Oakland Raiders and the Ever Evolving Coaching Door

Oakland Raiders and the Ever Evolving Coaching Door

Let me start off by saying I have been a lifelong Raiders fan, through all the good (not a lot) and a lot of bad. I have grown accustomed to them ruining football for me every season because I just become that bitter fan that grows tired of them being the butt of the NFL jokes. With that being said, I am still as die-hard a fan as any in the Black Hole. Maybe a little less crazy, but I still love those folks!

I have been hearing a lot of the "here we go again" script in regards to Dennis Allen and Reggie McKenzie. "Fire DA" is something I regularly see on the various sports websites I frequent. Although I think both Allen and McKenzie are shoe-ins to stay one more year, a Davis is still calling the shots in Oakland. I would not be shocked or surprised to see them both gone, or one of them. 

I'll be honest, I hope neither of those happen, but if one of them were seen as a necessary casualty in Mark Davis' mind, I would hope it was McKenzie. Let's be honest, what has McKenzie done to better this franchise? I understand that he was dealt a bad hand with the sad salary cap situation created by an owner wanting to see one last winner before he passed, a lack of draft picks, and a lack of standout talent on the roster. But with the picks he has made so far, what has he landed? Sio Moore is the only one that had significant playing time this season that he has drafted. DJ Hayden was understandably behind after sitting out a whole season after a near death accident on the field, and nothing against him as a person or player, but he could have been had much later than the 3rd overall pick McKenzie almost spent on him, and the 12th pick he eventually did spend on him. 

He did massively overhaul a terrible defensive unit from the year previous, and with some creativity in play calling, the unit did decently for the first half of the season. The second half was a much different story, as the league figured out the stunts and mismatches within their schemes, and punished the unit on a weekly basis. Manning could have conceivably put up 60+ points had  last game of the season not been decided in the first quarter.  

Another area he massively failed was the offensive line. I realize that linemen don't come on the cheap, and good linemen cannot be added easily... but he didn't have enough linemen to make a team period. At one point early in the season, with Veldheer sidelined with his pectoral injury, the Raiders had 3 healthy offensive linemen to end a game. Two should not have been playing because of injuries, but had to out of necessity. How does this happen to a professional football team? Depth is an important part of the roster, and having none regardless of the caliber of player, is plain inexcusable. Also, how do you not have a backup center with experience?!

I'm also sick of hearing the excuses from Reggie. When he first took the job he said that the salary cap was manageable. Now I don't expect him to come in and say this is a big @#$% storm and it's going to take a long time to turn it around. But I also don't want him saying "I can do this," and then the following year, cite that as the reason he didn't succeed. The year after that, same story with little to, no progress. Not to mention, he sent Carson Palmer packing with a substantial paycheck, to play for another team!

With all that being said about McKenzie, let's get onto Dennis Allen. Dennis is a bright young coach that seems to have a good plan for what he wants to do, without the bulk of the players he needs to carry out that plan. Let's not absolve him of all blame either. He seemed disinterested, which might just be his personality, some guys just aren't fire-y. When things started getting out of hand, it seemed like the whole team just quit. I've been on a team like that, I know how it can get into players' heads. Once one bad thing happens, they just expect it all to unravel, it's at this point the coach needs to step in and get things under control. Allen doesn't seem like the guy that will do that. 

His players like him-except his quarterbacks- as most of them have voiced their support and hopes that he sticks around. So there is something to be said for that. I know I would have never asked for my coach to come back if he quit on us in the season. But his quarterbacks are a problem. Pryor showed flashes of being a dynamic play-maker early in the season, but seemed to regress when teams started bringing the pressure against a very bad and beat up offensive line. Rather than looking to throw, he was tucking the ball and running for dear life before he even tried to read the pass coverage. Given a better offensive line, and much more reps in training camp, preseason, and some real NFL games I think he could be an answer, though probably not as long-term as we would all like as Raiders fans. McGloin was impressive when he stepped in for Pryor for the first couple of games. He made some NFL throws, and got the ball out to his receivers. He showed that he has what it takes in some capacity to read defenses and make some tough throws to a surprising receiving core. I believe McGloin could be the backup for the foreseeable future, but I doubt he is the long-term answer at QB as well. The way Dennis handled the QB situation once Pryor was healthy enough to play has me doubting he really had a plan at all on the offensive side of the ball. 

Now that I have covered most of my perceived flaws with the Raiders management and coaching staff, let's look at why I want the Raiders to stay the course with these two in control. 

McKenzie hasn't done much with the draft picks he has had, or his offseason signings. But this might change come 2014. He has a full boat of picks, and last I saw, somewhere in the neighborhood of $70 million in cap space to spend on improving the roster. Assuming he doesn't do something drastic like signing a declining veteran QB (Vick comes to mind) to a big contract, that should be a lot of money to go around. I think he must resign Houston, Veldheer, and Jennings so that will eat up some of the space, but that's a lot of dough to spread around. But let's all remember, spending money doesn't always translate to wins. See the "Dream Team" Eagles of a few years ago. 

In terms of Allen, if he is given a better defense he can be a dynamic coach. He showed that he could win games with an average defense in Denver back when they had Tebow as a QB, and the defense was constantly facing 3 and outs by that putrid offense.

This is the year for both men to put up or shut up. Trust me, Raider Nation is growing thin on patience for both of these men!

Apologies: I'm Back

Off Season

First off, I'd like to apologize for being away for as long as I have been. Distracted pretty much sums it up. To get my feet wet, I'm just going to touch on some random things over the off-season in the NFL.

Starting with my Miami Dolphins, I absolutely love the new logo and the new the uniforms. Our free agent signings will go a long way to moving in the right direction. I'm not here to say we are a lock for the Super Bowl, but I am confident we have improved. Mike Wallace will be adding a much needed dynamic to our offense that has been missing for as long as I can remember: Speed and the ability to strike some fear in a defense. Brent Grimes, when he returns healthy, which I feel he will, is going to add a consistent veteran to bring up Jamar Taylor and Will Davis (Our Rookie Corners). Which brings me to the draft. I am ecstatic about the drafting of Dion Jordan with the 3rd overall pick. Yes we gave up our first second round pick, but to move up to 3rd from 12th is worth it, especially for a player with Dion's Potential. Side Note: His lack of sacks in college is not due to lack of talent, it is due to the defensive scheme. I am very tired of hearing this. I'm excited to see the Phins play, and am even more excited for future years.

The following are my random thoughts on the off season. They are in no particular order.

1. In a previous post, I mentioned that I would like to see Alex Smith go to the Kansas City Chiefs. I love that he did. I wish both him and Andy Reid the best of luck.

2. Seeing Marcus Lattimore get drafted to the 49ers was amazing. It's the perfect situation for him. No pressure, simply get healthy and learn under an amazing back in Frank Gore.

3. The Jets are in utter chaos. I enjoy every second of it.

4. The NFC West has simply become the scariest division in my eyes. The 49ers acquisition of Anquan Boldin alone improves their teem greatly. The Seahawks seem to have made a habit of gutting the Vikings roster, and it has made them as deadly as the 49ers if not more so.

5. If our plans for Sun Life Stadium go through, we deserve to get the 50th Super Bowl down in MIA.

6. Tampa Bay's ability to turn their biggest weakness into its biggest strength with the signing of Revis and Goldson should be commended. Its all on you Josh Freeman.

7. Tim Tebow's release, as terrible as it may make him feel, is a godsend for the young man. Its better to be a free agent with possibilities, even as small as they are, then to be stuck as a 3rd string QB on franchise that that is on the downward spiral. I do believe he will be picked up. Not as a starter.

8. Justin Blackmon is disappointing.

9. The 2013 Draft was one of the most exciting drafts that I've watched in recent memory. I enjoyed the depth as opposed to the top end talent. For rebuilding teams, I feel this draft couldn't have come at a better time.

10. So happy that the Miami Dolphins are in the Hall of Fame Game this year.

I apologize for the randomness, this is simply a few thoughts of mine. Looking forward to this year.

Hope all of you enjoyed the off-season as much as I did.

Phins up,

Kyle

Titans to Add Williams

Titans to Add Gregg Williams

Image obtained from: http://blog.nola.com/saintsbeat/2009/01/gregg_williams_hired_as_new_or_1.html

Gregg Williams, former defensive coordinator of the "Bountygate" +New Orleans Saints. The scandal has plagued the NFL, the players, and coaches involved. Although he was suspended indefinitely, he has already been given two jobs in the NFL. He was given a contract for St. Louis last season, and never coached a game for them before he was fired. Now, according to +ESPN, it appears that Tennessee is willing to give him an opportunity as their assistant head coach, and defensive coordinator. This is embarrassing and a sham.

Although he is still suspended indefinitely and no relief in sight, the +Tennessee Titans are willing to give this man some control of their franchise. Keep in mind, they will at least need to find an interim defensive coordinator to coach the defense until Gregg is allowed back on an NFL sideline. This means they will have to instill one defensive strategy at the beginning of the season, and then when Williams is allowed to coach again (probably sometime this upcoming season) they will have to switch their whole scheme.

If they are going to stick to the current scheme, why not just give the interim the full time position and allow him to coach. This hiring really makes me mad. What the man allowed to happen and even encouraged in an NFL locker room is unacceptable. But apparently the Titans are willing to give up ethics for a guy that has shown improvement in defenses in the past. I hope the Titans made this a conditional contract and it is not as binding as others!

NFL Championship Round

NFL Championship Round: Previews and Predictions

*Update* 

Picks for TFT Crew:

Nat: 49ers and Ravens

Ron: 49ers and Patriots

Kyle: 49ers and Ravens
Marshal: 49ers and Patriots

*Original Story*

+San Francisco 49ers vs. +Atlanta Falcons- 3:00pm ET Sunday, January 20

In a match-up of the #1 and #2 seed of the NFC, these heavyweights will slug it out and find out who is going to the Super Bowl, and who is beginning their offseason. In the 49ers case, this is the game that they went out last year in a few fluke plays. For Atlanta, this is the first championship game for most of the players on the team.

Atlanta is the home team, and I think that may be their only advantage in this game. The Falcons are short on experienced players in playoff situations, and they are also coming off a less than impressive performance against the +Seattle Seahawks last weekend. In a game that Atlanta dominated in the first half, their second half nearly undid the early lead. They won on a last second field goal that put them up 30-28. Seattle basically gave the game away, and that is why I have little confidence in Atlanta.

San Francisco is coming off a game they would be hard pressed to match. Kaepernick was nothing short of Maddenesque in his first playoff performance. I don't think he'll be able to match the performance against a better Atlanta defense, but he and Frank Gore should be able to do enough to get them to the Super Bowl.

The Niners need to have a better showing on defense, else this game could get out of hand. The Falcons have as potent a passing game as any in the league. They sport Roddy White, Julio Jones, and Tony Gonzalez who are all very difficult to cover up. Luckily for San Francisco, they have a very athletic linebacking core that can help in coverage and get to the quarterback to take some pressure off of the secondary.

I look for Frank Gore to have a heyday against this Falcons defense. He should take pressure off of Kaepernick and allow him to do what he does best behind center. Atlanta will  keep this game close, but in the end, run out of firepower.

Prediction: San Francisco 35- Atlanta 31

Player of the Game: Frank Gore

+Baltimore Ravens vs. +New England Patriots- 6:00pm ET

Baltimore is coming into this game fresh off of an impressive win against Denver to face a very talented New England team. This will be a rematch of last years AFC title game that saw Baltimore fall short on a missed field goal that would have sent the game into overtime. With Billy Cundiff safely out of Baltimore and what seems to be a more impressive Joe Flacco, this game could be every bit as interesting as it was last year.

New England is also coming off of an impressive win, in which they dismantled the Houston defense. The final score looked a lot closer than the game actually was, and it still didn't look good for Houston. Houston did have the talent to compete in that game, and did early on. But the offense stalled on far too many drives to keep the defense off the field and fresh against a very high powered offense. This could be the case in this game as well for Baltimore. Tom Brady will have a challenge against this stout Ravens defense, and it will be another case of great Offense vs. a great Defense. Lately these matchups have favored the offenses, but I expect things to change.

Fortunately for Baltimore, Joe Flacco has never looked as good as he did last game. Granted it was against a weak defense in Denver, but New England's defense is very suspect as well. I still do not buy into the Patriots defense being "that much better" than the squad they sent out last year. They have just been lucky enough to play while ahead and only have to defend against the pass for the most part. This Ravens defense will play inspired to try to get Ray Lewis one more ring in his last hurrah, and keep Tom Brady and the multiple offensive threats off of the field. Can this Ravens offense do the job though? I think they can, Ray Rice is as dynamic a player as the league has, and he can do many things for the offense. If he can keep the pressure off of Flacco enough for him to hit Jacoby Jones, Torrey Smith, and company this game could very easily go in Baltimore's favor. Inclement weather should not be seen, and I believe the Ravens get the upper hand in this game.

 

Prediction: Ravens 31- Patriots 27 

Player of the Game: Joe Flacco

NFL Divisional Round Recap

NFL Divisional Round Recap

+Baltimore Ravens vs. +Denver Broncos-

This was a very exciting game from beginning to end, and was the first double overtime playoff game I have ever seen. While there was some added drama with the officiating, let's not allow that to take away from the game. Denver and Peyton Manning were really held in check for the most part for the majority of this game, but two return touchdowns by Trendon Holliday kept them in the lead for most of the game. But the real story of this game for me was Joe Flacco, not only did he play well, he showed he belongs in the playoffs to many of the naysayers. He and his receiving core consistently tore up Champ Bailey, who is widely considered one of the best cornerbacks in the league!

I've been saying all along that this Denver defense isn't good enough to win the Super Bowl, regardless of who their quarterback is. This defense padded it's stats against the cupcake schedule that was the last 11 games of the season, and made many believe that defense was a strength of this team. Can you imagine if it had been New England rather than Baltimore in this game? With the Patriots offense, the Broncos wouldn't have lost 38-35, they would have lost 50+ to less than 35 considering the Patriots great special teams play. 

Living in Utah, the majority of people here are Broncos fans. Instant feedback of the game was that the officiating cost them the game... I could not disagree more. While there was some definite questionable officiating in the game, it was questionable for both teams, not just Denver. In fact the penalties were almost even in the game with Denver having 10 and Baltimore having 9. Some have referenced the reviews as also terrible calls. I was watching the game, the Manning fumble was a fumble. The Boldin catch, was a catch. There was a questionable holding call that extended a late drive for Baltimore that resulted in a touchdown... But to say the officials cost you a game when you had a safety and a cornerback allow a receiver to run right by both of them for a 70 yard touchdown bomb at the end of the game... you didn't deserve to win. A safety's job in that situation is to be the last man back, and just stood there and watched Jacoby Jones run right by. Besides that, you had every opportunity in overtime after the game had been extended. Blame your pathetic pass defense against a not very potent passing game! 

With all that being said, the officiating experiment of "All-Star" crews seems to be a bust. Breaking up the chemistry of the regular crews is a mistake in my opinion. The inexperience with each other has caused some confusion, and downright unreasonable calls. They need to address this before the next round of games begin on Sunday.

+Green Bay Packers vs. +San Francisco 49ers-

This game was a high scoring, action-packed barn burner that kind of surprised me. While I did pick San Francisco to win the game, I thought it would be a lot closer of a game. I expected the 49ers defense to contain the potent Green Bay offense, and Frank Gore and Colin Kaepernick to run the 49ers to a close win. While Frank Gore did do his part, this was pretty much a one man show. Kaepernick was able to brush away my concerns with him being a rookie in a playoff situation that may be bigger than he was ready for. He made the Packers defense as vulnerable as I thought they truly were. 

When Green Bay can't get pressure on the quarterback via Clay Matthews, it is very apparent that they are not a very good defense. Colin was able to read when they were in man coverage, and he tucked the ball and ran seemingly every time they were. When they needed a big third down conversion, he picked it up with his legs if they weren't blitzing. If they were, he used his cannon of an arm to hit one of his receivers down field. 

Speaking of receivers down field, Michael Crabtree finally proved to me he was worth the pick that he was drafted with. He tore up a tired defense, and had what was his best performance as a pro, under the brightest of lights. 

San Francisco went from me thinking they were going to lose in the NFC Championship game, to now my Super Bowl favorite. Yes, I just said they are my Super Bowl favorites to beat the AFC representative  even before I know who that will be (most likely New England.)

+Seattle Seahawks vs. +Atlanta Falcons-

This was a tale of two halves. Atlanta just took it to this Seattle team in the first half, and made what looked like the hottest team coming into this contest look like a non-playoff team. The Falcons led this game 20-0 at the half due to some costly errors from the Seattle offense and coaching staff. While I thought that Seattle would stifle the great passing and rushing game that the Falcons possess, it took them until the second half to start playing great football. 

After picking off Matt Ryan in the first quarter, three plays later, Marshawn Lynch coughed up the ball and gave it right back to Atlanta. They proceeded to score and gave themselves an even more controlling lead. Seattle decided to go for a fourth down conversion once they were already down 13-0 rather than just kicking the easy field goal. Rather than giving their beast in the backfield the ball, they handed the ball off to the fullback that ran into a brick wall that was the Falcons defense and even lost a yard. Atlanta proceeded to put up 7 more points to give them a 20 point lead with only limited time left for Seattle to score right before the half. 

Seattle finally put together a great drive on offense and ended up on Atlanta's 10 yard line with one timeout left. On first down they gained four yards and rather than running up to the line and spiking the ball, they used their last timeout with under 30 seconds left. The next play resulted in a false start moving the offense back to the 11 yard line from the 6. On 2nd and 11, Russell Wilson threw an incomplete pass leaving approximately 16 seconds on the clock. On 3rd and 11, he was sacked by a blitz coming from the middle of the formation. Because Pete Carroll had already used their last timeout, they were unable to call it and bring out the field goal unit, and they also didn't have time to line up for another play before time expired. At the half, Pete Carroll had cost his team 6 points, and those points were crucial. 

The second half saw Seattle rip off 28 unanswered points to take the lead with 36 seconds left on the clock. A decent return on the ensuing kickoff resulted in the ball being placed at Atlanta's 28 yard line with 31 seconds left and all three timeouts. Two long passes into the middle of the field against prevent coverage and three timeouts later, the Falcons were at Seattle's 31 yard line with 13 seconds left. Atlanta lined up to kick what would be the game winning field goal- but Pete Carroll called a timeout way before the ball was snapped. The Falcons long snapper still snapped the ball to the holder some 3 seconds later and the kicker boomed off his practice kick, which he missed (this is a whole different subject, which I will discuss in a moment.) Sure enough when he lined up after his practice kick, he had made the adjustment and boomed in the game winner. Seattle had one more chance after a terrible kickoff, but the game ended in a Hail Mary heave that ended in Julio Jones' hands. Pete Carroll only has himself to blame for this loss in my opinion, poor decision-making and clock management cost his team 6 points in the first half, and the game was decided by 3. I can't say that the defense would have held Atlanta to no score if they would have gone for the TD for their last possession, but there would have at least been a chance. 

Now on the subject of icing the kicker... Pete Carroll has no fault in the timeout that resulted in the practice kick for Atlanta, he clearly called the timeout way before the snap and the whistle was blown before the snapper hiked the ball (I counted a 3 second delay from the time Carroll called the timeout to the time the ball was snapped.) There has to be a rule change when it comes to this practice. The kicker essentially got a practice run to make adjustments after the timeout had been called and the play was blown dead. This is clearly an unfair advantage. I could understand if the coach called the timeout right before the ball was snapped, but there was a definite delay. I'm not sure what kind of rule should be implemented, but in this case where it wasn't even close to being snapped right after the timeout was called, I believe that should have resulted in a 10 yard penalty. This is a case of protecting the integrity of the game. I would be surprised and appalled if the NFL does not do something about this debacle before the start of next season. 

+Houston Texans vs. +New England Patriots-

This was not much of a game and was quite frankly very disappointing. Houston has a complete roster with talent all over both sides of the ball. In fact, I have called them the most complete team in football more than a few times this year. It was puzzling to me to see them collapse the last 6 games of the year in which they went 2-4 and went from one of the most dynamic and balanced offenses to not being able to get in the endzone. This was no more apparent than in their playoff game against Cincinnati in which they dominated on both sides of the ball, but ended up winning by a margin of 6 points. 

The lackluster performance was followed by another bomb of a performance in New England a week later. I've been saying during this 7 game streak of poor performances that "this is the week they wake up." Well this is the week they wake up in their own homes on an offseason long vacation. While this team has the talent to win it all, I don't know if they can win with the inconsistent quarterback that is Matt Schaub. As I said in my preview for this game, he can play like a top-tier quarterback at times, he can also play like a Raiders quarterback of the last 10 years. I don't know if there is an answer for them in the draft or free agency, but it is apparent that they will have to make some changes to beat the elite teams in the AFC. 

With that being said, the Patriots are looking as good as ever. They seem to have recovered from their late season struggles in which they almost lost a game to a 2 win Jacksonville squad. They are primed to make another Super Bowl run, and all that stands in their way is a scrappy Baltimore team. They did lose Rob Gronkowski for the rest of the playoffs and that may affect their chances, but they still have a very stacked receiving core minus him. I will say, I'm still not sold that this defense is capable of stopping a good offense, and they will face a good offense whoever it may be in the NFC if they can get past Baltimore. 

So from this, my picks will be New England over Baltimore and San Francisco over Atlanta. With all of that being said, I will be less active on the blog for the next few months. The work, school, raising a kid, and homework load is definitely picking up now that school is in the full swing of things. I am leaving the blog in very capable hands with +Kyle Gilmore, Gina, Nat, Ron, and Marsh. I will definitely be uploading some posts, just not in the quantity I have been on break. Thanks for reading my articles and I hope to see some good stuff up on the blog in the near future.

Bill Montoya

NFL Divisional Round: Saturday Games

Divisional Round: Championship Push

This is always my favorite week of the playoffs. It fuels a debate in my mind every year. Is that first round bye, and home field "advantage" really helpful in the road to the super bowl? I could dive into that topic, however I just want you to think about how the week off affects teams, and whether that wild card win is a momentum builder.

Baltimore Ravens @ Denver Broncos on CBS at 2:30 PM MT (Yes, this game is in the Rockies)

This game is the shining example of my point above. No one can dispute the Broncos amazing 11 game win streak to close out the season. It is truly amazing what Peyton has done this year with a new team. And not to be left out is their defense, which has been solid nearly the entire year. All this culminated in the Broncos taking the first seed and winning home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Also earning them a bye, which I feel is the worst thing that could happen to a team like Denver. Momentum was their biggest ally during the 2012 season. Taking the week off will slow them down, that fire and excitement will not be as intense as it was in throughout the last 3/4s of the season. On the other side of this story, we have the Baltimore Ravens, who struggled, and some doubted their validity as a playoff team. This is where wild card weekend is instrumental in many team's success. The Ravens were able to pick up an emotional win behind their longtime leader Ray Lewis. I feel this momentum carries over into an upset win for the Ravens. Ray Rice will not put the ball on the ground this week, and will have a heavy work load and carry this team to a win. Also, Joe Flacco and that hurry up offense actually had success last week. It will be a taller order against the Broncos D, but I look for Torrey Smith to have an amazing game. Ray Lewis, if given another opportunity to make an interception like the one against the Colts, has to come up with the ball. I feel he will. Then you throw in Ed Reed, whose mission in life is to make quarterbacks, especially top tier ones, miserable for 4+ quarters. This is not a popular pick, but it is mine. This will not be a repeat of their previous meeting this season, mostly due to the fact the Ravens are finally healthy.The Ravens will ride Ray Lewis' inspirational ride for at least one more week.

Baltimore 28, Denver 24

Player of the game:

Ray Rice

Green Bay Packers @ San Francisco 49ers on FOX at 6:00 PM MT (Cause I'm in the Rockies)

Saturday nights game is a battle between two teams that have played already this season. The 49ers were able to defeat the Packers in week 1 30-22. These were two very different teams all those weeks ago. While the Packers have come on strong during wild card weekend, the 49ers have not been playing like the same team, especially on defence. The argument could be made that Kaepernick has added a new dimension to their offense. The 49ers have one of the most consistent running back in Frank Gore. He always seems to fall for at least a few yards, and those are on the bad plays. Their passing game has finally seemed to get going this year after that atrocious showing against the Giants in the playoffs last year. Justin Smith's injury has been huge. Aldon Smith has been without a sack since he went out, only proving that the "Cowboy" is the true star of that line. It is possible that he makes his return this week. Then there is the Green Bay Packers. They had an embarrassing playoff appearance last year, and had a 2012 season filled with ups and downs. Its not the regular season anymore. They picked up speed with their win against Minnesota, the offense is finally healthy and firing on all cylinders. The defense is finally playing to its potential. Look for Charles Woodson to have a huge impact from here on out, much like their Super Bowl run a few years ago. This game is literally the old vs. new mentality in the league. The 49ers play stout defense and power football on offense. The Packers have a high flying, high octane offense and a D that plays well enough to keep the other team from scoring as much as their own offense. It took me some time to come to my conclusion on this game, and since it doesn't really matter, because the winner loses to Seattle next week anyways, Green Bay takes the win. This will setup what will be the most talked about championship game in years, all because of a certain hail mary catch(?) during the regular season.

Green Bay 31, San Francisco 17

Player of the Game:

Charles Woodson

Please let me know your thoughts and picks on these games. Looking forward to another weekend of post-season football.

Phinland Pride,

Kyle Gilmore

NFL Divisional Round: Sunday Games

image obtained from NFL.com

+NFL Divisional Round: Sunday Games

We're down to the last eight teams standing in the NFL this weekend. The remaining games all look like they could go either way, and are getting much more difficult to pick. I'm taking a 9-2 record into this week at picking games since week 17, with that on the line... here we go! 

+Seattle Seahawks  @ +Atlanta Falcons- 1:00pm ET on Fox

This game is a match-up of a very resilient Seahawks team that overcame a 14-0 deficit in the first quarter last week vs. Washington and scored 24 unanswered over the next 3 quarters while playing absurdly great defense and an Atlanta team with the best record in the NFC. Atlanta has been widely overlooked for consistently having the best record in their league all season. While it may be upsetting to the Falcons players that they have been written off all season, it's for a good reason. Matt Ryan has played exemplary at home in his career, but in the playoffs he is a dismal 0-3. 

So is this the season that the Falcons take the jump and finally make it to a NFC Championship game? Not so fast. The Falcons have added quite a few pieces this year, and have had breakout performances by Julio Jones and Asante Samuel, but Seattle also matches up very well against this Atlanta team. Atlanta has what may be the best receiving core in the league right now in Roddy White, Julio Jones, and the legend Tony Gonzalez. Unfortunately for them, Seattle has the most dynamic secondary in the league to cover them up, and a ground attack to keep the Falcons offense off the field as much as possible. 

For these reasons, I am picking Seattle in this game. I realize that Russell Wilson is only a rookie, but he is the most poised rookie I have seen in a long time. He is a team player that puts up pancake blocks on the secondary for his running back. Speaking of that running back, Marshawn Lynch took over the game against Washington in the second half breaking off run after run for ten yards or more. He ended up with 132 yards on 20 carries and one TD. His change of pace back is no slouch either in Turbin, and Wilson rips off runs every time he is given the opportunity. This rushing attack is very formidable and could carry this team all the way to hoisting the trophy at the end of the year. 

One major factor that was taken away from Seattle's potent defense was Chris Clemons. He is able to pressure the quarterback and force bad throws. If the Seahawks can step up and still get to the passer without the presence of Clemons, this game should go in their favor. Also, keep in mind Seattle had to sign a new kicker for this playoff game with Steven Hauschka having to go on IR. If they lose by a field goal or on a missed field goal... that would also not surprise me. 

Prediction: Seattle 24- Atlanta 20

Player of the Game: Marshawn Lynch

+Houston Texans  @ +New England Patriots - 4:30pm ET on +CBS 

Week after week, I keep defending these +Houston Texans. I keep saying top to bottom, their roster is as good as any in the league. I'm standing by that statement, but I'm not sure that this team can win a Super Bowl anymore. They seem to lack the mental toughness to put the ball in the endzone when they need to, and they don't seem to be able to win when the pressure is on. I've been on the wagon all season, but I think now may be the time to jump off. 

My only remaining defense for this match-up is that most teams that get a rematch chance play much better in the second meeting. The first time these teams matched up, it wasn't much of a game. The final ended up 14-42 in New England's favor. Granted there were a few blown calls by the refs that gave New England multiple second chance points. I recall a pass interference call on Daniel Manning on an overthrown pass directed at Wes Welker, that even if Wes was 8 feet tall, he still couldn't have put a hand on it. There were also a few fumbles that bounced directly to Patriots players, and some forced passes by Schaub that were intercepted. 

With all that being said, I still think that the Patriots would have won that game had the officiating been better, or a those few fumbles gone to Houston instead. But would that game have been 42-14? No way! I believe if all of the things that favored the Patriots in that game had gone to Houston, this game would have been a field goal or TD differential. 

Here's the things I believe favor each team. 

1. Quarterback- definitely a nod to the Patriots, Brady is in a category with few other signal callers. Schaub is capable of playing at a level close to Brady, but we've never seen it consistently in a season, let alone a game. 
2. Running game- This one is much closer, but Arian Foster is a much more complete back to me than Stevan Ridley. Arian Foster could be the difference in this game. If he's able to establish himself against this suspect defense, it could be a long day on the sidelines for Tom Brady and that potent offense. 
3. Receiving core- This is another close one, but New England has more weapons (not necessarily better ones.) Andre Johnson is the best receiver in this game no doubt, but Tom Brady has Wes Welker, Brandon Lloyd, Aaron Hernandez, and Rob Gronkowski to throw to. Owen Daniels and Andre Johnson are great, don't get me wrong. But Brady has way more options and that is why I give the Patriots the mark. 
4. Front seven (Defense)- One name, JJ Watt. He is able to take over games, and if he's able to get to Brady, we've seen him struggle in the past against the pass rush (see last two Super Bowls against the Giants.) Houston has the better defense in this game without a doubt, and it should help keep the running game at bay. Although, Vince Wilfork is able to single-handed take away running plays for the Patriots, Houston wins this category. 
5. Offensive line- New England. Take away their ability to get away with holding on every play and it might be a wash, but since they do... the Patriots get the mark. 
6. Secondary- Although this was at one point a strength for Houston, they are starting to play worse as the season grows older. I don't believe this is really an area of strength for the Patriots either, but they are able to force some turnovers so a very slight nod to New England. 

So who am I picking in this game? It's hard to pick against a Tom Brady led team and I don't think I will. This is really one of the harder games for me to pick. I really think whoever gets an early lead wins this game. Almost everything I've said means Houston will win, but I can't pick against the Patriots at home in the playoffs. 

Prediction: New England 31- Houston 27

Player of the Game: Tom Brady

RGIII Injures Knee Again

RGIII Injury

In what looked like an aggravation of an injury from a few weeks ago, Robert Griffin III left the field in the Wild Card game against the Seattle Seahawks with only a few minutes left in the 4th quarter of the game. The initial injury took place some weeks ago against the Baltimore Ravens. After missing just one game, he came back and played the last couple of the season, albeit not at full health. Early in the game there was reason for concern as he was struggling pushing off of his leg to throw, and to run. Mike Shanahan left him in despite the obvious limitations of his quarterback. 

Coming off of a sack in the 4th quarter and a loss of 12 yards, he was visibly shaken and probably should have been taken out of the game. Once again, despite him clearly being in pain, he was left in. The next play (see the video) that would happen could change the course of this young man's career, even as early into it as he is. A low snap saw Griffin trying to scoop the ball off of the ground and his knee gave out. I'm no expert on the subject, but at the least I would say he has an MCL tear, and most likely an ACL tear as well. This could be devastating to his season next year, as an ACL tear can take up to a whole year to heal. Although RGIII is a threat to throw the ball at all times, what makes him dangerous is the fact that he can pull the ball down and run at any time. This occupies one defensive player at all times if they decide to try to contain him by using a spy on defense. So while I expect him to make a full recovery, I don't see him being the offensive force he was this year if he ends up with these significant injuries at least for next year and possibly well into the future. Luckily for Washington, they look to have secured a good backup in Kirk Cousins, as he has shown to be effective in limited playing time.

I hope for his sake that he makes a full recovery, but I can't help shaking the feeling that the whole situation was terribly mishandled by the entire coaching staff and medical staff that were on hand for this game. If his knee wasn't already shredded after the sack, it was after it gave out going after the low snap. He had no business still being in that game!

NFL Wild Card Preview: Sunday Games

NFL Wild Card Preview: Sunday Games

These articles were written by Marshal Cummings, and posted by me (Billy Montoya.)

Seattle at Washington- Sun 2:30pm ET

Seattle and Russell Wilson head across the country to try and put the fire that is the Washington Redskins rushing offense out…….. of the playoffs that is. Russell Wilson continues to improve each week and over the last 17 weeks he has made leaps and bounds all the way into the post season. Although he is getting all the attention I believe this Seattle Defense is the story. The Seattle D has two giant corners who can really cover some ground. They seem to have more than 11 players on the field at times. These boys are not afraid of contact either. Ask Vernon Davis of the San Francisco 49ers. Colin Kaepernick, the Niners second year quarterback, left his tight end out to dry and he took a punishing blow that put him out for the rest of that game and the next. Marshawn Lynch a.k.a Beast Mode has had quite the year. In fact he is the second leading rusher in the league. A steady dose of Beast mode should keep RGIII off the field and limit the opportunities the Redskins will have at making the jaw dropping plays that fans have grown accustomed to this season. All the things I have listed above seem to make Seattle the clear choice here. That’s why I’m picking Washington. I know what you are thinking Seattle is on a tear and dominated one of the most complete teams in the NFL two short weeks ago in those 49ers. However they have to make the long journey across this great country of ours. That is very taxing on a team, especially after a brutal 17 week season where the Seahawks have had some physical games. Washington should pound Alfred Morris and catch the Seahawks D creeping up with some play action. Look for RGIII to find Pierre Garcon and the rest of the Redskins receiving core to get some big plays on those talented corners I mentioned earlier. RGIII can throw the deep ball as good as anyone in recent memory. This I believe will be the key matchup of the game. RGIII against the Seattle secondary. If he can keep them honest, Alfred Morris should have success against a seven man front. These two will feed off each other for many years to come. Lookout NFL the Redskins have two rookies with some real staying power.

Prediction

Washington 24 Seattle 17

Player of the Game

Robert Griffin III

Indianapolis @ Baltimore

Does Luck finally run out in Baltimore? This game has two stories that should keep these teams motivated. Although Baltimore has hit a slump these past few weeks I believe they step it up for the most motivational player in NFL history. Ray Lewis has announced this will be his “final ride” as a Baltimore Raven. Colts Coach Chuck Pagano was diagnosed earlier this season with Leukemia. The support that was shown for him around the league was just beautiful. In his own locker room players shaved their heads to show support. Heck even two cheerleaders shaved their heads to show the beloved coach how much he means to the organization. The better story is Pagano and the Colts. They lost arguably one of the best Quarterbacks in history and went from the worst record in the league to a playoff team. Unfortunately stories can’t win games. I believe Luck does indeed run out of magic and the Baltimore ravens send them home. Look for Ray Lewis to get the Ravens back on track and hold on tight because everyone in that city wants to send Ray Lew off into the sunset with another Ring. How will they do that you ask? Simple Ray Rice, Ray Rice, followed by hey diddle diddle Ray Rice up the middle. The Ravens could be championship contenders if they would just remember they have mighty mouse in the backfield. Joe Flacco one day may be in the upper echelon of quarterbacks in this league but Ray Rice already is a top five back in this league. Let Mighty Mouse take you to the promised land Baltimore. Everyone is sick and tired of hearing how Joe Flacco thinks he gets disrespected. Ray Lewis deserves more from this coaching staff than letting Joe throw him home with an early exit.

Prediction:
Indianapolis 10 Baltimore 27

Player of the Game:
Ray Rice

Whose our QB?

At this point in the year teams begin to formulate what direction they are going to move forward in. For a lot of quarterbacks, that means an escort to the door. There are a few teams in the league that are still looking for an answer at quarterback.

Kansas City Chiefs- Matt Cassel was never the answer KC had hoped he would be. Brady Quinn came in and never really got anything going, which has become the staple of his career. They will be looking for a quarterback this off season. I would like to see Alex Smith go to the Chiefs, assuming he leaves The Bay, much like another 49er. With Jamal Charles running all over the place, all Alex smith would have to do is manage the game.

Jacksonville Jaguars- While I realize it still may be too early to call Blaine Gabbert a bust, at what point do you admit he is not ready, and bring in a veteran for him to learn behind? I see them them pulling in a veteran quarterback in free agency. Then again I don't have a big enough mustache to pretend like I know what is going on in Jacksonville.

Arizona Cardinals- How many quarterbacks does it take to win in Arizona? I don't know, I'll let ya kow when one shows up. There is not a team in worse shape at the quarterback position. Then again Andy Reid is telling Arizona if they hire him, he can fix Kevin Kolb.

New York Jets- If Tim Tebow comes in and can't fix your quarterback situation, I dont know what will. Wait, What???? My good friend Edward Kopfman thinks someone should put him in at fullback. It would have to make more of an impact then sitting on the bench. Before I get completely off subject, Mark Sanchez is never going to be a Matt Ryan or any of the other up and comers. I honestly think the only way for him to succeed in the league is if someone handles him the way Alex Smith was in San Francisco. And I honestly do believe he still has a chance to be a quarterback in the NFL. Just not the way everyone thought he would coming out of USC. Pete Carroll was quoted saying Mark needed to stay another season to develop, he didn't believe he was ready for the NFL. Perhaps he was onto something. Maybe Greg McElroy is the answer......

Buffalo Bills- I am constantly told that Ryan Fitzpatrick is a pretty good quarterback. While I'll admit that he has had some amazing games, I just need to see some consistency before I can believe that. Although, in his defence, I feel the play calling in 2012 was rediculous. C.J. Spiller should have been fed the ball non stop. Then let the Fitzpatrick manage the game as opposed to trying to win it every week.

Cleveland Browns- I felt I had to put the Browns on here. However I think it is still too early to give up on Brandon Weeden. Right Colt?

Philidelphia Eagles- I will be truly amazed if Michael Vick is still an Eagle next year. Honestly I dont think there is a chance in hell. I would like to see what Nick Foles can do with an entire off season with the starters. I would expect them to bring in a veteran as well.

Oakland Raiders- The Raiders got more out of Carson Palmer than I thought they would have. However, he is not the answer, neither is Matt Leinart, nor Terrelle Pryor. Until this position is set for the years to come, I don't think the Raiders will ever move forward. Maybe they will bring in Michael Vick and Terrelle Pryor could learn under him.


These are just the babblings of a fan who is happy to not see his team on this list. Though its too early to tell if I will be off the list for long, it should comfort all of you to know the difference one off season can make. Look at the Colts, Seahawks, Redskins, Broncos, and even my Dolphins. When the quarterback position isn't the glaring weekness on the team, it allows the team to finally begin building. The quarterback is much like the heart in your chest. Without it, the rest of the body will shut down.

Please share your comments. What did you agree with? Have I lost my mind?
All feedback is welcome.

Phinland Pride,
Kyle Gilmore

NFL Wild Card Preview Saturday Games

NFL Wild Card Round Preview: Saturday Games

The most exciting part of the NFL season is just around the corner. For those of us whose teams didn't even sniff a playoff spot, it is still exciting to see the NFL playoffs. For me, I will be pulling for whoever may play the Broncos, and then once they get eliminated (hopefully) it's all just fun to watch after that. With that here's the Wild Card match-ups and some analysis to go along with it!

+Cincinnati Bengals at +Houston Texans- 4:30pm ET on +NBC 

I realize that Houston is a 12-4 team, but this team is the most inconsistent 12-4 team I think I have ever seen. One game they look like potential Super Bowl champions, the next game they can barely beat a non-playoff team, and then get trounced by a playoff team another. I know this is the NFL and any team can win on a Sunday, but this team almost lost to a 2-14 Jacksonville team in Houston. With all that being said, this is a dangerous team that could go off at any time for a large amount of yards and points, while stifling a team with their stout defense. My only worries are that they had two chances to lock up home-field advantage throughout the playoffs against Minnesota and Indianapolis and lost both games pretty handily. Granted only two times in the last twelve years has a #1 seed won the Super Bowl. Houston should have as good a chance as any if they can get more consistent play out of Matt Schaub, and that should hold true against this Cincinnati club.

Cincinnati has a few weapons on offense and a decent defense, but this is one team in the playoffs that doesn't really jump out at me as a contender. They were playing pretty well to end the season though, winning seven out of their last nine. Andy Dalton has shown that he can win in big situations, but I just don't see this offense outscoring the Houston offense. AJ Green will be the player that can swing this game in Cincinnati's favor, if Houston can't cover him, he will keep the Bengals in this game and possibly win it for them.

I don't see this game as being a high scoring one, even though both teams are capable of putting up a lot of points. I think we will see a steady dose of both Arian Foster for Houston and Benjarvis Green-Ellis for Cincinnati which will eat up a lot of clock and keep the point totals down. I don't see the Bengals pulling this one off, as last week served as a wake up call for Houston. They need to start playing their kind of football or they won't be around in the playoffs long. Houston is too good of a team to lose in the opening round of the playoffs and I think they will handle business to get another chance at New England in the second round of the playoffs. 

Prediction: 24-16 Houston Wins

Player of the game: Arian Foster

Minnesota at Green Bay -8:00pm ET on NBC

This is a repeat of the week 17 match-up in which the Minnesota Vikings won 37-34. Because they played the game just a week ago, the teams should have a better feel for each other. It is integral for the Minnesota Vikings to get up early or at least not get behind by more than a touchdown. I don't believe they can rely on the passing game to win this game with Christian Ponder at the helm. So their formula for success is ride Adrian Peterson all game and keep Aaron Rodgers off the field as much as possible. The formula worked out last week, but had the kicker missed the field goal that sealed the game, I don't think Minnesota would have won in overtime with all the momentum that Green Bay had built up. Keep in mind this game is at Lambeau Field, a very difficult place to play for visiting teams. 

For Green Bay to win this game, they need to get the ball first and put the ball in the end zone right from the beginning. If they can do that and get up by 10 points early, Minnesota won't have a chance to come back without being able to let AP run wild. Green Bay's defense is a major concern to me, Peterson has gone off on them in recent games. This is not a good defense, and is the main reason I don't see them making it all the way to the Super Bowl. I think this game all comes down to who can score first, if Green Bay can I think they win this game. 

Although Green Bay are major favorites, I'm picking Minnesota once again. They are a team that is on a little hot streak going into the playoffs. We've seen this happen before with the New York Giants coming in on a streak and barely making the playoffs. In the last few years it's been the team that has momentum going into the playoffs that usually make a splash. I look for the trend to continue with the Vikings handing the Packers a first round upset, and a long offseason. Adrian Peterson is going to go off again on this poor Green Bay defense, and Ponder will have a decent enough game to keep them ahead. This should be a heavy hitting game that comes down to the last second.

Prediction: Vikings win 31-28

Player of the Game: Adrian Peterson

Updated Week 17 Key Match-Ups With Results

NFL Key Games To Watch For: Week 17 Edition

*Updated with Results 10:34pm MT 12/30/12*

Well I went 6-1 in picking these games with my only miss being in the +Houston Texans at +Indianapolis Colts game. This means Houson slides down to the 3rd seed for the playoffs, Denver takes the #1 seed and New England takes the #2 seed. This will force Houston to play in the Wild Card round next Saturday against the +Cincinnati Bengals. Wild Card round coverage will follow later this week!

Houston at Indianapolis- 1:00pm ET

This game features two teams that have already locked up playoff births, but for Houston this is a very important game. A win means they lock up home field advantage on their path to the Super Bowl. For Indianapolis, this is more of a tune-up game on their way to the playoffs. But the last thing Indianapolis wants to do is to give their division rivals take the #1 AFC seed. For me, this is time for Houston to prove that they are the best team in the AFC and put a beating on Indy on their own field. If not, people are going to continue to question them as the best in the AFC. I still have my questions about this team because they have been wildly inconsistent and have beat some bad teams by narrow margins, and have allowed many teams that shouldn't measure up to them stick around. If Houston can go out and handle Indy, I think they have to be a favorite to reach at least the AFC Championship game.

Prediction: 28-17 Houston Wins. Maintain #1 Seed

Actual: 28-16 Indianapolis Wins. Houston slides to #3 Seed, Indy maintains #5 seed.

Kansas City (2-13) at Denver (12-3)- 4:25pm ET

On paper this game should be a huge blow-out in Denver's favor, and I think it will be. Many things are on the line for Denver though, and that is why it is a key game to watch. With a win for Denver they lock up a first round bye, and if Houston loses in addition to Denver's win the Broncos will be the #1 seed and secure home field advantage through the AFC Championship game. If the Broncos lose, they can still be the #2 seed with a Patriots loss, but if the Patriots win with a Broncos loss, Denver slips to the #3 seed. This could be very bad for them because then they lose the first round bye. If they do win in the first round as the #3 seed, they must be on the road for their next game.

Although I think this will be an easy win for Denver, division games are sometimes very tough to pick. Kansas City has nothing to lose and should be willing to take risks they normally wouldn't. A Peyton Manning led team shouldn't overlook an opponent, but there is also that risk for Denver. Being a Raiders fan, I really want to see Kansas City pull this one off, but I'm not holding my breath.

Prediction: 34-10 Denver Wins. Maintain #2 Seed

Actual: 38-3 Denver Wins. Obtains #1 Seed and home field advantage throughout AFC playoffs

Miami (7-8) at New England(11-4)- 4:25pm ET

This is another game that should be a forgone conclusion, but the NFL has done a good job of scheduling division rivals towards the end of the year so that teams will play for pride. Miami has been surprisingly good at times this year and they should have a shot if they play their game and run the ball well. Especially with the performances that the Patriots have been throwing out there lately. Last week was an embarrassment for the Patriots, as they almost lost to a 2 win team in Jacksonville. The performance sparked Tom Brady, and afterwords he and other veteran leaders scolded the team for the poor performances in the past few weeks.

I think the Patriots will rebound with all that is on the line. With a win they could be anywhere from the #1-3 seed depending on what Houston and Denver do. New England will play motivated and barring a huge performance from Miami I think they will sneak away with a win, especially at home in front of their fans.

Prediction: 24-20 New England Wins. Maintain #3 Seed

Actual: 28-0 New England Wins. Secure #2 seed & 1st round bye.

Green Bay (11-4) at Minnesota (9-6)- 4:25pm ET

Although Green Bay has secured the NFC North, they still have one more thing to accomplish, a first round bye. With a win, they will obtain that as well as home field till the NFC title game. Teams that still remain in the mix for the #2 seed are San Francisco (10-4-1) and Seattle (10-5). Minnesota needs a win or an array of losses coupled with their own to maintain the #6 seed. The easiest way for them to ensure that they remain in it is win. The Bears, Giants, and Cowboys are looking to swoop up that final spot if Minnesota lets it slip through their grasp. 

This game is usually a close one, with many lead changes. Both teams feature high power threats on offense. For Green Bay, they feature one of the top passing attacks in the league. Featuring Aaron Rodgers and his cast of above average receivers, they are very difficult for even the most stout defense to stop. 

For Minnesota, they face a man on a mission to break a record against a bitter rival. Adrian Peterson is 208 yards short of Eric Dickerson's all time record. The Vikings will look to ride him to victory, and give him a chance to make history on the last game of the regular season. Buckle up folks, this one is going to be a fun game to watch. I think Adrian will get the record and keep Aaron Rodgers off the field enough to lead the Vikings to an upset win, and keep Green Bay from getting the first round bye.

Prediction: 24-21 Minnesota Wins. Become #6 Seed Green Bay Becomes #3 Seed

Actual: 37-34 Minnesota Wins. Seeding as above

St. Louis (7-7-1) at Seattle (10-5)- 4:25pm ET

This is a story of two teams heading in very different directions. St. Louis has been somewhat surprising to me that they have won 7 games this season, as they have looked far from a 7 win team at times. While Seattle looks primed to make a run at history this year, simply dismantling the last three teams they have played (including division leading San Francisco.)

This game to me shouldn't even be competitive, but because it has playoff implications it must be included. If Seattle takes care of business and San Francisco loses, Seattle will be crowned NFC West champions. Couple that with a Green Bay loss, and Seattle will be the #2 seed heading into the playoffs. More about that below. 

Prediction: 42-7 Seattle Wins. Become #5 Seed

Actual: 20-13 Seattle Wins. Become #5 Seed

Arizona (5-10) at San Francisco (10-4-1)- 4:25pm ET

Another matchup featuring a heavy favorite in San Francisco. This is another game that I think will just purely be one-sided. Arizona has looked pathetic after winning their first 4 to start the season. Besides one good showing against Detroit, this team has been dead on arrival for most of their 11 contests after that 4-0 start. 

San Francisco has looked anything from awful to unbeatable since making the move at QB to put in rookie Colin Kaepernick after Alex Smith sustained a concussion. They have been wildly inconsistent under the rookie signal caller, but it shouldn't be much of a stretch to think that they can handle this visiting Cardinals team. I won't spend much time here because I don't believe that this should be much of a game. 

Prediction: 35-10 San Francisco Wins. Become #2 Seed

Actual: 27-13 San Francisco Wins. Become #2 Seed

Dallas (8-7) at Washington (9-6)- 8:20pm ET

Dallas at Washington could be a game that we talk about for years if the winner does anything special in the playoffs, and I would call this the Game of the Week. It's going to be on prime time television for Sunday Night Football, and they couldn't have picked a better match-up to feature. 

These two teams have been bitter rivals for what seems like ages, and this game should come down to the wire. During their last meeting on Thanksgiving, Washington ran away with the game until the very end when Dallas made a desperate comeback that fell short. Robert Griffin III will be healthy and it should be another high scoring shootout. This is a winner-takes-all game, as the winner will advance to the playoffs and the loser goes home for the long offseason. 

As a fan, I would love to see Washington win this game and head to the playoffs. They have a solid young core of exciting players in RGIII and Alfred Morris, I don't think they have a good enough team to make a solid playoff run, but they are exciting and stay in most games. I also like seeing new blood in the playoffs, and the Skins haven't gone in a while. Plus, it's never bad seeing the Dallas Cowboys lose. 

Prediction: 27-21 Washington Wins. Secures #4 Seed

Actual: 28-18 Washington Wins. Secures #4 Seed

Black Monday Coaching Decisions

GM's and Coaches on the Way Out

Highly Possible-

A.J. Smith & Norv Turner (San Diego Chargers)- Turner and Smith are all but a certain casualty. When Norv Turner took over this team, they were coming off of a 14-2 season. He and Smith have turned this team into a garbage fest, one terrible move after another. I'm surprised he lasted through last year, quite honestly and I'd be surprised if any other team would give either of these guys a chance.

Andy Reid (Philadelphia Eagles)- Andy is out after 14 years with the Eagles. He is a great coach, and will probably land with another team in the coming days. Honestly I think he should take a year off and wait for a better opportunity, unless he can get on with the Cowboys. But, if he takes the Cowboys position, I think Jerry Jones should give up some of his control to Reid. That could be an interesting pairing, one that would probably benefit Dallas.

Jason Garrett (Dallas Cowboys)- This one is not official yet, and may be one that takes some time to decide. Ultimately, I think Garrett loses his job. He has a lot of talent on the roster in what was a very weak division this year and had an 8-8 record. Garrett has taken a huge fall from when he was once the most sought after coordinator for a head coaching position, to now he'll be lucky to hang onto his job. He will catch on with someone else as a coordinator though.

Tom Heckert & Pat Shurmer (Cleveland Browns)- Cleveland is cleaning house again. After a few disappointing seasons under these two, they decided to collect the cards and reshuffle. This could be an interesting job to have as there are pieces in place to have a successful run. A new quarterback is a must though. With Alex Smith, Michael Vick, Carson Palmer, Matt Cassel and more to soon be on the market if the teams decide to cut ties with them, this team could grab up a veteran to take the reins.

Scott Pioli & Romeo Crennel (Kansas City Chiefs)- For now it looks like Pioli may hold onto his job, but Crennel is a foregone conclusion. Tough hand dealt to Crennel as the team rebounded late last year under him, but then the team cut ties with Kyle Orton who led the team to those few late wins last season. This team has a lot of talent on defense and some weapons on offense, given the right coach and a new quarterback, this team could have a lot of success next season.

Lovie Smith (Chicago Bears)- Lovie is out in Chicago after a 10-6 season and narrowly missing the playoffs. My thoughts are that he didn't deserve to lose his job. This is a great team on both sides of the ball, but they commit too many turnovers. This is another quarterback problem in my opinion. Jay Cutler commits way too many of them and he has a track record of losing. I don't see Jay Cutler winning a Super Bowl, to me he is not a winner. His attitude and lack of interest is off-putting to many people including me, and most people don't like him.

Ken Whisenhunt (Arizona Cardinals)- Whisenhunt is a great coach, but this is a terrible team. After winning their first 4 games. They went on to lose 11 of their next 12. I don't think any coach deserves to keep his job after losing 11 of 12. I believe he will flourish on a new team that is better constructed such as the Bears or Chiefs.

Buddy Nix & Chan Gailey (Buffalo Bills)- Chan Gailey is out, Buddy Nix appears to be safe for now. This team feels to me like a team that under-performed this year but there is talent here. With a new coach they can either take steps forward or steps back. They have a few weapons on both sides of the ball to build around, but I don't know if they are ready to compete anytime soon.

Mike Tannenbaum & Rex Ryan (New York Jets)- Tannenbaum is gone, and Rex Ryan appears safe for now. He will have to meet with the new GM to discuss his job, but I don't see him holding onto it unless the new GM doesn't see any better options. I think Ryan is a good coach when he's worried about coaching, but he's usually just worried about running his mouth. This team is probably going to clean house on the roster, because this seems like one of the teams with the worst team chemistry. I don't know if they will get rid of Mark Sanchez because of his contract, but he's not a starter anymore.

Gene Smith & Mike Mularkey (Jacksonville Jaguars)- Smith is out for sure, Mularkey safe for now. This team was awful this year, but Chad Henne came in and gave them a spark. It looks like Gabbert is not the quarterback of the future, and they will have the #2 overall pick in the draft coming up so we'll see what they do with it. But I don't see this team getting much better soon.

Possible (Unlikely)

Dennis Allen (Oakland Raiders)- Oakland has been linked with Jon Gruden once again, and although they have denied that they have had any contact, it could be an interesting pairing. Gruden was the last coach to have a winning season in Oakland besides Bill Callahan in the one season following Gruden (riding on his coattails.) I would be interested to see a reunion, although that would be pretty unfair to Dennis Allen. Oakland is looking for a stable environment to rebuild around, and making another one season coach is not a good start. But, if you can pull Gruden away from the booth to coach up this team, I think you have to grab that opportunity. Allen doesn't have a huge contract so that won't be a major issue, but he wasn't given a very good hand to play with if this was his only season in Oakland.

Mike Munchak (Tennessee Titans)- For now Munchak appears to be safe, but after more discussions he may be let go. More on this as it progresses.

NFL Week 17 Key Matchups & Results

NFL Key Games To Watch For: Week 17 Edition

*Updated with Results 10:34pm MT 12/30/12*

Well I went 6-1 in picking these games with my only miss being in the +Houston Texans at +Indianapolis Colts game. This means Houson slides down to the 3rd seed for the playoffs, Denver takes the #1 seed and New England takes the #2 seed. This will force Houston to play in the Wild Card round next Saturday against the +Cincinnati Bengals. Wild Card round coverage will follow later this week!

Houston at Indianapolis- 1:00pm ET

This game features two teams that have already locked up playoff births, but for Houston this is a very important game. A win means they lock up home field advantage on their path to the Super Bowl. For Indianapolis, this is more of a tune-up game on their way to the playoffs. But the last thing Indianapolis wants to do is to give their division rivals take the #1 AFC seed. For me, this is time for Houston to prove that they are the best team in the AFC and put a beating on Indy on their own field. If not, people are going to continue to question them as the best in the AFC. I still have my questions about this team because they have been wildly inconsistent and have beat some bad teams by narrow margins, and have allowed many teams that shouldn't measure up to them stick around. If Houston can go out and handle Indy, I think they have to be a favorite to reach at least the AFC Championship game.

Prediction: 28-17 Houston Wins. Maintain #1 Seed

Actual: 28-16 Indianapolis Wins. Houston slides to #3 Seed, Indy maintains #5 seed.

Kansas City (2-13) at Denver (12-3)- 4:25pm ET

On paper this game should be a huge blow-out in Denver's favor, and I think it will be. Many things are on the line for Denver though, and that is why it is a key game to watch. With a win for Denver they lock up a first round bye, and if Houston loses in addition to Denver's win the Broncos will be the #1 seed and secure home field advantage through the AFC Championship game. If the Broncos lose, they can still be the #2 seed with a Patriots loss, but if the Patriots win with a Broncos loss, Denver slips to the #3 seed. This could be very bad for them because then they lose the first round bye. If they do win in the first round as the #3 seed, they must be on the road for their next game.

Although I think this will be an easy win for Denver, division games are sometimes very tough to pick. Kansas City has nothing to lose and should be willing to take risks they normally wouldn't. A Peyton Manning led team shouldn't overlook an opponent, but there is also that risk for Denver. Being a Raiders fan, I really want to see Kansas City pull this one off, but I'm not holding my breath.

Prediction: 34-10 Denver Wins. Maintain #2 Seed

Actual: 38-3 Denver Wins. Obtains #1 Seed and home field advantage throughout AFC playoffs

Miami (7-8) at New England(11-4)- 4:25pm ET

This is another game that should be a forgone conclusion, but the NFL has done a good job of scheduling division rivals towards the end of the year so that teams will play for pride. Miami has been surprisingly good at times this year and they should have a shot if they play their game and run the ball well. Especially with the performances that the Patriots have been throwing out there lately. Last week was an embarrassment for the Patriots, as they almost lost to a 2 win team in Jacksonville. The performance sparked Tom Brady, and afterwords he and other veteran leaders scolded the team for the poor performances in the past few weeks.

I think the Patriots will rebound with all that is on the line. With a win they could be anywhere from the #1-3 seed depending on what Houston and Denver do. New England will play motivated and barring a huge performance from Miami I think they will sneak away with a win, especially at home in front of their fans.

Prediction: 24-20 New England Wins. Maintain #3 Seed

Actual: 28-0 New England Wins. Secure #2 seed & 1st round bye.

Green Bay (11-4) at Minnesota (9-6)- 4:25pm ET

Although Green Bay has secured the NFC North, they still have one more thing to accomplish, a first round bye. With a win, they will obtain that as well as home field till the NFC title game. Teams that still remain in the mix for the #2 seed are San Francisco (10-4-1) and Seattle (10-5). Minnesota needs a win or an array of losses coupled with their own to maintain the #6 seed. The easiest way for them to ensure that they remain in it is win. The Bears, Giants, and Cowboys are looking to swoop up that final spot if Minnesota lets it slip through their grasp. 

This game is usually a close one, with many lead changes. Both teams feature high power threats on offense. For Green Bay, they feature one of the top passing attacks in the league. Featuring Aaron Rodgers and his cast of above average receivers, they are very difficult for even the most stout defense to stop. 

For Minnesota, they face a man on a mission to break a record against a bitter rival. Adrian Peterson is 208 yards short of Eric Dickerson's all time record. The Vikings will look to ride him to victory, and give him a chance to make history on the last game of the regular season. Buckle up folks, this one is going to be a fun game to watch. I think Adrian will get the record and keep Aaron Rodgers off the field enough to lead the Vikings to an upset win, and keep Green Bay from getting the first round bye.

Prediction: 24-21 Minnesota Wins. Become #6 Seed Green Bay Becomes #3 Seed

Actual: 37-34 Minnesota Wins. Seeding as above

St. Louis (7-7-1) at Seattle (10-5)- 4:25pm ET

This is a story of two teams heading in very different directions. St. Louis has been somewhat surprising to me that they have won 7 games this season, as they have looked far from a 7 win team at times. While Seattle looks primed to make a run at history this year, simply dismantling the last three teams they have played (including division leading San Francisco.)

This game to me shouldn't even be competitive, but because it has playoff implications it must be included. If Seattle takes care of business and San Francisco loses, Seattle will be crowned NFC West champions. Couple that with a Green Bay loss, and Seattle will be the #2 seed heading into the playoffs. More about that below. 

Prediction: 42-7 Seattle Wins. Become #5 Seed

Actual: 20-13 Seattle Wins. Become #5 Seed

Arizona (5-10) at San Francisco (10-4-1)- 4:25pm ET

Another matchup featuring a heavy favorite in San Francisco. This is another game that I think will just purely be one-sided. Arizona has looked pathetic after winning their first 4 to start the season. Besides one good showing against Detroit, this team has been dead on arrival for most of their 11 contests after that 4-0 start. 

San Francisco has looked anything from awful to unbeatable since making the move at QB to put in rookie Colin Kaepernick after Alex Smith sustained a concussion. They have been wildly inconsistent under the rookie signal caller, but it shouldn't be much of a stretch to think that they can handle this visiting Cardinals team. I won't spend much time here because I don't believe that this should be much of a game. 

Prediction: 35-10 San Francisco Wins. Become #2 Seed

Actual: 27-13 San Francisco Wins. Become #2 Seed

Dallas (8-7) at Washington (9-6)- 8:20pm ET

Dallas at Washington could be a game that we talk about for years if the winner does anything special in the playoffs, and I would call this the Game of the Week. It's going to be on prime time television for Sunday Night Football, and they couldn't have picked a better match-up to feature. 

These two teams have been bitter rivals for what seems like ages, and this game should come down to the wire. During their last meeting on Thanksgiving, Washington ran away with the game until the very end when Dallas made a desperate comeback that fell short. Robert Griffin III will be healthy and it should be another high scoring shootout. This is a winner-takes-all game, as the winner will advance to the playoffs and the loser goes home for the long offseason. 

As a fan, I would love to see Washington win this game and head to the playoffs. They have a solid young core of exciting players in RGIII and Alfred Morris, I don't think they have a good enough team to make a solid playoff run, but they are exciting and stay in most games. I also like seeing new blood in the playoffs, and the Skins haven't gone in a while. Plus, it's never bad seeing the Dallas Cowboys lose. 

Prediction: 27-21 Washington Wins. Secures #4 Seed

Actual: 28-18 Washington Wins. Secures #4 Seed

Favortie Memory in Sports

I have had many memorable times involving sports, whether that be playing or as a spectator. However, nothing can compare to the first time I was able to watch a Miami Dolphins home game. When you add the fact we were playing our bitter rivals, the JETS!!!

Oct. 12, 2009-
1st Quarter- We started the game in terrific fashion. We came out and on our opening drive scored on a Ronnie Brown touchdown. However the Jets were able to answer back with, as much as I hate to admit, a very nice touchdown catch by Braylon Edwards. After the ensuing kickoff we were able to drive the field and set up a 35 yard field goal from Dan Carpenter, making the score 10-7 with 1:00 left in the first quarter.

2nd Quarter- The second quarter was very slow and became a battle of field position. Throughout the entire quarter the only points scored were a pair of Jay Feely field goals to put the Jets up 13-10 at the half.

3rd Quarter- After 3 punts in a row, Miami was able to finally get into the red zone as the 3rd quarter ended. Both defenses played tremendous football in the 3rd quarter.

4th Quarter- In the fourth quarter, the game really began to heat up. On the second play of the fourth quarter, Chad Henne was able to hit Anthony Fasano for short yard touchdown putting the Dolphins up 17-13. The Jets were far from finished. With two 30+ yard completions by Mark Sanchez, they were already knocking on the door after a handful of plays. This set up a Thomas Jones 1 yard touchdown to give them back the lead, 20-17. The following drive was extremely uncharacteristic of the Dolphins. We rarely had success with the deep ball. However Chad Henne dropped back and let fly a beautiful 53 yard touchdown pass to Ted Ginn Jr., beating Darrele Revis on the play. At this point I was screaming so loud that I lost my voice within moments. Up 24-20 we had stolen the momentum. After a lackluster drive by both teams the Jets were put into scoring position by an ill timed pass interference call. Thomas Jones would walk into the endzone putting the Jets back up 27-24 after the extra point. With 5 minutes left in the game, Miami turned to its Wildcat formation. While Henne dipped and dunked passes for short yardage in our conventional offense, Ronnie Brown executed the wildcat to perfection. 1st down after 1st down began to pile up until in one last triumphant moment, Ronnie Brown ran a wildcat keeper up the middle to score the final touchdown with 6 seconds remaining. 31-27 would be the ending score of this remarkable Monday Night showdown between two bitter AFC East Rivals. I had been to one NFL game prior to that game, and to many more since. None of them are as vivid in my mind as this win against the Jets.

I would love to hear about your favorite Sports moments. Please Share in the comments section.

Suh and the Inconsistent Refs

After watching the game yesterday, America knows, that Ndamukong Suh will be suspeneded. How many games is yet to be determined, but i will place a bet that it will be 2-4 games. This is a bad situation cause the Lions finally started to turn things around and this is where they need him the most.

Coming from an era that what Suh did yesterday was child's play, All I can say is this. If the NFL is going to hold people accountable for stupid actions like that, then it needs to be across the board and consisitent. Amazing how not one person saw when guard, Evan Dietrich-Smith, took Suh down in an awkard position and continued to hold him. Funny how the refs missed that blatant call. Should Suh have lost his temper? No. He is after all young and probably has played the same way he has his entire life.

We all know change is hard. But Suh must learn to control his temper and become better than that. But I am here to tell you, if it were me, I would have done more than push his face down and kicked him. I am sure of it.

We ask these guys to be as tough as nails, to play through a play, give it your all, be aggressive, kill and get the QB and then in the same breath we want them to stop on a split second and hand out flowers. Maybe Suh should partner up with Ray Lewis and he can help him try and be the same player they hired and still have the aggresiveness. I see games every week where ish happens and the refs dont call it. Then its called on Suh or the Raiders (yep Bill, even sticking up for your team). Not every game is fair, but come on people. really?

Consistency is what the NFL and refs need. More than ever. As for Detroit, well i can pretty much say no playoffs for us next year. I am sure Suh will have lots of time to re-think what happened. I hope the NFL Refs do the same.