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.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
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
Sunday, August 31, 2008
FINALLY !
The new football season kicked off in grand fashion yesterday afternoon and evening, and it was absolutely great to be able to watch football again! Some great games and great individual efforts put forth yesterday, along with a couple of early upsets to set the table for what should be a tremendously exciting collegiate football season.
Teams one through eight in most pre-season rankings pretty much rolled right over their opponents, with the exception being Missouri having to fight off a pesky Illini team that would not go away. But after that, three top twenty teams were the victims of early season shockers.
Clemson being manhandled by Alabama, Virginia Tech's loss to ECU and Pittsburgh inexplicable home-opener debacle against Bowling Green.
Outside of the top 25, it was another humbling loss in the Big House for the Wolverines, this time to Utah. Rich Rodriguez, welcom to Ann Arbor. What should be of concern to Michigan is that they were only able to put the ball in the endzone following turnovers by the Utes.
The other score, a field goal, were the only points for Michigan that wasn't preceded by a turnover. Meantime, Brian Johnson showed that he might be unknown outside of Salt Lake, but has some skills.
Meantime, I hope Dave Wannestadt has some thick earplugs the next few days to help blunt the loud yells for his head on a platter. And Clemson, though playing a tough Alabama ballclub, showed yet again it is not quite ready for prime time.
Some positive notes, quite a few players stood out for me. Cal running backs Jahved Best and Shane Vereen, while Cal QB Kevin Riley had a solid showing in his first start. Michigan St. sophomore wideout Dell and LB Greg Jones. Oregon has one of the quickest teams in the nation on both sides of the ball and used it to run down a young Huskie ballclub. But in a couple of years, look out for Washington. Their sophomore QB Jake Locker and fresman wideoutsdid a pretty good job against a tough Pac10 defensive opponent. And the Huskies have some young talent on defense as well.
Misourri's offense and defense took it right to Illinois for most of the game, but had lapses at times too. The injury to Maclin is disconcerting and he will hopefully be back in action soon. 6-6 tight end Coffman played out of his mind and have some NFL scouts drooling already. Chase Smith and counterpart Juice Williams showed why they are solid behind center, and I liked the play of Illini DB Marques Williams.
So while the season is now officially underway, there still needs to be a few games played before I go out and start making predicitons on who is #1 through #20. In fact, on Monday night, there's yet another college season opener on tap as UCLA takes on Tennessee, which should be a dandy as well.
Just around the corner after our collegiate Monday night treat is the beginning of the 2008 NFL season when the Redskins and the Giants tangle. I can't begin to tell you how great it is to have football back and I wore out my remote yesterday going back and forth through all the games.
Heck, I still have games to watch that I recorded but didn't get to watch yet, like the SoCal shellacking of Virginia. Glad I have Monday off ! Enjoy the holiday everyone.
Teams one through eight in most pre-season rankings pretty much rolled right over their opponents, with the exception being Missouri having to fight off a pesky Illini team that would not go away. But after that, three top twenty teams were the victims of early season shockers.
Clemson being manhandled by Alabama, Virginia Tech's loss to ECU and Pittsburgh inexplicable home-opener debacle against Bowling Green.
Outside of the top 25, it was another humbling loss in the Big House for the Wolverines, this time to Utah. Rich Rodriguez, welcom to Ann Arbor. What should be of concern to Michigan is that they were only able to put the ball in the endzone following turnovers by the Utes.
The other score, a field goal, were the only points for Michigan that wasn't preceded by a turnover. Meantime, Brian Johnson showed that he might be unknown outside of Salt Lake, but has some skills.
Meantime, I hope Dave Wannestadt has some thick earplugs the next few days to help blunt the loud yells for his head on a platter. And Clemson, though playing a tough Alabama ballclub, showed yet again it is not quite ready for prime time.
Some positive notes, quite a few players stood out for me. Cal running backs Jahved Best and Shane Vereen, while Cal QB Kevin Riley had a solid showing in his first start. Michigan St. sophomore wideout Dell and LB Greg Jones. Oregon has one of the quickest teams in the nation on both sides of the ball and used it to run down a young Huskie ballclub. But in a couple of years, look out for Washington. Their sophomore QB Jake Locker and fresman wideoutsdid a pretty good job against a tough Pac10 defensive opponent. And the Huskies have some young talent on defense as well.
Misourri's offense and defense took it right to Illinois for most of the game, but had lapses at times too. The injury to Maclin is disconcerting and he will hopefully be back in action soon. 6-6 tight end Coffman played out of his mind and have some NFL scouts drooling already. Chase Smith and counterpart Juice Williams showed why they are solid behind center, and I liked the play of Illini DB Marques Williams.
So while the season is now officially underway, there still needs to be a few games played before I go out and start making predicitons on who is #1 through #20. In fact, on Monday night, there's yet another college season opener on tap as UCLA takes on Tennessee, which should be a dandy as well.
Just around the corner after our collegiate Monday night treat is the beginning of the 2008 NFL season when the Redskins and the Giants tangle. I can't begin to tell you how great it is to have football back and I wore out my remote yesterday going back and forth through all the games.
Heck, I still have games to watch that I recorded but didn't get to watch yet, like the SoCal shellacking of Virginia. Glad I have Monday off ! Enjoy the holiday everyone.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Mac's NFL Power Rankings - 2008-09 Pre-Season Special
Pre-Season Week Three - Mac's NFL Power Rankings
Each week I will be offering up my thoughts on just where the power resides in the NFL among the 32 participants, and how they stack up in terms of power. Early last year the Colts were #1 and stayed that way until their first loss of the season, at home, to rival New England. The Patriots held that spot until the very last game of the year, which they lost. Unfortunately for them, it happened to be in the Super Bowl.
This year, with a new season before us and many expectations throughout NFL fandom as high as they will be all season, it's time to lay out who I think will ultimately have the best shot at being in Tampa at the end of the 2008-09 season. It should be a great, competitive season with many a thrill, not to mention some nail-biting endings.
So for now, here are my rankings of each of the 32 teams in the NFL as we enter the 3rd week of pre-season. Only two weeks away from opening day.
1. San Diego - This team is ready to make their move. Only serious injuries or a complete meltdown will keep this team from the AFC Championship. Only injuries can keep this team from at least the AFC Championship Game.
2. New England - So long as the offense can score at will, their defense is not a concern. If the offense gets stopped there'll be trouble.
3. Indianapolis - Hard to say early. If Sanders, Freeney, Manning & Harrison are 100% and everyone stays healthy, look out!
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 - Allowing Stroud to leave was mind boggling. And if Garrard can't duplicate last season's precision, it could prove fatal. Their pre-season hasn't looked too good. But then, these games don't count.
6. Pittsburgh - Could be the spoiler in the title hopes of the other 3 AFC teams. If Big Ben is hot, the Steelers could be in Tampa in '09.
7. NY Giants - Benefit of the doubt, championship rings give the Giants an early top ten berth here. But they're still not dominant.
8. Seattle - I hate putting Seattle in the top 10, because they play in almost as weak a division as New England. But not quite. Their defense will need to be good with the offense losing Engram for the early part of the season and having some question marks at running back.
9. Minnesota - Everybody's darling darkhorse with AP in the backfield. The man with more pressure on him is Tavaris Jackson.
10. New Orleans - Edges out the Titans early in the season "on paper", but injuries to the defense might cause a rough start.
11. Tennessee - Good, nasty, physical defense and it looks like Vince Young is primed for a banner year. He better be if the Titans look to challenge in the AFC South.
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. Carolina - This team has a chance, defensively, to get it to the playoffs. The offense is the key in 2008.
14.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.
15. Baltimore - The Ravens are set at QB with Troy Smith, so no excuses there. Can the defense play solid/healthy for 16 weeks is the real question.
16. 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.
17. Washington - Watch out for this ballclub, especially if Jim Zorn gets Campbell to catch fire. Dangerous corps of receivers and a running game.
18. Tampa Bay - While the Bucs missed out on Favre, I've always thought Garcia was pretty good. 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.
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.
22. 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.
23. 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.
24. Cincinnati - Potential for an exciting season on offense, while the defense still remains in rebuilding mode. 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.
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.
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 is potentially explosive, especially when Jones gets back to full-tilt!
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. St. Louis - This team, with the Stephen Jackson holdout, could be the team selecting #1 come next April. I feel bad for Howie's son.
30. Atlanta - Matt Ryan has been pretty solid in pre-season. With some good fortune, the Falcons may create some noise this season.
31. 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.
32. Miami - I would fully expect the Dolphins to move a little by the end of the year. In fact, I think Bill Parcells will insist on it.
Each week I will be offering up my thoughts on just where the power resides in the NFL among the 32 participants, and how they stack up in terms of power. Early last year the Colts were #1 and stayed that way until their first loss of the season, at home, to rival New England. The Patriots held that spot until the very last game of the year, which they lost. Unfortunately for them, it happened to be in the Super Bowl.
This year, with a new season before us and many expectations throughout NFL fandom as high as they will be all season, it's time to lay out who I think will ultimately have the best shot at being in Tampa at the end of the 2008-09 season. It should be a great, competitive season with many a thrill, not to mention some nail-biting endings.
So for now, here are my rankings of each of the 32 teams in the NFL as we enter the 3rd week of pre-season. Only two weeks away from opening day.
1. San Diego - This team is ready to make their move. Only serious injuries or a complete meltdown will keep this team from the AFC Championship. Only injuries can keep this team from at least the AFC Championship Game.
2. New England - So long as the offense can score at will, their defense is not a concern. If the offense gets stopped there'll be trouble.
3. Indianapolis - Hard to say early. If Sanders, Freeney, Manning & Harrison are 100% and everyone stays healthy, look out!
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 - Allowing Stroud to leave was mind boggling. And if Garrard can't duplicate last season's precision, it could prove fatal. Their pre-season hasn't looked too good. But then, these games don't count.
6. Pittsburgh - Could be the spoiler in the title hopes of the other 3 AFC teams. If Big Ben is hot, the Steelers could be in Tampa in '09.
7. NY Giants - Benefit of the doubt, championship rings give the Giants an early top ten berth here. But they're still not dominant.
8. Seattle - I hate putting Seattle in the top 10, because they play in almost as weak a division as New England. But not quite. Their defense will need to be good with the offense losing Engram for the early part of the season and having some question marks at running back.
9. Minnesota - Everybody's darling darkhorse with AP in the backfield. The man with more pressure on him is Tavaris Jackson.
10. New Orleans - Edges out the Titans early in the season "on paper", but injuries to the defense might cause a rough start.
11. Tennessee - Good, nasty, physical defense and it looks like Vince Young is primed for a banner year. He better be if the Titans look to challenge in the AFC South.
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. Carolina - This team has a chance, defensively, to get it to the playoffs. The offense is the key in 2008.
14.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.
15. Baltimore - The Ravens are set at QB with Troy Smith, so no excuses there. Can the defense play solid/healthy for 16 weeks is the real question.
16. 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.
17. Washington - Watch out for this ballclub, especially if Jim Zorn gets Campbell to catch fire. Dangerous corps of receivers and a running game.
18. Tampa Bay - While the Bucs missed out on Favre, I've always thought Garcia was pretty good. 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.
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.
22. 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.
23. 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.
24. Cincinnati - Potential for an exciting season on offense, while the defense still remains in rebuilding mode. 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.
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.
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 is potentially explosive, especially when Jones gets back to full-tilt!
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. St. Louis - This team, with the Stephen Jackson holdout, could be the team selecting #1 come next April. I feel bad for Howie's son.
30. Atlanta - Matt Ryan has been pretty solid in pre-season. With some good fortune, the Falcons may create some noise this season.
31. 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.
32. Miami - I would fully expect the Dolphins to move a little by the end of the year. In fact, I think Bill Parcells will insist on it.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Version One - Very, Very Preliminary 2009 NFL Mock Draft
With the regular season about to begin, but still some pre-season action to endure, I offer up my extremely early view on the 2009 NFL Draft. A draft which looks to be pretty heavy on lineman and defensive personnel with no clear cut, exceptionally talented quarterback causing the scouts to drool and consider moving up or trading away players at this point in time.
1. Miami - Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech
2. Atlanta - Michael Other, OT, Ole MIss
3. Kansas City - Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia
4. Oakland - Duke Robinson, OG, Oklahoma
5. San Francisco - Louis Murphy, WR, Florida
6. St. Louis - James Laurnitais, LB, Ohio St.
7. NY Jets - Tim Tebow, QB, Florida
8. Detroit - Malcom Jenkins, CB, Ohio St.
9. Houston - James Davis, RB, Clemson
10. Baltimore - Ray Maualuga, LB, USC
11. Denver - Chris Wells, RB, Ohio St.
12. Philadelphia (From Carolina) - Taylor Mays, S, USC
13. Cincinnati - Tyson Jackson, DT, LSU
14. Chicago - Andre Smith, OT, Alabama
15. Arizona - Fili Moala, DT, USC
16. Washington - George Selvie, DE, South Florida
17. Buffalo - Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma St.
18. Philadelphia - Phil Loadholt, OT, Oklahoma
19. Tennessee - Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois
20. Tampa Bay - Domonique Johnson, CB, Jackson St.
21. Seattle - Alex Mack, C, California
22. Cleveland - LeSean McCoy, RB, Pitt
23. NY Giants - Ciron Black, OT, LSU
24.Pittsburgh - Herman Johnson, OG, LSU
25.Green Bay - Maurice Evans, DE, Penn St.
26.Jacksonville - Myron Rolle, S, FSU
27.Minnesota - William Moore, FS, Missouri
28. New England - Mike Mickens, CB, Cincinnati
29. Dallas - Brandon Spikes, ILB, Florida
30. San Diego - Aaron Curry, OLB, Wake Forest
31. New Orleans - Greg Hardy, DE, Mississippi
32. Indianapolis - Marko Mitchell, WR, Nevada
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