Super Bowl XLIV Preview

Will Peyton Manning be able to figure out Darren Sharper and the Saints defense?

Why should you watch this Super Bowl? Well, for sports fans, the answer is easy. It’s the Super Bowl, the single greatest game of the year filled with the overindulgence of food and drinks, while biting your fingernails as the bet you placed with your buddy is looking shakier and shakier. For non-sports fans, the answer is also simple. It’s for the commercials. At no time during any sporting event throughout the year can a company spend millions of dollars for a thirty-second spot. This year, however, there is an even bigger attraction in Miami, and it isn’t The Who.

The top seeds in each conference have only met eight times in the Super Bowl since 1975. The last time the #1 from the AFC faced off with the #1 from the NFC was in 1993, when the Bills lost their third straight Super Bowl (this time to the Dallas Cowboys). Despite the scarcity of number ones in the Super Bowl, the Saints and Colts will give us all the matchup we’ve been waiting for on Sunday, February 7^th.

This game is a milestone for the Saints, as it is their first Super Bowl appearance. The Saints march right into our hearts, as the team whose stadium was used as a shelter during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The Saints have given New Orleans the NFL team they’ve always wanted, as the city is closing schools, offices, and other facilities for this important game. This is the Colts fourth appearance, and only their second as Indianapolis as their home city (2 appearances as Baltimore Colts in 1969 (loss) and 1971 (win)). Their previous appearance was in 2007 when they beat the Chicago Bears 29-17.

This game is also a triumph of the NFL, and has certainly put a big smile on Commissioner Roger Goddell’s face. Finally, the NFL puts out a #1 versus a #1, proving that the regular season does matter and that a team can rest their starters in the remaining few weeks in order to reach the promise land. The Saints and Colts were the most followed teams all season, as the Saints reached 13-0 before losing to the Dallas Cowboys and the Colts reached 14-0 before losing to their eventual AFC Championship opponent: New York Jets.

This was a year in which no one could be disappointed. The two teams and two quarterbacks who played the best all year made it to where they belong: Super Bowl XLIV. Now, what will happen? The Saints and Colts are very even teams and there are a few key matchups to pay attention to throughout the game.

Colts QB Peyton Manning vs. Saints Secondary

First off, let’s get one thing straight. Peyton Manning is the most extraordinary talent the NFL has ever seen. Not only can he throw passes with precision accuracy, he can dissect defenses the way Thomas Edison could dissect the method to make a light bulb. That is, at first, he can struggle against certain blitz packages, but he always finds a way to get the ball into his receiver’s hands. The Colts hope, however, that Manning doesn’t fail a thousand times like Edison, or they are probably going to come out of the game empty-handed.

The Saints secondary is one of the most underrated in the NFL. This is, in large part, due to safety Darren Sharper who should have been considered for defensive player of the year. As a team, the Saints racked up 26 interceptions and 9 from the shutdown safety Sharper. The Saints also have Tracy Porter (4 INTs), Jabari Greer (2 INTs), Malcolm Jenkins (1 INT), and Roman Harper (102 tackles) in the secondary to help stop Manning.

Advantage: QB Peyton Manning

The Saints secondary is a play-making secondary, not a shutdown secondary. They’ll give up plays, but they might also take one back to the house. This is the philosophy Greg Williams has pushed them into all year, and one that will not work next Sunday versus the Colts and MVP Peyton Manning. He’ll struggle in the first half, but will come out of the locker room for the second half with the Saints defense figured out. If you don’t believe me, just ask the Jets and defensive-minded Rex Ryan.

Saints QB Drew Brees vs. Colts Secondary

If there was one person who maybe deserved MVP as much as Peyton, it was this guy: Drew Brees. He threw for 4388 yards, 34 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and completed over 70 percent of his passes. Oh yeah, and he’s only 6 feet tall. The man completes passes over 6 foot 5 inch monsters on the defensive line easier than guys 4 or 5 inches taller than him. Last week, he played a good defense in that of the Minnesota Vikings, and managed to throw three touchdowns and no interceptions against their secondary.

The Colts secondary is, for the most part, vulnerable. The only player to fear is safety Antoine Bethea, who has recorded 4 interceptions and 95 tackles. Cornerbacks Jacob Lacey and Jerraud Powers are solid young players, but are just that, young and inexperienced. So, Kelvin Hayden will have to step up big for the Colts, as he will have to make plays when Brees throws his way. Otherwise, the Saints and their potent receivers will tear apart the young rookie defensive backs of the Colts.

Advantage: QB Drew Brees

The Saints have too much talent for the young Colts secondary. Receivers Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, Robert Meachem, and Lance Moore are going to have a field day, not to mention tight ends Jeremy Shockey and David Thomas. There is just too much firepower through the Saints passing game for the Colts to keep up with.

Colts Linebackers/Special Teams vs. Saints RB Reggie Bush

Previously proclaimed bust Reggie Bush is now winning the respect of all with his playoff performances. When his game is on, there are not too many players in the entire NFL who can light up the scoreboard like this guy. He can burn you out of the backfield, on screen passes, downfield passes, or punt returns. You choose, and if you’re the Colts, don’t let him beat you in any of these phases. Remember the Cardinals game, yeah, Kurt Warner doesn’t because he’s still suffering from brain damage from that hit, but everyone else remembers the effort Reggie Bush turned in. He had over 200 total yards with a rushing touchdown that Barry Sanders would be proud of and a punt return where he wasn’t even touched. Basically, if Reggie Bush is in this form, the Colts don’t have a shot, even with Peyton Manning (he doesn’t play defense you see).

The Colts have two very solid linebackers in Gary Brackett and Clint Session. These two have to contain Reggie Bush. There is no other alternative; he’s the guy they absolutely have to stop. Bush doesn’t make solid runs; he makes big runs that cost you likewise. Contain him, or game over. As far as Bush returning punts goes, the Colts have to get a good day’s work out of punter Pat McAfee. If he kicks around Bush and pins him consistently inside the 20, then the Colts may just avoid the big play that the Saints thrive on.

Advantage: RB Reggie Bush

Go ahead, try to stop him. It’s not going to happen. The man has been absolutely unstoppable this postseason. He’s one of the most dynamic players in the NFL and can change the game in the blink of a eye (really, don’t blink, he’s that fast). The Colts got a nice little defense, but it’s not going to be enough to stop Brees or Bush.

Saints Offensive Line vs. Colts Defensive Line

The Colts have the BEST defensive line in the NFL. Bold statement? I think not. Defensive ends Dwight Freeney (Syracuse Football) and Robert Mathis have combined for 23 sacks this year. These two make any opposing quarterback buy their offensive lineman dinner the night before because they feel bad for them having to block these strong speedsters. Not to mention, that they’re trying to bribe their lineman to block for them, so they don’t get their head taken off. Regardless, Mathis and Freeney are the dynamic duo of the NFL and one which the Saints should fear.

The Saints offensive line is very good, as they held the Viking pass-rushers to just one sack from Ray Edwards. The key matchups to watch are right tackle Jonathan Stinchcomb vs. Dwight Freeney and left tackle Jermon Bushrod vs. Robert Mathis. Saints tight end David Thomas will help often with the blocking as Jeremy Shockey is banged up with knee and toe injuries. I look for Stinchcomb to hold up against Freeney, but Robert Mathis will win his matchup and sack Brees twice.

Advantage: Saints Offensive Line

They will only allow two or three sacks of star quarterback Drew Brees and will give him enough protection to throw downfield to his receivers. Enough said.

The Saints won three out of the four matchups and will win the game as well. They are by far the most explosive team in the NFL, averaging over 30 points per game. Peyton and the Colts are a big obstacle, but it’s the Saints’ year. They are playing for a city, not just a ring. This Super Bowl would be the perfect answer to a national disaster that devastated New Orleans and would give Drew Brees the Super Bowl win that has eluded him for too long. Come February 7^th at about 11 pm, the Saints will find themselves on top of the football world for the first time ever and the city of New Orleans will finally regain its luster.

Prediction:       New Orleans Saints: 37                Indianapolis Colts: 31

-Jon Harris

 

Wildcard Bitches Part II

The Cowboys and Eagles take battle again after a week 17 dominating performance by Dallas on both sides of the ball in a 24-0 victory.  Wade Phillips and Tony Romo will be looking to get the playoff monkey off there backs and finally win a ball game in the postseason while Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb are looking to continue there postseason success and win on the road.  On paper both of these teams look evenly matched up on both sides of the ball.  I’m not expecting an all out dominating performance by the Cowboys like they did last week.  This will be a hard hitting back and forth affair.

Hungry? Why wait? Grab a rookie!

A few years back the Cowboys swept a certain team in the regular season twice but then lost at home to that team in the divisional round of the playoffs.  That team was the New York Giants and they went on to win the whole thing!  Take a look at this season’s scenario.  The Cowboys defeated the Eagles both times in the regular season and are at home for this playoff matchup.  Sounds all too familiar!

The last three weeks of the season were memorable for Jerry Jones and his Cowboys.  They did what they were supposed to do.  They won and they won in dominant fashion.  They went into New Orleans and handed the Saints there first loss of the year and carried that momentum over into the Redskins and Eagles games.  Many experts are proclaiming Dallas as the hottest team right now because of what they did at the end of the season.  However, it’s a whole entire season now.  The Cowboys wins over the Saints and Eagles at the end of the season don’t mean anything.

I want it! I need it!

The only way I see the Eagles taking care of business in this game is if they get after Romo early and often.  Philadelphia can’t let Romo sit in the pocket all day and make the right decisions because if they let this happen then it’s game over.  That means the Eagles defense will need to bring every blitz package they have in the playbook after Romo.   Can the Eagles win?  Yes.  Will the Eagles win?  The Brums says no!

Prediction:  Cowboys 27   Eagles 20

 

Wildcard Bitches!!

The NFL playoffs have finally arrived and let’s just say it’s going to be pretty tough to pick the winners of all four of these matchups!  But the Brums has a gut feeling he can go 4/4 in wildcard weekend.  The first game on tap for the weekend is the Jets and Bengals.

New York Jets @ Cincinnati Bengals (Sat. 4:30 pm NBC)

So the Jets got in (Thank you Indi 2^nd stringers).  Congratulations!  Their prize……an all out ass whipping at the hands of the Cincinnati Bengals! After this game is all over, the Jets will be wishing they didn’t make it in!

Anytime you make it into the postseason it’s crucial to have an experienced quarterback who will make the right decisions.  Advantage goes to Carson Palmer and the Bengals.  Mark Sanchez has been very scary to watch this season and I don’t mean scary as in awesomely good.  I’ve seen the Jets play twice this season and the first time I saw them was against the Buffalo Bills in which Sanchez threw five interceptions in an overtime loss.  When you factor in the fact that the Jets will be on the road in a hostile environment it can only spell trouble!

Palmer and Johnson are on a mission this postseason to reach the Super Bowl.

But Jets fans are firing back saying, “We had the best defense statistically this season and that will keep this game close.”

I’ll tell you something die-hard Jets fans!  That stat is misleading.  Who has your defense played this season?  Let’s see.  I know they have played the Bills and Dolphins twice this season and both of those teams were inconsistent on offense all season and they were starting inexperienced quarterbacks as well.  I also know you’ve faced the Jaguars, Raiders, and Buccaneers this season and they aren’t great on offense either!

This game may be close early on but look for the Bengals to pull away in the third and fourth quarter.  The Jets will struggle to find an identity on offense and will not be able to extend drives deep into Cincinnati territory.  The Bengals will take advantage of the field position and come out on top while Sanchez realizes he should have listened to Coach Carroll and stayed at USC one more year.

Carroll: "Hey Mark! How do you say I told you so in Spanish?"

Final Score:  Cincinnati 28  New York 13

 

Looking Back at the 2009 Penn State Nittany Lions

The dream season of 12-0 didn’t  happen for Penn State.  It was a season filled with a lot of ups and downs along with many accomplishments and disappointments.  As I look back and reflect upon this past season, many things come to mind.

Best Game of the Season: Anytime a team can go into the Big House and knock off the Wolverines is a tremendous accomplishment.  Penn State always seems to struggle and come up short in Ann Arbor.  However, the Nittany Lions were ready and outplayed the Wolverines for the entire ball game.  Many experts picked Penn State to lose this game but they proved the critics wrong.  Even though the Wolverines were in another rebuilding or regrouping year, a win on the road in the Big 10 is huge and this game still kept Penn State alive in the race for the Big 10 championship.

Worst Game of the Season: Simple.  It has to be the Iowa game.  You’re at home.  You’re favored to win.  ESPN College Gameday is in Happy Valley!  It’s the annual White Out Game!  The Nittany Lions came out firing right from the start and were up 10-0.  Then Iowa slowly chipped there way back into the game with a safety and a field goal to make it 10-5 at the half.  Both teams couldn’t get anything going in the third quarter and it became a field position game.  Then came the fourth quarter!  Penn State had fourth down and had to punt the ball away.  However, they never got the ball off as it was blocked and returned for a touchdown.  Iowa took the lead and never looked back as late turnovers cost the Nittany Lions another loss to Iowa!

Why does Iowa own Penn State??!!

Signature Moment: Penn State was criticized all season long for not beating a quality opponent and getting a signature win.  That all changed when Penn State entered the Capital One Bowl facing SEC powerhouse LSU.  Penn State dominated both sides of the ball even though the Tigers defense held Penn State to four field goals inside the red zone.  With six minutes left in the game and the Nittany Lions down by one point, Daryll Clark led his offense on a game winning field goal drive that ate up a lot of clock forcing LSU to burn all there time outs.  When LSU got the ball back they had little time to work with and the Nittany Lions defense which has been great all season proved once again why they are one of the best in the country!  Penn State picked up its 24th bowl win under Joe Paterno and finally got that quality victory to cap the season!

Penn State defeated LSU 19-17 to help bring back credibility to the Big 10.

What really hurt this season: Definitely our non-conference schedule.  When you play Akron, Syracuse, Temple, and Eastern Illinois you’re going to be criticized.  Even though we won all four of these games and it helped our younger and inexperienced starters, it killed us in the computer rankings of the BCS and it made us the laughing stock of college football for the first month of the season.  Yes, Temple did pretty well this season and Syracuse was competitive when we scheduled the game a few years back but I would love to see the Nittany Lions bring in Boise State,  BYU, or TCU into Happy Valley.  Will it ever happen?  Maybe.  But if you want to be the best and get the credibility of the voters, you have to play the best!

Oranges, Owls, and Zips Oh My!!

Best Stat of the Season: Penn State finished undefeated on the road for the first time since the undefeated 1994 campaign.

2009 Offensive MVP:  Without Daryll Clark, I believe we wouldn’t have had the success we had this season.  He put up big time numbers with his arm as well as his legs and won the Big 10 player of the year.   However, he was overlooked a lot because the only two people ESPN will ever talk about are Tebow and McCoy.  People have criticized him for not showing up and playing well in the big games but this guy is a competitor and leader.  He was a class act both on and off the field and he will be missed in the lineup next season.

Defensive MVP: Jared Odrick.  If Sean Lee or Navorro Bowman were healthy for the entire season, then my pick may have been different.  But here’s a beast of a defensive lineman who played in every game this season and give it his all on every play.  A lot of opponents offenses had to alter or adjust there game plans because of this guy.  The Big 10 defensive player of the year will most likely be a first or second round pick in the upcoming draft and has what it takes to be successful at the next level.

Looking Ahead to 2010: Many people believe next season will be a rebuilding year for the Nittany Lions and if it is they will need to adjust and grow up fast because they travel to Alabama on September 11th.  Replacing Clark won’t be easy but the Nittany Lions have all there receivers coming back and a majority of there offensive line as well.  There is talk of Evan Royster jumping to the NFL but I don’t think he’s ready.  If he does decide to go pro, Penn State will have to find a complimentary back for Stephfon Green because I don’t see him carrying the entire load.  On defense, Penn State will have to replace Odrick and linebackers Sean Lee and Josh Hall and most likely junior Navorro Bowman if he decides to turn pro.  However, with a solid recruiting class coming in and with one of the best coaching staffs in the country, anything is possible.

Coach Paterno will be back ready to lead the Nittany Lions once again in the 2010 campagin.

 

SU Sports Recap

Rick Jackson scored a game-high 21 points and led #6 Syracuse past #11 Florida in the SEC/Big East Invitational.

Men’s Basketball

Maine: 55       #7 Syracuse: 101

The #7 Syracuse Orange (8-0) cruised by the Maine Black Bears (3-4) easily this past Saturday night in the Carrier Dome. The offense exploded in this blowout win, as the Orange reached the century mark for the second time this season (first time was against Robert Morris in a 100-60 win). Senior center Arinze Onuaku scored 14 points and brought down 7 rebounds and freshman guard Brandon Triche added a team-high 16 points. The Syracuse bench scored 48 of the 101 points, led by sophomore guard Scoop Jardine and his 10 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds. Maine’s guard Gerald McLemore had a game-high 21 points in the loss.

#6 Syracuse: 85         #11 Florida: 73

The SEC/Big East Invitational provided another opportunity for the #6 Syracuse Orange (9-0) to prove its staying power to the rest of college basketball. For the third time this season, Syracuse defeated an opponent ranked #12 or higher (with the other two being #12 California and #4 North Carolina in the 2K Sports Coaches versus Cancer Classic), as Florida came into the game ranked 11^th and with an identical 8-0 record.

One team had to lose, however, and on Thursday night, the Florida Gators (8-1) experienced an 85-73 defeat at the hands of 9-0 Syracuse. Throughout the game, the Gators relied heavily on the three-ball, as they attempted 30 in the game. Despite making 12 shots from deep (40%), they were easily out-rebounded. Syracuse had 39 rebounds, including 16 on the offensive glass, compared to just 28 rebounds (10 offensive) from Florida.

The rebounding disadvantage was made clear through the play of Wesley Johnson, Rick Jackson, and Kris Joseph, as they all recorded double-doubles. Junior forward Rick Jackson was a force early and often, collecting 21 points and 11 rebounds. Of his 11 boards, 7 of them were offensive rebounds that led to points. Junior forward Wesley Johnson scored his season average of 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. This superstar collected much more than points, however, as he continued to get praise from ESPN’s broadcasters, whom consistently stated that he was an NBA pro playing college basketball.  Sophomore forward Kris Joseph gave Syracuse a very good 31 minutes off the bench, scoring 12 points and collecting 10 rebounds.

Despite only shooting 23% from beyond-the-arc, the Orange shot 53% from the field, as a good portion of their shots came near the basket. The Gators also shot very well at 43.5%, but were saddled with the loss at the hands of the better opponent. Freshman guard Kenny Boynton scored a team-high 20 points, and kept Florida in the game all night with timely NBA-range three pointers. Florida junior forward Chandler Parsons also tried his best to keep the Gators in the game, scoring 19 points off the bench.

Following the impressive win versus #11 Florida (8-1), the #6 Syracuse Orange (9-0) play St. Francis (3-5) Sunday at 1 pm in the Carrier Dome. For their potential 11^th win of the season, Syracuse takes on St. Bonaventure (5-3) next Saturday night (12/19) at 7 pm in the Carrier Dome.

Women’s Basketball

Syracuse: 70   Ohio: 54

Following the defeat of Ohio, the Syracuse women (#25 in USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll) increased their record to 8-0 on the season. Star senior forward Nicole Michael scored 10 points and grabbed 6 rebounds, while junior guard Erica Morrow scored a team-high 14 points. Also contributing was freshman center Kayla Alexander with 13 points and senior forward Juanita Ward with 11 points.

This Sunday, Syracuse (8-0) takes on Dartmouth (1-4) at 5 pm in the Carrier Dome.

-Jon Harris

 

NFL Power Rankings: Week 14

Following a 27-17 loss to the Colts, I bet Titans coach Jeff Fisher (above) would like to slip back into that Peyton Manning jersey.

1. Indianapolis Colts (12-0)	The Colts jump the Saints this week because they convincingly beat their opponent. They ended the Titans’ five-game winning streak and their hope for a playoff-berth with a 27-17 win. The defense was able to slow red-hot Vince Young and keep Chris “4.2 second 40” Johnson under 120 yards (yes, that’s an accomplishment) and out of the end zone. The team was very balanced in their game against the Titans, as Joseph Addai ran for 80 yards and 2 scores, and Peyton Manning completed passes to 7 different receivers. Pierre Garcon is returning to form, as he caught 6 balls for 136, and picked up the slack for Reggie Wayne (48 yards on 4 catches). Overall, this team is solid all-around, as Peyton Manning is one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever step onto a football field, Joseph Addai is looking like the old Joseph Addai that fantasy team owners loved, and Pierre Garcon, Austin Collie, Reggie Wayne, and Dallas Clark give Manning an array of options. Not to mention, the defense is deceptively speedy and rather good, despite a multitude of injuries. This week they play the Broncos (8-4), who are perhaps the hardest team in the NFL to figure out, but I’m sure Jim Caldwell and Peyton Manning are up to the challenge.
2. New Orleans Saints (12-0)	Saints: 33    Redskins: 30Alright so the Saints probably should have lost this week, as they needed a miraculous Robert Meachem fumble recovery touchdown, a missed 23-yard field goal, and a ball to bounce off a Redskins player’s back to win the game. Yeah, they got lucky, but so what! The fact of the matter is that the Saints have beaten good times convincingly, while struggling against teams like Tampa Bay and Washington. My answer: big deal! Who do you play in the playoffs, hmm…let’s think…good teams. So, my theory is the Saints should play fantastically as they have all year against playoff caliber teams. Don’t worry Drew Brees, you guys are going undefeated and have more weapons on your team than Tiger Woods has excuses.
3. Minnesota Vikings (10-2)	The Vikings let me down pretty badly this past Sunday, losing to Arizona 30-17 on primetime television. Brett Favre looked like the old Favre, as he threw as many picks as touchdowns (2), bringing his total for the year up to 5. Adrian Peterson, widely considered the best back in the NFL, rushed for 19 yards on 13 carries (maybe it’s because Favre makes the handoff more obvious than his decision to return to football). Clearly, the Vikings have some problems to get adjusted before the playoffs, as their explosive offense was silenced by an impressive Cardinal defense. For their sake, let’s hope that Favre doesn’t mimic his late-season collapse from a year ago with the Jets.
4. San Diego Chargers (9-3)	The Chargers just keep winning, as they beat the Cleveland Browns 30-23 for their seventh straight win. The road gets tougher here, however, as they travel to Dallas this weekend to play an 8-4 Cowboys team. In week 15, they host the Bengals, which could end up being the deciding game in who wins the #2 seed in the AFC. The Chargers won’t slow up anytime soon, as the Denver Broncos are hot on their tail for the division lead, so look for San Diego to leave everything out on the field every week from here on out.
5. Cincinnati Bengals (9-3)	The Bengals defeated the Motor-City Lions last week 23-13 to get their 9th win of the season and clinch their second winning season since 1991. They need just one more win in order to clinch the AFC North, as the Steelers and Ravens each are 6-6 and the Bengals have defeated them both twice. These low requirements are definitely good news for the Bengals, as they get the Vikings this week, followed by the Chargers in Week 15. With Cedric Benson back, however, the offense is balanced once again and will definitely present a tough challenge for any team in the NFL.
6. Arizona Cardinals (8-4)	How ‘bout them defending NFC Champions! They absolutely dominated the Minnesota Vikings, whom many considered to be the best team in the NFC. Kurt Warner showed a national audience and Brett Favre that he’s the best gray-haired quarterback in the NFL. Although the offense was clicking on all cylinders with both Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald having big days, the defense was the story. They forced two Favre interceptions and held last year’s rushing champion, Adrian Peterson, to 19 yards. NFL beware: the Cardinals are in playoff form much, much earlier than last year.
7. Green Bay Packers (8-4)	The 27-14 win against Baltimore Monday night was just another statement of how good these Cheeseheads are. They are led by a quarterback who should be getting significant MVP consideration. Aaron Rodgers has 25 touchdowns, 3300 yards passing, and has completely revamped the franchise. Last year, the Packers finished 6-10, this year, they have a legitimate chance to finish 12-4 as they finish the season against the Bears, Steelers, Seahawks, and Cardinals, respectively. I’m starting the movement now: Aaron Rodgers for MVP!
8. Philadelphia Eagles (8-4)	It’s real easy to tell you how good the Eagles are right now. First, they beat the Falcons 34-7. Secondly, back-up quarterback Michael Vick scored two touchdowns. Reflections: Does anyone remember how prolific Vick was in his prime? Yeah, downright scary. The Eagles just won the NFC East as far as I’m concerned.
9. Denver Broncos (8-4)	Alright, the Broncos are winning again as they defeated the Chiefs 44-13 for their second straight win. The reason: they finally are running the ball again. Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter ran all over the Chiefs, racking up a combined 199 yards and two touchdowns. It’s a mystery to me why an offensive mastermind like Josh McDaniels never realized that you have to run the ball sometimes and not just pass. He has that figured out now, however, and with the defense playing in early-season form, I look for the Broncos to end the Colts’ undefeated season this week.
10. Dallas Cowboys (8-4)	Can’t Jerry Jones just buy a winning record in December? Or at least keep his starting quarterback from partying in Vegas during the regular season?
11. Miami Dolphins (6-6)	Following the impressive 22-21 win against divisional-foe New England Patriots, the Dolphins are finally getting the recognition I’ve given them for weeks. Ricky Williams is doing a fine job as the feature back for Miami and Chad Henne is to Justin Verlander what Chad Pennington was to Tim Wakefield (I’m talking about throwing-speed. If I was talking about wins my argument would be ridiculous). Miami’s wide-receivers are also finally getting some attention, as Davone Bess  caught 10 balls for 117 yards and a touchdown. Plus, Ted Ginn, Jr. is finally panning out, and Anthony Fasano is making the Cowboys look stupid for trading him away. The schedule gets pretty tough right here, however, as the Dolphins get Jacksonville this week, followed by the Titans, Texans, and the ever-dangerous Steelers. The Dolphins need these games as all of their remaining games are against teams in the hunt for the AFC playoffs. Therefore, they control their own destiny.
12. New England Patriots (7-5)	Biggest Disappointment of the Year…by far! Tom Brady is still a top 10 quarterback in the NFL, but the days of the 2007 Brady have fallen by Bill Belichick’s waist-side. Either way, there is no way this team is going to beat the elite teams in the AFC. That’s assuming of-course that they even get the chance, as they have in no way wrapped up a playoff spot.
13. New York Giants (7-5)	Well, the Giants actually look like the Giants again…at least for one week. The 31-24 win versus the Cowboys was impressive and kept them in the race for an NFC East Championship. They are now just a game back of the Eagles and Cowboys (each 8-4), and have two tough games left in their remaining four. They should beat the Redskins (Week 15) and Panthers (Week 16), however, this week they play the red-hot Eagles. The last time these two teams met, the Eagles blew the Giants out by the score of 40-17. To have any shot at the division title, the G-Men must win this week. If they don’t, I expect them to still finish 9-7 (other loss coming to the Vikings in season finale) and earn a wild-card berth in the NFC.
14. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6)	Mike Tomlin must of unleashed hell in the wrong place because Bruce Gradkowski and the Raiders felt nothing but glory in their 27-24 win this past Sunday against the Steelers.
15. Jacksonville Jaguars (7-5)	Despite the impressive win over the once playoff-hopeful Houston Texans (23-18), the Jacksonville Jaguars are not going to make the playoffs. After playing the Dolphins this week, they get the pleasure of playing the unbeaten Colts, followed by the furious New England Patriots. They then wrap up the season with a win..oh..I mean game versus the Browns. So, at the very best, I see the Jaguars finishing 9-7, which is not good enough to make the playoffs, especially in the AFC.

The Best of the Rest (16-32)

16. Baltimore Ravens (6-6)

17. Tennessee Titans (5-7)

18. Atlanta Falcons (6-6)

19. New York Jets (6-6)

20. Chicago Bears (5-7)

21. Seattle Seahawks (5-7)

22. Houston Texans (5-7)

23. Buffalo Bills (4-8)

24. Carolina Panthers (5-7)

25. San Francisco 49ers (5-7)

26. Washington Redskins (3-9)

27. Oakland Raiders (4-8)

28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-11)

29. Detroit Lions (2-10)

30. Kansas City Chiefs (3-9)

31. St. Louis Rams (1-11)

32. Cleveland Browns (1-11)

-Jon Harris

 

NFL Power Rankings: Week 13

All Brady and Belichick could do was watch, as their chances of spoiling the Saints' perfect record ticked away.

1. New Orleans Saints (11-0)	The Saints dominated a good New England Patriots team 38-17, proving that they know how to rise to a challenge. Drew Brees was near perfect, throwing for 371 yards and 5 TDs. Not to mention that he threw to seven different receivers and put Marques Colston and Devery Henderson over the century mark. The Saints D was also smothering, holding New England to 17 points and forcing 3 turnovers, including two Tom Brady interceptions.
2. Indianapolis Colts (11-0)	How many weeks can this team survive? After trailing the Texans this past week by 17 in the second quarter, Manning and the Colts did it again, as they won the game 35-27. I see their winning streak coming to an end next week, however. They get the red hot Titans, followed by the suddenly rejuvenated Denver Broncos in Week 14. Even if they win both of these games, the likelihood of the Colts going unbeaten isn’t high. As soon as they clinch the #1 seed in the AFC, Mr. Manning will meet Mr. Bench.
3. Minnesota Vikings (10-1)	When I look at the Vikings, I see a dangerous and explosive team that lost a fluke game to Pittsburgh. They are as balanced as any team in the NFL, as the defense is as big-play capable as the offense. Plus, Brett Favre has 24 TDs and 3 interceptions. When has Brett Favre, the sometimes careless gunslinger, ever thrown three interceptions this far into a season. Oh yeah, never! Usually it’s not uncommon to see three picks in one game for the sure Hall of Famer. In addition to his impressive play, the Vikings have one of the most potent rushing attacks in the NFL with “fumble-maniac” Adrian Peterson leading the charge. They get the Cardinals next week, and will show the league how much better they are than last year’s NFC Champions.
4. San Diego Chargers (8-3)	Following their blow-out win against the Chiefs this past weekend (43-14), the Chargers extended their winning streak to six games. LaDainian Tomlinson actually looks like at least half the player he used to be, instead of the complete scrub he was during the first few weeks of the season. This team is rolling, and I feel sorry for whoever gets in their way from here on out. Oh! The Browns are next, I’m calling a 49-10 San Diego win. Sorry Cleveland, you just don’t rock right now.
5. Cincinnati Bengals (8-3)	After beating their in-state rival Cleveland Browns this weekend, the Bengals are up two games in the division over the 6-5 Steelers and Ravens. With Larry Johnson rolling once again (22 carries for 107 yards vs. Cleveland) and the Lions coming up this Sunday, the Bengals can afford to give star running back Cedric Benson one more week to recover. With a healthy Benson and Johnson in the backfield, the Bengals will have the most feared rushing attack in the NFL.
6. Dallas Cowboys (8-3)	The Cowboys are looking strong following a 24-7 win over the Oakland Raiders. The schedule gets tough in the next three weeks, however, as they get Giants, Chargers, and Saints. I look for them to avenge their early loss to the Giants, but the games versus the Chargers and Saints will allow us to see what America’s team is really made of.
7. Arizona Cardinals (7-4)	Despite the last-second loss to the Titans, the Cardinals looked pretty good without Kurt Warner. Hopefully, he is back this week, as the Cardinals will most definitely need him against the Minnesota Vikings (10-1). Although I look for Minnesota to win the game, Arizona is a tough team with a real-shot to mirror their playoff performance from a year ago.
8. New England Patriots (7-4)	How many times can Bill Belichick get outcoached this year? After making a game-altering decision against Indianapolis, he was completely out of his league against Saints Coach Sean Payton. Payton’s play-calling was superb, as he only needed 26 minutes of the game clock to pick apart the Patriot defense. Meanwhile the Pats and Tom Brady had the ball for 34 minutes, but failed to score a passing touchdown on the supposed “weak” Saints’ secondary. If they don’t show up this Sunday against Miami, their lead will shrink to a game over the pesky Dolphins.
9. Philadelphia Eagles (7-4)	The Eagles get the Atlanta Falcons this Sunday after defeating the Redskins 27-24. I look for the Eagles to win easily and continue to put pressure on Dallas in the NFC East. Philadelphia is loaded with young weapons, including LeSean McCoy, DeSean Jackson, and Jeremy McClain. However, the 175-pound Jackson left Sunday’s game with a concussion. Donovan, don’t you have any Chunky Soup for the youngster?
10. Green Bay Packers (7-4)	This past week, the Packers had a lot to give thanks for. First, they had to be thankful that Aaron Rodgers fell to the 24th pick in the 2005 NFL Draft. Secondly, they got to play the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving, whom they defeated easily 34-12. In the next three weeks, however, their strength of schedule skyrockets, as they play the Ravens, Bears, and Steelers.
11. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5)	Alright, so they’ve lost three straight games, but so what! They are still going to get into the playoffs as one of the two wild-card teams. Big Ben should be back this week, but even if he isn’t around the next two games, the Steelers should be fine, as they play the Raiders followed by the Browns. Keep an eye on this team, especially since they are getting their problems straightened out before the playoffs. Do you remember what happened last year? They started slow, finished 11-5, and went on to carve their name into the Lombardi Trophy in February.
12. Denver Broncos (7-4)	The Broncos ended their four-game skid on Thanksgiving with an impressive win over the New York Giants. Despite only allowing 6 points and showing signs of the Denver team that started the year 6-0, they will need to be more consistent before I start believing in them again.
13. Baltimore Ravens (6-5)	One name is all that is necessary to justify the Ravens’ ranking. He went to Rutgers and plays running back…Mr. Ray Rice.
14. Tennessee Titans (5-6)	Vince Young’s Salary: $7,227,520 Matt Leinart’s Salary: $6,175,280 A touchdown pass from Vince Young to Kenny Britt to win the game with no time remaining and reminding everyone of a certain Rose Bowl that left Leinart on the losing end once again: priceless.
15. Miami Dolphins (5-6)	Looky Here: The Bills aren’t that bad. Sure they are 4-7, but it’s way better than losing to the Rams. Of course, the Dolphins missed a huge opportunity to come within a game of the division-leading New England Patriots, but now they have to do it the hard way. And indeed they will, as I’m picking the Dolphins to upset the Patriots in Week 13.

 The Best of the Rest (16-32)

16. New York Giants (6-5)

17. Atlanta Falcons (6-5)

18. Jacksonville Jaguars (6-5)

19. Houston Texans (5-6)

20. San Francisco 49ers (5-6)

21. New York Jets (5-6)

22. Chicago Bears (4-7)

23. Buffalo Bills (4-7)

24. Seattle Seahawks (4-7)

25. Carolina Panthers (4-7)

26. Washington Redskins (3-8)

27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-10)

28. Kansas City Chiefs (3-8)

29. Detroit Lions (2-9)

30. Oakland Raiders (3-8)

31. St. Louis Rams (1-10)

32. Cleveland Browns (1-10)

 -Jon Harris

 

You Want Upsets, We Got Em at the Cooler! (Week 13 Picks)

So last week was a pretty quiet week in college football.  Everyone who was  suppose to win won (except LSU and Wisconsin who I both picked to lose!) and the BCS standings didn’t change at the top.  HOWEVER….I’m coming out big this week and predicting HUGE upsets that will have major implications with how the bowl season will shape up this season.

So lets get to the picks!

Florida State vs. (1) Florida -  So it’s rivalry week and I’m predicting major upsets this week!  This game is not one of them though.  The Gators will be too much for the Seminoles and Bobby Bowden to handle.  Senior day in Gainesville means Tim Tebow will be lights out in his last home game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.  If Florida State wants to keep this game close then they will have to play perfect football for the entire sixty minutes but that’s not going to happen!  Even if the Seminoles play perfect football on Saturday it will still go down as a lose and a tough trip back to Tallahassee.    Florida 31  Florida State 17

(2) Alabama vs. Auburn – Alabama…….you are on upset alert!  You are on the road in a huge rivalry game and Auburn has nothing to lose coming into this game.  Auburn has already qualified for a bowl game and look for them to be very creative with the playbook on both sides of the ball.  Although Alabama has the nations best defense statistically in the country, they will have trouble adjusting to Auburn’s fast pace offense.  Look for both teams to establish the running game early and if Auburn can control the clock and limit the turnovers, they can get it done at home!!  Auburn 21     Alabama 20    (Upset Special #1)

(3) Texas vs. Texas A&M – Would I love to see A&M upset the Longhorns?  Hell Yeah!  Will it happen?  Hell No!!  The Aggies secondary is god awful and that means McCoy will be throwing left and right and getting his confidence back for next weeks Big 12 Championship game against Nebraska.  Depending on the amount of turkey I eat on Thanksgiving and the potential blowout this game might become, I will probably be passed out on the couch by halftime!  Texas 45   Texas A&M  14

Illinois vs. (5) Cincinnati – I have been waiting for this game for quite some time now.  I’m a Big 10 guy and this game could put the Big 10 back on the map if a bottom Big 10 team can pull the upset and beat the top Big East team.  Tony Pike makes his return to the Bearcat lineup and I have a gut feeling he’s going to be a bit rusty.  While Pike is making a return to the lineup, Illinois quarterback Juice Williams is looking to finish his career with a big bang and a “W.”  This game reminds me a lot of Illinois two years ago going into Ohio State and knocking off the Buckeyes.  If Juice and the Illini did it then, I’m pretty sure they can do it again!  Illinois 28  Cincinnati 24  (Upset Special #2)

Nevada vs. (6) Boise State – Both teams are undefeated in conference play.  Whoever wins this game will be crowned Western Athletic Conference Champions!  Oh Boy!!  I’ve only seen Nevada play once this year against Notre Dame and to be honest, I don’t rememebr very much from that game!  However, I have noticed that they can run the ball!  Nevada is putting up almost 375 yards rushing per game and they are the first team in NCAA history to have 3 running backs rush for over 1,000 yards.  Oh Boy!!  Just that stat alone may be too much for the Broncos defesnse to handle.  With all this being said, Boise State, you’re going down!!!  Bye Bye BCS!  Bye Bye Perfect Season!  Your 2009 WAC Champions will be the Nevada Wolf Pack!  Nevada 60   Boise State 51 (Upset Special #3)

(9)  Pittsburgh vs. West Virgina – It’s tough to pick a winner here when you’re a huge Penn State fan.  I was thinking about tossing a coin for this one but since my theme for this week is upset city, I’m going with West Virgina at home!  Two years ago Pittsburgh knocked off then #2 West Virgina and cost them a shot at the National Championship!  This year, West Virgina returns the favor and knocks Pitt out of a possible BCS bowl!  West Virgina 17  Pittsburgh 14 (Upset Special #4)

New Mexico vs. (4) TCU – Um…..I’m not that hardcore with the upsets this week.  Why?  I don’t have the William Wallace size balls to pick New Mexico over TCU.  Therefore, TCU rolls and wins big!  TCU 54   New Mexico 10

Georgia vs. (7) Georgia Tech – Everybody says the SEC is the toughest conference to play in and has the best all around athletes.  They also say an SEC defense will beat you down all game long!  Can Georgia slow down Georgia Tech’s offense?  Well they are from the SEC and a SEC defense is “supposed” to shut you down!  However, Georgia’s defesnse has been “garbage” and the editor who said there defesnse was the real deal in the beginning of the season is “garbage” as well!    BUT….. I’ll be rooting for Georgia to step up to the plate and prove why the SEC is the best conference!  If you lose, than FML and f the SEC in the a!  Georgia 28  Georgia Tech 20 (Upset Special #5)

(12) Oklahoma State vs. Oklahoma- It’s been a crap season for Oklahoma this year.  Many “experts” picked them to win the Big 12 and compete for a national championship (Lee Corso) but sometimes the things you write on paper in the summer don’t come true!  This game is Oklahoma’s national championship this season!  Look for Oklahoma to play a perfect game at home on senior day and look for Oklahoma State to struggle all game long! The Cowboys looked like garbage last Thursday against Colorado and barely came out with a win at home.  If you struggle at home against Colorado, it only means you’re going to shit to bed on the road against the Sooners! Oklahoma 35    Oklahoma State 14 (Upset Special #6)

The rest of the games……

Virgina Tech 41  Virgina 10
LSU 35      Arkansas 21

The U 24   South Florida  17

Clemson 10 South Carolina 9

Utah 41  BYU 28

USC 30  UCLA  10

Houston 48  Rice 12

North Carolina 23    North Carolina State 14

Ole Miss 21    Mississippi State 17

PEACE!!!

 

Week 12 NCAA Football Predictions

It’s been awhile since I’ve been on the cooler but I’m back and ready to roll!  With that being said, here are my bold predictions for week 12 in college football.

Florida International vs (1) Florida -  Who’s idea was it to schedule this game?  If Florida International is able to score 10 points in this game then it will go down as a win for them in my book!  Look for Tebow to put up big numbers and watch for Brandon Spikes to suspend himself for the entire second half because the game will be out of reach by then.  Florida Gators 56  Florida International Golden Panthers 6

Chattanooga  vs  (2) Alabama – If you thought the Gators playing FIU was bad, then brace yourself for this matchup!  Dear God!  I don’t even know what the mascot for Chattanooga is and I honestly couldn’t tell you where they are located.   Mark Ingram could have over 200 yards rushing in this game and at least two rushing touchdowns which would strengthen his case as the front runner for the Heisman.   Run up the score in this game Alabama because your game at Auburn next week is going to be a whole different ball game!  Bama 48   “Chatt” to bed  7

Kansas vs. (3) Texas – It’s pretty sad that we are in week 12 of the football season and ESPN and ABC selected this game as one of their prime time matchups of the week.  Oh well!  I would love to see the Jayhawks pull off the upset but it’s not going to happen.  Colt McCoy will set the record for most wins by a quarterback at the FBS level and Coach Mangino’s week will not get any easier as his team will be struggling all night to stop the McCoy-Shipley connection.  Texas 35   Kansas 17

(4) TCU vs. Wyoming-  The only time I’ve seen Wyoming play this season was when they faced Utah.  Wyoming played well in that game but it wasn’t enough as they lost in a hard fought battle.  TCU has played perfect football all season long and should continue with there perfect season on the road.  I honestly thought TCU would stumble last week against Utah but they dominated that game from start to finish and should do so as well this week.  TCU 35   Why?-oh-ming  14

(6) Boise State vs. Utah State -  This game is a big question mark because on paper Boise State should roll all over Utah State but I love teams  that can pound the football and control the clock and Utah State is one of those teams!  If Utah State can keep it close up until halftime and keep the Broncos offense off the field, then look for a game that might come down to the fourth quarter.   Boise State 28  Utah State 20

(8) LSU vs. Mississippi State – The Tigers of LSU looked horrible last week against Lousiana “God Damn” Tech.  If LSU doesn’t wake up from last weeks performance than look for Ole Miss to pull the upset.  This matchup looks like the best possible opportunity for a top twenty-five upset as Houston Nutt seems to have his way with Les Miles.  Last year Jevan Snead exposed the LSU secondary and lead Ole Miss to a victory on the road.  I look for Snead to do the same this year at home and lift the Rebels to victory in a tight SEC matchup!  Ole Miss 17   LSU 13

(10) Ohio State vs. Michigan – The Buckeyes have punched a ticket to the Rose Bowl as the conference champion of the Big 10.  The Wolverines are fighting for a sixth victory to get into a bowl game.  Anytime these two teams take the field against each other you know it’s going to be a battle, regardless of each teams record.  The Wolverines haven’t won a game this month but they are playing at home and will be looking for there first victory over the Buckeyes since 2003.  Will Coach Tressel stick to his conservative playcalling or open up the playbook and allow Pryor to work his magic like he did against Penn State two weeks ago?  Either way, I’m picking the Wolverines in upset fashion!                                         Michigan 24   Ohio State 17

(11) Oregon vs. Arizona- Will the Oregon team that dominated Arizona State last week show up against Arizona or will the team that got dominated by Stanford take the field?  Arizona is still statistically in the running for the Pac 10 championship and Oregon is the team in the drivers seat controlling there own destiny.  Oregon is well balanced on offense and Arizona’s defense will have there hands full.   I would love to see the Wildcats hand it to the Ducks but Oregon and those hideous uniforms will be too much to handle!  Oregon 38    Arizona 24

Minnesota vs. (13) Iowa -  I hate Iowa and root against them every weekend!  Therefore this will be short and sweet.  The Golden Gophers pull off the upset and Iowa punches there ticket to a non BCS bowl!  Minnesota 24    Io-”was”  0

(14) Penn State vs. Michigan State -  We’re Linebacker U!!  Come to Penn State!!  Enough Said!!  Penn State 27   Michigan State 13

(15) Virgina Tech vs. North Carolina State – Senior Kicker Matt Waldron will have a field day against the Wolfpack!  Go Wally!!  Virgina Tech 18 North Carolina State 12

(16) Wisconsin vs. Northwestern -  Rumors were circulating that Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald was begging for another year of NCAA eligibility so he could suit up and play but it’s not going to happen!  However, Northwestern will rally around the head coach and get the win!  Northwestern 21  Wisconsin 20

(17) Stanford vs. (25) California -  The band is on the field!!!  Not really but da bears of Cal get it done!  California 17   Stanford 16

The rest of the games……

(19) Oregon State 45  over Washington State 13

(20)  The “U”   40 over    Duke   9

(21) Utah 35 over   A Whales Vigina State 6 or 9

Air Force 31 over  (22) BYU  24

(23) Clemson 27 over Virginia  10

(24) Houston 56 over Memphis  28

 

NFL Power Rankings: Week 11

Bengals Kicker Shane Graham kicked four field goals as his team defeated the Steelers 18-12, and moved up to number four in the power rankings.

1. New Orleans Saints (9-0)	Coming off a surprisingly close victory over the Rams (28-23), the Saints have looked touchable as of late. Drew Brees has 6 TDs and 7 interceptions over the last four games and Marques Colston got me -1 points in fantasy. I’m not concerned, however, and neither should the Saints. They’re unbeaten and have the less than dominating Buccaneers this weekend before meeting the Patriots on Monday night (11/30).
2. Indianapolis Colts (9-0)	Hmm…thank you Bill Belichick for keeping them undefeated. This team has a lot to work on, as they even had miscommunication between All-Pros Reggie Wayne and Peyton Manning that made the TV audience look at one another and say, “Did Peyton Manning just throw a pick?”
3. Minnesota Vikings (8-1)	After handily defeating the Motor City Lions (even T-Jack got some playing time), the Vikings meet up with the 3-6 Seahawks at home, where they are 4-0. Brett Favre, Sidney Rice, and AP have combined for 30 total TDs this year, AKA: guaranteed Pro-Bowlers. Simply put, this team has too many weapons for Seattle and a majority of the league to keep up with.
4. Cincinnati Bengals (7-2)	How ‘bout them Bengals? They just swept division rivals Pittsburgh and Baltimore, and yeah…Cleveland is in there somewhere too. But let’s focus on winning teams, which the Bengals most definitely are. They are in the driver’s seat to win the AFC North and run away with the second-best AFC record. Cedric Benson is banged up, but that’s ok because Larry Johnson was readily available to join a new team. This team is one out to prove something, which is the most dangerous initiative of all. Larry Johnson, Cedric Benson, Carson Palmer, and Chad Ochocinco are all out to prove they are among the best in the league. They are forcing other teams to listen, as well they should, as the Bengals are for REAL!
5. New England Patriots (6-3)	This is a very good football team, who even if they don’t end up winning the 2 seed for the playoffs, are going to easily win the AFC East (especially with the wild-Dolphins losing Ronnie Brown for the rest of the year). The most they’ll have to do to win the division is go 5-2 for the rest of the season, with the Jets, Dolphins, and Bills all holding losing records. By the way, I’m talking about the division in order to completely overlook the Bill Belichick 4th-down decision. I mean, it’s always a good decision to put one of the greatest quarterbacks ever 30 yards away from winning the game with two minutes left. Good call Coach!
6. San Diego Chargers (6-3)	The AFC West has already been decided. Congratulations Chargers, now perform in the playoffs for once!
7. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3)	Following a tough loss to Cincinnati, the Steelers head to Kansas City this week (Mike Tomlin is like, “Thank God!”). They’ll take care of a bad Chiefs team and continue to put pressure on the Bengals for the rest of the season. Injury-wise, however, can Troy Polamalu stay healthy? He’s projected to miss this week’s game, and possibly next week’s showdown with Baltimore. Perhaps all he needs is a Coke Zero.
8. Arizona Cardinals (6-3)	Kurt Warner & Co. beat up on Seattle this past week, 31-20. Over the past two weeks, Arizona has outscored its opponents, 72-41. The offense is red-hot, as Larry Fitzgerald and Kurt Warner are..well..Larry Fitzgerald and Kurt Warner. Plus, Beanie Wells is just the balance they need. They get the 1-8 Rams this week, who have experienced some changes since Kurt Warner’s stellar performances back in the late 90s and early 2000s. Let’s just say the Rams have scored 100 points in 9 games.
9. Dallas Cowboys (6-3)	Fortunately for the Cowboys, the Eagles lost this week also, the Giants were idle, and the Redskins won..but who really cares. America’s team has the 3-6 Redskins this week, followed by the Raiders the following week. Sounds to me like an 8-3 record before looking for revenge in a matchup with the slipping Giants.
10. Baltimore Ravens (5-4)	They are a good team in an even better division. They will have to really work hard to earn a wild-card berth, but the future is bright for the Ravens as Joe Flacco and Ray Rice look to be potential 15-year NFL players. The schedule only gets tougher from here, I’m afraid. They get the Colts, followed by the Steelers and the Packers. I don’t know if a #1 strength of schedule even does justice to their impossible one.
11. Philadelphia Eagles (5-4)	Brian Westbrook is more concussion-prone than Andy Reid is prone to have David Akers kick field goals. I mean, really, is David Akers on your fantasy team Andy? However, I look for the Eagles to move to 6-4 following this week’s game versus the Bears, who desperately want Denver to reclaim interception-happy Jay Cutler (there’s no trade backs in the NFL though).
12. Houston Texans (5-4)	Coming off the bye, the Texans get back into action against the suddenly rejuvenated Titans. Following that, they stay on the track towards divisional consistency as they hook up with the unbeaten Colts, and Jones-Drew’s Jaguars.
13. Denver Broncos (6-3)	They have been absolutely awful the past three weeks. It’s like Josh McDaniels said, “Ok guys, let’s play every day like it’s April fools!” This team is much better than their last three performances, but it looks to get even worse as Chris Simms gets the nod this week at quarterback (Kyle Orton’s injured ankle is keeping him out). For the second straight year, the Broncos have given the AFC West title to the Chargers.
14. Miami Dolphins (4-5)	Ronnie Brown is gone for the season, much to the dismay of my fantasy team…oh yeah, and the Dolphins. However, this is a great opportunity to show the NFL that this is not a gimmick team that runs a gimmick offense. They have a flamethrower as a quarterback, with legitimate downfield threats in the passing game. Finally, it’s time for the old Ricky Williams to emerge in proper formations and not receiving handoffs from Ronnie Brown. The Dolphins play the Panthers Thursday night on NFL Network’s limited viewing station.
15. Green Bay Packers (5-4)	Following an embarrassing defeat at the hands of the previously winless Buccaneers, the Packers quickly rebounded by defeating the red-hot Cowboys 17-7. Their next goal: try to protect Aaron Rodgers and his ribs.

 The Best of the Rest (16-32)

16. New York Giants (5-4)

17. Atlanta Falcons (5-4)

18. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-4)

19. Carolina Panthers (4-5)

20. Tennessee Titans (3-6)

21. New York Jets (4-5)

22. Chicago Bears (4-5)

23. San Francisco 49ers (4-5)

24. Seattle Seahawks (3-6)

25. Washington Redskins (3-6)

26. Buffalo Bills (3-6)

27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-8)

28. Kansas City Chiefs (2-7)

29. Detroit Lions (1-8)

30. St. Louis Rams (1-8)

31. Oakland Raiders (2-7)

32. Cleveland Browns (1-8)

-Jon Harris