NFL Week 8 Preview - Late Games

So the late games big draw is Brett Favre's return to Lambeau. And that's about all the excitement we'll get from these games. Right? There's a chance one of the league's winless teams gets their first victory. We'll see.

Oakland (2-5) @ San Diego (3-3)

Raiders: How can a team look somewhat decent one week and then look so horrible the next? Ask the Raider faithful and they'll tell you. The first place to look is at QB. Everyone else is so why can't I? Here's JaMarcus Russell's stats: 74-160 (46.3% completion), 891 yds., 2 TD, 8 INT, 47.2 QB rating. That's why people point to Russell despite the fact he won't accept any fault. Some leader. And your first round draft pick, WR Darrius Heyward-Bey? 4 catches for 64 yards...on the season. Remember the WR that was selected after Heyward-Bey? That would be longtime 49er holdout Michael Crabtree. Crabtree played in his first game last week. His numbers were 5 catches for 56 yards...for one game.

Chargers: Time for the Chargers to get the rushing attack going with both LT and Darren Sproles. San Diego is next to last in rushng, but LT showed some life last week. Good thing. Opposing defenses are pinning their ears back to go after QB Philip Rivers, but Rivers has still performed well. One thing the Chargers cannot do is take the Raiders running backs lightly. Justin Fargas and Michael Bush both have a potential 100 yard game in them even though the Raiders are only 26th in rushing offense. But the Bolts are 28th in rushing defense. There's where the Chargers have to care of business since the Raiders can't pass.

Jacksonville (3-3) @ Tennessee (0-6)

Jaguars: If you think about it, the Jaguars started the freefall of the Titans in week 4 with a 37-17 win. QB David Garrard threw for over 323 yards and 3 TD. That same game was also WR Mike Sims-Walker's breakout game (7 receptions, 91 yards, 2 TD). The Jags did this and RB Maurice Jones-Drew only had 6 carries for 14 yards. MJD must have a better game this time around since the game is in Nashville. I do look for Garrard and Sims-Walker to have similar numbers since the Titans have absolutely imploded on defense.

Titans: So Tiatns owner Bud Adams wants QB Vince Young to start...and head coach Jeff Fisher will oblige. You know the saying "be careful what you wish for."? That could be the case here. If Tennessee can get RBs Chris Johnson and LenDale White to move the ball on the ground, things should be easier for Young. The Titans freefall? In the Titans first three games, the scores (all losses) were 13-10 (OT) to Pittsburgh, 34-31 to the Texans (a game they were up 21-7), and 24-17 at the Jets. That's a total of 13 points. The next three: 37-17, 31-9, and 59-0. That's 101 points. Nobody gives up more points than Tennessee (33.0 a game). Need I say more?

NFL Week 8 Preview - Early Games

Here we are at the almost halfway point in the NFL season. From the looks of the standings and records, we are presented with the three undefeated teams (Colts, Saints, Broncos) and two winless teams (Titans and Rams). All three undefeated teams are facing good tests, but the Broncos are the only one on the road. Of the two winless teams, only the Titans will get home cooking. Let's get to it!

St. Louis (0-7) @ Detroit (1-5)

Rams: They have a good chance to break the streak here. The Rams really couldn't ask for a better situation. They're on the road, so the pressure will not be as prevelant. RB Steven Jackson has yet to put the ball in the endzone this season, but that could easily change as the Lions only rank 20th against the run. When anyone thinks of the Rams offense, they automatically think of Jackson. They should as Jackson is 4th in the league in rushing. QB Marc Bulger has been banged up (what's new) but looks good to go for this one. The last time Bulger faced the Lions, he tossed the ball for 328 yards, but that was in 2006. The Rams are only scoring 8.6 points a game and they only managed 6 last week against Indy. The defense isn't any better. They're allowing 30.1 a game, ranking 30th.

Lions: If the Big Three of QB Matthew Stafford, WR Calvin Johnson, and RB Kevin Smith are to get the offense moving in the right direction, they couldn't ask for anything more than to see the Rams and the 30th ranked defense. Stafford (knee) has missed the last two games, but he just might return this week. Lions QBs have only thrown for 4 TD and given 10 INT. Smith only has 348 rushing yards but has visited the endzone 3 times. The same cannot be said for Johnson. He has only 1 TD this season, but he has been limited due to his own knee injury. If all are healthy and playing, the Lions could snag win #2. But the defense will have to improve. Detroit permits the second most points a game (31.3). Only the Tennessee Titans allow more.

Cleveland (1-6) @ Chicago (3-3)

Browns: The record keep skipping for Eric Mangini's club. They have the league's second worst offense and worst defense (in terms of yardage). There's not any one thing they do decently, but they saw the film of what happened to the Bears last week, and there could be light at the end of the tunnel. The unfortunate thing is they are at Chicago. Cincy's Cedric Benson gashed the Bears for 189 yards last week, and the tandem of Jamal Lewis and Jerome Harrison could see some daylight. The middle of the Bears D is vulnerable and the Browns will try to exploit the void like the Bengals did last week againt Chicago.QB Derek Anderson will have to pass for better than his average of 43.8% passing completion and not throw any INT. Anderson has 7 INT on the season. Does he really give Cleveland the best chance to win? The main issue on defense will be getting to the Bears QB Jay Cutler and force bad decisions and turnovers. Cleveland is a woeful -7 in turnover ratio.

Bears: Another week, another multi INT game for QB Jay Cutler. The Bears are 0-3 if Cutler throws more than one pick. They are 3-0 if he thows for one or less. What's that tell you? For the season, Cutler had 11 TD and 10 INT. Maybe it's time to see if RB Matt Forte can assume a little of the offensive production. The Browns are 31st against the run. Forte hasn't even come close to looking like the back he was last season. If Chicago is to hold any hope of making the playoffs (and it's not to early to talk about it), Forte must provide more offense to relieve pressure from Cutler. And what happened to Chicago's D last week? Last week, they almost made the Bengals look like the 2007 Patriots. I know what you're thinking. Derek Anderson is not Carson Palmer. He's not. Jamal Lewis is not Cedric Benson. No, but Lewis did threaten the single season rushng record a few years back. DT Tommie Harris (knee) is the key. If he plays the whole game and Cutler takes care of the ball, the Bears should win.

Seattle (2-4) @ Dallas (4-2)

Seahawks: A big blow was dealt to the Seahawk offense this past week. T Walter Jones is done for the season due to a knee injury. Jones is a 9-time Pro-Bowler and he is set on trying to comback in 2010 despite being 35 years old. To make matters worse, T Sean Locklear has not practiced this week with a bum ankle. But G Rob Sims (ankle) may be ready. The 'Hawks will need him to protect QB Matthew Hasselbeck from the Cowboys pass rush. A little bit of a rushing attack should help, too. RB Julius Jones will be returning to Dallas and maybe he can play a bit of the "revenge card". The Cowboys are a bit sketchy in defending the rush. Protect Hass, gets Jones running. Simple for the offense, but not so much for the D. LB Lofa Tatupu is officially done for the season due to a torn pectoral muscle. The good news is DE Patrick Kearney (groin) fully participated in practice and Seattle will need him to get pressure on Cowboys QB Tony Romo. Force him into turnovers at critical times (as he's prone to do) and Seattle just might have the chance. Then there's that 4th ranked rushing attack of the Cowboys to deal with...

Cowboys: Everyone wanted the Cowboys to win a "statement game". They did that very thing last week in defeating the Atlanta Falcons. Now people are saying is wasn't all that because Dallas was at home. What does a guy have to do to get repect? Win the games you're suppose to win and this is one of those games.  On paper, this is a Dallas win. What happenes during the game is almost always different with the Cowboys. QB Tony Romo must be accurate and not throw a pick. RBs Marion Barber, Tashard Choice, and Feliz Jones must pound the Seahawks with the run. And what about WR Miles Austin? All he's done the last two games is catch 16 balls for 421 yards and 4 TD. He's only been starting for two weeks and he's already the second leading receiver (21 catches) and leads Dallas in receiving yards (502) and total TD (5). If the offense keeps rolling and LB DeMarcus Ware keeps getting to the QB, the Cowboys will continue to win.

Houston (4-3) @ Buffalo (3-4)

Texans: Most of the talk about the Texans offense centers around QB Matt Schaub and WR Andre Johnson, and rightfully so. Did we forget TE Owen Daniels? Seems like most defenses have. Daniels leads Houston in receptions (39) and TD receptions (5). Only Indy's Dallas Clark and San Diego's Antonio Gates average more receiving yards a game for TEs, and the 49ers Vernon Davis is the NFL's leader in TD receptions by a TE and he had to have 3 TD to pass Daniels. A breakout season to say the least for the fourth year TE from Wisconsin. Now, if only RB Steve Slaton can be consistent. That's the only piece of the Texans offensive puzzle that's missing fom last year. Buffalo is last in rushing defense. WR Andre Johnson should be able to go this week and that spells more trouble for the Bills DBs. Houston's D is a little nicked up. LB Brian Cushing and S Eugene Wilson did not practice this week. Don't let the Bills run the ball and you shuold win...unless you turn the ball over.

Bills: Buffalo got many gifts from Pathers QB Jake Delhomme last week. They shouldn't expect Houston to be so giving as the Texans are +3 in turnover ratio. The one thing Buffalo is decent at is running, but Houston's D has been improving each week in that category. So what do the Bills do? QB Ryan Fitzpatrick will get the nod to start again this week as Trent Edwards recovers from a concussion. Maybe if Fitzpatrick and WRs Lee Evans and T.O. can get together, things will pick up in Buffalo. Let's see, Fitzpatrick has a 44.7% completion percentage. Maybe not. Give the ball to RBs Fred Jackson and Marshawn lynch and hope they bust one. The key will rest on the Bills pass defense and it's a good unit, ranking 10th in the NFL. Getting to QB Matt Schaub will be priority #1. The problem would be with the worst run defense in the league.The Panthers ripped through the Bills last week, but Houston is more of an aerial attack.

KC's Johnson Suspended for Slurs

Update: Johnson and the Chiefs have come to an agreement. Since the Chiefs are on a bye and don't play until next week, Johnson could have lost two checks, but Johnson will only be docked one. This agreement comes on the heels of Johnson filing a grievance against the club.

Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson (right) has done it again.  Last season, Johnson had  "run-ins" with incidents involving women and nightclubs. This time, Johnson is in the spotlight for his usage of gay slurs in both a Twitter post (which has been removed) and during a local media gathering on Monday. Johnson has been suspended until November 9 for what the Chiefs termed as "conduct detrimental to the team".

In the end, what will the Chiefs front office decide to do with L.J.? Two distinct possibilities.

There is the possibility that the Chiefs would merely make Johnson inactive for the remainder of the season and KC will attempt to deal the troubled running back during the offseason. You can't trade him now as the trade deadline has passed. This "approach" falls into the "out of sight, out of mind" theory. See Jon Gruden-Keyshawn Johnson, Tampa Bay situation.

You would first ask exactly what would a team be willing to give you for a running back that is 30 years old? That's the age where most backs are considered to be starting on the downside of their careers. The most you could possibly gain is maybe 5th round pick or possibly another "aging" player despite the fact that Johnson was a first round pick. I don't think you could get both a pick and a player. But we've seen GM Scott Pioli (left) work magic before. Considering Johnson's resume', I don't think even Pioli can here.

Or how about this? The Chiefs could decide just to merely sever its ties with Johnson. That's not a stretch. It's a real possibility. Just get the guy out of there and send him on his way. There may be too big a gap to be mended between Johnson and the Chiefs, specifically head coach Todd Haley. Johnson's Twitter post also included a questioning of Haley's coaching credentials. By simply releasing Johnson, the air around the Chiefs complex may be lighter.

Considering the Chiefs are on a bye this week, the KC front office could have dragged its collective heels on this, but kudos to them for making a prompt decision (also a no-brainer).

The suspension will cost L.J. about $535,000. A lot of loot to lose because you're simply lost.

Oklahoma State WR Bryant ruled ineligible

Update: On November5, the NCAA upheld their suspension of Bryant despite Oklahoma State's appeal. Bryant is currently being projected as a first round pick in the next NFL draft.

This has to go into the file of "Huh?". The NCAA has ruled that Oklahoma State WR Dez Bryant (below) is ineligible until October, 2010. The investigation was initiated due to interaction that Bryant had with Deion Sanders.


The university is appealing the decision in the hopes that Bryant could rejoin the Cowboys later this season. The outlook, however, is grim.

Head coach Mike Gundy provided this statement on the appeals process:

"There is nothing new. We've had no response. I think everybody has given up."

Unfortunately, we may have seen the last of Bryant in a Cowboys uniform. And that is sad. It is rumored that Bryant will now go pro due to this decision. All because the NCAA has totally fumbled this situation. It's a turnover that should have never been committed.

In a story from Fanhouse, the investigation into possible NCAA infractions arose when it was thought that Bryant went to a Dallas residence owned by Sanders. It is then suggested that Sanders submitted Bryant to a workout, bought Bryant a meal, and then attempted to build a working relationship between Bryant and agent Eugene Parker (the same agant representing Michael Crabtree).

Amid questioning from the NCAA, Bryant denied all claims, but it was later established that Bryant did visit Sanders (left) in May. The workout and Parker's "involvement" were claims that were unfounded. Bryant was still given his suspension based on NCAA bylaw 10.1 in that Bryant was "...knowingly furnishing the NCAA or the individual's institution false or misleading information."

I underatand that lying to the NCAA is a bad thing, but outside of tha 10.1 bylaw, no rules were violated by Bryant. Did you get that, NCAA? There are reports that Bryant gave the false info to NCAA investigators because he feared that he did, in fact, break a rule. So you take away a kid's year of eligibility because he lied? The only thing Bryant should be accused of is being a kid.

What happens to coaches and programs when they knowingly and repeatedly break NCAA bylaws and rules? If they are found guilty of improprieties, do they receive a suspension? We don't have to wander to far back in the past to see the answer. John Calipari (right) and the Memphis basketball program (and now, the whole John Wall eligiblity issue) and the Alabama textbook scandal are the two of the more prominant issues recently in the news regarding violations. What happened to these institutions?

Both Memphis and Alabama were stripped of wins. There are no reports of any "student-athletes" being given any type of suspension for their participation in the breaking of NCAA rules. Memphis also had to forfeit monies they received from their last Final Four appearance. One of Calipari's players at Memphis, Derrick Rose, is now making a bit of change in the NBA. Did that stigma of the Memphis (and don't forget UMass) program prohibit Calipari from putting a bit of coin in his own pocket?

You might think I'm comparing apples to oranges here. While Calipari's name never surfaced in the Memphis findings, he was still the man in charge. Same for all the Bama coaches. Nothing happened to any of them either. Were these institutions totally forthcoming in their allegations? Doubt it. I once head the expression "if you ain't cheatin', you're not tryin'."

Yet Bryant didn't cheat and is handed a year suspension for giving false information. It's a simple case of the "little guy" get stomped while "the big boys" can rule. Almost like getting bullied. The NCAA is the bully and OK State is the little guy.

Talk about a hypocrisy.

Monday Night Wrap-up - Eagles/Redskins

27 V   17

I agree. That was not a game really worth watching, but we watched for one reason: to see if the Redskins offense could manufacture any type of game. In the end, the answer was no, but are we placing too much emphasis on the ‘Skins due to their status as being dysfunctional? We are. Here’s what I take away from the tilt.

1. The game, as a whole, was anything but a clean game. The Redskins will receive more scrutiny for the lack of execution (6 sacks, 4 turnovers, missed redzone chances), but Philly didn’t exactly run over Washington either. At times, the Eagles looked as if they were still in a contest against the Raiders (last week’s opponent). If not for DeSean Jackson (left), there may not have been any offense from the Eagles.

2. Both offenses were dealt serious setbacks in the game. First was Philadelphia losing RB Brian Westbrook due to a concussion. That is not an injury to take lightly and the Eagles didn’t. However, I can’t be the only one that thinks that Westbrook gets injured on a weekly basis. Look at the injury the ‘Skins were dealt. TE Chris Cooley, the team’s best offensive player, broke his ankle.

3. ESPN’s Steve Young said it best when he pointed out that Washington Redskins have “inherent, deeper problems”. Washington’s defense has pretty much help up its end of the bargain and that explains why we tilt are views to the offense. But don’t be fooled. One reason for the problems is due to the money Washington spends on free agents, they cannot “afford” a more talented overall roster. Sure, Albert Haynesworth is about the best defensive lineman in the NFL, but exactly how talented is the #4 WR?

4. Changing the “play caller” was not the difference, although the person calling the plays was recently calling bingo. That’s a story that will never stop. And Washington’s “front office”, if you can call it that, is doing nothing to steer our opinions elsewhere.

A lot of fans of the Eagles, Giants, and Cowboys are tickled that the Redskins are going through such a rough patch. That’s one less team their favorite has to worry about.

Technorati Tags: football

World Series Analysis/Breakdown

  V

Here is a positional breakdown of the World Series between the NL's Philadelphia Phillies and the AL's New York Yankees.

Phillies		POS		Yankees
Ryan Howard		1B	X	Mark Teixeira
Chase Utley	X	2B		Robinson Cano
Pedro Feliz		3B	X	Alex Rodriguez
Jimmy Rollins		SS	X	Derek Jeter
Raul Ibanez	X	LF		Johnny Damon
Shane Victorino	X	CF		Melky Cabrera
Jayson Werth	X	RF		Nick Swisher
Carlos Ruiz	PUSH	C	PUSH	Jorge Posada
Matt Stairs	PUSH	DH	PUSH	Hideki Matsui
Lee, Blanton, Hamels		SP	X	Sabathia, Burnett, Pettitte
Happ, Madson, Park, Bastardo		BP	X	Hughes, Joba, Robertson, Coke

Brad Lidge		CL	X	Mariano Rivera
Charlie Manuel	X	MGR		Joe Girardi

This series will be over examined on every level…maybe even by Yankees manager Joe Girardi. Here’s my reasons for the advantages.

First base: This was the hardest to separate. Both Howard and Teixeira had MVP quality seasons. One thing that Howard has progressed so well with is his defense, but he’s still not Gold Glove caliber, although I believe one day he will win one. Teixeira’s glove relaxes his infield teammates. That was the only difference.

Second base: As far as second basemen go, nobody turns a double play like Cano. Plus, Utley has been a bit disappointing in his defense early in this post season. There about the same in hitting, but Utley will steal a base where Cano is more slow-footed. This is also Cano’s first World Series. Utley is merely revisiting.

Third base: I really don’t have to defend this, but I’ll say that ARod’s numbers are awesome (.438 batting average, 5 HR, 12 RBI). Enough said.

Shortstop: If this were a couple of season’s ago, Rollins would get the edge. But Jeter put together possibly his best season ever…and he may just get some MVP consideration.

Left field: Before a groin issue put Ibanez on the shelf, he was an MVP front runner in the NL. He’s been a bit slow to come around, but he has responded. Damon struggled against the Twins but cam alive against the Angels. Again, defense makes the difference and Ibanez has more assists and has committed less errors.

Center field: Victorino has a Gold Glove, more speed, and a better bat. People always want to underestimate Cabrera, but Victorino is clearly the choice.

Right field: Werth’s bat came back alive in the final game of the NLCS cracking a pair of homers. Swisher continues to struggle this postseason. Plus, Werth is a better base runner and fielder.

Catcher: Regular season, it’s Posada. Postseason brings out the best in Ruiz.

DH: What’s to compare here? The swing and hopefully they hit. Both will have a handful of chances to change the outcome of this series.

Starters: Hard to go against the Yanks here. Even with the magic Charlie Manuel has pulled so far.

Bullpen: Neither pen has shown us a whole lot, but the Yankees have the better arms. New York fans just better hope their lack of experience doesn’t show.

Closer: Lidge is almost looking like the Lidge of ‘08. He’s still not Rivera.

Manager: Girardi wears 27 for a reason. The Yanks currently hold 26 Championships. Will he guide New York to 27? Charlie Manuel was in Girardi’s shoes last year. Experience separates this one.

Yes, the Yankees should emerge with number 27, but this has the potential to be the highest scoring World Series ever. No lead will be safe with the Bank and New Yankee Stadium being virtual bandboxes. Closing out games will be the main difference and Mariano Rivera is the greatest closer in baseball history. And he only throws one stinking pitch. Yankees in 7.

Yes, CC may have to pitch three times.

Technorati Tags: baseball,sports news

NFL Recap - Week 7 and Eagles/Redskins Preview

A quick look into the scores of Sunday's games including the awarding of game balls.

New England 35 (5-2)
Tampa Bay 7 (0-7)
England good to Patriots offense
Game ball: Pats WR Wes Welker (right) 10 rec., 107 yds, TD

Green Bay 31 (4-2)
Cleveland 3 (1-6)
Packers roll into Cleveland Stadium...and roll over Browns
Game ball: Packers QB Aaron Rodgers 15-20, 246 yds., 3 TD

San Francisco 21 (3-3)
Houston 24 (4-3)
Texans stave off late 49ers rally
Game ball: Texans TE Owen Daniels (right) 7 rec., 123 yds., TD

Minnesota 17 (6-1)
Pittsburgh 27 (5-2)
Steelers D scores twice as Favre fails to throw TD pass
Game ball: Steelers defense scoring 2 TD in 4th quarter

Indianapolis 42 (6-0)
St. Louis 6 (0-7)
Another standard Manning game
Game ball: Manning (right) 23-34, 235 yds., 3 TD

San Diego 37 (3-3)
Kansas City 7 (1-6)
Bolts bounce back with huge offensive output after Monday loss
Game ball: Chargers QB Philip Rivers 18-30, 268 yds., 3 TD

Buffalo 20 (3-4)
Carolina 9 (2-4)
Panthers Delhomme can't shake TO bug with 3 INT
Game ball: Panthers fans who attended a game the Panthers dominated...but still managed to lose

New York Jets 38 (4-3)

Oakland 0 (2-5)

Raiders cannot duplicate upset from last week

Game ball: Jets combo of RBs Shonn Greene and Thomas Jones (right) Combined: 45 car., 265 yds., 3 TD

Atlanta 21 (4-2)
Dallas 37 (4-2)
Cowboys defense forces 3 Falcons TO
Game ball: Cowboys WR Miles Austin 6 rec., 171 yds., 2 TD

Chicago 10 (3-3)
Cincinnati 45 (5-2)
Bengals Cedric Benson (right) gets his "revenge" as Cincy pounds Bears for 448 yds
Game ball: Bengals offense as a whole. Most point scored on Bears in 10 years. Benson, Palmer and Ochocinco all together

New Orleans 46 (6-0)
Miami 34 (2-4)
Saints overcome 21 point deficit and 3 INT from Brees
Game ball: Saints defense with 2 INT for TD

Arizona 24 (4-2)
New York Giants 17 (5-2)
Cards force four Giant turnovers and win on east coast
Game ball: Cardinals defense

Monday Night Preview

Philadelphia (3-2) @ Washington (2-4)

Eagles: So the Eagles get an extra day to prep for their division rival, the Redskins. Considering the way teh Eagles played in Oakland last week, head coach Andy Reid (left) must be thankful. Reid has been receving most of the crticism in the Eagles loss to Oakland because of all the passing plays (46 attempts) that were called. That won't change, but the Eagles do need to go after it on the ground more. QB Donovan McNabb's offensive line must keep the Redskins D off of him. McNabb does have "issues" if he's hit a lot or pressured a lot. Philly added a bit to their defense in acquiring Wil Witherspoon form St. Louis. They need the depth as LB Omar Gaither is the latest Eagle LB to be lost for the season. The defense's may concern primarily will be Redskins RB Clinton Portis. But they can't get to wrapped up on Portis or QB Jason Campbell, despite the "reviews", will strike.

Redskins: This week on the Young and the Redskins, former offensive coordinator and bingo caller Sherman Lewis will be calling the offensive plays tonight for the Redskins since head coach Jim Zorn (right) was stripped of his play calling duties by VP Vinnie Cerrato since he's the closest thing to a GM in Washington. Following that move, Cerrato was asked about Jim Zorn's future in ther nation's capital. Cerrato said that Zorn "...will be the head coach for the rest of the season and. hopefully, into the future." But it doesn't stop there! According to a story on nfl.com, QB Jason Campbell says about the Redskins, ""We've got more issues than you can think of. They're not going to be solved overnight, and they're not going to get solved in a short period of time." There were also rumors of T Chris Samuels having to retire due to a neck injury. Samuels has denied the retirement issue, but he will continue down the second advice road. Do you honstly think the Redskins can concentrate with all the distractions?

NFL Week 7 Preview-Late and Sunday Night

The late Sunday games should create an extension from the excitment from the early games with the Sunday night game potentially providing an aerial show.

Buffalo (2-4) @ Carolina (2-3)

Bills: QB Ryan Fitzpatrick will start instead of Trent Edwards (concussion). The one player that could benefit is WR Lee Evans. Evans never really seemed to be on the same page as Edwards. But Fitzpatrick is not a wizard through the air. All you have to do is look at Fitzpatrick's numbers last year at Cincinnati. The tandem of RBs Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson should provide the bulk of the Bills offense as the Panthers offer little resistence against the run (29th). The same is true for the Bills defense as they rank dead last (32nd) against the run and Carolina has a great tandem of their own. Oh, they can stop the pass though I don't expect Buffalo's defense to have to defend the pass that much.

Panthers: QB Jake Delhomme hasn't played well this year, yet the Panthers can be a .500 team with a win this week. RBs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart (left) are more than willing to pick up the slack for the passing game. Speaking of the passing game, WR Steve Smith says he no longer feels relevant to the Carolina offense. This isn't the game where Smith could again feel relevant as the Bills boast the 4th best passing defense. Carolina is no slouch in defending the pass either as they are 2nd. But can their run defense hold up against Buffalo? Whoever stops the run will win this game.

New York Jets (3-3) @ Oakland (2-4)

Jets: How far can rookie QB Mark Sanchez bounce back from his most disastrous performance as a pro? He can't be slouching on the sidelines and show that negative body language. And now he gets  shot at the Raiders. Oakland may not be the best place to go as east coast teams always have problems in Oakland and the Black Hole. RB Thomas Jones ripped throught the Bills for over 200 yards rushing last week. For the Jets to win, Jones will need a repeat performance. But Sanchez needs toput the last three weeks behind him. The defense has performed well so you cannot look at that side of the ball. The offense will win this game for the Jets.

Raiders: Do you think that DE Richard Seymour want to take his statement about the Raiders making the playoffs back? If Oakland is going to have his back. significant improvement must be made on both sides of the ball. The offense is ranked last (32nd) and the defense is ranked 26th. On the offense, they're last in passing and 28th in rushing. The running attack was supposed to be a strength of the Raiders. Plus, you constantly hear talk of QB JaMarcus Russell not progressing. Sure looks that way. The defense is decent against the pass (16th) but terrible against the run (28th). Look, when you can only manage 10.3 points a game, you're lucky to be 2-4. But last week showed us that the Raiders do have grit. Sometimes, that's enough.

Atlanta (4-1) @ Dallas (3-2)

Falcons: Atlanta survived a late scare and pulled off a win against the Bears last week. Now, they will visit the lavish home of the Cowboys. I sincerely doubt that sight will affect QB Matt Ryan. For only being in his second year, Ryan shows a poise well beyond his years. And look for Ryan to look to his newest weapon, TE Tony Gonzalez (right). Dallas cannot defense the pass, and Ryan is banking on that trend to continue. The pass just may open up enough for RB Michael Turner to rturn o hs '08 form. Turner has struggled this season, but Ryan, Gonzalez, and WR Roddy White have picked him up. The defense, again, exhibited a "bend but don't break" mentality. That's a trend that cannot hold o form this week as the Cowboys will exploit that.

Cowboys: Hey, QB Tony Romo. Here's your shot. Win an important game. The numbers all appear to be in the Cowboys favor (#2 offense v. #24 defense). Romo will most likely be missing WR Roy Williams and RB Felix Jones, but he will get RB Marion Barber back on the field. You can't doubt that the Cowboys have the talent. It's getting all that talent to perform as a unit. Kind of reminds me of the Chargers. What scares me is the Dallas defense. This unit has not come close to performing to the level it did last year. LB DeMarcus Ware returns and that could give the Cowboys more of a pass rush. They need it as Dallas only has 10 sacks so far this season. Get to Matt Ryan, you might just win a game.

New Orleans (5-0) @ Miami (2-3)

Saints: The whole world witnessed last week what a nightmare the Saints offense can give opposing defensive coordinators. They putup 48 points on the #1 ranked defense of the New Yourk Giants. But New Orleans is not only doing it with the pass, they can run and they can defend! QB Drew Brees and his selection of receivers is well publicized. It's the running game with Pierre Thomas, Mike Bell, and Reggie Bush that help make the Saints the best offense in the league. And that defense? 9th ranked. And while the DOlphins can run, the Saints are 5th against the run. Which will break first? Reggie Bush has been in the Wildcat during practice to help out the D. That could prove to be mst valuable.

Dolphins: Will the Wildcat prevail? Maybe the better question to ask is will QB Chad Henne have a breakthrough game? If he can do that this week, the Dolphins will look more like the playoff team from a year ago. We know RBs Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams can produce, but the passing game must step forward and relieve some pressure off the running attack. And the Dolphins defense must find a way to disrupt Saints QB Drew Brees and that vaunted passing game. But even if you slow down that passing game, the rush will get you. It may be too much offense for the Dolphins to stop. A lot of people are picking the Fins in this one. I'm not so sure.

Chicago (3-2) @ Cincinnati (4-2)

Bears: One thing that QB Jay Cutler must do is avoid red zone turnovers. The Bengals eat that stuff up. Maybe having a rushing attack and RB Matt Forte performing like last year would take so much pressure off Cutler. Forte has not been anything close to what he ws in his rookie campaign of last season. Cutler is a rich man due to his contract extension, so now's the time to show he's worth not only the trade, but the bucks. Cutler has found use of his receivers and TE Greg Olsen. The defense was dealt a couple of blows with LB Pisa Tinoisamoa out for the year and DT Tommie Harris doubtful for the game. There's a hole up the middle the Bears must close. Fill the hole and you can stop the Bengals running game. Just don't have a lead with 1:30 on the clock. You're as good as losing if that happens.

Bengals: Just when you want to believe in Marvin Lewis (left) and the Bengals, they lay a stinker. But hardened Bengals fans are accustommed to that feeling. RB Cedric Benson sorely wants a shot at his former team. Benson revealed that the Bears were basically trying to blackball him from playing again, going so far as to say that the Bengals told him (Benson) of such "tactics". Nothing like a good verbal fight. Benson was also slowed by a weak Houston rush defense last week, and the Bears defend the run better. Missing Harris and Tinoisamoa will create a void in the middle of the Bears defense that the Bengals can exploit. Will the defense be able to get pressure on Bears QB Jay Cutler without DE Antwan Odom? They better if they want to win because the Bengals are only 28th against the pass, a fact that you know is in Cutler's mind.

Arizona (3-2) @ New York Giants (5-1)

Sunday Night

Cardinals: Arizona went into Seattle last week and handed the Seahawks a major shock. The Cards stiffled the Seattle offense and left town with a 27-3 victory. Can the #1 ranked run defense do the same to the Giants and the #5 rush offense? What will happen when the Cards D is defending the pass? Major concern. Arizona is next to last (31st) in pass defense and the Giants are #11 in passing. The Cards are not known for their defense, but it's not a bad unit. Getting pressure on QB Eli Manning will be critical if the Cards are to pull off a road win. And the offensive line must keep that explosive front four off QB Kurt Warner. The Cards cannot run, so they must resort to that famed passing attack to win.

Giants: The offense scored 27, but the defense permitted 48. The result was the first loss of the season. The defense will have a chance to redeem itself this week. Arizona cannot build any form of a running game, so the defensive line can pin their ears back and go after QB Kurt Warner. When Warner gets pressure, he's prone to turnovers. Waner will go after a banged up Giants secondary, so pressure is mandatory. The offense should be all right, but the offensive line must create running lanes for RBs Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw (right). If the Giants can get 100+ yards on the ground, this game should be in the bag. They will have created offensive balance and the Cards won't know what hit them now that the Giants have a good pass attack.

Tomorrow, we'll look at the Monday Nighter with the Eagles and Redskins and the soap opera that's become the Washington franchise. We'll also recap Sunday's games.

NFL Week 7 Preview - Early Games

Week 7 delivers many great games...on paper. We can only hope that these great games can live up to the hype that accompanies them. Here's the six 1:00 PM games for this coming Sunday.

Indianapolis (5-0) @ St. Louis (0-6)

Colts: This matchup appears to be extrmely one-sided in the Colts favor. We said that last week about the Eagles-Raiders game and look what happened. That's what Indy has to be aware of this week, and I'm sure they will be. The #1 passing offense against the #27 passing defense. QB Peyton Manning (my MVP so far this year, left) shouldn't be too stressed, but he could use a boost from the ground game. This week may be a good week to get that going. S Bob Sanders is expected to play in his first game of the season after an offseason surgery on his knee. A good week to get Sanders some work as the Rams offer very little (except RB Steven Jackson) on offense.

Rams: Not a matchup any Rams fan will look at and think there's a chance for the first win of the 2009 season. But games are played for a reason because you just never know. Indy is a bit stingy against the pass, but we all know the offense rests in the hands of RB Steven Jackson. The problem is that Jackson has yet to visit the endzone. Jackson is also the Rams leading receiver with 20 catches. Got to find someone else to contribute. QB Marc Bulger may be the answer as he had a good game last week against the Jags in an OT loss. Still, the Rams are only averaging 9 points a game...and allowing 28.2. Can't win any games with those numbers.

Minnesota (6-0) @ Pittsburgh (4-2)

Vikings: The burning issue for Minnesota does not involve their QB. It's RB Adrian Peterson (right). Can he make headway against the Steelers and the #2 ranked run defense? If Favre has to be a factor, will Mr. All-Around Percy Harvin be able to play at 100%? Harvin has been nursing a shoulder injury and he contributed very little in the Vikes win against the Ravens. There's another potential problem. Can the Vikes D "contain" Steelers QB Ben Roethlsberger? Big Ben unloaded for over 400 yards against the Browns. The Vikes come into this game ranked only 24th against the pass. Can Peterson run? Can Big Ben be stopped? If the answer to both of these questions is "yes", the Vikes win.

Steelers: RB Rashard Mendenhall will maintain his starters status despite RB Willie Parker's return. We were starting to see a resurgance of the Steelers running game until a 400+ yard passing effort by QB Ben Roethlisberger last week. Might not se that this week as the Vikes can defend the run (9th rated). I'm wondering how K Jeff Reed will respond to all the pub he's got for his recent antics regarding a public intox. The NFL does not let anyone pass the police blotter without its scrutiny. It could get interesting if this game comes down to a field goal to win. Pittsburgh hasn't allowed a 100+ yard rusher in 24 games and here comes the NFL's leading rusher in RB Adrian Peterson. To make Minnesota one-dimensional might not be the best way to go with #4 at QB.

New England (4-2) and Tampa Bay (0-6) @ Wembley Stadium in London

New England: Could we see another 59-0? Possibly, but I sincerely doubt it. The one thing the Pats like to do is toss the ball around the lot, but the Bucs have shown the ability to stop the pass. Both RB Fred Taylor is out and RB Sammie Morris' may not play. That will leave the Pats with Laurence Maroney, Kevin Faulk, and BenJarvus Green-Ellis as the only RB. They're a bit thin at WR with the release of Joey Galloway and the status of Julian Edelman up in the air. You may not se a lot of 3 and 4 WR sets this week. Are the Pats going to be threatened on defense? The Bucs can't really run (#21). They can't really pass (#22). They can't really score (#27).

Tampa Bay: If the Bucs are going to surprise the British crowd, they're going to have to run against the Pats and the 20th ranked run defense. That and no turnovers from QB Josh Johnson. Remember when heard coach Raheem Morris tell everyone of the switch at QB and that Johnson gives the Bucs the best chance to win? His QB rating (58.9) is lower than previous starter Byron Leftwich (71.2). Johnson has more INT (5), more sacks (10), and less TD (3). Leftwich has 4 INT, 2 sacks, and 4 TD. Hmm. The defense is good against the pass (11th) but absolutely terrible against the run (31st). Where's Monte Kiffin when you need him?

San Diego (2-3) @ Kansas City (1-5)

Chargers: We saw a positive from last Monday's loss...RB LaDainian Tomlinson looked good, but the Bolts running game is still dead last in the league. Nice time to get the running game on track against the Chiefs, who are ranked 25th defending the rush. What seems illogical is if San Diego is stopped on a couple of running plays, they want to abandon it all together. Easy to do with Philip Rivers at QB and the weapons at WR and TE. Even against Kansas City and the #29 ranked defense, the Chargers cannot have that mindset. While KC may not threaten a defense, they did pull out a win with their defense last week.

Chiefs: Finally, a win. It was the Redskins and the defense added to the final 8 point cushion with a safety. Doesn't matter who it was against, the Chiefs may now feel a bit of confidence and would like nothing more than to take down division rival San Diego. The Chiefs have yet to show any type of real offense or defense. They rank in the bottom fourth in total offense (30th), rushing (25th), passing (27th), and scoring (25th). The Chargers will give up points so if KC can get on a short field, things may look even brighter. Oh yeah, the defense hasn;t really helped being 29th in total defense, 25th against the pass and rush and 24th in scoring defense. One can hope.

Green Bay (3-2) @ Cleveland (1-5)

Packers: Even with bringing back T Mark Tauscher and the return of T Chad Clifton didn't keep the Lions away from QB Aaron Rodgers last week (5 sacks). The Lions, I said!! Rodgers has now been taken to the turf 25 times this year, yet Rodgers is 5th in QB rating (104.1). An old friend returns to Green Bay. RB Ahman Green is back in Green Bay after a stint in Houston in '07 and '08. When the Pack is on defense, their focus will be on RB Jamal Lewis. Stop Lewis and you've stopped the Browns.

Browns: Twelve different players are suffering from illness. And now head coach Eric Mangini must find a way to improve on the worst defense and next to worst offense. Losing LB D'Qwell Jackson for the season severely hurts the Browns D. Two good things. Special teams ace Joshua Cribbs (left) continues to shine, and he's even been taking snaps in Cleveland's version of the Wildcat. Rookie WR Mohamed Massaquoi's has clearly emerged as the Browns best WR. Massaquoi leads Cleveland in receptions (16) and receiving yards (278). 13 of his 16 receptions have come in only 2 games which could be a bit of a cause for concern, but Massaquoi has only recently become a primary target.

San Francisco (3-2) @ Houston (3-3)

49ers: Good news, and I don;t mean that WR Michael Crabtree is starting ahead of Josh Morgan this week. RB Frank Gore should be good to go. Having Gore in the backfield should take more pressure of QB Shaun Hill as defenses were daring Hill to make a play in Gore's absence. It worked as Hill could only muster a 45.7 QB rating in the Niners last game, a 45-10 lost to the Falcons. Hill did almost get the 49ers a win against the Vikes until Brett Favre showed up. Now, let's see what Crabtree has, right? Not really. He's missed so much time that he may not even make an impression until next season unless he's the stud he claims he is. Despite the Niners gettin pounded by Atlanta, I'm not too concerned about the defense, but they must stop the pass.

Texans: QB Matt Schaub ripped through a decent Bengals defense last week. He just needs more consistency, not throw that pick, and more importantly, a running game. Despite scoring 28 points last week, all the scores came via Schaub's arm. Here's a stat that may have yourhead spinning. RB Steve Slaton has more receiving yards (282) than rushing yards (274). That would explain Houston being ranked 30th in rushing. But why would you want to run the ball when WR Andre Johnson (right) and TE Owen Daniels are having Pro-Bowl seasons? Got to keep the D honest...that's the only reason. For the last two weeks, the Texans defense has vastly improved against the run. Two weeks ago, they faced Arizona, so that may not be a good barometer. So look at last week. They held Cincy's Cedric Benson in check. Now, they have to do the same against Frank Gore. A critical game for both teams.

I'll look at the late games and Sunday night game tomorrow and we'll screen Monday night's game during my Sunday Recap.

Phillies to World Series Again

Last night, the Philiadelphia Phillies used four home runs to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers, 10-4, to advance to their second straight World Series and a chance to defend their 2008 World Championship. The Phils will await the winner of the New York Yankees - Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim series winner with the Yankees currently holding a 3-1 lead with Game 5 tonight.

I totally missed this one. I said L.A. in 6. After the way the Dodgers dispactched the St. Louis Cardinals and their 1-2 punch of Carpenter & Wainwright, who could have envisioned this outcome? As I look back at the NLCS, I realized a few things.

In my preview, I thought the Dodgers held an advantage over the Phillies at third base, bullpen, closer and a push as far as starting pitching. Even with the Phils 3B Pedro Feliz having only 2 hits, he had a higher batting average than Dodgers 3B Casey Blake. Blake hit a cool .105. Feliz, .118.

The pitching, as a whole, mystifies me the most. The Dodgers bullpen and their closer, Jonathon Broxton, were untouchable most of the season. But not when it counted the most. The Dodgers starting staff managed to allow almost a run an inning, walk a total of 23 batters,and Broxton couldn't hold a lead in what proved to be a pivotal Game 4. The Phillies pitches accounted for only 12 walks.

What about the Phillies closer, Brad Lidge (left)? If Lidge is choosing now to pick up where he left off, it couldn't be coming at a better time for Philly fans (and his Philly teammates). Only four Phillies pitchers gave up runs and two of those were starters (Cole Hamels and Joe Blanton). Of all Dodergers pitchers, only one that pitched more than an inning (Ramon Troncoso) did not allow a run.

Among the starting position players, only 1B James Loney (.353) and 2B Ronnie Belliard (.316) hit over .300. L.A. hit a total of 6 home runs, for the series. The Phillies had 4 last night alone. And how were the Dodgers going to score when their leadoff hitter SS Rafael Furcal, did not manage to score a single run in the series? In his 20 at bats, Dodgers CF Matt Kemp saw fit to strikeout 8 times. NLCS MVP Ryan Howard (right) walked 6 times.

Regardless of the outcome of the Angels-Yankees series, the Phillies will be on the road for the first two games of the World Series. With New York holding a 3-1 lead, Yankee Stadium appears to be their destination.

Imagine the runs that series would produce.

Monday NFL Week 6 Final and Notes

3423

Do you believe in the Denver Broncos now? Once again, Denver used a stiffling defense in the second half to overcome a halftime deficit and take a pivotal divisional game against the San Diego Chargers. The loss leaves San Diego 3 1/2 games behind the Broncos in the AFC West. Last year, the Chargers erased a four game deficit to win the division. But this is not the same Denver Broncos of a year ago. Once again, the Broncos were in the national spotlight and managed to deliver a win. Some quick notes.

1. The Broncos defensive unit features eight new starters from the 2008 version, including the NFL's leading sack man, Elvis Dumervil (left). Chargers QB Philip Rivers faced constant pressure in passing situations as Denver accumulated 5 sacks and plenty of hurried pass attempts. The Chargers could only muster one sack and Broncos QB Kyle Orton appeared to have plenty of time while in the pocket. The defense is quickly becoming Denver's calling card, especially in the second half of games. For the season, the Broncos defense has allowed only 10 second points (3 last night and 7 against Cincinnati in week 1).

2. There was possibly one positive for San Diego. RB LaDainian Tomlinson showed glimpses of his former self. LT managed 70 yards on 18 carries and 30 yards on 3 receptions. Rivers had a decent game going 20 of 33 for 274 yards and a TD. For the Broncos, the running game did amass 101 yards, but TE Tony Sheffler provided matchup headaches for the Bolts as he produced 6 catches for 101 yards with a TD. Don't look at Denver as just a defensive team. They can play a little offense, too.

3. But this night belonged to the special teams. Broncos WR Eddie Royal returned a kickoff 93 yards for a TD and a punt 71 yards for a TD. Since the merger, Royal is now 1 of 6 players to return a kickoff and a punt for TD in the same game. One of the other 6 is Chargers Darren Sproles. He also returned a punt for 77 yards and a TD in this game.

4. While I was watching the postgame, a couple of quotes from the analysts rang true. First, coach Jon Gruden. I've ribbed him for his constant referrals to Brett Favre. This week, he provided this: "...the Denver Broncos finish games." And ESPN's Steve Young, also in support of Josh McDaniels and his Patriots pedigree: "...better coached, better prepared...". McDaniels has brought the New England philosophy with him to Denver and it's working wonders for the franchise. But McDaniels summed it up best. In his postgame interview, he delivers what every coach says, but few deliver. "...we haven't done anything yet. We're gonna play every game to win it. That's how we prepare." That quotes sounds like he took it from his old boss.

5. The 50 th anniversary AFL uniforms.

Denver received a lot of "thumbs down" of their home 1960 throwback uniforms. While there was still the look of striped socks last night (left), the away unis are a bit better than the home (right). The yellow stripes on the pants? Ugh. But Broncos Eddie Royal was asked if he liked those socks. "We're 2-0 in 'em." Can't argue with that. The Chargers powder blues are as awesome as always. Until last night, the Chargers had won 9 straight contests in those powder blues.

6. Here's something you may not know. Kyle Orton is a winner. Considering all the controversy that surrounded Orton and Rex Grossman in Chicago and many wouldn't believe it. Orton is merely 27-12 as a starter. Do the math and he was 21-12 at the beginning of the season. To Chicago, Denver thanks you.

The Broncos will be on a bye next week while the Chargers travel to Arrowhead Stadium to battle the Kansas City Chiefs.