Oh...tomorrow is election day.
Be sure to make your vote count.
And make sure all your friends do the same!
Me? I would never tell someone who to vote for.
After all, your mind should be made up by now.
0 days left to make your decision.
8 years was more than enough!
Monday, November 03, 2008
Friday, October 24, 2008
Schilling vs. Manny
While I may not be the biggest fan of Curt Schilling's political views and I think he can be a windbag sometimes, I sure as hell respect him as a baseball player (and a gamer). He's been around the game a long time, so he has an insight as to what happens in the locker room, out of public view, that few others can claim. Especially the Red Sox locker room. So, when he writes something on his blog about the Sox, or baseball in general, it's almost guaranteed to be a good read. Well, Schilling wrote a doozy the other day that pretty much ripped Manny Ramirez a new asshole (such a lovely term, isn't it?) Unfortunately, this posting has since been removed, although I'm not sure why. Fortunately, I was able to find a copy of it on another website: (http://firebrandal.com/2008/10/schilling-blasts-manny.html). For your reading pleasure, I have copied Schilling's post below. For the record, I believe that everything he wrote is probably true, so I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
No one wants to hear less about the ending of the season and the whys than fans that love the Sox. While I am officially no longer a member of this organization I have read and keep reading the "What if" stories as they relate to Manny and the team and the playoffs.
Enough has been said by anyone, and everyone, involved that it makes peoples ears bleed but it still appears a huge important piece to the puzzle is being missed.
First off anyone saying
Jason Bay is a nice player, but he's not Manny.
is just not a very smart baseball person. Putting up the numbers he did in Pittsburgh has been vastly downplayed in my opinion. Yes his last year was less than stellar but in the Major Leagues that happens. Bottom line is this guy is a 30/100 above average on base guy who plays his ass off in the field and runs the bases hard and right. Is he Manny? Hell no, who is? Who has ever been? But he's far more than a 'nice player'. Nice players are guys that play 140 games, hit 275 and drive in some runs, and are good guys. This guy is a very good, very good player. Not only that but he proved the October limelight is not something that will make him wilt. Oh and he had a hell of a nice run the last few months in a market that couldn't be more opposite than Pittsburgh.
That's beside the initial point though. People are going to say, and have been saying, what if Manny had stayed? What if Manny had done what he did in LA, in Boston? If TJ Siemers can crawl out of Manny's butt long enough he'd objectively look at what happened and know he's at the front of the 'I'm going to look like an ass at some point' line and wake up. I've made enough horses ass comments to know to at least be aware now, when I am headed down that path....
It was NEVER a question of Manny's ability, ever. Hell I am not sure anyone had more run ins with him, as a teammate, than I did, but I'll never say anything other than this guy studied and practiced the art of hitting, and executed, as well as anyone I've ever seen.
No, that wasn't the issue, and no one argues that. What was the issue, and this is my opinion only, became very clear to anyone in or around the team at this point. The issue was not whether he would play 'hard' every day. He ALWAYS hit, but the game is so much more than swinging the bat it's laughable. No, the issue was whether he would actually PLAY. I don't mean play hard, play tough, play lazy, no, PLAY.
He had in the past taken days off. Hell most guys do. He certainly had his own way of doing it and it was never ever with thought to anyone but himself but for the most part I always took it with the "Manny knows his body better than anyone". We all knew there were times it was just 'He didn't feel like playing today" and by 'playing' that meant anything. Pinch hitting, pinch running, anything. His days off for the most part were totally off. That's not common, not at all. You played that day, or series of days, with a 24 man roster, that was never a thing you doubted or that came unexpected after awhile. As a pitcher that is and always will be a factor in being a leader in the clubhouse. A starting pitcher has very little idea what these guys do to their bodies every day. But what I do know is I played 23 years of professional baseball and have played with guys that ran the spectrum. The guy who said "I'm good" while trying to catch with a broken collarbone, and the guy who literally HAD to feel 100% to take BP. So for a pitcher to question a position player, well in certain contexts that just didn't happen, but you also knew your teammates and you got to see 'behind the curtain' when that 'hurt' guy took 5 days off and spent less than 10 minutes in the training room. A direct opposite to the guy who took one day off, made sure the manager knew he could Pinch Hit if needed, and spent the game running back and forth from the bench to the training room getting interval treatment as he could.
No, by saying PLAY I mean exactly that. The issue got to the point where everyone finally took him at his word, there was no choice. A guy refusing to get on a team plane, having to be literally coaxed on, by people with pride and people that love the game, because meeting the obligations of a 20 million dollar contract were not even close to enough to get him going???? If he did not get traded he was going to need "time off" to rest his injured knee, and it got to the point where he made it clear time off could mean the rest of the season. Few guys will admit to it and that's cool, I get that, but no one, if in the right situation, would ever deny that was anything but true.
So it's not 'what could have been', we knew what was to be, and what was to be was that if he did not get a contract extension he was going to take a seat, and in taking that seat he didn't give a rats ass what anyone thought, including the 24 guys that wore the same uniform. So the 'what could have been' in the post season is not the question. The question is would there have been a post season if he had stayed, and that's a question, and a gamble, that I think everyone felt they knew the answer too and in the end a gamble no one was willing to take, and rightly so.
People continue to try and assign logic to the thoughts and decisions made when we all knew so many illogical things were said and done that logic was far from a factor in 99% of the things happening at the end. I don't think Scott Boras told many to 'tank it', Manny's a grown man and any decisions or actions he made are all on him.
It is demeaning and disrespectful to the guys that did respect their teammates, the game and the fans by busting their asses through broken down hips, sore arms, strained abs and whatever, to grind it out for each other and the fans, their love of the game and anything else you can think of, the organization, to hear people question the hows and whys of this whole thing. That was why I said 'he flipped you all off' because if you heard ANYTHING he said after he left, he did.
Ya, remember this guy was at the forefront of bringing the first world championship to Boston in 2004 (but please also throw a cheer or three Foulkies way, that guy was the man in October of 04), remember this guy, along with David, made the most fearsome middle of the order of our lifetimes, remember when he was at the plate you better not THINK of not being able to watch what he might do. This guy, when he hit, changed games BEFORE he came to the plate.
But the thing that killed me in the end was this; he never gave a rats ass about any of us that suited up with him, not one iota. He was, and he said repeatedly, about going to the highest bidder and getting as much money as he possibly could, period. If that meant pissing on us in the interim, so be it.
Hey! That's cool, that's 100% your prerogative. But please don't crap all over the guy, or guys that spent years as your 'teammates' covering your ass by saying "Aww that's just Manny being Manny" and the hundreds of thousands of other things we needed to say to stop the stories from being more than they could. Please don't piss all over the Manager and GM who pretty much swallowed every ounce of pride they possessed because they knew that it was 'win above all else' here to the fans and owners. Manny had a cult following because Manny could hit and act goofy, period. Hey that's cool, that's what some fans love an that's fine, but that's it.
Manny left because Manny wanted to get Manny the largest possible contract Manny could. That happens and that's fine. But the Sox got a player that's going to help them get back to October next year out of a situation they could have been left with a player not playing, and a patch work of guys filling in for the rest of the year.
That doesn't mean, to me anyway, that the question should be "How much farther would we have gotten" but rather "Would we have gotten there?"
Why on earth would ANY situation be as good as it's ever been? Why would things be so fun and nice and happy and exciting AFTER you lose a first ballot HALL OF FAME PLAYER? Is the rest of the baseball world that much smarter than a guy widely recognized as one of, if not the, best GMs in the game? Is a guy widely recognized as one of the best managers, and on top of that best human beings, in the game that dumb? Couldn't it be that the opposite is true?
Don't ask how far they could have gone. Let it be what it is. That team went from 7 runs down and 7 outs to the end of a season that had more turmoil and injuries than the Dallas Cowboys, to tying run on base in the 8th inning of game 7. One game from the World Series.
Is that good enough? Ask the players, they'll all tell you hell no because it's now different here. They now, and rightly so, expect to win the World Series every year. Anything short of that is disappointing and you can scream all you want but it's realistic, and earned. Ya it's not the Yankees of the late '90s, but it's getting there. This group has earned a place of respect in baseball that's been earned and the onus is on them to maintain that level of expectation through performance, on and off the field. But for me, personally, the far cooler piece is that the composition of players on the team now, and the organization, is now setup to be held to a far higher standard personally and professionally, and with that comes good things. The fans deserve that, the game deserves that.
Joe Maddon benches his star young player twice and his team reaches the World Series. Hell Scioscia has to pretty much kick a star offensive player off his team during the playoffs, it might even have cost them a shot at getting to the World Series in 04. I'm ok with saying it because while you can scream all you want about things I've said in the past, I've never intentionally disrespected the game, or my teammates, never. I've said dumb things and done a few real stupid ones, never was anything said or done with the intent to disrespect either, anyone telling you otherwise is a liar.
I promise Tito, Jim Fregosi, maybe even Bob Brenly and Frank Robinson will tell you I was a pain in the butt at times because I talked too much though the GMs might say it a little more adamantly. But there isn't a coach or GM I ever played for that will tell you I didn't bust my ass every day I had the ball in my hand or that I was ever unprepared for the job at hand, or that I ever played the game with anything but respect. I am not a Hall of Famer, I've known that since suiting up with one. I played with guys that don't and will never like me, hell that happens. But I cared about every teammate I ever had and I cared what my teammates thought of me when it was my day, and I cared what the guys in the other dugout thought of me when they had to compete against me. Beyond that what people 'knew' of me was/is far less than anyone ever will beyond my friends and family.
The Sox are poised to be a force in baseball for the next decade. The Left Fielder is a perennial All Star, the staff is littered with aces, the bullpen is anchored by a guy that will end the decade as the games most dominant closer, the first and second baseman should finish 1-2 in the MVP race (not sure what order), the team has a HUGE pool of young, homegrown, talent in the majors, and on the way, the manager, though bald with an enormous nose, is as good a manager as anyone in the game and manages people better than anyone I've been around, he cares, deeply, about his players and hsi staff and that matters to them all, the coaching staff has 2 future managers at least, one future GM, the fans got their 4th ALCS in 6 years. It's a new time, a new team and the future is awesome. Remember the 2008 Red Sox as a team that persevered thorugh a lot more than 90% of the teams in the game and battled their asses off to within 2 runs of a World Series while authoring the greatest comeback ever for a team faced with elimination. Remember them for the 3rd baseman that played through what could only be described as a broken hip, an Ace that gutted out a game that will be horribly under appreciated forever, in a must win. Remember 2008 as the year Jon Lester, a cancer survivor, turned into one of the premier pitchers in the game, not the league, the game. Remember them as the team who's closer extended a record post season scoreless streak even farther, remember them for their 2nd baseman, a five foot nothing guy who can fricking rake (though he knows he can't hit me) a gold glove first baseman who cemented his place as a premier all around stud (though bald and a mullion). Those are the things to remember this team by, those are the things that matter.
No more 'what could have beens', they are good enough now to take responsibility for what is, and what will be, and there isn't a player on this team that will shun accountability or responsibility for their actions or their teams. That's a pretty cool thing.
No one wants to hear less about the ending of the season and the whys than fans that love the Sox. While I am officially no longer a member of this organization I have read and keep reading the "What if" stories as they relate to Manny and the team and the playoffs.
Enough has been said by anyone, and everyone, involved that it makes peoples ears bleed but it still appears a huge important piece to the puzzle is being missed.
First off anyone saying
Jason Bay is a nice player, but he's not Manny.
is just not a very smart baseball person. Putting up the numbers he did in Pittsburgh has been vastly downplayed in my opinion. Yes his last year was less than stellar but in the Major Leagues that happens. Bottom line is this guy is a 30/100 above average on base guy who plays his ass off in the field and runs the bases hard and right. Is he Manny? Hell no, who is? Who has ever been? But he's far more than a 'nice player'. Nice players are guys that play 140 games, hit 275 and drive in some runs, and are good guys. This guy is a very good, very good player. Not only that but he proved the October limelight is not something that will make him wilt. Oh and he had a hell of a nice run the last few months in a market that couldn't be more opposite than Pittsburgh.
That's beside the initial point though. People are going to say, and have been saying, what if Manny had stayed? What if Manny had done what he did in LA, in Boston? If TJ Siemers can crawl out of Manny's butt long enough he'd objectively look at what happened and know he's at the front of the 'I'm going to look like an ass at some point' line and wake up. I've made enough horses ass comments to know to at least be aware now, when I am headed down that path....
It was NEVER a question of Manny's ability, ever. Hell I am not sure anyone had more run ins with him, as a teammate, than I did, but I'll never say anything other than this guy studied and practiced the art of hitting, and executed, as well as anyone I've ever seen.
No, that wasn't the issue, and no one argues that. What was the issue, and this is my opinion only, became very clear to anyone in or around the team at this point. The issue was not whether he would play 'hard' every day. He ALWAYS hit, but the game is so much more than swinging the bat it's laughable. No, the issue was whether he would actually PLAY. I don't mean play hard, play tough, play lazy, no, PLAY.
He had in the past taken days off. Hell most guys do. He certainly had his own way of doing it and it was never ever with thought to anyone but himself but for the most part I always took it with the "Manny knows his body better than anyone". We all knew there were times it was just 'He didn't feel like playing today" and by 'playing' that meant anything. Pinch hitting, pinch running, anything. His days off for the most part were totally off. That's not common, not at all. You played that day, or series of days, with a 24 man roster, that was never a thing you doubted or that came unexpected after awhile. As a pitcher that is and always will be a factor in being a leader in the clubhouse. A starting pitcher has very little idea what these guys do to their bodies every day. But what I do know is I played 23 years of professional baseball and have played with guys that ran the spectrum. The guy who said "I'm good" while trying to catch with a broken collarbone, and the guy who literally HAD to feel 100% to take BP. So for a pitcher to question a position player, well in certain contexts that just didn't happen, but you also knew your teammates and you got to see 'behind the curtain' when that 'hurt' guy took 5 days off and spent less than 10 minutes in the training room. A direct opposite to the guy who took one day off, made sure the manager knew he could Pinch Hit if needed, and spent the game running back and forth from the bench to the training room getting interval treatment as he could.
No, by saying PLAY I mean exactly that. The issue got to the point where everyone finally took him at his word, there was no choice. A guy refusing to get on a team plane, having to be literally coaxed on, by people with pride and people that love the game, because meeting the obligations of a 20 million dollar contract were not even close to enough to get him going???? If he did not get traded he was going to need "time off" to rest his injured knee, and it got to the point where he made it clear time off could mean the rest of the season. Few guys will admit to it and that's cool, I get that, but no one, if in the right situation, would ever deny that was anything but true.
So it's not 'what could have been', we knew what was to be, and what was to be was that if he did not get a contract extension he was going to take a seat, and in taking that seat he didn't give a rats ass what anyone thought, including the 24 guys that wore the same uniform. So the 'what could have been' in the post season is not the question. The question is would there have been a post season if he had stayed, and that's a question, and a gamble, that I think everyone felt they knew the answer too and in the end a gamble no one was willing to take, and rightly so.
People continue to try and assign logic to the thoughts and decisions made when we all knew so many illogical things were said and done that logic was far from a factor in 99% of the things happening at the end. I don't think Scott Boras told many to 'tank it', Manny's a grown man and any decisions or actions he made are all on him.
It is demeaning and disrespectful to the guys that did respect their teammates, the game and the fans by busting their asses through broken down hips, sore arms, strained abs and whatever, to grind it out for each other and the fans, their love of the game and anything else you can think of, the organization, to hear people question the hows and whys of this whole thing. That was why I said 'he flipped you all off' because if you heard ANYTHING he said after he left, he did.
Ya, remember this guy was at the forefront of bringing the first world championship to Boston in 2004 (but please also throw a cheer or three Foulkies way, that guy was the man in October of 04), remember this guy, along with David, made the most fearsome middle of the order of our lifetimes, remember when he was at the plate you better not THINK of not being able to watch what he might do. This guy, when he hit, changed games BEFORE he came to the plate.
But the thing that killed me in the end was this; he never gave a rats ass about any of us that suited up with him, not one iota. He was, and he said repeatedly, about going to the highest bidder and getting as much money as he possibly could, period. If that meant pissing on us in the interim, so be it.
Hey! That's cool, that's 100% your prerogative. But please don't crap all over the guy, or guys that spent years as your 'teammates' covering your ass by saying "Aww that's just Manny being Manny" and the hundreds of thousands of other things we needed to say to stop the stories from being more than they could. Please don't piss all over the Manager and GM who pretty much swallowed every ounce of pride they possessed because they knew that it was 'win above all else' here to the fans and owners. Manny had a cult following because Manny could hit and act goofy, period. Hey that's cool, that's what some fans love an that's fine, but that's it.
Manny left because Manny wanted to get Manny the largest possible contract Manny could. That happens and that's fine. But the Sox got a player that's going to help them get back to October next year out of a situation they could have been left with a player not playing, and a patch work of guys filling in for the rest of the year.
That doesn't mean, to me anyway, that the question should be "How much farther would we have gotten" but rather "Would we have gotten there?"
Why on earth would ANY situation be as good as it's ever been? Why would things be so fun and nice and happy and exciting AFTER you lose a first ballot HALL OF FAME PLAYER? Is the rest of the baseball world that much smarter than a guy widely recognized as one of, if not the, best GMs in the game? Is a guy widely recognized as one of the best managers, and on top of that best human beings, in the game that dumb? Couldn't it be that the opposite is true?
Don't ask how far they could have gone. Let it be what it is. That team went from 7 runs down and 7 outs to the end of a season that had more turmoil and injuries than the Dallas Cowboys, to tying run on base in the 8th inning of game 7. One game from the World Series.
Is that good enough? Ask the players, they'll all tell you hell no because it's now different here. They now, and rightly so, expect to win the World Series every year. Anything short of that is disappointing and you can scream all you want but it's realistic, and earned. Ya it's not the Yankees of the late '90s, but it's getting there. This group has earned a place of respect in baseball that's been earned and the onus is on them to maintain that level of expectation through performance, on and off the field. But for me, personally, the far cooler piece is that the composition of players on the team now, and the organization, is now setup to be held to a far higher standard personally and professionally, and with that comes good things. The fans deserve that, the game deserves that.
Joe Maddon benches his star young player twice and his team reaches the World Series. Hell Scioscia has to pretty much kick a star offensive player off his team during the playoffs, it might even have cost them a shot at getting to the World Series in 04. I'm ok with saying it because while you can scream all you want about things I've said in the past, I've never intentionally disrespected the game, or my teammates, never. I've said dumb things and done a few real stupid ones, never was anything said or done with the intent to disrespect either, anyone telling you otherwise is a liar.
I promise Tito, Jim Fregosi, maybe even Bob Brenly and Frank Robinson will tell you I was a pain in the butt at times because I talked too much though the GMs might say it a little more adamantly. But there isn't a coach or GM I ever played for that will tell you I didn't bust my ass every day I had the ball in my hand or that I was ever unprepared for the job at hand, or that I ever played the game with anything but respect. I am not a Hall of Famer, I've known that since suiting up with one. I played with guys that don't and will never like me, hell that happens. But I cared about every teammate I ever had and I cared what my teammates thought of me when it was my day, and I cared what the guys in the other dugout thought of me when they had to compete against me. Beyond that what people 'knew' of me was/is far less than anyone ever will beyond my friends and family.
The Sox are poised to be a force in baseball for the next decade. The Left Fielder is a perennial All Star, the staff is littered with aces, the bullpen is anchored by a guy that will end the decade as the games most dominant closer, the first and second baseman should finish 1-2 in the MVP race (not sure what order), the team has a HUGE pool of young, homegrown, talent in the majors, and on the way, the manager, though bald with an enormous nose, is as good a manager as anyone in the game and manages people better than anyone I've been around, he cares, deeply, about his players and hsi staff and that matters to them all, the coaching staff has 2 future managers at least, one future GM, the fans got their 4th ALCS in 6 years. It's a new time, a new team and the future is awesome. Remember the 2008 Red Sox as a team that persevered thorugh a lot more than 90% of the teams in the game and battled their asses off to within 2 runs of a World Series while authoring the greatest comeback ever for a team faced with elimination. Remember them for the 3rd baseman that played through what could only be described as a broken hip, an Ace that gutted out a game that will be horribly under appreciated forever, in a must win. Remember 2008 as the year Jon Lester, a cancer survivor, turned into one of the premier pitchers in the game, not the league, the game. Remember them as the team who's closer extended a record post season scoreless streak even farther, remember them for their 2nd baseman, a five foot nothing guy who can fricking rake (though he knows he can't hit me) a gold glove first baseman who cemented his place as a premier all around stud (though bald and a mullion). Those are the things to remember this team by, those are the things that matter.
No more 'what could have beens', they are good enough now to take responsibility for what is, and what will be, and there isn't a player on this team that will shun accountability or responsibility for their actions or their teams. That's a pretty cool thing.
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Red Sox and sore losers.
So, anyone who knows Jen and I also knows that we are diehard Red Sox fans. We go to multiple games a year (close to double digits) and we travel across the country to see them as part of our MLB ballparks tour. We try to watch every game on TV that we are not watching live. So, if the Sox are in the playoffs, you know we are watching the game no matter what time of day or night it is. Last night was no exception. We actually had tickets to a concert in Boston and chose to skip it so that we could watch the Sox game. Oh, there were a few other factors involved (didn't pay much for tickets, show started really late on a work night and Jon Lester was pitching), but you get the idea. Luckily, our faith was rewarded with an amazing game. A nail-biter from start to finish that the Sox won on a walk-off hit in the 9th inning which clinched the series and sends them to the ALCS against the Tampa Bay Rays (I know...the Rays...seriously?). In fact, the entire series with the Angels was amazing. Every game was good and none of them were easy wins. The Angels had the best record in baseball this year, including an 8-1 record against Boston, but the Red Sox just outplayed them. They had slightly better pitching, much better defense and they made the right plays at the right times. Add in the team chemistry, which the Angels didn't seem to have, as well as the psychological edge of having beat the Angels in the playoffs in 9 straight games and you get a 3 games to 1 series win. Done and done. The Angels were outplayed, plain and simple. No one disputes that...except maybe the Angels. Check out these quotes from their pitcher, John Lackey:
"It's way different than last year,"..."We are way better than they are. We lost to a team not as good as us."
"[On Sunday] they scored on a pop fly they called a hit, which is a joke,"..."[On Monday], they score on a broken-bat ground ball and a fly ball anywhere else in America [except in Fenway Park]. And [Pedroia's] fist-pumping on second like he did something great."
Wow...really, John Lackey? Way better? Are you sure? I understand that you are upset about getting eliminated and that you feel "like I want to throw somebody through a wall." But seriously, try losing with some dignity. Admit that you got outpitched, twice, by Jon Lester. He was dominant, and you were not. Admit that your team was outplayed by the Red Sox. Boston made the right plays at the right times and were much sharper defensively, as evidenced by only committing 1 error in four games as opposed to 4 by the Angels (which probably should have been 6). Just admit it. You're a sore loser and an even worse team player. There are others on the team who are just as bad as you, but you just happened to be the one who provided the quotes this time. It's all about you and that's why your team keeps losing when the time comes to step it up for the postseason. Baseball is a team sport. Until you realize this, you'll always be the sore loser sitting at your locker after getting outpitched and outplayed, providing dumb quotes to the press about how you just got beat 3 times in 4 games by "...a team not as good as us." In the meantime, while you are sulking, that TEAM will be playing for a chance to win their 3rd World Series in 5 years.
"It's way different than last year,"..."We are way better than they are. We lost to a team not as good as us."
"[On Sunday] they scored on a pop fly they called a hit, which is a joke,"..."[On Monday], they score on a broken-bat ground ball and a fly ball anywhere else in America [except in Fenway Park]. And [Pedroia's] fist-pumping on second like he did something great."
Wow...really, John Lackey? Way better? Are you sure? I understand that you are upset about getting eliminated and that you feel "like I want to throw somebody through a wall." But seriously, try losing with some dignity. Admit that you got outpitched, twice, by Jon Lester. He was dominant, and you were not. Admit that your team was outplayed by the Red Sox. Boston made the right plays at the right times and were much sharper defensively, as evidenced by only committing 1 error in four games as opposed to 4 by the Angels (which probably should have been 6). Just admit it. You're a sore loser and an even worse team player. There are others on the team who are just as bad as you, but you just happened to be the one who provided the quotes this time. It's all about you and that's why your team keeps losing when the time comes to step it up for the postseason. Baseball is a team sport. Until you realize this, you'll always be the sore loser sitting at your locker after getting outpitched and outplayed, providing dumb quotes to the press about how you just got beat 3 times in 4 games by "...a team not as good as us." In the meantime, while you are sulking, that TEAM will be playing for a chance to win their 3rd World Series in 5 years.
Friday, September 12, 2008
So, that happened.
Wow, what a Week 1 it was in the NFL this year. There were a few surprise upsets such as Carolina over San Diego, Chicago over Indianapolis and to a lesser degree, Atlanta over Detroit. There were some surprise performances such as Donovan McNabb throwing for 361 yards and 3 TD's, Michael Turner rushing for 220 yards and Willie Parker rushing for 3 TD's (which already bests last year's total of 2). Nothing was more shocking, though, than the season-ending injury to Patriots QB Tom Brady in the first quarter of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Brady has been Mr. Consistency for the past 7 years and was coming off the best statistical year of his career, throwing for 4806 yards and an NFL record 50 TD's and a career-best 117.2 passer rating. None of that mattered, though, after a heartbreaking loss in Super Bowl XLII, a game that should have been the icing on the Patriots perfect season. Brady and the Pats were coming into this season with one thing on their minds - get back to the Super Bowl, and win it. Now, that goal may be in jeopardy with "Tom Terrific" (I hate that nickname by the way) out for the season.
So...what does all of this mean for my season predictions? Well, not as much as you would think. I still think the Pats are the best team in the AFC East, but maybe they'll win 10 or 11 games instead of 13 or 14. They'll still be in the playoffs, although they may not have a bye week in the first round. Anyway, all my predictions were made based on everyone staying healthy for the whole year. Of course, that never happens, so I'm not going to go through and change them every week or every time someone gets hurt. They will stay as is. It's all just for fun, anyway.
So...what does all of this mean for my season predictions? Well, not as much as you would think. I still think the Pats are the best team in the AFC East, but maybe they'll win 10 or 11 games instead of 13 or 14. They'll still be in the playoffs, although they may not have a bye week in the first round. Anyway, all my predictions were made based on everyone staying healthy for the whole year. Of course, that never happens, so I'm not going to go through and change them every week or every time someone gets hurt. They will stay as is. It's all just for fun, anyway.
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
2 days???
The 2008 NFL season starts in 2 days? Really? What happened to summer? Hey, I enjoy football season as much as the next guy (and some girls), but I'm just not ready for summer to be over. It seemed to rain every weekend and most weekdays, so I only got to enjoy the pool at our condo once. We only went to the beach once, as well. Ugh! Here's hoping for one more good heat wave before autumn kicks into high gear. In the meantime, here are my predictions for the upcoming NFL season. Just for fun, I'm going to try and sum up every team in 5 words or less. Here we go:
AFC EAST
New England: Easiest schedule, but not perfect.
Last Season: 16-0
2008 Prediction: 14-2
New York Jets: Favre helps. Is it enough?
Last Season: 4-12
2008 Prediction: 9-7
Buffalo Bills: Not much has changed.
Last season: 7-9
2008 Prediction: 6-10
Miami Dolphins: Improved, but still not good.
Last season: 1-15
2008 Prediction: 4-12
AFC NORTH
Pittsburgh Steelers: Big Ben breaks out.
Last season: 10-6
2008 Prediction: 11-5
Cincinnati Bengals: Bad defense ruins good offense.
Last season: 7-9
2008 Prediction: 8-8
Cleveland Browns: Too many questions, injuries.
Last season: 10-6
2008 Prediction: 8-8
Baltimore Ravens: Tough division. Tough luck.
Last season: 5-11
2008 Prediction: 7-9
AFC SOUTH
Indianapolis Colts: Peyton Manning is still good.
Last season: 13-3
2008 Prediction: 12-4
Jacksonville Jaguars: Well-balanced team.
Last season: 11-5
2008 Prediction: 11-5
Houston Texans: Sleeper playoff team this year?
Last season: 8-8
2008 Prediction: 9-7
Tennessee Titans: Someone needs to step up.
Last season: 10-6
2008 Prediction: 7-9
AFC WEST
San Diego Chargers: Best chance for a title?
Last season: 11-5
2008 Prediction: 12-4
Denver Broncos: Still a pretty average team.
Last season: 7-9
2008 Prediction: 8-8
Oakland Raiders: Ugh!
Last season: 4-12
2008 Prediction: 6-10
Kansas City Chiefs: "Whew! What died in here?"
Last season: 4-12
2008 Prediction: 1-15
NFC EAST
Dallas Cowboys: NFC's team to beat.
Last season: 13-3
2008 Prediction: 14-2
Philadelphia Eagles: Big comeback for McNabb.
Last season: 8-8
2008 Prediction: 10-6
Washington Redskins: Good offseason. Tough team.
Last season: 9-7
2008 Prediction: 9-7
New York Giants: Were they really that good?
Last season: 10-6
2008 Prediction: 8-8
NFC NORTH
Minnesota Vikings: If healthy, they are scary.
Last season: 8-8
2008 Prediction: 11-5
Green Bay Packers: Not as good without Favre.
Last season: 13-3
2008 Prediction: 10-6
Detroit Lions: Too one-dimensional.
Last season: 7-9
2008 Prediction: 7-9
Chicago Bears: What happened to this team?
Last season: 7-9
2008 Prediction: 5-11
NFC SOUTH
New Orleans Saints: Explosive team. Weak division.
Last season: 7-9
2008 Prediction: 11-5
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Defense keeps them in games.
Last season: 9-7
2008 Prediction: 9-7
Carolina Panthers: Still rebuilding. Maybe next year.
Last season: 7-9
2008 Prediction: 7-9
Atlanta Falcons: "OK, who let a fluffy?"
Last season: 4-12
2008 Prediction: 2-14
NFC WEST
Seattle Seahawks: After injuries, they'll be good.
Last season: 10-6
2008 Prediction: 10-6
Arizona Cardinals: Finally over the hump?
Last season: 8-8
2008 Prediction: 9-7
St. Louis Rams: Big improvement. Not enough.
Last season: 3-13
2008 Prediction: 8-8
San Francisco: Still taking QB applications.
Last season: 5-11
2008 Prediction: 4-12
PLAYOFFS ROUND 1
First round byes: New England, San Diego, Dallas, Minnesota
Indianapolis over Houston
Pittsburgh over Jacksonville
New Orleans over Green Bay
Philadelphia over Seattle
PLAYOFFS ROUND 2
New England over Pittsburgh
San Diego over Indianapolis
Dallas over Philadelphia
New Orleans over Minnesota
PLAYOFFS ROUND 3
San Diego over New England
Dallas over New Orleans
SUPER BOWL
San Diego over Dallas
AFC EAST
New England: Easiest schedule, but not perfect.
Last Season: 16-0
2008 Prediction: 14-2
New York Jets: Favre helps. Is it enough?
Last Season: 4-12
2008 Prediction: 9-7
Buffalo Bills: Not much has changed.
Last season: 7-9
2008 Prediction: 6-10
Miami Dolphins: Improved, but still not good.
Last season: 1-15
2008 Prediction: 4-12
AFC NORTH
Pittsburgh Steelers: Big Ben breaks out.
Last season: 10-6
2008 Prediction: 11-5
Cincinnati Bengals: Bad defense ruins good offense.
Last season: 7-9
2008 Prediction: 8-8
Cleveland Browns: Too many questions, injuries.
Last season: 10-6
2008 Prediction: 8-8
Baltimore Ravens: Tough division. Tough luck.
Last season: 5-11
2008 Prediction: 7-9
AFC SOUTH
Indianapolis Colts: Peyton Manning is still good.
Last season: 13-3
2008 Prediction: 12-4
Jacksonville Jaguars: Well-balanced team.
Last season: 11-5
2008 Prediction: 11-5
Houston Texans: Sleeper playoff team this year?
Last season: 8-8
2008 Prediction: 9-7
Tennessee Titans: Someone needs to step up.
Last season: 10-6
2008 Prediction: 7-9
AFC WEST
San Diego Chargers: Best chance for a title?
Last season: 11-5
2008 Prediction: 12-4
Denver Broncos: Still a pretty average team.
Last season: 7-9
2008 Prediction: 8-8
Oakland Raiders: Ugh!
Last season: 4-12
2008 Prediction: 6-10
Kansas City Chiefs: "Whew! What died in here?"
Last season: 4-12
2008 Prediction: 1-15
NFC EAST
Dallas Cowboys: NFC's team to beat.
Last season: 13-3
2008 Prediction: 14-2
Philadelphia Eagles: Big comeback for McNabb.
Last season: 8-8
2008 Prediction: 10-6
Washington Redskins: Good offseason. Tough team.
Last season: 9-7
2008 Prediction: 9-7
New York Giants: Were they really that good?
Last season: 10-6
2008 Prediction: 8-8
NFC NORTH
Minnesota Vikings: If healthy, they are scary.
Last season: 8-8
2008 Prediction: 11-5
Green Bay Packers: Not as good without Favre.
Last season: 13-3
2008 Prediction: 10-6
Detroit Lions: Too one-dimensional.
Last season: 7-9
2008 Prediction: 7-9
Chicago Bears: What happened to this team?
Last season: 7-9
2008 Prediction: 5-11
NFC SOUTH
New Orleans Saints: Explosive team. Weak division.
Last season: 7-9
2008 Prediction: 11-5
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Defense keeps them in games.
Last season: 9-7
2008 Prediction: 9-7
Carolina Panthers: Still rebuilding. Maybe next year.
Last season: 7-9
2008 Prediction: 7-9
Atlanta Falcons: "OK, who let a fluffy?"
Last season: 4-12
2008 Prediction: 2-14
NFC WEST
Seattle Seahawks: After injuries, they'll be good.
Last season: 10-6
2008 Prediction: 10-6
Arizona Cardinals: Finally over the hump?
Last season: 8-8
2008 Prediction: 9-7
St. Louis Rams: Big improvement. Not enough.
Last season: 3-13
2008 Prediction: 8-8
San Francisco: Still taking QB applications.
Last season: 5-11
2008 Prediction: 4-12
PLAYOFFS ROUND 1
First round byes: New England, San Diego, Dallas, Minnesota
Indianapolis over Houston
Pittsburgh over Jacksonville
New Orleans over Green Bay
Philadelphia over Seattle
PLAYOFFS ROUND 2
New England over Pittsburgh
San Diego over Indianapolis
Dallas over Philadelphia
New Orleans over Minnesota
PLAYOFFS ROUND 3
San Diego over New England
Dallas over New Orleans
SUPER BOWL
San Diego over Dallas
Friday, August 15, 2008
Uhhh...what the hell?
Yeah, that's right...I'm posting a message on my blog. What are you going to do about it? I'll tell you...you'll do nothing and like it!!! So, I've decided that I want to start writing in my blog more. I guess I never wrote much because I didn't think anyone actually was interested in what I had to say. You know what? That's probably true...and I don't care! I have a lot of things rattling around up in my head, and some of it needs to go away. Brain clutter sucks. So, expect to start seeing more blog entries from me. Some may not make sense to you, but some might. Some might just be me rambling about something just because it will make me feel better. Does this have anything to do with the fact that Jen has started posting more on her blog (see the link to the right)? I don't think so...it's just a coincidence. Anyway, there won't be any rhyme or reason to what or when I post (sorry!), but it will definitely be more often. You can at least expect a 2008 NFL post that will include my predictions for this year.
Well, there you have it (a letter opener). I hope everyone is doing well. Happy reading!
Frank
P.S. - I apologize if you don't understand my inside jokes (such as the subject of this post, which comes from here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ww3GTNv9hHk), but I also don't mind explaining them. So, feel free to leave a comment or email me with any questions, comments, complaints, etc. Thanks!
Well, there you have it (a letter opener). I hope everyone is doing well. Happy reading!
Frank
P.S. - I apologize if you don't understand my inside jokes (such as the subject of this post, which comes from here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ww3GTNv9hHk), but I also don't mind explaining them. So, feel free to leave a comment or email me with any questions, comments, complaints, etc. Thanks!
Saturday, January 19, 2008
2007-2008 NFL Playoff Predictions (Conference Championships)
Well, my record isn't perfect anymore, but I still got 3 out of 4 games correct last week making my record 7-1 for the playoffs. Not too shabby. Although, if it was against the spread, my record probably wouldn't be so good. Anyway, I learned an interesting fact today. The Patriots have been in (and won) 3 of the last 6 Super Bowls. During that time, not one other team has been there twice. That's 9 different teams (bonus points if you can name all 9) and the Pats 3 times. Adding to that, the three other teams left in the playoffs besides the Patriots (Packers, Giants and Chargers) have also not been to the Super Bowl in the last 6 years. So, the trend will continue for another year. Amazing! Onto my picks for the Conference Championships:
San Diego Chargers at New England Patriots - What happened? This was supposed to be Colts vs. Patriots. Manning vs. Brady. Defending Champs vs. Undefeated. The two best teams in the NFL duking it out. The Chargers had to go and ruin that by beating the Colts at home. Not only that, but they did it with their three biggest offensive weapons injured (Rivers, Gates and LDT) and with the refs giving just about every call in the Colts favor. Wow! What does this mean? Are the Chargers really that good? Will they be the ones to defeat the Patriot Machine? Um...no. Sure, the Chargers are good, but the Pats are on a whole other level than the Colts. Not to mention they are still undefeated giving them extra motivation to win...and they have home-field advantage, which is huge when you play a warm weather team in below freezing temperatures (high of 24 tomorrow). I'm not going to say it will be a blowout like their Week 2 meeting when the Pats beat the Chargers 38-14. I think the Chargers are a better team now than they were then, not to mention they are on an eight game winning streak (even though the eight teams, except for the Colts, aren't that impressive). The Chargers actually have a chance to win this game if LDT is healthy. They need to run...a lot...but they also need to be able to stop the Pats offense once or twice. Possible...but not likely. If the Pats can get an early lead, they may just run away with this game and straight to Phoenix. Score - New England: 31 San Diego: 21.
New York Giants at Green Bay Packers - How happy are the Packers? Instead of going to Dallas to play a Cowboys team that beat them 37-27 in Week 13, they get to play at home against a Giants team that they spanked in Week 2, 35-13. You could just picture Brett Favre and the rest of the team breathing a sigh of relief as the Giants intercepted Tony Romo on their own 5-yard line to ensure their victory. Good for the Giants, but now they have to go to Green Bay and play in ridiculously cold weather (high of 6 tomorrow) against "America's Sweetheart", Brett Favre. Good luck with that. Like the Chargers, the Giants can win their game tomorrow, but it won't be easy. They have to hope that the extreme temperatures will affect the Packers as much as it affects them. After a certain point, I would think that it gets to be too cold, even for a cold-weather team. Both teams' passing games could be hurt by the cold, so this game may come down to the running backs. If that becomes the case, I still give the advantage to Green Bay. Ryan Grant rushed for over 200 yards last week against the Seahawks. Yes...200 yards...that is not a typo. The Giants, on the other hand, have been depending on a two-headed rushing attack with Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. They combined for 88 yards last week against the Cowboys. Again, like the Chargers, for the Giants to win, they will need to run the ball...a lot...and they need to keep the mistakes to a minimum. Possible...but not likely. Green Bay has too much firepower and should be able to get a lead and keep it. Score - Green Bay: 21 New York: 20.
So, there you go. Super Bowl XLII will be New England and Green Bay. Favre and Brady. I'm already excited. It's gonna be awesome...as long as San Diego and/or the Giants don't screw it up!
San Diego Chargers at New England Patriots - What happened? This was supposed to be Colts vs. Patriots. Manning vs. Brady. Defending Champs vs. Undefeated. The two best teams in the NFL duking it out. The Chargers had to go and ruin that by beating the Colts at home. Not only that, but they did it with their three biggest offensive weapons injured (Rivers, Gates and LDT) and with the refs giving just about every call in the Colts favor. Wow! What does this mean? Are the Chargers really that good? Will they be the ones to defeat the Patriot Machine? Um...no. Sure, the Chargers are good, but the Pats are on a whole other level than the Colts. Not to mention they are still undefeated giving them extra motivation to win...and they have home-field advantage, which is huge when you play a warm weather team in below freezing temperatures (high of 24 tomorrow). I'm not going to say it will be a blowout like their Week 2 meeting when the Pats beat the Chargers 38-14. I think the Chargers are a better team now than they were then, not to mention they are on an eight game winning streak (even though the eight teams, except for the Colts, aren't that impressive). The Chargers actually have a chance to win this game if LDT is healthy. They need to run...a lot...but they also need to be able to stop the Pats offense once or twice. Possible...but not likely. If the Pats can get an early lead, they may just run away with this game and straight to Phoenix. Score - New England: 31 San Diego: 21.
New York Giants at Green Bay Packers - How happy are the Packers? Instead of going to Dallas to play a Cowboys team that beat them 37-27 in Week 13, they get to play at home against a Giants team that they spanked in Week 2, 35-13. You could just picture Brett Favre and the rest of the team breathing a sigh of relief as the Giants intercepted Tony Romo on their own 5-yard line to ensure their victory. Good for the Giants, but now they have to go to Green Bay and play in ridiculously cold weather (high of 6 tomorrow) against "America's Sweetheart", Brett Favre. Good luck with that. Like the Chargers, the Giants can win their game tomorrow, but it won't be easy. They have to hope that the extreme temperatures will affect the Packers as much as it affects them. After a certain point, I would think that it gets to be too cold, even for a cold-weather team. Both teams' passing games could be hurt by the cold, so this game may come down to the running backs. If that becomes the case, I still give the advantage to Green Bay. Ryan Grant rushed for over 200 yards last week against the Seahawks. Yes...200 yards...that is not a typo. The Giants, on the other hand, have been depending on a two-headed rushing attack with Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. They combined for 88 yards last week against the Cowboys. Again, like the Chargers, for the Giants to win, they will need to run the ball...a lot...and they need to keep the mistakes to a minimum. Possible...but not likely. Green Bay has too much firepower and should be able to get a lead and keep it. Score - Green Bay: 21 New York: 20.
So, there you go. Super Bowl XLII will be New England and Green Bay. Favre and Brady. I'm already excited. It's gonna be awesome...as long as San Diego and/or the Giants don't screw it up!
Saturday, January 12, 2008
2007-2008 NFL Playoff Predictions (Round 2)
Well now, look who predicted every single game of round 1 correctly. That's right...this guy! OK...enough gloating. It really wasn't that big of a deal. Pretty much everyone had the same picks. Some of those games were much closer than expected, as well. Round 2 has four really intriguing matchups that should be much more entertaining and difficult to predict. I'll give it a shot, though...
Seattle Seahawks at Green Bay Packers (The Maxwell Bowl) - Seattle started out a little slow last week in their Round 1 matchup against the Redskins, but then they broke the game open in the 4th quarter with 2 INT's that went for touchdowns. It was a good defensive matchup. Such is not the case this week when the Seahawks invade Green Bay. The Packers, led by the ageless Brett Favre, have a much better offense that Washington and I totally expect this game to quickly turn into a shootout between Favre and Matt Hasselbeck. Both teams have capable running games, but they have found their success this year by passing. The game could be decided by who turns over the ball more. People are saying the Packers and Favre are destined this year and maybe they are, but Seattle certainly won't make it easy for them. The home field advantage should have the Packers pumped up and Brett Favre will find a way to win. Score - Green Bay: 35 Seattle: 31.
Jacksonville Jaguars at New England Patriots - This is the game that everyone wanted to see this week (except maybe New England fans). The experts are saying that if anyone can beat the Patriots, it could be the Jaguars because the Jaguars strengths (the running game) match up with the Pats weaknesses (the run defense). While that may be true, I don't think it's going to be enough. The Jaguars didn't look as good last week as I thought they would. They were lucky to even win that game against Pittsburgh. The Steelers were able to throw on them all day. How in the heck do the Jags expect to stop Tom Brady and the Pats passing attack which is probably the greatest of all time? What will happen if they fall behind by 2 or more TD's? They will have to abandon the run and depend on David Gerrard to throw the ball. Who's going to take Gerrard over Brady in a shootout? Certainly not me. Score - New England: 28 Jacksonville: 21.
San Diego Chargers at Indianapolis Colts - Much like the Jaguars, the Chargers did not impress me last week against the Tennessee Titans. They didn't even have a lead until late in the 3rd quarter after getting shut out in the first half. Sure, the Colts defense isn't as good as the Titans, but their offense is 10 times better. Plus the possibility of the Chargers not having Antonio Gates for this game could be the final nail in the proverbial coffin. Without Gates, the Colts can focus all their attention on LaDainian Tomlinson. This will force Philip Rivers to throw, but to who? He hasn't really developed a great rapport with Chris Chambers, yet. They better get on the same page quickly if they want to win this game. Look for a lot of screen passes and dump-offs to LDT. It won't be enough though to keep up with the Colts, though. Score - Indianapolis: 31 San Diego: 20.
New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys - The Giants actually surprised me last week. Although I thought they would win, it didn't happen the way I thought it would. I expected a heavy dose of Brandon Jacobs wearing down the Tampa Bay Defense. Instead we had a balanced running attack with Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw to go along with an impressive passing attack led by Eli Manning (20-27 with 2 TD's and no INT's). Not too bad, G-Men. Now they face a much better team in the Dallas Cowboys, who they have already lost to this year...twice. I look for this matchup to be different, though. The Cowboys didn't finish the season on a high note and T.O. is not 100%. These two teams are fairly evenly matched, although Dallas has the advantage when healthy. If T.O. can't bring his A game, expect lots of throws to TE Jason Witten. The Giants need to duplicate their performance from last week if they want to pull off the upset. Look for a very physical game from both teams, and if that happens, I think the Giants gain the advantage and might shock some people. Score - New York: 24 Dallas: 23.
Seattle Seahawks at Green Bay Packers (The Maxwell Bowl) - Seattle started out a little slow last week in their Round 1 matchup against the Redskins, but then they broke the game open in the 4th quarter with 2 INT's that went for touchdowns. It was a good defensive matchup. Such is not the case this week when the Seahawks invade Green Bay. The Packers, led by the ageless Brett Favre, have a much better offense that Washington and I totally expect this game to quickly turn into a shootout between Favre and Matt Hasselbeck. Both teams have capable running games, but they have found their success this year by passing. The game could be decided by who turns over the ball more. People are saying the Packers and Favre are destined this year and maybe they are, but Seattle certainly won't make it easy for them. The home field advantage should have the Packers pumped up and Brett Favre will find a way to win. Score - Green Bay: 35 Seattle: 31.
Jacksonville Jaguars at New England Patriots - This is the game that everyone wanted to see this week (except maybe New England fans). The experts are saying that if anyone can beat the Patriots, it could be the Jaguars because the Jaguars strengths (the running game) match up with the Pats weaknesses (the run defense). While that may be true, I don't think it's going to be enough. The Jaguars didn't look as good last week as I thought they would. They were lucky to even win that game against Pittsburgh. The Steelers were able to throw on them all day. How in the heck do the Jags expect to stop Tom Brady and the Pats passing attack which is probably the greatest of all time? What will happen if they fall behind by 2 or more TD's? They will have to abandon the run and depend on David Gerrard to throw the ball. Who's going to take Gerrard over Brady in a shootout? Certainly not me. Score - New England: 28 Jacksonville: 21.
San Diego Chargers at Indianapolis Colts - Much like the Jaguars, the Chargers did not impress me last week against the Tennessee Titans. They didn't even have a lead until late in the 3rd quarter after getting shut out in the first half. Sure, the Colts defense isn't as good as the Titans, but their offense is 10 times better. Plus the possibility of the Chargers not having Antonio Gates for this game could be the final nail in the proverbial coffin. Without Gates, the Colts can focus all their attention on LaDainian Tomlinson. This will force Philip Rivers to throw, but to who? He hasn't really developed a great rapport with Chris Chambers, yet. They better get on the same page quickly if they want to win this game. Look for a lot of screen passes and dump-offs to LDT. It won't be enough though to keep up with the Colts, though. Score - Indianapolis: 31 San Diego: 20.
New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys - The Giants actually surprised me last week. Although I thought they would win, it didn't happen the way I thought it would. I expected a heavy dose of Brandon Jacobs wearing down the Tampa Bay Defense. Instead we had a balanced running attack with Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw to go along with an impressive passing attack led by Eli Manning (20-27 with 2 TD's and no INT's). Not too bad, G-Men. Now they face a much better team in the Dallas Cowboys, who they have already lost to this year...twice. I look for this matchup to be different, though. The Cowboys didn't finish the season on a high note and T.O. is not 100%. These two teams are fairly evenly matched, although Dallas has the advantage when healthy. If T.O. can't bring his A game, expect lots of throws to TE Jason Witten. The Giants need to duplicate their performance from last week if they want to pull off the upset. Look for a very physical game from both teams, and if that happens, I think the Giants gain the advantage and might shock some people. Score - New York: 24 Dallas: 23.
Saturday, January 05, 2008
2007-2008 NFL Playoff Predictions (Round 1)
OK...so my regular season predictions didn't go so well. Then again, did anyone predict the Pats would go 16-0, the Saints and Bears wouldn't do so well, or that Tennessee and Tampa Bay would make the playoffs? Of course, I didn't think Miami would have a great season either, but I thought they would have finished the season with more than one win. At least they get the #1 draft pick in April. So, they've got that going for them, which is nice. Ugh. Anyway, it's playoff time, so here are my predictions:
Washington at Seattle - Washington is on an emotional win streak since the death of Sean Taylor, but now it's the playoffs and they have to go to Seattle, which is a tough stadium to win a game in. Matt Hasselbeck is something like 21-3 playing at home in the past 3 years. Coach Holmgren has given him the go-ahead to turn the Seahawks into a passing team, and he has led them to victories in 6 of the last 7 weeks (Week 17 doesn't count). It was a good run to make the playoffs for the Redskins, but that run ends in Seattle. Score - Seattle: 24 Washington: 21.
Jacksonville at Pittsburgh - Seems like everyone is picking Jacksonville to win this game, even though Pittsburgh is the higher ranked team and playing at home. Well, who am I to buck the trend? Jacksonville beat Pittsburgh before and that was when they had a healthy Willie Parker at RB. He is not playing this game, and Najeh Davenport is nowhere near as good. I'm not saying Pittsburgh doesn't have a chance, but they will have to air it out to win this game. I'm looking for Jacksonville to control the clock by running...a lot. If they don't make any dumb mistakes, they should pull out the victory. Score - Jacksonville: 21 Pittsburgh: 14.
New York at Tampa Bay - This might be the most physical game of the weekend. Neither team has been an offensive powerhouse this year. Tampa Bay is a conservative team relying on veteran QB Jeff Garcia to run the offense without making any costly mistakes. The Giants depend on a streaky QB named Manning (not the good one) and a tough workhorse RB in Brandon Jacobs. This game is a tough one to predict and could go either way but if the Giants can run Jacobs around 25 times, they should be able to squeak out a win. Score - New York: 20 Tampa Bay: 17.
Tennessee at San Diego - This could be a trap game. It looks like it should be a blowout for San Diego on all fronts. Better running game, better passing game, better defense and better special teams. Not to mention they are more experienced and have home-field advantage. So, is there a way that Tennessee can win this game? Sure...I guess on any given Sunday...or something. Whatever, the Titans shouldn't even be in the playoffs, in my opinion. The Chargers should have no problem winning this game. Score - San Diego: 35 Tennessee: 10.
Washington at Seattle - Washington is on an emotional win streak since the death of Sean Taylor, but now it's the playoffs and they have to go to Seattle, which is a tough stadium to win a game in. Matt Hasselbeck is something like 21-3 playing at home in the past 3 years. Coach Holmgren has given him the go-ahead to turn the Seahawks into a passing team, and he has led them to victories in 6 of the last 7 weeks (Week 17 doesn't count). It was a good run to make the playoffs for the Redskins, but that run ends in Seattle. Score - Seattle: 24 Washington: 21.
Jacksonville at Pittsburgh - Seems like everyone is picking Jacksonville to win this game, even though Pittsburgh is the higher ranked team and playing at home. Well, who am I to buck the trend? Jacksonville beat Pittsburgh before and that was when they had a healthy Willie Parker at RB. He is not playing this game, and Najeh Davenport is nowhere near as good. I'm not saying Pittsburgh doesn't have a chance, but they will have to air it out to win this game. I'm looking for Jacksonville to control the clock by running...a lot. If they don't make any dumb mistakes, they should pull out the victory. Score - Jacksonville: 21 Pittsburgh: 14.
New York at Tampa Bay - This might be the most physical game of the weekend. Neither team has been an offensive powerhouse this year. Tampa Bay is a conservative team relying on veteran QB Jeff Garcia to run the offense without making any costly mistakes. The Giants depend on a streaky QB named Manning (not the good one) and a tough workhorse RB in Brandon Jacobs. This game is a tough one to predict and could go either way but if the Giants can run Jacobs around 25 times, they should be able to squeak out a win. Score - New York: 20 Tampa Bay: 17.
Tennessee at San Diego - This could be a trap game. It looks like it should be a blowout for San Diego on all fronts. Better running game, better passing game, better defense and better special teams. Not to mention they are more experienced and have home-field advantage. So, is there a way that Tennessee can win this game? Sure...I guess on any given Sunday...or something. Whatever, the Titans shouldn't even be in the playoffs, in my opinion. The Chargers should have no problem winning this game. Score - San Diego: 35 Tennessee: 10.
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