Leading off with two bits of hockey news...
It amazes me the durability of some NHL players. I think the sport can be the most brutal of all popular American sports, yet the NHL often boasts the oldest and most veteran players of sports - Mark Recchi just retired and he was 43, for example! Anyway, two pieces of news regarding a couple of these ageless wonders:
First, probably to the surprise of no one, Nicklas Lidstrom plans to return for his 20th season with the Red Wings, at the ripe old age of 41. This is actually more significant than last year; with the retirement of Brian Rafalski, had Lidstrom gone as well, the Wings would be facing a sudden crisis on the blue line. As it stands, the Wings can replace Rafalski through free agency (Rafalski's retirement freed up 6M) and worry about Lidstrom's roster spot next year... if not longer.
Second, Jaromir Jagr wants to return to the NHL. Jagr is 39 and has spent the last three years playing in the KHL, which is, for lack of a better explanation, the NHL of Russia. I wouldn't call it the same as Triple-A baseball, but somewhere between that and the NHL. Anyway, Jagr has been productive there and voiced his desire to come back, provided certain teams were interested. Among them, rumor has it, are the Red Wings, Canadiens and Penguins. I particularly like the idea of him returning to Pittsburgh or donning the Winged Wheel - both are great spots for the veteran; he could mix in nicely with Crosby or Malkin in Pittsburgh, or with Datsyuk or Zetterberg in Detroit. In both cases, neither team would be relying on him for maximum production and it'd be a relatively low-pressure situation. I have no doubt Jagr will be back in the NHL next year - the question will be where. I predict he'll land in Detroit, for a one-year deal similar to Mike Modano's last season.
Interesting news out of Cleveland...
Everyone is expecting the Indians to sort of fade out of the AL Central picture in baseball, but I'm of a mind that they're going to be around all season. Their recent decision to replace their hitting coach makes me think that this is a team that's willing to shake things up to stay competitive. Some people smell disaster there - you're atop your division, why make moves? But I see a team still improving itself to try and maintain control on a division that can really go anywhere between now and October. The Tigers are playing good baseball and even the Twins, who looked as hapless as any team could a month ago (more on them later this week), look like they could end up being a surprise threat as summer rolls on.
Speaking of hapless...
The Florida Marlins are 1-18 in the month of June. Their record is 32-40. Before this amazing skid, they were 31-22 and looking like a threat in the NL East. So much for that. But to add insult to injury, in the midst of what is now an 10-game losing streak, their manager, Edwin Rodriguez, decided to jump ship. I always wonder about the mentality of that - obviously, you're probably avoiding an inevitable firing (although the Marlins were .500 under Rodriguez, dating back to last season), but as we've seen numerous times this year, baseball fortunes can change rapidly and unpredictably from month to month. Perhaps the problems are deeper than he wanted to deal with. It's one thing to have a bad month of ball; it's another when your skipper bails on you.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Sunday, June 19, 2011
The PW Sports Blog is becoming the Daily Sports Update!
Hello readers,
For awhile last year and earlier this year, mostly during football season, I maintained a sports blog. As football ended and other aspects of my life got busy, I waned in my blogging. Given the nature of football, it was easy to pop in and get an article written once or twice a week, but as that ended and gave way to the NHL and NBA playoff chases, as well as the beginning of the MLB season, I found myself unable to keep up. But no more! I have re-dedicated myself to bringing you as high a caliber sports blog as I can and I now intend to do it every day, with a wider array of coverage than I previously supplied.
I will do my best to cover a wide range of teams and sports as best I can, but be aware that as someone who lives in Minnesota, my eyes and ears are most inundated with the sports of the upper Midwest. As a Detroit native, I maintain a strong connection to those teams, as well. Don't be offended if I offer nuances about a regional team and less so about, say, a team in the southwestern part of the country. I can promise you, however, that unlike ESPN, I will not give undue amounts of attention to the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Dallas Cowboys, or any other team we get sick of hearing about when they're not actually being remarkable.
Thank you for reading. I am always open and receptive to comments, so feel free to share your thoughts or opinions with me; it's one of the best ways to help me better this blog and that is my goal. Starting tomorrow, I'll be bringing you the relevant sports happenings of the day (or previous day, I suppose) as I see them. Some days will have longer articles, some days will be shorter - but it is my plan to give you something to read every day from here on out.
For awhile last year and earlier this year, mostly during football season, I maintained a sports blog. As football ended and other aspects of my life got busy, I waned in my blogging. Given the nature of football, it was easy to pop in and get an article written once or twice a week, but as that ended and gave way to the NHL and NBA playoff chases, as well as the beginning of the MLB season, I found myself unable to keep up. But no more! I have re-dedicated myself to bringing you as high a caliber sports blog as I can and I now intend to do it every day, with a wider array of coverage than I previously supplied.
I will do my best to cover a wide range of teams and sports as best I can, but be aware that as someone who lives in Minnesota, my eyes and ears are most inundated with the sports of the upper Midwest. As a Detroit native, I maintain a strong connection to those teams, as well. Don't be offended if I offer nuances about a regional team and less so about, say, a team in the southwestern part of the country. I can promise you, however, that unlike ESPN, I will not give undue amounts of attention to the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Dallas Cowboys, or any other team we get sick of hearing about when they're not actually being remarkable.
Thank you for reading. I am always open and receptive to comments, so feel free to share your thoughts or opinions with me; it's one of the best ways to help me better this blog and that is my goal. Starting tomorrow, I'll be bringing you the relevant sports happenings of the day (or previous day, I suppose) as I see them. Some days will have longer articles, some days will be shorter - but it is my plan to give you something to read every day from here on out.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Super Bowl XLV Recap
A few words about Sunday's big game...
First, Dallas...
Dallas is catching a lot of jabs for the city's response to the snow and ice that stormed through there in the last week. Really? I realize that many of the people there were from the northern parts of the country, but Dallas and the rest of Texas is not a place that gets that kind of weather often. In a time when economic restraint should be practiced, perhaps people should realize that having substantial amounts of city budget set aside for weather events that may or may not happen on a yearly basis isn't the best course of action. I've lived in cities that have great snow response - Detroit and its suburbs, for example. I've lived in cities with virtually zero snow response - Seattle and it's suburbs. And places that get good amounts of snow but seem to have not yet discovered salt for some reason (that's you, Minneapolis, and we really need to talk about that). Seattle, much like Dallas, doesn't get snow every year. Some years a big storm rolls through and the city is paralyzed for a day or two. Remember everyone, salt costs money. Plows cost money. Maintaining those things costs money. It is unfortunate that said storm rolled through Dallas at the time of the Super Bowl, but holding it against Dallas that they didn't have the preparedness of a northern, oft-snow-laden city is ludicrous. Unfortunate timing, that's all it is.
The game...
Okay, it wasn't the epic game I expected. If there's one thing required to make a game epic, it's lead changes. Green Bay took hold of this game early and never lost its grip - oh, it came loose at times, but Green Bay held this game the entire time. Aaron Rodgers played like an MVP, if not better - his stat line had his receivers not had the dropsies would have been pretty incredible - and remembering the 7-3 Green Bay loss to Detroit late in the season makes me think that he might have been deserving of some season MVP consideration. All things considered, my hat is off to the Packers - resilience was their name and their game and any team that survives that many injuries to win the championship earns my respect. Unlike other years, I expect no fallout from either team - I have no doubt they'll both be playoff teams next year.
The Packers.
Two questionable mentions here, one for the players and one for the coach. To the players - sorry, receivers - man up and stop dropping the ball. Rodgers played as well as you could ask and his receivers almost dropped the ball and, as a result, gave the Steelers a chance to win. To McCarthy - why only 11 rushes? Especially in the second half, with the lead, it seemed the abandoned the rush when they could have been chewing more clock. That they rushed so little only further enhances the profile of Aaron Rodgers, who it is safe to say has arrived as one of the elite of the NFL. He's no longer just an elite fantasy football quarterback - he is an elite quarterback and should be mentioned alongside Tom Brady and Peyton Manning here on out.
The Steelers.
Where was the top-ranked defense of the league? More importantly, where was Troy Polamalu? The Defensive Player of the Year was more like the Defensive Player of Where on Sunday. I don't mean to hate, but Polamalu is the lynchpin of that defense and he might as well have not been out there at all. Beyond that, they couldn't get pressure on Rodgers - not enough, at least - but that's more a testament to good protection by the Packers line. I think Rashard Mendenhall is taking a lot of flak for his fumble when the scrutiny should be as much - if not moreso - on the two picks thrown by a Ben Roethlisberger who looked not-quite-right all night. I thought Mendenhall's hard running kept them in the game for the most part. But really, the story here was the lack of defense. Rodgers shredded the Steelers defense at will. That Randle El 2-point conversion play was, hands down, the best play of the game, though.
The aftermath.
I can't imagine how vindicated the Packers brass must feel now. They've watched Brett Favre ride various waves of success and calamity in New York and Minnesota, all the while building this young team and taking their fair share of criticism for shedding the aged quarterback. But here they stand, three years after that epochal franchise event, holding Lombardi. Aaron Rodgers has arrived and Favre has physically fallen apart, almost certainly done with his career, not out with glory, but out because he simply can't anymore. I watched Brett Favre go from a kid to an old man in the span of about 18 years. I hope to never see that again. I think many people are curious as to what he thinks right now. But the limelight is on Rodgers and well so - he has been patient and simply waited. His moment came and he stepped up to it. That's his team and will be for some time to come.
Meanwhile, if I'm Pittsburgh, I walk away with all sorts of questions. What happened to Polamalu? If he is the catalyst on defense, his disappearance, even on-field, has a crippling effect and if he can't play at a high level anymore, if he's suffered one injury too many, then the vaunted Pittsburgh defense might be in trouble on the back end. Not serious trouble, but trouble in the sense that they might go from a perennial top-5 defense to a top-10 or top-16 defense. I think this Super Bowl was also a chance for Tomlin to stake his ground. There are those who consider the 2008 Steelers to be a carryover from the Cowher area, a team that Cowher assembled and Tomlin simply had to not mess up. This was his chance to step out on his own and his team faltered. I believe this team is built for the long-term and that Tomlin will get his second ring, and Ben his third, but it'll take a little more time - and if they can't do it while veterans like Polamalu and Hines Ward are still playing at a high level, that journey becomes more difficult as time goes on, especially with Baltimore nipping at their heels.
Looking forward...
I expect a labor dispute that results in a lockout. It may not result in lost season games, but there will be a lockout. Bear in mind what that means - no trades, no free agency, and murky waters when it comes to signing rookies. There's a lot of interest to be had here. I think Roger Goodell is starting to want something sooner than later, perhaps realizing finally that a lockout - a lost season - would define his career as commissioner four years into his tenure. I have little pity for millionaire players and billionaire owners, but I do feel for the second/third-string players making the league minimum and moreso than that and more importantly, I feel for all of the local business that thrives because of football games. I feel for the stadium employees and the vendors who won't have jobs. I feel for the ball-boys and the groundskeeper. Remember that football is a business and as such, it employs and is lucrative for far more than the players. It's been said by other people than me, but it stands to reason - the true losers in any labor conflict here are the fans and those people who make a living (not millions) from football. So here's hoping that whatever extent this labor dispute goes to, it is resolved in time for the 2011 season.
First, Dallas...
Dallas is catching a lot of jabs for the city's response to the snow and ice that stormed through there in the last week. Really? I realize that many of the people there were from the northern parts of the country, but Dallas and the rest of Texas is not a place that gets that kind of weather often. In a time when economic restraint should be practiced, perhaps people should realize that having substantial amounts of city budget set aside for weather events that may or may not happen on a yearly basis isn't the best course of action. I've lived in cities that have great snow response - Detroit and its suburbs, for example. I've lived in cities with virtually zero snow response - Seattle and it's suburbs. And places that get good amounts of snow but seem to have not yet discovered salt for some reason (that's you, Minneapolis, and we really need to talk about that). Seattle, much like Dallas, doesn't get snow every year. Some years a big storm rolls through and the city is paralyzed for a day or two. Remember everyone, salt costs money. Plows cost money. Maintaining those things costs money. It is unfortunate that said storm rolled through Dallas at the time of the Super Bowl, but holding it against Dallas that they didn't have the preparedness of a northern, oft-snow-laden city is ludicrous. Unfortunate timing, that's all it is.
The game...
Okay, it wasn't the epic game I expected. If there's one thing required to make a game epic, it's lead changes. Green Bay took hold of this game early and never lost its grip - oh, it came loose at times, but Green Bay held this game the entire time. Aaron Rodgers played like an MVP, if not better - his stat line had his receivers not had the dropsies would have been pretty incredible - and remembering the 7-3 Green Bay loss to Detroit late in the season makes me think that he might have been deserving of some season MVP consideration. All things considered, my hat is off to the Packers - resilience was their name and their game and any team that survives that many injuries to win the championship earns my respect. Unlike other years, I expect no fallout from either team - I have no doubt they'll both be playoff teams next year.
The Packers.
Two questionable mentions here, one for the players and one for the coach. To the players - sorry, receivers - man up and stop dropping the ball. Rodgers played as well as you could ask and his receivers almost dropped the ball and, as a result, gave the Steelers a chance to win. To McCarthy - why only 11 rushes? Especially in the second half, with the lead, it seemed the abandoned the rush when they could have been chewing more clock. That they rushed so little only further enhances the profile of Aaron Rodgers, who it is safe to say has arrived as one of the elite of the NFL. He's no longer just an elite fantasy football quarterback - he is an elite quarterback and should be mentioned alongside Tom Brady and Peyton Manning here on out.
The Steelers.
Where was the top-ranked defense of the league? More importantly, where was Troy Polamalu? The Defensive Player of the Year was more like the Defensive Player of Where on Sunday. I don't mean to hate, but Polamalu is the lynchpin of that defense and he might as well have not been out there at all. Beyond that, they couldn't get pressure on Rodgers - not enough, at least - but that's more a testament to good protection by the Packers line. I think Rashard Mendenhall is taking a lot of flak for his fumble when the scrutiny should be as much - if not moreso - on the two picks thrown by a Ben Roethlisberger who looked not-quite-right all night. I thought Mendenhall's hard running kept them in the game for the most part. But really, the story here was the lack of defense. Rodgers shredded the Steelers defense at will. That Randle El 2-point conversion play was, hands down, the best play of the game, though.
The aftermath.
I can't imagine how vindicated the Packers brass must feel now. They've watched Brett Favre ride various waves of success and calamity in New York and Minnesota, all the while building this young team and taking their fair share of criticism for shedding the aged quarterback. But here they stand, three years after that epochal franchise event, holding Lombardi. Aaron Rodgers has arrived and Favre has physically fallen apart, almost certainly done with his career, not out with glory, but out because he simply can't anymore. I watched Brett Favre go from a kid to an old man in the span of about 18 years. I hope to never see that again. I think many people are curious as to what he thinks right now. But the limelight is on Rodgers and well so - he has been patient and simply waited. His moment came and he stepped up to it. That's his team and will be for some time to come.
Meanwhile, if I'm Pittsburgh, I walk away with all sorts of questions. What happened to Polamalu? If he is the catalyst on defense, his disappearance, even on-field, has a crippling effect and if he can't play at a high level anymore, if he's suffered one injury too many, then the vaunted Pittsburgh defense might be in trouble on the back end. Not serious trouble, but trouble in the sense that they might go from a perennial top-5 defense to a top-10 or top-16 defense. I think this Super Bowl was also a chance for Tomlin to stake his ground. There are those who consider the 2008 Steelers to be a carryover from the Cowher area, a team that Cowher assembled and Tomlin simply had to not mess up. This was his chance to step out on his own and his team faltered. I believe this team is built for the long-term and that Tomlin will get his second ring, and Ben his third, but it'll take a little more time - and if they can't do it while veterans like Polamalu and Hines Ward are still playing at a high level, that journey becomes more difficult as time goes on, especially with Baltimore nipping at their heels.
Looking forward...
I expect a labor dispute that results in a lockout. It may not result in lost season games, but there will be a lockout. Bear in mind what that means - no trades, no free agency, and murky waters when it comes to signing rookies. There's a lot of interest to be had here. I think Roger Goodell is starting to want something sooner than later, perhaps realizing finally that a lockout - a lost season - would define his career as commissioner four years into his tenure. I have little pity for millionaire players and billionaire owners, but I do feel for the second/third-string players making the league minimum and moreso than that and more importantly, I feel for all of the local business that thrives because of football games. I feel for the stadium employees and the vendors who won't have jobs. I feel for the ball-boys and the groundskeeper. Remember that football is a business and as such, it employs and is lucrative for far more than the players. It's been said by other people than me, but it stands to reason - the true losers in any labor conflict here are the fans and those people who make a living (not millions) from football. So here's hoping that whatever extent this labor dispute goes to, it is resolved in time for the 2011 season.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Pierce's Pick - Super Bowl XLV
I called the big game correctly, so I'm 6-4 on the playoffs. So, without further ado...
Sunday, February 6th, 2011, at 6:30pm ET -
Super Bowl XLV
The Pittsburgh Steelers (AFC 2-seed) @ The Green Bay Packers (NFC 6-seed)
It took me about a week to decide who to pick for this game. This is one of the most evenly matched Super Bowls I can remember and I honestly believe the best team from both conferences is playing. The Steelers are #1 in points-allowed defense. The Packers are #2. Both have franchise quarterbacks. Both have experienced receiving corps featuring a aged veteran, a younger speedster, and a cast of lesser-known skill receivers. Both have battled injury all season. Both have an iconic playmaker in the secondary. Both have monsters in the linebacking corps. These teams are closely matched.
The differences come here: the Steelers have Super Bowl experience and, perhaps more importantly, rings. The Steelers have backups at every position on the offensive line. The Packers have an unknown at running back. Rodgers posts godly number inside. The Steelers don't match up as well against 4 or 5 receiver sets. Rodgers hasn't performed on a stage this big before.
As far as football logic goes, I ask myself a simple question - given that I expect a close game, if it comes down to one team trailing by 4 with 2 minutes left, from their own 20, do I trust Ben against the Packer defense or Rodgers against the Steeler defense to make the game-winning drive? And in football logic, I would take the experienced, ringed hand of Roethlisberger in that situation normally.
But I don't see Ben with 3 rings in 7 years. I don't see Tomlin with 2 in 4. It's easy to go with experience, but sometimes hunger trumps that. This is a Packer team with swagger, a team that's overcome a lot to get where it is, playing with a chip on its shoulder. Like the Steelers, they can play whatever game they need to in order to win. Have I mentioned Rodgers posts godly numbers indoors?
I like both teams. I think both are built to be good for a long time - perhaps enough so that they'll meet again like this. I think both build properly - by developing young players through the draft and avoiding big free agent moves. Both are long-standing franchises of good reputation. Both are franchises beloved by the blue-collar working man. They're gritty teams, punch-you-in-the-mouth, we-play-in-the-cold teams that it's hard not to respect, if nothing else. But I'm playing my gut this weekend. My gut says Green Bay wins, that these two teams match up well enough across the board that, ultimately, it becomes a game of willpower and hunger and I think in that category, Green Bay wins.
The Lombardi Trophy goes home to Green Bay on Sunday.
Sunday, February 6th, 2011, at 6:30pm ET -
Super Bowl XLV
The Pittsburgh Steelers (AFC 2-seed) @ The Green Bay Packers (NFC 6-seed)
It took me about a week to decide who to pick for this game. This is one of the most evenly matched Super Bowls I can remember and I honestly believe the best team from both conferences is playing. The Steelers are #1 in points-allowed defense. The Packers are #2. Both have franchise quarterbacks. Both have experienced receiving corps featuring a aged veteran, a younger speedster, and a cast of lesser-known skill receivers. Both have battled injury all season. Both have an iconic playmaker in the secondary. Both have monsters in the linebacking corps. These teams are closely matched.
The differences come here: the Steelers have Super Bowl experience and, perhaps more importantly, rings. The Steelers have backups at every position on the offensive line. The Packers have an unknown at running back. Rodgers posts godly number inside. The Steelers don't match up as well against 4 or 5 receiver sets. Rodgers hasn't performed on a stage this big before.
As far as football logic goes, I ask myself a simple question - given that I expect a close game, if it comes down to one team trailing by 4 with 2 minutes left, from their own 20, do I trust Ben against the Packer defense or Rodgers against the Steeler defense to make the game-winning drive? And in football logic, I would take the experienced, ringed hand of Roethlisberger in that situation normally.
But I don't see Ben with 3 rings in 7 years. I don't see Tomlin with 2 in 4. It's easy to go with experience, but sometimes hunger trumps that. This is a Packer team with swagger, a team that's overcome a lot to get where it is, playing with a chip on its shoulder. Like the Steelers, they can play whatever game they need to in order to win. Have I mentioned Rodgers posts godly numbers indoors?
I like both teams. I think both are built to be good for a long time - perhaps enough so that they'll meet again like this. I think both build properly - by developing young players through the draft and avoiding big free agent moves. Both are long-standing franchises of good reputation. Both are franchises beloved by the blue-collar working man. They're gritty teams, punch-you-in-the-mouth, we-play-in-the-cold teams that it's hard not to respect, if nothing else. But I'm playing my gut this weekend. My gut says Green Bay wins, that these two teams match up well enough across the board that, ultimately, it becomes a game of willpower and hunger and I think in that category, Green Bay wins.
The Lombardi Trophy goes home to Green Bay on Sunday.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Pierce's Picks - Conference Championship Weekend
Last week saw me go 2-2 again, putting me at an even 4-4 for the playoffs thusfar.
As for this weekend's games...
Sunday at 3:00pm ET -
Green Bay (6-seed) @ Chicago (2-seed)
A cold-weather divisional game in Chicago for two outdoor teams. This is what January football is all about right here. Chicago will have home-field advantage, but Green Bay is comfortable out in the cold, so I question just how advantageous that will be, especially with the two cities close enough that the crowd could very well be split. Both teams have solid defenses - Chicago's might be slightly better due to experience, but Green Bay's might be slightly hungrier being the younger of the two. Chicago has the better run game as well, giving them an advantage if the weather gets really bad and in the clock management department, too. However, I like Aaron Rodgers over Jay Cutler if the game is close and calls for some heroics. I think up to now, Chicago has been the luckiest team in the league, ever since that TD-not-a-TD catch by Calvin Johnson in the first game of the season. I like Aaron Rodgers and a better overall Packers team to give them a dose of reality. I think it'll be close and I take Rodgers in a clutch, cold-weather situation over Cutler any day of the week. Green Bay to the Super Bowl.
Sunday at 6:30pm ET -
NY Jets (6-seed) @ Pittsburgh (2-seed)
Much like the earlier game, this is going to be a cold-weather outdoor game between two outdoor, cold-weather teams. Much like the other game, both teams have solid defenses - in fact, these two teams have two of the best defenses in the league. So the question becomes, which offense can overcome? I believe have won their big game already - they beat the Patriots and the Colts. But I have to feel like they're out of gas. They've slain their dragons and the Steelers are a new beast entirely. Without the ability to run the ball on the Steeler defense, I don't trust Mark Sanchez to be the game-changing quarterback the Jets might need. He can manage a game just fine, but win it... well, we'll see. Ben Roethlisberger, meanwhile, has two Super Bowl rings and plenty of big-game playoff experience. He's a gamer, a winner and I believe that this game will come down to which QB can make the big play at clutch time - and in that case, it's no question to me, it's Big Ben. Pittsburgh to face Green Bay in the Super Bowl.
As for this weekend's games...
Sunday at 3:00pm ET -
Green Bay (6-seed) @ Chicago (2-seed)
A cold-weather divisional game in Chicago for two outdoor teams. This is what January football is all about right here. Chicago will have home-field advantage, but Green Bay is comfortable out in the cold, so I question just how advantageous that will be, especially with the two cities close enough that the crowd could very well be split. Both teams have solid defenses - Chicago's might be slightly better due to experience, but Green Bay's might be slightly hungrier being the younger of the two. Chicago has the better run game as well, giving them an advantage if the weather gets really bad and in the clock management department, too. However, I like Aaron Rodgers over Jay Cutler if the game is close and calls for some heroics. I think up to now, Chicago has been the luckiest team in the league, ever since that TD-not-a-TD catch by Calvin Johnson in the first game of the season. I like Aaron Rodgers and a better overall Packers team to give them a dose of reality. I think it'll be close and I take Rodgers in a clutch, cold-weather situation over Cutler any day of the week. Green Bay to the Super Bowl.
Sunday at 6:30pm ET -
NY Jets (6-seed) @ Pittsburgh (2-seed)
Much like the earlier game, this is going to be a cold-weather outdoor game between two outdoor, cold-weather teams. Much like the other game, both teams have solid defenses - in fact, these two teams have two of the best defenses in the league. So the question becomes, which offense can overcome? I believe have won their big game already - they beat the Patriots and the Colts. But I have to feel like they're out of gas. They've slain their dragons and the Steelers are a new beast entirely. Without the ability to run the ball on the Steeler defense, I don't trust Mark Sanchez to be the game-changing quarterback the Jets might need. He can manage a game just fine, but win it... well, we'll see. Ben Roethlisberger, meanwhile, has two Super Bowl rings and plenty of big-game playoff experience. He's a gamer, a winner and I believe that this game will come down to which QB can make the big play at clutch time - and in that case, it's no question to me, it's Big Ben. Pittsburgh to face Green Bay in the Super Bowl.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Pierce's Picks - Divisional Playoff Weekend
Wild Card Weekend was just that - wild - and I went 2-2 on my picks.
Let's move on to this week's matchups:
Saturday at 4:30pm ET -
Baltimore (5-seed) @ Pittsburgh (2-seed)
A huge matchup against one of the best rivalries of football right now. These teams are virtually mirror images of each other, built to punch each other right in the mouth and keep punching. I think the Ravens are on the rise with their retooled offense and while they're a great playoff road team, I find it hard to go against a gamer like Ben Roethlisberger, who is one of those guys who goes out there and puts it all on the line to win the game. Defensively, they have Troy Polamalu doing the same thing. I love the intensity of Joe Flacco and Ray Lewis for Baltimore, but at the end of the day, I think Ben can make the big play in the big moment and Joe isn't quite there yet.
Saturday at 8:00pm ET -
Green Bay (6-seed) @ Atlanta (1-seed)
The two best teams in the NFC are matched up here and I have zero doubt that the winner goes to the Super Bowl. They played a close match in the regular season and while part of me thinks momentum can carry the Packers through the Falcons, I'm sticking to my guns on one of my steady rules of picks over the past two years - don't go against the Falcons at home. I think Aaron Rodgers is a better gamer than Matt Ryan, but I think the healthy Falcons team is better overall than a Packers team ravaged by injury over the season. The Falcons play mistake-free football and their home-field advantage gives them the edge here for me.
Sunday at 1:00pm ET -
Seattle (4-seed) @ Chicago (2-seed)
I don't like either team in the playoffs. As I think about these teams, I see one who stumbled into the playoffs due to a weak division and another who stumbled into the playoffs due to lucky break after lucky break. But one of them has to win and go to the NFC Championship. This is less about which team is better, to me, than it is which team is less worse. It boils to to which I like less... the Seahawks on the road, or Jay Cutler in a pressure situation. Given that it's going to be absolutely freezing out there, I'm going with the home team, perhaps against my better judgment.
Sunday at 4:30pm ET -
NY Jets (6-seed) @ New England (1-seed)
All week long, the Jets have yap-yap-yapped. And the Patriots maintain their usual business-like silence. I'm not sure how a team can yap-yap-yap when the last time these teams played, it was a 45-3 obliteration that made one team look like they were still playing high school ball. I consider Tom Brady one of the top-5 all-time QBs and one of the best playoff QBs - I'm not going against him in the playoffs after he's had the most masterful regular season of his career. I don't expect 45-3 to be the score again, but I think this will still likely be the widest margin of victory of the weekend... I get the feeling that Belicheck and the Patriots like rubbing the Jets' nose in it after all the yap-yap-yap... and to be honest, I don't blame 'em.
Let's move on to this week's matchups:
Saturday at 4:30pm ET -
Baltimore (5-seed) @ Pittsburgh (2-seed)
A huge matchup against one of the best rivalries of football right now. These teams are virtually mirror images of each other, built to punch each other right in the mouth and keep punching. I think the Ravens are on the rise with their retooled offense and while they're a great playoff road team, I find it hard to go against a gamer like Ben Roethlisberger, who is one of those guys who goes out there and puts it all on the line to win the game. Defensively, they have Troy Polamalu doing the same thing. I love the intensity of Joe Flacco and Ray Lewis for Baltimore, but at the end of the day, I think Ben can make the big play in the big moment and Joe isn't quite there yet.
Saturday at 8:00pm ET -
Green Bay (6-seed) @ Atlanta (1-seed)
The two best teams in the NFC are matched up here and I have zero doubt that the winner goes to the Super Bowl. They played a close match in the regular season and while part of me thinks momentum can carry the Packers through the Falcons, I'm sticking to my guns on one of my steady rules of picks over the past two years - don't go against the Falcons at home. I think Aaron Rodgers is a better gamer than Matt Ryan, but I think the healthy Falcons team is better overall than a Packers team ravaged by injury over the season. The Falcons play mistake-free football and their home-field advantage gives them the edge here for me.
Sunday at 1:00pm ET -
Seattle (4-seed) @ Chicago (2-seed)
I don't like either team in the playoffs. As I think about these teams, I see one who stumbled into the playoffs due to a weak division and another who stumbled into the playoffs due to lucky break after lucky break. But one of them has to win and go to the NFC Championship. This is less about which team is better, to me, than it is which team is less worse. It boils to to which I like less... the Seahawks on the road, or Jay Cutler in a pressure situation. Given that it's going to be absolutely freezing out there, I'm going with the home team, perhaps against my better judgment.
Sunday at 4:30pm ET -
NY Jets (6-seed) @ New England (1-seed)
All week long, the Jets have yap-yap-yapped. And the Patriots maintain their usual business-like silence. I'm not sure how a team can yap-yap-yap when the last time these teams played, it was a 45-3 obliteration that made one team look like they were still playing high school ball. I consider Tom Brady one of the top-5 all-time QBs and one of the best playoff QBs - I'm not going against him in the playoffs after he's had the most masterful regular season of his career. I don't expect 45-3 to be the score again, but I think this will still likely be the widest margin of victory of the weekend... I get the feeling that Belicheck and the Patriots like rubbing the Jets' nose in it after all the yap-yap-yap... and to be honest, I don't blame 'em.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Pierce's Picks - Wild Card Weekend
I went 11-5 to close out the regular season, putting my final season record at 161-95, giving me a regular season mark of 63% or so, the rough equivalent of a 10-6 average.
Now, onto the playoff picks - as well as a winner, I'll offer my justification.
Saturday at 4:30pm ET -
New Orleans (5-seed) @ Seattle (4-seed)
It's hard to pick for the weakest division winner in the history of the NFL, although I think they have a slight chance here. Qwest Field is a tough place to play and the Saints have run-game troubles. But the Seahawks have been blown out at home this year against other winning teams and I don't expect a team with a losing record to make it a round in the playoffs. The Saints are banged up and not in an ideal state, but I expect them to pull out a win here.
Saturday at 8:00pm ET -
NY Jets (6-seed) @ Indianapolis (3-seed)
Part of me wants to go with the Jets here - they tooled themselves for this game and they gave Peyton and the Colts one heck of a game last year when the Colts were healthy. But I think swagger can only carry you so far and the team has been out of sync lately. I also think the Colts, with their mechanical style of (usually) mistake-free offensive efficiency are one of the best swagger-killers in the league as a result. Much like the Saints, I think the Colts have their problems and aren't likely to go far, but I think they send the Jets packing early.
Sunday at 1:00pm ET -
Baltimore (5-seed) @ Kansas City (4-seed)
Joe Flacco and his Ravens are one of the better road playoff teams around right now and while I do think the Chiefs are a sound team, I think Baltimore's got the big-play capability that the Chiefs lack. In some ways, these teams mirror each other, but Baltimore is a little further along in the process. The Chiefs promising season ends here.
Sunday at 4:30pm ET -
Green Bay (6-seed) @ Philadelphia (3-seed)
The clear game of the weekend, this game will feature two unstoppable, high-power offenses. To me, this game boils down to one simple question - which defense do I expect to make a big play when needed? If that's the question, then the answer is Clay Matthews and Charles Woodson. I think the young Eagles defense isn't ready and the seasoned Packers defense is.
Now, onto the playoff picks - as well as a winner, I'll offer my justification.
Saturday at 4:30pm ET -
New Orleans (5-seed) @ Seattle (4-seed)
It's hard to pick for the weakest division winner in the history of the NFL, although I think they have a slight chance here. Qwest Field is a tough place to play and the Saints have run-game troubles. But the Seahawks have been blown out at home this year against other winning teams and I don't expect a team with a losing record to make it a round in the playoffs. The Saints are banged up and not in an ideal state, but I expect them to pull out a win here.
Saturday at 8:00pm ET -
NY Jets (6-seed) @ Indianapolis (3-seed)
Part of me wants to go with the Jets here - they tooled themselves for this game and they gave Peyton and the Colts one heck of a game last year when the Colts were healthy. But I think swagger can only carry you so far and the team has been out of sync lately. I also think the Colts, with their mechanical style of (usually) mistake-free offensive efficiency are one of the best swagger-killers in the league as a result. Much like the Saints, I think the Colts have their problems and aren't likely to go far, but I think they send the Jets packing early.
Sunday at 1:00pm ET -
Baltimore (5-seed) @ Kansas City (4-seed)
Joe Flacco and his Ravens are one of the better road playoff teams around right now and while I do think the Chiefs are a sound team, I think Baltimore's got the big-play capability that the Chiefs lack. In some ways, these teams mirror each other, but Baltimore is a little further along in the process. The Chiefs promising season ends here.
Sunday at 4:30pm ET -
Green Bay (6-seed) @ Philadelphia (3-seed)
The clear game of the weekend, this game will feature two unstoppable, high-power offenses. To me, this game boils down to one simple question - which defense do I expect to make a big play when needed? If that's the question, then the answer is Clay Matthews and Charles Woodson. I think the young Eagles defense isn't ready and the seasoned Packers defense is.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Looking ahead from 2010 - NFL Playoffs and 2011
I said it first...
First of all - I must gloat just a moment in saying right now that I called it. Andrew Luck will stay at Stanford. Like I told people, you don't go to Stanford to leave school early for the NFL. You go to graduate. Once his degree is in hand, the NFL will be ready and waiting for him. Now, where his coach ends up, that's a more interesting situation. A month ago, I would have said Michigan, but that appears to be not happening anymore and with Luck staying at Stanford, I wouldn't be surprised if Harbaugh did, too. San Francisco seems logical to me, and I wouldn't be surprised if Jon Gruden ends up in Denver. As for Miami... maybe, but I also read that Harbaugh would prefer to coach in the NFC, as opposed to facing his brother on a semi-regular basis in the AFC. We'll see.
Meanwhile, in the Maize & Blue...
As for the University of Michigan, say what you want, but it was time to let Rich Rodriguez go. I expect him to be successful elsewhere, but his bull-in-a-china-shop attitude when he came to Michigan, trampling on tradition at times without even being aware of it, made it clear he wasn't the right man there, not from day one. Maybe that wasn't fair to him, but at the same time, he was ignorant for not being aware of the traditions he came to at Michigan and for disregarding them as he did. It was time for the university to move on and I expect Denard Robinson to do so, too. But in 3 years, RichRod hadn't gotten the program beyond a one-man offense and a shoddy defense... winning eases lots of wounds, but he wasn't able to accomplish that. Whoever comes in will come to a bare cupboard and the Wolverine faithful will have to be prepared for another couple rough years ahead.
And how about the Silver & Black...
How do you fire a coach who goes 6-0 in division? Tom Cable took the Raiders from a dysfunctional 5-11 to a gritty, tough, respectable 8-8 and got fired for his troubles. I'm still in awe. The Raiders were built in his image and it was an image that fit Raider football - tough, in-your-face, not-gonna-knock-us-down, etc, and now after a season of marked progress, he's gone. It's a mystifying move to me and only continues to demonstrate just how dysfunctional Al Davis and the Raiders are. Even if he wanted Hue Jackson to coach, or an outside shot at Harbaugh, I don't think you let a player's coach like Cable go, not if he has his players winning. Terrible move, Oakland. To the fans of the Silver and Black... ouch.
Coaching Predictions -
I like Denver to go after an offensive-style coach who will mesh well with Elway's front office and Tebow at QB. I think Jon Gruden, if he wants to return to coaching, is a good fit here, especially in a division he's coached in before that would give him a shot at Al Davis twice a year.
In Carolina, I'd keep my eye on Rob Ryan. He's overdue for a head coaching job (I thought he'd get one before Rex, honestly) and I think he fits what Carolina wants and needs - a tough defensive guy who can build a team that can withstand the offensive firepower of Atlanta, Tampa Bay and New Orleans. He'll need an experienced offensive coordinator for that side of the game, but otherwise, I think it's a very likely scenario.
San Francisco is the most likely Harbaugh scenario, but I'm not sold on it yet. If I had to put money on it, I'd probably go with Harbaugh. As for alternatives to that, there's not a lot of high-caliber coaching talent that seems readily available. If he was interested, I could see Brian Billick returning to the NFL here, but I expect if no Harbaugh, they'll find an up-and-coming offensive assistant like Hue Jackson, unless Oakland makes him their head coach.
Cleveland is a tough one and part of me expects to see Mike Holmgren step in, which isn't an ideal situation, but very possible. Mularkey from Atlanta appears to be a high possibility, but I expect them to be fairly exhaustive in their search - I wouldn't be surprised if Cleveland is the last team with a coaching vacancy to fill it.
On my NFL Awards -
MVP - Tom Brady. There's just no question here. If you watched the Patriots or look at his stat-line, you can see why.
Offensive Player - Michael Vick. Absolutely electric. Not perfect, but he's the one who has the Eagles surging and when it comes down to a single offensive player you're forced to design your entire gameplan around, it's Michael Vick.
Defensive Player - Troy Polamalu. The Steelers defensive lives and breathes by this guy - if he's gone, so are they. And much like Vick, when you look at a single defensive player that you have to design your gameplan around, Polamalu and his flowing locks are exactly that. He's a dervish on the field capable of whatever the game calls for. That he missed time this year and the Steelers floundered a bit without him is testament to his deserving of this award.
Offensive Rookie - Sam Bradford. Boring, predictable, but he had a great rookie year as QB and was a main reason the Rams were NFC West contenders.
Defensive Rookie - Ndamukong Suh. The lynchpin of the Detroit Lions defense from here on out, he is as good as advertised and his disruptive line play only makes his fellow linemen better.
Coach of the Year - Bill Belicheck. The mad genius dumped Randy Moss, prompting many people (not including yours truly) to think that he'd given up on the season. Instead, this very young Patriots roster was coached to one of the most stunning seasons of football I've seen. I hold Belicheck to a high bar and normally wouldn't select him for this award, but the sheer youth and inexperience on defense, which has improved as the season went on, as well as the young skill players on offense, is too compelling for me to overlook.
First of all - I must gloat just a moment in saying right now that I called it. Andrew Luck will stay at Stanford. Like I told people, you don't go to Stanford to leave school early for the NFL. You go to graduate. Once his degree is in hand, the NFL will be ready and waiting for him. Now, where his coach ends up, that's a more interesting situation. A month ago, I would have said Michigan, but that appears to be not happening anymore and with Luck staying at Stanford, I wouldn't be surprised if Harbaugh did, too. San Francisco seems logical to me, and I wouldn't be surprised if Jon Gruden ends up in Denver. As for Miami... maybe, but I also read that Harbaugh would prefer to coach in the NFC, as opposed to facing his brother on a semi-regular basis in the AFC. We'll see.
Meanwhile, in the Maize & Blue...
As for the University of Michigan, say what you want, but it was time to let Rich Rodriguez go. I expect him to be successful elsewhere, but his bull-in-a-china-shop attitude when he came to Michigan, trampling on tradition at times without even being aware of it, made it clear he wasn't the right man there, not from day one. Maybe that wasn't fair to him, but at the same time, he was ignorant for not being aware of the traditions he came to at Michigan and for disregarding them as he did. It was time for the university to move on and I expect Denard Robinson to do so, too. But in 3 years, RichRod hadn't gotten the program beyond a one-man offense and a shoddy defense... winning eases lots of wounds, but he wasn't able to accomplish that. Whoever comes in will come to a bare cupboard and the Wolverine faithful will have to be prepared for another couple rough years ahead.
And how about the Silver & Black...
How do you fire a coach who goes 6-0 in division? Tom Cable took the Raiders from a dysfunctional 5-11 to a gritty, tough, respectable 8-8 and got fired for his troubles. I'm still in awe. The Raiders were built in his image and it was an image that fit Raider football - tough, in-your-face, not-gonna-knock-us-down, etc, and now after a season of marked progress, he's gone. It's a mystifying move to me and only continues to demonstrate just how dysfunctional Al Davis and the Raiders are. Even if he wanted Hue Jackson to coach, or an outside shot at Harbaugh, I don't think you let a player's coach like Cable go, not if he has his players winning. Terrible move, Oakland. To the fans of the Silver and Black... ouch.
Coaching Predictions -
I like Denver to go after an offensive-style coach who will mesh well with Elway's front office and Tebow at QB. I think Jon Gruden, if he wants to return to coaching, is a good fit here, especially in a division he's coached in before that would give him a shot at Al Davis twice a year.
In Carolina, I'd keep my eye on Rob Ryan. He's overdue for a head coaching job (I thought he'd get one before Rex, honestly) and I think he fits what Carolina wants and needs - a tough defensive guy who can build a team that can withstand the offensive firepower of Atlanta, Tampa Bay and New Orleans. He'll need an experienced offensive coordinator for that side of the game, but otherwise, I think it's a very likely scenario.
San Francisco is the most likely Harbaugh scenario, but I'm not sold on it yet. If I had to put money on it, I'd probably go with Harbaugh. As for alternatives to that, there's not a lot of high-caliber coaching talent that seems readily available. If he was interested, I could see Brian Billick returning to the NFL here, but I expect if no Harbaugh, they'll find an up-and-coming offensive assistant like Hue Jackson, unless Oakland makes him their head coach.
Cleveland is a tough one and part of me expects to see Mike Holmgren step in, which isn't an ideal situation, but very possible. Mularkey from Atlanta appears to be a high possibility, but I expect them to be fairly exhaustive in their search - I wouldn't be surprised if Cleveland is the last team with a coaching vacancy to fill it.
On my NFL Awards -
MVP - Tom Brady. There's just no question here. If you watched the Patriots or look at his stat-line, you can see why.
Offensive Player - Michael Vick. Absolutely electric. Not perfect, but he's the one who has the Eagles surging and when it comes down to a single offensive player you're forced to design your entire gameplan around, it's Michael Vick.
Defensive Player - Troy Polamalu. The Steelers defensive lives and breathes by this guy - if he's gone, so are they. And much like Vick, when you look at a single defensive player that you have to design your gameplan around, Polamalu and his flowing locks are exactly that. He's a dervish on the field capable of whatever the game calls for. That he missed time this year and the Steelers floundered a bit without him is testament to his deserving of this award.
Offensive Rookie - Sam Bradford. Boring, predictable, but he had a great rookie year as QB and was a main reason the Rams were NFC West contenders.
Defensive Rookie - Ndamukong Suh. The lynchpin of the Detroit Lions defense from here on out, he is as good as advertised and his disruptive line play only makes his fellow linemen better.
Coach of the Year - Bill Belicheck. The mad genius dumped Randy Moss, prompting many people (not including yours truly) to think that he'd given up on the season. Instead, this very young Patriots roster was coached to one of the most stunning seasons of football I've seen. I hold Belicheck to a high bar and normally wouldn't select him for this award, but the sheer youth and inexperience on defense, which has improved as the season went on, as well as the young skill players on offense, is too compelling for me to overlook.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Pierce's Picks - Week 17
The fantasy season is over and so goes the regular season. Last week I went 8-8, putting my season mark through 16 up to 150-90.
Winners in gold.
Sunday at 1:00pm ET -
Carolina (2-13) @ Atlanta (12-3)
Pittsburgh (11-4) @ Cleveland (5-10)
Minnesota (6-9) @ Detroit (5-10)
Oakland (7-8) @ Kansas City (10-5)
Miami (7-8) @ New England (13-2)
Cincinnati (4-11) @ Baltimore (11-4)
Tampa Bay (9-6) @ New Orleans (11-4)
Buffalo (4-11) @ NY Jets (10-5)
Sunday at 4:00pm ET -
Chicago (11-4) @ Green Bay (9-6)
Tennessee (6-9) @ Indianapolis (9-6)
NY Giants (9-6) @ Washington (6-9)
Jacksonville (8-7) @ Houston (5-10)
Dallas (5-10) @ Philadelphia (10-5)
Arizona (5-10) @ San Francisco (5-10)
San Diego (8-7) @ Denver (4-11)
Sunday Night -
St. Louis (7-8) @ Seattle (6-9)
We'll finish the season with one storyline that'll be talked about going throughout the playoffs - finding out whether or not the NFC West will finish with a division winner under .500. Let's hope not. I'm picking St. Louis. Lots of these games mean little and many teams will rest starters, so it's hard to discern winners always. I like Dallas and Miami for those reasons. I like Detroit to beat Minnesota and finish the season strong. Jacksonville loses David Garrard, as well, giving Houston the opportunity to finish with a win, also.
I'll be continuing my picks throughout the playoffs and I'll continue to bring my thoughts to this blog as time allows.
Winners in gold.
Sunday at 1:00pm ET -
Carolina (2-13) @ Atlanta (12-3)
Pittsburgh (11-4) @ Cleveland (5-10)
Minnesota (6-9) @ Detroit (5-10)
Oakland (7-8) @ Kansas City (10-5)
Miami (7-8) @ New England (13-2)
Cincinnati (4-11) @ Baltimore (11-4)
Tampa Bay (9-6) @ New Orleans (11-4)
Buffalo (4-11) @ NY Jets (10-5)
Sunday at 4:00pm ET -
Chicago (11-4) @ Green Bay (9-6)
Tennessee (6-9) @ Indianapolis (9-6)
NY Giants (9-6) @ Washington (6-9)
Jacksonville (8-7) @ Houston (5-10)
Dallas (5-10) @ Philadelphia (10-5)
Arizona (5-10) @ San Francisco (5-10)
San Diego (8-7) @ Denver (4-11)
Sunday Night -
St. Louis (7-8) @ Seattle (6-9)
We'll finish the season with one storyline that'll be talked about going throughout the playoffs - finding out whether or not the NFC West will finish with a division winner under .500. Let's hope not. I'm picking St. Louis. Lots of these games mean little and many teams will rest starters, so it's hard to discern winners always. I like Dallas and Miami for those reasons. I like Detroit to beat Minnesota and finish the season strong. Jacksonville loses David Garrard, as well, giving Houston the opportunity to finish with a win, also.
I'll be continuing my picks throughout the playoffs and I'll continue to bring my thoughts to this blog as time allows.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Pierce's Picks - Week 16
It's been an eventful season and it's winding down. The playoff pictures are mostly clear, but there's still plenty of excitement to be had.
I went a rough 8-8 last week, taking my season mark to 142-82.
Winners in gold.
Thursday Night -
Carolina (2-12) @ Pittsburgh (10-4)
Saturday Night -
Dallas (5-9) @ Arizona (4-10)
Sunday at 1:00pm ET -
New England (12-2) @ Buffalo (4-10)
NY Jets (10-4) @ Chicago (10-4)
Baltimore (10-4) @ Cleveland (5-9)
San Francisco (5-9) @ St. Louis (6-8)
Detroit (4-10) @ Miami (7-7)
Washington (5-9) @ Jacksonville (8-6)
Tennessee (5-9) @ Kansas City (9-5)
Sunday at 4:00pm ET -
Indianapolis (8-6) @ Oakland (7-7)
Houston (5-9) @ Denver (3-11)
San Diego (8-6) @ Cincinnati (3-11)
Seattle (6-8) @ Tampa Bay (8-6)
NY Giants (9-5) @ Green Bay (8-6)
Sunday Night -
Minnesota (5-9) @ Philadelphia (10-4)
Monday Night -
New Orleans (10-4) @ Atlanta (12-2)
That's a great Monday Night matchup there, but I'm not betting against the Falcons in their dome, no way. Meanwhile, I'm starting to feel bad for the Vikings - that's a nice run on national TV they've got going, at a time when the team has really just fallen to pieces. I'm amused by the NFL Network's various attempts to sell the Panthers/Steelers game... ouch. I'm not seeing a lot of upsets this week, I think most teams are plotted on their course. I do like the Jets over the Bears, though, as they regain their swagger. I also like Green Bay over the Giants with Aaron Rodgers playing. I think the Rams put the nail in the 49ers season (finally) as they march to 8-8 and the NFC West title. I also like the Lions to notch a 3rd-straight win against a Dolphins team incapable of winning on their own turf, although I admit I like them better with Drew Stanton than Shaun Hill right now, who reportedly took 1st-team reps in practice today. I like Oakland to upset the Colts, though... I don't buy the Colts and I think a team with upfront toughness like the Raiders has a legitimate shot to pound them. I'm tempted to pick Denver over Houston, as I think Tebow will gut that team to at least one win while he's starting, but... that defense is horrible and I expect the Texans to shred 'em no matter what Tebow does.
The Draft Race is on. Carolina has the inside track on the 1st overall pick and I think they'll hold onto it. It'll be interesting to see, though, if Denver and Cincinnati remain the 2/3 or if they win a game or two and let the 4-win teams have a track at the top 3.
My hat's off to Devin Hester of the Bears - 14 KR/PR TDs in 5 seasons is actually a bit misleading... he didn't score any KR/PR TDs in two of those five seasons when the Bears tried to convert him to a full-time WR (and subsequently didn't make the playoffs). So in reality, that's 14 KR/PR TDs in 3 seasons as a full-time returner. What a talent. And what humility - I saw his post-game press conference and he wanted to make sure his 10 special teams teammates got as much glory as he did. It was really something to see him get choked up when a reporter asked him how he felt about those guys. As electric as a guy like DeSean Jackson is, it's clear right there that he's got nothing on Hester in the character department. Congratulations to Hester - who will undoubtedly add much, much more to that current record total.
I went a rough 8-8 last week, taking my season mark to 142-82.
Winners in gold.
Thursday Night -
Carolina (2-12) @ Pittsburgh (10-4)
Saturday Night -
Dallas (5-9) @ Arizona (4-10)
Sunday at 1:00pm ET -
New England (12-2) @ Buffalo (4-10)
NY Jets (10-4) @ Chicago (10-4)
Baltimore (10-4) @ Cleveland (5-9)
San Francisco (5-9) @ St. Louis (6-8)
Detroit (4-10) @ Miami (7-7)
Washington (5-9) @ Jacksonville (8-6)
Tennessee (5-9) @ Kansas City (9-5)
Sunday at 4:00pm ET -
Indianapolis (8-6) @ Oakland (7-7)
Houston (5-9) @ Denver (3-11)
San Diego (8-6) @ Cincinnati (3-11)
Seattle (6-8) @ Tampa Bay (8-6)
NY Giants (9-5) @ Green Bay (8-6)
Sunday Night -
Minnesota (5-9) @ Philadelphia (10-4)
Monday Night -
New Orleans (10-4) @ Atlanta (12-2)
That's a great Monday Night matchup there, but I'm not betting against the Falcons in their dome, no way. Meanwhile, I'm starting to feel bad for the Vikings - that's a nice run on national TV they've got going, at a time when the team has really just fallen to pieces. I'm amused by the NFL Network's various attempts to sell the Panthers/Steelers game... ouch. I'm not seeing a lot of upsets this week, I think most teams are plotted on their course. I do like the Jets over the Bears, though, as they regain their swagger. I also like Green Bay over the Giants with Aaron Rodgers playing. I think the Rams put the nail in the 49ers season (finally) as they march to 8-8 and the NFC West title. I also like the Lions to notch a 3rd-straight win against a Dolphins team incapable of winning on their own turf, although I admit I like them better with Drew Stanton than Shaun Hill right now, who reportedly took 1st-team reps in practice today. I like Oakland to upset the Colts, though... I don't buy the Colts and I think a team with upfront toughness like the Raiders has a legitimate shot to pound them. I'm tempted to pick Denver over Houston, as I think Tebow will gut that team to at least one win while he's starting, but... that defense is horrible and I expect the Texans to shred 'em no matter what Tebow does.
The Draft Race is on. Carolina has the inside track on the 1st overall pick and I think they'll hold onto it. It'll be interesting to see, though, if Denver and Cincinnati remain the 2/3 or if they win a game or two and let the 4-win teams have a track at the top 3.
My hat's off to Devin Hester of the Bears - 14 KR/PR TDs in 5 seasons is actually a bit misleading... he didn't score any KR/PR TDs in two of those five seasons when the Bears tried to convert him to a full-time WR (and subsequently didn't make the playoffs). So in reality, that's 14 KR/PR TDs in 3 seasons as a full-time returner. What a talent. And what humility - I saw his post-game press conference and he wanted to make sure his 10 special teams teammates got as much glory as he did. It was really something to see him get choked up when a reporter asked him how he felt about those guys. As electric as a guy like DeSean Jackson is, it's clear right there that he's got nothing on Hester in the character department. Congratulations to Hester - who will undoubtedly add much, much more to that current record total.
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