Where's the Outrage?

There are plenty of people talking about the Super Bowl today. I won’t spend much time on it. Congratulations to New York Giants. Once again, they proved that it doesn’t really matter how you start the season. Instead, it matters how you play at the end of the season and through the playoffs. Several weeks ago, the Giants’ season was basically over in Dallas. Dallas had a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter and Tony Romo was able to hook up with Miles Austin, so the game looked over. They survived, though, which is probably a testament to this team and the New York Giants coaching staff. Somehow, they survived. Their defensive strength has been their defensive line. Yet, down the stretch, I was more impressed with their secondary. Their secondary seemed to make plays all over the field. This is exactly what happened on Sunday. For the most part, the New England Patriots receivers were not running free to the Giants’ secondary.

The ferocious pass rush of the New York Giants was basically neutralized for most of the game. Tom Brady did have time to find receivers. The problem was that his receivers were not open. This is the first time that I really noticed that the New England Patriots truly needed a deep threat, which they didn’t have. They needed Randy Moss. They needed Dante Stallworth. They were unable to stretch the field. For most of this year they were able to produce big plays with their All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski. Unfortunately, he was just a shadow of himself with a high ankle sprain. Deion Branch isn’t the player that he was four or five years ago.

There’s going to be a lot of discussion about a pass thrown to Wes Welker late in the fourth quarter which could’ve iced the game. Welker tried to make a spinning catch, but the ball careened off his fingers. The ball appeared to be high and thrown too far to Welker’s outside shoulder. Catchable, but tough. Yet the New England Patriots had several other opportunities that seemed to slip through their fingers. Bradshaw fumbled the ball deep in Giant territory and nobody could jump on the ball. Deion Branch and Aaron Hernandez both dropped balls. We can’t forget Brady’s safety at the beginning of the game. What was that? Mayo appeared to have inside leverage on Victor Cruz, but somehow got turned around so that Eli Manning’s missile to Cruz (man, that ball was zipped into a very tight window) almost hit him in the helmet. Had Mayo been watching the quarterback and Cruz, that could have been a pic-6, like James Harrison from a couple of years ago. But that’s the whole deal about these games. There are all of those what-ifs. As a Cowboy fan, I know what ifs up close and personal. The bottom line is the New England Patriots were missing something all year. They seemed to need more offense and a more Raven/Texans-like defense. It seems that Brady needed just a little more help. They needed more running. They needed more something.

Finally, I have watched Eli Manning for his whole career. This year, he showed more patience than I’ve ever seen. Usually, throughout a game, Eli would throw up one or two balls for grabs. Not this year. Not during this playoff run. One of the big knocks on Eli Manning was that he was not that accurate. He threw the ball with great velocity and accuracy on Sunday night. Eli Manning was the reason that the New York Giants won the Super Bowl on Sunday.

Congratulations to the New York Giants and Super Bowl, MVP, Eli Manning.

Update: I agree with Ron (see the comment section) that the Giants receivers made plays and the Patriot receivers did not. Manningham, Nixon and Cruz when they are on, are great. Remember in the middle of the season there were tons of problems with dropping balls. Somehow they fixed the problem.

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Eli Manning

Over the last several years, we’ve seen football teams get “hot” at the end of the year. As a matter fact, the New York Giants are the best example of a team that was wallowing in mediocrity and somehow got it together four years ago. They did that same thing this year. They were 6-6. People were laughing at Eli Manning and his characterization of himself as an elite quarterback. Many in New York were calling for Tom Coughlin to be fired.

The defensive coordinator and the offensive coordinator were under fire all year long. Yet, somehow, they put together a string of wins and now sit as champions of the NFC.

Tom Brady

The New England Patriots had different struggles. Their offense was simply okay. Their defense was abysmal. They got rid of Albert Haynesworth and slowly began to play better team defense. Their offense still struggles at times but, midway through the season, they started to play more consistent football. There were glimpses of the old, super successful New England Patriots. When New England went to Denver and gave Tim Tebow and his Broncos beat down, that harkened back to the New England Patriots a few years ago. Early in the season, New England played Buffalo and had an uncharacteristic day. Tom Brady threw four interceptions. The New England Patriots lost. This was a theme that we would see throughout the season. If they took care of the ball then New England had an excellent opportunity to win. If they didn’t take of the ball, New England would have a difficult time winning. When New England played the New York Giants in week nine, we saw the same pattern. Tom Brady had a sack fumble. He also had a couple of interceptions. The New England Patriots lost that game.

Unlike in years past, there’s not a defensive juggernaut at the Super Bowl. Both of these defenses can be extremely vulnerable to either the pass or the run. The question for this Super Bowl is which offensive line will dominate. The offensive line that dominates will lead their team to victory. Both quarterbacks can hit wide-open receivers. Both quarterbacks can read defenses extremely well. The key to this game, in my opinion, is the offensive line. I believe that the offensive line of the New York Giants will hold up better and give Eli Manning just a fraction more time. That’s all you need in the NFL, just a fraction more time. The key to a possible Giants victory is the play of the tremendous defensive front four. If they dominate… Tom Brady will become frustrated. He needs a clean pocket. They need to consistently apply pressure and alleviate some of the stress on their subpar secondary.

My predictions over the last several weeks have been awful. There’s no other way to categorize them. Yet, like a punchdrunk fighter, I keep predicting anyway. I give a slight edge in this game to New York Giants.

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The Drop

Congratulations to the New England Patriots for outlasting the Baltimore Ravens. Prior to the game, there was a lot of discussion about Joe Flacco not delivering in the clutch. The fact that the Baltimore Ravens didn’t win this game will probably not dampen down any of the criticism, but he delivered a perfect pass to Lee Evans, who dropped the game-winning touchdown in the end zone. That drop will go down as one of the biggest mistakes in football history. It will go down with a drop that Jackie Smith had in the end zone for the Dallas Cowboys or Ernest Byner’s fumble for the Cleveland Browns. I won’t even talk about the missed field goal. Joe Flacco did everything he could to put his team in position to win. He threw for over 300 yards. He had a QB rating of 95.4. He outplayed Tom Brady. Joe Flacco outplayed Tom Brady. (Had I said before the game that Joe Flacco would outplay Tom Brady, I think that everyone would agree that the Raven should have and would have won.) I should add, too, that the Baltimore Ravens played outstanding defense. Tom Brady. Tom Terrific. He completed 22 of 36 passes for 239 yards. No touchdowns. (You read that right. No touchdowns.) And two interceptions. The Ravens defense was tremendous. They deserve to go to the Super Bowl if anybody does. If the football gods play fair, the Ravens will be in the Super Bowl.

Eli trying to escape the pressure

The second game was almost exactly a mirror image of the first game. The San Francisco 49ers played outstanding defense. Their offense just needs a little bit more juice. They ran the ball okay. They simply didn’t throw the ball well enough to win the game. Alex Smith was 16 for 26 and two touchdowns. He had no interceptions. He needed more completions, more completions down the field to help open up the running game. Eli Manning has been a story of perseverance. He simply battled all day. I think the San Francisco secondary played extremely well, but they were on the field too long. San Francisco developed a ferocious pass rush which helped keep them in the game. They frustrated Eli all day long, but when he had an opportunity he completed passes down the field. This was an excellent game. Both teams played hard and played well. Just as Baltimore lost because of a missed field goal (a special teams error) the San Francisco 49ers lost because of Kyle Williams. You simply cannot let the football hit you by mistake. Congratulations to Eli Manning and the New York football Giants.

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My predictions over the last several weeks have been simply awful. As a matter fact, had you taken my predictions and gone to Vegas simply to bet against me, you could have made some serious money. Anyway, in spite of my past failures, here we go again.

Aaron Hernandez

Baltimore Ravens versus New England Patriots: First, let me start by saying I really do not like Tom Brady. I never have. I don’t know why, but I just don’t. I acknowledge that he is one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the NFL. If he wins another Super Bowl, I might just fall into a state of depression. (I’m just joking, of course.) Currently, I’m having flashbacks to the Brady hysteria that we heard back in 2005, 2006 and 2007. The fact that the Patriots have not won a Super Bowl in the last five years has dampened that hysteria considerably. As I look at the remaining teams in the Super Bowl hunt, it is hard for me to see anybody who has a good opportunity to beat Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots. Tom Brady with this outstanding tight ends, Deion Branch and Wes Welker, will use the short and medium range passing game to move the ball relatively effectively against a good but not great Baltimore Ravens defense. I think it is quite possible that the Patriot offense can put up 25-30 points today. On the other side of the ball, I just don’t see how the Baltimore Ravens are going to be able to match that offensive output. I don’t see how they are going to be able to consistently move the ball and score points. New England wins and advances to the Super Bowl.

Eli Manning

San Francisco 49ers versus the New York Giants: Eli Manning is currently playing as well as any quarterback in the NFL. The Giants seem to have put together several solid team performances, landing them in the championship game. The multiple problems they had on defense seem to have been fixed. On offense, the running game is much better and Eli Manning is on fire. The dropped passes that we saw from all of his wide receivers seem to be a thing of the past. I’ve counted out the San Francisco 49ers multiple times this year. I have underestimated Alex Smith, time after time. In the last five minutes of the New Orleans Saints game, he played as well as any quarterback in the league. He threw the ball accurately and made outstanding decisions. I don’t think that you can underestimate how well the San Francisco 49ers are playing on defense. They are stopping the run and they are playing pass defense extremely well. I look for Alex Smith and the San Francisco 49ers to take advantage of turnovers and head back to the Super Bowl for the first time in more than a decade.

This should be a great day of football.

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The winningest head football coach in the history of Division I NCAA football has died. Joe Paterno, longtime Penn State head coach and icon, is dead at age 85. More here. More about the Penn State scandal here.

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Jim Caldwell, the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, got fired today. I don’t have any idea how the Indianapolis Colts make decisions. But from my perspective as a football fan, this stinks. As far as I know, Jim Caldwell was not in charge of player personnel. He was not the one who put all of his chips in on Peyton Manning (one of the greatest quarterbacks this league has ever seen). If you build a team around the single player and that player goes down, then how are you supposed to win? It’s been clear for years that the Indianapolis Colts have spent more money on the offensive side of the ball than on the defensive side of the ball. Everybody knows this. So when the offense couldn’t put up 20 points a game because Peyton was recovering from his third neck surgery in less than two years, how are you supposed to win a football game? With what? Where are the pro bowl safeties and cornerbacks? I don’t have any. So how are you supposed to change from a bend but don’t break defense into a shutdown defense without the proper personnel?

This is a travesty. Instead of firing the coach, the owner, Jim Irsay, needs to refund the money of the season-ticket holders.

Update: I’m not sure that I really liked any of the firings this year. Tony Sparano made up an offense (the Wild cat) out of thin air. Every team in the league had some version of HIS offense and he got his team to the playoffs without great talent. Yet, he was fired. Jack Del Rio had Blaine Gabbert as quarterback. Enough said. Steve Spagnuolo was fired in St. Louis before he had a chance to do anything. I won’t even talk about the Raiders. That firing was just wack. The Raiders were looking at their best season in years then they lose Jason Campbell and Darren McFadden. I don’t know how you can win without your starting quarterback and running back.

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Okay, let’s try this again. After a disastrous weekend of football predictions last week, I have to bounce back and do better this week.

Let’s start with the Denver Broncos versus New England Patriots. I just re-watched their first game from three weeks ago. It took the Patriots a little time to hit their stride. Tom Brady won the game not by throwing to Wes Welker or Rob Gronkowski but instead by connecting nine times to Aaron Hernandez. He was a key to the game. Also, the Patriots changed their offensive protections in order to slow down the Bronco pass rush. The Patriots did a pretty good job at stopping the Denver rushing attack. Look for Denver to try to put in some wrinkles in order to run the ball more consistently. I think that this game will hinge, once again, on how well the Patriots offense is able to move the ball and score. I don’t think that Denver will be able to keep up in a shootout. I look for Tom Brady to try to score early and often. (I’m still flabbergasted that the Denver Broncos beat the Pittsburgh Steelers last week.) I’m going with the New England Patriots at home.

New York Giants versus Green Bay Packers – Now, this is what the NFL is all about. I think that both offenses will be able to march up and down the field, almost at will. Green Bay will figure out a way to slow down the fearsome pass rush of the New York Giants. This will expose their vulnerable secondary. I don’t think that Tom Coughlin and the New York Giants want to get into another shootout. I look for Eli Manning to try to control the clock with short passes and a run game. I just don’t know if the Giants run game, which has been much better in the last couple weeks, is consistent enough to depend upon it to carry the Giants. It is clear that you can get a ton of yardage against the Green Bay Packer defense, but they also create turnovers. This game will be won or lost in the trenches, specifically regarding the defensive line of the New York Giants versus the offensive line of the Green Bay Packers. Whoever wins this battle will win the game. My friends from New York are jazzed. I’m sorry, but I think I’m going to have to go with the Green Bay Packers on this one.

San Francisco 49ers versus New Orleans Saints – It is hard for me to choose against Drew Brees. In spite of how well Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers are playing, Drew Brees has played better over the last three or four weeks. He’s been unstoppable. The best way to stop the New Orleans Saints is with a quick pass rush. The San Francisco 49ers have been playing great defense all year. Alex Smith has not put up flashy numbers, but at the same time, he hasn’t turned the ball over. This team is built much like the Baltimore Ravens, with a strong running game and a strong defense. Frank Gore is running the ball as well as any runningback in the league. New Orleans plays better on the fast-track (indoors). The weather should be warm at game time, approximately 60°. Now that we are in the playoffs, do you win with defense or do you win with a superior quarterback and offense? I’m going to go with the New Orleans Saints, but this is a close game and it’s hard for me to call.

Houston Texans versus the Baltimore Ravens – If this game were being played in Houston, I would be choosing the Houston Texans. The Baltimore Ravens are a different team when they play away versus when they play at home. They have really laid some eggs this year. Of all the teams in the playoffs, the Baltimore Ravens may be the most inconsistent. They lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars in what was an awful game to watch. They lost to the Seattle Seahawks. And they didn’t just lose to the San Diego Chargers, they got blown out. I really, really would like to go with the Houston Texans. They have an outstanding defense. They have a great running attack, but they have this quarterback that I simply cannot trust. Then again, I find it extremely hard to trust Joe Flacco. So, should I put my trust in Adrian Foster or Ray Rice? I’m going to go with Adrian Foster and TJ Yates. Look for Joe Flacco to make a couple of mistakes down the stretch which will change this game.

Probabilities of victory:

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I thought the Atlanta Falcons would find a way to win against the New York Giants. Basically, the Atlanta Falcons cannot find any offense whatsoever. The defensive line for the New York Giants rose to the occasion. They stuffed the run (Michael Turner – 15 attempts/41 yards) and they got after the quarterback. They harassed Matt Ryan all day long. They hit the quarterback four times, they pressured the quarterback nine times and they had two sacks. The defensive line of the New York Giants is the key to their whole football team. If their defensive line dominates, it covers up some problems with their secondary. This is exactly what happened last week. It was an extremely impressive performance.

In my opinion, the game really hinged on a fourth, one in which the Falcons decided to go for it midway through the third quarter. I completely agreed with the decision to go for it. The game was quickly slipping away from the Atlanta Falcons and they needed a spark. What I thought was completely nuts was the play that was called. Atlanta had an empty backfield formation with Michael Turner, all 240 pounds of him, sitting on the bench. (Well, that’s not really true. He was standing on the sidelines.) Matt Ryan tried a quarterback sneak, which was completely, 100% stuffed. I simply don’t understand the call. If you could run the ball, you should/ve run with Michael Turner. If you believed that your offensive line was getting killed, and they were, then you needed to throw the ball. You have future Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez, who still runs good routes and can catch the ball in traffic. Roddy White is somewhat suspect because he can drop the ball from time to time. You paid a lot of money to Julio Jones, he is 6’3″ tall and is supposed to be “a beast.” Throw the ball to him!!!! They did neither.

Congratulations to the New York Giants. They seem to be peaking at exactly the right time.

If I were the Atlanta Falcons, I would have to do a lot of head scratching in the off season. Is Matt Ryan my quarterback? Do I need better play from a quarterback and therefore need somebody else? Why did the offensive line crumble? Do I need a better scheme or better players? How do I fix my secondary? Atlanta needs to fix these issues or they are never going to get past the Saints, the Packers and the Giants.

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I chose the Cincinnati Bengals to beat the resilient Houston Texans. I figured it would be difficult if not impossible for the Texans to win with a third-string rookie quarterback. The Texans were also missing their star defensive end, Mario Williams. I thought that, for the most part, Andy Dalton has been protecting the football and playing more like a veteran and less like a rookie. I thought the Bengals would find a way to get AJ Green free from suffocating double coverage. Finally, I thought that the Cincinnati Bengals defense would shut down the run and force the Houston Texans to pass.

I knew that the Houston Texans had an excellent defense, but they really suffocated the Cincinnati Bengals. They forced three Andy Dalton turnovers. Besides that, they simply crushed the running game. The Cincinnati Bengals’ running backs (Cedric Benson and Bernard Scott) combined for 13 attempts for 25 yards. That’s it. AJ Green, Andy Dalton’s favorite receiver, had five catches for only 47 yards. But that’s only half the story. The offensive line for the Houston Texans simply dominated. One would figure that the Cincinnati Bengals wanted to stop the run, but they simply couldn’t. Adrian Foster ran for 153 yards on 24 carries. He was brilliant and so was the offensive line.

I’m not sure if I underestimated the Houston Texans or overestimated the Cincinnati Bengals. Either way – congratulations to the Houston Texans.

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I would like to take a couple of moments to break down Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos. I predicted that Denver would lose and lose badly to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Wow, was I wrong! I thought that Pittsburgh would have no trouble moving the ball with their high-powered offense. Wrong. Pittsburgh could not protect Big Ben, who was moving in the pocket as effectively as my 80-year-old mother.

Over the last 30 or 40 years, there’ve been only a few football players who have really transformed the game. Lawrence Taylor is an excellent example of someone who changed the game forever. Before him, the right tackle and the left tackle had equal importance. After him, no offensive lineman was more important than the one blocking Taylor. He could change a game with a sack, sack fumble or sack fumble and recovery for touchdown. Although a lot of people like to talk about Jon Elway, I think that Dan Marino was a more transformative figure. Before Dan Marino, the NFL was mostly about running. Since Dan Marino, the NFL has been mostly about throwing the football.

There have been immensely popular people in the NFL. These people are popular because of charisma, marketing and panache as well as their prowess on the football field. Joe Namath is an excellent example. His football numbers are simply okay. Yet, he made it into the football Hall of Fame because of all of those other intangibles, not simply because of his performance on the field. If we sit back and think about the NFL we can probably come up with 10-15 players whose personae were larger off the field than on the field. Bosworth, the Boz, is one of the best examples of hype over substance. There was Doug Flutie. He had a relatively large following in spite of having mediocre NFL numbers. He was known for pulling out the game in the last second. He had only two years where he started basically every game (1999 with the Buffalo Bills and 2001 with the San Diego Chargers). Here are his numbers.

Now, let’s remember that it was just two years ago that the Miami Dolphins were in the playoffs. Their young and innovative head coach had come up with a new way to attack the NFL, the wildcat. The success of the wildcat really depended upon an offensive lineman mismatch on one side of the ball or the other. Basically, you had more blockers than you had defenders. Everyone tried to imitate the wildcat. No one had the success that the Miami Dolphins had. Yet, the NFL defensive coordinators figured it out and shut it down. Almost nobody ran the wildcat this year. If I’m not mistaken, the Miami Dolphins never won a playoff game. They missed the playoffs last year and this year. Their innovative coach is now out of a job.

This brings me to Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos. I said it before and I’ll say it again – in order to win in the NFL you need to be able to score points. The rules have been adjusted so that the “close to the vest, grind it out” type of football is difficult to do. It is not impossible. It is extremely difficult. You need to have a great defense in order to perform this type of football. You need to have an offense that does not turn the ball over and that scores a high percentage of the time when they make it down inside the red zone. You need an offense that controls the clock. During the winning streak of the Denver Broncos, this is exactly what we’ve seen. They’ve run the ball extremely well and they’ve controlled the clock. Their defense has forced turnovers without giving up a lot of touchdowns. Wait a second, what other recent team has won a Super Bowl with excellent defense and an offense that plays extremely conservatively and doesn’t turn the ball over? Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Baltimore Ravens.

Tim Tebow’s numbers

The one thing that most people haven’t talked about is the fact that Tim Tebow handles the ball so much. Because of that, you have to look at not only his interceptions but also at his fumbles. In 11 games he has fumbled the ball 13 times. He is also had six rushing touchdowns (not including last week).

So, can you win in the NFL with Tim Tebow? Sure. You need to have a suffocating defense, which the Denver Broncos have as long as Von Miller is healthy. In my opinion, he is the key to their defense. Tim Tebow has to limit his turnovers and they have to run the ball effectively. They cannot get into a shootout. They lost to the New England Patriots because their defense was overwhelmed and their offense could keep up. They lost to the Kansas City Chiefs because they could not run the ball effectively. Kansas City completely shut down Tim Tebow and his triple option.

The Pittsburgh Steelers lost to the Denver Broncos because their defense played horribly. I cannot think of a time when the Pittsburgh defense over the last 15 years has played so poorly. They simply could not stop the run. Once they couldn’t stop the run, they were left extremely vulnerable to the deep pass. James Harrison may have played the worst single game of an all-star linebacker that I’ve seen in more than 20 years. He lost outside containment multiple different times. Finally, the Pittsburgh defense produced no pass rush. I don’t understand it. It was a complete failure. Pittsburgh’s offensive woes are understandable, since the Denver defense is more than capable. It was the Pittsburgh defense that did not show up. Again, I must credit the Denver Broncos and Tim Tebow for taking advantage of a confused and bewildered Pittsburgh defense.

Thoughts?

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Cincinnati Bengals versus Houston Texans – The Houston Texans have been snakebitten all year. Losing your quarterback and your premier receiver is difficult to overcome. When you then lose your All-Pro defensive end, you have to feel like the football gods are conspiring against you. Cincinnati is a solid team. Their defense seemed to be a lot stouter earlier this year. In spite of that, you have to like the chemistry that is developing between Andy Dalton and his young receiver AJ Green. I’m leaning toward Cincinnati.

Detroit Lions versus New Orleans Saints – Don’t fall asleep on the New Orleans Saints. Last year was somewhat of a head scratcher and they started a little slowly earlier this season, but the New Orleans Saints are playing great offensive football. Their formula to win is a simple one – high-powered offense and a defense that will give up some big plays but will also create turnovers. Drew Brees is playing as well as any NFL quarterback, including Matthew Stafford. This game should be a shootout and when the dust settles the New Orleans Saints will be moving on – victorious. (BTW, the Saints don’t lose in their dome.)

Atlanta Falcons versus New York Giants – To me, the Atlanta Falcons have been somewhat of a head scratcher all year. I’ve been looking for their defense to improve and to reflect the personality of their tough and defensive-minded head coach. That simply hasn’t happened. The key to this game is the defensive front four of the New York Giants. If they play well, they will shut down the run and make it difficult to throw. If they play poorly, they’ll expose a very vulnerable secondary. Matt Ryan is a good quarterback, but not great. He hasn’t been able to take his game to the next level. I think this game will be close. I’m going to give a slight edge to the Atlanta Falcons because of their strong running game. (For Giant fans, yes, Eli is going to put up some numbers. I think he’ll play well. The question is whether his receivers are going to catch the ball or not.)

Pittsburgh Steelers versus Denver Broncos – Can somebody officially state that the Tebow magic is gone? Okay, I’ll say it. The Tebow magic is gone. The disciplined defensive players of the Pittsburgh Steelers are going to suffocate, harass and otherwise beat up Tim Tebow and the anemic Broncos offense. I would be surprised if this game is close. I look for the Pittsburgh Steelers to roll in this game.

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Matt Flynn, the backup QB of the Green Bay Packers, has flown for 480 yds and 6 TDs. What an amazing performance! He has the Packers record for yards and for touchdowns. Let me type that again – Matt Flynn has the Green Bay Packers record for passing yards in a game and for number of touchdowns in a game. That’s more than Aaron Rodgers, who has had a great season. That’s more than Mr. Packer (before he left Green Bay), Bret Favre. Matt Flynn.

Oh, by the way, Matt Stafford, in the same game, threw for over 520 yards, which is a Lions record. No game in NFL history has had two quarterbacks throw for over 400 yards. Calvin Johnson has 244 receiving yards and a touchdown, which is another record (Lions).

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We need to see a ton of Felix Jones running the ball

This is why you watch the NFL. It is for games like these. Everything on the line. Win and you are in the playoffs and you win the NFC East. Cool.

I just finished watching the Giants lose to the Redskins in their week 15 match-up. The Giants did just about everything that they could to lose that game. They played the run extremely badly. Had Rex Grossman played better, the Redskins could have really killed the Giants. The Redskins controlled the clock, which limited Eli Manning. Also, the wide receivers for the Giants were dropping the ball like they got paid to run great routes and drop the ball.

Beating the Giants (Dallas offense): We need to be able to run the ball. There is some concern about the lost of Montrae Hollard (he tore his biceps and is out for the rest of the season). It appears that veteran Derek Dockery will start at left guard. This should be okay. The Cowboys need to run the football. Felix Jones appears to be in position to take a significant amount of the work. He was out last week with a hamstring injury. Sammy Morris has run the ball well, but the Cowboys are going to need the big-play ability of Felix Jones. We need to be able to control the clock. This will protect our extremely vulnerable defense. In my opinion, we need to run a lot of two and three tight end sets. This gives us a strong run formation and we should be able to pass the ball to Jason Witten, John Phillips and Martellus Bennett (who has been playing a little better lately). It is imperative that the Cowboys run the ball effectively in order to neutralize the pass rush of the New York Giants. Jason Pierre Paul is their new sensation. He was extremely disruptive during the last Dallas Cowboys – New York Giants meeting. He had two sacks (one of the sacks was for safety), a forced fumble and a blocked field goal. The play action pass will be open off of the run. The true weakness of the New York Giants defense is their secondary. The true strength of the New York Giants is their offense. Therefore, we need to keep them on the sidelines. Run the ball. Short passing game. Control the clock. I’m not worried about Romo’s hand. I’m more worried about Romo’s protection. We must take this fight to the Giants and it starts on offense.

Beating the Giants (Dallas defense): I have no idea what Rob Ryan has been focusing on this last week. As defensive coordinator, he should’ve seen a lot of things that turned his stomach while watching the film of New York Giants – Dallas Cowboys football game. The Cowboys got no sacks. If you get no pressure on Eli Manning, expect to lose the game. The front seven of the Dallas Cowboys is as competitive a group as you’ll find in the NFL. The secondary for the Cowboys — how can I put this? They simply suck. Both corners are playing poorly. Abram Elam (safety) is not playing particularly well. Gerald Sensabaugh is making plays all over the field, but he need some help. Orlando Scandrick is playing okay in the slot. That’s it. Dallas had trouble stopping the run and the pass against the Giants a couple weeks ago. DeMarcus Ware appears to be healthy. Jay Ratliff, All-Pro nose tackle, appears to be healthy. They have to be able to play at the top of their game in order for the Dallas defense not to be abused. The key may be Anthony Spencer. If he can play well, the Cowboys have a good chance of winning this game.

These teams are mirror images of each other. Both QBs are good. Both offenses are good. They both have defenses which are not playing well enough for either team to go deep into the playoffs. This game is a toss-up. In a league in which the Packers can lose to the Kansas City Chiefs, anything can happen. In a league in which the St. Louis Rams beat the New Orleans Saints (remember this was a week after DeMarco Murray ran for over 200 yds against the Rams), anything can happen. Let’s sit back and enjoy a great game. I hope you have a wide screen in HD because this is going to be fun.

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For the last 20 years, the NFL has worked as hard as they possibly could to make sure that it would be difficult for you to turn off your television set. If you like football, this is going to be a great football weekend. I can’t remember whether 15 or 16 teams are still in the playoff hunt. Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers and the Philadelphia Eagles all have an opportunity to make the postseason. At some point during the season, every single one of these teams has been written off. Although parity has brought us this very highly competitive football, it has, in my opinion, also elevated the importance of the quarterback. Now, more than ever, you need a quarterback who can make plays from the pocket.

Reggie Wayne

Congratulations to Indianapolis for winning their second game and probably saving their head coach’s job at least for another season. The Houston Texans proved, once again, that you need a competent quarterback to take you down the stretch.

Cleveland Browns versus Baltimore Ravens – if Baltimore really is serious about winning the AFC, they have to take care of business against the Cleveland Browns. I look for Baltimore to win this one handily.

Denver Broncos versus Buffalo Bills – Buffalo has been decimated by injuries. Buffalo also needs one or two more surehanded receivers. They desperately need their All-Pro running back, who is hurt. A little bit of air has been taken out of the Tim Tebow balloon after their loss to the New England Patriots. As I was looking at a lot of passing stats, one thing jumped out at me – Tim Tebow’s completion percentage. 48.6%, the worst in the league. He has a quarterback rating of 83.6, which isn’t bad. He needs to be more accurate if he wants to keep that starting quarterback position. The Buffalo Bills are not that good against the run. The Denver Broncos are not that good against the pass. I’m going to lean slightly towards the Buffalo Bills.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers versus Carolina Panthers – Carolina

Oakland Raiders versus Kansas City Chiefs – Kansas City’s defense has been playing much better the last two weeks. The Oakland Raiders have been floundering. I guess if you lose your starting running back and your starting quarterback, you’re in trouble (ask the Chicago Bears). I’m leaning towards Kansas City.

Arizona Cardinals versus Cincinnati Bengals – Where is all the hype that should be surrounding John Skelton? If Tim Tebow gets hype for fourth-quarter comebacks, how come Jon Skelton isn’t getting his due? He has won five of the last six games he has played with huge comebacks. Both of these teams have an opportunity to go to the playoffs. I look for the Cincinnati Bengals to pound Arizona Cardinals into submission. (Larry Fitzgerald proves week after week that he is still one of the best receivers in the NFL.)

Miami Dolphins versus New England Patriots – I know that Reggie Bush has started running the ball like we thought he would five years ago when he came into the league. He is running hard. Matt Morris is playing fairly well as a starting quarterback for the Dolphins. It is December, though, and Tom Brady will find a way to win.

New York Giants versus New York Jets – This is clearly the game of the week. It may be the game of the month or the game of the year. The loser of this game is out of the playoffs. The winner of this game is still alive. Eli Manning has been playing extremely well. The rest of the New York Giants have not been playing all that well. This includes his wide receivers. Even in that fourth-quarter comeback against the Dallas Cowboys two weeks ago, these receivers were dropping perfectly thrown passes. In my mind, this game comes down to Mark Sanchez versus a highly suspect New York Giants’ secondary. Can Sanchez make the throws? The answer is – maybe. When Sanchez was a rookie, the New York Jets depended on him to make long deep throws. For some reason, probably interceptions, they have gotten away from that. I think they need to go back to that today. I think the Jets have an uphill battle. I think Eli Manning gives the Giants the upper hand in this game. Yet, for some irrational reason, I think that Mark Sanchez will make enough plays for the Jets to win.

St. Louis Rams versus the Pittsburgh Steelers – Pittsburgh. This will be a pretty ugly game.

Jacksonville Jaguars versus Tennessee Titans – It is hard to win consistently in the NFL if your quarterback is continually turning the ball over and missing open receivers. I’m not sure how much money they’re paying Blaine Gabbert, but Jack Del Rio (who’s been fired) and the Jacksonville fans need their money back. Blaine has been really awful. Tennessee should win this one easily.

Minnesota Vikings versus Washington Redskins – Washington has been playing much better over the last couple of weeks. Their defense is very stout. It’ll be interesting see if Leslie Frazier (head coach of the Vikings) keeps his job. I look for the Redskins to win this one.

Afternoon games

Drew Brees

San Diego Chargers versus Detroit Lions – The Detroit Lions need this game in a big way. If they win, their playoff hopes are still alive. Unfortunately for the Detroit Lions, the San Diego Chargers have finally gotten healthy and have fixed their woes on the offensive line. Philip Rivers has found his Pro Bowl form. Ryan Matthews is finally running like the running back San Diego was hoping for when he was drafted. I think that San Diego will take this one, even though Matthew Stafford will once again try to pull off his fourth-quarter heroics. (Look for San Diego to began covering Calvin Johnson from the moment he steps off the bus. They will make Matthew Stafford find somebody else to beat them.) This should be a great game.

Philadelphia Eagles versus Dallas Cowboys – It is pretty amazing that the Philadelphia Eagles are still in the playoff hunt. Michael Vick is back. The Dallas secondary is simply awful. If Dallas can pull out a win, they will have eliminated the Eagles from the playoffs. As an added bonus, if they win and the Giants lose, they have basically wrapped up the NFC East. In recent years, the Dallas Cowboys have found a way to lose important games. Felix Jones is hurt. DeMarcus Ware is hurt. Jay Ratliff is hurt. If the Cowboys can force a couple of turnovers they have an opportunity to win this game. If you remember Philadelphia’s complete drubbing of the Cowboys earlier this year, the Dallas Cowboys’ offensive line was plagued by penalties and gave Tony Romo no protection. Tony Romo and the gang have let me down in too many of these situations. I’m leaning towards the Philadelphia Eagles. This is a must-watch game.

San Francisco 49ers versus Seattle Seahawks – If you watched the Monday night game, you saw that San Francisco looked very good. San Francisco’s defense was tremendous. I don’t see how Seattle can overcome that. San Francisco should win this one in spite of the fact that Seattle has resurrected their season.

Christmas Night
Chicago Bears versus Green Bay Packers – Last week, we found out a couple of things about the Green Bay Packers. First, the offensive line of the Green Bay Packers can be overwhelmed. Secondly, Jordy Nelson has trouble beating double coverage. Thirdly, Jermichael Finley dropped a few passes that were right in his hands. One of the things that many NFL fans take for granted is the front office. These are the guys who are making player personnel decisions behind the scenes. Somebody, buried deep in the Chicago Bears organization, someone decided that Caleb Hanie was good enough to carry the team while Jay Cutler was hurt. Wow, were they wrong. Caleb Hanie (50% completion percentage, next to last in the league and quarterback rating of 41.9) has been an epic failure. Donovan McNabb was available. Sure, Donovan McNabb is not the Pro Bowl quarterback he used to be, but he has proven to be better than Caleb Hanie and Christian Ponder. The poor decision by the front office has cost the Chicago Bears their season. Green Bay will figure out a way to win this game.

Monday Night Football
Atlanta Falcons versus New Orleans Saints – Now, everybody is looking at Drew Brees. He had some trouble early in the year with turnovers. He fixed that. He is currently playing some absolutely fabulous football. If Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons were in the NFC East, they would’ve clinched home field and the division by now. Unfortunately, they’re not. I just don’t think that the Atlanta Falcons are ready. I’m taking the New Orleans Saints.

Game probabilities from the New York Times:

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Is it wrong that I watched most of the Denver Broncos versus New England Patriots football game? I watched it mainly to see how Tom Brady and Bill Belichick would manage to slow down and derail the Tim Tebow train. The game opened with a long Denver Broncos drive. In typical Denver Broncos fashion, they ran the ball more than they threw it. They ran the ball extremely effectively. The final play of the drive was Tim Tebow shrugging off a defender in the backfield and then serpentining his way into the end zone. For some reason, the Denver Broncos decided to go for a two-point conversion and failed.

The New England Patriots came back and scored in five plays. The Denver Broncos drove the length of the field in only four plays and scored another touchdown. The New England Patriots defense look like it was about to roll over. Then the second quarter happened. After the Broncos kicked a field goal, Tom Brady drove the length of the field in 12 plays and scored a touchdown. On the very first play, the Denver Broncos fumbled the ball. The New England Patriots moved the ball down to the 3-yard line and had to settle for a field goal. For the first time in the ball game, the Patriots were ahead. They led 17-16. The momentum was turning. Denver got the ball back in three plays. Later, Tim Tebow himself fumbled the ball. Six plays later, Tom Brady sneaked into the end zone from the one-yard line. Momentum was clearly sitting on the New England Patriots’ sideline. Denver got the ball back and had gained zero yards after three plays. They punted the ball back to New England with just 40 seconds left on the clock. New England ran five plays and then had to punt with 14 seconds left on the clock in the second quarter. Denver muffed the punt. With three seconds on the clock, the Patriots could once again put up a field goal. Denver had three turnovers in the quarter. Three!!??

I can describe how Tom Brady, in spite of having been sacked twice, stood in the pocket and surgically dissected the Denver defense. We’ve seen it many times before over the last decade and this was no different. When Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos made their move in the fourth quarter, scoring a quick touchdown with eight minutes and 41 seconds left on the clock, Tom Brady did exactly what you would’ve expected him to do. He responded with a nine-play drive which ate up 4:31 off the clock and ended with a touchdown. The score was 41-23 with four minutes and 10 seconds left in the game. The game was over. Probably the signature play which revealed the futility of the Denver Broncos’ efforts in the last four minutes of the game was Tim Tebow scrambling around and getting sacked for a 28 yard loss. He probably ran more than 100 yards as he desperately tried to find an open receiver. He ran back and forth. He pumped, then dodged, then ran back and across before he was sacked. 28-yard loss. It looked similar to that Bob Griese play where he scrambled and got sacked from many Super Bowls ago. Anyway, this game was done. No Tebow Time.

It is clear that Tim Tebow is a gifted athlete. There are many gifted athletes in the NFL. It is clear that he and John Fox came up with a new way to run the football that most NFL teams have not seen. I look at it as Denver’s version of the wildcat. Remember when the wildcat was new? The Miami Dolphins would take their quarterback and flank the quarterback out as a wide receiver. The ball would be snapped to Ronnie Brown, who could run the ball, or handed to Ricky Williams. In later variations of this offense, he would even throw the ball. The wildcat was extremely successful for several weeks, about half a season. The Miami Dolphins racked up multiple wins using a strong defense and this ball control offense. Sound familiar? Unfortunately for the Miami Dolphins and the Denver Broncos, this is a gimmick. The league will figure out how to defend the triple option. Then what? Look at what happened to the Miami Dolphins. Tony Sparano came up with an innovative offense but never had a durable and viable NFL quarterback. Two years after he made something out of nothing with the wildcat and had some significant success with a team that was mediocre at best, he was fired. To win the NFL and to win consistently, you must have a quarterback that makes plays throwing the football. (The exception to this rule would be having one of the great defenses of all time, like the Baltimore Ravens or the 1985 Chicago Bears.)

I heard during today’s telecast that Tim Tebow said that winning at the end of the game is about character. Horse hockey!! The reason that the Denver Broncos are successful at the end of the game is because Tim Tebow, somehow, almost miraculously, becomes an accurate passer. He begins to make plays from the pocket and he makes plays with his feet. Winning consistently, at the end of the game, is about execution. If Tim Tebow learns how to throw the ball accurately for all four quarters of the game, the Denver Broncos will go deep into the playoffs year after year. (With this defense, which is really good, they could even make it to the Super Bowl.)

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The Dallas Cowboys took care of business last night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It was a game that they were supposed to win. They jumped out to a 28-0 lead. Their defensive secondary continues to to be the Achilles’ heel of the Dallas Cowboys. I just don’t see how they can fix this in the next couple of weeks.

Miami Dolphins versus Buffalo Bills – Buffalo is playing at home. I’m going with Buffalo.

Seattle Seahawks versus Chicago Bears – Seattle is actually playing pretty well. Chicago cannot generate enough offense without Jay Cutler and Matt Forte. Seattle.

Carolina Panthers versus Houston Texans – How about Houston winning with their third-string quarterback?! I think that Houston will continue their winning ways. Their defense will come up with ways to slow down Cam Newton. Houston.

Green Bay Packers versus Kansas City Chiefs – The only question is whether the game will be over by the end of the first quarter or by the end of the second quarter? Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay Packers remain undefeated.

Tennessee Titans versus Indianapolis Colts – Smart people are saying that the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts Jim Caldwell will be fired at the end of the season. My question is why? The team is built around Peyton Manning. The team wasn’t built around the quarterback position, but around a specific quarterback and his skills. Without Peyton Manning scoring 30 points a week, the defense, which was mediocre by everyone’s standards, is now exposed as awful. How is that Jim Caldwell’s fault? Tennessee Titans should win this game.

New Orleans Saints versus Minnesota Vikings – I’m sure there’s some calculus in which Minnesota figures out a way to win this game, but I sure can’t figure it out. Drew Breeze and the Saints should win this game.

Washington Redskins versus New York Giants – Rex Grossman should actually have a good game. I must the Redskins defense can force a couple turnovers, I don’t see the Redskins making enough plays to win this game. The New York Giants do have a secondary that is almost as bad as the Dallas Cowboys’ secondary, but they should be able to win this game. New York football Giants.

Cincinnati Bengals versus St. Louis Rams – Cincinnati.

Detroit Lions versus Oakland Raiders – Can Detroit force Carson Palmer into throwing a couple of interceptions? If the answer is yes, then Detroit should roll. I think that Carson will play better today than he has the last couple of weeks. I’m going to take the Oakland Raiders.

Cleveland Browns versus Arizona Cardinals – Arizona.

New England Patriots versus Denver Broncos – I see Tom Brady and the New England Patriots actually playing a ball control offense and keeping the ball away from Tim Tebow. I see lots of short passes. I see lots of tough inside running and I see the Patriots working very hard to try to jump out to an early lead of two touchdowns are more. I’m choosing the magic of Tom Brady over the magic of Tim Tebow.

New York Jets versus the Philadelphia Eagles – this game is hard to read. Because I’m tired, because I’ve been up all night, I’m just gonna pull this one out of my… hat. Philadelphia Eagles.

Baltimore Ravens versus San Diego Chargers – San Diego’s surging. They finally have a full complement of receivers. Antonio Gates is also helping. I’m going to go with the San Diego super Chargers.

Pittsburgh Steelers versus San Francisco 49ers – This game will hinge on whether Big Ben plays or not. If he plays and can be effective, I think the Steelers offense will be able to make enough plays to win this game. If he doesn’t play, I think that the San Francisco 49ers should win this game.

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Some things in the NFL are head scratchers. Other things are pretty clear. For the last two weeks, the Dallas Cowboys have lost in the closing minutes of the game because they were unable to perform a relatively long field goal. Many people who hate Tony Romo and are still longing for Troy Aikman will point to his performance once again as evidence that he cannot get it done “in the clutch.” Those haters will look at his 21-31 performance for 321 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions as nothing special. Instead, they will point to a third-down play late in the fourth quarter in which the New York Giants went to a zero coverage (all-out blitz). Miles Austin had a perfect release from the line of scrimmage. He was wide open. Tony Romo saw the coverage. He saw Miles Austin. Instead of throwing the lasers that he usually throws, Tony Romo put a little air under of the ball. Unfortunately, the ball was a yard or two too far. The Cowboys were leading at the time 34-29. There were two minutes twenty seconds to go in the ball game.

I will point to something different. I will point to the Dallas Cowboys’ abysmal secondary as the reason that they have lost to the Arizona Cardinals and to the New York Giants. The Dallas Cowboys’ secondary is average, at best. If the Dallas Cowboys can generate a ferocious pass rush, then the secondary is slightly better. Just like against the Arizona Cardinals (the pass rush generated five sacks in the first half, but none in the second half,) the Dallas Cowboys pass rush looked good for two or three quarters. They were nonexistent in the fourth quarter. This exposed a mediocre secondary to the skills of Eli Manning and his receivers. They carved up the Dallas defense in play after play. Mike Jenkins has been hurt all year. To be honest, he hasn’t played well in two years. I don’t know if it’s because of his health or what. Terence Newman is a shadow of his former self. Four or five years ago, he had a swagger to him. He can get into the hip pocket of a receiver and stay there. He could lay out and bat away potential completions. Now that’s nothing but a distant memory. The Dallas Cowboys are 24th in the NFL in passing defense. Anytime you score 34 points in a game, you should win. The Dallas Cowboys shouldn’t go to the playoffs until they figure out how to tighten this up.

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from the Chicago Tribune

Alleged child molester, child rapist Jerry Sandusky has been arrested again. It appears that he was unable to post is $250,000 in bail. I’m going to continue to follow the story. I think that there are thousands of vulnerable children in the United States. They look for role models. We provide a place that is supposed to be a safe haven for kids and it turns out to be a child predators paradise that is particularly devious, underhanded and despicable.

Update: Jerry has been released from jail. Somehow he came up with bail. Also, his wife has made a statement. (You can guess this one. If you, as the wife, state that you knew something was fishy all along, you are in hot, deep water because then you are an accomplice.) She knew nothing!! Her statement:

“I want to thank our children, our family, our extended family of former Second Mile participants, and all our friends for standing by us through these difficult times. Jerry and I want to express our sorrow for all the hurt that has come to those who have supported us and our beloved Penn State and State College Communities.

“I have been shocked and dismayed by the allegations made against Jerry, particularly the most recent one that a now young man has said he was kept in our basement during visits and screamed for help as Jerry assaulted him while I was in our home and didn’t respond to his cries for help.

“As the mother of six children, I have been devastated by these accusations. I am also angry about these false accusations that such a terrible incident ever occurred in my home. No child who ever visited our home was ever forced to stay in our basement and fed there. All the kids who visited us ate with us and our kids and other guests when they were at our home. Our children, our extended family and friends know how much Jerry and I love kids and have always tried to help and care for them. We would never do anything to hurt them. I am so sad anyone would make such a terrible accusation which is absolutely untrue. We don’t know why these young men have made these false accusations, but we want everyone to know they are untrue.

“I continue to believe in Jerry’s innocence and all the good things he has done. Jerry’s many success stories with his Second Mile kids and positive memories of those kids keep me going. I am asking everyone to please be reasonable and open-minded until both sides of this case are heard, and Jerry has the opportunity to prove his innocence.

“I would like to thank all those individuals who continue to support Jerry and hope they will continue to support us through the conclusion of this very sad time in our lives.

“Dottie Sandusky”

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I did not make any predictions on Thursday night football. The Seattle Seahawks stomped the Philadelphia Eagles 31-14. The Philadelphia Eagles needed to have an outstanding offensive day. They didn’t. Vince Young threw four interceptions. DeSean Jackson was jogging through routes as he continued to pout. The Eagles defense needed to step up and shut down an average Seahawks offense. Marshawn Lynch average more than six yards a carry and saw the end zone twice. Now, the calls for firing Andy Reid have grown louder. Is the problem Andy Reid? Is the problem throwing in so many free agents and a new defensive system/coordinator when you didn’t have a real off-season? All I can say is that the performance that we all saw on Thursday night was awful. A professional football team should be more competitive.

Tennessee Titans versus Buffalo Bills – In my opinion, the Buffalo Bills are done. They’ve had several key injuries, making it difficult for them to perform at the same level they did at the beginning of the season. Chris Johnson has finally started playing well for the Tennessee Titans. The Titans offensive line is finally opening up holes. I look for Tennessee to win this one.

Kansas City Chiefs versus Chicago Bears – Chicago has been able to run the ball the last five or six weeks. Their defense has come alive. Not much is happening from the Kansas City Chiefs. They’ve been devastated by injuries. Chicago.

Atlanta Falcons versus Houston Texans – this should be one of the best games today. The Houston Texans desperately need to have some decent quarterback play. Matt Ryan has been playing extremely well the last couple of weeks. This game is being played in Texas. The key to this game is whether the defense of the Houston Texans can control the offense of the Atlanta Falcons. I think this game is going to be close. I think Matt Ryan is going to make just enough plays to push Atlanta over the top.

Oakland Raiders versus Miami Dolphins – I think this is going to be another good game. Darren McFadden’s return is questionable. He really makes the Oakland offense run. Miami’s defense has been playing pretty well the last several weeks. Miami just needs a little bit more play from Matt Moore. I’m going to pick Miami in this one.

Denver Broncos versus Minnesota Vikings – I’ve picked against Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos each of the last three weeks. The bottom line is that Tim Tebow and the Denver offense have not turned the ball over. The Denver defense has been incredibly good. Von Miller is hurt. He may not play. Yet, I think that the Denver defense will make enough plays to keep the game close. If the game is close in the fourth quarter, Tim Tebow and that offense will somehow figure out a way to win. I just don’t see Minnesota racking up that many points. Denver wins.

Indianapolis Colts versus New England Patriots – I don’t think any prolonged discussion is needed. New England wins.

Cincinnati Bengals versus Pittsburgh Steelers – Pittsburgh played a very ugly game on Monday night. I think that Pittsburgh will play much better against the Bengals. In order for the Bengals to win, Andy Dalton is going to have to make several big plays down the field. I think Pittsburgh’s secondary can hold up. Cincinnati will stop the run, but will have a hard time keeping up with Ben Roethlishberger. I think the Steelers can win this one at home.

Carolina Panthers versus Tampa Bay Buccaneers – the Carolina Panthers are playing a little bit better every week. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are playing a little bit worse every week. Cam Newton desperately needs a good number two receiver. Defenses are going to try to take away Steve Smith, who’s having one of his best years as a pro. If the Panthers are able to crank up their running game, and I think they can, they’re going to be hard to stop. Carolina Panthers.

New York Jets versus Washington Redskins – It is possible for the Washington Redskins to win this game. The New York Jets have seemed to limp along throughout the year. Mark Sanchez does not seem to be making the progress that we all had hoped for. The Jets running game has been mediocre at best. For the first time all year, Revis Island had been invaded. Knucklehead Stevie Johnson from the Buffalo Bills really had a good day against Revis. The Washington Redskins seem to be offensively challenged. Will we see the good Rex Grossman or the bad Rex Grossman this week? I know that some are picking the Washington Redskins for an upset. I do think that this game will be close, but I think the Jets will put out in the end.

Afternoon games
Baltimore Ravens versus Cleveland Browns – Baltimore

Dallas Cowboys versus Arizona Cardinals – I think it was about two years ago when the Dallas Cowboys’ season unraveled in Arizona. So it is clearly possible for the Dallas Cowboys to lose this game. First of all, we cannot let Patrick Peterson take one to the house. He has won two or three games for the Arizona Cardinals this year. Larry Fitzgerald is still one of the best receivers in the league. He can kill the Dallas Cowboys. The secondary for the Dallas Cowboys has been suspect all year. Michael Jenkins, just coming back from a hamstring injury, may not be up to speed. He’s going to need a lot of help with Fitzgerald. On offense, I think the Cowboys should be able move the ball but must avoid stupid penalties (at which we excel) and turning the ball over. The Cowboys by a touchdown or more.

Green Bay Packers versus New York Giants – Eli Manning will test the secondary of the Green Bay Packers. He’s going to have to be extremely careful. Green Bay has snagged more than 20 interceptions so far this season. The New York Giants, in my opinion, need to revamp their offensive line. They just aren’t opening the holes in the running game that they used to. Brandon Jacobs needs to be cut. He is not the punishing runner that he was two years ago. The Giants’ secondary was completely exposed against the New Orleans Saints last week. I just don’t see how they will be able to keep up with Aaron Rodgers and all of his receivers. Green Bay wins.

St. Louis Rams versus San Francisco 49ers – 49ers should win this one easily.

Sunday Night Football
Detroit Lions versus New Orleans Saints – the New Orleans Saints love quarterbacks who are somewhat careless with football. Their defense feeds on turnovers. Look for them to have a feast tonight. I look for Drew Brees to have plenty of time to throw the football. New Orleans by seven or more.

Monday Night Football
San Diego Chargers versus Jacksonville Jaguars – This is probably the worst Monday Night Football game of the year. Neither one of these teams has anything to play for. The head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars has been fired. Norv Turner is on the hot seat for the San Diego Chargers. The Chargers defense has been mediocre. The Jacksonville Jaguars offense has been less than mediocre. Blaine Gabbert has been awful. I think that San Diego will pull out a victory in what will be an ugly and boring Monday Night Football game.

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Jack del Rio has been fired as the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars. I guess it was his fault that Jacksonville never had a top-tier quarterback. I guess it was also his fault that, after he’d developed an outstanding defense, management allowed several of his best defensive players to get away.

Jim Caldwell, the head coach of the Colts, is in the hot seat. It’s clearly his fault that the Indianapolis Colts built their team around Peyton Manning and now Peyton Manning is recovering from his third neck operation in approximately 18 months. He should’ve known better.

Hits
New Orleans Saints: They really didn’t look good earlier this year. I don’t know what they did, but they fixed their offense. Now, if they want to go deep into the playoffs, they’re going to have to fix their defense.

Houston Texans: They lost their starting quarterback last week. They lost their backup quarterback during the second quarter of this week’s game. They trotted out somebody that I had never heard of before. Somehow, in spite of the inconsistency, they found a way to win. They look pretty set for the playoffs.

Oakland Raiders: Somehow, some way, they’re finding ways to win. Carson Palmer is making just enough plays to be effective. They seem to be poised for a serious playoff run.

Green Bay Packers: Clearly the best team in the NFL. Aaron Rodgers is playing head and shoulders above every other quarterback in the league, except for possibly Drew Brees. Yet, as the New England Patriots found out a couple years ago, it’s really hard to go undefeated for a complete season. I would rather the Packers lose now than lose in the playoffs (as if they have a choice). Their defense is somewhat suspect. Their defense has the luxury of knowing that Aaron Rodgers will put up approximately 30 points every game. As long as Aaron Rodgers stays healthy, I think we’re looking at a Green Bay dynasty.

Misses

Suh

Detroit Lions: Matthew Stafford isn’t getting it done. Ndamukong Suh? What was that? Getting thrown out of an important game like this. Completely unacceptable.

Buffalo Bills: Just a couple weeks ago, I was singing the praises of the Buffalo Bills. They were getting turnovers. Ryan Fitzpatrick and that offense were putting the ball in the end zone. Since then, Fred Jackson got hurt. He was really running the ball well. Ryan Fitzpatrick has had some awful luck with many tipped balls getting intercepted. Finally, Stevie Johnson needs to be released. No wide receiver is worth losing a game. I’m sorry, but just doesn’t cut it. With his dropped balls and with his end zone antics, he lost the game for the Buffalo Bills. This was a critical game which would have given the Bills momentum going into last stage of the season. Fire him!

Philadelphia Eagles: There is no team that I can think of in the NFL more talented than the Philadelphia Eagles. There’s also no team in the NFL that is getting the least number of wins out of their talent. I just don’t think the offensive line of the Philadelphia Eagles is all that good. Vince Young played pretty well, but it was a tall order to go into New England and beat the Patriots. The tough, hard-nosed defense that the Philadelphia Eagles had several years ago is gone. I have no idea what’s wrong with their defense now. It could be that wide nine thing that they’re doing. They don’t seem to have the ability to effectively rush the passer. They aren’t defending the pass that well. Finally, a special shout out to DeSean Jackson. You want a new contract, yet twice you seemed to have alligator arms as you were going over the middle. You didn’t put out extra effort to make critical catches which would have, in at least one instance, given the Eagles a touchdown. There’s no need for me to comment on your sideline antics which cost your team over 50 yards of valuable field position and the momentum. Mr. Jackson needs to be fired!!

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