Bleacher Report - Articles by Jacob Simpson

2009 NFL Preview: AFC Dominance

Jacob Simpson — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:42:21 -0400

The 2009 NFL season will be remembered for one thing: AFC dominance.

The Lombardi Trophy currently resides in the AFC, where the Steelers are looking primed for a repeat.

The Patriots get Tom Brady back; in addition, they have made improvements to their defense -- consider them a borderline juggernaut.

San Diego, my pick last year to win the Super Bowl, gets Shawne Merriman back healthy. Add Merriman, with the fact that Philip Rivers is coming off an MVP-caliber season into year three of Norv Turner’s offense, and you have excellence.

Tennessee, the top seed in last year’s playoffs, suffered a big blow in losing Al Haynesworth, but are still a well-coached, resilient team.

And let’s not forget my beloved Ravens, who despite losing some grit on defense still have a lot of top-flight talent, as well as an emerging rookie quarterback in Joe Flacco.

Meanwhile, NFC counterparts, who have produced just one Super Bowl winner (the 2007 Giants) in the past six seasons, have a lot more questions than answers and no clear favorites.

New York's Giants might be everyone’s top team, but we all saw how hindered their offense was without Plaxico Burress and now they don’t have Derrick Ward.

Dallas and Philly have major questions.

Chicago might have gotten Jay Cutler, but he’s never even been to the playoffs with good receivers and now he’s saddled with maybe the worst corps in the league.

Green Bay and New Orleans have serious defensive issues, along with defending Conference Champ Arizona. Carolina and Minnesota have deep teams with quarterbacking problems.

All of this said, I think the Super Bowl winner will definitely be one of the AFC’s elite teams. And who might that just be? You’ll have to read the preview to find out, starting with the NFC…

East

1-Giants

2-Eagles

3-Cowboys

4-Redskins

10 points:

-The Giants need to find a solid replacement at WR. I’m not sold on Hakeem Nicks being the answer. Either way, the division is theirs for the taking.

-In two home playoff games, Eli Manning is 0-2 and the Giants have been outscored 46-11.

-Philly was my original choice as NFC Champions before Jimmy Johnson’s death, the gamut of injuries to their defense and the tread on Brian Westbrook’s tires make me worry.

-Jeremy Maclin should provide a solid target for Donovan McNabb, who’s been stuck with one of the worst receiving corps in the NFL the past two years.

-Michael Vick…why? Just…why?

-Despite getting rid of all the malignant personalities in the locker room, Dallas will miss Terrell Owens more than they think.

-I applaud Wade Phillips for taking over the defense. One of the more sound minds out there. But I’m not sold on him as a head coach.

-Their running game has the potential to be the best in the NFC if Marion Barber is healthy, but can Tony Romo play well enough without his lead weapon? I’m not sold at all on the Roy Williams-Miles Austin combo.

-Jason Campbell is the reincarnation of Kyle Boller. It kills me because I’ve always been a Campbell booster but after three years, I’m hopping off the bandwagon.

-If Mike Shanahan isn’t coaching this team, or Dallas by next year, I’ll be shocked.

North

1-Packers

2-Vikings

3-Bears

4-Lions

10 points:

-I’ve always liked Aaron Rodgers, and he played well last year. If Ryan Grant comes back healthy, you’re looking at the best offense in the NFC.

-I like everything I read about Green Bay’s defensive switch to the 3-4. They need to improve that if they want to challenge.

-It kills me making Minnesota a wild card team with Brett Favre back. I’m certainly not his biggest fan. But remember, he played well last year before he tore that biceps. Now he has it fixed.

-Minnesota has a solid defense and a great running game to support Favre, even better than the Jets team he finished with last year that was 10-6.

-One issue: How does anyone not named “Favre” take Brad Childress seriously anymore? After his constant wavering, this is definitely make-or-break for him. And he’s not that good of a coach.

-Chicago was my original pick to grab the wild card…until I remembered that Jay Cutler has no receivers. And while he is a substantial upgrade over Kyle Orton, he has precisely zero playoff appearances.

-Again with Cutler, he throws the ball up for grabs almost as much as Favre does. He was second in the NFL last year in INTs (behind Favre). He won’t have the luxury of Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal this year.

-Their defense showed some major chinks in the armor last year and age has definitely caught up to them. Rod Marinelli might re-invigorate the front four, but they need a stellar year out of Brian Urlacher to go anywhere.

-I like everything I read about Jim Schwartz as a head coach. I think he’s exactly what the Lions need.

-Calvin Johnson: the most underrated player in the league. In my opinion, he belongs in the best receiver discussion with Randy Moss and Larry Fitzgerald, and maybe even Andre Johnson.

South

1-Saints

2-Panthers

3-Falcons

4-Buccaneers

10 points:

-I pick the Saints with much trepidation as I still am not sold on their defense. Jonathan Vilma needs to continue to play big for them.

-Everyone seems to be okay with Pierre Thomas as their starting running back. I am not. Drew Brees will need to have another MVP-caliber year for them to compete seriously.

-Carolina should be the favorite in the NFC, but I simply cannot look past Jake Delhomme at quarterback. I think they should’ve brought in someone else to compete for the job. It will cost them a playoff spot.

-One good thing they didn’t do was give Delhomme an extension. Oh, wait…they did? Never mind. That was dumb.

-Getting Julius Peppers back was huge, because the D is gonna have to play over their heads again if they want to make the Super Bowl. I don’t see that happening.

-Atlanta was another tough one to pick. I like Matt Ryan and I think he can do even better with Tony Gonzalez as his tight end. But I’m not as sold on Michael Turner repeating what he did last year after so many carries.

-Atlanta’s receiving corps took some major hits in the pre-season, but that’s the least of their concerns because…

-The Falcons defense wasn’t even that good last year and now it’s a year older and minus Keith Brooking.

-I love how the Buccaneers gave all of that money to Luke McCown before they even saw him throw. What a waste.

-Tampa Bay will compete with the Rams and Lions for worst in the NFC.

West

1-49ers

2-Cardinals

3-Seahawks

4-Rams

10 points:

-I just love everything about the 49ers. Love Mike Singletary, love Shaun Hill and Frank Gore, love Patrick Willis. There’s a lot to love.

-Of course, Singletary’s coaching style is bound to wear thin after awhile. And as much as I like Hill, he will probably miss Mike Martz’s tutelage a lot.

-It’s a weak division though, which is why I’m more sold on San Fran being the sleeper than the other four teams.

-I just can’t imagine Kurt Warner being healthy for all 16 games again. And with Matt Leinart having to compete for the backup QB job, well…

-I might be in the minority, but I think Beanie Wells could turn out to be the steal of the draft. I could see him having a monster second half after barely playing in the first.

-But their defense…ugh. They played over their heads last year. Won’t happen again.

-I could see Seattle having a monster rebound year if Matt Hasselbeck weren’t 33 going on 34. Seneca Wallace still as a back up? Mark Sanchez would’ve been perfect for them. Alas.

-And Julius Jones/TJ Duckett running the ball? Combining all of this with the less than stellar coaching of Jim Mora, whom I’ve never been impressed with, and I’m writing Seattle off.

-I have nothing good to say about St. Louis so I won’t say much at all.

-Stephen Jackson can always give them a puncher’s chance. And I’ll always root for Kyle Boller out of misguided loyalty.

Playoffs

Giants and Packers roll through their seasons and grab the top two slots. New Orleans faces little competition for the South and takes the third. San Francisco wins the West on the last day at 9-7.

The Wild Card race will be one of the best in years, and will come down to Week 17 with Philly, Green Bay, Minnesota and Chicago all competing. When the dust settles, it’ll be the Vikings and the Eagles.

The Saints will top the Eagles in a first-round classic. In one last blaze of glory, Favre leads the Vikings to a road win in San Francisco.

Before the second round, everyone is hyping a potential Packers-Vikings NFC Championship at Lambeau. Green Bay does their part by outgunning New Orleans. But the Giants stomp the Vikings mercilessly as Favre throws 4 INTs.

Green Bay gets revenge on the Giants from two years earlier, this time beating them in their own home for the NFC Championship.

And now onto the AFC…

East

1. Patriots

2. Jets

3. Dolphins

4. Bills

10 points:

-With the Derrick Burgess trade and the continued emergence of Jerod Mayo, the Patriots defense will be almost as good as its offense.

-The thing that tempers my expectations for New England is Tom Brady’s knee. Who knows how it will turn out? Carson Palmer was never the same after his injury.

-Just as a matter of fact, I think Wes Welker is the most overrated guy in the league. Line me up next to Randy Moss and I could put up pretty decent numbers with the attention he commands. On any other team, he’s nothing more than a decent slot guy.

-I think the Jets might surprise some people. Rex Ryan can bring the fire. They return the leading rusher in the AFC and strengthen an already solid defense with the acquisitions of Bart Scott and Jim Leonhard, not to mention Ryan’s defensive expertise.

-The key is, of course, Matt Sanchez. I think the seasons Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco had last year were aberrations. Usually, rookie QBs come in and struggle right away. Ryan and Flacco had five years to prepare for the NFL, whereas Sanchez only has three. Still, even with him struggling, he might be a better option than Kellen Clemens.

-The Dolphins just strike me so strongly as a year after team. Can Chad Pennington stay healthy for all 16 games and duplicate his success from last year? If not, it might be Chad Henne time.

-The defense concerns me too. You're asking a lot of guys to repeat their contributions from last year, when they played better than expected. Especially Joey Porter, who tailed off badly at the end of last year and is 32.

-I do believe in Tony Sparano. I think he’s a good coach. But you throw in those things combined with a tougher schedule makes Miami probably a year away from contending again.

-TO in Buffalo? Really? I just don’t think this ends well for Trent Edwards.

-The Bills do have mild sleeper potential if TO can keep his head on straight. The problem is their division/conference is so tough.

North

1-Steelers

2-Ravens

3-Bengals

4-Browns

10 points:

-Ben Roethlisberger moved into Brady/Manning territory with his second Super Bowl ring. Now the question is, can he throw up an elite season to keep Pittsburgh ahead of Baltimore? How much will the rape case distract him?

-Rashard Mendenhall really needs to take over the running back responsibilities soon…as in like yesterday. Willie Parker is better served off the bench and his o-line is gonna get him killed.

-Limas Sweed as the No. 2 receiver? That’s the sound of me laughing.

-Everyone’s predicting a big year for Joe Flacco, and as a Ravens fan I would like to agree. Another year in Cam Cameron’s system should be beneficial. But his receiving corps still stinks, unless Mark Clayton can (finally!) make the leap.

-There will be a slight drop off in the D without Rex Ryan and Bart Scott, but considering it’s the same scheme and (mostly) the same personnel, I don’t think it will be too bad.

-I'm bored writing about how boring Chad Ochocinco is, though I hear he’s re-invented himself somewhat on Hard Knocks.

-I think their defense’s 13th overall ranking is a little convoluted seeing as how they were blown out so much that most teams played conservatively in the second half.

-Really, I don’t know what to make of the Bengals. I’ve had them as a sleeper two years in a row and they let me down. Shame on me. I just don’t see them doing much.

-I think Brady Quinn wins the quarterback battle.

-I really can’t think of anything else interesting to say about the Browns except that they took a Ravens personnel guy in the front office and a Belichick disciple for coach and replaced them with another Ravens personnel guy and Belichick disciple. Interesting.

South

1. Colts

2. Titans

3. Texans

4. Jaguars

10 points:

-Indianapolis started out 3-4 last year. Their star QB was banged-up, they had no running game and their defense had some cracks. They finished the year 12-4. On any other team, the press would be salivating, but for Indy, it’s just another great year. What a run they’ve had.

-I don’t think they’ll lose too much in replacing Tony Dungy with Jim Caldwell. That’s a solid organization. They wouldn’t bring in Caldwell if they didn’t think he could handle it.

-I think way too many people are sleeping on these guys as Super Bowl picks. Donald Brown is gonna have to play a factor at some point to get their running game going.

-Tennessee’s window was perfect last year. The Patriots and Chargers were banged up and they had home-field over Pittsburgh. It was theirs for the taking.

-This year, I think the loss of Albert Haynesworth, combined with another year of age on Kerry Collins makes them nothing more than a Wild Card contender.

-Every ounce of me wanted to put Houston ahead of Tennessee, but the Titans are just too well-coached and have too many savvy veterans to fall too far.

-This has got to be the year for Matt Schaub. He’s got the weapons to make it happen. But don’t worry if he gets hurt, Dan Orlovsky and Rex Grossman are waiting in the wings.

-The key for making a serious move is the Texans' defense. I just don’t see that happening. In other divisions, they’d be a serious contender, but this one is too deep.

-David Garrard is the most underrated QB in the league. He had a decent year last year with no receivers.

-Nevertheless, his team stinks. I don’t think Maurice Jones-Drew can handle being a full-time back and their defense is overrated. Jack del Rio should’ve been fired at the end of last year.

West

1-Chargers

2-Chiefs

3-Broncos

4-Raiders

10 points:

-Really, if the Chargers don’t win this year, I give up. With Shawne Merriman back healthy, as well as a rejuvenated LaDainian Tomlinson, this is their time.

-Philip Rivers, MVP. Done and done. Again, this is their time.

-The only thing that cools me about San Diego is Norv Turner coaching, but let’s look at his playoff record: He was 1-1 with Washington in 1999 and they almost upset Tampa Bay on the road to make the NFC Championship. He upsets the Colts in Indy in 2007, getting a score on the final drive with Billy Volek and Darren Sproles behind the wheel. If Philip Rivers is healthy in the AFC Championship, they maybe beat New England. And last year, he takes them to the second round and his team can’t catch a break on the road against the eventual World Champion Steelers. I think he has it in him to win it all.

-That was a long point to make because I really don’t have much else to say about the AFC West. I think it’s the worst division in football.

-Kansas City certainly could be a sleeper but their defense is weak. Glen Dorsey needs to step it up this year.

-Brodie Croyle might beat out Matt Cassel for the starting job? Like, the Brodie Croyle? The one with the hot wife and no game?

-Denver was looming for me as a mini-sleeper. Kyle Orton didn’t play that badly last year and he had no receivers. But Brandon Marshall has turned into a disaster, so I can’t back them.

-The Broncos also did very little to improve their horrid defense.

-I agree with the press: If Tom Cable really did punch out that coach, he should be suspended. But he won’t because it’s the Raiders.

-JaMarcus Russell isn’t as bad as everyone makes him out to be. He had no receivers last year, and still doesn’t this year (Darius Heyward-Bey over Michael Crabtree will haunt them for years). Hopefully, the strong running game can give him a boost.

Playoffs

The Chargers, Colts, and Patriots romp through their schedules and grab the top three seeds in that order. Pittsburgh battles all year with Baltimore, splitting their two games but winning the division. The Ravens settle for a Wild Card, as do the Titans.

New England crushes Tennessee at home in the first round and Baltimore finally gets their vengeance upon Pittsburgh, beating them on the road in a bloodbath.

San Diego handles the Ravens in the second round and Indianapolis beats New England in a classic in Indy on a last-second Adam Vinatieri field goal.

San Diego beats Indy for the third year in a row to (finally) advance to the Super Bowl.

Super Bowl XLIV

San Diego vs. Green Bay: The Packers take an early lead and it’s close by halftime, but it’s all Chargers in the second half. San Diego-31, Green Bay-20. MVP: Philip Rivers.

Kobe Bryant: The World's Most Interesting Man

Jacob Simpson — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 19:45:54 -0400

With apologies to the 'Dos Equis' guy, Barack Obama, and Lionel Messi, the world’s most interesting man at the moment is none other than Mr. Kobe Bean Bryant.

His Lakers are on the precipice of winning their 15th NBA title—Bryant’s fourth (but first as the go-to guy)—and the sports writing world is in a frenzy trying to put this in perspective for Kobe’s career.

This is what makes Kobe so interesting right now.

His career has gone in so many crazy directions, it is impossible to decide what kind of perspective to take. He’s gone from being the future of the league and the next Jordan to star-sidekick and beloved figure.

Then there were rape accusations and he was exposed as, not only a meddling teammate and coach-killer, but also a potential sociopath convict.

From there, he went to shady character, having the specter of the rape charge loom over him. He was also portrayed as the ultimate “me first” athlete.

Yet in the past two years, he has reinvented himself again as a dominant player and cultural icon, even if he will never reach the beloved status he so desperately craves.

Kobe Bryant puts on a fantastic front to make you think that he does not care what you think about him. From what I have observed, that is a complete lie. Maybe he finally has realized that people won’t embrace him the way they did Michael Jordan, but he certainly cares plenty about his image.

Just take the recent documentary on him, "Kobe Doin’ Work." According to multiple sources, Kobe would only allow Spike Lee, one of the most respected filmmakers in Hollywood, shoot it if he could have complete creative control. It is imperative to Kobe that he maintains an image of good teammate and respectful parent/husband that we are all skeptical to.

Even in 2004, when Shaq was traded (most likely because of him) and the civil suit as an alleged rapist was settled, his behavior was public-conscious. He went on multiple news outlets to defend himself as a teammate.

But (this gets lost in the shuffle now) don't forget his bizarre public statement to his accuser after the settlement, where he said: "Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she did not and does not view this incident the same way I did."

(An aside: I can’t help but wonder when I watch Kobe what that woman thinks now whenshe sees him on TV. It’s a little disconcerting.)

This is a man who has always wanted to live up to the playing/marketing standard of his idol, Mr. Jordan. And while he won’t get there, he certainly has cemented quite a legacy for himself.

He’s probably going to be remembered as the best guard in the league post-Jordan and before LeBron James’ meteoric rise this year. He plays for one of the NBA’s two most historic franchises in the second-largest market in America, where he has won three championships.

His one-two combination with Shaquille O’Neal has to rank among the best one-two duos in basketball history—perhaps the best. He’s won his MVP and holds numerous points records.

And yet, there is that elusive Shaq-free ring.

As I don’t believe that Kobe doesn’t care about his image, I also don’t believe he doesn’t care about winning a ring without O’Neal. Doing so would cement his status as one of the greatest players of all-time—certainly top 10 and maybe the second best guard underneath his hero.

It would put to rest all the lingering questions about his supposed capability to sacrifice enough of his game as the top guy to carry a team to a championship. It would make him the nonpareil of the NBA, at least until LeBron wins his first ring.

One has to think that this matchup could not have worked out better for him. Kobe won’t get the chance to be embarrassed by the guy nipping at his heels in the Finals. Rather, he’ll face an Orlando team that, while battle-tested, is raw when it comes to this stage. He’s been sharing the ball better and yet still coming through big. He’s hungry and ready.

And this is what is at stake for Kobe Bean Bryant. With questions surrounding his team, father time catching up to him, and LeBron and Dwight Howard cresting in their primes, this is his last best chance at getting the fourth ring.

His legacy as an outstanding public citizen will forever be polarizing. His legacy as a basketball player will be one of sheer greatness.

A-Waste: The Alex Rodriguez Book Sucks

Jacob Simpson — Tue, 05 May 2009 23:25:14 -0400

Those who know me personally know that I am a man of my word and that I would never steer anyone wrong, much less a fellow sports fan.

So believe me when I tell you...do not waste your money on Selena Roberts' A-Rod: The Many Lives of Alex Rodriguez. It is truly one of the worst sports biographies I have ever read.

My hopes were dashed almost from the start. I had expectations of Richard Ben Cramer's Babe Ruth book or Jeff Pearlman's wildly underrated take on Barry Bonds, Love Me, Hate Me.

Considering the ample hype, I thought the book would shed light on what it advertises: Alex Rodriguez's many lives.

Nope. It focuses on two of them: the occasionally caring and loving Alex and the evil, needy, greedy Alex. And this might come as a shock to you, but the majority of the book is devoted to the latter.

But trust me when I tell you, there is nothing in here that Deadspin or The New York Daily News hasn't already exposed for the world to see. The only thing you might learn more is the intricacies of Rodriguez's steroid use.

Everything else: the infidelities, personal insecurities, and clubhouse vanities have already been lifted up for the world to see.

The basic structure of the book is to consistently pummel you with these sordid deeds and sometimes remind you that hey, Alex Rodriguez plays baseball.

There is also conjecture of his good seasons (2001-2003, 2005, 2007) being tied to steroid use and his bad seasons (2004, 2006) because testing became more stringent.

There is very little background of how Alex Rodriguez was in the clubhouse except to say that he was a jerk who surrounded himself with a huge entourage and that was it.

Really, there's no more to it than that? From April to October, that's the extent of Alex Rodriguez: The Teammate?

The only positive thing I can really say about Roberts' work is the study on A-Rod and his early life growing up in New York/D.R./Miami. His abandonment issues with his father and the way he was raised was certainly interesting and it explained a lot of who he became to be.

That was the kind of work I was expecting and, in the beginning, I thought I might have a gem on my hands. Sadly, the book skims over his high school experience, brings up steroid speculation, and it's on to the pros.

I'm not saying that Selena Roberts does a smear campaign against A-Rod. I do feel that this book was shoddily researched with a lot of conjecture and very little substance.

I also feel that a writer of Sports Illustrated, even though its a shell of itself now, should owe the public better, especially on a man they do not know very well.

You wanna know about A-Rod's early life or his Rangers steroid use in detail, pick it up.

However, if your looking for something more and you've read all the tabloid details, skip this book because believe me, there's not much to glean from it. I was thoroughly disappointed.

Burning Questions for the Baltimore Ravens This Offseason

Jacob Simpson — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 16:17:57 -0500

The 2008 Baltimore Ravens season definitely went better than expected for most.

However, many fans were still disappointed that the Ravens did not make the Super Bowl. The feeling was that the team had many players left over from the 2006 team that went 13-3 and could go the distance. Regardless, the 2008 Ravens basically topped their best potential ceiling and should be proud of the way they played.

With a few key additions, the 2009 Baltimore Ravens could definitely be looking at an appearance in Super Bowl XLIV. Here are the biggest questions facing the team this offseason and how they can/will answer them:

Q: Can the Ravens get a big-play receiver?

A: Now that they have the QB of the future in Joe Flacco, the Ravens’ next big offensive challenge is getting the elusive big play guy that they have missed since Shannon Sharpe signed back with Denver and Terrell Owens refused to come to Baltimore.

Many people have kept telling me “All they need to do is get a Larry Fitzgerald-type guy.” Easier said then done. How many quality receivers are out there this spring?

There’s TJ Houshmandzadeh, legendary Ravens killer but more in the mold of what they already have in Derrick Mason and Mark Clayton.

Anquan Boldin might be available for trade, but who knows if the Ravens can get him for sure? Notorious malcontents TO and Plaxico might also be on the market.

I can’t see Owens coming here but I wouldn’t mind Burress, assuming he doesn’t go to jail. He’s had his episodes but he’s not a TO-level cancer. It was easy to see how much the Giants missed him this year.

The draft is pretty slim pickings too. They might grab local guy Darius Howard-Bey, he’s got the size and the world class speed. Many think he could fall down to the Ravens too. That would be the way I’d like to see them go rather than throw away money.

They could also trade up for Michael Crabtree or Jeremy Maclin but it’s not Ozzie Newsome’s nature to do so and I’d be content with Howard-Bey, who was a big playmaker at Maryland. Either way, it’s a position that definitely needs upgrading.

Q: What’s going to happen to Willis McGahee?

A: Willis caught a lot of flack for not participating in offseason workouts, then showing up for camp out of shape. He also criticized the coaches the week of the Dolphins playoff game for not using him properly.

Keeping all of that in mind, McGahee probably isn’t going anywhere. He has a huge cap number, so if the Ravens were to cut him just to prove a point, it would hurt them.

When healthy and focused, he’s the most talented of the three running backs. Hopefully for everyone’s sake, Willis can use the offseason to participate in the workouts, keep in John Harbaugh’s good graces and start 2009 as the Ravens lead back.

Q: How do the Ravens replace Rex Ryan?

A: They are probably going to promote within and keep the same scheme that has been effective since 2003. Assistant Vic Fangio has been an early front-runner with his experience as a coordinator, but the team is also looking at linebackers coach Greg Mattison, secondary coach Chuck Pagano and defensive backs coach Clarence Brooks.

The problem with replacing Rex Ryan is he got the most out of that defense because he knew his players so well. He knew the best way to attack the offense using the players as chess pieces.

Although the scheme will remain the same, one has to be concerned that his successor will be as effective calling the plays without Ryan’s deep knowledge of his players and his pedigree. Either way, the legendary Ravens D will hopefully not miss too much of a beat in 2009.

Q: What do the Ravens do about the secondary?

A: It’s pretty obvious that Chris McAlister is out the door. While this doesn’t bother many Ravens fans, it annoys me. McAlister is one of the best, if not the best, shut down corners in the league when focused.

Sure last year he put the team through a lot of his petty bullcrap and they’re probably sick of it. But I’m worried that Ravens fans don’t know the caliber of a player McAlister is and how much they might wind up missing him when he’s gone.

Samari Rolle had his best season since he’s been here but he’s getting up there in age. It is unclear if he’ll be back next year for a farewell tour or not. Regardless, the Ravens probably need another corner, either in the draft or through free agency.

The Fabien Washington trade turned out great for them, but they need someone to compliment him. Corey Ivy is good as a nickelback but not the best cover corner and might walk in free agency. This should probably be the number two priority for addition right after receiver.

The other aspect with the secondary is what to do with Jim Leonhard. A Buffalo retread, he came here and had a shockingly great season at strong safety when Dawan Landry went down.

The dilemma for him, especially since he’s a free agent, is can the Ravens get him back at a reduced price. Leonhard says he wants to be here, but will Ryan, who was clearly a huge fan of his, lure him to New York?

If Leonhard goes, I’m actually not too nervous, as strong safety is a pretty solid position for the Ravens. They already have Landry, and back-ups Tom Zbikowski and Haruki Nakamura both made great plays last year in limited time. I’d like to see Leonhard back but I don’t think the Ravens should, or will, overpay for him.

Q: The big one...will the Ravens keep Ray Lewis, Bart Scott or Terrell Suggs? Two of them? All three?

A: All three joked earlier in the year that they were trying to find a way to make it work financially. Joking aside, the Ravens will probably keep two. The dilemma is, which two?

Ray Lewis will be the top priority. Even though he’s getting older, he’s the heart and soul of the team and the face of the Ravens franchise. Both are clichés, but they’re really true in Lewis’ case.

I agreed with columnist Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun, who criticized owner Steve Biscotti for tipping his hand and saying that they wouldn’t franchise Lewis. Those kinds of comments will hurt the team in negotiations.

If the Ravens indeed don’t plan to franchise Lewis, then they will probably have to overpay to keep him. The Cowboys and Jets are waiting in the wings to sign him and it makes any Ravens fan cringe at the thought of him finishing his career on either of those two teams.

I think the Ravens will do what they can to keep him, but if his demands are too outrageous, they will have to let him go. And as much as it kills me to say it, given his age (33), and their depth at the position, that’s probably the right thing to do. But I see him staying.

Suggs and Scott are different stories. Suggs is probably right behind Lewis on the priority list because of his versatility. I think they’ll also do what they can to keep him, even if it means franchising him again.

That leaves Scott as the odd man out. It is unfortunate considering how well he’s played the past three years, but it’s just a fluke year to be a free agent.

The issue with Scott is what team will sign him. I don’t know if he’ll get the money he wants considering that many teams probably see him as a product of the Ravens system. Still, he’s a hard hitter and he covers a lot of ground. Any 3-4 defensive team would be lucky to have him. It probably won’t be the Ravens.

Q: What about original Raven Matt Stover?

A: Stover finally looks like the years have caught up to him as a kicker. He may resign with the Ravens, however it appears that they want to go in a different direction.

It's a shame because he is probably the most clutch kicker in the league (Save it Vinatieri fans, Stover never botched one as badly as Vinatieri did in that San Diego game last year).

But they probably want someone with a bigger leg who is more consistent, whether that is kickoff man Steve Hauschka or someone else. It’ll be interesting to see what happens to him, but I think he’s playing somewhere else in 2009.

Two Simple Ways to Fix The NFL Playoffs

Jacob Simpson — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 03:46:11 -0500

Inevitably, when a decent team is going to get left out of the NFL playoffs, people start screaming about how the format needs to be changed. As I recall, back in 2004, everyone was crying the opposite when three 8-8 teams made it in the NFC (especially while my beloved Ravens got bounced at 9-7).

Many times, sports fans do not realize that they are completely reactionary and that glitches in any system often happens. We should all be thankful the Super Bowl is not decided by the BCS.

Nevertheless, the NFL playoffs could use a little bit of tweaking. The way I see it, there are two big problems with the system that occur year-in-and-year-out. And I am here to fix them...

1. Keep the same seeding system but change homefield rules so that whomever has the best record in the game gets homefield.

This would prevent the 2008 Cardinals and 2007 Buccaneers from locking up their divisions (and a 1st round home playoff game) and playing on cruise control the rest of the time. It would also reward white hot wild card playoff teams who play in tough divisions.

Under this proposal, the 2008 NFC playoffs would have whomever wins the No. 5 seed (Atlanta or Carolina) at home vs. Arizona since that team have a better record. The Cards would still get the fourth seed but they would also be penalized for not winning enough games outside of their division.

This would hopefully inspire teams that are locked into a non-bye as division champions play harder in the final weeks of the season and not reward them for winning weak divisions. Same goes for the Chargers/Broncos, who would have to go visit the Colts in round one in Indy. Both of those west teams are a joke anyway and (in my opinion) don't deserve a home playoff game.

2. Add a third wild card team. I know that some years this might dilute the field, but other times (like this year), it would definitely help the competition of the game. Plus it would make getting the one seed even more important.

You thought the electricity of the Panthers-Giants and Titans-Steelers games was high...just imagine how crazier it would be if both the losers had to play in the first round no matter what. Imagine the Steelers frustration at having to host New England, Miami or Baltimore in the first round rather than getting a week to rest.

Plus, two more playoff games only adds to the fun that is the first week in January. And, as my man 50 Cent says, "Times is hard in the yard." Two more playoff games would bring in some much needed revenue.

I think that implementing these two changes would help the NFL playoff system a lot. I have no major complaints with it, it's fun as it is. But in adding these two changes, I feel that it will be as close to perfect as possible.

College Football Playoff Preview

Jacob Simpson — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 06:50:18 -0500

I’m just so happy for college football’s playoff system. It really does a great job of getting the casual fan interested.

Take my good friend George. He doesn’t care about the old system...he didn’t even understand how the BCS worked! But with Winter Madness, George is a huge fan. He’s in pools, he’s watching the games: George is feeling the sport.

And the playoffs are a serious moneymaker. Considering we’re in a recession right now, money is much needed.

At any rate, here’s the preview from Round One...

16. Troy @ 1. Oklahoma

No sense previewing this game. I just wanna say I love how the college football playoff system gets teams from all conferences involved. Sure, the token Sun Belt Conference squad usually gets belted. But much like basketball, it’s fun to have them involved.

As for Oklahoma, they can get away with running up the score all they want, but can they escape a rematch with Texas?

Prediction: Oklahoma in a rout.

9. Boise State @ 8. Penn State

The 2006 Cinderella vs. the 2008 sentimental favorite. Maybe the most intriguing game of round one. By the way, a big shoutout to Joe Paterno, who worked hard throughout his career to make this playoff happen. Now he has another shot at that elusive national championship. God bless him.

Prediction: Penn State pulls away in the second half and takes the game.

12. Cincinnati @ 5. USC

Someone from the Big East had to make it. Props to Cincinnati for surviving. But to go into Los Angeles against the Mighty Trojan Machine...

Prediction: USC in a rout.

13. Virginia Tech @ 4. Alabama

Alabama was pretty ticked that this loss dropped them to the four seed. Nevertheless, they get a pretty easy round one matchup. Virginia Tech was lucky enough to win their division, then got to beat up on a banged-up Boston College team in the ACC Championship. Defense will rule in this one.

Prediction: Alabama in a sloppy, defense-dominated contest.

11. Texas Christian @ 6. Utah

Plenty of people were upset that TCU got the final at-large bid over Georgia, Georgia Tech, or Oklahoma State. But they’re here now, vs. the big sleeper, Utah.

I don’t know if the Utes have it in them to get that far, but they certainly can take care of business in round one. Everyone is looking forward to a potential “Utah vs. Urban (Meyer)” in the semifinals if Florida makes it that far.

Prediction: Utah takes care of business.

14. East Carolina @ 3. Texas

Texas is pretty pissed (and rightfully so in my opinion) that they didn’t get to play in the Big 12 championship and thus not have a chance at the top seed.

In the old days, when a team beats the team that eventually becomes number one (and beats them handily), then loses to a really good team on the road on a fluke play but still only has one loss, and yet that one cheap loss hampers them because the number one team they beat handily keeps running up the score...well, let’s just say I’m glad we don’t have the bowl system anymore. Shame on Bob Stoops for making me defend Texas!

Prediction: Texas crushes ECU—they’re on a mission.

10. Ohio State @ 7. Texas Tech

Terrelle Pryor, welcome to the big time! And just in time, because they will need every single point that they can get vs. a determined Texas Tech team playing at home. I know Ohio State has looked better the past few weeks, but c’mon people...it’s the Big Ten. It's just not...that...good. Don’t shoot the messenger.

Prediction: Pryor keeps it somewhat close but Tech puts up enough points to win, even without Crabtree.

15. Buffalo @ 2. Florida

Good job for Buffalo reviving that program. Really good. I’m happy for them. I was pretty surprised when they upset Ball State in the MAC Championship. Glad to see them here! Really!

Prediction: Uhhhh, Florida.

In the second round, Oklahoma runs up the score on Penn State, making everyone cry. USC surprises Alabama, Texas handles Utah, and Florida knocks off Texas Tech.

Oklahoma beats USC in the semifinals. Texas upsets Florida in an epic classic, then beats Oklahoma again in the championship game.

When I don't have a real rooting interest (I'm partial to Notre Dame, Maryland, and Navy), I just root for great games, so may the games be great!

Memo to Philadelphia: Shut the Heck Up!!!

Jacob Simpson — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 02:16:31 -0400

Why? Because of articles like this.

I'm so sick of the Phillies and their fans bellyaching about what happened last night. So, to vent my frustration, I'm gonna break this Michael Radano column down, firejoemorgan.com-style.

What that means is I'll post the writer/player's harebrained quote and fire back with my angry, snarky, sarcastic retort. Firejoemorgan.com, by the way, is the name of the bestest blog in the world and I suggest you read it right after you read this.
Without further ado...

The writer, Michael Radano: Proof that Major League Baseball is run by a bunch of buffoons came at midnight when the suspended game notes were handed out.

At the bottom of the sheet, the powers that be maybe thought it was cute or even pithy to include Koppett’s Law.

“Whatever creates the greatest inconvenience for the largest number of people is guaranteed to happen.”

Yeah, that’s what the suspension of Game Five was, inconvenient.

Me: His use of "inconvenient" is sarcasm, as you will see given the context of this article. In fact, Game Five was the very definition of "inconvenient," and there is no need for sarcasm. A small, piddling storm becomes a full blown nor'easter out of nowhere!!!??? Sounds pretty effin' inconvenient to me!

I mean, no one loves to hate Bud Selig more than me, but seriously, what the hell else was he supposed to do? Sacrifice to the Babylonian weather gods? You know how they used to do that back in the day? Eh, you don't wanna know. Moving on. Your turn Mr. Radano...

Radano: Inconvenience was why the Phillies' clubhouse all but boiled over after the game. Inconvenience was why what began as a day not of hope, but of destiny quickly dissipated into disgust and bursts of anger directed at the television where Commissioner Bud Selig held a press conference on why Game Five, tied at 2-2, was suspended in the middle of the sixth inning.

Me: Yes, it was indeed actual inconvenience that did this. Unless the Phillies suddenly had the tools and the wherewithal to build a humongous dome over Citizen's Bank Park, there was no way they were finishing Game Five on Monday. Radano then hits us off with a nasty quote from an anonymous player that probably shouldn't have been published.

Radano: “That (expletive deleted) guy,” one pitcher said as he saw commissioner Bud Selig before walking out the back door of the clubhouse. “I wouldn’t let him supervise one of my (bowel movements). He has no clue. Not one (expletive deleted) clue.”

Me: Not that I need to break this quote down for you, but sir, whomever said this bit of inanity, would you ever want anyone, much less Bud Selig, to supervise one of your "(bowel movements)?"

Radano: “(Expletive deleted),” one position player said in the direction of one television pausing only for a moment before leaving. “He’s a moron. How stupid can one person be?”

Well, pretty stupid if this night was any indication.

Me: What makes Bud Selig stupid? I know he doesn't inspire much confidence as a commissioner, but what would you have him do? Not have them play at all on the premise that there might be rain?

Radano: Compounding matters, several national media members couldn’t figure out why the players were so upset?

Me: Maybe they're onto something. Defend yourself Mr. Radano.

Radano: 1. Hamels is now done. He won’t be available to finish this game despite a low pitch count. It’s a stretch to believe that he will be ready for Game Seven, even if this game resumes on Wednesday. That means three days of rest and we know the history on that one.

Me: Hamels was done anyway. I don't get the point of this at all. If they called it in the fifth or the fourth, he would've been done. And yeah, we do know the history of starting pitchers throwing on three days' rest in series-clinching games, like Josh Beckett in Game Six of 2003.

Dude pitched so terribly that he barely managed to throw a shut-out at Yankee Stadium to lead the neophyte Marlins to an upset win over the mighty, mighty Yankees. He sucked that night. We all know that history. Radano Time!

Radano: The Phillies held a 2-1 lead heading into the sixth, as the rain continued to fall and rivers formed throughout the infield. The grounds crew—already working beyond the call of duty—did their best, but as the inning wore on, the field worsened.

B.J. Upton hit an infield single that Jimmy Rollins had in the tip of his glove. Normal conditions, inning over. In these, Upton reached base, stole second, and then scored on a flare into left field.

Me: A common criticism of the decision, but hypocritical in nature. B.J. Upton was able to score, DESPITE the fact that it was so bad. He was able to steal a base, running in what was basically a swamp. McCarver even said in the broadcast booth how bad the field would be for running, and McCarver usually sucks at those kinds of things.

It was terrible on the field, and yet Upton still managed to score, so spare me the "MLB was conspiring against Philly" bullcrap. Radano doesn't even point how Upton's jaunt to score was basically a miracle. But now he will point out...

Radano: 3. Tampa can start David Price tomorrow or whenever this game resumes. The Phillies have already indicated they will begin with their bullpen. That favors the Rays, as Price can go multiple innings.

Me: You're team is tied, playing at home, and has an extra half inning. How does using Price for multiple innings favor the Rays over the Phillies when everyone and MY mother have been pointing out for two weeks that the Phils probably have the better bullpen?

What about all the bridge-to-Lidge cliches I've been hearing about the past three weeks in this godforsaken city? So the Rays get extra innings out of Price. That also means the Phils get extra innings out of Madson, Romero, Lidge, etc. You really think Tampa Bay benefits more???? You're a moron Mr. Radano! Stop writing now, logic is begging you...

Radano: 4. The emotions of the crowd will be diminished, and it will be interesting to see how many fans can and will show up.

Me: Actually, a fair point, though the crowd noise should still be pretty good, if not as deafening as it was Tuesday. Aren't Philly fans supposed to be devoutly loyal and all that BS?

Radano: 5. If this series goes back to Tampa, James Shields and Matt Garza will get the starts and they have been very good at home this year.

Me: This just really pissed me off. They were gonna pitch anyway!!!! Even if it was all clear skies, if the Phillies didn't win Monday, they were gonna pitch anyway!!! The Phillies are still tied 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth with their stellar bullpen well rested!!!! And they have a 3-1 series lead!!!! Why is this moron acting like the series is over??????

Radano: “I feel really bad for Cole,” catcher Carlos Ruiz said. “He was pitching well even though the ball was tough to grip. I don't know why we started that inning. I don’t understand this at all.”

He’s far from alone.

Me: Again, if Selig suspends the game earlier, yeah the run comes off the board. But the Phillies would then need to coax four innings out of their bullpen. Why does everyone act like this was a guarantee waiting to happen?

I just can't go on anymore. The ridiculousness is killing me. Go Tampa Bay.

Week Six NFL Picks

Jacob Simpson — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 07:58:30 -0400

A lot of do-or-die games for teams this week. I would hazard to guess that this has probably been the toughest week to predict so far. But I enjoy it.

I really like how wide open this season is compared to past seasons. Its a theme that's been beaten to death, so I won't harp on it anymore, but I do think is makes it more exciting for the average NFL fan.

The only teams that are in "We definitely do NOT have a chance" territory are Detroit, Cincinnati, Houston and Kansas City. That's right, I'm not even writing of St. Louis.

Even though they're probably the worst team in the NFL, their division is so bad that they really have as much of a shot as anyone. Have you seen Arizona, San Fran and Seattle play? You're seriously telling me that any of those teams are miles ahead of the Rams?

Now that I've pulled off the impossible feat of the day (convincing people that the Rams still have playoff aspirations) its time for the picks. Home teams in CAPS...

Bears over FALCONS

This could be a trap game for the Bears. No matter how banged-up the Packers are, you still have to respect anyone who can go into Lambeau and beat a decent Green Bay team. Still, I'm not feeling the Falcons defense at all, and even if they decide to shut down the suddenly red hot Kyle Orton, Matt Forte can take them on the ground.

Ravens over COLTS

Believe me, I lie awake horrified at the fact that the Ravens should be 4-0 and that the Division is slowly slipping away from them. But I really do like them here against a leaky Colts D and their hurting o-line. Plus, Manning's injury has made the Colts O look outta sync all year, even when he does have time to pass. This isn't the kind of defense you want to face when you have that problem.

VIKINGS over Lions

Minnesota saved their season on Monday night, in a tough road spot against a good team. You gotta love a team that can do that. Especially when they're facing the Detroit Lions. And seeing as how Adrian Peterson is going up against the bad Detroit D and how he is due for a big game and since I have him on both of my fantasy teams...well...you know...

SAINTS over Raiders

The Tom Cable era begins! The Vince Lombardi of Idaho University brings his "A" game to the NFL. Feel the excitement!

(P.S. JaMarcus Russell doesn't completely suck...so...you know...you might want to take that into consideration...)

Bengals over JETS

The Bengals played two really good games back-to-back and probably would have beat Cleveland if they had Carson Palmer. I think this is a great shoot-out that ends with a Brett Favre INT. And like 20 people will see it.

***EDIT***

In the time I wrote this article, I found out that Ryan Fitzgerald is starting on Sunday. So...

JETS over Bengals

There, that's better. Poor Marvin Lewis.

Panthers over BUCCANEERS

Well so much for Jeff Garcia. This is the statement game for the Carolina Panthers. Are they the class in the NFC South and a potential Super Bowl contender? They can make as great of a claim as anyone as beast of the NFC by beating Tampa Bay on the road.

REDSKINS over Rams

I'm totally, unequivocally sold on the Washington Redskins. I was expecting them to roll over completely against Philly, instead they dug in, fought back and earned that victory. They're legit and Jim Zorn has emerged as a decent coach.

True, it is definitely still early and they can fall off. But if they fatten up against their easy schedule the next three weeks (St. Louis, Cleveland, @ Detroit), they'll have a 7-1 record and be in prime position to take the East with their three divisional adversaries having to come to them. Huge advantage.

TEXANS over Dolphins

Upset special. Don't get me wrong, I like Miami. I just think that Houston is playing better, has found their weapon in Steve Slaton, is due for a win and the Fins are due for a loss. At some point, someone has to figure out how to defend this Wildcat formation right?

BRONCOS over Jaguars

Jacksonville will put up a fight, as it always does. I just don't know about them against a good Denver team, on the road, where they have to score points. Sure the Broncos defense is conducive to this, but I don't know if Jacksonville has enough on their D to stop Denver's O, even without Eddie Royal.

Cowboys over CARDINALS

I don't really know what to make of this Dallas team. I do know that if they don't beat the Arizona Cardinals, in a game where 60 percent of fans are gonna be cheering for Dallas anyway, then they get the best-in-the-NFC label taken from them.

Eagles over 49ERS

Going with a lot of road teams this week, I know. I just don't know about the 49ers. I would love to see them take off, and they definitely could have won the New England game. But the odds are that they're just not that good of a team and probably look better because they play in a crap division.

SEAHAWKS over Packers

In the battle of two overly-injured and overrated teams (though I guess no one is overrating them anymore), Seattle prevails at home because...they are at home. Yawn.

***EDIT***

Hasselbeck's out. Charle Frye is in. That means...

Packers over SEAHAWKS

Hopefully that'll be the last change.

CHARGERS over Patriots

I'm kinda happy to see these teams suck. All the Chargers do is talk about how the Patriots are so classless and how much they hate them and blah, blah, blah. And of course, everyone is sick of New England, especially the loathsome Teddy Bruschi. I'm picking San Diego because I think their defense rises to the occasion at home. The end.

Giants over BROWNS

An aside, if the Giants and Redskins played each other right now, even in Giants Stadium, I'd still pick Washington to win. The Giants are definitely good, but there's no way they're this good. Nevertheless, there is something to be said about taking care of business in winnable games.

In a division where there is no wiggle room for bad losses, at least New York is beating the teams its supposed to. That'll finally come in handy when they hit that slate of tough division games.

NFL Picks: Week Five

Jacob Simpson — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 06:29:12 -0400

I'm not going to have a prelude because I wrote a really in depth article on the state of the NFL and my take on its teams here.

As for the picks, I'm out front in our friendly competition by one game. Thus, the pressure is on for me to continue my "winning" ways. Here are the standings:

Standings    Last Week      Overall         Games Back
1. ME           10-3               21-8                ---
2. Frank        9-4               20-9                 1
3. Matt        7-6                 18-11                 3

On to the picks. As always, home teams in CAPS:

PANTHERS over Chiefs

The Chiefs aren't roping me in. They're not. Stop it. Just stop it. These are the kind of games that make people think Herm Edwards is a decent coach, plus the fact that he jumps around and yells a lot. Even with their hurting offensive line, I think Carolina dominates this one at home.

Bears over LIONS

Do you think Lions fans in attendance will actually be watching this game? Or do you think it'll just be a three-hour party to celebrate the demise of the Matt Millen regime? I can definitely imagine their fans just breaking out the beer, getting drunk, and high-fiving each other the whole game while Kyle Orton looks like Joe Montana in his prime for four quarters.

PACKERS over Falcons

This pick is based on the assumption that Aaron Rogers is playing. If this were a home game for Atlanta, I'd seriously consider taking the Falcons here. Who would've thought I'd be saying that three weeks ago?

Chargers over DOLPHINS

The Chargers can use these games to fatten up as they continue to get healthy and find their M.O. as a team. Meanwhile, I'm not sold on Miami at all. They had one decent win and that's about it. I'm not ready to "crown their a--es!!" yet, with all due respect to Denny Green.

GIANTS over Seahawks

Seriously, this Giants team is not that good. And yet I could definitely see them dominating a hurting Seahawks team to go 4-0 here. We're going to have to wait 'til they play Philly and Dallas to see how good New York really is.

EAGLES over Redskins

Ever since 2000 when they started this run, this Eagle team has a history of coming back from tough losses and always playing with pride. This just feels like a pride win to me. I know the Redskins just took it to Dallas in Dallas. I still can't shake the fact that they're not this good. Even without Westbrook, I think Philly defends this house for a win they desperately need. A loss here will seriously hurt their chances of stealing the division.

RAVENS over Titans

I haven’t picked the Ravens to win a game yet. So this is definitely not a homer pick. I think Tennessee is just due for a stinker. Sure, the Titans' defense is awesome, but the Ravens’ is just as good. Kerry Collins is the worst type of QB to be going against them, because he’s stationary in the pocket. And Baltimore has the team speed to at least somewhat contain Chris Johnson. Throw in the influential home crowd, and I say the Ravens take this in a tight one.

PS: I love how the Titans are trying to resurrect this old rivalry by saying dumb stuff. First off, in this supposed “rivalry,” the Titans won one important game (the 2003 playoffs). The Ravens won the single most important game (the 2000 playoffs, when Baltimore and Tennessee were the two best teams in the NFL) as well as went 7-4 against Tennessee in the Billick era. Hey Titans, where the ring at? Huh? Where it at? Yeah, I thought so.

Colts over TEXANS

The Texans gave Jacksonville a battle last week and might not be as bad as originally advertised. This game will be closer than expected. I think the Colts take it in the end because as bad as their line is right now, the Texans don’t have the D to take advantage of it, even with Mario Williams.

BRONCOS over Buccaneers

Is Brian Griese brain-washing people? Even Bill Simmons is riding his bandwagon right now. The Broncos' defense is terrible but I just don’t think he’s going to be able to take advantage of it in Denver. Throw in a rebound performance by Denver’s offense and I think they take this one pretty convincingly.

CARDINALS over Bills

Originally I picked Buffalo in this one but I changed my mind. I’m usually the one writing “You have to stick with your instinct,” but I think the Bills are due for a bad loss here. They’ve been really lucky the past few weeks. It's definitely better to be lucky than good, but at some point it does catch up to teams.

COWBOYS over Bengals

This could get ugly. Ocho, T.O. T.O., Ocho. Ocho, Ocho. T.O., T.O. T.O., Ocho, Ocho, T.O., T.O., Ocho, T.O., Ocho…

The game will be ugly as well.

Patriots over 49ERS

I want to hop on the San Fran bandwagon so badly but I need to see their offense do okay against a good D. Until then, I just can’t support them.

JAGUARS over Steelers

Both of these teams are hurting really badly and need this win. I just wasn’t that impressed with Pittsburgh on Monday. They got lucky to win that game at home and they know it. Meanwhile, Jacksonville is back home, still competitive, and David Garrard is pulling games out of his butt. I think Jax has the upper hand.

SAINTS over Vikings

The Saints are going to pass all night against the suspect Vikings secondary. You think Gus Frerotte is matching them point-for-point? Yeah, me neither.

Ravens Offensive Review: Close to Competent?

Jacob Simpson — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 05:19:04 -0400

With just three games under their belts, the Ravens are outperforming the expectations of most. The hard-fought, yet crushing, loss to the Steelers still proved that the Ravens have a decent team.

Part of it could be that the Ravens might finally be on the road to having a competent offense for the first time since Vinny Testaverde was at the helm (that should tell you all you need to know about this franchise’s pathologically bad ability to score).

With that in mind, I will take you through a fans analysis of the Ravens O, position-by-position (and coaches) and talk about what needs to be improved to make the playoffs.

Offense

Quarterback

Joe Flacco has looked about as good as he could have. He showed great poise under extreme pressure against Pittsburgh on Monday night. He has made the transition from Division I-AA (I refuse to use the FBS BS or whatever it is) about as well as possible. He's still a rookie and will make mistakes, but hasn't made the killer ones yet.

Originally I was skeptical about him starting. I was worried with our o-line that he would get killed, and who wants that in a season that many thought the Ravens would be rebuilding? But in getting his shot, he's done about as well as possible.

The most important thing is the players believe in him. You hear quotes about how great he is all the time, especially from Ray Lewis, who still sets the tone of this team. If the game had progressed exactly the same way with Kyle Boller under center and he fumbled that ball that Pittsburgh returned for a TD, that game is over right there.

There's no way Boller would ever recover from that. But Flacco stayed poised, made the throws he needed to make and got the big score.

I see him only getting better at this point as he gets more comfortable with Cam Cameron. Either way, as many have said, it looks like we finally found our QB.

Just because this needs to be mentioned, John Harbaugh has said himself that Troy Smith will likely see time this year. Whether he'll have a specific package designed for him or not is yet to be seen. I applaud this strategy. Smith's got talent; he can move around and he has a decent arm, so it'll be good for him to get on the field and keep defenses on their toes. It's the same thing he did at Ohio State before he became the full-time starter.

Running Backs

A questionable spot on the team right now. Even before Willis McGahee's injury, he wasn't playing that great anyway. Still, he is a vital part of what has been a fairly effective running back committee, providing the flash, while Le'Ron McClain provides the power. Ray Rice also provides shiftiness when they decide to use him (and they should do it more). I like the concept of giving McGahee 15-20 touches, Rice about five, and McClain getting the short-yardage/goal line carries.

If McGahee is out for a spell, McClain showed on Monday that he can carry the offense for periods at a time. I like his tenacity and he is quicker than one would think. I don't know if he could carry the ground game for the entire year, but if he were used with Rice as a compliment, I think he would do a great job.

And as for Lorenzo Neal, what can you say? Great player, great signing, great, great, great. It's like having a sixth lineman. I'm glad he's here.

Receivers

Derrick Mason still has it. He's obviously been Flacco's top target and he's getting it done in true Derrick Mason fashion...catching everything under the sun. Mark Clayton, Todd Heap, and Demetrius Williams have all been conspicuously absent the past few games, though you could argue that it's because they're catching from a rookie QB. But they all need to step it up somehow.

That reminds me about Heap. I think Ravens fans have always over-valued him. He's an above-average tight end with decent hands (he always seems to bobble more than he should), but he's certainly no Antonio Gates, or even Tony Gonzalez. He's a high class guy with the organization, and of course we all remember his hot wife from Hard Knocks.

But he hasn't really done much the past few years and looked terrible against Cincinnati. I told my dad last night that I wouldn't be too upset if Daniel Wilcox got some more looks at tight end. He always seems to come through when he’s on the field anyway.

Offensive Line

The O-line was the biggest question mark coming into the year, at least besides QB. It’s really like there are two separate groups out there. The interior line is doing its thing up front, led by Ben Grubbs. I was wondering why they didn’t try to run the ball up the middle more on Monday. These guys have held their own.

However, the tackles have produced mixed results. Both of them were kind of thrust into their situations because of injuries and Jonathan Ogden’s retirement. Jared Gaither replaced the legend on the left. Originally supposed to be a long-term project, he’s done okay in his role. So has Adam Terry, who in my mind has had more than enough time to develop.

Still, these two are the main culprits for the pressure on Flacco, especially this past Monday night. Speed rushers just seemed to have their ways with them. This really worries me because it's not an easily correctable problem. Fortunately for them, Flacco displayed decent mobility; but he’s not Steve Young. The tackles have got to step it up at some point if the Ravens expect to move the ball with any consistency.

Coaching

John Harbaugh is a smart man (his decision not to challenge the Derrick Mason play in the end zone not withstanding). He knew he was lucky to get Cam Cameron as his offensive coordinator. He was just as smart to turn the keys over to him and stay the hell out of the way.

I’ve liked the offensive game plan for the most part. The Ravens threw downfield several times and proved that they weren’t afraid to take chances. The trick plays have also been a welcome addition. Cameron also seems to have developed a solid rapport with Flacco, which is essential for his development as a QB.

If he can turn the Ravens offense into a legitimate threat, he probably deserves a parade down Pratt Street.

Outlook

The Ravens finally do seem to be turning the corner with their offense. Granted, it has only been three games so it's hard to tell. But they are moving the ball well and proving that they’re not afraid to try and punch it in.

They need to continue to improve sustaining consistent, clock-chewing drives. They also need to get the aforementioned Clayton, Williams, and Heap more involved in the offense. Do that and the Ravens could have the makings of a decent middle-of-the-NFL offense, which, coupled with a good defense, might be enough to make the playoffs.

Major League Baseball Playoff Predictions

Jacob Simpson — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 07:48:40 -0400

With the exciting NFL season currently in progress, I feel a lot of apathy towards October baseball this year.

There are several MLB teams about to begin their quest to the World Series that I do not like: Tampa Bay, Boston, Philadelphia.

There are also many people who bother me: Rays "fans," Ozzie Guillen, Mike Scioscia, Phillies fans, Cubs bandwagoners, Gene Wojciechowski.

Nevertheless, I feel obligated to bring you, the reader, my playoff predictions.

So let's begin.

Tampa Bay Rays vs. Chicago White Sox

Tampa Bay comes with a great story, but I still have a hard time getting excited for them. It's difficult to watch their legions of bandwagon fans cheering while my beloved Orioles suffer in a real baseball town hardened by years of losing.

Regardless, they have an awesome team, and they deserve to be in the playoffs. Chicago crept in at the last moment.

Although the Sox are playing well right now, I think Tampa Bay has a better overall lineup and rotation.

Throw in home-field advantage, and I think Tampa Bay will take it 3-2.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim vs. Boston Red Sox

The LAA team is very overrated. Their division is terrible, and their hitters can't work the count.

If Francisco Rodriguez receives the award for MVP, I will never take the award seriously again—I mean it. I will literally phase it out of my sports-following life.

I'm not all that jazzed about Boston, but I think this is a great matchup for them. I give the edge to Boston 3-1.

Philadelphia Phillies vs. Milwaukee Brewers

If any closer deserves the MVP award—and I don't think this award should ever goes to a closer—it should be Brad Lidge. He's had a great year and is healthy.

If the Phils bats are hot, it could make a big difference.

God knows I don't want to anger any more Phillies fans, so I'll just take them here 3-1 because Ben Sheets is out.

Chicago Cubs vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

This will be the best series in round one. This Dodger team is strong.

But this is the Cubs' year to shine.

I picked them to win it all back in April, and they have not done much to dispute that selection. They are a little banged up right now, but they have the best roster in the N.L.

I think that makes the difference here. Cubs, 3-2 in a great series.

Beyond the first round, I predict that the Rays will hold off Boston in a six-game series that I couldn't care less about. I think that Chicago will beat Philly in the NLCS in five—based on power, home field, and good pitching.

This sets the stage for the ultimate contrasts in World Series.

Chicago, with their long suffering fans, probably deserve the championship the most, against Tampa Bay, whose terrible fans probably deserve it the least.

It'll be a great series, but I'm going to stick with the Cubs.

Chicago in seven great games.

Making Sense of the NFL

Jacob Simpson — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 07:29:06 -0400

The reason I titled this column "Making Sense of the NFL" is because the NFL makes absolutely no sense right now. So...it makes no sense to try to make sense of it!

Nevertheless, it’s always fun to take a look at what we think we know about NFL teams even if that's all going to change next week. I figured instead of doing another superfluous—and useless—power poll, I'm just going to go from team to team and talk about their good/bad aspects and their chances. Without further ado...

NFC

East Division

1. New York Giants (3-0)

The Good: They're the defending champions and they're 3-0. That's pretty good. They can still rush the passer and move the ball. The post-Super Bowl champion malaise that affects a lot of teams in the parity era ('01 Ravens, '02 Patriots, '03 Buccaneers, '05 Patriots, '06 Steelers) doesn't seem to have hurt them yet. Eli looks solid.

The Bad: This Plaxico Burress thing could get ugly. It's one thing if he hadn't signed a contract and was doing all this. But he's signed. Don't know what his deal is but it could kill their offense. The defense is still light on the pass rush and secondary, and that will hurt them. They've played no one and almost lost to Cincinnati at home.

Outlook: I stand by everything I wrote about them. They will compete for a wild card. I think they'll fall short but we'll see. Tough division tests coming up for them will show what they're made of.

2. Washington Redskins (3-1)

The Good: The offense is finally clicking. The defense looks as strong as last year. I can finally toot my own horn about Jason Campbell. Santana Moss is rejuvenated. The players seem to really respond to Jim Zorn. They went into Dallas and not only got the W, but really took it to them.

The Bad: Tough division. Campbell could hit a wall. Defense is good, but not invincible. More losses could mean more grumbling from Portis.

Outlook: Over-performing right now. I really like the way they look. This weekend's contest at Philadelphia will be the ultimate early season barometer for both teams.

3. Dallas Cowboys (3-1)

The Good: Their offense can move at a dominating pace. T.O. is in the best shape of his career. Romo continues to do his thing. Felix Jones is a great weapon, and the perfect complement to Marion Barber. The defense is playing great.

The Bad: Romo tends to throw stupid interceptions. I don't know what the deal is with that but it needs to be fixed by Genius Jason Garrett (that's his legal name). Felix Jones is a great weapon, but only when you use him. Wade Phillips doesn't do much to instill confidence in me selecting them as the NFC team to beat. T.O. is T.O. again.

Outlook: The Washington loss sucked but I still think they're the team to beat. They're the healthiest team in the East right now, and that definitely counts for something. But seriously, what is Romo's deal with the bad interceptions? I thought this would be the year he gets past that. It'll kill them if he doesn't.

4. Philadelphia Eagles (2-2)

The Good: The offense is really clicking. DeSean Jackson looks like the real deal. They can still rush the passer well, and they're a hard team to beat at home. McNabb looks mobile.

The Bad: Injuries are taking a big toll. Losing Westbrook could kill them and any offensive momentum they have. I'll never understand what goes through Andy Reid's mind the last few minutes of a game. The defense made Kyle Orton look like the 2007 Tom Brady in the first half of Sunday's game.

Outlook: The Westbrook injury, coupled with a tough division might be too much to overcome. After the Dallas game, they looked like the second best team in the NFC. Now, they're facing what is basically a must-win vs. Washington. This NFC East is tough.

North Division

1. Green Bay Packers (2-2)

The Good: The offense is moving the ball. Al Harris's injury isn't as serious as it originally appeared. The receivers are still making plays; they may be the best corps in the NFL. Aaron Rodgers seems unfazed by the pressure to replace Favre and lead Green Bay to the Super Bowl.

The Bad: Rodgers looked awful the past two weeks and now he has a shoulder problem. Even if it is just a separation, that's going to stay with him all year. Their back-up is seventh-rounder Matt Flynn (yikes!). Their running game can't get going all of the sudden, and the defense looks a little vulnerable.

Outlook: I still think they're the team to beat in the North, but they've left the door open for Chicago and maybe even Minnesota. They can definitely take two of the next three (Atl, at Sea, Ind) heading into the bye week before they get into the teeth of their schedule.

2. Chicago Bears (2-2)

The Good: Matt Forte has been a revelation. So has Brandon Lloyd, of all people. Kyle Orton is not playing terribly. The defense can still make plays. They're no longer relying on Devin Hester alone.

The Bad: The defense is still shaky. In reality, it cost them the last two games, as they should be 4-0 right now. Kyle Orton is too inconsistent to be considered "good." They haven't played either Green Bay or Minnesota yet.

Outlook: I have no idea what to make of the Bears. I think they could be a sleeper team or could completely implode. I'm intrigued by them for two reasons: Their schedule in the coming weeks is really good for them (at Det, at Atl, Min, bye, Det) and they play their tougher non-division games at home (Ten, Jax, NO). They need to take advantage of the fact that GB and Minny are hurting real bad right now. If they split their next four, they're done, in my opinion.

3. Minnesota Vikings (1-3)

The Good: Tarvaris Jackson is no longer starting for them. Adrian Peterson is playing well. The defense can dominate the opposition's running game.

The Bad: Gus Frerrote is starting for them. The defense can't hold up against the pass. Chester Taylor is banged up. Chicago looks strong and that's only going to hurt their chances.

Outlook: I really can't see them winning on the road. And with two tough road games in the next three weeks (New Orleans, who will bomb them into submission, and Chicago), I think their season will be over before their week eight bye. What a waste.

4. Detroit Lions (0-4)

The Good: Matt Millen got fired! HALLELUJAH! I'm not anything close to a Lions fan and I was so pumped for Detroit.

The Bad: The team, the owner, the organization, etc. Much like our current situation in America, it'll take years for the Lions to recover from the mess made by one man.

Outlook: Start Drew Stanton, play for next year. Hire the best personnel guy you can find, give him full autonomy, and stay out of the freaking way. I've always been sympathetic to the city of Detroit and I'd love to see the Lions be competitive.

South Division

1. Carolina Panthers (3-1)

The Good: The offense looks real solid with Steve Smith back. The defense is rejuvenated. Jake Delhomme has looked sharp coming back from elbow surgery. These guys are making it happen in a tough division.

The Bad: Delhomme can still look inconsistent at times. The defense is susceptible to the big play. They are two plays away from being 1-3 right now. They haven't faced the Bucs or the Saints yet.

Outlook: I like the way Carolina is playing, but they're going to have to do well against divisional opponents. They're the strongest team on both sides of the ball in the South, but they need to play like it against NO and TB. They have a great chance to steal the division if they do.

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1)

The Good: Strong competitive spirit on this club. Defense looks as good as ever. Finding ways to win against tough teams. Earnest Graham has emerged as a reliable running back.

The Bad: I don't understand the Brian Griese thing at all. Am I the only Jeff Garcia backer in the entire universe? So he had one bad game! Griese hasn't done much either and almost cost Tampa Bay the win on Sunday. Defense is good but hardly dominant.

Outlook: If they're not going to start Garcia, I'm going to be the first person ever to advocate this (and I mean it in all seriousness): start Luke McCown. He obviously gets Gruden's complex system if he's their back-up and he put up good numbers in relief last year. Brian Griese is terrible and not going to get much better. Why not give McCown a shot?

At any rate, I see them continuing to compete but eventually falling off. Carolina does everything they do, only better. And New Orleans is one more win against them from owning the tiebreaker. Start McCown!

3. New Orleans Saints (2-2)

The Good: Offense, offense, offense. Deuce is back! Reggie Bush didn't look terrible before Deuce came back. It doesn't seem to matter who is in at receiver; Drew Brees will find a way to get it done. The offense should only be more explosive when they get Colston and Shockey back.

The Bad: The defense didn't improve as much as I thought it would. They lost two tough games. Brees can still sometimes be really inconsistent. Who knows if McAllister can churn out decent enough yardage to make the running game respectable?

Outlook: I think the Saints will topple TB and compete with Carolina for the division. Their offense is great and they lost to two good teams on the road. They definitely need home field to do anything in the playoffs, but right now, I think they can make it happen if they continue to out-gun their opponents.

4. Atlanta Falcons (2-2)

The Good: Matt Ryan looks solid. Michael Turner turned out to be a good pick up. Roddy White is emerging as an elite WR. Mike Smith has done a great job of making this team competitive in light of what happened to them last year.

The Bad: Their defense is shaky. They've beat up on bad teams, it's no real secret.

Outlook: They will play for next year. But I like the mentality of this team now. I definitely think they get be a contender in the next few seasons if they bring in the right people on defense.

West Division

1. Arizona Cardinals (2-2)

The Good: The offense is explosive. Kurt Warner occasionally shows his pre-2002 form. Edgerrin James and Tim Hightower make a great one-two punch at running back. The receivers continue to make great plays.

The Bad: The entire defense. They'll miss Anquan Boldin more then they think, depending on how long he is out. He's a great possession receiver. Who knows what they're getting out of Kurt Warner on a week-to-week basis.

Outlook: They're going to compete for this division because it is as bad as advertised. There is a tough schedule up ahead for them. San Francisco doesn't look horrendous, so they're going to have even more competition for the West. I could definitely see them blowing it depending on how their defense plays the rest of the year.

2. San Francisco 49ers (2-2)

The Good: Say what you will about Mike Martz, but he gets his offenses to work. J.T. O'Sullivan is looking pretty good right about now. For anyone who is unaware of his work as a fantasy stalwart, Frank Gore has got to be one of the most underrated players in the NFL. Issac Bruce looked like he crawled out of a time machine. The defense is getting stronger.

The Bad: They are still inconsistent on defense. The receiving corps, much like O'Sullivan, can look great on one drive and terrible on the next. Their offensive line can't block. They haven't really beaten anyone besides the hapless Lions and a Seahawks squad that started guys at receiver whose names you'll never hear of again.

Outlook: The next four games will show what they're really made of (NE, Phi, at NYG, Sea). If they can take two of those (one of them has to be the Seattle game) and come out of their bye 4-4, ready to take Arizona on the road, they'll be in a prime position to steal the West. And being a Mike Nolan fan, I'd love to see that happen. Plus I like J.T. O'Sullivan. He's a decent QB in this system. Great name too.

3. Seattle Seahawks (1-2)

The Good: No one is running away in their division. They’re getting Deion Branch and Bobby Engram back. The running game is not terrible and can churn out yards. John Carlson is a decent TE.

The Bad: The defense isn’t playing well. Granted he's had no one at receiver, but Matt Hasselbeck still looks like he’s on the downside. They now have two major challengers for the division.

Outlook: They can still take the west if they can get healthy and in sync. The good thing is that no one is tearing it up so they have the time to find their rhythm as a team. Their schedule is still brutal, but so is everyone else’s in the division. It’s entirely conceivable that the winner of the NFC West will have a losing record.

4. St. Louis Rams (0-4)

The Good: They play in the NFC West, which means, remarkably, they’re two games out of the division lead even though they’re probably the worst team in the NFL. Scott Linehan was finally put out of his misery, which was good for the team and good for him.

The Bad: Jim Haslett is their coach. These guys have had like the worst defense in the league the past two years, so it definitely makes sense to give the guy responsible for that mess a promotion, right?

Outlook: Bad. Just bad. Why elaborate? Is Haslett going to make this team substantially better? I say no. That was fun!

By the way, I still think the NFC belongs to Dallas even though not everyone is okay with that anymore.

AFC

East Division

1. Buffalo Bills (4-0)

The Good: They finally got their offense moving. Trent Edwards is—dare I say—competent? Yes, competent. The receiving corps looks strong. The defense is making things happen. The team already has a knack for comeback wins.

The Bad: Their comeback wins came against Oakland and St. Louis, so don’t plan the parade yet. They have to play the Patriots and the Jets two more times. The only somewhat decent team they’ve beat was the banged-up Jaguars. Marshawn Lynch has yet to break out, and who knows if he will.

Outlook: This is their time. With Brady injured, they’re a better team talent-wise than NE, Miami, or NY. They need to go at least 5-1 in their division to take it because I don’t think the Patriots are going away. I predict they do it and get into the playoffs.

2. New England Patriots (2-1)

The Good: They’re still the Patriots. They can run the ball and (when not faced with a 100-year-old offensive formation) play decent D. Jerod Mayo seems like the real deal. The division isn’t too tough.

The Bad: The Dolphins game might just be an aberration, but the defense still doesn’t look that great. Matt Cassel might get better but right now, even as a caretaker, he looks terrible. Sammy Morris, Laurence Maroney, and LaMont Jordan are all decent backs but can be shut down against a good defense. Randy Moss looks ready to quit.

Outlook: I think they’ll compete for the east and/or a wild card spot. There’s just too much talent on that team. I saw Kevin O’Connell in preseason, and though I know it was just the preseason, he looked really good. If Cassel struggles, I think he gets a shot at some point. Either way, I don’t see this being a Super Bowl team. Even in the wacky AFC, there are just too many holes on their squad. The Pats are still getting respect based on reputation. Nevertheless, the conference is so open, who knows?

3. New York Jets (2-2)

The Good: They’ve discovered their M.O.: pass, pass, and pass. Brett Favre must be in heaven; he can throw the ball every down to anyone with no impunity. Their receivers are strong, and the division is there for the taking.

The Bad: Their defense sucks. Not much else to say about it. Favre can still throw the occasional dumb pass. Thomas Jones just isn’t getting it done at running back. They’re the New York Jets.

Outlook: Maybe by throwing the ball 50 times a game they’ll challenge for the division. Favre has the arm, they've got the receivers, so why not? We’re all paying to see Broadway Brett anyway.

4. Miami Dolphins (1-2)

The Good: Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams, and the single wing formation. Chad Pennington might not have much of an arm but he’s still better than John Beck. Of course, if they’re running crazy offensive schemes, who knows?

The Bad: The defense still needs improvement. They won’t get away with the single wing forever. People are high on them after one win and though it was a good win, they’re still probably two years away from doing anything substantial.

Outlook: New coach Sparano has them competing. That’s about all they could ask for. 5-11 or 6-10 would be good for them.

North Division

1. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1)

The Good: Ben Roethlisberger is willing his team to life. Willie Parker’s injury isn’t too serious (hopefully for them). Hines Ward’s still got it, apparently. Defense is still looking strong, rushing the passer, and making big plays.

The Bad: Roethlisberger is also banged up, as is the rest of the team. While the win over Baltimore was huge, the physical toll it took on them was much worse, as Rashard Mendenhall and Kendall Simmons are lost for the year. The offensive line is set to suck even worse without Simmons, and B-Roe will probably be lucky to stand by the end of the year. Defense is good, not great.

Outlook: They were lucky to beat Baltimore at home and they’re dealing with a lot of injuries right now. If this were December, you could overlook these things, but it’s September. You might think I’m sounding like a Ravens homer here, but I’m not. If I were a Steelers fan I would be very concerned about my team right now. Fortunately for them, the North is wide open. Baltimore is the only serious contender and the Steelers already have one-up on them.

2. Baltimore Ravens (2-1)

The Good: Defense, defense, defense. What else is new? They can still dominate. Ray Lewis looks like he cloned the 2003 version of himself. They’re really playing hard for new coach John Harbaugh and they have two great coordinators (Cam Cameron and Rob Ryan). Joe Flacco doesn’t suck.

The Bad: Flacco might not suck but he is a rookie QB. The running game can have difficulty going. They're still taking the stupid penalties of the Billick era. They don't have any big playmakers at wide receiver.

Outlook: The Steelers loss hurts them and they have another physical fight with Tennessee on Sunday. The problem they’re facing right now is that they don’t have a bye week later in the year and they have some really tough match-ups. Still, with Pittsburgh so banged up right now, and Flacco set to only get better, they have a really good chance of taking the division title.

3. Cleveland Browns (1-3)

The Good: They play in the same division as the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Bad: Everything else, but especially Braylon Edwards. What the hell happened to that guy?

Outlook: The sooner they go to Brady Quinn, the better, in my opinion. I’m not saying that Quinn will be substantially better than Derek Anderson but he can’t be much worse.

4. Cincinnati Bengals (0-4)

The Good: I took a good five minutes to think of something to write here. I’m not trying to insult Bengals fans but really, I got nothing.

The Bad: Everything. Ev…ery…thing.

Outlook: Need a major house cleaning. Coach, players, everything. At least St. Louis is in the NFC West; these guys have no hope for this year.

South Division

1. Tennessee Titans (4-0)

The Good: Speaking of defense, these guys have the best in the NFL. Albert Haynesworth is a man possessed. At some point, you have to consider Jeff Fisher, if not the best coach in the league, in the top three. Chris Johnson is just straight up money and LenDale White is the perfect compliment. These guys are playing like they’re on a mission.

The Bad: Kerry Collins is their QB and Vince Young is their back-up. For a contending Super Bowl team, that’s not good. Not good at all. These guys need home field advantage to make a difference in the playoffs.

Outlook: Right now the AFC is there for the taking. They can go far, even with Collins at quarterback, because their defense is playing hard. However, for them to have serious Super Bowl hopes, it's absolutely imperative they’re at home for round two. But it's right there for them.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-2)

The Good: It seems like they’re coming around after sleepwalking through the first two games of the season. David Garrard is doing what he has to in order to get them the W. The defense is still strong. Matt Jones has finally emerged as a viable target.

The Bad: The defense is strong, but not as dominant as it was last year. Offensive line injuries have taken a more serious toll than they anticipated, and it’s severely hampered the entire offense. The Titans have the early track for the division lead and it will be tough to overcome them.

Outlook: I think they can rally in the second half and steal a wild card. There’s a lot of talent on this team. However, I don’t see them catching Tennessee for the division title.

3. Indianapolis Colts (1-2)

The Good: They still have Peyton Manning, who willed his team to victory against Minnesota, but not before brandishing so many sourpuss looks that CBS felt the need to show a montage. Reggie Wayne is one of the best receivers in the league. They have a new stadium; that’s cool.

The Bad: Their defense, minus Bob Sanders. They’re 0-2 in their new stadium. Their offensive line is bad and Manning is still hurting. Joseph Addai looks terrible, though part of that can be blamed on the line. They're in a tough division.

Outlook: They will compete with Jacksonville for a wild card slot for the rest of the year. You can never count Manning out, but the rest of this team is just not that good.

4. Houston Texans (0-3)

The Good: They significantly improved last week and took Jacksonville down to the wire. Matt Schaub looked somewhat competent in that game. Steve Slaton has been a revelation (I mean, when I’m right…).

The Bad: Basically everything else. Matt Schaub still looks terrible at most other times. Tough division. Not their year.

Outlook: There’s talent on this team, but they really need to decide if Schaub is the answer at QB. I wouldn’t mind, and I know I speak for a lot of Texans fans, if Sage Rosenfels got an extended look. What do they have to lose?

West Division

1. Denver Broncos (3-1)

The Good: Jay Cutler-to-Brandon Marshall is the new Manning-to-Harrison. The passing game is ridiculous. As Keith Jackson might say, “Mike Shanahan can still coach ‘em.” They seem to have a good running back committee with Selvin Young, Andre Hall, and goal line hog Michael Pittman.

The Bad: Their defense sucks. Kansas City looked like a playoff team last Sunday. Their running game might be okay but I’m of the opinion that it's not that great when you need to run the ball and don’t know who your top option is. They are a blown call away from being 2-2, with a loss to KC and everyone asking what’s wrong with them.

Outlook: The defense isn’t getting any better. They just need to run-and-gun it as much as possible to get into the playoffs. Once there, anything can happen, but I have a hard time seeing them as being anything better than a second-round team because of their putrid defense.

2. San Diego Chargers (2-2)

The Good: They took two hits in bad games and kept going. Philip Rivers looks like he’s taking the next step to being a great QB in the NFL. The team is still loaded and moving on even without Merriman in their second year of adjustment to Norv Turner’s system.

The Bad: The defense is hurting really badly. I didn’t think the loss of Merriman would affect them that much because of all the other talent they have on that team, but it has. Tomlinson is banged up and though Darren Sproles is a decent back, he’s not an every-down guy.

Outlook: I think the Chargers roar to life in the second half. They just have to. There’s too much talent on this team and the conference is so unsteady. And if I’m wrong, I’m wrong, but I’m standing by them as a Super Bowl pick.

3. Kansas City Chiefs (1-3)

The Good: They actually won a game. Larry Johnson may not be done yet. Damon Huard isn’t on the IR.

The Bad: The team.

Outlook: Bleak, but they had a good draft and are trying to build a solid foundation. It's just not happening this year.

4. Oakland Raiders (1-3)

The Good: There's talent on this team. JaMarcus Russell can throw the deep ball. Darren McFadden and Michael Bush make for a good rushing tandem, and they're getting Justin Fargas back. The defense can sometimes be competent.

The Bad: Al Davis. Wow, it's sad. Forget the bizarre press conference. Just look at the guy. He looks horrid. It’s such a shame to see what this once-proud franchise has become. I know Lane Kiffin is going to go at some point, but it doesn’t help anyone but Davis’ ego.

Outlook: There’s talent on this team; hopefully they can get a coach that will have the time to harness it.

Ravens-Steelers: Once Again, It's On!

Jacob Simpson — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 08:24:38 -0400

Ask any NFL fan what they think of the average Ravens-Steelers game, and they'll all give you the same answers: physical, defense-oriented, hard-hitting, and smash-mouth.

It's why it is one of the best recent rivalries in the NFL.

Notice I use the term recent rivalries. Ravens-Steelers doesn't have much of a history before 2000. The Ravens generally sucked, while the Steelers dominated the former Central Division.

That pendulum shook the other direction in 1999, when the upstart Ravens went into Pittsburgh and laid the hammer (I was there). Gradually, as both teams got more competitive, the plot thickened.

Since the AFC North started in 2002, they both have won the division every year (except that fluke year Cincy took it in '05). Even with an old cast of characters out (Kordell, Bettis, Porter, Ogden, Ja. Lewis, Sharpe), the new ones (Roethlisberger, Harrison, Polamalu, Scott, Reed, Suggs) continue to make this battle as fun as ever.

And of course, there's the two legends: Hines Ward and Ray Lewis. I'll admit that Hines Ward is an awesome receiver. He's also a real dirty player. Granted, the Ravens have definitely gotten their cheap shots in and both sides are equally guilty.

But for some reason, Ward doesn't get enough crap for it, though to his credit he's definitely a warrior on the battlefield, and that can't be ignored. Lewis, meanwhile, is the aging but always dominant force of the great Ravens D. He's always ready and he lives for games like this.

Much like many of the great players, Lewis raises the intensity for a rivalry game when so much is on the line. It never ceases to be a thrill seeing those two going at it.

The proximity helps as well. Of course, the Steelers have a large bandwagon following, but they still have a strong fanbase in Baltimore itself, who never stopped rooting for Pittsburgh even after the Ravens came to town. If you've ever been to a Ravens-Steelers game, you know what its like. There's as much electricity in the stands as there is on the field.

While most people would consider Browns-Steelers the best historical rivalry in the AFC North, it's been pretty dormant since Cleveland re-entered the league (save for '02 and '07). Ravens-Steelers is where it's at if you are a fan of the old school.

It's like these games belong in the 1970s. Not only do these two teams play great, physical defense, they hate each other. Just look at some past history:

2000: The Ravens go into Three Rivers in Week One and lay the smack down, officially grabbing the physical team torch from them. Pittsburgh returned the favor later in the year by beating the Ravens in Baltimore. It's the last game they lose as they go on to win Super Bowl XXXV.

2001: After beating the Steelers in Pittsburgh on a Kris Brown field goal miss (the Steelers first loss in Heinz Field), the hype to the next game (played on a Sunday night no less) is palpable. After a week of intense trash talking, the Steelers take it to the defending champs in their own house (the 27-21 score is very deceiving, Pittsburgh owned that game).

Kordell Stewart was a house of fire that night. The Steelers finished the job against Baltimore in the playoffs that year.

2003: With Jamal Lewis setting his sights on the single-season rushing record in the last game of the year, the Steelers start all of their players in order to keep him from breaking it. While Lewis did go over 100, Pittsburgh still kept him under the number he needed. The Ravens won this physical game in the opener.

2004: Throttling the Steelers in Week Two at home, the Ravens knock out starting QB Tommy Maddox. In comes Ben Roethlisberger, who nearly leads the Steelers to a comeback win. They would not lose again until the playoffs. In the rematch in Week 16, the Steelers dominated the Ravens physically again, though Terrell Suggs got a (borderline cheap) shot on Roethlisberger that left him injured for the playoffs.

2005: The underdog Ravens lose a tight MNF contest in Pittsburgh that basically ends their season. They get some revenge the Sunday before Thanksgiving by beating the Steelers. It was Pittsburgh's last loss of the season, as they went on to win Super Bowl XL.

2006: The Ravens thumped Pittsburgh in both contests that year. The 27-0 victory, in which Pittsburgh was physically dominated and Roethlisberger looked lost, is many Ravens' fans favorite game of that season.

2007: Pittsburgh crushes Baltimore on MNF last year, ending their season (and Steve McNair's career) in that game.

So as you can see, there's always a lot going on in this game. Using the Monday Night showcase only proves how big it always is. No glitz, no glamour. Aesthetically, it'll be the complete opposite of the Cowboys-Eagles game two weeks ago, but if physical football is what pleases your eyes, this is it. Baltimore vs. Pittsburgh.

Winner gets the early jump in the AFC North. Loser has a lot of questions to answer about themselves. Ravens. Steelers. Once again, it's on!

NFL Week Four Picks

Jacob Simpson — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 03:54:47 -0400

How quickly have things turned in the AFC? Going into the year, the general consensus was that Indy, SD, and NE were going to dominate the year. Pittsburgh was expected to take the AFC North, Jacksonville and Cleveland were going to get the wild cards. Clockwork.

Then the injuries hit. And teams over- (or under-) performed. And everything changed.

Now, we're looking at a conference that all of the sudden is faced with a lot of uncertainty. There is no clear-cut favorite. There is no team without a major handicap. Everyone is capable, yet vulnerable. And in a way, it definitely makes for a more fun year.

I fully expected this AFC season to be a drag for me, with the rebuilding Ravens staring up at the big four. But instead they've got just as good of a chance as any. It sucks that it took injuries for things to get this way, but that's the unfortunate nature of the game.

The flip side is that it makes things more competitive and more interesting. I couldn't be more excited for the rest of this season, just to see who actually emerges out of the AFC.

Oh, and Dallas is winning the NFC. Everyone still okay with that? Cool.

One more thing. I'll be in a picks competition this year with fellow writers Matt Hunter and Frank Compatos. We decided to start last week. Right now we're all tied at 11-5. Should make for some intersting competition. I'll keep you posted, be sure to also check out Matt and Frank's profiles for their analysis on the NFL this year.

On to the picks. Home teams in CAPS.

BENGALS over Browns

Both teams are still licking the wounds the Ravens inflicted upon them (sorry, had to throw that in there). At least Cincinnati showed some life against the defending champs. There's just no saving the Browns, they look horrendous. I think we get a little Brady Quinn action in this game.

TITANS over Vikings

How sad is it that two of the most stacked teams in the NFL are being manned at the QB position by Kerry Collins and Gus Frerotte. The edge goes to the Titans here. They're in the best D discussion along with the Steelers and the Ravens. They should be dominant, especially with Adrian Peterson banged up.

Broncos over CHIEFS

If I were a gambling man, this would be the proverbial "Can't make this line high enough for me!" game. But here's the thing. You don't need a dominant defense to win the Super Bowl. You don't even need a great one. But you do need to get a stop when it matters. And Denver can't do that.

So while they load up on the bad teams and everyone picks them to be a Super Bowl team, just remember that their defense can't get that clutch stop (or many others). It will cost them at some point.

SAINTS over 49ers

I'm not giving up on the Saints yet. They lost two tough games to two good teams. However, their defense isn't as improved as I thought it would be.

JETS over Cardinals

This is assuming that Brett Favre is playing. I don't know what to make of Arizona. I mean, I think they take the West because it's pretty weak. But are they...good? I don't know.

I'm picking NY only because they're playing at home. If Clemens has to start, that pick goes to the Cards.

Packers over BUCCANEERS

The Bucs are pretty good but I'm not getting sucked into Brian Griese at all. I mean I know Jon Gruden has forgotten more football than I'll ever know, but why not Jeff Garcia? Why do people keep counting him out? I like Green Bay in this one, though they're in serious trouble without Al Harris.

PANTHERS over Falcons

Bill Simmons said it best in his podcast this week. The Falcons are the proverbial "good bad team." They beat all the bad teams and lose to the good ones. Great stepping stone for next year, but don't be fooled by them this year.

By the way, Matt Ryan might be winning the battle, but I think Joe Flacco wins the war. Just sayin'.

JAGUARS over Texans

Wow Matt Schaub is horrible. You'd think the Texans would settle for anyone after David Carr and they basically got Carr Lite. That's not a good thing. As for the Jags, I know their interior line is beat up and it's hurting them more than people (like me) thought it would, but I still think if they can get those guys healthy later in the year, they can make a run. There's too much talent on that team and no one else is stepping up in the South besides Tennessee.

Chargers over RAIDERS

If you get the chance, check out this fascinating interview Deadspin.com does with Tim Kawakami, writer for the San Jose Mercury who covers the Raiders. A closer, deeper look at their dysfunctional franchise manned by an insane Al Davis (it's a shame to see what's become of him)

Anyway, I'm sticking with the Chargers as my Super Bowl pick. They should be 3-0 and they're only going to get better.

Bills over RAMS

Another reason why I'm on the Bills bandwagon...really easy schedule. And Trent Edwards, is he for real? We won't find out in this game against an abysmal Rams team but we'll see as they play tougher opponents. Stay tuned.

COWBOYS over Redskins

The Redskins' offense looks like it's getting in gear, but Dallas is just in a different stratosphere right now. If the Cowboys' D can do what it did against Green Bay, Washington could be in for a very long game.

BEARS over Eagles

I really do like this Eagles team. But they're banged up. And they're going on the road against a Chicago team that could very well be 3-0 right now and desperately needs this win. Factoring in the injuries and the Chicago crowd...I just have to take the Bears here. Hopefully Philly heals fast.

STEELERS over Ravens

Only because I don't trust Joe Flacco on the road yet against that D. This should be an awesome game if you like defense. If not, stay the heck away from the TV. I'll be writing more about this and the Ravens-Steelers rivalry later in the week.

An Open Letter To Phillies "Fans"

Jacob Simpson — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 03:06:55 -0400

Dear Phillies fans,

I attended last night's game between the Phillies and the Braves. Seeing as how your team was at the time only leading their division by 1.5 games over their bitter and local rival with only a week to go, I thought I would get an electric, pennant race-atmosphere. I mean I know that's asking a lot, but you guys are supposedly loyal and all that because your from Philly.

What I saw was disappointing. And you should be disappointed in yourselves.

Believe me, I'm not a Phillies or Mets fan. I could care less about your silly slapfest for the right to lose in the first round. But as a baseball connoisseur who's team has suffered through an 11-year wilderness, I figured it would be good to remember how a home crowd felt when their team mattered. Instead, I felt like I was at a mid-week noon game in May vs. the Pirates.

Practically 2/3 of the upper deck was empty. Inexcusable. How does this game not sell-out, or come close to selling out? The announced crowd of 30,000+ was generous, if there were more than 28,000 people there, I'd be shocked. But it would be enough if these were 28,000 Philly diehards. Smart, loyal fans who stood and cheered at the right times and willed the team to victory.

Yeah...you guys sucked on that too. It wasn't until Jimmy Rollins crossed home plate in the 8th that you guys finally got loud. I remarked to the man sitting next to me, "Welcome to the game Phillies fans! It only took you eight innings!"

You guys didn't stand and cheer for two strikes or the other runs or anything else. It was embarrassing, almost crypt-like. The Flyers crowd for the pre-season game across the street was probably more electric.

I don't know if you guys left your passion at home because of Sunday's Eagles game or what, but there are more sports out there than football. And go ahead and leave me your excuses: "I was there and it was packed!" "We'll be there in October!" "You don't know Phillies fans!" "Orioles fans suck!" I've heard 'em all and worse.

I'm not writing this letter as an angry, Philly-hating jerk. I'm writing it as a baseball diehard who appreciates good, knowledgeable fans. You guys have a great team. They deserve great support. Good luck in October!

What We Know: NFL Week 3

Jacob Simpson — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 08:17:48 -0400

So every Monday/Tuesday, I will review the Sunday NFL games, asking what we saw, what we know and what we can expect. Cool with you? Okay, let's bleeping go!

Falcons-38, Chiefs-13

What we saw: Atlanta, probably the worst 2-1 team in NFL history, dominating the Chiefs, who have potential to be one of the worst teams in NFL history.

What we know: We know Kansas City is overrated. We also know that Atlanta is a cut above the KC/Det/StL basement...good for them. They're probably still a 6-10 team at best.

What we can expect: Its only gonna get worse for KC. Atlanta has Carolina and Green Bay on the road the next two weeks, followed by Chicago at home. Yeah...they're not keeping this up.

Bills-24, Raiders-23

What we saw: The Bills won in a furious rally at home. I think these kind of wins are big building blocks for teams like Buffalo who are trying to assert their identity. The players might look back on this as the definitive moment of their season if they're in the playoffs.

What we know: Lane Kiffin is gonna be fired. This division is Buffalo's if the Patriots really are that bad.

What we can expect: I'm expecting Buffalo to take the AFC East right now unless Kevin O'Connell saves New England's season. Oakland has talent and will still compete but they're a year away no matter who the coach is.

Buccaneers-27, Bears-24 (OT)

What we saw: Tampa Bay seems to play better for Brian Griese, though they're probably not winning too much if he has to throw 60-something times. This could be a bigger win for the Bucs as the season moves on if these two are duking it out for a wild card.

What we know: Tampa Bay is legit and the South Division race should be really interesting. Chicago looks like it could contend for a wild card spot, but they have to win these games.

What we can expect: Both South division races should be a lot of fun to watch. Chicago should still be able to contend but their defense has gotta put up a better effort if they're going anywhere this year.

Vikings-20, Panthers-10

What we saw: Minnesota's defense shut Carolina down and the Vikes got a win they desperately needed. Gus Frerotte might actually be the answer at QB.

What we know: Both of these teams are really good, wild card-contending types. Jake Delhomme hasn't looked that good though. Granted he's played three decent defenses but aside from that one drive against the Chargers, he's has problems using his receivers.

What we can expect: Carolina will still compete in the wild South, but they need to do better offensively to have Super Bowl dreams. Likewise Minnesota in the North.

Dolphins-38, Patriots-13

What we saw: Matt Cassel and the Patriots defense were both viciously exposed. We saw Ronnie Brown reborn.

What we know: Ronnie Brown is probably a better option at running back than Ricky Williams. If he can churn out decent yardage and Chad Pennington can continue to be accurate, the Dolphins could pull off some more upsets. New England all of the sudden has a thousand more questions and are facing the fact that Cassel might not be the answer.

What we can expect: Miami will continue to be competitive. I think New England gives Kevin O'Connell an extended look at some point, but they have big defensive questions to answer. They'll compete with Buffalo for the East, but I think they'll lose.

Giants-26, Bengals-23

What we saw: The Bengals finally came to life on the road against the defending champs. Unfortunately for them, the Giants did what they had to do to go 3-0.

What we know: New York hasn't really played anyone yet except a so-so Redskins squad. Still 3-0 is 3-0 and will give them padding as they get into the teeth of their schedule. Cincinnati might be alive but they're just not a very good team.

What we can expect: I still think the Giants will be lucky to leap frog Dallas and Philly for the division and will probably be stuck in the same Wild Card rut as the castoffs from the North and South. Cincy, even as good as they played today, is probably 4-12 at best.

Titans-31, Texans-12

What we saw: Houston's season basically ended. So much for them and fellow Cinderella Cleveland (much more on them later). Kerry Collins gives the Titans new life and, barring injury, I'd be shocked if we saw any more of Vince Young this year.

What we know: Tennessee could legitimately take the South. Jacksonville and Indy are so banged up, meanwhile the Titans D is hearty and healthy and they can somewhat move the ball with Collins at QB. Houston just sucks, though Steve Slaton might be a diamond in the rough.

What we can expect: The Titans will keep the D/ball control winning formula. In their division, Houston will be lucky to win five games, as people have to wonder if Matt Schaub is really the answer.

Redskins-24, Cardinals-17

What we saw: The Skins offense really come alive and their defense still be competitive. If Arizona wants to be a serious contender, they need to find ways to win these games on the road.

What we know: Despite their week one loss, Washington won't go away quietly. It seems like Jason Campbell might finally be ready for his break-out year, as he has adapted to Jim Zorn's offense. The Cards were due for an off-day as well.

What we can expect: I still think Washington finishes no better than 9-7. Maybe they can compete for the final wild card spot, but their division is just too deep. The West is definitely Arizona's for the taking, but if they want to go anywhere besides the first round, they need to find a way to beat a quality team on the road.

49ers-31, Lions-13

What we saw: A pretty boring game if you actually watched it. Detroit continues to sink deeper into the abyss with a loss to a crappy San Fran team.

What we know: Both teams suck only the Lions suck harder. No need to waste any time on hard core analysis.

What we can expect: San Francisco to slink back to mediocrity (next 3: @ NO/NE/Phi). Detroit, already mired in mediocrity, continues to antagonize its poor fans with terrible football.

Seahawks-37, Rams-13

What we saw: Another non-surprising snoozefest.

What we know: The Seahawks aren't that good and the Rams really suck. Again, no need to go in depth.

What we can expect: Seattle will battle Arizona for the division (and lose in my opinion). St. Louis will fire Scott Linehan before Week Eight and/or the players mutiny.

Broncos-34, Saints-32

What we saw: An awesome game with a furious Saints come back that came up just short. Both of these teams are contenders in their divisions, so this must've been a real treat to watch.

What we know: Both of these teams are like the version of the other in their division. Good at home, great QBs, questionable running games, good receivers (at least when Colston comes back for NO) and crappy defenses. They'll both continue to contend for the playoffs.

What we can expect: At some point Denver's defense is going to catch up with them, plus they won their last two at home. I have a feeling when things get on the road, it'll be a little harder. I still expect New Orleans to win their division and Denver to get a Wild Card (not giving up on San Diego yet) but without quality D or a sturdy running game, both of these teams aren't doing much outside of their respected home stadiums.

Eagles-15, Steelers-6

What we saw: A sloppy, injury-marred, defense-dominated contest that the Eagles came out on top of. The key to this game is who came out the healthiest, or rather the least damaged.

What we know: The Eagles are in trouble offensively if Brian Westbrook is hurt. The Steelers are in even more trouble if Ben Roethlisberger's shoulder is hurt. Byron Leftwich? Are you kidding me?

What we can expect: I think the Eagles will still take the Wild Card if they can stay somewhat healthy. With or without Westbrook, they should be able to move the ball through the air.

Pittsburgh needs to win Monday night at home against Baltimore or they could be in trouble within their division. If Roethlisberger misses any significant amount of time, Byron Leftwich will have to keep Pitt in the hunt. Uhhhhhhh...don't see that happening. And shoulder problems just don't go away, especially for QBs.

Jaguars-23, Colts-21

What we saw: Jacksonville saved their season against a banged-up Colts team on the road. I take a very perverse pleasure in the fact that Indy is 0-2 in their new digs.

What we know: Jacksonville could definitely still take their division if they can find something to do with their offensive line. At the very least, they could grab a wild card behind Tennessee. Indy is in serious trouble getting behind in their division.

What we can expect: I think Jacksonville will pick it up some what, though I don't know if they're strong enough to be a Super Bowl contender. Indianapolis should be stronger in the second half of the year, but they can't give away close games like they did yesterday.

Ravens-28, Browns-10

What we saw: The Ravens defense is back and it came back in a big way yesterday. Derek Anderson took his next step towards becoming a career back up.

What we know: Cleveland's season is over. Good bye, so long, good riddance. Enjoy those nationally televised games while you still can. The Ravens D meanwhile, even with the injuries in the secondary, is still strong. Their offense can somewhat move the ball, but things will be different on the road.

What we can expect: Cleveland has to start Brady Quinn at some point. Romeo Crennel is basically out of excuses. Baltimore needs to prove that it can score on the road. Their O didn't look that great yesterday against an overrated Browns D. Still, even if they lose Monday, I think they'll continue to challenge Pitt all year for the division if Roethlisberger is hurting. Let's go Ravens!!!!

Cowboys-27, Packers-16

What we saw: Dallas is the best team in the NFC. They went into Green Bay and made their statement. And they did it with defense, holding down a Packer offense that is not that bad.

What we know: Unless they have another second-half swoon, Dallas will take the NFC. Green Bay isn't bad and they can still win the North, but they have to find a way to move the ball better. Still, playing Dallas, what else could they do?

What we can expect: Dallas will take the NFC. I still think Green Bay has the horses to take the North. They're better than Minnesota or Chicago. But I don't think they have what it takes to beat Dallas.

Baltimore Ravens Preview: Week 3 Vs. Cleveland Browns

Jacob Simpson — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 05:10:27 -0400

With an unexpected bye week, the still undefeated Ravens invite Cleveland to town, ready to end their season (much to the delight of all Ravens fans). As far as expectations go, its really impossible to gauge how the Ravens have fulfilled them.

True they dominated Cincinnati in a deceiving 17-10 win, but the Bengals are one of the worst teams in the NFL. A win is a win in a rebuilding era and I'm not trying to lose perspective, but I was a little more reticent to jump on the "Ravens in the playoffs!" bandwagon.

It'll be interesting to see how John Harbaugh has his team prepared after the week off. Winning after the bye week was a Brian Billick specialty. I think in giving his players some extra days off, Harbaugh did the best he could with an unfortunate situation. But it will be important for the Ravens not to come out rusty against a Browns team that's desperate for a win.

The team is still apparently strong at defense, though the secondary is banged up. They'll need to be at their best because when Braylon Edwards holds onto the ball, he's one of the best receivers in the league. I definitely think they can harass Derek Anderson at QB, the guy has looked terrible since the last half of 2007.

I'm glad Troy Smith is back and healthy because I'm still a little leery of starting a rookie QB. True, Joe Flacco did everything he needed to do against Cincy. He might even do the same against the Browns overrated D. But after this, we got Pittsburgh on the road on MNF, followed by the Titans and their showstopping defense. I just hope he makes it through those games in one piece.

The best surprise of week one is the offensive line. They played phenomenally. The interior, led by Ben Grubbs, did a great job of being physical up front. The tackles weren't bad in the first game post-Ogden, but they'll face harder challenges in the coming weeks and it will be interesting to see how they adapt.

Overall, right now, I am a cautious optimist with this team. I think they could sneak into the playoffs depending on how they do compared to others. I also think they could go 6-10. Whatever the case, with no pressure on the Ravens to do anything for the first time since 2002, it should be one helluva ride.

The NFL's Best Young QBs

Jacob Simpson — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 08:04:51 -0400

ESPN and Scouts, Inc. posted an article on the best young QBs and how they ranked/judged them. You can find that article right here.

I didn't necessarily disagree with their rankings, as Scouts Inc. is usually a reputable source. The fact that they picked Roethlisberger No. 1 out of the five above made me happy, as I've been writing for nearly a year now about how Roethlisberger is the most underrated NFL player.

I think Eli Manning was overrated in the rankings, but he also is the only guy besides Ben with a ring.

My take on it is, I want to take a look at the five QBs, their best and worst ceilings, and what I think will happen to them. We'll be going in reverse order according to their list. Without further ado...

5. Philip Rivers

Positives: Accurate. Decent arm. Knows how to operate within the system. Proved his toughness by playing with a torn ACL in the AFC Championship.

Good ceiling: Troy Aikman-type, great QB utilizing great weapons.

Negatives: Good, not great arm. Weirdly turnover prone. It's my opinion that he looks better because he has tons of talent around him (maybe more so than any other QB on the list besides Romo), but probably couldn't carry a team.

Bad ceiling: Injuries hurt team, tries to force passes, throws a lot of picks.

Overall: I see him having a Bernie Kosar-type career. When the Chargers' window closes, I think he falls off.

4. Tony Romo

Positives: Good arm, accurate. Not fast, but mobile. Seems to handle the BS that comes with being the Cowboys QB well. Had plenty of time to develop, reads defenses well.

Good ceiling: Steve Young-type, consistently putting up great numbers.

Negatives: Makes inexplicable decisions. Can't win the big one. Always seems to fall off near the end of the season.

Bad ceiling: Once Owens finally ages, if no receivers, could become next Dan Marino...decent numbers, blowing up bad teams, string of first/second-round playoff exits.

Overall: I think this is his year, and I think he goes on to have a Hall-of-Fame career. Just like Young, great numbers, so-so playoff resume, but will win a Super Bowl.

3. Jay Cutler

Positives: Maybe the best pure passer of this group. Great arm, accurate. Tons of confidence. Plays in a great system with a great coach. Doing a great job so far with people more focused on stopping the run than the pass.

Good ceiling: Best quarterback in the league.

Negatives: Diabetes could hamper him. Like Romo, seems to make inexplicable decisions with the ball. If/when Shanahan moves on, can he thrive in a different system?

Bad ceiling: Shanahan leaves, he goes back to trying to force passes. Is only above-average at best.

Overall: Has handled the pressure of playing QB in a city that still idolizes Elway. I think he wins a Super Bowl when its all said and done and ultimately is realized as the best QB on this list.

2. Eli Manning

Positives: He's won a Super Bowl. Strong arm. Teammates love him. Has all of the "intangibles" scouts love so much.

Good ceiling: John Elway player, great QB who was the master of the two-minute drill.

Negatives: In my opinion, the most overrated QB in the NFL. Still can make dumb decisions. Not the ideal guy to have when down by a lot. I think he gets a lot of hype because of the name and the location.

Bad ceiling: Mark Rypien, has a few good years and fades into obscurity.

Overall: I wrote this after the Super Bowl. I still think he's a slightly better version of Kenny Stabler. Good QB on a loaded team. He still makes dumb throws and mistakes, but can definitely rally a team in a two-minute situation and has a ring.

I think he's a good QB and he gets one more ring. I still can't shake my belief that he's overrated is all.

1. Ben Roethlisberger

Positives: Super Bowl winner. Great arm. Accurate. Can play in any system. Mobile enough to run for a first down. Got the intangibles. In my opinion, the third best QB in the NFL.

Good ceiling: Tom Brady, best QB

Negatives: Gets hurt an awful lot. Can sometimes not make the best decision. Release is quick but not lighting fast like Manning.

Bad ceiling: He swan dives like McNair after '03, just gets hurt too much and it affects his game.

Overall: I think he's the next Brady. Will win at least one more Bowl.

My rankings would probably be: 5. Rivers, 4. Manning, 3. Romo, 2. Cutler, 1. Roethlisberger. Though I would take Cutler over any of these guys if I was starting a franchise.

I'm a big believer in what he's doing and what he's going to do. I think when the dust settles, history will show he's the best one on this list.

Who's Fault Is It, Anyway?

Jacob Simpson — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 17:36:18 -0400

I grew up the son of a referee/umpire. He always taught me that you never want to let the game come down to a bad call or a fluke play. Do your best to keep it out of the hands of others. Because referees, umpires, judges, etc. are human and they do screw up.

I'm not saying Ed Hochuli shouldn't be castigated for what happened at the Chargers-Broncos game. He blew two easy calls. Completely blew them. But is it his fault that Jay Cutler single-handedly earned a Pro Bowl berth throwing on a supposedly good defense? Or that, for whatever reason, the Chargers decided not to drop more men into coverage since the Broncos running gameplan was three-clowns-and-a-cloud-of-dust?

Or that San Diego has a new excuse to chalk up to losing another game, despite the fact that they've probably been the most talented team in the NFL since 2004 and have two playoff wins to show for it?

All Ed Hochuli's fault. I mean, I'm sure he told the Chargers guys to blow coverage on Eddie Royal on consecutive plays. And we're apparently all okay with forgetting that Norv Turner is a terrible coach? Because the guy that tells me these things must have called in sick that day.

Again, Hochuil deserves plenty of angst. And I could be joining in if he bones over my Ravens this weekend. But can we have some perspective here?

Hochuli may have cost the Chargers the game but they're the ones who ultimately lost it. Can we please just let this freaking story go? Pretty please?

Boys Will Be Boys Book Review

Jacob Simpson — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 04:19:53 -0400

I got my copy of Boys Will Be Boys, Jeff Pearlman's recent take on the '90s Dallas Cowboys, on Tuesday...And finished it last night. I know plenty of people have already read the teasers for this book or heard reviews about how awesome it is. I'm not here to disagree with them at all.

This is a fantastic take on a subject that demanded good research and good writing. Pearlman provides both. Though keep the kids away, it's definitely X-rated (and not for the squeamish). Some notes on Boys Will Be Boys:

1. Can you think of a more intriguing subject in NFL history than the 1990s Cowboys? I still remember how in awe I was of them at seven-years old when they were beating up the Bills back in Super Bowl XXVII.

I never thought that team could lose, it was so loaded. I also remembered how much I hated them (and Deion Sanders) in Super Bowl XXX. Maybe these recent Patriot teams were better coached, but few teams, if any, could match that Dallas squad for sheer talent.

2. Jeff Pearlman (famous for the John Rocker interview), an excellent writer, has gradually gotten better. His first effort, The Bad Guys Won, on the 1986 Mets was good, not great. It got good reviews and was a bestseller, but there was something missing (or perhaps I'm nitpicking).

He followed that up with his surreal take on Barry Bonds, Love Me, Hate Me. In my opinion, this is the best Bonds book ever to be written, unless someone shoots him up with truth serum, records his thoughts on everything and he allows it to be on the record.

And Boys Will Be Boys is just a masterpiece. If I have one big criticism of Pearlman, his long-running analogies suck (someone else has to know this). Otherwise, a superb job.

3. Gave a fantastic in-depth look at the triplets. For instance, Troy Aikman was probably the Tom Brady of his time. Nice guy, hard-working, country boy, wants to win a championship.

Emmitt Smith was exposed as an insecure man who craved personal attention more than anyone else. And yet, when the chips were down, he came through (like his performance in the '93 Giants game, running hard with a separated shoulder).

But no one is more polarizing than Michael Irvin. Annoyingly brash, sexual deviant, habitual drug user. But we also see that he was probably the hardest-working person on the team, the proverbial "first to be there, last to leave" kind of guy.

I probably gained a little more respect for him as a football player after I read the book. But it still seemed like he couldn't help himself from trouble (the book opens with a story about how he almost killed a teammate).

4. Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson are both given the full treatment here. Brash, insecure, rude, obnoxious. They both come off as power-hungry buffoons. Make no mistake, Johnson's departure (which probably cost Dallas at least one, and probably two Super Bowls) was the fault of both men.

Whoever deserves more blame is irrelevant. It's amazing how much inner-office turmoil torpedoed all three major sports dynasties of the 1990s (Cowboys, Bulls, and Yankees).

5. The amazing and dizzying ride from 1-15 team to Super Bowl winner is brilliantly chronicled. From the dying days of the Landry years to the rise of a dominant force, we are presented with plenty of angles as to how the dynasty came into being.

Most interesting was the background to the Herschel Walker trade, which almost single-handedly laid the foundation for the Cowboys to build and submarined what could have been an excellent decade for the Minnesota Vikings. Two teams just went on completely different paths.

6. Charles Haley just comes off as an amazingly strange human being. Exhibitionism and public masturbation? This dude had serious issues and no one seemed to be willing to say "Uh, Charles? Maybe you should see a shrink."

Apparently he was on some kind of meds, but when he was off...Watch out. I have always tried to separate the personal/off-field stuff from athletes, but I don't think I'll ever think about Haley the same again. Not that he's a bad guy, he's just so bleeping weird!

7. Speaking of weird acts, the Dallas Cowboys loved sex. I mean...These guys loved sex. You can't go 10 pages in this book without hearing some crazed, orgiastic story.

Apparently not only did the Cowboys love women, but most of them loved more than one at one time, if you know what I mean (and if you don't, good). What was in the water in Dallas during the '90s? Did someone slip in an aphrodisiac?

And, this may come as a surprise I know, but Jerry Jones probably did his thing more than any of his players except Irvin. I'd have to imagine the book's most frequent adjective is "strip" and its most frequent noun is "club." The fact that they had a party place named "The White House" (making Animal House look like a Baptist College) should tell you all you need to know.

8. Barry Switzer. Wow. Not only does he come off as just a horrid football coach, he basically gives validation to every guy who thinks all that's needed to coach a team is good assistants to do all the work.

A terrible game coach who probably partied harder than his players. He only invokes jealousy in those who think that they can do his job. I've always held the understanding that you can win baseball and basketball championships with a lousy manager or coach, but definitely not football because everything is so choreographed (and I think the tradition that a baseball manager has a big impact on his team is overrated, but that's another story for another day).

Switzer's failings make you wonder if coaching really is that easy or if the Cowboys were just that talented. Personally, I'm going with the latter.

9. The Cowboys desire to win took a sharp downturn after Super Bowl XXVIII. Basically, they just didn't want it as much as they had. Part of this can be blamed on Switzer, part of it on complacency.

And yet they still won a Super Bowl and almost went to another (which they would have won). I don't even know if the Patriots of recent years had that collection of talent over a span of time, and I wonder in the modern era if we'll ever see it again.

10. A slight aside, Jeff Pearlman rightly calls out Skip Bayless over his faulty take on the Cowboys, Hell Bent. Shoddy research, blanket statements, shock value...Just plain irresponsible journalism from Skip. He's is probably the worst writer in sports.

Even though I've been writing on here for only a few days, I have no doubt that I would put up anyone's work on this site against Bayless. Him, Stephen A. Smith, and all the morons from Around the Horn (particularly Mariotti, Paige, and Plaschke) are a big reason why I try to watch as little of ESPN as possible.

I know Pearlman contributes to ESPN, though I don't think he and Bayless are colleagues, so he wasn't tied down to the corporate dictatorship that the worldwide leader imparts on its employees (which led to the shameful firing of Jason Whitlock, who is, in my opinion, one of the best sports writers out there).

At any rate, Pearlman doesn't shred Bayless like I'm doing, but he rightfully attacks his journalistic integrity and the terrible book it produced. Should be enjoyable for anyone who hates Bayless. End tangent.

11. The Deion Sanders stuff was really interesting and it definitely helped to debunk the myth that Sanders was as dominant as portrayed. Sure, he was a really good corner. But one gets the sense that the Cowboys could have won Super Bowl XXX without him.

Still, an interesting look at his career, because after his near-suicidal experience, he definitely seemed to become a better player.

There's plenty more. I'd advise you, if your even somewhat of a pro-football fan, to pick up this book. It's an easy read, yet has a lot of depth. And there are few better teams to get this kind of examination than the 1990s Cowboys.

NFL Week Three Picks

Jacob Simpson — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 07:59:52 -0400

For my loyal Facebook readers out there...This is our 100th post together! Woohoo! Pass the Courvoisier!

For my loyal Bleacher Report people...You're just going to have to stand aside and let them bask in the glory.

At any rate, it's time for NFL picks! It's do-or-die week for a bunch of 0-2 teams. This should make for some fascinating games. Home teams are capitalized.

FALCONS over Chiefs

CBS’s No. 1 early afternoon game, no doubt. I think the Chiefs have a legitimate chance to go 0-16. They lost to a Raiders team whose QB probably won’t complete 40 percent of his passes and whose coaches all wanted to kill each other.

Please don’t be fooled by Atlanta’s 2-1 start and the inevitable “We’re a different team!” articles. They still suck. And Arthur Blank is still the creepiest of the creepy.

VIKINGS over Panthers

I really, really wanted to pick Carolina here, but the Vikes' D is so awesome that I think they can bring the mother-effin ruckus, even though the Panthers have Steve Smith.

Apparently, Brad Childress has heard my cry and the cries of millions of others to start Gus Frerrote. When Gus Frerrote is saving your season...Ouch. Still, he’s better than Tarvaris Jackson (which should close the book on Jackson, since he can’t even outplay a 100-year old stationary vet).

GIANTS over Bengals

The Bengals suck. No other explanation is needed.

REDSKINS over Cardinals

I wasn’t too sold on the 'Skins' win last week against New Orleans, but they’re playing at home against a Cards team that probably can’t believe that they’re 2-0. I see this being a disjointed, 17-9 type affair.

TITANS over Texans

The Titans could conceivably make the playoffs with a great D and minimal offense. The only loser in that situation is America.

PATRIOTS over Dolphins

Belichick owns Chad Pennington. He’s lost like one game against the guy since '03.

BILLS over Raiders

I said it last week, and I’ll keep saying it until someone listens to me...Buffalo is a better team than New York. Depending on how Matt Cassel plays, they can definitely steal the division from New England.

BEARS over Buccaneers

Brian Griese on the road against a suddenly rejuvenated Bears D that’s pissed because the team should be 2-0? Ummmmmm no.

BRONCOS over Saints

Marques Colston might be an even bigger loss than people (like me) originally predicted.

Meanwhile, while I’m happy that more people are on the Broncos' bandwagon I’m driving, don’t forget that they’re one blown call away from being 1-1. Their defense still sucks.

That said, how 'bout the guts Mike Shanahan showed in going for two on that play? I haven’t been a big fan of Shanahan’s work the past few years, but that call took some serious cojones. That’s the kind of win that inspires a lot of confidence in a team and to get it in that manner...Wow.

49ERS over Lions

Mike Martz’s revenge! The Falcons-Chiefs game is just the appetizer for this buffet of football excellence!

SEAHAWKS over Rams

And this is the wine to wash that awesome buffet dinner down! Is there a worse division in sports than the NFC West, with the exception of maybe the NL West?

Just remember this when the Arizona Cardinals are hosting a playoff game in round one and getting their butts handed to them by Philadelphia.

Browns over RAVENS

This kills me to admit, but I’m worried the first game could have been a mirage. The Bengals are some kind of terrible.

I still think the Ravens' ceiling is 8-8, but we’ll see. I wish I could see Sunday’s game, because a loss would basically end Cleveland’s season. And since this is my article, I get to do my anti-Browns rant!

A NON-PLAYOFF TEAM WITH NO COMPELLING PLAYERS PLAYING IN A MIDWEST MARKET GOT SIX NATIONALLY TELEVISED GAMES! That's the second-most inexplicable television call this year (the most inexplicable is Chuck being renewed for a second season. I know the chick on the show is smoking hot but seriously...That is a terrible show).

That is why, more than anything, I want the Browns to lose rather than wanting the Ravens to win. This needs to stop. I just see the Ravens coming out too rusty with the unexpected time off. Prove me wrong, Harbaugh!

COLTS over Jaguars

Both teams desperately need this game. If Jacksonville drops to 0-3, with the way the Titans are playing...Damn.

EAGLES over Steelers

The Eagles went into Texas Stadium, gave the top dog Cowboys everything they had and barely lost. What a game. I’m sold on these guys as a playoff team (that I predicted!). I definitely see this as an upset special with Philly at home.

With that said, I need to share something that has always bothered me. People ask me if I like the Eagles, since I’m in Philly. I tell them that I do like the Eagles, especially McNabb and Brian Dawkins, but I hate most of their fans.

I talked recently to two friends of mine from the Philly area that are not Eagles fans and they agree...Philly fans don’t know how good they have it with Donovan McNabb. He’s probably been the third-best QB in the league since 2001, and they treat him like garbage.

This is especially galling to a fan of a team that always has terrible QB play.

I know Philly fans are notoriously tough on their team because they’re blue collar and crazy and all that bullcrap. They’re also buffoons. Granted, this does not include all Philly fans; there are those who are more refined and non-reactionary.

But most of the ones I have encountered have this idea that if they trade McNabb, all of their problems would go away. Whatever. All the “long-suffering Eagles fan” talk I hear up here makes me want to vomit. This is why I want to see the Eagles win a Super Bowl for McNabb...Just not their shortsighted fans. Getting off my horse now.

PACKERS over Cowboys

Upset special. I still think the Cowboys are the best team in the NFC. Hopefully this will be as good of a game as Monday.

CHARGERS over Jets

The Jets will be lucky to finish 8-8. Even with Favre, they’re just not that good of a team.

An Open-Ended Letter to Scoop Jackson

Jacob Simpson — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 08:53:48 -0400

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=jackson/080911

Scoop Jackson thinks that because I play fantasy football, I'm a "sucka."

Never mind the fact that I consider myself to be a humble and rationale gentleman. Perhaps a little gullible but certainly open-minded to anyone's beliefs. These characteristics carry over to me as a football fan. I certainly would not consider myself to be a "sucka," whatever that term may mean.

The interesting thing is about Scoop's latest bad piece of sports writing is that he has skipped over the usual "fantasy football is for dorks angle" and gone straight for our masculinity. He claims that while I may have my "fantasy" while I sit around every Sunday hoping Adrian Peterson rushes for 200 yards, he can live his fantasy of...taking attractive (according to him) women who like football out for drinks and talking about football.

Now I have been in the company of attractive women, some of whom like football (the lovely Miss Sandra included). And I play fantasy football. I would never think by doing one, you wouldn't be capable of doing the other. But that's just me.

At any rate, I decided to write a well-conceived response to Scoop. And if he replies I'll post it here. This is what I wrote...

Mr. Jackson—

I think you miss the point on fantasy football. As a life-long NFL fan, fantasy football doesn't prevent me from enjoying any of the other "nuances" of the game, it just gives me an extra incentive to pay attention to a Cardinals-Dolphins contest that I would have no other interest in.

Plus it's a neat way to compete with friends (and before you make any jocular references to male bonding, there's two women in my league).

And I don't understand how you can say you don't have a problem with the "theory" of fantasy football and then complain about that theory in the next sentence.

I love football just as much as you. I probably read way more John Clayton articles than Matt Berry. As for the term fantasy football, well I don't know the roots of how it was coined but I think it just sounds better to say than "stat-based football" or "fiction football" or whatever alternative would be more language-appropriate than the word "fantasy."

And lastly, with regards to your fantasy, you can have it. I'm glad talking about the NFL over drinks with attractive women is more appealing to you than playing fantasy football. I don't know why you would think to compare the two but it's your column. My reality is that I have a beautiful girlfriend that I'd rather spend time with and plenty of other friends to talk about the NFL without alcohol.

If you think that every fantasy football player is some overly-masculine alpha male who switches the channel every 10 seconds on Sunday to see how many yards Chester Taylor has, then in my opinion you are caricaturing these people. Like most fantasy football players I know, I spend about 10 minutes a week on my fantasy football team. This leaves me plenty of time for leisure...including discussing football with attractive women over drinks.

Crying with Vikings Fans

Jacob Simpson — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 07:49:24 -0400

If you've read any of my Facebook stuff, you know how annoying it is for me to continuously write about how bad Tarvaris Jackson is. I know you're sick of it. Hell, I'm almost sick of it. But I feel I need to take up this banner because I am a diehard Ravens fan and I need to empathize with the long-suffering denizens of Minnesota.

NFL teams need to realize that you cannot win a Super Bowl with a bad QB. The 2000 Ravens' blueprint should be tossed out. One, that was a once-in-a-lifetime defense (and as good as the '08 Vikes are, they ain't that good). Two, Trent Dilfer was able to utilize the weapons around him to at least move the ball. Tarvaris Jackson cannot do this.

I make a big deal about this because I watched the Ravens try to recreate the magic with a string of bad QBs. Elvis Grbac, Chris Redman, Jeff Blake, Anthony Wright, a washed-up Steve McNair, and, of course, patron saint Kyle Boller.

They either had a strong arm and no accuracy to sustain drives, were somewhat accurate but turnover prone, or just plain sucked.

Meanwhile, a strong running game and kick-ass D were left on the sidelines. If the Ravens had a competent QB they might have won at least one more Super Bowl. Instead, we watched loaded teams get wasted year after year.

Well, I don't want to see that happen to the good people of Minnesota. Their fans have suffered enough. I watched the first half of the Vikes-Colts game yesterday. Their defense simply sucked the will out of Indy. Adrian Peterson was going nuts. And yet...they had no QB.

I advocate giving John David Booty a shot. Maybe he can give you a Kyle Orton-in-'05 type of performance. Plus, he had plenty of big game experience with USC. I just refuse to believe that he could be substantially worse than Tarvaris Jackson.

I know the phrase "Booty Time" sounds like a bad porno, but he's probably more accurate than Jackson and can move the ball better, which is all Minny needs, at least for this year. Right now, they're the only team that can match Dallas in talent in the NFC (except for maybe Green Bay). Please, Brad Childress, please do not let that talent go to waste!