Amazing finish! (Casey)

This year as in many  years past I have became totally addicted to the NHL Playoffs and the chase for Lord Stanley's Cup! This NHL season was short because of the lockout but the Playoffs were spectacular especially the Stanley Cup Final between the Boston Bruins and the Chicago Blackhawks! This was a game between two recent champs (Blackhawks in 2010 and Bruins in 2011). This series had 4 OT periods in 6 games played and it looked like it was going to a Game 7 (which I kind of wish happened) until this happened. 

One of my favorite parts of the NHL playoffs is after the series is ended, both teams line up and show mutual respect for each other by shaking each others hands. I can only imagine how hard that must have been for the Bruins Players to do after this heartbreaking loss. But the respect for the game and each other no matter how nasty it got out there is what in my mind makes the NHL playoffs one of my favorite in all sports. Plus I think the Stanley Cup is by far the Best Looking Trophy handed out in all professional sports!

Kissing the Cup

2013 NFL PREDICTIONS!!! (TYLER)

CHEESE HEAD NATION!

For Day 23 of my 2013 NFL Predictions i will break down the GREEN BAY PACKERS!

For years the Packers have been the franchise that everyone looks up to as an example of how an organization should be run. Not only that but they have regularly been in contention for their division. Last year's division champ Packers led by QB Aaron Rodgers made it into the Playoffs but didn't really make a splash. The offense lost the services of WR Greg Jennings and Donald Driver and are left with WR Jordy Nelson and TE Jermichael Finley to spread the field, also look for WR Randall Cobb to make more of an impact on offense. On the defensive side of the ball S Charles Woodson is no longer on roster, but don't fret Packer fans, you still have somebody in the backfield? i think. at Linebacker Clay Matthews and A.J. Hawk are awesome and do a lot of work. DT B.J. Raji has to be looked at to solidify the defensive line, but whether he will or not is a question mark. Overall the Packers need help on defense and on offensive line. Let's see how the Packers drafted... did they help themselves?

ROUND 1: Datone Jones DE (UCLA)

ROUND 2: Eddie Lacy RB (Alabama)

ROUND 4: David Bakhtiari OT (Colorado)

ROUND 4: J.C. Tretter OT (Cornell)

ROUND 4: Johnathan Franklin RB (UCLA)

ROUND 5: Micah Hyde CB (Iowa)

ROUND 5: Josh Boyd DE (Mississippi State)

ROUND 6: Nate Palmer LB (Illinois State)

ROUND 7: Charles Johnson WR (Grand Valley State)

ROUND 7: Kevin Dorsey WR (Marlyand)

ROUND 7: Sam Barrington LB (South Florida)

Yes they did help themselves. Datone Jones will probably start Day 1 and DE along side B.J. Raji. I LOVE the picks of Eddie Lacy and Johnathan Franklin at RB for the Packers, James Starks just hasn't got the job done and let's be real here, the Packers haven't had a good running back since Ahman Green... look for Lacy and Franklin to carry the workload on offense. A couple of Offensive Tackles in the 4th round should help bolster an offensive line that has struggled holding a pocket for Aaron Rodgers. I predict CB Micah Hyde to start this year even though he is a 5th round pick, this kid is very talented. The last couple of years have proven to me that good quarterback play goes a long way to improving all players on offense, Aaron Rodgers is fantastic, because of that keep an eye on the big WR's Johnson and Dorsey... they will make plays. Overall how will the Pack fare this year you say? Let's take a look.

OPPONENTS                                  W/L
@ SAN FRANCISCO                         L
WASHINGTON                                  W
@ CINCINNATI                                   L
BYE WEEK
DETROIT                                           W
@ BALTIMORE                                 W
CLEVELAND                                     W
@ MINNESOTA                                W
CHICAGO (MONDAY)                       L
PHILADELPHIA                                 W
@ NEW YORK GIANTS                   W
MINNESOTA                                     W
@ DETROIT (THURSDAY)               L
ATLANTA                                          W
@ DALLAS                                       W
PITTSBURGH                                   W
@ CHICAGO                                     L

FINAL RECORD                            11 - 5

Analysis: Usually i don't like having an early Bye Week but i think the Bye plays into the Packers season perfectly, Tough road games early against San Fran and Cincinnati will test the new play-makers for the Packers so the Bye week 4 will help to make adjustments early and re-align the team in the right direction which i have them doing. Another interesting note is that the Packers are (i think) the only team in the NFL this year that does not have back-to-back road games, obviously that i going to help this team. Look for Aaron Rodgers going to the playoffs again. I have them in the Wild Card because of losses to division rival Chicago. This team has the potential to make plays in the playoffs, but i think this year is going to be a major stepping stone for even better things to come in the next year or two.

What do you think readers?

NBA officals are the worst? (Casey)

So on a recent post on Facebook I asked if there was anything that people wanted us to write about that concerned sports in one way or another, and the first response was, Why do officials suck so bad, specifically NBA officials. So I waited till the NBA season officially ended which was last night in a game 7 where the Miami Heat beat the San Antonio Spurs and claimed the trophy before i wrote this entry. For many years I have thought that the NBA and the NBA officials to be more specific were some of the worst at calling a game right down the middle. For instance, if you have followed the NBA for any period of time you have I'm sure heard of a little something called "Star Treatment". Star Treatment? There is no such thing as Star Treatment in any other sport that I'm aware of. Why is it a league that is so popular needs to have specialized treatment for "Stars" and the game is not called right. I had a conversation this morning with some co-workers and one of the things brought up was the fact that a Star like Lebron James can take the ball in the regular season and if someone so much as looks at him wrong he is called for a foul. Why is that? For the life of me I have never seen a "Star" NFL player get a special call because of who he is. Why does the NBA feel like it needs to protect its Stars, they are the best on the planet at what they do. They could win a game single handedly and yet the NBA officials protect them. Maybe its a marketing thing. I know I have heard that the NBA needs to protect its brand by keeping these big name players in the game. But in my eyes it hurts the product especially with the fringe fans who see officials dictate the game and protect only the few. I can only imagine how hard it would be to officiate a Pro athletic event, but these guys get paid big for what they do. 
Game 6 of the NBA finals was officiated by a man named Joey Crawford, if you don't recognize the name here are a few things that I found out about this "Well Respected official" courtesy of Wikipedia.

 

This is a playoff game between Suns and Trailblazers!

• Airline ticket income investigation: In 1998 Joey and 8 other officials were charged with filing false income tax returns and pled guilt and resigned from the NBA only to have David Stern reinstate him in 1999.
• Tim Duncan altercation: During a game in 2007 Joey Crawford and Tim Duncan got into a verbal altercation and as Tim Duncan was sitting on the bench staring at Crawford he was ejected for the game. Both sides blamed the other as usual, Joey said Duncan called him a name and Tim said Joey asked him if he wanted to fight. They altercation resulted in Joey getting suspended for the remainder of the 2006-07 season and the 2007 playoffs. But then again in September of 2007 good old David Stern reinstated him.
  Why would the NBA continue to reinstate this guy, it seems like bad decision after bad decision but he still is being rewarded with anywhere between $100,000 and $400,000 a year. Its no coincidence either that when he was assigned Game 6 of this years finals that after the game there were a lot of questions about the officiating.
  
  Lets not forget the most damning thing that has happened to the NBA in the last 10 years. Tim Donaghy! Tim was an NBA official for 13 years, he had officiated over 700 games and 20 playoff games. Good Old Tim was involved in his fair share of incidents. He was one of the officials during the Pacers/Pistons brawl. But the worst was his involvement the scandal where he was charged with betting on games and betting on games that he officiated! In 2007 it was found out that Donaghy was linked with a Sports betting duo that had limited affiliation with the mob and that was using Donaghy to bet on games. The sad part of the story is it took an FBI investigation to find a crooked ref when David Stern has told us that he polices his officials very stringently! The Most Damning part was a statement made by Donaghys attorney where he stated that there were other officials that were fixing games, one in particular was the 2002 Western Conference finals between the Lakers and the Kings where Donaghy claimed he heard officials talking about making sure it went to a game 7 so the NBA could make more money on ticket sales and advertising which it did. Now take that information for what its worth i mean he is a known criminal.
  
  The reason I bring up these stories is to show the character of some of the Officials in the NBA. I am sure there are other leagues that have officials with character problems as well but if you sit back and think about it, with a simple no call here, or a random stoppage there, the officials can have a huge impact on an NBA game. I think Officiating has to be one of the hardest things to do. They are spit second decisions that are made, but in the NBA it feels like there are so many outlying things that come into play that alter the way it is called (Star Treatment) that sometimes truthfully makes its hard to watch. And the reason I think I have more questions about the NBA is because I hear more about officials from the NBA than I do any other sport!
  
  
  
  
   

2013 NFL PREDICTIONS!!! (TYLER)

THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT... OR DOES IT?

For Day 22 of my 2013 NFL Predictions i will be breaking down the DETROIT LIONS!

Last year the Lions struggled through a 4-12 season, finishing last in the NFC North. I think the 4-12 record is deceiving. Most of the Lions losses last year were by a TD or less including games against the Packers (lost by 4 and 7), the Texans (lost by 3), the Bears (lost by 6 and 2), and the Colts (lost by 2). This offense has a lot to work for QB Matthew Stafford, obviously WR Calvin "Megatron" Johnson is the best wide out in the NFL no question. WR's Nate Burleson and Ryan Broyles will see more looks their way as teams continue to focus on Johnson. TE's Brandon Pettigrew and Tony Scheffler are serviceable but not elite by any standards. New addition RB Reggie Bush should bring a spark to the run game that has had to rely on the services of Jahvid Best and Mikel Leshoure. On defense DT Ndomukong Suh and Nick Fairley provide pressure up the middle. The linebackers and defensive backs are a serious weakness for the Lions, so much so that the Lions acquired the services of veteran CB Ron Bartell to try to stop gap the pain as much as possible. Offensive line isn't the greatest either for the Lions but lets see how they drafted. Did they help themselves out? Hmmmm...

ROUND 1: Ezekial "Ziggy" Ansah DE (BYU)

ROUND 2: Darius Slay CB (Mississippi State)

ROUND 3: Larry Warford OG (Kentucky)

ROUND 4: Devin Taylor DE (South Carolina)

ROUND 5: Sam Martin P (Appalachian State)

ROUND 6: Corey Fuller WR (Virginia Tech)

ROUND 6: Theo Riddick RB (Notre Dame)

ROUND 7: Michael Williams TE (Alabama)

ROUND 7: Brandon Hepburn ILB (Florida A&M)

I really... really like the Lions draft. First of all, with the loss of DE's Cliff Avril and Kyle Vanden Bosch the Lions needed pass rushing and got it with the pickups of DE's Ziggy Ansah and Devin Taylor. Darius Slay will start Week 1 at corner (yeah he's good). RB Theo Riddick will be a nice change of pace back to come in with Mikel Leshoure. Lastly, i absolutely love the late round pickup of TE Michael Williams in the 7th Round. This guys i huge! Watch for Williams to score when the Lions get into the red zone, great snag. What can this roster do with the schedule they have ahead of them? especially in a really tough division? Lets take a look.

OPPONENTS                               W/L
MINNESOTA                                  W
@ ARIZONA                                   W
@ WASHINGTON                          L
CHICAGO                                      W
@ GREEN BAY                              L
@ CLEVELAND                             L
CINCINNATI                                    L
DALLAS                                         W
BYE WEEK
@ CHICAGO                                 W
@ PITTSBURGH                            L
TAMPA BAY                                   W
GREEN BAY (THURSDAY)           W
@ PHILADELPHIA                         W
BALTIMORE (MONDAY)                L
NEW YORK GIANTS                      L
@ MINNESOTA                             W

FINAL RECORD                           9 - 7

Analysis: Head Coach Jim Schwartz is going to be happy with this season. The Lions are on the rise and will be a threat to the division championship as early as next year i predict. The disruption that the Lions defensive line will cause major headaches to each team on their schedule. Calvin Johnson basically can't be stopped so look for him to have another very productive year. I really like the addition of Reggie Bush, he makes the offense not so one dimensional. 8-8, 9-7 is very achievable in my mind.

Do you think the Lions can bounce back from 4-12 to hit 9-7? Let me hear why.

2013 NFL PREDICTIONS!!! (TYLER)

DAAAAAA BEARS!

For Day 21 of my 2013 NFL Predictions i will be breaking down the CHICAGO BEARS!

To me the Chicago Bears are a very intriguing team. They have weapons on offense, play-makers on defense, and good special teams. But last year Chicago started 6-0 before ending on a 2-8 skid which proved to be the downfall of Head Coach Lovie Smith's reign in Chicago. New Head Coach Marc Trestman has some solid pieces to work with like QB Jay Cutler, WR Brandon Marshall, RB's Matt Forte and Michael Bush, TE Martellus Bennett on offense. DE Julius Peppers and Shea McClellin, LB Lance Briggs solidifies the linebackers that are missing star Brian Urlacher, and CBs Charles Tillman and Tim Jennings. Sadly the Bears have had a glaring weakness for years now that hasn't improved or really been addressed heavily and that if Offensive Line, QB Jay Cutler would be a very good quarterback in my opinion if he could get a second or two more in the pocket, but he rarely get's any time to even think much less make a play. Did the Bears see the light and address their O-Line needs in the draft? Let's take a look see shall we?

ROUND 1: Kyle Long OG (Oregon)

ROUND 2: Jon Bostic ILB (Florida)

ROUND 4: Khaseem Green OLB (Rutgers)

ROUND 5: Jordan Mills OT (Louisiana Tech)

ROUND 6: Cornelius Washington OLB (Georgia)

ROUND 7: Marquess Wilson WR (Washington State)

Overall i like the draft from the Bears, Kyle Long and Jordan Mills i could see fighting to start right away on the offensive line. Jon Bostic will get some looks at middle linebacker. But my favorite pick was 7th round pick of WR Marquess Wilson, 7TH ROUND are you kidding me? this kid has some freakish athleticism and will turn some heads this year mark my words. He dropped down draft boards because of "character issues" when he got into trouble with Washington State head coach Mike Leach, but heck who wouldn't be on edge all the time playing for Washington State? Jay Cutlet is going to love having this kid to throw to along with Brandon Marshall. Do i think the Bears have improved enough to fight for the division crown? This division is pretty freaking tough all around. Take a glance at my predictions for the Bears.

OPPONENTS                                             W/L
CINCINNATI                                                  W
MINNESOTA                                                 W
@ PITTSBURGH                                           L
@ DETROIT                                                  L
NEW ORLEANS                                          W
NEW YORK GIANTS (THURSDAY)            L
@ WASHINGTON                                        W
BYE WEEK
@ GREEN BAY (MONDAY)                         W
DETROIT                                                      L
BALTIMORE                                                W
@ ST. LOUIS                                                L
@ MINNESOTA                                          W
DALLAS (MONDAY)                                   W
@ CLEVELAND                                          W
@ PHILADELPHIA                                      W
GREEN BAY                                               W

FINAL RECORD                                    11 - 5

Analysis: I see good things under Marc Trestman if you didn't notice that already. In my opinion the Bears improved the O-Line enough with Kyle Long on the interior to give QB Jay Cutler that little extra time necessary to make the plays he needs and to open up holes for RB Matt Forte. The Bears defense last year was stout, and even though Brian Urlacher is gone now i don't see much of a drop off from last years defense. I think the Bears have the tools necessary to win the division.

What do you think faithful readers? Let me know in the comments section. Don't be shy.

Locals in the NFL! (Casey)

 

Here is a list of all the local college football players that are currently on rosters of teams in the NFC East;

Dallas Cowboys:

There are no local Players on there current roster at this time.

New York Giants:

There are no Local Players on there current roster at this time.   

Washington Redskins:

                   Name                    Pos            H            W           EXP        College   

• #53 Bryan Kehl              LB             6'2"         243          5            BYU
• #58 Vic So'oto               LB             6'3"         263          2            BYU
• #62 Tevita Stevens         OL             6'3"         300          R           Utah

*DaVonte Christopher signed a free agent deal with the Redskins but does not show up on there roster at this time.


Philadelphia Eagles:

                    Name              Pos              H             W           EXP        College  

• #73 Joe Kruger        DE/LB        6'6"          269           R            Utah
• #31 Curtis Marsh      CB             6'1"          197           3             Utah State
• #16 Nick Miller        WR            5'9"           180          4             SUU
• #66 Dallas Reynolds   C             6'4"            320          2             BYU    

2013 NFL PREDICTIONS!!! (TYLER)

THE HOGS ARE BACK!

For Day 20 of my 2013 NFL Predictions i will be breaking down the WASHINGTON REDSKINS!

For years the Washington Redskins have kinda been down in the dumps with losing season after losing season... the hogs were sad. Then came the emergence of QB Robert Griffin III. He has brought new life to this 'Skins team along with fellow youngster RB Alfred Morris. There is a renewed hope and excitement in D.C. The Redskins did bring in WRs Pierre Garcon and Devery Henderson to work along side Santana Moss to help the young Griffin. However good the offense is, the defense on this team is more suspect. After CB DeAngelo Hall there really aren't any big name defenders. There are up and comers like LB Ryan Kerrigan but i'm not overly impressed with the defense. QB Robert Griffin is coming off of an injury and nobody really knows how he is going to perform this year when he does get back on the field. I for one am confident he will be back to form without signs of regress. Before i go a little too crazy on my wordage let's take a look at who the Redskins drafted this year.

ROUND 2: David Amerson CB (N.C. State)

ROUND 3: Jordan Reed TE (Florida)

ROUND 4: Philip Thomas SS (Fresno State)

ROUND 5: Chris Thompson RB (Florida State)

ROUND 6: Brandon Jenkins DE (Florida State)

ROUND 6: Bacarri Rambo SS (Georgia)

ROUND 7: Jawan Jamison RB (Rutgers)

If you are thinking the same thing i am, then you are thinking that this coaching staff knows that their secondary isn't the greatest, and they went fairly heavy on it this draft picking up CB David Amerson in the 2nd round, along with Safeties Philip Thomas and Bacarri Rambo to help shore up the defensive backfield. Add in a pair of running backs, a tight end, and a defensive end to polish up this draft doesn't really stand out as an outstanding draft, but adding depth in necessary places never hurts. Washington went 10-6 last year before losing to Seattle in the playoffs. How will they fare this year? Better or Worse? Let's take a look.

OPPONENTS                                         W/L
PHILADELPHIA (MONDAY)                      W
@ GREEN BAY                                         L
DETROIT                                                  W
@ OAKLAND                                            W
BYE WEEK
@ DALLAS                                               W
CHICAGO                                                  L
@ DENVER                                              L
SAN DIEGO                                              W
@ MINNESOTA (THURSDAY)                 W
@ PHILADELPHIA                                   W
SAN FRANCISCO (MONDAY)                W
NEW YORK GIANTS                              W
KANSAS CITY                                         W
@ ATLANTA                                             L
DALLAS                                                    W
@ NEW YORK GIANTS                           L

FINAL RECORD                                   11 - 5

Analysis: I actually have the Redskins finishing slightly better than last year. The main areas i see them struggling in are tough road environments like Green Bay, Denver, Atlanta, and NY Giants. I struggled giving them the win against San Fran on a Monday night, but decided to give them the game due to San Fran just finishing a tough road game against New Orleans the week before. Of course i am putting a lot into the fact that i think RG3 will be healthy and not miss a beat from last year, however i do feel that backup QB Kirk Cousins is more than able to lead the offense in his stead if Griffin should be unavailable.

These are my predictions... what are yours?

2013 NFL PREDICTIONS!!! (TYLER)

WAR EAGLE! WAIT NEVERMIND...

For Day 19 of my 2013 NFL Predictions, i will break down the PHILADELPHIA EAGLES.

For the last couple of years the Philadelphia Eagles have been the "dream team" in the minds of NFL experts because of all the "names" on the roster and yes i was one that thought that the Eagles were Super Bowl bound! Yeah that didn't happen, the team went to shambles, the coaching staff was removed, and now new Head Coach Chip Kelly has a project to deal with. Lucky for him there isn't the same amount of hype surrounding this team this year as in years past, and good thing too. QB Michael Vick hasn't been the same type of player he used to, RB LeSean McCoy is a stud running back, and WRs Jeremy Maclin and DeSean Jackson are more than servicable. However will QB Mike Vick keep his job as the starter? He will be pushed by QB's Nick Foles and rookie Matt Barkley, and i could see Chip Kelly going with one of the youngsters to start a few years of re-building. The defense of the Eagles is suspect and will get beat in most games this year, however there are some new faces for Chip to work with, and they are... 

ROUND 1: Lane Johnson OT (Oklahoma)

ROUND 2: Zach Ertz TE (Stanford)

ROUND 3: Bennie Logan DT (LSU)

ROUND 4: Matt Barkley QB (USC)

ROUND 5: Earl Wolff SS (N.C. State)

ROUND 7: Joe Kruger DE (Utah)

ROUND 7: Jordan Poyer CB (Oregon State)

ROUND 7: David King DE (Oklahoma)

As a whole i like what the Eagles did in the draft. Everybody knew that the offensive and defensive line was terrible for the Eagles, so they brought in one of the best/most athletic tackles in Lane Johnson to protect whichever QB they choose to start, also TE Zach Ertz is a serviceable blocker that will be a passing threat for opposing defenses. I really like where the Eagles went on defense, picking up players like Earl Wolff and Jordan Poyer for secondary help. (I think Poyer was an absolute steal by the way). Also picking up the services of Bennie Logan, and Joe Kruger on the defensive line will go a long way to build up the trenches and add some sort of pass rush to this defense. With all that said lets analyze the schedule the Eagles have to deal with and how i predict their season going. 

OPPONENTS                                           W/L
@ WASHINGTON (MONDAY)                    L
SAN DIEGO                                                L
KANSAS CITY (THURSDAY)                     L
@ DENVER                                                L
@ NEW YORK GIANTS                             L
@ TAMPA BAY                                           L
DALLAS                                                     W
NEW YORK GIANTS                                 L
@ OAKLAND                                              L
@ GREEN BAY                                          L
WASHINGTON                                           L
BYE WEEK
ARIZONA                                                   W
DETROIT                                                    L
@ MINNESOTA                                          L
CHICAGO                                                   L
@ DALLAS                                                 L

FINAL RECORD                                   2 - 14

Analysis: I think the NFL scheduling department hates the Eagles, I mean back to back to back road games against Denver, NYG, and Tampa? followed by trips to Oakland (cross country) and then Green Bay? The only bright spot on this schedule is playing Arizona at home following their Bye Week. If not for that i'm not sure they would win any games. I do have them splitting the series with Dallas due to Dallas' schedule, but Dallas could possibly sweep the Eagles also. Who knows what Chip Kelly is going to do with this team, he definitely has some exciting tools to work with, but it's going to take a lot of work in my opinion. Rough year, but hey, the draft looks good early next year. (believe me i know)

What do you think about the new look Eagles? Am i right/wrong/close? I would love to hear your thoughts. There are no wrong opinions, just Happy Accidental Thought Processes ;)

2013 NFL PREDICTIONS!!! (TYLER)

THE FOOTBALL GIANTS!

For Day 18 of my 2013 NFL Predictions i will be breaking down the NEW YORK GIANTS!

The craziest thing about he Giants is that every year i think they are going to be down and yet they still contend for the division. Maybe it's the genius of Head Coach Tom Coughlin i don't know, just think about this with me... this team has QB Eli Manning who is an above average quarterback, but he can be a head case sometimes. RB's Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw are gone leaving David Wilson as the starting back (who was benched last year for having "fumble-itis" early in the season). Receivers Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks are still around, while TE Brandon Myers was picked up in free agency. Defensively Jason Pierre-Paul is still one of the top pass rushers in the game along side Justin Tuck while the defensive backfield boasts the services of Aaron Ross, Prince Amukamara, and Antrel Rolle. Along with the players listed, here is who the Giants drafted.

ROUND 1: Justin Pugh OT (Syracuse)

ROUND 2: Johnathan Hankins DT (Ohio State)

ROUND 3: Damontre Moore DE (Texas A&M)

ROUND 4: Ryan Nassib QB (Syracuse)

ROUND 5: Cooper Taylor S (Richmond)

ROUND 7: Eric Herman G (Ohio)

ROUND 7: Michael Cox RB (Massachusetts)

I like the work that the Giants did on the offensive and defensive lines picking up solid players to protect Eli Manning and solidify the trenches on both sides. The most interesting pickup to me was QB Ryan Nassib, many experts thought that Nassib was a possibility for the Bills in the 1st Round! The Giants were able to get him in the 4th Round, he will be a serviceable backup for Manning. Now without further ado. My predictions.

OPPONENTS                                    W/L
@ DALLAS                                          W
DENVER                                              L
@ CAROLINA                                      L
@ KANSAS CITY                               W
PHILADELPHIA                                  W
@ CHICAGO (THURSDAY)               W
MINNESOTA (MONDAY)                    W
@ PHILADELPHIA                              W
BYE WEEK
OAKLAND                                          W
GREEN BAY                                        L
DALLAS                                               L
@ WASHINGTON                               L
@ SAN DIEGO                                   W
SEATTLE                                             L
@ DETROIT                                       W
WASHINGTON                                   W

FINAL RECORD                             10 - 6

Analysis: Yes i know what your thinking, i'm crazy to think that this team will reach ten wins. Nonetheless i see a fairly favorable schedule with fairly simple road games, the hardest being against Chicago in week 6 after little rest, lucky for the Giants they play the Eagles just before that game and they should blow them out to get a little rest for the starters before the game against the Bears. I like what Tom Coughlin does with this team and how he leads them.

I predict ten wins, but what do you think?

2013 NFL PREDICTIONS!!! (TYLER)

GET YER POPCORN READY, IT'S THE BOYS!

To begin the NFC portion of my 2013 NFL Predictions, i will break down the DALLAS COWBOYS.

The Cowboys are year-in and year-out the most confusing team in the NFL. Every year QB Tony Romo is going to get over the hump and lead his team to the playoffs and victories in the playoffs. Yet that doesn't happen. Why? I think Romo is a good quarterback that is decent outside of the pocket (since he's always running for his life). RB DeMarco Murray is a very good young back, this team has WR Miles Austin and WR Dez Bryant along with TE Jason Witten. The defense boasts one of the best pass rushers in Demarcus Ware. So why do they not live up to the media hype? I think the offensive line is terrible and who other than Ware do they have on defense? CB Brandon Carr is solid but not elite. This team needs help, lets see who they drafted to help.

ROUND 1: Travis Frederick C (Wisconsin)

ROUND 2: Gavin Escobar TE (San Diego State)

ROUND 3: Terrance Williams WR (Baylor)

ROUND 3: J.J. Wilcox FS (Georgia Southern)

ROUND 4: B.W. Webb CB (William & Mary)

ROUND 5: Joseph Randle RB (Oklahoma State)

ROUND 6: DeVonte Holloman OLB (South Carolina)

Can you say yawn fest? Dallas surprised everybody when they drafted C Frederick late in the first round, and then he was the only offensive lineman they drafted. They did get a couple players that are going to be good in the NFL in TE Escobar and CB Webb. Don't be surprised if both these players make an impact this year in their respective positions. Overall though i'm not impressed, to me this is Owner/GM Jerry Jones doing whatever he wants to do and not listening/taking advice from anybody (who probably knows better than him). Believe me i know how a senile Owner/GM can affect how a franchise operates negatively. 

How negatively you say? Let's take a look at my prediction for the Cowboys.

OPPONENTS                                  W/L
NEW YORK GIANTS                         L
@ KANSAS CITY                              W
ST. LOUIS                                         W
@ SAN DIEGO                                  L
WASHINGTON                                  L
@ PHILADELPHIA                             L
@ DETROIT                                       L
MINNESOTA                                     W
@ NEW ORLEANS                           L
BYE WEEK
@ NEW YORK GIANTS                    W
OAKLAND (THURSDAY)                  W
@ CHICAGO (MONDAY)                   L
GREEN BAY                                       L
@ WASHINGTON                              L
PHILADELPHIA                                 W

FINAL RECORD                             6 - 10

Analysis: I don't have high hopes for the Cowboys. They will catch a couple wins early in the year like they always do, then struggle until their bye. After they Bye taking a couple wins again before hitting another losing streak. Let's just say it's not a good year for the Cowboys to play the NFC North. Head Coach Jason Garrett will get fired after this year, and the hunt for the new puppet begins. I can see good things happening with all this team has to offer especially on offense if only Jerry Jones would actually let the coaching staff he hired do their jobs the way they know how. Unfortunately i don't see that happening for a while.

What do you think? Let me know in the comments section below. Thanks for reading.

2013 NFL PREDICTIONS!!! (TYLER)

CHARGE UP THE BOLTS!

For Day 16 of my 2013 NFL Predictions, and finishing off the AFC, i will break down the SAN DIEGO CHARGERS.

For years under QB Philip Rivers, the Chargers were the team to beat in the AFC West, RB LaDanian  Tomlinson was a beast to deal with and WR Vincent Jackson along with TE Antonia Gates were unstoppable. Not to mention a defense lead by LB Shawn Merriman rounded out a team that many predicted was Super Bowl bound. That did not happen however, last year the Charger fired Head Coach Norv Turner and their General Manager A.J. Smith bringing a fresh look to the coaching staff. RB Tomlinson is no longer with the team, along with Jackson, and Merriman. And Antonio Gates has declined over the last couple of seasons. The Chargers did bring in new faces via the draft this year, lets take a quick glance at who they drafted.

ROUND 1: D.J. Fluker OT (Alabama)

ROUND 2: Manti Te'o ILB (Notre Dame)

ROUND 3: Keenan Allen WR (California)

ROUND 5: Steve Williams CB (California)

ROUND 6: Tourek Williams DE (Florida International)

ROUND 7: Brad Sorensen QB (Southern Utah)

The Chargers did some nice things in the draft, i would have liked to see them address the offensive line needs more because they are terrible. QB Philip Rivers breathed a sigh of relief when the Chargers drafted OT Fluker and then grinned when they gave him a weapon like Keenan Allen. The Chargers took a chance on LB Manti Te'o according to the experts, i don't agree, Te'o but in a solid body of work during 99% of his career at Notre Dame and most people dogged on him because of his performance in the National Championship game against Alabama and at the combine. I see him as a star on the defense for the Chargers. I give the Chargers a "good not great" draft. How much will the draft help the Chargers you say? Lets take a look now at my prediction.

OPPONENTS                                     W/L
HOUSTON (MONDAY)                         L
@ PHILADELPHIA                               W
@ TENNESSEE                                    L
DALLAS                                               W
@ OAKLAND                                       L
INDIANAPOLIS (MONDAY)                  L
@ JACKSONVILLE                              W
BYE WEEK
@ WASHINGTON                                 L
DENVER                                                L
@ MIAMI                                                L
@ KANSAS CITY                                  L
CINCINNATI                                          L
NEW YORK GIANTS                            L
@ DENVER (THURSDAY)                   L
OAKLAND                                          W
KANSAS CITY                                     L

FINAL RECORD                               4 - 12

Analysis: No i don't see them getting enough help through the draft and free agency to contend in the division. I think it's going to take more help on the Offensive Line to keep QB Philip Rivers upright and open up lanes for RB Ryan Matthews. Watch for WR Vincent Brown to become the star of the offense this year though and Rivers' favorite target. Unfortunately i see the end of the career of one of the great TE in the game this year, my feeling is Antonio Gates retires after this year. Who knows though, with new coaches and a new GM the Chargers could potentially turn the clock back in the next couple of years to being contenders once again in the AFC West. Just not this year.

These are my thought and opinions. Whats yours? Thanks for Reading

2013 NFL PREDICTIONS!!! (TYLER)

THE RRRRRAIDAS!! (IN BERMAN VOICE)

For Day 15 of my 2013 NFL Prediction i will be breaking down the OAKLAND RAIDERS!

The Oakland Raiders were terrible last year behind QB Carson Palmer, injuries riddled the team, RB Darren McFadden never really got used to the Zone Blocking scheme and one of Oakland's best receivers was undrafted Rookie Rod Streater... yeah that's right. The Raider defense was one of the worst in the NFL last year especially as pass protecting and pass rushing. New GM Reggie McKenzie has done a lot this year to widdle out heavy contracts that are just hurting this organization, but with that Oakland has lost a lot of their best players. Oakland traded QB Carson Palmer to Arizona, and acquired QB Matt Flynn from Seattle. One of the best pickups by McKenzie was grabbing ILB Nick Roach from Chicago, Roach has already become a leader on the defense and the players look up to him as the quarterback of the defense. DB's Charles Woodson, Tracy Porter, Mike Jenkins, and Usama Young come in to try to tighten down a terrible defensive backfield, while DT's Pat Sims and Vance Walker come in to try to help plug up lanes against the run. The Raiders also did some work in the draft this year... Lets see who they selected.

ROUND 1: D.J. Hayden CB (Houston)

ROUND 2: Menelik Watson OT (Florida State)

ROUND 3: Sio Moore OLB (Connecticut)

ROUND 4: Tyler Wilson QB (Arkansas)

ROUND 6: Nick Kasa TE (Colorado)

ROUND 6: Latavius Murray RB (Central Florida)

ROUND 6: Mychal Rivera TE (Tennessee)

ROUND 6: Stacy McGee DT (Oklahoma)

ROUND 7: Brice Butler WR (San Diego State)

ROUND 7: David Bass DE (Missouri Western)

The Raiders surprised a lot of people by drafting CB Hayden after trading back, because of Hayden's recent injury history that almost took his life. However, Hayden was widely considered the best CB coming out of college before his injury so who knows, this pick could pan out very well. OT Watson was kind of a head-scratcher because Oakland needs players to play now and Watson is very raw, lucky for him however he will end up playing RT instead of more critical LT. The next five picks i absolutely love, Sio Moore will be a contributor this year along with TE's Kasa and Rivera. QB Tyler Wilson has already been pushing Matt Flynn for the starting spot, and RB Latavius Murray will more than likely be used as a change of pace back to complement McFadden. What was really good to see was the direction that GM McKenzie is taking this organization. With that said however, will it be enough to help them out this year? Let's take a look see... 

OPPONENTS                                   W/L

@ INDIANAPOLIS                               L

JACKSONVILLE                                 W 

@ DENVER (MONDAY)                     L

WASHINGTON                                   L

SAN DIEGO                                       W

@ KANSAS CITY                               L

BYE WEEK

PITTSBURGH                                    L

PHILADELPHIA                                 W

@ NEW YORK GIANTS                    L

@ HOUSTON                                     L

TENNESSEE                                      L

@ DALLAS (THURSDAY)                  L

@ NEW YORK JETS                       W

KANSAS CITY                                   L

@ SAN DIEGO                                  L

DENVER                                            L

FINAL RECORD                             4 - 12

To answer my own question..... NO..... i don't think it will be enough to help them this year. This team needs a lot of work, but i do see them heading in the right direction and solid QB play will be huge for the future years. There are way to many question marks on defense and not enough consistency on offense to be a contender. What I've seen is Raider's fans are more than happy to see this kind of record this year because they know contending for the division is on the horizon. 

Agree? Disagree? let me know what you think. And thanks for reading!

2013 NFL PREDICTIONS!!! (TYLER)

LOOKS GREAT, BUT WHO ARE THE CHEFS?

For Day 14 of my 2013 NFL Predictions i will break down the KANSAS CITY CHIEFS!

Last year, with all the uncertainty concerning QB Peyton Manning in Denver, many NFL Experts pegged the Kansas City Chiefs as the "easy" choice to win the AFC West. And how could you blame them? With all the  playmakers on offense and defense like RB Jamaal Charles, TE Tony Moeaki, and S Eric Berry coming off early season-ending injuries the previous year, i had the Chiefs as the clear cut favorite as well. What really hurt this team last year was QB play. Matt Cassel just didn't pan out, and backup Brady Quinn showed us all what we already knew... that he isn't an NFL QB. This offseason has been huge for the Chiefs, first acquiring HC Andy Reid from Philadelphia, then picking up free agents like CB Sean Smith, CB Dunta Robinson to play opposite already solid CB Brandon Flowers. Tamba Hali should have a great year along with LB Derrick Johnson. DT Dontari Poe will try to get things going with fellow DL Tyson Jackson. OT Brandon Albert is still with the team after many thought he would've been traded by now. Plus it doesn't hurt to have WR Dwayne Bowe on your team with newly acquired receiver Donny Avery and TE Anthony Fasano. The biggest splash came when basically all QB's from last years team were cut (except Ricky Stanzi) and the Chiefs acquired Alex Smith from the 49ers, he is obviously the favorite to start. Now before i get too crazy on this team. Lets take at peek at their draft class.

ROUND 1: Eric Fisher OT (Central Michigan)

ROUND 3: Travis Kelce TE (Cincinnati)

ROUND 3: Knile Davis RB (Arkansas)

ROUND 4: Nico Johnson ILB (Alabama)

ROUND 5: Sanders Commings CB (Georgia)

ROUND 6: Eric Kush C (California PA)

ROUND 6: Braden Wilson FB (Kansas State)

ROUND 7: Mike Catapano DE (Princeton)

I like that the Chiefs went with Fisher #1 overall, he will probably start at RT while Brandon Albert will be at LT, C Eric Kush will probably be a situation player. TE Travis Kelce could vie for playing time in a possible two TE set (especially with Moeaki's health concerns). Against popular opinion i really like the pickup of RB Knile Davis, i think he will turn a lot of heads that are focused on other rookie running backs. Also LB Nico Johnson could very well be brought into some games on certain situations this year. With all that said lets take a look at how i predict this years Chiefs team will perform.

OPPONENTS                                           W/L

@ JACKSONVILLE                                    W

DALLAS                                                       L

@ PHILADELPHIA (THURSDAY)              W

NEW YORK GIANTS                                  L

@ TENNESSEE                                         W

OAKLAND                                                  W

HOUSTON                                                  L

CLEVELAND                                             W

@ BUFFALO                                             W

BYE WEEK

@ DENVER                                                L

SAN DIEGO                                               W

DENVER                                                    W

@ WASHINGTON                                      L

@ OAKLAND                                            W 

INDIANAPOLIS                                          L

@ SAN DIEGO                                          W

FINAL RECORD                                    10 - 6

Don't worry, your eyes are not freaking out, what you see is actually true and will happen. I am on the believer bandwagon that QB Alex Smith has put his worst years behind him. Jamaal Charles is set to have a great year, and this Chief Defense will be much improved compared to last year. I hear you saying there's no way that a team can bounce back high so quickly but just look at last years Colts team. All some teams need is just a piece or two to turn things around, plus is doesn't hurt to have a coach like Andy Reid on your sideline. I have the Chiefs making the Wild Card round to face the Steelers for Pete's Sake! 

Am i crazy to think this way? Let me know in the comments section below. 

And thanks for reading. Your brain may need a rest now.