Bill Belichick at His Finest

I absolutely love this video. Rare to see Belichick like this.


Usually he's focused like this

The Hope Solo Phenomenon Continues

2011 NFL Season Preview

NFC North



Green Bay Packers- Packer Nation should be ecstatic that they won the Super Bowl last year. But, now they have to try and repeat. With Jermichael Finley and Ryan Grant both coming back from and injury filled season last year, they are reloaded and ready for 2011. Aaron Rodgers and a great defense will lead the Packers to an NFC North Title this year and give them a great chance to repeat as Super Bowl Champions.
 Predicted Record: 13-3

                                             


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Aaron Rodgers hopes to be holding up another Lombardi
trophy at the end of this season.



Chicago Bears- One game away from the Super Bowl last year and now most people have picked them to drop to third in the division (behind the Packers and Lions). Most people forget that they won this division last year and the Packers didn't. Although that will not be the case this year, the Bears will battle and get a second place finish in the NFC North and JUST MISS the playoffs.

Predicted Record: 9-7


Minnesota Vikings- The Vikings were a field goal away from being in the Super Bowl just two years ago. They still have a lot of talent and another veteran QB (Donovan McNabb) that has Super Bowl dreams. The problem is I think they lack a solid #1 receiver. They still have weapons with Percy Harvin and Visanthe Shiancoe. Don't forget they have a pretty good running back up there in Minnesota as well. The Vikings will finish third in the most competitive division in the NFL.


Predicted Record: 8-8


Detroit Lions- The Lions have improved tremendously since that 0-16 season just a few years back and some people have predicted them to go to the playoffs. Actually a lot of people have. However, I am not sold. They have an injury prone QB, a great WR and young Running Backs. Even if they are healthy this year they are going to need to learn how to win. I think they are a year away from really being a playoff contender. Next year is their year.


Predicted Record: 7-9




NFC South

Atlanta Falcons- The Atlanta Falcons won this division last year and they just added weapons on offense (Rookie WR Julio Jones) and defense ( DE Ray Edwards). They should remain at the top of the division. They have a trio of stars with Matt Ryan, Roddy White and Michael Turner. Not to mention veteran leaders like Tony Gonzalez. The Falcons remain the team to beat in the NFC South, and lucky for them not many teams in the NFL will have the talent or firepower to stop them.

Predicted Record: 12-4 


Matt Ryan and Roddy White should help the Atlanta Falcons win
the NFC South and contend for a Championship.



                                                                                

                                                       

New Orleans Saints- The New Orleans Saints will battle with the young Falcons for the division crown, but will fall just short. They will be a threat in the playoffs and a team that nobody wants to see. Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees will lead them to a Wild Card Playoff Berth.

Predicted Record: 11-5


Tampa Bay Buccaneers- I feel sorry for the Bucs. They play in a division that is stacked at the top. Young Quarterback Josh Freeman played great last year and I think he will continue to do so. However, I think Tampa Bay is a year away from a playoff berth.

Predicted Record: 9-7


Carolina Panthers- The Panthers were the worst team in football last year and should stay there this year. They drafted Cam Newton who is freakishly big and athletic for a Quarterback. However, he is extremely inaccurate and there isn't much talent outside of running back Deangelo Williams. This division is just too good to let the Panthers be competitive. Andrew Luck sweepstakes anyone? They better figure out if Cam is their future.

Predicted Record: 3-13


NFC EAST

Philadelphia "Dream Team" Eagles- The Eagles were great last year and look to be just as successful this year. The problem used to be the health of Mike Vick. But, with Vince Young as a backup, the offense wouldn't really change if Vick went down. Both QB's are mobile and can resemble each other in the same offense. The health of Jeremy Maclin and the young linebacker core is a concern, but not enough for me to pick against the "Dream Team."

Predicted Record: 12-4


Dallas Cowboys- The Cowboys struggled with injuries last year. Tony Romo is back and ready to lead Dallas to the playoffs. I think they will make the playoffs and become a contender. Jason Garrett shed the "interim" head coach tag and hired Rob Ryan as his defensive coordinator. The defense will be improved.  This team WILL make the playoffs.

Predicted Record: 11-5


New York Giants- The New York Giants choked last year against Philadelphia and it cost them the playoffs. This year, they won't get that opportunity. They will be a slightlty better than average team and will end up with an average record. If Eli can cut down on his turnovers, they may have a shot. They still have weapons, but also lost TE Kevin Boss and WR Steve Smith who signed with the division rival Eagles.

Predicted Record: 8-8


Washington Redskins- The Redskins aren't going to be any good this season. I'm glad they competed during the preseason, but I don't see this team winning more than four games. Their Quarterback isn't going to be good (Rex Grossman) and their backup isn't any better (John Beck). Tim Hightower could help in the running game. But, overall they will struggle and have less wins than they did a year ago.

Predicted Record 4-12


NFC West

St. Louis Rams- The St. Louis Rams let the division title slip through their fingers last year. I do not think that will happen again. Sam Bradford is no longer a rookie and he has a new target in Mike Sims-Walker. Steven Jackson is a beast at running back and collectively St. Louis will get its first division title in quite some time.
Predicted Record: 10-6       

Sam Bradford (right) and Steven Jackson (left) will lead
the Rams to a division crown. 

                                       
Arizona Cardinals- The Cardinals were a quarterback away from the playoffs last season. Now, they have who they wanted at QB all along with Kevin Kolb. They gave up a Pro Bowl corner to get him. That will hurt the defense. I think the offense may struggle a bit early on because Kolb did not have any mini camps or practices because of the lockout. The Cardinals are a year away from the playoffs. Larry Fitzgerald will still ensure that the Cardinals are a winning team.

Predicted Record: 9-7


San Francisco 49ers- Speaking of not having a Quarterback? How does it feel San Francisco? They have Vernon Davis, a very good running back in Frank Gore, a solid defense, good WR's and yet they still won't contend. They are missing a Quarterback and once they get one they will be a solid team. With Alex Smith at the helm? How does 7-9 sound? Good, because you can't get there with Alex Smith


Predicted Record: 6-10

Seattle Seahawks: I cannot believe this team won a playoff game last year. Don't worry, I can assure you it won't happen again this season. Their quarterback bolted and went to Tennessee. When they signed Tavaris Jackson, they got a QB the Minnesota Vikings did not want. I do not think he can get the ball to the weapons they do have like Sidney Rice, Mike Williams and Zack Miller.

Predicted Record: 4-12 




AFC East

New England Patriots- The Patriots had a very good season last year, but came up a bit short in the playoffs. Now, journalists are calling this team "finesse" and picking them to lose the division to the Jets. Well, in the famous words of Chad Ochocinco: "Child Please." They have solid running backs, great Tight ends and plenty of Wide Receiver options. Oh and don't forget about the greatest quarterback in the game, Tom Brady.

Predicted Record: 13-3

Chad Ochocinco looks to give Tom Brady another weapon
and stretch the field for an offense that
lacked big plays last season.

New York Jets- The Jets beat the Patriots in the playoffs last season and look to finally get over the hump and get to a Super Bowl this year. They have a solid QB in Mark Sanchez and two potential big play threats with Santonio Holmes and Plaxico Burress. However, they rely on their defense and running game to win games and they will win plenty, en route to a Wild Card Playoff Berth.

Predicted Record: 11-5


Miami Dolphins- The Miami Dolphins have weapons on offense. They lost two running backs, (Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams) but they added a very dangerous open field runner in Reggie Bush and Rookie Daniel Thomas. They have a solid defense and a top tier WR with Brandon Marshall. It is up to their quarterback Chad Henne to raise his game and lead this Dolphins team. If he can do that, they could compete for a wild card birth. I think he will be solid, but he's an average QB, that's all there is to it.

Predicted Record: 7-9



Buffalo Bills- Believe it or not, I like the Buffalo Bills this season. Hopefully, C.J. Spiller can have a breakout year and Stevie Johnson will build off of his very productive year in 2010. Ryan Fitzpatrick is a solid quarterback and definitely better than his Dolphins counterpart Chad Henne. With that said, the Bills will compete, but will struggle in such a tough division.

Predicted Record: 7-9



AFC West


San Diego Chargers- The Chargers were #1 on offense and defense last year and DID NOT make the playoffs. I believe that was an exception and not the rule. The Chargers will win the division this year and take back what is rightfully theirs. Phillip Rivers always makes them a contender and now they have Vincent Jackson back for a full season after brutal contract issues last year.

Predicted Record: 11-5



Kansas City Chiefs- The Kansas City Chiefs have the best running back tandem in the league. They added a big fullback in Leron McClain and should continue to dominate on the ground. They lost offensive coordinator Charlie Weis and will struggle in the passing game somewhat this season. They have a tough schedule and it looks like last year was their fifteen minutes of fame.

Predicted Record: 8-8



Oakland Raiders- The Raiders swept this division last year and still ended up with just 8 wins. They fired Coach Cable and promoted Hue jackson. I've heard great things about Jackson, but this team has lost one of the top tier tight ends in the game (Zack Miller) and an imortant offensive lineman (Robert Gallery). They will still compete, but take a step back from last year.


Predicted Record: 7-9



Denver Broncos- The Denver Broncos were bottom feeders in the division last year and odds are they will remain there. Brandon Lloyd had a breakout season, but unless Knowshon Moreno can prove he is the answer at running back in Denver, then this team will be about as bad as it was last season.
Predicted Record: 5-11



AFC South

Houston Texans- It's either now or never for the Texans. They have a great Pro Bowl trio with Matt Schaub, Arian Foster and Andre Johnson. They signed Daniel Manning at safety and cornerback Jonathan Joseph. They should win this division, even if Manning was healthy for the Colts, but he's hurt and the AFC South is up for grabs. Houston is the clear cut favorite and it should get it's first playoff berth in franchise history.

Predicted record: 11-5



Tennessee Titans: The Titans went out and signed an underrated QB. Matt Hasselback is a veteran and more than capable of competing with any team in this division. Running back Chris Johnson will need to have a big year, but if he does the Titans could sneak up on some people. I just don't think Hasselbeck will stay healthy for 16 games and that will define their season with rookie Jake Locker as Hasselbeck's backup.


Predicted Record: 7-9




Indianapolis Colts- The Colts have their backs against the wall. They went out and signed veteran QB Kerry Collins, who will try to fill the void that Peyton Manning left. Today, news came out that Peyton will be out a minimum 2-3 months after another neck procedure. This is why the Colts have dropped to third place in the division. Yikes.

Predicted Record: 6-10





Jacksonville Jaguars: The Jaguars decided just a few days ago that they were going to go young and released the second best quarterback in the history of their franchise in David Garrard. This might not have been the year to turn to their rookie quarterback, but I bet Blaine Gabbert will be named the starter by week 5. They could have had a shot this year with Garrard to make some noise in the division, but without him, they are a work in progress. We will see if the decision pays off.

Predicted Record 4-12

These Young Cats Will Show Flashes of Greatness

          The reaction after the Cincinnati Bengals' first two preseason games was second to none. Local media, fans and national media scrutinized the Bengals. They were a young team that was mismanaged. Andy Dalton was just too young to play quarterback in the NFL. The Bengals lost both preseason games by a total score of 61-10. This team was not given a shot and rightfully so. The fans and local media members began looking ahead to the draft and even mentioned who they wanted to draft with the number one draft pick overall (Andrew Luck, # 1 prospect in 2011 draft).

          I didn’t react the same way a lot of media members and fans did. In fact, I was on the other side of the spectrum. I thought that some of the MAJOR mistakes the Bengals made the first two games would get corrected. I thought this was a young team, but for the first time in the Marvin Lewis era, I’m not expecting 8-8 or better, I don’t expect to compete for a playoff birth and I don’t expect this team to have many Pro Bowl players. I do have some expectations for this team. I expect them to improve, show flashes of how good they can be and really compete and be a spoiler down the stretch. What does it mean to be a spoiler down the stretch? Essentially, it means we’ll end up with 4-6 wins, which isn’t good. The team won’t be that good, but they will compete. At the end of the season if the Cincinnati Bengals are 4-12 it will feel so much better than last year when we finished 4-12. I think people should have a positive outlook this year. I may get frustrated on Sundays, but nowhere near how mad I and essentially all of Cincinnati was at the end of each Sunday in the fall of 2010.

          On my previous post, I mentioned how this team will show flashes of what it can do. It will show us that it can compete at this level, despite its age and lack of experience. Well, on Thursday night, the Bengals did just that. In the first home preseason game against the Carolina Panthers the Red Rifle (Andy Dalton) completed 11 out of 17 first half passes, threw his first touchdown in the NFL to AJ Green and out dueled rookie counterpart and number one overall pick Cam Newton. However, the run game definitely set the tone for the Bengals. Cedric Benson ran 16 times for 68 yards (all in the first half) and also had a touchdown run. Bernard Scott broke away from Panther defenders and ran for 63 yards and had a touchdown on only six carries. The Bengals were physical on both sides of the ball and it translated into a win. It seems they will have a beat em up, physical style that the AFC North takes pride in. For one night the Bengals showed us the potential they have. Dalton and Green showed flashes of how good they may become, Bernard Scott showed us how important a healthy change of pace back can be and that defense showed it could stop the run and get pressure on the quarterback. I am not saying this will be the case on most Sundays during the regular season, but for at least one summer night in August, Bengals fans had a reason to be optimistic. Not only about this season, but about the future of the franchise.

The Bengals were no doubt more physical in the trenches against
the Carolina Panthers. The Offensive-Line opened up
numerous holes against the Panthers defense.

It Was Just One Preseason Game!

On Friday it seemed like Who Dey Nation was very optimistic with the fresh, young, new-look Bengals.Then, before we knew it, these young cats were down by 14 and reality sunk in. The doubts started pouring in on Twitter, the news and throughout Cincinnati. It was the first preseason game after a lockout. We have a starting rookie Quarterback (Dalton) and Wide Receiver (A.J. Green). We have a lot of new pieces on the defense. What would everyone have said if we won 34-3? Look, there is going to be growing pains, but at the end of the day, it was a meaningless exhibition game that did NOT mean anything. In fact, I'm going to stop wasting my time addressing the doubters and people who took off their Bengals Jersey on Friday night. We might not be that good this year. Odds are we won't be, but we are going to be exciting in spurts. There WILL be flashes of greatness from AJ Green. Andy Dalton WILL show off his talent. The defense WILL, well, be a question mark. Is it likely we will have a winning record? No! But those who were expecting a winning team out of the Bengals this year have to be off their rockers. This is a rebuilding year. I am going to get just as pissed off as the next guy when the Bengals screw up. But, I sure as hell am not going to get mad about a meaningless preseason game. I think the Bengals will have a 4-12 record this season (notice I didn't include a prediction for their preseason record). Buckle your seatbelt, it could be a bumpy ride, just don't get off before the ride even starts.

Andy Dalton will need time to develop, but there is still hope for
 a solid rookie season from the young quarterback.

Bengals Trailer- Hopefully This is Good Luck!

Well, It Was Good While It Lasted

         The 2010 season for the Cincinnati Reds went about as good as anyone could have hoped for. There were plenty of one-run wins, clutch performances and a MVP season for the Reds' first baseman Joey Votto. Overall, this added up to the teams' first playoff birth since 1995. Scott Rolen drank from the fountain of youth and role players like Jonny Gomes and Layce Nix became a formidable tandem. After getting swept dismissed in the playoffs by the Philadelphia Phillies, it seemed as though the Reds were poised to win the division and make the playoffs in back to back years for the first time since 1975-1976. It seemed that young players like Jay Bruce and Drew Stubbs would figure out what it takes to be an everyday player in the Major Leagues and really become consistent forces in the outfield. Joey Votto was just going to build on his MVP season and Brandon Phillips was going to be a human highlight reel. Scott Rolen was going to start and be the teams' anchor, providing veteran leadership to an overall young team. Edison Volquez was going to be our ace, followed by a solid rotation of pitchers like Johnny Cueto, Bronson Arroyo, Mike Leake and Travis Wood. With everything looking up for this organization at the start of the season, it is hard to believe that the Cincinnati Reds are 11 games out of first place and are struggling to stay in 3rd place in the National League Central. This is a division we won last year and now we aren't even close. With that said, how can the Reds return to the top of the division in 2012?


          Well, quite frankly I have no idea. Many players that I thought were good, just haven't been this season. The Reds just aren't a good team. This Scott Rolen looked like the 36 year old he is, Jonny Gomes never had the hot streak he had last season and that led to him being traded, the only consistent starting pitcher the Reds have is Johnny Cueto and he can only do so much. Joey Votto has played well, but he certainly is not having the season he had last year. Brandon Phillips has been great with his glove and decent with his bat. Hell, Dontrelle Willis has been our second best pitcher since he was promoted from the minors and he has yet to get a win. This team isn't scoring runs. They aren't getting hits with runners on base. They are missing the clutch factor that the Phillies, Red Sox, Rangers and any other World Series contender possess. Jay Bruce has been very inconsistent and I'm not really sure that he deserved to be an All Star. Drew Stubbs strikes out more than anyone and he still doesn't know how to bunt. During our most recent slide errors seem to be a problem, which shows a lack of concentration among the Reds. Travis Wood and Edison Volquez have been in, or flirted with the minors all season. Our opponent beats us in their last at bat, unlike last year when we were second best in last at bat wins. The Reds are 55-61 and have outscored their opponents by 31 total runs. The Milwaukee Brewers are 66-50 (11 games ahead) and they have only outscored their opponents by 28 total runs. The Reds seem to have the talent, but something is missing. Maybe they didn't click this year and next year will be more like 2010. But, I find it hard to be so optimistic. After the season there will have to be plenty of questions that need to be andwered. I hope they work out for the best as does all of Reds Nation. The 2011 Reds are done. So long 2011 Cincinnati Reds, so long playoffs.... See you in 2012? All we can do is hope at this point.

The Playoff Clincher: How long ago
does this seem?