Posts Tagged ‘patriots’

You cant spell Elite without ELI

Tuesday, February 7th, 2012

And with Eli Manning and the Giants hoisting the Lombardi trophy, another NFL season is in the books. The New York Giants were the better team in Indianapolis. The Giants biggest advantages showed up and paved their way to victory.

The Giants front four was imposing and kept Tom Brady out of rhythm all day. Jason Pierre Paul and Justin Tuck were impressive. The Giants wide receivers made the Patriots underwhelming secondary pay all day. These two building blocks should have the Giants in position next season to make another run. They are getting Prince Amukamara back from injury and should help the Giants secondary. If they can add a few complimentary pieces through the draft and free agency, the Giants along with the Packers should be favorites going into the 2012 NFL season.

As for the Patriots the future is not bleak for them either. They have serious needs to address in the off-season including a beleaguered secondary. But building around Vince Wilfork and Jerod Mayo is a good start. The Patriots need to get young and athletic in the secondary. New England will have another few runs with Tom Brady under center and they must take advantage of that.

The past few seasons has taught me the team that will win the Super Bowl isn’t necessarily the best team but the one that got hot at the right time. Having all your pieces healthy is a must. You also quarterback who can step up and make all the big throws at critical times. The Packers last season and the Giants this season were the hottest team going into the playoffs. They had confidence and a belief that they could not be beat.

 

Vegasinsider.com currently have futures posted for next season. The top 3 highest are

 

Packers 5/1

Saints 6/1

Patriots 7/1

 

Longshots I like (20/1 or more)

Giants 20/1

49ers 20/1

Bears 30/1 *if forte is back

Titans 50/1 *homer pick but kind of a sneaky one

Panthers 50/1



 

You could also place money on teams Peyton Manning could end up on. The odds will get dramatically worse depending on where he ends up.

 

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Special Teams blunders cost teams trip to Indy

Monday, January 23rd, 2012

I can only imagine how frustrated the 49ers and Ravens players must be right now. The idea of spending so much time working towards one goal and to have their seasons end the way they did. The frustration in their respective locker rooms is something I’m not going to try and imagine. I don’t want to place blame on any one player but three players had chances to make plays or avoid making bad ones and couldn’t come through.

In New England, the Ravens did not play up to the ability they had shown all season. The Patriots did a great job slowing down Ray Rice and putting the game in the hands of Joe Flacco. While Flacco did not have an amazing game by any means, he stepped up and made the throws when it mattered most. The pass he threw to Lee Evans was a prefect throw. Lee Evans had the ball in his hands, took two steps and just like the Ravens season, the ball slipped threw his fingertips. I’m not sure if he thought he had possession and let up a little or if Patriots cornerback Sterling Moore was able to get his hand on the perfect spot. Either way there is no excuse for not coming down with the football in that situation. If you want to earn the right to go to the biggest game, you have to make plays when it matters most.

Even with the drop, the Ravens could have kicked a field goal and forced overtime. Unfortunately for Baltimore, a 32-yard field goal was too much for Billy Cundiff to muster. He pushed the ball left and gave the Patriots the victory, When the Ravens were on their final, they mentioned all of Cundiff’s stats from 50 yards away or more, and I remember thinking I hope this game doesn’t come down to him making a field goal. Sure enough, the game was put on his foot and he was unable to come through.

In San Francisco, a team that had had the best special teams all season long were about to be plagued by mistakes. Kyle Williams was back to return a punt with the 49ers up 17-10 late in the fourth quarter, makes blunder number one. A punt that was landing short of Williams and looked clearly like he had no interest in picking up, yet he got close enough where an errant bounce skips off of his knee and gives possession to the Giants. Eli will lead his team to a score, with a short field culminating with Mario Manningham in the back of the end zone.  Fast forward to the overtime, with Kyle Williams back to return another punt. I don’t know if he was trying to make up for his blunder in the 4th quarter, but he picked up the punt and began to run up the field, and before he could take more than a few steps, the ball was stripped from his hands and the Giants recovered. If Ted Ginn is healthy, maybe this doesn’t happen, but you can play on hypotheticals.

I still believe I had the right teams, when I made my predictions,(AFC and NFC) and both teams had the ball late in the game with the chance to make a play, however inability to complete drives, lack off effectiveness from the running backs and costly errors hurt the chances of HarBowl. I’m curious to see what both the Ravens and 49ers do in the off-season to improve their respective teams for next season. I give a lot of credit to the Giants and Patriots. These teams made the plays when it mattered most and showed why they both have super bowl titles in recent seasons.

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AFC Championship preview

Thursday, January 19th, 2012

This game was just as hard to figure out for me as the NFC Championship game. At this point in the season, I normally have a strong grasp on the final four teams and know what to expect going into the title games. The Ravens are a team that will come out against team with less talent and shouldn’t be able to stay on the field with them, yet the Ravens look disinterested and allow them other team to hang around. However in games where the Ravens need to show up, like Pittsburg, they play like a championship contender and win, twice.

Flacco is the wild card against the Patriots. The Patriots, a team that has a struggeling secondary, and is at or near the bottom of all defensive statistical categories can and should be attacked through the air. If Torrey Smith can get open deep and Anquan Boldin can make plays across the middle of field, the Ravens will be able to attack the Patriots and keep them honest. Forcing the Patriots to not load the box to shut down Ray Rice is imperative. He will be the reason the Ravens win or lose. He must be productive and keep Tom Brady and the Patriot offense on the sidelines. If he can catch screens out of the backfield and help open the passing game it only increases the Ravens odds of winning.

The other factor for a Raven victory will be their defenses ability to put pressure on Tom Brady. Allowing Brady time to find his receivers will only result in points being scored against you and a long day for your defense.

The Patriots must get their tight ends involved early and often to win this game. Rob Gronkowsi and Aaron Hernandez have been huge for the Patriots all season. They give the offense a dynamic that is hard for defenses to match up with. They are too big for corners and safeties but too fast for linebackers to keep up with.  Their ability to stretch the field and allow Wes Welker to operate underneath has kept the Patriot defense explosive all season. The one team that can cover all their weapons is the Ravens. They have fast linebackers that not only have the ability to stay with the patriot tight ends but also have the ability to put pressure on Tom Brady combined with Haloti Ngata and the front four. This pressure will allow Ed Reed and the Ravens secondary to make plays on the back end. The secondary must come up big with plays against Tom Brady.

Ed Reed will be a question mark; he injured his ankle late in their first round matchup versus the Houston Texans and will not be at full strength. Its very important he not only plays but he plays well.

This game will come down to which offense can stay on the field. The Ravens ability to keep their offense on the field and keep Brady on the sidelines will be a key to success. With Tom Brady on the field and their offense rolling, the Ravens wont be able to keep pace and the final score will be lopsided. That said I think the Ravens will be effective running the ball and be able to make enough plays on defense to win this game. In a tight game that will come down to the fourth quarter, the Ravens will score a late touchdown and win.

 

Ravens 34 Patriots 24

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Top 10 Fantasy players for 2008

Wednesday, July 30th, 2008

1. LaDainian Tomlinson Ladainian Tomlinson

Lt is all sorts of fantasy goodness. He is the undisputed choice for the number one pick. He is the only player who can get you a touchdown rushing, receiving, and passing. You can’t truly appreciate his greatness until you own him.

2. Adrian Peterson

AP came out of nowhere to be a top 5 fantasy player last season. He literally ran his way into the hearts of fantasy owners who were stoked with 200 yard games, multi-touchdown gems and consistent goodness all season. He will continue to impress this season as the Vikings are competing all season to win the NFC North.

3. Stephen Jackson

Steven Jackson has all the talent to be a top 3 running back. He combines both speed and power to create a dynamic running attack for the Rams. He does have a couple questions for the upcoming season. He has had issue with injuries which would seriously hurt his fantasy value. He also has yet to report to camp and this could also hamper his value. All that said I think Steven Jackson returns to his 2006 status and has a tremendous season.

4. Brian Westbrook

Brian Westbrook a lot of what makes LT a fantasy stud. He has the running ability to consistently get 100 yard games and a touchdown or two. He also provides a receiving threat out of the backfield that is always wanted in a number one back. He will continue to produce to his level and owners will not be disappointed they drafted him.

5. Marion Barber

He is going to be the guy in big D this year and this means even better numbers for a pro bowler and fantasy stud that was a back up and time splitter last season. He will share some time with rookie Felix Jones which will be a good thing. It will allow Barber to stay healthy and have the energy to be an impact all season. Also the Cowboys have an excellent aerial attack that will make the opponent stay balanced and give Barber plenty of running room.

6. Terrell Owens

Speaking of the Cowboys aerial attack, T.O. is set to return to the fantasy elite this season. He will produce monster numbers in one of the best offenses in football. He could be the Randy Moss of last season. Tony Romo will take another step forward and only improve a very good Cowboy offense. Patrick Crayton will be effective and help keep the double teams off of T.O. Jason Witten will also force the defense to single cover Owens and keep the defense honest.

7. Randy Moss

Randy Moss will provide monster numbers once again this season. The departure of Donte Stallworth will give Moss that much more opportunity, especially in the redzone. The Patriots will run more than last season which will bring his numbers down but will force the defense to stay honest and give Randy a ton of opportunities.

8. Joseph Addai

Joseph Addai has been a really good fantasy player since the Colts drafted him. He provides a great mix to Peyton Manning and the Colts passing attack. The Colts have a great offensive line that will open holes and create running room for Addai to run through. Something like 1200 yards and double digit touchdowns should be where Addai finishes. The only concern is injury for Addai. But the return of Dominic Rhodes and last years back up Kenton Keith able to provide a change of pace Addai should be a stud all season.

9. Tom Brady

Tom Brady was in the top 3 if not the best fantasy player last season. His consistent 300-500 yard passing game with multiple touchdowns kept teams winning for many weeks. He was a stud and did not disappoint anyone. He played all season while going for the perfect season keeping his numbers going through the playoffs and almost single handedly carried teams. He will once again be a stud this season. The patriots will be running more and the likelihood of another perfect season seems almost impossible which will lead to less need late in the season as the Pats prepare for another super bowl run. He will be good and be very helpful to whatever team drafts him.

10. Marshawn Lynch

if not for Adrian Peterson’s monster season last year, everyone would be talking about the fantasy rookie of the year as well as the NFL rookie of the year being Marshawn Lynch. I was able to get him late in my draft and had him sit on my bench. He was the nicest surprise for my season. He was able to step in when my first pick Steven Jackson went down with an injury. He continued to produce awesome numbers all season and was a huge boost to my team. He should be awesome on a weekly basis this season.

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Fantasy Football 08 Preview

Tuesday, July 29th, 2008

With the 2008 Fantasy season rapidly approaching and drafts happening over the next couple of months, I figured now was a good time to spread some advice that I have learned over my 10 years of playing fantasy. I will be updating weekly throughout the season. I hope to provide help to anyone who would like it. Here are some tips for your draft and planning for the season.

-Never take a quarterback in the first round.

This is a rule I follow because the effects it causes on the rest of your draft. Tom Brady was amazing last year and carried teams all season. However his numbers will be down this year simply because they Patriots will be more dedicated to the run, causing less passing attempts. Also with 18-0 not in the picture Brady will not be as active in the final games of the season which will also hurt his fantasy value. The reason I refer to Brady is because he is usually drafted in the 4-8 range depending on the league. The rest of your draft is then much worse because of this pick. Running backs are very important to your fantasy team and they rapid decrease in studs to solid players happens between round 1 and 2 assuming you play in the standard 10-12 team league. The draft will quickly go downhill after you pick Brady or Manning. You find yourself starting guys like Matt Forte or Selvin Young as a number one back because you were unable to grab an elite back. Once you draft a QB you quickly turn to wide receiver because that is where the talent lies. If you take a running back or elite wideout like Randy Moss with your first pick and then comeback with another solid back you find your team will star looking very nice. Then in a round three or four pick you have the ability to get studs like Carson Palmer, Drew Brees, Tony Romo, or Ben Roethlisberger.

The only exception to the rule is if you get one of the last two picks and can ensure you will get another stud on your next pick. This is still not set in stone so be careful if you employ this technique

-Wait to take your kicker and Defense

There is no need to draft a defense or kicker until late in the draft when you can get a solid defense and kicker late in you r draft. I generally use the 8th round as a solid starting point to start looking at defense. I look at team needs and plan accordingly. This is also a good time to see when kind of gems you can find in the player pool. This is when I take my gambles on young running backs or slumping wideouts who are ready to break out. When selecting a defense you want to pick a team that can get turnovers. These will provide a solid point total for your team. Also if that team has a good running game that is a plus because it means the offense for the other team will be on the bench, thus not on the field scoring points and hurting your point totals.

As for kicker the last two rounds are a good time to take a kicker. Generally if you get one of the top 6 or so kickers you will be fine. They will provide the point totals you need and you are able to take flyers on rookies and long shots that could become players that make an impact later in the season.

More advice will follow in the coming days including positions breakdowns and a top 10 list.

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Super Bowl XLII

Monday, January 28th, 2008

With Super Bowl XLII fast approaching, i figured i take my opportunity to put my two cents in and make a prediction. After watching Plaxico Burress, Brandon Jacobs, Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora, and company play from week 17 against the Patriots and throughout the playoffs its hard to not like what you see. Eli Manning has looked more like Peyton, with precision timed passes and perfectly placed balls. The Giants defense doing anything and everything they need to do to win, its hard to pick against them. That is except for the fact that they are playing the 18-0 New England Patriots who like one of the best and most complete teams ever assembled. I put them up with the 89 and 94 49ers, 85 bears and the Cowboys teams of the early 90′s based upon star power. I would like to see how many players from those teams are in the Hall of Fame in 20 years or so. With that said its time for a prediciton. As much as I want the Giants to win based on my respect and admiration for Plaxico Burress and Michael Strahan, I can’t go against the Patriots in this one. Patriots will win 36-30 with Eli resorting to his old self on the final drive of the game in the waining seconds. No last minute attempt for Adam Vinatieri in this one. Enjoy the Super Bowl. 

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