SportsNetUSA Blogs

I apologize for not having any entries lately.  After last night I decided to write a short one.  I feel very confident that there can be no argument here.  I also want to dispel the rumor that I had sent a text to some of my teammates at SportsNetUSA.net, stating that I was done and was retiring from blogging.  I am due for some surgery this fall but expect to make a full recovery.  Okay, I am straying far from the point.

After watching the Hall of Fame Game, it is safe to say, the season is over!  I expect there will be little argument because it was pretty clear the Dallas Cowboys will be NFL Champs this coming February or  has the season been extended to March?  The Cowboys have it all now.  Great starting talent on both sides of the ball.  They have pretty good depth and the Super Bowl in their home stadium.  They have great assistant coaches and they have a great, okay make that a good….all right they have a somewhat good head coach.

So let me know all of you in the NFC, which of you will be playing for second place?  Over in the weaker league, which of you will choose to get whipped in the Super Bowl?  Those of you that are behind the San Diego Chargers I want to remind you that Norv Turner is still your head coach.  So take it from me now and save yourself a lot of hours on Sundays, it is over.  If you insist on watching pro football anyway then help save yourself many headaches and frustration and lower your expectations.  There is only one way this season can end.  The Dallas Cowboys are the Super Bowl Champions, print the caps and shirts now!

I agree with Saints head coach Sean Payton, I hate the NFL overtime rule change also. There is no reason the sudden death overtime rules that are in place now should be changed.   So the coin toss winner kicks a field goal on its possession, the other team gets to ball. If the next series ends with another field goal, play will continue under the current sudden-death rules. If the team winning the toss immediately scores a touchdown, the game is over.  This sounds exactly like the rules we made up when we were playing football in the street and one team didn’t feel like losing, we simply made up rules as we played.

This now means not a single defensive player can make more money than any single offensive player in the league, including place kickers.  

This rule change means to players and fans that defensive players aren’t important enough to decide the outcome of a game. This is a professional sport. The players are getting paid large sums of money to do a job on offense and defense. The rule changers think this will make it a fair outcome to conclude a game. Please. Life is not fair and neither are sports. If a team loses the coin flip, suck it up and stop the other team. If you lose, do better next time in regulation.  So it wasn’t fair for the Saints to win the NFC Championship versus the Vikings because they kicked a field goal? The object is to win the game, by a field goal or touchdown and it is up to the opposing team to stop any advancement. For example in the same game, shouldn’t the Vikings have not turned the ball over, capitalized on Saints miscues, or simply stop the Saints from scoring?

Proponents of the rule change will look at the statistics and tell you that more times than not, the team calling the correct flip and winning the toss will win the game. Owners wanted to produce fairer results. That is a nice sentiment but it discredits the focused intensity and 100% effort during a football game. Players already take plays off and shuffle through games, why not keep the sudden-death sense of urgency in order ensure players playing at an optimum level instead of thinking there is always another chance.

The NFL also passed a safety rule for the upcoming season that enhances the safety of a defenseless player. The key rules change for player safety bars a defenseless player from being hit in the head or neck area by an opponent who launches himself and uses his helmet, shoulder or forearm to make contact. Previously, those kinds of tackles were banned against receivers who couldn’t protect themselves, but now it will apply to everyone. This is a great rule change. Simply look at Donovan McNabb last year scoring a touchdown and being hit late while he was on the ground and the play had commenced. The NFL should go one step further and ban those type of hits from being the lead on post-game highlight shows. It is nice to make a rule but the NFL still condones those types of hits when they are deemed highlight material.

This is a great weekend for the NFL.  I really like all four teams that are left with three teams I expected and one surprise.  Last week I admitted I was a lifelong Cowboy fan and I still am.  They stunk and were defeated by a superior Viking team.  Usually as a fan I personally like to cheer against teams as well as for teams.  In these two championship games there is not a team I dislike.  The Washington Redskins are a team that I will usually root against.  I used to root against the Raiders but they have been so bad that I actually feel sorry for the team and their fans.  It is bad when at the end of the season your most hyped player is your punter Shane Lechler!  This year I like all four teams so I am having trouble deciding which match up I would like to see in the Super Bowl.
 
Let’s start with the AFC first.  I am on record as I said when the season began that I like Rex Ryan as a coach.  He has breathed some fresh air into the league and does not always resort to using pat coaching answers.  Coaches usually say how good the opposition is and boy we are lucky to be on the same field with them.  We have a lot of things to work on and, well you know how they talk.  How many coaches have you heard say, I think we should be favored to win the Super Bowl!  Rex said it even though his team was lucky to make the playoffs.  I also like Mark Sanchez and I normally like to root for a California connection.  You had to love the dig he threw at Pete Carroll and Pete’s choice to go back to the NFL.  That was classic and I am happy that it has worked out for him.  I did not expect the Jets to be here.  Did the Chargers really give Norv Turner a contract extension?
 
I like the Colts and love Peyton Manning.  I was for him a few years back when they won the Super Bowl, as he and Tony Dungy both were able to shed the “Can’t win the Big One” label.  There was so much uncertainty coming into this season and then Peyton wins his fourth MVP.  I love Dallas Clark who is from Iowa and amazing.  Dallas may be headed to the Hall of Fame.  I will root for a player like Pierre Garcon from Division III Mount Union College.  Finally there is Austin Collie, a rookie from BYU and Oak Ridge High School in Northern California.  I have to root for this player and he even took two years off to go on a mission!  How many players are there that would take two years off and maybe lose a shot to play in the NFL?  I like both teams but I will be going for the Colts in this one.  The great thing is that if the Jets got in that makes for great story lines as well.
 
Over in the NFC we have the two best teams in the conference meeting up.  I have supported Brett Favre before the season began.  I have been amused this week in the way the talk has changed.  The Favre only came back to stick it to the Packers has given way to he came back to win the Super Bowl.  Do you wish sportscasters would admit when they were wrong?  I know that I do.  No big deal, if you were wrong so what.  Most of these guys now are raving about what a season Brett has had.  I have not heard that he will throw a pick and lose the game.  I have not heard that he cannot make it a full season.  He has had a memorable season and who knows about next year.  The Vikings have never won a Super Bowl and they have great fans that deserve one.
 
What is not to like about the Saints?  This franchise has never even been to the Super Bowl even though they have hosted it numerous times.  The Super Dome has been home to some of the biggest sporting events of all time.  These fans are hungry and they deserve to have their team as in the Super Bowl as well.  I loved Drew Brees at Purdue and with the Chargers.  What he has done in New Orleans is stunning.  Sean Payton was an assistant with the Dallas Cowboys and it was my hope that he would be the head coach there.  The timing was not quite right.  So I guess I do not have to say how much I like Payton.  If Reggie Bush has another game this week like last the Saints will win.  Where has that Reggie Bush been?  I thought that Reggie would be an all time great running back.  Is last week the game that maybe brings him back?  This one is tough but I will be pulling a little bit more for the Saints.  Enjoy this weekend because sometimes one or both of these games are better than the Super Bowl.

Prediction at start of season: New England wins division at 12-4

Prediction after Week 2: New England wins division at 11-5

Prediction at start of season: Pittsburgh wins division at 11-5

Prediction after Week 2: Pittsburgh wins division at 11-5

Prediction at start of season: Indianapolis wins division at 11-5

Prediction after Week 2: Indianapolis wins division at 10-6

Prediction at start of season: Chargers win division at 14-2

Prediction after Week 2: Chargers win division at 10-6

Prediction at start of season: New York wins division at 12-4.

Prediction after Week 2: New York wins division at 12-4.

Prediction at start of season: Bears win division at 11-5.

Prediction after Week 2: Bears win division at 11-5.

Prediction at start of season: Atlanta wins division at 11-5.

Prediction after Week 2: Atlanta wins division at 11-5.

Prediction at start of season: Arizona wins division at 9-7.

Prediction after Week 2: Arizona wins division at 9-7.

The above is what makes sports and sports broadcasting so much fun. The uncertain, the unknown, the-who-knows-what quality. Everyone knows the answer on a given day, but everyone gives the wrong answer on a given notice. Sports, much like politics, are not absolute; the best teams do not always win. The sure bet is not always the right answer, earlier this year the above was part of a blog by a bright young sports broadcaster , if he would have needed the above to get his college degree he might have to try again and again and again.

So many times on Friday Nite Mics we have heard THE Franchise, Title IX, Big E, Buddha of Babble or Pedal to the Metal say “three shows ago I said…” My goodness the other day I had Title IX say to me, “Who said Servite was going to win the state title?” Franchise, Big E put your hands down. Yes everyone in sports has those moments when words of wisdom coming pouring out of their mouth and for a second they seen brilliant.  After the Packers went 4 and 4, I told Phillip (a true Packer fan) that the Pack was going to win 5 in a row and get into the playoffs and look where they are now.

Boys was I brilliant or is that what sports is all about, the unknown. You see, I think that is why most people look at us sports guy/girl with a twinkle in their eye. Because we still are the little kid, we like to play, we like to watch others play, we like to win and we love it when the teams we root for win. Plus, we love the unpredictable atmosphere of sports even though we think we have all the answers and know all the outcomes.

Sports is just what it is suppose to be a game, not with a precursor that is attached to it saying: Team A will beat Team B on this date by this score.  So, have fun this coming year. Be like us and state your mind, make your bold choices and when you are right, do like the above group does and raise your hand. When you are wrong do like the above group does, point at your closest cohort and point at their team when they lose.

There are too many things in this world that are certain, and we all know what they are, and I think we dislike most of them. So have a ball, come join the world of uncertainty. Most of the time you are going to be right, but when you are wrong, you will hear it from Corey, Rahshaun, Erik, Ed, Randy, Mr. T, Steve, David, Nate, Andrew, Andrew and of course me, but that is what makes it so much fun. WELCOME 2010——from all of us at SportsNetUSA.net

I did not watch the entire Patriots-Saints match up but I did see enough.  I saw enough to know that the Patriots dynasty as we have come to know it can be closed.  New England will probably make the playoffs this year but they will not win the Super Bowl and the aura has dimmed.  Bill Belichick is a great coach but it is no longer a given he is the best coach on the field.  I do not understand how the negatives never seem to stick to this coach and this team.  The NFL caught them cheating and fined for it.  Were they called cheaters?  No, most people I know shrugged and said, well all teams do that.  Really?  All teams secretly record the other teams and the NFL only picks out the marquee team to fine?  Sorry, I never bought that. 

The year the Colts won the Super Bowl they actually trailed the Patriots 21-6 at halftime before rallying to win.  Were the Patriots charged with being a team that could not close the deal?  Most people I know said well you can’t win them all.  The Patriots go undefeated and go to the Super Bowl against the Giants.  The Patriots are huge favorites against a Giants team that rallied to make the playoffs.  The so-called greatest quarterback and the best offense ever scores fourteen points and lose.  Did people then call the Patriots chokers?  No, it became more about the Giants winning than it was about the Patriots choking.  This coach and his team are like Teflon; nothing bad sticks to them.  I even heard before the Saints game that Brady was back to being Brady.  I heard that the genius Belichick would scheme and stop the Saints dead.  The Saints pounded them 38-17 and outplayed the Patriots in all aspects.  Now I hear that the defensive genius Belichick does not trust his defense and now must gamble on offense.  If he is a genius why not just fix the defense?  Belichick is a great coach but hold the genius talk please.

During the undefeated season and before the Super Bowl loss, the word genius was in front of Bill Belichick’s name always.  Many pundits claimed he was the greatest coach in the history of the NFL.  Why is it that his first head coaching stint in Cleveland is never mentioned?  Bill was 36-44 with the Browns and had only one winning season there.  He followed Pete Carroll at New England and lost his first year before winning three Super Bowls.  The genius took the so-called best quarterback of all time in the sixth round.  It took an injury to Drew Bledsoe before Brady got to play and then Bill really became a genius.  I am not one of those old guys that think all the players and coaches back in my day were the best.  I believe that overall there is stronger coaching and better athletes today.  I do not think there is much of a point in comparing coaches and players of different generations.  That is like comparing apples to a cross of an  apple and an orange.  The cross may look like an apple but it is still something different. 

Is Bill better than Lombardi?  Vince took a down franchise and turned them into champions.  He won championships before there were Super Bowls.  Is he better than the winning-est coach in history, Don Shula?  Don had success with the Colts and then took an expansion franchise in the Dolphins.  He won Super Bowls and had an undefeated season.  Is he better than Landry, Walsh and Chuck Noll.  I am saying let’s not be prisoner of our times and label someone a genius or the best ever.  The same can be said for Tom Brady, the greatest ever?  Is he better than Elway, Starr, Staubach, Graham, Bradshaw and Montana?  You can go back even further to Sammy Baugh and Sid Luckman.  The game and the rules were so much different then.

Years ago the defenses were dominating the NFL.  Fans always want to see more offense so rules were changed to open up the game.  Lineman could use their hands and receivers could only be hit five yards off the line of scrimmage.  Who knows if Jerry Rice would have all of the receiving records if he could have been pounded all over the field.  Rice would have been great in any generation and that is my definition of great.  I believe great coaches and athletes would find a way to be great in any era.  However, ask Lynn Swann if he would have liked to played the Raiders under today’s rules.  Players like Jack Tatum, George Atkinson and Mel Blount used to be merciless in smacking guys around.

The Patriots demise is because of loss of talent. Here is a list of players that are gone:  Teddy Brushi from Roseville High School in Nor Cal, Willie McGinest from USC and Long Beach Poly, Jr Redmond from Carson High School in LA, Adam Vinatieri, Deion Branch, Troy Brown, Mike Vrabel, Richard Seymour, Ty Law, Corey Dillon, David Givens, Chritian Fauria and Rodney Harrison.  That is way too much talent to be without.  They have also lost talented assistant coaches.  Assistant coaches do not get enough credit.  Most fans overlook the impact assistants have on their teams.  Gone are Charlie Weis, Romeo Crennel, Eric Mangini and Josh McDaniels.  Tom Landry had on his staff at one point: Gene Stallings who won a National Championship at Alamba, Dan Reeves took two teams to the Super Bowl and Mike Ditka won one with the Bears.  Landry lost those three guys and the team began to slide.  The Patriots also lost their president of player personnel, Scott Pioli.  

Brady and Belichick may be able to rebuild but the odds are neither will win another Super Bowl.  So let’s call them very good, excellent and even great.  Spare me the title of genius or best of all time.  The Patriots as we knew them are over.

I need to apologize about not getting this entry in earlier. Sometimes I am really very indecisive about what subject to write about. I have learned that sports fans hate people that are indecisive and really hate those that change their minds. Anyway, as a former president used to say, there you go again. That is right, another entry about the Brett Favre endless story. I really just want to hear people that were against him coming back to now say, the facts are in and it has been great for the NFL. Is that asking too much? I have enjoyed watching TV and listening to announcers attack this guy and then last week watched them retreat before the Monday night Packer-Viking game. There were many ESPN guys that were against his comeback and then turned and pumped up the Packer-Viking game and the hype machine. The hype worked as that game was the most-watched show in cable TV history with 21.8 million viewers watching.

So is it really asking too much for some of you to come clean and say, Favre’s return has been fantastic for the NFL? I know you can do it. There is not much else to say about the game, it was a pretty good game. Aaron Rodgers will probably end any association he has with any one with a first or last name of Allen. Jared Allen could not be blocked all night but it would have been nice if a Packer at least touched him on occasion. Could someone explain to me why Allen’s calf roping/tying thing is not taunting? What is the difference between an end zone taunt and what he does after a sack? I have heard some say, well Brett is with a better team. Well that is not his fault is it? If the Vikings have more talent then certainly that would be on Mike McCarthy and Ted Thompson. I look forward to the rematch in Green Bay.

Here is some more retirement news. Junior Seau is reported to be rejoining the Patriots. Charger fans you need to burn your Seau gear as he is just coming back to stick it to the Chargers. Junior is even older than Favre! Olympic swimmer Dara Torres is having surgery that may take 18 months of recovery time. Torres who is 42 is not saying she is finished yet and has not given up on the Olympics of 2012. It is obvious she is coming back to just stick it to…okay I don’t know who she is trying to stick it to. Jeff Jordan who played guard for Illinois and months ago said he was done with basketball to concentrate on studies. He has changed his mind and wants to un retire. Guess he has had some Favre-itis or maybe he has done a Jordan. His dad, Michael changed his mind on retiring a time or two. You know Jeff is coming back just to stick it to Iowa.

This week the Broncos play the Patriots which can only mean one thing. Josh McDaniels went to the Broncos just so he could stick it to the Patriots and Belichick. Patriot fans you must burn all of your Josh McDaniels paraphernalia. He could have been a college coach but no he stays in the AFC all so he could stick it to the Patriots. How much more obvious can these examples be? They are all selfish and do not care about their sports or play because they love their sport. They all just want to stick it to someone. I know what you are thinking about now, you would like to stick it to me.

So let’s move on shall we? Are Cleveland fans still happy they brought the Browns back? One of the true joys of living in Northern Cal is the chance to watch the Raiders nearly every week. The previous line was sarcasm. The Colts need to be looked at as one of the best run organizations in the NFL. They are the Patriots without the cheating. Hey TO how is life in Buffalo? Chad Pennington has been a class act and lets hope for a great recovery. Broncos defeat the Cowboys and the Steelers defeat the Chargers, four words, Wade Phillips, Norv Turner. I love Jon Gruden as an announcer. He is actually an ex-coach that really adds actual insight into the game. Enjoy him this year because he will be back on the field soon. Last item for the day. Is anyone else sick of the little robot football guy that is on the commercial breaks on Fox? I was hoping that he would be dumped this year but no, he is still around. Maybe we should start a write-in campaign or maybe it is just my issue.

One of the things I really enjoy about a professional sport season is the up and down ride we go on. Very few times is there a dominant team that looks to be the favorite at the beginning that is the champ at the end. Many times when the best team at the beginning is the best team at the end there was still much to overcome in the middle. I love it, it makes each season interesting.

So, hey did you catch any of that San Francisco and Minnesota game? Did you find it very, very sad? I don’t know about you but I had to tell my son to avert his eyes. Wait I do not have a son. Well, if I did I would have said son this is too sad to watch, too much pain to bear. Old number four is almost forty and not what he once was. You see him throw a pass down field and then run forty yards to knock All-Pro linebacker Patrick Willis off his feet? Very sad. You know he only ran down there to block Willis because he came back to just stick it to the Packers.

That is no way for a quarterback to act, you know the young qbs in their twenties do not run forty yards to make a block, silly guy. Look away son, number four is running around without a clue and avoiding younger, stronger, bigger guys trying to sack him as he throws a dart in the end zone for the game winning score, so sad. You know he held up that poor Packer team, just held them hostage. He led them to a 13-3 record and then retired and my gosh had the nerve to change his mind and wanted to try it again. He is a rotten human being, so selfish, in it for the fame and money. He came back only to stick it to the Packers. This guy does not love the game. This guy has no love for the game he only plays for the wrong reasons and is so selfish that he won’t let the other quarterbacks get into play as he starts for the 270 something time. The end of the game is the reason I love sports so much.

Despite all of the things that go wrong and off field woes, all of the money pro players make, it still comes down to talent, effort and competing. The players and the fans at the end of that game knew they had witnessed something special and for three hours all the bad stuff is left behind. Favre did not look like a famous multi-millionaire, he looked like an excited kid that loves football.

I know it is a long season and this still may not end well for Favre and the Vikings. I also think there may be some Packer fans hoping he will get hurt, I hope not, never root for injury even if to prove your point. He may very well get injured however it will not be because of his age but because football is so violent. Look at Tebow and Bradford, guys in their twenties, we all think we are indestructible in our early twenties. Indestructible and football do not go together. I am also laughing at the ESPN announcers. So many of them cracked jokes about Favre coming back and how bored they were of the story. Those same people are now hyping the Monday night game with the Packers and the Vikings and the anticipated ratings. Believe me, the ratings will be through the roof. This is so perfect for this game to come up now. You can now admit it. Brett Favre coming back has been great for the NFL and has added even more interest. Last on Favre, love the Sears commercial where he can not make up his mind. Hey, how come there was no commotion about John Smoltz not retiring?

Here are some other of my thoughts about the NFL. Remember when Marc Bulger was considered one of the best quarterbacks in the league? That is what injuries can do to a promising career. By the way, how is the attendance out there is St. Louis? I could not stand his dad Buddy but I love Rex Ryan. Mark Sanchez is an example of a player being ready to grab his opportunity and making the most of it. Remember when Kevin Kolb replaced McNabb last year when Andy Reid benched him? Kolb had an awful half and then the word was out that Kolb could not play. Last week his 24 of 34 for 327 yards and two touchdowns may indicate differently. Good for him.

Congrats to Matt Stafford and the Lions for ending their losing streak which makes me ask. Why is Matt Millen still considered an expert? I am happy any time the Redskins lose because I love to see another expert, Daniel Snyder the skins owner fail. I was happy to see Carson Palmer and the Bengals pull that game out over the Steelers. I saw Troy Polamalu interviewed and what a kick that was. He is so quiet and soft spoken that it does not match the whirling dervish he is on the field. The Jags won over the Texans. Let me see the hands of those who said Maurice Jones-Drew would be a better back than Reggie Bush. At this point it is not even close, Jones-Drew has 46 career touchdowns to Bush’s 21. I always want to see Phillips Rivers of the Chargers play. Josh McDaniels has obviously done some things right in Denver. All of the problems with Cutler and Marshall and they are 3-0. Finally, the Dallas Cowboys are not a very well coached football team right now. It is a long season so that may change but for now, just two words, Wade Phillips.

It’s only Week 2 of the NFL season, but as everyone who likes to freak out early on in the year would say, “We’re already an eighth of the way through the season!” Alright guys, calm down. 15 weeks left. PLENTY of football to be played.

Now, since I didn’t write my normal prediction blog before the season started, why not assess the first two weeks and go from there? And don’t worry, my Super Bowl champion will remain the same for those of you who know what I picked already. There will be no changes. In fact, we’ll make this a “bonus issue” of Inside E. I’ll tell you what I predicted at the start of the year, then I’ll follow up with what I think will happen based on 2 games.

To get started I should probably note that this will be written before the Monday Night game between Indianapolis and Miami. But that’s okay, we’ll manage.

Let us begin in the AFC…division-by-division.

AFC East

The big surprise of last year was the way the Miami Dolphins were able to win ten more games than they did the year before. Going 11-5 after being 1-15 is the greatest turnaround in franchise history. However, a first round playoff loss to Baltimore left the Fins a bit sour. Not only that, but a Week 1 disappointment against Atlanta last week didn’t help either.

The Jets drafted Mark Sanchez and thought he would be the quarterback of the future for the franchise. Guess what Jet fans? HE IS. Finally, you all selected well.

The Bills got T.O. and since they’ve won a game and are now 1-1, no locker room tension as of yet.

And finally, the Patriots are got back Tommy Boy. Sure they looked bad against the Bills in Week 1, but they got the win. And sure they looked bad against the Jets, but at least they got the wi…oh wait…that’s right…no they didn’t. This race will be very close come the end of the year.

The Jets look to be the front-runner out of the gate and I’m guessing Miami can’t possibly play that bad against Indy tomorrow night, right? The Bills showed they can hang with the class of the division, but we’ll see if they can beat New York.

Prediction at start of season: New England wins division at 12-4
Prediction after Week 2: New England wins division at 11-5

Something tells me the Patriots needed to get worked by the Jets to realize they’re slacking off…offensively AND defensively. I assure you this will not happen again when the jets go to Foxborough. They still might lose, but not like that. The Jets will finish 10-6 and Miami will be 8-8 along with Buffalo.

STAT OF THE WEEK: Miami had a league record-low 13 turnovers all year in 2008-2009. They had 4 against Atlanta in Week 1.

AFC North

Pittsburgh and Baltimore. Baltimore and Pittsburgh. Seems pretty interchangeable, at least for the last FOREVER. Cleveland and Cincinnati haven’t even come close to a contending since this division was formed. In fact the year it was, it was the first time the Bengals finished better than 5th in their division. Mind you, realignment made four team divisions. They couldn’t finish 5th. But now, they have life. If Carson Palmer stays healthy, they have a shot at this thing.

As for the Browns…they don’t. And won’t for a while.

The Ravens defense is the Ravens defense, however they have allowed 50 points in their first two games, which is a bit uncharacteristic of them.

And as for the Champs, you gotta give them the nod early, even though they’re 1-1 after a last second loss to the Bears (Side Note: A certain someone was the only one in his pool to pick Chicago this week…I’m just saying).

Prediction at start of season: Pittsburgh wins division at 11-5
Prediction after Week 2: Pittsburgh wins division at 11-5

No change here. Things in the AFC North seem to remain the same. Not having Troy Polamalu hurts the Steelers, but they will find a way to overcome and take the North once again.

STAT OF THE WEEK: After racking up a franchise record 501 yards of offense in Week 1 against Kansas City, the Ravens amassed only 311 yards against San Diego, were out-passed by 240 yards, were out-gained by 163 yards…and still won by five, 31-26.

AFC South

After a shocking 14-2 season by the Titans in 2008 and having the league’s best record, the Titans look to repeat as AFC South division champs. It will not be easy. Here, we’re looking at yet another three-team race.

Sorry Jaguar fans (however many left there are), your team is not one of them. Even though they played the Colts tight in Week 1, they looked awful at home against Arizona.

The Colts didn’t play too hot in that game either and it seems as though they will be missing wide outs Marvin Harrison (released in off season) and Anthony Gonzalez (injured in Week 1- Out for a few weeks).

The Titans dropped this week’s game against the Texans on the road and will sorely miss defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth in the middle. The run defense for Tennessee will have a tough time this year.

And how about those Houston Texans? Played terrible against the Jets (understandable) and hung tough with Tennessee to pull off a big victory.

This division is too close to call due to the evenness of talent, but I think we’ll see an old friend (or enemy, depending on how you look at it) return to the top.

Prediction at start of season: Indianapolis wins division at 11-5
Prediction after Week 2: Indianapolis wins division at 10-6

These teams will beat each other up. I can’t see any team in this division winning more than 4 of the 6 scheduled games against their division rivals.

STAT OF THE WEEK: After going 0-5 in the Eastern time zone last season, the Arizona Cardinals defeated the Jaguars in Jacksonville, 31-17. Ouch, Jacksonville…very ouch.

AFC West

Oh my goodness, where to start? This is quite possibly the worst division in the HISTORY of football. Alright maybe not that bad, but it’s pretty bad. It is getting better though.

Everyone thought the Chargers would run away with this thing early, but even the Raiders had something to say about that in the first Monday Night game of the year…or was it the second?…It was after the Bills and Patriots…oh, never mind. Anyway, Oakland played well, should have won the game but didn’t, and subsequently left half of San Diego with a mild heart attack after a pretty good game. So don’t count out Oakland, especially after the way the Chargers played at home against Baltimore.

As for Denver, who would have thought that the Broncos would be 2-0 at this point? Cutler gets traded to Chicago, Brandon Marshall has an emotional breakdown basically, and Josh McDaniels gains the moniker of being a pain in the ass right from the get-go. A freak play at Cincinnati and a heart-stopping (sarcasm is funny) against Cleveland and you got yourself first place in the AFC West. Will it last? Probably not. But they can dream, right?

Last and certainly least, the Kansas City Chiefs. New coach + 2nd year quarterback playing his first year with new team= no bueno por la ciudad de Kansas. Losing to Oakland in the final minutes this week and a lack-of-defense-of-any-sort performance against Baltimore and you got yourself last place in the worst division. Yikes.

Prediction at start of season: Chargers win division at 14-2
Prediction after Week 2: Chargers win division at 10-6

I really thought the Chargers’ easy schedule would vault them to the league’s best record. I also thought the 14-2 would be wasted in the Divisional Playoff when the Chargers would lose by 21 to (Insert any team here).

STAT OF THE WEEK: Through two weeks of play, Denver has allowed 13 total points defensively. The next closest in the division is 34 by Oakland.

NFC East

This is now the new “Black and Blue” division. No disrespect to the old NFC Central (Or Norris, for those of you old school fans), but the East is very, very competitive.

Of course the leader of the pack is the New York Football Giants. Osi Umenyiora is back and opposing quarterbacks had better be scared. Eli Manning is Eli Manning and apparently he has found a new favorite receiver (and for more than one reason). That receiver: Mario MANNINGham. Notice the capitalized letters. Two other reasons for being his favorite: 1) He makes spectacular bobbling catches while on his back in the end zone. 2) He has NEVER shot himself (Ouch, low blow? Maybe, but c’mon).

team number two: The Philadelphia Eagles. They lost Donnie once again for who knows how long, but have an OK replacement in Kevin Kolb. he looked terrible against New Orleans, but he will come around. These things take time. Plus if he doesn’t, Michael Vick has been known to toss the pigskin around (or run with it anyway) and he would be able to get it done too. I’m tired of everyone saying “Oh, he hasn’t played in two years.” It doesn’t matter, you don’t just lose talent. Game shape is different, but he’ll get that back if he hasn’t already. This will not be a cake walk for the Giants that’s for sure.

The Dallas Cowboys. Over/Under on punts hitting the scoreboard this year is…ummm…let’s go with 2. This whole situation was stupid and should never be talked about again. And when a punt does hit the scoreboard on Monday Night, you can all rag on me. Anyway, the Cowboys are slightly in a shamble here. T.O. is gone. Whether or not you agree, he will be missed. Having two star receivers will help take the pressure off of one or the other. Just ask the Cardinals. The ‘Boys should be able to snag up a Wild Card spot, but it will be close.

And finally, the Redskins. They beat St. Louis 9-7 on Sunday. That is all.

Prediction at start of season: New York wins division at 12-4.
Prediction after Week 2: New York wins division at 12-4.

No changes here. All things remain constant.

STAT OF THE WEEK: Dallas Cowboys left tackle Flozell Adams was fined $12,500 for kicking two New York Giants on Sunday. This makes two straight games that Adams has been fined by the league. Fantastic.

NFC North

I bet you would have thought that the first two words of this analysis paragraph would be “Brett Favre.” Boy, were you wrong. Anyway, Brett Favre and the Pack…ummm…I mean Vikings look to be the class of the league at the outset. Adrian Peterson is the best back in the division since Barry Sanders, which is scary. I know the Vikes have two wins over Cleveland and Detroit, but they didn’t disappoint at all. The first test for Minnesota will be Sunday when they face San Francisco in their home opener.

The Packers don’t look too shabby either, even though they allowed the Bengals to come back and beat them and allow they Bengals receiver Eighty-five (I speak English) to do a Lambeau Leap into a section of three Bengals fans who he purchased tickets for. Good thing he scored in that end zone otherwise that wouldn’t have been money well spent. I digress. But the Packers run game coupled with an awesome receiver in Greg Jennings should keep the Packers competitive.

A big win over the defending champs at home. A new quarterback. A somewhat disappointing loss to the Pack at Lambeau. But the Bears are for real. Trust me on this one. Matt Forte can flat out run the ball and you have to like the Vanderbilt-Vanderbilt connection between Jay Cutler and rookie wideout Eddie Knox.

Lastly, the Lions. Here’s to even less analysis than the Redskins.

Prediction at start of season: Bears win division at 11-5.
Prediction after Week 2: Bears win division at 11-5.

There’s a reason I have to keep the Bears prediction the same. read on and you’ll find out why.

STAT OF THE WEEK: It’s not really a stat as it is a tidbit of info that could screw things up in Minnesota for a day. If the Twins and Tigers finish tied atop the AL Central, they would have to play a one-game playoff to decide the division. That one-game playoff, by virtue of best record tiebreaker, would be played at the Metrodome. That game, if it is played, is scheduled to take place on Monday, October 5, in order to start the MLB Playoffs on time.. Familiar date? That’s Brett Favre’s first game against the Packers at the Metrodome. Have fun schedulers. The Twins and Tigers are separated by only 2 1/2 games too.

NFC South

Whoever finishes last in this division always wins it the next year. If this remains true, the Saints will win it this year. Guess what? 93 points in two games seems pretty reassuring. Reggie Bush has finally decided to not fumble (at least in Week 2) and Drew Brees just threw three touchdown passes as I typed this sentence. The defense is better and no one will stop the scoring machine. Look out for these guys. Oh look at that…Drew just threw another one…four.

Perhaps the greatest threat to the Saints is the Falcons. Matty Ice has settled in as an NFL quarterback and is looking stronger every week. They have the Patriots at Foxborough this week, which will be a homecoming game for the Boston College graduate. A win for Atlanta here an the Saints better be looking over their shoulder. And I almost forgot, Tony Gonzalez is a Falcon now. Yup.

Will Jake Delhomme ever be replaced in Carolina? Probably not. Especially since he is the BEST quarterback on their roster…which is hard to believe. If he doesn’t begin to step it up and the defense doesn’t stop anybody, the Panthers are going to have a loooooong season.

Tampa Bay is bad. They are not good in anyway shape or form. They’re looking at the third overall draft pick next year, behind Detroit and St. Louis. yeah, it’s that bad.

Prediction at start of season: Atlanta wins division at 11-5.
Prediction after Week 2: Atlanta wins division at 11-5.

Surprised? Well don’t be. The Falcons will split with the Saints and beat Carolina and Tampa Bay twice each. BAM! 5-1 right there. Look out for Atlanta come playoff time.

STAT OF THE WEEK: Drew Brees has nine touchdown passes in two games. He’s on pace to throw 72.

NFC West

Another jumbled up mess of not a whole lot of talent here. The Rams are atrocious. The Seahawks just lost their quarterback for who knows how long. The Cardinals look okay and the 49ers finally resemble something that looks like a football team.

After two games, San Francisco has opened up some eyes under first full year head coach Mike Singletary. Two wins against division rivals Arizona and Seattle and the Niners are out of the gate in first place by themselves. Are the 49ers playoff worthy? Well, not quite yet. They have their first test Sunday when they go to Minnesota. If they get by that game, the rest of the West is in trouble. But good news for the rest of the division: the 49ers have started 2-0 once since 1999. In their Week 3 game two years ago when they were 2-0, they got drubbed by Pittsburgh 37-16.

You can’t count out Arizona. The defending NFC Champions looked strong last week against Jacksonville, getting back to their style of play that they seemed to have abandoned in Week 1 against San Francisco. Stop the run, pressure the quarterback and score fast. They accomplished all three in Florida and now get to see Peyton and the Colts in the prime time spotlight Sunday night. A win here and the Niners should be scared.

The Seahawks, even before losing Matt Hasselbeck, didn’t look so hot. The defense was in shambles and the offense sputtered. And that was during a 28-0 WIN against the Rams. If it wasn’t for the sad display of turnovers that the Rams gave Seattle in Week 1, they might still be playing that game tied at zero. Oh wait, we can tie in the NFL…never mind. Looks like the Seahawks will most likely be golfing early this year.

And finally the Rams. Another team deserving of no analysis. So guess what? They ain’t gettin’ none. Yeah that’s right, they even deserve that double negative.

Prediction at start of season: Arizona wins division at 9-7.
Prediction after Week 2: Arizona wins division at 9-7.

The Cards will pull together. It’s early and a couple of bumps in the road tend to happen. Plus, the Niners can’t possibly keep this up…can they?

STAT OF THE WEEK: The Cardinals were 0-5 when they played in the Eastern Time Zone last year. On Sunday, they smashed Jacksonville down at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium. 1-0.

So there you have it. I know nobody can completely agree with anything I typed. So I better see some comments below. Until next time, enjoy Week 3 and beyond everybody!

The 2009 NFL season is a couple of weeks away. Every year we talk about which players are great, which players are overrated, who is underrated, and who is the next big star. As we anticipate the regular season, it was only couple weeks ago that the new members of the NFL Hall of Fame were inducted. So now I would like to play a game we play here at SportsNetUSA.net, the Hall of Fame Game.

This is usually played on road trips while we are driving to Bakersfield, Jackson, TN and any place else we travel. The rules are simple; we give a name and decide if the player is a lock for the Hall or name a team and try to name potential Hall of Famers on that team, also players that should be in, will get in but shouldn’t and which players do not deserve to get into the Hall of Fame. I will only list the players I think deserve to get inducted. Since we play on freestyle format of the top of the head, some names may be forgotten; this list is for current players on rosters only.

No dispute locks for the Hall of Fame:

Tom Brady, Brett Favre, Peyton Manning, Donovan McNabb, Walter Jones,  Adam Vinatieri, Ray Lewis, Tony Gonzalez, Ladanian Tomlinson, Randy Moss, Ronde Barber, Kurt Warner, Orlando Pace

The rest that should be inducted including young players that simply need to stay healthy:

Steve Hutchinson, Kevin Mawae, Terrell Owens, Julius Peppers, Champ Bailey,  Olin Kruetz, Brian Urlacher, Dallas Clark, Mike Vrabel, Jason Taylor, Matt Light, Tedy Bruschi, Alan Faneca, Shane Lechler, Asante Samuels, Hines Ward, Troy Polamalu, Ed Reed, Ben Rothlisberger, Larry Fitzgerald, Joe Thomas, Andre Johnson, Nnamdi Asomugha, Jamal Williams, Torry Holt, Adrian Peterson, Patrick Willis

Let the arguments and omissions begin.

Oh that season of bickering and buffoons has fallen on us once again; yes the smell of football is in the air. It is that time of season where we watch players who are too young to relate to, too old to remember and those we never knew existed. Ah yes, that time of year where we see our first, punt, pass, kickoff return and say,” did you ever see (FILL IN THE BLANK) play? Now there was a football player”.Of course, before, during and after the game we argue for hours about who has seen the best and how nobody could ever touch one of our heroes. The sad aspect of these arguments is that most young people believe that the NFL started with the Super Bowl and that ever game, player, coach that came before it has no relevance to professional football today. SO LADIES AND GENTLEMEN hold on to your hats and programs because the Buddha of Babble is going to give you his top 10 quarterbacks of all-time:

WARREN MOON: joined the Canadian Football League in 1978, and promptly led his Edmonton Eskimos to the Grey Cup title in 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981 and 1982. In 1983, he set the single season passing yards record, and won the Most Outstanding Player award. Warren Moon, 9-time Pro Bowler and NFL Hall of Famer. He still ranks in the top five in NFL history in completions. Moon was a classic thrower, not a runner, and showed that black quarterbacks could run any offense — including the Run ‘N Shoot. In 1990 and 1991, Moon threw for an incredible 9,379 yards.

BRETT FAVRE: He holds every single passing record in the NFL and if he doesn’t hold them now he will when he ends his career. Plus he has a Super Bowl ring, something that seems to go unmentioned when people talk about his accomplishments in the NFL.

ROGER STAUBACH; People keep forgetting that roger the dodger started his career in the NFL late because of his duty to the UNITED STATES NAVY. He won titles for America’s team in 1971 and 1977 and also won passing titles in 1973, 1978, and 1979. Plus, this was another noted QB who could run, he rushed for over 2300 yards and 20 touchdowns, not bad for a Vietnam Veteran.

TOM BRADY: Yes Big E, this one is for you, and I am sure he is not far enough down on my list for you. Yes I know he has won multiple Super Bowl Titles and if it was not for him Bill Belichick wouldn’t be coaching in the NFL today. Before Brady, Belichick was 48-52, after Brady he looks like an absolute genius, plus there’s also been one clutch fourth-quarter performance after another, almost single-handedly capturing victory from what appeared to be certain defeat time and again.

JOHNNY UNITAS: I guess when football fans talk of all time greats they think of Johnny U and for some younger fans they remember the Unitas Colt team as the first NFL team to lose to the AFL before the merger. His 1959 is thought of as one of the all time best, 32 touchdowns to 14 interceptions in a 12 game season. Those 32 touchdowns that year set a new NFL record.

STEVE YOUNG:　　Okay Rahshaun you get the first taste of your double dip in my top 10. Nothing can be tougher than following a legend especially a legend who knew how to win world championships, Steve Young not only followed Joe Montana but he had to live with the fact that Montana brought the Super Bowl trophy home to San Francisco. Not only did Steve Young accomplish that task, he may have been the better in Super Bowl performances. The greatest Super Bowl performance in history: a 67-percent, 325 yard, 6-TD, 0 INT explosions in a 49-26 victory over overwhelmed San Diego in Super Bowl XXIX.

PEYTON MANNING: Peyton might be the quarterback who breaks all of Brett Favre’s records. Manning so far is that quarterback who seems to rack up more impressive stats at a quicker pace than any other quarterback before him. If you were compare Peyton to Dan Marino (whom at least I know a few that thinks he should be on this list) you will find that Peyton is far ahead of the legendary Dolphin quarterback. The knock on Peyton was he was great during the regular season, but did nothing during the post season, but that changed when he picked up his Super Bowl title and was named MVP of the Super Bowl. If Brett ever retires, this may be the quarterback that would break Brett’s consecutive game record. Peyton, the new IronMan.

OTTO GRAHAM: This quarterback might have been the Tom Brady of my dad’s generation. As a matter of fact, in his 10 year career, Graham played in a Championship game in every one of those years; he won 7 of them in two different leagues. Otto Graham also led his team to 6 consecutive appearances in the NFL Championship game from 1950-1955 a record that still stands today.

JOE MONTANA: Corey/Rahshaun/Erik, guys I got him as close to the top of the heap as I could. In the era that most young fans can relate to, the Super Bowl Era, Joe Montana is deemed untouchable. He won four Super bowls and in three out of the four he was named the MVP and if that is not enough his passer rating in the biggest game combined is an outrageous 127.8. Plus Joe is known for one of the more spectacular drives in a Super Bowl, a 92 yard drive against the Bengals in Super Bowl XXIII which ended in a pass to John Taylor with 34 clicks remaining on the clock. Not only was he spectacular in great post season games but in 1989 he completed over 70% of his passes and threw 26 touchdowns to 8 interceptions.

*Sammy Baugh: you have to put him in here some place, but I’ll leave it to you to decide where.

BART STARR: Year after year I have to listen to “who is the greatest?” and the answer varies and in all those answers, do I ever here the name BART STARR? No, not from the so-called experts. I guess it was best said by a sports writer and I quote: “History has done a grave disservice to the legacy of Starr, the 17th-round draft pick out of pre-Bear Bryant Alabama who turned into the most clutch and most cruelly efficient passing assassin of his or any other generation.” If you want to talk stats, then I guess we will have to see how Mr. Starr would match up: He led the NFL in passer rating five times. Johnny Unitas led the league in passer rating just twice. Ditto for Joe Montana. Only Steve Young surpassed Starr’s mark with six. Starr averaged a remarkable 7.85 YPA over the course of his entire career better than that of a slate of quarterbacks who are generally regarded as the best passers in history, including Dan Marino (7.37), Joe Montana (7.52), Roger Staubach (7.67), Dan Fouts (7.68), Sonny Jurgensen (7.56), Fran Tarkenton (7.27), Y.A. Tittle (7.52), Terry Bradshaw (7.17) and Joe Namath (7.35). Plus do not forget that Bart Starr was the quarterback in one of the most shown championship games in NFL history, the ICE BOWL. He also was the 1st NFL quarterback to win a Championship ring (5) for each digit on his throwing hand not to mention that three of those championships came in a row, still an NFL record.

Did I leave off many quarterbacks that could have been listed? Yes. Did I list everyone’s stats? No. But once again I have given fodder to all of us who are sports fans that will cause us hours of pain, constant complaining, whining and dissertations about WHO IS THE NUMBER 1 GREATEST QUARTERBACK of ALL TIME, I guess that is why I am the Buddha of Babble