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