Blog Archives
Seau death officially ruled a suicide, Mo go for the season?
With Wednesday came the devastating news of Junior Seau’s death. The death has been officially ruled as a suicide by the medical examiner.
Big hits are a part of football. You take away big hits, I guarantee people will stop watching it (with good reason). People watch for the big hits and the scampering running back, dashing across the field like a men among boys. We not only lost a great player in Seau’s death, but an amazing person as well.
It’s sad to think that football may have ultimately caused this death. We’ve never had these concussion problems before (pre 1990s), but now everyone’s anxious to tell their story of battered brains and hurt souls.
Thankfully, the Seau family will allow an examination of Junior’s brain. This will greatly help the NFL determine exactly how football affects the brain.
Thank you, Seau family. RIP Junior.
On to baseball:
Sad news comin’ out of New York: Mariano Rivera tore his ACL in pre-game on Thursday. He is ruled out for the rest of the young 2012 season. The question is: Have we seen him pitch his last innings in the majors? As a baseball fan, you’ve gotta feel bad for Mo.
Kung Fu Panda (Pablo Sandoval) has a hand injury that puts him back four to six weeks. This is a crushing blow to the Giants, who can’t possibly replace the production of big boy Panda. At least they’ll get him back by the middle of June.
Albert Pujols is still homer-less this season (yay).
Basketball time:
The Knicks are down 0-3 in their 1st Round series to the Miami Heat. This season has been one of highs and lows for the Knicks, and right now they can’t find the groove. Let me tell you, they were leading at halftime last night 40-36 and I was confident they could come at least withink 10. But no, LeFlop has to score eight straight points in the fourth quarter for the Miami Heat.
Go Knicks!
Weaver tosses no-hitter, Rangers up 2-1
Yesterday, we all learned of the death of former linebacker Junior Seau. Seau committed suicide in his San Diego home without leaving a note. We all remember Seau from his time with the Chargers, whom he spent 13 years of his 20 year career. Many sports analysts believe Seau’s suicide could have resulted from the head injuries caused by playing football. If this is true, look for the NFL to become the No Fun League, because at this rate the players will need bubble wrap pretty soon.
Gaborik’s goal in the 3rd OT puts Rangers over Caps 2-1, leading the series 2-1.
Jered Weaver pitched the 2nd no-hitter of the season last night against the Twins. Of course, it came against the worst team in the league. How can a team with Joe Mauer be the worst? Wouldn’t that guarantee you a top 25 spot?
What do you guys think of Bryce Harper? I think he’s very good for a 19-year-old.
Week 11 Picks
To be honest, I have the exact same picks as my friend jstar1973 (that’s his Twitter handle). So, I’d like to put that link up in this post for you guys to read. The post is short and sweet, so you definitely won’t be bored with 500-word paragraphs:
http://jsportsblogger.wordpress.com/2011/11/19/nfl-week-11-picks/
TNF Pick: Jets @ Broncos
This week’s Thursday Night matchup pits the Denver Broncos at home against the Jets. In my previous post about Tim Tebow, I noted that he’s 3-1 as the Broncos’ starter. Denver is still in the AFC West race. Their running game has averaged 150+ rushing yards in their last 4 games. Tim Tebow is a very unorthodox QB, which will make it hard for the Jets to defend him.
On the other side, the Jets lost to the Pats last week. They look very un-organized and can’t get it going on either side of the ball, mostly defense.
My mind is not in it right now, so I apologize for the unrelated sentences.
Anyway, my pick is Broncos OVER Jets. I picked ’em because I think Tebow will lead the Broncos to an upset. Also, I bet $1 on them with a friend of mine. Finally, the Jets have only 3 days rest between Sunday’s game and now.
Sincerely,
@TheSportzGuru
#SportsBlogMovement
All he needed was God and 2 completions
Throught 10 weeks of the NFL season, the Broncos have looked decent at best. The one bright spot for them? The man drafted outta Flo-rida in 2010: Tim Tebow! He got his 3rd win of the season last Sunday when the Broncos defeated the Chiefs 17-10. Just a couple of weeks ago, people were writing off Tebow after the loss to Detroit. I wasn’t really too much either way on the issue (when it comes to believer/ hater). I will say now that I AM a believer in this guy. He beat the Broncos on two completions. Let me repeat: he beat the Broncos with two completions! One of them was a 50-yard pitch-and-catch to Decker for a TD. On the day, he was 2/8, but still got a QB rating of 102.6! How did he do that? Well, I think it’s because he had that 1 TD and threw no picks. If I had to guess, that would be my first choice. Everybody knows about Tebow praying to God before every game. Unfortunately, some have even started to mock him for it. The act was dubbed “Tebowing”. I don’t think it’s right to make fun of Tebow because he expresses his faith, especially after you just sacked him. The majority of people saw it as funny, but I guess I’m one of the few that saw it as what it really is: disrespectful. Hell, I’m surprised Tulloch didn’t get fined for that act! I thought the rule was that you can’t get down on one knee to celebrate? In addition to Tebow’s amazing stats, he had 43 rushing yards on 9 carries (sbnation.com).
This post was requested by a classmate of mine.
Till next time (Rankings!),
@TheSportzGuru
#SportsBlogMovement
Week 9 Power Rankings
This is the Third Edition of the NFL Power Rankings and I am pretty excited to have two knowledgeable football analysts with me to help with the rankings. We have taken the average of the three analysts votes. Each analyst has ranked the teams as they choose 1-32 and we have added comments for each team. I am Steve Hromin, of The Sportz Guru, based out of Nassau County in New York. I, too provide in-depth game breakdowns and predictions of every game and havecoverage of all of the four major sports on my site!!!
Our second analyst today is Sam Brief, of Sam’s Sports Brief, a 14 year old who created Sam’s Sports Brief to give you a refreshing new perspective on the wild world of sports. He hopes to someday become a sports broadcaster or a sports writer and he’s following his dreams, providing readers with a wealth of information and keen perspective.
Last but not least, I am working with JB Knox, co-creator of The Daily Beans and writer of the Inside The Knox Score NFL Game Predictions as well as the well-documented “Occupy Lansdowne Street” article posted on The Baseball Page. He is a fantastic writer who is a total workhorse and just has a knack for saying the right things.
So without further ado, here are the NFL Week 9 Power Rankings. Comments and debates are highly recommended and encouraged on all three websites!!! Hope You Enjoy!!!
With the Packers and Steelers ranked #1 and #2, we couldn’t help but pose the question: Will the Packers and Steelers face-off once again in the Super Bowl?
| TEAM | RECORD | COMMENTS |
|---|---|---|
1. Packers  |
7-0 | The 7-0 Packers are coming off of their bye week. I think at the halfway point of the season it’s fair to say that Aaron Rodgers is the midseason MVP. When a player leads the league in passer rating, TDs, and completion %, all while leading his team to a perfect record, how can he not be the MVP? Also, the odds of the Packers finishing the season at a perfect 16-0: 5.3%, but hey they can make it happen. @SamsSportsBrief Sam’s Sports Brief |
2. Steelers  |
6-2 | They have the hottest QB in the league in Roethlisberger, 4 straight wins and the 1st ranked passing defense in the NFL. They are coming off perhaps their biggest win of the season and look to take sole lead of the AFC North with back-to-back games vs. the Ravens and Bengals. Will the Lamar Woodley injury slow this defense down as they look for sweet revenge this week is a big question @TheKnoxScore DBSports |
3. 49ers |
6-1 | After a win against the Browns last week and a Patriots loss (to Pittsburgh), the 9ers are sitting at 3rd best in the league. Jim Harbaugh is proving that you don’t need talent to win games: you need heart. San Fran’s ability to run the ball AND stop the run on D makes them hard to beat. It will be interesting to see if they can keep this going and finish as one of the best teams in the league. @TheSportzGuru The Sportz Guru |
4. Patriots |
5-2 | The Patriots are coming off of a devastating loss at the hands of the Steelers. With this loss, many questions begin to arise about the Patriots depth on both offense and defense. I think everyone should just chill out, it’s just 1 loss, and Tom Brady is still taking snaps for the Pats (that’s a good thing). @SamsSportsBrief Sam’s Sports Brief |
5. Ravens |
5-2 | With the game of the week coming up on the road vs the Steelers and the division lead on the line, the Ravens will have to play much better than they have over their last weeks. Turnovers, special teams and costly penalties are killing their play lately. The vaunted Steel Curtain will be a tough match-up against an offense that has been very inconsistent this season. @TheKnoxScore DBSports |
6. Lions |
6-2 | After crushing the hopeless Broncos and Tim Tebow the Lions head into their bye week looking to get a little bit healthier. Stafford’s ankle will have time to heal as the Lions get two weeks to prepare for a big road game against the Bears. A win in that game should put the Bears playoff hopes in doubt. With newly signed safety Chris Harris on the squad, the Chicago Bears better change-up their playbook quickly. @TheKnoxScore DBSports |
7. Bills |
6-2 | The Bills won last week against the Redskins. They executed on offense and created turnovers on D. That, my friends, is a recipe for success. We think they’ll be able to keep this going throughout the year. @TheSportzGuru The Sportz Guru |
8. Saints |
5-3 | To be honest, I’m surprised the Saints are ranked this high. They handed St. Louis their FIRST WIN OF THE SEASON. Remember guys, we are in WEEK 9. To be honest, I just think Brees had a off-day, and as a result the offense as a whole was sub-par at best. @TheSportzGuru The Sportz Guru |
9. Falcons |
4-3 | The Falcons are coming off of their bye week. Their last game was a statement win over the Lions in Detroit. This Falcons team is starting to look like the 13-3 Falcons of yesteryear. @SamsSportsBrief Sam’s Sports Brief |
10. Bengals |
5-2 | Here’s a shocker: The Bengals are 5-2. If you look more deeply into that record you will find out that this is a team whose wins are against teams with a combined record of just 12-24! They have only played 2 teams with winning records this year, and the Bengals are a team on whose bandwagon I have yet to jump. @SamsSportsBrief Sam’s Sports Brief |
11. Giants |
5-2 | The Giants looked a bit shaky last week at home vs Miami as they may have been looking ahead to this week’s game at New England. The talented Pierre-Paul will try to duplicate the pressure the Steelers put on Brady. This may just slow the Pats down enough for Eli Manning and his talented receivers Manningham and Cruz. @TheKnoxScore DBSports |
12. Texans |
5-3 | The Texans beat Jacksonville last week, which I thought was impressive considering they came off that MNF W against the Ravens. Remember, in that game, the Jags shut down their offense and didn’t let them work. Getting back to Houston, Arian Foster is in full stride now and Matt Schaub should be getting back Andre Johnson this week. Look out for this team, I’m expecting big things from them soon. @TheSportzGuru The Sportz Guru |
13. Jets |
4-3 | The Jets have a chance to get back in the race in the AFC East as they face off against the Buffalo Bills this weekend. They seem to be hitting their stride and are coming off a bye week. Burress will be more acclimated to the offense, Mangold is a bit healthier and that passing defense will have a big say this week vs Ryan Fitzpatrick. @TheKnoxScore DBSports |
14. Eagles |
3-4 | Wow, the Eagles did WORK on Sunday Night. They completely dismantled the Cowboys and kept the offense pouring. More importantly, they let LeSean McCoy take over and score 2 TD’s! Even thought they haven’t lived up to the “Dream Team” status, they are working towards that. Boy, they sure did LOOK like a dream team last Sunday huh! @TheSportzGuru The Sportz Guru |
15.Bears |
4-3 | The controversial and oft-criticized Bears are coming off of their bye week following a win in London over Tampa. The Bears’ offense has scored 170 points this year. At this point last year, they had scored just 126. They have a colossal matchup in Philly on Monday Night. @SamsSportsBrief Sam’s Sports Brief |
16. Chiefs |
4-3 | The Chiefs are now 4-0 this season when they win the turnover ratio. They have done so in their last 4 games recording 8 interceptions in their last two as well as taking the AFC West lead away from the SD Chargers. They could very easily make it 6 straight wins with their next two games vs the Dolphins and Broncos. A key player of late has been Brandon Flowers, who has been shutting down the oppositions best receivers in his last 2 games. @TheKnoxScore DBSports |
17. Chargers |
4-3 | What has happened to the Chargers lately? They have been melting in the second half of games this season. Their red-zone efficiency is inefficient and Philip Rivers has thrown 11 INTS already this season to go along with his game losing fumble against the KC Chiefs on Monday Night. Will he be repeating “This is the worst day ever” this Sunday when he faces Clay Matthews and the ball-hawking Charles Woodson vs Green Bay? Very likely. @TheKnoxScore DBSports |
18. Buccaneers |
4-3 | The Bucs were off last week with a bye. Nothing new to report, maybe they will rebound after their Week 7 loss to Chicago? We’ll have to wait and see. @TheSportzGuru The Sportz Guru |
19. Cowboys |
3-4 | The ‘Boys looked like crap last week against the Eagles, plain and simple. They kinda looked like the old “Dream Team” Eagles before they found their stride (in this game, no less). Jason Garrett and Rob Ryan need to work together and find a solution to this problem. @TheSportzGuru The Sportz Guru |
20. Titans |
4-3 | Here’s a thought: The Titans should bench Chris Johnson (yes I just said it). Johnson has 107 carries for 302 yards (no, you didn’t read that wrong). That’s 2.8 yards per carry. Your franchise player who is getting paid $53 million cannot put up those kind of numbers. The Titans are having an okay season, but they can accel if they change Johnson’s position from starting running back to left (or right) bench. @SamsSportsBrief Sam’s Sports Brief |
21. Raiders |
4-3 | They are coming off a much needed bye week as they look to get Carson Palmer more familiar with the offense as well as hope that Darren McFadden is ready and healthy for this week’s game at home vs the woeful Tebow-led Broncos. They should be very hungry after getting blanked and embarrassed two weeks ago vs KC and this is the perfect team to face for them before San Diego. @TheKnoxScore DBSports |
22. Browns |
3-4 | The Browns are just one of THOSE teams. By ‘those teams’ I mean the ones that just hover around .500 all season and have no offensive firepower, and score less than a baseball team. The Browns have not scored 20 points all season, and in the last 2 games have scored just 3 and 10 points. (Sounds like the Yankees’ scores if you ask me). @SamsSportsBrief Sam’s Sports Brief |
23. Panthers |
2-6 | The Panthers lost at the hands of the Vikings last week (called it  ). Even though Cam played pretty well (as usual), they still lost. In order to win, this defense will just have to bear down and stop the big plays, and until they do that I don’t see them winning. @TheSportzGuru The Sportz Guru |
24. Redskins |
3-4 | Train Rex or Beck? That is the question. The way their offense looked last week North of the Border, I would choose direct snaps and the wildcat for the near future. Shanahan and his QB shuffle has this offense sputtering as the Skins have been in a free-fall for weeks now. Oh and they just happen face the NFL’s best defense in the San Fransisco 49ers this weekend. Things do not look good. @TheKnoxScore DBSports |
25. Vikings |
2-6 | The Vikings beat the Panthers this week, but only moved up a couple spots. Even though the Vikings won, we still think the Panthers will be a better team looking at the big picture. Looks like they’ve found their future in Christian Ponder, though. @TheSportzGuru The Sportz Guru |
26. Jaguars |
2-6 | After an inspiring Monday Night win over the Ravens, the Jaguars got a flash of reality. They found themselves on the losing end of an AFC South battle to the Texans. Listen, this team is going nowhere. With an average defense, a struggling rookie QB, and a below-par coach, there needs to be major change in Jacksonville (or should I say JAGSonville). @SamsSportsBrief Sam’s Sports Brief |
27. Cardinals |
1-6 | Kevin Kolb may be out this week for Arizona, but they have showed recently that they are willing to fight and force teams to earn their victories, which says a lot about the team’s respect for coach, Ken Whisenhunt. The lone bright spots for the Cards this season have been Larry Fitzgerald and the improved play of Patrick Peterson, who had an impressive punt-return TD in Baltimore last week. @TheKnoxScore DBSports |
28. Rams |
1-6 | The Rams went up a spot this week after defeating the Saints. From here on out, they’ll have to show us they know how to beat the big boys if they want to hold this spot. Hopefully, Bradford can get healthy so they can start winning some games. @TheSportzGuru The Sportz Guru |
29. Seahawks |
2-5 | Like the Browns, the Seahawks are one of THOSE teams. In the past 2 weeks, they have scored 3 and 12 points! How great! No team led by the two-headed monster of Tavaris Jackson and Charlie Whitehurst is going anywhere. @SamsSportsBrief Sam’s Sports Brief |
30. Broncos |
2-5 | The Broncos took the loss last week to the Lions 45-10. People were Tebowing all over the field, and in their living rooms too! No hope for this team this year… @TheSportzGuru The Sportz Guru |
31. Dolphins |
0-7 | The Fins almost pulled out a win in NY last week vs the G-Men and Reggie Bush rushed for his second career 100 yard game. If they could only fix the passing game on both sides of the ball they may may have had a chance to pull out a couple of wins this season. A visit to noisy Arrowhead Stadium looms ahead. @TheKnoxScore DBSports |
32. Colts |
0-8 | The Colts are a mess. They have a 2.2% chance of becoming the second team in NFL history to go 0-16. But hey, they’re halfway there! @SamsSportsBrief Sam’s Sports Brief |
Whoa we’re halfway there!” The Colts are 0-8, which means that they’re ‘Halfway There’ on their road to 0-16.
This week was a very interesting one in terms of our individual rankings. Sam and JB both had the Steelers ranked at #2, while I put the 49ers at #2. All of us had a different #6: Sam had the Lions, JB had the Bills, and I had the Saints. The Eagles also had a lot of diversity, while Sam and JB both were obviously convinced by their win, and had them at #14, I had less faith in them , and put them at #17. Another interesting topic is the Chiefs and Chargers: While Sam and I both had the Chiefs (who have won 4 in a row after an 0-3 start) ranked in front of the Chargers, JB still had the Chargers in the drivers’ seat ahead of the Chiefs. The Panthers drew some of the most change this week: Sam and JB both put them at #23, while I had them all the way down at #28. The Vikings also had various different rankings, while JB and I were close at ranking them #24 and #26, Sam had them all the way down at #30. The Broncos and Rams drew the most diversity of all the teams: For the Broncos, Sam had them at #25, JB ranked them at #28, and I had them down in the dumps at #31. In terms of the Rams, Sam and JB both ranked them at 29, while I obviously thought their win over the Saints wasn’t a fluke, and had them all the way at #22! At the very bottom of the rankings, there was one consensus: All three of us ranked the lowly, depressing Colts at #32.
I guess we can always agree on futility.
Week 8 Power Rankings
Here we are again for some more Power Rankings! It’s me, Sam Brief (http://sambrief.com/) and JB Knox (http://thedailybeans.wordpress.com/) here today to rank all 32 NFL Teams! Let’s go:
| TEAM | RECORD | COMMENTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Packers | 7-0 | The Packers are still #1 on our power rankings. Why is this? Maybe it’s because they are 7-0 with the best offense in the NFL. If Aaron Rodgers can keep his 125.7 passer rating up, the Pack are in prime position. @SamsSportsBrief http://sambrief.com |
| 2. Patriots | 5-1 | The Patriots were on a bye last week. We figured that their offense is still one of the best in the league and they haven’t changed much since the season started. However, the 49ers are closing in on No.2 in the league. Thesportzguru |
| 3. 49ers | 5-1 | Coming off a well-earned bye week the Niners should improve to 6-1 vs a Browns team that yields 119 yds/gm vs the run. Frank Gore has fresh legs and Braylon Edwards is back in the fold to help balance the attack. @theknoxscore DBSports |
| 4.Saints | 5-2 | The Saints put 62 points on the Colts on Sunday night. This was the most points scored in an NFL game since 1970. This mixed with Drew Brees keeping up the good (or more than good) work helped the Saints jump from #8 to #4 on our rankings. @SamsSportsBrief http://sambrief.com |
| 5.Steelers | 5-2 | The Steelers beat the Cardinals last week 32-20. They are in their rythm and will look to beat the Patriots October 30th. Thesportzguru |
| 6.Ravens | 4-2 | The Ravens fell from 4th last week down 2 spots.That’s because of their loss to the Jaguars on MNF. What a bad loss that was, right? Still, they’re a good team and just got exposed; I don’t think that will become a regularity. Thesportzguru |
| 7.Lions | 5-2 | Even after 2 straight losses to the 49ers and the Falcons, the Lions remain strong at 5-2 and 2nd in the NFC North. Although this is true, Matthew Stafford suffered a sprained right ankle, and if he gets unhealthy again, the Lions could be in hot water once again. @SamsSportsBrief http://sambrief.com |
| 8.Bills | 4-2 | The Bills had their bye this week but dropped to #8 because of strong performances from the Saints and Steelers. Fred Jackson continues to lead a balanced running game, and Ryan Fitzpatrick looks better than he ever has in his career. @SamsSportsBrief http://sambrief.com |
| 9.Falcons | 4-3 | Moved up 6 spots in our rankings with big win on the road at Detroit and head into a bye week looking to get Julio Jones healthy. They should continue to roll with two weeks to prepare for the dismal Colts. @theknoxscore DBSports |
| 10.Giants | 4-2 | The Giants actually stayed put this week. Surprising, considering they are such a sporadic team. However, they did have a bye week so I guess I can understand…next week is the Dolphins @ Home. Thesportzguru |
| 11.Bengals | 4-2 | Rookies Andy Dalton and A.J. Green are helping the Bengals to get out to a shocking 4-2 start. It doesn’t hurt that their defense is 2nd in the NFL only to Baltimore. If they can keep this up, we could see an unexpected playoff appearance for a young Bengals team striving for success. @SamsSportsBrief http://sambrief.com |
| 12.Chargers | 4-2 | SD has lost both games vs teams .500 or better and look to right the ship and separate themselves from the rest of the AFC West with a big MNF showdown vs the KC Chiefs. Red-zone problems, Rivers interceptions and their lack of a 2nd-half game plan have the key problems this year. @theknoxscore DBSports |
| 13.Jets | 4-3 | Jets-Ah, the New York Jets. Rex Ryan started some stuff with Norv Turner before the game about SB rings. He ended up winning the game, so I guess that justifies it a little. They have a bye this week. Thesportzguru |
| 14.Texans | 4-3 | Texans— Arian Foster looks to dismantle another division foe this week vs the short-rested Jags. Foster had a combined 234 yards and just may be getting Andre Johnson back into the mix this week. @theknoxscore DBSports |
| 15.Bears | 4-3 | The Bears had an impressive win in London against the Buccaneers. Their offensive line looked great (finally). 4-3 is the same record that they had week 7 last year. They finished the year at 11-5 and made the NFC Championship Game. @SamsSportsBrief http://sambrief.com |
| 16.Buccaneers | 4-3 | The Buccaneers lost in London to the Bears this week, but, looked good towards the end. Josh Freeman led an (almost!) fourth quarter comeback as they cut the Bears’ lead from 16 to 3 in the 4th quarter. They lost, but were superb at the end.@SamsSportsBrief http://sambrief.com |
| 17. Cowboys | 3-3 | The Cowboys jumped up 3 spots this week, thanks to their win against the St. Louis Rams. Everybody heard of DeMarco Murray, right? What a monster, if the Cowboys can at least get 1/2 that yardage per game, expect some wins from them. TheSportzGuru |
| 18. Raiders | 4-3 | After a high following 2 emotional wins after the tragic death of Al Davis, the Raiders disappointed. After trading their draft picks for the next (50?) years to acquire Carson Palmer, coach Hue Jackson started Kyle Boller instead of Palmer. Boller threw 3 interceptions, then Palmer threw 3 interceptions in a 28-0 blowout loss to the Chiefs.@SamsSportsBrief http://sambrief.com |
| 19. Eagles | 2-4 | The Eagles are fresh off a bye to host the rival Cowboys on Sunday Night. Another must-win to stay in the NFC East race. Can they slow down rookie phenom Demarcus Murray and get Vick/McCoy to the edges with space will be keys to this victory. @theknoxscore DBSports |
| 20. Chiefs | 3-3 | -beneficiaries of the QB injuries in Oakland, the Chiefs vie for 1st place in AFC West in a huge MNF battle with San Diego. Thomas Jones and Dwayne Bowe will have to have big games and hope the defense can cause some big turnovers again. 2 INT returns for TDS would sure look nice in back-to back weeks. @theknoxscore DBSports |
| 21. Titans | 3-3 | CJ2K and the rushing attack has been abysmal but the Colts defense is just what the doctor ordered. The Titans look to avoid their 3rd straight embarrassing loss. They should get a break from defending a stout running game with the Colts weak rushing attack in town this week. @theknoxscore DBSports |
| 22. Browns | 3-3 | The Browns offense was totally flat in a 6-3 (no, this isn’t baseball) victory over the Seahawks. While the Browns are 3-3, their offense has looked unimpressive, and this is due in part to the injury of running back Peyton Hillis. The fact that they have virtually NO recieving support doesn’t help their cause much either. @SamsSportsBrief http://sambrief.com |
| 23. Redskins | 3-3 | It’s been an interesting week for the Redskins. After benching Rex Grossman, Mike Shanahan started John Beck at quarterback against the Panthers. Beck failed to impress in a 33-20 loss to Carolina. If the Redskins can’t figure out the quarterback situation, they won’t succeed. Also, Tim Hightower is out for the season with a torn ACL, Chris and Santana Moss is out for 5 weeks with a broken hand. @SamsSportsBrief http://sambrief.com |
| 24. Jaguars | 2-5 | The Jaguars moved up an astounding 4 spots in this weeks rankings. Just like the Ravens went down, the Jaguars went up. If they keep winning like that, especially against high-profile teams (Jets), they will move up quickly. Thesportzguru |
| 25. Panthers | 2-5 | Newton’s 2nd rookie QB battle this week has me Pondering if he can go 2-0 vs his fellow draft class. His deep passes have become more accurate by the week and his first winning streak may be just around the corner. Steve Smith will look to continue to march towards a Pro-Bowl bid against the Vikings. @theknoxscore DBSports |
| 26. Broncos | 2-4 | This one is a shocker: the Broncos moved down 1 spot from last week. Maybe it was because their win was against the Dolphins? Next week, they face the Lions. Thesportzguru |
| 27. Seahawks | 2-4 | A much-needed home game for the Seahawks this week to face the Bengals #2 rated defense. They were stuck in the mud against the Browns, but hope the crowd noise will fluster rookie QB Andy Dalton and their offense can muster just enough points to eek out a win. If not they officially enter the “Suck for Luck” sweepstakes with a head of steam. @theknoxscore DBSports |
| 28. Cardinals | 1-6 | The Cardinals looked flat in a 32-20 loss to the Steelers. Kevin Kolb hasn’t looked good at all this season, he is 25th in the NFL in passer rating, and 21st in touchdowns. For the 1-5 Cardinals to turn their season around, Kevin Kold needs to step it up. @SamsSportsBrief http://sambrief.com |
| 29. Vikings | 1-6 | The Vikings stayed pat this week. It’s a pretty good move considering they got beat by the Packers, however they were close to coming back in the last 2 min. This team isn’t going anywhere this year. Thesportzguru |
| 30. Rams | 0-6 | They average 9.3 PPG and give up 28.5 PPG!!! Need I say more? Spagnuolo’s seat is En Fuego right now and with the high-powered Saints marching in, that pink slip is just begging for it’s John Hancock. @theknoxscore DBSports |
| 31. Dolphins | 0-6 | The Fins have an NFL worst 23.7% 3rd down conversion rate combined with the 30th ranked -7 turnover ratio, no running game as well as leading the league with 22 sacks allowed. Oh and they get to face the league-leading defensive sacks team in the NY Giants who are fresh off a bye and healthier. UH-OH No Bueno Sparano!!! @theknoxscore DBSports |
| 32. Colts | 0-6 | The Colts. Suck. For. Luck. Thesportzguru |
Week 7 Power Rankings
This is the First Edition of the NFL Power Rankings and I am pretty excited to have two knowledgeable football analysts with me to help with the rankings. We have taken the average of the three analysts votes. Each analyst has ranked the teams as they choose 1-32 and we have added comments for each team. The two fellow football junkies joining with me today are Sam Brief, of Sam’s Sports Brief, is a 14 year old who created Sam’s Sports Brief to give you a refreshing new perspective on the wild world of sports. Sam hopes to someday become a sports broadcaster or a sports writer and I say he is here already, providing his readers with a wealth of information and keen perspective.
Our second analyst today is JB Knox, co-creator of The Daily Beans and writer of the Inside The Knox Score NFL Game Predictions as well as the well-documented “Occupy Lansdowne Street” article posted on The Baseball Page.
POWER RANKINGS
Last but not least, I am,The Sportz Guru, based out of Nassau County in New York. I also provide in-depth game breakdowns and predictions of every game and have coverage of all of the four major sports on this site!!! I highly recommend checking their sites out and brushing up on your sports knowledge through the eyes of these sports fanatics. So without further ado, here are the NFL Week 7 Power Rankings. Comments and debates are highly recommended and encouraged on all three websites!!! Hope You Enjoy!!!
| TEAM | RECORD | COMMENTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Packers | 6-0 | The Packers are simply the best team in the NFL. They are 6-0, leading the league in total offense, and are 7th in total defense. 16-0 anybody?- @SamsSportsBrief http://sambrief.com |
| 2. Patriots | 5-1 | The Pats are now 5-1 and are second only to the Green Bay Packers (6-0). They have the best offense in the league combined with a decent defense to hold opponents at bay. That’s all they need to do for Brady to light up the board and win them the game. They can’t be stopped right now. SportzGuru |
| 3. 49ers | 5-1 | The Niners are outrushing opponents 131.5 yds/gm to 74.7 yds/gm and with wins in 4 straight games over teams with a combined record of 15-9, San Francisco looks like a team to be reckoned with in the NFC. @TheKnoxScore |
| 4. Ravens | 4-1 | Baltimore has a high-powered offense and an old, yet stout defense. I’d say their defense is a bit better than the Jets‘, while their offense is much better. The Ravens are 4-1 right now and I see them as the leader in the division come season’s end. SportzGuru |
| 5. Lions | 5-1 | Detroit was finally knocked off by San Fran last week to put ’em at 5-1. In all honesty, I think they just had an off-game. Megatron didn’t get any TD’s and the run game wasn’t up to par. This team is getting into the playoffs this year, I can feel it. They are good enough for 5th in the league just ahead of the Chargers. SportzGuru |
| 6. Chargers | 4-1 | Taking advantage of an easy schedule in the early goings and coming off of a bye week out-gaining opponents 416-293 yards per game, the Chargers look forward to big battle against the short-rested Jets. @TheKnoxScore |
| 7. Bills | 4-2 | Ah, the Buffalo Bills. New York’s best football team right? I think so, and here’s why: The Giants are very sporadic and the Jets haven’t gotten in a rythym yet, but the Bills certainly know what they’re doing. Playoff team? Yea, definitely over the Jets. SportzGuru |
| 8. Saints | 4-2 | A tough loss in Tampa shouldn’t affect the Saints too much. Any team with Drew Brees leading the charge is in prime position. @SamsSportsBrief SamsSportsBrief |
| 9.Steelers | 4-2 | Big Ben Roethlisberger always finds a way to win, and even though they didn’t look great in a win over Jacksonville, there are no worries. @SamsSportsBrief http://sambrief.com |
| 10.Giants | 4-2 | The return of a balanced offense does wonders for your team doesn’t it. The injury prone GMen have relied on Pierre-Paul and a talented group of linebackers and receivers to head into their bye week atop the NFC East before facing the weak Miami Dolphins. @TheKnoxScore |
| 11. Raiders | 4-2 | Al Davis’ death is motivating the Raiders. Since his death, they are 2-0. Overall, with a 4-2 record, the Raiders are better than they’ve been in more than 5 years. @SamsSportsBrief http://sambrief.com |
| 12. Buccaneers | 4-2 | The Bucs redeemed themselves with their 4th win in 5 games vs. division rival New Orleans. Their run defense made the Saints one-dimensional and forced Drew Breesto throw 3INTS. Can they become more consistent is the question? @TheKnoxcore |
| 13. Titans | 3-2 | Will the bye week cure their running woes or will Matt Hasselbeck have to carry this team all year without the help of CJ2K and injured Kenny Britt? A bih AFC South showdown awaits vs. the Texans, who are hungry to get back to their winning ways. @TheKnoxScore |
| 14. Bengals | 4-2 | Last week, the Bengals beat the hopeless Colts to improve to 4-2. That’s the same record as the Giants! Surprising considering the team did away with veterans (T.O, Ocho, and Palmer) and replaced them with rookies (Dalton, A.J). I don’t think they will continue this run, but they will finish around the 10-6 mark, which would allow them to make the playoffs. SportzGuru |
| 15. Falcons | 3-3 | Call me crazy, but the injury to Julio Jones may have been the best thing to happen to the Falcons of late. Why? They were forced to get back to their bread and butter. Feed Michael Turner the ball!!! Their pass-defense needs to step it up this week vs. Megatron and the Detroit Lions. @TheKnoxScore. |
| 16. Redskins | 3-2 | Things were going well for Washington until, well, Bad Rex came out. Rex Grossman threw 4 interceptions against the Eagles, and it looks like John Beck will take over the reins for the Redskins. @SamsSportsBrief http://sambrief.com |
| 17. Jets | 3-3 | I talked very briefly about the Jets in my Bills comments: they need to find a groove. A spark, a streak, something to get them going. Once they get going, they can be as good as the Packers, but when they’re bad, they’re like the Dolphins. SportzGuru |
| 18. Bears | 3-3 | The Bears dominated the Vikings, 39-10 on Sunday night. This showed some signs of promise, but with a struggling offensive line and no quality receivers, the Bears are in a dark place. @SamsSportsBrief http://sambrief.com |
| 19. Texans | 3-3 | Although the Texans are in the bottom-half of the league (according to these rankings), I still think they’re a good team. Matt Schaub is a good quarterback and when Arian Foster gets going, he can be a monster (remember last season). The defense has improved from last season, now the offense has to step their game up. That starts with Matt Schaub. SportzGuru |
| 20. Cowboys | 2-3 | The Cowboys almost beat the Patriots in Foxborough, but their late- 4th quarter game management was short of standards. The Cowboys are 2-3, but have some upside. Right now, though, they need to step up their play. @SamsSportsBrief http://sambrief.com |
| 21. Eagles | 2-4 | Yes , I was one of a few people who called the Eagles winning last week!!! Their team speed was too much for the Skins and they finally played a little more man-to-man coverage. What was the point of spending Millions on cornerbacks if you’re gonna play a zone anyways? A bye week ahead to work out more kinks comes just in time. @TheKnoxScore |
| 22. Seahawks | 2-3 | Seattle had a bye this week, and is 2-3 with major quarterback trouble. The Seahawks aren’t going to the playoffs anytime soon with Tavaris Jackson or Charlie Whitehurst. @SamsSportsBrief http://sambrief.com |
| 23. Browns | 2-3 | The run defense wasn’t all that bad vs. the Raiders, Darren Mcfadden!!! Then again, their special teams unit was too busy playing ole with Jacoby Ford. Still can’t figure how a team that ran down people’s throats are 30th in the league in rushing. Must win for psyche this week vs Seahawks. @TheKnoxScore |
| 24. Broncos | 1-4 | Tim Tebow? This is not a good team to start with, but when you gotta resort to Tebow at QB? You have some issues. To fix this, Knowshon Moreno has to stay healthy and that offensive line needs to open up holes. If they can’t do that, don’t expect any more numbers in the ‘win’ column. SportzGuru |
| 25. Panthers | 1-5 | With a 1-5 record, you’d think that the Panthers would be lower. Although this is true, Cam Newton is 4th in the NFL with 1,847 yards. He is leading the Panthers with excellence, and they have a serious upside. @SamsSportsBrief http://sambrief.com |
| 26. Cardinals | 1-4 | The Cards are not getting it done on the ground this year. While they are getting 101 YPG this season, they need to get more if they want to win. Also, the defense needs to improve as they’re giving up too many points. No chance for the playoffs this year. SportzGuru |
| 27. Chiefs | 2-3 | This is easily our biggest surprise in the rankings as I had them at 23rd. An old-school leather-head styled battle with the Raiders this week could bring them back to .500 and in the thick of things in the AFC West. Can they make it 3 straight against the Carson Palmer led Raidahs? @TheKnoxScore |
| 28. Jaguars | 1-5 | Does anybody else feel bad for Jones-Drew? He is leading this team to the 10th ranked rushing attack in the NFL, has no help offensively whatsoever and has to face a stout Ravens defense that held Adrian Foster to a measley 49 yds last week. Hey Gabbert, how many fingers am I holding up? Can he answer this question after this week’s game is a concern. @TheKnoxScore |
| 29. Vikings | 1-5 | The Vikings are simply a mess. After getting blown out by the Bears in Chicago, it was revealed that the Vikings are in the rebuilding stage. Donovan McNabb is not going to start for the Vikings, but Christian Ponder does have some serious potential. @SamsSportsBrief http://sambrief.com |
| 30. Rams | 0-5 | If only Brandon Lloyd, the WR whom they picked up from the Broncos this week, could play Left-Tackle. The Rams O-line is letting Sam Bradford get eaten alive this year and now they have to travel to Dallas and face a defense that just held the Tom Brady led Patriots to a mere 20 points. Call-in sick Sam. @TheKnoxScore |
| 31. Colts | 0-6 | Colts without Manning = jelly without peanut butter. It just doesn’t work! When will the Colts win? I don’t think they will win until Week 9 or 10 honestly, this team is that bad! SportzGuru |
| 32. Dolphins | 0-5 | When the Dolphins lost quarterback Chad Henne for the season, Matt Moore started against the Jets. He threw 2 interceptions, and had a 41.8 passer rating. The Fins aren’t going anywhere soon. @SamsSportsBrief http://sambrief.com |
There were some major discrepancies as well as some exact consistencies within our picks. Notable rankings by the panel are as follows:
Pats were ranked 2nd by both Sam and Jb, while Steve had them 4th. The Niners were ranked behind the Lions by Steve, despite losing head-to-head last week against the. We were all over the place in regards to the Saints. I had them the highest at 6th, Sam had them 12th and Steve had them 8th. We all had the Giants in the 10 spot. Another huge difference was with the Bengals where Steve had them 9th, while Sam and I actually agreed on them in 17th. Steve had the Jets in 18th and again Sam and JB in 14th. Perhaps the largest difference after the Bengals selection was ranking the Chiefs. Knox had them at 23rd, Sam at 25th and Steve in 31st.
We hope you enjoy the rankings and comments and Let The Debates Begin!!!
Again make sure to check out all three of these sports sites for great views on the games we all love!!!
I’m sorry: A note to Al Davis
Dear Mr. Davis,
This past weekend, I was made aware of your passing. To put it frankly, I was shocked. You made unprecedented changes to the NFL and to the game of football in general. Your 45+ years with the Raiders has been great to watch from generation to generation. From your crazy draft picks (Sebastian Janikowski in the 1st Round) to the “Just win, baby” catchphrase, it was always a pleasure to watch you work your magic with the Raiders.
However, I’d like to just make this short and sweet. You might be asking, “Who is this guy and why is he writing me this letter?” Well, I am @TheSportzGuru. Something has bothered me for a while and I need to tell you exactly what it is. Recently, I’ve noticed that my fellow bloggers have written about your passing. I’m sorry that I haven’t written anything for you.
There. I said it.
I have no idea why I haven’t written anything commemorating your death. I guess if you were the Giants owner, I would’ve written something. I now understand that I should have written something about you, no matter what team you owned. It’s like when Michael Jackson died; nobody cared about his “Off the stage” issues, all they cared about was the entertainment he provided them in his 35+ years in the industry
I hope you can forgive me so I can get this out of my head. RIP Al Davis.
Sincerely,
@TheSportzGuru
#SportsBlogMovement
Madden 12 Franchise on Halt: Bad Glitch
Last week, I started writing about my Madden 12 Buffalo Bills Franchise. It was going pretty good until I realized that a horrible A.I in this game causes undrafted free agents (UDFAs) to take over the league by year 2. Basically, instead of CPU teams re-signing their veterans/ draft picks, they cut ’em and sign these garbage undrafted players. So, by year 2 or 3 there’s just about nobody in the game that is in the NFL right now.
That’s no fun right? This is the reason I’ve put the project on temporary halt. There’s gonna be a patch either in October or early November, so I guess when that gets fixed (IF it gets fixed) I will keep you updated on that.
Thank you for understanding. Now, I’ll be focusing 100% on real sports!
Clemens walks free, NFL/ NFLPA making progress
In my last article, I talked about how slow sports are these days. With no NFL free agency and no NBA news at all, the only major news is baseball (which isn’t a bad sport, it’s just in the middle of the season so it’s not as exciting as October). Obviously, sports such as golf, NASCAR, and tennis are year-round; however they don’t draw in the pure fan base that football, basketball, OR baseball do. Who’s gonna watch some 80 cars circling a track for 500 miles (200 laps)? Whenever I watch (once a year, the prostegious Daytona 500), I watch the last 5 laps..I know the other 195 laps are important as well, but it’s just too boring. That’s like watching football when 2 teams ONLY run the ball. No big plays, once in a while a 30 yard gain, but otherwise 2 and 3 yard gains…
Forgot to mention crashes are the best part. Photo Cred Bleacherreport.net
With golf, it’s sorta different. Pro golf is boring to me too, but at least there’s exciting putts once in a while. Tiger Woods WAS a joy to watch, during his seemingly unstoppable run where he like never was out of the Top 3 in any tourney. Now Rory Mcllroy is the hot shit, but can he keep it that way? He’s real young, so he has time to faulter, as well as time to shine.
Mcilroy hard at work. Photo cred blogspot.com
Tennis is the HARDEST sport i’ve ever played, to be brutally honest. So I kinda have some respect for those athletes, although I don’t like listening to them grunting like they’re having sex. But when Anna Kournikova is grunting, my oh my I’m the first one to rush to the TV.
Clemens walks free
Let’s get down to business now. Yesterday, Roger Clemens’ case was declared a mistrial after prosecutors failed to prove that the former all-star committed perjury. If I remember correctly from middle school, he cannot be tried again because of the “double jeopardy” rule in the U.S Constitution. It’s obvious he did commit perjury. Here’s my thing with these cases: why would the defendant be on trial if he didn’t commit the crime. Why would the prosecutors go thought so much trouble to put him in jail if they weren’t 100% sure he commited the crime? Tell me what you think of this in the comments section. I know my opinion is a bit harsh, so tell me also where you stand on that.
Clemens is free after a judge declared a mistrial in his perjury case.
NFL/NFLPA making progress
“A source with knowledge of the NFL talks told ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio on Thursday night that the negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement are headed toward a settlement” (Cred ESPN.com). That’s great news for us NFL fans, as it looks like a season WILL happen. I’ve recently predicted that the new CBA will be signed in the month of July, so they’ve got 15 more days or so for my prediction to be correct. Read the full article at http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/6768521/nfl-lockout-owners-players-moving-cba-settlement-source-says
YAY FOOTBALL!!!! Go GIANTS!!!
LT, nuff said. Photo cred blogspot.com
What the hell happened?
I’d never thought I’d see the day where the ESPN.com front headlines are US soccer….US SOCCER! What the hell happened? What happened to the drama of the NBA Finals or the Drama of the Super Bowl? What happened to fantasy football? What happened to drinking beers and eating chips on a Sunday afternoon?
GONE. It’s all GONE.
And it may be gone for quite some time. Although I think the NFL will end the lockout sometime this month, I’m a bit unsure about the NBA. Hell, if the NFL doesn’t sign on the dotted line this week, games WILL be missed. What’s gonna happen to fantasy football then?
SHIT. No fantasy football…
Oh well. On to soccer:
U.S beat Brazil on Penalty Kicks…What? How did U.S beat Brazil? Those damn Brazilians are trained from BIRTH to play soccer, while us Americans are trained to eat cookies and donuts.
Nothin else huge to report, so I’ll leave it at that.
What the hell happened?
No football? No basketball? No problem.
As I sit here at 12:40 in the morning, I think about the NBA and NFL Lockouts. The NBA Lockout is technically still *pending*, but it’s gonna happen one way or the other. The NFL Lockout situation looks ok; both sides seem to be doing well negotiating their issues including the rookie wage scale, the length of schedule, and how to split the damn $9 billion. Just thinking about all that money makes me bite my fingers as I try to stay awake writing this…
At first, I’d be hard to live without the NFL or NBA, even if it was only for one season. I think all NFL/NBA fans definitely need to come up with back-up plans for these lockouts, just in case they go deep into their respective seasons. So, instead of watching the NFL, I can watch the MLB instead, specifically the New York Mets. Yes, I know what you’r gonna say, they suck, whatever. They’re not that bad this year! Jose’s really carrying them, and him being healthy the whole year has made it fun to watch them again! In addition, I can focus more on my studies and my schoolwork, as I am now going into my sophomore year in high school.
However, the NBA situation is a bit different. You see, from November to February I play for my HS’s basketball team. So, I’ll need to devote my time to that as well as my schoolwork. I’d spend a combined 80% on those 2 things, and save the other 20% for a social life :). By the way, the sports blogging counts as schoolwork, so I’ll be spending lots of time on that.
I can live without the NFL or NBA, but I don’t wanna have to.
So please, Goodell and Stern, shut up, let the players play, let the coaches coach, and lets get a deal done!
NFL Lockout Not Over; Not Even Close
The NFL lockout has been an ongoing problem since the 12th of March, 2011. To be honest, fans don’t give a sh*t how much money the players/owners are making. They just wanna watch some football on Sundays. I mean, seriously, what would Sundays be like without football? In one word: boring. Instead of watching the big game with my buddies, I have to do chores around the house and find ways to waste time. Sundays wouldn’t be THAT BAD, but football just makes my day so much better, especially on Mondays, because Mondays such, and football is the only thing that gets me through the day when school starts up in the fall. The 8th U.S Circuit Court of Appeals ruled “that the lockout can remain intact until a full appeal is heard on whether it is legal” (Courtesy ESPN.com). This ruling was announced about 2 hours ago, at 8:30 pm (eastern time). The irony of this is, the decision fell on the same day that the NFL owners and players resumed mediation for eight hours. It was the first meeting of the players/owners since the 20th of April. I’m so sick of these greedy, arrogant owners who want to take football away from us. We are the loyal fans that keep their business going, and I think we should have a say in these legal issues. Are we gonna have football next year?
The Sportz Guru 