Wild Card Weekend-It's All About Quarterbacks

I finished out the regular season 182-74 on my picks. Now, it's playoff time and the craziness continues. How the heck did it come to be that Pittsburgh(12-4) has to go to Denver(8-8) for the Wild Card? Well, that's just the way the rules bounce it. Denver just continues to defy the odds despite losing their last three games and finishing the season with more points scored against them than they scored against opponents. The only other team in the playoffs with that similar distinction is the New York Giants, and they took their division also.

It is going to be cold and snow on Sunday in Denver. Nothing the Steelers can't handle, except the air is thinner in Denver than Pittsburgh. With the colder air chilling the ball somewhat, maybe we will see some kickoffs returned instead of the ball sailing into the stands. Of course, touchdowns have to be scored or field goals kicked for that to happen. So, Denver's kicker is going to get quite cold standing idle on the sidelines. Defense is the only way I see Denver winning this game because the Steelers are going to be all over Tim Tebologny sandwiched between two linemen. Tebow will be doing the Tebow not in thankfulness, but to pick himself up off the turf. Roethlisberger has been there, done it. Nothing more needs to be said.

Cincinnati will be at Houston. Cincinnati has risen from the ashes of last season on the arm of a rookie, Andy Dalton. It is always helpful to have a go to guy, and Dalton had A.J. Green. The Bengals have also succeeded with good defense. Dalton and company will be facing a tough defense in the Texans, who have been strong both against the run and the pass. Houston will be looking to stuff the run, thus forcing the Bengals to rely on rookie Dalton's arm with hopes he will make a crucial mistake in the process. Houston has been struggling on offense as of late with T.J. Yates at the helm, even with a strong running attack in Arian Foster. The Bengals obvious objective, stop Foster. Do that, job won.

Atlanta at New York Giants will be a bruising game. Atlanta closed out the season with a blowout against Tampa Bay. Turner ran wild and the defense picked off three passes. It will be a tougher go this week against the Giants. This game is probably the most evenly matched that can go either way. Eli manning had an on again, off again season, showing brilliance one moment and total frustration the next. Last week, against Dallas, he was on. We will have to wait to see which Manning shows up on Sunday.

Detroit at New Orleans, and all that needs to be said is Drew Brees. Too many weapons for Detroit to handle, unless they can get a handle on Brees. It is a bit strange two of the Saints three losses in regular season were against two of the worst teams, Tampa Bay and St. Louis. They are playing in the Superdome where such meltdowns don't occur. New Orleans defense needs only to do one thing, shutdown Calvin Johnson.

SAT, JAN 7                 TIME (ET)      TV       LOCATION
Cincinnati at Houston      4:30 PM       NBC      Reliant Stadium
Detroit at New Orleans    8:00 PM       NBC      Mercedes-Benz Superdome
SUN, JAN 8                 TIME (ET)      TV       LOCATION
Atlanta at NY Giants      1:00 PM       FOX      MetLife Stadium
Pittsburgh at Denver       4:30 PM       CBS      Sports Authority Field at Mile High

Week 17 NFL Picks-This Is It

Ok, its that time again. Time to make predictions as to who you think is going to make the playoffs and where each team stands in the playoff bracket. The AFC is a tougher nut to crack than the NFC because it is still up for grabs. Here is my bracket predictions going into the final games of the season and a little summary of what has happened so far on a season that has gone by quickly. (I am picking Oakland and New York Giants to sneak in with Denver and Dallas dropping out.)

After starting the season strong, the Buffalo Bills haven't just faded away, they've disappeared. Well, injuries in key positions can do that to a team. Still, like a light bulb before it burns out completely, the Bills flashed brightly last Sunday against the Broncos and Tim Tebow. The Teblown Express wasn't just derailed, it was blown up, but no surprise, I knew that was going to happen. Denver came out of nowhere and that's how they will end up, nowhere. The Detroit Lions put an exclamation point on their playoff intentions with the pounding they gave San Diego. The Chargers found themselves up the Rivers without a paddle. The New York Giants seem to be the Johny-come-lately of football. At the start of the season they were winning or losing games in the last minute. Now in the last minute of regular season they are making their bid for the playoffs. Watch out Dallas.

The big matchups this Sunday are Detroit at Green Bay and Carolina at New Orleans. Win or lose it won't impact the playoff picture, much. It will be interesting to see how Cam Newton will stack up in comparison to the Saints high powered offense led by Drew Brees.

Detroit can improve their position by beating Green Bay. Win, they come in as the 5th Seed and wouldn't have to face New Orleans in the Wild Card. Lose, they would then be the 6th Seed and the path to the championships would go through New Orleans.

The Buffalo at New England game could have implications of the dire sort. If New England and Baltimore both lose and Pittsburgh with an obvious win over Cleveland, then Pittsburgh would be the 1st Seed. If New England loses and Baltimore wins it doesn't matter what Pittsburgh does, Baltimore would be the 1st Seed and New England would be the 2nd Seed. I don't even want to know what would happen if by some remote chance Cleveland should beat Pittsburgh. End of the world scenario.

SUN, JAN 1                      TIME (ET)       TV       LOCATION
Carolina at New Orleans       1:00 PM        FOX      Mercedes-Benz Superdome
Buffalo at New England        1:00 PM        CBS      Gillette Stadium
Chicago at Minnesota            1:00 PM        FOX      Mall of America Field
NY Jets at Miami                   1:00 PM        CBS      Sun Life Stadium
San Francisco at St. Louis     1:00 PM        FOX      Edward Jones Dome
Detroit at Green Bay              1:00 PM        FOX      Lambeau Field
Washington at Philadelphia   1:00 PM        FOX      Lincoln Financial Field
Indianapolis at Jacksonville   1:00 PM        CBS      EverBank Field
Tennessee at Houston            1:00 PM        CBS      Reliant Stadium
Seattle at Arizona                  4:15 PM        FOX      U of Phoenix Stadium
Kansas City at Denver           4:15 PM        CBS      Sports Authority Field at Mile High
Tampa Bay at Atlanta            4:15 PM        FOX      Georgia Dome
Baltimore at Cincinnati         4:15 PM        CBS      Paul Brown Stadium
Pittsburgh at Cleveland         4:15 PM        CBS      Cleveland Browns Stadium
San Diego at Oakland           4:15 PM        CBS      Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Dallas at NY Giants              8:20 PM        NBC      MetLife Stadium

Week 10 NFL Picks-The Season Begins For Cincinnati

After what I thought was one of the best Sundays of football in the NFL's long illustrious history the saying, "That is a tough act to follow," is apropos. Teams like Baltimore, NY Giants, and Arizona proved "It ain't over till it's over." San Diego fell short of putting their game into overtime against Green Bay, but it was entertaining. The Chargers stand at a crossroads in their division. Cincinnati continues to surprise, but will be tested when they faceoff with Pittsburgh. Chicago exstinguished the fires of Philadelphia on Monday Night Football, but will be jumping into the frying pan against Detroit this Sunday. The line up looks good.

The Bengals success this year covers the huge mistake they made last year, and that was putting Noshow-Cinco and TOed-Owens in the same lineup. Enough said about that. Two rookies have taken center stage in Cincinnati, Andy Dalton and A.J. Green. They have been the catalyst for the offense, but have been supported by a good defense. It has been said their schedule for the first half of the season might have something to do with it, but their first 8 games may have given them the time to prepare for what's coming.

The Pittsburgh game will test whether they can cut the mustard. Pittsburgh had victory snatched away from them by Baltimore and will be looking for redemption or someone to hit. It will be a good game, but in order for Pittsburgh to lose this one, they will have to seriously stumble.

San Diego is in a three way tie in their division. Philip Rivers doesn't like to lose. No suprising revelation in that statement. He puts his heart and soul into every game and when he does lose, you see the disappointment written all over his face. Mistakes have plagued his game play. He has been trying to force the ball into passing situations that backfire. San Diego takes on Oakland Thusday night. Injuries have been disruptive, but good teams overcome. Well, maybe if your not Indianapolis. What may help the Chargers cause, Ryan Matthews is expected to play.

San Diego's injuries will be offsetting because Oakland has injuries of its own in key positions, like running back Darren McFadden, who was having a great year. Michael Bush has been filling in very nicely. Carson Palmer is now calling the plays and is listed as probable. Despite San Diego's woes, the only way I see Oakland winning this one is by their defense stepping up and creating mistakes.

Detroit destroyed Denver before their bye, but Denver is not Chicago. The Lions are a dominate passing team with Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson. Chicago's defense just shut down Michael Vick and company on Monday. So, Stafford and company will have their hands full, hopefully footballs. If their defense plagues Jay Cutler like they did Tim tebow, half the battle will be won.

Chicago's challenge will be to shut down Stafford and cover Johnson. The easier of the two would be to strike at the point of attack, Stafford. Chicago has the defense that can harrass and disrupt the quarterback via Julius Peppers, and Brian Urlacher dropping back into coverage. Jay Cutler has a rifle arm and if he is in rythmn with his receivers, Detroit will be looking from behind. All in all, if both teams live up to their expectations, it will be a good game. Maybe, one of those down to last minute thrillers.

I don't know what to say about the cleveland Browns. Luckily, they are playing St. Louis in Cleveland. At least they won't be in a hostile environment, but that could change. The Browns defense will have to control Steven Jackson, the Rams main offensive weapon. Unfortunately, they couldn't stop Arian Foster and Ben Tate last Sunday. Both Houston backs had a hundred yard plus day. Jackson will be like a fired up thoroughbred race horse waiting for the gates to open. The Browns coaching staff has finally wised up to using Joshua Cribbs at wide receiver. It's about time. This week the Browns are even giving consideration to using him at the running position.

THU, NOV 10                      TIME (ET)   TV     LOCATION
Oakland at San Diego             8:20 PM     NFL    Qualcomm Stadium

SUN, NOV 13                      TIME (ET)   TV     LOCATION
Arizona at Philadelphia          1:00 PM    FOX    Lincoln Financial Field
Tennessee at Carolina            1:00 PM     CBS    Bank of America Stadium
Houston at Tampa Bay           1:00 PM    CBS    Raymond James Stadium
Washington at Miami             1:00 PM    FOX    Sun Life Stadium
Jacksonville at Indianapolis   1:00 PM     CBS    Lucas Oil Stadium
Denver at Kansas City            1:00 PM    CBS    Arrowhead Stadium
Buffalo at Dallas                     1:00 PM    CBS    Cowboys Stadium
New Orleans at Atlanta          1:00 PM    FOX    Georgia Dome
St. Louis at Cleveland            1:00 PM    FOX    Cleveland Browns Stadium
Pittsburgh at Cincinnati          1:00 PM    CBS    Paul Brown Stadium
Baltimore at Seattle                4:05 PM    CBS    CenturyLink Field
NY Giants at San Francisco   4:15 PM    FOX    Candlestick Park
Detroit at Chicago                  4:15 PM    FOX    Soldier Field
New England at NY Jets        8:20 PM    NBC    MetLife Stadium

MON, NOV 14                    TIME (ET)   TV    LOCATION
Minnesota at Green Bay         8:30 PM    ESPN   Lambeau Field

It Was A Great Sunday Of NFL Football Games-Maybe The Best In Its History

The Browns are fading fast in the brutal, hotly contended AFC North. In a division where the Brown legacy is written all over it, the Cleveland Browns seem to be comfortable at the bottom year after year. Cincinnati Bengals, the Browns sister team, is riding high on two rookies, and the former Browns, the Baltimore Ravens, are sitting on top. Going into the final stretch of the season there is alot of football left to play between these teams, but after beating the Steelers it appears Baltimore is emerging as the favorite, for now at least. Stay tuned, that could change in a blink of an eye. Sunday's lineup produced a boat load of down to wire thrills.

Baltimore had been leading through most of the game until Mike Wallace came across the field to snag a Ben Roethlisberger pass that was meant for Antonio Brown in the end zone. It surprised Roethlisberger and stole a moment of glory from Brown. You take'em anyway you can get'em. The touchdown put the Steelers up 20-16 with alittle under 5 minutes left. The ball exchanged hands once more and then with 2:17 left on the clock it was Baltimore's possession.

Unflappable Joe Flacco faced the daunting task of taking it down field from his own 8 yard line. He was up to the challenge. The fans of Pittsburgh cringed and watched helplessly as the Ravens marched up the green methodically, but time was favoring the Steelers. Flacco, from Pittsburghs 37, went for it all. Torey Smith was streaking into the end zone wide open. The crowd gasped as the pass was right on target, but Smith had the familiar case of butter fingers, and the crowd cheered in relief.

Flacco's receivers would let him down a second time in the end zone when David Reed dropped a perfectly delivered pass. Flacco shook off the disappointment. He had to. There were only seconds left between him and defeat. The next play Flacco took the snap and set himself, the opportunity presented itself a third time and it was Smith in the right side of the end zone. Did Flacco on seeing Smith, for a brief moment in his mind, hesitate to throw the ball to a receiver who had previously let him down? We will never know. If he did, it went unoticed as the ball landed into the arms of a sliding Smith. Redemption is sweet. Victory is sweet. Baltimore defeated the Steelers for a second time 23-20.

Green Bay and San Diego traded scores throughout three quarters. When the Packers thought they delivered the final blow, San Diego would come storming back. Green Bay scored two touchdowns in the fourth and were comfortably in the lead at 45-24. Philip Rivers and Vincent Jackson hooked up for two quick scores and the Chargers were suddenly back in the game at 45-38. With 1:05 left, the ball was back in the hands of Rivers at his own 31. A San Diego score would possibly throw the game into an overtime shootout. A pass to Antonio Gates put it at the 50 yard line. Now the end zone was in view and within Rivers reach, but a familiar Rivers nemesis reared its ugly head, the dreaded interception. A pass in the direction of Jackson fell short and it was over.

St Louis and Arizona, two teams with identical losing records faced off in Arizona. The two teams traded field goals for three quarters with the Rams in the lead 9-6. The world proceeded to fall apart for Skelton and the Cardinals. It began to rain safety's, two to be exact. St Louis was now winning 13-6. Arizona would finally tie the game in the fourth on a Skelton pass to Larry Fitzgerald. It wasn't over even though there was 51 seconds left on the clock for the Rams to do something. In football time, 51 seconds is alot, especially when you only need a field goal to win.

St Louis got that chance. From Arizona's 42, the ball left Josh Brown's foot, but we will never know if it would have been good because it was blocked. End of quarter. Now comes OT. It didn't last long, one possession to be exact. Patrick Peterson took a Donnie Jones punt 99 yards for a touchdown, Arizona 19-13 over St Louis. The sad thing about it, Jones had an opportunity to easily stop Peterson, but muffed it.

New England and NY Giants game ended with the Patriots being totally stunned. The NY Jets and Buffalo Bills traded blows with the Jets getting the better of the Bills. It was an exciting day of NFL football, maybe one of the best in its history. The Bears and Eagles are next on Monday Night Football. Will it continue?

Week Nine NFL Picks-The Upstarts Are Making Their Presense Known

The NFL season is headed into the back stretch. It is good to see some new upstarts leading the pack going towards the playoffs. Will these new presumptuous contenders be able to keep up their winning ways and if and when they finally reach that playoff pinnacle, be able to dislodge deeply entrenched playoff greats like Green Bay, Pittsburgh, New Orleans, and New England, assuming they will acheive it? Detroit is on a bye this week. Buffalo faces defensively tough New York Jets. Cincinnati will be hosted by Tennessee.

Buffalo is riding high in the hotly contended AFC Division. They have been winning games with their offense. The Bills ace-in-the-hole is Fred Jackson. Jackson has been doing it all, running, catching, and scoring. I hope he continues putting up huge numbers because he is one of my fantasy players. Ryan Fitzpatrick has been steady with 14 passing touchdowns thus far this year. It is somewhat humorous he has five interceptions in the games he has won and only two in those he has lost. Go figure. He will be facing a Jets defense that goes after quarterbacks, so he will have to be on his toes and rely on the toes of Jackson. Keep you eye on the bouncing ball.

The Jets cannot afford to lose another game. The obvious key to preventing that from happening, their defense will have to control Jackson. Recently, a tire on my car has been annoyingly losing air and every morning it would be half flat. The only way to remove that annoyance was to plug the hole up.
When it comes to the run, the Jets defensive line have been like that leaky tire and the only way to stop Jackson is to plug the hole. Good luck with that one.

Shonn Greene will have to match Jackson yard for yard, score for score. Accomplish that, and then it will come down to Fitzpatrick verses Sanchez, Yosemite Sam verses Elmer Fudd. Which one is better at hitting their target?

Tennessee is neck and neck with Houston. Matt Hasselbeck has been carrying the Titans while Chris Johnson has not been playing up to potential. When Hasselbeck has a bad game, the Titans lose. That pretty much is an obvious conclusion. Johnson faces a tough front four of the Bengals defense. If he has a breakout game, it will be a surprise.

Andy Dalton and A.J. Green are building into a deadly combination. Green will be matched against a physical cornerback in Cortland Finnegan. Dalton may have to find an alternative target, but I am sure he will be looking for that one opportunity for the big play to Green. Like Tennessee, Cincinnati's running game has been a tade weak. Cincinnati's true test will come when they play divisional rivals Pittsburgh and Baltimore.

Two games to watch this weekend are Baltimore at Pittsburgh on Sunday vevening and Chicago at Philadelphia on Monday night. The Baltimore at Pittsburgh game will be defensively brutal. There will be alot of head banging in this one with Lewis and Polamalu. Roethlisberger and Wallace have become a formidable tandem. They seem to hook up at least one time each game for the big yard buster and touchdown.

Philadelphia is coming off a decisive win over Dallas. The Eagles offensive line opened up holes for LeSean McCoy and gave Vick the time to do his work of inflicting damage on the opponent's secondary. On the other side, Matt Forte has been putting up large numbers and Cutler has been avoiding the costly mistake. The Eagles surmounting task, take Forte out of the equation. Its anybody's guess.

Sunday November 6
Time (ET)	Visiting Team	Home Team	TV	Weather	Tickets
1:00 pm	New York Jets	Buffalo Bills	CBS		Buy Now
1:00 pm	Seattle Seahawks	Dallas Cowboys	FOX		Buy Now
1:00 pm	Cleveland Browns	Houston Texans	CBS		Buy Now
1:00 pm	Atlanta Falcons	Indianapolis Colts	FOX		Buy Now
1:00 pm	Miami Dolphins	Kansas City Chiefs	CBS		Buy Now
1:00 pm	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	New Orleans Saints	FOX		Buy Now
1:00 pm	San Francisco 49ers	Washington Redskins	FOX		Buy Now
4:05 pm	Denver Broncos	Oakland Raiders	CBS		Buy Now
4:05 pm	Cincinnati Bengals	Tennessee Titans	CBS		Buy Now
4:15 pm	St. Louis Rams	Arizona Cardinals	FOX		Buy Now
4:15 pm	New York Giants	New England Patriots	FOX
4:15 pm	Green Bay Packers	San Diego Chargers	FOX		Buy Now
8:20 pm	Baltimore Ravens	Pittsburgh Steelers	NBC		Buy Now

Monday November 7
Time (ET)	Visiting Team	Home Team	TV	Weather	Tickets
8:30 pm	Chicago Bears	Philadelphia Eagles	ESPN		Buy Now

Week 8 In The NFL Highlights Some Surprises And Follies

Denver got t-boned by Detroit. Pittsburgh stole the show from New England. Buffalo buffaloed Washington. Cincinnati clawed their way to victory over Seattle. Philadelphia soared over Dallas. Whoopsy San Diego made a late game mistake that cost them a victory. But, the shocker of all shockers was St Louis ramming New Orleans into the wall of shame.

The Rams going into their contest with the Saints were 0-6. The previous Sunday they were pummeled by inconsistent Dallas. Meanwhile. the Saints thoroughly embarrassed Manningless Indianapolis, scoring 62 points. So, what the heck happened to the Saints, who I would not have picked to lose in a million years against the Rams? The answer is quite obvious, Steve Jackson and a relentless defense. The Ram defense took Drew Brees out of his usual rhythm. While on the otherside of the ball, Jackson ran for 159 yards and two touchdowns. The rest of the NFL teams, take note.

Detroit rebounded in a big way. They needed to reaffirm their legitimacy. Sure, it was just Denver, but a win is a win. Matthew Stafford had a career day. He threw three touchdowns on a total of 267 yards with a rating of 130.8. Tim Whoop-tee-do Tebow didn't have a bad day, running for 63 yards and throwing for 172 yards and one touchdown. His one huge blunder was a pick that went for a hundred yards and a touchdown. Tebow runs out of necessity because he gets easily flustered and can't find the open man. Running quarterbacks just don't go to the Super Bowl.

Buffalo is one of the surprises of the year. They are staying on pace with New England. One of the reasons, Fred Jackson is having a great year. He didn't score a touchdown in this one, but he accumulated a total of 194 yards of offense. Ryan Fitzpatrick threw two touchdowns to Scott Chandler. Buffalo faces a tough, opportunistic Jet defense that raise havoc a a quarterback. Jackson will be their ticket to victory.

Their were alot of borderline penalty calls that went against the hard luck Chargers in the Monday Night Follies. It was raining yellow flags from the beginning to the end. Game altering official calls that took scores away from the Chargers. That been said, San Diego shot themselves in the foot on numerous occassions. They could only get the ball across the goal line once. All the other times they entered the red zone, penalties and mistakes forced them back. Kansas City didn't fair much better, but came away with the win on an overtime field goal. The Chargers are looking eerily like the Browns of old.

Pittsburgh handled the Brady Bunch quite nicely. New England fought right down to the final seconds of the game when their final possession ended up sailing in the wrong direction and out the back of the end zone, courtesy Polamalu, after a Brady fumble. The result was a safety. The offense can't advance the ball on a fumble, but there is nothing ruling against the ball going backwards 25 yards after being slapped. Roethlisberger and Company controlled the ball twice as long as the Brady Bunch. Ouch. Now Pittsburgh faces a gauntlet of AFC North teams in the back stretch. Though, I don't think they need to worry too much about the touchdownless Browns. Unless, the Browns coaching staff gets their heads out of their keisters about the wide receiver dilemma. And that's another story.

Week 8 NFL Picks-Game Of The Week Patriots vs Steelers

The onetime "Kardiac Kids" are looking like the "Kouch Potato Kids." No touchdowns scored in their last game. Four quarters of zero, zip, zilch, and pass me the popcorn, nothing else is happening, and what other games are on. I have to admit, they did win. Only one other game looked worse and that was Jacksonville against Baltimore, and that was a Monday Nighter. Even embarrassed-off-the-charts Indianapolis scored a touchdown. New Orleans showed them no mercy. Green Bay found themselves in a bit of a tussle with Minnesota, but figured things out to win. Kansas City shut out a McFaddenless Oakland. Denver's whoop-tee-do Tebow led the Broncos to victory and Cam-not win a game finally won for Carolina. That's pretty much a wrap for last week in the NFL. My picks looked as bad as the Colts, 6-7. The worst I have ever done. Time to use the throw the dart at the schedule system.

Cleveland will be going to San Fran this Sunday at 4:15. I have said it over and over, the Browns need to get Joshua Cribbs involved in the offense and use him like Pittsburgh uses Wallace. They are waisting a wide receiver in a position where kickoffs have been taken out of the equation because of the new rule. Shurmur or whomever needs to get off the couch on this one. Defense will not be enough to win against a prolific 49er offense led by Frank Gore. Jim Harbaugh won't be getting too excited about beating Cleveland like he did Detroit.

New England will be facing the Steelers in Pittsburgh. This will be a good game to watch. Tom Brady will have to be at his best and he usually is against the Steelers. You can be sure the Steelers defense will be going after him in a big way. The Brady Bunch will score despite the Steelers efforts. Look for the Pittsburgh offense to make an attempt at establishing a running game from the start to keep the Brady Bunch off the field. If that should fail, Ben Roethlisberger has been on fire as of recent with a deep threat in Wallace, so the running game is of no consequence. Will Roethlisberger and Company be able to match the Patriots point for point? This question will be answered Sunday.

Arizona will be at Baltimore. Baltimore can't afford to lose another one like they did against Jacksonville. The Ravens are looking to rectify the embarrassment they suffered at the hands of the Jaguars. The Cardinals are the unfortunate ones to be next in line on their schedule. The Ravens defense is breathing fire and the Cardinal offense is going to get burned. Kevin Kolb won't have anywhere to hide and he better have his dancing shoes on. Joe Flacco and Ray Rice will definately have a better day in comparison to last week, and that is not saying much.

New Orleans will be at St Louis. Could be another 60+ outing for the Saints. Cincinnati faces Seattle. You never know what Seahawk team will show up, but you do know what Bengal team will be there. Denver will host Detroit. Detroit has to get back on track. Tim whoop-tee-do Tebow will be facing a Lion defense stronger against the pass, so he will have to think about running and that would be no surprise. Minnesota gave the Packers a scare last week and seeing it is Halloween, Carolina should be also, scared that is. That's a wrap for now. I held off using the darts. I anticipate doing better in my picks this week.

SUN, OCT 30                       TIME (ET) TV       LOCATION
Arizona at Baltimore W            1:00 PM  FOX      M&T Bank Stadium
Minnesota at Carolina W          1:00 PM  FOX      Bank of America Stadium
Jacksonville at Houston W       1:00 PM  CBS      Reliant Stadium
Miami at NY Giants W             1:00 PM  CBS      MetLife Stadium
New Orleans at St. Louis L       1:00 PM  FOX      Edward Jones Dome
Indianapolis at Tennessee W     1:00 PM  CBS      LP Field
Detroit at Denver W                  4:05 PM  FOX      Sports Authority Field at Mile High
Washington at Buffalo W         4:05 PM  FOX      Rogers Centre
Cincinnati at Seattle W             4:15 PM  CBS      CenturyLink Field
Cleveland at San Francisco W  4:15 PM  CBS      Candlestick Park
New England at Pittsburgh L   4:15 PM  CBS      Heinz Field
Dallas at Philadelphia L           8:20 PM  NBC      Lincoln Financial Field
MON, OCT 31                    TIME (ET)  TV      LOCATION
San Diego at Kansas City L    8:30 PM  ESPN     Arrowhead Stadium

Week 5 NFL Picks-Will Detroit Lions Remain Undefeated

The Steelers got drubbed in a game where the final score should have been worse than it was if it wasn't for Houston mistakes. The Lions overcame a deficit in the fourth quarter against the Cowboys to remain undefeated. Trying-to-figure-out Cincinnati handed Buffalo its first loss. Baltimore defense manhandled the Jets and Sanchez. Green Bay, New england, New Orleans, and New York Giants all won their games. Last but not least, surprise Tennessee easily took the Browns down. I was 10-6 in Week Four. This is a bye week for some teams, which includes the Browns. There are only 10 games scheduled.

Tennessee at Pittsburgh will be interesting. First, Ben Roethlisberger is going to play despite the foot injury and Mendenhall is out, but that is of no consequence. The big problem with the Steelers last week, Wallace, their go to guy, did not figure into the passing attack. It seemed Roethlisberger favored Brown throughout the game. Now, whether that mistake was by design or Wallace was flat out covered, in order to win against the Titans, the Steelers will have to find a way to get the ball to Wallace. Tennessee's defense is tough and they will be going after Roethlisberger, who is lacking protection. Matt Hasselbeck will be tested in this game by a Steeler blitz attack, and if he overcomes it, I will be a believer.

Cincinnati will be at Jacksonville. Jacksonville is a one dimentional offense and the Bengals have a steady defense. Cincinnati's defense needs only to control Maurice Jones-Drew and the rest will be up to their offense. Blaine Gabbert will have to avoid the big mistake when the game comes to rest on his arm if they should fall behind in the score, which probably will be the case. Andy Dalton has proven he can win, Gabbert has yet to notch number one.

Green Bay has been cruising along and will be hosted by Atlanta. Green Bay just has too many weapons with a quarterback and receiving core that run like a well oiled turbo charged engine. Atlanta's defense will need to step it up a notch by putting pressure on Aaron Rodgers and hope their offense can match whatever Rodgers puts up. The Packers defensive secondary is vulnerable and if the offensive line gives Matt Ryan the time, that could be a possibility. The Falcons will have the home crowd behind them, which should help out alittle, hopefully.

The big game will be Chicago at Detroit. Detroit has proven their legitimacy as a contender and their win against Dallas substantiated that. After years of losing, this is a welcomed change for the steady Detroit fan. Monday night, Detroit and its fans will be in the spotlight. Stafford and Johnson are a deadly combo. Eight of Stafford's 11 touchdowns have been to Calvin Johnson. Chicago's task will be to break that combo up. It is their only hope. They are in a division with two undefeated teams and a must win stuation. Matt Forte and Devon Hester are Chicago's impact players, but if Detroit stuffs the run Jay Cutler, who has only 5 touchdown passes for the season, will have to win it, unless the defense scores some touchdowns.

The playoff picture is beginning to take some shape. There are a few teams who need to win this weekend or they will fall seriously behind with little hope of recovery. The only division that is still wide open is the AFC North. Baltimore and Cleveland are on a bye week.

SUN, OCT 9                          TIME (ET) TV  LOCATION
Tennessee at Pittsburgh L          1:00 PM CBS  Heinz Field
Seattle at NY Giants L               1:00 PM FOX  MetLife Stadium
Cincinnati at Jacksonville W     1:00 PM CBS  EverBank Field
New Orleans at Carolina W       1:00 PM FOX  Bank of America Stadium
Oakland at Houston L                1:00 PM CBS  Reliant Stadium
Philadelphia at Buffalo W          1:00 PM FOX  Ralph Wilson Stadium
Kansas City at Indianapolis L    1:00 PM CBS  Lucas Oil Stadium
Arizona at Minnesota W            1:00 PM FOX  Mall of America Field
Tampa Bay at San Francisco L  4:05 PM FOX  Candlestick Park
NY Jets at New England W       4:15 PM CBS  Gillette Stadium
San Diego at Denver W             4:15 PM CBS  Sports Authority Field at Mile High
Green Bay at Atlanta W             8:20 PM NBC  Georgia Dome

MON, OCT 10                      TIME (ET) TV  LOCATION
Chicago at Detroit W                 8:30 PM ESPN Ford Field

Week Two Picks-Will It Be Offense Or Defense?

The quarterbacks ruled Week One. Will they continue their domination going into Week Two? A few of them may, like Brady, Rodgers, and Brees, but Cam Newton had his day in the sun, and jury is still out on Henne-who. The defenses of New England, Green Bay, and New Orleans were offensive, what will Week Two reveal? The Cleveland Browns need to do only one thing? What is that one thing? And the Pittsburgh Steelers need to continue doing only one thing? What is that one thing?

The Packers are going to rain on Cam Newton's parade this week when they bring relentless pressure on the rookie quarterback in the form of Matthews and company. Newton will have no where to throw and no where to run. On the otherhand, Aaron Rodgers should continue his winning ways with a deep on talent receiving core. The Saints first game revealed a vulnerable secondary, so they will have to step up their pressure on Cutler via the pass rush or it may be a long afternoon, forcing the Saints to abandon the run and rely strictly on Brees to equalize the score, which he has the ability to do.

The Cleveland Browns start the season once again on the bottom, so they need to reverse their direction and that can only be accomplished with a win. Mistakes and miscues dominated their game play both on defense and offense. Indianapolis was extremely inept in their first game and that was understandable because they are suffering from an identity crisis with Peyton out. They are like a boat without a rudder. Cleveland is favored to win, but I am not so sure. Kerry Collins could have a Henne day. Pittsburgh needs to continue their losing ways, but facing Seattle, in Pittsburgh, and looking like a dog that just got its tail stepped on, unlikely.

San Diego is taking on New England this week. Could it be another shoot out? The Chargers barely survived their meeting with the ho-hum Vikings and they will be in hostile territory. The key to victory for them will be how much pressure they put on Brady, but even if they accomplish that, Brady adapts quickly, making a victory a long shot. Philip Rivers will have to be on the top of his game to overcome the point differential. Philadelphia is visiting Atlanta. Michael Vick will be returning home to what will be an unfriendly environment. Anyway you look at it, it is going to be a dog fight. The game is favored to be run dominant, but I think it will be decided by the pass.

SUN, SEP 18	TIME (ET)	TV	RESOURCES	LOCATION
Kansas City at Detroit W	1:00 PM	CBS	Tickets | Travel	Ford Field
Oakland at Buffalo W	1:00 PM	CBS	Tickets | Travel	Ralph Wilson Stadium
Tampa Bay at Minnesota L	1:00 PM	FOX	Tickets | Travel	Mall of America Field
Chicago at New Orleans W	1:00 PM	FOX	Tickets | Travel	Superdome
Baltimore at Tennessee L	1:00 PM	CBS	Tickets | Travel	LP Field
Cleveland at Indianapolis W	1:00 PM	CBS	Tickets | Travel	Lucas Oil Stadium
Jacksonville at NY Jets W	1:00 PM	CBS	Tickets | Travel	MetLife Stadium
Seattle at Pittsburgh W	1:00 PM	FOX	Tickets | Travel	Heinz Field
Arizona at Washington W	1:00 PM	FOX	Tickets | Travel	FedEx Field
Green Bay at Carolina W	1:00 PM	FOX	Tickets | Travel	Bank of America Stadium
Dallas at San Francisco W	4:05 PM	FOX	Tickets | Travel	Candlestick Park
San Diego at New England W	4:15 PM	CBS	Tickets | Travel	Gillette Stadium
Houston at Miami W	4:15 PM	CBS	Tickets | Travel	Sun Life Stadium
Cincinnati at Denver W	4:15 PM	CBS	Tickets | Travel	Sports Authority Field at Mile High
Philadelphia at Atlanta W	8:20 PM	NBC	Tickets | Travel	Georgia Dome
MON, SEP 19	TIME (ET)	TV	RESOURCES	LOCATION
St. Louis at NY Giants W	8:30 PM		Tickets | Travel	Metlife Stadium

Week 1 of 2011-12 NFL Season Is Set To Kickoff

What did the final preseason game for the Browns reveal? Absolutely nothing. Now, it's showtime. The Browns will open the season against the Bengals, a division rival. It's an opportunity for Cleveland to make a statement, that they are here to play and here to stay. This weeks opening schedule to kickoff the season matches up teams who will be hotly contesting rivals. It almost looks like the playoffs are already beginning. You have New Orleans at Green Bay, Pittsburgh at Baltimore, Indianapolis at Houston, Minnestoa at San Diego, and Dallas at NY Jets. Well, maybe alittle like the playoffs.

No Brett Favre and no Peyton Manning to open the season. It just won't be the same. Indianapolis will be without Manning for the first time in 13 years. Kerry Collins will be taking the snaps against division rival Houston, who by the way are heavily favored to be the AFC South winners. Peyton Manning, being the competitive person he is, relishes that revelation like a horse fly on a fishing trip that just won't leave you alone and you can't get rid of, unless you kill it. If Collins is unable to pull off a Manning, Houston should take this one.

Green Bay and New Orleans are also heavily favored to take there divisions, and going a step further, popular choices to be facing each other in the Stuper Bowl. By the way, that is not a typo. Alot can happen between now and then and NFL predictions are like hurricane forecasts, they have an idea where it may go, but until it goes there, its anybody's guess. Green Bay should top out New Orleans in the opener.

Now we come to Pittsburgh at Baltimore. It's getting pretty tiresome seeing these two teams in the playoffs year after year and the predictions aren't helping any. Hopefully, in this season opener, the two of them will knock each other seriously silly so neither of them will be able to recover to their full senses in time for the seasons ending. Since that is highly unlikely, Cleveland and Colt McCoy are going to have to help us with this one and that would be a welcome change. I am giving the edge to Baltimore, only because it is a home game.

San Diego, no hands down, is picked to be the winner of their division, but like so many times before, that is where it ends for them. Minnesota doesn't figure into the final analysis even though Donavan McNabb is taking the snaps for them this year. They still look like last years team, just different quarterbacks. Philip Rivers and the Chargers should win the opener.

The teams that may surprise this year are the Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions. Just a footnote out of history: They were the two teams that took their divisions with a losing record in the strike shortened season of 1982. Well, there was a strike this year, but happily all parties settled and the NFL is ready to play a complete schedule. Let us flip flop that idea. Maybe, these two teams will take their divisions with a losing record in a full season. Why not, Seattle did it last year. The Browns need a wide receiver, like Joshua Cribbs for example, to step up and they will be complete. Honest, I am not drinking any achoholic beverages as I am writing this piece. I am going to throw the Buffalo Bills in for good measure.

Finally, these are only some of the predictions found on Fox Sports. Other commentators heavily favor the New England Patriots as the Super Bowl Champions when all is said and done and that probably makes alot of people wish for a strike. No-Show Cinco and Bill Belichick are an unlikely fit in my books and if Moss decides to join the Patriots, watch out, No-show will be acting like an out of control brat if he doesn't get all the attention.

NFL Strike 2011-What It Could Mean For The Browns And The World

There is talk of a shortened regular season for the NFL. The NFL is planning for a regular season as short as eight games. The eight-game season would start in late November and culminate with the Super Bowl in Indianapolis Feb. 12. What does it mean? It means fewer chances of winning the Power Points Game sponsored by The News Herald, for one thing. Ray Lewis said crime will go up if there is no NFL season, that's another thing.

Yes, with fewer chances to win money, people will have to turn to crime to supplement their income and amuse themselves. Las Vegas will have to become more creative. How about betting on how many banks will be robbed between the hours of 1 PM and 11 PM on Sundays and 8 PM and 11 PM on Mondays. Throw in the 7-Eleven's, Go-Mart's, Speedway's, Hess's, and every other convenience store. On top of that, NFL fans will have to find other reasons to drink beer and eat pizza.

Another point to consider, just think of the tension it will create between couples and family members as fans blankly stare at tv screens burnt out on searching for a fix and AMC reruns. Why, the very fabric of society will be strained. There would be outright panic, leading to the collapse of humanity, especially so in the vulnerable city of Pittsburgh. Why Pittsburgh? Pittsburgh is the nexux of NFL football. Just think, that guy who predicted the end of the world in 2011, may turn out to be right after all.

Cheer up Cleveland fans. There is a silver lining to this scenario. This may work in the Browns favor. The last time there was a strike shortened season, the Browns went to the playoffs, and they did it with a losing record of 4-5. That magical year was 1982. Unfortunately, they didn't go very far, but it could be different this time. The quarterback controversy is finally over, or Browns fans everywhere at least hope so. The Browns have a new coach and Holmgren promised he is going to give him a chance to prove himself. They have a couple new draft choices they are high on. Indianapolis here we come.

Well, it hasn't happened yet. Besides, there is always college football, and high school football. Oh, I almost forgot. If society implodes, and humanity tanks, parents won't be able to send their kids to college and the school systems will have to cut their football programs. It could be the end of the world. I have always said, when the Browns finally achieve the right to play in the Superbowl, the world would come to an end.

Superbowl XLV-Green Bay Packers Take The Trophy

Green Bay looked as though they were going to coast through this game, jumping out to a big lead in the first half 21-10. A dropped pass by Jones on the first set of plays starting the second half and a bad facemask call on the ensuing punt turned the tide of the game in favor of the Steelers, who scored shortly after on a Mendenhall run. Then a fumble by Mendenhall took the steam out of the Steelers surge and the Packers scored a touchdown on a Rodgers to Jennings hookup in the end zone. The Steelers made a quick recovery capping off a drive with Wallace taking in a reception for a touchdown and a successful execution of a two point conversion making it only a three point deficit. Green Bay converted a crucial third down play to extend their next drive that ended with a Crosby field goal. Pittsburgh fell short on their last ditch effort and Green Bay walked away with a 31 to 25 victory and the trophy.

The Steelers played their usual type of game, falling behind early, but never out of it. Considering the Steelers committed three turnovers, they still made it hard on the Packers to walk away with the victory. Ben Roethlisberger committed the majority of the mistakes, throwing two picks. One of them returned for a touchdown. Rashard Mendenhall had some decent runs and scored a touchdown. Mike Wallace was controlled for most of the game, but still managed to take the top spot with 89 yards and a touchdown. Hines Ward was next with 78 yards and one touchdown.

From beginning to end the Packers were committed to the pass. The Steeler defense roughed up Aaron Rodgers, but he prevailed through the adversity with some good numbers. Rodgers threw for 304 yards and was 24-39. Three of his passes were for touchdowns, two of them to Greg Jennings and one to Jordy Nelson. Rodgers numbers would've been even better if it wasn't for the fact that his receivers were plagued with a case of the muffs. Jordy Nelson was Rodgers prime target gathering in 9 catches for 140 yards. Greg Jennings had 4 catches for 64 yards and James Jones had 5 for 50 yards. Green Bay's offense was mistake free and their defense was opportunistic, taking advantage of Roethlisberger's mistakes and forcing a fumble.

Overall it was an entertaining Superbowl. The Green Bay Packers were a sixth seed team that looked like a number one seed and prevailed over everyone else week to week through the playoffs. Either team was worthy of winning, but it was the Packers time and they were not going to be denied their rightful place. By the way, the unforseen occurrence played a significant part and it was wearing the green and gold colors in this one.

Superbowl XLV-Who Will Walk Away With The Trophy

All this week will be dedicated to building anticipation for the upcoming Superbowl. Everyone is weighing in on how they think things will play out when the Packers meet the Steelers in Dallas. We know what each player is capable of doing and how each team matches up in perspective categories. As I said in my previous article it is often the unforeseen occurrence that determines the fate of the game. This game will be no acception when it comes to this happenstance phenomenon.

The Steelers are a proven winner when it comes to the big game. They have six Superbowls to their credit. Their last appearance was in Superbowl XLIII where they won. For the Packers it has been a long dry spell. The Packers have three Superbowl trophies and their last visit was Superbowl XXXII where they lost.

It is a tough pick to make a decision on. Emotionally you have a favorite, but pragmatically things may be different. If you were to add up all their ratings from offense and defense, the Steelers win hands down 38 to Packers 52. The Steelers are tough on the run with a rating of one and the Packers are tough on the pass with a rating of five.

Considering the Packers have been a predominantly passing offense with Rodgers at the helm, the Steelers will be preparing with emphasis on controlling him. The Packers can counter with the screen pass to Starks to keep the Steelers leery of putting the heat on Rodgers, which they will try frequently. The Steelers have more of a running threat with Mendenhall, so the Packers will be looking to shore up their run defense. There will be an opportunity here for the Steelers to utilize Heath Miller strategically to their advantage.

Well, here it is, my final thoughts and pick. It would be an easy choice if I were a Steeler fan. Alas, I am from Northeast Ohio and therefore a Browns fan. But one could counter and say the Steelers and the Browns are in the same AFC division. I am obviously stonewalling my decision.

I think the Packers passing attack will be to much for the Steelers to handle for the whole four quarters barring any unforeseen injury, like a concussion, to Rodgers. He just has to many choices when it comes to quality receivers and Polamalu is not omnipresent. The key for the Steelers will be how well they blitz Rodgers to offset that.

 

My cousin, who is a Steeler fan, will not like what's coming next. I am taking the Packers to win by a touchdown. Then again, the unforeseen occurrence will be suited up and we will have to wait to see whose colors it will be wearing on Sunday.

Steelers Versus Packers- Who Comes Out On Top

You can make all kinds of comparisons and evaluations when it comes to Steelers versus Packers, but as in any given game the unforeseen occurrence often determines its fate. Case in point, the famous Immaculate Reception by Franco Harris in the AFC divisional playoff game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Oakland Raiders at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on December 23, 1972. Harris snagged a deflected pass just before it hit the ground, and ran in for a touchdown that won the game.

You can execute a play perfectly on both sides of the ball, but often the ball has a mind of its own. I have seen fumbles bounce back into the hands of the person who fumbled it. Hail Marys get blocked by the defending team only to have it fall into the arms of the opposing team for a score. That being said, Pittsburgh and Green Bay execute plays better than most teams.

Ben Roethlisberger and Aaron Rodgers are a good matchup for the upcoming Superbowl. Season statistics give Rodgers the edge, but only because Roethlisberger missed four games. By comparison, Rodgers is the more accurate passer and a greater threat if he gets past the line on the run, but Roethlisberger has the uncanny ability to slip out of potential sacks and adjust himself to find an open receiver. Rodgers chews up large chunks of realestate with each pass and utilizes the quick slant. Roethlisberger just frustrates a defense into making mistakes because a defense can't keep track of his receivers when he is on the loose.

Rodgers has a diverse receiving squad that can add yards to the initial reception. Greg Jennings, James Jones, and Donald Driver will prove to be handful for the Steeler secondary. The key for the Steeler defense will be to keep Rodgers from getting comfortable in the pocket and prevent him from getting outside. Mike Wallace for the Steelers is always a potential threat for the long ball and Hines Ward has a nose for the goal line. Tightend Heath Miller gives the Steeler offense versatility and Roethlisberger another option when he is on the loose.

The Steelers have an advantage in the running game with Rashard Mendenhall and the Packers defense has shown weakness in that area. The Steelers offense is going to come out firing to soften the secondary and then test the waters for the running game. James Starks for the Packers has shown promise as of late, but the Steelers are tops in defending against the run. The screen pass to Starks will be used frequently to keep the Steeler pass rush honest.

Each team's defense has their standouts. Clay Matthews, Charles Wodson, and Tramon Williams for the Packers. For the Steelers Troy Polamalu, James Harrison, and Lawrence Timmons. Both will do what they do best and that is blitz, blitz, and more blitz.

This is no surprise. The team that executes its plan will win, maybe. With all the bell ringing, pad smacking, helmet hitting contact that will be going on, the unforeseen occurrence may have something to say about the games final outcome. Just follow the bouncing ball.

Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers Are Going To Dallas

Aaron Rodgers came out firing off completions and before the smoke could settle Green Bay was up 14-0. The Bears stalled the onslaught before it got out of hand, but when Cutler went out with a knee injury, so did all hope for a Bear recovery. So you would have thought. The Bears proceeded to play shuffle the quarterbacks after two near picks by Todd Collins, who was quickly replaced by Caleb Hanie-Who. The Bears defense hung tough while Hanie seemed to breathe some life back into the offense, until a devastating interception close to their goal line ended up in the end zone for a Packer score and seemed to knock the wind out of the Bears, temporarily. Hanie came back with a quick score to make it 21-14. With a little over two minutes to play and one last shot to tie it up, the Bear offense moved down the field to within striking distance, but it was a pick by Shields that ended the Bears season and a bid for a spot in the Superbowl.

Ben Roethlisberger and Rashard Mendenhall ran for touchdowns during the first two quarters against the Jets. Pittsburgh's defense dominated and delivered a devastating blow when Ike Taylor sacked Mark Sanchez, forcing a fumble that William Gay ran 22 yards for another score. Shaun Suisham added a field goal and at the half time it was 24-3. The second half saw a resurgence by the Jets, only bcause the Steeler's defense, who was basking in a comfortable lead, backed off and soften their coverage giving the Jets some breathing room to move the ball, which they took advantage of. Mark Sanchez hooked up with Santonio Holmes for a 45 yard score. The Jets made it even more interesting when they sacked Roethlisberger in the end zone. Four minutes later Jerricho Cotchery caught a pass for a 4 yard touchdown and it was 24-19. The tide of the game seemed to be shifting in the Jets favor, but the Steelers executed a couple of first downs on their final possession and the clock ran out on the Jets. The Piper got his payment.

Both games were eerily similiar. Both winning teams jumped out to an early lead. The winning teams both scored all their offensive points in the first half. Both winning team's quarterbacks did not throw for a touchdown, but each ran for a touchdown. Both winning team's quarterbacks threw two interceptions. Both winning team's defense scored a touchdown. Both losing teams scored all their touchdowns in the second half. I'm sure their are other similarities, but these stood out the most. I picked both the Packers and the Steelers to win. It will be a good Superbowl XLV.

There is talk Jay Cutler's injury wasn't severe enough for him to remove himself from the game. True, everyone was surprised when they saw Todd collins come out onto the field and Cutler standing on the sideline with a supposed knee injury. I can only speak from experience. I suffered a knee injury in a game that turned out to be a severely sprained ACL. When the injury first occurred I got up and tried to walk it out, flexing my knee and bending it. At first it looked as if it was only temporary, but as time passed it got stiffer and stiffer, until I couldn't even walk on it. I had to sit the rest of the game out. Later I found out it was an injury to the ACL. It would have been stupid for Cutler to continue playing, jeapordizing himself and his team. It was the right call.