Some had estimated there would be around 15,000 Dallas Cowboy fans at the game this past Sunday. I would venture to say there were probably a lot more on hand as Dallas gave Houston a sound beating at Reliant Stadium in Week 3.
Whatever problems existed in Week 3 of the preseason for Dallas seemed to have fallen by the wayside in Week 3 of the regular season. As I said in Week 2, Dallas seemed to be pulling things together after a subpar preseason and an embarrassing Week 1. And come together they did in Week 3.
The story for Houston again was the weak secondary. Dallas took advantage of the inexperience, with Tony Romo going 23 of 30 for 284 yards and 2 TD's. It didn't help that Houston didn't blitz at all, which translated into little pressure on Romo. The Dallas offensive line kept Houston at bay for much of the game, with only 2 times where pressure was really applied to the quarterback (1 resulted in an Intentional Grounding call and the other resulted in a dropped interception by Bryce McCain). A lot of balls were also thrown in Kareem Jackson's direction, leading many to believe that our #1 draft pick this season may be a bust.
The Dallas running game also picked up steam. Marion Barber scored Dallas's first rushing touchdown in the 2nd quarter. For some reason the Houston defensive line was not picking up the draw play very well at all, another weakness which Dallas exploited. At the end of the day, Dallas racked up 101 yards on the ground (Barber and Felix Jones making the bulk of the ground game), with a lot of these coming from draw plays. One thing I did notice on the draw plays was that the offensive line did an incredible job of cutting off the line of sight for the Houston linebackers, which helped them move the ball very efficiently.
That said, there were few bright spots for the Houston offense in this game. The protection problems from Week 2 were apparent again as Schaub was sacked 4 times (3 of those coming from DeMarcus Ware). The Dallas defense was able to disrupt the offense resulting in a lot of holding calls and false start penalties. Houston just couldn't seem to get the air attack going. Arian Foster did have a decent day running the ball going 17 carries for 106 yards. Foster ran the ball effectively, which makes me wonder why he only got it 17 times in this game. Here I would question the gameplan. Would it have been possible to mount a comeback through more running of the football? It seems that if Foster had gotten more carries, the passing attack would have benefitted as Dallas would have concentrated more on the run.
In conclusion, Dallas played to their potential and Houston just looked lost in their own stadium. The next game for Houston is in Oakland against a Raiders team that seemed to click with Bruce Gradkowski under center. Let's hope the hangover from this party is over by October 3.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Week 3 Game Day
I got to the stadium early as suggested. There are A LOT of people here already. The atmosphere isn't too electric but I'm sure that will change soon. There are A LOT of Dallas fans today - seemingly even more than in the preseason game. A record crowd is expected today so this should be a lot of fun.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Week 3 Predictions
Week 2 saw me become a little more accurate with my predictions. I really thought Minnesota, Dallas, and Carolina would both pull it together at home and I really didn't expect Denver to perform as well as they did. Let's not forget that the New York Jets just embarrassed New England. I finished the week 11-5 and thus far am 21-11 on the season. I'm now tied with Phil Sims and ahead of Chris Collinsworth on Showtime's "Inside the NFL".
Without further ado, here is the Week 3 schedule and my predictions:
Cleveland at Baltimore (Baltimore)
Cincinnati at Carolina (Cincinnati)
Dallas at Houston (Houston)
San Francisco at Kansas City (San Francisco)
Detroit at Minnesota (Minnesota)
Buffalo at New England (New England)
Atlanta at New Orleans (Atlanta)
Tennessee at New York Giants (New York Giants)
Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay (Pittsburgh)
Philadelphia at Jacksonville (Philadelphia)
Washington at St. Louis (Washington)
Oakland at Arizona (Arizona)
Indianapolis at Denver (Indianapolis)
San Diego at Seattle (San Diego)
New York Jets at Miami (New York Jets)
Green Bay at Chicago (Green Bay)
The big match up as far as I'm (and coincidentally much of the media) concerned is Dallas going into Houston for their 3rd regular season matchup in NFL history. Dallas brings an 0-2 record and a seemingly out-of-synch offense to face a Houston team that has what some call a soft secondary. Dallas seemed to be coming together in Week 2 where Tony Romo threw the ball for 374 yards in a losing effort to Chicago. This could be a big problem for Houston, which has given up at least 400 yards passing in each of the first 2 weeks of the season. The key to stopping the Dallas offense will be to keep pressure on Tony Romo in order to help out the young secondary. Given the mistakes made by the Dallas O-line in Week 1, and the presence of Mario Williams, the Houston D-Line should play well. The underperforming interior line defense of Dallas will help Houston in both the running game and passing game, which will be needed while Duane Brown serves his 4-game suspension. I'm picking Houston to win because of the weak interior defense of the Dallas line, which will give Matt Schaub plenty of time to distribute the ball.
Without further ado, here is the Week 3 schedule and my predictions:
Cleveland at Baltimore (Baltimore)
Cincinnati at Carolina (Cincinnati)
Dallas at Houston (Houston)
San Francisco at Kansas City (San Francisco)
Detroit at Minnesota (Minnesota)
Buffalo at New England (New England)
Atlanta at New Orleans (Atlanta)
Tennessee at New York Giants (New York Giants)
Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay (Pittsburgh)
Philadelphia at Jacksonville (Philadelphia)
Washington at St. Louis (Washington)
Oakland at Arizona (Arizona)
Indianapolis at Denver (Indianapolis)
San Diego at Seattle (San Diego)
New York Jets at Miami (New York Jets)
Green Bay at Chicago (Green Bay)
The big match up as far as I'm (and coincidentally much of the media) concerned is Dallas going into Houston for their 3rd regular season matchup in NFL history. Dallas brings an 0-2 record and a seemingly out-of-synch offense to face a Houston team that has what some call a soft secondary. Dallas seemed to be coming together in Week 2 where Tony Romo threw the ball for 374 yards in a losing effort to Chicago. This could be a big problem for Houston, which has given up at least 400 yards passing in each of the first 2 weeks of the season. The key to stopping the Dallas offense will be to keep pressure on Tony Romo in order to help out the young secondary. Given the mistakes made by the Dallas O-line in Week 1, and the presence of Mario Williams, the Houston D-Line should play well. The underperforming interior line defense of Dallas will help Houston in both the running game and passing game, which will be needed while Duane Brown serves his 4-game suspension. I'm picking Houston to win because of the weak interior defense of the Dallas line, which will give Matt Schaub plenty of time to distribute the ball.
Baltimore's offense has struggled in the first 2 weeks of the season, but their defense has played superbly. I look for the defense to keep the ball in Joe Flacco's possession to give Baltimore the win. Carolina is starting Jimmy Clausen this week for the 1st time in his rookie season. Although Clausen should provide an upgrade to their offense, the lack of a strong receiver corps outside of Steve Smith won't help when they host Cincinnati.
After watching how San Francisco came back to tie the game on Monday night, my earlier thoughts of their loss to Seattle have been dispelled. San Francisco has the talent and the ability to win games and their strong showing against New Orleans should boost their confidence enough going into Kansas City. The Kansas City offense is still rather questionable in my opinion and will not be enough to overcome the San Francisco defense.
Minnesota has its problems on offense, but Detroit has more problems. Without Matthew Stafford, Detroit will not be able to overcome one of the best defensive lines in the NFL.
Buffalo is starting a new quarterback this Sunday as well, but it will not be enough to overcome an angry New England team.
The game between Atlanta and New Orleans was a little tougher to call. While the NO defense is still rather adept at creating turnovers, they have played against an offense completely out of synch and another that tied the game late. Atlanta's offense has played well despite the loss at Pittsburgh and boasts a well-rounded defense. This plus the fact that the NO offense doesn't seem to be as high-powered as it was last season is the reason I am picking Atlanta to take this away on Sunday.
Tampa Bay may be 2-0 thus far, but they have not faced a defense as tough as the one played by Pittsburgh. Look for the Pittsburgh defense to win yet another game this Sunday.
The Pittsburgh defense almost completely dismantled the Tennessee offense this past week. Tennessee will be playing another tough defense this week when they face the New York Giants. While Chris Johnson may bounce back from the Pittsburgh game, New York should be able to take away the passing game and force Tennessee to become 1-dimensional. A better offense will also help New York beat Tennessee.
While I'm not big on the Michael Vick style of play, it is clear that he has the Philadelphia offense fired up and playing well. Because of this, Vick has now been named as the permanent starting QB for the team. Jacksonville had a great opening day game and a horrible Week 2. They are a team in flux right now (and they have been for about 3 years) and will fall when Philadelphia comes to town.
After watching the way Washington played against Houston last week, I can say I'm sold on the Shanahan/McNabb combination. St. Louis should provide little resistance to Washington going 2-1 after this week.
Jason Campbell has been replaced as the starter by Bruce Gradkowski. Although Gradkowski is a more mobile quarterback, it's hard to see how this change will make any difference. For Oakland to be successful, change will need to start at the top. As I wish no ill will on Al Davis, Oakland will remain bad for the foreseeable future. Even with the question marks on the Arizona offense, expect Oakland to lose this Sunday.
Denver has played much better than I expected this season and this week faces the AFC Champion. Although the team will be playing to honor the memory of Kenny McKinley this Sunday, the Indianapolis offense will be too much for them to handle.
Miami's run defense came through in a big way against Minnesota. They will need it again when the New York Jets visit. The NY defense, however, is much better than Minnesota's, and should hold down Miami's ground attack. Mark Sanchez will need to build upon the passing success from this past Sunday in order to beat Miami. In the end, I think NY will prevail over Miami as I still am not sold on Miami's passing game.
San Diego should be able to score well against Seattle as the loss against Denver shattered any illusions I had about their improvement this season.
The Monday game is an NFC North matchup with Green Bay going into Chicago in a battle of 2-0 teams. Both teams are sporting high-powered offenses this season. Jay Cutler has been playing well thus far, but it still remains to be seen if he has matured in the way he responds to pressure, which is something that he hasn't really face thus far this season. The Green Bay defensive line has been playing well and should provide a test of Cutler's maturity. Couple this with the Green Bay offense and Green Bay goes in front in the NFC North this season.
I will be attending the Houston game this Sunday, but my updates will be delayed until late Monday as immediately after the game I will be attending a concert. I won't be able to watch any more football until Monday because of this, but how often do Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax share the same stage in one night?
A Not-so-Nice News Item
It's being reported that Texans OT Duane Brown, our number 1 pick from the 2008 draft, is suspended for 4 games for violation of the NFL's policy on performance enhancing substances.
It is believed at this point that Brown was using a supplement that contained a banned substance, although at this point neither the supplement in question nor the banned substance have been disclosed by Brown or the team. Brown will miss his start this Sunday against Dallas and and will be eligible to return on October 18 after the Texans face the Kansas City Chiefs.
You can read the full ESPN article here.
You can read the text of the statements from both Brown and the Texans here.
This is the 2nd suspension the team has face this year as LB Brian Cushing is currently serving a suspension for testing positive for HCG. This is not just 2 players, but 2 starting players that many consider critical to the success of the team. For a team that is now trying to assert itself as a contender (and recently proclaimed the 5th most valuable NFL Franchise by Forbes Magazine), this is certainly a black mark on an organization that many said was the standard of class in the NFL.
The consensus concerning Brian Cushing is pretty much that he knowingly ingested the banned substances, but based on the statements concerning Brown, the case is not so clear cut. It is very possible that Brown ingested a fully legal over-the-counter supplement that contained a substance banned by the NFL. Individual players are responsible for what they ingest. But there are a host of factors that come into play here.
One of the complications concerning the case with the Williams Brothers in Minnesota is the fact that they tested positive for banned substances, but prior to that were not made aware the substance was banned by the NFL. While the league may make the players responsible for what goes into the body, it is certainly the responsibility of the NFL to make the players aware of what is and what is not legal. The State of Minnesota went to bat for Pat and Kevin Williams in this regard, which is why they have yet to serve their suspensions.
Was the substance listed on the label of the supplement as is required by law? This is important as Brown may have done his best due diligence and still not knowingly ingested a banned substance.
Of course, there are larger questions to be answered when it comes to banned performance enhancing substances. I don't know the extent of regulation on the supplement industry, but perhaps it is time for the FDA to at least take a look at some of what goes into these supplements. Does the NFL have any working relationship with some of the supplement producers in order to help players more easily identify what may or may not get a player into trouble? A simple warning on a supplement may help make it easier on players who often have to wade through literally hundreds of product labels in order to make sure they are in compliance with league policy.
I welcome any and all comments regarding this bit of news concerning the Texans or even the league PED policy in general. Please keep it civil and also watch the foul language.
It is believed at this point that Brown was using a supplement that contained a banned substance, although at this point neither the supplement in question nor the banned substance have been disclosed by Brown or the team. Brown will miss his start this Sunday against Dallas and and will be eligible to return on October 18 after the Texans face the Kansas City Chiefs.
You can read the full ESPN article here.
You can read the text of the statements from both Brown and the Texans here.
This is the 2nd suspension the team has face this year as LB Brian Cushing is currently serving a suspension for testing positive for HCG. This is not just 2 players, but 2 starting players that many consider critical to the success of the team. For a team that is now trying to assert itself as a contender (and recently proclaimed the 5th most valuable NFL Franchise by Forbes Magazine), this is certainly a black mark on an organization that many said was the standard of class in the NFL.
The consensus concerning Brian Cushing is pretty much that he knowingly ingested the banned substances, but based on the statements concerning Brown, the case is not so clear cut. It is very possible that Brown ingested a fully legal over-the-counter supplement that contained a substance banned by the NFL. Individual players are responsible for what they ingest. But there are a host of factors that come into play here.
One of the complications concerning the case with the Williams Brothers in Minnesota is the fact that they tested positive for banned substances, but prior to that were not made aware the substance was banned by the NFL. While the league may make the players responsible for what goes into the body, it is certainly the responsibility of the NFL to make the players aware of what is and what is not legal. The State of Minnesota went to bat for Pat and Kevin Williams in this regard, which is why they have yet to serve their suspensions.
Was the substance listed on the label of the supplement as is required by law? This is important as Brown may have done his best due diligence and still not knowingly ingested a banned substance.
Of course, there are larger questions to be answered when it comes to banned performance enhancing substances. I don't know the extent of regulation on the supplement industry, but perhaps it is time for the FDA to at least take a look at some of what goes into these supplements. Does the NFL have any working relationship with some of the supplement producers in order to help players more easily identify what may or may not get a player into trouble? A simple warning on a supplement may help make it easier on players who often have to wade through literally hundreds of product labels in order to make sure they are in compliance with league policy.
I welcome any and all comments regarding this bit of news concerning the Texans or even the league PED policy in general. Please keep it civil and also watch the foul language.
Injury Update
Andre Johnson's ankle injury doesn't appear to be very serious. Currently he is listed as "Day-to-Day" after an MRI performed on Monday revealed no serious problems. Johnson went down with the ankle injury in the 3rd quarter of the game against Washington this past Sunday but returned to the game in the 4th quarter after a visit to the locker room. He went on to make a touchdown catch to tie the game with just over 2 minutes left in the game.
Tight End James Casey, however, suffered an ankle injury that was a little more serious, according to Gary Kubiak.
Aside from these 2 injuries, the team appears to be in good shape as we head into Week 3. Let's hope for a swift recovery for Johnson and Casey.
Tight End James Casey, however, suffered an ankle injury that was a little more serious, according to Gary Kubiak.
Aside from these 2 injuries, the team appears to be in good shape as we head into Week 3. Let's hope for a swift recovery for Johnson and Casey.
RIP Kenny McKinley (1987 - 2010)
Denver WR Kenny McKinley was found dead in his Centennial, CO apartment on Monday. The preliminary finding is that his death was caused by suicide. Police are currently investigating the death.
I want to extend my deepest sympathies to Kenny's family, friends, and his teammates on the Broncos. His career was full of promise and his loss is tragic.
More details can be found by clicking here.
I want to extend my deepest sympathies to Kenny's family, friends, and his teammates on the Broncos. His career was full of promise and his loss is tragic.
More details can be found by clicking here.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Houston Beats Washington!
Today's game featuring Houston at Washington is one that I'm quite sure will make NFL Replay on Tuesday. Featuring a lot of offense from both Quarterbacks, Houston scored 20 points in the 2nd half and overtime to beat Washington 30-27 in their first-ever overtime win.
At the outset it didn't seem as things were going to go well for Houston on this day. After letting Washington score 3 on their opening drive, Steve Slaton took the kickoff in the endzone but stepped out onto the field before going out of bounds at the Houston 1 yard line. And to top things off, QB Matt Schaub threw an interception to Carlos Rogers on Houston's 1st drive of the game. Houston quickly found itself down by 6 as Washington scored on another field goal in the 1st quarter. Houston went ahead 7-6 at the beginning of the 2nd quarter, but then Washington began to turn up the heat on their passing game. Washington scored their 1st touchdown on a run from RB Clinton Portis after a big 62-yard pass to Joey Galloway. Washington would go on to score 1 more touchdown to end the half up 20-7.
Houston didn't go down, however, and came back swinging. After a Houston field goal and another Washington touchdown, Houston closed out the 3rd quarter with a 6 yard touchdown pass to WR Kevin Walter to edge closer to Washington. In the 4th quarter, on a 4th and 10 play, Matt Schaub threw a 24 yard touchdown pass to WR Andre Johnson (who had just returned to the game from an ankle injury) to tie the score at 27.
Houston won the overtime toss and was able to bring the ball to the Washington 30 yard line for a 47 yard field goal attempt. As K Neil Rackers missed one from that same distance earlier in the game, Coach Gary Kubiak elected to punt the ball. Washington then took the ball down the field and attempted a 52-yard field goal. After missing on the attempt, Houston drove the ball to the Washington 17 yard line and won the game on a 34 yard field goal from Rackers.
Houston had a great day on run defense but not such a good day on pass defense. QB Don McNabb went 28 for 38 for 426 yards and 1 touchdown. Most of the big plays came in the first half of the game before the Houston defense began to clamp down a little bit and get more pressure on McNabb. DT Mario Williams had a big day on the front line, finishing with 3 tackles, 1 assist on a tackle, and 3 sacks on McNabb. The defense held Washington's running game to only 18 yards on 17 attempts. The pass defense gave up 239 yards in the 1st half but started to clamp down a little bit in the 2nd, getting better pressure and 2 sacks on McNabb.
Houston ran the ball effectively when they did run it. RB Adrian Foster ran the ball 19 times for 69 yards while Slaton went 3 for 14 yards. Andre Johnson and Kevin Walter both finished over 100 yards receiving. Matt Schaub threw a career day today going 38 for 51 for 497 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception.
Click here for a full box score from Fox Sports.
All in all, it was a game where Houston showed that they could come back and win a big football game on the road.
Now we head into Week 3, where we will host Dallas. The 1 thing that concerns me at this point is the secondary. Tony Romo had a good day passing the ball, going 34 of 51 for 374 yards and 1 TD. The Dallas offense, even in the losing effort, started to show signs of finding their rhythm. If this continues, it could be another up and down game for Houston.
At the outset it didn't seem as things were going to go well for Houston on this day. After letting Washington score 3 on their opening drive, Steve Slaton took the kickoff in the endzone but stepped out onto the field before going out of bounds at the Houston 1 yard line. And to top things off, QB Matt Schaub threw an interception to Carlos Rogers on Houston's 1st drive of the game. Houston quickly found itself down by 6 as Washington scored on another field goal in the 1st quarter. Houston went ahead 7-6 at the beginning of the 2nd quarter, but then Washington began to turn up the heat on their passing game. Washington scored their 1st touchdown on a run from RB Clinton Portis after a big 62-yard pass to Joey Galloway. Washington would go on to score 1 more touchdown to end the half up 20-7.
Houston didn't go down, however, and came back swinging. After a Houston field goal and another Washington touchdown, Houston closed out the 3rd quarter with a 6 yard touchdown pass to WR Kevin Walter to edge closer to Washington. In the 4th quarter, on a 4th and 10 play, Matt Schaub threw a 24 yard touchdown pass to WR Andre Johnson (who had just returned to the game from an ankle injury) to tie the score at 27.
Houston won the overtime toss and was able to bring the ball to the Washington 30 yard line for a 47 yard field goal attempt. As K Neil Rackers missed one from that same distance earlier in the game, Coach Gary Kubiak elected to punt the ball. Washington then took the ball down the field and attempted a 52-yard field goal. After missing on the attempt, Houston drove the ball to the Washington 17 yard line and won the game on a 34 yard field goal from Rackers.
Houston had a great day on run defense but not such a good day on pass defense. QB Don McNabb went 28 for 38 for 426 yards and 1 touchdown. Most of the big plays came in the first half of the game before the Houston defense began to clamp down a little bit and get more pressure on McNabb. DT Mario Williams had a big day on the front line, finishing with 3 tackles, 1 assist on a tackle, and 3 sacks on McNabb. The defense held Washington's running game to only 18 yards on 17 attempts. The pass defense gave up 239 yards in the 1st half but started to clamp down a little bit in the 2nd, getting better pressure and 2 sacks on McNabb.
Houston ran the ball effectively when they did run it. RB Adrian Foster ran the ball 19 times for 69 yards while Slaton went 3 for 14 yards. Andre Johnson and Kevin Walter both finished over 100 yards receiving. Matt Schaub threw a career day today going 38 for 51 for 497 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception.
Click here for a full box score from Fox Sports.
All in all, it was a game where Houston showed that they could come back and win a big football game on the road.
Now we head into Week 3, where we will host Dallas. The 1 thing that concerns me at this point is the secondary. Tony Romo had a good day passing the ball, going 34 of 51 for 374 yards and 1 TD. The Dallas offense, even in the losing effort, started to show signs of finding their rhythm. If this continues, it could be another up and down game for Houston.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Predictions for Week 2
Week 1 is starting to become a memory. All 32 teams are in full swing with Week 2 preparations as those who won try to build on the successes and those who lost try to prove that Week 1 was a fluke. This week features some more tough matchups. Without further hesitation here is the schedule:
Arizona at Atlanta (Atlanta)
Tampa Bay at Carolina (Carolina)
Baltimore at Cincinnati (Cincinnati)
Kansas City at Cleveland (Kansas City)
Chicago at Dallas (Dallas)
Philadelphia at Detroit (Philadelphia)
Buffalo at Green Bay (Green Bay)
Miami at Minnesota (Minnesota)
Pittsburgh at Tennessee (Pittsburgh)
Seattle at Denver (Seattle)
St. Louis at Oakland (Oakland)
New England at New York Jets (New England)
Jacksonville at San Diego (San Diego)
Houston at Washington (Houston)
New York Giants at Indianapolis (Indianapolis)
New Orleans at San Francisco (New Orleans)
This week Houston takes a trip to Washington and plays a rare (at least for East Coast teams) afternoon game. The talk this week from a lot of the pundits has centered around how Washington plans to stop Houston. If they try to stop the ground game, then Washington will have to contend with Matt Schaub and the arsenal of skilled receivers around him. If they try to stop the pass, then the ground game is going to kill them. Last Sunday Tony Romo did have a decent game against the Washington defense (31 of 47 for 282 yards). The biggest reason Dallas lost was because it defeated itself. Also add the fact that Coach Gary Kubiak worked for Coach Mike Shanahan in Denver and supervised OC Kyle Shanahan here in Houston. Knowing the tendencies Shanahan and Son will go a long way in defensive and offensive planning for this game. This is why Houston will win this game on Sunday.
A few of the teams that lost this weekend are now going home. The teams that I picked to win based solely on home-field advantage are Dallas, Atlanta, Carolina, Green Bay (they are facing Buffalo, after all), and Oakland. Cincinnati has a great Quarterback in Carson Palmer and a top notch batch of receivers in Chad Ochocinco, Terrel Owens, and the up and comer Jordan Shipley. The New York Jets don't have a real good deep passing game right now, which was exploited by Baltimore. Baltimore will be facing a more complete team in Cincinnati and the deep threat posed by Palmer and Company will be why Cincinnati wins. Minnesota has had more than a week to prepare for Miami. That translates into more time for Favre to get in synch with his receivers and a little more development for the Minnesota secondary. Miami beat Buffalo in Week 1, but not in a very convincing fashion, which tells me they are still feeling around their retooled passing game. Add to that home-field advantage and Minnesota comes out the winner. I had predicted Detroit coming out of 4th place in the NFC North, and they may very well do that, but without Matthew Stafford, their chances grow more slim. It's the loss of Matthew Stafford that all but assures a Philadelphia win.
Tennessee embarassed Oakland in Week 1, but on Sunday they will be facing a much tougher defense when Pittsburgh visits. Look for Tennessee to rely on Chris Johnson once again this week in a losing effort against Pittsburgh. It looks like Seattle's coaching reconfiguration has paid immediate dividends based on the way they crushed San Francisco this past Sunday. I look for this to carry over in Denver. The New England offense will be too much for the New York Jets defense to handle. I'm still not sold on Cleveland just yet, especially given they will probably be starting a rookie QB this Sunday in place of a declining Jake Delhomme. San Diego, despite the thwarted effort at Kansas City, has the ability to move the football. That offense will be a real test of the Jacksonville defense. Eli Manning may have the better natural athletic talent, but Peyton Manning is still a better Quarterback due to his much higher football IQ. That and home-field advantage will be why Indianapolis beats the New York Giants on Sunday Night.
The New Orleans win against Minnesota wasn't an offensive clinic, but they got the job done. San Francisco had trouble coming through when it was needed against Seattle. Look for New Orleans to add to San Francisco's woes on Monday.
Of course, surprises can always happen as the game is played on the field and not on paper. Last Sunday I went 10-6 with my picks as there were some surprises in Week 1. I look for more surprises in Week 2 as the cobwebs are cleaned out and the tendencies of the teams playing become more apparent. But the most important thing is that this is a lot of fun.
Arizona at Atlanta (Atlanta)
Tampa Bay at Carolina (Carolina)
Baltimore at Cincinnati (Cincinnati)
Kansas City at Cleveland (Kansas City)
Chicago at Dallas (Dallas)
Philadelphia at Detroit (Philadelphia)
Buffalo at Green Bay (Green Bay)
Miami at Minnesota (Minnesota)
Pittsburgh at Tennessee (Pittsburgh)
Seattle at Denver (Seattle)
St. Louis at Oakland (Oakland)
New England at New York Jets (New England)
Jacksonville at San Diego (San Diego)
Houston at Washington (Houston)
New York Giants at Indianapolis (Indianapolis)
New Orleans at San Francisco (New Orleans)
This week Houston takes a trip to Washington and plays a rare (at least for East Coast teams) afternoon game. The talk this week from a lot of the pundits has centered around how Washington plans to stop Houston. If they try to stop the ground game, then Washington will have to contend with Matt Schaub and the arsenal of skilled receivers around him. If they try to stop the pass, then the ground game is going to kill them. Last Sunday Tony Romo did have a decent game against the Washington defense (31 of 47 for 282 yards). The biggest reason Dallas lost was because it defeated itself. Also add the fact that Coach Gary Kubiak worked for Coach Mike Shanahan in Denver and supervised OC Kyle Shanahan here in Houston. Knowing the tendencies Shanahan and Son will go a long way in defensive and offensive planning for this game. This is why Houston will win this game on Sunday.
A few of the teams that lost this weekend are now going home. The teams that I picked to win based solely on home-field advantage are Dallas, Atlanta, Carolina, Green Bay (they are facing Buffalo, after all), and Oakland. Cincinnati has a great Quarterback in Carson Palmer and a top notch batch of receivers in Chad Ochocinco, Terrel Owens, and the up and comer Jordan Shipley. The New York Jets don't have a real good deep passing game right now, which was exploited by Baltimore. Baltimore will be facing a more complete team in Cincinnati and the deep threat posed by Palmer and Company will be why Cincinnati wins. Minnesota has had more than a week to prepare for Miami. That translates into more time for Favre to get in synch with his receivers and a little more development for the Minnesota secondary. Miami beat Buffalo in Week 1, but not in a very convincing fashion, which tells me they are still feeling around their retooled passing game. Add to that home-field advantage and Minnesota comes out the winner. I had predicted Detroit coming out of 4th place in the NFC North, and they may very well do that, but without Matthew Stafford, their chances grow more slim. It's the loss of Matthew Stafford that all but assures a Philadelphia win.
Tennessee embarassed Oakland in Week 1, but on Sunday they will be facing a much tougher defense when Pittsburgh visits. Look for Tennessee to rely on Chris Johnson once again this week in a losing effort against Pittsburgh. It looks like Seattle's coaching reconfiguration has paid immediate dividends based on the way they crushed San Francisco this past Sunday. I look for this to carry over in Denver. The New England offense will be too much for the New York Jets defense to handle. I'm still not sold on Cleveland just yet, especially given they will probably be starting a rookie QB this Sunday in place of a declining Jake Delhomme. San Diego, despite the thwarted effort at Kansas City, has the ability to move the football. That offense will be a real test of the Jacksonville defense. Eli Manning may have the better natural athletic talent, but Peyton Manning is still a better Quarterback due to his much higher football IQ. That and home-field advantage will be why Indianapolis beats the New York Giants on Sunday Night.
The New Orleans win against Minnesota wasn't an offensive clinic, but they got the job done. San Francisco had trouble coming through when it was needed against Seattle. Look for New Orleans to add to San Francisco's woes on Monday.
Of course, surprises can always happen as the game is played on the field and not on paper. Last Sunday I went 10-6 with my picks as there were some surprises in Week 1. I look for more surprises in Week 2 as the cobwebs are cleaned out and the tendencies of the teams playing become more apparent. But the most important thing is that this is a lot of fun.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
That was Fun!
What a way to start a season. Coming into today's game, the Colts seemed to have the Texans' number. Since the Texans joined the league, they have gone 1-15 against the Colts. This game was talked from the day the schedule was released. A lot of analysts and pundits were calling this a 'must win' for the Texans.
Despite their past proclivities, the Texans stepped up and did what needed to be done on this regular season opener. Pressure was kept up on Manning through most of the game, which helped disrupt his passing attack. The run defense held Joseph Addai to only 44 yards (but to be fair, the Colts barely ran the ball, if at all, in the 2nd half). Manning did rack up 433 yards, but he threw the ball 57 times, which is a lot even for a pass happy team. Manning was also sacked twice.
The story of the day, however, was the Texans running game led by Arian Foster. Foster ran 33 times for 231 yards to cap off the 2nd best opening day rushing attack in NFL history. In the process he scored 3 touchdowns. The offensive line did a tremendous job opening the holes for Foster and Slaton (who saw limited time in the game but used it effectively). Vonta Leach, who has never really been considered a great Fullback, came through with some excellent blocking for the bigger runs of the day.
The passing attack by the Texans seems on paper as anemic. Matt Schaub went 9 for 17 with 107 yards (1 TD, 1 INT, 1 sack). Andre Johnson was limited to 3 catches for 33 yards. This, however, only tells half the story. The Texans barely threw the ball at all in the 2nd half. Most of the 2nd half was dedicated to the run game. Obviously the coaching staff saw the weakness in the Colts defense and exploited it.
People are still a little skeptical of the Texans defense in the secondary, although they did cause the Colts to cough up the ball late in the game. In the 4th quarter Manning connected on a lot of passes, but here also there was a method to the madness. The Texans were covering the sidelines and conceding the middle of the field in the 4th quarter in order to keep the clock moving. It's a risky strategy when going up against an elite quarterback which was evidenced by the 70+ yard touchdown throw from Manning to Austin Collie with 1:15 left in the game. But in the end the strategy paid off as clock management was not an option for the Colts in the 4th quarter.
Both teams suffered key injuries in the game. The Texans lost DE Conner Barwin for the season with a dislocated ankle. The Colts, in turn, lost S Bob Sanders for at least a few weeks due to a bicep injury.
All in all, this day belonged to the Houston Texans. The team sought to make a statement with this game and while all the hype has by now worn off, the confidence level of the team is going to soar. Next up is a road matchup against the retooled and upgraded Washington Redskins, who are looking to reclaim their place in the NFC East.
Despite their past proclivities, the Texans stepped up and did what needed to be done on this regular season opener. Pressure was kept up on Manning through most of the game, which helped disrupt his passing attack. The run defense held Joseph Addai to only 44 yards (but to be fair, the Colts barely ran the ball, if at all, in the 2nd half). Manning did rack up 433 yards, but he threw the ball 57 times, which is a lot even for a pass happy team. Manning was also sacked twice.
The story of the day, however, was the Texans running game led by Arian Foster. Foster ran 33 times for 231 yards to cap off the 2nd best opening day rushing attack in NFL history. In the process he scored 3 touchdowns. The offensive line did a tremendous job opening the holes for Foster and Slaton (who saw limited time in the game but used it effectively). Vonta Leach, who has never really been considered a great Fullback, came through with some excellent blocking for the bigger runs of the day.
The passing attack by the Texans seems on paper as anemic. Matt Schaub went 9 for 17 with 107 yards (1 TD, 1 INT, 1 sack). Andre Johnson was limited to 3 catches for 33 yards. This, however, only tells half the story. The Texans barely threw the ball at all in the 2nd half. Most of the 2nd half was dedicated to the run game. Obviously the coaching staff saw the weakness in the Colts defense and exploited it.
People are still a little skeptical of the Texans defense in the secondary, although they did cause the Colts to cough up the ball late in the game. In the 4th quarter Manning connected on a lot of passes, but here also there was a method to the madness. The Texans were covering the sidelines and conceding the middle of the field in the 4th quarter in order to keep the clock moving. It's a risky strategy when going up against an elite quarterback which was evidenced by the 70+ yard touchdown throw from Manning to Austin Collie with 1:15 left in the game. But in the end the strategy paid off as clock management was not an option for the Colts in the 4th quarter.
Both teams suffered key injuries in the game. The Texans lost DE Conner Barwin for the season with a dislocated ankle. The Colts, in turn, lost S Bob Sanders for at least a few weeks due to a bicep injury.
All in all, this day belonged to the Houston Texans. The team sought to make a statement with this game and while all the hype has by now worn off, the confidence level of the team is going to soar. Next up is a road matchup against the retooled and upgraded Washington Redskins, who are looking to reclaim their place in the NFC East.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Let Week 1 Begin!
Okay, boys and girls, in less than 24 hours the first NFL action of the season should be concluded. It's been a long wait but it's finally time to begin the 17 week odyssey to the playoffs. First, let's take a look at the schedule, my predictions, and a short analysis of why:
Thursday
Minnesota at New Orleans (New Orleans)
Sunday
Miami at Buffalo (Miami)
Indianapolis at Houston (Houston)
Detroit at Chicago (Detroit)
Atlanta at Pittsburgh (Atlanta)
Cleveland at Tampa Bay (Tampa Bay)
Cincinnati at New England (New England)
Denver at Jacksonville (Denver)
Oakland at Tennesee (Tennessee)
Carolina at New York Giants (Carolina)
San Francisco at Seattle (San Francisco)
Arizona at St. Louis (Arizona)
Green Bay at Philadelphia (Green Bay)
Dallas at Washington (Washington)
Monday
Baltimore at New York Jets (Baltimore)
San Diego at Kansas City (San Diego)
Since this is Week 1, a few of these are going to be guesses based on last season and what I was able to observe in preseason play. For the NFL opener, I have to go with New Orleans over Minnesota once again. Last year was definitely a magical season for Favre, but the chances of repeating are all but impossible and the Offensive Line is suspect at this point. New Orleans continues to be an offensive juggernaut and the defense still has a knack for causing turnovers. I'm looking at you, Adrian Peterson!
The Houston game is one that I feel is going to be one of the highlights of the week. Vegas has Indianapolis by 2.5, which is pretty close even when taking the 3 given to the home team. The Texans will have a better running game this season and the core of both teams returns. The thing that worries me most is Manning exploiting a young CB squad and what some call a suspect Safety corps. The key will be keeping pressure on Manning (from what I can tell, Indianapolis still has a suspect running game). Mario Williams and Amobi Okoye both had great preseasons, which will go a long way toward keeping pressure on Manning. I'm going with Houston on this one.
Buffalo will be better coached this season, but Miami made some big moves in the offseason to bolster their offense outside of the Wildcat formation. Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson should really gel this year and it should show when they beat Chicago (I've never really been sold on Jay Cutler as a starting QB). As a side, I see Detroit climbing to 3rd place in the NFC North, but I digress. Michael Turner's return to the field will give Matt Ryan the help he needs to beat Pittsburgh this week. With Cleveland and Tampa I'm simply going with the home team. New England still has some doubters in regards to defense, but their offense still remains one of the most potent in the NFL. I'm also not really sold on Cincinnati's ability to slow Tom Brady enough to win the game. Oakland made some offensive upgrades this offseason, but here I question the playcalling (based on what they did in Week 17 last season, a decision which allowed the Ravens to win and cost the Texans their Wildcard spot). I expect Tennesee to capitalize on this and pull out the win. Carolina pulled it together after benching Jake Delhomme last season and rattled off a couple of tough wins. The NY Giants seemed in a little disarray this preseason, which is why I think they will lose. Both Seattle and St. Louis were NFC West bottom dwellers last season. Although changes were made for the better, I still see both teams losing this Sunday. Green Bay showed some really good play on offense this preseason and although their secondary remains suspect, I don't think Philadelphia will be able to take advantage.
Another big rivalry game happens in the NFC East on Sunday Night. Dallas seemed a team in disarray this preseason. All one had to do was watch the game in Houston in Week 3. There are those who are saying "it's only preseason" and "there was no gameplanning"... yadda yadda yadda. Some were even saying that Jerry Jones was making the team hold back and that it will be a different team in Week 1. All I saw was a team that couldn't get anything together. Washington made some serious upgrades this offseason, and when it comes down to it, I think McNabb is still a better QB than Tony Romo.
Monday Night is a doubleheader with the first game seeing Baltimore at the New York Jets. I'm not sold on Mark Sanchez's ability to lead this team as I don't think he's the QB that he is hyped to be. The coaching staff even had to keep a tight leash on him last season as he became turnover prone. The NYJ defense should be tough, but Darelle Revis will not be ready to step up in this game. Baltimore has a nasty defense and their offense should be just as good, if not better than last year, which is why they will win. The second game will be San Diego visiting Kansas City. Let's just say I don't think Kansas City has gotten any better.
This being Week 1, there's really no telling how things will shake out, but these are my best guesses given what I saw this preseason. Let's get this thing rolling!
Thursday
Minnesota at New Orleans (New Orleans)
Sunday
Miami at Buffalo (Miami)
Indianapolis at Houston (Houston)
Detroit at Chicago (Detroit)
Atlanta at Pittsburgh (Atlanta)
Cleveland at Tampa Bay (Tampa Bay)
Cincinnati at New England (New England)
Denver at Jacksonville (Denver)
Oakland at Tennesee (Tennessee)
Carolina at New York Giants (Carolina)
San Francisco at Seattle (San Francisco)
Arizona at St. Louis (Arizona)
Green Bay at Philadelphia (Green Bay)
Dallas at Washington (Washington)
Monday
Baltimore at New York Jets (Baltimore)
San Diego at Kansas City (San Diego)
Since this is Week 1, a few of these are going to be guesses based on last season and what I was able to observe in preseason play. For the NFL opener, I have to go with New Orleans over Minnesota once again. Last year was definitely a magical season for Favre, but the chances of repeating are all but impossible and the Offensive Line is suspect at this point. New Orleans continues to be an offensive juggernaut and the defense still has a knack for causing turnovers. I'm looking at you, Adrian Peterson!
The Houston game is one that I feel is going to be one of the highlights of the week. Vegas has Indianapolis by 2.5, which is pretty close even when taking the 3 given to the home team. The Texans will have a better running game this season and the core of both teams returns. The thing that worries me most is Manning exploiting a young CB squad and what some call a suspect Safety corps. The key will be keeping pressure on Manning (from what I can tell, Indianapolis still has a suspect running game). Mario Williams and Amobi Okoye both had great preseasons, which will go a long way toward keeping pressure on Manning. I'm going with Houston on this one.
Buffalo will be better coached this season, but Miami made some big moves in the offseason to bolster their offense outside of the Wildcat formation. Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson should really gel this year and it should show when they beat Chicago (I've never really been sold on Jay Cutler as a starting QB). As a side, I see Detroit climbing to 3rd place in the NFC North, but I digress. Michael Turner's return to the field will give Matt Ryan the help he needs to beat Pittsburgh this week. With Cleveland and Tampa I'm simply going with the home team. New England still has some doubters in regards to defense, but their offense still remains one of the most potent in the NFL. I'm also not really sold on Cincinnati's ability to slow Tom Brady enough to win the game. Oakland made some offensive upgrades this offseason, but here I question the playcalling (based on what they did in Week 17 last season, a decision which allowed the Ravens to win and cost the Texans their Wildcard spot). I expect Tennesee to capitalize on this and pull out the win. Carolina pulled it together after benching Jake Delhomme last season and rattled off a couple of tough wins. The NY Giants seemed in a little disarray this preseason, which is why I think they will lose. Both Seattle and St. Louis were NFC West bottom dwellers last season. Although changes were made for the better, I still see both teams losing this Sunday. Green Bay showed some really good play on offense this preseason and although their secondary remains suspect, I don't think Philadelphia will be able to take advantage.
Another big rivalry game happens in the NFC East on Sunday Night. Dallas seemed a team in disarray this preseason. All one had to do was watch the game in Houston in Week 3. There are those who are saying "it's only preseason" and "there was no gameplanning"... yadda yadda yadda. Some were even saying that Jerry Jones was making the team hold back and that it will be a different team in Week 1. All I saw was a team that couldn't get anything together. Washington made some serious upgrades this offseason, and when it comes down to it, I think McNabb is still a better QB than Tony Romo.
Monday Night is a doubleheader with the first game seeing Baltimore at the New York Jets. I'm not sold on Mark Sanchez's ability to lead this team as I don't think he's the QB that he is hyped to be. The coaching staff even had to keep a tight leash on him last season as he became turnover prone. The NYJ defense should be tough, but Darelle Revis will not be ready to step up in this game. Baltimore has a nasty defense and their offense should be just as good, if not better than last year, which is why they will win. The second game will be San Diego visiting Kansas City. Let's just say I don't think Kansas City has gotten any better.
This being Week 1, there's really no telling how things will shake out, but these are my best guesses given what I saw this preseason. Let's get this thing rolling!
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Playing Catch-up
Ok, so I didn't cover any of the preseason and subsequent roster moves. Truth is I got a little busy and when not busy I got a little lazy.
A quick recap - The first team offense and defense were both firing on all 8 cylinders at Arizona. Houston ended up losing the game in the 4th quarter when the offense couldn't seem to get anything going. Things sort of fell apart in New Orleans when the Saints just steamrolled to an easy victory. Both first teams got it back together in a big way when Dallas came to town for a visit. The second team offense seemed to have a hard time against Tampa Bay, but Jon David Booty brought the Texans back knocking on the door in the 3rd and 4th quarters before time simply expired. The Texans finished the pre-season 1-3. I was rather happy with what I saw, however, and my excitement for this season continues unabated.
As for the subsequent roster moves, there weren't many surprises there, but a couple did leave me scratching my head. The first was the cutting of Jacque Reeves. The team's oldest Cornerback (Antwaun Molden) now is going into his 3rd year in the NFL. While none of the CB squad is a bad player, I think some veteran leadership at the position would have been prudent, especially with the loss of Dunta Robinson. I also questioned the cutting of Danny Clark at Linebacker. Starting LB Brian Cushing is still suspended for the first 4 games, and at this point I still don't know who is going to be starting in his spot (although all indications point to Xavier Adibi). Finally there is the question of Quarterbacks. Dan Orlovsky did not have a very good preseason and Booty clearly beat him out in the final preseason game. Jon David Booty ended up being on the chopping block, however. I appreciate Gary Kubiak's commitment to Orlovsky, but I just don't think he's got what it takes to be a QB in the NFL. It was announced on Labor Day that QB Matt Leinart signed a 1 year deal with the team after being cut by Arizona. I think I would have rather seen Booty kept on as the 3rd QB.
I would have also like to have seen Jeremiah Johnson make the team as he had a pretty good preseason this year. Unfortunately, the RB corps has been depleted with injuries. The team could not afford to leave him on the roster (he was injured against Tampa Bay) while Steve Slaton is also nursing an injury. To fill the gap the team signed veteran RB Derrick Ward, who should provide some capable backup to Arian Foster until Steve Slaton returns.
There is the quick and dirty recap up to this point. The regular season starts in 2 days when the Vikings prepare to get smacked down by the Saints once again. I will have my predictions up in the next 48 hours.
A quick recap - The first team offense and defense were both firing on all 8 cylinders at Arizona. Houston ended up losing the game in the 4th quarter when the offense couldn't seem to get anything going. Things sort of fell apart in New Orleans when the Saints just steamrolled to an easy victory. Both first teams got it back together in a big way when Dallas came to town for a visit. The second team offense seemed to have a hard time against Tampa Bay, but Jon David Booty brought the Texans back knocking on the door in the 3rd and 4th quarters before time simply expired. The Texans finished the pre-season 1-3. I was rather happy with what I saw, however, and my excitement for this season continues unabated.
As for the subsequent roster moves, there weren't many surprises there, but a couple did leave me scratching my head. The first was the cutting of Jacque Reeves. The team's oldest Cornerback (Antwaun Molden) now is going into his 3rd year in the NFL. While none of the CB squad is a bad player, I think some veteran leadership at the position would have been prudent, especially with the loss of Dunta Robinson. I also questioned the cutting of Danny Clark at Linebacker. Starting LB Brian Cushing is still suspended for the first 4 games, and at this point I still don't know who is going to be starting in his spot (although all indications point to Xavier Adibi). Finally there is the question of Quarterbacks. Dan Orlovsky did not have a very good preseason and Booty clearly beat him out in the final preseason game. Jon David Booty ended up being on the chopping block, however. I appreciate Gary Kubiak's commitment to Orlovsky, but I just don't think he's got what it takes to be a QB in the NFL. It was announced on Labor Day that QB Matt Leinart signed a 1 year deal with the team after being cut by Arizona. I think I would have rather seen Booty kept on as the 3rd QB.
I would have also like to have seen Jeremiah Johnson make the team as he had a pretty good preseason this year. Unfortunately, the RB corps has been depleted with injuries. The team could not afford to leave him on the roster (he was injured against Tampa Bay) while Steve Slaton is also nursing an injury. To fill the gap the team signed veteran RB Derrick Ward, who should provide some capable backup to Arian Foster until Steve Slaton returns.
There is the quick and dirty recap up to this point. The regular season starts in 2 days when the Vikings prepare to get smacked down by the Saints once again. I will have my predictions up in the next 48 hours.
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