London Fletcher of the Redskins Was Robbed of a Shot at the Pro Bowl

It’s hardly worth a headline anymore. Washington’s London Fletcher-Baker was snubbed, as he always is, for the 2010 NFL Pro Bowl.

The NFL named San Francisco’s Patrick Willis and New Orleans’ Jonathan Vilma as the starting and reserve inside linebackers for the game to be played in Miami January 31, 2010.

Willis was the No. 1 tackler in the NFL, 147 total with one game left in the season. Fletcher is tied with Carolina’s Jon Beason for No. 2. Each have 134 total tackles.

Vilma (110 tackles) is an outstanding linebacker whose case was helped by New Orleans’ 13-2 record and by the Saint’s high-powered offense.

Fletcher played for the lowly Redskins whose only impact on the post-season was as minor speed bumps for playoff-bound teams.

Stats aren’t everything, but Fletcher’s value to his team surely rivals Vilma’s to the Saints. Redskins’ standout rookie Brian Orakpo credits Fletcher for helping him make the jump as a pro player.

Orakpo was named to the Pro Bowl as an outside linebacker. The Redskins took fan criticism for playing Orakpo at linebacker instead of right defensive end, his position out of college.  

Orakpo at linebacker was a move both desperate and brilliant by the Skins. Desperate because Washington’s front office did not have a plan to backfill LB Marcus Washington. Chris Wilson and other depth players couldn’t fill the role. Orakpo had to work out there or the Skins were cooked. (Oh, wait. They were cooked anyway.)

Brilliant because Washington’s next coach might install the 3-4 defensive alignment. Orakpo’s year as part-time linebacker and defensive end sets him up nicely for a system where the outside linebacker fills both roles. Think “DeMarcus Ware.”

In drafting Orakpo, Washington subscribed to the best-player-available theory, the approach favored by former Redskin executive Vinny Cerrato. I won’t argue with that approach, both because Orakpo vindicated the choice and because well selected picks average up a team’s talent.

Snyderrato applied the best available approach to veteran free agents and to trades. That approach often leads to disappointment. Free agents should be signed for need.

Albert Haynesworth was the best free agent talent at any position available last offseason. He was not what the Redskins needed. His $7 million 2009 cap hit would have covered the two or three decent offensive linemen who should have been signed over the past three seasons. 

Haynesworth had a decent year for the Skins. His presence helped Orakpo and DE Andre Carter (also snubbed for the Pro Bowl despite 11 sacks) reach new levels of performance.

Fans are down on Haynesworth these days. It’s unsettling to see your high-profile signee gassed on the field so often. I get that, but we fans need to lighten up. It’s tough even for elite athletes to move 350 pounds around. If the big man needs a break, let him take it.

Fletcher was the perfect free agent signing. He filled a specific roster hole at middle linebacker. He fit Gregg Williams’ defensive scheme. Fletcher played in Williams’ system in Buffalo, and he was an affordable hire with a five year $25 million contract. Player, scheme, and contract makes Fletcher the picture of an ideal free agent.  

Typical of the Redskins, Washington structured Fletcher’s contract so that he had a $4.3 million cap hit this year and a whopping $7 million hit in 2009.

If only London Fletcher played offensive tackle, he might have made the Pro bowl.  

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Minnesota Vikings, Brett Favre Watch as Time Keeps Ticking

Let’s just say that this author is a very big Favre fan.  Let’s say that I have watched him since he entered the league, terrorizing secondaries and keeping Prilosec a necessity in every coach’s office for what seems a football eternity.

Let’s say that I’ve yelled at the top of my lungs during the good times, and cried like a baby when they were bad. 

Regardless of what anyone says, I think I have enough experience as a Packers fan (and Brett Supporter) for his entire career.

So when it comes to crunch time in football, I have a lot to draw on.

Minnesota fans are getting uncomfortable with the recent events and the unexpected “late season collapse” of the mighty purple. 

I know that this team is a paper tiger and had executed extremely well, seeming to be an unstoppable force for a while.

Relax.  They still are.

The only thing different in the last couple of weeks seems to be a recent development of conservatism with the Vike’s head coach and staff. 

What seemed to be a run-away with the NFC North, has now turned out to seem like a squeaker of a divisional championship.

The fact is, for whatever reason the coaches and the players may have gotten too content with the status quo.  You couldn’t ask for better timing than now!

Realize that if the Vikings kept rolling along without any adversity, they would be primed for a playoff collapse. 

Despite recent teams like the New England Patriots, and the juggernaut they once were, many teams need to have a period of challenge which makes them soul search and re-approach the game before the playoffs arrive.

Even if the coaching staff went with a conservative approach in play calling, even if they took the reigns away from Brett, even if they feuded or quarreled; it’s best to get it out now!

I’d much rather see struggle the last few games before the playoffs than a team that feels invincible. 

It makes players stay focused and push to improve so that when the playoffs are here, they seize the opportunity because they accept the fact that at any time it can be over.

In my opinion, that’s what gets you to the big show!  Brett and Adrian Peterson will always be Brett and AP, the key here is that Minnesota must lean heavily on the offensive line to wake up and understand that without protection and opening holes for the best running back in the league, they are average. 

You can only work with what you have!

The secondary must play aggressive and take calculated risks, without giving too much comfort to the offense’s ability to make up for what they failed to do. 

This team has too many playmakers not to be in the Super Bowl, but they won’t if they don’t focus their attention in the right direction.

There is no one I would want at quarterback other than Brett moving forward.  I don’t think the issue is him.  I doubt he thinks it either.

The question remains, do the Vikings know what is? I think they do, and I won’t be surprised to see purple in the Super Bowl!

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

The Top 10 Fantasy Disappointments of 2009

Aside from being on the cover, Terrell Owens didnt make the list. I didnt expect too much out of him to begin with, although I didnt expect him to do as bad but I put this list together mainly for players that we all probably had fairly high hopes for but didnt do as well or didnt even come close and probably left us scrambling the waiver wire then jumping back and forth because of their inconsistencies. There were a lot of great waiver adds and surprises this season and that list will come soon enough, but hopefully we’ll agree that these guys left us stabbing our eye balls with rusty nails.

Begin Slideshow

The Coaches Got It Right: Why Ray Rice Deserves His Pro Bowl Selection

As the 2010 Pro Bowl results were released last night, I was anticipating to see the list for the first time, looking to see some surprising players make it in, or some that were left out.

Most importantly, I wanted to see if the coaches and players that made up two-thirds of the voting put Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice on the roster. After all, being the biggest target on the Ravens offense has as much to do with the Ravens having their postseason chances still a possibility.

Ray Rice, Chris Johnson, and Maurice Jones-Drew were nominated for the AFC running backs. One back who feels was left out in the cold was Cincinnati Bengal Cedric Benson, who had a career year and led his team to a division crown.

There was some speculation that Rice wouldn’t get in, and would have been replaced by the likes of Benson. However, his stats alone show why he is deserving.

Through 15 games, Rice is second to Chris Johnson in all-purpose yards with 1,952, with eight total touchdowns. Rice’s play in the beginning of the year has earned himself as the most targeted player on the Ravens offense.

While on the ground, he has put up 1,269 yards, which includes 141 yards on the Pittsburgh Steelers, which snapped the streak of the longest amount of games without a 100-yard rusher.

Rice is also a vertical threat on the receiving end. He leads the Ravens in receptions with 74 and is second behind Mason in yards with 683.

Though defenses have much film on Rice’s play-making ability, he still finds a way to get in the open field and break tackles.

He may be the smallest player on the field, currently at 5’8″, 210 pounds. However, he is not affected by that at all.

Rice has proved in the 2009 season he is the Ravens most valuable player this season, making a difference in Baltimore this season.

Pro Bowl type players execute when they are needed most, and Rice has continued to do this all season long.

So before you say Ray Rice is not deserving of a Pro Bowl selection, look at his body of work this season.

 

Matt Miselis is an NFL writer for BleacherReport.com.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Jay Is Still OK. Why Cutler Is Not Washed Up in Chicago Yet

Everybody up at Halas Hall needs to look in the mirror after the travesty that was the 2009 season. This includes Jay Cutler.

However, the embattled Chicago QB is far down on the blame list, and certainly is the team’s best shot at meaningful seasons down the road.

Before we go comparing Cutler to Jeff George, Ryan Leaf or other notable quarterback headcases in NFL past, let’s analyze the current state of the entire roster. I think you will see that Cutler had little chance for success in year one.

Lovie Smith is a great guy. He’s a good football coach as well, but when the team brought in Cutler, it was a signal that they were no longer going to be the run-first, aging defense-dependent sqaud of yesteryear.

The team is committed to Cutler, longer than they are committed to Lovie. For good reason too. Every current successful franchise has a franchise quarterback. The top playoff seeds currently have Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Phillip Rivers, Drew Brees, Brett Favre, Kurt Warner and Donovan McNabb playing quarterback.

Cutler is far from the first strong-armed quarterback with an ego. The ones who have had success in the past have had strong-willed coaches who were able to reel them in when necessary.

Smith is many things, a task master he is not. He is the wrong fit for Cutler and the wrong answer for the Bears.

All of the above stated about Smith is absolutely true of offensive coordinator Ron Turner as well. Turner is as good as gone anyhow, so this is the extent to which I will talk about him.

It is hard for a quarterback to have success without a strong corps of receivers. I was encouraged by the play of the young receivers this season, but at times, they certainly made life tough on Cutler.

The offensive line was abysmal—the worst unit on the team. They were pathetic and made it difficult for Cutler or Matt Forte to get anything going in the backfield.

Speaking of Forte, he failed to duplicate the success of his rookie season, and the team saw little success running the football. I think this was, in large part, due to the failure of the offensive line.

A running game has been called a “quarterback’s best friend,” and Cutler must have felt awfully lonely this season.

The defense is aging, and that was evident in 2009. Injuries plagued the unit, exemplified in franchise player Brian Urlacher sustaining a season-ending injury in the opener.

Combine the age, injuries and outdated Cover 2, 4-3 scheme the Bears have stubbornly refused to abandon (see the success the Packers had switching to the 3-4), and you have a recipe for defensive disaster.

In 2009, you do not win football games by playing ball control, defensive style football. While I understand that this has been the Bears M.O. for decades, they have to be willing to adjust to the times. General manager Jerry Angelo made a great step in acquiring Cutler.

The pattern set by teams like the Pats, Colts, Chargers, Saints and Eagles is to pass to set up the run, score quickly and put the ball in thier star quarterback’s hands. Like it or not, that is how you win football games in 2009.

With Cutler, the Bears have that opportunity. If they can surround him with the right type of people, mainly, an offensive line that can protect, a 3-4 defensive scheme and coach to help him manage the game, Cutler (and hopefully Forte as well) will see some success in 2010.

Don’t give up on Cutler, yet. He still has the opportunity to be the franchise quarterback we all thought he could be.

But, he can’t do it by himself. 

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Pat Bowlen Should Pull the Plug on the Broncos’ Poor Decision Making

When the pages of football history reflect back on the 2009 Denver Broncos, perhaps they still won’t have a definitive pulse on the team other than they missed the playoffs.  This is premature speculation, however, when your team goes from the driver’s seat and controlling their own destiny all season long to life support, there is much doubt about the Broncos’ ability to make the playoffs.

In fact, following the loss at Philadelphia on Sunday, Denver is now officially on the outside looking in at any playoff possibilities.  Currently the Broncos sit at 8-7 and are probable to reach 9-7. 

The Broncos knew since midseason, when they lost to Baltimore and Pittsburgh, that they would probably need 10 wins to make the playoffs. The team was 6-0 at the bye and has since lost seven out of nine games. For an undefeated team to go in the tank so quickly is nothing short of pathetic and ridiculous.

To quote Broncos owner Pat Bowlen from this preseason, “Eight and eight isn’t going to get the job done.”

To second that motion, neither does 9-7, and sometimes 10-6 and 11-5 won’t get it done either.

Herein stands the reason to look at the mish mash of poor decisions, a poor trade, poor use of the draft, poor offensive scheming, poor use of talent available, and poor coaching at the head coaching position.

 

Poor Decision Making

With full application, here are some of the Broncos’ biggest and most obvious blunders in their decision making this season. At Baltimore why didn’t they try to stretch the field?  At home against Pittsburgh, why did they force the physical run game against a more physical offensive line? In Washington, why couldn’t Chris Simms finish the job? At home against San Diego, why was Chris Simms the starter? After two wins against the Giants and the Chiefs, the Broncos knew they would need a full effort against the Colts. So why did they spot the most dangerous team in football 21 points before showing signs of life? How could they have lost at home to the Raiders for the second year in a row?  Why another slow start in Philadelphia?

Say what you will, all of those questions are net results of bigger problems in Dove Valley that owner Pat Bowlen needs to take into further consideration.  Yes it’s true, the franchise is somewhat cash strapped by currently paying two head coaches.

Understandably, the Broncos are now in a precarious position without a franchise quarterback. They also appear at this juncture to be without a competent head coach as well.

When looking at the base of work this season, it’s no small wonder that the Broncos have hit the skids after a stellar start. What made this team dangerous early on was the defense. What has proven to be their undoing in the end will be the lack of offensive production and a worn down defense at times down the stretch.

 

The Jay Cutler Trade

It is still too early to say the Jay Cutler trade was a good thing for either Chicago or Denver. What’s not too early to say is that this trade made two mediocre teams less potent than they were the year previously on the offensive side of the ball.

For all the Jay Cutler haters, he has thrown for a league leading 26 interceptions and has been poor in his performance most of the season. However, don’t sell that situation short. Jay Cutler has possibly the worst offensive line in football and only one real offensive weapon at the tight end position to speak of.

That was not the case in Denver. Broncos fans know Jay had a multitude of weapons to choose from, though he locked on Brandon Marshall far too much. Kyle Orton set an NFL record with Brandon Marshall for total completions to one receiver in a game against the Colts recently. It doesn’t get more locked on than that and the Broncos still lost that game.

For the Jay Cutler supporters, he just out-dueled Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football in a game that seemed almost destined to be another fantastic finish by Favre. Cutler threw for 25 touchdowns and 18 interceptions in Denver in 2008 where Kyle Orton has thrown for 20 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

Now much has been made of the fact that Orton has not thrown a large number of interceptions, which is certainly commendable, however Peyton Manning, the best quarterback in football, has 18 picks because of his willingness to take chances.

Now, those five touchdowns might not seem like a whole lot, but consider the Broncos of 2008 and 2009 and the fact that both teams have had short yardage and red zone issues. Give the Broncos Jay Cutler and those five TDs this year and you are probably looking at a team that beats Washington, Oakland, and Philadelphia, and possibly the Colts. 

People can make the case either way with Jay Cutler at this point. He is a bust or he will be good once he gets the talent he needs in Chicago.

Ironically enough, the name of Jay Cutler probably was what drew Brian Dawkins to Denver shortly before Jay was traded. Brian Dawkins has become the spiritual leader of the Broncos this season and really set the tone for this football team. It’s an area usually reserved for quarterbacks to make their mark, and that is also a large reason why Jay Cutler was traded.

Two things that will be inescapable from the trade however, is the lack of point production by the Broncos this season and the draft picks used from the Jay Cutler trade. 

 

Poor Draft Day Decision Making

Running back Knowshon Moreno has proven he belongs in the NFL, but he has not proven he was worthy of a first round pick. Additionally, linebacker Robert Ayers has yet to emerge and prove he’s worth the first round money as well.

The Broncos could have had any number of defensive players that are making their mark this season in the first round.

Josh McDaniels correctly diagnosed the multitude of issues plaguing the Broncos, most notably in the defensive backfield, yet the odd trade of a first round pick to get Alphonso Smith in the second round is still baffling when looking at the lack of production from the rookie this season.

The Broncos do have some talent from the draft in house, but as with most draft classes, it’s still far too early to make the call on how last year’s draft will shape the franchise over the long run. The fact that is clear this season is that the 2009 draft class by and large has not helped this football team this season.

The Broncos have had full draft classes make immediate impact before, dating back to the John Ralston and Dan Reeves era. So while it’s a rarity to have a full class make instant impact, it’s not acceptable to have a full draft of underachievers in their first season either.

 

Poor Offensive Scheming

This almost goes without saying. If the Broncos did not have as good of a defense as they do this season, they probably would have less touchdowns than they already do on the season, in which they have clearly under-produced on the scoreboard.

The reality is that there is a myriad of predictable playcalling, poor situational playcalling, and pathetic short yardage calls that have killed the Broncos during all of their losses this season.

The predictability of the bubble screen makes most of the fan base nauseated, so why not Coach McDaniels?

Poor situational play calling, in particular on third down, almost goes hand in hand with the lack of creativity and not using their talent base properly to their advantage. Not using Dan Graham, Tony Scheffler, the slot receivers, and Peyton Hillis more is inexcusable.

 

Speaking of the Poor Use of Talent… 

This is possibly the deepest scar on this team. When the Broncos were winning, every player was making a contribution because they were getting the opportunities to do so.  Somewhere along the way Josh McDaniels discombobulated his football team. It probably happened when he traded Jay Cutler but he solidified his paralysis by analysis shortly after his fist pumping antiques.

Without being too redundant, Josh did not stretch the Ravens defense, tried power running instead of zone blocking against the Steelers, and lacked a good evaluation of Chris Simms as a backup quarterback. Moreover, Ben Hamilton was replaced on the offensive line about the same time coach McD started warming up to using zone rushing schemes more. Hamilton has had concussion issues in the past but those have not shown themselves to be the case this season. Go figure.

 

Speaking of Poor Coaching…

This applies most particularly to Josh McDaniels and his abilities as a head coach. His tirade and trade of Jay Cutler put him on the hot seat. The fast start cooled the temperature quite a bit, but missing the playoffs this season is still inexcusable.

For someone who preaches team yet goes out of his way to rub Jay Cutler’s nose in it during press conferences while his own team hasn’t made the playoffs is inexcusable.

For a team that was finally starting to live up to expectations to suddenly go into the tank is all the more inexcusable, and it happened on Josh McDaniels’ watch.

 

What Mr. Bowlen Should Consider In the Very Near Future 

The reality is there are two coaches being paid by the franchise right now and the better one hasn’t coached a down this season. Additionally, the likes of Bill Cowher are also making themselves available now as head coaching candidates.

Josh McDaniels showed he was open to every possible option by trading Jay Cutler and trading first round picks for second to third round talent. With that in mind, if the Broncos don’t make the playoffs and make a run, despite signing Josh to a high dollar amount, he should consider new options at this position sooner rather than later.

The errors on the field are obvious and painful to watch, not to mention atrocious in nature. At the very least Josh McDaniels has proven he is not a fully competent offensive coordinator. 

With that in mind, Pat Bowlen might consider bringing in a hand picked offensive coordinator. It’s a radical concept, but Mike Leach is about to be axed from Texas Tech as the head coach and he has a solid offensive mind especially when considering the spread offense. 

On a more radical edge, and probably the better decision, is the idea of hiring a new head coach now while a good one can be attained. An even more radical thought is to kiss and make up with Mike Shanahan and find a way of bringing about reconciliation.

The defense is in place to contend now, but the offense needs fine tuning and direction from a coordinator who is aware of the pitfalls of formations and play calls.

The bottom line is that this problem isn’t going to get better; in fact, the problem has been getting worse and costing the franchise victories. So the questions to Mr. Bowlen are how many more first round selections and talent will the Broncos be trading under Josh McDaniels only to fall short? How many more losses will be enough for this franchise to pull the plug on the boy wonder?

The only thing Broncos fans should take to heart is that until the franchise finds a quarterback they can rally around with a supporting cast, it’s only going to get worse, and this season is proving that out.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Packers-Vikings: One More Time with Brett Favre? Why Not…

Charles Woodson sat across from Pam Oliver during an interview for the Fox pre-game show, and the inevitable question came up. Would you want another shot at Favre and the Vikings?

The Packers were on a roll, getting closer and closer to securing a playoff spot. You could see Woodson’s jaw tense up, and if you looked hard enough, I think you could see the smoke coming out of his ears and the foam starting to drip from his mouth.

Woodson did his best to laugh, then said he’d like to play them, because he knows to get to where the Packers want to go, they’ll have to beat them first.

But Woodson and the rest of the Packers know that the defense that the Vikings faced twice was the vanilla 3-4 defense that Woodson complained so openly about. The Packers have gone away from that.

The Packers know that Clay Matthews has been a force in the last month, and they know that this is a great time for the Vikings’ offensive tackles to be struggling if they do play.

The Packers know that the Vikings probably don’t even know who Brad Jones is, because they’ve never played against him. But when the Vikings just look for the weak spot in the Packers’ 3-4 defense, Aaron Kampman isn’t there anymore. Then the Vikings will soon find out who Brad Jones is.

The Packers know that when they played the Vikings, their offensive line was in quite a mess both times. It’s not anymore. Sack numbers have dropped dramatically, and Aaron Rodgers has made an effort to get the ball out of his hands.

The Packers just watched Matt Moore and Jay Cutler go crazy on the Vikings defense. Something called Brandon Aaroshamandu made Antoine Winfield look like he’s 60 (but Winfield is only average in coverage, anyway), and the vaunted Vikings pass rush couldn’t get to Cutler even when it blitzed.

The bottom line is this—the Packers’ offense and defense are each much improved from the first two meetings between these two teams, and the Vikings’ offense and defense now have serious issues.

Let the games begin.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Osi Umenyiora Out? Giants Defensive End May Be Moving On

After the Giants’ loss to the Carolina Panthers in the final game at Giants Stadium, many people were wondering one thing: What happened?

Now Tom Coughlin and the leader of the offense (Eli Manning) are apologizing for their performance. Or lack thereof.

But the biggest story to surface from the locker room is the possible departure of Osi Umenyiora.

In a post-game interview, Umenyiora had this to say to the Associated Press:

“I thought I was the problem. It’s an unbelievable situation, man. Last game at Giants Stadium, probably as a Giant, just the way everything has unfolded has been unbelievable. I never would have dreamt this in a million years, but it is what it is, we live and we learn.”

Did he say last game as a Giant at Giants Stadium?

According to John Clayton of ESPN, the Giants may see what they could get for Umenyiora in a trade.

They would then try to keep Mathias Kiwanuka long-term and see what they have in Clint Sintim, who can play linebacker and defensive end.

Osi still has a lot left in the tank. It would be interesting to see what kind of offers the Giants would receive for a former Pro Bowl defensive end who is just entering the prime of his career.

This all started back in training camp when Osi did not attend practices after a morning meeting. There was a dispute between Osi and new defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan that led to the disappearance of Umenyiora.

The latest bump in the road for Osi was the benching to try to revitalize the defense.

Kiwanuka was placed into the starting lineup to give the Giants better run defense, and then on passing downs, they put in Umenyiora to create more pressure on the quarterback. Osi was okay with the benching as long as he got his reps in and could still contribute.

But after only playing a handful of downs in the loss to the Panthers, it appears he might be on his way out.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

NFL Week 17: Think You Know The NFL?

 

sportsfanIQ challenges anyone who dares to predict.  Make your selections toward the bottom of mine. 

In order to select a winner, you must consider the point spread.  Because frankly, it’d be too easy without it. 

The line is situated next to the home team.  If it’s a minus (-), the home team must win by this amount to be considered the winner.  If it’s a plus (+), they cannot lose by more than this number to be deemed the victor. 

If you can beat sportsfanIQ, you’ll have bragging rights.  And who knows, if we can get the momentum going on this, by next season, we’ll actually have a prize for the winner.

Click here for updated results.

 

 

Indianapolis at Buffalo (-7)

Now that the ’72 Dolphins have popped their 2009 champagne, this game is more meaningless than ever.  The Colts enter their final game ranked No. 1 in passing yards a game (292) but last in rushing (84.6).  Expect Peyton Manning to start in order to keep his consecutive streak alive but not to play much.  Buffalo looks to salvage something of their season.  At 5-10, the Bills have locked up their fifth straight losing season.  Surprisingly, though, they rank third in passing defense but last in rushing.  Opponents evidently figure if they can’t stop the run, why pass?  Buffalo by seven, though?  I like the Colts plus 7.   

 

Jacksonville at Cleveland (-2)

Break up the Browns.  Winners of three straight, Cleveland’s finally found the cure: run, run and more run.  For their last three, the Browns have racked up 686 yards on the ground.  To put that in perspective, prior to this three game run (no pun intended), the Browns managed 656 yards over a seven-game losing stretch.  As for the Jags, who held their own destiny before losing three straight, they’ll hope to finish the season at .500.  In fact, they’ve lost four out of five and have averaged just 107 yards on the ground, well below their 126.5 season average.  I like Cleveland to end on a four-game tear. 

 

Philadelphia at Dallas (-3)

In the game of the week, Philadelphia eyes up not only the NFC East, but the No. 2 seed as well.  Riding a six-game winning streak, the Eagles are second to only the Packers in giveaways/takeaways with 18.  What’s more, they’re second in overall takeaways with 36 and second in interceptions with 23.  They score 28.6 points a game, which is third to only the Saints and Chargers. 

Come playoff time, don’t forget about the Eagles.  After starting December 0-2, the ‘Boys have put their demons behind them and have January in sight.  They held the No. 1 offense of the Saints to 271 passing yards, well below their season average of 416.5.  In their 17-0 smothering of the Redskins, Dallas gave up 175 through the air and a mere 43 on the ground.  This one’s tough.  I actually envision a three-point Dallas win.  So I’ll lean their way. 

 

Chicago at Detroit (+2)

Incredibly, although Detroit has the second worst points differential in the league (-218), it’s the Bears who are eager to get this season over with.  Chicago knew they had a gunslinger in Cutler, but with one game to go, his 26 INTs surpass a personal worst by eight.  He’s well off his 4,526 yards of last year, entering this game with 3,390.  To be fair, though, he did manage a four TD performance against the Vikings. 

The Lions are 2-13, but for a team with zero wins a year ago, Matthew Stafford’s rookie season must be considered a success.  He’s thrown only 13 TDs and 20 INTs, but suffering just 24 sacks in ten games (2.4/game) is a positive for a team that allowed 52 last year, or 3.25/game.   Detroit’s defense is awful, but Chicago’s offense isn’t much better.  I’ll go with the Lions plus the two.

 

Atlanta at Tampa Bay (+2.5)

Despite averaging a 49.2 QB rating, Matt Ryan has led the Falcons to two wins on four TDs and zero INTs over his last two.  Without Michael Turner running the rock, however, Atlanta’s slipped to the bottom half of the league in rushing (112.9 YDS/G) and sit twenty-third overall in yards allowed (247). 

Tampa Bay has won two in a row behind 310 yards on the ground.  Atlanta and Tampa are 23rd and 26th, respectively, in overall offense.  On the last week of the season, when most games are as irrelevant as this one, I’ll flip a coin here.  Heads Atlanta, tails Tampa—it was tails.  Buccaneers plus the 2.5.

 

New Orleans at Carolina (-7)

OK, so I’m not sure if New Orleans has decided to take their foot off the proverbial pedal, but for a team that averages 33.3 points a game, the last two may be of some concern.  Not only have they scored just 17 in both, but Drew Brees’ 556 yards and two TDs are both well off his norm.  In addition, giving up 439 total yards to the Cowboys is understandable. 

But to the Bucs, a team that averages 293 yards and a dismal 15.6 points a game, is another story.  The Panthers are hot.  They held Adrian Peterson and Brett Favre to 35 and 224 yards, respectively.  Then follow that up by spoiling the Giants last home game in their stadium by stampeding for 247 yards.  Not sure the Saints want this one much, but they may need it.  Still, I like Carolina minus seven. 

 

San Francisco at St. Louis (+7)

The 49ers will be going for their most wins since a 10-6 2002 record.  Behind a rejuvenated Alex Smith and an all-purpose Frank Gore, San Francisco’s looks to win two in a row for the first time since starting the year 2-0.  As long as they keep the ball in Gore’s hands—he ran for 78 yards on 28 carries and also caught four balls for 81 yards and a TD in a 20-6 win over Detroit—they should even their 2009 record at 8-8. 

As for the Rams, they’re just lucky the Lions were on their schedule this year as well.  If not, they’d be staring 0-16 directly in the face.  Statistically they’re not too bad, but as for scoring and giving up points—they’ve scored the least (169) and have given up the most (408).  A recipe for failure.  Give me the 1849ers minus the seven. 

 

Pittsburgh at Miami (+3)

The NFL works in mysterious ways.  Faced with playoff elimination, the Steelers take one from the Packers and then a crucial divisional win from the Ravens.  They need some help from the Bengals, but Pittsburgh’s defending their crown with a fight.  If you review their 23-20 win over Baltimore, it’s clear they were outplayed.  Their one saving grace, the Ravens were penalized 11 times for 113 yards. 

As for the Fish, losing their last two will most likely have a lingering effect this off-season.  Missing Ronnie Brown finally caught up with them after managing just 60 yards on the ground in a 27-20 home loss to the Texans.  It does seem though that they’ve found their future at QB.  Chad Henne’s gone for over 300 yards three out of their last four.  I expect both to come to play here.  Pittsburgh the defending champs.  Give me them minus three.

 

NYG at Minnesota (9.5)

The Vikings are spiraling out of Super Bowl contention.  Losers of three of four, they’ll need some help from the Cowboys, and a win here to secure the two seed.   AP’s averaged 69 yards in his last six, including two fumbles, one coming in deciding fashion to the Bears. 

The Giants will be left to think of what could have been.  After beginning the year 5-0, they’re now 3-7 since and showed absolutely no heart in their stadium’s farewell.  For a team that should have been pounding the ball all year, they were outrun 247 to 60 in an embarrassing 41-9 loss to Carolina.  This game is clearly more important to Minnesota, but that’s usually when the G-Men like to show up.  I still like the Vikings minus the 9.5.  

 

Cincinnati at NYJ (-10)

I know what you’re thinking: can this line be right?  It sure is what I’m thinking.  The J-E-T-S Jets, Jets, Jets hold their own destiny but have a dogfight in front of them first.  The Jets run the ball better than any other team, averaging 166.6 YDS/G; the Bengals are second only to the Packers in yards allowed on the ground, giving up only 87.7 YDS/G.  The Jets stop the pass better than anyone, allowing only 164 YDS/G; the Bengals are mediocre in the passing game, throwing for 193 YDS/G. 

The obvious difference here: the Jets are 13th in the league, managing just 154 YDS/G through the air; the Bengals are fourteenth, giving up 212 YDS/G in passing.  This line does seem a bit too high.  I’ll take the Bengals plus the 10.  But the Jets make the playoffs!

 

Green Bay at Arizona (-3)

The Packers were once 4-4 and searching for answers.  Since, they’ve won six of seven, which includes a time expiring loss to the Steelers, and are now positioned for a possible first round home game.  I know I’ve said this before, but Aaron Rodgers has been brilliant.  For the season, he’s thrown 29 TDs with only seven INTs, all while being sacked 50 times.  At 4,199, Rodgers is on pace for 4,479 yards for the season.  (Brett Favre’s career high is 4,413 in 1995.)  I sure hope Green Bay is embracing this guy. 

For the Cardinals, their repeat run to the Super Bowl began three weeks ago in a 31-24 win over the Lions.  Historically speaking, just making the playoffs is an accomplishment lately.  In seven out of the last eight, including the 2007 18-1 Patriots, the loser of the Super Bowl has failed to make the playoffs the year following.  Make that seven out of nine.  I like the Cardinals minus three.

 

Washington at San Diego (-4)

Does it get any hotter than San Diego?  Eighteen straight December victories and counting.  Philip Rivers was near perfect once again, going 21 for 27 with 264 yards and two TDs in a 42-17 shellacking of a good Titans team.  With the fifth best passing defense, the Redskins can certainly offer a warm-up of what’s to come. 

Of their potential second-round showdowns with either the Bengals or Patriots, Cincinnati holds the fourth overall defense, and New England the eighth.  As for what matters—points—the second highest scoring offense in San Diego (28.7) will have a challenge facing the fourth best defense, New England (16.7), and fifth best, Cincinnati (16.9).  I like San Diego to stay classy, minus four. 

 

Tennessee at Seattle (+4.5)

The only thing worth watching here is Chris Johnson’s pursuit of 2,000 rushing yards.  He needs 128 against a Seattle defense that surrenders 110.  Tennessee runs the ball, on average, 30 times a game.  Figure the Titans to make sure Johnson eclipses the mark.  After starting the 2009 campaign 0-6, the Titans have won seven of nine and have great expectations for a full 2010 of Vince Young and Chris Johnson. 

The Seahawks have been outscored 106 to 24 over their last three and have seen Matt Hasselbeck throw nine INTs in this time.  I expect a lot of running from Johnson and a large victory margin from the Titans.  Titans minus 4.5.

 

Baltimore at Oakland (+10.5)

Simply put: Baltimore wins and they’re in.  Earlier this year, I noticed Baltimore’s defense to be playing below their standards.  But with one week to go, here’s where they stand defensively: they are third overall in yards allowed (4,483), second in points allowed (16.5), sixth in rushing yards allowed (96.1) as well as passing (202.8), and sixth in takeaways (30).  Considering their offense ranks fourteenth overall, it’s a good thing the defense has found their old form. 

Then there’s Oakland.  If you can figure this out, let me know.  They’ve beaten the Bengals at home, Pittsburgh and Denver on the road, and then they lose to the Browns.  Okay, okay, this last one was with Charlie Frye.  We’ll grant Oakland a reprieve.  Baltimore gets in with a crushing road win.  Give me them minus 10.5.   

 

Kansas City at Denver (-13)

Another team that may have a lot to think about this off season, the Denver Broncos started 6-0, only to lose four-in-a-row, then most recently three-in-a-row, and now find themselves at an average 8-7.  Over their last three, Denver’s struggled to total just 245 yards on the ground, an area they’re most known for.  Kyle Orton’s had a successful year, considering he came in replacing Jay Cutler.  For the season, his 20 TDs and nine INTs land him 16th and second in the league.  As for the Chiefs, there’s little to say except: wait till next year.  Denver needs the win.  Give me the Broncos minus the 13.

 

New England at Houston (-8)

This line befuddles me the most.  New England is still jockeying for the No. 3 seed and the Texans are favored by eight?  Since the talk of Randy Moss giving up against Carolina, the Patriots seemed to have made a statement, throwing him nine balls for 115 yards and four TDs.   New England’s defense is third in the league in points rendered (16.7) and seventh in passing yards allowed (204). 

These two positions will come in to play provided the Texans are second in passing yards (290.6) and eleventh in points (23.6).  Andre Johnson’s number for the season: 95 grabs (fourth), 1,504 yards (first) and nine TDs (ninth).  This line is fishy.  The Patriots need a win, sort of.  I cannot go against Bill Belichick and eight points.  Pats plus the eight.

 

A QUICK RECAP

Colts +7
Browns -2
Cowboys -3
Lions +2
Buccaneers +2.5
Panthers -7
49ers -7
Steelers -3
Vikings -9.5
Bengals +10
Cardinals -3
Chargers -4
Titans -4.5
Ravens -10.5
Broncos -13
Patriots +8

Think you can beat me, prove it! 

CLICK HERE TO MAKE YOUR SELECTIONS

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

The Shana-Plan: Washington Redskins Ready for Mike Shanahan

Now that Jim Zorn’s firing is a foregone conclusion, Redskins fans can look forward to the positive changes of the near future. Dan Snyder has his finger on the trigger of the deal to bring Mike Shanahan to D.C.

 

What are some of the moves that can be expected from Shanahan?

 

1. First, and most obvious, the entire coaching staff will be replaced with his own people. Who is on that list? Kyle Shanahan, his son and for now the Houston Texans offensive coordinator, will be the new Redskins offensive coordinator. As for the rest of the staff, we can only speculate until the actual announcements.

 

2. Mike Shanahan will want to have his own hand-picked quarterback to develop. Consistent success on offense is dependent on having a franchise quarterback, and Shanahan knows this as well as anybody in the league.

 

Look for Jason Campbell to be gone before next season, and for the Redskins to pick either Sam Bradford or Jimmy Clausen in the draft. In addition, Shanahan will probably bring in a veteran to handle the offense until the rookie can learn the ropes.

 

3. A lot of veterans will be cut or traded. Shanahan and Bruce Allen will be making some extreme changes to the roster. They will actively concentrate on rebuilding with youth, and cleaning up the salary cap in a year when there will be no implications. Don’t be surprised by some shocking moves such as trading Chris Cooley and LaRon Landry and cutting Clinton Portis.

 

Regardless of the exact nature of the changes Mike Shanahan is about to make, Redskins fans are eager for the beginning of a new era in Washington. It appears Dan Snyder has finally listened to the pleas of the fans, and the organization is now getting a complete overhaul from top to bottom.

 

And so, shortly after the conclusion of the Redskins-Chargers game on Sunday, the ink will already be drying on Shanahan’s new contract with Washington. A new decade will be ushered in, and along with it, the hope that the Redskins organization is finally moving down the right path.

 

Will the ’10s be like the ’80s? Only time will tell, but judging by the impending changes, the Washington Redskins will be moving quickly back into respectability.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

« 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