Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 1356 of 1503)

      Power Rankings: Week 4

      October 2, 2007 /

      Here’s a weekly look at the top and bottom five in the NFL:

      1. New England Patriots (4-0)
      Previous Rank: 1
      Sports books probably made a mint on bettors wagering the over in the Pats-Bengals game last night. Here’s the thing though; did anyone really believe the No. 1 defense in the league was going to allow Cincy to score at will on them? Especially without Rudi Johnson?

      2. Indianapolis Colts (4-0)
      Previous Rank: 2
      Even though they can run at will on most teams, it must make Indy fans a little uneasy to watch the Broncos rip off 223 yards on the ground on Sunday.

      3. Dallas Cowboys (4-0)
      Previous Rank: 3
      Does anybody hear that? It’s the sound of the Cowboys losing money for not re-upping with Tony Romo (112.0 QB rating, 1,199 yards, 13 total TDs) in the offseason.

      4. Green Bay Packers (4-0)
      Previous Rank: 5
      Can the Packers actually continue to win without running the football? While it’s a bit unconventional, with the way Brett Favre and the defense is playing, yeah, I think they can.

      5. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1)
      Previous Rank: 4
      Even though they squandered a chance to remain perfect with a loss to Arizona, Pittsburgh is still arguably the best 3-1 team in the league. Giving up at least one turnover per game thus far is a bit concerning, however.

      28. New Orleans Saints (0-3)
      Previous Rank: 28
      Divisional opponent (Carolina)….at home…coming off a BYE week. Time to see what you and your team is made of Sean Payton.

      29. Buffalo Bills (1-3)
      Previous Rank: 31
      Make the switch official Dick Jauron! The J.P. Losman experiment is over – it’s Trent Edwards time…

      30. Atlanta Falcons (1-3)
      Previous Rank: 32
      The Falcons’ offense seems to be gelling under Bobby Petrino and Joey Harrington is starting to prove doubters (including this one) wrong, but the running game is still absent.

      31. St. Louis Rams (0-4)
      Previous Rank: 29
      This team appears to be in shambles, from poor defensive performances to injuries, and of course, a very stagnant offense.

      32. Miami Dolphins (0-4)
      Previous Rank: 30
      Miami fans are used to getting poor play out of their quarterback, but not from the defense. Jason Taylor is non-existent.

      What’s your top and bottom five?

      NFL

      New blood great for baseball

      October 2, 2007 /

      After a – pardon the pun – wild (card) game last night between the Rockies and Padres, the postseason is officially ready to kick off in Major League Baseball. Perhaps the biggest thing to note this year is that there finally is some new blood in the water.

      While the Yankees, Red Sox and Angels are familiar faces, the Cubs, Indians, Phillies and of course, the Rockies, offer a breath of postseason fresh air. Analysts like to note how important big market teams are to MLB playoffs because of TV ratings, but it’s exciting to see the Rockies make their first postseason apperance. It’s great that the Cubs get another chance to erase Steve Bartman, and that the Indians and Phillies finally make it back to the playoffs after years of coming up empty. It’s also exciting to root against the Yankees and Red Sox while pulling for the underdog Rockies and Indians. There’s also plenty of star power to go around and some youthful exuberance on the Rockies and Tribe.

      Forget the TV ratings for a minute. This year’s playoffs offer a little something for everyone and that’s only good news for the game. Part of the reason the NFL is so popular is because of its parity. This year’s MLB playoffs stuck a nice balance of new and old, and because of that, I’m truly excited.

      MLB

      College football heading for more parity?

      October 1, 2007 /

      One of the main arguments in the annual College vs. Pro debate is that every game in college football matters. Lose one game in college football and the season could be over. Lose one game in the NFL and nobody blinks an eye.

      Personally, I never bought that argument, because not every game matters in college football. Florida vs. Central Florida doesn’t really matter. Texas vs. Rice doesn’t really matter. Michigan vs. Appalachian State doesn’t really…whoops. Apparently every game does matter in college football and this season is proof of that.

      Seven ranked teams were defeated this week, including third ranked Oklahoma (27-24 loss to Colorado), fourth ranked Florida (20-17 loss to Auburn), and seventh ranked Texas (41-21 loss to Kansas State). On top of that, #1 USC was almost upset by unranked Washington and ninth ranked Wisconsin survived a scare by Michigan State.

      Weekends like this past one is great for college football. For better or worse, part of the reason the NFL is so popular is because every team has a chance to win each week. Maybe college football is starting to head more in that direction, which only means more upsets and exciting finishes for fans. Of course if you’re a Sooner, Gator or Long Horn fan, you want to punch me in the throat right about now.

      College Football

      Water Cooler Recap: Week 4

      September 30, 2007 /

      Most impressed with: With their 35-7 victory over the Rams, the Cowboys are now averaging over 35 points a game under new OC Jason Garrett. No wonder Jerry Jones aggressively pursued Garrett last offseason, even though his resume was limited to coaching quarterbacks in Miami for two seasons.

      Least impressed with: After drinking massive amounts of Steelers Kool-Aid the past few weeks, I was disappointed with their performance against the Cardinals. But hey, there are worse things than losing to a talented Arizona team on the road. See below.

      Wake up call goes to: The Chargers and Norv Turner’s grace period is over. In order to be considered an elite contender in the AFC, they can’t lose 30-16 at home to a struggling Chiefs team.

      Play of the day: Andre Davis’s (5 rec., 117 yards, 1 TD) one-handed 35-yard touchdown pass while being interfered with by the Falcons’ Chris Houston was sweet. He basically gripped the ball with one hand and controlled it on Houston’s shoulder while being tackled in mid-air.

      Stock Up: Lions…Stock Down: Ravens

      Many applauds to: It wasn’t surprising to hear Brett Favre say he cared more about getting a victory than breaking the all-time record for TD passes…It’s amazing what the Browns can do with a real offensive coordinator – Rob Chudzinski is doing a great job…The Lions front seven is vastly underrated…Joey Harrington’s numbers since the Falcons signed Byron Leftwich: 54 of 73 for 584 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs…What an insurance policy the Colts have in Kenton Keith (10 carries, 80 rushing yards) for when Joseph Addai (136 rushing yards, 1 TD) needs a breather…It sounds a bit absurd, but Arizona fans have to appreciate the fact that Ken Whisenhunt is trying to win instead of just worrying about Matt Leinart’s development…Bucs defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin has some of the best game plans in the game, and he always gets the most out of his players…

      Cheap shots: Joey Porter should realize that he’s not in Pittsburgh anymore and therefore guaranteeing wins on a bad team makes him look foolish… I apologize to anyone who actually watched the entire Bills-Jets game…David Carr’s apologists had to cringe with how bad he played against Tampa…Baltimore racked up 418 total yards of offense and somehow only managed to score 13 points…The 49ers’ 2-0 start must seem like a distant memory…

      NFL

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