Week 16 Predictions

Vikings at Packers
As Brett Favre starts perhaps his final home game, Tarvarias Jackson starts his first game ever. The crowd will be doubly into the game. Packers 30, Vikings 14

Chiefs at Raiders
The Chiefs want to go to the playoffs. The Raiders want to go home. Chiefs 23, Raiders 7

Ravens at Steelers
Games between these two teams are always tough to predict, but Baltimore did beat Pittsburgh this year, at home, 27-0. However, now Pittsburgh is at home, and they are also riding a 3 game win streak. Steelers 17, Ravens 14

Panthers at Falcons
The season began with high expectations for the Panthers and now their schedule puts them in a situation where they could lose 10 games. Falcons 20, Panthers 10

Bears at Lions
The Bears didn't exactly dominate a bad team last week, but Detroit has given up on this season. Bears 24, Lions 6

Colts at Texans
Against the Bengals, the defense gelled and somehow played well after their embarrassment against the Jaguars. Colts 35, Texans 10

Patriots at Jaguars
I give up on reasonably predicting any game in which the Jaguars participate. Patriots 24, Jaguars 17

Saints at Giants
A big game here. The Giants desperately need a win for playoffs, the Saints really want one to step towards a first round bye. One team is more desperate, but the Saints might come out with a little extra after their loss to Washington. Saints 31, Giants 27

Buccaneers at Browns
I wonder if anybody will watch this game. Buccaneers 17, Browns 13

Bills at Titans
This should be a good game, between two very hot teams. The Titans have been winning close and one wonders when their luck will run out. Bills 21, Titans 16

Redskins at Rams
The Redskins defense finally woke up, against one of the league's best offenses, about 14 games too late. The Rams weren't too shabby last week on defense but that was the Raiders. Redskins 24, Rams 21

Cardinals at 49ers
How San Francisco is playing for their playoff lives in week 16 is unknowable. 49ers 27, Cardinals 20

Bengals at Broncos
Both teams find themselves in tough situations, at 8-6. The loser of this game is probably done. It's a tough one to predict. Bengals 30, Broncos 20

Chargers at Seahawks
A win here for the Chargers puts them at home through the playoffs. They won't blow their 8-game win streak against a team that has not yet won the NFC West. Chargers 33, Seahawks 21

Eagles at Cowboys
Three weeks ago it looked like by now Dallas would be cruising and Philly would be done. Instead, it's a huge, huge game. Dallas probably wins if only because they are at home. If Philly wins it will be because of Garcia's experience and Romo's inexperience. Cowboys 20, Eagles 17

Jets at Dolphins
Miami has had a very topsy-turvy string of weeks now, and the Jets also to a lesser extent. New York is the better team. Jets 20, Dolphins 10

NFL Power Rankings Post Week 15

1. Chargers 12-2 (E) They continue to make it look easy. Or, rather, Tomlinson continues to make it look easy for them.
2. Bears 12-2 (E) It might have been ugly, and that defense has got to be worrysome, but they did win.
3. Ravens 11-3 (E) Boller had his second great relief performance of the season. He's played well in limited opportunities but the Ravens would be foolish to start him.
4. Colts 11-3 (+2) Surprisingly easy win for the Colts. Rudi Johnson did nearly no damage, which was a surprise after Taylor and Jones-Drew last week.
   
5. Patriots 10-4 (+2) The Texans are pushovers nowadays but the win was dominating.
6. Saints 9-5 (-2) The topsy-turvy nature of today's NFL is getting way out of control. Can't put the Cowboys above them because of the drubbing of two weeks ago.
7. Cowboys 9-5 (+1) After two poor games, Romo returned. The race for the other first round bye is going to be close.
8. Eagles 8-6 (+3) How the heck did they get this high? I had them 22nd just a few weeks ago.
9. Broncos 8-6 (+7) Yeah, it was just the Cardinals. But a bunch of teams that were above them last week lost.
10. Jaguars 8-6 (-1) What a flukey loss. Just when you think they have it together, that inconsistency jumps out. Garrard was looking great in weeks before but was disappointing Sunday.
11. Jets 8-6 (+6) Here's another inconsistent team. Pennington played well.
12. Bengals 8-6 (-7) Just when they were looking hot at the perfect time, they fall embarrassingly flat against the Colts.
    
13. Seahawks 8-6 (-3) Another bad loss and they still have to put the division away. That might not happen this week, but they had better beat the Bucs.
14. Titans 7-7 (+1) Deja vu, two thousand and two. Last week was Vikes-Falcons of 2002 all over again. This week was Steelers-Texans of 2002 all over again.
15. Steelers 7-7 (+3) The Super Bowl champs are getting hot, but it is too little, too late.
    
16. Chiefs 7-7 (-2) Can't penalize a team too much for losing to the Chargers these days.
17. Giants 7-7 (-5) Manning was not horrific in the game but definitely could have played better. Against Dallas and Philly, red zone field goals have been killing them.
18. Bills 7-7 (+2) J.P. Losman is quietly having a magnificent breakout season. The AFC East seemed week coming into the season, but it has not been bad this year.
19. Falcons 7-7 (-6) How many 7-7 teams are there? Mediocrity indeed reigns.
20. Packers 6-8 (+3) An amazing performance by the defense, overcoming three Favre interceptions.
21. 49ers 6-8 (+7) You didn't think they could beat the Seahawks at Qwest, especially in crappy weather. But they did, and Alex Smith looked like Joe Montana for just one night.
22. Rams 6-8 (+3) It was the Raiders, but shutouts are always impressive.
    
23. Dolphins 6-8 (-2) Shut out. Bad. They looked like they were on a roll just two weeks ago, but now Nick Saban's second season is a regression.
24. Vikings 6-8 (-2) Word is Tarvarias Jackson will now start. It's just as well, with Brad Johnson playing poorly and doing nothing for the future. Might as well see what the new guy can do.
25. Redskins 5-9 (+2) Jason Campbell can play. He just needs to keep his accuracy consistent from play to play. Some beautiful throws, some horrendous ones.
26. Panthers 6-8 (-7) Freefall. And they were my Super Bowl pick. Thirty-four points is horrible.
    
27. Browns 4-10 (-1) Giving the Ravens a close game is nothing bad, although the Browns are still terrible against the AFC North.
    
28. Cardinals 4-10 (-4) Leinart lost the battle of the rookie QBs despite having the earlier start. We're still far, far from success in the desert.
29. Buccaneers 3-11 (+1) Yeah, put them higher for giving the Bears a big run for their money.
30. Texans 4-10 (-1) Horrible. Include the Texans now in those list of teams who are ranked by how bad they are rather than how good they are.
31. Lions 2-12 (E) The defense held up its end, but that was bad on offense. But it can always get worse:
32. Raiders 2-12 (E) Like this. This is worse.
    

Week 15 Predictions

49ers at Seahawks
The weather is going to be wild as two of the NFL's best backs will be playing. It will be a low-scoring affair. Seahawks 14, 49ers 7

Cowboys at Falcons
With Dallas coming off a tough loss, and Atlanta rebounding, this will be a hard fought game to the end. It could be time for Tony Romo to break out of his two game funk. Cowboys 21, Falcons 17

Browns at Ravens
The Browns typically have trouble within their division, though they gave Baltimore a run for their money earlier this year. But the Browns were the home team then. Ravens 20, Browns 3

Lions at Packers
While the Packers were getting written off prior to their win last week, anybody should be able to beat the Lions. Packers 30, Lions 20

Texans at Patriots
Although the Pats finally lost to an inferior team, that was on the road against the Dolphins, who always give the Pats fits. Patriots 24, Texans 20

Jaguars at Titans
Tennessee is on a roll, edging out victories against superior opposition. But against the probably playoff bound Jaguars, who are on a mini-streak of their own, there's a good chance it will end. Jaguars 20, Titans 17

Dolphins at Bills
Both teams are coming off of upset victories that have them at 6-7. Both teams have winning records in their last six games. All their losses in those recent games were to teams with winning records. There is no way to make a logical prediction in this game, except to take the home team by default. Bills 21, Dolphins 18

Jets at Vikings
One week ago, the Jets looked like they had an easy road to the playoffs. We'll account their loss to intradivisional rivalry, and pick them over the Vikings, 2-5 in their last 7 games. Jets 24, Vikings 17

Steelers at Panthers
The Panthers are falling fast. The Steelers can still play when they want to, and they are on a roll. Steelers 24, Panthers 17

Buccaneers at Bears
Not many games on the week 15 schedule that will be over by the start of the 4th quarter. This is one of them. Bears 24, Buccaneers 3

Redskins at Saints
Another game that will probably be over quickly. Brees passes for over 300 yards. Saints 27, Redskins 13

Broncos at Cardinals
The rookie QB's picked back to back face off. Arizona has won 3 of 4 and Denver has lost 4 straight. Cardinals 27, Broncos 17

Eagles at Giants
Game of the week here, very huge. One wonders how long Jeff Garcia or Eli Manning can keep up their solid play. New York had a huge comeback in week 2, but I don't think they'll need it this time around. Giants 27, Eagles 20

Rams at Raiders
The two teams that ditched Los Angeles. Neither team has been remotely good of late. Expect little scoring here. Rams 13, Raiders 10

Chiefs at Chargers
San Diego is looking unstoppable. They finally had a rout last week, but after 5 straight close calls against teams such as Cleveland and Oakland. This one will be close too, and it's hard to pick against San Diego. Chargers 27, Chiefs 24

Bengals at Colts
Can Rudy Johnson run for 200 yards? Stay tuned. The Bengals are on fire lately and the Colts have struggled big-time. I don't know if a Cincy win makes this an upset, but I think they'll pull this one out. Bengals 30, Colts 27

NFL Power Rankings Post Week 14

I apologize for missing the past few days. Franchise in Focus will return December 16 with the Chicago Cubs.

1. Chargers 11-2 (E) Congrats to LaDainian Tomlinson for his TD record. If there's a formula for keeping him out of the endzone, someone needs to find it quick.
2. Bears 11-2 (+2) Congrats to Devin Hester for his TD record. Grossman, while not amazing, did nothing to screw it up.
3. Ravens 10-3 (+2) This is looking like the one team that could give the Chargers a big run for their money.
4. Saints 9-4 (+3) Domination took place in that rout of the Cowboys. Drew Brees might just be the best quarterback in the league.
5. Bengals 8-5 (+3) Yes, it was the Raiders, but it was convincing, and the Colts and Patriots were just that bad.
6. Colts 10-3 (-4) Allowing two guys 100 yards on 10+ per carry is just ridiculous.
7. Patriots 9-4 (-4) That offense should be ashamed.
8. Cowboys 8-5 (-2) Suddenly, one more misstep and they're in big trouble in the division.
9. Jaguars 8-5 (+1) Maurice Jones-Drew is looking like one more in a long line of Rookie of the Year candidates.
10. Seahawks 8-5 (-1) Yeah, it was a bad loss, but I really can't see putting them any lower.
11. Eagles 7-6 (+3) The big jump probably reflects more so on the 7-5 teams that embarrassed themselves this weekend.
12. Giants 7-6 (+4) See above.
    
13. Falcons 7-6 (+5) See above again. It wasn't pretty but they got it done.
14. Chiefs 7-6 (-2) A poor showing, but it did occur against Baltimore's stingy defense. Damon Huard might be a better fit here than Trent Green.
15. Titans 6-7 (+2) Eerily reminiscent of Vick against the Vikes in 2002, Vince does it again.
16. Broncos 7-6 (-3) I kept KC above the Titans but couldn't do the same with Denver, who just gave up while the game was still in reach.
17. Jets 7-6 (-6) To the Bills? In today's league, just when you think a team is breaking out...
    
18. Steelers 6-7 (+1) Ok, it was a nice win, but I didn't plan on seeing Anderson doing in a start what he did in relief the week before anyway. Congrats to Willie Parker.
    
19. Panthers 6-7 (-4) As much as you could blame Delhomme for the loss to Philly, you still would much rather have him than Weinke.
20. Bills 6-7 (+1) Everybody saw the Jets' easy remaining schedule and many thus penciled them in, but it was clearly too early. Willis McGahee said so.
21. Dolphins 6-7 (+1) A large collection of the middle of the pack teams only got murkier. In reality, who really knows how to rank teams 11-22?
22. Vikings 6-7 (+2) Ok, they won, but it was the Lions after all.
23. Packers 5-8 (+6) Favre has always been able to bring it against the 49ers, and it continued.
    
24. Cardinals 4-9 (+3) A good win for this team. Add an offensive linemen, and maybe we take them seriously again in 2007? Nah, never works out....
    
25. Rams 5-8 (-2) They lost because of defense and special teams. The offense put up 27, maybe the Chicago D should be a little worried about that?
26. Browns 4-9 (-6) They've been all over the place. That was a horrible follow up to a great win against the Chiefs.
27. Redskins 4-9 (-2) I'm close to saying Betts is a better fit in the District than Portis.
28. 49ers 5-8 (-2) Losing to the Saints was understandable. Losing to the Packers was a regression.
29. Texans 4-9 (-1) They couldn't quite find a solution for Vince Young's legs. They almost did, but not quite.
30. Buccaneers 3-10 (+2) The defense actually kept them in the game for a while. The Bucs, Raiders, and Lions all suck, and at this points they're ratings fluctuate pretty much based on how much they suck from week to week.
31. Lions 2-11 (-1) See above.
32. Raiders 2-11 (-1) See above.
    

Case for the Hall: Mark McGwire

Player Stats

Why Yea?
In 1998, McGwire and Sammy Sosa riveted the nation, as both chased and would eventually pass Roger Maris for the single season home run record. McGwire won the battle with Sosa and the record with 70 on the season (though he lost the MVP battle to Sosa). In 1999 McGwire would pass Maris again, with 65 home runs. His career ended after a 29-HR campaign a mere two years later, in 2001, leaving him with a career total of 583 home runs, which ranked fifth all time upon his retirement. He also ended his career with 1,414 RBI's, including 7 seasons with 100 or more. On the home run front he would have 4 seasons (all consecutive, from 1996-1999) with 50 or more and 6 with 40 or more. His home run total, and record setting season, is definitely deserving of the Hall, and his RBI totals are difficult to overlook. Also impressive are his 12 appearances in the All-Star game.

Why Nea?
Beyond the HR and RBI numbers, McGwire's stats are underwhelming. He ended his career with 1,626 base hits. When you consider, then, that over one third of his hits were home runs, he seems like a very hit-or-miss batter. His 1,596 career strikeouts and .263 career average lend more credence to this thought. McGwire, of course, also offered no extra dimension on the basepaths--his double totals are low, let alone triples. Nor was he of much use in the field. Also, if one is to give McGwire major credit for 1998, his final season can only be regarded as an embarrassment: he batted .187 and struck out 118 times on 299 at-bats. And his hit distribution looked very odd: 23 singles, 4 doubles, 0 triples, and 29 home runs.

Summary
Sure, his HR numbers are great and his RBI numbers are impressive. But there are far more unimpressive numbers. The statistic that sticks out most as a sore thumb is the 1,626 hits. Among first basemen in the Hall, only Frank Chance has a lower number. It is difficult to reject the 583 home runs but easy to reject the rest of his numbers (in some ways, it is even easy to reject the home run numbers). And when just one statistic is impressive enough for Hall of Fame consideration, there should be doubts about the rest of a candidate's credentials.

Verdict: No

Week 14 Predictions

Browns at Steelers
Didn't these teams just play? In Cleveland a big Big Ben 4th quarter carried Pittsburgh. Derek Anderson played well in relief of Charlie Frye, but it's going to be completely different with him starting. Steelers 24, Browns 10

Falcons at Buccaneers
Tampa Bay has been horrible of late. Don't expect their offense to wake up in this game. Falcons 24, Buccaneers 10

Ravens at Chiefs
A huge game for both sides, with both teams seeing their playoff position falter in tough losses last week. This is going to be an interesting game, as one side is very lacking on offense and the other is very lacking on defense. Ravens 17, Chiefs 13

Colts at Jaguars
I said it last week, and it failed me then, but I'm going to again say that the Jaguars are too inconsistent this season for me to trust. Colts 24, Jaguars 19

Vikings at Lions
Who cares? Lions 13, Vikings 9

Patriots at Dolphins
After a win streak, Miami got shut down by those darned Jaguars. New England has barely been scraping by; look for it to continue. Patriots 23, Dolphins 20

Giants at Panthers
The biggest game of the week. It looks like Delhomme will be at less than 100%, if he plays at all, which can only hurt the Panthers. Can you picture Chris Weinke playing well? Giants 24, Panthers 17

Raiders at Bengals
If Cincinnati doesn't win, they don't deserve to make the playoffs. Bengals 38, Raiders 10

Eagles at Redskins
Just a week ago Philly seemed to be in trouble, but now Jeff Garcia looks like an adequate replacement for McNabb. At this point Washington just wants to see Campbell play well. Eagles 27, Redskins 17

Titans at Texans
It's hard to pick against the Titans these days. And it's easy to pick against the Texans. So make this an upset pick. Tennessee's string of close wins is going to run out in a major letdown. Teams tend to fall back to earth when it is least expected. Texans 20, Titans 14

Packers at 49ers
With Rodgers hurt, there can't even be a QB controversy in Green Bay, leaving Favre trying too hard to carry the team. 49ers 27, Packers 24

Seahawks at Cardinals
With Hasselbeck and Alexander back at full strength, you have to take Seattle seriously as a possible NFC rep in the Super Bowl. Seahawks 31, Cardinals 24

Bills at Jets
The Jets could easily go 11-5 looking at their schedule. The Bills, however, are playing everybody tough. This will go down to the wire. Jets 24, Bills 21

Broncos at Chargers
San Diego has barely been scraping by. If Denver's defense (or anyone's defense) can stop Tomlinson they have a chance. However, you can't like Cutler's team in his second start. Chargers 21, Broncos 16

Saints at Cowboys
Game of the year in the NFC here. Romo showed he was human last week, but Brees has been lights out all year. This might come off as an upset even though both teams are 8-4. Saints 31, Cowboys 28

Bears at Rams
St. Louis has got to be frustrated with itself. It will only continue after Grossman struggles again but the Rams are stuck in the mud against the Chicago defense. Bears 10, Rams 3

NFL Power Rankings Post Week 13

1. Chargers 10-2 (+2) They get this spot mostly by default, because their winning games by slim margins against inferior teams, while others are losing to inferior teams.
2. Colts 10-2 (-1) Who would have thought that Peyton would throw for 350 yards in a loss. A fluke field goal led to this loss, but playing down to the Titans level--again--leaves questions for this team.
3. Patriots 9-3 (+1) Like the Chargers, they keep barely scraping by. Almost losing to Detroit leaves huge questions for this team, but with no other teams stepping up, they can't be penalized for a win.
4. Bears 10-2 (+1) Says something about the rest of the team when you can win with a 1.3 passer rating from your QB.
5. Ravens 9-3 (-3) Perhaps it's not fair to drop them so far for a loss to a very good team, but the timing of the first stagnant offensive display under Billick should be a source of worry.
6. Cowboys 8-4 (E) Had it not been for one pass, we'd be talking about Romo's coming to earth experience.
7. Saints 8-4 (E) Bush finally had his breakout game, even though his rushing average could still be better.
8. Bengals 7-5 (E) The third of a logjam of teams that won, but not impressively enough compared to other teams to move up.
9. Seahawks 8-4 (+1) The eight teams above them look like they have a chance of doing great things; Seattle is the first big drop from this, almost allowing Jay Cutler to beat them. Seattle's offense is back on track with Alexander and Hasselbeck back, so if they continue winning, they just might be a favorite in the playoffs.
10. Jaguars 7-5 (+3) This team only gets stranger and stranger. The Dolphins were hot coming in but Jacksonville cooled them off big time.
11. Jets 7-5 (+3) That was an impressive win. Nobody would have thought that the Jets could cause trouble, but Pennington is back and this team will be able to do some things.
12. Chiefs 7-5 (-3) Losing to the Browns is inexcusable, especially against Derek Anderson. This defense is going to be the weak link yet again.
13. Broncos 7-5 (-1) For a first start for Cutler, it could have been worse.
14. Eagles 6-6 (+8) I really didn't see them beating Carolina, and I definitely didn't see Garcia playing this well. They've gone from also-rans to contenders in just one week.
15. Panthers 6-6 (-4) Delhomme's first interception was absolutely inexcusable. As goes he the team goes.
16. Giants 6-6 (-1) Inexcusable is the word of the day, applying here to that coverage on the Witten catch, and that dumb fumble Kiwanuka committed. Manning came back strong, though, which can only encourage Giants fans.
17. Titans 5-7 (+1) A second team this season wins on a 60+ yard field goal. The Vince Young legend grows as an indirect result.
18. Falcons 6-6 (+6) After the first quarter, it looked like the Falcons would only tumble further down the rankings. Now, they are right back in the hunt.
19. Steelers 5-7 (+6) Can't say much, except they won handily, which is what you should expect against a struggling team such as the Bucs.
20. Browns 4-8 (+10) The big jump comes not just in the impressiveness of their win, beating a division contender, but also because the teams yet to be named all struggled this week.
21. Bills 5-7 (-4) They hung with the Chargers but LT was just too much.
22. Dolphins 5-7 (-6) It looked like they were going to finish strong, just like last year, but it came to a crashing halt against the Jags.
23. Rams 5-7 (-2) Right back to losing, this time to the Cardinals. Bulger has a reason to question his team's desire; a team with such talent at QB, RB, and WR should not struggle like this.
24. Vikings 5-7 (-5) So much for veteran leadership. We may have seen the last of Brad Johnson on Sunday. He's had a nice career.
25. Redskins 4-8 (-4) Ladell Betts was the only guy who showed up. Could Portis's injury-stained season lead to an RB controversy next year?
26. 49ers 5-7 (-3) Somehow you knew the euphoria from the 3-game win streak couldn't last.
27. Cardinals 3-9 (+4) They got very efficient play from the entire offense. This win could only provide hope for the future (of course, in the desert, it never solidifies).
28. Texans 4-8 (-1) Yeah, they won, but it was kinda... icky.
29. Packers 4-8 (-3) Ouch.
30. Lions 2-10 (+2) Almost beating the Pats was a nice enough showing to put them this high, when you look at the two teams below them.
31. Raiders 2-10 (-3) The offense is reaching new levels of ineptness. I'll give their defense's strong showing against the Chargers one more week to count in the rankings.
32. Buccaneers 3-9 (-3) The Gradkowski experiment has failed. Put their horrible offense together with a declining defense and you get a team that has lost its ability to win games.

Week 13 Predictions: 10-6

Thought of the Week: Manny Ramirez

Every day it becomes increasingly more likely that the Boston Red Sox are prepared to trade Manny Ramirez. The real question at this point is almost when and where he will go. The Dodgers seem to be the most likely destination: Fox Sports reports that the two teams have met, and many ESPN writers seem to think that Manny will be headed to the other coast as well.

These things are almost impossible to predict, so am not going to try. Rather, I am going to comment on the 6+ year saga that is the relationship between Boston and Ramirez that began when he was signed for $160 million after the 2000 season: mostly, the points of tension that will probably culminate in his departure from Boston this season.

Trade Talk
There is no question that Ramirez has been a great hitter, and no more of question that he is still a very capable hitter. Despite missing about a fifth of this season, he hit 30 HRs and 100 RBIs for the ninth straight year. And yet, it seems there is always talk of trading him. Often, it is Ramirez himself who spurs the talk, like when he said in 2003 that he wanted to play for the Yankees. In 2005, his home in Boston went for sale. The trade that will likely happen soon is also in part due to Ramirez's express wishes.

Manny Being Manny
Ramirez is probably the only sports figure whose behavior is excused recursively. Whether he's not running to first base, being careless in the field, or getting mad about pitches over the plate, it's just "Manny being Manny" (okay, Boston fans excused that last one because it happened against the Yankees). This strange phenomenon is due to a number of factors, including his production at the plate, which keeps him popular with Boston fans, no matter how boneheaded he can be anywhere outside the batter's box. He is not a Terrell Owens, whose fusses ruin teams. Rather, though Ramirez can do some odd things, they never seem to hurt the team in the end. There's always the trade talk, often spurred by Ramirez's quirks, and you would think he would have been traded already because of them. But his popularity with the fans has thus far prevented a move.

And So, We're Here Today
It is clear that Ramirez has brought much of the tension with the organization on himself. It seems that this time, it will not blow over, and he will be gone. Have the Red Sox finally chosen peace and quiet over one of the best hitters in the game? Even though teams now have no reason to pitch to David Ortiz? The oddballs can never avoid wearing out their welcome, and though it may not be the correct baseball decision, Ramirez has become too much for Boston and the Red Sox.

NFL Week 13 Action

Browns 31, Chiefs 28 (FINAL)
And now I'm going to leave you all. This has been tiring so I'm not going to stick around for the late games.

Browns 28, Chiefs 28 (9:41, OT)
A long run by Anderson, and the Browns can win this game now. A third upset for the day, after IND-TEN and ARI-STL.

Patriots 28, Lions 21 (2:33, 4th)
Yep. Pats lead. Somehow you knew the Lions would blow this game.

Falcons 24, Redskins 14 (0:21, 4th)
Somehow, you knew that the Redskins would miss on 4th down after that dumb playcall on 3rd down.

Titans 20, Colts 17 (0:07, 4th)
The second 60-yard game-winner of the season has just occurred. For the second straight week the Titans have lucked out in the 4th quarter.

Random Note
Games over: ARI-STL, NO-SF, NYJ-GB. SD-BUF is close to over too thanks to yet another LTTD.

Falcons 24, Redskins 14 (2:00, 4th)
Never say never: a blocked punt from the Redskins gives them a small hope for getting back in this. If time starts to run low, the smart decision is to kick the FG first and then try and recover an onside kick. But all too often teams fail to do this. Lots of interesting games, as the Chiefs-Browns is yet to be decided and will be heading to OT (something I somewhat predicted earlier).

Lions 21, Patriots 21 (8:35, 4th)
In true Lions fashion, they've allowed the Patriots to come back. Odds are probably in New England's favor now.

Falcons 24, Redskins 14 (2:40, 4th)
As the Redskins make a so-far successful last ditch effort, it begs the question--why not open up the passing game sooner?

Whoops---game over.

Chiefs 28, Browns 28 (0:35, 4th)
And with less than a minute to play, the Browns have tied the game. Roughing the passer (a rare deserved one) has given Washington new hope. And with 2:38 to play, the Colts have tied the Titans. Who would have expected so many close games?

Lions 21, Patriots 13 (13:07, 4th)
Congratulations to Jason Hanson, and his 1,500 points. And to the Lions, will they hang on for their own congratulations?

Cardinals 31, Rams 13 (8:14, 4th)
It looks safe to say that the Cardinals will pull off the upset (just as I predicted they would). Meanwhile, the Saints now have a 2-TD lead, and Alex Smith needs to be Joe Montana to pull this one out. Also, there are lots of teams that will need to get going to avert upsets, though the Colts look about to tie or take a lead.

Falcons 24, Redskins 14 (6:22, 4th)
Two observations as the Redskins need a long scoring drive right now to get back into this one. One, people are going to say that Vick is back to being a great NFL QB, even though this is an isolated event at the moment. Two, could there be a running back controversy in Washington next season? Betts has played absolutely lights-out the past couple games.

Chiefs 28, Browns 21 (~5:30, 4th)
As this game nears its conclusion, we can safely say that Trent Green is back: 21 of 25, 4 touchdowns. But this game could still go either way. Derek Anderson has replaced an injured Charlie Frye and been serviceable.

Bears 21, Vikings 6 (late 3rd)
This game is an embarrassment to quarterbacks everywhere.
(att-cmp-yds-int) Johnson 11-26-73-4, Grossman 4-14-30-3
The Bears are not going anywhere if Grossman doesn't get better soon.

Lions 18, Pats 13 (2:18, 3rd)
There's been a lot of insanity and I can't keep up with it all. A safety and FG have given the Lions an awkward 5-point lead.

Titans 17, Colts 14 (12:24, 4th)
The Titans are playing yet another team very tough. Could go either way. Young is doing pretty well, good on 65% of his passes for 2 TD's, with 65 rushing yards. Rookie of the Year perhaps? Maybe if Colston is out for much longer he will be.

Saints 17, 49ers 10 (9:02, 3rd)
Well, they overturned the fumble ruling, but the 49ers held the Saints to a field goal. They are still in the game. Meanwhile, the Bears now lead the Vikings 14-6, on a defensive score. The offense doesn't exist, but the team can still win. And Jerious Norwood just broke off a huge run for the Falcons 23rd consecutive point. Washington is falling apart at the seams.

Saints 14, 49ers 10 (10:52, 3rd)
Now that was creative. The 49ers set up for a normal kickoff, but Nedney booted the ball straight up, even pretending to track a deep kick flight through the air. The 49ers have the ball back and could take the lead, perhaps. Things change in the NFL very rapidly---like with that interception Smith just came right back and threw---and that fumble MacKenzie just did at the end of the play. Or did he never have the pick? This is a very confusing moment in a very close game.

Chargers 17, Bills 14 (8:09, 3rd)
Uh-oh Chargers, uh-oh. Tomlinson will probably take care of this but they need to be careful. The 49ers just scored on a nice 48-yard TD pass from Smith to Bryant. And the Chiefs have extended their lead to 28-14. Lots of these early games are going to go down to the wire.

Random Comment
You know, my point spreads were messed up, but if the scores hold, I'd be 8-1-1 in my predictions by 4:00.

Chargers 17, Bills 7 (11:33, 3rd)
The Bills have finally scored. Can't say the same for Tennesssee, whose drive was halted by Vince Young's second interception. Elsewhere, the Lions are ready to tie the game at 13.

Bears 7, Vikings 3 (10:58, 3rd)
The quarterbacking in this game has been horrid. The teams have thrown a combined 30 passes for just 95 combined yards, with 3 picks. All the attention is on Eli Manning, but Rex Grossman has been struggling mightly of late. He's completed 3 passes to a teammate and 2 to the opposition. The Vikings are currently in the red zone thanks to Chester Taylor.

Falcons 16, Redskins 14 (10:32, 3rd)
Trouble brewing for Washington on a very surreal interception, where Campbell was in trouble and got hit as he threw, where it was bobbled by a D-lineman and picked off. The Redskins looked terrific in the beginning of this game, but it could be unraveling as we speak.

And now the Falcons have taken the lead. It will be interesting to see if the young Campbell can recover.

Saints 14, 49ers 3 (0:43, 2nd)
Just before half, Reggie Bush scores his second touchdown, on his fifth attempt. The Saints took awhile to get their offense generated, but they seem to be on track now. Brees only has 95 yards, so even though the last few weeks made it seem possible that he could pass Marino's single-season yards record, it's looking not so good now.

Chiefs 20, Browns 14, pending review (10:08, 3rd)
This game is going much faster than any of the others. But it might be one of the last to be decided. Charlie Frye is 11 of 13 with no turnovers. If he keeps this up Cleveland has a great shot.

Colts 14, Titans 9 (0:11, 2nd)
And just like that, the lead is cut, pending review. This game is going down to the wire, unless Manning keeps throwing pick after pick. Look for adjustments, as it is doubtful that he will struggle all game.

Lions 10, Patriots 10 (1:15, 2nd)
The Patriots have now tied the game, probably putting the teams on level ground for the 2nd half. This means the Pats will have 20 minutes to get their act together and play like a division leader.

Redskins 14, Falcons 10 (2:00, 2nd)
For what it's worth, Jason Campbell reminds me a lot of Doug Williams. The straight dropback, the release, the #17 for the Redskins. And the completion percentage hovering around 50.

Chiefs 14, Browns 14 (0:19, 2nd)
The Browns have struck back right before half. Back-and-forth, back-and-forth. Meanwhile, Atlanta, after falling behind 14-0, is on its way back: 14-9 with a point-after pending. Can you believe, a TD pass from Vick?

Lions 7, Patriots 3 (5:28, 2nd)
Ouch, that hurts, losing a fumble on first down inside the 5-yard line. It's these kind of things that shatter the confidence of 2-9 teams.

Colts 14, Titans 0 (7:18, 2nd)
After a sluggish start, the Colts are cruising. Arizona has also added to their lead, and the Saints have taken a lead.

Chiefs 14, Browns 7 (9:32, 2nd)
And the Chiefs have nabbed the lead. On another note, the Packers are no longer worthy of my time, unless they make this close again.

Cardinals 7, Rams 3 (10:38, 2nd)
That failed 4th down from the one could be a momentum shift.

Lions 7, Patriots 3 (13:44, 2nd)
This game might get interesting. I doubt many thought Detroit would be close; I didn't think it would be.

Bears 7, Vikings 0 (12:20, 2nd)
Chicago strikes first, on yet another Hester highlight. This is looking to be a low scoring game as one might have expected coming in. Meanwhile, the 49ers are close to striking first against the Saints.

Jets 17, Packers 0 (12:40, 2nd)
Pennington is on fire and the Packers are in huge trouble. Pennington has been a nice surprise this year and continues against Green Bay. If Favre weren't Favre, then McCarthy would almost have to follow Gibbs and get the young QB some experience for the future.

Redskins 14, Falcons 0 (13:44, 2nd)
Vick is clearly short on that 4th down sneak attempt. If this short field results in another Skins TD, this game is already over. (Although we all know about another recent 21-0 comeback.)

Browns 7, Chiefs 7 (14:19, 2nd)
The Chiefs have come back to tie this thing. I had the Chiefs tagged to rout the Browns, but noticed that many pundits were picking the Browns to upset. Clearly I underestimated the Browns after there horrible play against Cincy.

Colts 7, Titans 0 (3:51, 1st)
Manning had been off to a rough start but not so much with that pass.

Redskins 14, Falcons 0 (2:43, 1st)
Yep, the Falcons are in major free fall. Moss is back and already making a big difference in this game. Good pass from Campbell but better catch by Moss.

Jets 10, Packers 0 (4:45, 1st)
The Jets are relying on Chad's arm and it's working very well: he's already got 108 yards and a TD. The Rams mustered a field goal, cutting Arizona's lead to 7-3.

Redskins 7, Falcons 0 (5:48, 1st)
Vick 1 of 4 for 6 yards; it's early but not looking good. Meanwhile, the Jets and Rams are in the red zone.

Jets 3, Packers 0 (7:08, 1st quarter)
Turnover as Favre fumbles. Not looking good for the Packers early. Favre must hang on to the ball if the Pack are going to win.

49ers 0, Saints 0 (12:13, 1st quarter)
Lots of incomplete passes are slowing this game down as both teams are taking their shots. It seems that all this talk about Gore has gotten Nolan to try and open up the passing game. No luck so far.

Redskins 7, Falcons 0 (6:53, 1st quarter)
Ladell Betts carried the Skins to that TD. Campbell only threw one pass, but he also broke off a nice run. Lots of early scoring today.

Also, Suisham appears to be handling the kicking duties; Novak's days are numbered.

Cardinals 7, Rams 0 (7:38, 1st quarter)
The Rams leaky run D suggested that James might break out; he's got 32 yards on 5 carries...

Browns 7, Chiefs 0 (9:46, 1st quarter)
The Browns are already on the board as Charlie Frye went 4-4, 62 yards and the TD pass. His game against Cincinnati was horrible, but he's looking good today.


In this space, while the games progress, I will write down various comments on various games.

Franchise in Focus: Washington Nationals

The Past

The Washington Nationals were inaugurated in 1969 as the Montreal Expos, the first MLB team to play outside of the United States. It would not be until 1979 when the team enjoyed its first winning season, which set off five in a row. However, only once, in 1981, did Montreal make the postseason, and that year they lost in the NLCS.

It would not be until the mid-1990’s when the team got back on its feet, but they then came crashing to a halt, because the franchise’s best season was cut short by the strike. When the season came to an end on August 12, 1994, the Expos were 74-40 and led the NL East by 6 games. Before the beginning of the next season, however, the stars on the 1994 team such as Larry Walker and Pedro Martinez were told to find new homes. This led to a downward spiral that did not end until the team relocated to Washington prior to the 2005 season, after an extensive battle with the city council and the Baltimore Orioles.

The Present

In 2005, the Nationals surprised everyone by finishing 81-81. During the off-season, they traded for Alfonso Soriano, who gave them a career season. However, the team fell to 71-91 in the 2006 season. The Nationals made what turned out to be a fatal error as the trade deadline approached, retaining Soriano, whose contract ran out at season’s end. Soriano would leave for the Chicago Cubs, leaving the franchise with no real star player. The team would also fire manager Frank Robinson and replace him with Manny Acta.

The Future

The Nationals’ financial situation limits their options with no foreseeable end. The only bright side is the success of small market teams such as Minnesota and Oakland who have similarly limited financial resources.

The team does have solid players, but unfortunately many of them, such as Nick Johnson, Jose Vidro, and John Patterson, are injury-prone. Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, however, is a rising star, who, hopefully for Washington, can produce many fruitful seasons in the future. However, a pitching staff that finished with an NL-worst 5.03 ERA in 2006 has very few good players, essentially Patterson and closer Chad Cordero. Tony Armas Jr. and the tallest player in league history, Jon Rauch, are also solid. The Washington area got its team but will have to be patient for a contending one.

Segment Scheduling

Schedule for the next 5 weeks of "Case for the Hall" and "Franchise in Focus." As the current NFL season is still in progress, heavy emphasis will be placed on Major League Baseball.

"Franchise in Focus"

• December 2: Washington Nationals
• December 9: New York Yankees
  
• December 16: Chicago Cubs
  
• December 23: Atlanta Braves
  
• December 30: St. Louis Cardinals
  

"Case for the Hall"

• December 8: Mark McGwire
  
• December 15: Bert Blyleven
  
• December 22: Jim Rice
  
• December 29: Goose Gossage
  

No NBA Review

Cancelled before its first episode. Grounded before it took off.

Today will feature no installment of NBA Review, and neither will any other Friday.

Starting next Friday, "Case for the Hall" will be posted weekly. Placed in the plans originally, this is the segment that looks at a prospective Hall of Fame player in any sport and examines his case for inclusion or exclusion.

Week 13 NFL Predictions

Ravens at Bengals
Both teams are hot, but you almost have to go with defense. Almost. Baltimore annihilated Roethlisberger and the Steelers, but Palmer and the Bengals are better, and Cincinnati’s defense has recovered since their performance against the Chargers. Bengals 22, Ravens 21.

Cardinals at Rams
This could be the game where Edgerrin James breaks out of his season long funk, considering the recent struggles of the Ram run defense. St. Louis barely escaped a five game losing streak last week. Here, folks, is an upset. Cardinals 24, Rams 17

Falcons at Redskins
Washington’s D has solidified the past couple weeks. Is Jason Campbell already a better passer than Mike Vick? Unfortunately for Atlanta, the Falcons are in freefall. Redskins 20, Falcons 13

Lions at Patriots
Detroit is playing like the worst team in the NFL. The Patriots are playing like one of the best teams. An easy pick here. Patriots 31, Lions 14

Colts at Titans
The Titans are playing like nobody’s business right now. Indianapolis barely pulled it off in their dome. These two facts might mean upset, but I would not bank on it. Indy’s only loss thus far was to the hottest team in the NFL right now. Colts 23, Titans 20

Chiefs at Browns
This is not shaping up to be the week of great games. I don’t even know what to say here. Chiefs 30, Browns 10

Vikings at Bears
Minnesota’s offense woke up against the Cardinals; the Franchise in Phoenix (how’s the for alliteration?) will do that. Don’t expect it to continue. Bears 17, Vikings 3

Jets at Packers
The AFC’s dominance and the Packers’ latest struggles suggest a win for the visitors. Jets 27, Packers 17

Chargers at Bills
Losman is playing well and Rivers just had his first poor game of the season. Tomlinson’s 3 touchdown runs outdo Losman’s 3 touchdown passes thanks to a little push from Rivers. Chargers 28, Bills 24

49ers at Saints
Brees is on fire. Of course, so is Frank Gore. San Francisco’s defense has surprisingly been pretty darn good of late (that last drive last week drops the performance from “terrific”), but Brees can not be stopped. Saints 27, 49ers 14

Texans at Raiders
Run away, run away… from this game. But take the Raiders after their near upset over the Chargers. Raiders 17, Texans 16

Jaguars at Dolphins
Jacksonville is an odd team. For the second straight year, Miami is getting hot late. Pick the team on a streak over the streaky team. Dolphins 24, Jaguars 19

Cowboys at Giants
The Giants are falling, and injuries are no small part. Their starting cornerbacks are no match for the Dallas duo of Glenn and Owens. Eli Manning managed to connect on 64% of his passes last week, but the last one was costly. He’ll need to be perfect, but we can’t expect that from him. Cowboys 24, Giants 17

Buccaneers at Steelers
Two struggling teams with two struggling quarterbacks. This is yet another great match-up, isn’t it? Big Ben can’t be Bad Ben much longer can he? Steelers 20, Buccaneers 10

Seahawks at Broncos
Jay Cutler debuts. I don’t think this will be a good thing. Hasselbeck looked great in the second half last night and Alexander, though he needed a week, seems ready. Seahawks 21, Broncos 20

Panthers at Eagles
The Eagles are falling. Garcia won’t get it done. Don’t expect a second straight team to hold Steve Smith. Panthers 27, Eagles 10

MLB Offseason Review: Free Agency Signings

A comprehensive list of free agent signings in the offseason can be found here.

The Cubs and Mets have been most active thus far, but will they improve? The Mets big landing is 40-year old Moises Alou, and the Cubs landed Alfonso Soriano for 8 years and the hefty price tag of $136 million. Whatever offense the Mets pick up in Alou and Damion Easley could be erased by pitching concerns, as Tom Glavine is on the brink of departing and nobody knows how healthy Pedro Martinez will be. As for the Cubs, Soriano is quite a player, but there are major questions as to his suitability for hitting leadoff.

The Astros also made a big play in acquiring Carlos Lee. For $100 million, perhaps he's not worth it, but short term at least, this is a good move. Of course, if Clemens and Pettitte don't come back, this and any other moves Houston makes could be for naught.

The Dodgers have also made a couple moves, welcoming Juan Pierre and Randy Wolf to the ballclub. Again, no matter how good the players might be, money is a big issue, and they probably got too much of it. Signing Wolf to a one-year deal isn't much of a risk. But giving Pierre a five-year deal, let alone for $8.8 million a year, is going overboard.

American League teams have been pretty quiet. The biggest addition is Frank Thomas to the Blue Jays ($9 million per year), but despite Thomas's 2006 campaign, questions linger as to how much longer he can be effective.

The Orioles are going crazy for bullpen help, picking up Danys Baez, Chad Bradford, Jamie Walker, and Scott Williamson. All these guys have shown ability to play in the past, but one gets the feeling that Mazzone will still have to work on this staff a bit.

The Angels picked up Gary Matthews, Jr. for $50 million because of a career year. This is the case of an overpaid player that sticks out most as a thorn. Matthews' career has not been one you reward with $10 million per season.

A final newcomer is Frank Catalanotto to Texas, for relatively cheap. For Texas nothing's a risk since the mammoth A-Rod deal.

It is the season of giving, but this time of year in baseball almost always results in a lot of giving to players.

Best Signing: Almost no risk picking up Randy Wolf to a one-year contract, and he could provide LA with a good season.

Worst Signing: Gary Matthews Jr.

Next Wednesday: Additional signings; players yet to be signed

NFL Power Rankings Week 12

Well, the game is over, and I'm still up, so here they are.

1. Colts 10-1 The offense got back on track. Addai was terrific, and that's an understatement.
2. Ravens 9-2 What a dominating performance on both sides. Since Billick's taken the playcalling duties, this team has soared.
3. Chargers 9-2 What a close one that was, almost losing to Oakland.
4. Patriots 8-3 They beat the Bears for their first big win of the season, but it was quite a win.
5. Bears 9-2 The defense is terrific but the offense has gone backwards of late.
6. Cowboys 7-4 Red hot team, but if Romo falters so will they.
7. Saints 7-4 Drew Brees needs 1,622 yards in the last 5 games to break Dan Marino's single season yardage record. A stretch but possible.
8. Bengals 6-5 That loss to the Chargers woke up the defense. That was brutal for Frye and the Browns.
9. Chiefs 7-4 As Trent Green gets back into the swing of things this team will only get better.
10. Seahawks 7-4 Hasselbeck made a nice recovery in the 2nd half, and Alexander was phenomenal for the first time this year.
11. Panthers 6-5 The talent is there, but do they want it enough?
12. Broncos 7-4 With Cutler thrown into the fire, things can only go further downhill.
13. Jaguars 6-5 What a strange, inconsistent team.
    
14. Jets 6-5 They're setting themselves up for bigger and better things further into the season.
15. Giants 6-5 Reeling doesn't even describe it.
16. Dolphins 5-6 Joey Harrington? Succeeding?
    
17. Bills 5-6 J.P. Losman? Succeeding?
    
18. Titans 4-7 I had them tagged for the #1 pick this year. They're proving me wrong.
19. Vikings 5-6 Broke out of a funk but nobody can have confidence in continued success from that offense.
20. Rams 5-6 Snapped a skid in dramatic fashion. They've got the best wide receiver, a top 10 QB, and a top 10 RB, so it's somewhat of a surprise they've been struggling.
21. Redskins 4-7 Since they met the Eagles a few weeks ago, the two teams have both switched QBs (one by injury, one by choice). Only one is working out.
22. Eagles 5-6 It's slipping away. McNabb off the field equals the O off the scoreboard.
23. 49ers 5-6 Just when we thought this team was in the midst of something special, they lose in the last 30 seconds.
24. Falcons 5-6 You think things are bad in some places (say, New York), this collapse has been a horrifying experience.
    
25. Steelers 4-7 Brutal, brutal loss. Roethlisberger is getting the snot beat out of him the past couple weeks.
26. Packers 4-7 They almost pulled this one out, but they got torched in the second half
    
27. Texans 3-8 Really, the teams with 3-8 records or lower are interchangeable at the moment. Of the three 3-8 teams, they were the least humiliated in week 12.
    
28. Raiders 2-9 That upset would have been a stunner.
29. Buccaneers 3-8 They were playing a better team than Cleveland, so I guess it was less embarrassing.
30. Browns 3-8 Charlie Frye regressed big time in that game with 4 picks.
31. Cardinals 2-9 They ran just six times, no wonder Leinart got 405 yards. But he looked decent.
32. Lions 2-9 Horrible. Just horrible.
    

Another Blog/MLB Prediction Review

been awhile for me. August 9 was the date of my most recent post, located at my first blog. I tossed in a couple sports opinions in that one, but I have decided to create this one solely for sports purpose, with heavy emphasis on professional football and professional baseball.

Here's the plan, at least until the conclusion of the NFL regular season.

Tuesday: NFL Power Rankings
Wednesday: MLB Offseason Review
Thursday: NFL Game Predictions
Friday: NBA Review
Saturday: "Franchise in Focus"
Sunday: NFL In-Game Comments
Monday: "Thought of the Week"

• "Franchise in Focus" will pick a sports franchise with a review of its past, present, and future.
• NFL In-Game Comments may not be posted
  

I'm not following the schedule until tomorrow, so as a start:

In my first blog, before the 2006 MLB season, I published the following baseball predictions.

Got the Yankees right, but flopped on the rest of the AL. The Tigers came out of nowhere, the Indians flopped despite their great finish to 2005, and though Toronto did improve to second in the AL East, past Boston, they missed out on the playoffs as well. Anaheim of course also failed. And, making the AL Central prediction even worse, the Wild Card came out of that division (and it wasn't the Indians!).

Meanwhile, the Braves division streak came to an end. St. Louis did indeed win their division. San Fran flopped, though as two NL West teams not from that city (Los Angeles, San Diego) made the postseason.

As for the World Series, I almost got that right (sort of), by virtue of the Cardinals coming one game from winning it all in the prediction. Of course, the Yankees fell to eventual AL flag winner Detroit, who represented the AL in the World Series.

As for awards (0 for 4), A-Rod flopped, Pujols almost won, Halladay got hurt, and Zambrano walked anyone who wouldn't swing.

Predicting sure is an inexact science.