We hit the midway mark of the NFL season this week, and there really seems to be no stand alone favorite in the NFC. You would have to rank the Giants as the best team in NFC, but after there are no true great teams in the conference. The AFC is completely different. It might take 11 or 12 wins just to secure a wild card berth this year. The Steelers, Ravens, Jets, Pats, Colts all look like legitimate teams this year. The Titans, Texans, and Chiefs are all in the next level. The AFC is going to be very competitive, and anyone team who makes the playoffs can make a run at the Super Bowl. The NFC is still competitive because no one has established themselves as a real team to beat. As far as my beloved Broncos go, this year has taken a brutal turn. At 2-5, they are pretty much done with any hopes of making the playoffs. The one thing I have left in this season is to hope and pray that Tim Tebow gets a chance to start and play some games down the stretch. I know that Josh McDaniels won't go to him yet, but hopefully at some point, Tebow will get a chance. That will be the only interesting thing left to watch in a very disappointing 2010 season in Denver. On to the picks......
Last Week's Record: 8-6
Overall Record: 61-41-3
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)
Jacksonville (+6) over DALLAS: What a blow the Cowboys took Monday Night against the Giants. They lose the game convincingly after getting off to a 10-0 amd 20-7 start, and they lose QB Tony Romo for 6-8 weeks with a broken collarbone. At 1-5, the Cowboys are done for 2010. The Jags might not win the game, but they will play hard for Jack Del Rio.
DETROIT (-2) over Washington: The Lions have played well in pretty much every game this year. It looks like Matt Stafford will be back this week. The Redskins come in at 4-3, but they will be up and down all year long. Some weeks they will look great and some weeks they will look shaky. I'm going with Detroit this week on a hunch.
Green Bay (+6) over NY JETS: One thing I have to look forward to the rest of this year is the fact that I can root so hard against the Jets every week. This looks like a layup for the Jets at home, but I think Green Bay comes in a pulls the upset. Aaron Rodgers has a big day and wins a big game on the road.
ST.LOUIS (-3) over Carolina: This is a layup for the feisty Rams. Now that Denver is imploding at 2-5, I have officially adopted the Rams as my Adopted Team for 2010. I would love to see the Rams win the NFC West. This week they get to 4-4 with a win over the Panthers.
Miami (+3) over CINCY: I called the Bengals demise before the regular season, and it really shouldn't be a shocker to everyone why the Bengals have struggled. The Dolphins suffered a brutal loss at home to Pittsburgh this week, and they might be one of the toughest 3-3 teams ever. They continue their road dominance by taking out the Bengals in Cincy this week.
KANSAS CITY (-7) over Buffalo: Everyone will be betting the Bills because of the way they played in Baltimore last week, but I don't see Buffalo playing that well this week. KC is for real. They have a great three-headed monster at RB (Thomas Jones, Dexter McCluster, and Jamal Charles) and their defense is playing very well-especially in Arrowhead. The Chiefs will win the AFC West this year, and they get to 5-2 with a romp over the Bills.
SAN DIEGO (-3) over Tennessee: The Chargers are not out of it yet, but they are making it awfully tough on themselves. At 2-5, they can't afford too many slipups. They will get it done this week and figure out a way to defeat the Titans at home. This looks like a 27-20 Charger win late.
ARIZONA (-3) over Tampa Bay: Raheem Morris should settle down with all his talk about the Bucs being the best team in the NFC. The Cards are different at home, and they will do enough to get by the Bucs this week.
Seattle (+3) over OAKLAND: The Raiders whipped Denver last week 59-14, so expect the Raiders to play crappy this week. The Seahawks are much improved at 4-2 and usually struggle on the road, but this week I'm taking them to beat the Raiders in the Black Hole.
NEW ENGLAND (-6) over Minnesota: A great late game on Sunday. I like the Pats to take care of business at home over the Vikings. Brett Favre is all banged up, and I see the Pats putting this one away late in the fourth. Call it 28-20 Pats.
NEW ORLEANS (-1) over Pittsburgh: The Saints get back on track at home with an inspired win over the Steelers. The Steelers are due for a letdown this week after their big win at Miami. Drew Brees gets it going in the dome.
INDY (-5) over Houston: The Texans defense is not that good, so expect a big day out of Peyton Manning, eventhough Dallas Clark is out. The Colts defense is much better at home, so I wouldn't expect to see Houston run the ball that effectively this time. Take the Colts and Manning at home on MNF.
San Francisco (-1) over Denver (in London): The Broncos are a mess. The 59-14 loss to the Raiders was one of the worst defeats in team history. Now, they have to go to London to take on the equally disappointing 49ers. Maybe the best thing for the Broncos was to get on a plane and go to London for this game. The Niners are going to try to run Frank Gore until his legs come off, and Denver's defense might be worse than it was two years ago. I don't care that Troy Smith is starting for SF, the Niners will win this game, and Denver will head into the bye week at 2-6.
Final Score: SF-26 Denver-13
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Monday, October 25, 2010
Broncos Suffer Humilating 59-14 Loss to Raiders
I've been a Broncos fan since I was five years old in 1985. I've seen plenty of highs and lows, but for the most part mostly great moments. I've now seen the lowest of lows. The Broncos got dismantled Sunday at home to the Raiders 59-14. This was worst that the 41-16 loss to the Raiders in 1994. This was more humilating then the 41-3 loss to the Chargers in 2007. This was worse then the 44-24 loss to the Chiefs in Week 17 of last year. The reason why this was so bad was because it exposed the reality of what the Broncos are. The reality is this team is not good at all and this franchise is going backwards. The Raiders scored on their first drive of the game, and Kyle Orton served up a pick six on the next play to give the Raiders a 14-0 lead. Demaryius Thomas fumbled on the next play, and the Raiders recovered. Denver never recovered after that. Darren McFadden rumbled in to the end zone untouched and the Raiders led 21-0. The game was over right there in the first quarter. It got worse and McFadden added three more touchdown runs, and Raiders completely embarrased Denver 59-14 at Invesco Field. The Broncos have now lost three straight to Oakland at home, and they have lost four straight home games to the Chargers, Chiefs and Raiders. The 59 points ties the record for most points given up by the Broncos in a game, and it is tied for the most points scored by a team in the NFL in the last 20 years. The Broncos are now 2-5 and pretty much done in terms of the playoffs, and their soul searching will begin. What are the ramifications of this defeat? It is unknown right now, because the season is still pretty early, but it doesn't look good for the McDaniels regime to give up a 50 spot at home to the hated Raiders. Yesterday, just might have been the darkest day in Broncos history.
Here are my quick hit thoughts on the game and the future of the Broncos:
1) At 2-5, Denver is done and not recovering from this game. It will be a struggle for them all season, and they are not making up any ground on anyone in their division. 2-5 is their worst start after seven games since 1999.
2) As far as I'm concerned Kyle Orton is done as the Broncos quarterback. I've seen enough of Orton, and he is not a big time player. He is not going to help us win games on his own and that is essentially what he going to be asked to do. He is not in the plans for the future, and I'm done watching him as the Broncos QB. By the way he is 4-12 in his last 16 starts for Denver.
3) Let's face it, the Broncos defense is just not any good. It hasn't been good since the end of the 2006 season. With the exception of the first six games last year, the Broncos defense has been one of the worst in the NFL. The main problem is that the Broncos have never addressed the issues in their front seven the right way: THROUGH THE DRAFT. Mike Shanahan never did it and neither has Josh McDaniels. There are no young, impact players in the Broncos front seven. With the exception of Robert Ayers, the Broncos have no addressed these positions at all. They just added no-name or bargain free agents or older veterans to try and plug these gaps and it has not worked. I'm tired of seeing the likes of Ronnie Fields, Jamal Williams, Justin Bannan, Kevin Vickerson, Mario Haggan, Joe Mays, Vonnie Holliday and Jason Hunter. The Broncos are not physical nor are they any good upfront, and it has killed them the last four years. They need to address the D-Line and the Linebacker corps in the draft period.
4) It is Tebow Time. It is time to play the kid now. Sit Kyle Orton. Who cares if you go 3-13 or 4-12? We are not going to the playoffs this year, so play Tim Tebow and get him experience. You have to do it. It is the only thing that will keep fans coming to home games this season. Besides, it will provide a little spark and energy to the team, the fans, and the community. Tebow needs to play and he needs to play soon. Start him the week of November 14th at home against the Chiefs. Give him the bye week to prepare. Start Tebow, play him the rest of the year, and he is the only hope this franchise has right now.
5) I have been a fan of McDaniels from the start but it is time to start to question is hire as the Broncos head coach. Since starting 6-0 in his first year, he is 4-13 in his last 17 games and there looks like no hope in sight. The only thing that McDaniels has is Tebow. He might be given a chance to develop a young QB that could be really good. That is it. You can't excuse your team playing lifeless and quitting to the hapless Raiders at home. A 59-14 loss in the NFL is about as bad as you get. Many of McDaniels moves have not turned out the way he thought it would. You've go too many of his castoffs playing well in other cities, especiall y Peyton Hillis, and his moves to reconstruct this team are just not paying off. Mr. Bowlen might be patient, but if Denver really falls flat on its face this year, then you can't be surprised or upset if Bowlen makes a move, especially if someone like Jon Gruden is interested. Maybe Pat Bowlen made a mistake and McDaniels in is over his head.
Here are my quick hit thoughts on the game and the future of the Broncos:
1) At 2-5, Denver is done and not recovering from this game. It will be a struggle for them all season, and they are not making up any ground on anyone in their division. 2-5 is their worst start after seven games since 1999.
2) As far as I'm concerned Kyle Orton is done as the Broncos quarterback. I've seen enough of Orton, and he is not a big time player. He is not going to help us win games on his own and that is essentially what he going to be asked to do. He is not in the plans for the future, and I'm done watching him as the Broncos QB. By the way he is 4-12 in his last 16 starts for Denver.
3) Let's face it, the Broncos defense is just not any good. It hasn't been good since the end of the 2006 season. With the exception of the first six games last year, the Broncos defense has been one of the worst in the NFL. The main problem is that the Broncos have never addressed the issues in their front seven the right way: THROUGH THE DRAFT. Mike Shanahan never did it and neither has Josh McDaniels. There are no young, impact players in the Broncos front seven. With the exception of Robert Ayers, the Broncos have no addressed these positions at all. They just added no-name or bargain free agents or older veterans to try and plug these gaps and it has not worked. I'm tired of seeing the likes of Ronnie Fields, Jamal Williams, Justin Bannan, Kevin Vickerson, Mario Haggan, Joe Mays, Vonnie Holliday and Jason Hunter. The Broncos are not physical nor are they any good upfront, and it has killed them the last four years. They need to address the D-Line and the Linebacker corps in the draft period.
4) It is Tebow Time. It is time to play the kid now. Sit Kyle Orton. Who cares if you go 3-13 or 4-12? We are not going to the playoffs this year, so play Tim Tebow and get him experience. You have to do it. It is the only thing that will keep fans coming to home games this season. Besides, it will provide a little spark and energy to the team, the fans, and the community. Tebow needs to play and he needs to play soon. Start him the week of November 14th at home against the Chiefs. Give him the bye week to prepare. Start Tebow, play him the rest of the year, and he is the only hope this franchise has right now.
5) I have been a fan of McDaniels from the start but it is time to start to question is hire as the Broncos head coach. Since starting 6-0 in his first year, he is 4-13 in his last 17 games and there looks like no hope in sight. The only thing that McDaniels has is Tebow. He might be given a chance to develop a young QB that could be really good. That is it. You can't excuse your team playing lifeless and quitting to the hapless Raiders at home. A 59-14 loss in the NFL is about as bad as you get. Many of McDaniels moves have not turned out the way he thought it would. You've go too many of his castoffs playing well in other cities, especiall y Peyton Hillis, and his moves to reconstruct this team are just not paying off. Mr. Bowlen might be patient, but if Denver really falls flat on its face this year, then you can't be surprised or upset if Bowlen makes a move, especially if someone like Jon Gruden is interested. Maybe Pat Bowlen made a mistake and McDaniels in is over his head.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Week 7 Picks in the NFL!
We hit Week 7 of the NFL season and one of the most interesting questions to look at is who will win the AFC and NFC West divisions? Could you imagine if St. Louis wins the NFC West? It is actually very possible. Is Kansas City for real? Are the Chargers going to make another run in November and December? Will the Seahawks steal the West? All these possibilities could occur, but one thing is for sure, the NFL won't be too happy with some of the playoff and television probabilities come January. Think about it: Let's say that St.Louis wins the NFC West and Kansas City wins the AFC West. Both of those teams are given a home playoff game. Could you imagine the networks (CBS, FOX, and NBC) all fighting to get the other games that playoff weekend? There would be more backdoor wheeling and dealing like no other year before this one. Trying to sell Ravens at Chiefs and Falcons at Rams is a tough one for the audience. How about a Philly at Seattle first round matchup? Does that get the juices going or what? It will be fun to see who wins the West and how it all plays out on the NFL playoff landscape. Onto the picks for Week 7.............
Last Week's Record: 7-6-1
Overall Record: 53-34-3
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)
Pittsburgh (-3) over MIAMI: This is a great AFC matchup. I was going to pick the Dolphins all week, but something just tells me that the Steelers D will be too much for Chad Henne. The Steelers win a big road game in Miami to go to 5-1.
ATLANTA (-3) over Cincy: The Falcons are a much better home team then on the road. Look for Atlanta to bounce back this week against a struggling Cincy team. The Bengals will play hard and keep this close, but Matt Ryan makes a play or two to win it. Looks like 24-20 to me.
Jacksonville (+9) over KANSAS CITY: First, KC is for real, and I think they will win the AFC West at 10-6. Secondly, the Chiefs will win this game over the Jags. Third, the Jags will keep it close and play very well. This game looks like a KC blowout on paper, but it will be closer then people think. KC wins 27-20.
TENNESSEE (-3) over Philly: I love this game for the Titans. Both teams come in at 4-2 and Philly surprised me last week. The ongoing Kevin Kolb-Michael Vick saga will be one of the most interesting issues to watch this year in the NFL. It could determine if Philly makes the playoffs or not. Too much Chris Johnson and even if Vince Young doesn't play, I like the Titans at home.
Washington (+3) over CHICAGO: Think back to December of 2008 when the Broncos were 8-5 and on the verge of a division title with Mike Shanahan and Jay Cutler as the Coach and QB combo. It looked like a marriage for years to come and one that would bring Denver back to the Super Bowl. Just two seasons later, Cutler is on the Bears and Shanahan is coaching the Redskins and they are facing off this week. Just a strange scenario and pretty shocking to think about where these two were just a few seasons ago. The Bears O-Line is awful and got exposed again last week. The Skins are solid defensively and take care of business on the road.
Cleveland (+14) over NEW ORLEANS: First, New Orleans will win this game at home. Second, the Saints are not back just yet even after winning in Tampa last week by 24 points. The Browns will keep it close, even at the Superdome. Look for a ho-hum victory by the Saints.
BALTIMORE (-13) over Buffalo: I just can't make a case for the Bills this week. This is such a mismatch. The Ravens will go to 5-2 and the Bills will fall to 0-6. This one should be over at the half.
CAROLINA (+3) over San Francisco: I don't think the 49ers have fixed any of their issues, and the Panthers are due for a victory. They go back to Matt Moore this week, and I think they take down the 49ers at home.
TAMPA BAY (-3) over St.Louis: I'm openly rooting for the Rams to win the NFC West. I would love to see. I like Sam Bradford and I like Steve Spagnuolo. I think the Bucs squeak by in this one, and I have been impressed with Josh Freeman this year.
SEATTLE (-6) over Arizona: No one should be a six point favorite over anyone else in the NFC West. All the teams suck, and each game should be competitive. I like the Seahawks at home this week. Last week was a huge win for them in Chicago. That might be the kind of win that gets them going in the NFC West.
SAN DIEGO (-3) over New England: We've seen this before: The Chargers get off to a rocky start in September and October, and then they make a move and win the West. One of these years it is not going to work for them, and it might be this year. However, I love the Chargers in this spot, and I think they take care of the Pats at home. This should be a fun and entertaining game.
GREEN BAY (-2) over Minnesota: I was very tempted to take the Vikings, but I think the Packers are a good team, and they will start to play better. Aaron Rodgers will outduel Brett Favre and the Packers get revenge on Favre for the two losses he handed to them last year.
DALLAS (-3) over NY Giants: When Dallas was 0-2, I didn't pick them against the 2-0 Texans. Dallas won. Now they are 1-4 and are facing the 4-2 Giants. The Cowboys are desperate so I will take them on MNF. If they lose, then the shit is going to hit the fan.
Oakland (+8) over DENVER: Anyone who knows anything about the recent history of the Broncos and the Raiders knows that this line is way too high. It will be hard for the Broncos to match the intensity of last week's game against the Jets. The Raiders have won the last two games in Denver, and the Broncos have trouble matching up against the Raider running game. Hopefully, Denver's new defensive line will stop the Raiders, but this game will be close. It should be a tight one, but you would have to think the Broncos will somehow pull out a victory. Denver needs to win this game, and I think they will, but it will be a nailbiter. Final Score: Denver-22 Oakland-20
Last Week's Record: 7-6-1
Overall Record: 53-34-3
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)
Pittsburgh (-3) over MIAMI: This is a great AFC matchup. I was going to pick the Dolphins all week, but something just tells me that the Steelers D will be too much for Chad Henne. The Steelers win a big road game in Miami to go to 5-1.
ATLANTA (-3) over Cincy: The Falcons are a much better home team then on the road. Look for Atlanta to bounce back this week against a struggling Cincy team. The Bengals will play hard and keep this close, but Matt Ryan makes a play or two to win it. Looks like 24-20 to me.
Jacksonville (+9) over KANSAS CITY: First, KC is for real, and I think they will win the AFC West at 10-6. Secondly, the Chiefs will win this game over the Jags. Third, the Jags will keep it close and play very well. This game looks like a KC blowout on paper, but it will be closer then people think. KC wins 27-20.
TENNESSEE (-3) over Philly: I love this game for the Titans. Both teams come in at 4-2 and Philly surprised me last week. The ongoing Kevin Kolb-Michael Vick saga will be one of the most interesting issues to watch this year in the NFL. It could determine if Philly makes the playoffs or not. Too much Chris Johnson and even if Vince Young doesn't play, I like the Titans at home.
Washington (+3) over CHICAGO: Think back to December of 2008 when the Broncos were 8-5 and on the verge of a division title with Mike Shanahan and Jay Cutler as the Coach and QB combo. It looked like a marriage for years to come and one that would bring Denver back to the Super Bowl. Just two seasons later, Cutler is on the Bears and Shanahan is coaching the Redskins and they are facing off this week. Just a strange scenario and pretty shocking to think about where these two were just a few seasons ago. The Bears O-Line is awful and got exposed again last week. The Skins are solid defensively and take care of business on the road.
Cleveland (+14) over NEW ORLEANS: First, New Orleans will win this game at home. Second, the Saints are not back just yet even after winning in Tampa last week by 24 points. The Browns will keep it close, even at the Superdome. Look for a ho-hum victory by the Saints.
BALTIMORE (-13) over Buffalo: I just can't make a case for the Bills this week. This is such a mismatch. The Ravens will go to 5-2 and the Bills will fall to 0-6. This one should be over at the half.
CAROLINA (+3) over San Francisco: I don't think the 49ers have fixed any of their issues, and the Panthers are due for a victory. They go back to Matt Moore this week, and I think they take down the 49ers at home.
TAMPA BAY (-3) over St.Louis: I'm openly rooting for the Rams to win the NFC West. I would love to see. I like Sam Bradford and I like Steve Spagnuolo. I think the Bucs squeak by in this one, and I have been impressed with Josh Freeman this year.
SEATTLE (-6) over Arizona: No one should be a six point favorite over anyone else in the NFC West. All the teams suck, and each game should be competitive. I like the Seahawks at home this week. Last week was a huge win for them in Chicago. That might be the kind of win that gets them going in the NFC West.
SAN DIEGO (-3) over New England: We've seen this before: The Chargers get off to a rocky start in September and October, and then they make a move and win the West. One of these years it is not going to work for them, and it might be this year. However, I love the Chargers in this spot, and I think they take care of the Pats at home. This should be a fun and entertaining game.
GREEN BAY (-2) over Minnesota: I was very tempted to take the Vikings, but I think the Packers are a good team, and they will start to play better. Aaron Rodgers will outduel Brett Favre and the Packers get revenge on Favre for the two losses he handed to them last year.
DALLAS (-3) over NY Giants: When Dallas was 0-2, I didn't pick them against the 2-0 Texans. Dallas won. Now they are 1-4 and are facing the 4-2 Giants. The Cowboys are desperate so I will take them on MNF. If they lose, then the shit is going to hit the fan.
Oakland (+8) over DENVER: Anyone who knows anything about the recent history of the Broncos and the Raiders knows that this line is way too high. It will be hard for the Broncos to match the intensity of last week's game against the Jets. The Raiders have won the last two games in Denver, and the Broncos have trouble matching up against the Raider running game. Hopefully, Denver's new defensive line will stop the Raiders, but this game will be close. It should be a tight one, but you would have to think the Broncos will somehow pull out a victory. Denver needs to win this game, and I think they will, but it will be a nailbiter. Final Score: Denver-22 Oakland-20
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Broncos Lose Heartbreaker to Jets
The Broncos suffered a devastating defeat to the NY Jets on Sunday in Denver. The Jets pulled out a 24-20 win that was helped in large part to a pass interference call late in the game on Denver's Renaldo Hill. Hill did grab and tug at Santanio Holmes at the Bronco 2 yard line, and the Jets punched it in on a LaDainian Tomlinson run on the next play to take the 24-20 lead with under two minutes to go. Denver moved the ball into Jet territory but Kyle Orton botched a shotgun snap and the Jets recovered for the win. The game went back and forth and the Broncos certainly had their chances. Knowshon Moreno fumbled deep in Jet territory and the Broncos mishandled a field goal snap early in the first quarter. Denver picked off Jets QB Mark Sanchez as well. The Jets took a 7-0 second quarter lead on a Sanchez to Braylon Edwards touchdown. Tim Tebow entered the game, and he carried 6 times for 22 yards including a 5 yard touchdown run to tie it up at 7. Sydquan Thompson intercepted Sanchez late in the 2nd quarter, and Matt Prater hit a 59 yard field goal to give Denver a 10-7 halftime lead. The Broncos took a 17-10 lead when Demaryius Thomas caught a touchdown pass from Orton late in the 3rd quarter. The Jets tied at 17-17 with a LT touchdown run midway through the fourth. The Broncos mustered together a drive to get a Prater field goal to take a 20-17 lead. Sanchez drove the Jets to just inside the 50 when he threw up a prayer on a fourth and 6. Holmes was covered by Hill who did grab Holmes' facemask and it drew the penalty flag. Unfortunately for Bronco fans, a day that was billed as "Orange Sunday" was ruined by a little yellow flag at the most untimely moment. Here are my quick hits for the game......
1) This was a very tough loss to endure. This was a classic "Stand Up" game. What I mean by that is that I basically stood up the entire game while I was watching it. The Broncos have had some really bad losses since 1998, and this one ranks up there with some of those games. I really wanted to see Denver pull this off, and they played really hard and gutsy. This was the kind of game that could have really turned things around, but the Broncos fell short and it was the way that it ended that made it so hard to swallow.
2) This game had three things that I wanted to see happen. First, the Broncos picked off Mark Sanchez twice. Sanchez had previously not thrown an interception all year. Second, Tim Tebow played significant moments and even rumbled in for a touchdown. Third, the Broncos beat Darrelle Revis on a touchdown pass. I wanted to see all of those things happen and each one did happen, but the Broncos still lost.
3) The crowd and the atmosphere was simply awesome. Just watching this game from home, you could see how into it the crowd was. Watching the camera shake really reminded me of some of those 80s Bronco games at the old Mile High.
4) I love the alternate orange jerseys so much. I actually think they should go with the orange jerseys now for good at home.
5) The Bronco run defense did a really nice job against the Jets. After getting manhandled by the Ravens, the defense stepped up and played well, considering they were all banged up.
6) The running game improved a little with Knowshon Moreno back. The Broncos actually gained over 100 yards on the ground, and they did it against a stout defense. The Broncos might be able to piecemeal yardage on the ground with Moreno, Correll Buckhalter, Laurence Maroney and Tim Tebow all chipping in.
7) The Broncos basically shot their load this game against the Jets. They threw everything they had at the Jets and they still lost. It is tough to get up like that every week. This week they have the Raiders coming into town. The Broncos owe the Raiders because they have lost to them at home the last two years. This is a big game for Denver because if they can win this week and next week in London against the 49ers, then 4-4 would put them in the race in the AFC West. KC stands a 3-2, San Diego and the Raiders are also 2-4. The Broncos are certainly not out of it and they have all 6 of their division games left.
8) I'll end with this: At this time last year, the Broncos had just defeated the Chargers on MNF to go to 6-0. I wrote a column about how the Broncos were going to win the AFC West, and I started to think about playoffs and homefield advantage. Well, the Broncos lost 8 out of 10 and missed the playoffs. This year, Denver stands at 2-4 at the same exact time, but their schedule really eases up. Maybe the Broncos will get hot the last 10 games this year. Could the Broncos win 8 out of 10 to finish at 10-6? I don't see why not. They have all six of their division games, three games against the NFC West (SF in London, home vs. Rams, at Arizona) and they host the Texans in Week 16. Seasons can turn on a dime. Perhaps the Broncos will finally finish hot instead of falling apart down the stretch. Let's just start by pounding the Raiders this week at home.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Broncos-Jets Prediction!
I saved my pick for the Bronco-Jet game for its own entry. It is no secret how much I loathe the Jets and their fans. The Jet fan is obnoxious, immature, and unrealistic. There is no comparison between a Jet fan and a Giant fan. Living in New York my whole life, the Jets were always considered second-class citizens. From 1997, when Bill Parcells saved and resurrected the franchise, the Jets have added some legitimate credibility to their franchise. During that time, the Jet fan has become worse and worse. This year the Jets are off to a 4-1 start, and they look like a Super Bowl caliber team. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE BRONCOS BEAT THE JETS THIS WEEK. I just don't think it is going to happen. I was more confident early Sunday Night before I found out that Brian Dawkins, Robert Ayers, Wesley Woodyard, and Andre Goodman are not going to play because of injuries. The only hope Denver has in this game is that it is at home. They are calling it "Orange Sunday" in Denver this week. The Broncos will be wearing their orange jerseys, and maybe for the first time in years, their homefield will actually be an advantage. When you look at the game though, the Jets are just better in pretty much every phase. The Broncos don't run it well, and the Jets stuff the run. Denver's weapons on offense are the passing options, but the Jets will blitz the hell out of them. Kyle Orton never plays well against this type of defense. The Jet offense runs the ball very well, and the Broncos defense gives up almost 5 yards a carry. The Jet passing attack has been superb this year, and the Broncos have no pass rush and are without two of their four secondary starters and their main nickel man, Darcel McBath. I would absolutely love to see Denver pick off the Jets this week and derail the Jets Super Bowl Express, but sadly I have to go with the better team.
Jets (-3) over DENVER
Final Score: Jets-29 Denver-13
Thursday, October 14, 2010
NFL Week 6 Picks!
Another good picking week gives me an overall record of 46-28-2. Eighteen games over .500 picking games against the spread this year. EIGHTEEN GAMES OVER!!! What has been the secret to my success? It has been pretty simple: There aren't that many really great teams this year. This season has the look of one of those parity driven NFL years. 7-9 might win the NFC West. 9-7 might win the AFC West and NFC East, and you might only need 11 wins to get the one seed in NFC, and there will be a lot of 9-7 teams fighting for AFC Wild Card spots. I have picked a lot more underdogs this year as opposed to year's past. Don't jump all over the favorites this year because every team with the exception of the Jets, Ravens, and Steelers have major flaws and concerns. Let's see if my gambling prowess can continue as we hit Week 6. Onto the picks.....
Last Week's record: 9-5
Overal Record: 46-28-2
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)
San Diego (-7) over ST.LOUIS: I admire the way the Rams and Sam Bradford have played so far this year, but this is a tough week for them. It's hard to see the Chargers not coming out and blowing this game open early. The Chargers get back to 3-3.
Kansas City (+5) over HOUSTON: The Texans fell flat on their face last week at home vs. the Giants. Maybe the Texans aren't as good as we were all lead to believe. The Chiefs stand at 3-1 and played Indy tight on the road. KC pulls the upset and continues their surprising start.
NEW ENGLAND (-2) over Baltimore: The Ravens stand at 4-1 and look very good, but the Pats had this game circled on their schedule the moment the NFL released the 2010 table. The Pats get revenge from last year's playoff loss in Foxboro.
TAMPA BAY (+4) over New Orleans: Give the Bucs credit: They won a huge game on the road at Cincy in a gutty fashion. I'm not a Josh Freeman fan, but he has played well. Something is just off with the Saints offense, and it continues this week. This will be a close game throughout.
Atlanta (+3) over PHILLY: The Eagles are so much better with Michael Vick, and Atlanta looks like the real deal. The Falcons haven't won impressively, but they are winning. The Falcons win a close game in Philly to go to 5-1.
Detroit (+11) over NY GIANTS: The Giants look like they got their season going again with back to back wins. They lead the NFC East with a 3-2 record. The G-Men will beat the Lions at home, but this game will be a lot closer then people think. Detroit will play well and give the Giants some trouble for a while in this one.
CHICAGO (-6) over Seattle: This game hinged on one factor: Homefield advantage. If it was played in Seattle, then I would take the Seahawks. It is in Chicago, so I see the Bears beating up on the road-weary Seahawks, and Chicago gets to 5-1.
Miami (+4) over GREEN BAY: You can't like what you have seen from the Packers these last three weeks. Miami is a good team and they will bounce back from their two straight defeats. Even if Aaron Rodgers plays, I like the Dolphins.
Cleveland (+13) over PITTSBURGH: Welcome to the NFL, Colt McCoy! This looks like a big time blowout, but I think Big Ben's rustiness keeps this game close for a little bit.
SAN FRANCISCO (-6) over Oakland: The Niners need a win bad. At 0-5 it is sad that they are still in the hunt in the NFC West. SF gets their first win of the year with a win over the Raiders.
Dallas (+2) over MINNESOTA: The Desperation Bowl. Both teams come in at 1-3, and both were favorites to respresent the NFC in the Super Bowl. This is a tough call, but I just don't like how Brett Favre is playing, so I will take the Cowboys. I also wouldn't count out the loser of this game at 1-4.
Indy (-3) over WASHINGTON: The Skins are playing gritty, but Peyton Manning will be too much for them on SNF.
Tennessee (-3) over JACKSONVILLE: This is the worst matchup on MNF this year. Why would ESPN want these two teams for a Monday Night game? The Titans pull one out on the road against a feisty Jacksonville team.
Last Week's record: 9-5
Overal Record: 46-28-2
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)
San Diego (-7) over ST.LOUIS: I admire the way the Rams and Sam Bradford have played so far this year, but this is a tough week for them. It's hard to see the Chargers not coming out and blowing this game open early. The Chargers get back to 3-3.
Kansas City (+5) over HOUSTON: The Texans fell flat on their face last week at home vs. the Giants. Maybe the Texans aren't as good as we were all lead to believe. The Chiefs stand at 3-1 and played Indy tight on the road. KC pulls the upset and continues their surprising start.
NEW ENGLAND (-2) over Baltimore: The Ravens stand at 4-1 and look very good, but the Pats had this game circled on their schedule the moment the NFL released the 2010 table. The Pats get revenge from last year's playoff loss in Foxboro.
TAMPA BAY (+4) over New Orleans: Give the Bucs credit: They won a huge game on the road at Cincy in a gutty fashion. I'm not a Josh Freeman fan, but he has played well. Something is just off with the Saints offense, and it continues this week. This will be a close game throughout.
Atlanta (+3) over PHILLY: The Eagles are so much better with Michael Vick, and Atlanta looks like the real deal. The Falcons haven't won impressively, but they are winning. The Falcons win a close game in Philly to go to 5-1.
Detroit (+11) over NY GIANTS: The Giants look like they got their season going again with back to back wins. They lead the NFC East with a 3-2 record. The G-Men will beat the Lions at home, but this game will be a lot closer then people think. Detroit will play well and give the Giants some trouble for a while in this one.
CHICAGO (-6) over Seattle: This game hinged on one factor: Homefield advantage. If it was played in Seattle, then I would take the Seahawks. It is in Chicago, so I see the Bears beating up on the road-weary Seahawks, and Chicago gets to 5-1.
Miami (+4) over GREEN BAY: You can't like what you have seen from the Packers these last three weeks. Miami is a good team and they will bounce back from their two straight defeats. Even if Aaron Rodgers plays, I like the Dolphins.
Cleveland (+13) over PITTSBURGH: Welcome to the NFL, Colt McCoy! This looks like a big time blowout, but I think Big Ben's rustiness keeps this game close for a little bit.
SAN FRANCISCO (-6) over Oakland: The Niners need a win bad. At 0-5 it is sad that they are still in the hunt in the NFC West. SF gets their first win of the year with a win over the Raiders.
Dallas (+2) over MINNESOTA: The Desperation Bowl. Both teams come in at 1-3, and both were favorites to respresent the NFC in the Super Bowl. This is a tough call, but I just don't like how Brett Favre is playing, so I will take the Cowboys. I also wouldn't count out the loser of this game at 1-4.
Indy (-3) over WASHINGTON: The Skins are playing gritty, but Peyton Manning will be too much for them on SNF.
Tennessee (-3) over JACKSONVILLE: This is the worst matchup on MNF this year. Why would ESPN want these two teams for a Monday Night game? The Titans pull one out on the road against a feisty Jacksonville team.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Baltimore Pounds Denver 31-17
The Broncos fell to 2-3 on Sunday at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens in Baltimore. The Ravens completely manhandled and dominated the game from start to finish. The final score doesn't indicate how one-sided this game really was. The Ravens got off to a good start and moved the ball down inside the five on their first drive, but Denver's defense held and stopped them on four straight plays. Denver was moving the ball, but a costly holding penalty negated a 33 yard run by Eddie Royal, and the Broncos never really got going after that. The Ravens jumped out to a 14-0 lead, and Demaryius Thomas fumbled away the ensuing kickoff, and the Ravens recovered. Denver's defense held the Ravens to a field goal. At 17-0, the Broncos actually stablized the game. The Broncos scored a late touchdown near the end of the half on a Kyle Orton to Brandon Lloyd hookup. At 17-7, the Broncos got the ball to start the half, but they couldn't generate any points on the drive. The defense stepped up and dropped the Ravens twice, but both times Denver couldn't move the ball on offense, and the Ravens put the game away with two late touchdowns to finish off the Broncos.
Here are my quick thoughts on the loss...........
1) The Bronco defense did not play well at all. This was the first game that the run defense got smoked. After holding Chris Johnson to only 53 yards last week, the Broncos let Ray Rice rush for over 130 yards and they got completely gashed by the Ravens.
2) The Bronco offense again could not come up with a big drive or a big score at a critical moment of the game. The Broncos cut the lead to 10 and then had two drives to get some points and really make a game of it, but both times the offense faltered and any chance of winning evaporated.
3) The run game was ineffective again, but to be fair this game was 17-0 right out of the gate, so any type of running game was going to get thrown out. Hopefully, Knowshon Moreno will be back this week to give the Broncos some sort of running attack.
4) Kyle Orton posted his fourth straight 300 yard game, but the most important stat is in those four games the Broncos are 2-2. Orton played well, but once again he doesn't make the big time play when the Broncos needed it. I've been saying this all year, and I will continue to say it: Orton is only going to be able to do so much, but you can't count on him in a huge spot.
5) The Broncos looked like the mailed this one in. It was an uninspired effort, and everyone in the organization needs to take the blame for this loss. Most of that blame lies with the head coach Josh McDaniels because it is his team and for the second year in a row the Broncos didn't show up for a game in Baltimore.
6) I would like to thank the schedule makers for really screwing the Broncos to start the 2010 season. Instead of giving Denver a home game on MNF like they requested, the schedule makers put Denver on the road for the sixth straight year. Plus, they send them down to hot and humid Jacksonville. Then, the Broncos get a stretch of games that included Indy, at Tennessee, at Baltimore, and home versus the Jets. The Broncos get the two AFC Championship participants in four weeks, and have back to back road games in the Eastern Time Zone. Anyone who thought that Denver was going to survive this stretch was drinking the kool-aid a little too much. That is why the schedule plays an important factor early in the season.
7) The Broncos got beat up in this game, and the injuries continue to pile up. Andre Goodman, Brian Dawkins, Wesley Woodyard, Robert Ayers, and Darcel McBath are all out this week. Demaryius Thomas and Knowshon Moreno are questionable too. Ayers, who has played very well, is out for at least 6 weeks with a foot injury. Dawkins is out for at least two weeks with an ankle injury. Injuries will be the theme of this year, and now the injuries are really going to effect them, especially the defensive side of the ball. It will be interesting to see how guys like Joe Mays, Jarvis Moss, and David Bruton step up and play this week.
8) The Broncos are 2-3 and are pretty much where I expected they would be at this point. This is the last week of their toughest stretch in the schedule. The only chance I think they have this week is that the Jet game is at home. If the Broncos can somehow steal this game, then at 3-3 the Broncos could have a chance to get hot and get some wins under their belt. I think 10 wins could win the AFC West this year, and 9 wins might be able to get you in the playoffs as a wild card. After this week's game, the Broncos have a stretch of games that include: home vs. Oakland, vs. SF in London, a bye week, and then home vs. KC. Hopefully, the injuries don't continue to pile up, and the Broncos get going a little and get this season going in the right direction.
Here are my quick thoughts on the loss...........
1) The Bronco defense did not play well at all. This was the first game that the run defense got smoked. After holding Chris Johnson to only 53 yards last week, the Broncos let Ray Rice rush for over 130 yards and they got completely gashed by the Ravens.
2) The Bronco offense again could not come up with a big drive or a big score at a critical moment of the game. The Broncos cut the lead to 10 and then had two drives to get some points and really make a game of it, but both times the offense faltered and any chance of winning evaporated.
3) The run game was ineffective again, but to be fair this game was 17-0 right out of the gate, so any type of running game was going to get thrown out. Hopefully, Knowshon Moreno will be back this week to give the Broncos some sort of running attack.
4) Kyle Orton posted his fourth straight 300 yard game, but the most important stat is in those four games the Broncos are 2-2. Orton played well, but once again he doesn't make the big time play when the Broncos needed it. I've been saying this all year, and I will continue to say it: Orton is only going to be able to do so much, but you can't count on him in a huge spot.
5) The Broncos looked like the mailed this one in. It was an uninspired effort, and everyone in the organization needs to take the blame for this loss. Most of that blame lies with the head coach Josh McDaniels because it is his team and for the second year in a row the Broncos didn't show up for a game in Baltimore.
6) I would like to thank the schedule makers for really screwing the Broncos to start the 2010 season. Instead of giving Denver a home game on MNF like they requested, the schedule makers put Denver on the road for the sixth straight year. Plus, they send them down to hot and humid Jacksonville. Then, the Broncos get a stretch of games that included Indy, at Tennessee, at Baltimore, and home versus the Jets. The Broncos get the two AFC Championship participants in four weeks, and have back to back road games in the Eastern Time Zone. Anyone who thought that Denver was going to survive this stretch was drinking the kool-aid a little too much. That is why the schedule plays an important factor early in the season.
7) The Broncos got beat up in this game, and the injuries continue to pile up. Andre Goodman, Brian Dawkins, Wesley Woodyard, Robert Ayers, and Darcel McBath are all out this week. Demaryius Thomas and Knowshon Moreno are questionable too. Ayers, who has played very well, is out for at least 6 weeks with a foot injury. Dawkins is out for at least two weeks with an ankle injury. Injuries will be the theme of this year, and now the injuries are really going to effect them, especially the defensive side of the ball. It will be interesting to see how guys like Joe Mays, Jarvis Moss, and David Bruton step up and play this week.
8) The Broncos are 2-3 and are pretty much where I expected they would be at this point. This is the last week of their toughest stretch in the schedule. The only chance I think they have this week is that the Jet game is at home. If the Broncos can somehow steal this game, then at 3-3 the Broncos could have a chance to get hot and get some wins under their belt. I think 10 wins could win the AFC West this year, and 9 wins might be able to get you in the playoffs as a wild card. After this week's game, the Broncos have a stretch of games that include: home vs. Oakland, vs. SF in London, a bye week, and then home vs. KC. Hopefully, the injuries don't continue to pile up, and the Broncos get going a little and get this season going in the right direction.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
NFL Week 5 Picks!
Week 5 is here, and I had a sensational week picking games in Week 4. I hit on 11 out of 14 games to put my record at 14 games over .500 against the spread. Here are my Week 5 picks....
Last Week's Record: 11-3
Overall Record: 37-23-2
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)
Jacksonville (PICK) over BUFFALO: I'll take Jacksonville on the road, eventhough they are a terrible road team. The Bills are just awful, and the Jags squeak one out on the road.
INDY (-7) over Kansas City: The Chiefs are off to a 3-0 start, but you can't buy into them too much. The Colts are coming off a loss at Jacksonville and they will return home and play well. I could see this game being close for awhile, and then Peyton Manning takes over.
DETROIT (-3) over St. Louis: The Lions have been close to winning the first four weeks, and they finally get their first win of the season this week. The Rams have played well under Sam Bradford, but the Lions get the job done at home.
Atlanta (-3) over CLEVELAND: The Browns have Peyton Hillis and Josh Cribbs and that is it on offense. The Falcons need to play well on the road, and this week they will and they get a big victory to go to 4-1.
Tampa Bay (+7) over CINCY: The Bengals are not impressive on offense at all, and Tampa pulls a close upset on the road. I see the Bengals winning this game, but don't be surprised to see the Bucs keep it close.
CAROLINA (+3) over Chicago: The Bears got exposed on SNF against the Giants. Jay Cutler tapped out at halftime and it was an embarrasment. The Panthers will play hard every week for John Fox, and this week they pull off the shocker at home.
WASHINGTON (+3) over Green Bay: The Packers have lost their luster the past two weeks, and Aaron Rodgers played badly against the Lions. The Pack are vunerable this week, and Washington will be tough at home all year. The Skins have no running game, but Donovan McNabb makes enough plays to get the Skins to 3-2.
HOUSTON (-3) over NY Giants: I watched a lot of the Texans-Raiders game last week, and I am so impressed with Matt Schaub and the Texan offense. This game will not be close because Houston is one of the few teams in the NFL that actually runs the ball consistently. That will set up their deep balls and play action game, and this just looks like a mismatch for the Texans over that Giants defense.
New Orleans (-6) over ARIZONA: The Cards might be the worst 2-2 team of all time. It gets worse this week as they turn to Max Hall at QB. The Saints offense hasn't been impressive but they won't have to be this week, as New Orleans does enough to get a victory.
OAKLAND (+7) over San Diego: The Raiders played the Chargers tough last year. The Chargers will win this game because of Philip Rivers, but I have a feeling this is going to be a close game and a down to the wire finish.
Tennessee (+7) over DALLAS: This should be a great game on Sunday. Both teams will like to establish the line of scrimmage on both sides. The Titans will make one more play at the end to beat Dallas in Big D.
SAN FRANCISCO (-3) over Philly: The Eagles are a completely different team without Michael Vick playing. Kevin Kolb looks skittish back there. The Niners are desperate and would have won on Sunday over Atlanta if Nate Clements didn't fumble after an interception late in the game. The 49ers finally get their first win and get back in the NFC West race-believe it or not.
Minnesota (+4) over NY JETS: I hate the Jets, but I have to admit that they look like a legitimate number one or two seed this year. This will be a fun game to watch: Brett Favre comes back to NY, Randy Moss' return to the Vikings, and the Jet crowd going crazy on a Monday Night (Columbus Day Night no less). This should be a battle, and I'm going to take the underdog Vikings. I think the addition of Moss will really get their offense going, and they need this game more than the Jets at this point.
BALTIMORE (-7) over Denver: The Broncos always have a tough time in Baltimore. Last year, Denver went there with a 6-0 record and got smashed 30-7. That game exposed the Broncos weaknesses, and this year might be no different. The Broncos can't run the ball, even if Knowshon Moreno comes back, and the one-dimensional approach will not work versus that Baltimore Defense. Joe Flacco will have all day to throw and he will pick apart the Broncos secondary. This one could get ugly quick. Final Score: Ravens-31 Denver-13
Last Week's Record: 11-3
Overall Record: 37-23-2
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)
Jacksonville (PICK) over BUFFALO: I'll take Jacksonville on the road, eventhough they are a terrible road team. The Bills are just awful, and the Jags squeak one out on the road.
INDY (-7) over Kansas City: The Chiefs are off to a 3-0 start, but you can't buy into them too much. The Colts are coming off a loss at Jacksonville and they will return home and play well. I could see this game being close for awhile, and then Peyton Manning takes over.
DETROIT (-3) over St. Louis: The Lions have been close to winning the first four weeks, and they finally get their first win of the season this week. The Rams have played well under Sam Bradford, but the Lions get the job done at home.
Atlanta (-3) over CLEVELAND: The Browns have Peyton Hillis and Josh Cribbs and that is it on offense. The Falcons need to play well on the road, and this week they will and they get a big victory to go to 4-1.
Tampa Bay (+7) over CINCY: The Bengals are not impressive on offense at all, and Tampa pulls a close upset on the road. I see the Bengals winning this game, but don't be surprised to see the Bucs keep it close.
CAROLINA (+3) over Chicago: The Bears got exposed on SNF against the Giants. Jay Cutler tapped out at halftime and it was an embarrasment. The Panthers will play hard every week for John Fox, and this week they pull off the shocker at home.
WASHINGTON (+3) over Green Bay: The Packers have lost their luster the past two weeks, and Aaron Rodgers played badly against the Lions. The Pack are vunerable this week, and Washington will be tough at home all year. The Skins have no running game, but Donovan McNabb makes enough plays to get the Skins to 3-2.
HOUSTON (-3) over NY Giants: I watched a lot of the Texans-Raiders game last week, and I am so impressed with Matt Schaub and the Texan offense. This game will not be close because Houston is one of the few teams in the NFL that actually runs the ball consistently. That will set up their deep balls and play action game, and this just looks like a mismatch for the Texans over that Giants defense.
New Orleans (-6) over ARIZONA: The Cards might be the worst 2-2 team of all time. It gets worse this week as they turn to Max Hall at QB. The Saints offense hasn't been impressive but they won't have to be this week, as New Orleans does enough to get a victory.
OAKLAND (+7) over San Diego: The Raiders played the Chargers tough last year. The Chargers will win this game because of Philip Rivers, but I have a feeling this is going to be a close game and a down to the wire finish.
Tennessee (+7) over DALLAS: This should be a great game on Sunday. Both teams will like to establish the line of scrimmage on both sides. The Titans will make one more play at the end to beat Dallas in Big D.
SAN FRANCISCO (-3) over Philly: The Eagles are a completely different team without Michael Vick playing. Kevin Kolb looks skittish back there. The Niners are desperate and would have won on Sunday over Atlanta if Nate Clements didn't fumble after an interception late in the game. The 49ers finally get their first win and get back in the NFC West race-believe it or not.
Minnesota (+4) over NY JETS: I hate the Jets, but I have to admit that they look like a legitimate number one or two seed this year. This will be a fun game to watch: Brett Favre comes back to NY, Randy Moss' return to the Vikings, and the Jet crowd going crazy on a Monday Night (Columbus Day Night no less). This should be a battle, and I'm going to take the underdog Vikings. I think the addition of Moss will really get their offense going, and they need this game more than the Jets at this point.
BALTIMORE (-7) over Denver: The Broncos always have a tough time in Baltimore. Last year, Denver went there with a 6-0 record and got smashed 30-7. That game exposed the Broncos weaknesses, and this year might be no different. The Broncos can't run the ball, even if Knowshon Moreno comes back, and the one-dimensional approach will not work versus that Baltimore Defense. Joe Flacco will have all day to throw and he will pick apart the Broncos secondary. This one could get ugly quick. Final Score: Ravens-31 Denver-13
At the Quarter Pole
The NFL season is a quarter of the way through. The standings and positions of teams will definitely shift as we go through the season, but at this point you can start to tell which teams are going to be playoff contenders and which teams will fall by the wayside. Here is my breakdown of all the teams at the quarter pole............
AFC
LEGIT SUPER BOWL CONTENDERS:
1- NY Jets
2-Pittsburgh
3-Baltimore
4-Indy
LEGIT PLAYOFF TEAMS
5-New England
6-Houston
7-San Diego
ON THE BUBBLE
8-Miami
9- Denver
10-Kansas City
11-Tennessee
PLAYOFF PRETENDERS
12-Jacksonville
13-Cincy
ON THE CLOCK
14-Cleveland
15-Oakland
16-Buffalo
NFC
LEGIT SUPER BOWL TEAMS
1-Green Bay
2-New Orleans
3-Atlanta
LEGIT PLAYOFF TEAMS
4-Dallas
5-Philly (If Michael Vick gets healthy soon)
6-Minnesota (If the Randy Moss trade works out for them)
ON THE BUBBLE
7-Washington
8-NY Giants
PLAYOFF PRETENDERS
9-Chicago
10-Tampa Bay
11-Seattle
12-San Francisco
13-St. Louis
ON THE CLOCK
14-Detroit
15-Arizona
16-Carolina
AFC
LEGIT SUPER BOWL CONTENDERS:
1- NY Jets
2-Pittsburgh
3-Baltimore
4-Indy
LEGIT PLAYOFF TEAMS
5-New England
6-Houston
7-San Diego
ON THE BUBBLE
8-Miami
9- Denver
10-Kansas City
11-Tennessee
PLAYOFF PRETENDERS
12-Jacksonville
13-Cincy
ON THE CLOCK
14-Cleveland
15-Oakland
16-Buffalo
NFC
LEGIT SUPER BOWL TEAMS
1-Green Bay
2-New Orleans
3-Atlanta
LEGIT PLAYOFF TEAMS
4-Dallas
5-Philly (If Michael Vick gets healthy soon)
6-Minnesota (If the Randy Moss trade works out for them)
ON THE BUBBLE
7-Washington
8-NY Giants
PLAYOFF PRETENDERS
9-Chicago
10-Tampa Bay
11-Seattle
12-San Francisco
13-St. Louis
ON THE CLOCK
14-Detroit
15-Arizona
16-Carolina
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Broncos Upset Titans to go to 2-2!
The Broncos pulled off an upset on Sunday as they went into Nashville and defeated the Tennessee Titans 26-20. Kyle Orton hit Correll Buckhalter on a 6 yard touchdown pass with 1:33 to go to give the Broncos the 23-20 lead. Tennessee returner Matt Mariani mishandled the short Matt Prater kickoff (Shades of Jason Elam's kickoff in the 1998 AFC Championship against the Jets) and Cassius Vaughn recovered to give the Broncos possession deep in Titans' territory. Prater added a 36 yard field goal with 28 seconds left to pad Denver's lead to 26-20. Vince Young took a couple of deep shots down the sideline, one was almost caught by the Titans, but the Broncos were able to hang on for a big road win. Denver opened the scoring on a 2 yard hookup from Kyle Orton to Eddie Royal in second quarter. The Titans tied it at 7 when Young hit Kenny Britt for a 8 yard score midway through the second. The Broncos and Titans traded scores until Tennessee held a 20-16 lead midway through the fourth. Orton's fourth down pass in the endzone to Jabar Gaffney was incomplete and the Broncos turned the ball over on downs. The Broncos forced a Titans' punt, and they got the ball back at midfield with just over two minutes to go in the game. A pass interference on a 2 and 25 play gave Denver the ball at the Titans' one yard line. That set up the game winning pass by Orton to Buckhalter.
Here are my quick hit points on the win........
1) Orton threw for over 341 yards and two touchdowns, but he really needed to bring his team back on the road for a victory, and he did that. He showed a lot of poise because he was taking a beating in the beginning of the game, but he hung in there and made an Elway-like comeback at the end.
2) The Broncos running game was virtually nonexistent. Laurence Maroney and Buckhalter combined for a total of 8 yards rushing. There is no where else to go but up for the Broncos run game. Hopefully, with the line starting to get healthy the Broncos can somehow improve in this area.
3) Give credit to the defense for shutting down Chris Johnson. The Broncos limited Johnson to just 53 yards on 19 carries. He was a nonfactor all game long.
4) The Broncos special teams continue to kill them week after week. Denver gave up a 98 yard kick return to give Tennessee a 17-13 lead in the third quarter.
5) This was a big road win for Josh McDaniels. The Broncos stabilized themselves at 2-2 in the AFC West, and now go back on the road against Baltimore. It would have been hard to see the Broncos being able to rebound if they lost the game at Tennessee and fell to 1-3.
Here are my quick hit points on the win........
1) Orton threw for over 341 yards and two touchdowns, but he really needed to bring his team back on the road for a victory, and he did that. He showed a lot of poise because he was taking a beating in the beginning of the game, but he hung in there and made an Elway-like comeback at the end.
2) The Broncos running game was virtually nonexistent. Laurence Maroney and Buckhalter combined for a total of 8 yards rushing. There is no where else to go but up for the Broncos run game. Hopefully, with the line starting to get healthy the Broncos can somehow improve in this area.
3) Give credit to the defense for shutting down Chris Johnson. The Broncos limited Johnson to just 53 yards on 19 carries. He was a nonfactor all game long.
4) The Broncos special teams continue to kill them week after week. Denver gave up a 98 yard kick return to give Tennessee a 17-13 lead in the third quarter.
5) This was a big road win for Josh McDaniels. The Broncos stabilized themselves at 2-2 in the AFC West, and now go back on the road against Baltimore. It would have been hard to see the Broncos being able to rebound if they lost the game at Tennessee and fell to 1-3.
Friday, October 1, 2010
NFL Week 4 Picks!
It is October 1st, and we have hit the quarter pole in the NFL season. October is obviously an important month for everyone in the NFL and every game counts, but surprising teams can still pull off an upset or two and continue their surprising run. Teams that were supposed to contend can slip up even more and put themselves behind the 8-ball as they heads toward the stretch run. Will teams like Chicago and KC continue to surprise? Will the Chargers and Cowboys start to get on a roll? We'll find out a lot of those answers starting this month. October, not only is it the best sports month of the year, is also when football starts to really feel like football. The clocks get turned back, the weather gets colder, and foilage is at its peak. There is nothing like a chilly October Sunday during football season. This week the NFL season starts to take an interesting and definitive turn. Onto to the picks..............
Last Week's Record: 7-9
Overall Record: 26-20-2
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)
Baltimore (+2) over PITTSBURGH: The Steelers defense is back, and they are 3-0 without Big Ben. Charlie Batch certainly won't play that well every week, and these two teams usually play a slugfest. The Ravens win a close one on the road with a late field goal.
CLEVELAND (+3) over Cincy: This is the upset of the week. It doesn't matter who is at QB for the Browns, all they need is Peyton Hillis running the ball (Every Bronco fan just slammed their head on their computer) and Josh Cribbs to get the job done this week. The Bengals offense is terrible, and Carson Palmer looks lost. The Browns get their first win of the season at home this week.
Detroit (+15) over GREEN BAY: The Packers will win this game easily, but look for a Detroit backdoor cover. I am a little concerned about Mike McCarthy and the Packers after their performance on MNF against the Bears. I would be a little nervous about them as they make their supposed Super Bowl run this year.
Carolina (+14) over NEW ORLEANS: The Panthers always play tough when no one expects them to play well. The Saints are coming off a brutal loss at home last week to the Falcons, and Drew Brees got banged up in the process. Look for the Panthers to keep it close.
San Francisco (+7) over ATLANTA: Let's see the Niners are struggling at 0-3 and are desperate. The Falcons are coming off a huge win at New Orleans in overtime. This game has SF-23 Atl-13 written all over it.
Seattle (-1) over ST.LOUIS: I was tempted to pick the Rams at home, but Seattle gets off to a 3-1 start and an early lead in the NFC West. Pete Carroll has the Seahawks believing, and Leon Washington helped Seattle steal that game last week against San Diego. Look for the Seahawks to find a way to win.
New York Jets (-5) over BUFFALO: This has all the makings of a trap game for the Jets, but I just can't trust Ryan Fitzpatrick, even at home. The Jets make his day miserable and roll past the Bills to go to 3-1.
Indy (-7) over JACKSONVILLE: Peyton Manning owns the Jags, and the Colts look like they are back on track. The bottom line with the Colts: They have Peyton Manning and you don't. Colts go to 3-1 with a rout in Jacksonville.
Houston (-3) over OAKLAND: This is a huge week for the Texans. If they want to be considered for real, then they have to win in the Black Hole. In the past, Houston would lose a game like this. Not this year as Houston gets to 3-1 with a convincing win over the Raiders.
SAN DIEGO (-5) over Arizona: Typical Chargers: Lose a close one on the road at KC, destroy the Jags at home, and blow a game at Seattle to start 1-2. The Chargers get back on track this week with a blowout win over the Cards.
Washington (+7) over PHILLY: This is my hunch game of the week. I've got a feeling that Donovan McNabb will play great and everyone on the Redskins will rally around him and play well. Michael Vick has to slip up sometime right? Why not this week? McNabb wins round 1.
NY GIANTS (-3) over Chicago: I'm still not sold on the Bears, and the Packers gave that game to them on MNF. Here is my prediction for Sunday Night: Jay Cutler's stats will look like this: 28-43 339 yards 2 TDs and 3 INTS. Cutler will melt down the stretch as the G-Men right the ship for this week at least.
MIAMI (+1) over New England: The AFC East is going to be fun to watch this year. Here is another great showdown on MNF. The Pats defense has not played well at all the last two weeks and the Dolphins always give them trouble. Chad Henne drives the Fish for a late field goal to win and send the Pats to 2-2
Denver (+7) over TENNESSEE: I never pick the Broncos, but I'm going to go with them this week. It is gut check time for Josh McDaniels. Denver needs a big win on the road to get their season going in the right direction. I could see the following happening on Sunday: Broncos take advantage of some mistakes by Vince Young, they build an early lead by controlling the clock with their short passing game, and then capitalize on the Titan's errors. They take Chris Johnson out of the game because of that lead, and then Denver puts it away late in the fourth quarter. The Broncos pull the upset on the road in the Music City. Final Score: Denver-24 Tennessee-19
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)