Week 12 Game of the Week

Tom Brady and the Patriots will try to out pass the Eagles.

New England Patriots at Philadelphia Eagles

Two of the best offenses face off. The list of the stars participating in this game is incredible. Tom Brady, Michael Vick, LeSean McCoy, Wes Welker, DeSean Jackson. The list goes on and on. Expect a shootout in this matchup.  

Patriots Offense: Tom Brady is leading the Patriots to another offensive surge this season. He is leading the NFL in passing yards per game. He’s throwing most of  his passes to Wes Welker. Welker is dominating this season. He’s leading the NFL in catches. In the running game, the Patriots still can’t seem to find a running back. Still, when you have one of the best passing teams in the NFL, you don’t really need that good of a running back. 

LeSean McCoy looks to take advantage of the Patriots defense.

Eagles Offense: Who would’ve thought? LeSean McCoy is now one of the best running backs in the game, if not the best. He has led a struggling Eagles team to the brink of play-off contention. The Eagles need to win this matchup in order to stay in the hunt. Mike Vick should look for DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin a lot, since the Pats have the worst passing defense in the NFL. Vick will be throwing many passes in this one. 

Edge: Patriots 

Patriots Defense: The worst passing defense in football. If Vick doesn’t get 200+ passing yards in this matchup, there’s obviously a problem with the Eagles. The rushing defense for the Patriots is solid enough to make Vick throw more. However, LeSean McCoy is one of the best ‘backs in the game. 

Eagles Defense: The Eagles’ defense is much better. The Dream Team signed the necessary free agents to build a great defense. The Eagles have a solid rushing defense as well. The rushing defense should not be much of a factor in this game, as the Pats cannot seem to find a consistent running back. 

Edge: Eagles 

Pick: With two of the best offenses in the game today, expect a lot of fantasy points from each player in this game. The key to this game will be how the Pats’ defense will hold up. If LeSean McCoy can rush his way to a few touchdowns, the Pats could lose. Tom Brady will be his dominant self in this one. The Patriots have a big edge at quarterback, while the Eagles have the same at running back. There will be numerous touchdowns, but the team with the better quarterback usually wins. 

Patriots 38- Eagles 35

Week 12 Picks: Last Week: 9-4

Minnesota Vikings at Atlanta Falcons 

The Vikings lost to the Raiders last week. Eeek! When you lose to a team with a quarterback who missed training camp,  you have a problem. Matt Ryan and Julio Jones should be able take care of the Vikes in this one. But there is still hope for AP, just not much. Falcons over Vikings 

Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals

Andy Dalton rolls on. The Bengals continue to win with him as quarterback. The Browns’ shouldn’t be much of a challenge. However, Montario Hardesty and Madden cover boy Peyton Hillis could possibly coming back. It doesn’t matter who is starting though, as the Bengals have the 3^rd best rushing defense in football. Bengals over Browns 

Carolina Panthers at Indianapolis Colts 

A matchup of two of the worst teams in the NFL. The visiting team has the most surprising quarterback of the season, in Cam Newton. The home team, doesn’t really have anyone special. This team (the Colts) has not won yet this season, and probably won’t win in this one. The Colts could somehow win though, the Panthers’ defense is not very good. Still, the Panthers have Newton. Panthers over Colts 

Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars 

Well look who it is. Matt Leinart, he of the 2004 Heisman trophy, is going to be throwing the ball for the division leading Texans. Welcome back to the NFL Matt! Your task is to lead your first place team to a victory over Maurice Jones-Drew and Blaine Gabbert. You think do it? I think so. Texans over Jaguars 

Buffalo Bills at New York Jets 

The Bills were supposed to be the NFL’s surprise team this season, after they beat the Patriots. After that victory, the team have been slowly slipping through the cracks, and the team is riding a three game losing streak. The Jets on the other hand, have not been doing so well either. The game is being played in the Meadowlands, and anything can happen; but Sanchez should do well at home. Jets over Bills 

Arizona Cardinals at St. Louis Rams 

Well isn’t that a coincidence. A matchup of the teams for which Kurt Warner played quarterback and then led the team to the Superbowl. These two teams could sure use his help now. Sam Bradford hasn’t been able to replay his rookie season again, and John Skelton is playing quarterback for the Cardinals. It will be hard to pick who’s going to win, but Steven Jackson is a great runner. Rams over Cardinals 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Tennessee Titans 

The Bucs are feeling kinda low right now. They have lost 4 in a row, and need to start winning to get to the play-offs. The Titans lost last week to the Falcons. Josh Freeman is having a great season, while Chris Johnson continues to disappoint. He has just two touchdowns, and two 100 yard games. Expect Freeman to end the losing streak. Buccaneers over Titans 

Chicago Bears at Oakland Raiders 

Carson Palmer vs… Caleb Hanie? Who is that? Well, he is the Bears’ starting quarterback this week. It’s a good thing the team has Forte. Without Forte, the Bears would get killed. For the Raiders, Michael Bush continues to thrive as the primary back. Carson Palmer is slowly coming together. Without Cutler, it’ll be tough for the Bears. 

Raiders over Bears 

Washington Redskins at Seattle Seahawks 

The Redskins still don’t have a quarterback, and the Seahawks are starting Tarvaris Jackson. Not much better. Marshawn Lynch is steadily improving for Seattle. While the Redskins have lost six in a row. The Seahawks should continue the team’s slow march to the play-offs. 

Seahawks over Redskins 

Denver Broncos at San Diego Chargers 

A quarterback who doesn’t pass? That is what the Broncos are believing in. That quarterback, Tim Tebow, has led the squad to three straight wins. The Chargers, who for once started the season well; are now in a bit of a funk. The team has lost five straight games. Can Tebow continue his dominance? The Chargers passing defense is great. But wait. Tebow doesn’t pass! The Chargers should end the team’s funk though. Chargers over Broncos 

Pittsburgh Steelers at Kansas City Chiefs 

This is a disappointing Steelers squad. Sure, the team is in 2^nd place in the AFC North, but losing to the Ravens. Twice? There have been better Steelers teams. Still, with Tyler Palko starting for the Chiefs, and no Jamaal Charles, the Steelers cruise. Steelers over Chiefs 

New York Giants at New Orleans Saints 

Eli Manning is having a fantastic season, one of his best. Drew Brees is also having a superb season as well. The Saints are in first in the NFC South, while the Giants trail the Cowboys by one game. This should be an entertaining game to watch. There will be a lot of passing in this one. It will be a close game, but Brees and Jimmy Graham should beat the Giants. Saints over Giants 

Thanksgiving Football Picks

Things sure won't be pleasant for the Harbaughs, as the Ravens take on the 49ers at home on Turkey Day. 

Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions

An NFC North rivalry to kick start your Thanksgiving. For the Lions, it’s one of the few years that they are in contention. So for the organization, this game means a lot.Two of the best quarterbacks in the game today are facing each other. Will the Lions be able to triumph over the undefeated Packers? It will be a difficult, and a sadly unlikely task. Still, it could be possible with the leadership of Matt Stafford and Kevin Smith. 

Packers over Lions

Miami Dolphins at Dallas Cowboys 

The Cowboys continue the team’s tradition of playing on Thanksgiving. The ‘Boys face a  Dolphins team which has won three games in a row. The Cowboys also have a win streak of their own going on right now.  DeMarco Murray could be the difference in this game whether his team wins, or gets the stuffing knocked out of ‘em.   

Cowboys over Dolphins 

San Francisco 49ers at Baltimore Ravens 

The 49ers cannot seem to lose, and neither can the Ravens. What will happen when they face a team with an equally as good a defense? Conflict at the dinner table, that’s what.  Frank Gore will try to create some holes but it’ll be tough, everyone on the Ravens wants a piece of him. Ray Rice will have an even harder time, everyone is going for him, which could cause chaos for John Harbaugh against his brother. The brothers will be forced to try different methods in this game. It will be a learning Thanksgiving for the brothers. This is hope for a clean game. No one should get hurt. 

Ravens over 49ers. 

Dear Joe Paterno...

Bye Coach Paterno! It's been a nice 46 years!

Dear Coach Paterno, 

What happened to you Coach? You were coaching at Penn State for what? 46 years. That’s a long time. A really long time. 46 years? Add the ages of [NBA players] Kevin Durant and Derrick Rose, and you will get 46.  Wow. So why aren’t you out there coaching anymore? Oh yeah. You let that Sandusky guy do some bad stuff Sure you told your athletic director. But that was it. C’mon coach. I respected you. Everyone respected you. You were supposed to be a traditional football coach, in the face of numerous college scandals; a breath of fresh air. You never did anything wrong, you were the most respected in the game. And then, the news came out. One of your other coaches,  Mike McQueary told you that your assistant coach was doing bad stuff.  Sure you told your athletic director, but that’s it! You’re Joe Paterno for crying out loud! You have power! You could have done so much more. Well, now you’re not coaching anymore. The scandal is old news. How can you get the university’s respect back? It will be extremely hard. You may never be able to do it. 

Week 11 Game of the Week

Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens

An AFC North rivalry game is taking place tomorrow. The Bengals visit Baltimore, as they try to pry second place away from the Ravens. Both the Bengals and the Ravens lost last week. They are tied at 6-3, and in second place in the AFC North. 

Bengals Offense: Andy Dalton. Who would have thought that the former TCU quarterback, is one of the best rookies this season? Dalton has led the Carson Palmerless Bengals to a 6-3 record thus far. He has thrown for 1,866 yards, more than any other rookie except Cam Newton. Another rookie, A.J Green is having a great year. Green, a wide receiver, has 35 catches for 435 yards. He leads all rookies in those categories. The rushing game has been a bit struggle for the Bengals. Primary back Cedric Benson has been injured for a little bit, and Bernard Scott has had to carry the ball. Benson is back now, but don’t look for him to be too much of a factor against the best defense in the league. 

Ravens Offense: The Ravens offense is always overshadowed by the team’s spectacular defense. Mostly it’s for good reason, but this year the team is looking to change that. Joe Flacco is having yet another solid year. He is 12^th in passing yards this season so far. Ray Rice is having a perfect fantasy season. Unfortunately, all those fantasy points are not exactly translating to real world success. The Ravens rank 24^th in rushing. Joe Flacco has great targets for himself in Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin. Smith and Boldin have combined for 6 touchdowns and 70 catches.

Edge: Bengals

Bengals Defense: The Bengals defense is surprisingly one of the best in football. They rank 5^th in total defensive yards. They rank 10^th in passing defense, but may have trouble defending Flacco. In defending the run, they rank second. Ray Rice will have some trouble against the Bengals. Flacco will have to work his arm a lot against this team. 

Ravens Defense: Known as the Best Defense in the game. The Bengals Rushing game, which isn’t very good in particular should not bother running against the 3^rd best rushing defense. Andy Dalton will have some trouble passing against a team which has the 3^rd most sacks. In total, the Ravens, with Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs, and more are going to be hard to do score against.

Edge: Ravens 

The Pick: Two all-pro defenses go against each other. Expect a low scoring game. Also, expect a lot of passing. Ray Rice will beg for carries, but the Bengals will keep stopping him forcing Flacco to pass. Andy Dalton is young, and will most likely make some rookie mistakes.  The Ravens have beaten the first place Steelers twice, while the Bengals lost in their only contest against them. When you beat the first place team twice, it’s kind of hard to lose to anybody else in your division. 

Ravens 17- Bengals 10

Week 11 Picks

Note: Similar to last week, we will have picks, but no longer in-depth analysis for each game. The most exciting game of the week will be selected, and there will be an in-depth preview for that specific game. However there will still be analysis. And now…. Week 11 Picks!! 

Jacksonville Jaguars at Cleveland Browns

Blaine Gabbert has been slowly developing as a quarterback, and could break out in this contest. The Jaguars also have Maurice Jones-Drew, who despite having a subpar year, is still an all-pro running back. Peyton Hillis is inactive and Colt McCoy isn’t exactly spectacular. It’s kinda obvious who’s going to win. 

Jaguars over Browns 

Carolina Panthers at Detroit Lions 

An intriguing matchup. Two former SEC quarterbacks going at it against each other. Cam Newton vs. Matthew Stafford. Both of these quarterbacks are having all-star years, and Newton is a shoe-in for Offensive Rookie. The Lions have been struggling of late, but should be able to get back on track. Lions over Panthers 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Green Bay Packers

The only undefeated team in the NFL happens to be the reigning Superbowl champs. Aaron Rodgers and his receivers are having an fun time catching the ball from Rodgers  Josh Freeman is also having a great season, unfortunately, it will be difficult for his squad to beat the champs.

 Packers over Buccaneers 

Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins

An AFC East rivalry. The Bills started off as one of the NFL’s best teams. They even beat the Pats! However, they’ve cooled down a bit. Still, the Dolphins aren’t exactly a challenge for these guys. Sorry Fishies, try again next year. Bills over Dolphins 

Oakland Raiders at Minnesota Vikings 

Carson Palmer is having a ball on the field. Are his fun times going to translate to a victory? Against AP and Christian Ponder? It will be tough for the former Heisman trophy winner, as Ponder is steadily improving. I don’t think he’ll do it. 

Vikings over Raiders 

Dallas Cowboys at Washington Redskins 

DeMarco Murray! Everyone’s most popular fantasy pickup. DeMarco Murray! The starting running back for the Cowboys, who after having a fantastic first game, has cooled down. The Cowboys probably won’t need him to do that well against the Redskins. The ‘Boys still have Romo, and the ‘Skins have lost Hightower, and (still) can’t find a quarterback. Cowboys over Redskins

Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers

While the baseball Cardinals won the world series… the football cardinals, after starting out 1-6... Have managed to win 2 games in a row. Pretty good, considering they’ve managed to do it under QB Johnny Skelton. Unfortunately, they’ve run into the Red Hot 49ers. The 49ers have won 8 games in a row. Frank Gore and Alex Smith unstoppable, and the rest of the spare parts on the squad will come together. 

 49ers over Cardinals 

Seattle Seahawks at St. Louis Rams 

Another AFC West matchup. Last year’s worst division has turned into the 49ers and a bunch of bad teams who couldn’t beat LSU.  This is a matchup of Tarvaris Jackson and a struggling Sam Bradford. Marshawn Lynch vs. Steven Jackson. Interesting matchup in the running game. The better running game will get the win. Rams over Seahawks

Tennesee Titans at Atlanta Falcons 

The Falcons have managed to come back this year. Matt Ryan struggled at the beginning of the year, but has seemed to regain his footing. Chris Johnson is the most disappointing player of the year. The NFL should make an award called the Chris Johnson award. It wouldn’t be an award to brag about. Falcons over Titans 

San Diego Chargers at Chicago Bears 

Two of the NFL’s most under appreciated quarterbacks face off. Phil Rivers vs. Jay Cutler. Rivers has received some love, but there are many critics. As usual the Bears’ D, is fantastic. That will probably be the difference in this one. Also, expect Forte to run over the Chargers. Bears over Chargers 

Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants 

LeSean McCoy. Possibly the best running back in football right now. Who would have known? The “Dream Team” did. The Eagles are finally putting the pieces together and have started ripping apart opponents.  The Giants are a great team, with a great quarterback. Eli Manning. With Vince Young starting, and Jeremy Maclin out, the Eagles could have trouble in the passing game. But the last time the Eagles played on Sunday Night football… Eagles over Giants 

Kansas City Chiefs at New England Patriots 

The Pats did it! The Pats finally ended their losing streak. The Chiefs did it! They ended their winning streak! Well, Jamaal Charles is out. Matt Cassel, hasn’t been good of late. How can this team win? The Chiefs are playing the worst defense. However, the Pats have the best offense, and a healthy Tom Brady. However, the last time these two teams played each other…. Brady was injured. Patriots over Chiefs

A Year Without the NBA

David Stern and the rest of the owners have been saying "No" to the proposed offers, prolonging the NBA Lockout.

Kevin Durant and other NBA players cannot be happy about being locked out. 

"It looks like the 2011-12 season is really in jeopardy”, said NBA commissioner David Stern. Ugh. Yet another opportunity to end the NBA lockout has failed.  Why can’t the two sides agree? This isn’t about healthcare,  IT'S ABOUT BASKETBALL FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!

How popular is basketball these days?  Ask anyone who has witnessed people shooting a piece of crumpled-up paper into a trash can while shouting “Kobe”!  How popular is the NBA? Everyone plays NBA 2K11. Fantasy basketball is the fastest growing fantasy sport. Basketball also has some of the more interesting metric stats, which gets statisticians involved and interested. Also, more and more youth are leaning towards playing basketball over other sports. The NBA also has more mainstream superstars than the other four major sports. Don’t believe me? How many big name players can you name in the MLB? Albert Pujols, Derek Jeter, and A-Rod are the only players right? In the NFL, there are countless top quarterbacks and running backs; but can you name your favorite team’s starting left guard? Didn’t think so. In hockey, with the exception of Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby, there really aren’t many that superstars.  The NBA has the most stars by far than any other sport. To name a few of these players: Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Derrick Rose, and Kevin Durant; but  the list goes on and on. 

So what will “The Big 3” do in their second season? Will Cuban and Dirk win another championship? Can Kobe win without Phil?  The world may never know the answers to these important questions. The games are canceled through November. Commissioner Stern may cancel more. 

So what does this mean? The last time a major sport didn’t have a season was in 2004-05 when the NHL was locked out for a year. Though there are still some devoted fans, Hockey fandom has gone down in the U.S. Who knows what will happen with the NBA. Will people still watch it when it returns? Will the players recover? How will the coaches ready their teams with such short notice? These and other essential questions will hopefully be answered this year. Hopefully soon. 

Will there be an NBA season? Depends on who you ask. For optimists, there will be one by Christmas. Pessimists hardly believe,  another National Basketball Association game is possible. Sadly, no one can predict when the NBA will return. We’re hoping for a gamewinner from MJ, to save the day. 

Week 10 Sunday Night Football

Note: After intense deliberation, the writer of this blog has decided to only go in-depth for the Sunday Night football game. (in the play-offs it will be a different story).  With the exception of this week, for the remainder of the NFL season there will still be picks. But no longer in-depth analysis of every game. Just this one. Don’t worry there’s still going to be picks each week. 

The New England Patriots vs. The New York Jets. An interesting matchup. A rivalry. A game of strategic coaching. A game with high-profile receivers. One team has one of the best defenses in the NFL, while the other has the worst. One team has an all-star quarterback, while the other passer is a work in progress. 

Patriots Offense: The New England Patriots’ attack, as usual starts with Tom Brady. Brady is having yet another fantastic year for the Pats. Wes Welker. Wes Welker is a monster. 66 catches on the year, 13 more than second place, [Dolphins receiver]  Brandon Marshall. Welker also has 6 touchdowns thus far. In the running game, the Patriots have struggled to find a primary back. Rookie Stevan Ridley had a couple solid games, but has unable to gain the starting job. Kevin Faulk had a decent game, but went down with a knee injury. Danny Woodhead and BenJarvus Green-Ellis also have carried the ball for the Patriots. 

Jets Offense: Mark Sanchez has struggled for the Jets. He is ranked 20^th in passing yards. Ouch. On the receiving side, Plaxico Burress and Santonio Holmes have combined for about 50 catches. Another ouch. Their receptions combined are less than Welker’s receptions by himself. Shonn Greene has also been running for the Jets. He has 502 yards and 2 touchdowns for the Jets. 

Edge: Patriots 

Patriots Defense: This is an extremely sad topic. The Patriots have the worst passing defense in the NFL. It probably is one of the worst in recent years. The passing defense has contributed to the team’s recent 2 game losing streak. Even though Sanchez is not exactly an All-pro, he could torch the defense tonight.  Good news for the Patriots, the run defense is pretty top-notch. The team’s rushing defense is ranked 9^th. 

Jets Defense: The Jets’ defense is what has kept them in contention this season. The team is ranked 7^th in total yards. Another bonus, the passing defense is fantastic. They are ranked 4^th in yards per game. The secondary should give Tom Brady a hard time. The rushing defense is a work in progress, but is satisfactory enough to get by. 

Edge: Jets 

The Pick: Both of these teams have their strengths and weaknesses. The best offense in the league, against one of the top defenses. An okay offense, against the league’s worst defense. This game should be close. The game’s result comes down to the Patriots defense and Mark Sanchez. If the Patriots defense can hold up, the Patriots should rout the Jets. If it can’t, the Patriots will slowly drop out of contention. If Sanchez does his job, the Jets will remain in the game for a while. If he doesn’t, it could be a long game. I’m betting that the Pats’ defense holds up and snaps the team’s losing streak. 

Patriots 31- Jets 20

Confessions of a Patriots Fan

Tom Brady and the Patriots, slowly falling from the top teams in football.

Whenever someone asks me about my team, I will defend the team in the best way possible.  No matter what sport. Even if the team is not doing well, or the player is facing something. It is my team, and I was given a choice to support it, and have to support it until the very end.  However, one must say everything about their team. Not just the team’s triumphs, but its struggles as well. A person who can admit all of these facts about their team is a true fan. 

Tom Brady is no longer the best quarterback in the NFL. That being said, he is still in the top-tier of quarterbacks. Just not the best quarterback. The Patriots are a great team. They are just not the greatest team anymore. These are facts that every Patriots fan should realize. 

Yes, yes it’s true. A Patriots fan acknowledging that his favorite team is not the premier team in football. I remember when I first became a Patriots fan. I was 5-6 at the time, and it was when the Patriots were in the Superbowl. The first football game I watched was Superbowl XXXVI, when Adam Vinateri kicked the game winning field goal to beat the Rams 20-17. Ever since then, I have watched Tom Brady win two other Superbowl games, and have an (almost) perfect season. 

After the win against the Rams, the Pats took a year off, and then proceeded to win 2 straight Superbowl championships. Following the win against the Eagles 2 years later,  the Patriots have yet to win another championship. They came close, losing to the Giants in the Superbowl because of a catch some guy made who isn’t in the NFL anymore.  They have failed to win a play-off game since the 2007 season. 

So why then does everyone think the team is a play-off contender? Because of Thomas Edward Brady. Brady is a fantastic quarterback, who has the ability to lead a team. He is surrounded with fantastic receivers, and the coach of the decade, Bill Belichick. A fantastic team on paper, but on the field...

The truth is, the team is not as good as it used to be. Sure the Patriots had Wes Welker, Randy Moss, Adalius Thomas, and other notable players at one point. But when a team has countless stars, and have already won 3 championships in the past 4 years; they are expected of winning everything. When this team was formed, a new Patriots dynasty was expected to have started. It lasted about a season and a half, before Moss was released, and the team couldn’t win in the play-offs.

The glory days of the Patriots are behind them. Vinateri is gone. Deion Branch is no longer the Superbowl MVP winning receiver, and sadly, Brady is getting old.  Every football fan has the team as one of their picks to win the Superbowl each year, but the team can’t do it.  It’s almost as if the team is cursed. They cannot seem to win, anymore. In fact, the Patriots lost to the Bills this year for the first time since 2003. In the current season, the Patriots are in a 2 game losing streak that could extend to 3 games this week. 

Patriots fans, we must come to the realization that our team needs to be improved. We need to continue cheering our hearts out for victories, because our team isn’t as good as it used to be. The Patriots need our support We need to still root for our team, and be loyal. And never give up. Go Patriots, and let’s beat the Jets on Sunday! 

Top Players of Week 9

Top Players of the Day

Quarterbacks: 

Philip Rivers- 385 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions

Ben Roethlisberger- 365 yards 1 touchdown and 1 interception 

Tom Brady- 342 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions 

Running backs: 

Willis McGahee- 163 yards and 2 touchdowns

Marshawn Lynch- 139 yards and 1 touchdown

Steven Jackson- 130 yards

Receivers: 

Vincent Jackson- 7 catches for 141 yards and 3 touchdowns

Wes Welker- 9 catches for 136 yards 

Julio Jones- 3 catches for 131 yards and 2 touchdowns 

Week 9 Recap

Week 9 in Review

It was a hard week. Not many games went in our favor. The Patriots, Rams, Bills, Chiefs, and Raiders. The Bengals-Titans game was not part of this pick process. However, the Falcons, Saints, Texans, 49ers, Ravens and Cowboys all won their games. This leaves us with a weekly record of: 6-5

The Arizona Cardinals ended the momentum of the St. Louis Rams. John Skelton managed to throw for 222 yards and a touchdown, to make up for their struggling rushing game. Early Doucet had 78 yards receiving, and Larry Fitzgerald scored their only touchdown. Sam Bradford threw for 255 yards, but no touchdowns. This game featured 2 safeties, two tackles of Skelton in the endzone. The game was won in overtime, by Patrick Peterson’s 99 yard kick return. Steven Jackson also had another great rushing game, rushing for 130 yards. 

The Miami Dolphins win! The Dolphins routed the Chiefs 31-3 and earned their first victory of the season. Matt Moore threw for 3 touchdowns and 244 yards. A great game for him, and his ranking as a quarterback becomes higher. Reggie Bush ran for 92 yards as a touchdown as well. Matt Cassel threw for 253 yards for the helpless Chiefs. This was a game which the Chiefs just struggled. There was no turnovers in the game, which is pretty interesting. The Chiefs’ winning streak comes to an end at 4 games after their loss to the Dolphins. 

What an offensive attack by the Falcons. Julio Jones had 131 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns. Michael Turner ran for 71 yards and a touchdown, and what a game by Matt Ryan. Matt Ryan threw for 275 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Falcons beat the Colts 31-7. Curtis Painter played one of his worst games. He threw for just 98 yards and an interception. Jerraud Powers returned an interception for a touchdown, the Colts’ only one of the game. The Colts’ loss makes 0-9. They remain the only winless team in the NFL. 

Take that Bucs. The Saints avenged their Week 6 loss to beat the Buccaneers 27-16. Drew Brees threw for 2 touchdowns, and Pierre Thomas ran for one as well. For the Buccaneers, Josh Freeman threw for 281 yards and a touchdown, and LeGarette Blount ran for 72 yards. The Saints wanted to win after their loss to the Rams last week. This win over their division rivals puts them in first place, while the Buccaneers’ loss puts them in third. 

When you lead 13-3 after the first half, the game is pretty much in your hands. For the San Francisco 49ers, it was indeed. The 49ers held on to their lead, and won 19-11 against the Washington Redskins. Alex Smith threw for 200 yards and a touchdown, and Frank Gore ran for 107 yards. For the Redskins, John Beck threw for 254 yards and a touchdown. Roy Helu had a fantastic receiving game, with 14 catches for 105 yards.The win gives the 49ers yet another W, for the second best record in the NFL. 

After a deadlocked first half, the Cowboys broke away from the Seahawks and won 23-13. Tony Romo threw 2 touchdowns for 279 yards, and Dan Bailey kicked 3 field goals. DeMarco Murray had a great rushing game for the Cowboys, rushing for 139 yards. Tarvaris Jackson had a great game, throwing for 221 yards, and kept his team in the game throughout the first half. Marshawn Lynch had a great game, after a horrible one last week, rushing for 139 yards and a touchdown. The Cowboys avenged their embarrassing loss last week to the Eagles. 

Well that’s ironic. Jake Ballard, who caught Eli Manning’s game winning pass over the Patriots wore David Tyree’s number. Even though he may not be playing football anymore, he’s still in the hearts of the Giants, as they won 24-20 over the Patriots. Tom Brady had a great game for the Patriots, throwing for 342 yards and 2 touchdowns. Manning threw for 250 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Patriots lose their second game in a row, as they head to the Meadowlands to play the Jets. The Giants win their second game in a row, and are in first place in the NFC East. 

Aaron Rodgers rolls on. The Packers are now 8-0, as they continue their dominance, by beating the Chargers 45-38, in a shootout. Rodgers threw for 247 yards and 4 touchdowns to 4 different receivers. Phil Rivers also had a great game of his own, throwing for 385 yards and 4 touchdowns of his own. Unfortunately for him, he also threw 3 interceptions. Vincent Jackson had a monster game for the Chargers as well, catching 7 passes for 141 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Packers prevailed as they took a lead in the first half from 2 interception return touchdowns. The Packers are still the only undefeated team in the NFL, while the Chargers lose their second in a row. 

Tebow wins it. Well, critics, please be quiet. Tim Tebow threw for 124 yards and 2 touchdowns, and ran for 117 yards as well. He helped the Broncos orchestrate a comeback over the Raiders after being down 17-7 after the first half. The final score of the game was 38-24 Broncos. Willis McGahee ran for 163 yards and 2 touchdowns to help the Broncos. For the Raiders, Carson Palmer had a fantastic game, throwing for 332 yards and 3 touchdowns. T.J. Houshmanzadeh, in his first NFL game in a year, caught 1 pass for 28 yards for the Raiders.

The Jets took an early 13-0 lead, and never looked back as they beat the Bills 27-11. Mark Sanchez threw for 230 yards, and Nick Folk kicked two 50 yard field goals. For the Bills, Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 191 yards, and Fred Jackson ran for 82 yards. The Jets’ victory puts the AFC East standings in chaos. The win puts the Jets, Bills, and Patriots in a 3-way tie for first place. The Jets take on the Patriots next week at home. 

The Houston Texans could be in the play-offs. Yes, you read that right. The Texans beat the Browns 30-12, to stay in first place in the AFC South. Arian Foster ran for 124 yards and a touchdown, and Ben Tate ran for 115 yards and a touchdown to help the Texans. Colt McCoy threw for 146 yards for the Browns. Chris Ogbannaya got his carries, 13 of them actually; unfortunately could not execute them well enough, garnering just 28 yards. The loss puts the Browns in last place, in a very, very hard AFC South. 

Go Bengals. The Bengals continue their dominance this season, as they beat the Titans 24-17. Andy Dalton threw for 3 touchdowns and 217 yards. A.J Green had a great game, catching 7 balls for 83 yards, and Cedric Benson, playing his first game in 3 weeks, ran for 78 yards. Matt Hasselbeck threw for 272 yards and 2 touchdowns. Chris Johnson continues to struggle, gaining just 64 yards for the Titans. 

It came down to the wire. The Ravens were beating the Steelers 16-6 at the end of the 3^rd quarter. That was before Roethlisberger went into dominant mode, and led his team to what should have been a 20-16 victory. With 2:17  left on the clock, Joe Flacco led a 92 yard drive to the endzone which culminated on a 26 yard pass from Flacco to Torrey Smith. Flacco finished with 314 yards and the one touchdown to Smith. Ben Roethlisberger had a fantastic game, with 365 yards passing. Antonio Brown finished with 5 catches and 105 yards receiving. The win for the Ravens makes it a season sweep for them over the Steelers. It also puts them in a first place tie with the Bengals in the AFC North. 

The Ravens showcased their status as one of the AFC’s best teams, beating the Steelers for the second time this season. The Packers yet again demonstrated their dominance, beating the Chargers. The Patriots continue to struggle, going on a losing streak. The Texans continue their play-off run in the dreadful AFC South. And the Colts….still haven’t won. Stay tuned for next week in the NFL! You never know what can happen. 

Week 9 Picks

Week 9 Picks

Peyton Manning still hasn’t thrown a pass. The Colts have not yet won a game this season. Chad Henne is on injured reserve. The Dolphins can’t win either. As we pass the midway point in the season, the Colts and Dolphins cannot seem to find a way to win. 

Meanwhile, The Great Packshow, led by quarterback Aaron Rodgers, are the only undefeated team in football. They could be repeat champions, but more importantly; could be the first team since the ’08 Patriots to have an undefeated season. Hopefully, a man named David Tyree won’t end their quest for a repeat. The Packers visit sunny San Diego to play the Chargers. This is a matchup of two division leaders. Also in this matchup, are two top 10 quarterbacks in Rodgers and Rivers. Rivers has had a great season thus far, and is leading the Chargers to a surprisingly good start, but have been struggling of late; losing their last 2 games.  For Rodgers its been business as usual, as he has thrown for 20 touchdowns for best in the NFL.  

Packers over Chargers

Speaking of David Tyree, the New York Giants visit the New England Patriots in a rematch of Superbowl XLII. The Patriots lost to the Steelers last week. It was the first time this season that Tom Brady has failed to throw for 200 yards. Brady should be able to come back however, because the Giants defense will not be able to contain him. Also, top pass catcher Wes Welker is due for another big game. Welker has struggled recently, and will need to get back to his old form in order for the Patriots to succeed. For the Giants, Eli Manning had a great game last week, throwing for 349 yards. The Giants are leading the NFC east by 2 games. Patriots over Giants 

In other Week 9 news, the Baltimore Ravens visit the Pittsburgh Steelers, in an AFC North battle. The last time these two foes faced off was in Week 1, when the Steelers were demolished 35-7. We will see if Ray Rice can build on his 3 touchdown game last week. The Ravens also have the best defense in football. They have become unstoppable, with Rice and quarterback Joe Flacco. It will be difficult to tame Ben Roethlisberger, who has been unstoppable of late but the Ravens should be able to somehow manage.  

Ravens over Steelers

Picks: 

Seattle Seahawks at Dallas Cowboys

The Seahawks are on a 2 game losing streak, while the Cowboys were embarrassed on Sunday Night Football against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Cowboys still have Tony Romo, who is a solid quarterback, while the Seahawks have Tarvaris Jackson. Jackson is not exactly a Tony Romo. Heck, he’s not even an Andy Dalton. After Marshawn Lynch’s terrible game last week, all signs are pointing to the Cowboys, who if DeMarco Murray shows up, should cruise to victory. Cowboys over Seahawks 

Miami Dolphins at Kansas Chiefs

After starting out 0-3, and losing the hope of countless fans, the Chiefs have turned it around. The Chiefs have won 4 in a row, without Jamaal Charles, who is on injured reserve, and with an unspectacular quarterback. It doesn’t matter how pretty you do it,  they’ve managed to win games. The Dolphins don’t have that power. They cannot seem to find a starting running back, and Matt Moore has been rather disappointing in filling in for Matt Moore. The Chiefs should extend their win streak easily. Chiefs over Dolphins

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints 

Ouch. The Saints lost to the Rams last week, to help the Rams win their first game of the season. It would be hard to pick against the Saints this week, as they do have one of, if not if the best quarterback in the NFL. The Bucs are coming off a bye-week. Josh Freeman has been a solid passer for his squad. LeGarrette Blount has ran well for the Bucs, who beat the Saints the last time these division rivals faced each other. The Saints are coming off a bad loss to the Rams, and want avenge the Buccaneers for their  week 6 loss. Saints over Buccaneers

San Francisco 49ers at Washington Redskins

What a surprise. The 49ers have a winning record, and seem assured of a play-off spot in the dreadful NFC West division. The ‘Skins’ have managed to have a 3-4 record despite having quarterbacks who would be a backups in Division II. Tim Hightower has managed to run the ball well enough for his team, to help them get those three W’s.  The Niners have been playing really well of late. Though the team is due for a loss, Alex Smith and Frank Gore should be able to contain the ‘Skins’ defense. 

49ers over Redskins

Cleveland Browns at Houston Texans

Another quality quarterback matchup. This game features Colt McCoy of the Browns and Matt Schaub of the Texans. The Texans could make the play-offs for the first time in their team’s history this season. Arian Foster has been dominant for the Texans. The Browns, with injuries to Peyton Hillis and Montario Hardesty, are forced to start Chris Ogbonnaya. His name says it all.  Texans over Browns 

New York Jets at Buffalo Bills 

The Buffalo Bills are everybody’s surprise team. Fred Jackson is one of the best running backs this season, and Ryan Fitzpatrick has used his Harvard to degree for some use. Being an NFL quarterback. The Jets were known for their defense, which has been good, but is not as good as in previous years. Sanchez has not been that good for the Jets this season, and the Jets’ winning chances will most likely rest on his shoulders. 

Bills over Jets

Atlanta Falcons at Indianapolis Colts 

Poor Curtis Painter. No matter how good he will turn out to be in the NFL, everyone will always see him as the guy who couldn’t win with the Colts. That shouldn’t be the case, as his defense is excruciatingly painful to watch. Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, and Roddy White will take full advantage of this defense. Expect another blowout. Again, poor Curtis Painter. Falcons over Colts 

Denver Broncos at Oakland Raiders 

Tim Tebow. The most controversial quarterback in America. He has plenty of haters. Not many lovers. Yet, he’s an NFL quarterback, and your on your couch watching him. The guy is criticized too much. Give him some slack, but not a lot of it. He hasn’t exactly been a good quarterback. Meanwhile, the Raiders have a situation of their own. Jason Campbell is out and so is Darren McFadden. Which means Carson Palmer/ Kyle Boller and Michael Bush have to start. It should be interesting game for these AFC West rivals. 

But the Raiders should prevail. Raiders over Broncos 

St. Louis Rams at Arizona Cardinals 

The Rams have moved up in everybody’s ranks after the victory over the Saints last week. Unfortunately, that meant from being among worst teams to being among one of just 2, one loss teams. Fortunately for the Rams, the other team in that category happens to be the Cardinals, their opponent this week. Kevin Kolb is unlikely to start for the Cardinals, so rookie John Skelton will get the start. If Sam Bradford is unable to participate, A.J Feeley will be throwing the ball, who managed to lead his team to victory last week. The Rams are riding on a hot streak right now, while the Cardinals have lost 6 in a row. Rams over Cardinals 

Chicago Bears at Philadelphia Eagles 

You saw it. It was on national television. The Dream Team beat America’s Team. LeSean, and Michael (not Jordan) were unstoppable. Now comes the real test. A team with a solid defense. The Bears come into this game after a bye week. Matt Forte is one of everybody’s favorite running backs this year. Unfortunately the other one, is LeSean McCoy, who’s running against the Bears. Expect another great performance from McCoy, and another equally fantastic one from Vick. Eagles over Bears 

What a great selection of games this week. This week’s most important, and probably the most interesting to watch will be Ravens vs. Steelers. The Ravens will be looking to continue their dominance on defense, while Ben Roethlisberger will attempt to continue his stellar season. The Packers face the struggling Chargers, who hope to end a losing streak against the reigning Superbowl champions. 

Pick results: Last week- 10-3

Week 9 Fantasy Advice

You know that feeling. It’s Thursday night, and you need help. Your team is on the cusp of clinching the play-offs. But you have a problem. Standing in your way is the best team in the league. The one who picked the best players, best sleepers, the best all around team. How do you beat him or her? Listen to some guy give you advice on how to beat ‘em or play solely by the rankings, which are often wrong. OR…. You could read this blog entry, which tells you who to play, who not to play, and guys to pick up as Sunday approaches. 

Quarterbacks: 

Who you should start: 

Eli Manning. Manning is facing one of the worst passing defenses in history in the New England Patriots. Manning has great receivers in Victor Cruz, Mario Manningham, and Hakeem Nicks. Manning had a great game last week against Miami throwing for 349 yards and 2 touchdowns. Expect a fantastic game from the younger, and only Manning currently playing.

Matt Ryan: Ryan is facing the 3^rd worst passing defense in the NFL, in the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts are winless, and are not expected to win this game. Ryan has had a solid season, but we expected better from a guy with Roddy White, Michael Turner, and Tony Gonzalez, and Julio Jones. This is his chance to throw for 300+ yards. The Colts have been unable to do anything on offense, and the Falcons defense should be able to stop Curtis Painter & Co. 

Drew Brees: The NFL’s leader in passing yards should break out in this game. After throwing 3 picks in Tampa Bay earlier in the season, he should perform significantly better in this matchup, with the best tight end in football in Jimmy Graham, and solid receiving corps. 

Running backs:

Who you should start: 

Beanie Wells: If he is able to start the game, (as of tonight, November 3, he was a limited participant in practice). He should dominate. Playing against one of only four teams that have allowed 1000+ rushing yards he should have a huge game of the season. A game similar to one that a running back had this year, and in some leagues received 40 points. (If you don’t know who I’m talking about see Foster, Arian Week #7.) The Rams were able to squeak one away from the Saints last week, but that was pure luck, Beanie should kill ‘em this week. 

Michael Turner: Yes, yes another Falcon. I know. But the Colts’ run defense is second worst in the NFL, and if Matt Ryan struggles, (which he most likely won’t) Turner will take more of the load. Turner is having a great year for the Falcons, who has a team have not been. Expect the Falcons to run all over the Colts, and give them a drubbing similar to their 62-7 loss to the Saints. 

Steven Jackson: After starting out the season slow. I mean really, really slow. He has started to wake up and become himself. After a fantastic week last week, leading his team to their first victory of the season, expect to have another 100+ yard rushing game.  Jackson keeps improving, and you should absolutely start him. 

Wide Receivers: 

Who you should start: 

A.J Green: Andy Dalton has been throwing well enough for Green, and the Bengals are starting to become a team to watch this season. Though the Titans’ passing defense is good, Green is all the Bengals have at receiver, and he should get the ball a lot. If your league does PPR, play this guy, he will do you some good. 

Wes Welker: Everyone in PPR leagues was worried there. Is Welker not going to play? The good news is, ladies and gentlemen, he has been upgraded from questionable to probable. He practiced today, Thursday. Welker has struggled in the past few games. But do not rule him out, everyone keeps waiting for him to bounce back, and this might be the game. After a tough game at Pittsburgh, he goes back home to Foxborough to face the Giants. Everyone is hoping for a big game from good ‘ol Wes. And this week, his owners will get one. 

Dwayne Bowe: 

Dwayne Bowe? That guy, I remember him. He helped Matt Cassel and the Chiefs reach the play-offs right? He was a solid receiver. What’s he doing this year? Well, Bowe is doing well. He, like Welker is in a 2 week slump, but should get out of it in Miami. Why? Simply because Miami can’t beat anybody. Bowe is all the Chiefs have at receiver. He’ll dominate against the Dolphins, and help the Chiefs get back to the play-offs. 

Who you should not start, a simple list. 

Rashard Mendenhall-He is not that good this season, and he’s facing the Steel Curtain.‘Nuff said. 

Ben Roethlisberger-He is doing extremely well, unfortunately, he also has the pleasure of facing the Steelers. Start at your own risk, but just know you were warned. 

Any Patriots running back-Their main back alters every game. Usually its BenJarvus, but every now and then Woodhead or even Faulk will get carries. Don’t count on their backfield. 

Chris Johnson- Mr. Disappointment. He has gotten one 100 yard game this season. In addition, Javon Ringer rushed for 60 yards last game. You’re better off not starting him, especially against the Bengals stellar rushing defense. 

DeSean Jackson- Yes, yes he had that great play against the Giants. But other than that, he hasn’t been that good of a receiver. He’s scored only 2 touchdowns this season, and has just had 77 yards receiving in his past 2 games. 

Who you should pick up: 

Vernon Davis-  Great tight end. He is in a really rough patch, but he should be able to fix that against the Redskins. Pick him up and put him on your roster, if Alex Smith continues throwing the way he has been, Davis should get some yardage and catches soon. 

Colt McCoy- The Texans’ defense is great, but McCoy is a solid quarterback, who has thrown for 175+ yards every game this season. Sure his team’s not that good, but McCoy is a solid pickup, and if your in need of an emergency quarterback, choose him. 

Chris Ogbonnaya- What a name. This guy will play though. With both Peyton Hillis and Montario Hardesty nursing injuries, Ogbonnaya should get plenty of rushing attempts. He should be okay, and if you need a guy who can get some carries and a few yards, here’s your man. 

Early Doucet- After an early season struggle, Doucet has been coming up the ladder these past few games. He’s been scoring a bit too. If you have Fitzgerald already, you might as well add Doucet, who’s on a touchdown streak. 

Take heed of this advice and use it wisely. Using this advice, you have found out players to play and to pick up in this Week 9. Fantasy owners, good luck and may your team prosper.