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

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!)

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.

2008 NFL Divisional Playoffs Review

Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

I know it’s 2009 but this is the 2008 NFL Football Season so that is what I am calling the playoffs.

General Observations

If someone told me four weeks ago we would be seeing the Philadelphia Eagles versus the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC Championship I would have them committed to an insane asylum.

Defense and turnovers win championships and that is certainly what happened in this weekends’ playoff matchups. The Ravens, Cardinals, Eagles, and Steelers all played great defense and generated turnovers that ultimately lead to their taking the next step in the playoffs and a right to play for an entry into Super Bowl XLIII.

Now putting my New England Patriots’ hat on for a moment, I am thrilled we won’t be seeing a Manning in the Super Bowl. I don’t really root for any teams in the playoffs when the Patriots don’t make it I just root against the teams I least want to see in the Super Bowl. The Chargers and Eagles get kudos for knocking off the two teams I least wanted to see.

I still find it a bit whacky to see the Eagles and Cardinals in the NFC Championship game. The Eagles looked awful for a long stretch this year and only made the playoffs because the circus act in Dallas imploded. And the Cardinals? They didn’t look like they could win a game on the road or run the ball late in the season. They’ve done both in these playoffs.

 

Baltimore Ravens over Tennessee Titans, 13-10

This was a game dominated by the defenses. Three turnovers by Titans, two in scoring position, were the difference in this game. I won’t say the Titans outplayed the Ravens because the Ravens earned their turnovers, but if the Titans had scored even field goals instead of giving the ball back to the Ravens, the outcome would likely have been different. After two touchdowns in the first quarter, there wasn’t another score until the fourth quarter.

Both defensive lines played phenomenal games. Unlike their last meeting, Tennessee’s defensive front throttled the Ravens running game. The Ravens did give up a good chunk of running yards in the first half, but two turnovers thwarted Tennessee’s scoring opportunities. Tennessee was badly hampered when their best offensive player, running back Chris Johnson, was injured in the second quarter and never returned to the game. Tennessee also clearly missed Kevin Mawae at center. Haolti Ngata got great penetration most of the game, particularly in the first and fourth quarters.

Probably the most damaging blow to Tennessee, other than injuries, was an interception by Kerry Collins in the second quarter around the Baltimore 32 yard line after having driven from their 1 yard line. That seemed to set the tone for the rest of the game.

For Tennessee this was a huge blow after the great season they had and having home field advantage throughout the playoffs. After blowing out the Steelers at home late in the season I really thought we would be seeing them in the Super Bowl. They certainly looked like Super Bowl contenders. But it wasn’t to be.

MVP: Ray Lewis, LB, Baltimore Ravens

Arizona Cardinals over Carolina Panthers, 33-13

I was stunned by this game. After seeing the Cardinals get blown out by the Jets, Eagles, and Patriots and losing badly at home to Giants, I did not believe they could beat the Panthers in Carolina. Of course six turnovers, 5 interceptions and a fumble by quarterback Jake Delhomme, was the difference in the game.

But the Cardinals offense didn’t rest on their heels. They once again established a running game to ago along with their passing attack and turned those turnovers into points. Larry Fitzgerald had another stellar game with 8 catches for 166 yards and a touchdown. And the defense, like last week, did a great job shutting down the running attack.

The Cardinals have played like a legitimate playoff team and if they continue to perform at this level and do not revert back to their late season swoon, the sky is the limit for this team. It just depends on which team shows up.

MVP: Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals

Philadelphia Eagles over New York Giants, 23-11

I don’t know if it was the wind or not but neither Eli Manning nor Donovan McNabb had a particularly good day. Both were mostly inaccurate with their passes and neither team really established much on offense. The Giants were able to run the ball at times but their inability to do much in the passing game really hurt them. The offenses and the quarterbacks looked average not like to teams meeting in the playoffs.

The defenses did play well and this game came down to turnovers and defense. The Eagles’ defense played just a little better than the Giants’ and McNabb played just a little better than Eli and made a few good throws when the Eagles really needed it. To me the key play in the game was Asante Samuels interception of Eli Manning in the first quarter, giving the Eagles the ball near the goal line and an easy touchdown. Even though it was early in the game and only a 7-3 lead, scores were hard to come by and this gave the Eagles a leg up. Also impressive were two fourth down stops by the Eagles in the fourth quarter.

MVP: Brodrick Bunkley, DT, Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers over San Diego Chargers, 35-24

The Pittsburgh Steelers, leading 14-10 at halftime, controlled the ball nearly the entire third quarter going up 21-10. They just wore out the Chargers defense and the game was all but over after that. The Chargers did a good job of putting up a few scores late in the game but the Steelers were playing loose on defense just chewing up the clock.

This was an extremely impressive effort by the Steelers offensive line. Their defense also played extremely well, holding Darren Sproles, last week’s superstar, to only 15 yards rushing. Most of San Diego’s offensive output came in the fourth quarter when the Steelers were mostly playing prevent defense and the Chargers were scrambling to catch up.

Running back Willie Parker ended up with 146 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries, while Big Ben had an efficient, mistake free afternoon at quarterback. He did miss a few deep throws down the field, but he hit a few as well, including one that ended up netting a touchdown after a pass interference call in the end zone.

If the Steelers can continue to play lights out defense, run the ball well, while Ben makes plays with his arm down the field, they will be tough to beat. But they face a nasty defensive team in the Ravens next week, which will be another slugfest.

MVP: Willie Parker, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

 

Offensive Player of the Week: Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals
Defensive Player of the Week: Ray Lewis, LB, Baltimore Ravens
Offensive Lineman of the Week: Jeff Hartwig, C, Pittsburgh Steelers
Special Teams Player of the Week: Santonio Holmes, KR, Pittsburgh Steelers

Playoff Predictions Divisional Round

Will Ed Reed lead his team to victory again? From the AP.

I took my time this week to get my picks in.  Time for heavy thought and deep contemplation of each teams strengths and weaknesses.  I compared rosters and intangibles.  Then I remembered who I was and threw that out the window and decided to just wing it like I usually do.  This week I shan’t be taking all road teams, lesson learned.  Thanks for reminding everyone that you’re a rookie, Matt Ryan, after weeks of fooling the masses.  Thanks to the football gods for having Indy lose the coin flip in OT.  Something really must be done about the overtime system, I get not why the league continues to balk at tinkering with that one.  Oh well, those picks were my bad and I own up to them.  On to the picks!

Baltimore over Tennessee: I’ll be honest, I have no idea how this game is gonna go.  It’s probably going to be one of those 6-3 games and whomever has the ball last will win.  It’ll be a slugfest and a lot of fun to watch if you like defense, as I do.  I’m going to presume that Ed Reed will get at least one interception that helps turn the game, since it appears that he does this weekly these days.  Tenn wasn’t playing their best football down the road and we’ll see if their time off has helped them to right the ship or not.  I’m going with Baltimore because they impressed me last week.  Now watch Flacco remember that he’s a rookie and cost them the game.

Carolina over Arizona: I would LOVE to get this pick wrong.  Arizona rose up and made me pay for picking against them last week, so maybe this week I can inspire them to overcome their road woes to defeat Carolina.  They did play them earlier in the year and jumped out to a big lead on them but then gave up said big lead and lost in a heartbreaker.  These things seem to happen with Carolina for some reason.  You can never say that they’re done in a game and you can’t trust them not to lose one they should win either.  I hate Carolina.  But, as long as they’re smart and keep Delhomme from throwing too many passes they’ll be okay.  He is the one liability they have, the one guy that can foul up and cost them a game when it matters most.  So, Zona, get after him and try to cover Steve Smith and you have a hope and a prayer.  Just a small one though.  Carolina, big.

NY Giants over Philly: This game will be fun to watch, divisional opponents, don’t like each other, tons of history, etc.  And everyone is pointing out that Philly beat the Giants in NY a few weeks ago, which is quite true.  Of course, at the time NY was reeling from the Plaxico “have gun, say hi to the thigh” situation that happened shortly before.  Losing Plax has hurt the Giants, they don’t have a WR that stretches the field the way he did.  But they do have Brandon Jacobs back and healthy, which makes a big difference.  Philly did what they had to against Minny but Minny is not the Giants.  I think it’ll be a close slugfest of a game but that Eli will pull it out over McNabb.

Pittsburgh over San Diego: I’m very torn on this game and I nearly went the other way, but I really like Pittsburgh’s defense more than any other group in this game.  Pitt’s offense is alright, Ben is coming off his concussion and we all know he can throw a stupid ball or five in every single game.  San Diego’s defense is nothing to write home about and their offense is better than they were earlier in the year but Pitt’s D will key on Sproles and challenge Rivers and his receivers to beat them.  Gates is still awesome but banged up as usual and the rest of the WRs have their moment but aren’t worldbeaters.  I prefer Hines Ward to any of them any day.  I think Pitt wins via the turnover.

So that’s what I see happening this week.  We”ll see if we can improve on our 2-2 performance at the very least.  I’ll be back next week but til then, enjoy the games.  Football season is quickly drawing to a close and we’ll all be missing it very soon.

Playoff Predictions & Awards

Brett the Jet left his team upset! Photo from the AP

I guess it’s time to focus on the NFL playoffs, seems like it’s been weeks since I thought about the NFL, but it’s only been a few days.  I guess that’s what happens when you live blog college football for hours on end!  But I’m still in love with the NFL, even if my moron team managed to choke their opportunity to participate in them away.  I’ll start with predictions for this week and then bestow some special awards in celebration of the 2008 season after that.

Wow, we’ll work through this together but I honestly think I might be taking all road teams in the playoffs.  This frightens me more than I can say, but let’s see how it works out, maybe I will talk myself out of somebody.

Atlanta over Arizona: I’m sorry but the Cardinals have not shown me anything to inspire me to consider picking them to win a playoff game, whether they’re at home or not.  They’ve lost to just about every quality team they played; Dallas excepted but I could argue about the “quality” of that team anyway.  Atlanta is a darn good team, much better than I gave them credit for most of the year.  Matt Ryan was the deserving rookie of the year and he might well get some votes for MVP, I couldn’t argue against those who did vote for him.  I expect a heavy dose of Michael Turner to wear down the Arizona defense, such as it is.  If Warner makes mistakes, as he’s prone to do, Arizona is done.

Indianapolis over San Diego: The only team hotter than the Chargers in recent weeks was Indy.  It’s like they came out of nowhere and Manning remembered he was Manning and the rest of the league just laid down before them.  The team that looked old and lost suddenly wasn’t anymore.  Amazing what a franchise QB can do for you, huh?  As to the Chargers, they’ve been impressive in recent weeks but their defense still gives up way too many points for my taste.  I look to Manning to carve them up and waltz out of SD with a victory.

Baltimore over Miami: Yes, this pick scares me.  But Baltimore dominated Miami early in the year and they’re playing just as well as Miami is.  The Dolphins have made me pay for picking against them every time, so I have no confidence in this pick, I just like what I’ve seen out of Flacco (some may remember that I wanted him to be a Buc, sob!).  Pennington and the Fins are a great story but my gut tells me the end is here.  Ugh…I know they’ll prove me wrong!  Oh well, good luck Miami, perhaps I have brought it to you by not believing.

Philadelphia over Minnesota: After I watched Philly destroy Dallas last week, I knew there was no way on earth I was going to pick against them in round one of the playoffs.  They got a favorable match up against Minny too, I don’t see Tavaris Jackson fairing any better against that blitzing D than Romo did.  McNabb seems to be playing with new fire as well, no reason not to think that won’t carry over for another week.  Things get different when Carolina and the Giants hit the mix next week, but for now I say Philly wins, easily.

So that’s where I see the playoffs going this week.  All road wins.  I am royally frightened, but at least I’m taking chances right?  Sure…why not?  Okay, on to the special awards I wanted to highlight.

Worst Performance By A Backup: Tie between the immortal Sage Rosenfels vs. Indy and JP Losman against the Jets.  Both killed their teams with untimely turnovers and ultimately set the playoff stage down the road by sending Indy on it’s winning streak and costing the Pats a playoff spot down the road.  Way to go Sage & JP, you did make an impact on the NFL this season!

Best Performance By a Backup: Kerry Collins, Tennessee.  He took over the team and led them to the #1 seed in the playoffs.  You really can’t ask for more than that.

Worst Drama: The Brett Favre Saga Part 1, retiring, unretiring, trade rumors and finally ending up on the Jets.  I don’t think I went one day without hearing his name for a few months over the spring/summer.  It was insane and annoying and I’m already bracing myself for this year’s version.

Best Drama: The Brett Favre Saga Part 2!  This one hit yesterday, starting the year off on the hilarious note that the Jets players felt he should have been benched in their final game and that he held himself separate from the team all year.  Doesn’t sound like Brett has any friends in that locker room!  That makes Part 3 of the Sage, retire or return?, all the more compelling.  Will Brett want to return to a team that doesn’t want him?  Will we have yet another trade watch?  For once I am actually intrigued by Brett’s off season doings.

Best Suspension: Adam “Pacman” Jones  I love the new commish and his heavy handed approach to things.  The fact that Adam was dumb enough to get drunk and get in a fight when he knew he was being watched like a hawk, well it shouldn’t surprise me but it did.

Biggest Collapse: So many to choose from but I’ll bestow this one upon my Bucs.  They just needed one win in their last 4 games and they’d have been playoff bound, but no, couldn’t be bothered to do that.  Kiffin’s departure, once a sign of doom to me, is now nothing but a shrug the way that defense played in those games.  I don’t know what happened but I do know I didn’t like it.

Most Disappointing Team: This one kinda has to go to Dallas doesn’t it?  I mean, I know I predicted them to go to the Super Bowl and I was sure not alone.   Maybe instead of acquiring all stars Jerry Jones will work on forming an actual team, instead of a bunch of individual jerks?  Eh, maybe not.  Oh well, he can continue to not win then!

Best Moment: 0-16 baby!!!  I know, other people would pick out some wonderful moment, but for me, it was seeing history made.  I couldn’t love Detroit and Marinelli and Millen more if I tried.  Thank you for giving me a little history!

MVP: Gotta go with Peyton Manning here.  He took a team that was pretty much left for dead and drove them all the way to the playoffs.  I gotta think that nobody really wants to play them either.  Honorable mention to Adrian Peterson and Matt Ryan here as well.

LVP: How can you have an MVP without celebrating a least valuable player?  After much thought, and a little help from Crunk, I decided to bestow this award on David Gerrard.  The Jags were supposed to be a major postseason player but they floundered all year.  Gerrard got his big contract and failed to produce at all.  He did have a lot of injuries on O-line to contend with but the Jags should still have been better than they were.

Best Hands: Braylon Edwards.  Every time I saw that guy, he was dropping something.  Then he got snippy and claimed that Cleveland fans didn’t like him since he was from Michigan.  Um, they liked you fine when you were earning your way into the Pro Bowl last year by actually catching the ball, jackass.

Best Benching: Has any team benefited more by losing their starting QB than Tennessee has?  Vince Young losing his mind, or whatever it was he did, led to Tenn turning to Kerry Collins and earning the #1 seed in the playoffs.  It really doesn’t get much better than that…it’s like Bledsoe to Brady without the injury.  Plus we all got to watch Vince on the sidelines and wonder if he was going to do anything crazy.  It was a win win situation.

And finally, it’s time to name my Douchetard of the Year Award.  He’s been prominent on this listing, and I spoiled it in another blog, but the DT of the Year is Brett Favre.  For holding us hostage with his will he or won’t he? retirement; to unretiring; to orchestrating a trade to the Jets; to losing several games down the stretch and missing the playoffs; to the locker room drama that is just emerging…Brett Favre is the most deserving player by far.  The drama that swirls around this guy is just astounding to me, and as I said earlier, we’re not done yet.  I would hope that it would drive him to retirement but then we’ll still be watching for the unretirement, so why bother?  Brett Favre, congratulations, you are my first ever DoucheTard of the Year award.  Keep it up and this award will bear your name for all future winners to admire and enjoy!

Well that’s my look at the playoffs and my look at the year that was.  I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did and look forward to whatever 2009 brings!

Week 17 NFL Notes

Romo commits more no-no's and the Boys lose. Photo from The AP.

The league giveth and the league taketh away.  You know, watching Tampa self destruct against Oakland yesterday had my blood pressure shooting up to unsafe levels but then a beautiful thing happened to restore order to my personal land.  Firstly, the dream was achieved, with Green Bay hanging on to a much too close victory over Detroit.  0-16…I have finally seen the day!  Then, even better, Philly destroyed Dallas, slapping them all over the field like they were red-headed step children (apologies to all the red-headed step children that may read this, it’s just a saying!)  And all of a sudden I didn’t care that my morons choked away a 10 point lead to the Raiders.  Dallas was out of the playoffs and all was well yet again.  On to the thoughts:

• I, of course, must begin with 0-16…a pinnacle as of yet unheard of in the league.  Someone always manages to sneak in a win, like Miami last year (thanks again Ravens) to destroy my hope.  But this year Detroit came through for me.  For that I will always love them.  Thank you, Matt Millen, for building the perfect team of suckery!  Thank you, Rod Marinelli, for being incapable of eeking out one win this season.  Thank you Dan Orlovsky, just for being some random QB that lost a lot of games.  Thank you, Dante Culpepper, for not saving the day when you unretired.  Sorry, Calvin Johnson, that Detroit stole you from my Bucs.  I will miss you til the day you retire.
• Farewell Cadillac Williams.  Another blown left knee.  I’m so sorry for you, I hate to see that happen to any player, let alone one of my own who worked so hard to come back.  I really think losing you knocked all the wind out of our sails, though you aren’t to blame for the crappy tackling exhibited by my once vaunted defense.
• What happened to my Bucs?  Well, a mediocre offense that can’t be bothered to score unless they’re running the 2 minute drill or coming from behind in the second half was a big contributor.  A defense that is unable to get any pressure on the QB was another BIG contributor.  Tampa needs a pass rush like yesterday.  I better see D-line addressed heavily in the draft this year.  Garcia was also an issue, not patient at all, happy feeting all over the place and making some bad decisions, missing some wide open receivers.  It was really ugly and I have no more words for my team.  They sucked, moving on.
• Luckily the Bucs were not alone.  The Bears had everything on the line and managed to lose to Houston.  The real pisser of this game was that I initially was picking Houston to win and then I second guessed myself and changed it.  For that I blame the Bears more heavily.  The Bears loss didn’t hurt them in the end, due to Minny’s win over the Giants, but still, they could have won to make things more interesting when Minny was going for that game winning FG.
• Another team that tanked was the vaunted NY Jets.  News broke early today that Mangini got shit canned.  As a Patriots supporter, I won’t deny this made me laugh.  Karma’s a bitch, Eric.  And I’m sure the great folks in Green Bay were laughing watching Favre throw 3 picks in a must win game…sounds familiar doesn’t it?  All credit, though, goes to Miami.  From 1-15 to a 3rd in the AFC.  Fantastic.  Bill Parcells must have a deal with the devil.  Also congrats to Chad Pennington, nothing feels better than sticking it to your ex team and getting a playoff spot to boot.
• The Miami win knocked the Pats out of the playoffs, which is very disappointing as I would have liked to see how Cassel performed in the playoffs.  With news that Brady might not be back next year, it’ll be interesting to see if they hold on to Matty or if they’re spreading lies to jack up the asking price.  Wouldn’t put it past Bill, would ya?
• The game of the day must have been Carolina/New Orleans.  It looked like NO was gonna pull the upset and knock Carolina to the 5th seed but instead Delhomme found Steve Smith (who else?) for a big gainer and they kicked a game winning FG.  Hilariously Drew Brees still had a chance at Marino’s yards record with one second left but his receiver broke off the route and the ball hit the ground, leaving Brees 16 yards short of the mark.  I find that amusing, probably because I don’t care about the Saints.
• One of the most interesting teams heading into the playoffs has to be the Chargers.  They’ve been on fire in recent weeks and they demolished Denver last night to claim the final slot.  It’ll be interesting to see them play Indy next week, I’m not as confident in an Indy victory as I was a day ago.  Well I’ll do my picks in a few days, so we’ll see which way I go then.
• Congrats to Minnesota for edging into the playoffs with a 20-19 victory over the Giants.  And thank you, Giants for the nice little David Carr sighting you provided.  My mom and I appreciated it.  So pretty!  On topic, Minny has to be a bit concerned about Adrian Peterson’s fumbling issues.  He needs to be more careful with the ball.  I don’t think Minny will make any noise in the playoffs but if they do it will be because of AD, so he needs to hold on to the football.
• Yesterday wasn’t a good day for injuries.  Caddy with his knee, Madison in NY, Big Ben in Pitt…we’ll see if this effects anything for these teams.  Losing a corner won’t help the Giants any and Big Ben’s head better be straight before the playoffs hit.
• Lastly, can I just state again how friggin hilarious it was to see Philly smack the shit out of Dallas?  How many fumbles did Romo lose?  5?  Alright I think it was 2 or 3, but it sure felt like 5.  Not to mention an interception.  And that fumble by Barber that got returned 96 yards for a TD…a thing of utter beauty.  I haven’t laughed that much watching a football game in years.  Loved every shot of TO yelling on the sidelines in the first half, I think he quickly figured out it wasn’t worth it though, he was quiet in the second half.  Pacman had a fumble, Roy Williams was a nonentity and Romo looked like a lost little boy out there.  Just perfection.  Congrats to Philly, an interesting addition to the playoffs and a potential threat to every team there.  I’m looking forward to seeing how they do.  Funny how a few weeks ago they wanted McNabb and Reid run out of town huh?  Also a shout out to Brian Dawkins who caused a couple of the fumbles and was all over the field, including directing the crowd in their Eagles song.  Classic.

I had a hard time coming up with the Douchetard this week, there were so many great choices really.  And I have to bestow two because that’s just how we roll on a week such as this.  So, the first Sage Rosenfels Memorial Douchetard of the Week award winner is my own Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  Yep, the whole team gets this one for losing 4 straight and playing their way right out of the playoffs.  It took a team effort to lose to Oakland and make Michael Bush look like Walter Peyton, so the whole team gets props.  Our other Douchetard goes to living legend Brett Favre, for his 3 pick day against Miami with the playoffs on the line.  Ok, they were on the line for NE at that point but still, inexcusable that he comes up so lousy in yet another big game.  Even more, the reason he’s really getting this reason is because now I have to go through another few months of the Favre Retirement Watch.  I thought I was blissfully free of it after last year but then they came back and we have to go through it all again.  So, Brett Favre, congrats on your Douchetard Award…more special hardware to follow I imagine!

Those are the main highlights I wanted to hit this week.  It has been an interesting year and week 17 lived up to the rest of the season as well.  I went 10-6 this week, so that feels much better than last week’s terrible showing.  Back later in the week with a look at the playoff match ups and bestowing some awards.

Last Week:  10-6

Season Record:  160.5-94.5

Week 17 NFL Picks

ESPN.com Illustration

Happy holidays, football fans.  I’m back and coming off a rather putrid 7-9 week, so things have got to be better this final week, right?  Although of course this is the week that wacky things happen and teams that clinched rest people and all sorts of stuff, so maybe not.  We’ll shoot for better anyway and see how it goes.

Atlanta over St. Louis:  The Falcons are in the playoffs and still have a chance to win the division with a Carolina loss, so they still have much to play for.  Not to mention momentum.  The Rams have been playing for a top draft pick, as they’ve been doing all season.  No incentive here so the Falcons get the pick.

New England over Buffalo:  The Patriots still have a chance to hit the playoffs with some help but of course they first have to win.  I don’t see this being an issue.  Has any team tanked more than Buffalo after their hot start?  NE rolls.

Kansas City over Cincy:  In the game that means absolutely nothing, this week’s Suck Bowl, I’ll go with the team that has been far more competitive each week than the one that has a win over the lowly Browns.  KC has lost several heart breakers but they’ve not quit, not sure I can say the same for all the Bengals players.  KC with the win.

Green Bay over Detroit:  And here it is…the quest for 0-16 comes down to this week, to this team, to this moment.  And I’ll admit it, I’m scared as can be over this one.  Will my dreams be dashed the final week of the season?  Will Green Bay continue to choke away games they should have won?  I’m going with them to hold on, pride on the line and all that, and give us the dream season.  Come on Lions, don’t let me down.

Indy over Tennessee:  Tenn has clinched and Indy is in as well, so not sure what teams we’ll see out there.  I think Dungy will keep his starters playing for awhile and I’m not sure about Tenn, thus I’m going this way.  Frankly I would go this way even if both teams played everybody, Indy has shown something in recent weeks while Tenn has been more of a wild card.

Minnesota over NY Giants:  The only reason I’m going with this one is because the Giants have clinched and Minn is fighting for its playoff life.  They still have a chance to take the north.  Again, I’m going with the team that has the motivation.

Carolina over NO:  Carolina still needs a win to clinch the division, even though they’ve earned a playoff spot.  NO has nothing to play for, except hatred of Carolina perhaps.  I nearly went with the Saints but their defense is crappy and Steve Smith will likely have a field day.  Carolina wins and claims the NFC South title.

Pittsburgh over Cleveland:  And now we know that a team with no quarterback really can’t survive in this league.  I mean, we knew that before, but it’s been reconfirmed.  Ken Dorsey?  Did anybody really know he was still in the league?  I sure didn’t.  Perhaps this week when they lose Brady Quinn will get punched again by another random player.  The Browns are fun at least!

Tampa Bay over Oakland:  Unbelievably Tampa is still in the playoff hunt after 3 terrible weeks of football.  They should be able to beat Oakland, but who can say with this team anymore?  The Raiders have shown signs of life in recent weeks so I can’t be as comfortable about this pick as I would like to be, but I will again go with the team that has the most on the line.

Chicago over Houston:  Hmm this one is tough.  Houston has actually played well in recent weeks but the Bears are fighting for a playoff spot so they should be going all out here.  I’m not going with an upset even though I don’t think that much of the Bears, despite their being on the cusp of the playoffs.  Orton still has not won me over and their offensive game plan, just chuck the ball down field and hope Hester catches it or gets a flag doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence in me.  However they are fighting to make the post season so I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt and pick there here.  I’m sure Houston will make me pay for that.

Baltimore over Jacksonville:  This game could go the other way but Balt is hungry and they’ll want to keep the Pats out of the playoffs.  I believe that is the scenario…there are so many going through my mind that I can’t keep track of them all.  Jax is one of the disappointing teams of the year, no reason they should rise up now.

Washington over San Fran:  Just because someone has to win.  Chalk the Skins up as another team that was a major disappointment.  I still can’t figure out what went wrong with them, it seems like they have the pieces there they just can’t put them together.  I’m happy the 49ers are signing Singletary longterm, I do think he’s the right man for the job and he has them playing hard at a time when they’re not playing for much of anything.

NY Jets over Miami:  Here we go to the big games…and I honestly have no idea what to expect here.  Every time I pick against Miami I end up regretting it, and every time I pick the Jets I end up regretting it too.  But for some reason I am inflicting a double whammy on myself by predicting the Jets to beat Miami.  So either I’ll really get it wrong or whatever voodoo these teams have working against me will cancel out and I’ll get it right.  Should be interesting at any rate.  The Jets get the nod because they’re at home and desperate.

Dallas over Philly:  Yep, I am predicting that my morons miss the playoffs due to Dallas winning at Philly.  It seems like the kind of thing that would happen to Tampa, after all, doesn’t it?  Frankly they don’t deserve to make the playoffs anyway.  I am hoping that Philly takes it but I have no confidence in them and Dallas feels like that team that’s going to luck into the playoffs and maybe make some noise once they’re there.

Arizona over Seattle:  Who cares really?  Zona is one and done in the playoffs and Seattle has nothing going on.  This game bores me.

San Diego over Denver:  Here’s the other big win and you’re in game we have this week.  I really couldn’t begin to guess what is going to happen in it either, but I do know that Rivers shredded Tampa’s defense last week and Tampa’s defense is a heck of a lot better than Denver’s is.  Of course, this is a divisional game and it feels like everything gets thrown right out the window in those games.  San Diego has been playing well in recent weeks and I think they’ll continue the trend and win that division.  Hard to believe that they can come back from their terrible record early in the season but there you go.

So that’s it for the final week in the NFL.  Let’s hope that my picks are a bit more accurate than last weeks were! I’ll be back next week with playoff predictions and individual awards.  Enjoy your final week of regular season football!  Oh, I forgot to name a Douchetard of the Week for last week…tough call but I think Big Ben gets his second award of the season.  With home field advantage on the line he lost two fumbles and threw a pick 6 when the game was still not out of reach.  Congrats Big Ben!

Last Week:  7-9

Season Record:  150.5-88.5

Week 16 NFL Picks

Can Carolina run past the Giants this week? Photo from the AP.

Last week was not one of my best weeks but it wasn’t as dire as I thought it was initially.  10-6 is not so bad…I got lucky with some last second scores, what up SD and Pitt?, so I sat a little prettier than I thought.  Still, we need to do better and try to finish the year strong!

Indy over Jax: While Jax is coming off a surprising win over GB last week (and one of my losses, not that I’m bitter or anything), they’re still not playing that will.  Indy let Detroit hang around longer than was comfortable for your faithful forecaster, but they held on to win.  Manning’s back to being Manning and there’s no reason to think he’ll lose to the depleted Jaguars.

Dallas over Baltimore: Not what I need to happen at all but the implosion in Big D seems to have been staid off somehow.  Very disappointing.  I want TO sulking and Romo and Witten laughing and then maybe TO running up and punching Witten…sigh.  This game could go either way and I frankly hope it does go the other way but I don’t trust Baltimore to be able to shut down Dallas enough.  Hope I’m wrong!

Cincy over Cleveland: Whoo hoo, could the Bengals actually go on a winning streak?  It looks good, what with playing the immortal Ken Dorsey and the Browns this week.  Hmm, that sounds like a band name…any drummers and guitarists out there need it?   I think the state of Ohio should get a refund for pretty much all their pro teams…I guess LeBron and the Cavs are good but who else really is?  And no, I don’t follow hockey so if I missed that, sorry.

San Fran over St. Louis: The 9ers gave it a valiant effort against Miami but came up a little shy.  The Rams are nowhere near as good as Miami…I really can’t believe I typed that sentence and it’s not sarcasm.  I still don’t know where the Dolphins came from.  Well that’s a convo for another game isn’t it?  The Rams let a lead against Seattle slip slide away and I really don’t think they care anymore.  I still thing Singletary is awesome so he gets the win.

New Orleans over Detroit: Ha!  Drew Brees against the Detroit defense.  I really kinda love it.  I think Manning had 300 yards or thereabouts against them, no reason to think Brees won’t do the same thing.  The Saints D isn’t much to write home about but even they should be able to stop Detroit.  0-15 boys…you can do it!

Pittsburgh over Tennessee: I couldn’t be more torn over a pick if I tried.  Pitt is coming off another last second win and Tenn is coming off a bad coaching decision loss.  Haynesworth is going to be out I believe, so that’s a minus for Tenn.  I think this will be another gut punch low scoring game but Pitt will pull one out.  They’re quickly becoming my favorite in the AFC.

Miami over KC: This will probably be the week that KC manages to hold on to a lead and take the wind out of my sails, but I’ve picked against Miami enough this season to have finally learned my lesson.  The Dolphins are apparently a good team.  I can’t figure out why, but they are.  Parcells is magic and right is wrong and black is white.  Whatever.  I can’t believe they’re going to the playoffs.  What a strange year.

NE over Arizona: I am torn here but if Arizona taught me nothing else last week, they’ve taught me that if they’re playing a decent team they are going to find a way to lose.  I don’t know how good NE is but they are decent in my eyes.  Cassel seems to get better weekly.  I worry about the Pats secondary against Boldin and Fitzgerald but Warner is probably good for a few turnovers that could turn the game.  This could be a fun one, I hope I get it.

Tampa Bay over San Diego: This pick scares me, but I think the Bucs will pull it together and get it done.  San Diego is a roller coaster of a team and they had an up last week so I’m counting on a down this week.  The Bucs have got to stop the run but Tomlinson really hasn’t been Tomlinson this year so I’m not as scared of him as I would have been in years prior.  I reserve the right to change this pick if the Bucs injury bug keeps Hovan and Garcia and Brooks out, however.

Houston over Oakland: Look what team suddenly came to life!  Houston has won several games in the late going and has been in the games they’ve lost too.  I can’t help but feel that naming the DT award after Sage has ignited them and made them strive to do better.  That and having Sage safely on the bench…but I’ll take the credit anyway.  I think Oakland just exists to give me the hope that vampires might be real (hot vampires though, not Al Davis ones). Er, for some real football commentary, Andre Johnson is on fire this year, nice to see him playing so well.

Denver over Buffalo: I still don’t have Denver figured out but Buffalo is pretty easy to put a finger on.  They really kinda suck.  And JP Losman…well he is the reigning DT of the week, so we’ll see if we can get our first consecutive award winner here.  Why not?  Denver’s D still leaves a lot to be desired but Cutler is playing well right now and that offense can be quite potent.

NY Jets over Seattle: I know the Jets have a crappy record on the west coast but I’m betting they will take this game.  Seattle had to fight tooth and nail to beat the Rams last week, so that doesn’t inspire me as to their ability to beat a decent team.  As long as Favre doesn’t have a zillion turnovers (which is never a safe bet) the Jets should take this.  Oh, and give Leon Washington the ball some more will ya?  He’s been making plays happen all year long.

Minnesota over Atlanta: Man this is a tough one to pick.  Atlanta could easily take the win, but you know what?  I need them to lose so that’s why I’m making this pick.  I won’t lie about it…they’re a great story but my Bucs need this, so that’s the way I go.  Minny put on a show in Arizona last week and I figure in the comfort of home they can pull out a close one.  Winfield needs to pick off Ryan once or twice to help the cause.

Philly over Washington: As you all know, I jumped off the Skins bandwagon weeks ago.  I haven’t been impressed with them in weeks really.  I don’t know what it is about that team but they just don’t seem to have the special “it” that other teams do.  Portis is crying and carrying on, Jason Campbell is just an okay qb, Santana Moss has been relatively quiet…nothing stands out about them.  Philly, meanwhile, perhaps reacting to my scorn, has decided to start winning again.  Their blitz schemes have really been confusing their opponents and Donovan seems to have his act together for now.  Philly gets the win.

Carolina over NY Giants: Ugh…I so do not like making this pick but Carolina has looked like world beaters two weeks in a row and the Giants have not.  If the Giants get a few players back I might be tempted to change this pick, but right now I just feel that Carolina is playing better.  I’m hoping this is one of the games I get wrong this week, I’ll happily take that.  This is another good match up though.

Chicago over Green Bay: I give up on Green Bay, I’ve obviously overvalued that team most of the year.  I’ll have to go back and see just how many picks they cost me.  As for Chicago, hey, somehow they’re managing to win with Kyle Orton behind center.  I don’t get it, but I’ll roll with it.  Matt Forte was a real find and that defense is playing pretty well right now.

So that’s what I see happening this week in the NFL.  Hopefully there will be less surprises than last week held for me.  Happy viewing and I’ll be back with you for NFL Notes on Sunday or Monday.

Last Week:  10-6

Season Record:  143.5-79.5

Week 15 NFL Notes

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. From the AP.

It was not a pretty week for your faithful forecaster my friends.  I think I’m something like 8-7 or thereabouts…I’m really too annoyed by the week that was to go back and take a look at this moment.  I’ll survey the damage later in the week when it’s time to make my picks.  I cannot do worse than I did this week though.  It was a real wild one to say the least, many games came down to the last minute and fortunes were made and lost with each second that ticked by.  Not that I bet on myself, I’m too smart for that!  Let’s look at the week that was, shall we?

• The dream is still alive but it was very nerve wracking for me til midway through the fourth quarter.  I don’t know why Indy allowed Detroit to hang with them for so long but then Manning remembered that he was Manning and took control of the situation.  Maybe Dungy was feeling bad for Marinelli?  Not bad enough to throw the game though, never that!  Two more weeks to hope that our Ofer can be achieved!  I can feel it, can’t you?
• I think I’ve finally got Denver figured out…in that they’re impossible to figure.  They seem to change weekly, don’t they?  They got shredded by Carolina yesterday to the point that my local coverage switched to Pitt/Balt.  I was thankful for this because watching Carolina just irritates me to no end.  They’re looking really good right about now and they’re giving off that vibe that the Giants were giving off at the end of last year.  I am leaning toward making them the NFC rep in the super bowl right now.  That running game is a force and they’re not letting Delhomme blow the game for him like he was early in the year.
• Speaking of Pitt/Baltimore…how you feeling today Raven’s fans?  I’m actually not as up in arms about the call reversal as some people are, I thought it was a TD in the first place.  I agree that there really wasn’t enough visual evidence to overturn the call but the ball would have been at the inch line and I imagine Tomlin would have had Ben sneak that in for the final play to win the game anyway.  Plus I don’t like the Ravens.  Never liked them, never will, especially after they gave Miami their lone win last year.  They ruined my Ofer hope last year and I do not approve.  Also I wanted the Bucs to get Flacco.  It would have been nice to have him, wouldn’t it?
• Tampa…I really don’t know what to say about my beloved team right about now.  They’re getting killed in the 4th quarter by the running game.  Now two of the D-lineman were out but jeez.   Of course I don’t lay the blame on this game on the D, this week the O gets that one.  They could do nothing as usual when they approached the red zone and were a missed FG away from winning anyway.  The playoffs are looking like a very distant possibility right now but I can’t even let that bother me…if they got in they’d do nothing anyway.
• At least one east coast team can play well on the west coast.  NE pounded Oakland 49-26 and they were up 35-14 in the first half.  That was one game that was never in doubt.  Moss got to score two TD’s against his former team and Cassel was an efficient 18-30 for 218 yards and 4 td’s, with one pick.  Not bad.  It might be too little too late for them thanks to Miami and the Jets both getting wins, but they’re hanging in hoping for some help to get into the playoffs.
• I am so glad that I picked Arizona to win at home yesterday.  I figured they’d put on a good show after having clinched their division and a playoff spot, but not so much.  They gave up well over 200 yards rushing and had a couple of turnovers and that was that.  I’m not looking for the Cards to do anything in the playoffs, they’ll probably be one and done.  Minny meanwhile is looking pretty good.  Jackson is coming into his own and Peterson is a beast, they could make things interesting in the NFC North and the playoff race.
• We can officially add Washington to the list of playoff has-beens this year.  They can join Jacksonville and San Diego and Seattle in that ignominous category.  They managed to lose to Cincinnati on Sunday, pretty much ending their hopes of sneaking into the playoffs.  Mike Sellers lost a fumble while diving in for a tying score and Cincy recovered and took the game.  I wonder what Portis has to say about his 25 carries for 77 yards…seems like he was given the ball and didn’t do jack with it to me.  Perhaps he should let his play do the talking instead of his mouth from now on, no?
• In the match of the day, the Seahawks managed to edge the Rams 23-20…yes I was being sarcastic there in case you missed it.  The Rams had a 17-7 lead but of course gave up 10 points in the final 3 minutes to lose the game.  I’m sure they can’t believe that the Lions won’t win a game or two to give them a shot at the first draft pick, but it is what it is.
• I really thought that Miami was going to lose a game they should win this week and went so far as to pick against them but of course they made me pay for that. San Fran won the stats battle but Miami won the score battle, which is all that really matters.  That defense continues to impress and surprise and Bill Parcells continues to work whatever voodoo he does to each team he’s a part of.  I don’t get it, but it looks like we’re looking at a playoff team.
• Oh Herm…I really don’t know what to say to you at this point.  How many times has KC managed to blow a game late in recent weeks?  SD managed to score two touchdowns within the span of 1:13 to win the game by one.  I’m not sure how that happens…I mean I get it, score, get an onside kick, score again, but how often does it really happen?  Especially in the NFL?  I guess I can compliment them that at least they’ve been competitive lately…kind of hollow as compliments go but it’s something, right?
• What happened to Green Bay?  I mean seriously, early in the year they looked like they’d run away with the NFC North but they sure have fallen off the map in the second half haven’t they?  They lost to Jacksonville, who’s played terribly all year long.  This was yet another game that was lost, or won, in the last quarter, with the Jags coming back from a 13-7 deficit to win 20-16.  I really haven’t a clue what’s happening there but obviously GB isn’t playoff bound.
• The Titans are suddenly looking a bit more mortal after losing to Houston yesterday.  Not that they couldn’t have won the game…Coach Fisher eschewed going for a 49 yard field goal that would have won it to throw long on 4th and 3, a very questionable play call.  I understand the wind was swirling, but why throw long on 4th down when you only need 3 yards?  Haynesworth was hurt right at the end of the game and if he’s lost for any time that could really hurt Tenn’s chances.  Suddenly the AFC looks a little more open than it did a couple weeks ago.
• Finally we’ve arrived at the Sage Rosenfels Memorial Douchetard of the Week Award! I know you were anxiously awaiting it, but I bet you already knew who the winner was before you started reading, didn’t you?  It could really only be one person this week, even in a week with a lot of close games.  Yes, ladies and gentleman, the DT of the Week is none other than JP Losman!!!  I could also split this award with his coaches for calling a passing play when they should have been running out the clock, but still, he made the gaff so he gets the glory.  I’m sure you’ve all seen it, and I got to see it live as my Bucs were boring me, but if you didn’t Losman was sacked by Abram Elam with less than 2 minutes to go as he scrambled around looking for someone to throw to.  The ball flew toward Shaun Ellis and he smacked it and it bounced on the ground and back to him and he rumbled 11 yards for the TD to take the lead 31-27.  This was the most nonsensical play calling that I’ve seen in a long time.  The Jets of course were thrilled, they’re still sitting pretty for the playoffs even though they’ve played terribly for the past few weeks.  The Bills have been long dead and their wonderful start is nothing but a distant memory.  Old JP also managed to throw 3 picks in this game and only get 148 yards passing, so it’s not like he was having much of a day prior to his fumble.  Bills fans are no doubt thrilled to have him back behind center.  Congratulations, JP, on your Douchetard Award, it was clearly well earned!

Well that was the week that was in the NFL this week.  I hope you enjoyed it, at least things were interesting this week, right?  The next two weeks will settle everything and we’ll see who the real players are in the league.  Right now I like the Steelers, they’re not winning pretty but they are winning tough, and unfortunately Carolina.  Who knows what the next couple of weeks will hold though, I get the feeling we’re in for some surprises.  Back with picks on Wednesday!