The end of the Lions/49ers game was probably the most dramatic handshake in history. The highlight of the week has got to be the Lions’ coach taking exception to the ignorant “good game, best of luck next week” from Jim Harbaugh. Harbaugh was excited for his team to get a big win, and he is a pretty animated, excitable guy, no doubt. But come on, he slapped Jim Schwartz pretty hard, pushed him aside, and yelled out a "woo!" (along with what the Lions' coach thought was an obscenity). Harbaugh has to have a little more respect and act like he’s won before. Schwartz' overreaction was inappropriate, but I do like his "take no crap" attitude.
Stats o' the Week
-2: How's this statistical anomoly? The Patriots, Ravens and 49ers were all -2 in turnovers and each won. The 49ers also committed 15 penalties for 120 yards.
3: Rams points. The Rams gained 424 yards of offense, only gave away one turnover (as did their opponent), and managed to score only 3 points?
6: Patriots & Cowboys turnovers, compared to a combined 3 touchdowns.
17: Career kick return touchdowns for Devin Hester
25: Seems to be the magic number. Of the six teams with 1 or fewer losses (Packers, Patriots, Chargers, Lions, 49ers, Ravens), five have given up 25 points only once (Lions twice).
178: Dolphins' 1st quarter yards on offense (Jets had 10).
It looks like the league's passing frenzy has started to ease up. This week saw 6 quarterbacks throw for 300+ yards (none over 383), and there were 8 running backs who hit 100 yards rushing. In Week 5 there were eleven 100 yard rushers and just six 300 yard passers.
Power Report
1. Packers. Aaron Rodgers is on fire: 17 touchdowns (plus 2 more rushing), 3 interceptions, and a quarterback rating of 124.1. And his team is 6-0.
2. Patriots. I’m sick of hearing about the terrible Patriots’ defense. That “terrible” unit has allowed only 18 points a game over their last 3 contests.
3. Ravens. NFL’s best defense get the terrible Jaguars and Cardinals next.
4. 49ers. Speaking of defense, 49ers are the first team to keep Calvin Johnson out of the endzone. Rare win in the eastern time zone.
5. Lions. I’m glad Jim Schwartz has only lost 1 game this year. The last four Lions' possessions: 4 plays, punt. 3 plays, punt. 4 and out, 4 and out.
6. Saints. Defense gave up 420 yards and the offense turned the ball over 4 times. You’re not going to win doing that.
7. Chargers.
8. Raiders. I have mixed feelings about their trade. Carson Palmer may be the best QB on the market, but is he in shape? He hasn't played in forever. And he hasn't been too good the last couple years. And the Raiders have done a pretty bad job lately drafting in the first round, but losing 2 first round picks for Palmer? If he's decent then the Raiders ought to make the playoffs, but is that enough for what they gave up?
9. Steelers. Jags made it close in the end, but Steelers really dominated for a second easy win a row. And they play the Cardinals next.
10. Giants. Defense has more holes in the middle than swiss cheese. GMen receivers drop or tip waaaaay too many passes. But Eli and the defense step up when they need to and they rebounded from last week’s embarrassment with a nice win. Big Blue is alone in first.
11. Cowboys. Conservative play calling at the end, but can you blame Garrett for taking the ball out of Tony Romo the Goat’s hands?
12. Bears. Prettiest pass of the week belongs to Jay Cutler. Jay looks really good when there is no pressure and the Vikings defense did nothing.
13. Buccaneers. Josh Freeman has his best game of the year at the right time as the Bucs bounce back and beat the Saints to take first place. But this is one team that we need to see more if we want a good evaluation.
14. Titans. Texans, Jags, and Colts all lose. The bye week couldn’t have been better.
15. Texans. Back-to-back losses knock them out of first place and up next is a road game in Tennessee.
16. Bills. Offense is pretty good but while the defense has been opportunistic, they can’t stop anybody.
17. Jets. Over three games, the Jets offense had a string of 18 three-and-outs (3 plays and punt) in 25 possessions. That's 72% of their "drives" don't even get a first down.
18. Eagles. After a win and Cowboys/Redskins loss there is life again. Eagles have significantly outgained their opponent in all 6 games. In the last 4 games the Eagles have been outscored 23-56 in the second half, which maintains cause for concern.
19. Bengals. Only team that has not given up 25 points in a game.
20. Falcons. Falcons do pretty well when Matt Ryan doesn’t throw the ball very often. In 3 losses Ryan averages 42 pass attempts. In 3 wins he has averaged just 30.
21. Redskins. There has been a John Beck sighting. Before that you wondered how this team ever won 3 games. The defense has done a pretty good job keeping them in games.
22. Seahawks.
23. Chiefs.
24. Browns. It's official: Peyton Hillis is a victim of the Madden Curse.
25. Panthers. Had a lead after the 3rd quarter and put up some pretty good numbers, but 3 Cam Newton turnovers bury the Panthers again.
26. Vikings. McNabb looked ready to sign retirement papers in the game against the Bears. I know McNabb had a good career in Philadelphia, but at this point in his career, he is a terrible quarterback. When watching the Vikings play that is painfully obvious. Christian Ponder didn’t put up any impressive numbers coming in relief, but he made some plays and looked pretty good.
27. Broncos
28. Cardinals
29. Jaguars. You would think in a game where they were down 17-3 at halftime that Gabbert would pass for more than 109 yards.
30. Dolphins. It seems the Dolphin receivers don’t want anything to stop them from getting Andrew Luck. Matt Moore got no help at all against the Jets.
31. Colts. Made it interesting near the end, but it makes you wonder if they will ever win a game.
32. Rams. On the bright side, they shut out the Packers in the second half and gained more yards in the game. But they still lost by 3 touchdowns and are 0-5.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
observations from the NFL weekend
a. You probably cannot dispute that Peyton Manning has the biggest influence of any player in a game, especially seeing what is happening on the Colts without him this year. But with those players that are actually on the field, nobody makes a bigger influence in a game than Devin Hester. His kickoff and punt returns are electric and can put instant points on the board. Even if he doesn’t score he often gets way down the field. Often kickers shank the ball out of bounds just to keep it away from him, giving Jay Cutler and the Bears incredibly generous field position to begin nearly every drive. As we saw in the opening of the Bears/Vikings game, his speed can make a huge influence on the offense, especially teamed with Jay Cutler’s incredible arm. After the Vikings had a great touchdown drive that looked like it may carry some momentum just after halftime, Hester returned the kickoff the distance and the Vikings didn’t show up after that. Devin Hester’s name is on the short list of NFL superstars.
b. Because kickoffs moved up, nearly every kickoff is going into the endzone. Contrary to the primary objective of the rule's principle, more and more players are returning the kick from the endzone. If you are Devin Hester, Ted Ginn, Percy Harvin, Darren Sproles, Joshua Cribbs or Percy Harvin then yes, I have no issue with that. But see Giants’ Daniel Thomas taking a kick out of the endzone, gets tackled around the 17, and there is a penalty that pulls the ball back to the 8 yard line. Instead of the 20, Eli has to start at the 8. Same thing in the Cowboys/Patriots game. In the second quarter the Cowboys return man took it out of the endzone, made it only to the 19, and an illegal block penalty gives Romo the ball at the 7 instead of 20. It happened for the Dolphins, and it happens for pretty much every team. Why? You have a better chance of 1) getting tackled before the 20, 2) the receiving team getting a penalty, and 3) someone getting hurt than breaking off a big run. Coaches need to tell their return men to quit being heroes.
c. I don’t like to blame the referees, but they really blew it early in the Monday Night Jets/Dolphins game and it completely changed the game. On a 3rd down play Matt Moore threw to Marshall, who was clearly hit, grabbed, and interfered by Darelle Revis. It should have been first and goal Dolphins from the 1, Fins ready to go up 10-0. Instead there was no flag, Revis ran all the way back, and the Dolphins didn’t score a touchdown the rest of the game. The way the pathetic Jets offense was moving, that could have been the difference. The refs blew another game a few weeks ago at the end of the Bears/Packers game.
d. Speaking of the Dolphins, receiver Brandon Marshall made headlines last week with his knucklehead comments that I referenced in my blog. No, he didn't start a fight, kick a ball, or get ejected. Ran out of bounds on a clear touchdown (they settled for a field goal), drops a ball in the endzone (0:30), misses another ball in the endzone (1:45) (they settled for a field goal), and he got outplayed by Revis in the endzone that went the other way (see above). He sure didn't play like a monster on the field, but he certainly gave coach Sparano a monster headache. All that talk about playing physical and with heart and that was the performance from him? What a joke.
b. Because kickoffs moved up, nearly every kickoff is going into the endzone. Contrary to the primary objective of the rule's principle, more and more players are returning the kick from the endzone. If you are Devin Hester, Ted Ginn, Percy Harvin, Darren Sproles, Joshua Cribbs or Percy Harvin then yes, I have no issue with that. But see Giants’ Daniel Thomas taking a kick out of the endzone, gets tackled around the 17, and there is a penalty that pulls the ball back to the 8 yard line. Instead of the 20, Eli has to start at the 8. Same thing in the Cowboys/Patriots game. In the second quarter the Cowboys return man took it out of the endzone, made it only to the 19, and an illegal block penalty gives Romo the ball at the 7 instead of 20. It happened for the Dolphins, and it happens for pretty much every team. Why? You have a better chance of 1) getting tackled before the 20, 2) the receiving team getting a penalty, and 3) someone getting hurt than breaking off a big run. Coaches need to tell their return men to quit being heroes.
c. I don’t like to blame the referees, but they really blew it early in the Monday Night Jets/Dolphins game and it completely changed the game. On a 3rd down play Matt Moore threw to Marshall, who was clearly hit, grabbed, and interfered by Darelle Revis. It should have been first and goal Dolphins from the 1, Fins ready to go up 10-0. Instead there was no flag, Revis ran all the way back, and the Dolphins didn’t score a touchdown the rest of the game. The way the pathetic Jets offense was moving, that could have been the difference. The refs blew another game a few weeks ago at the end of the Bears/Packers game.
d. Speaking of the Dolphins, receiver Brandon Marshall made headlines last week with his knucklehead comments that I referenced in my blog. No, he didn't start a fight, kick a ball, or get ejected. Ran out of bounds on a clear touchdown (they settled for a field goal), drops a ball in the endzone (0:30), misses another ball in the endzone (1:45) (they settled for a field goal), and he got outplayed by Revis in the endzone that went the other way (see above). He sure didn't play like a monster on the field, but he certainly gave coach Sparano a monster headache. All that talk about playing physical and with heart and that was the performance from him? What a joke.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Week 6 Preview
This is the most interesting collection on games I can ever remember for one week of the NFL. There are great story lines involved in nearly every game. This could be called Surprise Sunday. Everyone is on Upset Alert.
First, the strangest news of the week involves both the Jets and Dolphins, who both play each other on Monday night.
- Jets traded receiver Derrick Mason to the Texans for (likely) a 7th round draft pick.
Mason has over 12,000 receiving yards in his career. He seems healthy, but the Jets aren’t even getting him on the field. He only has 13 receptions and hardly played the last two games (by the way, both losses).
Some history: Last offseason the J-E-T-S cut ties with Braylon Edwards, Jerricho Cotchery, and Brad Smith and replaced them with 37 year old Mason and Plaxico who had been in prison the previous two years.
The year before, they gave up RB Thomas Jones right after a 1400 yard, 14 TD campaign (his fifth straight year topping 1100 yards) to give full reigns to Shonn Greene, who since then has not reached 1000 yards combined and reached the endzone only 4 times.
Whoever is in charge of this team is a terrible judge of talent, and a terrible game planner.
- And along with this, the Jets are imploding on the inside. One reason Mason may have been traded away was for his critical comments about the team’s offense. Hello, can you blame him? Santonio Holmes, a team captain, also made comments this week about how the offensive line was letting the team down. Anybody who has watched the Jets, especially the last three weeks, would agree. And now guard Brandon Moore is fighting back and ripping Holmes for his lack of leadership. Meanwhile, the Jets are in a must-win game on Monday Night against a Dolphins team who gets a long rest and preparation time for the game.
- On the other side of the ball, the biggest knucklehead of the week has to be Dolphins’ star receiver Brandon Marshall. Here’s a direct quote from a press interview this week:
“I don’t care if I have penalties, it doesn’t matter, I’m gonna let it all out. I don’t care what you guys write, …I’m just gonna play football. So I don’t know if it’s throwing a football 15 yards in the bleachers and getting a 15-yarder, or punting the ball and getting thrown out of the game, something’s gonna happen. I’ll probably get kicked out after the second quarter. They want to fine me, I don’t know, it’ll probably be a $50,000 fine, but that quarter and a half that I’m out there I’m gonna play like a monster. And I might get in a fight with Bart Scott, Cromartie…, so we’ll see. I consider myself a monster now. If you see a beast you should run because a beast is really scary. I don’t want to be that, I want to be a monster. A monster is like a little nightmare. You should run, you should be scared… hopefully I get kicked out in the second quarter.”
Right Brandon, because throwing or kicking the ball into the stands, fighting, collecting fines, earning 15-yard penalties and getting kicked out of the game in the first half will help your team win a game. Especially with a quarterback making his first start of the season. On the other hand, with Marshall playing the whole game the Fins are 0-4 so maybe it wouldn’t hurt to have him in the locker room for the second half. Don’t forget, a beast is not as scary as a monster. What a moron.
- Another interesting note: ESPN has established a new quarterback stat called Total Quarterback Rating, which is the most perfect stat rating of all time, blah blah blah. Last week, in a game where Tim Tebow played only the second half, completed only 4 of 10 passes in a Broncos loss, his TQR was higher than Aaron Rodgers, who completed 26 or 39 passes for 396 yards and 2 touchdowns in a win. Explain that.
The Games
- Lions vs. 49ers: Oddly enough, this pairing of two of the league’s worst teams over the last ten years is probably the best matchup of the week. 49ers defense has been really good and Alex Smith has surprisingly been a good quarterback, despite dealing with many injuries in his receivers. The Lions are 5-0 and have a great offense and defense, but they have to lose sometime and this looks like a potential letdown. The difference will probably be a defensive or special teams touchdown. My pick: 49ers.
- Patriots vs. Cowboys. Patriots have the league’s best offense and worst defense, despite their beat down of the Jets in Week 5. They have also given up the most plays of 20+ yards. Tony Romo will have Miles Austin and Dez Bryant in this one, along with a healthier Felix Jones. But don’t forget, the Cowboys secondary is just as bad and the Tom Brady will have a big day. I’m tempted to follow the hype and pick against the Patriots, but they are at home and Tom Brady doesn’t lose at home. My pick: Patriots.
- Redskins vs. Eagles: Things are going from bad to worse in Philly. Here’s a stat for you: the Eagles have outgained their opponent in every game and are 1-4. How does that happen? Turnovers, penalties, and mistakes, and no one has made more than the Eagles. Redskins are coming off a bye and have had a lot of time to prepare. The Eagles are definitely desperate, and another loss would put them at 1-5, and the Redskins at 5-1. My pick: Redskins.
- Falcons vs. Panthers: In this offense-happy league the Falcons were supposed to field one of the top offenses in the league but they have been in the bottom half of the league, as well as their defense. The “improved” defense has been disappointing and can’t get pressure on any quarterback. Enter Cam Newton. This is a home game for the Falcons, and Matt Ryan has a great record at home, and the Panthers certainly aren’t the Packers, but there is definitely upset potential in this game, especially with Julio Jones not playing. My pick: Panthers
- Giants vs. Bills: Giants are the only team that plays better on the road than at home (and this is a home game). They are coming off the biggest disappointment of the season. They are starting to get some injured players back but several more are pulling out. The Bills have beaten the Patriots, Raiders, and Eagles this season, Fred Jackson has been incredible in the backfield, and the Giants have been run on a lot this year. I hate picking against my team, and they win every time I do so here goes. My pick: Bills.
- Ravens vs. Texans. Joe Flacco has been disappointing but as long as he can hand the ball off to Ray Rice or dump it off to him this ought to be a blowout. Schaub is hurting and Andre Johnson is out, and the Ravens defense is coming off a bye week to rest up. My pick: Ravens.
-Buccaneers vs. Saints. Like my Giants and Titans, the Bucs have looked good in 3 games and very disappointing in the other two. We all know what the Saints have on offense, so can Josh Freeman bounce back? Not likely without LeGarrette Blount. My pick: Saints.
- Bengals vs. Colts. Who needs Carson Palmer? Bungles look like they are for real this year, even with rookie starting quarterback and wide receiver. That receiver A.J. Green is a stud. The defense is one of the league’s best, and with the crappy Colts in town that shouldn’t change. My pick: Bengals
- Packers vs. Rams: Green Bay is 15 point favorites in this game but that still seems too low. The Rams have no one to stop Jennings, Finley or Nelson and no one on offense to keep up. This has the looks of a major blowout. My pick: Packers.
- Steelers vs. Jags. Big Ben hobbled into last week’s game and threw 5 touchdowns. The Jags are terrible. This game may be close but there is no way the Jags win. My pick: Steelers.
- Raiders vs. Browns. First home game for Oakland since the passing of Al Davis, for what that is worth. The Raiders are the better team. My pick: Raiders.
- Bears vs. Vikings: Bears have been the most generous defense against the run (5.7 yards per carry) and the Vikings finally discovered that if they give All Day Adrian Peterson the ball they can win. The Bears defense certainly has the capability of creating big turnovers and scoring, and with Donovan McNabb that is definitely a possibility, but I like Jared Allen to increase his league-leading sacks total against a very susceptible Bears o-line and create havoc for Jake Cutler. My pick: Vikings.
- Jets vs. Dolphins: Like I said earlier, the Jets are self-destructing amid a 3-game losing streak, and they Dolphins are coming off a bye. But with Marshall potentially sabotaging the Dolphins and Matt Moore making his first start of the year, it’s too hard to pick against Gang Green. My pick: Jets.
First, the strangest news of the week involves both the Jets and Dolphins, who both play each other on Monday night.
- Jets traded receiver Derrick Mason to the Texans for (likely) a 7th round draft pick.
Mason has over 12,000 receiving yards in his career. He seems healthy, but the Jets aren’t even getting him on the field. He only has 13 receptions and hardly played the last two games (by the way, both losses).
Some history: Last offseason the J-E-T-S cut ties with Braylon Edwards, Jerricho Cotchery, and Brad Smith and replaced them with 37 year old Mason and Plaxico who had been in prison the previous two years.
The year before, they gave up RB Thomas Jones right after a 1400 yard, 14 TD campaign (his fifth straight year topping 1100 yards) to give full reigns to Shonn Greene, who since then has not reached 1000 yards combined and reached the endzone only 4 times.
Whoever is in charge of this team is a terrible judge of talent, and a terrible game planner.
- And along with this, the Jets are imploding on the inside. One reason Mason may have been traded away was for his critical comments about the team’s offense. Hello, can you blame him? Santonio Holmes, a team captain, also made comments this week about how the offensive line was letting the team down. Anybody who has watched the Jets, especially the last three weeks, would agree. And now guard Brandon Moore is fighting back and ripping Holmes for his lack of leadership. Meanwhile, the Jets are in a must-win game on Monday Night against a Dolphins team who gets a long rest and preparation time for the game.
- On the other side of the ball, the biggest knucklehead of the week has to be Dolphins’ star receiver Brandon Marshall. Here’s a direct quote from a press interview this week:
“I don’t care if I have penalties, it doesn’t matter, I’m gonna let it all out. I don’t care what you guys write, …I’m just gonna play football. So I don’t know if it’s throwing a football 15 yards in the bleachers and getting a 15-yarder, or punting the ball and getting thrown out of the game, something’s gonna happen. I’ll probably get kicked out after the second quarter. They want to fine me, I don’t know, it’ll probably be a $50,000 fine, but that quarter and a half that I’m out there I’m gonna play like a monster. And I might get in a fight with Bart Scott, Cromartie…, so we’ll see. I consider myself a monster now. If you see a beast you should run because a beast is really scary. I don’t want to be that, I want to be a monster. A monster is like a little nightmare. You should run, you should be scared… hopefully I get kicked out in the second quarter.”
Right Brandon, because throwing or kicking the ball into the stands, fighting, collecting fines, earning 15-yard penalties and getting kicked out of the game in the first half will help your team win a game. Especially with a quarterback making his first start of the season. On the other hand, with Marshall playing the whole game the Fins are 0-4 so maybe it wouldn’t hurt to have him in the locker room for the second half. Don’t forget, a beast is not as scary as a monster. What a moron.
- Another interesting note: ESPN has established a new quarterback stat called Total Quarterback Rating, which is the most perfect stat rating of all time, blah blah blah. Last week, in a game where Tim Tebow played only the second half, completed only 4 of 10 passes in a Broncos loss, his TQR was higher than Aaron Rodgers, who completed 26 or 39 passes for 396 yards and 2 touchdowns in a win. Explain that.
The Games
- Lions vs. 49ers: Oddly enough, this pairing of two of the league’s worst teams over the last ten years is probably the best matchup of the week. 49ers defense has been really good and Alex Smith has surprisingly been a good quarterback, despite dealing with many injuries in his receivers. The Lions are 5-0 and have a great offense and defense, but they have to lose sometime and this looks like a potential letdown. The difference will probably be a defensive or special teams touchdown. My pick: 49ers.
- Patriots vs. Cowboys. Patriots have the league’s best offense and worst defense, despite their beat down of the Jets in Week 5. They have also given up the most plays of 20+ yards. Tony Romo will have Miles Austin and Dez Bryant in this one, along with a healthier Felix Jones. But don’t forget, the Cowboys secondary is just as bad and the Tom Brady will have a big day. I’m tempted to follow the hype and pick against the Patriots, but they are at home and Tom Brady doesn’t lose at home. My pick: Patriots.
- Redskins vs. Eagles: Things are going from bad to worse in Philly. Here’s a stat for you: the Eagles have outgained their opponent in every game and are 1-4. How does that happen? Turnovers, penalties, and mistakes, and no one has made more than the Eagles. Redskins are coming off a bye and have had a lot of time to prepare. The Eagles are definitely desperate, and another loss would put them at 1-5, and the Redskins at 5-1. My pick: Redskins.
- Falcons vs. Panthers: In this offense-happy league the Falcons were supposed to field one of the top offenses in the league but they have been in the bottom half of the league, as well as their defense. The “improved” defense has been disappointing and can’t get pressure on any quarterback. Enter Cam Newton. This is a home game for the Falcons, and Matt Ryan has a great record at home, and the Panthers certainly aren’t the Packers, but there is definitely upset potential in this game, especially with Julio Jones not playing. My pick: Panthers
- Giants vs. Bills: Giants are the only team that plays better on the road than at home (and this is a home game). They are coming off the biggest disappointment of the season. They are starting to get some injured players back but several more are pulling out. The Bills have beaten the Patriots, Raiders, and Eagles this season, Fred Jackson has been incredible in the backfield, and the Giants have been run on a lot this year. I hate picking against my team, and they win every time I do so here goes. My pick: Bills.
- Ravens vs. Texans. Joe Flacco has been disappointing but as long as he can hand the ball off to Ray Rice or dump it off to him this ought to be a blowout. Schaub is hurting and Andre Johnson is out, and the Ravens defense is coming off a bye week to rest up. My pick: Ravens.
-Buccaneers vs. Saints. Like my Giants and Titans, the Bucs have looked good in 3 games and very disappointing in the other two. We all know what the Saints have on offense, so can Josh Freeman bounce back? Not likely without LeGarrette Blount. My pick: Saints.
- Bengals vs. Colts. Who needs Carson Palmer? Bungles look like they are for real this year, even with rookie starting quarterback and wide receiver. That receiver A.J. Green is a stud. The defense is one of the league’s best, and with the crappy Colts in town that shouldn’t change. My pick: Bengals
- Packers vs. Rams: Green Bay is 15 point favorites in this game but that still seems too low. The Rams have no one to stop Jennings, Finley or Nelson and no one on offense to keep up. This has the looks of a major blowout. My pick: Packers.
- Steelers vs. Jags. Big Ben hobbled into last week’s game and threw 5 touchdowns. The Jags are terrible. This game may be close but there is no way the Jags win. My pick: Steelers.
- Raiders vs. Browns. First home game for Oakland since the passing of Al Davis, for what that is worth. The Raiders are the better team. My pick: Raiders.
- Bears vs. Vikings: Bears have been the most generous defense against the run (5.7 yards per carry) and the Vikings finally discovered that if they give All Day Adrian Peterson the ball they can win. The Bears defense certainly has the capability of creating big turnovers and scoring, and with Donovan McNabb that is definitely a possibility, but I like Jared Allen to increase his league-leading sacks total against a very susceptible Bears o-line and create havoc for Jake Cutler. My pick: Vikings.
- Jets vs. Dolphins: Like I said earlier, the Jets are self-destructing amid a 3-game losing streak, and they Dolphins are coming off a bye. But with Marshall potentially sabotaging the Dolphins and Matt Moore making his first start of the year, it’s too hard to pick against Gang Green. My pick: Jets.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Week 5 Power Report
Week 5 is Statement Sunday, and it was a rough week for "surprise" 3-1 teams that could have made a statement. Bucs get blown out, Giants give a game away at home, Texans lost to the Raiders, and Titans get pounded by an injured Steelers team.
No Stats o' the Week. Let me know if you have one.
There were a lot of crazy awesome catches though. Here's a video.
Here's a great article that should make you laugh out loud.
Power Report
1. Packers. Gave up two long drives to start the game and then shut down the Falcons the rest of the game.
2. Patriots. Nothing like a game against the Jets to get the defense and ground game back on track.
3. Saints. Offense is firing on all cylinders.
4. Lions. Can’t wait for Thanksgiving, when the Lions meet the Packers. A lot can happen before then. Lions offense and defense is Top 10.
5. Ravens
6. 49ers. Another dominating performance by the defense. Alex Smith’s QB rating is 104.
7. Chargers. 4-1, racking up lots of unimpressive wins. Too many turnovers.
8. Raiders. McFadden held to 3.2 ypc, Jason Campbell completed less than 50% of his passes, offense outgained by 200, and they still come up with the emotional win to honor Al Davis.
9. Bills. Fred Jackson has become an MVP candidate.
10. Texans. Coach Kubiak, about the season-ending injury to star player Mario Williams: “I feel so bad for Mario, because he’s such a heck of a player.” He also feels so bad because without Big Mario, Kubiak will lose his job.
11. Steelers. Just when I leave them for dead, Big Ben throws 5 touchdowns and the Steelers blow out the Titans.
12. Cowboys
13. Giants. GMen take the first major upset of the season. Is Big Blue the worst good team in the NFL or the best bad team?
14. Redskins. Good week for them as they gain a game on the Giants and Eagles without playing.
15. Titans. Major letdown in a statement game. A week off to think about it, then a big division showdown against the Texans.
16. Bears. Matt Forte had another big day, but Jay Cutler has nobody to throw to. This is the least talented group of receivers in the NFL.
17. Buccaneers. It’s a long flight back from San Francisco. And after giving up 48 points to Alex Smith and the 49ers, have fun with Drew Brees next week.
18. Jets. 7 of 11 offensive possessions were 3 and out (3 plays and punt), and this was against the #32 ranked defense. Allowed BenJarvus Green-Ellis a career high in rushing. A Rex Ryan defense allowed a 300 yard passer and 100 yard runner in a game for first time since 1995. Other than a terrible offense and average defense…?
19. Falcons. After the first two drives of the game the Falcons mustered 111 yards the rest of the game, getting outscored 25-0 at home.
20. Seahawks. Heading into their bye the ‘Hawks are a missed long field goal away from a 3-game winning streak.
21. Eagles. The offensive line, defense, and coaching blunders have buried them.
22. Bengals. Already at more wins than anyone could have guessed.
23. Chiefs. Nice comeback win against a Colts team that was supposed to have a decent defense. Matt Cassell hads 7 TD/1 INT in the last 3 games.
24. Browns
25. Vikings. McNabb 21 passes : Adrian Peterson 29 carries = a Vikings win.
26. Panthers. New game, same story: Cam looks good and the Panthers lose their 4th game by 7 or less.
27. Broncos. With Orton the Broncos are completely lifeless. Tim Tebow adds a little spark, at least. Kyle Orton is a better quarterback but Tim Tebow is a playmaker, the only one on the Broncos, and he gives them the best chance to win.
28. Cardinals. Since their Opening Day win over the Panthers they have lost 4 straight to the Redskins, Seahawks, Giants, and Vikings, and Kevin Kolb looks terrible.
29. Dolphins
30. Jaguars. Their last play
31. Rams. Bring on the Packers.
32. Colts. When you have a 17 point lead against a bad team, you have to average better than 2.9 yards a carry.
No Stats o' the Week. Let me know if you have one.
There were a lot of crazy awesome catches though. Here's a video.
Here's a great article that should make you laugh out loud.
Power Report
1. Packers. Gave up two long drives to start the game and then shut down the Falcons the rest of the game.
2. Patriots. Nothing like a game against the Jets to get the defense and ground game back on track.
3. Saints. Offense is firing on all cylinders.
4. Lions. Can’t wait for Thanksgiving, when the Lions meet the Packers. A lot can happen before then. Lions offense and defense is Top 10.
5. Ravens
6. 49ers. Another dominating performance by the defense. Alex Smith’s QB rating is 104.
7. Chargers. 4-1, racking up lots of unimpressive wins. Too many turnovers.
8. Raiders. McFadden held to 3.2 ypc, Jason Campbell completed less than 50% of his passes, offense outgained by 200, and they still come up with the emotional win to honor Al Davis.
9. Bills. Fred Jackson has become an MVP candidate.
10. Texans. Coach Kubiak, about the season-ending injury to star player Mario Williams: “I feel so bad for Mario, because he’s such a heck of a player.” He also feels so bad because without Big Mario, Kubiak will lose his job.
11. Steelers. Just when I leave them for dead, Big Ben throws 5 touchdowns and the Steelers blow out the Titans.
12. Cowboys
13. Giants. GMen take the first major upset of the season. Is Big Blue the worst good team in the NFL or the best bad team?
14. Redskins. Good week for them as they gain a game on the Giants and Eagles without playing.
15. Titans. Major letdown in a statement game. A week off to think about it, then a big division showdown against the Texans.
16. Bears. Matt Forte had another big day, but Jay Cutler has nobody to throw to. This is the least talented group of receivers in the NFL.
17. Buccaneers. It’s a long flight back from San Francisco. And after giving up 48 points to Alex Smith and the 49ers, have fun with Drew Brees next week.
18. Jets. 7 of 11 offensive possessions were 3 and out (3 plays and punt), and this was against the #32 ranked defense. Allowed BenJarvus Green-Ellis a career high in rushing. A Rex Ryan defense allowed a 300 yard passer and 100 yard runner in a game for first time since 1995. Other than a terrible offense and average defense…?
19. Falcons. After the first two drives of the game the Falcons mustered 111 yards the rest of the game, getting outscored 25-0 at home.
20. Seahawks. Heading into their bye the ‘Hawks are a missed long field goal away from a 3-game winning streak.
21. Eagles. The offensive line, defense, and coaching blunders have buried them.
22. Bengals. Already at more wins than anyone could have guessed.
23. Chiefs. Nice comeback win against a Colts team that was supposed to have a decent defense. Matt Cassell hads 7 TD/1 INT in the last 3 games.
24. Browns
25. Vikings. McNabb 21 passes : Adrian Peterson 29 carries = a Vikings win.
26. Panthers. New game, same story: Cam looks good and the Panthers lose their 4th game by 7 or less.
27. Broncos. With Orton the Broncos are completely lifeless. Tim Tebow adds a little spark, at least. Kyle Orton is a better quarterback but Tim Tebow is a playmaker, the only one on the Broncos, and he gives them the best chance to win.
28. Cardinals. Since their Opening Day win over the Panthers they have lost 4 straight to the Redskins, Seahawks, Giants, and Vikings, and Kevin Kolb looks terrible.
29. Dolphins
30. Jaguars. Their last play
31. Rams. Bring on the Packers.
32. Colts. When you have a 17 point lead against a bad team, you have to average better than 2.9 yards a carry.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Week 5 Preview
I missed last week and this is coming out late again, but here goes:
Last week the Chiefs left the ranks of the winless. The Vikings and Colts are in position now as the 0-4 Dolphins and Rams get a week off. The Lions and Packers are the only remaining teams without a loss and both face good tests against Chicago and in Atlanta.
As we are now 1/4 of the way through the season, here are my updated predictions for the playoffs.
NFC:
Packers, Saints, Cowboys, 49ers, Lions, Buccaneers
AFC:
Patriots, Ravens, Chargers, Texans, Titans, Raiders
Key Matchups
1. Patriots vs. Jets: so yeah, this is a big rivalry. If the Jets lose and go to 2-3 it will be hard to make the playoffs.
2. Falcons vs. Packers: Rematch of the playoff game last year where the top seed 13-3 Falcons got blown out at home.
3. Bills vs. Eagles: Philly is desperate at 1-3, Bills are trying to prove they are for real at 3-1.
4. Lions vs. Bears (Monday Night Football): looks to be a great game.
5. 49ers vs. Buccaneers. Bucs may be a better team but they are traveling 3000 miles west in this matchup of two 3-1 teams.
Upset Alert
Broncos over Chargers
Raiders over Texans
Stone Cold Picks (last time 2-2, to date 6-6)
- Titans over Steelers. Steelers are really banged up and old and the Titans look pretty sharp. I like this matchup for the Titans to show that they are a contender in the AFC.
- Patriots over Jets. Time for Gang Green to panic.
- Bengals over Jaguars. Strange pick, but I really don't like the Jaguars.
- Colts over Chiefs. Indy finally gets their first win of the season.
The Rest of the Games (last week 13-3, to date 36-15)
- Eagles over Bills
- Bucs over 49ers
- Giants over Seahawks (Eliminator lock)
- Vikings over Cardinals
- Saints over Packers
- Texans over Raiders
- Chargers over Broncos
- Packers over Falcons
- Lions over Bears
Last week the Chiefs left the ranks of the winless. The Vikings and Colts are in position now as the 0-4 Dolphins and Rams get a week off. The Lions and Packers are the only remaining teams without a loss and both face good tests against Chicago and in Atlanta.
As we are now 1/4 of the way through the season, here are my updated predictions for the playoffs.
NFC:
Packers, Saints, Cowboys, 49ers, Lions, Buccaneers
AFC:
Patriots, Ravens, Chargers, Texans, Titans, Raiders
Key Matchups
1. Patriots vs. Jets: so yeah, this is a big rivalry. If the Jets lose and go to 2-3 it will be hard to make the playoffs.
2. Falcons vs. Packers: Rematch of the playoff game last year where the top seed 13-3 Falcons got blown out at home.
3. Bills vs. Eagles: Philly is desperate at 1-3, Bills are trying to prove they are for real at 3-1.
4. Lions vs. Bears (Monday Night Football): looks to be a great game.
5. 49ers vs. Buccaneers. Bucs may be a better team but they are traveling 3000 miles west in this matchup of two 3-1 teams.
Upset Alert
Broncos over Chargers
Raiders over Texans
Stone Cold Picks (last time 2-2, to date 6-6)
- Titans over Steelers. Steelers are really banged up and old and the Titans look pretty sharp. I like this matchup for the Titans to show that they are a contender in the AFC.
- Patriots over Jets. Time for Gang Green to panic.
- Bengals over Jaguars. Strange pick, but I really don't like the Jaguars.
- Colts over Chiefs. Indy finally gets their first win of the season.
The Rest of the Games (last week 13-3, to date 36-15)
- Eagles over Bills
- Bucs over 49ers
- Giants over Seahawks (Eliminator lock)
- Vikings over Cardinals
- Saints over Packers
- Texans over Raiders
- Chargers over Broncos
- Packers over Falcons
- Lions over Bears
your overdue rant
As a die-hard Yankees fan, this was quite the roller coaster year. Considering how strange it was for them to be under the radar because of all the Red Sox hype, they did well winning 97 games and the AL East. Nova and Robertson brought great excitement and bright futures. Granderson and Cano led the way with the bat. Rivera did what he does best.
Then there was A-Rod, too gimpy to do anything, incapable of playing more than five days a week. Mark Teixeira, who didn't have one month where he hit at least .270. Russell Martin is a favorite of the rotation, but his hitting declined for the 5th straight season. Swisher, Gardner, and Jeter were hot and cold. Rafael Soriano did his best Carl Pavano impression, missing half the season with a phantom injury. Phil Hughes and A.J. Burnett were dreadful. Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon had nice starts but the final results were sub-par.
And when it mattered most, August/September/October, Sabathia couldn't get a win. The bullpen turned Evan Longoria, Dan Johnson, and Jacoby Ellsbury into legendary heroes. Swisher, A-Rod, and Teixeira couldn't get a hit, floundering in the most crucial moments.
The biggest confirmation I gained from this season was how special those 1998 New York Yankees were, the greatest TEAM of all time. They weren't stacked with perennial All-Stars, big-name celebrities snatched off the free agent market after a bidding war. The team was led by home-grown talent, smaller-named free agent heroes, clutch and impact players on the bench, intelligent and solid winners in the rotation, and a great bullpen.
- Bernie Williams, Tino Martinez, Jeter, Posada, Scott Brosius, Chuck Knaublach, Chad Curtis, Darryl Strawberry, Shane Spencer, Tim Raines, Homer Bush, and Chili Davis
- David Cone, Andy Pettitte, David Wells, Orlando Hernandez, Ramiro Mendoza
- Mariano Rivera, Graeme Lloyd, Jeff Nelson, Mike Stanton
Two years later (2000) the Yankees had practically the same team on the field (with additions of Roger Clemens, David Justice, and Alfonso Soriano; thank you, I'll take them all). Is it any wonder this team won 3 straight World Series, 4 out of 5, and made it to Game 7 in the 6th year?
This year the team was stuck with ARod (six more years!), Burnett (two more years!), Tex and Swisher (AWOL in the postseason, every postseason), Jeter (great player, but he's 37 and the last time he had a big hit was about 8 years ago), and a patchwork pitching staff full of hopefuls (AJ Burnett: two more years!).
I root for the Yankees to win the World Series but am I surprised that they lost a first round matchup? No. This is not a great team and they have few heroes left.
What I vote for moving forward:
- If C.C. Sabathia opts out and wants a raise, don't make another Alex-Rodriguez'-size mistake.
- Go after C.J. Wilson instead.
- Give Eduardo Nunez an opportunity to play everyday.
- If Hughes can't keep his velocity up, move him to the bullpen and make room for the young Yankees' in the minors.
- Keep Jesus Montero in the lineup.
- Give Brett Gardner a chance to be the best leadoff hitter in the league.
I'm sick of all the fuel the front office keeps giving Yankee haters. ARod and his bad contract are here forever. Jeter is overpaid and replaceable. Burnett is a liability. Rafael Soriano is a a 7th inning guy getting paid $12M. C.C. Sabathia is a workhorse, but he's a fat workhorse with a ton of mileage on his arm and will likely ask for more than his largest contract ever for a pitcher. The Yankees' bench is nonexistent. Rotation depth is very shallow. A high payroll guarantees that they will be competitive but it does NOT guarantee success once you get to the postseason.
Where are the heroes? Who is the replacement for Scott Brosius, Paul O'Neill, Bernie Williams, and Tino Martinez? Robinson Cano can't do it all himself. They had some heroes in Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui but they gave them away. Who in the rotation has the heart of David Cone, El Duque, or Pettitte?
I'm a die-hard Yankees fan, but the management has forgotten how they became a dynasty. And it's been so long you can't blame them.
** The one consolation from the end of the season is that the Yankees were far from having the greatest meltdown. Those honors go to:
1. Red Sox: best team for the middle four months, dreadful when it mattered most.
2. Phillies: take that Cliff Lee. (He would look much better in pinstripes).
3. Braves: owned the greatest collapse in baseball history for about 15 minutes.
4. Giants: had a 4 game lead on July 28 and made a deal acquiring the best trade-deadline hitter Carlos Beltran, only to finish 8 games behind the Dbacks.
(By the way, if C.C. doesn't opt out and keeps his contract, I'll love him for the next four years.)
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Week 4 Power Report
The craziest thing I've seen this season is how many huge leads have been squandered; or in other words, how many huge deficits have been overcome. This week we saw the Eagles let a 23-3 lead in the fourth quarter at home get away against Alex Smith and the 49ers. The Cowboys lost a home game they had a 27-3 lead in the second half to the Lions, a week after the Lions came back from 20-0 in Minnesota. After the Bills had two huge comeback wins against the Raiders and Patriots they yielded a 2-touchdown halftime lead.
The way teams refuse to hand the ball off and stay with the air game when they have a lead is creating opportunity for these colossal collapses. Why is Tony Romo throwing the ball on first down in the 2nd half with a 24 point lead? How do the Vikings lose three big second half leads when they have All Day Adrian Peterson on the field? Coaches and quarterbacks need to back off and go with what they've been trained to do for their entire careers, and that is keeping the ball on the ground, despite the disproportional passing statistics we've seen this year.
Stats o’ the Week
5 – Returns for touchdowns in the Jets/Ravens game (defensive and special teams)
19 – Plays in the Texans’ opening drive against the Steelers.
61 – Pass attempts by Colt McCoy this week
205 – Rushing yards by Matt Forte
Power Rankings
There are a ton of bad teams this year. Only four are winless, but the Jaguars, Chiefs, Seahawks, Broncos, and Panthers are dreadful, too. The group at the top is also getting smaller each week. And the group of average or disappointing teams is growing.
Top 6
1. Packers. Aaron Rodgers is the MVP of the first quarter of the season.
2. Patriots. The defense yields a little less than 50% success rate on 3rd downs, but at least the offense completes over half their third downs. Wes Welker is on pace for 2400 yards receiving. Tom Brady had 500+ passing yards in Week 1, 400+ in Week 2, 300+ in Week 3, and 200+ this week. Can the Jets continue the trend and limit him to under 200? I wouldn’t count on it.
3. Saints.
4. Lions. Calvin Johnson has two touchdowns in all 4 games this season.
5. Ravens. Mark Sanchez is having nightmares of black jerseys in his face.
6. Texans. Their best player Andre Johnson is hurt but at least it comes at a good time now that Arian Foster looks like he is healthy and back on track.
Muddy Middle
7. Bears. Those rushing yards by Matt Forte come a week after a 2 yard total.
8. Bucs. Looks like Freeman and Blount are back on track as the Bucs have won 3 in a row. Hard to understand how the defense gave up so many huge passing plays to Curtis Paynter.
9. Giants. The GMen avoid an embarrassing loss as Eli takes over the game in the 4th quarter. Eli is 3rd in quarterback rating, behind only Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady.
10. Chargers. Alone in first place and a matchup in Denver next week.
11. Raiders. 508 yards of offense, but if Jason Campbell is throwing more than Tom Brady then they are not pounding the ground game enough and will lose.
12. Titans. Chris Johnson finally breaks 100 yards. Nice opportunity next week to finally beat a banged-up Steelers team.
13. Cowboys. How exactly do the Dallas Cowboys blow a 24 point second half lead at home? Only Tony Romo could find a way.
14. Jets. Joe McKnight has returned a blocked punt and a kickoff for touchdowns this season.
15. 49ers. Only division leader with a two-game cushion. Next two opponents are 7-1.
16. Steelers.
17. Eagles. Despite the collapse, Vick had nearly 500 yards of total offense.
18. Bills. Sorry, but I told you I’d drop them here if they lose to the Bengals.
19. Redskins.
20. Falcons. Sheesh, they let a 20 point second half lead to the lowly Seahawks squander enough that a last minute long field goal could have won the game.
21. Bengals. Bengals are the surprising top-ranked defense in yardage.
22. Cardinals.
23. Browns. Colt McCoy’s 350 passing yards may be the most overrated stat in history. He made 61 passes and the Browns only scored 13 points.
Terrible Teams
24. Broncos. Tebow time? Why not?
25. Panthers
26. Seahawks
27. Chiefs
28. Vikings. Pretty sad that the first game where they never really had a lead they could blow was to the Chiefs.
29. Dolphins
30. Rams. Getting killed by a brutal opening schedule.
31. Colts. At least they are competitive.
32. Jaguars. For those of you who understand ESPN’s new stat Total Quarterback Rating, the Jags have a combined total of 33.1 in the last 3 games. The Titans’ Matt Hasselback has topped 90 twice in that span.
The way teams refuse to hand the ball off and stay with the air game when they have a lead is creating opportunity for these colossal collapses. Why is Tony Romo throwing the ball on first down in the 2nd half with a 24 point lead? How do the Vikings lose three big second half leads when they have All Day Adrian Peterson on the field? Coaches and quarterbacks need to back off and go with what they've been trained to do for their entire careers, and that is keeping the ball on the ground, despite the disproportional passing statistics we've seen this year.
Stats o’ the Week
5 – Returns for touchdowns in the Jets/Ravens game (defensive and special teams)
19 – Plays in the Texans’ opening drive against the Steelers.
61 – Pass attempts by Colt McCoy this week
205 – Rushing yards by Matt Forte
Power Rankings
There are a ton of bad teams this year. Only four are winless, but the Jaguars, Chiefs, Seahawks, Broncos, and Panthers are dreadful, too. The group at the top is also getting smaller each week. And the group of average or disappointing teams is growing.
Top 6
1. Packers. Aaron Rodgers is the MVP of the first quarter of the season.
2. Patriots. The defense yields a little less than 50% success rate on 3rd downs, but at least the offense completes over half their third downs. Wes Welker is on pace for 2400 yards receiving. Tom Brady had 500+ passing yards in Week 1, 400+ in Week 2, 300+ in Week 3, and 200+ this week. Can the Jets continue the trend and limit him to under 200? I wouldn’t count on it.
3. Saints.
4. Lions. Calvin Johnson has two touchdowns in all 4 games this season.
5. Ravens. Mark Sanchez is having nightmares of black jerseys in his face.
6. Texans. Their best player Andre Johnson is hurt but at least it comes at a good time now that Arian Foster looks like he is healthy and back on track.
Muddy Middle
7. Bears. Those rushing yards by Matt Forte come a week after a 2 yard total.
8. Bucs. Looks like Freeman and Blount are back on track as the Bucs have won 3 in a row. Hard to understand how the defense gave up so many huge passing plays to Curtis Paynter.
9. Giants. The GMen avoid an embarrassing loss as Eli takes over the game in the 4th quarter. Eli is 3rd in quarterback rating, behind only Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady.
10. Chargers. Alone in first place and a matchup in Denver next week.
11. Raiders. 508 yards of offense, but if Jason Campbell is throwing more than Tom Brady then they are not pounding the ground game enough and will lose.
12. Titans. Chris Johnson finally breaks 100 yards. Nice opportunity next week to finally beat a banged-up Steelers team.
13. Cowboys. How exactly do the Dallas Cowboys blow a 24 point second half lead at home? Only Tony Romo could find a way.
14. Jets. Joe McKnight has returned a blocked punt and a kickoff for touchdowns this season.
15. 49ers. Only division leader with a two-game cushion. Next two opponents are 7-1.
16. Steelers.
17. Eagles. Despite the collapse, Vick had nearly 500 yards of total offense.
18. Bills. Sorry, but I told you I’d drop them here if they lose to the Bengals.
19. Redskins.
20. Falcons. Sheesh, they let a 20 point second half lead to the lowly Seahawks squander enough that a last minute long field goal could have won the game.
21. Bengals. Bengals are the surprising top-ranked defense in yardage.
22. Cardinals.
23. Browns. Colt McCoy’s 350 passing yards may be the most overrated stat in history. He made 61 passes and the Browns only scored 13 points.
Terrible Teams
24. Broncos. Tebow time? Why not?
25. Panthers
26. Seahawks
27. Chiefs
28. Vikings. Pretty sad that the first game where they never really had a lead they could blow was to the Chiefs.
29. Dolphins
30. Rams. Getting killed by a brutal opening schedule.
31. Colts. At least they are competitive.
32. Jaguars. For those of you who understand ESPN’s new stat Total Quarterback Rating, the Jags have a combined total of 33.1 in the last 3 games. The Titans’ Matt Hasselback has topped 90 twice in that span.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
