Cardinals vs. Steelers.
Whisenhunt vs. Tomlin.
Warner vs. Roethlisberger.
My accuracy in picking winners vs. reality.
Okay, so that last one isn't a storyline going into Sunday's Super Bowl (the 43rd of its kind), but with my 5-5 record in the playoffs, this pick will determine my success rate. Last year, I picked the Patriots to win, even though I desperately wanted them to lose - what with the cheating and all. And I was wrong - happily, I might add.
This year, I freely admit I am pulling for the Cardinals. How can you not cheer for a franchise as pathetic as this? The Cards make the Leafs look like a successful franchise when you look at their respective histories.
This is a team which hosted its first playoff game in 61 years this season, then hosted their second 2 weeks later.
This is a team with a quarterback who was left for retired 3 years ago and who wasn't the starter when training camp began.
This is a team with as many names before the word "Cardinals" as the Bills have AFC championships (Chicago, St. Louis, Phoenix, Arizona).
This is a team that won their last championship in 1947.
This is a team to root for.
But they are playing the Steelers, the epitomy of success in the NFL. With a 5-1 Super Bowl record, they are tied with the 49ers for most Lombardi trophies (although San Francisco is 5-0 in the big game). A win on Sunday cements Pittsburgh as the league's best team all-time.
A team that found a way to beat the Seahawks 3 years ago for this trophy, even with its quarterback having an awful game (after all, the most important throw in that game was by Antwan Randle-El).
This is a team that didn't do anything special all year, except win when it mattered.
So who will win?
My heart says Arizona. My head says Pittsburgh. I'll go with my head in the hopes, like last year, it is wrong.
Pittsburgh Steelers 30, Arizona Cardinals 24.
Record: 5-5
Showing posts with label NFL. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NFL. Show all posts
Friday, January 30, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Will The Real NFL Champion Please Stand Up?
So, after 17 weeks of punishing regular season play and 2 weeks of playoffs, only 4 teams are left in the race for the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
In the AFC, perennial favourites Pittsburgh host resurgent Baltimore in an AFC North battle which, like last week's Ravens/Titans game, will likely see the first team to hit 10 points win.
In the NFC, the most unlikely of matchups: The 6 seed Eagles, who needed the Bears and Bucs to lose on the last day (to the Texans and Raiders, no less) and to beat the Cowboys just to make the playoffs, visit the worst franchise in the history of professional football for the NFC Championship. The Arizona/St. Louis/Chicago Cardinals franchise took 61 years in between hosting playoff games. They'll now host their second in three weeks.
I'm 4-4, so you have to be impressed with my consistency.
AFC - Ravens @ Steelers: In recent weeks, the Ravens have always seemed to find a way to win, but, with the Steelers winning both matchups this season, I think Baltimore will be hard pressed to knock out the Steelers. Steelers 16, Ravens 12.
NFC - Eagles @ Cardinals: Anyone who said these two teams would meet in the NFC title game at the beginning of the season, let alone when the playoffs began, was either very lucky or very good. Like these two teams, I'm going with the former. Arizona's strength all year has been their play at home, but the Eagles seem like a team of destiny. I planned to pick Arizona all week, but I'm changing my mind. Which never goes well... Eagles 27, Cardinals 23.
Record: 4-4
In the AFC, perennial favourites Pittsburgh host resurgent Baltimore in an AFC North battle which, like last week's Ravens/Titans game, will likely see the first team to hit 10 points win.
In the NFC, the most unlikely of matchups: The 6 seed Eagles, who needed the Bears and Bucs to lose on the last day (to the Texans and Raiders, no less) and to beat the Cowboys just to make the playoffs, visit the worst franchise in the history of professional football for the NFC Championship. The Arizona/St. Louis/Chicago Cardinals franchise took 61 years in between hosting playoff games. They'll now host their second in three weeks.
I'm 4-4, so you have to be impressed with my consistency.
AFC - Ravens @ Steelers: In recent weeks, the Ravens have always seemed to find a way to win, but, with the Steelers winning both matchups this season, I think Baltimore will be hard pressed to knock out the Steelers. Steelers 16, Ravens 12.
NFC - Eagles @ Cardinals: Anyone who said these two teams would meet in the NFC title game at the beginning of the season, let alone when the playoffs began, was either very lucky or very good. Like these two teams, I'm going with the former. Arizona's strength all year has been their play at home, but the Eagles seem like a team of destiny. I planned to pick Arizona all week, but I'm changing my mind. Which never goes well... Eagles 27, Cardinals 23.
Record: 4-4
Thursday, January 8, 2009
NFL Divisional Weekend
Okay, so 2-2 isn't all bad for my first round of predictions in a while (of the first round, no less), but I'd still like to improve that this weekend. Say, 3-1?
AFC
(6) Baltimore @ (1) Tennessee: Since the Titans lost at home to the Jets (which seems horrible looking back), Tennessee hasn't really shown themselves against a strong team. Baltimore, meanwhile, showed why defence wins championships. Yes, I still don't trust the Titans. Ravens 16, Titans 13.
(4) San Diego @ (2) Pittsburgh: As soon as the Colts were eliminated by the Chargers on Saturday night, I said to myself: Okay, so now it's the Steelers going to the Super Bowl. Even with Big Ben coming off a concussion and the last meeting between these teams being a 1 point game, I still like Pittsburgh. Steelers 17, Chargers 9.
NFC
(6) Philadelphia @ (1) New York: Say what you want about the Plaxico distraction, the slide down the stretch, and the difficulty of repeating as champs, but New York is still the league's best team, and I don't trust Philly to win 3 straight games against good teams. Giants 27, Eagles 19.
(4) Arizona @ (2) Carolina: The fact that one of these teams is guaranteed a spot in the NFC Championship game speaks to how far back these two were last year. But, alas, here they are. The Cards won't pull it off again, especially with the vaunted Panther running game and the fact that Arizona is horrible on the East Coast. Panthers 34, Cardinals 10.
Record: 2-2
AFC
(6) Baltimore @ (1) Tennessee: Since the Titans lost at home to the Jets (which seems horrible looking back), Tennessee hasn't really shown themselves against a strong team. Baltimore, meanwhile, showed why defence wins championships. Yes, I still don't trust the Titans. Ravens 16, Titans 13.
(4) San Diego @ (2) Pittsburgh: As soon as the Colts were eliminated by the Chargers on Saturday night, I said to myself: Okay, so now it's the Steelers going to the Super Bowl. Even with Big Ben coming off a concussion and the last meeting between these teams being a 1 point game, I still like Pittsburgh. Steelers 17, Chargers 9.
NFC
(6) Philadelphia @ (1) New York: Say what you want about the Plaxico distraction, the slide down the stretch, and the difficulty of repeating as champs, but New York is still the league's best team, and I don't trust Philly to win 3 straight games against good teams. Giants 27, Eagles 19.
(4) Arizona @ (2) Carolina: The fact that one of these teams is guaranteed a spot in the NFC Championship game speaks to how far back these two were last year. But, alas, here they are. The Cards won't pull it off again, especially with the vaunted Panther running game and the fact that Arizona is horrible on the East Coast. Panthers 34, Cardinals 10.
Record: 2-2
Sunday, December 28, 2008
From The End Comes A New Beginning
The NFL regular season is now over, setting up one of the more interesting playoff years in recent memory. With no clear-cut favourite in either conference, this weekend's wild-card (or, if you prefer, "wild card") matchups could produce one or both of this year's Super Bowl finalists.
Last year, the #5 seed Giants won 3 straight road games to reach the Super Bowl; the #6 Steelers did the same thing the year before. Will history repeat itself this year?
AFC
(5) Indianapolis @ (4) San Diego: The Colts have the best chance to follow in the Giants' and Steelers' footsteps and reach the Super Bowl. They've won 9 straight and have the likely league MVP behind centre. The Chargers have won 4 straight, but not against any team as good as the Colts. Colts 41, Chargers 31.
(6) Baltimore @ (3) Miami: The battle of "really, they're in the playoffs?" A lot of people seem to think Miami will simply be happy to be in the post-season and not put up much of a fight against the Ravens, but I disagree. Miami has all the pieces in place to pull off a win here, even if Baltimore did win in Miami this year. Dolphins 17, Ravens 13.
NFC
(5) Atlanta @ (4) Arizona: When it's your first home playoff game in your current state, and you moved there in the 70's, you know it's a big moment. Atlanta may be the more talented team (really, Atlanta? Did I just write that?), but Arizona will be pumped to be at home, where they were dominant this year, and Atlanta has a young team that may falter in the playoffs. It'll be close. Cardinals 31, Falcons 27.
(6) Philadelphia @ (3) Minnesota: Honestly, I can't trust Philadelphia. One week they dominate Dallas, another week they tie Cincinnati. But against Minnesota, they should be able to pull it out. Eagles 23, Vikings 17.
Last year, the #5 seed Giants won 3 straight road games to reach the Super Bowl; the #6 Steelers did the same thing the year before. Will history repeat itself this year?
AFC
(5) Indianapolis @ (4) San Diego: The Colts have the best chance to follow in the Giants' and Steelers' footsteps and reach the Super Bowl. They've won 9 straight and have the likely league MVP behind centre. The Chargers have won 4 straight, but not against any team as good as the Colts. Colts 41, Chargers 31.
(6) Baltimore @ (3) Miami: The battle of "really, they're in the playoffs?" A lot of people seem to think Miami will simply be happy to be in the post-season and not put up much of a fight against the Ravens, but I disagree. Miami has all the pieces in place to pull off a win here, even if Baltimore did win in Miami this year. Dolphins 17, Ravens 13.
NFC
(5) Atlanta @ (4) Arizona: When it's your first home playoff game in your current state, and you moved there in the 70's, you know it's a big moment. Atlanta may be the more talented team (really, Atlanta? Did I just write that?), but Arizona will be pumped to be at home, where they were dominant this year, and Atlanta has a young team that may falter in the playoffs. It'll be close. Cardinals 31, Falcons 27.
(6) Philadelphia @ (3) Minnesota: Honestly, I can't trust Philadelphia. One week they dominate Dallas, another week they tie Cincinnati. But against Minnesota, they should be able to pull it out. Eagles 23, Vikings 17.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
So, We Meet Again...
Okay, it's obviously been a long time since I've posted anything on here, but with full time school and a full time internship (at TSN, no less), it's been hard to find the time to post my thoughts on the world of sports.
So, without further adieu...
- CC Sabathia signed with the Evil Empire today, 7 years @ over 160 mill. Not bad work in today's tough economic times if you can get it. Makes you wonder where that Sabathia to the Dodgers talk on Sunday came from. After weeks of speculation about CC's love of batting and wish to play in Southern California, it turns out in the end that money speaks louder than anything else. Or maybe it's just because pinstripes are slimming.
- With Sabathia and K-Rod (to the Mets) off the MLB free agent list, A.J. Burnett is likely the next big fish to find a new pond. Reports today put the Yanks and Braves 1-2 in the sweepstakes for the overrated right-hander, and it's anyone's guess where Burnett will end up. I'd love to see him join New York, just so long-suffering Blue Jays fans can watch him crash and burn in the Big Apple.
- Speaking of the Jays, a heartfelt goodbye to Ted Rogers. I worked for his company for 6 years, and while I never met the man, the one time he spoke to a group of us on a conference call really picked up the troops. He will be missed.
- While I was writing that, Nicklas Lidstrom won the Wings-Flames game for his team in overtime. And I cheered - not for the Wings win or the Flames loss, but for Lidstrom's game-winning goal for my fantasy hockey team. Sports have a much different meaning now with the advent of fantasy games.
- Was Bills in Toronto a flop? No, no, a thousand times no. Just because the game was garbage doesn't mean the experiment failed. The stadium was full (mostly) and we were able to showcase our city to the United States for something beside hockey. If the Bills hadn't put up a horrendous effort (7 days after another horrendous effort), we'd be praising how strong the experiment was. And to those who a) wanted the dome roof open or b) complained that the closed roof favoured the visiting Dolphins...grow up. Sunday was the coldest days of the year so far, and I doubt 50,000 people would have preferred sitting outside in that just to give their adopted home team a perceived advantage.
- Michael Phelps won the SI Sportsman of the Year. Chantal Petitclerc won the Toronto Star's Lou Marsh Award. It's almost like in Olympic years, no other sports matter.
- Does golf season ever end?
- This year's Winter Classic between Detroit and Chicago from Wrigley Field will get better ratings than last year's game by a mile... and will pass whichever college football game it is up against that afternoon. Mark my words. And if they put it in a Canadian city next year, the ratings will collapse. But put it in Yankee Stadium or Fenway Park...watch out.
- Why is no one talking about the Carolina Panthers for the Super Bowl this year?
- Why is everyone still talking about the New York Jets for the Super Bowl this year?
- There's lots of talk about salaries being cut because of the economic problems, but why is no one talking contraction in leagues? Both the NHL and the NBA have franchises which don't draw nearly enough people to sustain themselves now, and contraction will improve their talent pools immensely. And for the record, those franchises are Nashville, Florida, Atlanta, Tampa Bay, Phoenix and the Islanders for the NHL and Memphis, New Orleans, Charlotte, and Atlanta for the NBA.
- I'm the first one on board for the "let's get rid of Sean Avery from the NHL" train, but... If there's a belief that Avery needs "psychological help", then why hasn't it happened yet? There seems to be such a stigma in professional sports regarding mental illness, and to me, the perception is along the lines of homosexuality: the law of averages say it's there, but no one talks about it. If Avery does have some sort of mental illness, and he wishes to treat it, then we all need to back off. And maybe, in the long run, something like this will open the door for players to openly admit that they have issues with mental illness.
So, without further adieu...
- CC Sabathia signed with the Evil Empire today, 7 years @ over 160 mill. Not bad work in today's tough economic times if you can get it. Makes you wonder where that Sabathia to the Dodgers talk on Sunday came from. After weeks of speculation about CC's love of batting and wish to play in Southern California, it turns out in the end that money speaks louder than anything else. Or maybe it's just because pinstripes are slimming.
- With Sabathia and K-Rod (to the Mets) off the MLB free agent list, A.J. Burnett is likely the next big fish to find a new pond. Reports today put the Yanks and Braves 1-2 in the sweepstakes for the overrated right-hander, and it's anyone's guess where Burnett will end up. I'd love to see him join New York, just so long-suffering Blue Jays fans can watch him crash and burn in the Big Apple.
- Speaking of the Jays, a heartfelt goodbye to Ted Rogers. I worked for his company for 6 years, and while I never met the man, the one time he spoke to a group of us on a conference call really picked up the troops. He will be missed.
- While I was writing that, Nicklas Lidstrom won the Wings-Flames game for his team in overtime. And I cheered - not for the Wings win or the Flames loss, but for Lidstrom's game-winning goal for my fantasy hockey team. Sports have a much different meaning now with the advent of fantasy games.
- Was Bills in Toronto a flop? No, no, a thousand times no. Just because the game was garbage doesn't mean the experiment failed. The stadium was full (mostly) and we were able to showcase our city to the United States for something beside hockey. If the Bills hadn't put up a horrendous effort (7 days after another horrendous effort), we'd be praising how strong the experiment was. And to those who a) wanted the dome roof open or b) complained that the closed roof favoured the visiting Dolphins...grow up. Sunday was the coldest days of the year so far, and I doubt 50,000 people would have preferred sitting outside in that just to give their adopted home team a perceived advantage.
- Michael Phelps won the SI Sportsman of the Year. Chantal Petitclerc won the Toronto Star's Lou Marsh Award. It's almost like in Olympic years, no other sports matter.
- Does golf season ever end?
- This year's Winter Classic between Detroit and Chicago from Wrigley Field will get better ratings than last year's game by a mile... and will pass whichever college football game it is up against that afternoon. Mark my words. And if they put it in a Canadian city next year, the ratings will collapse. But put it in Yankee Stadium or Fenway Park...watch out.
- Why is no one talking about the Carolina Panthers for the Super Bowl this year?
- Why is everyone still talking about the New York Jets for the Super Bowl this year?
- There's lots of talk about salaries being cut because of the economic problems, but why is no one talking contraction in leagues? Both the NHL and the NBA have franchises which don't draw nearly enough people to sustain themselves now, and contraction will improve their talent pools immensely. And for the record, those franchises are Nashville, Florida, Atlanta, Tampa Bay, Phoenix and the Islanders for the NHL and Memphis, New Orleans, Charlotte, and Atlanta for the NBA.
- I'm the first one on board for the "let's get rid of Sean Avery from the NHL" train, but... If there's a belief that Avery needs "psychological help", then why hasn't it happened yet? There seems to be such a stigma in professional sports regarding mental illness, and to me, the perception is along the lines of homosexuality: the law of averages say it's there, but no one talks about it. If Avery does have some sort of mental illness, and he wishes to treat it, then we all need to back off. And maybe, in the long run, something like this will open the door for players to openly admit that they have issues with mental illness.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Top 10 Most Overrated Active Athletes
10) Michael Phelps - Swimming: Yes, 8 gold medals is quite an extraordinary achievement. But guys who finished 4th and 5th were breaking world records in that pool as well. Something tells me if Phelps was Chinese, we'd be questioning his age.
9) Maria Sharapova - Tennis: For all the accolades Ms. Sharapova receives, her domination seems to come only when the Williams sisters are off their game, either literally or mentally. If she recovers from her current injury well enough to beat them at Wimbledon next year, I'll be a believer.
8) Rick Nash - Columbus Blue Jackets: The former 1st-overall pick has only been a plus player twice in his pro career - with a + 5 and a + 2 last year, with no playoff appearances for his Blue Jackets. Add in that his highest point total was last year with 69, and it's easy to see why he shouldn't have a team built around him.
7) Donovan McNabb - Philadelphia Eagles: Too many injuries (only 3 seasons where he started all 16 games) and no ring means he shouldn't be put into the upper echelon like he is.
6) A.J. Burnett - Toronto Blue Jays: It's easy to get a career high in wins when you don't go the distance once all year and baseball's best pen is behind you. Halladay went the distance 9 times, A.J. - 0.
5) Michelle Wie - Golf: This one's hard because it's not really her fault. She's been placed as a sponsor's exemption in second-tier men's events rather than play with her own gender. Thankfully, her success at Q-school is the first step to getting back on track.
4) Francisco Rodriguez - Los Angeles Angels: Also not K-Rod's fault that he's here. His "record" 62 saves are impressive, yes, but playing on a great team helps. Not to mention the rule that even with a 3 run cushion, a save can still be recorded. He'll get a huge offer from a number of teams - the largest from the Mets, I'm sure, after this year's failures from the pen - and a decent number of pitchers could likely set the same record on this Angels team.
3) Brett Favre - New York Jets: It's hard to write this one after his 6 TD performance against Arizona today (although it would have been less had the Cards, you know, covered anybody), but Mr. Favre holds all the bad records for quarterbacks as well as the good ones. That comes with his Ripken-like starting streak and the natural law of numbers. If you play more than everybody else, you'll set more records than they will. He does get points, though, for saying today "Don't book your Super Bowl tickets yet."
2) Tom Brady - New England Patriots: Brady's inclusion on this list is tied to the performance of Matt Cassel, who so far has been good, not great, for the Pats. If Cassel improves as I think he will and leads the Patriots to the playoffs, Brady's mystique is gone forever.
1) Phil Mickelson - Golf: The reason Phil Mickelson is so popular is because of his endearing personality. Everyone loves him, and I think he's a very engaging character. His 34 PGA tour wins help his fame, but after finally breaking through the majors wall by winning 3, Phil has faded. He only has 2 wins this year, even without the omnipresent Tiger Woods over his shoulder. Everyone wants a rival for Tiger, like we have with Federer and Nadal in tennis. The only problem, Tiger has no rival, no equal. He is the best golfer ever, period. And much like Sergio Garcia (who narrowly missed this list), Phil Mickelson is rated higher by the media and by fans because of that desire.
9) Maria Sharapova - Tennis: For all the accolades Ms. Sharapova receives, her domination seems to come only when the Williams sisters are off their game, either literally or mentally. If she recovers from her current injury well enough to beat them at Wimbledon next year, I'll be a believer.
8) Rick Nash - Columbus Blue Jackets: The former 1st-overall pick has only been a plus player twice in his pro career - with a + 5 and a + 2 last year, with no playoff appearances for his Blue Jackets. Add in that his highest point total was last year with 69, and it's easy to see why he shouldn't have a team built around him.
7) Donovan McNabb - Philadelphia Eagles: Too many injuries (only 3 seasons where he started all 16 games) and no ring means he shouldn't be put into the upper echelon like he is.
6) A.J. Burnett - Toronto Blue Jays: It's easy to get a career high in wins when you don't go the distance once all year and baseball's best pen is behind you. Halladay went the distance 9 times, A.J. - 0.
5) Michelle Wie - Golf: This one's hard because it's not really her fault. She's been placed as a sponsor's exemption in second-tier men's events rather than play with her own gender. Thankfully, her success at Q-school is the first step to getting back on track.
4) Francisco Rodriguez - Los Angeles Angels: Also not K-Rod's fault that he's here. His "record" 62 saves are impressive, yes, but playing on a great team helps. Not to mention the rule that even with a 3 run cushion, a save can still be recorded. He'll get a huge offer from a number of teams - the largest from the Mets, I'm sure, after this year's failures from the pen - and a decent number of pitchers could likely set the same record on this Angels team.
3) Brett Favre - New York Jets: It's hard to write this one after his 6 TD performance against Arizona today (although it would have been less had the Cards, you know, covered anybody), but Mr. Favre holds all the bad records for quarterbacks as well as the good ones. That comes with his Ripken-like starting streak and the natural law of numbers. If you play more than everybody else, you'll set more records than they will. He does get points, though, for saying today "Don't book your Super Bowl tickets yet."
2) Tom Brady - New England Patriots: Brady's inclusion on this list is tied to the performance of Matt Cassel, who so far has been good, not great, for the Pats. If Cassel improves as I think he will and leads the Patriots to the playoffs, Brady's mystique is gone forever.
1) Phil Mickelson - Golf: The reason Phil Mickelson is so popular is because of his endearing personality. Everyone loves him, and I think he's a very engaging character. His 34 PGA tour wins help his fame, but after finally breaking through the majors wall by winning 3, Phil has faded. He only has 2 wins this year, even without the omnipresent Tiger Woods over his shoulder. Everyone wants a rival for Tiger, like we have with Federer and Nadal in tennis. The only problem, Tiger has no rival, no equal. He is the best golfer ever, period. And much like Sergio Garcia (who narrowly missed this list), Phil Mickelson is rated higher by the media and by fans because of that desire.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Paging Mr. Bledsoe
It was made official today - Tom Brady's knee injury suffered in yesterday's game against the Chiefs is serious enough to make the reigning MVP miss the rest of the season.
The scuttlebutt around the media today is centered around the "other" teams in the AFC, who now have a chance to win the conference - and even the division.
Now, let me take you back to '01. Patriots star quarterback Drew Bledsoe goes down early in the season. Previously unknown 6th-round pick from Michigan (where he backed up Drew Henson) takes the reigns and leads New England to the Super Bowl.
Now, fast forward to today. Patriots star quarterback Tom Brady goes down early in the season. Previously unknown 7th-round pick from USC (where he backed up Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart) takes the reigns and...
Well, we'll see.
If Matt Cassel, who will likely make his first career NFL start against Brett Favre and the Jets on Sunday, can succeed in the Bill Belichick offence and lead the Pats back to the Super Bowl, or at least deep in the playoffs, all discussion of the greatness of Tom Brady must stop.
Forever.
If Cassel succeeds, it will be proven that any quarterback will a head on his shoulders and a decent arm can win in the Pats' system. Now, whether that success is from coaching and match-ups, or from cheating and spying, remains unknown. But a Patriots Super Bowl is not out of the question simply because #12 isn't behind centre anymore.
Certainly there will be a learning curve, as there was with Brady. But Belichick's system is solid, and after a few weeks, Cassel should thrive and bring the Patriots back to the playoffs. And if he does, the cynical members of the media will begin to doubt the merits of whomever New England puts behind centre.
And if he doesn't succeed, and whoever the Patriots bring in fails also, we will know that Tom Brady is worth all the praise heaped upon him.
The scuttlebutt around the media today is centered around the "other" teams in the AFC, who now have a chance to win the conference - and even the division.
Now, let me take you back to '01. Patriots star quarterback Drew Bledsoe goes down early in the season. Previously unknown 6th-round pick from Michigan (where he backed up Drew Henson) takes the reigns and leads New England to the Super Bowl.
Now, fast forward to today. Patriots star quarterback Tom Brady goes down early in the season. Previously unknown 7th-round pick from USC (where he backed up Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart) takes the reigns and...
Well, we'll see.
If Matt Cassel, who will likely make his first career NFL start against Brett Favre and the Jets on Sunday, can succeed in the Bill Belichick offence and lead the Pats back to the Super Bowl, or at least deep in the playoffs, all discussion of the greatness of Tom Brady must stop.
Forever.
If Cassel succeeds, it will be proven that any quarterback will a head on his shoulders and a decent arm can win in the Pats' system. Now, whether that success is from coaching and match-ups, or from cheating and spying, remains unknown. But a Patriots Super Bowl is not out of the question simply because #12 isn't behind centre anymore.
Certainly there will be a learning curve, as there was with Brady. But Belichick's system is solid, and after a few weeks, Cassel should thrive and bring the Patriots back to the playoffs. And if he does, the cynical members of the media will begin to doubt the merits of whomever New England puts behind centre.
And if he doesn't succeed, and whoever the Patriots bring in fails also, we will know that Tom Brady is worth all the praise heaped upon him.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Autumn - When A Young Man's Fancy Turns To Football
So, here we are (finally): After months of doldrums (yeah, yeah, the Olympics. What else you got? Nothing? Exactly), we finally arrive at the best season for sports - autumn. Of course, autumn kicks off with the NFL season, and with that, my pathetic attempt at predicting the upcoming campaign. So, on that positive note...
AFC
East
New England (12-4)
Buffalo (9-7)
New York (6-10)
Miami (4-12)
It's hard to imagine a team other than the Patriots winning this division, but the rest of the division will make strides this year. Just not enough to catch the Evil Empire.
North
Cleveland (10-6)
Pittsburgh (10-6)
Cincinnati (7-9)
Baltimore (3-13)
Remember when Baltimore and Cincinnati were contenders? Me too. The battle between the Browns and the Steelers should come right down to the wire, and I have a sense Pittsburgh will fall just short of the division and the wild card.
South
Indianapolis (12-4)
Jacksonville (10-6)*
Houston (10-6)*
Tennessee (6-10)
Easily the conference's strongest division, the South should produce both wild card teams; but, unlike most people, I'm not sold on Tennessee. Instead, the Texans will finally break through and squeak past Pittsburgh for the last playoff spot.
West
San Diego (14-2)
Oakland (7-9)
Denver (5-11)
Kansas City (2-14)
What is there to say about this horrendous division? The downside for the Chargers is they won't have any games with playoff implications and may be flat in the post-season. Besides that, they have it quite easy this year.
Playoffs:
(3) Indianapolis over (6) Houston; (5) Jacksonville over (4) Cleveland
(1) San Diego over (5) Jacksonville; (3) Indianapolis over (2) New England
(1) San Diego over (3) Indianapolis
The Colts victory over the Patriots will produce an empty feeling as the Chargers ride home field to victory and a berth in the Super Bowl.
NFC
East
Dallas (12-4)
New York (10-6)*
Washington (7-9)
Philadelphia (6-10)
It's hard to imagine the Giants repeating this year, since it took everything falling into place perfectly last year for it to happen. But the Cowboys are unpredictable, and the Skins and Eagles aren't at the Giants level.
North
Green Bay (10-6)
Minnesota (10-6)*
Detroit (5-11)
Chicago (3-13)
This division is a toss-up between two mediocre teams, the Packers and the Vikings. Both squads have inexperienced pivots, so in the end, it comes down to the Vikes running game against the Pack's balance and experience from last year. Slight edge to the cheeseheads for one simple reason: If Minnesota wanted Brett Favre so badly, just how bad is Tarvaris Jackson anyway?
South
Tampa Bay (11-5)
New Orleans (9-7)
Carolina (5-11)
Atlanta (2-14)
The Saints, after an amazing season two years ago, are coming off a sub-par campaign, and as a result, are stocked up for this year. The only problem is, they aren't stacked up enough. Look for the Bucs to hold them off for the division title.
West
Seattle (11-5)
Arizona (6-10)
San Francisco (4-12)
St. Louis (3-13)
It's hard to imagine a division worse than the NFC West. So, once again, the Seahawks will walk away with the title.
Playoffs:
(6) Minnesota over (3) Tampa Bay; (5) New York over (4) Green Bay
(1) Dallas over (6) Minnesota; (5) New York over (2) Seattle
(1) Dallas over (5) New York
Dallas gets their revenge on their division rivals by knocking off the Giants at home to advance to the Super Bowl.
Super Bowl: San Diego over Dallas. The Chargers balanced attack and defence prove too much for the Cowboys, who are worn down after a tough division race and punishing NFC Championship game to handle San Diego.
AFC
East
New England (12-4)
Buffalo (9-7)
New York (6-10)
Miami (4-12)
It's hard to imagine a team other than the Patriots winning this division, but the rest of the division will make strides this year. Just not enough to catch the Evil Empire.
North
Cleveland (10-6)
Pittsburgh (10-6)
Cincinnati (7-9)
Baltimore (3-13)
Remember when Baltimore and Cincinnati were contenders? Me too. The battle between the Browns and the Steelers should come right down to the wire, and I have a sense Pittsburgh will fall just short of the division and the wild card.
South
Indianapolis (12-4)
Jacksonville (10-6)*
Houston (10-6)*
Tennessee (6-10)
Easily the conference's strongest division, the South should produce both wild card teams; but, unlike most people, I'm not sold on Tennessee. Instead, the Texans will finally break through and squeak past Pittsburgh for the last playoff spot.
West
San Diego (14-2)
Oakland (7-9)
Denver (5-11)
Kansas City (2-14)
What is there to say about this horrendous division? The downside for the Chargers is they won't have any games with playoff implications and may be flat in the post-season. Besides that, they have it quite easy this year.
Playoffs:
(3) Indianapolis over (6) Houston; (5) Jacksonville over (4) Cleveland
(1) San Diego over (5) Jacksonville; (3) Indianapolis over (2) New England
(1) San Diego over (3) Indianapolis
The Colts victory over the Patriots will produce an empty feeling as the Chargers ride home field to victory and a berth in the Super Bowl.
NFC
East
Dallas (12-4)
New York (10-6)*
Washington (7-9)
Philadelphia (6-10)
It's hard to imagine the Giants repeating this year, since it took everything falling into place perfectly last year for it to happen. But the Cowboys are unpredictable, and the Skins and Eagles aren't at the Giants level.
North
Green Bay (10-6)
Minnesota (10-6)*
Detroit (5-11)
Chicago (3-13)
This division is a toss-up between two mediocre teams, the Packers and the Vikings. Both squads have inexperienced pivots, so in the end, it comes down to the Vikes running game against the Pack's balance and experience from last year. Slight edge to the cheeseheads for one simple reason: If Minnesota wanted Brett Favre so badly, just how bad is Tarvaris Jackson anyway?
South
Tampa Bay (11-5)
New Orleans (9-7)
Carolina (5-11)
Atlanta (2-14)
The Saints, after an amazing season two years ago, are coming off a sub-par campaign, and as a result, are stocked up for this year. The only problem is, they aren't stacked up enough. Look for the Bucs to hold them off for the division title.
West
Seattle (11-5)
Arizona (6-10)
San Francisco (4-12)
St. Louis (3-13)
It's hard to imagine a division worse than the NFC West. So, once again, the Seahawks will walk away with the title.
Playoffs:
(6) Minnesota over (3) Tampa Bay; (5) New York over (4) Green Bay
(1) Dallas over (6) Minnesota; (5) New York over (2) Seattle
(1) Dallas over (5) New York
Dallas gets their revenge on their division rivals by knocking off the Giants at home to advance to the Super Bowl.
Super Bowl: San Diego over Dallas. The Chargers balanced attack and defence prove too much for the Cowboys, who are worn down after a tough division race and punishing NFC Championship game to handle San Diego.
Friday, August 15, 2008
My View From The "Cheap" Seats
Well, there it is.A ticket from the "first" game for the Bills in Toronto (and by first, of course I mean third).
Please note the price.
Well, we all have, haven't we. The biggest complaint going into the Bills in Toronto experiment was the outrageous pricing Rogers put on seats to these games.
100 level seats are $575, and nosebleed 500 level seats like the one in the picture were almost $200 each.
And yet...48,000 people were in the Rogers Centre with me last night.
And yes, I know the stories. Scalpers unable to unload their plethora of tickets. Thousands given away by Rogers in the past week to show the NFL that this wasn't a colossal mistake. The Rogers tickets, by the way, were how I was able to get this seat, because, honestly, I wouldn't pay $10 for a pre-season game in any sport, let alone $200.
But throughout all the negative stories and frustrated CFL fans, one thing remained true about the game: it was entertaining. An opening drive deflected interception, a kickoff return for a touchdown and several exciting catch and runs. Was it worth $200-$575? I guess that depends on your disposable income.
The one thing I do know, though, is that the crowd at the game was evenly split between Bills fans and Steelers fans, who were only outnumbered by general NFL fans. When the Dolphins come here in December for Canada's first regular season NFL game, it will not seem like a home game for the Bills, regardless of the signs and cheerleaders on the field.
Until the Bills move here permanently, and build a new football-friendly stadium along with it, Toronto will just be a city where the Bills play, and not their home.
As for the CFL fans worried about the state of their preferred league...the only reason to be concerned would be if more people went to see the Bills in Toronto than the Argos or the Tiger-Cats. And if that happens, your preferred league wouldn't have stood a chance anyway.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Bretty And The Jets
So it's official - and just like a New York team to announce something big like this in the middle of the night - Brett Favre is a New York Jet.
Some things to keep in mind, roughly 24 hours after news of the trade broke:
1) For all the talk of the greatness, amazing ability, and all-around God-like qualities Mr. Favre apparently possesses, it strikes me as somewhat humbling (I hope) that the best deal the Packers could get for him was a conditional draft pick. For one of the all-time great quarterbacks in NFL history, Green Bay is guaranteed a 4th-round pick, and only gets a 1st-round pick if the Jets make the Super Bowl under Favre's command. A tall order, especially since their odds of making the playoffs are low to begin with.
2) New York decided, in its infinite wisdom, that an accurate quarterback in Chad Pennington is less appealing to them and their future than a "gunslinger" QB who has the ability to lose a game as much as he has the ability to win it. Don't get me wrong; Brett Favre, even at age 38, is a better pivot than Chad Pennington. But is he really the saviour for a franchise trying to compete with a Super Bowl champion who plays in the same stadium?
3) If Favre had ended up in Tampa as was reported on Wednesday, Jeff Garcia would officially have the title of "Most Underappreciated Quarterback." All the guy does in win wherever he goes, and still nothing. He should have never left the Stampeders...
4) If Aaron Rodgers does well in Green Bay and Favre stumbles with the Jets, public and media sympathy for Brett will go very far...out the window.
5) The Jets and Packers don't play this year, which means we won't have to deal with the inevitable media build-up to such a match-up, particularly had it been in Green Bay.
6) Summer brings out some really lazy headlines by sports writers and editors: "Leaving On A Jet Plane"? How about "Pack, Pack, Gone!" or the title of this entry. Everyone checks out in August, it seems.
In the end, the NFL season is so unpredictable that a trade like this will have little to no effect on the outcome of the season. Neither Green Bay nor New York is a playoff team, so, once the season gets going and the post-Favre hangover wears off, we can focus on what matters: watching the Patriots crash and burn.
ADDENDUM: As per the headlines, the NFL home page probably had the most clever one: "New Jersey for Favre". Well done.
Some things to keep in mind, roughly 24 hours after news of the trade broke:
1) For all the talk of the greatness, amazing ability, and all-around God-like qualities Mr. Favre apparently possesses, it strikes me as somewhat humbling (I hope) that the best deal the Packers could get for him was a conditional draft pick. For one of the all-time great quarterbacks in NFL history, Green Bay is guaranteed a 4th-round pick, and only gets a 1st-round pick if the Jets make the Super Bowl under Favre's command. A tall order, especially since their odds of making the playoffs are low to begin with.
2) New York decided, in its infinite wisdom, that an accurate quarterback in Chad Pennington is less appealing to them and their future than a "gunslinger" QB who has the ability to lose a game as much as he has the ability to win it. Don't get me wrong; Brett Favre, even at age 38, is a better pivot than Chad Pennington. But is he really the saviour for a franchise trying to compete with a Super Bowl champion who plays in the same stadium?
3) If Favre had ended up in Tampa as was reported on Wednesday, Jeff Garcia would officially have the title of "Most Underappreciated Quarterback." All the guy does in win wherever he goes, and still nothing. He should have never left the Stampeders...
4) If Aaron Rodgers does well in Green Bay and Favre stumbles with the Jets, public and media sympathy for Brett will go very far...out the window.
5) The Jets and Packers don't play this year, which means we won't have to deal with the inevitable media build-up to such a match-up, particularly had it been in Green Bay.
6) Summer brings out some really lazy headlines by sports writers and editors: "Leaving On A Jet Plane"? How about "Pack, Pack, Gone!" or the title of this entry. Everyone checks out in August, it seems.
In the end, the NFL season is so unpredictable that a trade like this will have little to no effect on the outcome of the season. Neither Green Bay nor New York is a playoff team, so, once the season gets going and the post-Favre hangover wears off, we can focus on what matters: watching the Patriots crash and burn.
ADDENDUM: As per the headlines, the NFL home page probably had the most clever one: "New Jersey for Favre". Well done.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Time To Play Catch-Up...
It's been a while, mainly because summer turns the sports fan's mind to thoughts of things that aren't athletic, since the middle of the baseball season and the beginning of the CFL season aren't exactly huge draws. But, these last few weeks have seen some great and awful things in the sporting world, so it's time to play catch-up...
- This week, Toronto is the centre of the sporting world, and still no one seems to care. Fed and Rafa, Canadian Open with a real shot of a Canadian winning it, MLS All-star game with soccer's biggest star, David Beckham, and the Jays host Seattle and Asia's most famous baseball star, Ichiro. But yet, there is no buzz, no talk, no nothing here in the GTA. But if the Leafs were playing, watch out!
- Speaking of the Leafs, (former) captain Mats Sundin reportedly said that he will make his decision regarding his playing future on August 1. Funny, I thought it would take longer, but I just hope he sticks to it so we don't have to hear about this anymore.
- Hey, possible retirements! While we're on the subject, what of Mr. Brett Favre? The latest news is that NFL Commissioner Gordon - oops Goodell - (sorry, Dark Knight hangover) wants the Pack to deal him. In any other league would the Commissioner openly tell a team what to do regarding one of their players? While I agree with Goodell, it's not his place to say, and it speaks to the arrogance of the league and its leader. Here's hoping, though, that the Packers trade the old man quickly to an AFC team that will fail to make a mark this season, if only to shut Favre up once and for all.
- The Jays, meanwhile, are 14-12 under Cito Gaston since his return. Good? Yes. But not great, and this team needs great if there's any hope for 2008. They need to win these next two in Baltimore and take the series against Seattle to gain some confidence, because after that, the Rays come to T.O., and Tampa Bay has dominated Toronto this year. Ah, who are we kidding? There's always next year.
Wow, do I hate the summer. Only 6 weeks until the baseball season gets interesting and real football begins. Until then, I'll be watching tennis and golf on the off chance something interesting happens. If not, the Jays will be on, and I'll continue to be disappointed.
- This week, Toronto is the centre of the sporting world, and still no one seems to care. Fed and Rafa, Canadian Open with a real shot of a Canadian winning it, MLS All-star game with soccer's biggest star, David Beckham, and the Jays host Seattle and Asia's most famous baseball star, Ichiro. But yet, there is no buzz, no talk, no nothing here in the GTA. But if the Leafs were playing, watch out!
- Speaking of the Leafs, (former) captain Mats Sundin reportedly said that he will make his decision regarding his playing future on August 1. Funny, I thought it would take longer, but I just hope he sticks to it so we don't have to hear about this anymore.
- Hey, possible retirements! While we're on the subject, what of Mr. Brett Favre? The latest news is that NFL Commissioner Gordon - oops Goodell - (sorry, Dark Knight hangover) wants the Pack to deal him. In any other league would the Commissioner openly tell a team what to do regarding one of their players? While I agree with Goodell, it's not his place to say, and it speaks to the arrogance of the league and its leader. Here's hoping, though, that the Packers trade the old man quickly to an AFC team that will fail to make a mark this season, if only to shut Favre up once and for all.
- The Jays, meanwhile, are 14-12 under Cito Gaston since his return. Good? Yes. But not great, and this team needs great if there's any hope for 2008. They need to win these next two in Baltimore and take the series against Seattle to gain some confidence, because after that, the Rays come to T.O., and Tampa Bay has dominated Toronto this year. Ah, who are we kidding? There's always next year.
Wow, do I hate the summer. Only 6 weeks until the baseball season gets interesting and real football begins. Until then, I'll be watching tennis and golf on the off chance something interesting happens. If not, the Jays will be on, and I'll continue to be disappointed.
Monday, February 4, 2008
I've Never Been So Happy To Be Wrong
24 hours after the upset to end all upsets, it still seems hard to believe: New York Giants 17, New England Patriots 14. 18-0, and then...18-1.
There were, of course, many factors that gave the Giants the win: excellent pass rush, timely catches, a consistent running game, and so on, but to me, the greatest factor in the upset was the Patriots' inability to control the ball offensively. All year, Tom Brady and company were able to beat their opponents any way possible; short passes, long passes, play action, and, towards the end of the season, running the ball. On Super Sunday, Laurence Maroney was non-existent, and the Giants defense shut down everyone on the Pats' receiving corps not named Wes Welker, who, if the Pats won, would certainly have received the MVP award.
One more point on the game: I didn't have the cahones to pick the Giants, even though I wanted to. All credit to Mike Ditka, who was the only member of ESPN's countdown show to pick New York, and, of course, John Smylie, who was even really close on the final score.
Now, to copy one of my favourite writers, Chris Zelkovich, here's my Good, Bad, and the Ugly from the coverage of Super Bowl XLII:
The Good:
- Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, the Fox commentators for the game, didn't mention the Pats pursuit of perfection until about the 5 minute mark in the 4th quarter. They left the empty rhetoric to the 4 hour pregame show and focused on the game itself. Great job.
- All the postgame coverage on both Fox and NFL network focused on the Giants' win, instead of the easier trap of directing their attention to the Pats' collapse. The game belongs to the winners, and the interviews should also.
- Curt Menefee, the host of Fox's pregame show, questioned Jimmy Johnson's opinion of Bill Belichick's tactics during the season, asking if the praise of Belichick was because of the friendship between the coaches. It's not often that a host will openly question the integrity of an expert on his panel. Good work.
The Bad:
- There were two significant issues with the clock in the first half, but only one of them was from the game itself. On the Giants' opening drive, 2 minutes were suddenly taken off the clock after the commercial break. Was there a time warp or something?
- In the postgame scrum, Marshall Faulk of NFL network told Giants coach Tom Coughlin that he liked Coughlin's term of "green zone". As Faulk said it, Deion Sanders beside him rolled his eyes so far back, he could have seen the inside of his skull. Wouldn't PrimeTime realize he's on camera there?
The Ugly:
- Okay, CTV, I get it, Dexter and Jericho are debuting this month. The 20-odd commercials for each only makes me want to watch it less. Next year, mix up the ads; your viewers aren't going anywhere.
- When Bill Belichick walked off the field with 1 second left in the game, not only did Chris Myers and the rest of the reporters covering Belichick's press conference ignore the issue, no one talked about it afterwards, either last night or today. When Randy Moss walked off in Minnesota, he was villified. What Belichick did was worse, since he's in charge of his team. It was a classless move by a classless man, and the media completely ignored it.
There were, of course, many factors that gave the Giants the win: excellent pass rush, timely catches, a consistent running game, and so on, but to me, the greatest factor in the upset was the Patriots' inability to control the ball offensively. All year, Tom Brady and company were able to beat their opponents any way possible; short passes, long passes, play action, and, towards the end of the season, running the ball. On Super Sunday, Laurence Maroney was non-existent, and the Giants defense shut down everyone on the Pats' receiving corps not named Wes Welker, who, if the Pats won, would certainly have received the MVP award.
One more point on the game: I didn't have the cahones to pick the Giants, even though I wanted to. All credit to Mike Ditka, who was the only member of ESPN's countdown show to pick New York, and, of course, John Smylie, who was even really close on the final score.
Now, to copy one of my favourite writers, Chris Zelkovich, here's my Good, Bad, and the Ugly from the coverage of Super Bowl XLII:
The Good:
- Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, the Fox commentators for the game, didn't mention the Pats pursuit of perfection until about the 5 minute mark in the 4th quarter. They left the empty rhetoric to the 4 hour pregame show and focused on the game itself. Great job.
- All the postgame coverage on both Fox and NFL network focused on the Giants' win, instead of the easier trap of directing their attention to the Pats' collapse. The game belongs to the winners, and the interviews should also.
- Curt Menefee, the host of Fox's pregame show, questioned Jimmy Johnson's opinion of Bill Belichick's tactics during the season, asking if the praise of Belichick was because of the friendship between the coaches. It's not often that a host will openly question the integrity of an expert on his panel. Good work.
The Bad:
- There were two significant issues with the clock in the first half, but only one of them was from the game itself. On the Giants' opening drive, 2 minutes were suddenly taken off the clock after the commercial break. Was there a time warp or something?
- In the postgame scrum, Marshall Faulk of NFL network told Giants coach Tom Coughlin that he liked Coughlin's term of "green zone". As Faulk said it, Deion Sanders beside him rolled his eyes so far back, he could have seen the inside of his skull. Wouldn't PrimeTime realize he's on camera there?
The Ugly:
- Okay, CTV, I get it, Dexter and Jericho are debuting this month. The 20-odd commercials for each only makes me want to watch it less. Next year, mix up the ads; your viewers aren't going anywhere.
- When Bill Belichick walked off the field with 1 second left in the game, not only did Chris Myers and the rest of the reporters covering Belichick's press conference ignore the issue, no one talked about it afterwards, either last night or today. When Randy Moss walked off in Minnesota, he was villified. What Belichick did was worse, since he's in charge of his team. It was a classless move by a classless man, and the media completely ignored it.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Super Bowl Pick - By Popular Demand
Since I'm being bullied into revealing my Super Bowl pick, here it is, because, well, I'm just that spineless.
Giants v Patriots: All the talk this week has been about Tom Brady's ankle, which is precisely why we need to eliminate the bye week in between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl. Nothing pisses the sports media off more than not talking football after doing nothing but for the last few months, so non-stories like the Brady ankle become Watergate-ish in their perceived importance.
But I digress...
The easy thing to do here is look back at the Giants-Pats game at the Meadowlands last month and assume it'll be a similar game; after all, neither team has changed that much since that fantastic game on the last Saturday in December, and, of course, neither team has lost since then.
On the Giants side, Eli Manning and the New York offense are moving the ball extremely well, and balancing the run and pass well. The defence is solid, and any team with a former Ottawa Renegades kicker can't be all bad. (Wait, maybe it can...)
For New England, any so-called adversity the Pats have had to face this year has been met with a punch in the face and a quick count from the ref. No team, especially the Giants, can match the Pats on either side of the ball, and no one does better with 2 weeks to plan for an opponent than Darth Belichick.
Also, let's remember that this version of the Patriots is 3-0 in the Super Bowl and 18-0 this year, while the big stage is new for most of the Giants' roster.
I think New England will start out strong, say 10 or 14-0, but New York will stay in the game until the end. Unfortunately, the New England Patriots will win the Super Bowl and go 19-0 this season.
But rest assured I will be cheering for the Giants.
New England 37, New York 31.
Record: 7-3
Giants v Patriots: All the talk this week has been about Tom Brady's ankle, which is precisely why we need to eliminate the bye week in between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl. Nothing pisses the sports media off more than not talking football after doing nothing but for the last few months, so non-stories like the Brady ankle become Watergate-ish in their perceived importance.
But I digress...
The easy thing to do here is look back at the Giants-Pats game at the Meadowlands last month and assume it'll be a similar game; after all, neither team has changed that much since that fantastic game on the last Saturday in December, and, of course, neither team has lost since then.
On the Giants side, Eli Manning and the New York offense are moving the ball extremely well, and balancing the run and pass well. The defence is solid, and any team with a former Ottawa Renegades kicker can't be all bad. (Wait, maybe it can...)
For New England, any so-called adversity the Pats have had to face this year has been met with a punch in the face and a quick count from the ref. No team, especially the Giants, can match the Pats on either side of the ball, and no one does better with 2 weeks to plan for an opponent than Darth Belichick.
Also, let's remember that this version of the Patriots is 3-0 in the Super Bowl and 18-0 this year, while the big stage is new for most of the Giants' roster.
I think New England will start out strong, say 10 or 14-0, but New York will stay in the game until the end. Unfortunately, the New England Patriots will win the Super Bowl and go 19-0 this season.
But rest assured I will be cheering for the Giants.
New England 37, New York 31.
Record: 7-3
Monday, January 21, 2008
Giants-Patriots Game Best Possible Outcome
So, here we are, 32 teams and five months later, and New England and New York are meeting for the Super Bowl in two weeks. The consensus from the series of tubes (read: Internet) is that a Packers-Pats match-up was the best way to go from the four possible outcomes.
Apparently, a Brett Favre-Tom Brady match-up, plus the slim possibility of the ageless one knocking out the undefeated Pats and marching off into the sunset was a storyline few could pass up. But the Pack proved yesterday that they would be no match for New England if they had pulled out the win.
A Giants-Pats game for the league championship is the best game of the four available, for one simple reason: their game in week 17 was the Pats' (second) closest game of the year, and the Giants are on a roll unmatched by any team not from New England. New York goes in as a 14-point underdog, and I'm sure that's just how they like it; no one giving them a chance to win.
But, in the end, the game will be a close one, and likely one of the more entertaining games in the past 10 years. It would not surprise me if the Giants pull off the upset to end all upsets.
But only time will tell. My pick for the game comes next week.
Apparently, a Brett Favre-Tom Brady match-up, plus the slim possibility of the ageless one knocking out the undefeated Pats and marching off into the sunset was a storyline few could pass up. But the Pack proved yesterday that they would be no match for New England if they had pulled out the win.
A Giants-Pats game for the league championship is the best game of the four available, for one simple reason: their game in week 17 was the Pats' (second) closest game of the year, and the Giants are on a roll unmatched by any team not from New England. New York goes in as a 14-point underdog, and I'm sure that's just how they like it; no one giving them a chance to win.
But, in the end, the game will be a close one, and likely one of the more entertaining games in the past 10 years. It would not surprise me if the Giants pull off the upset to end all upsets.
But only time will tell. My pick for the game comes next week.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Conference Championship Sunday
Well, the time is finally here, the "Final Four" of the NFL playoffs. Like most people, I was looking forward to a Pats-Colts AFC final rematch, but I suppose the Chargers will have to do. It's not like anyone can stop the Cheaters this year anyway. In the NFC (read: loser conference) the upstart Packers (with their barely upright QB) host the surprising Giants in a battle of "really? those two teams? Okay.) Oh, well. On with the picks.
Chargers @ Patriots: The Chargers would need the miracle of miracles to beat the Pats in New England, and that's with Rivers, Tomlinson, and Gates healthy. But they aren't, so this one should be over early. New England 34, San Diego 17.
Giants @ Packers: Everyone seems to be salivating at the prospect of a Brady v Favre Super Bowl, but the Giants have won 9 straight road games, and seem to do everything right, at least in the last half of the season. This one will be close. New York 19, Green Bay 17.
Record: 5-3
Chargers @ Patriots: The Chargers would need the miracle of miracles to beat the Pats in New England, and that's with Rivers, Tomlinson, and Gates healthy. But they aren't, so this one should be over early. New England 34, San Diego 17.
Giants @ Packers: Everyone seems to be salivating at the prospect of a Brady v Favre Super Bowl, but the Giants have won 9 straight road games, and seem to do everything right, at least in the last half of the season. This one will be close. New York 19, Green Bay 17.
Record: 5-3
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Come On!!
The one thing I've learned watching the NFL playoffs for the last 15 years or so is on divisional weekend, the home teams never sweep. There is always at least one team from the wild card round that takes out a team that had a week off to prepare. After the Seahawks got trounced in snowy Green Bay (hello, stop the run Seattle!) and the Jaguars fell short to New England (unfortunately) I said to some of my colleagues at work today that San Diego or New York would win.
But I never thought both Indianapolis and Dallas would fall today.
In the bits of the games that I saw (the blessing and curse of working in an area with dozens of televisions), I noticed that the Colts had several chances to win the game, but a lack of execution from the Indianapolis receiving corps cost them their season. And in Dallas, I managed to get home to see the last 21 seconds of the game, only to see Romo and the 'Boys get stuffed on 2nd and 3rd down, followed by an end zone interception on 4th down.
The moral? Always take at least one road team on divisional weekend. And don't trust my Super Bowl picks.
The other thing we learned today? New England cannot be stopped now. And that's depressing.
But I never thought both Indianapolis and Dallas would fall today.
In the bits of the games that I saw (the blessing and curse of working in an area with dozens of televisions), I noticed that the Colts had several chances to win the game, but a lack of execution from the Indianapolis receiving corps cost them their season. And in Dallas, I managed to get home to see the last 21 seconds of the game, only to see Romo and the 'Boys get stuffed on 2nd and 3rd down, followed by an end zone interception on 4th down.
The moral? Always take at least one road team on divisional weekend. And don't trust my Super Bowl picks.
The other thing we learned today? New England cannot be stopped now. And that's depressing.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
A Perfect Start, Except I Didn't Cheat
Okay, 4-0 in the wild-card round, so I'm feeling pretty good. Here goes nothing...
Seahawks @ Packers: Everyone remembers their last playoff meeting, coincidentally enough the last time Favre and the Pack won a playoff game. Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck said, after winning the overtime coin toss, "we want the ball, and we're going to score." Of course, Hasselbeck threw a pick to Al Harris, who ran it back for the winning touchdown.
I'm not sold on the Pack this year, as they had a relatively easy schedule. Seattle looked good in the 4th quarter last week, but they still weren't great. This one will be close, but the Seahawks pull it out; I see Favre throwing a pick in the 4th to seal it for Seattle. Seattle 24, Green Bay 20.
Jaguars @ Patriots: I want so badly to pick the Jaguars. Going into the playoffs, they were the "team that no one wanted to play." But you can't blow an 18 point lead in Pittsburgh, barely squeak out a win, and expect to beat the Pats in Foxboro.
It pains me to type this. New England 34, Jacksonville 21.
Chargers @ Colts: You know, every time I read about Pro Bowl picks, All-Pro picks, MVP votes, I kept wondering: Isn't Peyton Manning still the reigning Super Bowl MVP and one of the best quarterbacks ever? Aren't the Colts the second-best team in the NFL this year? They prove it on Sunday. Indianapolis 35, San Diego 20.
Giants @ Cowboys: First things first, the "Jessica" factor is non-existent; the hot blond who can't sing (I know, I know, which one?) won't be at the game, so Tony Romo has no excuse if he fumbles the snap on the potential game-winning kick. Dallas hasn't played well since the Packers game, but it counts now. T.O. should play, and Eli's coming off two strong games in a row. He hasn't had 3 good games in a row yet. Dallas 31, New York 21.
There you go, Seattle @ Dallas and Indy @ NE. Here's hoping.
Seahawks @ Packers: Everyone remembers their last playoff meeting, coincidentally enough the last time Favre and the Pack won a playoff game. Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck said, after winning the overtime coin toss, "we want the ball, and we're going to score." Of course, Hasselbeck threw a pick to Al Harris, who ran it back for the winning touchdown.
I'm not sold on the Pack this year, as they had a relatively easy schedule. Seattle looked good in the 4th quarter last week, but they still weren't great. This one will be close, but the Seahawks pull it out; I see Favre throwing a pick in the 4th to seal it for Seattle. Seattle 24, Green Bay 20.
Jaguars @ Patriots: I want so badly to pick the Jaguars. Going into the playoffs, they were the "team that no one wanted to play." But you can't blow an 18 point lead in Pittsburgh, barely squeak out a win, and expect to beat the Pats in Foxboro.
It pains me to type this. New England 34, Jacksonville 21.
Chargers @ Colts: You know, every time I read about Pro Bowl picks, All-Pro picks, MVP votes, I kept wondering: Isn't Peyton Manning still the reigning Super Bowl MVP and one of the best quarterbacks ever? Aren't the Colts the second-best team in the NFL this year? They prove it on Sunday. Indianapolis 35, San Diego 20.
Giants @ Cowboys: First things first, the "Jessica" factor is non-existent; the hot blond who can't sing (I know, I know, which one?) won't be at the game, so Tony Romo has no excuse if he fumbles the snap on the potential game-winning kick. Dallas hasn't played well since the Packers game, but it counts now. T.O. should play, and Eli's coming off two strong games in a row. He hasn't had 3 good games in a row yet. Dallas 31, New York 21.
There you go, Seattle @ Dallas and Indy @ NE. Here's hoping.
Friday, January 4, 2008
Wild Card Weekend
So, here we are, NFL playoff time. Looking back on my picks at the beginning of the season, I made some colossal mistakes, but I'm sticking with my pick of an Indianapolis/Dallas Super Bowl.
Anyway, the picks are back for the playoffs, but without the spreads:
Redskins @ Seahawks: It's hard to go against Washington right now; they've won 4 straight, and are clearly playing inspired football after the tragic death of safety Sean Taylor. But Seattle is the better team, and are even stronger at home. Seattle 27, Washington 14.
Jaguars @ Steelers: A month ago, everyone and their mother would have taken Pittsburgh as the team most likely to do damage in the playoffs, and possibly knock out the Patriots. But an injury to Willie Parker and a loss to both New England and Jacksonville later, and they're in trouble. Jacksonville 31, Pittsburgh 24.
Giants @ Bucs: Neither one of these teams seem to be consistent enough to move on past this weekend, but someone has to win. New York is a strong road team, and took New England to the brink last week. New York 21, Tampa Bay 13.
Titans @ Chargers: Their last meeting went to overtime, but San Diego is better than they were then, and the Titans' Vince Young is playing hurt. San Diego 24, Tennessee 10.
Anyway, the picks are back for the playoffs, but without the spreads:
Redskins @ Seahawks: It's hard to go against Washington right now; they've won 4 straight, and are clearly playing inspired football after the tragic death of safety Sean Taylor. But Seattle is the better team, and are even stronger at home. Seattle 27, Washington 14.
Jaguars @ Steelers: A month ago, everyone and their mother would have taken Pittsburgh as the team most likely to do damage in the playoffs, and possibly knock out the Patriots. But an injury to Willie Parker and a loss to both New England and Jacksonville later, and they're in trouble. Jacksonville 31, Pittsburgh 24.
Giants @ Bucs: Neither one of these teams seem to be consistent enough to move on past this weekend, but someone has to win. New York is a strong road team, and took New England to the brink last week. New York 21, Tampa Bay 13.
Titans @ Chargers: Their last meeting went to overtime, but San Diego is better than they were then, and the Titans' Vince Young is playing hurt. San Diego 24, Tennessee 10.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Argos, Bills can reap mutual benefit
Friday, November 2, 2007
Just Call Me Roger Clemens
Okay, I know I said I was retiring from picks for the NFL, but this weekend's ultra-mega-super-gigantic game between the Patriots and the Colts deserves a pick, if only because there has not been a regular season game like this one in my lifetime.
The Pats are favoured by 5.5 points right now, and that spread has grown from 3 on Monday. It is hard to believe that a Super Bowl champ, who hasn't lost since last November (yes, one year ago now), and has beaten this opponent 3 straight times, including twice at New England, is an underdog. And I know that was a run-on sentence, but I don't care. It is that shocking.
The Patriots seem to do everything right this season, except play with class and dignity. If you're up 38-0 in the 4th quarter and you have 4th and 1 within easy field goal range, you kick the damn field goal. When you're up 45-0 (because, obviously, Darth Belichick went for the TD on the previous drive), you don't air it out every second play. You run out the clock and get ready for next week.
I am hoping beyond hope that the Colts dismantle the Pats on Sunday, but I know that isn't going to happen. It'll be a close game, and New England will probably lead early on.
I still like Indianapolis.
Colts 41, Patriots 37.
The deciding factor? Joseph Addai and Kenton Keith. The Colts running game is far superior to the Pats, and if Indy can control the clock in the 4th, they'll hang on for the ultimate victory. Well, besides that little rain-soaked game in February against the Bears.
The Pats are favoured by 5.5 points right now, and that spread has grown from 3 on Monday. It is hard to believe that a Super Bowl champ, who hasn't lost since last November (yes, one year ago now), and has beaten this opponent 3 straight times, including twice at New England, is an underdog. And I know that was a run-on sentence, but I don't care. It is that shocking.
The Patriots seem to do everything right this season, except play with class and dignity. If you're up 38-0 in the 4th quarter and you have 4th and 1 within easy field goal range, you kick the damn field goal. When you're up 45-0 (because, obviously, Darth Belichick went for the TD on the previous drive), you don't air it out every second play. You run out the clock and get ready for next week.
I am hoping beyond hope that the Colts dismantle the Pats on Sunday, but I know that isn't going to happen. It'll be a close game, and New England will probably lead early on.
I still like Indianapolis.
Colts 41, Patriots 37.
The deciding factor? Joseph Addai and Kenton Keith. The Colts running game is far superior to the Pats, and if Indy can control the clock in the 4th, they'll hang on for the ultimate victory. Well, besides that little rain-soaked game in February against the Bears.
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