My 2009 Week 1 Power Rankings

With the first game of the NFL season coming fast, it’s time to crank out my first power rankings of the regular season to follow up my preseason rankings.

These rankings are based on my expectations for these teams for the upcoming season. The number in parentheses is their ranking from my pre-season edition.

 

1. New England Patriots (1)

I think the Patriots will be one of the best teams this season. It’s scary to think that this offense could rival the historic 2007 Pats offense, but with a healthy Tom Brady, it is possible.

 

2. Pittsburgh Steelers (2)

They start off the season with a game against the Tennessee Titans. I think it will be a tough game, but the Steelers and their D will start the game off right.

 

3. New York Giants (3)

While following my Giants very closely this off-season and training camp, I know that they can be top contenders this year, even if they don’t have that No. 1 guy at the receiver spot yet.

 

4. Atlanta Falcons (5)

I have huge expectations for Matt Ryan and the Falcons this season. I think they could represent the NFC in the Super Bowl this year, if Matt Ryan doesn’t hit that sophomore slump.

 

5. Philadelphia Eagles (4)

The Eagles made the big pickup of Michael Vick and will be looking for some help from him when he comes back in Week 3.

Although they have been hit hard by the injury bug in camp, if they can avoid it, they will have a very good season.

 

6. Indianapolis Colts (6)

Peyton Manning and the Colts are looking good for this season, and even without Tony Dungy, they will take a tough AFC South.

 

7. San Diego Chargers (8)

The Chargers will have a great season this year. I think LT will bounce back, and he and Phillip Rivers will lead the Chargers through an easy AFC West.

 

8. Tennessee Titans (7)

Like I said with the Colts, I think they will take the AFC South, but it will be close between them and the Titans. They will grab a wild card spot for sure.

 

9. Chicago Bears (10)

Some people don’t like the Bears, but I love them this season. Jay Cutler will have a great season despite not having Brandon Marshall, and the Bears will take the NFC North.

 

10. Minnesota Vikings (11)

Even though I was pulling for Tarvaris Jackson over Sage Rosenfels and Brett Favre, I still think Adrian Peterson will have a great season. The Vikings will grab a wild card in an NFC North that could go any way, except to the Lions.

 

11. Carolina Panthers (9)

With the rushing duo of Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams leading the team, the Panthers will have a good season unless Jake Delhomme plays like he did in the playoffs.

 

12. Baltimore Ravens (12)

They are “Wacko For Flacco” in Baltimore, but I am not. And even though the defense lost its coordinator, this is still a Top Five defense.

 

13. Arizona Cardinals (13)

The defending NFC champions could be a very good team again if Kurt Warner can stay healthy. The passing game with Warner, Boldin, and Fitzgerald will be great.

 

14. New Orleans Saints (15)

Drew Brees got the nod from me for being the top QB for this season. After putting up 5,000 yards last season, he probably won’t do it again but will get around 4,000.

 

15. New York Jets (14)

I love the Jets with Rex Ryan at the head. They have come in confident and could be very good in the future.

 

16. Houston Texans (16)

If Matt Schaub can stay healthy this season, they can be very good. That being said, Schaub has never played a full 16-game season.

 

17. Green Bay Packers (17)

Aaron Rodgers is the starting QB, and some people think he could become one of the league’s best this season.

 

18. Buffalo Bills (18)

The Bills are my surprise team. The only reason that they aren’t above the Jets for Week 1 is the absence of Marshawn Lynch.

 

19. Dallas Cowboys (19)

This could change a lot, because the Cowboys could surprise a lot of people. I do think T.O. will be a huge loss, but they have a very good running game and a good defense.

 

20. San Francisco 49ers (20)

They do play in an easy division, with the Cardinals and Seahawks posing the only threats to them. I could very well see them going 8-8.

 

21. Miami Dolphins (21)

Like I have said before, the Wildcat won’t surprise anyone this season. That and I don’t think Chad Pennington can repeat what he did last season.

 

22. Washington Redskins (22)

Jason Campbell looked pretty bad in the pre-season. He’s playing in a contract year, and this could be the last we see of him in Washington.

 

23. Jacksonville Jaguars (24)

The rushing game will be in the hands of Maurice Jones-Drew this season. With all that, I think the Jaguars will finish around the same they did last year.

 

24. Denver Broncos (23)

The big loss of Jay Cutler, and Kyle Orton in as QB will impact the team a lot. They have inexperience across the whole team.

 

25. Cincinnati Bengals (26)

The Bengals look like they will be an all-right team, but they are definitely a work in progress. Marvin Lewis will probably be out after this season.

 

26. Kansas City Chiefs (25)

They added Matt Cassel, but it will be interesting to see how Cassel does without that Patriots offense.

 

27. Seattle Seahawks (28)

This is a very low ranking, and I think they will shoot up during the season. I do think that they will have a decent season around 7-9.

 

28. Cleveland Browns (27)

The Browns are looking into a dismal season this year. Brady Quinn has been named the starter, and even though I think that was the right choice, the Browns offense and defense will both struggle.

 

29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (29)

The Bucs have decided on Byron Leftwich as their Week 1 starter. They get the Cowboys for Week 1, and are in an obvious rebuilding stage.

 

30. Oakland Raiders (30)

Head Coach Tom Cable punched an assistant coach in the face in the off-season. That and the release of Jeff Garcia are signs of a couple of things already going wrong in Oakland.

 

31. St Louis Rams (31)

The Rams are not looking at a great season, as coach Steve Spagnuolo will start to try to turn this team around.

 

32. Detroit Lions (32)

They named No. 1 overall pick Matt Stafford as their opening day starter. They are hoping to get the same result that the Ravens and Falcons did last year with their rookies.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Moreno, Breaston, & More: Looking at Five Week One Fantasy Questions

 

Tomorrow marks that start of the NFL season for the majority of the league, so let’s take a look at a few last minute decisions you may be agonizing over.  Is Steve Breaston worth using?  How about Mike Bell?  Will Matt Cassel’s injury affect the status of Larry Johnson?  Let’s take a look at these questions and a few others for Week One:

 

1) Larry Johnson/Jamal Charles – I’ve talked about Johnson in the past, hailing him as a player that you shouldn’t overlook (click here to view the article).  Unfortunately, the duo is placed in a difficult situation in Week One.  Matt Cassel is questionable, and even if he suits up it’s going to be tough to imagine him producing huge numbers. 

As if allowing the opposing defense to focus on the run more isn’t enough, the fact that it’s the Baltimore Ravens defense just makes things 100 percent worse.  They may have lost a few key players and their defensive coordinator, but make no mistake, this is a defense that is going to be among the leagues best (they were the third best against the run last season).

If you have usable alternatives, I’d avoid the Chiefs running back duo this week.

 

2) Knowshon Moreno – The first round draft choice is a hip pick for many, who has the potential to have a huge rookie campaign.  He’s currently listed as questionable, and while he should be able to take the field, you really aren’t sure of the size of his role given the fact that he was limited in practice.

Correll Buckhalter will see plenty of time, which is going to hurt Moreno’s value this week.  If you have a safer alternative on your bench, you may want to go with him for this week.

 

3) Steve Breaston – I know, I’ve said I would’ve drafted Devin Hester before him (click here for the article), but injury concerns for Anquan Boldin changes ones prospective for Week One. 

When Boldin is quoted as saying, “It’s a long season. It’s only week one. I’d rather sit out game one as opposed to sitting out four or five other games. You just have to use your discretion.” in the Arizona Republic (click here for the post), you get the impression that he’s leaning towards missing the season’s opening game. 

That would slide Breaston into a starter’s role, making him a player worth considering this week.  It is not like he has no value on a normal week, so it just makes playing him an easier decision.

 

4) Mike Bell – Pierre Thomas is out, meaning that the Saints are going to have to turn to the third-string back to share carries with Reggie Bush.  Bell burst onto the scene his rookie year, getting 157 carries for 677 yards for the Broncos after going undrafted, but has done nothing to speak of the last two seasons (19 carries for 45 yards). 

He’s certainly a big risk, though taking on the Detroit Lions should help to ease a few fears.  He wouldn’t be my top choice as a fill-in, but if you are in need he could prove to be a worthy gamble.  I’d probably leave him for the extremely desperate, however.

 

5) Giants Wide Receivers – Like there wasn’t enough doubt here to begin with, now Mike Garafolo of the Newark Star-Ledger (click here for the article) is reporting that the team will see Hakeem Nicks, Domenick Hixon, Steve Smith and Mario Manningham “play an important role in the team’s offense during Sunday’s game.” 

They couldn’t just pick two?  Smith is probably the most likely to see consistent time as a possession receiver, but until this shakes itself out it’s not worth gambling on any of these players in your starting line-up.  Leave them on your bench.

 

What are your thoughts?  Which of these players would you use?  Which would you bench?

This article is also featured on www.rotoprofessor.com/football

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Saints-Lions Preview: Five Questions For New Orleans Against Detroit

The start of the regular season is upon us.

Finally.

It has been eight and a half months since the Saints have played a game that was worth something.

Hopes are high in New Orleans because of Drew Brees and new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams. With all the anticipation, though, we really don’t know what to expect.

Will the offense stay healthy this year? Will the running game get going or will Brees again have to drop back and throw it 40 times per game?

Is the defense ready to make a leap forward and be an asset? Is Sean Payton going to stick with the same punter for the whole season or is he already scanning the waiver wire?

While these questions will be answered throughout the season, here are five questions for week one.

 

How will the running game look with Pierre Thomas out of the lineup?

The Saints announced on Friday that Pierre Thomas, the Saints’ starter at running back, is out for Sunday’s game. Thomas sprained his MCL during the preseason.

To be honest, the Saints don’t need him against the Lions.

While it would be nice to have all of the starters ready for the opening game, Mike Bell should fill in nicely as Thomas’ replacement. There is no reason to risk Thomas given the arsenal at Drew Brees’ disposal. Save him for next week in Philadelphia.

I expect Bell to be the main guy carrying the ball. He should get anywhere from 15-20 carries while Reggie Bush takes 10-12.

Speaking of Mr. Bush…

 

Is Reggie’s knee finally healthy?

Reggie Bush touched the ball just three times in the preseason and hasn’t played in a game in four weeks. Bush has has health issues as he has missed ten games over the past two seasons.

The Saints have been very cautious with Bush during training camp. He has been held out of several contact drills and is often seen icing his surgically repaired knee.

While the Saints don’t need him to beat the Lions, it would be a good opportunity for him to shake off the rust. I expect Sean Payton to give him around ten touches just to get Reggie back into the groove of playing football.

 

How often will Gregg Williams dial up a blitz for rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford?

The opportunity to face a rookie quarterback on a bad team in his first NFL start had got to be a defensive coordinator’s dream. Fantasy becomes reality for Gregg Williams as he puts the finishing touches on what should be an aggressive game plan.

For all the talent he faced in the SEC, Matthew Stafford has never faced the complexity of an NFL defense. To confuse Stafford, I’m looking for Williams to call a number of blitz packages.

The Saints can afford to blitz often because the Lions possess just one vertical threat, wide receiver Calvin Johnson.

Speaking of Mr. Johnson…

 

How well will the Saints defend against wide receiver Calvin Johnson?

As terrible as the Saints’ secondary performed last year, they actually held Johnson to one of his worst performances of the season. Johnson caught just four passes for 64 yards in the week 16 New Orleans victory.

Johnson, though, is one of the most feared receivers in the game. Johnson led the league with 12 touchdowns and was fifth with 1,331 receiving yards. He did all of this as the only offensive threat on a win-less team.

Johnson could approach Randy Moss’ 2007 numbers if he had Brees, Brady, or Peyton Manning as his quarterback.

 

Can the defense keep up the turnover pace it set in the first three preseason games?

The Saints were near the bottom of the league in forcing (29th) and recovering (26th) fumbles. Forcing turnovers has been a point of emphasis for Williams and it shows.

New Orleans forced three turnovers in each of its first three preseason games and forced one while playing mainly reserves in the final preseason game.

The Saints pass rushers should be looking to strip Stafford of the ball every time they get near him. The secondary, led by veteran safety Darren Sharper, will be trying to confuse the rookie as much as possible with a variety of looks.

I expect the Saints defense to get two or more turnovers against a rookie quarterback and a team that fumbled 31 times last season.

 

Final Prediction

The Lions are more talented this year but so are the Saints. I’m not sure how often a rookie quarterback wins his first start on the road, but it can’t be a very high number.

New Orleans has high expectations this season. If they are to make the playoffs, they have to win the games like this one that they are supposed to win.

New Orleans 38, Detroit 13

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Cool Your Jets: Lito Will Be Just Fine

Lito Sheppard has not had a good preseason, let me start this article with that acknowledgment. He has been beaten both in the shot game and over the top, and has been called for some pass interference calls that have cost the Jets field position and points.

However lets not judge him by this alone, by defensive coordinator Mike Pettine’s own admission, he has been placed on an island without a raft and asked to perform in situations that he won’t see himself in all that often this season

I have heard some fans already calling him a failure, some going so far as to say that he should of been cut in the preseason. Which makes me ask the question how long have these fans been watching the game. Did they not see him in 2004, and 2006, his pro bowl years, when he was actually starting.

I’m a advocate of giving people chances, that’s why earlier in the preseason I said that we should stay put at the wide receiver position, and why we should hold judgement on Vernon Gholston at least until the end of this season, and that’s why I’m saying that Lito is far superior to anything else we have, and anything else we have had in some times.

Sometimes he is going to get beat, show me a number two corner that doesn’t, but he will give us more positives than negatives this season. As for people mentioning the pass interference calls, a couple of them were from officials who seemingly liked the sound of their own whistle.

Lito for the majority of the preseason was playing man-to-man coverage, and that was a problem, he is more of a zone defender, we knew that when we got him.

This season he is not going to be put on a island, he will have help from over the top, it’s suits our scheme and Lito’s strengths that we have a corner opposite him who can shut opponents down in man to man coverage.

It still astounds me that people do not consider Darrelle Revis to be a premier cornerback in this league, they obviously didn’t watch much football last season.

Sheppard likes to get his hands on receivers, that’s why we will use him in press situations this year, let him do what he does best, disrupt the receiver off the line, at times he will get called for pass interference. However 90 percent of corners in the league make contact with the receivers at some point during the route, it’s a case of what the officials see and how they are going to call it.

It just so happens that during the pre-season we had some very whistle friendly officials who felt like stamping their authority on the game.

He has short area quickness, good allignment and above average under-neath coverage skills. He has excellent hands, and ball hawking skills. There will be times this season where he will have to play man-to-man, and he will get beat, that’s football, it happens.

Some are saying that Lowery should start ahead of him? I don’t think so, for all Lito’s short comings, he is ahead of Lowery at this stage in his career. He doesn’t have excellent speed but with help over the top he shouldn’t need it.

Not to mention that he is adapting to a new defence, a pass that people seem to give to the other key additions to the Jets but not to Lito. It seems that before a ball has been snapped people are writing him off, because of the way his reign with the Eagles ended.

He won’t be at his best straight away, he hasn’t started as a corner for a while, but around week five-six, I expect to see the best of Lito, and a return to his pro bowl performance is not completely off the cards. He runs on confidence, and I hope he doesn’t read some comments made by Jets fans about his ability.

Give him a chance, remember he will be picked on a lot this season, and he wont shut down every receiver that lines up against him, but over the course of a full 16 game season, his positives I believe will outweigh his negatives.

I hope that he manages to stay healthy. There is a reason why the aging Ty Law was brought in and Dwight Lowery benched last year, and for the people who are crying for a Lowery start, you might be regretting these words if Lito does go down this season.

I’m not intending to knock Lowery, but right now he is not ready, and I personally feel that he is much more suited to the safety position in the NFL.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Four Questions for the Denver Broncos

/* Style Definitions */

table.MsoNormalTable

{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;

mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;

mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;

mso-style-noshow:yes;

mso-style-priority:99;

mso-style-qformat:yes;

mso-style-parent:””;

mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;

mso-para-margin-top:0in;

mso-para-margin-right:0in;

mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;

mso-para-margin-left:0in;

line-height:115%;

mso-pagination:widow-orphan;

font-size:11.0pt;

font-family:”Calibri”,”sans-serif”;

mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;

mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;

mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”;

mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;

mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;

mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}

As we prepare for Sunday’s season opener there are questions we need answered. The answer to these questions will have a major impact on how the Broncos season progresses.

 

Run Defense

The Broncos failure to stop the run over the past few seasons raised the ire of Broncos’ fans and ultimately led to the firing of Mike Shanahan. If the Broncos have not resolved this issue it will be very difficult to improve on last season’s 8-8 record.

The preseason results were encouraging. The Broncos’ run defense showed signs of improvement but it was preseason. The Broncos need to show they can shut down a rushing attack.  Cincinnati are not known as a great running team. If Cedric Benson hangs 100 yards on the Broncos’ defense it will be a sign that the Broncos still have problems in this area.

 

Pass Rush

Over the past few years Denver’s pass rush has been suspect at best. The lack of a consistent pass rush led to the Broncos’ performing poorly on third down.  Broncos’ fans watched helplessly as our team forced the opposing team into a third and long, only to see our secondary be exposed by a lack of pass rush. Our secondary looks to be greatly improved, but no secondary can hold up for the amount of time our defensive line gave opposing quarterbacks last year.

This is another area that the Broncos showed great promise of improvement in the preseason. Elvis Dumervil looked like a beast. If this carries over to the regular season the Broncos will be in great shape. We still need Jarvis Moss and rookie Robert Ayers to step up.

 

Kyle Orton

No one expects Kyle Orton to be a great quarterback. He does not need to be.  What he needs to be is serviceable. Manage the game, limit turnovers, and make an occasional great pass. It’s that simple.

The preseason provided mixed results. While showing great promise at times, there were also some very scary moments for Broncos’ fans. It is preseason and we have to remember the purpose of the preseason is to work out these issues. If we see the Orton that makes accurate, crisp passes; the Broncos will be fine. If we see the Orton that locks onto a receiver or throws left handed interceptions; Broncos’ fans could be in for a long season.

 

Josh McDaniels

Over the past 14 years in Denver, quality coaching was never an issue. The Broncos under Shanahan were rarely out-coached and rarely out of any game. A bad first half led to the adjustments that would lead the Broncos back into the game. Shanahan, I believe, is one of the greatest in-game coaches in history.

I have no doubt that the Broncos have not opened the entire play book in the preseason. I also think McDaniels will be a good coach and have his team prepared. Making in-game adjustments is my concern. This is what separates good coaches from great ones. I don’t believe Broncos’ fans appreciate this quality enough.

Many of the above questions will be answered this week. Some answers may take several games to be answered but these are the issues that will ultimately determine the Broncos’ fate.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Green Bay Packers Vs Chicago Bears: Great Moments From a Classic Rivalry

In the very first meeting between the Packers and the Bears in 1921, there was a single moment that would foretell a future of heated battles. Chicago’s John (Tarzan) Taylor threw a sucker punch that broke the nose of Packers tackle Howard Buck. It would prove to be the opening salvo in what became a long and tenuous rivalry between Green Bay and Chicago.

7,000 fans at Wrigley field watched the Bears shut out the Packers that day by a score of 20-0. While a mere 200 miles separates these two cities, the differences couldn’t be greater. Small town Green Bay vs. big city Chicago. In 1921, Chicago was the second largest city in the country with a population of 2.7 million people. Green Bay was a blue-collar paper mill town with a population of only 31,000 people.

But while the cities’ demographics are at opposite ends of the spectrum, they do share a common bond, one of football greatness.

With Curly Lambeau and George Halas steering the ship, these two teams established themselves early on as the standard to aspire to. The Packers have won the most Championships in NFL History (12) and the Bears are second all-time with nine. The Bears have won 17 Division Championships, the Packers 13.

A total of 52 Pro Football Hall of Fame members (28 for the Bears and 24 for the Packers) have played in this rivalry. Names like Bronco Nagurski, Johnny Blood McNally, Red Grange, Don Hutson, Sid Luckman, Bart Starr, Gayle Sayers, Paul Hornung, Dick Butkus, Ray Nitschke, Walter Payton, Bret Favre.

These two teams epitomized what football should be. As renowned sports author Dick Schaap once said, “If you want to draw a picture of football, you just draw Ray Nitschke’s face and Dick Butkus’ face. That tells you all you have to know about the game.”

Over the 90 years of this rivalry, there have been many moments that helped define this rivalry. Let’s take a look at just a few that epitomize what this rivalry is all about..

1924: Ejected for fighting: The first time players were ever ejected from an NFL game for fighting was naturally during a Packers-Bears game. Bears end Frank Hanny and Packers end Walter Voss were tossed from the game before the end of the first half, as verbal sparring led to fisticuffs. Hanny would be ejected from a Bears-Packers game once again in 1926 and the pattern of nastiness had been established.

1941: WWII can’t stop the rivalry: Exactly seven days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Packers and Bears met in the first and only playoff meeting between these two teams. In a time when the country was devastated by the advent of World War II, an overflow crowd of more than 43,000 fans came to Wrigley Field to watch the Bears defeat the Packers 33-14. The following week, when the Bears hosted the NY Giants in the NFL Championship game, only 13,000 fans showed up to see them win their fourth title.

1964: The Free Kick Game: Vince Lombardi’s Packers were the first team to ever invoke the “fair catch free kick” rule. After Elijah Pitts fair caught a punt on the Packers 48 yard line just before halftime, Vince Lombardi informed the referees that they would be trying a free kick. There was confusion among all. Neither team had ever seen it before or practiced it.

The Packers lined up on the line of scrimmage with Bart Starr holding the ball. Paul Hornung stepped up and made the 52-yard field goal as the half ended. Everyone was shocked and the Bears were embarrassed as the Packers went on to win 23-12. Lombardi said after the game it was probably a “once in a lifetime” occurrence. He was proven wrong, however, as the Bears would return the favor 4 years later, beating the Packers on the free kick.

1980: Chester Marcol’s freak touchdown: This is one of the most memorable plays in NFL History. The Packers and the Bears were tied at 6-6 in overtime. A 32-yard pass from Lynn Dickey to James Lofton helped set up a game-winning field goal attempt by Packers’ kicker Chester Marcol. The Bears’ Alan Page managed to break through a block the field goal, with the football hitting his helmet. While it wasn’t immediately clear to the players what had happened, Marcol grabbed rebound off Page’s helmet and ran around the pile for a touchdown and the win.

1986: The Charles Martin Hit List: Packers defensive tackle Charles Martin wore a towel with numbers of specific Bears players he planned to “get” Walter Payton and Jim McMahon topped the list. AFVter a McMahon interception, as he was looking to walk off the field, Martin came up behind McMahon and body-slammed him to the turf. McMahon’s shoulder was separated and he was lost for the season.

Martin was suspended for two games, at the time the longest suspension in NFL history for an on-field incident. The Bears still finished the season 14-2, but were upset in the playoffs leaving many Bears fans wondering what might have been if the Bears still had McMahon. If Martin was sorry for his actions, he took it to his grave, as he never apologized for the incident. To Bears fans, Martin is surely one of the most hated Packers of all time.

1989: The Instant Replay game: I can hear Bears fans groaning right now. Trailing 13-6 very late in the game, Packers quarterback Don Majowski is leading the Packers downfield. After advancing to a first and goal from the seven, Majik threw two incompletions and was sacked for a loss. With 40 seconds left and a fourth and goal from the fourteen, Majkowski scrambled out of the pocket and threw a TD pass to Sterling Sharpe. But an official threw a flag on the play, claiming Majkowski had stepped over the line of scrimmage.

Packers coach Lindy Infante challenged the call and after a deliberation of over four minutes, the replay official overturned the call and allowed the TD. Packers win 14-13. Of course Bears fans are still angry over this, but the Packers and their fans were elated. It was their first win over the Bears after eight straight losses.

1995: Favre ironman act continues: The Packers entered the game trailing the Bears by one game in the standings. A win would put them in a tie and give them a sweep of the season series.  QB Brett Farve’s status for the game was doubtful due to a sprained ankle. He had not practiced all week, but started the game and went on to have a classic Brett Favre game. He completed 25 of 33 passes for 336 yards and five touchdown passes as the Packers won the game 35-28. 

This game was a key turning point for the Packers of the late 90s. Just 5-4 coming into the game, this win started the Packers on a streak of winning six out of their last seven games to win the Division Title with an 11-5 record. They would make it to the NFC Conference Championship game that season and to the Super Bowl the next two seasons. This was the game that put Green Bay on the winning track and sent the Bears in the opposite direction.

Of course, there have been many more great moments in Packers-Bears history. There have been better played games and even more important games than those listed here. But these were chosen for the effect they had on building and intensifying the rivalry that is Packers-Bears.

And one shouldn’t mistake rivalries for matchups. True rivalries take a long time to develop. In most cases, geography and defending ones turf was a motivating factor. As we have become more national in focus, regional rivalries have become less important. Certainly, nobody can say that Packers vs. Bears means as much today as it did earlier in the century, or even as recently as the Nineties. But reveling in the history of this classic rivalry can only help.

—————-

You will find my prediction for the upcoming Packers – Bears game ON THIS PAGE

—————-

You can find more of Jersey Al Bracco’s articles on several sports websites: Jersey Al’s Blog, Packer Chatters , Packers Lounge, NFL Touchdown and of course,  Bleacher Report.

You can also follow Jersey Al on twitter.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Breaking News: Richard Seymour On His Way To Oakland, Will Play Vs Chargers

Regardless of how much Richard Seymour plays on opening night vs. the San Diego Chargers on ESPN Monday Night Football, just having him with the team will be great. The holdout is over and he is expected to arrive in Oakland, CA today.

Seymour will play under his final year of his current contract. The Raiders didn’t offer him a new contract, nor did the Oakland Raiders promise to not franchise tag Seymour next year.

I’m just so glad to hear this news; now all the Raider hate about Seymour can stop and we can refocus on the San Diego Chargers.

More news on this topic to come: Richard Seymour is on his way to Oakland, CA.

 

NEW DETAILS

Ron Borges Of the Boston Herald interview with Richard Seymour

New Raiders defensive end Richard Seymour will board a flight to Oakland this afternoon, bringing an end to a five-day long Sit Out that kept him from reporting after the trade. Before he left, he spoke with Boston Herald columnist Ron Borges, his first public comments since it all went down.

He learned of the trade when Bill Belichick called him and simply said, We traded your rights to Oakland.

“First of all, I was blindsided by this whole event,” Seymour, the five-time Pro Bowler, told Borges. “When you get blindsided, you should take a moment to gather your thoughts. I have a lot of personal issues more pressing than football.”

Seymour said if you want to watch for him with his new team, he’ll be wearing No. 92 on Monday Night. “I’ll be the guy on top of the quarterback,” he said.

Seymour does plan to play in the opener, obviously. Oh, and did you know he grew up a Raiders fan? Apparently, there are a bunch in South Carolina.

Before we go further, it’s worth noting that Seymour has been in regular contact with Raiders coach Tom Cable and owner Al Davis about his issues. And what are they?

Well, Seymour has four children, plus, he is the guardian of his 15-year-old cousin whose mother has passed. The 15-year-old had been in school in South Carolina until this year, at which point he was starting in North Attleboro… until the trade.

Now, Seymour’s wife and family are moving back to South Carolina (where they are from) and Richard will head to Oakland by himself.

“There are a lot of different emotions,” Seymour said. “Football was not my main concern at that point. I have had discussions with the Raiders… I’m excited and happy with the way they’re looking at me.”

Did he ever demand an extension or a guarantee of not being franchised?

“There have been conversations,” he told Borges, “but I didn’t demand anything to go there. I’m happy to go there, and I told them that. But me and my family have never been separated. This was a difficult transition.”

He also noted that the NFLPA filed a grievance on his behalf about the five-day letter, arguing that it was not the Raiders’ right to send it to him.

“But that’s more of a procedural thing,” Seymour said, not really specific to his situation.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

NFL: Five Questions for the Oddsmaker

As a follow-up to my last article on Packers odds and which I considered good and bad bets, I have asked five questions of Richard Gardner, the Bodog Sportsbook Manager who is a key part of the process in determining odds…

 

1. I know that odds and point spreads are determined to get an even number of bettors on both sides. In your estimation, how much does the fan fervor for teams like the Packers and Steelers skew odds against the payouts on those teams and what team does it affect the most?

Fan fervor obviously plays in to opening lines, but generally the adjustments will happen later in the season as teams really get on a roll. The best example of this would have been two years ago when the Patriots went 17-0 and steamrolled everyone.

As bookmakers, we kept the spread creeping up, but no matter how big the spread (typically 14-17 points that year) became, bettors could not get enough of the Patriots.

2. When setting the initial odds-before betting on either side sways them, what are the most important factors in predicting a team’s success, and how much do you project betting biases into said odds?

First of all, we analyze all aspects of the game whether it be personnel and injuries, weather, and typical home-field advantage as well as how the two styles of play will match up on both sides of the ball.

Once we get that feel, we will look at the two teams individually from the fan perspective and make some adjustments based on how perception is going in to a game.

For this week for example with the Chicago-Green Bay game, there was no need to make any additional adjustments as both teams have positive hype going in to the season. Green Bay has the buzz after a excellent pre-season, and the Bears because of the Cutler signing.

Where you will see a bit of adjustment is on a line like the Vikings-Browns where the Vikings getting Favre is a positive and the mystery QB tour in Cleveland has added to the negative perception of the team.

This is where we will move a bit off where the research says we should be. Generally, biggest adjustments are for home dogs, which historically have been solid for the book.

3. What is the most dramatic shift you have seen in odds, either from one week to another or from the beginning of the season to say post-week nine, when all the byes are done and teams are pretty much known quantities?

Last season, the best example of this would have been the Atlanta Falcons, who were expected to do nothing in the first year of Matt Ryan starting, but past the halfway point he had become the golden child to bettors.

 

4. How often has a team that begins the season with 20:1 odds on winning the Super Bowl achieved that feat? Has anyone other than the 1999 Rams been able to do that?

Not often, and in the last dozen years that is the only example that I can think of. Bookmakers are always going to be a little conservative with dogs knowing that there is a lot of parity in football.

Of course, a lot of long shots have made it to the big game, like the Arizona Cardinals, who were 60-1 to start the season.

 

5. How much does the potential for injuries of certain key players get factored in? For instance, does knowing Brett Favre is virtually a lock to start every game while Tom Brady’s injury may make him more susceptible to another make enough of a difference to be considered in odds and point spreads?

Injuries play a key role in determining the weekly line and odds to win after they happen. For some players like Bob Sanders who are always hurt and have a big impact for their team, we do take them in to consideration.

For a player like Tom Brady we expect him to come back healthy and if bettors tell us differently by avoiding a team’s futures odds then we will make the adjustments, but with Tom Brady bettors have told us differently as the Patriots have dropped from 11/2 to 7/2 to win the Super Bowl and have generated a lot of handle for the book.

I originally wrote this article for SportsScribes.net.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Giants-Redskins: Five Keys To Beating Washington

1. Stop Portis

When game planning for the Washington Redskins, it all starts with Clinton Portis.  Although he’s been around for what feels like 10 years (this will be his eighth year), he is only 28 years old. He tired down the stretch last season, but he is still one of the best in the game.

But the Giants had little trouble with Portis last year. In two wins against the ‘Skins, Portis was held to 106 total rushing yards (that’s 53 rushing yards per game, for those without mathematical brain functions).

If the Giants can stuff Portis on first and second down, forcing the Redskins’ passing offense to move the ball, they’ll be in good shape.

 

2. Force Jason Campbell To Make A Mistake

Jason Campbell is a game manager who doesn’t win many games by himself, but he rarely turns the ball over. Last season he had only 13 touchdown passes, but he threw only six interceptions.

If the Giants are successful in bottling up Portis, Campbell will be forced to air it out.

This will be the first test for the defensive line that some (me) think will be the best in the game. Aside from sacking Campbell a few times, the D-line will try to pressure him into throwing a turnover or two.

This could be a low-scoring, defensive game where field position is invaluable. One Campbell turnover could be the deciding factor.

 

3. Keep an Eye on Santana Moss

If Giants can shut down the Redskins’ run game like I think they can, the Redskins’ next best offensive weapon will be Santana Moss. Moss is a burner who can get behind the defensive backs in a hurry; he can change the score in a hurry.

It’d be a shame to see the Giants dominate the trenches only to give up a long touchdown pass on a freak play. Chris Cooley is a very good tight end, and Malcolm Kelly could be a good red-zone target, but Moss is the man the Giants’ defensive backfield needs to focus on stopping.

 

4. Contain Revamped D-line

In what should surprise no one, the Redskins made the biggest splash of free agency (in terms of money and weight) when they signed “Fat Albert” Haynesworth to a seven-year, $100 million contract. The 6’6″, 320-pound behemoth adds a new dimension to their defense. He is arguably the best defensive tackle in football, and he will help Washington stop both the run and pass.

Rookie defensive end Brian Orakpo is also a dynamic player with high expectations. With Orakpo coming off the edge and Haynesworth coming up the gut, the Giants’ offensive line will have its hands full trying to protect Eli Manning and open holes for Brandon Jacobs.

If the Giants are going to get anything going offensively, they’ll need their offensive line to be in midseason form, especially with the probability of the Redskins loading up the box to stop the run.

 

5. Catch the Ball

This one is fairly simple.

Giants receivers didn’t have all that much trouble getting open this preseason. They did, however, have problems holding on to balls. 

With the Redskins defense daring the Giants to pass it, the receivers will have to make sure they actually catch the ball. Doing so will not only help move the ball, but it will force the Redskins to protect against the pass, which will benefit the running game.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

The Dallas Cowboys’ Top 10 Most Likely Scenarios to End Their Season

Nobody is more excited than me for the return of America’s new pastime in the form of the National Football League.

There are many storylines and many reasons to be excited, Michael Vick is back, Tom Brady is too, Carson Palmer and Matt Hasselbeck are also reportedly healthy.

The Steelers are looking to repeat and make a claim for team of the decade, Dan Snyder is still throwing a lot of money around hoping it sticks, and the Oakland Raiders are still run by a man that rubs poop on the walls of his office and loves those good 40 times.

And there are three things though that we have been able to count on for years now; the Arizona Cardinals are a joke…Check that, two things we have been able to count on for years now. The Colts winning 12 games and the Dallas Cowboys tripping over their shoelaces in December.

Seriously, for a team with a reputation of attracting more than the average amount of bandwagon fans the Cowboys have done little in recent memory to warrant such popularity. No playoff wins since I was six years old and a knack for not just losing but losing in incredibly memorable ways and when the games matter the most, in December.

Last season’s Week 17 game at Philadelphia was so shocking, so embarrassing, and so twistedly comical that my reaction to it all was to laugh manically about midway through the 3rd Quarter and attempt to make jokes for the rest of the game and then feel sick up until the Super Bowl. I can’t even imagine what it was like being a Red Sox fan after the 2003 ALCS. Here are the three likely scenarios of my reaction to Game 7 of that series-

-Driving into the desert before abandoning my car and walking around aimlessly for the rest of my days.

-Getting arrested for being liquored up and cutting off the heads of parking meters.

-Stop watching Baseball.

So Dallas Cowboys, you are officially on notice! 85 years passed between the Red Sox 1918 World Series title and that ALCS. That leaves you with 74 more years to bring me some joy or I may stop watching football. No point in trying to talk me out of it, I’ve made up my mind.

As far as the 2009 Dallas Cowboys, it would be foolish to completely rule them out even without Terrell Owens. Tony Romo missed three games last season with a broken pinkie and was roughed up quite a bit near the end of the season, he starts this season healthy. Roy Williams should be better with more time adjusted to the offense, they have three good RBs they can rely on, and the defense did play better after Wade Phillips took over calling plays on defense.

But am I picking them? Of course not, I’m going to do the best I can to not get my hopes up again as history has shown me they will suffer a few more stomach punching losses. Especially when the December schedule features games at the Giants, San Diego, at New Orleans, at Washington, and then Philadelphia once again for the final game of the season.

Trying to give me a heart attack before the season even begins I see, it will not work! I will be ready for the collapse whenever it comes, but how will it come? Well, maybe the recipe is to exhaust all the strangest and most horrifying possiblities and who knows…Maybe life will give Dallas Cowboys fans a surprise.

So I’ve come up with this list of ten bizzarre scenarios that end with the Dallas Cowboys going home with their heads down. Hopefully in January I can laugh over this as the Dallas Cowboys end up surprising me in January but I’m not counting on it.

Begin Slideshow

« Previous Page — Next Page »

NFL Sport Channel Latest

• Just How Far Would You Go?
• Sorry Rex, But It Isn’t Happening
• Super Bowl Predictions: Five Stat-Free Reasons Why the Eagles Will Reach The Super Bowl
• Seahawks Attempt to Turn Corner With Heavy Pursuit of Pete Carroll
• Bill Cowher Unlikely to Coach in 2010