It looked like collegiate football at times yesterday. Single wing formations, direct snaps, trick plays and plenty of stunning upsets. Yet, it was the NFL on one of the more zany Sundays in quite awhile. One thing is for certain as we head into week four, and that is there is a feeling I get that the landscape is shifting.
The formidable powers the past few years are nursing injuries and trying to plug holes, while the younger teams are zipping right by them. Right now it appears that the NFC East is the class of the entire league and everyone else is trying to file in right behind them until lightning strikes.
With that, here are my Week Three NFL Power Rankings, with changes galore. Including at the top.
1.(2) Dallas (3-0) - On the road and against one of the more talented young teams in the NFL, the Cowboys finally powered up in the 2nd half and crushed Green Bay. One of the weapons was heretofore unknown Miles Austin, 3rd wide receiver from tiny Monmouth in New Jersey. He came out of nowhere to give the Packers secondary fits while they were busy keeping tabs on Terrell Owens.
Felix Jones had another game where his impact was felt, and Marion "The Barbarian" Barber was crunching through the Packers all night. Best team in the NFL right now, but like I've said from the beginning of pre-season - if they don't go to the Super Bowl, it's a complete failure of a season.
2.(3) NY Giants (3-0) - Remarkable game that almost left the defending champs with some seriously reddened and embarassed faces from allowing winless Cincinatti to come to town and sneak out a victory. But Eli Manning and the Giant offense responded each time the Bengals scored, and Manning's pass deep into Bengal terrority to Amani Toomer in overtime set up the game winning field goal. The Giants are now 3-0 and hanging right with the Cowboys.
3.(10) Philadelphia (2-1) - The win vs state rival Pittsburgh might be a bit costly. McNabb and Westbrook both are banged up, with Brian the more serious of the two. If they both can be back in action again next week, then the Eagles will obviously be in better shape when they face the Bears in Chicago. The Eagles, Giants and Cowboys all have superb balance on both sides of the football, but with Westbrook and McNabb out of the picture or not 100%, the Redskins can fill the vacuum quickly.
4.(5) Tennessee (3-0) - Once again the Titans use a smothering defense and just enough offense to win. That INT by Cortland Finnegan sealed the deal for the Titans, who now find themselves up by 2 games on division rivals Indy and Jacksonville. Without their franchise QB too. Jeff Fisher must be wanting someone to pinch him. A very interesting game coming up next week as AP and the Minnesota Vikings come in for a visit.
5.(6) Buffalo (3-0) - Great comeback by the Bills after a horrible defensive lapse allowed Oakland to score and go up 23-14 late in the game. The BIlls didn't panic and came back after that 84-yard TD pass from Russell to Johnnie Lee Higgins, getting a Trent Edwards TD pass to Roscoe Parrish. Then they drove down into field goal terrority to give Rian Lindell the game-winning shot, which he drove through the uprights and 24-23 thriller. The Bills are now 3-0 and alone atop the AFC East. Up next is a road trip out west to face the St. Louis Rams.
6.(8) Baltimore (2-0) Joe Flacco isn't ready to go to the Pro Bowl yet, but he has been steady. His first career interception did lead to 7 points for Cleveland, but on this day the defense tormented the Browns all day long so it really didn't matter. The real test is coming next Monday night for Flacco as he makes his inaugural appearance on Monday Night Football. Don't think the Steelers won't be ready with a welcoming plan.
7.(9) Denver (3-0) - This team was on fire early in the game and we knew New Orleans isn't exactly a powerhouse on defense. However, someone forgot to tell Denver about Drew Brees. Or at least it seemed that way as they fought off Brees and the Saints to hold on for a 34-32 win. It marks another "hang-on-it's-gonna-be-a-close-one" victory to move them to a 3-0 overall record. But the Denver D needs some work.
8.(8) Green Bay (2-1) - Is it midnight yet, or was this just one of those games you knew had to happen to Aaron Rodgers eventually? The Packer secondary didn't look to hot against the Cowboys at times, yet managed to pick Romo a couple of times. Turning point of the game was after the long pass to Donald Driver, Packers trailing 13-6 and they had to settle for a FG. At home. Now the Packers return their focus on the NFC North as Minnesota is back on track and the Bears have a dangerous defense.
9. (1) Pittsburgh (2-1) - Big Ben looked like he had shoulder problems, while the entire offense seemed stuck in mud. While the Steeler defense kept it close the offense couldn't muster up enough points and even ended up giving a few away. The biggest question for the next week will be whether or not Big Ben can go against the Ravens on Monday night. Any takers say he won't?
10.(16) Washington (2-1)- A huge win for the Skins. Jason Campbell seems to be getting more and more comfortable in this offense and has his "safety-blanket" receiver in Santana Moss, who had an outstanding game. But the real difference today was the Skin defense who were challenged all game long and only allowed a few big plays to a team that thrives on multiple big plays each week.
11.(11) San Diego (0-2) - If the Bolts win on Monday night, they won't move up. If they lose, they fall waaaaaay down.
12.(21) Arizona (2-1) - This was the opportunity for the Cardinals show the league it was here and ready to assume the role of Super Bowl contender. The stage was set to come into hostile Redskin country, beat a top team from one of the two best conferences in the league and win. However, all the Cards did was allow opportunity after opportunity to slip away and Washington to pull out a victory that gave Arizona their first loss of the season.
13.(7) Carolina (2-1) - The Panthers laid an egg. It was almost the opposite of what happened to Minnesota last week, only with the Vikings down 10-0 early in this one. However, Carolina could not step on the throat of the Vikings to finish them off. Coach John Fox and the Panthers certainly won't enjoy film study tomorrow and then get ready for a fireball in the form of the Falcons from Atlanta.
14.(23) Tampa Bay (2-1) - Brian Griese had a very large measure of revenge against his former team, throwing for over 400 yards and overcoming 3 picks to lead his team to a 27-24 overtime when at Soldier Field in Chicago. The win keeps the Bucs in the hunt within the NFC South, which currently features a three-way tie for first among the Bucs, Carolina and, of all teams, the Falcons.
15.(22) Atlanta (2-1) - Matt Ryan and Michael Turner turned the heat up early on KC and never looked back. Ryan through an 80 yard bomb to Roddy White early in the 1st quarter, while Turner just bullied his way to a 3 TD performance. The defense did some good work as well, holding Larry Johnson down until they were up convincingly at 24-0. The Falcons are starting to gain some confidence and the NFC South is a complete free-for-all right now with three teams at 2-1 and the pre-season favorite Saints, 1-2. Next up for Atlanta is a rugged road game to Carolina.
16.(21) San Francisco (2-1) - Frisco is taking advantage of the big win over Seattle last week by knocking off another divisional opponent. The Lions never stood a chance, as J.T. O'Sullivan and Frank Gore had the offense clicking, while the defense came up with another solid peformance. We'll get the chance to see if the 49ers can keep the momentum going next week when they travel to the Big Easy and face the dangerous Saints.
17.(17) New Orleans (1-2) - Two weeks in a row, two close losses. This time it was some questionable play-calling that might have cost the Saints. Drew Brees was hitting on about any pass to anyone in a gold uniform. So with just over 2 minutes left, in Denver terrority and trailing by two points, coach Sean Payton decides to deploy the conservative play calling raft.....which promptly deflates on 3 consecutive running plays, including a 3rd and one handoff up the middle to Pierre Thomas that resulted in a 3 yard loss. That forced a Martin Gramatica field goal from around 45 or more, which he promptly sent wide right and left the Saints 1-2 on the season. If that wasn't bad enought, TE Jeremy Shockey is out with a groin injury for several weeks.
18.(12) Chicago (1-2) - For the entire first half the Bear offense basically went three and out. In the 2nd half, following a Kyle Orton QB sneak for a first down, the former Boilermaker hit nearly every pass en route to a 24-14 lead against division rival Tampa Bay. Matt Forte and the Bear defense were the main story, but Kyle Orton and Brandon Lloyd connected on some big plays to ignite the offense. Someone forgot to tell Brian Griese that this had all the makings of a "Bear" day. The defense played great most of the game, but the boneheaded personal foul penalty in OT sealed the Bears fate.
19.(4) New England (1-2) - Many predicted the Patriots were just "time" away from a loss. Sure, that's a pretty easy prediciton to make considering the large impact Tom Brady has made on that team the past few years. But really, did anyone think it would be Miami? At home? No....no one did. Nor could they imagine an absolute butt-whipping even if the Phish did happen to score an upset win. But it happened. The lone bright spot is the fact it is bye week and the Patriots have two weeks to prepare for a West coast trip to meet the 49ers.
20.(14) Jacksonville ( 1-2) - A very close call for the Jags who were precariously close to falling to 0-3. If it weren't for a rather questionable pass-interference call against a frozen Colts linebacker with under a minute to go, it would've been their third straight loss. As it is, the Jags get their first win of the year and travel back home to face the improved Houston Texans who feature a better run defense than Indy.
21.(13) Indianapolis (1-2) - This team is between a rock and a hard place. Offensive line injuries force massive shuffling and either protection or run blocking problems, or both. The defense has injuries that have reduced the overall depth and other bumps and bruises have affected other key players. Plus they can't tackle very well - which might be because they were on the field against Jacksonville for 41 minutes. And then there's Peyton Manning, who is still finishing off a 3-game pre-season run during the regular season and still is obviously not running at peak efficiency. They are fortunate to be 1-2, but until the entire team is healthy I'd say they're precariously close to leaving their fate in the hands of a wild card berth.
22.(18) NY Jets (1-1) - If the Jets win close on MNF, I will bump them up a few notches. If they do like Miami and blow the Chargers out, they jump up to #17. If they lose, they stick at #22.
23. (20) Houston (0-2) - Matt Schaub's least favorite team to play against causes nightmares again for the Texans. Tennessee pressure created bad passes, interceptions and other assorted problems. The Texans are probably still trying to re-focus in light of the circumstances surrounding hurricane Ike. They need to do it quickly as hurricane Jaguar is up next.
24.(25) Seattle (1-2) - No one was expecting this Seahawk team to put up 37 points (even on St. Louis) with all the injuries to the receiving corps and the question marks surrounding their running game. But the Rams really must suck that badly. Jerious Jones and T.J. Duckett made St. Louis look like a college team by racking up over 200 yards rushing and 3 TD's between the two of them. Meantime Matt Hasselbeck throws for over 170 yards and a touchdown - to a guy named Bumphus. No, seriously. He's a 5-11 rookie out of Washington St.
25.(26) Minnesota (1-2) - The Vikings, ahead 15-0 last week to the Colts, blew the lead and lost the game. This week, they spot Carolina a 10-0 lead and storm back for a 20-10 victory. It was a much needed win as there was much consternation among the faithful right after the Panthers went up by 10 in the first half. But Antoine Winfield's game changing sack and fumble recovery for a touchdown sparked the Vikings. Then Gus Frerotte played his normal steady game, passing for over 200 yards while letting the defense do the rest, giving Minnesota it's first win of the year. And not a moment too soon.
26.(27) Oakland (1-2) - Excruciating loss for the Raiders and Lane Kiffin. They battled and baffled the Bills all day long, and looked to have locked the game up on the 84-yard TD pass from Jamarcus Russell to Johnnie Lee Higgens. Perhaps that is exactly what happened - the Raiders thought it was over. Speaking of "over", I am wondering if it is that time now for Kiffen, or will Al let it drag out until the bye week. One thing is certain: the Raiders aren't too far away from being a playoff team if someone named Al would leave the coaching staff alone.
27.(31) Miami (1-2) - This team isn't a bottom-dwellar any longer. Not with that backfield and the emerging offensive line we witnessed against New England. Coach Sparano may have reinforced a new trend in the NFL with direct snaps to his running backs. The only problem I see with it is having a guy like Chad Pennington split wide right....no one is buying that for a moment. But it still worked. And now Chad and Chad have a backup QB in Ronnie Brown. Extremely impressive and important win for this franchise.
28.(24) Cleveland (0-3) - Can you say "Night-night" Cleveland? Okay, well maybe not "Night, night". Maybe just "Lights low" for right now. The entire Brown team seems extremely out of sync. The weather was fine and there were no excuses today - the Ravens just took it to them. This creates the dilema of pushing Brady Quinn in at QB to provide some sort of spark, because it is obvously the offense that cannot get untracked. Or should I say Derek Anderson cannot get ON track. His two pick 6 passes in the 3rd quarter blew the game open for Baltimore. They might catch a break as they face the Bengals next week, though it's on the road.
29.(30) Cincy(0-3) - Wow....talk about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. It was good to see the effort put forth by the Bengals in this game, but moral victories can't count any longer as the season begins to slip away. Perhaps a victory in the Buckeye State Bowl next week will get things turned around. Riiiight. It's going to be a photo-finish as to what coach gets canned first this year. My guess is Marv is right behind Linehan and Edwards.
30.(31) Detroit (0-3)- All I want to know is how the hell is Matt Millen still a General Manager? That's all I want to know. Oh, and why was it Mike Martz was fired? Oh, and can I apply for the GM job? I guess maybe that's asking a little too much.
31.(29) St. Louis ( 0-3) - Just when you thought it couldn't get any uglier. When you allow T.J. Duckett to score on you - twice - you know you have work to do. Not that Duckett is a bad player. But he's about 43 years old isn't he? At any rate, the Rams are just a shade better than KC, so they would probably win the Show Me Bowl.
32.(27) Kansas City (0-3) - Sheesh KC....at least PRETEND to try and find a QB.....oh, I know, how about Daunte Culpepper? I heard he wasn't doing much these days. Herm? Your job is slowly slipping away, so what would it hurt to get in touch with Pep? It ain't like Thigpen is going to keep you in the hunt for at least a .500 season. The battle of pro football in Missouri continues
Monday, September 22, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
It's Bye Week Coming Up Next !
And it couldn't come at a better time for the Indianapolis Colts, who lose their second game of the year (both at Loser Oil Stadium) to division rival Jacksonville, 23-21.
Usually Peyton Manning doesn't cost you a game. This time, he helped make it tough on anyone to think he didn't at least help. Some questionable throws led to two interceptions - one that went the other way for a Jax touchdown, and the other that probably cost the Colts a minimum of 3 points and control of the game when they already led 14-10.
But it wasn't just Manning. The defense could not tackle and continually whiffed on would-be tackles for loss of yardage, including one that saw Fred Taylor turn a certain 7 yard loss into a 34 yard gain into Colts terrority. It was not pretty.
That said, the veteran QB led the comeback and put the Colts in front 21-20 with a minute and 4 seconds to go. And after Adam Vinateiri kicked it out of the endzone, the Jags faced the daunting task of moving it into field goal range with just 56 seconds remaining. Which is where a poor pass interference call was made on linebacker Freddy Keiaho (who was basically frozen in place like so many Colt defenders all day) and had a receiver run into him while running the Jags pass route. THAT was flagged as interference and gave Jacksonville a first down after the Colts had seemingly stopped them on 4th and 3.
After that it was just a matter of how long the FG would be for Scoobey, who nailed a 45 yarder with lots of room to spare.
Indy has a bye week next week and hopefully it will give Manning and the offense some time to get adjusted and fine-tune their timing. The defense, meanwhile, can't fine-tune anything. They really can't stop the run and are facing more games without Bob Sanders. But the main problem is the lack of ability to stop the run consistently.
Following the bye week, the Colts travel to Houston for another division game - which is nearly a "must-win" as they find themselves trailing Tennessee by two games already in the AFC South.
Usually Peyton Manning doesn't cost you a game. This time, he helped make it tough on anyone to think he didn't at least help. Some questionable throws led to two interceptions - one that went the other way for a Jax touchdown, and the other that probably cost the Colts a minimum of 3 points and control of the game when they already led 14-10.
But it wasn't just Manning. The defense could not tackle and continually whiffed on would-be tackles for loss of yardage, including one that saw Fred Taylor turn a certain 7 yard loss into a 34 yard gain into Colts terrority. It was not pretty.
That said, the veteran QB led the comeback and put the Colts in front 21-20 with a minute and 4 seconds to go. And after Adam Vinateiri kicked it out of the endzone, the Jags faced the daunting task of moving it into field goal range with just 56 seconds remaining. Which is where a poor pass interference call was made on linebacker Freddy Keiaho (who was basically frozen in place like so many Colt defenders all day) and had a receiver run into him while running the Jags pass route. THAT was flagged as interference and gave Jacksonville a first down after the Colts had seemingly stopped them on 4th and 3.
After that it was just a matter of how long the FG would be for Scoobey, who nailed a 45 yarder with lots of room to spare.
Indy has a bye week next week and hopefully it will give Manning and the offense some time to get adjusted and fine-tune their timing. The defense, meanwhile, can't fine-tune anything. They really can't stop the run and are facing more games without Bob Sanders. But the main problem is the lack of ability to stop the run consistently.
Following the bye week, the Colts travel to Houston for another division game - which is nearly a "must-win" as they find themselves trailing Tennessee by two games already in the AFC South.
Boilers Pull Sheet(s) Over CMU Eyes!
Three games into the 2008 season, the Purdue Boilermaker football team has treated its fans to three home games, two wins and a double-overtime loss to a nationally ranked Oregon team. However, that 2-1 record and close call against the Ducks is a bit misleading.
With the exception of the Purdue defense and Kory Sheets, the rest has been fairly disappointing. Especially as it relates to senior quarterback Curtis Painter. The lack of production by Painter in critical moments over his previous two seasons has been the main knock on his game (by me and others) and he has lived up to that billing thus far.
Now to be fair, Painter is playing behind a more inexperienced offensive line than he has his first two years, and the receiving corps is made up of players who will eventually be pretty good, but are still feeling their way through the first few games. So he does have a bit of a handicap coming into the pre-conference schedule.
The biggest disappointment for me is his lack of inspirational leadership and "show 'em how to lead" attitude up to this point. A senior QB is looked upon to be the team leader and must show (as well as tell) the team to kick it in gear. He has failed to do that much of the past two games when it matters most.
Curtis Painter has a good, strong arm and throws some beautiful passes. But he didn't against Oregon when the Boilers needed it most, and took entirely too long to get started yesterday against the Chippewas. And if I were an NFL scout forced to choose right now between Curtis Painter and Central Michigan's Dan LeFevour it's not even a question that takes more than a couple of seconds to answer. Dan LeFevour, hands down.
So even though Painter has passed some legends on the all-time passing list for Purdue QB's, and is probably going to surpass Drew Brees as the all-time passing leader in Boilermaker football history, I'd venture to bet dollars to doughnuts that his stats against major competition is much worse. And that's the problem. Big games equal little production for Painter to this point, and don't think that isn't realized by NFL scouts, coaches and GM's.
So while Purdue fans were treated to an exciting game and a "W" yesterday, the long-term success for this season must be tempered with the knowledge that Curtis Painter - for a whole host of reasons - hasn't lived up to his billing in West Lafayette, to date.
Until that changes, the Boilermakers look like a possible opponent for Central Michigan in the Motor City Bowl, part deux.
With the exception of the Purdue defense and Kory Sheets, the rest has been fairly disappointing. Especially as it relates to senior quarterback Curtis Painter. The lack of production by Painter in critical moments over his previous two seasons has been the main knock on his game (by me and others) and he has lived up to that billing thus far.
Now to be fair, Painter is playing behind a more inexperienced offensive line than he has his first two years, and the receiving corps is made up of players who will eventually be pretty good, but are still feeling their way through the first few games. So he does have a bit of a handicap coming into the pre-conference schedule.
The biggest disappointment for me is his lack of inspirational leadership and "show 'em how to lead" attitude up to this point. A senior QB is looked upon to be the team leader and must show (as well as tell) the team to kick it in gear. He has failed to do that much of the past two games when it matters most.
Curtis Painter has a good, strong arm and throws some beautiful passes. But he didn't against Oregon when the Boilers needed it most, and took entirely too long to get started yesterday against the Chippewas. And if I were an NFL scout forced to choose right now between Curtis Painter and Central Michigan's Dan LeFevour it's not even a question that takes more than a couple of seconds to answer. Dan LeFevour, hands down.
So even though Painter has passed some legends on the all-time passing list for Purdue QB's, and is probably going to surpass Drew Brees as the all-time passing leader in Boilermaker football history, I'd venture to bet dollars to doughnuts that his stats against major competition is much worse. And that's the problem. Big games equal little production for Painter to this point, and don't think that isn't realized by NFL scouts, coaches and GM's.
So while Purdue fans were treated to an exciting game and a "W" yesterday, the long-term success for this season must be tempered with the knowledge that Curtis Painter - for a whole host of reasons - hasn't lived up to his billing in West Lafayette, to date.
Until that changes, the Boilermakers look like a possible opponent for Central Michigan in the Motor City Bowl, part deux.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Mac's NFL Power Rankings - Week Two
Originally posted this over on http://www.drafttek.com/ and forgot to add it to my own blog on Monday night after the wild game between Dallas & Green Bay......so here it is.
Colts, Redskins, Panthers, Bills, 49ers & Packers all had thrilling comeback victories on Sunday. And the San Diego Chargers almost pulled off an incredible one as well. Then we were all treated to one of the most exciting and entertaining Monday Night Football games we've seen in awhile.
The season is off to a wild start, surely to get more wild yet. Here are my picks for the NFL Power Rankings at the end of Week Two.
1. (1) Pittsburgh - Not a pretty win, but any win is good and the Steelers did what they needed to do in blustery Cleveland Sunday night. Big Ben was supposed to be nursing a sore shoulder but came out firing early on, then Willie took over for most of the rest of the game. But the really awesome play was that 3rd and 4 from the Steeler 3 yard line when Big Ben zipped a pass out to Hines Ward near midfield to foil the Browns.
2.(4) Dallas - Not sure if any other team in the NFL can move the ball on the Cowboys like the Eagles, but the Cowboys didn't make the late, fatal mistake this time. It was probably the win the Cowboys needed to get the mental edge needed for the remainder of the season. Great offensive game but mistakes by Romo cost the Cowboys early. The defense stiffened in the second half, but if it wasn't for the McNabb fumble, this game may have gone to the Eagles.
3.(10) NY Giants - Eli Manning and the Giants looked the part of the better team in the middle of a true mismatch as they throttled the hapless Rams. St. Louis made it close at one point, for a few seconds... but the G-men are not off my radar as they look to repeat as Super Bowl champs.
4.(4) New England - The Patriots big goalline stand was the turning point of the game. And the effort by the defense helped Matt Cassel to keep his focus on sticking with the game plan and the clock running. The Patriots showed why they're a talented team that is still dangerous even without Brady. I stil think they're vulnerable against better teams, but
the playoffs are certainly probable. What a game it will be vs Buffalo.
5.(9) Tennessee - First time since 1999 ( just after the Oilers became the Titans - thanks Justin ! ) that Tennessee was 2-0 and in first place of their division. With a rugged defense and an offense that is functional with Collins in and Young out, the Titans are dangerous. Division game against Houston next, then we'll see how they handle the Vikings who choked away a victory to the Colts.
6.(11) Buffalo - The defense didn't have as great a game as last week, but were still tough. Meanwhile, the offense was clicking and has the chance to make this a special season. They cannot afford to look past Oakland this week and St. Louis the following week, and that mental discipline will be the test for this young up and coming team.
7.(3) Carolina - Down 17 with 8 minutes to go in the 3rd quarter, it looked like the Panthers were pretty much gone. But DelHomme and company rally to stun the Bears and find themselves all alone in first place of the NFC South. Not the greatest of performances for the Panthers, especially considering this was a home game. But a win is a win.
8.(5) Green Bay - Amazing performance by Aaron Rodgers as he continues to make Packer fans forget about the guy who used to run the offense. Three TD passes behind a great receiving effort by Greg Jennings. It's quite premature to begin carving out his bust for Canton, but props to him for rising to meet the challenge of following a legend and leading his team to win #2.
9.(19) Denver - When they hand out the "Big Brass Ones" award at the end of the year, you'll probably see Mike Shanahans name on the list - if not the actual award. (Ugh, no, I'm not sure if the award is a set of brass replicas - good question !) Down 1 with seconds left after scoring a TD, the Broncos opt to go for the 2 PAT and the win. Viola ! Two and oh, leading the AFC West with a wild win over their division foe. Donations to the Ed Hoculi Favorite Referee Fund should be pouring in from all over Bronco-land all week.
10.(8) Philadelphia - A great game by Brian Westbrook and Donovan McNabb, except for one single handoff that ended up on the carpet and ended a drive that could have broke it open for the Eagles. The rematch should be as good as this one. Meantime, the coaching staff probably is more than a little worried the secondary allowed so many big passing plays.
11.(7) San Diego - Ouch. Two questionable calls that should've been reversed led to Bronco touchdowns. Don't think they won't remember that on the Denver visit to San Diego. Meantime, the offense put up some big numbers with an ailing LT not at full-strength, and their defense clamped down on Denver much of the second half. Another come-from-behind masterpiece from the offense that came up just a little short.......well, actually, no it didn't if referee Ed Hochili hadn't made a seriously big goof. That said, refs aren't robots nor perfect...so every once in awhile it happens. Add this loss to the one last week vs Carolina and there is no reason for panic in San Diego as each game could've gone either way.
12.(12) Chicago - The Bears had Carolina dead to rights and nearly a first-place tie with the Packers in the NFC North. However, crucial turnovers and some questionable play-calling cost Chicago a game they should have won. If the Bears had a deep threat wideout they would have won.
13.(14) Indianapolis - It is nearly a replay of late last season for the Colts, with a team of walking wounded. Facing a 15-0 deficit in the 3rd quarter, all this team did was score 18 unanswered to stun the Vikings and the Metrodome crowd. It wasn't pretty, but any "W" is a good one. But the cupboards are really, really bare on the Indy depth charts, especially along the offensive line where three rookies tried to make the best of learning under fire. Though he's had bigger numbers in more important games, this might have been one of the most impressive games of Peyton Manning's career. And the Colt defense bent, bent, bent.... but never allowed a TD. Impressive.
14.(15) Jacksonville - This was a huge loss for the Jags. They had all the advantage one looks for in a big battle. The lead, playing at home and they had really started taking it to the Bills in the 2nd half. Suddenly, the roof caved in and the Jags walked away 0-2 while sliding to the cellar in the AFC South. Next week they can change all that when the travel to Indianapolis to play the banged up Colts.
15.(21) Arizona - Kurt Warner has the offense soaring, and this is in the midst of Anquan Bolin's continual demand for a trade. The defense is playing well and in the NFC West, the Cards have a chance to put some distance between themselves and the others early in the season. We'll see if they're for real as 'Zona has four tough games in a row coming up: At Washington, at the Jets, home to Buffalo and Dallas prior to a week 7 bye.
16.(18) Washington - This team will do their impression of a rollercoaster most of the year. Down 9 in the 4th quarter, young Jason Campbell and the Skins come back for a scintillating victory at home against the Saints. Next week they'll face another power offense when Arizona visits.
17.(6) New Orleans - This one hurt. Up by 9 in the 4th after Drew Brees engineered a scoring drive and Reggie Bush made a nifty punt return, the Saints were primed to go 2-0. But will someone tell Reggie Bush to keep his finger pointing to himself !? The last time he did that was in the NFC Championship - to Brian Ulracher. We all know how that game turned out. This Saints ballclub almost knocked off the Skins in their own building without one of the top wideouts in the game.
18.(22) NY Jets - This could get ugly real quick, as the Jets go from one powerhouse to another when they travel out west to face San Diego next Sunday. What happened to the rushing game that was supposed to have been much improved with the new adds to the offensive line? Three tries for a TD near the goalline and nada. For shame. Favre wasn't too bad, but did throw an ill-advised duck for an INT and the Jets opportunity to sit in a first place tie with Buffalo slips away.
19. (20) HOUSTON & 20.(23) BALTIMORE - I am freezing both ballclubs at #19 until after each team returns to action next week after HurricaneIke disrupted their schedules.
21.(26) San Francisco - Great job by the 49ers to never give up after being down 14 early and coming back for the win. And like Vinatieri with the Colts earlier in the day, Joe Nedney nailed the FG that gave his team the victory just a few minutes after missing one that could've given them a lead. Is there really a better linebacker in all of football that Patrick Willis? I mean RIGHT NOW, not in their prime in the past few years like Ray Lewis and Brian Ulracher. Willis is just pure joy to watch. Bravo to J.T. O'Sullivan for hanging in there and gutting out a win too.
22.(24) Atlanta - The early INT thrown by Matt Ryan probably rattled the rookie and threw him off his game the remainder of the first half. By that time, the Buc defense had control of the game. This young offense will ebb and flow all season. If Ryan can just stay mentally tough and ride out the rough patches this team has its franchise QB, a young and potent offense, and a budding defense.
23.(25) Tampa Bay - I still don't get the move to pull Jeff Garcia, but it turned out okay as Brian Griese managed the offense while Earnest Graham did the heavy lifting. And the Buc defense shut down the young, but soon-to-be potent Falcon offense. Tampa Bay will have to solve the simmering QB controversy in order to move on and battle in the AFC South.
24.(17) Cleveland - Poof. That was the sound of the talk about how the Browns would put an end to the dominance Pittsburgh has maintained over Cleveland for years now. I'll give them a slight mulligan (very, very slight) because of the nasty wind, but Pittsburgh played in it too. I did think the defense did better than expected, but the offense just stunk. Two home losses to the top two teams in the NFL. There's still time to re-group and strive for a playoff spot now that they have measured themselves against two top teams.
25.(16) Seattle - Great effort by the Hawks defense early while the offense tried to compensate for a loss of their top 4 wideouts. It almost worked, but too much J.T. O'Sullivan. I know - that sounds absurd doesn't it? Three turnovers made it all the more possible as Seattle is 0-2 for the first time in a long, long time.
26.(13) Minnesota - Not sure exactly what transpired in that game vs Indianapolis. All I know is that Minnesota was dominating on the ground and on defense, then started trying to make Tavaris Jackson imitiate Donovan McNabb. Why they didn't keep pounding the Colts with the combo of Peterson and Taylor is beyond me. All it did was spark the Colts and cause more problems for the Vikings. 0-2 and facing a must-win with an extremely tough Carolina Panther team coming to town, followed by a road game with a brutal Titan defense.
27.(28) Oakland - Wow. Take that Al Davis. Wanna get rid of the coach? Well, you can if you want...but after whipping a division foe on the road? Not likely. Lane Kiffin may not be the best at his craft, but who is at such a young age? The Raiders will continue to suffer until the old man is gone. Too bad the fans will have to shell out good money for naught until that time.
28.(31) Detroit - Down 20, up by 1, and then blown out of the building. I couldn't hit the buttons on my remote fast enough to keep up with that game so I had to switch to the Game Mix on DirecTV in order to try. Still couldn't do it. They looked like they were primed for a death clinch of Aaron Rodgers and the Pack, until Charles Woodsen made Jon Kitna look silly. One thing about the Lions, they don't go conservative when they grab the lead, so there's that to admire.
29.(32) St. Louis - Lots of work still to do, but at least the offense had a few moments and the defense made some plays. Congrats to Chris Long for his first sack as an NFL player. 0-2 and fighting for #1 draft position with the Chiefs, Dolphins and the Bengals. I'm keeping the two more potent offenses (or what used to be potent) out of the cellar for now.
30.(30) Cincy - Geez, can these guys even call themselves a professional football team any longer. I'm straining to justify not dumping them at the bottom...but Carson Palmer is better than that and so is the offense, but not much scoring again? Suggestion for next week fantasy players: Remove Carson Palmer from your lineup as he faces the New York Giants on the road.
31.(29) Miami - Well, the other Chad showed up for this game. He was the one the Jets released for Favre. He never really had a chance as the Cardinals jumped on Miami early and often. Chad Henne directed the lone Dolphin score who while the defense struggled through a penalty plagued effort.
32.(27) Kansas City - Back to the bottom for the Chiefs, who commited the ultimate cardinal sin of losing - at home - to a division foe. And the Raiders, no less. Huard was ineffective and Tyler Thigpen actually got the Chiefs to within 16-8. The Chiefs had an opportunity to force a tie after recovering an onside kick, but Thigpen tossed an INT and that basically sealed the fate of Kansas City. Look for Herm Edwards to get the pink slip sometime between now and the bye week.
Colts, Redskins, Panthers, Bills, 49ers & Packers all had thrilling comeback victories on Sunday. And the San Diego Chargers almost pulled off an incredible one as well. Then we were all treated to one of the most exciting and entertaining Monday Night Football games we've seen in awhile.
The season is off to a wild start, surely to get more wild yet. Here are my picks for the NFL Power Rankings at the end of Week Two.
1. (1) Pittsburgh - Not a pretty win, but any win is good and the Steelers did what they needed to do in blustery Cleveland Sunday night. Big Ben was supposed to be nursing a sore shoulder but came out firing early on, then Willie took over for most of the rest of the game. But the really awesome play was that 3rd and 4 from the Steeler 3 yard line when Big Ben zipped a pass out to Hines Ward near midfield to foil the Browns.
2.(4) Dallas - Not sure if any other team in the NFL can move the ball on the Cowboys like the Eagles, but the Cowboys didn't make the late, fatal mistake this time. It was probably the win the Cowboys needed to get the mental edge needed for the remainder of the season. Great offensive game but mistakes by Romo cost the Cowboys early. The defense stiffened in the second half, but if it wasn't for the McNabb fumble, this game may have gone to the Eagles.
3.(10) NY Giants - Eli Manning and the Giants looked the part of the better team in the middle of a true mismatch as they throttled the hapless Rams. St. Louis made it close at one point, for a few seconds... but the G-men are not off my radar as they look to repeat as Super Bowl champs.
4.(4) New England - The Patriots big goalline stand was the turning point of the game. And the effort by the defense helped Matt Cassel to keep his focus on sticking with the game plan and the clock running. The Patriots showed why they're a talented team that is still dangerous even without Brady. I stil think they're vulnerable against better teams, but
the playoffs are certainly probable. What a game it will be vs Buffalo.
5.(9) Tennessee - First time since 1999 ( just after the Oilers became the Titans - thanks Justin ! ) that Tennessee was 2-0 and in first place of their division. With a rugged defense and an offense that is functional with Collins in and Young out, the Titans are dangerous. Division game against Houston next, then we'll see how they handle the Vikings who choked away a victory to the Colts.
6.(11) Buffalo - The defense didn't have as great a game as last week, but were still tough. Meanwhile, the offense was clicking and has the chance to make this a special season. They cannot afford to look past Oakland this week and St. Louis the following week, and that mental discipline will be the test for this young up and coming team.
7.(3) Carolina - Down 17 with 8 minutes to go in the 3rd quarter, it looked like the Panthers were pretty much gone. But DelHomme and company rally to stun the Bears and find themselves all alone in first place of the NFC South. Not the greatest of performances for the Panthers, especially considering this was a home game. But a win is a win.
8.(5) Green Bay - Amazing performance by Aaron Rodgers as he continues to make Packer fans forget about the guy who used to run the offense. Three TD passes behind a great receiving effort by Greg Jennings. It's quite premature to begin carving out his bust for Canton, but props to him for rising to meet the challenge of following a legend and leading his team to win #2.
9.(19) Denver - When they hand out the "Big Brass Ones" award at the end of the year, you'll probably see Mike Shanahans name on the list - if not the actual award. (Ugh, no, I'm not sure if the award is a set of brass replicas - good question !) Down 1 with seconds left after scoring a TD, the Broncos opt to go for the 2 PAT and the win. Viola ! Two and oh, leading the AFC West with a wild win over their division foe. Donations to the Ed Hoculi Favorite Referee Fund should be pouring in from all over Bronco-land all week.
10.(8) Philadelphia - A great game by Brian Westbrook and Donovan McNabb, except for one single handoff that ended up on the carpet and ended a drive that could have broke it open for the Eagles. The rematch should be as good as this one. Meantime, the coaching staff probably is more than a little worried the secondary allowed so many big passing plays.
11.(7) San Diego - Ouch. Two questionable calls that should've been reversed led to Bronco touchdowns. Don't think they won't remember that on the Denver visit to San Diego. Meantime, the offense put up some big numbers with an ailing LT not at full-strength, and their defense clamped down on Denver much of the second half. Another come-from-behind masterpiece from the offense that came up just a little short.......well, actually, no it didn't if referee Ed Hochili hadn't made a seriously big goof. That said, refs aren't robots nor perfect...so every once in awhile it happens. Add this loss to the one last week vs Carolina and there is no reason for panic in San Diego as each game could've gone either way.
12.(12) Chicago - The Bears had Carolina dead to rights and nearly a first-place tie with the Packers in the NFC North. However, crucial turnovers and some questionable play-calling cost Chicago a game they should have won. If the Bears had a deep threat wideout they would have won.
13.(14) Indianapolis - It is nearly a replay of late last season for the Colts, with a team of walking wounded. Facing a 15-0 deficit in the 3rd quarter, all this team did was score 18 unanswered to stun the Vikings and the Metrodome crowd. It wasn't pretty, but any "W" is a good one. But the cupboards are really, really bare on the Indy depth charts, especially along the offensive line where three rookies tried to make the best of learning under fire. Though he's had bigger numbers in more important games, this might have been one of the most impressive games of Peyton Manning's career. And the Colt defense bent, bent, bent.... but never allowed a TD. Impressive.
14.(15) Jacksonville - This was a huge loss for the Jags. They had all the advantage one looks for in a big battle. The lead, playing at home and they had really started taking it to the Bills in the 2nd half. Suddenly, the roof caved in and the Jags walked away 0-2 while sliding to the cellar in the AFC South. Next week they can change all that when the travel to Indianapolis to play the banged up Colts.
15.(21) Arizona - Kurt Warner has the offense soaring, and this is in the midst of Anquan Bolin's continual demand for a trade. The defense is playing well and in the NFC West, the Cards have a chance to put some distance between themselves and the others early in the season. We'll see if they're for real as 'Zona has four tough games in a row coming up: At Washington, at the Jets, home to Buffalo and Dallas prior to a week 7 bye.
16.(18) Washington - This team will do their impression of a rollercoaster most of the year. Down 9 in the 4th quarter, young Jason Campbell and the Skins come back for a scintillating victory at home against the Saints. Next week they'll face another power offense when Arizona visits.
17.(6) New Orleans - This one hurt. Up by 9 in the 4th after Drew Brees engineered a scoring drive and Reggie Bush made a nifty punt return, the Saints were primed to go 2-0. But will someone tell Reggie Bush to keep his finger pointing to himself !? The last time he did that was in the NFC Championship - to Brian Ulracher. We all know how that game turned out. This Saints ballclub almost knocked off the Skins in their own building without one of the top wideouts in the game.
18.(22) NY Jets - This could get ugly real quick, as the Jets go from one powerhouse to another when they travel out west to face San Diego next Sunday. What happened to the rushing game that was supposed to have been much improved with the new adds to the offensive line? Three tries for a TD near the goalline and nada. For shame. Favre wasn't too bad, but did throw an ill-advised duck for an INT and the Jets opportunity to sit in a first place tie with Buffalo slips away.
19. (20) HOUSTON & 20.(23) BALTIMORE - I am freezing both ballclubs at #19 until after each team returns to action next week after HurricaneIke disrupted their schedules.
21.(26) San Francisco - Great job by the 49ers to never give up after being down 14 early and coming back for the win. And like Vinatieri with the Colts earlier in the day, Joe Nedney nailed the FG that gave his team the victory just a few minutes after missing one that could've given them a lead. Is there really a better linebacker in all of football that Patrick Willis? I mean RIGHT NOW, not in their prime in the past few years like Ray Lewis and Brian Ulracher. Willis is just pure joy to watch. Bravo to J.T. O'Sullivan for hanging in there and gutting out a win too.
22.(24) Atlanta - The early INT thrown by Matt Ryan probably rattled the rookie and threw him off his game the remainder of the first half. By that time, the Buc defense had control of the game. This young offense will ebb and flow all season. If Ryan can just stay mentally tough and ride out the rough patches this team has its franchise QB, a young and potent offense, and a budding defense.
23.(25) Tampa Bay - I still don't get the move to pull Jeff Garcia, but it turned out okay as Brian Griese managed the offense while Earnest Graham did the heavy lifting. And the Buc defense shut down the young, but soon-to-be potent Falcon offense. Tampa Bay will have to solve the simmering QB controversy in order to move on and battle in the AFC South.
24.(17) Cleveland - Poof. That was the sound of the talk about how the Browns would put an end to the dominance Pittsburgh has maintained over Cleveland for years now. I'll give them a slight mulligan (very, very slight) because of the nasty wind, but Pittsburgh played in it too. I did think the defense did better than expected, but the offense just stunk. Two home losses to the top two teams in the NFL. There's still time to re-group and strive for a playoff spot now that they have measured themselves against two top teams.
25.(16) Seattle - Great effort by the Hawks defense early while the offense tried to compensate for a loss of their top 4 wideouts. It almost worked, but too much J.T. O'Sullivan. I know - that sounds absurd doesn't it? Three turnovers made it all the more possible as Seattle is 0-2 for the first time in a long, long time.
26.(13) Minnesota - Not sure exactly what transpired in that game vs Indianapolis. All I know is that Minnesota was dominating on the ground and on defense, then started trying to make Tavaris Jackson imitiate Donovan McNabb. Why they didn't keep pounding the Colts with the combo of Peterson and Taylor is beyond me. All it did was spark the Colts and cause more problems for the Vikings. 0-2 and facing a must-win with an extremely tough Carolina Panther team coming to town, followed by a road game with a brutal Titan defense.
27.(28) Oakland - Wow. Take that Al Davis. Wanna get rid of the coach? Well, you can if you want...but after whipping a division foe on the road? Not likely. Lane Kiffin may not be the best at his craft, but who is at such a young age? The Raiders will continue to suffer until the old man is gone. Too bad the fans will have to shell out good money for naught until that time.
28.(31) Detroit - Down 20, up by 1, and then blown out of the building. I couldn't hit the buttons on my remote fast enough to keep up with that game so I had to switch to the Game Mix on DirecTV in order to try. Still couldn't do it. They looked like they were primed for a death clinch of Aaron Rodgers and the Pack, until Charles Woodsen made Jon Kitna look silly. One thing about the Lions, they don't go conservative when they grab the lead, so there's that to admire.
29.(32) St. Louis - Lots of work still to do, but at least the offense had a few moments and the defense made some plays. Congrats to Chris Long for his first sack as an NFL player. 0-2 and fighting for #1 draft position with the Chiefs, Dolphins and the Bengals. I'm keeping the two more potent offenses (or what used to be potent) out of the cellar for now.
30.(30) Cincy - Geez, can these guys even call themselves a professional football team any longer. I'm straining to justify not dumping them at the bottom...but Carson Palmer is better than that and so is the offense, but not much scoring again? Suggestion for next week fantasy players: Remove Carson Palmer from your lineup as he faces the New York Giants on the road.
31.(29) Miami - Well, the other Chad showed up for this game. He was the one the Jets released for Favre. He never really had a chance as the Cardinals jumped on Miami early and often. Chad Henne directed the lone Dolphin score who while the defense struggled through a penalty plagued effort.
32.(27) Kansas City - Back to the bottom for the Chiefs, who commited the ultimate cardinal sin of losing - at home - to a division foe. And the Raiders, no less. Huard was ineffective and Tyler Thigpen actually got the Chiefs to within 16-8. The Chiefs had an opportunity to force a tie after recovering an onside kick, but Thigpen tossed an INT and that basically sealed the fate of Kansas City. Look for Herm Edwards to get the pink slip sometime between now and the bye week.
Mac's Marquee NFL Picks - Week 3
Thought I'd jot down a few thoughts on some very intriguing matchups coming our way in the NFL this weekend.
You know, It's rare that we see this many "critical" games early in an NFL season, but we have a boatload of them on tap for week 3. It is mainly due to all the injuries and surprise wins of the opening week which have left the league in sort of a free-for-all, waiting for the dust to settle. As we look down the list of potentially great matchups, here are some that stand out to me immediately:
Dallas (2-0) at Green Bay (2-0) - Clash of the Favre-like QB in Dallas vs the long-time Favre backup-turned-replacement in Green Bay. Two young powerhouse teams, both sides displaying a great defense and solid offense, depth and talented athelets that can match up against any team in the league. This one should be a great show (not as good as this past Monday night) unless Aaron Rodgers goes "bombs away" early in his first HUGE game of his career. And make no mistake, this game is HUGE.
Keys to the Game: Aaron Rodgers. Yes, he has a terrific supporting cast around him and he's risen to meet the challenge of a legacy, but this is really the first time he is EXPECTED to do well and against one of the premier teams in the league. It will be the first chance to see how he reacts under the pressure of a big game with meaning attached to a win or loss.
Pittsburgh (2-0) at Philadelphia (1-1) - Philadelphia is facing a MUST rebound game coming off the wrenching MNF loss to Dallas. What's more, they'll need to do it in front of the home crowd - for state bragging rights. Tough asignment, but it might be aided by the sore shoulder of Big Ben were it to limit his ability to hit his wideouts as a balance to Willie's running. The Steeler D matched up against the continually roving Westbrook will be interesting, and I'm curious as to any fallout from DeSean Jackson's ill-advise (and seriously premature) celebration. McNabb needs to have a clutch wideout he is absolutely confident about, and before Jackson's miscue I was starting to think it might be him. We'll see.
Keys to the Game: The Eagle secondary. If they allow Big Ben to torch them like Romo did, Philly's steak. I mean, like well-done.
New Orleans (1-1) at Denver (2-0) - The Saints defense might be a bit improved, but they let Jason Campbell torch them for scores last week enroute to a 321 yard passing performance, including 7 of 7 for 157 yards and the game clinching TD in the last 11 minutes. It was so Brees-like that I was starting to wonder if they'd traded jerseys. Jay Cutler must be salivating waiting to get on the field in Denver.
Not sure if New Orleans can keep pace in the scoring department, especially since Marques Colston is out. This could be Reggie's chance. Or more aerial assaults from Cutler to Marshall/Scheffler/Royal. Wow...I'm think New Orleans has no chance right about now.
Keys to the Game: The Saint offense will need to be at peak efficiency, because I'm doubtful their D can keep Denver's O down.
Carolina (2-0) at Minnesota (0-2) - While contemplating this game I was wondering why Brad Childress made the brash decision to go so hard after Tavaris Jackson, prop him up as "the guy" since late last year, and then discard him like a used paper cup at the first hint of a young QB trying to get a handle on the pro game. If Jackson can be benched for some inept play as a young QB. what should happen to a veteran coach who basically bet the farm on this young man, but now realizes it was probably folly. I'd say he should be terminated immediately.
But I digress.
All Minnesota has to worry about now is their quarterback, or at least that's the impression Childress has left us with... so there is no question that the problem in the first two games was Tavaris Jackson. Thus, that can be the biggest key to the game. If Minnesota loses this one, then another QB must be allowed to step in and try to right the ship. At least, that's what precedent Childress has established. Keys to the game: Gus Frerotte.
Jacksonville (0-2) at Indianapolis (1-1) - A more pivotal game to Jax at initial inspection, because they really can't afford to fall to 0-3 overall and 0-2 in the AFC South. That said, Indy can't afford to lose another game at home nor fall behind Tennessee by two whole games early in the season within the division. So the pressure is on both teams while they struggle through an injury-plagued first few weeks of 2008.
The key will be which offensive line can best set up the run and pass protect. Indy has struggled with Maurice Jones-Drew the past few games and without Bob Sanders, that may not change. If the Colts can somehow jump out to an early lead and force Garrard to throw more often early, then the Colts will have an advantage. The Colts offensive front line will be just as challenged with the Jags defensive front as they were with Chicago and Minnesota, so if Jeff Saturday suits up and plays, it will only help.
Keys to the game: The offensive that can create more sustained drives and protect the quarterback the best. Now even though Minnesota did that for most of 3 or more quarters last Sunday, the Colts still won. However, Jax has a better quarterback.
Arizona (2-0) at Washington (1-1) - In this matchup, we'll enjoy finding out about a variety of things. 1) Is Kurt Warner for real? 2) Is their passing game for real? 3) Is that Cardinal defense really THAT good? 4) Can the Cards finally beat a solid team on the road in a game that they know is a "proving ground" for taking the next step.
New Orleans won late in the game in 2006 enroute to their first ever NFC Championship game. This could be a similiar test for the Cards. Meantime, the Skins helped their own cause with the come-from-behind thriller against New Orleans last Sunday, and they need this home victory to keep pace with their counterparts in the NFC East
Keys to the Game: Washington's frontline Pressure on Kurt Warner. Look for some unusual blitz packages that try to cause havoc for the elderly statesman in the 'Zona backfield.
N.Y. Jets (1-1) at San Diego (0-2) - So Mangenious is criticized at his goalline playcalling for not allowing Sir Brett to take a shot in the endzone. Well, I agree. He should have had the guy try at least ONE. But for this game, don't expect Favre to come out firing. I would expect ( and suggest ) that the Jets get some return on the investment in that front line of theirs and have Leon Washington and Thomas Jones bang away at the SD defense for 3 quarters, then unleash Favre late in the game.
That's assuming, of course, that it's still close by then and that the Jets can keep SD from ringing up a TD every drive. But the Chargers have a tendency to come on strong late, while self-destructing early. If that happens, then the aforementioned plan may work. If not, and the Chargers get up early by two TD's, game is over because the Jet offense isn't set up for quick air strikes. That's because the front line is geared for the run.
Honestly though? I don't think the Jets have the slightest chance of staying close. But on any given day......
Keys to the Game: Jets must get out front early and establish the run game behind that gold-plated front line. It will be annoying for Favre to do so, but if they can run it early and sustain a lead, the Jets could pull it off by keeping the Charger offense away from the ball.
Should be a blast! There are other games that will be of interest as well, but those are my marquee picks for this week. Call it "Mac's Marquee Picks" if you will. And this weekend is anything like the first two weeks of the season, there are probably some of us that will need to add oxygen tanks and a defibrulator right next to the beverages and snack table.
Make sure to stop by www.drafttek.com and check out some great blogging going on by a number of team writers from around the NFL, plus try out the cool Drafttek Draft Simulator. It's awesome!
You know, It's rare that we see this many "critical" games early in an NFL season, but we have a boatload of them on tap for week 3. It is mainly due to all the injuries and surprise wins of the opening week which have left the league in sort of a free-for-all, waiting for the dust to settle. As we look down the list of potentially great matchups, here are some that stand out to me immediately:
Dallas (2-0) at Green Bay (2-0) - Clash of the Favre-like QB in Dallas vs the long-time Favre backup-turned-replacement in Green Bay. Two young powerhouse teams, both sides displaying a great defense and solid offense, depth and talented athelets that can match up against any team in the league. This one should be a great show (not as good as this past Monday night) unless Aaron Rodgers goes "bombs away" early in his first HUGE game of his career. And make no mistake, this game is HUGE.
Keys to the Game: Aaron Rodgers. Yes, he has a terrific supporting cast around him and he's risen to meet the challenge of a legacy, but this is really the first time he is EXPECTED to do well and against one of the premier teams in the league. It will be the first chance to see how he reacts under the pressure of a big game with meaning attached to a win or loss.
Pittsburgh (2-0) at Philadelphia (1-1) - Philadelphia is facing a MUST rebound game coming off the wrenching MNF loss to Dallas. What's more, they'll need to do it in front of the home crowd - for state bragging rights. Tough asignment, but it might be aided by the sore shoulder of Big Ben were it to limit his ability to hit his wideouts as a balance to Willie's running. The Steeler D matched up against the continually roving Westbrook will be interesting, and I'm curious as to any fallout from DeSean Jackson's ill-advise (and seriously premature) celebration. McNabb needs to have a clutch wideout he is absolutely confident about, and before Jackson's miscue I was starting to think it might be him. We'll see.
Keys to the Game: The Eagle secondary. If they allow Big Ben to torch them like Romo did, Philly's steak. I mean, like well-done.
New Orleans (1-1) at Denver (2-0) - The Saints defense might be a bit improved, but they let Jason Campbell torch them for scores last week enroute to a 321 yard passing performance, including 7 of 7 for 157 yards and the game clinching TD in the last 11 minutes. It was so Brees-like that I was starting to wonder if they'd traded jerseys. Jay Cutler must be salivating waiting to get on the field in Denver.
Not sure if New Orleans can keep pace in the scoring department, especially since Marques Colston is out. This could be Reggie's chance. Or more aerial assaults from Cutler to Marshall/Scheffler/Royal. Wow...I'm think New Orleans has no chance right about now.
Keys to the Game: The Saint offense will need to be at peak efficiency, because I'm doubtful their D can keep Denver's O down.
Carolina (2-0) at Minnesota (0-2) - While contemplating this game I was wondering why Brad Childress made the brash decision to go so hard after Tavaris Jackson, prop him up as "the guy" since late last year, and then discard him like a used paper cup at the first hint of a young QB trying to get a handle on the pro game. If Jackson can be benched for some inept play as a young QB. what should happen to a veteran coach who basically bet the farm on this young man, but now realizes it was probably folly. I'd say he should be terminated immediately.
But I digress.
All Minnesota has to worry about now is their quarterback, or at least that's the impression Childress has left us with... so there is no question that the problem in the first two games was Tavaris Jackson. Thus, that can be the biggest key to the game. If Minnesota loses this one, then another QB must be allowed to step in and try to right the ship. At least, that's what precedent Childress has established. Keys to the game: Gus Frerotte.
Jacksonville (0-2) at Indianapolis (1-1) - A more pivotal game to Jax at initial inspection, because they really can't afford to fall to 0-3 overall and 0-2 in the AFC South. That said, Indy can't afford to lose another game at home nor fall behind Tennessee by two whole games early in the season within the division. So the pressure is on both teams while they struggle through an injury-plagued first few weeks of 2008.
The key will be which offensive line can best set up the run and pass protect. Indy has struggled with Maurice Jones-Drew the past few games and without Bob Sanders, that may not change. If the Colts can somehow jump out to an early lead and force Garrard to throw more often early, then the Colts will have an advantage. The Colts offensive front line will be just as challenged with the Jags defensive front as they were with Chicago and Minnesota, so if Jeff Saturday suits up and plays, it will only help.
Keys to the game: The offensive that can create more sustained drives and protect the quarterback the best. Now even though Minnesota did that for most of 3 or more quarters last Sunday, the Colts still won. However, Jax has a better quarterback.
Arizona (2-0) at Washington (1-1) - In this matchup, we'll enjoy finding out about a variety of things. 1) Is Kurt Warner for real? 2) Is their passing game for real? 3) Is that Cardinal defense really THAT good? 4) Can the Cards finally beat a solid team on the road in a game that they know is a "proving ground" for taking the next step.
New Orleans won late in the game in 2006 enroute to their first ever NFC Championship game. This could be a similiar test for the Cards. Meantime, the Skins helped their own cause with the come-from-behind thriller against New Orleans last Sunday, and they need this home victory to keep pace with their counterparts in the NFC East
Keys to the Game: Washington's frontline Pressure on Kurt Warner. Look for some unusual blitz packages that try to cause havoc for the elderly statesman in the 'Zona backfield.
N.Y. Jets (1-1) at San Diego (0-2) - So Mangenious is criticized at his goalline playcalling for not allowing Sir Brett to take a shot in the endzone. Well, I agree. He should have had the guy try at least ONE. But for this game, don't expect Favre to come out firing. I would expect ( and suggest ) that the Jets get some return on the investment in that front line of theirs and have Leon Washington and Thomas Jones bang away at the SD defense for 3 quarters, then unleash Favre late in the game.
That's assuming, of course, that it's still close by then and that the Jets can keep SD from ringing up a TD every drive. But the Chargers have a tendency to come on strong late, while self-destructing early. If that happens, then the aforementioned plan may work. If not, and the Chargers get up early by two TD's, game is over because the Jet offense isn't set up for quick air strikes. That's because the front line is geared for the run.
Honestly though? I don't think the Jets have the slightest chance of staying close. But on any given day......
Keys to the Game: Jets must get out front early and establish the run game behind that gold-plated front line. It will be annoying for Favre to do so, but if they can run it early and sustain a lead, the Jets could pull it off by keeping the Charger offense away from the ball.
Should be a blast! There are other games that will be of interest as well, but those are my marquee picks for this week. Call it "Mac's Marquee Picks" if you will. And this weekend is anything like the first two weeks of the season, there are probably some of us that will need to add oxygen tanks and a defibrulator right next to the beverages and snack table.
Make sure to stop by www.drafttek.com and check out some great blogging going on by a number of team writers from around the NFL, plus try out the cool Drafttek Draft Simulator. It's awesome!
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Purdue Blows Lead, Chance for Upset vs Ducks
I went to the game expecting an Oregon rout in a driving thunderstorm. I was extremely surprised it was nice (though a little toasty) all game long. However, it turned into the typical Purdue coaching gem today. The Boilers, after a stunning TD run by Kory Sheets gave us an early 7-0 lead and the Ducks still trying to acclimate to the humidity, we were given gift after gift after gift in the first half. I mean, the only thing we weren't given by Oregon in the first half was a ribbon and bow on the gifts. 5 turnovers and we could only manage 10 points. Ridiculous. Just another example of poor coaching in my opinion.
Coach Tiller and his staff decided to punt instead of going for it on 4th and 1 near midfield. Great call, and with a 20-6 lead it was the prudent call. One problem Joe - your coaching staff should know better than NOT to tell the punter to kick it towards the corner of the endzone to pin them deep. Instead, you punted it directly to a dangerous kick returner and paid the price with a tie ballgame.
Leading 20-13 and trying to sustain a drive, you put Senior QB Curtis Painter out wide left and try to run a trick play with sophomore RB Justin Siller, who promptly loses it trying to flip it out on some ridiculous type of option toss.
FG kicker Chris Summers, kicking into the right to left wind in the South endzone twice earlier, set up on the left hash mark and drilled it through in that steady wind both times. So what do you do to set him up for the game-winning shot with seconds left, kicking into that same endzone and steady wind ? You run it to the right hash. Unbelievably horribe coaching ALL game long for Purdue.
Summers kick went up and then veered sharply to his left. Never had a chance, and the game moved to overtime.
The defensive coaching staff for Purdue didn't catch on -EVER - to the counter trap up the middle. Over and over and over the Ducks ran it with no one at the nose position or Mike to be waiting on it. Incredible. Give tons of props to the guys on the Purdue defense out there playing, coming up with big stop after big stop, only to watch the offense do nothing with it.
Speaking of the offense, huge congrats to Kory Sheets for an absolutely outstanding performance. Yeoman's work as what seemed like the ONLY back Purdue used all day.
However, that was off-set by the usually poor showing by Curtis Painter when it comes to tough competition. Pass after pass thrown low or off the mark, and to be fair, lots of good passes dropped. But for a senior QB who is supposed to be a Heisman candidate, this was an abysmal showing. It is why I laughed at the pre-season mention of him as a Heisman candidate.
You have to have done something, in my opinion, other than throw for 350+ yards against St. Lawerence of East Tupperware State College. I actually thought Painter was going to come of age the way he was running the ball when his wideouts were being covered. Why he decided not to do the same thing on many other opportunities (where there was lots of yardage available) is beyond me.
Again, Painter had some excellent throws dropped by his receiving corps. But many other times he was trying to force it into coverage and was picked twice. Other times, forcing it in, it was tipped or knocked away. It was vintage Painter in a game with a nationally ranked opponent, and when the opportunity came to put away the Ducks late in the 2nd he threw a pick. Again in the 2nd half, with a chance to extend the Purdue lead, he threw a pick.
In summary, the Purdue coaching staff blew an exceptionally great defensive effort, a big lead and a stellar day by their lone running back. I'm thinking the Motor City Bowl MIGHT be a possibility with some luck.
Coach Tiller and his staff decided to punt instead of going for it on 4th and 1 near midfield. Great call, and with a 20-6 lead it was the prudent call. One problem Joe - your coaching staff should know better than NOT to tell the punter to kick it towards the corner of the endzone to pin them deep. Instead, you punted it directly to a dangerous kick returner and paid the price with a tie ballgame.
Leading 20-13 and trying to sustain a drive, you put Senior QB Curtis Painter out wide left and try to run a trick play with sophomore RB Justin Siller, who promptly loses it trying to flip it out on some ridiculous type of option toss.
FG kicker Chris Summers, kicking into the right to left wind in the South endzone twice earlier, set up on the left hash mark and drilled it through in that steady wind both times. So what do you do to set him up for the game-winning shot with seconds left, kicking into that same endzone and steady wind ? You run it to the right hash. Unbelievably horribe coaching ALL game long for Purdue.
Summers kick went up and then veered sharply to his left. Never had a chance, and the game moved to overtime.
The defensive coaching staff for Purdue didn't catch on -EVER - to the counter trap up the middle. Over and over and over the Ducks ran it with no one at the nose position or Mike to be waiting on it. Incredible. Give tons of props to the guys on the Purdue defense out there playing, coming up with big stop after big stop, only to watch the offense do nothing with it.
Speaking of the offense, huge congrats to Kory Sheets for an absolutely outstanding performance. Yeoman's work as what seemed like the ONLY back Purdue used all day.
However, that was off-set by the usually poor showing by Curtis Painter when it comes to tough competition. Pass after pass thrown low or off the mark, and to be fair, lots of good passes dropped. But for a senior QB who is supposed to be a Heisman candidate, this was an abysmal showing. It is why I laughed at the pre-season mention of him as a Heisman candidate.
You have to have done something, in my opinion, other than throw for 350+ yards against St. Lawerence of East Tupperware State College. I actually thought Painter was going to come of age the way he was running the ball when his wideouts were being covered. Why he decided not to do the same thing on many other opportunities (where there was lots of yardage available) is beyond me.
Again, Painter had some excellent throws dropped by his receiving corps. But many other times he was trying to force it into coverage and was picked twice. Other times, forcing it in, it was tipped or knocked away. It was vintage Painter in a game with a nationally ranked opponent, and when the opportunity came to put away the Ducks late in the 2nd he threw a pick. Again in the 2nd half, with a chance to extend the Purdue lead, he threw a pick.
In summary, the Purdue coaching staff blew an exceptionally great defensive effort, a big lead and a stellar day by their lone running back. I'm thinking the Motor City Bowl MIGHT be a possibility with some luck.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Mac's End of Week One NFL Power Rankings
The opening weekend of the 2008 NFL season is complete and once everyone comes out of their foxholes on Wednesday, looking through the smoke and destruction, they will see an NFL that is very, very different than they're used to seeing. As it stands today, the AFC South, East & West, along with the NFC West and North that are all wide open affairs. Unusual teams sit atop the division alone, or with some company.
The NFC North could very well be a three team race and not just the two many were expecting. And in the NFC South, the Carolina Panthers join the Saints and Bucs as a teams to deal with, but the Atlanta Falcon running attack may just make for a very explosive offense that appears to be ready to cause a few problems.
Yes, it's all a-jumble early one, while we wait to see if injuries linger and how the braintrusts go about making the necessary adjustments to keep from going down 0-2 at the outset of a new season. Now in my power rankings, I always rank MOST of the winners ahead of losers during the first two or three weeks in order to be fair. After all, if New England loses to KC, no way at all you can drop the Pats, right?
However, since Brady is out for the year and they only beat the KC Chiefs, there might be justification for lowering their ranking. Or, on the other hand, it was pretty impressive to see Cassel come in for Brady and toss 2 TD's to hang a W in the column. It's a rule I like to follow early on, but not a rule completely set in stone.
So now that we face the possibility of a season without Brady, a rather skittish Peyton Manning or Carson Palmer, two rookie QB's who won their opener and the guy replacing a legend at Lambeau, here's a look at my Week Two NFL Power Rankings to see what teams moved up, down or stayed the same.
Current ranking of the teams are on the far left, last week's rankings are in parenthesis.
1. (6). Pittsburgh - They ripped one of the tougher defensive teams in the AFC and made it look easy. Willie Parker and the offensive line made quite a few folks eat some crow as well. With their stout defense and the offensive attack they displayed against the Texans in game one, this team moves to the top of the charts after week one.
2. (4.) Dallas - A mostly well-oiled machine in the season opener, with just a few hiccups. The Cowboys showed Cleveland just how far they have to go in order to be a factor in post-season play. This is just one game, but if they can stay healthy it looks as though they should have the chance to make amends for two consecutive years of disasterous playoff losses.
3. (10.) Carolina - Unbelievable, superb effort by the Panthers in a never-say-die manner by coming back to finally pull out a huge win - on the road, in San Diego - against the AFC team many have picked to go to the Super Bowl. Excellent defensive effort and the offense has a budding star in tight end Dante Rosario.
4. (2.) New England - Brady going down is a huge story and the Patriots will be handicapped without him. However, if Randy Moss is on the field - and on his game - it may not matter so long as the ball gets in his vicinity and New England can run the rock effectively. They escaped with a "W" against a weak KC team, so we'll find out just how effectively Matt Cassel can carry the responsibitly usually handled by Tom Brady.
5. (13.) Green Bay - Okay, I'm a believer - for right now. Aaron Rodgers has some chops. All the pressure in the world on #12 in a nationally televised Monday Night Football game against one of the NFL's top defensive teams. Oh yeah, he also would supposedly crumble trying to live up to the ghost of a living legend who is now a New York Jet. Didn't happen. The Packers looked pretty good on both sides of the ball vs the Vikings and sent a message to all the opponents on their 2008 schedule: Our goal is the Super Bowl. Wonderful "debut" for Rodgers and the Packers.
6. (8.). New Orleans - The Saints pulled out a thriller in the midst of a great effort by Drew Brees and Reggie Bush. The offensive line needs some harsh punishment for all the penalties and the defense still has some work to do if they want to go deep in the playoffs.
7. (1.) San Diego - It sure seemed to me like San Diego looked eerily similiar to the Indy Colts yesterday, only not as much of a walking wounded team. LT didn't look completely right. Antonio Gates was running his routes pretty carefully. And Shawn Merriman didn't really make his normal impact. So perhaps there are some lingering ailments yet to be completely remedied before the Chargers are back to their old selves. Right now, they're not the #1 NFL team.
8. (15.) Philadelphia - Donovan McNabb found his groove and he found it early. What great hope Eagles fans must have seeing the job done by Hank Baskett, Jason Avant and DeSean Jackson. But before the champagne is chilled for a division title victory celebration, it's good to keep in mind this was only the St. Louis Rams.
9. (11.) Tennessee - Having a veteran like Kevin Collins probably saved the day for the Titans - but what's the deal with Vince Young? Wierd. The defense on this Titan ballclub is simply stout. They played a solid game and showed why they are going to have something to say about who wins the AFC South title, and ultimately, the AFC playoffs. They find themselves in first place in the AFC South after week one. Kerry Collins has the helm for two to four weeks while Young heals.
10. (14.) NY Giants - They sure didn't look like they had lost 6 members of last year's championship team. Although it looked a little uneven at times, the Giants threw down the gauntlet stating they aren't relinquishing the crown easily.
11. (16.) Buffalo - Great overall effort by the Bills on opening day, topped off by wonderful trickeration on a field goal. But the story early is the potent offensive attack led by Trent Edwards and Marshawn Lynch, punctuated by a much more stout defense than Buffalo has had in many years.
12. (26.) Chicago - While the Bears faced a very rusty Peyton Manning and an unhealthy Colts ballclub, they dealt out some serious defensive punishment. Meanwhile rookie Matt Forte is everything the Bears could've hoped for in a rookie runningback. Kyle Orton did a solid job and made no mistakes, while keeping the threat of intermediate and occassional long passes alive just enough to keep the defense guessing. I'm not ready to elevate them into the top 10 just yet, but they let it be known they aren't the same team as a year ago.
13. (7.) Minnesota - Interesting performance from the team nearly everyone has tabbed as one of the teams to challenge for the NFC Championship. Tavaris Jackson was a bit of a Jeckyl and Hyde QB last night, but his receiving corps let too many passes drop onto the field. Adrian Peterson looked great and should have probably received more carries to the outside. The Vikings have a chance to bounce back with a matchup next vs Indianapolis - and they better, because the players talked a bunch of smack about how they were going to be a force in the league in 2008.
14. (3.) Indianapolis - 56 straight weeks atop the AFC South comes to a crashing halt in the debut regular season game at new Lucas Oil Stadium. Many Colts fans are wanting the Dome back. It was quite obvious the Colts have still have a rash of health problems. Manning is rusty, the offensive line injuries prompted a young, inexperienced set of lineman to face a ravaging Bears front seven and then they lost Dallas Clark in the 2nd quarter, then watched Joseph Addai go to the sidelines with a head injury. Meantime, the defense could not get off the field on 3rd downs. Until everyone gets healthy and Manning is 100% himself, the Colts are average at best, and that means the AFC South is wide open - for now.
15. (5.) Jacksonville - The Jags battled in a defensive struggle all day long but I kinda figured they'd have some trouble on the line after the shooting of Collier last week. However, Jack del Rio and the Jags can use no excuses for this team. 31 yards total rushing between Taylor and Jones-Drew? Seven allowed sacks on their QB? It was picked to be a Super Bowl contender, and when the starting QB for Tennessee went out with an injury in the 2nd half, it should have been "lights out". But it wasn't. Like Indy and New England, injuries have dealt a serious blow to this team early on.
16. (9.) Seattle - The coaching staff should be kicking themselves over allowing a guy to stealthily stand along the sidelines awaiting a surprise pass from the Buffalo holder on what seemed to be a regular field goal. This team has some serious problems and will need to guard against an 0-2 start next week against division rival San Francisco.
17. (12.) Cleveland - They found out quickly how outmatched they really are against the more powerfull teams in the NFL. This was an NFC team which is suppposed to be from the "lesser" conference. Not today. The Browns have some serious repair to do on that defense, while the offense needs Jamal Lewis at 100%.
18. (17.) Washington - Rough opening game and Jason Campbell has a long way to go in order to get that offense clicking. The defense played well most of the night and showed why the Skins will have to be reckoned with in the NFC East.
19. (21.) Denver - Eddie Royal has been quite a pleasant surprise for the Broncos and helped offset the loss of Brandon Marshall for the first game. Marshall, serving a one game suspension, watched as the rookie caught a TD pass from Jay Cutler on the opening series and ended up with most receiving yards of any Bronco in their first game - ever. it was all over but the shouting from that point on. Meantime, Mike Shanahan's running back factory keeps on moving right along. Selvin Young scored aTD, Michael Pittman added two more and Andre Hall had a 6.1 rushing average on 10 carries.
20. (19.) Houston - They ran into a buzzsaw in Pittsburgh, but didn't fold. They kept their heads up and kept punching, even though the Steelers had one of their better games in a long time. The Texans can take comfort in the fact that the top two division teams (Indy & Jacksonville) lost.
21. (20.) Arizona - The Cards get a leg up on the competition in the West division, slipping past San Francisco to grab the early lead in the division. Warner was effective and Arizona was helped by a couple of costly miscues by the 49ers. The Edge picked up another 100 yards while the 'Zona defense played well.
22. (23.) NY Jets - That game between the Jets and Dolphins was pretty fun to watch, and I felt as bad for Pennington as I would've felt for Brett had Chad ultimately brought the Fish back for the win. It certainly bodes well for New York that they start off with a win AND may not have to face Tom Brady next week in a division showdown.
23. (24.) Baltimore - Nice job by Joe Flacco in his first game, but it was against a Bungle defense, so he will no doubt have some rocky times coming up. That's assuming he still starts once Troy Smith is healthy again. As usual, the Raven defense makes it happen for this ballclub.
24. (31.) Atlanta - Matt Ryan got off to a simply stunning start, but credit this blowout to one Michael "Burner" Turner. So many teams are kicking themselves ( as well they should ) for not paying that man good money. Imagine the New Orleans Saints with Turner? Or the Bears. Or the Jets, etc., etc. The defensive effort for the Falcons was good too, and that combined with the running game made this look like a picnic for Matt Ryan's first game. It won't be that easy all season of course.
25. (18.) Tampa Bay - Pretty good defensive effort except for the first defensive series and the game-winning toss to Reggie Bush. Losing Derrick Brooks didn't help anything at all defensively. Hats off to Jeff Garcia for playing a gutsy game.
26. (25.) San Francisco - Well, Frank Gore looked pretty good at times, and O'Sullivan had spurts. But mistakes and the inability to put points on the board when they had the chance crippled the effort. The 49ers meet up with another division foe (Seattle) next week, which will put one of those two in an early 0-2 division hole.
27. (32.) Kansas City - Excellent effort to try and upend the Patriots in New England. Is it just me or did Dwayne Bowe seem to come to life after Brodie Croyle went down with an injury that took him out of the game? Maybe it was just me. And though Bernard Pollard's tackle of Tom Brady wasn't an attempt at injury, nothing good usually comes out of going after the leg of a QB from a prone position with a guy riding your back. But that's football.
28. (28.) Oakland - The Black Hole is a perfect name for not only the crowd in Oakland, but also what seemed to be in the hands of the Raider wide receivers in their home opener on Monday night. Jamarcus Russell did a pretty good job at the helm, but had countless passes dropped that could have impacted the game. Hopefully this won't effect his outlook on his job as a QB, and the wideouts will fare better in coming games. The defense for Oakland looked okay at times, but gave up way too much to a team without a significant veteran presence at wideout, running back or tight end. Oakland also needs to pray Darren McFadden's injury is not severe.
29. (29.) Miami - Gotta tip the hat to Chad Pennington and the Dolphins. They're trying to dig out of a 1-15 hole last season, have a young ballclub in many areas and are working to right the ship for the future. They battled throughout and had a chance to win on the last drive of the game, but Pennington's pass was off the mark and intercepted. Moral victories compare to grabbing that beer on the endtable, taking a swig, and realizing someone had just used it for an ashtray. ( Old college experiences seeping through with that analogy!)
30. (23.) Cincinnati - Horrible, horrible game for the Bengals. Now we all know why Ocho Johnson wanted out of Cincy so bad, and why Marv Lewis went back on his word to not re-sign Chris Henry. They need all the help they can get. Hey Marv - you need even more help that we all thought on defense, and Perry isn't the answer at running back.
31. (27.) Detroit - The Lions have only 15 more games to reach that 10 win mark that QB Jon Kitna's reiterated prior to this season. I do give him/them credit for not rolling over and giving up after they found themselves down 21-0 to a rookie QB starting his first game. Rod Marinelli, can you hear that ice cracking? Matt Millen? Oh, his job is safe.
32. (30) St. Louis - Yikes. That looked pretty bad Sunday. Two things on the bright side: 1) There's nowhere to go but up, and 2) They could end up with another top pick in next year's draft. Okay, maybe my description should've said something "a little less gloomy".
The NFC North could very well be a three team race and not just the two many were expecting. And in the NFC South, the Carolina Panthers join the Saints and Bucs as a teams to deal with, but the Atlanta Falcon running attack may just make for a very explosive offense that appears to be ready to cause a few problems.
Yes, it's all a-jumble early one, while we wait to see if injuries linger and how the braintrusts go about making the necessary adjustments to keep from going down 0-2 at the outset of a new season. Now in my power rankings, I always rank MOST of the winners ahead of losers during the first two or three weeks in order to be fair. After all, if New England loses to KC, no way at all you can drop the Pats, right?
However, since Brady is out for the year and they only beat the KC Chiefs, there might be justification for lowering their ranking. Or, on the other hand, it was pretty impressive to see Cassel come in for Brady and toss 2 TD's to hang a W in the column. It's a rule I like to follow early on, but not a rule completely set in stone.
So now that we face the possibility of a season without Brady, a rather skittish Peyton Manning or Carson Palmer, two rookie QB's who won their opener and the guy replacing a legend at Lambeau, here's a look at my Week Two NFL Power Rankings to see what teams moved up, down or stayed the same.
Current ranking of the teams are on the far left, last week's rankings are in parenthesis.
1. (6). Pittsburgh - They ripped one of the tougher defensive teams in the AFC and made it look easy. Willie Parker and the offensive line made quite a few folks eat some crow as well. With their stout defense and the offensive attack they displayed against the Texans in game one, this team moves to the top of the charts after week one.
2. (4.) Dallas - A mostly well-oiled machine in the season opener, with just a few hiccups. The Cowboys showed Cleveland just how far they have to go in order to be a factor in post-season play. This is just one game, but if they can stay healthy it looks as though they should have the chance to make amends for two consecutive years of disasterous playoff losses.
3. (10.) Carolina - Unbelievable, superb effort by the Panthers in a never-say-die manner by coming back to finally pull out a huge win - on the road, in San Diego - against the AFC team many have picked to go to the Super Bowl. Excellent defensive effort and the offense has a budding star in tight end Dante Rosario.
4. (2.) New England - Brady going down is a huge story and the Patriots will be handicapped without him. However, if Randy Moss is on the field - and on his game - it may not matter so long as the ball gets in his vicinity and New England can run the rock effectively. They escaped with a "W" against a weak KC team, so we'll find out just how effectively Matt Cassel can carry the responsibitly usually handled by Tom Brady.
5. (13.) Green Bay - Okay, I'm a believer - for right now. Aaron Rodgers has some chops. All the pressure in the world on #12 in a nationally televised Monday Night Football game against one of the NFL's top defensive teams. Oh yeah, he also would supposedly crumble trying to live up to the ghost of a living legend who is now a New York Jet. Didn't happen. The Packers looked pretty good on both sides of the ball vs the Vikings and sent a message to all the opponents on their 2008 schedule: Our goal is the Super Bowl. Wonderful "debut" for Rodgers and the Packers.
6. (8.). New Orleans - The Saints pulled out a thriller in the midst of a great effort by Drew Brees and Reggie Bush. The offensive line needs some harsh punishment for all the penalties and the defense still has some work to do if they want to go deep in the playoffs.
7. (1.) San Diego - It sure seemed to me like San Diego looked eerily similiar to the Indy Colts yesterday, only not as much of a walking wounded team. LT didn't look completely right. Antonio Gates was running his routes pretty carefully. And Shawn Merriman didn't really make his normal impact. So perhaps there are some lingering ailments yet to be completely remedied before the Chargers are back to their old selves. Right now, they're not the #1 NFL team.
8. (15.) Philadelphia - Donovan McNabb found his groove and he found it early. What great hope Eagles fans must have seeing the job done by Hank Baskett, Jason Avant and DeSean Jackson. But before the champagne is chilled for a division title victory celebration, it's good to keep in mind this was only the St. Louis Rams.
9. (11.) Tennessee - Having a veteran like Kevin Collins probably saved the day for the Titans - but what's the deal with Vince Young? Wierd. The defense on this Titan ballclub is simply stout. They played a solid game and showed why they are going to have something to say about who wins the AFC South title, and ultimately, the AFC playoffs. They find themselves in first place in the AFC South after week one. Kerry Collins has the helm for two to four weeks while Young heals.
10. (14.) NY Giants - They sure didn't look like they had lost 6 members of last year's championship team. Although it looked a little uneven at times, the Giants threw down the gauntlet stating they aren't relinquishing the crown easily.
11. (16.) Buffalo - Great overall effort by the Bills on opening day, topped off by wonderful trickeration on a field goal. But the story early is the potent offensive attack led by Trent Edwards and Marshawn Lynch, punctuated by a much more stout defense than Buffalo has had in many years.
12. (26.) Chicago - While the Bears faced a very rusty Peyton Manning and an unhealthy Colts ballclub, they dealt out some serious defensive punishment. Meanwhile rookie Matt Forte is everything the Bears could've hoped for in a rookie runningback. Kyle Orton did a solid job and made no mistakes, while keeping the threat of intermediate and occassional long passes alive just enough to keep the defense guessing. I'm not ready to elevate them into the top 10 just yet, but they let it be known they aren't the same team as a year ago.
13. (7.) Minnesota - Interesting performance from the team nearly everyone has tabbed as one of the teams to challenge for the NFC Championship. Tavaris Jackson was a bit of a Jeckyl and Hyde QB last night, but his receiving corps let too many passes drop onto the field. Adrian Peterson looked great and should have probably received more carries to the outside. The Vikings have a chance to bounce back with a matchup next vs Indianapolis - and they better, because the players talked a bunch of smack about how they were going to be a force in the league in 2008.
14. (3.) Indianapolis - 56 straight weeks atop the AFC South comes to a crashing halt in the debut regular season game at new Lucas Oil Stadium. Many Colts fans are wanting the Dome back. It was quite obvious the Colts have still have a rash of health problems. Manning is rusty, the offensive line injuries prompted a young, inexperienced set of lineman to face a ravaging Bears front seven and then they lost Dallas Clark in the 2nd quarter, then watched Joseph Addai go to the sidelines with a head injury. Meantime, the defense could not get off the field on 3rd downs. Until everyone gets healthy and Manning is 100% himself, the Colts are average at best, and that means the AFC South is wide open - for now.
15. (5.) Jacksonville - The Jags battled in a defensive struggle all day long but I kinda figured they'd have some trouble on the line after the shooting of Collier last week. However, Jack del Rio and the Jags can use no excuses for this team. 31 yards total rushing between Taylor and Jones-Drew? Seven allowed sacks on their QB? It was picked to be a Super Bowl contender, and when the starting QB for Tennessee went out with an injury in the 2nd half, it should have been "lights out". But it wasn't. Like Indy and New England, injuries have dealt a serious blow to this team early on.
16. (9.) Seattle - The coaching staff should be kicking themselves over allowing a guy to stealthily stand along the sidelines awaiting a surprise pass from the Buffalo holder on what seemed to be a regular field goal. This team has some serious problems and will need to guard against an 0-2 start next week against division rival San Francisco.
17. (12.) Cleveland - They found out quickly how outmatched they really are against the more powerfull teams in the NFL. This was an NFC team which is suppposed to be from the "lesser" conference. Not today. The Browns have some serious repair to do on that defense, while the offense needs Jamal Lewis at 100%.
18. (17.) Washington - Rough opening game and Jason Campbell has a long way to go in order to get that offense clicking. The defense played well most of the night and showed why the Skins will have to be reckoned with in the NFC East.
19. (21.) Denver - Eddie Royal has been quite a pleasant surprise for the Broncos and helped offset the loss of Brandon Marshall for the first game. Marshall, serving a one game suspension, watched as the rookie caught a TD pass from Jay Cutler on the opening series and ended up with most receiving yards of any Bronco in their first game - ever. it was all over but the shouting from that point on. Meantime, Mike Shanahan's running back factory keeps on moving right along. Selvin Young scored aTD, Michael Pittman added two more and Andre Hall had a 6.1 rushing average on 10 carries.
20. (19.) Houston - They ran into a buzzsaw in Pittsburgh, but didn't fold. They kept their heads up and kept punching, even though the Steelers had one of their better games in a long time. The Texans can take comfort in the fact that the top two division teams (Indy & Jacksonville) lost.
21. (20.) Arizona - The Cards get a leg up on the competition in the West division, slipping past San Francisco to grab the early lead in the division. Warner was effective and Arizona was helped by a couple of costly miscues by the 49ers. The Edge picked up another 100 yards while the 'Zona defense played well.
22. (23.) NY Jets - That game between the Jets and Dolphins was pretty fun to watch, and I felt as bad for Pennington as I would've felt for Brett had Chad ultimately brought the Fish back for the win. It certainly bodes well for New York that they start off with a win AND may not have to face Tom Brady next week in a division showdown.
23. (24.) Baltimore - Nice job by Joe Flacco in his first game, but it was against a Bungle defense, so he will no doubt have some rocky times coming up. That's assuming he still starts once Troy Smith is healthy again. As usual, the Raven defense makes it happen for this ballclub.
24. (31.) Atlanta - Matt Ryan got off to a simply stunning start, but credit this blowout to one Michael "Burner" Turner. So many teams are kicking themselves ( as well they should ) for not paying that man good money. Imagine the New Orleans Saints with Turner? Or the Bears. Or the Jets, etc., etc. The defensive effort for the Falcons was good too, and that combined with the running game made this look like a picnic for Matt Ryan's first game. It won't be that easy all season of course.
25. (18.) Tampa Bay - Pretty good defensive effort except for the first defensive series and the game-winning toss to Reggie Bush. Losing Derrick Brooks didn't help anything at all defensively. Hats off to Jeff Garcia for playing a gutsy game.
26. (25.) San Francisco - Well, Frank Gore looked pretty good at times, and O'Sullivan had spurts. But mistakes and the inability to put points on the board when they had the chance crippled the effort. The 49ers meet up with another division foe (Seattle) next week, which will put one of those two in an early 0-2 division hole.
27. (32.) Kansas City - Excellent effort to try and upend the Patriots in New England. Is it just me or did Dwayne Bowe seem to come to life after Brodie Croyle went down with an injury that took him out of the game? Maybe it was just me. And though Bernard Pollard's tackle of Tom Brady wasn't an attempt at injury, nothing good usually comes out of going after the leg of a QB from a prone position with a guy riding your back. But that's football.
28. (28.) Oakland - The Black Hole is a perfect name for not only the crowd in Oakland, but also what seemed to be in the hands of the Raider wide receivers in their home opener on Monday night. Jamarcus Russell did a pretty good job at the helm, but had countless passes dropped that could have impacted the game. Hopefully this won't effect his outlook on his job as a QB, and the wideouts will fare better in coming games. The defense for Oakland looked okay at times, but gave up way too much to a team without a significant veteran presence at wideout, running back or tight end. Oakland also needs to pray Darren McFadden's injury is not severe.
29. (29.) Miami - Gotta tip the hat to Chad Pennington and the Dolphins. They're trying to dig out of a 1-15 hole last season, have a young ballclub in many areas and are working to right the ship for the future. They battled throughout and had a chance to win on the last drive of the game, but Pennington's pass was off the mark and intercepted. Moral victories compare to grabbing that beer on the endtable, taking a swig, and realizing someone had just used it for an ashtray. ( Old college experiences seeping through with that analogy!)
30. (23.) Cincinnati - Horrible, horrible game for the Bengals. Now we all know why Ocho Johnson wanted out of Cincy so bad, and why Marv Lewis went back on his word to not re-sign Chris Henry. They need all the help they can get. Hey Marv - you need even more help that we all thought on defense, and Perry isn't the answer at running back.
31. (27.) Detroit - The Lions have only 15 more games to reach that 10 win mark that QB Jon Kitna's reiterated prior to this season. I do give him/them credit for not rolling over and giving up after they found themselves down 21-0 to a rookie QB starting his first game. Rod Marinelli, can you hear that ice cracking? Matt Millen? Oh, his job is safe.
32. (30) St. Louis - Yikes. That looked pretty bad Sunday. Two things on the bright side: 1) There's nowhere to go but up, and 2) They could end up with another top pick in next year's draft. Okay, maybe my description should've said something "a little less gloomy".
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Colts Horrid In Season Opener
All I know for sure is that the AFC is a little topsy-turvy after the opening weekend of play. Indy and SD lose at home, Brady is out at New England and Jacksonville gets popped by Tennessee, giving the Titans sole ownership of the AFC South - the first time in 56 straight weeks that the Indianapolis Colts were not in that position.
But as for the Colts specifically, I think all that is really needed to win the division title is for Peyton Manning and the offensive line to get some more game experience as a full unit. One must remember that Manning, having been out all summer until this first game against Chicago, is a demonic stickler for precision and preparation. Methinks he and the line have myriad aspects to work on in order to polish both those aspects of the Colts offense.
On defense, however, it's a whole other story. Any team the Colts face that has a solid running back will be licking its chops waiting for the Colts. Indy has a tremendously huge void at defensive tackle, and there isn't the depth nor talent level available to do much this season - save a new face coming into Indianapolis.
So that puts enormously unhealthy expectations on the linebackers - a corps that really isn't all that deep in my opinion - to help stop the run, and on Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis to get to the quarterback more often when they do attempt to pass. And obviously, the secondary can expect to face a stiffer workload now that they will have to come up and support the run defense even more than ordinary.
Don't look now, but here come the Minnesota Vikings, with Adrian Peterson, Chester Taylor and a beast of an offensive line that is most certainly anxious to get on the field at home vs the Colts to get the bad taste out of their mouth from the Monday night loss.
But as for the Colts specifically, I think all that is really needed to win the division title is for Peyton Manning and the offensive line to get some more game experience as a full unit. One must remember that Manning, having been out all summer until this first game against Chicago, is a demonic stickler for precision and preparation. Methinks he and the line have myriad aspects to work on in order to polish both those aspects of the Colts offense.
On defense, however, it's a whole other story. Any team the Colts face that has a solid running back will be licking its chops waiting for the Colts. Indy has a tremendously huge void at defensive tackle, and there isn't the depth nor talent level available to do much this season - save a new face coming into Indianapolis.
So that puts enormously unhealthy expectations on the linebackers - a corps that really isn't all that deep in my opinion - to help stop the run, and on Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis to get to the quarterback more often when they do attempt to pass. And obviously, the secondary can expect to face a stiffer workload now that they will have to come up and support the run defense even more than ordinary.
Don't look now, but here come the Minnesota Vikings, with Adrian Peterson, Chester Taylor and a beast of an offensive line that is most certainly anxious to get on the field at home vs the Colts to get the bad taste out of their mouth from the Monday night loss.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
2008 NFL Season Begins !
It's TIIIIIIIIME !!!! Thank goodness !
The NFL season kicks off tonight and not a moment too soon. I swear if I had to look at one more freakin' broadcast of poker or drag racing on television, I was gonna just flip out. I mean, once or twice a year for a change of pace, I can see tossing in a non-sport on a sports channel. But freakin poker ? Bowling? Badminton as an Olympic sport? Get the &$%# outta here.
So tonight it all begins. Washington and the Giants in New York, home of the defending Super Bowl champions. Can they repeat? I highly doubt it. Will the Redskins challenge for a title? Unlikely. But the division of NFC East is one of the better in the NFL and should provide some great games throughout the season.
So I have two items to present to football fans on this kickoff evening. One is the current power rankings of all 32 teams as I, your humble blogging nobody, see them at present. I will come back each Monday and present the newest version as the season goes along. Yes, I can understand how excited that makes each of you!
Second, I'd like to officially make my predictions on weekly games, division winners, playoffs and ultimately, the Super Bowl outcome. And we all know I will be so far off on most of the picks that I will look exactly like the well-paid, over-indulgent "professional pundits" who are on TV & radio, or in print ,blabbering on like they have an idea what will happen a few months from now.
So here goes.
Prediction on 2008 Division Winners:
NFC EAST
Dallas
NFC WEST
Arizona
NFC SOUTH
New Orleans
NFC NORTH
Minnesota
AFC EAST
New England
AFC WEST
San Diego
AFC SOUTH
Indianapolis
AFC NORTH
Pittsburgh
NFC Playoff Teams:
Dallas, Green Bay, New Orleans, Carolina, Philadelphia & Arizona
AFC Playoff Teams:
Indianapolis, New England, San Diego, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville & Buffalo
NFC Championship
New Orleans beats Dallas
AFC Championship
Indianapolis beats San Diego
SUPER BOWL
Indianapolis over New Orleans
And on kickoff night, here are my thoughts on the Power Rankings for all 32 NFL teams. I think I will call it: Mac's Weekly NFL Power Rankings..........I know........sooooooo clever ! Following the Power Rankings, I'll pick the winners for the opening weekend of NFL play.
1. San Diego - This team is ready to make their move, but the injury to Merriman (and his subsequent decision to go ahead and play) could prove costly. Shame on the GM and coach for not putting a stop to it. The Chargers are a deep team, but any lingering effects from injuries to LT and Rivers from last season will now come under greater scrutiny. But this team is primed. Only further serious injuries or a complete meltdown will keep this team from the AFC Championship.
2. New England - So long as the offense can score at will, their defense is not a concern. If the offense gets stopped it could be trouble. For the first time in years, they have a bit more competition within their own division.
3. Indianapolis - With veteran center Jeff Saturday out and rookies making up 2/5ths of the offensive line, the Colts will have to hope they play above expectations. Indy needs to run the ball more and control the clock in order to keep the defense off the field to stay healthy & fresh. This is a very young ballclub with the exception of Manning, Harrison and Saturday.
4. Dallas - It's put up or shut up time for the Cowboys. Anything less than a trip to the Super Bowl is a failure. They are what the Colts were pre-2006.
5. Jacksonville - Following the assault on Collier, the Jags hope to shake off the depression of knowing one of their own is hurting. Not the way you would hope to start a season, but if they persevere now and Collier gets better, it could provide the spark for a stellar season.
6. Pittsburgh - Could be one of the more explosive offensive teams they've had in years.
7. Minnesota - Getting the ball to Berrian or Rice while keeping the opponent guessing about Adrian Peterson. The Vikes will need a majority of their games to be error-free at QB and the passing game to be clicking. Their defense should provide the rest.
8. New Orleans - Some key losses to injury on defense causes concern, but this offense is potentially more potent than SD, New England or Indy. Wouldn't a Saints-Colts or Saints-Chargers Super Bowl be wild ?
9. Seattle - A fairly weak division gets a little tougher this go round for Seattle. Arizona is improved and the 49ers are dangerous, though probably inconsistent. Some injuries have caused some offensive hiccups heading into the season as Engram is out, Deion Branch is questionable and tackle Sean Locklear hasn't practiced. On defense Lofa Tatupu is a tossup for action vs Buffalo.
10. Carolina - This team is ready to make a run at the division title right now. The offense is the key in '08, with DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart & Jake Delhomme needing solid years. TE Rosario and WR Dwayne Jarrett are two big youngsters that could help take some defensive double-team pressure off Steve Smith. And the defense is solid.
11. Tennessee - Good, nasty, physical defense . If Vince Young and the offense can click, it could be a magical year for the Titans.
12. Cleveland - The question is "Can they do it again?" Or was it a one-year wonder, like New Orleans in 2006. The potential is there.
13. Green Bay - Many say the Favre-less Pack will be neck-in-neck with Minnesota for the division crown. I don't see it with Rodgers really in his "first" year as an NFL quarterback.
14. NY Giants - With Osi out for the year and Strahan retired, the dominant pass-rush attack might be non-existant. If so, that makes the ability of the offense to score - and score often - a prime concern. Five former starters now gone completely from last year's Super Bowl team. Out of respect for their championship defense, I start them out ahead of their division rivals.
15. Philadelphia - With a defense that looks more formidable than last year, it will all be up to the offense. The NFC East will be a slugfest.
16. Buffalo - Fans in Buffalo are stoked about the chance to battle for a wildcard playoff spot. Edwards needs to show he can lead them there.
17. Washington - Watch out for this ballclub, especially if Jim Zorn gets Campbell to catch fire. Dangerous corps of receivers and a running game. Playing in the tough NFC East is rough.
18. Tampa Bay - While the Bucs missed out on Favre, I've always thought Garcia was pretty good and underrated. But they still don't have that elite WR speedster.
19. Houston - This team was oh-so-close to their first above-500 season last year. If they can get out of the gate quickly, they might be a sleeper playoff team. No, really !
20. Arizona - Same for the Cardinals. The D in the desert is potentially deadly. Rattlesnake deadly. Now they need their offense to re-boot and Kurt Warner is hungry. Is anyone else?
21. Denver - Not quite ready to make a run at the Chargers this year, though they could sneak into the playoffs if the Browns,Titans and Texans stumble because they should whip Oakland and KC at home and on the road. If they don't, so long playoff chances.
22. NY Jets - If Favre gets the Jets to the playoffs, he may be voted into the Hall at the end of this season. And if he does, he should. But it's more likely the Jets would get there behind a super offensive line and a power running game. Not enough playoff spots to go 'round in the rugged AFC.
23. Cincinnati - Potential for an exciting season on offense, while the defense still remains in rebuilding mode. The Johnson trade was bizarre, and I don't think Perry is the answer. Even though Henry is an off-field problem, he is the main reason T.J. and Ocho Cinco are so deadly on the field. With the three of them, you can't concentrate on just one.
24. Baltimore - The Ravens were set with Troy Smith at QB before he became ill. Now that Flacco is leading the offense, one can only guess at how he may struggle. I had the Ravens higher with Troy Smith, but it's anyones guess now. Another key will be if the defense play healthy for 16 weeks.
25. San Francisco - Last year was supposed to be their breakout year, but injuries took their toll. If healthy, the 49ers could make it interesting. Well, it's already interesting since Smith is out and O'Sullivan is in at QB.
26. Chicago - This team has surprise written all over it IF the defense comes back strong and the O-line gives the QB time in the pocket. The backfield of Forte and Jones is potentially explosive, especially when Jones gets back to full-tilt! Their only problem is lack of a prolific wideout and a suspect offensive line.
27. Detroit - We've been expecting a playoff run for years out of this team. Kinda like expecting the Lion GM to be fired for years. Not sure if we'll see it this year. Either one.
28. Oakland - The Raiders will definitely get someones attention a time or two this year. Still need improvement along the offensive line and Russell will not be a QB to be worried about for another year or more.
29. Miami - This is not the almost completely winless team of a season ago. They're not a playoff team either. But the product on the field will most assuredly be better and create some excitement for Dolphin fans this season.
30. St. Louis - This team could be the team selecting #1 come next April. Should Stephen Jackson have a great year and Bulger remain healthy and productive, it could at least make for an even more competitive division. If not, I kinda feel bad for Howie's son.
31. Atlanta - Matt Ryan has been pretty solid in pre-season. With some good fortune, the Falcons may create some noise this season, though the playoffs are still a ways down the road.
32. Kansas City - Just too many gaping holes to fill for this team to deal with this year. Still in rebuilding mode, but Croyle better improve or he's gone. Speaking of gone, I figure this will be Herm's last one in KC.
NY over Washington
Atlanta stuns Detroit
Baltimore stops the Bengals
Philly too much for the Rams
Buffalo smacks Seattle
Tennesse slips by the Jags
Pittsburgh over Houston
New Orleans drops Tampa Bay
New England crushes KC
Miami upsets the Jets
Cleveland (Dawg)Pounds Dallas
SD clubs Carolina
'Zona rolls by SF
Indy edges the Bears
Minnesota packs Green Bay
The Broncos buck Oakland
The NFL season kicks off tonight and not a moment too soon. I swear if I had to look at one more freakin' broadcast of poker or drag racing on television, I was gonna just flip out. I mean, once or twice a year for a change of pace, I can see tossing in a non-sport on a sports channel. But freakin poker ? Bowling? Badminton as an Olympic sport? Get the &$%# outta here.
So tonight it all begins. Washington and the Giants in New York, home of the defending Super Bowl champions. Can they repeat? I highly doubt it. Will the Redskins challenge for a title? Unlikely. But the division of NFC East is one of the better in the NFL and should provide some great games throughout the season.
So I have two items to present to football fans on this kickoff evening. One is the current power rankings of all 32 teams as I, your humble blogging nobody, see them at present. I will come back each Monday and present the newest version as the season goes along. Yes, I can understand how excited that makes each of you!
Second, I'd like to officially make my predictions on weekly games, division winners, playoffs and ultimately, the Super Bowl outcome. And we all know I will be so far off on most of the picks that I will look exactly like the well-paid, over-indulgent "professional pundits" who are on TV & radio, or in print ,blabbering on like they have an idea what will happen a few months from now.
So here goes.
Prediction on 2008 Division Winners:
NFC EAST
Dallas
NFC WEST
Arizona
NFC SOUTH
New Orleans
NFC NORTH
Minnesota
AFC EAST
New England
AFC WEST
San Diego
AFC SOUTH
Indianapolis
AFC NORTH
Pittsburgh
NFC Playoff Teams:
Dallas, Green Bay, New Orleans, Carolina, Philadelphia & Arizona
AFC Playoff Teams:
Indianapolis, New England, San Diego, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville & Buffalo
NFC Championship
New Orleans beats Dallas
AFC Championship
Indianapolis beats San Diego
SUPER BOWL
Indianapolis over New Orleans
And on kickoff night, here are my thoughts on the Power Rankings for all 32 NFL teams. I think I will call it: Mac's Weekly NFL Power Rankings..........I know........sooooooo clever ! Following the Power Rankings, I'll pick the winners for the opening weekend of NFL play.
1. San Diego - This team is ready to make their move, but the injury to Merriman (and his subsequent decision to go ahead and play) could prove costly. Shame on the GM and coach for not putting a stop to it. The Chargers are a deep team, but any lingering effects from injuries to LT and Rivers from last season will now come under greater scrutiny. But this team is primed. Only further serious injuries or a complete meltdown will keep this team from the AFC Championship.
2. New England - So long as the offense can score at will, their defense is not a concern. If the offense gets stopped it could be trouble. For the first time in years, they have a bit more competition within their own division.
3. Indianapolis - With veteran center Jeff Saturday out and rookies making up 2/5ths of the offensive line, the Colts will have to hope they play above expectations. Indy needs to run the ball more and control the clock in order to keep the defense off the field to stay healthy & fresh. This is a very young ballclub with the exception of Manning, Harrison and Saturday.
4. Dallas - It's put up or shut up time for the Cowboys. Anything less than a trip to the Super Bowl is a failure. They are what the Colts were pre-2006.
5. Jacksonville - Following the assault on Collier, the Jags hope to shake off the depression of knowing one of their own is hurting. Not the way you would hope to start a season, but if they persevere now and Collier gets better, it could provide the spark for a stellar season.
6. Pittsburgh - Could be one of the more explosive offensive teams they've had in years.
7. Minnesota - Getting the ball to Berrian or Rice while keeping the opponent guessing about Adrian Peterson. The Vikes will need a majority of their games to be error-free at QB and the passing game to be clicking. Their defense should provide the rest.
8. New Orleans - Some key losses to injury on defense causes concern, but this offense is potentially more potent than SD, New England or Indy. Wouldn't a Saints-Colts or Saints-Chargers Super Bowl be wild ?
9. Seattle - A fairly weak division gets a little tougher this go round for Seattle. Arizona is improved and the 49ers are dangerous, though probably inconsistent. Some injuries have caused some offensive hiccups heading into the season as Engram is out, Deion Branch is questionable and tackle Sean Locklear hasn't practiced. On defense Lofa Tatupu is a tossup for action vs Buffalo.
10. Carolina - This team is ready to make a run at the division title right now. The offense is the key in '08, with DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart & Jake Delhomme needing solid years. TE Rosario and WR Dwayne Jarrett are two big youngsters that could help take some defensive double-team pressure off Steve Smith. And the defense is solid.
11. Tennessee - Good, nasty, physical defense . If Vince Young and the offense can click, it could be a magical year for the Titans.
12. Cleveland - The question is "Can they do it again?" Or was it a one-year wonder, like New Orleans in 2006. The potential is there.
13. Green Bay - Many say the Favre-less Pack will be neck-in-neck with Minnesota for the division crown. I don't see it with Rodgers really in his "first" year as an NFL quarterback.
14. NY Giants - With Osi out for the year and Strahan retired, the dominant pass-rush attack might be non-existant. If so, that makes the ability of the offense to score - and score often - a prime concern. Five former starters now gone completely from last year's Super Bowl team. Out of respect for their championship defense, I start them out ahead of their division rivals.
15. Philadelphia - With a defense that looks more formidable than last year, it will all be up to the offense. The NFC East will be a slugfest.
16. Buffalo - Fans in Buffalo are stoked about the chance to battle for a wildcard playoff spot. Edwards needs to show he can lead them there.
17. Washington - Watch out for this ballclub, especially if Jim Zorn gets Campbell to catch fire. Dangerous corps of receivers and a running game. Playing in the tough NFC East is rough.
18. Tampa Bay - While the Bucs missed out on Favre, I've always thought Garcia was pretty good and underrated. But they still don't have that elite WR speedster.
19. Houston - This team was oh-so-close to their first above-500 season last year. If they can get out of the gate quickly, they might be a sleeper playoff team. No, really !
20. Arizona - Same for the Cardinals. The D in the desert is potentially deadly. Rattlesnake deadly. Now they need their offense to re-boot and Kurt Warner is hungry. Is anyone else?
21. Denver - Not quite ready to make a run at the Chargers this year, though they could sneak into the playoffs if the Browns,Titans and Texans stumble because they should whip Oakland and KC at home and on the road. If they don't, so long playoff chances.
22. NY Jets - If Favre gets the Jets to the playoffs, he may be voted into the Hall at the end of this season. And if he does, he should. But it's more likely the Jets would get there behind a super offensive line and a power running game. Not enough playoff spots to go 'round in the rugged AFC.
23. Cincinnati - Potential for an exciting season on offense, while the defense still remains in rebuilding mode. The Johnson trade was bizarre, and I don't think Perry is the answer. Even though Henry is an off-field problem, he is the main reason T.J. and Ocho Cinco are so deadly on the field. With the three of them, you can't concentrate on just one.
24. Baltimore - The Ravens were set with Troy Smith at QB before he became ill. Now that Flacco is leading the offense, one can only guess at how he may struggle. I had the Ravens higher with Troy Smith, but it's anyones guess now. Another key will be if the defense play healthy for 16 weeks.
25. San Francisco - Last year was supposed to be their breakout year, but injuries took their toll. If healthy, the 49ers could make it interesting. Well, it's already interesting since Smith is out and O'Sullivan is in at QB.
26. Chicago - This team has surprise written all over it IF the defense comes back strong and the O-line gives the QB time in the pocket. The backfield of Forte and Jones is potentially explosive, especially when Jones gets back to full-tilt! Their only problem is lack of a prolific wideout and a suspect offensive line.
27. Detroit - We've been expecting a playoff run for years out of this team. Kinda like expecting the Lion GM to be fired for years. Not sure if we'll see it this year. Either one.
28. Oakland - The Raiders will definitely get someones attention a time or two this year. Still need improvement along the offensive line and Russell will not be a QB to be worried about for another year or more.
29. Miami - This is not the almost completely winless team of a season ago. They're not a playoff team either. But the product on the field will most assuredly be better and create some excitement for Dolphin fans this season.
30. St. Louis - This team could be the team selecting #1 come next April. Should Stephen Jackson have a great year and Bulger remain healthy and productive, it could at least make for an even more competitive division. If not, I kinda feel bad for Howie's son.
31. Atlanta - Matt Ryan has been pretty solid in pre-season. With some good fortune, the Falcons may create some noise this season, though the playoffs are still a ways down the road.
32. Kansas City - Just too many gaping holes to fill for this team to deal with this year. Still in rebuilding mode, but Croyle better improve or he's gone. Speaking of gone, I figure this will be Herm's last one in KC.
NY over Washington
Atlanta stuns Detroit
Baltimore stops the Bengals
Philly too much for the Rams
Buffalo smacks Seattle
Tennesse slips by the Jags
Pittsburgh over Houston
New Orleans drops Tampa Bay
New England crushes KC
Miami upsets the Jets
Cleveland (Dawg)Pounds Dallas
SD clubs Carolina
'Zona rolls by SF
Indy edges the Bears
Minnesota packs Green Bay
The Broncos buck Oakland
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