NFC Playoff Standings

Here is the NFC Playoff picture this morning:

1. Atlanta Falcons: 13-2
3. Green Bay Packers: 11-4
2. San Francisco 49ers: 10-4-1
4. Washington Redskins 9-6
5. Seattle Seahawks: 10-5
6. Minnesota Vikings 9-6
7. Chicago Bears: 9-6
8. Dallas Cowboys 8-7
9. New York Giants: 8-7

• In order for San Francisco to become NFC West Champs, look for them to win outright OR for the Rams to upset Seattle today. The Rams D would have to play perfectly for that to happen, but it's possible!
•  Here's a great rundown of today's NFC matchups that matter: SI NF

 

Week 14--4th Quarter of the NFL Season

Week 14...We are officially in the 4th quarter of the 2012 NFL season.  WAH!!!  I don't want it to end.  We're lucky that we still have relevant matchups these next few weeks, though it's hilarious to listen to the booth guys struggle to stat you to death in games that don't matter.  The AFC's Texans, Patriots and Broncos will all be in the playoffs, as will the NFC's Falcons, but all of the above are still playing for home field advantage and/or a first round bye. The thing to remember this late in the season is that a team's record doesn't necessarily reflect how they're playing.  For playoff contenders, it's all about finishing strong with the least injuries.

Dallas Cowboys (6-6) at Cincinnati Bengals (7-5) 
1pm EST on FOX
Both teams need this win....bad.  Both are in a heated race for a wildcard berth.  Paul Brown Stadium is sold out for the first time in the last three games.  This should be a fun one to watch.

 1.  The press still loves to talk about the 'Boys and loves it when they win, but Tony Romo & Co are inconsistent at best with recent victories coming against lackluster Philly & Cleveland. Cincy is favored by 3, having won 4 straight.

2.  Cowboys nose guard Josh Brent (Illinois) is under arrest for suspicion of intoxication manslaughter in the death of teammate Jerry Brown (Illinois).

3.  Bengals RB Green-Ellis (Mississippi) has beaten the turf for over 100 yards in each of the last three games.

4.  Bengals QB Andy Dalton (TCU) is coming alive as of late, and his entire Houston family is traveling to Ohio for this pivotal game.  With his Ginger-extreme looks, they call him "The Red Rifle" in Cincy, though I can't help but think of Patrick Swayze's Road House "Dalton". He'll be looking for favorite receiver, AJ Green (Georgia), all day long.

Baltimore Ravens (9-3) at Washington Redskins (6-6) 
1pm EST on CBS
We talk about the Redskins every single week, because you just can't take your eyes off RGIII (Baylor).  Last year's Heisman Trophy winner is being compared to the greats already, but at 6-6, the 'Skins are still just a wildcard contender in Week 14. The crosstown "Beltway Bowl" will certainly be more entertaining than half of the BCS bowls.

Families divided....with tragic consequences.

1.  Vegas has these guys at "Pick 'em", but let's not forget that Baltimore hasn't lost back to back games in over 3 years.

2.  Ravens RB Ray Rice (say that 10 times fast) (Rutgers) received exactly 0 touches in the fourth quarter of last week's loss to Pittsburgh.  You can bet that won't happen again.

3.  Ravens Safety Ed Reed (Miami) is one of the best in the game.  He has more interceptions than any active player. Boom.

4.  RGIII has the lowest interception rate in the NFL. Boom.

Houston Texans (11-1) at New England Patriots (9-3) 
8:30pm EST Monday on ESPN
The Patriots have won 12 straight regular season games in December. The streak started in 2009 against the Carolina Panthers. Can these guys be stopped? 

1. With one touchdown pass, QB Tom Brady (Michigan) will extend his streak to 45 straight games with at least one touchdown pass. It’s the third longest streak of all-time. TE Wes Welker (Texas Tech) only needs 8 receptions to become the first player in NFL history with five 100- catch seasons.

2.  Giselle Bundchen gave birth to a healthy baby girl, Vivian Lake, on Wednesday, but hubby, Tom, was present for Patriots' walkthrough practice on Wednesday and was on the field Thursday as well. Geez.

3.  Don't look for Arian Foster and the powerful Texans' offense to roll over for the Patriots.  This is a potential look at the AFC Championship game.  NE is favored by 4.5, but TE Ron Gronkowski (Arizona) is still out with a broken arm.

4.  JJ Watt (Wisconsin) is nasty, nasty, nasty.  If he and pretty boy don't get up close and personal, I'd be greatly surprised. Jon Gruden will be drooling in the booth over this guy's performance.  He's up for Defensive Player of the Year with 60 tackles, including 50 unassisted. He has 16 1/2 sacks, 27 tackles for loss, 31 hits on the quarterback and 15 passes deflected at the line of scrimmage. 

Hope everyone's getting into the Holiday spirit! I know football helps.  :)  Enjoy Week 14!

Week 12--The Heat is On

Like Glenn Frye said, the heat is on. (Yes, you should click the hyperlink and listen to it while reading.....go ahead.....I'll wait.....) In Week 12, we further separate the men from the boys in the NFL. Let's get to it....

San Francisco 49ers (7-2-1) at New Orleans Saints (5-5), 4:25 p.m. on FOX  

1.  Alex Smith (Utah) definitely had a woe-is-me Wednesday this week when head coach and Ken-doll look-alike Jon Harbaugh informed him that he was giving the start to ink man, Colin Kaepernick (Nevada-Reno).  

2.  There is talk of trading Smith, the number one overall pick in 2004, to the New York Jets, seeing as how the two pretty boys just can't get it done in Gotham. Smith is currently in a 3-year, $24-million deal with SF.

3.  The Saints D STILL can't stop anyone, so we don't look for them to do it today against San Francisco, who rose to 3rd in the NFL power rankings after thumping Chicago last Monday night.

Atlanta Falcons (9-1) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-4), 
1:00 p.m. on FOX

1.  It's hard to start strong and STAY strong in the NFL. The Falcons ARE winning, but 6 of their last 9 wins have come by 7 points or less.  

2.  QB Matt Ryan (Boston College) just threw 5 INTs in a narrow win over Arizona last week. Confidence shaker? We'll see.

3.  Tampa is rolling, coming in to this week's NFC South matchup with a record of 5-1 in their last 6 games. 

Green Bay Packers (7-3) at New York Giants (6-4), 8:20 p.m., NBC

1.  After cruising through the first half of the season with a 93.4 passer rating, Eli Manning has fallen to a paltry 62.9 for the last four games. Some blame his O-line, but it's hard to say. When the QB is hot, you win.  When he's not....

2.  TE Martellus Bennett (Texas A&M) has been a key pickup for the Giants this season. Keep your eye on number 85.

3. With the Pack still missing Thor-ish Clay Matthews on defense, a win will be a tall order on the road today in New York.   
   

In other news:

• Officials to decide soon as to whether or not they will rescind the punitive rule of NOT reviewing a scoring play if a head coach errantly throws the red challenge flag, as Lions coach Jim Schwarz did on Thursday against Houston. Decision could go into effect for the playoffs.
• In spite of Palmer having over 3,000 yards passing, the Raiders have given up the most points in the NFL so far this season.
• Lions defenseman N. Suh just doesn't get it.  With a decision coming down from on high Monday, he could be facing a three game suspension.  His latest insult?  Kicking Texans QB Matt Schaub in the business on THIS play last week.  Geez.

Week 11--Thrills and Chills!

It's that time of the year in the NFL when we start looking to the playoff race, and with 10 teams at 6-4/6-3, it's a parity-fueled fight to the finish ... just the way we like it.

Philadelphia Eagles (3-6) at Washington Redskins (3-6) 1pm EST on FOX

This game is only interesting, really, because we get to see what Philly rookie Nick Foles has under the hood. Anything is better than watching Michael Vick struggle week after week ... karma, anyone?? And, hello ... Foles is a dead wringer for Ryan Gosling!

1.  Vick went out of last week's game with a concussion.  

2.  Foles (Arizona) threw his first NFL touchdown pass to Jeremy Maclin (Missouri) last week in a loss against the Cowboys. Foles was 22 for 32 with 219 yds passing, 1 TD and 1 INT. He looks promising, and the defense won't know what to do with him this week except to blitz.  A lot.

3.  Redskin QB RGIII was named team captain this week.  It took them 10 weeks to figure that out?  With all the commercials he's starring in, I feel like he's running for office, and I shall call him "Proposition 10".

New York Jets (3-6) at St. Louis Rams (3-5-1) 
1pm EST on CBS

The Rams TIED the 49ers last week (which thrilled the 6-4 Seahawks to no end), an NFL first since 2008. The Ram defense is T-U-F tough, and looks to frazzle pretty boy QB Mark Sanchez who has struggled mightily. Tebow wished him luck but secretly had his fingers crossed behind his back.

1.  Rams offensive coordinator, Brian Schottenheimer (son of former Chiefs and Chargers head coach, Marty Schottenheimer) was the OC for the Jets the past six seasons and got his start in 1997 in St. Louis under Dick Vermeil. Keep up the trick plays!

2.  The Rams pass defense is an underrated 13th best in a league with some crazy good defenses this year, and the front 4 should give Sanchez fits.  Look for them to hurry the harried QB.  

3.  Jets players were "anonymously" quoted this week as saying that Tim Tebow is "terrible" and that they don't trust him or want him at QB.  Ouch.

4.  Rams QB Sammy Bradford is dating model, Karlie Kloss, a St. Louis native.  Of course he is.  *sigh*

Chicago Bears (7-2) at San Francisco 49ers (6-2-1) 
8:20pm EST Monday on ESPN

This is the game of the week and we shall call it "The Battle of the Replacements".  Both Jay Cutler (Vandy) and Alex Smith (Utah) were knocked out of last week's games with concussions.  Cutler is officially out for Monday's game, but Smith is listed as questionable and has been taking the first team snaps in practice, albeit with a black "no contact" jersey on.  If he takes a shot early, look for Colin Kaepernick to step in.  

49ers Backup QB Colin Kaepernick

 1.  Kaepernick (Nevada) looked impressive against the Rams last week.  The 6'5"er was a star pitcher in high school and was offered numerous scholarships to play baseball, but opted for the QB position at Nevada instead. Kaepernick is the only quarterback in the history of Division I FBS college football to have passed for over 10,000 yards and rushed for over 4,000 yards in a collegiate career. 

2.  The Bears will start former Raider Jason Campbell (Auburn) at QB for the concussed Cutler. Campbell is a solid, if not dazzling QB.  

3.  The Bears D is in great shape and looks to unnerve a young Kaepernick if he sees playing time, and they will NO DOUBT be gunning for Alex Smith, if he gets the start.   

4.  49ers coach Jim Harbaugh underwent a cardioversion on Thursday to address an irregular heartbeat.  He is back on the sidelines, and we wish him well.  

5.  Wide Receiver Alshon Jefferey is probable for the Bears after participating in practice on Saturday. 

Happy Pigskinning!!

  

Week 10---Sunday Night in Chicago: Where the Elites Meet

Houston Texans (7-1) at Chicago Bears (7-1) 8:20 pm EST on NBC

This is about as much anticipation for a mid-season game as you're going to get.  When you pair two 7-1 teams, you're going to get a lot of "bests" and "mosts".  Let's get to it...

Da Bears:

Rudyard Kipling once said, "I have struck a city---a real city---and they call it 'Chicago'.  Having seen it, I urgently desire never to see it again.  It is inhabited by savages."  

If he was referring to the beloved duo of Lance Briggs (Arizona) and Brian Urlacher (New Mexico), he wasn't far off.  Urlacher could run for mayor....and win.  In his 12th season as a Bear, he is leading the 6th-ranked defense in the league.  That being said, this D is a mystery wrapped in an enigma and is strangely vulnerable to being picked apart by an elite team, for they are nothing if not generous, allowing 4.3 yards per carry.  So how do they win?  

1.  A defense that has scored touchdowns 7 times off 17 interceptions....17.  That's a lot.
2.  A defense that gives its offense a short field to work with
3.  A defense that has somehow made a slow-starting offense the 3rd best in the league
 

Speaking of enigmas, Bears QB, Jay Cutler, (Vanderbilt) is a beautiful disaster.  His QB rating through the first three quarters of each of the 8 games played is 68.6, but he explodes with a 135.0 fourth-quarter passer rating.  Can you trail the entire game against Arian Foster and the Houston Texans offense and get away with a win yet again?  I wouldn't advise it anymore than I would advise marrying Kristin Cavallari. 




Da Texans:

How does the league's number two offense win?  Two words:  Arian.  Foster.  

The 26-year old self-proclaimed vegan (who eats meat) is known for a few key things:

1.  10 rushing TDs (leads the league) with ZERO fumbles
2.  24 rushes per game average (leads the league)
3.  His brand new $43.5 million 5 year contract and his Under Armour endorsement deal
4.  and....the South's answer to "Tebowing"........"Fostering", his very own Namaste pose that he says is his way of paying respect to the game of football.  

This Texan team takes care of the football with only 6 turnovers the entire season, the lowest in the NFL.  QB Matt Schaub (Virginia) enjoys a hugely productive play-action option while opposing defenses keep their eyes on number 23.  And be sure to watch the best defensive player in football, JJ Watts (Wisconsin).  He is the league leader in tipped passes, has 10.5 sacks and 28 tackles for a loss.  Ouch. 

Although the Bears home field advantage helps give them a one point edge in Vegas-land, I think this game is what we call dead even.  It's going to be a great night. 

Week 9 - All-Saints Woes, a Touch of Hollywood and Heisman twins

So, what's the haps this weekend??  Well, you'll lose one hour to recover from your Saturday college football madness hangover (set those clocks back!)  Meanwhile, around the league....

Philadelphia Eagles (3-4) at New Orleans Saints (2-5) Monday, 8:30 pm EST on ESPN 
The Saints face a do-or-die situation Monday night.  The absence of suspended coach, Sean Payton, looms large on the Saints' sideline and locker room.  For those who think a coach is only symbolic or administrative, think again.  The best quarterback in the league can't seem to get it together without his think tank intact, and having one of the worst defenses in the NFL isn't helping matters.  Look for the Saints to play their damndest against the hapless but tough Eagles.  If they don't turn it around soon, the season is all but gone.  This could be a messy night.

Dallas Cowboys (3-4) at Atlanta Falcons (7-0) Sunday, 8:20 pm EST on NBC
The pic of Tony Romo (E. Illinois) and Coach Jason Garrett I chose is pretty symbolic of the whole season for "America's Team".  What the heck is going on in Big D?  Considering that team owner, Jerry Jones, likes to change head coaches the way most people change the oil in their car, Garrett could be a free agent himself very soon.  The front office defends the Hollywoodish Romo (married to a beauty queen after traipsing through the likes of Jessica Simpson and Carrie Underwood), attempting to offer him a sweetheart 10-year deal to finish his career in the white and blue.  Romo--the same guy who has turned the ball over 15 times in 7 weeks.  15 times.  He and the staff have basically blamed the players around him for his woes, one of them being Dez Bryant (Oklahoma State).  The talented and perennial troublemaker has been stripped of his punt and kickoff return duties after a scary game against the Giants.  He has been accused of domestic violence for allegedly slapping his mother.  Hmm.  The undefeated Falcons SHOULD handle the troubled Cowboys at home.   

Carolina Panthers (1-6) at Washington Redskins (3-5) Sunday, 1 pm on FOX 
This is the matchup of the two most recent Heisman Trophy winners who have shown brightly at turns in the NFL.  Cam Newton (Auburn) for the Panthers set 8 rookie records last season in an amazing performance.  However, the self-declared "entertainer and icon" (cringe) is experiencing the classic Sophomore slump at QB, while RGIII (Baylor) looks to be on pace to be the Rookie of the Year this year.  These two fellas have been able to pull off a college-style option attack like few others ever have.  The Panthers and Redskins rank first and second in option rush attempts and yards for 2012.  Will this game look like a college shootout??  I sure hope so.  Newton needs something to remind himself where he hid those numbers from last year.

NFL Week 8: Midseason Melange, Melees & Matchups

Greetings, Sports Fans!  (and fakers--no judgement here.)

We've reached the (gulp) midway point of the 2012 NFL season.  I can't believe it's halfway over already!  With many teams looking forward to their BYE week already (see GTK),  it's crunch time for all....to come together or fall apart for the rest of the season.  Here are Week 8's key matchups.

New England (4-3) vs St. Louis (3-4)  
1 pm EST on CBS, played in London!

The NFL has played one game every year since 2007 in London, billed as "The International Series".  The game is played at Wembley Stadium, historic home of more Beatles, U2 and Queen concerts than you can shake a drumstick at.  Tickets are in demand, with more than 500,000 bidders clamoring for the 80,000 available seats each year.

1.  Even with team records only a game apart, the Patriots seem to be the favorite in every darn matchup they face, as they are here, favored by 7 points.

2.  Tom Brady is super hot and super amazing.  Damn, you Tom!  I still haven't forgiven you for 2003!!!  But thank you for being born.

3.  The Rams Top 10 defense has been HUGE this season.  Many of their draft picks have been spent on the D the last few years, and it's paying off.  This year's cornerback tandem of Jenkins (N. Alabama) and Finnegan (Samford) will be a huge obstacle for Wes Welker (Texas Tech) and the Patriot receiving corps.  NE is weak at Left Tackle (Blind Side) and the Rams' Quinn is an ANIMAL.  Watch for him to get after ol' blue eyes.


4.  Bill Belichick is one of the most respected and most hated coaches in football.  He's been cited for a signal-stealing scandal and is often ribbed for his less than inspired choice of attire on the sidelines.  He wears a hoodie with the sleeves cut off to EVERY SINGLE GAME.  Ugh.  But his teams win.  A lot. 

Atlanta (6-0) at Philadelphia (3-3) 
1pm EST on FOX

1.  Sports pundits are WAY more focused on the fact that Philly head coach and human/walrus hybrid, Andy Reid, is 13-0 after a BYE week than on the accomplishments of the leagues last undefeated team.  Hmmm....11 of those wins have also been home games in a very less-than-friendly atmosphere for visiting teams. 

2.  Michael Vick, aka "The Dog Fighting Don", has fallen from grace ON the field lately, throwing INTs and turning the ball over at an alarming rate.  They will run the ball OFTEN against a not-so-great Atlanta run defense, their potential Achilles heel. 

New Orleans (2-4) at Denver (3-3) 
1 pm EST on FOX

1.  Two of the NFL's most celebrated quarterbacks with some of the best numbers we've ever seen.  Ever:  The Saints' Drew Brees and Denver's Peyton Manning.  Manning is on his comeback tour with the Broncos after neck surgery saw him miss the entirety of the 2011 season in Indianapolis, and he is hitting his stride in Denver. He could exploit the Saints' glaring weakness on defense.

2.  The Saints NEED this one.  Bad.  But their defense is nogoodterribleverybad, allowing a league-high 465.5 yards per game.  (The 49ers are only allowing 272.3 yards per game.)  Yikes, Saints.  They've allowed 2,793 yards in the first six games....a dismal NFL record.

3.  The good news for the Saints?  Brees is back, doubling his numbers in all the right places in his last three games.  And that's good, seeing as how he'll need to score big in order to overcome that abysmal defense. 

Week 7 At a Glance

This week, we'll look at a key Divisional matchup and a game that illustrates the importance of the defense.  Why?  Because even though every game counts, toward the middle of the season, we start to see which teams are for real, whose injuries are going to thwart a team's success, and which defenses are getting the job done.  Games within your division mostly determine who goes to the postseason.  And Defense typically wins games for you late in the season.

Washington Redskins (3-3) @ New York Giants (4-2)  1 pm EST on FOX

The weekend's big matchup to watch.  Here's why:

1.  1st place in the NFC East is at stake.  

2.  RGIII (the 'Skins QB from Baylor) is 3rd in Passer Rating in the NFL with 100.5 (see GTK Corner above) AND he also has 379 yards rushing with 6 rushing TDs

3.  Both teams have scored exactly 178 points this season, but the Redskins make too many mistakes, and their defense is giving up 328 passing yards per game....WAY too many, especially against an elite passer like Eli Manning (Ole Miss).  

4.  Giants RB Ahmad Bradshaw (Marshall) is not likely to play due to a foot injury.

Green Bay Packers (3-3) @ St. Louis Rams (3-3) 1 pm EST on FOX

1.  Green Bay is starting to look like its old self (15-1 last season), coming off of a 42-24 DE-STROY of the previously undefeated Houston Texans last week.  (Atlanta is the only remaining undefeated team)

2.  Packers have the NFC sack leader in Fathead commercial star, Clay Matthews (look for the flowing blonde locks pouring out of his helmet), so the Rams' offensive line will be tested.  Hard.  If Sam Bradford ends up on the ground too many times, this game will get lopsided in a hurry.  The Rams are missing their veteran at Left Tackle, Roger Saffold.  (think Sandra Bullock and the movie "The Blind Side")  This position is the heart of the offensive line and is key in protecting the QB.  He'll likely return in Week 10.

3.  The Rams defense is awesome.  Quinn and Long (Howie Long's son) have 10 sacks between them, and the team is only allowing an average of 18.5 points per game.  This may be their only hope in slowing down Aaron Rodgers (Berkeley) and the Pack.  Defense CAN win games, but this one will be tough to say the least.

TALKING TIDBITS:

• A New Orleans fan filed a $5M class action lawsuit against the NFL this week, claiming that the player suspensions after the Bountygate scandal amount to diminished value of their season tickets.  Good luck with that.....the NFL almost never loses anything.  

• The NFC is statistically better than the AFC at this point in the season for the first time in what seems like FOREVER.  The tide she is a turnin'.  Let's see if they keep it up.

• John Skelton in IN at QB in Arizona.  Kevin Kolb is out due to injury.  Look for AZ's early season offensive show to slow down considerably as a result. 

• Terry Bradshaw (famous former Steelers QB and FOX broadcaster) had a 0.0 passer rating in 3 separate games.  Aaron Rodgers posted an average 122.5 passer rating for the 2011 season, an all-time record in what was the Year of the Passer.

Seahawks at 49ers Tonight!

Hot List for a "new" classic NFC Matchup:

1.  The 49ers are banged up at the WR position, and QB Alex Smith has an injured third finger.  While this isn't as bad as Kurt Warner's carrer-changing pinkie injury many moons back, it MAY have been a factor in his three INTs last week against the Giants.  (and that killer Giants defense)

2.  The Seahawks defense is second best in the NFL for yards per carry allowed.

3.  49ers running back Frank Gore needs only three rushing touchdowns to tie the all-time team record of 50 set by Roger Craig and Joe Perry.

4.  Seahawks kickoff an punt return man, Leon Washington, is averaging 31.7 yards per carry.  That's good for second best in the NFL.

5.  The Niners are favored by 7 points with an over/under of 37.5.  I'd take that Over!

What is a "Pennant Race" and Why Should I Care?

Tonight we plow headlong into the middle and the meat of the Pennant Race.  What is the Pennant Race, you ask?  Before 1969, baseball only had two divisions:  The American League and the National League. The team with the best record from each advanced to the World Series.  Now, we have three divisions within the AL and NL.  The winners of each Division plus a Wildcard team (the fourth best overall score in each League) play through a set of playoffs to win "The Pennant" or the League title.  This in and of itself is a huge accomplishment.  Those two teams then square off in the Fall Classic, better known as The World Series.  The bracket this year looked like this:

We are right smack dab in the middle of this year's Pennant Race with a big night ahead of us:

This afternoon at 3pm CST, the San Francisco Giants travel to St. Louis for Game 3 in a best of 7 series to win the NL Pennant and advance to the World Series.  The series is TIED at 1-1.  The next three games are in St. Louis today, Thursday and Friday, then the series returns to SF if needed for games 6 & 7. 

TALKING POINTS:

1.  The Cards and Giants have met twice recently in the NLCS (National League Championship Series) in 1987 (Cards advanced) and 2002 (Giants advanced).  Baseball fans LOOOOOOVE history between teams.  THESE TWO TEAMS ARE THE WINNERS OF THE LAST TWO WORLD SERIES!!  (Cards - 2011, Giants - 2010)  The last time two back to back champs met this late in the Postseason was in 1958 when the Yankees took on the Braves.

2.  Monday night, Cardinals outfielder Matt Holliday plowed into Giants 2nd Baseman Marco Scutaro, taking one of their stars out of the game.  He plans to return today!  And watch the Cards' Carlos Beltran.  He is their best hitter, AND he is also a former Giant.  Burn. Media darling, Buster Posey, is the best batter in the game for the Giants.....keep your eye on him!

3.  Matt Cain is the starting pitcher for SF today.  He is coming off 5 days rest after leading his team to victory in a do-or-die in Cincinatti.  (4-5 days rest is the minimum usually required to rest a starting pitcher's arm--starting him with less is a risk for injury and sub-par performance, but is sometimes done for strategy) He is 1-1 vs the Cardinals' batters this season, giving up 9 runs in 11 2/3 innings pitched.  The Cards think they have his number.  We'll see......

4.  Kyle Lohse "gets the start" (meaning he's the starting pitcher) for the Cardinals.  He is 3-2 vs the Giants this season with a 3.78 ERA against them.  (Earned Run Average:  avg of how many runs he lets the opponents score off his pitching, notwithstanding the errors of other fielders) The League avg is a 4.5 ERA.  Kyle had the 8th best ERA in all of baseball this season with a 2.86.  Anything under a 3.00 is considered to be really, really good. 

New York Yankees @ Detroit Tigers  GAME 4  7:07 PM CST on TBS

Baseball fans feel only one of two ways about the Yankees:  LOVE 'em or HATE 'em.  They have the most World Series victories of any team in History with 27.  (Cardinals are second with 11) They have consistently had the highest paid roster in all of baseball, the largest TV contracts and the highest merchandise sales.  So whether you can't get enough of those Yankees pinstripes or you're a diehard Tigers fan, here are the hot topics for the rest of this series:

1.  The Yankees face getting swept TONIGHT (losing in four straight games to be eliminated) for only the fifth time in 73 Postseason appearances (that's a TON of appearances, the most in baseball ever), with the last coming in a loss to George Brett and the Kansas City Royals in 1980.  (32 years ago......gulp).  

2.  Everyone is talking about how the Boston Red Sox came from behind in this exact scenario in the ALCS against the Yankees in 2004, and overcame their loooooooong drought to win the World Series (over the Cardinals) to end the curse of the Bambino.  (more on that another day)

3.  C. C. Sabathia gets the start for the Yankees.  He had a 3.38 ERA this season, but is 2-0 with a 1.53 ERA so far this postseason.  He is coming off a huge win for the Yanks in their Division clencher. 

4.  The Detroit Tigers lost the World Series to the Cardinals in 2006.  And they eliminated the Yankees in 5 games in this same series last year!

5.  Max Sherzer gets the start for Detroit tonight.  Enjoy!!!

NFL WEEK 6

6 Weeks.  The time it takes to:  a) get halfway through a round of P90X, b) survive a full election cycle in England,  or c) reach Week 6 of the 2012 NFL season. I can't believe we're already 37% of the way through the season.   :(  (A season has 16 weeks of play with each team receiving one Bye week or week off.)

Week 6 Hot Topics:
New York Giants (NFC, 3-2) @ San Francisco 49ers (NFC, 4-1)
4:25pm EST FOX

The defending SuperBowl champ Giants are now considered an underdog this week to the speeding bullet train that is this year's 49er team.  (This is the only night game, so most fans watch this one) The takeaways for this game:
1.  Last year the Giants narrowly beat the 49ers to advance to the Superbowl and won.
2.  Alex Smith for the 49ers is the top rated passer in the NFL  (which is strange only because commentators have been bad-mouthing him for years---he was horrible, but has now found his footing in SF)
3.  Eli Manning (Giants' QB) is considered an elite quarterback in this league, and you can never count him out, though SF is favored to win by 5 points.

Green Bay Packers (NFC, 2-3) @ Houston Texans (AFC, 5-0) 
8:20pm EST NBC

1.  GB won the SuperBowl two seasons ago and finished the 2011 regular season at 15-1.  They still have all their weapons intact this year and should be winning, but they're just not.  (Notwithstanding the HUGELY controversial loss to Seattle due to a bad call by the replacement refs)

2.   Houston running back Arian Foster is a BEAST.  He already has 532 yards rushing with 0 fumbles.  (that's a big deal, because the RB handles the ball a ton in full contact situations)

3.  Houston is one of two undefeated teams remaining in the league.  Everyone is wondering when they're going to fall.  Green Bay could definitely get it done, though Houston is favored by 3 1/2 points.


Indianapolis Colts (AFC, 2-2) @ New York Jets (NFC, 2-3)

Indy QB Andrew Luck

The story here is not that we have two juggernaut teams by any stretch, but that we have a storied young quarterback in Indy's Andrew Luck (Stanford) and a QB controversy in New York.  Last year's Heisman Trophy winner propelled his team to an emotional victory last Sunday over the Packers.  Playing hard in honor of their coach, Chuck Pagano, who is being treated for Leukemia, Luck set personal bests with 31 completions in 55 attempts for 362 yards (anything over 300 yds is a big day for a passer) and 2 TD passes in a HUGE come-from-behind victory after being down 21-3 at the half.  Games like this are why football fans love this sport.  It's a big deal for a rookie QB fresh out of college to perform this well on the BIG stage. Watch to see if Luck continues his Pro-level performance, or if he falters, the way many rookie quarterbacks do when thrust into the high speeds and complicated offenses of the NFL.  (Cam Newton, the QB for the Carolina Panthers is currently experiencing the sophomore slump.)

Jets' QB Mark Sanchez

On the Jets' side of the ball, Hottie McHotterson, starting QB Mark Sanchez has completed less than 50% of his passes through 4 games (that's bad--the majority of QBs are in the upper 50s to lower 60s).  The team owner is a big fan of backup, Tim Tebow (Florida Gators--first sophomore ever to win the Heisman--drafted by the Broncos).  Up until this week, they have attempted to switch it up under center (that's where the QB lines up for each play) and use both QBs with no luck.  Sanchez started as a rookie in 2009, and led his team to the playoffs that year and in 2010, a first for a rookie QB in his first two seasons.  But if Sanchez doesn't improve his dismal numbers and produce some points for NY, head coach Rex Ryan faces a tough decision and, potentially, a polishing of the resume.  The unpredictable Tebow faces what's sure to be a shaky start on a very talented buy shaky team.

Tebow "Tebowing"

NFL--Week 5

Hey, Ladies!  During the first week of October's Breast Cancer Awareness month in the NFL, this post is for YOU.  Whether you love football or could care less, wouldn't you love to throw out a few tidbits at your dad, boyfriend, husband or buddies?  The boys won't know what hit 'em.  So, girls,  (and guys who have been living under a rock this week), here are the hot NFL matchups for this weekend and why you should care....(with the good stuff in PINK)

San Diego Chargers (3-1) at New Orleans Saints (0-4)  (8:25PM EST--NBC)

Why you should care:  Between the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the feel-good story of the Saints' comeback on good-guy, Drew Brees' watch, people love the Saints.  They won the Superbowl in 2009 (a franchise first) and made the playoffs in 2010.  Last year, Drew Brees broke the single season passing record with 5,476 yards, and RB Darren Sproles took the record for most all-purpose yards in a season with 2,696.  

Then things got ugly....the post-season was marred with the BountyGate scandal, in which it was discovered that the defensive coaching staff was paying players to make vicious hits on opposing teams.  Head coach Sean Payton was suspended for this season, along with several players and assistant coaches.  The Saints are struggling to find their first win this year under the weight of the scandal and the absence of their coach.  They are 0-4 going into Sunday's game against a tough Charger team, but playing at home in the super-loud Superdome has given them a lift in the past.  And for reasons only Supreme High Commander Roger Goodell (the Commissioner of the NFL) understands, Sean Payton will be allowed to "attend" this game, albeit, only from the grandstands.  It's do or die for the Saints.

Atlanta Falcons (4-0) at Washington Redskins (2-2) (1PM EST--FOX)

Why you should care:  The Falcons are one of only two undefeated teams remaining in the League with their standout QB, Matt Ryan (Boston College--bonus points for knowing where star players went to school).  

The Redskins and the media are LOVING Robert Griffin III, their star, rookie QB from Baylor University.  No slouch, he was a track star, graduated in three years with a 3.67 GPA and was studying for his masters his senior year when he won the 2011 Heisman Trophy.  He's a versatile, running QB (like Michael Vick) who makes a run defense question their strategy.  And even though the Falcons are undefeated, their run defense ranks a dismal 29th in the NFL.  While the Redskins are certainly not a cohesive unit (yet), this could be a very interesting game.  (Side note**  The 1972 Dolphins are the ONLY team to ever have a perfect season, remaining undefeated AND winning the SuperBowl.  Every year when the last undefeated team falls, they are rumored to share a toast of champagne!)

Denver Broncos (2-2) at New England Patriots (2-2) (An AFC matchup) (4:25PM  EST--CBS)

Why you should care:  Two names.....Tom Brady (yes, Giselle's hottie hubby) and Peyton Manning (that nice boy your mom wanted you to date in high school).  Tom Brady and the Patriots have struggled a bit this year at 2-2, and have yet to win at home where they have traditionally been unbeatable. (**They won 35 of their last 36 games at home before the Cardinals knocked them off in Week 2.) Not known for having a running game, they ran well last week and will do it again, if the Bronco defense allows it.  

Manning and Brady have a playoff rivalry going back several years.  Manning is back from a one year hiatus from football after neck surgery, and he is finding his rhythm.  The former star QB of the Colts took over throwing duties at Denver this year.  Two of the best QBs of our generation, squaring off on fairly equal footing, though most believe the Patriots will ultimately win.  We'll see.

I'll be back with more match-ups and facts next week!

Yours in Sports,
Anastasia Roark