| |
I’ve decided to do a brief NFL preview which I will post jointly on A Citizens Blog and The Bird Blog, my old quasi-defunct Eagles blog. I don’t blog the Eagles because I don’t have enough time and working with the baseball stats is so much fun: stats aren’t nearly as important in football, where so much is done that cannot be measured and is left up to opinion (e.g., blocking, coverage techniques, etc). I will chime in from time-to-time this season on how I think things are going.
Last year was a terrible year for the Eagles and I hope that they’ll improve. What I saw from Donovan in the preseason suggests that they’ll bounce back quite nicely: Donovan looked crisp and sharp, moving around with authority in the pocket and really zipping the ball. I think he’ll do well.
Overall, I’d say that there is a lot of parity in the NFL this season. The Steelers aren’t clear favorites to repeat, and the talent gap between the NFC and AFC is much narrower. Things are wide-open this season. Here are my predictions, starting in the AFC:
AFC East: (Playoff Seeding)
1. New England Patriots (2)
2. Miami Dolphins
3. Buffalo Bills
4. New York Jets
AFC East: The Dolphins have made some moves, but it is hard not to be impressed by the continued resiliency of the New England Patriots. Other teams add flashy players and make noise, but the Pats win by consistency and toughness. Tom Brady is a winner too. As long as they have a ground game, the Pats are the class of the division. Are the Dolphins really improved? Everyone assumes to now that they’ve got Dante Culpepper, but I am not sure Culpepper is an improvement. He’s a flashy QB and he’s got talent, but he’s also too error-prone to be an effective field general like Brady. The Dolphins will be solid on defense, but Culpepper makes too many mistakes. The Bills are busy rebuilding and won’t challenge the Pats and Dolphins. This is a franchise stuck in neutral. As for the Jets, the less said the better. I feel a lot of pity for these guys. I think the careers of Curtis Martin and Chad Pennington’s are at an end and that their defense is broken down. This is the start of a rebuilding campaign in New York.
AFC North
1. Pittsburgh Steelers (3)
2. Cincinnati Bengals (5)
3. Baltimore Ravens
4. Cleveland Browns
AFC North: The North was once the weakest division in the NFL, but it has gotten much stronger of late. I like the Steelers to win the division again. They’ve got a pretty good defensive unit and even without Jerome Bettis they’ll run the ball quite effectively. My only question I have about the Stillers is Roethlisberger: he looked rusty in the Steelers-Eagles preseason game and I have to wonder if the accident is messing with his head. The Steelers apparently want to throw the ball more this season, which I think is a major mistake: Roethlisberger is the ball-control QB. He’s not a gun-slinger. The Bengals have a major question mark: Carson Palmer. Is Carson Palmer 100%? I’m not so sure. He had a great season in 2005 and seemed poised for greatness. Will his injury destroy that promise? It is a major if. Otherwise I think the Bengals are actually more talented than the Steelers: they have a lot of weapons on offense and seemed to get better as the season wore on. They had the fourth-highest scoring offense in the NFL last season. Their defense is good but not great. If Carson Palmer is 100% this will be a good duel between the Bengals and Steelers for the AFC North, otherwise the Steelers can weather the QB storm better than the Bengals can because they can rely on their defense. (I think the Bengals would have won last year's wildcard game if the Steelers hadn't broken Palmer's leg.) As for the Ravens, they’ll be better than last year because they have a major upgrade at QB with Steve McNair. But is McNair the difference-maker? I doubt it. The Ravens feel like they’ve worn down, all those seasons of the defense having to pitch shutouts in order for the Kyle Boller-led offense to win. What they really need is for Jamal Lewis to return to his pre-prison form and become their star running back again. The Ravens will be good, but they won’t do much better than 9-7 or 10-6 at best. If McNair had joined the Ravens 2-3 years ago, this would be a huge shift in fortunes for the Ravens, but not anymore. The Cleveland Browns are hopeless. They really are. This team has no QB and their star player is Kellen Winslow, who acts like he has an IQ of 6. This team looks like 3-13 and a high draft pick.
AFC South
1. Indianapolis Colts (4)
2. Jacksonville Jaguars
3. Tennessee Titans
4. Houston Texans
AFC South: I actually think there will be a close race for the division title between the Jags and Colts. I like the Colts, though they will be nothing even remotely as good as last year’s squad. I like Peyton Manning a lot, but this team won’t be as good as last year. Their spectacular implosion after starting the season 13-0 was impressive. This team has no mental toughness and I doubt that it will be able to return to the playoffs and make the push to the Super Bowl. Peyton Manning will continue to throw for 4,000 yards a season and throw 35-40 TD passes a season, but the Colts D isn’t tough enough (yes, they ranked second in the NFL in points allowed, but that was a function of their offense holding onto the ball) and their running game won’t be that good in 2006. Look for teams to put more pressure on Manning and clamp down on his wideouts more. I like the Jaguars and I think that Byron Leftwich will make strides as the Jags QB, but this team needs to improve its defense in 2006. They gave up too many rushing yards to the opposition and didn’t move the ball consistently enough. They are a year away. I look at the Titans and I wonder if they didn’t make a major mistake with Vince Young. Yes, he looked spectacular in college. Clearly, the Titans are hoping Young has Michael Vick-like talent. The problem is that Vick himself hasn’t realized his own talent: he is a maddeningly inconsistent QB. One minute he looks like a genius, the next he’s throwing picks and making bad choices. I suspect Young will be more streaky than Vick. In the here and now, I expect Young to take over as the Titans QB later in the season and he’s going to struggle. There isn’t much talent left back there. This team needs to forget about those glory days when they were trying to win the Super Bowl and concentrate on rebuilding. As for the Texans … this team passed on Young and Reggie Bush and selected a D-lineman. They need help at nearly every position on offense and show no signs of making a run at a 8-8 record, let alone a 11-5 one. This is a franchise that has “also-ran” stamped on it.
AFC West
1. San Diego Chargers (1)
2. Kansas City Chiefs (6)
3. Denver Broncos
4. Oakland Raiders
AFC West: I really like the Chargers. I like the Chargers as a 13-3 team with definite Super Bowl aspirations. Here are some of the reasons why I like the Chargers: 1) They were the NFL’s top defense against the run in 2005, allowing just 84 yards a game. 2) They were the NFL’s fifth-highest scoring offense. 3) They were the NFL’s fifth-best team at converting on third down. 4) They were the NFL’s fifth-best team at getting to the quarterback. This team has a lot of weapons. LaDamien Tomlinson is probably the best running back in the league and Phillip Rivers is going to step into the breach and play much better than Drew Brees. Bottom-line: this is the AFC’s best team. The Chiefs are a great team and I’d like to pick them to win the division, but I don’t think the Chiefs are tight enough on defense to make it happen. They will score points in droves. And Larry Johnson, despite being a Penn State alum, is a good running back. But this team needs an overhaul on defense. I was not surprised at all when the Denver Broncos lost the AFC title game to the Steelers: I suspected Jake Plummer was going to collapse under the pressure and sure enough he did. I like Mike Shanahan, but he needs to drop Jake Plummer like a hot potato and move on to Jay Cutler. This is a talented team, but their QB is holding them back. Meanwhile, in Oakland, the Randy Moss show enters season two. The Raiders used to be a great franchise but have been shells of themselves since Jon Gruden left to go to Tampa. They need a toughness and aggressiveness that I don’t think Art Shell is going to provide. Their biggest problem is that they don’t have a QB: Aaron Brooks never played well enough to justify his inconsistency. Their lack of a QB is going to drive Randy Moss nuts. He’s going to catch 50-60 passes and be lucky to hit 1,000 yards, and that is going to cause Randy Moss’ head to explore in fury. As long as this team has a pain in the ass distraction like Moss on the roster they will struggle to rebuild. My advice to Art Shell: cut Moss, start rebuilding. This team is a flop.
Playoffs:
The AFC playoffs kick off with the Steelers defeating the pesky Chiefs in a tight game that sees a bit of a role reversal: the Steelers throwing the ball while the Chiefs pound it on the ground. Home field gives the Stillers their edge as they win. Meanwhile the Bengals and Colts have a high-scoring track meet in the Dome that the Bengals win due to their toughness. In the divisional round the Bengals are routed by the Chargers, who thwart the Bengals at every turn with a high-scoring offense and a tough D. Carson Palmer is hurried all game long. Meanwhile, the Patriots continue their domination of the Steelers, winning on a late field goal in Foxboro. The Chargers and Pats square off the next week but the warm weather helps the Chargers to emerge victorious.
Wildcard round
(3) Pittsburgh Steelers over (6) Kansas City Chiefs, 16-13
(5) Cincinnati Bengals over (4) Indianapolis Colts, 38-31
Divisional Round
(2) New England Patriots over (3) Pittsburgh Steelers, 21-20
(1) San Diego Chargers over (5) Cincinnati Bengals, 38-15
AFC Championship Game:
(1) San Diego Chargers over (2) New England Patriots, 24-21
On to the NFC ...
NFC East
1. Philadelphia Eagles (1)
2. New York Giants
3. Washington Redskins
4. Dallas Cowboys
NFC East: Everyone keeps talking about how improved the Giants, Redskins and Cowboys are. The most improved team in the division has to be the Eagles. 1) They get Donovan McNabb back. 2) They have depth again in the D-line with Darren Howard and Jevon Kearse being 100%. 3) They got rid of T.O. 4) Correll Buckhalter is going to have a monster season. I’m impressed from what I saw in the preseason. The Birds look to be united, McNabb looks focused and determined and the defense looks rested and ready. The Eagles are a veteran team loaded with a nice mix of younger and veteran players. In the four seasons before T.O. came to Philly the Eagles went 11-5, 11-5, 12-4, and 12-4 and made the playoffs each year. This team looks like those pre-T.O. teams. As long as the Eagles establish a running game with Buckhalter and Westbrook, they will once more put points on the board. Look for L.J. Smith to be the breakout player, catching lots on red zone TDs. I like the Giants for second, although this team will struggle. Adding Lavar Arrington leaves me profoundly unimpressed. He’s a college superstar who can’t live up to the hype. Same with Eli Manning. Same with Jeremy Shockey. There are a lot of players on the Giants who look good on paper but games aren’t played on paper. As for Tom Coughlin, he is a terrible coach for a team of veterans like this. Coughlin was just what the Jaguars needed circa 1995 and 1996, a tough disciplinarian who whipped them into shape. Naturally, after that the Jaguars broke down and never got to the top because Coughlin was too narrow-minded and too rigid to adjust his approach to the game. These Giants will chafe under Coughlin’s demands and I expect this season to be very rocky. Same old Redskins. They added a few players and Antwaan Ranel-El will play well occasionally for the ‘Skins, but this team needs a new QB. Mark Brunell isn’t cutting it. It is pretty much the same old story for the Redskins: they add people via free agency, spend a lot and don’t get much of a return. I expect a tough year for Joe Gibbs. This team will go 7-9. I look at the mess in Dallas and can’t help but want to point at Cowboys fans and laugh. Suckers. He’s YOUR problem now. Same old T.O. Just by bitching about his hamstring and stating that he doesn’t need to practice he’s gotten under Bill Parcells skin and given the ‘Boys a major distraction. This guy is a cancer. Add in he problem that the ‘Boys need a new QB " Drew Bledsoe is past his prime and too immobile to be an effective QB anymore " and you can see the makings of a loooong year in Big D. Honestly, I expect this season to be so miserable for Parcells, I’d expect him to leave town at the end.
NFC North
1. Chicago Bears (3)
2. Minnesota Vikings
3. Green Bay Packers
4. Detroit Lions
NFC North: The Bears will win this division by default. They have a weak offense and one of the best defenses in the NFL. Playing six of their games against the Lions, Vikes and Pack, they are going to win the division. This is the only team in the NFL that can consistently win 9-7 games. Will they be better at QB with Rex Grossman? I doubt it. They don’t have much talent on offense, but with their D, they’ll still win the weakest division in football. I think the Vikes are a year away. They’ve got some talent, but Brad Childress needs some time to install his system and get things going. They might be a nice dark horse at the end of the year, but not now. This will be Brett Favre’s last harrah in Green Bay, but it won’t be a good one. Favre is starting to really struggle these days and should have retired last season. There is talent on the Packers, but they really need to sit down and rebuild and prepare for life after Favre. The less said about the Lions the better. All of those years picking wideouts who never do anything. Joey Harrington. Matt Millen is the worst GM in the game and needs to leave ASAP. This team needs to tear down and rebuild from the bottom up.
NFC South
1. Carolina Panthers (2)
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5)
3. Atlanta Falcons (6)
4. New Orleans Saints
AFC South: Is this the best division in the NFL? Maybe. I think the Carolina Panthers are a great team. They have a nasty defense that takes the ball away from the opposition, they have an explosive offense that can move the ball and control it on the ground. They also have a cagey QB in Jake Delhomme. The Panthers are a great team. I am not a big fan of the Buccaneers, specifically Chris Simms. I think the Bucs got lucky in ’05 and played over their heads. That said, this is still a good team. They will run the ball well with Williams and they will corral Michael Vick twice a year. That ought to be good enough for 10-6 and a wildcard. With the Falcons and Michael Vick I keep waiting to be impressed. There is a ton on talent on this team and their QB is sanctified by the rest of the NFL as being the “Michael Jordan on the NFL”, and yet they only ranked fourteenth in the NFL in points scored. Huh? They were eighteenth in points allowed. There is something wrong with these guys and the way they play football. If Vick could ever convert his talent into results, he’d live up to his hype, but now I’d say the Falcons will fight to go 9-7 and make the playoffs. With Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush in the backfield, the Saints could have one of the most lethal offenses in the NFL. I like what I see from Reggie Bush: he’s got moves and he looks difficult to bring down. I think the Saints might surprise a lot of people and be halfway decent in 2006. Maybe even be in the playoff mix. They have a lot of promise for 2007.
NFC West
1. Seattle Seahawks (4)
2. Arizona Cardinals
3. San Francisco 49ers
4. St. Louis Rams
NFC West. I was surprised that the Super Bowl between the Seahawks and Steelers was so close. The Seahawks were a paper tiger, blitzing through a weak schedule (never beating a team with a winning record, aside from the Giants), catching the offensively-challenged Redskins and the running-game-less-Panthers in the playoffs before inevitably losing to the Stillers. Even so, it was a surprise to me that the Seahawks nearly won, despite the referees bias for the Black and Gold. That said, the Seahawks are back and are the class of a weak division. I see this as a re-play of 2005, although the Seahawks will finish 10-6 instead of 13-3. They have a good collection of talent, but aren’t particularly strong. I think the Cardinals might surprise some people. They’ve got weapons with Edgerin James and Larry Fitzgerald, and when Matt Leinart takes over for Kurt Warner, they are going to put some points on the board. If any team can beat the Seahawks, it is them. The 49ers are making strides. Alex Smith looks like he’s going to have a good season as the Niners QB. The problem is that the rest of the team needs to keep upgrading. The Niners have to hope for an 8-8 record at best. As for the Rams, at least St. Louis fans have fond memories of those two Super Bowls when it looked like the Rams were dynasty in the making. Those days are gone. This team has no talent and no shot at making a run.
NFC Playoffs
The class of the NFC are the Eagles and Panthers, who will have to wait to rematch the 2003 NFC Title game once more. In the wildcard round the Bears will corral Michael Vick in the cold of Chicago, while the Bucs manhandle the less-physical Seahawks. In the divisional round the Bears inability to run or pass leaves them at the mercy of the Panthers, who win easily. The Eagles, meanwhile, avenge the 2002 NFC Title game as well, defeating the Bucs easily. The 2006 NFC title game is a close contest, but the Eagles prevail thanks to an improved running game and an improved run defense. On to Super Bowl XLI.
Wildcard Round
(3) Chicago Bears over (6) Atlanta Falcons, 10-7
(5) Tampa Bay Bucs over (4) Seattle Seahawks, 17-7
Divisional Round
(1) Philadelphia Eagles over (5) Tampa Bay Bucs, 31-21
(2) Carolina Panthers over (3) Chicago Bears, 28-20
NFC Championship
(1) Philadelphia Eagles over (2) Carolina Panthers, 27-24
Super Bowl XLI will be between the Chargers and the Eagles. Sadly for those fond of history it won’t be a rematch of a previous Super Bowl or a grudge match between two coaches who don’t like each other. Marty Schottenheimer will be the sentimental favorite, coaching in his first Super Bowl after all of those years with the Browns, Chiefs, Redskins and Chargers. It will be a battle between two high-octane offenses, as Phillip Rivers and Donovan McNabb move the ball up and down the field at will. In the end, the Eagles newfound ability to stop the run will be the decisive factor. Call it, Philadelphia Eagles 31, San Diego Chargers 24.
Back to baseball...
Wildcard Watch! Ryan Howard tied Mike Schmidt for the single season Phillies record for home runs hit with 48. I think Ryan can easily hit another dozen, so sixty is very much in the offing … The better news was that the Phillies won 10-6 over the Nats and made up a little ground in the wildcard race. The Phillies are now much a ½ game back of the Padres in the wildcard. The Reds have fallen into a tie with the Phillies with their second consecutive loss to the Dodgers. Much to my surprise the Florida Marlins are fighting to stay in the picture. It is like 2003 all over again…
Wildcard Standings:
1. San Diego: 67-65
2. Cincinnati: 67-66 (0.5)
3. Philadelphia: 66-65 (0.5)
5. Florida: 65-66 (1.5)
4. San Francisco: 65-67 (2.0)
6. Arizona: 64-68 (3.0)
7. Houston: 64-68 (3.0)
8. Atlanta: 62-68 (4.0)
9. Milwaukee: 62-70 (5.0)
10. Colorado: 61-70 (5.5)
Editor's note: This will most likely become a Friday morning tradition during football season. However, I'm working Thursday night this week, so I'll go ahead and pop my predictions up today.
NFL
Miami at Pittsburgh -- I really like both of these teams, although I'm starting to think Roethlisberger is cursed this year. Nick Saban has the Dolphins poised for a deep playoff run, and Daunte Culpepper looks healthy and fit. I like the Dolphins in this one. Final: 26-14
Atlanta at Carolina -- I like the Panthers, but not as much as everyone else does. And it's an up year for the Falcons, who alternate winning and losing seasons like Paris Hilton alternates favorite pets. The absence of Steve Smith is a major blow for Jake Delhomme and the Panthers' offense. Is Mike Vick finally poised for a breakout year? We'll see, but he'll get off to a good start. Final: 23-16
Baltimore at Tampa Bay -- Are there any teams I don't like? Yes, but these two don't fit that bill. The addition of Steve McNair gives the Ravens a stable, poised leader at QB to take pressure off Jamal Lewis and the defense. Tampa can only get better, as Chris Simms and Cadillac Williams get more experience and become more comfortable. I also like Michael Clayton to have a huge year, going back to the Pro Bowl. Both teams have great defenses, but on this day, Baltimore's will be slightly better. Final: 17-13
Cincinnati at Kansas City -- Man, did the NFL do a good job with the Week 1 matchups or what? The league's two young stars -- Bengals QB Carson Palmer and Chiefs RB Larry Johnson -- squaring off in Week 1. The Chiefs have some major question marks -- the retirement of Willie Roaf, as well as the departure of Johnson's lead blocker at fullback. Plus, the addition of Herm Edwards as head coach, who I like as a person, but question as a head coach in this league. Palmer to Chad Johnson is the premier pass-and-catch duo in the league. Rudi Johnson is a workhorse back. And the Bengals' defense is much improved. I like Cincy to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. Final: 38-20
Denver at St. Louis -- Finally, a home team is victorious! Scott Linehan starts off his career with a win. Can the Rams once again become The Greatest Show on Turf? There are plenty of weapons at QB Marc Bulger's disposal, particularly with the coming of age of RB Stephen Jackson, coupled with Linehan's penchant for the run (unlike previous head coach Mike Martz' disdain for it). There are a lot of uncertainties in Denver. Once again, an unsettled backfield. Can the Broncos again piecemeal a 1,000-yard rusher. Will Jake Plummer have a career year again -- or implode like normal? Who are his weapons at WR? Mike Shanahan is a great coach, but I'm not sold on the Broncos as a playoff team yet. Final: 27-18
New Orleans at Cleveland -- Call it a homer pick. I like this New Orleans offense. Drew Brees is not a star, but he's a solid upgrade over Aaron Brooks. Deuce and Reggie Bush provide a nice 1-2 punch in the backfield, and Bush is going to make some major plays. Joe Horn is back and healthy as the No. 1 receiver, while Devery Henderson is set for a Donte' Stallworth-like year this year. But the defense scares me. A lot. There's no way the Saints are a playoff team with this defense. But Cleveland is horrible. Horrible. Rueben Droughns might be the worst starting RB in the league. Charlie Frye would be a third-stringer at some places. I do think Winslow, if he's healthy, upgrades the offense -- as will the improvement of Braylon Edwards at WR. I like Romeo Crennel, and the move to bring in the veteran leadership of Willie McGinest on defense. The Browns are making strides. But they're still a ways off. Final: 28-24
NY Jets at Tennessee -- Bad news for both of these teams. They're bad. The Jets, outside of the Texans, are the worst team in the league. And the Titans might not be much better. I have a feeling Jeff Fisher is done in Nashville, while it's not the way Eric Mangini wanted to start his career. There's not much to like about either of these teams -- no star power whatsoever. Major questions at QB -- can Pennington be healthy? Who starts for the Titans? More questions at RB -- like who gets the carries for both of these teams? This game could get real ugly. Final: 15-9
Philadelphia at Houston -- I like the makeup of this Eagles team. The chemistry issues are gone, and the talent is still there that went to the NFC title game year after year. I really think they will end up back in the championship game, and maybe even the Super Bowl. As for the Texans, well it just gets worse and worse for David Carr. The front office passed up a chance to get a supserstar in Reggie Bush, and instead will start fellow rookie Wali Lundy at running back. That's all I need to know about the direction of this team. Final: 38-10
Seattle at Detroit -- My upset special of the week. Seattle is the defending Super Bowl runner-up, and no runner-up has won more than 7 games the next year in the 21st century. Throw in the Madden curse for Shaun Alexander, and it could be a long year for the Seahawks. And I like the Lions. They aren't a playoff team yet, but I like the addition of Jon Kitna at QB. He's not flashy, but he's solid. He's not going to make the mistakes Joey Harrington did. I think this Lions team can win 7 or 8 games this year, which is a major step towards getting back to the playoffs. Final: 20-14
Chicago at Green Bay -- It's time for Brett Favre to just shut up and play -- or go away. His comment about this team having the most talent he's played with was just ridiculous. This is going to be a bad Packers team. And while the Bears' offense will still not be flashy, due to not having a major playmaker outside, if Grossman or Griese or Orton or whoever else can be consistent and not make mistakes, this defense will win at least 10 games. Thomas Jones will be a 1,500-yard rusher, and the Bears might give up less than 10 points a game. Final: 20-6
Dallas at Jacksonville -- I actually like this Dallas team early on, but we all know a TO blow up is inevitable at some point. The Cowboys, even without him, do have a ton of talent. It's just a matter of how much he screws up the locker room. With that said, Jacksonville is one of my favorite teams this year. I love Leftwich if he can stay healthy. And he's got plenty of talent around him. They have a legitimate chance to compete with the AFC powers this year. Final: 27-24
San Francisco at Arizona -- I think we'll see a little bit of improvement in San Fran this year -- maybe 5 wins. But they still are one of the worst teams in the NFL. Arizona, on the other hand, has one of the best teams on paper -- 2 1,000-yard receivers, a major weapon at running back, and 2 QBs that can run an offense. I like this Cardinals team as a sleeper pick for the NFC championship game. Final: 39-17
Indianapolis at NY Giants -- Little brother gets the best of older brother. Peyton outshines Eli stat-wise, but this game will be won on the ground. Tiki has a big game with more than 100 yards and a couple of TDs, while the combo of Dominic Rhodes and Joe Addai will struggle against the Giants' defensive front. This is going to be a great game for NBC's primetime coverage. Final: 27-23
Minnesota at Washington -- I don't like either of these teams. Washington will be a major disappointment this year. I don't see more than 6 wins, while some are expecting them to win that tough East division. I see the 'Skins as the worst team in that division. Minnesota, meanwhile, is changing the culture under new head coach Brad Childress. Some have picked them as the division favorite in the North, but I don't see them beating the Bears. They could get to 8 or maybe 9 wins and make a push for the playoffs. Final: 19-12
San Diego at Oakland -- Is Phil Rivers ready? I really don't know. I do know Antonio Gates and LT will take a lot of pressure off him early. When you have a versatile RB who can catch balls out of the backfield and a huge target at TE, it makes it easy for a QB to get in a rhythm early. Oakland is going to be very interesting. Aaron Brooks might be the worst QB in the league. He's got a big arm, and he'll hook up with Randy Moss for some points. But he'll also make some huge mistakes that end up burying the Raiders. Final: 28-17
College Football
1. Ohio State at Texas -- Does it get any better than this? 1 vs 2. Doesn't happen very often in the regular season. Last year, UT's comeback win over OSU propelled the Horns to the national title. Will the tables turn this year? It's likely. While I'm hesitant to label Troy Smith this year's Vince Young, he could use his performance in last year's bowl game to propel him to a huge year -- just like VY did the Rose Bowl 2 years ago. I think Teddy Ginn Jr. is the best player in the game, and I'm not sold on Colt McCoy being able to play in this big of a game this early in his career. Final: 28-21
2. Texas vs. Ohio State -- See above.
3. USC (Open) -- Next week vs. Nebraska.
4. Notre Dame vs. Penn State -- It's funny how one game can change everything. Notre Dame's near-loss to Georgia Tech dropped the Irish in the eyes of some of the national media. And it refocused the Irish that they really aren't as good as the media made them out to be. I liked Penn State in this game until the scare last week. Now the Irish will come up with a close, close win. Final: 24-23
5. Auburn at Mississippi State -- Poor Sly Croom. Wasn't this year supposed to get better in Starkville. Open the year with a 15-0 loss to South Carolina. And it only gets worse against Auburn. Kenny Irons is poised for a big, big game. Final: 27-0
6. West Virginia vs. Eastern Washington -- Rich Rodriguez: Can you please upgrade your non-conference schedule? The Big East already is weak. You need to bulk up the schedule. That's all I ask. Final: 56-10
7. Florida vs. UCF -- The Gators started off slow last week before turning it on. Is that a sign they are starting to click, or a sign the offense still isn't that good? I believe Chris Leak will get more and more comfortable in this offense, and as the season goes along, the Gators will emerge as a legit national title contender. Final: 42-17
8. LSU vs. Arizona -- I like this game a lot. Could be the game of the week -- even with Texas/OSU and ND/PSU. The Tigers have as much talent as anyone in the country, and the Wildcats are one of the up-and-coming teams under Mike Stoops. I really believe this is the year they put everything together. LSU gets a major scare but comes out with the win. Final: 28-27
9. Florida State vs. Troy -- The Seminoles are coming off a close, tough victory over rival Miami in the season opener on Monday. It's a short week, the guys relax a little bit due to a Sun Belt school coming in town. It's your classic trap game. While I don't think the Noles can win the national title, they're not as bad as they'll look this weekend. Final: 24-20
10. Michigan vs. Central Michigan -- Not fair. I understand why UM does it, but it shouldn't play the directional state schools. Just not fair at all. Final: 55-12
11. Tennessee vs. Air Force -- Everybody jumped on the bandwagon last week as Rocky Top destroyed Cal. They are legit if Erik Ainge stays healthy. That's a big question. But for now, the Vols continue to roll. Final: 38-10
12. Georgia at South Carolina -- The Ole Ballcoach showed a little defense last week -- and only a little offense. This is a big matchup in the SEC early on. The Gamecocks are ready for the challenge. Final: 24-19
13. Louisville at Temple -- Temple is coming off a win. Louisville lost RB Mike Bush for the year. Doesn't matter. Brian Brohm is a superstar, while the Cardinals have more-than-capable backs to fill in for Bush against Temple. UL in a big win. Final: 49-14
14. Iowa at Syracuse -- I like Iowa a lot this year. But this is a potential trap game. On the road against a team that has been weak for a while but is starting to come back. I like the Orange to put up a fight. Final: 26-21
15. Oklahoma vs. Washington -- Another game that will expose OU. Last week it was UAB. This week it's a Washington team that is among the bottom in the Pac 10. Adrian Peterson will again carry the Sooners to a tough victory. Final: 21-17
16. Virginia Tech at UNC -- The Hokies get an early test in the ACC. Every year, the Tar Heels come up and scare, or defeat, one of the big boys in the conference. This is one of those trap games. The Hokies barely hang on. Final: 24-21
17. Miami vs. Florida A&M -- Just what Kyle Wright, Larry Coker and the Canes need after last week's loss to FSU -- a visit from FAMU. Miami's offense will put up some points and get some much-needed confidence. Final: 55-7
18. Clemson at Boston College -- A tough ACC game early. I like Clemson a lot, but they've been a perennial underachiever under Tommy Bowden. This is a game that will test these Tigers very early. BC, though never a factor in the national title race, always competes for a bowl game. I think Clemson shows it's for real this year. Final: 31-17
19. Penn State at Notre Dame -- See above.
20. Oregon at Fresno State -- These are the games Pat Hill lives for. One of the big boys comes to his home field. The Bulldogs always play better in September than they do in November, and this game will be no different. FSU thrusts itself into the national spotlight. Final: 27-20
21. Nebraska vs. Nicholls State -- The Cornhuskers are tough. Nicholls State brings in a spread option attack that could give the Huskers defense some problems on the edge. Nebraska just has too much offense though. Final: 48-13
22. Cal vs. Minnesota -- The Bears still don't have a QB. They were exposed last week by Tennessee, and will be so again this week against the Gophers. Final: 28-20
23. TCU vs. UC-Davis -- UC-Davis has a great offense, on their level. They aren't on TCU's level. Final: 40-18
24. Texas Tech at UTEP -- The Miners get a nationally-ranked team to step onto their turf. Senior QB Jordan Palmer (Carson's little brother) gets his chance for a coming-out party. He's destroyed all of UTEP's records and aims for 4,000 yards this year. This is the biggest game on UTEP's schedule, and I see Palmer pushing 400 yards threw the air, leading the Miners to a win. Final: 44-37
25. Arizona State vs. Nevada -- Both teams are trying to come off disappointing starts. Luckily for ASU, it won. Nevada, however, lost to Fresno and doesn't want to go 0-2. ASU will be too much, though. Final: 31-21
Denver Broncos Schedule
Other Searched Terms: sports jake plummer story on 10/15
, jake plummer facts
, appeal jake plummer
,
|
|
