Week 14 Picks
12/09/2010 | Posted by
Devin
About halfway through this season, I decided to stop writing full-blown picks articles and focus more on the upcoming Bills game. This was a solid strategy but when it comes to a week like this it's borderline impossible. I've sat here at the computer for well over an hour trying to come up with a good Bills vs Browns preview. Here is what I've been able to come up with so far:
1. The Bills offensive line is a mess and might get destroyed on Sunday
2. The weather will be really bad
3. Jake Delhomme sucks
4. Peyton Hillis is going to plow through the Bills horrendous run defense
That's it. That's all I've been able to come up with. There is no possible way I can write a full preview when every thought I have centers around those four ideas. So I decided, at least for this week, that I would revert back to old form and just pick all the games and throw a few lines up about each game instead.
Picks are in bold.
Indianapolis @ Tennessee
- For the NFL wanting to showcase Thursday night football games and hold it against cable companies because they don't have the games, they are sure picking some awful matchups. Granted it isn't their fault and they can't predict the future, but these have been some crap games. The Falcons/Ravens game was a nice start, but it's been pure garbage since then, this game included. Next week we have San Diego and San Francisco. (How does San Francisco get so many primetime games?!?) The following week it's Carolina/Pittsburgh on Thursday and Dallas/Arizona on Saturday. I have a feeling some Time Warner executive is sitting back cackling about this and the NFL's demands to carry the network. Regardless, I'm glad I have them because sometimes any football is better than no football.
Back to the game though. I can't see any possible way that the Colts lose this game. For the first time that I can remember, their back is against the wall and their playoff hopes are in serious jeopardy. On top of that, Peyton Manning has been pure garbage for the past three weeks and he's going to eventually rebound in a big way. Luckily for all of us fantasy players, it's happening around fantasy playoff time. This is a huge change from previous years where Manning owners were carried to the playoffs and then screwed over as Indianapolis rested their starters.
On top of that, the Titans have fallen into the tank and are finished for the season. They are two games back in the division with games against the Colts, Texans, Chiefs, and Colts. There isn't an easy game remaining on the slate. Vince Young is finished for the season, Kerry Collins is showing his age, and Rusty Smith is Rusty Smith. All of this must be affecting CJ2K because he's rushed for 58 yards in the last two games combined. All of this leads to my one big question about Tennessee. At what point do people start pointing the finger at Jeff Fisher? There seems to be constant character issues in Tennessee and to be quite honest, what exactly has he done? He's been the coach for almost 20 years with only one Super Bowl appearance to date.
Cleveland @ Buffalo
- As I highlighted above, Peyton Hillis is going to run all over the Bills. If the reports are true and Buffalo does get a huge blizzard, I expect even more running and an even bigger day for Hillis. As if he isn't hard enough to tackle, now do it when the conditions suck and it's freezing outside. The only hope I have right now is that Hillis turns the ball over a few times and the Bills are able to hang with them and make it close. For a game that I thought was a definite win earlier in the season, I have little hope at this point and don't expect a whole lot.
Green Bay @ Detroit
- Crazy thought of the day. If the season were to end today, the Packers would not make the playoffs. A large part of this is because the awful NFC West will get a team in no matter what, but also because Chicago has a full game lead on Green Bay and the tie-breaker as of now. Because of all this, Green Bay is full must-win mode for the final four games of the season. They face the Giants and Bears in the final two weeks, the two teams ahead of them in the wild card and division. Combine this with the fact that they are playing Detroit, and there is no way Green Bay can lose this game.
New York Giants @ Minnesota
- If there was one annoying thing about last week's Vikings/Bills game, it was the whole "Tarvaris Jackson is good" idea that kept getting thrown out there. Listen, he wasn't good at all. His one touchdown was a toss-up to Sidney Rice, who made a great catch to pull it down in between two Buffalo defenders. But let's not get crazy. I could've thrown that pass. It wasn't Jackson's great pass at all; it was Rice's tremendous effort. On top of that, Jackson threw three interceptions to a defense that had four going into the day. The reason Minnesota won was because A)Adrian Peterson ran all over the league's worst run defense and B) The Bills turned the ball over five times, including twice that gave Minnesota the ball in the red zone and once on the one yard line where they were poised to score.
With all of the above in mind, the Giants will win this game. Their defense is much better than Buffalo's and they are a much more desperate team. They need to win this game to keep pace and setup a division deciding matchup next week against Philadelphia. Good teams don't lose the easy ones.
Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh
- When doing a little research on the Steelers, I came across one really impressive stat. Rashard Mendenhall has 1007 yards and nine touchdowns on the season. Normally that wouldn't be very impressive given the fact that he is good and the Steelers are also good, but it's amazing given the offensive line he has in front of him. This says a lot coming from a Bills fan, but the Steelers have the worst offensive line I've seen in a long time. The Bills have one of the worst defenses in recent memory and they were consistently putting pressure on Ben Roethlisberger. On top of that, the few times they were protecting him well was because they were always holding. I'm saying this as unbiased as I can, I have no idea how they are going to win in the playoffs with such a horrendous offensive line. They should win at least three of the next four games, but it will be interesting to see how this is addressed in the playoffs.
Tampa Bay @ Washington
- Tampa Bay pretty much blew their shot at the playoffs last week when they lost to Atlanta. Right now they are 7-5 and trail the Giants and Packers for the wild card. They would actually need a collapse from both teams (not happening) to gain the sixth seed. Even more of a long shot is to hope either New Orleans or Atlanta flop in the final four weeks and allow them to creep in. I've mentioned this before, but we can thank the awful NFC West for this, because as of now, the 6-6 St. Louis Rams would be hosting a playoff game. I addressed a similar issue in my fantasy league for next season; the NFL may want to do the same.
Atlanta @ Carolina
- When I was recently asked about how I'd pick for the Super Bowl, I said I'd have to pick Atlanta in the NFC if they have home-field throughout the playoffs. The formula is simple: the Falcons almost never lose at home. In three seasons, Matt Ryan has lost once inside the Georgia Dome. That is a crazy stat, but 100% true. Now that we know that, also know that the Falcons control their own destiny for the top seed in the NFC and have games against Carolina, Seattle, New Orleans, and Carolina. Three easy wins on that list and the hard game against New Orleans, it's at home. In other words, the Falcons have pretty much wrapped up home field throughout the playoffs.
Oakland @ Jacksonville
- I realize that Jacksonville is in first place in the AFC South and in the driver's seat to make the playoffs, but I refuse to believe they're a good team. They have exactly zero wins against teams with a record above .500. Their losses on the other hand, have come against teams with records of 6-6, 8-4, 5-7, 8-4, and 8-4. Do you see the point I'm making here? They play bad teams, they win. They play good teams, they lose. Sometimes it's really that simply. If the Jags somehow hold onto the South lead and host a playoff game, not only will it not sell out, but they'll be one and done for sure. Mark it down. The Jaguars are a joke.
Seattle @ San Francisco
- I have to think Seattle is going to win this game because right now they are dead-locked in first place at 6-6 with the Rams. That's my only reasoning. Well that and the 49ers aren't very good. Seattle beat them 31-6 on opening day and I don't see any reason why it would be different this week.
St. Louis @ New Orleans
- As of now, this would be a first round preview. Yikes. The Rams are much improved over past years, but they aren't beating the Saints on the road. To their credit though, the line is -8.5 for New Orleans and I think the Rams will at least cover the spread.
New England @ Chicago
- If we've learned one thing over the years, it's to not piss the Patriots off. The Jets pissed them off by constantly running their mouth without accomplishing anything and look what happened last Monday night. This week, Brian Urlacher came out and said the Bears are the best team in the NFL right now. I'm just guessing, but I don't think Tom Brady and company will respond very well to that.
Miami @ NY Jets
- While last week's loss to New England was certainly deflating for the Jets playoff hopes, they still have a wild card berth nearly locked up so hope is still high in Jersey. The key to this game will be how well the Jets run the ball because cold weather + important game = Mark Sanchez implosion when he's forced to throw the ball. Speaking of running the ball, LaDainian Tomlinson has slowed down a bit in recent weeks. I wrote about this earlier in the season but I was of the mind that his body and age would slow him up and he wouldn't keep up his hot start. He's gone over 100 yards this season one time. The last time he even ran for more than 60 yards was in Week Five. Look, all I'm trying to say is that Tomlinson is old and washed up.
Denver @ Arizona
- Interim coaches are 2-0 this season in their debut, which is the sole reason for me picking Denver. Seriously. I have no other reasoning.
Kansas City @ San Diego
- If San Diego loses this game, they will be eliminated from winning the AFC West. They won't be out of the wild card "mathematically," but believe me they'll be out of it. Crazy to think at how they've done with the amount of talent they have. Also worth noting in this game, Matt Cassel had an emergency appendectomy this week. I'm no medical expert, but I can't imagine him playing very well on such short rest after a rather major operation. And if he doesn't play, it appears to be Brodie Croyle under center. Not looking good for Kansas City this Sunday.
Philadelphia @ Dallas
- Dallas has been much improved since Jason Garrett took over for Wade Phillips, which further proves that Dallas had simply quit on Phillips. If Jerry Jones had made the move sooner, I bet we'd be discussing the playoff chances for Dallas. But for as well as they've played, I don't think they'll keep up with Philadelphia. The Eagles might be the fastest team in the league and their NFC leading 344 points prove that point. Ironically, for as good as the Eagles have been, they are only 8-4 and tied for first place. Without a win against the Giants earlier this season, the Eagles would actually be out of the playoffs because of an opening day loss to Green Bay. I find this all very interesting because as good as they are; they are one slip-up away from golfing on wild card weekend.
Baltimore @ Houston
- This game is a combination of Baltimore losing, Baltimore being angry, and Houston not being very good. It's shaping up for a blowout in Baltimore's favor. But don't worry, Houston still won't fire Gary Kubiak. They still have hope for finishing 9-7 and out of the playoffs yet again.
Last Week: 12-4
Entire Season: 123-69
Scott's Picks:
Indianapolis @ Tennessee
Cleveland @ Buffalo
Green Bay @ Detroit
New York Giants @ Minnesota
Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh
Tampa Bay @ Washington
Atlanta @ Carolina
Oakland
@ Jacksonville
Seattle
@ San Francisco
St. Louis @ New Orleans
New England @ Chicago
Miami @ NY Jets
Denver @ Arizona
Kansas City @ San Diego
Philadelphia @ Dallas
Baltimore @ Houston
Last Week: 12-4
Entire Season: 118-74
1. The Bills offensive line is a mess and might get destroyed on Sunday
2. The weather will be really bad
3. Jake Delhomme sucks
4. Peyton Hillis is going to plow through the Bills horrendous run defense
That's it. That's all I've been able to come up with. There is no possible way I can write a full preview when every thought I have centers around those four ideas. So I decided, at least for this week, that I would revert back to old form and just pick all the games and throw a few lines up about each game instead.
Picks are in bold.
Indianapolis @ Tennessee
- For the NFL wanting to showcase Thursday night football games and hold it against cable companies because they don't have the games, they are sure picking some awful matchups. Granted it isn't their fault and they can't predict the future, but these have been some crap games. The Falcons/Ravens game was a nice start, but it's been pure garbage since then, this game included. Next week we have San Diego and San Francisco. (How does San Francisco get so many primetime games?!?) The following week it's Carolina/Pittsburgh on Thursday and Dallas/Arizona on Saturday. I have a feeling some Time Warner executive is sitting back cackling about this and the NFL's demands to carry the network. Regardless, I'm glad I have them because sometimes any football is better than no football.
Back to the game though. I can't see any possible way that the Colts lose this game. For the first time that I can remember, their back is against the wall and their playoff hopes are in serious jeopardy. On top of that, Peyton Manning has been pure garbage for the past three weeks and he's going to eventually rebound in a big way. Luckily for all of us fantasy players, it's happening around fantasy playoff time. This is a huge change from previous years where Manning owners were carried to the playoffs and then screwed over as Indianapolis rested their starters.
On top of that, the Titans have fallen into the tank and are finished for the season. They are two games back in the division with games against the Colts, Texans, Chiefs, and Colts. There isn't an easy game remaining on the slate. Vince Young is finished for the season, Kerry Collins is showing his age, and Rusty Smith is Rusty Smith. All of this must be affecting CJ2K because he's rushed for 58 yards in the last two games combined. All of this leads to my one big question about Tennessee. At what point do people start pointing the finger at Jeff Fisher? There seems to be constant character issues in Tennessee and to be quite honest, what exactly has he done? He's been the coach for almost 20 years with only one Super Bowl appearance to date.
Cleveland @ Buffalo
Green Bay @ Detroit
- Crazy thought of the day. If the season were to end today, the Packers would not make the playoffs. A large part of this is because the awful NFC West will get a team in no matter what, but also because Chicago has a full game lead on Green Bay and the tie-breaker as of now. Because of all this, Green Bay is full must-win mode for the final four games of the season. They face the Giants and Bears in the final two weeks, the two teams ahead of them in the wild card and division. Combine this with the fact that they are playing Detroit, and there is no way Green Bay can lose this game.
New York Giants @ Minnesota
- If there was one annoying thing about last week's Vikings/Bills game, it was the whole "Tarvaris Jackson is good" idea that kept getting thrown out there. Listen, he wasn't good at all. His one touchdown was a toss-up to Sidney Rice, who made a great catch to pull it down in between two Buffalo defenders. But let's not get crazy. I could've thrown that pass. It wasn't Jackson's great pass at all; it was Rice's tremendous effort. On top of that, Jackson threw three interceptions to a defense that had four going into the day. The reason Minnesota won was because A)Adrian Peterson ran all over the league's worst run defense and B) The Bills turned the ball over five times, including twice that gave Minnesota the ball in the red zone and once on the one yard line where they were poised to score.
With all of the above in mind, the Giants will win this game. Their defense is much better than Buffalo's and they are a much more desperate team. They need to win this game to keep pace and setup a division deciding matchup next week against Philadelphia. Good teams don't lose the easy ones.
Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh
- When doing a little research on the Steelers, I came across one really impressive stat. Rashard Mendenhall has 1007 yards and nine touchdowns on the season. Normally that wouldn't be very impressive given the fact that he is good and the Steelers are also good, but it's amazing given the offensive line he has in front of him. This says a lot coming from a Bills fan, but the Steelers have the worst offensive line I've seen in a long time. The Bills have one of the worst defenses in recent memory and they were consistently putting pressure on Ben Roethlisberger. On top of that, the few times they were protecting him well was because they were always holding. I'm saying this as unbiased as I can, I have no idea how they are going to win in the playoffs with such a horrendous offensive line. They should win at least three of the next four games, but it will be interesting to see how this is addressed in the playoffs.
Tampa Bay @ Washington
- Tampa Bay pretty much blew their shot at the playoffs last week when they lost to Atlanta. Right now they are 7-5 and trail the Giants and Packers for the wild card. They would actually need a collapse from both teams (not happening) to gain the sixth seed. Even more of a long shot is to hope either New Orleans or Atlanta flop in the final four weeks and allow them to creep in. I've mentioned this before, but we can thank the awful NFC West for this, because as of now, the 6-6 St. Louis Rams would be hosting a playoff game. I addressed a similar issue in my fantasy league for next season; the NFL may want to do the same.
Atlanta @ Carolina
- When I was recently asked about how I'd pick for the Super Bowl, I said I'd have to pick Atlanta in the NFC if they have home-field throughout the playoffs. The formula is simple: the Falcons almost never lose at home. In three seasons, Matt Ryan has lost once inside the Georgia Dome. That is a crazy stat, but 100% true. Now that we know that, also know that the Falcons control their own destiny for the top seed in the NFC and have games against Carolina, Seattle, New Orleans, and Carolina. Three easy wins on that list and the hard game against New Orleans, it's at home. In other words, the Falcons have pretty much wrapped up home field throughout the playoffs.
Oakland @ Jacksonville
- I realize that Jacksonville is in first place in the AFC South and in the driver's seat to make the playoffs, but I refuse to believe they're a good team. They have exactly zero wins against teams with a record above .500. Their losses on the other hand, have come against teams with records of 6-6, 8-4, 5-7, 8-4, and 8-4. Do you see the point I'm making here? They play bad teams, they win. They play good teams, they lose. Sometimes it's really that simply. If the Jags somehow hold onto the South lead and host a playoff game, not only will it not sell out, but they'll be one and done for sure. Mark it down. The Jaguars are a joke.
Seattle @ San Francisco
- I have to think Seattle is going to win this game because right now they are dead-locked in first place at 6-6 with the Rams. That's my only reasoning. Well that and the 49ers aren't very good. Seattle beat them 31-6 on opening day and I don't see any reason why it would be different this week.
St. Louis @ New Orleans
- As of now, this would be a first round preview. Yikes. The Rams are much improved over past years, but they aren't beating the Saints on the road. To their credit though, the line is -8.5 for New Orleans and I think the Rams will at least cover the spread.
New England @ Chicago
- If we've learned one thing over the years, it's to not piss the Patriots off. The Jets pissed them off by constantly running their mouth without accomplishing anything and look what happened last Monday night. This week, Brian Urlacher came out and said the Bears are the best team in the NFL right now. I'm just guessing, but I don't think Tom Brady and company will respond very well to that.
Miami @ NY Jets
Denver @ Arizona
- Interim coaches are 2-0 this season in their debut, which is the sole reason for me picking Denver. Seriously. I have no other reasoning.
Kansas City @ San Diego
- If San Diego loses this game, they will be eliminated from winning the AFC West. They won't be out of the wild card "mathematically," but believe me they'll be out of it. Crazy to think at how they've done with the amount of talent they have. Also worth noting in this game, Matt Cassel had an emergency appendectomy this week. I'm no medical expert, but I can't imagine him playing very well on such short rest after a rather major operation. And if he doesn't play, it appears to be Brodie Croyle under center. Not looking good for Kansas City this Sunday.
Philadelphia @ Dallas
- Dallas has been much improved since Jason Garrett took over for Wade Phillips, which further proves that Dallas had simply quit on Phillips. If Jerry Jones had made the move sooner, I bet we'd be discussing the playoff chances for Dallas. But for as well as they've played, I don't think they'll keep up with Philadelphia. The Eagles might be the fastest team in the league and their NFC leading 344 points prove that point. Ironically, for as good as the Eagles have been, they are only 8-4 and tied for first place. Without a win against the Giants earlier this season, the Eagles would actually be out of the playoffs because of an opening day loss to Green Bay. I find this all very interesting because as good as they are; they are one slip-up away from golfing on wild card weekend.
Baltimore @ Houston
- This game is a combination of Baltimore losing, Baltimore being angry, and Houston not being very good. It's shaping up for a blowout in Baltimore's favor. But don't worry, Houston still won't fire Gary Kubiak. They still have hope for finishing 9-7 and out of the playoffs yet again.
Last Week: 12-4
Entire Season: 123-69
Scott's Picks:
Indianapolis @ Tennessee
Cleveland @ Buffalo
Green Bay @ Detroit
New York Giants @ Minnesota
Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh
Tampa Bay @ Washington
Atlanta @ Carolina
Oakland
@ Jacksonville
Seattle
@ San Francisco
St. Louis @ New Orleans
New England @ Chicago
Miami @ NY Jets
Denver @ Arizona
Kansas City @ San Diego
Philadelphia @ Dallas
Baltimore @ Houston
Last Week: 12-4
Entire Season: 118-74
Labels:
Bills/Vikings Preview & Week 13 Picks
12/02/2010 | Posted by
Devin
When the NFL schedule was first released for this season, the game this week against Minnesota was the second most highly anticipated one for me personally. The first being last week's game against Pittsburgh since I live in a city that tries to act like Pittsburgh's little brother.
While it may seem odd that a game against an NFC North team would draw my interest, it should be no surprise to those who know me. For one, I know enough Vikings' fans personally to generate a tiny rivalry with them, so it's always fun when the Bills take on the Vikings. Second, the Bills get to face Brett Favre, who is my version of the devil when it comes to NFL players. I've made no secret when it comes to my feelings on Favre so I would really enjoy watching him fall flat on his face against my team. And third, I really want to see Stevie Johnson rebound from the last game and especially do it against Cris Carter's former team. It would be that much sweeter if he did.
Before the season I predicted that both of these games would be losses and joked that nothing good comes my way in terms of sports. While the latter is mostly true, I don't think a Bills victory this week is very far-fetched anymore. The Vikings have been a disaster this season and while the Bills have only won two games, they are easily the best 2-9 team I've ever seen. The one advantage Minnesota has on Buffalo is Adrian Peterson against the worst rushing defense in the NFL. Luckily for the Bills, if Peterson even plays at all, odds are he won't be 100% for the game.
Since the last time I wrote a preview, the Bills have won two out of three games and probably should've won the third. This included a home win against Detroit that I was in attendance for and a second half thrashing of the Bengals. I will say without a doubt that Buffalo fans don't always get the credit they deserve. I'd like to see what other group of fans would fill a stadium for the most part (it was still blacked out) for their 0-8 team facing the 2-6 Lions on a rainy November afternoon and still make the same amount of noise and impact on the game. I was so proud to be a Bills fan that day.
And since I've been gone for most of November, let's see what I've missed during that time.
Ryan Fitzpatrick has continued his steady play and has pretty much ruled out the possibility of drafting a QB in the first round. In my opinion, I don't think Fitzpatrick is the answer in terms of a franchise QB. However, I do think he could hold down the job for a year or two while a second or third round pick learns the ropes from him.
Fred Jackson has now rushed for 621 yards, which is truly amazing considering the fact that he was barely used for the first four weeks of the season. Last season, Jackson had a career high 1062 rushing yards on the season. He would have to average 88 yards per game for the final five to eclipse that number, which is a definite possibility.
Stevie Johnson has 59 receptions, 796 yards receiving, and nine touchdowns so far. A few points of interest on Stevie's season so far. According to my research, Eric Moulds holds the franchise record for receptions in one season with 100 in 2002. Stevie would have to haul in 8.2 per game to tie that mark. It's a long shot, but it isn't out of the question just yet. Eric Moulds also holds the franchise record for receiving yards in a season, with 1368 in 1998. Stevie would need 114.4 per game to tie that mark. I think that is out of the question personally. But who knows? Maybe a huge 200 yard day puts it more within reach. Finally, Bill Brooks holds the franchise record for receiving touchdowns in a season with 11 in 1995. That record is by far the most attainable and could even be tied this weekend in Minnesota. One franchise record would be awesome. Two would be even better, but all three would be downright amazing.
The defense has also come around lately. Granted they still allow a ton of yards, the point totals have decreased which has really allowed the Bills to be in almost every game. After a string of five games early in the year allowing 30+ points, the Bills have gone on to allow 13, 22, 12, 31, and 19. The 31 is misleading because that game was against the Bengals where Fitzpatrick gift wrapped seven points, so in reality that was a 24 point performance for the defense. Like I said, not great, but a definite improvement over what they were earlier in the year.
Because I'm A) a huge homer and B) really liking this Bills team, I'm picking them to upset the Vikings this Sunday. It also helps that I have money riding on this game with a fellow Vikings fan.
Here are my other Week 13 picks, along with Scott's picks.
Houston @ Philadelphia
New Orleans @ Cincinnati
Chicago @ Detroit
San Francisco @ Green Bay
Jacksonville @ Tennessee
Denver @ Kansas City
Cleveland @ Miami
Washington @ NY Giants
Oakland @ San Diego
Atlanta @ Tampa Bay
Carolina @ Seattle
St. Louis @ Arizona
Dallas @ Indianapolis
Pittsburgh @ Baltimore
NY Jets @ New England
Entire Season: 111-65
SCOTT'S PICKS
Houston @ Philadelphia
New Orleans @ Cincinnati
Chicago @ Detroit
San Francisco @ Green Bay
Jacksonville @ Tennessee
Denver @ Kansas City
Cleveland @ Miami
Buffalo @ Minnesota
Washington @ NY Giants
Oakland @ San Diego
Atlanta @ Tampa Bay
Carolina @ Seattle
St. Louis @ Arizona
Dallas @ Indianapolis
Pittsburgh
@ Baltimore
NY Jets @ New England
Entire Season: 106-70
Before the season I predicted that both of these games would be losses and joked that nothing good comes my way in terms of sports. While the latter is mostly true, I don't think a Bills victory this week is very far-fetched anymore. The Vikings have been a disaster this season and while the Bills have only won two games, they are easily the best 2-9 team I've ever seen. The one advantage Minnesota has on Buffalo is Adrian Peterson against the worst rushing defense in the NFL. Luckily for the Bills, if Peterson even plays at all, odds are he won't be 100% for the game.
Since the last time I wrote a preview, the Bills have won two out of three games and probably should've won the third. This included a home win against Detroit that I was in attendance for and a second half thrashing of the Bengals. I will say without a doubt that Buffalo fans don't always get the credit they deserve. I'd like to see what other group of fans would fill a stadium for the most part (it was still blacked out) for their 0-8 team facing the 2-6 Lions on a rainy November afternoon and still make the same amount of noise and impact on the game. I was so proud to be a Bills fan that day.
And since I've been gone for most of November, let's see what I've missed during that time.
Fred Jackson has now rushed for 621 yards, which is truly amazing considering the fact that he was barely used for the first four weeks of the season. Last season, Jackson had a career high 1062 rushing yards on the season. He would have to average 88 yards per game for the final five to eclipse that number, which is a definite possibility.
Stevie Johnson has 59 receptions, 796 yards receiving, and nine touchdowns so far. A few points of interest on Stevie's season so far. According to my research, Eric Moulds holds the franchise record for receptions in one season with 100 in 2002. Stevie would have to haul in 8.2 per game to tie that mark. It's a long shot, but it isn't out of the question just yet. Eric Moulds also holds the franchise record for receiving yards in a season, with 1368 in 1998. Stevie would need 114.4 per game to tie that mark. I think that is out of the question personally. But who knows? Maybe a huge 200 yard day puts it more within reach. Finally, Bill Brooks holds the franchise record for receiving touchdowns in a season with 11 in 1995. That record is by far the most attainable and could even be tied this weekend in Minnesota. One franchise record would be awesome. Two would be even better, but all three would be downright amazing.
The defense has also come around lately. Granted they still allow a ton of yards, the point totals have decreased which has really allowed the Bills to be in almost every game. After a string of five games early in the year allowing 30+ points, the Bills have gone on to allow 13, 22, 12, 31, and 19. The 31 is misleading because that game was against the Bengals where Fitzpatrick gift wrapped seven points, so in reality that was a 24 point performance for the defense. Like I said, not great, but a definite improvement over what they were earlier in the year.
Because I'm A) a huge homer and B) really liking this Bills team, I'm picking them to upset the Vikings this Sunday. It also helps that I have money riding on this game with a fellow Vikings fan.
Here are my other Week 13 picks, along with Scott's picks.
Houston @ Philadelphia
New Orleans @ Cincinnati
Chicago @ Detroit
San Francisco @ Green Bay
Jacksonville @ Tennessee
Denver @ Kansas City
Cleveland @ Miami
Washington @ NY Giants
Oakland @ San Diego
Atlanta @ Tampa Bay
Carolina @ Seattle
St. Louis @ Arizona
Dallas @ Indianapolis
Pittsburgh @ Baltimore
NY Jets @ New England
Entire Season: 111-65
SCOTT'S PICKS
Houston @ Philadelphia
New Orleans @ Cincinnati
Chicago @ Detroit
San Francisco @ Green Bay
Jacksonville @ Tennessee
Denver @ Kansas City
Cleveland @ Miami
Buffalo @ Minnesota
Washington @ NY Giants
Oakland @ San Diego
Atlanta @ Tampa Bay
Carolina @ Seattle
St. Louis @ Arizona
Dallas @ Indianapolis
Pittsburgh
@ Baltimore
NY Jets @ New England
Entire Season: 106-70
Are the Sabres For Sale?
12/02/2010 | Posted by
Devin
Apparently they are. Or at least The Hockey News is reporting that they are.
This can mean nothing but good things for the future of the franchise. Don't get me wrong, I think Tom Golisano is a good owner and I will forever appreciate what he did for the Sabres and the city of Buffalo when he purchased the team out of bankruptcy nearly a decade ago. Without him, hockey in Buffalo might not even be a current topic anymore and Sabres gear would be sold on a rack with Hartford Whalers t-shirts.
However, Golisano's time as the owner is probably up now. He is rarely seen at games and almost never involved in anything relating to the team, besides the consistent rumors every year or so that the team is being sold. Larry Quinn is essentially the guy we always see and he is a huge part of the problem for the Sabres. While it may be Golisano's money, Quinn is the guy who is watching over the budget and restricting Darcy Regier in terms of building a Cup contender. In turn, Regier can't build an effective roster and Lindy Ruff is left trying to win with limited options. It all rolls downhill with the Sabres and it starts at the top.
(I realize the report above hints that Quinn would remain at his position, but if Pegula is the sole owner and it's his money to spend, maybe Quinn won't be so awful at what he does. Of course, this is all wishful thinking because if Quinn doesn't own a part of the team, he has no real business working for them. He can go back to his real estate deals and leave us be.)
I'll be honest and tell you that I never heard of Terry Pegula before this report surfaced. But I can say without a doubt that everything I've read about the guy has been extremely positive. Actually, it has sounded like a dream come true. He's a hockey fan, he likes the Sabres, he grew up liking the 70s era Flyers (meaning he likes a bruising style of hockey), he is extremely rich, he has donated $88 million to fund Penn State's hockey program recently (meaning he is willing to invest money without an immediate return or a return at all), and his wife is from the Western New York area.
There is a part of me that feels guarded, mostly because good things like this don't happen to Buffalo franchises, whether it be the Sabres or the Bills. An owner with this kind of interest in this team and deep pockets can only mean one thing: the Sabres would be a serious Cup contender in the near future. While the Sabres do currently spend money, there is still a self-imposed budget in place because to Golisano, this is more of a financial investment to him. According to the linked report above, Golisano purchased the Sabres and with all the concessions added in, paid roughly $62 million for the team. If that is true, selling for $150 million or a figure close to that would have to signal a success on his part. In my eyes, we all win with this deal.
I don't think with a new owner that the Sabres would be wildly drunk with money and blow it foolishly though. With Darcy still working as the GM, he would be smart and make deals in the best interest of the team. As it stands right now, the Sabres are more than $4 million under the cap. That's a lot of money in regards to a NHL team. Among the players coming off the books this season are Tim Connolly and Craig Rivet. With those two alone, that adds up to $8 million dollars in cap space. Not counting anybody else, the Sabres would have a lot of money to use towards their own talent and future free agents. With an owner truly wanting to build a winner and not just looking to make decisions based on his wallet, it signals truly exciting times for Buffalo fans.
This can mean nothing but good things for the future of the franchise. Don't get me wrong, I think Tom Golisano is a good owner and I will forever appreciate what he did for the Sabres and the city of Buffalo when he purchased the team out of bankruptcy nearly a decade ago. Without him, hockey in Buffalo might not even be a current topic anymore and Sabres gear would be sold on a rack with Hartford Whalers t-shirts.
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| Terry Pegula: Buffalo's New Owner? |
(I realize the report above hints that Quinn would remain at his position, but if Pegula is the sole owner and it's his money to spend, maybe Quinn won't be so awful at what he does. Of course, this is all wishful thinking because if Quinn doesn't own a part of the team, he has no real business working for them. He can go back to his real estate deals and leave us be.)
I'll be honest and tell you that I never heard of Terry Pegula before this report surfaced. But I can say without a doubt that everything I've read about the guy has been extremely positive. Actually, it has sounded like a dream come true. He's a hockey fan, he likes the Sabres, he grew up liking the 70s era Flyers (meaning he likes a bruising style of hockey), he is extremely rich, he has donated $88 million to fund Penn State's hockey program recently (meaning he is willing to invest money without an immediate return or a return at all), and his wife is from the Western New York area.
There is a part of me that feels guarded, mostly because good things like this don't happen to Buffalo franchises, whether it be the Sabres or the Bills. An owner with this kind of interest in this team and deep pockets can only mean one thing: the Sabres would be a serious Cup contender in the near future. While the Sabres do currently spend money, there is still a self-imposed budget in place because to Golisano, this is more of a financial investment to him. According to the linked report above, Golisano purchased the Sabres and with all the concessions added in, paid roughly $62 million for the team. If that is true, selling for $150 million or a figure close to that would have to signal a success on his part. In my eyes, we all win with this deal.
I don't think with a new owner that the Sabres would be wildly drunk with money and blow it foolishly though. With Darcy still working as the GM, he would be smart and make deals in the best interest of the team. As it stands right now, the Sabres are more than $4 million under the cap. That's a lot of money in regards to a NHL team. Among the players coming off the books this season are Tim Connolly and Craig Rivet. With those two alone, that adds up to $8 million dollars in cap space. Not counting anybody else, the Sabres would have a lot of money to use towards their own talent and future free agents. With an owner truly wanting to build a winner and not just looking to make decisions based on his wallet, it signals truly exciting times for Buffalo fans.
Thoughts on Stevie and my self-imposed ban on ESPN
11/30/2010 | Posted by
Devin
This is a true story. I used to hate Terrell Owens and believed everything I heard about the guy. I thought he was a terrible teammate, a terrible person, and an overrated player.
Then he came to Buffalo. I hated the move, mostly because of what I said above. But I opened up to him very quickly. Some can call it a flip-flop opinion, but the truth is that once he was on my team, I started to realize the truth about T.O. and not believe things I read in the media. For example: T.O.'s "outburst" on the sidelines during a game against the Titans that was blown up on Sportscenter the following day. But I saw the game. I saw what T.O. actually did. And to be honest, any player that cares about winning would've lost their cool during that game. It was absolutely horrendous. Come to think of it, Dick Jauron was fired following that game so as you might imagine, things weren't going well for the Bills.
This is what major media outlets do though, they love to take non-stories that have little to do with the game and hammer them to death 24 hours a day. And yes, this is specifically aimed at ESPN because they are by far the biggest offender of this.
(On a quick little side note: I find it hilarious when everybody clamors about what a great leader Tom Brady is when he's flipping out on the sidelines during the Pittsburgh game, but if T.O. or Ochocinco pull the same stunt, they are a cancer to the team. Hypocrisy at its finest.)
As we speak, ESPN is going on about LeBron James bumping into his coach, Eric Spoelstra. Do you know what they aren't talking about? The 14-2 San Antonio Spurs. The 14-5 Utah Jazz. (Although to be fair, they talked about the Jazz quite a bit when they beat the Heat.) I understand that LeBron James is one of, if not the biggest, stars in the NBA. I understand that his decision to leave Cleveland was an enormous sports story. And I understand that since the Miami Heat decided to become a super team, they would be covered ad nauseam. But as a sports fan in general without an NBA team, I'd like to know what's going on in the league. I actually had no idea the Spurs were the best team before I wrote this because I had to look it up. I shouldn't have to do that. It's not just with the NBA either.
When ESPN isn't camping out in Minnesota (which isn't nearly as often since Brad Childress was fired), they can usually be found in Dallas covering the most high profile 3-8 team in NFL history. Seriously, the Cowboys get more attention than any team in the NFL and they suck. But hey, when ESPN is running the show, they will tell you what they want to tell you and you're just gonna have deal with that.
As an NFL fan, I care about the two huge games this Sunday; Jets at Patriots and Steelers at Ravens. Do you know which game you'll hear more about going through the week? Jets at Patriots. Do you know why? Because Rex Ryan hoards attention and ESPN loves to feed into it. The Bears and Packers are in an absolute slugfest for the NFC North title this season, but I'd doubt you'll hear about that when we can talk about the 2-9 Bills losing an irrelevant regular season game and Stevie Johnson's Twitter account.
On the topic of Stevie's tweet, there are a few things I want to point out. First, I do not think for a second that Stevie Johnson was blaming God for dropping the game winning touchdown on Sunday. He's a kid and had one million different emotions running through him immediately after the game. Foolishly, he went to Twitter first and vented. It came out wrong and I don't think it was the right move, but people need to stop claiming that be blamed God.
(And if he honestly did, who cares? Players consistently praise God after a victory, as if some higher power cared about the outcome of an NFL football game. That is just as ridiculous as this, if not more because it happens on a daily basis.)
Second, what the hell? The Bills are 2-9 and this loss is just as crushing as the losses against Baltimore and Kansas City this season. What about the losses against Dallas and New England on Monday Night Football in past years? Those were much worse in the grand scheme of things. But you wouldn't know this listening to ESPN. I actually heard Steve Levy on Sportscenter relate Sunday's loss to the "No Goal" incident for the Sabres. Was he serious? Yes he was. He actually compared a regular season loss for a team already eliminated from the playoffs to Buffalo's hockey team losing the Stanley Cup on home ice to a goal that should have been disallowed. Are you kidding me? This might be the dumbest thing I've heard in my entire life. He should've been fired on the spot for saying that.
So why is this game getting so much attention? I'd assume it's because Stevie took to Twitter after the game. You know what else Stevie did? He opted to not ignore the media, not face them at his locker, but to actually go to the podium and man-up for his mistake. Don't think for a second that it was easy for him to do that. Any human being could see how devastated he was for dropping the ball. Instead of pulling a stunt I've seen dozens of times before where the player avoids the media, Stevie faced it like a man. Outside of a few columnists on Around the Horn and Peter King, I haven't seen anybody truly give him credit for this. But hey, why give someone credit in a moment of failure when we can pile on him and make it 100x worse?
My likeness for Stevie Johnson has been no secret throughout this season. He played a major role in losing the game against Pittsburgh, which was equivalent to my Super Bowl this season. And yet, I think I like him even more now. He manned up and took his medicine. He showed genuine emotion. He bawled his eyes out because he let his teammates and the fans down. I want players on my favorite team to care as much as him. We always hear about how it's a business and some athletes come off like they're robots designed to play sports, make money, and be a celebrity with no emotion. Here is a kid who really cares about what happened and the media wants to pour salt in the wound instead. Screw you guys. I wish the Bills had 53 players like Stevie Johnson. Hell, I wish the Sabres had one player like Stevie Johnson (who isn't the goalie).
I know Buffalo fans know this, but I wonder how many others know just how difficult Scott Norwood's Super Bowl XXV kick was. All they know is what they're told. Norwood missed a field goal at the end of the game to win the Super Bowl. He cost them the game. What they don't know is that it was a 47 yard attempt on natural grass. In other words, it was not an easy kick to begin with, and then you add in the pressure. According to Pro-Football-Reference, Norwood was 6 of 10 in 1990 on field goals from 40-49 yards. I won't continue to rehash this story because I think I've made my point. There are several different reasons why the Bills lost that game, one of them being Scott Norwood. However, it's no fun to focus on all those other factors when we can pile on one individual and beat away at him about it.
I'm not pulling a Steve Levy and comparing an overly significant moment in Buffalo history to this overall insignificant one, but I needed to give another example of how most factors are thrown out the window when the opportunity arises to publically humiliate someone.
I suppose the moral of the story would be how this situation could've been avoided if Stevie just stayed off Twitter. Almost. He still would've felt Cris Carter's wrath on Monday Night Countdown because apparently Johnson wronged Carter at some point in his life. I've never seen a supposed unbiased TV personality hammer away at a player the way Carter has in the last two weeks.
First it was over the way Johnson was dressed during his presser at the Cincinnati game. I guess he could've been dressed up in a suit like Tom Brady usually does, but maybe Stevie wanted to do the interview right after the game (he did) and not wait until later. Is it a big deal? No. Lots of players do their pressers right after the game. Ryan Fitzpatrick does his in full pads. No big deal. Who cares? I shrugged it off because Stevie poked right back at Carter when he appeared on ESPN's First Take wearing a tuxedo t-shirt. There is no doubt that in my opinion, this made me like Stevie Johnson even more than I did before.
But yesterday I had to draw the line as a fan of Johnson and the Bills. In the morning Cris Carter went on Mike and Mike and basically said that Johnson's bad game against Pittsburgh was because he did TV and radio interviews Tuesday through Thursday. Right, I totally believe that. Then Carter (and I knew this was coming all night but watched anyways) finished him off on the C'Mon Man segment during Monday Night Countdown. Carter not only highlighted every single drop from Sunday, but then rolled tape of himself hanging out with Hakeem Nicks and catching passes in a dome, with nobody around, and really no other circumstances involving the situation. This wasn't a typical C'Mon Man segment. Not even close. This was a flat out attempt to embarrass Johnson even more for his drops and for that, Cris Carter is an absolute joke. Keyshawn Johnson highlighted several key drops for his fellow USC Trojans on the weekend and that was that. He didn't then roll highlights of himself catching balls over the weekend and drag them through the mud even more. But hey, I guess Carter has to do what he has to do to feel good about himself. Maybe one day he'll get in the Hall of Fame and that will take away some of his pain from making a whopping zero Super Bowl appearances in his career.
All of this is why I've enforced a self-imposed ban on ESPN for the rest of the week. I can't stomach it anymore. I used to laugh and roll my eyes when they'd be going on about T.O., but I think I've hit my breaking point this week. We'll see how it goes but there is a chance this lasts longer than a week. I watch the games, so I know what happens on Sunday. I read enough during the week to catch up on the news. I follow enough people on Twitter to get updates without ignorant opinions. And it's not like ESPN even bothers with the NHL, so I won't be missing out on anything there either.
As for Stevie, he'll be fine. He'll learn from his Twitter mistake and I'm sure it won't happen again. He has the support of the Bills organization, including Ryan Fitzpatrick and his teammates. He also has the support from the real fans and that's all that matters. I just hope Stevie saw what Carter said and did on TV Monday night because last time I checked; the Bills play Carter's former team in his former home. Should be interesting. Hey Cris, why so serious?
Then he came to Buffalo. I hated the move, mostly because of what I said above. But I opened up to him very quickly. Some can call it a flip-flop opinion, but the truth is that once he was on my team, I started to realize the truth about T.O. and not believe things I read in the media. For example: T.O.'s "outburst" on the sidelines during a game against the Titans that was blown up on Sportscenter the following day. But I saw the game. I saw what T.O. actually did. And to be honest, any player that cares about winning would've lost their cool during that game. It was absolutely horrendous. Come to think of it, Dick Jauron was fired following that game so as you might imagine, things weren't going well for the Bills.
This is what major media outlets do though, they love to take non-stories that have little to do with the game and hammer them to death 24 hours a day. And yes, this is specifically aimed at ESPN because they are by far the biggest offender of this.
(On a quick little side note: I find it hilarious when everybody clamors about what a great leader Tom Brady is when he's flipping out on the sidelines during the Pittsburgh game, but if T.O. or Ochocinco pull the same stunt, they are a cancer to the team. Hypocrisy at its finest.)
As we speak, ESPN is going on about LeBron James bumping into his coach, Eric Spoelstra. Do you know what they aren't talking about? The 14-2 San Antonio Spurs. The 14-5 Utah Jazz. (Although to be fair, they talked about the Jazz quite a bit when they beat the Heat.) I understand that LeBron James is one of, if not the biggest, stars in the NBA. I understand that his decision to leave Cleveland was an enormous sports story. And I understand that since the Miami Heat decided to become a super team, they would be covered ad nauseam. But as a sports fan in general without an NBA team, I'd like to know what's going on in the league. I actually had no idea the Spurs were the best team before I wrote this because I had to look it up. I shouldn't have to do that. It's not just with the NBA either.
When ESPN isn't camping out in Minnesota (which isn't nearly as often since Brad Childress was fired), they can usually be found in Dallas covering the most high profile 3-8 team in NFL history. Seriously, the Cowboys get more attention than any team in the NFL and they suck. But hey, when ESPN is running the show, they will tell you what they want to tell you and you're just gonna have deal with that.
As an NFL fan, I care about the two huge games this Sunday; Jets at Patriots and Steelers at Ravens. Do you know which game you'll hear more about going through the week? Jets at Patriots. Do you know why? Because Rex Ryan hoards attention and ESPN loves to feed into it. The Bears and Packers are in an absolute slugfest for the NFC North title this season, but I'd doubt you'll hear about that when we can talk about the 2-9 Bills losing an irrelevant regular season game and Stevie Johnson's Twitter account.
(And if he honestly did, who cares? Players consistently praise God after a victory, as if some higher power cared about the outcome of an NFL football game. That is just as ridiculous as this, if not more because it happens on a daily basis.)
Second, what the hell? The Bills are 2-9 and this loss is just as crushing as the losses against Baltimore and Kansas City this season. What about the losses against Dallas and New England on Monday Night Football in past years? Those were much worse in the grand scheme of things. But you wouldn't know this listening to ESPN. I actually heard Steve Levy on Sportscenter relate Sunday's loss to the "No Goal" incident for the Sabres. Was he serious? Yes he was. He actually compared a regular season loss for a team already eliminated from the playoffs to Buffalo's hockey team losing the Stanley Cup on home ice to a goal that should have been disallowed. Are you kidding me? This might be the dumbest thing I've heard in my entire life. He should've been fired on the spot for saying that.
So why is this game getting so much attention? I'd assume it's because Stevie took to Twitter after the game. You know what else Stevie did? He opted to not ignore the media, not face them at his locker, but to actually go to the podium and man-up for his mistake. Don't think for a second that it was easy for him to do that. Any human being could see how devastated he was for dropping the ball. Instead of pulling a stunt I've seen dozens of times before where the player avoids the media, Stevie faced it like a man. Outside of a few columnists on Around the Horn and Peter King, I haven't seen anybody truly give him credit for this. But hey, why give someone credit in a moment of failure when we can pile on him and make it 100x worse?
My likeness for Stevie Johnson has been no secret throughout this season. He played a major role in losing the game against Pittsburgh, which was equivalent to my Super Bowl this season. And yet, I think I like him even more now. He manned up and took his medicine. He showed genuine emotion. He bawled his eyes out because he let his teammates and the fans down. I want players on my favorite team to care as much as him. We always hear about how it's a business and some athletes come off like they're robots designed to play sports, make money, and be a celebrity with no emotion. Here is a kid who really cares about what happened and the media wants to pour salt in the wound instead. Screw you guys. I wish the Bills had 53 players like Stevie Johnson. Hell, I wish the Sabres had one player like Stevie Johnson (who isn't the goalie).
I know Buffalo fans know this, but I wonder how many others know just how difficult Scott Norwood's Super Bowl XXV kick was. All they know is what they're told. Norwood missed a field goal at the end of the game to win the Super Bowl. He cost them the game. What they don't know is that it was a 47 yard attempt on natural grass. In other words, it was not an easy kick to begin with, and then you add in the pressure. According to Pro-Football-Reference, Norwood was 6 of 10 in 1990 on field goals from 40-49 yards. I won't continue to rehash this story because I think I've made my point. There are several different reasons why the Bills lost that game, one of them being Scott Norwood. However, it's no fun to focus on all those other factors when we can pile on one individual and beat away at him about it.
I'm not pulling a Steve Levy and comparing an overly significant moment in Buffalo history to this overall insignificant one, but I needed to give another example of how most factors are thrown out the window when the opportunity arises to publically humiliate someone.
First it was over the way Johnson was dressed during his presser at the Cincinnati game. I guess he could've been dressed up in a suit like Tom Brady usually does, but maybe Stevie wanted to do the interview right after the game (he did) and not wait until later. Is it a big deal? No. Lots of players do their pressers right after the game. Ryan Fitzpatrick does his in full pads. No big deal. Who cares? I shrugged it off because Stevie poked right back at Carter when he appeared on ESPN's First Take wearing a tuxedo t-shirt. There is no doubt that in my opinion, this made me like Stevie Johnson even more than I did before.
But yesterday I had to draw the line as a fan of Johnson and the Bills. In the morning Cris Carter went on Mike and Mike and basically said that Johnson's bad game against Pittsburgh was because he did TV and radio interviews Tuesday through Thursday. Right, I totally believe that. Then Carter (and I knew this was coming all night but watched anyways) finished him off on the C'Mon Man segment during Monday Night Countdown. Carter not only highlighted every single drop from Sunday, but then rolled tape of himself hanging out with Hakeem Nicks and catching passes in a dome, with nobody around, and really no other circumstances involving the situation. This wasn't a typical C'Mon Man segment. Not even close. This was a flat out attempt to embarrass Johnson even more for his drops and for that, Cris Carter is an absolute joke. Keyshawn Johnson highlighted several key drops for his fellow USC Trojans on the weekend and that was that. He didn't then roll highlights of himself catching balls over the weekend and drag them through the mud even more. But hey, I guess Carter has to do what he has to do to feel good about himself. Maybe one day he'll get in the Hall of Fame and that will take away some of his pain from making a whopping zero Super Bowl appearances in his career.
All of this is why I've enforced a self-imposed ban on ESPN for the rest of the week. I can't stomach it anymore. I used to laugh and roll my eyes when they'd be going on about T.O., but I think I've hit my breaking point this week. We'll see how it goes but there is a chance this lasts longer than a week. I watch the games, so I know what happens on Sunday. I read enough during the week to catch up on the news. I follow enough people on Twitter to get updates without ignorant opinions. And it's not like ESPN even bothers with the NHL, so I won't be missing out on anything there either.
As for Stevie, he'll be fine. He'll learn from his Twitter mistake and I'm sure it won't happen again. He has the support of the Bills organization, including Ryan Fitzpatrick and his teammates. He also has the support from the real fans and that's all that matters. I just hope Stevie saw what Carter said and did on TV Monday night because last time I checked; the Bills play Carter's former team in his former home. Should be interesting. Hey Cris, why so serious?
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