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. 

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. 

THE SHIVA BONJELLA PLAYOFFS

The Playoff bracket for this years Shiva Bonjella NFL CSA winner has now been been set.  One lucky winner will pick up the prestigious trophy (pictured above) and the rest will have to spend the year longing for the day that they too may lift the trophy they all want.


The top four players enter the race for the Shiva Bonjella and the bottom four enter the race to avoid having to take home the horrible, "Mallon Ibrahimovic Trophy".


The Shiva Bonjella contenders are as follows:

1) Jimbo "The Bimbo" McAdam

 Bimbo on a recent holiday

2) Stevie "Moog FC" Moore

Stevie in the number 9 shirt warming up before a recent game for Chimney Corner

 3) Colin "Right Said Pinky" Pinkerton

Pinky on a recent trip to an Italian restaurant

4) Stevie's Mate aka The Phantom Fantasist

I can't confirm or deny if this is Stevie's mate as even Stevie doesn't know him

The Draw is as follows:

Jimbo "The Bimbo" McAdam (1) vs Stevie's Mate aka The Phantom Fantasist (4)

Stevie "Moog FC" Moore (2) vs Colin "Right Said Pinky" Pinkerton (3)

Ties are to be played between Thursday 13th December and Monday 17th December

THE MALLON IBRAHIMOVIC TROPHY

This trophy will be awarded to the worst player in this years NFL CSA Fantasy League.  The trophy has been so named, as a tribute to two shite human beings, Paul Mallon and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.  The contenders are as follows:

5) Paul "Cerebal" Malsy

Malsy being an ugly, hateful gobshite as usual

6) Gerry "The Blogger" Johnston

The Blogger doing last weeks Power Rankings

7) Eddie "CSI" McMullan

The CSA's very own crime fighter solving another murder.

8) Pearse "The Cunt" McCurdy

Pure Cunt

The fixtures for the Mallon Ibrahimovic Trophy are as follows:

Paul "Cerbal" Malsy (5) vs Pearse "The Cunt" McCurdy (8) 

Gerry "The Blogger" Johnston (6) vs Eddie "CSI" McMullan (7)

Ties are to be played between Thursday 13th December and Monday 17th December

Monday Night Football - Houston Texans (11-1) @ New England Patriots (9-3)

This weeks Monday Night Football should be a cracker and may even be a preview of the AFC Championship game.  The Houston Texans are 11-1 and the New England Patriots are 9-3.  Both sides have clinched their playoff spot and are now chasing one of the top two seeds and a bye in the first round of the playoffs.  As things stand, the Texans are in the number one seed and the Patriots are number three.  A New England win could make things very tight.  The Texans would be 11-2, just ahead of the Patriots and the Denver Broncos at 10-3.

The Texans have the best record in the NFL but it's hard to judge how good they are as they have had a soft schedule.  They have only faced four winning teams but in fairness, they are 3-1 in those games.  They are clearly a good side but I fear they may have peaked too soon.  Their performance levels have dropped in recent weeks and they were quite fortunate to beat the Jaguars and the Lions.

They have a few very good players on their roster.  Arian Foster is an elite running-back and leads the league with 13 rushing touchdowns.  He is in the band of players who would be mentioned if asked who the best rusher in the league is.  At receiver they have Andre Johnson who is not quite in the conversation of who the best receiver in the league is but he's most definitely in the top 5-10 bracket.  At tight end they have Owen Daniels who is right behind Rob Gronkowski and Jimmy Graham as the best in his position in the league.  Their quarterback, Matt Schaub is very underrated.  He doesn't get as much publicity as a lot of other quarterbacks but he should.  Outside the Mannings, Brady, Brees, Roethlisberger and Rodgers, I don't think there's anyone better than him.  He has a different role to those guys but does his job very well.  He has a great running game and doesn't have to throw as often as they do but as far as game managing quarterbacks are concerned, Schaub is in a league of his own.  The stars aren't all on offense.  J.J. Watt has had 16.5 sacks for the seasons which is only bettered by Aldon Smith of the 49ers.  Kareem Jackson is also beginning to make a name for himself at corner back and has intercepted four passes. 

The Patriots got off to a poor start and questions were being asked when they were 3-3.  From then the Patriots have won six in a row which has clinched yet another AFC East title for Bill Belichick's men.  Like the Texans, their record is questionable as they have also only faced four winning teams.  The Patriots are 2-2 in those games. 

The poor start can possibly be put down to the fact Bill Belichick was trying to change the offense and Wes Welker wasn't really being used.  That plan was scrapped and since then Welker has been excellent and leads the Patriots in receptions.  He has caught 92 passes for 1064 yards and 4 touchdowns.  Rob Gronkowski and Brandon Lloyd have also helped out and are having good years.  Tom Brady hasn't shown any signs of slowing down and is having another great year.  He has thrown for over 3500 yards, 25 touchdowns and 4 interceptions.  The four interceptions are a great stat and it is testament to how good Brady is.  There is nobody in the NFL who does a better job of looking after the football than Tom Brady. 

The one difference between this Patriots team and the ones in recent seasons is running-back, Stevan Ridley.  Ridley has had an excellent year and he has already picked up more rushing yards than every Patriots running-back since Antowain Smith in the 2001 season.  Ridley should pass Smith as he is only 147 yards behind him with four games remaining.  Ridley is only in his second year in the league and he looks like one of the next generation of elite running-backs.

The match ups would suggest this should be a tight game.  The Pats are 5th in passing and 8th in rushing.  Their defense is 8th against the run and their one weakness is the pass defense and they rank 29th.  The Texans are 10th in passing and 6th in rushing.  Their defense is 17th against the pass and 2nd against the run.  Both teams biggest weakness is pass defense, so it should come down to Brady v Schaub.

Prediction - I think Tom Brady will exploit the Texans pass defense and guide the Patriots to a much needed win. 

NFL Week 14 Preview and Predictions

St Louis Rams (5-6-1) @ Buffalo Bills (5-7)

The winner of this game will still have a slim chance of making the post season but for the loser, it will be the end of their playoff hopes.  Both sides are in that bracket were they are close to being .500 teams and a run of four wins would give them a chance of the playoffs but 3-1 would most likely not be good enough.  Neither side has a good passing game and the Rams rank 22nd in the NFL.  The Bills are even worse and rank 26th.  The Bills big strength is their running game.  They are averaging 148 yards per game and they rank 4th in the league.  The Rams are also better on the ground and rank 13th.  It looks as though this game will be decided by the rushers.  Of the defenses, St Louis are better against the run but the Bills have improved a lot in recent weeks and should be able to restrict Steven Jackson.

Prediction - Home advantage and the improvement in the Bills run defense, makes me side with them for the win.


Dallas Cowboys (6-6) @ Cincinnati Bengals (7-5)
These two are right in the middle of the playoff race and the winners of this game will receive a boost to their hopes of clinching a wildcard spot.  The losers will find themselves in a difficult situation.  They will still be outside the wildcard places and have just three games left to put together a playoff push.  The Cowboys are a pass heavy offense.  They are 2nd in passing and 29th in rushing.  The Bengals have a much more balanced offense.  They are 13th in passing and 14th in rushing.  The running game has improved in recent weeks and BenJarvus Green-Ellis has been very impressive.  He has ran for over 100 yards in three consecutive games and is providing a dual threat to opposing defenses which means defenses can't always concentrate on covering AJ Green.  Defensively there's not much between the sides.  Neither could be described as a shut down defense but they are both strong enough and have no glaring weaknesses.  The game will most likely be high scoring and could turn into a shootout. 

Prediction - I think the Bengals have more options on offense and I trust Dalton more than Tony Romo not to lose the game for his team.  Bengals win.


Kansas City Chiefs (2-10) @ Cleveland Browns (4-8)

The Chiefs got their second win of the season last week in a game that was full of emotion after the tragic events of last Saturday.  The Chiefs players deserve a lot of credit for being able to take the field last Sunday and they some how managed to compose themselves enough to win the game.  This game also sees a few former Browns returning to Cleveland for the first time.  Peyton Hillis, Brady Quinn and Romeo Crennell all return to their former team and it will be interesting to see what kind of reception they get.  I imagine it won't be anything like the reception LeBron James got after his move to Miami.  The Chiefs have a good running game, ranking 5th in the NFL.  The Browns aren't great on offense, ranking 20th in passing and 25th in rushing.  On defense the Chiefs are poor against the run and rank 26th in the league.  The Browns are 16th against the run and should be able to make things tough for Jamaal Charles.

Prediction - Tough one to call and it will come down to whoever takes care of the football.  I'll side with the Browns.


Tennessee Titans (4-8) @ Indianapolis Colts (8-4)

While Robert Griffin III is getting all the headlines, Andrew Luck is quietly going about things in Indianapolis and setting new records for a rookie quarterback.  He has already beat Peyton Manning's record for 300 yard passing games as a rookie and he has more wins than any quarterback who was a number one draft pick.  Luck looks like a special player and although he isn't as exciting as RG3, he looks like the quarterback more likely to win a title.  The Titans won't be in the playoffs this year but I've no doubt they'll still put everything into this game so they might stop the Colts reaching the playoffs too.  The Colts are 5th in passing and 18th in rushing.  The Titans defense is poor and is ranked 25th against the pass and 27th against the run.  The Titans will look to run the ball and Chris Johnson has the potential to win games on his own.  He had a reasonable game the first time round, picking up 117 yards from scrimmage.  The Colts defense will have to contain him and if they do it should be a routine victory.

Prediction - The Colts should win this one.


Chicago Bears (8-4) @ Minnesota Vikings (6-6)
This is a huge game in the NFC North and it will have big playoff implications.  The Bears are currently in the wildcard places but they are tied with Green Bay for the lead in the division and the two meet again in week 15.  The Vikings have done well to get themselves into this position but there's not much room for error at this point.  They are one of four teams at 6-6 in the NFC and they trail Seattle (7-5) and Chicago (8-4) for the wildcard spots.  To have any chance of the playoffs they will need to get to 9 wins and even that probably won't be enough.  The Vikings will be looking for Adrian Peterson to have a big day.  Peterson is on pace for a career year which is remarkable considering he tore his ACL and MCL less than a year ago.  He is a medical marvel but he will have to be at his best to pick up yards against this Bears defense. 

Prediction - I sense a spanner in the works of the NFC North playoff race with a Vikings win here. 


San Diego Chargers (4-8) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5)
The Steelers picked up a huge win last weekend without Ben Roethlisberger to keep their playoff hopes alive and now the big man is back, the Steelers can put together a serious run for the AFC title.  They were in great form before the injury and have managed to keep themselves in the race so I expect them to do enough to guarantee themselves a playoff spot.  The Chargers have had yet another bad year and there has been a lot of rumours going around that they will finally fire Norv Turner at the end of the year.  Turner had a good team in San Diego but they have definitely underachieved in his time as head coach.  The Steelers were a top ten passing offense until Roethlisberger's injury and they should be able to get back to that level.  The running game has been hit and miss this season and the Chargers are 7th against the run so the game will be in Roethlisberger's hands.  The Chargers have been poor offensively, averaging just 322 yards per game.  I can't see them breaking out offensively against the Steelers defense so they will have a tough day ahead of them. 

Prediction - The Steelers should win this one.


Philadelphia Eagles (3-9) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-6)

The Philadelphia Eagles take their lack of effort and sub par performances to Tampa Bay this week.  The Bucs are still in with a chance in the NFC but they are running out of time and need to be winning this one.  The wildcard race in the NFC is very tight and one of five teams could clinch that sixth seed.  The Bucs are in with a chance of getting it but with trips to New Orleans and Atlanta still to come, it looks like being a big ask.  As an Eagles fan I am feeling a bit of apathy towards the team this year.  It's hard to put a finger on what happened when it could be so many things.  The season has been a disaster and I'm ready for an off season which will hopefully see a lot of change.  2013 is going to be our year... Truthfully, even I don't believe that.  The way this season has gone, I can't see how the Eagles are going to stop Doug Martin and Vincent Jackson.  The defense can't seem to stop anyone and it's hard to see how they will stop players as good as these pair.

Prediction - Bucs win.


Baltimore Ravens (9-3) @ Washington Redskins (6-6)

This game looks like being a cracker and could be one of the games of the year.  The Ravens have lost their number two seed in the AFC after last weeks loss to the Steelers.  The Redskins have been a different team after their bye week and sit on the edge of a playoff place.  They went into the bye at 3-6 but have won their last three to reach 6-6.  Robert Griffin III has been excellent and he has been supported by Alfred Morris who is also having a great rookie year.  The Redskins are the leading rushers in the league and the Ravens will find it tough to contain them.  The Ravens are 23rd in run defense and will have to do something different to stop the Redskins on the ground.  The Redskins are 31st in pass defense and the game will hinge on what Joe Flacco shows up. 

Prediction - I think the Redskins will get the win here and continue their push to the playoffs.


Atlanta Falcons (11-1) @ Carolina Panthers (3-9)
The Falcons face a tough trip to Carolina to face the Panthers.  The Panthers very very unlucky in week 4 and it took a field goal with just five seconds left to win the game for the Falcons.  The Falcons defense struggled with the Panthers rushers.  Carolina ran for 199 yards in that game.  In the end Matt Ryan was able to lead the Falcons to a win but I expect they will face another tough game this week.  The Falcons can afford a few slip ups as they are well clear in the NFC and have a 2.5 win lead over the 49ers in second.  This match should be tight and if the Panthers can look after the football, they will have every chance of winning this game against their NFC South rivals.

Prediction - I think the Panthers will get the upset victory here.


New York Jets (5-7) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (2-10)
I've always had my suspicions about Rex Ryan.  Some of the pre and post match interviews gave me an idea but it is official, Rex Ryan is completely insane.  Just one week after he showed signs of clear thinking by benching him, he has lost the plot completely and decided to stick with Mark Sanchez.  When the Jets finally decide to cut Sanchez he won't get another team and will go and talk to Jamarcus Russell about their glittering college careers and how they made millions from their brief NFL careers for not really doing anything.  It might be harsh but I just don't think Sanchez is the answer and any success the Jets had in recent years was more to do with the defense.  The match up looks like it will come down to the Jets running game against the Jags run defense.  Shonn Greene has been having a decent year and he could lead the Jets to the win here.

Prediction - This is a tough one, neither side have had a good year but I think Shonn Greene will be the difference and lead the Jets to the win.


Miami Dolphins (5-7) @ San Francisco 49ers (8-3-1)

These two have had a few good battles over the years as two of the NFL's most celebrated franchises but on this occasion, it looks as though only one of them is a serious contender.  The 49ers currently hold the number two seed in the NFC playoff race and another few wins will guarantee their playoff spot.  I will be watching the performance of Colin Kaepernick very closely.  There has been a bit of a mixed bag from him since he replaced Alex Smith and a lot of people are questioning whether it was a wise move to start a quarterback controversy at a team who had a great chance of a title.  The Dolphins are 5-7 and still have an outside chance of the playoffs but even four wins might not be enough.  Both teams will look to run the ball and both have good run defenses.  It looks as though this game will be low scoring and come down to Frank Gore v Reggie Bush.

Prediction - Gore v Bush?  It has to be Gore for me, 49ers win.


New Orleans Saints (5-7) @ New York Giants (7-5)

This should be another great game and it's must win time for both sides.  The Saints need four wins to give themselves any chance of a playoff spot and the Giants have dragged themselves down into a race for the NFC East with just one win in their last four.  Both teams can be explosive but they can also be terrible too.  The game will be pass heavy with New Orleans 3rd in passing and the Giants are 9th.  Neither side are good on pass defense with the Saints ranked 30th and the Giants ranked 22nd.  This game will be high scoring and could come down to turnovers or who has the last possession.  Eli Manning and Drew Brees are similar in the fact they can both single handedly win games and single handedly lose games.  For me Brees is the better quarterback and that could be the difference here.

Prediction - I think the Saints can win this one.


Arizona Cardinals (4-8) @ Seattle Seahawks (7-5)

The Arizona Cardinals must be close to a record for the worst turnaround in a season in NFL history.  After a 4-0 start they have now lost eight in a row to reach 4-8.  Many teams before them have suffered a drop in form but the Cardinals have took that to a new level.  They almost ended the run last week but once Rex Ryan benched Sanchez, the comeback was on.  The Seahawks will be feeling very good about their chances after last weeks road win over the Chicago Bears.  They now return to Seattle to defend their unbeaten home record against a struggling divisional rival.  The Seahawks have been led in recent weeks by rookie quarterback, Russell Wilson.  Wilson has had a good year, quietly going about his business and getting the job done.  I have criticised him in the past but he is showing good form and if he keeps it up he should take the Seahawks into the playoffs.

Prediction - The Seahawks have to win this one.


Detroit Lions (4-8) @ Green Bay Packers (8-4)

At the start of the season I expected this game to be a battle between two sides looking to win the NFC North.  I was half right and the Packers are right in the middle of the battle to win the division but I was way out with the Detroit Lions.  The Lions have been poor and although there has been some good flashes, they simply haven't got the wins on the board.  Green Bay don't look as good as they did last season but they should make the playoffs and once they get there they are capable of beating any team in the league.  Aaron Rodgers has taken a lot of punishment this season and the Packers need to protect him better so he can do what he does best and win football games.  This game will be pass heavy and should be a high scoring affair. 

Prediction - It looks like a shootout between Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford and for me, there's only one winner.  Green Bay Packers to win.     

Thursday Night Football - Denver Broncos (9-3) @ Oakland Raiders (3-9)

This weeks Thursday Night Football sees two AFC West rivals face off in what is more or less a dead rubber.  Denver have won the division and will be in the playoffs.  Oakland are playing for next years draft pick.  Denver are tied with New England and Baltimore at 9-3 so the game will mean more to them as every victory increases their chance of a bye in the first round of the playoffs.

The Denver Broncos have had a great year and the move to bring Peyton Manning to Denver is now looking like a masterstroke.  Manning didn't make a great start to his Denver career but seven wins in a row has more than made up for the 2-3 start.  Manning's numbers are impressive and he is on pace for a career best in passing yards.  His current average would leave him just shy of the 4700 yards he had in 2010.  He should also post the second highest total touchdown passes of his career.  He has 29 touchdowns with four games left and his second best season was 33 touchdown passes which he has done on three occasions.  His pass completion percentage is currently 68% and his career best was 68.8% in 2009.  For a quarterback to be getting close to career numbers at 36 years old is exceptional but to be doing it with a brand new team and after missing a season to what was a potentially career ending injury, is something only one of the truly great quarterbacks of all time could do. 

Every great quarterback needs receivers who can catch the ball and Manning has that in abundance with the Broncos.  Demaryius Thomas in particular has had a great season and he has already smashed his career best in every statistic.  Eric Decker, Jacob Tamme and Brandon Stokley are also playing their part and Peyton Manning is making their jobs as easy as he possibly can. 

The one weakness in Denver is the running game and they are averaging just over 100 yards per game.  Their leading rusher, Willis McGahee is out injured and although he may be back later in the year, it would only be deep into the playoffs.  The Broncos will have to find some sort of a running game to take the pressure off Peyton Manning or they will be out of the playoffs before he is back.  Knowshon Moreno had a decent game against the Chiefs but in the playoffs, the Broncos won't be able to beat the best teams in the AFC unless they can get some help for Peyton Manning. 

Defensively, the Broncos are up there with the best teams in the NFL.  They are giving up just over 300 yards per game, they have sacked the opposing quarterback 38 times, which is 2nd in the NFL and they have 4 defensive touchdowns, which is 3rd in the NFL.  Overall, the Broncos are a very serious contender.  They were a playoff team last year with Tim Tebow at quarterback and even won their first game in the wildcard round over the Pittsburgh Steelers.  They were comfortably beaten by the Patriots in the divisional round but they have significantly improved at quarterback and only time will tell if that is enough to take them to the next level.

Oakland have had a bad year.  Things looked to be improving in Oakland recently with two consecutive 8-8 seasons but they have gone backwards and at 3-9 they are in position for a top 5 pick in the 2013 draft.  They had a bad start and dropped to 1-4 but won two in a row to get back to 3-4 but they have lost five in a row since. 

The Raiders have been very poor on defense and are giving up over 380 yards per game.  They have had a lot of key players out through injury but the performances still haven't been good enough.  The Raiders will pick early in the draft and most of the top guys are defensive players so they should receive a boost as long as they get their pick right. 

The one positive for the Raiders this year has been the passing game.  They are averaging just under 280 yards per game and rank 8th in the league.  Carson Palmer has had a good year and should reach a career best in passing yards within the next two or three games.  Tight end, Brandon Myers has been his go to guy and he has been supported by Denarius Moore, Darrius Heyward-Bey and Marcel Reece.  The passing game is good fine and if the Raiders can hold onto everyone, the passing unit should be every bit as good next year.

The match up in this game favours the Broncos.  As I've said, the Raiders only strength is passing but the Broncos have a good pass defense.  The Broncos should be able to get their passing game going against a Raiders pass defense that ranks 25th in the NFL and should have too many weapons for a struggling Oakland Raiders.   

Prediction - I can only see Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos picking up the win here.  

UEFA Champions League - Celtic v Spartak Moscow Preview

Celtic finish their Champions League group stage campaign tonight and they still have a great chance of qualifying for the knockout stage for the first time since the 2007/08 season.  The equation is simple, Celtic have to get a better result at home to Spartak Moscow than Benfica get away to Barcelona.  Barcelona are already through to the last sixteen and will rest Javier Mascherano, Jordi Alba, Xavi, Andres Iniesta , Cesc Fabregas and Pedro Rodriguez.  Having said that, Barcelona will still have a strong squad to choose from and they have a great record against Portuguese teams at home, winning their last ten.

Celtic cannot afford to worry about what happens in Spain and must concentrate on doing their own job.  Spartak Moscow have had a bad campaign but on their day they can cause problems.  Celtic won in Moscow which kick started this campaign and another win should be enough to take the hoops through. 

In the last game I believe Neil Lennon got the tactics wrong.  The win over Barcelona gave him the confidence to think he could go to Portugal and play 4-4-2.  The difference between the Benfica style and the Barcelona style is width.  Benfica play with wingers who have their heels on the touchline.  Barca don't rely on wingers and play a much more narrow style.  Even when they get the ball out wide, nine times out of ten they'll play it back to the edge of the box.  Against Barcelona Celtic played 4-4-1-1 and defended their own half and the width of the penalty box.  The 4-4-1-1 meant for much of the game they had ten men behind the ball, defending a relatively small area.  Against Benfica Celtic had to defend the full width of the pitch and the 4-4-2 meant they only had nine men behind the ball.  With less bodies and a larger area to cover, Celtic found it very difficult to contain Benfica.  Both sides dominated possession against Celtic but Benfica carried a bigger threat in the attacking third as they had more spaces to exploit.

In tonights game I would like to see Lennon return to the 4-4-1-1 that has served us so well in Europe this year.  I know it's a home game but I just don't think 4-4-2 works any more on the European or international stage.  The teams from mainland Europe are all technically better than the teams from UK/Ireland.  We see it in Europe all the time and England and Ireland experienced it in the Euros.  These sides all line up with one thing in common, three central midfielders.  It might be 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1, 4-5-1 but almost always, they will have three players in that area.  Most games are dominated by whoever wins the midfield and my opinion is if your opponents are technically superior footballers you have to try to win the physical battle.  No matter how physical your two central midfielders are, it's going to be an impossible task to win over three men.  The opposition will always have a spare man and they have the ability to find him.  Your two players are going to be chasing shadows and will quickly become ineffective.  Celtic need to line up with a forward player in a deeper role and they have a perfect player for that job in Georgios Samaras.  Samaras is quick enough to break out from midfield when Celtic win back possession and he is a great option to have as an out ball.  If Celtic use him right, I think Samaras could be the difference between winning and losing. 

The line up I would go with is as follows.  Frazer Forster is an obvious choice in nets and the back four will most likely be Mikael Lustig, Emilio Izaguirre, Efe Ambrose and Kelvin Wilson.  The midfield will pose the biggest problem for Neil Lennon but I would expect him to line up with Scott Brown, Joe Ledley, Beram Kayal and Charlie Mulgrew.  I've already mentioned Samaras in an attacking midfield role and I would play him just behind Gary Hooper who was fantastic in Moscow.  The only other option would be starting Kris Commons ahead of Beram Kayal and playing him on the right wing and putting Brown in the middle but I would expect Kayal to start.  I expect to see Commons come on for Scott Brown at some stage but I prefer him coming off the bench on European nights.  The suspended, Victor Wanyama, will be a huge loss for Celtic and everyone will have to give a little bit extra to compensate for his absence.  Wanyama has been outstanding this season and has been instrumental in getting Celtic to this point.

Win, lose or draw tonight I hope the Celtic fans get behind the team and we don't see a repeat of the criticism Neil Lennon has had to endure from his own support.  People have short memories and a wee bit of success goes to their head.  The league form has been poor but Celtic are most definitely not the first team to struggle to be competitive domestically and in Europe.  Better teams than Celtic have struggled to juggle the two competitions and with our former rivals no longer with us, we can afford to put all our eggs into the European basket for a few months.  Celtic are in a much better position than we were when Neil Lennon was appointed and in my opinion he is doing a fantastic job.  Lennon's team is a work in progress and this Champions League campaign will have made them better players and I can see bright futures in football for quite a few of the squad.      

When the Champions League draw was made I set a target of European football after Christmas.  We have already guaranteed that so let's raise the bar a little and lift the target to Champions League football after Christmas.  Either way Neil Lennon and his team have done themselves proud this year and I for one will never forget the joy and relief when that final whistle blew at Celtic Park on 7th November 2012.