Lockout Blues

One of my favorite films of the past decade is "Charlie Wilson's War." Everytime it is on cable, I get sucked in and can't stop watching it. The main premise of the film is how Congressman Charlie Wilson, played by Tom Hanks, was the main contributor to the United States covert and secret backing of Afghanistan in their attempt to thwart the Soviet Union in the 1980s. Wilson teams up with CIA man Gust Avrakatos, portrayed superbly by Phillip Seymour Hoffman, in this secret war against the Russians. The CIA and American Forces supplied, trained and bolstered the Afghan freedom warriors in an eventual victory over the Soviets. The film was so good that I immediately bought the novelized version. Of course books are always better then the movie, and this case was no different. Unfortunately for the United States, these same Afghan fighters that were trained and supported by us in the fight against the Russians, turned their backs on us and many of those fighters became terrorists and sworn enemies of the United States-including our old nemesis Osama Bin Laden. The quote that sticks out for me in the entire book is when Avrakatos talks about how the United States Government underrated and also bailed on the Afghans, which led to a hotbed of distrust and anger towards our country. As Avrakatos puts it, "We went ahead and fucked up the endgame."

That quote is something that I continue to hear in my head as this NFL lockout continues. Years from now Roger Goodell, John Mara, DeMaurice Smith or even Drew Brees could be making this same statement about the current lockout and its' affect on the NFL brand. It is so frustrating to think that as we approach Memorial Day, the lockout is still going on, and there seems to be no end in sight. The only thing that we can look forward to is the appeals hearing on June 3rd with the 8th Circuit Court. The court will make their decision on whether to lift the lockout or not-at this point all signs look to the NFL winning the appeal, and the lockout continuing. Unfortunately, the judges won't make their ruling until at least the end of June or early July (You gotta love those courts!).

That puts us back at square one. The lockout will still be in effect, and the ball will be in the players court. DeMaurice Smith has not backed off of his rhetoric, and it is very hard to see him leading the players back to the table to get a deal. The players count continue with the litigation route, but those cases won't be heard for many months or even next year. If the players want to play this season like they said they wanted to, then Smith has to move past his ego and get back to the table in July. If he doesn't do that, then the lockout will continue into the season and regular season games will be missed, postponed or cancelled all together. Until there is any substantial news on an agreement, I will be locking myself out of posting. Both sides have already robbed me of the fun of an NFL offseason, and I'm not going to post until there is some real news on this dispute. Until then, I will continue to enjoy the NHL Playoffs, NBA Finals, and whatever cheap reality show I can get my hands on.

Remember what Gust said, "We went ahead and fucked up the endgame." I'm hoping that this quote doesn't come back to haunt the NFL Owners, the Commissioner and more importantly the head of NFLPA, Mr. DeMaurice Smith. We are going to find out this summer if this rings true or not.

Broncos 2011 Draft Review

The Broncos concluded their draft on Friday and Saturday night. Here is a look at the Broncos 2011 Draft class and my thoughts on each selection.

Round 2
(Denver traded back from number 36 overall and picked up San Francisco's fourth and fifth round pick)
-Rahim Moore: Free Safety, UCLA (#45 overall)
-Orlando Franklin: Offensive Tackle, Miami (#46 overall)

Round 3
-Nate Irving: LB, NC State (#67 overall)

Round 4
(Denver traded their fifth round pick to get into the fourth round and ended up with two 4th round selections)
-Quinton Carter: SS, Oklahoma (#108 overall)
-Julius Thomas: TE, Portland State (#129 overall)

Round 6
-Mike Mohamed: LB, California (#189 overall)

Round 7
-Virgil Green: TE, Nevada (#204 overall)
-Jeremy Beal: DE, Oklahoma (#244 overall)

Thoughts and Opinions:
-I obviously did like the Von Miller pick in round 1 because of the impact that Miller can bring.
-I really liked the Rahim Moore pick in the second round because he was the best safety on the board, and Denver desperately needed a new FS. Moore could start from day one, but I also liked how Denver traded back and acquired San Francisco's fourth and fifth round picks, which they didn't have before the draft began.
-I was surprised that Denver took Franklin with their other second round pick. Some sites had him ranked as the 16th best offensive tackle in the draft. I thought Denver could have taken Marvin Austin or Stephen Paea at that point, but they didn't. Hopefully, Franklin comes in and replaces Ryan Harris at RT and produces.
-I was surprised that Denver went linebacker again when they took Nate Irving in round three. I do love the fact that Denver completely revamped their linebacker corps. The LBs have been a weakpoint in Denver since 2006. It looks like Irving could step in a start right away too. If that happens, then this was a great pick.
-I have no problem with Denver taking Carter in the fourth round, but I was hoping they would have addressed their DTs in this round. They didn't and Carter could eventually replace Brian Dawkins at SS, and he could help on special teams.
-I was surprised to see the Broncos trade up and grab Julius Thomas, who is a project at TE. I hope he doesn't turn out to be the second version of Wesley Duke.
-Mike Mohamed in round six adds more LB depth and can help on special teams.
-The Virgil Green pick was applauded by many of the draft experts. I saw some mock drafts that had Green going in the fourth round, so to get him in round seven it was considered a steal. He might end up a better player than Thomas.
-Jeremy Beal was going in the third and fourth round of some other mock drafts, and the fact that Denver got him in the seventh round was a steal. Hopefully, he will make the team and contribute in some way.
-Overall, I hate draft grades, but I would have to say that Denver did well. They add at least 3 and probably four new starters. They totally revamped their LB unit and added some youth to their secondary. I'm happy with most of the picks, and I think this was a nice first draft for the Elway, Fox, and Xanders trio.

Here are my other thoughts and opinions on the rest of the 2011 NFL Draft:
-There is always a shocker in the top 10, and the first shock came when the Titans selected Jake Locker at number eight.
-The buzz was still there for Locker, but it kept going when Jacksonville traded up and took Blaine Gabbert. I thought it was a smart move by the Jags, and you can't win the division with David Garrard. Good job by Jacksonville looking towards the future.
-The buzz was still going when the biggest surprise happened next: The Vikings selecting Christian Ponder at number 12. The response from the crowd was hilarious, and even Jon Gruden got caught shaking his head on ESPN's telecast.
-The first seven picks were not surprising, but as soon as the Titans picked Locker, the draft started to gain some steam.
-The fact that Nick Fairley fell to the middle of the first round is really shocking. Fairley was going in the top three from about December all the way to the end of March. Fairley, Ndamukong Suh and Kyle Vandenbosch pose a nice trio upfront for the Lions in 2011.
-How about Da'quan Bowers falling all the way to the second round? Amazing that a month ago he was considered a top five pick.
-I love the Giants pick of Prince Amukamara at number 19. Not one mock draft dating back to October had him going past 10. You can never have enough corners in today's NFL.
-The Saints made a great move by trading up for Mark Ingram late in the 1st round. They got the best RB in the draft. Is Reggie Bush's days in New Orleans over?
-The Pats needed to get an impact WR or DE and they got neither. Stop blowing smoke up Bill Belichick's ass for the way he manipulates the draft. This was the perfect opportunity for the Pats to trade up and get A.J. Green, Julio Jones, Aldon Smith, or even Robert Quinn. They didn't do that, and I don't think they widened the gap between them and the Jets in the AFC East. Plus, everyone loves the Ryan Mallett pick in round three, but when is he going to contribute?
-The Browns followed the Belichick formula, and recouped a lot of picks, but where is their impact player? Phil Taylor, Jaball Sheard, and Greg Little are nice picks, but none of them is the impact or blue-chip player the Browns desperately need.
-The same teams always draft well and this year was no exception. The Giants got Amukamara and had Marvin Austin fall to them. The Packers nabbed Randal Cobb in round two. The Ravens got Jimmy Smith at the end of round one, and the Steelers got Cameron Heyward in round one. Also, the Eagles did well once again. The same teams do well every year.
-The networks have to stop showing the players on the cell phones before the picks get announced. It ruins the suspense of the announcement of the picks. Just wait until after Roger Goodell announces the picks to show the player's reaction.
-The Draft should be set up as follows: Rounds 1 and 2 on Friday, Rounds 3 and 4 on Saturday, and Rounds 5 through 7 on Sunday.

Broncos Select Von Miller Number 2 Overall

The NFL Draft began its' three day extravaganza last night. The Broncos selected Von Miller OLB out of Texas A&M with the second pick overall. By Wednesday, Miller to the Broncos really picked up steam, and by Thursday night it was all but a certainty that Denver was going to pick the NCAA's leading sacker. The Broncos desperately needed an impact player in their front seven. The Broncos currrently only have one All-Pro or "Blue Chip" player on their defensive front seven. Elvis Dumervil can't do it all by himself. The last time the Broncos had an All-Pro linebacker was Al Wilson, and he last played in 2006. I do like this pick because I feel that Miller can bring an instant impact to the game. I wouldn't have minded Marcel Dareus, the DT from Alabama, here either, but Denver instantly improves their defense and their pass rush with Miller. Miller will play outsided linebacker in John Fox's 4-3 scheme, and he will be a three down player. Miller will certainly earn his money by rushing the passer off the edge on third down and in nickel situations. People who criticize the pick are saying that Miller is more suited for an OLB in a 3-4 defense and not a 4-3. My response is that I'm pretty sure John Fox knows how to run a defense. He will find a way to get the most out of Miller's skills. Also, the impact of a pass rusher is greater then the impact of a defensive tackle. I like Dareus, but like Glenn Dorsey and Gerald McCoy he might not be able to make an impact right away for the Broncos defense. Miller, if he plays as well as advertised, can get to the QB and rush the passer. It will be a nice compliment to Dumervil coming off the other side. I am just glad Denver made a defensive choice and didn't do anything stupid at number two. I'm glad they didn't take Blaine Gabbert or A.J. Green. They need help badly on defense and their defense just got better last night with the pick of Miller. He has no major off the field concerns or character issues, so let's hope gets going right away in Denver and contributes from the start. Good first pick by the Broncos braintrust of John Elway, Brian Xanders, and John Fox. Now, hopefully Denver can get a solid DT in the second round with one of their two picks. A safety or offensive tackle could also be available with the second of their second round picks. Maybe the Broncos also address their TE position in round three. In any event, I feel the Broncos 2011 draft is off to a good start.

The Inaugural NFL Mock Draft!

I love the draft, and I love reading mock drafts as far back as October. I never actually did a mock draft myself because it is so hard to try and figure out trades and where certain guys are actually going to go. Last year was a perfect example. Many people had San Diego taking Ryan Matthews in the first round, but most people had the Chargers nabbing in late in the first round. The Chargers used some of their later picks and moved up to grab him higher in the first round. That threw off a lot of mock drafts. It is not an exact science, and I don't believe a lot of what teams say around this time, but it is going to be fun and give it a shot. Without further ado, here is my first ever NFL mock draft...........

Round 1:

1. Carolina Panthers select Cam Newton QB, Auburn.

-The Panthers need to make a splash and although they drafted Jimmy Clausen last year, Newton's upside, potential, and instant credibility give the Panthers something to build around.

2. Denver Broncos TRADE with San Francisco 49ers. Denver gets San Francisco's 7th overall, 2nd round pick (45th overall), and 5th round pick (141 overall).

San Francisco 49ers select Blaine Gabbert QB, Missouri.

-The Jim Harbaugh Era begins with a quarterback. The Niners move up from 7th to get Denver's 2nd overall pick. The Niners get their man to lead them into the future.

3. Buffalo Bills select Marcell Dareus DT, Alabama.

-The Bills get the best defensive player on the board to rebuild their awful defensive line. GM Buddy Nix loves the SEC, and he can't pass up on Dareus.

4. Cincinnati Bengals select A.J. Green WR, Georgia.

-The Bengals are ready to move on from both Chad Ochocinco and Carson Palmer. They missed out on Gabbert, but get the top wide receiver in the draft.

5. Arizona Cardianls select Von Miller LB, Texas A&M.

-The Cards will look to add a QB later in the 2nd round and will probably end up with Marc Bulger, so they grab the best linebacker in the draft in Miller. He will immediately improve their pass rush.

6. Cleveland Browns select Julio Jones WR, Alabama.

-The Browns need some offensive firepower and new head coach Pat Shurmur is an offensive coach and GM Mike Holmgren is an offensive guy as well. They have Colt McCoy and Peyton Hillis, and now they add Jones to form a nice trio of skill players on the offensive side of the ball.

7. Denver Broncos select Patrick Peterson CB, LSU.

-The Broncos traded back and still got one of their best players on the board. Denver will use some of their second round picks (3) to address their defensive line and front seven. The Broncos get a big time corner to bookend with All-Pro Champ Bailey.

8. Tennessee Titans select Nick Fairley DT, Auburn.

-The Titans wait on selecting a QB, and they add a potential blue-chipper in Fairley. He might finally be the perfect replacement for Albert Haynesworth.

9. Dallas Cowboys select Tyron Smith T, USC.

-The Cowboys are a still a talented team, so they need to just fill in some spots and they should be competitive in 2011. They need a tackle and they get the best one in the draft.

10. Washington Redskins TRADE with New England Patriots. Washington gets New England's 17th overall selection and New England's 3rd round selection (74th overall).

New England Patriots select Robert Quinn DE, North Carolina.

-Unable to get A.J Green or Julio Jones, Bill Belichick moves up and snags Quinn, who might have been a top-5 pick if he came out last year. The Pats desperately need a pass rusher and they get it with Quinn.

11. Houston Texans select Prince Amukamara CB, Nebraska.

-The Texans need a corner in the worst way, so they go for Amukamara and get him. He should be able to at least help the Texans' secondary is some way as a rookie.

12. Minnesota Vikings select Jake Locker QB, Washington.

-This might be the reach of the draft, but the Vikings can't go into next season with Joe Webb. With the lockout, they might not be able to get Donovan McNabb, so why take the chance. The Vikings need something to build on for the future- especially if they are trying to get a new stadium.

13. Detroit Lions select Aldon Smith DE, Missouri.

-Smith's stock has risen tremendously since the end of last season. He has the potential to be another dominant pass rusher. The Lions will add him with Kyle Vandenbosch and Ndamukong Suh on that suddenly nasty D-Line.

14. St. Louis Rams select Corey Liuget DT, Illinois.

-Liuget is a legit player on the defensive line. The Rams need help on the interior of the line, and Liuget fills that area of need.

15. Miami Dolphins TRADE with San Diego Chargers. Miami gets San Diego's first round pick (18th overall) and San Diego's 3rd round pick (89th overall).

San Diego Chargers select Ryan Kerrigan DE, Purdue.

-A.J. Smith needs some help in the pass rushing department to go alongside Shaun Phillips. They move up to get Kerrigan, a high-motor guy, who was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.

16. Jacksonville Jaguars select Cameron Jordan DE, California.

-The Jags probably wanted Kerrigan, but they will settle for Jordan, who projects to be a very solid pass rusher, and the Jaguars need help in their pass rush.

17. Washington Redskins select J.J Watt DE, Wisconsin.

-Mike Shanahan moved back too far and missed out on Jake Locker. He will try to get one later in the first round, but he gets a solid DE in Watt, who will be able to help out in the 3-4 scheme.

18. Miami Dolphins select Mark Ingram RB, Alabama.

-A lot of experts have the Fish getting Ingram at some point in this draft. They will lose Ricky Williams, so why not add the best running back in the draft.

19. New York Giants select Anthony Castonzo T, Boston College.

-The Giants need to retool their offensive line, and Castonzo fills that need. He also is versatile and can play guard as well.

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers select Da'Quan Bowers DE, Clemson.

-The Bucs gets Bowers, who falls all the way to number 20 overall. Bowers' mentor was Gaines Adams, the former Bucs first round pick from a few years back. Bowers' knee uncertainty helped in his freefall from a top five pick, but if he is healthy he could really help out that young Buccaneer defense.

21. Kansas City Chiefs select Gabe Carimi T, Wisconsin.

-The Chiefs need help at WR and Tackle, but they will address their need for receiver later on in the 2nd round. They grab Carimi to fill their need at RT.

22. Indianapolis Colts TRADE with the New York Jets. Indianapolis receives the Jets 30th overall selection and the Jets 3rd round selection (94th overall).

New York Jets select Jimmy Smith CB, Colorado

-The Jets have many free agents to sign in the offseason, so they will discard their 3rd round draft pick to move up and get the best cornerback left in the draft. They probably will end up losing Antonio Cromartie, and last year they selected Kyle Wilson, who didn't distinguish himself at all. Smith, has many character concerns, but Rex Ryan won't mind adding him to that locker room. Smith complements Darrelle Revis nicely in the secondary for the Jets.

23. Philadelphia Eagles select Derek Sherrod T, Mississippi State.

-The Eagles miss out on a corner, so they go with Sherrod to help protect Michael Vick and improve that offensive line. The Eagles have two picks in each of the fourth and fifth round, so look for them to move up in the second or third round and make a move for a cornerback.

24. New Orleans Saints select Adrian Clayborn DE, Iowa.

-The Saints need help on the D-Line, so they add a pass rusher, who has a tremendous amount of potential. This could a steal here late in the first round.

25. Seattle Seahawks select Muhammad Wilkerson DL, Temple.

-The Seahawks need to fill a gap on the defensive line and Wilkerson's name has been mentioned at all different spots in the first round.

26. Baltimore Ravens TRADE with Chicago Bears. Baltimore gets Chicago's 1st round pick (29th overall) and their 4th round pick (127th overall).

Chicago Bears select Nate Solder T, Colorado.

-The Bears desperately need help on the offensive line, especially at tackle. They had to address that early on, and they move up to grab Solder. Solder should come in and start right away for the Bears.

27. Atlanta Falcons select Justin Houston DE/OLB, Georgia.

-The Falcons need to add some depth to their pass rush, and Houston could fit that bill and create quite a tandem with John Abraham. At 13-3, there aren't many holes in Atlanta's program, so they just build upon what they have going.

28. New England Patriots select Mike Pouncey C/G, Florida.

-The Pats will probably trade this pick, but if they stay then they grab Pouncey, who instantly helps and starts on their offensive line.

29. Baltimore Ravens TRADE with Washington Redskins. Baltimore gets Washington's 2nd round pick (41st overall).

Washington Redskins select Christian Ponder QB, Florida State.

-Mike Shanahan needs to get a QB in the first few rounds of this draft. Ponder played in a pro-style offense at FSU. Shanahan can have Ponder compete with Rex Grossman, and if there is anyone who can develop quarterbacks, Shanny is one guy that can do it.

30. Indianapolis Colts select Danny Watkins G, Baylor.

-This might be a reach for the Colts to get Watkins, but they need to address their O-Line in the first round.

31. Pittsburgh Steelers select Aaron Williams CB, Texas.

-You can never have enough help in the secondary in today's NFL. The Steelers front seven in superb, but the back end of their defense can be suspect on the corners. Williams is versatile and can possibly play safety too.

32. Green Bay Packers select Cameron Heyward DE, Ohio State.

-The Packers need to add some help on their defensive line, and Heyward could be that guy. He was considered a top-15 pick in the fall, but he drops to the end of the first round. He fills a void left by Johnny Jolly and possibly Cullen Jenkins.

Here are some of my other predictions for other rounds of the draft:

1) Miami Dolphins will end up selecting Andy Dalton QB, TCU in the second round. They will package their 3rd round picks to get into the second and get Dalton.

2) Ryan Mallett will end up going to the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round. Cincy will need to grab a QB, and they will get him in round 2.

3) Tennessee will address the QB situation in the 3rd round when they select Colin Kaepernick out of Nevada.

4) The Broncos should use their 3 second round picks on: Marvin Austin DT, North Carolina, Kyle Rudolph TE, Notre Dame, and Bruce Carter LB North Carolina.

2011 NFL NETWORK THURSDAY NIGHT SCHEDULE

Here is the NFL Network's slate of games for the 2011 season on Thursday Night Football.....

Week 10: 11/10- Oakland at San Diego- 8:20pm

Week 11: 11/17- NY Jets at Denver- 8:20pm

Week 12: 11/24- Baltimore at San Francisco- 8:20pm

Week 13: 12/1- Philadelphia at Seattle- 8:20pm

Week 14: 12/8- Cleveland at Pittsburgh- 8:20pm

Week 15: 12/15- Jacksonville at Atlanta- 8:20pm

Saturday 12/17- Dallas at Tampa Bay- 8:20pm

Week 16: 12/22- Houston at Indianapolis- 8:20pm

-NFL Network at least tries to spread the wealth around and this slate of games is no different.

-Raiders/Chargers is a nice way to start the games off, and the Raiders should be improved.

-I love the Jets at Denver game. It will be a tough game for the Jets and the short week could level the playing field for the Broncos.

-The Thanksgiving game doesn't do much for me, but it will be at least interesting to see the Harbaugh brothers battle each other.

-Philly at Seattle has all the makings of a stinker on December 1st.

-Browns/Steelers is a solid matchup, and I thought that was going to be the TNF Thanksgiving game. I missed it by a week.

-Jacksonville at Atlanta is pretty weak in my opinion on December 15th.

-Dallas always gets the Saturday Night game for NFL Network. They have the last three in a row (Baltimore, at New Orleans, at Arizona).

-Houston at Indy is a nice way to end the schedule because it will be interesting to see if Houston is in the mix for a playoff berth.

-Overall, a decent schedule of games, but not one game really stands out as a must watch game, except for the Broncos-Jets matchup on November 17th of course.

2011 NBC Sunday Night Football Schedule

Here is the Sunday Night Football on NBC schedule for 2011........

Week 1: Thursday Night Opener-9/8: New Orleans at Green Bay

Week 1: 9/11- Dallas at New York Jets- 8:20pm

Week 2: 9/18- Philadelphia at Atlanta- 8:20pm

Week 3: 9/25- Pittsburgh at Indianapolis- 8:20pm

Week 4: 10/2- New York Jets at Baltimore- 8:20pm

Week 5: 10/9- Green Bay at Atlanta- 8:20pm

Week 6: 10/16- Minnesota at Chicago- 8:20pm

Week 7: 10/23- Indianapolis at New Orleans- 8:20pm

Week 8: 10/30- Dallas at Philadelphia- 8:20pm

Week 9: 11/6- Baltimore at Pittsburgh- 8:20pm

Week 10: 11/13- New England at New York Jets- 8:20pm

Week 11: 11/20- Philadelphia at New York Giants- 8:20pm

Week 12: 11/27- Pittsburgh at Kansas City- 8:20pm

Week 13: 12/4- Indianapolis at New England- 8:20pm

Week 14: 12/11- New York Giants at Dallas- 8:20pm

Week 15: 12/18- Baltimore at San Diego- 8:20pm

Week 16: 12/25- Chicago at Green Bay- 8:20pm

Week 17: 1/1- FLEX SCHEDULE GAME- TO BE DETERMINED- 8:20pm

-I picked Chicago at Green Bay for the opener, but I am not surprised that New Orleans was picked to head to Lambeau Field. It is a rare opportunity to start the season with the last two Super Bowl Champions, so the NFL might a good choice with that one.

-I do like the Jets hosting Dallas to start the season, but I'm sorry but the NFL should have went with Jets/Giants on 9/11 on SNF to start the year.

-You knew NBC was going to fight to get Michael Vick's return to Atlanta. Plus, it is Week 2 so the game will be very good early on.

-NBC gets another gem in Week 3. Steelers at Indy is a marquee game in the entire NFL season, and it is going to be center stage early for NBC.

-I love the Week 4 game between the Jets and Ravens. Two AFC powerhouses squaring off on SNF.

-NBC continues its' strong lineup with a great Green Bay at Atlanta game in Week 5. A rematch of last year's NFC Divisional Playoff won by the Packers.

-Week 6 is a little weak for me because I don't think the Vikings are going to have much juice this year. Even if they get Donovan McNabb, they aren't going to command the attention they had the last two years with Brett Favre.

-Week 7 is a great matchup with Peyton Manning returning to his roots at New Orleans. The networks love Super Bowl rematches, and NBC gets a good one as these two teams meet for the first time since Super Bowl XLIV.

-Week 8 gives you the typical NFC East matchup between Dallas and Philly. No surprise there at all.

-Ravens and Steelers deserve to have a SNF matchup and you get one in Week 9.

-Week 10 brings us the Pats and the Jets from the Meadowlands. This is one of the hotter feuds in the NFL, and it definitely deserves its' own SNF game on NBC. This should be a ratings giant for NBC that week.

-The Eagles return to the scene of the crime as they head to New York to take on the Giants in Week 11. Two NFC East contenders meeting is a huge plus for NBC.

-Pittsburgh at KC in Week 12 looks pretty good now, but I am skeptical about the Chiefs this season. That could be a dud on November 27th.

-The rivalry renewed in the NFL and on NBC. SNF gets the Colts-Pats after CBS got it last year. You knew NBC was going to their hands on this game. Plus, it is in early December, so that should add to the importance of it.

-Giants at Cowboys is pretty much a SNF standard at this point. Remember the rule for NBC: When in doubt, just go with the NFC East.

-Baltimore at San Diego is not the sexiest matchup on the schedule, but it definitely has potential to be a huge game in the AFC in Week 15.

-Chicago at Green Bay was my pick for the Thursday Night Opener, but they decided to use it for Christmas Night which is not a bad choice at all. Bears-Packers on Christmas Night in Lambeau sounds like a pretty good matchup for me.

-Week 17 is such a crapshoot that there really is no point in trying to pick which game will be flexed in. Not too many predicted that St.Louis at Seattle would be the choice last year.

2011 Monday Night Football Schedule

Here is the 2011 Monday Night Football lineup on ESPN. I'll add some thoughts on it at the end.

Week 1: Monday 9/12: New England at Miami- 7:15pm

Oakland at Denver- 10:15pm

Week 2: 9/19: St. Louis at New York Giants- 8:30pm

Week 3: 9/26: Washington at Dallas- 8:30pm

Week 4: 10/3: Indianapolis at Tampa Bay- 8:30pm

Week 5: 10/10: Chicago at Detroit- 8:30pm

Week 6: 10/17: Miami at New York Jets- 8:30pm

Week 7: 10/24: Baltimore at Jacksonville- 8:30pm

Week 8: 10/31: San Diego at Kansas City- 8:30pm

Week 9: 11/7: Chicago at Philadelphia- 8:30pm

Week 10: 11/14: Minnesota at Green Bay- 8:30pm

Week 11: 11/21: Kansas City at New England- 8:30pm

Week 12: 11/28: New York Giants at New Orleans- 8:30pm

Week 13: 12/5: San Diego at Jacksonville- 8:30pm

Week 14: 12/12: St.Louis at Seattle- 8:30pm

Week 15: 12/19: Pittsburgh at San Francisco

Week 16: 12/26: Atlanta at New Orleans

Thoughts and opinions:

-Pretty good Monday Night Football lineup. I like the NE/Miami matchup to start the year and lead in to the Denver game.

-It is nice to see the NFL give the Rams some primetime exposure and sending them to the Meadowlands in Week 2.

-Indy at Tampa Bay in Week 4 brings back memories of the famous comeback game by Peyton Manning in 2003.

-Detroit gets a Monday Night game for the first time since 2001, and they get to host the Bears in Week 5.

-You can't wrong with Jets/Dolphins in Week 6.

-I'm not a fan of Baltimore at Jacksonville in Week 7. I don't need to see the Jags on MNF anymore.

-Nice to see Arrowhead get another home MNF game in Week 8 on Halloween vs. San Diego.

-Chicago at Philly in Week 9 on November 7th should be a good matchup.

-I have no interest in Minnesota this season. I was surprised that they got a MNF game at Green Bay in Week 10.

-Kansas City at New England looks good on paper, but by the time these two teams meet in Week 11, KC could be heading for a bad season.

-G-Men at New Orleans should be a good Monday Nighter in Week 12 on November 28th.

-San Diego at Jacksonville is an awful MNF game. Bad choice by ESPN and the NFL for Week 13.

-Can't say that I am pumped for St.Louis at Seattle in Week 14 either.

-If Jim Harbaugh can finally turn around the Niners, then their Week 15 game on December 19th at home against Pittsburgh could be fun.

-The final Monday Night Football matchup pits Atlanta at New Orleans in Week 16. It is the day after Christmas, so it should be a fun setting down in the Superdome. It should be a matchup of two teams fighting for the NFC South crown.