WHATS THE LATEST

February 2nd, 2011 Wednesday

What's the Latest

Tomlinson Sounds Like He'd Like to Be Back
According to ESPN New York, the Jets running back LaDanian Tomlinson sounds all on board to return to the Big Apple in 2011. LT experienced a very respectable comeback season considering how he finished up in San Diego. Tomlinson rushed for over 900 yards in his first season with New York averaging better than four yards per carry and showing plenty of burst at times. He also led the club with six rushing touchdowns during the regular season, but was notably the less effective ball carrier in the playoffs for the Jets. He’s a nice compliment and would be a great mentor for running back Shonn Greene who appears to be the future for New York.

Banged Up Steelers Trying to Get Healthy
The Steelers regular starting center Maurkice Pouncey did not practice with the team on Wednesday. The word on Pouncey’s status will be decided on Friday based on if he is able to practice. Defensive lineman Aaron Smith was limited Wednesday and looks to be a long shot according to some sources. Pouncey’s availability will have greater impact on Sunday, the Steelers have been without Smith since late October.

Belichick Wins Coach of the Year
Another stunning announcement with the Patriots head coach Bill Belichick walking away with the honors for NFL Coach of Year for the third time. The Patriots dominated the East and the NFL for much of the season finishing with the league’s best record of 14-2. This came after trading away one of their biggest offensive weapons (Randy Moss) and fielding one of the league’s youngest defenses. Belichick is truly deserving of the award for keeping the Patriots winning and marching on.

By David Ortega

MONDAY NIGHT HEADLINES

January 17th, 2011 Monday

Monday’s Headlines

Rodgers And Packers Taking Their Road Show To Chi-Town
On Sunday it was anything but a competitive matchup; the Packers jumped on the Falcons early and put this one to bed quick. The back-breaker came just before the half when cornerback Tramon Williams picked off Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan and returned it 70 yards for the score. The pick six came with just 10 seconds left in the half and pretty much took all the wind out of the Falcons sails (and there wasn’t much already trailing). With a halftime lead of 28-14 and getting the ball to start the second half, Aaron Rodgers and company wasted little time removing all doubt. This time it would be Rodgers who would add the exclamation point on a 12 play drive with a 7-yards scramble for six. The touchdown gave the Packers an insurmountable 35-14 lead and epitomized the play of Rodgers not just throughout the playoffs, but much of his 2010 campaign. Rodgers has been playing brilliantly all season, but just when you thought he could not play any better he has elevated his play to epic proportions. Since returning from his concussion in week 16 all Rodgers has done is defeat the Giants, Bears, Eagles, and Falcons (teams with a combined regular season record of 44-20). How he has done this; Rodgers has averaged 294 yards passing per game, with 11 touchdowns (including six in the playoffs), and just one pick. More impressively Rodgers and the Packers have won their last two straight on the road. This week they are on the road once again traveling to the Windy City hoping the show will go on; in two meetings with the Bears this season Rodgers has passed for over 500 yards, but has only two touchdowns.

Jets Spread Their Wings And Fly Past Patriots
Did no one see this coming? Maybe there were a few that sensed something big could be on the horizon, but really who believed the Jets would fly into Foxboro and dominate? That was the game that I saw; Tom Brady and the Patriots offense looked out of rhythm and ineffective most of the afternoon, while the Jets defense (5 sacks) had their way keeping Brady on his heels. While this game may have been hyped-up to be all about Rex (Ryan) versus Bill (Belichick), it came down to the two quarterbacks against the opposing defenses. This was one matchup where no one was talking about or expecting much from Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez, but in what Rex described as “one of the biggest games in Jets history” Sanchez showed up and delivered. The former Trojan was composed all afternoon under center and in the pocket making sharp throw after throw; Sanchez passed for 194 yards on 16 of 25 passing and threw three touchdowns to lead Gang Green. It was one of his best and most impressive performances of his young career, he was sharp, took care of the ball, and was a perfect complement to the Jets running attack; Sanchez finished the game with a 127.3 passer rating (his highest all year). Next week he’ll face a Steeler’s defense that he and the Jets defeated 22-17 back in week 15. As long as the forecast at Heinz Field does not call for inclement weather, Sanchez and Jets should have good visibility for flying on Sunday.

Mora Could Be An Interesting Add in Denver
Just on a side note, I think Jim Mora Jr would be a great fit in Denver. The Bronco’s defense has been suffering for a lot of years and maybe Mora doesn’t have quite the proven track record as a defensive coordinator, but I believe he’s a football guy with a lot of passion for his craft. I also believe he could be the right guy in Denver. The regime being led by John Elway has already taken a positive step in the hiring of John Fox. Like Fox, Mora can bring some of those same intangibles that this franchise is missing and needs; passion, fire, a fresh start. The defense has been through so many changes, but by bringing in a name like Mora the thought is maybe the team will stay with the program long enough to give it a chance to succeed. Right now Mora appears to be interested in the job (this according to NFL Network), but there is no certainty what direction the team will go or if Mora might take another offer. If the Broncos can sign Mora on as the defensive coordinator; not be a couple of bad moves by Elway, Fox, then Mora.

By David Ortega

LAST MINUTE TAKES

January 15th, 2011 Saturday

Last Minute Takes

Seahawks-Bears Matchup

This matchup could simply come down to one thing; which team can run the ball. The Bears have been playing exceptionally well this season, especially since the team has found more of a balanced attack.

Running back Matt Forte will be a huge factor in the Bears success today, something that he wasn’t in the first matchup since the team decided to settle with the pass (45 pass plays, 14 run plays). In today’s contest, the number of carries Forte sees will be direct portion to how successful the Bears will be; the more he runs, the better Chicago does.

On the other side, it will be paramount that running back MArshawn Lynch and Seahawks sustain some kind of run game today.; even if they can’t gobble up huge yards, as long as the Seahawks can stay away from obvious passing situations quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and the passing game can have success. The Bears don’t have a formidable four man rush and will have to blitz to get pressure. It will be a daunting task for Lynch and company to grind out some effective yards today; Bears finished the season ranked second against the run.

The Seahawks have had a nice run, but in the windy city their hopes and dreams of reaching the NFC Championship may just get blown away by a Bears teams looking to take their next step to greater heights.

My pick; Bears


Jets-Patriots Matchup

I must admit that I love head coach Rex Ryan’s cavalier attitude and swagger, but unfortunately he can’t use it on the field today. He’s going up against one of the best masterminds on the gridiron today. Ryan and company have been here before, but they have never met an opponent on such a roll as the one the Patriots are on.

During their eight game winning streak the Patriots scored more than 30 points in all eight. The more impressive stat about the Patrtiots winning streak is their lists of opponents that they rolled through on the way to winning eight; Steelers, Colts, Jets, Bears, and Packers.

Quarterback Tom Brady has been scintillating this season and near perfect with 36 passing touchdowns, just four interceptions, and a passer rating of 111.0. The Patriots (14-2) have looked unstoppable at times and near perfect this season. If the Jets are going to hope for the near impossible, it will take a colossal effort; the Jets will need to be perfect today.

This matchup may look one sided on paper and after all the hype, but the one thing to remember, the Jets have beaten the Patriots this season; they will need to play even better today than they did in week 2 to come out with a win in Foxboro today.

My Pick; Patriots

Just my take.

By David Ortega

FRIDAY FOOTBALL FIXX

January 14th, 2011 Friday

Friday’s Football Fixx

Seahawks Are Not Down and Far From Out
Sure it’s easy to say a 7-9 team hardly deserves a spot in the playoffs, but don’t think for a minute that’s going to stop the Seahawks from trying to complete the unthinkable. For quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and company the task it monumental, but considering where they are at the moment, it is far from impossible. Step one was completed last week when the Seahawk’s offense blew up for 41 points and knocked of the defending champions (Saints). This week is likely going to take a completely different type of effort; similar to the one they completed some three months ago back in week 6 against these same Chicago Bears. When the Seahawks get set to take the field on Sunday there is no one in this world that can tell them that they can’t go into Soldier Field, stuff the run, pressure quarterback Jay Cutler, and beat the Bears; they have already done that. It’s definitely easier said than done, and even more difficult to do it twice, but there’s no reason to think this upstart bunch from the Northwest won’t come ready on Sunday and believe they can take a second step closer to the ultimate dream of reaching the Super Bowl.

Packers Riding A Feverish Pitch
Just about a month ago it looked very bleak for Head Coach Mike McCarthy and his Packers; after consecutive losses to the Lions and Patriots in week 14 & 15 dropped the team to 8-6 and pushed their backs to the wall. With his quarterback Aaron Rodgers sidelined after suffering from a concussion against the Lions, their post season hopes were very much in doubt. That was about four weeks ago and since, Rodgers has returned to the lineup and led the Packers to three straight wins, including the two over the Giants and Bears needed to make the playoffs. Last week’s win over the Eagles made it very evident how dangerous this team really is; Rodgers finished the season 7th in passing yards (3,922) and his 28 touchdowns were tied for 6th in the league, with a reborn running game that carved out 138 yards on the ground last Sunday they look even more dangerous. The Packers were a pre-season favorite to win their division and go deep in the playoffs. They didn’t win the North (finished second), but they are in the playoffs and look primed to make their run. With a revamped run game, a tenacious defense, Rodgers and company look ready to storm the Georgia Dome and turn the lights out.

Steelers And Ravens Set For Clash of the Titans III
The battles are never pretty and there is never any love lost; for the third time this season the Steelers (ranked number one against the run) and Ravens (defense is ranked 3rd in points allowed; 16.9 per game) will take the field in a quest for gridiron supremacy. The last time these two teams met in the post season, it was quarterback Joe Flacco’s rookie season and the game was one he would like never to remember. Dick LeBeau’s (Steelers DC) defense did a number on Flacco, sacking him three times and forcing three interceptions. Flacco will certainly be hoping for different results this third time around; this being his third season in the league he has grown and should lots of maturity. In his two matchups this season with the Steelers Flacco has completed 41 passes of 70 throws (59%) and tossed two touchdowns with a pick. In the first meeting he was just sacked once, but in their last tilt the Steelers dumped Flacco four times. This matchup promises to be a heavyweight showdown of two terrific defenses (Steelers and Ravens), but if the Ravens have any hopes of survival at Heinz Field on Saturday, they must keep Flacco upright.

Injury News and Updates

The Ravens are getting ready for their big matchup with the Steelers on Saturday, but could have a less than 100 percent Ray Rice. The Ravens running back was seen vomiting at the team’s hotel in Pittsburgh Friday. There’s been no clear updates regarding his status and he was not on the injury report, but it’s still worth keeping an eye on.

The Patriot’s wide receiver Deion Branch (knee) was listed as questionable for the Divisional Round, but that sounds more like Bill Belichick being himself and keeping everyone in the dark. The local media has not given any indication that there’s any reason for concern. Branch has had two weeks to rest and should be ready for Sunday.

According to rookie tight end Aaron Hernandez, he says he ready to play Sunday. Hernandez has been out for the past three weeks with a hip injury, but it sounds like there’s no reason to believe he won’t play. He has played very well against the Jets this season and figures to be a key part of the Patriots passing attack Sunday.

The Seahawks could be without their middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu (concussion) on Sunday as he has yet to be medically cleared to play. With the early game on Sunday his window of opportunity is closing fast and his availability is very much in doubt at this point. His absence in the middle would be a huge loss in the run game for the Seahawks; Tatupu finished second on the team with 88 total tackles.

Just my views.

By David Ortega

MONDAY NIGHT HEADLINES

January 10th, 2011 Monday

Monday’s Headlines

It’s the Rex and Bill Show One More Time
I can’t say that I have been paying much attention, but it does not surprise me to hear that the Jets head coach Rex Ryan once again is doing a lot of talking; or just talking again. It’s an interesting ploy, but at this point I don’t see any deception or games being played. This matchup may be about the Jets and the Patriots, but it will come down to both head coaches (Rex Ryan and Bill Belichick) making critical decisions and out-thinking the other. With their players being the board pieces in this gridiron chess match, you have to give the edge to Belichick; with Tom Brady it’s like have two queens on your side protecting your king (Belichick). These two have already had a couple of classic battles this season with the Jets taking the first meeting in the Meadowlands (28-14) in impressive fashion only to be embarrassed just a couple of weeks ago in Foxboro (45-3). In a season where the Patriots at times have looked dominant and unbeatable, the Jets were only one of two teams that were able to complete the feat of knocking them off; can they do it a second time? Fans will have to wait until the Sunday finale to catch the next act of Bill and Rex’s excellent adventure.

Here Come The Pack
If they are a team of destiny, quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers are taking the long way to the top. Despite the tough road, the Packers have already passed their first tough test with an impressive win over the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles made it interesting down the stretch, but for more than three quarters this game belonged to the Pack. This weekend the Cheese-heads will invade the Georgia Dome to face the NFC’s number seed, the Atlanta Falcons; a team that defeated the Packers back in week 12. While you can not overlook the 13-3 Falcons and their 7-1 home record, the Packers and in particular Rodgers seem to be on quite a roll. In his past three starts Rodgers has looked very good throwing eight touchdowns with just one pick while defeating the Giants (10-6), Bears (11-5), and Eagles (10-6); not a bad resume. With the Falcons up next he brings one of the leauge’s most potent passing attacks (ranked 5th in the NFL) and now accompanied with a rejuvenated ground game; 138 yards on the ground against the Eagles. Rodgers had a strong passing day in the Packers loss to the Falcons in their first meeting this season, but with a balanced attack this time around the outcome could be quite different. Lookout Falcons, here comes Mr. Rodgers neighborhood and the Packers for round two.

By David Ortega

MY POWER RANKINGS (WEEK 12)

December 3rd, 2010, Friday

MY NFL Team Power Rankings
(Thru Week Twelve)


There are still a few doubters out there, but for the first 12 weeks of the 2010 season, no team has played better or been more consistent than the Atlanta Falcons. They are not perfect, but for the moment they remain on top of my rankings.

While the Falcons remain the cream of the crop, the Jets and Patriots remain on their heels by continuing their winning ways; of course that will end for one this Monday night. Mr. Destiny, Mr. Chance, and Mrs. Karma must all be football fans seeing as how the 9-2 Jets will be meeting the 9-2 Patriots on Monday night. And as if that wasn’t enough, how about a tasty appetizer on Sunday night before the Monday night main course with the 8-3 Ravens hosting the 8-3 Steelers?

This weekend’s action promises to be nothing less than exciting and will surely shake up the rankings. With week 13 Sunday set to kickoff in less than two days, here’s how I rank them;

Top 10
(Does not include Thursday’s game)

1. Atlanta Falcons (9-2): The Falcons are led by Matty “Ice” Ryan, as he is now affectionately known; Ryan has 19 passing touchdowns this season and has his team a perfect 6-0 at home. A balanced offensive attack and stingy defense (19 points allowed per game) has the Falcons looking to fly a long way.
2. New York Jets (9-2): The Jets and quarterback Mark Sanchez just keep finding ways to win, but a big test on Monday night could legitimize their recent efforts or cast a cloud of doubt over what has been thus far a pretty good run this season.
3. New England Patriots (9-2): The Patriots are starting to show some semblance of the early 2000 Super Bowl teams. With a huge showdown with the Jets looming, you know Brady and Belichick were made for these moments, but is their young defense ready for the challenge?
4. Baltimore Ravens (8-3): The Ravens defense is starting to grove with Ed Reed back, only 23 points allowed in the last two weeks. With Flacco starting to open up the passing game (295 yards per game the past two games), this week’s showdown with the Steelers could take on an aerial look.
5. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3): The Steelers dodged a bullet last week surviving in overtime, but a leaky secondary could be a problem in their week 13 matchup with the Ravens on Sunday night.
6. New Orleans Saints (8-3): The Saints keep chasing the division leading Falcons, but with four straight wins there is no slowdown to their chase. In the last four games the Saints are averaging over 29 points; they are starting to look like last season’s champs.
7. Chicago Bears (8-3): The Monsters of the Midway have returned to the windy city and the Bears defense has them sitting atop the north all alone. They will face a tough test down the stretch with games against NE, MIN, NYJ, and GB.
8. Green Bay Packers (7-4): The Packers stumbled last week on the road against a good Atlanta team, but they catch a bit of a break with the Niners in town this week. Packers don’t have the horses to run the ball (ranked 23rd), they will only go as far as Aaron Rodgers and the passing game (ranked 8th) take them.
9. Philadelphia Eagles (7-4): The Eagles coming into week 13 were still a dangerous team that present a lot of matchup problems for opposing defenses. With the win on Thursday night, the Texans experienced a lot of those matchup problems while the rest of the league was able to watch.
10. New York Giants (7-4): The Giants have hit a few bumps in the road of late, but a win last week moved them into a first place tie with the Eagles and now have the two on a showdown collision course rematch set for week 15.

The Rest of the league

• Kansas City Chiefs (7-4)
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-4)
• San Diego Chargers (6-5)
• Indianapolis Colts (6-5)
• Jacksonville Jaguars (6-5)
• Miami Dolphins (6-5)
• Washington Redskins (5-6)
• Tennessee Titans (5-6)
• Oakland Raiders (5-6)
• St. Louis Rams (5-6)
• Houston Texans (5-6)
• Seattle Seahawks (5-6)
• San Francisco 49ers (4-7)
• Minnesota Vikings (4-7)
• Cleveland Browns (4-7)
• Dallas Cowboys (3-8)
• Denver Broncos (3-8)
• Arizona Cardinals (3-8)
• Buffalo Bills (2-9)
• Detroit Lions (2-9)
• Cincinnati Bengals (2-9)
• Carolina Panthers (1-10)

MY POWER RANKINGS (WK 9)

November 10th, 2010, Wednesday

MY NFL Team Power Rankings
(thru Week Nine)



This season has been anything and everything in between, all but what most had expected. With teams like the Cowboys disappearing into oblivion and the Vikings scrambling to save their mortal football lives, we see new teams like the Chiefs, Buccaneers, and Rams finding redemption in 2010.

Still there are quite a few of the expected names near the top of my weekly rankings, with the Giants, Falcons and Ravens leading the way. The Packers and Saints who had slipped a bit are finally starting to look like the dominant teams many expected to see early in the season.

With week 10 ready to start this Thursday, here’s how they rank;

Top 10

1. New York Giants (6-2): Even though their resume of opponents does not look impressive, the G-men have over the past several weeks running their win streak to five. At present little brother Eli and company could be the class of the NFC
2. Atlanta Falcons (6-2): Matt Ryan and company have the birds soaring with a 4-0 home record this seaosn, coupled with a tough run defense ranked 6th in the league the Falcons appear to be real contender in the NFC. Thursday night they will be tested against the Ravens.
3. Baltimore Ravens (6-2): The Ravens and Joe Flacco have got the offense rolling averaging nearly 29 points in their last four games (3-1 in that stretch). Flacco has been superb since week three tossing 11 touchdowns with just one pick.
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2): The Steelers managed to hang on Monday night, but the North divisional matchups are always tough. With Big Ben in the saddle and the number four ranked defense overall, Pittsburgh looks like a favorite to take the AFC crown.
5. New York Jets (6-2): Their week nine win didn’t lack any dramatics, but it was far from impressive. However, their come-from-behind victory did show some resilience and maturity from the second year quarterback. It’s going to be a lot of fun watching quarterback Mark Sanchez in the second half.
6. New England Patriots (6-2): So much for being on top. There’s nothing like the student teaching the professor a trick or two, but you can bet Belichick and Brady will rebound and stay in the AFC hunt down the stretch.
7. New Orleans Saints (6-3): And just when you thought they were ready to relinquish their crown, here come Drew Brees and the Saints. After falling to 4-3, the Saints have responded with two consecutive and impressive wins. The Giants and Falcons better not stumble.
8. Green Bay Packers (6-3): They are probably the quietest 6-3 team you will see, although their defense has looked dominant the past two weeks. Rodgers was unstoppable last Sunday and if he gets it going, the NFC could be in trouble.
9. Philadelphia Eagles (5-3): With a healthy Vick under center, this team looks like a very dangerous team in the second half of the season, as evident with their impressive win on Sunday over the Colts. Are people in Philly asking, McNabb who?
10. Indianapolis Colts (5-3): The Colts suffered a tough road loss in hostile territory last Sunday, but with Manning at the helm they were in it all the way to the end. It’s been a slow start, but at 5-3 they are on tied for first in the South and will definitely be a player down the stretch.


The Rest of the league

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-3)
• Kansas City Chiefs (5-3)
• Chicago Bears (5-3)
• Tennessee Titans (5-3)
• Oakland Raiders (5-4)
• St. Louis Rams (4-4)
• Miami Dolphins (4-4)
• Washington Redskins (4-4)
• Jacksonville Jaguars (4-4)
• Houston Texans (4-4)
• Seattle Seahawks (4-4)
• San Diego Chargers (4-5)
• Minnesota Vikings (3-5)
• Cleveland Browns (3-5)
• Arizona Cardinals (3-5)
• San Francisco 49ers (2-6)
• Detroit Lions (2-6)
• Cincinnati Bengals (2-6)
• Denver Broncos (2-6)
• Carolina Panthers (1-7)
• Dallas Cowboys (1-7)
• Buffalo Bills (0-8)

MY POWER RANKINGS (WK 7)

October 29th, 2010, Saturday (late week)

MY NFL Team Power Rankings
(thru Week Seven)



It’s been a bit of a wacky first seven weeks with teams like Kansas City and Tampa Bay causing folks to take notice, but in the top 10 through the first seven weeks anyways there are still a lot of familiar faces.

Here’s how they rank;

Top 10

1. New York Jets (5-1): The Jets have the perfect balance of run and pass with great team defense. The winners of five straight look very tough as we near the mid-way point of the season.
2. New England Patriots (5-1): Tom Brady and Bill Belichick just find ways to win. With an offense scoring 30 points per game, the defense does not need to be dominant.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-1): Now that Big Ben has returned the offense has more big play potential. With a stout defense and hard nose running game the Steelers looked primed to challenge for the AFC title.
4. New York Giants (5-2): The Giants are now winners of five straight and are playing like the class of the NFL. With Nicks emerging as a force and Bradshaw leading the ground assault, the G-men look poised to wrestle the NFC title away from all takers.
5. Baltimore Ravens (5-2): The Bills exposed the Ravens shaky secondary mixed with some poor tackling last week, but a patented offense and a Ray Lewis on defense always makes this team dangerous.
6. Tennessee Titans (5-2): The Titans have been a bit of an early surprise this season sitting on top of the AFC South, but when you consider their 8-2 finish last year, should we be surprised? They are winning now and we have yet to really see Chris Johnson break loose.
7. Atlanta Falcons (5-2): Not so much a surprise, but definitely an impressive start for the Falcons. Their only two losses this season have come at the hands of teams from Pennsylvania, so if you’re a team from another state it could be a long afternoon on Sunday.
8. Indianapolis Colts (4-2): The Colts are a bit of a mixed look this season, at times looking dominant and at others looking exposed. Injuries could be adding up, but Manning keeps holding the offense together (2nd in the NFL).
9. Houston Texans (4-2): The Texans have emerged as a contender in the tough AFC South division, but a suspect defense (ranked last in the NFL) could eventually catch up to them.
10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-2): One of the surprises of the 2010 season has been the upstart Bucs, but their two losses have come to teams with winning records while all four wins have come against teams with a combined record of 8-18. It may be a bit too early to start tooting any horns.


The Rest of the league

• Kansas City Chiefs (4-2)
• Seattle Seahawks (4-2)
• Green Bay Packers (4-3)
• New Orleans Saints (4-3)
• Philadelphia Eagles (4-3)
• Washington Redskins (4-3)
• Chicago Bears (4-3)
• Miami Dolphins (3-3)
• Arizona Cardinals (3-3)
• Oakland Raiders (3-4)
• St. Louis Rams (3-4)
• Jacksonville Jaguars (3-4)
• Cincinnati Bengals (2-4)
• Minnesota Vikings (2-4)
• San Diego Chargers (2-5)
• Cleveland Browns (2-5)
• Denver Broncos (2-5)
• Carolina Panthers (1-5)
• Dallas Cowboys (1-5)
• Detroit Lions (1-5)
• San Francisco 49ers (1-6)
• Buffalo Bills (0-6)