Tuesday, November 30, 2010

College Watch- Ryan Mallett

The Arkansas Razorbacks are ranked #2 in the Southeastern conference with an overall record of 10-2 and a conference record of 6-2. They are ranked #8 in the AP and USA Today Polls and #7 in the BCS standings. They are in great standings to make a BCS bowl game. Razorbacks have had a great season and much of their success can be attributed to their QB Ryan Mallett.


Ryan Mallett is a 6'6/238 lb hulking pass machine. He is a drop back passer with a gun for an arm and accuracy to match. Mallett currently owns sixteen school records, including most passing yards in a season (3,627), most consecutive passes without an INT, most passing yards in a game (408), most passing touchdowns in a game (5 - three times), only quarterback to pass for over 400 yards in a game (two times), most pass plays of 25 or more yards in a season, and most passing TD in a single season (30). For his college career he has thrown for more than 8,111 yards and 67 TDs. His overall passer rating so far this season is 170.53%. He is an Manning Award finalist as well as a Heisman Trophy candidate.

Mallet is big strong accurate with good accuracy. He will be heavily sought after in 2011 NFL Draft and should easily be a 1st round draft pick.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Week 12 Predictions

Last week your girl had her best record yet finishing 14-2. So let's get started with this week:

New England Patriots (8-2) vs Detroit Lions (2-8)

Lions are still without QB Matt Stafford. Their record on Thanksgiving Day is 33-36-2. They are facing a Patriots team who are tied with the Jets for the AFC East division lead. With RB Jahvid Best not producing dont expect a good game out of this one. Prediction: Patriots

New Orleans Saints (7-3) vs Dallas Cowboys (3-7)

Saints are 1 game behind the Falcons in the NFC South and need a win to stay there. They are facing a Cowboys team who is still without QB Tony Romo but who have a 2 game winning streak under new head coach Jason Garrett. Cowboys are the team who handed the Saints there first loss last season so expect the Saints to return the favor in this one. Prediction: Saints

Cincinnati Bengals (2-8) vs New York Jets (8-2)

Jets are tied with the Patriots for the division lead of the AFC East. The Bengals are a terrible and extremely disappointing team. Behind the Jets tough defense and the increasingly consistent play of QB Mark Sanchez expect the Jets to come into this game ready to keep pace with the Patriots. Prediction: Jets

Green Bay Packers (7-3) vs Atlanta Falcons (8-2)

Packers come in off a blowout win over the Vikings in Minnesota last week. QB Aaron Rodgers had 1 of his best games of the season completing 22 of 31 for 301 yds and 4 TDs with WR Greg Jennings catching 7 passes for 152 yds and 3 of those TDs. Their defense is ranked high both in passing and rushing defense. Falcons come in off a win last week against the Rams in St. Louis. QB Matt Ryan completed 26 of 39 for 253 yds and 2 TDs. RB Michael Turner had 28 rushes for 131 yds and 1 TD. Their defense has played outstanding this season. Considering they are at home and Ryan is 18-1 at home I'm giving this one to the home team. Prediction: Falcons

Tennessee Titans (5-5) vs Houston Texans (4-6)

Titans come in off a loss last week to the Redskins at home. They are starting rookie QB Rusty Smith who came in and had an awful game. RB Chris Johnson rushed for 130 yds but 0 TDs. Titans need to get the ball to WR Randy Moss who has yet to score a TD since joining their team. Their defense looked terrible last week and needs to get it together if they hope to stay competive in their division. Texans come in off a loss last week to the Jets in New York. QB Matt Schaub completed 19 of 33 for 254 yds and 1 TD. RB Arian Foster rushed 22 times for 84 yds and 2 TDs. They have lost their last 4 in a row and need this win to get back in the mix in the AFC South. Prediction: Texans

Minnesota Vikings (3-7) vs Washington Redskins (5-5)

Vikings come in off a terrible loss last week to the Packers at home which cost their head coach Brad Childress his job. This was one of the worst games for Brett Favre who threw 0 TDs and 1 INT. Vikings offense was stagnant and their defense fell apart. This team has turned into a playoff hopeful til a complete disappointment. Redskins come in off an overtime win against the Titans last week in Nashville. QB Donovan McNabb is still struggling behind a terrible offensive line. He completed 30 of 50 for 376 yds 1 TD and 1 INT last week. RB Clinton Portis is done for the season and Ryan Torain out another game, RB Keiland Williams will be the starter. This teams' defense is not great but just good enough to keep them competitive. Prediction: Redskins

Jacksonville Jaguars (6-4) vs New York Giants (6-4)

Jaguars come in off a win last week against the lowly Browns. Jags are not a great team so dont let their 6-4 record fool you. QB David Garrard completed just 20 of 34 for 254 yds for 2 TDs and 3 INTs with WR Mike Thomas catching 1 of those TDs. RB Maurice Jones-Drew had 23 rushes for 133 yds and 1 TD. Despite the decent play of their defense it's the subpar play of their offense that has them barely above .500. Giants come in off a loss last week to the Eagles in Philadelphia. QB Eli Manning completed 20 0f 33 for 2 TDs but also 3 INTs. They are switching this week to RB Brandon Jacobs as the starter because of a fumbling problem with RB Ahmad Bradshaw. They are thin at WR with Steve Smith and Hakeem Nicks both injured and just signed WR Devin Thomas off waivers from the Panthers. Their defense has been a let down the last 2 weeks and will need to get back on track to stay a game back of the Eagles. Prediction: Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers (7-3) vs Buffalo Bills (2-8)

Much as I would love to pick the Bills in an upset, the Steelers #4 overall ranked defense will be just too much for this team. Prediction: Steelers

Carolina Panthers (1-9) vs Cleveland Browns (3-7)

Panthers are a terrible team decimated by injuries and plagued by a terrible defense. They are starting QB Brian St. Pierre who played terrible last week. They are facing a Browns team who just loss their rookie QB Colt McCoy to an injury and will be starting QB Jake Delhomme after being out several weeks with an ankle injury. Do not expect a good game out of this one. Prediction: Browns

Kansas City Chiefs (6-4) vs SeattleBold Seahawks (5-5)

Chiefs come in off a win last week against the Cardinals at home. QB Matt Cassel completed 15 of 24 for 193 yds and 2 TDs with WR Dwayne Bowe receiving 6 passes for 109 yds and both of those TDs. Their defense needs to play with more intensity to get them into the post season. Seahawks come in off loss last week to the Saints in New Orleans. QB Matt Hasselback completed 32 of 44 for 366 yds and 1 TD. Their defense is mediocre playing inconsistent each week. Chiefs lead the match up history so expect them to win this. Prediction: Chiefs

Miami Dolphins (5-5) vs Oakland Raiders (5-5)

Dolphins come in off an embarrasing shut out last week against the Bears last week at home. QB Tyler Thigpen threw 0 TDs and 1 INT in the game. This week Dolphins will not say whether they are starting Henne or Thigpen in Sunday's game. Their defense hasnt looked good in their last 2 games. Raiders come in off a crushing loss to the Steelers last week in Pittsburgh. QB Jason Campbell had an awful game and their defense was completely demoralized and embarassed. Dolphins need this game more since their division is tougher. Prediction: Dolphins

Philadelphia Eagles (7-3) vs Chicago Bears (7-3)

Eagles come in off a win over the Giants at home last week. QB Michael Vick had his 1st turnover of the season and didnt throw a single TD but he did score 1 rushing TD. RB LeSean McCoy rushed for 111 yds on 14 carries and 1 TD. Eagles have 1 of the best run defenses in the league and lead the league in takeaways. Bears come in off a win last week against the Dolphins in Miami. Cutler threw 0 TDs and 1 INT in the game. RB Matt Forte rushed 25 times for 97 yards and 1 TD. Bears defense has been good on the rush and will need that this week against the Eagles. Prediction: Eagles

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-3) vs Baltimore Ravens (7-3)

Buccaneers come in off shut out win over the 49ers in San Francisco. QB Josh Freeman completed 13 of 20 for 136 yds and 2 TDs with WR Mike Williams catching 1 of those. Their defense has played very solid every week this season. Ravens come in off a win last week against the Panthers. QB Joe Flacco completed 24 of 33 for 301 yds and 1 TD with WR TJ Houshmandzadeh catching the lone TD pass. RB Ray Rice had 19 rushes for 65 yds and 1 TD. This is one of the highest rated defenses in the NFL. Bucs have yet to face a team with a winning record nor one with a defense this stout. Prediction: Ravens

St. Louis Rams (4-6) vs Denver Broncos (3-7)

Rams come in off a loss last week to the Falcons at home. QB Sam Bradford completed 27 of 42 for 233 yds 2 TDs and 1 INT. Their running game behind RB Steven Jackson has been almost non existent and their defense is ineffective most games. Broncos come in off a humiliating loss against the Chargers last week in San Diego. QB Kyle Orton completed 24 of 38 for 217 yds 1 TD and 1 INT with his lone TD toss going to WR Brandon Lloyd. RB Knowshon Moreno rushed for an additional TD. This team has one of the worst ranked defenses in the entire league. If you're expecting a great game this wont be the one to watch. Prediction: Broncos

San Diego Chargers (5-5) vs Indianapolis Colts (6-4)

Chargers come in off a beatdown of the Broncos at home last week. QB Philip Rivers completed 15 of 24 for 233 yds 4 TDs and 1 INT. RB Mike Tolbert rushed for 111 yds on 25 carries and 1 TD. Chargers defense stumbled out the gate but has picked up steam through the last few weeks. Colts come in off a close loss to the Patriots last week in New England. QB Peyton Manning completed 38 of 52 for 396 yds 4 TDs and 3 INTs with WR Reggie Wayne catching 1 of the TD passes. Their defense has been good but needs to play with some urgency to stay atop the AFC South. This is going to be a good tough game against potential playoff contenders. Prediction: Colts

San Francisco 49ers (3-7) vs Arizona Cardinals (3-7)

The NFC West's 2 worst teams face each other in a battle for last place. 49ers come in off a shutout loss against the Buccaneers at home last week. QB Troy Smith threw 0 TDs and 1 INT. This team is terrible on both sides of the ball. Cardinals come in off a loss against the Chiefs last week in Kansas City. QB Derek Anderson completed 25 of 46 for 295 yds and 1 TD. Cardinals offense is ranked 31 and defense is ranked 29. Expect a sloppy low scoring high turnover game in this one. Prediction: 49ers

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Rookie Watch- Rob Gronkowski

Patriots are off to a great 8-2 start. Even faced with injuries and the trading of WR Randy Moss, QB Tom Brady has been able to throw the long ball do in part to the play of rookie TE Rob Gronkowski.


Gronkowski was a standout TE at the University of Arizona where he set the school tight end records for single game, single season and career receptions, yards and touchdowns. He was named AP Third Team All American and All Pac-10 first team tight end. For his exceptional college career he was drafted in the second round of the 2010 NFL draft.

So far this season Gronkowski has 20 receptions 245 yds and 6 TDs in just 11 games. He is an outstanding tight end playing for a great QB in one of the best system's in the league. If he continues to be a great blocking and catching tight end expect him to become a consistent target in the future for Brady.

College Watch- Andrew Luck

Stanford Cardinals are ranked #7 in the Associated Press Standings and #6 in BCS Standings with a current record of 10-1 (7-1 in the Pac-10). They are looking at a potential BCS game and have had 1 of their best seasons in years. Much of their success can be attributed to their QB Andrew Luck.


Luck is 6'4"/235 lb solid smart elusive QB with a cannon for an arm. He is big strong fast. This season he has completed 224-of-319 passes for 2,746 yards and 24 touchdowns. For his efforts Luck is a finalist for the 2010 Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award and the Maxwell Award for the Collegiate Football Player of the Year as well as a Heisman Trophy candidate. Expect him to be heavily sought after in next year's NFL draft.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

College Watch- Andy Dalton

The Associated Press and USA Today have the TCU Horned Frogs ranked #4 in the country while the BCS has them ranked #3. TCU is undefeated at 11-0 (7-0 in their division). This phenomenal start is due in part to the outstanding play of their senior QB Andy Dalton.

Dalton is a 6'3"/215 lb sensation. He has immense pocket presence and a strong arm with a quick release. His ability to pick apart defenses has led him to become TCU's all time win leader at starting quarterback with 30 victories under his belt. For his college career so far he has 9,939 yards and 67 TDs. This season alone he has an overall quarterback rating of 163.94% by passing for 2482 yds and 23 TDs. With those kinds of numbers expect Dalton to be a highly touted and sought after player in the 2011 NFL Draft.

Week 11 Predictions

So your girl finished 8-6 last week..not bad but let's try to improve upon that. Let's get started:

Chicago Bears (6-3) vs Miami Dolphins (5-4)

Bears come in off an impressive win at home against the divisonal rival Vikings. QB Jay Cutler completed 22 of 35 for 237 yds 3 TDs and 2 INTs with WR Devin Hester catching 1 of those TDs. Their running game has been stagnant with RB Matt Forte only having 3 TDs so far this season. Bears defense is 2nd in rushing yards allowed, tied for 2nd in 3rd down conversions allowed, tied for 1st in interceptions and 2nd in points allowed per game. Dolphins come in off an impressive win over the Titans last week at home. Unfortunately this win cost them both their starting QB Chad Pennington and back-up QB Chad Henne. This leaves them with their 3rd option Tyler Thigpen who did throw 1 TD last week. RB Ronnie Brown also scored 1 TD. They will need to turn to their wildcat formation more this week which hasnt been as effective this year. Dolphins defense is decent but will have to have a big game to pull this one out. Prediction: Bears

Oakland Raiders (5-4) vs Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3)

Raiders come in off a bye last week. Their last game was an impressive win over the Chiefs in Week 9. QB Jason Campbell has an overall passer rating of 81.3% having thrown for 1252 yds, 7 TDs and 5 INTs. RB Darren McFadden has 757 yds and 4 TDs so far this season. While WRs Darrius Heyward-Bey, Louis Murphy and Johnnie Lee Higgins have only combined for 2 TDs so far this season, TE Zach Miller has 4. Raiders defense has looked good in their 3 game win streak. The Raiders are tied for 1st in the AFC West divison and need to keep their foot on the gas to keep pace with the Chiefs. Steelers come in off a surprising loss last week to the Patriots at home. QB Ben Roethlisberger completed 30 of 49 for 387 yds 3 TDs and 1 INT with WR Hines Ward cathing 1 and WR Mike Wallace catching 8 passes for 136 yds and 2 TDs. Steelers defense is #1 against the run but #26 against the pass. They are facing the #2 ranked run offense so this should be a good test for them. Prediction: Steelers

Cleveland Browns (3-6) vs Jacksonville Jaguars (5-4)

Browns come in off a disappointing loss in overtime to the Jets at home last week. QB Colt McCoy has turned into the consistent passer they have longed for. Last week he completed 18 of 31 for 205 yds and 1 TD with WR Mohamed Massaquoi catching the lone TD pass. RB Peyton Hillis rushed for 82 yards on 19 carries and 1 TD. Their defense is still unreliable at times and now is without OLB Scott Fujita. Special teams will struggle with Josh Cribbs also out with 4 dislocated toes in his right foot. Jaguars come in off a win last week against the division rival Texans at home. QB David Garrard completed 24 of 31 for 342 yds and 2 TDs with WR Mike Thomas receiving 8 catches for 149 yds and 1 TD. RB Maurice Jones-Drew rushed for 100 yds on 24 carries and 2 TDs. The inconsistency of this offense has been their most major hurdle. Their defense cannot keep opponents off the field if their offense isnt scoring so need to make a push through the second half of the season. Prediction: Jaguars

Washington Redskins (4-5) vs Tennessee Titans (5-4)

Redskins come in off a humiliating loss at home last week to the Eagles. QB Donovan McNabb completed just 17 of 31 for 295 yds 2 TDs and 3 INTs with RB Keiland Williams catching 1 of those TDs but also rushing for 2 more. Their defense is soft and needs to play better but needs their offense to keep them off the field. Titans come in off a loss last week to the Dolphins in Miami. QB Vince Young completed just 9 of 18 for 92 yds and 1 TD and 1 INT. RB Chris Johnson rushed 17 times for 117 yds and 1 TD. Their defense was a let down last game but they have played better this season and should be able to make a push for the playoffs. Prediction: Titans

Houston Texans (4-5) vs New York Jets (7-2)

Texans come in off a loss to the Jaguars in Jacksonville last week. QB Matt Schaub completed 22 of 32 for 314 yds and 2 TDs with WR Andre Johnson receiving 9 passes for 146 yds and 1 of Schaub's TD. RB Arian Foster had 15 rushes for 56 yds and 1 TD. Texans have the 31st ranked defense. Jets come in off a win last week against the Browns in Cleveland. QB Mark Sanchez completed 27 of 44 for 299 yds 2 TDs and 1 INT. This team has a tough defense that has played consistent week to week. Prediction: Jets

Baltimore Ravens (6-3) vs Carolina Panthers (1-8)

Panthers are starting a new QB this week Brian St. Pierre. Their offense is badly banged up. Ravens have the #4 ranked offense. Enough said. Prediction: Ravens

Green Bay Packers (6-3) vs Minnesota Vikings (3-6)

Packers come in off a bye last week. QB Aaron Rodgers has an overall QB rating 90.6% with 2300 yds 15 TDs and 9 INTs. Despite key injuries, their defense has played to a high level through the first part of the season and is poised to carry it into the post season. Vikings come in off a loss last week to the Bears in Chicago last week. QB Brett Favre had one of his worst games finishing with just 1 TD and 3 INTs. This team has to find a way to score more points if they have any hopes of finishing .500. Prediction: Packers

Arizona Cardinals (3-6) vs Kansas City Chiefs (5-4)

Until the Cardinals address their atrocious QB issue they will continue to struggle to get wins. Prediction: Chiefs

Detroits Lions (2-7) vs Dallas Cowboys (2-7)

Lions are without QB Matt Stafford. They are facing a Cowboys team who are without QB Tony Romo however they have a great ground game with RBs Marion Barber, Tashard Choice and Felix Jones. Expect them to run the ball on the Lions weak run defense. Prediction: Cowboys

Buffalo Bills (1-8) vs Cincinnati Bengals (2-7)

Bills finally got their 1st win of the season last week. They come in this week against a Bengals team who cannot score in the redzone and are in desperate need of a turnaround. Dont expect a good game out of this as neither team has a good defense. Prediction: Bengals

Seattle Seahawks (5-4) vs New Orleans Saints (6-3)

Seahawks come in off a win last week against the struggling Cardinals but tBoldhey are a team who plays good 1 week and bad the next. Saints come in off a bye last week. They need this win to stay within 1 game of the division leading Falcons. Prediction: Saints

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-3) vs San Francisco 49ers (3-6)


Both teams come in off a win last week but until 49ers address the woes of QB Troy Smith expect them to continue to struggle week to week to get wins. Prediction: Buccaneers

Atlanta Falcons (7-2) vs St Louis Rams (4-5)

Falcons are tied for the best record in the league. They have a superb offense behind the play of QB Matt Ryan and WR Roddy White. Rams are in a terrible NFC West division and despite the great play of rookie QB Sam Bradford have continued to struggle to score and their defense is not making the plays needed to keep their opponent out the endzone each week. Prediction: Falcons

Indianapolis Colts (6-3) vs New England Patriots (7-2)

Colts come in off a win last week against the Bengals at home in which QB Peyton Manning didnt throw a single TD. Despite injuries in their secondary, the Colts have been able to play to a consistently high level in all of their wins. Patriots come in off a win last week against the Steelers in Pittsburgh. QB Tom Brady completed 30 of 43 for 350 yds and 3 TDs. Pats have a crushing defense that has led them to 1 of the best records in the league. Pats are at home and lead the match up history. Prediction: Patriots

New York Giants (6-3) vs Philadelphia Eagles (6-3)

Giants come in off an embarassing loss last week to the Cowboys at home. QB Eli Manning completed 33 of 48 for 373 yds 2 TDs and 2 INTs. Their defense has been playing with a needed consistency to keep them atop their division. Eagles come in off a blowout victory over the Redskins in Washington last week. Michael Vick had his best game of his career finishing with 6 TDs total (4 passing, 2 rushing). He has yet to throw an INT this season. If Eagles defense can keep playing at the level they played thus far they have a good potential of making the playoffs. Prediction: Eagles

Denver Broncos (3-6) vs San Diego Chargers (4-5)

The #1 passer in the league (Rivers) against the #2 passer in the league (Orton). In years past this would have been a good game, but the Broncos have the #29 ranked defense overall and Rivers will easily exploit this weakness. Prediction: Chargers

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Rookie Watch- Ndamukong Suh

I know I've been covering lots of offensive rookies. This is mainly due to the fact that they garner more attention. The exception to this is the Detroit Lions rookie defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.


Suh is a 6'4/307 lb monster on the field. He played his college ball at Nebraska where in his senior year he won numerous awards including AP College Football Player of the Year, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award, Lombardi Award and Outland Trophy. He was also a finalist for the Heisman Trophy. Based on his phenomenal college career he was drafted as the 2nd pick overall in the 2010 draft.

So far this season Suh has 33 tackles (26 solo, 7 assist), 7 sacks and 1 INT. He also assisted in 1 defensive TD and just barely missed an extra point kick. Lions may be a struggling team but Suh has a bright future in the league.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Week 10 Predictions

Finished a very good 9-4 last week. Let's go:

Baltimore Ravens (6-2) vs Atlanta Falcons (6-2)

2 nearly evenly matched teams with nearly identical records. Both with great 3rd year QBs, good RBs top WRs and a super defense. Give this one to the home team. Prediction: Falcons

Cincinnati Bengals (2-6) vs Indianapolis Colts (5-3)

This should be a much better match up considering the talent on the Bengals side. But Bengals have not been able to match the level of talent with their number of wins. Meanwhile the Colts have continued to find ways to win despite suffering numerous losses on both sides of the ball. I expect a good game but with Colts at home this should be an easy win. Prediction: Colts

New York Jets (6-2) vs Cleveland Browns (3-5)

Jets had to take the Lions into overtime last week in order to get the win but still managed to pull it off in the end. This team's offense is pretty good but they have a great defense to make up for any lack on the other side. Browns come in off a shocking win over the Patriots at home last week. QB Colt McCoy has proven to be the real deal and their defense stepped up big when it was needed. This should be a good game. Prediction: Jets

Minnesota Vikings (3-5) vs Chicago Bears (5-3)

Vikings had to go into overtime to beat the Cardinals but Brett Favre threw for the most yards of his entire career. His defense is superb but his offense is struggling badly. They need to show some fire and passion to get themselves into the post season. Bears are a team whose offense is mediocre and whose defense is pretty decent. These division rivals should play a tough game but whichever quarterback throws the fewest interceptions will win the game. Prediction: Bears

Tennessee Titans (5-3) vs Miami Dolphins (4-4)

Titans are coming in off their bye during which time they added Randy Moss to their WR roster. This was a good move considering that WR Kenny Britt is out 4-6 weeks with a hamstring injury. They may be without QB Vince Young who is still struggling with an ankle injury giving Kerry Collins the start. They still have a great running game with RB Chris Johnson regardless. Their defense has looked good in their 5 wins but need to keep pace with the Colts. Dolphins are a so-so team with a mediocre offense. They are switching to QB Chad Pennington in hopes of improving their play. Dolphins run defense is terrible and may get burned by Johnson. Dolphins are still winless at home and this week may not be the week for the first one. Prediciton: Titans

Houston Texans (4-4) vs Jacksonville Jaguars (4-4)

Two tough AFC South division rivals. Texans has the top WR in the league with Andre Johnson and 1 of the top RBs in the league Arian Foster. QB Matt Schaub plays inconsistent but has the arm to get the job done. Their defense has struggled but still has great potential. Jaguars are an ok team but have struggled badly on offense. Garrard has been benched and thrown numerous INTs. His running game has been subpar and his WRs have disappeared. Their defense has kept them in games but without more points on the board they will continue to struggle. Prediction: Texans

Detroit Lions (2-6) vs Buffalo Bills (0-8)

Lions are coming in off a close loss last week where they led almost the entire game. Unfortunately they lost their starting QB Matt Stafford again with a shoulder injury. They will have to start QB Shaun Hill who struggled badly during Stafford's absence. Lions have not won a game on the road in 24 tries. Bills have yet to win a game this season. This is despite the fact that their offense is playing very well. Bills defense has been their let down at the end of games. They should finally be able to get their first win of the season at home against the Lions without their starting QB. Prediction: Bills

Carolina Panthers (1-7) vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-3)

Panthers are just an awful team. Whether Clausen or Moore at QB doesnt seem to matter since they cannot seem to get the ball downfield to a healthy WR. Their defense is pathetic. Buccaneers come in off a loss but are determined to stay within a game of the division lead. They have a great secondary that should be able to contain the pass and with Panthers running game non existent this should be an easy win for the Bucs. Prediction: Buccaneers

Kansas City Chiefs (5-3) vs Denver Broncos (2-6)

Chiefs are coming in off a loss but have been playing great football so far this season. QB Matt Cassel has found his WR Dwayne Bowe and TE Tony Moeaki when needed. They have a surprisingly good running game in RB Jamaal Charles. Their defense is ok but good enough to keep them within striking distance. Broncos are coming in off a bye but lost a terrible game 2 weeks ago in London. They are a sad disappointing team whose defense in near the bottom in all stats. Even the great play of QB Kyle Orton cannot save them especially with a lack of a running game due to injuries to RBs Moreno and Buckhalter. Expect another loss for them. Prediction: Chiefs

St. Louis Rams (4-4) vs San Francisco 49ers (2-6)

Rams are a average team with a good rookie QB in Sam Bradford. They come in this week off a bye facing the terrible division rival 49ers. 49ers are atrocious and in need of a good win to show their true potential but lack the quarterback or the defense to make that happen. Prediction: Rams

Dallas Cowboys (1-7) vs New York Giants (6-2)

Cowboys fired head coach Wade Phillips this week after getting off to a horrendous start. Despite this fact they are a terrible team who lack discipline and are without their starting quarterback. With the lack of production in the running game and the fall off of their defense dont expect many more wins out of them. Giants come in off a crushing win over the Seahawks and are finally playing like a well oiled machine. Their defense is outstanding and the offense behind Manning is playing consistently. Dont expect a good game. Prediction: Giants

Seattle Seahawks (4-4) vs Arizona Cardinals (3-5)

Seahawks come in off a loss but have the return of QB Matt Hasselback. Cardinals still lack a reliable QB and without it they are struggling badly to score points. This should be a good fight but an easy win for the Seahawks. Prediction: Seahawks

New England Patriots (6-2) vs Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2)

Patriots potent offense against the Steelers crushing defense. This should be a good game. Patriots come in off a loss last week to the Browns while Steelers come in off a win against the Bengals. Much as I love the Pats I have to go with the home team on this one. Prediction: Steelers

Philadelphia Eagles (5-3) vs Washington Redskins (4-4)

The second showdown of these 2 teams. Eagles are playing well while the Redskins have struggled. The Eagles will be fired up to avenge the loss in the last match up. Expect QB Michael Vick to lead them to the win this time around. Prediction: Eagles

Monday, November 8, 2010

Rookie Watch- Tony Moeaki

Kansas City Chiefs lead the AFC West division by a half game. This team is looking good each week behind the strong arm of their QB Matt Cassel. One of Cassel's new favorite targets is rookie tight end Tony Moeaki.

Moeaki was drafted in the 3rd round of the NFL draft in 2010. He finished his college career at Iowa with 76 receptions for 953 yds and 11 TDs and was considered one of the top tight end prospects coming out of college. Since losing TE Tony Gonzalez two years ago, the Chiefs have been looking for a big strong powerful blocking and catching tight end to fill in the void left behind. Moeaki is 6'3/252 with size and speed. So far this season with the Chiefs he has 30 catches for 344 yds and 2 TDs but has also been a consistent blocker. With Chiefs playing well, Moeaki should have a bright future in the league.

College Watch- Ronald Johnson

USC is ranked 5th in the Pac-10 division. They are 6-3 overall and 3-3 in the division. While they are unranked this year and struggling a bit, they are still a great team to watch. Contributing to this factor is the play of their go to senior wide receiver Ronald Johnson.

Ronald Johnson is 6'1/190 kickoff returner and wide receiver. So far this season he has 46 receptions for 546 yds and 8 TDs. For his college career he has 120 receptions for 1604 yds and 20 TDs and this is despite missing part of his junior season with a broken collarbone. He has great speed running a 4.4 40 which combined with his size makes gives him great potential to be drafted relatively high in next year's NFL draft.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Key Signings/Injuries of the Week

Signings

After a short but apparently disappointing stint in Minnesota, WR Randy Moss was waived by the Vikings. He was immediately picked up off waivers by the Tennessee Titans. Titans have always lacked a good quality #1 wideout so this may be a good match for them. This is of course if Jeff Fisher can keep him under control and if the Vince Young can stay healthy. With WR Kenny Britt potentially out 6-8 weeks with a hamstring injury his deep threat potential is very needed right now.

Chargers waived LB Shawne Merriman. He had 3 good seasons with them, but his last 2 1/2 have been disappointing dealing with both off field issues and injuries. He was quickly signed by the Buffalo Bills who are last in the league at 0-7 and in desperate need of someone like Merriman. Their defense ranks near the bottom in every defensive statistic so if Merriman can stay healthy he would be welcome on a line that has let them down late in games.

I'm hoping for both Moss & Merriman's sakes they are able to fit into the system of the teams that have acquired them. They are 2 very good players with some issues but if they can be handled they are both potentially still great contributors.

Injuries

San Diego Chargers TE Antonio Gates has "popped" the plantar fascia in his right foot. The injury can potentially keep him out for several weeks. Considering the Chargers are already without WRs Vincent Jackson, Malcolm Floyd, Legedu Naanee and Buster Davis this may be a rough week for them.

Tennessee Titans WR Kenny Britt injuried his right hamstring in a loss to the Chargers last week. Fortunately they are on bye this week, but the injury may sideline him for 6 to 8 weeks.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Week 9 Predictions

Ok so your girl finished 8-5 last week..not as good as I had hoped but pretty good. Let's get started on this week's picks.

San Diego Chargers (3-5) vs Houston Texans (4-3)

Chargers come in off a good win against the Titans at home last week. However the win cost them dearly. TE Antonio Gates popped the plantar fascia in his left foot during the game and is not expected to play this week. QB Philip Rivers has already thrown for 2649 yds, 15 TDs and 7 INTs so far this season and is the #1 rated passer in the league but with WRs Legedu Naanee and Malcom Floyd battling injuries and doubtful for this game, and WR Buster Davis on I.R. this will be a tough one for the Chargers to win through the air. They may have to rely on their ground game behind RB Mike Tolbert who has scored 7 TDs in his last 7 games. Chargers have a tough defense but they have the leagues worst special teams. Texans are coming in off a big loss to the division rival Colts in Indianapolis. QB Matt Schaub completed 22 of 38 for 201 yds, 1 TD and 1 INT with WR Andre Johnson making 7 catches for 106 yds and Schaub's lone TD. RB Arian Foster had 15 rushes for 102 yds and 1 TD. Texans have the last ranked pass defense in the league but facing the Chargers when they are depleted at WR may work in their favor. Prediction: Texans

Arizona Cardinals (3-4) vs Minnesota Vikings (2-5)

Cardinals come in off a disappointing loss to the Bucs last week. QB Max Hall threw 2 INTs before being replaced by QB Derek Anderson who came in and threw 2 more INTs. Even with a WR like Larry Fitzgerald who caught 2 TDs last week cannot save them from mediocrity. RB Beanie Wells rushed for 1 TD last week but is questionable for this week due to an allergic reaction. Cardinals defense is ranked 27th and offense is ranked 31st. Unless Hall or Anderson dramatically improve they are going to struggle to finish .500. Vikings come in off a loss last week to the Patriots in New England. The Vikes are a disappointment. They released WR Randy Moss after just a few weeks. QB Brett Favre was knocked out the game last week with a laceration to the chin but had thrown no TDs up to that point. RB Adrian Peterson rushed 25 times for 92 yds and 1 TD. Vikes run defense has fallen off this season but still is effective on pass defense. Not expecting a good game out of this one. Prediction: Vikings

New Orleans Saints (5-3) vs Carolina Panthers (1-6)

Saints come in off a win at home against the Steelers. QB Drew Brees finished with a 101.0% passer rating by completing 34 of 44 for 305 yds, 2 TDs and 1 INT. WRs Marques Colston had 6 receptions for 75 yds and 1 TD and Lance Moore had 7 receptions for 54 yds and 1 TD. With both RBs Reggie Bush & Pierre Thomas still out the ground game has been nearly nonexistent. The Saints defense looked great last week against the Steelers and should play much better this week against the struggling Panthers. Panthers are a terrible team. Their biggest problem is a lack of a quality quarterback. They are coming in off a loss to the Rams in St. Louis. QB Matt Moore finished with just 1 TD and 3 INTs. So far this season he has twice as many INTs (10) than he has TDs (5). Their running game has been sorely lacking with both RBs Jonathan Stewart & DeAngelo Williams each only have 1 TD so far this season. They have also been plagued by injuries at the WR position. Panthers defense needs to get some turnovers badly and score. Prediction: Saints

New England Patriots (6-1) vs Cleveland Browns (2-5)

Patriots come in off a convincing win at home against the Vikings. Currently they are the best team in the NFL. Pats play a complete game on both sides of the ball. They will be facing rookie QB Colt McCoy. Browns are struggling badly this season mostly due to injuries. Prediction: Patriots

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-2) vs Atlanta Falcons (5-2)

Bucs come in off a win against the Cardinals in Arizona. QB Josh Freeman completed 18 of 25 for 278 yds and 1 TD with WR Mike Williams having 4 receptions for 105 yds and Freeman's lone TD pass. RB LeGarrette Blount had 22 rushes for 120 yds and 2 TDs. Bucs defense is solid; last week CB Aqib Talib finished with 2 INTs. Falcons come in off a bye last week. Their last game out was a win against the Bengals at home. QB Matt Ryan has an overal 89.6% passer rating thus far with 12 TDs and 5 INTs with his #1 wideout Roddy White having caught 5 of those TDs. Michael Turner had his best game thus far in week 7 with 23 rushes for 121 yds and 2 TDs. Falcons D has been playing with a fire that may get them into the playoffs. Prediction: Falcons

Chicago Bears (4-3) vs Buffalo Bills (0-7)

Bears are coming in off a bye last week. Their last game was a loss to the Redskins in Washington. They have loss their last 2 out of 3 and QB Jay Cutler threw 4 INTs in that game. Their running game has been flat with RB Matt Forte having just 352 yds & 3 TDs so far this season. Bears defense is solid but need their offense to produce points in the red zone and keep them off the field. Bills remain the only winless team in the league. Despite this fact their offense is playing very well. The problem is the Bills defense ranks last against the run, last in scoring defense and 29th in yards allowed. Can the Bears 29th ranked run offense take exploit this weakness? This will be their chance to prove it. Prediction: Bears

Miami Dolphins (4-3) vs Baltimore Ravens (5-2)

Dolphins come in off a win last week against the Bengals in Cincinnati. QB Chad Henne threw o TDs and 1 INT. RB Ricky Williams had 9 rushes for 47 yds and 1 TD. They will need more production this week to win this game. Dolphins defense has been playing well in their road games. Dolphins are still undefeated on the road and winless at home so this should be a good test. Ravens are coming in off a bye last week. Their last game was a last second win against the Bills at home. In that game QB Joe Flacco completed 16 of 31 for 250 yds and 3 TDs with WR Anquan Boldin making 6 receptions for 92 yds and 1 of those TDs. Ravens have a stingy defense that needs to be prepared for lots of the wildcat formation from the Dolphins. Prediction: Ravens

New York Jets (5-2) vs Detroit Lions (2-5)

Jets come in off a surprising loss to the Packers at home. QB Mark Sanchez had an awful game finishing with 0 TDs and 2 INTs. Jets played solid on defense limiting the Packers to just 3 FGs but they will need this offense to bounce back this week. Lions come in off a win against the Redskins in Washington last week. On his first game back from a shoulder injury QB Matt Stafford completed 26 of 45 for 212 yds, 4 TDs and 1 INT with WR Calvin Johnson making 9 receptions for 101 yds and 3 of those TDs. Lions defense had a great game and need to keep it up to reach .500 this season. Prediction: Jets

New York Giants (5-2) vs Seattle Seahawks (4-3)

Giants come in off a bye last week. Their last game out was a win against the Cowboys in Dallas where they knocked QB Tony Romo out for the next 6-8 weeks. QB Eli Manning has thrown for 1785 yds, 14 TDs and 11 INTs so far this season. His RBs Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs have rushed for 3 TDs and 5 TDs respectively. The Giants defense has looked fantastic and playing big when it counts. Seahawks come in off blowout loss to the Raiders last week in Oakland. Unfortunately QB Matt Hasselback is out this week with a concussion. They will be starting QB Charlie Whitehurst who has never thrown a pass in the regular season. They will need to rely on their ground game behind RBs Justin Forsett and Marshawn Lynch. The Seawhawks defense are inconsistent and this uneven play has resulted in their mediocre record. Prediction: Giants

Indianapolis Colts (5-2) vs Philadelphia Eagles (4-3)

Colts come in off a convincing win against the division rival Texans last week at home. QB Peyton Manning finished with a 89.9% passer rating by completing 26 of 45 for 268 yds and 2 TDs with WR Reggie Wayne catching 1 of those TDs. Colts running game has struggled a little with both RBs Joseph Addai and Donald Brown being injured. Colts defense has been badly banged up but has managed to keep things rolling for them but need to work on their run defense. Eagles come in off a bye last week. Their last game was a loss to the Titans in week 7. QB Michael Vick is supposed to get the start this week after suffering a rib injury in week 4. He has 6 TDs and 0 INTs passing and 1 rushing TD so far this season. They are also expecting the return of WR DeSean Jackson who was out last game due to a concussion. RB LeSean McCoy has 477 yds and 5 TDs so far this season so they will need more production out of their ground game. Eagles defense gave up alot through the air in the Titans game and will need to play much tougher against Manning. Prediction: Colts

Kansas City Chiefs (5-2) vs Oakland Raiders (4-4)

Chiefs come in off a win last week against the Bills at home. QB Matt Cassel completed 14 of 26 for 152 yds and 1 TD with WR Dwayne Bowe cathing the lone TD. RB Jamaal Charles had 22 rushes for 177 yds. Chiefs defense is ranked 16 in yards allowed but only have 15 sacks; they need to put more pressure on the quarterbacks they face. Raiders come in off a beatdown of the Seahawks last week at home. QB Jason Campbell completed 15 of 27 for 310 yds and 2 TDs with WR Darrius Heyward-Bey making 5 receptions for 105 yds and 1 of those TDs. RB Darren McFadden had 21 rushes for 111 yds. Raiders defense is banged up this week but have played excellent the last 2 weeks. This should be a good game against 2 division rivals. Prediction: Chiefs

Dallas Cowboys (1-6) vs Green Bay Packers (5-3)

Cowboys come in off a terrible loss to the Jaguars at home. Cowboys are a terrible team and are without their starting QB Tony Romo for the next 6-8 weeks. Last week QB Jon Kitna threw 4 INTs and was sacked twice. Cowboys must find a way to get their ground game going; RB Marion Barber picked up only his 2nd TD this season last week. RBs Felix Jones & Tashard Choice have yet to score. Cowboys defense has crumbled badly this season and their offense looks anemic. Packers come in off a win last week against the Jets in New York. Packers faced a very tough defense in the Jets last week and didnt manage to score a TD but they are facing a Cowboys defense ranked 24th in rush defense and 27th in scoring defense. Their defense has played pretty consistent in all of their wins. Prediction: Packers

Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2) vs Cincinnati Bengals (2-5)

Steelers come in off a loss to the Saints in New Orleans last week. QB Ben Roethlisberger had his worst game of the season so far by completing 17 of 28 for 195 yds for 0 TDs and 1 INT. RB Rashard Mendenhall had 15 rushes for 71 yds and 1 TD. Steelers still have the #4 ranked defense in the league. Bengals come in off a loss last week to the Dolphins at home. QB Carson Palmer 17 of 38 for 156 yds 2 TDs and 1 INT and WR Terrell Owens had 5 receptions for 65 yds and both of Palmer's TDs. Bengals have been an utter disappointment this year. Their defense has let them down in nearly every game so far this season. They are in desperate need of a turnaround to get to .500. Prediction: Steelers

Rookie Watch- David Gettis

Carolina Panthers arent a very good team this year. They have been plagued with injuries at receiver and poor performance at quarterback. So far they have managed just 1 win this season. Despite this fact they have 1 emerging bright spot on their offense..the rookie wide receiver David Gettis.

David Gettis is 6'4/220 lb & becoming the Panthers most reliable threat. He was a 6th round pick out of Baylor where he finished his college career with 116 receptions for 1555 yds and 4 TDs. He runs a 4.47 40 which makes him the perfect combo of size and speed. His biggest game came against the 49ers in week 7 where he caught 8 passes for 125 yds and 2 TDs. If the Panthers can resolve their QB problem Gettis has the potential of becoming a very good receiver in the league.

College Watch-Jake Locker

The Washington Huskies are not having a great season this year. They are 3-5 overall and 2-3 in the Pac-10 divisioin. Their last game was a crushing loss to Stanford. To make matters worse they are now without their starting QB Jake Locker who has a broken rib. Despite the injury Locker is still a highly touted NFL prospect.

Jake Locker is 6'3"/226 lbs and has been compared to Steve Young. In his freshman year he was named Pac-10 Freshman of the Year. His sophmore season was a bust but his junior season the Huskies reached #24 in the AP poll. His senior season has been marred with injuries and poor performance which has dropped his stock considerably, but he is still expected to go in at least the 2nd or 3rd round of the 2011 draft.