NFL Week 2 Preview
By Brett Malamud
Week one proved to be a great week of football that was full of crazy catches and games coming down to the wire. Let’s hope week two can bring the same level of excitement. Here’s my picks for this week:
-Steelers (1-0) at Ravens (0-1), Thursday @ 8:25 PM EST
The Steelers escaped a major comeback at the hands of the Cleveland Browns. Now they’ll face their rivals, the Baltimore Ravens, who were narrowly defeated at home against the Bengals, under the bright lights of M&T Bank Stadium in primetime. Crowd noise will be a factor, but I’ll take the Steelers here in a close one. Verdict: Steelers
-Dolphins (1-0) at Bills (1-0), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
Pretty even matchup here as these AFC East foes duke it out. The Dolphins are coming in red hot after defeating the almighty New England Patriots. Buffalo is also coming in with some momentum as well, after shocking the Chicago Bears in overtime. The addition of Knowshon Moreno has proven to be great for Miami thus far, especially after he ran for 134 yards on 24 attempts with a touchdown. I’m going to take the Dolphins here. Verdict: Dolphins
-Jaguars (0-1) at Redskins (0-1), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
I’m going to be brutally honest, I will not tune in to this one. After watching the Texans dispose of the Redskins offense last week, I can regretfully say that I am not interested in the team, with the exception of Alfred Morris, DeSean Jackson, and Jordan Reed (who has been a major disappointment to my fantasy team), as they are amongst the players on my three fantasy football teams (thankfully, each is on a different team). I’m taking the Jaguars, who took a 17-0 lead into halftime last week against the Eagles. Verdict: Jaguars
-Cowboys (0-1) at Titans (1-0), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
Now we come to the Cowboys, who were manhandled last week when they faced the San Francisco 49ers, and at one point were down 28-3. The game included two fumbles from the Cowboys offense, one of which was taken all the way back by the 49ers defense for a touchdown. The Titans had a great showing out of quarterback Jake Locker, who threw for 266 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. I’m going with the safe bet of picking the Titans to win this one. Verdict: Titans
-Cardinals (1-0) at Giants (0-1), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
Both of these teams played in the Monday Night Football doubleheader in week one and each of those games was a polar opposite of the other. The Cardinals rallied late, scoring two touchdowns in the final quarter. Carson Palmer looked phenomenal, and his night was highlighted by a 63 yard bomb to Michael Floyd, who also had an impact on the game (although he didn’t score a touchdown). The other game was rather one-sided and the Giants were done from the opening whistle. Eli Manning was intercepted twice and there wasn’t much room for Rashad Jennings to run. The Giants should struggle this week against a tough defense. Verdict: Cardinals
-Patriots (0-1) at Vikings (1-0), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
The Patriots were shocked last week, taking a tough loss to the Miami Dolphins. They’ll travel to Minnesota to face the Vikings, who had an excellent game last week by shutting down the Rams in St. Louis. My gut tells me that the Patriots will come back strong and win the game. Verdict: Patriots
-Saints (0-1) at Browns (0-1), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
The Saints lost a heartbreaker in Atlanta after fumbling the football in overtime. Drew Brees tried out his new toy in Brandin Cooks and liked what he saw. Cooks has one less catch than Jimmy Graham, hauling in seven receptions for 77 yards and a touchdown. The Browns rallied against the Steelers from a 24-point deficit but ultimately lost on a field goal as time expired. The Browns may give the Saints a run for their money at the beginning of this game, but I think the Saints pull away in the second half. Verdict: Saints
-Falcons (1-0) at Bengals (1-0), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
On the other end of the Saints’ heartbreaking loss was the Atlanta Falcons. Didn’t Matty Ice look great? I mean, seriously! 448 yards. FOUR HUNDRED AND FOURTY EIGHT YARDS! A Falcons franchise record for him with that, and he even threw three touchdowns. I do like the Falcons’ addition of Devin Hester, who was targeted six times and caught five of those for 99 yards. The Bengals blew a 15 point lead but scored a touchdown with just over five minutes left against the Ravens. I don’t see it shaping up that way this week, because instead I see the Falcons going up early and not looking back. Verdict: Falcons
Matt Ryan ran through the Saints defense last week and hopes to do the same this week vs. the Bengals (Via AP)
-Lions (1-0) at Panthers (1-0), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
The Lions looked fantastic last week, but after all, they were playing the Giants, who blew coverage after coverage. It seems that nobody could stop Calvin Johnson, who made the most ridiculous catches. The Panthers will get Cam Newton back but I don’t see much changing. The Lions are just too good right now. Verdict: Lions
-Rams (0-1) at Buccaneers (0-1), Sunday @ 4:05 PM EST
Another boring matchup on the week two slate sees the Sam Bradford-less, touchdown-less St. Louis Rams, squaring off with the team that had the worst ranked defense in the NFL last season. The Rams might have lost their backup as well, with Shaun Hill going down last week with a strained quad. Doug Martin did nothing last week, piling up a whopping nine yards on nine carries. I’m pulling for them this week though, and this could be the week that Doug Martin comes back to form. Verdict: Buccaneers
-Seahawks (1-0) at Chargers (0-1), Sunday @ 4:05 PM EST
This seems to be one of the more intriguing battles this week. The Chargers took a loss, but looked good against the Arizona Cardinals. The Seahawks also looked good in their game, taking down the Packers. I’m going to take the Seahawks here, but I’m sure that San Diego will compete throughout. Verdict: Seahawks
-Texans (1-0) at Raiders (0-1), Sunday @ 4:25 PM EST
The Texans defense is electric. They were great against the Redskins. The Raiders were not, and took a loss to the Jets. I see the Texans defense as too much of a threat to the Oakland offense. Verdict: Texans
-Jets (1-0) at Packers (0-1), Sunday @ 4:25 PM EST
This could be a really close game, but it could also turn ugly and end up as a blowout for Green Bay. The Packers look to bounce back against the Jets after being defeated by the Seahawks last Thursday. The Jets have assembled a bit of a new offense, with Chris Johnson and Chris Ivory as duel threats in the backfield. Johnson caught five passes and one touchdown out of the backfield in addition to his 68 rushing yards. Eric Decker also played nicely, racking up 74 yards on five receptions. Ultimately, I see the Packers taking this one, but not by much. Verdict: Packers
-Chiefs (0-1) at Broncos (1-0), Sunday @ 4:25 PM EST
The Chiefs weren’t themselves on defense last week. They were picked apart by Jake Locker and allowed him to drive down the field, resulting in two touchdowns. This week they’ll face an even tougher task: Peyton Manning. The 38 year old took down his former team, the Indianapolis Colts, in a showdown with Andrew Luck. Peyton found Julius Thomas in the end zone three times and utilized the acquisition of Emmanuel Sanders. The Chiefs are no match for the top team in the AFC. Verdict: Broncos
-Bears (0-1) at 49ers (1-0), Sunday @ 8:30 PM EST
The Niners dominated the Cowboys throughout. Rookie Carlos Hyde scored a touchdown and Vernon Davis caught two. The Bears lost that shocker to the Buffalo Bills last week and I’m not sure their defense can keep up with the Niners’ fast west coast offense in the inaugural game for Levi’s Stadium. Verdict: 49ers
-Eagles (1-0) at Colts (0-1), Monday @ 8:30 PM EST
Interesting matchup here as the Eagles face the Colts on Monday Night Football. Andrew Luck threw for 370 yards against the Broncos. Darren Sproles and LeSean McCoy are a deadly combo for Philadelphia. Should be a great offensive duel but I’m taking the Colts at home. Verdict: Colts
Brett Malamud is a Computer Science Major at Binghamton University. He is the co-founder of dabuzzza.com. His favorite athletes are Derek Jeter and Todd Bertuzzi. You can follow him on twitter at @brettnyy
Decker to the Jets
By Christian Pierre Louis
From the Rocky Mountains of Colorado to the Meadowlands of New Jersey.
That is the move free agent WR Eric Decker will make as he and the New York Jets have agreed on a five year deal that is for $36.25 million over five years with $15 million in guarantees.
After being the second option to the more talented Demaryius Thomas in Denver, Decker will take on No. 1 receiver responsibilities in Rex Ryan’s “ground ‘n’ pound” offense.
Whereas Decker had other quality targets such as Thomas, Wes Welker and Julius Thomas to draw defenders away in Denver’s record-breaking attack, he’s going to be the center of attention in a passing game led by an inconsistent Geno Smith.
Do not misunderstand what I am saying, this is a major get for the Jets. Decker, still in his prime at age 27, set career highs in receptions (87) and receiving yards (1,288) last season while reaching double digits in touchdowns for the second consecutive season.
The Jets top two receivers only totaled 979 receiving yards last year and the team was 31st in passing offense. Right now, Decker’s clearly the best receiver on the Jets, who may add another with their first-round pick. Their other experienced receivers are Jeremy Kerley, Stephen Hill and David Nelson. They certainly didn’t put fear in the hearts of defenses.
Eric Decker will open a new chapter in his career by joining the Jets (Via Getty)
Decker is Denver usually played in one of the outside spots, but the Broncos used him in the slot at times as well. Decker was also used in a punt return role at times in his career.
It will be extremely interesting to see how defenses now adjust to Decker being “the guy” on a team that is weak at the receiver position. He hasn’t been the go-to guy the past two seasons with the Broncos, there was no need for it, as that team had a plethora of options around him.
Not the same case in New York.
He will be the man that the team calls upon when they need a big play down the field and now everyone in the NFL knows it.
Overall, this was a good signing by the Jets, they desperately needed more weapons offensively and they grabbed the best receiver out there. Now, it is time for the organization to put more pieces around Geno Smith and Eric Decker, whether it may be in free agency or the draft, the team still needs more offensive talent to compete with the best in the AFC.
If the Jets can add more pieces to Decker on the offensive side of the ball to compliment that young and tough defense, they could have some real potential to fly high in this upcoming season.
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Christian Pierre-Louis is a journalism major at Seton Hall University. He is a HUGE fan of the, LA Lakers, NY Giants, and NY Yankees. He is also an assistant sports producer at Seton Hall’s radio station WSOU 89.5 FM. You can follow him on twitter at @CPL_78.
Superbowl XLVIII Picks
With the big game finally here, we thought we’d present our picks for Superbowl XLVIII between the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos. From all of us here at Dabuzzza, stay safe and enjoy the game.
|
Writer |
Pick |
|
Brett Malamud |
Denver wins this one 27-17. They say defense wins championships, but Manning torched every one of them. In a season that led to Manning’s fifth MVP award, Manning took down some of the league’s top defenses. Take the Kansas City Chiefs for example. In a week 13 matchup in Kansas City, Manning led the Broncos to a win by throwing for 403 yards and five touchdowns. All I’m saying is just because Seattle’s defense is strong doesn’t mean that Peyton Manning cannot be stronger. |
|
Dan Lagnado |
I think Denver wins a close game (24-20 or 28-24), but in the end too many offensive weapons even for Seattle. Denver running backs in the passing game will have a big impact plus I think Wes Welker proves his worth. |
|
Josh Halilej |
I’ll go with Seattle 23-20. There have been 15 teams to be the top defense in the regular season to go to the Super Bowl and their record is 12-3. Plus, I like Wilson’s leadership and I think Marshawn Lynch will wear down the Broncos’ front seven. |
|
Eric Huberman |
Seattle 28-24. Way too many people on Denver -2 in the gambling world. Usually a good tip it will go the other way. The wind will bother Peyton throughout the game. Also believe Lynch has a huge game. |
|
Josh Wicker |
Seattle wins 21-17, Wilson has a great game and Lynch has over 100 yards and a touchdown. The weather could lead to the game being won or lost with the run game and I feel that Seattle has the stronger of the two. Manning also has a good game but comes up short on a game winning drive. |
|
Seth Schuster |
Seattle will pull out a win, 27-24, in a tight game that comes down to the wire. Russell Wilson, will respond to criticism, by leading the Seahawks on a game winning drive, capped off by a Hauschka field goal as time expires (Shockingly similar to another QB on his quest for the Lombardi Trophy–Tom Brady) This game will come down to the weather, as well as clock management. This game will come down to whichever team possesses the ball last–hard to bet against Peyton with the game on the line. |
|
Nick Vespasiano |
Denver wins 24-21. If their run defense can contain Lynch just enough, Wilson won’t be able to take over the game. Seattle’s secondary is good, especially on the edge but Denver (specifically Manning) is all about the intermediate passing game in the seams and slot. If Peyton gets in a rhythm and works Moreno and ball into the game, the Broncos can win. |
|
Sam Iryami |
Denver wins 27-23. Richard Sherman and the Seattle defense will not be able to stop the motivated Peyton Manning and his passing game. Peyton will march down the field and get completion after completion to get that Super Bowl win. Also he has Moreno, who is an incredible asset that could give them great yardage. All in all, the Broncos have a much better offense that is just unstoppable. However, Seattle has a great running game with Lynch so it will be a close one. I don’t think Wilson has the potential to own the game and do well. Manning is going to come out strong and win the game. |
|
Matthew Wieselthier |
Seattle 25-21. Defense wins championships. This game may have been different had Denver still had LB Von Miller but without him, they clearly have the worse defense and Seattle still is strong on the offensive end. There is a reason that Marshawn Lynch is a top RB and Russell Wilson isn’t in the Super Bowl in his second season for no reason. Peyton Manning may be one of the best QBs of all time, but historically, he is not a great playoff quarterback. The Broncos also haven’t faced a defense near the power of Seattle and the L.O.B. (Legion of Boom). The 12th Man will be celebrating all night on Groundhog’s Day and take their lack of experience straight to a title. |
|
Ben Ozur |
Seattle 27-24. Yes the Broncos have the best offense in NFL history, but none of the top five scoring offenses in NFL history have won the Super Bowl (only the 2007 Patriots even made it there). Though Peyton Manning’s offense has set numerous NFL records, their defense is nothing to get excited about. On the other side, you have Seattle with the NFL’s best defense this season. Their offense is nothing to sneeze at, however, as they have many weapons, including Percy Harvin, whom, as Denver will have a hard time planning for the receiver who’s only played in two games this season. I think Denver will dominate early and Seattle will make a comeback. And here’s my bold prediction: this will be the first Super Bowl to go into overtime. Steven Hauschka will kick a field goal in the first drive of OT and Peyton will fail to take his team down the field, as the Seahawks win their first ever Super Bowl. |
Peyton’s Legacy
By Christian Pierre-Louis
Almost two years ago, Peyton Manning came to Denver, not knowing how his tale would continue. Now he prepares to take over the Big Apple, one win away from winning that elusive second Lombardi Trophy. When Manning sat out the 2011 season because of a neck injury, he had plenty of time to contemplate life without football. Manning; the No. 1 high school recruit in the nation, the Heisman favorite as a Tennessee senior and No. 1 overall pick in 1998, was suddenly an underdog for the first time, really ever.
Prior to Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots, Manning had received an assault of criticism on whether he would be able to lead the Broncos to a victory over the Patriots. During his career, the rivalry between Manning and the Patriots quarterback, Tom Brady, has been the source of many memorable moments in the NFL. However, Manning was able to overcome the harsh skepticism, and lead the Broncos to a 26-16 victory over the New England Patriots.
Peyton Manning hopes to win a second Super Bowl (via SportsPickle)
From the beginning of the game, the Broncos dominated the Patriots in every aspect, and in the end, the best team came out on top. The game started with Manning and the Broncos taking an early lead, and once they had it, there was no looking back. Manning had his way with the New England defense, toying with them at the line of scrimmage and his surgical precision was too much for Bill Belichick’s team to handle. The Broncos as a team controlled the ball for close to 36 minutes, whereas the Patriots only had possession of the ball for 24.
The defense for the Broncos also played exceptionally well, managing to stop the Patriots’ ability to score a touchdown for the first three quarters of the game. It was only in the fourth quarter of the game that a comeback sparked by Brady seemed possible, however, the performance of the Broncos during the first three quarters had separated them so far that lead prevented this from happening. Patriots coach Bill Belichick expressed his disappointment with his statement following the game, “I wish we could’ve done a little better today, especially me.”
Although the game was won by the Broncos as a team, Peyton Manning has received the majority of the attention following the Broncos win. With this win, Manning is looking at his third Super Bowl appearance, and an opportunity for a second Super Bowl victory. In addition, with this win Manning has ensured that his legacy continues into the Super Bowl. Manning could be the first quarterback to have won a Super Bowl with two different teams if the Broncos win the Super Bowl. Following the game, the Broncos waited patiently to hear the news of whether they would be playing the San Francisco 49ers or the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl.
So it’s a Seattle-Denver Super Bowl, one full of intrigue and new story lines, seeing that almost every player in the game will be new to the Super Bowl stage. Every player but one. Peyton Manning is back for his third Big One, and the pressure is all on him to cap this underdog chapter in the Book of Manning and silence all his critics once and for all.
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Christian Pierre-Louis is a journalism major at Seton Hall University. He is a HUGE fan of the, LA Lakers, NY Giants, and NY Yankees. He is also an assistant sports producer at Seton Hall’s radio station WSOU 89.5 FM. You can follow him on twitter at @CPL_78.
This Weekend in College Basketball
Recapping the most important news from this past weekend
By Jared Bursky
Future Stars Make Their Decision
Last Tuesday, we were able to get a glimpse of how dynamic freshmen can make an immediate impact in college basketball. We also saw extraordinary talents in Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker and Julius Randle who represent the future of the NBA. Five ranked teams were in action Friday, including number one to be Michigan State, but that was hardly on the minds of many college basketball fans. Friday featured seismic announcements from four of the top high school basketball recruits in the country.
Committed to Duke
1. Jahlil Okafor (6-10, 265) ESPN 100 # 1
Chicago, Illinois
Whitney Young H.S.
Center/ Power Forward
2. Tyus Jones (6-1, 171) ESPN 100 # 4
Apple Valley, Minnesota
Apple Valley High School
Point Guard
Analysis
Duke will be loaded next year with Okafor and Jones coming in as a package deal. They are the perfect compliments. A pass first, true point guard and a dominant low post big man along with returners mean big things for Duke next year.
Jahlil Okafor and Tyrus Jones both chose Duke on Friday (Via ESPN, IconSMI)
Committed to Kansas
1. Cliff Alexander (6-8, 225) ESPN 100 #3
Chicago, Illinois
Curie High School
Power Forward
Analysis
Illinois or Kansas? His choice was Kansas, but not before he mistakenly picked up the Illinois hat at first at his announcement. You know this one is hurting in Champagne, Illinois but for now, Kansas will plan on doing great things with Alexander.
Committed to Arizona
1. Stanley Johnson (6-6, 220) ESPN 100 #9
Fullerton, California
Mater Dei High School
Small Forward
Analysis
Arizona got Aaron Gordon in last year’s recruiting class, now they have another stud to follow. Johnson is a great scorer and has the tools to make an immediate impact in an Arizona program that seems to be back near the top.
Friday Action
MSU Survives Columbia
Michigan State, coming off a huge win in Chicago against #1 Kentucky, struggled with a tricky Columbia squad for thirty-five minutes. The Spartans were able to pull away in the final minutes and finished with a 64-53 win. The fact that this game was this close is shocking.
Saturday Action
Wisconsin Rallies against Green Bay
The Badgers overcame a seven point second half deficit to defeat Green Bay on Saturday. Green Bay junior Keifer Sykes scored a career high 32 points but it wasn’t enough against Wisconsin, who was lead by Frank Kaminsky’s 17 points.
Battle of Defense: #10 Ohio State shuts down #17 Marquette
52-35? Sounds like Peyton Manning just lead the Broncos to a win. However, Ohio State limited Marquette to 35 points due primarily to the great performance of Aaron Craft (10pts 7 reb 10ast 2stl). Marquette shot just 19% from the field in the defensive struggle.
Sunday Action (Upset City Edition)
Indiana State over #21 Notre Dame
The Sycamores had five players score in double figures as their balanced attack outlasted Notre Dame 83-70 in South Bend. Notre Dame received solid production from their starters but the bench could not contribute much as the Irish were sent to their first loss.
Belmont shocks #12 North Carolina
Another upset on the road. Belmont went into Chapel Hill and defeated the Tar Heels 83-80 on the shoulders off J.J. Mann (28 points). UNC got a terrific effort from James Michael McAdoo who had 27 points and 13 rebounds. This was one of three home losses on the day for teams in the ACC.
#7 Michigan Falls in Ames
Not that this was not an upset; Michigan is a very good team, but Iowa State does have something brewing in Ames. #7 Michigan’s Mitch McGary made his season debut Sunday but in a losing effort, as the Cyclones defeated them 77-70. Melvin Ejim led Iowa State with 22 points.
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Jared Bursky is a freshman Physical Education major at SUNY Cortland. He was a Captain and starter for his high school basketball team and is pursuing coaching basketball at either the high school or college level. He roots for the Isles, Yanks, Jets, and Knicks but his favorite sport to watch is college basketball. You can follow him on twitter at @jbhoops10
NFL Predictions Week 11
By Matthew Wieselthier
Sunday:
1:00 PM ET
Jets 24, Bills 13
The Jets are arguably the most surprising team this season. After being projected as one of the worst, the Jets are in playoff contention, and there is one big reason why. The “Sons of Anarchy.” The defensive line for the Jets, comprised of Muhammad Wilkerson, Damon Harrison, and Sheldon Richardson, has tortured quarterbacks and offensives in general with the pressure they’ve put on QBs. The offense should also get a lot stronger this week with WR Santonio Holmes and TEs Jeff Cumberland and Kellen Winslow returning from injuries (suspension for Winslow).
Buccaneers 28, Falcons 24
The Buccaneers may have looked bad most of the year, but the past few weeks, they have started to look like a decent team. The Falcons, on the other hand, are the most disappointing team this season, going from Super Bowl favorites to the favorites for a top 5 draft pick. The Buccaneers have looked like a good team since Mike Glennon took over at QB. The one thing they needed was a W. They got that last Monday versus the Dolphins, and the momentum should continue into this week.
Lions 31, Steelers 16
The Lions have looked very strong the past few weeks. We can say this over and over again. Matthew Stafford has looked very strong, a big thanks to WR Calvin Johnson. The Lions new two-headed rushing attack of Reggie Bush and Joique Bell has been stellar. If anything goes wrong with the Lions offense against the tough Steelers defense, the terrible Steelers offense should help them out. There has been no running game from the Steelers and QB Ben Roethlisberger hasn’t looked great either. The Lions should have ease in taking this game.
Calvin Johnson is active this week and should continue to impress (Via Thoughts of a Jeanius)
Eagles 34, Redskins 31
The Eagles are on a nice hot streak. Nick Foles has looked great in the past few weeks and so has LeSean McCoy in the running game. Meanwhile, the Redskins are exactly where they were last year. 3-6 last season, the Redskins racked up a 7 game winning streak to win the NFC East title. The Redskins are once again 3-6 and things are once again looking gloom. A miracle happens once, not twice, and not this year.
Cardinals 28, Jaguars 14
The Cardinals are another team in the running for most surprising team this season. Their most surprising player is RB Andre Ellington, who is averaging 7.2 yards per carry, is still sharing time with Rashard Mendenhall, but still taking advantage of his time and showing why he deserves to be seriously considered as a decent RB in the league. The Jaguars are still one of the worst teams in the NFL despite upsetting the Titans last week. Don’t expect that fact to change against a tough NFC opponent.
Texans 37, Raiders 17
Isn’t it about time that Case Keenum got his first victory as a starting QB in the NFL? He has played fantastic since getting the job, holding a 105.1 passer rating and throwing 7 TDs with no interceptions. The Raiders have their own QB issues. Starting QB Terrelle Pryor is out with a knee injury, prompting the first start in the career of Matt McGloin. This is a very interesting matchup of previously undrafted QBs starting against one another.
Bears 23, Ravens 10
The Bears have a nice situation in which they can trust their backup QB when Jay Cutler gets injured. Josh McCown has been quite successful this year, throwing for a 60% completion percentage and a 103.2 passer rating. The Ravens still don’t look that great and against a tough Bears defense, that fact shouldn’t change.
Browns 27, Bengals 23
The Browns haven’t played two games against the Bengals in a season since 2002. That fact may change with the way both teams have been performing recently. Since putting on an offensive show versus the Jets in Week 8, the Bengals have dropped two straight games against teams they should have dominated (Dolphins and Ravens). Now they play another division rival and need things to change before their bye week with a struggling Andy Dalton. The Browns have a chance to shock everyone with a win this week. They are in second place in the AFC North and have a chance to be one game back after this week. QB Jason Campbell has been very successful since taking over in the Cleveland QB debacle.
4:00 PM ET
Chargers 32, Dolphins 17
The Chargers are another team on the rise and surprise this season. QB Philip Rivers is having a comeback season with 18 TDs to 7 interceptions and a 105.9 passer rating and looking like the Rivers of old back when the Chargers were a regular playoff favorite. The Dolphins also looked like they were on the rise until they lost to the previously winless Buccaneers on Monday Night, not even showing up in the first half and looking dreadful all night.
Giants 24, Packers 13
The Giants may be the luckiest team in the league at the moment. After starting off 0-6, the Giants have taken down 3 straight either bad or injury riddled teams. This week, they get another injured and limping team with the Cheese heads. The Packers not only lost QB Aaron Rodgers, they lost their backup QB Seneca Wallace to injury last week. Scott Tolzein is making his first career start and he won’t have the Packers best check down target/tight end Jermichael Finley, who had spinal fusion surgery since being put on the IR, possibly ending his career. The Giants are getting very lucky. Don’t expect that to last much longer though.
Seattle 38, Vikings 14
The Seahawks were looking like they were on the decline, playing close games against not great opponents, headlined by having to squeak out an OT win versus the Buccaneers. They finally came back last week in an absolute destruction of the upsetting Falcons. Expect that to continue because the Seahawks are a top team with a top defense and a solid offensive attack against a horrible Vikings team who have not much upside.
49ers 27, Saints 25
The 49ers are very strong and arguably still underrated after losing such a tight game against the Panthers last week. QB Colin Kaepernick is back to being a top QB after a weak start to the season. The defense is also very strong, as shown last week when they held a strong Panthers offense to only 10 points. The Saints are very strong too, but tough defenses haven’t had that much trouble in stopping them. That fact should stay the same this week.
8:30 PM ET
Broncos 20, Chiefs 14
The two top teams in the NFL going against each other on Sunday Night. What more can anyone ask for? The Chiefs and their top defense in the NFL are going face to face with the Broncos’ top offense. The Chiefs are arguably the worst 9-0 team ever, that being that they haven’t played anyone with a winning record. But at the same time, the Broncos have only played one team with a winning record in their only loss of the season to the Colts. Peyton Manning is still the best QB in the league and that should propel the Broncos to victory in this AFC West showdown.
Monday:
8:30 PM ET
Panthers 35, Patriots 24
The Panthers are arguably the hottest team in the NFL right now. They have the 2nd best defense and their offense is just getting better and better. The Patriots are still the walking wounded on the defensive side and Tom Brady has looked awful this entire season. Don’t bet against the hot streak. Carolina should be able to bring home the W in this week ending primetime showdown.
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Matthew Wieselthier is the Sports Director at WPOB 88.5 FM, Plainview. He is also the PA announcer at all sporting events at POBJFKHS. You can follow him on twitter at @wieselsports66.
NFL Predictions Week 10
By Matthew Wieselthier
Sunday:
1:00 PM ET:
Eagles 35, Packers 27
Nick Foles just threw seven touchdowns. If any player is looking like they are on fire right now, it has to be the man who just threw SEVEN TOUCHDOWNS. The Eagles need to continue their push for a playoff spot in the weak NFC East. The Packers, now missing Aaron Rodgers for multiple weeks, now have an offense that is going to seem like a shell of what it was just a week before. Yes, they didn’t look terrible when playing the Bears defense. However, when a defense has a week to prepare for the Eddie Lacy running show, it shouldn’t be too hard to stop.
Titans 34, Jaguars 10
The Jaguars are simply the worst team in the NFL. They had their best week of the season so far in Week 9 where they did not lose thanks to a bye. Now they have to face a determined Titans team, with a decent passing game with Jake Locker and a rejuvenated rushing attack with Chris Johnson. Not much needs to be said when it comes to playing the Jaguars. Just mark the game as a W on the calendar and start preparing for next week.
Steelers 28, Bills 24
The Bills finally have their starting quarterback back. First round pick EJ Manuel is in the lineup this week after suffering a sprained right knee. However, the result of the game will not have much difference than most of their games this year. The Steelers are still a tough defense, and should be expected to pull out a win in this matchup of hopeless teams.
Giants 27, Raiders 13
The Raiders will only be able to present a big problem if they do what most teams in the beginning of the season did to Eli Manning: interception after interception. However, Eli hasn’t looked as much like that during their two-game winning streak and the offense seems somewhat rejuvenated ever since signing Madden 12 cover man, Peyton Hillis. The Giants are also the 9th best running defense. That is helpful against a Raiders team, where all they seem to be able to do is run the ball, especially with their best rusher, QB Terrelle Pryor.
Eli Manning and the Giants host the Raiders this weekend (Via Sabo)
Colts 27, Rams 14
The Rams defense is really tough. They held the Seahawks to 14 points and barely let the Titans get the win last week. They can make the pocket a living hell for Andrew Luck and running the ball a disaster for Trent Richardson and the rest of the company of the Colts running backs. The thing is that Andrew Luck is much better than the QBs that the Rams stopped over the last two weeks. The Rams also have the issue of having an unclear offensive strategy. Their running game has looked great with RBs Zac Stacy and Daryl Richardson. However, the passing attack has been weak and there is a lack of confidence in it with backup QB Kellen Clemens at the wheel. Expect that to continue this week.
Seahawks 41, Falcons 10
The Falcons just continue to look like a shell of the team that won the NFC in the regular season just under 12 months ago. And the Seahawks have taken that spot with pride. Seattle may have had issues with the winless Buccaneers, but that should go away after some preparation for a Falcons team that just can’t play a good football game anymore. The Seahawks should be able to get back to dominating their opponents and take care of the Falcons without a scratch on them.
Bengals 23, Ravens 14
The Bengals are one of those confusing teams. After going out and scoring 49 against one of the top defenses in the league (the Jets), they then have issues and lose to the Dolphins. However, the Ravens still don’t look great and still are not the team of last year. Plain and simple in this AFC North matchup, the Bengals have the top spot and will show why with a win this week.
Lions 27, Bears 24
The Lions have looked great this year on offense. Not surprisingly, the connection between QB Matthew Stafford and WR Calvin Johnson Jr. has looked terrific, but also the performance of their running backs. The one-two punch of Reggie Bush and Joique Bell has looked spectacular this season. Jay Cutler is expected to return but how game ready is he? This will be a toughly fought game, but expect the healthy to defeat the injured.
4:00 PM ET:
Panthers 17, 49ers 14
This has a chance to be the best matchup of the week. Here are two of the hottest teams in the NFL going head to head in a matchup with big playoff implications. Both mobile quarterbacks, Cam Newton and Colin Kaepernick, have finally gotten back to their level of play in the beginning of their careers. Both defenses have been holding their opponents to under 20 points in their last two games. This is the game to have your TVs set tuned into in a matchup of possible future Wild Card teams that may even play each other later in the playoffs.
Texans 24, Cardinals 14
Someone tell the Cardinals that they are supposed to be bad. That they shouldn’t be .500 on the season and crushing Atlanta. Led by RB Andre Ellington, the Cardinals have looked much better than they should have been this season. But to that same fact, why is this undrafted rookie for the Texans, QB Case Keenum, doing so well? Also, despite their record, the Texans have the best total defense in the NFL. The Texans are prime for a comeback game after…well their terrible season.
Broncos 34, Chargers 28
Why did the NFL have to put this game on at the same time as the Panthers-49ers game? Another great matchup is going on with the Broncos, who look almost indestructible, going against what might be the biggest surprise team of the year, the Chargers. Philip Rivers is having a comeback year for the century, playing like a top five quarterback. However, he is up against the best QB this season, Peyton Manning. This should be a great scoring matchup in which we see these two QBs show us why they are among the best in the league.
8:30 PM ET:
Cowboys 28, Saints 24
The Cowboys are much better than their record shows. They have a top 5 QB this season in Tony Romo, a strong defense, and a chance to take a huge step above everyone else in their division. On the other side, the Saints just got beat by the Jets in a game they should have had little trouble with. Expect the passing attack of the Cowboys to do much better than Geno Smith did last week and Demarco Murray to have a good game against a weak Saints rushing defense.
Monday:
8:30 PM ET
Buccaneers 27, Dolphins 13
All the talk about this game has been about the Dolphins. Not the game itself, but instead the terrible locker room bullying situation in Miami. However, let’s relate that to the game. The two players who aren’t on the field for the Dolphins this week, Richie Incognito and Jonathan Martin, were starting offensive lineman. This will make life a living hell in the pocket for QB Ryan Tannehill this week, missing 40% of his usual line. The Buccaneers are also looking for that precious first win of the year. They almost got that last week against the Seahawks. Expect them to carry over that momentum into this inner state game. Also, don’t forget that QB Mike Glennon hasn’t looked all that terrible since taking over. He has five more TDs than INTs and 60.3-completion percentage.
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Matthew Wieselthier is the Sports Director at WPOB 88.5 FM, Plainview. He is also the PA announcer at all sporting events at POBJFKHS. You can follow him on twitter at @wieselsports66.
Who Dat: Fantasy Football Week 10
By: Sam Breiter
Quarterbacks:
Case Keenum (HOU)– No Matt Schaub, no problem. In Keenum’s first week playing for the Texans he surprised many, especially against a tough Kansas City defense. Yet, after a bye week, Keenum didn’t show any setbacks, putting up flawless numbers against the Colts. He may have just earned himself a starting job for the rest of the season.
Week 9 Stats- 350 YDS, 3 TD, 0 INT, 28 PTS
Josh McCown (CHI)- Jay Cutler is a dominant quarterback when healthy, but after he suffered a groin injury, he has missed some time. In his last two games, McCown has given fantasy owners a reason to smile. He’s not putting up Peyton Manning numbers, but he has quickly proven to be a reliable quarterback that will put points on the board.
Week 9 Stats- 272 YDS, 2 TD, O INT, 20 PTS
(UPDATE: JAY CUTLER WILL BE THE STARTING QB ON SUNDAY)
Running backs:
Mike James (TB)- Doug Martin is definitely having one of those sophomore slumps. After a great rookie year, Martin only has one touchdown the whole year, and has only rushed for over 100 yards once. With Martin out, Mike James proved his potential against an overwhelming Seattle defense putting up terrific numbers.
Week 9 Stats-28 ATT, 158 RUSH YDS, 19 PTS
Zac Stacy (STL)- First of all, I think his parents ran out of ink while writing what they wanted to name this future running back. Stacy, since getting the majority of the Rams carries in week 5 has shown nothing but improvement. He’s proven to be a quick, and a powerful back, and will see more carries with a struggling passing game.
Week 9 Stats- 27ATT, 127 RUSH YDS, 51 REC YDS, 2 TD, 29 PTS
Wide Receivers:
Aaron Dobson (NE)- After weekly getting a couple of catches for a couple dozen yards, Dobson broke out in week nine. He’s part of a core of Patriots receivers that no one really knows, but could this be the one that everyone remembers. They clearly like this man in New England, and with Gronkowski back, less defenders will be getting in the way of the rookie from Marshall.
Week 9 Stats- 5 REC, 130 YDS, 2 TD, 25 PTS
Greg Salas (NYJ)- Last week, since 2011 was the first time Salas touched a football during a regular season game. He struggled with the Rams, but seems like a perfect fit into the Jets system. Jeremy Kerley was taken out of the game, and Salas proved that he should be on the field. This may be our biggest Who Dat so far, but Geno doesn’t have many options left and Salas should expect more playing time.
Week 9 Stats- 2 REC, 57 YDS
Greg Salas has come out of nowhere for the Jets this season, and should be carefully watched by owners (Via Fox)
Tight Ends:
Timothy Wright (TB)- Tight ends are hard to come by, especially in fantasy. Wright has shown in the last two weeks that he can pick up decent yards, and get touchdowns. Wright might not be a great blocking tight end, but it’s a good thing that doesn’t count in fantasy. Expect Wright to be picking up close to double digits in points, weekly.
Week 9 Stats- 4 REC, 58 YDS, 1 TD, 11 PTS
Zach Ertz (Phi)- Clearly his parents weren’t as lazy as Stacy’s. With Nick Foles as quarterback, Ertz has seen more chances compared to when Vick was running the offense. Yes Celek is still the number one tight end, but Ertz saw more work then the veteran last week. Celek is having his worst year since 2008, if Ertz keeps up the good work maybe he will find himself a spot in the starting lineup.
Week 9 Stats- 5 REC, 42 YDS, 1 TD
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Sam Breiter is a high school senior at Plainview- Old Bethpage JFK High School. Sam is looking to major in sports management, with a minor in communications next year. He is the co-founder of dabuzzza.com. His favorite teams are the Mets, Giants, and Knicks. You can follow him on twitter at @baseballbreiter
Fantasy Football First Half Awards and What to Expect in the Coming Weeks
By: Josh Halilej
So far this NFL season has been full of offensive firepower and high scoring games, which translates to BIG fantasy points. There have been standout individual performances (Calvin Johnson- 329 yards receiving, 1 TD or Peyton Manning- 462 yards passing, 7 TDs), and surprising seasons too (Andy Dalton ranked #6 in points among QBs, and Knowshon Moreno who has outscored every other RB/WR except Jamaal Charles.) This article is going to give you my opinion on who I think has performed the best comparative to their value so far, and who you can look out for in the future and during the playoff push. Remember, this is MY opinion, so you can take it or leave it as you wish. So here’s this season’s fantasy dream team:
Quarterback:
Best overall: Peyton Manning
Best value: Phillip Rivers
Worst value: Tom Brady
Let me explain, Peyton shouldn’t be anywhere else on the list of best fantasy QBs this season. He’s been consistent, he’s produced touchdowns and yards, and he hasn’t turned it over. He has exactly what you need to dominate a league and achieve ultimate bragging rights. Rivers has been sort of under the radar this season, because, well, that’s what happens when you’re on the Chargers. He’s quietly thrown for over 400 yards 3 times, and only has a total of 5 turnovers this year. In my league, where he went undrafted, he was the best pickup of the season so far at ANY position. Brady on the other hand, has been the opposite. He has had difficulty gaining chemistry with his new, rookie receivers Kenbrell Thompkins and Aaron Dobson, but he has his savior in Rob Gronkowski who is back from his surgery and adds a new threat and more receiver depth on this roster.
Philip Rivers has surprised everyone and has proved to be a fantasy steal this year (Via Opinuns)
Running Back:
Best overall: Jamaal Charles
Best Value: Knowshon Moreno
Worst Value: CJ Spiller
Jamaal, oh Jamaal. He hasn’t done anything wrong this year consistently getting at least 16 carries and gaining at least 100 total yards of offense in each game so far, PLUS 8 total TDs. Moreno has had similar consistencies to Charles with 9 total TDs, and around 15 carries a week in support of Peyton. The disappointment in the running back spot comes from none other than CJ Spiller. Before the season I thought that he was going to excel in Buffalo and help push them to the playoffs, but I couldn’t grab him in my league, and now I’m thankful.
Wide Receiver:
Best Overall: Dez Bryant
Best Value: Josh Gordon
Worst Value: Randall Cobb
Why not Megatron? Because he had one game with 36 ESPN standard fantasy points that really influenced him in terms of points. I have to give the starting position to Dez because of his consistency so far, but for the rest of the season, expect more domination from Calvin. Josh Gordon, although he missed the first 2 games of the season with a suspension, has been proven to be any Browns QB’s favorite target excelling with all Hoyer, Weeden, and Campbell throwing him the ball. Cobb can’t help his injury, but he had high expectations coming into the season, and only played 2 full games.
Tight End:
Best overall: Jimmy Graham
Best Value: Jordan Cameron
Worst Value: Rob Gronkowski
Jimmy Graham has been simply exciting this season making catches look easy, and making his good buddy Drew Brees look good. On top of that, he had a 5 game stretch to open up the season where he had 93 points total (which would still lead the league now). Cameron has been a welcome sight for most fantasy owners who thought he would have no opportunities because of the Browns, but he has grabbed 6 TDs this year and is averaging 11.5 points per game, which isn’t too shabby for a free agent find. Now, Gronkowski is interesting because reports were saying that he could have came back week 5, but made his first appearance in week 7. Since then in his 2 games of action Gronk has 13 total points and no touchdowns which isn’t exactly comforting to owners who drafted him in high/mid rounds.
D/ST:
Best overall: Chiefs
Best Value: Chiefs
Worst Value: Broncos
The Chiefs have been unstoppable on defense causing turnovers, not allowing points or yards, and just wreaking havoc in the backfield with their premier edge rushers Justin Houston and Tamba Hali. Houston is second in the NFL in sacks with 11, and Hali is tops in the league with 4 forced fumbles. The Broncos haven’t lived up to their stellar defense from last year, and have taken part in quite a few shootouts of offense vs. offense. Expect Von Miller to be the main factor on their future success.
Kicker:
Best overall: Matt Prater
Best Value: Matt Prater
Worst Value: Sebastian Janikowski
When it doubt, Matt Prater it out. He has gotten an incredible amount of points from just PATs and is not going to stop if Peyton keeps it up. I have no idea why Sea bass isn’t performing like the machine he was last year, but with a paltry 36 points through 8 weeks, he is the worst kicker in the NFL who has maintained a starting job.
Who to watch out for:
QB: Matt Stafford- He doesn’t have a tough schedule ahead of him and has many weapons.
RB: Gio Bernard- A rookie on the rise has had a few good games this season that could potentially give him the full time job over the Law Firm in Cincinatti.
WR: Calvin Johnson- need I say more?
TE: Jordan Reed- RG3 has found a liking to this guy as a main target. Watch out.
D/ST: Panthers- Despite the trading of Jon Beason to the Giants, these guys are playing solid football and just might surprise a few people with a playoff push
K: Matt Prater- He’s just going to keep on kicking these extra points until the season is over
Let me hear what you guys think about my picks in the comments and leave any of your own if you want. Just remember that there’s still a lot of football left to play.
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Josh Halilej is a die hard fan of both the Jets and the Mets, and is an avid fantasy sports player. He participates in leagues for baseball, basketball and football. You can follow him on twitter at @Mrmet2323
AFC Midseason Recap and Predictions (2 of 4)
By Dan Lagnado
In part one of the midseason recap and predictions, the AFC East was covered. Now we will move on to the AFC West:
Division winner: Denver Broncos
This prediction may seem controversial given the current standings of the division. The battle for the top spot really is a two horse race at this point. The Broncos and the Chiefs seem poised to battle it out until the end. However, I give the edge to Denver for reasons to be explained later in this article.
The Broncos have far and away the NFL’s best offense: first in points scored, first in total yards per game and first in passing yards per game all thanks to MVP candidate Peyton Manning. This is a team that made the AFC Championship last season and has come back even better, with even more weapons both offensively and defensively. In addition to Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker, Manning now has Wes Welker and rookie tight end Julius Thomas. The defense gained Shaun Phillips to help the pass rush along with Von Miller, who recently returned from suspension. This has helped the defense compile 22 sacks on the year. The Broncos currently have a 7-1 record heading into their bye week.
Peyton Manning hopes to walk off as a Super Bowl champion at the end of the season. (Via US Presswire)
The Kansas City Chiefs on the other hand boast a very powerful defense. They rank first in the NFL in points allowed, fifth in total yards allowed and fourth in pass yards allowed. They are arguably the biggest surprise team of this season after coming off a two win year. With a new quarterback in Alex Smith and a new coach in Andy Reid, the Chiefs now sit in first place at 8-0. Justin Houston and Tamba Hali have 20 sacks combined along with five forced fumbles. Smith, Jamaal Charles and Dwayne Bowe lead the offense. Smith has continued his consistent play from last season with nine touchdown passes and only four interceptions. However, despite the undefeated start, this is a team with some flaws. Their last two games, against disappointing Browns and Texans teams, were won by only a combined six points. Jason Campbell and Case Keenum nearly led their teams to giving KC their first loss. How can we expect them to keep Peyton Manning in check two times in the next four weeks if Campbell and Keenum give this defense trouble? That said, look for KC to easily lock up a Wild Card birth and a potential third matchup with Denver in the postseason.
The San Diego Chargers have comeback from a disappointing season with a very impressive first seven games. Their 4-3 record would be good enough for better than third place in almost all other divisions. Yet, because of the two powerhouses at the top, that’s where they find themselves. Quarterback Phillip Rivers is an early Comeback Player of the Year candidate and has thrown for 15 touchdowns and only five interceptions after a 2012 season that saw him account for 30 total turnovers. Rivers and tight end Antonio Gates have reestablished the connection that they have had for many years and Gates leads the team in receiving yards. The defense, though allowing yards, is still sixth in the NFL in points allowed. If the Chargers continue their strong play, they can find themselves in a position for a Wild Card position as well.
The Oakland Raiders have seen quite a bit of disappointment in the past few seasons. Though they currently sit in last place with a sub-.500 record (3-4), there are many reasons to have high hopes for the future. One of these reasons is Terrelle Pryor. In his first season starting, Pryor has shown that he is capable of being a dual threat quarterback and can lead this team to many wins as he matures. Pryor is supported by a corps of young, fast wide receivers including Denarius Moore and Rod Streater. If the Raiders can manage to get Darren McFadden running in the way that he did last year, look for them to be competitive in the second half of the season, and potentially play spoiler for other teams’ playoff chances.
The AFC West has emerged this season as potentially the best in the AFC. Both the Chiefs and Broncos seem primed for a playoff run, with the chance of being joined by the Chargers. The two upcoming matchups between Kansas City and Denver might prove to be the key to the tight race for first place and San Diego’s consistency will be key for their Wild Card push. It’s important not to count out Oakland as Terrelle Pryor continues to develop as a quarterback who can win with his arm or his legs.
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