So after almost five months and over eighty NFL related posts on my blog, we are finally here and Superbowl XLVII is just hours away. It's been a long season but it has been another good one. We've had some great moments along the way and what better way to end it than with a bit of history in the Superbowl. It is amazing to think that the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers are coached by two brothers and one can only imagine the pride that their parents must be feeling right now.
The game itself is very intriguing. Both sides lost Conference Championship games last year but have bounced back from the disappointment to go one step further and reach the Superbowl. Both sides have done things a little different this year and whilst I haven't always agreed with it, I've been proved wrong. Initially I had them both as playoff teams and in my preseason predictions, I even picked the 49ers to win the Superbowl. As much as I'd love to sit here and bask in the glow of that prediction, I have to be honest and say once Alex Smith was replaced by Colin Kaepernick that went out the window. I still have issues with Kaepernick and it was a risky strategy from Jim Harbaugh to make such a big personnel change midway through the season. However, as much as I can look for ways to argue, the bottom line is Kapaernick, Jim Harbaugh and the San Francisco 49ers have made it work and they have earned the right to represent the NFC in Superbowl XLVII.
In the regular season, these teams won their divisions but neither held their conferences top seed. The Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons held that honour and it is no coincidence that the 49ers and Ravens have had to beat those two along the way to getting this far. The 49ers and Ravens both had decent regular seasons but more importantly, they improved in the playoffs. All year I have been looking at certain statistics to help me gage how good certain teams are. The Ravens have improved in 63% of the statistics I look at and the 49ers have improved in 75%. It just goes to show how important it is to peak at the right time in the NFL.
It will be no secret to anyone that the statistic I believe to be the most important is turnovers. I have looked at all ten playoff games so far and in every single game the team who has won the turnover battle has won the match. There was a few games were the teams had the same amount of turnovers but in the games were their was an outright winner, that team won the match. It will also not come as a surprise to learn that when I looked at the turnover differential table, the top two teams are the Baltimore Ravens (+5) and the San Francisco 49ers (+2).
One of the things I am looking forward to, is seeing how the Baltimore Ravens cope with the 49ers offense. In their three games so far, the Ravens have faced three passing teams. They have managed to get the better of Andrew Luck, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady but they face a totally different task when they take on Colin Kaepernick. The Ravens haven't done well against mobile quarterbacks and lost to Michael Vick and Robert Griffin III. Another of their defeats came against the Houston Texans who don't have a mobile quarterback but I would consider them to be a run first offense. The 49ers will combine a mobile quarterback with a run first offense and the Ravens will have to find a way to deal with that. They have improved on a lot of things throughout this playoff run so it's certainly possible that they will have a plan to deal with the 49ers.
In their two playoff games so far, the 49ers offense has put up some great numbers. In the regular season they averaged 362 yards of offense per game. In the playoffs they have improved their passing and their running. They are averaging 476 yards per game and most of that improvement has come on the ground. They are averaging almost as many yards on the ground as they are in the air with 236 rushing yards and 240 passing yards.
The one big issue is they have struggled against the pass so far. In the regular season they gave up just over 200 yards per game in the air. In their two playoff wins they have gave up a total of 644 yards. That's a huge increase but it can be offset a little by the fact that they played two pass heavy teams and a lot of their regular season schedule was against teams who prefer to run the ball. The 49ers will face a difficult task on defense as the Ravens have shown that they can win the game on the ground or in the air. Joe Flacco has done a great job in the playoffs but it things aren't working out for him he can always turn to Ray Rice who is among the best rushers in the NFL.
I can't write my preview without mentioning that this is the final game in the career of an NFL legend, Ray Lewis. Nobody can deny his achievements on the field and he has been a fantastic player for the Ravens over the years. He has had his fair share of controversies, including one this week when it has been claimed that he has been using illegal substances but that's a story for someone else and unless it's proven that he broke the rules, it's not a subject I will be talking about. Lewis has always been a controversial character but he is one of few players who will be able to say that he left everything on the field each and every time he stepped onto it.
Prediction - My final prediction of the season. Who will be crowned as King of the Harbaugh's? I'd like to say John as I like him but this isn't a personality contest and everything I know about football and everything I have learned this year about football tells me that the San Francisco 49ers will be crowned Superbowl XLVII champions.
Finally, I'd just like to thank everyone for all their support this season. A blog is pointless without readers and I have enjoyed reading all the comments, debates and encouragement received. I will do a review of the game but after that I'm not sure what I will be doing with regards the blog. You can follow me on Twitter if you want to keep up to date with any future plans. Thanks everyone and hopefully we will enjoy a great game. Good luck folks. Twitter - https://twitter.com/gjsportsblog
Showing posts with label NFL Preview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NFL Preview. Show all posts
Sunday, 3 February 2013
Saturday, 5 January 2013
NFL PLAYOFFS - Sunday's Wildcard Games
Indianapolis Colts (11-5) @ Baltimore Ravens (10-6)
Sunday's AFC wildcard game is similar to Saturday's as the wild card team come into it in better form. The Colts have won five of their last six games and the Ravens have only won one of their last five.
Indianapolis did finish with a better record than the Ravens this season but the Texans were even better and won the AFC South which meant the Colts had to rely on a wildcard. It has been a remarkable turnaround from the Colts after they finished last year as the worst team in the NFL. They got rid of a lot of their older players last year and brought in youngsters in an attempt to build for the future. I'm sure when they were building this team they would have set a target of a playoff place in two or three years time but they have managed to get their within a year and the future looks bright for the Colts and rookie quarterback, Andrew Luck.
The Colts were very good at home, winning seven games and they managed to finish .500 on the road to secure the number five seed in the AFC. The Colts had a decent record against playoff teams in the regular season, winning three of their five games. The one worry for the Colts is that all three wins came at home and their two defeats came on the road. The problem for the Colts is they hold the fifth seed so they will have to go on the road in the playoffs and will find it difficult.
The Colts were all about Andrew Luck. Everything good that they done, involved the rookie. Their passing game was ranked 7th in the NFL. They were in the bottom half in all the other statistics. Their running game was 22nd, their pass defense was 21st and their run defense was 29th. Andrew Luck didn't even get much help from his offensive line as they allowed 41 sacks which was the 10th worst record in the league. This resulted in turnovers and the Colts gave the ball away 27 times. The defense wasn't great either and they only managed to force 15 turnovers all year and sack the opponents quarterback 32 times.
The Ravens are in poor form and a few weeks ago they were in the race to earn a bye in the wildcard round but four defeats in five games has saw them drop to the AFC's fourth seed. The Ravens finished the season with a 10-6 record, which saw them win six at home and four on the road. Against playoff teams they have gone 2-3. Both of their wins came at home and they went 0-2 on the road.
This Ravens team hasn't been great all season and in my opinion they are underusing Ray Rice. Rice is an elite running-back but I don't think he got a big enough workload in the regular season. Having said that, the Ravens have made it to the playoffs without pushing him too hard and I expect him to be busy on Sunday. Rice is built to play playoff football and if the Ravens are to do well, they will have to give him as much of the ball as they can.
The Ravens biggest strength this year was taking care of the football. They turned the ball over on 16 occasions which is tied for the second best record in the league. The Ravens defense isn't as strong as it has been in recent seasons. They rank 17th against the pass and 20th against the run. They have produced 37 sacks this year which is 15th in the league. In recent years the Ravens have always had a tough defense but this particular unit isn't quite at the high level we are used to seeing from Ravens defenses.
Prediction - This will be a tight game between two sides who regardless of Sunday's results, I can't see progressing beyond the divisional round. I think these are the weakest sides in the AFC playoffs and would take any of the other four teams to beat them. The Colts are quite one dimensional and will throw the ball. They aren't great at protecting their quarterback but then again the Ravens haven't been known for their pass rush this year. My worry for the Colts is turnovers. Andrew Luck has thrown 18 interceptions this year and it is a massive problem for the Colts. I have gone on about teams taking care of the football all year and while I was looking at the statistics during the week I found a very interesting one. In both the AFC and the NFC, the five teams who have turned the ball over the least have reached the playoffs. That's five out of the six teams in each Conference which only underlines how important it is to take care of the football in the NFL. For those interested, the two teams who made the playoffs despite being outside the top five in this category were the Colts and the Vikings. If I was coaching the Ravens my game plan would be simple. Give the ball to Ray Rice and let him run all over the 29th run defense in the league. To this point John Harbaugh hasn't given Rice a huge workload but I think he will give him the ball in this game and it will lead to a Baltimore win.
Seattle Seahawks (11-5) @ Washington Redskins (10-6)
The wildcard round finishes with a battle between two of the NFL's most exciting rookie quarterbacks. Russell Wilson and Robert Griffin III have set the NFL alight this year with some spectacular plays and it seems fitting that they should face off for a place in the divisional round of the playoffs.
Seattle have reached this point with an 11-5 record and they have looked excellent in recent weeks, winning seven of their last eight games. Seattle were perfect at home, winning all eight games. They weren't as impressive on the road though and went 3-5. The Seahawks played against five playoff teams in the regular season and won four of the games, with their only loss coming in a tight game in San Francisco. Seattle's five defeats were all tight and their biggest loss was by seven points in that defeat to the 49ers.
Seattle look like a good old fashioned playoff team. They have the strong defense and the strong running game that used to be the criteria to win a Superbowl so it will be interesting to see how they get on in what has become a passing league. The Seahawks finished 3rd in rushing and their defense were 6th against the pass and 10th against the run. The passing game wasn't great and ranked 27th in the league but that was more to do with the play calling. Russell Wilson completed 64.1% of his passes and the Seahawks simply preferred to run the ball and the low rank is not a reflection on Wilson's play. Wilson ended the regular season with 26 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions which is a respectable ratio. The Seahawks also done well in relation to turnovers. The offense gave the ball away 18 times and the defense forced 31 turnovers, both of which were the 4th best records in the NFC.
The Redskins gave up a lot to trade up in the 2012 draft to take Robert Griffin III but he has repaid them with a playoff place and an NFC East title in his rookie season. RG3 is a special player and will surely go on to win multiple titles. He had a bit of a mixed start and although he was playing well, the Redskins weren't getting the results. They were 3-6 and looked to be heading towards another bad season but things clicked into place for them and they won their last seven games to finish 10-6 and take the divisional title. The Redskins faced four playoff teams this year, all at home. They split the four games, beating Minnesota and Baltimore but losing to Cincinnati and Atlanta.
The Redskins were all about the running game this year and rookie duo, RG3 and Alfred Morris led the team to an average of 169 yards per game on the ground. They also done better than any other team in the league in what I would describe as the most important statistic in football, turnovers. The Redskins turned the ball over just 14 times and that is a remarkable statistic for a team with a rookie quarterback. The Redskins defense were good at defending the run and ranked 5th in the league. They weren't so good at defending the pass though and ranked 30th. This was partially because they were unable to get a lot of pressure on the opposing quarterback. They picked up 32 sacks which was 23rd in the league. Their strength on defense was picking off the opposing quarterbacks and they had 21 interceptions.
Prediction - This game looks like being a cracker. Both offenses are a pleasure to watch and if nothing else at least we are guaranteed at least one more week of either RG3 or Wilson. Both sides will favour the run and both also have strong run defenses. Seattle seem to be trusting Wilson more and more as the season goes on and with receivers like Sidney Rice and Golden Tate on the field they can take advantage of a poor Washington pass defense. On paper, the Seahawks are the better team and I think they will get the win to keep their Superbowl dreams alive.
PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS
AFC
Wildcard RoundHouston Texans over the Cincinnati Bengals
Baltimore Ravens over the Indianapolis Colts
Divisional Round
Denver Broncos over the Baltimore Ravens
New England Patriots over the Houston Texans
AFC Championship
Denver Broncos over the New England Patriots
NFC
Wildcard RoundGreen Bay Packers over the Minnesota Vikings
Seattle Seahawks over the Washington Redskins
Divisional Round
Seattle Seahawks over the Atlanta Falcons
Green Bay Packers over the San Francisco 49ers
NFC Championship
Green Bay Packers over the Seattle Seahawks
SUPERBOWL
Denver Broncos over the Green Bay Packers
NFL PLAYOFF CHALLENGE
This is your final chance to join the blog's private league in this year's NFL Playoff Challenge. Just click the following link.
http://playoffchallenge.fantasy.nfl.com/group/22047/join
Sunday's AFC wildcard game is similar to Saturday's as the wild card team come into it in better form. The Colts have won five of their last six games and the Ravens have only won one of their last five.
Indianapolis did finish with a better record than the Ravens this season but the Texans were even better and won the AFC South which meant the Colts had to rely on a wildcard. It has been a remarkable turnaround from the Colts after they finished last year as the worst team in the NFL. They got rid of a lot of their older players last year and brought in youngsters in an attempt to build for the future. I'm sure when they were building this team they would have set a target of a playoff place in two or three years time but they have managed to get their within a year and the future looks bright for the Colts and rookie quarterback, Andrew Luck.
The Colts were very good at home, winning seven games and they managed to finish .500 on the road to secure the number five seed in the AFC. The Colts had a decent record against playoff teams in the regular season, winning three of their five games. The one worry for the Colts is that all three wins came at home and their two defeats came on the road. The problem for the Colts is they hold the fifth seed so they will have to go on the road in the playoffs and will find it difficult.
The Colts were all about Andrew Luck. Everything good that they done, involved the rookie. Their passing game was ranked 7th in the NFL. They were in the bottom half in all the other statistics. Their running game was 22nd, their pass defense was 21st and their run defense was 29th. Andrew Luck didn't even get much help from his offensive line as they allowed 41 sacks which was the 10th worst record in the league. This resulted in turnovers and the Colts gave the ball away 27 times. The defense wasn't great either and they only managed to force 15 turnovers all year and sack the opponents quarterback 32 times.
The Ravens are in poor form and a few weeks ago they were in the race to earn a bye in the wildcard round but four defeats in five games has saw them drop to the AFC's fourth seed. The Ravens finished the season with a 10-6 record, which saw them win six at home and four on the road. Against playoff teams they have gone 2-3. Both of their wins came at home and they went 0-2 on the road.
This Ravens team hasn't been great all season and in my opinion they are underusing Ray Rice. Rice is an elite running-back but I don't think he got a big enough workload in the regular season. Having said that, the Ravens have made it to the playoffs without pushing him too hard and I expect him to be busy on Sunday. Rice is built to play playoff football and if the Ravens are to do well, they will have to give him as much of the ball as they can.
The Ravens biggest strength this year was taking care of the football. They turned the ball over on 16 occasions which is tied for the second best record in the league. The Ravens defense isn't as strong as it has been in recent seasons. They rank 17th against the pass and 20th against the run. They have produced 37 sacks this year which is 15th in the league. In recent years the Ravens have always had a tough defense but this particular unit isn't quite at the high level we are used to seeing from Ravens defenses.
Prediction - This will be a tight game between two sides who regardless of Sunday's results, I can't see progressing beyond the divisional round. I think these are the weakest sides in the AFC playoffs and would take any of the other four teams to beat them. The Colts are quite one dimensional and will throw the ball. They aren't great at protecting their quarterback but then again the Ravens haven't been known for their pass rush this year. My worry for the Colts is turnovers. Andrew Luck has thrown 18 interceptions this year and it is a massive problem for the Colts. I have gone on about teams taking care of the football all year and while I was looking at the statistics during the week I found a very interesting one. In both the AFC and the NFC, the five teams who have turned the ball over the least have reached the playoffs. That's five out of the six teams in each Conference which only underlines how important it is to take care of the football in the NFL. For those interested, the two teams who made the playoffs despite being outside the top five in this category were the Colts and the Vikings. If I was coaching the Ravens my game plan would be simple. Give the ball to Ray Rice and let him run all over the 29th run defense in the league. To this point John Harbaugh hasn't given Rice a huge workload but I think he will give him the ball in this game and it will lead to a Baltimore win.
Seattle Seahawks (11-5) @ Washington Redskins (10-6)
The wildcard round finishes with a battle between two of the NFL's most exciting rookie quarterbacks. Russell Wilson and Robert Griffin III have set the NFL alight this year with some spectacular plays and it seems fitting that they should face off for a place in the divisional round of the playoffs.
Seattle have reached this point with an 11-5 record and they have looked excellent in recent weeks, winning seven of their last eight games. Seattle were perfect at home, winning all eight games. They weren't as impressive on the road though and went 3-5. The Seahawks played against five playoff teams in the regular season and won four of the games, with their only loss coming in a tight game in San Francisco. Seattle's five defeats were all tight and their biggest loss was by seven points in that defeat to the 49ers.
Seattle look like a good old fashioned playoff team. They have the strong defense and the strong running game that used to be the criteria to win a Superbowl so it will be interesting to see how they get on in what has become a passing league. The Seahawks finished 3rd in rushing and their defense were 6th against the pass and 10th against the run. The passing game wasn't great and ranked 27th in the league but that was more to do with the play calling. Russell Wilson completed 64.1% of his passes and the Seahawks simply preferred to run the ball and the low rank is not a reflection on Wilson's play. Wilson ended the regular season with 26 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions which is a respectable ratio. The Seahawks also done well in relation to turnovers. The offense gave the ball away 18 times and the defense forced 31 turnovers, both of which were the 4th best records in the NFC.
The Redskins gave up a lot to trade up in the 2012 draft to take Robert Griffin III but he has repaid them with a playoff place and an NFC East title in his rookie season. RG3 is a special player and will surely go on to win multiple titles. He had a bit of a mixed start and although he was playing well, the Redskins weren't getting the results. They were 3-6 and looked to be heading towards another bad season but things clicked into place for them and they won their last seven games to finish 10-6 and take the divisional title. The Redskins faced four playoff teams this year, all at home. They split the four games, beating Minnesota and Baltimore but losing to Cincinnati and Atlanta.
The Redskins were all about the running game this year and rookie duo, RG3 and Alfred Morris led the team to an average of 169 yards per game on the ground. They also done better than any other team in the league in what I would describe as the most important statistic in football, turnovers. The Redskins turned the ball over just 14 times and that is a remarkable statistic for a team with a rookie quarterback. The Redskins defense were good at defending the run and ranked 5th in the league. They weren't so good at defending the pass though and ranked 30th. This was partially because they were unable to get a lot of pressure on the opposing quarterback. They picked up 32 sacks which was 23rd in the league. Their strength on defense was picking off the opposing quarterbacks and they had 21 interceptions.
Prediction - This game looks like being a cracker. Both offenses are a pleasure to watch and if nothing else at least we are guaranteed at least one more week of either RG3 or Wilson. Both sides will favour the run and both also have strong run defenses. Seattle seem to be trusting Wilson more and more as the season goes on and with receivers like Sidney Rice and Golden Tate on the field they can take advantage of a poor Washington pass defense. On paper, the Seahawks are the better team and I think they will get the win to keep their Superbowl dreams alive.
PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS
AFC
Wildcard RoundHouston Texans over the Cincinnati Bengals
Baltimore Ravens over the Indianapolis Colts
Divisional Round
Denver Broncos over the Baltimore Ravens
New England Patriots over the Houston Texans
AFC Championship
Denver Broncos over the New England Patriots
NFC
Wildcard RoundGreen Bay Packers over the Minnesota Vikings
Seattle Seahawks over the Washington Redskins
Divisional Round
Seattle Seahawks over the Atlanta Falcons
Green Bay Packers over the San Francisco 49ers
NFC Championship
Green Bay Packers over the Seattle Seahawks
SUPERBOWL
Denver Broncos over the Green Bay Packers
NFL PLAYOFF CHALLENGE
This is your final chance to join the blog's private league in this year's NFL Playoff Challenge. Just click the following link.
http://playoffchallenge.fantasy.nfl.com/group/22047/join
Wednesday, 2 January 2013
GJ Sports Blog - 2012 NFL Regular Season Results
NFL PREDICTIONS - RESULTS
For the regular readers of my blog, you will know I posted predictions in my preview's. Here is the complete list of results on a weekly basis.
Week 1 - 13-3
Week 2 - 11-5
Week 3 - 5-11
Week 4 - 11-4
Week 5 - 10-4
Week 6 - 8-6
Week 7 - 9-4
Week 8 - 7-7
Week 9 - 12-1 (Forgot to predict Thursday Night Football)
Week 10 - 11-3
Week 11 - 7-7
Week 12 - 10-6
Week 13 - 10-6
Week 14 - 11-5
Week 15 - 7-9
Week 16 - 13-3
Week 17 - 11-5
Total = 166-89 (forgot one game)
Percentage = 0.651
Overall, I think I could have done better but just under two thirds isn't a bad record and I now have a target to aim for next season.
As well as the weekly game by game predictions I also done a preview before the start of the season were I predicted each teams record for the year. The full article can be found here:
http://gjsportsblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/nfl-2012-season-preview.html
Below is a summary of how I got on.
Exactly correct - 2 (Buccaneers, Titans)
One win away - 4 (Bears, Cardinals, Jets, Raiders)
Two wins away - 8 (Packers, Giants, Cowboys, Falcons, Saints, Ravens, Browns, Jaguars)
Two and a half wins away - 2 (49ers, Rams)
Three Wins Away - 5 (Panthers, Patriots, Bills, Dolphins, Chargers)
Four Wins Away - 4 (Steelers, Bengals, Texans, Colts)
Five Wins Away - 2 (Broncos, Chiefs)
Six Wins Away - 3 (Eagles, Redskins, Seahawks)
Seven Wins Away - 1 (Vikings)
Eight Wins Away - 1 (Lions)
Again I'm not really sure how good or bad that is as I have nothing to compare it to but I will try to better it next season.
The one thing I do have something to compare is the teams I picked to qualify for the playoffs and my Superbowl prediction. I saved the predictions of five writers from a well known Football website and have compared my result with theirs.
I managed to pick out six (Packers, Falcons, 49ers, Patriots, Texans, Ravens) of the twelve playoff teams. Of the six I got wrong (Steelers, Chargers, Bills, Giants, Lions, Bears), only three of them got close (Steelers, Giants, Bears). The other three I was miles off with.
The six teams I did not predict to reach the playoffs were Seattle, Washington, Minnesota, Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Denver. For four of those teams I overestimated how quickly things can turn around in the NFL. The Colts and the Redskins both got there with rookie quarterbacks who I highly rated but I just didn't think they would turn things around so quickly.
The Seahawks also got there with a rookie quarterback. I had read a lot about Russell Wilson in preseason about how great this kid was, mostly Bill Simmons, so I watched him in the first few games and to be honest I wasn't impressed. I remember in previous years about Eagles fans getting excited about Mike Kafka in preseason games and I had Wilson filed in the same bracket. It took him a few games to get settled but slowly his performances have improved and he has worked his way right up to the rookie of the year conversation.
The other team I overestimated was the Cincinnati Bengals. They made the playoffs last year but I expected the Steelers and Ravens to be a little bit ahead of them and I expected it would be another year on the learning curve for Andy Dalton and AJ Green. However, those two have stepped it up on offense along with BenJarvus Green-Ellis and with the defense also having a good year the Bengals managed to pick up the AFC's sixth seed.
The one team of the six who I would have given no chance to would have been the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings were poor last year and with Adrian Peterson coming off serious knee surgery I had them wrote off this year. I wasn't impressed with Christian Ponder in his rookie season either but he has shown a lot of improvement this year. His accuarcy has increased by 7.8% and he has thrown less interceptions in more games. He's far from perfect but if he can keep increasing those numbers, he may well turn out to be a decent quarterback for the Vikings. The biggest surprise though was Adrian Peterson. People just don't suffer career threatening injuries and then get to within 9 yards of breaking the single season rushing record. His performances have been exceptional and I am delighted to see him back in the playoffs where he belongs.
The final team I missed out is the worst and most embarrassing mistake I have made in my blogs this season. There's one thing any NFL fan, blogger, journalist, pundit should not do and I made a rookie mistake by doing it. I wrote off a Manning!!! Nobody should ever do that. I knew it then and I done it anyway. These guys seem to save their best for when people are writing them off. I am convinced that the reason the Giants didn't make the playoffs this year is because nobody was writing off Eli after his excellent performances last year when he won his second Superbowl. No doubt people will write him off this off season and he'll come back and lead the Giants on a deep playoff run.
As I said, I wrote off Peyton Manning. He had some pretty serious surgery last year and I just didn't think he was going to be the same guy but he has lost nothing and will be right up there when this years MVP is decided. Right now, I'd put him behind Adrian Peterson in that race but I've learned my lesson and I am certainly not going to rule him out.
The final prediction I made was my Superbowl pick. At the start of the season, I predicted the 49ers would beat the Patriots which I am happy to say is still a possibility. My thoughts have changed to be honest but at least I still have the chance of being correct.
In comparison to the five writers I compared myself against, I haven't done great. Of the other five, one predicted eight teams correctly, two predicted seven correctly and the other two predicted six correctly. I never beat any of them but at least I done as well as two of them.
In the Superbowl predictions, I am still in contention to be correct along with four of the five writers. The one who is already wrong predicted a repeat of last year's Superbowl with the Giants once again beating the Patriots.
My predictions aren't done for the season and I will continue to do my previews and predictions for every playoff game, including the Superbowl. I will also complete a playoff bracket, showing how I think this years championship will be won and lost.
Finally, for anyone interested, I have set up a NFL Playoff Challenge League for readers of the blog. I will be in it so why don't you and your friends enter too. if you are already playing it is easy to join. Just click this link and join the league. It is open to the public and no passwords are required. Good luck.
http://playoffchallenge.fantasy.nfl.com/group/22047/join
For the regular readers of my blog, you will know I posted predictions in my preview's. Here is the complete list of results on a weekly basis.
Week 1 - 13-3
Week 2 - 11-5
Week 3 - 5-11
Week 4 - 11-4
Week 5 - 10-4
Week 6 - 8-6
Week 7 - 9-4
Week 8 - 7-7
Week 9 - 12-1 (Forgot to predict Thursday Night Football)
Week 10 - 11-3
Week 11 - 7-7
Week 12 - 10-6
Week 13 - 10-6
Week 14 - 11-5
Week 15 - 7-9
Week 16 - 13-3
Week 17 - 11-5
Total = 166-89 (forgot one game)
Percentage = 0.651
Overall, I think I could have done better but just under two thirds isn't a bad record and I now have a target to aim for next season.
As well as the weekly game by game predictions I also done a preview before the start of the season were I predicted each teams record for the year. The full article can be found here:
http://gjsportsblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/nfl-2012-season-preview.html
Below is a summary of how I got on.
Exactly correct - 2 (Buccaneers, Titans)
One win away - 4 (Bears, Cardinals, Jets, Raiders)
Two wins away - 8 (Packers, Giants, Cowboys, Falcons, Saints, Ravens, Browns, Jaguars)
Two and a half wins away - 2 (49ers, Rams)
Three Wins Away - 5 (Panthers, Patriots, Bills, Dolphins, Chargers)
Four Wins Away - 4 (Steelers, Bengals, Texans, Colts)
Five Wins Away - 2 (Broncos, Chiefs)
Six Wins Away - 3 (Eagles, Redskins, Seahawks)
Seven Wins Away - 1 (Vikings)
Eight Wins Away - 1 (Lions)
Again I'm not really sure how good or bad that is as I have nothing to compare it to but I will try to better it next season.
The one thing I do have something to compare is the teams I picked to qualify for the playoffs and my Superbowl prediction. I saved the predictions of five writers from a well known Football website and have compared my result with theirs.
I managed to pick out six (Packers, Falcons, 49ers, Patriots, Texans, Ravens) of the twelve playoff teams. Of the six I got wrong (Steelers, Chargers, Bills, Giants, Lions, Bears), only three of them got close (Steelers, Giants, Bears). The other three I was miles off with.
The six teams I did not predict to reach the playoffs were Seattle, Washington, Minnesota, Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Denver. For four of those teams I overestimated how quickly things can turn around in the NFL. The Colts and the Redskins both got there with rookie quarterbacks who I highly rated but I just didn't think they would turn things around so quickly.
The Seahawks also got there with a rookie quarterback. I had read a lot about Russell Wilson in preseason about how great this kid was, mostly Bill Simmons, so I watched him in the first few games and to be honest I wasn't impressed. I remember in previous years about Eagles fans getting excited about Mike Kafka in preseason games and I had Wilson filed in the same bracket. It took him a few games to get settled but slowly his performances have improved and he has worked his way right up to the rookie of the year conversation.
The other team I overestimated was the Cincinnati Bengals. They made the playoffs last year but I expected the Steelers and Ravens to be a little bit ahead of them and I expected it would be another year on the learning curve for Andy Dalton and AJ Green. However, those two have stepped it up on offense along with BenJarvus Green-Ellis and with the defense also having a good year the Bengals managed to pick up the AFC's sixth seed.
The one team of the six who I would have given no chance to would have been the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings were poor last year and with Adrian Peterson coming off serious knee surgery I had them wrote off this year. I wasn't impressed with Christian Ponder in his rookie season either but he has shown a lot of improvement this year. His accuarcy has increased by 7.8% and he has thrown less interceptions in more games. He's far from perfect but if he can keep increasing those numbers, he may well turn out to be a decent quarterback for the Vikings. The biggest surprise though was Adrian Peterson. People just don't suffer career threatening injuries and then get to within 9 yards of breaking the single season rushing record. His performances have been exceptional and I am delighted to see him back in the playoffs where he belongs.
The final team I missed out is the worst and most embarrassing mistake I have made in my blogs this season. There's one thing any NFL fan, blogger, journalist, pundit should not do and I made a rookie mistake by doing it. I wrote off a Manning!!! Nobody should ever do that. I knew it then and I done it anyway. These guys seem to save their best for when people are writing them off. I am convinced that the reason the Giants didn't make the playoffs this year is because nobody was writing off Eli after his excellent performances last year when he won his second Superbowl. No doubt people will write him off this off season and he'll come back and lead the Giants on a deep playoff run.
As I said, I wrote off Peyton Manning. He had some pretty serious surgery last year and I just didn't think he was going to be the same guy but he has lost nothing and will be right up there when this years MVP is decided. Right now, I'd put him behind Adrian Peterson in that race but I've learned my lesson and I am certainly not going to rule him out.
The final prediction I made was my Superbowl pick. At the start of the season, I predicted the 49ers would beat the Patriots which I am happy to say is still a possibility. My thoughts have changed to be honest but at least I still have the chance of being correct.
In comparison to the five writers I compared myself against, I haven't done great. Of the other five, one predicted eight teams correctly, two predicted seven correctly and the other two predicted six correctly. I never beat any of them but at least I done as well as two of them.
In the Superbowl predictions, I am still in contention to be correct along with four of the five writers. The one who is already wrong predicted a repeat of last year's Superbowl with the Giants once again beating the Patriots.
My predictions aren't done for the season and I will continue to do my previews and predictions for every playoff game, including the Superbowl. I will also complete a playoff bracket, showing how I think this years championship will be won and lost.
Finally, for anyone interested, I have set up a NFL Playoff Challenge League for readers of the blog. I will be in it so why don't you and your friends enter too. if you are already playing it is easy to join. Just click this link and join the league. It is open to the public and no passwords are required. Good luck.
http://playoffchallenge.fantasy.nfl.com/group/22047/join
Sunday, 30 December 2012
NFL Week 17 - Preview and Predictions
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-9) @ Atlanta Falcons (13-2)
Tampa Bay head to Atlanta to face the playoff bound Falcons hoping to end their five game losing streak. The Falcons are 7-0 at home this year but with the number one seed already wrapped up they will most likely have a lot of backups in the game. I have mixed feelings about the Falcons resting players in this game. I understand that they want to give their players rest and they don't want to pick up injuries but I worry about teams who have a first round bye resting players. If the Falcons rest their starters, it will be three weeks since their last game by the time they take to the field in the playoffs. Personally I think it's too long although I do appreciate that teams want to avoid injuries. If a team is good enough to earn a bye in the playoffs, the likely hood is they will be coming into the playoffs with a lot of momentum. Would a three week break take that momentum away? I think it would but it will always be a cause for debate.
Prediction - The Falcons starters to play a quarter/half and then sit the rest out and the Bucs to win it.
New York Jets (6-9) @ Buffalo Bills (5-10)
The Jets and Bills meet in Buffalo in a game that will only decide draft picks. Both teams have losing records and their playoff hopes died a few weeks ago. The New York Jets have had quarterback issues and Rex Ryan is proving himself to be an even bigger idiot than we already suspected he was by once again overlooking Tim Tebow. He benched Mark Sanchez last week in favour of Greg McElroy. McElroy has a concussion and won't play so Ryan has said that Sanchez will start at quarterback. I just don't understand that decision. Tebow is far from a top quarterback but he would suit the New York Jets. They have had injuries at receiver this year and have had to rely on their running game. Tim Tebow is very capable of playing that role but for some reason, Ryan hasn't even given him a chance to show what he can do. The Bills are 5-10 for the year and they have now gone four years in a row with at least ten losses. The quarterback situation in Buffalo isn't much better and Ryan Fitzpatrick hasn't had a great season. Fitzpatrick is 30 now and it may be time for Buffalo to look for a new quarterback. The one bright spot for the Bills has been the emergence of CJ Spiller at running-back. He has had a great season and has set career numbers in almost every category. Spiller looks like being the future of the franchise and if they can get him some support, then the Bills could push towards a .500 finish next season.
Prediction - I'm not taking Mark Sanchez to win on the road, Bills win.
Baltimore Ravens (10-5) @ Cincinnati Bengals (9-6)
These two are playoff bound and there's even a chance that they could meet again next week in Baltimore. The Ravens have the division wrapped up and the Bengals have a wildcard secured. I expect there to be a lot of backups in this game as both teams will be involved in the wildcard round next weekend. The Ravens know there opponents will be either the Bengals or the Colts. For the Bengals, things are a little more complex and there is still a chance they could face any of the four divisional winners. Games like this one are hard to judge. Both coaches are talking as if they are here to win but I'd be very surprised to see the likes of Ray Rice, Joe Flacco, AJ Green and Andy Dalton battling it out for the win in the fourth quarter.
Prediction - Coin toss, Bengals win.
Chicago Bears (9-6) @ Detroit Lions (4-11)
Isn't football a funny old game. The Chicago Bears need to win this one and then rely on some help from their hated rivals, the Green Bay Packers. If Green Bay can do the Bears a favour and beat the Minnesota Vikings, then the Bears destiny will be in their own hands. I'm sure there hasn't been many occasions over the years when Bears fans were hoping for a Packers win but given the circumstances, Bears fans all over the world will be praying for a favour. Favours aside, the Bears have a tough enough task to do their own part of the bargain. Detroit are a dangerous team with a lot of talent all over their roster and if it clicks, Chicago could be in trouble. The Lions have nothing to lose at this stage of the season. They are 4-11 and their playoff hopes died a long time ago so they can afford to spend all day lumping the ball towards Calvin Johnson and he's not the easiest guy in the league to cover. Johnson has already broke the record for most receiving yards in a season and I would be very surprised if he doesn't pick up the 108 yards he needs to take him to 2000 yards for the season.
Prediction - I don't think it matters what the Packers do as the Lions will end the Bears hopes with a win.
Jacksonville Jaguars (2-13) @ Tennessee Titans (5-10)
The Jacksonville Jaguars will most likely pick second in the 2013 NFL Draft. They still have a chance of picking first but it is unlikely as the Kansas City Chiefs would need to beat the Broncos in Denver. The Broncos are the hottest team in the NFL and there is next to no chance that the 2-13, Kansas City Chiefs will go to Mile High and win. Jacksonville played well last week against the Patriots and if they bring that performance to Tennessee, they have every chance of winning. The Titans have had a bad year and will be glad to see the off season. At 5-10 they are well outside the playoff places. The Titans have had quarterback issues in recent years and they still exist. Jake Locker doesn't look like he is the right man and until they address it, it is highly unlikely they will be threatening the playoff places.
Prediction - I think the Jags could nick this one.
Houston Texans (12-4) @ Indianapolis Colts (10-5)
These two have already wrapped up their playoff places and the Colts know they will be going on the road next week in the wildcard round of the playoffs so I expect they may rest some starters. No matter what happens, Indianapolis are the number five seed in the AFC. The same can't be said of Houston though and it is still possible that they could finish in any of the top three seeds. A win would secure the number one seed and home advantage right to the Superbowl. If they lose though and the Patriots and Broncos both win they would take the three seed, meaning they would host the Cincinnati Bengals in the wildcard round next week. The biggest thing about this weeks game for the Colts is the return of Coach Pagano to the sideline after his successful battle with leukemia. It's great to see him back on the sideline and there's no doubt his return will give the Colts a huge lift.
Prediction - This game means something to the Texans and nothing to the Colts so I will go with a Houston win.
Carolina Panthers (6-9) @ New Orleans Saints (7-8)
These NFC South rivals square off in New Orleans in a game that means little more than pride and draft picks. Both sides started poorly and left it too late to make a playoff push. The Panthers have won four of their last five and the Saints have won seven of their last eleven. Form like that would merit a playoff place but the bad starts had put them in too deep a hole. The Saints have struggled on defense all year and are giving up 434 yards per game. They will need to sort that out in the off season and if they do, Drew Brees will do his part on offense to lead them toward a playoff place. The Panthers will try to run the ball with Cam Newton and if fit, DeAngelo Williams.
Prediction - The Saints should have too much fire power and will finish on a high.
Philadelphia Eagles (4-11) @ New York Giants (8-7)
This game will most likely be the last time we will see Michael Vick and Andy Reid as part of the Philadelphia Eagles. Vick had a good year in 2010 when he led the team to the playoffs but he has been poor since then. Andy Reid gave us a lot of success in his early years, leading the Eagles to four NFC East titles in a row but he was never able to bring a Superbowl to Philly and in recent seasons, we haven't even been close. The time is right to part company and hopefully the Eagles can move forward in the near future. This game means a lot more for the Giants than the Eagles. If the Giants win and the Bears, the Vikings and the Cowboys all lose then the Giants will squeeze into the playoffs. It's not as unlikely as it sounds and when I look at the games on paper, I think it will happen.
Prediction - The Giants should win easily.
Cleveland Browns (5-10) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (7-8)
Pittsburgh loss to the Cincinnati Bengals last week means that this game is another dead rubber and there are no playoff places at stake. The Browns have been out of the race for a while but if anything it has made them play with a sense of freedom and their performances have picked up. Pittsburgh looked certainties for the playoffs when they reached 6-3 but an injury to Ben Roethlisberger in their next game hit the team hard and they have won just one of their last six games. Roethlisberger has been back for the last three but he has been unable to change the teams fortunes. These teams appear to be heading in different directions, with the Browns a young team who are improving and the Steelers an older team who seem to be a downward path. However, if I've learned anything in my time following this league, it's that the Browns will most likely find a way to regress and the Steelers will find a way to get back on the upward curve.
Prediction - The Steelers should win.
Kansas City Chiefs (2-13) @ Denver Broncos (12-3)
In this game, both sides have something at stake, although both will be in a better position if the Broncos win the game. As things stand, the Chiefs will have the number one pick in next years draft and the only way that can change is if they win here and Jacksonville lose to Tennessee. The Broncos have already secured their playoff place but I can't see them taking things easy as a win would guarantee them a bye in the first round of the playoffs. The Chiefs haven't been a bad team this year but they have been absolutely killed by turnovers. They have turned the ball over 37 times this season which is the worst record in the league. It doesn't matter how good you are, if you don't take care of the football, you won't win in this league. Denver have got to this stage thanks to a ten game winning run. The Broncos had a good side last year but the addition of Peyton Manning has turned them into a genuine contender and I wouldn't be surprised to see them make the trip to New Orleans for the Superbowl.
Prediction - The Broncos should win this one easily.
Green Bay Packers (11-4) @ Minnesota Vikings (9-6)
This looks like being one of the most intriguing games of the weekend. If Minnesota win, they are in the playoffs. If they lose, it opens things up for Chicago, New York and even the Washington Redskins to secure the final wildcard place. Green Bay have plenty to play for and a win here would give them the NFC's number two seed and a bye in the first round of the playoffs. Add to that the fact that Minnesota's running-back, Adrian Peterson needs 208 yards to break the record for most rushing yards in a season. I hope I am wrong but I don't think he will break that record although I can see him getting the 102 yards needed to reach 2000 yards for the season. The biggest problem Peterson has is the team still have it all to play for and if he's struggling on the ground, the team will resort to Plan B rather than handing him the ball all day and let him push for the record. Having said that, the Vikings need Peterson to have a big day as I can't see them winning the game with their Plan B.
Prediction - I think this game will be tight but the Packers should be able to edge it and secure a bye.
Miami Dolphins (7-8) @ New England Patriots (11-4)
The New England Patriots are in the playoffs for the ninth time in the last ten seasons and once again they will be many peoples favourites to reach the Superbowl. On their day, they are capable of beating anyone but it looks as though at some stage they will have to go to Denver to face Peyton Manning and the Broncos which will be a very difficult game for them. Miami have had a decent season and at 7-8, it is better than I expected they would do. They can certainly take some positives from the season and look to build on it for next year. If Houston win in the early games, I expect the Pats to be keeping an eye on the score in Denver and if Denver look like winning easily, the Pats will pull their starters and let them rest up before next weeks wildcard round.
Prediction - The Patriots should win the game.
Oakland Raiders (4-11) @ San Diego Chargers (6-9)
These AFC West rivals do battle in another of Sunday's "Nobody Cares Bowls". The Raiders will be well used to being involved in these sort of games and it's becoming a habit for the Chargers too. This is the third year in a row they have missed the playoffs and it should be the final game of the Norv Turner era. There's a lot of talk that Andy Reid will be next in line, if/when the Eagles fire him. As an Eagles fan I'm not sure whether it would be a good move for the Chargers or not. I guess only time will tell whether Andy has lost touch with modern football or things have just gone stale for him in Philly. Either way, if he gets the job, I wish him well.
Prediction - The Chargers should have too much for a poor Raiders side who are giving Terrelle Pryor his first NFL start.
Arizona Cardinals (5-10) @ San Francisco 49ers (10-4-1)
The 49ers need this one to win the NFC West and after their defeat to the Seahawks last week, they will want to secure the division and guarantee that they won't have to go back to Seattle and face that atmosphere. The Cardinals have lost ten of their last eleven games and if the 49ers can't beat them in such an important game then they don't deserve to win the division. I tipped San Francisco to win the Superbowl at the start of the season but I have gone cold on them as I don't think they have helped themselves by creating a quarterback controversy. I will wait and see who they play in the playoffs before making a call but there is quite a few teams in the NFC who I would take to beat them and they might not even make it out of the wildcard round.
Prediction - The 49ers should win this one.
St Louis Rams (7-7-1) @ Seattle Seahawks (10-5)
Ultimately I think this game will end up being a dead rubber as I think the 49ers will beat the Cardinals in San Francisco to win the division and send the Seahawks to a wildcard place but the Seahawks will still want to keep their momentum going and I am sure they will want to finish the season with an 8-0 home record. The Rams have had a decent season too. They have improved a lot from last season and they look like a franchise heading in the right direction under Jeff Fisher. Seattle are the team heading to the post season in the best form and will fancy their chances of making progress. As a neutral fan I would have liked to see them host a playoff game as the atmosphere generated in that stadium is second to none. It doesn't look as though it will happen this year but with Russell Wilson doing so well in his rookie year, I expect him to improve and their will be plenty of home playoff games in the next few years in Seattle.
Prediction - Seattle are the better team and should win.
Dallas Cowboys (8-7) @ Washington Redskins (9-6)
This looks like being the best game of the weekend and it is an old fashioned winner takes all battle. Some of the edge could be taken out of it depending on the earlier results and it is possible that the Redskins could have a wildcard guaranteed by the time they take to the field on Sunday night. As a neutral, I hope results go against that outcome and this game is a straight knockout. These two looked dead and buried earlier in the season but they have both went on great runs and at least one and possibly both of them will be in the playoffs. These two met at Thanksgiving and it was a cracker. The Redskins got off to a great start and led 28-3 at half-time but the Cowboys came back well in the second half but fell short and lost by 38-31. If this game is as good as that one, we are in for a treat.
Prediction - The Redskins will finish the job and reach the playoffs.
Tampa Bay head to Atlanta to face the playoff bound Falcons hoping to end their five game losing streak. The Falcons are 7-0 at home this year but with the number one seed already wrapped up they will most likely have a lot of backups in the game. I have mixed feelings about the Falcons resting players in this game. I understand that they want to give their players rest and they don't want to pick up injuries but I worry about teams who have a first round bye resting players. If the Falcons rest their starters, it will be three weeks since their last game by the time they take to the field in the playoffs. Personally I think it's too long although I do appreciate that teams want to avoid injuries. If a team is good enough to earn a bye in the playoffs, the likely hood is they will be coming into the playoffs with a lot of momentum. Would a three week break take that momentum away? I think it would but it will always be a cause for debate.
Prediction - The Falcons starters to play a quarter/half and then sit the rest out and the Bucs to win it.
New York Jets (6-9) @ Buffalo Bills (5-10)
The Jets and Bills meet in Buffalo in a game that will only decide draft picks. Both teams have losing records and their playoff hopes died a few weeks ago. The New York Jets have had quarterback issues and Rex Ryan is proving himself to be an even bigger idiot than we already suspected he was by once again overlooking Tim Tebow. He benched Mark Sanchez last week in favour of Greg McElroy. McElroy has a concussion and won't play so Ryan has said that Sanchez will start at quarterback. I just don't understand that decision. Tebow is far from a top quarterback but he would suit the New York Jets. They have had injuries at receiver this year and have had to rely on their running game. Tim Tebow is very capable of playing that role but for some reason, Ryan hasn't even given him a chance to show what he can do. The Bills are 5-10 for the year and they have now gone four years in a row with at least ten losses. The quarterback situation in Buffalo isn't much better and Ryan Fitzpatrick hasn't had a great season. Fitzpatrick is 30 now and it may be time for Buffalo to look for a new quarterback. The one bright spot for the Bills has been the emergence of CJ Spiller at running-back. He has had a great season and has set career numbers in almost every category. Spiller looks like being the future of the franchise and if they can get him some support, then the Bills could push towards a .500 finish next season.
Prediction - I'm not taking Mark Sanchez to win on the road, Bills win.
Baltimore Ravens (10-5) @ Cincinnati Bengals (9-6)
These two are playoff bound and there's even a chance that they could meet again next week in Baltimore. The Ravens have the division wrapped up and the Bengals have a wildcard secured. I expect there to be a lot of backups in this game as both teams will be involved in the wildcard round next weekend. The Ravens know there opponents will be either the Bengals or the Colts. For the Bengals, things are a little more complex and there is still a chance they could face any of the four divisional winners. Games like this one are hard to judge. Both coaches are talking as if they are here to win but I'd be very surprised to see the likes of Ray Rice, Joe Flacco, AJ Green and Andy Dalton battling it out for the win in the fourth quarter.
Prediction - Coin toss, Bengals win.
Chicago Bears (9-6) @ Detroit Lions (4-11)
Isn't football a funny old game. The Chicago Bears need to win this one and then rely on some help from their hated rivals, the Green Bay Packers. If Green Bay can do the Bears a favour and beat the Minnesota Vikings, then the Bears destiny will be in their own hands. I'm sure there hasn't been many occasions over the years when Bears fans were hoping for a Packers win but given the circumstances, Bears fans all over the world will be praying for a favour. Favours aside, the Bears have a tough enough task to do their own part of the bargain. Detroit are a dangerous team with a lot of talent all over their roster and if it clicks, Chicago could be in trouble. The Lions have nothing to lose at this stage of the season. They are 4-11 and their playoff hopes died a long time ago so they can afford to spend all day lumping the ball towards Calvin Johnson and he's not the easiest guy in the league to cover. Johnson has already broke the record for most receiving yards in a season and I would be very surprised if he doesn't pick up the 108 yards he needs to take him to 2000 yards for the season.
Prediction - I don't think it matters what the Packers do as the Lions will end the Bears hopes with a win.
Jacksonville Jaguars (2-13) @ Tennessee Titans (5-10)
The Jacksonville Jaguars will most likely pick second in the 2013 NFL Draft. They still have a chance of picking first but it is unlikely as the Kansas City Chiefs would need to beat the Broncos in Denver. The Broncos are the hottest team in the NFL and there is next to no chance that the 2-13, Kansas City Chiefs will go to Mile High and win. Jacksonville played well last week against the Patriots and if they bring that performance to Tennessee, they have every chance of winning. The Titans have had a bad year and will be glad to see the off season. At 5-10 they are well outside the playoff places. The Titans have had quarterback issues in recent years and they still exist. Jake Locker doesn't look like he is the right man and until they address it, it is highly unlikely they will be threatening the playoff places.
Prediction - I think the Jags could nick this one.
Houston Texans (12-4) @ Indianapolis Colts (10-5)
These two have already wrapped up their playoff places and the Colts know they will be going on the road next week in the wildcard round of the playoffs so I expect they may rest some starters. No matter what happens, Indianapolis are the number five seed in the AFC. The same can't be said of Houston though and it is still possible that they could finish in any of the top three seeds. A win would secure the number one seed and home advantage right to the Superbowl. If they lose though and the Patriots and Broncos both win they would take the three seed, meaning they would host the Cincinnati Bengals in the wildcard round next week. The biggest thing about this weeks game for the Colts is the return of Coach Pagano to the sideline after his successful battle with leukemia. It's great to see him back on the sideline and there's no doubt his return will give the Colts a huge lift.
Prediction - This game means something to the Texans and nothing to the Colts so I will go with a Houston win.
Carolina Panthers (6-9) @ New Orleans Saints (7-8)
These NFC South rivals square off in New Orleans in a game that means little more than pride and draft picks. Both sides started poorly and left it too late to make a playoff push. The Panthers have won four of their last five and the Saints have won seven of their last eleven. Form like that would merit a playoff place but the bad starts had put them in too deep a hole. The Saints have struggled on defense all year and are giving up 434 yards per game. They will need to sort that out in the off season and if they do, Drew Brees will do his part on offense to lead them toward a playoff place. The Panthers will try to run the ball with Cam Newton and if fit, DeAngelo Williams.
Prediction - The Saints should have too much fire power and will finish on a high.
Philadelphia Eagles (4-11) @ New York Giants (8-7)
This game will most likely be the last time we will see Michael Vick and Andy Reid as part of the Philadelphia Eagles. Vick had a good year in 2010 when he led the team to the playoffs but he has been poor since then. Andy Reid gave us a lot of success in his early years, leading the Eagles to four NFC East titles in a row but he was never able to bring a Superbowl to Philly and in recent seasons, we haven't even been close. The time is right to part company and hopefully the Eagles can move forward in the near future. This game means a lot more for the Giants than the Eagles. If the Giants win and the Bears, the Vikings and the Cowboys all lose then the Giants will squeeze into the playoffs. It's not as unlikely as it sounds and when I look at the games on paper, I think it will happen.
Prediction - The Giants should win easily.
Cleveland Browns (5-10) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (7-8)
Pittsburgh loss to the Cincinnati Bengals last week means that this game is another dead rubber and there are no playoff places at stake. The Browns have been out of the race for a while but if anything it has made them play with a sense of freedom and their performances have picked up. Pittsburgh looked certainties for the playoffs when they reached 6-3 but an injury to Ben Roethlisberger in their next game hit the team hard and they have won just one of their last six games. Roethlisberger has been back for the last three but he has been unable to change the teams fortunes. These teams appear to be heading in different directions, with the Browns a young team who are improving and the Steelers an older team who seem to be a downward path. However, if I've learned anything in my time following this league, it's that the Browns will most likely find a way to regress and the Steelers will find a way to get back on the upward curve.
Prediction - The Steelers should win.
Kansas City Chiefs (2-13) @ Denver Broncos (12-3)
In this game, both sides have something at stake, although both will be in a better position if the Broncos win the game. As things stand, the Chiefs will have the number one pick in next years draft and the only way that can change is if they win here and Jacksonville lose to Tennessee. The Broncos have already secured their playoff place but I can't see them taking things easy as a win would guarantee them a bye in the first round of the playoffs. The Chiefs haven't been a bad team this year but they have been absolutely killed by turnovers. They have turned the ball over 37 times this season which is the worst record in the league. It doesn't matter how good you are, if you don't take care of the football, you won't win in this league. Denver have got to this stage thanks to a ten game winning run. The Broncos had a good side last year but the addition of Peyton Manning has turned them into a genuine contender and I wouldn't be surprised to see them make the trip to New Orleans for the Superbowl.
Prediction - The Broncos should win this one easily.
Green Bay Packers (11-4) @ Minnesota Vikings (9-6)
This looks like being one of the most intriguing games of the weekend. If Minnesota win, they are in the playoffs. If they lose, it opens things up for Chicago, New York and even the Washington Redskins to secure the final wildcard place. Green Bay have plenty to play for and a win here would give them the NFC's number two seed and a bye in the first round of the playoffs. Add to that the fact that Minnesota's running-back, Adrian Peterson needs 208 yards to break the record for most rushing yards in a season. I hope I am wrong but I don't think he will break that record although I can see him getting the 102 yards needed to reach 2000 yards for the season. The biggest problem Peterson has is the team still have it all to play for and if he's struggling on the ground, the team will resort to Plan B rather than handing him the ball all day and let him push for the record. Having said that, the Vikings need Peterson to have a big day as I can't see them winning the game with their Plan B.
Prediction - I think this game will be tight but the Packers should be able to edge it and secure a bye.
Miami Dolphins (7-8) @ New England Patriots (11-4)
The New England Patriots are in the playoffs for the ninth time in the last ten seasons and once again they will be many peoples favourites to reach the Superbowl. On their day, they are capable of beating anyone but it looks as though at some stage they will have to go to Denver to face Peyton Manning and the Broncos which will be a very difficult game for them. Miami have had a decent season and at 7-8, it is better than I expected they would do. They can certainly take some positives from the season and look to build on it for next year. If Houston win in the early games, I expect the Pats to be keeping an eye on the score in Denver and if Denver look like winning easily, the Pats will pull their starters and let them rest up before next weeks wildcard round.
Prediction - The Patriots should win the game.
Oakland Raiders (4-11) @ San Diego Chargers (6-9)
These AFC West rivals do battle in another of Sunday's "Nobody Cares Bowls". The Raiders will be well used to being involved in these sort of games and it's becoming a habit for the Chargers too. This is the third year in a row they have missed the playoffs and it should be the final game of the Norv Turner era. There's a lot of talk that Andy Reid will be next in line, if/when the Eagles fire him. As an Eagles fan I'm not sure whether it would be a good move for the Chargers or not. I guess only time will tell whether Andy has lost touch with modern football or things have just gone stale for him in Philly. Either way, if he gets the job, I wish him well.
Prediction - The Chargers should have too much for a poor Raiders side who are giving Terrelle Pryor his first NFL start.
Arizona Cardinals (5-10) @ San Francisco 49ers (10-4-1)
The 49ers need this one to win the NFC West and after their defeat to the Seahawks last week, they will want to secure the division and guarantee that they won't have to go back to Seattle and face that atmosphere. The Cardinals have lost ten of their last eleven games and if the 49ers can't beat them in such an important game then they don't deserve to win the division. I tipped San Francisco to win the Superbowl at the start of the season but I have gone cold on them as I don't think they have helped themselves by creating a quarterback controversy. I will wait and see who they play in the playoffs before making a call but there is quite a few teams in the NFC who I would take to beat them and they might not even make it out of the wildcard round.
Prediction - The 49ers should win this one.
St Louis Rams (7-7-1) @ Seattle Seahawks (10-5)
Ultimately I think this game will end up being a dead rubber as I think the 49ers will beat the Cardinals in San Francisco to win the division and send the Seahawks to a wildcard place but the Seahawks will still want to keep their momentum going and I am sure they will want to finish the season with an 8-0 home record. The Rams have had a decent season too. They have improved a lot from last season and they look like a franchise heading in the right direction under Jeff Fisher. Seattle are the team heading to the post season in the best form and will fancy their chances of making progress. As a neutral fan I would have liked to see them host a playoff game as the atmosphere generated in that stadium is second to none. It doesn't look as though it will happen this year but with Russell Wilson doing so well in his rookie year, I expect him to improve and their will be plenty of home playoff games in the next few years in Seattle.
Prediction - Seattle are the better team and should win.
Dallas Cowboys (8-7) @ Washington Redskins (9-6)
This looks like being the best game of the weekend and it is an old fashioned winner takes all battle. Some of the edge could be taken out of it depending on the earlier results and it is possible that the Redskins could have a wildcard guaranteed by the time they take to the field on Sunday night. As a neutral, I hope results go against that outcome and this game is a straight knockout. These two looked dead and buried earlier in the season but they have both went on great runs and at least one and possibly both of them will be in the playoffs. These two met at Thanksgiving and it was a cracker. The Redskins got off to a great start and led 28-3 at half-time but the Cowboys came back well in the second half but fell short and lost by 38-31. If this game is as good as that one, we are in for a treat.
Prediction - The Redskins will finish the job and reach the playoffs.
Sunday, 23 December 2012
NFL Week 16 - Preview and Predictions
New Orleans Saints (6-8) @ Dallas Cowboys (8-6)
The Saints and Cowboys go head to head in Dallas in what could be a big game in the NFC's playoff race. The Saints are technically still alive although there is too long a list of things they need to go their way for their playoff chances to be seriously considered. The Cowboys on the other hand, have a very good chance of a playoff spot. They are part of a three way tie at the top of the NFC East, so they may even win the division. As things stand they are outside the playoffs but two wins would most likely be good enough to see them into the playoffs. Both sides will look to throw the ball on offense. The Saints are 2nd in passing and the Cowboys are 4th. The Cowboys are better in pass defense, ranking 14th compared to the Saints who are 31st. Ultimately the game will be won by whichever quarterback does a better job of taking care of the football. Tony Romo has 22 touchdown passes and 16 interceptions. Drew Brees has 36 touchdowns and 18 interceptions.
Prediction - I can't side with Tony Romo against Drew Brees and think the Saints will win this one.
Tennessee Titans (5-9) @ Green Bay Packers (10-4)
This game won't have a huge impact on the season other than deciding what seed the Packers have in the NFC playoffs. The Packers are just behind the San Francisco 49ers in the race for the number two seed. The 49ers face a tough trip to Seattle this week and if they slip up, I expect the Packers to pounce and secure the first round bye. The Titans have had a poor year and I expect we will see changes in the franchise before too long. Green Bay had a bad start but they have come good and have won eight of their last nine games. They clinched the division last week and they should be too strong for the Titans this week. Green Bay will try to pass the ball and if the offensive line holds up, Aaron Rodgers can beat any team in the NFL. The Packers offensive line has been the weakness all year and Rodgers has been sacked 45 times, which is more than any other NFL quarterback. Chris Johnson has had a good year after a slow start and is now averaging 4.8 yards per carry. If Johnson can get the running game going, he can trouble the Packers.
Prediction - The Packers should have enough to win this one.
Indianapolis Colts (9-5) @ Kansas City Chiefs (2-12)
The Colts can clinch a wildcard place with a win in Kansas City over the struggling Chiefs. Kansas have had a bad season and are currently in position for the number one draft pick in 2013. The number one pick will be between the Chiefs and the Jaguars who are both 2-12 at present. The Chiefs strength of schedule is currently weaker and they will therefore get the first pick but it is very close and subject to change. The Colts have got this far thanks to rookie quarterback, Andrew Luck, who has linked up very well with Reggie Wayne. The Colts are 8th in passing but will need to be at their best as the Chiefs are good against the pass and rank 7th. The Chiefs will look to win the game on the ground. They rank 7th in rushing and should be able to get some joy against the Colts who are 23rd against the run.
Prediction - The match ups in this one suit the Chiefs but I would think they are at the stage of the year were they want the number one pick. If the Chiefs put 100% into this one they can win it but I expect they will be half hearted and the Colts will win.
Buffalo Bills (5-9) @ Miami Dolphins (6-8)
The Bills and Dolphins look to be battling it out with the New York Jets for the positions in the AFC East behind the New England Patriots. The Dolphins still have an outside chance of the playoffs but it is a very long shot and I can't see it happening. Miami have struggled with inconsistency this year. They have had some big wins over good teams like the Seahawks and the Bengals. The trouble is the defeats to the likes of the Jets, the Bills and the Titans. A bit more consistency and the Dolphins could have been in the playoff mix. Both sides will look to win the game on the ground. The Bills are 6th in rushing and the Dolphins are 16th. The Dolphins are better in defending the run and rank 8th. The Bills have struggled against the run and rank 30th in the NFL.
Prediction - Miami should win this one.
San Diego Chargers (5-9) @ New York Jets (6-8)
This game is a dead rubber between two teams who will have had high hopes at the start of the season but they have underachieved. The Chargers are a bad team and they have not beat anyone with a winning record. The best win they have had came against the Steelers who are 7-7 for the season. The Jets have also had a bad year. I've made no secret of the fact that I don't think Mark Sanchez is a good quarterback. He has had a terrible season and Rex Ryan has finally decided to bench him. However, he still hasn't got it right and for some reason he has decided to overlook Tim Tebow and pick Greg McElroy at quarterback. I can't understand why Tebow is being treated this way. He's not the conventional NFL quarterback but he could do a job for the Jets. From what I can see, it appears that Rex Ryan has wasted draft picks on him as he hasn't used him and the media are reporting that he will be released at the end of the year.
Prediction - This is a tough one to call but I'll side with the Chargers to win this one.
Washington Redskins (8-6) @ Philadelphia Eagles (4-10)
The Redskins need to win this one to keep their place at the top of the NFC East. They should be boosted by the return of Robert Griffin III at quarterback. He is listed as probable but the Redskins are saying that there is a very good chance he will play. The Eagles have had a horrible year. I am looking forward to this game though to see what way the Eagles line up. Most of the players who have missed out in recent weeks are fit again so I am very interested in seeing how much action LeSean McCoy will see. The Eagles have already made it clear that Michael Vick is third on the depth chart behind Nick Foles and Trent Edwards. I think this will be Andy Reid's last game in charge of the Eagles in Philadelphia and I would like to see him receive a positive reception but I do hope that it isn't misinterpreted as a show of support for him getting another year. As an Eagles fan, we have two games left and if I'm totally honest I wouldn't mind losing this one and winning next week to knock the Giants out of the playoffs. Not all Eagles fans will agree but in my time following the NFL, the Redskins have had a bad side so I don't feel the same level of rivalry with them as I do wit the Giants and Cowboys.
Prediction - If RG3 plays he'll have a big day and the Redskins will win.
Cincinnati Bengals (8-6) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (7-7)
This game is technically a playoff game as it is do or die time for both sides. If the Bengals win, they are in the playoffs. If the Steelers win this one, they will need to beat the Cleveland Browns next week to secure a playoff place. The Steelers have been on a bad run and have won just one of their last five games. The Bengals are in much better form and have won five of their last six games. This will be the best game to watch in the early games and it should be a cracker. The Steelers will be looking to pass the ball as they are 10th in passing and 26th in rushing. The Bengals defense are 12th in pass defense and 9th against the run so they should be able to match the Steelers offense. The Bengals have quite a balanced offense, ranking 17th in passing and 11th in rushing. The Steelers have a good defense, ranking 1st against the pass and 4th against the run. It looks like the game will be quite low scoring and in my opinion will come down to one play. It could be a vital interception, a missed tackle etc. The game is on a knife edge and every play could be the difference in winning and losing.
Prediction - They don't come any tighter than this. My heart says Cincinnati but my head says Pittsburgh. I'm going with my heart and will be rooting for the Bengals.
St Louis Rams (6-7-1) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-8)
These two face off in a game that won't effect playoff places. The Rams are still alive but there are too many teams ahead of them in the race for a wildcard. At one stage the Bucs looked likely to reach the playoffs but four straight defeats has killed off their playoff hopes. Both of these franchises are stuck in the middle of the league in the bracket were they aren't quite good enough for the playoffs but they are too good to be getting an early draft pick. There is potential in both franchises though and I have no doubt they will both be looking forward to next season with high ambitions.
Prediction - The Bucs will officially end the Rams playoff hopes with a win.
Oakland Raiders (4-10) @ Carolina Panthers (5-9)
I would imagine the only people who care about this game are people in Fantasy leagues. Neither side got close to the playoffs and both will have relatively early picks in the draft. Oakland have gone backwards this year after consecutive 8-8 finishes. The franchise has been giving away draft picks in recent years but they will have their first rounder this year so I am quite interested in seeing what they do with it. I wouldn't be surprised if they decided to trade down to try and get a few extra picks. The Panthers have been disappointing. I expected more from them as they have some good talent on offense but it took them a while to click. They have won three of their last four games and oddly the defeat came against the 2-12, Kansas City Chiefs.
Prediction - The Panthers should have too much for the Raiders.
New England Patriots (10-4) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (2-12)
The Patriots travel to Jacksonville in the penultimate game of the regular season, needing a win to keep themselves in contention for a bye in the first round of the playoffs. It doesn't look good for the Patriots as the Broncos and Texans have favourable schedules to get the job done but two wins from the Pats would at least put the pressure on them. Jacksonville have had another bad year and are only playing for a draft pick now. As things stand they would pick second as the Chiefs have had an easier schedule but it is tight and still subject to change. The match ups are all favourable for New England and the only place Jacksonville could get some joy is against their pass defense. Having said that I can't see the Jaguars passing game being good enough to trouble the Pats. The Pats offense could win this one in the air or on the ground. They are 3rd in passing and 8th in rushing. The Jags defense are 24th against the pass and 32nd against the run so it's hard to see how they will stop New England.
Prediction - The Patriots should be too good.
Minnesota Vikings (8-6) @ Houston Texans (12-2)
On paper this looks like another very good game. The Vikings need the win to keep their playoff hopes alive. It doesn't get much tougher than going to Houston to face the Texans who need the win to secure the top seed in the AFC. The Texans are very good on the ground and rank 5th in the NFL. As good as the Texans running game is, they aren't as good as the Vikings who have been led by Adrian Peterson. Peterson has a chance of breaking the single season rushing yards record. He needs 294 yards in his last two games to break the record but he won't get it easy as the Texans are 5th against the run. We have already saw Calvin Johnson break the receiving yards record but for me, this record would be more impressive. The league has moved more towards a passing league which accommodates receivers but there has never been a tougher time to run the ball than now. Defenses are bigger, stronger and faster than they ever were but this hasn't stopped Peterson and he has took it in his stride and I for one would love to see him break the record.
Prediction - Peterson to get less than 100 yards and the Texans to win easily.
Cleveland Browns (5-9) @ Denver Broncos (11-3)
The Browns travel to Denver to take on Peyton Manning's Broncos in their penultimate game of the season. It has been another mixed year for the Browns. They are 5-9 and won't be in the playoffs but there has been some positives. They picked up good wins against divisional rivals, the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers. Rookie running-back, Trent Richardson has also had a good year. He needs just 103 yards to get 1000 yards in his rookie season and he has 11 touchdowns which is a good return. The Broncos have built on last year's divisional win and with Peyton Manning at quarterback, the franchise has gone from strength to strength. If they win their last two games they will get a bye in the first round of the playoffs and will host a game in the divisional round of the playoffs.
Prediction - The Broncos should have too much on offense for the Browns and will go a step closer to that playoff bye.
Chicago Bears (8-6) @ Arizona Cardinals (5-9)
These two both started well but have since suffered huge collapses. The Cardinals were 4-0 but lost nine in a row before beating the Detroit Lions last week. The Bears were 7-1 but have lost five of their last six to drop to 8-6 and as things stand they are outside the wildcard spots. The Bears have a lot of talent but they have been very poor recently and they need a quick turnaround or they will miss the playoffs which seems remarkable after such a good start. The Bears will aim to run the ball with Matt Forte and Michael Bush sharing the load. The Cardinals are very poor against the run so the Bears should be able to have some success in that area. The Bears will also be hoping that receiver, Brandon Marshall is fit to play. He has been struggling with a hamstring injury but they will need to be at full strength in what is a must win game.
Prediction - The Bears will win this one.
New York Giants (8-6) @ Baltimore Ravens (9-5)
Just like the Bears and Cardinals game, this game is also between two teams who have suffered a collapse in form. The Giants were cruising towards another NFC East title at 6-2 but they have gone 2-4 in their last six and the Redskins and the Cowboys have put together winning runs to reach 8-6. The Giants are currently outside the playoff places and this game is must win for them. The Ravens have hit their own slump and have lost their last three in a row. Luckily for them, they had already done enough to guarantee a playoff spot but they are now in serious danger of losing the divisional title and therefore having to start their playoff campaign on the road. I've made no secret of the fact I don't really fancy this Ravens team and think they are not using Ray Rice to his full potential. If they give Rice 20-25 carries a game, he could win them games but it's almost as if Coach Harbaugh is scared to play him and wants to keep him under wraps for the playoffs.
Prediction - It all depends on Harbaugh, if he gives Rice the ball, he will put up big numbers and win the game. If not, Eli will throw the deep bomb and Victor Cruz will catch enough of them to win the game for the Giants. I'm going with the latter and a Giants win.
San Francisco 49ers (10-3-1) @ Seattle Seahawks (9-5)
This game had the potential to be a cracker and it still might be but a little of the edge was taken out of it with the 49ers win in New England last week. It now means that the 49ers can afford to lose this game and as long as they win next week at home to the Cardinals they will win the division. Seattle have been one of the surprises of the season. When they signed free agent quarterback, Matt Flynn from Green Bay, I didn't know what to expect. He had done well in his few appearances in Green Bay but so had Kevin Kolb for Philadelphia and he is far from a good quarterback. I didn't expect the rookie, Russell Wilson to step in and take the starting job and actually do a very good job of it. Wilson has been very good and obviously time will tell how good he really is but he has certainly shown all the signs of being a top player. San Francisco have their own issues at quarterback. I still don't think they have done the right thing by benching Alex Smith in favour of Colin Kaepernick. Smith isn't a great quarterback but he is a better fit than Kaepernick in the 49ers offense. Kaepernick is a totally different style of player and he changes the identity of the team. The 49ers were doing well with Smith and I don't think it was a good idea to change the team's identity midway through the season.
Prediction - I'm going with Russell Wilson and the Seahawks to get the win here.
Saturday, 22 December 2012
Atlanta Falcons (12-2) @ Detroit Lions (4-10)
At the start of the season in my NFL Preview (http://gjsportsblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/nfl-2012-season-preview.html) I predicted these two would be playoff teams. I'm happy with my prediction for the Falcons as most people were taking the Saints in the NFC South but I went with Atlanta and they have done the job. Unfortunately, I was way off with the Detroit Lions. I projected a 12-4 season for the Lions and a wildcard place. I was miles off and they will be closer to a 4-12 finish than 12-4.
Atlanta have had a good year and a win here would secure the NFC's number one seed which would mean someone would have to come to Atlanta and beat them or the Falcons will be in the Superbowl. They are 7-0 at home this season, so they won't be beaten easily. A lot of doubters will say that Matt Ryan has never won in the playoffs which is true but when you look at it, the record isn't as bad as it sounds. In his first year in the NFL, Ryan guided the Falcons to a playoff place and lost to the Arizona Cardinals who went on to narrowly lose in the Superbowl. That's not bad for a rookie. They missed the playoffs the following year with a 9-7 record. The next year they won the NFC South with a 13-3 record and opened their playoff campaign against the Green Bay Packers. In that game, Aaron Rodgers played one of the best games I have ever saw and the Falcons lost to a Packers side who went onto win the Superbowl. Last year, the Falcons reached the playoffs again with a 10-6 record and went to New York in the wildcard round and suffered a heavy defeat to the Giants. That same Giants team went onto win the Superbowl. The fact that most people want to talk about is that Matt Ryan is 0-3 in the playoffs but when it's looked at further, he is actually 0-3 against the teams who went on to represent the NFC in that years Superbowl, two of which won the whole thing. That is more about bad luck than a bad quarterback.
This year's Falcons have a very strong passing game. Matt Ryan is a very good quarterback and with targets like Julio Jones, Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez his job is made easy for him. White and Jones have already passed 1000 receiving yards for the season and Gonzalez needs 120 yards from the last two games to pass 1000 yards for the fifth time in his career and for the first time as a Falcon. The running game isn't great but it's doing enough to keep defenses honest which creates space for their trio of receivers to exploit. On defense, they are giving up a lot of yards. They are giving up an average of over 350 yards per game which is 19th in the league. However, they are making up for that by keeping teams out of the end zone. They are conceding an average of 18.5 points per game which is the 4th best record in the NFL. If the Falcons can carry those sort of numbers on defense into the playoffs, they will have every chance of being in the Superbowl as their offense is capable of troubling any team in the league.
The Lions have been the most disappointing team in the league this season. They finally ended their long slump by reaching the playoffs for the first time since 1999 but they have not built on that success. They have a lot of very good players but it just hasn't worked out for them this season. Matthew Stafford is a good quarterback. His numbers last year were excellent. He threw for over 5000 yards, 41 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. This year he has 4252 yards and could very well end the year with another 5000 yard season. His interception numbers are similar as he is currently on 15 interceptions for the year. The one big difference is touchdown passes. He has only got 17 touchdowns this year which is way below his record last year. With two games remaining he is 24 touchdown passes behind his record from last year. That is a massive difference and it is without doubt the reason why the Lions are heading for an early draft pick instead of the playoffs.
The big plus for the Lions has been the form of superstar receiver, Calvin "Megatron" Johnson. Megatron has emphatically dismissed the "Madden Curse" and is just 182 yards away from breaking the record for most receiving yards in a regular season. The record has stood for 17 years and is currently held by Jerry Rice who had 1848 receiving yards in 1995. I expect Megatron to break that record and there's every chance it might even happen tonight.
The match ups in this game are quite tight. Both sides will look to pass the ball. The Lions are 1st in passing and the Falcons are 5th. On defense, the Lions are 11th against the pass and the Falcons are 17th. Neither side are particularly good on the ground. The Lions are 23rd and the Falcons are 28th. On defense the Lions are 18th against the run and the Falcons are 24th.
Prediction - If this game was between two 8-6 teams who were chasing a playoff place, I would take the Detroit Lions based on the match ups. However, with the records as they are, I have to side with the Atlanta Falcons as they need this one to secure the NFC's number one seed.
Monday, 17 December 2012
New York Jets (6-7) @ Tennessee Titans (4-9)
This weeks Monday Night Football isn't a great one for the neutral. Both of these sides have had disappointing seasons and although the Jets can still make the playoffs, I don't think they will.
The Jets have had a mixed year and were hurt early on when Darelle Revis suffered a season ending injury. The defense has done well against the pass but they have really struggled against the run. On offense they have had to rely on the running game. Shonn Greene has led the team in rushing, running for 883 yards and six touchdowns. The passing game has been very poor and Mark Sanchez has had a horrible year. He has completed just 55% of his passes and is averaging just 182 yards per game this season. He has completed twelve touchdown passes and has been intercepted thirteen times. No matter how you look at those numbers, it is not good enough for a starting quarterback in the NFL.
Remarkably, they are still alive in the playoff race and if they win their last three games then they have a chance of a playoff spot. After tonight's game, their remaining schedule sees them host San Diego and then they go on the road to play the Buffalo Bills. All three games are winnable but I just don't see the Jets winning them all and even if they do I expect Pittsburgh or Cincinnati to do enough to finish above them anyway.
The Titans have had a bad year and will miss the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season. The one shining light in their season has been the form of Chris Johnson. He got off to a slow start but his form has picked up and he has now got over 1000 yards for the fifth season in a row. Johnson is listed as probable tonight and I think his presence will be critical to the outcome of the game. The Jets struggle against the run and if he plays I would expect him to have a big game.
Prediction - Chris Johnson to have a big day and lead the Titans to the victory.
Friday, 14 December 2012
NFL Week 15 - Preview and Predictions
New York Giants (8-5) @ Atlanta Falcons (11-2)
This game could be the first of two meetings between these sides this year as both look to be playoff bound and they could meet again at some stage in the post season. They met last year in the playoffs and the Giants picked up a dominant win. The Giants seem to have the edge over the Falcons and have won the last four in the series. New York started the season well and looked to be running away with the NFC East but they had a bad run of results which has allowed Washington and Dallas back into the race for the division. The Falcons have guaranteed themselves a playoff place and regardless of Sunday's results will still hold the NFC's number one seed. They have a great record but the performances have been poor in recent weeks and they will need to improve if they want to give Matt Ryan his first victory in a playoff game. Both sides will prioritise the passing game but the Giants have the better backup if they need to resort to their running game.
Prediction - I like this match up for the Giants and think they will get the win.
Green Bay Packers (9-4) @ Chicago Bears (8-5)
I've been looking forward to this one for a while now. Recent results have gone against the Bears but they have a chance to get themselves equal with the Packers on Sunday. A Bears win at Soldier Field would leave both sides at 9-5 with just two games to go. Both sides should win in week 16 which would mean the Packers would have to go to Minnesota in week 17 and win as long as the Bears win in Detroit. A Bears win would be the best result for the neutral and would lead to an exciting finale. If the Packers win it would secure the NFC North and a guaranteed home game in the playoffs. The Bears would be right in the mix of the wildcard race at 8-6 and would have work to do to secure a playoff place. Two of the most important players in this game are listed as questionable. The Bears need Jay Cutler to play but he left last weeks game with a neck injury and might not be available. In most recent meetings between these teams the best player on the field has been Green Bay linebacker, Clay Matthews. Matthews has a hamstring injury and is also doubtful for this game. He would be a big loss for the Packers as he usually spends this game lying on top of Jay Cutler after yet another sack.
Prediction - If Cutler plays and Matthews doesn't the Bears have a chance but I don't think it will work out for the Bears and the Packers will get the win to clinch the division.
Washington Redskins (7-6) @ Cleveland Browns (5-8)
This game will depend on the availability of the Washington Redskins rookie quarterback, Robert Griffin III. RG3 left Sunday's win over the Ravens late on with a knee injury but thankfully it was nothing too serious and he will be back this season, although there are question marks over his status for this game. At present he is listed as questionable and it seems like the decision will be left until Sunday. The Redskins are on a four game winning streakand it has lifted them into the playoff race but they really do need RG3 to be at his best to keep the run going. The Browns are in the middle of their own winning streak and have won three in a row. It's too late for the playoffs but I do think there could be a bright future in Cleveland within the next few years. The Redskins lead the NFL in rushing and should be able to pick up yards against a Browns defense that ranks 18th against the run. The Redskins are good against the run, ranking 8th in the league but they will have their hands full with Trent Richardson. The Redskins big weakness is on pass defense and they rank 31st. The Browns are 18th in passing and can exploit the Redskins in this area.
Prediction - It's very hard to make a call on this one without knowing RG3's status. I suspect he is struggling and if he plays, he won't be at full strength so I'm going for a Browns win.
Minnesota Vikings (7-6) @ St Louis Rams (6-6-1)
The Vikings head to St Louis on Sunday needing a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Vikings have got themselves into this position thanks to a fantastic season from star running-back, Adrian Peterson. Peterson is just 160 yards away from his career best and with three games remaining he will be looking beyond his personal best and he will be aiming to get as close to the all-time record as he can. The Rams still have an outside chance of the playoffs but they can settle for no less than three wins. Even that probably won't be enough but the Rams will at least try to push their rivals as far as they can. The Vikings are all about the running game and they rank 32nd in passing. Their Rams defense are 13th against the run so I would expect Adrian Peterson to have another big day. The Rams will also try to run the ball and will be hoping Steven Jackson can play. He is listed as probable but will more than likely play.
Prediction - I think Adrian Peterson will lead the Vikings to a big road win and keep their playoff dream alive.
Jacksonville Jaguars (2-11) @ Miami Dolphins (5-8)
Miami and Jacksonville meet on Sunday in a game that means little more than local bragging rights and next years draft order. The Jags have had a bad year and will have an early pick in the 2013 draft. The Dolphins were in with a chance of the playoffs but they have hit a bad run and are no longer in contention. They won three in a row which got them to 4-3 for the season but they have won just one of their six games since then and it has killed off their playoff hopes. Both sides are a bit away from being serious contenders and early draft picks should help in the future.
Prediction - The Dolphins should have enough to pick up the win.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-7) @ New Orleans Saints (5-8)
This game between two NFC South rivals had the potential to be a cracker a few weeks ago but both teams have hit bad form and neither will be in this years playoffs. Tampa Bay look like a team on the up. I'm a fan of Josh Freeman and after a slow start, he finally found his form. He has linked up well with Vincent Jackson in recent weeks, who on his day, is one of the best receivers in the league. Doug Martin has also had a great year and if he can improve on his rookie season, he will be a huge asset to the Bucs. This season was always going to be tough for the Saints in the aftermath of Bountygate. They have a lot of good players though and I expect them to be competitive again next year. I like the match ups in this one. The Saints are 2nd in passing and the Bucs are 32nd in pass defense. The Bucs are 13th in passing and 12th in rushing. The Saints defense are 30th against the pass and 32nd against the run. The Bucs are 1st against the run and the Saints are 26th in rushing so it looks like the Saints will have to rely on the pass.
Prediction - This game should be high scoring but I think the Bucs are the all round better team and will win.
Denver Broncos (10-3) @ Baltimore Ravens (9-4)
A few weeks ago this looked like a must win game for the Broncos to give themselves an outside chance of a top two seed and a bye in the first round of the playoffs. The Broncos have kept winning and their streak now stands at eight wins in a row. The Ravens have lost their last two games and it leaves them needing a win here to have any chance of getting the number two seed. In my opinion, the Broncos are the real deal. They were a good side last year and won a playoff game before eventually falling to the New England Patriots in the divisional round of the playoffs. They have made a huge upgrade at quarterback by replacing Tim Tebow with Peyton Manning and right now it looks as though it may be the difference between a good team and a potential Superbowl winning team. The Ravens have not impressed me. They are 9-4 but six of those nine wins have been by a touchdown or less. They deserve credit for winning a lot of tight games but they could so easily have gone the other way. The opponents in those tight wins weren't always good sides either, with the Chiefs, the Browns and the Chargers all taking them the distance.
Prediction - The Broncos have a good defense and should find it easier to stop the Ravens than the Ravens will find it to stop Peyton Manning and the Broncos passing game. Denver will win this one.
Indianapolis Colts (9-4) @ Houston Texans (11-2)
This game will go a long way in deciding who will win the AFC South and guarantee themselves at least one home playoff game. A Texans win on Sunday would guarantee the division and would take them a step closer to the AFC's number one seed. The Colts have had a great year and I don't think there was many people outside Indianapolis who predicted they would be 9-4 at this stage of the season. The Colts have embraced new quarterback, Andrew Luck and the team seem to have a great spirit about them which I imagine has come about due to Coach Pagano's illness. Thankfully Pagano is on the mend and he will be delighted that the Colts are doing him proud. The Texans are 11-2 for the year but their form has dropped in recent weeks. They started off very well and were blowing out everything in front of them but they haven't looked as good since their big win over Baltimore in week 7. If the Texans rediscover their early season form they are Superbowl contenders, if not, then they will not get past the Patriots or Broncos in the AFC.
Prediction - The Texans will clinch the division with a win over the Colts.
Seattle Seahawks (8-5) @ Buffalo Bills (5-8)
The Seahawks head to Toronto to face the Buffalo Bills who look like missing out on the playoffs for the 13th year in a row. The Seahawks on the other hand have a great chance of a playoff place and might still be able to win the division. A win here and a 49ers defeat in New England would leave the Seahawks and the 49ers on nine wins each. The teams meet in Seattle next week and the NFC West would be very much up for grabs. The Seahawks have one of the best defenses in the league and their biggest challenge on Sunday will be stopping the Bills running game. The Bills are 6th in rushing and could be even higher if they decided to go with CJ Spiller instead of splitting carries between him and Fred Jackson. Spiller has 6.6 yards per carry and Jackson has 3.8 yards per carry. The Bills defence will also have to deal with a good running game. The Seahawks are 4th in rushing and Marshawn Lynch has been having a great year. He has ran for 1266 yards this season which is 2nd in the league.
Prediction - The Seahawks will take another step closer to the playoffs with a win in Toronto.
Detroit Lions (4-9) @ Arizona Cardinals (4-9)
Arizona have set an NFL record by becoming the first team to lose nine games in a row after a 4-0 start to the season. Things don't look like improving either if last weeks 58-0 defeat in Seattle is anything to go by. Quarterback, Kevin Kolb has been placed on injured reserve and I would be surprised if they win any of their remaining games. The Lions have been a huge disappointment. They have drafted well in recent years and I thought this would be the year that they moved up the next level and became a serious competitor in the NFC. It hasn't materialised though and they are heading towards another top ten draft pick. The Cardinals offense is very poor and the only thing they do well is turnovers. The Lions lead the NFL in passing but when required Mikel Leshoure is capable of carrying the offense. He might have to do it this week as the Cards are 5th in pass defense and 30th in run defense so it may be in the Lions best interests to try to win this one on the ground.
Prediction - The Lions will extend Arizona's misery to ten defeats in a row.
Carolina Panthers (4-9) @ San Diego Chargers (5-8)
Neither of these teams will be in the playoffs this year but they have both shown glimpses of being good teams. They have both lacked the consistency required to be a playoff contender though. The Panthers have had good wins against potential playoff teams, like Washington and Atlanta but defeats to teams like Kansas City has cost them. The Chargers had a big win last week over the Steelers but the damage had already been done with the seven defeats in eight games that went before it. I expect this to be Norv Turner's last year in charge and if the rumours are true, Andy Reid could be heading to San Diego next year.
Prediction - I think the Chargers are a better team if both play to their potential and they will win this one.
Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6) @ Dallas Cowboys (7-6)
The Steelers and the Cowboys face off in Dallas on Sunday in a game both sides need to win. Both sides are just outside the playoffs as things stand and can't afford many slip ups if they are to push on and clinch a spot in the post season. The Steelers were in the sixth seed in the AFC until the Bengals beat the Eagles in Philadelphia on Thursday. A win would put them back in a playoff spot ahead of a meeting between the two in Pittsburgh next week. The Cowboys are 7-6 and just a game behind the Giants in the NFC East. They are also just one win behind the Bears and Seahawks in the wildcard race. Both sides will look to pass the ball, with the Cowboys ranked 3rd and the Steelers ranked 11th. Pittsburgh's numbers have suffered a little due to Ben Roethlisberger's injury and they should be higher. Both sides also have decent pass defenses, with the Steelers the best in the league and the Cowboys ranked 10th. It promises to be a tight game and neither side will find it easy to get the win.
Prediction - I trust Roethlisberger more than I trust Tony Romo so I will side with the Steelers.
Kansas City Chiefs (2-11) @ Oakland Raiders (3-10)
This battle between the AFC West's weakest teams will play a big part in deciding the order of the 2013 draft. These two will be picking early and as things stand, they would both be picking in the top three. Obviously one of them will pick up a win on Sunday which could change the order but I can't see either of them winning their week 16 or week 17 fixtures so they should still be in the first few picks. I expect the Chiefs to have a good day on the ground. They rank 5th in rushing and the Raiders are 26th on the ground. If the Chiefs can take care of the ball, there's no reason why they can't pick up a win against an Oakland team who have been struggling this year. The Chiefs have the worst record in the league but I don't think they are the worst team in the league. Their numbers are pretty good in all areas except turnovers. They have turned the ball over 33 times this year and their defense has only forced 11 turnovers so their differential stands at -22 which is tied with the Eagles as the worst in the league.
Prediction - I'm going to take a punt on the Chiefs having a turnover free day and getting the win.
San Francisco 49ers (9-3-1) @ New England Patriots (10-3)
The television companies haven't always got it right this year but on this occasion they are bang on the money. This game will be shown nationally on Sunday Night Football and it looks like being an absolute cracker. These two are polar opposites in terms of style. Sometimes it ruins games but on this occasion I think it will make it one not to be missed. The Pats are an explosive offense and although they will try to pass first, they can also give the ball to Stevan Ridley and attack on the ground. The 49ers are a run first offense and rank 2nd in the league behind the Washington Redskins. Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter were doing a good job. Hunter has since gone down with a bad ankle sprain and the 49ers seem to have changed styles in recent weeks. Since Alex Smith got injured against the Rams in week 10, they have gone with Colin Kaepernick at quarterback. He has had his good moments but I don't think he is the man for the job. I believe if it's not broke, don't fix it. The 49ers offense was fine but Kaepernick is a mobile quarterback and the style of play has changed because of it. The 49ers are still run heavy but Kaepernick is taking carries away from Frank Gore and his passing isn't as good as Alex Smith's so in my opinion, the 49ers are worse off because of it.
Prediction - The Patriots will get another comfortable win over a potential Superbowl rival.
This game could be the first of two meetings between these sides this year as both look to be playoff bound and they could meet again at some stage in the post season. They met last year in the playoffs and the Giants picked up a dominant win. The Giants seem to have the edge over the Falcons and have won the last four in the series. New York started the season well and looked to be running away with the NFC East but they had a bad run of results which has allowed Washington and Dallas back into the race for the division. The Falcons have guaranteed themselves a playoff place and regardless of Sunday's results will still hold the NFC's number one seed. They have a great record but the performances have been poor in recent weeks and they will need to improve if they want to give Matt Ryan his first victory in a playoff game. Both sides will prioritise the passing game but the Giants have the better backup if they need to resort to their running game.
Prediction - I like this match up for the Giants and think they will get the win.
Green Bay Packers (9-4) @ Chicago Bears (8-5)
I've been looking forward to this one for a while now. Recent results have gone against the Bears but they have a chance to get themselves equal with the Packers on Sunday. A Bears win at Soldier Field would leave both sides at 9-5 with just two games to go. Both sides should win in week 16 which would mean the Packers would have to go to Minnesota in week 17 and win as long as the Bears win in Detroit. A Bears win would be the best result for the neutral and would lead to an exciting finale. If the Packers win it would secure the NFC North and a guaranteed home game in the playoffs. The Bears would be right in the mix of the wildcard race at 8-6 and would have work to do to secure a playoff place. Two of the most important players in this game are listed as questionable. The Bears need Jay Cutler to play but he left last weeks game with a neck injury and might not be available. In most recent meetings between these teams the best player on the field has been Green Bay linebacker, Clay Matthews. Matthews has a hamstring injury and is also doubtful for this game. He would be a big loss for the Packers as he usually spends this game lying on top of Jay Cutler after yet another sack.
Prediction - If Cutler plays and Matthews doesn't the Bears have a chance but I don't think it will work out for the Bears and the Packers will get the win to clinch the division.
Washington Redskins (7-6) @ Cleveland Browns (5-8)
This game will depend on the availability of the Washington Redskins rookie quarterback, Robert Griffin III. RG3 left Sunday's win over the Ravens late on with a knee injury but thankfully it was nothing too serious and he will be back this season, although there are question marks over his status for this game. At present he is listed as questionable and it seems like the decision will be left until Sunday. The Redskins are on a four game winning streakand it has lifted them into the playoff race but they really do need RG3 to be at his best to keep the run going. The Browns are in the middle of their own winning streak and have won three in a row. It's too late for the playoffs but I do think there could be a bright future in Cleveland within the next few years. The Redskins lead the NFL in rushing and should be able to pick up yards against a Browns defense that ranks 18th against the run. The Redskins are good against the run, ranking 8th in the league but they will have their hands full with Trent Richardson. The Redskins big weakness is on pass defense and they rank 31st. The Browns are 18th in passing and can exploit the Redskins in this area.
Prediction - It's very hard to make a call on this one without knowing RG3's status. I suspect he is struggling and if he plays, he won't be at full strength so I'm going for a Browns win.
Minnesota Vikings (7-6) @ St Louis Rams (6-6-1)
The Vikings head to St Louis on Sunday needing a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Vikings have got themselves into this position thanks to a fantastic season from star running-back, Adrian Peterson. Peterson is just 160 yards away from his career best and with three games remaining he will be looking beyond his personal best and he will be aiming to get as close to the all-time record as he can. The Rams still have an outside chance of the playoffs but they can settle for no less than three wins. Even that probably won't be enough but the Rams will at least try to push their rivals as far as they can. The Vikings are all about the running game and they rank 32nd in passing. Their Rams defense are 13th against the run so I would expect Adrian Peterson to have another big day. The Rams will also try to run the ball and will be hoping Steven Jackson can play. He is listed as probable but will more than likely play.
Prediction - I think Adrian Peterson will lead the Vikings to a big road win and keep their playoff dream alive.
Jacksonville Jaguars (2-11) @ Miami Dolphins (5-8)
Miami and Jacksonville meet on Sunday in a game that means little more than local bragging rights and next years draft order. The Jags have had a bad year and will have an early pick in the 2013 draft. The Dolphins were in with a chance of the playoffs but they have hit a bad run and are no longer in contention. They won three in a row which got them to 4-3 for the season but they have won just one of their six games since then and it has killed off their playoff hopes. Both sides are a bit away from being serious contenders and early draft picks should help in the future.
Prediction - The Dolphins should have enough to pick up the win.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-7) @ New Orleans Saints (5-8)
This game between two NFC South rivals had the potential to be a cracker a few weeks ago but both teams have hit bad form and neither will be in this years playoffs. Tampa Bay look like a team on the up. I'm a fan of Josh Freeman and after a slow start, he finally found his form. He has linked up well with Vincent Jackson in recent weeks, who on his day, is one of the best receivers in the league. Doug Martin has also had a great year and if he can improve on his rookie season, he will be a huge asset to the Bucs. This season was always going to be tough for the Saints in the aftermath of Bountygate. They have a lot of good players though and I expect them to be competitive again next year. I like the match ups in this one. The Saints are 2nd in passing and the Bucs are 32nd in pass defense. The Bucs are 13th in passing and 12th in rushing. The Saints defense are 30th against the pass and 32nd against the run. The Bucs are 1st against the run and the Saints are 26th in rushing so it looks like the Saints will have to rely on the pass.
Prediction - This game should be high scoring but I think the Bucs are the all round better team and will win.
Denver Broncos (10-3) @ Baltimore Ravens (9-4)
A few weeks ago this looked like a must win game for the Broncos to give themselves an outside chance of a top two seed and a bye in the first round of the playoffs. The Broncos have kept winning and their streak now stands at eight wins in a row. The Ravens have lost their last two games and it leaves them needing a win here to have any chance of getting the number two seed. In my opinion, the Broncos are the real deal. They were a good side last year and won a playoff game before eventually falling to the New England Patriots in the divisional round of the playoffs. They have made a huge upgrade at quarterback by replacing Tim Tebow with Peyton Manning and right now it looks as though it may be the difference between a good team and a potential Superbowl winning team. The Ravens have not impressed me. They are 9-4 but six of those nine wins have been by a touchdown or less. They deserve credit for winning a lot of tight games but they could so easily have gone the other way. The opponents in those tight wins weren't always good sides either, with the Chiefs, the Browns and the Chargers all taking them the distance.
Prediction - The Broncos have a good defense and should find it easier to stop the Ravens than the Ravens will find it to stop Peyton Manning and the Broncos passing game. Denver will win this one.
Indianapolis Colts (9-4) @ Houston Texans (11-2)
This game will go a long way in deciding who will win the AFC South and guarantee themselves at least one home playoff game. A Texans win on Sunday would guarantee the division and would take them a step closer to the AFC's number one seed. The Colts have had a great year and I don't think there was many people outside Indianapolis who predicted they would be 9-4 at this stage of the season. The Colts have embraced new quarterback, Andrew Luck and the team seem to have a great spirit about them which I imagine has come about due to Coach Pagano's illness. Thankfully Pagano is on the mend and he will be delighted that the Colts are doing him proud. The Texans are 11-2 for the year but their form has dropped in recent weeks. They started off very well and were blowing out everything in front of them but they haven't looked as good since their big win over Baltimore in week 7. If the Texans rediscover their early season form they are Superbowl contenders, if not, then they will not get past the Patriots or Broncos in the AFC.
Prediction - The Texans will clinch the division with a win over the Colts.
Seattle Seahawks (8-5) @ Buffalo Bills (5-8)
The Seahawks head to Toronto to face the Buffalo Bills who look like missing out on the playoffs for the 13th year in a row. The Seahawks on the other hand have a great chance of a playoff place and might still be able to win the division. A win here and a 49ers defeat in New England would leave the Seahawks and the 49ers on nine wins each. The teams meet in Seattle next week and the NFC West would be very much up for grabs. The Seahawks have one of the best defenses in the league and their biggest challenge on Sunday will be stopping the Bills running game. The Bills are 6th in rushing and could be even higher if they decided to go with CJ Spiller instead of splitting carries between him and Fred Jackson. Spiller has 6.6 yards per carry and Jackson has 3.8 yards per carry. The Bills defence will also have to deal with a good running game. The Seahawks are 4th in rushing and Marshawn Lynch has been having a great year. He has ran for 1266 yards this season which is 2nd in the league.
Prediction - The Seahawks will take another step closer to the playoffs with a win in Toronto.
Detroit Lions (4-9) @ Arizona Cardinals (4-9)
Arizona have set an NFL record by becoming the first team to lose nine games in a row after a 4-0 start to the season. Things don't look like improving either if last weeks 58-0 defeat in Seattle is anything to go by. Quarterback, Kevin Kolb has been placed on injured reserve and I would be surprised if they win any of their remaining games. The Lions have been a huge disappointment. They have drafted well in recent years and I thought this would be the year that they moved up the next level and became a serious competitor in the NFC. It hasn't materialised though and they are heading towards another top ten draft pick. The Cardinals offense is very poor and the only thing they do well is turnovers. The Lions lead the NFL in passing but when required Mikel Leshoure is capable of carrying the offense. He might have to do it this week as the Cards are 5th in pass defense and 30th in run defense so it may be in the Lions best interests to try to win this one on the ground.
Prediction - The Lions will extend Arizona's misery to ten defeats in a row.
Carolina Panthers (4-9) @ San Diego Chargers (5-8)
Neither of these teams will be in the playoffs this year but they have both shown glimpses of being good teams. They have both lacked the consistency required to be a playoff contender though. The Panthers have had good wins against potential playoff teams, like Washington and Atlanta but defeats to teams like Kansas City has cost them. The Chargers had a big win last week over the Steelers but the damage had already been done with the seven defeats in eight games that went before it. I expect this to be Norv Turner's last year in charge and if the rumours are true, Andy Reid could be heading to San Diego next year.
Prediction - I think the Chargers are a better team if both play to their potential and they will win this one.
Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6) @ Dallas Cowboys (7-6)
The Steelers and the Cowboys face off in Dallas on Sunday in a game both sides need to win. Both sides are just outside the playoffs as things stand and can't afford many slip ups if they are to push on and clinch a spot in the post season. The Steelers were in the sixth seed in the AFC until the Bengals beat the Eagles in Philadelphia on Thursday. A win would put them back in a playoff spot ahead of a meeting between the two in Pittsburgh next week. The Cowboys are 7-6 and just a game behind the Giants in the NFC East. They are also just one win behind the Bears and Seahawks in the wildcard race. Both sides will look to pass the ball, with the Cowboys ranked 3rd and the Steelers ranked 11th. Pittsburgh's numbers have suffered a little due to Ben Roethlisberger's injury and they should be higher. Both sides also have decent pass defenses, with the Steelers the best in the league and the Cowboys ranked 10th. It promises to be a tight game and neither side will find it easy to get the win.
Prediction - I trust Roethlisberger more than I trust Tony Romo so I will side with the Steelers.
Kansas City Chiefs (2-11) @ Oakland Raiders (3-10)
This battle between the AFC West's weakest teams will play a big part in deciding the order of the 2013 draft. These two will be picking early and as things stand, they would both be picking in the top three. Obviously one of them will pick up a win on Sunday which could change the order but I can't see either of them winning their week 16 or week 17 fixtures so they should still be in the first few picks. I expect the Chiefs to have a good day on the ground. They rank 5th in rushing and the Raiders are 26th on the ground. If the Chiefs can take care of the ball, there's no reason why they can't pick up a win against an Oakland team who have been struggling this year. The Chiefs have the worst record in the league but I don't think they are the worst team in the league. Their numbers are pretty good in all areas except turnovers. They have turned the ball over 33 times this year and their defense has only forced 11 turnovers so their differential stands at -22 which is tied with the Eagles as the worst in the league.
Prediction - I'm going to take a punt on the Chiefs having a turnover free day and getting the win.
San Francisco 49ers (9-3-1) @ New England Patriots (10-3)
The television companies haven't always got it right this year but on this occasion they are bang on the money. This game will be shown nationally on Sunday Night Football and it looks like being an absolute cracker. These two are polar opposites in terms of style. Sometimes it ruins games but on this occasion I think it will make it one not to be missed. The Pats are an explosive offense and although they will try to pass first, they can also give the ball to Stevan Ridley and attack on the ground. The 49ers are a run first offense and rank 2nd in the league behind the Washington Redskins. Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter were doing a good job. Hunter has since gone down with a bad ankle sprain and the 49ers seem to have changed styles in recent weeks. Since Alex Smith got injured against the Rams in week 10, they have gone with Colin Kaepernick at quarterback. He has had his good moments but I don't think he is the man for the job. I believe if it's not broke, don't fix it. The 49ers offense was fine but Kaepernick is a mobile quarterback and the style of play has changed because of it. The 49ers are still run heavy but Kaepernick is taking carries away from Frank Gore and his passing isn't as good as Alex Smith's so in my opinion, the 49ers are worse off because of it.
Prediction - The Patriots will get another comfortable win over a potential Superbowl rival.
Thursday, 13 December 2012
Thursday Night Football - Cincinnati Bengals (7-6) @ Philadelphia Eagles (4-9)
Thursday Night Football see's the Cincinnati Bengals head to Philadelphia to face the Eagles. The Bengals need a win to keep themselves in the playoff race. They are level with the Steelers at 7-6 and the likely hood is one of them will enter the playoffs as the AFC's sixth seed. Philadelphia have had a bad year and are out of the playoffs already but the players will be on a high after picking up a good win in Tampa Bay on Sunday.
The Bengals have had a very up and down year. They started well, winning three of their first four games. They followed that 3-1 start with four straight defeats and just when they looked to be done for the year, they went on a four game winning streak. That got them to 7-5 and right back in the playoff hunt. They suffered a last gasp defeat to the Cowboys on Sunday to stand at 7-6 as things stand.
The main reason for the success has been the form of receiver, AJ Green. Green is an elite receiver and has been having a great year. He has caught 79 passes for 1151 yards and 10 touchdowns. His 10 touchdown catches leads the NFL. Green has linked up perfectly with quarterback, Andy Dalton. Both were drafted last year and they have developed a great understanding and the Bengals are reaping the rewards. I liked Dalton in college and personally believe he was underrated. Dalton was the fifth quarterback to be taken in the 2011 draft, coming behind Cam Newton, Jake Locker, Blaine Gabbert and Christian Ponder. I would be fairly confident in saying that Andy Dalton will go on to have a better NFL career than any of those.
Another reason for the success, particularly the recent four game winning streak, has been the form of BenJarvus Green-Ellis. Green-Ellis has 974 rushing yards this season and should pass 1000 yards for the season in tonight's game. He started off slowly but has picked up in recent weeks with four straight games of at least 100 yards from scrimmage. The Bengals are no slouches on defense either and have restricted their opponents to less than twenty points on six occasions. They are a franchise on the up and as their young players continue to improve, they should be competing in the AFC for the next few years.
As I've already said the Eagles have been having a bad year. It's difficult to put a finger on what has gone wrong but it has been an absolute disgrace of a season. It began ok with a 3-1 start but two tight losses before the bye week left the Eagles at 3-3. I wasn't happy with the loss against the Lions but other than, we were more or less where I expected us to be. I was particularly pleased with the wins over the Ravens and the Giants. The biggest problem was our offense. We were averaging just 17 points per game which is nowhere near good enough.
Andy Reid had a look at things on the bye week and in his wisdom decided that the defensive coordinator, Juan Castillo, was the problem and he would have to go. Personally, I would have said the defense was the only thing that was working. They were conceding points late in the game but I would put that down to tiredness as they were spending 35-40 minutes per game on the field due to the failures of the incompetent offense. Up to that point the defense was conceding 20.83 points per game. In the seven games since then we have conceded at least 21 points in every game. In those seven game we are conceding an average of 30.86 points per game. Personally I would say that's enough evidence to show that Andy Reid doesn't have a clue what he's doing.
The offense have turned a bit of a corner but even that has nothing to do with Andy Reid. He was forced to change things when Michael Vick got injured and his replacement, Nick Foles has began to get a bit more out of the offense. He had a slow start but has been improving gradually and as far as I'm concerned, he's the future of the Philadelphia Eagles. I've made no secret of the fact that I'm not a fan of Andy Reid and believe we are at the end of his time in Philadelphia. His position is untenable and it is time for the franchise to go in a different direction. I fully believe he will leave once the season is over and I look forward to finding out who the new head coach will be.
The match ups in this game are extremely tight. The teams are similarly linked in every category and there are no obvious areas were either side will have an advantage. The biggest difference between these sides has been the turnover differential. The Bengals are sitting at 0, with 21 takeaways and 21 giveaways. The Eagles however are -19, with 29 giveaways and just 10 takeaways. It underlines the importance of taking care of the football in the NFL and those turnovers are the difference in a potential playoff team and an early draft pick.
Prediction - I actually believe the Eagles will win this one. Andy Reid is good at two things, failure and winning games when you are playing for nothing other than draft picks.
Wednesday, 12 December 2012
NFL POWER RANKINGS - WEEK 15
1 (3) New England Patriots (10-3) - The Patriots just keep doing this year after year. There is usually an early season blip from New England which leads to their critics claiming they are finished and the Brady/Belichick era is coming to an end. By December, the critics are usually having those words rammed down their throats. The Patriots seem to have the timing of the playoff run down to a fine art. They have been AFC Champions five times in the last eleven years and went on to win three Superbowl's. It would take a brave man to go against the Patriots reaching another Superbowl in their current form. The 42-14 win over the Texans will have sent out a message to the rest of the NFL that the New England Patriots are looking for another title. Tom Brady threw for 296 yards and 4 touchdowns. Brandon Lloyd and Aaron Hernandez were the leading receivers. Lloyd caught 7 passes for 89 yards and a touchdown. Hernandez caught 8 passes for 52 yards and 2 touchdowns. Stevan Ridley had another good day, running for 72 yards and a touchdown.
2 (4) Denver Broncos (10-3) - The Denver Broncos kept their winning run going by picking up a win over divisional rivals, the Oakland Raiders. The Broncos are looking good and on current form the AFC Championship should be decided between them and the New England Patriots. I have no loyalties in the AFC and as a neutral I would love to see the Broncos and Patriots go head to head for a place in the Superbowl. Peyton Manning v Tom Brady is always a big game but for them to meet in a Championship game at this stage of their careers would be mouth watering. On Thursday, Manning threw for 310 yards, a touchdown and an interception. His leading receivers were Eric Decker and Demaryius Thomas. Decker had 8 catches for 88 yards and Thomas had 5 catches for 83 yards. Knowshon Moreno had a big day on the ground, rushing for 119 yards and a touchdown.
3 (1) Houston Texans (11-2) - The Texans have looked poor in recent weeks against teams who aren't in the playoff race. Once they came up against a team who could challenge them for supremacy in the AFC, they were beaten off the field. The Texans had a great start to the season but in the last month or so they haven't been impressive. I don't know whether they are holding a little bit back for the playoffs but this is a dangerous time of the year to hit bad form. On current form, I'd put the Patriots and Broncos ahead of them in the AFC. Houston need to sort themselves out quickly as they have two big games with Indianapolis coming up and if they can't win one of those, they will find themselves in the wildcard places. On Monday, Matt Schaub threw for 232 yards and an interception. Arian Foster and Ben Tate both ran for 46 yards. Foster also picked up a touchdown. Andre Johnson was the leading receiver, catching 8 passes for 95 yards.
4 (5) Green Bay Packers (9-4) - The Packers picked up a win over divisional rivals, the Detroit Lions, on Sunday night. That win and the Bears loss in Minnesota means that a Packers win in Chicago, next Sunday, would hand the Packers another NFC North title. The Packers have won seven of their last eight games and will be a danger to any team when the playoffs start. Aaron Rodgers threw for just 173 yards but he did pick up a rushing touchdown. Randall Cobb was the leading receiver, catching 7 passes for 102 yards.
5 (7) San Francisco 49ers (9-3-1) - The 49ers got back to winning ways with a routine victory over the Miami Dolphins. The win keeps the 49ers just ahead of the Green Bay Packers in the NFC playoff seeding. As things stand the 49ers would have the two seed and a first round bye but they travel to New England and Seattle in the next two weeks so they are far from guaranteed the bye and a defeat to Seattle could even result in them having to start their playoff campaign on the road, as a wildcard. Colin Kaepernick got the nod ahead of Alex Smith again and threw for 185 yards. He also scored a touchdown after a 50 yard run. Frank Gore led the running game with 63 yards and a touchdown. Michael Crabtree was the star receiver, catching 9 passes for 93 yards.
6 (2) Atlanta Falcons (11-2) - The Falcons lost their second game of the year after a defeat to the Carolina Panthers. The final score flattered the Falcons and they never really looked like winning. The Falcons have already secured their playoff place and they still hold the NFC's number one seed. The Falcons are 11-2 for the year and their closest rivals, San Francisco and Green Bay, have nine wins. The Falcons have a tough schedule but should still be able to do enough to get a bye in the playoffs. Matt Ryan threw for 342 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception. Roddy White led the receivers with 9 catches for 117 yards and a touchdown. The Falcons abandoned the running game and ran the ball just eleven times.
7 (6) Baltimore Ravens (9-4) - The Ravens lost their second game in a row on Sunday, losing in overtime to the Washington Redskins. The two defeats have saw the Ravens drop from the number two seed in the AFC to number four. The Ravens face a tough finish to the season and still have three games to come against potential playoff teams. They host the Broncos and the Giants before finishing with a trip to Cincinnati. I think the Ravens will have to win at least one of those to guarantee themselves a playoff place. Joe Flacco threw for 182 yards, 3 touchdowns and an interception. Anquan Boldin caught 3 passes for 78 yards and 2 touchdowns. Ray Rice had another good day on the ground, running for 121 yards and a touchdown.
8 (10) New York Giants (8-5) - The Giants picked up a blow out win over the New Orleans Saints to keep themselves ahead in the NFC East. With Washington and Dallas both winning the pressure was on the Giants but they responded well and won easily. The Giants face a tough finish to the regular season with trips to Atlanta and Baltimore before finishing at home to the Eagles who despite having a bad year, have a great record against the Giants and would take great pleasure in killing off their playoff hopes. Eli Manning threw for 259 yards, 4 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Victor Cruz led the receivers with 8 catches for 121 yards and a touchdown. David Wilson had a great day for the Giants. He ran for 100 yards and 2 touchdowns but it was his kick returns that done the most damage. Wilson returned four kicks for a total of 227 yards including a 97 yard touchdown.
9 (9) Indianapolis Colts (9-4) - The Colts picked up yet another win and are now 9-4 for the season thanks to a big second half comeback. The Colts were 13 behind at one stage but fought back to take a 27-23 victory. The Colts are almost guaranteed a playoff place and if they can win there last three games, they will be crowned AFC South champions. They face the Texans twice in their last three games and two wins would have the teams level but the Colts would take the tie breaker due to having the better head to head record. Three wins is a big ask but it is certainly not beyond this Colts team. Andrew Luck had a poor game on Sunday, completing less than half his passes for 196 yards, a touchdown and 2 interceptions. Reggie Wayne caught 6 passes for 64 yards and a touchdown. Vick Ballard led the rushers with 94 yards from 19 carries.
10 (12) Seattle Seahawks (8-5) - The Seahawks maintained their perfect home record with a blowout victory over the Arizona Cardinals. The final score was 58-0 to the Seahawks and it truly was one way traffic for the whole game. The Seattle defense will take much of the credit as they forced eight turnovers and scored two touchdowns from them. The offense finished the job off in what was a remarkable display. Russell Wilson had a quiet game and only played for 35 minutes of it. He threw for 148 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Anthony McCoy was the leading receiver, catching 3 passes for 105 yards. It was the Seattle running game that done the bulk of the damage. Their rushers combined for 284 yards at 6.8 yards per carry. Marshawn Lynch ran for 128 yards and 3 touchdowns. Robert Turbin also picked up 108 yards in what was a dominant display.
11 (8) Chicago Bears (8-5) - The Bears have lost four of their last five games and find themselves right in the middle of a battle for their playoff future. At 8-5 they are currently in position for the NFC's sixth seed but they are only one game ahead of the three teams who have 7-6 records. The Bears have a huge game this weekend, when the Green Bay Packers come to Soldier Field. A win would see the Bears level the Packers at 9-5 although the Packers would still lead the division courtesy of a better divisional record. In Sunday's game, Jay Cutler threw for 260 yards, a touchdown and 2 interceptions but had to leave the game after a head injury. Brandon Marshall was the leading receiver, catching 10 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown. Matt Forte led the ground game, rushing for 85 yards.
12 (14) Washington Redskins (7-6) - The Redskins picked up a huge overtime win over the Baltimore Ravens to reach 7-6 for the season and keep their playoff hopes alive. The win came at a price though as explosive quarterback, Robert Griffin III picked up a knee injury. It's still not clear how serious the injury is but early indications are that RG3 will miss this weeks trip to Cleveland. Kirk Cousins will start at quarterback and although he isn't as good as RG3, he also arrived with a big reputation. On Sunday, RG3 threw for 246 yards and a touchdown. The leading receiver was Pierre Garcon with 5 catches for 87 yards and a touchdown. Alfred Morris had another good rushing game, picking up 122 yards and a touchdown.
13 (15) Minnesota Vikings (7-6) - The Vikings picked up a big win over the Chicago Bears to keep themselves in the race for the playoffs. I didn't expect much from the Vikings last year but they have been one of the surprise packages. Many people wrote off running-back, Adrian Peterson after he suffered such a serious injury last year. There are players who have had that injury who have never played again and most who have played on after it, have never been able to reach the same level of performance. Adrian Peterson is different though and he looks even better than he was before the injury. He has ran for 1600 yards this year and needs another 506 yards to break the record for the most rushing yards in a season. 506 yards in three games is a big ask but if anyone can do it, it's Peterson. On Sunday, Christian Ponder threw for 91 yards and an interception. Once again, the Vikings star man was Peterson who ran for 154 yards and 2 touchdowns.
14 (11) Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6) - The Steelers lost at home to the San Diego Chargers on Sunday but they still hold the sixth seed in the AFC playoff race as the Bengals also lost. The Steelers are 7-6 and they play Cincinnati in week 16 which looks like being a decider for the AFC's final playoff slot. The Steelers have had injuries to key players all year but they should have most of their team back if they make the playoffs. Ben Roethlisberger threw for 285 yards, 3 touchdowns and an interception. His leading receiver was Mike Wallace who caught 7 passes for 112 yards and 2 touchdowns.
15 (17) Dallas Cowboys (7-6) - The Dallas Cowboys kept their season alive with a last gasp comeback win over the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals led by 9 midway through the 4th quarter but a Dez Bryant touchdown and a Dan Bailey field goal won the game for the Cowboys. The win keeps the Cowboys one win behind NFC East leaders, the New York Giants and they are also just one game behind Seattle and Chicago in the wildcard places. Tony Romo threw for 268 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Jason Witten led the receivers with 4 catches for 62 yards.
16 (13) Cincinnati Bengals (7-6) - Cincinnati conceded ten points in the last 6:35 of the game to lose 20-19 to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. The Browns looked like they had the game won but Dez Bryant scored a touchdown and then Dan Bailey kicked the game winning field goal as time expired to send the Bengals to 7-6 for the year. Fortunately for the Bengals, the Pittsburgh Steelers also lost so nothing has changed in the race for the final playoff place in the AFC. Andy Dalton threw for 206 yards, a touchdown and an interception. BenJarvus Green-Ellis had another good game, rushing for 89 yards at 7.4 yards. The Bengals offensive coordinator will have to explain why he was restricted to just 12 carries.
17 (19) St Louis Rams (6-6-1) - The Rams picked up a win over the Bills in Buffalo on Sunday. At 6-6-1 the Rams still have an outside chance of the playoffs but it looks very unlikely as their is a lot of teams ahead of them. The Rams can take some positives from this season. Sam Bradford is growing into a good quarterback and they also have some good young talent on both sides of the ball. Bradford threw for 209 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Brandon Gibson caught 6 passes for 100 yards and a touchdown. Steven Jackson led the rushers with 64 yards.
18 (23) New York Jets (6-7) - The New York Jets won in Jacksonville on Sunday to reach 6-7 for the season and they are just one win behind the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals who are currently battling it out for the sixth seed in the AFC playoff bracket. Those two have to meet so one is guaranteed at least eight wins but the Jets could certainly give themselves a chance if they can win their last three games. Their last three games are all against losing teams so they have every chance of getting to 9-7 and at least making the Bengals and the Steelers earn the wildcard. Mark Sanchez threw for 111 yards but it was the running game that done the damage. The Jets picked up 166 yards on the ground. Bilal Powell ran for 78 yards and a touchdown. Shonn Greene had 77 yards and also picked up a touchdown.
19 (16) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-7) - The Bucs gave away an eleven point lead in the last four minutes and lost to the Philadelphia Eagles by a score of 23-21. The defeat leaves the Bucs at 6-7 and will most likely mean the end of their playoff chances. Officially they are still alive but the list of results they need to go their way looks to be too long and I don't think they will be in the playoffs this year. Josh Freeman threw for 189 yards and 2 touchdowns. Vincent Jackson caught 6 passes for 131 yards and a touchdown. Doug Martin had another good day, running for 128 yards and a touchdown.
20 (25) San Diego Chargers (5-8) - The Chargers snapped their four game losing streak with a good win over the Steelers in Pittsburgh. The Steelers got two late touchdowns to add some respectability to the score line but it was a dominant and fully deserved win for the Chargers. At 5-8 they are still mathematically alive but it would take three wins and a lot of other results to go their way to secure a playoff spot. It's highly unlikely but performances like this will give the team a boost ahead of next season. Philip Rivers threw for 200 yards and 3 touchdowns. His star receiver was Danario Alexander who caught 7 passes for 88 yards and 2 touchdowns.
21 (18) New Orleans Saints (5-8) - The New Orleans Saints feint playoff hopes died on Sunday with a heavy defeat to the New York Giants. The Saints had a bad start to the year and got themselves into too deep a hole. Next year the Saints should be back to normal after Bountygate and I would expect them to be competing at the top end of the NFC. Drew Brees threw for 354 yards, a touchdown and 2 interceptions. The Saints had a good day on the ground with their rushers picking up 142 yards at 5.9 yards per carry. Unfortunately for the Saints, they fell behind early and had to abandon the run.
22 (21) Detroit Lions (4-9) - The Lions suffered another tough loss on Sunday night, this time to the Green Bay Packers. The Lions started well and went 14-0 up early in the second quarter. The Packers got it back to 14-10 by the half and then outscored the Lions in the second half to run out 27-20. The Lions have been hugely disappointing this year and I had predicted a playoff spot for them. On Sunday, Matthew Stafford threw for 264 yards, a touchdown and an interception. His leading receiver was Calvin Johnson who caught 10 passes for 118 yards.
23 (24) Cleveland Browns (5-8) - The Browns are having a great run late in the season and have now won three in a row after their win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Cleveland have some good young players and I believe they will be competing for the playoffs within a season or two. They have had a good return from Trent Richardson in his rookie year and I genuinely believe he will go on to have a very good NFL career. On Sunday, Brandon Weeden threw for 217 yards. Trent Richardson picked up two touchdowns on the ground. Josh Gordon had another good game, catching 8 passes for 86 yards.
24 (20) Buffalo Bills (5-8) - The Bills lost to the St Louis Rams on Sunday and the defeat all but ends their playoff hopes. The Bills were winning inside the last minute but the Rams scored a touchdown with just 0:48 left and hung on for the win. Buffalo won't be in the playoffs and this season will be best remembered as CJ Spiller's breakout season. Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 247 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Steve Johnson was the leading receiver and caught 6 passes for 71 yards. Spiller ran for 37 yards but only got 7 carries.
25 (27) Carolina Panthers (4-9) - The Panthers bounced back from a bad loss to the Kansas City Chiefs with a big win over divisional rivals, the Atlanta Falcons. The Panthers were excellent and fully deserved their win. They were very unlucky not to have beat the Falcons in Atlanta but they made sure there would be no late comebacks this time. Cam Newton was the star of the show. He threw for 287 yards and 2 touchdowns. He was even better on the ground, running for 116 yards and a touchdown from 9 carries. Steve Smith also had a good game, catching 7 passes for 109 yards.
26 (22) Miami Dolphins (5-8) - The Dolphins are now 5-8 for the year after a defeat to the 49ers in San Francisco. They kept the game tight for a long time but their offense struggled to pick up yards against a tough San Francisco defense. Miami ended the game with 227 yards of offense which isn't enough to win games in this league unless your defense are picking up turnovers and on this occasion they weren't. Ryan Tannehill completed just over half his passes for 150 yards and a touchdown. Reggie Bush had a decent day on the ground, running for 65 yards from 14 carries. Bush also caught 5 passes for 38 yards which gave him 103 yards from scrimmage.
27 (26) Tennessee Titans (4-9) - The Tennessee Titans suffered a tough loss in Indianapolis on Sunday. The Titans led by thirteen at half time and after the Colts came back in the third quarter, they took another lead in the fourth quarter. It wasn't to be though as Adam Vinatieri kicked two late field goals to win the game for the Colts. At 4-9 the Titans are done for the year but they will fancy their chances of picking up a win or two in their remaining fixtures. Jake Locker threw for 262 yards, a touchdown and 2 interceptions. He also led the rushers with 51 yards from 4 carries. Titans receiver, Kenny Britt had a big day, catching 8 passes for 143 yards.
28 (32) Philadelphia Eagles (4-9) - The Eagles won their first game since week 4 and as an Eagles fan, my first reaction was how will this affect next years draft pick? Maybe that's not the right attitude but I genuinely believed the players had given up and were destined to finish 3-13. This has been a bad year to be an Eagles fan and I was hoping for as early a draft pick as possible. Having said that, we got the win and there is no doubt positives to be taken from that. Rookie quarterback, Nick Foles, had an excellent game, throwing for 381 yards and 2 touchdowns. Foles has been improving and if we can get a decent offensive line ahead of him I think he could be the man to lead the Eagles in the future. On Sunday, his leading receivers were Jason Avant and Jeremy Maclin. Avant caught 7 passes for 133 yards and Maclin caught 9 passes for 104 yards and a touchdown.
29 (28) Kansas City Chiefs (2-11) - The Chiefs have dropped to 2-11 after a heavy defeat to the Cleveland Browns. The Chiefs took the lead on the opening play of the game but the Browns scored 30 unanswered points to run out 30-7 winners. As things stand the Chiefs would have the number one pick in the 2013 draft and unless they win in Oakland this week, I can't see them picking up anymore wins. They finish with Indianapolis and Denver so Oakland looks like their last chance of a win. Brady Quinn threw for 159 yards and an interception. The Chiefs star player was Jamaal Charles who ran for 165 yards and a touchdown.
30 (30) Jacksonville Jaguars (2-11) - The Jags suffered a defeat at home to the New York Jets that sends them to 2-11 for the season. The Jags have had a bad year and things haven't worked out for them at quarterback. They started the year with Blaine Gabbert and then replaced him with Chad Henne. Henne started well but has returned to the player I remember in Miami in the last two weeks. In Sunday's game he threw for 185 yards and 2 interceptions. Montell Owens was their best player and ran for 91 yards and a touchdown.
31 (31) Oakland Raiders (3-10) - The Raiders suffered yet another defeat, this time at the hands of Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos. The Raiders are 3-10 now and as things stand they would have the third pick overall in the 2013 draft. This franchise has suffered for a long time and I would like to see them improve in the coming years as the Raiders are one of the most storied franchises in the NFL. Carson Palmer threw for 273 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception. His leading receiver was Rod Streater who caught 4 passes for 100 yards.
32 (29) Arizona Cardinals (4-9) - There's not much you can say about Arizona's latest defeat. They lost 58-0 to the Seattle Seahawks in what is now their ninth defeat in a row. The Cardinals were terrible and I know if I was a Cardinals fan I would be questioning the players desire. They turned the ball over a remarkable eight times in what must have been one of the most humiliating days in the history of the franchise. John Skelton was horrible and threw for 74 yards and 4 interceptions. He also fumbled the ball which resulted in another turnover. Ryan Lindley came in and wasn't much better, completing less than half his passes for 59 yards and he too had a fumble which was recovered by the Seahawks. The future looks bleak in Arizona and at this point I'd imagine even the fans want this season to be over.
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