What a pretty trophy.

Welcome to the big game. I’m here in Indianapolis, hanging out on Media Day and trying to find a path through the crowd so I can touch Mel Kiper’s hair. I don’t understand why they let all these fans in. All they are doing is stinking up the joint with their handfuls of nachos and sweat stained Peyton Manning jerseys. There are no Giants or Patriots fans here. I spoke to one of the volunteers, he said that they’ll be flying in several thousand corporate ticket holders, like a ton of people from Doritos, slap some jerseys on them and hope they cheer at the right time. That’s fucked up. There will be no true fans in the building.

I spent a few minutes out in the parking lot with the true fans, guys wearing meatball stained Brady jerseys who drove all the way from the armpits of Boston. They are grilling, drunk at 8am on a Tuesday and they won’t get in the game. A lot of them will go home with citations and injuries. There is a surprising amount of sex going on, considering the weather and how most of the fans are quite overweight. I don’t talk to anyone about how most of the seats are going to be taken up by corporate sponsors, media & all the players baby mamas. There is a whole numbered section reserved just for women that Ochocinco has knocked up. What I do talk to them about is who they think is going to win and why, but honestly they were too drunk and belligerent to get any straight answers beyond “Giants rule!” or “Patriots Rule!” So I went back inside, hoping to sneak into the cheerleaders locker room.

Instead of naked cheerleaders, I spent some time at the brunch buffet with Archie Manning. I asked him if he was proud of his boys. In between bites of a biscuit smothered in turkey gravy, he said that he was proud of both of them, but wished that they hadn’t followed in his footsteps. I asked him why and he told me that he worries they’ll both end up injured for life, and no matter how much money they have it’s not going to matter, they’ll be broken. The game is much rougher now, he said, back in the day you worried about injury but the defense seems out to hurt. He then offered me a slice of ham also smothered in turkey gravy. As I ate the ham, I noticed Merril Hoge out of the corner of my eye.

It took me a couple minutes to get Merril’s attention, as every mirror or reflective surface (including camera lenses) he had to adjust his giant windsor knot. It was like it was stuffed with cotton. Finally I cornered him and was able to ask about his achilles heel this season, Tim Tebow. Merril was quick to point out what a Tebow honk I’ve been this season and I explained it was because I had faith in the guy. He had magic. Merril said that magic is fake and while he might have been wrong on paper, he still feels Tebow will be a bust in the NFL. I decided to drop it and ask who he thought would win the Superbowl. Not Tim Tebow he said, and walked away.

I decided to play the next hour or so fast and loose, so I followed Kelly Clarkson around, counting how many bags of travel size Lays chips she went through. For a fat chick, she smells a lot like an old lady. I guess I should have been surprised by how many linemen she tried to blow, but not surprised that she propositioned them with a mouthful of chips. When her security guy noticed I was trailing her around the stadium he chased me off with a cattle prod. I ended up hiding in Madonna’s dressing room, which was full of dead baby fetuses. Apparently the stem cells were the only thing keeping her alive. Man, that halftime show is gonna suck balls.

New York Giants at New England Patriots

February 5, 2012, 6:29 PM ET
Line: -3.0 55.0 O/U

Flashback: Superbowl XLII – after losing in their last game of the season to the Patriots 38-35 the Giants beat the Patriots in the Superbowl by a final score of 17-14. The Patriots finished the season 18-1 overall, while the Giants became the first NFC Wild-Card team to win a Superbowl. It was a major upset, and plenty of history was made as Eli Manning exceeded expectations and led a last minute, 4th quarter drive highlighted by an amazing “pinned to the helmet” catch by David Tyree. The Patriots, seemingly defeated had 35 seconds to respond, and were stopped cold by the stronger Giants defense.

Offensive/Defensive Breakdown (Giants O v. Patriots D): The Giants are a ground and pound team, with an occasional emphasis on the deep pass. Manning has got the receivers to make this happen and while he hasn’t relied as much on his tight ends as other teams, they are available to pick up outlet passes. The Giants ran, ran, ran against the Niners, who had the best run defense in the league. It paid off, as they didn’t pick up a ton of yards but ground out the game and were able to control the tempo. Manning has shades of Peyton when it comes to making adjustments, just with less wild body language. The Giants should have a smooth day on offense, as the Patriots defense, while stepping their game up and looking good against a limited Ravens offense, are still lagging in many areas, such as run defense. The Patriots defense is going to have no choice but to stack the box with five if they want to stop the run. Of course this will pull one man out of coverage, which Manning can easily exploit. The Giants will win this battle of offense v. defense. The only question is whether the Patriots can score more points.

How to Ruin a Classic: What is more appealing about the Superbowl? The game itself or the commercials? At a whopping $3.5mm for a 30 second spot, the commercials better not disappoint. Of course we’ll have a full slate of Budweiser commercials, Coke Polar Bears, Doritos causing people to act like idiots and probably that white trash Pepsi guy pretending he’s a coach. But we’ll also have a lot of car commercials, most of which will come off as douchey and pretentious. Like the ad from Honda for their CRV. In it, they (along with the vapid participation of Matthew Broderick) destroy a classic and save us the trouble of being pissed off during the game.

Many people enjoyed that ad, many people did not. Really, it doesn’t matter. It’s a fucking commercial. The larger point is this, many ads are being shown before the game. Many people watch the game for the ads (because they are mindless fucking Americans) – meh, who am I kidding? It won’t matter. It’ll still be the highest rated television program of the year, in the world, on every channel. Yearggh Football!! Screw you soccer!

Offensive/Defensive Breakdown (Patriots O v. Giants D): The Patriots have one of the most unpredictable, explosive offenses in the league. Most of it comes down to play calling and Bellichick’s ability to recognize defensive tendencies and make in-game adjustments, something many other coaches fail to do on both sides of the ball. His biggest accomplishment this year was handing TE Gronkowski with precision. When not lined up to block, he could be handling business as a receiver, or as a running back. Using Hernandez on the end around while Gronk was being double teamed was genius. Pulling Gronk back to the traditional TE set to throw off a defense that was looking for him as a wide receiver, also genius. The thing is though, that the Patriots offense is all about timing. The Ravens showed that if you disrupt their timing and get after Brady, you can hold their scoring down. The Giants have probably the best front four in the league and will certainly mess up Brady’s rhythm. Having a good front four who can apply pressure without the blitz is important, because that leaves more in coverage to handle the receivers, in this case, two very proficient tight ends.

Final Analysis: The difference between the Giants and the Ravens is that the Giants can score. Even if the Patriots defense steps up, the Giants offense is much more explosive than the Ravens offense. The Patriots defense won’t stack up in the end. While high scoring, the game against the Ravens showed that the Pats offense can be held down and smothered, which is what the Giants are going to do. I’m looking for the Giants to come out running, and to come out pushing hard on Brady. Bottom line, defense wins championships. And yes, the Patriots have a bottom ranked defense and beat the Ravens, but the Patriots defense did not play like a bottom ranked defense in that game. They played like a top ranked one. It won’t matter. The Patriots have been good this year, but have struggled against teams with a winning record, and beating the lethargic offense of the Ravens and the strange one of the Broncos won’t prepare them to face the Giants again. I’ve got the Giants winning this one, final score 27-24.

Next week: Nothing. The Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game will return in August with the NFC/AFC predictions. There might be a draft day column, but don’t hold your breath.

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Championship Weekend
2. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Divisional Round Madness
3. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Superbowl XLV

The pro bowl, who cares?

So of course I have no picks this week, because the Pro Bowl is a waste of time and I don’t think I’ve watched it in about 10 years. Instead, I’m going to repost some text from the middle of the offseason where I ranked the All-Star games among all major sports. I think that Hockey has gone back to the regular format for All-Stars, rather than team captains, but the ranking hasn’t changed. Actually, I have no idea. First though, I’ll run down my pre-season playoff picks and see if I got any right.

Preseason Playoff Picks

NFC

Cowboys (division win)
Packers (division win, Superbowl)
Lions (wild-card)
Bucs (wild-card)
Falcons (division win)
Rams, Cardinals, Seahawks, Niners (division win – couldn’t decide)

AFC

Steelers (division win)
Ravens (wild-card)
Colts (division win – assuming Peyton was playing)
Texans (wild-card)
Patriots (division win, Superbowl)
Chiefs (division win)

So let’s see, I was right about the Lions, Falcons, Packers, Ravens, Steelers, Texans and Patriots making the playoffs. However, only the Patriots have been my most reliable pre-season pick, yet I picked against them last week like an idiot. Whatever.

Ranking the All-Star Shenanigans

Originally posted July 2011 and I was too lazy to change the specific detail pertaining to last years dates, so deal.

#5 The NFL Pro-Bowl

This game went from being a joke, to an absolute joke. Not only do most of the players complain about going, but it’s like watching a game of touch football. Understandably, no one wants to get hurt in the last game of the season, and most of them just want to get their short vacations started. Even though now we’re seeing them experience an extended vacation. The NFL thought they solved this issue by moving the Pro-Bowl from the week after the Superbowl to the week before the Superbowl in Miami. This was a terrible idea, as now the best players in the league (you know, the ones in the Superbowl) can’t even be recognized as all-stars because they can’t play in the game. For those two reasons, the quality of play and the lack of players, this is my worst rated All-Star game. Add on the fact that the television coverage is basically second rate, the Pro-Bowl blows ass.

#4 MLB All-Star Game

Now, don’t get me wrong – I love the build-up to this game. Specifically the homerun derby, especially since they started letting players pick their hitters. This is a fun time and seems like the players truly enjoy hanging out and slamming free homeruns. Plus, a lot of charity is involved in the derby, so that’s a good thing too. It’s also a lot more entertaining to watch than the game the next day. Now, not everyone agrees with me that the MLB All-Star game is one of the worst, and that’s all well and good but I think for me it’s more the coverage that ruins it for me than the game itself. First off, Fox’s coverage of the game is way too much pomp and circumstance. This year, it was even worse when they led in with ridiculous previews for the X-Factor show. No one watching the game gives a shit. Not to mention, is anyone else just plain tired of Joe Buck?

The game itself isn’t too bad. The teams actually appear like they are trying to win the game. They are a little held back, and usually it comes down to who hits the homeruns. The pitchers are certainly holding back, as an injury on the mound is always in their minds. But what makes it real shit is that it “means something.” You can blame Bud Selig for that, in response to an All-Star game that went 11 innings with no winner, Selig decided that it would be a good idea that the winner of the All-Star game determines home field advantage in the World Series. Are you fucking kidding me? No where does home advantage mean more than in the World Series and it was determined by a meaningless game played by the most popular (because it is a popularity contest, that was assured by letting the fans vote) players and not by record as it should, and is throughout the playoffs. This is a ridiculous end result of the game, and is just plain stupid. I hope, whatever National League team (as the NL All-Stars won this year off a Cecil Fielder homerun) send a thank you note to Fielder for that win. Of course, they could also send fuck you notes to the American League pitchers, who spoon fed him that homerun. Weak.

#3 MLS All-Star Game

I’ve actually never watched a MLS All-Star game. I know that they do it a little different, the best of the U.S. teams vs. a world team like Manchester United. That’s a pretty kick-ass game, because in between dives, they actually play a hard game because it’s based on pride. Sadly, I think the American team loses a lot, but that really doesn’t matter much in the scheme of things. I’ll watch it this year, I promise.

#2 NBA All-Star Game

Like the MLB game, the best part of the NBA All-Star break is the pre-game stuff the day before. The dunk contest highlights everything that is wrong with the NBA, as far as the individualism and so on, but it’s a fucking blast to watch. They jump over cars, shoot 3-pointers and have a blast. The game itself is highly competitive for a game that doesn’t mean anything, this is the general mindset in the NBA though, so that makes sense. It’s probably the only NBA game I watch all year besides the playoffs, as it’s a true All-Star game, with a lot of who-dat players based on stats rather than pure popularity, though there is some of that. In the end though, it’s still the NBA and doesn’t have half as much energy as my number one.

#1 NHL All-Star Game

The NHL game wasn’t always my favorite. For a long while it was East vs. West, which was okay but a bit bland to watch. Then it was USA vs. Canada (or was it World, I can’t remember) but this year they blew me away with their handling of the All-Star game. They went all playground rules on us. First they picked team captains, then they staged a mock draft where the captains picked their teams. The coverage of this took itself a bit too seriously, but it was great that there was no telling who was going to be on which team. This added a level of enjoyment to it because you knew that heated rivals could end up on the same team, and they did. I don’t remember what team won, but I know the score was in the double digits on both sides.

Adding another fun dimension to the game was having the goalies miked up during the game. In between blocking shots, they were bullshitting with the announcers, just having a fun time and performing for the fans. Because in the end, that’s what this game highlighted – the fans. Before the game there was tons of fan interaction, the referees didn’t even call offsides until the 3rd period and were just letting the players play, and the fans enjoy a high scoring exhibition game. Which is what all the All-Star games should be, exhibition games for the fans, to see the best players in the league let loose a little bit so we can look at them as people like us, rather than rich superstars.

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads Week In Sports: Ranking the All-Star Shenanigans
2. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Superbowl XLVI
3. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Championship Weekend

Niners vs. Giants. Should be a new classic.

I’m not going to bore you with mindless statistics and blather. The fact is that last week was a tough week to pick and statistics did not lie. 75% of the home teams won, but not the 75% I picked. By the time the Giants v Packers game started, three home teams had won. So I loudly declared to pretty much one person that the Giants were going to win the game. They did, and the Packers, who had a monumental season all for naught, are done. Now we have four teams left and picking the winners is toughest it’s been all season.

That being said, it is only two games so I have to fill up this space with something. So in personal news, I’ll be in Chicago this week (Friday – Sunday) attending a Kenmore event at their bequest. If you are around, or just on Twitter, come hang out downtown Chicago. CC will be there with me as well, killing some deep dish. On with the picks!

AFC Championship: Baltimore at New England
Sunday, 3:00 PM ET
Line: 50.0 O/U -7.5

This game is the proof – does defense win championships? The Patriots have a bottom ranked defense, yet they sure came alive against the Broncos – but the Broncos defense was also terrible, so there’s that. The Patriots have won games with offense all year long, and I don’t expect that strategy to totally turn around in a week. They are going to come into this game firing and looking to rack up the score against the defensive minded Ravens. It’s not going to happen. The Ravens held the Texans, who in effect – held the Ravens. The Ravens offensive line didn’t perform as well as they should have, but really have nothing to worry about with the weak pass rush of the Patriots. Sure, they managed to fluster Tebow a couple times, but that was a fluke. Most of the time he had all day and then some to throw. The Ravens are going to force the Patriots hand on offense, as their defense will be swarming Brady and throwing off his timing. This is what I said the Broncos needed to do, but failed to do. Everything about the Patriots offense is timing, especially with the routes run by the tight ends. On the offensive side of the ball for the Ravens, they’ll have to tighten up their protection a bit and re-establish the running game, which should be easy against the Patriots poor run defense. Bottom line, the Patriots don’t have the defense to stop the Ravens mediocre offense, and they might have a powerful offense, but defense wins championships. Bottom line. On championship weekend the statistics state that 50% of the home teams win. So in this one, I’m taking the Ravens to overcome and get into the Superbowl, against (obviously) the Niners, and I’ll tell you why in the next paragraph.

NFC Championship: New York at San Francisco
Sunday, 6:30 PM ET
Line: 44.0 O/U -2.0

Everyone loves the Giants in this game, because they can’t believe that the Niners are restoring their franchise to glory. Where Singletary coached with negative enforcement, Harbaugh coaches with positive reinforcement, something that was evident in Vernon Davis’ tears and hug after he scored the winning touchdown last week. That was the Saints game to lose, and they made sure to lose, especially on that last drive when their secondary seemed to forget they were still playing a game and gave the Niners the whole field. So now the Niners welcome the hot and cold Giants to town, who turn it on when they need to. And they needed to last week and they damn sure did. They ran the Packers right off their own field, dominating on offense and on defense. They made it look easy. Part of that might have been the Packers offense not playing up to par with all the drops, but the pressure on Rodgers helped as well. Against the Niners, they are going up against probably the best fundamental defense in the league. Rather than go for the flashy Sportscenter play, the Niners just plain cover and tackle well. They bump receivers at the line to throw off timing, they get the pressure on with their front four, rarely running a crazy eight man blitz and almost always win the turnover game. Their defense will stifle Manning and his receivers, so the Giants will have to rely on their own defense. They might have a slight edge over the Niners offense in that case, but Alex Smith is a legit playmaker, but he gets no love for it. Right now, his report with his receivers is the best it’s ever been. I’m taking the Niners to win at home, and for this game to become a new classic. Harbaugh vs. Harbaugh in the Superbowl. You want to know who I’m going to pick to win that game? You’ll have to wait two weeks.

Next week: Pro Bowl Idiocy and where I went wrong with my pre-season picks.

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Wild-Card Weekend
2. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Divisional Round Madness
3. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Wild-Card Weekend

"Stop Gore and they won’t score"

I guess last week I must have been smoking something heavy, because I went 1-3. The only correct pick I had was the Saints. Now, the teams I wanted to win, won. I wanted Houston to win and I wanted the Broncos to win, I just didn’t pick them. This week should make a little more sense as since 1990 (when the current playoff format started) the home teams in the divisional round are a stout 61-23. That’s .726 winning percentage or about 75%. So based on percentages, only one of this weeks road teams will win. So which one will it be?

Well, the reason that the home team has such an advantage in the divisional round is because all four home teams have been spending the last two weeks resting sore muscles, studying tape and practicing. Take the Patriots v. Broncos. While the Patriots starters have essentially had three weeks off, the Broncos are coming into New England on a short week. Only six days to prepare. Against three weeks? Who will be the more prepared team? Of course, the only positive is there is such a thing as over preparing.

This might be a good time to mention that my Superbowl pick this year was the Packers vs. Patriots. It should also be noted that I had no idea that Tim Tebow was going to be in the playoffs. I had the Broncos dead last in their division and the Chiefs going back to the playoffs. Great call there right? Who knew the Chiefs were going to suck so freaking bad? And who knew that Jesus would come down from the heavens, anoint Tim Tebow the savior of football, kick Merril Hodge in the balls and zip back up to the clouds? Football! Yearggh!

New Orleans at San Francisco
Saturday 4:30 PM ET – Line: +3.0
“Stop Gore and they won’t score,” opined @mbletsch at lunch the other day. There is a little more to the San Francisco offense than Frank Gore, but they need his legs to be chugging against the Saints front line in order to open up the passing game. But the Saints are no fools, rarely using an overload blitz against the run (as many teams seem to foolishly do these days) and shouldn’t have much problem defending the pass. The Niners don’t have a guy like Megatron, who still managed to scorch the Saints defensive backs last week. The Saints tore up the Lions like it was an arena football game, after giving them slight hope in the first half. The Niners will have to contain Sproles and push through to pressure Drew Brees. The Saints run such complex and unique passing routes, that Drew Brees needs as much time as possible to let the play develop. There is tons of misdirection and the key here is pressure, pressure, pressure. If the Niners and their top ranked defense fail to move Brees out of the pocket, they will fail to win this game. It’s that simple. The Lions failed to do this, they failed to properly cover receivers in the secondary and they failed to win. The key to a Saints victory is score fast and keep scoring, something they do well. Something the Niners do well is ground out the clock and games once they have a lead. The Saints have to avoid that from happening. This is my one away team pick though, as I’m sticking with the Saints to go to the NFC Championship game.

Denver at New England
Saturday 8:00 PM ET – Line: -13.5
I’m going to be honest here, I want the Broncos to win. I want them to overcome nearly a two touchdown line to beat the Patriots, in New England and go to the AFC Championship game. But I’ve already played the percentages. I picked the Saints to win, and that’s my one away team. This is a history making year though, so anything is possible. But is a Denver win possible? The Patriots rolled into Denver a few weeks back, and after letting the Broncos get an early lead, simply annihilated them on offense, making the Denver defense look the fool. There were a couple things happening in that game that are different now. First off, John Fox finally started calling in passing plays. Second, Tebow started completing passes on passing plays. Of course, the Patriots are going to be watching tape from the Pittsburgh game and wondering how receivers got that open, and how Tebow got that accurate. But will they be looking for the pass, the run or the Tebow run? You can’t anticipate all three and I think John Fox and crew, with absolutely nothing to lose, will have some serious surprises in store for the Patriots and their bottom ranked defense. Remember, the Steelers had the number one ranked defense, and the Broncos torched them through the air. Maybe because they didn’t see it coming, whatever. It’s not going to matter against the Patriots, they have a terrible defense. This game will be won or lost by the Denver defense. It’s not about containing the run, it’s about guessing if the ball is going to Welker, Hernandez or Gronkowski. Double teaming a tight end is out of the question. So what’s the key? Get. Tom. Brady. Sack his pretty ass. For finesse QB’s like Brady, everything is about timing. Throw off his timing, throw off his game. We’ll see if the Broncos can accomplish this. Either way, as much as I want the Broncos to win, I don’t think they’ll be able to keep up with the score. I expect this game to be a lot closer than 14 points, but still picking the Patriots to win and make a lot of Tebow fans very, very sad. Merril Hodge will be happy though, but fuck Merril Hodge.

Houston at Baltimore
Sunday 1:00 PM ET – Line: -7.0
The worst team in the playoffs was proven to be the Bengals, as they completely rolled over for the Texans, who overpowered them on offense and on defense. The Bengals didn’t seem to be playing in the same league. It was the first match-up of rookie QB’s in a playoff game, and only the 3rd stringer prevailed. This week Yates takes his team into the very hostile Baltimore to go up a defense just as, if not stronger than his teams. Really, Flacco and Yates basically cancel themselves out. While not a rookie, Flacco still makes the same late game errors that rookies tend to make. Plus, the rushing game makes for a great storyline too. And that’s where the win is going to come from. Who can break the line and get the yards, Ray Rice or Arian Foster? I think it’s going to be Rice, based on the continued strength and pull of the Ravens offensive line. I think Foster will get plenty of carries and break off a couple good runs, but Rice is a very explosive player that also receives well in the flat. Since the defenses are so good, it’s going to come down to offense and it’s going to be the running game that seals the deal. This is a great match-up and should be a very exciting game to watch. Big defensive plays and great running. Statistics are statistics though, so I’m taking the Ravens to win.

New York at Green Bay
Sunday 4:30 PM ET – Line: -9.0
There are pundits talking about how the Giants beat the Packers in the playoffs on their way to a Superbowl. Most of those same Giants, especially on the defense, are still on this team. So after making short work of the Falcons (who are barely worth a mention at this point) the Giants roll into the hallowed field in the middle of the small town of Green Bay Wisconsin. I would love to think that the Giants really do stand a chance this year against the explosive offense of the Packers, but I really don’t think they do. At least not for 60 minutes. Look, while the Packers don’t have the best defense, they do have a playmaking defense. That’s enough to keep the game in their favor when they get ahead, or fall slightly behind. The keys to victory lie in the hands of the starting QB’s. Both Manning and Rodgers are kings of the two minute drill, with only Eli slipping up now and again with a late interception (see Seahawks loss.) I’m taking the Packers in this game not just because of statistics but because they will just score more points. Math wins at this point. Packers to win.

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Divisional Smackdown
2. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Championship Weekend
3. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Wild-Card Weekend

"Hey Joe, see you next week. Maybe."

It’ll be interesting to see what happens. And consider this stat, the last three teams the Steelers have beaten in the Superbowl were the Cardinals, Seahawks and Rams. This year, they are in and the Niners are in. So are they fated to meet in the big game so the Steelers can sweep the NFC West? Another fun storyline. Only four games to pick this week, so let’s get this done.

Cincinnati at Houston
Saturday 4:30 PM ET – Line: -3.0
Once the Texans secured a playoff spot, they stopped winning. They also lost another QB to injury. So now they are down to Jake Delhomme, who I don’t put a lot of confidence in. Hell, who wants to put anything into a one time starter who is now the 4th string QB? Hopefully Yates will be back in the game, as his injury wasn’t as severe as the Matts. The Bengals are playing smart football right now, but were unable to beat teams with better defenses than them, namely the Ravens and the Steelers. While teams tend to play different (or better) in the playoffs, the Bengals have to really step it up to beat the Texans and their defense, who play with a similar attack as the Ravens. I’m taking the Bengals in this game though, because Andy Dalton has been quite impressive this season. Their offense has really clicked this year, and while they haven’t beaten tough defenses, they have the tools to do so. Based on the QB siutation in Houston, Bengals to win.

Detroit at New Orleans
Saturday 8:00 PM ET – Line: 11.0
My 11 year old pointed out that as dominant as the Saints have been since their Superbowl win, they still got beat in the playoffs last year by the Seahawks, who had won their division at 8-8 and played at the Saints in the dome. So the Lions, who have had a back and forth season now slide down to the dome to play the Saints, who have all the advantages. They set all kinds of offensive records this year, and the Lions, well, they got into the playoffs. That’s a huge win for them. The Saints have the offense, and the defense to get it done with little trouble. The problem is going to be if the defense of the Lions can play without penalty after penalty. I doubt they can, their agressiveness level will be at an all time high. I’m taking the Saints to win this game, just for the same reason I picked them last year. On paper they are the better team but as they showed last year, anything can happen. Saints at home.

Atlanta at NY Giants
Sunday 1:00 PM ET – Line: -3.0
I was reading something, I don’t remember what, that said Matt Ryan is not Drew Brees, not Tom Brady and not Eli Manning. That’s right, he’s not but he’s a damn accurate QB with the best running game in the playoffs. The Falcons will have a few surprises in store for the Giants in the ground game, but they’ll be up against the best part of the Giants, which is the front four. The offense struggles at times, as Cruz is good for the big play when he can get open, but that doesn’t happen as often as it should. The Giants have to attack quickly so the Falcons can’t ground out the clock on the ground. They need to force Ryan to the air as quickly as possible. For the Falcons, they need to hold the run game and push the Giants defense back for as long as possible. Tire them out and dry out the offence on the bench. I’m taking the Falcons to win here, just because of the running game.

Pittsburgh at Denver
Sunday 4:30 PM ET – Line: +9.0
The Broncos backed into the playoffs thanks to the Raiders completely sucking and getting beat by the Chargers. That’s all in the past now. The Broncos, finishing the season at an even 8-8 are hosting a playoff game this weekend, which begs for the argument that the playoffs should be a seeded system based on record for homefield advantage. The Steelers, at an impressive 12-4 have to play an away game for the Wild-Card. That’s bullshit right there. Either way, they roll into Denver and have all the advantages in this game. At one point seeming like a visionary, John Fox has coached Denver into three straight losses, making Tebow look like a terrible QB by abandoning the run too early, but then keeping all the passing short instead of just letting Tebow loose on the field. Teams have kind of figured out the read option, but if Denver brings the run back, then they have their advantage back. It won’t matter though, with James Harrison on the other side of the ball, Tebow is going to be scrambling a lot. I’d love to see Denver win this game, but they won’t. Maybe I shouldn’t put it that way. They might. If they watch some tape, and see the way Cleveland (not a playoff team or anywhere close) ground out the Steelers, they might have a chance. They have to run the ball and they have to let Tebow take chances. Even Elway wants Tebow to throw more. One of the reasons for three straight losses was ultra-conservative play calling. This is the playoffs, you are 8-8 and no one gave you a rats chance in hell of winning, take some fucking chances. Pittsburgh has struggled on the road this year, which gives Denver a chance at taking advantage. We’ll see. Pittsburgh to win.

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Wild-Card Weekend
2. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Championship Weekend
3. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Divisional Round Madness

Watch your back Drew, here comes Brady

This week is all divisional and while some playoff teams have little to gain by winning, and some teams have nothing to lose, some teams are still fighting for a playoff spot. Now, no team WANTS to lose – ever. That’s proven by the 0-13 Colts now at 2-13 and most likely losing dibs on the first round first pick. The AFC West and NFC East are still undecided and up to four teams are in the running for the last wild card in the AFC. It’s a race to the finish in Week 17. Next week we’ll look at the playoffs, and take a look back at my season start predictions to see how wrong, or right, I was.

For this week though, sixteen games between now and the playoffs. There is no crapfest this week, there is no featured game, there is no upset special. Too many games have playoff implications and I totally forgot to make those selections before I wrote this lede. So there’s that. Alright, enough, how about some picks?

Detroit at Green Bay Line: +3.5
Detroit is in. Green Bay is in. Neither of these teams have anything to play for so I guarantee you that they’ll be resting starters. It’ll be like a preseason game. And if I was Green Bay, I wouldn’t play Rodgers at all for risk of injury against a notoriously violent and highly penalized Detroit team. They can’t risk that at all, and I’m not saying they’ll intentionally be gunning for Rodgers, but they will. Either way, the defense won’t be resting much. Packers to win at home on their way to a two week break before the divisional match-ups.

San Francisco at St. Louis Line: +10.5
The Niners have not yet sealed up a first round bye advantage in the playoffs, a win here and a New Orleans loss would do that, I think. I’m not sure who would hold the tiebreaker here. Either way, the Niners don’t even have to put an offense on the field to win against the Rams, they can just play straight defense and the Rams terrible offense should give up the ball enough for the Niners to score. I think that line is a bit generous, but Niners to win on the road.

NY Jets at Miami Line: -1.0
I’m really looking forward to this game. After losing to the Giants, Rex Ryan still had the audacity to pick a verbal fight with Brandon Jacobs, then still predict his team would make the playoffs and win the Superbowl. He’s out of his fucking mind. I’m looking for the Dolphins to put the Jets out of their misery and push them out of playoff contention. This is going to be a good back and forth game, with big plays being made on the defensive side of the ball. Look for Miami to jump the Jets and smack them down. Miami to win at home.

Chicago at Minnesota Line: -0.0
The Bears season has turned into quite a farce, while the Vikings season was one to begin with. Now, with Adrian Peterson out with a torn ACL and MCL, their future is in question. No doubt they’ll be drafting a running back high in the draft. Meanwhile, the Bears have not won since Cutler went down and we can all blame Martz for that. Martz should be fired at the end of the year for his inability to adapt to a new quarterback and inability to switch up the offense. He’s a great coordinator, but he messed up here letting his ego get in the way of running the offense based on the skills of the QB. The Vikings will win this week, just cause of Webb being able to run around like a mad chicken. Vikings at home.

Buffalo at New England Line: -11.5
The Patriots have sealed up everything playoff related besides home field advantage. They don’t need to win, but they need Baltimore to lose in that case. But let’s be honest here. Brady is 190 passing yards behind Drew Brees for the passing record, and while he’ll be hard pressed to surpass him, you know damn well that Bellichick will keep him in the game as long as possible to beat Brees to get the record at the end of the season. The Bills, while looking impressive against Denver, are not that great of a team sadly. They had a lot of potential, so what happened? I have no idea really, besides the new contract for Fitz. So, Patriots to win at home.

Carolina at New Orleans Line: -9.0
Same deal as the Niners game here, with a little twist. The Saints are looking for a first round bye and they need to win to do that. Also, Brees has surpassed Marino for the passing record, and I expect him to play nearly a full game here to put a bit of padding into that record. Plus, Payton is the type of coach that would keep his starters in the game, risking injury to pad that record, since he’d be the coach of record when that record was set. The Panthers have had a positive season. First off, Cam Newton is a superstar, and he set the record for most rushing TD’s by a QB. Second, they didn’t finish last. They will be finishing ahead of the Buccaneers, which is positive. However, Saints to win at home.

Washington at Philadelphia Line: -9.5
Since it’s impossible that both the Giants and Cowboys will lose this week (they play each other) the Eagles won’t be making the playoffs. Thank Odin. However, they did throw a wrench into things last week with their win over the Cowboys. So now they get to finish the season at home against the Redskins, a team that once again failed to find an identity and didn’t amount to anything. The Eagles are going to finish 8-8, but considering the talent on this team, and the money spent that’s like the Yankees finishing dead last behind the Orioles. Eagles fans have got to be disappointed. Is it worth firing Andy Reid over? No. Unless he does it again next year. Eagles at home.

Indianapolis at Jacksonville Line: -3.5
The Colts, with two wins have only this game to lose before getting beat to the number one pick in the draft. Can they do it? Can they lose on the road to the Jaguars? Like I said, no team wants to lose, and Orlofsky certainly doesn’t want to lose, as he’s now won two straight. Last week’s win against the Texans was epic and a great thing to add to his resume if he wants a starting job somewhere next year. I’m sure KC, Arizona and a few others will be looking. So the Jags only bright spot this season has been the running of Maurice Jones-Drew. Gabbart was horrendous to watch, the kid was just not ready. Hopefully he gets a veteran to study under before getting another shot. Anyway, I’m taking the Colts to win, which should make the draft interesting. Will they trade up for Luck? Colts on the road.

Tennessee at Houston Line: +1.5
Houston has a hard road ahead of them, thanks to some less than stellar play since they clinched the playoffs. A couple of losses later, and now they are going in without a bye or home-field advantage. Hopefully Wade Phillips is back this week because some of the defensive decisions the past two weeks were terrible and they’ll need him for the playoffs. They can take a loss here and nothing will change. Except for their record. They made the playoffs for the first time in team history, let’s finish on a high note. Of course, they don’t have any back-ups sitting around in case Yates gets hurt. The Titans season has been forgettable to say the least. Chris Johnson took 2/3 of the season to apparently bathe in his millions of dollars due to the new contract before he decided to start earning it. I think the lack of an offseason really hurt the offensive line of the Titans. However, a Titans win with Denver, Oakland and Jets losing does mean playoffs – so there’s that. Cross your fingers Titans fans, it’s gonna be interesting. Titans to win.

Tampa Bay at Atlanta Line: -12.0
The Bucs are a joke this year, which is sad because as a non-Bucs fan living in Tampa I actually picked them to go to the playoffs. Whatever. The Falcons are pissed cause Brees stayed in the game last week, which sounds like hapless whining to me and should piss off the Football Gods. If you can’t beat the Saints now what makes us think you can beat anyone in the first round of the playoffs? Atlanta is in and really can’t improve their position so they’ll be resting starters. Doesn’t matter, the Bucs have given up for sure. Falcons to win at home.

Baltimore at Cincinnati Line: +3.0
The Ravens and Steelers are tied atop the division right now, winner gets the division and they both are already going to the playoffs. Clearly, this scenario favors the Steelers as they have the Browns, whereas the Ravens have the Bengals, who they’ve already beaten once this year. The Bengals, so close to being dominant were unable to beat the Ravens or the Steelers this year and need a win here to get into the playoffs. Well, a loss might do it – but everyone else would have to lose too. Sadly, I don’t think that the Bengals will be able to beat the Ravens this year. They just aren’t there yet. The defensive pressure is too much for Dalton at this point. He does tend to make good decisions when under pressure, so that helps. But I’m taking the Ravens to win. The AFC Wild-Card is still up for grabs.

Pittsburgh at Cleveland Line: -0.0
I looked twice, that line seemed to be for real. Even though the Steelers absolutely have to win to get the division and not a wild-card spot. Even with a Ravens loss and a Steelers loss, the Ravens hold the tiebreaker over the Steelers since they beat them twice this year. The Browns have had a disappointing season to say the least, always finding a way to lose late in the game rather than a way to win. They blew their chance against the Ravens last week when they were drawn offsides on a 4th and 2 with two minutes left in the game, essentially handing the Ravens the win. Pathetic. I’m not counting them out against the Steelers, I just can’t pick them. Ah hell, Browns to magically win at home, but just cause Ben will probably still be out or at least only take half the snaps.

Kansas City at Denver Line: -3.5
Like I said in the open, the clocks stopped on Tebow Time last week. For some reason Fox abandoned the read option midway through the game and let the Bills defensive backs settle into their own read option, reading where Tebow was being forced to throw the ball. So the Chiefs come into town, and look at that – it’s Kyle Orton, formerly traded from the the Bears to the Broncos then waived earlier this year in favor of Tebow. Will Orton get his revenge on the team that cast him out and cast them out of the playoffs? A Denver loss and Oakland win will do just that. The only chance Denver has is to win. The Chiefs are going to make that tough, but I think the Broncos get a lead early and keep it. Broncos at home.

San Diego at Oakland Line: -3.0
The Chargers, who took a serious beating last week at the hands of the Lions, look to finish their season on a high note by playing spoiler for the Raiders. The Raiders need to win and hope the Broncos lose in order to make the playoffs, which is a tough scenario for a team that had so much promise in the first half of the season. Plagued by injuries and penalties they were unable to overcome but still have a chance. Last week one of the things I guaranteed happens in December didn’t happen, well, neither of them happened, but relevant to this – Rivers lost. Do I think he loses again in the month of December? Nope. Because football is on Sunday, which is the 1st of January. I’m taking the Chargers to win and send the Broncos to the playoffs.

Seattle at Arizona Line: -3.0
The Cardinals season fell short, the Seahawks season fell short. I guess 7-9 wasn’t going to do it this year (as it did last year.) So now both these teams are out and this game is just for shits and giggles. It is the difference between a losing and winning season though, so they’ll be out there, playing hard or whatever. Who cares? I can’t find myself every caring about these teams. Um, Seahawks to win.

Dallas at NY Giants Line: -2.5
This game is awesome. I love that it’s the last game of the season, I love that neither of these half ass teams have made the playoffs yet and it comes down to this. I love that Romo has a hurt hand. I love that Eli can look amazing one week, then throw four interceptions the next. I love that the Eagles dominated both these teams yet will not win the division or get into the playoffs. Two weeks ago (I think) I predicted that the Giants would beat the Cowboys in Dallas (they did) and the Cowboys will win in New York. So, Cowboys to win.

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 14
2. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 16
3. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 15

"Hey buddy. Hey buddy. IHOP after the game? You know it."

Sigh. Last week was terrible, for pretty much everyone I think. Who saw all those upsets coming? I went 7-9, which I suppose is respectable. I mean, the Seahawks made the playoffs last year with the same record. There were so many upsets last week, I mean – the Packers? Who could have seen that coming. Either way, it’s a new week and I really need to make up some ground if I want a cushy new job at CBS Sports or ESPN. Which I’ll never get only going 63% on the year. Well, that’s still better than most analysts.

So the playoff picture is really fucked up this year. I mean, you have your division winners with the AFC West still mathematically up for grabs, and you have a giant battle on both sides for the wild-card with about thirty billion different scenarios. It should be an interesting week of football. Don’t forget, games are on Saturday this week, not Sunday because of your Christian god and Santa and what not. Also, no one gives a shit about the NBA. On with the picks!

Featured Game

New York at NY Jets Line: -3.0
This game, as Rex Ryan seems to think, is going to be war. The Giants looked like shit last week as Eli threw three interceptions and the defense rolled over like bitches to the Redskins. The Giants seemed to defer the division to the Cowboys with relative ease. Same for the Jets, who kept the Eagles hopes alive by playing like absolute shit. So what happened to the New York teams? They both get a home game here, so there should be some fights in the crowd for sure. They both have QB’s on the cusp of greatness, though Eli obviously is the better QB most days. Both of them tend to make horrible decisions under pressure, but only one of them has the two minute drill down pat, and that’s Eli. I think the Jets will go up early, only to lose late. The Giants have to win this game if they want to have a chance at the playoffs, and win next week, and hope the Cowboys lose. Giants to win.

Tailgate City (The Rest)

Houston at Indianapolis Line: +6.0
Wade Phillips needs to ask for a huge raise. These two teams have shown how important one man can be to a whole team, to a season. However, only one has locked up the playoffs for the first time in their existence, and that would be the Texans. A week after sealing the deal and without Wade Phillips coaching the defense, the Texans suffered a huge upset at the hands of the Panthers, just rolling over on the defensive side of the ball. The fans were booing in Texas (they made it to the playoffs – shut the fuck up!) This week, going in to face the one win Colts (on a precarious ledge between winning too many games and losing enough to secure the 1st pick in the draft) they shouldn’t have any issues. The Colts offense doesn’t have the running attack like the Panthers. The Colts need to lose anyway. They don’t want to I’m sure. But they have one win and the Rams and Vikings each have two. So, they need to stay at one to get “Luck”y. Texans to win on the road.

Denver at Buffalo Line: +3.0
Here’s my analysis of the Denver vs New England game. The Denver defense, stout coming into the game, clearly fell apart in the second half. How do you not cover the best receiving tight end in the league with double coverage? They did a good job of rushing Brady in the first half, then gave it up in the second. And when Bellichick declined that penalty to give the Broncos 4th and one, knowing that Fox would take the safe three points, I knew it was going to be over for the Broncos. The Broncos are the number one rushing team in the league and are you telling me they couldn’t push it one fucking yard? The haters came out immediately blaming Tebow, but he did what he could (save for the late game 30 yard sack) considering his offensive line play was terrible, even against a three man rush. The Broncos were outcoached, and that’s on Fox and the defense. Moving on, they are still leading the division and a win in Buffalo will secure that playoff spot for them as division winners. Buffalo is on a six game skid and it keeps getting worse. A snow game last week in which they usually win, they didn’t. They are terrible right now, and I expect that to continue. Time to rebuild – again. Denver to win on the road.

Arizona at Cincinnati Line: -4.5
A lot of teams, especially in the NFC are still in the “hunt” for the playoffs – at least statistically. The Cardinals being a prime example. If they win out, and every one around them loses, they could be hitting a wild-card spot. But a lot of pieces need to fall into place. This team is not to be counted out, as the Browns learned last week. But that was the Browns, who are coached idiotically. Do not punt directly to the hottest punt return man in the league! The Bengals are unfortunately going to be shut out of the playoffs, sucks for them after their hot start. Dalton has matured into quite the starting QB and shouldn’t have much trouble at home picking apart the Cardinals secondary. The question is, can the Bengals secondary cover Fitzgerald? Bengals to win, barely.

Jacksonville at Tennessee Line: -9.5 UPSET SPECIAL!!
Well, if the Titans have achieved anything this year it was handing the Colts their first (and possibly only) win of the season. Good on them. Someone needed to. It was getting depressing. The Titans looked lethargic at best, apparently they forgot at that point they still had a shot at the playoffs, not anymore. The good news is, we won’t have to see Hasselbeck limping around the field as they are sure to give Locker some playing time. The Jags, well, they had a forgettable season even though MJD had a great year. I’d look for him to rack up some yards in this game, as the Titans run defense has totally fallen apart late in the season. I’m taking the Jags to win, just because they have absolutely nothing to lose and seem to be on again/off again and this should be an on week. Jags on the road.

Oakland at Kansas City Line: -1.0
Mathematically, and pending a Denver loss (which hopefully won’t happen) both these teams are still in the running for a playoff spot. While the Raiders are on a clear slide, the Chiefs beat the Packers. They did it with defense and Romeo Crennel should get coach of the year for that shit. Or at least a full time job. Either way, the Chiefs aren’t the best offensive team, but the Raiders aren’t either. In fact, the only thing the Raiders are good at lately are committing penalties. I’m looking for this game to be no different and the outcome to be determined on penalties and turnovers. Flip a coin. I’m taking the Chiefs at home.

Miami at New England Line: -10.5
No surprise that Miami swept the Bills this year, and no surprise that the Patriots beat the Broncos proper right? Even though I picked the Broncos, but it still wasn’t surprising. As well as Miami is playing right now, and as much as I’d love to pick an upset here it’s not going to happen. Brady and team are setting all kinds of records offensively and should continue against the inconsistent Miami defense. I see no reason why this won’t be a high scoring game though, so look for some fun touchdowns and for Miami to stay in the game through at least three quarters. Patriots to win at home.

St. Louis at Pittsburgh Line: -16.0
For some reason, the Rams beating the Saints is still somewhere in our minds and that should give hope to Rams fans, but it doesn’t. They are terrible from front to back and this week should be no different. The pressure from the Steelers defense will be unbearable for the offense. While the Steelers got whipped in San Francisco, that was clearly a superior defensive team. Too bad they won’t meet in the playoffs. Steelers to win easy at home.

Minnesota at Washington Line: -6.5
The Redskins should be happy with themselves. While still having no shot at a division they have no general business being in (cause they suck and there should be a division for teams like this so they can wallow in their suckiness) they sure did muck up the Giants chances last week. Of course, they were assisted by Eli Manning throwing them the ball plenty of times. I think they win again this week against a Vikings team that has struggled to get anything going this year, getting blown out last week against the Saints. They have hope though, as Ponder and Webb make a good one-two combo at QB. Now, if only one of them was good enough to win a game. Redskins to win at home.

Tampa Bay at Carolina Line: -7.5
The Bucs are terrible. There was a report on the radio that the GM calls down plays to Rahim Morris during the game. What kind of undermining bullshit is that? No wonder they can’t get anything done on the field. They are a disappointment to the league and to the city of Tampa. They may as well switch their jerseys back to the old creamsicles and call it a day. Panthers to win in dominant fashion.

Cleveland at Baltimore Line: -13.0
Someone at work said they had a hard time making this pick because of the way the Ravens played last week against the Chargers. I said are you kidding me? Look at the way the Browns have played all season long! They constantly find ways to lose games, most recently kicking to the best punt returner in the league this year. Morons. Colt is out and Seneca is in, and that shouldn’t give Browns fans anything to hope for at this moment. Meanwhile, the Ravens with Ray Lewis back are losing again. I wonder if he’s shoving aside defensive linemen to try and make every play himself, because whatever he’s doing, it ain’t helping. The Ravens need a big win and this one should be big. Ravens at home.

San Diego at Detroit Line: -3.0
There are two things that are certain in December. One, is that it’s the holidays and you’ll be getting tons of holiday cheer and your once a year Christmas blow job. The second, is that Philip Rivers is nearly unstoppable in December. He continued his tear last weak, beating the Ravens in glorious fashion, making Norv Turner actually look good for once. I think that the Chargers roll into Detroit and pull off another big win, really throwing a wrench into the possibility of the Lions making the playoffs. Chargers to win.

Philadelphia at Dallas Line: -3.0
Let’s see, as much as I want the Eagles to be out of the playoff conversation, this division sucks just enough for them to still be in it. Their only shot is if both the Cowboys and the Giants drop their next two, and the Eagles win their next two. The Eagles hold the tiebreaker, at 3-1 in the division currently. They roll in to Dallas this week, then they get Washington at home next week. So can the “dream team” do it or is their nightmare season finally coming to an end in Dallas? Some pundits have said Romo has had a career season, I say he’s overrated and generally shit, yet, he’s currently helming a division leading team and slaughtered a very crappy Bucs team last week. Dallas making the playoffs seemed the most likely scenario but man, the Eagles have finally got their shit together and are looking like the dream team we were promised. The Cowboys defense has really not played up to expectations and they really need to be on this game. I predicted the Cowboys would win the division, and picking the Eagles here would bounce that prediction unless the Eagles were to lose to Washington next week. The Eagles are playing too good right now, Eagles to win on the road and totally muck up the division.

San Francisco at Seattle Line: +1.5
This is the thought in the Seahawks locker room. If Atlanta, Detroit, Arizona & Chicago don’t win any more games, and the Hawks win their last two they could make the playoffs. Here’s reality, they won’t get past the Niners. Not on a good day. While they went to town on the Bears last week, the Niners are not the Bears and are lights out on defense. Did you see how they beat the Steelers? Defensive pressure. The Niners still have something to play for, and that’s a first round bye. It’s between them and the Saints for that. Of course, the Saints haven’t even technically won their division yet. They will. The Niners should dominate in this game and put the Seahawks out of their misery.

Chicago at Green Bay Line: -13.0
It’s amazing that with Cutler out this long that Martz hasn’t made any adjustments in the offensive game plan to make it any easier for Caleb Hanie. That’s why the Bears haven’t won at all since Cutler has been out, the game is too complicated at this point for Hanie and the Bears have thrown away a once promising season. Sad for Bears fans, good for Packers fans as they should hope for an easy win in this one. But wait, the KC defense stepped up and showed other teams how to beat the Packers – get after Rodgers like your life depends on it. Duh. At the same time, it exposed holes in the Green Bay offensive line and they’ve had a week to fix them. I don’t think the KC win will do anything to help other teams against a normally unstoppable Green Bay offense, but it does kind of bring them down to Earth. Green Bay to win at home.

Atlanta at New Orleans Line: -7.0
Atlanta is pretty much in the playoffs, pending disaster. They have no chance at the division (well, they do but the Saints would have to lose two in a row which ain’t gonna happen,) but the Saints want that delicious home field advantage. So the Saints are going to come out firing in this one. If they get a big lead, will they rest Drew Brees and prevent him from breaking Marino’s record? I doubt it. That’s just not the way Sean Peyton coaches this team. This should be a nice back and forth game, another good Monday night match-up worth watching. The Falcons though, while they can suffer a loss and still be in a good position for the playoffs could stand to get another win just to be sure. Of course, for them to get knocked out of the playoffs a lot of other shit around the NFC has to go down, which is possible based on the match-ups this week. I’m sticking with the Saints though, who are actually looking better than the Packers.

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 14
2. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 17
3. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 10

Overrated.

I went 13-3 last week, which brings me to 134-74 (64%) on the season. That’s not too shabby. I’d like to finish above 65% so the next couple weeks are going to be paramount. I would have done better last week, but for some reason I forgot that the Chargers turn it on in December and the Bills suck right now. Meh, such is life. So this week we have a Thursday night game and a Saturday night game. Neither of which I’ll probably be watching. If it ain’t on RedZone then forget it. Except for the first time this season there is a Monday night game worth watching.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, this year this column will end the week after the Superbowl like previous years, but I’m going to do something different than “the Week in Sports” because frankly, I don’t give a shit about the NBA. Really, I don’t. Quit talking to me about it. On with the picks!

Featured Game

NY Jets at Philadelphia Line: -3.0
This weeks featured game was a tough one. Most of the match-ups are winners versus losers, save for the Monday night game and a couple others. Here’s the reason I chose to highlight this game – because I’m tired of the fucking Eagles. The Eagles, while winning last week, are terribly overrated and have pissed me off since day one. First, that dirtbag Vick gets a huge contract (and Tebow gets railed for running around) and then they start losing. Yet, they are still constantly in the playoff conversation. Why? Why are they still talking about the Eagles like they are going to make the playoffs? Even now, they are still in the conversation. I don’t want them to be in the conversation anymore. Last week the Jets put it on strong and layed down a whupping. I think they roll like that again this week. The key is going to be stopping the running game of the Eagles which isn’t that bad. So I’m taking the Jets to win on the road and for the love of all that is holy, take the Eagles out of any conversation except the biggest busts of the year.

Tailgate City (The Rest)

Jacksonville at Atlanta Line: -11.5
Don’t let the Jags domination over the Bucs lull you into a false sense of anything. The Bucs were unable to stop MJD and his four touchdowns. However, if he has a repeat performance you could be looking at a near upset here. It took all of four quarters for the Falcons to get control of the run defense against the Panthers, relying on the quick play of Matt Ryan and the offense to make up the deficit and pull off the win. Yes, the Falcons will probably jump out to an early lead here, nullifying a slow running game build-up on the Jags side. If the Jags can somehow get out in front first, perhaps they can compete and control the tempo. I don’t see that happening though. Atlanta to win at home.

Dallas at Tampa Bay Line: +7.0
Both these teams had laughable games last week. The Bucs because they totally got smoked by the inferior Jags, and the Cowboys because a week after icing their own kicker, he gets iced and blocked by the opposing team. Up until that point, the Cowboys were just getting lucky. The most overrated team in the league. Good thing they get to play the Bucs. The first and last time I went to a Bucs game it was a season opener against the Cowboys in which the Bucs got pistol whipped up and down the field. I don’t see this contest being any different. The Bucs have been a disappointment all season. What went wrong? Blount is having a good year, but the offense isn’t rallying around him. And the defense is not winning the takeaway game. Dallas to win on the road.

Miami at Buffalo Line: +1.5
Ah, this was always one of my favorite match-ups year in and year out. Recently, it’s been a little stale. The Dolphins surprised me last week – by losing. One of the three games I was wrong on. I really thought they could keep up their win streak. But perhaps Sporano already knew he was out. But it wasn’t coaching, it was mistake after mistake and really shoddy defense. They looked like the Bills look now, which should make this an interesting match-up this week. If the Dolphins come in hot, they can win easy. If the Bills get back to early season form, then perhaps they’ll win. This game could literally go either way. But then, so could every single game every single week. Buffalo to win just cause it’ll be cold out.

Seattle at Chicago Line: -3.5
In Barber’s defense, he was heading for a seam up the sideline and was pushed out. Momentum carried him out of bounds. Of course, he should have been running towards the middle of the field, but instinct took over. The fumble, can’t forgive that. Gotta protect the ball late in the game. Really though, neither Gould or Prater hit those field goals if the game had been in Chicago. The thin mountain air is what killed the Bears. Not to mention the early ground and pound. The scrappy Seahawks are riding in, coming in off another big win. Of course, the Bears are not the Rams and their defense can be stifling. Does Lynch still have it in him to push through the Chicago defense? The Chicago running game is dead, so they have to rely on Hanie since I don’t think Cutler is coming back yet. This should be a fun game, but this is the time of year the percentages really favor the home team. Bears to win at home.

Tennessee at Indianapolis Line: +6.5
Can the Colts rise up and play spoiler? The Titans are less than quietly rising up in the AFC wild-card chase, and still have a pretty good shot at nabbing a playoff spot. However, they still have some hurdles, eh, who am I kidding? The Colts run defense is non-existent and Chris Johnson is finally back up to speed. He’s going to tear apart the Colts on the ground. I bet he runs for 200+ yards easy. Jake Locker will be in at QB this week, wait, are the Titans still in it? I dunno. I don’t feel like pulling up the rankings. Either way, they’ll win. Titans on the road.

Green Bay at Kansas City Line: +14.0
Todd Hailey is out. Who cares? He had a terrible record in his short tenure at KC. This team is a mess. How much do I need to write here? Green Bay will be 18-1 this year, after Tebow beats them in the Superbowl with a last second jump pass at the goal line. This week, Green Bay to win. They could play their practice squad guys and still win.

Cincinnati at St. Louis Line: +7.0
The Bengals had the game well in hand last week, what happened? How did they let a rookie QB drive the length of the field to win the game with a wide open touchdown pass? Well, it’s all about defense. On that last drive, the Texans came right at the Bengals secondary, shooting the gap and taking advantage of the prevent defense. The prevent defense only prevents you from winning! The Bengals were rushing Yates, thinking he would make a mistake or take a sack – he didn’t. The Bengals failed on defense late in the game, when it mattered most. Which is why they haven’t beaten the Steelers or Ravens this year. They can’t compete at a high level. Thankfully for them, they’ll be competing at a low level this week when they visit the struggling Rams. But remember, the Rams throttled the Saints this year, and while that might have been a fluke, they can get it going on defense when they need to. But Dalton is a smart rookie QB with adequate protection. I think the Bengals win, but on the luck of a late field goal.

New Orleans at Minnesota Line: +7.0
The Saints, well, you can’t count them out of a game. That’s for sure. Brees got a bit flustered last week against the Titans, but prevailed late. It was interesting seeing the Saints playing from behind, but really not switching up their game plan. Sproles is a very explosive player and he’s going to tear up the field against the Vikings. The thing is, the Vikings don’t really suck. Ponder has done a great job this year, but had a bad game last week. He was relieved by Joe Webb who nearly led his team to a win. That last bullshit non-call on the facemask that caused the fumble is the only reason the Vikings didn’t pull out a win against the once great (this year at least) Lions. I’m trying to talk myself into picking an upset here, but I can’t realistically do that. The Saints have too much offensive power to lose to the Vikings. Unlike the Lions, who have one premier receiver (Megatron) and covering him mucks up the whole offensive plan. The Saints have too many weapons for that to work. Saints on the road.

Washington at NY Giants Line: -7.0
The word “elite” has been thrown around lately in the same sentence as the word “Eli.” Is Manning really an elite QB? His last minute comeback against Dallas (aided by a blocked field goal) would suggest to me that he is. This isn’t the first time he’s done that for sure. With Peyton out, probably forever, we only have one Manning to look forward to watching on Sundays, so he better fucking be elite. This isn’t the McCown family we’re talking about here. The Redskins are terrible. Seriously. They can find a way to lose a game like no other team and it all continuously comes down to shitty play calling and lapses on defense. They had the Patriots, but surely couldn’t close or hold the game. They play division rival Giants, they lose. Giants to win.

Carolina at Houston Line: -6.5
Wade Phillips is out for two games. I know that might not matter to you, but he’s brought this team from the 30th ranked defense to the 2nd ranked defense in the span of a season. That’s important, especially now that the Texans have made the playoffs for the first time ever. So do they need to keep winning? They certainly do. The Panthers roll in, hot after a loss to the Falcons. Again, too many mistakes and holes on defense kept the Panthers from the win. Newton looked good, but was chased the whole game. He’s gonna have to be wearing his running shoes against the Texans for sure. In fact, I think there is a whipping in the making here. Newton and his overconfidence will be shut down against the front of the Texans defense. No matter what week it is in the NFL, every team wants to win. I just don’t think the Panthers will this week. Houston at home.

Detroit at Oakland Line: +1.0
Detroit now, is a joke. I picked them and their dirty ass defense to win last week just cause they were at home. That late facemask should have given the Vikings another shot to pull off the win, but it wasn’t flagged. Lame. This week, they travel to Oakland, who got flogged by the Packers last week. But that was the Packers. The Raiders are falling apart however, everywhere from Carson Palmer on down. His play has been mediocre at best and the running game left with McFadden. The only highlight is a snippet of pass rush which was non-existent against Green Bay. So can the Raiders entertain the home crowd with a win against a dirty team? Since both teams are near the top of the most penalized list, this should be a nice, violent game. Oakland to win at home, just cause they are at home.

New England at Denver Line: +7.0 UPSET SPECIAL!!
You had to see this one coming right? I’ve been riding the Tebow train since it left the station and there is no way I’m going to stop now. Last week he stated in the after game press conference that it wasn’t “Tebow Time,” it was Bronco Time. He blamed his team for the win, taking little credit yet still has a large chunk of haters. I don’t get it. The guy is class act. He’s mind fucking the entire league. Now, if only he could play 4th quarter football the entire game. Actually, it’s not that. The Broncos pound opposing defenses with a constant running attack the first three quarters, so when the 4th comes around the defense is tired and worn out and that opens up the passing game. Hence Tebows amazing stats in the second half versus the first. Now they have one of the worst defenses rolling into town, with one of the best offenses. I fully expect coach Fox to have made the appropriate adjustments. I’d look for Tebow to be passing early, when the Patriots are expecting the run. I could be wrong, but as long as the Denver defense keeps up the pressure on Brady I see the Broncos prevailing here. The Patiots nearly gave the game away to the Redskins last week, because of the horrid defense. The Broncos are playing much better than the Skins. Doesn’t matter, Denver to win at home.

Cleveland at Arizona Line: -6.5 CRAPFEST OF THE WEEK!!
Meh. Who cares? Ok, fine. The Cardinals surprised pretty much everyone last week beating the Niners. I’m thinking that was more of a lapse on the Niners than the Cardinals (who are still inexplicably in the playoff hunt) stepping up. The fact is, Larry Fitzgerald is a beast. The dude was catching balls that should not have been caught by any normal human being. Without him, Arizona does not win that game or even compete. It’s not like Kolb or Skelton are throwing bullets like Rodgers. Especially Skelton, who still has issues with control. The Browns are terrible, which is unfortunate because at the beginning of the season they didn’t look that terrible, especially on defense. But you know what, considering that neither of these teams is especially good on either side of the ball, I’m taking my Browns to win. Just cause.

Baltimore at San Diego Line: +1.0
This is an interesting game. The Ravens are fighting with the Steelers for control of the division. Plus, Ray Lewis comes back this week, which should step up the defense of the Ravens. Meanwhile, the Chargers are playing like they should have been all season, once again busting out in December to make a run at the division. Well, they are two games behind the Broncos but winning. Rivers is nearly unstoppable in the month of December. Can he make the playoffs this year? Can he beat the Ravens? I say yes. I say at home, in December the Chargers will prevail in this game through sheer offensive prowess.

Pittsburgh at San Francisco Line: -2.5
Finally, a good Monday night game. Limpy McRapist (Big Ben) will be without his best (and dirtiest) defensive player – James Harrison. Harrison will be serving a one game suspension for his helmet to helmet hit on Colt McCoy last week. The Steelers struggled against the Browns, unable to really punch in a running game. The Browns were unable to stop the pass attack late in the game when Ben came back into the game. The Niners lost to the Cardinals, and I still haven’t figured out why. For what I can tell, it was because Fitzgerald was taller than everyone in the Niners secondary. That will be the case again against the Steelers secondary and while the Niners can stop the run, they might have some trouble against the passing attack of the Steelers. I know the Niners are favored in this game, but they might be a bit on the relax in the back of their heads due to already clinching the division. Steelers to win on the road.

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 17
2. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 17
3. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 16

Doesn't matter who wins. They'll lose to the Packers anyway.

Only four weeks left in the NFL season. The first of many tears has already started to fall from my baby blue eyes. Not just because the NFL is going to be done soon, but because I have to put up with constant NBA highlights. I was really hoping that the NBA would not be coming back, but it is. At least there is hockey and baseball starts in April. I’m thinking too far ahead. For now, we still have four weeks of the regular season and the playoffs to get through. Which means I have a column of picks to write.

Last week I didn’t do fabulous, but it was a positive week. I’m 63% on the season, which is pretty good but not as good as I want. Time to buck up and really think about these picks. Or not think about these picks. I doubt all the people at work who do better than me on their picks every other week really do much analysis. Maybe I over analyze. I have no idea. That takes too much thought to determine if I’m applying too much thought.

In more personal news, I’m currently looking for strong freelance or even part-time(ish) for hire gigs. Writing, editing, content producing, whatever. So you have a need or know someone who does, please have them contact me. That was a link. Directly to email. That’s how I roll. I’m open to anything, anywhere, any bat channel, any bat time. Enough of that, on with the picks!

Featured Game

New York at Dallas Line: -3.5
The 6-6 Giants roll in to face the 7-5 Cowboys in their first meeting this season (can you believe that?) The table for this dinner isn’t set yet, since they still have to play again in week 17. Basically it’s like this, the winner of this series is the one that makes the playoffs from this division. I’m guessing both of these teams finish 10-6. Which means what for this prediction? It means that the Giants win this week and Dallas wins the next match-up in New York? I guess that’s what it means. Which means divisional record is the tie breaker. At the beginning of the season I picked the Cowboys to win the division, and I’m sticking with that. However, I think they way the Giants played against the Packers and all season is much more impressive than the Cowboys. To this point, and this week – the Giants win. Needless to say, I’ll probably be picking the Cowboys in week 17. Giants on the road by a field goal or less.

Tailgate City (The Rest)

Cleveland at Pittsburgh Line: -14.0
For some reason I picked Cleveland last week. As a lifelong Browns fan I should have known better that even at home, they weren’t going to beat their former incarnation in the Ravens. Instead, they got pistol whipped like they were wandering the streets of Cincinnati. The Ravens worked them in every aspect of the game, there were no bright points. It was sad. It’ll be even sadder this week as they visit Pittsburgh. Traditionally, the Steeler vs. Browns match-up is a good game, but there is so much disparity between these two teams over the last couple years that there is no doubt that the Steelers will dominate the Browns. After watching the Steelers run, pass and score at will against the Bengals last week, the Browns don’t stand a chance. Steelers at home.

Houston at Cincinnati Line: -1.0
The Texans are continuously overcoming serious injuries to keep in the game for the playoffs. They have the Titans to watch for, at only two games behind, but they are playing pretty well considering. Yates isn’t terrible and held it together after Johnson was sidelined again this season. The victory over the Falcons was a win for the defense as well, missing Mario Williams. In a year this defense (overall) went from 30th to second. Good job Wade Phillips. The Bengals, while still looking average on both sides of the ball, couldn’t get past the true division test in the Steelers and Ravens. They’ll miss the playoffs. But the Dalton to Green connection is getting exciting to watch. I’m down with that for the future. I think Houston rolls in this week and pulls off a mild upset to secure their spot in the playoffs. Houston on the road.

Minnesota at Detroit Line: -0.0
The downfall of the Lions has almost been as exciting to watch as their surprise start to the season. Schwartz doesn’t seem to care that his team (even without Suh) is committing penalty after penalty, a lot of them in the area of personal fouls. Morons. Their drubbing by the Saints knocked them off the shelf of elite teams for good this season. They really can’t turn it around. The Saints showed that simple double coverage on Megatron really mucks up the offense. Minnesota has a competent defense and I think they can do the same. Losing last week to the Denver Tebows was tough, but the offense turned the ball over at some crucial moments. This should be an interesting game, and I think that if Detroit keeps up it’s penalty ridden ways, the Vikings win this game. Otherwise the Lions win. Do I have to pick a winner with a zero line? Fine. Detroit at home.

New Orleans at Tennessee Line: +4.0
The Titans aren’t out the playoff hunt yet, but they are hoping they continue to be underestimated. Now that CJ2K is finally finding the holes to punch through, they have stepped up their game a notch. 153 yards and two TD’s against Buffalo, and a week before also racking up huge yards it’s undeniable that Johnson is back. Hasselbeck is playing better, finding targets but still managing to throw it to the defense every once in a while. Finding those holes against the Saints defense might prove to be difficult, and they’ll need to if they hope to keep up with the offense. I’m taking the Saints in this game just cause they are the much better team, but I expect the Titans to make it interesting.

Philadelphia at Miami Line: -3.0
Aside from the Lions the other most exciting collapse to watch is that of the Eagles. McCoy is having a great season on the ground, but it doesn’t matter. Vince Young throws interception after interception and Vick can never get the game moving like he promised. It’s a disaster in Philly. Will Andy Reid be out of a job at the end of the season even considering his winning history with the team? Vick was a mistake. Meanwhile, Matt Moore, previously undrafted, will have every right to ask for a nice new contract at the end of the season, regardless of the coach. Assuming he keeps winning. They could finish 8-8, which considering their start would be great for the Dolphins. Reggie Bush has found new life in Miami and I think the Philly defense doesn’t put the brakes on the Dolphins winning ways. Fins to win at home.

Kansas City at NY Jets Line: -9.0
A 38 yard hail mary mixed in with terrible offense, terrible defense and a non-existent running game created a win. An improbable win, but a win and a loss for the Bears. The Chiefs are treading water, with no chance at a winning season and just a sad, sad year. The Jets shouldn’t have a problem with the visiting team this week, since unlike the Bears their team is more than just two guys. Of course, the Jets are the kings of week to week inconsistency on defense and offense, but if even one of those sides sparks just a bit, the win should come easy. Jets to win at home.

New England at Washington Line: +9.0
The difference between the Packers defense and the Patriots defense is turnover margin. While both allow a good chunk of scoring, the Packers defense forces a lot of turnovers that result, either directly or indirectly (in the hands of the offense) in points. The Patriots defense is horrid, making the Colts look moderately good in the passing game last week. This is going to cost them in the playoffs, when they have to face teams like the Ravens or Steelers that can easily take advantage of those defensive holes. I think even Washington this week takes advantage and keeps the game close. while they lost their shoes to the Jets, for the first half of the game they looked like they were in it. Obviously, Patriots to win these week, but they don’t make it look easy.

Atlanta at Carolina Line: +3.0
Cam Newton, rookie of the year? That’s the consideration, though wouldn’t the biggest an impact a player could have on a team be winning? He’s doing a little bit of that, but the best that the Panthers can hope for is a third place finish in the division. The future looks bright for this team and if they can beat Atlanta this week, perhaps the immediate future will look real bright. The Falcons lost against Houston with the inability to run against that defense and a late penalty killed the tying drive. The Panthers don’t have that strong of a defense, and while they whipped up on the Bucs last week, that was the Bucs. Look for the Panthers to come out on all cylinders, but the Falcons to prevail late or in overtime. Falcons to win.

Tampa Bay at Jacksonville Line: +1.0 CRAPFEST OF THE WEEK!!
Chance are that wherever you are in the country this game will be blacked out, thank your lucky stars for that. The Jaguars seemed like they could get something together after inexplicably beating the Ravens but never did. Getting whupped by the Chargers on Monday night was just another nail in the coffin for Del Rio. What? Del Rio is already gone? Oh. Yeah. MJD will run all over the Bucs. This is the point in the season where it gets hard to pick game cause the match-ups are either too good, or too shitty to care about. Let’s be analytical here though. The Bucs run defense, as Carolina proved, is shit. That’s the ONE highlight of the Jags. Jags to win at home.

Indianapolis at Baltimore Line: -17.0
For a team that competed with the Patriots, a seventeen point line has got to be an insult right? Well, consider that while the Patriots have shitty pass defense, the Ravens have a superior pass and rush defense. Now that Flacco has finally learned to hand the ball to Ray Rice more often, the Ravens are looking unstoppable. I mean, at for the moment. The playoffs could be another issue altogether. The Colts, in their “suck for luck” campaign have some hope in Dan Orlovsky – just kidding. Remember him from the 0-16 Lions? Yeah, that’s probably some bad karma right there. I’d be surprised if Peyton is even on the Colts staff next year and not working the sideline with his brother as a QB coach or something. Ravens to win.

Chicago at Denver Line: -3.5 UPSET SPECIAL!!
I realize that this isn’t a true upset special, as the line favors the Broncos – but no one else does. Many of us who have man love for Tim Tebow are rooting for the Broncos, but the haters are just waiting for him to fail. If he makes it to the playoffs (and he will) they’ll be biting their lips waiting to see if he blows it. And if he does (he won’t) they’ll accuse him of not being clutch or whatever. The haters (including Elway) will find a way to bring Tebow down. But he won’t have any of it. It’s not about him, and he’s made that clear. Last week it was about him in the second half though, with 202 yards passing and 2 TD’s. He only rushed four times during the game. Surprised? The Bears will be too. John Fox has done an excellent job adjusting the offense to his QB’s strengths, rather than forcing him to learn a new system mid-season. Coach of the year for sure. Meanwhile, Martz as offensive coordinator for the Bears has done a shitty job adjusting anything for the constantly struggling Caleb Hanie. His “west coast” offense is not eay for a rookie to pick up, much less mid-season. Perhaps Cutler comes back this game, perhaps not but with Forte out for the season most likely – the Bears are done. Doesn’t matter, I was going to pick the Broncos no matter what. Broncos at home.

San Francisco at Arizona Line: +4.0
With a month to go in the season, the Niners have already locked up the division, even though technically Arizona and the Seahawks are in the wild-card hunt (is the NFC that bad this year?) That being said, while Arizona pulled off an improbable victory against the Cowboys, attempting to do that against the Niners is going to be a bit more difficult. The Niners defense is tighter than a… I’ll leave that metaphor to your imagination. The Cardinals won by finding the glaring holes in the Cowboys run defense and because Romo sucks. The Niners keep winning on great defense and killer passing from young Alex Smith who is on his way to the NFC Championship game against the Packers. Niners to win.

Oakland at Green Bay Line: -11.5
Meh. The Packers might toy with the Raiders for a little while, letting them score some points. The defense might give up some points, but they can score too. The Raiders have been decimated with injuries and penalties. That ass kicking they took at the hands of the Dolphins also helped them lose their standing in the division. They aren’t out of it yet, but they are this week. The Packers are unstoppable, especially by an inferior team like the Raiders. Should be fun for Palmer, just cause he gets to meet Rodgers, the QB that Palmer could have been had he been just a tad better. Packers to win.

Buffalo at San Diego Line: -7.0
What to say about the Bills? I think the loss of Fred Jackson hurt this team more than previously assumed. Spiller has been carrying the load, and doing alright, but the offense hasn’t been the same. Not to mention the defense suddenly giving up big plays late in the game. Last week against the Titans they gave up tons of yards to CJ2K and while the Chargers don’t have explosive a runner, Tolbert isn’t terrible in the backfield. The question for the Chargers is the consistency, something that hasn’t been there. Breaking a six game losing streak the Chargers now absolutely have to win to think about breaking even for the season. I’m taking the Bills in this game just because I don’t think the Chargers are for real this season. I could be wrong, because the Chargers have “charged” up late in the season in previous seasons, only to fall short come the playoffs. But those charges were contingent on the Broncos losing, which I don’t think they are going to do. Bills to somehow prevail on the road.

St. Louis at Seattle Line: -0.0
Meh. The Rams are nothing short of terrible, and the Seahawks somehow still have a chance at making the playoffs. They beat the Eagles, but so what? The Rams shouldn’t be much of a challenge, but who knows with this team? Taking the home team cause it’s easy. Seahawks at home.

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 16
2. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 17
3. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 11

Tebowing. All the kids are doing it.

How was your Thanksgiving? Did the themed post last week do you right? I sure hope so. I went a mildly exciting 11-5 in my picks last week. That brings me to 64% on the season, so that’s not too shabby. Another couple good weeks and I could easily be up around 67%. That’s important to me. Well, now that we are at Week 13, some of my playoff predictions are looking like they are coming true, some other ones are looking like complete busts. I do what I can.

So once again, the big talk this week is about Tim Tebow winning another game, this time against the struggling Chargers. How is Norv Turner still a coach in the NFL? The guy is terrible. The Denver defense has to be given full credit for giving Tebow the opportunity (several times) to win the game. I don’t think it’s just a matter of “stepping up,” I think that these guys, Von Miller and crew, are just getting that much better. With the defense performing as it is, and Tebow being Tebow and coach Fox running with it, it would not surprise me if the Broncos steal the division from the Raiders.

This is the part of the season where it gets really hard to make accurate picks, mostly because there are teams I WANT to win so other teams miss the playoffs. This causes me, and many other pundits, to make mistakes with the picks and over analyze things. Whatever. I picked Miami to beat the Cowboys last week. They lost by one fucking point. But had they won, I would have looked like a freaking genius. Now you see why I can’t pick against Tim Tebow the rest of the year, the same reason why his haters can’t stop hating. They are worried that if they do, their hate will be proven right after they’ve switched sides.

Featured Game

Denver at Minnesota Line: -1.0
What can I say? Tebow is the real deal. I pointed out last week that his stats were better than Elway in his first eight games. He plays on Sunday, yet the haters still line up to bring him down. The guy plays for his team, and as proven by a recent locker room speech, is an inspiration. In fact, I just made my own Tebow to sit on my desk and inspire me all day long. He’s humble, hard working and giving. In every interview he credits his team for the wins, rather than himself, and that’s true. The defense has stepped up lately, notching them another win. So now they travel to face the Vikings, who are doing horribly under another rookie QB, but one that is getting the accolades that Tebow isn’t because he’s a better passer – but he’s losing! Ponder isn’t terrible, and he’s developing a rythm with his receivers, but it’s not enough. And with Peterson injured (he’s best to stay injured to avoid risking further injury) the Vikings are done. Their defense can still stand up, but that’s not enough, not against the Tebow magic. I can’t pick against him at this point. Whatever it is, he’s got it. Broncos to win on the road.

Tailgate City (The Rest)

Philadelphia at Seattle Line: +2.5 CRAPFEST OF THE WEEK!!
The Eagles are done. Put a fork in them. Andy Reid will be out of a job next year and whomever gave that huge contract to Vick should be shot in the thigh. Vince Young has been under center the last two games, and while he hasn’t been doing terrible, it hasn’t been enough. Getting torn apart by the Patriots last week didn’t help. The Seahawks suffered a similar fate, simply rolling over on defense and playing like a limp rag. This team has just given up, and that was evident on the offensive side of the ball. No running game, absolutely no deep passing game either. Thankfully, this match-up means nothing and it’s on Thursday night, so I don’t even have to watch it. Eagles to win by a narrow margin. Though I want to pick the Hawks, just so the Eagles sink further.

Tennessee at Buffalo Line: -1.5
The Titans are not out of it yet. They still have a slight chance to keep winning and beat out Houston, provided the Texans lose a few games. I don’t think that is going to happen though. The Titans played a terrible game last week with tons of turnovers and sloppy play by Hasselbeck. I don’t think he does good in the weather. They gave the Bucs every chance to win. I really think they should give Jake Locker the ball for the rest of the season, especially this week out in the cold at Buffalo. The Bills are off to a disappointing finish, all but eliminated from the playoffs after a hot start. Winning against the Jets would have helped, but one stupid penalty and two dropped TD passes by Stevie Johnson (elite receiver you are not) gave the Jets time to come back and win. However, I still think the Bills are a good team, they just need to get their shit together. They win this week at home against the Titans.

Kansas City at Chicago Line: -7.5
This is the part of the season where I don’t feel that a 3000 word column is necessary for some of these teams. Like the Chiefs. Clearly, they are not where they want to be this year with Cassel injured and Palko at the helm. However, the rest of the team hasn’t exactly stepped up, until last week. The defense held the Steelers to a mere 16 points. That’s pretty good. Sadly, some pussy ass play calling (kicking a field goal from the Steelers 22 yard line) kept the Chiefs down. They know they are done, but the NFL won’t let them just roll over and die. Speaking about rolling over and dying, are the Bears done? Hopefully Cutler tapes up his finger and gets back in there, cause Hanie seems to enjoy throwing to the wrong team. Turnovers killed the Bears last week against the Raiders, but their defense did what it could, keeping the Raiders kicking field goals. This week, they get a respite though. Bears at home.

Oakland at Miami Line: -3.0
The Raiders are one game, one measly little game ahead of the Broncos for the AFC West. Can they hold out and take the division? Their performance against the struggling Bears was no indicator. Once in the redzone, the offense was lethargic at best. Their defense kept the Bears in the game, giving up just enough. It wasn’t a dominating performance. Meanwhile, the Dolphins had a strong showing against the much superior Cowboys but left Romo too much time at the end to drive for a game winning field goal. The Dolphins lost by one point, but the defense was strong, intercepting Romo twice. Miami is favored in this game, and I don’t think it’s too wild to suggest that they will in fact, win it. Miami at home.

Indianapolis at New England Line: -21.0
Yeah, Patriots by a bunch. Upset special! Just kidding. This classic annual match-up has no steam this year. It’s Painter vs. Brady in a showdown that will resemble Rocky vs. a hanging side of beef. The beef is gonna get tenderized. If you have any Patriots players on your fantasy team, even second stringers, play them. Some might hope that the Colts put up a fight, try to look strong but as proven last week against Carolina, they are just done. Suck for Luck right? Pats at home.

Cincinnati at Pittsburgh Line: -7.0
Last time the Bengals met the Steelers it was on their turf and guess what? They lost. They roll in after (get this) a tough win at home against the Browns. Dalton looked good, but the Browns played them tough and almost pulled off the upset, riding a tie until the last seconds. The Bengals are a surprisingly winning team, but they have benefited from not playing the Steelers or Ravens until the end of the year. Which is what is happening now. The Steelers played a tough game against the hapless Chiefs and (get this) barely won. They did though, and that’s all that matters. Expect more of the same in this game, Ben being shoved to the ground plenty, dusting off and throwing a TD to Wallace. Steelers are still too tough overall for the Bengals. The Bengals best bet is to run the ball right at the front line, who haven’t been the best against the run this year. AJ Green does have that star factor that can change a game, but I think the Steelers win out in the end. Steelers at home.

Carolina at Tampa Bay Line: -3.0
I was laughing out loud at the way the Bucs performed last week. One second, they were causing turnovers, the next they were turning the ball over. It was disgusting and laughable. Which is why I was laughing. Bucs fans have got to be frustrated with the way this team is performing, they have so many good weapons and a young defense (save for Barber,) they should be firing on all cylinders and competing with the Falcons and the Saints for the division. But they aren’t. At the beginning of the season I predicted them to make the playoffs. I’d like to amend that, and say the Panthers, who whupped up on the Colts last week, will finish ahead of the Bucs – placing them dead last. Which means the Bucs will lose the rest of their games and the Panthers won’t. Starts right here. Strong offense from Cam Newton (I would say Rookie MVP, but he’s not winning and Tebow is) will take this one from the Bucs, who won’t be able to keep up or stop the run. Panthers to win on the road.

NY Jets at Washington Line: +3.0
The Jets are still in the hunt for the playoffs after sneaking past the Bills last week, who had every opportunity to win that game. But they didn’t and now the Jets really need to get their shit together and win. They can do that at Washington if they can keep Helu in check and not piss off Grossman. Did you see him against the Seahawks last week? They challenged his shit and he drove right back down the field and made the Seahawks defense look the fool. I didn’t see that coming. Grossman can be good when he wants. The Jets defense, once the most glorious in the league is getting beat on the corners, which is odd cause that’s where their best defensive guys are. The secondary steps up, the Jets win easy. Jets to win on the road.

Atlanta at Houston Line: +3.0
Either Atlanta was toying with the vikings last week or they really did have some problems in the secondary. While the score wasn’t close in the end, and the Falcons had a great goal line stand, they allowed the Vikings to stage a comeback with some deep passing. Thankfully, the Texans are down to their third string QB in Yates and have Kellen Clemens waiting just in case Yates gets injured too. This team can’t catch a break. First Johnson, then Foster, now Schaub and Leinart. Good news for Houston, the Colts still suck. They still have the Titans nipping at their heels though. I think Atlanta takes this game just cause Matt Ryan plays like Aaron Rodgers when he’s in air conditioning. Falcons on the road, but Houston is not out of it yet.

Baltimore at Cleveland Line: +7.0 UPSET SPECIAL??
I haven’t picked an upset special yet. Could this be it? The Browns came out fighting last week against the Bengals and actually looked like they could have won, and should have. But they didn’t, losing another close game and sending the happy Bengals to Pittsburgh to lose this week. The Ravens and the Steelers are going to end up having an all out brawl for the playoffs, and the Browns are that little bug that’s in the way. They have a real chance to play spoiler right now, and I really, really want to pick them. I was just about to talk myself out of doing so, but the Ravens lost to the freaking Seahawks. Sure, they won last week, beating the second best team in the NFC. So they are hot and cold. Is this a cold week? Obviously I’m trying to talk myself into picking the Browns as this weeks upset special. Ugh. Yes, I’m picking the Browns to upset. I’ll probably regret it, but I have to.

Green Bay at NY Giants Line: +7.5
The New York Football Giants got rocked by the Saints last week. Just absolutely destroyed. Both sides of the ball the Giants weren’t playing well, though there were some bright spots with the receivers. Cruz had another good game, but turnovers and a severe lack of defense kept them from keeping in the game. But hey, they beat the Patriots right? Can they play spoiler for Green Bay? I really don’t think so. The one thing that Green Bay needed work on was the defense, and they are getting a bit better, ready for the playoffs. Magic number is three (games to win or Niners to lose) to shore up home field advantage. Green Bay is too good for the Giants, but they Giants will hang in there. Packers to win on the road.

Dallas at Arizona Line: +4.5
The Cowboys, as I predicted at the beginning of the year, are going to win the NFC East. Mark my words, do whatever you have to do. They aren’t playing lights out football, and certainly had a battle against Miami, but they are winning and that’s all that matters. With the Giants sucking a big loss and facing Green Bay this week, the Cowboys have the chance to put more distance between them and the only other team that can compete in the division. That would be the Giants. The Cowboys are offensively strong and only on defense are they showing some weakness, oh, and Romo from time to time. Traveling to Arizona shouldn’t be much of an issue though, and the defense should be able to get plenty of practice against Skelton and crew. Note to the Cowboys special teams though – do not kick directly to Patrick Peterson. Dallas to win on the road.

St. Louis at San Francisco Line: -14.0
Rams suck. I mean, really suck. They might have more wins, but they make the Colts look like a good team. Too many mistakes, dropped passes, poor pass protection, no running game (with Stephen Jackson even!) Not to mention the defense and special teams. Ugh. Niners to win. Done.

Detroit at New Orleans Line: -9.0
With Suh suspended for two games (should be the rest of the season to teach that guy a lesson) the Detroit defense is taking another hit. As dirty as he is, he’s good and is a strong reason why that defense did well for a little while. Lately, they’ve been playing with more aggression than skill and after watching the Packers pick them apart, I have little faith that they’ll be able to stop the Saints offense. Too many weapons, too much time for Drew Brees and too many awesome coaches on crutches on the sidelines. Either way, I think it’s just about time to stick in a fork in Detroit. Saints at home easy.

San Diego at Jacksonville Line: +3.0
This is the Monday night game? I’d rather someone give me a Sandusky Special. Well, maybe not, but either way – this game is shit. The Chargers are on a very special losing streak because it could be the last for Norv Turner, who should have been fired 100 games ago. Meanwhile, the Jags pulled rookie Gabbart last week in favor of Luke McCown then finally fired Jack Del Rio, then sold the team and now might move. Turmoil indeed! This is a match-up that no-one gives a shit about, which is why it’s probably the most unpredictable. The Chargers HAVE to win in order to even think about the playoffs. The Jags could really give a shit at this point, which makes them dangerous. I don’t think the Chargers, traveling from coast to coast, will be able to stop the run. MJD and the Jags win at home on Monday night.

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: One More Week
2. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 6
3. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 14

"If you drop one more pass, no Pumpkin Pie for you!!"

Happy Thanksgiving football fans. Today, of course is the day we celebrate some religiously persecuted folks and their slow but deliberate destruction of the indigenous peoples on this continent. Or something like that. Frankly, the whole thing is a bit fuzzy. All I know is that we eat a lot of Turkey, fight with our families and get completely blitzed. Oh yeah, there is also football. Three games this year, and for the first time in a long time – they don’t suck. How about that?

There is a lot of parity in the NFL this year, which probably accounts for my 101-59 (63%) record on the year. Last week I managed to pull a 10-4 week, but plenty of people at work made me look the fool with their 12-2 picks. Whatever. This week we return to 16 games, bye weeks are finally completely over (I called them over in week 10, forgetting that there were byes in week 11.) There are so many teams at 6-4 and 5-5 that it’s hard to get a good outlook for the playoffs. Teams like the Patriots could falter, while the Bills could wake the fuck up. What about the Lions? On a decline, they bounced back last week against the Panthers. You still in their camp?

Since it’s Thanksgiving, I’m going to theme todays post, just cause I can. Since this is the most awesome NFL column on the entire internets (besides TMQ) I can do that. On a side note, I’m selling some original Xbox games. Someone buy them. On another side note, I’m not making any picks this week. Instead, I’m cooking a delicious Thanksgiving dinner, 16 different and tasty dishes, laid out on the table for you to enjoy. So grab a fork, grab some peppermint schnapps and a glass of cheap ass wine. It’s time for Thanksgiving dinner!

Turkey (White Meat)

Green Bay at Detroit Line: +7.0
The undefeated Packers roll into Motown to face off with the faltering Lions. At one point, I had predicted that both these teams would be undefeated going into this game. Wouldn’t that have been something? Well, the Lions instead decided to start losing games through interceptions and terrible penalties. Last week they seemed to turn around in the second half and scoring enough points to beat the scrappy Panthers. This week however they face off against the best offense in the league. Sure, they’ll score some points and probably early, but I don’t see them ever holding a lead or winning the game. However, this is going to be a great game on the offensive side of the ball for sure. If Stafford makes the mistakes he made last week though, expect the Packers to really run away with the game. That defense, while allowing a lot of points, is unforgiving when it comes to taking advantage of turnovers. Packers to win on the road.

Honey Baked Ham

San Francisco at Baltimore Line: -4.5
A win here would be so freaking sweet for the Niners. They are headed directly for the playoffs and an East coast win against a tough team would solidify that quest. Of course, they’ve already beaten the Lions, so they’ve had a tough test. The Ravens present a different test though, but I’m not sure what it is. The Ravens run defense has been suspect of late, and the Niners run game is the best in the league. The evolution of Crabtree and Alex Smith into a dynamic duo has been fun to watch. This game also features the match-up of Harbaugh vs. Harbaugh. Which brother will win? I think it’ll once again (for the Ravens) come down to the offense, which has sputtered lately. They came alive against the Bengals just long enough to put the game away, but fought the whole time. The Niners are much better than the Bengals and this is put up or shut up time. I think the Niners put up. Niners to win on the road. Sweet.

Mashed Potatoes

Miami at Dallas Line: -7.0 UPSET SPECIAL!!
As if Thanksgiving day isn’t interesting enough with the other two games, this one is mashed right in the middle. A buttery and delicious pairing that four weeks ago we wouldn’t have given one blink about. However, the Dolphins are on a three game tear, and they are looking good doing it. Last week they plastered the Bills, while the Cowboys had to take their drama to overtime to beat the Redskins. Romo looked like he does on paper and played a good game, but the defense let the Redskins stay in the game. Matt Moore is out for some revenge against the team that drafted and waived him, but I also said the Bills would revenge against the Cowboys and they got pistol whipped. The Dolphins are playing solid defense, and this is their chance to prove that they aren’t sucking for Luck. Matt Moore could do well to land himself a starting job. So I’m taking the Dolphins to mash the Cowboys, if only by a small margin. Dolphins to upset on the road.

Turkey (Dark Meat)

Chicago at Oakland, 4:05 Line: -4.5
Do no underestimate the Raiders. While they are still back and forth on defense, they are in no way a team that should be overlooked. And yeah, a 6-5 record and the Broncos biting at their heels isn’t indicative of a full playoff ready run. The offense is starting to seriously click with Carson Palmer (go figure.) Bad news for the Bears, Jay Cutler is out, probably for the rest of the season. So backup Caleb Hanie is ready to take over the reigns. But wait, what’s this? There are reports that the Bears are looking at newly release Kyle Orton. That is not a vote of confidence in the young Hanie. In fact, it’s a bit of an insult to both Hanie and Cutler. Even though Orton has a history with the Bears, it’s too late to bring in a new QB. Hanie knows the system. We’ll see how he does against the Raiders I suppose. Plus, there are other teams higher on the waiver wire that will get first crack at Orton. More on that in a second. This game is going to be a dark, violent, evil affair down there in the pit of the Colosseum. I’m taking the Raiders to prevail in the darkness.

Stuffing

New York at New Orleans Line: -7.0
Here’s a game that really matters this week. Both teams playoff hopes are hanging in the balance and they desperately need a win to push them towards the top. The Giants looked weird last week, taking a loss off a late fumble by Eli Manning. Not sure how he didn’t see that coming. An off week for the Saints should breathe new life into an offense that hasn’t been as explosive this year as it has been in previous years. Don’t get me wrong, it’s been good just not crazy good. The Giants pass rush and run defense is going to be the key here, which means Manning needs to sustain drives to give his defense a proper rest. I think he’ll have trouble doing that. I’m taking the Saints to win at home.

Gravy

New England at Philadelphia Line: +3.0
Every meal on Thanksgiving needs a big pile of brown slop to pour on top right? For me, the gravy is the slow decline of the Eagles season after Vick got a huge contract. Yeah, they got some new life last week and Vince Young was able to pull of an improbable win that he probably shouldn’t have. However, who cares? This is about the mega love the media (save for yours truly) gave the Eagles and Vick. I’m glad they suck, cause I love being right and I haven’t liked this team from the start. Yes, McCoy is having a killer season, and he’s going to run at will against the Patriots, who prefer to allow as many points as humanly possible before scoring more points than the other team. The gravy is when the Eagles lose this game and are put away for good, way out of contention for the playoffs and then the media can shut the fuck up about this team. Patriots to win.

Giblets

Cleveland at Cincinnati Line: -7.5
Gah. Who cares? The Browns suck! My Dawgs did everything they could to lose that game last week, but still won thanks to terrible play calling by Jack Del Rio and the Jags. They should have lost, they deserved to lose and keep getting minor accolades for winning. The defense has sparks of greatness and can certainly contain the run, but Haden has as many penalty yards as great plays. He’s young and makes mistakes. The running game has been crap since Hillis went out with his mystery hammy injury, though Obyganna (whatever) hasn’t been half bad. The Bengals meanwhile came real close to beating the Ravens last week and where Ponder is a good rookie who loses and Tebow is a terrible rookie who wins, Dalton is a good rookie who wins. He makes smart decisions, accurate passes and only the loss of AJ Green last week (in my estimation) kept the Bengals from winning the game. Dalton needs that deep threat. This week though, all he would need is a dog who can catch a football. Bengals to win.3

Canned Cranberry Sauce

Minnesota at Atlanta Line: -9.5
Where Tebow has his constant detractors while he is winning games, Ponder seems to have nothing but love and good happy feelings as he’s losing games. Why? Cause he’s not spouting Jesus love in the locker room after games? Or because he’s a more accurate passer? Either way, he’s still making plenty of rookie mistakes and the defense is doing all they can to keep games close. The Vikings should have beaten the Raiders last week, but didn’t. They just couldn’t keep Ponder from making some crucial errors, but hey, he’s a rookie right? Bullshit. This week they go dome to dome to play the Falcons, who had a tough go of it last week, but seemed in control the whole game. The Falcons need every win they can get if they want to beat out the Saints for the NFC South crown. I don’t think the Vikings will get in their way too much, unless Ponder suddenly turns into not a rookie. Falcons to win at home.

Candied Yams

Carolina at Indianapolis Line: +4.0
At first I was like, “hmm, the Colts need to win one game this season right? This could be the one. Coming in after a bye week, they could be raring to go.” Then I remembered that they truly do suck major balls. The Panthers are playing well, and in the rookie QB conversation Cam Newton is right there at the top. But some serious defensive woes and his offensive line keeping him on the run have kept this team from reaching their true potential. Against the Colts though, they are going to look like gods. The Colts have failed to slow down any runners this season, so I expect Cam and Jonathan Stewart to put up huge rushing yards against the Colts. Hell, they can just run the whole game and suck up time. At least that half of the game will be fun to watch. Panthers to win on the road.

Green Beans

Houston at Jacksonville Line: +3.5
Just so you know, this is the last game I’m writing about this week. Yeah, some kind of order right? For the first time in, well, ever the Texans are all but assured a playoff berth at the top of the division. But they have to keep up their winning ways and hope they don’t falter with Leinart at the helm. We all thought they would when Andre Johnson went out, they didn’t. When Arian Foster was out for a while, we thought they were dead in the water again, but Tate stepped up. I think this is a well coached team that has a solid chance at winning in the first round. So this week, Leinart gets a moderately easy refresher with the Jags. They lost to the Browns last week. The Browns! They suck. Texans to win.

Cornbread

Washington at Seattle Line: -4.5
The Seahawks beat the Ravens. Do you remember that? While they have no chance at the playoffs, they followed that up with a whipping of the Rams. On the other side of the ball, the Redskins can’t decide who they want to hold the ball under center. That, and the fact that Shanahan still likes making dumb ass time management decisions and challenges ultimately dooms this team. Grossman played well against the Cowboys, but once again their secondary was almost nonexistent, letting Romo do whatever he wanted. Yeah, the Seahawks don’t have that kind of offense, but they do have a consistent running game and a strong run defense. I think they shut down the Redskins offense, who certainly don’t travel well, and win at home. That’s what I think.

Tossed Salad

Buffalo at NY Jets Line: -8.5
The 5-5 Bills, who have been losing like a bunch of chumps lately ride into New York (New Jersey) to meet the 5-5 Jets who have been losing like a bunch of chumps lately. There is nothing spectacular about this game. It’s a toss up as to who is going to play just good enough to win. Where the Jets defense was once undefeatable, the Bills offense was just as strong. Now, they both are looking lethargic as Sanchez and Fitzpatrick are proving they are not elite quarterbacks and probably never will be. Thanks to some clever negotiating, Fitzpatrick has his huge contract, then he started losing. The Jets running game is hurting, and the Bills running game isn’t looking any better with Jackson out this week. So that kills the play action and leaves it on the offensive lines to protect long enough for passing. I think the Bills still have a better receiver core, and will win the passing game. For that reason, I’m taking the Bills to win by a slight margin, but really, this game could go either way.

Pumpkin Pie

Denver at San Diego Line: -7.0
The 5-5 Denver Tebows now get a solid challenge in division rival (and also 5-5) NOrv Turner led Chargers. Of course, Norv (how does he still have a job) Turner is only getting worse as time goes on. It’s like the guy never looks at the clock. His management, coaching, of his team is getting worse. No wonder they look like they don’t want to be there. The Chargers are in a sad state of affairs these days, because they have the talent but the drive seems to be missing. Rivers is a good quarterback at heart, but he makes too many mistakes under Norv’s system. So what about the Broncos? Well, they just released Orton, pretty much saying they are putting their money behind Tebow. Elway isn’t sold, which is kind of douchey because Tebow has better stats in his first eight games than Elway had (see below inforgraphic.) No matter what you or Jake Plummer think about the guy, he’s a winner. As Tebow super fan @mbletschtold me about this game, “If he wins, I bet you Norv Turner gets fired. TEBOW!!” I’m Tebowing all over the place these days. Whipped cream baby, just not on any chicks breasts. Tebow won’t have any of that. Broncos to win on the road.

Uh, shut the hell up Elway.

Pecan Pie

Pittsburgh at Kansas City Line: +10.5
Really though, when it comes down to it there is nothing we like more in football more than a nice old fashioned ass whipping. And here’s your ass whipping game this week. The Chiefs are floundering. Cassel is done for the season, nice waste of money there. And you want to talk about inaccurate passing? Take a look at freaking Palko. He threw three interceptions last week, and yeah, it was against the Patriots but who cares? He missed many passes, especially down the sideline. It wasn’t all about lack of protection either, the kid just isn’t ready for the big show. Against the Steelers? He’s got to be shitting in his goddamn boots. The Steelers will crush the Chiefs this weekend, into a substance resembling the gooey center of a pecan pie. Steelers to win.

Collard Greens

Tampa Bay at Tennessee Line: -3.5
If I’m not mistaken (as I often am) Chris Johnson averaged like 1.1 yards a carry last game, really stinking up the joint. Kind of a disgrace after that huge contract he was given for the last couple of years. Consider that back pay buddy. Last week, Hasselbeck was out and Jake Locker came in and almost brought the Titans back against a tougher Falcons team. He’s about to get into the conversation about rookie QB’s. I’m not sure who is playing this weekend, though it looks like Hasselbeck will get the start. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I think Locker is going to be a great quarterback. The kid is damn good and I think the Titans should just go ahead and play him this weekend, let him learn the system and get some experience. Hasselbeck is gone next year, probably retired and the Titans aren’t making the playoffs this year (though not mathematically out.) Either way, the Bucs are too inconsistent on both sides of the ball this year to really be much of a threat to anyone – save for the Packers. What happened last week was just the Packer defense challenging the offense by letting the Bucs think they had a chance. They didn’t. Titans to win at home.

Leftovers

Arizona at St. Louis Line: -0.0 CRAPFEST OF THE WEEK!!
Oh shit, there’s another game this week. I almost forgot this match-up because pretty much everyone in the NFL universe couldn’t give a shit about this game. Both teams are playing like shit, both teams have no chance at a winning record and both teams make the other one look that much better. Do you think the Rams can manage to protect Bradford long enough to complete a pass? How about that Skelton guy? He’s making Kolb look better day by day and vice versa. No microwave in the world could heat up this mess to make it look appetizing. Just throw out the paper plates and order a pizza. Rams to win at home.

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 9
2. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 8
3. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 10

My picks last week were like Vick's ribs

In other news, right now it’s around 6am pacific time as I’m writing this. The only reason that is significant is that I’m in Los Angeles attending the L.A. Auto Show. I wasn’t sure if there was even going to be a column this week, due to my schedule. But I can’t let my biggest fan @mbletsch down. So, I have about an hour to write this, so I’m going to knock down the normal 3000 word column and do the quick version. Each game will still be represented, my analysis is just going to be a bit more brief. So, let’s get it on! I’m getting hungry for some trendy breakfast.

Featured Game

Philadelphia at NY Giants Line: -3.5
This game is featured cause this is where the Eagles disappear. This where Sportscenter stops talking about the mathematical posibility of the Eagles making the playoffs. It’s not going to happen. They are going to lose this game, with Vince Young stepping in for a rib broken Mike Vick, and they are going to fade into obscurity. Good bye Eagles. Fuck off. Giants to win.

Tailgate City (The Rest)

NY Jets at Denver Line: +5.5
Vegas has taken out an over/under on Tebows completions at 11. I’m taking the over. He’s going to have to pass against the Jets. Their mega blitz is going to push him out of the box like crazy. That being said, the Broncos have the magic of Tebow and for that reason, and that reason alone I’m taking them to win at home. Yep.

Jacksonville at Cleveland Line: +1.0 CRAPFEST OF THE WEEK!!
Who cares? The Jags beat the Colts last week because Painter sucks. The Browns missed a game winning field goal because of the fucking long snapper. You have ONE job dude, and you messed it up. Go sell used cars. Browns to win at home.

Carolina at Detroit Line: -7.0
Detroit has lost three of the last four. What is going on with this team? They are falling fast, but they return home to that very loud crowd. Let’s see if Cam Newton can fight off the noise of the crowd, and the toughest defense he’s faced yet. However, that defense has been shit lately. I’m sticking with the Lions to win at home.

Tampa Bay at Green Bay Line: -14.0
Ha. This line is too generous. If the Bucs don’t lose by 35 points in Green Bay I’ll be surprised. I’m sure this young team would love to come back and get an upset win, but it’s not going to happen. Green Bay is your repeat Superbowl champion. I have no choice but to predict that happening. Green Bay to win at home.

Buffalo at Miami Line: -2.0
This match-up is one of my favorites every year. These two teams play each other like it’s a fucking playoff game. The rest of the year doesn’t matter when these rivals meet. While the Dolphins are on a hot streak right now, and the Bills are on a low streak they are meeting somewhere in the middle. I’m going off the diving board head first and picking the Dolphins to win. I have no idea why, just doing it.

Oakland at Minnesota Line: -1.0
Vikings aren’t looking too bad. I mean, they got smoked by the Packers last week, but they aren’t sucking it up really. Ponder is showing great progression as a starting QB. The Raiders, are winning their division but only by one game. The whole division behind them is tied. They have to win this game. They won’t. Peterson is going to slice them up. I’m taking the Vikings to win at home.

Dallas at Washington Line: +8.0
Did you see the Cowboys last week? They were dominant. Did you see the Redskins last week? Name their starting QB. Didn’t think so. Shanahan is losing it, his decision making suggests dementia. The Cowboys are going to make the Redskins home crowd all sad and shit. Cowboys to win.

Cincinnati at Baltimore Line: -9.0 UPSET SPECIAL!!
The Ravens went to Seattle and lost. A week after beating the Steelers for the second time this year. Finally, they are back home after their stupid west coast trip and welcome the Bengals. The Bengals lost to the Steelers last week, knocking them back to reality. Can they hurdle the Ravens this week? I think this is the upset brewing. I think the Ravens offense is confused right now for some reason, and Dalton held it together against the Steelers, it wasn’t a blowout. It was a loss. I’m taking the Bengals to upset.

Seattle at St. Louis Line: -3.0
The Seahawks surprisingly beat the Ravens last week, and the Rams got lucky against the Browns. Who cares? The Niners seal up the division with a win today, finally ending the sadness of a losing team getting to the playoffs from the NFC West. For the rest of the year, these two teams are playing for second place, with no chance of smelling the ass crack of the playoffs. Who cares who wins this game? Whatever. I’m taking the Rams.

Arizona at San Francisco Line: -10.0
Meh. Niners to win and complete their amazing rise to power. Next stop, playoffs.

Tennessee at Atlanta Line: -6.5
The Oilers, er, Titans are the up and down, hot and cold team of the year. They had a great week last week, but who knows how they are going to be this week? The Falcons blew it in overtime to the Saints. You’ve gotta run some fucking misdirection on fourth and short plays! It was a good decision, just bad execution. I think the Falcons hold it together this week and rebound with a strong win, staying in the race for the NFC South. Falcons at home.

San Diego at Chicago Line: -4.0
The Chargers are the other hot and cold team. Actually, they are just cold. They are painful to watch, and I’m glad I’m not a Chargers fan. The good news is they are in a 3 way tie for second place in the division, so they still have a shot. They don’t have a shot against the Bears at home though, who have been dominating lately. That win against the Lions was fucking huge. HUGE. Bears to win at home.

Kansas City at New England Line: -14.5
Upset special… just kidding. The Patriots are looking more like the Patriots, but what the hell is up with the defense lately? They are making it harder for Brady and the offense. And he finally passed down the field to Ochocinco. You have to use that deep threat more often to open up the play action, just like using the run. Do it. Patriots to win.

In the Sauna (Bye Week Teams)

Bye Week at Indianapolis
The Colts, ugh. Suck for Luck right?

Bye Week at New Orleans
The Saints still have some work to do if they want to win the division. They have to keep the Falcons at bay. Cause the wild card is not coming from this division. It’s going to be the Bears or the Lions.

Bye Week at Pittsburgh
The Steelers can’t coast to the division title this year. The Ravens and the Bengals are making it a fight. A fight worth watching. Like two hot chicks at a frat party fighting in the pool. Take it off! Take it off!

Bye Week at Houston
Everyone keeps saying that this is the year for Houston. Until Schaub got injured last week. Now, he’ll probably be out for the season. So can Houston keep winning? I think so, because it’s been the running game and the defense that has been winning games.

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 14
2. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 17
3. The Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week One

Can the magic Ginger & AJ Green beat the Steelers?

In other NFL news, the bye weeks are over. So that means two things. One, I’m back to picking sixteen full games. And two, it means that the Thursday night games start. I don’t like the Thursday night games because that means that’s one less game on NFLRedZone on Sunday. And I’m not staying up Thursday night to midnight to watch the game. Especially since I just got Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and if I’m going to stay up, it’s going to be cause I’m getting my ass kicked by ten year olds online.

In other non NFL news, a happy belated birthday to my one female reader, Jennifer H. She just turned 30 or something. I don’t know. Either way, she’s older than her husband. Not a cougar, just a cradle robber. I mean, not now, but when they started dating. I think he was like 12 and she was 15 or something. Does that mean he’s got game or she doesn’t? I don’t know. Either way, happy birthday and feel free to name your pending baby after me or any NFL quarterback besides John Beck.

Featured Game

Pittsburgh at Cincinnati Line: +3.0
There are a lot of huge games this week, divisional match-ups and non divisional playoff type games. It was hard to choose which game to put up here in the top spot, but considering the Bengals position, it had to be them. They are the surprise lead in the AFC North, but have not played either the Ravens or the Steelers. This week, they welcome Pittsburgh to Ohio to finally take on the Steelers, which will be the real test of their mettle. The Steelers lost a squeaker to the Ravens (of which time management was again the enemy) after beating the Patriots. So what to think about them? We know they have a great defense, but the Bengals defense is also top three. Most of the experts are picking the Bengals to finally prove themselves, but they forget about that rookie QB at the helm. Yes, Dalton has played well so far, but he has not met a defense as good as his or as tough as the Steelers. It will be a bit of a shock. Dalton, I’d like you to meet James Harrison and the rest of the Steelers front D-line. Good luck. Steelers to win on the road and reset balance to the AFC North.

Tailgate City (The Rest)

Oakland at San Diego Line: -7.0
Carson Palmer showed he’s still got the moves, throwing for over 300 yards and 3TD’s in his second start in Oakland. Don’t mind the 3 interceptions though. Or the fact that Oakland got beat hard by the Broncos defense. Who saw that coming? This week, they are hoping to get back to form against a struggling and confused Chargers team. Is this team from San Diego any good? Or is Rivers clearly still struggling under coach Norv Turner and his terrible time management and decision making skills? Rivers also threw 3 interceptions last week, 2 of them for touchdowns. Otherwise, he had a good game against a Green Bay defense that doesn’t seem to give a shit. I don’t expect him to pick apart the Oakland defense, as they generally play QB’s like Rivers a bit closer to the belt than guys like Tebow. Close game, but I’m taking the home team. Chargers to win.

New Orleans at Atlanta Line: -1.0
The killer divisional match-ups start right here in the dome in Atlanta. I’m going to say right now I’m leaning towards the Falcons. At home, Matt Ryan looks like a freaking god. They picked apart the Colts last week and only a pick six kept it from being a total shut-out. The Saints smacked around the lethargic Bucs, but clearly looking ahead to this game. The key of course is going to be whether or not Atlanta can shut down Darren Sproles amazing skills past the line of scrimmage. I’m going to say the holes in the Saints secondary will be enough for the Falcons to come out ahead. Falcons to win by a nose.

St. Louis at Cleveland Line: -3.0 CRAPFEST OF THE WEEK!!
While there are tons of great games, there are also a few games like this. Will the Rams be able to compete after several weeks on the road and getting beat in overtime by a terrible Arizona team? Will the Browns, who have shown nothing on offense and whose defense is slowly getting worse be able to secure a much needed home win so their fans don’t finally desert them? It’s hard to say. What is easy to say is that both these teams are performing no where near their potentials and are right where they deserve to be. The Browns would benefit from only giving the ball to Josh Cribbs, since he’s the only competent offensive player on the team right now. Browns to barely win at home.

Buffalo at Dallas Line: -5.5 UPSET SPECIAL!!
On paper this is a so-so game, but in reality this game could be a make it or break it game for both teams. Last week the Bills were smacked down to reality by a Jets defense that didn’t allow Fred Jackson to run hog wild the whole game. While the Cowboys defense won’t offer as much resistance, the Bills defense will have to worry about stopping the run of explosive rookie back DeMarco Murray. The Cowboys have some ground to cover if they want to climb up and compete with the Giants who are secretly running away with the division. With half the season behind them, now is the time. However, the Bills are not just going to lay down now. Last weeks loss should have woken them up, rather than set them down. They have to contend with the Patriots. Plus, after settling an old score with the Redskins, the Bills have the same score to settle with the team that beat them in two Superbowls. Bills to win on the road.

Jacksonville at Indianapolis Line: +3.0
Last year, this would have been an easy choice. You would have said, “Peyton, no question. Colts to win.” This week the Colts are coming off a serious drubbing at home by the Falcons, and have yet to pull a win this season. There is no way the team is intentionally losing, but they certainly look like they aren’t trying very hard. Have they given up already? If the opposing defense promises to only two hand touch Peyton can he come in and play? Poor Curtis Painter, he’ll never get another starting gig in the NFL unless he can make something happen this season, which means, get a fucking win. Could this be the week? The hot and cold Jaguars come to town after a bye week and previously beating the Ravens in a strange turn of defensive prowess. If they even have a little bit of that defense, the Colts shouldn’t be an issue. But I don’t think they Colts have a 0-16 season in them, not in the defense and not in the spirit of the team. This is win number one, if only their only win this season. Colts at home.

Denver at Kansas City Line: -3.5
Did you start Tim Tebow in fantasy football last week? Sure he only had a little over a hundred yards passing, but he had over a hundred rushing and two touchdowns. Finally the Denver coaching staff realized they can’t put a young and maturing Tebow in a traditional spread offense. Instead, they adapted to the college style read option which Tebow owned while he was at Florida. In this, and strong defense by the Broncos, he is now 2-1 as a starter. Say what you want about the guy, but he is more of a winner than a loser. So suffice it to say, the Chiefs will have watched some tape this week, if they have gotten over their sorry loss to the Dolphins. The Chiefs, after winning four in a row, quickly reverted back to how bad they were at the beginning of the season. Did they get too cocky? Ahead of themselves? The Broncos, mathematically, can still win this division. No matter how plucky the KC defense is, I think that the read option beats them. Denver Tebows to win. Yeah, I’m picking it. And starting him in fantasy.

Washington at Miami Line: -4.0
I think someone on the Miami staff reads this column. They must. The week I declare that I will no longer pick them to win, they roll into Kansas City and deliver a royal smack down. They looked like a playoff caliber team. Moore threw well, Bush looked like a rookie again and they dominated on defense. Where has this team been all season? I’d like to think I was the one who motivated them to this point. That’s probably not true, but whatever. Based soley on the performance of the Dolphins last week and the fact that the Redskins have about as much offense with John Beck as a high school flag football team, Dolphins to rack up their second win.

Arizona at Philadelphia Line: -0.0
You can stare at that line all you want, it’s not going to change. This is a zero line game and for good reason, both these teams have an overpriced quarterback who isn’t worth his salt. To add fuel to the fire, last week with Kolb out, Skelton came in and won the game. Ok, to be fair to the defense, Skelton didn’t do shit. A huge blocked field goal and an overtime pick-6 secured the win. That’s what did it. Kolb might miss another start against the team that might be wishing they’d have kept him on. Instead, they get to watch Vick throw interception after interception and get hit on almost every play. It’s hard to protect your QB if he’s no longer standing anywhere near you. Regardless, the Cardinals offense is almost nonexistent. Barely beating the Rams, who have been the recipients of blowouts this year, doesn’t bode well for them against a stronger defensive team like the Eagles. I hate to do it, but Eagles to win.

Houston at Tampa Bay Line: +3.0
The Texans are flexing their AFC South dominant muscles now. They’ve all but secured what turned out to be a pretty shitty division this year. Rolling into Tampa with probably the best running game tandem in Tate and Foster is pretty much an automatic win right? Right? Right. The Tampa Bay Sucs (can we go back to that now) have been my most inconsistently picked team this year. I think that’s cause I inexplicably went against the grain and actually decided they might be good this year even though I hate them. Fuck that logic. I’m right back to hating them, as only once have I picked them correctly, and that was last week against the Saints. No more of that noise. Plus, the Texans are too damn good right now and the Sucs Barber can’t be everywhere on the field, committing penalties. Texans to win on the road.

Tennessee at Carolina Line: -3.5
You know, any recent season, with the Panthers terrible run defense and the presence of Chris Johnson, one might be easily swayed to pick the Titans to win this game. This year? With the Panthers crappy run defense and Chris Johnson unable to rack up fifty yards a game, one might be tempted to pick the Panthers to win. Especially with the electric Cam Newton at QB. But, as Michael Vick is proving, being electric doesn’t mean shit if you don’t win games, and the Panthers do not have a winning record. Instead, they come off a bye and welcome the struggling Titans to town who looked mediocre at best last week against the Bengals and lost. This week, they’ll look mediocre at best against the Panthers, and lose. Panthers at home.

Baltimore at Seattle Line: +7.0
After a rough game against the Steelers, as everyone knew it was going to be, the Ravens get to travel all the way to the west coast to take on the Seahawks. Who put that shit in that order on the schedule? Either way, the Ravens, while at time sluggish on offense, are always strong on defense. The veteran defensive players probably travel better than Joe Flacco and his on again off again offense. Plus, the Seahawks have no offense. I mean, technically they have one that is on the field, but they suck at it. The question is, will they finish low enough to draft a QB first round? Ravens to win on the road.

Detroit at Chicago Line: -3.0
This is a tough one in Chicago. The Bears just made the Eagles look like a practice squad last week, while the Lions were taking a nap after a few strange losses (and an ass whipping of Denver.) So this divisional match-up actually means something this year. It won’t matter in the long run though, as the Packers will continue to roll. Well, strike that. My guess is that the wild card in the NFC is coming from this division (since it certainly is not coming from the West) so this game is important. It’s tough to choose though. Both teams are playing smash mouth defensive football, but the Lions have looked better in their wins, while the Bears have looked worse in their losses. I’m going to shake the bones here and see where they land. Ah, the bones have spoken. High scoring game, Bears to prevail at home by a late field goal. Especially if there is outdoor weather involved.

New York at San Francisco Line: -3.0
This game just got bigger than you would have thought. Did you think at the beginning of the season you’d be looking at a 7-1 San Francisco 49′ers? Did you? Did you? No, you didn’t. You thought they were just going to be another cog in the crap fuming machine of the NFC West. Now, with seven wins they have all but locked up the division. Think about it. Last year, the Seahawks won the division at 7-9. The Niners can coast the rest of the season, but they won’t. But that certainly will change the way they play. Crabtree is finally playing to his potential, the defense is lights out, especially against the run and that Alex Smith kid got the chance and the right coach to become a quality QB. So the Giants, and their newly crowned “elite” quarterback roll into town after upsetting the Patriots. This is going to be a huge game for both teams, but the Giants need the win more. But needing doesn’t get you getting and I’m taking the Niners to satisfy the home crowd and come out of this East coast vs. West coast battle a surprising, but now expected, 8-1. Niners at home.

New England at NY Jets Line: -1.0
Oh Tom Brady, what happened buddy? You lost two in a row, and one at home. Ouch. That’s gotta sting something fierce. I bet you used extra conditioner that night. That being said, every single “expert” that I read today are sticking with the Patriots, running with the stat that Brady has never lost three in a row. News flash asshats, Brady isn’t the only guy on that team. And his interceptions aside, the defense is doing two things; jack and shit. They aren’t closing down the run, they aren’t winning the turnover battle and the secondary seems confused. Back to Brady, he’s got no deep threat. While Welker does his due, he’s not a downfield receiver. That’s killing the offense. The Jets, while a bit slow developing an offensive attack have been outstanding on defense. Revis is going to be defensive player of the year the way he’s going. The Jets are fired up and hot after their strong win over Buffalo. Can the Pats rebound on the road? Can the Jets get another huge divisional win? These questions and more will be answered Sunday… SUNDAY SUNDAY. Hell, Jets to win. Out.

Minnesota at Green Bay Line: -14.0
While the other NFC North game was hard to pick, this one is easy. Like Brett Favre before him, Aaron Rodgers has the same strange disease that only afflicts him on Monday Night. It’s like this, on Monday Night, he’s unstoppable. The Packers are unstoppable this year. Even after a nail biter against the Chargers, the Packers played it cool and kept the game further out of reach than the score would indicate. Christian Ponder is getting his third start, second against the Packers. He’ll do okay. Pat the kid on the head. There is no way he’s winning this game though. Not in Green Bay. Not this year. Packers to win.

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 16
2. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 14
3. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 8

Will the Bucs be celebrating against the Saints again?

Overall I went a dismal 8-5. When the blond chicks at work who pick at random get 10 right, you know you are doing something wrong. It’s like when you take a girl bowling and she does that under the legs thing and gets strikes, and here you are shooting from the right side with a spin on the ball and you come up short. Kind of proves chaos theory eh? I’m 76-40 on the season (66%) so that’s not too bad. I really want to stay at or above that percentage, so the next few weeks are going to be crucial. Which means second guessing my gut. Not smart, but gotta do what I gotta do.

I’m going to do something a little different this week. I’m going to immediately pick a winner, then do my analysis than either change the impromptu pick or stick with it. Either way, it should be clear at the end of each paragraph which team I’m going with. I just want to see how accurate my gut (first pick) is compared to my pick after analysis and second guessing. And instead of doing them one by one, I’m going to do all my gut picks at once, down the line. And… go!

Featured Game:

Tampa Bay at New Orleans Line: -7.5
Gut Pick: Tampa Bay The Bucs have not done me well this season, and now they come off a bye and travel to New Orleans to fight for the division. The Bucs got a little help last week as the Saints rolled over for the Rams, which tells me that they were over confident coming into the game, and looking past the game to this one. While I doubt the Saints will play as badly as they played against the Rams, I expect them to over compensate a little bit with some over aggressive play calling, which is sometimes the norm for them, but doesn’t always work against the Bucs. This should be a strong game on both sides of the ball, and it’s going to come down to trick goal line plays and special teams handling. I’d like to see the Bucs go after the Saints on punts and extra points. I think that’s where the difference in this game are going to be. So that being said, I’m taking the Saints to win. Look, I know they are both good teams in the NFC but the Saints at home have a clear advantage and splitting the series this year sounds like a good compromise. Saints at home.

Tailgate City (The Rest)

NY Jets at Buffalo Line: -1.5
Gut Pick: Buffalo The Jets talk a big game, but have yet to really show themselves. Their defense, and specifically Darell Revis have bailed them out when they needed them the most. Their win against San Diego was impressive, but came too late in the game. Especially if they want to contain the Bills, who have established quite a running game with Freddy Jackson. Not to mention the play of the defense, shutting down passing routes and pressuring QB’s left and right. I’m sticking with my gut on this one though, as the Bills are playing better all around football. Bills at home.

Seattle at Dallas Line: -12.5
Gut Pick: Dallas This season has not been easy for the Cowboys. Last week they were terrible. Their defense couldn’t keep up with the well prepared Eagles offense. They made McCoy look like a fucking god as he shredded their run defense and Romo couldn’t keep his feet under him. This team is less than inconsistent, they are bad. The Seahawks meanwhile seem to be coming around a little bit, now that they have Jackson back at QB but losing like they did to the Bungles hasn’t helped their game any. The defense is a strong point, but they don’t have the offensive weapons to get it done. I’d love to pick them to upset, but Cowboys to win at home.

Atlanta at Indianapolis Line: +8.0
Gut Pick: Atlanta Without a win and looking quite pathetic, the Colts are nothing without Peyton. Plenty of teams have injuries, and still play strong. What happened to the dubious Colts defensive front? What happened to the running game? What happened to this team besides the loss of Peyton? If he doesn’t get some MVP votes, then something is wrong in the universe. They need to win eventually right? I don’t think it’s going to be against the Falcons though. Matt Ryan likes playing in a dome, no matter where it is, Detroit or wherever. The Falcons run game is going to be too much for the Colts by themselves. And the rush will have Painter running for his life almost every snap. Falcons on the road.

Miami at Kansas City Line: -5.0
Gut Pick: Kansas City For the second week in a row the Dolphins held a lead, then gave it up like a discount hooker in an airport bathroom. While I said I won’t pick them to win at all this season (playing the odds) I do think they, unlike the Colts, are actually trying to win. There has got to be a breaking point though. It’s not only the offense having no longevity (all you need is an hour) but it’s bad coaching decisions too. The Chiefs on the other hand, looked to be having a bad season, then suddenly waking up and realizing that they are in a so-so division and have a serious chance at it. This is a win they really need if they want to stay in the race. Which is why it’s ripe for an upset. I’m not picking it though. KC at home.

San Francisco at Washington Line: +4.5
Gut Pick: San Francisco Wake up! You are not in an alternate reality! The Niners are 6-1. They haven’t been this good since Steve Young left. Not only that, but they will most likely win the division with a winning record. Quick, off the top of your head, when was the last time that happened in the NFC West? I don’t know, but it’s something to celebrate. Harbaugh is finally the coach that the Niners were looking for and they’ve turned Alex Smith into a franchise QB and somehow sparked Crabtree to start playing to his potential. The offense is clicking and I don’t see them slowing down, even on a long trip to the East coast to face the Redskins. The Redskins are a dismal 3-4, but so is everyone in the NFC East save for the Giants. However, after last weeks shut-out I don’t see them bouncing back against another strong team. Niners to win on the road.

Cleveland at Houston Line: -10.5
Gut Pick: Cleveland Of course my gut says the Browns. In my mind, they never lose. And this is a way I can pick them without actually picking them. The Browns entered the season with high expectations then the Madden curse took a hold of Peyton Hillis, the backup RB hasn’t done shit and Colt McCoy isn’t looking quite like Elway as he did last year. The bright spot is the defense, which is doing it’s job keeping games close, but that’s not enough if the offense isn’t doing shit. Heden is a beast out there in the secondary, but he can’t win games by himself. The Texans are much too good for that. They whipped up on the Titans last week and should be running away with the NFC South any day now. The Browns are just something they stepped in on the way. Texans to win.

Cincinnati at Tennessee Line: -3.0
Gut Pick: Cincinnati Shhh… don’t tell anyone. The Bengals are 5-2 and have the leagues #2 ranked defense. Last week special teams added to the fantastic ride of the Bengals season with two punts returned for TD’s. Dalton has looked like a 5 year veteran, making very few rookie mistakes. Still though, the Bengals still have to beat the Ravens and Steelers who they have to play twice yet this season. That could change everything. They need to rack up as many wins as possible before that point. The Titans, sigh, after getting a huge contract Chris Johnson has been shit, and the injury of Kenny Britt hurt this team even more. However, they aren’t out of it yet, and even after the drubbing at the hands of their division rival Texans, the Titans still have a shot, putting down the Colts last week. Johnson still didn’t get his run game going, as bad as the Colts are, so the problem is him. I’m still hoping each week that he’ll wake up, as long as I’m not playing against him in fantasy football. I’m sticking with my gut here, which I think is going to be a high scoring back and forth affair, with Cincy prevailing due to defensive play. Bengals on the road.

Denver at Oakland Line: -7.0
Gut Pick: Oakland You don’t need much of a gut to predict this after seeing how Tebow performed last week. I think I said what needed to be said in the opening paragraph. He’s getting ripped in the media but that loss was because of a complete failure as a team by the Denver Broncos. This week they roll to division rival Oakland who will be giving Palmer another go. Now, I’ve always liked Palmer, as much as I hate the Bengals. I’ve always thought he was a good QB with an accurate arm and good pocket presence, and he is. But the guy stepped away from the game, and I think that hurt him when it comes to developing a cadence with a new team. It’s been two weeks though, thanks to the bye and I think with that and working non-stop with receivers and this being a home game (cutting out travel time) Palmer will be much better this week. I’d like to see Tebow put up a fight though. Oakland to win at home.

New York at New England Line: -8.5 UPSET SPECIAL!!
Gut Pick: New England Was it a mistake to pick the Patriots to beat the Steelers last week? Maybe. I don’t think so, but everyone else seemed to pick the Steelers to win. Was there something I was missing? Either way, the Patriots offense was shut down for the most part, and they looked human. Now they are back at home, where Brady has lost what – once? Some crazy stat like that. Picking against them almost feels like playing the lottery. You smirk, but know that the odds are completely astronomical. While the Patriots are my gut pick here, I really want to pick the Giants to upset. The Giants seem to either sink down, or rise up to the level of their opponent and their defense has been pressuring QB’s all season and pretty boy Brady was certainly affected by the Steelers pass rush last week. This would be a tough, and huge win for the Giants if they pull it off. Brady was 6-1 against the Steelers and that stat got busted. I’m picking the Giants to upset and bust another stat.

St. Louis at Arizona Line: -0.0 CRAPFEST OF THE WEEK
Gut Pick: St. Louis What do I need to say here that you don’t already know? The Rams finally got their first win, inexplicably upsetting the Saints with killer defense. If they play even marginally like that, the Cardinals will have a tough time keeping up. While neither of these teams are going to win the NFC West, they may as well battle it out for the bottom rung. Kolb has been a complete bust in Arizona, the guy is not a starting QB. Of course, he suffers from lack of protection, so it might not be all him. They did well against the Ravens, pulling at 24-6 lead at halftime but blew it. Coffee is only for closers! Rams to win on the road.

Green Bay at San Diego Line: +6.0
Gut Pick: Green Bay The opening line for this game was 5.5 in favor of the Chargers. I laughed, checked again and saw that it had quickly flipped. Turnovers, bad defense, Rivers fumbling the ball away at a crucial point in the game and throwing two interceptions contributed to their loss against the Chiefs on Monday night. What a debacle. The Chargers played about the same against the Jets, they let the other team beat them on defense, so what chance do they have against the Packers? The Packers are playing all around great football, they make the right decisions and adjustments. Do I expect the Chargers to put up a bit of a fight? Sure. Do I expect them to win? Hell no. Packers to win on the road.

Baltimore at Pittsburgh Line: -3.0
Gut Pick: Pittsburgh One of the best night games is the Ravens and Steelers. This week, they are at the Steelers, where the Patriots were sent home with their tails between their legs last week. As the season goes on, the Steelers get tougher and tougher. The Ravens staged an epic comeback against the Cardinals, but that was the Cardinals. Of course most teams don’t play the same week to week, but the Steelers are one team that is only getting better as the season progresses. The thing about them is, you can sack Ben like 60 times a game and he’ll just shake it off and keep throwing. Really, so will Flacco. He’s got the moves. The fight for the AFC North starts here (but watch the rear view for the Bengals.) Steelers to win at home.

Chicago at Philadelphia Line: -7.0
Gut Pick: Chicago The only reason the Bears are winning is because of the superior play of Matt Forte. The problem is that the Bears haven’t given Forte a new contract and they are running him ragged in the meantime. This wouldn’t be a problem if they gave him what he’s worth. Because it’s already in his head, which means at any time it could affect his game. Of course, it’s a catch-22 as if his play declines, his chances for a huge contract do too. So he’ll play hard. Philly’s LeSean McCoy had a huge running day against the Cowboys, but the Bears actually have a better run defense, when they are on. When they aren’t, they aren’t. It’s no secret I can’t stand Philly this year and want them to fail, but I don’t think I can justifiably pick them to lose at home this week after seeing what they did to the Cowboys last week. Philly to win at home.

In the Sauna (Bye Week Teams)

Bye Week at Carolina
Hey, not a bad first half of the season for Cam Newton. Can you tell this guy is a rookie? Cause I sure can’t. That being said, he can’t do it alone, which their latest loss kind of proves.

Bye Week at Detroit
Relax. Suh is meeting with the league to go over the rules, because he doens’t want to break them. The Lions D is playing dirty lately, and they need to knock that off before it ruins their perception. Not to mention getting the attention of the officials in-game.

Bye Week at Jacksonville
The Jags are about as fun to watch as a turtle getting run over by a cloud. BORING. Is Jack Del rio still the coach? Who cares?

Bye Week at Minnesota
The Vikings have to be feeling pretty good going into this bye week. Unlike the Broncos, the rest of the team has risen up to help transition Ponder to the big leagues, and he’s fared well. While we won’t see the Vikes in the playoffs, we may see them with a winning season after all.

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 8
2. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 7
3. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 10

Can Brady do it again vs. the Steelers?

Honestly, the whole team was terrible for 55 minutes. Then they came together in the last 5. Tebow was steady, but damn, how can they expect the guy to pass the ball when the pocket collapses as soon as he takes a step back? If they can’t protect against Miami, how are they going to fare against the Lions this week? Of course he was sacked and rushed. He still escaped often and made the big plays when it mattered, so all you Tebow haters can suck it. The kid is the real deal and just needs some help from his team.

In other NFL news, even Browns fans turned off the game last week due to abject boredom. Here’s to a more exciting week of football. On with the picks!

Featured Game:

New England at Pittsburgh Line: +1.5
This is always a good one, for the Patriots. The Pats got a break last week and come off the bye to face their toughest opponent before facing the Bills again. The Steelers just tossed around the Cardinals after teasing them a bit. But here’s the thing, no matter how good these two teams are, on defense (Steelers) and offense (Pats) and how many Superbowls they’ve won over the past years, Tom Brady simply owns the Steelers. Brady is 6-1 against Pittsburgh, only losing back in 2004. In the six wins, Brady has 14 touchdowns and one interception. His last four games against the Steelers have included a 70.9 completion percentage, nine touchdowns, one pick, and a yards-per-attempt average of 8.79. You can’t argue with the statistics. So how can you even think about taking the Steelers after how they’ve really not dominated this year at all? You have to stick with the Pats. However, this is going to be a fun game to watch and if you have any Pittsburgh players on your fantasy team, play them. The Patriots are likely to give up a ton of points, but not more than it takes for them to win. Patriots on the road.

Tailgate City (the Rest:)

Indianapolis at Tennessee Line: -9.0
Last week the Titans rolled over and got their fudge packed in by the Texans. Hasselbeck was terrible, Chris Johnson was nonexistent and the rest of the team just kind of stood there as the Texans whipped up on them. Do I think they re-surge this week and get a huge home win to keep in the running for the division or will the Colts buck up and win a fucking game? The Colts didn’t fare much better (worse actually) against the Saints, but at least it looked like they were trying. I’d like to nominate Peyton Manning for the MVP. No one man has meant more to a team than him. The Colts, Dolphins and Rams will be drafting QB’s 1-2-3 next year, the first time that has happened since 1999. Unless one of them actually gets their shit together. It won’t be the Colts this week. They just don’t have enough to win. Titans at home. Not with the points though. I don’t think they are that good right now. Though if Chris Johnson can’t get it done against the Colts terrible rushing defense, then I’m writing him off for the rest of the season.

New Orleans at St. Louis Line: +13.0
If you thought that the Saints vs. Colts game was a mismatch, wait until the Saints travel to St. Louis this weekend and whip up on the Rams. New Orleans stopped passing after the half last week, yet still ran up the score. They couldn’t help it. Expect more of the same this week, but the Rams could put up a bit of a fight. Not on run defense of course, since they have one of the worst in the league. New receiver Brandon Lloyd might get going this game, but the Rams will need a whole lot more than one receiver to get this offense going. Saints on the road.

Miami at NY Giants Line: -10.0
Hey, Miami signed J.P. Losman. Won’t help. The Dolphins are horrid. Was it play calling that lost the game for them against the Broncos? Was it the magic of Tim Tebow? Or was it just really, really bad offense and QB play? It was all those things and more. The Dolphins are in the “suck for Luck” mode for sure, so I’m not picking them the rest of the season. I’m gunning for them to go 0-16. Not only that, but Sprano still inexplicably has a job, yet the Fins are already making phone calls. This does not bode well. The Giants, coming off a bye are looking like they could make the NFC East even tougher than it is. Expect them to rack up crazy stats against the Dolphins, or get upset. Either way, I’m not picking the Fins. Giants to win.

Minnesota at Carolina Line: -4.0
A nice quality win for the Panthers last week. Newton looked solid, going 18 for 23 for 256 yards and two TD’s – one rushing. He’s got seven of those this season. Nice on the defensive side too, as they racked up the sacks and a key interception (aren’t they all?) On the other side, Ponder looked good against the Packers last week, but c’mon, that was the Packers. He wasn’t going to win. This should be an interesting game between two decisively different rookie QB’s. I don’t think the Vikings have the contain down on the QB, give Newton time and he’s gonna go all A-Team on the secondary, especially with Steve Smith still out there catching passes. Rush him, and he’ll scramble, but I don’t see the Vikings successfully breaking through that often. Panthers to win at home.

Arizona at Baltimore Line: -13.0
Did anyone think the Cardinals would beat the Steelers? This team hasn’t played good football since Warner left. They gave Kolb that huge contract, but took his supporting players away from him. With a receiver core that isn’t as good as it used to be, and a running back that can’t get his legs under him, the Cardinals offense is simply terrible. There is hope for this team though, they are in the NFC West. The Ravens played a defensive struggle against the Jaguars, both teams played very well on that end. They did allow over 100 rushing yards to MJd though. But the Cardinals don’t have that kind of defense, the Ravens should be back to form this week, you know, scoring points on both offense and defense. Ravens to win.

Jacksonville at Houston Line: -9.5
Wait, did the Jags actually beat the Ravens? They did! They did it with astoundingly stout defense and a massive running game from Maurice Jones-Drew. Good for them, because they have looked pathetic all season. The Ravens are notorious for their run defense, yet gave up all those yards. But hell, they are seriously outmatched against the division leading Texans. Arian Foster is having a good season now that he’s back from injury. He’s going to test the Jax front line for sure. The Houston Texans have too many weapons for the Jags to stop, but then, that’s what I said about the Ravens. I think the Texans are a much more complete team though, and can stop the run a bit better and not get bogged down on offense. Texans at home.

Washington at Buffalo Line: -4.0
The Bills are comfortably coming off a bye heading into this game in Toronto. They have had a nice season so far, scoring a shit ton of points and highlighting the awesome running of undrafted back Fred Jackson. This counts as a home game for them, as like the Buffalo Sabres, they may as well reside in Toronto because they have a huge fan base there. Meanwhile, the Redskins defense, usually stingy, gave up a bunch of yards to the rush last week, so I don’t think they’ll shore that up in a week. John Beck, Rex Grossman – it doesn’t matter. The Redskins are inconsistent at best. Like it matters, I was gonna pick the Bills anyway. Bills to win at home.

Detroit at Denver Line: +3.0 UPSET SPECIAL!!
Here’s the deal with the Lions, all the goodwill they have been building by winning, they lose when players like Suh get all dirty and shit. And I’m not talking about a lack of personal hygiene. I’m talking about blatant facemasking, yanking a QB’s head around like it’s a maypole. I’m talking about players rolling up on a QB’s ankle and other thuggery. The refs took notice, nailing the Lions for a ton of penalties, ultimately costing them the game. Was it worth it? The refs might be cracking down, but Suh should have been thrown out of the fucking game for that bullshit. His arm was wide out, full grab for the face. Thrown out and suspended for 3 games. I see it too much at the Pee-Wee level, kids playing just as violent. I’ve seen little thugs stomp on players while they are down, clothesline and more. At the 8-9 year old level. While their idiot parents cheer them on and the refs do nothing for fear of reprisal. What the fuck is wrong with this picture? Anyway, the Denver Tebows mounted a furious comeback against Miami, so no matter how terrible they played up to that point, they won the fucking game so all you Tebow haters can suck it. Denver is still terrible on both sides of the ball, and I know the Lions have more offensive power than the Broncos D can handle, but just for the hell of it, fuck it if I’m wrong but I’ll look awesome if I’m right – the Lions continue their skid and the Broncos and Tim Tebow win. Denver at home.

Cleveland at San Francisco Line: -9.5 CRAPFEST OF THE WEEK!!
You mean after that three point drubbing that the Browns gave the Seahawks last week in what was probably the most boring game of the season, the Browns aren’t less than a 10 point underdog? Weak. That’s just weak. Every one keeps saying that perhaps the Browns are better than they are, perhaps they are but outside of defense, the Browns haven’t showed anything recently that would give me the impression that they are nothing but a cobbled together team of young players that could do well in the future. Last week the defense was fantastic, but it was the offense that couldn’t get anything started. This week they travel to the West coast to fight the Niners, who are coming off a bye after a win over the Lions in rough fashion. The Browns, while I’d love to pick them since they are my boys, are not going to win this game because of the offensive problems. There could be an upset here, but I don’t think so. I hope so, but don’t think so. Niners to win at home.

Cincinnati at Seattle Line: +2.5
So the Seahawks got shut down on all offensive fronts by the Browns, and lost. Their defense played well I suppose, blocking a few field goals, but I think it was the lack of a Browns offense that kept the scoring low. Real low. Finally they go home after a couple weeks on the road, and they welcome another AFC North opponent to their house. Can Whitehurst and the boys rebound and beat the Bengals? Also coming off a bye, this team is the most surprising 4-2 team. Andy Dalton is coming around quite nicely as a starting QB, his mistakes are starting to disappear. The only issues remain at running back, as Benson has been sidelined for a bit. I’m looking for the Bengals to add to their win total here on the road, which should make their next game against the Steelers that much more interesting. Bengals to win.

Dallas at Philadelphia Line: -3.0
The Eagles needed a bye week to settle down. Are they settled? Well, a strong divisional game will show us if they are. What needs to be settled? Well, Vick needs to show that he’s worth that big contract and actually stick in the pocket and throw a pass, while the lack of a secondary needs to be addressed. The run defense isn’t spectacular either. Which should be interesting against rookie DeMarco Murray, who broke Emmitt Smith’s rushing record for a single game in a Cowboys uniform. The Cowboys are gearing up. They got a slow start and are going to be scary to face very shortly in the future, that is, they are going to be an offensive powerhouse – if Tony Romo can get his head out of his ass. Either way, I’m going against the grain here and going with the Cowboys to win because I really don’t like the Eagles, I said they weren’t going to be as good as people say they are and I like to be right. Cowboys. Offense. Win.

San Diego at Kansas City Line: +3.5
Finally. Finally the Chiefs looked like they do on paper. Finally the offense blew up. Finally the running game got going. Finally the passing game, the defense and Matt Cassel woke the fuck up. They trashed the Raiders, ran Boller out of the game and looked damn good. Can they do it again, at home against a Chargers team that has it’s number one weapon in Antonio Gates back on the field? Can they prove that they are not to be counted out just yet and the start of the year was just a fluke? Or was last week a fluke? This is going to be a huge game for both of these teams. I’m taking Rivers and the coaching staff to once again find a way to blow it (bad time management did it against the Jets) and I’m giving the nod to the Chiefs on this one. Any given Sunday right?

In the Sauna (Bye Week Teams)

Bye Week at Atlanta
Huge win for the Falcons over the Lions last week, but it was still a sloppy game for them. They really need to take the week off and decide if they want to protect Matt Ryan for just a second longer in the pocket.

Bye Week at Chicago
Hi. We’re the Bears. Sometimes we can’t protect our QB. Sometimes our running game is second to none. Sometimes our defense actually shows up. Of course, it helps if we travel to London to do all those things. Maybe we’ll be consistent going forward.

Bye Week at Green Bay
The Packers go into their bye needing to… do nothing. Maybe tighen up on defense a little bit, but hell, this team is going 16-0. Superbowl. Back to back. Put the whole team on the cover of Madden 13. It’s the only way they’ll lose.

Bye Week at N.Y. Jets
The Jets defense saved their asses against the Chargers, a week after saving their asses against the Dolphins. The offense has really got to wake up, figure out who is going to run the ball. Thankfully, Sanchez finally met that Plaxico Buress guy.

Bye Week at Oakland
Boller got the start over Palmer, throws two picks (his first two passes.) Then Palmer comes in, throws three more. Weak sauce. Don’t expect this team to get any better without a consistent QB. It’ll be Palmer, and it better be quick or he’s back to retired.

Bye Week at Tampa Bay
I cannot get this team right. I pick them to lose, they win. I pick them to win, they lose. It’s like they read this column and say “you’ve hated on us for so many years, we’re just going to prove you wrong every week.” Fine. Then I’m back to hating. I rescind my pick for the Bucs for the playoffs. Fuck off and finish last in the division. A-holes.

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 9
2. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 10
3. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 17

Can Matt Ryan lead his offense against the Lions to victory?

Another week passes by in this glorious NFL season, and another sub-par selection of winners. I went 8-5 last week, no thanks to the Bills choking. All you had to do was run the fucking ball to kill some clock, then kick the game winning field goal. But no, you are going to pass to the exact same receiver on the same pattern that your last interception came on. That was idiotic. Didn’t Fitzpatrick go to Harvard? Meanwhile, the Bucs are proving me wrong every week, which if you’ve read this column for more than a year is an annual occurrence. I don’t know what it is, I cannot pick that team correctly. Maybe it’s cause I hate them so very very much. Then, the Lions lost in a game full of mistakes on both sides. So those are three picks right there that I really wish would have gone my way. Well, if wishes were turds, I’d have to flush. So that brings me to 61-29 (68%) on the season. In the big picture, that ain’t bad. Here’s what the ESPN guys are doing:

Really that math should be recalculated, as some of them haven’t picked all the games. There have been 90 games, yet Jaws has only picked 84. I just want to beat Accuscore by the end of the year. The worst picks by any so-called expert have to belong to this guy. 

It should also be noted, scoring was way down last week, I think that the defensive secondaries of most teams are finally starting to wake the fuck up. A lot less blown coverages and big defensive plays are showing that the lockout hangover might have finally worn off. Now, on with the picks!

Featured Game

Atlanta at Detroit Line: -4.5
Well, I was wrong about the Lions. I said they’d be undefeated come Thanksgiving, but a lack of run defense and some serious red-zone penalties kept them behind San Francisco last week. Even though the Niners gave them plenty of chances to bounce back. The Lions could be in trouble this week (and my fantasy team) as Javid Best might be sidelined after suffering a concussion last week. They shipped in Ronnie Brown from Philly, but he’s yet to pass the physical. So there goes the running game. But Stafford, Calvin Johnson and the tight ends can carry the offense, but not without the play action. It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out. Thankfully, they are at home where the noise is sure to fluster Matt Ryan, who likes to call plays at the line. Might want to start practicing those hand signals now Matt. If the Lions give up the kind of yards on the ground they gave up to the Niners, they will lose this game. I’m torn, but I’m sticking with the Lions just cause I have more fantasy players on that team.

Tailgate City (The Rest)

Seattle at Cleveland Line: -3.0
The Browns. What can be said about my team? Well, Colt looked alright against the Raiders, but it wasn’t until the last five minutes. Whatever they did on their bye week didn’t seem to have worn off. Hillis was a non-factor, leaving with a hamstring injury. Madden Curse anyone? The Browns were pathetic. The Seahawks are just coming off a bye week and have to roll to the east coast again. Though last time, they managed to win the game late with some smart defense. I’ll buy that. Charlie Whitehurst looks to be getting the start over Tavaris Jackson, which could actually be a good thing for the Seahawks, looking to find that magic they lost when Hasselbeck left. I’m going to go against my gut on this one though, and take the Browns to win at home. I’ll probably be wrong (as I usually am when I follow my gut) but I gotta pick my boys every once in while right?

Houston at Tennessee Line: -3.0
The Texans could not get the running game going against the Ravens last week, and that killed them. The Titans aren’t going to make it easy for the Texans this week, as this game may as well be a playoff for the division. Both have massive losses at wide receiver, both teams haven’t been able to really establish a running game. Both teams have defenses that can be up at times, down at others. This is a very evenly matched game. Houston’s defense might be a bit stronger, but they have to find a way to control the bevy of tight ends that the Titans employ. Are they blocking or running slants? No one knows! Titans to win at home.

Denver at Miami Line: -3.0 UPSET SPECIAL!!
How’s this for lame. Before the game, Miami plans on honoring the 2008 Florida Gator National Championship Team – including visiting QB Tim Tebow. Talk about degrading. Not only will this fire up Tebow and the Denver Broncos with false bravado, but it will totally demoralize the Dolphins. Why in the hell are they still going through with this idiotic presentation? The original idea was to sell tickets, but now? It’s just moronic. “We can’t get out of our own way,” said Sparano. Of course, he was referring to the play of his team, rather than the poor decisions by the marketing department. It should also be noted, that after losing to Denver (as Miami will) Sparano is probably going to be out of a job. If he isn’t, I’ll be surprised. That being said, the Miami Dolphins have nothing to give any pundit a reason to pick them. Denver on the road.

Chicago at Tampa Bay Line: +1.5 CRAPFEST OF THE WEEK!!
Apologies to both the Bears and the Bucs. The London game is always an automatic crap fest. One team is always tired and plays like shit, it always rains and the crowd is confused and the stadium is never full. These games are a bit depressing to watch sometimes. Either way, it doesn’t matter what happened last week, the Bucs will win this game because they flew over to London on Monday, giving the guys time to adjust and get a proper amount of sleep. Meanwhile, the Bears opted to practice at home this week, then fly over on Saturday. Bone-head move guys. The Bucs already learned that lesson once, and that’s torture on the body with the time change. Fatigue is going to be the enemy of the Bears, which is why the Bucs will win.

Washington at Carolina Line: -3.0
The Redskins found some mystical way to lose against the Eagles, even though their defense smacked around Vick. The problem was pretty clear, as Rex Grossman tossed four picks to the Eagles defense. He was benched, and now John Beck is going to be the starter. That’s good news, because the kid can run. Sure, he’ll make mistakes but like Tebow he’s got a weak defense his first week out. Meanwhile, Cam and the boys almost pulled one out of their asses last week against the Falcons, but three interceptions killed them. Not to mention allowing a comeback. I expect this game to go about the same, though I can see an upset brewing. Though since the Panthers are favored on the line, it wouldn’t be an upset. Anyway, like an awkward virgin on prom night, the Panthers can’t seem to seal the deal. Redskins on the road.

Kansas City at Oakland Line: -3.5
Raiders Offensive coordinator Al Saunders said about Carson Palmer starting; “As long as he’s breathing.” Sorry Boller, you are nothing but pine warmer. Palmer was acquired by Oakland from the Bungles for a draft pick or something. Either way, it’s a good deal for the Raiders, but don’t you think Palmer will be a bit rusty coming back from semi-retirement? Especially with only four days to learn the plays in Oakland? Thankfully, he’s up against the Chiefs. Now, the Chiefs aren’t terrible, but they sure have not been playing lights out defense. What’s that? They are terrible? Oh, yeah, so they are. The Raiders, coming off a win over the hapless Browns are fired up, looking at a serious run for the playoffs. Kansas City will be a minor speed bump. Raiders to win at home.

Pittsburgh at Arizona Line: +4.0
A lot of so-called experts are picking the Cardinals to somehow snap out of their mediocrity and beat the Steelers. While the Steelers defense and run game took a little while to get going, it’s going. The Cardinals defense is also not going to have an answer for the deep threat of Ben to Wallace. Not to mention that Hines Ward guy still plays football – apparently. Either way, Kolb isn’t nearly as sharp as he appeared to be as backup in Philly. The Cardinals are probably looking to enter the Andrew Luck lottery as well. A loss here will help. Steelers to win on the road in this rematch of that one Superbowl where Arizona lost.

St. Louis at Dallas Line: -10.5
I really wanted to make this one my upset special this week, but I just picked up the Dallas defense in fantasy since the Bills have a bye week and I don’t like to bet against myself. The Rams, well, they showed up against Green Bay in the second half on defense, a little bit. They held the Packers after the half, but also didn’t score. They seem to be lagging on that scoring bit a lot lately. Sigh. They just suck. 400 yards of offense and only three points to show for it. The Cowboys, a team that I picked to win their division, still haven’t stepped up to be the team that they are on paper. I think they lay down a whipping this week, but they really have to get their shit together if they hope to compete with the Redskins. Cowboys at home.

Green Bay at Minnesota Line: +9.5
Remember that time that Donovan McNabb turned out to be a bust? Oh wait, that was last week. For all concerned, the Donovan McNabb era in purple should be over. Christian Ponder, the rookie Qb with the quick feet, has been named the starter after relieving McNabb against the Bears last week. While he didn’t score, he moved the team down the field, which was more than McNabb did. The Vikings are hurting on offense, Peterson is their only weapon but even he is stifled by an offensive line that can’t get out of it’s own way and certainly can’t create any pocket protection. Thankfully Ponder knows how to run, and he’ll have to be running against one of the best defensive fronts in the league. There is no upset brewing here, the Vikings are going to get whipped, but it’ll be fun to watch Ponder escape pressure. Packers to win.

Indianapolis at New Orleans Line: -14.0
The Saints are coming off a 2-1 road trip, tired and hungry. Hey, what’s this? A five course meal being delivered right to their door? I’d like my rookie quarterback rare please. Indy, also in the Andrew Luck lottery, clearly has no faith in their young rookie Painter. Or at least the media doesn’t, as Painter has already been replaced by Andrew Luck on paper. So, their season is bonked. Still looking for their first win, they ain’t gonna find it in New Orleans. Saints to win.

Baltimore at Jacksonville Line: +8.5
Last but not least, the Jaguars. Another rookie QB is about to get squashed like a bug. If Gabbart thought the Steelers were tough, wait until he meets Ray Lewis and friends. The Jags have shown some spark lately, but they really are lacking when it comes to pass protection, passing and pass defense. So, there’s that. It should be a nice, rough game with plenty of silly penalties for the Jags. Ravens to win on the road.

In the Sauna (Bye Week Teams)

Bye Week at Buffalo
So was that bad play calling or a terrible decision by Fitzpatrick that lost the game for the Bills against the Giants? Either way, the Bills better take a step back and deflate those heads. After the Patriots win, the Bills are looking a bit normal.

Bye Week at Cincinnati
The Bungles have been the surprise team of the season, led by young ginger Andy Dalton. They enter the bye week at 4-2 and poised to make a run at the division title. Of course, they have to find a way to beat their division foes first.

Bye Week at N.Y. Giants
The Giants defense seemed to wake up late in the game against Buffalo, a week after the offense lost the game the same way Buffalo did. The defense needs to keep it strong if the Giants can hope to hold off the rest of the division and overtake the Redskins.

Bye Week at Philadelphia
The Eagles, are for real? I still don’t think so and won’t be sold. While they won last week, Vick still made a laundry list of mistakes, but coupled them with some good play too. We’ll see if that huge contract pays off. Oh yeah, Vince Young is really that bad.

Bye Week at San Francisco
Huge win for the Niners over the Lions. I didn’t think I’d ever be saying that. But Harbaugh is doing a good job leading this team and turning Alex Smith into a real NFL QB. Now, if he can only get that offensive line to sharpen up a bit.

Bye Week at New England
What needs to be said about the Patriots? They pulled off a Tom Brady-esque comeback against the Cowboys and sustained their home win streak. Brady and Bellichick also tied Shula & Marino for most wins by a coach/QB duo. Slap on the back chaps.

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 14
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3. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 9

Even in a bye week, all eyes are on Tim Tebow

Featured Game

Bye Week at Denver
You are probably wondering why this is my featured game when it’s not actually a game. Well, besides being unable to decide on a featured game since they are all good matchups I decided to go with the biggest story right now, and that’s Tim Tebow. Tebow time is finally here. Down 26-10 in the fourth quarter, Tim Tebow fired up his team and staged a comeback that was only lost on a missed 2 point conversion. Tebow brings an energy to the Denver squad that can’t be denied and this bye week couldn’t come at better time. Now Fox has two weeks to draw up some Tebow specific plays. I haven’t looked at Denver’s schedule yet, but I’m picking them to win next week.

Tailgate City (The Rest)

Carolina at Atlanta Line: -5.5
Cam Newton almost pulled off the biggest win of his career, but his 200+ yards and three TD’s didn’t band-aid a defense that allowed way too many 3rd down conversions. They aren’t going to fare much better against the Falcons in the dome. While the Falcons didn’t do much better against Green Bay, they were up against one of the best defenses in the league and kept the game relatively close. They seemed to fall apart in the second half. Whomever is leading this game at half time should win. I’m a little torn on this one, because I really want to pick the Panthers but I think that Atlanta will prevail at home.

Indianapolis at Cincinnati Line: -6.0
Tough loss for the Colts, allowing the Chiefs to stage a huge comeback. Their run defense has a lot of holes and that’s something the Bungles seem to be doing right. Of course, it took a last second effort to pull a win out against the Jags, but I don’t think at home, against the struggling Colts should take a last minute effort. While Painter and Garcon have discovered each other, it’s not going to be enough to beat the Bungles ever growing stronger defense. While not a playoff team, they are good enough to beat the Peyton-less Colts. Bungles at home.

San Francisco at Detroit Line: -6.0
Wow. The Niners had over 400 yards of offense. Three touchdowns from Alex Smith with no interceptions against the Bucs. Not to mention the defense coming strong with three picks, one returned for a TD. They looked dominant. The rushing yards alone were around 200. But now they travel to Detroit to meet the 5-0 Lions who are looking for a record sixth win. Detroit is playing strong football right now and I don’t see them having any losses when they face Green Bay on Thanksgiving day. So until then, I’m picking Stafford and crew to keep winning. Plus, I have Calvin Johnson on my fantasy team. First WR ever to accrue nine TD’s in his first five games. That’s crazy good. Expect him to keep rolling. Lions to win at home.

St. Louis at Green Bay Line: -10.5
The Rams are coming off a bye week and this is not the team they want to face doing so. Maybe they can pump themselves up and stay in the game for a little bit, but this game is going to be a good old fashioned ass whipping. They have no answer for the Packers offense, no answer for the defense. Sam Bradford is going to be in tears by the end of the game. The one bright spot for the Rams is… none. I can’t think of one. The Packers will stay undefeated until they play the Lions on Thanksgiving, which will be the most epic Thanksgiving day game ever. Finally. Packers to win at home.

Buffalo at NY Giants Line: -2.0
The Giants. Sigh. They converted on several third downs on their last drive with good passing. Then, near the end zone Eli throws an obvious pick six. Hats off to the Seattle defense for recognizing a pattern a three year old could pick up. Eli is in love with receiver Victor Cruz, but forcing into double coverage in the red zone with plenty of time on the clock? What the hell? I guess if the Giants run game existed, that wouldn’t have been a problem. That and the disgusting inconsistency of the defense. The Giants are struggling. So why are they favored against the Bills? Cause they are playing in Snoopy stadium? Whatever. The Bills defense bailed out the offense against the Eagles last week, but did allow a comeback. Expect some of the same this week, the Giants jump out, the Bills jump ahead, the Giants come back, the Bills defense prevails. Bills to win on the road.

Jacksonville at Pittsburgh Line: -9.5
Ok, so I was wrong about the Steelers last week. Chris Berman was right, if not now – when? The Steelers looked like the Steelers for the first time this season. Big Ben tossed five TD’s, the defense was tight and kept Chris Johnson in check the whole game. Sure, the running back by committee isn’t quite clicking for the Steelers, but against the Jags, at home – who cares? Ben plays better when he’s hurt, and he’s still limping. The Jags and their young QB show some potential, but potential doesn’t win games. And they won’t win this one. Steelers at home.

Philadelphia at Washington Line: +3.0 UPSET SPECIAL!
Being 100% right about the Eagles feels pretty good. I said they are not a playoff team, and Vick was overrated. Sure, he’s setting rushing records, but who gives a fuck? They aren’t winning. That’s the important thing isn’t it? They have to win games. He’s still making bad passing decisions, running too early and getting boxed up and just not playing like a good QB. Trust me, Tim Tebow is watching Vick and saying “don’t do that.” Meanwhile, the Redskins are surprisingly leading the NFC East. Not sure I saw that coming. The Skins need to keep that running game developing with Ryan Torain and push the Eagles on defense. Expect them to come after Vick strong. I’m going against the bookies and picking the Skins to upset at home, and I’m ashamed for the idiots that have them as an underdog.

Cleveland at Oakland Line: -3.0
The Raiders stole a win against the Texans for sure last week. Maybe they were inspired by the loss of Al Davis, who knows? Either way they were penalized a lot, but thankfully special teams held out so they could win. I dunno, this team shows sparks of being a competitor, and they have the leagues leading rusher, but still, they are week to week in my eyes. The Browns coming off a bye week have little to be happy about at the moment. A rough loss to the Titans exposed holes in a defense once thought to be strong. The rushing game is having trouble even with downstill strong man Hillis. The Browns have an uphill battle this week, as weak teams have problems playing in the pit. I’m taking Oakland to win, which I hate doing to my Browns, but they need to tighten up their game. If the Browns do win however, I won’t be too surprised, just pissed I didn’t pick them.

Houston at Baltimore Line: -7.0
Offhand I couldn’t tell you why Houston lost to the Raiders. Maybe there was magic in the air after the passing of Al Davis, I have no idea. A week after routing the Steelers, the Texans offensive line looked a bit weak, not giving Schaub enough time to stage a comeback. Not to mention the defense even allowing a comeback, yet holding the Raiders to under 300 yards total offense. Foster couldn’t get going, and the loss of Johnson hurts this team every day. The Ravens are tougher than the Steelers and have no questions when it comes to the steadfastness of their defense. The Texans are going to have problems protecting Schaub and even establishing a run game. I expect them to stay in it, but I expect the Ravens to stay ahead. Ravens to win at home.

Dallas at New England Line: -6.5
Pundits are saying that if the real Tony Romo stands up for this game that the Cowboys have a chance. I say it doesn’t matter. Unless Romo morphs into Steve Young, there is no way the Cowboys are going to roll into New England and have a rats chance in hell of winning. The Patriots, while defensively weak, are killing it in the passing and scoring game. You know, the bits that really matter. Wes Welker is on pace for like 2 million catches, and Tom Brady is on pace for like 80 gadzillion yards. Whatever. The Cowboys can compete, but only against teams like the Rams or maybe the Eagles. Against the highest scoring team in the NFL? Forget it. Pats at home.

New Orleans at Tampa Bay Line: -3.5
That line is wrong right? Look, the Saints struggled a little bit against the Panthers last week, but they pulled off the win. The defense was the problem, but Cam Newton has more offense in his little finger than the Bucs have shown all season. Last week they showed none as they got pistol whipped by the Niners. The fact is that while playing at home makes the Bucs a three point favorite, the home crowd isn’t going to give the Bucs enough of a bump to keep up with Drew Brees. I’d like to see them perform a bit, and really this is must-win game for them to stay up in the division, but they won’t. Saints on the road.

Minnesota at Chicago Line: -3.0 Crapfest of the Week!
This game is the crapfest of the week because of defense. The Bears allowed a 73 yard TD pass and an 88 yard TD run to the Lions. Show some respect, the Lions are a good team, but the Bears defense has looked like shit all season. They can’t seem to get any consistency on the contain, and their run defense and tackling is just plain sloppy. You think the Vikings are any different? After getting whipped by the Chiefs, they turn around and their defense gets it done. But trust me, that was a fluke. The Cardinals aren’t exactly the team to set defensive standards against. This game is going to come down to who can score the most points. Keeping the other team from scoring isn’t going to be a huge pressure point. That being said, I’m taking the Vikings to upset the Bears just because I think they have a little more offense. Oh, and Adrian Peterson. Just give him the ball, against the Bears run defense? He’ll have a career day.

Miami at NY Jets Line: -6.0
Needless to say, if you have any Jets players – start them in fantasy this week. The Dolphins have found ways to lose in every game this year, mostly by not being competetive at all. Henne is out, which means Moore, discarded by Carolina, will be behind center. Doesn’t matter. The defense can’t get it done, the offense is terrible and they are on the road. All factors point to a big Jets win. But wait, the Jets have been terribly inconsistent on defense as of late. Could this be the game for the Dolphins? No, it won’t. Jets to win at home. Man, that’s a lot of home teams this week that I’ve got winning. We’ll see if that gamble pays off. Statistically, it should. This could be a possible upset, but I’m sticking with the Jets.

In the Sauna (Bye Week Teams)

Bye Week at Arizona
The offensive line is terrible, keeping Beanie Wells from finding holes and forcing Kolb to throw interceptions. They need to work on that, oh, and learning how to fucking tackle too. This team is only getting worse. Hopefully this bye week provides the reset that they sorely need.

Bye Week at Kansas City
Hey, nice comeback against the shitty Colts. That’s not going to be enough. Can the Chiefs beat anyone in their division this year? Probably not. It’s going to be a tough season. The loss of Jamaal Charles really struck this team hard. Cassel seems to be getting his shit together. Relax, take a week off, come back strong.

Bye Week at San Diego
The Chargers have problems. Their record won’t suggest it, but they do. And now they have the 1-4 Broncos in their rear view mirror. Watch out Chargers, Tebow is coming for you. Give him a whole game to do what he did in a quarter and the next match-up between these two teams will go the other way. On a side note, Teressa loves cats.

Bye Week at Seattle
For a brief moment, Seattle looked like a competent team with the potential to compete in their crappy division. Then Tavaris Jackson went down, nothing changed really. It was the defense that bailed them out last week, and it’ll be the defense that keeps this team in games. For the bye, they might want to work on building a nice passing game. If that’s possible.

Bye Week at Tennessee
After a strong week against the hapless Browns, the Titans more or less rolled over for the Steelers. So what is up with this team? One second they appear unstoppable, the next they appear as if they have no secondary? They don’t have an easy schedule so they might want to think about looking at some of the holes in their defense and figuring out a way to get Chris Johnson past the line of scrimmage.

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 14
2. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 13
3. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 11

Yes! Cheerleaders! Go Texans! (image: texansbullpen.com)

Well, it’s week five which means it’s time to start the bye weeks. That doesn’t mean any less writing for me though, as I’m introducing a new concept to the column for this year, talking about the bye week teams and what they need to do to get better (if anything.) That’s at the bottom. I had another week at 12-4, which puts me at 46-18 (72%) on the year. Suck on that shit so-called experts. Why haven’t I been hired by CBSSports or ESPN.com yet? I have no idea. I’ve been doing this for years. Maybe cause it’s because I say fuck, and vagina slobber. Enough! On with the picks!

Featured Game

Oakland at Houston Line: -7.0
Looking at the schedule at the beginning of the season, did you think this would ever be one of my featured games? I ain’t messing around with this one. This is going to be a crazy good game. The Raiders may have just lost to the Patriots, but they put up a good fight. Penalties killed them in the second half, and they were playing against the best offense in the league. Campbell needs to be a bit more protective of his passes. The Raiders run defense is suspect, allowing plenty of yards on the ground, while Arian Foster ran for 155 against the Steelers. What do you think he’s going to do against the Raiders? But wait, the Raiders have the leagues highest rated rusher in Darren McFadden! While the Texans don’t have the best run defense, they have a better one. There should be a lot of running going on in this one. I’m taking the Texans to win, and Hue Jackson to predict that the Raiders will win the Stanley Cup after they win the division.

Tailgate City (The Rest)

Philadelphia at Buffalo Line: +3.0
Ok, maybe I’ve been a bit too sold on the Bills. They do have one of the leagues worst run defenses after all. But still, it’s offense that wins games and last week – they didn’t have it. Thankfully, neither do the Eagles. What’s that you say? But they have Vick – he makes plays happen! Sure, every once in a while for a first down or something, but he’s not getting the scoring plays and the Eagles run game is terrible. They couldn’t get it done against the Niners at all. The Eagles have no red zone offense. If the Bills can get their offense back like it was the first three weeks, this is their game to lose. Bills at home.

Kansas City at Indianapolis Line: -1.0 CRAPFEST OF THE WEEK #1!!
The Colts netted a whole 62 yards on the ground against the Bucs. I’m sorry, but if you have a rookie QB and at least 3 top flight receivers, you’ve got to establish a run game so that when he (Painter) does throw the ball – he’s got time and he’s on target. Instead, he was all over the place. Peyton ain’t coming back. Collins was a bust. Carson Palmer is still couch surfing. Just saying. The Chiefs fared a bit better this week, actually getting a passing game going and remembering that Thomas Jones ain’t retired yet. They took advantage of some situations and pulled out a win. This one is tough for me, but I think with weapons like Piere Garcon and Reggie Wayne, you shouldn’t lose. This game is going to come down to defense, specifically run defense. Shit. I have no idea. I’m winging this one and running with the home team. Colts at home.

Arizona at Minnesota Line: -3.0 CRAPFEST OF THE WEEK #2!!
You know the Vikings are playing bad when they rely on Peterson the whole game and he gets bottled up by the Kansas City defense. The Vikings sure do need a win, but their schedule doesn’t really have one penciled in for a while. McNabb used to be able to engineer a nice comeback, and I expect he’ll need one against the Cardinals. The Cards are struggling to stay afloat. Beanie Wells had a career rushing game against the Giants, but the Cards defense managed to blow the lead and waste that effort. Good job guys. Whose defense is worse? Like the above game, this one is a shit fest too. Home team wins just cause. The fact is, there are a lot of terrible teams in the NFL this season (compared to other teams in the NFL.) Perhaps this had to do with the lack of an offseason, who knows? Either way, this week kind of highlights the turds.

Seattle at NY Giants Line: -10.0
The Seahawks could not part the defensive line of the Falcons last week, so how are they going to fare against the Giants? Not so good. As the game goes on, Eli and the men around him get better. So the Hawks better jump out to a huge lead, and I mean huge, because just last week Eli showed he can mount a comeback. The Hawks offense, while showing a little spark against the Falcons, needs to focus on the run because the Giants gave up a ton on the ground to Wells last week, and will probably do it again. Pound, pound, pound. Won’t matter though in the end. Giants at home.

Tennessee at Pittsburgh Line: -6.5 UPSET SPECIAL!!
So Hasselbeck is no slouch. We knew that. He saw holes in the Cleveland defense last week and went to town. Even without Kenny Britt, Hasselbeck found his very able tight ends slipping out of coverage. The key against Pittsburgh is taking advantage of the aging defense with some tomfoolery. Play action, passes to Johnson in the flat, flea flickers, tight ends lining up as blockers and slipping out into the slant – whatever. The Titans need to go into their bag of tricks. Hasselbeck can pull it off. The Steelers are reeling. Big Ben is hurt, but not out. Mendenhall is hurt and out. The offensive line is like a quilt in a retirement home, on fire. The Steelers are in trouble, and I think this is the week the Titans step out of the Colts long shadow. Titans to win on the road, upsetting the Steelers. Yeah, I said it.

New Orleans at Carolina Line: +7.0
Why are you kicking to Hester? The Panthers have a coach whose job it is to make sure special teams doesn’t fuck up like that. They fucked up. Cam Newton made some rookie mistakes as well, go figure. Finally he gets to face the Saints, who are going to make the Carolina defense look like confetti draped around a topless drunk girls boobs. Sproles is gonna motorboat that front line like the same. Brees is going to pick them apart like picking said confetti out of said drunk girls pubes. Cam isn’t going to have an answer on offense. Expect to see him get seriously flustered. Where he looked poised against the Packers, the Saints are better at getting under their oppositions skin. Saints to win on the road.

Cincinnati at Jacksonville Line: -1.5 CRAPFEST OF THE WEEK #3!!
The turds keep sliding out of this schedule. Like I said, a lot less parity to go around this year. These two teams play sub-par football at best. Yet, they’ve both beaten a top team. The Jags beat the Titans in week one, while the Bungles just knocked the Bills down a notch. So what happens when they meet up in Jacksonville? The Bengals defense isn’t playing half bad, holding the high scoring Buffalo offense to one TD. The Jags struggle on offense just to score that. Gabbert might turn into a franchise QB for the Jags, but he can’t rely on his defense this week. He’s got to score points. It’s rookie QB vs. rookie QB. Defense vs. Defense. Who you got? Home team. Jags to win by like one point on a late FG or something.

Tampa Bay at San Francisco Line: -2.5
Good thing Philly kickers still suck. Oh wait, was that David Akers missing a FG for the Niners? The Niners were still able to grind out another win. They are a scrappy little team, but scrapping isn’t going to be much against the defensive and growing offensive prowess of the Bucs. The Bucs are slowly gaining some serious klout. They pushed around the Colts on Monday night, slapping them around for a nice 24-17 win. It took a little bit of a comeback, but as much as I hate them, they are playing good football. The man-love affair between coach Rahim Morris & QB Josh Freeman is paying off. Bucs to win on the road.

San Diego at Denver Line: +6.0
Seriously. TEBOW! TEBOW! TEBOW! Denver sucks. The defense gave up 507 yards & 5 TD’s to the Packers. Not to mention the offense turning over the ball four fucking times. The whole team save for McGahee looked like a bunch of half drunk idiots. Can Tebow save this team? At least net them a win? Not this week, as the Chargers roll into town ready to lay the smack down. Rivers is charged up after shredding the hapless Dolphins, but that was helped by four nice field goals. The offense will have to start doing better than that. Thankfully against the Broncos defense, all they’ll need is a safety to win. Chargers on the road.

NY Jets at New England Line: -8.0
There was a point in the game against the Ravens where Sanchez fumbled the ball, then simply watched as it was scooped up and ran in for a touchdown. That was some lazy ass shit GQ poster boy. That kind of exemplifies how the Jets are playing right now on offense. While the defense is still stepping up and keeping them in the game (three turnovers and a TD against the Ravens,) the offense is blowing chunks. Maybe they’ll be a bit better when Mangold gets back. So needless to say, the Patriots are playing killer offense. Yeah, their defense is so-so, but who cares? Brady to Welker, touchdown x 4. Patriots win.

Green Bay at Atlanta Line: +4.5
I swear I can hear Matt Ryan sigh when he gets back into the dome. He does not play well outside. The Falcons nearly blew it against the Seahawks, but good offensive line play saved them. Plus, no turnovers. The defense allowed over 300 yards to the Seahawks low rated offense, which spells trouble with a capital cheese head against the high flying Packers. The only answer is going to be more touchdowns by the Falcons offense. It’s the only way as the defense will be struggling to keep Green Bay from scoring. The Green Bay defense has weaknesses, like giving up 384 yards to Denver. This should be a nice back and forth for a while. An offensive firestorm. I’m waffling on this one, but sticking with the Packers and taking them to win on the road. I better bench the Falcons defense this week in fantasy.

Chicago at Detroit Line: -6.0
Yeah, the Lions are for real. Deal with it. Undefeated. On a roll. Defense and offense both playing strong. You are looking at a sure fire playoff team, if not a Superbowl team. Crazy huh? Some twilight zone shit for sure. So they welcome their division foes da Bears to town. The Bears, well, their pass defense is terrible. Which is good for me since Calvin Johnson anchors my fantasy team. The dude has had two TD’s in every game thus far. He should get 4 in this match-up. Lions to win. Easy.

In the Sauna (Bye Week Teams)

Bye Week at Cleveland
The Browns, once again, are probably the best worst team. A complete breakdown on defense and offensive lines last week cost them dearly. Colt McCoy has got to spend the bye week working on his fucking accuracy and the back shoulder pass. Figure it out Colt, stop over throwing your wide open receivers.

Bye Week at Dallas
It might seem like the Cowboys blew a second half lead against the Lions, but it wasn’t them – it was the Lions stepping up and being the better team. Games aren’t lost, they are won. And the Lions won. And pretty much everyone who has played the Cowboys. Romo, vacation is over buddy. Step your game up.

Bye Week at St. Louis
What can we say about the Rams? On paper they seem to have all the tools needed to win. Josh McDaniels is clearing up any detractors as to his firing in Denver, by sucking in St. Louis. An offensive line overhaul might help Bradford actually find a receiver. Shake it up Rams, what do you have to lose?

Bye Week at Miami Line: -14.0
This is how bad Miami is this season. You can bet against them on a bye week. The Dolphins need to get their offense straightened out. Moore was almost as terrible as Henne has been lately, shoulder issues withstanding. Fans are already calling for Tony Sporano to get the axe. I don’t think that’s going to be enough to salvage this season.

Bye Week at Washington
The Redskins have been riding a bit of luck up to this point. Rex Grossman isn’t really that good, but a good run defense and a strong(er – than opponents) rushing attack have helped them pull off some close wins. Could they take the division? Maybe.

Bye Week at Baltimore
The Ravens are playing outstanding defensive football. For all the mistakes Flacco made last week, the defense made up for in touchdowns. If this team loses to the Patriots in the playoffs I’ll be surprised.

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 14
2. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 11
3. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 2

Can McFadden run the Patriots defense into the ground?

Not bad last week. I went a very respectable 12-4 (34-14 on the season, or 71%.) That being said, I think that picking the Bills to correctly upset the Patriots was huge. More on that in a moment. This is a very volatile season so far, with a lot of exciting games. Thankfully the NFL RedZone is now in HD on my local Comcast network, so I get to watch Scott Hanson in glorious HD. Scott probably has the greatest job in all of sports broadcasting. I really wouldn’t be able to write this column without Scott and the Red Zone. Anywho, another big week with some match-ups that can change the season. Can the Lions and Bills continue winning? The bookies don’t seem to think so, as neither team is favored on the road. What the hell?

Featured Game

New England at Oakland Line: +4.0 UPSET SPECIAL!!
Wow. Did Tom Brady throw four interceptions, one a pick-six? Or was that some alternate dimension in which those Patriots aren’t that great? Aside from Brady looking deceptively not like a passing robot, Wes Welker killed it. Did you have him on your fantasy team? Lucky you. The Patriots defense has got to tighten up. They give up too much on the run and don’t seem to recognize running backs when lined up on the outside. Some sweet Buffalo play fakes came off a Patriots defense sleeping on the job. Belichick got out Belichicked by Chan Gailey on that final scoring play. That was some smart coaching. Enough about the Pats. Oakland is coming off a huge win over the Jets, dominating on the ground and making the supposedly strong Jets run defense look like amputated children. What do you think they are going to do – at home – against the Pats? Run them ragged that’s what. And I don’t think one week is long enough for the Pats to fix their problems on defense. So once again, my featured game is also my upset special as I’m taking the Raiders to give the Pats their second loss of the season, and push them to get better on defense. I did pick the Pats as a playoff team, so don’t get used to me picking them to lose. This just isn’t going to be their week. Oakland at home.

Tailgate City (The Rest)

Carolina at Chicago Line: -5.0
Ouch. The Bears, who looked moderate on defense against the Packers get to welcome the Panthers to town this week. The Bears are not looking like the playoff team that we saw last year, and Cutler is tired of being sacked so damn much. Normally one would tell him to quit whining, but his pocket just collapses on him completely and he’s got no where to run. Until they fix this issue, they won’t compete in their division. Thankfully, the Panthers aren’t in their division. Coming off a muddy win against the hapless Jags, Cam Newton put up human looking stats, but that might have been due to the weather. I’m looking for Carolina to go pass wacky on the Bears, but the Bears defense to shut them down effectively. Bears to win at home.

Buffalo at Cincinnati Line: -3.0
Genius play calling by Chan Gailey (as previously mentioned) cemented the Bills upset of the Pats last week. Not to mention a comeback from being down 21-0 at one point. The Bills are showing they are a second half team, and hard to beat when they are scoring constantly. Their defense also stepped up, picking Brady four fucking times! So why in the fuck nuts are they not favored going into Cincinnati? The Bungles lost a shitty game to the Niners, and now are facing probably one of the best scoring teams in the AFC. The Bungles don’t stand a fucking chance in this game. They don’t have the defense and the Bills front line is going to chase Andy Dalton down like the soulless ginger that he is. Bills to win on the road.

Tennessee at Cleveland Line: -2.0
I’ll say this about the Browns, they are scrappy. They pulled off a close win against Miami, but let’s be honest – the Dolphins defense is a joke. Meanwhile, the Browns defense – especially the front line – is getting better and better. The offense was mediocre at best, with Hillis out and Colt McCoy overthrowing the ball like crazy to wide open receivers. As for the Titans, they lost Kenny Britt to a knee injury – but won. Chris Johnson needs to start earning that huge paycheck now and start pushing his way into open field. I don’t think he’ll be able to do that against the Browns though, as they’ve been good on shutting down the run, for the most part. This is going to be a close game, but I’m looking for the Browns to prevail. Browns to win at home.

Detroit at Dallas Line: -3.0
Like Buffalo, the Lions are getting no love from the bookies. They came back in the second half, took advantage of poor defensive play by the Vikings to go 3-0. Now, they travel to take on their Thanksgiving counterparts, the Cowboys. The Lions are showing serious strength on offense, but especially on defense. Romo will give way to Kitna early in this game for sure. The Cowboys played a stinker against the Redskins, winning off six fucking field goals. Romo couldn’t get his team into the end zone, and against a team playing as strong and fast as Detroit, that ain’t gonna cut it. Lions to win on the road.

Minnesota at Kansas City Line: +3.0 CRAPFEST OF THE WEEK!!
The Vikings, the sad pathetic Vikings. They had the Lions right where they wanted them. Once again they blew a big halftime lead and ended up losing the game. That’s three games in a row. What is going on with this team that they can’t hold and keep a league? Oh I know what it is, a crappy secondary that gets exposed late in the game once a good QB can see that they aren’t getting creative at all. Not to mention a serious overuse of big blitzes. Chicago has that problem too. Meanwhile, Kansas City has been terrible. Didn’t they make the playoffs last year? You wouldn’t know it by looking at this team. 18 yards passing for Cassel in the 1st half last week. That’s just sad. However, I think this week the Chiefs get their shit together and win a fucking home game. Chiefs to win.

Washington at St. Louis Line: -1.5
One week the offense looks fantastic, the next week the defense looks fantastic keeping Dallas out the end zone, while the offense totally blows it and keeps themselves out. Really, the Redskins are hard to figure out. I mean, they have the potential to be a certain challenger in the NFC East, but can’t seem to get their collective shit together to win. Could it be coaching? Yes, yes it could be. So they go meet the Rams. The Rams showed up last week. I mean, if you consider that committing drive killing penalties, dropping passes and getting pistol whipped by the Ravens. Do the Rams have a defensive secondary? It didn’t appear so. Didn’t seem to have an offensive line either as Bradford was constantly under pressure. Of course, that was the Ravens. Either way, the Rams just cemented themselves solidly in the “suck” column. So Skins to win on the road.

San Francisco at Philadelphia Line: -0.0
Ok, so Vick’s non throwing hand isn’t broken, but I was right about this Eagles team. They are not the “dream team” and calling them so (and them believing it) is going to kill them. The defense was missing tackles left and right, the secondary couldn’t figure out who Victor Cruz was after his 1st TD, and Vick turned over the ball at the most crucial moment. At least LeSean McCoy had a good game. Which tells me this; because Vick is very mobile, the offensive line is concentrating on opening up lanes for the run and pass, rather than focusing on protecting Vick. This is why he’s scrambling more often than he should, quicker than he should and is leading to mistakes. It’s a dangerous assumption and is probably why they aren’t heavily favored in this match-up. The Niners can win this game, if it was at home. Their defense is playing fine, holding down the running game and making picks, but if Vick has his game face on and actually passes the damn ball (get it to Jackson) the Eagles should win. So I’m taking the Eagles at home.

New Orleans at Jacksonville Line: +6.0
So my boy @mbletsch traded away Drew Brees in his fantasy league. Along with Nelson (Bills), Benson (Bengals) and Hightower he got in return Vick, DeSean Jackson, Mendenhall & Hillis. Ok, I can see the validity of that for most of those guys, but Nelson will have a great year and HOW IN THE HELL CAN YOU TRADE AWAY BREES? Good trade or not? Leave it in the comments. (Update: I was informed this trade was vetoed by the league, as they thought MB was trade raping the other guy. I don’t see it. Brees is worth all that and more.)

That being said, Brees is going to have a banner day against the non-existent secondary of the Jags. The only reason they held up against the Panthers is because of the weather. The Saints defense is going to tear Blaine Gabbart to shreds like a topless hooker during Mardi Gras. That kid will be in tears by the end of the night. Now, this could be one of those weird upsets, but this shit isn’t college football. The Jags are outclassed, and it will show. If you have a Saints player on your fantasy team, any player, make sure he’s starting this week. Saints to win on the road.

Pittsburgh at Houston Line: -3.0
Being a Steelers fan sometimes has got to be stressful. One second Ben is fumbling the ball (twice last week) the next he’s leading a game winning drive down the field. That’s some up and down shit right there. The Steelers had to come back to beat the Colts, who are still without a decision at QB. That helped the Steelers, who still struggled with the run. They won’t have much better luck against Houston, who nearly beat the Saints. They fell apart in the fourth quarter though, an interesting trend that may help the Steelers. The passing game for both teams is aces, it’s going to come down to defensive line play, and turnovers (don’t they all.) I’m really stalling on this one because as much as I want to pick the Steelers, I think Houston takes this one at home.

New York at Arizona Line: -3.0
Kolb must have been excited as he led a possible game winning drive against the Seahawks, then tossed an interception. This is par for the course for the Cardinals, who have a lame passing attack at best and have yet to establish a running game. Which means no play action, which means Kolb is linebacker bait. Blitz the Cardinals and watch them scramble. Which is something I’m sure the Giants can do after watching them pressure the shit out of Vick. The Giants are playing strong up front and not letting any offense take advantage of them. While the Arizona offense might show some early spark, the Giants D should put it right out. Giants to win on the road.

Atlanta at Seattle Line: +3.5
I blinked, and the Seahawks actually won a game. With defense. Of course, it was against the Cardinals. It’s sad, but the Seahawks could win the division with a losing record again. Any of the shitty teams in the NFC West could really. They actually rushed too, for over 100 yards. Crazy. Who knew? The Falcons are going to come into Seattle hot. They lost to their rivals in Tampa and are pissed. The offense was stifled, the defense played well though, but without the offensive backup is probably pissed. The Falcons are in Hulk mode for sure, and the east to west coast plane ride isn’t going to change that. Falcons to win on the road.

Denver at Green Bay Line: -13.0
The Packers are running well, defense is in the lights out category but I don’t think this team is yet back up to Superbowl champ standards. Whatever. Denver is in town and that means that Rodgers gets to have a little target practice. The Broncos have shown one major thing this season, that they suck. They came close last week, but I wouldn’t be surprised to hear “TEBOW TEBOW TEBOW” chants in Green Bay this weekend. Orton will be too busy running from Clay Matthews and company to hear it though. This one is too easy, but since everyone thinks that, I’m taking the Broncos. Just kidding. Green Bay to win at home.

Miami at San Diego Line: -9.0
And my pick for first coach to get fired this season is Tony Sporano. While Henne is looking good when he can, the Dolphins play calling on both sides of the ball has been stifling bad. They ran into a good defense last week and still couldn’t put the game away when they had the chance. And they had chances. They’ll have more chances against the Chargers, who seem to wilt a bit in the second half. Rivers has a chance to get this team jump started, if he can keep the ball out of the hands of the defense. I suspect that he will, as long as the defense holds up their end of the bargain. The Dolphins will make a game of it though, as they really, really need a win. Chargers to win at home.

NY Jets at Baltimore Line: -3.5
The Ravens put on a mother fucking CLINIC last week. Torrey (who dat) Smith caught three touchdowns in a classic ass whipping of the Rams. The Ravens are nearly unstoppable this year, but it’s only three games into the season. Can the Jets defense stop them? What Jets defense you say? Good point. The supposed tough defense of the Jets was no-where to be found against Oakland last week letting McFadden roll for 171 yards. What do you think Ray Rice is going to do? Tear the Jets a new asshole that’s what. The Jets are outmatched in this game, and it sucks to say that cause I actually like this team. I mean, save for Sanchez and his GQ loving ass. Ravens to win.

Indianapolis at Tampa Bay Line: -10.0
Peyton has got to be considering going all RoboCob just to make a comeback. Painter did ok last week, but against the Bucs defense? A defense that held Matt Ryan to one TD and an INT? The lousy Colts special teams aside, they are going to have trouble against the Bucs defense and the young offense under the charge of Freeman. The Bucs vanquished their rivals last week, what do you think they are going to do to a Colts team that is yet to find their ground? This game is going to be crazy, especially since the Bucs actually managed to sell enough tickets to lift the blackout. The Colts can look at this game like this, it’s just one step closer to being able to draft Andrew Luck #1. Bucs to win at home.

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 14
2. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 11
3. The Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 6

Can Fitz lead the Bills past the Patriots?

Bam. Last week I went a smooth 14-2, my only misses being the losses by the Ravens and the Niners. This would have been a huge win, but then I realized that a bunch of people in the office pick ‘em pool went 14-2 and they were just guessing. Dammit. Either way, that brings me to 22-10 on the season, so at least I’m well over 50%. I need another huge week to get to that 68% goal and stay there for the rest of the season. Experts, suck it. Week three bitches!

Featured Game

New England at Buffalo Line: +9.0 UPSET SPECIAL!!
At the beginning of the season, before the Bills were 2-0, I said that the Patriots might lose one or two games this year, and one of them is going to come at the hands of the Bills. Well, here we are in week 3 and the Patriots are meeting a hot 2-0 Bills team in Buffalo. If this game were in Foxboro, I’d pick the Pats, no doubt. However, it’s not. The Patriots simply own the Bills over the last couple years, but this year the Bills seem a bit – better. But their two wins did come against the Raiders and the falling Chiefs, so how good are the Bills really? The Patriots have a good defense, but their secondary is suspect. Tom Brady is on pace for like 2 billion yards (thanks to bad secondary play of the Dolphins.) Can Fitzpatrick take advantage of a shoddy secondary to push ahead of the Patriots? Can the Patriots pressure Fitz so he makes mistakes? Because he hasn’t made many thus far. These question and more will be answered on Sunday! (Sunday Sunday Sunday.) Anyway, I’m taking the Bills to upset. That’s what my gut says.

Tailgate City (The Rest)

San Francisco at Cincinnati Line: -1.0
The Niners certainly found a way to lose last week. Bad coaching and clock management sent them into overtime only to lose. Had they taken the defensive penalty and the first down – rather than the field goal, the Cowboys wouldn’t have had enough time to catch up. Instead, they are now 1-1. Weak. The Niners are a better team than how they were coached last week, so hopefully that shows when they roll into Cincinnati, also 1-1 after losing at Denver. The Bungles are establishing a nice running game, and Dalton is no slouch at this point. Really, the two QB’s (Dalton and Smith) are pretty evenly matched. I’d say this game will come down to special teams play, of which the Bungles are severely lacking. The Niners to win on the road and Ginn to run at least one return back for a TD.

Miami at Cleveland Line: -2.5
Hey, the Browns are favored! Two weeks in a row. Picking them last week against the Colts was easy, picking them this week against the terrible Dolphins is even easier. The Dolphins have so many holes in their offensive attack, I don’t know where to start. Is it with their complete lack of a rushing attack or even proper blocking? Is it with Henne and his inability to pick up defensive changes and blitzes? Whatever Ricky Williams was giving those guys in-between games is gone, and they are just flat sucking. After losing to the Bungles, the Browns quickly rebounded though and McCoy is finding some sweet brown rhythm with his receivers. I’d look for Hillis to have a huge day running against the Dolphins this weekend. Browns to win.

Denver at Tennessee Line: -4.5
What’s up with the Titans? One week they get beat by hapless Jacksonville, the next week they upset the Ravens? Did you see that one coming? Hasslebeck found a definite groove with Kenny Britt down the sidelines, that’s for sure. So now they welcome Denver to town, who finally allowed Tim Tebow to come into the game – at slot receiver. Really, it’s almost time for him to come in at QB. But it’s going to take a couple more losses for the TEBOW TEBOW TEBOW chants to hold any weight with the coaching staff. This week though, should add to that loss column as the Titans may just be better than we thought in week one. Titans to win at home.

Detroit at Minnesota Line: +4.0
Of one prediction I am glad is coming true, it’s the Lions. They are just killing it. They really haven’t had a solid challenge though, with only the Bucs and Chiefs in their rear view. I’m waiting for when they play Green Bay – in Green Bay. Then we’ll see if they are for real. For now, they’ll have to settle for the Vikings. I’m surprised they are only four point favorites, because their offense has been outstanding lately. Stafford is showing great poise and leadership, and it helps that the defense is doing their part as well. Honestly, this is a playoff team right now. Keep it up Detroit. My fantasy team is stacked with Detroit players. Detroit to win. With the points.

Houston at New Orleans Line: -5.5
The Texans are killing it right now and with the Colts out of the way already, there is no reason they shouldn’t take the division. Unless they find a way to lose the big games – and this is one of those big games. Arian Foster being out hasn’t affected the Texans offense too much, besides slowed down the run game, but when you have receivers like Andre Johnson, who needs a run game? Flat out, the Texans have to be 100% on defense in order to beat the Saints. Give one inch to the downhill running of Sproles or the play calling of Sean Peyton and they may as well give up the game. I’m taking the Saints to win this game at home though, as much as I want to give it to the Texans, the Saints offense is going to be a bit too much for the Texans secondary.

New York at Philadelphia Line: -0.0
Both NFC East games have zero lines. That’s how close, and how crappy this division is. Everyone else might say it’s cause this division is that good, and there will be one playoff team to come out of it, but they won’t make it past the first round. The Giants, after getting lucky on Monday night against the Rams, Eli really played like crap, visit Philly to take on Vick. You already know what I think of Vick. I think he’s a fraud. Mistakes will cost him against the Giants defense, who have proven that they are a heads-up defense. Pressuring Vick won’t be enough, they have to force turnovers in the secondary. That is, if Vick even plays after suffering a concussion. That being said, I’m taking the Giants in this game because, well, I don’t know. Just am. Deal.

Jacksonville at Carolina Line: -3.5
Cam Newton is on pace for like 6,000 yards this season, Brady on pace for about 7,000. So how is it that Newton has passed for over 400 yards in both games this season, yet is 0-2? How is it that he’s passed for that many yards? Here’s why all QB’s are finding their receivers wide open more often – there was no offseason. A lot of teams have new players in DB and Safety positions and there was no offseason for them to train on coverage and gel. They are doing that now. Newton isn’t a god, he’s just throwing into crappy coverage. Plus, the Carolina running game is shit. Stewart isn’t getting through the line because the run blocking stinks. So Cam is getting more passing plays, and more deep passing plays. Of course, he’s also got a few interceptions as well. He’s human. He makes mistakes. He’s good though, can read defenses and leads his team. Now if he can only lead them to a win. This could be his week as the Jags come to town. I think this is where Cam ekes out his first win. Cats to win.

NY Jets at Oakland Line: +3.5
Oakland looks like they could actually be for real this year. I mean, compared to previous years in which they sucked balls. They played Buffalo to the end last week, never giving up but I don’t think their defense is where it should be just yet. And they are going to need defense against the Jets, who also come strong with defense. I don’t really see the Jets losing this game. While Sanchez isn’t quite an elite QB just yet, he’s got a good thing going with his tight ends and running backs. He knows how to throw the slant and toss, it’s the deep ball he needs to work on. Over the shoulder Mark, over the shoulder. However, shouldn’t be an issue against the Raiders. Jets to win.

Baltimore at St. Louis Line: -3.5
An injured QB, Stephen Jackson sidelined, the Rams are not starting the season off as they would like. Hey, how about next year you draft some fucking offensive linemen who can block for more than a split second? And Carnell Williams, you silly mother fucker. Dead ball or not, how about you don’t stand there like a statue and you get that fucking ball? Needless to say, the Ravens are going to come into St. Louis with a serious axe to grind. They lost last week, to the Titans, and probably aren’t taking that very lightly. Doubtful they’ll repeat that weak ass performance. The Ravens front D-line will be too much for the Rams O-line. Run Bradford! Run! Ravens to win on the road. And the Rams are favored! Put some money on this one.

Kansas City at San Diego Line: -15.0 CRAPFEST OF THE WEEK!
Here’s why this is my crapfest game of the week. As good as Rivers is, is as bad as the Chiefs are right now. Have they even scored a touchdown this season? Fans in KC probably wish they could chant for Tebow at this point. And now, with Johnson out for the season, the Chiefs are hurting. The Chargers offense is going to be too much for the Chiefs defense and the Chiefs offense is nonexistent. You’ll see a double digit deficit by the end of the first quarter in this one. Bolts to win at home. And hell, with the points.

Green Bay at Chicago Line: +4.0
There is something suspect about the Packers, I just can’t figure out what it is. While they haven’t exactly shored up a consistent running game, Aaron Rodgers seems to handle the play action pretty damn well and the Packers continue to rack up the score. The Bears are in for a fight, but they are a scrappy team. The key will be pushing Forte through the line and avoiding the sack power of the high pressure Green Bay linebacker core. Green Bay special teams have also been on point so far this year, so expect them to chase Hester down – who has a penchant for fumbling on receptions this year (not on returns.) Anyway, I’m sticking with the Packers for now, so taking them to win this great NFC match-up.

Arizona at Seattle Line: +3.0
Kolb isn’t doing too bad in Arizona, going for 251 yards in the air last week, 300 the week before. I’d say Seattle would be the true test, but that’s bullshit. Seattle is still trying to find their ground after pistol whipped by the Niners then the Steelers. However, Rice could be back in the game on Sunday, which may help Tavaris Jackson get rid of the ball on the out routes. Also, Carroll probably spent the week yelling at safeties who let Wallace and the other Steelers receivers run hog wild open all over the field last week. Who are we kidding? The Seahawks will be lucky if they win three games this year. This one ain’t it. Cardinals on the road.

Atlanta at Tampa Bay Line: -1.0
The Bucs have been showing that they have some fourth quarter spunk, making a run at the Lions then coming back to beat the Vikings. That won’t work against the Falcons, they have to come strong out of the gate to get on top of Matt Ryan and crew. I don’t think they’ll be able to though. If there is one secondary that is clicking this year, it’s the Falcons secondary. The Bucs defense showed some serious spark against the Vikings, but that was the Vikings. The Falcons though, have got to be able to open up the field against the Bucs and run their defense ragged. I think with the appropriate amount of pressure on young Freeman, the Falcons will prevail. Falcons to win.

Pittsburgh at Indianapolis Line: +11.0
There is a rumor swirling on the internetwebs that the Colts are making phone calls to a one Brett Favre. Are you fucking kidding me? The Colts are following up one bad QB decision with another one. Listen, here’s what you do – give the ball to Painter. Or, if you really want to spend the fucking money, pay off the Bungles and get Carson Palmer. It’ll cost the same as wooing old man Brett out of retirement. Don’t do it. Don’t be that team. That being said, they’ll lose to the Steelers. Do I even need to say why? I don’t think so. If Ben is on your fantasy team, start him. Steelers to win.

Washington at Dallas Line: -0.0
And then we come to the Monday night game. I’ve already handed out my crapfest of the week, but this isn’t it. Wow. Tell you what Dallas, I’ll trade you. This candy bar for Tony Romo, cause if you throw either of them in the pool – they look like shit. The Cowboys won last week because the Niners fucked up – NOT because the Cowboys played well. That being said, the Redskins have actually been playing well, so I’m giving this contest to them. Redskins to win, on the road, in Dallas, sinking Romo.

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 2
2. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 11
3. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: One More Week

Can Collins lead the Colts to another ten win season?

So I started the season off a paltry 8-8. That’s pretty lame, but better than most experts. That’s not an excuse, I plan to do better. Being right is very important to me. I’m shooting for at least 65% in correct picks this year, not including the playoffs. We’ll see. In other news, all three of my fantasy teams lost, thanks to lousy QB and Defense choices. What the hell? Remember, all predictions right or they aren’t. Nothing on the island is real.

Featured Game

Cleveland at Indianapolis Line: +3.0
This game is my featured game not because I’m a total Cleveland Browns honk, but because of the Colts. The Colts have made the playoffs with 10 or more wins since 2002. It’s a streak that no team has matched. It’s a streak that will become Peyton’s legacy. It’s a streak that is in jeopardy. I know that I could be way off on this, but Doug Flutie isn’t waiting in the wings to save this team. Kerry Collins sure as shit ain’t gonna do it, not after the drubbing he took against the Texans last week. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that the Colts start Painter. The home fans are not going to like a fumbling Kerry Collins, I think they’ll be a bit more lenient with a rookie QB. Though it’s too bad that the Colts don’t really have much of a running game right now, because that’s where the Browns are showing they are lacking. The Browns let the Bungles get the best of them with two late game big plays as their front line seemed to tire. Losing to the hapless Bungles was not a good start for the Browns, but I think they can bounce back on the road this week assuming their defense steps the hell up. I can see either team winning this game, but I’m going to give it to Cleveland edging the Colts late.

Tailgate City (The Rest)

Oakland at Buffalo Line: -4.0
How about those Bills eh? Who the hell saw that coming? I attribute their win to the switch back to the classic red white and blue uniforms. That has to be it right, because KC was supposed to be this crazy offensive powerhouse? Right? Well, they were offensive all right and the Bills took full advantage, doing it on offense and defense. They actually looked good. This week, they welcome the Raiders to town, who squeaked by the Broncos in their home opener. A week earlier I might have picked the Raiders to win this game, but man, the Bills looked pretty damn good. Let’s see if they can do it at home. Bills with the points.

Kansas City at Detroit Line: -8.0
As mentioned above, the Chiefs had a complete breakdown on both sides of the ball. It was a terrible week for me to start both Matt Cassel and the Chiefs defense in Fantasy football. Really, who the hell saw that coming? They sucked. Now, it’s quite possible there was some rust to shake off as they got over the offseason troubles and it might take them a couple games to get back to form. I think they’ll do better against the Lions on the road, but it won’t be enough. The Lions dominated the Bucs last week, and even though the final score was close – the game wasn’t. The Bucs aren’t a bad team, they are a sleeper playoff pick for sure. The Lions offensive attack was too much for the Bucs secondary, and their defense was solid. Not a crazy good performance by the defense, but good enough to win. The keys to beating the Chiefs will be protecting Stafford and keeping the Chiefs run game contained. That being said, they’ll do that. Lions at home to win.

Baltimore at Tennessee Line: +4.0
Sometimes I watch games and totally regret picking a team, or thinking about picking a team at all. The Titans were that team. Are you kidding me? Hasselbeck was totally inconsistent and the Titans defense wasn’t even playing the same game as the Jags offense. They made the Jags look damn good, and gave Jones-Drew plenty of room to trash their defensive line. I don’t expect them to be able to hold off the Ravens, who smacked around the Raiders defense last week. There is no way the Titans will win this game, but hell – any given Sunday and what not. But I’m not picking against them. They are too strong. Ravens to win on the road, with the points.

Tampa Bay at Minnesota Line: -3.0 UPSET SPECIAL!!
I can understand how some people are favoring the Vikings in this game, they do have Adrian Peterson and the special teams play of Percy Harvin, but the Buccaneers are actually a good defensive team this year and slipped up a bit against the Lions. The key to this game is going to be special teams. The Bucs have never been strong on either side of the special teams coin, so the Vikings will have to take advantage with the runbacks, if there are any in the dome. Other than that, slam with the run and don’t put McNabb into too many pressure situations. However, the Vikings will still have to keep up with the young Bucs offense. I’m giving this one to the Bucs on the road, to upset the Vikings.

Chicago at New Orleans Line: -7.0
The Saints got whupped by Green Bay in the season opener. Yes, the game appeared close at the end, but I think that Sean Peyton has to realize that everyone is familiar with his bag of tricks now. He’s not tricky anymore. Brees is still a great QB, and their running game is amazing, but good defenses can see through that and around it and what not. And the Bears have a good defense. I’m not saying that the Bears are going to beat the Saints on defense alone, but this should be a good game to watch because it is the Saints offense vs. the Bears Defense. It’ll be interesting to see if the Saints can beat the spread, but I am taking them to rack up the most points and win.

Jacksonville at NY Jets Line: -10.0
So the Jets eke out a win against the Cowboys and are suddenly ten point favorites against the Jags? Give me a break. The Jets are a good team, but they have a lot of problems. Sanchez still doesn’t look confident in the pocket and it took the defense at least three and a half quarters to get moving and make some game changing, er, saving plays against the Cowboys. Whatever. I’m still not sold on this Jets team, so you won’t hear me chanting. However, I’m not sold on the Jags either, so I can see how the Jets are so well favored at home. I don’t really like saying this, but the Jets are going to win this game because, well, Luke McCown has yet to see what a real defense looks like.

Seattle at Pittsburgh Line: -12.5
Last year the Steelers defense was full of veteran players. This year, the Steelers defense is full of veteran players. What’s the difference? Well, it’s the difference between a grandparent and a great-grandparent. Their veteran status showed, in what will probably be their toughest loss this year. That won’t be the norm for this team, a team that adapts very well to changing situations, like prohibition. Either way, the weakest link against the Ravens last week was the offense. Seven turnovers. That’s just all kinds of pathetic. So this week they are at home and they get Tavaris “I still have a job” Jackson and the Seahawks. The NFC West sucks balls. Steelers to win easy.

Arizona at Washington Line: -4.0
This is probably one of the better matchups this week. You might not think so on paper, but the explosive play of Beanie Wells in the Arizona running game paired with their high falutin’ wide receivers and this could be a very high scoring game. On the other side, the Redskins got lucky last week against the Giants. I don’t think they beat them because they are a good team, I think it was because the Giants played like shit. The Redskins will compete this year, but they will struggle with it all season long. This week however, I think they pull off a win. The NFC West sucks balls.

Green Bay at Carolina Line: +10.0
Cam Newton had a record breaking rookie debut, and lost. Run that by me again. Cam Newton, throws for over 400 yards and two TD’s and lost? Oh yeah, that’s cause he plays for the Carolina Panthers. They have no running game, they have a defense made up of sticks and leftovers. They have Cam Newton. Whoopdie freaking doo. This line should be +30 for Carolina because Green Bay is going to use this team for target practice. And Newton was up against the Cardinals defense last week, which is like one of those cute little smart cars, where the Packers defense is like one of those two story bulldozers. Cam, meet Clay Matthews. Packers with the points.

Dallas at San Francisco Line: +3.0
Did the Niners open the season with a win? They sure did. Did the Cowboys blow a 14 point lead and suck big hairy nuts? They sure did. It appears to me that Romo spends the fourth quarter on the fucking golf course and not in the goddamn game. This pisses me off because I hate the Cowboys, so I want to see them get beat, but not throw the game away because they can’t hold on to the damn ball or punt properly at home with the giant TV screen. So now they travel to San Fran to meet the Niners, who I’d say are red hot but they are still the Niners and have tons of problems that are yet to be determined if they are fixed. But shit, they are in the NFC West, which sucks balls, but I’m taking the Niners to upset the Cowboys and upset Jerry Jones.

Cincinnati at Denver Line: -5.5
Oh man the Broncos were terrible Monday night. So this should be the perfect home opener. They welcome the Bungles to town, who with two monster plays against the tired Browns defense notched their first win of the season. It should be a rare win though, I don’t see the Bungles ratcheting up the wins with Andy Dalton, er, Bruce Gradkowski at the helm. Neither guy gives them a chance to win at this point. Carson Palmer would, but he’s still retired. Until the Colts find a way to hire him. Anyway, I’m getting tired so I’m taking Denver to win at home, but it’s going to come off a late field goal or something like that.

Houston at Miami Line: +3.0
Houston will win this game. Here’s why, their defense is good. Did you watch the Colts game? Yes, Collins made mistakes but that’s because the defense got to him and applied the pressure. Remember, that offensive line of the Colts is good, they protect Manning. So I credit that to the pass rush of the Texans. Miami won’t be able to fare much better against that pass rush, Henne is going to be running around like a headless chicken. Houston is going to make a strong push for the playoffs this year, and with Manning out of the way already, all they have to do is win. Defense wins games. Houston on the road.

San Diego at New England Line: -6.5
Tom Brady threw for what, 2 billion yards against Miami? Now at home against San Diego? I’m thinking he should throw for at least another 2 billion. If you have Brady as your fantasy QB, then you are probably going to win your league this year. I’m just going to say it now, the Patriots are going 16-0, or at least 15-1. This team is going to be close to unbeatable. Oh wait, I already said that in my AFC predictions. I think I predicted the Bills to be the lone upset. So since the Chargers aren’t the Bills, I’ll just save you all the trouble of having to read some babble about how the Chargers aren’t playing to their potential and never seem to be. Patriots to win at home. With the points.

Philadelphia at Atlanta Line: +1.0
Even though Vick and the Eagles found a way to beat the Rams, it wasn’t with Vicks arm. It was on defense. Vick still is not a good QB, I don’t care what anyone says about the guy. He’s too quick to go for the out, he doesn’t let plays develop and only shines on the deep pass. So what happens when he’s up against the Atlanta defense who likes to dive in with the crazy pass rush? He’s going to run out of the pocket and try to carry the game on his legs. So what happens when the Falcons put a dedicated LB on him and flush him out of the pocket? Is he going to look for his slant receiver or an outlet pass to the running back? Throw the ball away? No, he’s going to do something stupid. I can’t wait for him to be outed as a sub-par QB and everyone gets off the Vick Train. That being said, the Falcons are no slouches. They lost to Chicago, but it was a tough game on both sides, Ryan didn’t seem to be quite in form. So I’m looking for the Falcons to bounce back and take the Eagles at home. Falcons to win.

St. Louis at NY Giants Line: -4.5 CRAPFEST OF THE WEEK!!
Notice a trend forming here with the crapfest game? So far, both of them are Monday night match-ups. Take note ESPN, you need to start paying more for games. Look at the Sunday night match-up on NBC, it kicks ass. Because they know how to bargain a fucking contract. ESPN clearly thinks they can show any two teams playing and people will tune in. Both these teams played no where near their on paper potential last week, looking like high school junior varsity squads against two NFC East opponents who may or may not be legit contenders. Bradford and Jackson both appeared to have suffered injuries during the Eagles game, but most likely will be starting. That’s good, because without those two the Rams don’t have a rats chance in hell of competing. The Giants, well, they have a laundry list of problems to work out. Do they have an offensive line? I didn’t see one against Washington. Eli plays much better when protected from the pass rush. Whatever, I’m taking the Giants at home on a gut shot guess.

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 13
2. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 3
3. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 15

Can Rodgers and the Packers start the season off right?

In the words of the great Shaquille O’Neal, “CAN YOU DIG IT?” The NFL season is finally, truly in all aspects upon us. It is time. Today is the day. The NFL season kicks off tonight so that means it’s time to lock those fantasy lineups and make your picks. Now, if this is your first time reading this column here’s how it works. I outline each matchup in the coming weekend. I list the lines and tell you who I think is going to win based on either in-depth analysis or just plain guessing. All results correct or your money back. Last year I went about 68% correct on the year, which beat the tar out of most of the so-called analysts on television and online. Fuck those boneheads. Every week I pick a featured game (usually the one they are showing on NBC since they seem to get the best matchups,) a stinker game and an upset special. So sit back, relax, and get ready – cause here we go.

Featured Game

New Orleans at Green Bay Line: -5.0
Anyone see this one coming? The season couldn’t open with a better game. Two superbowl quarterbacks, one legendary field and two highly offensive teams in prime time. That is, they have killer offenses, especially in the passing department. This game starting it off is no coincidence. The NFL needed to come back strong. You think starting it off with Oakland at Denver would have done that? I don’t think so. So here’s what we’ve got. Both teams made the playoffs last year, the Saints inexplicably dropped to Seattle in the first round. The Packers won the superbowl. Rodgers and Brees are neck and neck the best all around QB’s in the league now that Peyton and Brady are getting older. Though Brees isn’t a young buck anymore either. The key to this game is going to be whose defense has had enough time to properly get all cohesive and what not. Holes in the defense, and especially the secondary are huge issues with winning teams like this in the first couple weeks. You can tell pretty damn quick if they have their shit together. I’m thinking the Packers D, having more veterans and players who have stood next to each other longer will adjust to the Saints whacky offensive schemes quicker than the Saints would like. I’m taking Green Bay to win, with the points since they are at home, and I hate five point lines.

Tailgate City (the Rest)

Atlanta at Chicago Line: +1.0
Matt Ryan and crew still have a lot to prove. I thought for sure they would be playing for the NFC Championship last year, yet didn’t make it past the Packers, whom they got pistol whipped by. I’m thinking the only reason they are underdogs in this game is because the Bears did make it to the NFC Championship game, and might be riding high off that. Whatever. The Falcons have a superb running game, still employing running back by committee. It worked for them last year, as they led the league in rushing. The Bears have to close up the holes quickly and make sure their linebackers are watching for the play action. Once Ryan gets into a groove then it’s game over. I’m taking the Falcons to win on the road, because I think the Bears are still a bit shaky on defense and benefited last year from some shoddy matchups.

Cincinnati at Cleveland Line: -3.0
Wow. As a Cleveland fan it’s good to see them actually favored in the first game of the season. Of course, it’s more becauase everyone knows the Bungles are going to suck. Andy Dalton is unproven and frankly, he’s got very slim pickings in his receiver core. Not to mention that the Bungles defense is probably going to be terrible this year. On the other side, the Browns defense is looking good, expect them to make some big plays. But talking about big plays, if you don’t have a top notch run defense, you aren’t going to stop Peyton Hillis from making you look like a chump. That white boy can run, and run he will. Colt McCoy has all the poise and talent of a great QB, now it’s time to prove it. He can move, so that at least gives the O-line a bit of breathing room. Even though the Browns are favored, this game is going to be a blowout. Browns with the points and then some.

Buffalo at Kansas City Line: -6.5
If you have any offensive players on your fantasy team that play for the Chiefs, this is the week to start them for sure. The Bills have no defense. I mean, they have guys standing out there, pretending to be defensive players but I would not look for this team to produce anything in the way of defensive stops, turnovers or scores. As high scoring a team as the Chiefs are, the Bills are lucky they are only 7 point underdogs. The lines at the beginning of the season are such crap. The Chiefs will have a great home showing and this cupcake game (though don’t think of it like that as it is the NFL and anything can happen) is the start on the road to the playoffs. Kansas City to win, with the points.

Philadelphia at St. Louis Line: +4.0 UPSET SPECIAL!!
Oh shit, I gave it away. I picked this game to be the upset special of the week. Damn. This wasn’t off some coin toss or shaking the magic 8-ball (though that does help some weeks.) No, this is off me really not liking the direction of the Eagles offense and thinking that Andy Reid has lost his fucking mind. Ronnie Brown is a great addition to this team, but do you think he’ll be getting the ball during the play action? During designed runs? No, Vick will hog it (as he always does) and either make a big play or fail miserably. Defenses have already caught on to his bullshit and the Rams defense isn’t slacking. Neither is their offense. Sam Bradford is a good QB, with dangerous accuracy. You have to take this team seriously. I don’t think that Vick and the Eagles will, and I think that the overrated Philly team will lose game one. The Rams to upset at home.

Detroit at Tampa Bay Line: -3.0
If I had a feature called “I’m not sure game of the week” this would be it this week. The Bucs are actually going to be a good team this year, especially on offense, and the Lions are going to be fantastic on defense. It’s strange because in the past, both these teams (along with the Niners) were squarely on my “do not pick to win” list. Ever. So that worked out for me one year, when the Lions went 0-16. It’s hard to say if as a franchise they have rebounded from that, but a huge part of that was getting rid of Matt Millen. Millen proved that just cause you are an ex-player (he was a LB) doesn’t mean you can be a football executive. The exception is Ozzie Newsome, who is killing it as GM of the Ravens. But he rose up through the ranks, and wasn’t just handed the job. In the 2 years since Millen’s departure the Lions have started to hold their heads up high and the franchise and it’s fans feel good. So my warning to the Bucs is to watch out and protect that line. However, I’m taking the Lions to win on the road, just for shits and giggles.

Tennessee at Jacksonville Line: -2.5
David Garrard is A) sitting at home eating cheetos. b)starting for an NFL franchise. c)neither. My guess would be C. Garrard is probably driving around, asking every team in the league for a coveted back-up job. Why, after he was named the starter and seemed to be healthy and doing okay, did the Jaguars release him with no advance notice – in favor of Luke McCown. McCown has been in the league 7 years, won one game and will be a backup for the rest of his career, save for this start. Jack Del Rio is 65-63 as head coach of the Jags. How much money do you want to put on it that he’s out of a job midseason? The Jags are in a bit of a disarray, and this sudden change at QB and the subsequent one to move McCown back to backup isn’t going to help them win games. I’m taking the Titans on the road. Especially with the ever consistent Hasselbeck leading the team now.

Pittsburgh at Baltimore Line: -2.5
This is one of the best rivalries in the NFL today, but no one really seems to care because they aren’t the Patriots. The fact is that both these teams are very similar. They have tough up front defenses with killer speed in the secondary. They have offensive weapons galore and the addition of Boldin for the Ravens almost puts them over the top, if Hines Ward wasn’t so damn smooth. Rothlesberger vs. Flacco? One is a rough and tumble guy who can extend plays and gain yards, the other is a disgustingly accurate passer with a rocket for an arm and the eyes of an eagle. They might shake hands before the game, but for these two young QB’s (one who has three superbowl rings) they are sizing each other up. The Ravens defense is going to be after Ben like flies on shit. Like flies on crack on shit. I expect a whole ton of creative blitz packages. I expect the Steelers to answer with quick slants and some creative scrambling by Big Ben. This is a tough one, but I’m taking the Ravens at home. I’d almost say that point spread is nonsense, as these games usually come down to the last second.

Indianapolis at Houston Line: -2.0
I was going to take this as my upset special, but then I saw the line and that Houston is actually favored this week. I suppose I should be surprised by that, but I’m not now that I know that Peyton isn’t starting. I hate to say it, but the Colts and their offense are nothing without Peyton. He calls the plays at the line, has been doing so for years now. So what is Kerry Collins going to do? He’s not going to take over the offense, which means plays from the playbook which means defenses don’t have to scramble to figure out what is going on. Collins is a good QB for the most part, but he doesn’t have that Peyton magic that’s been running this team since he started playing. The Texans on the other hand have a team that is still on the cusp of being great. Schaub has the best hands receiver in the league to throw to in Andre Johnson and the best running back in the league bar far in Foster. There is no way the Colts are going to be able to score enough to keep up with Houston. Texans to win at home, with the points.

Carolina at Arizona Line: -3.0
According to most of the so-called experts, Cam Newton is the next big thing. Bigger than cottage cheese, or something like that. What do you think? I don’t think he’ll be a bust, but shit, the guy won’t be able to do it all himself his rookie year. But that’s the plan. He’s the starter and he’s going to have the weight of this rebuilding franchise square on his shoulders. Meanwhile, Arizona is relying on Eagles castoff Kevin Kolb to carry them through their shitty division. Now, the question surrounding Kolb is will he have the same type of success Matt Cassel has had in KC after getting out of Tom Brady’s shadow, or will Kolb simply bust out. He’s looked good in preseason, but has a new core of receivers to throw to – new to the team that is. Defense isn’t even a question at this point, as Carolina has none and the Cardinals only really need to worry about out of conference teams. For the purpose of this week, I’m taking the Cardinals to win at home, with the points and the so-called experts to realize Newton is not a god. He’s just a kid.

Minnesota at San Diego Line: -9.5
Donovan McNabb has a one year contract in Minnesota. I can probably put money down now that he won’t be starting for the whole year. I’m not saying McNabb is washed up, not yet – but he’s going to have a tough time adjusting to the different style of play in the NFC North. The Packers and Bears are going to destroy him defensively, and he gets frustrated really quickly. I’m not putting too much stock in this years Vikings team. The Chargers are the opposite. They come out of the gate firing, with strong offense and crazy stats. Though then, they fall. My guess is that it’s coaching shortcomings, because it can’t be Rivers. That dude gets too pissed off to be making the play calling mistakes himself, especially since he doesn’t call the plays. The powder blue wins games and I’m guessing they’ll be wearing them for week one. I’m taking the Chargers at home, though not with the points if you are betting on them, which I’m not.

Seattle at San Francisco Line: -6.0
Alex Smith has got to be thanking the football gods for his position. Whether or not he wins or loses, heads to the IR or whatever, he still seems to have a permanent place starting in San Francisco. Frankly I think this is the correct way to build a franchise around a quarterback, I mean, you actually have to do something though. The Niners have not given Smith the help he needs on offense or on the offensive line. They did spend a little shoring up the defense but they are clutching at straws here. This team has a long way to go to success, so why are they highly favored over Seattle in the first game of the season? Easy, no Matt Hasselbeck. He’s gone. So now what? Now Tavaris Jackson, who sucked beyond sucking in Minnesota takes the reigns, until he’s relieved for Whitehurst. Who then is relieved for Carson Palmer. Expect that phone call buddy. It’ll come. The Seahawks have made some crucial updates on the defense, but it won’t be enough, not with that hack Jackson throwing the ball. I’m taking the Niners at home. With the points.

New York at Washington Line: +3.0
Well, at least one Manning will be starting the season not holding his neck and a clipboard. However, if his offensive line doesn’t do a better job of keeping him off the ground, Eli could be sharing Peyton’s fate a lot sooner than he would want to. The Redskins are in for a rude awakening this season as they rival the 2008 Lions for worst record. There is no way this team will be competing at a high level, especially in the division they are in. The Giants have the offensive power and the defensive prowess to make this game a likely shut out. It’s too easy to pick the Giants, so I will. With the points.

Dallas at NY Jets Line: -4.0
On page 94 of the current issue of GQ magazine rests the picture you see on the right. It’s Jets QB Mark Sanchez. Of the photo spread, Mark knew he’d be getting some slack, but even Aaron Rodgers called him out saying “That’s embarrassing. Page 94 of the GQ thing here. That’s terrible.” And frankly, it is. In fact, it’s downright fucking hilarious. Sanchez, what in the hell are you thinking? Win a fucking superbowl before you start posing for any type of photo spread. You look like a cross between Marky Mark and The Situation. Anyway, the Cowboys should be back on par this year. Romo has exactly one game to get back to his old form, pre-injury, pre-Jessica Simpson. I think this first game of the season is when Romo shows everyone that he is the elite quarterback everyone thought that he was. With a stronger receiving core and an offensive line that seems more focused on protecting Romo, the Cowboys should come out of the gate firing. The only thing I question is Romo and the offense on the road against a good Rex Ryan led defense. They should have a bit of trouble getting deep passes into zone coverage, but should have fun doing so. I’m looking for the Cowboys to eke out a win in this one, upsetting the Jets.

New England at Miami Line: +4.0
The Patriots are scary good. I don’t see any team on the schedule that is going to be able to beat the Patriots, at home or on the road. A 14-2 season should be no problem. There might be a couple upsets, but the first Dolphins game without Ricky Williams, without Ronnie Brown and with pretty much a totally new offense isn’t going to be the one to do it. If I would be choosing an upset at some point, which I will, it’d be the Jets. Either way, Patriots to win on the road this week. With the point.

Oakland at Denver Line: -3.0 CRAPFEST OF THE WEEK!!
Saved the best for last right? Hell no. Thankfully this game is on at 10:15pm EST which means no one on the East Coast will be staying up to watch it, and the West Coast will be watching the news or something better like Jersey Shore. There is potential on both these teams, but between the QB issues on the Broncos staff and the issues at every angle on the Raiders staff, both these teams can look forward to a very disappointing season. Maybe I’m being too harsh, because the Broncos could have a good offense, at least in the running game if they shore up that offensive line. But that’s not going to matter. I’d look for a high scoring affair with this game, because both defenses have yet to show any signs of even moderate greatness. For the sake of picking, I’m taking the Broncos at home cause maybe they’ll put Quinn in at tight end.

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 3
2. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 2
3. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 11

One more week. How about some snacks?

So last week I said that this week would be my week one picks. I lied. I totally forgot we still had another week to go, hell my fantasy drafts aren’t even all completed. Anyway, I’ve decided to fill this space with some random ramblings related to football. Or not related to football, but mostly related to football. You get the point. I’ll start off with a question, then my answer. My question is what are you looking forward to in week one of the NFL season?

My answer, is I’m looking forward to Michael Vick busting out and costing the Eagles a shit ton of money. Without even starting a game this season outside of a mediocre pre-season, they have signed him to a six year, $100 million dollar deal. That’s the second one of his career. As a side note, he’s broke and nearly all his income is going to debt collection. So he sure did need this deal. The thing is, from my perspective, he’s still not a good pocket passer and his gimmick of running around like a loose pitbull on chicken legs isn’t hard for good defenses to figure out. Cover the receivers, put a spotter on him and it’s game over for the Eagles. Teams figured it out late in the year last year, and Vick was mega human again. It might fool most of the teams on their schedule, but not the top ones and not the ones in the playoffs.

The other thing about Vick is he’s just one James Harrison hit away from getting another season stopping injury. The Eagles play the AFC East this year. You think the Jets (whom they start the season against) and the Patriots are going to go easy on him or be fooled by his antics? Both these teams have excellent secondary defenses and aren’t going to let him win the game by himself. Bottom line, I still think the guy is overrated just a bit. Yes, he can extend plays and help the offense, but he’s still not a true quarterback and I don’t think he ever will be.

Next question, why is Brady Quinn not starting at tight end? The guy is built like a tight end, not a quarterback, not to mention it might be his only chance to start in a NFL game. Otherwise, he could be out of football in a few short months. He’s third string behind a rookie (who is really no better than him) and a veteran that is yet to really prove he’s got the muster to lead a team. Denver should get their shit together and help this kid salvage his career while he’s still young. Move him to TE and let him play.

Colt McCoy. This kid is going to be awesome. He’s got killer poise and pocket presence and he can run too. Colt, aside from having an amazing football name, is going to be an MVP someday for sure. He reminds me of a young Tom Brady, or John Elway really.

I really don’t have much else to talk about this week. I’m hoping Oregon beats the crap out of LSU, considering that LSU can suffer a loss and still be in the thick of it in the SEC, where a one loss PAC-10 team is all but finished. So, that’s it. Next week, week one predictions for sure this time. I promise. Pinky swear and what not.

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 13
2. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 2
3. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 3

Will Peyton be able to avoid injury to be a worthy fantasy pick?

Ok, welcome back. You can see there are a few surprises on there this year, like the fact that I picked the Lions to actually make the playoffs and my true hatred for the Bucaneers didn’t shine through. Then there are some more obvious picks, like the Packers, Steelers and Patriots making it back to the playoffs with relative ease. I’d also look for Kansas City to do surprisingly well this year, which makes me glad I have Matt Cassel on my first fantasy team.

Speaking about fantasy football, I’m in four leagues this year, two of them pay leagues and I’m running one of those. Being the commish isn’t difficult, until I have to start approving stupid trades. Like the one I offered the other day, hoping to acquire Peyton Hillis, who went very early in our draft. I offered up L.T., who went very late in our draft. I was also a bit surprised that Peyton Manning wasn’t taken until the 13th round or so. Is the possibility for a re-injury that scary that people aren’t drafting him?

Aaron Rodgers has been the number one QB pick in a lot of leagues, as he was in ours. Even though the set rankings had Arian Foster at number one. My number one pick was Calvin Johnson as I was drafting eighth and I knew I wanted a top notch and primary receiver on my team. Plus, I ended up having plenty of choices for QB, ending up with Cassel, Rothlesberger and Josh Freeman. Freeman should have a good year, but I think he’ll throw just as many picks as touchdowns. Rothlesberger is always good for some points, but I think Cassel is going to be the star. Last year his TD to interception ratio was ridiculously good. And if you were wondering, someone did draft Tebow. Last round, a sentimental pick for a Gators fan.

For most fantasy teams, the big questions are coming in at the running back position. There aren’t a lot of backs around the league that are going to be primary ball carriers, so depending on how your league scores, should help you decide which back to pick. If the reward for yards is high, get a back like Shonn Greene. He’s going to be taking most of the handoffs, leaving L.T. to handle the short yardage stuff for the Jets. Then there is Talbert in San Diego who was a surprise break out last year, and should do well again this year, getting the primary load. However, if you can pull someone like Gore or Mendenhall, guys who are going to be primary backs, get ‘em, but you better have a good back up in case they get injured.

There are so many wide receivers out there, you should have no problem getting someone with high stats. Aside from Johnson I also netted Greg Jennings and Hines Ward. You can’t ask for a better receiving core for a fantasy team. I also got Devin Hester, since my league scores for return yards. That’s a huge bonus for a guy like Hester, or Josh Cribbs of the Browns, and Percy Harvin of the Vikings. These guys play both WR and special teams and should net plenty of yards per game. Supplement that with a reliable tight end that gets a fair amount of action, like Ben Watson in Cleveland and you’ve got some serious contention right there.

As far as defense goes (you’ll notice I skipped talking about a kicker, there are 32 starters, pick one) my picks are Detroit or Kansas City. Both these defenses are going to be good, especially Detroit when it comes to sacks. Of course, you can always go with the reliable Steelers D if you can get them. I don’t suggest picking the Bills defense. Another good defense should be Houston, believe it or not. They should be available off waivers.

In other news, Kerry Collins has come out of his short retirement to backup Peyton in Indy. Frankly, I think the Colts made a wise choice because Collins could definitely lead that team to the playoffs. The Colts are nothing without Peyton, but I think they could get by with Collins. Don’t bother picking him up though, as he won’t be starting but maybe the first game.

Next week: Week 1 Predictions! Finally!

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 9
2. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 17
3. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 8

Can Colt lead the Browns to the playoffs? (image: US Presswire)

AFC North

Cleveland Browns
The official outlook for the Browns is that this is a rebuilding year. This is the year that they expect Colt McCoy to dig in his heels as a starter, and new head coach (and offensive coordinator) Pat Shurmur to show that he’s got the chops to lead this team. He’ll be instituting a west coast style offense, and I think that Colt and his main receivers, Massaquoi and Robiskie will take to it well. The addition of Brandon Jackson to the backfield with Peyton Hillis will solidify their running game for sure. The questions still remain on defense. Look, the Browns have had a hot and cold defense the past couple years – when they are on, they are on. But when they aren’t, they give up a lot of passing yards. The addition of rookies Joe Haden & T.J. Ward in the secondary will help on those third and long stops, but a bunch of unproven defensive ends up front could pose a challenge. I’m looking for the Browns to do well this year. I don’t think they’ll make the playoffs, but I think they’ll at least break even on the year. As a Browns fan, I’d love for them to make the playoffs, but I hold no illusions about what this team is right now, and that’s in the middle of a transition to a better team.

Baltimore Ravens
The biggest changes for the Ravens had to be the switching up at wide receiver. Houshmandzadeh didn’t get along with the coaching staff, so he’s gone. Derek Mason was also let go, along with Donte Stallworth (worthless) and tight end Todd Heap. Le’Ron McClain and Willis McGahee also packed their bags and left Ravens camp in the offseason as well. Really though, who cares? The Ravens signed Anquan Boldin. He’s going to certainly click with rocket arm Joe Flacco. Tack on a couple good rookie receivers and the rejuvenated Ricky Williams in the backfield and you’ve got a certain offensive threat with this team. The defense, still lead by Ray Lewis will be the key to victory though, can they beat out the Steelers for best defense in the AFC? We’ll find out week one, as these two teams meet for the first time in the season. I have a feeling they’ll be seeing each other in the playoffs as well.

Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers have their work cut out for them in the first couple weeks, with visits to Indy, Baltimore and Houston lined up. The aging Steelers team still has it though, and not to mention still has nearly every starter from last years Superbowl team. This is a good team. The defense is going to be touch to score against this year, just like every year. James Harrison & Troy Polamalu are back from surgery, solidifying that defense. Their main goals are to stay healthy. The only questions hover around the offensive line, but are those real concerns? Ben won two Superbowls basically scrambling for his life, still making plays regardless of the holes that opened up in front of him. He’s a threat when he’s on the run, so for all we know the sub-par play of the offensive line is completely intentional. However, if their opponents find a true way to rattle Rothlesberger by taking advantage of the holes in the line, then the Steelers might need to worry. I doubt it though. The Steelers are on their way back to a division title and the playoffs for sure this year.

Cincinnati Bengals
Well, the “Bungles” are certainly back in full swing. I keep wondering why Marvin Lewis still has a head coaching job. I think after this year, and another losing season, he’ll finally be shown the door. If he even lasts all season. I mean, your star QB retired young rather than play another season for you. That’s got to be a bad omen right? Palmer has a lot of game left in him, he was that disgusted, Cincinnati ruined him that much that he simply retired. Well, the Bengals are now left with rookie Andy Dalton and perennial back-up Bruce Gradowski in the QB spot. Gradowski will probably be starting, but it doesn’t really matter who starts. This team is going to stink. T.O. and Ochocinco added very little to the offense last year, and they’ll add even less this year as they are both gone. The defense is full of holes, like wide gaping holes. I’ll be suprised if this team racks up three improbable wins this season.

AFC South

Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jags were an up and down team last year, with star running back Jones-Drew playing through a knee injury all year. They finished the season 8-8 and 3rd in the league for rushing. That’s not too shabby, but they’ll have to do better this year. They always seem to compete well in this division and I don’t see that changing. What I do see changing is the quarterback situation. I expect Garrard will be out by game three and rookie Blaine Gabbert will be taking the snaps under center. I only say that because of the whipping that Garrard tends to take behind a spotty offensive line. The big deal is the defense though. They underwent a bit of an overhaul in training camp and need to do better than the 28th overall rank they had last year.

Indianapolis Colts
The Colts made it to the playoffs last year, after having in my mind – a terrible season. I say that because of the slate of injuries both on the offense (Gonzalez being a key one) and most of the offensive line. This year, everyone is healthy and ready to go. Donald Brown needs to break out at running back, especially with his pass blocking skills. It’s part of the job Donnie. Peyton is coming off neck surgery, which could be an interesting storyline if he gets re-injured. I sure hope he doesn’t though. His goal, and the teams goal is the Superbowl – and playing it at home (Lucas Oil is the location for Superbowl XLVI.) I can at least see them in the playoffs for sure.

Tennessee Titans
Adding Matt Hasselbeck to replace the retired Kerry Collins and the departed Vince Young was a smart move. A really smart move. Hasselbeck can still play, and even if he physically can’t – Jake Locker can. Locker is in one of those advantageous positions, like Aaron Rodgers, getting to train under a consistent and reliable veteran quarterback. Locker should relish holding the clipboard this year, because his time will come and this will make him a better QB when it does. What the Titans are waiting on however, is Chris Johnson. After leading the NFL in rushing two seasons in a row, blowing the rushing records out of the water, the Titans are yet to give him the lucrative deal that he’s looking for. The problem for Johnson is that the Titans have 3rd year back Javon Ringer taking the handoffs in preseason games, and he’s doing a good job. Johnson better make up his mind quick. Adding Barrett Rudd was another smart move, the guy might not be the best linebacker in the game, but he’s a great spirit and a leader. That’ll help. Cortland Finnegan is back in the secondary after a short holdout, and while he’s a bit of a dirty player – he’s a good player. The Titans should do well this year, but not playoff well.

Houston Texans
New defensive coordinator Wade Phillips wants to win. The guy can’t do it as a head coach, so he wants to do it back in the position that he thrives at. First move, Mario Williams has been moved to the outside. Not sure why he wasn’t there in the first place. The guy has the chops to change games. Get him into a spot where he has the best chance to do so. Andre Johnson is one of the most consistent wide receivers in the league, and Matt Schaub and him should be getting along just fine once again. The Texans have all the tools to be a winning team, and even a playoff team. This isn’t the first year one can say that about them though. This team needs to come out strong if they want to compete.

AFC East

Miami Dolphins
Chad Henne or Matt Moore? I’d say, who else you got? Tony Sparano will be looking for a new job at the end of the season. Look, I know you Fins fans are optimistic about this team, and if the Fins can figure out how to use Reggie Bush they might have a shot at some good wins. But seriously folks, they aren’t in the class of the Patriots or even the Jets. They are in a class by themselves. That class has a good defense, but not a game changing defense. That class has a moderate offensive line, but not a game changing one. The special teams play is pretty good, but that’s not going to be enough to save this team. They should be fun to watch though, as they never play a home game in the snow.

New York Jets
Derrick Mason and Plaxico Burress joins Santonio Holmes running routes for the Jets this season. That’s a hell of a receiver core for Sanchez to throw to. The only issue is, can Sanchez hold it together and be consistent enough to get these guys the ball? In my mind, he’s still young and still a bit shaky at times especially when shooting for the deep targets. Expect to see L.T. as a good third down back, with Shonn Greene carrying the load. The Jets need to worry about the pass rush on defense however, as Sanchez needs a good deal of time to hit those deep threats. I’d like to think that the Jets have a good shot at the playoffs, but they are ripe for the upset. Plus, challenging the Patriots like that was a terrible idea. They’ll be gunning for them for sure.

New England Patriots
What needs to be said about the Patriots that hasn’t already been said? They have only gotten stronger with the addition of defensive superstar Albert Haynesworth and new WR Chad Ochocinco. Both these players have had their share of issues in the past, but for some reason the Patriots system starts them with a clean slate. Bellichick is still running the defense, so he must be happy that Shaun Ellis of the Jets is now on the line next to Haynesworth. The only question that remains is that of the starting running back, but then – running back by committee has worked well for the Patriots so I don’t see why it won’t work again this year. Jets coach Rex Ryan challenged other teams to beat the Pats, he double dog dared them. I challenge them to do the same. This team is your AFC Champion this year.

Buffalo Bills
The Bills were all kinds of awful last year, but make no mistake – they are finally moving in the right direction. This team hasn’t had a bright spot since losing the Superbowl four years in a row. And yeah, for this franchises – that was a bright spot. Chan Gailey will find success with the team, especially with young QB Ryan Fitzpatrick leading the offense. This kid was a tremendous asset last year. He threw for over 3000 yards, with 23 TDs and 15 INTs. He’ll be a good fantasy pick this year, even if they don’t rack up more wins than last year (4.) The Bills are in a tough division, their offensive line is a mess and their run defense is terrible. They’ll win a few, but they have a long way to go. I’d look for them to upset someone in the division late in the season as they start to click.

AFC West

Oakland Raiders
Who is coaching this team? Hue Jackson? Who the hell is that? Frankly, it doesn’t matter. The Raiders haven’t been good since they lost to the Bucs in the 2002 Superbowl and frankly, they weren’t that good back then either. Darren McFadden is constantly getting screwed by a terrible offensive line, even though somehow they managed to be second in the league in rushing last year. Not sure how that happened with eight losses, but whatever. Jason Campbell will be taking over as full time starter, and he’s got Trent Edwards to come in when it’s clear that he sucks. Or the offensive line makes him suck. Whatever the case, don’t start lining up for playoff tickets for this team for a couple years.

Kansas City Chiefs
You weren’t seeing things last year. That was the Chiefs and Patriots cast-off Matt Cassel in the playoffs. Yes, they lost in the first round but they had a hell of a good time getting there. They ranked first in rushing in the league, but 30th in passing. They have to improve that offensive stat if they hope to get back to the playoffs this year. I think, with the addition of Steve Breaston and draft picks Jonathan Baldwin and Dexter McCluster, that stat will improve and the Chiefs will be right back in the playoffs.

Denver Broncos
Not everyone is a Tebow fan. Merril Hoge of ESPN says Tebow’s mechanics are such a mess that there’s simply no turning him into an effective NFL quarterback. “You’ve got to look at a couple flaws that Tim Tebow had at Florida and still has in the National Football League that I don’t believe ever get better,” Hoge said. “First of all, his delivery is such an elongated motion that you have to have a complete, clear pocket for him to be successful down the field. If you don’t have that, you’re going to struggle.” That’s the biggest story coming out of the Broncos camp, who the starter will be. Will it be Orton? Will it be Tebow? Or will it even be Quinn? Who the hell knows? John Fox has the swagger to change this team for the better, picking a quarterback would be a good place to start.

San Diego Chargers
Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers. That’d be three reasons why the Chargers failed to make the playoffs last year, and three things they need to fix if they want to make the playoffs this year. Aside from that, special teams needs to tighten up, and Rivers needs to stay healthy. Like seriously top of his game healthy. This kid could be a superstar, but his offense needs to hold on to the damn ball. They do that, they will win and take the division. If they don’t do that, then they are as good as screwed and you can expect some seriously major changes next year.

Next week: My Fantasy Picks

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: 2011 NFC Predictions
2. NFL Preview: AFC Predictions
3. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 11

Yes. I'm predicting the Lions will reach the playoffs. What of it? (Image: US Presswire)

NFC East

NY Giants
All I gotta say for the Giants this year is good luck. The offensive line that once started 38 games in a row has all but dissolved, leaving Eli in a very unfortunate position. He has only been as successful as he has because of a strong O line, without that, he’s going to be in trouble. Not to mention the departure of TE Kevin Boss, who leaves behind a couple tight ends that may or may not be stars in the making. Expect Eli to be relying on his deep receivers to cover the slants, which will hurt them on the deep routes. The defense is a whole nother issue, as there are no clear cut leaders on that side of the ball. The Giants missed the playoffs last year with ten wins, they’ll miss the playoffs this year with less.

Dallas Cowboys
After giving up a team record 436 points last year, and finishing a weak ass 6-10, the Cowboys have brought in defensive mind Rob Ryan (and his massive stomach) to hopefully fix the holes. Bradie James, DeMarcus Ware and Marcus Spears have already been whining about the learning curve associated with Ryan’s defensive plans. However, these guys are veteran professionals and I expect that the Cowboys defense will be much, much stronger this year. Jason Garrett will be coaching again, and Tony Romo is returning as healthy as ever. So will the Cowboys compete in their division? I expect that they will. Will they make the playoffs? If their defense holds up, I expect that they will.

Washington Redskins
The Redskins went hogwild with departures & additions. Haynesworth, McNabb, Chris Wilson, Clinton Portis, Vonnie Holliday and more are gone. Incoming players include Tim Hightower, Donte Stallworth, Kellen Clemens and a slate of rookies. Shanahan is already putting the team in a funk, with making John Beck and Rex Grossman fight for the starting job. You can’t do that going into a season, he better make up his mind damn quick like. Neither of these QB’s can give this team a chance to win, so this is a really quick conversation. Expect the Redskins to suck, especially on the offensive side of the ball. The defense will probably end up scoring more points when all is said and done.

Philadelphia Eagles
Is this the team to beat in the NFC? On paper, sure, the Eagles are looking pretty hot. But I’m going to say this now – they won’t even win the division. Yes, the addition of Vick and Young will change the dynamic of the offensive game. Ronnie Brown will pick up where Westbrook left off, as far as the dominant running back. And the addition of Rodgers-Cromartie and Nnamdi Asomugha in the CB position will only make the defense stronger, but shit, it isn’t going to matter if Vick and/or Young fail. Vick is one side tackle or bad run away from another injury, while Young is about as consistent as a horse drawn carriage with Styrofoam wheels on a brick road. Not to mention a new rookie kicker, a defensive coordinator who was an offensive line coach since 1985 and an offensive line whom I still don’t have faith in to protect the QB. Sure, all this could add up to total win, or total disaster.

NFC North

Green Bay Packers
I’m still dancing from predicting at the beginning of the 2010 season that the Packers would win the Superbowl. Or at least go to the Superbowl. So what, do you think I should go two years in a row with that prediction? Well, Rodgers has plenty of targets to throw to, and his connection with Finley is only growing stronger. Hot running back James Starks will be competing with Ryan Grant for the starting job, with badass prospect Alex Green out of Hawaii
waiting right there to get in the game. The offense is no question going to be high scoring, high flying and lights out. The defense is also back and stronger than ever. Clay Matthews is joined by Brad Jones & Frank Zombo, all hungry and at full health. I don’t think this team will have the dreaded Superbowl hangover at all. I’m putting them right back in the playoffs, this time taking the division crown with them.

Chicago Bears
The Bears surprised everyone with their playoff run last year, even having a league worst 56 sacks allowed. However, no one was surprised by their late exit in the playoffs at the hands of the Packers. This year, they have shaken up the O-line in the hopes that Jay Cutler has time to throw to some new blood, courtesy of the Cowboys. Roy Williams, Marion Barber and Sam Hurd join the offensive ranks in Chicago. Also notable is Matt Spaeth coming in to replace Greg Olsen at tight end. The problem with the Bears is going to stem from an aging defense who is going to tire during the hot games, and freeze up during the cold ones. I’d expect some rookies to start rotating in midway through the season on the defensive side. Meanwhile, it’s going to be up to Devin Hester once again to force teams to make mistakes by being bold. He’s the spark of this team, but I don’t see that being enough to propel them back into the playoffs this year, save for the Vikings outlook, which isn’t that great.

Minnesota Vikings
The phone call never came. The reality of a Brett Favre-less universe hit the Vikings like a cold brick. Can Donovan McNabb lead this team to the playoffs? I don’t think so. Thankfully, they have a good rookie QB in Christian Ponder and it’s my advice to the Vikings to treat this like a rebuilding year and play the kid under McNabb, let the veteran show him the ropes and rebuild the team around him. McNabb has a one year deal, you know that Joe Webb won’t be playing QB so just start Ponder. Meanwhile, Sidney Rice is gone, replaced by Michael Jenkins who is just as fast. Harvin will move up to the number one receiver. The big deal is the defensive line, after coach Frazier released Bryant “Mount” McKinnie who was the most popular guy on the line. Yeah, he was out of shape and Frazier is all “I mean business” but it’s gonna fuck up morale. Already the line is showing signs of sucking. No playoffs for this team, not this year.

Detroit Lions
The Lions biggest challenge this year will be keeping their offensive line healthy, and having the depth to back them up when they are not. Stafford is back to throwing lasers, and all he needs is an offensive line that won’t let him touch the ground. The really good news for the Lions is the defense. Led by Ndamukong Suh, LB Stephen Tulloch (160 combined tackles last season) and Justin Durant, the front seven is looking strong – very strong. This is a defense that can break some records for the Lions and help this team push for a strong season. Playoffs? I dunno. At this point it’s really hard to tell if the offense is going to be able to score more points than the other teams offense, but again, it comes down to that O-line. Either way, the Lions will not suck this year, I expect them to compete at a high level, maybe even for a wild-card spot.

NFC South

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
I live in the Tampa Bay area, so I’ve been getting a lot of heat surrounding my picks for this division. Look, the Bucs are a young team this year – something we haven’t been able to say about them in a long, long time. Josh Freeman is the real deal at Quarterback and is the only reason Raheem Morris still has a job – as both the head coach and defensive coordinator. So can he successfully do both this year with defensive lynchpin Barrett Ruud leaving the team? The deal is going to be can the Bucs rush the ball? In the NFC South, the rush is more important than anything on offense. Yes, LeGarrette Blount rushed for over 1k yards last year but he’s clearly got an anger problem. And if he gets injured? Then what? Earnest Graham is so-so at best and who is Kregg Lumpkin? Thankfully, the Bucs can easily fall back on their strong receiving core. A surprising 10-6 last year, I can see them repeating that, if not doing better. A playoff spot awaits this team, as much as I hate saying that.

New Orleans Saints
The thing you have to understand about the Saints under coach Sean Payton is to expect the unexpected. Keeping that in mind, it was time for players like Reggie Bush & Jeremy Shockey to hit the road. I was a bit surprised that they released Gay, but perhaps he is aging a bit in the CB position. This division was so tough last year, the Saints at 11-5 were only good enough for second in the division and a wild-card, which they lost in a shocker to the Seahawks. Bush was almost a non-factor last year, which should make inserting Mark Ingram into the lineup even more interesting. He joins Pierre Thomas & Darren Sproles behind the O-line. There is no one singular “guy” which makes this team so dangerous. I mean, save for Drew Brees who had a bit of a down year in 2010. The only problems still lie a bit on defense, as they just couldn’t seem to rack up the sacks last year. I expect the Saints to slip a bit this year and have a half and half year.

Atlanta Falcons
After going 13-3 last year, then losing to the Packers in the NFC divisional round, the Falcons are looking to bounce back strong. Drafting Julio Jones from Alabama was definitely a step in the win now direction. This team is not rebuilding or taking a year off, they will be coming out of the gate firing. Defensive end Ray Edwards will be joining John Abraham on the line to help with the pass rush that seemed to be missing a bit last year. The Falcons need that pass rush to give their secondary that extra time to make the big plays that we know that they can. Matt Ryan is yet to win a post-season game as a starter, but I expect that to change this year as the Falcons once again take the division and head deep into the playoffs.

Carolina Panthers
If there is any team in rebuilding phase, it’s this one. They spent a ton of money re-signing core offensive and defensive line players, then topped that with the signing of Cam Newton. They also added Derek Anderson to join Jimmy Clausen on the bench in case Cam is a bust. At this point, I don’t think any of these quarterbacks gives this team a chance to win – at this point. The biggest problem for the Panthers is going to be all the coaching changes. New head coach Ron Rivera is joined by Rob Chudzinski as offensive coordinator and Sean McDermott as defensive coordinator. That’s a lot of new systems to learn in such a short period, and it will be interesting to see if they can catch on before they start worrying about finishing with another losing season.

NFC West

St. Louis Rams
This team is going to be interesting to watch this year. The loss of Oshiomogho Atogwe, who accounted for more takeaways than any other NFL player over the last six seasons will be felt in the secondary. They also picked up Cadillac Williams, a player never earning his potential and Jerious Norwood, both backing up the only reason this team wins at all – Stephen Jackson. New offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels should spice things up a bit, and considering the division they are in, they have a pretty damn good shot at winning it with a losing record. Gotta love that shit.

Arizona Cardinals
If the Rams don’t win the division, it’s going to be the Cardinals. Kevin Kolb is a lot better quarterback than people give him credit for, kind of like Matt Cassel. Now he’s got that rare second shot, riding high off his play with the Eagles. In addition, he’s got some new friends to throw the ball to in WR Chansi Stuckey and rookie DeMarco Sampson, the hot hands receiver from San Diego State. The questions looming are if Beanie Wells can carry the running game, and if playing rookies in the secondary is going to pay off. I say this will be an exciting team to watch, high scoring for sure, but if the defense can’t keep up with the other teams offense, it won’t matter.

Seattle Seahawks
The Hasselbeck era has come to a close, and so has the Seahawks surprising winning ways. Tavaris Jackson is the starting quarterback, with Charlie Whitehurst ready to inevitably relieve him. Neither QB is going to pull this team close enough to smell the playoffs, and they have an outside chance at a winning season. The good news is that with some recent re-signings and injury recoveries the defense is back on it’s feet. For the first half of last season, the Seahawks had the #2 run defense in the league, and that type of stat should return if they can stay healthy. If they can’t then we may as well write off the Seawhawks at that point, since the defense is going to be the only bright spot on this team. Pete Carroll is rebuilding this team, and they have a way to go.

San Francisco 49′ers
Hey, it’s Alex Smith and Braylon Edwards, together again. They were in the same draft class, and now they join each other on the field of battle. This will be a good combination to watch, it’s too bad that the Niners offensive line will be too shitty to give Smith a chance to get off those lovely deep passes to Edwards. The Niners are in for a shock this season, as if their 6-10 record last year was a shock. New head coach Jim Harbaugh has his work cut out for him this year for sure. The Niners fans will be hanging their heads for most of the season unfortunately.

Next week: AFC Predictions

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1. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: 2011 AFC Predictions
2. NFL Preview: NFC Predictions
3. Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 16

See ya next year Randy.

As the 2011 NFL Season finally approaches, you have no doubt been trying to keep up with all the moves taking place in the NFL. A lot of players have switched teams, some voluntarily, some being traded and some just getting lucky to be offered a job. Others are still in the wind, as many teams are struggling to fit their salaries under cap, and other players have simply decided it’s time to just hang up the cleats. Well, I’ve been trying to keep up with the moves as well, and there have been plenty of them. The question is, will any of these moves help the teams win games, or is it just all about the bottom line? I’ll take a look at some of the major moves and give my two cents.

We should probably start with the retirements. First, Brett Favre is still retired. There was only a hint of a rumor that a team was thinking of talking to him, but both camps quickly denied that happening. This is a good thing for football, as the lock-out drama was enough to contend with. The biggest new retiree is Randy Moss, which came as a bit of a surprise to many. It seemed the 34 year old veteran still had some gas in the tank left, even though he was way down in touches last year. I think a player like that, it’s hard for him to accept a position second or third on the depth chart, but that’s where he’ll be if he decided to stay in the league. From a different perspective, he’s retiring on a high note, not run out of the league and with certain hall of fame numbers. Chances are though, he won’t stay retired.

As for the other major name retiring after 11 NFL seasons, Mark Bulger. But no one really gives a shit. They didn’t seem to care when he was playing, and they don’t seem to care now. Sorry Mark. Also, Kerry Collins will be joining Mark on the retired QB list, though I can see Kerry Collins making an easy move to the booth, a la Rich Gannon. Now, let’s take a look at some of those free agency moves. This might be a little ADHD as I hop around the league, but it’s all there. I’ll try to go in order of *former team* by division. With a few exceptions. Whatever. Like you give a shit how it reads.

The Ravens gave guard Marshal Yanda a huge $32M deal, with took up a huge chunk of cap. So Gaither is gone to the Raiders, McClain has headed to Denver, Heap is gone to the Cardinals. Mason and McGahee are still in the wind, having been released but surprisingly no one has picked up either player yet. I can see Mason getting a starting job somewhere, but McGahee is washed up. The Ravens also franchised DT Haloti Ngata.

The Bengals re-signed Benson and the Browns dropped Delhomme like a bad cold. He’ll be lucky if he can find a clipboard holding job this year. The Steelers re-signed Ike Taylor, William Gay, Willie Colon & LaMarr Woodley was given the franchise tag. This ensures the Steelers will have another great defensive year.

Let’s see, the Titans cleaned house. Collins & Moss retired. Babin went to the Eagles, as did Vince Young. Bo Scaife, Chris Simms & Marques Douglas are all in the wind at this point, I imagine they’ll re-sign Scaife because they need a TE, but Simms is questionable. The kid certainly ain’t his father. I’m thinking they’ll keep him as a backup to Hasselbeck, who they just got for 3 years & $21M.

The Jags lost Durant to the Lions and Sims-Walker to the Rams. He’s getting a nice $3.7M 1-year deal, which considering he’s a 3rd down receiver, that’s not too bad. Expect him to get a bigger role there.

Not too much movement with the Colts, they predictably kept Addai and Vinatieri. They are yet to sign back-up RB Rhodes, but they should before pre-season starts. He’s probably going to be competing against some rookies for the #2 spot.  Speaking about #2 spots, the Texans re-signed Matt Leinart who would love to be starting, but it’s probably never going to happen again for him. No other huge outgoing moves for the Texans besides holding on to WR Jacoby Jones. Oh yeah, and getting Danieal Manning from the Bears for a 4-yr, $20 mil deal.

No word yet on Chad Pennington of the Dolphins, he’s not expected to return to the team though. The good news is that Jason Taylor is returning to the team. He left a huge gap in the emotional play of the defense, and even though this will probably be his last season, it’s good that he’s finishing out a stellar career with the Fins. Matt Moore is coming over from Carolina, likely to be the starter in Miami. As for Ronnie Brown, he’s gone. In his place, the Dolphins signed Reggie Bush. Though I think Brown is a much better RB when it comes to down after down play. It’s unknown at this point if Ricky will be there to back up Reggie.

Nothing substantial from the Bills, besides acquiring who-dat QB Tyler Thigpen from the Dolphins.
The Patriots made the most surprising moves, signing both Albert Haynesworth and Chad Ochocindo, two player notorious for their antics. Obviously, the Pats have done this before and both these players will either adapt or find themselves looking for a new team. They also re-signed Sammy Morris, Faulk and Matt Light, while cutting about 7 other veterans. The Jets also signed a troubled player in Plaxico Burress, but at the same time have left Braylon Edwards in the win. Due to them handing over $50M in a 5 year deal to Santonio Holmes, Edwards is probably as good as gone. Good news for kicking fans, Nick Folk is sticking around for at least another year.

Vincent Jackson signed the franchise tag with the Chargers, while Sproles heads to the Saints and Floyd is unknown. The Raiders lost Zach Miller to the Seahawks and Gradowski (who is only slightly better than Simms) to the Bengals. The big loss was Nnamdi Asomugha who signed a huge 5 year $60M deal with the Eagles. Massive. He’ll be deadly out there at the CB spot, tightening up an Eagles defense who certainly needs the help in the secondary No big crazy moves from the Chiefs or Broncos, as far as anyone getting the boot. The Chiefs did nab Steve Breaston from the Cards though.

Drew Stanton is coming back to Detroit for another year, which is nice for him I guess. Linebackers Bobby Carpenter and Julian Peterson are unsigned as of the moment, but they’ll probably be back on the team soon. Interesting news from the Packers, as they lose Nick Barnett to the Bills for a 3-yr $12M deal. Brandon Jackson is heading to the Browns, and Kuhn is unsigned. The good news is Crosby is coming back with a nice kicker’s deal, 5 years, $14.75M. The Vikings also resigned their kicker, Ryan Longwell. Other than that, they got cherry picked by Seattle with both Sidney Rice and Tavaris Jackson heading to the Northwest.

The Panthers spent some of that cap money. DE Charles Johnson for $76M, DeAngelo Williams at $43M, Ryan Kalil franchised and James Anderson & Thomas Davis resigned as well. Will this help the Panthers compete this year? Who the hell knows. We’ll see when the season starts. Aside from Michael Jenkins going to the Vikings, the offensive team of Snelling & Norwood are currently unsigned. The Falcons running game was second to none last year, and they’ll need these two behind the O-line to compete.  The Saints are sitting with a lot of unsigned free agents as well, but the big news out of the NFC south is the Bucs losing Barrett Rudd to the Titans. Rudd was the lynchpin of that defense since Brooks left. The Bucs are going to be a mess on defense this year.

Marion Barber, gone. Roy Williams, gone. Offensive Linemen Marc Colombo & Leonard Davis – gone. Kris Brown, gone. The Cowboys are in the middle of a huge cleanup. The Redskins, Giants, Cardinals, Niners & Seahawks don’t have much going on besides the whole Hasselbeck deal. As for the Eagles, Vick got the ‘ol franchise tag. They also picked up Vince Young. This should be interesting.

For a full list of moves, click over to this handy-dandy chart on CBS Sports.

Next week – I’ll talk rookies and new staff as we get into my annual AFC Predictions! Boo-ya!

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What struck me the most about the Women’s World Cup Final Championship Game recently was a subtle yet sophisticated coaching technique that many never got the opportunity to witness or truly appreciate.

What many saw and took away from that game was an American team that dominated for long stretches, missed numerous opportunities, yet pulled ahead twice with dramatic goals.  Many also witnessed a Japanese team that never gave up, never panicked, and capitalized on the U.S. team’s mistakes.

What was not surprising was how unsophisticated the main stream press has been covering this Championship.  Most references were made to the so-called ‘choke factor’ after the US Team missed three penalty kicks, rather than a simple but effective coaching technique that was visibly shown just prior to the start of the penalty kicks.

As the two teams prepared to take those critical kicks, the US Team huddle around Head Coach Pia Sundhage, who did a fantastic job directing this team throughout the tournament, and you could see the concern on the team’s faces.  They were uptight, most likely still filled with thoughts that they twice let the game ‘get away’ from them and shouldn’t be in this situation.

On the opposing side you had a strikingly different appearance of emotions.  The Japanese Team, led by their Head Coach, Norio Sasaki, displayed a technique that was brilliant.  Sasaki was laughing, smiling, clapping his hands, demonstrating to his team that he & the team should “enjoy the moment”.  By employing that technique, Sasaki in essence was telling his team, look what we’ve done, feel the excitement of the crowd around us, this is the moment we’ve dreamed about, don’t worry about it, go out and enjoy it!

What’s often missed in coaching at all levels is the fact that sports are full of stressful moments for athletes. Rather than allowing the stress of a critical moment worry your team, and at times almost physically and mentally paralyze it, a coach should be lightening the load and actually encouraging everyone to have fun!  The US Team as a result most likely carried self-doubts in their minds, they were tight, not enjoying the moment.

The Japanese Team were free of doubt, because they were focused on the moment, you could see it on their faces, they went out to have fun.

In an earlier article this year titled “Taking Fun Seriously“,I wrote about how the world’s best Snowboarders, Skateboarders, Motocross, BMX riders, etc all mention “fun” as an integral part of their performance.  They explanation is, if there not having fun they’re not going to perform well.  When your having fun, you’re relaxed yet focused, and more apt to perform to your utmost ability.

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Time to switch out the suit for pads Kenny.

The football gods have deemed us worthy of the NFL and have bestowed another season upon us, with a new collective bargaining agreement in place and happy players and owners. That being said, everything is a little behind this year – including this column. By now you’d see me posting my AFC & NFC predictions, but those are going to have to wait a few weeks until training camp & free agency settles out. Already we’ve seen a few big name players get cut, and a lot of free agents looking for a home. So you are probably wondering, what exactly was the lockout about? What couldn’t the two sides agree on? Well, it’s been discussed to death (have you watched Sportscenter at all this summer?) but it’s about money. It’s always about money.

Basically, here’s the four major points in the new CBA:

1. Free agency – players now only need 4 years of experience to become free agents, instead of the previous six that was put in place after the 2009 season. This of course opens up the field for more team switching year to year, more money for the players and less team loyalty. I don’t like this bit of the CBA at all, mostly for those last two points.

2. Salary cap at $120 million and change – this is actually about $8 million less than it was in 2009, but there is some sort of $3 million dollar option or some shit like that. Basically, this will preserve parity among teams and make it harder for free agents and incoming rookies to demand ridiculous guaranteed amounts.

3. Rookie wage scale – which is expected to cut top rookie contracts by more than 50 percent through a league wide rookie pay limit, and solid 4 year contracts with a fifth year option. This should also help prevent those douchebag holdouts from well, holding out. Hey agents, stop filling their heads with dreams of the hall of fame and millions upon millions of dollars. Don’t you make more money if your client doesn’t bust out in his first two years because he sucks balls? Conversely, maybe that’s why you fight for the huge up front cash. Assholes.

4. Minimum salaries – are going up! This is good news for the core of every football team, the offensive and defensive lines. Guys who rarely see more than the minimum while the guys who walk the ball into the endzone get the accolades and millions will be on a set wage increase scale based on their years of service in the league. Fantastic news for players, and this point was a huge win and fuck you to the owners.

So what does that mean for fans? It means that football is coming back (without really leaving) and we get to sit on our couches every Sunday, yelling at the television while simultaneously checking our fantasy stats. It also means that this column returns weekly, knocking the Digital Dads Week in Sports to the bench until sometime next year. It means we get to talk about, live, breathe, eat, fuck, shit, molest and snort football. It means the NFL is back the fuck on. It means that players can stop getting arrested now.

As I had predicted before the strike, players would find themselves getting in trouble due to extreme boredom and essentially – not having a job. While many players opted to hold their own training camps, some players decided the off-season would be a good time to beat some women, or do some drugs. Four Buccaneer players or coaches were arrested on charges ranging from weed to assault and DUI. The Titans held their own with Kenny Britt who was arrested three separate times. The Bengals almost made it though the off-season with no arrests, but good ‘ol Pacman Jones committed his 14th off-field incident his career. Kudos to the Niners, Dolphins, Cardinals, Texans, Giants and Bills, who have all been clean for over a year. Which is strangely ironic as they’ll probably have shitty seasons. Maybe.

Next week: Free agency report. Then, my annual NFC & AFC predictions.

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If you were living under a rock this week (as you very well may be) you might have missed the MLB All-Star game, the annual festival of meaningless competition among the most popular players in the sport. If you know me, you know my opinions about this annual event are pretty strong in one direction, which I’ll get to in a second. But it got me thinking, of all the five major sports (yes, I’m counting Soccer) which ones have the best All-Star festivities? So, I decided to rank them and of course, tell you why. On a side note, the U.S. Women’s Soccer team is kicking ass in the World Cup, as they beat Brazil, then France and are heading to the final. One thing I have noticed when watching the women play is that they don’t dive and fake injury nearly as much as the men.

#5 The NFL Pro-Bowl

This game went from being a joke, to an absolute joke. Not only do most of the players complain about going, but it’s like watching a game of touch football. Understandably, no one wants to get hurt in the last game of the season, and most of them just want to get their short vacations started. Even though now we’re seeing them experience an extended vacation. The NFL thought they solved this issue by moving the Pro-Bowl from the week after the Superbowl to the week before the Superbowl in Miami. This was a terrible idea, as now the best players in the league (you know, the ones in the Superbowl) can’t even be recognized as all-stars because they can’t play in the game. For those two reasons, the quality of play and the lack of players, this is my worst rated All-Star game. Add on the fact that the television coverage is basically second rate, the Pro-Bowl blows ass.

#4 MLB All-Star Game

Now, don’t get me wrong – I love the build-up to this game. Specifically the homerun derby, especially since they started letting players pick their hitters. This is a fun time and seems like the players truly enjoy hanging out and slamming free homeruns. Plus, a lot of charity is involved in the derby, so that’s a good thing too. It’s also a lot more entertaining to watch than the game the next day. Now, not everyone agrees with me that the MLB All-Star game is one of the worst, and that’s all well and good but I think for me it’s more the coverage that ruins it for me than the game itself. First off, Fox’s coverage of the game is way too much pomp and circumstance. This year, it was even worse when they led in with ridiculous previews for the X-Factor show. No one watching the game gives a shit. Not to mention, is anyone else just plain tired of Joe Buck?

The game itself isn’t too bad. The teams actually appear like they are trying to win the game. They are a little held back, and usually it comes down to who hits the homeruns. The pitchers are certainly holding back, as an injury on the mound is always in their minds. But what makes it real shit is that it “means something.” You can blame Bud Selig for that, in response to an All-Star game that went 11 innings with no winner, Selig decided that it would be a good idea that the winner of the All-Star game determines home field advantage in the World Series. Are you fucking kidding me? No where does home advantage mean more than in the World Series and it was determined by a meaningless game played by the most popular (because it is a popularity contest, that was assured by letting the fans vote) players and not by record as it should, and is throughout the playoffs. This is a ridiculous end result of the game, and is just plain stupid. I hope, whatever National League team (as the NL All-Stars won this year off a Cecil Fielder homerun) send a thank you note to Fielder for that win. Of course, they could also send fuck you notes to the American League pitchers, who spoon fed him that homerun. Weak.

#3 MLS All-Star Game

I’ve actually never watched a MLS All-Star game. I know that they do it a little different, the best of the U.S. teams vs. a world team like Manchester United. That’s a pretty kick-ass game, because in between dives, they actually play a hard game because it’s based on pride. Sadly, I think the American team loses a lot, but that really doesn’t matter much in the scheme of things. I’ll watch it this year, I promise.

#2 NBA All-Star Game

Like the MLB game, the best part of the NBA All-Star break is the pre-game stuff the day before. The dunk contest highlights everything that is wrong with the NBA, as far as the individualism and so on, but it’s a fucking blast to watch. They jump over cars, shoot 3-pointers and have a blast. The game itself is highly competitive for a game that doesn’t mean anything, this is the general mindset in the NBA though, so that makes sense. It’s probably the only NBA game I watch all year besides the playoffs, as it’s a true All-Star game, with a lot of who-dat players based on stats rather than pure popularity, though there is some of that. In the end though, it’s still the NBA and doesn’t have half as much energy as my number one.

#1 NHL All-Star Game

The NHL game wasn’t always my favorite. For a long while it was East vs. West, which was okay but a bit bland to watch. Then it was USA vs. Canada (or was it World, I can’t remember) but this year they blew me away with their handling of the All-Star game. They went all playground rules on us. First they picked team captains, then they staged a mock draft where the captains picked their teams. The coverage of this took itself a bit too seriously, but it was great that there was no telling who was going to be on which team. This added a level of enjoyment to it because you knew that heated rivals could end up on the same team, and they did. I don’t remember what team won, but I know the score was in the double digits on both sides.

Adding another fun dimension to the game was having the goalies miked up during the game. In between blocking shots, they were bullshitting with the announcers, just having a fun time and performing for the fans. Because in the end, that’s what this game highlighted – the fans. Before the game there was tons of fan interaction, the referees didn’t even call offsides until the 3rd period and were just letting the players play, and the fans enjoy a high scoring exhibition game. Which is what all the All-Star games should be, exhibition games for the fans, to see the best players in the league let loose a little bit so we can look at them as people like us, rather than rich superstars.

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Within time, it was not only championship teams that seemed to fall apart after winning or participating in a playoff series, it soon was just playoff teams. After the 2007 Cleveland Indians lost to the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS, they dropped both CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee, two pitchers who have gone on to become two of the best in the game. Think of what the 2008 Indians could have accomplished had they kept those two aces on the staff. And it’s not just baseball. Many sports teams started having fire-sales, even starting them midseason when the playoffs were a clear miss. It’s one thing to let a player go due to free agency, it’s another to trade them away like baseball cards after all their contributions to the previous season. This kind of behavior in sports might be good for jersey sales, but not good for player and fan loyalty.

The reason I bring all this up is because of the recent moves by the Tampa Bay Lightning, who lost to the Boston Bruins during their now historic run. The Lightning have been unable to keep the team that brought them to the playoffs. Now, this is due to many factors including the salary cap that exists within the NHL, and not in the MLB. The cap prevents teams from spending too much money and going into debt and also helps control outrageous player salaries (even though Brad Richards just signed a huge deal with the Rangers to become the highest paid NHL player, taking 20% of the salary cap for next year.) The Lightning have lost Mike Smith to the Coyotes, where he was promised a starting job. They lost Sean Bergenheim to the Panthers, even though he was the one who kept them in the playoffs. They also lost Simon Gagne to the Kings. The reason they didn’t try harder to keep these pivotal players is two-fold. First, there is a great young draft class coming up through the minor leagues. Second, Steven Stamkos.

Stamkos is still not resigned. Like Vinny Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis, the Lightning want to make Stamkos a career Lightning forward, something that is rare is any sport and they fact they already have two players that will play their whole careers with the team is amazing. Stamkos wants more money, and justifiably so. But the Lightning hold all the cards. You see, there is only so much a team can offer for Stamkos before enacting a particular rule in the NHL. That rule states that if a team offers a single player over a certain amount, they have to also forfeit 4 first round draft picks to the other team. So the Lightning have offered Stamkos an amount right below that target amount, which would force any team to then have to hand over 4 first round picks. Because of that, there is currently very little interest in Stamkos from any other team. This guy is a future hall of famer, and no one is interested. It’s a risky play by the Lightning to keep Stamkos because at some point he’ll have no choice, and that’s when the offer that’s on the table now goes down.

So what’s my point in all this? My point is that professional sports seem to have lost the point of competition. There is a lot of money out there, I understand that, but to make it all about the money doesn’t help keep us fans in the game. At some point during every season it hits me, these people are getting paid millions to play a sport for my entertainment. I want to be a fan of a team and the whole team. I don’t want to have to buy nameless jerseys because the players don’t stay there year after year. I have two Carl Crawford jerseys that need to be burned, now that he plays for the fucking Red Sox. So do you feel the same way? That there should be more player loyalty regardless of the minute details of contracts? One last example, in 2006 longtime Indian Jim Thome left the team for $1mm more than what he was making because he wanted to play with a team who was going to compete. He went to the Phillies, who did not make the playoffs in 2007, yet the Indians went to the ALCS. Perhaps had he stayed (and he hasn’t seen success since) the Indians may have fared better against the Red Sox.

Maybe I’m being idealistic thinking that team loyalty will exist again, but I’d like to think that even with all the money out there, sports teams will return to the nature of the game – playing the game to win and entertain, rather than just for a payday.

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads Week in Sports: Lightning Strikes
2. Digital Dads Week in Sports: The NBA is Still On?
3. Digital Dads Week in Sports: Stanley Cup Playoffs Get Crazy Good

This might not be impressive to some, but the final in this years College World Series was against Florida. Florida has shown strong offense all year long, which is what got them to the series in the first place. They never seemed to falter against strong pitching, but seemed to have trouble against the Gamecocks in the final, especially against Michael Roth in game 2, as he was in clear control of the game. The standout was second baseman Scott Wingo, who was named most outstanding player. He had the winning run earlier in the tournament against Texas A&M, and made absolutely outstanding defensive plays in the extra innings game one against Florida, saving the game for the Gamecocks.

“We might not be the most talented team, but I wouldn’t play with any other people,” said Wingo. “We’ll straight up fight you, and for you to beat us, for somebody to take our title, they’re going to have to take it from us and just beat us. They didn’t do it. Everybody turned it up a notch. It’s awesome.”

It was awesome, and exciting to watch. Roth echoed the sentiments felt by Wingo about it being a team effort, even though at times it did seem singular. “We’re not the most talented team, and we don’t have the best players position for position,” Roth said, “but we go out and stick together as a team. We battle. I can’t describe it. We’re a bunch of average Joes and love each other and come out and battle.” For the record, Wingo has been drafted by the Dodgers, an 11th round pick.

What’s most interesting about the College World Series this year, aside from the brand new TD-Ameritrade Stadium in Omaha, was the new bats. The new bats are deader than they used to be, so they have less pop. College uses aluminum bats, and they tend to make the game feel like slow pitch softball. The new design made the game a bit more like baseball should be as far as the contact and hitting. This is evident from the drop in batting average during the regular season, from .305 in 2010 to .282 in 2011. Home runs were down almost half, and scoring was down as well. This is a good thing for college ball though, as it was more of a hitters game, than a pitchers game. The series was all pitching. Even though Florida lost both games, excellent pitching along with run support brought them to the championship game.

Congrats to the Gamecocks, and I look forward to next years series. If you have a college near you, make sure you go check out the baseball games. It’s usually pretty cheap and makes for a good weekend afternoon with the family.

U.S. Women Start off with a Bang

Probably the only women’s sport that I’ll watch besides beach volleyball (for obvious reasons) is the FIFA Women’s World Cup. While I haven’t had the chance to watch any matches this year, as it’s being played in Germany, the women are already off to a good start. By that I mean the American team of course. While the Men’s team struggles in North American matches, the women’s team still manages to make the men look like chumps. They started off the tournament with a big win over North Korea, blasting them 2-0.

The game opened a bit sloppy, but the Americans were able to get their shit together and put two goals in the net. There is no reason to think that this team won’t be contending for a third world cup championship, as they are a strong team with a veteran foundation. The key for the women is going to be keeping their emotions in check – go figure – throughout the tournament. Once they get a lead, they tend to get a bit cocky, and the opposite is true when they are playing from behind. This team plays best in tight matches, when they can better control the pace of the game.

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads Week In Sports: Ranking the All-Star Shenanigans
2. Digital Dads Week in Sports: Dismantling the Team
3. Digital Dads Week in Sports: NCAA Women Outshine the Men

The 4th of July is here with a bunch of upcoming summer weekends at home, the beach house, on vacation, or visiting friends & family.  This is the best time to enjoy yourself outside playing games while drinking your favorite beverage, barbecuing, or just hanging out.  It could be horseshoes, volleyball, frisbee, wiffle ball, or playing catch.  Now there’s a new game that will not only pit you against your buddies, but actually improves your golf game.  It’s called PGA Trick It Out Golf.

Trick It Out Sports is a company I created 3 years ago, that makes learning the fundamental skills of sports more engaging and fun by breaking them into measurable tricks.  Most recently we partnered with the PGA of America and designed our first golf product.

PGA Trick It Out Golf is a backyard skills game for any level of play.  Based on mini-skill competitions that are called “tricks”, and a virtual web based scoring system, you can conduct on-going competitions throughout the summer, wherever you are.

This unique and innovative PGA game breaks down all the fundamentals of golf into a series of fun tricks, in combination with a virtual web tool that measures each golfers improvement, while providing everyone the opportunity to compete and rank each of their trick performances among other golfers around the world.  In your own backyard!

All tricks are introduced and available on a member’s personal PGA Trick It Out Golf web page, via trick videos, and an illustrated pocket guidebook, that provides step by step instructions on how to set-up, execute, and score each trick.  After a golfer executes a trick they download their best score onto a virtual scoreboard that automatically shows where that performance ranks.

For this upcoming holiday weekend you can try it out and let PGA Trick It Out Golf know what you think.  All you need is 10 yards of open space, a pitching or sand wedge, 5 short flight golf balls (wiffle, foam, etc), 7 small disc cones (you can substitute with two jump ropes, rope, string, etc), 6 empty shoe boxes or pairs of different size buckets that form 3 different size obstacles approximately 6, 12, & 18 inches in height, an extra club or stick to lay on top of the shoe boxes or buckets.

See Trick Card for set-up and how-to execute

Then go to PGA Trick It Out Golf on Facebook and let them know what you think. If you’re pleased, and want to try more, log onto www.pgatrickitoutgolf.com and register for a one year membership.

Anyone can sign-up & join. You can sign-up your kids by age category, as well as register yourself to the open adult division.

A one year individual membership includes:

• Access to 10 introductory tricks on video, with more tricks added throughout the year, including indoor tricks for the winter.
• A virtual realtime scoreboard that ranks your trick performances among others nation & worldwide.
• Tips from the pros.
• Download video of your swing, or tricks performed, and link them to a certified PGA Teaching Professional for analysis (your local pro can sign-up and link to you anytime)
• A calendar of upcoming PGA Trick It Out Events throughout the country.
• All for just $9.95 per year

No related posts.

Due to a heat of the moment bet with @bigguyd, this entire column is going to be about the Boston Bruins and their fantastic run for the cup. If you know me, you know that this is a bit painful, as I despise Boston sports teams (besides the Celtics, to which I’m indifferent) with a fevered passion. As the Bruins have won the Stanley Cup for the first time in 39 years, joining other Boston sports teams in the circle of winners, I suppose it’s appropriate that they get their own dedicated column. I am a hockey fan after all. So how can I write a whole column about a team that I absolutely hate? Easy, get people to write it for me.

I’ll start with Don Martelli (@bigguyd.) Don and I have been friends for years, and he is a massive Boston fan, born and bred in the clam chowdah capital. We’ve had many arguments about Boston sports, mostly with me hating them and him defending them or throwing shit in my face. Don, his brother and father have a clock. This Bruins clock was a gift to his father 21 years ago, and never had a battery in it – until now.

There are moments in your life that you’ll never forget. Other than my wedding day and the birth of my kids, one day that’ll be etched in my mind forever is when I watched my dad put a battery in the Bruins clock.

The clock was a gift my brother and I gave to my dad 21 years ago as a Christmas gift. The clock, which features a Bobby Orr rookie card, has never had a battery in it — until last night.

As for the season itself, it was one filled of questions and doubts. After last year’s colossal collapse against the Flyers, this season was make or break for GM Peter Charelli and Head Coach Claude Julien. The boys played great hockey for most of the year. They had some bumps, but they surged at the right time. The team made a couple of trades that brought in some must needed veteran talent.

Out of all the Boston championships over the past 10 years, this is the most bitter sweet because of the clock.

The Martellis and their clock. (Image: Don Martelli)

The Bruins rolled into the playoffs on the back of their fast scoring line and superior goal tending in Tim Thomas. Thomas, who ended the playoffs with a .940 save percentage, took home – deservedly – the MVP award for the Stanley Cup finals. After handling the Canadians in seven games, the Bruins faced off in a tough series against the Flyers. As a Lightning fan I was hoping for the Flyers to pull it off, as I knew the Lightning would stand a better chance against their goal keeping. However, the Bruins came through and started their series against the Lightning. What followed was seven games of simply amazing Hockey on both sides. But the Bruins found a way to silence the Tampa Bay crowds and poke holes in the Tampa Bay defense and Roloson, running him out of the game several times.

David Krejci of the Bruins became the oldest player to lead in points in the playoffs. He finished with 23 points, 12 goals. Back to Thomas, the dude was a serious brick wall. While in the finals Vancouver was able to slip a few past him to go up in the series 2-0, when he was in Boston he was virtually unstoppable. The Canucks scoring line was unable to get anything past him when they needed it most. He came out of the paint to attack pucks and assisted his team in running off the cocky Roberto Luongo several times. While the series against the Canucks went to seven games, for me it was over after watching game 4. I should have known then that I’d be writing this column. The Bruins simply brought their A game, a sentiment shared by casual fan Kevin Riley.

Although the Bruins are not MY team, they are one of favorites. This is mainly due to Ray Borque, one of the most classy and distingused players in years (even though he is retired). Because of him, I keep taps on the Bruins. I think it’s great that they finally one a cup, since it had been since the 70′s since they last one. I think Vancouver had a decent shot at winning but it was the Bruins who brought their A game and it is my thought that and the end of the day, it was the Bruins who wanted it more. They played with more passion than Vancouver.

Vancouver seemed to bring their “dirty” game in the finals, rather than their A game. They were called multiple times for embellishment, and even had an incident when Alex Burrows appeared to bite into the glove hand of Bergeron. They played rough, they played nasty and were even able to knock down Zdeno Chara down once or twice. The Canucks played even rougher when they were down a goal, which they were in every one of their losses. In the finals, the team that scored the first goal won the game, so in four games the Canucks were playing from behind and playing dirty. Says new Bruins fan Aaron Gouveia;

I’m a bandwagon Bruins fan. Red Sox, Patriots and Celtics? I’m all in. But hockey was the only sport I didn’t play growing up, so I just never got into it. But this year, sparked by a hatred of the Montreal Canadiens in the first round, I watched every game religiously. Suddenly I was invested in lunch pail guys like Tim Thomas, whose story will no doubt be turned into a made-for-TV movie soon. Brad Marchand, the rookie pest who I’d fucking hate if he was on any other team, but who works hard and is relentless at all times. Shawn Thornton, the bruiser with a heart of gold who seems like a helluva guy to have a beer with (as long as you don’t make him angry).

Game 7 against Montreal, redemption against the Flyers, Game 7 against Tampa and then Game 7 for all the marbles against Vancouver. Ah Vancouver, the team I knew almost nothing about prior to the Stanley Cup Finals, who is now right up there in the loathsome category with those filthy Canadiens. Watching the highly skilled but castrated Sedin Queens disgrace themselves night after night, combined with Burrows’ bite and Rome’s cheap shot on Nathan Horton, you saw the Bruins galvanized. But more than that, it felt like the entire New England region was galvanized as well. There was this unspoken sense of “No way these sissified Canucks are taking us down.” And I truly believe that helped carry this team to a Stanley Cup victory.

Not only does this mean all four major Boston sports teams have won titles in the last seven years, it means I’m now a hockey fan. A Bruins fan. My wife won’t like another sport sucking up my time, but if there’s even a chance of another postseason like this one, I want to be there for the regular season as well.

That was the thing about this years postseason in the NHL. I am not a Bruins fan of course, but they were exciting as hell to watch, especially the amazing saves by Tim Thomas. If you weren’t a fan of hockey before watching the Stanley Cup playoffs, you certainly are now. Digital Dads founder C.C. Chapman feels just about the same on that point.

Hockey has always been a sport that I’ve been a fan of, but never rabid about it. But, when the hockey season ends I’m always bummed because those are the dark days of sports for me until the NFL season starts.

Having the Bruins in the playoff and having so many crazy games made for a kick ass playoffs. Having this series start off in the painful manner that it did and then to turn around into such a vast amount of awesome was fun. They’ve never won a cup while I was alive so this is a big deal. The parade on Saturday is going to be intense!

So in closing, congrats to the Boston Bruins on your Stanley Cup win. Cherish it, because the Tampa Bay Lightning are coming for it next year, and we can go back to #notitlesinboston.

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads Week in Sports: Stanley Cup Playoffs Get Crazy Good
2. Digital Dads Week in Sports: Canada Wants Their Cup Back
3. Digital Dads Week in Sports: Yankees Suck

Ohio State may be better off without them

I’m not sure where to begin this week. There is a lot going on in sports news, but that’s not what this column is about. This column is about what sports items I want to talk about. I could give a shit about Tiger Woods not wanting to play in another major, we’ve already been over that. The guy needs some pussy. We could talk about the Heat and the Mavericks all tied up, and the media blaming LeBron for the game four breakdown, but really, who wants to talk about the NBA now? Most of us are just wishing it would go away altogether. No, today I’m going to start off with the biggest story out there – Terrelle Pryor.

You see, Terrelle Pryor has decided that he’s not going to suffer the indignation of having to face the Buckeye faithful for another year at college, instead, he’s going to attempt to take his skills to the NFL. As a Buckeye fan myself, I have to wish nothing but the absolute worst for Pryor, just like Maurice Clarett. Right now, he’s ranked just above an undrafted free agent, in terms of wantability. I think I just made that word up. But he’s clearly skipping the draft and is going to try his hand at just getting picked up as an undrafted free agent. But really, he’s already proven his moral worth, why would any NFL team want him?

They would for two reasons. One, he’s going to come cheap. He’s done that to himself. He doesn’t have a choice in the matter. This is a player who could have gone first in the draft next year, but instead will probably go to the highest bidder. I mean, there is the July supplemental draft, but that’s not where the money is either. No, he’s screwed in that department. Second, he can play. Morals or not, the kid can move but he’s got a lot to learn about the game of football, and we were hoping he’d spend one more year at OSU to learn it there.

Speaking about OSU, they still haven’t appeared before the NCCA on all those pesky infractions, Tressel and Pryor leaving is just the tip of the iceberg. This after USC was stripped of it’s 2004 championship because of Reggie Bush’s greedy ass. That’s the thing, it’s greed that forced Pryor to sell memorabilia, raking in about 40k last year allegedly. Does a college student who is getting free room and board, free meals and a free education really need an additional 40k to walk around with? New cars? Do they need these things? Fuck no they don’t. Do they need something? Yes, yes they do.

Which brings me to this point, how much did OSU make off Pryor jerseys? Tons of cash right? They treat these players like superstars, not like students playing football and that’s what has created this sense of entitlement at schools like OSU & USC. The focus is on the football program, win at all costs. However, there is no reason that students like Pryor, star players, shouldn’t be rewarded in some way for their efforts. If they were given a weekly cash stipend (aside from the aforementioned free education, room & board and meals) so they could go clubbing and buy drugs, guns & whores, then maybe they’d finish their education. Maybe schools would have better graduation rates. Maybe kids would have better role models. The good thing for Pryor is he’s heading to the NFL, where they could really give a shit about morality when it comes to players personal lives, which is the really fucked up bit.

Lenny Dykstra Goes Bat Shit Crazy

Here’s my favorite story of the week. If you haven’t heard, Lenny Dykstra, former New York Met and so called “stock market savant” was hit with a 13-count indictment after filing Bankruptcy in 2009. Basically because he lied about selling off assets. Compound that with a former maid accusing Lenny of getting naked and demanding a massage, of the happy ending variety. That all doesn’t make him crazy. What makes Dykstra crazy is his recent column in the NY Post, who was kind enough to give him a forum to rant. Awesome. His statement, er, column is full of the normal paranoid crap one would expect from the former-star-turned-criminal-loonbat-looking-for-a-payday celebrity. I use that last term loosely.

Dykstra claims that his current struggles are part of some fateful, divine plan. Of course he does, your God forbid he admit to his own greed and lies. He of course believes the government is out to get him as if there is a room in the pentagon with dedicated agents going after faded baseball stars who can’t get jobs on radio or TV. I mean really, if you can’t even land a radio gig as an ex-player then you must have some sort of dysfunction. Then Lenny goes on to laud his indictment, as it gives him the freedom to sell his story. As what? A self help book? I got a title for you Lenny, “I’m a Lying Fuck. Don’t do What I Did.” Hold on, I’d like to end on that joke but it gets better.

Lenny claims that he was tortured and “physically and mentally assaulted” by police during his arrest and booking. Are you fucking kidding me Lenny? Torture victims don’t write op-eds the next day. Bottom line, if you are entertained by delusional ex-ballplayers, you gotta read that column. Fucking hilarious. Dykstra has clearly lost his marbles.

Will he be ‘The Great One’ Junior?

We all know who Wayne Gretzky is. He’s only the greatest hockey player ever. So the question is, will his son – Trevor – be the greatest baseball player ever? Really doubtful, as he was drafted in the seventh round by the Chicago Cubs. He’s a first baseman, and wears number 99 like his father. The Cubs also picked up the son of one of their notable stars from the past, Shawon Dunston Jr., other notable children of baseball players drafted were the sons of Ivan Rodriguez, Steve Garvey and Kevin Seitzer, and the great-nephew of Eddie Gaedel. I know you don’t know who that is, so click the link. Fucking hilarious.

Human Interest Story of the Day

Also drafted this week was University of Georgia outfielder Johnathan Taylor. He was drafted in the 33rd round by the Texas Rangers. The thing about Taylor is that he’s paralyzed. Not totally, he’s what is called a tetrapalegic. His legs are paralyzed, and he has limited movement in his arms and hands. He was paralyzed in a mid-field collision with teammate Zach Cone, who was drafted by the Rangers in the second round. In 2010 Taylor hit .335 with a team-best .442 OBP for the Bulldogs in 2010. Based on that, and the fact that his spinal cord isn’t severed, he could play again. That’s being real hopeful, but I’m sure Cone still feels pretty shitty about it, even though it was an accident. This was a great PR move for the Rangers, and I hope that they keep Taylor within the organization as long as possible. He could easily be the guy that just sits outside the bullpen, keeping score and answering the phone.

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads Week in Sports: Canada Wants Their Cup Back
2. Digital Dads Week in Sports: Lakers, Celtics Fall Hard
3. Digital Dads Week in Sports: Stanley Cup Playoffs Get Crazy Good

The '93 Canadiens Were the Last Canadian Team to Hold the Cup

It’s been 18 years since the Montreal Canadiens beat the Los Angeles Kings four games to one in the Stanley Cup playoffs to bring the Stanley Cup back to Canada. Since then, the Canucks, Flames, Oilers and Senators have each once challenged for the cup, all losing. Now the Canucks are back in the Stanley Cup championship and are looking to regain the cup for Canada – all of Canada. I spoke to some folks in Edmonton, Winnipeg (who is getting a team back) and other snow drenched areas of America’s hat. They all are begrudgingly rooting for the Canucks to pull this off. I also spoke to some Boston fans, who are not.

@bigguyd, a Boston Bruins faithful had this to say: “Fuck Vancouver.” That’s nice, but I have to root for them. After all, #notitlesinboston.

Here’s the thing, as good as Tim Thomas is in net for the Bruins (and he is fantastic) I think Roberto Luongo is just as good if not better. Game one of the series was a great example of the goal tending you are going to see throughout the series, but you have to think about how many goals Thomas gave up against the Lightning and how many Luongo gave up against the Sharks. There is a disparity and Thomas’ aggressive style of play when he’s got a one on one or a two on one coming at him can play against him sometimes, as it did in Raffi Torres winning goal of game one. He came way too far out of the paint to challenge the Torres, and was flat out beat on a good shot. He blocked a lot of great shots during the game, and got a lot of help from angles and the crossbar.

At the other end, Luongo also was on his toes the whole game, blocking a lot of fantastic shots from the Bruins forwards, who just looked absolutely winded by the end of the game. There is no doubt in my mind that this is going to be a very tough, very high endurance series. Seven games are on tap, I don’t see anyone busting out early. I mean, as long as everyone can keep their hands and feet out of each others mouths. Really Burrows? Biting? C’mon man, you are better than that. Thankfully Bergeron still has all his digits. The biting incident aside, this series should go to Vancouver in the end, as in my estimation, they have the scoring edge.

Heat Set the Mavericks on Fire

That’s not a good thing. The Heat came out strong in game one of the NBA Finals, beating the Dallas Mavericks with relative ease. I’d quote you stats and what not, but I don’t really give a shit. As a Cleveland fan (though caring little about the NBA) I have to root for the Mavericks because of the whole LeBron thing. Frankly, I don’t give a shit. If you care about the NBA, I welcome you to write a guest paragraph for next weeks post, or wait until next season when I still won’t be talking about the NBA. It’s my column. I can do that.

NFL Labor Deal Possible

So it seems that within two to three weeks the NFL and the Players Association could reach a deal in time for the season. Or not. Really it depends on how much the players are willing to give up. It also depends on if the two sides can reach a settlement deal. This easily could go right back to the courts and deliberation before any type of deal is made. A deal needs to be made quickly for two major reasons, neither of which has to do with players paychecks.

1. Owners need to pay off stadium debt. These multi-million dollar stadiums were not double wides bought at a county auction. They have mortgages that need to be paid off. While there will be income to the teams from the television deals, they need the constant flow of green into the actual stadium books themselves, so they can pay it out. The owners are nervous that they won’t have that stadium revenue to pay the mortgage bills, and they may have to do some creative accounting. Not to mention the stadium jobs during the season, those aren’t volunteers. Those are hard working people looking for some extra money to help them through the year.

2. Most players don’t make bank. They make the league minimum which is enough to survive on, the problem is that you can take the gangsta out of the hood, but you can’t take the hood out of the gangsta. Most players live outside their means, like most of America, and a lot of players have crime in their history. Anything from drugs, guns, abusing women and so on. These activities will only become more prevalent as these players have nothing to keep them busy, and their stack of uninvented, uninsured money is growing smaller and smaller. Expect to see more NFL players (at the lower echelon of the talent pool) getting arrested for some of the above crimes.

The point is that this deal needs to happen sooner than later. I’m not looking forward to not having an NFL season, and not just for the fantasy football implications. I mean, what the hell are we going to do on Sunday afternoons?

Jim Tressel Resigns

This bit originally posted at Technorati.com, because I was too lazy to just re-write it since I already wrote it. Got it?

Long time Ohio State Buckeye NCAA Football coach, Jim Tressel, has resigned from his coaching position at the school amid allegations of rule violations concerning players selling memorabilia. Tressel has coached the Ohio State Buckeye football team to a 106-22 record (66-14 in the Big Ten), a national championship in 2002, seven Big Ten championships and most importantly – a 9-1 record against Michigan.

However, after all that, after the imposed honor that Tressel seemed to embody, now he has resigned because he wasn’t following the rules and faced a five game suspension for the start of next season. He resigned disgraced, and for the Ohio State Buckeye faithful – such as myself – this is truly a sad day.

“After meeting with university officials, we agreed that it is in the best interest of Ohio State that I resign as head football coach,” Tressel said in a statement Monday morning. “The appreciation that Ellen and I have for the Buckeye Nation is immeasurable.”

The 11 year head coach will be replaced by Assistant coach Luke Fickell, who will serve as interim until a replacement is found, or if he gets the job himself. This is the first time an Ohio State football coach has left on his own terms since the 1940′s. School president E. Gordon Gee accepted the resignation, saying this in a letter to trustees,

“As you all know, I appointed a special committee to analyze and provide advice to me regarding issues attendant to our football program. In consultation with the senior leadership of the University and the senior leadership of the Board, I have been actively reviewing the matter and have accepted Coach Tressel’s resignation.

“My public statement will include our common understanding that throughout all we do, we are one university with one set of standards and one overarching mission. The University’s enduring public purposes and its tradition of excellence continue to guide our actions.”

Predictably, the Columbus Dispatch is reporting that Tressel was encouraged to resign, which was the right decision by all parties involved. The NCAA still had not conducted their investigation, so this will forgo the school and the football program being dragged through the mud.

Regardless of who is coaching the Buckeyes, as long as they continue to beat Michigan, us Ohio State faithful will carry on.

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads Week in Sports: Stanley Cup Playoffs Get Crazy Good
2. Digital Dads Week in Sports: Smashed Buckeyes
3. Digital Dads Week In Sports: Ranking the All-Star Shenanigans

The Yankees Suck. Regardless of their championships, their current team or any bit of their storied history, as an Indians & Rays fan, to me the Yankees suck. I hate them with a passion normally reserved for food I’m allergic to and wasps. It’s not a dislike, it’s a hate with everything that means, from bashing them in public, to ridiculing them online. I’m not the only one that feels this way, there are tons of Yankee Haters out there. Many of them wear their Yankee hate on their sleeves, or in the case of Rays fan Melton Little, on his shirt.

Little was wearing the infamous “Yankees Suck” T-shirt to a recent Tampa Bay Rays game in St. Petersburg Florida. Like myself, Little has been going to the games since 1998 (when the franchise started) and is a season ticket holder as well. In fact, he pays around 20k a year for season tickets. During this particular game, Little was wearing his “Yankees Suck” t-shirt, which he had owned for over a decade. He was there with his two sons, in a section full of Yankee fans, none of whom seemed to mind the shirt, as “Yankees Suck” is a popular chant pretty much everywhere the Yankees play outside of New York.

Two things, Tropicana Field, where the Rays play, is dominated by Yankee fans when the Bronx Bombers are in town. Florida is a state full of northern transplants, and the fan base for the Rays isn’t large enough to overcome the northern team fans. Second, the stadium was already chanting “Yankees Suck” by the time Little was asked to either remove his shirt, or leave. Faced with the embarrassment of having to remove this particular shirt, which he had never worn to the stadium, in front of Yankee fans was too much. He chose to leave after lodging a complaint with a very rude Rays front office worker.

So my question is – what the fuck Rays? A security guard came down and gave Little the bad news, though claimed it wasn’t his decision. So it must have been higher up the chain? Why kick out a loyal ticket holder for wearing a shirt that they claimed was classified as “profanity” when the whole Rays fan base was chanting the same thing? The world “suck” is not profane, and Little should have simply refused to leave or change his shirt, then pointed out the money he spends annually on tickets.

Little followed up with a formal letter to the Rays, but spokesman Rick Vaughn said later, “We get tons of letters from fans all the time.” Really fuckhead? That’s your response? Little has hired a lawyer to go after the Rays to define their dress code policy, of which “suck” doesn’t classify as a curse word. I’m severely disappointed in my hometown team and they way they handled this situation, and in this case – the Rays Suck.

So here’s what I suggest to Rays fans out there, wear “Yankees Suck” t-shirts to every game you go to, whether the Yankees are playing or not. Inundate the Rays with suck, until they reconsider their stupid decision. You can get all the “Yankees Suck” gear you need at this Cafepress store. Enjoy!

Canucks Chum Sharks, Wait for Opponent

In a crazy game 5 of the West Finals, the Vancouver Canucks defeated the San Jose Sharks in double overtime to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals. Their first since 1994. In second overtime, Vancouver forward Kevin Bieksa took a slap shot off a rebound off the glass into the goal, to win the game. The tired Cancuks celebrated, and sticking to pure superstition, did not touch the trophy. You can see the video of the goal, and some other great highlights here.

So now the Canucks get to rest while the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Boston Bruins head to a game 7 on Friday. Game 6 was killer fun, and the Bolts prevailed to stay in the series, putting five goals past Thomas, who has been hard to beat lately. However, the Bruins weren’t slouching themselves, as they put in 4 across the bow of Roloson, who was back in net for the Bolts after being out for two games in favor of Smith. Roloson seemed to have a week spot up high above his glove hand, especially when being screened, something Zdano Charra was doing a lot of. At 6’9″ 255lbs, the big Boston forward has taken up a permanent residence in front of Roloson. The Bolts took advantage on the Power Play though, scoring on two power plays.

Game 7 is going to be violent, high scoring and heart wrenching for both Lightning and Bruins fans. It’s in Boston, so I’m giving a slight edge to the Bruins, even though I’m a Bolts fan and of course rooting for them. The Bolts are going to have to come out strong and stay strong in order to win the game and head to their first Stanley Cup since 2004. The Bruins haven’t been since 1990, so if you believe in those fated types of things, they might be fated to go. Either way, both teams are going to be tired and a bit worn when they play the Canucks, who are playing amazingly smooth hockey right now. Luongo has been lights out, and the Sedin twins are deadly on the assist. Again, if you aren’t watching the Stanley Cup playoffs, you are probably watching Tennis. Sissy.

Speaking About Sissy Shit… Hines Ward Wins Dancing With the Stars

Look at the fucking body on his dance partner Kym Johnson. Holy crap! No wonder he won. Every day he got to show up and fiddle around with her.

Dallas Mavs Crush the Thunder, Roll to NBA Final

Like the NHL series, the West has championed a winner in the NBA finals, and are now waiting on the East. The Dallas Mavericks pretty much dominated the Oklahoma Thunder throughout most of the series, coming back to win last night and head to the finals. The Heat and the Bulls are still going at it, but all signs (and Sportscenter analysts) point to the Heat to advance. Frankly, I haven’t watched any of the NBA playoffs that aren’t shown on Sportscenter, but I hear it’s pretty exciting, if you are a fan of basketball. I like to watch college ball, can’t stand the NBA. Mostly because of the fouls. What a bunch of wusses.

However, I can speak a bit to Dirk Nowitzki, whose end of the game indifference last night shows what kind of player this guy is, and what kind of legend he will become. He is undoubtedly one of the greatest European players to ever play the game, and will be a hall of famer for sure. That’s all I’ve got really. I’d say I can’t wait for the NBA to be over, but doesn’t it start up again in July or something?

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads Week in Sports: Stanley Cup Playoffs Get Crazy Good
2. Digital Dads Week in Sports: Dismantling the Team
3. Digital Dads Week in Sports: Canada Wants Their Cup Back

Last week I wrote the first of a series of blogs on “Athletic Creativity”.

It stirred many responses and comments, while many liked the article some thought I was criticizing team sport athletes for their lack of creativity. I can assure you I was not criticizing team sport athletes. My point was, youth team sports need to do more to develop creativity in our young athletes. This is a sentiment that many high level college coaches have expressed to me over the past 5 to 10 years. Many college coaches consistently spend too much time trying to deprogram incoming freshman to become less robotic and command driven, and more open to experimenting with what they’ve learned.

Last week I wrote: “Creatively there is no question that a young action sport athlete has a tremendous advantage over a young team sport athlete. Unfortunately, unlike action sports, team sports don’t emphasize improvisation, where freestyle execution of skills are frowned upon and often not allowed by coaches. Action sport athletes have the freedom to learn and develop on their own, through their own style and creativity. Team sport athletes are robotic, waiting to be told what to do, stymied through a right and wrong way to execute skills.” This week let’s look at several different ways to incorporate the development of creativity into team sports.

One of the main reasons kids struggle with their athletic creative development is the fact that they spend less time outside with their friends playing, experimenting, and replicating or mimicking great athletic plays they’ve witnessed on television, the internet, etc. Many of us did this growing up, you’re in the driveway by yourself, and there’s 3 seconds left, you pull-up beyond the 3 point line, you shoot ….. IT”S GOOD!!! If we’re not giving kids enough time to go out and play with their free time, then it’s time to bring that to organized practices.

Simple Examples to Develop Athletic Creativity

BASEBALL

A drill I use to conduct with my little league team when we’re working with outfielders to track and catch balls hit into the gap was a simple but fun QB/WR Drill with a baseball and gloves. After practicing the fundamental basics of catching a routine fly ball we have players go out for passes into a large marked end zone, entering either from the right or from the left. Points were achieved for every ball caught in the end zone that they chased down. If they caught a ball while diving for the ball they received bonus points. The magic behind this drill was that it was fun, kids wanted to do it repetitively, and it forced them to execute catching a ball outside their comfort zone of a routine catch. They also had to creatively adapt, they improvised and free-styled their way into catching the ball. They were preparing themselves for any type of situation that may occur on the field, while building their confidence that they could successfully make dramatic and difficult plays.

SOCCER

The process in the drill just described above is one that skate and snowboarders use all the time. They work on the basic fundamentals while also mixing in fun challenges that increase the degree of difficulty and force themselves to visualize and think through how to best execute that skill or trick. The same can be used in team sport athletic skill training. Let’s take for example a soccer team working on their shooting skills. The team begins by working on some basic shooting drills and the fundamentals of correctly striking a soccer ball. Then in order to raise the level of difficulty and enhance the interest of everyone practicing the drill, you ask the team to attempt to bend the ball around objects, in order to hit a target. The next progression would involve moving the players to a position between a goal and the corner kick spot on the field but slightly behind the end line. Though this type of shot would never be allowed in a game, it presents a challenge that emphasizes the need to bend the ball into the goal, forcing them to visualize and think through the best execution of how to achieve bending a shot. After a player successfully places this type of shot into the goal you move that player 3 to 6 feet further back and away from the end line. Each player continues to move back, with the player who scores from the furthest distance back winning the competition. Then repeat from the other side.

Though maybe considered an unorthodox drill, it is the type of creative challenge that captures the imagination of an athlete and reinforces the skill into their muscle memory and can be pulled up much easier when the time comes to execute the skill of bending a ball around a wall of defenders or a goal keeper.

These are only a few examples of creative methods to apply to learning fundamental athletic skills. I will continue to provide other examples as this series continues over the next several weeks. I would also love to share creative drills that you have used, you saw a coach use, or you experienced when you participated.

Solving the issues in youth sports needs to be a conversation that we all participate in as we witness and experience different things that happen on our children’s playing fields. I look forward to hearing more of your great insight into this subject as well!

Related posts:

1. Athletic Creativity (Part One)—Do Organized Sports Limit Your Child’s Development?
2. Digital Dads Week in Sports: Gamecocks Two-Peat College World Series
3. The New Deck: Part 1

Will this be the scene for the Bolts in 2011?

Going in to Game 2, we expected some of the same, but Roloson didn’t seem all himself. He was a bit sluggish and allowed six goals before he was pulled in favor of Mike Smith, who held off the Bruins the rest of the game. The Bruins defense was terrible, allowing the Bolts to get many opportunities, many more than the Bruins had on the other end. However, Thomas in net was much better than Roloson, at least one goal better, as the Bolts lost 6-5 after coming back from a three goal deficit. I expect that the Sunday practice they had (while the Bruins did not practice) may have tired out Roloson. I also expect them to start Smith in Game 3, unless Roloson is back to full strength. Either way, Game 2 was killer as both teams came in strong off center ice face-offs and the pressure on both goalies was non-stop.

For the Bruins, aside from Thomas, the star has been Seguin. This 19 year old kid is playing simply awesome hockey, and I think he may have come as a surprise to the Bolts. Most of the season he didn’t see more than five minutes a game on average, which is normal for a rookie. It was like that for Stamkos. But now in the playoffs he’s getting much more ice time and more chances to make big plays. He had two goals and three assists in Game 2 (if I’m remembering the stats right) and was all over the ice. He also managed to stay out of the box, unless a lot of his teammates and too many of the Bolts, who were stuck killing a five on three at one point. They held off that attack, but the Bruins scored on a five on four. Both teams have got to stay out of the fucking box.

Meanwhile in the West, the Sharks and Canucks are just getting underway with Game 2 as I’m writing this. Game one was a defensive battle, and it looked like the Sharks might pull it off, since they probably have the best goaltender in the playoffs in Antti Niemi. He’s the reason they’ve gotten to the finals. However, even he can’t help his poor defense keep the shooters at bay all the time, which they were not able to do. The Canucks scored two quick goals to come back to make the score and eventual final, 3-2. The Sharks defense is going to need to tighten up, especially when the Sedin twins line is in the zone. Those two are freaky good when next to each other on the ice. That whole twin mental symmetry thing I’m sure.

So, long story short, I’m taking the Bolts and the Canucks to face off in the Stanley Cup playoffs. That’s what I said at the beginning of the playoffs and I’m sticking to it. Plus, at this point how can I not pick the Bolts? I mean, I know they lost Game 2, but I think it was less about Roloson than about me shaving off my neck beard that I had going in moral support. I left the rest of the beard though, and promise not to shave or cut a hair until they win the cup.

Sir Charles Barkley Sez…

(image: Reuters)

Sir Charles wasn’t done there. After the news broke that Rick Welts, the CEO of the Phoenix Suns is gay (like anyone gives a shit in this day and age) Barkley said that everyone in the NBA has played with gay guys, they just don’t know it. Statistically, he’s right. “First of all, every player has played with gay guys. It bothers me when I hear these reporters and jocks get on TV and say, ‘Oh, no guy can come out in a team sport. These guys would go crazy.’ First of all, quit telling me what I think. I’d rather have a gay guy who can play than a straight guy who can’t play.” Barkley said in the Washington Post.

His last point is the point I’ve made over and over in arguments when it comes to gays in any sport, or even in the military. I think the importance is the ability to play the game, rather than the sexuality of a player. Frankly, it’s the same bullshit that kept blacks out of professional sports for so long, and shunned or treated like shit for so long after. The fact of the matter is, that if bigots – who are making millions of dollars a year – can’t handle gay players, then perhaps they are the one’s who should find a new line of work. For that kind of pay, and considering what they are doing for a living, they really have no right to complain about the private life of any player. Especially if that player is good at what they do, which, if they are at the professional level, they probably are. It’s a joke that we still have these ridiculous stigmas. On the other hand, why should it matter what your sexuality is, in the sense, why do you think anyone gives a shit? Note to Rick Welts, no one cares. Just run the fucking team.

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads Week in Sports: The Stanley Cup Returns to Beantown
2. Digital Dads Week in Sports: Canada Wants Their Cup Back
3. Digital Dads Week in Sports: Yankees Suck

What’s lost in youth sports is the true enjoyment of participating. Yes, it sounds cliche, but it very much holds true in this case. Sports should be played to enjoy oneself, to socialize, to learn how your body moves, and progress that learning in order to increase & improve an individual’s athletic skills.

Action sport athletes have a culture that focuses on the pure enjoyment of participating, they play & live in the moment. Sports such skate & snowboarding appreciate and celebrate the small individual elements & achievements of what it takes to participate. The very fact that their sports are based on performing tricks provides them an element of freedom that many team sports don’t ever achieve.

Sports such as surfing, skate & snowboarding are essentially not based on winning & losing a game or individual contest. Participation in these sports are purely focused on practice and the joy and reward received through self-improvement. Athletes in these sports are naturally creative due to the fact that there’s no set way any one trick must be performed. Everyone is different, everyone moves differently, our movement skills are our identity, another set of fingerprints that distinguishes us from others.

Action sport athletes are not forced to conform to any particular structure of coaching and competitions. This freestyle nature of participation truly allows a young athlete the opportunity to own and mold their experience.

Sports, through athletic movement & skill development should be thought of as an art form. Through sports, the ability to self-discover how your body and mind work both separately and together provides all of us an incredible educational experience that never ends. Unfortunately, a majority of team sports rarely provide this experience, therefore our kids never truly enjoy or reap the educational benefits of self-discovery and an appreciation of the creative process of athletic development, in comparison to action sport athletes.

Are young action sport athletes better athletes than traditional youth team sport athletes?

Physically in most cases, I can argue that participants in action sports are athletically more multidimensional and creative. For the most part they develop better core strength and balance, and they better understand and are aware of how their entire body needs to work together.

Creatively there is no question that a young action sport athlete has a tremendous advantage over a young team sport athlete. Unfortunately, unlike action sports, team sports don’t emphasize improvisation, where freestyle execution of skills are frowned upon and often not allowed by coaches. Action sport athletes have the freedom to learn and develop on their own, through their own style and creativity. Team sport athletes are robotic, waiting to be told what to do, stymied through a right and wrong way to execute skills.

Does organized youth sports have benefits for kids? Absolutely, it keeps them somewhat active, but it mostly serves to identify who is more talented much too soon in their developmental process, through often untrained amateur methods, organizations, and overzealous adults.

We as adults do more to limit creative development in our young athletes. Action sports have limited adult involvement, and those athletes have flourishing creative experiences and development. Over 40 million kids play organized sports in this country, while millions of adults coach &/or administer youth sports. Hmm… do you see the problem!!??

This is part one of an ongoing series of blogs where I’ll be exploring, “Creativity in Sports”, the importance it plays in your child’s overall development, how to incorporate it into the organized sports experience, and what you can do at home to supplement the process.

Let me know your thoughts.

Related posts:

1. Part 2: Lack of Athletic Creativity = A Missed Opportunity to Excel
2. Digital Dads Week in Sports: Dismantling the Team
3. The Worldwide Trouble with Youth Sports: Apathy, Poverty, & Soccer

"Get out mah way KG! I'm the KING!" (AP)

Honestly, it’s tough writing this column when it’s not football season. Of course, this column doesn’t exist during football season as then it’s all about football. Nothing but the NFL. So some weeks, I feel that I’m just mailing it in. Well, I was assured by Clarence and CC, that people give a shit about this column and I’m providing a much needed service and that I’m pretty awesome and have huge manly biceps and look good in Hawaiian shirts. Ok, maybe not all that but sometimes it’s tough to write this when I really don’t care that much for the NBA.

No matter how much I dislike the NBA though, when both the Lakers and the Celtics get bounced out of the playoffs like they did this past week, I can’t help but write about it and check out some of the story lines. First off, it appears that the controversy in the Boston/Miami series is that the referees were favoring the Heat, and making sideways calls against the Celtics. I really don’t doubt it. Now, I’m of the #notitlesinboston school of thought, but there were some sketchy calls on the Celtics. Paul Pierce gave that sad, disappointed face more often than not, and the Celtics got bounced out in five games.

The worst part about all this is that suddenly, LeBron James is being praised as the king again. From Matt Moore, at MSNBC: “For a player who had been given so much before he’d earned it, who had been titled King before he had a kingdom, it felt like an ascension. It wasn’t how people wanted him to do it, and he may never be forgiven. But maybe LeBron’s ready to be King of his jungle, finally.” So he’s king of the jungle now because he beat the Celtics? The Celtics pretty much beat themselves. I can’t analyze it too much, but I know that they weren’t there on defense, they weren’t getting defensive rebounds enough and KG was certainly mailing it in. LeBron was good, sure, but every time a Celtic player affected the wind shear in LeBron’s circle of existence, a foul was called. The guy was protected. The NBA wants the Heat to win this year, without fail.

As for the Lakers, what is there to say? They just looked sluggish, played dirty and got caught throwing unnecessary elbows. Really Bynum? You thought you could get away with that shit? Bynum’s elbow (after Artest tossing one in game 2) was a sleazy, ridiculous move done out of frustration and stupidity. The Mavericks are a good basketball team, and they caught the Lakers completely off guard. Like they couldn’t see Dirk coming from a mile away. The Lakers never seemed coherent, and after they were down two games there was pretty much no coming back. They played sluggish, and never really seemed to catch on until too late in the game.

I think the most interesting thing is that Dirk didn’t throw any elbows back. He’s not the guy to normally back down, but I think that unlike the Lakers, he carries his team. He’s the center of the squad, and a retaliation by Dirk would have thrown them into a spiral of bad behavior. Plus, the Lakers are the Lakers, and while the Mavs swept them, they were still considered the underdogs. So Dirk couldn’t risk it. There were some moments where he came close though, and I’m sure a lot of words were exchanged between him and anyone in a yellow and purple jersey in his vicinity.

So with that, the Lakers are gone and most likely – Phil Jackson too. With the addition of the Celtics bowing out of the playoffs, one has to wonder if many of the veterans on both teams will return next year. Is this an end of an era? Will we see either of these teams back in the playoffs in the next couple years, or does the rebuilding stage begin now? Considering half the league gets into the playoffs, I’d give them a 50/50 shot at getting back to the playoffs. Not easy enough for you? Ok, I give it a 100% shot that one of these teams will be back in the playoffs next year. Fair enough?

Tiger Tired. Tiger no Want to Play. Tiger Need Floozy to Lick Tigers Wounds.

Earlier this week, fellow golfer Bubba Watson pretty much said that Tiger’s problems have been mental, and he needs to work on that. Yet, Tiger is again citing a physical ailment that has caused him to withdraw from the Players Championship. Apparently, he thought his leg was good to go, but it wasn’t. “The treatment’s been good. It’s been getting better. It just wasn’t enough,” he said. Frankly, I think it’s all bullshit.

It’s easy to fake a leg injury. And sure, at one point maybe it was injured. But the bottom line is this, the Tiger Woods that we know is gone. He’s been replaced by a normal golfer with normal problems. Ever since he got caught cheating, ever since his divorce – he’s changed. He’s not superhuman anymore. He’s normal. So here’s my theory, Tiger needs to fuck for fuel. The stable of whores is what made Tiger strong. We, the discerning public (not me though) took that away from him. Tiger needs to fuck, let Tiger fuck. And not just have a girlfriend, but the skanky waitresses, truck stop whores and strippers that make him more human than human.

What’s going on with Tiger now is mental. He gets frustrated too easy, he misses shots, he’s playing sloppy and therefore – more susceptible to injury. All because he hasn’t been sinking his personal putter into as many holes as he can. And this is the fault of the fans, of the judging public. Well fuck all of you. Do you want the best golfer in the world back, or do you want a “nice guy?” Tiger, if you are reading this – GET AFTER IT. Get some pussy. You deserve it buddy. We need you back.

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads Week in Sports: Stanley Cup Playoffs Get Crazy Good
2. Digital Dads Week in Sports: The NBA is Still On?
3. Digital Dads Week in Sports: Smashed Buckeyes

Steven Stamkos, welcome to the Stanley Cup Playoffs (Getty Images)

Lightning Sweep Capitals

As I’m writing this, there is three minutes left in the 3rd Period of the Lightning v. Capitals game 4. Martin St. Louis just scored a goal from distance to make the score 5-3 in favor of the Lightning. The Caps shouldn’t even bother pulling their goalie in this one (but they did and got a quick goal out of it.) Bergenheim had two goals in the game, Moore had a tip in and Bergeron had one from distance. The Lightning, even after the physical beating they took last night (but still winning the game of course) skipped the morning skate, got some extra rest and appeared ready to go by game time. The top seeded Capitals were highly favored, but after game 2 they weren’t. Whether or not the Lightning face the Bruins or the Flyers, it doesn’t really matter. This team is hot, their scoring chances have been amazing and their defense has been lights out. They ended game 4 with only four players on the ice (as there was a tripping penalty with 1:20 left in the 3rd) against six for the Caps as they again pulled the goalie. The Caps couldn’t capitalize though, and they are gone. Kaput. Lightning move on. Go Bolts!

Liriano Tosses 1st No-Hitter of 2011

Struggling Twins pitcher Francisco Liriano (2-4) went the full nine innings against the Chicago White Sox, throwing 123 pitches in the first no-hitter of the season. What’s significant about this, is that the no-hitter should have ended in the eighth inning. Justin Morneau took an offline throw from second baseman Alexi Casilla and umpire Paul Emmel called Gordon Beckham out at first when Morneau swung around and appeared to tag him. Even in a full motion replay, Morneau clearly didn’t tag Beckham, who was rightfully pissed when he was called out. From the Umpire’s point of view, the tag would have been on Beckham’s back, and obscured from sight. That late into a no-hitter, there should have been a replay. But currently in MLB, there are only replays available for home-run questions, not for routine plays.

Like I said though, there was a hell of a gap between the glove of Morneau and the back of Beckham. This makes me wonder if Emmel intentionally missed the call, not wanting to face public heat and media attention for breaking up a no-hitter late in the game. That seems to be a sore point for umpires, but it’s probably better to call the game clean isn’t it? It seems to me though that the miss was intentional, for whatever reason, and makes the case for situational replay. Eighth inning in a no-hitter, a close call at first – if there was a replay official in the booth, he could have called down and reversed the out before Beckham was done pitching a fit. Where’s the harm in that? There would have been no delay, it was a clear miss. Thankfully, it was just the Twinkies and White Sox, so who cares?

Dodgers Can’t Make Payroll

Yeah, the Dodgers are broke. I suppose we would have thought this could easily happen to some small market team, but the Dodgers are in Los Angeles, how exactly did they end up with not enough to make ends meet? It’s simple, no one is going to the games. The Dodgers are down 95,843 fans through 15 dates, or 14.5 percent, which projects out to 500,000 lost fans in the seats through 2011. This is a terrible state for the Dodgers to be in, because owner Frank McCourt is trying to avoid the team being taken over by Selig and MLB.

You see, Frank got a loan from Fox (the network) to keep the team running and cover the next two payrolls. But Selig nixed a huge television deal with Fox, that would have put $285 million immediately in the Dodgers pocket, as part of a $3 Billion dollar contract. So McCourt feels that Selig is basically trying to steal the team from him, by nixing the deal. But is he? How quickly would the Dodgers rip through that money, and how financially sound are they as a business? My guess, not that sound – which is why they are where they are. Attendance has been down at parks all over the league, so how come other teams aren’t facing the troubles the Dodgers are? Well, because they screwed up somewhere. Whether it was free hotdog day, or charging too much for parking, who knows? The point is, McCourt is gearing up, gathering his lawyers, because if he wants to hold on to this team and keep his box seats, he’s going to have to fight for it. Though, since it’s the Dodgers, and no one is showing up for games, who really gives a shit? Maybe they’ll move back to Brooklyn.

With Lockout Looming, NFL Players Hold Independent Workouts

While many players around the league are taking the possibility of a lockout as a chance to do all the drugs, beat all the women, and fire all the unregistered firearms they want, some NFL players are holding workouts independent of the NFL. At a Hoboken high school, Eli Manning ran a group of 10 Giants’ skill-position players through drills. Meanwhile across the country, Mark Sanchez was doing the same. Unable to use team facilities during this negotiation period, players around the league are getting together to hold these informal workouts. This is how you can tell who the class acts are in the NFL. While others are off getting arrested for bad behavior, some of them are acting like the role models they are supposed to be and practicing the game they are paid to be excellent at. Makes sense to me, and good on them for not just sitting on their asses waiting for the bell to ring.

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads Week In Sports: Ranking the All-Star Shenanigans
2. Digital Dads Week in Sports: The NBA is Still On?
3. Digital Dads Week in Sports: There’s No Crying In Basketball

Draft me in the first round goshdarnit! (image: NCAA)

The NFL Draft kicks off this weekend, which I suppose is a good thing. After a Federal Judge stepped in and suspended the lockout, it appears as if the draft will proceed as normal. I mean, as normal as sitting around for hours on end waiting for teams to make decisions they probably should have already made, then parading around the rookies like they are racks of meat in jerseys. All the hype and talk is about Cam Newton, and if he’ll go first. But keep in mind players like Vince Young, Ryan Leaf and so on. Guys who were at the top of their college class, but had some “issues.” Newton has already had controversy to overcome, so expect more of that no matter what.

In my opinion, the best quarterback (and possibly all-around player) is Jake Locker. The former Washington standout chose not only to stay in college for his senior year, which wasn’t the best year stats wise, but also had turned down a $2 million dollar contract offer from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to play baseball after high school. The guy is a serious class act, and rare in these days of thugs and hoodlums at the pro level. He gives his time to charity, and plays for a love of the game. I think this is going to make him one of the best in the NFL, the next Tom Brady (as far as style of play and possibility of super-stardom.) The team who nabs him will be lucky as far as I’m concerned.

Because being a class act AND a good football player doesn’t seem to mix. Locker could have gone top of the first round last year easily, but because he chose to stay in college and had a so-so year (even though he was exciting to watch and did everything he could to win) he’ll be a second round pick at best this year. Which proves a long standing theory about the draft, and where the high value targets really are. Locker will be a value to any team looking to rebuild like the Buffalo Bills for instance, or the Niners. Stay tuned for more on the NFL draft next week, as it hasn’t happened yet. But will, I assure you.

Here’s my top five picks for the draft. I’ve got the Panthers taking Cam Newton number one. Bust or not, they need to jump on the top round QB because frankly, they seriously need one. He’s the most qualified, after playing in the tough SEC, to be thrown right into the mix because he’ll be starting right away. Second, the Broncos should pick Von Miller, linebacker out of Texas A&M because they still need someone to anchor the secondary since the days of Champ Bailey in his prime. Eventually he’ll be gone and they’ll need a competent replacement. Third, to the Buffalo Bills goes Marcell Dareus, Defensive Tackle out of Alabama. Frankly, the Bills should be drafting nothing but defensive linemen if they have any hope of ever stopping anyone’s running game. In the fourth spot, to the Bungles will go A.J. Green. Green did well as a WR during his years at Georgia, and the Bungles will have to prepare for the eventual departure and/or retirement of T.O. and Ocho. The Cardinals have the fifth spot, and they’ll most likely take Patrick Peterson, Defensive Back out of LSU. This should be another good year for defensive players, which is good for the NFL as I’m tired of just seeing WR’s, RB’s and Quarterbacks getting the star status. These guys mean just as much to the game as the guys who score touchdowns. These aren’t wild picks for the draft, they are pretty much the standard across most of the draft boards.

The Knicks Suck

The New York Knicks were the first team to bail out of the NBA Playoffs this year, and they didn’t waste any more time than they had to, being swept in four games. This gives the Boston Celtics a nice week off, while everyone else is still hanging around for the first round play. The Boston Celtics are sure to have an edge, and should have no problem landing back in the championship game again, most likely against the Lakers – again. These teams are rivals right? Just kidding. I just don’t give a huge shit about the NBA.

Back to the Knicks. They trotted out Carmelo Anthony mid-season and yes, made the playoffs. They wouldn’t have made the playoffs if not for Anthony. He carried the team on his shoulders, sometimes seeming to lose patience (at least whenever I watched) with having to do it all himself. In the playoffs, he was up and down the court while the rest of the team did their best to stay in the fucking time zone. The Knicks were a huge disappointment to their fans, and probably would have been better off not making the playoffs.

Meanwhile in the NHL…

The Philadelphia Flyers pulled it off in seven, as I predicted, beating the Sabres in epic violent fashion. Plenty of penalties and the Flyers had little trouble scoring goals. The Predators did away with the Ducks, and the Habs v. Bruins and Lightning v. Pens went the full seven. Out of dedication to you – the fan – I may stay up and update this post with the winners, because they play tonight (as of this writing.) However, if the Lightning lose, I wouldn’t count on me being in the mood to do so. Either way, if you aren’t watching the NHL playoffs, then you are missing out on some seriously good hockey. Even if you don’t like hockey, the competitive nature and sheer violence of the game is awesome, no matter the sport you love. I suggest you tune in to some playoff games if you get a chance. Either over on Versus or your local state sports station.

Update: Bruins win in overtime and LIGHTNING WIN!! GO BOLTS!!

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads Week In Sports: Ranking the All-Star Shenanigans
2. Digital Dads Week in Sports: Stanley Cup Playoffs Get Crazy Good
3. Digital Dads Week in Sports: Canada Wants Their Cup Back

The Sharks & Kings battle it out. (image: Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)

I missed last week. Did you miss me? Doubtful. I didn’t get any emails wondering where my column was except from my glorious editor Clarence. Either way, the biggest news that I missed reporting on was Barry Bonds being found guilty of perjury, which is freaking fantastic in my opinion. The guy deserves everything he gets from here on forward, and I hope it sucks. I know it won’t. If he actually serves any time, he’ll go to a nice white collar prison and be a freaking celebrity there. He also may as well forget the hall of fame, along with Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa. They were all juicers, they were all liars and they almost ruined the game of baseball. I think we have a pretty clean game going on now thanks to them, so at least there is some positive to come out of the steroid era of baseball. Moving on.

Who Will Get the Madden Curse?

This whole Madden 12 thing has been a shakedown. That’s what I’m guessing. The vote is rigged. If you aren’t aware, ESPN and EA Sports have teamed up to let the fans vote who will be on the cover of Madden 12. It’s a freaking joke that Michael Vick is in the final against Peyton Hillis. The guy is a dirtbag, a dog abuser and really – not that fantastic of a quarterback. I know that last bit is debatable, but there is a lot of guys coming out of the draft right now that are just as mobile as Vick. So now the “fans” have voted to give hims a 50% shot of being on the cover of the latest installment of the game.

There is another side of this of course – the infamous Madden curse. While of course the curse is basically bunk, because expectations are so high on a star player, the fans have a lot of faith in the curse. So based on that, perhaps the idea is that Vick will be subject to the curse if he happens to grace the cover of Madden 12. I’m on board with that idea, if it’s guaranteed. I wouldn’t mind if some crazy fan Nancy Kerrigans’ his ass. However, as a diehard card carrying member of the Browns Backers, I’m voting for Hillis because it’s been a long time since a Browns player was deemed good enough to be on the cover of anything besides the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

NBA & NHL Playoff Picks

The NBA and NHL Playoffs have started, which means it’s time for some crazy picks. I don’t really watch much of the NBA, but that doesn’t mean I can’t make crazy assumptions about who is going to win. As for the NHL, I am watching Vancouver at Chicago game four right now, and I’m a Lightning fan. So there’s that. I’m only going to go over the first round for both of them.

NBA picks:
Round One:
Pacers v. Bulls: The Bulls lead this series 2-0 at this point, and Jalen Rose has been unstopable according to Sportscenter. I have no idea. I’m taking the Bulls to finish it out.

Heat v. Sixers: The Hear are leading here also by two games. Should be easy for this superstar studded team to also wrap up the series in four games.

Hawks v. Magic: The Hawks are leading 1-0 at this point, but since I don’t know who plays for either team, I’m going with the Magic to win this series in the full seven game spread. Why not? That way the NBA is guaranteed to drag into July.

Knicks v. Celtics: The Celtics are leading this series by a game, but apparently they had to win in dramatic fashion to put away the Knicks in game one. I think this series should go at least six, even though I’m sure the Celtics will be in the finals again.

Grizzlies v. Spurs: I know this much about Basketball, the Spurs are one of the best all around
teams in the league. Based on that, and I’ve never been to Memphis, I’m going with the Spurs. Of course, I’ve never been to San Antonio either.

Hornets v. Lakers: So Kobe was a rapist, now he’s a homophobic racist? Whatever. I’m still taking the Lakers in this one. Cause they are the Lakers and I don’t know any better.

Trailblazers v. Mavericks: Um, I have no idea. I think Dallas is leading this series, but I really have no idea. I’ll take Dallas.

Nuggets v. Thunder: Oklahoma City has a team? When did that happen?

NHL Picks:
Round One:
Capitals v. Rangers: The Caps have been playing some lights out hockey, even without Alex O. in the game. However, they have given up one game to the Rangers, though I don’t think they should have any trouble closing out this series in five games.

Flyers v. Sabres: Putting Boucher in the game, and his 35 saves, helped the Flyers grab a 2-1 lead in this series. Don’t count the Sabres out though, this team can fire it up when they need to. I’m expecting this one to go the full seven, with the Flyers prevailing in the end.

Bruins v. Habs: The Habs lead this series 2-1, but they are by no means underestimating their opponent. The Bruins offense just needs to get a bit more together when they are heading towards the net. They aren’t leaving rebounds out, but they aren’t scoring enough. I’m taking the Habs to win this series in six.

Penguins v. Lightning: The Bolts left too many rebounds on the ice in game three, which attributed to their loss to go down 2-1 in the series. There was one point in the game when St. Louis ran into a stalled Stamkos. This team has too many superstars on offense to lose like they did and not get the rebounds. The Pens defense is good, but not good enough to stop St. Louis, Stamkos and Vinnie at full throttle. I’m taking the Lightning to rebound and take the Penguins in seven.

Canucks v. Blackhawks: Both of these teams have all star goal keepers and speed on offense, but the fact that they are so evenly matched means just the slightest edge is enough. And Vancouver has that edge, leading the series 3-1.

Sharks v. Kings: This series is tied 1-1 (as of this writing, but then the Sharks made it 2-1 before publication) but the defense of the Kings is going to be too good in the end against the offense of the Sharks. The Kings strength is on defense and I think this team is going to be heading to the quarterfinals for sure.

Red Wings v. Coyotes: The Coyotes really don’t stand a chance in this series, already down 3-0. I expect the Red Wings to put their boot on the throat and end this torture in game four.

Ducks v. Predators: The Predators took advantage of Jonas Hiller feeling not-so-great and took game three to go up 2-1 in the series. Of course, Hiller didn’t start, but that meant that Ellis and Emery got the starts. I don’t expect it to hold though, and I’m taking the Ducks to come back and win.

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads Week in Sports: Lightning Strikes
2. Digital Dads Week in Sports: Stanley Cup Playoffs Get Crazy Good
3. Digital Dads Week In Sports: Ranking the All-Star Shenanigans

Gulf New’s has a fantastic three-page feature on our very own Scott Lancaster and his recent efforts in the United Arab Emirates,

“Scott Lancaster is a man with a mission. He plans to fight obesity among children in the UAE. How is he planning to do this? “By tricking them into playing sport and outdoor activities,” he says. As founder and president of Athletic Fitness, Inc; Trick it out Sports; and author of Fair Play: How to Make Organised Sports a Great Experience for Your Kids, Lancaster has 20 years’ experience in developing youth sports programmes in soccer and football in the USA. His innovative approach to improve youth sports is set to be introduced by Fairmont Bab Al Bahr in Abu Dhabi, through a fitness programme called ‘R U Ready’.

In an exclusive interview he tells Friday how he plans to bring a more family-friendly way of playing sports for children aged 5 to 17 to the UAE. Backed by more than 12 years’ experience with the National Football League (NFL), USA, he has charted a youth sports philosophy for Abu Dhabi schools. He says that this will redefine the world of sport for youngsters. ”

Be sure to click the link for the full feature and look for more from Scott, right here on Digital Dads.

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1. How Do Kids Play Worldwide?
2. Taking Fun Seriously
3. The Video Game Revolutionizes The Traditional World of Sports

The NCAA Women's Tournament was actually FUN to watch. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Yippie yo. As of this writing we are five games into Baseball season. MLB has kicked off with a bang, on both sides of the ball. Some pitchers are hot, some hitters are hot and some stadiums won’t see a sell out this year (see: Progressive Field.) Either way, baseball season is back and that makes this baseball fan happy. Right now I’m watching ESPN 2 as they rotate around the league. Fun fun. So, on that note we’ll start off with some baseball new. Probably not the news you want though.

Rays Open 0-5, Manny Booed, Manny Benched

The Tampa Bay Rays, after dumping payroll and staff after winning the AL East last season, picked up Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon for basically pennies on the dollar. However, the full “what have you done for me lately” attitude of the fans was in full effect Tuesday night as Manny was booed during his at-bats, then subsequently benched the next day. What was he booed for? Well, apparently for just being Manny. He hasn’t been terrible – it’s only been five fucking games. As a long time Rays fan, since their inception in 1998, I am terribly embarrassed by the morons that barely filled the stadium during that game. A bunch of half-wits and poor baseball fans. Boo the Red Sox, sure. Boo the Yankees, but booing a single player for the performance of the team? Stupid.

In related news, the Red Sox have also opened up 0-4 (at the time of writing they are playing the Indians and losing.) While I’m happy about this, it doesn’t bode well for what is supposed to be the strongest division in baseball. Add to that Mariano Rivera snubbing the media because he had a bad game. He left the team to cover for him. C’mon man, good or bad game you gotta face the media. It’s part of the job. You are part of the team. You want my early predictions for the World Series? I’m going Twins and Cubs. That’s right. You heard it here first. Twins and Cubs.

Butler Loses to UConn in Lamest National Championship Game Ever

For the first time in history, a team in the NCAA Men’s National Championship game failed to score over 50 points. The final score was 53-41. That would be Butler, as they failed to repeat, or to even compete at a high level against the Huskies. Conversely, UConn sucked too. Neither team was making shots, even though they were getting good looks. Butler only had six turnovers, but were terrible from the foul line and held to only two freaking points within the paint. The only reason UConn won was because of their depth on the bench and their length on the court.

Neither defense was outstanding either. Sure, UConn was a bit more stifling as far as pressure, but Butler was just missing shots left and right. I think this had more to do with just being plain worn out from the tournament to that point. VCU, underdogs or not, was not an easy team to beat. Butler was worn down by the time they tipped off well after 9pm EST on Monday night. UConn took advantage of that late in the game with defensive pressure on the tired Butler offense.

This stinker of a game raises another argument about the intense and hurried schedule of the tournament. While a days rest is normal between games in the regular season, a days rest after a near non-stop tournament in multiple locations might not be enough. That argument falls flat though when you consider the game last year. Basically, I think fans would have liked to see more out of both teams in the national championship game, but they were clearly winded from the tournament. Good on UConn on pushing forward and taking the title.

Meanwhile, the Women Were Scoring

Over in the women’s basketball division, they were actually scoring baskets. The Texas A&M Aggies won 76-70 over Notre Dame in an exciting back and forth battle that made the men’s championship game look like a pick-up game in an elementary school playground. Senior Danielle Adams scored 30 points in what was essentially a road game for the Aggies, the tournament final being held in Indianapolis.

Sadly, the television numbers were no where near what they were for the men’s tourney, though A&M coach Gary Blair thinks that women’s basketball is ripe for proper marketing, if only someone would step up and market it correctly.

“We need to spend money to make money, and a lot of programs do not do that,” Blair said. “They will not put enough money into women’s basketball. Women’s basketball grows in so many ways besides the dollar bill.”

He’s noticed a few signs of women’s basketball gaining prominence at his school. “You know, it’s sort of funny, spring football is going on at the same time,” he said. “Our baseball team is very, very good. They just changed the start of the baseball game on Tuesday night to 5 because we were going to be on TV at 7. Could you picture that happening?”

If women’s basketball was marketed and televised as much as the men’s game – would you watch it? At the college level of course. Watching the WNBA is akin to watching a hair salon get swept out in the evening.

Related posts:

1. Digital Dads Week in Sports: Gamecocks Two-Peat College World Series
2. Digital Dads Week in Sports: I Didn’t Pick Her Up at No Playground
3. Digital Dads Week in Sports: Dismantling the Team

Bad Roger! No Hall for you! (Image: AP | DAVID J. PHILLIP)

After March Madness (which isn’t quite over) it’s been a bit of a slow week. This weekend should be crazy awesome, what with the Final Four & NCAA Men’s Championship (as well as the women’s) and MLB opening day. I’m really looking forward to opening day, and for the first time since 1998, I won’t be at the Rays home opener. Kind of suck, but thems the breaks right? There were some stories this past week that caught my attention, all of them having something to do with bad behavior in sports. Hell, there are enough of these stories every week that I could almost just change the column to highlighting bad behavior.

Clemens Looking Forward to Trial

While Barry Bonds is hanging out in federal court defending himself against perjury, Roger Clemens, the 7 time Cy Young award winner, is looking forward to defending himself in federal court this summer. Clemens is also facing a perjury trial, accused of lying to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in February 2008. Prosecutors say that Clemens, at some point over his 23 year career, was using steroids then lied to them about it.

“You almost hate to say you’re looking forward to it, but we’re looking forward to it,” Clemens said. “We’re going to have our say in a fair setting. I’ve been great about not talking about it, and we’re going to handle it the right way.”

As a fan of baseball my whole life and following Clemens (among many other players) throughout his career I have to say – he used steroids. A ton of players used steroids. For a while, in the mid 90′s, it was the norm. There is no doubt in my mind, and in Jose Canseco’s mind, that many popular players were getting jacked so they could jack the longball. It could be said, that after the strike in ’94, steroid use saved baseball and got the fans back in the seats. Fans want to see homeruns, and with players having more power – that was more likely. More evidence to this is the season after Bonds, McGwire and Sosa went crazy with the homeruns, the steroid use was revealed and the homeruns drastically dropped.

Look, I’m a baseball purist and think that if steroids are necessary to rehabilitation, then so be it. However, using them to get jacked is another story. Of course, there is another argument to the steroid use – it doesn’t make you a better hitter. There is still a ton of skill involved in hitting the freaking baseball. Really though, at this point I just want the truth. Andy Pettite told the truth, and did anyone give a shit after that? Nope. Pettite used steroids, he told the truth and all is well. Giambi told the truth, no one cared after that. His legacy isn’t ruined (tainted perhaps, but not ruined.) Bonds and Clemens are further tainting their legacies by lying. If there is anything a purist baseball fan hates more than steroid use – it’s lying. Which I suppose is why Rose is still not in the hall of fame.

BCS is A-Ok With Booting Fiesta Bowl

Amid allegations of corruption, the chief executive, John Junker, of the Fiesta Bowl has been ousted. The BCS is nonplussed about this, and has no objections to just simply kicking the Fiesta Bowl out of the BCS Bowl Series. The Fiesta Bowl group (or whatever) is now fighting an uphill battle to continue to be included in the BCS Bowl games.

“The entire Fiesta Bowl family is angered and disappointed by what we’ve seen in the report and by the actions of Mr. Junker,” board chairman Duane Woods told reporters at the event’s headquarters in downtown Scottsdale.

I’m pretty sure that if the BCS decided to look into the whole college bowl system, they’d see a lot of fuck-ups, not just by the ones in Scottsdale. There is so much dirty money being passed around, it could fill ten freaking landfills. Of course, I’m just guessing at that – but you know that it’s true. It’s interesting that the BCS doesn’t really give a flying shit about the Fiesta Bowl, you’d think as much heat as they have put up with over the years, they’d work harder to help the Fiesta Bowl clear its name as an organization. Or, they could do what they are doing now – not give a shit – and give another non BCS bowl the chance to join the BCS in the shitty ass system that it is.

Tampa Bay Bucs Are the New Bengals

Cornerback Aqib Talib turned his dumb ass into police after – get this – “Police said they believe Talib and his mother, Okolo Talib, shot at the man March 21.” That’s right, Aqib and his freaking mother were popping shots at some dude. Doesn’t matter the reason, the fact that yet another NFL player has turned himself into a felon is just astonishing. What is wrong with these people? I don’t say that as a “black people” thing, but as a fucking NFL player thing. The worst part is, this is just the beginning. Now that there is a strike looming, and a season in jeopardy, this type of thing is going to happen more often than not.

Think about it, once the players disbanded the union in order to file a lawsuit, all the rules about drug use and guns and what not went with it. It’s like suddenly telling a bunch of third graders on the playground that they are on their own. What are they going to do? Not drugs and guns (well, some of them) but fight and get unruly. That is exactly what is happening and going to happen in the NFL unless they get some deal in place soon. For every good boy like Peyton, there are a bunch of lower lever assholes making NFL players look bad. Dealing drugs, getting caught with truck-fulls of weed, guns and going to the “script” club.

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Photo courtesy of WBUR

Taking Fun Seriously

I hear the following repeated many times at youth practices – “It looks like your having too much fun out there guys.” or “Your going to start running if you don’t take this seriously.”

On the other side of the coin are people that believe that sports should be fun but not taken seriously.  Or if it’s fun, it cannot be a serious athletic experience.

The fact is they’re all wrong. As a matter of fact taking the fun away totally runs contrary to what youth sports should be all about, and actually can stifle overall performance.

With an overall attrition rate when kids reach the age of 12 in youth organized sports of 75% we obviously have underestimated the value and under delivered the amount of fun necessary to keep kids active and involved.

Achieving Results While Keeping it Fun:

For several years I coached a youth tackle football team with kids from the ages of 7 to 10 years old. I approached my coaching responsibilities with the objective that it was going to be all about fun. The team would learn the correct way to play through fundamentals skill development, but in an entertaining and kid like way.  I didn’t believe kids should be treated like miniature adults, especially in a sport as violent and physical as tackle football. The objective was to give kids a fun experience that left them loving the game rather than dreading it.

In contrast there was another team made up of kids the same age that practiced right next to us every day.  Their team’s philosophy was a traditional experience of conditioning (push-ups, sit-ups, wind sprints), with a macho philosophy that their team would never take their helmets off during practice, they hit every day, and they’d wear full gear no matter how high the temperature and humidity would reach.

Often our team would alternate football skill development drills with fun games such as Ultimate Frisbee with a football, or a game of rugby without the tackling, all with a focus on athletic development (agility, coordination, and speed) yet in a fun entertaining fashion.  While the other team struggled to keep it’s roster large enough to field a team, we had 100% attendance at every practice throughout the season.

Bottom line, practices were fun yet developed every child athletically and kept their interest throughout 12 weeks of practices and games.  Even the sport of youth tackle football can be fun.

How the Pros Use Fun To Excel:

I interview elite athletes every week on my Sirius/XM radio show “The ABC’s of Sports”.  Many times I have snowboarders, free style skiers, surfers, and skateboarders on the show to explain why they left team sports to pursue a career in action sports.  A majority , if not all say they at one time played a team sport growing up but quit due to “not having fun”.  They explain how coaches and parents took winning too seriously and practices were boring.

I’ve interviewed Snowboard Olympic Gold Medalists – Shawn White, Torah Bright, Hannah Teter, Ross Powers, X Games Skateboard Gold Medalist – Ryan Sheckler, 2010 Supercross Champion – Ryan Dungy, X Games Free Style Ski Champions – Simon Dumont & Sarah Burke to name a few and all mention the word “fun” an average of 20+ times per interview.

Most recently I spoke to 2006 Olympic Gold Medalist, Hannah Teter, from the Burton US Open in Stratton Mountain, Vermont, she explained fun as follows:

“Snowboarding is just the freest sport.  When you go out there you’re with your friends, your out in nature, your having a good time.  And we progress fast because we’re always having fun, which is key to evolving a sport.”

As we approach this upcoming Spring Season, coaches need to remember to use the element of “fun” as their most important tool to enhance performance and keep their team motivated.

Oh, by-the-way you might have some fun yourself.

Hannah Teter Interview w/Scott Lancaster for Digital Dads (audio)

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Ochocinco met Real Madrid and got the soccer bug. (Image: MLS)

So after being lazy last week with only posting my NCAA picks, you are probably wonder how I did? Well, in a poll with a bunch of school teachers and my 10 year old, I’m dead last. He’s in sixth place. Really though we’re not too far apart, but my final four is already busted. Ah, such is life. Thankfully the ten year old didn’t get them all correct, because I told him that I’d give him $100 if he got every single one correct. I don’t have $100. C.C. only pays me in week old corned beef sandwiches.

Whose Jersey are you Wearing?

According to sales of MLB jerseys, Derek Jeter and Joe Mauer have the most bought and worn jerseys. This is easy to believe due to the popularity and consistency of both players. It’s no mystery that the Yankees would find themselves at the top of jersey sales. Even down here in South Florida, there are generally more Yankees fans at Rays games than Rays fans. Kind of sucks, but that’s the way it is. The best part of this list is that the next three best selling players are all Phillies. Roy Halladay, Chase Utley and Cliff Lee round out the top five. As for Lee, his Rangers jersey accounted for a portion of his total.

Here’s my theory on jersey’s and why I only have three. I have one Indians jersey with no name on the back, which is the best kind of jersey. Aside from that I have two Carl Crawford jerseys. One classic Devil Rays jersey, and one new one. Hopefully I’ll be burning those soon as he is now playing for the Boston Red Sox. The point is, with free agency it’s hard to buy a jersey and keep it for more than a year. Which is probably why most of the best selling jerseys are from players who have been with their team for a while. There is nothing worse than buying a jersey (say a Brady Quinn Browns jersey) then seeing that player leave the next year. These things aren’t cheap, not by a long shot. Even the cheap ones aren’t cheap. Which is why I suggest just buying a no-name one for your team.

Aside from the jerseys, officially licensed MLB merchandise reached an all-time high in 2010, up over six percent the year before. This is good news for MLB as a whole, who is still regaining fans that were turned off within the steroid era – as it’s now referred to. However, I’m still not spending hundreds of dollars on an article of clothing anytime soon, especially for the Rays who dumped half their staff last year. Sure, I could go out and buy a David Price jersey, but will he even be with the Rays next year? Who knows?

Speaking About Steroids…

This just won’t go away. A much thinner looking Barry Bonds is currently dealing with his perjury trial, you know, for the lying. Well, a star witness has testified that he saw Barry Bonds and Greg Anderson (trainer) coming out of Bond’s bedroom carrying a syringe. Witness Steve Hoskins, a childhood friend of Bonds, claims that his testimony and the recording of conversations was only to help Bonds, who he was truly worried about, even at one point contacting Bobby Bonds about Barry’s steroid abuse. As a baseball fan who followed Barry’s career from his skinny years with the Pirates to his shoulders on shoulders years with Giants, the dude was using steroids.

Proving it is going to be the problem, proving he lied about it is going to be even more difficult. Sure, Anderson walked out of the bedroom holding a syringe, but perhaps they were just doing heroin. Or maybe Anderson was feeling a bit diabetic. Plus, rich people do weird things. If I was rich, I could totally see injecting pure caffeine right into my bloodstream instead of drinking coffee. Actually, I’d probably shoot for straight up opium. The point is, well, I sure hope that this testimony helps convict Bonds. He was a steroid abuser for sure, and should serve as a prime example as to why steroids are bad. As if the testicle shrinkage isn’t enough proof.

Ochocinco Plans to Actually Play Futbol

This week Ochocinco has been hanging out with Sporting Kansas City, the Major League Soccer team based in Kansas City. Obviously. With about ten times the normal press expected at a MLS tryout, Ocho was a bit winded after practice. Chances are, he’s not going to make the team as he’s not in the right kind of shape for futbol. He’s a sprint runner, running fades and sprints in short intervals, not the whole game. 45 minutes with no rest might be a bit much for the NFL veteran. However, if he does make the team, he said he’ll play for free. Here’s the thing, whether he makes the team or not, they should bring him on anyway. Sure, it’ll keep some young kid from making the team but can you imagine what it will do for attendance? Merchandise sales? It would be a freaking boon for the team. Plus, it’s MLS and as it is, this is the most anyone has cared about MLS in quite a long time.

Upsets Abound in NCAA Tournament

Let’s talk upsets in the NCAA tournament. Really, it wouldn’t be March Madness without the madness part. While my brackets weren’t busted, they certainly were bruised because I picked very few upsets. It started over in the Southwest bracket with Richmond upsetting Vanderbilt in dramatic fashion, and Morehead State tossing Louisville aside. Then, USC beat Georgetown and went on to beat #3 seeded Purdue to work their way into the Sweet Sixteen. How about them apples? Over in the West, Arizona beat Texas to advance to the sixteen. While not a major upset, it still was surprising to a lot of folks, especially those who had Texas winning it all.

My final game is Ohio State vs. Pittsburgh. So when Pitt got bushwhacked by Butler, I nearly crumpled my brackets up and aimed for the trash can. Notre Dame losing to Florida State was also a bit of surprise, but it wasn’t completely unexpected. It’s something I can deal with. So now we come to the Sweet Sixteen, where teams like Richmond are in for a rude awakening. Sure, they could keep rolling, but they are going up against Kansas. Do you really think Kansas is going to roll over for Richmond? I don’t think so. However, it’s March Madness. Anything could happen.

LT Now a Sexual Predator

Lawrence Taylor, one of the greatest players to ever grace the NFL, has managed to completely tarnish his legacy. You think Brett Favre’s dick pictures were bad? LT is a sexual predator. You all know the story, but what does LT think about all this?

“I didn’t pick her up at no playground. She wasn’t hiding behind the school bus or getting off a school bus. … That’s not my M.O. I’ve been around kids and people all my life. I’m not the cause of prostitution. And sometimes I make mistakes and I may go out there . . . This is a working girl that came to my room. And I don’t know what her age was. I asked her age. She told me she was 19. It is what it is.”

So the hooker you picked up was underage. Yes LT, that makes it 100% better. All this bad behavior by ex-stars of the NFL, NBA, MLB and so on, and yet Pete Rose is still not in the hall of fame. What the hell?

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Will Duke take it or be chasing this year? (Image: Andrew Shurtleff)

There is only one story this week worth talking about, I mean besides the looming NFL lockout, but what could I possibly add to that conversation? Nothing, that’s what. All that has been said has been said, and while the NFLPA is encouraging the draftees to skip the NFL drafts to show solidarity for the players, the union has dissolved and a lawsuit has been filed against the NFL. This is going to get ugly.

But who cares right now? It’s March, which means one thing and one thing only – College Basketball’s March Madness. The tournament starts this week, and there are some great match-ups, too many games to possibly watch, and some possible upsets. I still think that this should be declared a national holiday and we can either work at home, or have cable run into the office to watch the games. Or at least unblock live streaming on the internet so we can watch games online.

That being said, and due to the sick five year old on the couch next to me, I’m going to keep this column short and just show you mine. My brackets that is. Everyone at work was too afraid to put any money down this year, so I’m betting against my ten year old. I made him write his picks in pen. Anyways, here are my picks to see how I stack up to those of you who profit off this every year. I’m not that good of a gambler. No analysis, just picks. Winners in bold.

East (Newark)
Round 1
1 OSU v 16 UT-San Antonio/Alabama St.
8 George Mason v 9 Villanova
5 West Virginia v 12 UAB/Clemson
4 Kentucky v 13 Princeton
6 Xavier v 11 Marquette
3 Syracuse v 14 Indiana St.
7 Washington v 10 Georgia
2 North Carolina v 15 LIU

Round 2
1 OSU v 9 Nova
8 West Virginia v 4 Kentucky
11 Marquette v 3 Syracuse
7 Washington v 2 North Carolina

Round 3
1 OSU v 4 Kentucky
3 Syracuse v 2 UNC

East Championship
1 OSU v 2 North Carolina

West (Anaheim)
Round 1
1 Duke v 16 Hampton
8 Michigan v 9 Tennessee
5 Arizona v 12 Memphis
4 Texas v 13 Oakland
6 Cincinnati v 11 Missouri
3 UConn v 14 Bucknell
7 Temple v 10 Penn St.
2 San Diego St. v 15 N. Colorado

Round 2
1 Duke v 8 Michigan
12 Memphis v 4 Texas
6 Cincinnati v 3 UConn
10 Penn St. v 2 San Diego St.

Round 3
1 Duke v 12 Memphis
3 UConn v 2 San Diego St.

West Championship
12 Memphis v 2 San Diego St.

Southwest (San Antonio)
Round 1
1 Kansas v 16 Boston Univ.
8 UNLV v 9 Illinois
5 Vanderbilt v 12 Richmond
4 Louisville v 13 Morehead
6 Georgetown v 11 USC/VCU
3 Purdue v 14 Saint Peter’s
7 Texas A&M v 10 Florida St.
2 Notre Dame v 15 Akron

Round 2
1 Kansas v 8 UNLV
5 Vanderbilt v 4 Louisville
6 Georgetown v 3 Purdue
7 Texas A&M v 2 Notre Dame

Round 3
1 Kansas v 5 Vanderbilt
3 Purdue v 2 Notre Dame

Southwest Championship
1 Kansas v 3 Purdue

Southeast (New Orleans)
Round 1
1 Pittsburgh v 16 UNC-Ash/Ark-LR
8 Butler v 9 Old Dominion
5 Kansas St. v 12 Utah St.
4 Wisconsin v 13 Belmont
6 St. Johns v 11 Gonzaga
3 BYU v 14 Wofford
7 UCLA v 10 Michigan St.
2 Florida v 15 UC Santa Barbara

Round 2
1 Pittsburgh v 9 Old Dominion
5 Kansas St. v 4 Wisconsin
6 St. Johns v 3 BYU
10 Michigan St. v 2 Florida

Round 3
1 Pittsburgh v 4 Wisconsin
6 St. Johns v 10 Michigan St.

Southwest Championship
1 Pittsburgh v 6 St. Johns

Final Four
3 Purdue v 1 Pittsburgh
1 OSU v 2 San Diego St.

Championship Game
1 OSU v 1 Pittsburgh

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