Top 100 Big Board

Top 100 Big Board

1. Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest
2. Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia
3. Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech
4. Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia
5. Jason Smith, OT, Baylor
6. B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College
7. Mark Sanchez, QB, Southern Cal
8. Malcolm Jenkins, DB, Ohio State
9. Andre Smith, OT, Alabama
10. Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia
11. Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State
12. Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois
13. Brian Orakpo, DE/OLB, Texas
14. Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss
15. Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri
16. Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss
17. LeSean McCoy, RB, Pittsburgh
18. Rey Maualuga, LB, Southern Cal
19. Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest
20. Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers
21. Everette Brown, DE, Florida State
22. Brian Cushing, LB, Southern Cal
23. D.J. Moore, CB, Vanderbilt
24. Percy Harvin, ATH, Florida
25. Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech
26. Beanie Wells, RB, Ohio State
27. Larry English, DE/OLB, Northern Illinois
28. Louis Delmas, S, Western Michigan
29. Tyson Jackson, DE, Louisiana State
30. Eben Britton, OT, Arizona
31. Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina
32. Eric Wood, OL, Louisville
33. Darius Butler, CB, Connecticut
34. Rashad Johnson, S, Alabama
35. Donald Brown, RB, Connecticut
36. Patrick Chung, S, Oregon
37. James Laurinaitis, LB, Ohio State
38. Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland
39. William Beatty, OT, Connecticut
40. Alex Mack, C, California
41. Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee
42. Sen’Derrick Marks, DT, Auburn
43. Marcus Freeman, OLB, Ohio State
44. Sean Smith, DB, Utah
45. Lawrence Sidbury Jr., DE, Richmond
46. Clay Matthews, LB, Southern cal
47. Nate Davis, QB, Ball State
48. Shonn Greene, RB, Iowa
49. Macho Harris, CB, Virginia Tech
50. Clint Sintim, OLB, Virginia
51. Fili Moala, DT, Southern Cal
52. Jasper Brinkley, LB, South Carolina
53. Derek Pegues, S, Mississippi State
54. Ron Brace, DT, Boston College
55. Kraig Urbik, G, Wisconsin
56. Derrick Williams, WR, Penn State
57. Ziggy Hood, DT, Missouri
58. Mike Mickens, CB, Cincinnati
59. Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas State
60. Trevior Canfield, G, Cincinnati
61. Javon Ringer, RB, Michigan State
62. Brian Robiskie, WR, Ohio State
63. Jason Watkins, OT, Florida
64. Will Davis, DE, Illinois
65. Zach Follet, LB, California
66. Michael Hamlin, S, Clemson
67. Jeremiah Johnson, RB, Oregon
68. Jarrett Dillard, WR, Rice
69. Travis Kropog, OT, Tulane
70. Andy Levitre, G, Oregon State
71. Brandon Williams, DE, Texas Tech
72. Tyrone McKenzie, LB, South Florida
73. Emmanuel Cook, S, South Carolina
74. Mark Parson, CB, Ohio
75. Gerald McRath, LB, Southern Miss
76. Aaron Maybin, DE/OLB, Penn State
77. Shawn Nelson, TE, Southern Miss
78. Jamon Meredith, OT, South Carolina
79. Tyrell Sutton, RB, Northwestern
80. Antoine Caldwell, C, Alabama
81. Jason Phillips, LB, Texas Christian
82. Coye Francies, CB, San Jose State
83. Rashad Jennings, RB, Liberty
84. Quinn Johnson, FB, Louisiana State
85. Mohammed Massoquoi, WR, Georgia
86. Fenuki Tupou, OT, Oregon
87. Herman Johnson, G, Louisiana State
88. Paul Kruger, DE, Utah
89. Darry Beckwith, LB, Louisiana State
90. Connor Barwin, DE, Cincinnati
91. Jairus Byrd, CB, Oregon
92. Andre Brown, RB, North Carolina State
93. Louis Murphy, WR, Florida
94. Ramon Foster, OT, Tennessee
95. Duke Robinson, G, Oklahoma
96. Terrence Taylor, DT, Michigan
97. Captain Munnerlyn, CB, South Carolina
98. Kory Sheets, RB, Purdue
99. Cornelius Ingram, TE, Florida
100. Scott McKillop, Pittsburgh

New 2 Round Mock Draft

AP

I plan on going ahead and making a more in-depth mock with descriptions, at some point in time. Until then, here is my UPDATED mock draft, now complete with two rounds.

Round One

1. Detroit – Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia
2. St. Louis – Michael Crabtree WR Texas Tech
3. Kansas City – Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest
4. Seattle – Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia
5. Cleveland – Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State
6. Cincinnati – Jason Smith, OT, Baylor
7. Oakland – B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College
8. Jacksonville – Andre Smith, OT, Alabama
9. Green Bay – Brian Orakpo DE Texas
10. San Francisco – Everette Brown, DE, Florida State
11. Buffalo – Aaron Maybin, DE, Penn State
12. Denver – Rey Maualuga, ILB, Southern Cal
13. Washington – Michael Oher OT Mississippi
14. New Orleans – Vontae Davis CB Illinois
15. Houston – Alphonso Smith CB Wake Forest
16. San Diego – Beanie Wells, RB, Ohio State
17. New York Jets – Mark Sanchez QB USC
18. Chicago – Larry English, DE, Northern Illinois
19. Tampa Bay – Percy Harvin, WR, Florida
20. Detroit (from Dallas) – Michael Johnson DE Georgia Tech
21. Philadelphia – Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia
22. Minnesota – D.J. Moore, CB, Vanderbilt
23. New England – Eben Britton, OT, Arizona
24. Atlanta – Louis Delmas, FS, Western Michigan
25. Miami – Brian Cushing, LB, USC
26. Baltimore – Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri
27. Indianapolis – Peria Jerry DT Mississippi
28. Philadelphia (from Carolina) – Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State
29. New York Giants– Clint Sintim, LB, Virginia
30. Tennessee – Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers
31. Arizona – LeSean McCoy RB Pitt
32. Pittsburgh – Tyson Jackson, DE, Louisiana State

Round Two

1. Detroit - William Beatty, OT, Connecticut
2. Kansas City - Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas State
3. St. Louis - Travis Kropog, OT, Tulane
4. Cleveland – Shonn Greene, RB, Iowa
5. Seattle – Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina
6. Cincinnati - Alex Mack, OL, California
7. Jasonville - Darius Butler, CB, Connecticut
8. Oakland – Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland
9. Green Bay – Ron Brace, NT, Boston College
10. Buffalo - Shawn Nelson, TE, Southern Miss
11. San Francisco - Jamon Meredith, OT, South Carolina
12. Miami (from Washington) – Sean Smith, DB, Utah
13. New York Giants (from New Orleans) – James Laurinaitis, LB, Ohio State
14. Houston – Paul Kruger, DE, Utah
15. New England (from San Diego) – Donald Brown, RB, Connecticut
16. Denver – Sen’Derrick Marks, DT, Auburn
17. Chicago - Rashad Johnson, S, Alabama
18. Tampa Bay – Fili Moala, DT, Southern Cal
19. Dallas – Patrick Chung, S, Oregon
20. New York Jets – Jasper Brinkley, LB, South Carolina
21. Philadelphia – Fenuki Tupou, OT, Oregon
22. Minnesota – Brian Robiskie, WR, Ohio State
23. Atlanta – Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee
24. Miami – Juaquin Iglesias, WR, Oklahoma
25. Baltimore – Mike Mickens, CB, Cincinnati
26. New England – Connor Barwin, OLB/TE, Cincinnati
27. Carolina – Ziggy Hood, DT, Missouri
28. New York Giants – Derrick Williams, WR, Penn State
29. Indianapolis – Louis Murphy, WR, Florida
30. Tennessee – Macho Harris, CB, Virginia Tech
31. Arizona – Clay Matthews, LB, Southern Cal
32. Pittsburgh – Eric Wood, OL, Louisville

Super Bowl Prediction

Which WR will be the difference? Photo from Getty Images & US Presswire.

Well I’ve had a week and a half to try to decide which way I was going to go for my Super Bowl winner and I still don’t feel good about it.  But it’s time to get it out there anyway, so I’ll talk it through with you and see if I stick to my guns with the winner.

My head says, “Steelers, you dummy, pick the Steelers.  Defense wins championships.”  And that old adage is definitely true, we’ve seen it with the Ravens and the Bucs and the Giants and the Patriots in recent years.  The Steelers have one of the best defenses in the league, there’s no argument about that.  The Cardinals defense has been porous at times during the season but they’ve really picked it up in the playoffs.  They’ve picked everything up in the playoffs though.  Still, defensive edge goes to Pittsburgh.

Since we talked defense, I guess we should talk offense now.  Who has the advantage here?  Both QB’s have been to the Super Bowl and both have won one.  I’d give Arizona a slight edge in wide receivers, well actually it might be a really big edge if Hines Ward doesn’t go or isn’t 100%.  Larry Fitzgerald has been a beast and there’s no reason to think that Pitt is going to shut him down.  They might limit him compared to some other teams, but he will make some plays.  Pittsburgh gets the edge in the running game, though AZ has been pretty good there in recent weeks as well.  As for QB?  I like Warner better than Big Ben but the fact is they’re both just as capable of throwing crippling interceptions as they are throwing game winning TD’s.  They’re both scary to bet on.  Offensive edge to the Cardinals.

Another way is to go with the hot team.  Who’s hotter?  Both of them have rolled through the playoffs, so I really can’t distinguish there.  Pitt has the overall better record against better competition.  Arizona’s best wins have been in the playoffs, while Pitt has faced off with Baltimore three times and come out the winner, not to mention taking out the Chargers, another really hot team.

Coaching?  Both coaches have all of 2 years head coaching experience, though Whisenhunt was a coordinator at least with the Super Bowl winning Steelers.  Tomlin has a ring as the Bucs defensive backs coach.  Whisenhunt has the advantage of knowing the Pitt system rather well, seeing as he was there, but I’m sure Tomlin’s people have changed things up some.  I’d call coaching even.

X factors:

The Steelers have been here before.  They know what this game is like, they know the hoopla heading in and they know how to deal with it.  The Cardinals are almost entirely new to games of this magnitude.  Warner has been there before, Edge has dealt with the playoffs year in and year out, but that’s about it.  Can Warner get the rest of the team as focused as they need to be going in?  I’m sure that he’ll try and distractions will be kept to a minimum, but there will be some.

Big Ben.  Ben has lived for a couple of years now knowing that his team won the Super Bowl despite him, not because of him.  He turned in one of the worst QB performances in a big game that I’ve ever been unfortunate enough to see.  I honestly hated the Steelers for at least a year after that Super Bowl, because it was such a terrible game that it offended my senses.  So, this time out, Ben has to prove himself.  These Cardinals are not nearly as inept as those Seahawks were and he’s going to have to actually make some plays to win.  Will he step it up and get it done?

The “nobody believed in us” team.  The Cardinals have had the fun of playing the whole postseason as the team that everybody was picking to be one and done.  You may recall reading those very words from me a few weeks ago in my first playoff prediction.  Everybody sneered about how terribly they were playing down the stretch and what a crappy division they played in.  They used that each and every week to help motivate them, as these things seem to, and each week they’ve come out on top.  They’ll be singing that tune leading up to this game and if they win, we’ll be hearing it as they dump champagne and beer all over one another.  It’s a powerful motivator, silly though it might be.

So…with all that to consider, which way do I go?  Go with the gut and say the Steelers or go with the heart and pick the Cards?  Going into this week I fully intended on putting it on the line and picking the Cardinals.  There’s something that feels good about them, something that feels right.  The Warner story, Larry Fitzgerald showing his awesomeness both on and off the field (if you have not heard that young man give an interview, I beg you to listen to one, what a humble, good man he seems to be), Edge earning his ring, the team that nobody believed in achieving the pinnacle of their sport…that’s the thing I would love to see happen.  But do I think it will?  Every day that gets closer to the game I find myself leaning toward Pittsburgh, the team I know, the defense I trust.  When in doubt you go with the defense.  Sigh.

Alright, it’s time to man up (or woman up in my case) and make my pick.  So I’ll commit…Steelers by 3.  Special teams, which I did not discuss, makes a difference and Santonio Holmes sets up a couple short fields for Pitt.  So the head is winning out over the heart, but this is one pick I hope I actually get wrong.  Happy Super Bowling to you all, have some wings and beer and nachos and whatever else for me!  And go Cards!  (I can’t help it, I gotta root for the underdog this time!)

My first 2009 NFL Mock Draft

This is my initial mock draft for the 2009 NFL draft…

1. Detroit – B.J. Raji, DT, Detroit

2. St. Louis – Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia

3. Kansas City – Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia

4. Seattle – Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest

5. Cleveland – Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State

6. Cincinnati – Andre Smith, OT, Alabama

7. Oakland – Michael Crabtree WR Texas Tech

8. Jacksonville – Jason Smith, OT, Baylor

9. Green Bay – Brian Orakpo DE Texas

10. San Francisco –  Mark Sanchez QB USC

11. Buffalo – Everette Brown, DE, Florida State.

12. Denver – Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia

13. Washington – Michael Oher OT Mississippi

14. New Orleans – Vontae Davis CB Illinois

15. Houston – Aaron Maybin, DE, Penn State.

16. San Diego – Rey Maualuga, LB, Southern Cal.

17. New York Jets – Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU

18. Chicago – Percy Harvin, WR, Florida

19. Tampa Bay – Michael Johnson DE Georgia Tech

20. Detroit – Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas State

21. Philadelphia – Beanie Wells, RB, Ohio State

22. Minnesota – Alphonso Smith CB Wake Forest

23. New England – D.J. Moore, CB, Vanderbilt.

24. Atlanta – Peria Jerry DT Mississippi

25. Miami – Brian Cushing LB USC

26. Baltimore – Larry English, OLB, Northern Illinois

27. Indianapolis – Jeremy Maclin, WR, Mizzou

28. Philadelphia – Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State

29. New York – Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers

30. Tennessee – Hakeem Nicks, WR, N. Carolina

31. Arizona – LeSean McCoy RB Pitt

32. Pittsburgh – Eben Britton, OT, Arizona

 

Hello STFU Planet!

For my welcome post, I wanted to do something to highlight my specialty.

I pride myself in my draft analysis, and draft coverage so I wanted to bring to STFU! the top 15 on my big board.

 

1. Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest
2. Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia
3. Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech
4. Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia
5. Malcolm Jenkins, DB, Ohio State
6. B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College
7. Mark Sanchez, QB, USC
8. Jason Smith, OT, Baylor
9. Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State
10. Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia
11. Andre Smith, OT, Alabama
12. Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss
13. Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois
14. Beanie Wells, RB, Ohio State
15. Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss

 

The draft process is young, and I will be posting more in depth analysis as the offseason continues, but I just wanted to get a quick post out there to get a feel for the site, and to get my initial top 15 list out there to you all.

You’ll be hearing from me soon!

Super Bowl XLIII Prediction

I still find it hard to believe that the Arizona Cardinals are in the Super Bowl. I watched them get trounced this year on the road several times. Being a New England Patriots fan it kind of makes me mad to see a team that didn’t even show up for their game against the Patriots and got embarrassed to be playing for the championship.

On the other hand, I find it rather interesting to see the Cardinals finally make it to the big game. They have played much better in the playoffs than they ever did in any regular season game I saw them in, mainly because they are running the ball more and playing better defense. Of course Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, and Anquan Boldin have mostly played very well all year long. Those three certainly have played championship level football.

It does not surprise me to see the Steelers in the Super Bowl. Nor would it have surprised me to see the Ravens. I am a believer that defense wins championships and the Steelers and Ravens both have championship caliber defenses.

So how do I see Super Bowl XLIII shaping up?

Arizona’s Offense versus Pittsburgh’s Defense

This is the matchup that is going to decide who wins this game. The matchup is not good for Arizona.

If there is any weakness in the Steelers’ defense it is the cornerbacks. Now don’t get me wrong, Ike Taylor and Deshea Townsend are pretty solid defensive backs. It’s just that the rest of the defense is great. And they are going against great receivers in Larry Fitzgerald, Steve Breaston, and Anquan Boldin, who match up very well against them. All things being equal the Cardinals should eat the Steelers secondary up just like they did the Panthers and Eagles. The X Factor is Troy Polamalu and how they use him to limit the damage.

But will Kurt Warner have enough time to throw the ball? The heart of the Steelers defense is the linebackers. And the Cardinals offensive line, as well as they have played to this point, have not seen a defense like this since they played, and lost, to the Giants. While Warner and the offensive line did well against the Eagles’ blitzes, the Steelers are better athletically at the linebacker position and have a better all around defense.

And running the ball? Forget it. The Cardinals will have to run the ball some but they won’t get anywhere against this defense. This game will come down to Warner flinging the ball down the field to his receivers. I suspect he’ll spend a lot of time on his back, fumbling, or throwing interceptions.

Pittsburgh’s Offense versus Arizona’s Defense

The Pittsburgh offense actually does not match up that well against the Cardinals, at least not the Cardinals we’ve seen in the playoffs.

I don’t know why people want to insist that Big Ben is some kind of great All Pro quarterback. He isn’t. He’s big, strong, and hard to bring down. He’s also great on broken plays. But he also tends to hold the ball too long and make mistakes. And the running game has been inconsistent. That is not to say I don’t think Big Ben is an excellent quarterback, but Canton bound he is not. His goal should be to play mistake free football, which he has managed to do so far in the playoffs.

Arizona’s Rodgers-Cromartie is an excellent cornerback with a great future who should be able handle Santonio Holmes and his speed. And if the Cardinals defensive line and linebackers play as well has they have the last few weeks they should be able to limit Willie Parker in the running game.

And like Troy Polamalu on the other side of the field, Cardinal strong safety Adrian Wilson is an excellent player against the run and the pass.

The X Factor for the Steelers on offense will be Hines Ward. If he can make the tough inside catches he’s known for, that will allow the Steelers to move the ball down the field.

I don’t expect the Steelers offense to score a ton of points, however.

Special Teams

On paper special teams are pretty even, although Steve Breaston returning kicks gives the Cardinals a better opportunity for a big return. Despite an awful kicking game last week by the Cardinals, both on kickoffs and punts, I don’t expect to see the same level of performance in the Super Bowl. The Cardinals Neil Rackers has a stronger leg than Jeff Reed but I don’t foresee long field goals being a factor unless it’s at the end of the game in a desperate situation. So mark this as a draw.

SO, THEN WHO AM I PICKING?

The Steelers defense is so good that they should be able to do enough to win. I would not be surprised to see a turnover fest by the Cardinals if they get behind early and have to throw the ball. Warner is not always known for being careful with the football. If that happens it could be a Steelers blowout. But let’s give the Cardinals the benefit of the doubt and say it’s going to be close.

Pittsburgh over Arizona, 27-21

 

NFC and AFC Championships Review

 

Arizona Cardinals over Philadelphia Eagles, 32-25

The Arizona Cardinals are in the Super Bowl. Has a weird ring to it doesn’t it? The Arizona Cardinals? Are you sure? The same team that got blown out in the regular season every time they stepped out of the comfortable confines of the Arizona desert? What gives?

What gives is this is not the same Arizona Cardinals team we saw in the regular season. They still have the high flying offense lead by Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, and Anquan Boldin. But they finally found that running the ball, and sticking with it enough to keep defenses honest, makes their offense even better. And the Arizona defense is playing better than it has all season and right in time for the playoffs.

They Cardinals offense is fun to watch. They put some very nice drives together, and throw in a big play or two, and it results in a 24-6 halftime lead.

The Philadelphia Eagles made a valiant comeback in the second half with tight end Brent Celek catching pass after pass, and DeSean Jackson making a great play on a tipped ball for a touchdown to take a 25-24 lead in the fourth quarter. At that point I suspect many people felt the Cardinals would fall apart and lose the game. Their offense had gone three and out a few times in the half and really didn’t have much of an opportunity to do anything. But Kurt Warner calmly lead the team on a 72 yard drive resulting in a game winning touchdown pass to Tim Hightower and a Super Bowl birth.

A few things of note in this game. Larry Fitzgerald continues to raise his game above his already Pro Bowl level. He has had a phenomenal postseason and is simply amazing.

On the other side of the ball, Donovan McNabb was awful. While he put up a great effort, he missed receivers on many occasions and was often inaccurate with this throws.

And the kicking game by both teams was atrocious. I have never seen so many kickoffs go out of bounds, so many lousy punts, and we even had a missed extra point by the Eagles. In fact, it was a game with maybe the poorest special teams play I have seen in quite some time by both teams.

But overall, this was an exciting game to watch.

MVP: Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals

Pittsburgh Steelers over Baltimore Ravens, 23-14

Wow, these two defenses are good. Very, very good. This was one of the hardest hitting games I’ve seen in a long time. The key difference in the game was the Steelers defense was able to make more plays and get three interceptions off of Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, which lead them to victory.

Pittsburgh basically just outplayed the Ravens by a slim margin. They got a big play on a touchdown to Santonio Holmes in the first half to take a 13-7 lead to the locker room. Then nursing a 16-14 lead in the fourth quarter, Troy Polamalu intercepted a Flacco pass and ran it back for a touchdown and sealed the deal.

This game, as expected, was about defense and hard hitting. It didn’t disappoint.

MVP: Troy Polamalu, SS, Pittsburgh Steelers

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Offensive Player: Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals
Defensive Player: Troy Polamalu, SS, Pittsburgh Steelers
Offensive Lineman: Lyle Sendlein, C, Arizona Cardinals
Special Teams: Jeff Reed, K, Pittsburgh Steelers

 

NFL Championship Game Predictions

Can Fitzgerald Dominate Again? Photo from the AP.

In keeping with my stellar .500 record in the playoffs, I fully expect to go 1-1 in this weekends games.  Which team will be my win and which will be my loss?  I have no idea, but I’m hoping I can get at least one of em right for you this week!  Maybe both, maybe neither, that’s the fun of this prediction game.

So who had Philly vs. Arizona in the NFC Championship game?  Anyone? Whomever did probably made a bundle in Vegas, so kudos.  I honestly have no idea how that game is gonna turn out, it’s the one I predict I will miss no matter which way I go!  Baltimore vs. Pittsburgh looks to be a heck of a battle and I’m really looking forward to that.  Without further ado, on to my picks!

Arizona over Philly: That’s right, after weeks of doubting them I’m finally going with the Cardinals.  I fear they will repay me for this by laying an egg, but I do have my reasons here.  Firstly, Westbrook continues to be rather beat up; I don’t doubt that he’ll play but I do doubt his effectiveness against that suddenly attacking Zona defense.  Kurt Warner scares me a bit, he’s due for a crappy game but with Boldin back and Fitzgerald being his awesome self, I imagine they can bail him out of a bad throw or two.  Edge seems to have found his legs and the awesomely named Hightower gives them youth and fresh legs at the running back position as well.  I have always loved McNabb and it wouldn’t surprise me if he pulled out another game but I’m going with my gut and taking the Cards.  Don’t disappoint me boys!

Pittsburgh over Baltimore: This is the game I’m most confident about though I question myself as to why exactly that is.  Yeah, Pitt has beaten Baltimore twice this year, but both were by 3 points and one was controversial with that TD that may or may not have been.  I have no doubt that this game will again probably come down to a field goal.  The reason I lean toward Pitt is because Baltimore is severely beaten up coming into this game.  How many of their players got knocked out of the game last week?  4? 5?  Some will play, some won’t but you gotta expect this game will be as hard hitting as their Titans game was again.  Ben is the wild card here, I don’t trust him not to make some stupid Favrian throws but I also don’t think Flacco can go through yet another game without an error.  He has to be a rookie sometime doesn’t he?  Of course every time I watch him I curse the Ravens for taking him a couple picks before the Bucs turn, I totally wanted us to get him and I feel justified in my liking of him now.  Surely his performance shows just how awesome my opinion is, right?  Hehe Thought so!  I like Pitts defense to pressure young Joe and make him make just one or two mistakes too many.  Should be an awesome game though.

So that’s how I see the playoffs finishing up.  Arizona vs. Pittsburgh.  Fascinating match up.  We’ll discuss that in a week or two if it comes to pass.  I hope you all have enjoyed this wacky NFL season as much as I have.  At least it’s always remained interesting.  I’ll be back soon to discuss the Super Bowl.

AFC and NFC Championship Predictions

Yahoo Sports

Pittsburgh Steelers over Baltimore Ravens

AP

This is the two consistently toughest defensive teams in the league this year. I am very impressed with both teams and particularly their defensive prowess. Whoever wins this game should be favored in the Super Bowl.

I expect this game, like most Pittsburgh-Ravens matchups, to come down to the bitter end. But I give the edge to Pittsburgh for two reasons. First, they are at home. And while that hasn’t meant much in these playoffs, it should count for a slight edge for the Steelers. Second, even though Flacco has played great this year, Pittsburgh seems just a bit more consistent and better able to generate points than the Baltimore offense. Baltimore should have scored more last week against the Titans after being handed three turnovers.

I look forward to seeing this slugfest.

Arizona Cardinals over Philadelphia Eagles

AP

I have a gut feeling that the Cardinals are not going to lay and egg in this game like they did against the Eagles not too many weeks ago in Philadelphia. They seem to be a revived team in the playoffs and I really don’t believe in McNabb or the Eagles. The beat the Giants last week but both Eli Manning and Donovan McNabb had shaky games. The Cardinals are on a roll and I think they will take there new found running game and great the Larry Fitzgerald and roll right into the Super Bowl.

Thing is though, they are going to roll right into a brick wall regardless of which AFC team’s defense they face.

The King is ready to reign over his court

Dust off your robes and scepters; you are cordially invited to the coronation ceremony of Prince Lebron Raymone James. For years Lebron James has been referred to as “King James” despite the lacking the game which justifies the lofty title. It’s funny how times can change so quickly. After finishing 2^nd, 5^th, and 4^th respectively in MVP voting since 2006, he has positioned himself to win his first MVP award and make history in the process.

With a little over half the season left to play, Lebron James has established himself as the front runner for the league’s most prestigious individual award. I must admit, the LBJ kool-aid was rather bitter tasting to me at the start of season. But as the Cavaliers turned on the jets and his competitors began to plunge, that kool-aid tastes as sweet as can be. The Cavs stand atop the Eastern Conference standings and Lebron’s stats line is as impressive as ever.

Heading into his upcoming game against the lowly Memphis Grizzlies, Lebron’s statistical impact can be seen on both ends of the floor. If he keeps up his current pace, he’ll finish the season with a career best in blocks (1.3), turnovers (2.9), field goal (.508), and free throw percentage (.788). He’s also on pace to average 2 steals a game, which he’s only eclipsed during his rookie season.

Many of the talking heads out there will have you believe Lebron’s improvement can be directly related to his involvement with the U.S. Olympic team. I, on the other hand, think it’s the personnel surrounding him. Danny Ferry finally got off his high horse and decided to build these Cavs with role-players who compliment the “Prince”. Over the last two seasons he’s dispatched guys such as: Larry Hughes, Drew Gooden, Joe Smith, and Damon Jones, while replacing them with a Ben Wallace, Delonte West, Mo Williams, and Daniel Gibson. Add in Anderson Varejao and long-time Cav Zydrunas Illgaukas and the picture becomes a bit clearer.

Log jamming the paint has been the most successful strategy for defending Lebron in the past.  Memo to the other 29 teams in the league; these aren’t the same old Cavs. Their rotating backcourt is knocking down the open shots, which may have been missed in previous years, allowing Lebron more opportunities to impose his will on the court. This new found luxury also allows Lebron to expend more energy on defense, without the added pressure of creating something out of nothing on offense. On most nights he’s assigned to the opposition’s best wing defender, and has developed a knack for blocking shots on help defense.

Given his performance thus far this season, and the fact that everyone in the media wants him as their son, it’s not out the question to think Lebron could become the first ever unanimous MVP award winner. Of course, there’s plenty of basketball still left to play. The Cavs could nose dive into the cellar of the Eastern Conference playoffs, or DeWayne Wade or Kobe Bryant could go on some insane 40+ point streak. But if things play out like I believe, the NBA and its fans will be crowning a new king at season’s end.

.