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Quick Snaps: NFL Week 10

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Steelers 24 Bengals 17 – Kudos to the programming wizards over at CBS for having the good sense to switch out of the Cowboys/Bills blowout and send the viewing audience to a much more competitive game in Cincinnati. This was my first time watching Andy Dalton play quarterback for the Bengals and I have to say, even though his team lost to the Steelers and he threw a killer interception late in the 4th quarter, the rookie carries himself with the presence of a 10 year veteran. Now if we can only convince him to dye black tiger stripes across his red hair.

Cardinals 21 Eagles 17 – What CBS did right, FOX did incredibly wrong. With Arizona on the 1 yard line and about to go up late over the heavily favored Eagles, FOX made the inexcusable decision to switch over to the start of the Giants/49ers. Now, I understand that I live in a New York market but someone needs to tell me how it makes sense to take viewers away from the exciting conclusion of a major upset just so we can listen to Joe Buck introduce the 49ers starting offensive line. I would find this decision curious even I were the most diehard Giants fan.

Cowboys 44 Bills 7 – I asked my buddy Casey, a huge Bills fan, if he has any buyers remorse regarding quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick who, after signing a $60 million extension with Buffalo, has put together back to back stinkers against the Jets and now Cowboys. His response, “he’s a heck of a lot better than Rob Johnson, Alex Van Pelt, Trent Edwards, Kelly Holcomb, and J.P. Losman”. Well played kind sir, well played.

Saints 26 Falcons 23 – If Atlanta ends up missing the playoffs this season, many Falcons fans will look back to the questionable decision to go for it on 4th and 1 from their own 29 yard line in overtime as the reason to why their team is watching the football postseason from their sofas. For his transgressions, Mike Smith will not be allowed to shop at the Home Depot until after the holidays.

Dolphins 20 Redskins 9 – From leaders in the Andrew Luck sweepstakes to feisty favorites, this Miami team is shaping into a potential playoff spoiler. Could be that the Dolphins determine the final hierarchy in the AFC East this season.

Broncos 17 Chiefs 10 – Tim Tebow only completed 2 passes yet Denver somehow managed to beat KC thanks mostly to a dominant performance by the defense. To be fair, the Broncos only called 8 passing plays all game. It’s almost like John Fox wants Tebow to fail so that the Bronco fans will get off his back about playing the popular icon. The fact remains, the more Tebow wins, the more likely he becomes a part of the future in Denver.

Bears 37 Lions 13 – Heading into this game, I really liked Chicago’s chances against the Lions, even though Detroit was coming off of a bye and the Bears were still recover after a hard fought win over the Eagles. There’s something missing with this Lions team – like a reliable running game – and their chippy attitude isn’t winning over many fans.

49ers 27 Giants 20 – The Niners are now pretty much assured of at least a #2 seed in the NFC playoffs and with only one loss, could overtake the presently undefeated Packers for the top spot. If San Fran were to host Green Bay in the NFC Championship Game, how much would the Packers be favored by? -3.5?

view from MetLife Stadium courtesy of @gligelis

If Gambling Were Legal: NFL Week 10

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NFL Week 10 Picks

SAN DIEGO (-7) over Oakland – I had no idea that the aircraft carrier which is hosting this weekend’s UNC/Michigan St. basketball game was also the same vessel that transported, and then disposed of, Osama Bin Laden’s dead body. I certainly hope the same fate doesn’t await the losing coach of this NCAA season opener.

Pittsburgh (-3) over CINCINNATI – It would be a great story if the Bengals were somehow able to pull off the mild upset. At 6-2, there is an outside chance, even with a loss this weekend, that Cincinnati could overtake one of the AFC East teams for a Wild Card spot, much to Jim Nantz’s dismay.

KANSAS CITY (-3) over Denver – Why wouldn’t the spread option work in the NFL? If Tim Tebow was successful operating this style of offense in the SEC, where the best college football athletes preside, shouldn’t it stand to reason that he could do the same thing as the QB of the Broncos? Also, until he ended up on my fantasy team, I thought Jackie Battle was the starting point guard for the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA.

INDIANAPOLIS (+3) over Jacksonville – If not now when?

DALLAS (-5.5) over Buffalo – Chalk me down as one of the many people seriously disappointed by the Buffalo Bills last weekend against the Jets. If that team doesn’t have 8-8 written all over than I don’t know who does.

Houston (-3) over TAMPA BAY – Houston is quietly emerging as one of those AFC teams that has a legitimate shot at making a postseason run to the Super Bowl. One Texan who won’t be going all the way is Governor Rick Perry. Oooof, what a disaster!!!

Tennessee (+3.5) over CAROLINA – Not sure why a 2-6 team is giving points against a .500 club. Also, at the beginning of the season who would have thought that by Week 10, Andy Dalton is the favorite to win NFL Rookie of the Year and not Cam Newton?

MIAMI (-4) over Washington – I’ll say this about the Dolphins, they sure do seem to care a heck of a lot more than most 1-7 teams. And by the way, have you seen these new Miami Marlins uniforms? Doc Brown and Marty McFly would be so disappointed.

ATLANTA (PK) over New Orleans – I like the Falcons and Julio Jones at home plus the Saints haven’t be the same since head coach Sean Payton lost all of his knee ligaments.

CHICAGO (-3) over Detroit – After Monday night’s victory in Philadelphia I’m officially on the Bears bandwagon. Jay Cutler is one more quality win away from ending all exercise bike jokes.

St. Louis (+2.5) over CLEVELAND – Is Peyton Hillis really missing games because of strep throat and various other maladies or because his agent has told him this is the best wat to pursue a new contract? Either way, the Madden Curse continues.

PHILADELPHIA (-13.5) over Arizona – Doesn’t it seem like Andy Reid has worn the same black Eagles winter parka and hat since he started ambling on the Philly sidelines over a decade ago? He kinda looks like Costanza in the gore-tex jacket.

SEATTLE (+6.5) over Baltimore – This just feels like the sort of game where Joe Flacco and the Ravens play not to lose only to end up winning on a last second field goal.

SAN FRANCISCO (-3.5) over NY Giants – I will never buy a Hyundai from Brad Benson.

NY JETS (-1.5) over New England – Ever since the Dallas Cowboys unlocked the secret of defending against the Patriots offense, teams have been loading up on the interior pass rush and bringing their safeties down in the box to defend against the Wes Welker hitch. Good strategy, especially considering that Randy Moss is about to be busy watching his daughter play basketball for the Florida Gators.

MINNESOTA (+13.5) over Green Bay – In Ponder we trust…to cover the spread.

Last Week: 5-9 (Season: 66-64) 

view from Qualcomm Stadium courtesy of @chargers

 

 

 

 

Nittany Lyings?

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As a writer, I am really not qualified to editorialize on the recent allegations surfacing about the Penn State football program and former longtime defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky. But as a human being, I, like most people, am more than equipped to share my sincere and complete disgust over these reported, and corroborated, acts of repeated sexual assault and violence towards minors. At this point, my only hope is that the victims of these alleged crimes can one day find peace and safety.

Here are some writers/bloggers/former Penn State football players who can all offer much more insight and context to what has become perhaps the saddest most salacious story to ever hit college athletics if not sports in general.*

First, from Spencer Hall, he of @edsbs twitter fame, comes what I believe to be the comprehensive expression of the sadness and genuine anger we are all feeling right now. There are simply no real words to describe the types of emotions these allegations bring to the surface.

Next comes a simple, yet powerful statement from Susan Orlean of The New Yorker, who encapsulates the mesmirizing allure of big time college football and how certain programs can effectively shield themselves from unwanted attention and scrutiny. Did Penn St. and JoePa effectively cover up the crimes Sandusky was committing simply to protect the football program? It’s way too early to tell who exactly is complicit in this mess of situation but one thing is for sure, the legacy of Joe Paterno will forever be tarnished.

Finally, former PSU linebacker, and now radio host, LaVar Arrington shares his dismay and surprise upon hearing such atrocious things about a man, Sandusky, who mentored are cared for the player while in Happy Valley. The fact that this news and information comes as such a shock to the players** who spent such a considerable amount of time with the former d-coordinator, and onetime heir to the Nittany Lion throne, makes this story even scarier and only heightens peoples awareness/suspicions of sexual predators living amongst us.

In the end, more will be written and there will be time for greater reflection. Right now, the details of this story are too sordid to totally comprehend as most of continue to shake our heads at the thought of such evil existing in this world.

*Drew Magary over at Deadspin believes that as of now, the PSU/Sandusky scandal still ranks second to OJ but that could all change depending on what other information, especially if it involves JoePa, is released/exposed over these next few days/weeks/months.

**Matt Millen, another former PSU linebacker now ESPN analyst, literally broke down and started crying this morning in front of a live national audience.

view from Northwestern/Penn St soccer courtesy of @PSUwomenssoccer

Quick Snaps: NFL Week 9

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Before getting into the Week 9 recap, a quick thanks to Connecticut Light & Power for restoring my electricity Sunday morning just in time for a full slate of NFL games. It was a long week living without power, but I suppose it’s something we in the Northeast are all going to have to get used to now that New England is turning into the Pacific Northwest.

Quick Snaps

Giants 24 Patriots 20 – What is about the #85 for the Giants when they play against the Patriots? First David Tyree saves the day in Super Bowl XLII now Jake Ballard, a tight end unaccustomed to game breaking plays, makes two huge catches on the final drive, including the game winning touchdown. Kudos also to Eli Manning who should be allowed to throw off his back foot so long as he continues to make the kinda plays he did Sunday in Foxboro. It doesn’t look like it is going to get an easier for New England who now travel down to MetLife Stadium next weekend to take on the division leading New York Jets.

Dolphins 31 Chiefs 3 – Congrats to Miami on their first win of the season and for losing valuable ground in the “Suck for Luck” campaign. I had a sneaking suspicion this was going to happen as soon as I took KC in my suicide pool. Maybe the Chiefs are one of those teams – along with the Redskins – that should look into trading for Peyton Manning this offseason if Indy ends up with the top pick and takes Andrew Luck. I’m not sold on Matt Cassel either, but still appreciate his work during the Brady-less Patriots season of 2008.

Falcons 31 Colts 7 – So let me get this straight. Atlanta rookie WR Julio Jones only caught 3 passes Sunday yet somehow gained 131 yards and scored 2 touchdowns. That’s the sort of performance that his alma-mater Alabama could have used Saturday night against LSU. Speaking of the “Game of the Century”, I really wish Tigers coach Les Miles wore these vintage sneaks during the game. Bayou Bengals probably would have scored an extra field goal if he had.

Saints 27 Buccaneers 16 – Josh Freeman is one of the players that everyone says is going to be a star in this league for a very long time yet whenever I sit down to watch him play he usually looks like a very pedestrian quarterback. I was expecting a bit more Sunday against a previously porous New Orleans defense.

49ers 19 Redskins 11 – When the Jets/Bills turned into a laugher, I switched over to Fox and watched the final 10 minutes of this game and boy, Washington has easily one of the worst offenses in the league. I understand they are injured and don’t really have a reliable quarterback but you would still think Shanahan could conjure up a little more magic. Or maybe the SF defense is just that good. One of the biggest games of Week 10 will be when the NY Giants visit Candlestick to take on the 7-1 Niners. This game is going to bring back such found memories of Mark Bavaro, Leonard Marshall, Tom Rathman, and John Taylor – not to mention Joe Montana, Roger Craig, Jerry Rice, Phil Simms, and LT.

Packers 45 Chargers 38 – The most shocking thing about this game wasn’t the final score but rather that it was played in the rain. I thought that never happened in San Diego. At least that’s what Ron Burgundy always told me.

Broncos 38 Raiders 24 – And while most are going to focus on either the Raiders falling to 0-2 with Carson Palmer OR Tim Tebow bringing an end to the very humorous yet somehow inappropriate > Tebow, maybe what everyone should be talking about is how with this win the Denver Broncos are now unbelievably only a game out of 1st place in the AFC West.

Cardinals 19 Rams 13 – Does this mean Arizona QB John Skelton gets to keep his job for at least one more week? Also, the Cardinals should wear those black jerseys for every home game.

Texans 30 Browns 12 – So much for a Texas homecoming for former Longhorns QB and now Browns signal caller Colt McCoy. When you’re the former face of one of the most recognizable college football programs in a city, Austin, known for its music, food, and nightlife, it’s tough to imagine your life getting any better especially when you now spend your afternoons on the shores of Lake Erie. (No offense to the Great Lakes. I love the Great Lakes. In fact if I had to rank my favorites Great Lakes I would go: Ontario, Michigan, Superior, Erie, and Huron.)

view from Heinz Field courtesy of @GrantGurtin

If Gambling Were Legal: NFL Week 9

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Atlanta (-7) over INDIANAPOLIS –  If the Colts were to trade away Peyton Manning this offseason and start fresh with Andrew Luck, what teams would be interested in acquiring the services of a 35 year old veteran QB with a cronic neck issue? Early favorites include Redskins, Browns, and – gulp- Broncos.

Tampa Bay (+8) over NEW ORLEANS – If I hear one more person in Connecticut comparing Snowtober to Hurricane Katrina I’m going to drive my Volvo wagon into their gazebo and let my two black labs take a crap on the front lawn. (Note: I don’t own two black labs or a Volvo wagon but I think you get my point.)

HOUSTON (-11) over Cleveland – The Texans burned me 4 years ago when I took them in week 1 of my suicide pool. Which is why I tremble like a leaf at the thought of a Browns upset in Houston this weekend.

BUFFALO (-2) over NY Jets – Is Ryan Fitzpatrick really worth all this money? I guess it’s nice that the Bills now have a franchise quarterback in place for the next 5 season. That hasn’t happened in Buffalo since the days of Jim Kelly and Frank Reich. For the Jets, why are NY fans so upset at Joe Namath for calling Rex Ryan “fat”? Broadway Joe has always been a straight shooter and I’m sure Rex would be the first to tell you that he can afford to drop a few lbs. But the Jets head coach also seems like the kind of guy who doesn’t really give a crap what other people think, including Namath, so don’t look for his appearance on the sidelines to shift all that much over the next couple of weeks.

KANSAS CITY (-4) over Miami – One of the greatest single revelations from Ungaurded, the Chris Herren documentary on ESPN, was hearing about all the support he received from teammates during his rookie season with the Denver Nuggets. On the BS Report with Bill Simmons, Herren talked about how one teammate in particular, George McCloud, was incredibly involved in keeping the troubled guard clean. He told the story about how on a night in Miami, McCloud found Herren essentially passed out in a South Beach strip club and proceeded to drag him by the scruff of his neck back to the hotel. That’s the kind of leadership that Herren could have used when he bottomed out playing in places like Tehran, Iran.

WASHINGTON (+3.5) over San Francisco  – Upset Special!!!! Upset Special!!! And because I have nothing more to say about this particular game, let’s all watch Washington Capitals star forward Alex Ovechkin drop a f-bomb on head coach Bruce Boudreau during the 3 period of a recent game vs the Anaheim Ducks.

DALLAS (-11.5) over Seattle – Funny how Jessica Simpson and Tony Romo’s wife Candace are both pregnant because as you know, the pop star(?) and Cowboy QB were once an item. I’m not trying to imply anything other than sometimes competition works in strange strange ways.

OAKLAND (-8) over Denver – Tim Tebow is the most polarizing public figure since Charles Foster Kane. The latest > Tebow ESPN controversy, perpetuated by Deadspin, is just the most recent in a long line of Tebow-centric gags. I’m still waiting for SNL to memorialize the Broncos QB in a game show sketch pitting him against Mother Teresa, Gandhi, and George Bailey.

TENNESSEE (-3) over Cincinnati – It could be that we will look back at the end of the regular season and say that this was the game that determined the final playoff spot in the AFC. Shocking, I know.

St. Louis (+2) over ARIZONA – I wouldn’t watch this game even if I were a Fordham University graduate.

NY Giants (+9) over NEW ENGLAND – What’s the over/under on number of times during the Fox broadcast that Joe Buck and Troy Aikman reference Super Bowl XLII: 25, 35, or 100?

Green Bay (-5.5) over SAN DIEGO – How dare people continue to blame Philip Rivers’ recent poor play on his 6 kids. Any parent knows that it is much easier playing zone than man-to-man.

PITTSBURGH (-3) over Baltimore – For fantasy purposes, I would really appreciate it if Steelers coach Mike Tomlin told us before 12pm Sunday whether or not he plans to have Ben Roethlisberger throw the ball 50 times again like last week against the Patriots.

Chicago (+8.5) over PHILADELPHIA – When the Eagles and Bears meet Monday night how can you not think about the Fog Bowl in 1988? For me it brings back such fond memories of Randall Cunningham and Buddy Ryan. Too bad this game is being played in Philly and not Connecticut where, due to all the power outages, there is enough wood smoke and emergency generator emissions to create a low lying brown haze.

Last Week 5-8 (Overall 61-55)

view from Chestnut Hill courtesy of @RichAberman