Week 5 is here in the world of college football. Though the conference season is getting into full gear, this week’s matchups leave a little to be desired.
Last week: 10-9
Overall: 56-24
This blog had to search long and hard to find 20 games worth picking. But, there are 20 big ones to pick, so here are this week’s picks:
Oklahoma at Colorado: The Sooners rolled through four non-conference foes, scoring an average of 61 points per game and winning the four games by almost 40 points per outing. Colorado experienced a flash of past glory last week, pounding Miami (Ohio) 41-0. The Sooners won’t hang 60 on the Buffs, but they’ll win. Pick: OU
Kansas State at Texas: When these teams last met, K-State pulled a shocking upset of the Horns as Texas QB Colt McCoy was injured. McCoy is back, and so are the Longhorns. Pick: Texas
Baylor at Texas A&M: The battle of Highway 6 finds the Aggies stumbling home after being pasted by The U. Baylor has three wins over suspect competition: Rice, Texas State, and Buffalo. A&M’s not great, but they’re a lot better than those three creampuffs. This will be close, but something freaky will happen for the Aggies. Pick: A&M
Iowa State at Nebraska: The Huskers were nearly shocked last week by Ball State. Iowa State let one get away at Toledo. Come to think of it, there’s not much difference between the Big 12 North and the MAC. Nebraska doesn’t have much of a run defense, but they’ll have enough to win this week. Pick: Nebraska
Northwestern State (La.) at Texas Tech: The Red Raiders gave up 100 yards rushing to three different OSU Cowboys last week as Tech lost to OSU, 49-45. The Raiders were a dropped touchdown pass away from winning the game. Since then, the Raiders have fired their defensive coordinator in search of some toughness on defense. Tech will score some points this week, and will outscore the visitors from Natchitoches. Pick: Tech
Sam Houston State at Oklahoma State: The Orange Bowl. Not quite. Rhett Bomar returns to the state of Oklahoma, this time as quarterback of the Sam Houston State Bearkats. SHSU shares the color orange and the city of Huntsville with a more well-known institution: the Texas Department of Corrections. Perhaps SHSU should take the nickname of Executioners. OSU had a big win last week over Tech, and their coach had a big tantrum over a newspaper article. OSU ought to be able to win this one. Pick: OSU
West Virginia at South Florida (Friday): The high-flying Mountaineers go to Tampa to take on the undefeated Bulls. USF won last year’s meeting in Morgantown. Both teams are for real. I like West Virginia’s offense a lot, but South Florida is better than most people think. I’m drinking the Kool-Aid. Pick: USF
Florida State vs. Alabama at Jacksonville: Before he retires, Bobby Bowden wanted to play a game against the school he once attended and idolized. He gets that opportunity this week. The Noles are still finding an identity. The Tide has played two nailbiters in a row, defeating Arkansas while losing last week to Georgia in overtime. These are two great college football traditions with simply above-average teams. Actually, the way FSU has played the last couple of years, they'd love to get back to above-average. Give me the Sabanites. Pick: Alabama
Notre Dame at Purdue: One of these teams is undefeated. The other one is winless. Guess which one is which? The futility continues for the Fighting Irish. Heh, heh, heh. Pick: Purdue
California at Oregon: Unless one of the teams wears their all-white uniform, there are guaranteed to be some ugly uniforms in this game. Both teams have the same supplier: the Swoosh. Both teams are good, as well, and are fighting to challenge USC in the Pac 10. The Ducks are at home. Quack, Quack. Pick: Oregon
Clemson at Georgia Tech: This is always a fun, exciting, and close game. Clemson takes their unbeaten record to Historic Grant Field at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Georgia Tech is reeling after two consecutive losses. Things are going the Tigers’ way this year. Pick: Clemson
UCLA at Oregon State: UCLA returned to the college football atmosphere last week, following up an unexplainable loss to Utah with an impressive win over Washington. Oregon State is pretty unpredictable in their own right. When in doubt, pick the home team. Pick: Oregon State
Auburn at Florida: War Eagle is young and is struggling. The last thing they need is a trip to the Swamp, but that’s what they get this week. The Gators roll. Pick: Florida
Colorado State at TCU: Frogs are trying to find their way. They got off to a good start on that last week by taking the Iron Skillet back from SMU. Rams make their second trip to Texas in two weeks, after losing last week at Houston. Pick: TCU
Penn State at Illinois: The guys in the generic white uniforms can’t get anything to go right for them when they play Michigan, and that didn’t change last week. Now, the Nittany Lions are 0-1 in the Big Ten, and they face the Juice. Not O.J., but Illinois QB Juice Williams. The Illini have some young guys that can play, as Ron Zook has recruited well. I smell upset here. Pick: Illinois
UNLV at Nevada: The Casino Bowl. UNLV has improved this season, and no longer fills their role of Mountain West patsy. This is a big rivalry game, so records should be thrown out the window. My gut says Reno, but my brain says Vegas. Viva Las Vegas. Pick: UNLV
Air Force at Navy: Air Force has been a pleasant surprise this season, while Navy has been unpredictable. Navy had to come back from a large deficit to beat Duke. Air Force is coming off a 31-6 shellacking by BYU. Winner gets the inside track to the Commander-In-Chief Trophy. The Zoomies are back. Pick: Air Force
USC at Washington: Trojans take their show back on the road to visit Seattle and the Huskies. Washington started strong, but has fallen off in two losses to Ohio State and UCLA. USC is just too good for them. Pick: USC
Akron at Connecticut: The Zips are coming off a 27-20 win over archrival Kent State, and will give any team fits. UConn is undefeated, having won at Pittsburgh last week. East Hartford will be rocking on Saturday. Pick: UConn
Charleston Southern at North Greenville: The Baptist Bowl. Charleston Southern has jet lag, as they played last week at Hawaii. They were outmanned and spanked by the Warriors, but got to see the islands. I didn’t know North Greenville had a football team until I saw the schedule today. CSU has a Division I-AA (Football Championship Subdivision) program. They should be able to handle North Greenville. Pick: Charleston Southern
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Monday, September 24, 2007
Flying Off The Handle In Stillwater
This is a story and video that just won't die. It's over 48 hours old, and is still worth a comment.
The Oklahoma State Cowboys took a huge step in rescuing their season by beating Texas Tech in a barnburner, 49-45. One would think that OSU coach Mike Gundy would be happy. Not in this video.
Gundy took exception to an article written by Daily Oklahoman columnist Jenni Carlson in that morning's paper. She gave an account of the benching of once highly touted QB Bobby Reid. Gundy went ballistic in this video, and used the article to attack the columnist.
I've followed Mike Gundy's career since high school. He grew up and starred about 30 miles away from me. As my dad would say, we went to different schools together. He went on to become OSU's all-time leading passer. His brother, Cale, played at Oklahoma and is now running backs coach for the Sooners. I don't know them personally, but I'm sure we know some of the same people, as Oklahoma is not a big state. Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a fan of Oklahoma State, a/k/a the Oklahoma Aggies. I find this tirade somewhat amusing, but also somewhat sad. It's really uncalled for.
On the other hand, I read the Oklahoman online just about every day. I make it a point to skip Jenni Carlson's column. It is usually a waste of time for me and most other Sooner fans. As a result of this imbroglio, she will probably be working for another newspaper within the next year.
Mike Gundy has a right to disagree with what was written. He did the right thing to take up for his player. However, he had no right to publicly dress a columnist down in front of 30 or so of her peers. That was low-class and highly unprofessional. This tirade is an embarrassment to Oklahoma State University, known by some of my fellow Sooner fans as Payne County Tractor College.
Nothing good comes in orange. Nothing.
NFL Highway, Week 3
It’s time for another trip down the NFL highway.
There is never a dull moment in the NFL. When it comes to the NFL, the only thing to do is to expect the unexpected. So, there were some surprising events, in addition to some rather mundane results.
We’ll start in Chicago, where the Dallas Cowboys had a coming-out party, as they whipped the Bears by a score of 34-10. The Romo Empire is being built one game at a time, as Tony Romo threw for 329 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. Marion Barber III continued to stake his claim to the RB position, gaining 101 yards while scoring a touchdown. The Bears, meanwhile, continue to struggle on offense, as Rex Grossman continues to play himself out of the Windy City. Sexy Rexy had three interceptions and a quarterback rating of 25 for the game. Defense alone will not be able to carry the Bears back to the Super Bowl this year.
In Philadelphia, the Eagles celebrated the 75th year of their franchise by wearing their 1933 uniform. The horrible fashion statement grossed out the Detroit Lions, as the Iggles ripped the Lions apart, 56-21. Donovan McNabb threw four touchdown passes, including three to Kevin Curtis. Brian Westbrook had 110 yards rushing, 111 yards receiving, and three touchdowns in 2 ½ quarters. Rumor has it that the Lions were forced to walk back to Detroit, and were seen hitchhiking late Sunday night on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
The Indianapolis Colts showed the Houston Texans what a championship team looks like, as they delivered a workmanlike 30-24 win over the Texans. The Texans are being quickly bitten by the injury bug, as WR Andre Johnson was joined in the infirmary by RBs Ahman Green and Ron Dayne. The Colts will not give up their championship easily.
The Baltimore Ravens held on at home to defeat the Arizona Cardinals, 26-23. Cardinals backup QB Kurt Warner (remember him?) brought the Cardinals back to make the game close, leading Arizona to 17 4th quarter points. The Ravens lost QB Steve McNair to injury, as he was replaced by Kyle Boller.
The San Diego Chargers are in deep trouble. Well, maybe not deep trouble, but things are definitely not well in sunny San Diego. The Chargers traveled to Green Bay and lost, 31-24. Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson and QB Phillip Rivers were seen arguing and yelling at each other on the sideline late in the game. Meanwhile, the ageless Brett Favre threw for three touchdown passes, tying the career record for touchdown passes with 420. The Packers find themselves undefeated at 3-0. The Chargers are 1-2.
In a rematch of Super Bowl IV, the Kansas City Chiefs matriculated the ball down the field just enough to defeat the Minnesota Vikings, 13-10. The Chiefs’ running game was shut down, while Adrian (Oklahoma) Peterson is becoming a star for the Vikings, gaining 102 yards rushing and scoring a touchdown. Look for both of these teams early on draft day next spring in New York.
For the third week in a row, the New England Patriots scored 38 points. This week, the victim was the awful Buffalo Bills, as the Patriots rolled, 38-7. Tom Brady threw four touchdown passes, as the Patriots continue to roll. This team is playing better than anyone in the league at the moment.
The New York Jets got their first win of the season in a high-scoring game with Miami, winning 31-28. The Jets still have a chance to salvage their season. The Dolphins stink.
There are some really strong teams in the AFC. Another one is in Pittsburgh, where the Steelers won big for the third week in a row. The black and gold-clad team made mincemeat of the San Francisco 49ers, 37-16. I’m already looking forward to the AFC playoffs, where the Steelers, Patriots, and Colts will all run into each other.
A big disappointment thus far is the St. Louis Rams. The Rams did not show up in a 24-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Earnest Graham came off the bench to score two touchdowns for the Bucs. Marc Bulger was hammered by the Bucs’ defense, and caused both of my fantasy teams to perform horribly.
What is up with the Denver Broncos? I had given the Jacksonville Jaguars up for dead in this one. Instead, the Jags went into Denver and smashed the Broncos, 23-14. The game really wasn’t that close. The Broncos are still in 1st place in the AFC West, but that division is looking pretty mediocre at this point.
The Oakland Raiders lost a game last week when Denver called a timeout as the Raiders were kicking a game-winning field goal, nullifying the play and forcing a block of the second attempt. The Raiders did the exact same thing to the Browns yesterday, as Cleveland missed a game-winning field goal on the Browns’ second attempt. Oakland won their first game of the season, 26-24. These are two more teams that look to be drafting early next spring in New York.
The Cincinnati Bengals are off to a slow start, losing their second in a row on a trip to Seattle, as the Seahawks nipped the Bengals 24-21. Matt Hasselbeck threw three touchdown passes for the Seahawks. Seattle is a tough road trip for anybody.
The Atlanta Falcons aren’t very good. Sunday, quarterback Joey Harrington threw for 361 yards and two touchdowns. However, that performance was wasted as the Carolina Panthers dispatched the Falcons, 27-20.
In the Greatest Division In Football, a/k/a the NFC East, two old rivals met as the New York Giants went to Washington looking for respect and a win. The Giants bounced back from an awful start by beating the previously unbeaten Redskins, 24-17. The Redskins had four downs from the Giants’ 2 yard line in the last minute. The Giants’ defense kept Washington out of the end zone on four consecutive plays to preserve the win.
The Monday night extravaganza features Vince Young and Reggie Bush. The Tennessee Titans and New Orleans Saints will also be playing. Plenty of points will be scored in the Superdome.
There is never a dull moment in the NFL. When it comes to the NFL, the only thing to do is to expect the unexpected. So, there were some surprising events, in addition to some rather mundane results.
We’ll start in Chicago, where the Dallas Cowboys had a coming-out party, as they whipped the Bears by a score of 34-10. The Romo Empire is being built one game at a time, as Tony Romo threw for 329 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. Marion Barber III continued to stake his claim to the RB position, gaining 101 yards while scoring a touchdown. The Bears, meanwhile, continue to struggle on offense, as Rex Grossman continues to play himself out of the Windy City. Sexy Rexy had three interceptions and a quarterback rating of 25 for the game. Defense alone will not be able to carry the Bears back to the Super Bowl this year.
In Philadelphia, the Eagles celebrated the 75th year of their franchise by wearing their 1933 uniform. The horrible fashion statement grossed out the Detroit Lions, as the Iggles ripped the Lions apart, 56-21. Donovan McNabb threw four touchdown passes, including three to Kevin Curtis. Brian Westbrook had 110 yards rushing, 111 yards receiving, and three touchdowns in 2 ½ quarters. Rumor has it that the Lions were forced to walk back to Detroit, and were seen hitchhiking late Sunday night on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
The Indianapolis Colts showed the Houston Texans what a championship team looks like, as they delivered a workmanlike 30-24 win over the Texans. The Texans are being quickly bitten by the injury bug, as WR Andre Johnson was joined in the infirmary by RBs Ahman Green and Ron Dayne. The Colts will not give up their championship easily.
The Baltimore Ravens held on at home to defeat the Arizona Cardinals, 26-23. Cardinals backup QB Kurt Warner (remember him?) brought the Cardinals back to make the game close, leading Arizona to 17 4th quarter points. The Ravens lost QB Steve McNair to injury, as he was replaced by Kyle Boller.
The San Diego Chargers are in deep trouble. Well, maybe not deep trouble, but things are definitely not well in sunny San Diego. The Chargers traveled to Green Bay and lost, 31-24. Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson and QB Phillip Rivers were seen arguing and yelling at each other on the sideline late in the game. Meanwhile, the ageless Brett Favre threw for three touchdown passes, tying the career record for touchdown passes with 420. The Packers find themselves undefeated at 3-0. The Chargers are 1-2.
In a rematch of Super Bowl IV, the Kansas City Chiefs matriculated the ball down the field just enough to defeat the Minnesota Vikings, 13-10. The Chiefs’ running game was shut down, while Adrian (Oklahoma) Peterson is becoming a star for the Vikings, gaining 102 yards rushing and scoring a touchdown. Look for both of these teams early on draft day next spring in New York.
For the third week in a row, the New England Patriots scored 38 points. This week, the victim was the awful Buffalo Bills, as the Patriots rolled, 38-7. Tom Brady threw four touchdown passes, as the Patriots continue to roll. This team is playing better than anyone in the league at the moment.
The New York Jets got their first win of the season in a high-scoring game with Miami, winning 31-28. The Jets still have a chance to salvage their season. The Dolphins stink.
There are some really strong teams in the AFC. Another one is in Pittsburgh, where the Steelers won big for the third week in a row. The black and gold-clad team made mincemeat of the San Francisco 49ers, 37-16. I’m already looking forward to the AFC playoffs, where the Steelers, Patriots, and Colts will all run into each other.
A big disappointment thus far is the St. Louis Rams. The Rams did not show up in a 24-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Earnest Graham came off the bench to score two touchdowns for the Bucs. Marc Bulger was hammered by the Bucs’ defense, and caused both of my fantasy teams to perform horribly.
What is up with the Denver Broncos? I had given the Jacksonville Jaguars up for dead in this one. Instead, the Jags went into Denver and smashed the Broncos, 23-14. The game really wasn’t that close. The Broncos are still in 1st place in the AFC West, but that division is looking pretty mediocre at this point.
The Oakland Raiders lost a game last week when Denver called a timeout as the Raiders were kicking a game-winning field goal, nullifying the play and forcing a block of the second attempt. The Raiders did the exact same thing to the Browns yesterday, as Cleveland missed a game-winning field goal on the Browns’ second attempt. Oakland won their first game of the season, 26-24. These are two more teams that look to be drafting early next spring in New York.
The Cincinnati Bengals are off to a slow start, losing their second in a row on a trip to Seattle, as the Seahawks nipped the Bengals 24-21. Matt Hasselbeck threw three touchdown passes for the Seahawks. Seattle is a tough road trip for anybody.
The Atlanta Falcons aren’t very good. Sunday, quarterback Joey Harrington threw for 361 yards and two touchdowns. However, that performance was wasted as the Carolina Panthers dispatched the Falcons, 27-20.
In the Greatest Division In Football, a/k/a the NFC East, two old rivals met as the New York Giants went to Washington looking for respect and a win. The Giants bounced back from an awful start by beating the previously unbeaten Redskins, 24-17. The Redskins had four downs from the Giants’ 2 yard line in the last minute. The Giants’ defense kept Washington out of the end zone on four consecutive plays to preserve the win.
The Monday night extravaganza features Vince Young and Reggie Bush. The Tennessee Titans and New Orleans Saints will also be playing. Plenty of points will be scored in the Superdome.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Ugly Uniform of the Day
This was suggested by a friend of my wife. I warned of this occasion earlier in the year. As warned and promised, this becomes the first two-time offender in the history of this column.
Today, the Philadelphia Eagles wore the ugliest uniform in the history of modern professional football. They were attempting to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the franchise. That thought is well-taken. However, they redefined the word U-G-L-Y with these things. These are gross, disgusting, and putrid.
Unfortunately for us, the Eagles may be tempted to wear these again, as they pummeled the Detroit Lions, 56-21, in these things.
If they're going to wear old uniforms, why don't they wear something like this?
Saturday, September 22, 2007
More Knee-Jerk Reactions
Some late knee-jerk reactions from this afternoon's games in the world of college football...
What is wrong with Louisville? There is no D in Louisville, as they once again gave up a boatload of points. This time, it was to the previously winless and hapless Syracuse Orange, as the Cuse shocked the Cardinals, 38-35 at the Pizza Box in Louisville. The Ville has gone from a contender to a pretender in the space of two weeks.
For the ninth year in a row, the Michigan Wolverines defeated Penn State, 14-9. Michigan has started their Big Ten season off on the right foot. However, the embarrassment of losing to Appalachian State still lingers.
The chain reaction of college football continues, in a psycho kind of way. Appalachian State, conquerors of Michigan, lost to the Wofford Terriers today, 42-31. Wofford is the second smallest school in Division I, and is the smallest Division I school playing football. Wofford has around 1,200 students. Anyone want to see Wofford travel to Michigan for a date with the Wolverines?
I predicted that the Nebraska-Ball State game would be closer than it needed to be. I had no idea that Ball State would lead into the 4th quarter. The Cardinals missed a game-winning field goal attempt at the end of the game. This would have been a stunning upset in Huskerland.
That's it for now....
What is wrong with Louisville? There is no D in Louisville, as they once again gave up a boatload of points. This time, it was to the previously winless and hapless Syracuse Orange, as the Cuse shocked the Cardinals, 38-35 at the Pizza Box in Louisville. The Ville has gone from a contender to a pretender in the space of two weeks.
For the ninth year in a row, the Michigan Wolverines defeated Penn State, 14-9. Michigan has started their Big Ten season off on the right foot. However, the embarrassment of losing to Appalachian State still lingers.
The chain reaction of college football continues, in a psycho kind of way. Appalachian State, conquerors of Michigan, lost to the Wofford Terriers today, 42-31. Wofford is the second smallest school in Division I, and is the smallest Division I school playing football. Wofford has around 1,200 students. Anyone want to see Wofford travel to Michigan for a date with the Wolverines?
I predicted that the Nebraska-Ball State game would be closer than it needed to be. I had no idea that Ball State would lead into the 4th quarter. The Cardinals missed a game-winning field goal attempt at the end of the game. This would have been a stunning upset in Huskerland.
That's it for now....
Friday, September 21, 2007
Knee-Jerk Reactions
A couple of knee-jerk reactions, as Big 12 teams played consecutive nights on the ESPN family of networks....
What was Texas A&M doing Thursday night? Miami hadn't played well all year, then delivered a butt-kicking to the Aggies last night. The score was 34-17, but the game wasn't even that close. Aggie fans are knee-jerking, and calling for coach Dennis Franchione's head. After five years, A&M really should be better. And, this year's schedule is designed to get a coach fired, with road games remaining at Texas Tech, Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. In addition, the Texas Longhorns visit College Station. A&M athletic director Bill Byrne should be preparing to hire the search firm right now, because there will be a new coach in Aggieland next season.
My OU Sooners went up the turnpike Friday night and beat the snot out of Tulsa, 62-21. Tulsa actually kept the game competitive for about a quarter. The Hurricane will contend for a championship in Conference USA. They are not a bad team. However, OU is a true juggernaut. This has the potential to be a special season in Norman. The Sooners are averaging 61 points per game, and have beaten their four opponents by an average of almost 50 points per game.
I am on a trip to a company meeting in beautiful Lake Tahoe, California this weekend. I will blog when I can.
What was Texas A&M doing Thursday night? Miami hadn't played well all year, then delivered a butt-kicking to the Aggies last night. The score was 34-17, but the game wasn't even that close. Aggie fans are knee-jerking, and calling for coach Dennis Franchione's head. After five years, A&M really should be better. And, this year's schedule is designed to get a coach fired, with road games remaining at Texas Tech, Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. In addition, the Texas Longhorns visit College Station. A&M athletic director Bill Byrne should be preparing to hire the search firm right now, because there will be a new coach in Aggieland next season.
My OU Sooners went up the turnpike Friday night and beat the snot out of Tulsa, 62-21. Tulsa actually kept the game competitive for about a quarter. The Hurricane will contend for a championship in Conference USA. They are not a bad team. However, OU is a true juggernaut. This has the potential to be a special season in Norman. The Sooners are averaging 61 points per game, and have beaten their four opponents by an average of almost 50 points per game.
I am on a trip to a company meeting in beautiful Lake Tahoe, California this weekend. I will blog when I can.
NFL Picks, Week 3
There’s something special in the air. Actually, these picks are in the air. Literally, because I’m picking games while on a plane at 30,000 feet. Figuratively, because the NFL is so unpredictable. Last week’s ugly duckling can easily become this week’s swan.
Last week: 9-7
Overall: 21-11
Dallas at Chicago: The Maddencruiser rolls into Chicago for the Sunday night extravaganza, as the Romo Empire attempts to take over Soldier Field. The columns outside Soldier Field actually fit the Roman motif. The Bears have a great defense and an inconsistent offense. The Cowboys’ offense has been impressive against two not-so-great defenses. I’m drinking the silver-and-blue Kool-Aid. Actually, I’m drunk on the silver-and-blue Kool-Aid. Pick: Dallas
Indianapolis at Houston: Hold on to your seats, because this is for first place in the AFC South. The last time the Colts lost was in Houston in the latter part of last season. They went on to win the Super Bowl. The Texans are a lot better now with QB Matt Schaub. However, star WR Andre Johnson is out for this game due to injury. This is too much too soon for the Texans. Pick: Colts
Miami at NY Jets: Yuck. Miami isn’t very good. The Jets are mediocre. It’s easier to spell Jets than Dolphins, so I’ll pick the team with the shorter name. Pick: Jets
Arizona at Baltimore: Arizona is coming off a big win over Seattle. They now go cross-country to face the Ravens. Pick against the Ravens at home? You’ve got to be kidding me. Pick: B-more
San Diego at Green Bay: Chargers follow up a bad road trip to New England with a trip to the not-yet-frozen tundra of Lambeau Field. Is the Pack for real? Honestly, I don’t know. Will the Chargers go 1-2? I don’t know. L.T. runs all over Green Bay. Pick: San Diego
Buffalo at New England: Mismatch city. The question is: Will the Patriots win by a score of 38-14 for the third week in a row? Pick: Pats
Minnesota at Kansas City: Winner gets the rights to eight cornfields in Iowa. Pick: Minnesota
San Francisco at Pittsburgh: One of the better games of the week. The Steelers are in a groove. It’s tough to pick against the Steelers in Pittsburgh. Pick: Pittsburgh
St. Louis at Tampa Bay: The Rams have been disappointing through two weeks. The Bucs got a big win last week over the Saints. I don’t trust the Rams outdoors. Pick: Tampa Bay
Detroit at Philadelphia: The Lions are now 2-0, while the Eagles are 0-2. Are these teams headed in opposite directions? Something good has to happen for the Iggles, and this is a good week for that to happen. Pick: Philly
Cleveland at Oakland: This was expected to be the Suck Bowl Deluxe. Derek Anderson ruined that last week with six touchdown passes and a Browns win over Cincinnati. The Raiders were a late Mike Shanahan timeout away from an upset overtime win last week in Denver. Raiders close the deal this week. Pick: Oakland
Cincinnati at Seattle: Do the Bengals have a defense? They didn’t have one last week. It’s tough to say if they’ll have one this week, either. Pick: Seahawks
Jacksonville at Denver: Denver very nearly lost last week to the woeful Raiders. That proves nothing is a gimme in this league. Can Jacksonville win on the road? Not this week. Pick: Denver
Carolina at Atlanta: Southern fried battle promises to be more fried than Southern. Will anyone in Atlanta care in the immediate post-Vick era? The Falcons aren’t very good. Pick: Carolina
New York Giants at Washington: Washington got a big win on Monday night in Philadelphia. The Giants have given up 80 points in the last two games. I can’t see the Redskins hanging 40 on the Giants, but they’ll score enough to win the game. Pick: Washington
Tennessee at New Orleans: Vince Young vs. Reggie Bush. The Saints have looked like the Aints the last two weeks. That won’t continue. Pick: Saints
Last week: 9-7
Overall: 21-11
Dallas at Chicago: The Maddencruiser rolls into Chicago for the Sunday night extravaganza, as the Romo Empire attempts to take over Soldier Field. The columns outside Soldier Field actually fit the Roman motif. The Bears have a great defense and an inconsistent offense. The Cowboys’ offense has been impressive against two not-so-great defenses. I’m drinking the silver-and-blue Kool-Aid. Actually, I’m drunk on the silver-and-blue Kool-Aid. Pick: Dallas
Indianapolis at Houston: Hold on to your seats, because this is for first place in the AFC South. The last time the Colts lost was in Houston in the latter part of last season. They went on to win the Super Bowl. The Texans are a lot better now with QB Matt Schaub. However, star WR Andre Johnson is out for this game due to injury. This is too much too soon for the Texans. Pick: Colts
Miami at NY Jets: Yuck. Miami isn’t very good. The Jets are mediocre. It’s easier to spell Jets than Dolphins, so I’ll pick the team with the shorter name. Pick: Jets
Arizona at Baltimore: Arizona is coming off a big win over Seattle. They now go cross-country to face the Ravens. Pick against the Ravens at home? You’ve got to be kidding me. Pick: B-more
San Diego at Green Bay: Chargers follow up a bad road trip to New England with a trip to the not-yet-frozen tundra of Lambeau Field. Is the Pack for real? Honestly, I don’t know. Will the Chargers go 1-2? I don’t know. L.T. runs all over Green Bay. Pick: San Diego
Buffalo at New England: Mismatch city. The question is: Will the Patriots win by a score of 38-14 for the third week in a row? Pick: Pats
Minnesota at Kansas City: Winner gets the rights to eight cornfields in Iowa. Pick: Minnesota
San Francisco at Pittsburgh: One of the better games of the week. The Steelers are in a groove. It’s tough to pick against the Steelers in Pittsburgh. Pick: Pittsburgh
St. Louis at Tampa Bay: The Rams have been disappointing through two weeks. The Bucs got a big win last week over the Saints. I don’t trust the Rams outdoors. Pick: Tampa Bay
Detroit at Philadelphia: The Lions are now 2-0, while the Eagles are 0-2. Are these teams headed in opposite directions? Something good has to happen for the Iggles, and this is a good week for that to happen. Pick: Philly
Cleveland at Oakland: This was expected to be the Suck Bowl Deluxe. Derek Anderson ruined that last week with six touchdown passes and a Browns win over Cincinnati. The Raiders were a late Mike Shanahan timeout away from an upset overtime win last week in Denver. Raiders close the deal this week. Pick: Oakland
Cincinnati at Seattle: Do the Bengals have a defense? They didn’t have one last week. It’s tough to say if they’ll have one this week, either. Pick: Seahawks
Jacksonville at Denver: Denver very nearly lost last week to the woeful Raiders. That proves nothing is a gimme in this league. Can Jacksonville win on the road? Not this week. Pick: Denver
Carolina at Atlanta: Southern fried battle promises to be more fried than Southern. Will anyone in Atlanta care in the immediate post-Vick era? The Falcons aren’t very good. Pick: Carolina
New York Giants at Washington: Washington got a big win on Monday night in Philadelphia. The Giants have given up 80 points in the last two games. I can’t see the Redskins hanging 40 on the Giants, but they’ll score enough to win the game. Pick: Washington
Tennessee at New Orleans: Vince Young vs. Reggie Bush. The Saints have looked like the Aints the last two weeks. That won’t continue. Pick: Saints
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
College Picks: Week 4
Last week was an above average week for picks, with a few unexpected results.
Last week: 16-5
Overall: 46-15
Last week, this blog accidentally predicted 21 games. In order to bring the total back to multiples of 20, there will only be 19 games predicted this week.
Oklahoma at Tulsa (Friday): Sooners face the best team they have played to date. This includes Miami. Sooner fans will take over Tulsa’s stadium. Tulsa is a pretty good team, but no match for the Sooners. Pick: OU
Texas A&M at Miami (Thursday): Aggies go to the hood to visit the U. It’s the Corps of Cadets vs. Gangsta Rappers. It’s really hard to get a feel for this game. Miami struggled to defeat Florida International by two touchdowns last week. Aggies have a bit more talent. I don’t know if Miami can score much on A&M. Pick: Texas A&M
Texas Tech at Oklahoma State: Big 12 season opens in Stillwater. Tech has throttled regional teams such as SMU and Rice. OSU embarrassed themselves and the conference in a 41-23 loss to Troy. Troy should have beaten OSU by even more than they did. OSU is in the midst of a quarterback controversy, and is having running back problems. Even in Stillwater, Tech should win. Pick: Tech
Baylor at Buffalo: Baylor is going to wish they had not scheduled this game. Buffalo has been historically woeful, but is improving under coach Turner Gill. The Bears are looking for a win, which will be hard to come by for them in the Big 12. This is a trap for the Bears. I like Buffalo’s chances here. Pick: Buffalo
Rice at Texas: The Longhorns are in the midst of trouble both on and off the field. Nonetheless, the Horns shouldn’t have a problem with Rice. Rice is reverting back to doormat form. Pick: Texas
Miami, Ohio at Colorado: Buffs are improving, but are not nearly where they would like to be. Miami is known for upsets. I don’t know if it would be an upset, but I like the team from Ohio in this one. Pick: Miami
Ball State at Nebraska: Huskers were manhandled last week by USC. Luckily for them, they get Ball State this week. This will be closer than it should be, but the Huskers should win. Pick: Nebraska
Florida International at Kansas: Four cupcakes, four wins for the Jayhawks. Pick: KU
Illinois State at Missouri: Missouri should wipe the floor with this opponent. Pick: Mizzou
Iowa State at Toledo: The Rockets host the juggernaut from Ames. ISU comes off an unexpected win over archrival Iowa. Toledo has not shown anything this season worthy of a pick, even at home. Pick: Iowa State
Penn State at Michigan: Wolverines earned a measure of respect by whipping Notre Dame last week. The celebration is short-lived, as Penn State visits the Big House. Pick: Penn State
Michigan State at Notre Dame: The Irish are one of the worst teams in America. Pick: Michigan State
South Carolina at LSU: Tigers receive test from ‘Cocks. Nonetheless, the home field will work in LSU’s favor. Pick: LSU
Georgia at Alabama: Tide scored a dramatic win over Arkansas, after blowing a 31-10 win. Now, the Bulldogs visit Tuscaloosa. Strange things happen in Tuscaloosa on Saturday nights on ESPN. It’s hard to go against the Sabanites here. Pick: Bama
Kentucky at Arkansas: Kentucky won a shootout last week over archrival Louisville, earning the Cats a spot in this week’s Top 25. Heisman candidate Darren McFadden led Arkansas to a monster comeback against Alabama, but the Hogs could not hold on. This is a huge game for the Razorbacks. Give me the Fighting Nutts. Pick: Arkansas
Washington at UCLA: Huskies opened strong with two wins before running into Ohio State last week. UCLA did not show up for a game last week in Salt Lake City, and were pile-driven 44-6 by Utah. Pick: Washington
Iowa at Wisconsin: Saturday night game in Cheeseland. Hawkeyes were embarrassed last week by previously winless archrival Iowa State. Badgers remain unbeaten. Pick: Wisconsin
SMU at TCU: Battle for the Iron Skillet. SMU currently holds the Skillet, having won in 2005 before the two teams took a sabbatical last season. SMU has been unimpressive this season, and coach Phil Bennett’s job is on the line. TCU blew a two touchdown lead last week at Air Force to lose their second game in a row. It’ll be ugly, but the Frogs should win this one. Pick: TCU
North Park at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology: Rose-Hulman hosts the Indianapolis Colts’ training camp in Terre Haute, Indiana. Some of the Colts’ championship magic dust remains behind at Rose-Hulman. Pick: Rose-Hulman
Last week: 16-5
Overall: 46-15
Last week, this blog accidentally predicted 21 games. In order to bring the total back to multiples of 20, there will only be 19 games predicted this week.
Oklahoma at Tulsa (Friday): Sooners face the best team they have played to date. This includes Miami. Sooner fans will take over Tulsa’s stadium. Tulsa is a pretty good team, but no match for the Sooners. Pick: OU
Texas A&M at Miami (Thursday): Aggies go to the hood to visit the U. It’s the Corps of Cadets vs. Gangsta Rappers. It’s really hard to get a feel for this game. Miami struggled to defeat Florida International by two touchdowns last week. Aggies have a bit more talent. I don’t know if Miami can score much on A&M. Pick: Texas A&M
Texas Tech at Oklahoma State: Big 12 season opens in Stillwater. Tech has throttled regional teams such as SMU and Rice. OSU embarrassed themselves and the conference in a 41-23 loss to Troy. Troy should have beaten OSU by even more than they did. OSU is in the midst of a quarterback controversy, and is having running back problems. Even in Stillwater, Tech should win. Pick: Tech
Baylor at Buffalo: Baylor is going to wish they had not scheduled this game. Buffalo has been historically woeful, but is improving under coach Turner Gill. The Bears are looking for a win, which will be hard to come by for them in the Big 12. This is a trap for the Bears. I like Buffalo’s chances here. Pick: Buffalo
Rice at Texas: The Longhorns are in the midst of trouble both on and off the field. Nonetheless, the Horns shouldn’t have a problem with Rice. Rice is reverting back to doormat form. Pick: Texas
Miami, Ohio at Colorado: Buffs are improving, but are not nearly where they would like to be. Miami is known for upsets. I don’t know if it would be an upset, but I like the team from Ohio in this one. Pick: Miami
Ball State at Nebraska: Huskers were manhandled last week by USC. Luckily for them, they get Ball State this week. This will be closer than it should be, but the Huskers should win. Pick: Nebraska
Florida International at Kansas: Four cupcakes, four wins for the Jayhawks. Pick: KU
Illinois State at Missouri: Missouri should wipe the floor with this opponent. Pick: Mizzou
Iowa State at Toledo: The Rockets host the juggernaut from Ames. ISU comes off an unexpected win over archrival Iowa. Toledo has not shown anything this season worthy of a pick, even at home. Pick: Iowa State
Penn State at Michigan: Wolverines earned a measure of respect by whipping Notre Dame last week. The celebration is short-lived, as Penn State visits the Big House. Pick: Penn State
Michigan State at Notre Dame: The Irish are one of the worst teams in America. Pick: Michigan State
South Carolina at LSU: Tigers receive test from ‘Cocks. Nonetheless, the home field will work in LSU’s favor. Pick: LSU
Georgia at Alabama: Tide scored a dramatic win over Arkansas, after blowing a 31-10 win. Now, the Bulldogs visit Tuscaloosa. Strange things happen in Tuscaloosa on Saturday nights on ESPN. It’s hard to go against the Sabanites here. Pick: Bama
Kentucky at Arkansas: Kentucky won a shootout last week over archrival Louisville, earning the Cats a spot in this week’s Top 25. Heisman candidate Darren McFadden led Arkansas to a monster comeback against Alabama, but the Hogs could not hold on. This is a huge game for the Razorbacks. Give me the Fighting Nutts. Pick: Arkansas
Washington at UCLA: Huskies opened strong with two wins before running into Ohio State last week. UCLA did not show up for a game last week in Salt Lake City, and were pile-driven 44-6 by Utah. Pick: Washington
Iowa at Wisconsin: Saturday night game in Cheeseland. Hawkeyes were embarrassed last week by previously winless archrival Iowa State. Badgers remain unbeaten. Pick: Wisconsin
SMU at TCU: Battle for the Iron Skillet. SMU currently holds the Skillet, having won in 2005 before the two teams took a sabbatical last season. SMU has been unimpressive this season, and coach Phil Bennett’s job is on the line. TCU blew a two touchdown lead last week at Air Force to lose their second game in a row. It’ll be ugly, but the Frogs should win this one. Pick: TCU
North Park at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology: Rose-Hulman hosts the Indianapolis Colts’ training camp in Terre Haute, Indiana. Some of the Colts’ championship magic dust remains behind at Rose-Hulman. Pick: Rose-Hulman
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Mr. Ditka Goes To Washington
Today, the great Iron Mike Ditka was on Capitol Hill. He once turned down a chance to run for a seat in the United States Senate from Illinois. Ditka was in the Senate today, but was there to testify before the Senate Commerce Committee on behalf of retired NFL players.
Ditka is the spokesman for the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund. The group is attempting to convince the NFL and the players' union to reform the system of disability payments for retired players. Ditka, in the meantime, is trying to force the union's hand by asking for a congressional investigation of the union's finances.
The NFL is the most successful professional sports league in America. The league is more popular than ever. The league and its players are making more money than ever. There are many retired players that have fallen through the cracks of the league's pension plan. There are other ex-players who have debilitating football-related injuries and are unable to work. Yes, there are occupational hazards that come with playing a full-contact collision sport. However, the league and its players' union have a responsibility to help take care of those who have helped build the sport.
These are proud men who would rather not ask for a handout. They are not asking for the government to help them. They would simply like to receive something back from the game that they helped build, so that they can take care of physical needs brought about by their football careers.
The Roger Goodell era of the NFL is off to a great start. My hope is that the NFL and the NFL Players Association can do something more to help former players that have fallen upon hard times due to football-related injuries and conditions.
Monday, September 17, 2007
NFL Highway, Week 2
Life is a highway. So is the NFL. We won’t ride it all night long, but it is time for another trip down the NFL highway for Week 2. From the branch office in Windsor, Connecticut….
The Romo Empire continues to be built. The Miami Dolphins are the latest conquest of Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys, as Dallas won on Sunday, 37-20. Romo threw for 185 yards and two touchdown passes. The Cowboys next travel to Chicago for the Sunday night extravaganza against the Bears.
Break up the Texans! The Houston Texans overcame an early 14-0 deficit to thump the Carolina Panthers, 34-21. Matt (My Name Is Not Earl) Schaub and Andre Johnson connected on two first half touchdown passes to help the Texans to the win. The Texans are 2-0 for the first time in team history. Next week, the Indianapolis Colts visit Houston.
This blog has been ruthless in its criticism of the Cleveland Browns. Someone in Cleveland was listening, as the Browns came out of hiding to hang half a hundred on Cincinnati in a 51-45 win. Derek Anderson threw five touchdown passes for CLE, while holding Brady Quinn off for the starting job. Carson Palmer threw for six touchdowns in a losing effort for Cincinnati, making many fantasy owners happy.
The New York Giants stunk up the field yesterday, losing to Green Bay at home 35-13. The Giants are melting down as we speak. It’s going to be a long year in the Big Apple.
The other New York team came up a bit short, as the Jets narrowly lost to the Baltimore Ravens, 20-13. Notable in New York is the fact that Chad Pennington was apparently ready to play for the Jets, but did not play, as the Jets started Kellen Clemens at QB.
The Pittsburgh Steelers continue to roll. The Steelers rode four field goals and two touchdowns to a workmanlike 26-3 thumping of Buffalo. The Steelers are 2-0, and neither win has been close. The Mike Tomlin era is off to an impressive start.
The St. Louis Rams have been a big disappointment over the first two weeks of the season. Star punt returner Dante Hall fumbled a punt late in the 4th quarter, setting up the winning field goal for the Niners. San Francisco moves to 2-0 in what is turning into a renaissance for the 49ers.
In the battle of Swampland and Peanuts, the Jacksonville Jaguars outuglied the Atlanta Falcons, 13-7. This game had a fraction of the atmosphere of the other Georgia-Florida matchup that takes place every year at Alltel Stadium. Georgia and Florida might be able to beat the Falcons, as well. I wouldn’t quite put a good college team up against a bad NFL team yet, but the Gators would give the Falcons all they want. That’s a rambling way to say that the Falcons aren’t very good.
The team laying the biggest egg in the first two weeks has to be the New Orleans Saints. The Saints were picked by many to go to the Super Bowl, but are instead a bad 0-2, after being whipped 31-14 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs are not great at all, but made the Saints look really bad.
The Indianapolis Colts escaped Music City with a 22-20 win over the Tennessee Titans. The Colts’ defense came through, stopping a Vince Young-led comeback at the end of the game. The Colts are not giving up their title without a fight.
Sunday’s late games saw three contests decided by a field goal. One was in Arizona, where the Cardinals got a big win over the Seattle Seahawks, 23-20. Edgerrin James rushed for 128 yards and a touchdown for the Cardinals.
In Detroit, the Lions are 2-0 after beating Minnesota 20-17 in overtime. The Lions may or may not be that great, but they no longer suck. That is progress in the Motor City. Baby steps, baby steps.
The Denver Broncos were nearly embarrassed, as they needed overtime to beat the awful Oakland Raiders at home, 23-20. In the NFL, anything can happen, and usually does. That includes bad teams beating teams that are supposed to be good. That nearly happened in Denver on Sunday.
The Chicago Bears are now 2-0, after doubling up the Kansas City Chiefs, 20-10. The Chiefs are struggling. The Bears are good, once again.
In the Sunday night extravaganza, the New England Patriots scored their second 38-14 win in a row, this time over the San Diego Chargers. It is not known if there were illegal cameras in the stadium. Cameras or no cameras, someone is going to have to get past the Pats to get to the Super Bowl. This team is on a mission, and has improved greatly over last year.
The Monday night game features NFC East rivals Washington and Philadelphia, or a battle of the fight songs Hail to the Redskins and Fly, Eagles, Fly.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
More Knee-Jerk Reactions
I took advantage of ABC's scheduling of the World's Biggest Pillow Fight this afternoon and spent most of the day and night with my family. It was time well spent in more ways than one. Some things I noticed in the world of college football when I got home:
Notre Dame is absolutely atrocious. In three games, America's College Team has not scored an offensive touchdown. They helped Michigan save face today, as the Wolverines handed the Irish a 38-0 pasting.
The Texas Longhorns survived a hornet's nest today, as the opening opponent for Central Florida in the Knights' new on-campus stadium. The Longhorns got out with a 35-32 win. The Horns are already looking forward to their game with OU on October 6.
OU pounded Utah State, 54-3. The Sooners did not score in the 4th quarter. They are also looking forward to a game in Dallas on October 6 against Texas.
Things are well in Tuscaloosa tonight. The Alabama Crimson Tide led Arkansas, 31-10. The Razorbacks then made an incredible comeback, and even went ahead by a score of 38-31. The Tide bounced back for 10 more points, to win 41-38. The Sabanites can rest easy tonight.
Big Blue Nation is celebrating tonight. Kentucky won a wild affair with Louisville, defeating the 9th-ranked Cardinals, 40-34. I expected this to be a high-scoring game. The Ville needs to go find a defense.
Break up the Dukies! Duke ended a 22 game losing streak with a 20-14 win tonight at Northwestern.
USC is really good. Nebraska looks pretty mediocre tonight. The Big 12 North is up for grabs, as Nebraska is still quite a ways away from becoming the Nebraska of old. Missouri, Kansas State, and even Kansas have a chance to win the North this year.
Colorado still stinks, but not quite as bad as last year.
More comments in a future post...
Notre Dame is absolutely atrocious. In three games, America's College Team has not scored an offensive touchdown. They helped Michigan save face today, as the Wolverines handed the Irish a 38-0 pasting.
The Texas Longhorns survived a hornet's nest today, as the opening opponent for Central Florida in the Knights' new on-campus stadium. The Longhorns got out with a 35-32 win. The Horns are already looking forward to their game with OU on October 6.
OU pounded Utah State, 54-3. The Sooners did not score in the 4th quarter. They are also looking forward to a game in Dallas on October 6 against Texas.
Things are well in Tuscaloosa tonight. The Alabama Crimson Tide led Arkansas, 31-10. The Razorbacks then made an incredible comeback, and even went ahead by a score of 38-31. The Tide bounced back for 10 more points, to win 41-38. The Sabanites can rest easy tonight.
Big Blue Nation is celebrating tonight. Kentucky won a wild affair with Louisville, defeating the 9th-ranked Cardinals, 40-34. I expected this to be a high-scoring game. The Ville needs to go find a defense.
Break up the Dukies! Duke ended a 22 game losing streak with a 20-14 win tonight at Northwestern.
USC is really good. Nebraska looks pretty mediocre tonight. The Big 12 North is up for grabs, as Nebraska is still quite a ways away from becoming the Nebraska of old. Missouri, Kansas State, and even Kansas have a chance to win the North this year.
Colorado still stinks, but not quite as bad as last year.
More comments in a future post...
Knee-Jerk Reactions
A knee-jerk reaction while observing the early games:
The Big Ten is really horrible this year.
Wisconsin is finally pulling away from The Citadel, but was tied with them at the half.
Minnesota is getting drilled by Florida Atlantic.
Iowa is losing to previously woeful Iowa State.
This is in addition to what Michigan has already done/not done. Penn State, Purdue, and Michigan State look pretty good. The jury is still out on Ohio State. We'll know more about the Buckeyes around 6 PM Central time, after their game with Washington.
Outside the Big Ten, Syracuse is really awful. They are being hammered for the third week in a row, this time by Illinois of the Big Ten. Their football team is as bad as their uniforms. And, those guys still have to look forward to West Virginia, Rutgers, Louisville, and South Florida.
The Big Ten is really horrible this year.
Wisconsin is finally pulling away from The Citadel, but was tied with them at the half.
Minnesota is getting drilled by Florida Atlantic.
Iowa is losing to previously woeful Iowa State.
This is in addition to what Michigan has already done/not done. Penn State, Purdue, and Michigan State look pretty good. The jury is still out on Ohio State. We'll know more about the Buckeyes around 6 PM Central time, after their game with Washington.
Outside the Big Ten, Syracuse is really awful. They are being hammered for the third week in a row, this time by Illinois of the Big Ten. Their football team is as bad as their uniforms. And, those guys still have to look forward to West Virginia, Rutgers, Louisville, and South Florida.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Cinderella? Maybe Not This Year
Will there be another Boise State this year? Or, a team from a non-BCS conference that qualifies for a BCS bowl? A team would need to go undefeated in order to do so, as they need to finish in the top 12 of the BCS rankings at the end of the season.
As of now, there are only six teams from non-BCS conferences still undefeated: UCF, Tulsa (Conference USA), Air Force, Wyoming (Mountain West), Hawaii (WAC), and Ohio (MAC).
UCF plays Texas tomorrow, and Tulsa plays Oklahoma next week, so those teams will have losses soon. Air Force and Wyoming play each other, and some other decent teams in the MWC, so it is doubtful that either of them will finish unbeaten. Ohio plays at Virginia Tech tomorrow, a game that is likely to end in a loss for them. Scratch Ohio. Which leaves Hawaii. If the Warriors can find a defense, they can still make the BCS. However, they have to find a way to keep the Louisiana Techs of the world from scoring 44 points on them in a game.
Hawaii is the best hope left for the little guys.
As of now, there are only six teams from non-BCS conferences still undefeated: UCF, Tulsa (Conference USA), Air Force, Wyoming (Mountain West), Hawaii (WAC), and Ohio (MAC).
UCF plays Texas tomorrow, and Tulsa plays Oklahoma next week, so those teams will have losses soon. Air Force and Wyoming play each other, and some other decent teams in the MWC, so it is doubtful that either of them will finish unbeaten. Ohio plays at Virginia Tech tomorrow, a game that is likely to end in a loss for them. Scratch Ohio. Which leaves Hawaii. If the Warriors can find a defense, they can still make the BCS. However, they have to find a way to keep the Louisiana Techs of the world from scoring 44 points on them in a game.
Hawaii is the best hope left for the little guys.
NFL Picks, Week 2
Week 2 in the National Football League brings another round of unpredictability. Teams are still sorting themselves out, and teams once known as pretenders attempt to become contenders. Of course, just the opposite is possible, as well. We’ll hope for no catastrophic injuries this week, and we’ll also hope that no one crosses the boundaries of fair play.
Last week was a good week for this blog, as 75 percent of the predictions were correct.
Last week: 12-4
Season: 12-4
Now, another round of predictions and projections for the National Football League:
Dallas at Miami: Cowboys won a shootout last week against the Giants, as Tony Romo accounted for five touchdowns. Dolphins lost an overtime heartbreaker to the Redskins, and now return home to sunny South Florida. Dolphins are still rebuilding. They simply aren’t as good as the Cowboys. Give me the Romo Empire. Pick: Dallas
San Diego at New England: Rematch of last year’s playoff game won by New England, after which Marty Schottenheimer lost his job as coach of the Chargers. Patriots whipped the Jets last week, but were caught videotaping the Jets’ coaches during the game, and were quickly fined and punished. That’s too bad, because the Patriots are good enough not to cheat. That’s a distraction, but not too much of one. Bill Belichick is an evil genius. Pats have the Chargers’ number. Pick: New England
Buffalo at Pittsburgh: Bills lost a heartbreaker to Denver last week, and also dealt with the catastrophic spinal cord injury to backup tight end Kevin Everett. Pittsburgh went to Cleveland and thumped the Browns. Look for more of the same this week on the banks of the Monongahela River. Pick: Pittsburgh
Indianapolis at Tennessee: Interesting game as the Colts visit the Fighting Vince Youngs. I’m not going to pick against the Colts unless I have to. Pick: Indy
Green Bay at New York Giants: Giants were hit by the injury bug last week in Dallas, losing QB Peyton Manning and RB Brandon Jacobs. Packers sneaked by the Eagles last week. It shapes up to be a long year for the G-men if they can’t get healthy. Pick: Green Bay
Houston at Carolina: The NFL’s newest juggernaut goes on the road to take on the Panthers. Panthers were impressive in last week’s win over the Rams. Houston will be competitive, but the Panthers are a little better. Pick: Carolina
San Francisco at St. Louis: 49ers won the late night game on Monday night. The Rams’ offense was lethargic against the Panthers, as RB Steven Jackson only gained 58 yards rushing and lost two fumbles. These teams are pretty comparable. Rams won’t lose two in a row. Pick: St. Louis
Cincinnati at Cleveland: Bengals were impressive in their win over the Ravens. The Browns are possibly the worst team in the league, and traded last week’s starting QB Charlie Frye to Seattle for a blocking sled and a tackling dummy. Bengals win bragging rights to Interstate 71 and everything on it. Pick: Cincy
New Orleans at Tampa Bay: Bucs aren’t as bad as Cleveland or Oakland, but they’re not that good, either. Saints are still favored to win the NFC South, in spite of the thrashing they took last week in Indianapolis. Even on the road, the Saints should win this one. Pick: New Orleans
Atlanta at Jacksonville: These teams are playing for the rights to some swampland and peanut farms in south Georgia. To be honest, the people in south Georgia are more concerned with the Georgia Bulldogs. The Falcons opened the Joey Harrington era by scoring a whopping 3 points last week in Minnesota. The Jags lost a winnable game to the Titans. That won’t happen two weeks in a row. Pick: Jacksonville
Minnesota at Detroit: Both teams are undefeated after one game. Vikes rode the legs of Adrian (Oklahoma) Peterson to a big win over Atlanta last week. Lions beat the sorry Raiders, and return home. Lions have a lot of weapons, as they have spent their first round draft pick in every draft for the last 39 years on wide receivers. Well, not that many drafts, but Calvin Johnson and Roy (Texas) Williams are good receivers. Pick: Detroit
Seattle at Arizona: The annual Arizona disappointment continues, as the Cardinals come off a close loss in San Francisco. The misery continues, as the Seahawks ruin the Cardinal home opener. Pick: Seattle
Kansas City at Chicago: The question here is: Will the Chiefs score? Pick: Chicago
New York Jets at Baltimore: Jets got thumped by the Patriots last week, with or without extra help. Ravens struggled in Cincinnati, but return home. Ravens’ defense helps get them on the right track. Pick: Balmer
Oakland at Denver: Yuck. Raiders are the worst team in football until Cleveland outsucks them. Denver is head and shoulders above the Raiders. Pick: Broncos
Washington at Philadelphia: They like the Redskins a lot in Philadelphia. Not really. The Eagles have enough to handle Washington. Pick: Philly
Last week was a good week for this blog, as 75 percent of the predictions were correct.
Last week: 12-4
Season: 12-4
Now, another round of predictions and projections for the National Football League:
Dallas at Miami: Cowboys won a shootout last week against the Giants, as Tony Romo accounted for five touchdowns. Dolphins lost an overtime heartbreaker to the Redskins, and now return home to sunny South Florida. Dolphins are still rebuilding. They simply aren’t as good as the Cowboys. Give me the Romo Empire. Pick: Dallas
San Diego at New England: Rematch of last year’s playoff game won by New England, after which Marty Schottenheimer lost his job as coach of the Chargers. Patriots whipped the Jets last week, but were caught videotaping the Jets’ coaches during the game, and were quickly fined and punished. That’s too bad, because the Patriots are good enough not to cheat. That’s a distraction, but not too much of one. Bill Belichick is an evil genius. Pats have the Chargers’ number. Pick: New England
Buffalo at Pittsburgh: Bills lost a heartbreaker to Denver last week, and also dealt with the catastrophic spinal cord injury to backup tight end Kevin Everett. Pittsburgh went to Cleveland and thumped the Browns. Look for more of the same this week on the banks of the Monongahela River. Pick: Pittsburgh
Indianapolis at Tennessee: Interesting game as the Colts visit the Fighting Vince Youngs. I’m not going to pick against the Colts unless I have to. Pick: Indy
Green Bay at New York Giants: Giants were hit by the injury bug last week in Dallas, losing QB Peyton Manning and RB Brandon Jacobs. Packers sneaked by the Eagles last week. It shapes up to be a long year for the G-men if they can’t get healthy. Pick: Green Bay
Houston at Carolina: The NFL’s newest juggernaut goes on the road to take on the Panthers. Panthers were impressive in last week’s win over the Rams. Houston will be competitive, but the Panthers are a little better. Pick: Carolina
San Francisco at St. Louis: 49ers won the late night game on Monday night. The Rams’ offense was lethargic against the Panthers, as RB Steven Jackson only gained 58 yards rushing and lost two fumbles. These teams are pretty comparable. Rams won’t lose two in a row. Pick: St. Louis
Cincinnati at Cleveland: Bengals were impressive in their win over the Ravens. The Browns are possibly the worst team in the league, and traded last week’s starting QB Charlie Frye to Seattle for a blocking sled and a tackling dummy. Bengals win bragging rights to Interstate 71 and everything on it. Pick: Cincy
New Orleans at Tampa Bay: Bucs aren’t as bad as Cleveland or Oakland, but they’re not that good, either. Saints are still favored to win the NFC South, in spite of the thrashing they took last week in Indianapolis. Even on the road, the Saints should win this one. Pick: New Orleans
Atlanta at Jacksonville: These teams are playing for the rights to some swampland and peanut farms in south Georgia. To be honest, the people in south Georgia are more concerned with the Georgia Bulldogs. The Falcons opened the Joey Harrington era by scoring a whopping 3 points last week in Minnesota. The Jags lost a winnable game to the Titans. That won’t happen two weeks in a row. Pick: Jacksonville
Minnesota at Detroit: Both teams are undefeated after one game. Vikes rode the legs of Adrian (Oklahoma) Peterson to a big win over Atlanta last week. Lions beat the sorry Raiders, and return home. Lions have a lot of weapons, as they have spent their first round draft pick in every draft for the last 39 years on wide receivers. Well, not that many drafts, but Calvin Johnson and Roy (Texas) Williams are good receivers. Pick: Detroit
Seattle at Arizona: The annual Arizona disappointment continues, as the Cardinals come off a close loss in San Francisco. The misery continues, as the Seahawks ruin the Cardinal home opener. Pick: Seattle
Kansas City at Chicago: The question here is: Will the Chiefs score? Pick: Chicago
New York Jets at Baltimore: Jets got thumped by the Patriots last week, with or without extra help. Ravens struggled in Cincinnati, but return home. Ravens’ defense helps get them on the right track. Pick: Balmer
Oakland at Denver: Yuck. Raiders are the worst team in football until Cleveland outsucks them. Denver is head and shoulders above the Raiders. Pick: Broncos
Washington at Philadelphia: They like the Redskins a lot in Philadelphia. Not really. The Eagles have enough to handle Washington. Pick: Philly
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Most Important?
Excuse me while I go throw up.
ESPN just raised the following question regarding Saturday's Notre Dame-Michigan game: Is this the most important game ever between unranked teams?
Note to ESPN: There is no such thing as an important game between unranked teams, unless a championship is on the line. This is just a spare game between two annually overrated, overexposed teams.
I wish there were still ties in college football. I'd cheer for a scoreless tie in this game.
TV ratings are expected to be up for this one. People like to see a train wreck.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
College Picks, Week 3
How time flies. It’s already Wednesday night, which means tomorrow is Thursday and the beginning of another college football weekend. Last week was a mediocre week in picking games, as I went for broke in picking some upsets and fell on my face. Here are some picks and comments for this week.
Last Week: 13-7
Season: 30-10
Picks for Week 3:
Utah State at Oklahoma: Sooners get a bodybag game to fill the schedule. Utah State was competitive, but fell short against UNLV and Wyoming. The Utah Aggies take a huge step up in competition this week. Pick: OU
Texas at UCF: Longhorns are guests of UCF as the Knights open their brand new on-campus stadium. Which Texas team travels to Orlando? The one that played against Arkansas State and the first half against TCU, or the one that drilled TCU in the 2nd half of last week’s game? Either way, do not think you can escape the eyes of Texas, even in sunny central Florida. Pick: Texas
Oklahoma State at Troy (Friday): The Men of Troy, Alabama open their home schedule after two money games at Arkansas and Florida. The Trojans scored 26 points against Arkansas and 31 against Florida. OSU got their first win last week, thumping Florida Atlantic, 41-6. I know OSU is in the Big 12, but that doesn’t matter to Troy. The Aggies will wish they hadn’t made this trip. Pick: Troy
Texas State at Baylor: Baylor won big last week over Rice. The Bears get win #2 this week. Pick: Baylor
Louisiana-Monroe at Texas A&M: Aggies barely survived in three overtimes against Fresno State. ULM plays their second money game in as many weeks, having lost at Clemson last week. Pick: A&M
Texas Tech at Rice: Tech had to come back last week to win at home over UTEP. They won’t have to do that this week. Rice looks like they are reverting to their traditional selves. Pick: Tech
USC at Nebraska: Huskers have been prepping for this game for three years. SC enters ranked #1 in the nation. Nebraska is a chic pick this week. I’m not buying into that hype. Pick: USC
Florida State at Colorado: A very ordinary FSU team visits the mountains for a late night game with the Buffs. Colorado isn’t that good, but the Buffs are improving. FSU struggled to beat UAB at home last week. CU got kicked by Arizona State after leading by two touchdowns on the road. This FSU team is a shell of the ones that came before it. Pick: CU
Iowa at Iowa State: Will Iowa State win a game this year? Not this week against the Hawkeyes. Pick: Iowa
Toledo at Kansas: The Rockets have slipped a notch last season and the first two weeks of this season, giving up 50+ points in each of their first two games. The Fighting Manginos have scored 50+ points in each of their first two games. The two teams have a common opponent: Central Michigan. KU beat CMU 52-7, while the Rockets lost to the Chippewas, 52-31. Pick: KU
Missouri State at Kansas State: K-State gets back to a normal non-conference opponent. Pick: KSU
Western Michigan at Missouri: Mizzou is undefeated after two games. That won’t change after three games. Pick: Missouri
Notre Dame at Michigan: Neither team has won a game. Both teams are starting true freshman quarterbacks. Still, TV ratings look to be up, because people like to watch a train wreck. There are no ties in college football, so I have to pick a winner. Pick: Michigan
Tennessee at Florida: Vols visit the Swamp. Good luck with all that. Pick: Florida
TCU at Air Force (Thursday): What’s up with the Mountain West Conference? They’re making these teams play on Thursday for a TV channel no one gets. This will be a pretty good game. Frogs are licking their wounds after last week’s debacle in Austin. Air Force has received new life with new coach Troy Calhoun. Still, TCU is bigger and faster than the Zoomies. Pick: TCU
West Virginia at Maryland (Thursday): Mountaineers toyed with Marshall last week. Maryland struggled to win in Miami. Against Florida International, not the Canes. WVU marches on. Pick: West Virginia
Cincinnati at Miami (Ohio): Archrivals meet again. Cincy is coming off a big win over Oregon State, while Miami lost a triple-overtime heartbreaker at Minnesota. Throw out the records in this one. Pick: Miami
Ohio State at Washington: Interesting game. Ohio State has been predictable in their first two games. The Huskies have impressed many in two wins over Syracuse and Boise State. Seattle is a tough trip, especially when the Huskies are good. Big Ten schools struggle when they go out West. The stars align for an upset. Pick: Washington
Louisville at Kentucky: The Ville’s football team scores almost as many points as their basketball team. Problem is, the defense gave up 42 to Middle Tennessee last week. The Big Blue are steadily improving, and can put points up themselves. I don’t know the over/under line on this game, but take the over. For the winner, think Big Blue. Pick: Kentucky
Hawaii at UNLV: Warriors got a close call last week at Louisiana Tech. They did not return home this week, but practiced and stayed in Houston before heading to Vegas. UNLV lost a close one to heavily favored Wisconsin last week. I don’t know if they can keep up with Hawaii. Pick: Hawaii
East Central (Oklahoma) at Eastern New Mexico: Tigers visit Blackwater Draw, N.M. in a Lone Star Conference showdown. Both teams are 1-0 in conference. Blackwater Draw is a tough trip. Pick: ENMU
Last Week: 13-7
Season: 30-10
Picks for Week 3:
Utah State at Oklahoma: Sooners get a bodybag game to fill the schedule. Utah State was competitive, but fell short against UNLV and Wyoming. The Utah Aggies take a huge step up in competition this week. Pick: OU
Texas at UCF: Longhorns are guests of UCF as the Knights open their brand new on-campus stadium. Which Texas team travels to Orlando? The one that played against Arkansas State and the first half against TCU, or the one that drilled TCU in the 2nd half of last week’s game? Either way, do not think you can escape the eyes of Texas, even in sunny central Florida. Pick: Texas
Oklahoma State at Troy (Friday): The Men of Troy, Alabama open their home schedule after two money games at Arkansas and Florida. The Trojans scored 26 points against Arkansas and 31 against Florida. OSU got their first win last week, thumping Florida Atlantic, 41-6. I know OSU is in the Big 12, but that doesn’t matter to Troy. The Aggies will wish they hadn’t made this trip. Pick: Troy
Texas State at Baylor: Baylor won big last week over Rice. The Bears get win #2 this week. Pick: Baylor
Louisiana-Monroe at Texas A&M: Aggies barely survived in three overtimes against Fresno State. ULM plays their second money game in as many weeks, having lost at Clemson last week. Pick: A&M
Texas Tech at Rice: Tech had to come back last week to win at home over UTEP. They won’t have to do that this week. Rice looks like they are reverting to their traditional selves. Pick: Tech
USC at Nebraska: Huskers have been prepping for this game for three years. SC enters ranked #1 in the nation. Nebraska is a chic pick this week. I’m not buying into that hype. Pick: USC
Florida State at Colorado: A very ordinary FSU team visits the mountains for a late night game with the Buffs. Colorado isn’t that good, but the Buffs are improving. FSU struggled to beat UAB at home last week. CU got kicked by Arizona State after leading by two touchdowns on the road. This FSU team is a shell of the ones that came before it. Pick: CU
Iowa at Iowa State: Will Iowa State win a game this year? Not this week against the Hawkeyes. Pick: Iowa
Toledo at Kansas: The Rockets have slipped a notch last season and the first two weeks of this season, giving up 50+ points in each of their first two games. The Fighting Manginos have scored 50+ points in each of their first two games. The two teams have a common opponent: Central Michigan. KU beat CMU 52-7, while the Rockets lost to the Chippewas, 52-31. Pick: KU
Missouri State at Kansas State: K-State gets back to a normal non-conference opponent. Pick: KSU
Western Michigan at Missouri: Mizzou is undefeated after two games. That won’t change after three games. Pick: Missouri
Notre Dame at Michigan: Neither team has won a game. Both teams are starting true freshman quarterbacks. Still, TV ratings look to be up, because people like to watch a train wreck. There are no ties in college football, so I have to pick a winner. Pick: Michigan
Tennessee at Florida: Vols visit the Swamp. Good luck with all that. Pick: Florida
TCU at Air Force (Thursday): What’s up with the Mountain West Conference? They’re making these teams play on Thursday for a TV channel no one gets. This will be a pretty good game. Frogs are licking their wounds after last week’s debacle in Austin. Air Force has received new life with new coach Troy Calhoun. Still, TCU is bigger and faster than the Zoomies. Pick: TCU
West Virginia at Maryland (Thursday): Mountaineers toyed with Marshall last week. Maryland struggled to win in Miami. Against Florida International, not the Canes. WVU marches on. Pick: West Virginia
Cincinnati at Miami (Ohio): Archrivals meet again. Cincy is coming off a big win over Oregon State, while Miami lost a triple-overtime heartbreaker at Minnesota. Throw out the records in this one. Pick: Miami
Ohio State at Washington: Interesting game. Ohio State has been predictable in their first two games. The Huskies have impressed many in two wins over Syracuse and Boise State. Seattle is a tough trip, especially when the Huskies are good. Big Ten schools struggle when they go out West. The stars align for an upset. Pick: Washington
Louisville at Kentucky: The Ville’s football team scores almost as many points as their basketball team. Problem is, the defense gave up 42 to Middle Tennessee last week. The Big Blue are steadily improving, and can put points up themselves. I don’t know the over/under line on this game, but take the over. For the winner, think Big Blue. Pick: Kentucky
Hawaii at UNLV: Warriors got a close call last week at Louisiana Tech. They did not return home this week, but practiced and stayed in Houston before heading to Vegas. UNLV lost a close one to heavily favored Wisconsin last week. I don’t know if they can keep up with Hawaii. Pick: Hawaii
East Central (Oklahoma) at Eastern New Mexico: Tigers visit Blackwater Draw, N.M. in a Lone Star Conference showdown. Both teams are 1-0 in conference. Blackwater Draw is a tough trip. Pick: ENMU
Monday, September 10, 2007
NFL Highway, Week 1
And, now, the long-awaited trip down Week 1 of NFL Highway. This isn’t a boulevard, as that title has been taken. It’s not a freeway, because I don’t write that fast. However, it is a highway, because it covers long distances. So, buckle up and enjoy this trip around Week 1 of the NFL.
Sunday night at the Cowboys’ retro sorta-dome, Tony Romo went off on the Giants, throwing four touchdown passes and running for another, as Dallas outscored the New York Football Giants 45-35. The Giants are in for a long season, as three players were injured, including RB Brandon Jacobs and DE Osi Umeniyora. Also, QB Eli Manning left the game late with a bruised shoulder, giving way to the Round Mound of Touchdown, Jared Lorenzen. Lorenzen has slimmed down from his college days at Kentucky, and now weighs in at 280 pounds. That’s still huge for a QB. If the Giants have many more weeks like this, Tom Coughlin won’t last the season as coach. It is now being reported that Manning's shoulder is indeed separated, and that he will be out for at least four weeks. The G-men are in T-R-O-U-B-L-E.
Break up the Texans! Matt Schaub will paint any car any color. Oops, that’s Earl Scheib. Schaub made Texans fans forget all about David Carr yesterday. Texans fans wanted to forget all about David Carr. Schaub connected with Andre Johnson on a 77 yard touchdown pass, and the Texans cruised to a 20-3 victory over Kansas City. Was that me that predicted the Chiefs to have a good season? I was on drugs when I reviewed their schedule. The Chiefs are off to an awful start. It looks like they will need to blow the whole thing up and start all over.
The Philadelphia Eagles will need to practice returning punts this week. The Eagles fumbled two punts, leading to two Green Bay scores, as the Pack beat the Iggles 16-13. The second fumble was by someone named J.R. Reed. When I first heard that, I thought it was J.R. Reid, the former UNC Tar Heel and NBA hoopster, making a try at the NFL. Wrong J.R. Reid. The Eagles may regret this one later in the year, when they’re trying to win the division or wild-card berth.
The eyes of most of the country were on San Diego yesterday, as Da Bears made the trip out to the West Coast. The Bears’ defense dominated for most of the game, but fumbles by Cedric Benson and Adrian (Georgia Southern) Peterson were costly, and the Chargers scored two late touchdowns to beat the Bears, 14-3. LaDainian Tomlinson threw a touchdown pass and rushed for a TD for San Diego. Antonio Gates looks to have a huge year as the tight end in Norv Turner’s offense.
Atlanta coach Bobby Petrino is one week closer to a reunion with his last college quarterback, Brian Brohm of Louisville, who is expected to be the first QB taken in next year’s draft. The Falcons stunk in the first game of the post-Michael Vick era, losing at Minnesota, 24-3. Adrian (Oklahoma) Peterson rushed for 103 yards and scored on a 60 yard pass play in his Vikings debut. He helped my fantasy team in my Yahoo public league, as well.
Two rebuilding teams met Sunday at Fedex Field in Landover, Maryland, as the Washington Redskins scored an overtime win over the Miami Dolphins, 16-13. This will be the first of a handful of wins this season for the Redskins, who are expected to end the Hall of Fame career of coach Joe Gibbs with a thud.
In St. Louis, MVP candidate and fantasy stud Steven Jackson fumbled twice and was held to 58 yards, and the Carolina Panthers handled the Rams, 27-13. The Rams were not the Greatest Show on Turf yesterday.
The Denver Broncos made a comeback yesterday in Buffalo. Out of timeouts at the end of the game, the Broncos rushed a field goal try, and kicker Jason Elam won it with a 42-yard field goal. This game was marred by a helmet-to-helmet collision which injured Bills TE Kevin Everett. He was taken to a Buffalo hospital for surgery, and was still unable to move as of Sunday night. Our thoughts and prayers are with him. ESPN is now reporting Monday afternoon that he will most likely be paralyzed. That is awful. Football is a brutal game, but this makes lots of other things pale in comparison.
The New England Patriots are a well-oiled machine. They made the best acquisition of the off-season, getting Randy Moss from the Raiders. Moss took a couple of years off figuratively while playing for Oakland, but is back with a vengeance, with 9 catches for 183 yards and a touchdown. The Patriots will be very hard to beat in the AFC as long as Tom Brady is the quarterback.
The Pittsburgh Steelers mauled the Cleveland Browns, 34-7. It was a great debut for Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. On the other hand, it would really suck to be a fan of the Cleveland Browns. First, the original Browns were stolen by ex-owner Art Modell and taken to Baltimore, where they have been consistently good and have won a Super Bowl. After a few years without the NFL, they were replaced by poor excuse for an expansion franchise, with the Browns’ colors and nickname. The Browns are pathetic.
Vince Young continues to carry the Tennessee Titans on his back. The Titans went into Jacksonville and stole a win, 13-10. The Jags really needed that win to have hopes for contention this season. Vince is a special, special player.
Two bad teams met yesterday in Oakland. Detroit was the better of the two, beating the Raiders 36-21. The Lions are showing some flashes of hope. The Raiders are a step above the CFL, but are looking at another long, long season.
In the Great Northwest, Seattle proved to be a good pick for me in survival football, getting a solid 20-6 win over the struggling Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Will this be Jon Gruden’s last year in Tampa? It’s been downhill the last five years since winning the Super Bowl.
And, how can we forget last Thursday night, as the Colts opened defense of their world championship with a strong 41-10 win over the New Orleans Saints. The Colts will need more wins like that to keep up in the strong AFC. For the Saints, it seemed worse, but it only counts as one loss. They still look to be a team to beat in the NFC.
Tonight is the annual Monday Night doubleheader. The Ravens visit Cincinnati to take on the Bengals, and the Arizona Cardinals travel to San Francisco to play the 49ers. It’ll be a long night on the East Coast, but a welcome game at a reasonable time for people out West.
Sunday night at the Cowboys’ retro sorta-dome, Tony Romo went off on the Giants, throwing four touchdown passes and running for another, as Dallas outscored the New York Football Giants 45-35. The Giants are in for a long season, as three players were injured, including RB Brandon Jacobs and DE Osi Umeniyora. Also, QB Eli Manning left the game late with a bruised shoulder, giving way to the Round Mound of Touchdown, Jared Lorenzen. Lorenzen has slimmed down from his college days at Kentucky, and now weighs in at 280 pounds. That’s still huge for a QB. If the Giants have many more weeks like this, Tom Coughlin won’t last the season as coach. It is now being reported that Manning's shoulder is indeed separated, and that he will be out for at least four weeks. The G-men are in T-R-O-U-B-L-E.
Break up the Texans! Matt Schaub will paint any car any color. Oops, that’s Earl Scheib. Schaub made Texans fans forget all about David Carr yesterday. Texans fans wanted to forget all about David Carr. Schaub connected with Andre Johnson on a 77 yard touchdown pass, and the Texans cruised to a 20-3 victory over Kansas City. Was that me that predicted the Chiefs to have a good season? I was on drugs when I reviewed their schedule. The Chiefs are off to an awful start. It looks like they will need to blow the whole thing up and start all over.
The Philadelphia Eagles will need to practice returning punts this week. The Eagles fumbled two punts, leading to two Green Bay scores, as the Pack beat the Iggles 16-13. The second fumble was by someone named J.R. Reed. When I first heard that, I thought it was J.R. Reid, the former UNC Tar Heel and NBA hoopster, making a try at the NFL. Wrong J.R. Reid. The Eagles may regret this one later in the year, when they’re trying to win the division or wild-card berth.
The eyes of most of the country were on San Diego yesterday, as Da Bears made the trip out to the West Coast. The Bears’ defense dominated for most of the game, but fumbles by Cedric Benson and Adrian (Georgia Southern) Peterson were costly, and the Chargers scored two late touchdowns to beat the Bears, 14-3. LaDainian Tomlinson threw a touchdown pass and rushed for a TD for San Diego. Antonio Gates looks to have a huge year as the tight end in Norv Turner’s offense.
Atlanta coach Bobby Petrino is one week closer to a reunion with his last college quarterback, Brian Brohm of Louisville, who is expected to be the first QB taken in next year’s draft. The Falcons stunk in the first game of the post-Michael Vick era, losing at Minnesota, 24-3. Adrian (Oklahoma) Peterson rushed for 103 yards and scored on a 60 yard pass play in his Vikings debut. He helped my fantasy team in my Yahoo public league, as well.
Two rebuilding teams met Sunday at Fedex Field in Landover, Maryland, as the Washington Redskins scored an overtime win over the Miami Dolphins, 16-13. This will be the first of a handful of wins this season for the Redskins, who are expected to end the Hall of Fame career of coach Joe Gibbs with a thud.
In St. Louis, MVP candidate and fantasy stud Steven Jackson fumbled twice and was held to 58 yards, and the Carolina Panthers handled the Rams, 27-13. The Rams were not the Greatest Show on Turf yesterday.
The Denver Broncos made a comeback yesterday in Buffalo. Out of timeouts at the end of the game, the Broncos rushed a field goal try, and kicker Jason Elam won it with a 42-yard field goal. This game was marred by a helmet-to-helmet collision which injured Bills TE Kevin Everett. He was taken to a Buffalo hospital for surgery, and was still unable to move as of Sunday night. Our thoughts and prayers are with him. ESPN is now reporting Monday afternoon that he will most likely be paralyzed. That is awful. Football is a brutal game, but this makes lots of other things pale in comparison.
The New England Patriots are a well-oiled machine. They made the best acquisition of the off-season, getting Randy Moss from the Raiders. Moss took a couple of years off figuratively while playing for Oakland, but is back with a vengeance, with 9 catches for 183 yards and a touchdown. The Patriots will be very hard to beat in the AFC as long as Tom Brady is the quarterback.
The Pittsburgh Steelers mauled the Cleveland Browns, 34-7. It was a great debut for Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. On the other hand, it would really suck to be a fan of the Cleveland Browns. First, the original Browns were stolen by ex-owner Art Modell and taken to Baltimore, where they have been consistently good and have won a Super Bowl. After a few years without the NFL, they were replaced by poor excuse for an expansion franchise, with the Browns’ colors and nickname. The Browns are pathetic.
Vince Young continues to carry the Tennessee Titans on his back. The Titans went into Jacksonville and stole a win, 13-10. The Jags really needed that win to have hopes for contention this season. Vince is a special, special player.
Two bad teams met yesterday in Oakland. Detroit was the better of the two, beating the Raiders 36-21. The Lions are showing some flashes of hope. The Raiders are a step above the CFL, but are looking at another long, long season.
In the Great Northwest, Seattle proved to be a good pick for me in survival football, getting a solid 20-6 win over the struggling Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Will this be Jon Gruden’s last year in Tampa? It’s been downhill the last five years since winning the Super Bowl.
And, how can we forget last Thursday night, as the Colts opened defense of their world championship with a strong 41-10 win over the New Orleans Saints. The Colts will need more wins like that to keep up in the strong AFC. For the Saints, it seemed worse, but it only counts as one loss. They still look to be a team to beat in the NFC.
Tonight is the annual Monday Night doubleheader. The Ravens visit Cincinnati to take on the Bengals, and the Arizona Cardinals travel to San Francisco to play the 49ers. It’ll be a long night on the East Coast, but a welcome game at a reasonable time for people out West.
Sunday, September 09, 2007
Even More Ramblings...
I got tired and went to bed early Saturday night. I missed a lot.
LSU spanked Virginia Tech, 48-7. LSU is the real deal. I don't know if they can get through the SEC undefeated, but they have a pretty good chance to do so.
Elsewhere in Louisiana, the Hawaii Warriors nearly lost. Hawaii escaped with a 45-44 overtime win over Louisiana Tech. If Hawaii keeps playing like that, some team is going to go over to the islands and beat them.
When I went to bed last night, Colorado was up 14-0 on Arizona State. That was the best the Buffs could do, as they were hammered by the Fighting Sun Devils, 33-14. Next for the Buffs: Florida State. FSU is very mediocre, and Colorado has a chance to win that game. FSU had to come from behind to beat UAB, who had been pile-driven by Michigan State the previous week.
Auburn better quit scheduling good teams in their non-conference schedule. South Florida went to the Plains and won an overtime game, 26-23. Note to Auburn: Play teams from the Sun Belt in non-conference games from now on.
Speaking of overtime, the Fightin' Texas Aggies outlasted Fresno State in triple overtime, 47-45. Imagine if the Ags had lost that game. The moving trucks would have been outside of Dennis Franchione's house.
More ramblings later...
LSU spanked Virginia Tech, 48-7. LSU is the real deal. I don't know if they can get through the SEC undefeated, but they have a pretty good chance to do so.
Elsewhere in Louisiana, the Hawaii Warriors nearly lost. Hawaii escaped with a 45-44 overtime win over Louisiana Tech. If Hawaii keeps playing like that, some team is going to go over to the islands and beat them.
When I went to bed last night, Colorado was up 14-0 on Arizona State. That was the best the Buffs could do, as they were hammered by the Fighting Sun Devils, 33-14. Next for the Buffs: Florida State. FSU is very mediocre, and Colorado has a chance to win that game. FSU had to come from behind to beat UAB, who had been pile-driven by Michigan State the previous week.
Auburn better quit scheduling good teams in their non-conference schedule. South Florida went to the Plains and won an overtime game, 26-23. Note to Auburn: Play teams from the Sun Belt in non-conference games from now on.
Speaking of overtime, the Fightin' Texas Aggies outlasted Fresno State in triple overtime, 47-45. Imagine if the Ags had lost that game. The moving trucks would have been outside of Dennis Franchione's house.
More ramblings later...
Saturday, September 08, 2007
More College Football Ramblings...
TCU is getting their heads handed to them in the second half by Texas. It's now 27-10 in the 4th quarter. TCU's defense put up a great effort in the first half, and the Frogs led 10-0 at the half. But, the Frog defense was on the field way too long in the 3rd quarter, and wore down. Texas has benefited from some questionable calls and Horned Frog turnovers. Texas looks like they'll be undefeated when they meet OU on October 6.
I tried to get too cute on picks this week. Another school making me look like a big dope is Virginia Tech. LSU is taking them to the cleaners, as it is 24-0 early in the 2nd quarter. LSU is the real deal. This also happens to be the year that the Sugar Bowl hosts the BCS national championship game, just down the road from Baton Rouge. The last national championship game held in New Orleans was won by LSU.
South Carolina got a huge SEC win, winning at Georgia 16-12. That will help them later in the year. The 'Cocks remain in the hunt for an SEC East championship.
Iowa State is another school that made me look foolish. I had a feeling Northern Iowa might have a better team, but I gave ISU of the Big 12 the benefit of the doubt. I was wrong, as UNI handled ISU, 24-13.
Food for thought: Michigan has now lost four games in a row. The Wolverines have not won a game since the death of Bo Schembechler last November.
More later...
I tried to get too cute on picks this week. Another school making me look like a big dope is Virginia Tech. LSU is taking them to the cleaners, as it is 24-0 early in the 2nd quarter. LSU is the real deal. This also happens to be the year that the Sugar Bowl hosts the BCS national championship game, just down the road from Baton Rouge. The last national championship game held in New Orleans was won by LSU.
South Carolina got a huge SEC win, winning at Georgia 16-12. That will help them later in the year. The 'Cocks remain in the hunt for an SEC East championship.
Iowa State is another school that made me look foolish. I had a feeling Northern Iowa might have a better team, but I gave ISU of the Big 12 the benefit of the doubt. I was wrong, as UNI handled ISU, 24-13.
Food for thought: Michigan has now lost four games in a row. The Wolverines have not won a game since the death of Bo Schembechler last November.
More later...
More Ramblings...
I was wrong in giving Michigan the benefit of the doubt. They're not that good. Right now, they're not good at all.
Oregon 32, Michigan 7 in the 2nd quarter.
Does Lloyd Carr get fired after the game? Does he get fired at halftime?
Poor Michigan.
Oregon 32, Michigan 7 in the 2nd quarter.
Does Lloyd Carr get fired after the game? Does he get fired at halftime?
Poor Michigan.
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