October 31st, 2010, Sunday
Keys 2 Sunday
Week 8 Previews
Jacksonville @ Dallas
After losing their starting quarterback (likely for the rest of the regular season) and dropping their 3rd straight game to fall to 1-5, most teams would be left for all but dead. Such may be the case for the Cowboys and their 2010 season, but at least for one more Sunday there may be some light left at the end of their tunnel.
Today the Jags are in town and if the Cowboys hope to generate any kind of positive momentum and earn their first home win of the 2010 season, they will need to lean heavily on the ground game today. In order for Kitna to be effective in the pass game and take advantage of play-action, the Cowboys must put the ball in the hands of running back Felix Jones. Jones is averaging over four yards per carry this season and has shown great hands out of the backfield with 21 receptions this season. With great speed Jones also has big play capability and today he faces a run defense that has been victimized with five runs of 20 yards or more.
If the Cowboys are going to be victorious today, they will need to be proficient with ball security and move the chains on the ground. Quarterback Jon Kitna is a very capable back-up and will have to make a few throws today, but if the Cowboys can get the running game going this will open up play action and lead to success through the air.
Defensively the Cowboys will need to contain the Jaguars run game and force quarterback David Garrard to have to throw in 3rd and long situations. The Cowboys have not had great success this season slowing down the run, but if nose-tackle Jay Ratliff and the Cowboys defensive line can win some early battles this will give lineback DeMarcus Ware more opportunity to get to the quarterback.
This season the Jaguars have allowed 15 sacks and coughed up 11 interceptions through seven games. The Cowboys defense will need to bring lots of pressure and force Garrard and the Jaguars 23rd ranked passing offense into many mistakes. Pressure and takeaways will be key today for Dallas.
My Pick; Cowboys 27, Jaguars 17
Green Bay @ New York
Thus far this season, the Jets have been enjoying great success with a balanced attack and solid defense, but today they are going to have their hands full. With the Packers in town the secondary will be tested as will the Jets offensive line facing Clay Matthews and one of the league’s best pass rushes (22 sacks this season).
Fortunately for the quarterback Mark Sanchez and the Jets, they have the great pass rush neutralizer; their ground game. The Jets rank second in the league in rushing with nearly 160 yards rushing and over 32 rush attempts per game. If the Jets can find early success on the ground against the Packer’s 23rd ranked run defense, this will negate a lot of pressure from the Packers pass rush. When the Jets do have to throw protection will be a big key for success and so far this season the Jets “o” line has been solid only allowing nine sacks through six games.
Defensively the secondary is going to have its’ hands full with all the receivers the Packers possess. A big key for the defense will be watching for 1st down pass plays and shutting down the Packers run game (ranked 23rd). If the Jets can make the Packers offense one dimensional this is going to give head coach Rex Ryan a lot of liberties to bring a lot of pressure. The Packers are ranked 8th in passing this season with Rodgers under center, but his line has not been fail safe allowing 14 sacks this season. Pressure will be another key for the Jets success on defense.
The Jets should control a lot of clock with one of the best ground attacks in the league and touting one of the best run defenses they should be able to force the Packers into becoming more one dimensional. The Packers offense is too great to stop, but the Jets should be able to do enough to slow down their charge.
My Pick; Jets 28, Packers 21
October 29th, 2010 Saturday (evening)
What's the Latest
Some quick news and notes for Sunday
Brett Favre expected to start Sunday...
Despite the broken ankle and 41 years of age, it sounds like Brett Favre’s streak of consecutive starts will remain safe for at least one more week. According to some sports wires, the word is Favre expects to start after making it thru two days of practice.
Vernon Davis is listed as questionable...
The Niner’s tight end Vernon Davis has been nursing an ankle injury all week, but did participate in practice on a limited basis Friday. Davis did travel with the team to London, but remains a questionable play for Sunday against the Broncos.
Steven Jackson uncertain for Sunday...
The Rams star running back Steven Jackson (finger) returned to practice on a limited basis Friday. Jackson is nursing a broken finger, but has made it clear via twitter he expects to start Sunday. Even though head coach Steve Spagnuolo has not offered much on the subjects, it seems safe to expect to see Jackson on the field Sunday.
Pierre Thomas will not play Sunday….
The New Orleans Saints have already ruled out running back Pierre Thomas for Sunday night’s matchup with the Steelers. With Thomas and Reggie Bush likely out, Chris Ivory is expected to make his third straight start. 
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)
October 1st, 2010, Friday
MY NFL Team Power Rankings
(Week Three)
Here’s this week’s look at my top 10; not a lot of changes from a week ago. The Falcons creep into the top 10 at number eight with an impressive road win over the Saints. Sure they beat the Saints, but let’s not forget Hartley’s missed field goal that should have ended the game. Nonetheless, the Falcons scoot and the Saints drop. The Packers also fell on Monday night to what is starting to look like a strong Bears team. With Da Bears, the Steelers and Chiefs also remained undefeated with impressive wins last weekend. The Colts and Saints do not look quite as dominant as they did a year ago, but then again when we look at our top 10 here, everything really isn’t quite what is appears.
Here’s how they rank;
Top 10
1. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-0): Without Big Ben, the Steelers look like they just might be cut above the rest. A bruising ground game and punishing defense, sounds like the familiar ingredients to a championship recipe.
2. Chicago Bears (3-0): The Bears made huge strides on Monday night with a big home win over their divisional rivals, but this season still has a long way to go. Let’s not start hanging any championship banners, they still have to travel to Minnesota and Lambeau.
3. Green Bay Packers (2-1): The Packers did everything to give Monday night’s matchup away except hand the game over on a silver platter. Regardless of how much talent Green bay has, they will never overcome two turnovers, 18 penalties, and surrendering a punt return for six.
4. New Orleans Saints (2-1): The Saints have been walking the tight wire all season, averaging just 21 points per game and forcing a mere five turnovers in three games. Last season the Saints averaged over 30 points per game and recorded 39 takeaways; not quite the same as a year ago.
5. Kansas City Chiefs (3-0): It’s hard to just on this band wagon just yet, with two wins over the Browns (0-3) and the sinking Niners (0-3) that’s not saying a lot. They do have their season opening Monday win over the Chargers, but San Diego is not looking like much right now either. We’ll have to wait and see how the Chiefs do when they hit the road.
6. Indianapolis Colts (2-1): The Colts have officially rebounded from their week one embarrassing 34-24 loss to the Texans, with back-to-back strong performances for victory. In their last two wins, Manning and company have outscored their opponents 65-27.
7. New York Jets (2-1): The Jets have now got their ships flying straight with another strong division win this past Sunday. Led by the Sanchise, the Jets handled the Dolphins last Sunday night and looked strong in doing so; a huge improvement from week one.
8.Atlanta Falcons (2-1): The Falcons and their quarterback Matt Ryan just keep showing everyone why they are a team to reckon with. Their only loss this season came on the road and at the hands of the undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers and they only mustered three field goals in that game. Since week one, they have scored 68 points, including eight touchdowns.
9. Miami Dolphins (2-1): Despite the loss at the hands of the Jets, Tony Sparano has his troops playing and acting like winners. They look strong on both sides of the ball and they will continue to get better as the season progresses. The AFC East is far from being decided.
10. Houston Texans (2-1): The Texans suffered a tough loss last week to a winless Cowboys team, but a team that was much better than their 0-2 record. The loss exposed a few chinks in the Texans armor; a poor pass defense (ranked last in the league), no pass rush, and poor pass protection (11 sacks allowed this season).
The Rest of the league
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1)
• New England Patriots (2-1)
• Cincinnati Bengals (2-1)
• Baltimore Ravens (2-1)
• Philadelphia Eagles (2-1)
• Tennessee Titans (2-1)
• Minnesota Vikings (1-2)
• Dallas Cowboys (1-2)
• Seattle Seahawks (2-1)
• Arizona Cardinals (2-1)
• San Diego Chargers (1-2)
• Washington Redskins (1-2)
• Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2)
• Denver Broncos (1-2)
• Oakland Raiders (1-2)
• New York Giants (1-2)
• St. Louis Rams (1-2)
• San Francisco 49ers (0-3)
• Carolina Panthers (0-3)
• Detroit Lions (0-3)
• Cleveland Browns (0-3)
• Buffalo Bills (0-3)
October 2nd, 2010, Saturday
What’s the Latest
News from around the league
Drew Brees:
Reports are that the Saints signal caller may be sporting a knee brace on Sunday, but despite the brace he is expected to start as usual. Brees has thrown six touchdowns and passed for 856 yards this season.
Pierre Garcon:
The Colts wide receiver did not play last week with a hamstring injury and will not play this week either. Garcon did not travel with the team to Jacksonville and has been ruled out. The Colts receiver has just 4 receptions for 54 yards this season.
Calvin Pace:
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Jets linebacker has been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Bills. It has been reported that Pace did not even travel with the team to Buffalo. Pace has yet to play a snap in the regular season.
Andre Johnson:
The Texans wide receiver is doing everything he can to be on the field Sunday. According to AOL Fanhouse Johnson is receiving therapy to treat his ankle injury. Johnson has tweeted he fully intends to play, but it sounds like this is more likely to be a game-time decision.
Steven Jackson:
The Rams running back was limited in practice on Friday and has been receiving treatment for his groin injury. He is expected to be a game-time decision Sunday morning. If he is unable to go, Kenneth Darby is expected to get the start.
Ryan Torain:
The Redskins running back ran strong in week three and has moved up the depth chart to the number two spot according to a few reports circulating. There is also some speculation that Torain could see more action on the early downs.
Shawne Merriman:
The Chargers linebacker has been battling his lingering injuries thus far this season and is not expected to suit up on Sunday. Merriman was not a participant in practice on Friday and he has seen very little action this season; he has yet to record a sack.
Knowshon Moreno:
According to a few reports, head coach Josh McDaniels did not sound too optimistic about Moreno’s chances of playing Sunday. It sounds more like Moreno will sit another week with his hamstring injury and running back Laurence Maroney will likely get the start on Sunday against the Titans.
September 24th, 2010, Friday
Philadelphia Eagles: Making All the Right (Vick) Moves
It is amazing being a fan and observer of the NFL. After watching the conclusion of Sunday’s games in week two you could see the sharks circling the Eagles camp and getting ready for blood in the water on Monday.
Back on Sunday Mike Vick had just completed his first start under center since the 2006 season and led the Eagles offense to its’ first win of this young 2010 season. For some this may not have exactly been considered a great achievement, but considering the road traveled by Vick and the fashion in which he completed his task on Sunday it was something.
It had seemed only out of necessity that the decision to start Mike Vick in week two was made as the then starter, Kevin Kolb (concussion) was not available. No harm no foul or so it seemed, but following Vick’s performance on the gridiron you just knew the same decision in the future would not be made as easy. After all, Kolb was the heir apparent and a big reason why the team chose to part ways with former starting quarterback Donovan McNabb.
Even in week one after the impressive display by Vick, it would have been a difficult decision to make had there been a chance Kolb was available, but as it was the switch to Vick was made easy and without criticism; Kolb as hurt and Vick was healthy.
As the Eagles entered the third week of the NFL season, it was unavoidable; they had a daunting task and difficult decision to make. With all due respect, a difficult decision; I hardly think so.
Back in week one Kolb entered the season as the team’s starter, but this was based on what? The kid did show some flashes of brilliance last year in a couple of starts and even this offseason he may have even impressed a few of the coaches with his knowledge and grasp of the offense, but what had he really done. He has hardly had any time to convince anyone that he is the real deal and ready to lead the Eagles to the next level.
I am not knocking the kid here, while he obviously possesses skill and talent whatever anyone thinks or believe’s at this time is just conjecture. He still has to go out there and prove it. I am sure the coaching staff has great confidence in his ability, but what in a league where winning now is a necessity it’s hard to overlook the obvious.
Against the Packers back in week one, Mike Vick entered the game in the second half and passed for 175 yards and tossed one touchdown. Vick also scampered his way to 103 yards rushing leading the Eagles offense to 17 second half points. It was vintage Vick using his legs and his arm to create offense and excitement. If anyone had any doubts about whether Vick was back or if he was capable of playing at a high level once again, in week two he removed all doubt. Against the Lions defense Vick was once again impressive passing for 284 yards with a pair of scores and another 37 yards on the ground.
With week three looming and Kolb healthy, it’s really not a difficult decision for the Andy Reid and the Eagles. After Sunday’ win you could already hear naysayers in disagreement with Reid’s proclamation that Kolb was his starter; how could they sit Vick? It was surprising to hear the announcement earlier this week because of the sudden change, but should it really have been a surprise?
It’s quite apparent that the Eagles can see what they have and what they will get with Vick, while Kolb is still a work in progress with upside and potential. The decision to make the change to Vick is the right move for now. The Eagles must win now and in six quarters they can see what is quite obvious; Vick gives them the best chance right now.
The Eagles offense is definitely a work in progress with an offensive line that is a classic patch work job. In two games the line has been through many changes due to injuries and one of the results has been shaky protection. The Eagles have allowed a league high 12 sacks (4 more than any other team) and both Kolb and Vick have sustained quite a bit of punishment; another reason that favors Vick in the pocket because of his athleticism and escape-ability.
It may seem hardly fair that the team has decided to abandon the Kolb era after just 10 passes, but this decision is less about what Kolb did or didn’t do and much more about what Vick has done, can do, and will do for this offense. In two games Vick has been efficient completing nearly 64% of his passes while leading the Eagles offense to 52 points. He has also passed for 459 yards, tossed three scores, and rushed for 140 yards (very positive and impressive numbers) in just six quarters of football this season.
Kolb may be getting shelved for the time being, but it shouldn’t be a step back in his progress. He has a strong grasp, confidence, and appears ready to step in at a moment’s notice. He presents a very attractive safety net for Andy Reid and the Eagles offense should this switch stumble in the future.
While there is sure to be a lot of dissension with this decision (along with favoritism) there is no doubt that Vick is the right move for the Eagles (for now).
By David Ortega
September 24th, 2010, Friday
My NFL Team Power Rankings
(Week Two)
Here's how I breakdown my top 10. The Packers with their strong passing game led by Aaron Rodgers and an aggressive defense led by second year linebacker Clay Matthews look like the class of the league at the moment. The Saints are still a favorite in the NFC, but after they struggled some last Monday night against the Niners they take a step down. An early surprise has to be the undefeated Steelers who can make it three in a row on with a win on the road Sunday against the Bucs; and they can only get better once Big Ben makes his return in week six. The Chiefs and Bucs are nice early stories this season, but you have to question their early soft schedule.
Here's how they rank;
Top 10
1. Green Bay Packers (2-0): The Packers take the top spot with complete balance. After two weeks Dom Caper's defense leads the NFL with 10 sacks and the offense is ranked 3rd in scoring.
2. New Orleans Saints (2-0): The Saints are the defending champs, but after a shaky Monday win on the road they need to rebound with a strong performance on Sunday.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-0): What is scary about the Steelers start is they are out of the gate fast with two wins without their starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. How good will they be when he returns?
4. Chicago Bears (2-0): In two games Jay Cutler and the Bears passing game has fired on all cylinders. Cutler has passed for 649 yards with five touchdown passes and has Da Bears sitting atop the North with a huge Monday night matchup with the 2-0 Packers.
5. Miami Dolphins (2-0): Quietly and relatively un-noticed head coach Tony Sparano has his club sitting alone atop the AFC East at 2-0 with a big intra-division clash with the Jets on Sunday.
6. Houston Texans (2-0): The Texans are one of the hottest teams and have an explosive offense, but their Achilles heel could be a suspect secondary ranked dead last in the NFL.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-0): One of the biggest surprises this season, but also a benefactor of a weak schedule. Both of their opponents this season have yet to win a single game.
8. Kansas City Chiefs (2-0): Another surprise this season. The Chiefs could benefit greatly from their fast start and a weak division, but a weak early schedule (opponents record is 1-3) could be misleading.
9. Indianapolis Colts (1-1): Manning and company ran into a buzz-saw in week one falling to the Texans, but rebounded strong last Sunday against the G-Men scoring 38 points.
10. New York Jets (1-1): After a sluggish week one loss to the Ravens on Monday night, Sanchise and Ryan rallied the troops for an impressive home opener victory over the Patriots.
The Rest of the league
• Atlanta Falcons (1-1)
• New England Patriots (1-1)
• San Diego Chargers (1-1)
• Cincinnati Bengals (1-1)
• Baltimore Ravens (1-1)
• Philadelphia Eagles (1-1)
• Washington Redskins (1-1)
• Jacksonville Jaguars (1-1)
• Denver Broncos (1-1)
• Tennessee Titans (1-1)
• Oakland Raiders (1-1)
• New York Giants
• Minnesota Vikings (0-2)
• San Francisco 49ers (0-2)
• Dallas Cowboys (0-2)
• Seattle Seahawks
• Arizona Cardinals
• Carolina Panthers (0-2)
• Detroit Lions (0-2)
• Cleveland Browns (0-2)
• St. Louis Rams (0-2)
• Buffalo Bills (0-2)
Check back every week for my “NFL Team Power Rankings”
By David Ortega
