Last week was a better week for your girl finishing with a 9-5 record. Let's see if we can improve upon that this week..let's get started.
Buffalo Bills (0-6) vs Kansas City Chiefs (4-2)
Bills are a terrible team who lost a close one last week against the Ravens in Baltimore. Surprisingly for as bad as they are their QB Ryan Fitzgerald has played fantastic. His overall passer rating so far this season is 102.2% with 11 TDs and only 4 INTs. His go to WR Steve Johnson has 372 yds and 5 TDs and WR Lee Evans has 286 yds and 4 TDs so far. They lack a great running game with RB Fred Jackson only having rushed for 1 TD and rookie RB C.J. Spiller having none thus far. Bills defense tends to let them down late in games. Bills will need to address their defense problems to get wins this season. Chiefs come in off a smack down of the Jaguars at home. They are atop the terrible AFC West divison. This is largely due to the play of QB Matt Cassel. Last week Cassel finished with a 144.0% passer rating by completing 13 of 18 for 193 yds and 2 TDs with WR Dwayne Bowe receiving both of them. RB Jamaal Charles rushed 15 times for 71 yds and 1 TD. The Chiefs have been suprisingly efficient on defense. While I expect Bills to win 1 in the near future with Chiefs playing as well as they are right now, I dont think this will be that week. Prediction: Chiefs
Carolina Panthers (1-5) vs St. Louis Rams (3-4)
Panthers got their 1st win of the season last week by beating the 49ers at home. QB Matt Moore finished with 308 yds, 2 TDs and 1 INT with WR David Gettis catching both of his TDs. Panthers have a decent defense it has been their offense that has been struggling with unreliable QBs and unhealthy WRs. They will need to address these issues to finish with a .500 season. Rams lost a close one last week to the Bucs in Tampa Bay. Despite this loss, QB Sam Bradford played well finishing with 126 yds and 2 TDs with WR Danny Amendola receiving 1 of them. RB Steven Jackson finished with 110 yds on 22 carries. The Rams defense have not had a big breakout game this season. They may have the potential for that this week against a weak Panthers offense. Prediction: Rams
Denver Broncos (2-5) vs San Francisco 49ers (1-6)
Broncos suffered an embarassing beat down at home to the Raiders last week. QB Kyle Orton completed just 12 of 29 for 198 yds, 2 TDs and 1 INT. He was the lone bright spot in the debacle. Broncos defense has been disappointing and pathetic. If they do not turn around things fast they will finish last in the weak AFC West division. 49ers come in off a loss last week to the then winless Panthers. This week they are starting QB Troy Smith in place of the injured Alex Smith. Troy hasnt played since week 15 of the '09 season for the Ravens. 49ers will need to rely heavily on their running game behind RB Frank Gore who rushed for 102 yds last week. 49ers defense has late game breakdowns and may be the undoing of head coach Singletary if they dont play more proficient. Both of these teams are utter disappointments and I dont expect a great game. Prediction: Broncos
Washington Redskins (4-3) vs Detroit Lions (1-5)
Redskins come in off a shocking win against the Bears at home last week. Despite the win the offense looked stagnant. It was the defense behind the 4 INTs of CB DeAngelo Hall that stepped up big for them and got them the W. In the game QB Donovan McNabb threw for only 200 yds 1 TD and 2 INTs. RB Ryan Torain rushed for 125 yds but also fumbled the ball twice (1 for a turnover). Redskins need their offense to score more points or it's going to be another disappointing ending to their season. Lions come in off their bye last week. This week they look to have QB Matthew Stafford back from a shoulder injury in the season opener. There is also hope for the return of RB Jahvid Best and WRs Calvin and Brian Johnson who have been hampered with injuries as well. Lions have a terrible secondary but a strong D line. Giving up the deep passes has been their biggest problem. Redskins will need to exploit this weakness with long passes from McNabb if they want to win this game. Prediction: Redskins
Green Bay Packers (4-3) vs New York Jets (5-1)
Packers come in off a win against division rival Vikings at home last week. QB Aaron Rodgers had a rough game completing 21 of 34 for 295 yds and 2 TDs but also 2 INTs. WR Greg Jennings had 6 receptions for 74 yds and RB Brandon Jackson had 13 rushes for 58 yds and 1 TD. Packers D plays well against the pass but they are weak against the run. Whether the eventual return of CBs Atari Bigby and Al Harris will help in that area remains a question with no answer. Jets come in off their bye last week. Their last game was a win in Denver in which QB Mark Sanchez struggled. He completed just 17 of 30 for 198 yds, 1 TD and 2 INTs. RB LaDainian Tomlinson rushed 16 times for 55 yds and 2 TDs. Jets defense has played extremely solid with CB Antonio Cromartie playing superb while CB Darrelle Revis has been plagued with a hamstring injury. This will be a big challenge for them this week. Prediction: Jets
Miami Dolphins (3-3) vs Cincinnati Bengals (2-4)
Dolphins come in off a last minute controversial loss to the Steelers last week at home. QB Chad Henne finished with a 94.3% passer rating by completing 23 of 36 for 257 yds and 1 TD with WR Davone Bess catching the lone TD. Dolphins pass defense is subpar but their run defense is superb. Dolphins are winless at home and undefeated on the road. They need to work out this problem quickly. Bengals are a team big on talent and low on wins. They are coming in off a loss last week to the Falcons in Atlanta. Despite this QB Carson Palmer had 1 of his best games of the season so far completing 36 of 50 for 412 yds and 3 TDs. WRs Chad Ochocinco had 10 catches for 108 yds and 1 TD and Terrell Owens had 9 catches for 88 yds and 1 TD too. They need more play from their running game; RB Cedric Benson has only 2 TDs so far this season. Bengals defense is mediocre and playing with an inconsistency that is hurting them tremendously. This may be a good test for them this week. Prediction: Dolphins
Jacksonville Jaguars (3-4) vs Dallas Cowboys (1-5)
Jaguars come in off a crushing loss against the Chiefs in Kansas City. They are expecting the return of QB David Garrard who was recovering from a concussion suffered in week 5. He will need his RB Maurice Jones-Drew to produce; Drew has only scored 1 TD so far this season. Jags defense is terrible. This team is not playing well on either side of the ball and may potentially finish dead last in the AFC South division. Cowboys come in off a loss to the Giants at home last week. To make matters worse they lost their starting QB Tony Romo for 8 weeks with a broken left clavicle. This means they will be starting the veteran QB Jon Kitna. WR Dez Bryant had a breakout game last week scoring 2 receiving TDs and 1 punt return TD, but how he will fair with Kitna has yet to be determined. They have a running back by committee system with Barber, Jones, and Choice that has not had a breakout game. Their defense has not been able to save them from the mistakes on offense. On paper this is 1 of the most impressive teams in the league but the reality is they are not playing up to the high expectations put on them in preseason. There is no cohesiveness and they lack discipline which has cost them dearly in penalties. With Romo gone this season may be a wash for them. Prediction: Jaguars
Tennessee Titans (5-2) vs San Diego Chargers (2-5)
Titans come in off an impressive win against the Eagles last week at home. With QB Vince Young out, QB Kerry Collins stepped in and had a big game finishing with 276 yds, 3 TDs and 2 INTs. WR Kenny Britt had his breakout game finishing with 7 receptions for 225 yds and all 3 of Collins' TDs. RB Chris Johnson was held under 70 yds for the game. Titans defense has played well in their 5 wins and need a big game this week if they hope to win. Chargers are off to their ususal slow start. They are coming in off a loss last week to the Patriots at home. QB Phillip Rivers completed 34 of 50 for 336 yds, 1 TD and 1 INT with TE Antonio Gates catching his only TD pass. RB Mike Tolbert rushed for 1 additional TD. Chargers run defense will need a big game to stop Chris Johnson. With Young questionable for this game Johnson may be relied on more heavily. Prediction: Chargers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-2) vs Arizona Cardinals (3-3)
Bucs come in off a close win against the Rams last week. QB Josh Freeman completed 23 of 40 for 212 yds and 1 TD. His running game behind RB LeGarrette Blount is making improvements each week. Bucs defense is 31st against the run so need to make vast improvements to stay a half game behind the Falcons in the NFC South. Cardinals are coming in off a loss to the Seahawks last week in Seattle. QB Max Hall is expected to return this week after being out last week recovering from a concussion. His back-up Derek Anderson managed just 96 yds of passing. Cardinals run defense is ranked 29th so this is a battle of 2 teams who will need to air it out to win. Prediction: Buccaneers
Minnesota Vikings (2-4) vs New England Patriots (5-1)
Vikings come in off a loss last week to the Packers in Green Bay. QB Brett Favre is questionable for this game suffering from a fractured ankle and heel bone on his left foot. Last week he looked horrible completing just 16 of 29 for 212 yds with 1 TD and 3 INTs. He has been hampered by injuries and plagued by poor throwing decisions. If he is unable to start QB Tavaris Jackson will get the start. Jackson hasnt played since last season. Meanwhile RB Adrian Peterson has been a bright spot for the struggling Vikes. Last week he rushed 28 times for 131 yds and 1 TD. Their defense is much better than their record indicates. Patriots come in off a win last week against the Chargers in San Diego. QB Tom Brady finished with a 82.7% passer rating by completing 19 of 32 for 159 yds and 1 TD. RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis rushed for 1 additional TD. Patriots only weakness on defense is leaving receivers wide open in the middle of the field which if they arent careful will cost them dearly with WR Randy Moss looking to avenge his trade. This should be a good game. Prediction: Patriots
Seattle Seahawks (4-2) vs Oakland Raiders (3-4)
Seahawks come in off a good win against division rival Cardinals at home last week. QB Matt Hasselback is a mid-level quarterback who is good but not great. His 75.0% QB rating means his numbers are not overwhelming but he does enough to get the W most weeks. Last week he completed 20 of 38 for 192 yds and 1 TD with WR Mike Williams catching the lone TD. Their running game has improved with the addition of RB Marshawn Lynch to compliment Justin Forsett. Seattle needs to improve their run defense but otherwise have been pretty good. Raiders are coming in off an absolute smackdown butt kicking of division rival Broncos in Denver last week. QB Jason Campbell finished with his highest passer rating of the season so far at 127.9% by completing 12 of 20 for 204 yds and 2 TDs with TE Zach Miller receiving 3 passes for 65 yds and 1 of Campbell's TDs. RB Darren McFadden had an outstanding game rushing for 165 yds on 16 carries and 3 TDs. Raiders defense has looked good the last 2 weeks so need to step up to stay in 2nd in the AFC West division. Prediction: Seahawks
Pittsburgh Steelers (5-1) vs New Orleans Saints (4-3)
Steelers are coming in off a controversial close win against the Dolphins in Miami last week. QB Ben Roethlisberger finished with a qb rating of 132.0% by completing 19 of 27 for 302 yds and 2 TDs. WR Mike Wallace had 2 receptions for 53 yds and 1 TD and WR Hines Ward had 7 receptions for 131 yds and another TD. Steelers have the #4 rated defense in the league and have looked unstoppable each week. Saints are coming in off an embarassing loss to the then winless Browns. QB Drew Brees finished with his worst qb rating of the season so far at 65.8% by throwing just 2 TDs and 4 INTs with WR Marques Colston receiving 10 catches for 112 yds and 1 of those TDs. Saints are in hopes of the return of RB Reggie Bush this week. The running game has been sorely missed. Saints defense need a big game if they hope to win this one. Prediction: Steelers
Houston Texans (4-2) vs Indianapolis Colts (4-2)
Texans are coming in off a bye last week. Last game out was a win against the Chiefs at home. In that game QB Matt Schaub completed 25 of 33 for 305 yds and 2 TDs. WR Andre Johnson had 8 receptions for 138 yds and 1 TD and RB Arian Foster had 18 rushes for 71 yds and 2 TDs. Texans defense plays best against the run but will need to really have a big game this week against the pass. Colts are coming in off a bye last week as well. Their last game out was a win against the Redskins in Washington. In that game QB Peyton Manning completed 25 of 38 for 307 yds and 2 TDs with WR Austin Collie catching 1 of those. RB Joseph Addai had 17 rushes for 128 yds and 1 TD. Colts defense has played well even with the loss of all but 1 of their starters in the secondary. They will be tested this week with the running game of the Texans. This will be a great AFC South battle but hard to pick against the Colts at home. Prediction: Colts
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Key Injuries of the Week
Well I guess we have to start at the top with the loss of QB Tony Romo for the Cowboys. Romo suffered a broken left clavicle in the Cowboys loss to the Giants on Monday night. He is expected to miss 6-8 weeks. Cowboys are currently 1-5 and losing their star QB til at least week 13 may be the final undoing of their season. They will start the veteran Jon Kitna in his absence.
49ers are without their starting QB as well as QB Alex Smith suffered a separated left shoulder that will have him sidelined for the next 2-3 weeks. Troy Smith will get the start in his place.
Bengals CB Pacman Jones suffered a herniated disk in his neck and has been placed on injured reserve for the remainder of the season. This is disheartening considering he was having a good year thus far.
The Steelers DE Aaron Smith is out indefinitely after having surgery to repair a torn tricep tendon in his left arm. Whether or not he will be able to come back this season remains to be seen.
Vikings QB Brett Favre has a stress fracture in his left ankle and an avulsion fracture in the heel bone of the same foot. He is probable for this Sunday. He has 291 consecutive starts so his likelihood of missing the game even with the injuries is slim. However if he is unable to go, Tavaris Jackson would get the start in his place.
49ers are without their starting QB as well as QB Alex Smith suffered a separated left shoulder that will have him sidelined for the next 2-3 weeks. Troy Smith will get the start in his place.
Bengals CB Pacman Jones suffered a herniated disk in his neck and has been placed on injured reserve for the remainder of the season. This is disheartening considering he was having a good year thus far.
The Steelers DE Aaron Smith is out indefinitely after having surgery to repair a torn tricep tendon in his left arm. Whether or not he will be able to come back this season remains to be seen.
Vikings QB Brett Favre has a stress fracture in his left ankle and an avulsion fracture in the heel bone of the same foot. He is probable for this Sunday. He has 291 consecutive starts so his likelihood of missing the game even with the injuries is slim. However if he is unable to go, Tavaris Jackson would get the start in his place.
College Watch- Julio Jones
Alabama is ranked #6 on the AP Poll and #7 in the BCS ranking after recently slipping from the #1 position because of a loss to South Carolina. They are 7-1 overall and 4-1 in their divison. The Crimson Tide has one of the best bunch of upper class men and potential future NFL draft picks. One such potential is wide receiver Julio Jones.
Coming out of high school Jones was a highly recruited player. He came to Alabama and was the first receiver to start as a true freshman. He finished his first year with 58 receptions for 924 yds and 4 TDs and was named the SEC Freshman of the Year. His sophmore year he was voted to the All-SEC Coaches' Football Team and helped lead the Crimson Tide to a BCS National Championship. So far this season he has 45 receptions for 669 yds and 3 TDs.
Jones is 6'4"/220 lbs and is likened to Terrell Owens or Larry Fitzgerald. He is big powerful elusive and quick with very sure hands. With so many NFL teams looking for such a receiver, his potential to be a high draft choice is great. He would be welcome at almost every team in the league.
Coming out of high school Jones was a highly recruited player. He came to Alabama and was the first receiver to start as a true freshman. He finished his first year with 58 receptions for 924 yds and 4 TDs and was named the SEC Freshman of the Year. His sophmore year he was voted to the All-SEC Coaches' Football Team and helped lead the Crimson Tide to a BCS National Championship. So far this season he has 45 receptions for 669 yds and 3 TDs.
Jones is 6'4"/220 lbs and is likened to Terrell Owens or Larry Fitzgerald. He is big powerful elusive and quick with very sure hands. With so many NFL teams looking for such a receiver, his potential to be a high draft choice is great. He would be welcome at almost every team in the league.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Rookie Watch- Dez Bryant
Every rookie class has a star athlete who due to some issues in college gets pushed down the draft board. Determined not to make the mistake he did with Randy Moss, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones went after the controversial WR Dez Bryant.
Bryant is a 6'2"/217 lb menace on the field. While his early numbers havent been impressive, his last 2 games he has managed to score 3 receiving TDs and 1 punt return TD. Bryant is built like a slightly shorter Moss with speed, an amazing vertical leap and catching ability and sure hands. His yards after the catch are impressive to watch in action. He is self assured and a bit cocky, but his ability speaks for itself. With a healthy QB and a good receiving corp around him, he should have a bright future in the league.
Bryant is a 6'2"/217 lb menace on the field. While his early numbers havent been impressive, his last 2 games he has managed to score 3 receiving TDs and 1 punt return TD. Bryant is built like a slightly shorter Moss with speed, an amazing vertical leap and catching ability and sure hands. His yards after the catch are impressive to watch in action. He is self assured and a bit cocky, but his ability speaks for itself. With a healthy QB and a good receiving corp around him, he should have a bright future in the league.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Week 7 Predictions
Ok so your girl finished a respectable 8-6 last week..not bad. Let's see if we can improve upon that..let's go!
Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3) vs Kansas City Chiefs (3-2)
Jags come in off a terrible beat down last week at home in which they lost starting QB David Garrard to a concussion and back up QB suffered a sprained right thumb. The status on both QBs is questionable at this point so the Jags have signed Todd Bouman and Patrick Ramsey as insurance if neither can start. Jags have been disappointing this season. WR Mike Sims-Walker has only received 2 TDs so far this season and RB Maurice Jones-Drew has rushed for only 1 TD to date. Jags defense definitely need to stop the running game of their opponents. Chiefs are a half game ahead of their division rivals in the AFC West. They got off to a fast start and rattled off 3 wins but have now dropped their last 2. QB Matt Cassel had a great game last week finishing with a QB rating of 122.9% completing 2o of 29 for 201 yds and 3 TDs. His #1 wideout Dwayne Bowe had 6 receptions for 108 yds and 2 TDs and RB Jamaal Charles had 16 rushes for 93 yds. Whether the Chiefs can stay atop their division remains to be seen but they need to get this win in order to help accomplish that goal. Prediction: Chiefs
Philadelphia Eagles (4-2) vs Tennessee Titans (4-2)
Eagles are coming in off a convincing win against the Falcons at home last week. QB Kevin Kolb finished with his highest passer rating with 133.6% by completing 23 of 29 for 326 yds, 3 TDs and 1 INT. His #1 WR DeSean Jackson is out this week recovering from a concussion suffered last week. This means WR Jeremy Maclin and RB LeSean McCoy will need to step up very big to make up for the loss. Their defense has played very well the last 2 weeks even with injuries on their D line. Titans are coming in off a blow out win over the Jags last week in Jacksonville. QB Vince Young was lost early in the game with a knee injury and his status for this week is uncertain. His back up QB Kerry Collins finished the game completing 11 of 16 for 110 yds and 1 TD. RB Chris Johnson had 26 rushes for 111 yds and 1 TD. Titans defense has played fantastic the last 2 games having 6 INTs total. This should be a good game. Prediction: Eagles
Buffalo Bills (0-5) vs Baltimore Ravens (4-2)
Bills are an awful team coming in off a bye last week. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick has an overall passer rating of 99.9% with 7 TDs and just 2 INTs but he has a terrible receiving corp and a rookie RB. This team may get a few wins this season but not against the Ravens #2 rated defense in the league. Prediction: Ravens
Cleveland Browns (1-5) vs New Orleans Saints (4-2)
Browns are coming in off a crushing defeat against the Steelers last week in Pittsburgh. In the game they lost WRs Joshua Cribbs and Mohamed Massaquoi to concussions are still questionable this week. Their QB situation is also questionable with both Seneca Wallace & Jake Delhomme still nursing ankle injuries which may leave QB Colt McCoy getting his 2nd career start. They are facing a Saints team that has looked shaky at times but their defense should be able to stop the injury plagued Browns. Prediction: Saints
Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3) vs Kansas City Chiefs (3-2)
Jags come in off a terrible beat down last week at home in which they lost starting QB David Garrard to a concussion and back up QB suffered a sprained right thumb. The status on both QBs is questionable at this point so the Jags have signed Todd Bouman and Patrick Ramsey as insurance if neither can start. Jags have been disappointing this season. WR Mike Sims-Walker has only received 2 TDs so far this season and RB Maurice Jones-Drew has rushed for only 1 TD to date. Jags defense definitely need to stop the running game of their opponents. Chiefs are a half game ahead of their division rivals in the AFC West. They got off to a fast start and rattled off 3 wins but have now dropped their last 2. QB Matt Cassel had a great game last week finishing with a QB rating of 122.9% completing 2o of 29 for 201 yds and 3 TDs. His #1 wideout Dwayne Bowe had 6 receptions for 108 yds and 2 TDs and RB Jamaal Charles had 16 rushes for 93 yds. Whether the Chiefs can stay atop their division remains to be seen but they need to get this win in order to help accomplish that goal. Prediction: Chiefs
Philadelphia Eagles (4-2) vs Tennessee Titans (4-2)
Eagles are coming in off a convincing win against the Falcons at home last week. QB Kevin Kolb finished with his highest passer rating with 133.6% by completing 23 of 29 for 326 yds, 3 TDs and 1 INT. His #1 WR DeSean Jackson is out this week recovering from a concussion suffered last week. This means WR Jeremy Maclin and RB LeSean McCoy will need to step up very big to make up for the loss. Their defense has played very well the last 2 weeks even with injuries on their D line. Titans are coming in off a blow out win over the Jags last week in Jacksonville. QB Vince Young was lost early in the game with a knee injury and his status for this week is uncertain. His back up QB Kerry Collins finished the game completing 11 of 16 for 110 yds and 1 TD. RB Chris Johnson had 26 rushes for 111 yds and 1 TD. Titans defense has played fantastic the last 2 games having 6 INTs total. This should be a good game. Prediction: Eagles
Buffalo Bills (0-5) vs Baltimore Ravens (4-2)
Bills are an awful team coming in off a bye last week. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick has an overall passer rating of 99.9% with 7 TDs and just 2 INTs but he has a terrible receiving corp and a rookie RB. This team may get a few wins this season but not against the Ravens #2 rated defense in the league. Prediction: Ravens
Cleveland Browns (1-5) vs New Orleans Saints (4-2)
Browns are coming in off a crushing defeat against the Steelers last week in Pittsburgh. In the game they lost WRs Joshua Cribbs and Mohamed Massaquoi to concussions are still questionable this week. Their QB situation is also questionable with both Seneca Wallace & Jake Delhomme still nursing ankle injuries which may leave QB Colt McCoy getting his 2nd career start. They are facing a Saints team that has looked shaky at times but their defense should be able to stop the injury plagued Browns. Prediction: Saints
Washington Redskins (3-3) vs Chicago Bears (4-2)
Redskins are coming off a loss last week against the Colts at home. QB Donovan McNabb completed 29 of 45 for 246 yds 1 TD and 2 INTs in an ugly performance and loss. The bright spot of the game was RB Ryan Torrain who rushed for 100 yds on 20 carries and 2 TDs. The offense is in need of healthy reliable receivers who can catch consistently catch the deep pass Donovan can throw. Their defense has struggled with mounting injuries each week. Bears come in off a close loss last week against the Seahawks in Seattle. QB Jay Cutler completed 17 of 39 for 290 yds with WR Johnny Knox catching 5 passes for 120 yds. Despite rushing for only 11 yds RB Matt Forte did score 1 TD. Bears defense is playing solid and should have a good game this week at home. Prediction: Bears
Cincinnati Bengals (2-3) vs Atlanta Falcons (4-2)
Bengals are coming in off their bye last week. Their last game was a surprising loss to the Bucs at home. In that game QB Carson Palmer threw 2 TDs but also 3 INTs. WR Terrell Owens had 7 catches for 102 yds and 1 TD and RB Cedric Benson rushed 23 times for 144 yds. Bengals defense started out quick but has looked subpar the last few weeks. Falcons come in off a bad loss last week against the Eagles in Philly last week. QB Matt Ryan completed 23 of 42 for 250 yds 2 TDs and 1 INT. Their defense needs to pick it up to get back on track. Prediction: Falcons
Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1) vs Miami Dolphins (3-2)
Dolphins are undefeated on the road but winless at home. Steelers have the #1 ranked defense in the league. Nothing else to say. Prediction: Steelers
San Francisco 49ers vs Carolina Panthers (0-5)
49ers finally got their first win of the season last week against the Raiders in Oakland. They have played well each week and lost close games. Panthers have had to scramble to sign receivers with Steve Smith being injured. They are playing poorly on both sides of the ball every week. Prediction: 49ers
St. Louis Rams (3-3) vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2)
Rams are a suprising 3-3 team. They are playing pretty good behind rookie QB Sam Bradford and the strong rushing of RB Steven Jackson. Bucs are inconsistent but good enough to stay competitive in the tough NFC South division. This game should be interesting but Bucs should be able to pull it out. Prediction: Bucs
Arizona Cardinals (3-2) vs Seattle Seahawks (3-2)
Cardinals have a horrible QB situation. Even with 1 of the top receivers in the league in WR Larry Fitzgerald the problem at QB has been the killer. Seahawks have been inconsistent but looked great in their wins. This should be a good battle in the NFC West. Prediction: Seahawks
New England Patriots (4-1) vs San Diego Chargers (2-4)
Pats are 1 of the better teams in the league. They are facing a Chargers team who is slow out the gate and has been facing several injury issues. How soon they will turn it around remains to be seen but this wont be the week. Prediction: Pats
Oakland Raiders (2-4) vs Denver Broncos (2-4)
AFC West is a bad division. This division rivalry is always good since both teams hate each other. QB Kyle Orton has looked super so far this season. With Broncos being at home they should beat the Raiders. Prediction: Broncos
Minnesota Vikings (2-3) vs Green Bay Packers (3-3)
This will be a great game against 2 very tough NFC North division rivals. Minnesota got off to a slow terrible start and Packers started out quick but has faltered the last few games. Whichever QB can hit their receivers deep will win this game. Prediction: Packers
New York Giants (4-2) vs Dallas Cowboys (1-4)
Despite the Cowboys poor record this should be a great divisional match-up. These 2 teams always play each other tough. But Cowboys offense is still having problems playing cohesively on offense and has commited far too many penalties (1st in the league). This should be a good game but expect the Giants to pull out the win. Prediction: Giants
Monday, October 18, 2010
College Watch- Demarco Murray
This weekend Oklahoma beat Iowa State 52-0 to take the #3 spot in the current AP standings & #1 spot in the first BCS ranking of 2010. The Sooners are a superb high scoring fantastic team who are solid on both sides of the ball. Their offense can score at will & this is due in part to their running game behind the great rushing of senior DeMarco Murray.
Murray is a 6'1"/207 lb running machine. He set Oklahoma's all time touchdown record with 58 this past weekend. This season so far he has already rushed for more than 600 yds and 11 TDs. He is a complete back with blocking and receiving ability and has already caught an additional 2 TDs this season. He is a work horse who worked his way back from an injury early in his college career to become one of the premiere backs in college football. He is a dominant presence on the field. Considering his rushing and receiving ability he may be a high draft pick next April in the NFL draft.
Murray is a 6'1"/207 lb running machine. He set Oklahoma's all time touchdown record with 58 this past weekend. This season so far he has already rushed for more than 600 yds and 11 TDs. He is a complete back with blocking and receiving ability and has already caught an additional 2 TDs this season. He is a work horse who worked his way back from an injury early in his college career to become one of the premiere backs in college football. He is a dominant presence on the field. Considering his rushing and receiving ability he may be a high draft pick next April in the NFL draft.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Week 6 Predictions
Last weekend was the weekend of upsets and clearly I was upset by my poor showoing on my picks. After finishing a lousy 6-8 last week, I am hoping to redeem myself this week. Let's get started:
Atlanta Falcons (4-1) vs Philadelphia Eagles (3-2)
After losing the season opener against the Steelers, Falcons have rattled off 4 straight wins. They have had done so in hard fought fourth quarter comeback fashion. Last week QB Matt Ryan threw for just 187 yd and 1 TD in their win against the Browns. RB Michael Turner had 140yds on 19 carries & WR Roddy White had 5 receptions for 101 yds and Ryan's only TD. Falcons are winning games behind the strength of their defense who has stepped up for them this season. Eagles won a tough battle against the winless 49ers last week in San Francisco. QB Kevin Kolb started last week in place of the injured Michael Vick and finished with 253 yds and 1 TD. RB LeSean McCoy finished with 18 rushes for 92 yds and 1 TD. Eagles defense looked good at the end of the game last week and hope to carry it over into this week at home. Prediction: Falcons
Cleveland Brown (1-4) vs Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1)
The Browns pulled a shocker by beating the Bengals 2 weeks ago, but this week they will be starting rookie QB Colt McCoy against the #1 rated defense in the league. Enough said. Prediction: Steelers
Atlanta Falcons (4-1) vs Philadelphia Eagles (3-2)
After losing the season opener against the Steelers, Falcons have rattled off 4 straight wins. They have had done so in hard fought fourth quarter comeback fashion. Last week QB Matt Ryan threw for just 187 yd and 1 TD in their win against the Browns. RB Michael Turner had 140yds on 19 carries & WR Roddy White had 5 receptions for 101 yds and Ryan's only TD. Falcons are winning games behind the strength of their defense who has stepped up for them this season. Eagles won a tough battle against the winless 49ers last week in San Francisco. QB Kevin Kolb started last week in place of the injured Michael Vick and finished with 253 yds and 1 TD. RB LeSean McCoy finished with 18 rushes for 92 yds and 1 TD. Eagles defense looked good at the end of the game last week and hope to carry it over into this week at home. Prediction: Falcons
Cleveland Brown (1-4) vs Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1)
The Browns pulled a shocker by beating the Bengals 2 weeks ago, but this week they will be starting rookie QB Colt McCoy against the #1 rated defense in the league. Enough said. Prediction: Steelers
Seattle Seahawks (2-2) vs Chicago Bears (4-1)
Seahawks are coming in off a bye last week. Their last game was a 20-3 loss to the Rams in which Hasselback threw 0 TDs and 1 INT. Seahawks are just a half game back of the division leading Cardinals but they will need to drastically improve to go anywhere this season. The Bears have their starting QB Jay Cutler back this week after having him out in week 5 due to a concussion suffered in a week 4 loss to the Giants. Cutler is having a much better season thus far compared to last season. His overall qb rating is 102.2% and he's thrown for 912 yds, 6 TDs and just 3 INTs. His running game behind Matt Forte has looked stellar. Last week Forte rushed for 166 yds on 22 carries and 2 TDs. Bears have one of the best defenses in the league and will need to keep up their aggressive play to stay ahead of the tough NFC North division. Prediction: Bears
Miami Dolphins (2-2) vs Green Bay Packers (3-2)
Dolphins are coming in off a bye last week. Dolphins are a fun team to watch who are surprisingly good when they win and disappointingly bad when they lose. Week 4 was a crushing loss to the Patriots at home. In that game QB Chad Henne threw for 305 yds, 2 TDs and 3 INTs. In that game RBs Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown and WR Brandon Marshall all were held without a TD. Their defense looked terrible against the Pats and need to make vast improvements to stay competitive in the AFC East. Packers suffered a shocking upset last week to the Redskins in Washington in overtime in which Aaron Rodgers suffered a concussion at the end of the game. He is probable for this week. He threw for 293 yds, 1 TD & 1 INT that game & got his lowest passer rating of the season at 75.7%. His running game behind Brandon Jackson rushed for 115 yds. Packers defense has played well and take them into the post season. Prediction: Packers
Detroit Lions (1-4) vs New York Giants (3-2)
Lions got their first win of the season last week against the predictably bad Rams. QB Matthew Stafford and WR Calvin Johnson are listed as questionable for this game and RB Jahvid Best is listed as a probable. Lions defense is atrocious. Giants are on a 3 game winning streak with their defense finally playing solid. They should easily manhandle the Lions at home. Prediction: Giants
New Orleans Saints (3-2) vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1)
Saints have not looked like the defending champs this season. Their loss last week in Arizona showed them to be disorganized and chaotic. QB Drew Brees threw 2 TDs but also 3 INTs. With injuries to RBs Pierre Thomas, Reggie Bush and Chris Ivory, Saints signed RB Julius Jones who will make his start this week to try and salvage a running game plagued with injuries. Despite having a solid defense the lack of consistency on offense has hurt the Saints tremendously. They must find a way to get this offense to play with some consistency or will not make the playoffs. Bucs won a surprising upset against the Bengals in Cincinnati last week. QB Josh Freeman completed 20 of 33 for 1 TD & 1 INT. WR Mike Williams finished with 99 yds on 7 receptions and Freeman's only TD. Their defense has played very solid and helped lift them to victories. This game will be a test for the Bucs who have struggled in the running game. But they are off to a much better start than last season so should finish with a modest record. Prediction: Saints
San Diego Chargers (2-3) vs St. Louis Rams (2-3)
Despite having the same record coming into this game, Chargers are a much more high flying offense than the Rams. Chargers are a far better team than their record indicates and always start poorly at the beginning of the season. Rams have beaten weak unprepared opponents and have not faced a team quite like the Chargers. This should be a W for the Chargers. Prediction: Chargers
Kansas City Chiefs (3-1) vs Houston Texans (3-2)
Chiefs suffered their 1st loss of the season last week to the Colts in Indianapolis. Matt Cassel completed 16 of 29 for just 156 yds as the Chiefs failed to score a single TD in the game. Chiefs may be atop their division for now but must get more big plays out of their offense to stay that way. Texans suffered a crushing defeat last week against the Giants at home. QB Matt Schaub failed to throw a single TD finishing with just 196 yds and an INT. Texans defense is good but with a banged up offense (RB Arian Foster and WR Andre Johnson are both probable for the game) they may struggle down the stretch. Despite this expect a bounce back from last week's debacle. Prediction: Texans
Baltimore Ravens (4-1) vs New England Patriots (3-1)
Ravens beat the Broncos last week in Denver. Credit this to the #2 rated defense in the league and their great running game behind RB Ray Rice who finished with 133 yds on 27 carries and 2 TDs. Whatever Ravens may lack on offense they more than make up for with that stifling defense. Patriots are coming in off a bye last week. Their last game was a crushing defeat of the Dolphins in Miami. Since that time they have traded WR Randy Moss to the Vikings and traded a 2011 4th round draft pick to bring WR Deion Branch back. Brady and Branch are very comfortable with each other and should easily get into full swing again, but Ravens defense may prove to be a bit too much for the Pats this week. Prediction: Ravens
Oakland Raiders (2-3) vs San Francisco 49ers (0-5)
The Raiders are coming in off a shocking upset of the Chargers last week at home. QB Jason Campbell will get the start this week. He came in after Gradkowski was injured and finished with 159 yds and 1 TD. Their defense finally stepped up big for them and if they can continue to play at that kind of level may be competitive in the terrible AFC West division. 49ers are still looking for their 1st win of the season. QB Alex Smith has more INTs (9) than TDs (6) so far this season. This team is so poor on offense that their defense spends too much time on the field. They need more reliable play from Alex Smith if they hope to win any games this season. Prediction: Raiders
New York Jets (4-1) vs Denver Broncos (2-3)
Even without Darrelle Revis, Jets have a smothering defense. QB Mark Sanchez has still yet to throw an INT this season. Their running game behind RB LaDanian Tomlinson has looked superb. Broncos may have the #1 rated passing offense but their running game is banged up (RB Knowshon Moreno is still questionable with a hamstring injury) and their defense is terrible. Being at home will not get them the win this week. Prediction: Jets
Dallas Cowboys (1-3) vs Minnesota Vikings (1-3)
2 awful teams who were much hyped before the season began. Cowboys have looked lost and confused on offense and are not playing with any type of cohesion. They suffered an embarassing loss at home last week against the Titans in which QB Tony Romo threw for 3 TDs but also 3 INTs. RB Felix Jones did have a big game finishing with 109 yds on the ground. Cowboys defense has not been able to stop their opponents from scoring and desperately need their offense to play together with urgency to keep them off the field so much. They are predicted to be in the superbowl but if they cant find a way to get wins they may not even make the playoffs. Vikings are coming in off a loss last week to the Jets in which QB Brett Favre suffered from tendinitis and is still questionable for the game. He did manage to throw for 3 TDs and just 1 INT in the game and WR Percy Harvin caught 2 of those TDs. RB Adrian Peterson only has 3 TDs so far this season. He will need to play bigger for them with Favre playing injured. Now having a deep threat WR in Randy Moss this should open up the Vikes passing game and give opportunities to other receivers to score. They need solid play from their defense if they have any chance of winning this game. Prediction: Vikings
Indianapolis Colts (3-2) vs Washington Redskins (3-2)
Colts come in off a sloppy win in Week 5 over the Chiefs. QB Peyton Manning finished with just 244 yds and 1 INT for the game. Colts running game has been poor with Addai playing hurt. Their secondary has only 1 starter remaining from the season opener and they have struggled severely in the passing game. Redskins won a surprising upset in overtime last week against the Packers. They are in a 3 way tie for the NFC East division lead. They are still without RB Clinton Portis & his replacement RB Ryan Torain only ran for 40 yds last week. The bright spot for the Redskins is a healthy Donovan McNabb who last week completed 26 of 49 for 357 yds, 1 TD & 1 INT. Brian Orakpo is a monster on that D line. Both of these teams are badly banged up so it may be a tougher battle than many expect. Prediction: Colts
Tennessee Titans (3-2) vs Jacksonville Jaguars (3-2)
Titans are coming in off an impressive win over the Cowboys last week in Dallas. QB Vince Young finished with 173 yds and 2 TDs in the game. RB Chris Johnson finished with 131 yds and 2 TDs. Titans defense when they show up are impressive. Jaguars are coming in off a win against the lowly Bills. QB David Garrard looked good throwing for 3 TDs and just 1 INT. His RB Maurice Jones-Drew has only scored 1 TD so far this season. This team plays so inconsistent from week to week it is hard to know which Jags team will show up to play. Expect a good battle between these AFC South rivals. Prediction: Titans
Key Injuries/Signings/Trades of the Week
Injuries
Browns- The much anticipated start of QB Colt McCoy may happen this Sunday in Pittsburgh. Both Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace are battling ankle injuries that could potentially leave both sidelined for several weeks.
Jets- Darrelle Revis is once again battling with his left hamstring injury suffered in Week 2. He is questionable with Rex Ryan saying he will have the final word on whether Revis starts this week against the Broncos.
Vikings- CB Cedric Benson is out for the season with a torn right ACL. This is a disappointment for Benson who came back this season from a torn left ACL. He will be replaced by CBs Asher Allen and Lito Shepherd.
Chargers- Shawne Merriam was placed on injured reserved this week with a calf injury. Once healthy they will release him. He was a phenomenal player his first 3 seasons with the Chargers but has been injury plagued and had some off field distractions the last 2+. What the future holds for the once great and promising OLB remains to be seen.
Signings
Vikings- On top of Asher Allen and Lito Shepherd taking over CB for Cedric Benson, Vikes signed CB Frank Walker. He played last season for the Ravens but was unsigned this season til now.
Saints- With both Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush hurt, Saints signed RB Julius Jones who was released by the Seahawks. Saints are ranked 31st in rushing and hope to make some improvents with Jones as well as Ladell Betts and rookie Chris Ivory.
49ers- still winless this season the 49ers tried to shore up their special teams by signing safety CJ Spillman who was cut by the Chargers last week.
Panthers- With Steve Smith out injured, the winless Panthers have scrambled to find healthy receivers to start for them. After signing David Clowney last week, they signed the recently released Devin Thomas this week. Panthers are on bye this week so Thomas wont make his start for them until the 24th against the 49ers.
Trades
Eagles and Browns decided to flip-flop their running backs by trading Mike Bell from the Eagles to the Browns and Browns trading Jerome Harrison to the Eagles.
Patriots- After trading Deion Branch to the Seattle Seahawks in 2006, the Pats traded a future draft pick to have him back. After trading Randy Moss last week to the Vikings, Patriots are in need of a deep threat receiver and Branch was a standout in his previous stint with the team. This season Branch had 13 catches for 112 yds and 1 TD through 4 games. Playing with Brady again should improve his numbers.
Browns- The much anticipated start of QB Colt McCoy may happen this Sunday in Pittsburgh. Both Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace are battling ankle injuries that could potentially leave both sidelined for several weeks.
Jets- Darrelle Revis is once again battling with his left hamstring injury suffered in Week 2. He is questionable with Rex Ryan saying he will have the final word on whether Revis starts this week against the Broncos.
Vikings- CB Cedric Benson is out for the season with a torn right ACL. This is a disappointment for Benson who came back this season from a torn left ACL. He will be replaced by CBs Asher Allen and Lito Shepherd.
Chargers- Shawne Merriam was placed on injured reserved this week with a calf injury. Once healthy they will release him. He was a phenomenal player his first 3 seasons with the Chargers but has been injury plagued and had some off field distractions the last 2+. What the future holds for the once great and promising OLB remains to be seen.
Signings
Vikings- On top of Asher Allen and Lito Shepherd taking over CB for Cedric Benson, Vikes signed CB Frank Walker. He played last season for the Ravens but was unsigned this season til now.
Saints- With both Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush hurt, Saints signed RB Julius Jones who was released by the Seahawks. Saints are ranked 31st in rushing and hope to make some improvents with Jones as well as Ladell Betts and rookie Chris Ivory.
49ers- still winless this season the 49ers tried to shore up their special teams by signing safety CJ Spillman who was cut by the Chargers last week.
Panthers- With Steve Smith out injured, the winless Panthers have scrambled to find healthy receivers to start for them. After signing David Clowney last week, they signed the recently released Devin Thomas this week. Panthers are on bye this week so Thomas wont make his start for them until the 24th against the 49ers.
Trades
Eagles and Browns decided to flip-flop their running backs by trading Mike Bell from the Eagles to the Browns and Browns trading Jerome Harrison to the Eagles.
Patriots- After trading Deion Branch to the Seattle Seahawks in 2006, the Pats traded a future draft pick to have him back. After trading Randy Moss last week to the Vikings, Patriots are in need of a deep threat receiver and Branch was a standout in his previous stint with the team. This season Branch had 13 catches for 112 yds and 1 TD through 4 games. Playing with Brady again should improve his numbers.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
College Watch- Mark Ingram
Alabama took a tumble last week from #1 to #8 after losing to South Carolina 35-21. Despite this they have 1 of the top rated rushers in the country in runningback Mark Ingram, Jr.
At 5'10"/215 Ingram is a a smaller faster back in the style of Ahmad Bradshaw. He is that rare combination of power and speed. In his sophomore year he won both the Heisman Trophy and the BCS National Championship and set an Alabama single season rushing record.
This year Ingram is a junior and he has already rushed for 6 TDs and 355 yds. Many suspect Ingram will forego his senior season next year and turn pro. A speedy power back would be a welcome addition to many NFL teams.
At 5'10"/215 Ingram is a a smaller faster back in the style of Ahmad Bradshaw. He is that rare combination of power and speed. In his sophomore year he won both the Heisman Trophy and the BCS National Championship and set an Alabama single season rushing record.
This year Ingram is a junior and he has already rushed for 6 TDs and 355 yds. Many suspect Ingram will forego his senior season next year and turn pro. A speedy power back would be a welcome addition to many NFL teams.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Rookie Watch- Sam Bradford
Rookies always struggle making that transition from college to the NFL. Expect them to start out a little overwhelmed by the pro game. This is especially true for the quarterback position. It's usually expected for a rookie to sit a year or 2 behind a veteran to learn the game. In some instances though this luxury is not afforded the rookie. For whatever reason some reasons are asked to come in and make an impact right away. So is the case with Sam Bradford of the St. Louis Rams.
Now if you watched the Rams last year you will know they were a terrible, awful, atrociously bad team. Fault this to the 2 quarterbacks that there, Mark Bulger and Kyle Boeller. Bulger had a couple of good years that went down hill dramatically. Boeller..well he just never caught on. Now mind you this isnt all the fault of Bulger nor Boeller..much of this can be blamed on the fact that their offensive line was horrendous. I mean Bulger spent so much time on his back he should've learned to throw from there. He stayed injured and Boeller came in only to suffer the same fate. Last year they finished a league worse 1-15 which gave them the first pick overall i the draft. They smartly decided to pick a quarterback. That QB was Oklahoma's Sam Bradford. Bradford was a standout for the Sooners during his 3 years of eligible play there, and was an easy first round choice. At 6'4"/218 lbs he is a big poweful quarterback with a gun for an arm in the style of a Peyton Manning. Whether he will go on to have a career like Manning remains to be seen. So far his season he has an overall passer rating of 66.5% having thrown for 1159 yds, 6 TDs and 8 INTs. Again you can chalk this up partially to the Rams still continuing to have a poor offensive line. If they address this issue and can keep Bradford healthy and upright they could potentially be competitive again in their division. Let's hope.
Now if you watched the Rams last year you will know they were a terrible, awful, atrociously bad team. Fault this to the 2 quarterbacks that there, Mark Bulger and Kyle Boeller. Bulger had a couple of good years that went down hill dramatically. Boeller..well he just never caught on. Now mind you this isnt all the fault of Bulger nor Boeller..much of this can be blamed on the fact that their offensive line was horrendous. I mean Bulger spent so much time on his back he should've learned to throw from there. He stayed injured and Boeller came in only to suffer the same fate. Last year they finished a league worse 1-15 which gave them the first pick overall i the draft. They smartly decided to pick a quarterback. That QB was Oklahoma's Sam Bradford. Bradford was a standout for the Sooners during his 3 years of eligible play there, and was an easy first round choice. At 6'4"/218 lbs he is a big poweful quarterback with a gun for an arm in the style of a Peyton Manning. Whether he will go on to have a career like Manning remains to be seen. So far his season he has an overall passer rating of 66.5% having thrown for 1159 yds, 6 TDs and 8 INTs. Again you can chalk this up partially to the Rams still continuing to have a poor offensive line. If they address this issue and can keep Bradford healthy and upright they could potentially be competitive again in their division. Let's hope.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Week 5 Predictions
Ok so your girl had a big drop off last week finishing just 8-6. Ok so I should've seen a couple of those division rival match-ups going either way, but oh well. Not the record I had hoped for so I will try my best to redeem myself this week:
Chicago Bears (3-1) vs Carolina Panthers (0-4)
Bears are coming off a bad loss to the Giants last week in New York. Cutler was sacked 9x and finally left the game at the half with a concussion. He will be out this week against the Panthers which puts Todd Collins in the hot seat. He finished last week 4 of 11 with O TDs and 1 INT before he left the game in the 4th quarter. Bears will have to lean on their defense this week to get them the W if they can. Panthers lost a close one against the Saints in New Orleans. Jimmy Clausen had a decent game where he finished with 146 yds and 1 TD. DeAngelo Williams finally scored his 1st TD of the season last week. The Panthers however will still be without Steve Smith and hope the recently aquired David Clowney will be able to pick up the slack. Panthers are in desperate need of their 1st win but with the Bears defense looking as good as they do, I dont see that happening this week. Prediction: Bears
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1) vs Cincinnati Bengals (2-2)
The Bucs are coming back off their bye last week. Their last game was a rout by the Steelers where QB Josh Freeman threw for just 184 yds and an INT. His running game behind RB Carnell Williams has yet to score a TD this season. WR Mike Williams has 2 TDs so far this season but was shut out against the Steelers and TE Kellen Winslow has yet to get his 1st. This offense is stuggling and Freeman is playing injured. Only their D has kept them a half game back of the division leaders. Bengals are 1 game back of the AFC North leading Ravens and Steelers. QB Carson Palmer had a good game in the loss last week to the Browns completing 25 of 36 for 371 yds and 2 TDs. While WR Chad Ochocinco was held to just 3 catches for 59 yds, Terrell Owens had a break out game with 10 catches for 222 yds and a TD. Bengals D have been playing very well even in their close losses. This should be a good win for them at home. Prediciton: Bengals
St. Louis Rams (2-2) vs. Detroit Lions (0-4)
Rams are the surprising .500 team in the league. Last week QB Sam Bradford completed his highest number of total yards by finishing with 289 on 23 of 41 passes. His offensive line is inconsistent but if they can keep Bradford on his feet and RB Steven Jackson can continue to be one of the most reliable rushers, they should have a decent season in a weak NFC West division. Lions are what they always are-consistently bad. This situation has been exasperated by the loss of their starting QB Matthew Stafford in the season opener. QB Shaun Hill has been struggling. Last week he finished with 331 yds, 2 TDs and 2 INTs. His #1 WR Calvin Johnson finished with just 86 yds but both of Hill's TDs. Rookie RB Jahvid Best had 2 breakout games in the first 2 games but hasnt had the same production numbers since. Their defense is unable to close out games and will continue to cost the Lions if they dont find a way to improve. Prediction: Rams
New York Giants (2-2) vs Houston Texans (3-1)
The Giants have played good in their wins and horrendous in their losses. QB Eli Manning has not had a good season thus far. Last week he completed 18 of 30 for 195 yds but 0 TDs. RB Ahmad Bradshaw had 23 rushes for 129 yds and 1 TD. Giants D has not been playing up to the potential that was expected of them before the season began. They are in a soft NFC East division but will need better play out of their starters or this will be another disappointing ending for them. Texans have been on a roll this season. QB Matt Schaub has already thrown for over 1000 yds, 7 TDs and just 4 INTs this season. He finished with 192 yds and 2 TDs last week. RB Arian Foster rushed 131 yds and 1 TD last week against the Raiders. Texans defense is one of the best in the league and with the return of LB Brian Cushing they should have an even more remarkable season. Prediction: Texans
Denver Broncos (2-2) vs Baltimore Ravens (3-1)
Denver has had a rough season so far. They have lost so many players to injuries before and during the early part of this season. The only consistent bright spot has been QB Kyle Orton. Last week he completed 35 of 50 for 341 yds, 2 TDs and 1 INT. Last week WR Brandon Lloyd has 11 catches for 115 yds. This week they will be without starting RB Knowshon Moreno. The loss of Elvis Dumervil in the preseason has been costly on that D line and their secondary is dealing with an injured Andre Goodman and an unhappy Champ Bailey who is in the final year of his contract that Broncos have ended negotiations on. This will not be a good season for the Broncos if they cannot get their defense or running game healthy. Ravens are coming off a tough defensive win last week against the Steelers. Last week he finished with 256 yds, 1 TD & 1 INT. RB Ray Rice was stuffed last week but should have a better game this week against that soft d line of the Broncos. Ravens have 1 of the top 5 defenses in the league and will be ready to put a hurt on the Broncos at home in Baltimore. Prediction: Ravens
Atlanta Falcons (3-1) vs Cleveland Browns (1-3)
Falcons are tied for the NFC South division lead. They are coming off a close win last week against the 49ers at home. QB Matt Ryan struggled last week throwing just 1 TD and 2 INTs and RB Michael Turner was held to just 50 yds rushing. WR Roddy White did have over 100 yds receiving but finished with 0 TDs. Falcons defense has looked good in their 3 wins in a row and should keep them in contention in their division. Browns are coming off an upset win last week against their division rival Bengals. This week is supposed to be the return of QB Jake Delhomme though he is still suffering with an ankle injury. His back-up Seneca Wallace has played decent. He finished last week with 184 yds, 1 TD & 1 INT and may need to come in or start if Delhomme cannot play well on his bad ankle. Their running game will struggle with both RBs Peyton Hillis and Joshua Cribbs questionable this week. Browns defense is one of the league's worst. This will not be the week they get their 2nd win. Prediciton: Falcons
Kansas City Chiefs (3-0) vs Indianapolis Colts (2-2)
Chiefs are coming off of a bye last week. They are off to a fast 3-0 start this season. Week 3 against the 49ers QB Matt Cassel finished with his highest completion percentage of 59.3% by completing 16 of 27 for 250 yds, 3 TDs and 1 INT. This team's defense has turned things around since last season and could potentially keep them atop the weak AFC West division. Colts are having a mediocre season so far. They are coming off a last second loss to the Jaguars last week in Jacksonville. QB Peyton Manning completed 33 of 46 for 352 yds, 2 TDs and 1 INT. His #1 WR Reggie Wayne finished with 15 receptions for 196 yds. RB Joseph Addai was held under 100 yds rushing but did finish with 2 TDs. They are going to have problems on their defense with all but 1 starter in their secondary out with injuries. If their offense can keep them scoring they should be able to muster enough points to keep them on the positive side of .500. Prediction: Colts
Jacksonville Jaguars (2-2) vs Buffalo Bills (0-4)
Jaguars are coming off a last second win over the Colts last week at home. QB David Garrard has been highly inconsistent this season. Last week however he finished with a 127.7% passer rating by completing 17 of 22 for 163 yds and 2 TDs. RB Maurice Jones-Drew got his 1st TD of the season last week and finished with 105 yds rushing.Jags defense play well enough to keep them close but with their offense struggling spend too much time on the field. Bills are one of the worst teams in the entire league. They have already cut QB Trent Edward and made the switch to Ryan Fitzpatrick who last week threw for 2 TDs against the Jets. While their offense has struggled to score, their defense cannot keep their opponents from scoring. This will be another bad season for the Bills if they cannot figure out a way to turn things around fast. Predicition: Jaguars
Green Bay Packers (3-1) vs Washington Redskins (2-2)
The Packers have become one of the best teams to watch. They are fiercely competitive each week. QB Aaron Rodgers has become a top QB in this league. His overall passer rating of 96.3% puts him in the top 10. Last week against the Lions he struggled a bit throwing 3 TDs but also 2 INTs. Their defense is playing banged up but should have no issues this week. Redskins are an average team in a weak NFC East division. Their offense is unreliable and their defense is inconsistent. Donovan McNabb has been a bright spot but can only do so much with the receiving core he has. They will be without their starting RB Clinton Portis with a groin injury. This will be a bad season for the Skins if they cannot find a way to get points on the board. Prediction: Packers
New Orleans Saints (3-1) vs Arizona Cardinals (2-2)
The Saints are tied for the NFC South division lead so far. QB Drew Brees is among the best in the league. His overall QB rating of 102.4% is 1 of the highest in the league. He finished last week with 275 yds and a TD. With both RBs Pierre Thomas & Reggie Bush out with injuries he will need WR Lance Moore to step up big this week. Their defense hasnt played to their best but should do enough this week to get a win. Cardinals are a disappointment in the NFC West division despite being 2-2. QB Derek Anderson has struggled to play with any kind of consistency. With both starting RBs injured this will not be a good game for the Cards. Predicition: Saints
Tennesse Titans (2-2) vs Dallas Cowboys (1-2)
Titans are not having the best season so far. Though they are just 1 game out of the lead they have played inconsistent. QB Vince Young has played good in wins are terrible in losses. Last week in the loss to the Broncos he finished with 173 yds and 1 TD. His reliable RB Chris Johnson was held to under 55 yds rushing last week and only has 354 yds total so far for the season. Titans defense is not going to get them far if they dont start playing with some urgency and finishing games. Cowboys are coming off their bye last week. They are off to a very poor start in the terrible NFC East division. Tony Romo did look good in their last game against the Texans where he threw for 284 yds and 2 TDs with WR Roy Williams catching both of them. RB Marion Barber also got his 1st TD of the season that game. Cowboys need to get to .500 if they hope to stay in the race in their division. Prediction: Cowboys
San Diego Chargers (2-2) vs Oakland Raiders (1-3)
Chargers are coming off a blow out win over the Cardinals last week at home. QB Philip Rivers had his highest QB rating of the season so far at 148.1% by completing 15 of 20 for 241 yds and 2 TDs with TE Antonio Gates catching both of them. RB Mike Tolbert rushed for 100 yds and 1 TD. They may have Ryan Matthews back this week. Chargers always get off to a slow start in the early part of the season. Their defense will need to play bigger throughout this season though to keep them in the running. Raiders are in last place in the AFC West division. They have already benched QB Jason Campbell and have gone to Bruce Gradkowski who is now injured. Last week he threw for 2 TDs but also 2 INTs. Chargers have consistently beaten the Raiders 13 times in a row and this week will make the 14th. Prediction: Chargers
Philadelphia Eagles (2-2) vs San Francisco 49ers (0-4)
Eagles are another team mired in mediocrity. To make things worse they are now without QB Michael Vick with a rib injury and must rely on Kevin Kolb to start. He finished last week with 1 TD and 1 INT in a loss to the Redskins at home. What the Eagles will be able to do without the leadership of Vick remains to be seen. 49ers lost a tough battle last week in Atlanta where they led all game. QB Alex Smith has thrown more INTs (7) then TDs (3) so far this season. RB Frank Gore has only scored 1 TD so far this season. 49ers have alot of injuries and will struggle to get wins this season. Predicition: Eagles
Minnesota Vikings (1-2) vs New York Jets (3-1)
Vikings are coming off their bye last week. Vikings did manage to get their 1st win of the season in their last game. Brett Favre threw for 201 yds and 1 TD but also 2 INTs. He has been without a reliable deep threat with Sidney Rice out with an injury. Vikes made up for this by trading for WR Randy Moss who will start this week. RB Adrian Peterson played great in their last game finishing with 160 yds and 2 TDs. He has been proven to be their most effective weapon. Vikes defense is healthy and rested and should play well. Jets are coming off a crushing win over the lowly Bills last week in Buffalo. QB Mark Sanchez has had a phenomenal sophomore season thus far throwing 8 TDs and 0 INTs. Last week he threw for 161 yds and 2 TDs with WR Dustin Keller catching both. RB LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for 133 yds and 2 TDs. Jets have a great defense but are still without CB Darrelle Revis. This game should be exciting to watch. With the newly acquired Randy Moss providing the deep threat that Favre has been sorely lacking, Vikes should be able to get to .500. Prediction: Vikings
Chicago Bears (3-1) vs Carolina Panthers (0-4)
Bears are coming off a bad loss to the Giants last week in New York. Cutler was sacked 9x and finally left the game at the half with a concussion. He will be out this week against the Panthers which puts Todd Collins in the hot seat. He finished last week 4 of 11 with O TDs and 1 INT before he left the game in the 4th quarter. Bears will have to lean on their defense this week to get them the W if they can. Panthers lost a close one against the Saints in New Orleans. Jimmy Clausen had a decent game where he finished with 146 yds and 1 TD. DeAngelo Williams finally scored his 1st TD of the season last week. The Panthers however will still be without Steve Smith and hope the recently aquired David Clowney will be able to pick up the slack. Panthers are in desperate need of their 1st win but with the Bears defense looking as good as they do, I dont see that happening this week. Prediction: Bears
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1) vs Cincinnati Bengals (2-2)
The Bucs are coming back off their bye last week. Their last game was a rout by the Steelers where QB Josh Freeman threw for just 184 yds and an INT. His running game behind RB Carnell Williams has yet to score a TD this season. WR Mike Williams has 2 TDs so far this season but was shut out against the Steelers and TE Kellen Winslow has yet to get his 1st. This offense is stuggling and Freeman is playing injured. Only their D has kept them a half game back of the division leaders. Bengals are 1 game back of the AFC North leading Ravens and Steelers. QB Carson Palmer had a good game in the loss last week to the Browns completing 25 of 36 for 371 yds and 2 TDs. While WR Chad Ochocinco was held to just 3 catches for 59 yds, Terrell Owens had a break out game with 10 catches for 222 yds and a TD. Bengals D have been playing very well even in their close losses. This should be a good win for them at home. Prediciton: Bengals
St. Louis Rams (2-2) vs. Detroit Lions (0-4)
Rams are the surprising .500 team in the league. Last week QB Sam Bradford completed his highest number of total yards by finishing with 289 on 23 of 41 passes. His offensive line is inconsistent but if they can keep Bradford on his feet and RB Steven Jackson can continue to be one of the most reliable rushers, they should have a decent season in a weak NFC West division. Lions are what they always are-consistently bad. This situation has been exasperated by the loss of their starting QB Matthew Stafford in the season opener. QB Shaun Hill has been struggling. Last week he finished with 331 yds, 2 TDs and 2 INTs. His #1 WR Calvin Johnson finished with just 86 yds but both of Hill's TDs. Rookie RB Jahvid Best had 2 breakout games in the first 2 games but hasnt had the same production numbers since. Their defense is unable to close out games and will continue to cost the Lions if they dont find a way to improve. Prediction: Rams
New York Giants (2-2) vs Houston Texans (3-1)
The Giants have played good in their wins and horrendous in their losses. QB Eli Manning has not had a good season thus far. Last week he completed 18 of 30 for 195 yds but 0 TDs. RB Ahmad Bradshaw had 23 rushes for 129 yds and 1 TD. Giants D has not been playing up to the potential that was expected of them before the season began. They are in a soft NFC East division but will need better play out of their starters or this will be another disappointing ending for them. Texans have been on a roll this season. QB Matt Schaub has already thrown for over 1000 yds, 7 TDs and just 4 INTs this season. He finished with 192 yds and 2 TDs last week. RB Arian Foster rushed 131 yds and 1 TD last week against the Raiders. Texans defense is one of the best in the league and with the return of LB Brian Cushing they should have an even more remarkable season. Prediction: Texans
Denver Broncos (2-2) vs Baltimore Ravens (3-1)
Denver has had a rough season so far. They have lost so many players to injuries before and during the early part of this season. The only consistent bright spot has been QB Kyle Orton. Last week he completed 35 of 50 for 341 yds, 2 TDs and 1 INT. Last week WR Brandon Lloyd has 11 catches for 115 yds. This week they will be without starting RB Knowshon Moreno. The loss of Elvis Dumervil in the preseason has been costly on that D line and their secondary is dealing with an injured Andre Goodman and an unhappy Champ Bailey who is in the final year of his contract that Broncos have ended negotiations on. This will not be a good season for the Broncos if they cannot get their defense or running game healthy. Ravens are coming off a tough defensive win last week against the Steelers. Last week he finished with 256 yds, 1 TD & 1 INT. RB Ray Rice was stuffed last week but should have a better game this week against that soft d line of the Broncos. Ravens have 1 of the top 5 defenses in the league and will be ready to put a hurt on the Broncos at home in Baltimore. Prediction: Ravens
Atlanta Falcons (3-1) vs Cleveland Browns (1-3)
Falcons are tied for the NFC South division lead. They are coming off a close win last week against the 49ers at home. QB Matt Ryan struggled last week throwing just 1 TD and 2 INTs and RB Michael Turner was held to just 50 yds rushing. WR Roddy White did have over 100 yds receiving but finished with 0 TDs. Falcons defense has looked good in their 3 wins in a row and should keep them in contention in their division. Browns are coming off an upset win last week against their division rival Bengals. This week is supposed to be the return of QB Jake Delhomme though he is still suffering with an ankle injury. His back-up Seneca Wallace has played decent. He finished last week with 184 yds, 1 TD & 1 INT and may need to come in or start if Delhomme cannot play well on his bad ankle. Their running game will struggle with both RBs Peyton Hillis and Joshua Cribbs questionable this week. Browns defense is one of the league's worst. This will not be the week they get their 2nd win. Prediciton: Falcons
Kansas City Chiefs (3-0) vs Indianapolis Colts (2-2)
Chiefs are coming off of a bye last week. They are off to a fast 3-0 start this season. Week 3 against the 49ers QB Matt Cassel finished with his highest completion percentage of 59.3% by completing 16 of 27 for 250 yds, 3 TDs and 1 INT. This team's defense has turned things around since last season and could potentially keep them atop the weak AFC West division. Colts are having a mediocre season so far. They are coming off a last second loss to the Jaguars last week in Jacksonville. QB Peyton Manning completed 33 of 46 for 352 yds, 2 TDs and 1 INT. His #1 WR Reggie Wayne finished with 15 receptions for 196 yds. RB Joseph Addai was held under 100 yds rushing but did finish with 2 TDs. They are going to have problems on their defense with all but 1 starter in their secondary out with injuries. If their offense can keep them scoring they should be able to muster enough points to keep them on the positive side of .500. Prediction: Colts
Jacksonville Jaguars (2-2) vs Buffalo Bills (0-4)
Jaguars are coming off a last second win over the Colts last week at home. QB David Garrard has been highly inconsistent this season. Last week however he finished with a 127.7% passer rating by completing 17 of 22 for 163 yds and 2 TDs. RB Maurice Jones-Drew got his 1st TD of the season last week and finished with 105 yds rushing.Jags defense play well enough to keep them close but with their offense struggling spend too much time on the field. Bills are one of the worst teams in the entire league. They have already cut QB Trent Edward and made the switch to Ryan Fitzpatrick who last week threw for 2 TDs against the Jets. While their offense has struggled to score, their defense cannot keep their opponents from scoring. This will be another bad season for the Bills if they cannot figure out a way to turn things around fast. Predicition: Jaguars
Green Bay Packers (3-1) vs Washington Redskins (2-2)
The Packers have become one of the best teams to watch. They are fiercely competitive each week. QB Aaron Rodgers has become a top QB in this league. His overall passer rating of 96.3% puts him in the top 10. Last week against the Lions he struggled a bit throwing 3 TDs but also 2 INTs. Their defense is playing banged up but should have no issues this week. Redskins are an average team in a weak NFC East division. Their offense is unreliable and their defense is inconsistent. Donovan McNabb has been a bright spot but can only do so much with the receiving core he has. They will be without their starting RB Clinton Portis with a groin injury. This will be a bad season for the Skins if they cannot find a way to get points on the board. Prediction: Packers
New Orleans Saints (3-1) vs Arizona Cardinals (2-2)
The Saints are tied for the NFC South division lead so far. QB Drew Brees is among the best in the league. His overall QB rating of 102.4% is 1 of the highest in the league. He finished last week with 275 yds and a TD. With both RBs Pierre Thomas & Reggie Bush out with injuries he will need WR Lance Moore to step up big this week. Their defense hasnt played to their best but should do enough this week to get a win. Cardinals are a disappointment in the NFC West division despite being 2-2. QB Derek Anderson has struggled to play with any kind of consistency. With both starting RBs injured this will not be a good game for the Cards. Predicition: Saints
Tennesse Titans (2-2) vs Dallas Cowboys (1-2)
Titans are not having the best season so far. Though they are just 1 game out of the lead they have played inconsistent. QB Vince Young has played good in wins are terrible in losses. Last week in the loss to the Broncos he finished with 173 yds and 1 TD. His reliable RB Chris Johnson was held to under 55 yds rushing last week and only has 354 yds total so far for the season. Titans defense is not going to get them far if they dont start playing with some urgency and finishing games. Cowboys are coming off their bye last week. They are off to a very poor start in the terrible NFC East division. Tony Romo did look good in their last game against the Texans where he threw for 284 yds and 2 TDs with WR Roy Williams catching both of them. RB Marion Barber also got his 1st TD of the season that game. Cowboys need to get to .500 if they hope to stay in the race in their division. Prediction: Cowboys
San Diego Chargers (2-2) vs Oakland Raiders (1-3)
Chargers are coming off a blow out win over the Cardinals last week at home. QB Philip Rivers had his highest QB rating of the season so far at 148.1% by completing 15 of 20 for 241 yds and 2 TDs with TE Antonio Gates catching both of them. RB Mike Tolbert rushed for 100 yds and 1 TD. They may have Ryan Matthews back this week. Chargers always get off to a slow start in the early part of the season. Their defense will need to play bigger throughout this season though to keep them in the running. Raiders are in last place in the AFC West division. They have already benched QB Jason Campbell and have gone to Bruce Gradkowski who is now injured. Last week he threw for 2 TDs but also 2 INTs. Chargers have consistently beaten the Raiders 13 times in a row and this week will make the 14th. Prediction: Chargers
Philadelphia Eagles (2-2) vs San Francisco 49ers (0-4)
Eagles are another team mired in mediocrity. To make things worse they are now without QB Michael Vick with a rib injury and must rely on Kevin Kolb to start. He finished last week with 1 TD and 1 INT in a loss to the Redskins at home. What the Eagles will be able to do without the leadership of Vick remains to be seen. 49ers lost a tough battle last week in Atlanta where they led all game. QB Alex Smith has thrown more INTs (7) then TDs (3) so far this season. RB Frank Gore has only scored 1 TD so far this season. 49ers have alot of injuries and will struggle to get wins this season. Predicition: Eagles
Minnesota Vikings (1-2) vs New York Jets (3-1)
Vikings are coming off their bye last week. Vikings did manage to get their 1st win of the season in their last game. Brett Favre threw for 201 yds and 1 TD but also 2 INTs. He has been without a reliable deep threat with Sidney Rice out with an injury. Vikes made up for this by trading for WR Randy Moss who will start this week. RB Adrian Peterson played great in their last game finishing with 160 yds and 2 TDs. He has been proven to be their most effective weapon. Vikes defense is healthy and rested and should play well. Jets are coming off a crushing win over the lowly Bills last week in Buffalo. QB Mark Sanchez has had a phenomenal sophomore season thus far throwing 8 TDs and 0 INTs. Last week he threw for 161 yds and 2 TDs with WR Dustin Keller catching both. RB LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for 133 yds and 2 TDs. Jets have a great defense but are still without CB Darrelle Revis. This game should be exciting to watch. With the newly acquired Randy Moss providing the deep threat that Favre has been sorely lacking, Vikes should be able to get to .500. Prediction: Vikings
College Watch- Greg McElroy
The college game gives you an idea of the prospects to watch for in the next draft. That being said one of my new favorite players is Alabama's senior QB Greg McElroy.
Greg McElroy is the 6'3"/220 lb passer that led the Crimson Tide to an undefeated season last year and the BCS National Championship. McElroy is a passer along the lines of a Peyton Manning with size, great field vision and a gun for an arm. Alabama is currently ranked #1 in the country with a 5-0 start. They are definitely a dynamic force of nature that you cannot miss and McElroy has the leadership to drive this team to another championship. Keep an eye out for him next spring in the 2011 draft. He should go pretty high.
Greg McElroy is the 6'3"/220 lb passer that led the Crimson Tide to an undefeated season last year and the BCS National Championship. McElroy is a passer along the lines of a Peyton Manning with size, great field vision and a gun for an arm. Alabama is currently ranked #1 in the country with a 5-0 start. They are definitely a dynamic force of nature that you cannot miss and McElroy has the leadership to drive this team to another championship. Keep an eye out for him next spring in the 2011 draft. He should go pretty high.
Rookie Watch- Jahvid Best
This season has offered up some exciting rookies that have been worth watching. This blog will cover a rookie who has made an impact for his team and definitely is worth keeping an eye on in the forseeable future. So this week we are covering Jahvid Best.
Jahvid Best is the 5'10"/190 lb rookie running back sensation for the Detroit Lions. Lions picked him as the 30th overall pick out of California in the draft in April. During his time at Cal he set several records including most all purpose yards in a single season. His impact on the Lions was immediate. His first NFL game against the Chicago Bears he had 2 rushing TDs. The next week against the Eagles he duplicated this feat. While he hasnt scored a TD since and has suffered a toe injury that makes him questionable for this week, he will definitely make an impact for the Lions who have been in desperate need of a speedy power back. When he is healthy he will continue to be the sensation and excitement that makes the Lions a team to watch now.
Jahvid Best is the 5'10"/190 lb rookie running back sensation for the Detroit Lions. Lions picked him as the 30th overall pick out of California in the draft in April. During his time at Cal he set several records including most all purpose yards in a single season. His impact on the Lions was immediate. His first NFL game against the Chicago Bears he had 2 rushing TDs. The next week against the Eagles he duplicated this feat. While he hasnt scored a TD since and has suffered a toe injury that makes him questionable for this week, he will definitely make an impact for the Lions who have been in desperate need of a speedy power back. When he is healthy he will continue to be the sensation and excitement that makes the Lions a team to watch now.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Key Trades/Injuries/Cuts/Returns of the Week
Trades
Well I was going to focus this part of the blog on the trade of Marshawn Lynch to the Seahawks but lo and behold an even bigger trade comes down the pipe. Yes folks, the Patriots traded WR Randy Moss to the Minnesota Vikings!
Now this is not a total shocker..Moss has said repeatedly that he felt there was a possibility he would be traded and didnt feel wanted by the organization. His production numbers this year have been way down, but then it would be nearly impossible to reproduce the record breaking season he had in 2007. The Patriots will be fine without Moss as they proved on Monday night against the Dolphins where Moss went without a catch all night. Moss started his career with the Vikings so this will not be a completely new experience. However Brad Childress was not the head coach nor was Brett Favre the quarterback. Moss will be coming into a situation where the Vikings are struggling on the offensive side of the ball. With Sidney Rice out, Favre has not had a reliable deep threat receiver. Moss is a big fast reliable receiver with some of the greatest hands in the league. He will have an immediate impact on this team if he can play with the high level of consistency and intensity he has played with in New England.
Now of course we have to talk about the trade of Marshawn Lynch. Seahawks have been in desperate need of a reliable running game this season. They are ranked 27th in run offense. Julius Jones took a pay cut to stay in Seattle but his rushing total of 30 yards so far this season has made him expendable especially with Justin Forsett being a faster younger back. In Buffalo Lynch played in a running back by committee system with C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson. Here he will most likely be the starter with Forsett playing behind him (depending on how well he plays of course). This should be a great addition for the Seahawks and be a good move for Lynch who will play for a much better team than the Bills.
Injuries
Jay Cutler was practicing as of today, but as far as his status for Sunday..that is still questionable at this point. He suffered a concussion in the first half of last week's game against the Giants and whether or not he should come back so quick from such a serious injury is a serious issue. This is a day by day decision so this is a wait and see.
CB Tracy Porter is out for the next 3-4 weeks for the Saints after having surgery to repair the lateral meniscus in his left knee. Saints resigned Leigh Torrence to replace Porter for the next several weeks.
Redskins lost RB Clinton Portis for the next 4-6 weeks with a third degree separation of his left groin muscle. This is a key injury for the Redskins since Portis is the starting rusher, however Ryan Torain looked impressive last week so there is hope that they will be fine without him during these weeks.
After losing S Bob Sanders for 10-12 weeks in the season opener, Colts have now lost his replacement Melvin Bullitt for the season. He injured his right shoulder in last week's game against the Jaguars and will have surgery to repair it soon. Losing him will leave their secondary vulnerable since they have only 1 of their original starting safeties from the season opener Antoine Bethea. They will have to scramble to fill in the gap and this may make their season much tougher than anyone expected.
Packers are having issues at S as well with rookie Morgan Burnett gone for the season and Nick Collins not practicing on Wed due to a nagging knee injury. In a tight NFC North division race a depleted secondary is a major cause for concern.
Cuts
The only significant cut of the week was that of WR Dwayne Jarrett from the Carolina Panthers. While other players were cut and picked up off waivers or traded, Jarrett was released this week after receiving his second DUI arrest in 2 years. Coming out of USC Jarrett was a highly touted prospect. But after 4 years in Carolina he never turned into the star receiver he was thought to be. He had the potential this season to become the 2nd receiver when Panthers didnt resign Muhsin Muhammad, but he failed to beat out rookies Brandon LaFell and David Gettis. Having proven to be a bust and having off field issues may mean his professional career is over.
Returns
After serving a 4 game suspension for various reasons, 3 very key players are making their return to the field this week:
The Steelers are happy to have Ben Reothlisberger this week after serving his 4 week suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy for an incident in Georgia during the off-season. The Steelers have played well on defense without him, but have suffered some setbacks on offense including losing QB Dennis Dixon. With Big Ben's return the the Steelers should be ready to roll through the season and into the playoffs.
Brian Cushing returns this week to the Texans after his suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy after he tested positive for HCG in May. He was the NFL Rookie Defensive Player of the Year last year for his 134 tackles, 5 sacks, 4 interceptions and 2 forced fumbles. The Texans are still leading the AFC South division with a 3-1 record, but the return of Cushing is one that should make an immediate impact.
Santonio Holmes begins his career with the Jets this week. He was traded to the Jets by the Steelers in the off-season but faced a suspension due to a violation of the league's substance abuse policy. Holmes has had off field issues in the past, but his on field performance is still spectacular. It's not clear how much of an immediate impact he will have for the Jets who are 3-1 without his presence, but the 5'11" receiver with the break away speed and great hands will definitely provide another reliable target for Sanchez.
Come back next week for more!
-NFL Girl
Well I was going to focus this part of the blog on the trade of Marshawn Lynch to the Seahawks but lo and behold an even bigger trade comes down the pipe. Yes folks, the Patriots traded WR Randy Moss to the Minnesota Vikings!
Now this is not a total shocker..Moss has said repeatedly that he felt there was a possibility he would be traded and didnt feel wanted by the organization. His production numbers this year have been way down, but then it would be nearly impossible to reproduce the record breaking season he had in 2007. The Patriots will be fine without Moss as they proved on Monday night against the Dolphins where Moss went without a catch all night. Moss started his career with the Vikings so this will not be a completely new experience. However Brad Childress was not the head coach nor was Brett Favre the quarterback. Moss will be coming into a situation where the Vikings are struggling on the offensive side of the ball. With Sidney Rice out, Favre has not had a reliable deep threat receiver. Moss is a big fast reliable receiver with some of the greatest hands in the league. He will have an immediate impact on this team if he can play with the high level of consistency and intensity he has played with in New England.
Now of course we have to talk about the trade of Marshawn Lynch. Seahawks have been in desperate need of a reliable running game this season. They are ranked 27th in run offense. Julius Jones took a pay cut to stay in Seattle but his rushing total of 30 yards so far this season has made him expendable especially with Justin Forsett being a faster younger back. In Buffalo Lynch played in a running back by committee system with C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson. Here he will most likely be the starter with Forsett playing behind him (depending on how well he plays of course). This should be a great addition for the Seahawks and be a good move for Lynch who will play for a much better team than the Bills.
Injuries
Jay Cutler was practicing as of today, but as far as his status for Sunday..that is still questionable at this point. He suffered a concussion in the first half of last week's game against the Giants and whether or not he should come back so quick from such a serious injury is a serious issue. This is a day by day decision so this is a wait and see.
CB Tracy Porter is out for the next 3-4 weeks for the Saints after having surgery to repair the lateral meniscus in his left knee. Saints resigned Leigh Torrence to replace Porter for the next several weeks.
Redskins lost RB Clinton Portis for the next 4-6 weeks with a third degree separation of his left groin muscle. This is a key injury for the Redskins since Portis is the starting rusher, however Ryan Torain looked impressive last week so there is hope that they will be fine without him during these weeks.
After losing S Bob Sanders for 10-12 weeks in the season opener, Colts have now lost his replacement Melvin Bullitt for the season. He injured his right shoulder in last week's game against the Jaguars and will have surgery to repair it soon. Losing him will leave their secondary vulnerable since they have only 1 of their original starting safeties from the season opener Antoine Bethea. They will have to scramble to fill in the gap and this may make their season much tougher than anyone expected.
Packers are having issues at S as well with rookie Morgan Burnett gone for the season and Nick Collins not practicing on Wed due to a nagging knee injury. In a tight NFC North division race a depleted secondary is a major cause for concern.
Cuts
The only significant cut of the week was that of WR Dwayne Jarrett from the Carolina Panthers. While other players were cut and picked up off waivers or traded, Jarrett was released this week after receiving his second DUI arrest in 2 years. Coming out of USC Jarrett was a highly touted prospect. But after 4 years in Carolina he never turned into the star receiver he was thought to be. He had the potential this season to become the 2nd receiver when Panthers didnt resign Muhsin Muhammad, but he failed to beat out rookies Brandon LaFell and David Gettis. Having proven to be a bust and having off field issues may mean his professional career is over.
Returns
After serving a 4 game suspension for various reasons, 3 very key players are making their return to the field this week:
The Steelers are happy to have Ben Reothlisberger this week after serving his 4 week suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy for an incident in Georgia during the off-season. The Steelers have played well on defense without him, but have suffered some setbacks on offense including losing QB Dennis Dixon. With Big Ben's return the the Steelers should be ready to roll through the season and into the playoffs.
Brian Cushing returns this week to the Texans after his suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy after he tested positive for HCG in May. He was the NFL Rookie Defensive Player of the Year last year for his 134 tackles, 5 sacks, 4 interceptions and 2 forced fumbles. The Texans are still leading the AFC South division with a 3-1 record, but the return of Cushing is one that should make an immediate impact.
Santonio Holmes begins his career with the Jets this week. He was traded to the Jets by the Steelers in the off-season but faced a suspension due to a violation of the league's substance abuse policy. Holmes has had off field issues in the past, but his on field performance is still spectacular. It's not clear how much of an immediate impact he will have for the Jets who are 3-1 without his presence, but the 5'11" receiver with the break away speed and great hands will definitely provide another reliable target for Sanchez.
Come back next week for more!
-NFL Girl
Monday, October 4, 2010
Weekend Replay
Wow..well what can I say about this past weekend's games. Lots of upsets and key injuries. Let's do a rundown.
First off the Redskins and Donovan winning his homecoming to Philly. Not what I predicted but then I didnt expect the Skins to knock Vick out of the game in the first quarter. Vick is now suffering with a rib cartilage injury between his 2nd and 3rd rib. Several other players suffered injuries as well including LeSean McCoy who played through a broken rib and Asante Samuel and Riley Cooper who both suffered concussions. Kevin Kolb stepped in for Vick and was completely unimpressive. If Vick is unable to play next week against the 49ers, the Eagles will struggle to get the win.
Giants had a field day against the Bears sacking Cutler so many times that he finally sustained a concussion and couldnt play the second half. They then proceeded to sack Todd Collins till he too had to leave the game with a stinger. Bears without Cutler will struggle to maintain their 3-1 record. His status for this weekend is questionable but league policy may force him to sit for at least 1 game.
First off the Redskins and Donovan winning his homecoming to Philly. Not what I predicted but then I didnt expect the Skins to knock Vick out of the game in the first quarter. Vick is now suffering with a rib cartilage injury between his 2nd and 3rd rib. Several other players suffered injuries as well including LeSean McCoy who played through a broken rib and Asante Samuel and Riley Cooper who both suffered concussions. Kevin Kolb stepped in for Vick and was completely unimpressive. If Vick is unable to play next week against the 49ers, the Eagles will struggle to get the win.
Giants had a field day against the Bears sacking Cutler so many times that he finally sustained a concussion and couldnt play the second half. They then proceeded to sack Todd Collins till he too had to leave the game with a stinger. Bears without Cutler will struggle to maintain their 3-1 record. His status for this weekend is questionable but league policy may force him to sit for at least 1 game.
Patriots proved that they are still too much for Dolphins to handle by blowing them out on Monday night in a lopsided 41-14 win. Even without production from the likes of Randy Moss Brady managed to throw all over the Dolphins defense.
This past weekend should've been called the "Upset Special". Browns beating the Bengals couldnt have been predicted (at least not by me) but shouldnt have come as a complete shock since they are division rivals. Same with the Ravens beating the Steelers since both come with solid defenses. Jags beating the Colts on a less second 59 yd field goal shows that Colts still have a problem beating the Jags in Jacksonville. Redskins beating the Eagles you have to consider that Vick was knocked out the game so that was a considerable factor on that outcome. Same with the Giants knocking out Bears QB Jay Cutler in that final score. The biggest division upset and definitely the upset of the weekend was the Rams over the Seahawks. Rams are now 2-2 and in a 3 way tie for the NFC West division lead. This doubles their wins from last season already so they may have a legitimate shot to at least finish 4-12 this season. I wish them luck.
Back next week with a new addition of rewind!
-NFL Girl
Friday, October 1, 2010
Week 4 Predictions
Ok so your girl fell off a little last week finishing 10-6 but still above .500 so I'm doing ok. Let's see if we can improve on that record:
San Francisco 49ers (0-3) vs Atlanta Falcons (2-1)
49ers have had a rough start to their season. They are still winless and have an offense playing inept. This week they fired their offensive coordinator hoping to turn things around and get going. New offensive coordinator Mike Johnson hopes to start this week in Atlanta. One thing he must address is his quarterback situation. Alex Smith has a dismal 66.2% passer rating having thrown just 2 TDs and 5 INTs so far this season. Vernon Davis only has 193 yds receiving with 0 TDs and Frank Gore has only rushed for 193 yds total and 1 TD. A solid defense cannot keep you in games if they are spending all their time on the field because the offense can't score. They will need to make fast changes if they hope to stay competitive in their division. Falcons are coming off a surprising overtime win against the Saints last week in New Orleans. They remain in a 3 way tie for the NFC South division lead. Matt Ryan is having a great season thus far with a 94.3% passer rating 5 TDs and 1 INT. His go to receiver Roddy White has caught 25 passes for 258 yds and 2 TDs and Michael Turner has had 58 rushes for 231 yds and 1 TD. This looks to be a good season for the Falcons if they can continue to play at this level. I do believe that the 49ers will be able to right the ship and get things going in a positive direction, but I dont think it will happen this week against the Falcons. Prediction: Falcons
New York Jets (2-1) vs Buffalo Bills (0-3)
The Jets had some struggle last week in their secondary with Darelle Revis out with a hamstring injury. Despite this fact the defense still played well enough to keep them on a winning track. After struggling in Week 1 Mark Sanchez has been playing extraordinary. Last week he finished with a 120.5% passer rating, 256 yds and 3 TDs. Dustin Keller finished with almost 100 yds and 2 TDs. They are going to be a serious contender in the AFC this year. Buffalo Bills have been continuing their years of horrendous play. They have started off winless and cut quarterback Trent Edwards in a hope to try to turn things around. This week they are starting Ryan Fitzpatrick who finished last week with 247 yds, 2 TDs and 2 INTs. He will need to get his receiving core some TDs as they are sorely lacking in TDs so far this season. Their defense needs to step up their game or this will be another long season. Even without Revis for another week this should be a easy win for the Jets. Prediction: Jets
Baltimore Ravens (2-1) vs Pittsburgh Steelers (3-0)
San Francisco 49ers (0-3) vs Atlanta Falcons (2-1)
49ers have had a rough start to their season. They are still winless and have an offense playing inept. This week they fired their offensive coordinator hoping to turn things around and get going. New offensive coordinator Mike Johnson hopes to start this week in Atlanta. One thing he must address is his quarterback situation. Alex Smith has a dismal 66.2% passer rating having thrown just 2 TDs and 5 INTs so far this season. Vernon Davis only has 193 yds receiving with 0 TDs and Frank Gore has only rushed for 193 yds total and 1 TD. A solid defense cannot keep you in games if they are spending all their time on the field because the offense can't score. They will need to make fast changes if they hope to stay competitive in their division. Falcons are coming off a surprising overtime win against the Saints last week in New Orleans. They remain in a 3 way tie for the NFC South division lead. Matt Ryan is having a great season thus far with a 94.3% passer rating 5 TDs and 1 INT. His go to receiver Roddy White has caught 25 passes for 258 yds and 2 TDs and Michael Turner has had 58 rushes for 231 yds and 1 TD. This looks to be a good season for the Falcons if they can continue to play at this level. I do believe that the 49ers will be able to right the ship and get things going in a positive direction, but I dont think it will happen this week against the Falcons. Prediction: Falcons
New York Jets (2-1) vs Buffalo Bills (0-3)
The Jets had some struggle last week in their secondary with Darelle Revis out with a hamstring injury. Despite this fact the defense still played well enough to keep them on a winning track. After struggling in Week 1 Mark Sanchez has been playing extraordinary. Last week he finished with a 120.5% passer rating, 256 yds and 3 TDs. Dustin Keller finished with almost 100 yds and 2 TDs. They are going to be a serious contender in the AFC this year. Buffalo Bills have been continuing their years of horrendous play. They have started off winless and cut quarterback Trent Edwards in a hope to try to turn things around. This week they are starting Ryan Fitzpatrick who finished last week with 247 yds, 2 TDs and 2 INTs. He will need to get his receiving core some TDs as they are sorely lacking in TDs so far this season. Their defense needs to step up their game or this will be another long season. Even without Revis for another week this should be a easy win for the Jets. Prediction: Jets
Baltimore Ravens (2-1) vs Pittsburgh Steelers (3-0)
This is going to be a great defensive AFC North battle. Ravens are 1 game behind the division leading Steelers. After struggling in week 2 Joe Flacco recovered last week to finish with a 128.7% passer rating completing 22 of 31 for 262 yds and 3 TDs. With Derrick Mason hurt Anquan Bolding stepped up huge finishing with 8 receptions for 142 yds and all 3 of Flacco's TDs. Ravens defense is consistently rated within the top 5 across the board. Steelers have been on a roll and finding ways to win even without Big Ben at QB. With Dennis Dixon out Charlie Batch got the start last week and completed 12 of 17 for 186 yds 3 TDs and 2 INTs. He gets the start this week at home facing the menacing Ravens D. He will need Rashard Mendenhall to have another game like last week where he finished with 143 yds rushing and 1 TD. Steelers are undefeated because of the top rated defense in the league. This will be a low scoring game since both teams are ferocious on D, but Steelers should be able to make enough moves to pull out the win. Prediction: Steelers
Carolina Panthers (0-3) vs New Orleans Saints (2-1)
Panthers are having a horrible season so far. Even making the switch to Jimmy Clausen resulted in a dissmal game where the rookie quarterback threw for just 188 yds and 1 INT. Steve Smith is nursing a thigh injury and is probable for the game. He has only 2 TDs so far this season. Running back Deangleo Williams is still without his 1st TD of the season. Panthers will need to take some drastic measures on offense if they hope to get going this season. Saints are coming off a stunning overtime loss to the Falcons last week. Drew Brees threw for 365 yds and 3 TDs but also 2 INTs. His leading rusher Pierre Thomas was stuffed for just 30 yds but his leading receiver Lance Moore still managed to catch 6 balls for 149 yds and 2 TDs. Their D behind Johanthan Vilma didnt play up to their best last week so will be looking to get revenge against a weak Panthers team. Predicition: Saints
Denver Broncos (1-2) vs Tennessee Titans (2-1)
Broncos lost a tough fought game last week against the Colts at home. This was definitely not 1 of the Broncos better performances and they will need to pick it up if they hope to catch the division leading Chiefs. Last week Kyle Orton completed 37 of 57 for 476 yds 1 TD and 1 INT. Receiver Brandon Lloyd stood out last week catching 6 passes for 169 yds and Orton's only TD. With Knowshon Moreno out, RBs Laurence Maroney rushed for only 24 yds and Correll Buckhalter was held to just 12 yds. They will need to get their running game in order or they will continue to struggle throughout the season. Titans handed the Giants a shocking upset last week in the Meadowlands. Vince Young finished with a 105.7% passer rating by completing 10 of 16 for 118 yds and 1 TD. Running back Chris Johnson rushed for 125 yds on 32 carries for 2 TDs Titans D looked fantastic against the Giants last week. If they can keep this up they can stay competitive in the tough AFC South division. This should be a surprisingly good match up. Prediction: Broncos
Cincinnati Bengals (2-1) vs Cleveland Browns (0-3)
Bengals won last week against the Panthers despite the poor play of their offense. Palmer completed only 19 of 37 for 195 yds, 1 TD and 2 INTs. Neither Terrell Owens nor Chad Ochocinco caught a TD nor had more than 45 yds receiving. Cedric Benson was held under 100 yds but did manage to score a TD. Bengals defense is what has kept them in games but they will need their offense to score more points as the season continues. Browns are once again getting off to a very poor start. They are 1 of just 5 remaining winless teams. QB Jake Delhomme has been out for 2 weeks and is still questionable this week, but Seneca Wallace has stepped in and played pretty well for Cleveland. Last week he completed 18 of 24 for 141 yds and 1 TD. RB Peyton Hillis had a great game as well finishing with 144 yds and 1 TD. This week they are facing their cross town division rival who they always play tough, but if their defense doesnt come to play this is going to be another L on the board for them. Prediction: Bengals
Detroit Lions (0-3) vs Green Bay Packers (2-1)
Lions have been playing without their starting QB Matthew Stafford since week 1. Shaun Hill has stepped into replace him and has struggled badly. Last week he finished with 237 yds, 1 TD and 2 INTs. Rookie RB Jahvid Best was held to under 30 yds rushing. He is now questionable for this week with a toe injury. Detroit's defense is 1 of the worse in the entire league. Lions are going to have a terrible season which is nothing new but made worse by losing their starting QB for most of the season. Packers lost a close game against the Bears last week in Chicago. Even in defeat QB Aaron Rodgers completed 34 of 45 for 316 yds, 1 TD and 1 INT. This will not be as tough of a contenst for the Packers and they should get back on the winning track this week. Prediction: Packers
Seattle Seahawks (2-1) vs. St. Louis Rams (1-2)
The Seahawks behind new head coach Pete Carroll have looked really really good in wins or really really bad in their only loss so far. QB Matt Hasselback has already thrown more INTs (5) than he has TDs (4) so far this season but did play well enough to get the win last week against San Diego. RB Leon Washington was the game's biggest bright spot by running back 2 kickoffs for TDs to clench the win for the Seahawks. Seahawks have to get more reliable if they hope to compete for the division title at the end of the season. Rams are still one of the worst in the league. Despite this fact they are coming off a good win last week against the Redskins at home. Their rookie QB Sam Bradford finished with 235 yds, 1 TD & 1 INT. Steven Jackson scored 1 TD but was held under 60 yds rushing. The last 10 meetings of these 2 teams has resulted in a win by the Seahawks and I think they will easily get their 11th. Prediction: Seahawks
Indianapolis Colts (2-1) vs Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2)
Colts are absolutely 1 of the league's top teams. You can always expect a great game when watching them play behind the leadership of QB Peyton Manning. Manning has already thrown for more than 1000 yds so far this season in just 3 games! Last week he finished with a passer rating of 109.2% by completing 27 of 43 for 325 yds and 3 TDs against the Broncos in Denver. Austin Collie looked superb last week with 12 catches for 171 yds and 2 TDs. Colts defense has played beautifully this season and if they can stay healthy should keep them on a winning track. Despite having won 1 game, the Jaguars have played terribly. QB David Garrard played so poorly in week 2 he had to be benched. Last week he finished with another pick and only 105 yds throwing. His play has been so poor, the Jaguars signed the recently released QB Trent Edwards in hopes to potentially bring some life to the struggling offense. This match-up is typically a good one since they are division rivals, but if the Jags continue to struggle on the offensive side of the ball this game will be over quickly. Predicition: Colts
Houston Texans (2-1) vs Oakland Raiders (1-2)
Texans lost the battle for Texas last week against the cross town Cowboys. QB Matt Schaub struggled last week throwing 2 INTs and only 1 TD. RB Arian Foster rushed for 106 yds but hasnt scored a TD since week 1. Even WR Andre Johnson was held under 65 yds receiving and 0 TDs. Texans defense did not show up to play last week. This week they will need to play better to stay tied atop the AFC South division. The Raiders lost a close one against the Cardinals in Arizona last week. However, they have played a bit more reliable behind the leadership of QB Bruce Gradkowski. Last week he finished with 255 yds, 1 TD & 1 INT. His biggest target has become WR Louis Murphy who finished last week with 119 yds on 5 receptions. RB Darren McFadden averaged 4.2 yds per carry against the Cardinals finishing with 105 yds on 25 carries and a TD. Raiders defense is suspect at times and has been killed in the passing game. If they cannot find a way to get more wins they will not finish well in the AFC West division. Prediction: Texans
Arizona Cardinals (2-1) vs San Diego Chargers (1-2)
Cardinals won a close one against the Raiders last week at home. This despite the only mediocre play of QB Derek Anderson who threw for only 122 yds, 2 TDs and 1 INT. Cardinals will need RBs Beanie Wells and Tim Hightower to stay healthy and play with some urgency to keep the Cardinals tied atop their division. Chargers lost a close one against the Seahawks in Seattle. Chargers are notorious for starting off their season slow every year so dont let their losing record fool you. QB Philip Rivers has still thrown for more than a 1000 yds so far this season. He finished last week with 455 yds, 2 TDs and 2 INTs. His big go to guy TE Antonio Gates finished with 7 catches for 109 yds and 1 score. Chargers are still without their rookie RB sensation Ryan Matthews who is probable for this week. Their defense will also be without Shawn Merriman who is doubtful with a calf injury. Despite these factors I expect Chargers to finish the day at .500. Prediction: Chargers
Washington Redskins (1-2) vs Philadelphia Eagles (2-1)
The week's most talked about match up for obvious reasons! Not only is it a big division match-up but this will be the 1st time QB Donovan McNabb faces his old team against QB Michael Vick who he fought for the Eagles to sign just last year. McNabb has had a pretty good season so far having an overall passer rating of 89.2% with 2 TDs and 1 INT. Last week he completed 19 of 32 for 236 yds, 1 TD and 1 INT. WR Santana Moss finished the game with 6 receptions for 124 yds and 1 TD. This week the Redskins defense must do better and keep the Eagles from running all over them. Meanwhile the Eagles have taken the lead in the NFC East division behind the great playing of QB Michael Vick. In just 3 short weeks Vick has an overall passer rating of 110.2% with 6 TDs and 0 INTs. He has shown the great elusiveness and field vision that made him great in his days in Atlanta. Last week he finished with his best game so far completing 17 of 31 for 291 yds and 3 TDs. He has found a great receiver in DeSean Jackson who last week torched the Jags on 5 receptions for 153 yds and 1 TD. LeSean McCoy has added depth to the running game that has been badly needed for years. This should be a great battle in Philly but even with McNabb playing with a chip on his shoulder the Eagles have too many offensive weapons that the Redskins cant answer. Prediction: Eagles
Chicago Bears (3-0) vs New York Giants (1-2)
Bears have been on a roll so far this season starting undefeated. This has been fueled behind QB Jay Cutler who has played phenomenal. Last week was not one of his better games where he completed only 16 of 27 for 221 yds 1 TD & 1 INT. Chicago has a potent defense that has been playing terrific each week. The Giants have played disappointingly so far this season. QB Eli Manning has had a rough start. Last week against the Titans he finished with 0 TDs and 2 INTs. RB Ahmad Bradshaw finished with 88 yds and 1 TD. The Giants D has looked soft playing nowhere near their potential. They will need to play with some urgency in the coming weeks or finish near the bottom of the NFC East division. Prediction: Bears
New England Patriots (2-1) vs Miami Dolphins (2-1)
Patriots have gotten off to a good start. They are in a 3 way tie with the Dolphins and Jets in the AFC East division. Last week QB Tom Brady finished with his highest QB rating so far this season with 142.6% rating on 21 of 27 for 252 yds and 3 TDs. WR Randy Moss finished with just 2 receptions but both of those were for TDs. With Kevin Faulk out for the season with a torn ACL, RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis stepped up last week and rushed for 98 yds on 16 carries and 1 TD. Their defense has been good enough to keep Brady on the field. Dolphins are the surprise team in the AFC East. They lost a close one last week to division rival Jets. QB Chad Henne completed 26 of 44 for 363 yds 2 TDs and 1 INT. His #1 wideout Brandon Marshall finished with 10 catches for 166 yds and 1 TD. Their defense is playing very well. This should be a good Monday night game but I expect the Patriots to be able to pull out the win. Prediction: Patriots
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