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NFL Power Rankings – Week 12

2nd December 2009 by thesportsfag under NFL     

NFL Power Rankings – Week 12

Week 12 of the 2009 NFL season will be remembered mostly for Monday Nights Saint’s beat down of the New England Patriots, the Steelers losing another divisional game and the NY Giants lackluster play in Denver.

So how do I rank them from #1 to #32 or in gay terms from top to bottom?

drew brees1. New Orleans – the Saints take over the top spot from the Colts based on their total domination of the Patriots.

2. Indianapolis – last week I considered New Orleans and Indy as close as 1 and 1a but the Colts are simply not as dominant in victory as the Saints are right now.

3. Minnesota

4. San Diego – a convincing win over the Chiefs was expected and delivered.

5. New England – dropped 2 out of 3, granted both games were on the road against the NFL’s two undefeated teams but the Patriots look ‘un-Patriot-like’ in New Orleans.

matt-leinart6. Arizona – losing on the road in the last seconds to a hungry Titans team is not that bad especially with Kurt Warner sitting out. Although Matt Leinart looks better, he doesn’t give the Cardinals the best chance to win.

7. Green Bay

8. Cincinnati

9. Dallas – geared up for a tough five-game stretch with a ho hum victory over the Raiders.

10. Philadelphia

11. Denver – the big movers this week up from last week’s #16 ranking. The Broncos bounce back with Kyle Orton’s return and out everything’d the Giants.

12. Baltimore – beat the Steelers in OT at home but their defense doesn’t scare anyone anymore.

13. Pittsburgh

vince-young14. Tennessee Titans – Vince Young and Chris Johnson are carrying the Titans.

15. Jacksonville Jaguars

16. Atlanta – good win with a backup QB but the Falcons playoff hopes are fading.

17. Houston – lost a 17-point lead against the Colts. With remaining games at Jacksonville, Miami and ending the season at home against New England means the Texans are done.

18. San Francisco 49′ers

19. Miami – playoff contenders don’t lose to the Bills.

eli-manning20. New York Giants – I’ve never seen a team with this much talent play dead.

21. New York Jets – wasn’t it Pete Carroll who said Mark Sanchez needed another year of college?

22. Chicago

23. Carolina

24. Seattle

25. Buffalo

26. Washington

27. Kansas City

28. Oakland

29. Detroit

30. Tampa Bay

31. Cleveland

32. St Louis – losing at home to the Seahawks is about as bad as it gets.

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NFL needs better protection

24th October 2009 by SportsFags under NFL     

The NFL reported this week that Cincinnati receiver Chad ‘Ochocinco’ Johnston was fined $10,000 for wearing the wrong colored chin strap in last week’s game at Houston. They also fined Tennessee safety Chris Hope for roughing New England quarterback Tom Brady. What was the amount of Hope’s fine? The same $10,000 figure the NFL fined Ochocinco for his fashion faux paus. What ass hat came up with this system of fines where wearing the right color is equally as important as a players’ health?

You've gotta protect your most marketable assets like Tom Brady

You've gotta protect your most marketable assets like Tom Brady

The NFL gets hammered in the press and by fans for over protecting the quarterbacks. But I say they don’t go far enough. The quarterbacks in this league are what draw fans, ratings and ultimately success both on and off the field. Without a good starting quarterback your team isn’t likely headed anywhere and the casual fans aren’t likely to pay much attention.

Ever been to a golf tournament where Tiger Woods and other top players sit out? It’s like a Tuesday night drag show, no one cares. The NFL can’t do enough to protect their product which in large part rests squarely on the shoulders of their quarterbacks. I’m not advocating doing away with hitting the quarterbacks or sacks but when a defender roughs the quarterback don’t you think you should fine them more than a player who wears the wrong color?

If the NFL wants to keep women and gay men — two demographics that control a large share of disposable income — watching then they need to make sure Brady, Quinn and Sanchez get plenty of air time.

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Must Win for the Cowboys? Hardly.

23rd October 2009 by SportsFags under NFL     

One of the most worthless and over used sports cliches is ‘must-win game’. Over the course of a season the only must win game is when you are facing elimination. So when sports writers and commentators label a mid-season NFL game for a 3-2 team as a ‘must win’ they immediately lose credibility with me. Such is the case with this week’s game for the Dallas Cowboys.

At 3-2 and a recent history of falling apart in November and December this week’s game against Atlanta is certainly an important one. Yet those who are filling dead air or blank column space by arguing this is a must win game are dead wrong. The Cowboys are coming off a bye week, Marion Barber and Felix Jones are finally healthy and a tough remaining schedule including games at the Giants, New Orleans, Green Bay and home versus San Diego and Philadelphia are ahead.

Marion Barber and the Cowboys look for a signature win against Atlanta

Marion Barber and the Cowboys look for a signature win against Atlanta


Is this an important game? Absolutely. At year’s end will Dallas reflect back on this game as a turning point in their season? Possibly. But is this a must win? Not even close. This game is important because strong starts by the Saints and Giants makes it probable that the Falcons and Cowboys are amongst the eight or nine teams vying for two wild card spots in the playoffs.

It might be too early to bury the Falcons behind the Saints in the NFC South but I think it’s fair to say that the Cowboys aren’t going to win the NFC East. Dallas’ three wins were against Tampa Bay, Kansas City and Carolina. I wouldn’t consider any of those a quality win. So this is a statement game for sure, but even with a lose the Cowboys would be .500. With 10 games left on the schedule and the NFC East not as formidable as in year’s past, the Cowboys season would hardly be over.

It’s tough to predict when, or if, an inconsistent team with a lot of talent will put it together. Lose this week and we know that the Boys aren’t amongst the NFL elite, but the playoffs and more are still within reach.

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Lather, rinse, repeat…Steelers in the AFC

10th September 2009 by SportsFags under NFL     

Pittsburgh-SteelersThe one thing I am certain about this year is that the Steelers will either face New England or San Diego in the AFC championship game. San Diego is the chic pick to win the AFC and the Chargers will probably win home field advantage because they play in the weak ass AFC West. Yet, the Chargers are too inconsistent and haven’t proven they can win the big game. The Patriots can’t match the Steelers defensively and when you play defense like they do in Steeltown you put yourself in position to win a lot of football games. Pittsburgh is my pick to win the AFC.

A tumultuous NFL offseason that included head coaching changes, TO to Buffalo, Cutler to Chicago and quarterback controversies has been relatively quiet in the little hamlet of Pittsburgh. And that’s the way they like it in Western PA. The Steelers are the model franchise for the NFL and with improved health at the running back position and 18 of 22 starters returning they appear primed to defend their Super Bowl crown. Some have compared the Steelers to the Yankees. Yet these franchises have drastically different approaches to success. The Yankees have the funds to acquire the best free agents in baseball. The Steelers? Well, they unload veterans who are too expensive in favor of younger players who they acquire through the draft.

Over a period of 30 years the Steelers have established a brand of winning football that only the Patriots are close to emulating. Let’s play word association. When I say Steelers, what comes to mind? Defense, running game, power, fear or stability. OK, next word. When I say Cowboys, what comes to mind? Jerry Jones, Tony Romo or Cowboys stadium? Do you see the difference? The Steelers have a winning system, into which, the players fit. While teams like the Cowboys and Redskins follow the Yankees’ roadmap to success.

What do you know the Steelers are going to do this year? Play tough defense and run the ball, right? What do you know about the Cowboys this year? You know they’re changing their offensive scheme to account for the loss of TO, unproven wide receivers and the addition of Marty B at tight end. Anyone really thinking the Boys are gonna be there to meet the Steelers in January? I’ll have my NFC prediction tomorrow.

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Alex Smith – Ready for a Rebound?

16th July 2009 by SportsFags under NFL     

The former #1 overall draft pick in 2005 is healthy, married and ready to challenge one of his groomsmen for the 49ers starting job.

So how did this 6′4″ 217 lb former #1 draft pick get to this point? Talk about a perfect storm, consider the shoulder injuries, four offensive coordinators in four years and a less than compassionate head coach.

So here are our reasons to pull for Alex in 2009:

  • For starters he’s really fucking hot
  • Reason #2, this isn’t a dumb football jock who just couldn’t adjust to the NFL. In just two years Alex graduated from Utah with a 3.7 GPA with a degree in Economics. He followed that up with a 40 out of 50 on the Wonderlic test at the NFL combine. Putting that in perspective consider the average for NFL QBs on the Wonderlic is 24 and for a chemist it’s 26.
  • Alex has dealt with an ongoing shoulder injury that led to a highly publicized rift with former 49er head coach Mike Nolan
  • Wanting to remain a 49er, Alex renegotiated his contract during the off-season and will now battle with Shaun Hill for the starting job in 2009
  • Personal tragedy also struck Alex in 2008 when his best friend took his own life

Plagued by interceptions since his rookie campaign, Alex has never had a season with more TDs than INTs. If he can cut down on the interceptions then we believe a healthy Smith has a chance for a big season.

UPDATE: Alex Smith was named the starter in Week 7 of the 2009 season.

Alex on NFL website
Alex on Wikipedia

Photos of Alex










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