Category: NFL (Page 520 of 1282)

      2010 NFL Playoffs Fan Battle: Ravens vs. Colts Preview

      January 14, 2010 /

      To get you ready for the Ravens-Colts’ Divisional Round battle in Indy this Saturday, here’s a preview of the game via a mock dialogue between two fans.

      Colts Fan: If you think the Colts are going to be as disinterested in playing the Ravens as the Patriots were last week, then you’re delusional.

      Ravens Fan: Oh, I see – the Patriots lost, but the Ravens didn’t win. Do I have that right? Face it, the better team won last weekend in Foxboro. We came prepared to play and they couldn’t match our intensity. And if I were you, I’d be highly concerned that the Colts haven’t played in three weeks.

      Colt Fan: No, the starters haven’t played in three weeks – there’s a difference. But Peyton Manning, ahem, the MVP this year, will be ready to go as always. And if anyone should be concerned, it should be Baltimore’s pass defense.

      Raven Fan: Have you even been watching lately? The Ravens are tied for eighth in passing yards allowed per game with 207.3. Our total defense ranks third in the NFL and we’re allowing just 16.3 points per game. Plus, we almost beat you in the regular season.

      Colt Fan: There’s no prize for “almost,” my friend. Plus, that game was in Baltimore; now you have to travel to Indy this time. Had Jim Caldwell not pulled the starters in the second half against the Jets, we would have easily gone undefeated at home this season.

      Raven Fan: Now who’s talking about whoulda, coulda, shouldas? Speaking of Caldwell pulling the starters, that same philosophy has hurt the Colts in the past. Bill Polian insists that momentum means nothing for teams heading into the playoffs but he must be trying to block out all the times that his team has choked after resting starters before.

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      NFL

      Who are the top fantasy RBs for 2010?

      January 14, 2010 /

      Yesterday, I posted a list of my top fantasy QBs for next season. Now, it’s time to tackle the RB position. These rankings are for a high-performance, PPR scoring system. Off we go…

      1. Chris Johnson
      This year’s reigning OPOY figures to carry the same workload in 2010. He gained over 2500 yards and scored 16 times. Moreover, he played even better with Vince Young under center, so things bode well for next season.

      2. Adrian Peterson
      It would help if Brett Favre came back for another season, but it’s not a necessity. AP will still be the focal point of the Vikings’ offense.

      3. Ray Rice
      A great runner in a great running game. He gained more than 2000 yards from scrimmage and caught 78 passes. Money.

      4. Maurice Jones-Drew
      The Jags’ O-line raises concerns, which is why MJD isn’t higher. If they can get it straightened out, a top 3 finish is very possible.

      5. Frank Gore
      Finished as 2009’s RB5 even though he missed three games. That’s just it with Gore — he’s just a *little* bit injury prone.

      6. Steven Jackson
      Missed a game, had no help and still finished RB8. His numbers should improve as the Rams (hopefully) get back to mediocre.

      7. Jamaal Charles
      He scored 189 fantasy points over the last eight games. Those are RB1 numbers. Charles will be downgraded a bit because he’s a bit of an unknown, but with Charlie Weis taking over the KC offense, the Chiefs should be better on that side of the ball.

      8. Michael Turner
      Yes, he struggled with injuries. But he scored 140 points in the first eight games. Had he played a full season, he would have finished RB5-RB7. At just 27 (and with his limited work in San Diego), he should have several good years left.

      9. Matt Forte
      This is where things get really dicey. I could make an argument for 6-8 guys for these last two spots. Forte revealed at the end of the season that he struggled with injuries all year. Is it just an excuse or valid reasoning? Only he knows for sure. He’s the clear RB1 in Chicago and catches a lot of passes. He should bounce back, especially if the Bears’ offense improves.

      10. Rashard Mendenhall
      Of the remaining contenders, I like Mendenhall the best because Willie Parker will likely be gone, so he should be the clear RB1 in Pittsburgh. He gained almost 1400 yards from scrimmage and scored eight times even though he barely sniffed the ball in the first three games.

      Honorable Mention: Joseph Addai, Cedric Benson, Ryan Grant, Pierre Thomas (especially if Bush is gone), DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, Ronnie Brown, LaDainian Tomlinson, Knowshon Moreno


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      Fantasy Football, NFL

      NFL Playoffs Fan Battle: Cardinals vs. Saints Preview

      January 14, 2010 /

      To get you ready for the Cardinals-Saints’ Divisional Round tilt in the “Big Easy” this Saturday, here’s a preview of the game via a mock dialogue between an Arizona and a New Orleans fan.

      Saint Fan: I bet Sean Payton couldn’t sleep after watching the Packers rip apart the Cardinals’ defense last Sunday! Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, James Jones and Jermichael Finley lit you guys up and we have similar weapons in Marques Colston, Jeremy Shockey, Devery Henderson and Robert Meachem. I can’t wait to see what that group will do against Arizona’s brutal secondary this Saturday!

      Cardinal Fan: Last week was an anomaly – the Cards’ defense won’t play that bad two weeks in a row. Ken Whisenhunt and his staff have already dissected what went wrong and are working to correct the problem. Besides, tackling was the main issue last week, which is correctable.

      Saint Fan: Payton just won coach of the year and is one of the brightest offensive minds in football. If Mike McCarthy figured out how to rack up 40-plus points on Arizona, then Payton might double that.

      Cardinal Fan: This isn’t the regular season – it’s the playoffs.

      Saint Fan: Wow, you’re just figuring this out now?

      Cardinal Fan: Hear me out; Whisenhunt is 4-1 in the postseason as the Cardinals’ head coach. He has already been to the Super Bowl and thus knows what it takes to get there. There’s no doubt Payton is a great coach, but there’s a lot more at stake for him this weekend with the Saints being the No. 1 seed and expected to reach the Super Bowl after running through the competition for most of the season.

      Saint Fan: Yeah, but let’s give defensive coordinator Gregg Williams his due. His aggressive style has changed how the Saints run their defense and he deserves just as much credit for our team’s success this year as Payton does.

      Cardinal Fan: Oh, you mean the same Gregg Williams-led defense that can’t stop the run? Once we establish the ground game with Beanie Wells, Kurt Warner is going to pick your fading defense apart with his precision passing. Plus, once we get inside the red zone we’re nearly unstoppable. We’ve scored touchdowns on 70.4 percent of our trips inside our opponents’ 20-yard line, which is the best in the league.

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      NFL

      Sean Payton wins Coach of the Year

      January 14, 2010 /

      The Saints’ Sean Payton has been named NFL Coach of the Year by the Sporting News.

      For the second time in his four seasons as leader of the New Orleans Saints, Sean Payton is Sporting News Coach of the Year.

      After two years of the Saints not making the playoffs since they advanced to the NFC championship game after the 2006 season, Payton guided them to a 13-3 record. The five-game turnaround from 2008 took New Orleans from worst to first place in the NFC South.

      If Payton could split the award in half, I’m sure he’d give part of the honor to defensive coordinator Gregg Williams. The Saints’ defense has really struggled down the stretch, but most of that can be attributed to injuries on all three levels. For the most part, Williams has done a remarkable job turning the Saints’ defense into a unit that can (along with the offense’s help, of course) contend for a Super Bowl.

      I’m looking forward to seeing how Payton fares in his second postseason stint. His offensive schemes are excellent and he knows how to attack an opponent’s weaknesses. However, he couldn’t figure out the Cowboys in the regular season this year and the Bears in the postseason in 2006, so it’ll be interesting to see what happens if New Orleans meets Dallas again next week.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      NFL

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