Kick Return Specialists are a Valuable Investment.

With so much emphasis put on offense and defense, the value of having an effective special teams unit gets lost in the numbers.There are very few kickers, punters, long snappers, gunners, or holders that actually get any recognition for tasks the preform. Special teamers are often taken for granted, and if they mess up, they are ridiculed by fans and coaches, and can be cut from the team. However there is always one guy on the field that every fan always has their eyes on, the kick returner. On any given kick, the return man has the chance to make a game-changing play and spark excitement in everyone watching. This ability has made kick returners quite valuable and essential for any team's special teams units.

The evolution of the kick return specialist is an interesting one. At one time, all a team needed was to just put someone back to return a kick, and hope that he didn't muff it. As time went on, coaches began to realize the value of having someone who could take the ball for a score anytime they touched the ball. So they would put one of their superstar players back there to return the kick. But being a kick returner is a dangerous job, and coaches and owners didn't want to risk their big money players getting hurt; so a breed of players became prominent, the kick return specialist.

Most of these are players trained for one purpose, which is to return kicks. They normally are one of the shorter, faster, and more athletic players on the field, but rarely start at any other position on the team. Today, some players are drafted just for their unique return talents, and many have made quite a name for themselves as kick-returners (enter: Devin Hester). These kind of players will likely be a returner for the rest of their useful careers, and are well known throughout the league as a major play maker.

The good ones are loved and praised by fans and are difference makers, sure, but as a kick returner, there is one golden rule that all must follow, don't lose the football. The biggest sins any returner could make are 1. Muff the punt, or 2. Fumble the football. It seems so basic, catch the ball, hold on to the ball, run with the ball. However many people underestimate the difficulty of fielding a kick: there is loud noises, wind, tons of pressure, and 200 pound guys running towards the returner at top speed with intentions to rip his head off. It is not exactly someones "dream job," but none the less, it is a job that needs to be done by a brave soul; and if he can't follow the one golden rule, he'll be taken of the field as fast as he was put on.

There is no award yet for being the most valuable kick returner in the league, but I have no doubt that one day there will be. Finding a good return guy is like finding a diamond in the rough. He will shine and can score at any time, so don't blink, you might miss it.

Key Week 8 Matchups.....
Green Bay Packers (4-3) @ New York Jets (5-1)- Two division leaders square off in a battle of hard nosed teams looking for a run at the Super Bowl. Its the pass first Pack vs. the run first Jets, who's strategy will be more effective against two very good defenses. The Packers have struggled mightily with injuries, and will try to build off of last weeks division win over the Vikings, while the Jets only seem to be getting healthier, with Revis Island back to 100%.
My Pick: Jets over Packers


Denver Broncos (2-5) @ San  Francisco 49ers (1-6) in LONDON- The coaches for both of these teams are on the verge of losing their jobs. Broncos coach Josh McDaniels is now 4-13 after starting last season with a 6-0 record, while Mike Singletary, coach of the 49ers, has failed to meet his teams expectations. Live, from London, this is the battle of losers.
My Pick: Broncos over Niners.


Houston Texans (4-2) @ Indianapolis Colts (4-2)- The Colts are still fuming after losing to the Texans Week 1, but with both of these teams fighting to win the AFC South, it will a game to watch. Two weak secondaries against two of the best offenses in the NFL. Peyton Manning and Matt Schaub will have their way with the defenses this week. Indy's home field advantage might be the game changer.
My Pick: Colts over Texans


Pittsburgh Steelers (5-1) @ New Orleans Saints (4-3) Halloween Night- I'm sure that the Superdome will be filled with ghosts and ghouls on Halloween Night, but unfortunately they won't scare away one of the best teams in the NFL at this point. The Steelers look to be the most complete team in the league, with a great offense and defense. The Saints have been struggling with turnovers all season and are coming off an embarrassing loss to Cleveland last week.
My Pick: Steelers over Saints

Week 8 Picks, Things Could Get Scary for Saints Fans in the Superdome.

Here are my picks for Week 8:
(Teams with      lose)

Bye: BAL, NYG, PHI, ATL, CLE, CHI

     Sunday October 31, 1:00 PM-

     Buffalo Bills (0-6) @ Kansas City Chiefs (4-2)

     Washington Redskins (4-3) @ Detroit Lions (1-5)

     Miami Dolphins (3-3) @ Cincinnati Bengals (2-4)

     Denver Broncos (2-5) @ San Francisco 49ers (1-6)

     Green Bay Packers (4-3) @ New York Jets (5-1)

     Carolina Panthers (1-5) @ St. Louis Rams (3-4)

     Jacksonville Jaguars (3-4) @ Dallas Cowboys (1-5)

      

Sunday October 31, 4:05; 4:15 PM-

Tennessee Titans (5-2) @ San Diego Chargers-(2-5)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-2) @ Arizona Cardinals (3-3)

Seattle Seahawks (4-2) @ Oakland Raiders (3-4)

Minnesota Vikings (2-4) @ New England Patriots (5-1)

Sunday October 31, 8:20 PM-

Pittsburgh Steelers (5-1) @New Orleans Saints (4-3)

Monday November 1, 8:30 PM-

Houston Texans (4-2) @ Indianapolis Colts (4-2)

Race For the NFC Still Wide Open as Week 7 Approaches

The NFC this year has been full of surprises. Teams once thought to be too dominate to lose are having trouble finding ways to win, while teams thought too mediocre to be relevant are suddenly turning into play-off contenders. It's unclear if this flip flop trend will continue, but I can tell you for sure that by season's end, some fans will be utterly shocked at their teams outcome, good or bad.


Let's start with some of the teams that were considered locks to win their respective divisions, namely the Dallas Cowboys (1-4) , San Francisco 49ers (1-5), and Green Bay Packers (3-3). 


Dallas: Who would have thought for all the bark this team had for there to be no bite behind it? Well, that's what it seems like anyway. The Cowboys, in fact, are top 10 in offense and defense, and their special teams is not too atrocious, but they are bottom 10 in wins, with only one. What the hell? It's not often those two statistical references occur in the same sentence. The bottom line is that the Cowboy's are so careless with the ball, and undisciplined in their execution, that they CAN'T win. There is no excuse for them to beat themselves like that, and the window of opportunity for Dallas to even make the Wild Card is closing quickly. I chose them as the favorites in the NFC East, and they have certainly proved me wrong.

San Francisco: The Niners weren't really being predicted to be a dominant team, but they seemed like the best team in a weak division. I don't know if anyone predicted this kind of start though. With only one win, they are quickly becoming a laughing stock. The below average play of quarterback Alex Smith has been a factor, as well as the ineffective play of their defense, who given up the 6th most points in the NFL. Coach Mike Singletary is now on the hotseat, and will have to pull of something big to keep his job. But only two wins behind their division leader, hope is not all lost, but time is running out.


Green Bay: Some might say that Green Bay's problems have been caused by injury, but the simple fact is that the Pack has just not been winning games like expected. Aaron Rodgers has not been scoring like crazy, and the defense has not been shut down like last year. True, they have lost super-star TE Jermicheal Finely to injury, but even before he was gone, they still had problems getting the ball to Greg Jennings. Since losing Ryan Grant to an ankle injury, they have not been able to run the ball effectively, which only further dampers the effectiveness of their offense. While it still too early to count the Pack out, they certainly don't look like a Super Bowl contender right now.


On the flip side, there have been some surprising teams emerging as the result of the above teams woes. Now, while it is still WAY to early to call ANY of these teams legit contenders, they do deserve some recognition as respectable teams.

Chicago: I personally had the Bears ranked 3rd in the NFC North, behind the aforementioned Packers and the Vikings. They have been a surprise to the entire league. They were the last undefeated team in the NFC and are currently sitting at 4-2, on top of the NFC North. Their offense is nothing overly special, but their defense is top 10, and has helped carry this team to their current record. I'm not ready to call the Bears a Super Bowl contender because their pass blocking is absolutely dreadful. Jay Cutler has gotten sacked so many times it makes his, and my, head spin. At this rate, of close to 4 sacks a game, Cutler won't make it to the end of the season, and without Cutler, this offense is nothing.


Tampa Bay: The Buccs are nowhere close to being dominant, especially after a two game losing streak, but they are 3-2 right now, and are showing some potential. Before this season, I couldn't see them getting more than four or five wins and I still cant see them making .500, but I would say that six or seven wins might be more realistic. Tampa Bay is not top 10 in any major offensive or defensive category and are in a tough division, which is why I remain pessimistic of them getting to the playoffs. However, other teams should learn not to undervalue the Buccs, or risk losing to them.



Seattle and St. Louis: If the teams in the NFC West have taught us anything,  it's to not go to sleep on teams that weren't very good last year. The Rams and the Seahawks combined for 6 wins last year. So far in 5-6 games this year (5 for the Seahawks, 6 for the Rams) the both have 3 wins. Three wins is not overly impressive at this point, but it shows that they are finding ways to win games. Ram's rookie quarterback Sam Bradford is looking like he was well worth the first overall pick as he continues to sling the ball over defenses, while the Seahawk's big play ability on offense, defense and special teams help them win games.

Week 7 Picks: I'm Staying at Home This Week

Here are my picks for Week 7:


Bye: NYJ, HOU, IND, DET


Sunday October 24, 1:00 PM-
Cleveland Browns (1-5)            @ New Orleans Saints (4-2) 
Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3)          @ Kansas City Chiefs (3-2)
Philadelphia Eagles (4-2)           @ Tennessee Titans (4-2)
Buffalo Bills (0-5)                      @ Baltimore Ravens (4-2)
Cincinnati Bengals (2-3)            @ Atlanta Falcons (4-2)
Washington Redskins (3-3)       @ Chicago Bears (4-2)
Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1)           @ Miami Dolphins (3-2)
St. Louis Rams (3-3)                @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2)
San Francisco 49ers (1-5)        @ Carolina Panthers (0-5)


Sunday October 24, 4:05; 4:15 PM-
Arizona Cardinals (3-2)            @ Seattle Seahawks (3-2)
Oakland Raiders (2-4)             @ Denver Broncos (2-4)
New England Patriots (4-1)      @ San Diego Chargers (2-4)

Sunday October 24, 8:20 PM-
Minnesota Vikings (2-3)           @ Green Bay Packers (3-3)

Monday October 25, 8:30 PM-
New York Giants (4-2)           @ Dallas Cowboys (1-4)

Week 6 Picks, Away Teams Looking Dominant

Here are my picks for Week 6:

Bye: BUF, CAR, ARI, CIN

Sunday October 17, 1:00 PM-
Miami Dolphins (2-2)          @ Green Bay Packers (3-2)
San Deigo Chargers (2-3)   @ St. Louis Rams (2-3)
Baltimore Ravens (4-1)       @ New England Patriots (3-1)
Cleveland Browns (1-4)      @ Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1)
Kansas City Chiefs (3-1)     @ Houston Texans (3-2)
Detriot Lions (1-4)              @ New York Giants (3-2)
Atlanta Falcons (4-1)          @ Philadelphia Eagles (3-2)
Seattle Seahawks (2-2)       @ Chicago Bears (4-1)
New Orleans Saints (3-2)    @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1)

Sunday October 17, 4:05, 4:15 PM-
New York Jets (4-1)           @ Denver Broncos (2-3)
Oakland Raiders (2-3)         @ San Francisco 49ers (0-5)
Dallas Cowboys (1-3)         @ Minnesota Vikings (1-3)

Sunday October 17, 8:20 PM-
Indianapolis Colts (3-2)       @ Washington Redskins (3-2)

Monday October 18, 8:30 PM-
Tennessee Titans (3-2)        @ Jacksonville Jaguars (3-2)

Favre Crossed Two Milestones Last Night, Can He Continue to Pass Another?

Throughout the history of the NFL, there has not been another quarterback like Brett Favre. He has a number of characteristics and traits that make him unique, including his hilarity on the field, his intense love for the game, and his ability to perform at a high level at the age of 40 (now 41). But perhaps the most impressive trait is the records that he has piled up over his long and successful career.

Last night, on Monday Night Football, Favre entered the most elite tier of quarterbacks. He broke 70,000, that's right, 70,000 career passing yards and crossed 500 career touchdowns in his up and down Monday nighter. No other quarterback has EVER gotten to those kind of numbers. The next closest player (Dan Marino) has almost 9,000 fewer yards and 82 fewer touchdowns than Favre. He is, no doubt, one of the best in the history of the game.

There is one more record Favre is looking to shatter.

No quarterback, in the history of the NFL, has ever WON the Super Bowl with two different teams. The closest instance was a few years ago when Kurt Warner of the Cardinals lost the Super Bowl in the last minute to the Steelers. Warner of course won the Big Game with "the Greatest Show on Turf" almost a decade ago. Winning the Super Bowl is Favre's one and only goal coming into his 20th and supposedly last season. He came so close to accomplishing that goal last season until he threw the interception that cost the Vikings a trip to Miami. The chances of him doing it this season are looking more and more bleak with each week as the Vikings continue to lose heart-breaking games and are off to a 1-4 record.

There is still time to turn the season around however. The offense looked more explosive with Randy Moss in the line-up, putting up 20 second half points against one of the better defenses in the league to potentially win the game, but Favre held the team back overall; he fumbled twice (he broke the record for most fumbles in a career too) and threw a pick six the end of the game to give New York the go-ahead score. Until Favre handles his turnovers, this Vikings team will struggle to win games, and is questionable to make the play-offs.

Upsets Galore in Week 5's Surprise Wins...

'Skins squeak by the Pack 16-13-
Thanks to a stout defense, many big Green Bay injuries, and a couple of  rare missed Mason Crosby field goals, Washington comes away with their third win hold on to their lead in the NFC East.

Palmer falters, hands win to Tampa Bay 24-21-
The Bengals had their hands on this game for the entire game, but late interceptions destroyed them and allowed the Tampa Bay Buccs, with Josh Freeman and Mike Williams to mount a comeback and bring their team to a surprising 3-1 start.

Still the best? Saints fall to.. Arizona? 30-20-
Talk about a defense carrying a team. the Cards D had two touchdowns and three interceptions of Drew Brees in their surprise upset of the Super Bowl Champion Saints, who were unable to take advantage of Max Hall's mishaps.

Oakland pull some last minute magic, beat ailing Chargers 35-27- 
Special teams, Special teams, Special teams..... A couple a blocked punts and a fumble return for a touchdown gave the Raiders this win. Once again San Diego falls on the road, despite extraordinary offense play.

With Moss Gone, The Patriots Don't Look as Dominate...

Over the past couple of years, the Patriots have been known for their explosive offense that could score on any play.. Led by 3 of the best players at their position, QB Tom Brady, and WRs Randy Moss and Wes Welker, the Patriots offense instilled fear into all opposing defenses. We all remember the 2007 season, when Brady and Moss wrecked havoc on every team they played, and broke countless records on their way to the first 16-0 season in NFL history. Their offense has been what has kept them a dominate team and a perennial Super Bowl contender since then.

That offense got a lot less scary on Wednesday, when the Patriots traded Randy Moss to the Vikings for a 3rd round pick. With Moss gone, the Pats will not be able to execute some of the things they used to do. His presence forces teams to account for the deep threat, and often draws double coverages towards him. For the Patriots, this opened up all of Tom Brady's other targets, mainly Wes Welker, and allowed them to move the ball with efficiency. Without him, Welker will be double teamed, and that will force Brady to look somewhere else with the ball, which won't always end well. Moss' absence also takes away the "score on any play" factor that I talked about earlier. The Pats will be unable to stretch the field and take a lot of deep shots because they have no other proven deep threats that can fill in for Moss, so they will be reduced to a West Coast style of scheme that might not suit this team very well. With defenses of division rivals the Miami Dolphins and the New York Jets becoming more and more dominant, the Patriots will need all the help they can get on offense.

Many Patriots fans don't see the Moss trade as a big deal for their team, citing that without him, the Pats won three Super Bowls with Brady alone. They would be correct. However back in those days, the Pats had one of the best defenses in the league,a defense that could stop other offenses and force turnovers, and a defense that could really control a game and carry the team. Back in those days "Tom Terrific" didn't have to do too much in the way of scoring points, because his defense wouldn't allow the other team to score. The Patriot defense today is a completely different story. It is average at best, and often allows too much points for comfort. Therefore, the offense needs to pick up the slack. Without Randy, it will surely be difficult.

In the long term, this trade will not really matter, as no one really expected Moss to be with New England next year anyway. But short term, Moss' nonappearance could be a problem. The Patriots will now have to rely on their young talents, such as TE Aaron Hernandez and WR Brandon Tate. Both of these player have shown tremendous ability and should have successful careers, but for now, defenses will clamp down on them, due to no Moss. The Pats also will have to run the ball. That's right, I said it. Run the ball. Not only run it, but run it effectively, which is something that they have struggled to do in recent history.

Long story short: Randy Moss is gone, which will be detrimental overall to the Patriots offense, and unless their defense and young players can step up to fill the void, the Patriots won't be a team to beat this year.

Key Week 5 Match-ups....


Minnesota Vikings (1-2) at New York Jets (3-1) MNF: This is a game of story lines, Favre returns to New York, Randy Moss goes back to the Vikings, The Slouch vs. Revis Island. It is a must watch game on Monday Night. The Jets are revamped with WR Santonio Holmes, CB Darrelle Revis, and OLB Calvin Pace returning to the starting lineup, and are looking to continue their 3 game winning streak.
My Pick: Jets over Vikings.


Kansas City Chiefs (3-0) at Indianapolis Colts (2-2): Two surprise teams match-up this week at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Chiefs are undefeated, and looking to stay that way, while the Colts are seemingly struggling. They have lost two games to teams they normally dominate. It will be interesting to see how this tale of two teams unfold.
My Pick: Colts over Chiefs.


Philadelphia Eagles (2-2) at San Fransisco 49ers (0-4): The Niners have been a huge disappointment so far this season. They had already been crowned the winners of their division before the season started, but are win-less to this point. Meanwhile the Eagles will be looking to move on without the injured Micheal Vick for now, as Kevin Kolb will be making his first start since being benched for Vick Week 1.
My Pick: Eagles over 49ers.


Green Bay Packers (3-1) at Washington Redskins (2-2): Both of these team are holding on for dear life to their division leads. Ideally both would need a win to strengthen their grip their divisions. But as everyone knows, there must be a winner, and getting that win will be tough for both teams. The Pack has not been as explosive as everyone thought, but have still been able to win games, while the Skins have done just good enough on offense to make up for their struggling defense.
My Pick: Packers over Redskins.

Interesting Sunday Ahead for Donovan as the D-Mac, Eagles Saga Continues

Donovan McNabb, respected around the league for his abilities as a leader, player, and person. That is, everywhere except Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, or the City of Brotherly Love. McNabb spent eleven successful seasons on the Philadelphia Eagles. He amassed 6 Pro-Bowl selections, led the team to several NFC Championships and a Super Bowl appearance in 2004, which they lost 21-24 to the Patriots. Yet, many Eagles fans have despised him since he was drafted 2nd overall in 1999, when he was booed by the Eagles fans present at the draft. D-Mac has always been criticized over the course of his career for his "inability" to win a Super Bowl by the fans, who were constantly pressing for the Eagles to trade their star quarterback. They got their wish on Easter morning, 2010, when McNabb was traded to the Eagles divisional rival, the Washington Redskins.

This Sunday, McNabb will return to Lincoln Financial Stadium, a place he used to call home, to face his former team for the first time in his career. A couple big questions stand out. One, how will McNabb perform, and two, how will he be received by all the notorious Eagles fans that will be present.

His performance will be, well, McNabbulous in tomorrows game. He will play like he always does, with a little a fun and excitement. It will be interesting to to see if McNabb's knowledge of his former team's defense will aid him at all throughout the contest, or if the Eagles know enough of his tendencies and quirks to take McNabb out of the game. He will be working with his mediocre slate of weapons, with only two legit play makers in Santana Moss and Chris Cooley. McNabb will have to earn every yard that he gets.

For question number 2, the answer is quite obvious (to me anyways). Eagles fans are arguably the worst in the NFL. Most of them are ignorant fools that don't have a shred of respect for anything, including their own coaching staff and players. They literally HATE every other team that enter their stadium, and will accept nothing less than absolute success. Because Donovan never gave them that, he will, for the most part, be booed early and often by the majority of Eagles fans. I say for the most part because even though most Eagles fans are terrible, some of them do have respect for McNabb (I know a few) and will cheer for McNabb at the expense of their own safety.

Why is called the City of Brotherly Love again?.......

Key Week 4 Match-ups....

Washington Redskins (1-2) at Philadelphia Eagles (2-1): In a very unexciting slate of games this week, this Philly, Skins match-up easily tops the list of must watch games. McNabb returns to Lincoln Financial as a Washington Redskin and is looking to show the Eagles why they shouldn't of traded him.
My Pick: Eagles over Redskins 30-17.

Baltimore Ravens (2-1) at Pittsburgh Steelers (3-0): This game will be exactly as advertised, a defensive brawl will be decided by a field goal, or maybe less. But which Joe Flacco will show up? The answer will be a determining factor for the Ravens, as Flacco was terrible Weeks 1 & 2, but lit it up Week 3. The winner of this game will be atop the AFC North.
My Pick: Steelers over Ravens 13-7.

New England Patriots (2-1) at Miami Dolphins (2-1): In what has become a very tight race in the AFC East, this battle will do wonders for the winner. It should be an exciting game, one that will be decided by who ever has the last possession. The winner will be one step closer to leading this division.
My Pick: Patriots over Dolphins 35-28.