Thursday tidbits 10/14/10

Someday I'll get some stuff in between, but until then, here are more tidbits!

A Quote

Norv Turner came out with quite the gem in response to Tony Dungy's criticism of him after the Chargers lost to the Raiders last Sunday:

"You make a comment, and you see a team from afar, and I understand his comment and I can relate to him...It's probably how he felt when his players let Darren Sproles return a punt and a kick for a touchdown here on a Sunday night game or when Peyton threw six interceptions against us."

Wow, Norv. Nailed it! There's just one problem. Tony Dungy probably felt fine after the Darren Sproles game to which you referred. I bet he was bummed at first...and then he went home, saw his shiny Super Bowl ring, and felt OK again.

I know some people think Norv is more competent than I do (and to be clear, I do not think he is competent. I think he calls plays for a real football team like some of my friends call plays on Madden video games). Regardless, he should probably avoid trading barbs with (former) coaches who so trump him.

A Video

Or a series of them. Joe Posnanski gives us 32 great sports play-by-play calls, with many of the videos available right there on the page. Lots of goosebumps moments - I would only warn you that you should not start watching these if you have a 'to-do list,' because you'll be hooked after the first few. Vin Scully calling Dwight Clark's catch? Bob Costas calling Jordan's game-winning shot over the Jazz? Can't beat it.

My advice - make sure to watch the call of Jason Lezak's unreal comeback in the 4x100 in Beijing that kept Michael Phelps alive in his chase for a record eight gold medals. Awesome call that a lot of us probably did not hear at the time.

A Photo

Or a bunch of them. Probably my finest accomplishment this week was stumbling upon the greatest beards in sports history, as presented by SI.com. It was like Christmas in October.

Serious question - can anybody beat an NHL playoff beard? They are the standard to which we all aspire.

A Tweet

@jimrome: The fraternity for #NFL coaches who talk smack is now 2. #REXRYAN and Norv Turner. But Norv bumped his gums after a loss to the Raiders. 9am

A Bonus Video!

Vanilla Ice has a new show on the DIY network. It's cleverly called: The Vanilla Ice Project. He's a "successful general contractor and a home improvement expert."

Of course he is...

Another Bonus Video! 

Jesse Ventura has a new show on truTV. It's called Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura. As you'll see, Jesse confidently announces that. "this is the show they don't want you to see."

Well, Jesse, I don't think they have much to worry about then...

A suggestion that (definitely) won't surprise you

Watch the Phillies v. Giants on Saturday night. Tim Lincecum and Roy Halladay. 

Links

Jeff Passan writes about the number one starters in both the NLCS and ALCS. http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AgOCt0O.JW9KuRv_SxM6Tk05nYcB?slug=jp-fouraces101410

Jeffri Chadiha writes about Houston Texans running back Arian Foster http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=chadiha_jeffri&page=hotread05/ArianFoster

Peter King picks the week 6 NFL games http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/peter_king/10/14/week.6.weekend.pickoff/index.html?eref=sihp

Thursday tidbits 10/7/10 (on Friday!)

A Quote

Add this to the hype machine for the upcoming Monday Night Football match-up between the Minnesota Vikings and New York Jets. Darrelle Revis had this to say about Randy Moss:

“In the second half, you could tell he was kind of like putting his foot on the brake. But everybody knows that’s Randy: sometimes he plays 100 percent, sometimes he doesn’t.”

Do we really think these comments bothered Randy Moss that much? I feel like if we asked him, he would say, "Yea, that sounds about right."

Between the Randy Moss trade, these comments, Brett Favre returning to play against the Jets, the accusations that Favre sent inappropriate text messages to a reporter when he was a Jet, Rex Ryan...this might be too much for ESPN to take. I mean, Rachel Nichols can only be in one place at a time!

Don't get me wrong, because I am absolutely going to watch this game. But take my advice, and don't watch ESPN until the game itself, because the hype is going to be on a whole new level.

A Video

The Colorado Avalanche held a reunion for the 1996 Stanley Cup champion team before their season-opening victory over the Blackhawks last night. Unfortunately, the game was not on the Altitude networks, meaning fans at home did not get to see much of the ceremony. Here is a video of the players arriving for the reunion. It's very cool to see them together again.

(Spoiler: Patrick Roy doesn't punch anybody. I know, I was disappointed too)

A Photo

Check out this picture of Roy Halladay shortly after the final out of his NLDS no-hitter (from SI.com). It's nice for fans that the best pitcher in the game is also a class act. Even if he is a Phillie, it was incredible to see this accomplishment. The story of the playoffs thus far has been dominant pitching. Some of these were expected (Halladay, Tim Lincecum, Cliff Lee) and some were not (Andy Pettitte, C.J. Wilson). That's the beauty of baseball.

A Tweet

@TracyRingolsby:  How big is starting pitching in post-season. Starting pitcher for winning team so far this year 6-0 with 1.22 ERA, 49 SO, 8 BB, 44 1/3 IP.

A story that made me go "Are you kidding???"

Remember Glen Coffee? Maybe you never even knew who he was. He was a running back at Alabama and then briefly for the San Francisco 49ers. His surprise retirement was a fairly big story during training camp. Coffee retired because he said God had called him to ministry. Regardless of your opinion on that decision, this headline ought to get your attention: Recently retired Glen Coffee arrested for having concealed weapon.

Sigh...

A suggestion that won't surprise you

Watch Michigan v. Michigan St. on Saturday. Denard Robinson is always must see TV, and coach Mark D'antonio for MSU will be back on the sidelines after suffering a heart attack a few weeks ago. MSU has looked tough offensively and Michigan doesn't play much defense, so this shapes up to be a high scoring and very entertaining game.

A suggestion that will surprise you

Watch the New Orleans Saints v. the Arizona Cardinals. Everybody is ready to call this a blow out, and maybe it will be. But the Cardinals have a ton of motivation to scratch out wins in a ghastly NFC West, they are at home, and undrafted rookie Max Hall is making his debut in what may become a feel good story. And the Saints have not blown the doors off of anybody this year, including an escape at home against the lowly Panthers last week. I've got this game as much closer than people think, and a possible upset special.

Links

I chose not to address the issue of replay in baseball, because I don't really know how I feel yet, but here is Joe Posnanski writing about the missed calls problem in baseball: http://joeposnanski.si.com/2010/10/08/bad-calls-in-baseball/

Ken Rosenthal addresses replay and the problems with umpires: http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/Postseason-umpire-errors-prove-the-need-for-expanded-replay-in-mlb-100710

Bill Simmons on the Randy Moss trade: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmonsnfl2010/101008&sportCat=nfl

Mark Kiszla says the Avalanche are still in project mode: http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_16284825

Tom Verducci says that Roy Halladay is the Sandy Koufax of our generation: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/tom_verducci/10/07/five.cuts.halladay/index.html

What I think I learned about the Rockies this season

These Rockies are not big believers in playing 'for pride'
When they were eliminated, things got ugly fast. One run in a 30 inning stretch in St. Louis and they dropped 13 of their last 14. One thing I found a bit baffling during this stretch was the fact that Melvin Mora and Todd Helton continued to log regular innings. Especially with the Toddfather - why put extra miles on that back in meaningless games? Sometimes we can at least enjoy the so-called "meaningless" games because it gives young players a chance to get experience. There was absolutely nothing to enjoy about the Rockies' final stretch.

Rockies fans relearned the importance of starting pitching
In their final gasp for a playoff berth, it seems the Rockies were in a 3-0 or 4-0 hole every game before they got to the 3rd inning. The inability of pitchers to pitch deep into games ran their bullpen into the ground and ultimately exposed it to a thrashing at the hands of the lowly Diamondbacks. This makes the signing of Jorge De La Rosa a top priority in the offseason (we hope), and Jhoulys Chacin is a key player entering next season. And how bizarre was Jason Hammel's dead arm? A weird tag on the end of a weird season.

This might be the time for the organization to make an exception when it comes to its dependence on home grown players
Because they need to go get more pop for this lineup. There are a lot of likable players who flat out did not get it done this year. Ian Stewart will (again) be a key player for the team next season, but this year he was (again) a huge disappointment between his inconsistency, his frightening strike-out streaks, and his injuries. Seth Smith reached a point where he was approaching what I like to call 'Peyton Hillis' status when it came to fans screaming for him to get more playing time. The difference is, instead of trading him, the Rockies gave Seth a chance to play every day and he was an absolute disaster. Enjoy pinch hitting, Seth.

(Note: If you don't know who Peyton Hillis is, ask the nearest Broncos fan. They will tell you he is a running back, and then they will use all the white football player cliches, like he has a 'good motor' and is a 'workhorse.' Whatever they say, they will conclude with "AND HE SHOULD HAVE PLAYED MORE LAST YEAR!" Denver traded him to the Browns, where he is playing well. This is a very sensitive issue for Broncos fans. Seth Smith was close to this status with Rockies fans, as in, "Seth Smith is so good, just imagine if he got to play every day?" Well, he batted something like .180 after the all-star break, so now we don't have to wonder).

Chris Iannetta is another home grown talent with all the raw power one could hope for, and all the inconsistencies to drive us crazy. It was inevitable that this team would fall short if nobody produced runs behind CarGo and Tulo. And nobody did.

They will need to go get more pop, whether in an outfielder who can start in the corner not occupied by CarGo or a first baseman to pair with Todd Helton. Even though he is a miserable fielder, these Victor Martinez grumblings are interesting.

They need more bullpen arms
But really, doesn't every team learn this every season?

It's a great time to be a Rockies fan
I know a lot of people are extra bummed because of the way they folded at the end, but we've now had a stretch of three out of four seasons where the Rockies have been relevant and playing meaningful games late into September. Remember the days of Royce Clayton? Denny Neagle? Jeff Cirillo? Jeffrey Hammonds? Bobby Estalella? Rodrigo Lopez? Jeromy Burnitz? (Want me to keep going?) Take any of the seasons where any of those names was an important Rockie, and you would find me and so many others dying to just watch a team who had a chance. Now we have that team.

I understand that this season is considered a failure. But how fun is it that we get to ask questions like "What pieces do they need to get over the top in the division?" instead of "How old is Ray King?" or "Did they seriously sign Jeromy Burnitz?"

Playoff Picks!


Divisional Series
Twins over Yankees in 4 - They will finally beat the Yankees in the divisional series. However, I predict they do it the non-traditional way (or what many call the "impossible way"). They will lose game 1 to CC, but will then win 3 straight slug fests, including beating a short-rested CC in game 4.

Rays over Rangers in 5 - I know the divisional series rarely comes down to a 5th game, but I think this one will and the Rays will benefit from their previous playoff experience and win it. Once again, don't expect low scoring nail-biters because neither team has much pitching these days.

Phillies over Reds in 3 - I really hope I'm wrong because the Reds are an easy team to cheer for. But like everybody else, I just don't see the Phillies losing many games on their way to the World Series.

Giants over Braves in 4 - The Giants are the only team besides the Phillies who actually have some starting pitchers they can ride deep into the playoffs. It will pay off here and the Braves will finally run out of gas and come up short in Bobby Cox's final season.

Championship Series
Rays Over Twins in 7 - if the Twins do make it this far, I'll be cheering hard for them, but the Rays are a more complete team and would edge them out in a long series.

Phillies over Giants in 6 - I would love to just say Phillies in 4, because I want the Giants to get housed by somebody after the whole humidor issue. But these will feel more like old fashioned playoff games, with some great pitching match-ups. The Phillies will come up with the timely hits to come out on top.

World Series!
Phillies over Rays in 5 - With Halladay, Oswalt, and Hamels, the Phillies bring the World Series back to the National League. Ugh, I do not care for those Phillies fans, but I think they're going to get another one because that trio of starting pitchers is stupid good, and will stand out in a year where stud starting pitchers are notably absent in the playoffs.

Other, smarter guys writing about the playoffs...

Tom Verducci answers 10 questions about the playoffs http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/tom_verducci/10/05/playoff.preview/index.html?eref=sircrc

Jerry Crasnick writes about Roy Halladay http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs/2010/columns/story?columnist=crasnick_jerry&id=5644528

Ken Rosenthal previews Rays v. Rangers http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/Tampa-Bay-Rays-Texas-Rangers-ALDS-preview-100510

Jeff Passan on Derek Jeter's role for the Yankees in the playoffs http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AkN_pEqjna3qf.lY08AmK8MRvLYF?slug=jp-jeter100510

Thursday tidbits 9/23/10 (on Friday!)

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.

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...




Ubaldo struggled in a potentially season-killing loss Wednesday night

 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.




Carmelo, you're making all of us sad - but really, we should have seen it coming.

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.

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.

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.