MLB All-Jewish Team

As a member of the Jewish Community, and an avid baseball fan, it was very interested seeing an article last week featuring Texas Rangers All-Star 2b Ian Kinsler. The article focused on Kinsler embracing his Jewish faith, and using the lack of history regarding Jewish Athletes as motivation. Very interesting stuff. After reading the Kinsler article, I did a little research and came up with the MLB All-Jewish Team. The selection processes for the team,which is compiled of 8 starting position players (NO DH), 1 starting pitcher, 1 main relief pitcher, and 5 other subs (two pitchers, and three position bench players) was quite simple. Annual and overall statistics and exemplary play (all-star games, gold gloves, MVP) was the main criteria, however personal views towards the players was definitely a part of the selection process. 

So, now, without further ado, the MLB All-Jewish Team.

Catcher: Mike Lieberthal (1993-2007)

Lieberthal, a personal favorite of mine, was with the Phillies for 13 of his 14 years in baseball. Needless to say, as I was growing up a catcher in Little League, Leiberthal is who I looked up to, making him an easy choice. Even with the personal flair, Leiberthal has the best career statistics of any Jewish catcher. His career .274 BA, 150 HR, 610 RBI's are all tops among MLB Jewish Catchers, with ex-Dodgers catcher Steve Yeager and current Astros catcher Brad Ausmus second and third respectively in almost all offensive categories.  While Lieberthal gets the starting nod, catcher is probably the most injury-prone position on the baseball diamond just because of the wear and tear digging 95 MPH fastballs and knee-breaking curveballs takes on the body, so a backup catcher is needed. I have to give that to Ausmus, with his defensive statistics are far better than both Yeager and Lieberthal.

Backup: Brad Ausmus (1994-Present)

First Base: Hank Greenberg (1933-1947)

Hammerin' Hank, one of two Jewish players elected to the HOF, was a pretty easy selection here. The only roadblock in his way was the emergence of current Red Sox First Basemen Kevin Youkilis (about to be voted to his second all-star game this year). However, since Youkilis has played over a season in the Major League's an another position (3B), he has accepted the position change and embraced it, giving 1b to the former Tiger.  In a carrer including a three year break due to involvement in WW2, Greenberg's 331 HR's, 1276 RBI's, and a .313 batting average in 11 seasons makes him an easy pick.

Second Base: Ian Kinsler (2006-Present)

Since Kinsler is the basis of this entire post, it's pretty obvious he is the pick here. In three seasons prior to 2009, his averages of .290, 18 HR, 62 RBI's are pretty good, but not spectacular. His 2008 season was cut off by a sports hernia, but he was good enough in the first half of the season to be elected to his first all star game at age 26. In 2009, he is picking up right where he left off, in which he is currently third in the AL in all star votes behind Mark Teixeira, and our third baseman on this list.  Kinsler, is probably the third best 2b in baseball right now behind 2008 AL MVP Dustin Pedroia and Philadelphia's Chase Utley, but he is far and away the best Jewish 2b of all time.

Backup: David Newhan (1999-Present)

Most of you readers may not know this name, but he's had a pretty decent major league career. The son of a Los Angeles based journalist has bounced in and out of the majors, and has just over 5 years of MLB experience. Newhan's best year was in 2004, when the utility man hit .311 with 8 HR's and 54 RBI's with the Baltimore Orioles. Due to the fact that Newhan is Jewish, has played every infield position in his career besides pitcher and catcher, and is currently playing for the team that I am currently interning for (Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs), Newhan makes this team as a backup.

Shortstop: Lou Boudreau (1938-1952)

Sadly, there are no present-day Jewish SS to speak of, so here's a blast from the past. Never really heard of this guy, but looked at his career stats, and they are decent. Oh yea, he's also Jewish, and his 106 RBI's in 1945 combined with his .355 average gave him star-worthy notoriety.  His career numbers of .295, 68 HR, 795 RBI's, and 1776 hits rank favorably among shortstops at that time period of baseball, and are definitely worthy of giving him the starting nod here.

Third Base: Kevin Youkilis (2004-Present)

Youkilis came up in the Red Sox organization as a third baseman, and didn't start playing 1B full time until 2008, so he has enough experience playing the hot corner to mark this territory for the Jews. After 2005-2007 gave him decent years in Boston, 2008 was truly an Elton John-like coming out party for Youk, as he hit .312 with 29 HR and 115 RBI's, good enough to get him him first all-star bid, and enough of a reputation to rank in the top five in the 2008 MVP vote. Now, Youkilis is about to be a two-time all-star, in which he ranks second in the AL in votes behind Mark Teixeira, and is one of the most complete players in the game of baseball.

Outfield: Ryan Braun (2007-Present), Shawn Green (1993-2007), Gabe Kapler (1998-Present)

Although this outfield creates a glaring defensive liability, you have to play with what you got.

LF: Ryan Braun

First will start with Braun, one of best young players in the MLB today. A converted OF after starting his career at 3B, he is still getting used to shagging fly balls. However, what he loses in bad routes to the ball he makes up with a strong-arm, ranking in the top-5 in outfield assists in 2008. All this, and we forgot to talk about his hitting, meaning his reputation as one of the most feared hitters in MLB. In his first two full seasons as a big league ball-player, Braun's .301 BA, and averages of 35 HR's and 102 RBI's in those two years has won him a ROY (rookie of the year) trophy, and given him a chance to participate in the 2008 All-star game in his second year. Besides Greenberg and Kinsler and a certain pitcher that we haven't named yet, Braun was the easiest one to pick.

CF: Gabe Kapler

Kapler has been the ultimate OF utility man. However, Kapler has played all three OF positions in his career, something Green and Braun have not done. Therefore, Kapler is this team's CF. Although he may be a little past his prime defensively,  Kapler is currently resurrecting his career as an OF/DH in Tampa Bay after bouncing around the pro's, playing for six teams, experiencing his best three years in 1999-2001, where he averaged 15 HR's and 62 RBI's for the Orioles and the Rangers.

RF: Shawn Green

Green, a 15 year veteran, was a everyday starter in RF for the Blue Jays, Dodgers, and Diamondbacks for over a decade. While the fielding was adequate at best, boy could this guys hit. And by hit, I mean 328 HR's in his storied career (especially offensively), with 40+ homeruns in three of those seasons, making him one of the best power hitters of his generation. While that generation makes the stats somewhat skeptical, by which I mean inflated or at least affected by the steroid era, there is no knowledge of Green taking performance-enhancing drugs. Green is a sure-fire starter on this team.

Backup: Ruben Amaro Jr. (1991-1998)

Amaro never was a starter in the bigs, but team's need someone who provides a source for team chemistry. And who better than Amaro, the current GM for the Philadelphia Phillies, to make his presence felt on a team in that manner. Amaro has experience, and knows alot about the game of baseball, or at least enough to sign soon-to-be all-star OF Raul Ibanez to the best Free Agent contract of the 2009 signing period. That alone gets him on this team.

Starting Pitcher: Sandy Koufax (1955-1966)

Might be the most famous Jewish professional athlete in any of the four major sports. While his demeanor can be questions, his statistical accomplishments are undeniable. His 165-87 career record was highlighted by three 25+ win seasons, three 300+ strikeout seasons, making him a three-time Cy Young Award winner. What could be even more impressive is Koufax's sub 1.00 E.R.A in 7 World Series games, in which his obvious penchant for big-game situations makes it easy to give him the ball to take the mound.

Relief Pitcher: Scott Schoeneweis (1999-Present)

While Schoeneweis doesn't have attractive stats to the eyes of most baseball fans, which include a career 45-55 record 4.91 ERA, there has got to be a reason by he has pitched in 517 games in his career, which ranks him in the top-10 among active pitchers in 2009. Even if that reason is hard to find, the fact that the guy is still coming to the park to pitch after the tragic death of his wife in May 2009 means he deserves a spot on this team.

Backup: Jason Marquis (2000-Present), Jose Bautista (1988-1997)

Yes, I know what you are thinking. While it may be surprising, and believe me, I have more than double-checked this, but Jose Bautista does in fact have a Jewish mother, making him a candidate to make this team. While his stats aren't eye-popping either, Bautista enjoyed a couple good years in the mid-90's (10-3 in 1993) as a long reliever with the Cubs and the Giants, a perfect component of a good baseball team. Marquis on the other hand has pretty decent stats, with a 79-70 career record, and has been a formidable mid-level starter since 2005, where he went 15-7 for the Cardinals.

So, that's the team. Here is the starting lineup (NO DH) and the rest of the roster. 

1. SS Lou Bourdeau

2. 2B Ian Kinsler

3. LF Ryan Braun

4. 1B Hank Greenberg

5. 3B Kevin Youkilis

6. RF Shawn Green

7. C Mike Lieberthal

8. CF Gabe Kapler

9. P Sandy Koufax

Bench: C Brad Ausmus

Bench: INF David Newhan

Bench: OF Ruben Amaro

Bench: P Scott Schoeneweis

Bench: P Jason Marquis

Bench: P Jose Bautista

Looking at the roster, the obvious weakness is the bench. Amaro and Ausmus are career .230 hitters, and Newhan can't maintain a roster spot in the bigs for a consistent period of time. Let's just say if this team ever plays a game, injuries to the starting lineup would be very detrimental to the team's production. Another glaring weakness is the closer position, as Schoeneweis is an effective reliever, but has never had closer stuff.  

As for strengths, Koufax could be considered on of the best pitchers ever in the game of baseball. He is the definition of what you call an "ace".The starting lineup, especially 1-6 in the batting order, is deadly, with all six hitters hitting around .300 for their careers. Placing Kapler and Lieberthal in the lineup was honestly a toss-up, with Lieberthal's one 30+ HR season in 2001 a testament to his power, and his .274 career average just enough to give him an edge over Kapler.

Readers, check out the list of Jewish Baseball players at http://www.baseball-almanac.com/legendary/Jewish_baseball_players.shtml.

Let me know what you think about the lineups/rosters through comments.

Enjoy.

RIP Harry Kalas

This is one of those things that no one can prepare for. Friends and family members die, death is a part of life, it happens. But, for an entire city along with millions of other people to feel that they all just lost a beloved member of their family for a person that have never met, that’s saying something.

Harry the K was special. Like Harry Carey, Vin Scully, Joe Buck (the older one), Kalas was the best in the business.  His trademark voice was directly linked to the Philadelphia Phillies from the time he stepped in the broadcast booth in 1971, to the time he collapsed prepping for one of the 162 games per year that he almost always announced.

Look at Harry the K, look what he’s done. First of all, he is one of the few people in the past and present day media that had the ability to make sentence fragments like  “it’s outta here” catch phrases.  In an age of broadcasting that has transformed in time to where ex-athletes (ex: Gary “Sarge” Matthews) use garble and sometimes even Ebonics as dialogue during games, there was Harry the K, using his years and years of experience and a signature voice to grace the Philadelphia radio airwaves. Honestly, he was and still is so respected, that no one even mentions that he turned over to the dark side (he did play-by-play for the New York Giants as recently as this seasons), which is almost worthy of being put in the witness protection program.

As some aspiring broadcasters like myself do, we witness those who are linked in the media to Harry Kalas everyday. Stephen A. Smith, Howard Eskin, both considered members of the sports media in Philadelphia, just like Kalas was for almost four decades.  Eskin and Smith are both Radio and T.V personalities respectively, who have gained notoriety and fame just like Harry. But that’s where the comparisons end.  While Eskin and Stephen A. Smith may be entertainers, they are not class acts like Kalas was.  Harry the K was broadcaster, as pure as they come, and a damn good one at that.

For those who don’t believe in a higher being, after today, I challenge that.  Good people like Harry Kalas don’t deserve to suffer, and hopefully he didn’t. He collapsed and passed away in his sanctuary, his cathedral, where the combination of the smell of green grass, ballpark franks, and overpriced beer made for a proper setting for the game that Kalas viewed so sacredly (To put this into perspective, this is like Ron Jeremy passing away in the grotto of the Playboy Mansion).

As far as we know, there was no cancer, no stroke, and no chronic health problems. Just another day at the office, his beloved game to broadcast, and as fitting of manner as there is, there he went.

   RIP Harry Kalas 1936-2009

Same Faces, New Places: Offense

With NFL Free Agency starting this month, we are going to see some perennial pro-bowlers moving to a new location via free agency, or a trade. Here is a list of premiere players that either are free agents or also may possibly be traded from the team that they are under contract from. This entry will be focused entirely on the offensive side of the ball, primarily the specialty positions (QB,RB,FB,WR,TE)

Quarterbacks

Arizona Cardinals QB Kurt Warner (Free Agency)

Possible Destinations: Arizona, New York Jets, Retirement

Projected Destination: Arizona

New England Patriots QB Matt Cassel (Free Agency)

Possible Destinations: New England, Minnesota, Kansas City, St. Louis

Projected Destination: New England (Franchise Tag)

Tennessee Titans QB Kerry Collins (Free Agency)

Possible Destinations: Tennessee, Minnesota, San Francisco

Projected Destination: Tennessee 

Cleveland Browns QB Derek Anderson (Restricted Free Agent)

Possible Destinations: Cleveland, Detroit, Minnesota, Kansas City, New York Jets

Projected Destination: Detroit

Other Quarterbacks: Jeff Garcia (Free Agency), Jon Kitna (Release/Trade), Marc Bulger (Release/Trade), Byron Leftwich (Free Agency)

Running Back

New York Giants RB Brandon Jacobs (Free Agency)

Possible Destinations: New York, Denver, Cleveland, Tampa Bay

Projected Destination: New York (Franchise Tag)

San Diego RB LaDainian Tomlinson (Trade/Release)

Possible Destinations: San Diego, Tampa Bay, New England

Projected Destination: San Diego

San Diego RB/Kick Returner Darren Sproles (Free Agency)

Possible Destinations: San Diego, Seattle, Cincinnati, Tampa Bay

Projected Destination: Tampa Bay

Other Running Backs: Larry Johnson (Trade/Release), Edgerrin James (Trade/Release), Derrick Ward (Free Agency), Rudi Johnson (Trade/Release)

Wide Receiver/Tight End

Dallas Cowboys WR Terrell Owens (Trade/Release)

Possible Destinations: Oakland, Jets, Chicago, Dallas

Projected Destination: Oakland

Arizona Cardinals WR Anquan Boldin (Trade/Release)

Possible Destinations: Philadelphia, New York Giants, Chicago, Baltimore

Projected Destination: Chicago

Cincinnati Bengals WR TJ Houshmanzadeh (Free Agency)

Possible Destinations: Philadelphia, Dallas, Chicago, Cincinnati

Projected Destination: Philadelphia

New York Giants WR Plaxico Burress (Trade/Release)

Possible Destination: New York Giants, Dallas, Baltimore, Seattle, Minnesota

Projected Destination: New York

Other Receivers: Owen Daniels (Free Agent), Antonio Bryant (Trade/Release), Bobby Engram (Free Agency), Brandon Jones (Free Agency), Reggie Brown (Trade/Release)

Catching Up

Sorry readers, this is my first entry in about 2 weeks or so. The super bowl came and went, and that other team in Pennsylvania came out victorious. Got to hand it to the Steelers, they played the most consistent football this year out of any team in the NFL, although the Eagles did beat them 15-6 in a week 3 barnburner. A big reason why the Steelers won is because of their team chemistry. They were a team without superstars. No, I'm not saying they didn't have stud players, like defensive player of the year James Harrison, or all-world S Troy Polomalu, they obviously did. But neither of them, or QB Ben Rothliesburger, fit the "superstar" personality that us viewers have become accustomed to through a portrayal from the media. No "Pacman" Jones or Chad Johnson antics, no Terrell Owens verbal squabbles with the offensive coordinator, quarterback, or anyone else who stands in his way, none of that. The Steelers were a classy team, who played hard, worked harder, and lastly were coached better, than any team in the league over the course of the season. They won, they deserved it, let's move on.

Some offseason news to get to. "Pacman" Jones got released. Looks like the Cowboys made there first correct personnel decision in the last decade. If they want to continue on the right track, they must release Terrell Owens.

The Pro-bowl took place last Sunday, like anyone cares. Larry Fitzgerald capped off probably the best month that any WR in the NFL has ever had, finishing with 88 yards and 2 Touchdowns. So, in a month span (5 games), Fitzgerald had over 700 yards receiving, and 9 TD's. Wow.

Speaking of Fitzgerald, his partner in crime and good friend, Anquan Boldin, is making quiet a ruckus trying to get out of Arizona. I understand Boldin, he feels he's getting overshadowed by Fitzgerald, so I really don't blame him. He's getting paid and treated like a second wide receiver, which in some ways is not fair because in my opinion Boldin is among the top 10-12 best wide receivers in the league, he's just playing along side the best player in his position (Fitzgerald). Look for Boldin to be traded or released, and here are some possible destinations to look for. Chicago, Philadelphia, Minnesota, Miami.

Last but not least, Brett Favre has announced his retirement..again. #4 called it quits today in an e-mail to Jets personnel. I believe, this time, he's really gone. He cited "level of play" as the reason for his retirement, and I have to agree with him. Sure, if Favre played this year, he'd be a top 15 quarterback in the NFL, maybe top 12. But that's not Brett Favre, that's not the level that we have been accustomed to seeing, or he has been accustomed to playing. If Brett bows out now, which he should, here are some of the career statistics we should comprehend. Favre is the current NFL career leader in Wins (169), Starts (269), Passing Yards (65,127), Passing Touchdowns (464), Completions (5,720), and lastly Interceptions (310) by a QB. Can't forget about his 3 MVP's, and 1 Super Bowl ring. Let it take time to set in, but in about 5 years when he is voted into the hall-of-fame on the first ballot, it'll be hard to argue that he was not the best ever at his position, with only the names Marino and Elway being mentioned in the same discussion.

Even though this is my first off-season entry, after the NFL combine, I am going to start going through all 32 teams in the NFL, and predicting what they are going to do come draft time. Until then, I'll be posting twice a week.

My top 10 best soundbites

Sorry readers, I've been pretty busy as of late. In fact, I'm still pretty busy, so this is why this entry is going to be short. Since media day of the Super Bowl has come and gone, it made me think of some of the memorable interviews in sports history. What makes these interviews memorable is that one soundbite that is etched into the minds of people when they think of the interview. So, with that said,  here is my top 10 list, comment if you disagree.

1. Indianapolis Colts Coach Jim Mora's "Playoffs!" speech

2. Arizona Cardinals Coach Dennis Green's "They are who they thought they were" rant

3. Philadelphia 76ers Guard Allen Iverson's "Practice" speech

4. Cleveland Browns TE Kellen Winslow's "Soldier" declaration

5. New York Jets Coach Herm Edwards's "You play to win the game" speech

6. San Diego Chargers QB Ryan Leaf's "Knock it off!" tirade

7.  Oklahoma St. Football Head Coach Mike Gundy's "I'm a man, I'm 40" speech 

8. ESPN show-host Jim Rome and EX-NFL QB Jim Everett brawl on live TV show over "Chris Everett" name calling

9. San Francisco 49ers Head Coach Mike Singletary's "Can not play with them, Can not Win with them, Can not coach with them" rant

10. Indiana Men's Basketball Coach Bobby Knight's "game-face" parody at a post-game news conference

Mock Drafts

So, with the Eagles bowing out of the playoffs this week, it's time to think of the future. Yes, draft day. The NFL draft may be over 2 months away, but still, their are plenty of mock drafts out there saying which prospects are going where. Personally, I do not think mock drafts mean anything until after the NFL combine, where the most rigorous of scouting usually occurs. What I have noticed from all the mock drafts out there right now is that they vary..alot. Take Penn State DE/OLB Aaron Maybin for example. Ever since the underclassmen declared for the draft just over a week ago, his draft stock in mock drafts has been as inconsistent as Andy Reid's play calling. Maybin is projected to go anywhere from 4th overall to 22nd, an 18 pick difference, something that would cost Maybin millions on his first contract. I'm not saying mock drafts are bad or stupid because they are not. They give football fanatics like myself some momentary entertainment throughout the football off-season, and some of them turn up to be knowledgeable. However, at this point of the offseason, they are not accurate, and at times, just look stupid.

Mock Draft Winners

Georgia QB Matthew Statfford (1st overall pick-10th pick)

Florida State DE Everette Brown (3rd-11th pick).

Wake Forest OLB Aaron Curry (5th-10th pick)

Mock Draft Losers

Ole Miss OT Michael Oher (5th-19th pick)

Penn State DE/OLB Aaron Maybin (4th-22nd pick)

Georgia RB Knowshon Moreno (13th-29th pick)

Snap Judgements

           11 days until the Superbowl, feels like an eternity. I know the title of this post might sound like a column on ESPN.com because, well, it is (Thank you, Don Banks), but I don't have much to write about so I am going to do it anyway.

          Looks like Hines Ward is going to play, he better if the Steelers want any chance in winning. Limas Sweed looks like a rookie, and Nate Washington is nothing better than a solid slot receiver. Without Ward not in the lineup, Arizona can afford to plan man-to-man defense on WR Santonio Holmes, in which CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie will draw largest straw to guard him for 60 minutes. However, with Ward in the lineup, Arizona will most likely play a 2 deep zone, in which Ward will be shaded by pro-bowl safety Adrian Wilson, freeing the middle of the field open for Holmes, who's 4.4 speed will be tough to contain in open space.

         Larry Fitzgerald is having a record-breaking postseason, but the emergence of RB Edgerrin James is the main reason why the Cardinals have been put up 25+ points a game in the playoffs against three good defenses. James is averaging close to 4 yards a carry in the playoffs, better than he has been in almost three years. The combination of the new and improved James, and Marion Barber-like clone Tim Hightower will most definitely give the Steelers alot to think about in the next 10 days, and maybe, just maybe, they will overlook a threat like WR Steve Breaston (1000 yard receiver). Don't count on it though.

Great hire by the New York Jets today in naming former Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan their head coach. He's been a tremendous defensive mind for the Ravens for the past decade or so, and putting him in charge of team who has a plethora of defensive talent such as S Kerry Rhodes and OLD Vernon Gholston is a decision that will Jets will be very happy about for years to come. The next question is...Will Favre be back? If not, watch for Kellen Clemens to be named the starter, and the Jets 1st round draft pick this season will be spent trading up for either Georgia QB Matthew Stattford or USC QB Mark Sanchez.

           Lastly, I would like to say that just one week ago, I predicted that both Rex Ryan and Jim Schwartz would be named head coaches by weeks end.  One week later, Schwartz went to the Lions and Ryan went to the Jets, so basically I am a genius. Kidding, but if I were to bet again, I would say that Herm Edwards is done in Kansas City by the end of the week, and Oakland will make their decision on who will coach the Raiders in the future. Tough to guess here, I'll take a shot with Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride getting the nod, with other possibilities being ex-head coaches Jim Fassel and Brian Billick and with interim coach Tom Cable also getting alot of consideration.

Championship Thoughts

24 hours later, and yet the pain has not subsided. The Eagles season is over, and the what if's still resonate inside the brain. What if the Eagles didn't come out flat in the first half? What if the Eagles defensive played like they did in the Giants game? What if pass-interference was called on the 4th-10 play that ended the Eagles final drive? There's many more, but instead of breaking down the game, here are my quick thoughts on the Eagles unfortunate season-finale, and oh yea, that other championship game.

1. Where were you Ed Reed?

2. Brent Celek, welcome to the life of a starting NFL tight end.

3. Get better Willis, that was one heck of a shot you took.

4. Big Ben would be the best backyard football player ever.

5. If the Pittsburgh Steelers ended up losing yesterday, WR Limas Sweed would have been run out of town.

6. Quintin Demps should probably learn how to make a form tackle before the next time he steps onto a football field.

7. I don't care what Peter King says, Kurt Warner is a hall of fame quarterback.

8. Larry Fitzgerald is the best vertical threat at the wide receiver position since Randy Moss when he played for the Vikings.

9. Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson got outsmarted by Cardinals offensive coordinator Todd Haley. Can't say that very often.

10. Speaking of Haley, that verbal dispute he had with Cardinals WR Anquan Boldin in the 4th quarter of Sunday's game was childish.

11. David Akers, your better than that.

12. Brian Westbrook's knee injury is far worse than we all know.

13. Edgerrin James has plenty of juice left in the tank.

14. Donavan Mcnabb and Brian Dawkins better be in an Eagles uniform at the start of next season.

15. The Steelers need Hines Ward to get healthy fast if they want to win the Super Bowl/

NFC Championship

Arizona Cardinals vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Players To Watch: Offense

Arizona Cardinals

: QB Kurt Warner (4583 passing yards,  30 TD's)

: WR Larry Fitzgerald (96 receptions, 1431 yards, 12 TD's)

: WR Anquan Boldin ( 89 receptions, 1038 yards, 11 TD's)

: WR Steve Breaston (77 receptions, 1006 yards, 3 TD's)

: RB Edgerrin James ( 514 yards, 3 TD's)

Philadelphia Eagles

: QB Donavan Mcnabb (3916 yards, 23 TD's)

: RB Brian Westbrook (1338 all-purpose yards, 14 TD's)

: RB Correll Buckhalter (703 all-purpose yards, 4 TD's)

: WR DeSean Jackson (62 receptions, 912 yards, 2 TD's)

Players to Watch: Defense

Arizona Cardinals

: DT Darnell Dockett (49 tackles, 4 sacks)

: LB Karlos Dansby (119 tackles, 4 Sacks, 2 FF)

: S Adrian Wilson ( 75 tackles,  2.5 sacks, 2 FF, 2 INT's)

: CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (42 tackles, 4 INT's, 1 TD)

: CB Antrel Rolle (89 tackles, 1 INT)

Philadelphia Eagles

: DE Trent Cole (77 tackles, 9 sacks, 2 FF)

: LB Stewart Bradley (108 tackles, 1 sack, 1 FF, 1 INT)

: CB  Asante Samuel (35 tackles, 4 INT's, 1 TD)

: S Brian Dawkins (75 tackles,  3 sacks, 6 FF, 1 INT)

: S Quintin Mikell (93 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 FF, 3 INT's)

5 Matchups to Watch

1. DeSean Jackson vs. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie

2. Larry Fitzgerald vs. Asante Samuel

3. Kurt Warner vs. Eagles Blitz

4. Brian Westbrook vs. Darnell Dockett

5. Anquan Boldin vs. Sheldon Brown

Pick

Eagles 27-21

AFC Championship

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens

Players To Watch: Offense

Pittsburgh Steelers

: QB Ben Rothliesberger (3301 yards, 17 TD's)

: RB Willie Parker (791 yards, 5 TD's)

: WR Hines Ward ( 81 catches, 1043 yards, 7 TD's)

: WR Santonio Holmes ( 55 catches, 821 yards, 5 TD's), Also Punt Returner

Baltimore Ravens

: QB Joe Flacco ( 2971 yards, 14 TD's)

: RB LeRon Mclain ( 902 yards, 10 TD's)

: RB Willis McGahee ( 677 Yards, 7 TD's)

: WR Derrick Mason (80 catches, 1037 yards, 5 TD's)

Players To Watch: Defense

Pittsburgh Steelers

: DE Lamarr Woodley (60 tackles,11.5 sacks, 2 FF)

: LB James Harrison (101 tackles, 16 sacks, 7 FF, 1 INT)

: LB James Farrior ( 133 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 1 FF)

: S Troy Polumalu (73 tackles, 7 INT's)

Baltimore Ravens

:  DT Haloti Ngata (55 tackles, 1 sack, 2 INT's)

:  LB Ray Lewis (117 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 2 FF, 3 INT's)

:  LB Terrell Suggs (68 tackles, 8.0 sacks, 2 FF, 2 INT's)

:  S Ed Reed ( 41 tackles, 1 FF, 9 INT's, 2 TD's)

Matchups To Watch

1. Willie Parker vs. Ray Lewis

2. Ben Rothliesberger vs. Ed Reed

3. Hines Ward vs. Bart Scott

4. Joe Flacco vs. Pittsburgh pass rush (Harrison, Farrior, Woodley)

5. Le'Ron Mclain vs. James Harrison

Pick

20-13 Pittsburgh

Quick Thoughts

Since Friday and Saturday's post will be dedicated towards analyzing the two conference championship games, here is my only post of the week directed towards the other 28 teams who will not be playing this week. Here's some news that you may/may not have seen.

: Denver's hiring of Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels as head coach was very, very smart. You may argue that at 32 years of age, McDaniels may not be able to gain control of a locker room that features a handful of players that are older than him. That may be true, time will tell, but we do know that McDaniels has a tremendous offensive mind and has 6 years of experience under a guy name Belicheck. McDaniels already made one great decision, in which bringing ex-49ers head coach and defensive mastermind Mike Nolan in as his defensive coordinator. The combination of the two has the potential to be great.

: Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford has decided to stay at Oklahoma for his junior year, sorry Detroit

: 3 of the leaders on the New York Giants have gone one the record saying that they want Plaxico Burress back in a Giants uniform next year. They may want to re-think that, as they are talking about a guy who has missed up to 40 team meetings, threatened sitting out due to a contract dispute, and last but not least shot himself in the leg, in the middle of a nightclub, with a gun that was not registered to him. Talk about a cancer.

: In the next week, don't be surprised if defensive coordinators Rex Ryan (Baltimore) and Jim Schwartz (Tennessee) get a promotion from another team and a significant raise that comes with the title of "head coach".

: These LT trade rumors are nuts. San Diego should start treating LT like the hall of famer is his, and not a career journeyman

Divisional Round Recap

Another round in the NFL playoffs finished, another week the shock waves keep on coming. 3 of the 4 teams who won this week were the away team. That means three of the four teams who lost had a first-round bye, and were most likely the odds-on leader to make it to the superbowl. This right here is a clear representation on how the teams who win in the playoffs are the teams that are playing well at the best at the present time, not the best throughout the season. The Steelers proved it 2 years ago, the Giants proved it last year, and the Eagles and Ravens (also the Cardinals) are proving it this year. However, the 2008-2009 playoffs bring something extra. Both number one seeds were knocked out of playoff contention this weekend in the divisional round, the first time that has happened in NFL history. Here are some weird things to consider about the 4 teams remaining in playoffs.

 NFC Championship: Arizona Cardinals vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Arizona Cardinals: Lost 47-7 to the New England Patriots this season, a team who did not even make the playoffs in the AFC (although they did finish 11-5).

Philadelphia Eagles:  Tied the 4-11-1 Bengals this season, and lost twice to the Washington Redskins, a team who did not make the playoffs in the NFC.

AFC Championship: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens

Pittsburgh Steelers: Beat the Ravens twice by a combined 7 points.

Baltimore Ravens: Their 5 losses have all been against playoff teams.

Head to Head Matchups between the teams

1. Steelers beat the Ravens by scores of 13-9 and 23-20 

2. Eagles beat the Steelers 15-6

3. Ravens beat the Eagles 36-7

4. Eagles beat the Cardinals 48-20

So who's the favorite to make it to the Superbowl? Furthermore, who's going to win it? 

My predictions to come this week.

2008-2009 Playoff Prediction Record: 6-2

Quick Predictions

It's late and I haven't done this, but here are my predictions for this weeks Divisional Round. 

AFC

Baltimore Ravens at Tennessee Titans

Pick: Ravens 13-10

San Diego Chargers at Pittsburgh Steelers

Pick: Steelers 24-13

NFC

Arizona Cardinals at Carolina Panthers

Pick: Panthers 28-17

Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants

Pick: Eagles 24-20

Coaching Predictions

When the season ended, 3 coaches were fired on the spot.  That opened up coaching vacancies for the New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, and the Detroit Lions. The Oakland Raiders and St. Louis Rams jobs were already open due to firings mid-season, and combined with the surprise firing of Mike Shannahan from the Broncos, that leaves six coaching jobs up in the air to date. With the Cleveland Browns set to hire Eric Mangini, here's who I think will fill the 5 jobs that are left.

Oakland Raiders

Projected Coach: Tom Cable

Why: Yes, this is the same guy who was the interim coach for the Raiders this season when Lane Kiffin was fired. The team went 3-3 in their last 6 games, two of them being on the road in tough environments (TB was 6-1 before their loss). Cable is a hard-nose coach, who likes being able to make decisions. That may not sit well with Oakland Owner Al Davis, who I couldn't even begin to understand what goes on in his brain, but facts are facts. Not many candidates want to go to Oakland because of Davis, and Cable wants the job.

Sleeper(s): Ravens Defensive Coordinator Rex Ryan

Denver Broncos

Projected Coach: Steve Spanguolo

Why: For 14 years, the Denver Broncos were lead by offensive-minded coach Mike Shannahan. Now, after two straight years of not making the playoffs, and the Broncos ranking 30th in the NFL in team defense, it seems like Denver needs to move in a different direction. A defensive-minded coach here would be the fit, and the best candidate in that regard is Spanguolo, who has done wonders for that Giants Defense. The Broncos have some talent here with players like Champ Bailey, D.J Williams, Dre' Bly, and Elvis Dumervill, and some good coaching will be able to resurrect this unit, and hopefully the team.

Sleeper(s): Titans Defensive Coordinator Jim Schwartz

St. Louis Rams

Predicted Coach: Jim Haslett

Why: Another interim coach this season. For the Rams though, Haslett did not have good results. After winning his first two games, the Rams lost their last 8. However, it seems like the players enjoyed playing for Haslett enough that they want him back. At the end of the season, at least 20 members of the Rams team signed a petition to have Haslett retain his job. In the end, it's all about the players, and Haslett is historically a players coach, and was once considered an offensive genius. I think he stays here.

Sleeper(s): Patriots Offensive Coordinator Josh Mcdaniels

Detroit Lions

Predicted Coach: Who knows?

Why: Who the hell would want to take over a team that just finished a season winless, and has lost 22 straight games dating back to the 2007 season. They need so much help on both sides of the ball, it's impossible to guess what direction they are heading.

Names to Consider: Stanford Head Coach Jim Harbaugh, Cowboys Offensive Coordinator Jason Garrett, Vikings Defensive Coordinator Leslie Frazier

New York Jets

Predicted Coach: Brian Schottenheimer

Why: As the team's offensive coordinator, and the son of coaching legend Marty Schottenheimer, Brian has a great football background, and a great Jets background. He knows the team, knows the players, and apparently had a good enough interview to be named the frontrunner for the job according to cnnsi.com on Thursday.

Sleeper(S): Ex-Ravens coach Brian Billick, Arizona Offensive Line coach Russ Grimm, Rex Ryan

 

The Perfect NFL Team

Watching the playoffs this week got me thinking. What would be the perfect NFL team? What players would it consist of? Well I figured out that it wouldn't just be the best players at each position to date. Alot of factors would have to be considered. Of course, talent is most important. However, age, durability, salary, skill set, role that the player would play on the team, are also very important when compromising a team, because as the Dallas Cowboys have shown, a team of all superstars don't always win championships. So, here's my team.

Coach: John Harbaugh

With football in his blood (both his dad and brother were NFL players, and head coaches at the college level), Harbaugh has a tremendous football background. He's young, so he understands the way football is played now, and has a distinct knowledge of quarterback and special teams play, the two things that if done right, will win you games in the NFL

QB: Jay Cutler (Backup: Brian Greise)

Cutler is young (24 years old), and quite frankly, has the tools to become one of the greats in the game. He has a rocket arm, good size, great football IQ, and already has one pro-bowl under his belt. His 2.3 million salary is a steal with the skills that Cutler possesses. With good coaching from Harbaugh, Cutler will learn that quarterback play is done best on the field, not through the media. Griese is a good backup who is older than Cutler, but the two have similar traits in their tendencies of throwing the ball downfield, and the offensive playbook would go on without a hitch if Cutler were to be hurt and Greise was put in.

RB: DeAngelo Williams (Backup: Derrick Ward)

After rushing for over 1,500 yards and 20 TD's this season, Williams can be considered one of the premiere backs in this league. What's even better is that he's only 25 years old, and every year that he's been in Carolina, he's split carries with another running back, so injuries are not a concern. The best, he's only being paid a shade over 2 million a year. Ward is a great backup to Williams because they both have contrasting styles, and Ward is my team's thunder as Williams is my team's lightning, not to mention Ward rushed for over 1,000 yards this year as a backup.

WR: Anquan Boldin, Greg Jennings, Wes Welker

These three wide receivers are all extremely talented, and each bring something different to the table when compromising a team.  Well, first of all, they are all young, each of them under the age of 30. Secondly, each are relatively cheap, with Welker and Boldin earning about 4 million a year, and Jennings being an incredible bargain at about 750,000 dollars per year. Last but not least, the combination of their skill sets makes them a dangerous group. Boldin is the definition of a possession receiver with great run-after-the-catch ability, Jennings is one of the league's best deep threats, and Welker has found his true calling as the leagues' best slot receiver. 

TE: Owen Daniels (Backup: Kevin Boss)

An incredible bargain at less than a million dollars per year. Daniels ranked 4th amongst NFL TE's in receiving  yards behind Tony Gonzalez, Jason Witten, and Dallas Clark. The difference is the three players above Daniels are both older than him and are being paid 4 times as much. Boss is a great backup to Daniels because of what Daniels lacks in the blocking department, Boss makes up for with his offensive lineman presence at 6'5 265 pounds.

OL: David Diehl, Alex Barron, Jamal Jackson, Steve Hutchinson, Flozell Adams

A line that has youth, experience, strength and finesse all in one. Barron and Diehl are tremendously talented and both under the age of 27, and for their age and skill-level (Diehl is a pro-bowler) just over 2 million for each isn't very bad.  Adams is a pro-bowl caliber player who is experienced, and is being paid like a veteran, reserve offensive lineman (3 million a year). Basically, Hutchinson is the best at his respective position in the league, so it's hard not to takehim. Jackson is a young an up and coming Center, and his 1.5 million dollar salary is downright cheap.

DL: Justin Tuck, Darnell Dockett, Kevin Williams, Lamarr Woodley

Year after year, Williams is a pro-bowler, and is only 28 years old with no injury history. He is also making just a shade over 3 million dollars a year, the same amount as Darnell Dockett, who is 4 years younger and just had his first impact season, being a pro-bowl reserve. Tuck is 25 years old, and just had 12.0 sacks this year. His 2.5 million makes him almost as much of a bargain as Lamarr Woodley at his 800,000 thousand dollars a year. Woodley, a second year pro, had 11.0 sacks this year, and made tremendous strides in becoming a full-time starter in this league.

LB: James Harrison, Stewart Bradley, DaMarcus Ware

Harrison and Ware were #1 and #2 in the defensive player of the year voting, Harrison won, but both are under 30 years old, and are being paid less than 3 million dollars a year. Bradley, a second year pro,  was a full-time starter for the first time this season, and anchored an Eagles defense that ranked 3rd in the league by leading the team in tackles, while only making a mere 500,00o dollars a year.

CB: Antonio Cromartie, Brandon Mcdonald (Nickel Corner: DeAngelo Hall)

When people read this, they may think "Who the hell is Brandon Mcdonald?". Well, for all Eagles fans, he was the Cleveland Browns CB who snagged a Donavan Mcnabb pass intended for Hank Baskett in the end zone one handed, ran the ball back 96 yards, only to get caught by Baskett on the five yard line. Mcdonald had 7 INT's this year, which is good for 4th in the league, and is only making 500,000 dollars a year. Cromartie, on the other hand, most of all football fans know with his acrobatic interceptions, and his 10 INT pro-bowl season last year in his rookie season. That makes him a good deal at 1.7 millon a year. A humbled, but still young and talented DeAngelo Hall is a great deal for what the Redskins signed him at this year at just over 800,000.

S: Nick Collins, Ed Reed

If you read my last post, you understand my selection for Reed. As I said before, he is the best safety in the league right now, maybe of all time. He's 28, and his 3.5 million a year ranks 14th among safeties in the league. Sounds like a good deal to me. Collins is a poor-man's Ed Reed. Well, it's good that being a poor-man's Reed will send you to the pro-bowl. Collins had 7 INT's this year, 3 of them returned for touchdowns (see why I make the comparison to Reed), and his youth (he's only 24) and cheap price (900,000), he is a great selection.

K: Rod Bironas

Bironas has been an example of solid kicking in his 3 years as a starter, making over 84% of his field goals, and going to the pro-bowl once. Kickers don't have to be young, and his 700,000 dollars is relatively cheap for a kicker, not to mention one of his caliber.

P: Sav Rocca

I might be a fan, but honestly, I don't follow punters as much as I hope. I know a few, but the few I know are good, and get paid that way (Hunter Smith, Brian Moorman, Shane Lechler, Mike Scifres). Rocca, I know because he's on the Eagles, and is a decent punter. He also makes the veterans minimum at just about 400,000 dollars a year. 

Kick and Punt Returner: Leon Washington 

Washington along with Darren Sproles are the two most electrifying players outside of Devin Hester in the league. Washington is 25, has breakout special teams skills, running back potential, and is a relative bargain at 550,000 dollars.

So, to let you know how this all works out. The NFL salary cap is 116 million dollars per team. Most teams hover around the 90 million dollar mark to account for draft picks in the upcoming season. That is for the 53-man roster, and the 7 players on the practice squad. That means 60 players have to be accounted for. For the 30 players I mentioned, they accounted for 53,052,000 dollars. That means, to be at the 90 million dollar mark, I would have to pay an average of 1,233,333 dollars for each of my 30 other reserves that I did not mention. Reserves don't cost that much, so I think I did pretty good with that. 

Let me know what you all think about this, and if you have any changes, let me know by posting a comment.

Observations from Wildcard Weekend

Well, wildcard weekend is over. Out of the four games, I predicted 3 correctly. No REAL BIG surprises. The Ravens defense perplexed Chad Pennington and the Dolphins offense like expected, and the Eagles made enough plays on both sides of the ball to beat the Vikings as anticipated.  While most people picked the Colts to win, I did not, as I felt the Chargers, not the Colts, were the hottest team in the AFC going into the playoffs. They proved it. Now, the only surprise to me came in the Arizona-Atlanta showdown. While it was a high-scoring affair like I projected, it didn't happen the way I thought. Arizona actually stopped the run (for what it seemed like the first time all season), and Edgerrin James finally played a big role in the Cardinals offense, carrying the ball for 73 yards on 16 carries. Besides this, here are some quick thoughts on Wildcard weekend.

1. Larry Fitzgerald may have the best hands in Football

For this coveted title among NFL wide receivers, there are many candidates. Randy Moss, Andre Johnson, Wes Welker, and Fitzgerald is making a strong case for himself, especially in the Atlanta game Saturday night. For a wide receiver who has always been a threat for the deep ball, Fitzgerald made possibly one of the best catches in his career on his 42 yard touchdown in the first quarter in the game vs. the Falcons.  Amidst double coverage, Fitzgerald snatched the ball out of mid air, while falling backwards, and secured the ball before bracing himself for a hit by Atlanta S Lawyer Malloy. Among wide receivers with over 1,000 yards receiving, Fitzgerald has the least amount of drops, and his route running is just improving, since he is only 25 years old.

2. While it may have been humbling, a playoff loss was good for Matt Ryan

Yes, its tough to say right now that a playoff loss can be good for a 23 year-old rookie quarterback. But, in my opinion it was. For the past 4 weeks, and especially in the Arizona game as Ryan gained confidence throwing the ball, he has developed some bad habits, typical with most rookie quarterbacks. It was clear that Ryan was tipping off some of his passes by staring down his receivers throughout their route, a pattern observed by NBC's announcers after Ryan threw a first quarter interception to Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. The NFL is a humbling game, and after looking at this game's film, a studious Ryan will work hard throughout the offseason to get rid of that tendency.

3. Adrian Peterson may not be the best all-purpose back..on his own team.

Adrian Peterson is a tremendous talent. His rushing total for the first two years of his career ranks 4th all time. His breakaway speed, and lateral quickness is the best in the league hands down for a running back. However, being a running back is much more than running the ball. It was Peterson who struggled with pass protection so badly in the first quarter against the Eagles, that backup Chester Taylor was in for most passing down for the ladder part of the game. Taylor is also a much better receiver out of the backfield than Peterson, and his north-south running style better suited the Vikings in their stretch run for the 2008 season. Peterson also has a well-documented fumbling problem, as his 9 fumbles this season was tops among NFL running backs. Peterson is a pro-bowl back, hands down, but Taylor might just be the better all around back. 

4. Next to the Ravens, the Eagles defense may be the best in the NFL

People who read this might think that my Philadelphia bias is the reason for all my illogical thoughts but think about this. The common belief in the NFL is that the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Tennessee Titans are the 3 best defenses in the playoffs, let alone the NFL. Statistically though, the Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Baltimore Ravens are the only team defenses in the NFL that are in the top 5 in fewest yards given up on the ground (Steelers 1st,Ravens 2nd, Eagles 4th) and through the air (Steelers 1st, Ravens 2nd, Eagles 3rd), in which in both categories, the Eagles are better than the Titans. Even with the statistics, I still to believe RIGHT NOW the Eagles defense is better than the Steelers. In week 3, the Eagles beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in a defensive battle by a score of 15-6, a game where the Eagles outperformed the Steelers defense to a tune of 8 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and two INT's. Also, at the present time, the Eagles have held their opponents to less than 15 points in each of their last 5 games. The only team to go that stretch and let up as few points is the Tennessee Titans, and that was through the first 5 weeks of the entire season.

5. Ed Reed quite possibly is the best defensive player of the last decade.

Now, I realize that Reed was drafted in 2002, and he has been teammates with Ray Lewis that entire time, but unlike Lewis, ever since Reed stepped onto the field in a Ravens uniform his rookie year, he has been dominant. 5 pro bowls (another as an alternate in his rookie year) in 7 seasons, but the older he gets, the better he gets. His ball-skills are second to none, and just watching his performance the second half of this season has been a sight to see. 9 INT's this year, 6 in the last 8 games, and 2 more in Baltimore's playoff win against Miami, his statistics say the story themselves. However, it's more than that with Reed. His pass defense from a secondary standpoint is so beautiful to watch as he takes his steps, truly baits the quarterback like great safeties Ronnie Lott and Jack Tatum used to do, but when he does intercept the ball, Reed posses the 4.3 40 speed and un-parallel agility that Lott and Tatum did not have, to the point where he is weapon every time he touches the ball. Do not forget, Reed also returns kicks, and has a knack for blocking field goals, just other elements to his game that Reed has over players like Ray Lewis, Troy Polumalu, Jason Taylor, Michael Strahan, Champ Bailey, Charles Woodson, Brian Dawkins, and Brian Urlacher, guys who may also get consideration for that title.

6. Darren Sproles is a freak of nature

At a stature of 5 feet 5 inches, Darren Sproles shouldn't even be an impact player on a high school football team. However, with Sproles's tremendous football IQ, along with his versatility and sub 4.3 40 speed, he has suddenly became the force behind the San Diego Chargers post-season emergence. While he has made an impact all season, his coming out party may have been Saturday's game against the Colts. Sproles had over 300 all purpose yards, including over 100 yards in both the return and running game, and also accounted for 2 of San Diego's 3 touchdowns, the ladder of those the overtime-clincher that will send San Diego flying to Pittsburgh for a matchup in next weeks divisional playoffs against the Steelers. With the status of Chargers starting running back LaDanian Tomlinson unknown due to a groin injury, Sproles may have yet another chance to prove that size isn't everything.

Divisional Round Predictions and news on Coaching Changes to come throughout the week

 

Wildcard Weekend

The first wildcard games kicks off in about 3 hours, so I think it's about that time for my wildcard picks.

1. Baltimore Ravens at Miami Dolphins

Pick: Ravens

Reason: These teams matched up earlier this season (week 7 to be exact), and the Ravens came out victorious, dominating the dolphins by a score of 27-13. Since that game, the Dolphins have quietly won 9 out of their last 10 games, lead by Jets castoff Chad Pennington, who capped off this season with the Comeback Player of the Year award. With that said, the maturation of Ravens QB Joe Flacco has helped lead the Ravens into the playoffs, winning 7 out of their last 9 themselves. Flacco and the Ravens offense has improved throughout the year, however, it's the Ravens defense that wins them this game. Pro bowlers Ed Reed, Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs and company are the 3rd ranked overall defense in the NFL, and rank in the top 5 in forced turnovers, scoring defense, and defensive touchdowns.

Final score: 17-13 Ravens

2. Indianapolis Colts at San Diego Chargers

Pick: Chargers

Reason: This is my only upset pick of the wildcard round, and it makes me feel better than I'm choosing one of the hottest teams in football. They might have finished 8-8 and won a lowly AFC West Division, but the Chargers have won their last 4 games in rousing fashion, and they seem to be playing like they have a chip on their shoulder, especially Philip Rivers. RB LaDanian Tomlinson and TE Antonio Gates are both banged up. My prediction, Tomlinson plays, Gates doesn't, which hurts the Colts because they have not been able to stop the run this year. Yes, the Colts have MVP Peyton Manning under center, and a plethora of weapons on the offensive end, you can;t deny that. But when the Colts went to San Diego 6 weeks ago, they won on an OT field goal by Adam Vinatieri, but the Chargers weren't nearly playing as good football then as they are now.

Final Score: 28-24 San Diego

3. Philadelphia Eagles at Minnesota Vikings

Pick: Eagles

Reason: Everybody who resembles an Eagles fans seems to be looking past the Vikings to a divisional matchup next week vs. the Giants. DO NOT DO THAT. In the NFC, no one finished better than the Vikings, winning 7 of their last 9 to win their division, and clinch a home game in the playoffs. Yes, the Eagles are on the road, playing a against a Vikings team coached by Brad Childress, who was an Eagles assistant under Andy Reid for 6 years, and knows the Eagles organization extremely well. The Vikings also have a stud running back, maybe you have heard of him, by the name of Adrian Peterson. The NFL's leader in rushing yards this year has gone over 100 yards 12 out of 16 games this season. The best part about that is, the Philadelphia Eagles defense have only had a runningback run for over 100 yards against them twice this year. Great Matchup there. On the opposite end, the Eagles offense has been playing with supreme amount of confidence. Led by the resurgence of QB Donavan Mcnabb, the Eagles offense has averaged over 33 points per game in their last five outings, even with that blunder of a performance week 16 against the Redskins. I'm just not sure the Vikings inconsistent pass defense can stop Philly from flying up and down the field.

Score: 27-17 Eagles

4. Atlanta Falcons at Arizona Cardinals

Pick: Atlanta

Reason: If I actually had money to bet, I would wager that this game was going to be a shootout. Both defense have defining weaknesses. For Arizona, their run defense has been much maligned this season. For Atlanta, their pass defense, while young, has been very inconsistent throughout the majority of the season. With that said, Atlanta's run defense is much better than Arizona's pass defense, as the Cardinals have given up 27 points per game this season, which is among the league's worst. Look for the NFL's second-leading rusher Michael Turner to have a big game for the Falcons, while the wide-receiver tandem of Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin will also have a chance to explode, due to the fact that 2 of the 4 defensive starters for the Falcons are either rookies or second year players.

Final Score: 35-31 Atlanta

364 Days Left..

Well, not much to say today.  My NFL Wildcard weekend analysis and predictions will come sometime before kickoff. Today has been full of college football, as five bowl games are taking place today, including 2 BCS Bowl games. It's easy to see that the players playing today are going to make a big impact on Sunday's in the NFL. Here are some players that you all should watch.

Iowa RB Shonn Green

USC S Taylor Mays

USC LB Ray Maualuga

USC LB Brian Cushing

USC RB Joe Mcknight

Clemson RB C.J Spiller

Clemson QB Cullen Harper

Penn State DE/LB Aaron Maybin

Penn State WR Derrick WIlliams

Virginia Tech QB Tyrod Taylor