Sunday, December 9, 2012
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Final Regular Season College Football Computer Rankings
Two big weeks of college football have taken place since my last rankings. Rivalry week and Championship week combined to shake up the top 25 quite a bit. Everyone seemed deadset on a Notre Dame vs. SEC Champion title game, but these seem to indicate that it may not have been so clear cut. Here's the top 25, along with other bowl teams.
1. Notre Dame 2.821
2. Oregon 2.815
3. Alabama 2.807
4. Florida 2.758
5. Texas A&M 2.697
6. Kansas State 2.695
7. Ohio State* 2.687
8. Stanford 2.633
9. Oklahoma 2.605
10. Georgia 2.598
11. LSU 2.598
12. South Carolina 2.586
13. Florida State 2.581
14. Clemson 2.510
15. Northern Illinois 2.504
16. Nebraska 2.480
17. Oregon State 2.479
18. San Jose State 2.477
19. Utah State 2.414
20. Fresno State 2.392
21. Michigan 2.389
22. Boise State 2.379
23. Kent State 2.365
24. UCLA 2.358
25. Cincinnati 2.355
Other Bowl Teams
26. Arkansas State 2.335
27. Northwestern 2.329
28. Oklahoma State 2.319
29. San Diego State 2.314
30. Louisville 2.307
31. Wisconsin 2.305
33. Vanderbilt 2.288
34. USC 2.286
35. Texas 2.284
36. Tulsa 2.283
37. Rutgers 2.280
38. Ball State 2.278
40. Toledo 2.259
41. Arizona 2.233
42. Mississippi State 2.232
44. UCF 2.220
45. Baylor 2.200
46. BYU 2.189
47. Michigan State 2.179
48. TCU 2.177
49. Arizona State 2.167
50. Washington 2.162
51. Texas Tech 2.147
52. West Virginia 2.139
53. Louisiana Lafayette 2.138
54. Pitt 2.136
55. Navy** 2.133
56. Bowling Green 2.131
57. Louisiana Monroe 2.130
58. Syracuse 2.120
61. Iowa State 2.079
62. Ole Miss 2.071
63. Ohio 2.047
65. East Carolina 2.022
66. Virginia Tech 2.012
67. Purdue 2.012
68. Western Kentucky 2.009
69. Georgia Tech 1.995
70. NC State 1.992
71. Nevada 1.962
73. Duke 1.950
74. Minnesota 1.921
75. SMU 1.900
78. Air Force 1.860
80. Rice 1.852
81. Central Michigan 1.827
*Ohio State is not eligible to compete in a bowl
**Navy still has a regular season game this Saturday against Army
Stay tuned for my in depth bowl preview later this week!
1. Notre Dame 2.821
2. Oregon 2.815
3. Alabama 2.807
4. Florida 2.758
5. Texas A&M 2.697
6. Kansas State 2.695
7. Ohio State* 2.687
8. Stanford 2.633
9. Oklahoma 2.605
10. Georgia 2.598
11. LSU 2.598
12. South Carolina 2.586
13. Florida State 2.581
14. Clemson 2.510
15. Northern Illinois 2.504
16. Nebraska 2.480
17. Oregon State 2.479
18. San Jose State 2.477
19. Utah State 2.414
20. Fresno State 2.392
21. Michigan 2.389
22. Boise State 2.379
23. Kent State 2.365
24. UCLA 2.358
25. Cincinnati 2.355
Other Bowl Teams
26. Arkansas State 2.335
27. Northwestern 2.329
28. Oklahoma State 2.319
29. San Diego State 2.314
30. Louisville 2.307
31. Wisconsin 2.305
33. Vanderbilt 2.288
34. USC 2.286
35. Texas 2.284
36. Tulsa 2.283
37. Rutgers 2.280
38. Ball State 2.278
40. Toledo 2.259
41. Arizona 2.233
42. Mississippi State 2.232
44. UCF 2.220
45. Baylor 2.200
46. BYU 2.189
47. Michigan State 2.179
48. TCU 2.177
49. Arizona State 2.167
50. Washington 2.162
51. Texas Tech 2.147
52. West Virginia 2.139
53. Louisiana Lafayette 2.138
54. Pitt 2.136
55. Navy** 2.133
56. Bowling Green 2.131
57. Louisiana Monroe 2.130
58. Syracuse 2.120
61. Iowa State 2.079
62. Ole Miss 2.071
63. Ohio 2.047
65. East Carolina 2.022
66. Virginia Tech 2.012
67. Purdue 2.012
68. Western Kentucky 2.009
69. Georgia Tech 1.995
70. NC State 1.992
71. Nevada 1.962
73. Duke 1.950
74. Minnesota 1.921
75. SMU 1.900
78. Air Force 1.860
80. Rice 1.852
81. Central Michigan 1.827
*Ohio State is not eligible to compete in a bowl
**Navy still has a regular season game this Saturday against Army
Stay tuned for my in depth bowl preview later this week!
Monday, November 19, 2012
Week 12 College Football Computer Rankings
A week this crazy in college football calls for a lot of movement at the top, and these rankings stay true to that. Enjoy, and if you are curious about the factors that these rankings consider, see my original rankings from a few weeks back.
Note: 5 through 8 are very tight, so any of them can easily take any of those positions by the smallest of factors. Same with 9 through 14 for those of you thinking Stanford should be higher. (19-23 as well)
1. Notre Dame 2.809
2. Alabama 2.800
3. Oregon 2.780
4. Florida 2.736
5. Kansas St. 2.677
6. Ohio St. 2.675
7. Florida St. 2.674
8. Texas A&M 2.671
9. Georgia 2.622
10. LSU 2.616
11. Nebraska 2.610
12. Clemson 2.602
13. Oklahoma 2.595
14. Stanford 2.594
15. South Carolina 2.542
16. Oregon St. 2.498
17. Oklahoma St. 2.491
18. Rutgers 2.455
19. UCLA 2.444
20. Northern Illinois 2.440
21. San Jose St. 2.438
22. Michigan 2.434
23. Texas 2.430
24. Utah St. 2.412
25. Kent St. 2.393
Other Notable Teams
26. Louisville 2.368
27. Boise St. 2.355
28. Arizona 2.348
29. Fresno St. 2.346
30. Mississippi St. 2.336
35. USC 2.311
36. Wisconsin 2.287
37. Penn St. 2.282
45. Vanderbilt 2.234
46. North Carolina 2.221
50. TCU 2.148
51. Michigan St. 2.139
56. Syracuse 2.091
60. Baylor 2.074
60. Miami (FL) 2.074
63. West Virginia 2.050
64. Duke 2.008
65. Ole Miss 2.000
68. Virginia Tech 1.982
90. Auburn 1.739
96. BUFFALO 1.697
Bottom Five
120. Akron 1.299
121. Southern Miss 1.244
122. Hawaii 1.234
123. New Mexico St. 1.205
124. Massachusetts 1.175
Note: 5 through 8 are very tight, so any of them can easily take any of those positions by the smallest of factors. Same with 9 through 14 for those of you thinking Stanford should be higher. (19-23 as well)
1. Notre Dame 2.809
2. Alabama 2.800
3. Oregon 2.780
4. Florida 2.736
5. Kansas St. 2.677
6. Ohio St. 2.675
7. Florida St. 2.674
8. Texas A&M 2.671
9. Georgia 2.622
10. LSU 2.616
11. Nebraska 2.610
12. Clemson 2.602
13. Oklahoma 2.595
14. Stanford 2.594
15. South Carolina 2.542
16. Oregon St. 2.498
17. Oklahoma St. 2.491
18. Rutgers 2.455
19. UCLA 2.444
20. Northern Illinois 2.440
21. San Jose St. 2.438
22. Michigan 2.434
23. Texas 2.430
24. Utah St. 2.412
25. Kent St. 2.393
Other Notable Teams
26. Louisville 2.368
27. Boise St. 2.355
28. Arizona 2.348
29. Fresno St. 2.346
30. Mississippi St. 2.336
35. USC 2.311
36. Wisconsin 2.287
37. Penn St. 2.282
45. Vanderbilt 2.234
46. North Carolina 2.221
50. TCU 2.148
51. Michigan St. 2.139
56. Syracuse 2.091
60. Baylor 2.074
60. Miami (FL) 2.074
63. West Virginia 2.050
64. Duke 2.008
65. Ole Miss 2.000
68. Virginia Tech 1.982
90. Auburn 1.739
96. BUFFALO 1.697
Bottom Five
120. Akron 1.299
121. Southern Miss 1.244
122. Hawaii 1.234
123. New Mexico St. 1.205
124. Massachusetts 1.175
Monday, November 12, 2012
Mathieu's Second Half Bold Predictions
Second Half Bold Predictions
The first
half of the NFL is in the books officially for every team in the league now,
and while some of my preseason predictions have been right, most have been just
a tiny bit off to say the least. This column is my chance to right my wrongs
and correctly predict every important aspect (10 of them at least) for the
second half of the season. So without further ado, here is my list of 10 bold
predictions for the second half. *This
column was written prior to this weeks games*
1). Chuck Pagano
will be back on the sidelines in time to coach the Colts to their first playoff
win without Peyton Manning in what seems like forever.
Is the bold
part of this prediction the fact that Pagano will coach again this season, that
the Colts will make the playoffs, or
that the Colts will win a playoff
game? It could be any or all of the above. After Pagano’s awe-inspiring post
game speech last week (which made me want to run through a wall for the guy) it
appears as though he’s making progress in his fight against leukemia, and it is
now known that his cancer is in remission and Bruce Arians fully expects him to
lead the team out of the tunnel before the season is over. The team has been
through a lot already this season, and with the help of rookie phenom Andrew
Luck, the Colts are much closer to the post season than many thought they’d be.
The team is playing inspired and with determination, and is clearly the story
of the season in the NFL and probably the story of the year in all of sports.
What better ending would this story have than to see the inspired team ride the
emotions and will of their coach into an extremely improbable run at the
playoffs after choosing first overall in the preceding draft. With the Colts in
the middle of a future 30 for 30 film, I think this team is simply destined to
make the postseason, and possibly even more.
The most
likely scenario here is the Colts earning the 6th seed in the AFC,
likely setting them up for a first round showdown with the Ravens (likely 3
seed). Andrew Luck vs. the Ravens secondary is a very favorable matchup, so if
the Colts make it there, who’s to say they have to lose in the first round?
2.) By season’s
end, Jay Cutler’s name will be among the ranks of the NFL’s elite QBs.
As streaky
as Jay Cutler is, he may very well be the most talented quarterback in the NFL.
When he’s on, Cutler has the arm strength, accuracy, and awareness to make any
throw on the field. When he’s off however, his passes don’t hit the ground
because opposing defensive backs are busy running them back for scores. Most of
the problem for Cutler in his time in Chicago has been his lack of a true
receiver (Devin Hester doesn’t count), and his lack of protection on the
offensive line. Now that Cutler is reunited with Brandon Marshall though, he’s
been a changed quarterback (aside from his 4 INT fiasco against the Packers).
Marshall is among the NFL’s elite at receiver, and is that not because of
Cutler? Before this season, Marshall’s last truly dominant season was back with
the Broncos, where Cutler was slinging him passes. But how does any of this
make Cutler eligible to join the “Elite QB Club”? Well…
3.) Jay Cutler will be named Super Bowl XLVII MVP.
This
just seems like the Bears year doesn’t it? Am I really alone here? Yes the
Falcons are unbeaten, yes the Packers have Aaron Rodgers, yes the Texans are
physically dominant, and yes both Mannings are once again leading winning
teams. But none of these teams have the defense of the Bears. A defense that
takes the ball away from opposing offenses more than any other, and then takes
those turnovers straight into the end zone for an easy 6, makes this Bears team
different from the past. The personnel on this Bears defense is largely
unchanged however, and the last time the Bears’ defense was this good, they
lost Super Bowl XLI to Peyton Manning and the Colts. The difference? The Bears’
QB that season was none other than “Sexy” Rexy Grossman. The name says it all
doesn’t it? Needless to say, Jay Cutler is not Rex Grossman. If Cutler plays
that game rather than Grossman, the Bears likely win after holding Peyton
Manning in check for the better portion of the evening. This year’s Bears
defense isn’t intimidated by anybody, so they likely won’t be scared to see the
opposing signal-caller in this year’s Super Bowl. Who will that be you ask?
Well they always say history repeats itself, so…
4.) In a rematch of Super Bowl XX, the Chicago Bears will defeat…The
New England Patriots.
Before
this season started, the team in the NFL with the most hype was not the
defending Super Bowl champs; it was the Super Bowl runner-ups, the Patriots.
Analysts were predicting a big season for the Patsies, even a few whispers of
another 16-0 campaign. This was not without good reason, what with last
season’s emergence of “The Gronk”, this season’s addition of Brandon Lloyd, the
draft helping retool the defense (although they still can’t defend the pass),
and oh yeah, they still have a quarterback ranked in the top 5 in NFL HISTORY.
Those whispers of going undefeated ended quickly though, as the Patriots lost
in week 2 and stumbled out to a 3-3 start. But isn’t this year’s Patriots team
more talented than it was a year ago, a year in which they still made the Super Bowl? Shouldn’t it be easier to make the big
game this year with a more talented team in a weaker AFC? I think so. Tom Brady
is still Tom Brady, and he has phenomenal chemistry with Gronkowski, Welker,
and Lloyd and Hernandez when they are healthy.
The difference maker this year is out of the Pats’ control, however. The conference is weaker as a whole, with the exception of the Texans. The Ravens are weaker on defense and Flacco seems to not have taken any major steps forward, the Bengals have regressed, the Steelers’ defense is another year older (Polamalu has yet to string healthy games together), so the only real threat is the Texans. I believe the Texans do not match up well with the Patriots, and you will all see why when they meet in week 14. The best way to defeat the Patriots is with an explosive passing attack, which the Texans do not possess, or by knocking down Brady, which is Watt’s specialty, but the Hoodie will game plan around him (the Giants have 5 legitimate pass rushing threats, more than Houston). The Texans run, run, then play-action. That is enough to fool some teams with weaker linebackers and coaching (Buffalo Bills anyone?), but may not be enough against more elite teams (Texans lost to the Packers. By a lot.). The Texans have been magnificent on defense, mostly thanks to Watt swatting passes, but again, I fully expect the Patriots to game plan around him. The Pats passing attack will prove to be too multi-faceted for the Texans. If the Texans do catch on to the Pats passing attack however, Bill Belichick can always dial up his new-found weapon, one that he hasn’t possessed since the team’s last Super Bowl victory; A running game. Come February, expect Tom Brady to skip another pro bowl on his way to losing yet another Super Bowl.
The difference maker this year is out of the Pats’ control, however. The conference is weaker as a whole, with the exception of the Texans. The Ravens are weaker on defense and Flacco seems to not have taken any major steps forward, the Bengals have regressed, the Steelers’ defense is another year older (Polamalu has yet to string healthy games together), so the only real threat is the Texans. I believe the Texans do not match up well with the Patriots, and you will all see why when they meet in week 14. The best way to defeat the Patriots is with an explosive passing attack, which the Texans do not possess, or by knocking down Brady, which is Watt’s specialty, but the Hoodie will game plan around him (the Giants have 5 legitimate pass rushing threats, more than Houston). The Texans run, run, then play-action. That is enough to fool some teams with weaker linebackers and coaching (Buffalo Bills anyone?), but may not be enough against more elite teams (Texans lost to the Packers. By a lot.). The Texans have been magnificent on defense, mostly thanks to Watt swatting passes, but again, I fully expect the Patriots to game plan around him. The Pats passing attack will prove to be too multi-faceted for the Texans. If the Texans do catch on to the Pats passing attack however, Bill Belichick can always dial up his new-found weapon, one that he hasn’t possessed since the team’s last Super Bowl victory; A running game. Come February, expect Tom Brady to skip another pro bowl on his way to losing yet another Super Bowl.
5.) Matt Ryan will not win MVP.
At the midway point of the season, the general consensus is that Ryan is the MVP (there are some whispers about Manning or Rodgers). By the end of the season, the Falcons will be somewhere around 13-3 or 14-2 (no way they go undefeated in that tough NFC South). While that is a good enough record to earn Ryan the award, there will be one player in the league to surpass him in the MVP race…
At the midway point of the season, the general consensus is that Ryan is the MVP (there are some whispers about Manning or Rodgers). By the end of the season, the Falcons will be somewhere around 13-3 or 14-2 (no way they go undefeated in that tough NFC South). While that is a good enough record to earn Ryan the award, there will be one player in the league to surpass him in the MVP race…
6.) The player to beat out Ryan for MVP will not be named Aaron or
Peyton.
Good ‘Ol Noodle Arm has been having a tremendous season and will be a no-brainer for Comeback Player of the Year, and Aaron Rodgers is once again single-handedly willing the Packers to victories behind his golden arm. But again, as good as these guys have been playing, there will be things working against them:
Good ‘Ol Noodle Arm has been having a tremendous season and will be a no-brainer for Comeback Player of the Year, and Aaron Rodgers is once again single-handedly willing the Packers to victories behind his golden arm. But again, as good as these guys have been playing, there will be things working against them:
·
Aaron Rodgers won the MVP last year, and the NFL
has been funny about giving it to the same player in consecutive years despite back-to-back
dominant seasons.
·
Peyton Manning has won three MVP awards in his career, and his numbers this season won’t
compare to those he posted in his award-winning campaigns.
So who will win the award you ask?
7.) Andrew Luck will win the MVP.
These predictions are supposed to be bold! Don’t judge! With my defense being stated, I believe Andrew Luck will have done enough by the end of the season to will the Colts to the playoffs. That honestly should be enough to get the MVP by itself, but to be fair, we’ll include some statistics and information:
These predictions are supposed to be bold! Don’t judge! With my defense being stated, I believe Andrew Luck will have done enough by the end of the season to will the Colts to the playoffs. That honestly should be enough to get the MVP by itself, but to be fair, we’ll include some statistics and information:
o
Through 9 weeks Luck has thrown for 2,631 yards.
The same number through 8 weeks as the Noodle, and on pace for 4,677 which
would be a new rookie record, breaking the one Cam Newton set last season by over 600 yards.
o
Approaching 5,000 yards passing is absurd, even
in today’s pass happy game. To do it as a rookie is unheard of.
o
Luck has already set the single-game rookie
passing record, throwing for 433 yards last week.
o
Luck has single-handedly revived Reggie Wayne’s
career, as many thought he was nearing the end after last season (one in which
Curtis Painter was throwing him the ball).
o
Luck’s total QBR is 77.6 this season, better
than the likes of Rodgers, Eli, and Brees, and trailing only Peyton, Brady, and
Ryan.
o
Luck is a rookie. The rest of those guys are
seasoned vets and Super Bowl Champs (except for Ryan).
Overall, Luck has far less talent
around him than Matt Ryan and is doing a phenomenal job with what he has.
The most important part of this argument however, is that the Colts finished with the worst record in the league last season. To lead a team from a first overall pick to a first round playoff matchup is unfathomable for any quarterback. It is even more unfathomable for a rookie quarterback. With head coach Chuck Pagano battling leukemia, even more pressure is on Luck’s shoulders to lead this team. Simply getting the Colts into the playoffs would be good enough for the MVP in my eyes. A playoff victory would just be icing on the cake. Sorry Matt Ryan, maybe next year.
The most important part of this argument however, is that the Colts finished with the worst record in the league last season. To lead a team from a first overall pick to a first round playoff matchup is unfathomable for any quarterback. It is even more unfathomable for a rookie quarterback. With head coach Chuck Pagano battling leukemia, even more pressure is on Luck’s shoulders to lead this team. Simply getting the Colts into the playoffs would be good enough for the MVP in my eyes. A playoff victory would just be icing on the cake. Sorry Matt Ryan, maybe next year.
8.) Andy Reid, Jason Garrett, and Chan Gailey will not finish the
season as their respective teams head coach.
All three teams have a common theme; failed expectations. Each of these teams has seemingly improved since last year, and all were expected to contend for the playoffs. Each has had their own individual problems however, and the coaches seem to be the next ones out the door.
In Dallas, Jason Garrett is basically asking Jerry Jones to fire him. The Princeton grad constantly runs out an immensely talented, undisciplined, and underachieving team. The three adjectives should not go together, and Garrett’s inability to control his team should have him out of Dallas quickly. I expect him to be the first to be fired.
Garrett’s EDT (Estimated Date of Termination): November 12, if the Boys lose convincingly against division rival Philadelphia.
Speaking of Philadelphia, Andy Reid has been on the hot seat since the start of the 2011 season. After Vince Young’s talk of a Dream Team, the Eagles had a horrendous start, effectively ending their season by week 8. Much of the blame was placed on Juan Castillo, offensive line coach – turned defensive coordinator (makes sense right?) but the Eagles finished the season strongly, which may have saved Reid’s job coming into this season. The Eagles once again had a strong offseason; picking up DeMeco Ryans to shore up their linebacking corps, yet this year the problem is the offensive line and Michael Vick, who has looked completely inept when not lying on the ground under defenders. Reid has more hope than Garrett does to keep his job, but he will need to win now and most likely make the playoffs to do so. This may be possible, but he needs to find a way to keep Vick upright.
Reid’s EDT: December 31st. Happy New Year! You’re unemployed. This is exactly what I expect Eagles’ GM Howie Roseman to tell Andy Reid after he finds a way to lose their week 17 matchup with the Giants (most likely by botching timeouts late) to miss the playoffs.
Chan Gailey is the most interesting case out of the three, as he has the GM that may just be dumb enough to keep him around. With the talent the Bills have on both sides of the ball, there is no excuse to not be at least 4-4 at this point in the season. Looking back at the first half, the Bills have lost three very winnable games (Jets, Patriots, Titans), mainly because of Gailey and his undying trust in the anemic Ryan Fitzpatrick, his mishandling of the extremely talented C.J. Spiller, and his ignorance on the subject of, well, the Bills’ defense. Buddy Nix seems committed to losing however, so I fear that Gailey’s job may be safe unless Nix is also Nixed (see what I did there?).
Gailey’s EDT: January 1st. If Ralph Wilson is as involved with the team as Russ Brandon says he is, then Ralph will to the right thing for the team and fire Nix along with Gailey. This will happen the day after black Monday however (Black Monday referring to the day after NFL week 17 on which most firings of coaches occur), because Wilson is extremely old and old people just move slower than the rest of us.
All three teams have a common theme; failed expectations. Each of these teams has seemingly improved since last year, and all were expected to contend for the playoffs. Each has had their own individual problems however, and the coaches seem to be the next ones out the door.
In Dallas, Jason Garrett is basically asking Jerry Jones to fire him. The Princeton grad constantly runs out an immensely talented, undisciplined, and underachieving team. The three adjectives should not go together, and Garrett’s inability to control his team should have him out of Dallas quickly. I expect him to be the first to be fired.
Garrett’s EDT (Estimated Date of Termination): November 12, if the Boys lose convincingly against division rival Philadelphia.
Speaking of Philadelphia, Andy Reid has been on the hot seat since the start of the 2011 season. After Vince Young’s talk of a Dream Team, the Eagles had a horrendous start, effectively ending their season by week 8. Much of the blame was placed on Juan Castillo, offensive line coach – turned defensive coordinator (makes sense right?) but the Eagles finished the season strongly, which may have saved Reid’s job coming into this season. The Eagles once again had a strong offseason; picking up DeMeco Ryans to shore up their linebacking corps, yet this year the problem is the offensive line and Michael Vick, who has looked completely inept when not lying on the ground under defenders. Reid has more hope than Garrett does to keep his job, but he will need to win now and most likely make the playoffs to do so. This may be possible, but he needs to find a way to keep Vick upright.
Reid’s EDT: December 31st. Happy New Year! You’re unemployed. This is exactly what I expect Eagles’ GM Howie Roseman to tell Andy Reid after he finds a way to lose their week 17 matchup with the Giants (most likely by botching timeouts late) to miss the playoffs.
Chan Gailey is the most interesting case out of the three, as he has the GM that may just be dumb enough to keep him around. With the talent the Bills have on both sides of the ball, there is no excuse to not be at least 4-4 at this point in the season. Looking back at the first half, the Bills have lost three very winnable games (Jets, Patriots, Titans), mainly because of Gailey and his undying trust in the anemic Ryan Fitzpatrick, his mishandling of the extremely talented C.J. Spiller, and his ignorance on the subject of, well, the Bills’ defense. Buddy Nix seems committed to losing however, so I fear that Gailey’s job may be safe unless Nix is also Nixed (see what I did there?).
Gailey’s EDT: January 1st. If Ralph Wilson is as involved with the team as Russ Brandon says he is, then Ralph will to the right thing for the team and fire Nix along with Gailey. This will happen the day after black Monday however (Black Monday referring to the day after NFL week 17 on which most firings of coaches occur), because Wilson is extremely old and old people just move slower than the rest of us.
9.) Tom Brady will once again throw for over 5,000 yards.
Brady already has 2,408 yards passing, and his second half is comprised of several below-average pass defenses. With the Patriots likely to explode and string together 4 or 5 wins any week now, Brady is sure to have some big games. After last season, we will start seeing 5,000-yard seasons with more regularity, and also I love Tom Brady.
Brady already has 2,408 yards passing, and his second half is comprised of several below-average pass defenses. With the Patriots likely to explode and string together 4 or 5 wins any week now, Brady is sure to have some big games. After last season, we will start seeing 5,000-yard seasons with more regularity, and also I love Tom Brady.
10. The Buffalo Bills will finish with 5 or 6 wins and have yet
another top-10 draft pick.
For my obligatory prediction for the Bills (the short bit on Gailey doesn’t count), I chose to predict the end of their inevitably horrible and disappointing season. The Bills realistically have 4 to 5 winnable games remaining, which means they might win 2 of them. That’s just how the Bills go about things. Here’s how the rest of the season will shake out on 1 Bills Drive:
For my obligatory prediction for the Bills (the short bit on Gailey doesn’t count), I chose to predict the end of their inevitably horrible and disappointing season. The Bills realistically have 4 to 5 winnable games remaining, which means they might win 2 of them. That’s just how the Bills go about things. Here’s how the rest of the season will shake out on 1 Bills Drive:
o
Week 10: The Bills WILL get trounced by the
Patriots coming off a bye in Foxboro. This will be the ever-so-common season in
which the Bills have two blowout losses to the Patsies (I was half-wrong on this one, since we still lost).
o
Week 11: On 3 days rest for both teams, the
Bills should gut out a victory at home in the cold against the Dolphins (as
long as Gailey isn’t baited into throwing the ball 40 times by the Dolphins
high-ranked rush defense, more to come later).
o
Week 12: At Indianapolis. Before the season this
was an automatic win. Now I see no chance unless Tarvaris Jackson is somehow
dressing for games by then.
o
Week 13: Home vs. Jacksonville. A win is fully
expected. A loss would be a blessing in disguise. We would be the laughingstock
of the league with a loss (but we might be already), but it would also all but
guarantee Gailey would be fired the next day.
o
Week 14: St. Louis is sneaky-dangerous (they tied the 49ers this week, a team that blew the Bills away). They should win
this game as long as it’s not snowing, but that’s no guarantee.
o
Week 15: Seattle isn’t great on the road, but it
will still feel like a home game for them in the dome (this is the now-infamous
annual Toronto game). Bills lose (what’s new).
o
Week 16: Miami will likely still be in
contention at this point, making them much more likely to do something the
Bills will not; try.
o
Week 17: If Tebow time isn’t in full swing by
this time, then the world will have actually ended 9 days prior. But this time
he’s on the Jets so the Bills will find a way to lose.
As these predictions stand, the
Bills would be looking at a 5-11 record, and one of the more disappointing
seasons in recent memory, which is especially awful because every season is
disappointing for this team. A top 10, maybe even top 5-draft pick is imminent,
and a franchise QB will almost certainly be selected. 6 months from now, the
Bills will have a new look front office, coaching staff, and quarterback. Most
importantly though, the Bills will have a new hope.
I hope you’ve enjoyed my
predictions, and I hope you remember you saw them here first!
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Tom Brady is the most overrated QB in the League!!
Yes you have seen it right, I believe Tom Brady is the most overrated QB in the entire NFL. First off im sure I have your attention but, by no means am I saying he is not a good QB he is just not as good as everybody thinks he is. Im going to start with the obvious in that he plays the Buffalo Bills twice a year so that is going to boost anybody stats since we have been unwatchable for the past ten years. Also the fact that Matt Cassel led the Patriots team to a 11-5 shows just how good they are without Brady. I believe it is the system that Bill Belichick as to why the team is so successful. The offensive line is most likely the best in the league if not the minimum is top 3, his wide reciever core is unreal the fact that everybody complains they dont have enough help there makes me sick. You mean to tell me 2 of the top 5 tight ends and Wes Welker alone are not good targets to throw to? Now you add Brandon Lloyd and the always reliable Branch id say in all they have the best throwing threat in the league easily. If you had to chose between two solid wide outs versus two solid tight ends, your always going to pick tight ends due to the fact they are larger and more valuable in the red zone. Going back to the line, doesnt it always seem like Tom Brady has all day to throw the ball? that given all the time he has even the best cornerbacks in the league could be put on one team and I will guarentee that they could not cover this core for more than 5 seconds each pass. How about this, when is the last time you noticed a defender always around this core. Normally when Tom Brady throws the ball the closest defender is 5 yards away. They are always open and given all the time Brady is given he is able to find the WIDE OPEN reciever. Any QB can throw to a wide open reciever it is not that hard. If by some chance he does throw into coverage it is to absolute freaks such as Gronk and Hernandez who due to their size and athletic ability save Brady with spectacular catches.
Going back on the previous points in that the line is unreal and Matt Cassel took this team to a 11-5 year show the fact that Brady is not all that needed. In fact look how awful Cassel is doing now with a new team and in fact he is even fighting for his job. As for the line, the games in which Brady does not do well he is under pressure and only getting about 3-4 seconds to throw. (still pretty good) FYI Tom Brady has the least knockdowns (82) in the past 5 years the second closest is Aaron Rogers (113) thats a pretty big difference if you ask me. His leadership in those games consist of yelling at his line and recievers because he is not doing well. I do not like him as a leader because when things go wrong he has yelled at his coordinator to the fact where he ignored him like a little kid not getting his way. The fact he was a 6th round draft pick goes to show he did not have that much potential and did not appeal to teams. But how many players do we see drafted in late rounds become study for the Pats? its a system thing and Brady is just one of those system players. I believe you can place any other Qb in his place and they will put up similar numbers because given time everything is easier. If Brady is on the bills his numbers would be like Tony Romos and thats above average but yet not nearly the player he is now. Next time you watch Brady in action watch the recievers when they catch the ball and how far open they are and all the time he has to throw the ball. Again he is good not great in my eyes.
Going back on the previous points in that the line is unreal and Matt Cassel took this team to a 11-5 year show the fact that Brady is not all that needed. In fact look how awful Cassel is doing now with a new team and in fact he is even fighting for his job. As for the line, the games in which Brady does not do well he is under pressure and only getting about 3-4 seconds to throw. (still pretty good) FYI Tom Brady has the least knockdowns (82) in the past 5 years the second closest is Aaron Rogers (113) thats a pretty big difference if you ask me. His leadership in those games consist of yelling at his line and recievers because he is not doing well. I do not like him as a leader because when things go wrong he has yelled at his coordinator to the fact where he ignored him like a little kid not getting his way. The fact he was a 6th round draft pick goes to show he did not have that much potential and did not appeal to teams. But how many players do we see drafted in late rounds become study for the Pats? its a system thing and Brady is just one of those system players. I believe you can place any other Qb in his place and they will put up similar numbers because given time everything is easier. If Brady is on the bills his numbers would be like Tony Romos and thats above average but yet not nearly the player he is now. Next time you watch Brady in action watch the recievers when they catch the ball and how far open they are and all the time he has to throw the ball. Again he is good not great in my eyes.
College Football Week 11 Computer Rankings
It was a very eventful and entertaining day of football yesterday, and it shook up the standings quite a bit. After putting in all of the week's results, the kinks in my computer rankings seem to have sorted themselves out (ie Cincy way too high and Texas way too low), providing a seemingly very accurate and unbiased evaluation of all of the teams. We have a new #1 this week, and it is.........
1. Oregon 2.893
2. Kansas St. 2.862
3. Alabama 2.836
4. Notre Dame 2.800
5. Florida 2.753
6. Texas A&M 2.715
7. Florida St. 2.698
8. LSU 2.666
9. Georgia 2.644
10. Oklahoma 2.607
11. Nebraska 2.589
12. Clemson 2.588
13. South Carolina 2.569
14. Stanford 2.567
15. Oregon St. 2.474
16. Ohio St. 2.452
17. Oklahoma St. 2.446
18. Mississippi St. 2.440
19. Texas 2.432
20. Michigan 2.430
21. UCLA 2.417
22. Louisiana Tech 2.407
23. Rutgers 2.405
24. Cincinnati 2.401
25. San Jose St. 2.397
1. Oregon 2.893
2. Kansas St. 2.862
3. Alabama 2.836
4. Notre Dame 2.800
5. Florida 2.753
6. Texas A&M 2.715
7. Florida St. 2.698
8. LSU 2.666
9. Georgia 2.644
10. Oklahoma 2.607
11. Nebraska 2.589
12. Clemson 2.588
13. South Carolina 2.569
14. Stanford 2.567
15. Oregon St. 2.474
16. Ohio St. 2.452
17. Oklahoma St. 2.446
18. Mississippi St. 2.440
19. Texas 2.432
20. Michigan 2.430
21. UCLA 2.417
22. Louisiana Tech 2.407
23. Rutgers 2.405
24. Cincinnati 2.401
25. San Jose St. 2.397
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Week 11 College Football Live Blog
Hello College Football Fans, I'll be flipping through all of the action for most of the day, and don't feel like annoying people with excessive sports tweeting, so look here for updates on every game. Feel free to comment yourself!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)