http://www.boston.com/sports/columnists/massarotti/2010/10/for_these_againg_celtics_the_f.html
http://sports.espn.go.com/boston/nba/columns/story?columnist=macmullan_jackie&id=5724996
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/chris_mannix/10/26/kevin.garnett.health/index.html?eref=sihp
Some other sport's links:
Peter "King" King's great Monday Morning Quarterback-
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/peter_king/10/25/monday-morning-quarterback-week-7/index.html
Strange article about Roger Federer and a hidden Tennis Tournament of high rollers who gamble thousands and thousands of dollars on a single point!
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/jon_wertheim/10/25/best.three/index.html
Interesting article on Texas' success this postseason-
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs/2010/columns/story?columnist=bryant_howard&id=5725591
Nice blurb about everyone's favorite Patriot: Danny Woodhead-
http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post/_/id/20657/woodhead-takes-opportunity-to-new-heights
Youtube:
Finally, Haynesworth earns his paycheck (sort of, maybe, a little)-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QUKOPAAO2k
AND
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDRLSepq11g&feature=related (at the 1:25 mark)
WHY DIDN'T WE DRAFT HIM!!!! F&*@-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6P8eh70Xxo
Great new Lebron Commercial. And to answer your question, you should NOT be an asshole-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVgb2W2EEjY
And just to get you ready for tonight:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuvtPuzj5QI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KHTVVJ3h6M
Monday, October 25, 2010
A win is a win, and are you ready for NBA season?
That was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too close. Watching that first half, you would have thought some members of the 1919 White Sox had slipped on San Diego jerseys. I mean, seriously? Did you see those fumbles? [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6n8lWiDDF0k The way James Sanders celebrates after this play, you would think that he actually did something. Nope. He literally picked up the ball after one of the dumbest plays I've seen in years. What does he do? The classic "strap the belt" celebration. Just ridiculous.]
Given every opportunity to blow this game open in the first half, the Patriots offense failed so miserably, they made Lamar Odom and Khloe Kardashian's marriage look like a success (engaged after 30 days, divorced after what, like a week and a half? Wait, they are back together? What? Bad example).
Last week, we blamed the offensive struggles on the superb Ravens D (yes, the Ravens who gave up 374 yards passing to the indomitable Ryan Fitzpatrick), and on the transition from #81 to #84. This week, we'll blame it on the great San Diego pass rush. So is this offense still great, or are they going to struggle mightily to put points on the board like they have these past two weeks? The answer lies somewhere in the middle. The running game got a huge spark from the superb Danny Woodhead, and the passing seems to be OK without Randy, but the offensive line is going to have to improve its performance if the Patriots want to still be considered a top offense. Because no matter how good Tom Brady is, he needs time in the pocket to be successful. This week, that didn't happen. Matt Light got destroyed, Koppen looked over matched, and even Sebastion "The Giant German" Vollmer got hit with big penalty. Do the Chargers have a tough pass rush? Yes, but all the playoff bound teams in the AFC have a strong pass rush (Pitt, NYJ, Ind, KC, Bal). If the offensive line doesn't get itself back into form, the Pats are going to have some big problems.
(By the way, you think we missed Logan Mankins on that terrible looking 4th and 1 run at the end of the game? He will be back in a few weeks, so hopefully he will give the line a much needed boost.)
Don't look now, but Jared Allen is coming to town next week.
Welcome back to Gillette, Randy Moss. Next week is going to be very fun, not only because of Randy's return, but because the Vikings have such an exciting team. I've been talking about Percy Harvin for the past few weeks, and he has validated my praise. He's had a receiving TD, kick return TD and rushing TD in the last 3 games. He almost came down with that miracle catch on 1st and 30 at the end of the fourth last night: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXk6ul-rGIc (the 5:40 mark)
There have been some reports that Brett Favre may not start for the first time in 291 games because of multiple injuries (ankle, elbow etc.). That would suck. We all want to see #4 out there, and we want the Pats to win it fair and square. I actually think that the Patriots are going to focus this week on stopping Adrian Peterson, and try and let Favre, Moss and Harvin beat them. Besides for a few drives in the last two weeks, the Patriots defense has looked pretty good. They are still in dire need of a pass rusher, but slowly this defense is starting to gel and become a solid unit. Hopefully the loss of Pat Chung this week wasn't serious, because he has looked terrific. Belichick has been heaping praise on Jermaine Cunningham and Devin McCourty (What an athletic interception this week. Just beautiful), as both have been playing great for rookies. And Jerod Mayo, Brandon Spikes and Vince Wilfork have really been shutdown running lanes these past few weeks, no easy task.
As for what I think will happen in the game, it is hard to predict with all of the injuries for both teams. But let's say that Favre and Chung are both healthy, this game is going to be a shootout (similar to the Pack-Vikes game last night). With home field advantage (Tom doesn't lose at home in the regular season), I think the Pats prevail 31-27.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Get pumped! The Celtics open the season tomorrow night against the star studded Miami Heat. There are going to be 8 potential Hall of Famer's on the court at the opening tip (the only ones who aren't locks are Rondo and Bosh- Garnett, Shaq, Pierce, Allen, Wade and Lebron already have plaques), not to mention bragging rights for the Eastern Conference. Most experts consider these two teams the class of the East, with some squeezing Orlando in too. This may be the most highly anticipated season opener in the history of the NBA. You have the Super Villains vs. the Old Guard. There is tons of history within the matchup as well:
1) The Celtics bounced the Heat from the playoffs last year. Let's hope Wade doesn't talk to his hand tomorrow night...
2) The C's also bounced Lebron from the playoffs, and ultimately, Cleveland. Lebron had a quiet (for him) series, and people were questioning his mental toughness after he seemed to give up with a couple minutes left of game 6. Now, Lebron has his Robin (Wade), and even an Alfred (Bosh)- just go with it- let's see what he can do with a legitimate supporting cast.
3) Shaq was supposed to be the missing piece to the Lebron puzzle last year. Well, that worked out well! This year, Shaquille "730 days left" O'Neil is out for revenge (on Kobe, not Lebron). If you don't think Kobe's crack- "I got one more than Shaq"- got the big fella riled up, you're crazy. He is ready to rip it up this season.
4) Lastly, this is really the new NBA. Package three superstars, and you get a ring. We saw it before, to a lesser extent, with the Spurs (Duncan, Ginobili, Parker). And we saw it, more recently, with the Celtics (Big 3 + Rondo) and Lakers (Kobe, Pau, Bynum/Odom/Ron Ron). Now, it's Miami's turn.
Get your popcorn ready.
Given every opportunity to blow this game open in the first half, the Patriots offense failed so miserably, they made Lamar Odom and Khloe Kardashian's marriage look like a success (engaged after 30 days, divorced after what, like a week and a half? Wait, they are back together? What? Bad example).
Last week, we blamed the offensive struggles on the superb Ravens D (yes, the Ravens who gave up 374 yards passing to the indomitable Ryan Fitzpatrick), and on the transition from #81 to #84. This week, we'll blame it on the great San Diego pass rush. So is this offense still great, or are they going to struggle mightily to put points on the board like they have these past two weeks? The answer lies somewhere in the middle. The running game got a huge spark from the superb Danny Woodhead, and the passing seems to be OK without Randy, but the offensive line is going to have to improve its performance if the Patriots want to still be considered a top offense. Because no matter how good Tom Brady is, he needs time in the pocket to be successful. This week, that didn't happen. Matt Light got destroyed, Koppen looked over matched, and even Sebastion "The Giant German" Vollmer got hit with big penalty. Do the Chargers have a tough pass rush? Yes, but all the playoff bound teams in the AFC have a strong pass rush (Pitt, NYJ, Ind, KC, Bal). If the offensive line doesn't get itself back into form, the Pats are going to have some big problems.
(By the way, you think we missed Logan Mankins on that terrible looking 4th and 1 run at the end of the game? He will be back in a few weeks, so hopefully he will give the line a much needed boost.)
Don't look now, but Jared Allen is coming to town next week.
Welcome back to Gillette, Randy Moss. Next week is going to be very fun, not only because of Randy's return, but because the Vikings have such an exciting team. I've been talking about Percy Harvin for the past few weeks, and he has validated my praise. He's had a receiving TD, kick return TD and rushing TD in the last 3 games. He almost came down with that miracle catch on 1st and 30 at the end of the fourth last night: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXk6ul-rGIc (the 5:40 mark)
There have been some reports that Brett Favre may not start for the first time in 291 games because of multiple injuries (ankle, elbow etc.). That would suck. We all want to see #4 out there, and we want the Pats to win it fair and square. I actually think that the Patriots are going to focus this week on stopping Adrian Peterson, and try and let Favre, Moss and Harvin beat them. Besides for a few drives in the last two weeks, the Patriots defense has looked pretty good. They are still in dire need of a pass rusher, but slowly this defense is starting to gel and become a solid unit. Hopefully the loss of Pat Chung this week wasn't serious, because he has looked terrific. Belichick has been heaping praise on Jermaine Cunningham and Devin McCourty (What an athletic interception this week. Just beautiful), as both have been playing great for rookies. And Jerod Mayo, Brandon Spikes and Vince Wilfork have really been shutdown running lanes these past few weeks, no easy task.
As for what I think will happen in the game, it is hard to predict with all of the injuries for both teams. But let's say that Favre and Chung are both healthy, this game is going to be a shootout (similar to the Pack-Vikes game last night). With home field advantage (Tom doesn't lose at home in the regular season), I think the Pats prevail 31-27.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Get pumped! The Celtics open the season tomorrow night against the star studded Miami Heat. There are going to be 8 potential Hall of Famer's on the court at the opening tip (the only ones who aren't locks are Rondo and Bosh- Garnett, Shaq, Pierce, Allen, Wade and Lebron already have plaques), not to mention bragging rights for the Eastern Conference. Most experts consider these two teams the class of the East, with some squeezing Orlando in too. This may be the most highly anticipated season opener in the history of the NBA. You have the Super Villains vs. the Old Guard. There is tons of history within the matchup as well:
1) The Celtics bounced the Heat from the playoffs last year. Let's hope Wade doesn't talk to his hand tomorrow night...
2) The C's also bounced Lebron from the playoffs, and ultimately, Cleveland. Lebron had a quiet (for him) series, and people were questioning his mental toughness after he seemed to give up with a couple minutes left of game 6. Now, Lebron has his Robin (Wade), and even an Alfred (Bosh)- just go with it- let's see what he can do with a legitimate supporting cast.
3) Shaq was supposed to be the missing piece to the Lebron puzzle last year. Well, that worked out well! This year, Shaquille "730 days left" O'Neil is out for revenge (on Kobe, not Lebron). If you don't think Kobe's crack- "I got one more than Shaq"- got the big fella riled up, you're crazy. He is ready to rip it up this season.
4) Lastly, this is really the new NBA. Package three superstars, and you get a ring. We saw it before, to a lesser extent, with the Spurs (Duncan, Ginobili, Parker). And we saw it, more recently, with the Celtics (Big 3 + Rondo) and Lakers (Kobe, Pau, Bynum/Odom/Ron Ron). Now, it's Miami's turn.
Get your popcorn ready.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Quick thoughts for Week 7 in the NFL
Cincinnati @ Atlanta-
Huge game for Atlanta. Everyone thought they were the best of the NFC (Junior Varsity for the AFC), and they got outplayed badly by Philly. Cincinnati looks pretty vulnerable right now, here is Atlanta's chance to get back in the mix.
ATL 31 CIN 20
Washington @ Chicago-
Chicago's offensive line is killing them (especially killing Cutler), and Washington is coming off a tough loss to Indy. I smell an upset.
WASH 27 CHI 20
St. Louis @ Tampa Bay-
Tampa needs to bounce back after the beating they took last week (Where was the run defense? Chris Ivory? Really?), but St. Louis looked very solid last week. This might actually turn out to be quite a game (Sam Bradford vs. Josh Freeman! The future of the NFL!)
TB 21 STL 20
San Fransisco @ Carolina
Wow. Awful game.
CAR 24 SF 23
Buffalo @ Baltimore
At this point, I just feel bad for Buffalo. They may not have enough players left for an active roster after this one. Welcome back Ed Reed!
BAL 38 BUF 6
Philadelphia @ Tennessee
This is going to be a fun game. Possibly Kolb's last start, look for him to have another big game. Tennessee has been very hot and cold this season, but have picked it up the past few weeks. If Tennessee can win this game, we will all see how far the AFC really is ahead of the NFC. It is getting kind of ridiculous at this point.
TEN 30 PHI 27
Jacksonville @ Kansas City
Kansas City is going to crush Jacksonville. The Jags couldn't have looked much worse than last Monday night, and KC is very underrated (especially their defense, which has been great). Blowout alert.
KC 31 JAX 13
Pittsburgh @ Miami
Great test for both teams. Miami has won some tough games and lost some tough ones, a win here would really make them a contender. Pitt really hasn't beaten a good team yet (especially on the road). Let's see what Roethlisberger can do when everyone in the stadium is booing him and he is playing against a real NFL franchise (sorry Cleveland, you are not quite there yet). Pitt's defense might just win them another game (60 points allowed in 5 games! Crazy good!)
Pitt 24 MIA 16
Cleveland @ New Orleans
I know i just bashed Cleveland, but New Orleans hasn't looked so spectacular this season. Potential trap game after a big win last week.
NO 30 CLE 23
Arizona @ Seattle
Only god knows what will happen in this one. [Refuse to make a prediction]
New England @ San Diego
Another potential trap game, this one is going to be fun to watch. The Pats pass defense sucks (273 yrds allowed per game through the air) and Rivers leads the league in yards- he already has 2000! But without a few key players and possibly Gates, I think the edge goes to NE. If Gates plays and his healthy, it would be a battle, without Gates, it may be over by halftime.
NE 27 SD 24
Oakland @ Denver
Denver will make up for last weeks debacle against the Jets where they let a W slip away. Oakland is not good enough to win a tough game on the road (as long as the Patriots have their first round pick, I keep telling myself they aren't good. They're not. Right?)
DEN 34 OAK 17
Minnesota @ Green Bay
Favre. Favre. Favre. Favre. Favre. Favre. Favre. (In case you forgot).
GB 23 MIN 20
NY Giants @ Dallas
I think Dallas finally shows up. If I'm wrong, Jerry Jones kills a man (possibly Wade Phillips?). These Giants-Cowboys prime time clashes always seem to be entertaining though.
DAL 34 NYG 30
Quick thoughts about Pats game tomorrow:
1) Protection is key. Despite the Chargers failures, they do have a terrific pass rush. Neutralize them, and the whole offense will open up.
2) Deion "Randy Who?" Branch and BJGE will have big games. Also, look for Aaron Hernandez to bounce back.
3) Rivers has an unbelievable down field arm. If the Pats go into the deep Cover-2 defense (like they used in the second half last week), they will be able to keep the big plays to a minimum.
4) Don't turn it over! The Chargers have no momentum going into this game, turnovers can change that momentum very quickly. The Pats have done a nice job this season of making the field longer for opposing offenses by not turning it over, Zoltan's booming punts, and Gostkowski's deep kickoffs.
Some quick links-
Good article about the Chargers' troubles. It is an ESPN Insider article, so I tried to make it so everyone can see it by linking the print-page version. Let me know if it works or not:
http://proxy.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=5714513&type=story
Peter King's predictions (didn't look at these until after I finished, although I did sort of steal the idea for this column from him. Shhhh):
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/peter_king/10/21/week.7.picks/index.html?eref=sihp
Because there is nothing I like more than an article that says the Yankees have no heart:
http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/columns/story?columnist=oconnor_ian&id=5716297
Another great one. Hows that 10 year, 275 million dollar contract look now?
http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/columns/story?columnist=matthews_wallace&id=5716363
Getting excited for Tuesday night's battle royale between the C's and Heat? Me too.
http://si.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=Preview+2010-11+NBA+season%2C+LeBron+James%2C+Miami+Heat+-+Ian+Thomsen+-+SI.com&expire=&urlID=438842902&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsportsillustrated.cnn.com%2F2010%2Fwriters%2Fian_thomsen%2F10%2F22%2Fguide.2010-11.nba.season%2Findex.html&partnerID=2356
And One Last Thing-
Great win tonight for the San Fransisco Giants. I honestly don't know how they made it this far with that offense, but I guess that's why they say pitching wins championships. This is going to be a heck of a World Series.
My prediction based on nothing: Rangers in 6
Huge game for Atlanta. Everyone thought they were the best of the NFC (Junior Varsity for the AFC), and they got outplayed badly by Philly. Cincinnati looks pretty vulnerable right now, here is Atlanta's chance to get back in the mix.
ATL 31 CIN 20
Washington @ Chicago-
Chicago's offensive line is killing them (especially killing Cutler), and Washington is coming off a tough loss to Indy. I smell an upset.
WASH 27 CHI 20
St. Louis @ Tampa Bay-
Tampa needs to bounce back after the beating they took last week (Where was the run defense? Chris Ivory? Really?), but St. Louis looked very solid last week. This might actually turn out to be quite a game (Sam Bradford vs. Josh Freeman! The future of the NFL!)
TB 21 STL 20
San Fransisco @ Carolina
Wow. Awful game.
CAR 24 SF 23
Buffalo @ Baltimore
At this point, I just feel bad for Buffalo. They may not have enough players left for an active roster after this one. Welcome back Ed Reed!
BAL 38 BUF 6
Philadelphia @ Tennessee
This is going to be a fun game. Possibly Kolb's last start, look for him to have another big game. Tennessee has been very hot and cold this season, but have picked it up the past few weeks. If Tennessee can win this game, we will all see how far the AFC really is ahead of the NFC. It is getting kind of ridiculous at this point.
TEN 30 PHI 27
Jacksonville @ Kansas City
Kansas City is going to crush Jacksonville. The Jags couldn't have looked much worse than last Monday night, and KC is very underrated (especially their defense, which has been great). Blowout alert.
KC 31 JAX 13
Pittsburgh @ Miami
Great test for both teams. Miami has won some tough games and lost some tough ones, a win here would really make them a contender. Pitt really hasn't beaten a good team yet (especially on the road). Let's see what Roethlisberger can do when everyone in the stadium is booing him and he is playing against a real NFL franchise (sorry Cleveland, you are not quite there yet). Pitt's defense might just win them another game (60 points allowed in 5 games! Crazy good!)
Pitt 24 MIA 16
Cleveland @ New Orleans
I know i just bashed Cleveland, but New Orleans hasn't looked so spectacular this season. Potential trap game after a big win last week.
NO 30 CLE 23
Arizona @ Seattle
Only god knows what will happen in this one. [Refuse to make a prediction]
New England @ San Diego
Another potential trap game, this one is going to be fun to watch. The Pats pass defense sucks (273 yrds allowed per game through the air) and Rivers leads the league in yards- he already has 2000! But without a few key players and possibly Gates, I think the edge goes to NE. If Gates plays and his healthy, it would be a battle, without Gates, it may be over by halftime.
NE 27 SD 24
Oakland @ Denver
Denver will make up for last weeks debacle against the Jets where they let a W slip away. Oakland is not good enough to win a tough game on the road (as long as the Patriots have their first round pick, I keep telling myself they aren't good. They're not. Right?)
DEN 34 OAK 17
Minnesota @ Green Bay
Favre. Favre. Favre. Favre. Favre. Favre. Favre. (In case you forgot).
GB 23 MIN 20
NY Giants @ Dallas
I think Dallas finally shows up. If I'm wrong, Jerry Jones kills a man (possibly Wade Phillips?). These Giants-Cowboys prime time clashes always seem to be entertaining though.
DAL 34 NYG 30
Quick thoughts about Pats game tomorrow:
1) Protection is key. Despite the Chargers failures, they do have a terrific pass rush. Neutralize them, and the whole offense will open up.
2) Deion "Randy Who?" Branch and BJGE will have big games. Also, look for Aaron Hernandez to bounce back.
3) Rivers has an unbelievable down field arm. If the Pats go into the deep Cover-2 defense (like they used in the second half last week), they will be able to keep the big plays to a minimum.
4) Don't turn it over! The Chargers have no momentum going into this game, turnovers can change that momentum very quickly. The Pats have done a nice job this season of making the field longer for opposing offenses by not turning it over, Zoltan's booming punts, and Gostkowski's deep kickoffs.
Some quick links-
Good article about the Chargers' troubles. It is an ESPN Insider article, so I tried to make it so everyone can see it by linking the print-page version. Let me know if it works or not:
http://proxy.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=5714513&type=story
Peter King's predictions (didn't look at these until after I finished, although I did sort of steal the idea for this column from him. Shhhh):
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/peter_king/10/21/week.7.picks/index.html?eref=sihp
Because there is nothing I like more than an article that says the Yankees have no heart:
http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/columns/story?columnist=oconnor_ian&id=5716297
Another great one. Hows that 10 year, 275 million dollar contract look now?
http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/columns/story?columnist=matthews_wallace&id=5716363
Getting excited for Tuesday night's battle royale between the C's and Heat? Me too.
http://si.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=Preview+2010-11+NBA+season%2C+LeBron+James%2C+Miami+Heat+-+Ian+Thomsen+-+SI.com&expire=&urlID=438842902&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsportsillustrated.cnn.com%2F2010%2Fwriters%2Fian_thomsen%2F10%2F22%2Fguide.2010-11.nba.season%2Findex.html&partnerID=2356
And One Last Thing-
Great win tonight for the San Fransisco Giants. I honestly don't know how they made it this far with that offense, but I guess that's why they say pitching wins championships. This is going to be a heck of a World Series.
My prediction based on nothing: Rangers in 6
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