TALKIN FOOTBALL

December 3rd, 2011, Saturday

TALKIN FOOTBALL

SLOWING DOWN TEBOWMANIA

From an observers perspective, stopping the Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow and the Denver offense is much easier said than done. If you have been paying attention to any of the several NFL shows broadcasting on TV or reading the latest excerpts from the many websites on the net, you get the feeling this has become quite the popular subject. It’s something that has been at the forefront of discussions for several weeks now; funny thing is the topic doesn’t seem to be going away.

While all of the NFL and expert analysts share their opinion as to why the Tebow led offense can’t work and how to stop it, over the past four weeks Tebow-mania continues the roll and Broncos keep winning. Maybe one of the reasons everyone seems to be getting it wrong when they are sharing their thoughts is because while most do know what they are talking about, perhaps they are only thinking in conventional terms and methods.

How do you stop something that is so unconventional and unorthodox?

In hindsight I would have to offer, if you are going to game-plan to stop the Tebow-machine, you can’t use conventional or conservative means. When you face a team that does not throw the ball, when faced with a passing situation you can’t send your nickel or dime package on the field; hellooo, they don’t throw the ball.

I will be the first to admit, I am quickly becoming a fan of Tebowmania, although it is painful to watch on Sundays. But one thing I keep telling myself, this is how they do it, this is how He (Tebow) does it. It’s not going to look pretty and it’s not going to look much like anything I am used to seeing.

There are flaws in this offense and scheme, but I can see that it’s something the Broncos have identified and continue to work on. Let’s face it, the Denver passing game is a work in progress and unfortunately for opposing defenses, there is just enough there to do some damage and make plays.

So how do you stop Tebow and the Broncos offense; maybe you start by asking teams in the SEC? Or maybe you stop putting together a normal defensive game-plan and realize you are not facing a normal offense. I am not sure that there really is a viable answer, although I am sure we will hear more opinions over the weekend from many offering their thoughts on the subject.

The funniest part I see through all of this, while so many continue to nay-say and believe the success of Tebow and Broncos offense can’t continue, Tebow and company just keep rolling along to the tune of four straight wins. With a 2-9 Vikings team next on the agenda, this whole song of dance of how they (Tebow and the Broncos) can’t keep to doing what they keep getting done may have to continue at least for another week.

Just my thoughts and my take on the subject….

By David Ortega

TALKIN FOOTBALL

November 30th, 2011, Wednesday

TALKIN FOOTBALL

The 2011 Philadelphia Eagles: How the Dream Died

Before the 2011 NFL Season was officially underway, they were unofficially tagged “the Dream Team”, but what exactly has gone wrong with the 4-7 Eagles may not be all that too difficult to explain; at least from my perspective, the unofficial “NFL Couch Potato.” Now how’s that for a title and a well earned one?

For the past 12 weeks I have had the privilege to be able to tune in every Sunday and catch nearly every game on six (dedicated for football) televisions; you should really stop by sometime to check out our set-up; it’s awesome! Throughout the season I have managed to catch quite a bit of the Eagles in action; I drafted running back LeSean McCoy as my number one, so I have a vested interest.

When I see all the talent this team possesses, I am quite surprised to see them struggling at 4-7 and hanging onto a thread to make the post season (yes, I believe they have a shot at the sixth spot). After watching them lay egg after egg, it comes as no surprise to see this team go from dream to nightmare. The funny thing, they have been their own worst nightmare with constantly shooting themselves in the foot with way too many turnovers. If you read the stat lines or box scores, sure you could lay all the blame or most of it anyway at the feet of quarterback Mike Vick (14 turnovers this season), but I believe that would be inaccurate.

The players take the field and are asked to execute the game plan and plays that are called, and if you ask me, there is where most of the blame lies. Maybe some of the players were quoted as calling the Eagles the dream team, but if you ask me I think they were not the only ones listening or believing it. It could be head coach Andy Reid himself may have gotten a little caught up in the hype and believed he had an unstoppable cast that he could unleash.

I am far from a professional analyst, but if you told me that the Eagles coaching staff became so arrogant as a result of the media hype that they believed they could come out of the gate with guns blazing I would have to agree. Stepping away from the defense for a moment and looking strictly at the offense; Vick is an incredible talent and gifted athlete, but the Eagles offense would appear to have quite a few of those gifted and talented athletes. As I watched some of the action in the first part of the season, I could not understand the early focus and dependency on the passing game. It seemed the Eagles were content with leaving the games solely in the hands and feet of Vick that he quickly became dependent himself on relying mostly on his mobility and athleticism.

In the teams’ first five games McCoy, one of the leagues’ most dynamic ball carriers only topped 18 carries once, while the Eagles offense struggled severely with Vick trying to carry most of the load; Vick carried the ball 38 times and turned it over 10 times (seven picks, three fumbles). It was quite evident this team abandoned any sense of balance and Reid was going to right this ship his way or sink; at 4-7 they are close to sinking.

The Eagles may have put together some nice names on defense, but when your offense starts to sputter and repeatedly turns the ball over it puts too much pressure on any defense to dominate and dictate tempo. Perhaps this dream defense and dream team is built more for playing from in front, rather than having to scramble and salvage. With an important matchup coming up this Thursday, the Eagles are facing a one and done situation. The reality is their hopes of making the playoffs are slim at best with a 4-7 record, but with the Giants beginning to slide, the Lions not playing as well as they did earlier this season, and the Bears losing Cutler, the doors has not closed yet.

At 9-7, the Eagles could still possibly slide into the post season and with the talent they do have, this dream team could quickly become someone’s nightmare matchup for Wildcard weekend. First things first though, the Eagles must win and keep winning, something they have yet to do through 12 weeks. Apparently as easy as it is to find reasons for failure or lack of success, the Eagles had better hope Reid can find some answers soon or this will be one dream Philadelphia will hope to soon forget.


By David Ortega

KEYS 2 SUNDAY (WEEK 4)

October 2nd, 2011, Sunday

Keys 2 Sunday

Week 4 Previews

(just a couple)

New England Patriots @ Oakland Raiders
Normally when a team has to travel across the country, it’s already a tough matchup, but add that it’s the Raiders and your destination is “The Black Hole” and you can’t even imagine how tough it’s going to be. Well that’s what lies ahead for the Patriots today and while I do like what Hue Jackson has done in Oakland this season I can’t begin to imagine Bill Belichick letting his team drop two in a row.

Quite simply for the Patriots, to beat the Raiders today they will have to outscore them. Yes, the object of the game is to have the most points after 60 minutes, but today’s game has all the makings of being a shootout and if the Patriots paid attention two weeks ago, they know the Raiders can be had. Against the Bills in week two the Raiders let a 21-3 lead slip away and lost 38-35.

The Raiders are doing a lot of things right on the offensive side of the ball and although they are averaging a hefty 30 points per game this season, they are not built for a shootout. The Raiders would like to run the ball, control the clock and tempo of the game, but with their 28th ranked defense that is allowing over 27 points per game they could very much find themselves in a barn-burner.

Tom Brady and the Patriots understand they will have to dictate tempo and they will need to put pressure on Jason Campbell and the Raiders offense. I expect to see the Patriots to come out spreading the field and watching Tom “Terrific” chucking the rock all over the place; Brady could post another five-bills in the air today!

My Pick; Patriots 40, Raiders 31

Detroit Lions @ Dallas Cowboys
Without question the Lions are one of the feel-good stories this season with their 3-0 start. When they take the field today against the Cowboys, one player that will be going out of his way to make sure quarterback Tony Romo does not feel good is Lions defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh.

Suh is off to a quiet start this season with just two sacks, but you can bet part of the game plan today will be to get the Motor-city Terror off to a fast start. The Cowboys are going to be short-handed once again with wide receivers Miles Austin (hamstring) OUT and Dez-Bryant (quadriceps) a game-time decision. The Cowboys will have to turn to the ground game today if they hope to have any success and keep pressure of Romo; they had better stay away from third and long or Suh and the Lions defense will be bringing a ton of heat.

Offensively with Matt Stafford and Megatron playing well the Lions will need to get out of the gate quickly against the leagues 12th ranked passing defense. The Cowboys lead the NFL with 13 sacks this season and the Lions have struggled a bit with pass protection allowing five last week to the Vikings, but I expect Lions to address this issue by having Stafford get rid of the ball quickly; running back Jahvid Best and tight end Brandon Pettigrew could be instrumental.

What this game is going to come down to is offense, the Lions have all the playmakers and Cowboys will simply be unable to keep pace.

My Pick; Lions 28, Cowboys 17

The rest of my picks today….

Bears over the Panthers
Bills over the Bengals
Titans over the Browns
Texans over the Steelers
Saints over the Jaguars
Vikings over the Chiefs
Eagles over the Niners
Redskins over the Rams
Giants over the Cardinals
Seahawks over the Falcons
Packers over the Broncos
Chargers over the Dolphins
Ravens over the Jets
Buccaneers over the Colts

So far this season I have been struggling with my picks, making some bone-head calls. This is the week I get back on track.

By David Ortega

FOOTBALL RANKINGS (WEEK 3)

September 29th, 2011, Thursday

My Football Power Rankings
(Thru Week three)

It does not take a rocket scientist to tell you that at the moment the Packers are the best team in the league. While there are a couple of nice 3-0 stories out there, let’s not start jumping on any bandwagons for the moment. The Packers still have Aaron Rodgers, Greg Jennings, and Jermichael Finley to boast perhaps the league’s most lethal passing attack (ranked 8th in the league), along with a ferocious defense led by All-Pro linebacker Clay Matthews Jr. Last week’s demolishing of the Bears should be a testament as to how good the champs are and that they are the best until proven otherwise.

A lot of us wanted to start anointing the Patriots as the league’s best, after all with Brady, all those yards, and all the those points, but then again that is why they play the game. And on Sunday we learned a great fact about the Patriots, there are two sides to every team; an offense and a defense. Apparently this season the Patriots only have one side.

My Rankings do include a couple of up-and-comers that are making noise and starting to attract attention; and deservedly so. The Bills are off to an impressive 3-0 start and when you add the win over New England it is hard not to consider them a Top-10 team. Like the Bills, the Lions are starting to roar, but before we let them claw their way to the top, week 4 will present a nice test for the motor city boys when they meet Dallas.

Perhaps the biggest move on my board is the big fall the Bears have taken with consecutive losses and poor performances. They look like a team that is in a free-fall and with the Panthers up next, they better hope they can land softly, because their schedule is about to get very difficult with the Lions, Eagles, and Chargers coming up over the next several weeks.

Week 4 should begin to separate the boys from the men and really start to paint the picture of who the real contenders are and who are the pretenders looking for a place to hide;

My Rankings (Week 3)

1. Green Bay Packers (3-0): You remain the best perched at the top until someone can come along and knock you off. The Packers have a few holes here and there, but they are loaded with talent and are able to make up for any deficiencies.
2. New Orleans Saints (2-1): After falling to the champs in week one, the Saints have done what has become expected of them, win and score a ton of points; 70 points the last two weeks.
3. San Diego Chargers (2-1): They narrowly survived laying a huge egg on Sunday with a 20-17 win over the Chiefs. They had better be more prepared this Sunday at Qualcomm Stadium when they face a desperate 0-3 Dolphins team.
4. Baltimore Ravens (2-1): The Ravens rebounded nicely in week 3 with a most decisive and dominant road win over the winless Rams. Flacco was sharp and defense was tenacious.
5. New England Patriots (2-1): The Pats hit a speed bump on Sunday that sent them skidding as they fell to the Bills in a shootout. The Pats have all kinds of problems to address on the defensive side that apparently a prolific offense can’t hide. They could stumble again this week on the road against the Raiders.
6. New York Jets (2-1): After their strong start, the Jets took one on the chin in week 3 and got lost in the black hole. The Raiders shredded the Jets run defense for nearly 200 yards on the ground on their way to a 34-24 victory. The Jets will face another tough test this week against the Ravens.
7. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-1): It was not the most impressive win on Sunday night against the Colts, but it still counts. The Steelers struggled with the run against Indy on their way to their second win in a row, but will face a much more balanced Texans attack in week 4; a three-peater could be tough.
8. Dallas Cowboys (2-1): It took another heroic effort from quarterback Tony Romo and the Cowboys offense, but this Sunday against the Lions they may need a lot of good luck as well. The Lions will definitely be in the mood for some barbeque (ribs) when the Boys arrive!
9. Detroit Lions (3-0): It’s not the highest ranking I have seen, but the Lions have yet to really play a meaningful opponent; the Vikings and Chiefs are 0-6 combined. The week one win over the Bucs (2-1) was nice, but this week against the Cowboys is a real test.
10.Buffalo Bills (3-0): An impressive win over the Patriots yes, but it's just one game. While their offense looks great, they do have some holes of their own to fix on defense.
11. Houston Texans (2-1): The Texans still have the look of a contender despite their loss to the Saints (a lot of teams are going to lose to the Saints) and this week at home against the Steelers they have a real chance to make a move in the AFC.
12. Philadelphia Eagles (1-2): This dream must reside somewhere on Elm Street, because it has the makings of being a chilling nightmare. The offense appears out of sync and the defense, in particular seems to be playing in a daze. They may as well be, surrendering four touchdowns last Sunday and a total of eight this season; ties for the most allowed. They could be the next to fall hard, if they don’t get the defense corrected and Vick protected.


The rest of the league

• Atlanta Falcons (1-2)
• New York Giants (2-1)
• Oakland Raiders (2-1)
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1)
• San Francisco 49ers (2-1)
• Washington Redskins (2-1)
• Cleveland Browns (2-1)
• Tennessee Titans (2-1)
• Chicago Bears (1-2)
• Arizona Cardinals (1-2)

• Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2)
• Carolina Panthers (1-2)
• Seattle Seahawks (1-2)
• Denver Broncos (1-2)
• Cincinnati Bengals (1-2)
• St. Louis Rams (0-3)
• Minnesota Vikings (0-3)
• Miami Dolphins (0-3)
• Indianapolis Colts (0-3)
• Kansas City Chiefs (0-3)

FOOTBALL RANKINGS (WEEK 2)

September 23rd, 2011, Friday

MY Football Power Rankings
(Thru Week Two)

Not a lot of changes at the very top with both the Packers and Patriots chalking up a couple of wins, but there was a few drops in the middle with a disappointing performance from the Ravens and the Bears. Of course the Bears did have a much more difficult matchup against the Saints, but they still looked awful.

Looking over my rankings, the Rams are certainly the best looking 0-2 team, but they need more production from their running game if they are going to get in the “W” column. The Panthers are clearly the most interesting 0-2 team with Cam Newton at the helm; they could also be the most dangerous because of Newton’s incredible playmaking ability. He just needs more help from his defense (58 points in two games is too much). The Chiefs are without a doubt the worst team in the league at the moment; ineffective offense and a defense with more holes than a pair of shredded Levis from the 80s.

A couple of teams that grabbed my interest are the Titans and the Giants. With all the injuries surrounding the Giants in the tough NFC East, they along with the Cowboys look like they could be the odd men out; really the Redskins with the Eagles? Everyone seems to be conceding that with the Colts down (and likely out), the South is there for the Texans to win; what about Tennessee?

There’s a lot to follow and keep up with in the coming weeks, so who can really make heads or tails of anything? I am a far cry from one, but I offer my take on how I rank the teams through two weeks;

My Rankings (Week 2)

1. Green Bay Packers (2-0): The champs keep rolling along, although it took them a little while to get going in week two against the Panthers. The offense looks high octane, but the defense again showed a few holes in the secondary that will need to be filled.
2. New England Patriots (2-0): The Patriots handled the Chargers with relative ease last Sunday, but their secondary will be severely tested this week when they travel to face the Bills
3. NewOrleans Saints (1-1): A nice decisive win over the Bears is exactly what the Saints needed to bounce back after their week one loss to the champs.
4. New York Jets (2-0): You can try, but it seems futile to try and keep Rex and the boys out of the mix when talking about Super Bowls and the best. It was only the Jaguars, but it was still an impressive looking win.

5. San Diego Chargers (1-1): They lost to the Patriots on the road; not many teams will be able to keep it as close as the Bolts did. After the tough loss the Chargers will get a bye week with the Chiefs coming to town.

6. Philadelphia Eagles (1-1): So much for a “Dream Team”, a tough road loss to the Falcons hurts less in the standings, than the painful experience on the field. The Eagles better find a way to protect Vick much better, or the only dream they will find is in their sleep.
7. Baltimore Ravens (1-1): There’s no question their loss on Sunday was a big oops, but before we start downgrading the Ravens let’s see how they respond. We also need to keep an eye on theTitans as well.
8. Houston Texans (2-0): They are off to a nice start, but they need to beat someone before we start believing they are the real deal; first test, this Sunday against the Saints.
9. Atlanta Falcons (1-1): The Falcons bounced back with a nice win over the “Dream Team”, so you know that deserves some merit. After their stumble in week one, the Falcons showed a little more life, but the passing game still needs work going forward.
10. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1): It was an impressive win last Sunday with the shutout, but let’s not get carried away, it was only the Seahawks. The Steelers will have a great opportunity to continue this momentum, when they scrimmage with the Peyton-less Colts this Sunday night.
11. Dallas Cowboys (1-1): It was a nice comeback win for the Boys, but it was also a costly one. With Romo, Austin, and Bryant banged up, this is where they might peak (at least for a while).
12. Detroit Lions (2-0): It’s time to start giving the Lions some respect. It’s not about who they beat, but more about how they beat them. This team looks good and you know they are hungry.


The rest of the league

• Buffalo Bills (2-0)
• Chicago Bears (1-1)
• Washington Redskins (2-0)
• New York Giants (1-1)
• Oakland Raiders (1-1)
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-1)
• San Francisco 49ers (1-1)
• Arizona Cardinals (1-1)
• Jacksonville Jaguars (1-1)
• Cleveland Browns (1-1)

• Denver Broncos (1-1)
• Cincinnati Bengals (1-1)
• Tennessee Titans (1-1)
• St. Louis Rams (0-2)
• Minnesota Vikings (0-2)
• Carolina Panthers (0-2)
• Miami Dolphins (0-2)
• Seattle Seahawks (0-2)
• Indianapolis Colts (0-2)
• Kansas City Chiefs (0-2)

TUESDAY (FOOTBALL) TALK

September 20th, 2011, Tuesday

TUESDAY (FOOTBALL) TALK

What to Make of It

We are two weeks into the 2011 NFL season and what we can make of what’s it going on; there’s been more air time already this season in the NFL than most frequent flyers see with Southwest Airlines. To say that the league has become pass happy could be an understatement with the recent record setting numbers we have been seeing. Already in the first two weeks, the NFL has set the record for the most combined net passing yards in one weekend; in week one the record was set with nearly 8,000 yards and this past weekend that record was broke.

It’s been an amazing ride thus far, but from what we are seeing there doesn’t appear to be any signs of slowing down or coming down. With Tom Brady and Cam Newton leading the way and setting the pace, 2011 has truly become the year of the quarterback.

Fact or Fiction

Well, the high flying numbers seem to be all well and good, but what does this all seem to be saying and telling us? Can the incredible numbers we are seeing from some of today’s passers be mis-leading or are they giving it to us straight?

Newton’s Rise to the Top: Fiction
Cam Newton’s first two NFL starts would indicate his sudden rise to stardom and elite status, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. While his 854 yards of passing are quite hefty and impressive and his 16 pass plays of 20 yards or more lead the league, let’s not overlook his four interceptions (tied for most in the league) and eight sacks (fourth most). With those numbers, you have to wonder how long can he continue this pace or last in the pocket for that matter.

Tom Brady is Terrific: Fact
Only Cam Newton has more pass plays of 20 yards or more, Brady’s 15 rank second in the league. The Patriot’s signal caller has already passed for 940 yards in just two games and his 128.0 passer rating is off the charts. With seven touchdown passes to just one pick, Tom Brady is already locking down votes for this season’s MVP.

Hasselbeck has New Life: Fact
With a rising star wide receiver (Kenny Britt) and the sure handed Nate Washington to throw to, quarterback Matt Hasselbeck appears to have found the fountain of youth. In his first two starts for the Titans this season Hass has completed 67% of his throws and passed for over 600 yards. He is currently sporting a solid 94.0 passer rating and his 8 pass plays for 20 yards or more in two games put him on pace for more than 60 this season; by far it would be the most of his career.

Jackson is the Answer in Seattle: Fiction
So far in 2011, quarterback Tarvaris Jackson has not been the answer for the Seahawks offense. In two games he has yet to be able to generate any kind of semblance of an offense or passing game. Jackson has thrown just two touchdowns this season while completing 62% of his passes, but his one pass play for 20 yards or more this season ranks near the bottom of the league. Only the Chiefs offense looks worse at this time.

Cassel is safe in KC: Fiction
There’s been not talk of or hint for that matter, but not only does it seem that Cassel could be losing his grip on the offense and the Chiefs passing game; just one touchdown pass this season with five turnovers, but he could soon lose the confidence of his team if things don’t change suddenly. It’s bad in KC right now, with the team being outscored 89-10 in two games not only should Cassel worry about keeping his job, but head coach Todd Haley could be on his way to the unemployment line if things don’t improve quickly. To say it will be an uphill challenge is an understatement with the recent loss of running back Jamaal Charles (torn ACL). When it rains, it pours.


By the Numbers

David Nelson could soon become a household name in the NFL. In the past two weeks the Bills 2nd year receiver has grabbed 14 passes on 19 targets. With Fitzpatrick playing as well as he has, don’t expect Nelson to cool down anytime soon.

As hot as Tom Brady has been the first two weeks this season, it seems the Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has been unjustly overshadowed. Fitz has been every bit as good throwing seven touchdowns with just one pick. His yardage is a couple of weeks behind, but we’ll take his TD-Int ratio anyday.

He may be just a rookie, but Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton has been solid in his first two starts passing for more than 400 yards, completing 66% of his throws, and tossing three touchdowns with zero interceptions. 16 games is a long season, but this is a great start for the young gun.

You could say that Bears running back Matt Forte is having a good start this season, but I would argue he’s off to a great start. Forte is averaging 20 touches per game and 150 yards from scrimmage. He has also become a beast in the short passing game racking up 15 receptions with a score. He is putting up Marshall Faulk-like numbers; he just needs to add a few more trips to the end-zone to really kick up that kind of talk.


By David Ortega

FOOTBALL RANKINGS (WEEK 1)

September 14th, 2011, Wednesday

MY Football Power Rankings
(Thru Week One)

It’s too early to be jumping on and off of any bandwagons, but week one has given me a better sense of where a lot of teams are after one week. Now I don’t have any scientific methods that I use or magic crystal balls, I just watch the games like many other fans and use my eyes.

It’s hard to argue that the Packers are king, especially when you can post over 40 points out of the gate, but I will tell you what Tom Terrific and his bunch did on Monday certainly deserves a lot of recognition. I would have to say my top 10 includes a few surprise names, but it’s only week one and a whole lot more football to be played:

MY RANKINGS

1. Green Bay Packers (1-0): They are the defending champions, so until they get knocked off their perch, Rodgers and company will sit atop the rest. It also doesn’t hurt knocking off the 2010 Super Bowl champion (Saints) on Thursday night.
2. New England Patriots (1-0): They may have only beat the Dolphins (and that is not meant to be a knock), but they looked as good as any team on Monday night. Add that you have Tom Brady under center and some of the leagues’ best tight ends and there are not too many teams better.
3. Baltimore Ravens (1-0): It’s not just that they beat the Steelers, a team that they had lost to five of last seven meetings, but it was how they beat them. The Ravens looked dominant on both sides of the ball racking up 385 yards of offense and forcing seven turnovers.
4. Philadelphia Eagles (1-0): The dream team snoozed early giving up the long touchdown run to Steven Jackson. But the Eagles defense soon showed why they could be every quarterback’s nightmare on Sunday; the defense recorded five sacks in week one.
5. San Diego Chargers (1-0): The Chargers started slow, but Rivers and company quickly got the offense rolling to the tune of 412 yards of offense. If Norv can keep the Bolts blazing, they will own the West and could make another run in January.
6. New Orleans Saints (0-1): They have a few holes, but after all they did play the Packers. And with Brees and that offense you can never count them out.
7. New York Jets (1-0): They were down big to the Cowboys (America’s team), but showed the resilience of America and why they are never out. This will be a very dangerous team in December.
8. Chicago Bears (1-0): The Monsters of the Midway were running loose on Sunday and looked as dominant as ever with five sacks and three turnovers. With Cutler and offense dicing up the Falcons defense, Urlacher and company were showing why the Bears defense has a lot left in its’ tank.
9. Houston Texans (1-0): It’s very early in the season to be crowning anyone, so I won’t. But on Sunday the Texans may a strong play why they are the front runners to take the south.
10.Dallas Cowboys (0-1): If we are going to anoint the Jets as Super Bowl contenders, then the Cowboys had them on the ropes for most of the game Sunday night. They are going to be a dangerous team once they figure out how to close better.
11. Atlanta Falcons (0-1): One game does not make the season, but they have a lot of work to do. Ryan and the offense looked very inept at times on Sunday against the Bears.
12. Pittburgh Steelers (0-1): They have never looked this bad (it seems), but it was just one game. They may be older, but on paper they have too much talent to play so poorly.


The rest of the league

• Detroit Lions (1-0)
• Oakland Raiders (1-0)
• Buffalo Bills (1-0)
• Washington Redskins (1-0)
• San Francisco 49ers (1-0)
• New York Giants (0-1)
• Miami Dolphins (0-1)
• Arizona Cardinals (1-0)
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-1)
• St. Louis Rams (0-1)

• Minnesota Vikings (0-1)
• Jacksonville Jaguars (1-0)
• Cincinnati Bengals (1-0)
• Kansas City Chiefs (0-1)
• Tennessee Titans (0-1)
• Denver Broncos (0-1)
• Seattle Seahawks (0-1)
• Carolina Panthers (0-1)
• Cleveland Browns (0-1)
• Indianapolis Colts (0-1)

By David Ortega

FRIDAY FOOTBALL FIXX

September 9TH, 2011 Friday

Friday’s Football Fixx

Packers Begin Title Defense in Style

On offense the champs looked like they were back in Super Bowl form racking up nearly 400 yards of offense and 42 points. While the offense was lighting up the Lambeau skies, NFL fans may have caught a glimpse of a possible chink in the Packers armor.

It’s hard to knock any defense that faces an offense like that of the Saints, but when you allow over 400 yards of offense and over 30 points, you will face some scrutiny. Although the Saints offense had great success, it was a game that the Packer’s controlled much of throughout.

It’s safe to say that Rodgers and company looked in good form on Thursday and there may be some concerns on the defensive side, but one saving grace is they won’t see the Saints (or a team like the Saints) again unless both reach the playoffs. The scoreboard and stat books may say one thing, but you needed only to watch the game to know, the Packer are the real deal and look like a good bet to play in February once again.


MY FOOTBALL PICKS
The Thursday night matchup was everything football fans could hope for and a whole lot more, come Sunday I am expecting more of the same. There are a lot of good matchups remaining in week one to look at, so here are my picks and how I see it…

Steelers-Ravens
This could be Flacco’s time, the addition of Evans will be huge. As long as they don’t shoot themselves in the foot, the Ravens should win their opener at home.
Ravens win.

Falcons-Bears
The Bears are not the monsters they once were on defense and they will be facing a beast of an offense. Normally I don’t like dome teams on the road in the elements, but it’s still September. Matty Ice and Roddy should do a number on Chicago’s secondary.
Falcons win.

Bengals-Browns
One bad team versus a rebuilding one; success starts with the quarterback play. It’s too soon to jump on the Andy Dalton bandwagon and I happen to like the McCoy kid; I think he is real.
Browns win.

Colts-Texans
Without Manning, Colts will have a difficult time mustering up points on the road. The Texans look poised to unseat the Colts, with so many weapons on offense (even without Foster) and no Manning to contend with Texans sail.
Texans win.

Titans-Jaguars
The Jaguars are going to throw their rookie quarterback to the wolves, he better prepare to be eaten. Although CJ2K could be a little rusty from his holdout (we will see), just his presence should help open the pass game and allow the Titans to have success with a balanced attack.
Titans win.

Bills-Chiefs
The Chiefs did not look very good this preseason, seeming to struggle on offense at times, but nothing like playing at home. The Bills struggle against the ground game and will likely see a lot of Jamaal Charles and company; gotta like the Chiefs at home.
Chiefs win.

Eagles-Rams
The Eagles are the dream team, but will be facing some upstarts on Sunday. I do like the Rams to put up a fight, but too many weapons on offense and lots of pressure from the Eagles defense will be the difference here.
Eagles win.

Lions-Buccaneers
It’s hard to deny how good the Lions have looked throughout the preseason and while the Bucs are a good team, the Lions look ready to roar. Stafford and Megatron should have a field day against the Bucs secondary.
Lions win.

Panthers-Cardinals
I am not buying into too much of the hype, but Kolb is a big upgrade for the Cards at the quarterback spot. And we have already seen him clicking with his best weapon, Larry Fitzgerald. Panthers are a rebuilding team and could struggle offensively, it’s the Cards in this one.
Cards win.

Rounding out the rest of my picks…

Chargers over the Vikings under the California sun.
Seahawks will out-duel Niners in less than a shootout.
Redskins run game will be difference in win over Giants.
Jets defense will slow down Cowboys on Sunday night.
Patriots and Brady will be too much for the Phins.
Broncos will have enough defense to slow down Raiders.

Week 1 Injury News and Updates

Redskins tight end Chris Cooley is listed as questionable for Sunday.

Arian Foster will likely be a gametime decision.

Michael Crabtree is expected to play on Sunday.

Patrick Crayton is listed as doubtful for Sunday.

Steve Breaston is a late addition to injury report, expected to play.

Marques Colston breaks collarbone, expected to miss several weeks.

By David Ortega

WHAT'S THE LATEST

September 7TH, 2011, Wednesday

WHAT’S THE LATEST

KICKOFF 2011

THE RETURN OF THE NFL

With the ending of the NFL lockout just over a month ago the NFL is now full-steam ahead and less than 24 hours away from what is now their annual Thursday night kickoff special. This year’s edition looks to be a dandy with the leagues’ last two Super Bowl champions squaring off.

From a brisk Lambeau Field under the lights, the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints will get the 2011 NFL season started in high fashion. This matchup will feature two of the league’s perennial aerial attacks and with some of the games’ biggest stars in quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers (Packers) and Drew Brees (Saints).

Over the past couple of seasons, both of these clubs have consistently been the class of the league and in the playoff hunt come December. With a lot of the same talent returning in 2011, both the Saints and Packers figure to be right there in the middle of every post-season conversation.

With players like wide receiver Greg Jennings, tight end Jermichael Finley, and linebacker Clay Matthews Jr the Packers are once again a favorite to make a deep run in the post season. With a returning cast that includes wide receiver Marques Colston, rookie running back Mark Ingram, and tight end Jimmy Graham, Brees and the Louisiana boys look poised to party their way well into the playoffs as well.

There’s no question the league will be making up for lost time with this marquee matchup right out the gate and I would suspect, from what has been advertised this preseason, Thursday night’s clash could just be a small precursor to much more to come. Week one kick starts what looks to be another great year of football with several high profile matchups including the Ravens-Steelers, the Cowboys-Jets, and the Vikings-Chargers.

If you are a fan of the NFL, there is much to get excited about. This Sunday is going to be thrilling and will undoubtedly be more than enough to satisfy the palate of even the most die-hard NFL fan. And it all gets started Thursday (tomorrow) in Green Bay.

Are you ready for lots of football? Welcome home to the 2011 NFL football season, we’ve been expecting you!

By David Ortega

WHAT'S THE LATEST

July 26th, 2011 Tuesday

What's the Latest

THE NFL IS BACK; LOCKOUT ENDS

Words that are like music to our ears, “the NFL is back on track” and we can now look forward to football this fall and for the next 10 years. And with the return of football starts all the craziness of free agency, re-signings, signings of rookies, and block-buster trades.

Okay maybe there aren’t any block buster trades in the works just yet, but some key players to be watching over the next several days, let alone weeks would include; quarterbacks Kevin Kolb and Kyle Orton. Aside from the flying trade rumors let’s not forget about some of the other big names that should draw attention during this expedited free agency session; (QB) Donovan McNabb, (WR) Santonio Holmes, (QB) Matt Hasselbeck, (DB) Nnamdi Asomugha, (WR) Plaxico Burress, and dare I say Brett Favre. And this is just the tip of the ice-berg.

As early as Tuesday morning, one day after both sides (the owners and players) announced they had a deal, there were news updates citing team’s plans to cut some big names later in the week, those names include; (RB) Marion Barber, (WR) Roy Williams, and (RB) Willis McGahee.

And would we have football without at least one possible big name hold-out, running back Chris Johnson and a little controversy in Cincy; and no it’s not Terrell Owens. It looks like Bengal’s owner Mike Brown has no intention of blinking and is expecting quarterback Carson Palmer to retire. Personally I expect Palmer to pull the Favre move and come out, once it appears the team has moved forward; we will see.

It’s nice to have the game back on track, but fans better buckle up and hold on, over the next couples of weeks, things could move rather quickly with teams making changes, reshaping their rosters, and trying to put a together a finished product that will be ready to take the field for opening weekend in less than two months.

Welcome back NFL, we are ready for some football!

By David Ortega

THAT'S MY TAKE

March 15th, 2011 Tuesday

That’s My Take

“The State of the League”

There is not a whole lot of “nice’” that can be said about either side or the current state of the NFL. You have millionaires and billionaires arguing about who gets the bigger half of the pie, while the fans are left standing outside on the porch waiting for the dinner bell to ring, fully knowing they won’t be served a single crumb.

As a matter of fact when these two bickering sides do figure out who gets what, you know that if for any reason it’s not enough, both will find ways to extract the difference from the fans’ pocket by either raising ticket prices, concessions, or the team and player memorabilia.

It really is sickening that the two sides can’t come to the simple of terms of keeping their operation going and negotiate in good faith, especially now with economy where it’s at and unemployment. When you think about it the fans are the ones who will be made to suffer, and when it is all finally said and done, the only winners will be the rich (the NFLPA and NFL Owners) getting richer.

There’s no question that what these two sides are negotiating are very complex issues and reaching a middle-ground will be difficult. Something that both sides should consider while they are trying reach an agreement is remembering what they do have versus what many hard working Americans and football fans don’t have; keeping this in mind they should think about keeping things civil and getting back to business as soon as possible.

Come’on guys, get this thing figured out and let’s get ready for more football in 2011.


"It Never is What it Appears to Be"….

…"it’s always what it can be made to look like." The NFLPA may believe they have a working partnership with the NFL owners, but things aren’t always what they appear to be. It’s quite apparent that the NFL players take monumental risks every Sunday with their own well-being, but the NFL is a business and the Owners (it would appear) assume a lot of the financial risk.

As simple as it is for the players to make the claim that they are the largest component to the cash cow that the league enjoys, it occurs to me every year there are just as many players not playing. They might share the last names of Brees, Brady, and Manning, but I can’t imagine if given the opportunity any of them disappointing the average fan with their effort.

My point is simple, the owners are still the employers and the in reality none of the 1,800 or so NFL players are guaranteed their job, so in theory each could be replaced. While something like firing all 1,800 players at one time would not make sense or likely to happen, why would any of them believe they share a business partnership.

Consider this, all the NFL players whose contract expired following the 2010 season are not guaranteed to return to the league in 2011 and none of the current owners are inclined to sign any of them. If these players don’t get re-signed or employed with any teams in the future, what do they receive in this so-called partnership?

Just a question….

Please note I am just a big fan of the game and have enjoyed watching the Sunday gladiators play since I was a kid, never did I ever think we would have a Sunday in the fall without football. I do not have any special insight or privilege to any factual knowledge of how the league is operated, how the money is split, and how each team handle’s their day-to-day, but I do know the difference from night and day, hot and cold, and employer and employee.

This may be a $9 billion dollar industry, but I have never seen any special rules or laws written for big business of this magnitude. That is not to say these rules don’t exist, but if they did I would ask why both sides don’t just refer to them.

Could it be because “it’s never what it appears to be?”

This is just my take on the state of the league.

By David Ortega

MONDAY NIGHT HEADLINES

March 7th, 2011 Monday

MONDAY’S HEADLINES

CAM NEWTON SET FOR NUMBER ONE?
The early word was the Panthers would be looking for a defensive lineman in this year’s draft, but with the number one overall draft pick there are some sources suggesting the team could be targeting Auburn quarterback Cam Newton. Newton is truly a gifted athlete and has tremendous potential, after a 2-14 season it would seem the Panthers would need to do something to (if not win games) to sell tickets; usher in the Newton Era!

TALKS OF KEVIN KOLB TRADE SURFACING
ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that three teams could be looking to make a trade offer for Eagles quarterback Kevin Kolb. The Eagles’ backup quarterback seems to be quickly becoming a hot commodity which could make it difficult for the team to not entertain a deal; it’s sounding more and more like Kolb could be a starter in 2011, just not in an Eagle’s uniform.

DERRICK MASON HAS NO PLANS TO RETIRE
The Raven’s veteran wide receiver Derrick Mason says he has no plans of retirement this offseason according to Baltimoreravens.com. Mason underwent offseason surgeries which would indicate his intent of playing next season. Mason enters his 15th season in the NFL and at 37 years of age after completing one of his lowest productive seasons, he’s likely to play a much lesser role in the team’s passing game in 2011.

PLAXICO BURRESS SET FOR RELEASE IN JUNE
The former Giant’s receiver Plaxico Burress is set to be released from prison on June 6 this year; three and half months early. Burress, who has been in prison since 2009, will be eligible to sign with any team upon his release, but it seems like a stretch that any team might sign him before any camps open. At 34 years of age there may be some interest in him, but it’s hard to imagine Burress being anything than a last minute solution or injury replacement.

BRAYLON EDWARDS WANTS TO BE A JET
The play-making receiver enjoyed a successful 2010 campaign finishing with 53 receptions, 904 yards, and seven touchdowns. Edwards, a free agent, was a big part of the Jets passing game this past season and on Monday indicated he wanted to stay in the Big Apple. Since Edwards is a free agent, his status is likely to remain in limbo until the league and union conclude their talks and get a deal done; but a return to New York would seem better than sensible.

By David Ortega

TUESDAY FOOTBALL NOTES

March 1st, 2011 Tuesday

Tuesday’s Football Notes

Saints Fill Up the Middle
Should the NFL resume business as usual this summer the New Orleans Saints seem to be taking the necessary steps to make a possible return run to the big dance in 2012. The Saints have signed defensive tackle Shaun Rogers to a one year deal worth about $4 million. Rogers could have easily signed for more money elsewhere, but it appears he wanted to play in the Big Easy and have a legit shot at ring. Rogers can be a beast in the middle with great size and athleticism; if his head is in the right place and he comes ready this summer, he will give the Saints run defense a huge boost. Remember the Saints were knocked out in the Wild-Card round by Seattle this past season; the defense allowed 150 yards rushing in the loss.

Jets Release Many, But Expected to Keep LT
The Jets made some moves this week to free up some cap space, by releasing some big salaried players. Among those released include DL-Kris Jenkins, OLB-Jason Taylor, DE-Vernon Gholston, and OL-Damien Woody. It’s not a long stretch to think the team could bring back all four at reduced salaries, although Gholston could be iffy considered the top-10 draft pick has never amounted to much in the league since his arrival. With all the releases the Jets did decided to retain running back LaDanian Tomlinson, although at 32 years of age (when camp opens) he figures to enter his 11th season in the NFL as more of a 3rd down specialist. He will likely serve as a compliment to Shonn Greene, who is expected to assume more of a leading role in 2011.

NFL Won’t Have Winter Nest Egg
The Courts have spoken and it was music to the Union’s ear. A federal judge ruled on Tuesday that the NFL had breached parts of the CBA and would not be able to collect on a $4 billion stockpile of cash it was expected to receive as a result of the negotiated TV contracts. Although the NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league has planned for all contingencies, it’s hard to imagine this ruling have “no affect. For any business and even this league $4 billion is a great deal to let slide. Both sides are continuing their daily sessions with the deadline looming, hopefully this turn of events will at the very least give the two sides a cause for a moment of pause and reconsideration. C’mon guys, get’er done.


By David Ortega

FRIDAY FOOTBALL FIXX

February 25th, 2011 Friday

Friday’s Football Fixx

The Latest Moves Around the League

Redskins Expected to Release Portis
After missing as many games as he has over the past couple of seasons it does not come as a surprise to hear head coach Mike Shanahan hint the team could be parting ways with running back Clinton Portis. The former Redskins’ starter has missed 19 games the past two seasons and even when healthy he played banged up most of the time. After 10 seasons in the league it’s easy to see that Portis is wearing down. His future is likely a back-up elsewhere in 2011.

Rice High Priority for Vikings
Despite some conflicting reports concerning wide receiver Sidney Rice’s hip injury from a year ago, the team sounds intent on resigning the play-making wideout. Head coach Leslie Frazier indicated that there are no concerns about Rice’s health and that he is expected to be just fine. Rice led the team in receiving (receptions and yards) back in 2009, but in 2010 he played in just six games with just one game worthy of mention. If he’s healthy, he should return to the role of the Vikings top target, but if not the Vikings will have a big hole to fill.

Broncos Could Be Targeting Atogwe
According to some reports I am reading, the Broncos are interested in the former Rams safety Oshiomogho Atogwe. He was released by the Rams following the 2010 season largely due to the fact he was expected to earn an $8 million bonus. Although he was released by the Rams they appear to be pursuing his services as well as the Broncos. Defense has been the weak link in Denver, so it would make sense for the team to be showing interest. Safety Bob Sanders (recently released by the Colts) is another name that has come up in conversation, but I have yet to see any reports suggesting the Broncos could be interested.

More Notes…

Although nothing seems to be certain at this point it sounds like the Saints won’t be making any moves concerning running back Reggie Bush before March 4th. Bush is expected to earn a lot of cabbage in 2011, so it’s likely the two sides will sit down to restructure a deal or part ways. After missing Bush is going to stay in New Orleans, he’s going to have to take a big pay cut.

In Cincinnati the words I am reading indicate the team is making plans to move forward as if they won’t have quarterback Carson Palmer in 2011. That would be smart after Palmer has already come out and said he will retire rather than return to Cincinnati, if he is not traded. While the move to push on makes sense, the team should also start exploring the possibilities and advantages of moving Palmer rather than doing nothing; after a 4-12 season what could it hurt?

The Combine Starts Now

The Combine is already underway with day one including place kickers and special teamers working out on Friday, but with the rest of the participants ready to start showcasing on Saturday here is a recap of the Combine schedule….

What’s on Tap at the Combine for all players;

Day one:
Players travel to Indianapolis and go through registration once they arrive. On the first day -- pre-workout exams and x-rays -- then players move into orientation explaining what the week is all about. Following will be interviews with various NFL teams who want to speak with particular players.

Day two:
This day includes physical measurements of the players, some exams, media time, psych tests and then more interviews with NFL teams.

Day three:
This day includes a meeting with the NFLPA and after that, more interviews with NFL teams.

Day four:
Workouts on this day -- timing, stations and skill drills -- and then players will prepare to depart Indy.

General Player Schedule

February 23rd – March 1st, 2011

23th-26th
Day 1 Arrivals*:

Grp 1(PK, ST, OL), Grp 2(OL), Grp 3(TE)
Wednesday - Travel, Registration, Pre-exam & X-ray, Orientation, Interviews
Thursday - Measurements, Exams, Media, Psych Tests, Interviews
Friday - NFLPA Meeting, Psych Tests, *PK/ST Workout*, Interviews
Saturday - Workout (timing, stations, skill drills), Departure

24th-27th
Day 2 Arrivals*:
Grp 4(QB, WO), Grp 5(QB, WO), Grp 6(RB)
Thursday - Travel, Registration, Pre-exam & X-ray, Orientation, Interviews
Friday - Measurements, Exams, Media, Psych Tests, Interviews
Saturday - NFLPA Meeting, Psych Tests, Interviews
Sunday - Workout (timing, stations, skill drills), Departure

25th-28th
Day 3 Arrivals:
Grp 7(DL), Grp 8(DL), Grp 9(LB)
Friday - Travel, Registration, Pre-exam & X-ray, Orientation, Interviews
Saturday - Measurements, Exams, Media, Psych Tests, Interviews
Sunday - NFLPA Meeting, Psych Tests, Interviews
Monday - Workout (timing, stations, skill drills), Departure

26th-1st
Day 4 Arrivals:
Grp 10(DB), Grp 11(DB)
Saturday - Travel, Registration, Pre-exam & X-ray, Orientation, Interviews
Sunday - Measurements, Exams, Media, Psych Tests, Interviews
Monday - NFLPA Meeting, Psych Tests, Interviews
Tuesday - Workout (timing, stations, skill drills), Departure


By David Ortega