NFL Week 4 Predictions!!

Week 4 of the NFL!

Ok, I was wrong about The Rams, but right about The Niners winning the game. I gotta say, I thought The Rams were gonna be at least decent this year. They have the talent and an ok defense, but they're still The Rams. I wanna give Bradford the benefit of the doubt here, but I'm starting to lose faith in him myself. Niners dominated them 35-11. Looking back on what they used to be, The Rams are sad. 

Time to get into Week 4 with my picks! Got some very interesting games on the schedule.

Baltimore @ Buffalo 

- The Ravens have struggled to consistently score points and produce in the passing game. Last week, they had a spark putting up 30 against The Texans. The Ravens sorely miss the presence of Jacoby Jones. Flacco pretty much just throws in the direction of Torrey Smith as his other receivers aren't a sure thing. I see them trying to get Dallas Clark more involved. Clark has a habit of dropping passes, but I believe he should be involved a little more to provide some stability to that passing game. The Bills looked good in their showing against The Jets. E.J. Manuel is solid young QB, but their team is a liability defensively. Playing in Buffalo will be a challenge because that crowd can get rowdy. I fully believe The Ravens will go into Buffalo and get the job done. Won't be surprised if the Bills don't go down without a fight. 

Prediction: Ravens defeat Bills

Cincy @ Cleveland

UPSET ALERT!

- This game is gonna be a lot closer than people think. Cleveland actually beat Cincy by 10 in Cleveland last season. The Brows always play their divisional foes tough and this in-state rivalry is always fun to watch. At Home, Cleveland's defense gets a much needed boost and plays well. Their pass rush and ability in the secondary can be underrated at times. Nothing special, but a bend, don't break type of defense. The Browns have found bonafide weapons in Bess, Little, and Jordan Cameron. Cameron is gonna be huge for them in this game. Hoyer is gonna throw a lot of passes his way. Cameron might be a difficult match up, even for Cincy's great defensive players. 

We already know how good the Bengals defense is. Hoyer is gonna struggle early on trying to pass on this team, or even get the pass off because of Cincy's Front 7, but it's all about adjustments. I think The Browns, coming off a last second win in Minnesota, are feeling good right now and are ready to take that next step with Hoyer. I'm not saying they'll win the division or anything, but I'll take them to win this game over Cincy. Dalton will get his points throwing to his weapons like Sanu and of course AJ, but in Cleveland, I think this one goes to The Browns. That's my upset pick of the week. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong. The Bengals will definitely get theirs back in Cincinnati. 

Prediction: Browns defeat Bengals

Chicago @ Detroit

- Another interesting one. The Bears are 3 years removed from being in the NFC Championship and finishing off Jay Cutler's nice reign as the Bears QB. They haven't even been back in the playoffs since. Now, here they sit at 3-0, heading to 2-1 Detroit, a team that also wants to get back to the playoffs. Most of the Lions receivers are injured. Stafford's primary weapons will be Megatron and Ryan Broyles, who had a good showing last week. I think The Lions will be able to adjust and produce points in the passing game. Cutler has shown that he can produce points and effectively throw the ball down field if he has time in the pocket. I think this game will come down to the battle of turnover. Which team can cause that fumble, or make that interception to put the other team away. The Bears scored 23 points off turnovers against Pittsburgh. I want to give this game to Detroit because they're at home, but I don't believe they can get it done. Chicago has just a better team, and their defense will be the key to this one. If they can stop Megatron, which is HARD to do, they've got this one. I have Chicago going 4-0.

Prediction: Bears defeat Lions

Seattle @ Houston

- Seattle is DOMINANT at Home, but this a true test to see if they can play the same on the road. We've got two hard hitting teams that like to force turnovers, really bring the pressure and close some gaps to bottle up the running game. Matt Schaub will have a hard time against this #1 ranked Seattle defense. They can really rush the passer and their hard hitting secondary is so lethal. The Houston secondary on the other hand is also pretty good. Wilson will get his. He's got the receivers to do so. This is the same Houston team that let Christian Ponder and AP torch them last season. I predict Wilson be rattled at first, but once he adjust to their defense, he'll get his. He can also hand it off to Lynch and let him do this thing if anything. Houston is good home team, but I like the Seahawks in this game. 

Prediction: Seahawks defeat Texans

Indy @ JAX

- The Colts just came off a dominating win on the road against a formidable opponent, The San Francisco 49ers, blowing them out 27-7. They're looking good and Andrew Luck is showing no signs of a sophomore slump. The Jaguars maybe one of the worst teams, but they do play Divisional foes tough. But it's always a safe bet to take the team playing against Jacksonville. The Colts win this one and move to 3-1. I'm really intrigued to see Indy play Houston in Week 9 to really test how far they've come. They need this win because they're next three games are a doozie: Hosting Seattle, on the road against San Diego, and then the BIG one, Week 7 hosting Peyton Manning and The Denver Broncos. A win here could prepare them for the tough stretch and at least keep their record strong.

Prediction: Colts defeat Jaguars

NYG @ KC

-  The Giants have been playing badly. No better way to put it than that. Eli already leads the league in turnovers, and their defensive gives up a ton of points. This resulted in them being 0-3. And now they go to 3-0 Kansas City. The reason I don't fully believe in The Chiefs is because Alex Smith doesn't take a lot of chances. Alex Smith is Mr. Checkdown. He throws those slants, bootlegs, and intermediate passes, he never attempts any passes down the field even though he has a receiver like Dwayne Bowe on his team. He took some chances with The Niners, but not so much with KC. What if The Giants take away those short passes? Smith will have to throw down the field and sometimes he can do it effectively, and sometimes he can't. If Smith just throws 5 yard pass after 5 yard pass and moves down the field, Giants won't be able to win because Smith is efficient in this kind of offense. This is why it works for him. 

It's hard to choose, but if The Giants can't beat a team like Carolina, who probably isn't going anywhere this season, how can they beat a team that's tactical offensively and aggressive defensively like The Chiefs? I'm gonna make a bold prediction and pick The Giants. The Chiefs are a good team, but The Giants are gonna want this game a little more and play with some fire. At least, I think they will. They very well could lay an egg like last week. But I can't see them starting off 0-4. I'll take The G-Men in a close one. 

Prediction: Giants defeat Chiefs

Pittsburgh @ Minnesota

- Oh yes, The London Game. Two teams that haven't played up to their expectations. The Vikings offense runs through Adrian Peterson which makes them one-dimensional because The Vikings passing game isn't as good as it was last season with Percy Harvin opening up more opportunities. The Steelers, on the other hand, haven't looked at least decent. They've had poor showings in all their games so far. You could say Ben has no weapons, or because his lost his Center, he doesn't get the protection he needs. This is a weird game, there's no clear cut one-sided winner in this one. Vikings have an Ace with A.P. but Pittsburgh won't start off the season 0-4. I'll take The Steelers. Ben finds some rhythm in the passing game and he makes enough plays to lead his team to the W.

Prediction: Steelers defeat Vikings

Arizona @ Tampa Bay

- Poor Josh Freeman. Getting benched and a rookie starting over him. I don't really watch College Football anymore so I can't comment on whether or not this kid is good. He'll have his hands full. Arizona definitely has a solid defense and rattle the young guy. The battle between Fitz and Revis will interesting to watch. The kid's got some weapons in Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams, but how will he fare against this Arizona defense? I think it'll be a rough outing for this young guy and Carson Palmer's team gets the win. The Cardinals are just a better Football team than Tampa Bay. The struggles will continue for The Bucs.

Prediction: Cardinals defeat Buccaneers

NYJ @ Tennessee

- This is gonna be an interesting one. Both teams are 2-1, both young QB's have been playing well so far this season. The Jets have played well against the run, but they haven't faced a running back like Chris Johnson yet. I believe they'll limit his runs and the game will be in Locker's hands. Locker's receiving core has been inconsistent. Kenny Britt hasn't played like Kenny Britt we've seen in the past, but Nate Washington has come on as a go to guy. Either him, or Kendall Wright. Locker is a young stud of a QB and definitely opened some eyes leading the offense in that comeback win against San Diego. I think Geno has found another weapon besides Holmes, in Hill. 

I see a nice defensive struggle in the early going as it should be. The Titans defense do a great job of rushing the passer and disrupting the QB's rhythm. If The Jets offensive line can give Geno some time, he can expose The Titans soft spot in the defense and make some plays over the middle and produce some points. Can Locker put up points against this team? He'll struggle to put up points because of his inconsistent receivers, but if he can get into a rhythm and make some plays down the field and his guys show up, they can pull this one out. 

Both defenses will be the key in this game. When you have two young QB's, it's all about who makes the first mistake and who makes that one big play. I like the way Geno's been playing, his poise in the pocket, and his arm. I like Locker's ability and efficiency. This is gonna be a good one. But in Tennessee, I gotta give the edge to The Titans. 

Prediction: Titans defeat Jets

Philly @ Denver

- Philadelphia is an inconsistent team that can't play defense. Their offense is fast, they've got a great running attack with Lesean McCoy, and can move down the field. But again, they can't play defense. The Broncos pass rush can also be inconsistent, so Vick may find some lanes to run in and make some plays in the passing game. Denver, on the other hand, looks like they're gonna go Undefeated. They are an offensive juggernaut with Peyton Manning at the helm and that defense is lethal now and they're still missing some pieces. Imagine how dangerous they'll be once everybody's back and healthy. In Denver, Peyton will have his way with this defense. Sure Philly will make some plays and get off the field and rattle Manning in a little, but once all is said and done, it'll come down to whether or not The Eagles defense can stop Peyton Manning. Something no team has been able to do yet. I got Denver going 4-0. Too much offense, too much Manning, and don't underestimate that defense. It's Philly's #1 rushing offense vs Denver's #1 rushing defense. Something's gotta give here. 

Prediction: Broncos defeat Eagles

Washington @ Oakland

- Both these teams have looked bad so far this season. I think it's worse for Washington because their expectations were so high coming off last season's success. But look at them. RG3 looks like he's scared to run and scared to re-injure that leg again and without his running, he can't properly succeed in the passing game like he did last season. Then, right across the field, you have a guy in Terrelle Pryor who's proven to be a QB that can maybe lead Oakland into the future if he becomes more polished and the front office makes the right moves. I'm gonna go ahead and take Washington to finally get a win and beat The Raiders.

Prediction: Washington defeats Oaklan

Dallas @ San Diego

- I remember years ago, people were picking these teams to compete in The Super Bowl. They always fall just short of their expectations. With Washington, Philly, and New York reeling, the Cowboys have a chance to put a little strangehold on this division. Tony Romo is playing well like he has been every year. I don't know why people underestimate this guy. His playmaking ability is up there and he can throw the ball down the field. It also helps that he's got Dez Bryant and Demarco Murray on his side to help balance out the offense. The Chargers are all sorts of messed up. They have such a choke factor. Houston, then Tennessee. San Diego is a good team that just can't seem to close out games when it counts. 

Philip Rivers is also a decent playmaker when he has to. He's got his money receivers and a decent runner in the backfield. This will be a battle of the QB's. Romo vs Rivers. I have faith that Romo will make and extend plays and produce points on this defense. The Chargers are just a weird team whose inconsistency is why I can't really take them seriously going forward. The Cowboys are smelling blood in the NFC East and want to gain a little breathing room. Even on the road in San Diego, I got those Cowboys.

Prediction: Cowboys defeat Chargers

New England @ Atlanta

- Brady is still without Gronk and still without Amendola. But he looks he found a little chemistry with his rookie receivers, Dobson and Thompkins. But he still has Julian Edleman out there making plays as well. But The Patriots are still lucky to be 3-0. They should be 1-2. They narrowly escaped Buffalo, winning on a last second FG and The Jets were one big play away from beating them in Foxboro. They're going on the road against an offensively disciplined team like The Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons haven't looked like The Falcons of last season, but they're still a good Football team. 

Let's be real, The Patriots haven't faced an offense like Atlanta yet. Julio Jones is still a beast on the outside and they have a dangerous tandem set in the backfield with Snelling and Rodgers. Playing Atlanta is one thing, but playing them on their home turf, a place where they almost never lose is something else. The Falcons defense will play them tight, give their receivers no space, jam them at the line and throw off Brady's composure. I don't think the Patriots can consistently move the ball on this offense, but Matt Ryan can surely move the ball on their defense. I'll take The Falcons to get the W. Don't be surprised if it's an easy W as well. 

Prediction: Falcons defeat Patriots

3-0 Miami @ 3-0 New Orleans 

- This one right here. Undefeated Miami vs Undefeated New Orleans. I gotta admit, I was surprised The Dolphins were able to beat Atlanta. The Dolphins are really playing some good Football. Their offense can really move the ball man. Ryan Tannehill has emerged as a stud, with poise in the pocket, and making plays. He's got Wallace/Hartline duo to thank as well. They don't open eyes with the running game, but they're efficient when they run the ball. Lamar Miller will see a lot of time if Tannehill can't get it going early. Watch their defense too. Cameron Wake and the pass rush love to swarm the QB and disrupt the momentum.

With Sean Payton back and running things, The Saints are once again offensively disciplined and their defense is playing well so far. We already know that with Drew Brees at the helm, The Saints will score points. That's a foregone conclusion. Their offense is hard to stop and Brees has got so many weapons to throw to and they've got a three headed running attack. Their defense is ranked #4 right now. Their pass rush is a tad shaky, but still effective and their secondary has improved. 

I think Miami is for real. If they pull this off, then I fully believe they can take the division as well. Bold prediction, I know. But playing New Orleans in the Super Dome on Monday Night Football is quite a feat. I like the way The Dolphins are playing right now. They'll be a hard team to stop going forward, but in THIS game, I gotta give it to The Saints. I don't know if Miami can make enough plays to contend with New Orleans at Home in this one. It'll be a close one, but with Drew Brees at Home, it's hard to pick against them. The party has to end for one of them.

Prediction: Saints defeat Dolphins

Got a lot of good games this week. Gonna be interested to see the outcome of some of them, especially that Monday Nighter in New Orleans. 

Enjoy the games!

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NFL Week 1 Thoughts

Football is Back! And back in a big way. Let's cut the nonsense and let's get right to the action.

Dallas 24

New York 17

Well, lookie here. The New York Giants on opening night in front of their hometown crowd fall to The Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys played so well that they looked like the ones who just came off the Super Bowl victory. I mean, The Giants offense looked somewhat good early, but later on it just looked out of sync. Cruz was dropping balls and Eli was playing like the Eli we all knew. I don't mean "Eli-te" either.

The Cowboys Defense swarmed the ball and really played well against the deep throw. The addition of Carr and Claiborne gave that defense a boost and they sure did impress. And then we have Tony Romo. He bounced back from an early interception and played a near flawless game tossing 3 TDs. Dallas makes a HUGE statement after NOBODY had them winning this game. People had Dallas getting blown out actually, but they came out and quieted down New York. 

New York hosts Tampa Bay next week and this should be the perfect bounce back game for them, but then again who knows because The Giants can be inconsistent at times. Dallas goes to Seattle which is always a hard place to play.

Washington 40

New Orleans 32

WOW.....I mean really WOW. I knew RG3 was good, but when you're a rookie QB starting your first game and you go on the road in the loudest building in the NFL against the Drew Brees led Saints who were unbeaten at home last season, and WIN and look good doing it, that's an impact.

RG3 played so dominantly. At one point, he had not thrown an incomplete pass until midway through the second quarter. Brees started 3 and out and then Griffin led his team right down the field for an early score. He had such command of the offense, and threw with speed and accuracy. The man was unstoppable. The Saints, on the other hand, looked like they missed their head coach. Brees at points didn't look like Drew Brees. Even though he had 339 yards and 3 TDs, he still didn't look like himself. He threw in crowds, looked confused, and his receivers dropped passes too. Colston dropped a deep pass all by himself in the fourth quarter.

The final score doesn't dictate how bad this was. The Redskins were blowing The Saints out of the building.

I'd say the NFC East got a lot more interesting.

Both these teams go on the road next week. The Redskins have an easy test against The Rams, and The Saints face Carolina.

Indianapolis 21

Chicago 41

Andrew Luck's debut didn't really turn out so well. I believe Luck had the harder obstacle. Chicago does not fool around when it comes to rookie QBs. Luck kept his poise during some parts, but when Chicago brought the house, Luck didn't know what hit him. They disguised coverages, forcing Luck into throwing 3 picks and getting sacked a few times. Needless to say, it was a forgettable debut. I mean, he did have 309 yards passing and 1 TD pass, but The Bears made this debut as uncomfortable as possible for the young man.

Jay Cutler took a while to get going starting 1/12. But when he got going, he really got going. Cutler was slinging the ball around as only Jay Cutler can. Finding the open man, throwing lasers into tight windows, and throwing one of the best deep balls in the NFL. He's so glad to have Brandon Marshall back cause of their history in Denver. Chicago is going to be a legitimate threat once again if they can stay healthy.

The Colts home opener is next week against The Vikings and The Bears travel to Green Bay.

San Francisco 30

Green Bay 22

Speaking of Green Bay, man it was like deja vu all over again for them. Green Bay was just dominated on both sides of the ball. This Niners defense is just as fierce as they were last season, dropping Rodgers, forcing him into bad throws, throwing receivers off their routes, and just straight up controlling and keeping the Green Bay offense in check. Rodgers' receivers couldn't get off the blocks and were also dropping passes. Rodgers himself played a decent game, but let's be real, he wasn't flinging it 40-50 yards like last season. The Niners weren't playing any games.

And Alex Smith played well too. Call him a game manager if you want, but 20-29 and over 230 yards passing in Lambeau is saying something. I didn't pick The Niners to win the NFC for no reason. This team is so complete. Their defense is lethal and their offense has found its potency. When Green Bay couldn't move the ball, The Niners were piling on the points leading 22-7 at one point. Green Bay rallied late in the fourth quarter, but as I was watching it, there were some very questionable calls that led to Green Bay's points. But nonetheless, The Niners leave Lambeau with a convincing win.

The Niners host Detroit next week in a very exciting rematch from their game last season where Jim Schwartz almost fought Jim Harbaugh. Should be a great game. Green Bay hosts Chicago and the way The Niners looked and The Bears offense being so much more explosive, Green Bay is in trouble.

Pittsburgh 19

Denver 31

For those that doubted Peyton Manning's playing ability, maybe this game will quiet some of you down. Peyton Manning dominated The Pittsburgh defense and looked like he never even left the playing flied.

The only problem is Denver's defense. They allowed Pittsburgh to hold the ball for WAY too long. Big Ben and his offense would consistently eat up the clock with 10+ play drives taking up 5 or more minutes off the clock. Pittsburgh looked like they were on the field forever. The running game was solid and Ben kept on making great plays converting third downs in his sleep.

But when Peyton was on the field, he made the most of it. He would have an answer for every Pittsburgh scoring drive. He would take his team down the field and scored in half the time Pittsburgh did.

This game showed me that Peyton Manning is indeed back and that Denver is a legitimate threat in the AFC and that Pittsburgh's offense is still good, but their defense was sorely missing Ryan Clark and James Harrison.

Pittsburgh has to rebound at home against The Jets and The Broncos have another tough test going on the road to face Matt Ryan and The Falcons.

Honorable Mentions:

New England - Going on the road and destroying Tennessee. Business as usual for Brady and Company. They host The Cardinals next week which will be another easy win.

New York - I guess The Jets really did save all their stuff for the season. Putting up 48 points and forcing three turnovers is something. Then again, they did only play Buffalo. Let's see them drop 48 on Pittsburgh IN Pittsburgh.

Atlanta - Just like Brady, it was business as usual for Matt Ryan. He may have started off slow, but with Julio and Gonzalez, the Falcons' offense took off and put up a 40 piece in Kansas City on Romeo Crennel's defense. The Falcons host The Denver Broncos next Monday night. That should be something to see.

Minnesota - Arguably, one of the best games played yesterday. After a Jags go ahead TD with 20 seconds left, Christian Ponder marched the Vikings down the field and off the leg of a rookie kicker, got into OT and narrowly pulled out the victory. Great win and now they have Andrew Luck and The Colts next week.

Dishonorable Mentions:

Philadelphia - Yeah, they won, but that game was ugly. Vick threw 4 picks and he didn't look good at all. The Browns looked even worse. It was just an overall snooze. They host The Baltimore Ravens next week, so they need to get their act together FAST.

Detroit - Same deal with Philly, they won, but the game was ugly too. Stafford played a bad game with three picks, but I guess he was forgiven after throwing the game winning TD. They're going on the road to face San Francisco, so they have some work to do because The Niners are on a mission.

Carolina - Cam Newton's sophomore slump looks like it's going to be on. But then again, it was one game. Newton looked rattled and was really slinging that ball around. He needs to gather himself and rebound.

Tampa Bay - They did a good job containing Cam Newton, but they need more play out of their offense. I mean Freeman only had 138 yards passing.

As far as tonight's Monday Night games go, Baltimore is playing at home and Joe Flacco looked pretty damn good in the preseason. As good as Cincy is, I don't like their chances.

The Raiders with Palmer now have a whole new offense compared to how simple it was when Jason Campbell ran it. The Chargers should win this game, but it's hard to tell. They've had their problems with The Raiders as of late. I'll go with The Chargers on a coin toss.

Enjoy the games!

Feel free to Comment.

By: Gerald "Showstopper" Prophete

Robert Griffin III vs Andrew Luck

We're a little under two months away before the NFL Season kicks off and myself, along with a number of Football fans are beyond excited. So many stories are tied together in this upcoming season: Can the Giants repeat, how will Peyton Manning fair with the Broncos, what will Tim Tebow do on the Jets, how will the Saints be this season, but this next one really intrigues me: who will have the better rookie season: Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III?

I don't think there's been this much hype surrounding two young QB's since the Peyton Manning/Ryan Leaf affair back in 1998. But in this new age, these two young guys have a completely different skill set.

Let's start with Andrew Luck. The man the Indianapolis Colts traded almost their entire team for by picking him #1. The man that arguably has the biggest shoes to fill in Peyton Manning.

But is he really worth it? The Colts must think so if they let go of Peyton Manning. Look back at last season. The Colts won 2 games without Peyton Manning. But now, they have a new General Manager, new Head Coach, and defensive coordinator as well. They couldn't wait to clean house and give Luck the best team possible. But how will he fair in a division with the Texans, Titans, and Jags that have powerhouses on defense?

One of Luck's strengths is his ability to throw on the run, and keep himself mobile in the pocket. I believe he's better as an on the run passer than a pocket passer. Then again, these are just some of things he can fix in training camp. He's got the size and the strength and he's got receivers like Reggie Wayne and Austin Collie. The Colts are notorious for having a poor offensive line and you can't let your QB get demolished in the backfield. The thing with Peyton Manning is that he could release the ball so quickly that he could mask the faults of his offensive line. This is something Luck is going to have to adjust to if he's going to make it past two games. Hell, he's going to need it in his very first game.

The Indianapolis Colts open the season on the road against.......The Chicago Bears. Good Luck. Jay Cutler just got his favorite weapon in Brandon Marshall back and Urlacher and Co. can't wait to get at the young boy.

And now, we have Robert Griffin III. This man has pretty much been billed as "The Next Big Thing." He's on almost every Football related commercial. He's obviously a pretty big deal.

The one misconception people have with RG3 is they think he's like Michael Vick, but he's the opposite. Michael Vick's strength has always been the ability to use his speed and feet to get out of sticky situations. Now, although that's what RG3 does most of the time, that's not his first priority. He's a pocket passer first and a runner second.

There's both good and bad with this RG3 signing. The good is that he already has a pretty damn good team around him. If Rex Grossman can put up the numbers he did, RG3 should be able to pass that and then some. You've got guys like Santana Moss, Brandon Banks, Pierre Garcon coming over from The Colts, Chris Cooley, and a solid defense. Added to that, you've got Mike Shanahan who could be a great mentor. RG3 has the skills, the mobility, the accuracy, the arm strength, and everything else in between. The hype around him has surpassed Andrew Luck, but can he deliver? All eyes are on him. I think the kid has what it takes to be big.

Here's where it gets a little bad. He plays in one of, if not, the toughest divisions on Football: The NFC East. He's going to see Michael Vick and Desean Jackson twice a year along with the Dallas Cowboys and the defending Champion New York Giants. RG3 has his work cut out for him indeed. How's he going to fair against teams this elite with defenses that are so aggressive and nasty? Or in this case, how will me match against an already elite QB?

Case in point, RG3's first game will be against.....Drew Brees and The New Orleans Saints in the SuperDome. Drew Brees is still Drew Brees no matter how you slice it and The Saints have seemingly been unstoppable in the SuperDome.

The Saints have had controversy surrounding them all offseason with the bounty scandal and all the suspensions, so this could be the chance for an upset, or a really, really bad debut for RG3 and Co.

Guys like Matt Ryan and Cam Newton have set a new standard for rookie QB's. If you aren't successful, make an impact, or at least put up big numbers in your first year, then you're automatically deemed a failure, or bust by the "experts." Andrew Luck and RG3 have some big money and some big hype to live up to. I know I'll be watching them all season to see how they do.



The only time we're going to see these two guys go up against each other will be in the preseason. RG3's Redskins take on Andrew Luck's Colts on August 24th at 4 p.m. on the NFL Network.


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

Offseason Winners and Losers

IT BEGINS IN THE OFFSEASON

"HOPE CAN ONLY TAKE YOU SO FAR" -

Many believe that the new season starts September 5, 2012, but im here to show you that the next season starts right after the superbowl. The NFL is a unstoppable machine that keeps on pushing, the infamous "offseason" is a season on its own. The offseason can either make or break your team before it even starts, many teams have strived through free agency and the draft to help build their dynasties. We've seen Drew Brees arguably the greatest free agency pick up in history and Darren Sproles to Donovan McNabb, and Albert Haynesworth. Drew Brees and Sproles went on to break records while McNabb and Haynesworth went on to many not so great things thus leading to both getting released.
The offseason is a key step to a teams future, the decisions you make can either put your team steps closer or futher to a Superbowl. We will take a look at the top five best and worst offseason moves so far.

THE BEST MOVES

1. Denver Broncos - (Peyton Manning) The Broncos just signed arguably the greatest quaterback in the history of the NFL. The Broncos were a exciting team last year because of Tim "The Chosen One" Tebow but the fact is their passing game was inconsistent and down right embarrasing at times, in two games against the Chiefs Tim Tebow completed eight passes i repeat 8. Denver knows if they want to be true contenters they need a field general, which Peyton Manning is. This team should be in the playoff mix if Peyton Manning can remain healthy and the defense stays focus.
2. St. Louis Rams- (Trading the Second Overall Pick) The Rams traded the second overall pick to the Redskins for a kings ransom. They recieved three number one overall picks and one second round pick from the Redskins.With three number one picks and one second round pick they can perhaps bring back the "Greatest Show on Tuff". they need to draft Justin Blackmon.
3. Dallas Cowboys-(Brandon Carr, etc) "Americans Team" has quietly been making key pick ups to fix that suspect defense. I know they lost Laurent Robinson but they can draft another wide reciever to fill his void. The cowboys have picked up Brandon Carr a dynamic corner with above average man to man skill and just signed a interior guard Nate Livings. A sleeper pick up was Dan O Connor MLB from the Panthers often over shadowed by Jon Beason now has a chance for playing time in Dallas watch out. The D is back in Dallas well on paper atleast.                                           
4. New York Jets- (Laron Landry, Tim Tebow) The Jets will be a media circus but they have just improved their team dramatically. Laron Landry is the dynamic safety Rex ryan has been missing i have some doubts about his coverage skills but i see him being used as a Troy Polamalu type safety/ linebacker in this scheme. Tim "The Chosen One" Tebow will bring third down conversions and a red zone threat. "AS LONG AS TEBOW DOESNT START" the Jets will improve.
5. Chicago Bears- (Brandon Marshall, Michael Bush)  The Bears got a steal for Brandon Marshall from Miami now they have a big time reciever and a solid back in Michael Bush who could start on any team. They just need to sign Matt Forte to a long term deal and draft a saftey and the Monsters of The Midway will be a force. 

THE WORST MOVES

1. Miami Dolphins- They lost Brandon Marshall, didnt sign Peyton Manning and couldnt sign Matt Flynn. they have a rookie head coach, a suspect offense without Marshall and a good defense but we know that wont be enough to stop Tom Brady, also the Bills and Jets just got way better. I see the first overall pick in this teams future.
2. Cincinnati Bengals-  The Bengals offseason stragety is a confusing one, "the guys that played well for us we wont sign back" and then we wont sign anybody at all for weeks. The Bengals just signed Benjarvus Green-Ellis a good running back but flashy and game changer wouldnt be the definition of his game. This team needs to add pieces on defense and offense to have a chance against the Steelers and Ravens.
3. Oakland Raiders-  They showed promise last season then they decided to trade their whole offseason for Carson Palmer, which failed dramatically.  Carson Palmer only had thirteen touchdowns to sixteen Interceptions. Carson Palmer often looked rattled and confused in the pocket, a shell of his former self. The Raiders fired their, head coach, cut their second best linebacker, and cut their best cornerback. The new general manager is trying to start over in Oakland but it seems Raider nation was finally starting to take steps forward to only be moving backwards now. It will be a few years till the Raiders "just win baby". 
4. Jacksonville Jaguars- This team is a mess a quaterback with no heart, many believe it to be a boring franchise, which  failed to bring their most popular player home. Signing Laurent Robinson was good but they failed to make the Tim Tebow trade which cost the team millions in revenue. Jacksonville hands down has the most boring team in the NFL and they did no favors for themselves missing out on Tim Tebow. 
5. New Orleans Saints/ Indianapolis Colts- These teams make the list by defaullt the bounty scandle losing Carl Nicks and not signing Drew Brees to a long term deal shows this team needs to get it together. They found a good replacement for Carl Nicks with Ben Grubbs, but the lost of their head coach and draft picks will hurt this franchise. The Colts releases their greatest quarterback ever and also could have traded the first overall pick for a fortune. Andrew Luck maybe be the quarterback of the future but what if he isnt? 

        We didn't forget about those who over spent such a Tampa Bay Bucs(good moves), Buffalo Bills (good moves). Also Washington trading to get RG3, that can hopefully turn that franchise around. Also Patriots finished just outside the top five for good moves, because Brandon Lloyd signing was huge that offense will be deadly. 

     

 By. Phillip "STATS" Rodney 

Thanks for reading

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