Fourth & Forever: My 4-0 Fantasy Football Team

 Fourth & Forever: My 4-0 Fantasy Team



Toilet Bowl Trophy
Picture courtesy of WCFFL

For the 2013 NFL season, I have two fantasy teams. But today, I'm only going to talk about one. My Yahoo Wrecking Crew Fantasy Football league. The other one is hosted by ESPN, and it is a waste of time. Its free and not as competitive as my Yahoo league. Therefore I won't discuss it. The Wrecking Crew league is so amazing; not only is it competitive, but it is amongst friends. It does involve playing for money, however the most exciting thing for me are the trophies. There are three divisions with four teams each and each division winner receives a small, almost Heisman like stance trophy with their team name and division name. There is also a loser trophy, awarded to the team with the worst record. Their prize...a toilet bowl seat with wise cracks written on it from other teams. Who says grown man can't have fun? Then theirs, "Alyssa," the name of the big trophy. A football shaped, silver color trophy, attached to a wooden base, with the current champions name on the name plate. We chose, "Alyssa," in regards to Alyssa Milano. She's hot and her name fits well with the trophy. "Alyssa," is coming home with me this year.


My 2012 division trophy
picture courtesy of Johnny J.



My teams name is called," Black Sunday." No specific meaning behind the name, it just sounds intimidating. After four weeks, I am proud to say that I am in first place in the whole league and I'm undefeated. I'm not going to talk about the draft much, because its not current, but I will say I followed most general managers tactics. I drafted what was given to me. I didn't overthink it, I didn't panic, but I would say I came out with one of the deepest teams in the league. MOVING ON... I came to the draft with intentions on making picks people didn't see coming. I'm A Packers fan, and I drafted a Chicago Bears player in the second round! That player is running back Matt Forte, who is has not disappointed thus far. He has rewarded me with three touchdowns in four games. I root for him in hopes of the Bears losing. Yea a Packers fan rooting for my second round pick. I came to the draft thinking...I was going to draft with my mind and not my heart. As much as I wanted to draft Aaron Rodgers or Jordy Nelson, I knew the quarterback and receiver position was too deep to draft them early. I actually had a chance to pick A Rod, with the 10th pick, but chose LeSean McCoy instead. Four weeks later, he is leading the league in rushing yards.

After I went 3-0. I wanted to do a New York Yankee trade, and so I did. Before I discuss who I traded for and what I gave up for them, I contemplated if I wanted to go through with it. I hadn't lost a game, I had just blown somebody out by 60 points. I didn't need to make a trade, but like every GM brainstorming in the front office, I wanted to create a team that is guaranteed to go far. So I wanted to get a great player, who was struggling, in hopes that they will return to a top tier producer. That way it wouldn't cost me a lot in return. I' m not talking about quarterback Philip Rivers, but running back C.J. Spiller. He was picked in the first round, but hadn't been performing like a GM expects from a first rounder. The person who had him was 1-2 and I know they were looking for a big trade. And so I gave them one. I traded the Seattle defense and running back Le'Veon Bell, in return for C.J. Spiller. Yea I know Seattle has the best defense in the league, and I know Bell just scored two touchdowns, but I'm looking at the bigger picture...the playoff run. Defenses are expendable, because any defense can get you descent points weekly depending on match-ups. I picked up the Tennessee Titans defense, who had five sacks, five tackles for a loss, two picks, two fumble recoveries and a touchdown against the New York Jets. They got me more points then the Seahawks would have last week. Bell is coming off a serious injury, I'm not sure if he will be the answer for the 0-4 Pittsburgh Steelers. It's a gamble I hope will pay off.

I've also been doing my homework on the waiver wire. Picking up no name players who I think might make an impact in certain games. I look at their opponents weekly and I survey players; deciding on I believe fits in the lineup for the upcoming game or games. I picked up wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins, before the season started. He has been in and out of my lineups, although I had him in my lineup last week, when he blew up for 127 receiving yards and a touchdown, against the Atlanta Flacons. I figured with receiver Danny Amendola and tight end Ron Grownkowski out, he was going to have a big game in a primetime match-up. I seen him in a pre-season game and he just stood out. I knew he was someone I should grab. I also had pick up Le'Veon Bell, after someone dropped him. He was supposed to be out like six weeks with an injury, but came back sooner. Instead of giving him a chance I used him in the Spiller trade.  Since I traded away the Seattle defense, and then dropped the Titans defense, I needed to pick up a sleeper defense for this week. So I picked up the Cleveland Browns defense. They play the Buffalo Bills tonight, and I'm hoping they can duplicate the stellar defense they showed last week against the Cincinnati Bengals. Surrendering only six points at the, "Dawg Pound." The Browns defense is descent and ferocious. In four games they have 14 sacks, 19 tackles for a loss and have only given up 70 points. The Bills have a banged up backfield, so I'm betting on a good day at the pound. 

 

"Alyssa"
picture courtesy of the current champion and
co-founder of Pathologicalhate.clogspot.com
Felipe Melecio

 

These are the main reasons why I'm undefeated in the Wrecking Crew Fantasy Football League. It comes down to good drafting, and taking what the draft was giving me. Thinking with my mind and not my heart. Believing the person I drafted, was going to have a good year. Regardless if I liked the team or not; I'm too busy thinking about making my pockets fatter; and of course...Alyssa. Even though its too early to say if my trade was a success or not, but I felt like I could get rid of the Seahawks defense and get the same points from sleepers on the wire. By adding C.J. Spiller, I now have a four-headed running attack. LeSean McCoy, Matt Forte, DeMarco Murray. With two running back slots and two flex slots, say hello to my four-headed horseman. The waiver wire is my friend in need. I look at throwaways and sleepers and invite them for workouts. If everything checks out ok, the contract is signed and a number is given. Welcome to the future of WCFFL...Black Sunday.

Are the 49ers Super Bowl Contenders?

  Are the 49ers Super Bowl Contenders?

Good news! The 49ers beat the St. Louis Rams yesterday 35-11. The bad news is the 49ers looked great against a weak team, but can't produce the same outcome against playoff teams. In a weak primetime game aired on the NFL Network, the 49ers dominated the line of scrimmage. Making life miserable for Rams quarterback Sam Bradford and running back Daryl Richardson. Bradford threw 41 times and only connected on 19 of them. He was sacked five times and just seamed uncomfortable in the pocket. Richardson rushed 12 times and only racked up 16 yards. This is the 49ers defense that we all seam to recognize. To bad it came against one of the most disappointing teams in the league. Seriously its the Jacksonville Jaguars and then its the Rams. After the 49ers didn't score a single point in the first quarter, they quickly found their toughness in the way they're accustomed to. Shoving the ball down the opponents throat, with Greg Romans pistol power running calls. The only problem is the 49ers could find themselves 1-3 after four games. Losing to the Seattle Seahawks and Indianapolis Colts, the 49ers were 50 yards away from losing a shootout game in week one against the Green Bay Packers. Yeah, a shootout! That's not the 49ers way of winning games, its through tough defense and power running. At least it use to be.

The 49ers are a running team. If that quickly changes to a passing team, the game could be headed for a rough outcome. The 49ers ran the ball 42 times and threw only 23 times against the Rams. That's because they won the line of scrimmage battle. They looked good against the Rams, but then again the Rams defense are giving up 30.2 points in four games, which is ranked 28th in the league. The defense is horrible, giving up 175 yards to DeMarco Murray, the week before. I wasn't mad because Murray is on my fantasy team, but Murray ran for a lot of yards against them the year before. My point is the Rams defense sucks! A week later, Frank Gore ran for 153 yards on 20 carries. That's a whopping 7.7 yards a carry. That is dominating the line of scrimmage, followed up with play-action. In the two losses, the 49ers were dominated. They only ran the ball 23 times against the Colts and 20 times against the Seahawks. 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick is a mobile quarterback, who has the ability to throw the ball in the pocket, but he is more effective when he is on the move. When defenses shutdown the run, his best ability is taken away from him and he is now one-dimensional. The 49ers have to be successful running the ball for him to be his best.

Secondly, the 49ers need to be able to bring their high-powered defense every game. Against the Rams they shutdown everything the offense was bringing. They took out the run game and then took out Bradford's favorite targets on the field. Throwing for only 202 yards on 41 attempts. In the lost against the Colts, the 49ers gave up 184 yard on the ground. That was unheard of at Candlestick Park. With the Colts winning the yards being produced on the ground. The 49ers are throwing more than running, which is not found in their game plans. Kaepernick isn't Joe Montana or Steve Young. So winning with his arm isn't going to always work. He is a quarterback who has the frame of a receiver and the legs of a kick returner. The read-option and pistol formation are used to complement his qualities. To keep defenses guessing is what he does best. That's what separated him from former 49er quarterback Alex Smith. Smith is one-dimensional; a passer who looks to throw 10 yards in play-action and was very successful in taking care of the ball, simply because he never threw down-field. Kaepernick has the ability to do that, but he should be looking to run first.

The reason we haven't seen Kaepernick at his best is because of the play-calling. I rarely seen the read-option being used in the 49ers games this year. Coach Jim Harbaugh is concerned of getting his quarterback hurt. He should be, especially after Packers Clay Matthews tried to take his head off out of bounce in the first week. Playing Kaepernick as a pocket quarterback is hurting the team. Taking away a mans best asset leaves him with nothing. I say, let him play his style that we are used to seeing. Having defenses look confused and lost. Teach the quarterback to get down and slide if in trouble. Not to take hits like RG3, and not to throw hits like Jay Cutler. Its a long season and most teams go as the quarterback goes...unless you're the Minnesota Vikings. If the 49ers are not going to use him for what he can do, then what's the point of having him on the team. They might as well have kept Alex Smith, if they're scared of using a mobile quarterbacks skills. The 49ers do have injuries on the offensive side, but the injuries are in the passing game. Its irrelevant to what the team needs to do. Meaning Michael Crabtree and Mario Manningham are expendable. They have a veteran receiver in Anquan Boldin and a talented tight-end in Vernon Davis. They can coach-up others to catch the ball and to run routes. Big names are overrated. But they are a team who runs the ball, they don't need their best receivers to be affective. Like Sandra Bullock said in the movie The Blind Side, "Run the damn ball."

When they look bad against playoff teams, the Super Bowl looks further away in the distance. The 49ers need to change that. They need to run the ball to be effective and they need to bring that tough defense every game and they have to do it against good teams. They will have plenty of chances to redeem themselves. With matchups against the Houston Texans, Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Saints. They have to establish the line of scrimmage early, because once they fall behind, they seem to get out of that running funk. Once that happen, its a whole different game plan, because the opposing team has them in unfamiliar territory. I don't see the 49ers making a repeat trip to the Super Bowl, I 'm not even sure they will make the playoffs, but I do know if they don't get back to their X and O's, its going to be a long season. Running the ball, while serving up the read-option and playing hard nose defense is 49ers football 101.

Fourth & Forever: Best Read-Option Teams

Fourth & Forever: Best Read-Option Teams

The read-option is the new wildcat and the newly found play-action remix. Times have changed in the NFL. Pocket quarterbacks are too one-dimensional. Teams are looking for mobile quarterbacks, who can be a good pocket quarterback and a good running quarterback. Plug that into the offensive schemes and the defenses have to prepare for both situations. Add in a good running back and this team has just become more dynamic. To run the read-option to perfection, you need a good duo; running back and quarterback. To keep defenses unbalanced, the read-option shouldn't be used excessively, but moderately. Plus no one wants to have their quarterback repeatedly in harms way. I'm going to be taking a look at the top read-option teams based on what they will do this season.

Chip N Dales Rescue Rangers have landed in the city of "Brotherly Love". Last season, the Eagles didn't get any love. The offensive line was terrible, giving up an average of seven sacks a game. Starting quarterback Michael Vick missed six games because of injury. Starting running back LeSean McCoy missed four games because of a concussion. The line couldn't stop a bowl of cereal from hitting the ground. I explained it to the Pillsbury Doughboy and he couldn't stop laughing.  Vick kept getting pressured out the pocket. Andy Reid had fans standing outside the Eagles facility protesting his release, and eventually it happened after a 4-12 season. But with former Oregon coach Chip Kelly uptempo offense, this team is going to be explosive, coming in at number three. The offensive line is better, they drafted offensive tackle Lane Johnson with the fourth pick in this Aprils draft The 6 ft 7  tackle  will definitely help. I was reading an article on Bleacher Report about Kelly's Eagles. They ran 86 plays in their first pre-season game against the New England Patriots, while not winning the time of possession advantage. 86 plays in under 29 minutes compared to the Patriots who ran a total of 72 plays. With Kelly its all about running as many plays as possible and scoring in bunches. Wearing down defenses and making them pay for it. He uses a different type of read-option that can limit the quarterback from running down-field. Don't be surprised to see receivers in the back-field, this is a running team. He uses mis-directions with the running back and different formations with the offensive line to keep the defense guessing. Pulling line-men around to double team defensive line-men and getting to the second level at linebackers. With McCoy and Vick being able to run and make cuts in fashion, this could be the best rushing team in the league. Kelly's inside and outside zone read-option scheme is going to help them win, especially when the defense can't figure out if its a running or passing play.

The Seattle Seahawks come in at number two. This team runs the read-option like its no ones business. They are a running team with work-horse Marshawn Lynch leading the pack. The former Golden Bear has been on a tare with quarterback Russell Wilson running the team. Lynch ran for over 1700 yards last season, averaging 5.0 yards per carry and totaling 14 touchdowns. 13 on the ground and one from the air. The Seahawks are a running team. Last year they ran the ball 54 percent of the time. Wilson, who was a rookie last season ran for five touchdowns and threw for 29. Having a quarterback rating of 100.3 in his first year makes him a big time threat moving forward. The more he develops, the better his team will become better. This Batman and Robin duo run Emerald city. Either one of them can be Batman, therefore teams just cant focus on one. Trying to plug the running lanes, leaves man to man coverage down-field. Faking the hand off to Lynch gets the defense leaning toward one side and Wilson lets it fly to receivers Sidney Rice or Golden Tate on the other side. Option two is Wilson him keeping the ball, going one way while Lynch has the defense chasing him. This team is unpredictable when it comes to scoring points. They averaged 25.8 ppg and 360.1 ypg. Feed the beast indeed!

Staying in the NFC West, the San Francisco 49ers come in at number one. The combination of quarterback Colin Kaepernick, running back Frank Gore and that pistol formation offense are lethal. The Packers are still trying to figure out who had the ball, from that 45-31 NFC Divisional game. The reason why they run this offense to perfection is because of the playmakers on the team. A good quarterback, to go along with a good running back, with the addition of two full-backs or tight-end in the backfield in unheard of. When the play starts, one full-back block the defensive end, while the guard will pull leading the way, followed by the other full-back and Gore. In order to get to the running back, the defender has to get through the guard and full-back. Then Gore is not an easy target, he is big back, who can break tackles. If Kaepernick keeps the ball, he wants to get to the outside running lanes. For this to work the outside defender isn't blocked, in hopes of the defender biting the fake hand-off to Gore. The person who was suppose to block the end defender is blocking up-field. The defensive end or linebacker comes in and Kaepernick keeps it and has a ton of running room because the other defenders are drawn down-field to the decoy receivers. The formation gets defenders to check for the run and when they realize its a pass their man is open down-field. For instance tight-end Vernon Davis is a mismatch. His man doesn't commit to him and he's left open. Plus he ran a 4.3 at the Combine. He can run right past most linebackers. There is a ton of things that can be done to produce yards out of that formation. Kaepernick averaged 7.7 yards a carry and Gore averaged 4.8. Combined they ran for 20 touchdowns. Just imagine if Kaepernick played the whole season. If I was coach Jim Harbaugh I personally would have bought former quarterback Alex Smith a Christmas gift for getting hurt, but I guess giving him the boot works as well.

The reason why I didn't pick the Redskins in because I think Robert Griffin lll, is going to be used a different way this season. Coming off a ligaments injury, the Redskins are not going to let him loose. He might now run with the ball for awhile. Of course it will intimidate defenses, although I still see the Redskins easing him in slowly. This offense is good, but won't be as explosive. The teams I discussed earlier are going to be the most effective running the read-option. The Eagles are the firecracker team to keep an eye on in the NFC EAST. Kelly is going to have defenses sucking air in, trying to catch their breath. Michael Vick is going to reinvent himself in this offense. McCoy, who I picked in my fantasy league 10th overall is going to get me a ton of points. The more plays that are ran, increases my point value. "Rescue Rangers!" Russell Wilson has another year of training camp under his belt. He reads the defense well, scrambling moving the chains. Marshawn Lynch, will do what he does and that is moving the pile and eating Skittles on the sideline. This offensive is going to be that much better, when receiver Percy Harvin comes back from injury. The 49ers are the team to beat. Kaepernick had a full training camp with the number one offense and Vernon Davis is going to be used more, due to injuries to the receivers. That pistol just became modified. There ranked number one on power rankings for a reason, its not just because of the defense, although it helps.


 

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.

Fourth & Forever: Previewing the NFC West

Johnny J

Rain or sun. Sun or rain. The NFC West is a division that is known for both. With two of the teams already projected to be at the NFC Championship game. Those teams are the San Fransico 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks. Talk about a one-two punch! The Seahwaks are ranked first and the 49ers are next in line at number two. I'll tell you which one of these sophomore quarterbacks will help their team win the division. Also in the NFC West, are the St. Louis Rams and the Arizona Cardinals. These two teams are in the rebuilding stages and are missing key components to even think about the playoffs.  One is missing a good quarterback and the other one is missing a lead back. One of these teams will come in last place and it's my job to tell you which one.

When you think of the 49ers, names like Joe Montana, Steve Young, and Jerry Rice comes to mind. Heck I'll even throw Terrell Owens in there, just because he might sue if I don't. Colin Kaepernick was just added to that list after leading his team to Super Bowl XLVII last year. Not bad for someone who took over the starting job in the middle of the season in only his second year. Now in his third year, he is looking to the future. No I'm not talking about him signing with the Miami Dolphins. But him getting a full season underneath that 49ers' helmet. Mobile quarterbacks are more vulnerable to getting hurt than pocket quarterbacks. They're running right toward the defense, while pocket quarterbacks sit in the pocket and picks the defense apart. Kaepernick needs to be good at both. We know he can run, but what about being a good passer? With two of their top receivers starting the season on the Physically Unable to Perform-list (Pup-list)--Michael Crabtree and Mario Manningham--others will have to step up. Players like Anquan Boldin and Vernon Davis. Boldin is old and inconsistent and Davis, I heard, might move to wide receiver. Yes he is a mismatch with size, but he is mismatched with speed. So there is no help for Kaepernick, but old faithful, Frank Gore is still on the team. Another year is added for the nine-year veteran. He has to average more than 70 yards a game for this team to help Kaepernick or else the QB could find himself on the ground a lot--a coach's worst nightmare.Gore has only averaged approximately 70 yards per game the past three seasons.

The Seahawks have a solid squad. They have all three phases locked: Offense, defense, and special teams. Not to mention one of the best home-field advantages in the NFL. Loud is an understatement as they've always been at the top of the league in forcing false starts at home.The Seahawks have great, young talent in second-year quarterback Russell Wilson. He beat out projected starter Matt Flynn, who was shipped down the coast to Oakland. Wilson is also a mobile quarterback, but unlike Kap, Wilson has pocket awareness. His strength is knowing how much time he has before the pocket collapses and then committing to tucking the ball and running it or letting it fly. Oh, he has another weapon in versatile receiver, Percy Harvin, who can set up as a receiver or in the backfield. Did I mention he runs back kick and punt returns? He can put up enticing yards from scrimmage every year. Russell also has a beast running back. "Beast Mode," Marshawn Lynch, if healthy, can steam roll over people with his brute strength. Who hasn't heard of him yet? Then he is rewarded with a bag of skittles for his efforts. On the other side of the ball, the Seahawks have three people in the starting secondary over 6-3: Richard Sherman, Brandon Browner, and Kam Chancellor. More like "Ball-hawks!" They either pick off the pass, bat it down, or draw a flag ("Fail-Mary" refs, where are you?). The flag rarely comes out. They were sixth in INTs. The Seahawks will win this division.

St. Louis might be the best third place team in the NFL. With a struggling quarterback in Sam Bradford and a running back who is not starter material, the Rams are playing for third place. Darryl Richardson has the job of filling former running back, Steven Jackson's shoes. Congratulation kid, you have been promoted. All you have to do is run the ball down the opponent's throat. Oh wait, you're not a power runner, you are more like a sprinter/open-field runner. A seventh round pick, he weights under 200 pounds. He will be hit and tackled for a loss at the line of scrimmage, consistently. That will continue to chew on Bradford's confidence, who I believe lost it when he signed his contract. Since he came into the league in 2010, he has been sacked a total of 105 times and has had 17 fumbles. Either the offensive line is terrible or the quarterback holds the ball for too long. I think both sides play a part. Receiver Danny Amendola was Bradford's best option until he broke his collarbone. After that he didn't have any other playmakers with good hands. When you lack confidence, you tend to hold on to the ball a second or two later, then you end up on the ground. Then they kept giving the ball to Jackson to try and figure something out. He did get over 1000 yards, but not because of the line. He used his strength and heart to help push the line. Draft pick receiver Tavon Austin should be a playmaker. He had 29 touchdowns and over 3000 yards receiving at West Virgina. I give this team third place, just because Jeff Fisher is a god coach with good instincts. A third place ribbon for your squad coach.

Do you remember when the Cardinals reached the Super Bowl in 2008, with aging quarterback wonder Kurt Warner? It doesn't seem that long ago, although with the Cardinals not reaching the playoffs since Warner retired in 2009, it does feel like a lifetime ago. They never recovered.  They tried to replenish the team by trying out seven quarterbacks since then. The've become the first team to lose 700 total games as a franchise last season. Carson Palmer will be the eighth quarterback starting for the red and white deserted--err--sorry, I mean't "desert team." Palmer has a good arm, but bad awareness for secondary defenders downfield. In other words, he throws a lot of INTs. He already had a change of scenery, so a fresh start isn't his problem, but it's his desire to play. Remember, he quit on the Bengals. Once a quitter always a quitter. He's not dedicated, although he does have a elite receiver in Larry Fitzgerald who rarely drops passes. In 2011 he dropped one pass in 150 targets. The man with the golden hands. Now with Rashard Mendenhall in the backfield. The Cardinals have a power runner who should help their 31st ranked offense this year. Mendenhall is not a flashy guy, but he does the dirty work that needs to be done. A number two receiver in sight? I don't see one, so this trigger happy turnover guy should be targeting Fitzgerald like Jay Cutler does Brandon Marshall. On the other side, their defense is decent. They have Pro Bowler, Darnell Dockett on the line. He is 31, but can still play at a high level. Then you have cheater violating the league substance abuse policy in Darryl Washington. When he comes back, he will definitely give that defense a spark. Oh the secondary is fully loaded. Cornerback Patrick Peterson and third round pick Tyrann Mathieu on the corners and Adrian Wilson and Kerry Rhodes super safety duo at the end of the defense. A lot of INTs, I say. Just stay away from the paraphernalia Mathieu.

So I expect to see the Seahawks back in the fold of going deep in the playoffs, unless they meet the Packers, which will result in a loss. I'm not really a big Pete Carroll fan, but he has a solid grip on this team. The team feeds off his energy and they produce. They run, run, until you stop the beast, then when you  look up it's  play-action time. That's how they get opponents to bite the run every time. Then comes the long bomb to receiver Sidney Rice. The 49ers will be fighting for a wild-card spot, just because they are going to get off to a slow start with no receivers. It will be great to see how these mobile quarterbacks will avoid injuries throughout the season. The Rams need to put playmakers around Bradford. He doesn't have anybody but rookie "I-need-to-prove-myself" Austin. I expect him to be sacked even more this season. Richardson is not the guy to replace Jackson. Their running game will go nowhere. The Cardinals' defense will keep them in games. Palmer is not the answer. Having a guy prone to turnovers is a slight upgrade over Kevin Kolb, who threw a total of 28 touchdowns and 25 INTs in two seasons for Arizona. That sounds like Palmer's numbers. Rain or sun. Sun or rain. The NFC West will be a battle of two teams.

2012 NFL PLAYOFFS: Random Wildcard Thoughts

Felipe M

The following are just some quick thoughts about the 2012 NFL Playoffs. Nothing too fancy:

Deja Vu?: The Cincinnati Bengals vs the Houston Texans. They played against each other last season as well. The Bengals have scored a combined 23 points. However, the Bengals' defense did make a case for being one of the game's elite as they proved why they finished the season as the #3 best defense team in terms of "weighted defense" in 2012. Unfortunately for them, Houston proved why their defense finished 5th in that same category and were able to shut the Bengals offense to 10 points. 

Like a Cincinnati Ignition: This is two years straight that the Bengals made it to the playoffs, but experienced a first-year exit. But it's really hard to comprehend what's going on in Cincinnati.  Growing up in the 1990s, the Bengals were a joke of a franchise that were being driven to the ground by owner Mike Brown. The 1st round busts that have been produced by the Bengals is very comical (David Klingler, Dan Wilkinson, Ki-Jana Carter anybody?). It was just expected that the "Bungles" would permanently be the worst team in the NFL!

The Curious Case of Marvin Lewis: Despite head coach Marvin Lewis constantly being on the hot seat (he is one game under .500 in Cincy), he somehow finds a way to get his team to rally.  Lewis was facing death's door last year when the Bengals traded former QB starter, Carson Palmer and went ahead and inserted, then rookie, Andy Dalton. And let's not forget that defensive coordinator, Mike Zimmer is one of the best in the business and credit goes to him for creating one of the best defenses in the NFL.  It's very hard not to imagine the Bengals taking another step forward next season. 

Thoughts Send me on a Carousel: Speaking of Lewis, he is a former defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens. Last season, that spot was filled in by Chuck Pagano who is now the current Indianapolis Colts' head coach. That spot was filled by Jim Caldwell in 2011 who was inserted as the offensive coordinator in Baltimore very late in the 2012 season as he replaced Cam Cameron where he coached future NFL player, Antwaan Randle El at Indiana University. The speedy receiver played for the Pittsburgh Steelers where Bruce Arians was his Wide Receivers' coach. Bruce Arians was the Colts' interim head coach this past season while Pagano was treated for Leukemia.

You want more?

Bruce Arians was the offensive coordinator under Butch Davis and the Cleveland Browns. Davis was the Defensive Coordinator in Dallas under Barry Switzer. Mike Zimmer was a fellow coach of Davis' under Switzer and eventually became the Cowboys' D-coordinator. Currently, Zimmer holds that same position in Cincinnati....under current head coach Marvin Lewis. How you like that?

Joe Webb still sucks: That is all.

Unintentional Play off the Night: This goes to Packers' LB Clay Matthews who was making his turn against the Vikings' left tackle, Matt Kalil as he was trying to chase down Webb. Kalil did a good job of keeping Matthews off Webb, but as it was a running theme all night long, Webb was holding on to the ball for too long and eventually would try to make plays with his legs. In this instance, Webb tried to do the same thing and run away from the pressure, but he still ended up tripping over Clay Matthews.  Even Matthews was surprised to see that he got credit for an "accidental" sack against the overmatched QB. He was so surprised that he didn't even bother doing his sack dance.

To Play or Not to Play: As much as I criticize Jay Cutler's performance in 2012, I will not deny his toughness. Unlike many fans in Chicago and around the nation, I thought he was wise to sit out in the 2010 NFC Championship game against the Packers. But I have seen Cutler refuse to sit out with concussion symptoms, I have seen him take a beating against defenses who look at the Bears' offensive line like it was lunch meat, and I have seen Cutler continue to get up and run the next play (assuming that the play got to him on time before having to burn another timeout). So this past weekend, we saw two Quarterbacks come into these playoffs with injuries that were severe enough to justify a move by their respective head coaches in the lineup.

One Christian Ponder was sat out at the last minute with an elbow injury. In came Joe Webb. The Packers scored 24 points against the Vikings and they never had a chance. The other was Robert Griffin III who had been dealing with an injured knee for the last few weeks or so.  He wanted to play in the playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks and went on to re-injure his right knee, not just once, but twice in one game. Results of an MRI today showed that Griffin has partial tears in knee ligaments and possible surgery is being discussed.

I'm not going to delve too much into this topic, but it's funny how fans all over the NFL have mixed views on Griffin's situation, although most think that coach Mike Shanahan should have taken him out of the game, but we all know fans would've second-guessed Shanahan for taking him out after the first time his knee buckled. Tough situation either way.

The fact is, however, that the onus is and should be on the players to know if they are healthy enough to play and be man enough to say "no" when they can't. Post game on the NFL NETWORK showed Deion Sanders, Marshall Faulk, and Michael Irvin all agreeing with Griffin's decision to stay in the game. It was HIS choice. He was the one that got the Redskins INTO the playoffs. Finally, Griffin is the team's BEST chance to win the game. In the post-game interview, Griffin repeated the sentiments of the three Hall-of-Famers. He wanted the challenge to play on one leg and he understood the consequences if he continued to play.

Lesson learned.

And finally, we bring it back to Ray Lewis' final home game in Baltimore. Enjoy!