Fourth & Forever: Previewing the AFC West

   Fourth & Forever: Previewing the AFC West

The AFC West is a unbalanced division. As it stands right now, the power rankings isn't kind to this division, as only one team eclipses the top five. That team is the power-house Denver Broncos. With a early-second round lost to the Super Bowl Champs Baltimore Ravens, the Broncos have added more weapons to their arsenal. The Broncos are sitting number two in the power rankings and with the New England Patriots and Ravens trying to fill holes with a variety of unproven players, this maybe the year of the Broncos. The other three teams in this division are fighting not to be last. The Oakland Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs, and the San Diego Chargers. All three are ranked near the bottom of the league. The Chargers are ranked 21st, followed by the Chiefs at 26th and the Raiders at 31st. All have up-graded and has the potential to move out of the bottom half of the rankings. This by far is the weakest division in the AFC, although with this being a sport with injuries popping up every day... one injury can make an under-the-radar team a playoff team.

The Denver Broncos, were embarrassed by the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday losing 40-10. For a team like the Broncos, who are considered a top tier team, offensively and defensively the team didn't show up. I know this is the pre-season, but a blow-out like that shouldn't happen.  We all-know what Peyton Manning can do and with him being in his second season with Denver, he will be more familiarized with the team and play-book. With the addition of Wes Welker, the Broncos have one of the best receiving cores in the league. With Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker on the outside, the holes should open up for the running back. Question is, who is going to lead the Broncos back-field? Willis McGahee is gone and Knowshon Moreno is inconsistent. So this makes  a crowded back-field with Ronnie Hillman and second round pick Montee Ball in the mix to start. They both had descent yardage on the carries they received on Saturday, but both showed why the door is wide open. Hillman had 34 yards on 13 carries, but lost a fumble. Ball had 28 yards on six carries, but he was over-powered on a blitz and caused Manning to get hit hard. Both have the ability to run, but are still raw when it comes to security. In the end Ball wins the job. He is a work-horse putting up all kinds of big numbers in Badger country. He has major upside and is a tough target to bring down. On defense the Broncos are considered one of the best. The aging Champ Bailey may have lost a step, but he still is a ball-hawk. They have a great defensive line, even after losing Elvis Dumervil to free-agency. They drafter defensive tackle Sylvester Williams, an athletic 320 pounder who can make tackles behind the line of scrimmage, having 13.5 tackles for a loss his last year at North Carolina. They also have defensive end Quanerus Smith a fifth rounder who had 12.5 sacks in his senior year at Western Kentucky. Derek Wolfe maybe out for awhile after a spine injury, but the Broncos have depth. They also added outside linebacker Shaun Phillips, who had 9.5 sacks last season with the Chargers. Plus linebacker Von Miller on the other side makes this a stingy defense. He just needs to be on the field and not on the sideline suspended.

The Oakland Raiders are the laughing stock of the NFL. Usually any team who has the Raiders on their schedule, should check it as a win. They are ranked 31st for a reason. Last year they had a quarterback who didn't care. A running back who runs nowhere and receivers who turns around and see the ball in intercepted. With little expectations coming in this season, the Raiders would be happy to finish at .500. With the addition of quarterback Matt Flynn, holes may open up for, " I carry the ball 30 times for 60 yards," Darren McFadden. Flynn brings athleticism to the pocket, accurate throws and has a big arm. This was a good trade for the Raiders, because Flynn learned from the best quarterback in the game. He was underneath Aaron Rodgers for four years before signing with the Seahawks in 2012. He then was traded to the Raiders, where he is finally expected to be the starting quarterback. This help McFadden find holes in between tackles. In the past quarterback Carson Palmer, wasn't a threat. He has skills, but is known for over-throwing his receivers or throwing to the opposing team. Matt Flynn changes that. Expect McFadden to average more than three yards a carry and a production of more than three total touchdowns. Only thing is he has never played a full season, because of injuries. That needs to change for this team to compete. Flynn has receivers Denarius Moore and Jacoby Ford. Not much to brag about, but Moore is the number one option. Having 600 yards receiving on 41 reception and five touchdown. Ford is not a reliable number two option. In three years he has three touchdowns. Mostly used as a kick returner, Ford will have to fill the shoes of departed Darrius Heyward-Bey, another disappointment. Expect a shaky passing attack. On defense the Raiders drafted cornerback D.J. Hayden, the 12th pick out of Houston is a ball-hawk. Having 127 tackles in two years is just the beginning. He suffered a gruesome life-threating injury in practice in 2012, which limited his season. If he comes back as the same player, he will help a torched secondary, which gave up 235 passing yards. Add him with two more ball-hawks, Charles Woodson and Tyvon Branch. Woodson can be used all over the field. I even seen him play linebacker in Green Bay once. This guy has great defensive skills winning the defensive player of the year in 2009. Branch is the same, a hard-hitting safety with a sense for where the football is thrown. Posting 200 tackles the last two seasons. I like this secondary, but the offense is just going to hurt them.

The Chiefs are breathing a little easier now that running back Jamaal Charles is back at practice after hurting his foot in practice earlier in the week. The Chiefs know, they go as far as Charles will carry them. He averages 5.8 yards per carry. The most for a running back with a minimum of 500 carries in history. Last year the Chiefs relied more on passing the ball than running the ball. At nearly 51 percent passing the Chiefs finished 2-14. Averaging under 14 points per game. With a back like Charles, the Chiefs should rely heavily on the run, which will open up the field for passing lanes. This starts with the quarterback. Last year Matt Cassel was calling the shots and he was really bad at it. Playing in only nine games last season. He had a quarterback rating of 66.7. Averaging 6.5 yards a pass and fumbling the ball nine times. That guy was terrible, so everybody and the coach was in the box stopping the run, because the quarterback couldn't do anything. This year the Chiefs brought in former Eagles coach Andy Reid and former 49ers quarterback Alex Smith. Reid is a hall of fame coach, who will bring his pass-happy offense to the team. This will create holes for Charles and it will make Charles be utilized in the passing game. With a quarterback like Smith, turnovers should be kept at bay. He is a good passer, but not a deep passer. He throws short to mid-range passes and he did it completing 70 percent of his passes. Charles and Smith will benefit from each other and they will benefit from second pick overall  all-American right tackle Eric Fisher. He will help in the run game and pass-protection. Receivers Dwayne Bowe, Jon Baldwin, and Donnie Avery will see a lot of action, as well as tight-end Anthony Fasano. The Chiefs added new defensive Coordinator Bob Sutton and he is keeping the 3-4 defensive scheme. His schemes bring a lot of pressure to the opposing quarterback. Its a lot movement up front a lot of shifting and the best perk about it is not everyone is going to be rushing the quarterback. Some rush and the others drop back, so it should keep everyone on their toes. Everything sounds good on paper, but it will take a year or two for players to get comfortable the schemes. I do expect the 26.6 opposing points to go down. Especially with veteran Derrick Johnson and Tamba Hali. Between both of them they had 176 tackles and nine sacks. But their secondary has got to create more turnovers. Between safety Kendrick Lewis, safety Eric Berry, cornerback Brandon Flowers and cornerback Sean Smith, they had a total of six picks. Not good, but I expect better with the pressure upfront.

The Chargers are a throw your hands up team in this division. You never know what you're going to get with them. They go as quarterback Phillip Rivers goes. Now entering his 10th season. Rivers has established himself as a quarterback who is inconsistent. The four time pro-bowler has thrown 53 touchdowns and 35 interceptions in the past two seasons. Mediocre numbers, but not the numbers the Chargers hoped for when they invested in Rivers with the fourth overall pick. Compared to former Charger quarterback Ryan Leaf numbers,( 14 touchdowns and 36 interceptions for career) Rivers was a blessing, but now at 31 he needs to lead his team to the Super Bowl. The cast around him are respecatable. Running back Ryan Matthews can be a solid back, but he is always hurt. Since he came into the league in 2010 he has never played a full season. What makes it worse is that he only had one touchdown as the starting running back last season. He needs to help Rivers with the ground game and touchdown production. Rivers and Matthews are the reason former GM A.J. Smith, and former coach Norv Turner were fired. Going in a new direction with new GM Tom Telesco and coach Mike McCoy; If Rivers and Matthews don't perform well. They should invest in a new duo and just start over. Rivers had a good receiver in Vincent Jackson and now a veteran who is just coming around in his eight season Malcolm Floyd (Bad Coaching). He has a aging tight end in Antonio Gates, who is getting less productive each year. The ship is sinking for this offense. I say rebuild the offense. On defense they drafted inside linebacker Manti Te'o, a solid pick-up, a good run stuffer and work ethics minus the hoax. They also picked up former defensive end Dwight Freeney and I don't know why. He has played 4-3 his whole career and now he is learning to play linebacker at the end of his career. That's not a good fit for the team. The best player on the defense is safety Eric Weddle.  Last season he had 97 tackles four tackles for loss, one sack, two force fumbles and three picks and one returned 52 yards for a touchdown. He is a beast in this secondary. A ball-hawk who does a little of everything. It also looks good that he has played every game for the past three seasons. The defense is solid, they only gave up 21.9 points a game and was fifth against the run, although the offense is still going to sink this team.

The Broncos should win this division. They have too much talent on offense and once they figure out who is going to be the featured back, this team will be scoring from every position. My concerns are with the defense. They looked extremely bad on Saturday against the Seahawks. Giving up 33 points by half-time. The defense is going to need to step us to be a contender, or Manning is going to be in shootouts. The defense should also prepare not to see Von Miller for at least four weeks due to substance abuse. The Raiders are just looking to rebound from a 4-12 record. The quarterback is different, the defense has added new pieces. I'm excited about this team, but I know it is a rebuilding process. I'm just looking to see if the presence of quarterback Matt Flynn is going to open up running lanes for Darren McFadden. I say 8-8. The Chiefs are another team who is going to open up eyes. Reliable quarterback Alex Smith, with new defensive schemes and a future hall of fame coach. This team will make big steps, but not leaps. The Chargers need to run the ball to open passing lanes for Phillip Rivers. They ran the ball 41 percent of the time and it should be equaled out. It doesn't help that the feature back is always hurt. I'm still scratching my head at the signing of Dwight Freeney, I'm not sure at 33 he has a lot left in the tank.  I won't be surprise if this team came in last place in this division.

SO LONG 2012 NFL SEASON!

Seahawks at Bears Kickoff
(photo courtesy of Ed Mancia)

Felipe M

With the Super Bowl behind us, we asked our sports’ panel to list three things they will mis about the 2012 NFL Season. 

Johnny J wrote: 

• I will miss the excitement of the game. Waking up on Monday morning just to think about Monday night--Monday Night Football that is. Not just for the 2012 season, but every season!
• I will miss playing Fantasy Football every week. I was projected in 2012 to win the whole thing and with my top three picks hurt in the playoffs, I fell apart. I miss seeing my players get hurt; it was like a routine every week: Rob Gronkowski, LeSean McCoy and Jordy Nelson. I miss seeing them on the sideline a lot.  I'm already thinking about whom I can select with the 10th pick in my fantasy league next season. This sucks...football don't leave me!
• I'm going to miss the excitement about the rookie quarterbacks. This was the best bunch of rookie quarterbacks in awhile. It was just amazing to see them develop so quickly and they all fitted perfectly in their respective teams’ system. Pocket quarterback or mobile quarterback? Either way Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, and Russell Wilson were playoff bound.

C. McLain had more, succinct responses: 

Bears at Cowboys where Jon Gruden must have used
the word "gunslinger" a million times in this telecast.
(photo courtesy of Ed Mancia)

• The “C’mon Man” segment seen on Monday Night Countdown.
• Five of the NFL’s finest football analysts’ favorite words: “Hit him in the mouth!”
• And last but not least... Football! Let’s be honest: it’s one of the, if not the, best sport to watch.

Didn't realize that people are that devoted to Monday Night Football. Josh C,on the other hand, is all about TNF: Thursday Night Football:

• I am going to miss the Thursday night games.  Thursday night is the night of our bowling league.  The Thursday games gave us a reason to gather early at the sports’ bar adjacent to the bowling alley.  At least one of us would usually start a player from the Thursday night game in the fantasy league that we are in together.  We then have bragging rights and fuel to be able to shove in the faces of our teammates.  Outside of football, we have the Sacramento Kings (for now) and San Jose Sharks (when the NHL is not undergoing a work-stoppage) games, but they're just not the same.
• I will miss my fantasy teams and having something to look forward to on Sundays.  My fantasy teams were mostly dominant this year and watching the players that I pegged as "sleepers" and seeing if they panned out on Sundays.  Watching my "one-week flier" go off against a predicted, favorable opponent is always an exhilarating experience.
• I'm going to miss highlights of the "Young Running QBs.”  From RGIII, to Russell Wilson, to Colin Kaepernick, these guys were exciting to watch and gave us a reason to tune in not only to the games themselves, but to NFL Red Zone and highlights’ shows to see what spectacular feats they were able to pull off on any given week.  In addition to the rookies, I saw the writing on the wall for quite a few NFL records to be broken this season earlier in the year.  Checking on those records and tracking the progress/pace of a record breaking season was an enjoyable task for me (from Drew Brees, to Calvin Johnson a.k.a. “Megatron,” to Adrian Peterson, etc....).

(Peterson, reportedly, was playing with a sports hernia along with a rehabbed knee.  Ouch! I definitely appreciate his effort this season--Ed). 

What am I going to miss the most about the 2012 NFL season?  Well....

I don't know, without the ability to watch all
the NFL games, this is basically an
over-glorified dinner plate.
(photo courtesy of Felipe M)

• For the first time in my life, I had (free) access to NFL Sunday Ticket as well as NFL Red Zone.  It was everything I have ever dreamed of!  Being able to watch whatever football game you want is a luxury that every hardcore, NFL fan should have access to.  It is definitely beyond celestial.
• Watching Peyton Manning play after being out for the entire 2011 season.  Watching him orchestrate an offense never gets old.
• Joe Flacco finally establishing himself as one of the game's "elite."
• Watching the New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys self-destruct in 2012.  I could watch those two teams continue to muck it up every year.  
• And no Tim Tebow phenomenon?  Imagine that!
• Miami Dolphins on HBO's Hard Knocks to kick off training camp and watching a promising young QB in Ryan Tannehill take over that position (I swear, he reminds me of Ben Roethlisberger when he was a rookie).   
• Watching Russell Wilson after I had picked him up in my fantasy football league, en route to a championship.  
• Eating all the pizza, wings, eggrolls, etc. and drinking all the beer and shots I could handle every Sunday!
• Most importantly, watching the Bears' first 8-9 games of the season.  Everything seemed to be clicking on all cylinders this year, especially that defense.  The signature game came against the Tennessee Titans where they put up 50+ points and forced--like--20 turnovers, mostly by Charles Tillman's "Peanut Punch" maneuver. 
• Tillman also had a great game against Calvin Johnson, making him a non-factor in the Week 7 match-up against the Detroit Lions.  He pretty much guaranteed himself a spot in the Pro Bowl after that game.  

More NFL is available here. 

PRO BOWL: To Keep or Not to Keep?

Will the sun set on the Pro Bowl next year?  It will be up to Commissioner Goodell to decide....
(photo courtesy of Josh Chiaratti)

                                       

Johnny J

The Pro Bowl is the "All-Star" game of the NFL. It's there to showcase the best players of the league. But what happens when its not taken seriously? The NFL loses money, fans stop caring, and the Commissioner gets mad.  Roger Goodell noted earlier that "the league must address the quality of the game," and he even mentioned he would consider eliminating the exhibition event if improvements aren't made. "I really didn't think that was the kind of football we should be demonstrating for our fans," said the Commissioner who was referring to past efforts in the Pro Bowl.

The players responded this year, with greater determination not to disappoint the fans or the Commissioner. In an all-out effort, the NFC blew out the AFC, 62-35. It actually was worth watching this year. Players like Peyton Manning  headlined the rally of getting the players to play hard and calling the last 2 years of the Pro Bowl unacceptable.  "Peyton said some things and guys took it personal," said Minnesota running back Adrian Peterson, who finished with 13 yards on 5 carries and a fumble.  J.J. Watt after getting his finger cut after a play, went to the sidelines, and during an interview, as the cameras got a good look of his bloodied finger, and lightheartedly barbed, "Hey, Commish!  We're playing hard."  Even Goodell announced yesterday that the players' play in the Pro Bowl improved greatly this year compared to years past.

Hawaii.  Very likely that NFL Pro Bowlers wake up to this
sight every morning.
(photo courtesy of Josh Chiaratti)

For example, first-year Pro Bowler and Minnesota Vikings' tight-end, Kyle Rudolph, who was named MVP after catching 5 passes for 122 yards and a touchdown.  Rudolph not only made a statement with his game, but also pleaded with the Commish to "keep [the Pro Bowl] here and keep it here for a long time." Rudolph, was not initially voted into the Pro Bowl. He made it after Tony Gonzalez decided not to attend because of injury. In the end Rudolph definitely showed why he deserved to be there: he was Eli Manning's and Drew Brees' top receiver and walked out the stadium with the MVP.

As a fan, the Pro Bowl was just known as a trip to Hawaii and an extra paycheck. I understand that no one wants to get hurt in a game that doesn't mean anything. Some players are still probably still upset about not being in the Super Bowl and so the effort was just not there. Especially if you're a player who has been known as a Pro Bowler throughout your career, but for someone who is new to Hawaii, you're just soaking it all in.

But Going back to Gonzalez, not being there, I feel like if you were healthy enough to play in your last game, then you're healthy enough to play in this game. If I paid for tickets to go to the Pro Bowl, I would like to see players that I voted for playing. The fans deserve that much.  I didn't pay for someone to be called upon because my favorite players were too busy--err, hurt--to come.  Players like: 

• Aaron Rodgers 
• Calvin Johnson
• Matt Ryan
• Clay Matthews

They all could have played because they all played in their last games. They may have tweaked something during the game, but they played. So if you play for your team, then you should play for the fans. This is something the Commissioner needs to address as well.

Hawaii.  You can't get these views in Miami.
(photo courtesy of Josh Chiaratti)

In 2010 the NFL moved the Pro Bowl in front of the Super Bowl, in an effort to get fans to watch. They threw more money toward the winning team and that didn't work: $60,000 to the winner and $45,000 to the loser before, now $50,000 to $25,000 split to the winner and loser, respectively. They even moved the Pro Bowl to Miami for one year and nobody cared.

Finally, the Commissioner said he would cancel the All Star event if players didn't play hard and that may have gotten the players' attention. Proving that being a Pro Bowler still means something; it means you're an elite member of this game, at least for the season your number is summoned upon by the fans and coaches. It also means you're responsible in providing your services for the overall good of the game and most especially for the fans.  Even if the game is just an exhibition event--just come out and exhibit your skills!

More NFL is available here. 

         

2012 NFL DIVISIONAL ROUND: Ravens v. Broncos

Felipe M

The following is part of our continuing coverage of the 2012 NFL PLAYOFFS

Saturday's Divisional Round playoff game between the Baltimore Ravens and Denver Broncos might have been the greatest game I have ever seen.  This isn't hyperbole; this game was the epitome of exciting, NFL football. I understand that the 2011 NFL Playoffs alone had a couple of gems, but this game is going to be impossible to match.  Here are more thoughts of the game:

THE MYSTERIOUS BEARDED MAN: His name is Paul Kruger and he's had two great playoff games.  After getting off to a slow start to the 2012 season due to a back injury, Kruger finished the season strong to post decent numbers. However, a recent injury to starter Albert McClellan has given Kruger a chance to shine in these playoffs, as football fans get acclimated to the 4th year veteran out of Utah. In the two playoff victories for the Ravens, Kruger could be seen constantly pressuring and flying towards Quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck and disrupting their rhythm with his speed and motor.  So far, Kruger has been credited with 2.5 sacks and countless hurries and pressures on the QB. The Ravens will certainly need him to continue to play at a high level against the New England Patriots next week.

COLD TEMPS, THIN AIR, BOARD GAMES: Much hype was given to the weather in Denver as the pundits were going out of their way to mention Manning's record in outdoor, sub-freezing temperature games. Much more hype was given to the fact that he would be wearing gloves on both of his hands. All of that misguided gibberish was forgotten as fans from all over were treated to a classic performance from Manning.  The numbers do not support that last statement, but from an intangible standpoint, in vintage style, he was up to his old tricks, including, but not limited to:

• Getting his offense to the line of scrimmage quickly in order to give him time to see what the defense was setting up.
• Constantly going no-huddle and calling plays on the line of scrimmage (QBs who can virtually call their own plays for almost an entire game are slowly going the way of the dodo, let alone the ones who can actually do it while the defense is peeking from the other side).
• Undressing the Ravens' defense and making the necessary changes to the offense to offset the Ravens' play-calling.
• Especially when he would do quick, hard counts (Hurry! Hurry! set...) that the Ravens would often bite on, therefore showing which players on that team were about to blitz.
• Another instance was when performing a hard count, once again the Ravens' defense bit on it and showed their play. Manning noticed that legendary linebacker, Ray Lewis did not move. In a somewhat, unintentional nod to the hype surrounding this game between the so-called "chess match" between the Broncos' surgeon-like QB and the relentless, tackles-machine Lewis, Manning went up to his offensive line, pointed directly at Lewis, and exclaimed to his line "52 is the Mike! 52 is the Mike!" 
• (for those that don't know, Manning was informing his offense that with all the blitzes coming from the flanks, Lewis would stay at home in his inside linebacker position and convert into a traditional middle linebacker. If I'm wrong, please share your thoughts at the comments' section of this article). 
• The weird gyrations and hand gestures 
• Getting rid of the ball quickly and accurately (65% on a cold day like this against a ferocious defense like the Ravens, that's not too shabby!).
• Using a hybrid of no-huddle and hurry-up offense, combined with the thin air in Denver, Manning used the game plan and the environment to gas out the Ravens' defense.  By the time the Broncos had made the score 35-28 in their favor, the Ravens' defense looked completely exhausted and demoralized. 

Unfortunately for Manning, despite his efforts, he was still responsible for 3 turnovers and much blame has been bestowed upon him for the Broncos' loss.  Manning's legacy as one of the most cerebral, accurate, and complete Quarterbacks of all time has been considerably tainted by his shoddy playoff record. Despite winning one Super Bowl (with the Colts), he is repeatedly overshadowed by long-time rival and nemesis, Tom Brady and Manning is seen more as an accumulator of statistics and as a signal-caller that, more often than not, crumbles under pressure.

Nevertheless, as we say goodbye to one legendary defender in Ray Lewis, we as football fans must sit back and appreciate the small window we have of watching one of the greatest QBs the NFL has ever seen. It's no doubt that many of his passing records and accomplishments will be broken by the next generation of QBs, but his methodology, dedication to the craft of passing, and his unique, overall style of play will definitely be missed. 

LEWIS' LAST STAND: It was 35-28 with about 3 minutes left in the game when the drained Ravens' defense, seen collectively gasping for air and trying to find that last ounce of strength, were summoned to stop the Broncos', dualistically assembled, erroneous, but efficient offense and retrieve the ball back to their offense. 

After a Broncos' 1st down, the Ravens were forced to use their last timeout of the half. It looked bleak with the meticulous Manning in control looking for the kill. However, with Knowshon Moreno lost earlier in the game due to a knee injury, the Broncos' conservative answer to kill the game clock fell on the hands of super-sub, but much smaller Ronnie Hillman. Hillman did help the offense get a 1st down, but three consecutive runs up the middle were met by a wall of Ravens' defenders, led by the always reliable, run-stuffer, Ray Lewis. Lewis would get credit for 2 combined tackles on Hillman after the first down and that forced the Broncos to punt the ball back to the Ravens with about a minute left in the game. Perhaps the bigger, more explosive Moreno might have sealed the deal for the Broncos, but that's all moot.

Somehow, some way, Lewis and the Ravens found the will and way to stop the Broncos when all hope looked to be lost; when the defense looked broken; when it looked like it would be Lewis' last game of his illustrious career. 

$$$CHA-CHING$$$: Joe Flacco's camp was probably jumping for joy to see the, at times, inconsistent QB come through to pull off a victory from the jaws of defeat. No doubt that Flacco had a great game and came through in the clutch. With Flacco becoming a free agent after his contract runs out this season, Flacco's agent reminded the world that Flacco deserves to be mentioned as an elite QB and, therefore, should be paid like one. That was a big joke when the idea that Flacco should be considered "elite" came out last year, but after Saturday's game, there is no doubt that teams will be throwing a lot of money at the young QB in the offseason. 

SPEAKING OF LEGENDARY DEFENDERS: With Lewis retiring at the completion of the Ravens' season, Champ Bailey looked like his best days were behind him--at least against speed-burner, Torrey Smith. The 14th year Cornerback out of Georgia will no doubt be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but on Saturday, Bailey looked ordinary against Smith and the Ravens' passing attack. 

Throughout his career, Bailey was the quintessential, shut-down Corner. Opposing teams game-planned to NOT throw the ball at Bailey's way. However, credit needs to go to Flacco and Offensive Coordinator Jim Caldwell for their aggressive attack. Aggressive is the right word as Flacco was struggling under the conservative Cam Cameron and flourishing under Caldwell.

(this marks a reunion of sorts as Caldwell was playing against Peyton Manning. Caldwell was the head coach at Indianapolis when Manning was the QB there--but we're not playing that game today...)

It is amazing how Ray Lewis played impeccable defense, as expected, in his final year in what could've been his final game. Meanwhile, Bailey who is younger than Lewis, did not play up to his reputation and could be debatable that he single-handedly cost the Broncos the game by giving up big plays to the Ravens. Then again, it is safe to say that the entire Broncos' secondary played a big role in losing this game to the Ravens.

Johnny J mentioned at the conclusion of his article that he was a Division winner in our fantasy football league. For those wondering who won the Championship this year, I now show you, Exhibit A:

Exhibit A

2012 NFL PLAYOFFS: COLTS V. RAVENS--Welcome Back, Ray Lewis!

Johnny J

Ray Lewis played and danced in his final game at M&T Stadium with a win over the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Wild Card game. While I can sit here and talk about Ray's dance and how electrifying his moves were to pump up the fans, I need to add that I was hoping to see him chase Paul Rudd around the field. It didn't happen, but, regardless, the Ravens' defense welcomed their defensive coordinator of 2011, Chuck Pagano, back home. The welcome was so warm, that they beat his new team 24-9.

The middle linebacker played in his first game since tearing his triceps in mid-October. Lewis looked dominant with his robotic arm (Oh, wait... its just a harness that made Lewis appear as some sort of half-man, half-Transformer), leading the defense with 13 tackles.  The defense played vintage, Ravens' football that ranked in the top ten as opposed to ranking 22nd, in terms of "weighted defense." The Ravens entered play giving up a total of 350.9 yards per game (ranked 17th) and 122.8 being rushing yards (ranked 20th). That doesn't sound like the viciously, terrifying, hard-hitting Ravens' defense that we know.

But that's what happens when your future Hall-of-Fame linebacker misses 10 games (makes me want to create a dance at work--maybe it will get my team pumped-up to reach, what should be, attainable metrics and goals). Now that he's back, I guess Ed Reed doesn't need to go out of his way to make "illegal" hits on opposing receivers in an attempt to terrorize them (I can hear him now: "Me and my wallet thanks you for coming back, Ray!").

Lewis has been the face of the Ravens' franchise for years and now, in his 17th season, he is calling it quits. He couldn't have picked a better time to make the announcement--win or go home--so why not try to ride this emotional, do-or-die, "win one for the gipper," adrenaline rush all the way to the Super Bowl? (think Ray Bourque when he played for the Colorado Avalanche--Ed). 

This game had implications on both sides. Besides Ray Lewis announcing his retirement as soon as the Ravens' season was completed,Chuck Pagano returned to Baltimore as the head coach of the Colts. It was an emotional sight to see the Ravens' defense showing their old coach support and love.  Pagano coached his second game after coming back from his Leukemia treatment that forced him to miss the majority of the 2012 season. Pagano, along with offensive coordinator, Bruce Arians (who might be the Chicago Bears' coach in 2013?--Ed), revived a Colts' team that went from 2-14 last season to going 11-5 this season and making the playoffs as a 5th seed. 

A lot of the reason for their success is, while they went 2-14 last season, last year's struggles helped them obtain the number 1 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, in which they drafted Andrew Luck--who is pretty good (a lot better than "good"--Ed). I mean I drafted him in my fantasy league and sometimes even started him over Peyton Manning, which says a lot about the rookie's ability. In his first year, he threw for 4,374 yards breaking Cam Newton's record for a rookie. Newton threw for 4,051 yards (Hey, Cam--it looks like that kid really did warm up his arm!).

In his first playoff game, Luck threw for 288 yards and an interception (and it could have been 2 INTs if Ray Lewis' robotic hands could have cradled a tipped pass in the 2nd quarter--Ed). Luck had a hard time against the Ravens' defense only connecting on 28 of his 54 pass attempts. Reggie Wayne had 9 of those catches for 114 yards. Even though the Colts lost, they have a lot to look forward to as they try and build a team around Andrew Luck.

Pagano took over for Jim Caldwell last season who is the new offensive coordinator for the Ravens after Cam Cameron was fired late in the season. Caldwell was hired as the quarterbacks coach (Yeah I thought it was a joke when he was hired for that position as well--"Hey Flacco let me show you how to be like Curtis Painter and Kerry Collins."). No wonder Joe Flacco is garbage: his passing completions and attempts are far apart! He reminds me of Allen Iverson's shooting numbers: 9-25 from the field, but he did score 30 points because he shot the ball 25 times (Joe Flacco is the Allen Iverson of today's NFL? Unlike Iverson, Flacco can pass the ball.--Ed). Flacco was better today though, he was 12 for 23 for 282 yards and 2 touchdowns. Ray Rice finished with 2 fumbles to go along with 70 rushing yards.

If the Ravens want to help Lewis finish his career with a Super Bowl ring, they're going to have to go through Denver and their defense ranks 2nd in total yards and 4th in points allowed. In order for that to happen, they need a combination of Ray-Ray: Ray Lewis and Ray Rice. I'm not worried about Lewis doing his part, but with Rice suddenly being a fumbles machine, I think that puts a lot on Joe "Sacko"--err-- I mean Flacco. Hey, maybe Lewis can do his dance in the locker room for motivation.

For more on the 2012 NFL Wildcard Weekend, click here.

Please welcome our newest contributor, Johnny J.  Even though Johnny is one of "Chi-town's finest," he is a Green Bay Packers' fan, roots for the Detroit Red Wings, follows the Seattle Mariners, and--the biggest sin of all--he bleeds orange and blue as he cheers on the New York Knicks.  Feel free to say "hi" to him on the comments section.