You thought I could have a sports blog and not post some NFL picks? Come on now...
My picks for the week will come sometime in the Sunday Noon-1pm hour as I watch the pregame shows. That way, I get all the info I need to make an educated decision. My goal is to do better than Jake Young is his picks.
I took the Giants on Thursday. I didn't post it but trust me, I would have never taken the Redskins, and neither would you (except Jake).
Also, on days I do not have a 6pm cast on air, I will be giving early game and late game thoughts. When I do have a 6pm cast, there will just be one post after the late games. I do not have a 6pm cast this Sunday (9/7) so there will be two posts. One around 4:30pm and another around 8pm. And remember, I do not have a favorite NFL team so I tend to be critical of every team, no matter how good or how bad.
Alright, enough with the intro. Here are my week 1 picks:
Washington @ NY Giants - NYG
Detroit @ Atlanta - ATL
Cincinnati @ Baltimore - CIN
Seattle @ Buffalo - SEA
NY Jets @ Miami - NYJ
Kansas City @ New England - NE
Tampa Bay @ New Orleans - NO
St. Louis @ Philadelphia - PHI
Houston @ Pittsburgh - PIT
Jacksonville @ Tennessee - JAX
Dallas @ Cleveland - DAL
Carolina @ San Diego - SD
Arizona @ San Francisco - AZ
Chicago @ Indianapolis - INDY
Minnesota @ Green Bay - MIN
Denver @ Oakland - DEN
HERE WE GO! 17 weeks of NFL fun.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
CFB Week 2 Recap
Well, I came into this week of college football with a lot of excitement in one game and not much more for other. Not one game this week had two ranked teams facing each other. But in the end, still had some good games and more teams exposed themselves as contenders or pretenders.
THE BIG 10 THINGS I LEARNED THIS WEEK
1. Ohio State without Beanie is not good - Yep, I just said last week that they would be fine with the trio of RBs in the stall. Well, I take that back (will do that a lot this year). Though OSU rushed for 162 yards, that was against an OU defensive line that is giving up a ton of weight to the OSU O-line. And while I think the trio (M. Wells, Herron and Saine) has a ton of talent, Beanie just brings so much more to the table. Speed, quickness, strength and ability to break tackles. All of those will be needed against USC and were almost needed against OU. The offense just looked stagnant without and put mroe pressure on Boeckman, who looked terrible for the third game in a row, going back to the title game against LSU. They say you never know what you have until it's gone. Well, all us OSU fans know now and we all want him back.
2. OU should compete in the MAC - and I mean this seriously. I saw a really good OU team today. Starting with the offense, the QB play was solid. Whether it was Theo or Boo, their ability to scramble and avoid sacks is a huge asset. Their accuracy is getting better as well and even decision-making when out of the pocket. In the pocket, both have work to do but it's encouraging to see the offense move. The running game got some sizable yards too, rushing for 145 against a good OSU defense. The defense though is what surprised me the most. Against Boeckman, they got pressure. The pass defense gave the OSU WRs fits all day. Against Pryor, it was domination by the 'Cats. The option: shut down. They just put more in the box and forced him to throw long if he wanted a lot of yardage. Well, Pryor still hasn't thrown a pass longer than 10 yards yet so it was a great strategy. In the MAC, games won't be as brutal and crowds won't be as large. This team has the talent. Get rid of the senseless turnovers (5 today) and this team can compete. They may not win the conference but they should compete for the crown.
3. The ACC is really bad - I said last week that the ACC is giving the Big Ten a run for their money as the worst conference of the Power 6. Welp, forget that. Just give the ACC the honor. One team in the top 25 and that team (Wake Forest) had to kick a 41-yd game-winning FG to beat an Ole Miss team that went 3-9 last season. Other than that, it is just filled with a ton of mediocre teams. Clemson showed they weren't ready for the big stage yet. VT was up just 3-0 on Furman at the half today. Yeah, FURMAN! Wins from ACC teams today came over the likes of William and Mary, Western Carolina, Richmond and the Citadel. This is a bad conference and it's a shame right now they get a guaranteed BCS bid because teams like BYU, E. Carolina and Fresno State would roll in this conference.
4. Ty Willingham is cursed - The guy just can't catch a break. He gets screwed at Notre Dame. Then, goes to Washington in hopes of turning around the Huskies. Well, that's tough when you are trying to recruit people to a place like dreary Seattle. But then today, his play-making QB Jake Locker (266 total yards and 3 TD) scores with just 2 seconds left, cutting the score to 28-27, and throws the ball in the air after scoring. A flag is thrown for unsportsmnalike conduct. 15 yards and making the tying extra point a little bit tougher. Of course since Ty is coaching, BYU blocks the XP and wins. Now, people are complaining about the call. Let's be frank: the ref followed the rules. Maybe it was bad judgment but it was the rule. But he did NOT determine the outcome of the game. Locker did when he threw the ball AND the Washington special teams for allowing the kick to be blocked. Get off the ref's back please ESPN. In the end, blame Locker, the line and the rulebook.
5. Nate Davis is really, really good - Got a text from a friend on Friday as Davis was playing asking how OU could not have gone after Davis more during recruiting. I concur with the question. They may have but even if they did, they missed out on a great quarterback. I got my first look when he (playing for Bellaire) single-handedly tore apart my high school football team's defense in the second round of the playoffs. Ball State was smart and let him start as a freshman and now, he is a stud. Against Navy, Davis threw for 326 yards and 4 TD. Not bad huh? I know it's been a while since the MAC produced a quality QB (Roethlisberger) but Davis may be the next. Just remember that name. Oh, and the name is his favorite receiver, Dante Love. The former Cincinnati Withrow product caught 9 passes for 165 yards and 2 TD. With Davis under center, his stock and skills will rise.
6. East Carolina is for real - I picked against them twice. Well, I have learned now. I knew they were good coming into this year but not THIS good. The VT wins was helped by some VT special teams errors. This win over WVU was just straight legit. Pat White, a former Heisman hopeful, was held to just 72 yards through the air and 97 on the ground. For White, those numbers are not good. Meanwhile, ECU QB Patrick Pinckney was spot-on, throwing for 236 yards and a TD. But beyond those numbers, 8/16 on 3rd down, no turnovers and a time of possession advantage of more than 10 minutes. The best news for the Pirates is that their schedule just gets easier. Their 3 hardest games the rest of the way: @ UCF, vs. Marshall, and vs. UTEP. Skip Holtz is doing something big in Greenville and with these two wins over ranked teams, not only have the Pirates made their case for the Top 25 but to really be considered for a BCS bowl if they run the table.
7. Notre Dame is not winning 11 games - Well, we all know this, except Lou Holtz. But after today's victory over San Diego State, I think a lot of us saw that the Irish still have a lot of work to do. Jimmy Clausen does look better but the Irish in general really don't. The turnover bug hit them 4 times, inclduing one fumble in the red zone. Against an Aztec defense that lost to Cal-Poly (who?), the Irish ran for just 105 yards as a team. Simply put, that's not gonna cut it this season. The schedule may be easier this year than others but even the next 3 games (Mich, @ Mich St, Purdue) will be tough if they play like they did today. It was nice to see Clausen turn the team around in the final quarter for the final 14 points of the game but just like OSU, gotta turn it on early against better competition.
8. "Spurrier Scoring" is back - Remember the days when Steve Spurrier coached the Gators and no matter who they were playing, they would score 60-70 points? Well, that was the case this weekend for sure. Maybe it was due to the lack of good games or abundance of bad teams playing great ones but man, scores were lopsided. 56-17 Georgia. 52-3 Missouri. 51-14 Wisconsin. 66-24 Oregon. 69-0 Florida State. 66-3 California. 67-7 TCU. 69-10 Kansas State. And the best one of them all, 83-10 Arkansas State. Obviously, people think scoring a ton of points equals more votes in the poll. Worked for USC jumping Georgia last week. Don't think it will work for Arkansas State but man, 83 points! That's NCAA Football '08 on PS2 scoring.
9. Antonio Henton is just fine in Statesboro - I knew when OSU lost Henton, they lost a good quarterback. Well, thankfully, Henton found a home and is playing well. After a tough start against Georgia (which every team will have), he showed what he's all about against Austin Peay. The numbers aren't amazing (Just 68 yards passing and an INT) but it's everything else. Down 20-13, Henton engineered three scoring drives in the 4th quarter. First, a 4 yd TD run to tie the game. Then, a 16 yd TD run to take the lead. And finally, a 2 yd TD pass to give the Eagles some breathing room. Now, I don't know how this will translate into the SoCon season but Eagles fans have to be pleased so far and Buckeye fans have to be happy for a guy that never got his chance in Columbus.
10. Mark May talks a lot of jibberish - This is something I knew already but today, he just went on and on and on about nothing. He argues with Lou Holts for the sake of arguing and while that was fun and fine with Trev Alberts, it's just not fair against Lou. He's old and losing his mind already. Don't call out his faults and then ramble on and on and on about nothing important. All day, he kept talking about how the celebration call runied the game and how Ohio State's close win over Ohio showed how they have no chance against USC. Mark, shut up, You played college football and know that teams look past other teams, especially in the case of OU/OSU. That's like saying you are gonna go into a 100 meter race with Usain Bolt the same way you would with Drew Carey. It's just not the case and thankfully, Lou argued all night with him about it to make me feel better (and laugh). But regardless, stop talking about nothing and don't go Trev Alberts on us.
11. Chris Spielman should never, EVER work sidelines again - When I saw the announcing lineup for the OU/OSU game, I laughed cause I knew it would just add to the fun of the game. Well, it did. As if Pam Ward wasn't enough, they put Chris Spielman, less than 15 hours from Friday's Ball State game on the OSU sideline. Let me tell ya, the guy was worthless. He talked about "looking into player's eyes", OU wanting it more than OSU numerous times (uh....duh), and the "advances" of of breaking it down on the sideline (he means advantages). All in all, he was terrible. I heard from a friend who was on the sideline too that he was livid on the safety/fumble TD call and was fist-bumping people on the punt return TD. So not only is he not good at his job, he also isn't professional. Just another reason why being a former player does not equal broadcasting success.
BEST GAME - Ohio vs. Ohio State
Come on, you expected me to pick something different? Sorry, but it's my blog and my opinion. For a loyal fan of both teams, this was the exactly the game I wanted. One that showed the best of OU, gave OSU fans like me a scare, and forced OU to come back and play well, like they will have to later in the year. The game stayed close. Both teams played good and bad at times. And OU got some great exposure on TV, which will hopefully help recruiting. But above all, I just hope OU got some respect. Bobcats fans know OSU has better football and always will. But for 3 quarters today, the Buckeyes and their fans were scared. And after today, hopefully the 'Cats can get some more respect in Columbus.
WORST GAME - Miami (OH) vs. Michigan
HAHA, I know what you are thinking but really, I debated this for awhile. But really, this was a bad game to watch. It might have been close but both teams were so bad, it made it tough to enjoy. Now as a guy who hates both teams, I wanted to enjoy it during commercial breaks but it was hard. Drives stalled quickly. Passes were overthrown over and over. 14 punts in the game, 7 for each team. In fact, Miami had 12 drives. 2 FG, 7 punts, 2 turnover on downs and a fumble. And after going 2-for-2 in their opening drives, Michigan missed a FG and punted six times. BORING! And since neither team has a star player, this game was not worthy of ESPN2.
OVER/UNDER:
Well, I may be jumping to conclusions but I am starting to think that Georgia Tech is underrated. There was a lot of talk about how Paul Johnson would do in his first season at the helm. The former Navy head boss was known for his triple option and trying to implement that is tough. Well, so far, so good. The Yellow Jackets are 2-0 and played a decent BC team and won 19-16. SI picked them to go 3-9 and last in the ACC Coastal division. Well, don't look now but with 10 games left, they are 1-0 in the ACC and a win away from 3 wins.
And after two weeks, I am confident in saying that Pittsburgh is overrated. Last week, a loss to Bowling Green at home. This week, at home as well and the Panthers almost lay an egg and lose to Buffalo. They did win 27-16 but with 10 minutes left, the score was just 17-16 Pitt. Buffalo is not a good team, or at least, should be not be competing with a team that I and others thought would win the Big East. Something tells me Dave Wannstedt better start packing his stuff.
HE/SHE SAID WHAT?
"They are having a hard time getting to the quarterback because of his elusivity." - Ray Bentley talking about OU quarterback Boo Jackson (The word is elusiveness)
3 QUESTIONS
1. I saw a lot of facebook status updates and AIM away messages from OU students saying how proud they were of their Bobcats. You think that pride will lead to more fans at this Saturday's game against Central Michigan?
2. Is Beanie gonna be back for USC?
3. Obviously, my APPY did not come true this week. Is Cincinnati that bad or is Oklahoma that good?
THE BIG 10 THINGS I LEARNED THIS WEEK
1. Ohio State without Beanie is not good - Yep, I just said last week that they would be fine with the trio of RBs in the stall. Well, I take that back (will do that a lot this year). Though OSU rushed for 162 yards, that was against an OU defensive line that is giving up a ton of weight to the OSU O-line. And while I think the trio (M. Wells, Herron and Saine) has a ton of talent, Beanie just brings so much more to the table. Speed, quickness, strength and ability to break tackles. All of those will be needed against USC and were almost needed against OU. The offense just looked stagnant without and put mroe pressure on Boeckman, who looked terrible for the third game in a row, going back to the title game against LSU. They say you never know what you have until it's gone. Well, all us OSU fans know now and we all want him back.
2. OU should compete in the MAC - and I mean this seriously. I saw a really good OU team today. Starting with the offense, the QB play was solid. Whether it was Theo or Boo, their ability to scramble and avoid sacks is a huge asset. Their accuracy is getting better as well and even decision-making when out of the pocket. In the pocket, both have work to do but it's encouraging to see the offense move. The running game got some sizable yards too, rushing for 145 against a good OSU defense. The defense though is what surprised me the most. Against Boeckman, they got pressure. The pass defense gave the OSU WRs fits all day. Against Pryor, it was domination by the 'Cats. The option: shut down. They just put more in the box and forced him to throw long if he wanted a lot of yardage. Well, Pryor still hasn't thrown a pass longer than 10 yards yet so it was a great strategy. In the MAC, games won't be as brutal and crowds won't be as large. This team has the talent. Get rid of the senseless turnovers (5 today) and this team can compete. They may not win the conference but they should compete for the crown.
3. The ACC is really bad - I said last week that the ACC is giving the Big Ten a run for their money as the worst conference of the Power 6. Welp, forget that. Just give the ACC the honor. One team in the top 25 and that team (Wake Forest) had to kick a 41-yd game-winning FG to beat an Ole Miss team that went 3-9 last season. Other than that, it is just filled with a ton of mediocre teams. Clemson showed they weren't ready for the big stage yet. VT was up just 3-0 on Furman at the half today. Yeah, FURMAN! Wins from ACC teams today came over the likes of William and Mary, Western Carolina, Richmond and the Citadel. This is a bad conference and it's a shame right now they get a guaranteed BCS bid because teams like BYU, E. Carolina and Fresno State would roll in this conference.
4. Ty Willingham is cursed - The guy just can't catch a break. He gets screwed at Notre Dame. Then, goes to Washington in hopes of turning around the Huskies. Well, that's tough when you are trying to recruit people to a place like dreary Seattle. But then today, his play-making QB Jake Locker (266 total yards and 3 TD) scores with just 2 seconds left, cutting the score to 28-27, and throws the ball in the air after scoring. A flag is thrown for unsportsmnalike conduct. 15 yards and making the tying extra point a little bit tougher. Of course since Ty is coaching, BYU blocks the XP and wins. Now, people are complaining about the call. Let's be frank: the ref followed the rules. Maybe it was bad judgment but it was the rule. But he did NOT determine the outcome of the game. Locker did when he threw the ball AND the Washington special teams for allowing the kick to be blocked. Get off the ref's back please ESPN. In the end, blame Locker, the line and the rulebook.
5. Nate Davis is really, really good - Got a text from a friend on Friday as Davis was playing asking how OU could not have gone after Davis more during recruiting. I concur with the question. They may have but even if they did, they missed out on a great quarterback. I got my first look when he (playing for Bellaire) single-handedly tore apart my high school football team's defense in the second round of the playoffs. Ball State was smart and let him start as a freshman and now, he is a stud. Against Navy, Davis threw for 326 yards and 4 TD. Not bad huh? I know it's been a while since the MAC produced a quality QB (Roethlisberger) but Davis may be the next. Just remember that name. Oh, and the name is his favorite receiver, Dante Love. The former Cincinnati Withrow product caught 9 passes for 165 yards and 2 TD. With Davis under center, his stock and skills will rise.
6. East Carolina is for real - I picked against them twice. Well, I have learned now. I knew they were good coming into this year but not THIS good. The VT wins was helped by some VT special teams errors. This win over WVU was just straight legit. Pat White, a former Heisman hopeful, was held to just 72 yards through the air and 97 on the ground. For White, those numbers are not good. Meanwhile, ECU QB Patrick Pinckney was spot-on, throwing for 236 yards and a TD. But beyond those numbers, 8/16 on 3rd down, no turnovers and a time of possession advantage of more than 10 minutes. The best news for the Pirates is that their schedule just gets easier. Their 3 hardest games the rest of the way: @ UCF, vs. Marshall, and vs. UTEP. Skip Holtz is doing something big in Greenville and with these two wins over ranked teams, not only have the Pirates made their case for the Top 25 but to really be considered for a BCS bowl if they run the table.
7. Notre Dame is not winning 11 games - Well, we all know this, except Lou Holtz. But after today's victory over San Diego State, I think a lot of us saw that the Irish still have a lot of work to do. Jimmy Clausen does look better but the Irish in general really don't. The turnover bug hit them 4 times, inclduing one fumble in the red zone. Against an Aztec defense that lost to Cal-Poly (who?), the Irish ran for just 105 yards as a team. Simply put, that's not gonna cut it this season. The schedule may be easier this year than others but even the next 3 games (Mich, @ Mich St, Purdue) will be tough if they play like they did today. It was nice to see Clausen turn the team around in the final quarter for the final 14 points of the game but just like OSU, gotta turn it on early against better competition.
8. "Spurrier Scoring" is back - Remember the days when Steve Spurrier coached the Gators and no matter who they were playing, they would score 60-70 points? Well, that was the case this weekend for sure. Maybe it was due to the lack of good games or abundance of bad teams playing great ones but man, scores were lopsided. 56-17 Georgia. 52-3 Missouri. 51-14 Wisconsin. 66-24 Oregon. 69-0 Florida State. 66-3 California. 67-7 TCU. 69-10 Kansas State. And the best one of them all, 83-10 Arkansas State. Obviously, people think scoring a ton of points equals more votes in the poll. Worked for USC jumping Georgia last week. Don't think it will work for Arkansas State but man, 83 points! That's NCAA Football '08 on PS2 scoring.
9. Antonio Henton is just fine in Statesboro - I knew when OSU lost Henton, they lost a good quarterback. Well, thankfully, Henton found a home and is playing well. After a tough start against Georgia (which every team will have), he showed what he's all about against Austin Peay. The numbers aren't amazing (Just 68 yards passing and an INT) but it's everything else. Down 20-13, Henton engineered three scoring drives in the 4th quarter. First, a 4 yd TD run to tie the game. Then, a 16 yd TD run to take the lead. And finally, a 2 yd TD pass to give the Eagles some breathing room. Now, I don't know how this will translate into the SoCon season but Eagles fans have to be pleased so far and Buckeye fans have to be happy for a guy that never got his chance in Columbus.
10. Mark May talks a lot of jibberish - This is something I knew already but today, he just went on and on and on about nothing. He argues with Lou Holts for the sake of arguing and while that was fun and fine with Trev Alberts, it's just not fair against Lou. He's old and losing his mind already. Don't call out his faults and then ramble on and on and on about nothing important. All day, he kept talking about how the celebration call runied the game and how Ohio State's close win over Ohio showed how they have no chance against USC. Mark, shut up, You played college football and know that teams look past other teams, especially in the case of OU/OSU. That's like saying you are gonna go into a 100 meter race with Usain Bolt the same way you would with Drew Carey. It's just not the case and thankfully, Lou argued all night with him about it to make me feel better (and laugh). But regardless, stop talking about nothing and don't go Trev Alberts on us.
11. Chris Spielman should never, EVER work sidelines again - When I saw the announcing lineup for the OU/OSU game, I laughed cause I knew it would just add to the fun of the game. Well, it did. As if Pam Ward wasn't enough, they put Chris Spielman, less than 15 hours from Friday's Ball State game on the OSU sideline. Let me tell ya, the guy was worthless. He talked about "looking into player's eyes", OU wanting it more than OSU numerous times (uh....duh), and the "advances" of of breaking it down on the sideline (he means advantages). All in all, he was terrible. I heard from a friend who was on the sideline too that he was livid on the safety/fumble TD call and was fist-bumping people on the punt return TD. So not only is he not good at his job, he also isn't professional. Just another reason why being a former player does not equal broadcasting success.
BEST GAME - Ohio vs. Ohio State
Come on, you expected me to pick something different? Sorry, but it's my blog and my opinion. For a loyal fan of both teams, this was the exactly the game I wanted. One that showed the best of OU, gave OSU fans like me a scare, and forced OU to come back and play well, like they will have to later in the year. The game stayed close. Both teams played good and bad at times. And OU got some great exposure on TV, which will hopefully help recruiting. But above all, I just hope OU got some respect. Bobcats fans know OSU has better football and always will. But for 3 quarters today, the Buckeyes and their fans were scared. And after today, hopefully the 'Cats can get some more respect in Columbus.
WORST GAME - Miami (OH) vs. Michigan
HAHA, I know what you are thinking but really, I debated this for awhile. But really, this was a bad game to watch. It might have been close but both teams were so bad, it made it tough to enjoy. Now as a guy who hates both teams, I wanted to enjoy it during commercial breaks but it was hard. Drives stalled quickly. Passes were overthrown over and over. 14 punts in the game, 7 for each team. In fact, Miami had 12 drives. 2 FG, 7 punts, 2 turnover on downs and a fumble. And after going 2-for-2 in their opening drives, Michigan missed a FG and punted six times. BORING! And since neither team has a star player, this game was not worthy of ESPN2.
OVER/UNDER:
Well, I may be jumping to conclusions but I am starting to think that Georgia Tech is underrated. There was a lot of talk about how Paul Johnson would do in his first season at the helm. The former Navy head boss was known for his triple option and trying to implement that is tough. Well, so far, so good. The Yellow Jackets are 2-0 and played a decent BC team and won 19-16. SI picked them to go 3-9 and last in the ACC Coastal division. Well, don't look now but with 10 games left, they are 1-0 in the ACC and a win away from 3 wins.
And after two weeks, I am confident in saying that Pittsburgh is overrated. Last week, a loss to Bowling Green at home. This week, at home as well and the Panthers almost lay an egg and lose to Buffalo. They did win 27-16 but with 10 minutes left, the score was just 17-16 Pitt. Buffalo is not a good team, or at least, should be not be competing with a team that I and others thought would win the Big East. Something tells me Dave Wannstedt better start packing his stuff.
HE/SHE SAID WHAT?
"They are having a hard time getting to the quarterback because of his elusivity." - Ray Bentley talking about OU quarterback Boo Jackson (The word is elusiveness)
3 QUESTIONS
1. I saw a lot of facebook status updates and AIM away messages from OU students saying how proud they were of their Bobcats. You think that pride will lead to more fans at this Saturday's game against Central Michigan?
2. Is Beanie gonna be back for USC?
3. Obviously, my APPY did not come true this week. Is Cincinnati that bad or is Oklahoma that good?
Saturday, September 6, 2008
OU vs. OSU Live Thread
HERE WE GO! (Didn't feel like making my own so Geoff Carlston is gonna stay in that photo).
(Noon) Oh...Jack Nicklaus to get me excited for the game. And that was corny.
(12:02) Pam Ward, Ray Bentley AND Chris Spielman. Wow, we hit the announcer jackpot! NOT
(12:05) Timeout Ohio? 13:49 in the 1st quarter. Now that can't be a good sign.
"Ohio's going to run out of timeouts fast". (Via Eric Hug)
Hey, at least the timeout got us a sack
Michigan up 7-0 on Miami (OH). What sucks is that I want both teams to lose. It is great/ironic they play the same week. And the best thing: OU/OSU gets the prime ESPN slot. They get ESPN2
(12:10) OU Punt...we got the first 1st down of the game though
Back to Miami/Michigan, real quick. Chris Givens sighting. Former Gridiron Glory player of the Year finalist
"I threw up a little in my mouth when I heard who was calling this game. And catch the freaking ball, seriously. Theo should just pull the ball down and run every play." (Via Kevin Hunt)
I agree with both statements. And why the hell is Spielman there? Worthless.
"most miserable sideline report ever. Spielman can see their eyes though, so I guess it's legit" (Via Kevin Hunt)
(12:16) Two 3 and outs? Nicely done Bobcats D. Honestly, I just wanna cover the spread
(12:20) Theo throws INT. Now those are the Bobcats I know. Driving to score and turn the ball over. Ugh...
"That was a typical OU drive." (Via Eric Hug)
(12:25) 3-0 Buckeyes. Well since they the Bucks had a FG in the bank after the return, I think Frankie is happy with the result. So far, so good.
Is Spielman saying Cwis or Chris?
(12:30) First "trap game" reference. Surprised it took that long.
"Something tells me Spielman told them to shoot his sideline reports like he's a coach. Starting it off with the Mark Leffian hero shot. I hope Baxter finds him and steals his headset.' (Via Kevin Hunt)
(12:39) 3-0 Ohio State End of 1st Quarter
GOOD: Bobcats only down by 3
BAD: Theo going to the locker room on a golf cart
END OF QUARTER TEXT MESSAGES:
"Anyone watching Boom Herrom run knows how much the Bucks need Beanie" (Via Jake Young)
"They just did some kind of dance out of drumline! You and Grimmett could have coulda put on a better show and hes really fat" (Via Joe Lynch)
(12:42) First play of 2nd quarter. OU throws INT. Of course.
"My roommate, Jess: Wow, you're pretty intense about this.
Me: I don't think you understand how much I want OU to beat Ohio State.
Jess: You should probably be drunk.
Me: Don't remind me.
Saturdays just aren't the same anymore." (Via Kevin Hunt)
Preaching to the choir Hunt. Same here. Except the OU beating OSU part.
"Electronically generated yellow line" - Thank you Pam Ward for clarifying that for me. I was afraid that line was actually on the field.
JoePa scares the hell outta me in that Big Ten network commercial. Maybe that's why Pryor went to OSU.
"Maurice Wells can't run through a wall of applesauce." (Via Eric Hug)
Can't argue that point at all. I would've gone with Saine.
(1:00) WE HAVE THE LEAD! TOUCHDOWN OHIO!
I am really impressed with Boo Jackson. His blocking sucks but as usual, mobile QB's giving an OSU team a problem. Meanwhile, a little disheartened by how bad OSU is playing. don't look good on either side of the ball. Turnovers bailed out the D two other drives
Chris Spielman said "What's going on?" 3 times in a matter of 10 seconds. That's impressive.
(1:09) OSU FG but OU leads 7-6. I am loving this
I think OSU has figured out they can throw on OU. Though so far, OU is limiting the damage in that area too
I love the ESPN TV arrangement Rece, Lou and Mark have. That's what I need right now.
(1:22) OSU missed a FG! That rarely happens. Maybe this is destiny for the Bobcats...
HALFTIME: OU 7 OSU 6
(20 MIN BREAK FROM BLOG - HAVE TO RUN TO WORK)
(1:55) I AM BACK...and yes, I know what happened when i was gone
"if OU pulls this upset....and I'm not in Athens for it...I will cry...or in true Bobcat form, drink myself silly" (Via Shane Kline)
Yea, not being in CBus or Athens right now is killing me
(1:56) OMG...TD OHIO! This is psycho
Alright...this game is getting serious now. OSU is a TD and 2-pt conversion away from a tie. And they haven't even gotten in the endzone yet. Oh boy...at the same time, my pride is swelling and nerves are going.
"i second what shane said, i'd love to go to red brick tonight" (Via IM from Michelle Munoz)
"I don't even know where i am right now" (Via text from Jake Young)
You're at Ohio Stadium Jake, watching what could be an instant classic.
"Crazy" (Via text from Omar Ruiz)
Yep, even has sports anchors in Columbus worried.
"i've never been so proud to be a Bobcat in my life...even if they don't win this, just to hang with OSU when everyone thought they'd get blown out" (Via IM from Michelle Munoz)
(2:10) OSU TOUCHDOWN...but missed the extra point?!!?!? Oh this is scary
"yup, this is pretty enjoyable for me. the one good thing i got goin on here in knoxville" (Via IM from Shane Kline)
Almost done Shane...almost
Maybe OSU has decided to play now. Problem is...OU has been playing all game and is not gonna stop anytime soon. Especially with the lead.
(2:18) Jay Edwards tackle! Another Gridiron Glory player of the year finalist! I'm tellin you, the show is a big deal...as seen by the commercial
(2:19) OU muffs punt...OSU recovers. OU fans like me remember we do this all the time.
Todd Boeckman has been terrible today. The guy has thrown into double coverage too many times.
"i love that pam ward said hes improved his decision making....since when?" (Via IM from Shane Kline)
END OF THIRD QUARTER: OU 14 OSU 12
I have to echo Michelle's statement from earlier. I am proud of my Bobcats. Given no chance in this game and now, they have OSU on the ropes.
Michigan up 10-6 on Miami. Radabuagh missed Givens for a sure TD.
(2:29) OSU TOUCHDOWN...and the lead. Not over yet though.
"OU does this crap all the time. Maybe if they played up to par against average teams they would overcome their deficincies." (Via Eric Hug)
That's so true. They did it against Virginia Tech and Rutgers in previous years. Yet, cant beat Wyoming like last week.
"osu just caught a lucky break there" (Via IM from Michelle Munoz)
No, they caught an "OU" break. OU does one of those every game.
"frank is really playing the part of the cool cat over there isn't he? he's got his shades...his "i-don't-give-a-shit" attitude. black shirt on a hot day, he doesn't care." (Via IM from Michelle Munoz)
When does he ever care? He's in Athens and not Lincoln, NE.
(2:39) Another OU turnover. Wonder what this game would be like without all these Bobcat turnovers
"It wouldn't be a Bobcat football game." (Via Eric Hug)
Truth.
"ok, it's looking extremely unlikely right now, but I'm with Shane -- if OU can somehow pull off this upset, I will drink until I don't remember today. and if it's by myself, then so be it." (Via Kevin Hunt)
Don't you have to work Hunt?
"i work at 2:30 p.m. central time, which means i'm going to need to find a good time to head that way. which will probably be right after OSU scores on their next drive (likely)" (Via Kevin Hunt)
I do regret not betting this game but I was told by a wise source (Luke) not to bet your favorite team, or in my case, teams. Plus, I don't do college. Though no doubt I knew OU would cover that spread.
"to hell what would happen without the OU turnover...what would happen if Beanie was playing...hes bigger than OU's defensive linemen" (Via IM from Shane Kline)
I was hoping for a report of how large Beanie is from Jake but haven't gotten it yet. Either way, I know Beanie would easily have run for 150 by now. He's a beast.
(2:48) Drive to stay alive starts for OU.
Good to see Big Ten playing well today. Except of course OSU.
(2:51) Punt return for TD for OSU. 26-14 Bucks.
"well it was good while it lasted" (Via IM from Michelle Munoz)
Yep, looking to be that way.
"matt schulte chasing ray small...thats one for the highlight reel" (Via IM from Shane Kline)
Yea, can't wait to see that on ESPN the rest of the day.
"One of the advances I have from breaking it down on the sideline..." -Chris Spielman. I think he meant advantages. But again, football players don't go to class at OSU.
If this OU team plays like this against Central Michigan, they have a shot to win. Granted, Central Michigan will prolly play this way against Georgia later today.
(2:59) Another OU INT. Eh well...
Really, bringing in Pryor right now? Risk injury for him? I'd bring in Bauserman.
Michigan only wins 16-6. So we still know they suck.
(3:03) GAME OVER. OSU wins 26-14.
Final thoughts anyone?
"I smell a Solich DUI No.2 on the way" (Via IM from Michelle Munoz)
"If we knew how to field and cover punts, we win" (Via text from Chris Muhlberg)
"OU shoots themselves in the foot again. No wonder why people get drunk watching them play" (Via text from Eric Hug)
"so cheering for the bobcats in this game reminds me of my previous relationship...come in as heavy underdogs...things go great at the start...you completely jump onto the bandwagon and in turn they look like they love you too.....and then they turn it over to the other team...or in her case ( a dude everybody thought was gay) and then you are left wondering what could have been" (Via IM from Shane Kline)
I can always add more so keep them coming peeps.
I am very happy with the result. Bobcats made me proud, playing better than OSU for 3 quarters. But the curse of the turnover plagued OU again and practically handed to the game to the Buckeyes. In the end, I hope this jump starts OU's season and tells them that if they play like this on offense and defense, sans turnovers, they can win the MAC with the talent they have. For OSU, I hope it tells them that a slow start against USC next week with mean an uphill climb all game like this game. Except that hill will be a lot steeper.
Thanks to all who participated in the live blog. And to all who texted/called me for the commercial, thanks for the love. I gotta go to work...and no doubt, this game is gonna get some highlight time here in Augusta!
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
College Football: Week 2
I think it is fair to say Week 1 of the college football season was a great start. A few matchups between ranked teams exposed work to be done for some. Meanwhile, a few upsets showed just how daring it can be to open up with a strong opponent. Teams like UCLA and BG have put others on notice that they are no pushovers while teams like Virginia Tech and Clemson found out they have a lot of work to do to win the conference. Rich Rodriguez (MICH) and June Jones (SMU) had less than stellar debuts while JoePa showed all that this team may be a great one to finish his career with.
But for as good as Week 1 was, Week 2 is that bad. There are zero games with two ranked teams playing each other, meaning there will plenty of blowouts and maybe an upset somewhere. This weekend could be worse if not for two things. 1) The NFL season kicks off Sunday and that gives people something to look forward to and 2) My alma mater plays my hometown team.
Wasn't a good starting week for me with the predictions. Of the top 15 games, I went 8-7. That's pathetic. but teams like UCLA, BG and Bama really threw me for a loop while teams like Utah and Fresno State helped me stay above .500. I also got OSU right but as I kinda expected, picked the OU game wrong. Got a feeling I'll get it right this week. TO THE PICKS WE GO...
BEST 15 GAMES (season 8-7)
GAME OF THE WEEK:
1. #8 West Virginia @ East Carolina - It really wasn't a huge surprise that ECU beat VT, especially when the world found out Sean Glennon would start. But now, ECU is definitely not a secret and WVU better be ready. Pat White and the Mountaineers looked really good last week while ECU looked good at times and VT made them look good at times. The fact that this game is in Greenville, NC makes me this an even tougher pick too. As much as I know ECU is a good team, I just WVU is a bit too much for them to handle this early in the season. I'm taking West Virginia and hoping ECU doesn't burn me again
REST OF THE BEST
2. Oregon State vs. #19 Penn State - JoePa has a talented squad, hands down. I know they were playing Coastal Carolina but watching Derrick Williams light up the cbssports.com college football scoreboard was just scary. Oregon State meanwhile is coming off a disappointing loss to Stanford, a game they should have won. There will be a lot of anger in those Beavers so I wouldn't be surprised if they keep it close. Penn State will run away in the 2nd half and keep JoePa at the top of the wins list
3. Miami (FL) vs. #5 Florida - First of all, you know it's a bad college football week when ESPN is doing Gameday from this game. It won't be close at all. The U is rebuilding, and under the right guy in Randy Shannon, and have no shot taking down Tebow. I think the excitement in this game for me is how many Florida guys flirt with Erin Andrews on the sidelines. It's games like these where we need an EA cam. She's a UF grad, obviously good-looking and wears clothes that would entice any drunk college student in Gainesville and beyond. Oh, FLORIDA will win.
4. Miami (OH) vs. Michigan - It's ironic. The same week my alma mater and favorite/hometown team play each other, their respective rivals play each other too. I don't know much about the Redhawks except the fact that OU beat them last year to ruin their bowl chances. As for Michigan, well, that's been well-chronicled. As bad as I think they are, they can't lose to this team. Miami QB Daniel Radabaugh threw 4 INT last week and that sounds a recipe for success for the Wolverines. I'll go with MICHIGAN, though in a perfect world, both these teams lose.
5. Georgia Tech @ Boston College - Again, the games aren't that great this week. But this one intrigues me. GT pounded their first opponent while BC kind of just waddled by Kent State. GT is sporting a new coach and offense, one that BC is not used to seeing. So this could be interesting. Both teams aren't going to do much this year but again, could be a good game. I'll take BC.
6. Stanford @ #15 Arizona State - Gotta give props to Jim Harbaugh for somehow getting that Stanford team to win even when they shouldn't be. This game has to be on people's radar just for the fact that the Cardinal are starting to be known as a gritty team that will fight no matter what. Arizona State is definitely more talented and is playing at home but just liek the USC game last year, something tells me this one should be fun. I'm going with ARIZONA STATE but being wrong on this one wouldn't make me mad at all.
7. San Diego State @ Notre Dame - The last week alone, I've heard from two Notre Dame fans/experts. One was Lou Holtz who said ND would win 11 games. The other was Regis Philbin, who predicted an 8-4 season. I think both are being optimistic (especially Lou) but both should be happy on Saturday. NOTRE DAME wins handily en route to the 6 wins I think they'll get.
8. #10 Texas @ UTEP - Another game that is kind of here by default. Just not a lot of good ones. If you're looking for a potential upset that would make people say "WHAT?", this could be one. Mike Price has done a great job at UTEP, including a bowl game. Don't get me wrong. I think TEXAS will roll but I want credit if they struggle against the Miners
9. #17 South Florida vs. Central Florida - USF is a fun team to watch and after last year's run, know what to expect in tough games. Now with all that said, this is not a tough game. This is not the same UCF team that had 10 wins and the nation's leading rusher in Kevin Smith. SOUTH FLORIDA should have no problem on the road.
10. Ole Miss @ #20 Wake Forest - Again, just throwing games out there that could be upsets. Houston Nutt is a great coach. He was at Arkansas and will probably turn around Ole Miss too. Not sure if in his second game he will be able to pull off this upset but I give him a chance. WAKE FOREST is my pick though.
11. Navy @ Ball State (FRI)- I think Ball State is a darkhorse this year in the MAC. Their QB Nate Davis is a star in the conference. My high school friends will remember him as the Bellaire QB who beat our beloved Hawks 37-14 in the 2005 playoffs (since we never made them in our 4 years - sorry, had to guys). The guy's got game and may even make the league. So with that in mind, BALL STATE beats Navy easily.
12. Cincinnati @ #4 Oklahoma - I was holding this pick for awhile and that's because I feel deeply about it. Brian Kelly is a bright coaching mind. He led Central Michigan to a MAC championship in his time. He is trying to do the same at UC in the Big East. I think next year may be the year. But as for this year, I am not sold at all on Oklahoma and I think this is the type of game they will overlook. Playing a team like Chattanooga did them no good either. I have two former classmates playing for UC, including De'angelo Smith, who I am hoping gets a pick or two from Sam Bradford. With all that in mind, call me crazy but in my APPY, I'm picking CINCINNATI in a huge early upset.
13. #24 South Carolina @ Vanderbilt (THU) - Well, last week was just dreadful for the Gamecocks. They won 34-0 but trust me, there was little celebration from the SC players, coaches and fans. They saw just how bad their team looked on offense and knew how bad NC State was. Now, the team is on the road and playing a better offense and defense. But if there is hope, it's that last week's starter Tommy Beecher is on the bench (injured) and Chris Smelley is starting. He should be a breath of fresh air and guide the offense to a victory over a dangerous Vandy team. SOUTH CAROLINA 27-17
14. Central Michigan @ #2 Georgia - Been a lot of talk down here about how Goergia fell to #2. I for one think it's no big deal and understandable. The Bulldogs played a non D-1 FCS team while USC played an ACC school, albeit, a terrible one. But this week is a good opportunity for the Bulldogs to leapfrog the idle Trojans. In just another sign of how stacked UGA's schedule is, they play Central Mich., which may be the best team in the MAC. dan LeFevour is the real deal at QB. He's a dual threat and knows how to make plays. And while I still have full faith in the Georgia D, their last 2 quarters against Georgia Southern was enough to have fans worried. CMU is gonna bring a challenge for sure and could even win this game. UGA takes on South Carolina next week in a big rivalry game in these parts called the "Border Bash", so it could be a trap game too. I don't wanna see UGA lose this game but I think a real challenge will do them some good before they head to South Carolina and Arizona State. GEORGIA 35-24
15. Ohio vs. #3 Ohio State - What can be said? I wish I could be there, wearing my OU alumni shirt but cheering for both teams. Hoping for a close game but ultimately wanting the Buckeyes to win. Let's be serious. OU wins...it does nothing for us but boost pride. OU loses...it's expected. OSU wins...it's expected. OSU loses...they lose not only a game, but any chance at the national title, even with a win over USC. I love both these teams and know OSU will crush my Bobcats. Theo Scott is a good QB but the guy hasn't faced a defense like this. And our D hasn't faced an offense as dynamic as this. The crowd will be a bit larger too. I will say this about the game though. I hope OU's band shows the OSU faithful why we brag about our band so much. And I hope OU fans show OSU fans that our O-H-I-O cheer is better too. I'm just glad this game will be on TV here in Augusta. OHIO STATE 41-14.
Alright folks, that's it for the picks. Again, live thread on Saturday during the OU/OSU game so feel free to watch the game with your computer in front and contribute with ongoing comments. Or just text me and I'll put those up. Trust me, I will be texting and IM-ing all game.
But for as good as Week 1 was, Week 2 is that bad. There are zero games with two ranked teams playing each other, meaning there will plenty of blowouts and maybe an upset somewhere. This weekend could be worse if not for two things. 1) The NFL season kicks off Sunday and that gives people something to look forward to and 2) My alma mater plays my hometown team.
Wasn't a good starting week for me with the predictions. Of the top 15 games, I went 8-7. That's pathetic. but teams like UCLA, BG and Bama really threw me for a loop while teams like Utah and Fresno State helped me stay above .500. I also got OSU right but as I kinda expected, picked the OU game wrong. Got a feeling I'll get it right this week. TO THE PICKS WE GO...
BEST 15 GAMES (season 8-7)
GAME OF THE WEEK:
1. #8 West Virginia @ East Carolina - It really wasn't a huge surprise that ECU beat VT, especially when the world found out Sean Glennon would start. But now, ECU is definitely not a secret and WVU better be ready. Pat White and the Mountaineers looked really good last week while ECU looked good at times and VT made them look good at times. The fact that this game is in Greenville, NC makes me this an even tougher pick too. As much as I know ECU is a good team, I just WVU is a bit too much for them to handle this early in the season. I'm taking West Virginia and hoping ECU doesn't burn me again
REST OF THE BEST
2. Oregon State vs. #19 Penn State - JoePa has a talented squad, hands down. I know they were playing Coastal Carolina but watching Derrick Williams light up the cbssports.com college football scoreboard was just scary. Oregon State meanwhile is coming off a disappointing loss to Stanford, a game they should have won. There will be a lot of anger in those Beavers so I wouldn't be surprised if they keep it close. Penn State will run away in the 2nd half and keep JoePa at the top of the wins list
3. Miami (FL) vs. #5 Florida - First of all, you know it's a bad college football week when ESPN is doing Gameday from this game. It won't be close at all. The U is rebuilding, and under the right guy in Randy Shannon, and have no shot taking down Tebow. I think the excitement in this game for me is how many Florida guys flirt with Erin Andrews on the sidelines. It's games like these where we need an EA cam. She's a UF grad, obviously good-looking and wears clothes that would entice any drunk college student in Gainesville and beyond. Oh, FLORIDA will win.
4. Miami (OH) vs. Michigan - It's ironic. The same week my alma mater and favorite/hometown team play each other, their respective rivals play each other too. I don't know much about the Redhawks except the fact that OU beat them last year to ruin their bowl chances. As for Michigan, well, that's been well-chronicled. As bad as I think they are, they can't lose to this team. Miami QB Daniel Radabaugh threw 4 INT last week and that sounds a recipe for success for the Wolverines. I'll go with MICHIGAN, though in a perfect world, both these teams lose.
5. Georgia Tech @ Boston College - Again, the games aren't that great this week. But this one intrigues me. GT pounded their first opponent while BC kind of just waddled by Kent State. GT is sporting a new coach and offense, one that BC is not used to seeing. So this could be interesting. Both teams aren't going to do much this year but again, could be a good game. I'll take BC.
6. Stanford @ #15 Arizona State - Gotta give props to Jim Harbaugh for somehow getting that Stanford team to win even when they shouldn't be. This game has to be on people's radar just for the fact that the Cardinal are starting to be known as a gritty team that will fight no matter what. Arizona State is definitely more talented and is playing at home but just liek the USC game last year, something tells me this one should be fun. I'm going with ARIZONA STATE but being wrong on this one wouldn't make me mad at all.
7. San Diego State @ Notre Dame - The last week alone, I've heard from two Notre Dame fans/experts. One was Lou Holtz who said ND would win 11 games. The other was Regis Philbin, who predicted an 8-4 season. I think both are being optimistic (especially Lou) but both should be happy on Saturday. NOTRE DAME wins handily en route to the 6 wins I think they'll get.
8. #10 Texas @ UTEP - Another game that is kind of here by default. Just not a lot of good ones. If you're looking for a potential upset that would make people say "WHAT?", this could be one. Mike Price has done a great job at UTEP, including a bowl game. Don't get me wrong. I think TEXAS will roll but I want credit if they struggle against the Miners
9. #17 South Florida vs. Central Florida - USF is a fun team to watch and after last year's run, know what to expect in tough games. Now with all that said, this is not a tough game. This is not the same UCF team that had 10 wins and the nation's leading rusher in Kevin Smith. SOUTH FLORIDA should have no problem on the road.
10. Ole Miss @ #20 Wake Forest - Again, just throwing games out there that could be upsets. Houston Nutt is a great coach. He was at Arkansas and will probably turn around Ole Miss too. Not sure if in his second game he will be able to pull off this upset but I give him a chance. WAKE FOREST is my pick though.
11. Navy @ Ball State (FRI)- I think Ball State is a darkhorse this year in the MAC. Their QB Nate Davis is a star in the conference. My high school friends will remember him as the Bellaire QB who beat our beloved Hawks 37-14 in the 2005 playoffs (since we never made them in our 4 years - sorry, had to guys). The guy's got game and may even make the league. So with that in mind, BALL STATE beats Navy easily.
12. Cincinnati @ #4 Oklahoma - I was holding this pick for awhile and that's because I feel deeply about it. Brian Kelly is a bright coaching mind. He led Central Michigan to a MAC championship in his time. He is trying to do the same at UC in the Big East. I think next year may be the year. But as for this year, I am not sold at all on Oklahoma and I think this is the type of game they will overlook. Playing a team like Chattanooga did them no good either. I have two former classmates playing for UC, including De'angelo Smith, who I am hoping gets a pick or two from Sam Bradford. With all that in mind, call me crazy but in my APPY, I'm picking CINCINNATI in a huge early upset.
13. #24 South Carolina @ Vanderbilt (THU) - Well, last week was just dreadful for the Gamecocks. They won 34-0 but trust me, there was little celebration from the SC players, coaches and fans. They saw just how bad their team looked on offense and knew how bad NC State was. Now, the team is on the road and playing a better offense and defense. But if there is hope, it's that last week's starter Tommy Beecher is on the bench (injured) and Chris Smelley is starting. He should be a breath of fresh air and guide the offense to a victory over a dangerous Vandy team. SOUTH CAROLINA 27-17
14. Central Michigan @ #2 Georgia - Been a lot of talk down here about how Goergia fell to #2. I for one think it's no big deal and understandable. The Bulldogs played a non D-1 FCS team while USC played an ACC school, albeit, a terrible one. But this week is a good opportunity for the Bulldogs to leapfrog the idle Trojans. In just another sign of how stacked UGA's schedule is, they play Central Mich., which may be the best team in the MAC. dan LeFevour is the real deal at QB. He's a dual threat and knows how to make plays. And while I still have full faith in the Georgia D, their last 2 quarters against Georgia Southern was enough to have fans worried. CMU is gonna bring a challenge for sure and could even win this game. UGA takes on South Carolina next week in a big rivalry game in these parts called the "Border Bash", so it could be a trap game too. I don't wanna see UGA lose this game but I think a real challenge will do them some good before they head to South Carolina and Arizona State. GEORGIA 35-24
15. Ohio vs. #3 Ohio State - What can be said? I wish I could be there, wearing my OU alumni shirt but cheering for both teams. Hoping for a close game but ultimately wanting the Buckeyes to win. Let's be serious. OU wins...it does nothing for us but boost pride. OU loses...it's expected. OSU wins...it's expected. OSU loses...they lose not only a game, but any chance at the national title, even with a win over USC. I love both these teams and know OSU will crush my Bobcats. Theo Scott is a good QB but the guy hasn't faced a defense like this. And our D hasn't faced an offense as dynamic as this. The crowd will be a bit larger too. I will say this about the game though. I hope OU's band shows the OSU faithful why we brag about our band so much. And I hope OU fans show OSU fans that our O-H-I-O cheer is better too. I'm just glad this game will be on TV here in Augusta. OHIO STATE 41-14.
Alright folks, that's it for the picks. Again, live thread on Saturday during the OU/OSU game so feel free to watch the game with your computer in front and contribute with ongoing comments. Or just text me and I'll put those up. Trust me, I will be texting and IM-ing all game.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
NFL Predictions
It's that time of year again. When Browns fans start dreaming about what could be again. When Bengals fans argue with Browns fans for no reason. When Steelers fans remind both they have been better than both for the past 3 decades. And so on...
The NFL season is just days away and I couldn't be happier. For the first time in what seems like a while, it's hard to point out just one team that will dominate. For the past few years, it's been the Colts or Patriots but it seems like both may be a bit down this year. This year, it is truly a crap shoot.
And the great thing for me is that without a favorite NFL team I root for every week, I get to predict the season without bias (to a point). So after 3 fantasy drafts, endless amounts of hours watching NFL Live and doing some research of my own, I'm ready to give you my 2008 NFL Predictions.
AFC EAST
New England ------ 12-4*
NY Jets ----------- 9-7
Buffalo ------------ 6-10
Miami ------------- 4-12
AFC NORTH
Cleveland --------- 11-5*
Pittsburgh -------- 10-6*
Cincinnati --------- 8-8
Baltimore --------- 5-11
AFC SOUTH
Jacksonville ------- 12-4*
Indianapolis ------- 11-5*
Houston ----------- 7-9
Tennessee --------- 7-9
AFC WEST
San Diego --------- 13-3*
Denver ------------ 9-7
Kansas City ------- 5-11
Oakland ----------- 3-13
NFC EAST
Dallas ------------- 12-4*
Philadelphia ------- 11-5*
NY Giants --------- 10-6*
Washington -------- 7-9
NFC NORTH
Minnesota --------- 10-6*
Green Bay --------- 8-8
Chicago ------------ 5-11
Detroit ------------ 5-11
NFC SOUTH
Carolina ----------- 11-5*
New Orleans ------- 9-7
Tampa Bay -------- 8-8
Atlanta ------------ 3-13
NFC WEST
Arizona ----------- 10-6*
Seattle ------------ 9-7
St. Louis ---------- 7-9
San Francisco ----- 5-11
* = playoff team
AFC CHAMPIONSHIP: Jacksonville over San Diego
NFC CHAMPIONSHIP: Dallas over Carolina
SUPER BOWL XLIII: Jacksonville over Dallas
Offensive MVP: Adrian Peterson, MIN
Defensive MVP: Julius Peppers, CAR
NFL MVP: Tony Romo, DAL
Offensive Rookie: Darren McFadden, OAK
Defensive Rookie: Vernon Gholston, NYJ
Coach of the Year: Ken Whisenhunt, ARZ
3 Overrated Teams: Seattle, Buffalo, Tennessee
3 Underrated Teams: Arizona, New Orleans, Jacksonville
Alright, that's all I got. Something tells me I will be way off on these picks but such is life. I will put out power rankings after each week after the games and maybe more. Holla
The NFL season is just days away and I couldn't be happier. For the first time in what seems like a while, it's hard to point out just one team that will dominate. For the past few years, it's been the Colts or Patriots but it seems like both may be a bit down this year. This year, it is truly a crap shoot.
And the great thing for me is that without a favorite NFL team I root for every week, I get to predict the season without bias (to a point). So after 3 fantasy drafts, endless amounts of hours watching NFL Live and doing some research of my own, I'm ready to give you my 2008 NFL Predictions.
AFC EAST
New England ------ 12-4*
NY Jets ----------- 9-7
Buffalo ------------ 6-10
Miami ------------- 4-12
AFC NORTH
Cleveland --------- 11-5*
Pittsburgh -------- 10-6*
Cincinnati --------- 8-8
Baltimore --------- 5-11
AFC SOUTH
Jacksonville ------- 12-4*
Indianapolis ------- 11-5*
Houston ----------- 7-9
Tennessee --------- 7-9
AFC WEST
San Diego --------- 13-3*
Denver ------------ 9-7
Kansas City ------- 5-11
Oakland ----------- 3-13
NFC EAST
Dallas ------------- 12-4*
Philadelphia ------- 11-5*
NY Giants --------- 10-6*
Washington -------- 7-9
NFC NORTH
Minnesota --------- 10-6*
Green Bay --------- 8-8
Chicago ------------ 5-11
Detroit ------------ 5-11
NFC SOUTH
Carolina ----------- 11-5*
New Orleans ------- 9-7
Tampa Bay -------- 8-8
Atlanta ------------ 3-13
NFC WEST
Arizona ----------- 10-6*
Seattle ------------ 9-7
St. Louis ---------- 7-9
San Francisco ----- 5-11
* = playoff team
AFC CHAMPIONSHIP: Jacksonville over San Diego
NFC CHAMPIONSHIP: Dallas over Carolina
SUPER BOWL XLIII: Jacksonville over Dallas
Offensive MVP: Adrian Peterson, MIN
Defensive MVP: Julius Peppers, CAR
NFL MVP: Tony Romo, DAL
Offensive Rookie: Darren McFadden, OAK
Defensive Rookie: Vernon Gholston, NYJ
Coach of the Year: Ken Whisenhunt, ARZ
3 Overrated Teams: Seattle, Buffalo, Tennessee
3 Underrated Teams: Arizona, New Orleans, Jacksonville
Alright, that's all I got. Something tells me I will be way off on these picks but such is life. I will put out power rankings after each week after the games and maybe more. Holla
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