Posts About ‘Ravens’

Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game 2012: Superbowl XLVII

Thursday, January 31st, 2013

Well, this is it kids. The final NFL column of the season here at Digital Dads. While there is plenty that happens during the offseason (like where Tebow will end up) it’s not worth writing about until next season, as I don’t paid like all those know-it-alls at ESPN and CBS Sports. That being said, I do have a couple post-season predictions that I’d like to get out of the way.

First is that Alex Smith will end up in Arizona. The Niners have already said they aren’t bringing him back next season, so he’ll be taking his talents elsewhere. I’m thinking he’ll stay in the division. I think Vick will be playing for Jets, Sanchez will be backing up somewhere, maybe starting in Oakland, and Tebow will land in Jacksonville. Aside from that, I expect that there won’t be any surprises in the draft, besides who takes Manti Te’o and his imaginary girlfriend. The kid can play, I hope this doesn’t prevent him from going in the first round.

Then, days before the Superbowl it comes out that Ray Lewis was using performance enhancing drugs. There’s a fucking surprise. I wonder if it was cause God told him to? The guy drags God into every other conversation, so clearly God must have sanctioned this as well. Either way, a sore point going into the Harbaugh bowl.

Baltimore at San Francisco – February 3, 2013, 6:30 PM ET – 47.0 O/U -3.5

At first, this was easy for me in my head. I picked the Niners and I’ve been picking them solid all week. I even predicted a Harbaugh bowl a year ago. But then I started looking at the teams and specifically their last couple of wins. The Niners beat a struggling Packers team, then beat the Falcons – probably their strongest opponent in the last month of the season, but certainly with their own issues. It was a defensive stand that gave them the win there, and was impressive. Yet, the Ravens solidly beat a very good Denver team and Peyton Manning on the road, then beat Tom Brady on the road as well. Flacco was outstanding in both games, hitting his stride late and making those deep passes.

The threat of Kaepernik running the read option is there, but the Falcons showed that you can bottle that up. Gore took over the running load, but that wasn’t enough to beat the Falcons. Came down to defense. I think the Ravens defensive game plan will take the read option into consideration. I also think that the Niners receivers will be shut down by the Ravens corners, who have stepped up in the last couple weeks (if you can stop Welker from catching a ball, you can stop anyone.) They hit hard, and that rattles receivers with fear.

As for the Niners defense, they don’t have a read option to worry about, just being able to stop Ray Rice from winding a path through the gauntlet. The Niners defense needs to quickly pressure Flacco. Giving him time to throw the ball down field will not end well for them. I think they apply pressure, but Rice is right there to get the outlet pass and run away. The running game should be interesting. And I’m tired of the argument against defense winning championships. Both these teams are top defensive teams and the Niners got here because of a defensive play. Defense wins championships.

I expect a mid range scoring game, 24-23 final score with the Ravens on top. Look, I think the Niners are a great, young team and will be right back in the big game soon. I just don’t think it’s going to be this year. Also, Randy Moss, shut the hell up. You are no Jerry Rice. See you next season.

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Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game 2012: Championship Round

Thursday, January 17th, 2013

Well, I was right on about every game last week – except for Denver. That’s three out of four again. Look, the Broncos should have won that game – just like the Colts should have won the week before. Except the Broncos really fucked up. They had the single worst defensive play of the season when they gave up that TD with 30 seconds to go. Where did you think the pass was going to go? Why was a safety not standing on the goal line? They fucked that up, then in OT Peyton got pushed around and finally made a fatal error. I opined last week about Peyton’s ability to play in cold weather in the playoffs, and while I picked him to win I kind of knew that he wasn’t going to.

Both the Patriots and the Niners dominated, but only the Niners looked like a playoff team. Harbaugh held that read option look until the playoffs and it worked. The Falcons might be prepared for it, but I doubt that they’ll be fully prepared for it. The Packers are struggling lately in the playoffs, and that game made a strong case for the importance of a running game in a pass heavy league. They couldn’t establish a play action. Meanwhile the Patriots just keep scoring, no matter who Brady is throwing to. Doesn’t matter. While Joe Montana might have had Jerry Rice all those years, Brady doesn’t need just one guy, he can make any guy a star.

So this is the second to last column of the year, then a hiatus until the season kicks back up again. So you should be full of sadness. Me, I’m going to go cuddle with my guns before they are taken away. Just kidding. I don’t cuddle.

San Francisco at Atlanta – January 20, 2013, 3:00 PM ET +3.0 49.0 O/U
The first game kicks off in the Georgia Dome, which sucks for the Niners. I think they have that energy at home which really helps the team and Atlanta gets super lucky at home. Like last week, when they nearly gave the game away and just beat the Seahawks. Frankly, I’d love to pick the Falcons to win this game and I think they can, and might. But I have to put more value on Colin Kaepernik than one should put on a human being. The guy is a good pocket passer, has the patience of a veteran and makes RGIII look like a chicken with his head cut off. Whether it’s a designed run or a snap decision, the kid has his head on straight. Now, Harbaugh busted out the read option against the Packers who have no run defense and play a classic smash on the line. The Falcons also play a smash, but in preparing for either the Seahawks or Redskins with that week off, they prepared for a running QB. Their secondary just didn’t prepare for the deep ball. So that’s what it comes down to, if the Falcons can contain Kaepernik, and I don’t think they do. At least not for a whole game. He won’t peel off 181 against them, but he’ll get a couple runs, extending plays. For that, I’m taking the Niners to just edge out the Falcons, though I wouldn’t mind being proven wrong.

Baltimore at New England – January 20, 2013, 6:30 PM ET -8.5 51.0 O/U
In this rematch of last years AFC Championship game, not much has changed. Of course the Patriots are favored, but the Ravens are playing with some sort of fire, and you can credit Ray Lewis for that. The now cyborg ex-con is a locker room preacher and gets a team fired up. Joe Flacco, who played amazing last week to little or no fanfare, is still the key to the offense. The kid has a fantastic arm and uses it. The Patriots secondary will not be able to stop the deep ball, and this game will certainly come down to who can score the most points. The Patriots front seven and the defense will have to be on the ball this week, no flip flopping like they’ve done all season. Belichick always finds a way to win, or at least compete in these types of games. The real key for the Pats though is Welker. If he can continue to David Copperfield opponents, then a win is nearly guaranteed. I’m not too worried about Gronk being out, as Hernandez can carry that load and there will be plenty of tricks up the sleeve of the Hoodie. Patriots to win.

Now, for your entertainment, Bad Lip Reading does the NFL. Hilarious!

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Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game 2012: Divisional Weekend

Thursday, January 10th, 2013

So last week I went a respectable three out of four. I really did not expect the Colts to give it away like they did. Their front offensive line pretty much helped make it open season on young Andrew Luck. I really wanted the Colts to win because I like what they’ve been able to do this season and I really don’t like the Ravens. What I didn’t count on was Ray Lewis coming back, and getting like nine tackles. Without Ray Lewis, the Colts may have won that game. When I wrote the column last week, I didn’t know he was going to be back in.

So I’m writing this from a Starbucks in Planet Hollywood in Vegas where I finally have good WiFi. I’m here for CES and probably won’t even get to the convention floor. Meetings, meetings, meetings. I mean, meetings with the Roulette table. Oh yeah baby. So as I’m writing this, the guy next to me is having a sex chat with his girl via Skype. I can tell cause she’s wearing little, they went from verbal to typing and every time I glance over it’s like watching one of those porn videos people talk about. Thankfully, he’s keeping it classy by not unzipping right here.

Anyway, I better get this written up, I have a meeting in a few minutes at some hotel that I’ll probably get lost in. Actually, I want to ditch the meeting cause after researching the company it seems really super mega boring and I don’t want to do super mega boring right now. At least I’m not having ACL, MCL and every other CL surgery like RG3 right now. And at least I’m not fired like a shit ton of coaches, including now Rob Ryan, who will most likely not be working in NY with his brother. And at least I’m not Peyton Manning, who knows damn well he’s going to have to play in the cold against the Patriots next week. It’s inevitable.

Baltimore at Denver -9.5
The Ravens pose an interesting challenge for the Denver offensive line, can they control the speed and toughness of a recharged and pumped up defense? That’s the only key to this game. People are questioning Manning’s resolve, whether or not he can handle the week off and the cold weather, I think that isn’t a problem this week. I think the Broncos get an early lead and pound out the rest of the game, leaving Manning able to avoid the rush and save himself for next week, in the cold again, against the Patriots. The Ravens got lucky last week, with Lewis coming back, I don’t think they have the same energy this week, at least not after the first quarter. Broncos to win.

Green Bay at San Francisco -3.0
The big question for this game is how do the Packers contain Frank Gore? Earlier this year, he ripped off over 100 yards against the Packers, then watched as Adrian Peterson did it to the Packers in the last game of the season. However, the very next week the Packers figured something out as they held Peterson in check and were too much for the Vikings without their star running back. I think we could see them show the same defensive fronts against the Niners this week, the only x-factor being Colin Kaepernik. That kid can run, and unlike RG3, he’s got a much stronger physicality to him. He’s not going to twist an ankle getting tackled, and he’s going to use the read and spread option to confuse the defense because he can actually pass the ball. So the Niners then have to worry about Rodgers just lighting up their secondary in the nice weather in San Fran. Sure, he plays well in the cold, but he plays better when he’s comfortable and his receivers have warm hands. This game really could go either way, but I’m taking the Niners by a nose.

Seattle at Atlanta -1.0
The Seahawks were impressive last week, but it is not going to matter against the stronger offense of the Falcons. The Seahawks defense has been lights out against the run, and their secondary has been more than competent. The thing is, Matt Ryan and his top flight receivers in Julio Jones and Roddy White can do things that most teams cannot defend against. Those back shoulder throws, and getting the ball up high enough so that only those tall receivers can get it are just a few. Add to that the constant threat of play action and the arsenal of weapons at his disposal and the Falcons offense will be hard to beat. Of course, we know how the Falcons tend to choke in the post-season, so we’ll see if they do. But for now, I’m sticking with the Falcons to finally get that sweet post-season victory.

Houston at New England -9.5
Clearly you have noticed the trend here, I’m picking all home teams, and I’ve already picked the Patriots in the opening paragraph. So, as well as the Texans have done this season, defensively or otherwise, the Patriots are built for the playoffs and that’s why they are going to win. Patriots to win, with little discussion.

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Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game 2012: Wild-Card Weekend

Thursday, January 3rd, 2013

The first week of the playoffs is here, which means that the word count of this column shrinks considerably. I’m sure you are wondering how I did on my picks this year, I came in around 66% or better most of the time, only having two losing weeks. I think. Frankly, I didn’t keep very good track this year. It’s been a busy year. A lot of transitions, got laid off, got a new job, still trying to find a place where I can be a creative for a living, a writer, whatever. This cubicle shit is killing me. I’m better than that. Working on it.

So, as for the picks this week. I was wrong about the Bears, they didn’t make the playoffs. The Cowboys choked (as expected) and the Giants were unable to make it in. And then all the coaches started getting fired. The only one who didn’t deserve it was Lovie Smith. The rest were bums guilty of bad decision making and scapegoating. Then there are the Jets, who fired the GM but allowed Rex Ryan to keep his job. Which is a joke. The guy clearly proved this year that he has no fucking clue what he’s doing with the tools provided him.

Here’s some additional predictions for the offseason. Mark Sanchez to the Raiders. Tebow to the Jags. Alex Smith to the Cardinals. Vick to the Jets. I also predict, assuming they get a coach worth his salt, the Browns will be a playoff team next year. Mark the fucking tape.

Cincinnati at Houston -4.5
Coming into the playoffs after a loss, Houston has got to be wondering what went wrong against the Colts, because the Bengals will be watching that tape for sure. The Bengals are coming in off a high, having to win their last couple games to get into the show. So they have a pretty stout opponent in Houston, and with Law Firm most likely out after a leg injury, they will have to rely on the passing game to get things going. Look for AJ Green to have a career day against corners that seemed a bit on the lazy side this week. Of course, this is the playoffs and players tend to step it up. Plus, statistics favor the home team in these situations. This one is tough though, as the Bengals defense is one of the most underrated in the league. I don’t think they stop Foster though, he’s AP lite. Houston to win at home.

Minnesota at Green Bay -9.5
I don’t think the Vikings beat the Packers two weeks in a row. Not at Lambeau field, and not in the playoffs. Adrian Peterson came within 9 yards of breaking the single season rushing record, yet after the game was humble enough to not acknowledge that fact and concentrate on the win. I think AP shreds Green Bay again, but not enough to win. Ponder needs to step up his game if AP is to be effective again. The play action has to work, the Packers need to be afraid of Ponder’s arm. I think they surprised the Packers last week, I don’t think it happens this week. And with Jordy Nelson back and running the team (you see him pick up the red challenge flag and school the coach) the Packers should move on to the next round. Packers to win.

Indianapolis at Baltimore -6.5
The Colts went from worst in the league last year, to the playoffs this year. That’s a hell of a turnaround, and here’s why. Anticipating the return of Manning, the Colts made sure that the offensive line was beefed up to previous standards. Last year, it didn’t matter cause the QB’s sucked. This year, with Andrew Luck, that beefed up offensive line gave him the chance to succeed, and that he did. Ballard came on strong later in the year, thanks to that offensive line, and TY Hilton is defining himself as an elite receiver. The defense has had their problems, but the run defense is stout, and it’s going to have to be against Rice and the Ravens. But I still don’t think they can fully succeed without Ray Lewis leading the defense. I think the Colts come out firing, build up a lead and force Flacco to throw the ball, which can sometimes be good or bad. First upset of the playoffs right here. Colts to win.

Seattle at Washington +3.0
This was actually the easiest game for me to pick. The Seahawks are defensively, not to be messed with. This game matches up two QB’s with similar styles, and two running backs (Lynch & Morris) with similar styles. It’ll be interesting to see who breaks off more yards. It’ll be Lynch. The Redskins offense, with RG3, relies on the zone-read option, which brings in the safeties and gives RG3 either a passing lane or a running lane. This only works if he’s 100% healthy, and he’s not. If there is no threat of him breaking off a huge run, then the zone-read is useless. The Cowboys defense was no test of this, the Seahawks defense will be. They’ll be running a contain and will be after RG3 like crazy. Seahawks to win.

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Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game 2012: Week 14

Thursday, December 6th, 2012

Only a few more weeks left in the NFL season and I just realized that my playoffs in both fantasy leagues don’t start til next week, though I believe I have clinched both, or at least one. But enough about me, how are you doing? Meh, I really don’t care, let’s talk about football.

This week we’ve got some seriously good match-ups, with playoff implications. Of course any team with a winning record has the playoffs on the mind. Already Atlanta, Houston, Denver and the Patriots have clinched, and it’s only week 14. Which means what, they’ll be resting their starters? Hardly, especially in the case of the Patriots, who will be playing their starters until they are knocked out of the playoffs, or win the Superbowl.

So, I don’t really have much else to say on a general front, so let’s get right into the picks for week 14. I’ll try to wrap this up quick so you can go back to whatever you were trying to avoid doing.

Denver at Oakland +10.5
Let’s see, already clinched the playoffs, have Peyton Manning or the team that just lost to Cleveland? Obviously, Denver to win. Here’s the rub with Manning though – is he winning too much? With the Colts, the break in-between winning the division & the second round of the playoffs seemed to take the air out of Manning, will this happen again this year? We’ll just have to wait and see.

St. Louis at Buffalo -3.0 CRAPFEST OF THE WEEK!!
The Rams were 29 seconds away from tying the Niners again this season. That would have been nuts eh? These two teams have moments of explosiveness, the Rams on defense, the Bills on offense, but I’m wondering if they will ever be playoff caliber teams. Already ruled out, they are just playing for contracts at this point. I can’t imagine Fisher is on the hot seat, but I know Gailey is. I have to take the Bills in weather though, as the Rams do tend to suffer from plays-in-dome-itis.

Dallas at Cincinnati -3.0
The Bengals are on a tear lately, solid running game and overall defense. The Chargers really didn’t stand much of a chance. And honestly, neither will Dallas. I know, you Cowboys fans think highly of your team and Romo tends to do better in the winter months, but just watch, the Benagals are going to slaughter the Cowboys in the turnover department. Not to mention the Cowboys corners tend to give up a lot in the middle. I’m taking the Bengals, and not just cause A.J. Green is on my fantasy team.

Kansas City at Cleveland -6.5
I think this is the first time all season that I’ve seen Cleveland favored. Regardless, the Chiefs may have pulled out a win last week, but for both these teams any win now is too little too late. The Browns have been coming strong all season, just finding a way to lose games late. I think this week they find a way to win one handily against the struggling Chiefs, which will be nice for a franchise that is already coach shopping.

Tennessee at Indianapolis -5.5
The Colts no longer need figurative luck, the have real Luck and this kid is the real deal. His final drive against the Lions last week, and that final play to win the game was seriously legit and I can’t wait to see this kid and this newly dynamic team in the playoffs. They should have no problem handing the Titans this week, who are generally too busy shooting themselves in the foot to win any games. And Chris Johnson? Yeah, how’s that money working out for ya? Colts to win.

Chicago at Minnesota +3.0
Don’t fret! The Bears are still legit. The Seahawks are just unpredictable. Russel Wilson is the real deal and can move, the Bears weren’t prepared for that. They will be prepared for the leagues best rushing in Adrian Peterson, but I can see the Vikings putting some unexpected points on the Bears this weekend. I’m not saying don’t play the Bears D in fantasy, I’m just saying don’t expect a blowout. A great divisional match-up, I think the dome makes a difference. Cutler will be majestic. Bears to win.

San Diego at Pittsburgh -0.0
It sounds weird, but Philip Rivers reminds me of Charlie Batch. Or is it the other way around? Anyway, Batch got a win for the first time on the road without Big Ben, but I don’t see them doing it this week. I know, the Steelers defense has been amazing, especially blocking the pass, and the Chargers don’t have any running game to speak of, but for some reason, after giving up eight turnovers to the Browns in week 12, I somehow see the San Diego defense turning the tide. I’d pick this as an upset special, but the line is zero. Chargers to win.

Philadelphia at Tampa Bay -7.5
The Eagles suck. Fire everyone. Bucs to win.

Baltimore at Washington -2.5
This is an interesting game. After beating the Giants, the Skins are 6-6 and only one game behind in the division. That’s how crummy the NFC is this year. The Ravens, at 9-3 are trying to hold off the Steelers and the surging Bengals, both at 7-5. So this game is a must-win for both teams here. So who wins? The Ravens rush Rice as much as possible, the Ravens win. RGIII keeps his head on against a terrific defensive front, the Skins win. After seeing his poise under pressure last week, and the fact that unlike Vick, RGIII can actually pass while running, I’m taking the Redskins at home.

Atlanta at Carolina +3.5
Atlanta has been in a lot of tight games this season and has received a lot of criticism for not being a legit playoff team, having faced many opponents with losing records. Perhaps the critics are right, but we’ll see come the playoffs. This week, another losing record comes to town, bringing with them an unpredictable offense. Will Cam stay patient and throw to Steve Smith? Will he run? Thankfully, unlike RGIII, Cam hasn’t learned that patience that running QB’s need to have. Atlanta and the Falcons defense to win on the road.

NY Jets at Jacksonville +2.5 UPSET SPECIAL!!
The Jets have announced that Sanchez will be starting this week against the Jags, even though their season is hopeless and Rex Ryan is clearly in denial. Should have started Tebow when they had the chance. There is hope for the future, as rookie McElroy got the win last week. So wait, why isn’t he starting over the listless Sanchez? Because Rex Ryan has lost his fucking mind. Remember that denial thing? He’s in it. Deep. The Jets aren’t going to want to play at home again this season after inexplicably losing to the Jags this weekend.

Miami at San Francisco -10.0
The Niners, at one point a lock for the playoffs now look like they could be watching from the outside. Losing to the Rams in overtime didn’t help. The Dolphins aren’t statistically ruled out for the playoffs, but a lot of other teams would have to suck pretty hard. I like the Fins, but I don’t think they win 3000 miles from home. Niners to win. And gash the Dolphins on the ground.

New Orleans at NY Giants -5.0
The Giants can’t afford to lose another game, but you know what – they can. Sneaking into the playoffs at 9-7 last year, they won the Superbowl. They could do the same thing this year as crummy as the NFC is. Or is it parity? Whatever. The Saints still are having trouble in the secondary, just seeming confused on anything outside the zone. Eli should be able to take advantage of that. Certainly, if you have any Giants receivers, start ‘em. Giants to win at home.

Arizona at Seattle -10.0
At 5-8, the Cards join the Lions, Panthers and Eagles as teams that are definitely going to miss the playoffs this year. The Cardinals looked terrible last week, not knowing if they actually wanted to keep the ball. The Hawks beat the Bears and are on a tear, looking to steal the division from the Niners. Easy choice in the loudest stadium in the NFL. Hawks to win.

Detroit at Green Bay -7.0
Lambeau field in the winter? Yeah, Packers to win. I wonder who that dirtbag Suh is going to kick in the balls this week? Money says Aaron Rodgers gets into it with him.

Houston at New England -4.0 GAME OF THE WEEK!!
Tell you why this is my game of the week, because even though both teams have clinched the playoffs and their respective divisions, neither has clinched top seed. Well, that isn’t as important anymore, except the Patriots certainly play better at home. They are 9-3, the Texans are 11-1 so they have to win this game, and I think they do. I like the Texans and they have a fantastic running game, powerful air attack and great defense. The Patriots have, well, Tom Brady. Even without Gronk, the Patriots still score at will, and I think they score more than the Texans this week. Plus, this will be a high scoring game, so that should be fun to watch. Pats to win.

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Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game 2012: Week 3

Thursday, September 20th, 2012

From 9-7 week one to 7-9 week two, you can only assume that this week I’ll go 5-11. Not sure where I went wrong, I picked the Carolina upset, but put too much faith in the Bears and the RedSkins. Not to mention the Cowboys losing and the Broncos losing in spectacular fashion. Pretty sure that this tear of bad allergies I’ve been on lately has clouded my vision when it comes to picking these games. I don’t think in my decade of doing this I’ve ever started out this bad. That makes me 50% on the season so far and that sucks major sack.

Speaking about sacks, the Bills grew a pair and slaughtered the Chiefs in Buffalo. Then Vick won again, this time against the Ravens. I’m telling you, this guy is a fraud and he will be outed as a fraud soon enough. It’s tough to say week two who the winners and losers are really going to be. We have some surprising 2-0 teams and some really surprising 0-2 teams. Then we have standout rookie QB’s and mostly non-standout rookie QB’s. There isn’t a split there. Then we have the Patriots, who I predicted to go 16-0. Then we have the Browns, who are 0-2, but scrappy as hell still. Then we have… nevermind, it’s a mess.

So while DigitalDads glorious leader CC Chapman is off in Spain speaking at some conference about something related to something or other, the rest of us schulbs get to stay here and not eat cool food. But, we get to watch football. So take that CC! Either way, the picks are in, my mind is set (not really) and here comes week three, starting with another Thursday night game. Damn deadlines. Last weeks column was a lengthy 2500 words, I’ll be keeping that count lower going forward. At least, I hope. Seems like I’m losing you all after the open. On with the picks!

New York at Carolina +2.5 UPSET SPECIAL!!
How close the Giants were to going 0-2, but Eli is a professional and took control late in the game once again to beat the Bucs. This week, Bradshaw is sidelined which means the running game might struggle a little bit. Carolina surprised the Saints last week, and looked good doing it. They did it on the ground, which goes against defensive gameplans when playing against Cam Newton. That is, he didn’t run everything. I’m taking the Panthers to upset.

St. Louis at Chicago -7.0
Last week I underestimated the Rams and over estimated the Bears. The Rams won on a late field goal miss by the Redskins, but were with them the whole game. I wouldn’t say Bradford looked sharp for once, cause he didn’t, but the defense looked a whole hell of a lot better. Cutler is already under fire from Bears fans and talking heads, for what? Losing against Green Bay? Give me a break. Bears are solid. Bears to win at home.

Buffalo at Cleveland +3.0 CRAPFEST OF THE WEEK!!
Pretty much every Browns game will be the crapfest of the week. This team is plucky, but they aren’t going to get the wins by staying in the game. If anything, the thing that has kept them in the game has been opposition defense. The Bills defense isn’t as great as beating the Chiefs would make them seem. That was all Bills offense. This after a week in which Fitzy threw like 100 interceptions. Expect him to throw more against Cleveland. This game could go either way, and even though I predicted the Browns to go 1-15, I’m taking them to win this week.

Tampa Bay at Dallas -9.0
That line is really deceiving. The Bucs defense is strong and made Eli Manning look like a rookie last week. Meanwhile, the Cowboys took a drubbing at the hands of the Seahawks. I didn’t see many highlights from this game on the Cowboys side. I expect the Bucs to stay in the game, maybe get damn close to winning it, but I’m taking the Cowboys to bounce back this week with a home win.

Detroit at Tennessee +4.0
So far this season Calvin Johnson isn’t really living up being my first round pick in many fantasy leagues. Instead, the Lions are relying on the ground game of Smith and a lot of tight end involvement. Ok, I can dig on that. The Titans are hurting, taking another beating this past week. Locker is back in the game, but he’s not any good yet. Of course that offensive line isn’t helping much. Detroit should send the Titans to 0-3.

Jacksonville at Indianapolis -3.5
Another beating last week were the Jags at the hands of the Texans. They just couldn’t stop the run to save their lives. While the Colts don’t have the strongest running game, their defense is starting to mesh a little bit and they held Peterson to 60 yards last week. Luck is syncing with his receivers and I’m telling you, this team is going to surprise you. Colts to win.

NY Jets at Miami +3.0
Yet another ass whipping last week, but the Dolphins were on the winning side of it. Who knew? Reggie Bush rushed for 172 yards in one fucking game! If you thought he was done, he ain’t. Bush faces a stingy run defense, but a secondary that gives up a lot of yards. Tannehill is going to have to come out of his rookie shell a bit if he hopes to beat the Jets. Sanchez isn’t the best QB, but he can find the holes in a crappy secondary just as good as any other QB. Jets to win.

San Francisco at Minnesota +6.0
This is pretty easy to pick. The Vikings aren’t that good at all. Ponder is going to find himself backing up Tannehill next year if he doesn’t get it going with his receivers. The defense is terrible, the offensive line is shaky… the Niners are going to tear them a new one. Niners to win.

Kansas City at New Orleans -9.5
The Saints are the best 0-2 team. I hate writing that. That’s so cliche. What a flaming pile of turd. Sadly, they are. The Chiefs by no account should be able to handle the Saints, and the Saints were bested by better teams, I think. Anyway, the Chiefs are having trouble getting any offense going this season and the Saints really, really need a win. Saints at home.

Cincinnati at Washington -2.0
Oh man, the Redskins were so close to starting off the season 2-0, but a late missed field goal kept them from the win. Other than that, this is the best this team has looked in years. They finally have a franchise QB and while he doesn’t quite have the receiver core he’s going to need for the future, RGIII is looking good. The Bengals almost lost to the Browns, so, Redskins to win.

Philadelphia at Arizona +5.5
Ugh. I dislike both these teams. Vick is a piece of shit and has gotten lucky the past two weeks to go 2-0. Both times, he should have lost. The Cardinals surprised everyone last week with their pretty clean win against the Patriots. It wasn’t a blowout, they nearly lost save for the Patriots taking too many late penalties. The Cardinals aren’t ready for the basement in the NFC West this year. Cards to win at home and surprise the Eagles.

Atlanta at San Diego -3.0
Does Philip Rivers have a new favorite tight end? Dante Rosario with two touchdowns last week, Antonio Gates with zero. How many of you have Rosario on your fantasy team? So many teams are running dual TE sets right now, it’s hard to pick just one and stick with him. I suggest going with the match-ups and picking one up off waivers. Basically, whomever is playing the Browns. I’d pick the Chargers any other day, but the Falcons defense made Manning look like a chump last week. They are playing great across the middle of the field, where Rivers likes to throw. I’m taking the Falcons to win. Not just cause I have Ryan, Falcons D & Tony Gonzalez on my fantasy team.

Houston at Denver +1.0
As much as I want to pick Denver to win this game, as much as I want to see Peyton do well in Denver, the Texans have one of the best past rushes and the best running games in the league. Foster is going to shred the Denver defense, who then will be shredded in the air. The only hope for Denver is that Peyton gets his communication with the offensive line straightened out because they were a mess last week. He’s bringing years of chicken calling at the line to a line that isn’t used to it. Houston to win on the road.

Pittsburgh at Oakland +3.0
Carson Palmer threw for nearly 400 yards against the Dolphins, yet still looked like shit. There was no running game, and that was against a mediocre defense. How do you think they are going to do against a good rush defense in the Steelers? Not so well. Eventually the Steelers have to play the Ravens twice, but not this week. Steelers to win on the road.

New England at Baltimore -3.0 GAME OF THE WEEK!!
I was screaming at the television as Flacco, with nearly two minutes left in the game against the Eagles, kept flinging the ball to short yardage or outlet receivers, or going for it deep, rather than just get it to Rice. Rice was tearing up the Eagles all game, they couldn’t handle him. He didn’t touch the ball but once on an outlet pass in that final possession. So the Eagles won and the Ravens looked like tools. Same thing for New England, they had a final chance to drive for a field goal and win it, but penalties and Brady flinging the ball around like a wild man kept them from it. It made no sense. Seemed like panic coaching. Both coming off a loss, this game is a replay of the AFC Championship last year, in which the Ravens should have won. So I’m picking them to win this week instead. I know, I predicted the Pats to go 16-0, obviously that’s not going to happen.

Green Bay at Seattle +6.0
Wow. All I have to say is wow about the Seahawks. I mean, who saw that coming? The whole team came together and Russell Wilson looked damn good for a rookie QB. He was making smart decisions and picking apart that Cowboys secondary for first downs. But it was the veteran Lynch that really put the Cowboys away. Green Bay though is coming off a week and a half rest, a re-energized defense. They still don’t have much of a running game, but they are the stronger team. I’m sticking with the Packers on this one.

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Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game 2012: Week 2

Thursday, September 13th, 2012

Terrible first week by my standards. I went a horrible 9-7. I don’t think I’ve done that bad since some time last year. I can’t believe that I picked the Chiefs over the Falcons. What was I thinking in that one? I must have been on drugs or something. I wasn’t, but man my head must not have been in the right place. I did say the Niners could upset, but I picked Green Bay and fuck the Cowboys.

So now that we’ve gotten a regular season look at all the teams (if you have NFL RedZone that is) what do we think? We think that the Niners are going to be near unstoppable, the Panthers looked flat and RGIII was very solid in his debut while the other rookie QB’s were a bag of suck. We learned that Manning didn’t lose a step and the Browns and Bills organizations apparently don’t know that they play football. We also learned that the replacement refs make the same stupid mistakes that the regular refs do, with only some time management issues being the glaring mistakes.

So now we’re on to week 2, which starts tonight as the Bears meet the Packers. That’s not too much rest for either of these teams, so we’ll see how they do. Wait, that bit should be in the prediction. I’m aiming for a better week this week, something in the 11 or 12 win range. So without any further fanfare (unlike an Apple press event) on with the picks!

Chicago at Green Bay -4.0
Well, Brandon Marshall was simply amazing. I really regret not drafting him on my fantasy team. Speaking of that, two out of three fantasy team wins this past weekend. Not too shabby. I’m having a little trouble in the league that scores defensive players individually, as I don’t think I picked the right ones. May have to do a trade or something. Anyway, the Bears coasted to an easy win over the Colts, who still looked like they don’t have Peyton Manning. Marshall was there at every turn, giving Cutler a reliable target. I liked the steady pace of the Bears offense, you could tell that Mike Martz was no longer doing shit to muck it up. The Packers NFC dominance is over. I’m calling it. Code! Crash cart! In fact, at this point I’d like to change my prediction and pick the Bears to win the division. I’m going to start here, Bears win on the road.

Kansas City at Buffalo -3.0
Memo to Bills staff: “Considering the state of our organization and the fact that we haven’t won any playoff game in 11 years, we will be cancelling Hawaiian shirt Friday. This may come as a shock to most of you in the front office, but aside from the fact that Chan refuses to button the top three buttons of his shirt, we have no choice but to pick this particular activity to cancel. There will also be no more free cupcakes on Thursdays in the break room, and you’ll have to bring in your own coffee filters. We are also holding open tryouts for the following football positions: QB, WR, LB, OT, DE, TE, SS, CB, RB, K, P, DT. Please apply with Maggie in HR. That is all.” Chiefs to win on the road.

Cleveland at Cincinnati -7.0
The Bengals running game was the only bright spot last week, which is good considering they were playing the Ravens. Green was basically shut down for most of the game and the defense was unable to contain anything including their lunches. The drubbing by the Ravens exposed a lot about this team, mostly that Marvin Lewis (as expected) is a big hairy pussy. There is no will to win in his coaching style. The Browns face a similar situation in Shurmur, just no will to win. The defense was stellar against the Eagles, but that might have been a fluke. The Browns will lose this week, Wheedon will get sacked and hurried and rushed a lot, but I think we’ll learn how bad these two teams are gonna suck this year. Bengals at home.

Minnesota at Indianapolis +5.0
Do I have to pick this game? Does it seem like more teams suck this year than are stellar? I can’t decide if this game is going to be worse than the one above it or the one below it. I’m so confused. The Colts were meh as they were completely outmatched by the Bears. Bright spots; Luck looked okay, Donald Brown looked great on the ground. Brown and his production is going to be the key to this team getting their shit together. The secondary needs to step up if they want to compete against premiere quarterbacks. That’s a real hurt on this team. Marshall smoked them, sometimes in double coverage. The Vikings roll in, fresh off a lucky OT win over the hapless Jags. Ponder looked like warm crap on your tire, but somehow pulled it off by going to the TE route and Peterson as often as possible. I’m going out on a limb here and taking the Colts to upset, again, cause I want to see Luck get his first win.

Oakland at Miami +3.0 CRAPFEST OF THE WEEK!!
Something you don’t ever want to hear in professional football: “bring in the back-up long snapper!” That was doom for the Raiders as kicking mistakes handed the Chargers an easy win. If not for that, the Raiders might have had a chance to come into Miami with a win. As it is, both these teams are looking for their first win, but I don’t think the Dolphins are up to the task. Tannehill was atrocious, probably the worst rookie performance on Sunday. I dunno. I didn’t look at the stats, he just looked bad. The Dolphins are really having trouble adjusting to a new defensive pattern, missing coverages and tackles all over the place. I expect the Raiders to come in with a thirst for blood and I expect them to find some for slurping. Raiders to win on the road.

Arizona at New England -13.0
After last week, do I really have to pick another New England game? I predicted them at 16-0 so I suppose I can save some typing and just say Patriots to win. However, the Cardinals should give them some trouble, if they take Tom Brady’s parking spot. The Cardinals saw Skelton go down and Kolb take over to lead the team past the Seahawks last week, a slight feat considering that division. A two touchdown line is generous. Pats to win. I already said that. Pats to win all season.

Tampa Bay at NY Giants -9.0
What can I say about the team that I hate the most? The Bucs were surprisingly good last week, both on defense and on the ground. Not to mention the rush defense which stifled the Panthers. I did not see that coming. Regardless, now they face a team that has tons of weapons on offense, which will really test the Bucs defense. I think the Bucs defense has made a good turnaround and looks like they could seal some games for the lackluster offense this year, but I’m not placing any major bets. Eli and the Giants are too good for that. But wait, the Giants lost to the Cowboys last week! How did that happen? Well, it happened with bad secondary coverage and Romo looking like the quarterback everyone seems to think he is. The Bucs don’t have that kind of passing game to severely threaten the Giants secondary, but they need to be on their game. Giants to win.

Baltimore at Philadelphia -1.0
Are you kidding me with this fucking line? Did Flacco sustain a head injury that we don’t know about? The Ravens trashed the Bengals last week, while the Eagles struggled against one of the worst teams in the league. Are you oddsmakers telling me that you think Vick will throw any less interceptions against the Ravens superior defense than he did against the Browns? Vick was lucky to get out of there with a win and all his freaking ribs. This is a joke. Ray Rice is a beast and crushed it last week. There is no way that the Eagles defensive line is any better than the Browns. This is a gross miscalculation. Ravens to win.

New Orleans at Carolina +6.5 UPSET SPECIAL!!
I didn’t think that I’d see an 0-1 Saints team meeting up with an 0-1 Panthers team. The Saints were completely surprised by the abject accuracy of RGIII and the lack of Will Smith and Vilma on defense showed. Not to mention the lack of leadership in not having a coach on the field. This team is hurting right now and it was apparent last week. Meanwhile, the Panthers took it in the tailpipe from the Bucs, especially when it came to the running game. The good news for them is that Jonathan Stewart will play against the Saints. This is a tough one to call, but I’m thinking the Panthers are going to rebound before the Saints do. Cam knows what to do. Panthers to upset.

Houston at Jacksonville +7.0
Forget it. Arian Foster proved why he was the top fantasy pick in so many leagues, or if not the top – the first picked running back. When he sees the opportunity to shred a lousy team for tons of yards and touchdowns he does, and he did against the Fins last week. Then you tack on the Shaub to Johnson connection and you can’t beat this team on offense. The Jags defense won’t be able to keep up, even though they contained the game against the Vikings. The Jags are still looking for their offense to click, MJD and Jennings are sharing carries and neither looks like they showed up for training camp. Florida teams are in for a bad year and it sucks to say that the Bucs are the best of the three of them. Texans to win on the road.

Washington at St. Louis +3.0
Bradford found himself in too much trouble last week to really consider his performance. While he was able to rally the team to keep in the game against the Lions, he was rushed way too much to be able to keep the score up. The Redskins found their offense, finally, after all these years of bad quarterbacks, bad ownership and bad coaching. RGIII is the real deal and was terribly accurate the entire game, finding his way out of pressure and making the right connections. Helu got back into the game, looking better than he has in a few seasons. And did you know, the kids aren’t Tebowing anymore, they are RGIII’ing or something like that. You know when he sat down and raised his hands after that long touchdown pass to Garcon, that. The bad news is Garcon went out after that, not sure if he’s back in this week. Shouldn’t matter, should still be a win. The Redskins are gonna make the NFC East interesting this year. Skins to win on the road.

Dallas at Seattle +5.0
Dallas. Look, Russell Wilson actually looked pretty good against the Cardinals last week, I mean, compared to Wheedon. He made some passes, Sidney Rice caught some balls and they still lost the game. The Seahawks are held together with that clear plastic tape that doesn’t work well for boxes. The Cowboys roll in, fresh off a win over the reigning Super Bowl champs. That’s enough for me. The Cowboys defense was strong, their running game was tight and Romo looked like a bon-a-fide QB. I may have underestimated the Cowboys this season. If they blowout the Hawks, I may have to change my thinking on this team.

NY Jets at Pittsburgh -6.0
It’s really hard to judge the Jets at this point because the Bills are horrible. A win was a no-brainer. Sanchez was passing to every receiver that he had on the field and every time either him or Tebow lined up out of the QB position I grumbled a little bit because it was pretty damn obvious what they were doing. I do like how Tebow came out on the hands team on that Buffalo onside kick and got the ball, that was amusing. Every time the two of them were on the field I just wanted to laugh. I thought I was watching playground football. I didn’t see much of the Pittsburgh loss, I was doing something else, I always am during the Sunday night game, kind of on in the background. All I know is that a quality QB smoked their secondary and an aging RB smoked their run defense. The Jets could be trouble for the Steelers, but I think the Steelers rebound on this one at home and sneak by the Jets. Steelers to win.

Tennessee at San Diego -6.0
Well, Jake Locker was another rookie Qb with another less than stellar debut. He ended up leaving the game a bit early, injured and Hasselbeck came into the game. To that point, it didn’t really matter as they were up against the best offensive team in the league. This week, they come to sunny San Diego, where Rivers and crew is feeling the pinch without a prime reciever after Jackson left. The only reason the Chargers won as because of messed up kicking by the Raiders. So you have the Titans, who aren’t too bad on the run defense and the Chargers who aren’t too great on the run. This is a toss up for me, but I’m taking the home team, Chargers to win.

Detroit at San Francisco -7.0 GAME OF THE WEEK!!
This is my game of the week because while winning over Green Bay was pretty impressive, the Niners need to do it two weeks in a row for me to really crown them the new kings of the NFC. The Packers looked like they hadn’t played football in a while, and if you think about it – their defense hasn’t. Their defense was coasting all year last year because of the offense. Well, the offense sputtered against the Niners and the defense wasn’t ready to step up. The Lions defense is always stepped up, at least for the last year. They have to be. Kevin Smith had a killer game last week, just tearing it up on the ground. I like this guy at RB. But the Niners defense is the bestest! He’ll have trouble finding the holes this week. I’d like to see the Lions make a game of it, but I think the Niners are just too damn good right now. Even Moss is scoring touchdowns. Niners at home.

Denver at Atlanta -3.5
I made a mistake last week picking the Chiefs to beat the Falcons. I don’t know what I was thinking. Matt Ryan is my starting fantasy QB. He had four fucking touchdowns. Four! You can’t bet against that. And now they get their first home game against the Denver Mannings? I dunno. I don’t know how I can pick against Manning. I mean, he played like he had just taken a week off to fold umbrellas or something. He hasn’t lost a step, ran the offense and took care of business against a high class defense. The Falcons defense is good, but I dunno if they are Manning good. This is going to be an offensive shootout. There has got to be some stat about Manning on Monday night, so I’m running with it. Denver to upset.

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Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game 2012: Week 1

Thursday, September 6th, 2012

The first column of the season is always the hardest to write. Once the preview columns are done, then it’s time to get to the week to week and this early, it’s hard to tell who is going to do what week to week. Can’t say that my first week record is very good. Of course, I’m not going to go back and add it up either. So just take my word for it.

If you’ve never read this column, it’s like this, I predict a winner for the upcoming games by looking at the previous week, babbling about my fantasy team and speculating on things I may have heard, read or made up. Frankly, the whole thing is a crap shoot. I generally end the season with around a 65% success rate, so if you are using this column for gambling purposes – you’re a moron. While that is a good pick percentage, chances are you have a gambling problem and are losing money anyway. I don’t want to be involved in your losses. Take your addiction somewhere else buddy.

I already picked last nights game earlier in the week, so I’m going to skip that one. Hell, when I wrote this the game hadn’t even been played yet. So, I’ll just say the [INSERT TEAM HERE] won. Go team!

Indianapolis at Chicago -9.0 UPSET SPECIAL!!
Yeah, I think I just gave away this pick. Look, I think Cutler and the Bears have been playing well the past couple seasons, but with Urlacher coming back from an injury and Forte getting his huge contract, I don’t think they are going to come out of the gate firing. The Colts looked great in preseason, and I know, it’s just preseason but I like this Luck kid and I think that he’s going to start off the season surprising the hell out of the Bears. Unlike Manning, Luck does pretty well in the outdoors and the weather is still nice in Chicago. If this were a later season game I might look at it a different way. As confident as I am, I’m starting Luck in all my fantasy leagues. Colts to upset on the road.

Philadelphia at Cleveland +6.5 CRAPFEST OF THE WEEK!
The Browns are terrible. While I’d love to predict a win for them at some point this season, I don’t see it happening. And now with Haden suspended for three games, their defense has taken a huge hit. The only positive in this game is hoping the Browns put some damage on Vick. They won’t be able to cover the receivers without Haden playing dirty out there in the secondary and their run defense is suspect. The Eagles are going to light them up in the air. If you have any Eagles players on your fantasy team, make sure you start them this week.

St. Louis at Detroit -9.0
The Rams are getting some hype right now, new coach, new system, new offensive plan. I’m not sold. I think Stephen Jackson will have a solid season, but I don’t think that Bradford will get hit any less. They still have problems on the lines and Detroit will exploit them, especially when the Lions are on defense. The Rams might make a contest out of it, but Stafford is a much more bon-a-fide QB than Bradford, and he’s proven it. The Lions are a team to no longer take lightly. Lions to win at home, with the points.

New England at Tennessee +7.0
What a test for Jake Locker right out of the gate, and Chris Johnson. The Patriots roll in, fresh off a Superbowl loss, looking to redeem themselves by making it back this year. Considering I predicted the Pats to go 16-0, clearly I can’t pick them to lose. This game will be interesting though, as we’ll see if the Pats defense has improved since last year, when they were absolutely terrible. An improved defense, with that offense, they’ll be unstoppable. I’m hoping that losing this game won’t destroy Jake Locker for the season. If you have Rob Bironas on your fantasy team – start him. Pats to win on the road.

Atlanta at Kansas City +1.0
I’m a bit surprised at this line. I guess the Chiefs gained a couple points by playing at home, and Atlanta dropped a couple not playing in the dome. The key to this game for the Chiefs is the running game. Can they get Johnson and Hillis past the Falcons front D-line? Probably. The Falcons aren’t the greatest on run defense. The Chiefs will have to press them on offense and press Ryan on defense. He’s got too many weapons to not pressure him out of the box on a regular basis. I’m taking the home team on this one though, just because of home team statistics during week one. Chiefs to win.

Jacksonville at Minnesota -4.5
The Jags are going to have a rough year. Even though MJD has shown up, it’s still a question of whether he is going to “show up”. It could go either way. Meanwhile the Vikings aren’t exactly playoff bound, but the Jags are a good opponent for young Ponder to show us that he’s been studying in the off season. Late game mistakes killed this kid last season, and I’m going to guess we’ll see a bit more maturity out of him this time around. I like the Vikings at home, just cause the Jags suck worse.

Washington at New Orleans -8.5
What a fun test for RGIII. Too bad he didn’t get the Bucs to start off the season. Instead he gets the lights out secondary of the Saints and his defense gets to get smoked by the Saints offense. The Saints are going to win this game, it’s just a question of by how much. I’m thinking by at least two touchdowns. The Skins need to take advantage of the Saints run defense, which isn’t all there thanks to suspensions. RGIII isn’t really a running QB though, but he’s got mobility. That should open up enough time to get a pass off. And unlike Vick, he can take a hit. Saints to win at home.

Buffalo at NY Jets -6.0
I read one column last night predicting the Bills to make the playoffs. Yeah, I’m not buying it. I like the Bills, but they don’t have the winning spirit, whatever that is. Chan Gailey just doesn’t take enough chances. The Jets are going to be fun to watch this year. How long before Sanchez makes a mistake and the crowd starts chanting for Tebow? Not long. I expect it by the third quarter of this game. Rex Ryan knows what he’s doing and he knows that Sanchez is not as electric as some think he is. I expect Tebow time to start early this year. Jets to win at home.

Miami at Houston -6.5
The Dolphins are coming in with a revamped defense, only because they have a new coordinator, and a rookie QB. Meanwhile, the Texans are without Mario Williams for the first time since he entered the league. How will this affect their defense this year? Against the Fins, shouldn’t change anything. We’ll have to wait until they play a strong offensive unit. Speaking of offense, Foster is going to shred the Dolphins on the ground. There is no doubt about that. I’m putting him at over 100 yards for this game for sure. Texans to win at home.

San Francisco at Green Bay -7.0 GAME OF THE WEEK!
This is a great match-up with playoff implications. As in, these teams will most likely see each other again in the playoffs. You have the best defense in the Niners against the best passing offense in the Packers, in my estimation. The Packers won’t be able to run against the Niners, but they’ll try. Alex Smith has some new weapons to play with on offense, while Rodgers is gunning with pretty much the same guys, which means he’s already got the cadence down pat. I’m taking the Packers to win at home, but this is going to be a back and forth affair with a chance that the Niners upset.

Seattle at Arizona +1.0
I guess it is too early in the season for me to not give a shit about the Cardinals. Actually, this whole division is just crap save for the Niners. An in-division match-up like this, it may as well be week 17 and both these teams are 6-9. The Hawks haven’t been the same since letting Hasselbeck leave, even though he had at least a year left in him as a starter, as he proved in Tennessee. The Cardinals are starting Skelton over Kolb, who cares? Both of these guys will be floating around the league as backups after this season for the rest of their careers. Meh. Cardinals to win just cause they are home.

Carolina at Tampa Bay +3.0
As with the Cardinals, it’s too early for me not to give a shit about the Bucs. I don’t think they will do as well as some people (mostly people here in Tampa) seem to think they will do. I think they are going to suck hard nuts. This first game will be a huge indicator for that. Will they be able to put the brakes on Cam Newton as they were unable to do last year? I highly doubt it. Newton is a fucking pro. That kid can run, jump and pass. The Bucs won’t be able to defend him – again. They might be able to contain him a bit. And I don’t even know about the Bucs offense. I can see them forcing the ball to Jackson just cause of the price they paid. Panthers to win on the road.

Pittsburgh at Denver -1.5
Without Tebow, this doesn’t seem like much of a rematch. Without Tebow, but with Manning, the Broncos are favored in this game. The Steelers don’t perform well in Denver, that much is clear. Regardless, the match-up of the Denver Mannings vs. the Steelers defense is going to be a good one. This, like many games, is an early test for the QB. If there is one team that is going to bring the pressure and the hits, it’s going to be the Steelers. For that reason, and that I don’t think Manning has got his system in place 100% just yet, I’m taking the Steelers to win.

Cincinnati at Baltimore -7.0
Most pundits, including me, are saying that A.J. Green is going to be one of the premier receivers in the league this year. Go ahead and dispute that. The Dalton to Green connection is hot and will lead the Bengals to more than a few wins. But this week, they travel to Baltimore and the Ravens lights out defense. The Ravens are one team that I can say has a really good secondary backed by a pretty good offense. The Ravens are playoff bound and are going to start the season off by roughing up the Bengals a bit. Don’t expect the Bengals to sit this one out though, they’ll be in the game. Ravens to win at home.

San Diego at Oakland -1.0
And finally we come to the Raiders. While I have them winning a few games, it’s going to be awhile before they get on any kind of track. This season is the last chance for Norv Turner with the Chargers, and maybe for Rivers as well. They have got to make something happen with this team. Starting off with a road win in the black hole will bode well for them. Plus, the Chargers generally get off to a hot start. Chargers to win on the road.

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Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game 2012: AFC North Preview

Thursday, August 23rd, 2012

I have an update on a previous column, when I was talking about how Mike Vick is a fragile little flower and the Eagles are stupid for keeping him on the team. Well, since that column (which was last week) he’s suffered a rib injury. Nothing season ending, and they are just bruised, but did you see the hit? The hit was about as hard as Ben Rothlesburger wipes his ass. It was nothing. It was a solid core tackle with nothing dirty and no spearing. And he walked off with a rib injury. Eagles – Mike Vick is fucking garbage! Get rid of him now!

In other news, did you hear that LeBron James shoes may cost upwards of $315. Are you kidding me? Are they magic? Do you suddenly get his swagger and prowess with the ladies if you wear them? Nike, fuck you. This is disgusting. I get it, James is a huge star, but he can wither and die in Miami. Nike is up-ticking a pair of shoes that probably cost what, eight bucks to make, to over 300. The thing is, while they wring their hands and cackle, people will be buying those shoes. I guarantee you. What a joke.

Anyway, today I’m taking a look at my favorite division, the AFC North. The reason this is my favorite division is because of course, sadly, I am a member of the Dawg Pound. A card carrying member in fact. Being a Browns fan has its benefits… wait, no it doesn’t. I’m thinking of becoming a Ravens fan by proxy cause I haven’t seriously been able to root for the Browns since… well, ever. Sigh.

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens
I like the addition of Jacoby Jones at WR and Curtis Painter as backup QB. So, that’s all I’m going to say about the Ravens. Ok, seriously, those are good moves but the most important thing for the Ravens is going to be keeping the offensive line going for the whole game. Last year, Flacco had some problems closing games because he was under constant pressure. They still have one of the best secondaries in the league though, with Ed Reed back there still making plays and Ladarius Webb and Jimmy Smith at the corners. Tall, strong secondary players can change the game.

So I guess the Ravens are gonna have to step it up on offense if they expect to win the AFC North. It’s a tough division and frankly, I hate to see them win for obvious reasons. Boldin is probably one of the most explosive receivers in the league, and it was good to see Torrey Smith come alive later in the year. Let’s be clear, this defense wins games. While the Ray Lewis era might be coming to a close, I’m hoping that the Ray Rice era will begin on the other side of the ball. That kid can run.

I’m not going to sugar coat this Ravens fans, Reed and Lewis are getting old. With those two, this year might be the last chance for the Ravens to make it back to the big game. Of course, that was a long, long time ago. So to recap; fix the offensive line problems late in the game, keep the defense healthy, give the ball to Ray Rice.

Projected Finish: 9-7

Pittsburgh Steelers
Hines Ward retired, Wallace is holding out until the season starts and this might be the last year for James Harrison. Add that to Polamalu’s mediocre season last year and you have to wonder if the Steelers losing to the traveling Tebow show last year was the last time we’d see this team in the playoffs for a while. Plus, how much more punishment can Big Ben take before he has to actually take a sick day?

I think the offensive line is looking a lot tougher, so that might help Ben stay healthy. I like the defense, even though it’s getting a little bit on the old side, this is still the cornerstone of this team and has been the mainstay for the Steelers since the 70′s. Here’s the deal with the defense though, the key to it all – Dick LeBeau. No wild defensive pick-ups in the draft, but I guarantee that whomever is waiting in the wings or in the practice squad is a future pro-bowler ready to be made.

Todd Haley comes in at offensive coordinator, which should be interesting. Haley has been around the last couple of years, but he’s one of those guys that is better in a coordinator role. He’s a get in your face kind of coach, and we know that Ben kind of runs the team in a sense, so there might be some conflict there – but in a good way. Since the Steelers are my only real hope for the AFC North, and provided they don’t have to play Tebow again, I’d have to give them the division.

Projected Finish: 10-6

Cincinnati Bengals
So Carson Palmer had a pretty good year last year… just kidding. How’d that work out for you bro? Andy Dalton and A.J. Greene. Fucking put that tandem in your fantasy draft. Wow. They were fun to watch. Who saw that coming? The Bengals made the playoffs, but overall were 0-8 against playoff teams. Andy is not big game Andy just yet, and frankly he’s not going to be this year. He’s still got some time before he’s really leading a winning team.

And, as good as the no-name defense was last year, they still went 0-4 against the Steelers and Ravens, giving up a shit ton of points. They have to win against those two teams, at least once, but I don’t even see them doing that this year. Marvin Lewis is a coach who really doesn’t take chances, and seems to be complacent to just let whatever happen, happen. Carson Palmer, to do what he did at the pinnacle of his career, had to have seen something going on that we didn’t see.

Cedric Benson is gone, but BenJarvus Green-Ellis replaces him and I think he’ll be a great addition to the team. And here’s your hidden gem in the draft – Dan Herron in the 6th round. The RB out of Ohio State is going to have a chance with this team, better than he’d have with another team thanks to Benson leaving. Also in the draft, 5th round pick Marvin Jones, WR out of Cal. I think another young target for Dalton might be just the trick.

Projected Finish: 9-7

Cleveland Browns
So yesterday, Haden, probably the best secondary player on the team, got booted from practice for being a dick. Basically. Apparently he was over an hour late, claimed he was taking a shit or something, then got into it with Shurmur. Whatever. Shurmur brought in Childress as offensive coordinator and boy, does he have his job cut out for him. Let’s see, rookie Brandon Wheedon is the starting QB, yet Colt McCoy still wants his job back and Seneca Wallace is still hanging around. The offense is terrible, was terrible and will be terrible.

CBS Sports has this team projected to win one game this season, and frankly, I can’t see myself disagreeing too much. There is no way Holmgren, who is 9-23 since taking over as GM, can last the year. He’ll step down. For me, there is a fantasy pick if you have a deep league that rewards special teams and that is Josh Cribbs. This guy plays hard no matter what and is that fun, unpredictable player to watch. But he can’t win every game himself. The defense is crap, the offense is crap… ugh.

So Trent Richardson. Ok. He’s in for a treat. By the time he gets the ball in his hands, the offensive line will have collapsed and he’ll be crushed for a loss. It is really hard being a Browns fan right now. How did they not take a WR in the draft? What the hell? This team isn’t great on the run, proving it last year by under utilizing Hillis. They specialize on moving the chains with short passes… you know what – fuck it.

Projected Finish: 2-14

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Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Championship Weekend

Thursday, January 19th, 2012

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.

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