NFL Divisional Round Predictions

There's going to be some great football played this weekend, and I'll give you my predictions in hopes of doing better than .500 last weekend.

Arizona at New Orleans Sat. 4:30 ET on FOX (First meeting): Two of the leagues most explosive offenses go head to head today. The Cards are coming off of a 51-45 survival at home, and the Saints are limping into the playoffs after losing all 3 of their last games after a perfect start, scoring less than 20 points in each of them (prior to that streak, they hadn't scored less than 20 all year). Early in the season, the Saints were the team everyone wanted to be, but they seem to have lost their pop. It's really difficult for me to see them winning this game after their past performances, I'm picking Arizona.

Baltimore at Indianapolis Sat. 8:15 ET on CBS (Wk 11: IND 17 - 15 BAL): I was thoroughly impressed by the Ravens' effort last week. Their defense was incredible, their rushing attack was incredible, they just look unstoppable. The Colts are coming in to their game after losing their last 2 games also after a perfect start. If the Ravens defense can play up to the same standards as last week and they can control the ground game, I see a Baltimore victory.

Dallas at Minnesota Sun. 1:00 ET on FOX (first meeting): I see this game as being the closest game of the weekend. The Cowboys are looking like the teams of old, and the Minnesota defense has looked good all season. Brett Favre is coming off of one of his best regular seasons in his career along with Romo and the two quarterbacks are setting up for a great duel. The hostile Minnesota crowd will be cheering on the Purple People Eaters and I think they'll be one of the biggest factors in this game. I'm going to lean to Minnesota.

NY Jets at San Diego Sun. 4:40 ET on CBS (first meeting): The Jets have had a great season, however the road stops in San Diego. The Chargers are a strong team, and will prove too strong for the Jets. Phillip Rivers will shred the New York secondary, and LaDanian Tomlinson with Darren Sproles will combine for a superb rushing attack. Bolts advance easily.

See you next week, tweet me your thoughts @jdubbz2121.

A Look Back at Wildcard Weekend & Other Things

Hello there ladies and gentlemen, how was your weekend? I'm here to review the weekend, so let's get to it.

Jets def. Bengals 24-14: The Bengals definitely did not play up to par on Saturday. They had their chances to win but they just couldn't come through. Kudos to Mark Sanchez for continuing the trend of rookie QBs winning in the playoffs and he did so with major help from Shonn Greene and Thomas Jones. Greene played above his rookie status with 135 yds and a TD on 21 carries. Also Chad Ochocinco was limited to only 2 receptions for 38 yds by defensive player of the year candidate Darrel Revis who also scored a pick for himself.

Cowboys def. Eagles 34-14: This game was basically won in the first half. The Dallas defense was swarming McNabb from the beginning, racking up four sacks throughout the game. Former Razorback Felix Jones ran for 148 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries and whooo-eee he looked good. The Eagles stood no chance of stopping the Cowboys rushing attack and Dallas took full advantage of that. Maybe it's time for me to give the Cowboys their respect back.

Ravens def. Patriots 33-14: The Ravens were in complete control of this game from the beginning. They set the tone of the game with Ray Rice breaking an 83 yard TD run on the first play from scrimmage and it didn't get easier from there for New England. The Ravens scored three touchdowns in the first quarter, all of which on the ground and were up 24-0 going to the second quarter. Matter of fact, all of Baltimore TDs came on the ground racking up 234 yards on the ground compared to New England's 64. Joe Flacco only threw 10 passes completing 4 for 34 yards and a pick while Tom Brady went 23 for 42 for 154 yards, 2 TDs and 3 picks. It was obvious from start to finish that Baltimore was the better team here.

Cardinals def. Packers 51-45: I can't remember the last time I saw this much scoring in a playoff game. In fact, 96 points is the most points in a playoff game since 95 points in 1995 (Eagles 58 - 37 Lions). The Cards came out blazing hot in this game forcing turnovers left and right, but then the Pack caught fire and turn this game into an old fashioned duel in the desert. Kurt Warner looked unstoppable in this game, which is easy to do anytime you throw more touchdowns (5) than incomplete passes (4). But, I can't acknowledge one quarterback without mentioning the other though, Aaron Rodgers threw for an impressive 422 yards and 4 TDs. Neil Rackers nearly gave the game away by missing a 34 yard field goal at the end of regulation to win, but instead sent the game to overtime. Karlos Dansby brought this game to an end with a Rodgers fumble recovery returned 17 yards for a win. But looking back at this season it's seemed that the qb who throws for more yards than the other and throws 400+ yards usually loses (Eagles @ Chargers Week 10: McNabb throws for 450 yards, but loses 31-23.) Cardinals rookie wide receiver Early Doucet had a breakout game reeling in 6 cathes for 77 yards and 2 TDs. One of the greatest games of the year there.

-West Coast Carousel
Two large bombs were dropped in college football this week. The first being Pete Carroll leaving USC to go to the NFL and coach the Seattle Seahawks and I think he'll be successful there. If you can coach, you can coach and Pete can definitely coach. The second bomb being Lane Kiffin leaving Tennessee to replace Pete at USC. I honestly didn't see this coming. After watching his welcome press conference I thought he'd be there for about 3 years at least to build a program.

Before I leave, the only thing I have to say about Mark McGwire is that it's about time. What are your guys thoughts on recent sports news? Reach me on twitter @jdubbz2121.

Pick a card, any card

It's Wildcard Weekend ladies and gents, so let's take a look at our matchups, shall we?

Jets vs Cincinnati Sat 4:30 ET on NBC; Jets won the only reg. season meeting in Wk 17: It's the first of our 3 rematches from last week, however this game will be played in the Queen's City. I'll start off by saying this: last week was a joke. I'm a little upset with them lying down in New York and denying Houston a postseason berth, but they gave the Jets D 33 points in fantasy and helped me preserve a win. But, I digress; Cincinnati will not put on the same poor performance as Sunday. Wide receivers will catch balls and the defense will actually be there. Bengals win 28-17.

Eagles vs Cowboys Sat 8:00 ET on NBC;Dallas swept the regular season series : How bout them Cowboys? They made it to the playoff without limping in with their tail between their legs they played like a winning team in December beating New Orleans like a team on a mission and ended their season shutting out their rival Philly. But, I don't see McNabb letting another goose egg get on the board. He's sure to be feeding the ball to his speedsters Maclin and that "Jerk" DeSean Jackson. Expect to see more of this today, Iggles win 35-28.

Baltimore vs New England 1:00 ET on CBS New England won only regular season meeting Wk 4: This game is going to be great to watch. Two great offenses, two great defenses. New England won their only meeting this year because Derrick Mason forgot how to catch a football. I'm expecting the Ravens D to carry the team as they do all year and Flacco will do what he needs to to score the Ravens the win they deserve. Ravens 28-21.

Green Bay vs Arizona 4:40 ET on FOX; Packers won only regular season meeting Wk 17: Don't expect another blowout like last week. Arizona will step it up at home, especially in the playoffs. University of Phoenix Stadium is a tough place to play, and Kurt Warner doesn't plan on making it any easier. Not much else to say here, Cards win 38-14.

Questions? Comments? Tweet them to me @jdubbz2121

Week 3 Top 25 College Football Picks

- Tennessee @ #1 Florida: Yeah, this game is at the Swamp in Gainesville, but I don't see them winning by 30 like the bookies. Florida by 14

- Texas Tech @ #2 Texas: Last year, I picked Texas Tech with the upset at home; but this year Tech has no Graham Harrell, no Mike Crabtree, no victory. Texas covers the spread by 18

- #3 USC @ Washington: No contest. USC by 20

- North Texas @ #4 Alabama: Again, no contest. Tide by 24

- Temple @ #5 Penn State: Lions by 30

- Southeast Louisiana @ #6 Ole Miss: Jevan Snead is going to try his best to set the sky on fire. Rebels by 35

- Louisiana-Lafayette @ #7 LSU: In-state opponents are no problem for the Bayou Bengals, as they are on a 22 game win streak against said teams. LSU by 30

- #7 Cal @ Minnesota: After starting 2-0 the Gophers have a little something to prove, and look to continue a great season in their new stadium, but I see Cal winning a close one. Cal by 10

- Florida State @ #9 BYU: After losing to Miami (Fl) in week one, and squeaking by Jacksonville State in week 2, the Seminoles are in need of a big win; they don't get it this week. BYU by 10

- #10 Boise State @ Fresno State: This game is on as I speak, so I'll have to pass.

- #11 Ohio State @ Toledo (in Cleveland): Ohio State is favored by 21, but we're talking about a defense that gave up 186 on the ground to Navy and 195 through the air to USC. I'm losing faith in the Buckeyes, and expect this game to go the same way as the rest of their games this year, down to the wire and I'm picking the Rockets. Toledo by 3

- Tulsa @ #12 Oklahoma- The Sooners will be missing Sam Bradford, but they'll survive without him. OU by 17

- #13 Georgia Tech @ #22 Miami (FL): Well, this game has already been played and won by The U 33-17. I see Miami in a Top 20 spot next week

- #18 Nebraska @ #14 Virginia Tech: VTech desperately needs this win over a ranked team, after the loss to Bama to start the season. The Hokies are projected to win by 5, so I'll take that. Tech by 5

- Texas Southern @ #15 TCU: The Horned Frogs are demanding attention again this year, and I see them getting it by scoring a whole bunch of points this weekend. TCU by 20

- #16 Utah @ Oregon: The Autzen Zoo tends to be a tough place to play sometimes, and Oregon is going to need that home field advantage if they want to compete with Utah. Oregon is a tough team if they have the option attack going, but if they can't it'll be tough for them as seen in the Boise State game. I'm going the opposite way: Utes by 5

- Rice @ #17 Oklahoma State: If the Cowboys lose this game, I won't know what to say. OKST by 28

- East Carolina @ #19 North Carolina: My Tar Heels came away with a close 12-10 win last week at UConn, and I see another close matchup this week. But, I still see UNC coming away with the win. UNC by 10

- #20 Georgia @ Arkansas: I see the Bulldogs being to strong for Arkansas to stop. UGA by 14

- #21 Cincinnati @ #24 Oregon State: The Bearcats have a strong passing attack in Tony Pike, but the Beavers have a great ground attack in Jacquizz Rodgers. Even the mighty have fallen in Corvallis (I'm looking at you USC) and I see Oregon State getting the close win. Or St by 3

- Duke @ #23 Kansas: Not even close. Kansas by 35

- Furman @ #25 Missouri: Again, not close. Mizzou by 40

What are your thoughts on these picks? Whether you think I'm out of my mind or right on the money twitter me your replies @jdubbz2121

USA TODAY Top 25 Coaches' Poll used

Bad week for teams with the letter "B", College Football coverage, and other notable stories

Well the first week of football is in the books, and of course there were winners and losers. But mostly, it seemed to be the teams with the letter "B" what had the most trouble. Take a look:

Bad Week:

Bills: You guys should probably stop scheduling Monday Night games for a while now. For the third year in a row, the Bills lose a heartbreaker at home on MNF. This is the second time this has happened when the Bills were leading at the half also. To be honest, the Bills had the game wrapped up until Leodis McKelvin fumbled that kickoff. After that, it was all over because we all know what Tom Brady can do with the football. Maybe next time Buffalo. Also, the Bills' last 3 MNF losses have been by a combined 4 points.

Bengals: The poor Bengals just hit a little bit of bad luck this week, with Brandon Stokely making that miracle catch to win it for the Broncos. 9 times out of 10 Stokely doesn't make that catch and the Bengals come away with a win. Oh well.

Browns: Adrian Peterson added the Browns to his ever growing highlight reel with that 60 yard TD pass where he took out 6 defenders on his way to the endzone (if you haven't seen it, you can see the video here). But, the week wasn't all bad for the Browns, they finally scored an offensive touchdown after 27 quarters without one.

Bears: Your new quarterback who is supposed to save your team threw 4 picks against your main rival, and your star linebacker is done for the year. If that's not a bad week, I don't know what is.

Buccaneers: The Cowboys scored at will against Tampa's defense, and Tony Romo threw for 353 yards to boot. It wasn't a great week to be them either.

Buckeyes: See below


College Football week in review:
Ohio State and Notre Dame- two teams desperate for a signature win- were left with a sour taste in their mouths. On one hand, in Notre Dame's loss I feel they simply got outcoached (what else is new?). If you watch the play that Michigan scored on for the win you can tell that Charlie Weis simply didn't call the right play for the situation. He already knew that Michigan was going for the endzone, so he should have left his linebackers back in zone coverage. Instead, he blitzed the left linebacker in man coverage, and Tate "May the" Forcier "Be With You" found Greg Matthews on the inside out route for the win. In the postgame interview, Tate said he doesn't get nervous, and he certainly proved himself in that win.
On the other hand, Ohio State had plenty of opportunities to beat USC, but they didn't capitalize. USC did, and that's what makes the difference between good teams and great teams. Great teams can put teams away when they need to (the Navy game really shouldn't have been that close) and Ohio State needs to pull it together, because if the Toledo game comes down to the last possession, Buckeye fans should be worried.
Bonus question: Was Oklahoma State's win over Georgia a fluke, is Georgia a bad team, or was Houston just better? Twitter your answers to @jdubbz2121.

Allen Iverson is now a Memphis Grizzly-
Usually, I would just take this time to talk about what I think his impact on the Grizz would be, but instead I'm focusing on what he said at his press conference. He said he wants to set a good example, and assume a leadership role. Wait, what? The same player who asked, "How am I supposed to make my teammates better by practice?" wants to do just that. You know what, I'm proud of AI for growing up which is more than what I can say for Kanye...

Are you ready for some football?

Hey everybody, it's great to be back. I took some time off for vacation, and now that I'm back I'm hoping to give you a new read at least every Tuesday. Now that that's out of the way, I'm bringing my NFL preview this week. All 32 teams with my predicted record. Up first, the AFC.

AFC NORTH
1. Pittsburgh Steelers 16-0* (6-0)
Fresh off of a Super Bowl win, the Steelers are hungry for another winning season. Looking at the Steelers schedule, 16-0 is a real possibility, only Baltimore can stop them. Pittsburgh has a rough start (Ten, @Chi, @Cin, SD), but if they come out of that unscathed, they'll be set for the rest of the season.
Player to watch: Ben Roethlisberger of course, but other than him I've got my eye on Rashard Mendenhall. If he can stay healthy he's a great backup for Willie Parker.

Pivotal Games:
Week 4 vs San Diego: This is the first real test of the season. This game will set the bar for what to expect from the Steelers.
Week 12 at Baltimore: The Ravens were 0-3 against the Steelers last year with that Conference Championship loss, and all 3 losses were close games that really could have gone either way. Expect the Ravens to be fired up for this one looking for revenge.

2. Baltimore Ravens 10-5 (4-2)
Bringing back their signature defense, the Ravens hope to make another postseason run. All eyes will be on Joe Flacco this year to step up and play even bigger than last year. Last year he had a 60% completion percentage with 14 TDs, however he also threw 12 INTs. He needs to throw less interceptions if he wants to be more effective.
Player to Watch: Joe Flacco- will he have a sophomore slump, or will he continue to move upward?

Pivotal Games: Week 2 @ San Diego: I've got this one penned as a loss, however if the Ravens offense is clicking, watch out.
Week 12 vs Pittsburgh: Just like I mentioned earlier, these birds are looking for revenge.

3. Cleveland Browns 6-10 (1-5)
Well I'd like to say the Browns would be better, but without a QB I really can't. Brady Quinn is a good quarterback, but not a great quarterback. They have great weapons at wide receiver with Joshua Cribbs, and Braylon Edwards just to name a few, but having a good wide receiver means nothing if you can't get them the ball. The Browns were second to last (in front of the Raiders whoo-hoo) in passing: 148 yds./game, 11 TDs, 20 INTs. This needs to change for them to be considered a threat.

Player to Watch: Brady Quinn- it's up to him to lead his team.

Pivotal Games: Almost every game I have penned as a win: Week 2 @ Denver, Week 5 @ Buffalo, and Week 15 @ Kansas City (this one I have as a loss).

4. Cincinnati Bengals 5-11 (1-5)
Another team with quarterback issues. Carson Palmer is an integral part of this team, they will need him to stay healthy seeing as he is their best quarterback. They also took a big blow by losing T.J. Houshmandzadeh (he was the leading reciever with 92 receptions, 904 yards, and 4 TDs for a team that only threw 11 [Chad caught 4 also]).

Player to Watch: Chad Ochocinco- he's the number one receiver like he wanted, he's gotta make us believe he deserved it.

Pivotal Games: Week 13 vs Detroit: I have this penned as a loss, this can really go either way.

Ducks Get New Suits, and Get MORE TV Exposure Instantly*!!!!

--*Just add Manny Ramirez!!!

You all remember when Manny got suspended, right? He wasn't supposed to be seen again until July- but wait! What's this? Manny's playing Minor League Baseball with the Albuquerque Isotopes (OMG OMG OMG!!!!!) Let's sit at our (sports)news desks impatiently for Manny so we can cut away from things that matter to see him take some at-bats! *end sarcasm*

But seriously, does Manny really need all of this coverage? He's currently "rehabbing" with the Albuquerque Isotopes (Triple-A affiliate of the Dodgers), which I found odd, because rehab is usually for injuries. What did he injure his ego? I mean, Alex Rodriguez didn't even get this much coverage over his hip. Oh well, it's been working out pretty well for the Isotopes organization; they drew their largest crowd in club history with 15,321 which, oh by the way was 5,000 more people than the Florida Marlins brought in last night. I can guarantee you one thing, and that's that this suspension will be all but forgotten by the Dodger faithful within a few years, because Manny will be Manny, and the Dodgers will continue to win the NL West (where's the competition? Second place (Giants) is 8.5 games back).

-Oregon gets new jerseys (yes, again)
The Ducks are getting some new jerseys for this year's football season, and I would like to give them my official seal of approval. A version of the all black jersey, if you remember, was first worn late last year against Arizona, and these jerseys are based off that model.

Got any thoughts on the jerseys, or anything else sports related? Twitter me @jdubbz2121