Which 1-2 NFL Teams Have a Hope of Reaching the Playoffs?

Oh the perils of your favorite NFL team getting off to a poor start! For every team savoring in their early good fortune this season, there are equal numbers of team feeling quite the opposite; battered and bruised after several losses and unsure of where to turn for hope in the duration of this season. And while I’d be expecting the worst for any team that has started 0-3 (Oakland Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers), for those 1-2 teams there is still a small hope of salvaging this season, but they’ll need to pick up their game in a hurry.

While there are some of the typically poor teams currently sitting at 1-2, there are also several usually strong teams who were even involved in the playoffs last year that have gotten off to bad starts. These surprising poor starters include the Green Bay Packers, the San Francisco 49ers, the Indianapolis Colts, the New Orleans Saints, and the Kansas City Chiefs. That’s nearly half of last season’s playoff teams now suffering below .500!

In my mind these are the teams most likely to rescue their seasons. And history actually beckons warmly for several of them, including the Packers and 49ers, who both started 1-2 last year only to resurrect their hopes and make a strong playoff push.

The key ingredient for such teams is in how they finish the season, not how they’ve started it. Football teams are an organic being, as injuries, player development, and unforeseen future obstacles can alter a team’s shape and style immensely over the course of the year. NFL rosters look very different in September than they do in January and it’s the teams that can handle such change effectively that do well in the later months and typically end up claiming a playoff spot. Unquestionably, a great quarterback can also go a long way to leading a team back from a poor start to a potentially championship-winning season.

Each of the 1-2 teams I mentioned carries great starting quarterbacks (including Aaron Rodgers, Colin Kaepernick, Drew Brees, Andrew Luck, and Alex Smith) and this is why they still have hope. Other 1-2 teams that I wouldn’t expect to hear much of a whimper from are the Miami Dolphins, the New York Jets, the Cleveland Browns, the Minnesota Vikings, the Tennessee Titans, the New York Giants, the Washington Redskins, and the St. Louis Rams. These teams look to lack any sort of presence on the field and have been pretty marginable for years. Their poor records are due to simple lack of talent.

But for the better teams, they’ve just not clicked into high gear or have been unfortunate in the couple of key plays that can often decide a game one way or the other. Another thing to realize is that 1-2 is just a single game away from 2-1. A play here and there could have made the difference, and I’m sure you’ll find that most fans of 2-1 teams are more than satisfied with their seasons’ beginnings.

As the NFL season wears on, those slight hiccups or mistaken plays will carry less weight as the true contenders of the league emerge and get their needed wins. While I certainly wouldn’t be expecting a Super Bowl following two early losses for teams like the Packers, Chiefs, Colts, 49ers, or Saints, I think it’s far too early to be writing them off as has-beens or incapable of salvaging the season. In many cases they’ve done it before and these specific teams certainly have the talent capable to make a serious run at their respective divisions. But be careful, with their collective poor starts, I would only suspect 2 or 3 of these teams manage to right the ship and make the playoffs this year…

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The Top 5 NFL Free Agent Signings…So Far

As NFL free agency moves into its second week of existence, the vast majority of premium football stars have already secured lucrative deals with various teams across the country.  Meanwhile that second tier of less talented “squad” players continue to bounce around team visits, holding out hope for a big deal, but probably starting to realize that they may just have to settle for something less than spectacular on the payment front.  Nevertheless, I have taken a look at most of the free agents that have been signed so far and here is my list of the 5 top free agency signings this year:

5.  Hakeem Nicks – While his great play seemed to tail off in the last few years, the failure of the New York Giants has been the team as a whole, and therefore I cannot point the finger at Nicks.  With his quarterback Eli Manning playing terribly and getting little support from a non-existent rushing attack, the Giants simply had a horrendous season.  With the Indianapolis Colts, Nicks will get a fresh start with an incredible young QB in Andrew Luck.  Additionally, he will be gifted the opportunity to learn from future Hall of Fame wide receiver Reggie Wayne in his twilight years. The Colts are going places and Nicks will certainly help with his physical presence!

4.  Julius Peppers – Certainly no spring chicken at 34, many have forgotten just how dominating this player can be.  An athletic freak, Peppers might well have 5 good years left in the tank.  Another benefit in signing with the Green Bay Packers is that he won’t have to be the central playmaker in the defense that already stars Clay Matthews.  This pair of sack masters will probably revamp the team’s defense and could help them get over the hump that is the San Francisco 49ers and become Super Bowl contenders once again.

3.  Josh McCown – While not spectacular, the mature veteran quarterback is exactly what the Tampa Bay Buccaneers need.  While Mike Glennon showed some promise and smart decision-making last year, McCown is someone you can count on.  As the Chicago Bears saw last season, this player was able to fill in and played exceptionally well and consistently made good throws.  While he is already 34, McCown will be the perfect bridge player that will give the Bucs some time to groom Glennon or another potential starter down the road.

2.  DeMarcus Ware – Teaming up with Von Miller and the Denver Broncos, Ware will now be part of one of the premier teams in the league.  While Peyton Manning can keep up the score with nearly everyone, Ware will help make impact plays and sacks on the other side of the ball.  He is on the wrong side of 30, and is coming off of his worst season statistically, but this defensive end will now have the opportunity to play for a legitimate contender and could just push them over the top!

1.  Jairus Byrd – The New Orleans Saints were one of the few teams that actually gave the Seattle Seahawks a run for their money last year.  They already had a pretty stingy defense, but Byrd is a safety that can make the big game-changing impact.  His 22 interceptions since 2009 is right up there with the best defensive backs in the game, and he has a tendency to force fumbles as well.  With creating turnovers being absolutely key to success in the NFL, Byrd is the word that will prove to be well worth all the money spent to secure this deal!

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Which NFL Team With a Bye is Most Likely to Lose in the Playoffs this Week?

In the NFL, there is a definite goal during the regular season for the best teams to earn one of the top 2 AFC or NFC seeds in the playoffs.  While the other 8 teams had to compete in the wildcard round last weekend, these 4 distinguished teams had the luxury of resting players and gearing up for the final push in the season ahead of the Super Bowl.  Those fortunate squads include the league’s most potent offenses and most powerful defenses.

In the NFC, the Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks have been terrorizing opponents’ offenses all year.  Hard-hitting players like Luke Kuechly, Greg Hardy, Richard Sherman, and Earl Thomas are quickly becoming known as some of the toughest in the entire league.  And as the cliché states, “defense wins championships”.  Both teams are among the favorites for the Super Bowl.

But in the AFC, the two top teams feature the legendary quarterbacks Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, who know how to win and how to score points.  Manning led the Denver Broncos and their offense to a record-setting year, while Brady helped the New England Patriots overcome numerous injuries and dismissals to still be among the best teams around.

But while the natural thought would be that these teams would steamroll their way to the Championship games next weekend, upsets have become more and more the norm for NFL games.  Especially for teams that receive a bye in the playoffs, there can often be a bit of a lull and a lost sense of urgency.  Slight rustiness can derail these teams’ hopes very quickly.  Additionally, there is the issue of momentum.  Some of these wildcard teams have been battling all season long, and have been playing in potential season-ending games for a month.  Meanwhile, teams like the Broncos and Seahawks booked their tickets to the playoffs a month ago and haven’t had to play in high intensity matches since November.  This can totally catch a favored team off-guard when a hungry and determined team comes into their stadium ready to fight!

So which team is most likely to be upset this weekend?  The Carolina Panthers.  The problem with the Panthers is that they lack playoff experience.  While the Broncos, Patriots, and Seahawks all have been in many such high profile games, the Panthers haven’t reached the postseason since 2008.  Additionally, this will be quarterback Cam Newton’s first experience in such a game.  Newton is an emotional player and has a tendency to overthrow receivers when rattled.  While he does have big game experience in winning the BCS National Championship with Auburn, he has yet to face an NFL defense in such a high profile game.  The San Francisco 49ers have a defense among the league’s best.  With such a young and inexperienced squad, the Panthers are ripe for the picking.

The one player who does have playoff experience is the team’s top receiving option, Steve Smith, who is likely to play but could certainly be slowed by a PCL sprain late in the season.  With his injury and the youth of the Panthers, I see them facing a severe test in this game.  The 49ers were in the Super Bowl last year and certainly can slow down Newton and the Panthers.  Additionally, 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick is a dynamic playmaker, and running back Frank Gore can certainly push the pile.

However, the Panthers did beat the 49ers in a defensive battle earlier in the year, and they clearly have the talent alone to make a Super Bowl run.  I think this game is a definite toss-up and may just be the end of a remarkable season for the Panthers.  While they are certainly the most likely of the top seeded teams to fall this week, the Carolina Panthers still have a great team and could win this game.  Let’s see what happens this weekend in the NFL Divisional playoff round!

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2013 NFL Wildcard Playoff Games Preview

The 2013 NFL Playoffs have finally arrived, and they are all set to begin with the wildcard matchups this weekend. While the league’s top 4 teams earned bye weeks and get to rest their weary legs, these underdog football teams will be put to the test right away, with their entire seasons hanging in the balance.  While these supposed “lesser” NFL squads have a long and hard road to the Super Bowl, such teams often do win the big dance, so none of them should be counted out.  But who will get past that initial first hump and into the divisional round?  Here is a preview for the NFL wildcard games this weekend:

Kansas City Chiefs at Indianapolis Colts – The Chiefs will probably lose this game.  Not only did they lose to the Colts 23-7 just two weeks ago, but they have now lost 5 of their last 7 games, a rather grounding experience following their 9-0 start to the season.  The only playoff team that the Chiefs have beaten is the Philadelphia Eagles.  Meanwhile, the Colts have topped the 49ers, Seahawks, and Broncos, making them one of the most dangerous teams around.  Is Andrew Luck ready to lead a playoff run?  I think so:  Colts win 23-7.

New Orleans Saints at Philadelphia Eagles – The Eagles rebounded from a bad start and now feature one of the NFL’s most dynamic offenses.  With the emergence of quarterback Nick Foles, the team thrives around the explosiveness of DeSean Jackson and LeSean McCoy.  However, the Saints also feature a high-scoring offense led by Drew Brees.  They have quite a strong defense and could have potentially earned a bye if not for the surprising year by the Carolina Panthers.  Although the weather will be cold, I foresee a shootout with the Saints winning through a defensive stand late in the game:  Saints win 41-35.

San Diego Chargers at Cincinnati Bengals – This is a total offense vs. defense matchup.  Philip Rivers leads a delightful passing attack by the Chargers, while the Bengals defense is amongst the best in the league.  These are two solid teams that could both do well in the playoffs, but I think the miraculous Chargers dream ends this week, as Andy Dalton and AJ Green should be able to muster enough points while the Chargers get slowed down by that defense.  Nevertheless, the game should be close, possibly featuring a poetically just missed field goal by the Chargers at the end of regulation:  Bengals win 20-17.

San Francisco 49ers at Green Bay Packers – The 49ers have the key ingredients for success in the playoffs: a strong defense and a powerful rushing attack spearheaded by Frank Gore.  They amassed a 12-4 record but are forced to go on the road as a wildcard team due to the great year by the Seattle Seahawks.  The Packers suffered to an 8-7-1 record with quarterback Aaron Rodgers missing nearly half the year.  However, he returned last week and won in miraculous fashion over the Chicago Bears, converting a dramatic last-minute 4^th and 8 for a touchdown.  They also have a strong running game led by rookie Eddie Lacy.  However, their defense is very questionable.  But with temperatures set to be in the single digits at Lambeau Field, this game will be a major test for both sets of players.  While Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers have dominated the Packers in recent games, Green Bay looks invigorated with Rodgers back at the helm, and I see them as a team of destiny: Packers win 28-24.

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2013 NFL Season Begins this Week - Our Division Winner Picks

Ravens Super Bowl XLVII Pano Photo Mint

 

Alas, the long wait is over! Long gone are the mind-numbing preseason matches played between backups desperate for a job, gone are the boring reports of which undrafted free agent signee is having a strong training camp. Finally, all the NFL talk is finally set to end and we can actually enjoy professional football once again. With the many burning questions for each NFL team to be answered in the coming days as week 1 begins, here is a full prediction of which teams will be the winners of their division and among the contenders for Super Bowl XLVIII:

 

AFC North: Baltimore Ravens – Although there was a mass exodus of players, including Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis, the Ravens are still the reigning Super Bowl Champions. Joe Flacco proved his worth last year during the NFL Playoffs with some incredible throws, and he has the tools to lead this team back to the playoffs. Meanwhile Ray Rice is a tremendous running back. Their division is always highly competitive, but I feel that the Ravens should rise to the top.

 

NFC North: Green Bay Packers – While the other three teams did get better in the off-season, this division has been owned by the Packers for as long as I can remember. Aaron Rodgers is the best quarterback in the league, and with him at the helm, the Packers will always be favored to win this division.

 

AFC South: Houston Texans – On paper a Super Bowl favorite, the Texans have playmakers all over the field. Matt Schaub has a great arm, while Arian Foster and Andre Johnson will collect scores of touchdowns. The only thing standing in their way is winning in the clutch, and this team has yet to do so, falling short in the last few playoffs.

 

NFC South: New Orleans Saints – Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons have been contenders but I see them losing steam this year. Meanwhile, the Saints have head coach Sean Payton back while Drew Brees is entering his final years as a star player. Something tells me that the Saints will be a major NFC force this season.

 

AFC East – New England Patriots – Forget about the scandals, forget about Tim Tebow. This team is about Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, and the pair have won nearly every division crown since 2000. With their rivals scrambling for healthy and manageable qb’s, the Patriots could win even by default.

 

NFC East – Philadelphia Eagles – Probably the most competitive division in which each team has a legitimate shot at winning, I put my money on Michael Vick and the new high-speed Chip Kelly offense. I feel that Vick is always an intriguing prospect to win a game, and that his new coach will get the best out of him. Playmakers LaSean McCoy and DeSean Jackson will ensure that the Eagles outscore their opponents, though this division is totally up for grabs!

 

AFC West – Denver Broncos – Pretty much a given, Peyton Manning is entering his final years and team VP John Elway has assembled the squad necessary for them to get another NFL Championship. After snatching away Wes Welker from the Patriots, I fully expect the Broncos to win the AFC and likely the Super Bowl as well, sending the elder Manning off into his retirement in style!

 

NFC West – Arizona Cardinals – That’s right, the Cardinals are about to snatch this division. The 49ers will experience the typical hangover that follows Super Bowl losers while I just don’t think that the Seahawks are as good as everyone thinks. Enter the Cardinals. With veteran quarterback Carson Palmer linking up with Larry Fitzgerald, and with rookie defensive playmaker Tyrann Mathieu about to become the NFL’s defensive rookie of the year, expect the Cardinals to do the unexpected!

 

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1 Year Agreement Reached Between Darren Sharper and New Orleans Saints

After being whacked by a civil lawsuit by a former security directory alleging the misappropriation of Vicodin and a possible investigation being initiated by the U.S. D.E.A., the New Orleans Saints has come to terms with All-Pro Safety Darren Sharper which is good news for the fans wanting a back-to-back championship.

Financial terms have yet to be disclosed, but the Saints general manager had confirmed that a one year agreement had been reached. Sharper may be old in NFL terms as he is 34 years old, but he had a great season last year. Sharper had intercepted nine passed with three of them being returned for touchdowns of 99, 97, and 42 yards. This will be Sharper's 14th year in the league with the first nine being spent with the Green Bay Packers and then the following four years with the Minnesota Vikings.

In 2004, Baltimore Ravens' Ed Reed set the single-season interception return yards record with 358 yards. Sharper broke this record last year with 376 interception return yards. Sharper currently leads all active NFL players with 63 interceptions. He is tied with Ronnie Lott for sixth place on the all-time list. Sharper also ranks second to Rod Woodson for career interception returns for touchdowns (Sharper has 11 compared to Woodson's 12) and 1,412 career interception return yards (Sharper has 1,412 compared to Woodson's 1,483). If Sharper has another outstanding year, he will have the all-time records.

After reaching this agreement, Sharper posted on his Twitter account, "To the entire WHO-DAT Nation, guess what? I'M BAACKK!"

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New Orleans Saints Accused Of Drug Misuse

A civil suit was recently filed against the Super Bowl Champions New Orleans Saints by their former security director. The team's former security director, who is also a former FBI agent, filed the civil lawsuit against the New Orleans Saints because of an alleged cover up for a "senior staff member" who stole Vicodin.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has learned about the civil lawsuit and they are now looking into it to determine if a criminal investigation is warranted.

The civil suit claims that a surveillance video had captured a senior staff member, believed to be Joe Vitt, using a trainer's key to take Vicodin from the team's drug locker. Vitt is the Saints linebackers coach and was also briefly the head coach of the St. Louis Rams. The complaint also alleges that the Saints current head coach, Sean Payton, was permitted to take large amounts of Vicodin from the drug locker.

The complainant, Geoffrey Santini, claims he was ordered to cover up the thefts and that two trainers were ordered to "doctor" the log books to make it appear the Vicodin was present and accounted for. Santini states this is why he had resigned from the job and he is demanding back pay and damages. According to Pro Football Talk, Santini had been asking for $2 million prior to filing the civil suit.

So far Sean Payton has stated he has never abused or stolen Vicodin and Vitt has not made a comment.

It will be interesting to see how this one turns out. Will it simply be a case of a gruntled former employee who is trying to make a monetary gain, or is this real and the Saints will be disgraced after winning their first Super Bowl in franchise history?

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Saints Drew Brees On Cover of Madden '11

The New Orleans Saints may suffer this season from the so called Madden curse. EA Sports announced yesterday that the New Orleans Saints quarterback would be featured on the front of Madden NFL 11 which will be released on August 10.

Drew Brees began playing for the Saints in 2006. He won the Super Bowl MVP trophy after beating the Indianapolis Colts 31-17 in this year's Super Bowl. Brees is honored to be on the cover even though a "curse" follows the player who lands on the cover which is similar to the Sports Illustrated front cover curse. Some of the most notable injuries occurred to Donovan McNabb, Michael Vick, and Shaun Alexander after they appeared on the front cover. Brees is not worried about the curse.

The cover of the game was decided by fan who voted online. The other choices were Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne and Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen.

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Super Bowl XLIV Items Will Be Authenticated by PSA/DNA

The NFL is expected to use over 100 footballs during Super Bowl XLIV.  Eventually these footballs will be collector's items and to ensure their authenticity, the NFL has hired the world's largest sports memorabilia authentication company, PSA/DNA Authentication Services, to certify all the footballs used in the Super Bowl.

 

Because of the enormous amount of sports memorabilia counterfeiting around the world, PSA/DNA will be using a very unique method in "tagging" the footballs.  The footballs will be "tagged" with a specially-prepared synthetic DNA link that leaves an invisible to the eye security mark.  This DNA strand will only be seen when illuminated with a special laser frequency. 

President of PSA/DNA, Joe Orlando, advises, "The DNA link has an astronomical 1-in-33 trillion chance of being accurately reproduced by counterfeiters."

 

This DNA link will also be placed on items such as sideline pylons and flip coins.    

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