New York Giants (6-3) @ Cincinnati Bengals (3-5)
The New York Giants have slowed down in recent weeks and look like a team in need of the bye week. I've no doubt that the Giants are a better team than the Bengals but I think the timing of this game could suit the Bengals. New York's offense has been poor in the last few games and they face a few tough match ups in this game. They aren't great in pass defense, ranking 26th in the league. The last thing they want to see ,when they are struggling, is AJ Green. I think he can hurt the Giants and make this game interesting. Eli Manning has struggled in recent weeks. In the last three games, he has thrown one touchdown and four interceptions. That's nowhere near good enough. I am well aware he is capable of better and I expect we will see the best of Eli Manning after the bye week.
Prediction - AJ Green to rip up the Giants defense and end the Bengals losing streak.
Tennessee Titans (3-6) @ Miami Dolphins (4-4)
The Titans travel to Miami, hoping to bounce back after a humiliating defeat to the Chicago Bears. The Dolphins will be hoping to do a bit of bouncing back themselves, after losing to the Colts. The Dolphins still have a chance of reaching the playoffs and no disrespect to the Titans, but the Dolphins need to win these games, if they want to reach the post season. The Dolphins will need a big game from Reggie Bush. He hasn't been great in recent weeks but up against the 30th ranked pass defense in the league, I'd expect him to do well. Chris Johnson has improved in recent weeks and he will be met with another difficult task, when he goes up against the 3rd ranked run defense in the NFL. The Titans should also have Jake Locker back from injury, although I don't know how much of a boost that is, considering Matt Hasselbeck was under center for two of their three victories.
Prediction - The Dolphins need the win and I think they will get it.
Detroit Lions (4-4) @ Minnesota Vikings (5-4)
At the start of the season, I'd have predicted a Lions win in this one. A few weeks ago, I'd have been predicting a Vikings win. Now, I'm not sure. The Lions seem to be on an upward curve, while the Vikings have started to struggle in recent weeks. The match ups look quite tight and it should result in a tough game. The Lions are a pass heavy offense and lead the NFL in passing but the Vikings are 9th in pass defense, so the Lions won't have it all their own way. The Vikings strength is their running game and particularly, Adrian Peterson. They rank 5th in the NFL and the Lions run defense is 14th. With the Bears and Packers doing so well, this becomes a must win game for both sides.
Prediction - I like the Vikings in this one and think they will extend their home record to 5-1.
Buffalo Bills (3-5) @ New England Patriots (5-3)
It's hard to forget what happened earlier in the season when these two met in Buffalo. The Bills got into a lead and then the Pats blew them away with an explosive second half. From looking at this game, I think the Pats will have a lot of success on the ground. The Pats are 4th in rushing and the Bills are 31st in run defense. Stevan Ridley has had a good season so far and this looks like a great opportunity for him to add to his already impressive numbers. If the Pats can't win it on the ground, they also have the tools to win it in the air. They are 5th in passing and the Bills are 24th in pass defense. Both sides have long injury lists and there are a lot of potentially big fantasy players who could miss the game. Ultimately, I can't see how the Bills can win this one but the way this season has played out, a shock is always a possibility.
Prediction - No shock here, the Pats will win this one comfortably.
Atlanta Falcons (8-0) @ New Orleans Saints (3-5)
I am really looking forward to this one. These are two of the most explosive offenses in the league. The Saints are pass heavy and rank 2nd in the league. They will score points against anybody but the issue is the defense. They are giving up 472 yards per game and against a team with as many options as the Atlanta Falcons, they are going to struggle. The Falcons are 7th in passing and although they are 25th in rushing, it is more because of how good their passing is. Matt Ryan has completed 68.9% of his passes and is third in the league in that category. He has three, great targets and for the most part has done a good job in finding them. This game looks like being a high scoring affair and could come down to one mistake or who has the ball when time expires.
Prediction - I am going to side with the Saints to end Atlanta's perfect run.
San Diego Chargers (4-4) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-4)
This looks like being a tight game between two evenly matched teams. Both sides have good run defenses. The Chargers are 4th in run defense and the Bucs are 1st. Doug Martin had a career day for the Bucs last week but the Chargers are considerably better than the Raiders in run defense and he won't have it as easy this week. In my opinion this game comes down to a battle between Josh Freeman and Philip Rivers. Both quarterbacks are similar in the fact they have struggled with inconsistency throughout their careers. At present, Josh Freeman looks like the man in better form and he has improved hugely as the season has gone on. In the first four games he threw for 790 yards, 5 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. In the last four, he has thrown for 1257 yards, 11 touchdowns and 1 interception. In those last four games he has been as good as any quarterback in the NFL and only time will tell if he can keep it up.
Prediction - I'm going with Josh Freeman to lead the Bucs to 5-4.
Denver Broncos (5-3) @ Carolina Panthers (2-6)
I don't think many people would argue when I say, Peyton Manning is back. He is the most accurate quarterback, has the best quarterback rating, he's third in touchdown passes. In most categories, Peyton Manning is near the top and as it stands, he is right in the MVP conversation. The Panthers got a win last week in Washington and they had their running game to think. I expected big things from the Panthers runners this year but they have been disappointing. They got it right last week though so we can make a better judgement after we see how they perform this week. The difference in this game is likely to be the match up of the Broncos passing, against the Panthers pass defense. The Broncos are 4th in passing and the Panthers are 12th in pass defense. Peyton Manning is more than capable of picking apart the best defenses and shouldn't have much trouble against a middle ranking pass defense.
Prediction - Peyton to get it done and lead the Broncos to 6-3.
Oakland Raiders (3-5) @ Baltimore Ravens (6-2)
Oakland head to Baltimore with a long list of injuries and it makes a difficult task, an almost impossible one. Having said that, the Ravens will most likely do everything they can to make sure it's a tight game, as they have a habit of making things difficult for themselves. The Raiders need to put the ball in Carson Palmer's hands and let him throw the ball. The Ravens are 22nd in pass defense and the Raiders are 4th in passing so that is a favourable match up for Oakland. The Ravens are poor in run defense too, ranking 28th but with Darren McFadden out, it's hard to see the Raiders make an impact on the ground. The Ravens offense will most likely concentrate on passing and give Ray Rice the least amount of carries they can get away with. Rice isn't seeing a lot of the ball but ranks 11th in rushing yards. Of the ten players above him, only Frank Gore has had less carries. I suspect John Harbaugh has a plan but they definitely aren't using him as well as they could be.
Prediction - The match ups suggest a tight game but Oakland's injury list suggests a Ravens win.
New York Jets (3-5) @ Seattle Seahawks (5-4)
The Jets are having a bad year and a trip to Seattle to face the Seahawks who are 4-0 at home isn't what they need right now. I can't believe Mark Sanchez is still the starting quarterback for the Jets. His 52.9% completion rate is embarrassing and the worst in the NFL among starting quarterbacks. Tebow isn't the most accurate, but he's better than Sanchez. The Seahawks have quarterback issues of their own and I'm not totally convinced by Russell Wilson but the Seahawks have a game plan and he is used to manage the game and with the team at 5-4, it's obviously working. In this game, both sides struggle at passing the ball and both have good pass defenses so it should come down to whoever runs the ball better. The Seahawks are 7th in rushing and the Jets are 29th in run defense. The Jets are 14th in rushing and the Seahawks are 11th in run defense. It would suggest that there will only be one winner.
Prediction - The Seahawks perfect run at home to continue with a win.
Dallas Cowboys (3-5) @ Philadelphia Eagles (3-5)
Both of these sides are 3-5 and in my opinion it's not a fair reflection on either team. The Eagles are 3-5 but they could and probably should have lost in all three of their wins. 3-5 is very generous for them and they look like a very bad team and I would be very surprised if they are better than 5-11 at the end of the year. The Cowboys are a better team than their record suggests. They have played a few good teams and ran them close but came out with defeats. The Eagles are a team the Cowboys can and should beat. Both sides are prone to turnovers though and ultimately it could come down to who makes the fewest mistakes. The Cowboys strength is passing the ball and they will put the ball in Tony Romo's hands. The Eagles strength is LeSean McCoy so I fully expect to see Mike Vick throw the ball at least 40 times.
Prediction - I can't pick the Eagles on current form, Cowboys win.
St Louis Rams (3-5) @ San Francisco 49ers (6-2)
A big clash in the NFC West and a game the Rams have to win if they want to push for the playoffs. They 49ers need the win too as the Seahawks are hot on their tails. The 49ers look to be the best team in the NFC West but we have saw flashes from the other three to suggest they all have their good points too. The 49ers lead the league in rushing but Alex Smith is also doing a good job at quarterback of controlling the clock. Once the offense scores, the defense takes over and this 49ers defense don't give much away. They are giving up just 271 yards a game and there is six teams in the league who are giving up more than that in passing alone. The Rams will struggle to score against this 49ers team and their best chance is, if their defense can stop the 49ers and make it a low scoring game.
Prediction - The 49ers will be too strong and will take the win.
Houston Texans (7-1) @ Chicago Bears (7-1)
This looks like being an absolute cracker between two very good sides and is maybe even a preview of the Superbowl. I think the Texans are a better team than the Bears but the Bears defense are capable of winning games on their own. The Texans are giving up 286 yards per game. The Bears are giving up 319 yards but forcing turnovers is their main strength. They have forced 28 turnovers this season, compared to the Texans 14. 28 turnovers in 8 games is a remarkable number and the Texans will have to worry, first and foremost, about protecting the ball before they do anything else. The Texans are better in every department but home advantage and the Bears ability to get something from nothing, makes this a very intriguing match up.
Prediction - I believe the Texans would win in a Superbowl but they have a few injuries and I think the Bears win this one.
Sunday, 11 November 2012
Thursday, 8 November 2012
TNF - Colts @ Jags
Can't see past a Colts win this week. Full blog will follow for all of Sundays games.
NFL POWER RANKINGS - WEEK 10
1 (1) Atlanta Falcons (8-0) - The Falcons are still perfect after a win on Sunday night over the Dallas Cowboys. The Falcons put up some good numbers and ended up with 453 yards of offense. Credit to the Cowboys though, when the Falcons got to the red zone, they kept them out of the end zone on three of the four occasions. Matt Ryan had another good day, throwing for 342 yards. Michael Turner had a good game too, running for 102 yards and a touchdown. Julio Jones and Roddy White led the receivers. Jones had 5 catches for 129 yards and White had 7 catches for 118 yards.
2 (2) Houston Texans (7-1) - The Texans are now 7-1 after a solid win over the Buffalo Bills. The Bills kept the game tight but the Texans always looked in control. Matt Schaub threw for 268 yards and 2 touchdowns. Arian Foster ran for 111 yards and a touchdown. Andre Johnson had a good day, catching 8 passes for 118 yards. If the Texans keep playing so well on offense and defense, it really is hard to see who will stop them being the AFC's representative in Superbowl XLVIII.
3 (6) Green Bay Packers (6-3) - Green Bay won again, taking their record to 6-3 for the season. Aaron Rodgers had a mixed day at quarterback. He did throw 4 touchdowns but being the perfectionist that he is, he won't be happy at completing just 14 of 30 passes and also throwing an interception. Green Bay's rushers had a better game and as a unit, they combined for 176 yards on the ground. The Packers are looking dangerous and will be one if the teams in the mix to represent the NFC in the Superbowl.
4 (7) Chicago Bears (7-1) - This Bears team are looking scary good. They were excellent on Sunday and completely blew out the Titans. Their offense, defense and even their special teams all picked up scores in a 51-20 rout. Cutler was solid, completing 19 of 26 passes for 229 yards and 3 touchdowns. Brandon Marshall caught 9 passes for 122 yards and 3 touchdowns. Matt Forte also had a good game, running for 103 yards and a touchdown. The Bears defense returned an interception for a touchdown and the special teams unit blocked a punt for another one. This Bears team are the real deal and if they carry this form into the playoffs, then it will take a very good team to beat them.
5 (3) New York Giants (6-3) - The Giants lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday and despite only losing by four points, they were very much second best. They were outplayed on all sides of the ball and deserved to lose. Eli Manning was particularly disappointing and completed just 10 of his 24 passes for 125 yards and an interception. The Giants ran a balanced offense but the running game wasn't much better and picked up just 68 yards from 22 attempts. The loss will have hurt the Giants who had won four straight but there's no shame in losing to a Steelers team in this form.
6 (4) New England Patriots (5-3) - The Pats had their bye week, this week, after their trip to London for the International Series game. This week they face divisional rivals, the Buffalo Bills, in a game they really should win.
7 (5) San Francisco 49ers (6-2) - The 49ers were on their bye week, this week and will be happy with the work they have done so far. They are 6-2 and look likely to be involved in the post season, most likely as NFC West champions.
8 (10) Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3) - The Steelers were excellent on Sunday and picked up a great win in New York, over the Giants. The Steelers are looking very dangerous and they have got their running game sorted out. The defense also deserve a lot of credit, restricting one of the NFL's most explosive offenses to just 182 total yards. Ben Roethlisberger threw for 216 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception. The offensive line played very well and created a lot of holes for Isaac Redman. Redman was able to find them and ran for 147 yards and a touchdown. Mike Wallace led the receivers, catching 3 passes for 66 yards and a touchdown.
9 (8) Baltimore Ravens (6-2) - Football is a results business and the Baltimore Ravens are certainly getting it done but it hasn't always been impressive. They beat the Cleveland Browns, 25-15, on Sunday but the game was still up for grabs until the dying seconds. The Ravens didn't help themselves by giving the Browns, 82 yards from 9 penalties. However, they got there in the end and at 6-2, lead the AFC North. However, on current form, it won't be long until the Steelers are right on their tail. Joe Flacco threw for 153 yards and a touchdown. Ray Rice finally got an increased workload, picking up 98 yards and a touchdown from 25 carries.
10 (9) Denver Broncos (5-3) - The Broncos are now 5-3 after a win over the struggling Bengals. The Broncos led for most of the game but went behind early in the fourth quarter. They reacted positively and scored 2 touchdowns. The Bengals could only reply with a field goal and it's now three straight wins for Peyton Manning and the Broncos. Manning threw for 291 yards and 3 touchdowns but he was intercepted twice. The leading receiver was Eric Decker who caught 8 passes for 99 yards and 2 touchdowns. The running game was poor and picked up just 68 yards from 26 carries.
11 (13) Indianapolis Colts (5-3) - The Colts are now 5-3 after edging a win over the Miami Dolphins. The game was tight all the way but it was the Colts, led by an inspired performance from rookie quarterback, Andrew Luck, who got the win. Luck was excellent and threw for 433 yards and 2 touchdowns. Donnie Avery and TY Hilton were his main receivers. Avery caught 5 passes for 108 yards and Hilton caught 6 for 102 yards and a touchdown. I said a few weeks ago when Coach Pagano was diagnosed with leukemia, that the Colts could react two ways. I am delighted to see that they are reacting in a positive way and no doubt it will be raising Pagano's spirits, at this difficult time.
12 (14) Seattle Seahawks (5-4) - The Seahawks picked up a good win over the Minnesota Vikings to go 4-0 at home and 5-4 for the season. The Seahawks are turning CenturyLink Field into a fortress and if they can pick up their share of road wins, they have a great chance of a playoff spot. Russell Wilson had a good game, completing 16 of 24 passes for 173 yards and 3 touchdowns. Marshawn Lynch led the running game, running for 124 yards and a touchdown. Sidney Rice, caught 4 passes for 54 yards and a touchdown.
13 (11) Minnesota Vikings (5-4) - The Vikings have dropped to 5-4 after picking up a loss for the third time, in four games. The Vikings started well but they are slipping back and have lost momentum at a bad time. Christian Ponder had a bad game, completing 50% of his passes for 63 yards and an interception. That is nowhere near good enough for a team with playoff aspirations. The Vikings one positive was, once again, the performance of Adrian Peterson. Peterson ran for 182 yards and two touchdowns. The Vikings hopes rest firmly on his shoulders but is a big ask for one man to carry a football team.
14 (15) Detroit Lions (4-4) - The Lions are back at .500 after a blow out win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. I predicted a big season for the Lions this year but so far they have disappointed. They are now back at 4-4 and I wouldn't be surprised if they get themselves into the race for an NFC wild card slot. Matthew Stafford threw for 285 yards but it was the rushers who done the damage. Joique Bell ran for 73 yards and a touchdown. Mikel Leshoure ran for 70 yards and 3 touchdowns. Calvin Johnson, who was an injury doubt before the game, caught 7 passes for 129 yards.
15 (18) San Diego Chargers (4-4) - The Chargers got to 4-4 with a win over the Kansas City Chiefs. The game was close for the first three quarters and then the Chargers scored a touchdown early in the fourth. This left the Chiefs chasing the game and that's when bad things start to happen. The Chiefs have turned the ball over 29 times and straight away the Chargers scored two defensive touchdowns after a fumble and an interception. Philip Rivers threw for 220 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception. Ryan Mathews had a solid game on the ground, running for 67 yards from 13 carries.
16 (12) Miami Dolphins (4-4) - Miami are now 4-4 after losing a tight game in Indianapolis. There was never more than a touchdown between the sides but Miami quarterback, Ryan Tannehill, was outdone by rookie rival, Andrew Luck. Tannehill had a good game, throwing for 290 yards and a touchdown. Brian Hartline was his leading receiver and caught 8 passes for 107 yards. The Dolphins should have perhaps put more faith in their running game as it was performing well on the day. They picked up 84 yards from 18 carries but the fact they only ran the ball 18 times when it was working, in such a tight game, would have to be questioned.
17 (16) Dallas Cowboys (3-5) - The Cowboys are now 3-5 after losing another tight game to one of the NFL's best sides. The Cowboys kept the game tight and I think this Cowboys team are better than their 3-5 record would suggest. If the Giants suffer a collapse, the Cowboys will be the team to challenge them for the NFC East. Tony Romo had a good game, throwing for 321 yards and a touchdown. Kevin Ogletree was the leading receiver, catching 3 passes for 96 yards and a touchdown. Felix Jones ran well for the Cowboys but was restricted to just 9 carries for 39 yards. This is yet another example of a runner picking up yards but not getting many carries.
18 (22) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-4) - The Bucs go to 4-4 after a huge second half performance, led by rookie running-back, Doug Martin. Martin looks like the real deal and based on his season so far, he should have a successful NFL career. The Bucs had a bit of a scare late on when the Raiders scored two quick touchdowns to get back to within 3 points but Doug Martin ended their hopes with a touchdown. Josh Freeman threw for 247 yards and 2 touchdowns but it was Martin who stole the headlines, running for 251 yards and 4 touchdowns.
19 (25) New Orleans Saints (3-5) - The Saints are at 3-5 now after a comfortable win over a poor, Philadelphia Eagles. The Saints still have a chance at 3-5 but they can't afford many more defeats and need to go on a good run. Drew Brees threw for 239 yards and 2 touchdowns. Jimmy Graham was his go to receiver and caught 8 passes for 72 yards and a touchdown. The Saints had a good day on the ground and picked up 140 yards from 25 rushing attempts.
20 (17) Arizona Cardinals (4-5) - The Cardinals have now lost five in a row since their 4-0 start. The Cards good start was a surprise but it is now a distant memory after this latest defeat which sends them below .500 for the first time this season. They got to within a touchdown a few times on Sunday but the Packers always had that bit extra to move away again. John Skelton completed 50% of his passes for 306 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Andre Roberts was the leading receiver again with 4 catches for 86 yards. Larry Fitzgerald had a good game, catching 6 passes for 74 yards and a touchdown.
21 (20) Cincinnati Bengals (3-5) - The Bengals have now lost four games in a row, after a home loss to the Denver Broncos. The game could have gone either way but the Bengals finished stronger and picked up the win. Andy Dalton threw for 299 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Receivers, Jermaine Gresham and AJ Green had good days. Gresham caught 6 passes for 108 yards and Green had 7 catches for 99 yards and a touchdown. One of the Bengals biggest issues at the moment is their running game. BenJarvus Green-Ellis ran for 56 yards and a touchdown from 17 carries. If he could average a bit more per carry, it would help the Bengals offense and it may even free up AJ Green a bit more.
22 (19) Philadelphia Eagles (3-5) - I don't even know what to write here, anymore. We are a horrible team at the minute and the time for change has been and gone. In my opinion, Juan Castillo was the final straw. The only positive was the defense and Andy Reid fired the man responsible. The offense has been bad all year, yet Marty Mornhinweg still has a job. It's bizarre and hopefully the Eagles will be brought out of this hell when Andy Reid is fired at the end of the season. In Monday's game, Michael Vick threw for 272 yards, a touchdown and an interception. LeSean McCoy played well, running for 119 yards. DeSean Jackson was the leading receiver, catching 3 passes for 100 yards and a touchdown.
23 (24) St Louis Rams (3-5) - The Rams were on a bye week this week and will have had plenty to talk about after their heavy defeat to the New England Patriots in London. This week they face a tough trip to San Francisco to play the 49ers in a game they really have to win.
24 (21) Washington Redskins (3-6) - The Redskins slide to 3-6 after a disappointing defeat to the Carolina Panthers. The Redskins fans are still getting exciting displays from rookies Robert Griffin III and Alfred Morris. Unfortunately for the Redskins, teams are starting to slow RG3 down and plan B isn't good enough at the minute. On Sunday, RG3 threw for 215 yards but he couldn't get a touchdown. He also ran for 53 yards. Alfred Morris ran for 76 yards but it wasn't enough to beat the Panthers.
25 (23) Oakland Raiders (3-5) - The Raiders lost a thriller to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday by a score of 42-32. At 3-5, the Raiders don't look like a side who will be in the race for the playoffs. The Raiders haven't been in the playoffs since they lost to the Bucs in Superbowl XXXVII. For a franchise as rich in history as the Raiders, it's not good enough. I can't see it changing soon either as they keep trading away their draft picks. On Sunday, Carson Palmer threw for 414 yards, 4 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. Marcel Reece was his leading receiver catching 8 passes for 95 yards and a touchdown. The running game was very poor, picking up 22 yards from 11 attempts.
26 (26) Tennessee Titans (3-6) - The Titans drop to 3-6 after a heavy defeat to a rampant, Chicago Bears. The Bears were excellent so it's hard to judge how good or bad the Titans were. Matt Hasselbeck threw for 200 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Chris Johnson ran for 141 yards and a touchdown, although his touchdown was an 80 yard run which adds a bit of gloss to his numbers. Kenny Britt led the receivers with 5 catches for 67 yards. At 3-6 the Titans are in a deep hole and I think the playoffs are beyond them.
27 (27) New York Jets (3-5) - The Jets had their bye week this week and will need to come out firing if they are to challenge for a playoff spot. The Jets don't look like a playoff team so far but with Rex Ryan involved, they can never be completely ruled out. This week they go to Seattle, hoping to hand the Seahawks their first home defeat of the season.
28 (28) Buffalo Bills (3-5) - The Bills lost to the Houston Texans on Sunday but they can be quite pleased with their effort and kept it to a one score game until the fourth quarter. The Bills were unable to break down a tough Texans defense and were restricted to 3 field goals. Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 239 yards. CJ Spiller ran for 39 yards from 6 carries, at 6.5 yards per carry. In a game that was tight for so long, Spiller should have saw more of the ball.
29 (30) Carolina Panthers (2-6) - The Panthers got their second win of the season with a good win in Washington , over the Redskins. They finally got the running game going and it laid the foundations for the victory. Their rushers combined for 129 yards from 27 carries. Cam Newton threw for 201 yards and a touchdown. The Panthers won't make the playoffs this year but they will be glad to have picked up their first road win of the season.
30 (29) Cleveland Browns (2-7) - The Browns lost to the Baltimore Ravens again but, like the clash earlier in the season, they pushed the Ravens all the way. The Browns were ahead until Torrey Smith's touchdown with 4:26 remaining. The biggest problem for the Browns was their red zone conversions. They were 0-5 in the red zone and had to kick 5 field goals. Brandon Weeden threw for 176 yards and 2 interceptions. Trent Richardson was the best player for the Browns, picking up 136 yards from scrimmage.
31 (31) Jacksonville Jaguars (1-7) - The Jags lost again on Sunday to go to 0-4 at home and 1-7 for the season. The best thing that could happen for the Jags from the 2012 season would be, the number one pick in next years draft. They are a poor side and it is hard to see them winning another game, in their current form. Blaine Gabbert threw for 220 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. The running game, which is badly missing Maurice Jones-Drew, averaged just 3.2 yards per carry.
32 (32) Kansas City Chiefs (1-7) - Another defeat for the Chiefs and another defeat, that can be blamed on turnovers. The Chiefs turned the ball over 4 times this week and 2 were returned for touchdowns and another was with the Chiefs in scoring position. The Chiefs have now turned the ball over 29 times this year and it is murdering the team. For the first three quarters the Chiefs were holding their own. The Chargers got two defensive touchdowns in the fourth quarter and it was game over. Matt Cassel threw for 181 yards and a touchdown. His best receiver was Dwayne Bowe with 8 catches for 79 yards.
2 (2) Houston Texans (7-1) - The Texans are now 7-1 after a solid win over the Buffalo Bills. The Bills kept the game tight but the Texans always looked in control. Matt Schaub threw for 268 yards and 2 touchdowns. Arian Foster ran for 111 yards and a touchdown. Andre Johnson had a good day, catching 8 passes for 118 yards. If the Texans keep playing so well on offense and defense, it really is hard to see who will stop them being the AFC's representative in Superbowl XLVIII.
3 (6) Green Bay Packers (6-3) - Green Bay won again, taking their record to 6-3 for the season. Aaron Rodgers had a mixed day at quarterback. He did throw 4 touchdowns but being the perfectionist that he is, he won't be happy at completing just 14 of 30 passes and also throwing an interception. Green Bay's rushers had a better game and as a unit, they combined for 176 yards on the ground. The Packers are looking dangerous and will be one if the teams in the mix to represent the NFC in the Superbowl.
4 (7) Chicago Bears (7-1) - This Bears team are looking scary good. They were excellent on Sunday and completely blew out the Titans. Their offense, defense and even their special teams all picked up scores in a 51-20 rout. Cutler was solid, completing 19 of 26 passes for 229 yards and 3 touchdowns. Brandon Marshall caught 9 passes for 122 yards and 3 touchdowns. Matt Forte also had a good game, running for 103 yards and a touchdown. The Bears defense returned an interception for a touchdown and the special teams unit blocked a punt for another one. This Bears team are the real deal and if they carry this form into the playoffs, then it will take a very good team to beat them.
5 (3) New York Giants (6-3) - The Giants lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday and despite only losing by four points, they were very much second best. They were outplayed on all sides of the ball and deserved to lose. Eli Manning was particularly disappointing and completed just 10 of his 24 passes for 125 yards and an interception. The Giants ran a balanced offense but the running game wasn't much better and picked up just 68 yards from 22 attempts. The loss will have hurt the Giants who had won four straight but there's no shame in losing to a Steelers team in this form.
6 (4) New England Patriots (5-3) - The Pats had their bye week, this week, after their trip to London for the International Series game. This week they face divisional rivals, the Buffalo Bills, in a game they really should win.
7 (5) San Francisco 49ers (6-2) - The 49ers were on their bye week, this week and will be happy with the work they have done so far. They are 6-2 and look likely to be involved in the post season, most likely as NFC West champions.
8 (10) Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3) - The Steelers were excellent on Sunday and picked up a great win in New York, over the Giants. The Steelers are looking very dangerous and they have got their running game sorted out. The defense also deserve a lot of credit, restricting one of the NFL's most explosive offenses to just 182 total yards. Ben Roethlisberger threw for 216 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception. The offensive line played very well and created a lot of holes for Isaac Redman. Redman was able to find them and ran for 147 yards and a touchdown. Mike Wallace led the receivers, catching 3 passes for 66 yards and a touchdown.
9 (8) Baltimore Ravens (6-2) - Football is a results business and the Baltimore Ravens are certainly getting it done but it hasn't always been impressive. They beat the Cleveland Browns, 25-15, on Sunday but the game was still up for grabs until the dying seconds. The Ravens didn't help themselves by giving the Browns, 82 yards from 9 penalties. However, they got there in the end and at 6-2, lead the AFC North. However, on current form, it won't be long until the Steelers are right on their tail. Joe Flacco threw for 153 yards and a touchdown. Ray Rice finally got an increased workload, picking up 98 yards and a touchdown from 25 carries.
10 (9) Denver Broncos (5-3) - The Broncos are now 5-3 after a win over the struggling Bengals. The Broncos led for most of the game but went behind early in the fourth quarter. They reacted positively and scored 2 touchdowns. The Bengals could only reply with a field goal and it's now three straight wins for Peyton Manning and the Broncos. Manning threw for 291 yards and 3 touchdowns but he was intercepted twice. The leading receiver was Eric Decker who caught 8 passes for 99 yards and 2 touchdowns. The running game was poor and picked up just 68 yards from 26 carries.
11 (13) Indianapolis Colts (5-3) - The Colts are now 5-3 after edging a win over the Miami Dolphins. The game was tight all the way but it was the Colts, led by an inspired performance from rookie quarterback, Andrew Luck, who got the win. Luck was excellent and threw for 433 yards and 2 touchdowns. Donnie Avery and TY Hilton were his main receivers. Avery caught 5 passes for 108 yards and Hilton caught 6 for 102 yards and a touchdown. I said a few weeks ago when Coach Pagano was diagnosed with leukemia, that the Colts could react two ways. I am delighted to see that they are reacting in a positive way and no doubt it will be raising Pagano's spirits, at this difficult time.
12 (14) Seattle Seahawks (5-4) - The Seahawks picked up a good win over the Minnesota Vikings to go 4-0 at home and 5-4 for the season. The Seahawks are turning CenturyLink Field into a fortress and if they can pick up their share of road wins, they have a great chance of a playoff spot. Russell Wilson had a good game, completing 16 of 24 passes for 173 yards and 3 touchdowns. Marshawn Lynch led the running game, running for 124 yards and a touchdown. Sidney Rice, caught 4 passes for 54 yards and a touchdown.
13 (11) Minnesota Vikings (5-4) - The Vikings have dropped to 5-4 after picking up a loss for the third time, in four games. The Vikings started well but they are slipping back and have lost momentum at a bad time. Christian Ponder had a bad game, completing 50% of his passes for 63 yards and an interception. That is nowhere near good enough for a team with playoff aspirations. The Vikings one positive was, once again, the performance of Adrian Peterson. Peterson ran for 182 yards and two touchdowns. The Vikings hopes rest firmly on his shoulders but is a big ask for one man to carry a football team.
14 (15) Detroit Lions (4-4) - The Lions are back at .500 after a blow out win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. I predicted a big season for the Lions this year but so far they have disappointed. They are now back at 4-4 and I wouldn't be surprised if they get themselves into the race for an NFC wild card slot. Matthew Stafford threw for 285 yards but it was the rushers who done the damage. Joique Bell ran for 73 yards and a touchdown. Mikel Leshoure ran for 70 yards and 3 touchdowns. Calvin Johnson, who was an injury doubt before the game, caught 7 passes for 129 yards.
15 (18) San Diego Chargers (4-4) - The Chargers got to 4-4 with a win over the Kansas City Chiefs. The game was close for the first three quarters and then the Chargers scored a touchdown early in the fourth. This left the Chiefs chasing the game and that's when bad things start to happen. The Chiefs have turned the ball over 29 times and straight away the Chargers scored two defensive touchdowns after a fumble and an interception. Philip Rivers threw for 220 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception. Ryan Mathews had a solid game on the ground, running for 67 yards from 13 carries.
16 (12) Miami Dolphins (4-4) - Miami are now 4-4 after losing a tight game in Indianapolis. There was never more than a touchdown between the sides but Miami quarterback, Ryan Tannehill, was outdone by rookie rival, Andrew Luck. Tannehill had a good game, throwing for 290 yards and a touchdown. Brian Hartline was his leading receiver and caught 8 passes for 107 yards. The Dolphins should have perhaps put more faith in their running game as it was performing well on the day. They picked up 84 yards from 18 carries but the fact they only ran the ball 18 times when it was working, in such a tight game, would have to be questioned.
17 (16) Dallas Cowboys (3-5) - The Cowboys are now 3-5 after losing another tight game to one of the NFL's best sides. The Cowboys kept the game tight and I think this Cowboys team are better than their 3-5 record would suggest. If the Giants suffer a collapse, the Cowboys will be the team to challenge them for the NFC East. Tony Romo had a good game, throwing for 321 yards and a touchdown. Kevin Ogletree was the leading receiver, catching 3 passes for 96 yards and a touchdown. Felix Jones ran well for the Cowboys but was restricted to just 9 carries for 39 yards. This is yet another example of a runner picking up yards but not getting many carries.
18 (22) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-4) - The Bucs go to 4-4 after a huge second half performance, led by rookie running-back, Doug Martin. Martin looks like the real deal and based on his season so far, he should have a successful NFL career. The Bucs had a bit of a scare late on when the Raiders scored two quick touchdowns to get back to within 3 points but Doug Martin ended their hopes with a touchdown. Josh Freeman threw for 247 yards and 2 touchdowns but it was Martin who stole the headlines, running for 251 yards and 4 touchdowns.
19 (25) New Orleans Saints (3-5) - The Saints are at 3-5 now after a comfortable win over a poor, Philadelphia Eagles. The Saints still have a chance at 3-5 but they can't afford many more defeats and need to go on a good run. Drew Brees threw for 239 yards and 2 touchdowns. Jimmy Graham was his go to receiver and caught 8 passes for 72 yards and a touchdown. The Saints had a good day on the ground and picked up 140 yards from 25 rushing attempts.
20 (17) Arizona Cardinals (4-5) - The Cardinals have now lost five in a row since their 4-0 start. The Cards good start was a surprise but it is now a distant memory after this latest defeat which sends them below .500 for the first time this season. They got to within a touchdown a few times on Sunday but the Packers always had that bit extra to move away again. John Skelton completed 50% of his passes for 306 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Andre Roberts was the leading receiver again with 4 catches for 86 yards. Larry Fitzgerald had a good game, catching 6 passes for 74 yards and a touchdown.
21 (20) Cincinnati Bengals (3-5) - The Bengals have now lost four games in a row, after a home loss to the Denver Broncos. The game could have gone either way but the Bengals finished stronger and picked up the win. Andy Dalton threw for 299 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Receivers, Jermaine Gresham and AJ Green had good days. Gresham caught 6 passes for 108 yards and Green had 7 catches for 99 yards and a touchdown. One of the Bengals biggest issues at the moment is their running game. BenJarvus Green-Ellis ran for 56 yards and a touchdown from 17 carries. If he could average a bit more per carry, it would help the Bengals offense and it may even free up AJ Green a bit more.
22 (19) Philadelphia Eagles (3-5) - I don't even know what to write here, anymore. We are a horrible team at the minute and the time for change has been and gone. In my opinion, Juan Castillo was the final straw. The only positive was the defense and Andy Reid fired the man responsible. The offense has been bad all year, yet Marty Mornhinweg still has a job. It's bizarre and hopefully the Eagles will be brought out of this hell when Andy Reid is fired at the end of the season. In Monday's game, Michael Vick threw for 272 yards, a touchdown and an interception. LeSean McCoy played well, running for 119 yards. DeSean Jackson was the leading receiver, catching 3 passes for 100 yards and a touchdown.
23 (24) St Louis Rams (3-5) - The Rams were on a bye week this week and will have had plenty to talk about after their heavy defeat to the New England Patriots in London. This week they face a tough trip to San Francisco to play the 49ers in a game they really have to win.
24 (21) Washington Redskins (3-6) - The Redskins slide to 3-6 after a disappointing defeat to the Carolina Panthers. The Redskins fans are still getting exciting displays from rookies Robert Griffin III and Alfred Morris. Unfortunately for the Redskins, teams are starting to slow RG3 down and plan B isn't good enough at the minute. On Sunday, RG3 threw for 215 yards but he couldn't get a touchdown. He also ran for 53 yards. Alfred Morris ran for 76 yards but it wasn't enough to beat the Panthers.
25 (23) Oakland Raiders (3-5) - The Raiders lost a thriller to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday by a score of 42-32. At 3-5, the Raiders don't look like a side who will be in the race for the playoffs. The Raiders haven't been in the playoffs since they lost to the Bucs in Superbowl XXXVII. For a franchise as rich in history as the Raiders, it's not good enough. I can't see it changing soon either as they keep trading away their draft picks. On Sunday, Carson Palmer threw for 414 yards, 4 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. Marcel Reece was his leading receiver catching 8 passes for 95 yards and a touchdown. The running game was very poor, picking up 22 yards from 11 attempts.
26 (26) Tennessee Titans (3-6) - The Titans drop to 3-6 after a heavy defeat to a rampant, Chicago Bears. The Bears were excellent so it's hard to judge how good or bad the Titans were. Matt Hasselbeck threw for 200 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Chris Johnson ran for 141 yards and a touchdown, although his touchdown was an 80 yard run which adds a bit of gloss to his numbers. Kenny Britt led the receivers with 5 catches for 67 yards. At 3-6 the Titans are in a deep hole and I think the playoffs are beyond them.
27 (27) New York Jets (3-5) - The Jets had their bye week this week and will need to come out firing if they are to challenge for a playoff spot. The Jets don't look like a playoff team so far but with Rex Ryan involved, they can never be completely ruled out. This week they go to Seattle, hoping to hand the Seahawks their first home defeat of the season.
28 (28) Buffalo Bills (3-5) - The Bills lost to the Houston Texans on Sunday but they can be quite pleased with their effort and kept it to a one score game until the fourth quarter. The Bills were unable to break down a tough Texans defense and were restricted to 3 field goals. Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 239 yards. CJ Spiller ran for 39 yards from 6 carries, at 6.5 yards per carry. In a game that was tight for so long, Spiller should have saw more of the ball.
29 (30) Carolina Panthers (2-6) - The Panthers got their second win of the season with a good win in Washington , over the Redskins. They finally got the running game going and it laid the foundations for the victory. Their rushers combined for 129 yards from 27 carries. Cam Newton threw for 201 yards and a touchdown. The Panthers won't make the playoffs this year but they will be glad to have picked up their first road win of the season.
30 (29) Cleveland Browns (2-7) - The Browns lost to the Baltimore Ravens again but, like the clash earlier in the season, they pushed the Ravens all the way. The Browns were ahead until Torrey Smith's touchdown with 4:26 remaining. The biggest problem for the Browns was their red zone conversions. They were 0-5 in the red zone and had to kick 5 field goals. Brandon Weeden threw for 176 yards and 2 interceptions. Trent Richardson was the best player for the Browns, picking up 136 yards from scrimmage.
31 (31) Jacksonville Jaguars (1-7) - The Jags lost again on Sunday to go to 0-4 at home and 1-7 for the season. The best thing that could happen for the Jags from the 2012 season would be, the number one pick in next years draft. They are a poor side and it is hard to see them winning another game, in their current form. Blaine Gabbert threw for 220 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. The running game, which is badly missing Maurice Jones-Drew, averaged just 3.2 yards per carry.
32 (32) Kansas City Chiefs (1-7) - Another defeat for the Chiefs and another defeat, that can be blamed on turnovers. The Chiefs turned the ball over 4 times this week and 2 were returned for touchdowns and another was with the Chiefs in scoring position. The Chiefs have now turned the ball over 29 times this year and it is murdering the team. For the first three quarters the Chiefs were holding their own. The Chargers got two defensive touchdowns in the fourth quarter and it was game over. Matt Cassel threw for 181 yards and a touchdown. His best receiver was Dwayne Bowe with 8 catches for 79 yards.
Monday, 5 November 2012
Eagles @ Saints - MNF
The NFL's two biggest underachievers go head to head on Monday Night Football in a must win game for both sides. The Saints, at least, have an excuse for their bad year. The Eagles, on the otherhand, are just a bunch of good players being badly coached.
I've done it to death and won't do it again but if Andy Reid wants to keep his job, he needs a huge reaction from his players. Last week it looked like the players had give up on him.
Onto the game and the Saints will obviously look to pass. The Eagles defense was terrible last week and I can't see a quick enough turnaround to stop Brees putting points on the board. Once Brees starts scoring I can only see the game moving away from Philly and the offense is not working.
Prediction - Head or heart? Brees makes this a shootout and I habe to go with my head and say Saints win.
I've done it to death and won't do it again but if Andy Reid wants to keep his job, he needs a huge reaction from his players. Last week it looked like the players had give up on him.
Onto the game and the Saints will obviously look to pass. The Eagles defense was terrible last week and I can't see a quick enough turnaround to stop Brees putting points on the board. Once Brees starts scoring I can only see the game moving away from Philly and the offense is not working.
Prediction - Head or heart? Brees makes this a shootout and I habe to go with my head and say Saints win.
Old Boys Battle Ends In Blood Bath
A
Junior Shield battle between Larne Tech Old Boys and All Saints Old Boys ended abruptly
when the Ballymena side went mental and attacked their Larne opponents. A local said it was the worst scenes he has
saw since the last time All Saints were in Larne. The trouble started when ASOB captain, "Lenny"
headbutted a Larne Tech player and then they went on a wild rampage. "Lenny" was joined by his twin
"Pele" and the two of them went back to their old WWE days when they
tag teamed as "The Headbangers" and caused the game to be
abandoned. Fellow All Saints player
"Tommyspitshine" was also sent off after he attacked players whilst
shouting ye's "Rovers bastards".
Nobody knows what that was about.
The
County Board will meet Monday night to discuss the outcome of the brawl.
Below
is a photo of "Lenny" and "Pele" with a LTOB opponent.
The information in this article may, or may not be true.
Sunday, 4 November 2012
NFL WEEK 9 PREVIEW AND PREDICTIONS
Denver Broncos (4-3) @ Cincinnati Bengals (3-4)
These two teams have had seasons that have followed different paths. The Broncos started slow and are starting to look like a good side. The Bengals were the opposite, starting well and suddenly look like they couldn't buy a win. Both sides will prefer to throw the ball and offensively the Broncos look stronger, ranking 4th in passing and 14th in rushing. The Bengals are 11th in passing and 23rd in rushing. The Bengals defense started well but now rank, 16th against the pass and 22nd against the run. The Broncos are 8th in pass defense and 15th in run defense, so they outrank the Bengals in every category.
Prediction - The Broncos are a better team and should win.
Baltimore Ravens (5-2) @ Cleveland Browns (2-6)
The Ravens won this fixture earlier in the season but it wasn't as comfortable as many expected. This is a very different Ravens team to the ones we've saw in recent years. They are relying more on Joe Flacco than they ever have and in truth it's getting mixed results. Ray Rice is putting up good numbers every week but for some reason the Ravens are limiting his workload. The defense has also been poor, ranking 24th against the pass and 30th against the run. They are giving up 400 yards per game and that's not a championship defense. The Browns are inconsistent. They've had good weeks and bad weeks but they are playing quite well at the moment and have won two of their last three games. Brandon Weeden and Trent Richardson are still settling into the NFL. The more experience that duo get, the better the Browns should be.
Prediction - I can't see the Ravens running away with this and expect it to be a tough, tight game. I think a field goal wins this and the Ravens will get it.
Arizona Cardinals (4-4) @ Green Bay Packers (5-3)
This is another clash between two sides who had differing starts to the season. The Cards were 4-0 and have lost four straight to slide to 4-4. I can't think of many worse places for a team who are 0-4 in the last four weeks to go to, than Lambeau Field. The Packers had a slow start but find themselves at 5-3 and in a strong NFC North, they need to keep winning. Both of these sides have had issues, protecting their quarterback. It has led to below par performances and both sides could improve on their passing game. The Packers rely heavily on the pass and have a few injuries on offense. The Cardinals are good against the pass too, ranking 4th in the league. It should all contribute to a good game between two sides who need the win to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Prediction - The Packers to edge this one by a touchdown or less.
Chicago Bears (6-1) @ Tennessee Titans (3-5)
The Bears head to Tennessee looking to extend their record to 7-1. The Bears haven't always been impressive but the 6-1 record is all they will be worried about. The Titans suffered a tough loss last week to the Colts. A win there and they'd have been 4-4 and in with a real shout of the playoffs. The Titans need to win today as I think 3-6 would be too deep a hole for them to get out of. The Titans are poor defensively and are giving up over 400 yards per game. The Bears are better running the ball and rank 9th in rushing and 30th in passing. The passing game should be doing better but at 6-1, the Bears won't be complaining. Chris Johnson has been much improved in the last few games but today he goes against the best defense in the league, against the run. If the Titans are to have any joy, they'll have to pass the ball but even then, the Bears lead the league in interceptions and defensive touchdowns.
Prediction - The Bears will win and go to 7-1.
Miami Dolphins (4-3) @ Indianapolis Colts (4-3)
Credit when it's due, I never thought this game would be a battle between two sides with genuine playoff aspirations. Both have done well to get to 4-3 and by Sunday night, someone is going to be 5-3 and in poll position for the playoffs. The Dolphins could still win their division, although the AFC South looks like it's going to belong to the Texans. The Colts will be looking to pass the ball, as they rank 9th in passing and Miami are 27th against the pass. The Dolphins best tactic is to run the ball, as they are 11th in rushing and the Colts are 27th in run defense.
Prediction - This should be a tight game between two, evenly matched teams. I think home advantage will decide it and the Colts will win.
Carolina Panthers (1-6) @ Washington Redskins (3-5)
This is a battle between arguably the two best, running quarterbacks since Michael Vick came into the league. Both have had good days and both have had bad days. Cam Newton has slowed away down since his breathtaking start to last season. RG3 has been excellent this year but he was shutdown last week by the Steelers and it's always interesting to see how a young quarterback recovers from a setback. I am particularly interested to see how both defenses cope with the opposing quarterbacks, as they are used to practicing against similar players every day and you'd expect them to know how to counter that style of offense.
Prediction - RG3 to come out on top in a Redskins win.
Detroit Lions (3-4) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (1-6)
Both sides are waiting on key players on the injury report and it could have a big impact on this match. Calvin Johnson is listed as questionable for the Lions and there are reports suggesting he may only be used on 3rd down plays. For the Jags, Blaine Gabbert is listed as probable and with Maurice Jones-Drew already ruled out they really need Gabbert on the field. The Jags are struggling on offense and rank bottom in passing and 27th in rushing. Their defense isn't much better and rank, 23rd in pass defense and 25th in run defense. The Lions rely heavily on their pass and are 2nd in the league. If Johnson misses out or is limited, then even that unit could struggle.
Prediction - I predict a tight game and the Lions will eventually increase Johnson's workload and it will swing the game in their favour.
Buffalo Bills (3-4) @ Houston Texans (6-1)
Much has been made in the build up to this game about Mario Williams returning to Houston as a Buffalo Bill. I've no doubt he'll relish the challenge and I'm sure the money is great, but it has to be said that it wasn't a great career move. The Texans have looked great so far and their only defeat came courtesy of an Aaron Rodgers masterclass. It's hard to see how this Bills team are going to stop the Texans. The Texans have been blowing a lot of teams away and it's hard to see how the Bills are going to stop the Texans. Arian Foster should have a fun day against a run defense who are giving up 177 yards per game.
Prediction - Easy win for the Texans.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-4) @ Oakland Raiders (3-4)
Both sides have shown improved form in recent weeks and Oakland in particular are looking for their third win in a row. Those last two wins have come against weak opposition but they are a win today away from .500 so they still have plenty to play for. Josh Freeman has finally found some form for the Bucs. In his last four games he has thrown for 1309 yards, 10 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Those are the numbers of an elite quarterback. Freeman has that in his locker but we don't see it often enough. I am a big fan of the Bucs running-back, Doug Martin. The rookie has been having a great year and looks like he has a promising career ahead of him. The Bucs biggest challenge will be stopping the Raiders passing the ball. The Bucs are 31st in pass defense and the Raiders are having a lot more joy passing the ball than throwing so the game will come down to how well the Bucs defense plays.
Prediction - I think the Bucs are the better side and will win.
Minnesota Vikings (5-3) @ Seattle Seahawks (4-4)
These are another two teams who are having a better season than I ever thought they would. Both sides rely on elite running-backs and have inconsistent quarterbacks. Many thought Adrian Peterson would struggle to rediscover his form after injury but he has been as good as ever and is a big part of why this Vikings team are 5-3. He has an injury at the moment but looks set to play. Another reason is receiver, Percy Harvin. He has been fantastic this year and is tied with Wes Welker for the most receptions this season with 60. The Seahawks have done a good job of being a classic, old school football team. They are built on a strong defense and a good running game. Marshawn Lynch is the main man and is behind just Adrian Peterson in rushing yards this season.
Prediction - Seattle are 3-0 at home and I think it's the only way to separate these two. Seahawks win.
Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3) @ New York Giants (6-2)
I am really looking forward to this game and it looks like being a great game between two teams who on their day can be as good as any in the NFL. The Giants rely on their passing game and in particular the deep pass to Victor Cruz. The Steelers are number 1 in the league in pass defense so it looks like being a great battle. The Steelers also rely on their passing game and pass defense is a weakness of the Giants. The Steelers have been poor running the ball so far but in the last two weeks Jonathan Dwyer has played well, so if he can make it three weeks in a row, then the Steelers could make things difficult for the Giants.
Prediction - I think the Giants are the better side but I like the Steelers match up here and will take them to win.
Dallas Cowboys (3-4) @ Atlanta Falcons (7-0)
This should be another cracker and there are some great match ups in this one. The Falcons offense relies on Matt Ryan finding his trio of top class receivers Roddy White, Julio Jones and Tony Gonzalez. The Cowboys strength is their pass defense and it looks like being an epic battle between two top class units. Equally, the Cowboys are pass heavy and when Tony Romo isn't throwing interceptions, he is putting up big yardage. He is averaging just under 300 yards per game but his 13 interceptions are killing an otherwise strong Cowboys team. The last thing Romo needs when he is throwing picks is a ball hawking corner like Asante Samuel. If Romo makes a mistake, Samuel will pounce.
Prediction - I can't see the Falcons run ending this week and they'll be 8-0.
These two teams have had seasons that have followed different paths. The Broncos started slow and are starting to look like a good side. The Bengals were the opposite, starting well and suddenly look like they couldn't buy a win. Both sides will prefer to throw the ball and offensively the Broncos look stronger, ranking 4th in passing and 14th in rushing. The Bengals are 11th in passing and 23rd in rushing. The Bengals defense started well but now rank, 16th against the pass and 22nd against the run. The Broncos are 8th in pass defense and 15th in run defense, so they outrank the Bengals in every category.
Prediction - The Broncos are a better team and should win.
Baltimore Ravens (5-2) @ Cleveland Browns (2-6)
The Ravens won this fixture earlier in the season but it wasn't as comfortable as many expected. This is a very different Ravens team to the ones we've saw in recent years. They are relying more on Joe Flacco than they ever have and in truth it's getting mixed results. Ray Rice is putting up good numbers every week but for some reason the Ravens are limiting his workload. The defense has also been poor, ranking 24th against the pass and 30th against the run. They are giving up 400 yards per game and that's not a championship defense. The Browns are inconsistent. They've had good weeks and bad weeks but they are playing quite well at the moment and have won two of their last three games. Brandon Weeden and Trent Richardson are still settling into the NFL. The more experience that duo get, the better the Browns should be.
Prediction - I can't see the Ravens running away with this and expect it to be a tough, tight game. I think a field goal wins this and the Ravens will get it.
Arizona Cardinals (4-4) @ Green Bay Packers (5-3)
This is another clash between two sides who had differing starts to the season. The Cards were 4-0 and have lost four straight to slide to 4-4. I can't think of many worse places for a team who are 0-4 in the last four weeks to go to, than Lambeau Field. The Packers had a slow start but find themselves at 5-3 and in a strong NFC North, they need to keep winning. Both of these sides have had issues, protecting their quarterback. It has led to below par performances and both sides could improve on their passing game. The Packers rely heavily on the pass and have a few injuries on offense. The Cardinals are good against the pass too, ranking 4th in the league. It should all contribute to a good game between two sides who need the win to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Prediction - The Packers to edge this one by a touchdown or less.
Chicago Bears (6-1) @ Tennessee Titans (3-5)
The Bears head to Tennessee looking to extend their record to 7-1. The Bears haven't always been impressive but the 6-1 record is all they will be worried about. The Titans suffered a tough loss last week to the Colts. A win there and they'd have been 4-4 and in with a real shout of the playoffs. The Titans need to win today as I think 3-6 would be too deep a hole for them to get out of. The Titans are poor defensively and are giving up over 400 yards per game. The Bears are better running the ball and rank 9th in rushing and 30th in passing. The passing game should be doing better but at 6-1, the Bears won't be complaining. Chris Johnson has been much improved in the last few games but today he goes against the best defense in the league, against the run. If the Titans are to have any joy, they'll have to pass the ball but even then, the Bears lead the league in interceptions and defensive touchdowns.
Prediction - The Bears will win and go to 7-1.
Miami Dolphins (4-3) @ Indianapolis Colts (4-3)
Credit when it's due, I never thought this game would be a battle between two sides with genuine playoff aspirations. Both have done well to get to 4-3 and by Sunday night, someone is going to be 5-3 and in poll position for the playoffs. The Dolphins could still win their division, although the AFC South looks like it's going to belong to the Texans. The Colts will be looking to pass the ball, as they rank 9th in passing and Miami are 27th against the pass. The Dolphins best tactic is to run the ball, as they are 11th in rushing and the Colts are 27th in run defense.
Prediction - This should be a tight game between two, evenly matched teams. I think home advantage will decide it and the Colts will win.
Carolina Panthers (1-6) @ Washington Redskins (3-5)
This is a battle between arguably the two best, running quarterbacks since Michael Vick came into the league. Both have had good days and both have had bad days. Cam Newton has slowed away down since his breathtaking start to last season. RG3 has been excellent this year but he was shutdown last week by the Steelers and it's always interesting to see how a young quarterback recovers from a setback. I am particularly interested to see how both defenses cope with the opposing quarterbacks, as they are used to practicing against similar players every day and you'd expect them to know how to counter that style of offense.
Prediction - RG3 to come out on top in a Redskins win.
Detroit Lions (3-4) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (1-6)
Both sides are waiting on key players on the injury report and it could have a big impact on this match. Calvin Johnson is listed as questionable for the Lions and there are reports suggesting he may only be used on 3rd down plays. For the Jags, Blaine Gabbert is listed as probable and with Maurice Jones-Drew already ruled out they really need Gabbert on the field. The Jags are struggling on offense and rank bottom in passing and 27th in rushing. Their defense isn't much better and rank, 23rd in pass defense and 25th in run defense. The Lions rely heavily on their pass and are 2nd in the league. If Johnson misses out or is limited, then even that unit could struggle.
Prediction - I predict a tight game and the Lions will eventually increase Johnson's workload and it will swing the game in their favour.
Buffalo Bills (3-4) @ Houston Texans (6-1)
Much has been made in the build up to this game about Mario Williams returning to Houston as a Buffalo Bill. I've no doubt he'll relish the challenge and I'm sure the money is great, but it has to be said that it wasn't a great career move. The Texans have looked great so far and their only defeat came courtesy of an Aaron Rodgers masterclass. It's hard to see how this Bills team are going to stop the Texans. The Texans have been blowing a lot of teams away and it's hard to see how the Bills are going to stop the Texans. Arian Foster should have a fun day against a run defense who are giving up 177 yards per game.
Prediction - Easy win for the Texans.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-4) @ Oakland Raiders (3-4)
Both sides have shown improved form in recent weeks and Oakland in particular are looking for their third win in a row. Those last two wins have come against weak opposition but they are a win today away from .500 so they still have plenty to play for. Josh Freeman has finally found some form for the Bucs. In his last four games he has thrown for 1309 yards, 10 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Those are the numbers of an elite quarterback. Freeman has that in his locker but we don't see it often enough. I am a big fan of the Bucs running-back, Doug Martin. The rookie has been having a great year and looks like he has a promising career ahead of him. The Bucs biggest challenge will be stopping the Raiders passing the ball. The Bucs are 31st in pass defense and the Raiders are having a lot more joy passing the ball than throwing so the game will come down to how well the Bucs defense plays.
Prediction - I think the Bucs are the better side and will win.
Minnesota Vikings (5-3) @ Seattle Seahawks (4-4)
These are another two teams who are having a better season than I ever thought they would. Both sides rely on elite running-backs and have inconsistent quarterbacks. Many thought Adrian Peterson would struggle to rediscover his form after injury but he has been as good as ever and is a big part of why this Vikings team are 5-3. He has an injury at the moment but looks set to play. Another reason is receiver, Percy Harvin. He has been fantastic this year and is tied with Wes Welker for the most receptions this season with 60. The Seahawks have done a good job of being a classic, old school football team. They are built on a strong defense and a good running game. Marshawn Lynch is the main man and is behind just Adrian Peterson in rushing yards this season.
Prediction - Seattle are 3-0 at home and I think it's the only way to separate these two. Seahawks win.
Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3) @ New York Giants (6-2)
I am really looking forward to this game and it looks like being a great game between two teams who on their day can be as good as any in the NFL. The Giants rely on their passing game and in particular the deep pass to Victor Cruz. The Steelers are number 1 in the league in pass defense so it looks like being a great battle. The Steelers also rely on their passing game and pass defense is a weakness of the Giants. The Steelers have been poor running the ball so far but in the last two weeks Jonathan Dwyer has played well, so if he can make it three weeks in a row, then the Steelers could make things difficult for the Giants.
Prediction - I think the Giants are the better side but I like the Steelers match up here and will take them to win.
Dallas Cowboys (3-4) @ Atlanta Falcons (7-0)
This should be another cracker and there are some great match ups in this one. The Falcons offense relies on Matt Ryan finding his trio of top class receivers Roddy White, Julio Jones and Tony Gonzalez. The Cowboys strength is their pass defense and it looks like being an epic battle between two top class units. Equally, the Cowboys are pass heavy and when Tony Romo isn't throwing interceptions, he is putting up big yardage. He is averaging just under 300 yards per game but his 13 interceptions are killing an otherwise strong Cowboys team. The last thing Romo needs when he is throwing picks is a ball hawking corner like Asante Samuel. If Romo makes a mistake, Samuel will pounce.
Prediction - I can't see the Falcons run ending this week and they'll be 8-0.
Thursday, 1 November 2012
NFL Power Rankings - Week 9
1 (2) Atlanta Falcons (7-0) - The Falcons stay perfect after a dominant display in Philadelphia over a terrible Eagles side. Matt Ryan had a great game, completing 22 of his 29 passes for 262 yards and 3 touchdowns. Julio Jones led the receivers, catching 5 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown. The Falcons met little resistance from the Eagles and were able to do pretty much what they liked. Having said that, they were impressive and deservedly go back to the top of my Power Rankings.
2 (1) Houston Texans (6-1) - The Texans had a bye this week and will be feeling quite happy with their season so far. This week they host the Buffalo Bills and must be favourites to reach 7-1.
3 (3) New York Giants (6-2) - The Giants are 6-2 after they were gift wrapped a victory in Dallas. The Cowboys handed the Giants an early lead, which they tried to throw away but in the end the Giants were able to squeeze over the winning line. Eli Manning had a bad game, throwing for 192 yards and an interception. The Giants weren't much better on the ground and ran for 78 yards from 22 carries, at 3.5 yards per carry. This Giants offense remind me a lot of the Eagles offense in Donavan McNabb's last season. They rely a lot on the big play and when teams have as good a secondary as the Cowboys, it can shut the offense down. Once the Giants get into a short field, the offense starts to stutter and it has led to them kicking 26 field goals, which is more than any NFL team. The Giants are a good side but the Cowboys done a good job of exposing the few weaknesses they have and were unlucky not to win.
4 (4) New England Patriots (5-3) - The Pats picked up their second regular season victory at Wembley Stadium with a dominant victory over the Rams. The game was tight for the first quarter and then the Pats exploded into life and the Rams had no reply. Tom Brady had a great game, throwing for 304 yards and 4 touchdowns. His leading receiver was Rob Gronkowski, who caught 8 passes for 146 yards and 2 touchdowns. Brandon Lloyd only caught 2 passes but both were touchdowns. The Pats offensive dominance was completed by another strong running display from Stevan Ridley. Ridley ran for 127 yards and a touchdown.
5 (5) San Francisco 49ers (6-2) - The 49ers made it to 6-2 after a big win over the Cardinals in Arizona. Alex Smith had the best game of his career, completing 18 of his 19 passes for 232 yards and 3 touchdowns. Michael Crabtree was the leading receiver, catching 5 passes for 72 yards and 2 touchdowns. The 49ers had a respectable day on the ground too, picking up 113 yards from 29 carries. At 6-2, the 49ers are one of the leading teams in the NFC and look to be in a battle for one of the top seeds in the playoffs.
6 (7) Green Bay Packers (5-3) - The Packers find themselves at 5-3 after an unimpressive win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Packers were made to work for the victory and it took a Mason Crosby field goal with 28 seconds left to finally put the game out of the Jags reach. Aaron Rodgers had a poor game by his high standards, completing just 22 of his 35 pass attempts for 186 yards and 2 touchdowns. The running game was poor, with the Packers rushers combining for 2.5 yards per carry. It's a big weakness and unless it is addressed, I think it will eventually be their downfall. James Jones had a good day, catching 7 passes for 78 yards.
7 (6) Chicago Bears (6-1) - The bottom line is, the Bears won the game but it wasn't pretty. The Panthers dominated and restricted the Bears to 210 offensive yards and put up 416 yards of total offensive yards against one of the best defenses in the league but it still wasn't enough. The Bears came back from 12 behind in the last 7 minutes and ended up winning the game courtesy of a Robbie Gould field goal as time expired. Jay Cutler threw for 186 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Brandon Marshall was his leading receiver, catching 9 passes for 98 yards. Matt Forte was the best rusher, picking up 70 yards and a touchdown from his 15 carries.
8 (8) Baltimore Ravens (5-2) - The Ravens were on a bye week this week and at 5-2 are in poll position in the AFC North. They can cement their position further by winning in Cleveland in a divisional clash they will be hot favourites to win.
9 (11) Denver Broncos (4-3) - The Broncos and Peyton Manning sent out a message to the NFL with a great display to blow out and effectively end the season of the New Orleans Saints. Manning looked back to his best this week, throwing for 305 yards and 3 touchdowns. His leading receiver was Demaryius Thomas who caught 7 passes for 137 yards and a touchdown. The running game was every bit as good as the passing and the Broncos rushers ran for 225 yards, led by Willis McGahee with 122 yards and a touchdown and Ronnie Hillman with 86 yards.
10 (10) Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3) - The Steelers picked up a dominant win over the Washington Redskins on Sunday. Their defense done a great job of stopping RG3 and their offense matched them with a strong display. Ben Roethlisberger threw for 222 yards and 3 touchdowns. His main target was Mike Wallace and he caught 7 passes for 62 yards. Running-back, Jonathan Dwyer had another good game, running for 107 yards.
11 (9) Minnesota Vikings (5-3) – The Vikings suffered a heavy and quite surprising defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Minnesota. The Bucs were dominant and were happy to put the ball in the hands of their rushers and ended up in possession for over 37 minutes. The Vikings had 3 turnovers which led to 10 points for the Bucs. Adrian Peterson had a good game, despite being limited to 15 carries. He ran for 123 yards and a touchdown. The Bucs took an early lead and the Vikings were unable to recover and had to try to chase the game. Christian Ponder was unable to do enough, completing 19 of 35 passes for 251 yards, a touchdown and an interception. The leading receiver was Percy Harvin who caught 7 passes for 90 yards and a touchdown.
12 (20) Miami Dolphins (4-3) - The Dolphins picked up a win in New York over the Jets to go to 4-3 for the season. The majority of the damage was done by half-time and the Dolphins led 20-0 at the break. They consolidated their lead in the second half and won 30-9. The Dolphins only managed 236 yards of offense but blocked a punt for a touchdown and got another touchdown on the back of a turnover. The Dolphins best offensive player was Reggie Bush who picked up 65 yards from scrimmage.
13 (21) Indianapolis Colts (4-3) - The Colts picked up a big win over divisional rivals, the Tennessee Titans. The win keeps the Colts in the mix for a playoff place. Andrew Luck had a decent game, throwing for 297 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Reggie Wayne was once again the leading receiver, catching 7 passes for 91 yards. The Colts done a good job of running the ball, picking up 171 yards from 34 carries. The game was eventually won when Vick Ballard scored a touchdown in overtime, through an 18 yard catch.
14 (12) Seattle Seahawks (4-4) – The Seahawks lost again, this time in Detroit to the Lions. The Seahawks had the lead right up until the last 20 seconds but conceded a late touchdown and were unable to recover. Russell Wilson had a decent game, throwing for 236 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception. Marshawn Lynch had another good day, running for 105 yards and a touchdown from 12 carries. Lynch probably should have had more carries as he was hurting the Lions defense and ended up averaging 8.8 yards per carry.
15 (17) Detroit Lions (3-4) - The Lions are back to 3-4 after a tight win over the Seattle Seahawks. The Lions spent much of the game behind but eventually won it when Matt Stafford found Titus Young in the end zone with just 20 seconds left. The Lions were worthy winners in the end and at 3-4 are still, just about, alive in the NFC. Matt Stafford led the Lions well, throwing for 352 yards, 3 touchdowns and an interception. Titus Young was the leading receiver, catching 9 passes for 100 yards and 2 touchdowns. Mikel LeShoure had a respectable day, running for 46 yards off 10 carries.
16 (16) Dallas Cowboys (3-4) - The Cowboys lost to the Giants on Sunday but can consider themselves very unlucky. They turned the ball over 6 times and found themselves 23-0 down. In fairness to the Cowboys they showed a lot of heart and refused to lie down when many other teams would have gave up. Instead, they battled back and led 24-23 but 2 Lawrence Tynes field goals sealed the victory for the Giants. Tony Romo had a mixed game, throwing for 437 yards and a touchdown but he also threw 4 interceptions. The Cowboys running game never got going at all and they only picked up 19 yards from 17 carries. The Cowboys star was Jason Witten who set a team record, catching 18 passes for 167 yards. Miles Austin and Dez Bryant also played well. Austin caught 9 passes for 133 yards and Bryant caught 5 passes for 110 yards.
17 (13) Arizona Cardinals (4-4) - The Cardinals have now lost four in a row since their 4-0 start and their season is slowing crumbling. They were well beat on Monday by a strong 49ers team and unless they can rediscover that winning formula, it looks as though they will miss the playoffs. John Skelton threw for 290 yards and an interception. The main target was once again, Andre Roberts, who caught 7 passes for 65 yards. The running game was very poor and managed just 7 yards from 9 attempts.
18 (14) San Diego Chargers (3-4) - The Chargers were beat 7-6 by the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. The Chargers couldn't get firing at all and they look very much the second best team in the AFC West behind the Denver Broncos. In this game, Philip Rivers threw for just 154 yards. Ronnie Brown caught 7 passes for 85 yards. Ryan Matthews had a good day for the Chargers, running for 95 yards. The Chargers could have done with winning this game but it wasn't to be and they have now dropped to 3-4.
19 (15) Philadelphia Eagles (3-4) - Sunday was the worst performance I have saw in ten years of being a Philadelphia Eagles fan. There is absolutely nothing good to say about that display. I've had a few rants this year about the Eagles and it has been fully justified. They have a lot of talent but it looks like they have give up on the coach. I don't blame them to be honest as I gave up on Reid myself but I'm not getting paid millions of dollars to play for a football team. Our offense has been horrible all year but nothing has changed it's still as it was. Our special teams has been bad, it's much the same. The one unit that was performing was the defense and we changed the coordinator. Nice move Andy Reid. The game was deep in the fourth quarter and over as a contest before we made the Falcons punt the ball. It is completely unacceptable and Andy Reid's time is up.
20 (19) Cincinnati Bengals (3-4) - The Bengals had their bye week this week and it came at a good time for them. After a 3-1 start, they have slipped up badly losing three in a row. This week they face a tough battle when they host the Denver Broncos.
21 (18) Washington Redskins (3-5) - The Redskins were well beaten in Pittsburgh by the Steelers and are now 3-5 for the season. The Steelers done a great job on RG3 and he completed just 16 of 34 passes for 177 yards and a touchdown. They were even better at stopping him running and he picked up just 8 yards from 6 carries. Alfred Morris had more success, running for 59 yards from 13 carries but it wasn't enough to stop the Steelers and the Redskins will need to start winning if they have ambitions of a playoff place.
22 (28) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-4) - The Bucs had a great win in Minnesota over the Vikings. The Bucs were dominant and their offense is really beginning to click. They had over 400 yards of offense and Josh Freeman had another good game. Freeman threw for 262 yards and 3 touchdowns. He was supported by an excellent display from running-back, Doug Martin. He ran for 135 yards and a touchdown. Martin also caught 3 passes for 79 yards and a touchdown. Mike Williams also had a good day, catching 6 passes for 68 yards and a touchdown.
23 (27) Oakland Raiders (3-4) - Oakland kept themselves alive with a win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Carson Palmer completed 50% of his passes for 209 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception. Denarius Moore was the leading receiver, catching 5 passes for 96 yards and a touchdown. Raiders running-back, Darren McFadden had a good game and picked up 137 yards from scrimmage.
24 (22) St Louis Rams (3-5) - This years "home" team at Wembley Stadium, the St Louis Rams were completely blew apart by the New England Patriots. Home teams are now 2-4 at Wembley but I'd say the more popular teams, in terms of UK fan bases, are now 6-0 in these games. The Jags wouldn't be the most popular team over here so they may regret signing that 3 year deal. In this game, Sam Bradford had a disappointing day, throwing for 205 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Most disappointing, however, was Steven Jackson who picked up 23 yards from his 7 carries.
25 (23) New Orleans Saints (2-5) - The Saints two game winning run came to a crashing end on Sunday when they suffered a heavy defeat to the Denver Broncos. Drew Brees wasn't at his usual high standards and completed just over 50% of his passes for 213 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception. Pierre Thomas was having some success running the ball but he only had 8 carries at 5.4 yards per run. When Thomas was picking up the yards, the Saints should have gave him more carries. The Saints receivers were led by Jimmy Graham who caught 5 passes for 63 yards and a touchdown.
26 (25) Tennessee Titans (3-5) - The Titans recent good run ended on Sunday in a home loss to the Colts. A win would have got the Titans back to .500 but it wasn't to be and the Colts eventually won in overtime. Matt Hasselbeck had a good day, completing 22 of his 29 passes for 236 yards and a touchdown. Chris Johnson had another good day on the ground and ran for 99 yards. Nate Washington was the leading receiver, catching 5 passes for 69 yards.
27 (24) New York Jets (3-5) - The Jets are now 3-5 after picking up a loss to divisional rivals, thr Miami Dolphins. The Jets were the better side for much of the game but a mixture of bad special teams play, turnovers and penalties led them to a heavy defeat. Mark Sanchez threw for 283 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Shonn Greene was the leading rusher, running for 77 yards. The best receiver was Clyde Gates, who caught 7 passes for 82 yards.
28 (26) Buffalo Bills (3-4) - The Bills were on their bye week and will have been glad to get the extra week to prepare for the Houston Texans who look like the best team in the AFC at the moment.
29 (30) Cleveland Browns (2-6) – The Browns picked up their second win of the season in a horrible game against the San Diego Chargers. The final score was 7-6 and I imagine defensive enthusiasts will have loved it but it's not what the majority of fans are paying the money for. The Browns won the game through a touchdown from Trent Richardson. Richardson had a good game, running for 122 yards and the touchdown from 24 carries. Brandon Weeden completed just 11 of his 27 passes for 129 yards but the Browns picked up the win despite his poor display.
30 (29) Carolina Panthers (1-6) – The Panthers will be gutted to have lost on Sunday to the Chicago Bears. They were in control for much of the game and midway through the fourth quarter, they were leading by 12 points. They conceded a touchdown with 6:52 left and then on the first play of the next drive, Cam Newton was intercepted and Tim Jennings returned it for a touchdown. The Panthers recovered enough to lead again through a field goal with 2:27 left but it wasn't to be and Robbie Gould kicked the game-winning field goal for the Bears as time expired. The Panthers had almost double the offensive yards, that the Bears had and the loss will be hard to take. Cam Newton had a mixed day, throwing for 314 yards and 2 interceptions. The receivers were led by Steve Smith, who caught 7 passes for 118 yards. Once again, the running game was disappointing and ran for just 119 yards from 36 attempts.
31 (31) Jacksonville Jaguars (1-6) - The Jags are now 1-6 after another loss on Sunday, this time to the Green Bay Packers. The Jags kept the game closer than many expected but fell short in the end. Blaine Gabbert had a good game, throwing for 303 yards and a touchdown. His leading receiver was Cecil Shorts III who caught 8 passes for 116 yards. With Maurice Jones-Drew injured, Rashad Jennings became the teams first choice rusher but was only able to pick up 59 yards from 17 carries. At 1-6 the Jags look done for the year and are looking likely to have at least a top 5 pick in the 2013 draft.
32 (32) Kansas City Chiefs (1-6) - The Chiefs are 1-6 now after a bad display at home to their divisional rivals, the Oakland Raiders. The Chiefs had another 4 turnovers and it is absolutely killing this football team. Matt Cassell completed 20 of 30 passes for 218 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He also led the rushers with just 35 yards. The receivers were led by Dwyane Bowe, who had 3 catches for 65 yards
2 (1) Houston Texans (6-1) - The Texans had a bye this week and will be feeling quite happy with their season so far. This week they host the Buffalo Bills and must be favourites to reach 7-1.
3 (3) New York Giants (6-2) - The Giants are 6-2 after they were gift wrapped a victory in Dallas. The Cowboys handed the Giants an early lead, which they tried to throw away but in the end the Giants were able to squeeze over the winning line. Eli Manning had a bad game, throwing for 192 yards and an interception. The Giants weren't much better on the ground and ran for 78 yards from 22 carries, at 3.5 yards per carry. This Giants offense remind me a lot of the Eagles offense in Donavan McNabb's last season. They rely a lot on the big play and when teams have as good a secondary as the Cowboys, it can shut the offense down. Once the Giants get into a short field, the offense starts to stutter and it has led to them kicking 26 field goals, which is more than any NFL team. The Giants are a good side but the Cowboys done a good job of exposing the few weaknesses they have and were unlucky not to win.
4 (4) New England Patriots (5-3) - The Pats picked up their second regular season victory at Wembley Stadium with a dominant victory over the Rams. The game was tight for the first quarter and then the Pats exploded into life and the Rams had no reply. Tom Brady had a great game, throwing for 304 yards and 4 touchdowns. His leading receiver was Rob Gronkowski, who caught 8 passes for 146 yards and 2 touchdowns. Brandon Lloyd only caught 2 passes but both were touchdowns. The Pats offensive dominance was completed by another strong running display from Stevan Ridley. Ridley ran for 127 yards and a touchdown.
5 (5) San Francisco 49ers (6-2) - The 49ers made it to 6-2 after a big win over the Cardinals in Arizona. Alex Smith had the best game of his career, completing 18 of his 19 passes for 232 yards and 3 touchdowns. Michael Crabtree was the leading receiver, catching 5 passes for 72 yards and 2 touchdowns. The 49ers had a respectable day on the ground too, picking up 113 yards from 29 carries. At 6-2, the 49ers are one of the leading teams in the NFC and look to be in a battle for one of the top seeds in the playoffs.
6 (7) Green Bay Packers (5-3) - The Packers find themselves at 5-3 after an unimpressive win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Packers were made to work for the victory and it took a Mason Crosby field goal with 28 seconds left to finally put the game out of the Jags reach. Aaron Rodgers had a poor game by his high standards, completing just 22 of his 35 pass attempts for 186 yards and 2 touchdowns. The running game was poor, with the Packers rushers combining for 2.5 yards per carry. It's a big weakness and unless it is addressed, I think it will eventually be their downfall. James Jones had a good day, catching 7 passes for 78 yards.
7 (6) Chicago Bears (6-1) - The bottom line is, the Bears won the game but it wasn't pretty. The Panthers dominated and restricted the Bears to 210 offensive yards and put up 416 yards of total offensive yards against one of the best defenses in the league but it still wasn't enough. The Bears came back from 12 behind in the last 7 minutes and ended up winning the game courtesy of a Robbie Gould field goal as time expired. Jay Cutler threw for 186 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Brandon Marshall was his leading receiver, catching 9 passes for 98 yards. Matt Forte was the best rusher, picking up 70 yards and a touchdown from his 15 carries.
8 (8) Baltimore Ravens (5-2) - The Ravens were on a bye week this week and at 5-2 are in poll position in the AFC North. They can cement their position further by winning in Cleveland in a divisional clash they will be hot favourites to win.
9 (11) Denver Broncos (4-3) - The Broncos and Peyton Manning sent out a message to the NFL with a great display to blow out and effectively end the season of the New Orleans Saints. Manning looked back to his best this week, throwing for 305 yards and 3 touchdowns. His leading receiver was Demaryius Thomas who caught 7 passes for 137 yards and a touchdown. The running game was every bit as good as the passing and the Broncos rushers ran for 225 yards, led by Willis McGahee with 122 yards and a touchdown and Ronnie Hillman with 86 yards.
10 (10) Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3) - The Steelers picked up a dominant win over the Washington Redskins on Sunday. Their defense done a great job of stopping RG3 and their offense matched them with a strong display. Ben Roethlisberger threw for 222 yards and 3 touchdowns. His main target was Mike Wallace and he caught 7 passes for 62 yards. Running-back, Jonathan Dwyer had another good game, running for 107 yards.
11 (9) Minnesota Vikings (5-3) – The Vikings suffered a heavy and quite surprising defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Minnesota. The Bucs were dominant and were happy to put the ball in the hands of their rushers and ended up in possession for over 37 minutes. The Vikings had 3 turnovers which led to 10 points for the Bucs. Adrian Peterson had a good game, despite being limited to 15 carries. He ran for 123 yards and a touchdown. The Bucs took an early lead and the Vikings were unable to recover and had to try to chase the game. Christian Ponder was unable to do enough, completing 19 of 35 passes for 251 yards, a touchdown and an interception. The leading receiver was Percy Harvin who caught 7 passes for 90 yards and a touchdown.
12 (20) Miami Dolphins (4-3) - The Dolphins picked up a win in New York over the Jets to go to 4-3 for the season. The majority of the damage was done by half-time and the Dolphins led 20-0 at the break. They consolidated their lead in the second half and won 30-9. The Dolphins only managed 236 yards of offense but blocked a punt for a touchdown and got another touchdown on the back of a turnover. The Dolphins best offensive player was Reggie Bush who picked up 65 yards from scrimmage.
13 (21) Indianapolis Colts (4-3) - The Colts picked up a big win over divisional rivals, the Tennessee Titans. The win keeps the Colts in the mix for a playoff place. Andrew Luck had a decent game, throwing for 297 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Reggie Wayne was once again the leading receiver, catching 7 passes for 91 yards. The Colts done a good job of running the ball, picking up 171 yards from 34 carries. The game was eventually won when Vick Ballard scored a touchdown in overtime, through an 18 yard catch.
14 (12) Seattle Seahawks (4-4) – The Seahawks lost again, this time in Detroit to the Lions. The Seahawks had the lead right up until the last 20 seconds but conceded a late touchdown and were unable to recover. Russell Wilson had a decent game, throwing for 236 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception. Marshawn Lynch had another good day, running for 105 yards and a touchdown from 12 carries. Lynch probably should have had more carries as he was hurting the Lions defense and ended up averaging 8.8 yards per carry.
15 (17) Detroit Lions (3-4) - The Lions are back to 3-4 after a tight win over the Seattle Seahawks. The Lions spent much of the game behind but eventually won it when Matt Stafford found Titus Young in the end zone with just 20 seconds left. The Lions were worthy winners in the end and at 3-4 are still, just about, alive in the NFC. Matt Stafford led the Lions well, throwing for 352 yards, 3 touchdowns and an interception. Titus Young was the leading receiver, catching 9 passes for 100 yards and 2 touchdowns. Mikel LeShoure had a respectable day, running for 46 yards off 10 carries.
16 (16) Dallas Cowboys (3-4) - The Cowboys lost to the Giants on Sunday but can consider themselves very unlucky. They turned the ball over 6 times and found themselves 23-0 down. In fairness to the Cowboys they showed a lot of heart and refused to lie down when many other teams would have gave up. Instead, they battled back and led 24-23 but 2 Lawrence Tynes field goals sealed the victory for the Giants. Tony Romo had a mixed game, throwing for 437 yards and a touchdown but he also threw 4 interceptions. The Cowboys running game never got going at all and they only picked up 19 yards from 17 carries. The Cowboys star was Jason Witten who set a team record, catching 18 passes for 167 yards. Miles Austin and Dez Bryant also played well. Austin caught 9 passes for 133 yards and Bryant caught 5 passes for 110 yards.
17 (13) Arizona Cardinals (4-4) - The Cardinals have now lost four in a row since their 4-0 start and their season is slowing crumbling. They were well beat on Monday by a strong 49ers team and unless they can rediscover that winning formula, it looks as though they will miss the playoffs. John Skelton threw for 290 yards and an interception. The main target was once again, Andre Roberts, who caught 7 passes for 65 yards. The running game was very poor and managed just 7 yards from 9 attempts.
18 (14) San Diego Chargers (3-4) - The Chargers were beat 7-6 by the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. The Chargers couldn't get firing at all and they look very much the second best team in the AFC West behind the Denver Broncos. In this game, Philip Rivers threw for just 154 yards. Ronnie Brown caught 7 passes for 85 yards. Ryan Matthews had a good day for the Chargers, running for 95 yards. The Chargers could have done with winning this game but it wasn't to be and they have now dropped to 3-4.
19 (15) Philadelphia Eagles (3-4) - Sunday was the worst performance I have saw in ten years of being a Philadelphia Eagles fan. There is absolutely nothing good to say about that display. I've had a few rants this year about the Eagles and it has been fully justified. They have a lot of talent but it looks like they have give up on the coach. I don't blame them to be honest as I gave up on Reid myself but I'm not getting paid millions of dollars to play for a football team. Our offense has been horrible all year but nothing has changed it's still as it was. Our special teams has been bad, it's much the same. The one unit that was performing was the defense and we changed the coordinator. Nice move Andy Reid. The game was deep in the fourth quarter and over as a contest before we made the Falcons punt the ball. It is completely unacceptable and Andy Reid's time is up.
20 (19) Cincinnati Bengals (3-4) - The Bengals had their bye week this week and it came at a good time for them. After a 3-1 start, they have slipped up badly losing three in a row. This week they face a tough battle when they host the Denver Broncos.
21 (18) Washington Redskins (3-5) - The Redskins were well beaten in Pittsburgh by the Steelers and are now 3-5 for the season. The Steelers done a great job on RG3 and he completed just 16 of 34 passes for 177 yards and a touchdown. They were even better at stopping him running and he picked up just 8 yards from 6 carries. Alfred Morris had more success, running for 59 yards from 13 carries but it wasn't enough to stop the Steelers and the Redskins will need to start winning if they have ambitions of a playoff place.
22 (28) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-4) - The Bucs had a great win in Minnesota over the Vikings. The Bucs were dominant and their offense is really beginning to click. They had over 400 yards of offense and Josh Freeman had another good game. Freeman threw for 262 yards and 3 touchdowns. He was supported by an excellent display from running-back, Doug Martin. He ran for 135 yards and a touchdown. Martin also caught 3 passes for 79 yards and a touchdown. Mike Williams also had a good day, catching 6 passes for 68 yards and a touchdown.
23 (27) Oakland Raiders (3-4) - Oakland kept themselves alive with a win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Carson Palmer completed 50% of his passes for 209 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception. Denarius Moore was the leading receiver, catching 5 passes for 96 yards and a touchdown. Raiders running-back, Darren McFadden had a good game and picked up 137 yards from scrimmage.
24 (22) St Louis Rams (3-5) - This years "home" team at Wembley Stadium, the St Louis Rams were completely blew apart by the New England Patriots. Home teams are now 2-4 at Wembley but I'd say the more popular teams, in terms of UK fan bases, are now 6-0 in these games. The Jags wouldn't be the most popular team over here so they may regret signing that 3 year deal. In this game, Sam Bradford had a disappointing day, throwing for 205 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Most disappointing, however, was Steven Jackson who picked up 23 yards from his 7 carries.
25 (23) New Orleans Saints (2-5) - The Saints two game winning run came to a crashing end on Sunday when they suffered a heavy defeat to the Denver Broncos. Drew Brees wasn't at his usual high standards and completed just over 50% of his passes for 213 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception. Pierre Thomas was having some success running the ball but he only had 8 carries at 5.4 yards per run. When Thomas was picking up the yards, the Saints should have gave him more carries. The Saints receivers were led by Jimmy Graham who caught 5 passes for 63 yards and a touchdown.
26 (25) Tennessee Titans (3-5) - The Titans recent good run ended on Sunday in a home loss to the Colts. A win would have got the Titans back to .500 but it wasn't to be and the Colts eventually won in overtime. Matt Hasselbeck had a good day, completing 22 of his 29 passes for 236 yards and a touchdown. Chris Johnson had another good day on the ground and ran for 99 yards. Nate Washington was the leading receiver, catching 5 passes for 69 yards.
27 (24) New York Jets (3-5) - The Jets are now 3-5 after picking up a loss to divisional rivals, thr Miami Dolphins. The Jets were the better side for much of the game but a mixture of bad special teams play, turnovers and penalties led them to a heavy defeat. Mark Sanchez threw for 283 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Shonn Greene was the leading rusher, running for 77 yards. The best receiver was Clyde Gates, who caught 7 passes for 82 yards.
28 (26) Buffalo Bills (3-4) - The Bills were on their bye week and will have been glad to get the extra week to prepare for the Houston Texans who look like the best team in the AFC at the moment.
29 (30) Cleveland Browns (2-6) – The Browns picked up their second win of the season in a horrible game against the San Diego Chargers. The final score was 7-6 and I imagine defensive enthusiasts will have loved it but it's not what the majority of fans are paying the money for. The Browns won the game through a touchdown from Trent Richardson. Richardson had a good game, running for 122 yards and the touchdown from 24 carries. Brandon Weeden completed just 11 of his 27 passes for 129 yards but the Browns picked up the win despite his poor display.
30 (29) Carolina Panthers (1-6) – The Panthers will be gutted to have lost on Sunday to the Chicago Bears. They were in control for much of the game and midway through the fourth quarter, they were leading by 12 points. They conceded a touchdown with 6:52 left and then on the first play of the next drive, Cam Newton was intercepted and Tim Jennings returned it for a touchdown. The Panthers recovered enough to lead again through a field goal with 2:27 left but it wasn't to be and Robbie Gould kicked the game-winning field goal for the Bears as time expired. The Panthers had almost double the offensive yards, that the Bears had and the loss will be hard to take. Cam Newton had a mixed day, throwing for 314 yards and 2 interceptions. The receivers were led by Steve Smith, who caught 7 passes for 118 yards. Once again, the running game was disappointing and ran for just 119 yards from 36 attempts.
31 (31) Jacksonville Jaguars (1-6) - The Jags are now 1-6 after another loss on Sunday, this time to the Green Bay Packers. The Jags kept the game closer than many expected but fell short in the end. Blaine Gabbert had a good game, throwing for 303 yards and a touchdown. His leading receiver was Cecil Shorts III who caught 8 passes for 116 yards. With Maurice Jones-Drew injured, Rashad Jennings became the teams first choice rusher but was only able to pick up 59 yards from 17 carries. At 1-6 the Jags look done for the year and are looking likely to have at least a top 5 pick in the 2013 draft.
32 (32) Kansas City Chiefs (1-6) - The Chiefs are 1-6 now after a bad display at home to their divisional rivals, the Oakland Raiders. The Chiefs had another 4 turnovers and it is absolutely killing this football team. Matt Cassell completed 20 of 30 passes for 218 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He also led the rushers with just 35 yards. The receivers were led by Dwyane Bowe, who had 3 catches for 65 yards
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