TheSportsWatchers.com

Vince Young is Better....But Why?

2009-11-30T09:32:00.001-05:00

I know that I come across as the ultimate Vince Young lover, but I must continue to address this issue, because when Vince Young was out of favor with the media, they bashed him like nobody’s business.

But oh, how the tables have turned! Analysts, hosts and all sports personalities (except for Collin Cowherd) are impressed with Vince Young’s 5-0 return to the quarterback position.

However, there is something that bothers me when it comes to the media’s sudden infatuation with VY. All of a sudden, his success is being attributed to his “maturity” as a person. Now, I don’t claim to know Vince Young personally, and I certainly can’t attest to who does know him and who doesn’t. But I do know one thing; attributing all of Young’s success to his newfound “maturity” is essentially saying that he was immature before, and that somehow, that immaturity was a detriment to his team.

And when it comes to such a notion, I beg to differ.

Sorry, guys, but this “maturity’ thing falls flat on its face. First of all, Vince Young has always won. His so-called “immaturity” prior to this season did not seem to affect his team’s ability to win football games. He had an 18-11 record coming into this season, which is something a lot of franchises would die for right now. Yes, he threw more interceptions than touchdowns, but that is something that, as a former football player, I would attribute to his experience rather than some off-the-field notion of his “maturity” level.

Secondly, when was Vince Young so immature? Are we talking about when he reportedly considered suicide? Last time I checked, thoughts of suicide are often attributed to mental imbalances or psychological issues, not a person’s “maturity” level. Plenty of well-known, mature people have committed suicide, included elected officials whose lives are picked apart and prodded before they ever take office. So if the notion behind essentially calling Young immature prior to this season comes from his momentary contemplation of suicide, then that is the most blasphemous thing I have ever heard before in my life—well, not really, but hyperbole is in order here.

Lastly, the same people saying that Vince Young came into this season more prepared and more mature because of being benched and in light of Steve McNair’s tragic death, are the same people that were ripping or laughing at him when he said in an interview that he believes he will one day be in the Hall of Fame. Many of those same people called him naïve, silly and of course, immature. But now that he’s winning games and throwing more touchdown passes than interceptions, he has morphed into a “mature” being in just a matter of weeks.

In the words of Chris Carter, “Come on, man!” I don’t know what Vince Young has to do to earn some respect around here, but let me be one of the first to give credit where credit is due.

Young is not better because all of a sudden he has this newfound maturity, he’s better because he has more experience, and he’s no longer a rookie or sophomore player trying to learn the little details of the game.

Maturity is about adapting to circumstances in an appropriate manner, but Vince Young has always done that. He did that at Texas, he did that his rookie year, and he did that when he took his team to the playoffs in 2007.

Now he’s just building upon those experiences and growing as a football player, not as some adolescent teen that doesn’t think saying penis is funny any more. So to hell with maturity! Young’s success is due to experience and his ability to build upon it. Anyone who tells you otherwise—well, just tell them a penis joke.

Monday Night Football Prediction: New England Patriots at New Orleans Saints

2009-11-28T10:05:00.002-05:00

Well, it is the game of the week, and ESPN was lucky enough to get this game as part of their Monday Night Football package. But as anticipated this game is between two Super Bowl contenders, the question is, will the players live up to the hype?

New England Patriots on Offense

Tom Brady, Quarterback
There’s no reason to doubt the Golden Boy in this contest. The New Orleans Saints defense isn’t exactly the stoutest passing defense in the NFL. In fact, the Saints passing defense is mediocre at best, ranking 15th among the NFL’s 32 football teams. The Saints have however held opposing quarterbacks to a 57.8 quarterback rating, but most of that is due to the fact that they held their opponents to 9 touchdown passes and 20 interceptions. I doubt they can force Brady into a lot of mistakes, and when the Saints aren’t forcing interceptions, teams have managed to eat their secondary up.

Pats Running Backs
I’m not even going to talk about one single rusher, because they really are doing it by committee. Starting with Laurence Maroney, who has looked quite good as of late. He should have some success running against a Saints defense that isn’t that big up front. The Saints are currently giving up 115 rushing yards per game (20th in the NFL), and they are allowing 4.6 yards per carry, and things could get ugly for the Saints if they can’t stop the run with 7 or 6 men in the box. As for Kevin Faulk, he is really going to be a tough guard for the Saints. Knowing the Patriots, they are probably going to run the ball with him more than usual in order to defend against opposing teams’ nature to prepare for the pass when Faulk is in the game.

Randy Moss & Wes Welker, Wide Receivers
This combination is going to be killer in Monday Night’s football game. I really don’t see how the Saints can match up with them given that they don’t have a cornerback that they can trust to cover Moss single-handedly. That means they have to double him for most of the game, which should leave Wes Welker wide open. That also means that the Saints will have to slow down their tendency to blitz, which is essentially what has propelled their defense all season long. To be honest, I don’t know how the Saints are going to approach this game given their personnel, but it will be interesting to see.

The New Orleans Saints on Offense

Drew Brees, Quarterback
As good as Brady has it on his side of the ball, Brees may have an even better chance of excelling in this Monday Night showdown. Yes, the Patriots are 6th against the pass, but they were diced up by Peyton Manning, seemingly with no answer whatsoever. Brees has been very Peyton Manning like this season, so it wouldn’t surprise me if he takes advantage of some of the same things Manning did in Monday Night’s game. One of those things is going to the big wide receiver on the outside, and working off that. So expect Brees to establish Marques Colston early on, and then spread the ball around as the Patriots try to take Colston away. That should open up the field and bewilder the Patriots just enough to get the big plays that the Colts produced a couple weeks ago, as well as the plays the Saints are very accustomed to making.

Pierre Thomas, Running Back
It appears as if Thomas has emerged as the “go-to” back in the Saints backfield—and for good reason. Thomas is great between the tackles and he has the dual-threat ability of catching the ball out of the backfield. Thomas is coming off a 92-yard effort in just 11 carries last week, and he has 3 total touchdowns in his last 4 games. The Patriots on the other hand are struggling with the stopping the run. They rank only 14th against the run, but even worse, they are allowing 4.4 yards per carry. Thus, it is very likely that Thomas could be a big part of the Saints attack Monday Night, and he could be the key to a Saints victory.

Marques Colston, Wide Receiver
Colston is going to be the object of the Patriots focus. The Patriots are going to do their best to take him out of the game and make Brees go to other wide receivers. While one might think that doesn’t matter to a balanced attack like the Saints—well, one would be wrong. Colston is the player that the passing game revolves around, and if he isn’t getting the ball, the Saints offense probably isn’t moving as efficiently as it should. Because Bill Belichick will do everything he can to take Colston out of the contest, I don’t think Colston will have the best of games, but I do think he’ll have those key catches to keep the Saints offense on schedule.

Monday Night Football Prediction: Patriots at Saints (-1.5)

I definitely like the Saints to win this game. I have no idea how their defense is going to stop the Patriots on offense, but I do imagine that they will blitz and take a lot of risks. Some teams have been very successful pressuring the Patriots, so I’ll put my money on that working again this Monday Night. So, I’m taking the Saints and I will give 1.5 points.

Saints defeat Patriots, 35-31

NFL Predictions Week 12: New York Giants at Denver Broncos

2009-11-25T12:20:00.003-05:00

New York Giants (-7) at Denver Broncos
The Giants and Broncos will face off Thanksgiving night in what I believe is a must win for both teams!

That’s right! You heard it here first! The loser of this game is not going to make the playoffs.

So how will each team avoid this disastrous fate that we have laid out for the loser?

Here is our break down and prediction of this Week 12 prime time matchup.

The Giants Offense

Eli Manning, Quarterback – The Broncos secondary has not been impressive as of late. After starting off the year in dominating fashion, it seems as if every corner on the Broncos team has been taken to the woodshed. The necessary addition of Ty Law from free agency speaks volumes about how embattled their secondary is right now. That’s why I don’t expect Manning to have much trouble finding the open wide receiver and converting on big plays. Right now, the Giants wide receiving core goes about 4-deep, while the Broncos cornerbacks go about 3-deep at best. This should give the Giants the edge on the outside, so as long as the offensive line can keep Elvis Dumervil off of Eli, Manning ought to have a stellar day behind center.

Brandon Jacobs, Running Back – Jacobs has not been the force that we grew accustomed to over the past few seasons. He averaged 5.0 yards per carry last year, and 5.0 yards per carry the season before that. This year, he is averaging a mere 4.0 yards per rushing attempt, and he only has 3 rushing touchdowns on the season. His decline is why the Giants went from the best rushing team in football last year to the 7th best this season. But Week 12 represents a tremendous opportunity for Jacobs to bounce back and have big game. The Broncos are a smallish team up front, and if the offensive line can lean on them, they should tire easily. A tired defensive line certainly can’t tackle Brandon Jacobs, so I expect his Thanksgiving to be very prosperous.

Steve Smith, Wide Receiver – When the Giants were at their best this season, they were getting Steve Smith the ball. Granted, they were doing more of that because they had to abandon a weak running game, but Smith was very effective and was looking like a #1 wide receiver in was crucial in each of the Giants early-season wins. Against this beat up secondary of the Broncos that is allowing teams to complete an extremely high percentage of their passes, Smith should have no problem getting open underneath and catching passes for 1st downs. The deep ball may not be there, but the Broncos just seem to have trouble guarding the short stuff.

The Broncos Offense

Kyle Orton, Quarterback – I am assuming that Orton is starting since he finished the day last week. But can we really expect him to come through on a short week, unable to nurse his ankle injury for little more than a few days. Ultimately, I believe that injury will affect Orton’s ability to drop back and throw the ball in a timely fashion. It’s also likely to take the Broncos out of their “wild horses” offense, which they have had some success with this year. And if he can’t move around, he’s going to be a sitting duck against a New York Giants defensive line that has the ability to swarm the quarterback if they get their mojo going. Now, the Giants pass rush really hasn’t been there in recent weeks, but sitting duck for a quarterback may wake up the beasts.

Knowshon Moreno, Running Back – Moreno hasn’t exactly knocked anyone socks off this year. Outside of a few special plays, he has done little to impress the outside world, and his fumble near the goal line was not a good look. However, with Antonio Pierce iffy, and with the Giants as a whole looking quite suspect, there is a good possibility that Moreno could be in for a stellar performance on Thanksgiving night. The Giants only rank 11th against the run and are giving up 4.3 yards a clip. The Giants have also allowed 14 rushing touchdowns this season, which is tied for 3rd most in the league. It suffices to say, if there is an area where the Giants can make headway, it’s in the rushing game, and they are going to have to depend on the rookie to do it.

Brandon Marshall, Wide Receiver – Marshall has not been utilized to the best of his abilities this season. While he has had some awesome games, it just doesn’t seem like Marshall is the go-to guy in critical situations. In 2008, Marshall had the 4th most catches for first downs. This year, he ranks 23rd in that category, and it’s getting worse each and every week. If ever there was a game to exploit Marshall’s talent, it’s this one, because the Giants don’t have anyone that can cover Marshall one-on-one. However, Marshall just isn’t the focal point of this offense that he needs to be, and I don’t think he will see the ball enough to make a difference in this game.

My NFL Week 12 Prediction:

The Giants win this game, easily. The Broncos, unfortunately, have fallen off the face of the earth. As Bill Parcells would say, you are what your record is, and the Broncos have lost 4 games in a row. Until they get off that slide, there’s no way I can pick them, especially with an ailing quarterback. So I like the Giants to get the win on the road, and they should cover the 7 points they’re giving Denver.

TheSportsWatchers Radio Show! - We're Back!

2009-11-25T11:28:00.003-05:00

In case you missed it, TheSportsWatchers Radio Show is back.

We went on the air yesterday and talked extensively about the NFL playoff picture, Vince Young’s return and several other hot sports topics.

Check out the latest episode by clicking here, or listening to the player below.

Is This A Must Win for the New York Giants?

2009-11-25T08:51:00.003-05:00

Many people might think that tomorrow night’s game between the New York Giants and the Denver Broncos isn’t a must win for either of these 6-4 teams. However, with the Broncos reeling faster than Citibank stock, there’s no question they have to improve upon their 6-4 record if they want to keep pace with the San Diego Chargers.

As for the Giants—well, they have to win this game, because a loss puts them in 3rd place in the NFC East and in the backseat in a highly-contested wildcard race.

At the top of the NFC East, the Dallas Cowboys have a 7-3 record, and will probably be 8-3 after their Thanksgiving Day romp against the Oakland Raiders tomorrow. If that’s the case, the Giants have little room for error come 8:30 tomorrow night, when they kick off against the Broncos—in Denver. A loss to Denver would put the Giants 2 games behind the Cowboys, and a half-game back in the wildcard race. With the Eagles favored over the Redskins at home, and with the Packers playing the Lions earlier in the day, the Giants could be a game back of the wildcard, with 5 games to play.

Now, I know what you’re saying, “That’s not all that bad.”

But in this particular scenario, a game back with 5 games to play could end the Giants season.

While the Giants still face all 3 of the NFC East teams, they have to play all 3 teams in a row. That’s a difficult task to handle, especially when the 3rd of those games is on the road. So with the Denver game on Thursday, followed by the Cowboys in Week 13, the Eagles in Week 14 and the Redskins in Week 15, it’s pretty hard to give the Giants an automatic win. Even giving them a win over the Skins is difficult to do, because the Giants will be coming off two hard-fought games against division rivals.

Thus, even Giants fans would be happy with a 2-1 record against their NFC East gauntlet. But that 1-loss is crucial, especially when the Packers and the Eagles hold tiebreakers over the Giants. You throw in a loss to the Broncos tomorrow, and it’s hard to imagine the Giants getting into the playoff with 6 losses, the tiebreaker withstanding.

While I don’t often like to be one of those guys proclaiming each and every NFL game crucial to the entire outcome of the season, I do believe that if the Giants lose this game to the Broncos, they are going to look back and say that this was the game that cost them a spot in the playoffs.

Heck, it’s going to be hard for the New York Giant to make the playoffs even with a win tomorrow, because they barely control their own destiny. So it’s my suggestion that they get this “easier” win while they can, because their next 3 weeks of football are going to be the toughest 3 weeks of the season, and the Giants don’t want to go into that already scathed.

NFL Overtime: It Sucks, Let's Change It

2009-11-24T12:28:00.001-05:00

I have heard every rational argument there is for and against the current NFL overtime system.

I know that it seems unfair that one team gets the ball and can win the game on the basis of a coin flip.

On the other hand, I understand that each team already had a legitimate chance to win the game in regulation, so who cares if one team doesn’t touch the ball?

But I’m done with rational thought. Let’s move this argument to where it really belongs: emotional comprehension.

Afterall, this is sports, and personally, I can’t wrap my senses around the idea of one team getting to touch the ball, while the other team doesn’t, and having the game decided in accordance with a coin flip. Ultimately, no one wants to see a Super Bowl decided in that manner, so why should any other game come down to that type of logic?

I don’t care what you say; allowing one team to win a coin toss, drive the ball down field and kick the game-winning field goal is preposterous, no matter how much you argue that the defense has a chance to stop them. What if throughout the entire game, the teams have been moving the ball up and down the field and neither team can stop the other? That would give the team that wins the coin toss the ball and the win, and we would blame the losing team’s defense for the game, even though we know the other team’s defense had no chance of getting a stop either.

So why do so many people make the argument that the defense has an opportunity to stop the other team? Because those people are stupid. In a situation where the offenses are dominating the game, the NFL overtime system would equate to an NBA overtime format in which the first team to score a basket wins.

And the NFL overtime system, as it currently stands, does not defend against such a notion. That’s why last year’s MVP, Peyton Manning, never touched the ball in a playoff game against the San Diego Chargers last year.

And even in a defensive struggle, if such a game goes to overtime, can the defense really be expected to play the exact same way it did during regulation? No coach in their right mind is going to send an all-out blitz in overtime with the same gusto that they would in the 1st quarter. The stakes change in overtime, and it’s just illogical not to employ some added degree of “safe play” into the defensive calls. This is why it is so much easier for a team to drive the ball down the field in overtime.

Teams should be given an equal chance to win the game in overtime. I really don’t care which measure is instituted to make this happen, so long as both team’s get to touch the ball. If that means implementing a college overtime system, then so be it. If it means playing an entire quarter with the stipulation that each team must touch the ball, then so be it. I don’t care.

Collin Cowherd, on the contrary, made the argument that arguing for a fair overtime is silly, if we don’t also argue that the coin toss at the beginning of game’s affects the outcome. On his radio show, Cowherd noted that 10 of 14 teams that scored first this past Sunday, went on to win the game.

Now if that isn’t the dumbest conclusion and evidence argument that I have ever heard.

He was seriously comparing a team winning the coin toss in overtime and going on to win the game, to a team scoring first in regulation and going on to win the game after playing series and series of offense and defense. First of all, those aren’t comparable issues. In regulation, teams score first without winning the coin toss all of the time. Heck a team can score first in the 2nd quarter, so it was a bad comparison from the jump. Also, does Cowherd, and those on his side, not account for the fact that this stat is bias? Isn’t the better team more likely to score first? Meaning that this is kind of a self-fulfilling stat; because the better team is both likely to score first and win the game. Lastly, even if I acknowledge his irrelevant stat, the fact is, if a team scores first in regulation, the other team does have a chance to respond, therefore making it fair! And that’s exactly what we want in overtime.

So let’s just make overtime fair, people. I don’t care how we do it, just do it. I just don’t want to watch another overtime game during the NFL playoffs in which an MVP like Peyton Manning doesn’t even get a chance to step on the field, because he didn’t win some stupid flip of a coin.

Vince Young Wins over Houston and Doubters

2009-11-24T10:26:00.001-05:00

I know I have presented this question before, but after the Tennessee Titans 20-17 win over the Houston Texans last night, I must ask it again: What in the world does Vince Young have to do to get some respect around here?

The man won his 8th game in a row; his 4th win in a row since taking over as starter of the Titans. And yet just prior to the game, there were so many out there questioning him and his ability to be a quarterback in the National Football League.

Well, the doubters have suddenly given way to Vince Young’s latest victory. And while I’m sure there still a sprinkle of people that don’t think Vince Young will continue to have success in the NFL, the consensus appears to have finally turned, and VY is getting his respect.

Of course, it took a 4-game turnaround, 8 wins in a row, and transforming an offense that averaged 14 points per game into an offense that averages 31 points per game for people to give Young some respect, but they’re doing just that now. However, I never understood the doubt in the first place.

Vince Young has never been a loser. Not on any level. While I know that the NFL has seen its fair share of life-long winners and has chewed them up and spit them out of the league, coming into this season, there really was no reason to question whether Young was capable of leading a football team to victory. Coming into the season, Young had a record of 18-11. That averages out to 9.9 wins every 16 games, basically a borderline line playoff team every year, and those numbers include his rookie season!

So why was there every any question about his ability to lead his team?

I really don’t know, because in 2006, Young came into the season late, and took a poor Titans team and went 8-5 with them, nearly making the playoffs. Then in 2007, Young was the starter for the entire season, and the Titans went to the playoffs. Last year, in 2008, Young got the win in the first game, but he was hurt in the same contest. Kerry Collins took over, went 12-0, ultimately leaving Young subject to the bench. Of course, Young’s MIA venture didn’t help, especially when reports surfaced that he may have contemplated suicide. But that was an off the field issue, which seems to have never manifested itself on the field of play, contrary to what others will tell you.

However, people took Young’s brief moment of insanity, for lack of a better term, and turned into something it wasn’t. They said he couldn’t throw from the pocket, wasn’t smart, didn’t work hard enough and didn’t care all that much. Yet, all of that flew in the face of his winning record, and the response his team had every time he walked on to the field. That says to me that people just wanted to see Young fail, because how else could you explain a guy, who has won as many game as he has, getting so much criticism despite being more of a winner than most quarterbacks in the league?

You can’t.

But the tide has turned, and people are jumping on the Vince Young bandwagon. I don’t see what took them so long to get in the vehicle, but the way this ride is going, there are a lot of people who will have plenty of time to atone for their misportrayal of Vince Young.

Fantasy Football Week 12 Projections: Quarterbacks

2009-11-24T09:51:00.000-05:00

There are a lot of good matchups win Week 12, which should provide for some interesting fantasy football breakdowns. Here’s what’s happening with some of the quarterbacks in fantasy football Week 12.

Read More...

NFL Football: NFC Playoff Projections

2009-11-23T08:46:00.002-05:00

As it stands now, a lot of the usual suspects are set to make the NfC playoffs. The question is; will one of the few upstart football teams manage to hold on to their playoff bearings?

In the NFC, there are few surprises at the top of the divisions. The Vikings lead the NFC North, as expected. The Cardinals lead the NFC West, as expected. The Saints were a preseason favorite to win the NFC South. And while people didn’t predict it, nobody would have thought it blasphemous to predict that the Cowboys would be in first place in the NFC East after 10 games.

As for the wildcards, Philly hold one spot as most people had the Eagles in the playoffs. The Packers hold the other spot, a little more surprising, but certainly analysts had high hopes for Aaron Rodgers this season.

Who’s challenging the playoff structure as it stands?

Well, the Giants are tied with Eagles and Packers record-wise, so they are certainly in the mix. And at 5-5, you can’t count the Falcons out quite yet. After that, you’re really hoping, but both the Eagles and the Giants are challenging the Cowboys for the division lead in the NFC East.

Our projections?

Certainly, the Saints, Vikings and Cardinals will win their divisions, as they all hold leads of 3 games or better. However, in the NFC East, I like the Eagles to win it. Full disclosure, I am an Eagles backer, but with the Cowboys offense managing just 7 points yesterday, I don’t think they’re ready to close this season out, and they usually do fade.

So who are the wildcards?

I still think the Cowboys make the playoffs as a wildcard, leaving one wildcard left for the Giants and the Packers. Based on the schedule, it would appear that the Packers have the upper hand, but I think both them and the Giants will have 10 wins. The tiebreaker should go to the Packers, because their only tough games left are against the AFC, while the Giants still have several NFC East opponents to face.

So there you have it. Those are our Week 12 NFC playoff projections. We’ll do the AFC game after tonight’s Monday night clash between Houston and Tennessee.

Charlie Weis, It’s Time for You to Go

2009-11-23T08:30:00.001-05:00

He has held on to his job long enough.

Twice now, Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis has had the records of predecessors that was fired and continued to be allowed to coach the Fighting Irish football program. Two years ago, he had the same record as former head coach Ty Willingham, and remained with the team. This year, he had the same record as Bob Davies, and he continues to have his job.

But after a loss to the UCONN on Saturday, the straw must have finally broken the camel’s back.

Charlie Weis never deserved to be with the team this long. However, I am bias. I never though Ty Willingham got a fair shake in Notre Dame. Had Willingham been received by the Notre Dame faithful with nothing buy respect and fanfare, I would have had no problem with another antiquated school firing their coach way before he had the time to prove himself. However, the issue of race was alive in well throughout Willingham’s welcome, or lack there of, and he was fired at the first sign of mediocrity.

Well, one would say that not making a major bowl game in since the 2005 season is beyond mediocrity for Notre Dame, which is why it astounds me that Weis still has a job and that the Notre Dame faithful has supported him up until recently.

Thus, it makes me very happy to see him on his way out. Not because I have something personal against him, but because previous standards show that he should have been fired long ago. Besides, this is what Notre Dame deserves anyway. They so desperately wanted to see Ty Willingham out, despite him bringing more success to that school than they had seen in quite some time, and now they are just games away from having to let go of another coach and start the rebuilding process all over again.

So long, Charlie! I’m sorry that I’m happy to see you go. But Notre Dame brought this upon themselves when they hired you, and when they fire you, it’s just the culmination of another vicious cycle of lofty expectations for a program in need of lowering expectations.

Nate Robinson Shoots at Own Basket and Possibly Shot Himself in the Foot

2009-11-23T08:06:00.001-05:00

Yes, the Knicks got the win over the New Jersey Nets this past weekend, but the thing everybody keeps talking about is Nate Robinson’s shot at his own basket.

What the hell was he thinking?

Read More...

The Eagles Season Hinges on a Sunday Night Win Over the Bears

2009-11-21T05:45:00.002-05:00

Say what you will if you are a Philadelphia Eagles fan. The birds won’t be flying anywhere this winter if they don’t get a win against the Chicago Bears on Sunday Night.

The Eagles are a disappointment this season. Sure, we knew they were banged up going into the year—at least their defense was anyway. Before the season even began, the Eagles lost their first and second-string middle linebackers. They also had let Brian Dawkins go in free agency. Not to mention, the death of defensive coordinator Jim Johnson had to have a surreal effect on the team.

Nevertheless, I don’t think the seasonal expectations of the Eagles changed after that. Maybe people were weary to pick them for the Super Bowl, but Donovan McNabb’s resurgence at the end of the season last year, the additions of Michael Vick and Jeremy Maclin, along with the development of DeSean Jackson and Brent Celek were supposed to make this team the favorite in the NFC East

Now they’re just hanging on for dear life.

The Eagles were fortunate though. They could be down 2 games in the division, with 3 road NFC East games to play before it’s all said and done. However, the Cowboys choked in Green Bay, nearly being shutout, leaving the Eagles just a game back despite being a game away from being a .500 football team.

But they can’t expect the division to stay with them for too long. Granted, the Cowboys usually get worse n December, but the Giants, who are tied with the Eagles at 5-4, usually get better at this time of year, thus they 2007-2008 NFL champions could be poised for a late-season run.

Which is why the Eagles cannot afford to fail in Week 11. The Chicago Bears aren’t good. They aren’t. Jay Cutler has thrown a Brett Favrian-like 17 interceptions in just 9 games. Their best wide receiver is their kick returner. And the Bears defense, which has been the best thing about this team over the past couple of weeks, remains an enigma and is playing without their best player.

Of course, the Eagles haven’t been much better as of late. Their defense got ripped early on in their trip to San Diego, a team that really has struggled to score points for the better part of the season. They also lost to Dallas at home, despite the defense holding the Cowboys to under 20-points, showing signs of an offense that just doesn’t have any rhythm. And then there was the loss to the Oakland Raiders, and inexplicable performance that left many questioning if the Eagles ever had any right to being considered one of the better teams in the NFL.

The Eagles will either earn or lose that right this Sunday. There are must-wins and there irrelevant outcome, and the magnitude of the game has no effect on the magnitude of the result. That Colts-Patriots game that everybody talked about days before and after the game? The magnitude of the game was big; the outcome was irrelevant. It didn’t matter which team won that game. Heck, the fact that it ended in controversy the way it did doesn’t matter. Both of those teams will be in the playoffs, and in all likelihood, they will play each other for the right to go to the Super Bowl.

But this Bears-Eagles game on Sunday has no hype. Most people don’t even know they are the two teams playing on SNF. The Bears suck, and the Eagles, in light of their record, are a rare story. But if the Eagles lose this game, they will become a story real quickly. Their fall from atop the NFC East to 3rd place in front of only the Washington Redskins would bring back questions about Donovan McNabb and highlight another disappointing season for a franchise that has lived the expanded version of the Bills troubles in the 90’s.

However, an impressive win on Sunday, over even a poor team like the Bears, would catapult the Eagles right back into the discussion. If the Cowboys were to lose and the Giants were to win, we could be talking about a 3-way tie in the NFC East with 6 games to go, with each of the 3 teams having to play one another before the season is over. That would be an exciting finish to the NFC East and to the Eagles season. But that can only happen with an Eagles win on Sunday night, something that has proven to be no guarantee this season, even against the least worthy of opponents.

Sleepless in Atlanta: Don't Sleep on the Atlanta Hawks

2009-11-20T07:33:00.000-05:00

Don’t look now, but the Atlanta Hawks are playing some good basketball. Sleep on them if you want to.

Atlanta has long been rumored the best night out for the NBA road teams set to play the Hawks. Over the past decade, as Atlanta has changed from a meaningless layover to the hottest destination in the South, teams have come to Atlanta, knowing they would have an easy game against the Hawks, and would party all night after the game, if not the night prior as well.

But those days are over. Not for the city of Atlanta, but for the Hawks. Teams, no matter how talented, can no longer waltz into Atlanta thinking they can go out the night before the game and pick an easy “W” the next night against the Hawks. The Hawks are not only an emerging force in the Eastern Conference, but as it stands now; they are the best team in the East.

The Hawks are 10-2, with the best record in the Eastern Conference, and there are several reasons why. Here are just a few.

Veteran Leadership
Don’t sleep on the veteran savvy this Atlanta Hawks team. They are no longer that upstart team that challenged the Boston Celtics and took them to a 7-game series 2 years ago. In fact, they are what they are, a team that has 2 more years of experience to add to that performance against Boston. Back then, every guy you named was young. Josh Smith was young. Marvin Williams was young. Al Horford was young. Now all of a sudden, Josh Smith is the best shot blocker in the NBA and takes smart baketball shots. Marvin Williams is a very savvy wing player. Al Horford is tactician in the post. Not to mention, Mike Bibby, Joe Johnson and Jamal Crawford, all guys who know how to put the ball in the hole and make plays night in and night out.

Defense
Speaking of Josh Smith’s ability to block the ball, he’s not the only one on the team that can do that. Al Horford is the 11th most prolific shot blocker in the NBA, and Joe Johnson and Marvin Williams will meet any guard at the rim if need be. Then you have Zaza Pachulia and Maurice Evans, an inside and outside guy who can come off the bench and produce defensive stops and rebounds. This is also one of the longest teams in the NBA. No, Horford and Smith aren’t the biggest set up big men, but they have long arms and can switch with the perimeter players on picks. And having Marvin Williams and Joe Johnson out on the perimeter makes it very hard for guards to get around them and make plays from the wing.

Effort
Once upon a time, you could walk into a Hawks game and question whether or not they were going to put forth the effort they need to win the basketball game. That time was just a few months ago, when the Hawks were in the playoffs. Obviously, I could point to their series against the Cavs when they got swept, but the same question was apparent in the series they won against the Heat. There was no need for that series to go 7 games—the Hawks were clearly the more talented team. But one night they would defend Wade, and the next night they wouldn’t. One night they would run offensive sets, and the next night they would play one on one basketball. It was like Jekyll and Hyde.

But that mess stopped this season.

Now the Hawks are playing consistent basketball, matching their opponents’ intensity level, if not exceeding it, as they do on most occasions. So say what you will about the Hawks, but this isn’t your 2008 squad anymore. These are young men that we saw show potential 2 years ago, and now, 2 years later, they are fulfilling that potential. It’s funny; we all thought that the Cleveland Cavaliers were the up and coming team entering the 2007-2008 season having just gone to the NBA Finals. But they appear to be on the decline and the team with the long-term talent and the bevy of go-to players appears to be the Hawks. Look out East. Atlanta’s no longer a pit stop; it’s a 4-star franchise with talent to spare.

NFL Week 11 Predictions: Indianapolis at Baltimore

2009-11-18T19:20:00.001-05:00

In this Week 11 game between the Indianapolis Colts and the Baltimore Ravens, it’s very easy to go with the undefeated Colts over the 5-4 Ravens. However, this game is being played in Baltimore, and say what you will about the Ravens, every once in a while, they can play a standard of defense that is second to none.

The Colts Offense
Typically, Peyton Manning has a mental edge over the defenses he’s playing. Heck, most games, Manning could probably go out and tell the defenders where they should line up and what drops they need to get to in the passing game. However, this is the Baltimore Ravens, and there is nothing that they can’t throw at a quarterback throughout the game. Not to mention, Manning can try to change a play and check-off all he wants to, but Ray Lewis is just as adept at making pre-snap adjustments in accordance with the quarterback. This could end up being a real chess match, much like it was in the 2006-2007 when the two faced off in the NFL playoffs in a very low-scoring contest. At the end of the day, the Ravens are going to do what they always do, take away the routine stuff. Those passes to Dallas Clark may happen, but they won’t happen when and where Manning would like them to. Forget out 1st down runs and slants, the Ravens are taking that stuff away. But the long ball to Reggie Wayne? Oh, that’s very much alive. How many of those can they complete? I don’t know, but that answer determines the winner.

The Ravens Offense
The Ravens offense started off the season very impressive, but as we enter Week 11 of the NFL season, it no longer feels that way. They have been sputtering for a couple weeks now, and in my opinion, it’s because Ray Rice isn’t getting enough touches. If the Ravens are going to get back on track, they need to get the ball to Rice early and often. Fortunately for them, they are up against a team that does not defend the run particularly well. Expect the Ravens to abuse the inside of the Colts defensive line and get those linebackers flowing downhill early. That will open up the playaction fake for them, something quarterback Joe Flacco has been very good at this season. On straight drop back plays though, Derrick Mason is the key. He is a savvy veteran who knows how to work the cover 2 zone of the Colts. I do expect him to find the hole, and catch more than his fair share of short passes that keep the chains moving.

Prediction
I like the Ravens in this game. If you go back to Week 1 of the season when the Colts barely beat the Jaguars, I see this game playing out a lot like that one. The Colts may make the big play once or twice, but the Ravens should take them out of their flow enough to keep them off-balance and keep the score relatively low. The Colts won’t be able to stop Ray Rice, who in tandem with Mason should be just enough for the Ravens offense to put up 3 touchdowns.

Ravens win, 21-17

What does Vince Young Have to do?

2009-11-18T09:57:00.001-05:00

Somebody tell me what Vince Young has to do before somebody shows him some respect. I’m not saying Young’s John Elway, Terry Bradshaw or Joe Montana. Heck, he’s not even Joe Flacco right now.

But the man is a winner, and yet people don’t really want to give him credit for that.

When Vince Young came out of college and was the first quarterback of 3 highly touted quarterbacks to be drafted, there were a lot of analysts that said he wouldn’t be a factor in the NFL. Then of course, Vince Young turned a horrible Titans team into a winner, leading them to an 8-5 record in their last 13 games. During that stretch, nobody said anything, hailed his performance and voted him rookie of the year.

However, during the offseason, in explaining Vince Young’s success, everyone said he won because of the running game and the defense. While I have yet to see a quarterback in the NFL that hasn’t benefited from a good running game and a solid defense, that’s not really what the analysts were saying. What they meant by what they said was that the Titans were winning in spite of Young, and they pointed to his 12 touchdowns and 13 interceptions to prove it.

Certainly, those kind of numbers are not good. And Young’s 9 touchdowns and 17 interceptions the following season weren’t good either. But his 9-6 record that same year was nothing to laugh at. Heck, Matt Leinart and Jay Cutler would die for 9 wins in a single season right now, but it doesn’t look like either quarterback will broach that mark anytime soon. As for the playoff berth Young gave his team in 2007, Leinart and Cutler don’t have one of those either.

Still, people don’t want to give Young credit. Right now the man is 3-0, but Ed Thompson of Scout.com would have you believe that Young hasn’t done a darn thing and that his team’s winning can only be attributed to (tell me if you’ve heard this before) the Titans rushing attack and defense.

All I have to say to this is, “Why the hate?”

And that’s what it is. People are hating on this guy, because they had or have this preconceived notion of what his skills translate to in the NFL and they didn’t think he would be better than Cutler or Leinart back in the 2006 NFL Draft. Now that Vince Young has a record of 21-11, far better than those other 2 QBs, analysts find it impossible to believe this is by virtue of Young’s own doing…as if he were Alex Smith or something!

Look, no quarterback in the NFL has 21 wins and didn’t have something to do with it. I understand that Young has had help to overcome his unimpressive passing numbers, but it’s not as if he has ever had the best defense or the best rushing attack at his side. Heck, the Titans weren’t even the best defense last year, and yet they were far better in 2008 than they ever have been under VY’s time under center. Not to mention, has anyone realized that part of the reason the Titans run the ball better with VY in the game is because of VY?

And I’m not just talking about when VY takes off with the ball—although his 11 career rushing touchdowns are impressive—I’m talking about when Young hands the ball off and carries the fake through to the other side.

You don’t think that backside defensive end has to respect that fake? You don’t think his hesitation gives Chris Johnson or LenDale White a tiny hole for that extra yard or a big play?

Anyone who understands football, and cares to leave their preconceived notions out of their analysis, will understand that VY has a positive effect on his team far more often than he doesn’t, and when his Titans are the best team on the field, they usually come away with the win.

But no matter what I say, analysts out there will kill him over his interceptions and lack of passing yards and give all the credit to his defense and rushing game. I guess VY just has to be comfortable with being 21-11 and thus far, the best quarterback of a draft in which everyone thought he was the worst. Go figure.

Zo Knows: Bill Belichick Is Still Smarter than You

2009-11-17T05:23:00.002-05:00

This is what everybody was waiting for. Everyone and their mamma’s wanted to see Bill Belichick mess up for the first time since his early days with the New England Patriots. Because before last night, everything Belichick had touched turned to gold, and no move of his has been remotely suspect to questioning.

But with Belichick’s decision, and ultimate failure, to go for the 1st down, on 4th and 1, on his own 28-yard line, with about two minutes left in the game, and up by only 6 points has people jumping at the chance to bash Belichick.

Unfortunately, these are the same people that would have been the first to pat Belichick on the back had the Patriots converted that 1st down and gone on to beat the Indianapolis Colts.

However, as much as I often love to see the big, bad Patriots lose, I don’t think this would be the right time to pick on them. The fact is the Patriots game against the Colts this past Sunday night was not the Super Bowl. It wasn’t the AFC Championship. It wasn’t a playoff game. Heck, it wasn’t even a play-in game. It was a game in Week 10 that for all intensive purposes probably won’t mean much when this season is all said and done. Could the Patriots have possibly gotten home field advantage with a win over the Colts?

Maybe.

But maybe not.

And either way, the Patriots showed that they can play with the Colts in Indianapolis, so how much does that really matter, especially when I’m sitting here writing about a 4th and 1 call that determined the game?

I don’t understand people. There are so many people out there who are enraged and think that Bill Belichick made the wrong call by going for it. But even if he did, it doesn’t matter! You cannot convince me that the Patriots won’t rebound from this loss, that they are somehow grief stricken and won’t play their best football from here on out. The Patriots have 7 weeks to get ready for the playoffs, and unless pigs start to fly, you cannot possibly convince me that they won’t make the playoffs.

There lies the problem with everyone’s critique of Bill Belichick’s call. Okay, so he went for it and the Patriots didn’t get the first down and lost the game. But at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter, and that’s why Belichick made the call he made. He saw an opportunity to win the game, and instead of giving the ball to the Colts to lose the game, he kept the ball in the hands of Tom Brady and tried to win the game with the quarterback he has won so many games with in the past.

So for everyone to get all amped up, outraged and boisterous over this call makes no sense whatsoever. In fact, all that does is justify that Belichick is cooler, calmer and smarter than you are. He knows that all he did was go to the racetrack and bet on horses with the laundry money. He didn’t lose the house, his children’s tuition or the family car. He lost a rather insignificant game that had no importance other than pride, and for 1 game out of 16, Belichick was willing to swallow his in turn for the last laugh had he won his bet. Instead, he lost, and now he’ll go back to work to put his team in an even better situation next time around.

You know, I’ve never rooted for the Patriots before, but the backlash on Belichick for making what in all reality was a move that gave his team its best chance to win, has kind of polarized me in favor of New England. I’m not saying I want to see them win the Super Bowl or anything, but for the first time in a long time, I might actually root for the Patriots when they play the Colts in the playoffs.

KnicksDigest: Knicks Start Slow, Finish Fast?

2009-11-11T03:31:00.002-05:00

What on God’s green earth are the New York Knicks doing every night?

I don’t understand how they can honestly say that they come to the arena ready to play every night when they consistently, without fail, get outplayed in the 1st and 2nd quarters.

If you watched the Knicks on Monday when they squared off with the Utah Jazz, you had to be as disappointed as I was. The Knicks were getting absolutely destroyed early on in the game. The Jazz scored 25 points in the 1st quarter, and outscored the Knicks 23-13 in the 2nd quarter to take a 17-point lead into the locker room at half time.

After halftime was over, the Knicks finally came to play.

Read More...

Fantasy Football Week 10 Projections

2009-11-09T12:00:00.001-05:00

Well, the bye weeks are just about done, which means you should already know who your best options are each and every week of the fantasy football season.

However, as we enter fantasy football Week 10, some of you who have assembled quite the fantasy roster, leaving you with a lot of options each and every week. I know, for me, having to choose between Kurt Warner and Philip Rivers every week can be quite a daunting choice. In fact, I actually got it wrong last week, going with Rivers over a struggling Warner. But I will try not to make the same mistake twice. Here are our fantasy football Week 10 projections at the quarterback position.

Here are our Week 10 Fantasy Football Projections...

Fantasy Football Week 10 Projections:
1. Quarterback Projections
2. Running Back Projections
3. Wide Receiver Projections
4. Tight End Projections
5. Defensive Projections

Fantasy Football Week 10 Sleeper Picks
1. Quarterback Sleeper Picks
2. Running Back Sleeper Picks
3. Wide Receiver Sleeper Picks
4. Tight Ends Sleeper Picks
5. Defensive Sleeper Picks

If the Texans Don’t Win, Their Season is Over

2009-11-06T17:02:00.002-05:00

The Houston Texans are on the brink of history. Of course, they are on the brink of history each and every season, as they have never beaten their division foes, the Indianapolis Colts, in Indianapolis. But this time, the Texans are coming to Indy with a 5-3 record and a very decent shot at making the playoffs. However, a loss here in Week 9, will send them into their bye week 5-4 with a slim chance to none at making the postseason.

Nobody likes to call the season over after Week 9, especially if the team has a winning record. But in this case, the Texans are facing a must win situation. If the Texans were to lose this game, they would face the Vince Young-led Titans in Week 11, then the Colts again in Week 12. I could easily see Young playing big in Houston (his hometown), and if the Colts beat the Texans this weekend, then there’s no reason to believe they can’t beat them in Week 12. Thus, a loss to the Colts this week could spring a 3-game losing steak, and a 5-6 record.

If the Texans end up 5-6, that means they would have to win out to get a 10-6 record just to have a chance at making the playoffs. Of course, a 10-6 record doesn’t guarantee the playoffs in the AFC, so even then they would be pushing it.

Ah! But a win this weekend! That changes everything.

If the Houston Texans beat Indianapolis, they are 6-3 entering the bye week. With a newfound confidence, perhaps they withstand Vince Young’s hometown rally, and maybe they can fend off the Colts again on their homefield. Even if they split those two games, they would be 7-4 entering Week 13 with a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. A win there gives the Texans 8 wins, and they would need to win 2 out of 4 to have a decent shot at the playoffs, as opposed to having to win out if they lose to the Colts this weekend.

Now, you can say I’m stretching my predictions and using momentum way too much in my projections. However, momentum is a funny thing, just as these Texans are. After all, you’re talking about a team that is 13-11 over the past 25 games spanning the last two seasons, but has dropped 4 games in row, won 4 in a row, loss 3 in a row and won 7 of 10 throughout that span. They are a very young, up-and-down, emotional team, and one win or loss has proven to have a tremendous effect on their play from week to week.

So once again, the Texans need to against this Colts this week, or the most promising season of their short existence will once again come to a inadequate, heartrending, dreadful end.

The Yankees Win! Thhhhhhhhhhheeeeeee Yankees win!

2009-11-05T00:20:00.005-05:00

The New York Yankees are the world champions!

As predicted in the preseason by the folks here at TheSportsWatchers.com (and by the folks, I mean myself) the New York Yankees beat the Philadelphia Phillies to win the World Series.

That was my prediction the minute the Yankees brought in their two new pitchers, and if you don’t believe me, check out this video:

Anyway, enough with tooting my own horn! After a 7-3 win over the Phillies in Game 6, the Yankees are champions.

Quite frankly, the Yankees were the better team this series and they deserved to win. Their top hitters showed up throughout the series. From Alex Rodriguez’s resurgence in Game 3, to Hedeki Matsui’s unbelievable stretch of pinch-hitting and DH’ing, the Yankees hitters, outside of Mark Teixeira, managed to show up throughout the last 5 games of the series.

As for the pitching, there was no doubt which team had the better rotation and bullpen. After Cliff Lee, the Phillies didn’t have one pitcher you could trust to go out there and put up a 1-2-3 inning. As a Phillies fan, I found myself nervous at every bat. You could have sworn that the Yankees batting averages looked more like field goal percentages, and in some instances, they were even better. But the combination of CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte were too much for the Phillies. Those two put up 4 quality starts, and in the end, that was more than enough to beat a Phillies rotation that didn’t even have a Game 7 option.

As for Joe Girardi; talk about somebody who deserves a pat on the back. Considering all of the criticism he faced throughout the season and playoffs, myself included, this guy really deserves the credit for this one. He stuck to his guns, pitched his starters on 3 days rest, and in the end it worked. Now the Yankees are champions, and he can start a new dynasty of his own in 2010.

World Series: Each Manager is to Blame

2009-11-03T12:00:00.000-05:00

Is this how it’s going to go down?

No matter how the World Series unfolds, one of the managers is going to take the brunt of the blame for their team failing to win the title.

Certainly, New York Yankees fans will want Joe Girardi’s head if they fail to win after being up 3 games to 1.

However, Charlie Manuel isn’t off the hook either if the Philadelphia Phillies fail in their attempt to win back-to-back World Series titles.

Where did Charlie Manuel go wrong with the Phillies?

Not pitching Cliff Lee on 3-days rest. – I don’t personally disagree with Manuel’s move to give Lee full rest before bringing him back for a second game in the World Series, but the fact is, CC Sabathia did just that, and Sabathia ended up being a big part of the reason as to why the Yankees won Game 4. While Lee came through with the win in Game 5, he won’t be available for a full game the rest of the way, while CC will be back to start Game 7, if necessary. With CC lined up for 3 starts, and the post-season greatness of Cliff Lee relegated to just 2, many people may look at that as having given the Yankees a superior advantage in the series.

Didn’t bring out his closer, so he has no closer. – By not bringing Brad Lidge out to close Game 5, Manuel effectively gave Lidge the old heave-ho. Lidge knows, and we know, that Manuel just doesn’t have faith in him right now, and rightfully so. But right or wrong, Lidge’s psyche is jacked up, and it’s going to be hard to bring him into the game and ask him to get 3 outs when Manuel didn’t have faith in him to save a 3-run lead on Monday Night. Now the Phillies are virtually left without any semblance of a closer except for Ryan Madsen, who was their set up man. Now, with possibly two games to play, the Phillies have no real closer, and will be scrambling to just to finish game.

Switch Ryan Howard and Chase Utley in the order. – I’m no baseball genius, and perhaps I’m stupid for thinking this, but wouldn’t it be semi-smart to move Howard ahead of Utley. While Howard isn’t swinging the bat all that well, he still manages to get on-base, and if Utley is batting behind him, pitchers may feel forced to throw strikes his way. Certainly, switching up the batting order is rarely done during this part of the season, but this may be the Phils best move to get Howard involved in the series again.

Where did Joe Girardi go wrong with the Yankees?

Sending out short-rested pitchers 4 games in a row? – I understand that CC Sabathia is a beast, but is that any reason to send Andy Pettite and AJ Burnett out to the mound on short-rest in the two games between sending CC Sabathia out there on short rest? Of course, that can only happen if the series goes to a Game 7, but if Pettite’s Game 6 performance is anything like Burett’s Game 5 outing, then there probably will be a Game 7. One has to seriously question Joe Girardi’s decision to pitch CC on short-rest in Game 4, Burnett on short-rest in Game 5, Pettite on short-rest in Game 6 and CC again in Game 7. Afterall, the Yankees were up 3 games to 1 at one point, and yet here they are trotting out pitchers to the mound on short-rest as if they were in desperation mode.

Did Girardi even try to win Game 5? – If the reason behind Girardi’s decision to play Burnett on short-rest was because he wanted to the win the series in Game 5, then how come he didn’t act like it down the stretch? Bringing in Phil Hughes certainly wasn’t a move of confidence, and there were far too few substitutions in the 9th inning if Girardi really had intentions of winning that game. Sorry to get Girardi going both ways, but if we are to agree with his decision to pitch Burnett on short-rest, then how come he didn’t maintain with that feeling of urgency in trying to win Game 5?

Why were the Yankees pitching to Chase Utley? – At some point, the Yankees should have realized that pitching to Chase Utley isn’t a smart idea. If Girardi didn’t let his bullpen pitch to Chase in Game 5, they might have been down just 1-run with 2 outs in the 9th inning of that game, and who knows what could have happened from there? Besides, pitching to Utley makes 0 sense right now. Ryan Howard can’t hit the backside of a barn, so why not just pitch around Utley and go after Howard? Girardi and the Yankees will probably start to employ that strategy in Game 6, but they could have avoided 4 RBIs in Game 5 had they thought about that a little earlier.

Could I have been wrong about Brett Favre?

2009-11-02T17:13:00.001-05:00

I will be the first person to admit it. I had no idea what I was talking about when I predicted that Brett Favre wouldn’t make that much of a difference for the Minnesota Vikings. Turns out, Favre has won several games for the Vikings, a couple of them where the Vikings didn’t get much from Adrian Peterson. That is something I never thought would happen, but as it turns out, I may have been wrong about Brett Favre.

That’s right! I said it! I was wrong!

I said that the Vikings wouldn’t be much improved with Favre. Don’t misunderstand me though, I knew that Favre was a massive improvement over their other quarterbacking options, but I didn’t think he was going to be this much of a factor. I just couldn’t see past the Favre I grew up with. This is the same Brett Favre that went to Super Bowls but also had some of the silliest losses in the history of the NFL. The Favre that can throw 35 touchdown passes in a season, but the same Favre that could throw 25 interceptions in a season. So while I knew there was tremendous upside with Favre, it was the downside that caused me to project that the Vikings would miss the playoffs this year.

And for that I’m sorry.

Because it seems apparent that the Vikings have a stronghold on the NFC North, and they appear to have visions of grandeur with a first-round by in their sites. So the Vikings are indeed going to the playoffs.

But why am I still skeptical?

Look, I have no problem saying that I’m wrong, because when it comes to NFL predictions, I’ve been wrong before and I will be wrong again—that’s just how the parody of football works. But even in understanding that I have been wrong about Favre and the Vikings to-date, I still don’t see them making much headway in the playoffs.

First of all, who have the Vikings really beaten this season?

Look, they had a nice win over Baltimore, but the Ravens are 4-3. At that rate, they may not even be a playoff team, so how good was that win?

And yes, the Vikings beat the Green Bay Packers, but they aren’t a playoff team either—at least they haven’t looked like one.

The Vikings win over San Francisco was impressive, but let’s be real. The Vikings almost lost that game, and the 49ers are 3-4, not exactly a stalwart in the NFC right now.

That leaves us with the Vikings most impressive performance coming against the Pittsburgh Steelers—but they didn’t even win that game! Yes, they played them close, but when it’s all said and done, they lost, and Favre was a big reason as to why they loss.

Sorry, if I can’t see past that, but it’s the truth. The Vikings don’t have a win over a projected playoff team at this point in the season, and their one loss was due in part to a bad performance by Favre down the stretch. So you tell me. Is there any other way to look at this situation?

I don’t want anyone to think I am a Brett Favre hater, because I am not. I am glad he is still in football. I was happy when he went to the Jets. I was happy when he got on with the Vikings. I was overwhelmed when he beat the Packers on 2 occasions to shove “it” in the face of the Packers brass that thought he was too old to play, because I love it when labor sticks it to management!

But once I get past my affinity for Favre’s play and his quazi-comeback, I still see a guy who is just as capable of blowing up as he is of being the savior. And the proof is in the pudding. This man has thrown more touchdown passes than anyone in the history of the NFL, and he has thrown more interceptions than anyone else in the history of the NFL. So when it comes to Favre, you win some and you lose some. Perhaps, that’s what is happening to me right now. Last year with the Jets, I would have been right; in the end, the Favre experiment didn't work out in New York. But this year with the Vikings, I am wrong. He’s playing extremely well, and he’s winning, and my prediction is losing. I guess it’s always a roll of the dice when you’re betting against #4.

Fantasy Football Projections Week 9: Predictions & Sleeper Picks

2009-11-02T06:39:00.003-05:00

Looking for the early jump on fantasy Football Week 9?

Well, we have the information ready to go!

We looked at the weekend's games and projected them against Week 9's games and matchups to produce this week's top fantasy football players and likely performances.

Here is a look at one of our top fantasy football picks for Week 9...

Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts vs. Houston Texans
Manning should have no problem doing to the Houston Texans what every other team has done to them: score touchdowns! The Texans defense has looked good as of late, but most defenses look pretty good against the Buffalo Bills. Against the Colts, however, the Texans defense will probably revert back to being one of the most porous pass defenses in the league. I would be surprised if Manning doesn’t lead his team to score 30+ points in Week 9. After all, the Texans aren’t exactly the best ball control team in the league, which should give Manning possessions than he is accustomed to having. If that happens, the sky is the limit for what Manning might do in Week 9.

This is just one of our many fantasy football projections Week 9. If you are interested in more Week 9 fantasy football projections, predictions and picks, check out the articles below:

Fantasy Football Week 9 Projections
1. Quarterback Projections
2. Running Back Projections
3. Wide Receiver Projections
4. Tight End Projections
5. Defensive Projections

Fantasy Football Week 9 Sleeper Picks
1. Quarterback Sleeper Picks
2. Running Back Sleeper Picks
3. Wide Receiver Sleeper Picks
4. Tight End Sleeper Picks
5. Defensive Sleeper Picks

Yankees Tie World Series, Burnett Pulls a Lee

2009-10-30T05:21:00.002-04:00

A.J. Burnett owned the Philadelphia Phillies every bit as much as Cliff Lee did the night before. Sure, Burnett didn’t last as long, but he didn’t have to. Because when you have Mariano Rivera in your bullpen, why waste exercising any other options?

Last night, in Game 2 of the World Series between Philadelphia and the New York Yankees, A.J. Burnett pitched what can only be described as a “gem.” He had everything working for him, as his fastball had movement, and his breaking ball caught the edges of the plate all night. His 7-inning, 1-run performance gave him the win, the Yankees a 3-1 victory, and it tied up the World Series a two games a piece.

Coincidentally enough, Burnett was actually better than Rivera last night. With an off-day on Friday, Yankees General Manager put Rivera in for the final 2 innings of the game. Rivera allowed 2 hits and a walk before he could get the final 6 outs, allowing the go-ahead run to get to the plate in both innings.

That said, this night was all about the Yankees. After Phillies’ DH Matt Stairs had an RBI single in the 2nd inning, the Phillies failed to score for the rest of the game. In the 4th, the Yankees Mark Teixeira finally showed some life for the first time since Game 2 of the ALDS and hit a home run to right center. And Hedeki Matsui’s homer to right field in the 6th was all the Yankees need to put the Phillies away.

Pedro Martinez, the losing pitcher for the night, allowed just 3 runs in 6 innings before getting booed on his way to the dugout. So after two games, the World Series has seen 2 masterful pitching performances outshine quality starts by their opposition. This is quite stunning for a series in which all anybody did was talk about the offense the two teams were capable of producing. Instead, we have two games dominated by all 4 starting pitchers, and now Game 3 will feature a matchup between baseball’s all-time winningest pitcher and last year’s left-hand pitching World Series MVP. So if you thought this series was going to turn offensive the deeper in the series we got, think again.

NBA Weekly Digest: Gilbert Arenas Back to Form

2009-10-29T17:05:00.001-04:00

It doesn’t matter whether you like him or not.

It’s not about his attitude.

Who cares how many games he has missed in the past?

The fact is Gilbert Arenas was a baller the day he arrived in Washington D.C., and on opening night of the NBA season, Arenas proved that he still is.

Agent Zero opened up the 2009-2010 NBA season with 29 points and 9 assists against the Dallas Mavericks—so much for easing him back into the game.

I don’t claim to be an Arenas supporter, but perhaps I should pick up my bandwagon papers. In just his 16th game in the last 2 seasons, after several knee surgeries, how can anyone not be impressed with what Arenas did against the Nets no less?

Granted, he was guarded by Jason Kidd and Jason Terry, not exactly the most prolific defensive guards in the NBA, but the Mavericks as a whole are a good defensive team, and to give up 29 points to the point man is unacceptable on their part, and fantasmagorical on the part of the Wizards fans.

But the question Washington Wizards fans want to know is, “Can Arenas keep this up for the rest of the season?”

I don’t see why not.

To say that he may have a setback, or that he won’t be in shape, is kind of ludicrous. I don’t see how he could be anymore prepared for the rigors of an NBA season. He was healthy for the entire summer and looked great throughout training camp and the preseason. And more important than Arenas’s 29 points and 9 assists the other night were his 38 minutes. Not to mention, in the statistics that could have demonstrated fatigue (shooting percentage, free throw percentage and turnovers), Arenas had complimentary numbers across the board.

So Wizards fan should rejoice right now. They beat what is presumed to be a good Mavericks team on the road. They won with out the services of Antawn Jamison. They won in spite of Caron Butler shooting 6 of 17 from the field. And most importantly, their lead dog is back.

If Arenas continues that type of play—and I don’t see why he wouldn’t—then the Wizards are definitely going to be back in the Eastern Conference Playoffs, perhaps with a sliver of a chance of making it out of the first round in 2010.