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