Before I head out of town for the weekend, here's the picks!
Turkey Day Games:
Tennessee over Detroit
Dallas over Seattle
Philadelphia over Arizona- Phillie's bounce-back game. We'll see how Arizona fares with the cold air and hostile crowds of Phillie.
The Rest:
Buffalo over San Fransisco
Baltimore over Cincinnati
Indianapolis over Cleveland
Green Bay over Carolina
Miami over St Louis
New Orleans over Tampa Bay
New York Giants over Washington
San Diego over Atlanta
Pittsburgh over New England
NY Jets over Denver
Oakland over Kansas City
Minnesota over Chicago
Houston over Jacksonville
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Week 12 Roundup; Giants and Jets Looking Super!
Giants and Jets Statement Games
VFC's Week 12 Picks
Pittsburgh over Cincinnati, W
Houston over Cleveland, W
Dallas over San Fransisco, W
Detroit over Tampa Bay, L- To lose so ugly after going up 17-0 is beyond pathetic. Detroit has packed it in already, why show up at this point?
NY Jets over Tennessee, W
Buffalo over Kansas City, W
St Louis over Chicago, L
New England over Miami, W- Cassel setting himself up for a nice future. Maybe Gisele will come knocking?
Jacksonville over Minnesota, L
Baltimore over Philadelphia, W- McNabb finished in Phillie? Wonder if he knows the rules on that one.
Denver over Oakland, L
Carolina over Atlanta, L- Atlanta is for real.
NY Giants over Arizona, W
Washington over Seattle, W
San Diego over Indianapolis, L- San Diego is always so close, yet...
Green Bay over New Orleans, L- Think Green Bay is regretting dissin' Brett?
Week Record: 7-7
Overall: 101-64
VFC's Week 12 Picks
Pittsburgh over Cincinnati, W
Houston over Cleveland, W
Dallas over San Fransisco, W
Detroit over Tampa Bay, L- To lose so ugly after going up 17-0 is beyond pathetic. Detroit has packed it in already, why show up at this point?
NY Jets over Tennessee, W
Buffalo over Kansas City, W
St Louis over Chicago, L
New England over Miami, W- Cassel setting himself up for a nice future. Maybe Gisele will come knocking?
Jacksonville over Minnesota, L
Baltimore over Philadelphia, W- McNabb finished in Phillie? Wonder if he knows the rules on that one.
Denver over Oakland, L
Carolina over Atlanta, L- Atlanta is for real.
NY Giants over Arizona, W
Washington over Seattle, W
San Diego over Indianapolis, L- San Diego is always so close, yet...
Green Bay over New Orleans, L- Think Green Bay is regretting dissin' Brett?
Week Record: 7-7
Overall: 101-64
Sunday, November 23, 2008
How 'Bout Them Giants and Jets! Statements Made by Each Team Tonight!
Not that anyone doubted the Giants as a team, but there were doubters about the Giants team without Jacobs. Recently, Eli has been a non-player while the Giants have rushed for nearly 200 yards a game on the way to decisive victories, but many have wondered if the Giants could win on the stregnth of Eli's arm alone (yes, there's still doubters after Eli's MVP Super Bowl performance).
Eli and his three touchdowns proved that the Giants could win a big game without their most valuable running back, Brandon Jacobs.
In VFC's opinion, the games against Pittsburgh and Baltimore were bigger because those games were not expected to be games won by Eli (those games were all physical- rushing and defense), but this shootout between the current Giants Quarterback and the QB he replaced needed to be won by the arm of Eli Manning. And Eli's three touchdowns were enough to say, "Don't forget about me!"
There never was a doubt that the Giants were a better team, but with the Cards playing tough at home, combined with Warner's remarkable season, it would not have surprised many if the Cards had pulled this one out.
The Giants have played a statement game every week, but this is the first time in a while that Big Blue had to win with the passing game alone.
There's no longer an undefeated team in the NFL today, thanks to the NY Jets. With their decisive victory over the Titans tonight, the Jets may have just put themselves on a collision course with the Giants for a Super Bowl showdown in Tampa.
Last week, I thought it was a bit premature to think such things. I expected Brett Favre to win that big game against New England, otherwise his pickup would have been a waste. But this decisive win against an undefeated Titans team shows that the Jets mean business. Winning the Division won't be enough for the Jets, they have aspirations of losing in the Super Bowl to the Giants.
With Favre now comfortably leading the NY Jets to a destination that I never thought they'd see, and with their defense playing like a Pro Bowl unit, the Jets could be on a collision course with the Giants that could lead to a Super Showdown in Tampa. Until now, the showdown between the Jets and Giants took place on the back pages of the New York newspapers over who raised the most cash selling off their respective PSLs in the new stadium.
The Giants game was big, no doubt about that, but the Jets game was huge.
Brett Favre has VFC eating his words, I honestly though he'd be wishing he would have decided to play his season on the playstation by now, with the Jets well out of contention, but instead he may very well be leading the Jets to the promised land, which, in this case, means losing to the Giants in the Super Bowl.
Eli and his three touchdowns proved that the Giants could win a big game without their most valuable running back, Brandon Jacobs.
In VFC's opinion, the games against Pittsburgh and Baltimore were bigger because those games were not expected to be games won by Eli (those games were all physical- rushing and defense), but this shootout between the current Giants Quarterback and the QB he replaced needed to be won by the arm of Eli Manning. And Eli's three touchdowns were enough to say, "Don't forget about me!"
There never was a doubt that the Giants were a better team, but with the Cards playing tough at home, combined with Warner's remarkable season, it would not have surprised many if the Cards had pulled this one out.
The Giants have played a statement game every week, but this is the first time in a while that Big Blue had to win with the passing game alone.
There's no longer an undefeated team in the NFL today, thanks to the NY Jets. With their decisive victory over the Titans tonight, the Jets may have just put themselves on a collision course with the Giants for a Super Bowl showdown in Tampa.
Last week, I thought it was a bit premature to think such things. I expected Brett Favre to win that big game against New England, otherwise his pickup would have been a waste. But this decisive win against an undefeated Titans team shows that the Jets mean business. Winning the Division won't be enough for the Jets, they have aspirations of losing in the Super Bowl to the Giants.
With Favre now comfortably leading the NY Jets to a destination that I never thought they'd see, and with their defense playing like a Pro Bowl unit, the Jets could be on a collision course with the Giants that could lead to a Super Showdown in Tampa. Until now, the showdown between the Jets and Giants took place on the back pages of the New York newspapers over who raised the most cash selling off their respective PSLs in the new stadium.
The Giants game was big, no doubt about that, but the Jets game was huge.
Brett Favre has VFC eating his words, I honestly though he'd be wishing he would have decided to play his season on the playstation by now, with the Jets well out of contention, but instead he may very well be leading the Jets to the promised land, which, in this case, means losing to the Giants in the Super Bowl.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
VFC's Baseball Hot Stove Talk
Let's see if Omar Minaya can start earning his new four year contract. After initially stating that the Mets would be in the running for CC, Minaya reversed course and ditched the idea after the Yankees threw $140 million out there as a first offer. Minaya probably wanted to watch the Yankees up their offer and never fully intended to be in the hunt in the first place.
CC is not worth $140 million. He's no Johan Santana, who pulled in less than that from the Mets last year. The Yanks wouldn't shell out that kind of money for Johan, but they will for Sid "The Whale" Fernandez part II? I don't get it. We're in a freakin recession and the Yanks are spending $140 million on CC and all his hamburgers.
Swisher was a great pickup for the Yanks, in my opinion. He's versatile enough to fill in at first and in the outfield and his defense is a huge upgrade over Jason Giambi. Mo Vaughn had more range than Giambi. Swisher is not a .300 hitter, but he's not a .219 hitter either, and his on-base and power number will look good in the Yankees powerful lineup.
I don't get the three year Marte deal, however. Scott Schoeneweiss part II, right there. What a waste of money. Irresponsible spending like that is what got us in this recession, but I guess the Yanks can afford to flush cash down the toilet, which is the equivalent of this signing.
Manny Ramirez and Scott Boras need to go away. Boras probably has the inside track on the latest muscle enhancers, or whatever these athletes use to pump themselves up, and a dose of that following his bad attitude in Boston was a risk worth taking to wreap the rewards of the new contract he'll receive. We'll never, never, never again see the Manny that we saw for the last three months last season.
The Mets need to drop any idea of signing Rodriguez or Fuentes. Those guys are too expensive and too unreliable. I know K-Rod had sixty plus saves, but I'm more concerned about the 4-5 MPH he lost off his fastball. I'm not sold on him for the long run, nor am I sold on Fuentes. For the money those guys will command we can pick up Chad Cordero or Kerry Wood (or both) and have money to spare towards another starter. Both are injury risks, so we can give Kunz a chance in the late innings.
They also need to dump Castillo. I wouldn't mind it if the Mets paid him the remaining $18,000,000 of his contract, as long as he was being paid NOT to play next year.
Orlando Hudson is a perfect fit for the Mets at second base next season.
CC is not worth $140 million. He's no Johan Santana, who pulled in less than that from the Mets last year. The Yanks wouldn't shell out that kind of money for Johan, but they will for Sid "The Whale" Fernandez part II? I don't get it. We're in a freakin recession and the Yanks are spending $140 million on CC and all his hamburgers.
Swisher was a great pickup for the Yanks, in my opinion. He's versatile enough to fill in at first and in the outfield and his defense is a huge upgrade over Jason Giambi. Mo Vaughn had more range than Giambi. Swisher is not a .300 hitter, but he's not a .219 hitter either, and his on-base and power number will look good in the Yankees powerful lineup.
I don't get the three year Marte deal, however. Scott Schoeneweiss part II, right there. What a waste of money. Irresponsible spending like that is what got us in this recession, but I guess the Yanks can afford to flush cash down the toilet, which is the equivalent of this signing.
Manny Ramirez and Scott Boras need to go away. Boras probably has the inside track on the latest muscle enhancers, or whatever these athletes use to pump themselves up, and a dose of that following his bad attitude in Boston was a risk worth taking to wreap the rewards of the new contract he'll receive. We'll never, never, never again see the Manny that we saw for the last three months last season.
The Mets need to drop any idea of signing Rodriguez or Fuentes. Those guys are too expensive and too unreliable. I know K-Rod had sixty plus saves, but I'm more concerned about the 4-5 MPH he lost off his fastball. I'm not sold on him for the long run, nor am I sold on Fuentes. For the money those guys will command we can pick up Chad Cordero or Kerry Wood (or both) and have money to spare towards another starter. Both are injury risks, so we can give Kunz a chance in the late innings.
They also need to dump Castillo. I wouldn't mind it if the Mets paid him the remaining $18,000,000 of his contract, as long as he was being paid NOT to play next year.
Orlando Hudson is a perfect fit for the Mets at second base next season.
VFC's Football Picks for Week 12
The Giants may be without lead rusher Brandon Jacobs when they head to Arizona this Sunday, the city where dreams were answered last February, for a city and its fans, when the underdog Giants made history by beating the unbeaten Patriots in the Super Bowl.
The Giants are peaking right now, hopefully not too early, and should roll into business and take care of Arizona without any problem, even without Jacobs. We'll see what the Wind and Fire guys (Ward and Bradshaw) are made of this week, and Eli may have to step up his game a notch.
The key for 'Zona is to give Warner some time. He's been on a tear lately and the Giants D will be looking to pad their sack numbers.
The Jets have the game of the week, in VFC's opinion. Brett Favre won the game the Jets needed him to win and he'll lead the Jets to Tennessee this Sunday hoping to stop the Titans dead in their undefeated tracks. I think the Jets will be up to the task, although I've been predicting a Titan loss for three weeks now.
This week the Titan's loss will be for real. Kerry Collins, who is not good enough to be 10-0, will be picked off a couple of times and Favre will continue his mid-season hot streak to give the Jets a huge follow-up win to their victory over the Patriots.
THE PICKS:
Pittsburgh over Cincinnati- Cincinnati will not pull off a tie with the other team from Pennsylvania.
Houstonat Cleveland- It was the wind, not the Browns that won the game for them last week. Houston is due for a road win, and Cleveland will choke this one away.
Dallas over San Fransisco- The Cowboys continue to prove that their season is not done. A big win over Washington will be followed up by an easier win over SanFran.
Detroit over Tampa Bay- Detroit could sneak this one in if Tampa is looking more toward their game vs New Orleans the following week. Upset city here.
NY Jets over Tennessee- The undefeated streak comes to an end because 1) Gang Green is just Getting Going and 2) Kerry Collins is not good enough to be 11-0.
Buffalo over Kansas City
St Louis over Chicago
New England over Miami- What would you have said, at the beginning of the season, if they told you that Miami would be favored in this game?
Jacksonville over Minnesota
Baltimore over Philadelphia- Donovan McNabb will look to avoid a tie, but Phillie looked dead against Cincinnati. The Ravens defense will rebound i they can ever peel Ray Lewis from the turf at the Meadowlands.
Denver over Oakland
Carolina over Atlanta
NY Giants over Arizona
Washington over Seattle
San Diego over Indianapolis- San Diego, with their tough and controversial finishes, can't lose this game.
Green Bay over New Orleans
Lot of close calls this week, but I think we're in for a few upsets.
The Giants are peaking right now, hopefully not too early, and should roll into business and take care of Arizona without any problem, even without Jacobs. We'll see what the Wind and Fire guys (Ward and Bradshaw) are made of this week, and Eli may have to step up his game a notch.
The key for 'Zona is to give Warner some time. He's been on a tear lately and the Giants D will be looking to pad their sack numbers.
The Jets have the game of the week, in VFC's opinion. Brett Favre won the game the Jets needed him to win and he'll lead the Jets to Tennessee this Sunday hoping to stop the Titans dead in their undefeated tracks. I think the Jets will be up to the task, although I've been predicting a Titan loss for three weeks now.
This week the Titan's loss will be for real. Kerry Collins, who is not good enough to be 10-0, will be picked off a couple of times and Favre will continue his mid-season hot streak to give the Jets a huge follow-up win to their victory over the Patriots.
THE PICKS:
Pittsburgh over Cincinnati- Cincinnati will not pull off a tie with the other team from Pennsylvania.
Houstonat Cleveland- It was the wind, not the Browns that won the game for them last week. Houston is due for a road win, and Cleveland will choke this one away.
Dallas over San Fransisco- The Cowboys continue to prove that their season is not done. A big win over Washington will be followed up by an easier win over SanFran.
Detroit over Tampa Bay- Detroit could sneak this one in if Tampa is looking more toward their game vs New Orleans the following week. Upset city here.
NY Jets over Tennessee- The undefeated streak comes to an end because 1) Gang Green is just Getting Going and 2) Kerry Collins is not good enough to be 11-0.
Buffalo over Kansas City
St Louis over Chicago
New England over Miami- What would you have said, at the beginning of the season, if they told you that Miami would be favored in this game?
Jacksonville over Minnesota
Baltimore over Philadelphia- Donovan McNabb will look to avoid a tie, but Phillie looked dead against Cincinnati. The Ravens defense will rebound i they can ever peel Ray Lewis from the turf at the Meadowlands.
Denver over Oakland
Carolina over Atlanta
NY Giants over Arizona
Washington over Seattle
San Diego over Indianapolis- San Diego, with their tough and controversial finishes, can't lose this game.
Green Bay over New Orleans
Lot of close calls this week, but I think we're in for a few upsets.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Week Eleven Roundup; Giants Running Away, Jets on Top and Miami in Second Place!
WEEK 11 PICKS
So much for the Number One ranked rushing defense in the NFL! Brandon Jacobs rushed for more than fifty yards in the first five minutes of the game, and by the time fans got up for their first bathroom break, Jacobs was over seventy with two TDs.
Earth, Wind and Fire combined for more than 200 yards for the third straight game, and it was Ray Lewis, not Joe Flacco that was pounded into the turf at the Meadowlands on Sunday. For Ray's sake, his mouth will stay there, because it got shut with a vengeance by the Giants' rushing attack.
My favorite stat from this one: Most yards Baltimore has given up to any team this season- 76, Yards by Bradshaw on one play- 77.
After a run of tough games for the Giants, two against NFC East opponents, this could have been a trap game for the Giants, playing against the number one rushing defense in the League. It didn't take long for Jacobs to set the pace of the afternoon, and in the end, this was a huge statement game for the Giants.
These guys are on a roll right now, and since Plax shut up and starting playing nice, the Giants have truly been unstoppable.
They're this good without playing at their best. With the running back trio carrying the team on their collective shoulders, Eli hasn't needed to be great to win.
Anything can happen at any point in the season (see: Tom Brady), but barring any major injury, these Giants have to be Super Bowl favorites, a far cry from the 11-5 record that I predicted.
Brett Favre is making me eat my words right now. By this point in the season I fully expected Favre and the Jets to be sitting at below .500, and I thought Favre would be wishing that he'd have taken out the trash instead of un-retiring.
Instead the First Place New York Jets travel to Tennessee and look to add a '1' in the loss column of the so-far-perfect Titans.
Last Thursday's game against New England was why the Jets traded for Favre, and he didn't let the team, or the fans, down. With the Jets playing their best football of the season, this should be the week that the Titans join the ranks of the defeated. Collins won't get it done this time.
I know, I've been saying it for three weeks now, but Kerry Collins is just not good enough to be 10-0.
I'm still not quite sure what the heck happened at the end of the San Diego-Pittsburg game, but I do know that such a big deal is being made of the final score because of the Vegas lines.
I've been known to place a sports bet, pick up the dice or hit on 16 a time or two, but I don't like the fact that representatives of the NFL need to react to this ending all day long because of the gambling lines.
Whether the touchdown counted or not, Pittsburgh won the game, that's all that matters.
THE RESULTS:
NY Jets over New England, W, Biggest game in years for Gang Green. This game alone makes the Favre signing worth it, but fans want more.
Atlanta over Denver, L
Philadelphia over Cincinnati, T, Does this one count as a loss? I hate this rule just as much as I hate a soccer game being decided by free kicks.
Green Bay over Chicago, W
Indianapolis over Houston, W
Kansas City over New Orleans, L
Miami over Oakland, W, Who would have thought second place this late in the season?!
NY Giants over Baltimore, W
Tampa Bay over Minnesota, W
Carolina over Detroit, W
San Fransisco over St Louis, W
Arizona over Seattle, W
Jacksonville over Tennessee, L
Pittsburgh over San Diego, W, First 11-10 game in NFL history.
Dallas over Washington, W, Dallas still alive in NFC East.
Buffalo over Cleveland, L, Cleveland finally finishes!
Week Record: 11-3
Overall: 94-57
So much for the Number One ranked rushing defense in the NFL! Brandon Jacobs rushed for more than fifty yards in the first five minutes of the game, and by the time fans got up for their first bathroom break, Jacobs was over seventy with two TDs.
Earth, Wind and Fire combined for more than 200 yards for the third straight game, and it was Ray Lewis, not Joe Flacco that was pounded into the turf at the Meadowlands on Sunday. For Ray's sake, his mouth will stay there, because it got shut with a vengeance by the Giants' rushing attack.
My favorite stat from this one: Most yards Baltimore has given up to any team this season- 76, Yards by Bradshaw on one play- 77.
After a run of tough games for the Giants, two against NFC East opponents, this could have been a trap game for the Giants, playing against the number one rushing defense in the League. It didn't take long for Jacobs to set the pace of the afternoon, and in the end, this was a huge statement game for the Giants.
These guys are on a roll right now, and since Plax shut up and starting playing nice, the Giants have truly been unstoppable.
They're this good without playing at their best. With the running back trio carrying the team on their collective shoulders, Eli hasn't needed to be great to win.
Anything can happen at any point in the season (see: Tom Brady), but barring any major injury, these Giants have to be Super Bowl favorites, a far cry from the 11-5 record that I predicted.
Brett Favre is making me eat my words right now. By this point in the season I fully expected Favre and the Jets to be sitting at below .500, and I thought Favre would be wishing that he'd have taken out the trash instead of un-retiring.
Instead the First Place New York Jets travel to Tennessee and look to add a '1' in the loss column of the so-far-perfect Titans.
Last Thursday's game against New England was why the Jets traded for Favre, and he didn't let the team, or the fans, down. With the Jets playing their best football of the season, this should be the week that the Titans join the ranks of the defeated. Collins won't get it done this time.
I know, I've been saying it for three weeks now, but Kerry Collins is just not good enough to be 10-0.
I'm still not quite sure what the heck happened at the end of the San Diego-Pittsburg game, but I do know that such a big deal is being made of the final score because of the Vegas lines.
I've been known to place a sports bet, pick up the dice or hit on 16 a time or two, but I don't like the fact that representatives of the NFL need to react to this ending all day long because of the gambling lines.
Whether the touchdown counted or not, Pittsburgh won the game, that's all that matters.
THE RESULTS:
NY Jets over New England, W, Biggest game in years for Gang Green. This game alone makes the Favre signing worth it, but fans want more.
Atlanta over Denver, L
Philadelphia over Cincinnati, T, Does this one count as a loss? I hate this rule just as much as I hate a soccer game being decided by free kicks.
Green Bay over Chicago, W
Indianapolis over Houston, W
Kansas City over New Orleans, L
Miami over Oakland, W, Who would have thought second place this late in the season?!
NY Giants over Baltimore, W
Tampa Bay over Minnesota, W
Carolina over Detroit, W
San Fransisco over St Louis, W
Arizona over Seattle, W
Jacksonville over Tennessee, L
Pittsburgh over San Diego, W, First 11-10 game in NFL history.
Dallas over Washington, W, Dallas still alive in NFC East.
Buffalo over Cleveland, L, Cleveland finally finishes!
Week Record: 11-3
Overall: 94-57
Monday, November 17, 2008
Navy-Notre Dame: Close Game, Mother Nature Strikes, Cheerleaders and a Great Finish
Last trip to Shea Stadium
Navy-Towson, Opening Game 2008
Navy almost staged a miraculous comeback against Notre Dame in Baltimore last Saturday, and VFC, thanks to Marko's tickets, was there to see it.
In classic armchair Quarterback fashion, I'm going to say I don't know why Navy ran the ball 3rd and 3 on that last drive. Dobbs was tearing up Notre Dame's second string defense and that run play seemed to kill the momentum. I also don't know why it took so long for Navy to put the ball in the air.
That being said, Navy and Notre Dame gave fans a great matchup and a great finish, in a game that, had Navy won, could have run Charlie Weiss out of town.
Seven dollar beers and a rainstorm weren't enough to deter us from taking in the sites of M&T Bank Park, which included a close first half and wild five minutes of play:
But let's not forget the Cheerleaders. America may not be perfect, but one thing that we got right is cheerleaders. Whoever came up with the idea to throw a few girlies on the sidelines at sporting events, clad in skimpy outfits laced with team colors, is a genius:
VFC and Marko, enjoying the game.
When the heavens opened, the upper decks got hammered. Thousands of fans ran for cover, but the game carried on, and more importantly, the cheerleaders kept cheering.
Navy-Towson, Opening Game 2008
Navy almost staged a miraculous comeback against Notre Dame in Baltimore last Saturday, and VFC, thanks to Marko's tickets, was there to see it.
In classic armchair Quarterback fashion, I'm going to say I don't know why Navy ran the ball 3rd and 3 on that last drive. Dobbs was tearing up Notre Dame's second string defense and that run play seemed to kill the momentum. I also don't know why it took so long for Navy to put the ball in the air.
That being said, Navy and Notre Dame gave fans a great matchup and a great finish, in a game that, had Navy won, could have run Charlie Weiss out of town.
Seven dollar beers and a rainstorm weren't enough to deter us from taking in the sites of M&T Bank Park, which included a close first half and wild five minutes of play:
But let's not forget the Cheerleaders. America may not be perfect, but one thing that we got right is cheerleaders. Whoever came up with the idea to throw a few girlies on the sidelines at sporting events, clad in skimpy outfits laced with team colors, is a genius:
VFC and Marko, enjoying the game.
When the heavens opened, the upper decks got hammered. Thousands of fans ran for cover, but the game carried on, and more importantly, the cheerleaders kept cheering.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Week Eleven Football Picks
NY Jets over New England- The Jets are rolling right now, and they'll come out on top in their biggest game in years. Brett Favre was signed to win games like this one, we'll see if he can still carry a team. This game isn't about Brett Favre, however, it's about the AFC East.
Atlanta over Denver
Philadelphia over Cincinnati
Green Bay over Chicago
Indianapolis over Houston
Kansas City over New Orleans
Miami over Oakland
NY Giants over Baltimore
Tampa Bay over Minnesota
Carolina over Detroit
San Fransisco over St Louis
Arizona over Seattle
Jacksonville over Tennessee- Kerry Collins isn't good enough to be undefeated this late in the season!
Pittsburgh over San Diego
Dallas over Washington- Romo sparks a 'Boys win.
Buffalo over Cleveland
Atlanta over Denver
Philadelphia over Cincinnati
Green Bay over Chicago
Indianapolis over Houston
Kansas City over New Orleans
Miami over Oakland
NY Giants over Baltimore
Tampa Bay over Minnesota
Carolina over Detroit
San Fransisco over St Louis
Arizona over Seattle
Jacksonville over Tennessee- Kerry Collins isn't good enough to be undefeated this late in the season!
Pittsburgh over San Diego
Dallas over Washington- Romo sparks a 'Boys win.
Buffalo over Cleveland
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Week Ten Roundup; NY Giants and Jets Win Big
The Giants and the Jets both win big, and who would have thought the Dolphins would be in the Playoff mix?
A few games could have gone the other way this week, if not for some last minute calls (Phillie running on 3rd and 4th downs, Herm's choice to go for two and San Fransicso stopped on the goal line as time ran out!)
The Results:
Cleveland over Denver, L
Atlanta over New Orleans, W
Chicago over Tennessee, L- Kerry Collins is killing me.
Jacksonville over Detroit, W
Miami over Seattle, W- Miami, strong and consistent.
Minnesota over Green Bay, W
New England over Buffalo, W
NY Jets over St Louis, W- C'mon, Jets, only 7 second half points?
Houston over Baltimore, L- Big matchup for Baltimore in the Meadowlands next week.
Carolina over Oakland, W
Pittsburgh over Indianapolis, L
San Diego over Kansas City, W
NY Giants over Philadelphia, W
Arizona over San Fransisco, W- Poor last minute clock management could have lost San Fran this game.
Week Record: 10-4
Overall: 83-54
A few games could have gone the other way this week, if not for some last minute calls (Phillie running on 3rd and 4th downs, Herm's choice to go for two and San Fransicso stopped on the goal line as time ran out!)
The Results:
Cleveland over Denver, L
Atlanta over New Orleans, W
Chicago over Tennessee, L- Kerry Collins is killing me.
Jacksonville over Detroit, W
Miami over Seattle, W- Miami, strong and consistent.
Minnesota over Green Bay, W
New England over Buffalo, W
NY Jets over St Louis, W- C'mon, Jets, only 7 second half points?
Houston over Baltimore, L- Big matchup for Baltimore in the Meadowlands next week.
Carolina over Oakland, W
Pittsburgh over Indianapolis, L
San Diego over Kansas City, W
NY Giants over Philadelphia, W
Arizona over San Fransisco, W- Poor last minute clock management could have lost San Fran this game.
Week Record: 10-4
Overall: 83-54
Monday, November 10, 2008
Big Blue 8-1; Where's the Jets Offense?
A few initial comments, 1) I'm one of the biggest Rocky fans out there, but is it really necessary to play the rocky music for every sporting event in Philadelphia this year? 2) It's a good blast from the past to see 'The Big Show' tandem of Dan and Keith together again on NBC's Sunday Night Football, but that ship sailed long ago. Maybe five years ago it was a good idea, but tonight was like the episode of 'Where are they now' that no one cared about, 3) What's wrong with the Jets? Seven points is all they could do in the second half?
To Phillie:
What a game we got from Philadelphia, where the Giants pulled out a 36-31 win to remain undefeated in the division.
Eli came up with few crucial third down passes and the running game was on fire. Kevin Boss again made everyone say, "Shockey, Who?" and Tom Coughlin showed why he's no slouch with the challenges (I was sitting on my couch asking Tom why he called for that challenge, only to see that Eli made that throw by a heel!).
The key to the Giants win, in VFC's opinion, was their containment of Brian Westbrook. They took him out of the game early, and then late in the fourth quarter they stopped him on crucial third and fourth down plays that essentially ended the game.
What they didn't do was put McNabb on his back enough, but that is a testament to the Phillie Offensive Line and McNabb's quickness in releasing the football.
Anyone who went to sleep early missed out on another great NFC East matchup. This back and forth, all-out physical matchup had me glued to the TV set for every play. Just when you thought the Giants put the game away, here come the Eagles with a chance to take the lead. This game was a clinic on how the game of football is supposed to be played. The Big Blue offense was operating on all cylinders in Philadelphia, sending a message to the league that Giants can come up with the big play when they need it, whether it be in the air or on the ground.
Week by week, this team is adding an exclamation point to their Super Bowl Championship; those that were not believers coming into this season have to be believers now.
The Ravens travel to the Meadowlands next Sunday, and Big Blue should continue their roll.
What can you say about the Jets? Forty points by the half? Amazing. And to think that the last two weeks I've had the Jets defense on my bench! I've never been accused of being too smart.
The Jets have come alive just in time for Thursday's re-match with New England, in a game where the winner will be left in sole position of first place.
I think the Jets pull that one out. Didn't think I'd be saying that a few weeks ago.
What was Herm Edwards thinking going for two, and the win, on the last play of that game? I still can't come up with a good reason as to why he'd make that call in that situation.
To Phillie:
What a game we got from Philadelphia, where the Giants pulled out a 36-31 win to remain undefeated in the division.
Eli came up with few crucial third down passes and the running game was on fire. Kevin Boss again made everyone say, "Shockey, Who?" and Tom Coughlin showed why he's no slouch with the challenges (I was sitting on my couch asking Tom why he called for that challenge, only to see that Eli made that throw by a heel!).
The key to the Giants win, in VFC's opinion, was their containment of Brian Westbrook. They took him out of the game early, and then late in the fourth quarter they stopped him on crucial third and fourth down plays that essentially ended the game.
What they didn't do was put McNabb on his back enough, but that is a testament to the Phillie Offensive Line and McNabb's quickness in releasing the football.
Anyone who went to sleep early missed out on another great NFC East matchup. This back and forth, all-out physical matchup had me glued to the TV set for every play. Just when you thought the Giants put the game away, here come the Eagles with a chance to take the lead. This game was a clinic on how the game of football is supposed to be played. The Big Blue offense was operating on all cylinders in Philadelphia, sending a message to the league that Giants can come up with the big play when they need it, whether it be in the air or on the ground.
Week by week, this team is adding an exclamation point to their Super Bowl Championship; those that were not believers coming into this season have to be believers now.
The Ravens travel to the Meadowlands next Sunday, and Big Blue should continue their roll.
What can you say about the Jets? Forty points by the half? Amazing. And to think that the last two weeks I've had the Jets defense on my bench! I've never been accused of being too smart.
The Jets have come alive just in time for Thursday's re-match with New England, in a game where the winner will be left in sole position of first place.
I think the Jets pull that one out. Didn't think I'd be saying that a few weeks ago.
What was Herm Edwards thinking going for two, and the win, on the last play of that game? I still can't come up with a good reason as to why he'd make that call in that situation.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
The New York Mets Pitching Staff for 2009; Sign Perez, Start Heilman
With the World Series over, players are filing for free agency and the GM meetings are about to take place. With the Mets out looking for a closer (or not) and middle relief, let's settle the starting pitching.
Pedro Martinez is gone. He served his purpose, gave the team a couple of good seasons, put butts in the seats and created a renewed interest in the New York Mets that drew free agents such as Beltran and Delgado.
That being said, no will miss the oft-injured and washed-up Pedro Martinez in New York.
Johan Santana, John Maine and Mike Pelfrey are the remaining three starters. It could be argued that had John Maine been healthy down the stretch, the Mets collapse may have not dropped them out of the playoff race, but it could also be argued that the Mets would have found some way to screw away their playoff chances, regardless.
The remaining two spots should go to Oliver Perez (by re-signing him as a free agent) and switching Aaron Heilman to the starting rotation from the bullpen.
Perez, although inconsistent, is just 27 and should have plenty of life left in that arm. The emergence of Pelfrey and Maine as solid 2-3 starters allows Perez to pitch in the number four slot, a spot where his inconsistency is more tolerable than in the number three slot. The problem with re-signing Perez may be the price tag, as he is a client of Scott Boras. That may actually benefit the Mets because he may price himself out of heavy interest from other clubs not called the Yankees. If the Yankees don't land CC Sabitha, they'll probably pursue Perez themselves.
Heilman wants to start, let him have his chance. It's more likely that the Mets will package Heilman in a deal to land a closer, but I say make him the fifth starter. It's obvious he's grown uncomfortable in the setup role and it's still too early to give up on him.
This would be the 2009 rotation:
Johan Santana
John Maine
Mike Pelfrey
Oliver Perez
Aaron Heilman
with Brandon Knight and Jonathan Neise gaining experience at AAA and ready to step up and fill in as needed.
I like the looks of that rotation, and it won't break the bank.
Pedro Martinez is gone. He served his purpose, gave the team a couple of good seasons, put butts in the seats and created a renewed interest in the New York Mets that drew free agents such as Beltran and Delgado.
That being said, no will miss the oft-injured and washed-up Pedro Martinez in New York.
Johan Santana, John Maine and Mike Pelfrey are the remaining three starters. It could be argued that had John Maine been healthy down the stretch, the Mets collapse may have not dropped them out of the playoff race, but it could also be argued that the Mets would have found some way to screw away their playoff chances, regardless.
The remaining two spots should go to Oliver Perez (by re-signing him as a free agent) and switching Aaron Heilman to the starting rotation from the bullpen.
Perez, although inconsistent, is just 27 and should have plenty of life left in that arm. The emergence of Pelfrey and Maine as solid 2-3 starters allows Perez to pitch in the number four slot, a spot where his inconsistency is more tolerable than in the number three slot. The problem with re-signing Perez may be the price tag, as he is a client of Scott Boras. That may actually benefit the Mets because he may price himself out of heavy interest from other clubs not called the Yankees. If the Yankees don't land CC Sabitha, they'll probably pursue Perez themselves.
Heilman wants to start, let him have his chance. It's more likely that the Mets will package Heilman in a deal to land a closer, but I say make him the fifth starter. It's obvious he's grown uncomfortable in the setup role and it's still too early to give up on him.
This would be the 2009 rotation:
Johan Santana
John Maine
Mike Pelfrey
Oliver Perez
Aaron Heilman
with Brandon Knight and Jonathan Neise gaining experience at AAA and ready to step up and fill in as needed.
I like the looks of that rotation, and it won't break the bank.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
VFC's Football Picks for Week 10; Wins for Giants and Jets
The Giants head to Phillie this week in another tough road matchup while division rivals Dallas and Washington enjoy a bye.
Although the Giants handily defeated Dallas last Sunday, they'll have to step up their game to get by Philadelphia, in Phillie, specifically Eli Manning and Plaxico Burress. Eli has been in a mid-season slump and Plax has not been Plax since his two week benching for not showing up to team events.
The running game and the defense will keep it a close game regardless, but Eli and Plax will need to be at the top of their game to put them over the top.
I expect the Giants to pull this one out as they have been playing their best football in the big games.
Big Blue goes 8-1 with a ten point victory and the defense buries Donovan McNabb in the Phillie turf.
The Jets may just be hitting there groove, and a home victory against St Louis should be a sure thing - SHOULD being the operative word. You never know what kind of a day Brett Favre is going to have, and he'll surely do his best to hand this game away, but St Louis will need to be awfully creative to get by the Jets on Sunday.
Although St Louie is an attractive upset pick, the Jets will overcome the mood swings that they are susceptible to, and pull this one out.
THE PICKS
Cleveland over Denver
Atlanta over New Orleans
Chicago over Tennessee- I'll try again, Kerry Collins is not good enough to be undefeated this late in the season.
Jacksonville over Detroit- Jax won't lose a second big upset in a row. And Detroit is just to terrible to ever pick.
Miami over Seattle- Pennington and the 'Fins above the .500 mark.
Minnesota over Green Bay- Close.
New England over Buffalo
NY Jets over St Louis
Houston over Baltimore
Carolina over Oakland
Pittsburgh over Indianapolis- Pittsburgh D gives them the edge
San Diego over Kansas City
NY Giants over Philadelphia
Arizona over San Fransisco
Although the Giants handily defeated Dallas last Sunday, they'll have to step up their game to get by Philadelphia, in Phillie, specifically Eli Manning and Plaxico Burress. Eli has been in a mid-season slump and Plax has not been Plax since his two week benching for not showing up to team events.
The running game and the defense will keep it a close game regardless, but Eli and Plax will need to be at the top of their game to put them over the top.
I expect the Giants to pull this one out as they have been playing their best football in the big games.
Big Blue goes 8-1 with a ten point victory and the defense buries Donovan McNabb in the Phillie turf.
The Jets may just be hitting there groove, and a home victory against St Louis should be a sure thing - SHOULD being the operative word. You never know what kind of a day Brett Favre is going to have, and he'll surely do his best to hand this game away, but St Louis will need to be awfully creative to get by the Jets on Sunday.
Although St Louie is an attractive upset pick, the Jets will overcome the mood swings that they are susceptible to, and pull this one out.
THE PICKS
Cleveland over Denver
Atlanta over New Orleans
Chicago over Tennessee- I'll try again, Kerry Collins is not good enough to be undefeated this late in the season.
Jacksonville over Detroit- Jax won't lose a second big upset in a row. And Detroit is just to terrible to ever pick.
Miami over Seattle- Pennington and the 'Fins above the .500 mark.
Minnesota over Green Bay- Close.
New England over Buffalo
NY Jets over St Louis
Houston over Baltimore
Carolina over Oakland
Pittsburgh over Indianapolis- Pittsburgh D gives them the edge
San Diego over Kansas City
NY Giants over Philadelphia
Arizona over San Fransisco
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Week 9 Roundup; Giants Get Some Room in the NFC East
The Pittsburgh Steelers were not about to lose another big game to an NFC East team, and they handily defeated the Washington Redskins last night to remain in first place in the AFC North while dropping the 'Skins two losses behind the Giants in the NFC East.
As Pittsburgh showed last night, the Washington Redskins are not the New York Giants. The 'Skins have had a nice run, but the reality is second place.
The Picks:
NY Jets over Buffalo, W
Chicago over Detroit, W
Jacksonville over Cincinnati, L
Cleveland over Baltimore, L
Green Bay over Tennessee, L
Tampa Bay over Kansas City, WArizona over St Louis
Minnesota over Houston, W
Miami over Denver, W
Atlanta over Oakland, W
NY Giants over Dallas, W
Philadelphia over Seattle, W
Indianapolis over New England, W
Pittsburgh over Washington, W
Week Record: 11-3
Overall: 73-50
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As Pittsburgh showed last night, the Washington Redskins are not the New York Giants. The 'Skins have had a nice run, but the reality is second place.
The Picks:
NY Jets over Buffalo, W
Chicago over Detroit, W
Jacksonville over Cincinnati, L
Cleveland over Baltimore, L
Green Bay over Tennessee, L
Tampa Bay over Kansas City, WArizona over St Louis
Minnesota over Houston, W
Miami over Denver, W
Atlanta over Oakland, W
NY Giants over Dallas, W
Philadelphia over Seattle, W
Indianapolis over New England, W
Pittsburgh over Washington, W
Week Record: 11-3
Overall: 73-50
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Sunday, November 2, 2008
Big Blue Dominates Dallas
The New York Giants proved to be too much for the Romo-less Dallas Cowboys at the Meadowlands.
Of course the Cowboys are depleted with injuries, so few believed that Dallas had any chance beating the Giants on their home turf, but a closer game was expected, especially after Dallas gutted out a victory at Tampa Bay last week. Justin Tuck wasn't convinced that the Cowboys should be considered depleted. In an interview with Pam Oliver, Tuck insinuated that the Giants did not beat a 'depleted' team.
"How many Pro Bowlers do they have over there?" Tuck rhetorically asked, highlighting the fact that many of the Super Bowl Champ NY Giants felt slighted when 13 Cowboys went to the Pro Bowl last year and the only Giant selected was Osi Umenyiora.
"All those Pro Bowlers didn't mean much tonight, did they?" is what Tuck was really saying.
It's safe to say, the Giants will be better represented at this year's Pro Bowl.
Romo or not, I expected Dallas to keep the game a little closer than they did. The key for the Giants was shutting down Marion Barber, and that they did as Barber never found a rhythm.
Neither Brad Johnson (is he in need of cash or can he just not let go?) or Brooks Bollinger were worthy substitutes for the injured Romo.
Johnson lasted through the first half, and it could be argued he shouldn't have lasted that long as his 40 year old bones took quite the beatin.
As for Bollinger, his one touchdown drive drastically improved his overall numbers for the night because he was surely carrying a negative QB rating until that drive.
Dallas will limp into their bye week in last place in the NFC East, clinging to hopes of making it to the playoffs. Quite a far fall for a team picked by many to win the Super Bowl, let alone the NFC East.
The Giants, out to prove that last year was no fluke, improve to 7-1 and could put two victories between themselves and the Redskins if the Skins lose to Pittsburgh tomorrow night.
Jacobs steamrolled for 117 yards and Eli, aside from a couple of fumbles and an INT, was smoothe and solid.
The Giants are playing their best football in their biggest games, and they'll need their best football next week when they travel to Phillie looking to beat up on another NFC East opponent.
Justin Tuck had a good point tonight: Romo or not, if you've got 13 Pro Bowlers, you shouldn't lose a 35-14 football game. The Patriots have been respectable without Tom Brady, but the Cowboys have fallen apart without Romo, although they were already falling before Romo's pinky became a factor.
On December 14th, the Cowboys will be looking to show that today's game was just a fluke, but regardless of the outcome, the Cowboys will be hard pressed to make the playoffs.
Meanwhile, at the Meadowlands, the grounds crew is still pulling Brad Johnson from the turf. He got buried so deep by the Giants D that they may find Jimmy Hoffa while they're there.
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Brett Farve didn't screw it away for the Jets this week as they pulled off a nice road win in Buffalo and are now tied with the Bills for the AFC East lead.
The Jets D kept them in this game, and although Favre tried to turn the game around for the Bills, his interception wasn't enough to give the Bills hope.
Jets fans shouldn't get too giddy at this point, Favre will find some way to blow it next week against St Louis, and he'll probably blow it again the following week at New England.
For now, though, the Jets can enjoy first place.
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Of course the Cowboys are depleted with injuries, so few believed that Dallas had any chance beating the Giants on their home turf, but a closer game was expected, especially after Dallas gutted out a victory at Tampa Bay last week. Justin Tuck wasn't convinced that the Cowboys should be considered depleted. In an interview with Pam Oliver, Tuck insinuated that the Giants did not beat a 'depleted' team.
"How many Pro Bowlers do they have over there?" Tuck rhetorically asked, highlighting the fact that many of the Super Bowl Champ NY Giants felt slighted when 13 Cowboys went to the Pro Bowl last year and the only Giant selected was Osi Umenyiora.
"All those Pro Bowlers didn't mean much tonight, did they?" is what Tuck was really saying.
It's safe to say, the Giants will be better represented at this year's Pro Bowl.
Romo or not, I expected Dallas to keep the game a little closer than they did. The key for the Giants was shutting down Marion Barber, and that they did as Barber never found a rhythm.
Neither Brad Johnson (is he in need of cash or can he just not let go?) or Brooks Bollinger were worthy substitutes for the injured Romo.
Johnson lasted through the first half, and it could be argued he shouldn't have lasted that long as his 40 year old bones took quite the beatin.
As for Bollinger, his one touchdown drive drastically improved his overall numbers for the night because he was surely carrying a negative QB rating until that drive.
Dallas will limp into their bye week in last place in the NFC East, clinging to hopes of making it to the playoffs. Quite a far fall for a team picked by many to win the Super Bowl, let alone the NFC East.
The Giants, out to prove that last year was no fluke, improve to 7-1 and could put two victories between themselves and the Redskins if the Skins lose to Pittsburgh tomorrow night.
Jacobs steamrolled for 117 yards and Eli, aside from a couple of fumbles and an INT, was smoothe and solid.
The Giants are playing their best football in their biggest games, and they'll need their best football next week when they travel to Phillie looking to beat up on another NFC East opponent.
Justin Tuck had a good point tonight: Romo or not, if you've got 13 Pro Bowlers, you shouldn't lose a 35-14 football game. The Patriots have been respectable without Tom Brady, but the Cowboys have fallen apart without Romo, although they were already falling before Romo's pinky became a factor.
On December 14th, the Cowboys will be looking to show that today's game was just a fluke, but regardless of the outcome, the Cowboys will be hard pressed to make the playoffs.
Meanwhile, at the Meadowlands, the grounds crew is still pulling Brad Johnson from the turf. He got buried so deep by the Giants D that they may find Jimmy Hoffa while they're there.
START YOUR HOLIDAY SHOPPING AT THE ESPN ONLINE STORE!
Brett Farve didn't screw it away for the Jets this week as they pulled off a nice road win in Buffalo and are now tied with the Bills for the AFC East lead.
The Jets D kept them in this game, and although Favre tried to turn the game around for the Bills, his interception wasn't enough to give the Bills hope.
Jets fans shouldn't get too giddy at this point, Favre will find some way to blow it next week against St Louis, and he'll probably blow it again the following week at New England.
For now, though, the Jets can enjoy first place.
10% OFF ON ALL TEAM USA OLYMPIC GEAR! GREAT CHRISTMAS PRESENTS FOR THE SPORTS FAN!
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