Who's going to the Super Bowl?

After Monday night and the 28 point beatdown New England gave to Houston, everybody has tooted Brady's horn and ESPN has dubbed New England as the team to win the Super Bowl, but will they get to the Super Bowl?

I say no. New England may look like the juggernaut in the AFC, but there's one person road blocking him from a 6th Super Bowl appearance. Peyton Manning. Peyton Manning and the #3 ranked defense of the Denver Broncos, who have won 8 straight games, are the only team that can spoil The Patriots trip to New Orleans. Not Houston, not Baltimore, not Indy, and not Pittsburgh. Denver isn't the same team New England blew out in Week 5, things are A LOT different now. THIS Broncos team can beat New England in Foxboro. What people are forgetting is that since Brady won his 3rd ring in 2004, he's been 7-6 in the playoffs. Clearly, he isn't the same guy in the playoffs anymore. They got lucky against Baltimore last year with a dropped TD pass and a missed FG.

Houston maybe the #1 seed, but they've proven time and time that they are overrated. If they run into Denver or New England they WILL be eliminated. Only way Houston makes it to the AFC Championship is they meet Baltimore in the Divisional Round. They have a better shot at beating them than beating the Broncos or the Patriots. Baltimore clearly isn't the same team that they were earlier in the season, but they seem to get better come playoff time.

And I can hear the Giants fans now. Relax, I'll get to you people. Technically, The Giants should be favored to go back since they won the Super Bowl last season, but they're inconsistency plays a role. Even after beating down San Fran, Green Bay, and New Orleans, here they are up by just 1 game over Dallas and Washington. There's no guarantee that'll even win their division. They need to play perfect down the stretch to maintain their lead. So far, they're off to a good start. Giants have proven that when they get in, they can make some noise.

Outside of New York, the best team in the NFC is San Francisco. But, I have a problem with them. I don't believe in Colin Kaepernick to lead the Niners to the Super Bowl. They have a better shot with Alex Smith as their starter. You'll see. Colin can't even beat The Rams and he's got a tough match with New England this Sunday night. And, here comes Seattle with their 5-0 home record. If they steal the division from San Fran, WATCH OUT. They don't play around at home. The last time they lost at home in the playoffs was 2004. Since then, they've been 5-0.

Only reason I didn't mention Atlanta is because of their playoff past. They're 0-3 since Matty Ice took over and the last time they were the #1 seed, Green Bay beat them by 27 points. I think even Green Bay can make a push even though they haven't played up to their potential. If RG3 gets in the playoffs, things could get very interesting.

You never know what can happen come playoff time and how teams change their game.

For now, I'll still hold on to the prediction I made before the season: Denver vs San Francisco. I didn't foresee Colin Kaepernick geting the starting job by TYING with the St. Louis Rams and beating a Jay Cutler-less Chicago Bears team.

Then again, New England is the greatest team in the history of the NFL. Let's just call off Super Bowl 47 and give them the trophy. Let's save every other team the embarrassment. Right?


Feel free to Comment.

By: Gerald "Showstopper" Prophete

Week 7 Wrap-Up and look ahead to Week 8

We're almost at the end of October, and we're starting to learn a lot about these teams. Let's go through a few of the games.

Seattle 6

San Francisco 13

If there was any doubt that San Fran was still the class of the NFC West, this game should've quieted down the critics. Russell Wilson and Seattle isn't ready to dethrone San Fran in the NFC West. That defense still continues to make The Niners look strong, but Alex Smith needs to change how he does things. It's not necessarily him, but the offensive coordinator in charge. They're trying to make Alex Smith into Joe Montana. That's not his game, he proved already twice this season, that The Niners can't win games on his arm alone. He's just a game manager, nothing more, nothing less. Last season, he wasn't throwing the ball 50 times, he was just making the small plays to get his team over the hump. They gotta evaluate things cause they have to travel to Arizona Monday night.

Baltimore 13

Houston 43

I mean, this complete domination by Houston. Baltimore couldn't move the ball and they couldn't stop the Texans offensive attack. Not to mention, the defense was all over Flacco all day long. With the Ravens losing, Ray Lewis, Ledarius Webb, Haloti Ngata, and maybe Ed Reed, The Ravens are on the verge of collapsing.

But then again, I just think Baltimore had a bad day and Houston had a really good day. Nothing more, nothing less. The Ravens are on their bye next week so they have time to figure things out. Houston feels pretty good about themselves going into their bye week as well.

Washington 23

New York 27

In one of the more entertaining games of the day, RG3 took on Eli Manning in a great division battle. And to be quite honest, RG3 didn't disappoint. The Redskins, in my opinion, outplayed The Giants, but where they messed was on turnovers. Too many turnovers, too many mistakes that could've given them the win. Not like Eli played better himself throwing 2 picks, but he threw the game winning TD to Cruz for a 27-23 lead with under a minute to go.

The Redskins now know that they can beat The Giants but they can't these mistakes in doing so. They need to shape up because they have a tough challenge at Pittsburgh this Sunday. The Giants have a crucial game against The Cowboys.

New York 26

New England 29

I'll hand it to The Jets, they fought valiantly. I thought they would for sure get blown out, but their defense helped them out a little bit and kept it close. But Brady proved just why he is the man. When the game went into OT, Brady led the Pats down the field from their 20 in about 3 or 4 plays. Sanchez on the next drive got sacked and fumbled the ball giving The Patriots the win.

The Pats continue to prove their overratedness. The Jets defense isn't as good as it used to be when Rex fist started, but they still held Brady in check. Sanchez simply has nobody to throw to. The only trustworthy receiver he has is Jeremy Kerley and now that Keller is back, he'll get more help, but still needs more. Stephen Hill dropped a pass in the fourth that could've given the Jets a first down and a chance to probably win the game. The New England defense again surrendered a lead in the fourth quarter. The Pats pack their bags for London to take on......The St. Louis Rams. That should be fun to watch. The Jets have a strong division foe in Miami coming to town. 

Pittsburgh 24

Cincinnati 17

Down 14-3 on the road to a division foe, The Steelers made just enough plays to come back and get the win. Even when Big Ben threw a pick and fumbled the ball, The Steelers still didn't give up. The Bengals played solid football balancing their passing and rushing game, but it still wasn't enough. They pretty much dominated the first half, but after that, Pittsburgh took control and tipped the game back in their favor. Their defense may be old, but they still found ways to win. The Bengals are growing, but they're still not ready to take down Baltimore or Pittsburgh.

Things to learn from Week 7:

1) So far, Houston looks like the best team in the AFC. After them, the rest of the teams are struggling to find their identity. Most of them are either 4-3, or 3-4. Not bad, but not good either.

2) Arizona isn't who we thought they were. They've got one last shot to prove their still alive in the NFC West with a game at home against San Francisco.

3) The Saints and Packers are slowly getting back on track. Brees is determined to turn this team around, but I still don't believe they'll make the playoffs. The Packers are determined to prove they are still an elite team.

4) I'm still not sold on the Vikings. They're 5-2, but they've only played one division game against a Detroit team that clearly isn't the same team from last season. The jury is still out on Minnesota until they play Green Bay and Chicago.

5) Cam Newton and The Panthers are in quite a slump. Cam looked great last season, but it's not looking too good for him this season. It doesn't get any better for him playing at Chicago on Sunday.



Matchups to watch in Week 8:

Miami Dolphins at New York Jets

The Dolphins aren't the same team The Jets earlier in the season. Miami has gotten better, but playing on the road makes this a tough test. Nonetheless, with the AFC East looking so wide open, this is a must win for both teams.


Atlanta Falcons at Philadelphia Eagles

Unbeaten Atlanta goes on the road to take on The Eagles. This smells like a trap game. Philly, coming off their bye and with all their problems, are looking to do anything to get a moral victory to keep themselves relevant. They fired their defensive coordinator after blowing another fourth quarter lead to Detroit. The Falcons maybe a heavy favorite heading into this, but with a new defensive coordinator and an offense that can combat Atlanta's, this could be a trap. Then again, I could be wrong, but this is just a gut feeling. Vick needs to watch out because the Falcon's defense has been playing extremely well this season.


Washington Redskins at Pittsburgh Steelers

RG3 vs Big Ben. Two guys that can move out of the pocket and make plays with their feet. But who's mobility will help them out in this game? Playing in Pittsburgh is always tough, but with RG3's performance in New York, I can't see them getting blown out. It's going to be close, good game. Both these teams are looking to make some headway in their divisions.


New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys

I think is THE game of the weekend. This is such a crucial division match. On opening night, in New York, after the ring ceremony and all the hype and fanfare, Dallas marched in and beat The Giants. But can they do it again? Eli Manning and The Giants have beaten Romo three straight seasons in Dallas' new stadium, if that means anything. The Cowboys NEED this win for themselves. If they sweep The Giants, I predict that they just might win the division. The Giants already lost to Philly, but I feel like Dallas is the more prominent threat here. Giants fans may think they have in the bag, but I wouldn't be too sure about that. It's hard to predict, but with all due respect to RG3 and Michael Vick, the winner of this game wins the NFC East.


New Orleans Saints at Denver Broncos

Now, THIS is going to a good one. So many storylines heading into this one: Peyton Manning vs Drew Brees for the first time since Super Bowl 46, and you know Peyton still wants his payback from that. After what Drew Brees did to the Bucs, can the Denver defense stop The Saints' offense? Can Denver win a game without spotting the opponent 20 points and have to rely on another comeback win? Can The Saints handle the altitude at mile high? All this and more equal one hell of a Sunday night game. If The Saints want to make the playoffs, they need this win, and with a 3-3 record, The Broncos also need this win.



San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals

The Niners already put down Seattle, and now they face Arizona. The Niners can take full command of this division with a win here. If Arizona wants to remain relevant and prove that they are who we thought they were, they need to win this game.


Pretty much the theme of Week 8 is must win. For most teams, is must win to keep themselves relevant and staying alive hoping to make the playoffs. We'll see just who wants it more this Sunday.

NFL Week 6 Recap and Week 7 Preview

Another weekend of NFL Football in the books, and it's time for the weekly recap and a look ahead to Week 7.

Denver 35

San Diego 24

Peyton Manning and The Broncos were down 24-0 at halftime due to numerous mistakes on special teams, and miscues on the offense. The defense dominated as well returning a pick for a TD on Manning. This was looking at last week all over again. But then, they played the second half.

The Broncos outscored the Chargers 35-0 in the second half. Manning came out and took command of the offense throwing 3 TD passes, the defense adjusted and picked off Rivers 4 times including a Pick 6. Peyton Manning completes the biggest comeback of his career and Rivers and the Chargers have the biggest meltdown I've ever seen.

Peyton makes The Colts look more foolish everyday and now the Broncos sit atop the AFC West.

Oakland 23

Atlanta 20

Whether you want to believe it or not, the Falcons may just be the best team in Football. They just find ways to win. Ryan throws 3 picks in the first half and down 3 with 18 seconds to go in the game, Matty Ice leads his team down the field allowing Matt Bryant to kick the game winning FG. The one thing that stands out about this team now is that their defense has gotten extremely better from last season. They make the big plays, force turnovers, and force pressure. Even when their offense is slow, their defense now has the ability to bail them out. At 6-0, these Falcons are tough to beat.

New York 26

San Francisco 3

Where do I start, The Niners were just beat down. Nobody runs on The Niners, but the Giants ran all over them. Their defense came up big and picked off Alex Smith three times and showed the world their win in the NFC Championship was no fluke. Smith tried to do too much, they didn't run the ball enough, and got embarrassed in their own home town. With Seattle coming in next week, they need to get their act together. 

Dallas 29

Baltimore 31

The Cowboys ran for over 200 yards on the Ravens defense, Romo and Dez had big games, and they still lost. Their offense in the end couldn't get it together and had bad clock management which cost them a game winning FG. The self destruct in Dallas is on. I don't think they should've lost that game. Dez dropped a 2 point conversion that could've sent the game in OT, and there isn't a doubt that Dallas would've lost.

But the real story is the loss of defensive players on the Ravens defense. First, they lose Suggs and they lost Ray Lewis and Ledarius Webb. Three players that make their defense as good as it is. They only go as their defense takes them. I won't be surprised if they start losing games now.

New England 23

Seattle 24

The matchup between the best defense in the league and the best offense in the league didn't disappoint. Brady and company looked like they were moving the ball just fine leading 14-10, but then it was 17-10, 20-10, 23-10, so the game was never really out of reach for Seattle. Russel Wilson went off and played like a vet making plays in the fourth quarter coming up clutch throwing 2 TD passes and giving his team the 24-23 lead. The Seattle defense finished New England off by dropping Brady and forcing a fumble. 

Things to take in from Week 6:

1) Houston is an overrated team. The first good team they play, they get 40 dropped on them.

2) The title for best team in the NFL is currently up for grabs between the Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, and the New York Giants.

3) The NFC West is the most competitive division in Football with some great defense being played. San Francisco is still the class of the division, but if any team can challenge them, it will be Seattle.

4) Peyton Manning proved that he's still got it and that the AFC West is all but his.

Matchups to watch in Week 7:

Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers

The two best defenses in the NFL going head-to-head. I said it before, if any team can dethrone San Francisco, it's Seattle. Either The Niners will rebound in a big way, or Russel Wilson and the Seahawks will prove they are for real and knock off San Fran in their home stadium. First place for the NFC West is up for grabs as well.


New York Jets at New England Patriots

Another battle for first place. The Jets currently have the top spot in the AFC East, but unfortunately for them, they have to travel to New England to face Tom Brady and the Patriots. It's not going to be easy. The Patriots are going to be looking to rebound and it's not often that New England loses 2 games in a row.


Washington Redskins at New York Giants

The Redskins swept The Giants last season and now their team is even better. The Giants always struggle against The Redskins and RG3 and Co. are looking to take command of the top spot in the NFC East with a win. The Giants are looking to continue their path to the Super Bowl again with a win.   It'll be interesting to see if RG3 will run on The Giants.


Baltimore Ravens at Houston Texans

After the beatdown Green Bay laid on Houston, they're looking to rebound. I would say Ravens have this easy, but with the losses on defense and the fact that they allowed over 200 yards on the ground, if the Texans run the ball with Foster, it could be a long day. Flacco might have to win the game with his arm. The Texans defense isn't as unbeatable as previously thought. Should be a good one.


Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals

Both teams are coming off loses and are looking to gain some momentum in the AFC North. I say Pittsburgh is a better team than Cincinnati, but I don't know if they'll win this game.



With four to five pivotal division games, we're going to see a shift in the balance of power in the NFL this Sunday.


Feel free to Comment.


By: Gerald "Showstopper" Prophete

NFL Week 5 Wrap-Up and Week 6 Preview

This won't be the usual NFL reaction blog post that I always do because it's a little late in the week to go in-depth with Sunday's games. So, I'm just gonna wrap-up the week really quickly and summarize the week that was.

Things to take in from Week 5:

1) Through five games, Houston may just be the best team in Football, but they aren't unstoppable. Denver did so in Week 3, and the Jets proved that last Monday night. They're the only two teams Houston hasn't blown out.

2) The NFC West maybe one of the toughest divisions in the NFL. People can talk about Seattle's defense all they want, but I think San Francisco has the best defense in the NFL. Their only bane is that their rush defense isn't magnificent, but they have a deadly defensive line. Arizona is still lurking around there as well so this should be an interesting race.

3) Denver's defense needs to be fixed ASAP. Lucky for them, the AFC West is a winnable division, but if they expect to go far, or even get to the playoffs, this defense needs to get fixed. 

4) The Indianapolis Colts have one impressive football team. Coming back from 18 down and defeating Green Bay in exciting fashion is something to be proud of. The jury is still out on whether or not they can challenge Houston for the division, but they don't play each other until December so it's not a topic to talk about right now.

5) Good teams find ways to win: Atlanta, Pittsburgh, New Orleans and New York come to mind. 

- Pittsburgh could barely move the ball in the first half, but they came back to win against Philly in the last seconds. 

- Same thing with Pittsburgh applies to Atlanta, and once they got their act together, they got it going like they only know how.

- The Saints were down 10 in the 3rd, but there wasn't a doubt they wouldn't win, and they came back to win.

- The Giants were down 14 in the first quarter against The Browns and ended up winning by 14. 

Matchups to watch in Week 6:

New York Giants at San Francisco 49ers

A rematch of the NFC Championship game. The Niners will be out for redemption and The Giants will be out to prove that beating them was no fluke. Should be a classic. The Niners have more offense than they did last postseason, and The Giants will be without Nicks again, should be interesting to see.

New England Patriots at Seattle Seahawks

The Patriots lead the league in total offensive yards. The Seahawks are statistically the best defense in the league right now. Something has to give. Seattle has always been a tough place to play. New England should keep that in mind.

Green Bay Packers at Houston Texans

Aaron Rodgers vs The Houston Texans defense. We already saw how Rodgers struggles against a tough defense like San Fran. Houston is every bit as physical. The game is in Houston in Primetime. I don't like Green Bay's chances. 

Indianapolis Colts at New York Jets

Andrew Luck takes The Colts to New York to face The Jets. This is a very intriguing game. It's Luck's second road game and this is the same team that beat Green Bay. I think they pose a matchup problem for The Jets. The Jets can't defend the run as good as they use to and with Revis out, I think Wayne is a bad matchup for someone like Cromartie. Besides, Luck has a few weapons to spread the ball around to. A win on the road against a team like The Jets could be something BIG.

Sanchez is throwing to a whole new group of receivers. No Holmes, or Keller. The Jets need this win for themselves. They're struggling to find their identity and win against The Colts could be the thing they need to get back in the AFC East race. A loss is something I don't think they can recover from.

Dallas Cowboys at Baltimore Ravens

Dallas needs to bounce back after that poor showing against Chicago. Baltimore defense isn't as good as Chicago's but Romo is still in trouble. I think Romo will have a bounce back game, but they won't win. The Ravens are a better team than The Cowboys.

Denver Broncos at San Diego Chargers

Monday Night Football in San Diego. This is just all bad for Peyton Manning. For starters, it's in San Diego, Peyton Manning struggles against The Chargers, and his defense can't stop a nosebleed. Brady and The Patriots moved the ball at will against Denver. This is a division game, so Denver's defense needs to come prepared to contain Philip Rivers and Ryan Matthews. If they play like they did against New England; allowing 17 yard runs on 3rd and 15, not getting off the field on 3rd downs, not defending slants and underneath passes, and not tackling they're going to get blown out. Without question. Look at Peyton Manning's last appearance on MNF. Nuff said.



Week 6 is going to say a lot about some teams.


Feel free to Comment.


By: Gerald "Showstopper" Prophete

NFL Predictions

You can feel it, you can smell it, you can almost taste it. Ok, let me not get that carried away. But Football season is definitely the most anticipated season of any major sport. I mean, it's really not that close, but let me not drag on that. The season starts Wednesday when the defending Super Bowl Champion New York Giants take on the Dallas Cowboys. Then Sunday, the first full slate of games begins.

Everybody always makes predictions and I know what you're saying, "The season didn't even start yet. We should wait until they play the games first." Blah blah blah. Although you never really know what to expect from the NFL these days, it's always fun to pretend and make your own predictions on what you think will happen.

So, let's get right to it!






AFC East - New England Patriots

Even with that defense being as bad as it is, we forget The New England Patriots have Tom Brady. The man has yet to miss the playoffs. And now he has a TON of new weapons to throw to.

Let's be real, nobody in this division can stop New England. Miami is starting a rookie QB who'll probably be shown the bench in Week 3, or 4. The Buffalo Bills have an unhealthy habit of starting off strong, but never being able to finish that way. And The New York Jets, well the only reason they even stay in some of their games is because of their defense. The Mark Sanchez project has run its course. I think this team will have a better shot at winning the division if they start Tebow. I mean, did anybody else see how badly this team played in the preseason? Either they're really going to be that bad, or we've all been fooled and this team will surprise everybody.




AFC West - Denver Broncos

Two words: Peyton Manning. People have been criticizing Manning for quite some time as to if he would have any juice left in the tank. I think his play this preseason shut down a good portion of his critics. I mean, come on, it's Peyton Manning. It's not Brett Favre coming out of retirement.....again.

Back to the point, Manning pretty much has everything he didn't have in Indy: a solid running game that finished first last season, a good defense, and an O-Line that will give him time to throw. The Raiders won't be winning again. With Palmer at the helm, they....well let's just say they were better off waiting for Jason Campbell to return from his injuries. X them out. Even though their defense is going to be beastly this season, The Chiefs don't have the offensive consistency to back it up. X them out of the equation as well. And now we have the San Diego Chargers. This may be the one team to give Denver a challenge. Why? Because Peyton Manning doesn't do so well against The Chargers. He's 3-5 against them in the regular season and 0-2 against them in the playoffs. If any team is going to be a threat to Peyton Manning and The Broncos, I think it very well may be San Diego.


AFC North - Baltimore Ravens

This was tough for me to choose. The Ravens had a great season, but came up just a little short against New England. I still think they should've won that game, but whatever. Nonetheless, looking at the schedules of both Baltimore and Pittsburgh, I think Baltimore can make an early run with 3 of their first 4 games being at home. Steelers are on the road in 3 of their first five games. And of course, we have to keep an eye on the one-on-one matchups which are always fun to watch. I think Baltimore has the edge in defense here. I think their defense is every bit as powerful as Pittsburgh's. Flacco has a lot to prove this season when he said he should be mentioned in the main crop of QB's. I think he will be fine, but Pittsburgh will always be right there ready to move up if they make any sort of mistake. The Steelers haven't lost a step like people have said.

The Browns are starting this Brandon Wheedon kid. I still say Colt McCoy is a better Quarterback, but I guess Cleveland will learn from their mistake. The Bengals had a breakout season making the playoffs despite having Pittsburgh and Baltimore in their division. This team is capable of holding their own against those two powerhouses, but winning is a whole other story.


AFC South - Houston Texans

With a healthy Matt Schaub, this team can go places. With a healthy Matt Schaub, Houston might have gone to the Super Bowl last season. They really are that good. They're a complete team: they have the QB, the superstar wide receiver, the superstar running back, and a very, very physical defense that finished in the top 5 last season. They're ready to make it all the way and no team in this division can stop that. It all depends on whether or not Schaub stays healthy.

Jacksonville has Blaine Gabbert. Enough said. The Colts are starting over with Andrew Luck, and as good as he has looked in the preseason, I don't see Indy making the playoffs. The Tennessee Titans may be a viable opponent now that Jake Locker is starting. This guy is the real deal.


Wild Card: Tennessee Titans, Pittsburgh Steelers


So, here's how I see the overall ratings stacking up for the AFC.

1. New England Patriots
2. Houston Texans
3. Denver Broncos
4. Baltimore Ravens
5. Pittsburgh Steelers
6. Tennessee Titans



NFC East - New York Giants

As much as I hate to admit this, I can't see The Giants not making the playoffs. Their schedule is extremely brutal, but they did win the Super Bowl last season. This entire team now has an identity. They aren't just a team that gets by on luck anymore, but this season will say alot about them. Let's see if they can make it back to the promise land.

As far as competition is concerned, I think it will forever be the Dallas Cowboys. The Redskins are starting over with RG3, but I wouldn't be surprised if they win 6-7 games themselves. The Eagles are good, but Vick can't seem to stay healthy. They finished so strong last season, people had them already winning the division this season. But I don't share everybody's sentiments. Vick is already banged up and the NFC East plays the AFC North this season and that means games against Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Cincy. I don't think Philly is complete enough to get past that. That brings us back to Dallas. Their defense has gotten better and when Romo has all the pieces around him, they can be tough to beat. Dallas, for all we know, should've swept New York last season, but it didn't happen. This is a whole new season. I understand New York are the defending champs, but Dallas can be the team to beat them. But they need to turn up the intensity this season. With all the other good teams in the NFC, Dallas needs to win the division to get in the playoffs.


NFC West - San Francisco 49ers

Jim Harbaugh gave this team an extreme makeover. The defense was outstanding and Alex Smith was a great game manager. He didn't throw for an insane number of yards, but he managed the game with great efficiency. This team was a number of fluky plays away from a Super Bowl bid, maybe even a Super Bowl Championship. They can only go up from here, and I think that's what this team will do. I think alot of people expect this team to hit a slump after such a great season, but I beg to differ, this team has the tools to be a contender for years to come.

The Rams are not even in this discussion. Their season ended before it even got started. The Cardinals have a solid receiving core and an a solid defense, but their only bane is that at the Quarterback position. And I don't know how long it's going to take for them to see that Kevin Kolb is not the answer. The Seahawks have a solid shot, but I figured they would start Matt Flynn, but they chose to go with Russell Wilson. I don't how wise of a move that is, but I wouldn't be surprised if it backfires in their face.




NFC North - Green Bay Packers

As long as The Packers have Aaron Rodgers, they won't be going anywhere anytime soon. The Packers offense is still one of the best in the NFL, one that's hard to stop, and their defense may not be amazing, but they get the job done when they have to. Their promising season ended in disappointment, but they have the chance to rebound this season. They have a good slate of Home games early on in the season, and Green Bay plays well at Home.

The Packers only competition is the Chicago Bears. The main reason Chicago missed the playoffs last season is because Jay Cutler got injured. With Jay Cutler healthy and at the helm, The Bears are dangerous. Cutler is an essential QB that has amazing command of the offense and with Brandon Marshall back with him, the rest of the league better watch out. The Vikings are going to have Adrian Peterson back, but that won't be enough. The Detroit Lions had a good season last season, but I don't think they'll repeat their success.

This division is going to go through Chicago and Green Bay. Chicago has more winnable games that Green Bay, but head-to-head, I'm giving a slight edge to Rodgers and Co. The Bears should win this division, but that's why we play the games.


NFC South - New Orleans Saints

Experts and other critics have suspended thoughts of The Saints being as good as they were last season not only because of the scandal, but then we have the absence of Sean Payton, Gregg Williams, and several other players and front office people. But we all forget, The Saints have Drew Brees. Doesn't matter who's coaching him, Drew Brees will continue to put up the numbers that we know he can put up. And let's not forget that they went unbeaten at Home last season. They transform into this super powered Behemoth when they're at Home. They're almost unstoppable.

The other teams in this division have gotten better, but not enough to match up with New Orleans. I think Cam Newton and his boys are going to have a repeat of last season. Newton puts up insane numbers, but defense lets him down in the end. The Tampa Bay Bucs added some new pieces, but they always seem to be the team that "almost made it." I don't see them going anywhere either. The Atlanta Falcons are the only threat, but even then I think New Orleans beats them in every category. As good as Matt Ryan and Co. are, when it comes down to New Orleans and Atlanta, New Orleans has their number.


Wild Card: Chicago Bears, Atlanta Falcons


So, here how I see the NFC stacking up when all is said and done.

1. Green Bay Packers
2. New Orleans Saints
3. San Francisco 49ers
4. New York Giants
5. Chicago Bears
6. Atlanta Falcons

AFC Championship Prediction: Denver Broncos vs New England Patriots

Let's be honest here, Peyton Manning is the savior of this Broncos team. The Colts team that he consistently led to the playoffs had no solid run game and an aggressive defense. These are essential tools you will need to move forward in the playoffs and if the Broncos could make it to the second round with Tebow, imagine how far they can go in the playoffs with Peyton Manning. There in lies the question, how does Peyton Manning do with this new team against Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and New England? I think they can get to the AFC Championship with this team.

As for the reason as to why I have New England here is because I see Peyton Manning and his crew taking Houston out of the playoffs before they can even see the AFC Championship game. I gave Houston the #2 seed and Denver #3. I see Denver beating whoever they face in the first round and going to Houston. And when it comes down to the Houston Texans vs Peyton Manning, I'm taking Peyton Manning every time.

New England is here basically because I think The Broncos will take Houston down. The Patriots have Tom Brady but they also have an easy schedule. How convenient. They always seem to have an easy schedule. And when it comes to a home game, New England is visibly hard to go up against. I mean look at last year's AFC Championship game. Baltimore should've gone to the Super Bowl, but the Homefield Advantage is a factor because you get those calls when you play at home. And if by some weird twist of fate, Houston and Denver don't make it to the AFC Championship, it's gotta be New England winning again. But not this year, Peyton Manning is out to shut a lot of people up and it starts with this.

Tom Brady vs Peyton Manning, once again, for the AFC Championship. Could you dream up any scenario better than that?

NFC Championship Prediction: San Francisco 49ers vs Chicago Bears

Don't adjust your monitor. Your eyes are not deceiving you. The Chicago Bears will take on San Francisco. Before people jump on me, let's look at this for a second.

I already don't have The Giants repeating, and I have them facing Chicago in the first round of the playoffs. The Bears defense will be more than enough to slow The Giants offense down. And I know how The Giants have a habit of finishing the season strong and getting into the playoffs, but Jay Cutler and these Bears are of a different breed and can overpower The Giants. I think this team is ready to bounce back from the loss against Green Bay in the NFC Championship game a couple years ago. Besides, the last time The Giants entered the playoffs as Super Bowl Champions, they lost in the first round to Philly. Nonetheless, I see them getting past New York and knocking off Green Bay in Green Bay.

The Niners are an exceptionally gifted team and I believe this team can get back to the NFC Championship with this defense, this run game and with Alex Smith managing the game. Like I said before, Jim Harbaugh has changed this team and they are better than people have expected. They upset New Orleans and probaly should've beaten New York. But I see the rematch that everybody wants and that is New Orleans vs San Francisco, and I see the same result happening. The Niners defeat The Saints. I mean, I like Drew Brees and The Saints, and I understand how good New Orleans is at Home, but I think The Niners are that much better.

That being said, I see Chicago traveling to San Francisco for a classic NFC Championship game.

Super Bowl Predictions: Denver Broncos vs San Francisco 49ers

People can call me a Homer all they want, but I understand how good The Broncos are. A lot of people underestimate how good certain teams can be. The Broncos with a good QB probably would've beaten New England and maybe Baltimore. But with Peyton Manning, the possibilities are endless. Manning is going to have a phenomenal comeback season and cap it off with winning his second Super Bowl Championship.

I respect The Niners and Jim Harbaugh for what they've accomplished, but when you face somebody like Peyton Manning, it's a tall task. But their only saving grace is that Peyton is only 1-1 in the Super Bowl. The Niners have that no nonsense, rugged defense, but I saw what Manning did to said defense in the preseason.

The pieces are there. All Denver has to do is make the right moves and hope to not get checkmated earlier than they want.





Feel free to Comment.


By Gerald "Showstopper" Prophete

Thoughts on NFL Schedule

This has been a long overdue post, but here it is anyway. The NFL Schedule was released last Tuesday and man, there was A LOT of buzz about it already. Now, I'm not gonna go through the entire schedule. I'm just going to give some feedback on some of the games that I find interesting, along with my thoughts of which team starts 0-2.


Now, let's start with Week 1:

Wednesday, Sept 5th: 

Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants

Sunday, Sept 9th:

Chicago Bears at Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars at Minnesota Vikings

Buffalo Bills at New York Jets

Miami Dolphins at Houston Texans

New England Patriots at Tennessee Titans

St. Louis Rams at Detroit Lions

Washington Redskins at New Orleans Saints

Philadelphia Eagles at Cleveland Browns

Atlanta Falcons at Kansas City Chiefs

San Francisco 49ers at Green Bay Packers

Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos

Monday, Sept. 10th:

Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens

San Diego Chargers at Oakland Raiders

From top to bottom, looking at every single game from Week 1, the one game that really JUMPS out at me is The Niners heading to Lambeau Field to battle Green Bay. I mean, could you ask for a better match in the first week of the season? This is essentially a playoff game here. The Niners came off a great season and had a case of bad luck and the same can be said for Green Bay. Both teams are clearly going to get better, and it's going to be really amazing to see how Aaron Rodgers competes against The Niners defense. To take it a step further, it'll be even more interesting seeing how Alex Smith connects with his new receivers. We're in store for a treat in Week 1.

Continuing on with the schedule, The Giants and Cowboys open the season. Now, this a BIG statement game for both teams. The Giants already have an insanely tough schedule as it is, and a win against Dallas would make quite the statement. A win for Dallas would be an even bigger statement. It's the fact that they came into the Giants' Home stadium on the night where they raise the banner I believe and if they can escape with a win, that can damage the Giants' psyche. Not to mention, they travel to Seattle the week after which is not an easy place to play. Dallas can't afford to start 0-2.

Let's go a little further with this. The Pittsburgh Steelers start their season in the same place they ended it: Denver. But this time, they're not facing Tebow, they're facing Peyton Manning. That is a different level without a doubt. If Peyton Manning shows up and plays like the Peyton Manning we all know, the Steelers don't stand a chance, and that's putting it nicely. That may sound a bit arrogant, but let's be honest here. Peyton Manning is arguably one the best QBs of all time and can turn nobodys into superstars. Imagine what he'll do with guys like Decker and Thomas. But, if Manning plays like a man that's had five neck surgeries, he could be in for a long season. They start with Pittsburgh and then travel to Atlanta where Matt Ryan is seemingly undefeated. I can't imagine the media coverage if Peyton Manning and the Broncos start 0-2.

What about the rookies? Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III. Peyton Manning's old team, The Colts host The Bears and what a game to welcome Andrew Luck into the league. He's gonna have Urlacher, Briggs, and Peppers all coming after him. I'll be watching this one. And then we have RGIII vs The Saints. If they presumably make Griffin the starter, this another Welcome to the NFL game for the rookie, playing against The Saints in the Super Dome. The rookie sensations are in for some tough tests to start up the season.

Another slate of games that people usually can't wait for is Thanksgiving Day. People will make plans weeks or months in advance to make sure they're ready and have everything set when the weekend arrives. Well, this year, this may be the best slate of Thanksgiving games in quite some time. Here's how it looks:

Houston Texans at Detroit Lions

Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys

New England Patriots at New York Jets

My goodness. I mean, you wake up, shower, get dressed and the day starts off with The Texans and The Lions. Two young QBs, two great offenses, and two aggressive defenses going at it. And let's not forget we have the two best receivers in the league facing off: Calvin Johnson and Andre Johnson. The Texans are looking like a team that can get back to the playoffs and the same goes for Detroit. The Lions finally at a stage where they aren't the team that'll be easy to beat anymore. They're now a legitimate threat in the NFC and this should be a slobber-knocker.

But it doesn't end there, RGIII (maybe) leads The Redskins into Dallas to face the Cowboys. The Redskins improved a great deal last season and if they start RGIII and he really lives up to the hype, then this should be an interesting game. Besides, these guys always give Dallas fits.

And then, there's the night game. When the Turkey and Stuffing has been put away, you got The Jets and The Patriots. What a game to close out the night on Thanksgiving. Ever since Rex Ryan took over The Jets, he's made them more a challenge to The Patriots, that is until last season when they got swept and that includes an embarrassing 21 point blowout in New York. But now, there's an interesting story added to this: Tim Tebow. I think it's a foregone conclusion that a lot of people believe Tebow can steal the starting job from Mark Sanchez sooner than later and...well, that would make things very interesting. Tebow vs Brady on Thanksgiving Day? Enough said. It'll be a Zoo and the media will eat it up. Look at how ESPN reacted when Tebow was getting ready to face Brady last season. They talked about Tebow the whole day pretty much and ESPN2 had like a 3-Hour long "Life of Tim Tebow" thing.


Playoff Teams that might start 0-2


Now, another thing I noticed about this schedule is that some teams have a lot of tough back to back games.

The Broncos have The Steelers Week 1 and go to Atlanta to face Matt Ryan where, at Home, he's nearly invincible. It would behoove Peyton Manning and The Broncos to be on their A-Game, it's not going to be good for them if they start 0-2.

Speaking of Matt Ryan, he needs to be careful as well. His woes on the road have been his Achilles Heel and he opens the season at Kansas City. A lot of people may not think that this game is that big of a deal, but The Chiefs defense was lethal towards the end of the season when Crennel took over as The Head Coach. If The Falcons fall to the Chiefs, they have to rebound against Peyton Manning.

The 49ers have a tough game against Green Bay, and the week after host the Detroit Lions and if you remember what happened the last time these two teams faced off, you'll understand why this game is even more interesting.

While we're on Green Bay, they came off a disappointing playoff loss to the Giants and start off with The Niners who are every bit as physical. And then, they host The Chicago Bears the week after. With Cutler, Forte, and Knox back healthy and the addition of Brandon Marshall, a win that looked easy, might not be as easy as people think.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are also in a bind as well. Not only do they have to start the season in Denver, but they now have Peyton Manning to deal with and this is no small feat to overcome. The week after, they host The New York Jets. The last time these two played was in the AFC Championship game last year. And in the Regular Season, The Jets beat Pittsburgh IN Pittsburgh. Two must win games indeed.

And since we're on The Jets, they're in a state of total disarray. Some team players don't like Sanchez, and now you have the signing of Tim Tebow. These are two important games for Mark Sanchez, he has to prove himself in order to keep his job. The Bills aren't as easy as people think. The Bills have a habit of coming out of the gate Hot, but cooling down later on in the season. The Jets better take them seriously, because if they don't, Pittsburgh will be waiting for them and it's not gonna be easy for Mark. He struggled at the end of last season and these first few games don't do him any favors: Bills, Steelers, Dolphins, 49ers and The Texans. If the Jets end up 2-3, 1-4, or God Forbid, 0-5, the fans will clamor for Tebow without hesitation. Sanchez won't make it to The Jets bye week and the way this schedule is lined up, it looks like the beginning of the end.


So, there you have it, all my thoughts on the schedule. I can't really say a lot more than this until the Draft, and ultimately until preseason. All in all, this is going to be a fun season like always.


Feel free to Comment.


By: Gerald "Showstopper" Prophete