Monday, December 29, 2008

Week 17 Recap

Well boys and girls, we've now made it through another season of the NFL. Bring on the playoffs! Here's what happened this week:

Rams @ Falcons - The Falcons came out on top in this shoot out in Atlanta. Despite having the ball 11 mins less and having 3 turnovers, the Falcons finish 11-5 on the season and 2nd in the NFC South. Michael Turner and Stephen Jackson lit up the running game for both teams. Turner had 208 yds and 1 TD and Jackson had 161 yds and 2 TDs. Great fantasy stats for anyone in their championship week.

Patriots @ Bills - The wind was the biggest factor in this game. At one point, they actually had to fix the goal posts because the wind had caused them to lean. Tough elements for throwing caused both offenses to utilize their running games. The Patriots ran the ball 47 times while Cassel only had 8 pass attempts. The wind was so strange that both missed field goals were wide right (at opposite ends of the stadium). The Pats came out with a 13-0 victory over the Bills and had to watch the Jets/Fins and Jags/Ravens games to find out their playoff destiny.

Chiefs @ Bengals - I think Marvin Lewis decided that he wanted to keep his job in Cincinnati and a late season surge might help him keep it. The Bengals won their last 3 games after starting the season 1-11-1. Herm Edwards led his Chiefs to a 2-14 record this year. Are both coaches on the chopping block?

Bears @ Texans - The Bears needed a win and a Vikings loss to make it to the playoffs. They didn't get either. The Texans made a late season surge finishing 4-1 in their last 5 which coincides with the return of Matt Schaub. The Texans ripped apart the Bears defense with 455 offensive yds. Maybe the Bears are going to need to rethink their defense's ability and stop saying that that's the best part of their game.

Giants @ Vikings - It was a day of rest for the Giants but they still gave the Vikings a game of it while the Vikings fought for the NFC North title. The aptly named Ryan Longwell kicked a 50 yd field goal with 5 seconds left to send the Vikings to the playoffs as the number 3 seed.

Panthers @ Saints - The Panthers needed to win this game to win the NFC South and get the number 2 seed for the playoffs. After 3 quarters, it looked like it was going to be a walk in the park for Carolina. Until the Saints decided at the beginning of the 4th quarter that they were going to play. After scoring 21 points in the 4th, the Saints took the lead 31-30. Panthers kicker John Kasey kicked a field goal with 3 mins left in the game to take the lead back 33-31 and secure the win. Noteworthy: Brees just missed Dan Marino's passing record by 16 yds for the season.

Browns @ Steelers - Good God the Browns are just brutal. Roethlisberger suffered a concussion and had to be carted off the field and the Steelers still took it to the Browns 31-0. Phil Dawson missed a 53 yd field goal which would have been the Browns only source of points. I'm disappointed Phil; I even made you a poster.

Ready for the mass firings in Cleveland. GM Phil Savage and Coach Romeo Crennel are gone today after a 4-12 season. But really all I care about is if Brady Quinn will be starting next season or not.

Raiders @ Bucs - Um wtf Tampa Bay? I think that's the question most people are asking. Did you start the Christmas partying too early? Like maybe for the entire month of December. 0-4 this month means no playoffs for you. A win and you could have been in the playoffs! Idiots!

Titans @ Colts - Both teams rested starters, but as suspected Manning came out to get the yards he needed to have his 9th season with 4000 passing yards. MVP - can't you hear it? :) The Colts backups dominated the Titans backups led by original starter Vince Young.

Lions @ Packers - Oh Lions. Congratulations on history! First team ever to go 0-16. Marinelli's fired. Who's next?

Jaguars @ Ravens - A Ravens win puts them in the playoffs. They dominated the Jags 27-7 and clinch the number 6 seed for the playoffs.

Seahawks @ Cardinals - The Cards decided to actually show up this week and show why they're in the playoffs. Despite having 100 penalty yards, less time of possession and 2 turnovers, their 457 offensive yards and 34 points showed that maybe they do look like a playoff team. Although, I see them getting knocked out week 1.

Redskins @ 49ers - The 9ers squeeked out a win as time expired to finish 4-1 in their last 5 games. The 49ers have confirmed that Singletary will be back as head coach next year. And as for the Redskins, although Jim Zorn claimed to be "the worst coach in the NFL" his team finishes at 500 for the year in one of the toughest divisions.

Jets @ Dolphins - Fins win and they're in the playoffs. Fins lose and the Pats are in. Jets win and they don't look stupid for the Favre/Pennington thing. Fins win and Pennington gets to stick his tongue out at them. So many story lines! I loved watching Favre throw 3 INTs while Chad threw 2 TDs. It was a beautiful moment haha. Anyway Miami is in the playoffs after finishing 1-15 last season. They finish 11-5 this year. Oh and Mangini is looking for a new job after being fired as head coach of the Jets.

Cowboys @ Eagles - After the Bucs loss earlier in the day, all eyes in the NFC went to this game as the winner gets the 6 seed in the playoffs. Apparently the Cowboys didn't get this memo. 44-6. That's all I have to say. Look for the Eagles to upset the Vikes 1st round and look for a mass firing in Dallas.

Broncos @ Chargers - I hate the West. That's all. Ok but really, did the Broncos know this was basically a playoff game for them? 52-21? BRUTAL! All I have to say is San Diego you're going down next week ;)

Playoffs next week!

Monday, December 22, 2008

Week 16 Recap


Colts @ Jaguars - In continuing to prove that he should be MVP this year, Peyton led the Colts to a 31-24 victory completing 29 of 34 passes for 396 yds and 3 TDs. The Colts' 4th quarter comeback wrapped up the 5th seed in the playoffs, while the Jaguars fell to an abmysal 5-10 for the season.

Ravens @ Cowboys - Goodbye Texas Stadium; thanks for the memories, but Cowboy fans will definitely want to forget this game. The game was fairly boring until a very crazy, very exciting 4th quarter. Each time Dallas looked like they were coming back, the Ravens' running backs had a response. And what a response it was! First, McGahee for 77yds and then McClain for 82 yds. The win keeps the Ravens in for the 2nd wild card spot and shockingly the Cowboys got the help they needed to keep them in line for a wild card spot too.

Bengals @ Browns - Yawn. What a boring battle of Ohio. The Browns' 3rd string QB Dorsey played so poorly (sorry...got injured. Is it just me or are the QBs in Cleveland getting purposely injured?) that 4th string QB Bruce Gradkowski came in for an INT, a sack and an 8.3 rating. Awesome Browns...awesome! Anyway the Bengals won...not that it matters.

Saints @ 0-16 ...I mean Lions - 42-7. The Saints offense spread the love around with the fantasy points. 2 TDs for Brees to Colston, and a TD each for Thomas, McAllister, Bell and Meachem. And ummm the Lions did stuff? Kevin Smith had a good game 111 yds and a TD. OMG! I think that's the first nice thing I've said about the Lions! I knew it could happen eventually.

Cardinals @ Patriots - In a game that meant nothing to the Cardinals and everything to the Patriots, both teams played exactly the way expected. The Cards decided the snow wasn't their cup of tee. The Patriots decided making snow angels would be a great way to celebrate a touchdown. The Pats hang on to AFC East title hopes.

Steelers @ Titans - In game 1 of the battle for home field advantage, the Titans showed the Steelers what they were made of and the Steelers showed the Titans that Big Ben enjoys throwing INTs and getting sacked. The Steelers held in there until the 4th quarter but they just couldn't match the Titans.

49ers @ Rams - Oh NFC West, why oh why do you exist to torture us with terrible teams and terrible matchups? The 49ers squeaked out with a victory in game they shouldn't have won.

Dolphins @ Chiefs - The Chiefs gave the Dolphins quite the battle to keep their playoff dreams alive. The two teams combined for nearly 900 offensive yards. The Dolphins finally took the lead in this shootout with 4 minutes left in the game and held on to stay in the hunt for January.

Chargers @ Bucs - Ok seriously? What the hell is going on? The Chargers crushed the Bucs. This win keeps in the running for the AFC West title (thanks to a Broncos loss explained later). For the Bucs, their playoff hopes need a lot of help when a few weeks ago they looked like a for sure.

Bills @ Broncos - Despite having nearly twice the amount of offensive yards, the Broncos dropped the ball (no pun intended) huge on this one. They had a chance to lock up the West and secure a playoff berth but instead they have to battle the Chargers in San Diego next Sunday night to find out how the West will be won.

Jets @ Seahawks - Brett Favre spent his career in Lambeau Field. He spent his career playing in a cold, frozen tundra!! So why did a little snow in Seattle shatter the Jets' playoff hopes? Now not only do they need to beat Miami next week but they need the Bills to take it to the Pats. The Dolphins are now looking to win the AFC East. How funny would that be to watch Chad Pennington lead the Dolphins who finished 1-15 to the playoffs with a victory over the Jets, his former team, next week?

Texans @ Raiders - The problem with week 16 matchups is a lot of them don't matter. This falls into that category. The Raiders beat the Texans to "improve" to 4-11 while the Texans failed yet again to have a winning record at 7-8.

Falcons @ Vikings - The Vikings had more yards, longer time of possession, less penalty yards, more passing yards, more rushing yards, etc. So why did the Falcons win? Simple...they didn't rub their hands with butter before the game. The Vikes lost 4 of 7 fumbles. The Falcons are proud owners of a playoff berth while the Vikes are praying for a Bears loss tonight with the North still open.

Eagles @ Redskins - The Cowboys lost. The Bucs lost. Are the Eagles going to step up and move in for the wild card spot? Nope. At least next week's games are going to be exciting to see who wants to go to the playoffs. Because by the way the contenders played this week, it seems like no one wants to.

Panthers @ Giants - Game 2 of the battle of home field advantage and what a battle it was. The running backs showed that they are kings of the field. The Giants backs combined for over 300 yards (over 200 alone for Ward) and Panther Williams had 4 rushing TDs. The game went to OT and set up a great preview of the potential NFC championship game. The Giants came out with the win and the number 1 seed for the playoffs.

Tonight we've got Packers @ Bears. The Bears need to win this one to keep their playoff hopes alive but the Pack would love nothing more than to crush that dream at Soldier Field. Should be a good one.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Girls' guide part 4 - Dear Vince Lombardi trophy, will you be mine?

Ok ladies, it's been awhile since I've written a post for you, so here's one for the girls.

Super Bowl Sunday is one of the most important days on the sports calendar. The parties, the work pools, the beer, the wings, the pizza, the half-time show, and oh yeah...the game! So what day on a woman's calendar would this compare to? The answer is simple Valentine's Day.

Now I know you're thinking, "What?!?! You're comparing the Hallmark romance holiday to the biggest day in sports??" But think about it.

Hype! Both days are so hyped up and the hype can build up unrealistic expectations for the single and attached alike. Now that makes sense for Cupid, but how does that work for football? Well obviously, every season you want your team to be in the Super Bowl! However, with a salary cap and a competitive league, that's just not going to happen. So most years, you would be single for the Super Bowl and even if you are attached, there's a chance your team won't win (or plays uncharacteristically bad *cough last year's Patriots cough cough*).

So, let's say you're single (i.e. your team doesn't make it to the big show), you still care about the Super Bowl, just like you would still care about Valentine's Day if you're boy/girlfriendless. It's a bittersweet emotion. You're bummed that your team isn't there, but you're going to make the best of it and go to that party with your friends, just like how you'd have that girls' night with all your single girls.

Now, if your team does make it to the Super Bowl and wins, it's like having your perfect Valentine's Day with Prince Charming, champagne, romance, flowers, diamonds, etc.

So girls, when your boyfriend/husband/whatever, talks non-stop about how excited he is for the Super Bowl, understand this is his Valentine's Day. Don't get upset when your house gets bombarded by 10 men drinking beer and wiping chicken wing sauce off their face. It'd be like him getting upset at you for loving those diamond earrings he just bought you a little too much.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Week 15 Recap

Saints @ Bears - The Bears kept their playoff hopes alive by squeaking out a win in OT. Despite dominating in offensive yds and time of possession, the Saints lost, which could have been due to their 97 penalty yds and Drew Brees' inability to find his receivers instead of the Bears defense. Also, just to clear things up, Mike Carey let everyone know before the OT coin toss, that if there was not a winner after 15 mins, the game would end in a tie. Thanks Mike but I think the entire NFL league knows that now.

Bucs @ Falcons - Another OT game. Jeff Garcia didn't start for the Bucs, but they hung in there tying it up in the 4th to force OT. But as we know, you just can't beat an NFC South team at home and the Falcons K Jason Elam's game winning field goal continued to improve that stat.

Redskins @ Bengals - ....uhhh did I miss something? Did the Bengals miss the memo that they suck? Or do the Redskins really, really not want to go to the post-season? They're 1-5 for their last 6 games. When it became 17-0, I stopped paying attention and just started to wonder if Clinton Portis convinced the Redskins to all revolt against Jim Zorn.

Titans @ Texans - While the Bengals missed the memo of sucking, the Texans missed the memo of there's only 17 weeks, why become red-hot when you're already eliminated from playoff contention. Jeff Fisher gave the game to the Texans by opting to go for it on 4th&3 with 2 mins left instead of kicking a 49-yd field goal when being down by 1 pt. Please Coach Fisher, can you explain your rationale on that one?

Packers @ Jaguars - With this loss, the NFC North is now left up to the Vikings or the Bears. David Garrard actually played a great game with 238 yds and 2 TDs. I'm disappointed in the Packers though. They've lost 6 of their last 7 to put them at 5-9. With the Brett Favre drama during pre-season there, I really wanted the Packers to stick it to him and show him they didn't need him.

49ers @ Dolphins - The Dolphins put an end to ther 49ers destruction of the AFC East with a 14-9 victory. This win also keeps them in the race for the division title against the Jets and Patriots. The 9ers dominated in yards and t.o.p. but just couldn't make it to the endzone. Field goals just don't cut it.

Seahawks @ Rams - In a game that had absolutely no purpose, the Seahawks won. No one cares though so moving on.

Bills @ Jets - Oh J.P. Another week, another loss man. These jokes just never get old. The Bills had the lead with less than 2 mins left to go when Losman got sacked and fumbled the ball. The Jets returned that fumbled for a TD to ensure their win. My friends who are Pats fans (yes I know I'm friends with the enemy) were less than impressed with Jippy.

Chargers @ Chiefs - Uh huh...the Chargers keep their playoff hopes alive by improving to 6-8. I just threw up in my mouth a little by saying that. A late 4th quarter TD (with a missed 2 pt conversion) gave the Chargers a 1 pt win over the Chiefs. Man that division makes me want to gag. Might as well move the Bills to the west so they can all have fun losing together.

Lions @ Colts - La la la ooo look shiny light...moving on...Ok but seriously I think I went white when the Lions tied it. I was speechless. I was scared. The Colts couldn't possibly lose to the Lions. They smartened up and won 31-21 but seriously very disappointed in you boys for letting it get close with the worst team I've ever seen.

Vikings @ Cardinals - So all my friends fought with me on this one. Why are you picking the Vikings, woman?? Well let's see, the Cardinals coming into this game were 3-5 outside of their division. The Vikings need the win. The Cardinals already clinched. The Cardinals are overrated. Jackson needs to prove himself. And after 21-0 in the 1st, I knew the Vikings had this one in the bag.

Steelers @ Ravens - Once again, with the last minute magic, the Steelers steal this one from the Ravens to win the AFC North. The TD caused some controversy over its legitimacy but regardless, it counted and the Steelers won.

Broncos @ Panthers - Not shocking. The Panthers kicked some ass at home as expected. This win makes next week's matchup between the Panthers and Giants even more exciting seeing as whoever wins that gets homefield advantage for the playoffs. This win also improves the NFC South home team win-loss record to 26-2. Luckily, for the Giants, next week's game is in New York so maybe they have a shot.

Patriots @ Raiders - The Pats blew out the Raiders to the tune of 49-26, which keeps them in playoff contention with the tight race in the AFC East. Now sure their offense can put up points but their defense should be embarrassed giving up 26 pts to one of the worst scoring offenses in the league.

Giants @ Cowboys - Romo figured out how to solve the problem with his players. I'm just going to throw to EVERYONE! 9 players caught at least one catch on Sunday night's matchup. While Romo threw 2 TDs, little Manning threw 2 INTs. The Cowboys are eyeing the playoffs, while the Giants need to smarten up if they want the number 1 seed.

Browns @ Eagles - I was dragged to a party by a friend last night (yes a party on a Monday night...it's Christmas time...don't judge) so I didn't get to see this game but the Eagles won 30-10. Also, Ken Dorsey really sucks so I think it'd be fun if Romeo lets Joshua Cribbs play QB for the next 2 weeks or just run a wildcat offense every play.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

T.O. will pick a fight anywhere he can

So Terrell Owens is doing what he does best again: bitching. Seriously T.O., you are the whiniest player in the NFL. Romo's ignoring you? Seriously? C'mon man (Keyshawn's rubbing off on me)! What happened to your little man love for Tony? Remember last season? You cried for him. Now you're picking a fight with yet another QB. I wouldn't throw to you either if I was Romo. Grow up T.O.; you're 35, act like it! And in case you forgot about T.O.'s crying fit, enjoy!



Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Jeff Garcia loves to date...

...Hot quarterbacks?? Maybe there was some truth to T.O.'s madness.

Monday, December 8, 2008

Week 14 Recap


It's Monday you know what that means: I should be doing homework but of course I'm blogging instead. So what happened this weekend in football?

Raiders @ Chargers - Seeing as this was a rivalry game, you think the Raiders would have elected to show up. Apparently, they didn't think so. It was UGLY! The Chargers played more like the Chargers everyone expected all season but when you consider who they were playing, it wasn't all that impressive. Also, what a terrible matchup for a prime time game. The NFL has been disappointing with their schedule making this season!

Jaguars @ Bears - This one was over on the Jaguars opening drive when Garrard threw an INT which the Bears turned into a TD a few plays later. This win keeps the Bears in playoff contention one game back of the Vikings. The Jags have dropped 4 in a row and now sit at the bottom of the AFC South.

Vikings @ Lions - Gus Frerotte left the game and the Vikings offense was left up to previous starter turned backup Jackson. The Vikings had quite the scare for the majority of the game as the Lions led them. But never fear, it's the Lions. They can't possibly win a game this season and they keep continuing to prove that. They're on their way to 0-16 stardom!

Bengals @ Colts - The Colts finally have a blow out! Peyton had one of those games, we've come to expect from him over the years (unlike most games this season). 26/32, 277 yds, 3TDs. The Colts defense sacked Fitzpatrick 5 times and held the Bengals to only 3 pts. This win keeps the Colts at the top of the wild card spot.

Eagles @ Giants - So my theory is after Plax told his (most likely soon-to-be-former) teammates, "Win this one for me," they all thought to themselves, "HAHAHAHA!! Yeah right!" And then proceeded to give the game to the Eagles. Anyone care to argue?

Browns @ Titans - I would like you all to refer to this post. What would the Cleveland Browns do without Phil Dawson? He's their only source of points. Don't forget to get your Pro-Bowl vote in for him! Despite having 131 penalty yds and 3 turnovers, the Titans won this one easily and clinched the AFC South.

Falcons @ Saints - The NFC South is all about the home team. The NFC South is collectively 23-2 when playing at home. So please tell me why so many people picked the Falcons? In a back and forth offensive shoot-out, both teams put up 414 yds and it came down to the final 2 mins for the Saints to take the lead and win the game. But 23-2, man the NFC South is serious about no one messing with their house!

Texans @ Packers - I love seeing guys who are warm climate players without sleeves at Lambeau. Matt Schaub came back after a 4 game hiatus (with sleeves...hint hint Tony Romo you're an idiot) and showed the Packers defense he meant business passing for 414 yds and 2 TDs. And despite having 4 turnovers, the Texans won a cold one in Green Bay - no sleeves and all.

Dolphins @ Bills - This was supposed to be a Bills home game. So why were there so many Fins fans? Easy; Welcome to Canada, leave your tailgating supplies and Bills jerseys at the border. In a lack lustre game, the Dolphins came out on top to join the 3-way tie of the AFC East.

Jets @ 49ers - Hi we're the 49ers, we can only beat teams from the AFC East because it screws up their hunt for the division title. Miami, you're next ;)

Patriots @ Seahawks - I became prematurely excited to see the Patriots trailing for most of the game. Although, perhaps the Seahawks should bump Wallace up to starter and telling Hasselbeck to enjoy the bench. They've really got nothing to lose.

Chiefs @ Broncos - After trailing at half time, the Broncos realized how incredibly embarrassing a loss to the Chiefs at home would be. After losing 3 in a row at home, the Broncos stepped up and beat the Chiefs 24-17. Although they'll make the playoffs with a divisional title, don't expect the Broncos and their inconsistency to win a playoff game.

Cardinals @ Rams - Oooo!! An exciting NFC West matchup! Ok sorry sometimes I ooze sarcasm just too much. Um the Cardinals clinched the west with a dominating record of 8-5!!!!! Gross.

Cowboys @ Steelers - Hi my name's Tony Romo. I was born in Wisconsin. Do you know what that means? I'm too much of a man for sleeves! Well Tony, you're a moron. In one of the strangest offensive battles I've seen, the Cowboys decided that handing the game over with 1:40 left seemed like the best idea. Also, once again Big Ben's o-line went ahead and showed their disdain for him. At one point, Big Ben's back was just grass. With the Cowboys' loss, the Giants clinched the NFC East.

Redskins @ Ravens - Joe Flacco and his flock of Ravens want it. They want it so bad. Ed Reed became a household name after his performance last night. The Ravens' D held Portis only 32 yds and got 2 INTs off of QB Jason Campbell. With this win, the Ravens remain one game behind the Steelers in the North and in line for a wild card spot.

Tonight we've got Bucs @ Panthers, the NFC South goes to 24-2 at home after this game giving the Panthers a one week lead of the division. Don't worry Bucs fans, it's only a week.

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Just hand over your wallet Toronto


The first regular season NFL game in Canada will be played today in Toronto at the Skydome...err I mean Rogers Centre (ah eff it it's still the Skydome in everyone's mind). So I already made my views on the London games known. So now what's wrong with the Toronto series. Oh man where do I begin?

Well first of all, for any Toronto football fans to go to the game they've got to open their wallets and actually you know what just hand their entire wallet over. The average ticket price at the Skydome errr Rogers Centre is $183 CAD (about $144USD). Average ticket price at Ralph Wilson? $51.24USD. (Source: National Post)

Next problem - the closed dome! The Bills should never play a "home" game indoors. That's not Bills football. Bills fans wanted the dome open. So of course, the dome is closed. The elements are part of the game. I've been to an indoor game there. I saw last season's International Bowl there. It's not the same. The atmosphere is just not the same at all.

3rd problem - Back to the money factor. So it's almost $100 more to see a game in Toronto than in Buffalo. Now Toronto is only about 2 hours out of Buffalo. According to Mapquest, it's about $10 in gas if your car gets about 25 MPG. So now let's say it's you and your buddy going to the game:
  • 2 tickets for Dolphins/Bills in Toronto = $288USD

  • 2 tickets for a game in Buffalo = $102USD

  • Gas to Buffalo from Toronto (return) = $20USD

  • Tolls/border crossing = $5USD

  • Parking in Buffalo = $15USD

  • Parking in Toronto = $15USD

  • Total for Toronto game for 2 people = $303USD

  • Total for Buffalo game for 2 people = $142USD

That's a difference of $161!! That's ridiculous!

Next up - tailgating. Good luck with that in Toronto. Just another way Toronto will kill the atmosphere surrounding Bills football. How many tickets and arrests will happen today? Welcome to Canada; leave your beer at home :(

Next - (oh I can keep going and going) - the CFL. I'm not a CFL fan at all. But Mike Vanderjagt and the Toronto Argos can't be too impressed with this.

Ok I'll stop but seriously keep the Bills in Buffalo. Please!

Friday, December 5, 2008

Oh O.J.


Looks like O.J. is finally going away. 61 year old Simpson is going to jail for minimum 9 years and as much as 33 years. Looks like karma finally came back to bite him in the ass (might not be the only thing). Ok sorry I had to; it was just too easy!
Don't even need to photoshop a picture for this one. That smug look is good enough!

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Has the ball gotten heavier??


The NFL suspended 6 players for using a diuretic, which works as a masking agent for steroids. This list includes the Vikings' defensive tackles Kevin and Pat Williams, and Saints' Deuce McAllister, Charles Grant, and Will Smith. In addition to the previous 5, the Texans' long snapper Bryan Pittman was also suspended. I guess the football has just gotten too heavy to snap for Mr. Pittman. I mean it must be so heavy to snap that ball 10ish yards.
Honestly though, I'm glad the NFL is cracking down on doping violators. Don't want another baseball issue.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Playoff predictions



Yeah Coach...I want to talk about playoffs!

Let's start with the NFC. Currently the playoff picture for the NFC has the Giants, the Vikings, the Bucs, and the Cardinals as the division leaders with the Panthers, Falcons, Cowboys, and Redskins in the wild card race.

NFC East - The Giants have a tough schedule remaining but I don't think tough enough to knock them out. They have a 3 game lead over the Cowboys. The only way the Cowboys could overthrow the Giants is if the Giants lose their remaining games and the Cowboys win out the season. Not seeing that happen, seeing as the Cowboys remaining schedule includes @Steelers, Giants and Ravens at home, and @Eagles. I think the Cowboys will finish 10-6 at best. Prediction: New York Giants

NFC North - I think the Lions are going to take this division with flying colours. Haha ok kidding! The Vikings are sitting atop the NFC North right now at 7-5, but the Bears are 6-6, and the Packers are 5-7. Any of these teams could win the division. The Vikings play the Lions next then visit the Cardinals, then back home for the Falcons and Giants. So at worse, the Vikings end up 8-8. The Bears have 3 home games against the Jaguars, the Saints, and the Packers, then visit the Texans, which will probably put the Bears at 8-8. The Packers host the Texans, then are on the road to play the Jaguars, and the Bears, then have the Lions at home. The Packers could easily win out their season, leaving them at 9-7. So I'm either giving this to the Packers or the Vikings if they can pull out a win against the Cards, or maybe the Giants for the last game of the season since that game would probably be meaningless to the G-men. Prediction: Minnesota Vikings

NFC South - This is the toughest division in the NFC to decide on. The Bucs are tied with the Panthers at 9-3, but have already won their first matchup. The Falcons are just one game behind them at 8-4. The Bucs play guest to the Panthers next Monday night, then visit the Falcons, then are home to play the Chargers and the Raiders. The Bucs have already beat both the Panthers and the Falcons, and the Chargers and the Raiders shouldn't be a problem so the worst they finish is 11-5, but I'm feeling a 12-4 out of them with a loss to the Panthers who are undefeated at home. The Panthers play the Bucs (as just mentioned) and the Broncos at home, then on the road to play the Giants and Saints. So they finish out 11-5 and take a wild card. The Falcons play the Saints, the Bucs, the Vikings, and the Rams. Depending on the outcome at the Superdome, the Falcons finish either 11-5 or 10-6. Prediction: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

NFC West - I'm not wasting my time. Prediction: Arizona Cardinals

Wild card - We haven't talked about the Redskins yet. They're currently 7-5 and have 2 hard games left (Ravens and Eagles) and 2 gimmes (Bengals and 49ers). So I'm putting them at 9-5 which makes them miss the playoffs since the Panthers should be 11-5, the Falcons 11-5 or 10-6, and the Cowboys 10-6. So who gets it if the Falcons and Cowboys both finish 10-6? Well they haven't played each other so it would turn into record against common opponents. That would give it to Dallas. Prediction: Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys (if I gave it to the Falcons, I'd get the cold shoulder from Dave so this is his influence)

AFC time. Division leaders as of right now: Jets, Steelers, Titans, and Broncos. Wild card hunt: Colts, Ravens, Patriots, and Dolphins.

AFC East - Oh God. Well the Bills are out because there's no way they'll win the rest of their season with Losman. So scratch that one out. So the Jets have the division right now at 8-4 with both the Pats and the Fins nipping at their heels at 7-5. The Jets have a trip to play the 49ers, home to the Bills, @Seahawks, and finish up at home against the Dolphins. As much as this pains me to say, they could easily win out the season. They might lose to the Dolphins. So I'm going to put them at 11-5. Patriots play @Seahawks, @Raiders, Cardinals, and @Bills. Easy 3 wins there. So they'll finish 10-6. Dolphins play @Bills (well in Toronto), 49ers, @Chiefs, and @Jets. So by week 17 they potentially could be 10-5, with the Jets 11-4. If this is the case, Jets win and go 12-4. If the Dolphins lose a game before this and come in at 9-6, the final game of the season won't matter and to the Jets and the Dolphins win finishing 10-6. So either way Fins go 10-6. Prediction: New York Jets

AFC North - Steelers or Ravens? Steelers are currently 9-3. They've got Cowboys, @Ravens, @Titans, and Browns. I think they beat the Cowboys and definitely Phil Dawson aka the Browns. But the Ravens and Titans on the road could be hard, but they already beat the Ravens once this year. So let's say they finish 12-4. Where's that going to put the Ravens? They're 8-4. They've got Redskins, Steelers, @Cowboys, and Jaguars. Let's say they win 2 of those (Redskins and Jaguars) putting them at 10-6. Prediction: Pittsburgh Steelers

AFC South - Titans currently have a 3 game lead over the Colts. Titans have Browns, @Texans, Steelers, and @Colts. They win their next 3 and then lose to the Colts (no this is not wishful thinking) at Lucas Oil finishing 14-2 and taking the division. Prediction: Tennessee Titans (I can't believe I just said that; it hurt a little)

AFC West - What’s with the West divisions? They’re terrible in both conferences. Prediction: Denver Broncos

Wild card - Colts have an easy schedule left minus one; Bengals, Lions, @Jaguars, and Titans. They can easily win the rest of the season and finished 12-4, which would give them the top wild card spot. Now’s the tricky part: Who gets the second wild card? According to my thoughts, the Patriots, Dolphins, and Ravens are tied at 10-6. Frankly, that’s too much tie-breaking for me to do right now. So I’m picking randomly. Prediction: Indianapolis Colts and Baltimore Ravens

Monday, December 1, 2008

Week 13 Recap

This week's recap might be a little rough seeing as I'm going 100% off of highlights since the only game I saw this Sunday was the Colts/Browns game. So if I miss anything, please fill me in!

Titans @ Lions - The Lions are so terrible this year that I'm actually starting to feel for them. They only got 154 offensive yds in this matchup against one of the best teams in the NFL. After losing last week to the Jets, the Titans wanted to remind everyone that they still are a force to be reckoned with.

Seahawks @ Cowboys - Another terrible team vs. good team blowout. The Cowboys suffered some injuries to big players though during this one. Ware and Barber both left the game. Both are listed as day to day now. The Seahawks need to do some big restructuring seeing as this is the first time they've lost 10 games in 8 seasons.

Cardinals @ Eagles - Ok Donovan, I'm sorry. Happy now? I said it. I'm sorry. The Eagles dominated this game and my fantasy team LOVED it! Westbrook got 2 receiving TDs and 2 rushing TDs. Thank you!! Just a thought for the Cards though - maybe you should stop playing on Thanksgiving. You've lost the last 8 games you've played on Thanksgiving. Too much tryptophan perhaps?

49ers @ Bills - Please see this post about the Bills. All I've heard about this game was that it was only mildly better than the Colts game. Trent Edwards left the game with a strained groin. Once J.P. Losman is your QB, you know you've just got another loss, man. (Ok that was bad). The Bills can kiss any playoff hopes bye-bye.


Ravens @ Bengals - The Ravens continue to play well, not that they had much of an opponent, but I'll still give them props. WR Mark Clayton threw a TD, everyone is lovin' the wildcat formation this season.

Saints @ Bucs - With the Saints loss on Sunday, I think their playoff hopes are done. The Saints need to establish a running game seeing as relying on Drew Brees just doesn't work. The 3 INTs were the losing factor in this one.

Giants @ Redskins - As much as I thought it would affect the Giants, Plax's drama seemed to be completely out of the Giants' minds. The Giants have one thing on their minds and that's winning. And they are definitely winning. With the loss, the Redskins fall one game behind the Cowboys now, which could be a big factor for the wild card race.

Dolphins @ Rams - If Phil Dawson played for the Rams...haha ok I'll stop with the Phil Dawson stuff. In the battle of the field goals, the Dolphins managed to get a TD to put them ahead and still in the playoff race. And well the Rams, there's always next year.

Colts @ Browns - The rain made it impossible for either offense to get anything going. Addai fumbled the first play of the game. Peyton only threw 125 yds. LB Gary Brackett left the game with an ankle injury, leaving the Colts defense missing two stars since Bob Sanders didn't start. Both kickers missed field goals. Derek Anderson left the game with a sprained MCL and will miss the rest of the season. Ken Dorsey is now the starter in Cleveland and I've just learned that if he gets injured return specialist Joshua Cribbs will play QB. I actually feel bad for Browns fans now.

Panthers @ Packers - Panthers' RB Williams ran in 4 TDs in this back and forth battle. Despite controlling the ball for 15 mins longer, the Packers drop this one to the Panthers and look like their playoff hopes are over at 5-7.

Falcons @ Chargers - I love how at the beginning of the season the Chargers were supposed to be one of the best in the AFC. They're now 4-8. And the Falcons are 8-4. LT continues to disappoint this season with only 24 yds.

Broncos @ Jets - Yes!!! Brett Favre sucks again!! Muhahaha! Also, for the life of me, I cannot figure the Broncos out. Both teams still lead their divisions. For the Jets, that's an accomplishment in the AFC East where every team is at least 500. For the Broncos, that just means they're the best in a group of losers.

Steelers @ Patriots - I love this picture. The Pats had 5 turnovers and Matt Cassel did not have 400 yds. Yay!


Chiefs @ Raiders - Apparently, the Chiefs won. Apparently, no one cares.
Bears @ Vikings - The Vikings took the top spot in the AFC North, which had been tied up for a while, with this win. The Vikings defense got to the Bears offense, which had to depend on rookie RB Matt Forte since QB Orton was too busy throwing INTs.
Jaguars @ Texans - Currently, it's 13-3 Texans.

Phil Dawson IS the Cleveland Browns

After my weekend in Cleveland, I realized something. Cleveland Brown fans LOVE Phil Dawson. I've never seen so much love and praise for a kicker. Then, I realized something else. He's their only source of offense so of course they love him. 95 of their 213 points scored have been from him. And now that Anderson's out; Ken Dorsey is the Browns' QB so we know there's not going to be anymore passing TDs in Cleveland...I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Dawson is the 4th string QB. Crennel's got to be thinking, "Hey Phil scores all our points anyways he might as well do it all!"

Next - Cleveland Browns fans: I'm really disappointed in every last one of you. I was decked out in a ton of Colts gear and not one of you chirped me or even attempted to boo me. The Browns were leading most of the game. No one said a word. So Cleveland, your fans aren't as rowdy as they were made out to be. I'm kinda upset. I was all fired up for some good ol' fashioned football chirpin'!