Posts About ‘eagles’

Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game 2012: Week 13

Thursday, November 29th, 2012

It is week 13 in the NFL which means that we know damn well who the winners and losers are and who has an outside chance of rising up and making the playoffs. There is one team that I’m looking at (even going so far as to backing their players in fantasy football) that is going to rise up and steal a playoff spot. More on that in a second. Speaking about fantasy though, it is week 13 which means for many, it is the last week before playoffs begin.

This year, I have clinched the playoffs in one league on the back of Phil Dawson, Matt Ryan and AJ Green. The other league I have AJ Green and Ryan in is a defense plays league, and I did not make the playoffs there and actually just traded Green for Jimmy Graham and Cecil Shorts. The third league, I’m in fourth at the moment, but really need a win this week to clinch a playoff spot. That team is also led by Matt Ryan (who has not done me so well the last two weeks), with Calvin Johnson as the primary receiver. Not a lot of TD’s, but a lot of yards.

This week though, in the league I’ve already clinched, I’m going with Andy Dalton over Ryan and the Bengals Defense. While the Saints give up the most fantasy points to opposing QB’s, I’m liking the way Cincinnati is playing right now and I suggest that you do what you can to grab any Cincinnati players before the trade deadline. Also, my primary RB in all leagues is Green-Ellis. I’ve found that synching all my teams makes more a better fantasy season all around.

So in real football news, that’s the team that I think is going to rise up and steal a playoff spot – the Bengals. They are playing fast and strong and their schedule over the next few weeks puts their fate strongly in their hands. The playoffs is theirs to lose. As for the losers, the Eagles top that list. What a shit shack. Next on that list are the Jets, also a supreme disappointment. I’d put the Browns, Rams, Cardinals, etc., on that list, but we expected them to lose. So after skipping last week (turkey hangover bitches) lets get to picking some games.

New Orleans at Atlanta -3.0
Big game for the Saints if they hope to make a run for the playoffs. To their advantage, outside of Atlanta, the NFC is wide freaking open. Those wild card spots will be highly contested and probably come down to the last game. Even the Rams have an outside chance. Of course, the Saints are going to have to win out, and I don’t think they do that. Their defense is giving up too many points, and the offense just isn’t keeping up. Defenses are aware of Graham now, and Brees doesn’t seem to have the weapons he used to have, especially in the running game. While Ivory has impressed, it hasn’t been enough. Speaking about running game, the Falcons have made it to 10-1 pretty much without using Turner that much, sticking to more swing routes and pitches to the faster running Rodgers. Keep in mind the Saints handed the Falcons their only loss this season. Regardless, back at home, I’m taking the Falcons.

Jacksonville at Buffalo -7.0 UPSET SPECIAL!!
The AFC picture is a little bit clearer when it comes to the playoffs, and neither of these teams are in it. Henne has been better for the Jags than Gabbert, but it’s too little too late. The highlight here is watching rising stars Sheets and Blackmon make names for themselves, in the hopes they get to play somewhere else next season. The Bills can score points, but they can also turn the ball over a lot. I’m going out on a limb here and taking the Jags to win. Even at 2-9, they still have a shot at not completely looking like jackasses. Jags on the road to upset.

Seattle at Chicago -3.0
One second the Hawks look playoff caliber, the next second they look weak. Doesn’t really matter. Chicago is playing some inspired football. Tough too. Last week was great when Cutler got pushed out of bounds, then flipped the ball at a Vikings player. That’s the chippy Cutler that we all know and love. He got flagged for 15 yards, but it was totally worth it. The Bears aren’t going to lay down at home for a team like the Seahawks, they are going to pummel them. Bears to win.

Indianapolis at Detroit -3.5
I bet you want to pick an upset here don’t you? Well, the Lions are still having trouble closing out games, and with Johnson unable to find open space to run, they are having trouble scoring with the long ball as well. Losing three in a row hasn’t helped them rebound this season at all. Stafford is getting shoved, hurried and sacked way too often. That line has got to protect. The Indy pass rush isn’t much of a threat, but Luck and TY Hilton might be. Close game here, but I think the Lions edge out at home. I could be wrong though, this is one I see could go either way.

Minnesota at Green Bay -9.0
The Vikings are down Harvin, and seem to forget they have the leagues #1 rusher on their team. Field goals from 4th and one against the division leading Bears? Are you shitting me? Peterson averages like four yards a carry and you are taking pussy points? The Vikings have given up, I’d say that makes them dangerous, and against the Packers non-existent rushing defense that’d be even more true, but the Packers have that Rodgers guy. Protect him and win the game. Packers at home.

Houston at Tennessee +5.5
The Titans are 0-3 in the division and welcome division leader Houston to town. Yeah, Arian Foster is gonna be like “hey Chris Johnson, this is how it’s done now.” The Titans are going to get shredded. They’ll put up a valiant fight, but the Houston D-Line will crush Locker. Texans to win.

Carolina at Kansas City +2.5 CRAPFEST OF THE WEEK!!
Boy, here’s your who gives a shit game of the week. You’d think this would be on Monday Night Football the way those games have been. After beating the hapless Eagles, now the Panthers get the Chiefs. Too bad the Panthers are 3-8. Panthers to win. But no one will be watching.

San Francisco at St. Louis +6.5
The Niners have a rare QB problem. That is, both of them are winners. Alex Smith is probably the most dogged QB in the history of the franchise. My guess, he’s out at the end of the year, playing in KC or something. Which is a mistake. He’s got the arm and the game smarts to be great. Dunno why he can’t get his due in SF. Fuck ‘em. Kaepernik gives them just as much chance to win, though they could start Randy Moss at QB this week and win. Niners to win. Of course, keep in mind they did tie last time they played the Rams.

New England at Miami +9.0
Miami has an outside chance of getting to the playoffs, but this is the week to make that leap. This is a must win game, against a team that seems to just score and score and score but wait! No Gronk? Out with a broken arm thanks to an idiotic decision to keep him in the game, the Patriots are down their leading scorer. So, I suppose that’s a slight advantage for Miami. Tough game for the Fins, as they’ll fall behind quick and never seem to catch up. Patriots to win, but the Dolphins keep it close. Mostly cause the Pats secondary is non-existent.

Arizona at NY Jets -4.5
The Cardinals have Wells back, which should put some more depth in the running game, something the Jets can’t seem to stop. Sure the rookie QB in Arizona isn’t that great yet, and the Jets home crowd hates the Jets more than the visiting team, but the Cards have a chance here. The Jets are not going to even come close to the playoffs, and they are getting primed to clean house. Watch. Cards to win.

Tampa Bay at Denver -7.0
The Bucs are another NFC team that must win this week in order to make a run for the playoffs. Sadly, they travel to the thin air of Denver to face Peyton and the Broncos. While the Bucs gave the Falcons all they could handle, I don’t think they get that lucky against the Broncos, who are playing tighter and tighter every week. I’m sticking with the Denver Mannings to win this game and to continue into the playoffs.

Cleveland at Oakland -1.5
The Browns forced – get this – eight fucking turnovers against the Steelers. The Steelers! If the defense plays the same, they’ll win again this week easy, because Oakland doesn’t wait for forced turnovers, they just give the fucking ball away. Shurmer might be a shit coach, but even he can see that if he just keeps the pressure on Palmer, he’ll win. Browns to win.

Cincinnati at San Diego +2.0 GAME OF THE WEEK!!
This is it for both these teams. A win here and the Bengals will most likely pass the Steelers in the division, edging closer to a playoff spot. A loss for the Chargers likely means that at least Norv Turner is toast, as his poor decision making and clock management will have finally caught up to him. Additionally, Rivers is playing for his life right now, at 4-7, he’s not looking like the price they paid. Bengals to win.

Pittsburgh at Baltimore -0.0
The Steelers are hurting. Literally. charlie Batch was less than impressive against the Browns, the whole team looked like a mess. Without Big Ben, I’m writing them off. If he doesn’t slap on some Kevlar and come back, they are done. The Ravens are going to win this division, if they can beat the Steelers here and keep the Bengals at bay. The next few weeks should be interesting. Either way, Ravens win at home.

Philadelphia at Dallas -9.0
That sound is the sound of Eagles fans holding back the tears. Nick Foles is quickly cementing his place in the hall of perennial backups and he’s only a rookie. You gotta win son. You had your chance against the Panthers, now you are probably headed back to the bench so that Vick can come in and look just as shitty. Bryce Brown was impressive, but needs to learn how to carry the fucking ball. Did you see him swinging it out there? A good fantasy pick if you don’t get penalized for fumbles. Dallas isn’t that great of a team, but have a strong rushing attack going at times, and other times a coach who can’t seem to read the giant digital clock. Regardless, the Eagles aren’t going to win another game this year. Cowboys at home.

New York at Washington +2.5
And we come to the other half the NFC East. The surprisingly dominant Giants against the not to be underrated Redskins. The Skins keep showing that spark that winning teams have, which can mostly be attributed to RGIII. A win at home, against the Giants would be fucking huge for RGIII and the Redskins, who have won two in a row and have a good shot at the playoffs – if they can continue to win in the division. In consecutive weeks they’ve beaten the Eagles and Cowboys, yet lost to the Giants earlier this year. They have two more against the Eagles and Cowboys, so this game is huge for them. The Giants rolled Green Bay, and coming off that win are hard to discount or pick an upset against. Going with the numbers here and picking the Giants to win.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Featured, Sports | No Comments »

Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game 2012: NFC East Preview

Tuesday, August 14th, 2012

This week we’re going to take a look at the NFC East and NFC West, or North. We’ll see where I’m at on Thursday. Before we get to that though, did you see Andrew Luck the other day? I said it last year, this kid is going to be amazing. He’s a true passer and he’s got that star QB mentality needed to lead a team and get the wins. I would almost think about drafting him in my fantasy league, just in case I don’t get Eli.

This year I’m playing for the first time in a fantasy league that uses all defensive players, as well as coach. Coach! So I guess draft the coach who you think will have the winningnest season? I suppose so. Needless to say, I won’t be drafting Shanahan. I’m going with Mike Smith in Atlanta. Oh, and I’m totally drafting Tebow. And Josh Cribbs. Anyway, we’re talking about the NFC today, and not fantasy.

So what’s new in the NFC East? Not too much really. All four teams are smelling about the same except the addition of RG3 in Washington, that’s the biggie. Meanwhile, somehow that Vick guy is still in football. It’s only a matter of time before karma kicks him right the fuck out. On with the NFC East!

NFC East

New York Giants
What do I start off here with? The fact that the Giants have another Superbowl win under Eli? How about former receiver Amani Toomer saying that Romo is a better QB than Manning? Huh? How many rings does Romo have? Hell, how many rings does Peyton have, Brees? Matt Ryan? All these elite guys and Eli is sitting with two rings and there is no way he is done yet. And the thing is, on both those runs the Giants came in improbable underdogs and somehow pulled it off. A testament to coaching? Improbable luck? Who the hell knows.

This year, the defense is going to be better than ever. Jason Pierre-Paul is a monster, and Tuck is back from an injury as well. I expect that the linebackers will be at their best. The key is staying healthy, of course. And the thing is, there were no real big changes on defense or on offense. This is basically the same team as last year besides Jacobs, Manningham and Ballard taking the walk. I think Nicks and Cruz can easily fill the Manningham void, and Jacobs was just getting slow. Bradshaw could have a banner year, but I expect rookie David Wilson out of Va. Tech to get some good action.

The way I see it, there are only two teams in this division worth giving a shit about. The Eagles are saddled with continued bad karma (more on that in a second) and the Redskins are still saddled with Dan Synder. I don’t even want to write about them. Anyway, the Giants and Cowboys are going to be fighting for the division the whole year, but I think that Eli is going to deny Romo another shot at the NFC Conference championship. Giants and Packers or Falcons fighting for the Superbowl spot.

Projected Finish: 13-3

Washington Redskins
Finally stepping out of the GM role, Dan Synder was unable to make a shit ton of ridiculous decisions that would ultimately doom the Redskins. That’s not saying that every decision that has been made since are great ones, just that he’s not making as many stupid ones. The drafting of Robert Griffin III was the big deal and it’ll be interesting to see how the Redskins coaching staff handles him. You see, RG3 isn’t a Cam Newton type player, he’s more of an Aaron Rodgers type pocket passer. I think though, there is this misconception that he’s a tough runner, he just knows how to escape. If the Redskins offensive coaches put him on the run, it’ll backfire.

In other Redskins news, Shanahan continues to lead the team (11-21 over two seasons) and is joined by Raheem Morris as defensive backs coach. It’ll be one season before Morris is the head coach and Shanahan is out. I like the addition of Piere Garcon, and London Fletcher will still be trying to lead the defense to make up for a rookie QB’s mistakes, but the Redskins have their work cut out for them. They are still in one of the toughest divisions in football and they get the Steelers, Ravens and Panthers this year. The Browns should be a couple wins.

I think that in a pure and perfect environment, RG3 could succeed and lead his team to a winning season. In this environment, with a coach that only found success when Elway gave it to him, RG3 will face a lot of disappointment. Of course, I could be wrong and he could have a Cam Newton like breakout season, but I don’t think so. I’m predicting more sadness for the D.C. faithful.

Projected Finish: 4-12

Dallas Cowboys
Not too many changes here at all. The Cowboys are looking like pretty much the same team as last year, you know, all the offensive weapons and none of the heart. They seems to just go fucking limp in the lead-up to the playoffs, and if you are a Cowboys fan I don’t know how you can still put your Romo jersey on without feeling a tiny bit of shame. To me, Romo is one of the most overrated quarterbacks in the league today. Sure, he makes some great plays every once in a while, but his fuck-ups are epic and when it comes down to the wire, the high pressure situations, he’s mentally already in the fucking offseason banging blond chicks.

Which is why I’m already calling for Kyle Orton to get the start. Orton, has landed in Dallas, knowing full well that he isn’t done playing yet and still has something to prove. I think what the Cowboys have been missing the past couple years is a competent back-up QB that can step in, energize the team and get some wins. Maybe Romo will break a finger or something, nothing major, to give someone else a shot at putting some blood in the dick of this team.

The good news, especially for fantasy owners who saw a deal last year, is that DeMarco Murray will probably rush for well over 1,000 yards this year. Easily. Hell, he’ll probably do that against the Redskins and Eagles alone. And the NFC East plays the AFC North this year, so you can add another 1,000 yards against the Browns. Unless that ankle doesn’t hold up. In which case, nevermind. I’d like to predict good things for the Cowboys, but I just can’t see myself doing that. A winning season is all I can give them.

Projected Finish: 10-6

Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles remind me of that video with those girls, and that cup. It starts out innocently enough, you think this could be good, then everyone starts eating shit. That was the Eagles last year and that will be the Eagles this year. Andy Reid has lost his mojo and as long as he insists on starting Vick, hell, keeping him on the team, they will not find the success on the field as they should have. I am a strong believer in football karma and the Eagles are saddled with a shit ton of bad karma.

Thankfully for them, Vick was injured in pre-season, though it was a finger injury and he’ll be back on the field. Do they really want to start this guy at QB? Fucking put him at receiver, nah, he’d get snapped in half. He’s too fragile and the Eagles offensive line has not been able to protect him at all. Bam. Bam. Bam. Vick hasn’t played 16 games in a season since 2006. May as well just start that kid Nick Foles out of Arizona, give him an early shot and rebuild this team offensively.

Defensively, meh. They are saying that they have a fixed defense, but I highly doubt that. Their scheme should be about the same, give up five yards at a time and hope they don’t run for more. What a way to contain guys. Go Eagles. I’ll give them the extra wins just cause they are playing the Browns.

Projected Finish: 8-8

Pin It

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Featured, Sports | No Comments »

Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 15

Thursday, December 15th, 2011

Overrated.



Week 15 can be a very depressing week. That’s the week that I realize that I’ve been completely eliminated from all my fantasy football leagues, and in this case, I’ve got to pay out for the one that I’m running. Considering I already spent all their money, I’ve got to sell some plasma, sperm, blood, whatever to get the three hundred bucks. So there’s that.

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.

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Featured, Sports | 1 Comment »

Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 13

Thursday, December 1st, 2011

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.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Featured, Sports | 1 Comment »

Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: One More Week

Thursday, September 1st, 2011

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.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Everything & Anything, Featured, Sports | No Comments »

Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Wild-Card Weekend

Thursday, January 6th, 2011
Rodgers vs. Vick

Rodgers and Vick - who will prevail? (Images: AP)

What needs to be said about this past season that hasn’t been said by a million other sports pundits? It was a wild NFL season with lots of drama, lots of Randy Moss whining, lots of coaches getting fired and of course – Brett Favre’s average sized shlong. Yes, it was a typical NFL season in America.

As the regular season came to a close, I couldn’t help but wonder about the shining turds playing as the NFC West champions. With their back-up QB, they beat the best/worst team in the NFC West to secure a spot in the playoffs with a losing record. What a shame that the NFL is allowing this to happen. If this doesn’t scream for a rule change, I don’t know what does. Hell, I hate to root for the Bucs, but they should have gotten in over the Seahawks, actually it would have been the Giants. Fuck the Bucs.

Well, here we are in the playoffs and I’m a bit depressed. This means that I only have a few NFL columns left to write this season, not to pick up again until August with my AFC & NFC previews. Until then, I figured that I’d fill this space with random sports news of the week, adding in my awesome commentary. Cause that’s how I roll. Anyway, it’s Wild-Card weekend, let’s get our picks on!

No. 6 New York Jets (11-5) at No. 3 Indianapolis Colts (10-6)
The Jets have found themselves in the playoffs even through controversy, mediocre offense and Mark Brunnell taking the snaps to give Sanchez a rest. Of course, the game against the Bills had no impact on their playoff spot. They are the Wild-Card and they are traveling to Lucas Oil to get beat by the Colts. Whoops, did I give that away too soon? No matter how the Colts played during the season, they finished strong and with a lot of injuries to their starters. The rest of the team stood up, and they made a run with Peyton at the helm to get ‘er done and put the Jags and Titans down to secure the division. The Jets are good, especially on run defense. The Colts will have trouble running against them, which is to be expected. But it’s Peyton’s arm they should be afraid of. Meanwhile, the Colts have to watch out for the same for Sanchez. The key to victory for the Colts is shutting down the deep ball and forcing the Jets to keep it short. Nearly the same for the Colts. However, I’m sticking with Peyton in this one, so that they can eventually lose to the Patriots. Colts at home.

No. 5 New Orleans Saints (11-5) at No. 4 Seattle Seahawks (7-9)
No no no no no. The Seahawks do not belong. This is like one of those pictures where everything looks the same and the question is “what doesn’t belong?” The Seahawks, that’s what. They don’t belong. The Giants should have been let in the playoffs with a 10-6 record, or even the Bucs over the 7-9 Seahawks. That being said, they went up against the Rams last week in a win it or go home game and they won it. So you’ve got to give them credit for that. Not only that, but they did it with backup QB Charlie Whitehurst rather than Hasselbeck, who still may not start this weekend when the Saints come into town. The only thing that the Seahawks have going for them, especially against a good team is Leon Washington returning punts. Know how to nullify him? Kick it out of bounds. Even as banged up as the Saints are, and having to travel to the west coast, the Seahawks won’t be able to stop or slow down the offense. This should be a blowout. Saints on the road.

No. 5 Baltimore Ravens (12-4) at No. 4 Kansas City Chiefs (10-6)
The Chiefs have had a very impressive season, finishing not only with a winning record but with one of the best offenses in the league. They strike with speed and wicked precision from Matt Cassel. However, without him they seemed to stumble and Cassel, while not a true pocket passer, loses a lot of his accuracy when he’s rushed. The Ravens, they like to rush quarterbacks. They put the pressure on and keep the pressure on and they usually do it with a three man front. Ed Reed is a monster in the secondary and will get in front of at least one ball in this game to take it away. The Chiefs have a slight advantage at home, and in order to win they need to strike fast and quick and rely on their defense to keep the game close. Flacco is cool under pressure, but he’s gotta be able to hand the ball off quickly as the defensive front for the Chiefs is quick and strong. I’m going out on a limb here, but the Chiefs have had a hell of a run and the Ravens will lose to the Steelers anyway. I’m taking the Chiefs at home.

No. 6 Green Bay Packers (10-6) at No. 3 Philadelphia Eagles (10-6)
The Packers opened up their season with a win at Philly. Now they return to Philly to face Vick instead of Kolb. The Packers beat the Bears in a very convincing win to push their way into the playoffs ahead of the Giants and the Bucs. Rodgers has been beat up this year, the running game has been suspect and the defense has had a few bad days – especially in the secondary. However, towards the end of the season they tightened up and became quite formidable. The Packers defense will have the daunting task of keeping Vick contained. That’s really the only key to the game, keep Vick contained and they should win. Vick still runs when he senses a defensive back or linebacker, sometimes ill advised. Yes, he cuts out a big play every once in a while, but pay attention to the failures in his run – especially when he gets pressured and the secondary is keeping up their coverage. Think back to the Chicago loss, that’s exactly what they did. The Packers need to do the same. If not, the Eagles will definitely win this game. However, I think the Packers defense can contain Vick, so I’m taking the Packers to win on the road and advance.

That’s it. Wild-Card weekend in four paragraphs. Next week: playoffs round two.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Sports | No Comments »

Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Week 13

Thursday, December 2nd, 2010

Will the Jets be celebrating this Monday night? (image: NFL)

Last week was another good week for my picks as I went 11-5 (103-74 on the season,) but like I said – this late in the season it only gets easier to make the right predictions. Want to know my secret? Pick the team with the best record, don’t pick the Cowboys, Bucs or Bungles. Or the Lions. Or the Bills or Vikings. Or the Cardinals or Niners.

So this week brings us back to a lot of divisional play, which is going to make the difference in a lot of teams making the run for the playoffs or not. Ouch, I just got a shoulder stinger there. That’s from typing the word “playoffs.” Playoffs? Playoffs? Yeah, right around the corner. Frankly, I think it’s going to be a great discussion when an 8-8 team from the NFC West gets into the playoffs yet a possible 10-6 team or 11-5 team from another division gets left out. The top 12 teams should get in, not just cause you were the cream of the crap in a shitty division.

Anyway, that’s a discussion that the players union can have with the owners after they sign a new contract next year. That is – if they sign a new contract next year. That whole strike thing is looming once again in the background, no one is talking about it much, but it’s there. On a side note, my soundtrack for writing this post today is The Vitrolum Republic. Groovy. Now, how about some picks! Let’s get it on!

Featured Game:

NY Jets at New England Line: -3.5
The battle for AFC supremacy starts and ends with these two teams. While the Ravens and Steelers may pose a threat in the playoffs, the AFC Championship game is going to feature one of these two teams (or possibly both since one will most likely get the Wild-Card and the other win the division.) So much to @bigguyd’s chagrin, I can’t automatically pick the Patriots in this match-up. I think there is more to it than just Tom Brady and the killer offense and competent defense of the Patriots. The Jets seem to eke out a win week after week, usually staying in the game with strong defense. This is going to be the real test of Mark Sanchez’s resolve this year. Their last meeting ended in a huge win for the Jets at home, but this time they are visiting the Patriots and have changed a bit since Week 2. They seemed dominant then, and now just seem like they are good enough to hang in there, but not win. So, I’m going to pick the Patriots to take this game at home and shore up the top spot in the AFC East.

Tailgate City (The Rest:)

Houston at Philadelphia Line: -9.0
The Texans pulled off the win at home against the struggling Titans to stay in the playoff race. That’s right, even at a paltry 5-6 they still have quite a good chance at competing for the AFC South crown. Go figure. This has more to do with the Colts losing than them winning. This week, they are surely watching tape of the Bears win over the Eagles to learn about that Vick fellow. Can they contain? I think they’ll try, but the hostile Philly crowd noise and the cool weather may stifle the offensive communication, whether or not they contain Vick. Plus, the Philly D ain’t half bad. Philly to win at home.

New Orleans at Cincinnati Line: +7.0
The Saints need to win this game, that’s all there is to it. If they hope to somehow inexplicably steal the division from the Falcons they need to keep up by not getting upset by crappy teams. The Bungles could upset, I don’t think they will – but it’s possible. They have all the weapons to upset, oh wait, they don’t have a defense. Forgot about that. I suppose you’d need one of those to win. Saints on the road.

Chicago at Detroit Line: +3.5
Da Bears are back. Frankly, I’m loving it. I’m not a Bears fan but this team is looking good lately. I picked them to beat the Eagles last week and they didn’t dissapoint in one of the best games of the weekend. They found a way to contain Vick by generally keeping a three man front and giving him no where to throw, then he got shut down on the run because they had a free safety or corner coming in when he started to leave the pocket as the three and/or an additional linebacker came on the rush. It was good football. The Lions can’t compete with good football right now. They put a couple points on the Patriots, but in the end couldn’t keep up. Bears on the road.

San Francisco at Green Bay Line: -9.5
The Packers loss last week really sets them back in the division. In order to gain ground on the Bears (since the wild card will most likely go to the Saints) they are going to have to win the rest of their games in dominant Packer fashion. While the Niners pulled off a win against the Cardinals last week, Troy Smith still had a rough game and didn’t look confident in the pocket. This is daunting for this team that really needs a boost since Steve Young left. I’m looking for the Niners to come out shooting, but miss the target by a couple touchdowns. I just don’t think their defense has a chance against Rodgers. Packers to win at home.

Jacksonville at Tennessee Line: -0.0
Oddly enough, this is the battle for the division – this week at least. Every team in this division has a valid shot at winning it – maybe even with a paltry 9-7 record. Which is going to suck for teams with a better record in a better division. The Jags are the surprise team of the AFC, even with their record. They have been pulling off some surprise wins, but fell back down to Earth against the Giants last week. They needed that win, but thankfully the Titans dropped to the Texans. Should be interesting going down the next couple of weeks. I’m taking the Jags to win this week, just because the Titans are still having trouble running the ball and passing the ball. Ouch.

Denver at Kansas City Line: -9.0
The Chiefs are on a roll this season. Another big win last week is pushing them further up the Power Rankings and closer to the playoffs. They need to keep an eye out for the Chargers though, who are only a game behind and looking to be heating up. Thankfully, the Chiefs get the Broncos at home this week. This should be a cake game for them, since the Broncos have apparently forgotten how to play football. The KC offense will be too much for the water thin Broncos defense. KC at home.

Cleveland at Miami Line: -4.5
The Dolphins pulled off a kind of upset last week against the Raiders. Both Henne and Thigpen got playing time, but it didn’t seem to matter because all they had to do was hand the ball to Ricky. I’m still undecided if that was good play by the Dolphins, or crappy play by the Raiders who have been strong against the run most of the season. However, a win is a win. The same can be said about the Browns. They won against the Panthers, but Delhomme nearly threw the game away – literally. The Browns can not win with him going forward. They need Colt McCoy back. He’s missed practice thus far this week, but should be back on Sunday. With his rocket arm and the running power of Hillis, I’m taking the Browns to upset on the road.

Buffalo at Minnesota Line: -5.5 UPSET SPECIAL!!
Buffalo might be far out of it when it comes to playoffs, or even a winning season, but they are not out of it when it comes to competing for the win. Their ultra competitive game against the Steelers came after a killer win against the Bungles. That’s the way they are playing right now. Only a late dropped TD pass killed them against the Steelers. So as they travel to the comfy dome of Minnesota, one has to think they stand a pretty damn good chance of winning. Especially with the Vikings coming off a win at Washington. Usually that would pump a team up, and it will, but the Vikings have been anything but consistent. I’m taking the Bills to upset on the road.

Washington at NY Giants Line: -7.0
The Redskins took a tough loss at home to the struggling Vikings. This was a turning point for the Redskins as it dropped them to 5-6. They’ll be lucky if they get to 8-8 on the year, but I’m thinking it’s going to be more like 6-10 the way they are going right now. They travel to New York to face off against their division rival Giants. The Giants are looking hot at the moment – at the moment. Again, this is another inconsistent team – especially on defense. However, this week should be a good one for them as the Redskins offense still isn’t clicking with McNabb. Just shut down Santana Moss and you can control the game. Taking the Giants to win at home.

Oakland at San Diego Line: -13.0
The Chargers proved that they should not be underestimated with that huge beat down of the Colts. Hell, even if they had won by one point it still would have been a beat down. They controlled Manning, they covered the receivers well and their offense exploded into the end zone. They looked like the Chargers look on paper, which is a good thing. Meanwhile, the Raiders are back to being what we expect from the Raiders – losers. Which is why I’m taking the Chargers at home, just cause the Raiders are well, the Raiders.

Dallas at Indianapolis Line: -5.5
The Colts looked hurt and sad after that loss to the Chargers. But remember, this is Peyton Manning’s team. Do you think he’s going to let them lose two weeks in a row? I don’t think so. The Cowboys at the moment are Jon Kitna’s team and while that did them well one week, it won’t do them well against the Colts at home. The Colts are too good at home with the crowd to lose this game to the nearly coach-less Cowboys. Colts at home.

St. Louis at Arizona Line: +3.5
No way the Rams lose this game. Not now, not after the season they’ve been having. Bradford has been playing awesome rookie football, and their defense has been keeping up with even the best offenses. The Cardinals started off looking like they could compete, but they quickly proved that they really couldn’t. It all boils down to quarterback problems with this team. Neither QB that has started this year has done a lick of shit. Andersen looks rattled almost all the time, having no pocket protection hasn’t helped him a bit. Rams to win on the road.

Carolina at Seattle Line: -6.0
Every week I seem to be looking at one game and can’t think of anything good to say. This is that game. The Seahawks are a so-so team at best, and haven’t really proven anything on offense or defense. The thing is, they could still win the division – with a losing record! The NFC West is just shit. Thankfully for the Hawks, the much, much worse Panthers come to town. Should be an easy win for the Seahawks, but you never really know do you? I’m taking the Hawks, but leaving open the possibility that the Panthers might upset.

Atlanta at Tampa Bay Line: +3.0
The Bucs proved last week that they can’t win against a team with a winning record, and now the best team in the NFC comes to Tampa Bay. Forget it. The Bucs don’t stand a chance against the Falcons this year. Deluded bandwagoning Bucs fans might think so, but they don’t. Falcons to win easy on the road.

Pittsburgh at Baltimore Line: -3.0
Only one of these teams is going to make the playoffs. That’s a sad reality based on how well they are both playing. Well, how well the Ravens are playing. They haven’t faltered much at all this season, but the Steelers near loss to the Bills last week kind of gave me some pause in picking this team to win the division. I think the Steelers are the Jets of the AFC North. They have been winning, but honestly their wins have been fairly close and there is a lot of luck involved. You know, like a coin toss. The Ravens have all the cards in this match-up, it’s their game to lose and I don’t think that they will. Ravens at home.

That’s all folks. Week 13 in a nutshell. A 2000 word nutshell. Whatever. You’ll notice that there was no crapfest of the week this week because frankly, they are all good match-ups. Even the Thursday night game, which usually is sub-par at best. Hell, I’d even watch the Bucs game just to see them get worked by the Falcons. All good shit. Stay tuned next week, when I talk more football. If you haven’t figured out the theme with this column by now, perhaps it’s time for a nap.

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Sports | 2 Comments »

Digital Dads NFL Power Rankings

Wednesday, November 17th, 2010

Image: NFL

About this time every year I figure, hey all the big sports sites are doing their power rankings I suppose I should do mine.

So here are the latest power rankings. I’ll be updating these every week, so pay attention. Short and sweet, like your mudda.

1. Atlanta Falcons (7-2): Matt Ryan will be hall of fame great someday. Right now, just enjoy watching him tear apart defenses.

2. New York Jets (7-2): The near losses will catch up to this team if they aren’t careful. The offense has to tighten up.

3. New England Patriots (7-2): Is it any surprise that the Pats bounced back from a loss with a win?

4. Baltimore Ravens (6-3): Divisional play will either destroy their chances at the playoffs, or secure them.

5. Green Bay Packers (6-3): Favre who? Packers fans have replaced their Favre jerseys with Rodgers ones. Rejoice.

6. Philadelphia Eagles (6-3): Vick is unstoppable. Go ahead and try. Put a spy on him. Put the whole defense on him. It doesn’t matter. If he doesn’t waltz into the playoffs, I’ll be surprised.

7. New York Giants (6-3): The most inconsistent 6-3 team on the docket. You have to beat the Cowboys, you just have to.

8. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3): It’s all about the defense. Injuries could kill this team going into the home stretch.

9. Indianapolis Colts (6-3): Injuries at key positions haven’t slowed down the Colts too much, still gotta play the Patriots though.

10. Oakland Raiders (5-4): Did anyone see this coming? A mediocre schedule and a crappy division could help this team actually sniff the playoffs.

11. New Orleans Saints (6-3): The Saints still don’t look like the Saints of last year. Perhaps Bush coming back will help?

12. Miami Dolphins (5-4): An energizing win set this team back on the path to righteousness. Now, if only they had a starting QB.

13. Chicago Bears (6-3): A huge win for the Bears this past weekend, shoving their way towards the top of the division. It’s gonna be a foot race to the top.

14. Cleveland Browns (3-6): The Browns proved they are a team not to be taken lightly. Hopefully that close loss to the Jets in OT will be their last.

15. Tennessee Titans (5-4): Once heralded with the best secondary in the league, the Titans gave 3 different QB’s a shot at winning.

16. Kansas City Chiefs (5-4): Am I the only one that finds it weird that the Chiefs and Raiders are fighting for the division lead?

17. San Diego Chargers (4-5): Conversely, am I the only one that finds it weird that the Chargers aren’t fighting for the division lead?

18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-3): A succession of sub .500 teams has helped the Bucs pad their record. When they play winners, they’ll lose.

19. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-4): That hail mary Sportscenter fodder won’t carry this team through the rest of the season.

20. St. Louis Rams (4-5): So close, yet seemingly so far. The Rams benefit from a crummy division and still have a really good chance at a playoff run.

21. Seattle Seahawks (5-4): A rough road ahead for the Seahawks. Does Hasselbeck still have it in him to push this mediocre team to the playoffs?

22. Houston Texans (4-5): I hate to say it, but with the Colts playing well and the Titans in the division and the Jags getting lucky, the Texans will most likely continue their drought of playoff appearances.

23. Washington Redskins (4-5): Take that McNabb! It’s not personal, the Redskins just really aren’t that good defensively.

24. San Francisco 49ers (3-6): Alex Smith is the new Tim Couch, or Charlie Fyre, or Danny Wuerffel. A promising career cut short by playing for losers.

25. Denver Broncos (3-6): Weird that this team isn’t winning, but then, no Shanahan. So that makes sense.

26. Detroit Lions (2-7): The best 2-7 team? Sure. Whatever helps you Lions fans sleep at night.

27. Minnesota Vikings (3-6): Retire already dammit! If the Vikings organization knew how to run a team, Favre would be riding pine. He is not helping you win!

28. Arizona Cardinals (3-6): Ah, these are the Cardinals that we’re used to.

29. Dallas Cowboys (2-7): I wanted to put them dead last, but hell, they did beat the Giants last week.

30. Cincinnati Bengals (2-7): You’d think a team with Carson Palmer, Ochocinco & T.O. would have more than 2 wins.

31. Buffalo Bills (1-8): Just sad. Finally got that first win, barely – against the Lions.

32. Carolina Panthers (1-8): Bags on their fucking heads. Bags on their heads.

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Sports | 4 Comments »

The shoe cables a repent reward near the visible.