A Quote
Vikings quarterback Brett Favre had this to say about their stumbling offense after an 0-2 start:
"It's hard to be patient and try to get this puzzle pieced together, because we're doing it as we play."
Brett, remind us all why you're doing it "as you play?" That's right...because you used your 'will I or won't I retire' scam to miss training camp again. If you do that, you absolutely cannot make this excuse for your ineffectiveness. That is far too maddening for any fan base to accept, especially one as dedicated as the one in Minnesota. And there was a second result of you holding out (double meaning intended) on your decision. You got more money. That was even after you said it wasn't about the money.
These inconsistencies put extra pressure on old man Favre to perform, and he better worry about doing exactly that and keeping his mouth shut in the process.
A Video
Here is the link to a video of Marc Stein (ESPN) reporting on the latest developments regarding Carmelo Anothony. The supposedly serious rumor has the Nuggets getting Derrick Favors, Andrei Kirilenko, and multiple first round picks in a 4 team deal involving the Nets, Jazz, and Bobcats.
I hope it's true. Certainly it's a gamble, but what isn't when you're talking about dealing a player on the level of the 'Melo man? Favors is a raw and unproven commodity, but he projects out to be exactly the kind of big man the Nuggets sorely need. AK47 has pestered the Nuggets for years, and while he is fragile, he might be the kind of defensive-minded role player who can bring some balance to a shooter-happy roster. He also might take some of the pressure off Aaron Afflalo when it comes to guarding the other team's best guy night in and night out. As for the 1st round picks, I'm a Nuggets fan so I have no idea if that's good or bad. I don't remember what a 1st round pick looks like.
A Photo
If you need a laugh, check out this SI.com photo gallery of mascots fighting, inspired by "Rufus" from Ohio attacking Brutus Buckeye. I am not nearly as anti-mascot as some, but I see great potential if more of them physically attack each other. Also, I couldn't be prouder that Denver Nuggets mascot "Rocky" made two appearances in this gallery. But seriously, let's think about this: Dinger (the Rockies big purple dinosaur) jumping the Phillie Phanatic? The Stanford Cardinal Tree fist fighting Ralphie the Buffalo? Sign me up.
A Tweet
@SteveMartinToGo: Forced kid to take my autograph. He was crying. Idiot.
This has nothing to do with sports, but it makes me laugh every time. If it seems random, that's because it is. Following Steve Martin on twitter was probably the best decision I made this week.
A Fantasy Football Rant
Let's go back 3 weeks. Being the saavy veteran I am, I saw an opportunity to get one step ahead of my league. I stocked up early in my draft on running backs and receivers, and waited to draft a quarterback. The depth of productive quarterbacks combined with the pass-happy, spread offense nature of the league meant I could wait until late and still have a good quarterback. Filled out the rest of my starting lineup with studs, grabbed a solid QB late, and I had the most well-rounded and consistent fantasy team. Right?
I drafted Kevin Kolb and Matthew Stafford.
Shut up.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Sad Colorado sports fans should have seen it coming
It has been a rough week for Colorado sports fans. The Rockies lost a gut-wrencher to the mediocre Diamondbacks. It seems more definite that Carmelo will not be a Nugget for much longer. And remembering that being a fan is just for fun, it's important to recognize that out of all of these, the Broncos family is the only one dealing with something truly sad in the death of receiver Kenny McKinley.
Acknowledging the lack of segway from that note, I am writing today to point out that the disappointments concerning the Nuggets and the Rockies were all fairly predictable. Not that it makes it any easier to take...
The crash of our Rocktober dreams
Doesn't the loss tonight to the Diamondbacks and their less-than-pedestrian pitching staff just bring to culmination two problems that have plagued the Rockies all season? First off, their inability to win on the road, mostly because of a lack of offense. And secondly, they never figured out how to beat bad teams. Those two problems acted together tonight to make us all very gloomy, but we really had fair warning of the downfall that was coming. And remember, if they get our hopes up again, they would have to overcome both issues when they close the season with four games at the Cardinals and their potent pitching staff.
The Rockies are now a definite long shot to make the playoffs because they are running out of games, but we know better than to give up on this bunch. Having said that, I would advise those of you buying postseason tickets to not stress too much about the location of your seats.
The departure of the 'Melo man
As for the Carmelo Anthony situation, the writing has been on the wall for some time. Even if the immediacy of the trade rumors is new, Nuggets fans have had some time to adjust to the fact that the 'Melo man is not in for the long haul. I still think their best bet is to trade him now rather than delay the inevitable, but we will see how Nuggets management handles it.
And while we are talking 'Melo, can we quit pretending that he is an elite all-around player? I am not dissing him; I am forever grateful that he rescued us from the days of Voshon Leonard, Juwan Howard, and last place finishes and delivered a string of playoff runs. I will remember Carmelo fondly for saving this franchise. But he is not an elite player. He is an elite scorer. There is a significant difference.
When Kobe Bryant doesn't have his scoring chops, he finds other ways to will the Lakers to victories. When 'Melo isn't having his way scoring, he forces the issue, pouts, and makes the problem worse. Carmelo could be an outstanding all around player; we've seen him go beast mode on the boards, and on ever-so-rare occasions, we saw him lock it up on defense. But he has not shown a consistent interest in those areas of his game, especially on occasions when he should have turned it up to help his team win. If he goes to a franchise like the Knicks or the Nets, he is destined for a decorated career as far as scoring accolades, but one sorely lacking when it comes to the hardware that matters.
Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post provided a short update on potential trade partners this morning.
Acknowledging the lack of segway from that note, I am writing today to point out that the disappointments concerning the Nuggets and the Rockies were all fairly predictable. Not that it makes it any easier to take...
 |
| Ubaldo struggled in a potentially season-killing loss Wednesday night |
Doesn't the loss tonight to the Diamondbacks and their less-than-pedestrian pitching staff just bring to culmination two problems that have plagued the Rockies all season? First off, their inability to win on the road, mostly because of a lack of offense. And secondly, they never figured out how to beat bad teams. Those two problems acted together tonight to make us all very gloomy, but we really had fair warning of the downfall that was coming. And remember, if they get our hopes up again, they would have to overcome both issues when they close the season with four games at the Cardinals and their potent pitching staff.
The Rockies are now a definite long shot to make the playoffs because they are running out of games, but we know better than to give up on this bunch. Having said that, I would advise those of you buying postseason tickets to not stress too much about the location of your seats.
The departure of the 'Melo man
As for the Carmelo Anthony situation, the writing has been on the wall for some time. Even if the immediacy of the trade rumors is new, Nuggets fans have had some time to adjust to the fact that the 'Melo man is not in for the long haul. I still think their best bet is to trade him now rather than delay the inevitable, but we will see how Nuggets management handles it.
And while we are talking 'Melo, can we quit pretending that he is an elite all-around player? I am not dissing him; I am forever grateful that he rescued us from the days of Voshon Leonard, Juwan Howard, and last place finishes and delivered a string of playoff runs. I will remember Carmelo fondly for saving this franchise. But he is not an elite player. He is an elite scorer. There is a significant difference.
 |
| Carmelo, you're making all of us sad - but really, we should have seen it coming. |
Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post provided a short update on potential trade partners this morning.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Denver Broncos - choose your outlook for the 2010 season
Most Denver Broncos fans are ready to sound the alarm. Push the panic button. Call the season a lost cause. Tune into Denver sports talk and you'll hear any combination of, "McDaniels is an idiot," "I bet they wish they had Brandon Marshall now," "McDaniels has no idea about talent evaluation," and "This just shows that they NEVER should have traded Jay Cutler" Also, there is the continued (and perplexing) fascination with the "loss" of Peyton Hillis (former running back, now on the Browns). I know, you all thought he was the answer. Let it go.
Despite the doom and gloom in Bronco land, there were reasons for both positive and negative outlooks for the season on Sunday. So, whether you are looking for reasons to be excited about the orange and blue, or different ways to say "we're DOOMED," WTP has you covered.
Three reasons to be optimistic
1. This was Jacksonville's Super Bowl. The stadium was sold out, which is, to say the least, a rarity for a franchise that saw multiple games blacked out last year. Tebowmania had taken over with the chosen one coming home, and the Jaguars were, in a sense, playing to try and create some sort of fan base. As a result of this combination of factors, the Jags wanted this game bad. The stats do not necessarily point to an "all-in" effort, but they capitalized on the Broncos' costly penalties and turnovers and got it done. Here's thinking Jaguar fans might be in for a letdown when these factors aren't there to create extra urgency.
2. Kyle Orton legtimately looks good. Some may tire of hearing about Orton's improvement, but he is gradually shedding his previous label of "game manager." Given the proper protection and continued progress in the running game, Orton can be a difference maker and the guy who wins the games. The return of Ryan Harris (RT) will make a big difference.
3. The defense had its moments. Certainly, they did not dominate the game. But they came up with some stops, namely on 4th and inches to set up a 3rd quarter scoring drive for the offense.
People will call me crazy for this one. All I'm saying is that the story might have been different if they hadn't had to defend short fields all game. And they also suffered on one drive because of the actions of one bone-head when Ryan McBean had back to back facemask penalties. It's not as if they got dominated; they surrendered points to an efficient and opportunistic Jaguar offense.
Three reasons to be pessimistic
1. The defense still has no pass rush. There's a reason David Garrard managed a 138.9 QB rating. The Broncos sacked him only once and hardly bothered him the rest of the game. This is a constant issue, and a predictable one given Elvis Dumervil's injury. Those old men in the secondary are pretty darn good, but only if they can get some help from the guys up front. Robert Ayers needs to show his improvement in leaps and bounds to make a difference for this team.
2. Special Teams. A 53 yard kick-off return by Tiquan Underwood to set up a score was the lowlight of a dismal special teams showing. Coach McDaniels emphasized the need for improvement on the coverage teams seemingly throughout the preseason. Clearly, the improvement isn't there yet.
3. No running game. No matter how much Kyle Orton improves, he will never be able to fling it all game with the likes of Drew Brees or Peyton Manning. He will only thrive in an offense where the opponent has to be at least a little bit afraid of the run. Knowshon Moreno continues to be underwhelming, but to be fair, he is still recovering from a knee injury. Coach McDaniels blamed both the backs and the offensive line for some missed opportunities in the running game on Sunday.
The nay-sayers would probably tell me that they could list a lot more than these three reasons for why the Broncos looked like a bad team on Sunday. And they would be right.
But it's only one game, and holding out hope (irrationally or otherwise) that your team can still be great this year is one of the best parts about being a fan. Right?
Other links about the state of the Broncos
http://www.denverpost.com/paige/ci_16059941 Woody Paige says that Denver "passed up" the right call
http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_16068122 Mike Klis reports that the defense wants more turnovers.
http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Deep-Impact/2a2d2f5d-a79d-450d-9036-78fa4b099be2 Gabe Hiatt looks at Brandon Lloyd's big showing in Week 1.
Despite the doom and gloom in Bronco land, there were reasons for both positive and negative outlooks for the season on Sunday. So, whether you are looking for reasons to be excited about the orange and blue, or different ways to say "we're DOOMED," WTP has you covered.
Three reasons to be optimistic
1. This was Jacksonville's Super Bowl. The stadium was sold out, which is, to say the least, a rarity for a franchise that saw multiple games blacked out last year. Tebowmania had taken over with the chosen one coming home, and the Jaguars were, in a sense, playing to try and create some sort of fan base. As a result of this combination of factors, the Jags wanted this game bad. The stats do not necessarily point to an "all-in" effort, but they capitalized on the Broncos' costly penalties and turnovers and got it done. Here's thinking Jaguar fans might be in for a letdown when these factors aren't there to create extra urgency.
2. Kyle Orton legtimately looks good. Some may tire of hearing about Orton's improvement, but he is gradually shedding his previous label of "game manager." Given the proper protection and continued progress in the running game, Orton can be a difference maker and the guy who wins the games. The return of Ryan Harris (RT) will make a big difference.
3. The defense had its moments. Certainly, they did not dominate the game. But they came up with some stops, namely on 4th and inches to set up a 3rd quarter scoring drive for the offense.
People will call me crazy for this one. All I'm saying is that the story might have been different if they hadn't had to defend short fields all game. And they also suffered on one drive because of the actions of one bone-head when Ryan McBean had back to back facemask penalties. It's not as if they got dominated; they surrendered points to an efficient and opportunistic Jaguar offense.
Three reasons to be pessimistic
1. The defense still has no pass rush. There's a reason David Garrard managed a 138.9 QB rating. The Broncos sacked him only once and hardly bothered him the rest of the game. This is a constant issue, and a predictable one given Elvis Dumervil's injury. Those old men in the secondary are pretty darn good, but only if they can get some help from the guys up front. Robert Ayers needs to show his improvement in leaps and bounds to make a difference for this team.
2. Special Teams. A 53 yard kick-off return by Tiquan Underwood to set up a score was the lowlight of a dismal special teams showing. Coach McDaniels emphasized the need for improvement on the coverage teams seemingly throughout the preseason. Clearly, the improvement isn't there yet.
3. No running game. No matter how much Kyle Orton improves, he will never be able to fling it all game with the likes of Drew Brees or Peyton Manning. He will only thrive in an offense where the opponent has to be at least a little bit afraid of the run. Knowshon Moreno continues to be underwhelming, but to be fair, he is still recovering from a knee injury. Coach McDaniels blamed both the backs and the offensive line for some missed opportunities in the running game on Sunday.
The nay-sayers would probably tell me that they could list a lot more than these three reasons for why the Broncos looked like a bad team on Sunday. And they would be right.
But it's only one game, and holding out hope (irrationally or otherwise) that your team can still be great this year is one of the best parts about being a fan. Right?
Other links about the state of the Broncos
http://www.denverpost.com/paige/ci_16059941 Woody Paige says that Denver "passed up" the right call
http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_16068122 Mike Klis reports that the defense wants more turnovers.
http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Deep-Impact/2a2d2f5d-a79d-450d-9036-78fa4b099be2 Gabe Hiatt looks at Brandon Lloyd's big showing in Week 1.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
NFL Preview Extravaganza!
After taking three weeks to get settled into being a graduate student, Warning Track Power is back and better than ever (well...I'm back, at least). I had settled into a routine of doing a Rockies week in review on Sunday nights...but they've won 10 straight with me not doing that, so I'm not going there.
Yes, I realize that most of the slate of games for week 1 has already been completed, but here are my picks for the upcoming NFL season (not tainted by the results today...much)
AFC
North: Pittsburgh Steelers. Big Ben is a gross human being, but his off-season conduct threw everybody off the scent. For some reason, we all stopped talking about their terrifying defense, especially with a healthy Troy Polamalu. They'll do fine to tread water until Ben returns, and even though he's a major scum bag, the guy can play. Give me the Steelers over the over-hyped Baltimore Ravens (not enough defense) and the 'scene-of-inevitable-drama' Cincinnati Bengals in a stacked division. And then there's the Browns...
South: Indianapolis Colts. Lots of excited Houston Texans people today. And rightfully so - they looked tough. More important than Arian Foster's breakout was the play of that defensive front - if Mario Williams and co. rush the passer like that all year, they will stay relevant. Having said all of that, it's still Peyton Manning. The Tennessee Titans will be a tough match-up for anybody, but will ultimately come up short. Jacksonville will be a punching bag (not sure what that says about the Broncos week 1 loss to them...)
East: New England Patriots. Once again, I think a few too many people forgot about them in the midst of the New York Jets off-season adventures. They have a healthy and rich Tom Brady, and while there are some questions about personnel on the defensive side of the ball, Bill Belichick's scheming should prove to be enough. And how excited do we think Belichick is to be the underdog? The Miami Dolphins, a popular sleeper pick, are at least a year away from contending but will be pesky, especially down the stretch. Buffalo Bills: see entry for Jaguars.
West: San Diego Chargers. No homer pick here. The Chargers will win as this division will continue to achieve new heights in mediocrity. I've got everybody in the division between 7 and 9 wins, with the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders being moderately improved and the Broncos being about the same. The Chargers won't have the same punch offensively, and will be average on defense, but Philip Rivers should be enough for them to stumble to another division title.
Wild card teams: Houston Texans and New York Jets. Many assume two playoff teams will come out of the north, but I think the Bengals are a collection of talented but mismatched parts and the Ravens won't have enough defense (yes, I said defense), especially with a big question mark about when and if Ed Reed will return to health. The Jets hype is annoying, but that defense with Rex Ryan calling the shots will get them a second wild card berth in a row, and the Texans will finally get over the hump into the playoffs.
NFC
North: Green Bay Packers. I have lots of Minnesota friends who will not be happy with that pick (if they read this), but Aaron Rodgers is a flat out stud, and they have enough playmakers on defense with the likes of Clay Matthews and Charles Woodson to win this division. Also, need I remind any bitter Vikings fans who their coach is? Brad Childress is an absolute dope (with a contract extension...oops), and he will lose control of this team by mid-season to a bitter and hobbling Brett Favre. As for the Chicago Bears, the combination of Jay Cutler and Mike Martz will be wildly entertaining and may result in a single season interception record, but they are not built for the playoffs. The Detroit Lions will score points and not do much else. In short, this division will be a 3-ring circus, but the Packers are built to make a deep run.
South: New Orleans Saints. They have Drew Brees, a great head coach in Sean Payton, and a defense that has gone from "opportunistic" last year to legitimately stingy this year. The Atlanta Falcons will hang around, especially with their pack of young defenders improving and a cool customer in Matt Ryan. The Carolina Panthers have such a great trio of playmakers in DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, and Steve Smith. But Matt Moore is predictably average (and now has a concussion), and the cries for Jimmy Clausen will magnify the lack of success for this team. And Tampa Bay....oh Tampa Bay. Nice win today?
East: Dallas Cowboys. The division we will surely hear the most about. In the midst of all the Washington Redskin attention, the New York Giants flew mostly under the radar. The Cowboys will ultimately win because of their depth on both sides of the ball, but will not win in the playoffs with poor Wade Phillips running things. The Giants will be right there, with a rebounding defense and the emergence of Steve Smith and Hakeem Nicks to help Eli Manning. The Redskins will be entertaining, but won't contend until Mike Shanahan can clear out the players from Dan Snyder's many attempts to buy an NFL super team. As for the Philadelphia Eagles, they showed a lot of grit in their loss to the Packers, but they will end up in the bottom half of the division as Andy Reid deals with too much youth on offense and a headache as the psychotic fans start shouting for Michael Vick.
West: San Francisco 49ers. They looked like absolute garbage against the Seattle Seahawks today, but I believe it was an aberration. Give me Coach Singletary and a defense that will improve on a poor week 1 showing over anything else in this division. I'm not going to waste much time on the other three teams in the division. The honeymoon will be over soon with Pete Carroll in Seattle. I don't have a football reason why - it just can't work out, can it? The Arizona Cardinals are depleted and Derek Anderson, who got released by the BROWNS, is playing quarterback. And I like Sam Bradford, so I am just cheering for him to survive in St. Louis.
Wild card teams: Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants. For all the mean things I had to say about Brad Childress and Brett Favre, the defense in Minnesota is nasty and they still have Adrian Peterson (just need somebody to remind Childress of that). The Giants are quietly well rounded and have a good head coach in Tom Coughlin.
How the Playoffs will happen: AFC
Wild card round: Colts over Jets, Texans over Chargers.
Divisional round: Steelers over Texans, Patriots over Colts.
Conference championship: Patriots over Steelers. By my playoff tree, this is the 2 over the 1. It's two teams who seem to be there year after year but are undervalued this season. This just feels like the perfect setting for the Belichick and Brady combo to make another run (Look, I'm not happy about my prediction. I hope I'm wrong. They've both been there before and are not likable. But it's what I think will happen).
How the Playoffs will happen: NFC
Wild card round: Giants over Packers, Vikings over 49ers
Divisional round: Saints over Giants, Cowboys over Vikings
Conference championship: Saints over Cowboys. The two teams with the most talent on both sides of the ball get there as the 1 and 2 seeds. The Saints win because it's Drew Brees and Sean Payton versus Tony Romo and Wade Phillips.
SUPER BOWL!
Saints over Patriots. As everybody but the obnoxious fans in New England cheers for the Saints, they repeat and the best fans in the league get to party once again.
Awards
MVP: Drew Brees
Defensive player of the year: Troy Polamalu
Offensive player of the year: Chris Johnson
Offensive rookie of the year: C.J. Spiller
Defensive rookie of the year: Eric Berry
Coach of the year: Gary Kubiak
Fantasy Football Thoughts
I'll keep it quick, since I'm not a fantasy football expert and there are roughly 50,000 magazines out there with sleepers, busts, etc...
...people are way too excited about Ryan Mathews (RB, San Diego). Yes, LaDainian Tomlinson's skills are declining, but head coach Norv Turner was a big part of the problem because he never figured out how to use him. If he didn't know how to use LT, why should we think he'll know how to use Ryan Mathews...
...Adrian Peterson will still score points, but will continue to suffer from the same problem with Brad Childress, see the ONE carry he had in the 4th quarter of a one-possession game...
...if you're in need of QB help, go get Kyle Orton. Whether the Broncos are bottom dwellers or not, he looks sharp and will score fantasy points...
...if your league overlooked Clinton Portis (RB, Washington), keep an eye on him. There is always the big "if" with his health, but he should be more productive now that he's reunited with Mike Shanahan.
Yes, I realize that most of the slate of games for week 1 has already been completed, but here are my picks for the upcoming NFL season (not tainted by the results today...much)
AFC
North: Pittsburgh Steelers. Big Ben is a gross human being, but his off-season conduct threw everybody off the scent. For some reason, we all stopped talking about their terrifying defense, especially with a healthy Troy Polamalu. They'll do fine to tread water until Ben returns, and even though he's a major scum bag, the guy can play. Give me the Steelers over the over-hyped Baltimore Ravens (not enough defense) and the 'scene-of-inevitable-drama' Cincinnati Bengals in a stacked division. And then there's the Browns...
South: Indianapolis Colts. Lots of excited Houston Texans people today. And rightfully so - they looked tough. More important than Arian Foster's breakout was the play of that defensive front - if Mario Williams and co. rush the passer like that all year, they will stay relevant. Having said all of that, it's still Peyton Manning. The Tennessee Titans will be a tough match-up for anybody, but will ultimately come up short. Jacksonville will be a punching bag (not sure what that says about the Broncos week 1 loss to them...)
East: New England Patriots. Once again, I think a few too many people forgot about them in the midst of the New York Jets off-season adventures. They have a healthy and rich Tom Brady, and while there are some questions about personnel on the defensive side of the ball, Bill Belichick's scheming should prove to be enough. And how excited do we think Belichick is to be the underdog? The Miami Dolphins, a popular sleeper pick, are at least a year away from contending but will be pesky, especially down the stretch. Buffalo Bills: see entry for Jaguars.
West: San Diego Chargers. No homer pick here. The Chargers will win as this division will continue to achieve new heights in mediocrity. I've got everybody in the division between 7 and 9 wins, with the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders being moderately improved and the Broncos being about the same. The Chargers won't have the same punch offensively, and will be average on defense, but Philip Rivers should be enough for them to stumble to another division title.
Wild card teams: Houston Texans and New York Jets. Many assume two playoff teams will come out of the north, but I think the Bengals are a collection of talented but mismatched parts and the Ravens won't have enough defense (yes, I said defense), especially with a big question mark about when and if Ed Reed will return to health. The Jets hype is annoying, but that defense with Rex Ryan calling the shots will get them a second wild card berth in a row, and the Texans will finally get over the hump into the playoffs.
NFC
North: Green Bay Packers. I have lots of Minnesota friends who will not be happy with that pick (if they read this), but Aaron Rodgers is a flat out stud, and they have enough playmakers on defense with the likes of Clay Matthews and Charles Woodson to win this division. Also, need I remind any bitter Vikings fans who their coach is? Brad Childress is an absolute dope (with a contract extension...oops), and he will lose control of this team by mid-season to a bitter and hobbling Brett Favre. As for the Chicago Bears, the combination of Jay Cutler and Mike Martz will be wildly entertaining and may result in a single season interception record, but they are not built for the playoffs. The Detroit Lions will score points and not do much else. In short, this division will be a 3-ring circus, but the Packers are built to make a deep run.
South: New Orleans Saints. They have Drew Brees, a great head coach in Sean Payton, and a defense that has gone from "opportunistic" last year to legitimately stingy this year. The Atlanta Falcons will hang around, especially with their pack of young defenders improving and a cool customer in Matt Ryan. The Carolina Panthers have such a great trio of playmakers in DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, and Steve Smith. But Matt Moore is predictably average (and now has a concussion), and the cries for Jimmy Clausen will magnify the lack of success for this team. And Tampa Bay....oh Tampa Bay. Nice win today?
East: Dallas Cowboys. The division we will surely hear the most about. In the midst of all the Washington Redskin attention, the New York Giants flew mostly under the radar. The Cowboys will ultimately win because of their depth on both sides of the ball, but will not win in the playoffs with poor Wade Phillips running things. The Giants will be right there, with a rebounding defense and the emergence of Steve Smith and Hakeem Nicks to help Eli Manning. The Redskins will be entertaining, but won't contend until Mike Shanahan can clear out the players from Dan Snyder's many attempts to buy an NFL super team. As for the Philadelphia Eagles, they showed a lot of grit in their loss to the Packers, but they will end up in the bottom half of the division as Andy Reid deals with too much youth on offense and a headache as the psychotic fans start shouting for Michael Vick.
West: San Francisco 49ers. They looked like absolute garbage against the Seattle Seahawks today, but I believe it was an aberration. Give me Coach Singletary and a defense that will improve on a poor week 1 showing over anything else in this division. I'm not going to waste much time on the other three teams in the division. The honeymoon will be over soon with Pete Carroll in Seattle. I don't have a football reason why - it just can't work out, can it? The Arizona Cardinals are depleted and Derek Anderson, who got released by the BROWNS, is playing quarterback. And I like Sam Bradford, so I am just cheering for him to survive in St. Louis.
Wild card teams: Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants. For all the mean things I had to say about Brad Childress and Brett Favre, the defense in Minnesota is nasty and they still have Adrian Peterson (just need somebody to remind Childress of that). The Giants are quietly well rounded and have a good head coach in Tom Coughlin.
How the Playoffs will happen: AFC
Wild card round: Colts over Jets, Texans over Chargers.
Divisional round: Steelers over Texans, Patriots over Colts.
Conference championship: Patriots over Steelers. By my playoff tree, this is the 2 over the 1. It's two teams who seem to be there year after year but are undervalued this season. This just feels like the perfect setting for the Belichick and Brady combo to make another run (Look, I'm not happy about my prediction. I hope I'm wrong. They've both been there before and are not likable. But it's what I think will happen).
How the Playoffs will happen: NFC
Wild card round: Giants over Packers, Vikings over 49ers
Divisional round: Saints over Giants, Cowboys over Vikings
Conference championship: Saints over Cowboys. The two teams with the most talent on both sides of the ball get there as the 1 and 2 seeds. The Saints win because it's Drew Brees and Sean Payton versus Tony Romo and Wade Phillips.
SUPER BOWL!
Saints over Patriots. As everybody but the obnoxious fans in New England cheers for the Saints, they repeat and the best fans in the league get to party once again.
Awards
MVP: Drew Brees
Defensive player of the year: Troy Polamalu
Offensive player of the year: Chris Johnson
Offensive rookie of the year: C.J. Spiller
Defensive rookie of the year: Eric Berry
Coach of the year: Gary Kubiak
Fantasy Football Thoughts
I'll keep it quick, since I'm not a fantasy football expert and there are roughly 50,000 magazines out there with sleepers, busts, etc...
...people are way too excited about Ryan Mathews (RB, San Diego). Yes, LaDainian Tomlinson's skills are declining, but head coach Norv Turner was a big part of the problem because he never figured out how to use him. If he didn't know how to use LT, why should we think he'll know how to use Ryan Mathews...
...Adrian Peterson will still score points, but will continue to suffer from the same problem with Brad Childress, see the ONE carry he had in the 4th quarter of a one-possession game...
...if you're in need of QB help, go get Kyle Orton. Whether the Broncos are bottom dwellers or not, he looks sharp and will score fantasy points...
...if your league overlooked Clinton Portis (RB, Washington), keep an eye on him. There is always the big "if" with his health, but he should be more productive now that he's reunited with Mike Shanahan.
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