Wednesday, August 25, 2010

NFL Preview and Predictions - NFC East




A series of reviews, predictions and ramblings on what to expect in the upcoming NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE season. As always, don't hold me to these.


NFC East
This is BY FAR the toughest division in the NFL at the moment, my prediction could be right or it could go totally the other direction. No idea.

Dallas Cowboys
America's team is hoping to make owner Jerry Jones's dream come true - host a Super Bowl in his own stadium. They definitely have the talent to go all the way, but as always, will they be able to pull it together in the playoffs. QB Tony Romo will be the key to the offense as always and since he is not dating Jessica Simpson the curse might have warn off. As in years past, he is surrounded by offensive talent at wide receiver. Miles Austin returns after his breakout year and is joined by Roy Williams, Jason Witten, Patrick Crayton and rookie Dez Bryant. In the backfield a trio of running backs will get the ball (not good for fantasy), Felix Jones, Marion Barber and Tashard Choice. The defense is good but not spectacular. Led by DeMarcus Ware who will put pressure on qb's all day and he will be supported by some great talent at linebackers James Hardie and Keith Brooking. This team has the talent, but can they make it out of the tough division.


Washington Redskins

A new era has dawned in Washington. A new QB, a new coach and lots of new running backs have led to optimism, but can everyone come together fast enough to win this year. The new coach is former Broncos boss Mike Shanahan, the new QB is former Eagle Donovan McNabb, and they have added Larry Johnson and Willie Parker in the backfield with Clinton Portis. All of them are aging, but together they might be one good running back. McNabb never really had great talent at wide receiver until last season, so the mix of young and old receivers shouldn't bother McNabb. Santana Moss leads the receiver group, and this season will get help from youngster Devin Thomas and off course tight end Chris Cooley will be a great escape valve for McNabb. The defense features some head cases, but that isn't always a bad thing when your job is to run over people. Defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth seems to be over his training camp conditioning and headaches, DeAngelo Hall is a shut down corner and Brian Orakpo is starting to come into his own off the end. The Redskins have put together the roster, it is now a question of working together and executing - all that with a very tough schedule.

New York Football Giants
Two years removed from a Super Bowl title and the New York Football Giants have a great shot to make it an all Manning Super Bowl. QB Eli Manning leads the Giants into battle and he has proven to be a great leader for his team. Behind him is the too headed monster of Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs. Although they will share lots of workload, Bradshaw should be the primary back by the end of the season. The ball in the air will be picked out by wide receiver Hakeem Nicks and Steve Smith. The wide receiver group is deep as evidenced by the forced retirement to David Tyree. The defense is quick and should be able to put lots of pressure on the quarterback, which will make the secondary look good. Anytime you can put a front four on the field of Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, Pierre-Paul Thomas and Mathias Kiwanuka the opposing quarterback will be on his back.


Philadelphia Eagles

A new era in Philadelphia, the Donovan McNabb era is over and his inability to win in the playoffs are packed away. He is replaced by Kevin Kolb and his 3 career starts. Everyone seems to think that Kolb will be just fine, but with the pressure that comes with playing in Philly it will be interesting to see if he can make it through the season. Longtime standout Brian Westbrook is gone replaced by second year man LeSean McCoy and ex-Bronco Mike Bell. The wide receiver group is led by DeSean Jackson and tight end Brent Celek. The defense has always been good and this group will be no exception. The secondary stands-out with Asante Samuel and Ellis Hobbs. If at first these Eagles don't succeed, look out for flying objects from the stands!

Sunday, August 22, 2010

NFL Preview and Predictions - AFC East



A series of reviews, predictions and ramblings on what to expect in the upcoming NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE season. As always, don't hold me to these.

AFC East

NY Jets

Head Coach Rex Ryan and the Jets have talked a big game all off-season and now they get to prove it. The Jets will have a target on their back all season even though last year they finished 8-8, but did go to the AFC Championship game. They return most of those pieces including quarterback Mark Sanchez who going into his third year will have a better idea of what it takes to win. Behind him will be running back Shonne Greene and LaDanian Tomlinson. Tomlinson joins the Jets after a Hall of Fame career with the Chargers. Tomlinson wasn't effective last season with the Chargers, but being the highly competitive person that he is, he won't want to remembered like that. The defense is going to be attacking as it was last year. If corner back Darrel Revis can settle his contract the defense will be better, but even without him they will be pretty good. Led by linebacker Bart Scott and ends Jason Taylor and Vernon Gholston the Jets will cause problems for offenses. Although they might not win the Super Bowl, no one will be surprised if they are in Dallas in February.


Miami Dolphins
Flying under the radar in the AFC is the Miami Dolphins. Underrated at almost every position they are an after thought in a very tough division. Quarterback Chad Henne has been given the reigns. He still has the two headed monster in the backfield at his disposal - Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams. Both backs have had problems in the past - Brown with injuries and Williams with his off the field concerns. Neither is looked at as an elite back, but both are capable of 1000 yard seasons. To give Henne more targets the Dolphins acquired temperamental wide receiver Brandon Marshall from the Broncos. Henne has to be accurate but can easily be a productive QB in this system. The defense has gone through a little makeover as well. All-Pro end Jason Taylor has moved on again, but he won't be missed too much with Karlos Dansby joining and Yeremiah Bell at safety. The Dolphins will make the jump and look for them to be a wild card team this season.


New England Patriots

These aren't your dad's Patriots. These also aren't the same Patriots that won Super Bowls earlier in the decade. Although Tom Brady is still here, he has been working with less and less talent around him every season. This year, he has been working without two of his standout offensive lineman. Logan Mankins and Nick Kaczur have both missed significant time. Mankins in a contract dispute (which has just been resolved) and Kaczur with a back injury and is not expected back for a long time. That doesn't bode well for keeping Brady upright or giving space to the aging Fred Taylor at running back. The Patriots have gone on the cheap for wide receivers as well. The defense is led by Jared Mayo and patchwork defensive backfield after they let Asante Samuel walk in free agency. Coach Bill Belichek has been labeled a genius, but this team will give him a real test. Don't believe the Patriots hype.


Buffalo Bills
The rebuilding process in underway in Buffalo - and I'm not talking about rebuilding after the fires in Cheektowaga. Quarterback Trent Edwards starts the season as the number one QB, but will be looking over his shoulder all season to see if new coach Chan Gailey will pull him for Ryan Fitzpatrick or Brian Brohm or Levi Brown. Not a good situation. The running back position looked deep at the start of training camp, but injuries to Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch have left rookie CJ Spiller as the lone tailback. Spiller looked exciting in the two pre-season games so far. The wide receiver group is thin with talent. Lee Evans returns as the number one wide receiver, but after that, there isn't much to write home about. The defense will be the strong point of the team, especially the defensive backs. Jarius Byrd, Donte Whitner and Terrence McGee are just as good as any backfield in the league. The Bills are in deep trouble this season. They play in a good division and don't have the talent to challenge the contenders this season or maybe even next.

NFL Preview and Predictions - NFC North



A series of reviews, predictions and ramblings on what to expect in the upcoming NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE season. As always, don't hold me to these.

NFC North

Green Bay Packers

The Packers could not overcome the ghost of Brett Favre last season, losing both games to the Vikings. If the Packers want to win the division and the conference, beating Favre would go along way. At quarterback, Favre's replacement Aaron Rodgers has developed extremely well. Last season was great statistically and this season there shouldn't be any drop off considering the weapons at his disposal. Veteran wide receivers Donald Driver and Greg Jennings are big play threats and sure handed which makes Rodgers job somewhat easier. The tight end position which has always featured a stand-out in Green Bay gets the heir apparent in Jeremichael Finley. Finley should be featured prominently in the red zone and this could be his break-out year. The one problem on the offense is the o-line. Rodgers was sacked 50 times last season and if they can't figure out how to slow the opposing pass rush, Rodgers might not be the starter for all 16 games. The defense is coming off a great season as well that featured defensive player of the year, Charles Woodson. The defense created turnovers and points and this years unit should be no different. The age of the secondary (Woodson and Bigby) is a concern, but shouldn't threaten to derail this season.

Minnesota Vikings
We can finally write this preview because we finally know that Brett Favre will play again. The old warrior returns to the purple and gold to the promised land. Favre took a beating last year, especially in the NFC Championship gave vs. the Saints. Look for more teams to use that game plan to pressure the pivot. If Favre is hurting, he can always just hand the ball off to the best running back in the game in Adrian Peterson. Peterson can tear through defenses, eat up the clock and take the pressure off Favre. If he solves his fumble-itis, and stays injury free, just give him the 2000 yards and 10-15 touchdowns. The defense still has some injury concerns going into the season including middle linebacker EJ Henderson, but it won't be defense that wins this team a Super Bowl.

Detroit Lions
There is always a couple of teams that come out of the group of mediocre to poor teams and surprises and I believe it might be the Lions this season. They have finally landed a draft pick that produced (QB Matt Stafford) and this year's picks look solid as well. With the QB position solidified, the Lions have begun to develop the talent around him. Running back Kevin Smith is joined by draft pick from Cal Jahvid Best. Best is a big play threat and Lions fans will be reminded of the times when Barry Sanders would break off 80 yard runs. Wide receiver Calvin Johnson is joined by free agent Nate Burleson and tight end Tony Scheffler. These weapons will give Stafford the confidence to get the ball downfield. The defense has only been slowly building and with coach Jim Schwartz being defensive minded, it will be a shock to no one when the Lions produce a stingy defense similar to what the Titans had when Schwartz was there.

Chicago Bears
Last season the Bears made a big splash acquiring Jay Cutler, but that ended with a belly flop because Cutler liked passing to the guys in opposing jerseys better. This season will not only be a referendum on Cutler but also on the coaching staff led by Lovie Smith. If Lovie can lead than the Bears have a chance at .500 if not, they could find themselves with a long road to regain a foot hold in the conference. For the Bears to have a chance, running back Matt Forte needs to regain his 2008 form. In case he doesn't, the Bears have brought in Chester Taylor as an expensive every down, but hopefully just third down back. Cutler still doesn't have have targets on the outside, but will need to get Devin Hester the ball as often as possible and hope for the big play. The defense is ageing and will hope that Brian Urlacher can bounce back from injury. The secondary will face the biggest challenge going up against the three top quarterbacks within the division. It will be a long season at Soldier

Thursday, August 19, 2010

NFL Preview and Predictions - AFC North



A series of reviews, predictions and ramblings on what to expect in the upcoming NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE season. As always, don't hold me to these.

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens

Many peoples favourite to be contender to be playing in the Super Bowl, but they will have to get through one of the toughest divisions. The Ravens made lots of bold moves in the off-season, one of the biggest being Anquan Boldin from the Arizona Cardinals and the other is Donte Stallworth. Quarterback Joe Flacco adds these two targets to the consistent Derrick Mason. This gives Flacco the options he never had before which will only make him and the Ravens better. Flacco still has the option to check down to his running back, Ray Rice. One of the best all around running backs in the league with the ability to catch passes out of the backfield, but also break free for the home run style run. The new look offense will be a relief to the defense who have been carrying the flag for the Ravens for the past decade. The Ravens defense is ferocious led by Ray Lewis, Terrel Suggs and Ed Reed. You can't overlook the defensive line that can put four guys on the field who are 350lbs or more. The Ravens will be an AFC to be reckoned with this season and a real Super Bowl contender.

Cincinnati Bengals

One of my favourite teams because the cheerleaders are named the "Ben-Gals". The Bengals made headlines and will continue to make headlines because they have two of the biggest news makers in the NFL in Chad OchoCinco and Terrell Owens. The acquisition of Owens will delay the growth of players like Andre Caldwell and rookie Jordan Shipley from Texas. Quarterback Carson Palmer will have to find a way to spread the ball around and also include running back Cedric Benson. Benson had a very productive year in 2009 and will look to repeat his year. The defense has a great secondary with Leon Hall and Jonathan Jospeh, plus the ageless Roy Williams at safety. If the rest of the team can keep themselves out of jail, these Bengals just might challenge the division - a division they went unbeaten in last year.

Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers are going the wrong way. There star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is suspended for the first 4-6 games of the season and they shipped out Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes because of his off-field actions. Without Big Ben for the first month and a half of the season they will need a major contribution for veteran Byron Leftwhich or young inexperienced Dennis Dixon. Coach Mike Tomlin hasn't made it clear which QB will fill the void. Last year Fast Willie Parker lost his 5th gear and the clear number 1 running back this season will be Rashard Mendenhall. Whoever is still at QB will have the reliable Hines Ward to throw to (just don't expect him healthy for every game) and the improving Mike Wallace. The defense is counting on the return of Troy Polamalu and more kick ass seasons from LaMarr Woodley, James Harrsion and Ryan Clark. The Steelers will be fun to follow all season because you will never be certain what team will take the field. In this division they better come prepared every week though.

Cleveland Browns
Oh the Brownies! With their iconic Orange uniforms, I just want them to be good. A Browns game on TV always looks so good. Unfortunately, this season I think the uniforms will be much better than the team. The Browns are the proud new owners of Jake Delhomme's rubber arm. Delhomme lands in Cleveland with lots to prove after imploding in Carolina. The Browns have gotten rid of Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson so the team is Delhomme's to run with. If he does falter, they still have Seneca Wallace and rookie Colt McCoy to fall back on. Running back James Harrison will carry the bulk of the work load, although it will be interesting to see how Peyton Hillis (formerly of the Denver Broncos) is after missing time with injury. Josh Cribbs is the Browns loan threat at wide receiver and he is actually more dangerous on special teams. The Browns risk throwing him off his game like the Bears did with Devin Hester a few years ago, and then they would be left without a wide receiver or a special teams player. The defense isn't that exciting, but the player to look for his rookie Joe Haden, the rookie corner from Florida. The Browns will struggle in 2010+, I just hope that the Cleveland fans can take it.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

NFL Review and Predictions - NFC South



A series of reviews, predictions and ramblings on what to expect in the upcoming NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE season. As always, don't hold me to these.

NFC South

Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons have done everything right since Michael Vick tore their team apart by getting suspended. They have built through the draft, made some key signings and are now poised to contend. The Falcons are flying under the radar (no pun intended) due to the fact quarterback Matt Ryan had a less than spectacular second season, but he still has all his weapons and they will assist in bringing him back to form. The two headed running tandem of Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood will shoulder most of the load, while TE Tony Gonzalez, WR’s Roddy White, Michael Jenkins, Brian Finneran and Harry Douglas look to be on the receiving end of many Ryan passes. The defense is decent with one of the best young middle linebackers in Curtis Lofton and young pass rusher Kroy Biermann. This is a team that will challenge and make some noise in the playoffs.

New Orleans Saints
The defending Super Bowl Champions. They deserve lots of credit for last season. They were a middle of the pack team (NFL.com had them ranked 15th at the start of the season) and used good fortune and timely plays to win the Lombardi Trophy. Some of that fortune is bound to wear off this season and it is normally the case where one Super Bowl team has a “hang over” from the year before and does not perform as well. I believe it will be the Saints, not the Colts. Drew Brees is still an MVP type quarterback and everyone still wants to see Reggie Bush be an every down back. How will he perform without his Kardashian good luck charm? Marques Colston leads the receiver group that also features Devery Henderson and Lance Moore (that is why Brees is an MVP candidate). The defense which seemed to be always in the right spot last year will have to be that again if the Saints have a chance. Darren Sharper and Jonathan Vilma lead the defense which will have a lot of people gunning for them.

Carolina Panthers
Jake Delhomme is gone and it’s about time. After miserable playoff performances the reigns are handed over to Matt Moore who finished 2009 with three excellent games. It will be hard for him to keep the momentum when fans will keep clamouring for rookie Jimmy Clausen to get reps. Whichever quarterback is on site, just better learn to hand the ball off well. The Panthers were third in rushing last season and Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams are both back to carry the rock again. It’s a good thing they have a running game, because Steve Smith is there only receiving threat and he has been beat-up (broke his arm in the off-season). The defense is good but not great. Jon Beason is a rock solid linebacker, but he doesn’t have enough around him, especially with Thomas Davis out for the year after tearing his ACL and being replaced with unheralded Dan Connor. The Panthers are hoping one of their quarterbacks pan out and a defense can step up, so they can return to the playoffs.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The rebuilding division continues in Tampa. The Bucs have been on a consistent slide downward ever since winning the Super Bowl in 2002. The highlight of last season was a win wearing their throwback creamsicle uniforms. This season might be more of the same. The Bucs are counting on 2009 first round draft pick Josh Freeman to be poised under centre and for their young wide receivers (Sammie Sloughter and Arnelius Benn). Kellan Winslow (SOLDIER) provides the veteran leadership with Cadillac Williams still getting the majority of the carries. He will be challenged by former Giants running back Derrick Ward. The defense in Tampa has never really been a question. They get a boost from this year’s first round pick Gerald McCoy. He joins all-pro linebacker Barrett Rudd and veteran Ronde Barber. Tampa could surprise this year is the offense can click, but expect them to need at least one more draft before making an impact.

Monday, August 16, 2010

NFL Review and Predictions - AFC South



A series of reviews, predictions and ramblings on what to expect in the upcoming NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE season. As always, don't hold me to these.

AFC South


Indianapolis Colts

It's the Tom Brandstater show! Just kidding Colts fans, but it is true that if something happened to your Manning that the Colts might just end up .500 or worse instead of with 13 or 14 wins. The Colts have been able to keep talent around Manning for the better part of his career and thus they will be a contender again this season. Running back will be "by committee" but look for Donald Brown to contribute much more this season than Joseph Addai. Reggie Wayne is still a superstar number one receiver but he has help with tight end Dallas Clark and young receivers in Austin Collie, Pierre Garcon and Anthony Gonzalez. The defense is strong led by a playmaking safety (when healthy) in Bob Sanders. When he isn't healthy Melvin Bullitt will play and is more than adequate. The Colts will be contenders, there is no doubt about it.

Houston Texans
Every year we wait for the Texans to make the leap from 8-8 pretenders to the contenders. Matt Schaub will take the explosive offense into battle each week and will have one of the best receivers in football to throw to in Andre Johnson. Steve Slaton anchors the running back group and will get breathers from rookie out of Auburn Ben Tate and veteran Chris Perry. The defense is strong and not just because of the PED's that Brian Cushing was taking. Mario Williams and Ryan Demeco have come into their own and will only get better. It is said every year about the Texans but I really believe this will be their year to make the playoffs.

Tennessee Titans
The Titans realized what they had in running back Chris Johnson and gave him the new contract extension that he wanted so he wouldn't hold out. The fastest man in the league will be the workhouse back and should most of the load for the Titans. It is a Chris Johnson or bust type of year for the Titans. Behind centre is the redeemed Vince Young. Just incase he gets into another fight at a strip club, the Titans still have Kerry Collins on the roster. The defense is solid but not spectacular. Although the Titans have been good the last couple of seasons, I see them struggling in 2010.

Jacksonville Jaguars
The team that really needed to draft Tim Tebow, just so some of Gator-nation would attend games. The Jags have some talent but a tough schedule (they have to play the NFC East), should make it difficult for them this season. David Gerrard returns under centre and this could be a make it or break it year for him. The Jags will rely on their running game featuring Maurice Jones-Drew, but will probably not be able to give him the carries he needs because they'll be behind late in games. The wide receivers are young and the emerging star of the group is Mike Sims-Walker. The defense will be on the field alot so Kirk Morrison, signed from Oakland and first round draft pick (instead of Tebow) DE Tyson Alualu will have to shine. The Jags need another couple of drafts before they shine in the south again.

Friday, August 13, 2010

NFL Review and Predictions - AFC West



A series of reviews, predictions and ramblings on what to expect in the upcoming NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE season. As always, don't hold me to these.

AFC West

San Diego Chargers
For the past couple seasons the Chargers have been a trendy pick to make the Super Bowl if not win the big game. This season is no different. They are one of the most talented teams on paper, the question is now can they put it all together to make a playoff run. They will be challenged early in the season without number one receiver Vincent Jackson who is suspended. Also missing at the moment is pro bowl defensive end Shawn Merriman who is holding out for a new contract. Also gone are the familiar faces of LaDanian Tomlinson and Antonio Cromartie (both with the Jets). Even without these star players, quarterback Philip Rivers commands a look as the MVP and the Chargers demand you look at them as a Super Bowl contender. Now if only Nate Keading could hit a field goal in the playoffs....

Kansas City Chiefs
The Patriots 2.0 - A young team built through the draft, sprinkled with veterans and the odd value free agent added for good measure, the Chiefs are finally set to challenge for the division title again. Matt Cassel is reunited with his ex. Patriots coaching staff and given more offensive talent to work with in Jamaal Charles, Dexter McCluster and Thomas Jones at running back, Dwayne Bowe and Chris Chambers at wide receiver who will definitely give him options. The defensive has loaded up on lineman for the past couple of seasons and it is time for Glenn Dorsey to live up to his contract and rookie defensive back Eric Berry has been brought in to add the finishing touches. The Chiefs will make Arrowhead a fun stadium again.

Denver Broncos
TIM TEBOW! TIM TEBOW! TIM TEBOW! Although he is a third string quarterback at this point, will probably only get some snaps in the "wildcat" offense, it seems like all of the Broncos press revolves around him. This is probably a good thing as the Broncos will struggle this season. Kyle Orton is the quarterback for the moment and at running back is a revolving door because of injury. They traded away their best wide receiver in Brandon Marshall to the Dolphins and just lost their best defensive player (Elvis Dummervil) to a torn pectoral muscle for 8 weeks. There is a black cloud hanging over Denver at the moment, maybe Tebow was the right pick.

Oakland Raiders
"Just Win Baby" - that saying is old news in Oakland and it has been almost a decade since the Raiders and there maniacal fans could claim a good squad. This year the hope of the #1 draft pick JaMarcus Russell is gone, he is replaced by Jason Campbell and it can only be an improvement. Campbell does have some weapons to work with at running back with Darren McFadden and sophomore wide receiver Darius Heyward-Bey should have a better year with a quarterback that can throw the ball. Defense is solid but not spectacular. The Raiders have over paid some talent in corner Nnamdi Asomugha and safety Michael Huff. Rookie linebacker Rolando McLain should also make an immediate impact and although they might not make the playoffs, they are starting to get their swagger back.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

NFL Review and Predictions - NFC West



A series of reviews, predictions and ramblings on what to expect in the upcoming NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE season. As always, don't hold me to these.

NFC West

Arizona Cardinals
A lot has changed in the desert since the end of last season. Team leader, all around good guy and starting QB Kurt Warner has retired, wide receiver Anquan Boldin was moved to Baltimore and defensive standout Karlos Dansby is no longer with the team. So what do they have? At QB Matt Leinart will take the lessons learned from being on the bench and try to turn them into on-field success like the Packers Aaron Rodgers did behind Brett Favre. Leinart still has the chance to throw to Larry Fitzgerald which should help his accuracy. On defense they will fly to the ball, lead by SS Adrian Wilson. Rookie DT Dan Williams from Tennessee will also contribute. The Cards are still clearly the class of the division, but will struggle to win a playoff game.


San Francisco 49ers
Coach Mike Singletary wants to be the best to ever walk the sidelines. This team might just challenge him enough to see if that can true. The 49ers have built a decent team through the draft and with wide receiver Michael Crabtree, two rookie olineman that will start this seasons. These draft picks join the Pro Bowl talents of running back Frank Gore, linebacker Patrick Willis and safety Dashon Goldson. The big question remains under centre - can Alex Smith live up to the his first overall selection. Smith will be given all the opportunity to take the job and run, but if he can't succeed with the talent around him, it will interesting to see how Singletary reacts.



Seattle Seahawks

A new coach and a new look (no more lime green uniforms) the Seahawks will try hard to make sure the home field advantage at Qwest Field doesn't go to waste. The Seahawks have to cross their fingers that QB Matt Hasselbeck stays healthy for a whole season, something he hasn't been able to do lately. If he doesn't the options are weak - Charlie Whitehurst and JP Losman. Eww...IF Hasselbeck does stay healthy he will have some offensive weapons. Rookie wide receiver Golden Tate joins veterans Deion Brance and TJ Houszmanzadah (sp?). In the backfield he has Julius Jones and Leon Washington. Defense is what will keep the Seahawks in games though. A young fast linebacking core can make up for a lot of mistakes. Led by Aaron Curry and Lofa Tatufu and Leroy Hill will all have big years.



St. Louis Rams
The Rams only have one direction to go, thank goodness. After a terrible season last year which saw them go 1-15, they have some hope with the arrival of first overall pick and $50 million dollar man, quarterback Sam Bradford. He joins one of the most underrated players - running back Steven Jackson. Jackson is one of the best all-around running backs. Unfortunately, he hasn't had any support and teams are able to key on him. The Rams haven't upgraded their wide receivers much, although Donnie Avery will be improved. Their defense isn't spectacular and will get beat up because they will be on the field for extended periods of time. Three wins will be great for the Rams.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Names to Know - Julian Wright



The Toronto Raptors are a new look team yet again this season. Bryan Colangelo isn't one to sit back and enjoy his work. Last year Colangelo had nine new players on the roster and this year is no different.

A new look Raptors squad will take the court October 27 to face the New York Knicks in the season opener, but will you recognize anyone on the court?

To add to all the changes, Colangelo today traded Marco Bellinelli to the New Orleans Hornets for Julian Wright.

Here is the lo-down on Wright from his NBA.com page;
full name is Julian Emil-Jamaal Wright…nickname is “Ju-Ju”…lists singing as his greatest talent other than basketball…is an avid bowler…a McDonald’s High School All-America selection at Homewood-Flossmoor H.S. (Illinois)

College: Averaged 10.4 points and 6.3 rebounds in two seasons at Kansas…appeared in 71 games, starting 52...garnered All-America Honorable Mention from The Associated Press…collected All-Big 12 First Team honors as a sophomore…Big 12 All-Freshman Team selection in 2005-06...averaged 12.0 points and 7.8 rebounds (led team, fourth in Big 12) his sophomore season, leading the Jayhawks to their third straight conference title, second consecutive Big 12 Tournament Championship and a trip to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament…scored a career-high 33 points against Missouri and grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds against Texas his sophomore season…recorded three-plus blocks six times and three-plus steals nine times…posted six double-doubles and 11 double-digit rebounding efforts his second season at Kansas…averaged 8.5 points and 1.27 blocks (eighth in the Big 12) his freshman season…led the Jayhawks in scoring six times and in rebounding seven times…led the team in field goal percentage with a .564 mark.


As for his pro career - the 4th year pro averages about 4pts per game, 2 rebounds and under an assist and block a game. The athletic forward will come off the bench for the Raptors and contribute to the run and gun style of the second unit.

Monday, August 9, 2010

The Future Is Now



It was quite a weekend for Blue Jays fans down at the SkyDome. First was the debut of catching prospect JP Arencibia on Saturday and then Sunday was the best pitching performance of the season - by any pitcher in a sweep of the AL wild card leaders Tampa Bay Rays.

We will start the weekend with Arencibia debut, and it was a game to remember for the youngster. On the first pitch he saw in the big leagues, he swung and connected and the ball went bye bye. Home run. He was the first Jays player to do this since Junior Felix in 1987. Not your everyday occurrence. Arencibia was off to a great start. On his next at-bat a double, then a single, and then ANOTHER home run. JP was now 4-4 and the first player in the modern era (since 1900) to have a first game like he did. Unfortunately, in his last at-bat the Rays pitching staff found a hole in his bat and retired him, ending his day - 4-5, batting .800 and tieing Jose Bautista for the most home runs in baseball this season.

Arencibia isn't just another Jays prospect that they needed because of an injury. For the past two seasons JP has been the "catcher of the future" only to have Jays management get one year stop gap solutions. Every fan knows his name because he is the prospect that we want to see succeed. Now that he has made the transition to the big league team and done well it will hopefully be difficult to get him out of the line-up, except when Brandon Morrow is pitching.

The second part of the weekend was the excellent pitching performance by Brendan Morrow. Morrow has been a pleasant surprise this season for the Jays. He had not been given the proper opportunity to be a starter and the Jays promised him that opportunity. He confirmed the organizations faith with his start on Sunday afternoon. Morrow went into the 9th inning with a no-hitter. One out, then the second out and then the clock struck midnight. Morrow gave up his only base it to break up the no hitter and his shot at joining the class 2010 pitching performances. Even though he didn't get the no hitter, he did finish with 17 strike-outs and a great stepping stone for the Jays.

So is the future now for the Jays? They took two out of three from Yankees and then sweep the Rays. The Red Sox are having major injury concerns, so do we want to think about the Jays making the playoffs or do fans think that 2011 could be a playoff year? With Arencibia stepping into the starting catcher role, the pitching staff of Morrow, Romero, Marcum, and Brett Cecil, a solid bullpen and then young position players in Lind, Hill, Snider and the veteran leadership of Wells it could be a very good season(s).

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Do Records Matter Anymore?



61
755
56

These are historical numbers

73
762
262

These are modern numbers

Do you know what they are anymore? Growing up, every baseball fan knew 61 homers in a season, 755 in a career and Joe Dimaggio’s 56 game hitting streak. As a baseball fan, I needed to research the new home run records (add the asterisk if you want) of Barry Bonds for a season (73) and a career (762). The other number on that list – you will never guess, Ichiro’s single season hits record.

So with Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez hitting his 600th home run today, joining an elite group of seven other players, why is everyone shrugging their shoulders at this milestone?

Could it be because he admitted using steroids? Could it be because of his purple lips? Maybe it is just because he plays for the Yankees. Whether it was Rodriguez or some one who is loved like Ken Griffey Jr., the numbers are starting to mean less and less to the fans. What we care about now apparently, is scandals and winning. Give us one or the other, preferably both – c’mon Cincinnati Bengals!

Many things have contributed to the apathy towards modern sports records. The increased length of the season has allowed players a better chance of beating records. Ichiro’s record of 262 hits would never have happened if the season was 10 games shorter. The length of the season is one factor, but the number of teams and players involved in the league also figures into the issue. The expansion of all professional sports has watered down the talent pool to the point where the super star athletes stand out like sore thumbs. It is much easier for someone like Rodriguez to succeed when he is facing sub-par talent 3 out of 5 games (given the benefit of the doubt that teams have two good pitchers).

With players now involved in more games per season and playing against worse competition that helps them get their numbers up, the other factor is length of career. Players are involved at the top level for a much longer period of time. All sports start their recruitment of players in high school, and the best are already playing major roles on pro teams by the time they hit their 20th birthday. With the extended careers, based on age, better physical care by the training staff, better off-season training, not to mention performance enhancing drugs and it turns records into a thing of the past.

Will numbers always matter to the sports fan? For sure they will, but they are changing. A players worth is no longer measured by home runs and runs batted in, it is now OPS and WAR and UZR. These are complicated mathematical formulas to determine the worth of the player to his team, it’s just too bad these don’t translate well to the back of a baseball card.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Not For Long




There is a classic NFL Films clip where Jerry Glanville, then coach of the Atlanta Falcons is berating an official after a blown call and he asks him "Do you know what NFL stands for?" Glanville answers for the official "Not For Long if you keep making calls like that".

Well, apparently there are other ways to have a short career in the National Football League and many players seem to be doing their best to end their stint. With the average career being only 3.5 years, and contracts not being guaranteed, you would think players would try their best to stay around as long as possible.

Well, this year alone we've had a bunch of interesting incidents that have affected players and therefore their teams...

- Steve Smith, wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers broke his arm in a flag football game. He will be out until the first week of the season, hampering his chances to build chemistry with the new starting quarterback Matt Moore.

- Johnny Jolly, defensive lineman for the Packers was charged because he "bought, sold, funded, transported and aided in the buying, selling, funding and transportation of illegal narcotics including cocaine and marijuana" in Texas from 2006 through May 2008. Jolly was arrested in Houston in July 2008 allegedly for illegally possessing at least 200 grams of codeine. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison. Since this all violates the leagues substance abuse policy, Jolly has been suspended for the entire season.

- Santonio Holmes, wide receiver for the Jets was suspended for the first 4 games of the season for violating the substance abuse policy. Not only was it enough to get him suspended, but this also got him traded from Pittsburgh to the Jets.

- Albert Haynesworth, defensive lineman with the Washington Redskins is still not participating in training camp because he can't pass the teams conditioning test. Haynesworth is the only player in camp who has to pass the test because he didn't participate in half of the teams off-season workouts. Way to go fatty!

- Another player with similar problems was Terrence Cody a rookie defensive lineman with the Baltimore Ravens. Cody who tips the scales at 380 lbs took 3 tries to pass the Ravens conditioning test, but if you are getting paid to play professional sports don't you come prepared to pass that test the first time? Why jeopardize your chance of making thousands if not millions of dollars.

- We have a slew of first round picks who still have haven't signed their contracts. This is a negotiation tactic, but with NFL rookies basically getting slotted into a dollar amount based upon where they were picked, they need to get their name on a contract and get into camp so they don't stunt their growth.

There you have it, just a few of the reasons that players are screwing themselves out of longer careers.

Can you guys remember other ways careers were cut short...